As my conversations wander from friends, colleagues, and clients, it seems that a lot of people I know are going through some big transitions right now. I know I sure am. I am taking a year long intensive yoga teacher training, packing for a big move this summer, going through an audit, and expecting a baby in the fall. All of this on top of life's regular chores and curve balls. Most of these things are positive transitions so when I feel stressed, I will stop and breathe and change that word "stressed" to "overwhelmed".

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Every night I fall asleep to the relaxation sounds of a thunderstorm.  I have been listening to my thunderstorm CD for at least 15 years now.  It is soothing and peaceful for me. I appreciate the natural sounds of rainfall that we have been experiencing recently in Pittsburgh.  My CD player got a little break:)
 
In appreciation of water, here are some snippets about ways to use water for relaxation.  They come from a book that I like to read named "1001 ways to Relax" by Susannah Marriot.
 

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When my daughter has a meltdown, or I have a meltdown, or when we have a meltdown together, I have always used breathing as a solution for calming us down.  IT WORKS!  Please do not doubt this technique.  Just give it a shot.  This is for children and adults alike. It is a great distraction for us bot, a distraction away from the moment that we are stressed about, angry at, or just plain frustrated with.  It slows us down and gets us our focus back to a moment of clear thinking.

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I’ve seen many a patient walking in the door of late with dark, puffy circles under their eyes and an appearance of general stuffiness and tickly, itchy misery. Sneezing, clearing of the throat or coughing accompanies this lovely picture. They may not even be coming in for help in this area, but I know that they are suffering from seasonal allergies. With all the wet weather we’ve had lately, mold is posing to be the problem for many.

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This weekend marks the first celebration of Summer for many of us.  We will be spending time outside soaking up some vitamin D on what looks to be a sunny Pittsburgh weekend, sharing laughter and fun with family and friends.  But how are we protecting our health and keeping our family safe amidst all of the partying?  Those of you who have followed the Pittsburgh Center for Complementary Health and Healing for years know that this isn't the first time for me to write about the dangers of sunscreen and probably will not be the last.  This is one of those topics that no ma

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