With breast cancer, the first step is prevention and pre-screening. The earlier this cancer is detected, the sooner and more effective the treatment is going to be. The easiest way to screen for breast cancer is by doing a monthly self-breast exam. This can be done at home, and your doctor can give you the proper instructions on how to do it. This type of breast exam is going to help you notice any changes in the breast, such as color or size changes, the appearance of lumps or bumps, or any pain or tenderness in a particular area. If you find any of these problems, you should immediately contact your physician or gynecologist, who will then order more tests, such as a mammogram or a biopsy to check for cancer.

A mammogram is another way to check for breast cancer. This is typically recommended for adult women. The age you should start getting mammograms will vary depending on your risk factors for breast cancer. A mammogram will help you detect any changes in the breast, such as the formation of tumors or cysts.

These methods and tests can result in a diagnosis of breast cancer. If you find yourself diagnosed with this type of cancer, DO NOT lose hope. There are a variety of treatment options available nowadays. There are, of course, the traditional treatments, which include chemotherapy, radiation, hormone therapy, and mastectomies. However, these do come with risks. They are invasive and they often have serious side effects.

It is important to realize that you are no longer limited to these traditional cancer treatments. There are a number of holistic approaches that you can opt for. If you decide to pursue this option, the first thing to do is to find a doctor who will support you. Find someone who is willing to try other methods of treatment, as this will make the process easier for you. There are even clinics available that cater to alternative treatment methods for breast cancer. Finding one of these centers can make sure that you get access to all of the holistic approaches that are available. Furthermore, you will be able to keep track of what works for you, and what does not. Should you decide to go for alternative treatments, it is still important to have the guidance of a licensed physician to oversee your care.

Nutrition is being used more and more as a way to help treat breast cancer. Certain foods, vitamins, minerals, and nutrients have been shown to help with the various symptoms of breast cancer. An example is haelan, a type of liquid soy bean extract that has been shown to help block cancer-cell blood supplies, boost the immune system, and help reduce the size of tumors. Flax seed oil has been credited with slowing cancer-cell growth and improving the condition of the immune system, as well. Removing certain things from your diet has been shown to also be of help. Studies have shown that a diet low in sugar is helpful in preventing cancer or in stopping cancer from growing. Changing to a diet that is lower in sugar may aid in “starving” cancer from your body.

Another alternative approach that is showing promise in the cancer field is electronic or magnetic therapies. These have been used with success in many different cancer patients, including patients with breast cancer. There are different types of therapy in this genre, including electrotherapy and magnetic resonance. Electrotherapy is used to treat tumors in the breast by using electrical stimulation. This works by destroying the tumor in a gentle manner. The procedure is typically done with local anesthesia, and it is not very invasive to the body. Magnetic resonance works by using radio waves that are set specifically to resonate with cancer cells, which have a different frequency than normal, healthy cells.

These are just a sampling of the many different options that currently exist in the treatment of breast cancer. Always remember though that your treatment should be based on your beliefs, the aggressiveness of your cancer, and the condition of your body. Also, don’t forget the importance of finding a doctor who is going to listen to your wishes, and go with the therapy that feels right for you.

Once we understand the role of the subconscious, we begin to understand why people can get stuck in ruts. It is because their subconscious does not know how to change. People will get disturbing thoughts or feelings because their subconscious thinks that something bad is about to occur.
The conscious and the subconscious act a team. The conscious part of the mind handles some tasks and then passes those to the subconscious. The subconscious then sends feedback and messages about the task to the conscious part in the form of emotions.
By learning how to make the two cooperate, we cam improve both our life skills and our control over our emotions.
Here are some important things to consider in training our subconscious.
The subconscious mind acquires knowledge via repetition and not by logic. When you wish to direct the subconscious to produce something for you, physical health, for example, you need to make a mental picture of what perfect health is. Picture the idea in your mind’s eye, and feel its meaning with consciousness. You will need to repeat this visualization several times a day.
The subconscious will respond to the impression, suggestion, desire, expectation, and the direction of the conscious mind provided that the two are touching each other as the directions are being made. In order for this to occur, the mind should be in a meditative state, calm and poised.
The subconscious possess the ability to remove what we don’t want from both our physical and mental state. All that is needed is a very clear idea of what we do want, in short, a goal.
Remember that whatever we think about deeply or intensely, our subconscious will take up and develop even further. Therefore, do not think of failings, shortcomings, or bad habits. Think positive thoughts.
Remember to concentrate on one thing at a time. Focusing on too many things might confuse the subconscious.
Remember that putting your whole mind, both the conscious and the subconscious part, to solving any problem, will always result in a solution since you are actually using your full capability.
Practice makes perfect. The more we train our subconscious, the easier the process becomes. It is important to be determined and to believe that it will work. It is equally important to give the process sufficient time to work.

This situation seems to be true with adults as well as children. A 2006 study involving 241 children aged 5 to 12 was conducted. These children, who were scheduled for outpatient surgeries, were evaluated based on levels of anxiety prior to surgery. Each child remained in the hospital for 24 hours after the surgery and their pain levels were assessed every 3 hours. The evaluation continues for 14 more days with pain medication standardized for everyone.

The results showed that the more anxious children prior to the surgeries have significantly more pain 3 days into the recovery period. They also consumed more pain medication, exhibited more anxiety and had problems sleeping.

These studies have shown that preoperative anxiety is a serious issue in both adults and children, one that needs to be addressed to better aid them in on the road back to health. In general, one can conclude that increased anxiety prior to surgery results in more anxiety, pain, and slower recovery.

Dental anxiety is another example of fear and anxiety affecting one’s health status. A number of studies have shown that patients who were highly anxious are more prone to visit their dentists irregularly and/or, worse, avoid dental care altogether. Statistics show that people with high levels of dental anxiety are more likely to have not been to the dentist in the last 2 years, and were more likely to miss, hesitate in making, or cancel their appointments. These individuals, even if they do attend regular dental visits, are likely to skip on the follow up appointments that are required to complete the dental treatment. This ironically results in a greater need for oral rehabilitation.

Dentally anxious patients tend to have more missing teeth and less filled teeth compared to non-anxious patients. This spiral situation can then lead to feelings of inferiority and shame which, in turn, result into greater anxiety and further avoidance of dental care.

Fear and anxiety also affects the more mature members of our communities. Some older individuals are fearful of becoming senile and suffering from dementia. Another fear is the fear of being hurt in a fall. This is due to the fact that a fall by an elderly person will have a far worse consequence compared to a similar fall in a younger person. This could lead them to fear falling any time they engage in some form of activity. The result is physical stagnation and frailty, in effect, the realization of the fear itself.

Clinical studies have documented that anxiety can actually intensify pain, prolong recovery and lower the effectiveness of the body’s immune system.

What can be done? There are psychological preparation programs that can be tailored to an individual’s specific needs. Guided imagery, for example, is a form of relaxation that uses stories and calming music. It can have a huge impact on stress levels by “gently guiding” a person to an imaginary place in the mind where he/she feels safe, peaceful and protected.

It has been shown in the 2006 study cited above that children aged 6 years and above will benefit most if they participate in a preparation program 5 days or more before a medical procedure. This is attributed to the way that children in this age group process new information.

PreEmptive Healing is a unique tool developed by board certified anaesthesiologist Anthony DeMarco that employs the mind-body connection to prepare your body for optimal healing before, during and after a medical, dental or surgical procedure. Preliminary research has already confirmed this system’s success and PreEmptive Healing is continuing to help bring healing and relief of anxiety to more and more people every day.

But what limits this perfect healing system? Negative emotions, anxiety, anger, and sadness as well as limiting beliefs expressed in non-supportive self-talk in the vein of “I can’t do this” and “I don’t deserve this” prevents us from accessing this resource. Medical studies have shown that negative emotions contribute greatly to the development of ailments such as heart diseases, chronic pain, autoimmune diseases, as well as cancer. Positive thinking and optimistic beliefs, on the other hand, have been known to stimulate and enhance the healing process.

