Caring for Children-an online course

eye exercises

2010-05-27T19:36:00.001-07:00

Yoga
[Yoga Home][Postures][Breathing][HolisticOnline Home][Meditation][Prayer]

Eye Exercises

The yoga practitioners attach special importance to eye exercises, for two reasons.

Firstly, a lot of eye problems in later life are due to a loss of tone in the eye muscles. These muscles become rigid, and this loss of elasticity reduces the ability of the lens of the eye to focus at different distances. It also causes the eyesight to become weaker. These exercises tone the eye muscles up and keep them elastic. If you already have eye problems when you begin these exercises, you will find your eyesight improving after a few months.

Secondly, any eye tension present will tend to produce a general feeling of tension, due to the eye's connection to the brain via the optic nerve. What happens is that eye tension produces an increase in the nerve impulses in the eye muscles. This increase in nerve impulses travels along the optic nerve and bombards the brain, causing a general feeling of tension and anxiety. The eye exercises will reduce tension in the eye muscles, as well as reduce general tension.

It is best to do these eye exercises while lying down after you've finished the asanas. This way you're resting after the asanas and doing the eye exercises at the same time, thus reducing the time taken to do your yoga routine.

When doing the eye exercises keep your eyes open and don't move your head.

Sitting (as in the exercises for the neck given above), open your eyes, then check on your posture. Is your spine erect? Hands on the knees? Body relaxed? Head straight? That is how you should always remain while doing eye exercises. The whole body must be motionless; nothing must move except the eyes.

Raise your eyes and find a small point that you can see clearly without straining, without frowning, without becoming tense and, of course, without moving your head. While doing this exercise look at this point each time you raise your eyes.

Next, lower your eyes to find a small point on the floor which you can see clearly when glancing down. Look at it each time you lower your eyes. Breathing should be normal. In other words, you don't have to do deep breathing.

Exercise 1

Move your eyes upwards as far as you can, and then downwards as far as you can. Repeat four more times. Blink quickly a few times 1 to relax the eye muscles.

Exercise 2

Now do the same using points to your right and to your left, at eye level. Keep your raised fingers or two pencils on each side as guides and adjust them so that you can see them clearly when moving the eyes to the right and to the left, but without straining.

Keeping the fingers at eye level, and moving only the eyes, look to the right at your chosen point, then to the left. Repeat four times. Blink several times, then close your eyes and rest.

Exercise 3

Choose a point you can see from the right corner of your eyes when you raise them, and another that you can see from the left corner of your eyes when you lower them, half closing the lids. Remember to retain your original posture: spine erect, hands on knees, head straight and motionless.

Look at your chosen point in right corner up, then to the one in left corner down. Repeat four times. Blink several times. Close the eyes and rest.

Now do the same exercise in reverse. That is, first look to the left corner up, then to the right corner down. Repeat four times. Blink several times. Close the eyes and rest.

Exercise 4

This exercise should not be done until three or four days after you have begun eye exercises given here.

Slowly roll your eyes first clockwise, then counterclockwise as follows: Lower your eyes and look at the floor, then slowly move the eyes to the left, higher and higher until you see the ceiling. Now continue circling to the right, lower and lower down, until you see the floor again. Do this slowly, making a full-vision circle. Blink, close your eyes and rest. Then repeat the same action counterclockwise.

Do this five times then blink the eyes for at least five seconds.

When rolling the eyes, make as large a circle as possible, so that you feet a little strain as you do the exercise. This stretches the eye muscles to the maximum extent, giving better results.

Exercise 5

Next comes a changing-vision exercise. While doing it you alternately shift your vision from close to distant points several times.

Take a pencil, or use your finger, and hold it under the tip of your nose. Then start moving it away, without raising it, until you have fixed it at the closest possible distance where you can see it clearly without any blur. Then raise your eyes a little, look straight into the distance and there find a small point which you can also see very clearly.

Now look at the closer point-the pencil or your finger tip then shift to the farther point in the distance. Repeat several times, blink, close your eyes and squeeze them tight.

Exercise 6

Close your eyes as tightly as you possibly can. Really squeeze the eyes, so the eye muscles contract. Hold this contraction for three seconds, and then let go quickly.

This exercise causes a deep relaxation of the eye muscles, and is especially beneficial after the slight strain caused by the eye exercises. Blink the eyes a few times.

Exercise 7

This exercise is called 'palming' and is very relaxing to the eyes. It is also most important for preserving the eyesight. Palming also has a beneficial, relaxing effect on your nervous system.

It's an ideal way to finish off the eye exercises.

Remain seated on the floor. Draw up your knees, keeping your feet on the floor and slightly apart. Now briskly rub your palms to charge them with electricity and place the cupped palms over your closed eyes. The fingers of the right hand should be crossed over the fingers of the left hand on the forehead. The elbows should rest on your raised knees and the neck should be kept straight. Don't bend your head. Do the deep breathing while palming your eyes.

If you are going to do the palming for longer than a few minutes, better sit down at a table, place some books or pillows in front of you to support your elbows so that you will be able to keep the neck straight, and palm the eyes in this position. If the palming is done for only a short period one can do deep breathing for half a minute or so at first, gradually increasing it every week.

Benefits:

This exercise helps to do away with eye strain, and tension. Your vision will get better and clearer as the ophthalmic, or eye, nerves receive a richer supply of blood. Some people use this to improve their vision.

[Go To: Corpse Pose (savasana) ]

safe water

2010-05-26T23:12:00.001-07:00

The Health Benefits of Drinking Water
Even in developed countries there are cases of people falling sick and even dying from drinking unsafe water. It is no secret that there is a correlation between contaminated drinking water and a variety of diseases and health problems. It is necessary and prudent to be aware of the different water contaminants, especially the most common ones.

