The Future of Reiki, Martial Artists, Spiritual Based, & Holistic Therapies in MA & USA
Your freedom to access or practice any of these therapies is being threatened with regulation.
What’s the threat?
The threat is coming from the private sector, organizations which stand to benefit by controlling from whom you can receive treatment, from whom you can learn any of these therapies, how you practice professionally, and what you teach.
That control can be gained by manipulating state governments that write licensing laws, ostensibly to protect the public from harm.
Do I have your attention? Are you ready to protect Reiki and other affected therapies?
Although this proposed bill affects ANYTHING that is deemed a holistic therapy or a spiritual therapy through “word or touch”, I am going to stick to my lane of knowledge in the realm of my extensive experience in trauma healing & recovery especially for domestic violence survivors and sexual assault survivors as well as spiritually based therapies such as meditation & reiki.
For more details on what is happening, please check out my prior post here.
If you teach or are a practitioner who uses other therapies such as
meditation,
yoga,
personal, business, spiritual coaching,
Thai chi,
martial arts,
acupressure
You are being called to TAKE ACTION
If you receive any of these therapies especially for/or a part of a:
PTSD, mental health or trauma
terminal illness, dementia, cancer
senior care, volunteer programs, homelessness
Military vets
addiction
battered women’s shelter
or the like
Your access to services may become adversely affected … ACTION is needed NOW
Holistic healers are fighting “An Act Regulating Bodyworks,” the latest bill filed by State Sen. Mark Montigny (D-New Bedford) and Attorney General Maura Healey to allow authorities regular access to establishments they say are often fronts for trafficking.
Reiki practitioner Rita Glassman (Staff Photo By Chris Christo/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)
I recently spoke with Rita Glassman who is heading up the lobbying efforts in Massachusetts to object to regulation of reiki that is beginning to sweep through many states in USA.
She and other practitioners from the National Health Freedom Action have been working to protect their right to professionally practice their respective modalities.
Montigny’s bill defines bodywork as a large swath of practices including touch, words or directed movement, from reiki to reflexology to meditation or martial arts.
For practitioners, you were you able to choose from among diverse practitioners and found the one you thought was the best fit for you.
When you started your professional practice, did you assume you’d always be able to practice according to your understanding your unique practice, without interference from your state government?
All of those choices will be taken away if we allow state legislatures to be manipulated by the private sector into requiring unwarranted licensing.
If you missed my prior blog post on what is happening, please click here to read it for information & background. Above all … please
share it,
take ACTION.
Pamela Miles https://reikiinmedicine.org
More recently, Pamela Miles (Reiki, Medicine & Self Care), who was instrumental in helping bring reiki on the map in the medical community in NYC and has been featured on Dr. Oz has jumped on the anti-legislative board due to the dangers this widespread legislation poses to folks in gaining access to specifically reiki.
She wrote a fabulous piece on how the threat of regulating reiki would affect you that I will NOT redo as it is perfectly executed.
You can read her wonderful article here where she talks about
WHO stands to profit from this regulation,
how this regulation can affect you,
the reiki diversity,
the reiki spiritual practice,
what states are under attack NOW,
and what you can do about it.
Pamela Miles has been a national voice and featured on the following:.
Pamela has hosted multiple webinars and sent out numerous emails on how to address what we are faced with in regards to legislation. Her voice is one highly credible and respected in the industry.
You can listen to her recent webinar, Protect Reiki from Regulation, with Rita Glassman. You can access it here.
It is imperative that we start writing and calling legislators NOW to oppose this bill.
Laura at the Ma State House to testify against the harmful bills & supporting the Safe Harbor Bill.
The MA attorney general has filed the identical bill in the house and senate to ensure its passage. It is going to take a miracle to stop it.
We need an army of practitioners to contact their legislator and senator to establish a relationship with them and to let them know how this proposed bill would affect their income and family. They are elected officials and they listen to their constituents.
Rita and her team has made it easy for us to take ACTION. It is all done for you to make it easy for you to help stop this legislation.
Sample letters & talking points
Click on the links below for:
Draft of an email to students, practitioners, teachers and consumers
I STRONGLY suggest that you blind copy (BC) me on your emails to their legislators, so I can present all the letters to the committee it is assigned to at the public hearing.
You can bcc: your letters to healingwithspirit1@gmail.com.
Results?
Last year, Rita Glassman presented the list of over 20,000 who signed the an online petition she had created to oppose the legislation as well as copies of letters that were sent to legislators.
KEY RESULT: When NH tried to pass licensure legislation, they had a strong turnout of over 400 at the public hearing and over a thousand letters to legislators. They never filed another licensure bill for holistic practitioners. We need to do the same and just flood them.
WE NEED YOU.
If we learned NOTHING else from the election in November 2020, it takes the rise of us ALL. Please do NOT rely on someone else to take action. We can NOT do this alone. This does NOT only affect reiki, but other spiritually based practices as well.
To defeat this will require ALL of us to step up to the plate.
As for me, regulating these services will prevent folks in vulnerable communities I serve from gaining access to these therapies which in turn would harm my mission to break the cycle of abuse through healing the unrecognized unhealed epidemic of unresolved trauma that plagues our communities and over burdens our broken health care system.
Please share your thoughts and comments below in regards HOW this may or may not affect you. Thank you for reading.
As someone who has been practicing spiritually based integrative therapies since 2006, looking into using complimentary alternative medicine (CAM) for holistic treatment options as part of an addiction treatment program intrigues me. Personally, in my own recovery, not from addictions, but from complex post traumatic stress disorder or CPTSD, these therapies I credit for saving my life, reduced my need to be medicated and potentially reduced my risk for addictions.
