Thank goodness for continuing medical education, as without it we might not get to travel to warm and sunny places such as Maui.  This year I decided on a pain management conference which just so happened to be in Hawaii, bummer huh?

Even though we love Juneau, I have to admit that the warm sun sure felt good.  We both also enjoyed slowing down a bit and catching up on some long over due reading.  

As I see a lot of chronic pain in my practice, I was anxious to attend this conference and learn more about non-invasive alternative approaches to pain management. From the beginning I knew I was with a different bunch of intellectuals, but in a surprisingly good way.  

We started each day with yoga by the ocean, followed by lectures on preventative medicine, stress management, nutrition, exercise acupuncture, and EFT (emotional freedom technique) / Tapping.  One of the speakers was Dr. Michael Roizen, a preventative medicine  physician at the Cleveland Clinic, or better known for his regular appearances on the Dr. Oz show and for his You book series.  Another presenter was psychologist Lori Leyden, who has been working with genocide victims in Rwanda and survivors from Sandy Hook.  She is well known for her success with tapping acupressure points in the management of stress, depression, and trauma relief. 

I was very impressed with the evidence to back up stress and its correlation to chronic pain and disease. Although I have always considered this connection, I am now more convinced than ever about their relationship in regards to health and illness. The biggest take home point for me was the importance of daily medication/ breathing exercises or prayer.  Although I try to do this daily, I admit to being very undisciplined at times. The evidence suggests that at least 15 minutes twice a day of mindful meditation can decrease the risk for many diseases including: heart disease, depression, arthritis, insomnia, arthritis, and even some cancers.  And, those are just a few among the growing list. 

The medical field has pondered the mind-body connection for a long time, and most recently has begun to embrace the powerful conduit through which emotional, social, spiritual, and behavioral factors can directly affect our health.  For me, the thought that I can harness my thoughts to positively influence some of my body's physical responses is extremely empowering.  I am beginning to see the wisdom in the Socrates quote that " there is no illness of the body, apart from the mind."

I also admire this about Ian. He is very diligent and disciplined in his practice of daily medication and mindfulness. Maybe this explains his unshakable peaceful presence and natural glow?

So whats up with the giant sushi picture you may ask? Well, we spent 5 out of the 7 nights eating  avocado cucumber rolls. Ian just recently decided to give sushi a try once he realized that it can be served sans raw fish.  He has officially grown a Wasabi taste bud.

Even though Hawaii has sun, charm and great sushi, we were both glad to return to Juneau. The familiar smells and feel of home are always comforting. Sometimes though, even the pleasures of vacation can grow old. I am reminded that even in "paradise" one will not find true happiness or contentment, that is something only found from within.

Blessings and peace,
Sarah