Groundwater and surface water can actually be contaminated in a number of ways. It is very easy for a contaminant to seep, wash or deposit itself in close proximity to the water that you drink. The most common contaminants are:

Living organisms: these bacteria are commonly found in septic tanks and manure
Domestic contaminants: can often occur when ordinary household products like soap or fertilizer mix with drinking water.
Industrial contaminants: these pollutants may be emitted by industry or by a gradual build-up over the years and always in the case of an industrial accident.
Protect Yourself with a drinking water filtration system
The health benefits of drinking clean water are many and thankfully with the right tools, getting clean water is easily done. There are several steps you can take to ensure that your water is safe to drink including:

-Mandatory testing (water quality check) of your water supply using our water test kits or through a certified laboratory will provide you with the most important information to select the appropriate water treatment system.

-Having an appropriate water filtration system: we offer a variety of drinking water filtration systems that are specifically designed for a home application. Our models differ only in the quantity and type of filtration, but all can provide water that is free from chlorine, sediment, bacteria or other contaminants.

-Excel Water Technologies Inc. provides you a detailed solution finder which will help you identify your specific requirements.

Your Best Defense
Being aware of the health benefits of purified drinking water for yourself and your family gives you reason enough to ensure that your own water is clean and safe to drink. Excel Water Technologies Inc. is able to offer you the right solutions with a number of water filtration systems that meet your specific needs.

Contact us with your inquiries: info@excelwater.com

aromatherapy

2010-05-25T15:04:00.001-07:00

Aromatherapy and Essential Oils Blog - AromaTalk « Using Aromatic Herbs | Main

May 23, 2010
Expand Your Aromatherapy Education
Much can be learned about essential oils and aromatherapy through the extensive array of aromatherapy books that have been published, AromaWeb, AromaTalk, the Web sites of AromaWeb's valued advertisers, aromatherapy organizations, blogs and networking with other aromatherapy enthusiasts through facebook or Twitter.

But...

The depth of information that you learn from these sources still isn't as expansive, focused or as complete as what you can learn through a more formal education in the field of aromatherapy. And it certainly isn't comprehensive enough to be able to pursue a formal career in the field of aromatherapy. In many ways, aromatherapy combines both science and art. Even if your interest in aromatherapy will not evolve into a professional pursuit, taking a course in aromatherapy can dramatically strengthen your knowledge within the many facets that aromatherapy entails. And if you do have desire to work within the aromatherapy field as a practitioner, education and training is an absolute must. A formal education in aromatherapy is also a tremendous advantage to those that aspire to become artisans, manufacturers or sellers of aromatherapy products.

Some schools and instructors provide their curriculum in a classroom setting. Some schools/educators plan their classes to accommodate students who must travel to the school to attend. Some also offer long distance or online programs for those students that do not reside in close proximity to the school.

For a list of aromatherapy educators, look to AromaWeb's Schools & Educators Directory, the National Association of Holistic Aromatherapy List of Approved Schools and the Alliance of International Aromatherapists List of Recognized Schools.

For more information on the ways to strengthen your knowledge of aromatherapy, view AromaWeb's Aromatherapy Education article.

Special Note to Experienced Aromatherapy Educators: If you do not already appear wtih within AromaWeb's Schools & Educators Directory, click here to learn how you can become listed.

Talk about this post and keep in touch with AromaWeb via facebook:

Posted at 08:39 AM in Advertiser Spotlight, Aromatherapy Tips | Permalink

Technorati Tags: aromatherapy, directory, education, essential oils, guide, instructors, learning, schools, training
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a0105362ffc06970c0133ee49c6c6970b

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Expand Your Aromatherapy Education:
CommentsVerify your CommentPreviewing your CommentPosted by: |

This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

Your comment could not be posted. Error type:
Your comment has been saved. Comments are moderated and will not appear until approved by the author. Post another comment
The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.
As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.
Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

Post a comment
Comments are moderated, and will not appear until the author has approved them.

Comment below or sign in with TypePad Facebook Twitter and more... You are currently signed in as (nobody). Sign Out

(URLs automatically linked.)

Your Information

(Name and email address are required. Email address will not be displayed with the comment.)

Name is required to post a comment

Please enter a valid email address

Invalid URL

Categories
Advertiser Spotlight
Aromatherapy News
Aromatherapy Tips
AromaWeb News
Books
Breast Cancer Awareness
Current Affairs
Essential Oil Spotlights
Gardening
General Wellbeing
Herbs/Herbalism
Nutrition
Ramblings
Seasonal
Skin Care
Spirituality
Web/Tech
Welcome
General Information
About AromaTalk
About AromaWeb
AromaTalk Policies and Terms of Use
Archives
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
More...
AromaWeb Advertiser Blogs
100PureEssentialOils.com

Aromaconnection

Aromahead

Australasian College of Health Sciences

Flower Power

Indie Business

Natural Beauty Workshop

Nature's Gift

Sacred Herbals

SunRose Aromatics

West Coast Institute of Aromatherapy

The Winged Seed

Your Body Needs

AromaWeb Advertisers:
Let me know if you would like me to link to your aromatherapy related blog.

Click here to discover the benefits and affordability of advertising on AromaWeb.

Follow this blog

Subscribe to
AromaTalk's Feed

pesticides

2010-05-21T21:21:00.001-07:00

EWG's list of non-organic pesticide content in produce (US-based)
Scientists have found that exposure to pesticide residues on vegetables and fruit may double a child's risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) a condition that causes inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity or a combination of all three in children.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between three and seven percent of school age children in the United States have ADHD, which makes them impulsive and impairs concentration in the classroom.

In the study, researchers with the University of Montreal and Harvard University tested the urine of more than 1,100 children, between the ages of eight and 15, looking for breakdown products of organophosphate pesticides. 119 of the children in the study had been diagnosed with ADHD.

"What we saw was that the higher the level of pesticide residues in the urine, the higher the risk of ADHD in the children," said Maryse Bouchard, who led the team of researchers.

Investigators found the risk of ADHD was almost double in youngsters with higher levels of the most common breakdown metabolite, compared to children with nearly undetectable levels.