In this post, I was hoping to learn more about how effective these therapies are in treatment for addiction, but have found limited scientific data.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)[1], approximately 23 million Americans require treatment for a substance use problem, but only 2.5 million people in the U.S. receive treatment which includes:
pharmacotherapy, including medications to treat addiction or related mental health conditions;
or a combination of pharmacotherapy and behavioral therapy.
As we are learning to understand, due to the complexity of how addiction affects each person, there is not one single treatment right for everyone.
With that said, even the best treatments cannot guarantee complete remission of addiction and drug-seeking behaviors, which is why integrating CAM approaches as part of the treatment option might improve the recovery outcomes.
Types of CAM approaches are separated into two categories:
Natural products such as mineral, vitamins, herbals, Adaptogens like Ashwagandha and probiotics.
Mind and body therapies such as yoga, chiropractic, osteopathic, meditation, massage, acupuncture, Thai chi, expressive arts, reiki, Chinese medicine, Ayurveda medicine, homeopathy, naturopathic medicine and more.
CAM treatments can benefit addiction treatment in at least three ways[2]:
addiction prevention,
increasing treatment compliance,
and boosting treatment outcomes.
In the case of prevention, CAM interventions can be implemented to treat underlying conditions that commonly occur in association with addiction, such as mental illness and chronic pain. If these issues are addressed and managed early, addiction may never develop. For mental illness, there is good evidence to support that CAM strategies are effective in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety.[3]
The Benefits of Adaptogens
Adaptogens like Ashwagandha[4] root are natural substances that help the adrenal system regulate hormones and manage stress. Over recent years, I have seen how well Ashwagandha works for so many especially those with diagnosed with PTSD, anxiety, addictions, and sleep issues that have astounded me and have had reports of some in recovery who have used this as part of their treatment effectively.
One of the attributes of ashwagandha is its ability to induce calmness and clarity by regulating neurotransmitters such as serotonin and the stress hormone cortisol. Research has shown that consuming ashwagandha may “substantially” reduce chronic stress to help your body adapt to and alleviate the stomach-churning anxiety stress can cause. (Mercola)
Research indicates there’s a likelihood that ashwagandha may be useful for helping patients in opioid withdrawal as well as reducing or eliminating dependence on benzodiazapene drugs such as Xanax and Valium[5].
Equine Assisted Therapy
Statistics, data, and research is lacking in the field of complimentary alternative medicine. However, CAM approaches can be helpful by keeping the individual engaged and active in their course of addiction treatment.
One such technique is horse-assisted therapy (also known as equine-assisted therapy), an intervention that actively involves horses during the therapy process. Results show that people stayed in treatment for twice as many days and were much more likely to complete treatment than those in traditional programming.[6]
Mindfulness Based Approaches
According to NCCIH, mindfulness-based approaches have shown some success when applied to the treatment of substance abuse and addiction by improving distress tolerance.[7]
Available data suggest that mindfulness-based interventions may help significantly reduce the consumption of several substances including alcohol, cigarettes, opiates, and others compared to control groups; however, many studies have had small sample sizes, methodological problems, and a lack of consistently replicated findings.
Other types of CAM treatments studied with effectiveness include[8]:
Mindfulness meditation has been effective in reducing cigarette use and reducing cravings.
Mindfulness Based for Reduction in Pain: A 2016 review also found that mindfulness-based interventions effectively reduce pain intensity, improve functional status, improve pain-related psychological consequences, and improve quality of life; they can also be used as adjunct therapy aimed at improving health-related quality of life in individuals with substance use disorders interested in self-management strategies.
Mindfulness Based For Reduction of Consumption: A 2014 systematic review of 24 studies found evidence suggesting that mindfulness-based interventions can reduce the consumption of several substances including alcohol, cocaine, amphetamines, marijuana, cigarettes, and opiates to a significantly greater extent than wait list controls, non-specific educational support groups, and some specific control groups.
Hypnotherapy study in 2014 found that hypnotherapy patients were more likely than nicotine replacement therapy patients to be nonsmokers at 12 weeks and 26 weeks after hospitalization.
Yoga has been shown to reduce cravings and to ease withdrawal from nicotine, with stronger results in women.
Thai chi seems to enhance mindfulness and one’s ability to break the cycle of nicotine addiction.
Acupuncture has been studied with a number of addictions.Most notably, electric acupuncture has helped to reduce relapse rates for people addicted to opioids.
Several studies have used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine the effects of mindful attention on the anterior cingulate and prefrontal cortex in smokers, the areas of the brain associated with cravings and self-control.
In a 2017 study of 23 participants who completed either mindfulness training or cognitive behavioral treatment for smoking cessation, the researchers found that stress reactivity in several brain regions including the amygdala and anterior/mid insula was related to reductions in smoking after treatment.[9] The findings suggest that reduction in stress reactivity may be one of the underlying mechanisms of mindfulness-based treatments.
The Benefits of Tibetan Singing Bowls
Tibetan Singing Bowls[10] have been used by Tibetan monks for centuries for healing and meditation purposes. These bowls create a range of sounds to restore the normal vibratory frequencies of diseased and out-of-harmony parts of the body, mind and soul.
A 2016 study examined the effects of sound meditation, specifically Tibetan singing bowl meditation, which “concluded that Tibetan singing bowl meditation may be a feasible low-cost low technology intervention for reducing feelings of tension, anxiety, and depression, and increasing spiritual well-being. This meditation type may be especially useful in decreasing tension in individuals who have not previously practiced this form of meditation.”[11]
Although the study results are brief, I find it promising. I began using Tibetan singing bowls in my work in 2015 as something I felt drawn to do on an instinctual basis for my own healing. As someone who has a history of trauma resulting in CPTSD, I welcome this study.
I went through the traditional medicinal route and felt I was given a band-aid with a wound that continued to grow and fester with no relief in sight. So since 2005, I began looking into me. Who I am, and how can I heal especially when my very trust in humanity was so broken. I went up into the spiritual unknown to build my trust in my spirituality.
