Resources for mindfulness and mental health

Ventura County has a free and confidential crisis text line for anyone feeling anxious and in need of someone to talk to. Text SIGNS to 741741

Peter Deadman is one of the more famous teachers of Chinese Medicine and has several books on the subject. He also has a YouTube channel showing QiGong movement exercises for health and vitality.

Headspace is a company that has a very popular meditation platform available. Many of the resources on their app are free while others are available by subscription. Currently they are also offering some free resources for everyone.

UCLA has their own mindfulness app that is completely free. It is called the UCLA Mindful App and is available on both Apple and Android.

Tricycle is a nonprofit organization that focuses on making Buddhist teachings available via their website, podcast, and magazine. They have a lot of resources for mindfulness and meditation including free sessions with some of their most popular meditation teachers like Pema Chodron and Tara Brach.

University of Arizona Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine has a whole page focused on integrative approaches to COVID-19. They have a free video series on enhancing wellness during Coronavirus and also have a podcast. More information about the series, as well as other resources, free online course, and a COVID-19 FAQ can be found on the Center’s COVID-19 Resources page.
You can also go directly to the series on YouTube or find it on Apple Podcasts.

The Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley has several great resources. I would like to highlight two specific ones:

The Institute of Heartmath has numerous videos and eBooks on the power of the heart and brain function. Their resources have been used by many organizations including NASA, Keiser Permanente, and the Stanford School of Medicine. Institute of Heartmath is currently offering their “Heartmath Experience” online video program for free. The tools it provides can especially help people find balance and clarity through the current challenging times.

COVID-19 Update – Thursday, March 19

Please also see our earlier post, What you need to know about the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic

As many of you may know, community spread of COVID-19 has been confirmed as of 3/18/2020. This means that people in the community with no travel history are now infected. We knew this would be coming and all of the hospitals in the Ventura County area have contingency plans. Since I work for Community Memorial Health Systems, I can fill you in on the steps we are taking to minimize your risk:

  • All patients with symptoms (cough, fever, body aches, difficulty breathing) are now being routed to Urgent Care or the Emergency Room. This is allowing us to keep non-symptomatic patients protected as well as keep testing at a limited number of facilities for easier handling and transporting
  • The turn-around time for results of testing is still one (1) week. We are hoping to have a faster test next week but as of now, this is what both we and Public Health have
  • Supplies for testing are running low. This means that only patients with symptoms and high-suspicion of infection are being tested. We are currently not testing asymptomatic patients
  • Visitation to the hospital is being limited. Please look at the CMH website for more details: https://www.cmhshealth.org/coronavirus-covid-19/
  • All non-essential visits are being rescheduled. This means wellness exams and physicals are being postponed. We are trying to keep the traffic at the clinics to a minimum
  • Children under 1 year of age still need to be seen for their vaccines. All wellness visits for children 15 months and over will be rescheduled

Staying safe: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has an excellent website with tips for keeping safe at home and in various community settings: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community. Key tips include:

  • Planning ahead to avoid unnecessary contact with others
  • Maintaining social distancing of at least 6 feet. Please remember that aerosolized particles can be spread up to 8 feet from a cough or sneeze
  • Consistently practice hand-washing and household disinfection
  • Travel outside the community is discouraged
  • Carry and use hand sanitizer frequently if you have to go outside
  • Set of recommendations from the University of Arizona Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine (pdf)

Staying prepared: the County Public Health Department recommends developing a plan for your home. Prevention is the key, but the plan should also include the possibility of someone in your household becoming ill. Please look at their website for more information: https://www.vcemergency.com/at-home

Staying Calm: Here is an excellent article on How not to panic during the coronavirus pandemic

Staying informed: here are a list of reliable resources:

What you need to know about the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic

There are many questions about the Novel Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) and also a lot of misinformation available. My aim is to gather resources to keep my patients and their loved ones informed. Please know that this is a dynamic situation changing daily, so I will do my best to keep this as updated as possible.