This mind-body connection has been further advanced with the discovery of neurotransmitters, small proteins that are released in the body in response to a person’s thoughts and feelings. These proteins not only bathe every cell in the human body, they also control the functioning of those cells.

Each individual has experienced physical pain at one point or another. For some, however, pain can be both severe and persistent and develop into chronic pain.

Traditional medicine offers two modes of treatment for this type of pain: surgery and medication. However, surgery, while beneficial in some cases, is not always a viable option. Medication, aimed at reducing the inflammation or suppressing the symptoms, does not address the underlying causes. Generally, medication is most useful for short-term treatments. Long-term reliance on medication can result in toxic side effects.

Dr. John Sarno, the former director of the Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine in New York, discovered that the majority of musculoskeletal pains were, in fact, tension-related, and not due to any structural damage. He referred to this condition as tension myoneural syndrome (TMS) [Sarno J. Healing back pain, New York: Warner Books, 1991].

He points out that the body’s own autonomic nervous system is, in fact, responsible for most chronic pain conditions. He theorizes that the pain being experienced is the mind’s defense mechanism against unconscious mental stress. The sufferer is distracted by the physical pain which prevents the conscious awareness of the mental stressor. The physical pain experienced by the patient blocks out the emotional pain. The body’s autonomic nervous system controls blood flow circulation. The absence of sufficient blood flow to a particular tissue results in reduced oxygen levels, which, in turn, is felt as pain, numbness, tingling, weakness, et cetera. These symptoms, which can occur in the neck, knee and other parts of the human anatomy, tend to migrate to other parts of the body. This migration, once observed, is also an important indicator that it is TMS.

Some people, to distract themselves from difficult emotions, will resort to overeating, smoking, drinking, drugs, et cetera. These activities shift an individual’s focus from emotional pain to a different sensation, in much the same way that physical pain is the mind’s way of shifting the focus for us.

Repressed emotions could stem from certain childhood experiences like abuse or lack of love; personality traits like perfectionism, conscientiousness, or the need to be liked by everyone; pressures of daily living; aging and mortality; as well as instances of conscious but unexpressed anger.

Understanding the various causes of this type of pain permits the development of effective methodologies for pain management.

Sufferers from this phobia, in terms of their dental health, are unable to visit their dentists because of a prior painful memory when they were young. They remember the visit as a particularly painful one.  This memory manifests later in life as an unconscious desire not to visit the dentist resulting in dental appointments being constantly delayed or missed entirely.

Most people prefer not to suffer pain. For dental phobics, however, just the mere idea of pain is far worse than the actual pain itself. Ironically, because they are unable to regularly visit their dentists, they suffer almost constant pain from their neglected teeth.

It is important to note that the fear of pain from visits to the dentist is often from memories of long ago. These memories tend to become warped over time. Modern dental practices have reduced the pain involved in dental procedures from what they were even as recently as a decade ago.

People afflicted with this type of phobia often do not receive suitable levels of dental care. By not having any sense of relationship with their dentist, they are unable to articulate their fears or get any kind of professional reassurance. By staying away from their dentist, they further increase their fears since nobody is able to provide information that will counterbalance their imaginations. They are stuck with a mental picture of the dentist based on painful childhood memories.

These phobics also miss out on the benefits from the advice, new ideas, and preventative care that dental practitioners offer.

Pain phobics will exhibit symptoms such as shortness of breath, breathing difficulties, and anxiety at the mere thought of visiting the dentist.  What happens is the patient’s brain warns the rest of the body that pain is approaching. However, the problem is that the body’s response to the warning becomes disproportionate to the perceived threat.

Fortunately for these individuals, dentistry has progressed so that efforts are being done to address dental phobia in all its aspects.  Improved treatment modalities are now readily accessible and understandable for most people. Dental professionals are going out of their way to put their patients at ease and make sure that they realize just how valuable customers they are.

With this kind of phobia, which concerns the fear of pain as well as the pain itself, it is vital that patients understand the treatment and care that they can reasonably expect. The solution can be as simple as finding a dental environment where they can relax and be comfortable as much as possible. A well-run dental practice will provide an atmosphere that is calming.  The waiting times will be short, and the reception will be most welcoming.

Other techniques available to these patients include sedation and distraction techniques, which are also used to help people exhibiting more acute phobias.

A number of psychological approaches and techniques have also helped other people cope. These include hypnosis, systematic desensitization, deep breathing, visualization and guided imagery, positive affirmations, and reward systems. There are some therapists specializing in phobias and anxiety disorders who work in tandem with phobic-friendly dentists.

Let Us Help You

Mobile Anesthesia Service Concepts, LLC (MASC) is an anesthesia service that specializes in office-based anesthesia.  We can be found on the World Wide Web at www.masccares.com.

MASC combines outstanding anesthesia practices with techniques that are designed to free the patient’s mind of their fear.

Conditioning the Mind before a Dental Procedure

Dental Phobia – A Guided Meditation for Dental Fear and Anxiety is an audio download designed to help reduce anxiety and fear both consciously and unconsciously through the conditioning of the mind. Instead of having the patient accept fear and anxiety, we are empowering his mind to destroy that fear and anxiety. This results in a reduction of narcotics as well as a decrease in complications postoperatively.

This audio download can help condition your mind for your upcoming dental visit and procedure. If you follow the guidelines as directed by Dr. DeMarco, you will be better prepared, more relaxed and you will be surprised at how well you recover when you take fear and anxiety out of the procedure.

You don’t have to be scared to visit the dentist. Visit our website, read our blog articles about Fear and Anxiety and sample our wonderful audio product, “Dental Phobia – A Guided Meditation for dental fear and anxiety.”

Whatever the individual patient’s situation, there is no reason to avoid visiting the dentist. Whatever course of treatment the patient eventually chooses, bear in mind that the most important thing is to have a dentist who understands and who can help them handle their fears.

The phobia effects those people whose personality traits do not permit them to place themselves totally in control of other people, in this case, the dentist. Individuals who are used to controlling their own environments and deciding on their own can often become very difficult patients. The dentist treating these patients has to communicate clearly and react quickly to these patients requests.

For these patients, a controlling personality is just a part of the problem. They are actually nervous and are covering their fears by making outrageous demands on their dentists.

This situation often results in personality clashes between dentists and patients. It is exacerbated when the treating dentist fails to understand that the behavior is because of a phobia. With the breakdown of the patient-dentist relationship, the patient often refuses to continue with the treatment, a condition that is ultimately detrimental to the patient’s health.

Unfortunately, the longer the dental treatment is postponed, the more urgent it becomes. This actually heightens the fear, makes the symptoms more visible, and puts additional strain on an already tenuous relationship.

People with this type of phobia have a tendency to be more argumentative, more demanding, and more challenging than regular patients. This is why some are often tagged as difficult or controlling when, in fact, it is really a coping mechanism. These patients don’t exhibit the classic symptoms of fear, but combined with increased heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and tension, they become increasingly agitated.
In this day and age, it is very fortunate that dentistry has progressed so that efforts are being done to address the problem of this kind of patients. One of the most important approaches being implemented has nothing to do with the patient but with the dentist. Dentists, nowadays, are being trained to have the skills, assurance, and empathy to be able to treat these patients. Dental schools have begun offering courses in behavioral sciences and have put a much greater emphasis on chair-side manner. For a lot of patients, the solution to their fears is simply finding a dentist with the right skills, personality, and technique.
A well-run dental practice will provide an atmosphere that is calming. The waiting times will be short, and the reception will be most welcoming.

Sedation is another option that is viable in some cases. There are two types. One in which the patient is completely unaware of what is happening and another where the patient is sedated just enough so that they can relax and allow the procedure to be completed. A number of psychological approaches and techniques have also helped other people cope. These include hypnosis, systematic desensitization, deep breathing, visualization and guided imagery, positive affirmations, and reward systems. There are some therapists specializing in phobias and anxiety disorders who work in tandem with phobic-friendly dentists.

