Healthy Options

Host/Producer: Rhonda Feiman
Co-Producer: Petra Hall
Technical Assistance: Joel Mann

Healthy Options: For Well-being & Being Well

This month:

Using the Trauma Resiliency Model to stay resilient and centered during this exceeding stressful time

The differences between fight, flight, & freeze as reactions to stress
“Toxic stress”,“tolerable stress”, & “positive stress”, and what may be helpful- or harmful- to us

How can we regulate our nervous system in reaction to stress & trauma?
What are some techniques to deal with stress, be resilient, and stay/become centered? What are some specific strategies to use when you are scared or agitated?

How being aware of sensation (body awareness), helps in handling and reducing trauma, and how you can help yourself return to a feeling of well-being when you are out of balance & feeling beset by stress

Personal, societal, and political stress and the challenge (and imperative) to stay centered & be resilient

What is the iChill app and how can it help in times of unease & stress?
What are Tracking, Resourcing, Grounding & Gesturing, and how are they used in the iChill app to help with managing stress?

Guest(s):
Elaine Miller-Karas, MSW, LCSW, trauma therapist, co-founder & former executive director of the Trauma Resource Institute, a non-profit dedicated to promoting resilience and trauma-informed care, worldwide.
Elaine Miller-Karas is the author of “Building Resiliency to Trauma, the Trauma and Community Resiliency Models®”, and the host of the podcast, “Resiliency Within”. She has led projects to help communities in the recovering process from mass shootings, and leads the Ukraine Humanitarian Resiliency Program which provides support to teachers & children amidst the country’s conflict. She is currently working in Los Angeles with survivors of the recent wildfires.

FMI:
Trauma Resiliency Institute
www.traumaresourceinstitute.com
iChill is a free app from the App store, or try it online, at
ichillapp.com
Psychology Today- Article by Elaine Miller-Karas
Dialogue, Dignity, and Democracy Personal Perspective: We can nurture our humanity in the face of inhumanity Psychology Today 2/25/25
www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/building-resiliency-to-trauma/202502/dialogue-dignity-and-democracy
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Previous HEALTHY OPTIONS programs on the work of the Trauma Resource Institute:
Restoring & enhancing resiliency & balance after shock and trauma
archives.weru.org/healthy-options/2023/11/healthy-options-11-1-23-restoring-and-enhancing-resiliency-and-balance-after-shock-and-trauma/
Building Resiliency to Trauma
archives.weru.org/healthy-options/2021/03/healthy-options-3-3-21-building-resiliency-to-trauma/
archives.weru.org/healthy-options/2017/10/healthy-options-10417/
archives.weru.org/healthy-options/2014/09/healthy-options-932014/
archives.weru.org/healthy-options/2010/12/healthy-options-12110/
archives.weru.org/healthy-options/2009/9/healthy-options-90209/

About the host:
Rhonda Feiman is a nationally-certified, licensed acupuncturist practicing in Belfast, Maine since 1993. She primarily practices Toyohari Japanese acupuncture, using gentle and powerful non-insertion needle techniques, and also utilizes Chinese acupuncture and herbology. In addition, Rhonda is a practitioner of Qi Gong and an instructor of Tai Chi Chuan in the Yang Family tradition.

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Host/Producer: Rhonda Feiman
Co-Producer: Petra Hall
Technical Assistance: Joel Mann

Healthy Options: For Well-being & Being Well

This month:

The serious implications of the loss of funding for medical/health research & the curtailment of health data available for the public.
The importance of “doing good science” as a research scientist, & the scientific method as it pertains to medical research.
Current & historical perspectives on vaccination vs. herd immunity.
Is herd immunity relevant/effective for any/all infestious diseases?
The role of bioethics & vaccines, & risk-benefit analysis.
The importance of the “Yuck Factor.”
Are there songs that can help us understand & appreciate science?

Guest(s): 
Dr. Miryam Wahrman, biomedical researcher, bioethicist, biochemist, and director of a research laboratory in microbiology at William Patterson University, where she is a professor of biology.
Dr. Wahrman discusses the importance of scientific process in medical research & our health, the impacts of curtailing studies on infectious disease and other serious illness, and the current challenges we face as important health information becomes restricted- and misinformation & disinformation is rampant.
She is the author of the book, The Hand Book: Surviving in a Germ-Filled World, which explores hand-washing & hygiene, cross infections, and simple ways to stay healthy & reduce/prevent the spread of disease.