“If we accept that sound is vibration and we know that vibration touches every part of our physical being, then we understand that sound is heard not only through our ears but through every cell in our bodies. One reason sound heals on a physical level is because it so deeply touches and transforms us on the emotional and spiritual planes. Sound can redress imbalances on every level of physiologic functioning and can play a positive role in the treatment of virtually any medical disorder.” — Dr. Mitchell Gaynor
Reiki For Addiction
Other potential viable options also include reiki. Since traditional nonwestern forms of reiki (Jikiden Reiki[12]) has been prevalent in my own personal healing path as well as with those I have treated and/or taught who are in recovery, I looked into reiki research. Jikiden Reiki® is the “direct teaching” of Reiki from Japan that is free from Western influence. The word Reiki itself means “soul energy”, which is the natural, vital healing force found in all life.
Jikiden Reiki® sessions focus on removing toxins from the body and guiding it towards wholeness. Jikiden Reiki is known for its effective treatment of acute and chronic conditions, as well as to address deep rooted beliefs, habits, traumas and addictions. Reiki has been effective treatment option like alleviating pain, pre-op and post-op surgery recovery, anxiety, skin conditions and post-traumatic stress.
Unfortunately, I was unable to find a quality study on the effectiveness of reiki for addiction, but found numerous individual accounts of addiction and recovery on how reiki helped their own recovery as evidence.
According to the Rehab Center which offers reiki therapy, states “alternative medicine, like Reiki therapy, for addiction has been successful for some individuals, but is likely only effective when it meets the unique needs and beliefs of the person”.[13]
Benefits include according to this site:
may help an individual with some aspects of recovery
boost energy
lower stress
reduce pain
help with symptoms of withdrawals
reduce agitation
promote relaxation,
may also help a person remain calm during the early and stressful stages of addiction treatment.
According to Sober Nation, if done within the few first days of detox, Reiki therapy may help make withdrawal symptoms more tolerable to endure. Secondly, people are better able to deal with stress of recovery and life in a healthier manner.[14]
Additionally, Reiki therapy for drug and alcohol addiction also helps those newly recovering deal with anger and resentments which are common triggers that can lead people back into active addiction. I have personally witnessed this aspect in my own practice when reiki is used effectively from a qualified practitioner. Reiki therapy also helps repair the physical and psychological damage that addiction causes and allows the individual to get back on a path towards a healthy lifestyle.[15]
I did find one recovery site that had concerns regarding reiki “detoxication” which can be explained simply from my experience.[16] Most Americans are trained in some form of “westernized” reiki which is NOT the full scope of training as it was taught in Japan with many added “new age” concepts. When the traditional training is adhered to which takes decades to master, the so called “reiki detoxification” mentioned has been reduced by 90% with a 90% reduction of intensification from my own personal experience of doing THIS work since 2006.
Final Thoughts
Overall, there is a lack of evidence to support the use of many forms of CAM despite numerous individual claims of benefit. I can personally attest to this so-called phenomena. For this reason, most of the sites I researched urged “caution” in initiating CAM treatments due to lack of safety.
This only makes me question is this due to the lack of research or money lobbied by big business, wall street and Big Pharma. I say this because known therapies such as meditation and yoga have repeatedly been shown to be effective and safe and have been effectively practiced as part of a spiritual based practice for thousands of years.
I also feel that how is it possible to quantify and make quantitative something that is spiritually based like yoga, reiki, Thai chi, or meditation just to name a few which can vary based on personal beliefs, spiritual beliefs, and experiences that at the end of the day are all personal.
This is not a one shoe fits all approach. It takes someone skilled at knowing their clients, their needs and belief systems to know which approach is best suited for them. It is part of what I consider the spiritual journey. These therapies are different from other forms of spiritually based therapies as they are free from religious indoctrination and dogma and tap into the something that links all spiritual beliefs that are our innate BE-ing.
Based on what my research is showing and from my own personal experiences, the results of implementing complimentary alternative medicine as part of a treatment plan can be very promising with much less serious if not deadly side effects seen in traditional medical approaches and can be used as part of a treatment program during ALL stages addiction treatment.
I am hoping you found this guide helpful. This is just the tip to what is possible and plausible.
I would LOVE to hear from you as to what you found most resourceful for you
With appreciation,
Laura
Spiritual Medium, Healer, Speaker, Writer, Metaphysician, Advocate, Holistic Health Practitioner, Facilitator, Trauma Specialist, Empowerment Specialist and Spiritual Badass.
For more information about classes, click here and our events calendar, click here.
Please note that content on this website is intended for informational purposes only, and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional, not is it meant to diagnose or treat a health problem, symptom or disease. Always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before taking any medication or nutritional supplement, or using any treatment for a health problem. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, contact your health care provider promptly. Do not disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking professional advice because of something you have read on this website. Information provided on this website DOES NOT create a doctor-patient relationship between you and any doctor affiliated with our website.
There is so much frenzy going on regarding the cornonavirus. I won’t belabor what is wrong.
So with that said, I felt I wanted to share with you MY tips to keep yourself healthy and boost your immune system. We forget that our bodies are designed to heal themselves. What I want to propose are ways to help strengthen your mind, body, and spirit during this crisis.
First, outside the basics of what is already flooded everywhere on the internet and social media such as good hand washing, minimize social contact, stay home if sick etc, there is more. I will NOT go into all that, but instead I will go into the OTHER stuff that sometimes is not addressed in the mainstream.
Are you ready for some of my home remedy tips?
Before we start, I would like to say, I do NOT do all of these at once. I pause. I listen to my body for what it needs intimately. Over the years in healing myself and my body, I have learned the power of building a relationship with my body and know what various emotional triggers, sensations, pains etc represent to me.