Eliminate the fear of being powerless during a Dental Procedure.

Dental Phobia – A Guided Meditation for Dental Fear and Anxiety is an audio download that can help you reduce and even overcome your fear of needles and dentistry. This audio download can help condition your mind for your upcoming dental visit and procedure. If you follow the guidelines as directed by Dr. DeMarco, you will be better prepared, more relaxed and you will be surprised at how well you recover when you take fear and anxiety out of the procedure.

You don’t have to be scared to visit the dentist. Visit our website, read our blog articles about Fear and Anxiety and sample our wonderful audio product, “Dental Phobia – A Guided Meditation for dental fear and anxiety.”

The 1988 Adult Dental Health Survey in the UK reports that 8% of respondents have an existing fear of injections (Todd & Lader 1991). Other studies suggest that nearly 5% of the population may be afraid of needles in general.

The level of fear is different among various individuals. While some people are phobic of dental injections in particular, others are afraid of almost any kind of needle. Some people will even go to extremes to avoid injections.

Most needle phobics have had a particularly bad past experience with a dental injection. There are a number of reasons why this came to be:

• The dentist lacked empathy. While dental students are taught compassion at dental school, not all dentists are created equal. Some will have more empathy with their patients than others.
• Lack of using topical anesthetics or numbing gels. While it is possible to give painless injections without it, numbing gel should always be applied.
• Using a dull needle. This has become quite rare because of disposable needles, but it was a common cause of painful injections. This can occur today with multiple injections. In practice, a single needle should be changed after three or four uses on the same person. Under no circumstances should needles ever be shared between patients.
• Technique for administering anesthetics. Some tissues need to be stretched to make the injection comfortable. Applying pressure on some areas can block out feelings of pain. This is true is areas such as the palate where painless injections are very difficult to do.
• Rapid administration of the anesthetic. The most common cause of injection pain is that some dentists administer the anesthetic too quickly. These rapid injections can tear the tissue, resulting in immediate pain, which then results in soreness.

While it is impossible to guarantee that each and every injection will be painless, the level of pain can be reduced by making sure that the topical anesthetic is left on for long enough for it to work properly, by injecting the anesthetic very slowly, and by applying pressure for certain types of injections.

The best way to find a dentist who gives comfortable injections is by asking for recommendations. It’s also a good idea to ask your potential dentist outright if he or she is capable of giving painless injections and if they apply numbing gel.

Some dental office also uses a device called the Wand which guarantees painless injections, because the speed of the delivery of the anesthetic is computer-controlled. The device, which doesn’t look like a syringe, has been touted to work wonders with needle phobics.

A number of psychological approaches and techniques have also helped other people cope. These include hypnosis, systematic desensitization, deep breathing, visualization and guided imagery, positive affirmations, and reward systems. There are some therapists specializing in phobias and anxiety disorders who work in tandem with phobic-friendly dentists.

For some needle phobics, there is the option of intravenous sedation where nitrous oxide is used to relax the patient enough to tolerate the venflon. The area where the venflon is put is first numbed with EMLA cream or Ametop.

Remember, there is no reason for you to avoid going to the dentist. There are many ways that you can deal with your dental phobia. Most importantly, find a dentist who understands your fear and knows how to handle patients who are scared of dental procedures.

Reduce or overcome your fear of needles

Dental Phobia – A Guided Meditation for Dental Fear and Anxiety is an audio download that can help you reduce and even overcome your fear of needles and dentistry. This audio download can help condition your mind for your upcoming dental visit and procedure. If you follow the guidelines as directed by Dr. DeMarco, you will be better prepared, more relaxed and you will be surprised at how well you recover when you take fear and anxiety out of the procedure.

You don’t have to be scared to visit the dentist. Visit our website, read our blog articles about Fear and Anxiety and sample our wonderful audio product, “Dental Phobia  – A Guided Meditation for dental fear and anxiety.”

There are various elements that causes flying phobia.  Among them are other types of specific phobias such are:

• Fear of heights or acrophobia
• Fear of confined/closed spaces or claustrophobia
• Fear of people or sociophobia

Other caused of fear of flying are:

• Worries causes by news/stories related to air disasters.
• Fear of not being in control
• Fear due to concerns about bad weather conditions and turbulence during the flight.
• Traumatic experiences brought about by past flying experience.

The symptoms associated with fear of flying are similar to other specific phobias: uncontrollable shaking, sweating, stomach aches and heart palpitations.  In some cases, a person who has a phobia of flying feels upset and irritable weeks and even months before the actual flight.

The stress and anxiety brought about by fear of flying affects people’s lives, significantly.  People who have severe flying phobia would do anything to avoid plane rides even if it means missing special family event, canceling vacation trips or  turning down a very good job offer that involves flying.  These people would even experience panic attack just by engaging in conversation related to flying, setting foot in an airport or seeing an airplane overhead.

Overcoming Fear of Flying

There are several options available to help overcome fear of flying.  Among them are fear of flying courses offered by airlines, counseling to determine the cause of your fear, psychotherapy and hypnotherapy.

You may also opt to overcome your fear by using the PreEmptive Healing method of guided meditation and hypnotherapy call Fear of Flying – A Guided Meditation, this audio download can help condition your mind for your upcoming flight and even support you thoughout your flight.

You don’t have to be scared of flying or avoid traveling by air your entire life. Visit our website, read our blog articles about Fear of Flying and try out our wonderful audio product, “Fear of Flying  – A Guided Meditation.”

What aspect of flying are you afraid of?

-        The idea of flying high in the sky?

-        Being in a small room full of strangers?

-        Having little control of your flight?

-        Being away from people, places and things familiar to you?

-        Turbulence?

When did you start being afraid of flying?

Try to recall whether you’ve always had a fear of flying or if there’s an event from your past that had caused you to feel scared.

-        Did you have a traumatic experience associated with a past flying experience?

-        Did something happen in your life that made you feel unsure of flying?

-        Did someone cause you to feel hurt or angry or scared before you develop your fear of flying?

-        Did you experience some discomfort from a previous flying trip?

Understanding where your fear of flying is coming from is the first step to help you manage your flying phobia.  Looking at the nature of the problem can help you realized that you might need to address some other issues and not just your fear of flying.  Did you have a traumatic experience that caused your flying anxiety,  it’s possible you may need to seek the advice of a professional.

Whatever the cause, you must remember that fear of flying is a learned fear.  Something that can be unlearned and overcome.  Whether you choose to seek help from a professional or do some self-help remedy, resources are readily available to help you manage your fear of flying.

Those with a mild case of fear of flying don’t necessary have flying phobia.  They would usually just feel uneasy by certain scenarios though out the fight like when the door closes, during takeoff or when there’s turbulence.  These feelings are experienced even by the most seasoned flyers.

There are people who are called “White Knuckle Flyers.”  These people travel only when they have to and usually go through some type of an ordeal to get through their plane journey.  These are the people in the middle of the fear of flying spectrum.

At the far end of the spectrum are those who have flying phobia, people who don’t fly no matter what. They are those people who are willing to gave up a lot  just to avoid flying. The quality of their lives is greatly affected by their fear.

Whether you have a mild case or a full blast fear of flying, help is available.  One option would be to seek assistance from a professional.  There are also other ways to overcome your fear of flying such as:

1. Taking airline courses. For some individuals, it is the fear of the unknown that is preventing them from flying. Educating yourself on how an airplane works and how safe it is to travel by air can lessen fear and anxiety.
2. Joining counseling and group programs. Talking about your fear with someone or a group of people who knows what you’re going through can be another way to lessen your fear of flying.
3. Learning some relaxation methods. Through relaxation, you’ll be able to manage your fear and anxiety.  If you are more relax, you’ll also have less negative thought that causes you to be scared of flying. Our blog contains multiple articles on the subject and PreEmptive Healing has a Fear of Flying audio available to help you condition your mind and reduce your fear and anxiety.
4. Hypnosis. This method helps a person overcome his fear of flying through the power of the mind.  Performed by a trained hypnotherapist, this can be an effective method for people willing to follow their direction. Our “Fear of Flying – A Guided Meditation audio product was developed by  myself, Dr. Anthony DeMarco and a trained hypnotherapist.