Researchers say 40 organophosphate pesticides are registered with the U.S. government.

Organophosphates are among the most widely used pesticides by growers to protect fruit and vegetables. Studies have showed that organophosphates cause hyperactivity and cognitive defects in laboratory animals, as well as neural changes.

Bouchard, who is with the University of Montreal's Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, says she is not surprised by the finding, although she cautions it is too early to draw any firm conclusions.

"We can't affirm that exposure to pesticides is causing ADHD," she added. "We would need a different kind of study to say that."

Lynn Goldman is with the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health in Baltimore. Goldman says the use of pesticides, including organophosphates, is widespread in developing countries, where children are exposed to high levels of pesticides through farming.

"Those kids have much more serious, much more severe, neurological problems," said Goldman. "So, we do see evidence of effects in those populations globally."

Goldman says studies will probably now be conducted in other nations to determine how pesticides affect brain development in children.

A 2008 study of produce in the United States found organophosphate residues in 28 percent of frozen blueberry samples, 25 percent of fresh strawberry samples and 19 percent of celery samples.

The new study on pesticides and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder appears in the journal Pediatrics.

sleep

2010-05-18T15:15:00.000-07:00

11 Reasons Why You Absolutely Need More Sleep

There’s nothing better than that feeling of waking up completely and utterly refreshed. Feeling so good that you virtually spring out of bed, already enthusing about how marvelous the day ahead is sure to be.

Of course it’s a shame that the last time you woke feeling that way was on summer break in your college days, but hey - that’s the way it goes, isn’t it?

These days, sleep is little more than something that cuts into your every-day hectic schedule. Sure, you love going to sleep, and you definitely acknowledge that you need to sleep at least a few hours, but the reality is that you simply cannot prioritize it above everything else in your life. I mean, you're already behind on Twitter messages as it is.

Besides, you function extremely well on just 5 or 6 hours thank-you very much. In fact, you’re quite proud of it.

Well sorry to burst your bubble, but what if I were to tell you that lack of sleep is one of the Western world’s foremost reasons for increased obesity, heart disease, and diabetes? That it’s physiologically impossible for you to ‘get away with’ a lack of sleep? The truth is that what you in fact have is a very massive and very demanding sleep debt. And the interest is mounting.

It’s funny how you can start to make just a little more time for something when you truly believe and understand how important it is. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the foremost reasons for a good night’s sleep. Read these and you’ll soon realize that not only can sleep transform your weight and your health, it just might save your life.

1.Studies have shown that staying up all night long (being awake for 17 or more hours) can leave you with a reaction response comparable to that of an intoxicated person with a blood alcohol reading of greater than 0.5. This makes you a definite danger to yourself and to others. Of course this lack of physical and mental control does not simply ‘happen’ at minus 8 hours. For every hour you stay awake you decrease your ability to focus and perform throughout the coming days.

2.Insufficient sleep results in an incomplete hormonal cycle. This means your body cannot produce daytime hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline when it needs them first thing. As a result, you depend on stimulants to keep you going, and set yourself up for another poor night’s sleep. You can’t escape the always tired but always wired cycle you’ve set up for yourself.

3.A classic symptom of this ‘tired but wired’ cycle is not feeling hungry in the morning, or feeling nauseous when you do eat breakfast. Never imagine that this is a convenient way to save on time and calories – the food that you eat first thing stimulates your metabolism and aids in detoxification. Without a good breakfast to line your belly you set yourself up for low energy and poor eating patterns the rest of the day.

4.A poor sleep cycle causes your body to create patterns that will enable you to handle the ongoing sleep of your go-go-go lifestyle. One of these patterns is an excessive release of stress hormones such as cortisol – particularly in the evening. Stress hormones allow you to keep going, but they’re also the ones that keep you up at night, and what’s more - they signal your body to store fat. And that’s regardless of how you’re eating or exercising.

5.Physical patterns such as the release of stress hormones are just one part of the equation. The other thing you need to consider is the compensation patterns that you yourself end up creating. An extra coffee here, a few pieces of candy there, the decision to have that mid-afternoon muffin. When you’re tired your defenses are down and it’s easy to think that these little things don’t count. But they could be the one thing stopping you from losing weight and improving your health.

6.Speaking of sugar, those mid-afternoon cravings are not just in your head. When you don’t have enough sleep your brain continually sends out urgent messages for quick energy. This is a survival instinct – it’s all about keeping you as alert and focused as possible. Will power alone can’t override these cravings - not when you’re fighting your own physiology. This just makes it harder to stick to your healthy eating goals, and the sugar slump doesn’t do you any favors either. The really scary part is that these daily indulgences can mean the hormone named insulin is constantly elevated and you’re setting yourself up for possible diabetes.

7.In fact, it’s not just the mid-afternoon cravings that’ll get you when you’re tired. The truth is that you’ll find yourself eating far more on a daily basis, and that you’ll tend to do it all day long. Breakfast aside, no doubt. You’ll also tend to make poorer choices – more processed foods, more sugary sodas, more starchy carbohydrates or fried foods. And it’s pretty tough to escape this cycle when your eyes are stinging and your motivation is at an all-time low. Leading sleep researchers T.S. Wiley and Bent Formby, Ph.D, in their book ‘Lights Out: Sleep, Sugar, And Survival’ show a close connection between a lack of sleep and the increasing existence of obesity in our society.

8.One of the most unfair symptoms of sleep debt is that inability to wind down come evening time. Of course it shouldn’t really be much of a surprise – not when you’ve spent the better part of the day jacked up on caffeine and sugar. And even if you haven’t, your nervous system is in overdrive which keeps you buzzing all night long but leaves you groggy and useless in the morning. There’s only one way out of this mess, and it’s not more coffee.

