Dr. Ron Stram shows his continued support for Lyme Disease treatment by attending the first annual Tick-Borne Disease Alliance (TBDA) Benefit Gala in New York City on May 16, 2012. Learn more about Dr. Stram’s whole body approach to Chronic Lyme Disease treatment.
Dr. Stram Attends First Annual TBDA Gala 2012
May 16th, 2012Nutrition and Health Conference Boston with Andrew Weil
April 29th, 2012
Andrew Weil & Ron Stram
Last week I had the opportunity to have lunch with Andrew Weil at the Nutrition and Health Conference in Boston, MA. I am continually struck by his ability to decipher complex conditions and the science behind them and formulate this understand back to physicians, scientists and the general public in concise and understandable language. His personal commitment to the advancerment of Integrative Medicine and to the health of our society is paramont and has been and continues to be lightyears ahead of anyone in the healthcare field.
My relationship with Andrew Weil goes back 10 years when I trained under him during my Fellowship in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona Health and Science Center.
The Power of Sound Healing: Gong Meditation
April 24th, 2012By Rebecca Rice, L.Ac
Reaching Theta Brainwaves
Sound healing sessions with gongs bring you into a deep rest where you reach a theta brainwaves state. Theta brainwaves occur during R.E.M. sleep, active dreaming and meditation. This is a deeply relaxed state where healing takes place with more ease.
Gong Meditation at the Stram Center
The experience of a gong meditation is like no other. You begin by laying comfortably on the floor while the musicians are playing singing bowls. Then after several minutes of being given information on what to expect as well as guided meditation, the gongs begin to sound.
On Saturday, April 21, The Stram Center held a Gong Meditation. The effect of the penetrating yet gentle vibrations, in my experience, was like being on a sailboat, anchored in lightly rolling waves. Then as if my physical body wasn’t even a barrier to the vibrations of the sound, I had a sense of these pleasant, yet at the same time powerful, waves within my body. All this and I am completely still.
My mind was still as well. Thoughts and feelings that popped up became irrelevant compared to the amazement of the sound emanating from the gongs. Some people expressed afterwards that the gong meditation was “easier” than a seated guided meditation. The rushing thoughts we try to let go of is washed away so smoothly and effortlessly by the gong vibrations, leaving you with a stilled mind. There were 5 gongs in total, tuned perfectly.
The space held by the 25 participants felt solid, supportive, compassionate. It was truly a heart opening and deeply healing evening. Please come to our next Gong Meditation and see what the power of sound can do for you. We will also be offering gong meditation in community acupuncture sessions. Check our schedule soon.
Integrative Pain Management: Free From Pain, Free From Dependency
April 18th, 2012By Chris Reilly, L.Ac
Why not Pop a Pill? It’s Easy…right?
A recent study showed that patients over 60 who were given opiate painkillers after minor surgeries considered to be “low pain,” were 44% more likely to still be using the painkillers a year later when compared to patients who were not prescribed opiates right away. There was also a strong trend in the opiate group to graduate from a drug like codeine, to stronger opiates like oxycodone within a year. {Asim Alam, MD, et. al. “Long-term Analgesic Use After Low-Risk Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study.” Arch Intern Med. 2012;172(5):425-430.}
Still, using painkillers a year after a procedure is not a good sign that the drugs effectively managed the pain. Changing to more potent opiates over time indicates that the drug has successfully created dependency, while failing to create lasting pain relief. Beyond the obvious healthcare costs, opiate use is associated with multiple unpleasant side effects such as constipation and drowsiness, and poses a threat of dependency. Perhaps most poignantly, overdosing on prescription painkillers is the cause of 15,000 deaths annually- more than heroine and cocaine combined.
Independence, not Dependence
Studies show that gentle and natural techniques like acupuncture, healing touch and reiki are effective at decreasing post-operative pain. They can be performed before, after and sometimes even during surgical procedures. And while some of us find them somewhat habit forming, they have none of the side-effects and dependency issues that surround opiate pain killers.
Studies have found the pain relief from acupuncture to continue 10 months and more after the acupuncture treatments have stopped. That’s the difference between focusing on healing versus just covering up the pain.
Physicians never want their patients to be in pain. Some providers are still in the dark when it comes to all the many, integrative therapies that exist that effectively manage pain. So the next time you are handed a prescription for a painkiller, consider first whether herbal anti-inflammatories, acupuncture, reiki, massage or healing touch might be a good fit for you.
Spring into action: Goal Setting
April 13th, 2012By: Kylie K. Boos, RN
Spring is the time to set a new personal goal and stick to it. The weather is beautiful and I cannot think of a better way to enjoy the sprouting of new beginnings than setting a new goal. Flowers are emerging from their winter slumber and are ready to bloom- so are you! Whether it is weight related or not, setting a goal is a great way to get excited about change.