Additional Tips for Reduce Flying Anxiety

• Be honest about your fear of flying.  Let the flight attendant know.  They are the people who’ll be able to help you feel more comfortable during the flight.
• If it’s the turbulence that causes you to panic, try finding a seat at the front of the plane.  Turbulence is less in the front than at the back of the plane.
• Distract your mind from thinking about your flight by reading a book, listening to music, watching a movie or answering some crosswords.
• Avoid drinking coffee or anything with caffeine.  Caffeine will only aggravate your anxiety.  But do drink other liquids to avoid dehydration.  Dehydration can only add to your anxiety and fear.
• Bring a music player with headphones.  This can help you relax during the flight.  If you bought our fear of flying audio, we recommend you listen to it throughout your flight.
• People who are afraid of flying would often stress about the flight weeks, even month before the actual trip.  As soon as you find out that you’ll be flying, start conditioning your mind and manage your fear of flying.
• Visit our product page and listen to the audio samplers and purchase Fear of Flying – A Guided Meditation.

Extensive research on commercial flight safety reveals that the death risk per flight is only one in 7 million. Based on this, if you fly on a daily basis, it would take 19,000 years before you encounter a fatal accident. In fact, flying is ten times safer compared to a trip by train, which is generally viewed as one of the safest mode of travel. There is a greater chance of dying from being stung by a bee, one in 5.5 million, compared to flying.

However, all the statistics about the safety of flying seem to be of little value since the fear has nothing to do, at all, with the risks associated with flying. It is an anxiety disorder that results from the simple awareness that life is fragile and vulnerable. It is a fear that can have several components, including the fear of heights, the fear of being over water, the fear of the dark, the fear of the unknown, undue concerns about accidents or deliberate attacks, claustrophobia or fear of enclosed spaces, of being idle for extended periods of time, the loss of personal freedom, concerns about turbulence and weather conditions, unawareness of the normal activities during a flight, the loss of control and of being dependent on technology or other people, as well as some underlying issues from past psychological or physical trauma.

People react to aerophobia in a variety of ways. Some will avoid flying entirely and go to great lengths to arrange their personal and professional lives to avoid it. Other reactions include sweating, rapid heartbeat and breathing, and nausea. Others will use drugs or alcohol to deal with it or become abusive to other people.

What Can You Do If You Are Afraid of Flying?

A number of the major airlines, realizing that this fear can affect their business, offer courses that are designed to help overcome the fear of flying.

These are normally day-long workshop where crew members explain the mechanics of flying, such as the noises the aircraft makes and the reasons for them. This technique is called cognitive behavioral therapy.

It is also possible to practice a number of self-help techniques, including breathing exercises or meditation.  This can be done both before and during the flight. Some people find that visualization, imagining themselves on the plane, with the sounds and sights that scares them, can help them cope better with their fears prior to an actual flight.

When preparing for a trip, it is also helpful to bring a travel bag full of books, magazines, CD player and other items that can help distract you while waiting to board the plane.

Eating a filling and nutritious meal can help you sleep on the flight. This will help you feel better upon arriving at your destination

Avoid sugary snacks, tea, coffee, or other caffeine-filled drinks.  These can make you feel more stressed and they can over-stimulate your already active imagination.

How Can PreEmptive Healing Help You Manage Your Fear of Flying?

PreEmptive Healing has developed a new guided meditation audio that can help. Using the PreEmptive Healing method of managing fear and anxiety, we can successfully reduce fear and anxiety by 30-50%.

Here’s how it works:

We start by conditioning your mind.  Conditioning means to undergo a change so that an act or response previously associated with one stimulus becomes associated with another.  We guide you to substitute courage, strength, love, and empowerment for fear and anxiety. We are going to condition your mind to lower your fear of flying.

We will condition your mind through suggestions and visualizations that you will implement before, during the flight and while you’re plane is landing. To learn more about Fear of Flying – A Guided Meditation, click here.

Click Here to listen to the sample excerpts or purchase this wonderful audio download.

Many instances of dentophobia often involve fears that are more defined, specific and individual. Here are some examples:

The fear of dentists: Dentists represent authoritarian figures that check how well we’ve taken care of our teeth. This fear is the effect of traumatic childhood visits to the dentist.

The fear of needles: One of the most common phobia since it is nearly impossible to look away since the needle is injected in your gum or cheek.

The fear of anesthetics: This includes the fear of waking up and feeling the pain, not responding to the anesthetic or being allergic to it.

The fear of the dental drill: The iconic symbol of dentistry.  The distinct sound alone often triggers anxiety attacks in patients.

The fear of pain: Patients who experienced pain when they visited the dentist as a child often find it difficult to visit again.

The fear of numbness: The fear of being unable to call for help or control the level of pain they are able to receive once they are under anesthesia.

The fear of choking: Another common phobia particularly since the dentist needs to work in the mouth area.

The fear of being embarrassed: A fear that feeds on itself since the more you avoid going to the dentist, the worse your oral health becomes.

The fear of diagnosis: The fear of a simple check-up becoming an expensive and long procedure.

For some people, just passing a sign or an advertisement for dental services can set off panic attacks or some severe symptom of anxiety.

Fortunately for such people, help is now readily available.  Many dentists are now advertising specific techniques designed to deal with such patients.

Fast acting sedative medications are now available that are able to relax the patient enough so that they can undergo dental treatments without any fear.

Other dentists use relaxation and desensitization techniques to help patients overcome their fears gradually.  In these techniques, the patient remains fully conscious without the need for sedatives.

Mobile Anesthesia Service Concepts, LLC (MASC) is an anesthesia service that specializes in office-based anesthesia.  We can be found at www.masccares.com.

MASC combines outstanding anesthesia practices with techniques that are designed to free the patient’s mind of their fear.

<strong>Reduce or eliminate Dental Phobia
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<a href=”http://preemptivehealing.com/preemptive-healing-products”><img title=”Dental Phobia – A Guided Meditation for fear and anxiety” src=”http://preemptivehealing.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/dentalsmall2.jpg” alt=”Dental Phobia – A Guided Meditation for fear and anxiety” width=”117″ height=”108″ /></a><strong>Dental Phobia – A Guided Meditation for Dental Fear and Anxiety</strong> is an audio download designed to help reduce anxiety and fear both consciously and unconsciously through the conditioning of the mind.  Instead of having the patient accept fear and anxiety, we are empowering his mind to destroy that fear and anxiety.  This results in a reduction of narcotics as well as a decrease in complications postoperatively.

This audio download can help condition your mind for  your upcoming dental visit and procedure. If you follow the guidelines as directed by Dr. DeMarco, you will be better prepared, more relaxed and you will be surprised at how well you recover when you take fear and anxiety out of the procedure.

You don’t have to be scared to visit the dentist. Visit our website, read our blog articles about Fear and Anxiety and sample our wonderful audio product, “<a href=”http://preemptivehealing.com/preemptive-healing-products”>Dental Phobia  – A Guided Meditation for dental fear and anxiety.</a>”

Whatever the individual patient’s situation, there is no reason to avoid visiting the dentist.  Whatever course of treatment the patient eventually chooses, bear in mind that the most important thing is to have a dentist who understands and who can help them handle their fears.

Here he is.  The patient has mustered as much courage as he possibly can.  He has correctly rationalized that it is very important to take care of his teeth.  He has already overcome a major obstacle just by being in that chair.  Now, what are you going to do for him?  Do you have the courage to face a patient like this, a patient who is truly afraid of you for no logical reason?  Do you have the patience, compassion, and understanding to care for this type of patient, a dental phobic?

