More Veggies, Less Stress

Need yet another reason to load up on fruits and veggies? It could lower your risk of stress, especially if you’re a woman, according to a new large-scale study. Researchers found that women who ate five to seven servings of fruits and vegetables each day had a 23 percent lower risk of stress, compared with women who consumed zero to one serving per day. 

Other notable findings included: 

• Women who consumed two servings of fruits daily had a 16 percent lower risk of stress than women who consumed zero to one serving. 
• Eating three to four servings of vegetables daily was linked to an 18 percent lower stress risk.
• When looking at the results by sex, the researchers found that the link was much stronger for women.
• Moderate fruit intake alone had no significant benefit on psychological stress.

While further research is needed to better determine how these foods impact stress, past studies have found that folate-rich leafy greens (spinach, kale) can help increase the production of feel-good mood stabilizers in the brain. In the meantime, it certainly can't hurt to add more fruits and vegetables to your recovery diet. Here are some tips: 

• Whip up a smoothie. Add some spinach, strawberries and a half of banana – or another variation of your favorite fruits and veggies. 
• Start the morning with a veggie-packed omelet. Add peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach or onions to your favorite eggs.
• Double up. A little extra chopping can go a long way for your vegetable intake, so next time a soup or salad recipe calls for a certain amount of veggies, double it. 
• Grate your way to goodness. Get creative in the kitchen by shredding or pureeing fruits and vegetables and adding them to your favorite recipes. Think grated zucchini and carrots in turkey burgers or pureed cauliflower in mac and cheese. 
• Go seasonal. Hit your local farmer’s market and experiment with a new seasonal fruit or vegetable each week. 

Hybrid Addiction Treatment at Complete Harmony 
Complete Harmony provides clients with an array of holistic modalities that complement the 12-step experience, including nutrition and exercise planning. To learn more about how we can help heal your body, mind, and soul, call us today: 866-930-4673. 

Anxiety Linked to Alcohol Abuse More Than Stress

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses in the United States, impacting roughly 40 million adults. Unfortunately, however, only one-third seek proper treatment and many turn to drugs or alcohol to self-medicate or alleviate unpleasant symptoms. 

Indeed, anxiety has long been liked to substance abuse — and a new small study found that it has an even strong connection than stress when it comes to intensity of drinking, alcohol craving during early withdrawal, and alcohol craving and stress reactivity.

In addition to getting proper treatment for both substance abuse and mental illness, often called a dual diagnosis or co-occurring condition, a few practical strategies can help you better cope with anxiety. 

Start with these adopted from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America:

• Identify your anxiety triggers. Is it family or work or something else? Keeping track of when you’re most anxious can help you figure out any patterns. 
• Take a time-out. Find a relaxation technique that works for you, whether yoga, tai chi, meditation or simply listening to music.
• Turn negative thoughts into positive ones. Make a conscious effort to change the tone of our thoughts. For example, instead of thinking, “I’m going to have a hard time adjusting to sobriety,” think, “I’ll face some challenges, but my support network will help me come up with solutions that will ultimately lead to a happier, healthier life.”  
• Slowly count to 10. Repeat, and count to 20 if needed. 
• Do your best. Perfection is impossible. Be proud of yourself and your accomplishments, no matter how small or big. 
• Talk to someone. Let friends and loved ones know when you feel anxious or overwhelmed and let them know how to help. A therapist or addiction counselor can also help. 
• Help someone else. Take the focus away from your anxiety and place the emphasis on another person’s feelings. This could mean volunteering or cooking a friend a nice meal. 

Get Anxiety Help at Complete Harmony
Let our trained professionals help you find a personalized path of recovery – one that addressed anxiety and addiction. To learn more, call today: 866-930-4673.

New Study on Yoga and Depression

Yoga and deep (yogic) breathing may be the perfect Rx for major depression disorder (MDD), according to a new study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Perhaps the best part: You don't need to become a yogi to reap the mental health benefits. 

