Visions Medical Center

These two words are a famous Greek aphorism accredited to many different philosophers. All are agreed that they appeared over the entrance of the great Oracle at Delphi.

For spiritual nourishment, visit Dr. Susan Corso’s website and blog, Seeds for Sanctuary. Follow her on Twitter @PeaceCorso and Friend her on Facebook. And discover your own Inner Peace at, To Me Peace Is … What is Peace to You?

In February, Patti Neighmond produced a story for National Public Radio entitled “Why We Gain Weight as We Age”. The content of Ms. Neighmond’s article is sound and she makes some excellent points, but in my opinion, the title is misleading because we are not necessarily predestined for significant fitness loss and weight gain as we age. In fact, we have much more control over our outcomes than we might realize.

Ms. Neighmond explains some of the physiological reasons why we tend to lose muscle mass and gain fatty tissue as we age. However, we can mitigate the extent to which these changes occur. Research suggests that fitness loss has less to do with the aging process itself and more to do with the lifestyle choices we make as we get older.

Consider the following transitions that many of us make as we progress through our life cycles.

· We move to the suburbs and start driving instead of walking to get around.

· We have longer commutes, work longer hours, and have families to care for, and we do not make the time for exercise.

· We stop playing the sports that we enjoyed as children and young adults.

· When we do exercise, we opt for low-intensity, relaxing activities as opposed to more intense exercises that expend more calories and build muscle mass.

· We get injured or develop medical problems and never make it back to our pre-injury fitness level.

· We see ourselves losing fitness, and as a consequence, we also lose inspiration to take care of ourselves, and so other unhealthy lifestyle habits arise.

At my first job out of college, many of my colleagues on the cusp of retirement appeared frail, had difficulty getting up from their chairs, and shuffled about the hallways. Because they represented the only model that I had of people in that age group, I assumed we were all destined for this outcome. After leaving that position, however, I moved to a community in western Massachusetts with a large retirement population and discovered just how wrong I was. During my time there, I met many older people who were still very active and healthy because they had chosen to take care of themselves. For example, I played tennis with an 84-year-old World War II veteran who had certainly lost some mobility over the decades but could still hold his own in a game of doubles. I developed a whole new mindset regarding what life can be like in its latter stages.

While we cannot do anything about our chronological age and certain physiological changes will happen regardless of what we do, we have more control over our biological age and our outcomes than we might realize. We can exercise the control that we do have by choosing to stay active or become active no matter what age we are now, eat well, effectively manage our stress, sleep sufficiently, and practice proactive and preventive health management.

Here’s a part of the email I received asking for this article …. The theme is being and staying active. Maybe something on keeping our brains/spirituality active, that, like our bodies, requires thoughtful maintenance? So, of course, I said an instant yes, basically because of a client who I just saw at Visions.

He, like so many of us, spent a lot of time telling me that he doesn’t have time to do spiritual work. He works fulltime. He’s got a wife and a daughter, friends, three ongoing lawsuits, the usual goings-on of a busy life.

I listened and then countered with, “How can you not do spiritual work with all that going on?!”

There are two major kinds of time in life, excepting scientific kinds of time of which I know nothing. They are kairos, or holy time; and chronos, or clock time. Chronos runs our lives. It’s what allows us to be on time, in time, timely. Soccer practice is five days a week at 4. Drum lessons are on Tuesdays at 5. Karate is on Saturday mornings. Despite the fact that it is strictly human construct—real time isn’t linear—we need chronos in order to make and fulfill our agreements.

Co-existent with chronos is kairos—holy time, eternal time, the present moment, only the present moment. Now. It does well for each of us if we make a commitment to touching into holy time over and over again during each daily round of activity.

Holy time is about Being. Clock time is about doing.

We were fashioned as human beings, not human doings. Spiritual practice is the easiest way I know to stay in touch with eternal time. Consider it checking in with Heaven whilst on Earth. Or, being in the world but not of it. In the beginning of a practice, everything is new and can feel effortful. No worries—it will get easier with time.

Truly, the busier you are, the more prayertime you need. Have you ever thought of your life that way? That the more you do, the more guidance you need? The more people you know, the more blessing you need to be doing? The more you hurry, the more you need the slowing of everyday time into holy time?

To start, you’ll need to set up triggers. These are earthly actions that cause you to pause and do spiritual practice. For instance, every time you put your key in the ignition of your car, before you turn the car on, stop. Breathe out—that’s right out, not in. A conscious breath out will cause a deeper in-breath. Then say a prayer. It needn’t be complicated. Try: Peace. Or: Love. Or: Thank you, God. Any word can be a prayer if that’s your intention. Then start the car.

One practice I tend to suggest to parents of young children is a little graphic, but it works. When new parents who are so exhausted they can’t think straight a lot of the time tell me they can’t meditate, that they’re too tired, I always ask if they ever use the bathroom. It startles most of them and, of course, they answer that they do. “Use those few moments of alone time to check in,” I say. “Ask for something you need or want.” Strength, revitalization, peace, joy. The ability to stay present in the moment with your new little angel. Everything in life is worth a prayer.

How long will it take? Seconds. How long will it last? Hours. Learn to use your everyday actions as triggers for spiritual practice. Your brain will stay active, your spirituality will thrive, your day will be easier, and eventually, we’ll create peace on earth.

As a well-known watch company used to say for their slogan: There’s no time like the present, and no present like the time. Giving yourself the gift of heavenly time during everyday time is healing and you’re worth it.