9.Back ache, neck ache, tummy ache, headache … when you’re tired it sometimes just seems as though everything hurts. According to Paul Chek, H.H.P, as stated in his book “How To Eat, Move And Be Healthy”, physical repair takes place while you’re sleeping, and it happens in the first half of the night – around 10pm-2am. If you skip those vital first few hours and hit the sack post-midnight with the alarm set for 6 or 7am, your body simply cannot rejuvenate your muscle cells, or indeed any of your cells. This leaves you physically weaker and with constant ailments.

10.Of course you could try going to bed on time and getting up super-early if you still can’t afford yourself a full 8 hours, but according to Paul you’d then you’d be skipping out on crucial psychological repair. This takes place approximately between 2am and 6am, and is directly linked to your mental focus, your moods, and your ability to maintain a positive mindset. Imagine the effects of a lack of sleep over time – small wonder so many people find themselves heading down the dark road of depression or anxiety.

11.It’s pretty hard to climb off the wheel of life when you barely have the energy to get through the day. Missing out on sleep could be costing you a lot more than you realize if it means you’re stuck in the rut of your day-to-day life and simply can’t even begin to contemplate what it would take to make some changes. Whether it’s testing the waters for a new career or a promotion, ending or beginning a relationship, or even just trying out that hobby you’ve been shelving for so long, chances are it’s not going to happen when you’re frazzled and burnt out.
Missing even half an hour of sleep every night adds up to an impressive sleep debt of 182.5 hours per year. There’s no short-cut to paying of this debt, nor can you outrun it’s constant and grueling effects on your health. Next time you tell yourself that you can get by, stop and consider just how big your sleep debt is right now. And consider that the nights are dark for a reason, that your body sends you physical and emotional responses to tiredness for a reason. Maybe it’s time to listen to those messages and see just what you’re missing out on.

The good news is that increasing your sleep by as little as half an hour, or even 15 minutes, every night can immediately and drastically improve the way you feel and function. For most of us it’s not possible to drop everything and implement drastic change, but the benefits of sleep don’t have to be a case of ‘all or nothing’. Why not treat yourself to an extra half hour shut eye tonight and start to soak up the health rewards right away?

nutrients

2010-05-17T20:36:00.001-07:00

Do you like to keep up on nutrition, but are a bit puzzled sometimes about what you hear or read? Do you wonder what makes a carbohydrate simple or complex? Or what the difference is between a macronutrient and a micronutrient?

Know Your Nutrients
The body needs nutrients from foods and beverages for many vital functions including healthy growth and development, and smooth-running organs and body systems.

There are six types of nutrients: carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals and water. Carbohydrates, protein and fat are called macronutrients because our bodies need them in larger amounts. Vitamins and minerals are called micronutrients because our bodies need them in smaller amounts.

Learn more about each type of nutrient below.
Macronutrients - Maximize Your Knowledge
Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the body’s main energy source, supplying 4 calories per gram. Carbohydrates are found in many foods and beverages including cereal, bread, rice, pasta, milk, vegetables, fruits, fruit juices, table sugar and honey. Carbohydrates are built from sugar units, and are classified as either simple carbohydrates or complex carbohydrates.

Simple carbohydrates are made up of one or two sugar units. They are found in sweet foods and drinks such as fruits, fruit juices, sweetened cereals, desserts, soft drinks, jam, syrup and table sugar. Complex carbohydrates are made up of many sugar units. They are found in starchy foods such as cereal, potatoes, pasta, beans and vegetables.

Dietary fiber is a type of complex carbohydrate that passes through the body without being digested. Fiber is found in whole grain cereals and breads, dried beans and peas, fruits and vegetables.

There are two types of dietary fiber—insoluble and soluble. Insoluble fiber promotes regularity by adding bulk to the stool, which helps it pass more quickly through the body. Insoluble fiber is found in foods such as bran cereals, whole-wheat bread, fruits and vegetables. Soluble fiber slows digestion, which helps minimize spikes in blood glucose, and helps lower blood cholesterol. Soluble fiber is found in foods such as oatmeal, barley, beans, peas and many fruits and vegetables.

Health experts recommend getting 45 to 65 percent of daily calories from carbohydrates.

Protein

The body breaks down the protein we eat into amino acids, which build, repair and maintain body tissues. The body needs protein for healthy growth and development, and to make hormones, antibodies, enzymes and tissues. Protein is found in meat, poultry, fish, milk products, grains and beans, and supplies 4 calories per gram.

Health experts recommend getting 10 to 35 percent of daily calories from protein.

Fats

The body needs dietary fats for proper growth and development, a healthy nervous system and skin, to aid the absorption and transport of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K through the blood, and to store energy in the body. Fats are made up of a mix of saturated and unsaturated fats. All fats supply 9 calories per gram.

Saturated fats are solid at room temperature and mainly found in animal foods such as fatty cuts of meat, whole milk, cheese, ice cream, butter, cream and lard. Tropical oils (palm oil, palm kernel oil, and coconut oil) also contain higher amounts of saturated fat. Eating too much saturated fat increases risk of heart disease by raising total cholesterol and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol.

Unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature and mainly found in plant foods. There are three types of unsaturated fats: polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and trans fats.

Polyunsaturated fats are found in corn, soy and safflower oils, sunflower and sesame oil and seeds, walnuts, flaxseed, and fatty fish such as salmon. Monounsaturated fats are found in canola, olive and peanut oils, peanuts, almonds and avocados. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are considered healthful choices because they do not raise LDL cholesterol and help replace saturated fats in the diet.

Trans fats are formed when unsaturated liquid plant oils are partially hydrogenated, a process which makes them more solid and similar to saturated fats. Trans fats increase total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, and lower HDL (“good”) cholesterol.

•Health experts recommend getting 20 to 35 percent of daily calories from fats. Limit less than 10% of calories from saturated fatty acids and less than 300mg /day of cholesterol, and keep trans fatty acid consumption as low as possible.
Micronutrients - No Small Feat
Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients that are crucial to many body processes. Many vitamins and minerals are essential, meaning we must get them from food or a dietary supplement such as a multivitamin.