I encourage you to build a relationship with your body as it knows best what it needs. The body carries within it, infinite wisdom for your healing needs.
With that said, I will usually do a combination of these based on what I feel my body needs at that time. In this post I will address:
The herbal and vitamin tips
Things to increase
Eat more …
Things to avoid
and final thoughts
Here are my general recommendations:
The Herbal and Vitamin Tips
Elderberry: Elderberries have been used traditionally, and in some observational and clinical studies, as supportive agents against the common cold and influenza. (NCBI)
Turmeric (click here) has long been recognized for its medicinal properties. It aids in the management of oxidative and inflammatory conditions, metabolic syndrome, arthritis, anxiety, and hyperlipidemia. (NCBI). My favorite way of taking this is: turmeric root shaved 1 tsp (if only have access to spice powder then substitute), dash of cracked pepper in 6-8oz of hot water. Seep for 5min. Drink all. This is a chemical thing. Personally. I have found this combo work as effectively as other anti-inflammatories without the added side effects of liver and/or kidney damage. Click here for other top 10 evidence based benefits.
Vitamin D and Vitamin K2: Vitamin D has important roles in addition to its classic effects on calcium and bone homeostasis as well as immunity. I personally take 6000 IU of Vitamin D3 with added K2. Vitamins D and K are both fat-soluble vitamins and play a central role in calcium metabolism. Studies suggest that optimal concentrations of both vitamin D and vitamin K are beneficial for bone and cardiovascular health. (NCBI)
Zinc and vitamin C: Supplementation of vitamin C was found to improve components of the human immune system such as antimicrobial and natural killer cell activities, lymphocyte proliferation, chemotaxis, and delayed-type hypersensitivity (PubMed). Likewise, zinc also plays a role in immune function.
Probiotics: A prospective study of probiotic supplementation results in immune stimulation and improvement of upper respiratory infection rate (NCBI). Considering the coronavirus attacks the lungs, this might be something very easily dismissed in its role by the mainstream. We forget that gut health is paramount for overall health.
Honey: Honey clasps several medicinal and health effects as a natural food supplement. It has been established as a potential therapeutic antioxidant agent for various biodiverse ailments. Studies show it exhibits strong wound healing, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antiviral, and antidiabetic effects. It also retains immunomodulatory, estrogenic regulatory, antimutagenic, anticancer, and numerous other vigor effects. Research also shows that honey, as a conventional therapy, might be a novel antioxidant to abate many of the diseases directly or indirectly associated with oxidative stress (PMC). Personally, I choose raw organic unfiltered honey that is local or manuka honey for therapeutic treatment. Manuka honey has shown it kills bacterial pathogens.
EZC Pak – This is a physician directed tapered immune support pack with high concentrations of organic Echinacea, Zinc, and Vitamin C. EZC Pak (click here) is one of the main things I personally took (on top of the other recommendations above) in December 2019 with some odd virus that was unlike anything I have ever had after travelling abroad in the fall. It was so odd, I actually researched “international diseases” for travelers aka warnings etc. Was it COVID19 I had? … I am not 100% sure, but my symptoms matched it perfectly, and I am sure this is also was killed my beloved Ava.
Things to Increase:
Rest & Sleep:
Have you noticed that when you do not get enough sleep, you are prone to getting sick? Not getting enough sleep can lead to higher levels of a stress hormone. It may also lead to more inflammation in your body.
Most of our body’s ability to repair itself happens when we are at rest. So ensuring we get enough rest is important. Also, increasing the dosage of sleep might be needed as forecast moving through the energies of 2020.
One new study has explained how sleep contributes to the proper functioning of the immune system (Medical News Today).
Meditation
Meditation boosts antibodies. A recent study confirmed that, after being given weekly meditation training for 8 weeks, 48 biotech workers had significantly higher levels of antibodies than the control group.
Meditation stimulates immune system brain-function regions. Mindfulness meditation has shown increases in electrical activity in the prefrontal cortex, the right anterior insula, and right hippocampus, all parts that control positive emotions, awareness, and anxiety. These are also the areas of the brain that act as a command center for your immune system. When stimulated, they make the immune system function more effectively (The Chopra Center)
DON’T KNOW HOW OR STRUGGLE: Practice being present and try some mindful breathing or go into nature and UNPLUG from your devises. Sometimes 5-10 min a day is all the body needs.
Reiki
Reiki is a Japanese complementary alternative mind body medicine therapy that works with the human body’s bioenergy field.
Our bodies are designed and fully equipped to heal themselves, but many of are so use to looking for external solutions, we may have forgotten. Reiki taps into those innate healing abilities. By doing to, it can also promote the body’s natural immune response.
Jikiden Reiki practitioners, for instance, are trained to sense levels of toxins present in the physical body. Reiki is then used to intensively promote detoxification and a return to the body’s normal homeostasis. When minor sicknesses, such as coughs and colds are being treated, they will typically move through the body much faster than usual.
Yoga
Yoga is a mind and body practice with a 5,000-year history in ancient Indian philosophy. Various styles of yoga combine physical postures, breathing techniques, and meditation or relaxation. (Medical News Today)
Research published in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine suggests that yoga can be helpful way to boost your immune system and decrease inflammation in the body. (Psychology Today)
Massage
There is growing body of research indicates massage therapy can benefit the immune system. Researchers have reported people who undergo massage experience measurable changes in their body’s immune and endocrine response. (Science Daily)
Thai Chi, Exercise, etc
With age, our immune systems become less nimble and not quite as ruthless. The number of T cells drop. The B cells also start to wind down, making fewer antibodies that respond to outside intruders and more errant ones that turn on the body itself.