Previous interviews with Dr. Wahrman:
archives.weru.org/healthy-options/2020/11/healthy-options-11-4-20-current-scientific-thinking-about-covid-19-health-strategies/
archives.weru.org/healthy-options/2020/03/healthy-options-3-4-20-interview-with-dr-miryam-wahrman-author-of-the-hand-book-surviving-in-the-germ-filled-world/
archives.weru.org/healthy-options/2019/02/healthy-options-2-6-19/

FMI:
DNA testing information on YouTube: Inadequate advice can mislead and harm the public
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jgc4.1375

Escherichia coli on the internet: The power of YouTube to educate and influence consumer behavior regarding pathogenic bacteria
www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S246804511930001X

Glove Changing When Handling Money: Observational and Microbiological Analysis
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26463082

About the host:
Rhonda Feiman is a nationally-certified, licensed acupuncturist practicing in Belfast, Maine since 1993. She primarily practices Toyohari Japanese acupuncture, using gentle and powerful non-insertion needle techniques, and also utilizes Chinese acupuncture and herbology. In addition, Rhonda is a practitioner of Qi Gong and an instructor of Tai Chi Chuan in the Yang Family tradition.

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Host/Producer: Rhonda Feiman
Co-Producer: Petra Hall
Technical Assistance: Joel Mann

Healthy Options: For Well-being & Being Well

This month:

1. The origin & principles of the Feldenkrais Method.
2. Exploration of how its practice has been shown to improve movement, posture, balance & coordination.
3. How it may help to reduce pain, and improve range of motion & flexibility- and how Deborah Darr utilized Feldenkrais in her own recovery after a serious injury.
4. Listeners can experience a shortened Feldenkrais session led by Deborah Darr during the last third of the interview.

Guest(s): 
Deborah Darr, Feldenkrais instructor, physical therapist, & dancer.

FMI:
Feldenkraisproject.com
movementandcreativity.com/tiffanysankary

About the host:
Rhonda Feiman is a nationally-certified, licensed acupuncturist practicing in Belfast, Maine since 1993. She primarily practices Toyohari Japanese acupuncture, using gentle and powerful non-insertion needle techniques, and also utilizes Chinese acupuncture and herbology. In addition, Rhonda is a practitioner of Qi Gong and an instructor of Tai Chi Chuan in the Yang Family tradition.

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Host/Producer: Rhonda Feiman
Co-Producer: Petra Hall
Technical Assistance: Joel Mann & Amy Browne

Healthy Options: For Well-being & Being Well

This month:

What is Nonviolent Communication (NVC) and how can it help us be better listeners and engage our feelings of empathy for others?Some practical ways to be able to manage difficult conversations with people who have different viewpoints.
How to communicate with others with whom we disagree, even as our own nervous system is under stress or challenge when encountering different view points.
How to acknowledge and handle the pressures of social and political challenge in our lives with NVC practice.

Guest(s): 
Peggy Smith, co-founder of the Maine Non-Violent Communication Network, & certified trainer with the International Center for Non-Violent Communication. A student of Mindfulness since 1991, she was ordained as a teacher by Zen Master & peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh, and incorporates Mindfulness practice in the teaching of Non-Violent Communication.

FMI:
www.opencommunication.org/about.html
www.cnvc.org
www.empathyforeveryone.org
www.clarityservices.us/events

Previous interview with Peggy Smith:
archives.weru.org/healthy-options/2022/11/healthy-options-11-2-22-non-violent-communication/

About the host:
Rhonda Feiman is a nationally-certified, licensed acupuncturist practicing in Belfast, Maine since 1993. She primarily practices Toyohari Japanese acupuncture, using gentle and powerful non-insertion needle techniques, and also utilizes Chinese acupuncture and herbology. In addition, Rhonda is a practitioner of Qi Gong and an instructor of Tai Chi Chuan in the Yang Family tradition.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Host/Producer: Rhonda Feiman
Co-Producer: Petra Hall
Technical Assistance: Joel Mann & Amy Browne

Healthy Options: For Well-being & Being Well

This month:

– What is a stroke & what are the signs of a stroke?
– What to do immediately if you have signs of a stroke.
– How to reduce your risk of having a stroke.
– Treatment for stroke, and recovery.

Guest(s): 
Eileen Hawkins, Certified Stroke Registered Nurse & Certified Neuroscience Registered Nurse, & Stroke Program Coordinator at Penobscot Bay Medical Center in Rockport, Maine.

