Most of us are high almost all day. Whether it’s sugar, caffeine or food in general, all of these substances create a positive altered state of consciousness. Basically, we have a “normal waking state” that can be measured physiologically, as in heart-rate, brain waves and brain chemistry. `Getting high’ can be boiled down to changing your physiology so that you experience a different state of awareness, usually heightened.

Consider an interesting idea: we’re supposed to get high on a regular basis. Just think, based on this definition, eating gets you high. But there’s a cost associated. When we eat, we create change in the body as it responds to that food. This change stresses the body and slightly damages it. That’s how we age - wear and tear is the result of using our bodies and, well, living.

While this may come as bad news for some, it also means that we have a certain level of control in aging. We can prolong our lives by choosing less damaging alternatives! In addition, because our bodies are smart organisms, we naturally create a resistance after first exposure. We need more of the same thing to get the same effect. Here lies the rub of addiction. Enter: balance and variety!

To help you fulfill your natural instincts to alter your state of mind, here is a list of 20 ways to naturally get high: Read the rest of this entry »

How would you like to make it easy to stop smoking? I mean easy in the way that you’re ecstatic about not smoking and you celebrate a smoke-free existence. In this scenario, you barely feel the withdrawal symptoms and even in the midst of a highly stressful situation, a cigarette is merely a fleeting thought rather than an all-consuming craving.

Saying no to any addiction is tough. But it CAN be made easy. Some people simplify the whole matter: make a firm decision, overcome the physical withdrawals and just do it. For others, it might be a little harder. Many addictions get us on emotional, mental and habitual levels, too. Some believe our spirituality is also affected; one theory even speculates that our addictions are our attempts to fill a spiritual void.

For those who feel the complexities of their addictions, you can make it a little easier with the right preparation and combination of stop smoking tricks (right for you, that is). While there are tons of really good stop smoking tips out there and you may have to try all of them to find what works for you, the following are 7 of the most essential tips that will make it easy for anyone to stop smoking:

1. Find your reasons. If it’s only one trick that you use out of this list, let it be this one. You have to find your motivating force in overcoming your nicotine addiction. It must resonate with you and get you on an emotional level. Some people may use a strong negative emotion, like fear as in: “I don’t want to suffer like Aunt Rose did of lung cancer.” I prefer to use positive emotions, as in: “I appreciate my life and I want to treat it and myself with love and respect.” Read the rest of this entry »

No, ear seeds are not for growing flowers or vegetables out of your head, though they are real seeds from the Vaccaria plant. These tiny black beads, which I now have taped on different points along both my outer ears, are used in ear acupuncture or auricular therapy.

Apparently, different ear maps exist. As in the hands, feet and head, some believe that different areas of the ear correspond with different parts of the body. These acupuncture points along the ear help regulate the body’s internal organs, structures and functions. This treatment is used for many conditions, such as pain, mood disorders, obesity and addiction.

If you’ll remember back in August, after being 11 months smoke-free, I played Russian roulette with a cigarette – and lost. In last week’s post, “What is Traditional Chinese Medicine?” I mentioned my interest in trying acupuncture. So on Saturday I saw my Naturopathic Doc and we started the Clinic’s smoking cessation protocol.

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As I continue to pursue a nicotine free existence and fight other addictions as substitutes, a Metro article, “Teen Net addictions growing” catches my attention. Apparently, in some cases these kids get so involved with online games or surfing the Net that they stay up all night, skip school and withdraw from real-life friends.

So far, says the article, research indicates those most prone to Internet addiction “lack social skills, tend to isolate themselves, and internalize emotional stress.” Addiction specialists say this obsessive Internet behaviour threatens health and, also like other addictions, “is a sign of underlying problems and often goes hand-in-hand with mental health issues such as depression.”

But really, don’t we all have unresolved issues? And don’t we all have bad days where we couldn’t see the bright side if it whacked us in the forehead? I think we all battle with some level of addiction most of the time. If it’s not a substance (like drugs, alcohol and sugar), it’s a process (like sex, work and gambling).

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