Labor pains, help quitting smoking, anxiety, pediatric illnesses, weight loss - these are just a few of the many ailments that can be helped with hypnotherapy.  David Barr, practicing hypnotist (who by the way also practices Reiki, Dreamwork and Shamanism!), recently stopped by Direct Doctors to help me learn more about these arts.  He states his quit rate for smokers who undergo one long hypnosis session with him is extremely high!

I wanted to be sure his results weren't just his practice so I looked into hypnosis as a healer.  

In a 2011 review in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, "hypnosis was consistently found superior to standard medical care, supportive counseling, and childbirth education classes in reducing pain, and also shortening labor and improving Apgar scores."  A 2012 trial in the American Journal of Medicine "suggested potential benefits" of smoking cessation through hypnotherapy.  In 2006, a study on men with prostate cancer revealed hypnosis to help significantly reduce anxiety related to having a diagnosis of cancer. 


And this is just the beginning.  I know I'm excited to learn more about how hypnosis can help!  If you are too, I would love to have you join me and David on 2/17 from 6-8pm at the Wickford practice to learn some self-hypnosis techniques that you can use for your own anxiety and to learn more about how you can improve your InnerVision!

Susan A. (Sam) McGregor is a Master’s level counselor with advanced certification in Expressive Arts Therapy, Choice Theory and Reality Therapy.  As a clinician Sam has worked with children, teens and adults with emotional and behavioral issues and has extensive experience with grief and loss.  She is also skilled at working with individuals in all the creative arts.  She uses a number of modalities in her practice which she tailors to each client’s individual needs, working in collaboration to solve problems.

People are sometimes hesitant to pursue therapy but in reality it’s just an additional way to address your mental health in the same way you see a doctor regarding your physical well-being.  Ideally healthcare professionals work together because everything to do with the care of a human being is interconnected. 

Sam is offering free 30 minute initial consultations to help you decide if counseling is right for you and because the relationship between care provider and client is the most important aspect of the therapeutic process.  (She is not taking insurance but wants to provide for anyone in need so for those with financial concerns she will work with you to help make this possible.)

To make an appointment or for more information you can contact her at 401.741.5187 or [email protected].  Her website is www.samcgregor.com.

The first time I heard the name of this diet I thought somebody sneezed!  FODMAPs is an acronym for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols.  The quick reason we care about these types of sugars is that some people don't absorb them as well as others.  If you're a poor absorber of these FODMAPs sugars, they pass your small intestine and stomach and continue moving along into your large intestine where bacteria gobble them up and produce gas as a byproduct.

Well, you guessed it - if your body does not absorb them well, this can lead to a sensation of bloating, gassiness, diarrhea, constipation or other GI upset.  In fact, a "low FODMAP diet" is one of the best studied diets used in treating IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).  

If you suffer from these symptoms or have been labeled with IBS, you may benefit from following this type of diet.  It includes reducing intake of these types of sugars and replacing them with proteins and more complex carbohydrates. It's not for everyone, but it certainly can't hurt trying if you experience these issues.  

I always enjoy working through a diet history with my patients to identify what might be their triggers and how to best adjust what they are putting in their bodies.  And, I know when to ask for help - I work with a number of excellent nutritionists in the community who each offer a specific niche area of expertise!   

The Home Visit Evidence of Effectiveness Review (that's a mouthful!), which came out in November, revealed that home visits can have "numerous favorable impacts" for "at least one year after...."  Most models reviewed had "favorable impacts on...child development and school readiness and positive parenting practices."  Some models of home visiting even showed improved maternal health!

As a Direct Primary Care doctor, I offer home visits to all of my patients but I make a particular effort to see newborn babies during their first month of life at home.  I find it a joyful time to be a part of a family's life and I remember, from personal experience, how hard it can be to grab that huge diaper bag, gear up in the car seat and stroller, drive to the doctor's office, wait and wait to finally be seen for a quick visit and then reverse the whole process home!   I never liked the idea of having my healthy newborn waiting around multiple patients with colds there for sick visits.  So, I adapted the idea of newborn home visits.  

Who knew that I wasn't just protecting newborns from sick patients and protecting moms and dads from added stress in this fragile and joyful time, but I may also be improving that child's development, readiness for school once that time arrives, parenting skills, and mom's health!  Hooray for Home Visits!

No patient ever wants to have the flu.  Anyone who has ever had it knows how terrible the symptoms can be - fever, headaches, muscle aches, exhaustion, cough, sore throat, runny nose, .  If you're lucky, that's it!  If you're unlucky (or young, old, or with a weakened immune system) flu can lead to pneumonia, muscle breakdown, and in severe cases even nervous system and heart problems.  

Obviously, the flu is not something any of us want.  So, what's the best prevention?  

●  Wash your hands often with soap and water, or use alcohol hand rubs
●  Stay away from people you know are sick
●  Get the flu vaccine every year

Facts about the flu shot:
●  It takes two weeks for the immunity from the shot to develop in your body
●  The vaccine generally prevents 50-80% of people who are vaccinated from becoming sick with the flu
●  If you get the flu after being vaccinated, it will likely last a shorter amount of time and be milder
●  The risk of complications from the vaccine is much smaller than the risk of complications from a flu infection

If you happen to know you have been exposed to someone with the flu, there are anti-viral medications that can be prescribed to lessen the chance of you coming down with it.  But, these need to be started quickly after exposure!

Elderberry might help:
●  A study in the 2004 Journal of International Medical Research supported 2 teaspoons 4 times per day of elderberry extract as an alternative for patients who cannot take traditional anti-viral medications 
●  This extract is recommend within 2 days of onset of flu symptoms and should be taken for a total of five days or until symptoms resolve

In August 2014, the Journal of the American College of Cardiology released a study that suggested running helps our heart.  Well, duh!  But, the good news is, even patients who ran less than 51 minutes a week had significant health benefits.  

The current guidelines by a variety of societies recommend 30 minutes or more of exercise 5-7 times per week.  But, in this busy world, who has time for all that?  This study looked at 55,000+ adults over 15 years who reported their running activity and found that in general, runners had "significantly lower risks of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality compared to non-runners."  More exciting - the mortality benefit (less early deaths) "was similar for all runners regardless of the total running time, including for those who ran less than 51 minutes per week."   

"...These data support the concept that even small amounts of exercise are better than no exercise...."  So, if you can't get to the gym on a daily basis, do your best to hit the pavement for one hour per week of jogging and reap the rewards of a longer, healthier life!