Unless you have a phobia of your own, it is very hard to understand what this person is experiencing. As human beings, we try to empathize with others but, unless you have similar fears, it is very difficult to understand what this person is actually experiencing.  Even so, we still are compelled, as healthcare professionals, to do whatever we can for this patient.  How can we help this type of patient deal with this crippling fear?

As an anesthesiologist, I have tried to come up with a system that will help the dental practitioner deal with this difficult situation.  Why, as a board certified anesthesiologist, would I want to be involved with anyone that has a dental phobia?  Because I believe I have an innovative solution to a very difficult and recurring problem.  In my specialty, I always deal with patient fears and anxieties.  Why?  Because medical and surgical procedures evoke some level of fear and anxiety in every individual.  Just imagine yourself needing to undergo a certain procedure.  The date is set.  If this is set for the next day, that’s great!  The patient has no time to think about what could potentially go wrong!  However, the reality is that these type of procedures are usually scheduled one to two weeks out and, sometimes, even further in advance.  This situation gives the patient all the time in the world to think about what could or could not happen.  That is anxiety!

Over the past 15 years, I have developed a great system for making patients feel calm and comfortable during their pre-anesthetic visit.  This visit normally occurs one to two weeks prior to the actual procedure.  What happens during this interview?  First, I obtain a history from the patient.  I look for any anesthetic problems which might have existed in the past with either the patient or his immediate family.  Second, we go over medications, allergies, and any past and present medical problems.  This interview helps me to determine whether the patient is medically optimized for the procedure.  What does medically optimized mean?  Even though the patient might have a medical systemic disease, i.e., hypertension, is he in the best health he can possibly be in for the procedure?  I cannot cure him of high blood pressure, but I can make sure that it is under control and has not damaged vital organs, such as his heart or his kidneys.

If I feel that the patient requires further tests, I will ask for those to be performed, such as a consultation with his cardiologist.  I will obtain an ECG within the last six months, as well as any further blood studies.  Our goal, as the medical team, is to make sure that the patient is safe during the upcoming procedure.

Once the anesthetic history is obtained, I then go through what the patient should expect to happen on the day of the procedure.  Does this help reduce anxiety and fear?  Yes. By how much?  I do not know.  But it is a process that definitely helps.  When a patient does not have any idea of what will happen on the day of the procedure, anxiety and fear goes up by about 50%.  This pre-anesthetic interview lasts for 10 to 30 minutes and is usually done one to two weeks prior to the procedure.  What does the patient do from the time I have the talk with him until the time of the procedure?  I believe this period of time is when fear and anxiety becomes manifest.  I also believe that, as a medical community, we should investigate how we can help these patients.  We need to help patients empower themselves, through their thoughts and actions, to reduce such anxieties and fears.  The medical community should be aware of the trauma caused by not addressing these issues. Remember that fear and anxiety cause significant increases in sympathetic outflow.  An increase in sympathetic outflow can cause an increase in heart rate and an elevated blood pressure.  What is the effect of an increased heart rate?  An increase in heart rate increases the amount of oxygen that the heart requires to function.  What does this do?  Due to the increased oxygenation demand, there is a need to increase the supply of oxygen to the heart.  When the heart is not supplied with enough oxygen, the heart starts to fail.  This failure of the heart is called an ischemia, which is the lack of oxygen to the heart’s tissues.  Ischemia can occur with the person unaware that it is already happening.  An increased heart rate can actually cause ischemia.  Will the patient feel the cause of the ischemia?  No, not always.  Thus, the patient can have an undetected problem due to fear and anxiety.

An increase in sympathetic outflow can increase blood pressure.  How does this happen?  The nervous system can actually constrict all the blood vessels in the body.  A constricted blood flow does not help in the healing process.  By constricting blood flow, the nervous system is inadvertently causing the pooling of blood in certain areas of the body.  Unfortunately, these are not the blood rich groups that aid in the healing process.  What are these?  Blood rich groups are composed of organs with enriched blood flow, such as the heart, lungs, liver, kidney, and brain.  In short, these are the organs that promote the healing process.  Are we then, in effect, slowing down the healing process when we increase anxiety and fear?  Yes!  If we are able to decrease anxiety and fear prior to the procedure, can we then improve the healing process?  Yes!  How do we do that?  We can help do so by simply listening to a CD that I have created.

This CD is called PreEmptive Healing.  Have the patient listen to the CD twice daily:  once in the morning upon waking up and once at night prior to falling asleep.  PreEmptive Healing is designed to be used from the time a dental procedure is scheduled to the date of the dental procedure.  I also suggest that patients be allowed to listen to the CD during the actual procedure.

During the testing of PreEmptive Healing, I noticed a decrease in the degree of anxiety and fear by 30-50%.  There is also less use of narcotics as well as a decrease in complications postoperatively.  The CD is designed to help reduce anxiety and fear both consciously and unconsciously.  How does it work?  The mind must be approached at all levels of consciousness in order to consistently and persistently lower fear and anxiety.  Simply stated, this is done through the conditioning of the mind.  Conditioning, by definition, is repeatedly going over something in order to have the thought imprinted.  In practice, instead of having the patient accept fear and anxiety, we are empowering his mind to destroy that fear and anxiety.  Conditioning is the only way to consistently and persistently free someone’s mind of the fear and anxiety in having dental work performed.

We have now taken care of the first part of the fear and anxiety a dental phobic has to deal with while waiting prior to the procedure.  How do we then take care of the fear and anxiety on the day of the procedure and during the procedure itself?

While on the way to the dentist, I suggest that the patient repetitively listen to the PreEmptive Healing CD in the car up to the time of the procedure.  Again, if allowed, it would be an excellent idea to listen to the CD while actually having the dental procedure.

How is the actual dental procedure done? The actual procedure is done by giving the patient anesthesia.  What kind?  I recommend heavy sedation.  Who are we?  Our company is called Mobile Anesthesia Service Concepts, LLC (MASC).  MASC is an anesthesia service that specializes in office-based anesthesia.  We can be found on the World Wide Web at www.masccares.com.

MASC provides outstanding anesthesia practices.  Our service is designed to provide increased efficiency, safety, and patient satisfaction.  MASC comes to the office prior to the case to make sure that we are able to provide safe and effective anesthesia.  Does the office need to provide any of the equipment?  No, we take care of those.  The only equipment not provided is oxygen.  Because oxygen is flammable, MASC does not carry oxygen in our vehicles.  The dental office is therefore required to provide it.

In the case of a dental phobic, heavy sedation works great.  What is heavy sedation?  Heavy sedation is an anesthetic technique using propofol, Versed, and local anesthesia.  The technique is called a total intravenous anesthetic or TIVA.  The procedure is as follows.  MASC will bring the patient in the room.  All consent forms are signed.  The patient arrives in sweat pants and sweatshirt to reduce the risk of being cold.  Why is this required?  Being cold under anesthesia increases oxygen consumption by the heart by up to 300%.  It also delays awakening after the procedure.  Once in the room, the patient is seated and a tourniquet is placed on the arm where the IV is going to be placed.  All the monitoring equipment are then put in place:  ECG, supplemental oxygen in the form of a nasal canula, noninvasive blood pressure cuff and pulse oxymetry, which measures the oxygen saturation of the body.  All the monitoring equipment has the same standard of care used in most operating rooms.  Once the monitoring devices are in place, the IV is placed and secured.  MASC is now ready to sedate the patient.

The four areas of anesthesia which must be employed to have a complete anesthetic are hypnosis, amnesia, analgesia, and surgical anesthesia.  MASC provides all four levels of anesthesia with heavy sedation.  We begin with 2-4 liters/minute of oxygen delivered via the nasal canula.  Then 2-4 mg of Versed to calm and cause amnesia.  Then a propofol drip is started to place the patient into a sleep state.  Once the patient is asleep and not moving, i.e., surgical anesthesia, the dentist then places a block with local anesthesia to provide analgesia intraoperatively and postoperatively.  Once all four levels of anesthesia are achieved, the procedure can begin.  The dental phobic patient is now asleep and will not remember anything regarding the procedure.  The dentist, on the other hand, has a calm and comfortable patient, thus making the procedure go quickly and smoothly.

