
Health and Wellness

What does the IRS say?
Section 213 of the Internal Revenue Code (Code) medical expenses to be paid or reimbursed under a Health Savings Account (HSA), Health Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA), Archer Medical Savings Account (Archer MSA), or Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HAS). The Code generally allows a deduction for expenses paid during the taxable year for medical care if certain requirements are met. Expenses for medical care under section 213 of the Code also are eligible to be paid or reimbursed under an HSA, FSA, Archer MSA, or HRA. However, if any amount is paid or reimbursed under an HSA, FSA, Archer MSA, or HRA, a taxpayer cannot also deduct the amount as a medical expense on the taxpayer's federal income tax return.




- Reducing stress for individuals of all ages and genders
- Increasing strength and flexibility for physical fitness
- Improving mental health and emotional wellness
- Encouraging nutritious food choices and healthy exercise routines
- Better balance
- Ashtanga
- Bikram
- Hatha
- Iyengar
- Kundalini
- Vinyasa




In the 4 years since leaving that profession, I have been sick only twice…
The science is truly compelling when it comes to the correlation between mental and physical health. For me, it is clear that I feel better emotionally.



- where you shop for food;
- what you purchase;
- whether you can get weekly massages (or acupuncture or chiropractic) or only once a quarter or only when you feel desperate for it;
- whether your workout routine is in place because you have a trainer and time available for exercise; and so on and so forth.



As an example, statistics show that 1 in 8 women will get breast cancer, a diagnosis that can disrupt everything from family to work, whether you work for someone else or for yourself. It is expensive in every way - physically, financially and emotionally. These high numbers should get our attention!
Do you know anyone who has had breast cancer? Your sister, mother, daughter, aunt or a good friend perhaps?


This is such a lovely positioning of holidays as it takes us from thinking about who we are thankful for right into gifting them with something special. My only challenge is that I am thankful for far more people than I can give gifts to! So I’m always on the lookout for ways to give and gift throughout the year. Still, there are some that I cant to send gifts to in December.

Our body is made up of billions of electrically charged cells and tissues which can be measured as an electric voltage. Our organs like our heart, brain and nervous system are electrical. When a heart dies we “charge” it with an electric defibrillator, we measure our brain activity with an EEG (electroencephalogram) and to measure nervous system function in our extremities we measure electrical nerve conduction.


- Time gets crunched.
- Money gets tight.
- Emotional baggage often arrives along with your relatives coming to visit. Or they’re not coming and the angst associated with that is barely better than the alternative.

- Drink a glass of water instead of a can of soda.
- Park further away so you can walk a few extra steps.
- Eat an apple (or orange or fresh fruit of any kind) instead of a bag of chips.
- Try a non-diary frozen treat (coconut milk, cashewmilk or oatmilk options are delicious) instead of ice cream.
- Sit still for 5 minutes. Turn on some soft music that relaxes you.
- Surprise someone by saying “I love your smile!”
- Stand up. Sit down. Move!


The Holistic Chamber of Commerce has been looking for a holistic-friendly solution for alleviating the costs of healthcare for many years. While, as yet, there’s no perfect solution, we’ve found an attractively-priced product that has the potential to significantly reduce total healthcare costs for those who use holistic services and elect to become members of one of these programs.
Paul Cholak, a long-standing member of the Holistic Chamber of Commerce, is a healthcare advisor to MPB.Health and a licensed agent. Working through Paul, we’re able to offer MPowering Benefits Health programs that combine medical cost sharing to mitigate and control the cost of large medical expenses with virtual care (an enhanced version of telehealth); prescription cost management; a QR life code and personal medical records vault; and personalized concierge services.
Different programs are available for individuals who are employees and want to purchase individual programs; and to employers who want to establish group plans, individual proprietors, and 1099 contractors.




Are negative thoughts weighing you down?
Specialists like Charles Lightwalker know that, at the office, stress can decrease productivity because worry wastes time better spent taking care of the task at hand.
Stress is also one of the key factors in many chronic conditions, including diabetes, cancer and heart disease. Some heart attacks have such a strong Mind-Body connection that there is a term for it: Broken Heart Syndrome.
It’s odd that I’m so in love with acupuncture as a healing and wellness technique… After all, I hate needles.
As a child, I had allergies and asthma and shots were part of my regular routine. Ugh!
Now, acupuncture is one of my favorite techniques for relieving stress, reducing pain and maintaining overall health.
The “needles” are more like fine filaments and a skilled acupuncturist can prepare you for your session with a minimum of discomfort.
Among the oldest healing practices in the world, acupuncture is one of several traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) techniques. Other specialties, such as herbs, qi gong and tai chi, are included under the umbrella of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Like many, I had new year’s goals (yes, resolutions) that kick in on 1/1 of any year. It’s a social ritual all around the world.
This year, my list includes health-related goals: get fit, starting with weight loss. Then, maintain.
What about you? What are your goals and resolutions for 2018? Are you on your way or stuck from the get-go?
It’s easy, we tell ourselves. If so-and-so can do it, I can, too.
Did you know that certain holistic health expenses can be deducted from your taxes? IRS Publication 502 lists these allowable expenses*. They include:
- Acupuncturists
- Body Scans
- Chiropractors
- Christian Science Practitioners
- Osteopaths
- Psychologists
- Stop Smoking Programs
- Weight Loss Programs

- Financial: The ability to pay for your healthcare
- Legal: Having your health preferences approved as options for care
- Access: Being able to find your preferred product/service
While it would be easy to debate which of these keys is the most important, it is also easy to see that access is the most critical. If you are looking for breast thermographer, especially for the first time, but the closest one you can find is in another state, it will cost more to get there and take more time. How do you find one that is close to where you live or work?
In this modern era, staying healthy is key to success. When we get sick, it impacts our ability to work with others and our energy for working at today's fast pace.
Smart companies are engaging in wellness conversations to support their employees and organizations like LinktoEXPERT (LtE) and the Holistic Chamber of Commerce (HCC) are collaborating to support their efforts.
LtE and the HCC connect executives and entrepreneurs who want to make the world a better place to live, work and play. These collaborations create powerful ripple effects in communities throughout North America.

It's easy to forget. I want to forget. I remember because there are still so many people living with heartbreak and it's not the romantic kind.
Some things can't be fixed with just another pill.
Children are growing up in homes where domestic abuse, child abuse, bullying and even isolation are part of the daily dynamic. Their hearts and wills are broken before they are even teenagers. They grow up to become adults with anger and other unresolved emotional issues.
If they grow up at all.
According to a new study published in EXPLORE May/June 2016, Vol. 12, No. 3, by Debra Swedberg DeCaro, MSW, and Jodi L. Constantine Brown, Ph.D., MSW, "laughter improves physical and psychological health-related outcomes across diseases and populations. Research related to psychological outcomes is prevalent with studies showing that laughter helps with stress, mood, memory, interpersonal relationships, psychological well-being, and quality of life."
By stimulating the amygdala, laughter may be helpful for adults with Parkinson's Disease (PD) because deficits involving functions regulated by the amygdala have been implicated in PD symptoms. Laughter can create an increase in dopamine production, and thus an increase in positive mood in adults with PD, as evidenced by anecdotal accounts and new research. Laughter Yoga (LY) may be a viable intervention for adults because of these connections which impact "stress, mood, memory, interpersonal relationships, psychological well-being, and quality of life."