Land of Oz Workshops Blog: The Power of Hypnosis for Health, Harmony, and Pea...

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: The Power of Hypnosis for Health, Harmony, and Pea...: "I was reading an article the other day on a medical website about the top approaches to pain management. Among those listed was hypnosis. ..."

The Power of Hypnosis for Health, Harmony, and Peak Performance

I was reading an article the other day on a medical website about the top approaches to pain management. Among those listed was hypnosis. The writer went on to say that even though it oftentimes successfully works, how hypnosis works is not understood.

I have specialized in hypnosis for over 20 years and I can tell you from experience not only that it works but how it works for managing pain.

Hypnosis assists a person in moving their attention away from the pain to another place in time. Most people that I see that have pain are needlessly focusing on the pain. I teach them to bring their focus and attention someplace else: a relaxing place in nature, a past memory of something pleasant, a future image of doing something that brings joy or success, a future image of being without the pain and enjoying life. Once their unconscious brings forth an image, I suggest that the person bring all their senses into the experience: visual, auditory, kinesthetic, olfactory and gustatory. Bringing all the senses into the picture expands and deepens the good feelings associated with it. As a person does this, he is altering his brain chemistry with hormones and neurotransmitters that stimulate, support, and bring about good feelings. Once these chemicals enter the bloodstream, the entire body positively responds. This response set results in feelings of harmony.

Spending time in the future in your mind and imagination thinking about feel-good experiences goes a long way in reducing and healing pain. Again, learning to train your mind in the sojourns it takes is an awesome skill that will help you to positively alter your own brain chemistry and will bring about greater health, harmony, and peak performance.

Hundreds of medical research studies using placebo medicine or sugar pills report that the placebo works as well as the actual medication.  This confirms one very important principle of medical hypnosis and that is the power of suggestion should not be overlooked or underrated as a healing agent. I have worked with thousands of students with pain and have helped them use the power of their own mind and imagination to both manage the pain and completely rid themselves of it.

Hypnosis works upon the principle of reframing. Reframing is taking an image of something that is experienced as unpleasant and changing it into something that is pleasant. Your mind and imagination have the amazing ability to transcend time. You can be in past time, present time, and future time in a matter of seconds.  When you picture something from your past, present or anticipate something in your future that bothers you, you can alter that image or thought so that it doesn’t affect you negatively anymore. Since how we see and experience our past determines how we see and experience the future, spending time clearing away those old memories is important to our health and well being and to mitigating pain.

Much of the pain we experience is directly tied to past hurts, disappointments, and losses that have not been resolved. Unresolved grief can create all kinds of health problems. Hypnosis can help you address these issues in two ways: seeing them for what they really are and by seeing them differently and thus experiencing them differently. In terms of the latter, it has nothing to do with avoiding feelings and everything to do with seeing things in a different way from a new and healthier vantage point. Much of the past that haunts us haunts us because of the way we see it. Many people suffer unnecessarily by accepting the blame or the guilt associated with childhood events that were clearly not their fault. Hypnosis works on the principle of separating truths from untruths. When we live with untruths, we needlessly suffer. Once the truth is uncovered, we are free. This state of freedom is the ultimate goal of self-hypnosis and meditative practices.

Another approach is locating the pain within the body and gently breathing into that painful place. As you breathe into the painful area and feel it opening and breaking up, the pain typically subsides. Asking a person who is experiencing  a stress headache to describe what the pain looks like helps transform the pain into a metaphor that represents the pain. Once the metaphor is created, “It looks and feels like a rope tightening around my head”, the person can then go in and loosen or untie the rope. This imaginative experience can slowly relieve the headache.

It is always important to make certain that you do not have a medical condition that needs to be addressed. Research does confirm, however, that most health issues are stress related. Learning to effectively deal with stress via self-hypnosis or meditation, therefore, are outstanding ways to help you dramatically improve your overall health and well being.