Small studies have yielded some evidence that exercise seems to re-energize the immune system (Harvard Medical School)
Tai chi might have a strong effect on the immune system because it manages to bring exercise, relaxation, and meditation together in “one behavioral intervention,” the researchers said. They theorized that tai chi enhances T cell activity by quieting the nervous system’s “fight or flight” response, which can, in certain circumstances, interfere with the immune system. (Harvard Medical School)
Shin Rin Yoku
This is a Japanese term otherwise known as “forest bathing”. Current literature supports the comprehensive health benefits of exposure to nature and green environments on human systems on something that has been incorporated as part of the Shinto culture in Japan to decrease undue stress, potential burnout and “technostress.” (NCBI)
Studies have also found that “forest bathing” has “positive physiological effects, such as blood pressure reduction, improvement of autonomic and immune functions, as well as psychological effects of alleviating depression and improving mental health” (NCBI).
bone broth is the secret ingredient in our mother’s chicken soup with all sorts of yummies for our immune health,
seaweed ( I like sneaking it in soups),
organic “berries” such as raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries
fresh rosemary,
holy basil,
fresh parsley,
ginger root – in teas, soups, dishes,
raw garlic has been shown to help fight viruses and bacteria. I eat this generously on the daily whether on toast or in dishes. It is one of my favorite go to foods.
… Things to Avoid …
Stress – Avoid or Minimize
Stress or at least work towards minimizing and taking steps to release stress when necessary. When we’re stressed, the immune system’s ability to fight off antigens is reduced. That is why we are more susceptible to infections. Check out Stress, Illness and the Immune System.
WHAT TO DO: You can try CBD to help cope with stress which targets the endocannabinoid system.
Some studies suggest that cannabinoids like THC and CBD are immunosuppressant, which can explain the relief experienced by medical cannabis users with autoimmune diseases and chronic inflammation. Other studies have shown that regular cannabis use can increase white blood cell counts in immunodeficiency disorders such as HIV, suggesting an immune-boosting effect.
Research shows that dietary habits influence disease risk. Poor diet quality is implicated in almost every disease and health issue. Processed foods harm your gut bacteria and promote insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, and overall disease risk (NCBI).
WHAT TO DO: Research indicates that diets abundant in plant foods and low in processed products strengthen your health (Healthline). Choose whole grains and things that do NOT come in a box.
Alcohol: Avoid or Minimize
Clinicians have long observed an association between excessive alcohol consumption and adverse immune-related health effects such as susceptibility to pneumonia and more recently to a greater likelihood of acute respiratory stress syndromes (ARDS), sepsis, alcoholic liver disease (ALD), and certain cancers; a higher incidence of postoperative complications; and slower and less complete recovery from infection and physical trauma, including poor wound healing (NCBI).
Alcohol can cause dehydration and lower immune system function, which may worsen cold symptoms as well as adversely affect other cold and flu medications. Therefore, reducing alcohol consumption would be a wise move at this moment unless you are a hot toddy type of person.
EXCEPTION: Some suggest the warm beverage’s ingredients of a hot toddy are known to alleviate cold symptoms. Whiskey, specifically, also contains the antioxidant ellagic acid, which studies suggest may help treat viral and bacterial infections (Fatherly)
Processed Sugar: Avoid or Minimize
A high-sugar diet (HSD) induces Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity, which severely threaten human health including immune response. (PubMed). Eating or drinking too much processed sugar curbs immune system cells that attack bacteria.
WHAT TO DO: When it comes to viral infections, eat healthier forms of sugars found in fruits, vegetables, and honey (as mentioned above), which are rich in nutrients like vitamins C and E, plus beta-carotene and zinc. Go for a wide variety of brightly colored fruits and vegetables, including berries, citrus fruits, kiwi, apples, red grapes, kale, onions, spinach, sweet potatoes, and carrots (WebMD)
Dairy: Avoid or Minimize
Dairy is a known inflammatory food and gut disruptor that can aggravate health conditions, such as: eczema, asthma, acne, mood disorders, autism, many autoimmune conditions, especially type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease and more.
ALTERNATIVES: Healthier options include goat milk, flax seed milk, hemp milk. If you MUST do the dairy thing, I suggest things like yogurt and butter are generally ok, but avoid milk, cheese, ice cream.
… Finally,
What I have provided here is just a guide. There are so many other alternative and complimentary therapies that would be beneficial. I just wrote about what is in my filters of knowledge and expertise backed by research and other credible information.
I would sincerely like to know if what you found here was helpful to you during these crazy frenzied times we are currently in.
I was told my my wise Osteopathic physician father who has been practicing medicine for over 40+ years tell me, prevention is the best medicine.
Prevention includes making life style changes as well because a pill, an herb, a treatment session is still just a band aid in many situations if you do not correct the underlying culprit.
And as I stated earlier, this is a BIG year energetically where we are being called to do the needed inner spiritual work.
Spiritual bypassing will no longer be an acceptable route to take moving forward. If you missed my 2020 energetic forecast earlier this year, you can click here for the full post including tips to help you navigate these energies.
Please note that content on this website is intended for informational purposes only, and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional, not is it meant to diagnose or treat a health problem, symptom or disease. Always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before taking any medication or nutritional supplement, or using any treatment for a health problem. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, contact your health care provider promptly. Do not disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking professional advice because of something you have read on this website. Information provided on this website DOES NOT create a doctor-patient relationship between you and any doctor affiliated with our website.