Once the procedure is completed, the propofol drip is stopped.  In 10 to 15 minutes, the patient will awaken.  Following emergence from the sleep state, the patient will be monitored for 30-45 minutes.  This monitoring period is done in order to give time for the patient to recover from the anesthesia.  After the recovery period, the patient is walked to the car and sent home.  The patient will be advised not to make any major decisions or drive in the first 24 hours because it takes that much time for the propofol and Midazolam to be fully metabolized.  At home, the patient can relax and recover further from the anesthesia.  As far as meals after the procedure, from an anesthetic point of view, the patient will be able to eat anything.  Since no narcotics are used during the procedure, patients are less likely to have nausea and vomiting postoperatively.  Propofol also decreases the risk of nausea and vomiting.  Patients have been observed to do well with this anesthetic technique.  They recover rapidly with very few or no side effects.

I believe that this system is a win for the patient.  He has no recall of the procedure, which gives him a positive dental procedure experience.  This, in turn, starts to break down his fears and anxieties about going to the dentist.  The dental phobic can now take care of his teeth and have better oral hygiene in the future.  This system is also a win for the dental practitioner because, now, he has a solution for these type of patients.

To help you with this transforming process, Dr. DeMarco has created an audio guide titled PreEmptive Healing. The guide is divided into three parts:

Part 1. The promise and benefits of PreEmptive Healing

Part 2. How to strengthen the relationships with the important people in your life.

Part 3. A guided meditation to help you relax and to prepare yourself both physically and mentally for your upcoming procedure.

PreEmptive Healing will integrate your mind and body–through music, words and visualizations–and will empower you to lower any fears and anxieties you may be experiencing prior to your procedure. Through this preparation, you can empower your mind and body to begin healing prior to the procedure, in other words, to begin “PreEmptive Healing.” Our promise to you is that we will help prepare you for your procedure, regardless of its complexity.

Here is the science behind this approach. First, it is importantto understand that blood flow is essential for healing. When blood flow is constricted (squeezed), healing potential is significantly decreased. High blood pressure constricts the blood vessels in your body. So, the goal is to reduce blood pressure prior to and during your surgical procedure. This is difficult for most people because anxiety and fear about the procedure cause high blood pressure.

The PreEmptive Healing audio guide will lower your anxiety and fear. By lowering fear and anxiety, you will lower your adrenalin or, in medical terms, reduce your sympathetic outflow. By lowering your sympathetic outflow, you will lower your heart rate and blood pressure. When this happens, blood flow throughout your body increases. With increased blood flow comes improved healing. Invest in your recovery by treating yourself to the PreEmptive Healing audio guide.

Once you have tried PreEmptive Healing, come back and let us know about your experience. ALL COMMENTS ARE WELCOME!

Hippocrates wrote, “The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well.” In his quote, Hippocrates has given a definition for mind and body medicine, emphasizing on the moral and spiritual aspects of healing. He believed that the person’s attitude, the environmental influences and the many natural remedies available are essential for health treatment.

What is Mind and Body Medicine? Mind- body medicine has revolutionized our modern healthcare. Mind and body medicine is an approach to healing that explores the complex and profound interconnection of the mind and the body. The power of thoughts and emotions are used to influence and achieve good physical health. It suggests that there is an innate healing connection in the body and that there is a role of self-responsibility in the healing process.

Mind-body medicine dates back to 2000 years ago, when the concept of the mind became an integral part of the treatment of diseases. This points back to the healing approaches of traditional Chinese and Ayuverdic medicine. It is after then than science was redirected and focused on the separation of human emotional dimensions from the physical body. At present, mind-body medicine has become an important consideration in the medical community, utilizing this approach to treat diseases and maintain a better and balanced quality of living.

MIND-BODY TECHNIQUES

Mind and Body techniques work on the theory that physical health is achieved and is influenced by mental and emotional factors. Other factors that help preserve health and prevent diseases are behavioral, psychological, social and spiritual methods.

In recent years, the use of mind-body techniques has become massive, with the abundance of scientific evidences that these techniques are effective and beneficial to one’s health. Mind-body techniques are used to treat chronic pain, depression, anxiety and panic disorders, insomnia, incontinence (loss of urinary control), childbirth, coronary artery diseases and many more.

Mind-body techniques aim to train the mind to focus on the body. It is believed that when one achieves a state of “focused concentration”, he will be able to be more in control of his mind and emotions, to change his outlook, his general health and wellbeing.

MOST COMMON MIND-BODY TECHNIQUES
Biofeedback. Biofeedback is a technique of bringing unconscious biological processes under conscious control. In this method, the individual is taught and trained to control internal and involuntary bodily processes such as blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension and brain surface electrical activity. A machine is used to measure these internal activities, with a monitor that allows the patient to view his or her body’s internal processes. This allows him to use this information and gain control over these “involuntary” activities. Biofeedback is found to be effective in treating pain such as tension headache, migraine headache and chronic pain. It has also been found to achieve effective results when used to treat stress, insomnia, urinary incontinence, attention deficit disorder, tinnitus and Reynaud’s syndrome.

Relaxation Techniques. Relaxation techniques aim to reduce the activity of nerves that trigger the stress response, the sympathetic nervous system. During the time of stress, the body responses in alert, and thus vital signs such as heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate increase. Relaxation techniques help relieve tension and strain, by lowering blood pressure, easing muscle tension and slowing metabolic processes. There are three major types of relaxation techniques:

1. Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR). This PMR technique involves a two step-process. The first step is to deliberately apply tension on a certain muscle group, and then very slowly releasing each muscle group individually. Start with the toes and up the head. Notice how the tension flows away as the muscle relaxes. Do this repetitively and you will learn to distinguish the associated feelings of a relaxed muscle and a tensed one. This simple knowledge will allow one to activate muscular relaxation as soon as muscle tension is experienced.
2. Autogenic Training (AT). This technique is used to train the body to respond to verbal commands. AT teaches one to create a feeling of warmth all throughout the body until a profound state of physical relaxation, mental peace and bodily health is achieved. In this practice, the individual uses verbal commands to tell the body to control breathing and relax. All other internal processes follow suit – blood pressure, heartbeat and temperature. Also called Autogenics, this technique is used to manage stress, overcome addictions such as smoking or alcoholism, to resolve anxieties and fear such as flying or fear of heights or change unwanted behavior such as procrastination or nail biting.
3. Meditation. Meditation is probably the most popular method to achieve a profoundly relaxed bodily state. In the United States, there are two forms of meditation. One is the Transcendental Meditation, wherein the individual is asked to repeat a single word or phrase (Mantra). The second form, Mindfulness Meditation lets an individual focus on their moment-by-moment thoughts and the sensations they currently feel. Meditation helps to achieve physical relaxation, metal calmness and other emotional states such as loving-kindness and even-temperedness.

Hypnosis. The term hypnosis comes from the Greek word “hypnos”, which means sleep. This technique focuses on achieving a trance-like state of mind, where the body relaxes and the thoughts become more focused and attentive. This is done with the help of a hypnotherapist. When this state of concentration is achieved and the body is deeply relaxed and calm, the individual become highly responsive to a hypnotherapist’s suggestions and less critical or disbelieving. Today, hypnosis is used to treat people with certain addictions, with anxiety disorders, phobia and chronic pain.

