Hypnosis for Anxiety Burlington VT

Housecalls - Candle Pollution, Hypnosis for Anxiety, Peanut Butter and Toxins

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A Burning Problem?
Q Is the smoke from candles and incense dangerous?

A The answer is slightly hazy: It depends on how you use them. Luckily, the biggest health hazard—lead exposure from candles—was snuffed out in October, when a ban on lead wicks took effect.

Even so, burning lots of candles or incense in a small, poorly ventilated area can irritate airways or even aggravate respiratory conditions such as asthma, because they emit tiny particles that can pollute indoor air. Incense smoke also contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, some of which are potentially carcinogenic.

Still, several large studies of populations in Asia that routinely burn incense have found no link between incense and cancer rates. And for most of us, moderate use in a well-ventilated area shouldn’t be a problem, says Clayton Cowl, a pulmonary physician at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

But your candles will burn cleaner if you keep the wicks trimmed to about a quarter inch. To reduce particles from incense, try burning it beneath the ventilation hood on your stove. Or for a smoke-free scent, put a few drops of essential oil into a diffuser or a pot of boiling water.

Easing Anxiety
Q I want to try hypnosis for my anxiety. Do I need to see a hypnotist, or can I just use a tape?

A Your best bet is to work with a mental health professional who has studied hypnosis, says psychologist and hypnotherapist Sandra Ceren. Such a person can help you rule out any physical cause for anxiety and will tailor your treatment to whatever is triggering your worries.

For instance, Ceren, who’s based in Del Mar, California, once treated a lawyer whose anxiety was focused on appearing in court. So Ceren led her through visualizations of a benevolent judge agreeing with all her arguments. Some therapists will make a personalized audiotape for you to use on your own, or recommend one that is suited to your particular type of anxiety.

If you have trouble finding such a person in your area, there’s no harm in trying a tape that’s geared toward general anxiety. Ceren advises listening to it after waking up and just before going to bed, in a quiet, comfortable spot where you can be alone. Give it a few weeks of daily practice and see if you notice a difference; if not, pursue the professional route.

Safe Sandwiches
Q I like peanut butter, but I’ve heard it contains a carcinogen. Should I stop eating it?

A There’s no need. It’s true that peanut butter may contain traces of aflatoxins, natural carcinogens produced by the fungi Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus. But the amounts found in American peanut butters are quite small.

“The FDA has known about aflatoxins for years, and levels are very tightly regulated,” says Joseph Hotch- kiss, chairman of the food science department at Cornell University. Besides, peanut butter also contains cancer-fighting vitamin E and is a good source of vegetarian protein.

If you’re inclined to be extra cautious, you might wa...

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