Vitamins are classified as water-soluble or fat-soluble vitamins. The body doesn’t store water-soluble vitamins—excess amounts are excreted in the urine—so, you need an adequate supply of these vitamins each day. The body does store fat-soluble vitamins, so regularly consuming excessive amounts can be toxic.

Water-Soluble Vitamins

•B vitamins
◦B1 (thiamin)
◦B2 (riboflavin)
◦B3 (niacin)
◦B6 (pyroxidine)
◦B7 (biotin—also known as vitamin H)
◦B9 (folate)
◦B12 (cobalamin)
•Pantothenic acid
•Vitamin C
Fat-Soluble Vitamins

•Vitamin A
•Vitamin D
•Vitamin E
•Vitamin K
Minerals are classified as macrominerals or microminerals (also known as trace minerals) based on how much or little the body needs.

Macrominerals

•Calcium
•Magnesium
•Phosphorus
•Sodium
•Potassium
Microminerals

•Cadmimum
•Chromium
•Copper
•Flouride
•Iodine
•Iron
•Manganese
•Nickel
•Selenium
•Tin
•Zinc
Water - Clearly Required for Good Health
Water is often called the “forgotten” essential nutrient, but is vital for our health. Water helps transport nutrients and oxygen to cells and carries waste products out of the body. It helps regulate body temperature, is part of most body fluids such as blood, sweat and tears, moistens body tissues in the eyes, mouth and nose, and cushions the organs and joints.

The human body is about 50 to 75 percent water, depending on age, gender, body composition, food intake, physical activity level and environmental factors such as how hot it is outside.

The body stays hydrated from the water found in fluids such as drinking water, milk, juice, coffee, tea and soft drinks. Many foods such as fruits and vegetables supply water, too.

Learn more about water intake guidelines from the Institute of Medicine’s recommendations for water intake for the general public, including children.

Yoga

2010-05-16T21:15:00.000-07:00

Yoga
Yoga is a Sanskrit word. It has many meanings. It is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj meaning 'unite'. Union of Jivatma (Individual soul) with paramatma (Universal soul or God) is called Yoga. Meaning of Yoga is very vast.

Yoga is associated with all the religions of India. Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism have adopted meditation practices of Yoga. Yoga is also one of the six Astika (orthodox) schools of Hindu philosophy. Texts on Vedas, Upanishads, Hindu Tantras and Buddhist Tantras have all extensively use the Yogic practices.

Major branches of Yoga are Jnanayoga, Bhaktiyoga, Karmayoga and Rajayoga. Veda and Upanishads are the source of Jnanayoga, Narada Bhaktisutra is a text on Bhaktiyoga, Bhagavadgita is an authoritative text on Karmayoga and Patanjala Yoga sutras on Rajayoga. Bhagavadgita covers all the major Yogas. Hathayoga is a major branch of Rajayoga. Hathayoga Pradipike, Shiva Samhita and Gheranda Samhita are the major texts on Hathayoga.

Now a days in West the word "Yoga" is more associated with physical exercises and yogasanas which have therapeutic use. The word "Yoga" is mainly associated with Hathayoga and Yogasanas(Postures). A beginner in the path of Yoga is called Yogarudha. An advanced practitioner of Yoga is called "Yogi"(masculine gender) and "Yogini" (feminine gender)

14 Myths About Fitness, Exercises And Workouts That Everyone Ought To Know

2010-05-15T12:39:00.001-07:00

14 Myths About Fitness, Exercises And Workouts That Everyone Ought To Know

Myths are stories, legends or invented explanations that are retold so often that they are accepted as truth. They should not be that way, and they have no place in any individual’s fitness routine. Below are 14 of the most common myths on fitness, exercises and workouts that you and I should know about.

1.When you stop working out, muscles will turn into fat
image source

It’s the most typical workout myth in the world. Muscle has never and will never turn into fat and neither does fat turn into muscle. During weight training, more energy is required, hence a bigger appetite. When a person stops working out, the need for extra energy stops as well. But because the stomach size has increased due to a bigger appetite, the need to feel full has become a habit. Those extra calories that were once used as fuel while training is now stored as fat. It may seem like the bulk of muscle has turned into fat, but the truth is that the body became fatter due to eating more than previously needed.

Be it protein or carbohydrates, both turns into fat when not used. Cutting back on training requires you to cut back on food consumption as well.

1.Food eaten after 8 at night will turn into body fat
image source

Not entirely true. For people who workout during the later part of a day, it is important to eat accordingly. Whenever there is a need for the body to repair and rebuild, fuel is needed and the body most actively repairs during during sleep. However, it is more important to eat healthier foods during the later part of a day like lean meat, unsaturated fats, vegetables and fruits to avoid the risk of unwanted fat deposits. Give the body at least 2 hours to digest the food before going to bed.

1.Six pack abs equal six hundred sit ups and crunches daily
image source

Everyone has six pack abs. Abdominal exercises do not lead to clearly visible six pack abs but fat reduction does. The first place that fat goes to in the body, is the last place fat comes off. Tummy for men and hips, butt, thighs for women. Spot reduction of fat has never and will never work. Here are some of the lesser known facts about losing weight that people ought to know about.

A six pack abs is a definite want for any man working out for it is a social muscle. Ab exercises will definitely strengthen and tone the abs but does not rid the fat. A better use of time would be to spend it on interval cardio sessions and making sure that proper food is fed to the body.

I actually have a personal digital body fat analyzer that I use from time to time that gives me a rough idea of my body’s current state. Accuracy may not be as good as a DXA but it’s good enough for me. You can easily get one at less than $US 10 from online auction sites like ebay.

1.Stretching and warm up isn’t necessary
image source

I hit the gym everyday. And everyday I’ll take up 10 minutes to stretch and warm up my body from head to toe. It is necessary to avoid sprains and injuries. Even after a good day’s workout, I stretch. It greatly reduces the severity of DOMS, delayed onset muscle soreness, which will be pretty much appreciated the morning after. Here are 20 more solid reasons why warm up and stretching is important.