FMI:
www.stroke.org
www.stroke.org/en/professionals/stroke-resource-library/prevention/five-key-facts-about-stroke

About the host:
Rhonda Feiman is a nationally-certified, licensed acupuncturist practicing in Belfast, Maine since 1993. She primarily practices Toyohari Japanese acupuncture, using gentle and powerful non-insertion needle techniques, and also utilizes Chinese acupuncture and herbology. In addition, Rhonda is a practitioner of Qi Gong and an instructor of Tai Chi Chuan in the Yang Family tradition.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Host/Producer: Rhonda Feiman
Production Assistant: Petra Hall
Technical Assistance: Joel Mann & Amy Browne

Healthy Options: For Well-being & Being Well

This month:

– Why is a local hospital so important for the community in which it is located? How can hospital consolidation affect local hospitals?
– How is the success of a local hospital evaluated? How did Waldo County General Hospital rate, before it became a part of MaineHealth?
– Waldo County General Hospital was a successful, profitable, independent hospital, with innovative and award-winning programs. How has that changed since becoming part of MaineHealth?
– How can a local hospital be innovative in developing & providing services? How might they share these innovations & successful practices with other healthcare entities, nationally or even internationally?
– What is the importance/value of having a hospice unit at your local hospital? What is the importance of having a local Ob-Gyn unit at your community hospital?
– What impacts can be caused by closing Ob-Gyn and hospice units? What are the effects of reducing healthcare services which the community has relied upon for many years?
– Who loses their jobs locally when hospital services are eliminated or redirected to out-of-town facilities? Beyond the hospital staff who are let go, how is the whole community affected?
– Who now decides what services are provided? Is there any local autonomy or are the decisions made by people without connection to the local hospital & community, who view the hospital as a corporate asset rather than a vital community asset?
– What can the Belfast City Council do, to protect hospital services that the community needs & relies upon?
– What is the impact of privately-owned & operated urgent care facilities in a community with a local hospital?

Guest(s): 
Mike Towey, former Director of the Speech Language Pathology Department at Waldo County General Hospital; employed at WCGH for 40 years.

FMI:
Beckers Hospital Review
www.beckershospitalreview.com
and
www.beckershospitalreview.com/finance/the-hospital-with-the-biggest-community-health-investment-in-each-state-per-lown-ranking.html

Pam’s Story (illustrates expertise that can be developed & sustained at a small hospital, & how innovation at WCGH was essential to her successful recovery):
www.mainehealth.org/mainehealth-cancer-care/cancer-conditions-services/head-neck-cancer-care/pams-survivor-story

MaineHealth proposal for Waldo County Healthcare Inc. 12/15/08:
www1.maine.gov/dhhs/sites/maine.gov.dhhs/files/documents/dlc/Waldo-County-PA.pdf

About the host:
Rhonda Feiman is a nationally-certified, licensed acupuncturist practicing in Belfast, Maine since 1993. She primarily practices Toyohari Japanese acupuncture, using gentle and powerful non-insertion needle techniques, and also utilizes Chinese acupuncture and herbology. In addition, Rhonda is a practitioner of Qi Gong and an instructor of Tai Chi Chuan in the Yang Family tradition.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Host/Producer: Rhonda Feiman
Co-Producer: Petra Hall
Technical assistance: Joel Mann & Amy Browne

Healthy Options: For Well-being & Being Well

This month:

– What does it mean to have purpose in our lives and why is that important for healthy aging?
– What steps can all of us take- at any age- to stay healthy?
– How does the language we may use to describe getting older, reinforce (or dispel) stereotypes of aging in our society?
– How can we dispel the rampant use of negative stereotypes of growing older?  What can we do in our own lives to create a positive image of getting older?
– What can we do in our communities to support each other’s needs as we age? What kind of work is needed to empower those supportive resources in our communities?
– How does our health care system discriminate against older people?
– What are the financial & economic realities of growing older? Do negative stereotypes of aging affect older people in these concerns?
– How do systemic attitudes about sex, gender identity, race, & disability affect us as we grow older?

Guest(s): 
Jess Maurer, Executive Director of the Maine Council on Aging.