Another reason why and how hypnosis works is, “Where the mind goes the body will follow.” The 2000 Olympics is a perfect example. Olympic diver Laura Wilkinson was in 8^th place when I turned on the TV. The Chinese women’s divers were in 1^st and 2^nd place and then Laura began diving perfect ‘10s’ and slowly moved from 8^th place to 1^st place.  By the time the event was over, Laura Wilkinson won the Gold Medal. When the interviewer asked her how she regained her composure and did this amazing feat, Laura told him that she began to see herself in her imagination diving perfectly, moving towards the water with perfect form, and entering the water perfectly. In her imagination she saw the judges hold up signs with a 10 on each one and heard the roar of the crowd enthusiastically applauding.  In future time, Laura saw perfection and her brain chemistry, feelings, and body responded with perfection.

Deep breathing, relaxation, reframing, creative imagery, traveling through time in your mind and imagination, metaphor, separating truths from untruths are all effective self-hypnosis processes. Self-hypnosis, creative imagery, and imagination can work miracles as you learn to use the inherent God-given power within you to effect change.

John A. Tamiazzo is the author of Returning to the Land of Oz: Finding Hope, love, and Courage on Your Yellow Brick Road available at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, and barnesandnoble.com. Returning to the Land of Oz is also available at Amazon.com as a Kindle e-book.

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: Man Eats 25,000th Big Mac

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: Man Eats 25,000th Big Mac: "This was one of the top stories on the internet today. Some 57 year old guy from Wisconsin makes headlines because he ate 25,000 hamburgers!..."

Man Eats 25,000th Big Mac

This was one of the top stories on the internet today. Some 57 year old guy from Wisconsin makes headlines because he ate 25,000 hamburgers! He has been eating at McDonald's since he was 18 and has kept every receipt since day one. Perhaps we can highlight someone who has provided funds to help feed 100 people, or donated 25,000 hours to a non-profit service organization. I am certain these statistics are available.

25,000 hamburgers??? What a disgusting image.

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: Feeding Your Amazing Brain

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: Feeding Your Amazing Brain: "In L. Frank Baum's enchanting story, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Scarecrow wanted a brain. The fact is, the brain is a very complex o..."

Your Amazing Brain

In L. Frank Baum's enchanting story, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Scarecrow wanted a brain. The fact is, the brain is a very complex organism and it is imperative to know how to properly feed it, take care of it, and nurture it so it does exactly what it was designed to do. Your brain has 100 billion nerve cells (the same number of stars in our galaxy), 1,000 trillion connections, and 400 miles of blood vessels. Laughter requires the activity of 5 different areas of the brain. Every new thought and idea results in new brain connectivity, which enhance thinking, feelings, creativity, and achievement.

Therefore, you feed the brain by the nutritious food you eat, the uplifting thoughts you entertain, the noble beliefs and values you hold, the positive attitude you possess, and the quality of your perceptions. Enjoyable exercise, play, dance, laughter, relaxation, meditation, being in nature, and continuing to learn new things feed the brain.


Andrew Weil, M.D. once said that ‘Fast food is one of the most unhealthful dietary developments in human history.” Richard Wurtman, research psychiatrist at MIT said, “The ability of a meals composition to affect the production of brain chemicals distinguishes the brain from all other organs.”

The brain is 50-60 percent fat and, thus, is the favorite breeding ground for free radicals. Free radicals are hazardous chemicals that corrupt your brain cells genetic DNA and erode the neurons normal functioning. Free radicals are generated when you breathe or burn calories during normal metabolism. So, they are a natural part of living. But, they are also generated when you breathe in cigarette smoke and polluted air. Free radicals are carried into cells through food, notably fatty food. Under certain circumstances, free radicals are good in that they help to destroy invading bacteria and viruses. But, once they get out of control, they can wreak havoc on your brain cells. A high-fat diet and sugary foods are enemies of the brain.

The human brain was never designed to process the amount of sugar you feed it. It is estimated that each person in the US consumes nearly 150 pounds of sugar a year! In addition, you consume foods rich in saturated fats, transfats, and prepared with hydrogenated oils. If you look closely at most of the food stocked in supermarkets across America and you take the time to read what is in the food and how much fat and suger it contains, you might be surprised at how unhealthy the food is. A can of soda typically contains 10 teaspoons of sugar regardless if it is regular or diet.