1.Supplements will boost muscle growth and strength in no time
image source

There are only 2 ways to make the most gains in mass and might.

•A good training program.
•A well planned out diet.
Time and energy should be focused on the 2 methods mentioned above rather than on supplements that claim to be able to bring out the Arnold in you. Some supplements may have serious and irreversible side effects if taken wrongly. For example, steroids taken wrongly may lead to a loss of appetite, constipation, intestinal irritation, vomiting, nose bleeding, headaches, increased aggression and even liver cancer. It’s way better to attain the results we want naturally. Think safe, think long term. Our body’s health should not be taken lightly.

1.Weight training will make women look beefy
image source

To look beefy, you’d need testosterone. Lots of it. Hundreds and hundreds of nanograms per deciliter of blood. The average testosterone levels for a human being are :

•Male : 300-1,000 ng/dl
•Female : 20-80 ng/dl
Women just do not have the testosterone levels necessary to look like The Rock in Scorpion King. As a matter of fact, weight training is the fastest and easiest way for women to look leaner, sculpted and toned. Light to moderate weights and many repetitions are the most effective for toning and strengthening and make you look like Megan Fox in Transformers.

1.Vegetarians will not make it in bodybuilding
image source

It’s so wrong. There is Bill Pearl who won Mr Universe twice, first in 1953 kicking Sean Connery’s ass (6th), and in 1971 before retiring. 1951 Mr America, Roy Hilligenn is another perfect example who still looks young as hell at 77 years old. You can see more of today’s vegetarian bodybuilders at veganbodybuilding.com.

Vegetarians get their protein from nuts, seeds, cereals and legumes. B12 vitamin and iodin are 2 other essential nutrients available through seaweed.

1.Your body weakens with age
image source

It’s all in the mind. Think old and you’ll look old and act old. The fact is, body building doesn’t only improve your physique and rejuvenates your spirit, but also gives you a healthy perspective on people and the world around. Some of the older bodybuilders include :

•John Pasco, born 1928
•Bill Pearl, born 1930
•Steve Holt, born 1954
With regular exercise, weight training and a low-fat diet, you’ll gain increased energy levels, leaner body mass and an optimum body fat percentage. With the big 90 around the corner, people still do experience renewed strength, increased mobility, stronger bones and greater flexibility by exercising.

1.The longer time I spend at the gym, the fitter I become
image source

For me, it’s no longer than 60 minutes 3 times a week. The focus here is on efficiency and effectiveness like this super cool 15 minutes workout that works every muscle in your body. An average bodybuilder does not spend more than 1 hour working out. People who just don’t have the time to workout that much will lose interest and motivation to exercise, if the myth were true. The point is, any exercise, at all, done correctly is better than none.

1.If I don’t feel pain in the morning, I didn’t work out hard enough
image source

When we lift weights, our muscle fibers will tear a little. Muscle soreness is expected, but normally heals within a week. Anything more than a week is an indication of over working out. Committing to a fitness program will eventually lead the muscle into getting used to it. Changing a fitness program regularly will ensure that all muscles are worked on and experiencing growth.

However, what happens in the gym is only meant to PROMOTE muscle growth. The REAL process begins only when a person is RECOVERING. Pain should not be used as a measurement of a workout session’s effectiveness. Some soreness, yes, but not pain. Always remember to stretch before and after. Get enough rest and work on different muscle groups on different days. Rest a day if the muscles are still sore.

•shoulders
•upper back
•arms
•chest
•abs & lower back
•legs
1.Avoid drinking water when your body is over heated
image source

An average human body’s water content is 60% for men and 55% for women. In my body, 86 out of 143 pounds is water. If the body’s water content drops 5%, it’s already considered dehydration. An hour of vigorous exercise is enough to drain a quart (~1 liter). Drinking before, during and after is pretty important.

During exercise, muscles generate heat that will cause a rise in body temperature. This heat is doused by water when it is carried in the bloodstream and pushed to the surface as bullets of sweat. It continues to drain water from the body until it is replenished. Thirst is already a sign of dehydration. Drink a cup every 15 minutes. Keeps the muscles oiled and the body productive.

1.There is no need for doctors if I don’t plan on biting off more than I can chew
image source

If you have never done any resistance training before in your life and you’re above 40, it’s best to consult your doc. Go for a physical exam that examines the temperature, blood pressure, pulse and respiratory rate. Things that concern your cardiovascular fitness, blood cholesterol levels and medical history should also be taken into account. Ask doc about the best exercise given your medical profile.

1.The prime time for exercising and working out is in the mornings
image source

Correction. The best time to exercise is the time that works with the individual’s body clock and fits their busy days. People working out in the morning are more likely to stick to their fitness plans as they are able to get it in before the various demands of life compete for their time.

Many, many people believe that the best way to lose fat is to start pushing your body right after waking up in the mornings, on an empty stomach. I say no. Exercise is meant for toning the muscle and burning fat. Inability to draw energy from the main source will only force the body to go to other sources of energy, which are your muscles and fat. More muscles are used up as fuel as their composition is much simpler compared to fat.

1.It is okay to cover a week’s worth of workout during the weekend
image source

It’s also much better spreading a workout all over the week instead of pounding the body during weekends. A weekend warrior will lose out on other health benefits. Blood pressure and glucose levels are temporarily lowered during each exercise, which are beneficial in the long run. Exercising regularly also keeps a person’s appetite consistent.

Tips for Understanding Anxiety Symptoms

2010-05-10T20:46:00.001-07:00

Tips for Understanding Anxiety Symptoms

Anxiety attack is a serious medical condition that affects the lives of millions of Americans. The condition is characterized by an extreme onset of fear, anxiety and/or panic that usually lasts for several minutes. It can occur randomly or can be triggered by specific situations. In any case, identifying the symptoms of the condition is the first step towards a solution. Listed below are the common symptoms associated with anxiety attacks.