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine found that people with MDD who participate in just two, 90-minute yoga classes per week (plus at-home practice) showed a significant decrease in depressive symptoms. And adding an additional class didn’t make a substantial difference. Many types of yoga likely fit the bill, but study participants took Iyengar yoga, a technique emphasizing various postures and yogic breathing exercises.

“While most pharmacologic treatment for depression target monoamine systems, such as serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine, this intervention targets the parasympathetic and gamma aminobutyric acid system and provides a new avenue for treatment,” explained corresponding author Chris Streeter, MD, associate professor of psychiatry and neurology at Boston University School of Medicine and a psychiatrist at Boston Medical Center.

Yoga for Addiction Recovery

If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction and depression, yoga is an excellent complement to traditional treatment. And it can be performed by all ages at all exercise levels. Some of the many benefits include: 

• You’ll find inner peace by aligning the mind, body and spirit
• You’ll reduce stress and anxiety in a healthy way
• You’ll redirect harmful and negative thoughts
• You’ll identify and release cravings
• You’ll clear mental fog, especially common in early recovery 
• You’ll experience a sense of community

Finding Inner and Outer Peace

At Complete Harmony, our yoga practitioners enhance addiction recovery by guiding clients in this ancient healing art. Yoga, along with other alternative treatment methods, is also used to ease the symptoms of a dual diagnosis like depression and addiction. To learn more about our program, call 866-930-4673.

Let Get of Those Emotions (The Healthy Way)

The road toward sobriety can feel like an emotional roller coaster. After all, you’re likely experiencing a wide range of emotions – from hope to anger to anxiety – as you embark on recovery. And you may not always understand why. 

Take heart: You can take steps to slow yourself down, embrace your emotions and move to a healthy, calm state. And these techniques will serve you well as you continue to fend off relapse after rehab.

Start with these five ideas to tame emotional tension and release those worries:

1. Just breathe. But make it formal by focusing on your breath. The next time you’re overwhelmed by stress, anger or anxiety, close your eyes and inhale slowly. Then, slowly exhale to release those emotions and calm down.
2. Hone in on your creativity. Whether you decide to color, paint, play an instrument or write poetry, a little creativity can go a long way in helping you work out any negative emotions. 
3. Make meditation matter. This mind-body technique can help you move through those “stuck” feelings. This is because meditation teaches you to fully feel (without judgment) your emotions and then release them as you move to a place of healing. 
4. Start journaling. And don’t sensor or judge your words. Freely writing (or typing) out your emotions will help you let them go. Take 10 minutes and give it a try. 
5. Give yourself permission to cry. Or to laugh or to scream – or whatever you need to do (within reason) to feel better. While you don’t want to make this a habit, it’s OK to feel your emotions fully once in a while. 

Finding Emotional Support at Complete Harmony

At Complete Harmony, we use a combination of traditional and holistic treatment methods to help you manage your feelings without resorting to substance abuse. To learn more, call us today: 866-930-4673.

Best Ways to Boost Your Immune System

We all can benefit from some immune-boosting tips, especially since flu season is near its peak. And, given that substance abuse wreaks havoc on your immune system, people in recovery may want to go the extra mile to keep their bodies going strong. But beyond getting the flu shot, what can you do to fend off illness? 

Here are some everyday ways to boost your immune system this season and beyond.

• Eat a rainbow of colors. The brighter the colors, the more antioxidants, which are powerful friends to your immune system. Find new ways to get fresh fruits and veggies into you diet — for example, sprinkle berries on your oatmeal, add fresh spinach to a sandwich or snack on some bell peppers with hummus. And skip the processed stuff — foods high in polyunsaturated fats tend to suppress the immune system.
• Let some fresh air in. Crack your windows in the rooms where you spend the most time. This will help circulate the air and get the germs out. 
• Stick to a regular sleep schedule. Sleep deprivation is linked to poor immune function, so do your best to practice smart sleep habits. For instance, try to maintain a constant wake and sleep schedule, even on weekends. 
• Take care of your smile. Good oral hygiene means brushing and flossing each morning and night and going for regular check-ups at your dentist. This will help prevent any infections in the gums and teeth, which can increase inflammation levels in your body and weaken immunity.
• Make relaxation a ritual. Making deep breathing, meditation, yoga or tai chi part of your every day can keep your immune system strong by lowering inflammation-causing stress hormones.