Antioxidants are chemicals that neutralize free radicals and keep them under control. Antioxidants act as the body’s ever-vigilant army that searches out and destroys free radicals and attempts to repair the damage they have caused. It is important that antioxidants predominate over free radicals to enhance the brain’s circuitry and repair the cells when necessary. Antioxidants are best produced by eating foods that are antioxidant rich. Creating a strong presence of antioxidants is one of the most important things you can do for the continuing health of your brain. 

The deep color in fruits and vegetables indicate their antioxidant richness. Antioxidant rich foods include: raisins, prunes, blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, strawberries, raspberries, plums, broccoli, beets, avocado, oranges, red grapes, red pepper, grapefruit, kidney beans, pinto beans, red beans, eggplant, apples, tomatoes, especially cooked tomato as in paste or sauce. Antioxidant rich nuts include pecans, walnuts, peanuts, and sunflower seeds. Barley, oats, oatmeal, and millet are excellent sources. Spices include cinnamon, cloves, cumin, tarragon, and oregano. Antioxidant beverages include green tea, red wine, and dark beer. But, alcoholic beverages need to be consumed in moderation.


Dark chocolate, thank God, is a rich antioxidant and when consumed in moderation it is an excellent brain food. Consider eating 1 ounce of dark chocolate that is at least 70% cacao as your primary desert. Forget about fat laden-artery clogging-gas producing-cholesterol-rich deserts like cakes, pies, ice cream, cookies, etc. In extreme moderation they are fine. But, dark chocolate is your best bet and your miracle brain will love you for it!

John Tamiazzo is the author of Returning to the Land of Oz available at Amazon.com, Amazon, ca, Barnesandnoble.com, and as a Kindle e-book at Amazon.com

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: Defying the Aging Process

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: Defying the Aging Process: "Defying the aging process are four buzz-words that headline articles and advertisements all over the web. Manufacturers of skin care prod..."

Defying the Aging Process

Defying the aging process are four buzz-words that headline articles and advertisements all over the web. Manufacturers of skin care products, Dermatologists, Plastic Surgeons, and alternative Skin Care Specialists fill the airwaves with their anti-aging messages.  The fact is, you can defy the aging process by incorporating sensible eating habits, nutritional awareness, daily exercise, dynamic creative imagery, simple stress management techniques, and fun life-style changes.

We live in very stressful times and it is a known fact that stress ages us. Stress interferes with collagen production and our skin suffers. Under the constant duress of stress, we look older, feel older, and lose our vitality. When we are constantly under stress and the natural stress response is not completely shut off, we experience a chemical imbalance eventually damaging  joint tissues and blood vessel linings. In short, when the natural stress response is not turned off, the body is constantly on the defensive and inflammation ensues.

Chronic inflammation is central to many common diseases and health problems that develop causing deterioration of the joints and surrounding tissues, mobility challenges, pain, and digestive problems. In regard to the latter, a growing number of medical researchers are finding that inflammation begins in the digestive tract. Anxiety, depression, fear, anger, resentment, guilt, and diet all directly affect the proper functioning of the digestive system.

30 million Americans take anxiety medication on a regular basis and an equal number take prescribed and over-the-counter remedies for indigestion. In addition, current research shows that 60 million Americans have problems with sleep. Poor digestion is one of the main causes of interrupted and poor sleep.

What can we do? The first thing to address is diet. “Food is like a pharmaceutical compound that affects the brain,” said Fernando Gomez-Pinella, a UCLA professor of neurosurgery and physiological science. “Diet, exercise, and sleep have the potential to alter our brain health. This raises the exciting possibility that changes in diet are a viable strategy for enhancing cognitive abilities, protecting the brain from damage, and counteracting the effects of aging.”

We are a country of junk food junkies. We buy our food at huge super markets that, in most cases, do not care about our health and well-being. Do not entrust this responsibility to your doctor, the pharmaceutical companies, the FDA, or the food industry. Your health is in your hands and it is up to you to educate yourself on how to take care of your body, your miracle brain, and your wellness.

In an article I read the other day, medical researchers estimated that at the current rate, 1 out of 3 people will have diabetes in America by 2050. Think about it. If an engineer told you that in 5 years your home would most likely slide off of its foundation would you do nothing? The point is, we are in the midst of a health crisis in America and things do not seem to be getting better.