This is the seminal disagreement in most relationships and it can take some skillful maneuvering to navigate a serious divide on how to handle money. Let’s face it. Most of us are either savers or spenders and not both. A difference in financial styles can cause huge disagreements if we don’t take the time to explain ourselves.

For spiritual nourishment, visit Dr. Susan Corso’s website and blog, Seeds for Sanctuary. Follow her on Twitter @PeaceCorso and Friend her on Facebook. And discover your own Inner Peace at, To Me Peace Is … What is Peace to You?

For spiritual nourishment, visit Dr. Susan Corso’s website and blog, Seeds for Sanctuary. Follow her on Twitter @PeaceCorso and Friend her on Facebook. And discover your own Inner Peace at, To Me Peace Is … What is Peace to You?

There is an expression in common parlance that some things “go without saying.” Au contraire, my friend. Over the years I’ve discovered that anything that I think should go without saying NEEDS to be said.

For spiritual nourishment, visit Dr. Susan Corso’s website and blog, Seeds for Sanctuary. Follow her on Twitter @PeaceCorso and Friend her on Facebook. And discover your own Inner Peace at, To Me Peace Is … What is Peace to You?

To live a life in relationship means to be in spiritual engagement whether we are consciously engaged spiritually or not. Two people who are drawn to one another are drawn for a variety of reasons. The most usual one is that their spirits and their souls form a pattern that we recognize as love.

For spiritual nourishment, visit Dr. Susan Corso’s website and blog, Seeds for Sanctuary. Follow her on Twitter @PeaceCorso and Friend her on Facebook. And discover your own Inner Peace at, To Me Peace Is … What is Peace to You?

“Two of us were in the top 50, I was one of them, Jimmy Connors was the other, with two-handed backhands.  We were the only two.  And I feel had I known that this was the future, I would have had a lot more confidence in the shot, and I wouldn’t have thought of myself as a freak.”
- Cliff Drysdale, former professional tennis player

Once considered a radical shot and criticized for its apparent lack of reach and variety, the two-handed backhand is now recognized and utilized for its advantageous power and control.  The revolutionary stroke was a rarity in the 1960s and 1970s during Mr. Drysdale’s career, but today eight of the top ten male players in the world employ it.

A parallel exists between this evolution in tennis and the dietary changes that a small percentage of my patients need to make.  Being different is not easy, as Mr. Drysdale might attest.  I know that some of my patients are self-conscious and feel like social outcasts when they are unable to eat as their friends and family do because of, for example, IgG food sensitivities, an elimination diet, a candida diet, or detoxification protocol.  My patients understand, however, that every individual will experience more support when these dietary programs gain popular acceptance as knowledge about them becomes more widespread.

The two-handed backhand won respect when its users achieved results, and as more players adopted it for its advantages, the stroke became so prevalent that it is now the norm.  Of the patients who have the courage to make unusual dietary changes, the vast majority feel significantly better by the end of treatment.  I anticipate that respect for the utility of these tools will grow as the pool of data showing excellent results continues to expand.  We already see dietary culture shifting.  Many restaurants and stores are recognizing how pervasive the need for gluten-free options is and are adjusting their offerings accordingly.  I expect further transformations to happen as well.

I encourage you to read about some of these new dietary approaches to health care.  The benefits can be significant for you and your family.  You can be well on your way to becoming a healthier person, and you can take great satisfaction in having achieved your goals while the general public eventually climbs on board.  Please let me know if you have any questions, and I look forward to helping you start your journey.

While you’re preparing to open the windows and air out a home where you’ve been trapped with dust, mold and other indoor pollutants, consider these tips to get a head start on the cleaning and adequately ventilate so that you can enjoy the new spring breeze…..

A clutter free environment is easier to clean and easier to keep clean. Cut down on dust accumulation by clearing off surface areas. Get rid of excess – go through toys, clothes, household products and toss, recycle or donate anything that you rarely use.
Remember: top to bottom when you start cleaning. Dust off light fixtures, ceiling fans, and tops of cabinets. Use an electrostatic charged dust cloth or damp cloth, so that dust clings to the cloth and isn’t distributed somewhere else.

Wash curtains and drapes and wipe down blinds. You may want to consider replacing your blinds with something that is easily washed. Blinds are the ultimate dust catchers and are challenging to clean.

Dry clean area rugs and clean carpets. Don’t forget about your upholstered furniture: they can harbor mites, mold, and dander.

Vacuum, or clean as directed by the manufacturer. Consider purchasing leather furniture when it’s time for an upgrade. It’s much more allergy friendly and easier to clean.

Move and clean underneath and behind furniture. And, don’t forget vacuuming under the refrigerator and baseboards. These areas can harbor a lot of………everything!

Try to stay away from harsh chemicals and strong fragrances while cleaning. Use all natural cleaning supplies. You may have them stored in your cabinet now! Did you know that vinegar mixed with equal parts water can work just as well as an all purpose cleaning solution and disinfectant? (but do not use on marble) Baking soda is a great abrasive cleaner and deodorizer as well.

Change filters on your air conditioners, air purifiers, dehumidifiers and vents.

Wear a mask!

An extra tip to consider after all the flooding many people experienced just recently: strongly consider ditching water logged items in your basement. Make sure your basement is properly dried out. Ventilate as often as possible. And seek professional advice to rule out mold growth.