Put a little spring in your step! A great way to get motivated is to sign up for an athletic event such as a local 5k. By registering for such an event, you are keeping yourself accountable and on track for success. There are plenty of events to choose from: charity walk/run events, triathlons, half marathons, etc. If you are new to racing, then set a realistic goal such as finishing without walking. If you are a seasoned event participant, then set a goal such as a personal record. Personally, nothing beats finishing something you worked so hard to achieve.
Spring out of your comfort zone and into a new you. Try something, like a new activity or food, to encourage your goal of doing things that are new to you. Get in the habit of saying “yes” instead of “no”. Being positive will propel you forward towards accomplishing what you have set your mind and body to do. Do something you have always wanted to do and do not be afraid to do it! It is time to spring out of your shell!
Cancer and Your Immune System: Limiting the Possibility of Recurrence
March 19th, 2012By Korey DiRoma, ND
I see many patients post chemotherapy and/or radiation often wondering what to do next. Scans are clear, and there are no “visible” signs of cancer. This of course is great news! The cancer was responsive to therapy and now it’s about staying healthy. So what can you do to limit the possibility of recurrence?
Natural Killer Cells: Our Best Immune Defense
The single best defense we have against cancer is our immune system. Our immune system has the ability to find cancer cells, or foreign cells, and destroy them. In fact newer therapies stimulate the immune system to create antibodies that attack specific proteins on cancer cells.
We know that an unhealthy diet, lack of sleep, and stress can deplete the immune system making us more susceptible to infections and even cancer. But what else can we do to increase our body’s cancer fighting mechanisms? The most important cancer fighting immune cell is the Natural Killer cell or NK cell. These cells circulate and destroy virus and cancer cells and can activate other parts of the immune system to do the same.
Stimulators of NK Cells: Mushrooms and Vitamin D
One of the best and most researched stimulators of NK cells are mushrooms such Maitake, Shitake, and Coriolus- also knows as TurkeyTail. These mushrooms contain a sugar molecule called Beta-glucan within their cell walls, and once extracted, can be used to stimulate NK cell production. And more recently, Vitamin D has been shown to play a role in activating NK cells and other immune cells. Interestingly, mushrooms are also one of the only plant sources of Vitamin D.
So to keep your immune system working optimally after cancer treatment, I would suggest adding the use of medicinal mushrooms and making sure your Vitamin D levels are in an optimal range. Your integrative health care provider can assist you with choosing the correct mushrooms and dosage, and testing for NK cells and Vitamin D levels.
Change your Mind
March 2nd, 2012By: Jim Whiting, Kripalu Yoga Instructor
Everyday it seems we are reading about some news or study presenting evidence that our mind is connected to our health. Our thoughts effect how we feel, and how healthy we are. Do you dwell on negative thoughts or do have a positive outlook?
Just like electricity, our thoughts have a positive (+) and negative (-) energy. Both effect our health and the people around us. Changing how you think may seem like an impossible task, but all it requires is some dedication. A regular routine of meditation can in fact, grow new neural pathways in the brain, and even change our DNA.
Uncluttering the mind is essential for realizing stress and good health.
The Stram Center offers free guided meditation every Wednesday evening at 7:30 PM.
Drop in, maybe you will begin to change your Mind.
Fructose: The Weight-Gain Sugar
January 4th, 2012By: Korey, DiRoma, ND
Obesity is an epidemic in America that now affects many millions of adults and children. Obesity is classified as having a body mass index (BMI) of greater than 30. According to the CDC, the percentage of the population who are obese has steadily increased from 14% in 1960 to 35% in 2008. The percentage of kids ages 6-19 who are obese has risen from 5% in 1976 to almost 20% in 2008.
what could be causing this large increase in obesity over the past 50 years? In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition*, data from the US Department of Agriculture was analyzed using food consumption tables. Between the years of 1970 and 1990, high fructose corn syrup (HCSF) consumption increased by more than 1000%! No other food came close to this increase. For many years, average fructose consumption was about 16-20 grams (3-4 tsp) daily, mostly from fresh fruits. Now the average person consumes 80-100 grams (16-20
tsp) of fructose. Not difficult to do the math.
what exactly is fructose? Fructose is a simple sugar that is found naturally in fruits and vegetables, cane sugar, honey, maple syrup, and agave syrup. It is usually found in combination with glucose, another simple sugar. There are fruits, such as apples and grapes, that naturally have higher concentrations of fructose, generally 60% fructose and 40% glucose, and are therefore commonly used as “natural” sweeteners. HFCS
is manufactured to be anywhere from 55-95% fructose, with the rest being glucose. Honey, maple, and agave all have higher fructose concentrations.
why do we use fructose? Well fructose is the sweetest tasting sugar, even sweeter than glucose. And in the early 1970s, studies started reporting that the use of non-glucose sugars was better for diabetic patients. So it began that fructose, mostly as HFCS, was added to foods and
beverages as a sweetener.