Alcohol and the Immune System; National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine; Dipak Sarkar, Ph.D., D.Phil., M. Katherine Jung, Ph.D., and H. Joe Wang, Ph.D. ; 2015
Biofield Science and Healing: An Emerging Frontier in Medicine; National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine; Shamini Jain, PhD, John Ives, PhD, Wayne Jonas, MD, Richard Hammerschlag, PhD, David Muehsam, PhD, Cassandra Vieten, PhD, Daniel Vicario, MD, Deepak Chopra, MD, FACP, Rauni Pritten King, RN, MIH, CHTPI, and Erminia Guarneri, MD, FACC; 2015
Therapeutic Manuka Honey: No Longer So Alternative; National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine; Dee A. Carter, Shona E. Blair, Nural N. Cokcetin, Daniel Bouzo, Peter Brooks, Ralf Schothauer, and Elizabeth J. Harry; April 20, 2016
Vitamin D and the Immune System; National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine; Cynthia Aranow, MD, Investigator ; 2012 Aug 1
A hearing date, OCTOBER 28TH, has been announced for Mass bill S 168 “An Act Regulating Bodyworks” under the guise of preventing sex trafficking.
Who will be joining me at the public hearing on Monday, October 28th in Boston, MA? This is not just about reiki. This bill affects:
yoga
meditation centers
Buddhist centers
martial arts
thai chi
psychic mediums
spiritual centers
wellness professionals
reiki
reflexology
professional caregivers
indigenous shamanic healing
death doulas
hospice volunteers
vulnerable populations – homeless, those face with addictions, senior citizens, low income, victims of rape, sexual assault, domestic violence, terminally ill, immigrant populations dependent on THEIR own cultural practices.
basically ANYONE who does ANYTHING that alters chi using word or touch. That is the entire population!
S.168 Summary:
S.168 is a bill that has been filed in the Massachusetts legislature by Senator Montigny under the guise of a solution to end human trafficking.
The bill, if passed, would require professional licensure for more than 200 alternative and complementary holistic modalities, and offers no direct route to licensure.
There is NO grandfather clause for seasoned well established practitioners in any of these modalities
In addition, S.168 would dramatically reduce healthcare options for the citizens of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Considering that I have personally witnessed healing in people where our broken healthcare failed except driving up immense healthcare costs to those individuals including myself into the $100,000’s and creating a culture of addiction.
The bill redefines holistic healthcare occupations as bodywork and affects all modalities that direct movement or work with energy aka “chi” (1). The bill proposes a Board of Massage Therapy and Bodywork that would have 3 massage therapists and two bodywork professionals on it.
These two body workers would have to set the educational requirements of more than 200 holistic disciplines and spiritually based practices that are the religions for many in the Commonwealth.
In addition, you can only become licensed if you take courses at “state licensed schools“. There are currently no state licensed schools that offer courses in the majority of these disciplines.
How You Can Help SAVE:
REIKI & OTHER spiritual based healing and/or holistic health modalities in Massachusetts:
Why This Matters
If this bill were to pass, it would become ILLEGAL for anyone to practice Reiki, any spiritual or professional practice that can alter “Chi” without a license.
Those receiving volunteer services through hospice, hospitals, non-profits, elder care, etc will NO longer be able to provide these services for a variety of reasons as listed in this post.
LICENSES ARE EXPENSIVE and Practitioners including volunteers need to start your education AGAIN FROM SCRATCH. Considering the MAJORITY of practitioners are VOLUNTEER, this would be devastating to those receiving as mentioned earlier.
WE NEED YOUR HELP TO STOP THIS HORRIBLE BILL!
Not enough practitioners and/or receivers/benefactors of these modalities have taken the time to contact their legislators.
It is CRUCIAL FOR YOU TO ACT NOW.
EVERYONE COUNTS.
Laura Joseph, Health Care Lobby Day, June 2018
My Views
Speaking as a survivor of rape and domestic abuse who was subsequently diagnosed with CPTSD taking decades to reclaim my life as well as someone with years doing advocacy work in Massachusetts for victims, SADLY THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH SEX TRAFFICKING AND WON’T STOP IT.
I’ve met personally with several state senators and representatives who agree that this bill will NOT do as promoted. It is a shame that the propaganda sold to Massachusetts residents is that if you do not support this bill, then you are harming victims of sex trafficking. THIS IS FAR FROM THE TRUTH.
I have worked with survivors in varying capacity for over 14 years. Yes, there needs to be better laws to protect victims, but how do we legislate bad behavior, colonization mentality of women, young girls, and children when the laws currently on the books are NOT enforced?
This is a regulatory bill to regulate “Chi”(1) through the use of word or touch. How does one regulate “chi”? Really? When we think about this, this is frightening to me and very triggering to someone who is a trauma survivor who depended upon these very practices to SAVE MY OWN LIFE when our traditional healthcare model almost killed me and caused more harm.
In my opinion as a survivor of abuse and rape, advocate, and healer, this is a slap in our faces. This is a gross form of systemic abuse to every victim who has ever been abused or raped.
I have personally dedicated the last 14 years of my healing Journey and helping other survivors of abuse to heal in a variety ways where AGAIN our system FAILED.
I see predatory behavior quite easily AND THIS BILL is PREDATORY.
The state does not have the expertise to set the curriculum of more than 200 disciplines that derive from various “culturally appropriated indigenous and non-colonized foreign cultures” . The American collegiate system is NOT a leading authority in these practices. Those with bloodlines from these cultures who apprenticed students into teachers over YEARS of dedication and training ARE the leading authority.
This in my view is also another attempt to “COLONIZE” sacred teachings further causing irreparable harm to many spiritual based, indigenous, and immigrant cultures not to mention it is racist when you look at the origins of these modalities and who their real targets are.
Issues List
S.168 would arbitrarily and inaccurately redefine hundreds of holistic occupations as bodywork. The broad definition of bodywork affects more than 200 diverse disciplines and professions and many thousands of practitioners (many of whom are women) who now provide for their families working in this field.
Due to the restrictive standards set forth in the bill, many will be forced to close their doors, adversely impacting their household and children and increasing unemployment claims and WELFARE assistance increasing the burden on taxpayers.
