Holistic Health
Engaging Hearts and Minds with a Focus on Professional Fulfillment
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Patricia Purpur De Vries
In 2016, The Stanford WellMD Center created a model for Professional Fulfillment based on physician wellness data collected between 2013 and 2016. Although this Model was intended to focus solely on the needs of our physicians, we soon discovered that the concept resonates with individuals from the janitorial staff who sees their role in the healing of our Stanford Medicine patients, to the C-Suite who want to understand how well-being can support their bottom line business needs. This Model expands the concept of wellness and highlights the impact of leadership and business practices that can either support or diminish employee health and well-being. Specific survey data will be shared and participants will engage in a discussion on how they can expand collaboration across departmental silos and seek to raise the level of professional wellness within their organization.
The Effects of Online Yoga and Tai Chi on Physical Health Outcome Measures of Adult Informal Caregivers
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Andi Céline Martin
This study examined the effects of 12 weeks of online Yoga and Tai Chi (150 minutes/week) in informal caregivers (≥ 18 years of age). Twenty-nine participants were randomized to Vinyasa Yoga (VY; n = 16, 55.87 ± 12.31 years) or Taijifit (n = 13, 55.07 ± 12.65 years). Prior to and following the study, assessments were made for muscle strength (1-RM leg press, chest press, hand-grip), muscle endurance (leg press and chest press; maximal number of repetitions performed to fatigue at 80% and 70% baseline 1-RM respectively), abdominal endurance (maximum number of consecutive curl-ups to fatigue), tasks of functionality (dynamic balance, walking speed), and flexibility (sit and reach). There was a significant increase over time for muscle strength, muscle endurance, tasks of functionality, and flexibility (p = 0.001). The VY group experienced a greater improvement in chest press endurance (VY: pre 19.25 ± 5.90, post 28.06 ± 7.60 reps; Taijifit pre 15.69 ± 4.49, post 21.07 ± 5.85 reps; p = 0.019) and abdominal endurance (VY: pre 37.12 ± 31.26, post 68.43 ± 55.07 reps; Taijifit pre 19.23 ± 19.00, post 32.07 ± 20.87 reps; p = 0.034) compared to the Taijifit group. VY and Taijifit are effective for improving muscle strength and endurance, functionality, and flexibility in adult informal caregivers.
More Resilient, More Often: Keeping Your R-Battery Charged to Live a Q-Life
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Darren Steeves
Resilience is defined as being resourceful, flexible, emotionally agile, and having problem-solving abilities. While some resiliency comes naturally, it can also be learned. The Q-Life is a three-year web-based project at Dalhousie University available to all students. The Q-Life experience supports students in building their own resilience and addressing feelings of being overwhelmed, anxiety, and perceived stress through proven skill development like mindfulness, nutrition, cognitive hygiene, self-awareness. The experience is designed to fit into a student’s schedule by providing a robust assessment, companion (manual), journal/log app, video blogs and interviews to be completed at a time convenient to them. This project has been through ethic review at Dalhousie and is being coordinated through the school of health and human performance. This research aims to examine the information from the Q-Life experience and draw conclusions that will aid in enriching our understanding of resilience and its ability to be learned over time. This project has completed year two and seen major growth in uptake and adherence as well as some promising results that will be discussed.
Treatment of Fibromyalgia in Tibetan Medicine : Neurologic Health Disorders
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Nashalla Nyinda
Fibromyalgia presents a myriad of symptoms, and pinpointing treatment is challenging and varied in western medicine. In traditional Tibetan Medicine, this condition primarily falls under the category of rLung (wind) disorders. Consulting the pathology chapter on rLung (wind) disease, a direct correlation emerges to western symptomatology. The root causes of this modern western disorder rest within the causes and conditions of rLung (wind) itself. Further, due to the chronic nature of this disorder, involvement of other bodily systems often produce imbalances which fall under dual classification. In understanding described symptomatology, causes and conditions, locations in the body, and patient sensations, a clear pathology is revealed. Treatment follows guidelines elaborated within the Tibetan medical texts. Specifically, rLung (wind) disorders attacking muscles, tendons, ligaments or rLung (wind) "running in the channels" provides accurate descriptions of, and treatment models for this modern western affliction. In this paper, Fibromyalgia pathology is identified and beneficial treatments within the four methods, consisting of diet, behavior, medicine and accessory therapy are elaborated. I present examples and techniques which produce therapeutic results, as well as precautions for preventing secondary disorders and flare-ups of pain.