Guided Imagery. Guided imagery is one technique that is used quite frequently. It is a program of directed thoughts and suggestion, making one imagine toward a relaxed, focused state. This process is achieved with the help of an instructor, an audiotape or a script. The individual is asked to imagine details that are comfortable and safe like a beach or a garden or recall happy moments they has when they were young. The individual usually responds positively, achieving a more relaxed and peaceful state, making him more in control of his emotions and thought processes. Guided imagery can improve a person’s attitude, health and sense of wellbeing.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). This technique helps an individual recognize and therefore change dysfunctional thoughts that usually lead to maladaptive emotional patters and behaviors. Cognitive restructuring is used, wherein the therapist examines assumptions behind the individual’s thought patterns. Behavioral therapy techniques are also used. CBT is used as a treatment option for psychological disorders such as depression, eating disorders, insomnia, obsessive-compulsive disorders, anxiety, phobia and panic disorders.

HOW MIND-BODY MEDICINE WORKS
Mind and body medicine focuses on how the mind, the emotions and other internal body processes can influence the physical body’s health. Studies have shown that emotions can have a great link or influence in the development of a disease. Stress influences our everyday emotional response. When a person is under a stressful situation, stress hormones are activated. These stress hormones are the ones responsible for unhealthy emotional responses such as anger, depression, hostility and etc. these unhealthy emotional responses are associated with many disease conditions, particularly the development of high blood pressure and coronary heart diseases.

The goal of mind-body medicine is to reduce the stress responses and activate the relaxation response. When a person is relaxed, he develops in himself improved coping skills to reduce tension and pain and lessen the need of medication. A relaxed body will also have a great influence on the immune system, making it efficient and increasing one’s susceptibility to infection.

OTHER DISEASES TREATED WITH MIND- BODY MEDICINE

• Depression
• Insomnia
• Anxiety and phobic disorders
• High blood pressure
• Asthma
• Coronary heart disease
• Obesity
• Cancer-related symptoms such as pain
• Nausea/vomiting related to chemotherapy
• Diabetes
• Stomach and intestinal disorders (indigestion or dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, diarrhea, ulcerative colitis, heartburn, and Crohn’s disease)
• Fibromyalgia
• Menopausal symptoms such as depression, irritability and hot flashes
• Tempomandibular joint disorder
• Neck and lower back pains
• Muscle tension and involuntary muscle spasms
• Headache such as tension or migraine headache

Mind-body medicine promises many potential benefits and advantages. Further research and study on this medical approach leads to a more enhanced and effective mind-body interventions, giving opportunities to individuals to tailor their thinking about their moods, emotional responses and physical health. The mind-body medical approach is proven to have positive effects on psychological functioning and a balanced quality of life.

The human body’s response to fear and anxiety (stress) is exactly the same whether a threat is real or imagined. It is a remarkable example of the effectiveness of one of our internal communication systems, and is intended to help you fight off, or run away from an adversary.

The biological and chemical mechanisms that govern our emergency responses hark back to primordial times and helped our ancestors deal with threats from predators, and other tribes. Without them they would have been easy pickings. These days the things that make us fearful and anxious are benign by comparison to life as a caveman, (there are no saber-toothed tigers lurking around the corner) but our bodies deal with threats in the same way, and it is the stress hormone cortisol which regulates this red alert system.

Hormones are Chemical Messengers
Hormones are powerful chemical messengers that help our bodies to function. They travel through the blood stream and control or regulate the activities of groups of cells or organs. Hormones are named after the Greek word hormaein, meaning “to excite” or “set in motion.”

Cortisol
Under normal circumstances cortisol is continually secreted throughout the day by the adrenal glands. These are triangular-shaped, and they sit on top of the kidneys. Cortisol secretion follows a 24 hour, or circadian rhythm, with peak levels occurring in the morning (from about 6.00am-8.00 am) and the lowest levels are at about midnight. There are many factors that influence cortisol levels including fasting, exercise, and anxiety.

The Biology of Fear and Anxiety
During periods of fear and anxiety your muscles need more oxygen and glucose, and these are carried in the blood. So the heart has to pump faster and blood pressure must increase if your body is to get more of the vital fuel that it needs. The entire process involves several different steps and many chemical reactions, and it starts with sensory cells alerting a part of the brain known as the hypothalamus that there is potential danger. Cells in the hypothalamus transmit a signal to another area of the brain called the pituitary gland which then releases a chemical messenger into the bloodstream. This chemical is called ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone) and its destination is the adrenal glands.

When ACTH arrives it stimulates both glands to crank up cortisol production. Molecules of the chemical bind to small receptors on the surface of adrenal cells and this initiates a complex manufacturing process that turns cholesterol into cortisol. The newly-created hormone is then pumped out into the body to start a cascade of reactions that leads to increased heart rate and blood pressure.
Cortisol’s main job is to increase the sensitivity of the heart and blood vessels to the stimulating effects of two other hormones, called epinephrine (also known as adrenalin) and norepinephrine (also known as noradrenalin). Epinephrine and norepinephrine work by stimulating receptors in heart cells which increases the rate at which the heart beats and the force with which the heart muscle contracts. And you can feel it happen when your heart starts to pound wildly during fearful and anxious moments. That’s the hormones going to work!

Simultaneously, cortisol ensures that blood vessels are also receptive to epinephrine and norepinephrine. The two hormones bind to specific proteins, which brings about the narrowing of blood vessel walls. This increases blood pressure and it enables blood to be diverted to essential organs and muscles.

Worried Sick
In today’s modern world our stress response system is activated so often that the body is not given a chance to return to normal. High levels of cortisol are required during an emergency situation, but over time they can wreak havoc on our cardiovascular system and long term health. It is true that we can become worried sick.

Prolonged high levels of cortisol can damage the heart, contribute to obesity, and weaken the immune system. The scientific literature is full of research studies demonstrating the downsides of constant exposure to high levels of the hormone. A team of researchers from the School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles discovered that increased levels of cortisol actually prematurely age immune cells, making people more susceptible to illness. The hormone suppresses the action of an enzyme called telomerase which keeps cells young. (Rita B. Effros et al. Reduced telomerase activity in human T lymphocytes exposed to cortisol. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. 2008; 22 (4): 600-605).

Further negative implications include high levels of cholesterol, reduced bone density, and depression. And scientists at Heidelberg University in Germany discovered how cortisol production leads to an increased amount of fatty deposits in the liver, which creates a range of metabolic disorders. (Stephan Herzig et al. The Glucocorticoid Receptor Controls Hepatic Dyslipidemia through Hes1. Cell Metabolism, 2008; 8 (3): 212-223).

Learn to Chill Out
Avoiding the harmful effects of cortisol can be achieved by relaxing and resetting your body. If you experience a stressful situation you need to give yourself time to calm down and recover, otherwise your life could turn out to be one continual emergency. Visit PreEmptiveHealing.com to learn more.

The most evident form of physiological response is that which is known as the “fight or flight” response. When we are faced with what we consider to be a dangerous situation, the first noticeable change is an increase in perspiration, as well as heart and respiratory rates. This physical reaction is due to the activation of a small, walnut sized structure in the fore-brain, called the amygdala. This structure, in turn, then stimulates the hypothalamus to produce CRH, or corticotropin-releasing hormone. This hormone, then, triggers the production of adrenocorticotropic hormone, known as ACTH, in the pituitary gland, a small, oval gland at the base of the brain. Finally, this signal travels to the adrenal gland, sitting just above the kidney, which produces cortisol, causing an increase in glucose production to provide additional fuel for the muscles and brain to deal with the stress. This complex series of direct communications between the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal gland is known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal, or HPA, axis, a vital and major part of the neuroendocrine system that controls the reaction to stress, amonsgt other body processes. Clearly, the simple physical responses to fear are the product of a chain of biological events.

When one is confronted by a perceived threat, there are many more physical responses that are less evident, such as: pupil dilation; increased muscle tone; decreased blood flow to the skin, intestine and kidneys; and bowel and bladder emptying. Consider the last time that you watched a horror movie. When you were startled by a suspensful scene, the first thing that you probably noticed was your heart and resiratory rates quickening. After that, you would probably have begun sweating. Your skin became paler as the blood flow was redirected to your muscles, which increased in tone and strength to facilitate the “fight or flight” response. Even in a situation that is a false alarm, so to speak, your body would still respond to the stimulus. This is because the amygdala responds before the conscious mind can make any determination. While the degree of these reactions can vary, the response is still the same.