1. Difficulty speaking and concentrating. The person experiencing an anxiety attack or extreme anxiety typically has difficulty getting focused and speaking properly. They may stumble upon their words, stutter, and feel like they can't get their thoughts under control.

2. Chest pains or tightness. Someone who has a tendency of having anxiety attacks usually stops breathing properly. This can cause severe chest pains or tightness, difficulty swallowing, and from limited oxygen intake.

3. Agitated and overexcited. Those who always rush and are always hyper maybe suffering from anxiety disorder. They often feel that they cannot rest and so they keep on moving or working.

4. Tingling sensation in the hands and feet. This is a sign that indicates that a person is close to experience a panic attack. This is caused by a lack of oxygen circulating in the body due to shallow breathing.

5. Increased blood pressure and heart rate. Anxiety attacks cause an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. People describe the feeling as having a heart attack.

6. Food cravings. Sufferers of anxiety attacks may turn to food to alleviate their negative feelings. They often take-in foods rich in fats, carbohydrates, and sugar since these types of foods provide a temporary energy boost and relief to their ill feelings. However, the relief does not last long and it may even leave the sufferer worst off.

7. Fatigue and exhaustion. Anxiety attacks sufferers may feel constant fatigue since the condition causes a lot of stress to their minds and body. In addition, they usually cannot recover from the stress since they cannot get quality rest and sleep.

Anxiety symptoms vary from person to person, and may be more pronounced in some people than in others. The intensity and effects of an anxiety attack can occur based on the person's chemical makeup, frequency of other attacks, and other factors. Recognizing these symptoms as they happen can help to understand what is triggering an anxiety attack or general feelings of anxiety, and what needs to be done to correct the problem.

Anxiety usually affects all facets of a person's life. However, anxiety attacks can be treated with one or a combination of these options: behavioral therapy, lifestyle change, nutritional supplements and pharmaceutical drugs.

Millions of people suffer from panic disorders that can occur when in public or just travelling away from home. Now there is a drug free anxiety treatment that can help you to overcome the fearful thoughts that may lead to panic attacks.

quotes

2010-05-02T16:37:00.000-07:00

On this page you'll find favorite quotes.

• "What we think, we become." - Buddha

• "You can cheat an honest man but you can not make a fool out of him." - Confucius

• "Anyone willing to give up liberty in exchange for security deserves neither." - Benjamin Franklin

• "It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end." - Ursula LeGuin

• "I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul." - W. E. Henley (Invictus)

• "Dream is the spark of passion; talent is the firework of its expression; perseverance, the sacred fire of its accomplishment." - Daniel Chabot

• "I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it." - Thomas Jefferson

• "Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration." - Thomas Edison

• "Time isn't a commodity, something you pass around like cake. Time is the substance of life. When anyone asks you to give your time, they're really asking for a chunk of your life." - Antoinette Bosco

• "Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart." - Eleanor Roosevelt

• "Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence." - Helen Keller

• "Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly." - Robert F. Kennedy

• "The wise adapt themselves to circumstances, as water molds itself to the pitcher." - Chinese Proverb

• "Begin challenging your own assumptions. Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in while, or the light won't come in." - Alan Alda

• "To measure up to all that is demanded of him, a man must overestimate his capacities." - Goethe

• "Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness." - Chinese Proverb

• "No man is free who is not master of himself." - Epictetus

• "To talk much and arrive nowhere is the same as climbing a tree to catch a fish." - Ancient Chinese Proverb

• "One person with a belief is equal to a force of ninety-nine who have only interests." - John Stuart Mill

• "Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." - Albert Einstein

• "The simple function of man is to live, not just exist." - Jack London

• "Our greatest glory consists not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

• "Believe you can and you're halfway there." - Theodore Roosevelt

• "Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens." - J.R.R. Tolkien

• "Most of our obstacles would melt away if, instead of cowering before them, we should make up our minds to walk boldly through them." - Orison Swett Marden

• "Happy people plan actions, they don't plan results." - Dennis Wholey

• "Only those who dare, truly live." - Ruth Freedman

• "Obstacles are necessary for success... victory comes only after many struggles and countless defeats. Yet each struggle, each defeat, sharpens your skills and strengths, your courage and your endurance, your ability and your confidence and thus each obstacle is a comrade-in-arms forcing you to become better... or quit. Each rebuff is an opportunity to move forward; turn away from them, avoid them, and you throw away your future." - Og Mandino

• "Aim at perfection in everything, though in most things it is unattainable. However, they who aim at it, and persevere, will come much nearer to it than those whose laziness and despondency make them give it up as unattainable." - Lord Chesterfield

• "Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others." - Robert Louis Stevenson

• "When you have no choice, mobilize the spirit of courage." - Jewish proverb

• "All problems become smaller if you don't dodge them, but confront them." - William F. Halsey

• "You have not converted a man because you have silenced him." - John Morley

• "Without passion man is a mere latent force and possibility, like the flint which awaits the shock of the iron before it can give forth it's spark." - Henri-Frederic Amiel

• "Nurture your mind with great thoughts." - Benjamin Disraeli

• "Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still." - Chinese proverb

• "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

• "I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day." - E. B. White

• "Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power. If you realize that you have enough, you are truly rich." - Tao Te Ching

• "Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself." - Harvey Fierstein

• "If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all things." - Rene Descartes

• "The mind is owned by the self and can make a hell of heaven or heaven of hell." - John Milton

• "Our mind is capable of passing beyond the dividing line we have drawn for it. Beyond the pairs of opposites of which the world consists, other, new insights begin." - Hermann Hesse

• "The mind has exactly the same power as the hands; not merely to grasp the world, but to change it." - Colin Wilson

• "Allow yourself to be inspired. Allow yourself to succeed. Dare to excel." - Vince Dente

• "It ain't easy to get movers and shakers to believe in you until you have a track record. So go make your own track and build your own record." - Jack R. Stanley

• "To find yourself, think for yourself." - Socrates

• "A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself. What one can be, one must be." - Abraham Moslow