S.168 would dramatically reduce citizen options for tens of thousands infringing on freedom of choice.
The proposed board of massage therapy and bodyworkers only has 2 bodyworkers to represent more than 200 holistic professions.
You can only become licensed if you take courses at state licensed schools. There are no state licensed schools that offer training in all these disciplines.
The state does not have the expertise nor are the leading authorities to set the curriculum of more than 200 disciplines as stated above earlier.
Why bodywork licensure is not a viable approach to addressing human trafficking:
Contrary to the Massachusetts Interagency Human Trafficking Policy Task Force recommendations, S.168 seeks to reduce human trafficking supply through occupational licensure rather than reducing the demand for human traffickingthrough enforcement of existing “John laws” or the promulgation of sensible new laws.
Occupational licensing has not been recommended in the Uniform Act on Prevention of and Remedies for Human Trafficking drafted by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws in 2013; or by the US Department of State (see ’15 Ways You Can Help Fight Human Trafficking’}
The National Human Trafficking database reports only 4 cases of human trafficking in Massachusetts at illicit massage spas. There is no accurate data on the number of human trafficking cases at illicit massage spas in MA as many counties combine prostitution cases with human trafficking cases when reporting data.
What YOU Can Do:
LEGISLATORS NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU NOW.
The fate of Reiki and ALL spiritually based integrative healing, holistic health, spiritual practices, martial arts is in YOUR hands.
Attend the Public Hearing and give support to the individuals testifying. (We need a very large crowd to attend to show a strong opposition)
Boston State House 24 Beacon Street Boston, MA 02133
References
Chi definition; Merriam Webster Dictionary ; Noun (often capitalized); “vital energy that is held to animate the body internally and is of central importance in some Eastern systems of medical treatment (such as acupuncture) and of exercise or self-defense (such as tai chi) “ – Chinese (Beijing) qì, literally, air, breath
It is back with a vengeance … if you live or work in MA, please take a moment and hear about this pending bill that needs our collective immediate attention.
In my personal and professional opinion, it is sadly a misguided bill under the guise of anti-human trafficking that will have a greater negative affect than good and ultimately hurting those they are trying to protect.
We will address the following:
What is MA Bill SD1840? How will practitioners be affected?
How will MA Bill SD1840 Affect You, the Consumer?
Current MA Laws
A Personal Note: Regarding how these practices SAVED my life, reiki, predatory behavior, training, pending MA SD1840
Urgent action is necessary
How you can help
What is MA Bill SD1840? How will practitioners be affected?
MA Bill SD1840 has been introduced AGAIN by Senator Montigny for the third time. If passed, SD1840 would negatively affect all Reiki, Meditation, Yoga, Martial Arts, Thai Chi, and the like in Massachusetts.
Under current MA law, Reiki is exempt from massage licensure in MA, but this law attempts to set up an entirely new licensing process for all types of healers and spiritually based practitioners/facilitators or the like, and mandate they be licensed, receive government endorsed education; and that these modalities can only be taught in state licensed schools.
MA SD1840 bill will negatively impact all practitioners who: “…uses touch, words or directed movement to deepen awareness of patterns of movement in the body, or the affectation of the human energy system or acupoints or Qi meridians of the human body while engaged within the scope of practice of a profession with established standards and ethics;”
How does one regulate ones own Qi … something that we all have that is innate in each of us?
Click HERE for more information and action to take through the National Health Freedom Action.
How will MA Bill SD1840 Affect You, the Consumer?
If allowed to pass, this bill will also negatively affect our human right to access to holistic, complementary alternative medicine, and spiritually based therapies.
If allowed to pass, SD1840 will also:
result in increased cost burdens to the consumer and practitioner,
reduced or eliminated access to much needed services especially those in the under-served marginalized communities, end of life care, those fighting chronic illness or cancer, elderly populations, and trauma survivors.
will NOT end or reduce sex trafficking as it is proposed it will do as it is written.
restrict or alter practices such as reiki, yoga, thai chi, meditation under the SAME training requirements without understanding the fundamentals or roots as well as the cultural and spiritual traditions of these practices that are non-western and attempts to westernize such concepts by legislature with no comprehension or involving experts in these fields is detrimental.
may also fringe upon many sacred spiritual practices used in churches and religious places of worship throughout the state.
Requiring all practitioners to be licensed and trained through a state licensed school is currently impossible as these programs do NOT exist and would instantly put thousands of taxpaying practitioners out of business over night and halt all volunteer programs, and consumers access to care.
Current MA Laws
Massachusetts already has very good massage laws that protect bodyworkers exempting them from licensure requirements: “including but not limited to……Feldenkrais Method; Reflexology; The Trager Approach; Ayurvedic Therapies, Rolf Structural Integration, Polarity or Polarity Therapy; Polarity Therapy Bodywork; Asian Bodywork Therapy that does not constitute massage as defined in this chapter; Acupressure; Jin Shin Do; Qi Gong; Tui Na; Shiatsu; Body-Mind Centering and Reiki”
Click HERE for more information and action to take through the National Health Freedom Action.
Laura at the MA State House in 2018 Lobbying For Survivors of Abuse BUT Against Proposed Bill
A Personal Note: A Message From Laura
Regarding how these practices saved her life, reiki, predatory behavior, training, and pending MA SD1840
Why MA SD1840 Affects Me Personally?
In search of “healing the broken me” as I would like to call it from years of abuse that resulted in complex C-PTSD or complex post traumatic stress disorder, I originally delved into the traditional American Healthcare System in hopes I can quickly return to my unbroken self. Like many others, I have felt that I was not getting better and band-aids were being applied to my mental, emotional, and physical symptoms that were not getting better and began to spiral out of control.