To dramatically improve your health, you need to radically alter your diet. Eat organic fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants and lots of whole grains. Make sure that the bread you eat is whole grain and has at least 4-5 grams of fiber per slice. Cut out the high fructose corn syrup or aspartame tainted foods and drinks. The average soda contains the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of sugar and Americans consume 150 pounds of sugar per person a year! Eliminate the fast food, processed food, and rethink all that dairy and meat.  Dairy, meat, fast food and processed food have much too much fat and saturated fat, more than your digestive system and brain can process. Add spices to your meals loaded with antioxidants such as turmeric, clove, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, and rosemary. Eat foods abounding in omega-3 fatty acids like wild salmon (not the USA farmed junk or genetically engineered salmon), walnuts, and flax seeds. Start the day with a cup of organic soy or almond  milk, a cup of frozen or fresh wild organic blueberries or strawberries, a teaspoon of almond butter, and half a banana mixed in a blender. As you know, there is much controversy about soy. Make sure the soy milk is made from whole organic soybeans. Check John Robbins insights on soy http://www.johnrobbins.info/blog/what-about-soy/      

Try a cereal like Kashi Go Lean red box or other low-sugar and high fiber whole grain organic cereals. Forget the latte and a muffin, forget the eggs, bacon and cheese omelet with greasy hash browns, and definitely bypass that doughnut store. Begin the day with a bowl of slow cooking organic oatmeal or a slice of high-fiber whole grain bread with almond butter spread over it.

Learn effective stress management techniques, relaxation techniques, and mind enhancing reframing skills. Listen to relaxing music. Learn natural pain management skills and participate in fun and enjoyable exercise, such as dancing, swimming, walking, jogging, and hiking. Take time to play. Play with your loved ones, your animals, your children, and your mate. Spend lots of quality time in nature. Trees, plants, flowers, the ocean, rivers, lakes, and forests, are naturally healing and harmonizing. Take good care of your skin. Use quality products daily and make sure you and your loved one give each other a facial and massage at least once a week.

The fact is you have the power to make positive changes in your life that will impact your health for years to come. You can defy the aging process. You have the power to make healthy choices.

John A. Tamiazzo, PhD is the author of Returning to the Land of Oz: Finding Hope, Love, and Courage on your Yellow  Brick Road, now available at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, and BarnesandNoble.com  Visit his blog site www.landofozworkshops.blogspot.com

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: The Psychology and Physiology of Positive Aging

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: The Psychology and Physiology of Positive Aging: "On Wednesday afternoon, December 8th, 2010, I spoke at the Fielding Institute's International Conference on Positive Aging in Los Angeles. ..."

The Psychology and Physiology of Positive Aging

On Wednesday afternoon, December 8th, 2010, I spoke at the Fielding Institute's International Conference on Positive Aging in Los Angeles. The event was held at the Center for Non-Profit Management which sits next to Chinatown and the old Union Train Station. It is one of the most colorful and historical areas of Los Angeles.

The conference presentations were divided into 4 categories: wellness, life transitions, creativity, and community and the workshops were given over a 3 day period. My workshop focused on the storyline of the Wizard of Oz and the merits of play for both sheer enjoyment and for positively altering brain chemistry.

Aligning the main hallway leading to the workshop rooms were tall posters with short stories written on them by vibrant people who had discovered the secrets of what it means to have and retain a beautiful and healthy mind. Here is what these very inspired elders had to say:

A beautiful mind feels free to discover new things, avoids rigid thinking, and solves problems in new ways.
A beautiful mind is optimistic and sees the good in life and in others.
A beautiful mind believes that excellent nutrition and regular exercise are as important as entertaining new ideas.
A beautiful mind enjoys and savors every moment.
A beautiful mind keeps the body active and feeds the brain the nutrients it requires.
A beautiful mind thinks creatively, lives in the moment,  risks failing, and says 'yes' to life.
A beautiful mind loves to learn new things.
A beautiful mind treats the body like a dear friend.
A beautiful mind knows how to play, how to enjoy, and how to have fun.
A beautiful mind is not concerned with age, position, status, or having to have anything or anyone.
A beautiful mind simply is.

John Tamiazzo is the author of Returning to the Land of Oz available at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca,  Barnesandnoble.com and as a Kindle e-book at Amazon.com