Have there been any scientific studies done that prove negative and hostile environments can affect how quickly our bodies are able to heal?

A recent report from Ohio State University evaluated whether or not emotional stress affected healing. Forty-two married couples participated in the research project in which they received small blisters on their skin (ouch!) and then engaged in either a loving, supportive conversation or an angry, hostile disagreement. The researchers measured the concentration of immunological chemicals in the blood and tracked how long it took for the wounds to heal. The results showed that one hostile interaction slowed healing by almost twenty-four hours. In other studies, medical scientists have demonstrated that in addition to high blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking, hostility is an independent risk factor for heart attacks.

I have made a New Year's resolution to quit smoking. I have tried many times before with little success. Why is it so hard to quit smoking? What can I do to really quit the habit this time?

If it were easy to quit smoking, almost everyone would have done it by now and the tobacco companies wouldn't be so filthy rich. There are many reasons why people get hooked on smoking including a physiological addiction to nicotine. If you remember back to the first time you tried smoking a cigarette, you can recall what you body's natural reaction was to this toxic habit. You probably coughed, became nauseated and dizzy and wondered what the big deal was. Unfortunately, social pressures won out over your body's internal wisdom.

I was recently diagnosed with tinnitus. I am a bit unclear as to what causes it and if there are any alternative remedies to treat it. Can you provide some information?

Ringing in the ears, or tinnitus, is a common and annoying problem. Some studies have suggested that almost one in three Americans report this problem at some time and about 2% of the population haves evere ringing. Although people of any age can be troubled by this condition, it becomes more common the older we get. People describe the sounds in their ears in a number of different ways – ringing, roaring, whistling, humming and buzzing are some of the most common descriptions.

I need help. I am hardly eating one week, and the next, I can’t seem to stop eating. I feel like I am on a roller coaster. I am very out of balance. What can I do to regain my health?

Most of us learned early in life that if we had no control over anything else, we could at least control what we put into our mouths. Our associations between food and emotions can be either health promoting or health damaging.

You have a nourishment disorder, which requires that you tap into the deepest archetypical mother available within your awareness. The primary concern of every nurturing parent is that his or her child eats in a healthy balanced way. Ayurveda suggests that the body has an innate intelligence to choose foods that are nurturing, if we can simply quiet down our mental turbulence so that the natural intelligence of the body can direct the course of our diet.

I only sleep 3 or 4 hours a night. I am always tired and I have frequent colds and flu. I know I need more rest, but I can’t seem to sleep well. It is starting to affect my relationships and my work performance. What can I do to get good sleep?

According to Ayurveda, sleep is the nursemaid to humanity. It is one of the pillars of health, and if we are able to regularly obtain deep restful sleep, it will improve our mental and physical health.

With modern tensions and stresses in the world, insomnia is a common problem and the sales of sleep inducing medications are steadily increasing. Sleep is the most natural phenomenon next to breathing and we should not require outside substances in order for our bodies to achieve natural rejuvenative rest.

I work as a financial consultant in an investment company and feel ready to quit because I cannot stomach my supervisor who is patronizing, crude, and manipulative. I just want to get away from him, but even at home I wind up going over in my mind all the things he’s said. How can I make this work?

A better question might be how to quiet your inner monologue so you can make more conscious choices that will better serve you. All points of view are available within your own awareness. Try the following exercise:

What is your opinion on lowering cholesterol levels? My LDL and HDL lab results were off, and I don’t want to take medications because I heard they have potential side effects. How can I lower and manage my cholesterol levels and avoid taking medication for rest of my life?

Elevated cholesterol levels increase our risk for cardiovascular disease. Even more important than the total cholesterol level is the relative and absolute amounts of LDL ("bad") and HDL ("good") components of cholesterol. Although cholesterol is an essential chemical for our body, providing the basic molecule for many essential hormones, too much cholesterol increases the deposition of fat into our blood vessels, increasing our chances for a stroke or heart attack. Most cholesterol that circulates in our body is manufactured in the liver. Only 15% actually comes from the foods that we eat; however, diet is the most direct non-drug way we have to modify cholesterol levels.

In order to follow an Ayurvedic program, do I need to become a vegetarian?

It's an important question that goes to the heart of what it means to live a conscious life. According to Ayurveda, everything in the universe can be used to help reestablish and maintain balance. In the original Ayurvedic texts, every conceivable edible substance, including animal products, was categorized according to its effect on the mind and body. The basic premise is that we are all part of the web of life, and if there is a local disturbance, other strands of the web can be recruited to regenerate wholeness.

When it comes to food, it is important to be aware of the source of whatever you ingest, because the intention behind the product will influence your body/mind.

I’ve been married for 10 years, the last several of which have been a real struggle. We hardly communicate anymore. I’ve tried to be more giving yet it seems as if my energy has been going down a black hole. Now I mostly feel resentful and depleted. What do you suggest?

Emotional exchanges based on equality are energizing, while those that foster power imbalances are depleting to both parties. If we do not experience loving energy flowing freely in our lives, it means that we are disconnected from our source, which is inherently nurturing. Without this inner connection, it is easy to project responsibility for our depression and unhappiness onto people, circumstances and situations outside of us.

What is Tantra?

Tantra is a beautiful, practical spiritual approach that seeks to see the divine in every aspect of the world. Rather than attempting to find God by withdrawing from the senses, Tantric practices are designed to raise the practitioner’s level of consciousness so the universal can be realized in every individual expression of life. The beauty of Tantra is its lack of dogmatism. Rather than preaching one way to enlightenment, Tantra draws on wisdom from many branches of Eastern spiritual traditions including yoga, Ayurveda and mantra chanting.