In our personal journey on this planet, many of us find ourselves fighting difficult health battles. In addition, two-thirds of Americans believe that their jobs sap them of emotional strength. Americans are seeking not only solutions to disease, but also ways to feel well.

There is no universal panacea, but unconventional approaches, both high-tech and alternative low-tech, can help us navigate this challenging path. We should keep these potential healing techniques on our radar screen. Here is what I suggest you try:

1. Meditate by emptying your mind of what happened earlier today or what will happen tomorrow. We rarely worry about what is happening right now, so focus on being in the present as you relax your mind. A basic technique to achieve a quiet, meditative state is to count your breaths.

2. Although the perfume industry has done admirably well, smell is an underutilized tool for healing. Find scents, like lavender, that will relax you, or scents that energize, like grapefruit. Use aroma to optimize your performance.

3. Music is medicinal in many cultures. Find tunes that deeply impact you and use them to help focus your spirit.

4. Speaking of spirit, we owe it to ourselves to write a one-sentence game plan for what we hope to accomplish as we evolve as humans. Please make this specific so you can judge how well you focus on your personal mission statement.

VITAMIN PICKS

Vitamin C with bioflavonoids (1,000 mg daily). Vitamin C circulates in the blood and lymph nodes and is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. It boosts the immune system and aids in healing. It is found in many citrus fruits.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids (1 gram containing 180 mg EPA/120 mg DHA, 3 times daily). Omega-3 fatty acids protect against hardening of the arteries by promoting the formation of good prostaglandins, thinning the blood and reducing the stickiness of blood cells. These fatty acids can be found in coldwater fish, like salmon and halibut and flax seeds.