When the stressor that triggers these fearful responses is inescapable, such as an impending medical procedure, the fear often leads to anxiety. Anxiety is a period of prolonged fear, or worry, and is usually accompanied by heart palpitations, fatigue, nausea, chest pain, shortness of breath, stomach aches, or headaches. Think back to your high school years. Many of us experienced a great deal of anxiety at this time, most often during our final exams. As most students do, you were probably concerned about how you would do. You studied for hours, trying to remember everything that you went over throughout the semester. Even after the test was taken, you worried about the score that you would receive, and wondered if you could have studied harder.

Often, manifestations called panic attacks can develop. These episodes carry many of the same symptoms as heart attacks, and are often misinterpreted as such. Anxiety can last for as long as the stressor is evident, and it has been linked, through various studies, to a myriad of health issues, such as arthritis, migraines, allergies, and thyroid disease.

Most commonly, continuous anxiety has been linked to gastrointestinal problems, such as peptic ulcers. While a mechanism tying these disorders together has yet to be discovered, studies have shown a remarkable correlation of people who have experienced both generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD, and stomach ulcers. Chronic anxiety has also been linked to cardiovascular disease. Once again, specific links have yet to be identified, but it is believed that the link is due, in part, to prolonged stress on the heart from physical responses, such as increase in both heart rate and blood pressure.

Anxiety can cause both physical and mental scars, and can easily complicate one’s life. Given this, it is important to regulate fear and anxiety. . The key is not to eliminate fear, but to effectively manage it so it doesn’t spiral out of control.

The Setting
Have you ever looked at your doctor and thought “he (or she) has no idea what I am going through”? Well, you might be right. I am an anesthesiologist and for the first time I got a close and look at the patient experience.Re I was working in a gastroenterology office with a “stomach doctor”, giving anesthesia to patients before colonoscopies and upper endoscopies. In case you are not familiar with this procedure, this means that a tube with a tiny camera on the end is inserted into the colon or upper digestive tract to see inside.

It was October 2003; I was 41 years old. I had worked with the gastroenterologist for a month, and thought he had good medical judgment, common sense, and was great with the optical fiber scope. We were becoming good friends, so I asked him half-jokingly if and when I should get a colonoscopy. I know that everyone should have one before the age of 50. He asked me for my family’s medical history, and I told him that my father had a history of colon polyps and that my grandfather had survived three bouts of colon cancer.

To my surprise, the gastroenterologist insisted that on the basis of my family history alone that I should get a colonoscopy immediately. I was shocked and afraid. I walked over to the appointment desk and heard myself saying “Karen I need a colonoscopy”. As I waited at the desk, I felt strangely disconnected, as if all this was happening to someone else. “We can fit you in next month” Karen said, bringing me back to reality.

The Reality
This was it. In a month I was going to have to fast for 24 hours, drink lots of liquid and then spend half the night following the procedure in the bathroom with a book. Karen handed me an information packet welcoming me as a patient of the “scope club”. Now I was no longer just a board-certified anesthesiologist—I was now officially a patient. Panic, anxiety and confusion set in. Now what? What was going to happen to me? How would it feel? I forced myself to focus, and decided that I needed to read the instructions. I did not want to be one of those patients who didn’t read the instruction booklet.

As soon as I got home, I discussed the appointment with my wife, and that helped me feel better. She would be off work that day and could drive me to and from the doctor’s office. Everything was set: the time, the date, and transportation. But it was a whole month away. A month!

The Fears
For the next 4 weeks, I tried not to think about the colonoscopy. During the day I was fairly successful at putting it out of my mind because I was busy working and taking care of the kids. At night it was a different story. I had no problems getting to sleep, but I was waking up at 2:00 or 3:00 a.m. every night. Once awake I would think about the painful parts of the procedure, like getting an IV.

Believe it or not, I hate needles. Ever since my grandfather, who was also a physician, gave me flu shots every year, I have hated needles. I remember when I was about 7 years old, running away and climbing a tree to get away from the injection. Eventually I gave in because my father threatened me with worse than a needle! It is funny how frightful memories come back when you’re feeling vulnerable.

My own memories helped me realize where my needle phobia came from. I also realized that without being injected, I would not get the medication called propofol that would put me to sleep. I knew that having a colonoscopy fully awake was not a very good idea! Besides, I had gotten an IV years before when I had a bad stomach flu. I remember not eating all day, and an IV was started so that I could get a liter of saline into my system. I remember feeling much better after the IV, and was also surprised to remember that it had hurt much less than my childhood shots! This was because the IV needle is much smaller, and also the vaccine was injected directly into the muscle.

I had worked through one worry. The IV would make me feel better and would not hurt that bad. But, I had other worries. What if I had complications? I might be nauseous and vomit afterwards. I worried that I may not be able to pass the air trapped in my colon after the procedure. And worse, what if the doctor found a mass, cancer, or even a perforated bowel?

Being a doctor is a double-edged sword, because I knew that these complications were real even if they were very rare. I repeated to myself that these complications were very rare, and that FEAR is False Evidence Appearing Real. There is no point in getting all worked up over problems that have not even occurred and have little chance of occurring. I also knew that I needed to sleep so that I could perform my job as anesthesiologist to the best of my ability.

What Helped
This reasoning worked a little, but I was still awake and worrying every night. I started reading a simple “how to” book on meditation exercises that suggested I focus my attention on something else. One exercise in particular was simple and effective. To try it, count from 1 to 10, visualizing each number as you say it in your mind. Say “1” and visualize the “1” with your mind’s eye. Do this up to “10”. In my case, I was usually asleep by 4 or 5. Because this worked so well for me, I used it every night until the day before the procedure, when I drank a lot of fluids. During the “preparation” night before the procedure, I had no problems with falling back asleep. I was too exhausted from being on the toilet!

The Results
The day of the procedure arrived. I woke up as late as I could (6:00 a.m.), took a shower and helped my kids get ready for school. We got to the doctor’s office around 11:45 a.m. and I waited until my name was called at 1:30 p.m. That’s right—I got no special treatment, even though I knew all the doctors there! While waiting, I talked to my wife, tried to read a book and watched T.V. At this point I was more fed up of waiting than worried, and I just wanted to get it over with.

When I was finally called in, I remember being relieved to know it was almost over. I also remember that I was not at all hungry. In just a few minutes, it was all over. All the anxiety, sleepless nights and anticipation had been for nothing. The procedure was quick, relatively painless and uneventful. The doctor did find some polyps in my colon, but they were harmless. I breathed a sigh of relief. Getting it done had put my fears of whether I had colon problems to rest. I was glad to have had it done and have even had another one since then. In fact, I will continue getting one every 5 years.

Let Me Help You
My experience as a patient made me realize what an isolating and frightening experience even a simple procedure such as a colonoscopy can be. I now understand from the patients’ perspective how important it is to be really prepared for a medical procedure. Knowing the facts about the procedure is important, but it is also good not to imagine the worst. It is possible to analyze your fears and overcome them, whether it is by meditation or by realizing that the procedure may not be that bad.

The things I feared about my procedure were:
1. Pain getting the IV
2. The doctor not getting the tube around in my colon
3. Nausea and vomiting afterwards
4. Gas pains after the procedure
5. Cramping afterwards from not passing gas
6. Having a perforated colon
7. Having a mass in my colon
8. Having colon cancer
I worked through each of those fears prior to having my procedure.

Before a procedure, it is necessary to not only prepare the body, but also to prepare the mind by reducing fear and anxiety. Such preemptive healing empowers and helps bridge the gap between scheduling the appointment and having the procedure done. I can show you how, visit PreEmptiveHealing.com to learn more.

Blessings to all,
Dr. Anthony DeMarco