Stay Well at Complete Harmony

From stress management therapies to nutrition and exercise planning, we help our clients feel their best and stay healthy during rehab and beyond. To learn more, call: 866-930-4673.

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5 Ways Meditation Makes You a Better Person

When it comes to recovering from addiction, meditation can be a great tool to help you mentally push away any cravings for alcohol or drugs or another addiction behavior. But the benefits of this mindfulness technique go beyond staying sober. In fact, daily meditation practice not only helps with recovery, but it can also make the new sober you a better person with a more meaningful and joyful life. Here’s how:

1. You’ll have more self-compassion. Meditation teaches you to recognize and then let go any feelings of doubt or frustration as you go through the ups and downs, successes and failures of life. The result: You’ll be more caring and supportive of yourself on your recovery journey.
2. You’ll be better equipped to handle stress. Do you ever find yourself feeling out of breath or forgetting to breathe when a situation is particularly anxiety provoking? This is pretty normal. The good news: Controlled breathing can help you quell those nerves when you need it most. 
3. You’ll be less angry. Meditation is the perfect remedy for releasing any feelings of anger or resentment – toward yourself and toward others. 
4. You’ll be more forgiving. Meditation helps you learn forgiveness by developing your ability to be compassionate and empathetic. It also teaches you how to heal old wounds, clear mental blocks and manage any past trauma, which are all important parts of forgiveness.
5. You’ll be more self-aware. Self-awareness allows you to better identify what your body, mind and spirit is craving in order for you to live a well-rounded life. The best way to do this is to quiet your mind using meditation. 

Holistic Addiction Treatment  
Complete Harmony offers an evidence-based blend of holistic modalities, alternative rehab approaches and mindfulness practices. We customize care to your personal objectives, religious beliefs and health considerations to help you achieve personal sobriety goals. To learn more, call 866-930-4673.

Can Texting Deter Alcohol Abuse?

According to a first-of-its-kind study published in PLOS ONE, text messaging may very well be an effective alcohol-abuse deterrent. Researchers found that "adaptive-tailored texts” were similar to“in-person moderation treatments" when it came to helping problem drinkers.

The text messages, which were tested on 152 participants interesting in curtailing their alcohol use, factored in age, gender, and specific drinking patterns. There were four types of messages sent daily, according to researchers:

• Loss framed: “Think of all you have lost as a result of drinking too much. Make today a day that sets the stage for change.”
• Gain-framed: “Think of all you can achieve if you can control your drinking. Make today a day that sets the stage for change.”
• Static-tailored: “It’s been three weeks since you signed up.”
• Adaptive-tailored: These incorporated various individual factors, such as participant’s heaviest drinking times.

After three months, participants saw big results: Those who received adaptive-tailored texts reduced their weekly alcohol consumption by 9.64 drinks. In addition, 80 percent of all participants responded “yes,” when asked if they’d like to continue receiving the text messages for an additional 12 weeks.

“Today, text messaging is part of our daily routine,” Frederick Muench, director of Northwell Health’s Digital Health Interventions in Psychiatry unit,” said in press release. “If we could find a way to make this subtle but effective communication help those who are trying to drink less succeed when they need encouragement most, we have created something that can positively impact the 15 million American adults living with an alcohol-use disorder.”

Help for Alcohol Addiction
If you or someone you love has an alcohol abuse problem, know that you’re not alone. Our team has helped hundreds of patients detox and restore their whole body using holistic therapies for symptom management and improved wellbeing. To learn more, call today: 866-930-4673.