6 Tips For Healthy Zen Living

You know the saying “prevention is better than cure”? Well, in this month’s blog, we will be discussing prevention from a whole new perspective: it’s called healthy zen living. It will take us to a level that is so deep, that healing can only be understood by experiencing the change.

As I took advantage of these beautiful spring days, I planted myself under the majesty of the beautiful “Great Oak”. When I gazed upwards, I noticed the ease with which the branches flowed to protect me against the fury of the sun’s rays. The leaves were so content in their simplicity that they happily danced to the occasional breeze that would sweep in. I wondered just how content and healthy they must be feeling. With a little love, light and hydration, they live a life free from disease and suffering. It was then I began to question, since we are all made up of the same divine cells, shouldn’t we be able to live a healthy disease free life also?

Yes!! While we can’t prevent 100% of ailments, we can do everything in our understanding to TRY and prevent 100% of the diseases that quite possibly could come our way. I took a step back and began to reflect on my own journey. A journey that has taken me from illness to healing.  From confusion to clarity. From desperation to resolution. Could I have done something more to prevent my conditions? Should I have given up processed foods sooner? Or lifted heavier weights more often ? Or limited myself to one episode of ‘Friends’ instead of three before bedtime? Or surrendered what I couldn’t control?

The fact of the matter is that it doesn’t matter. All the choices I have made have taught me more than the decades spent in education. I have come to believe with a 100% certainty that the years I spent worrying about things that ultimately wouldn’t have mattered left the door open for cellular mutations to occur, not realizing my body was going through hormonal disruption, chemical depletion, and ultimate cellular catastrophe. As I was working so hard on following all the nationally accredited health guidelines, little did I know all the sleepless nights I spent worrying about the future were counteracting all the “good” I was doing during the day.

In 2016, I began my journey into the world of energy healing. I devoured books on quantum physics, chakra balance, the healing properties of crystals, nutritional science, reiki practice, vibrational music therapy. The more I read, the more I craved.  Now keep in mind, I am a person of science. I needed proof, facts, case studies and data to convince me this stuff could really help in physical healing. Much to my surprise, most all of the books I read were backed by documented research studies, many of which were written by highly acclaimed and respected practicing physicians. With some reservations, I decided to trust the process and begin using these practices in my own healing.  A few months after I began, I was humbled to see how much my body began to respond to energy balance. My thyroid stabilized after 16 years.  The severity of my food sensitivities decreased after four years. The exhaustion, I attributed to everything and anything, started to lift. I am by no means an expert (but hope to be one day)  in this field, but what little I have learned excites me to pay it forward.

Here are a few energy healing tips: (Please consult your physician before trying these)

1. Himalayan salt lamp. True Himalayan salt lamps are made from salt harvested from the Khewra Salt Mine in Pakistan. Although there is no conclusive studies on the benefits of the Himalayan salt lamp, it’s suggested that they may produce ions by attracting water particles that evaporate off as a salt solution when heated by the lamp, forming mostly negative ions. These negative ions have been theorized to aide in healing. More research is still needed.

2. Reiki. According to Reiki.org: “ Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It is administered by “laying on hands” and is based on the idea that an unseen “life force energy” flows through us and is what causes us to be alive. If one’s “life force energy” is low, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy.”
3. Brain tapping. Based on information from tappingsolutionfoundation.org: “The basic technique requires you to focus on the negative emotion at hand: a fear or anxiety, a bad memory, an unresolved problem, or anything that’s bothering you. While maintaining your mental focus on this issue, use your fingertips to tap 5-7 times each on 9 of the body’s meridian points. Tapping on these meridian points – while concentrating on accepting and resolving the negative emotion – will access your body’s energy, restoring it to a balanced state.”Freedom Techniques (EFT) lowered the major stress hormone cortisol significantly more than other interventions tested. In a randomized controlled trial 83 subjects were randomly assigned to a single hour-long session of EFT, talk therapy, or rest. Their cortisol levels were measured via a saliva test before and after the session. Cortisol was measured because it is known as the “stress hormone” of the body. As stress goes up, cortisol levels go up.

4. Meditation. Meditation can be defined as, “a practice where an individual uses a technique, such as focusing their mind on a particular object, thought or activity, to achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm state.”  Most think of meditation as sitting in stillness for hours at a time. If you are anything like me, I am unlikely to make it past 3 minutes. Through my healing, I truly learned that meditation is anything that brings you peace of mind, even if that thing is not being in one place. For me, running, dancing and playing instruments is my happy place. You try to get me to sit still, and I can tell you my cortisol will increase ten-fold. What’s your go to meditation practice?

5. Nutritional eating. Food is fuel. Food is also earth’s natural medicine. We have talked extensively in previous blogs about the overwhelming contamination of our food source. The manipulation that goes into our crops has made us vulnerable to a weakened immune system. By becoming educated on the origins of our food, we understand how massive of a role nutrition plays in our healing.

6. Chakra balance. Without going into too much detail here, chakra balancing is the process of restoring a harmonious flow of energy across the chakra system. The effect of well balanced chakras often translates into a feeling of well-being, relaxation, centeredness, increased vitality and embodiment of oneself. There are many online resources that describe what the chakras are, how they play a role in healing and what you can do to realign yourself.

I realize this article has veered away from the confines of conventional medical healing. But there are many facets of the human body that the eye cannot see. I truly do believe that a blend of eastern and western medicine is a powerful formula to ultimate health.

We must simply trust the process and allow healing to go into the crevices of the unknown. Because it is in this space of uncertainty, completeness lies.

Dr. Raman’s Concierge Medical Practice is focused on caring for each person as a whole, not just a list of symptoms. Our office is committed to helping our patients stay well and maintain good health rather than treating patients only after they become ill.

For more information or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Raman, please contact us today.