FMI:
Maine Council on Aging
mainecouncilonaging.org
agefriendly.community
www.agefriendly.community
Age Positive Maine:
mainecouncilonaging.org/agepositiveme/

Previous Healthy Options Programs on related topics:
Healthy Options 6/5/24: The Gift of Aging: Growing Older with Purpose, Planning, and Positivity
archives.weru.org/healthy-options/2024/06/healthy–options-6-5-24-the-gift-of-aging-growing-older-with-purpose-planning-and-positivity/
Healthy Options 3/6/24: Advocating for the care needs & rights of elders in nursing homes & assisted living facilities
archives.weru.org/healthy-options/2024/03/healthy–options-3-6-24-advocating-for-the-care-needs-and-rights-of-elders-in-nursing-homes-assisted-living-facilities/
Healthy Options 12/6/23: Brain Health and Aging Well
archives.weru.org/healthy-options/2023/12/healthy–options-12-6-23-brain-health–and-aging-well/
Healthy Options 8/2/17: The Gift of Caring: Saving Our Parents from the Perils of Modern Healthcare
archives.weru.org/healthy-options/2017/08/healthy–options-8217/

About the host:
Rhonda Feiman is a nationally-certified, licensed acupuncturist practicing in Belfast, Maine since 1993. She primarily practices Toyohari Japanese acupuncture, using gentle and powerful non-insertion needle techniques, and also utilizes Chinese acupuncture and herbology. In addition, Rhonda is a practitioner of Qi Gong and an instructor of Tai Chi Chuan in the Yang Family tradition.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Host/Producer: Rhonda Feiman
Co-Producer: Petra Hall
Technical assistance: Joel Mann & Amy Browne

Healthy Options: For Well-being & Being Well

This month:

– What is aging? Why is having a positive view of aging good for our health?
– How can we stay healthy while aging?
– What are “normal” or usual, stages of aging as we get older?
– What is brain plasticity? How does the brain create new pathways and why is that important?
– How are ageism and age-based stereotypes harmful?
– How would we define elder vs. elderly? What is the difference between being an “elder” and being seen as “elderly”?
– Is frailty inevitable?
– What role does attitude and positivity play in staying well?
– How does diet, exercise, creativity and a sense of purpose assist us in aging well? 
– What is a “life span” vs. a “health span”? How can the two be combined for better outcomes? 
– Why is isolation so detrimental to us? Why is it important to engage with others, and of all ages? Why might helping others be important for our own health?
– Why is learning something new every day important, and why is being in nature good for us?
– Are there risks to taking multiple medications?
– What are the financial and legal aspects of aging well? How do we plan for a successful aging (life) experience?
– Regarding grief: what is natural and expected after losing a loved one or experiencing loss in difficult situations?
– Why is resiliency vital to our well being, no matter our age?

Guest(s): 
Marcy Cottrell Houle, MS., wildlife biologist and author of seven books including “The Gift of Caring- Saving our Parents from the Perils of Modern Healthcare”, co-authored with Dr. Elizabeth Eckstrom.

FMI:
In 2016, Rhonda Feiman interviewed Marcy Cottrell Houle, MS., about “The Gift of Caring: Saving Our Parents from the Perils of Modern Healthcare,” about how the current health care delivery model is ill-equipped to provide comprehensive, person-centered care to seniors, and how many treatable conditions and symptoms are dismissed as “just old age.” The discussion highlights specific tools that we can use to help prevent these mistakes and what we need to know to achieve healthy aging.
archives.weru.org/healthy-options/2016/10/special-edition-of-healthy–options–10616/
www.thegiftofcaring.net

Healthy Options 3/6/24: Advocating for the care needs & rights of elders in nursing homes & assisted living facilities
Elder Advocate Jack Halpern, founder and chairman of MyElder.
archives.weru.org/healthy-options/2024/03/healthy–options-3-6-24-advocating-for-the-care-needs-and-rights-of-elders-in-nursing-homes-assisted-living-facilities/

Healthy Options 12/6/23: Brain Health and Aging Well: Interview with Susan Wehry, M.D., geriatric psychiatrist and director of AgingME
archives.weru.org/healthy-options/2023/12/healthy–options-12-6-23-brain-health–and-aging-well/
www.susanwehrymd.com
agingme.org

About the host:
Rhonda Feiman is a nationally-certified, licensed acupuncturist practicing in Belfast, Maine since 1993. She primarily practices Toyohari Japanese acupuncture, using gentle and powerful non-insertion needle techniques, and also utilizes Chinese acupuncture and herbology. In addition, Rhonda is a practitioner of Qi Gong and an instructor of Tai Chi Chuan in the Yang Family tradition.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download