How is fructose making me gain weight? Fructose is metabolized much differently than glucose. It is metabolized in the liver and produces either more glucose, or more fats in the form of triglycerides. When this happens, blood sugar (glucose) levels can further increase (which can eventually lead to insulin resistance), and fat levels increase. Fructose also does not stimulate production of leptin , a hormone that controls appetite. When your leptin level is high, this tells the body to stop eating. Without that message from leptin, your appetite doesn’t know to ease up. So if you drink a can of soda, not only will this not satisfy your hunger, but in the long run it can lead to a pattern of over-eating and high daily calorie consumption.
what is the take-away message? To fight obesity, decrease your sugar consumption, especially in the form of fructose from HFCS, fruit juices, sweetened beverages, and processed foods. Look at those labels, read those ingredients (and understand what they are!), eat fresh foods whenever possible, and drink lots of water or herbal tea (no calories). And if you eat a lot of sugar, you have to exercise to burn sugar, otherwise it all gets converted to fat!
Consumption of high-fructose corn syrup in beverages may play a role in the epidemic of obesity.
Bray GA, Nielsen SJ,
Popkin BM.Pennington
Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70808,
USA. brayga@pbrc.edu
Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Oct;80(4):1090.
Magical Thinking
December 28th, 2011By: Jim Whiting, Certified Kripalu Yoga Instructor
The openness of childhood
Did you grow up believing in magic, magical places, and beings?
Did the world seem like a place full of magic, wonder, a place where anything could happen, a world where anything is possible?
Living in the “Real(?)” world
Somewhere on the path of growing into mature functioning adults, we stop believing the world is place of wonder. For some of us the world becomes mundane, a struggle or a place full of dangers we need to manage or control.
Remember the first time you realized no santa, no tooth fairy, Easter bunny or unicorns.
No magic.
Magical vs. Mundane
Yet, how else can we explain the wonder of the simple act of breathing, seemingly inhaling nothing and animating your entire body, from nothing comes something. Billions of neurons firing through your brain connecting thoughts, feelings, emotions and memories. The intelligence that tells every cell to divide and multiply, creating you and the world around you. Intelligence that creates stars, planets, universes and galaxies. Quantum Mechanics tells us that through our attention, we create our reality. Not only is magic at play all round us, we are that magic.
So next time you find yourself wondering if there really is any magic in this world, think of the mythical unicorn, a one of a kind, magical creature.
You my friend are that unicorn.
Isn’t it time you galloped though magical fields?
Initiating A Lifestyle Change
December 19th, 2011By: Kylie K. Boos, RN
We all know the feeling; you get a great idea and you just go with it. You go full out, head first, with an enthusiastic, “I can do this” attitude and then the realization of reality kicks in and you get the wind knocked out of you. In all of your glory you forget that you actually have to do something in order for the great idea to happen. This, my friends, is what goes through our minds when we think about initiating a lifestyle change. Whether it be challenging you to go to the gym or vowing to eat organic, we all have this great intention but don’t always follow through. With the New Year just around the corner I figured this would be a great time to nudge you to stick with it with a little advice.
The most challenging hurdle that we must all overcome in order to succeed at anything is ourselves! We are our worst enemy and the only way to get past our reservations is to push the mental challenge in a positive yet selfish direction. You might think, positive yet selfish? You’ve
got to be kidding me. No I am not. This is the hard reality here. You want to think positively as in “I can do this” but you also need to be thinking, “I can do this because this is what I want.” When setting a goal you have to keep in mind that this is your goal. Not anyone else’s. No one is going to wake you up at 5am to get you motivated to hit the gym. You have to rely on yourself and be strong.
Staying strong especially through the holidays is really tough to do. Pre-holiday festivities, holiday work parties, after-the-holiday parties and plenty of other reasons to overeat and forgo the gym are upon us. This is the time where our will power is tested and where we can really show ourselves that we have what it takes in order to succeed. The best thing to do is to stick to as normal of a routine as possible. If you go to the gym after work on a regular basis, continue to do so. If you have an obligation to attend then work out before you go to work. Make small changes in your routine, do not alter altogether because this will disrupt your normal pattern and can ultimately lead to you accidentally “giving up” on your goals.
Forget the past and move on. Slipped up and ate too much or skipped a couple of workouts? Don’t panic. You cannot waste time or energy thinking of ways you could have “been better”, what’s done is done. The only thing you can do is get back on the horse. After a binge at a holiday party or a couple of unexcused absences from the gym, the best thing to do is to acknowledge the mishap and get back into your normal routine. Congratulate yourself for feeling guilty and know that this is a good sign, it means you care. It’s not too late to being again with extra enthusiasm and some insight as to what can happen if you get off track.
Now is the time for you to start a change! The holidays and the New Year is a good excuse for initiating a lifestyle change but honestly, any day is a good day to start. It does not have to be a New Year’s resolution or anything pertaining to anybody else. This has everything to do with you and what it will take to get you motivated enough to think about making a change and then actually implementing it. The idea of making a change is exciting and thrills even the best of us but it is those who actually stick to their idea who are really rare. My only question is, are you strong enough to be one them?
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