2025 Participants
Exploring Self-Healing Journeys: Case Studies in Hypertension, Seizure Management, Chronic Urticaria, and OCD
Presenter: Via Calderon
Faculty advisor: Erik Peper
This research analyzes the outcomes of a course titled Holistic Health 380: Western Perspectives at San Francisco State University, which encourages students to embark on self-healing journeys. The course integrates lectures on stress physiology, mind-body interactions, and holistic health practices, while also guiding students in applying these concepts through personal self-care projects.
The students are required to track their health symptoms and behaviors, then apply various holistic techniques to improve conditions such as hypertension, chronic urticaria, and type 2 diabetes. They employ strategies like relaxation, imagery, mindfulness, and dietary changes. These practices are aimed at fostering self-awareness and emotional regulation, with the ultimate goal of reducing reliance on medication.
The paper highlights specific case studies of students who successfully implemented these self-healing practices. A 21-year-old student reduced her hypertension and stress levels using breathing exercises and dietary changes. Another student with chronic urticaria achieved significant relief through a gluten-free diet and stress management techniques. A third student with type 2 diabetes improved her A1C levels by adopting a balanced diet, increasing physical activity, and utilizing relaxation techniques.
Results indicate that the course successfully reduces symptoms of chronic conditions and promotes overall well-being. The paper advocates for the inclusion of such holistic health courses in university curricula, emphasizing the long-term benefits of self-care and stress management in fostering both academic and personal success.
Past Participants
2024
Self compassion and its impact on unhoused women and those in shelters
Faculty advisor/course instructor: Jennifer Daubenmier
Entry #8
We will review 3 journal articles about the value of loving kindness teachings for those that are unhoused or in shelters. Highlighting data that provides empirical evidence that there is value to this type of practice, how it has been implemented and why it is important.
Creative work project on ADHD
Faculty advisor/course instructor: Jennifer Daubenmier
Entry #25
Effects of mindful meditation and yoga on veterans with chronic pain
Faculty advisor/course instructor: Jennifer Daubenmier
Entry #31
Researching the effects of mindful meditation practices as well as yoga for veterans who are suffering from chronic pain. Chronic pain is more prevalent in veterans compared to their adult civilian counterparts.
2023
Self compassion: High school/College Women
Faculty advisor/course instructor: Jennifer Daubenmier
Entry #27
Exploring healthy coping mechanisms through meditation to alleviate stress and promote self compassion in woman who are high school or college students.
Benefits of Nature Meditation on Prison populations
Faculty advisor/course instructor: Professor Jennifer Daubenmier
Entry #18
Our research focuses on the benefits of Nature meditation in mental wellbeing as well as enhanced attention performance, which we applied to prison populations in an effort to call to action, the incorporation of nature meditations in the prison system.
The Power of Self-Healing through Holistic Health Practices
Faculty advisor/course instructor: Erik Peper
Entry #13
Every semester the Holistic Health Western Perspectives class (HH 380) tasks students with picking a health related issue or area of concern to work on and document for their Self-Healing project. Students are asked to design a strategy and a plan of action, while keeping a record of their progress by rating their level of success and commitment. 336 students (29% male, 71% female) from the 2020-2022 online semesters were surveyed to correlate success and commitment. These students were compared with the success rating from the in-person students from 2012 and 2016 (on a scale from -2 (significantly worse) 0 (no change) +2 (significantly better). Most students reported benefit or improvement from completing their Self-Healing projects. Students appeared to report equal benefits from their Self-Healing projects during 2020-2022 online class, as compared to the combined 2012 and 2016 in-person classes. Students not only benefited from specific practices but also a change in mindset with students learning they have the capability to heal themselves and be in charge of their own health. Beyond decreasing symptoms or increasing health behavior, a shift in perspective seems to be one of the greatest benefits of the Holistic Health teachings. This shows the benefit of introducing Holistic Health programs to universities and demonstrates the power of emphasizing the concept of self-healing in order to maximize benefits in health and wellbeing.
Meditation and Sleep
Faculty advisor/course instructor: Jennifer Daubenmier
Entry #23
Many college students know how it feels to be unable to sleep due to stress, once these sleeping problems begin it can enhance anxiety before going to bed making sleeping even more difficult. Sleep deprivation can cause many health problems that potentially become chronic such as heart disease, kidney disease and high blood pressure. Meditation has been studied for many years that depict a positive influence on an individuals life. With the practice of meditation, it has shown a dramatic decrease in overall relaxation and stress levels, and better sleep quality. This research project is to show that meditation can positively affect sleep quality and reduce stress in college students.
The study of nutmeg from eastern and western perspective
Faculty advisor/course instructor: Jennifer Daubenmier
Entry #30
This is an introduction to the spice nutmeg through two different approaches. The Eastern perspective and western perspective and how nutmeg is used and explained.