Q: What is a coronavirus?
A: Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses which may cause illness in animals or humans. Several coronaviruses are known to cause respiratory infections in humans ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The most recently discovered coronavirus causes coronavirus disease COVID-19.

Q: What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
A: The most common symptoms are fever, tiredness, and dry cough. Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea. These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. Some people become infected but don’t develop any symptoms and don’t feel unwell. The majority of people (about 80%) will recover from the disease without needing special treatment. Around 1 out of every 6 people who gets COVID-19 becomes seriously ill and develops difficulty breathing. People with fever, cough and difficulty breathing should seek medical attention immediately.

Some patients will develop mild gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms including diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain preceding the typical fever, dry cough, and difficulty breathing. Although early reports indicate that only about 10% of people with COVID-19 have GI symptoms, it isn’t yet known whether some infected individuals have only GI symptoms and don’t develop respiratory symptoms. Currently, screening is focusing on patients with travel or exposure history and respiratory symptoms.

Q: What do I do if I have symptoms?
A: Call your doctor’s office. They will direct you to the correct place for testing if they think that you are at risk. If it is evening or the weekend, go to either an Urgent Care facility or the nearest Emergency Department, and wear a mask until you can be assessed properly by a healthcare professional.

Q: What is the status of COVID-19 in Ventura County?
A: We have several confirmed cases in Ventura County, and the County of Ventura has declared a local health emergency. Please stay tuned to www.vcemergency.com for more information.

Q: Who is at risk of COVID-19?
A: Everyone is at risk. However, the most at risk are the elderly and those with immune conditions. Older people, especially over age 60, and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, cancer, lupus, heart problems or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness. Men also appear to be at higher risk, especially if they are elderly or have an immune condition.

Q: How does COVID-19 spread?
A: COVID-19 is transmitted largely via respiratory droplets from the mouth or nose which are spread when an infected person sneezes, coughs, or exhales. These droplets land on objects and surfaces or hang in the air for a period of time. Other people then can infect themselves by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth. People can also catch COVID-19 if they breathe in droplets from an infected person who sneezes, coughs out or exhales droplets. This is why it is important to stay more than 3 feet away from a person who is sick. The disease appears to also be found on fecal matter, which is why it is extremely important to wash hands after going to the bathroom and not touch any areas (faucet handles, door handles, etc) with bare hands.

Q: How do I protect myself from COVID-19?
A: Although the virus can live on surfaces for a day or more, and live in the air for hours, it is a fragile virus. The outer membrane of the virus is made of lipids and so can be broken by soap or hand sanitizer. So the same common precautions that we use to prevent colds and flus can help protect from COVID-19.

  • Wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds, making sure to scrub all surfaces including under the finger nails, the back of the hands, and in between the fingers. When hand washing isn’t possible, use hand sanitizer. Wipe down areas with sanitizing wipes.
  • Try to avoid social gatherings, as this means the exposure risk is higher. If you have to travel, consider driving instead of flying. If you can work from home and your office will allow it, please do. Stay more than 6 feet away from a person who is sick. Avoid shaking hands or hugging. Avoid touching your face, nose, or eyes.
  • Make sure you, and the people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene by covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately and either wash your hands or use hand sanitizer.
  • Stay home if you feel unwell. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention and call in advance. Follow the directions of your local health authority.

Q: Are there any other measures I can take?
A: Keeping your immune system healthy is the best thing any of us can do. Make sure you are eating good, balanced, and nutritious meals with plenty of fruits and vegetables. Avoid fast food and processed food. Avoid soda and sugary drinks. Avoid tobacco. Avoid putting your lungs under the stress of other potential irritants like perfumes, cologne, marijuana smoke and incense. Consider using a daily saline sinus rinse like a Neti Pot or the Neil Med Sinus Rinse. Make sure you are getting enough sleep. Consider starting a meditation/mindfulness practice and focus on deep breathing.

Q: Where can I go to get more information?
A: Here is a list of reliable resources:

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now open!

And so it begins! I am thrilled to announce that as of Friday July 12, 2019, Points of Healing is officially launched and in operation.