I realized there had to be more to all this and began looking into the spiritual aspects of my issues that the healthcare system couldn’t figure out.
I started reconnecting to my spiritual path. I began meditating. I eliminated inflammatory foods. I sought out reputable teachers and healers. I started connecting with the divine within me and my divine team. I learned and studied multiple holistic health modalities and spiritually based practices THAT would NEVER have been possible if this bill becomes law..
These practices saved my life and has been allowing me to reclaim my life in ways to defy all logic. I was fortunate in who I sought out as healers and other professionals to help guide me.
However, abusers and predators are still very skillful at their tactics, which is what leads me to the next point …
My 2018 Lobby Efforts
Many of you know I went to the MA State House last year and spoke to legislators about this bill as a survivor of abuse, an advocate for survivors, and as a spiritually based holistic health practitioner opposing this bill last year as I feel it will NOT address the sex trafficking problems and not only create unrealistic burdens on spiritually based therapies, but put most of us out of business.
There are current laws to address sex trafficking already on the books that are NOT being enforced. We see this clearly in the lack of enforcement in the massage industry with many sex trafficking massage parlors in plain sight allowed to operate and remain open.
Many of you also are aware of my work against predatory practitioners in this state. Even though this is a problem, this particular bill is NOT the answer.
Unfortunately, to some of you it may be a surprise that I am in support of some kind of regulation until our westernized mindset shifts the bastardization of many sacred arts in the name of fame, greed and predatory behavior.
The kinds of spiritually based practices that should be respected are NOT as it should be, and our own communities have failed to self regulate ourselves in the name of “inclusivity” without prioritizing safety first and healthy boundaries, while indirectly contributing or being complicit to predatory behaviors, scrupulous unethical behaviors, greed, egoic bases out of fear.
Many of us in the community have started to address these serious issues, but is it too late? I guess that all depends on YOU, me, us and how we respond to this bill.
Personally I have invested in over $14,000 in studying with the appropriate reiki studies and certification programs with an accreditation process to teach as it was taught by the founders in Japan, completely free of the westernization that quelled its magic … AND now the state of Massachusetts wants to say this training is inadequate and I must relearn through their school of their choosing who has NO invested interest in these sacred original direct teachings in Japan.
THIS would make our founder of Reiki, Mikao Usui Sensei, and his student who was responsible for bringing Reiki to the west, Dr. Chujiro Hayashi, very sad.
This bill if passed, will set up an entirely new licensing process for all types of healers and bodywork vocations under ONE educational program, mandate licensing, receive government endorsed education; and these regulated spiritually based modalities can only be taught in state licensed schools.
How is that possible?
What I Know and Why I Stand By My Statements
So much has changed over the years in the modern reiki world … at least in the United States of America. With the varying schools of reiki training, the growing legislation by some states to regulate many spiritually based practices and healing modalities such as reiki, and predators invading spiritually based communities to seek out their next grooming victim, it is important know how this affects you, how to find the right reiki practitioner and/or teacher to help you, and how to navigate all these changes. I wrote a couple of posts (links below) to help guide you.
As a whole, when we disregard the care and sacredness of sacred arts and teachings such as reiki, we not only lose the magic, we open ourselves up to state regulation.
When we LABEL anything that involves some sort of energy healing or use of crystals or Christian ideology or other new age concepts that did NOT originate from Japan … although nice in their own right (this is NOT a reflection of lack of value of those arts) … we lose the meaning and magic of reiki in its pure form.
As a result, how do we define reiki, LEGALLY, with all these added non Japanese reiki elements that dominate our western culture?
I do not know the exact answer to that, but I do know this may cause legal issues if the sacred pure form of reiki is lost due to westernization.
Click here to read “12 Tips and 10 Questions to Ask a Reiki Practitioner and/or Teacher When Healing Trauma”
and/or Click here to read “#TimesUp Healers & Reiki Practitioners” where we will explore the following to address perceptions, boundaries, trauma, predatory behavior, healing, and healers.
My goal is two fold for these two posts:
to awaken reiki practitioners and healers to their full optimum potential while understanding their ethical responsibilities to their clients and/or students,
and to help guide those seeking healing services for themselves or a loved one.
Click HERE for more information and action to take through the National Health Freedom Action.
Urgent action is necessary
Inaction on this or thinking someone else will take care of it is misguided on our parts. Thinking we do not have the time it takes to address this issue, will hurt all of us. This bill was barely defeated over the last 2 years.
This will REQUIRE ALL of us to stand up against this bill.
This will take a community.
Will you join me?
How You Can Help
Click Here to automatically send a message to your personal Senator and revisit this link throughout the coming weeks for updates on the bill’s status (i.e., whether it is scheduled for a public hearing and when).
Click HERE for more information and action to take through the National Health Freedom Action.
In the meantime, I am here to help you. Don’t forget to pause, breathe and take a moment for yourself.
For more information about my work with trauma, please visit:
or trauma
You can listen to her recent webinar, Protect Reiki from Regulation, with Rita Glassman. You can access it here.
As for me, regulating these services will prevent folks in vulnerable communities I serve from gaining access to these therapies which in turn would harm my mission to break the cycle of abuse through healing the unrecognized unhealed epidemic of unresolved trauma that plagues our communities and over burdens our broken health care system.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
The Benefits of Adaptogens
According to NCCIH, mindfulness-based approaches have shown some success when applied to the treatment of substance abuse and addiction by improving distress tolerance.
likely than nicotine replacement therapy patients to be nonsmokers at 12 weeks and 26 weeks after hospitalization.
Tibetan Singing Bowls
Other potential viable options also include reiki. Since traditional nonwestern forms of reiki (Jikiden Reiki
Final Thoughts
I am hoping you found this guide helpful. This is just the tip to what is possible and plausible.