• "Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself." - Leo Tolstoy

• "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Sir Winston Churchill

• "Only those who attempt the absurd will achieve the impossible. I think it's in my basement, let me go upstairs and check." - M.C. Escher

• "Action is the fundamental key to all success." - Pablo Picasso

• "Great things are done by a series of small things brought together." - Vincent Van Gogh

• "If you stop searching, you stop living, because then you're dwelling in the past. If you're not reaching forward to any growth or future, you might as well be dead." - Wynn Bullock

• "Motivation will almost always beat mere talent." - Norman R. Augustine

• "Give to the world the best you have, and the best will come back to you." - Madeline S. Bridges

• "It takes a certain level of aspiration before one can take advantage of opportunities that are clearly offered." - Michael Harrington

• "Ambition is a commendable attribute, without which no man succeeds. Only inconsiderate ambition imperils." - Warren G. Harding

• "Everyone has a talent. What is rare is the courage to nurture it in solitude and to follow the talent to the dark places where it leads." - Erica Jong

• "The greatest thing a man can do in this world is to make the most possible out of the stuff that has been given him. This is success, and there is no other." - Orison Swett Marden

• "I learned that it is the weak who are cruel, and that gentleness is to be expected only from the strong." - Leo Rosten

• "Our plans miscarry because they have no aim. When a man does not know what harbor he is making for, no wind is the right wind." - Seneca

• "When written in Chinese, the word 'crisis' is composed of two characters. One represents danger, and the other represents opportunity." - John F. Kennedy

• "Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength." - Arnold Schwarzenegger

• "If you neglect your art for one day it will neglect you for two." - Chinese Proverb

• "On the human chessboard, all moves are possible." - Miriam Schiff

• "Patience and fortitude conquer all things." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

• "A man can succeed at almost anything for which he has unlimited enthusiasm." - Charles M. Schwab

• "You must accept that you might fail; then, if you do your best and still don't win, at least you can be satisfied that you tried. If you don't accept failure as a possibility, you don't set high goals, you don't branch out, you don't try – you don't take the risk." - Rosalynn Carter

• "If you have a 'why' to live by, you can live with any 'how'." - Nietzsche

• "It doesn't matter how much you want. What really matters is how much you want it. The extent and complexity of the problem does not matter was much as does the willingness to solve it." - Ralph Marston

• "You must be the change you want to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi

• "For a man to achieve all that is demanded of him he must regard himself as greater than he is." - Goethe

• "The secret of a leader lies in the tests he has faced over the whole course of his life and the habit of action he develops in meeting those tests." - Gail Sheehy

• "Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got a hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it onto future generations." - George Bernard Shaw

• "Following the Noble Path is like entering a dark room with a light in the hand; the darkness will all be cleared away, and the room will be filled with light." - Buddha

• "The truth is more important than the facts." - Frank Lloyd Wright

• "Veritas Lux Mea" - Latin Proverb, means "The truth is my light."

• "One never knows what each day is going to bring. The important thing is to be open and ready for it." - Henry Moore

• "Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean

• "Dreams do not vanish, so long as people do not abandon them." - Phantom F. Harlock

• "All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." - Walt Disney

• "Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal." - Ralph Vaull Starr

• "I prefer to be a dreamer among the humblest, with visions to be realized, than lord among those without dreams and desires." - Khalil Gibran

• "All people dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their mind, wake in the morning to find that it was vanity. But the dreamers of the day are dangerous people, for they dream their dreams with open eyes, and make them come true." - T.E. Lawrence

• "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." - Henry David Thoreau

• "Imagination rules the world." - Napoleon Bonaparte

• "The important thing is this: To be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become." - Charles du Bois

• "Reach high, for the stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal." - Pamela Vaull Starr

• "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

• "Yesterday is but today's memory and tomorrow is but today's dream." - Kahlil Gibran

• "All we see or seem is but a dream within a dream." - Edgar Allen Poe

• "Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one." - Albert Einstein

• "Art is a step from what is obvious and well-known toward what is arcane and concealed." - Kahlil Gibran

• "If being an egomaniac means I believe in what I do and in my art or music, then in that respect you can call me that ... I believe in what I do, and I'll say it." - John Lennon

• "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." - Henry David Thoreau

• "I learned that it is the weak who are cruel, and that gentleness is to be expected only from the strong." - Leo Rosten

• "The empires of the future are the empires of the mind." - Sir Winston Churchill

• "Everyone has a talent. What is rare is the courage to nurture it in solitude and to follow the talent to the dark places where it leads." - Erica Jong

• "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at best, knows the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat." - Theodore Roosevelt

• "Sooner or later we all discover that the important moments in life are not the advertised ones, not the birthdays, the graduations, the weddings, not the great goals achieved. The real milestones are less prepossessing. They come to the door of memory unannounced, stray dogs that amble in, sniff around a bit and simply never leave. Our lives are measured by these." - Susan B. Anthony

• "This above all; to thine own self be true." - William Shakespeare

• "The highest reward for a person's toil is not what they get for it, but what they become by it." - John Ruskin

• "The only Zen you find on the tops of mountains is the Zen you bring up there." - Robert M. Pirsig

• "If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is—infinite." - William Blake, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell

• "No matter how deep a study you make. What you really have to rely on is your own intuition and when it comes down to it, you really don't know what's going to happen until you do it." - Konosuke Matsushita

• "Temet Nosce" - Latin Proverb, means "Know Thyself."

Anger

2010-04-17T21:20:00.001-07:00

Strategies for controlling your anger
Everybody gets angry, but out-of-control rage isn't good for those around you, and it plays havoc with your own body. Here are some tips to help you 'simmer down.'

RelaxationSimple relaxation tools such as deep breathing and relaxing imagery can help calm down angry feelings. If you are involved in a relationship where both partners are hot-tempered, it might be a good idea for both of you to learn these techniques.

Some simple steps you can try:

Breathe deeply, from your diaphragm. Breathing from your chest won't relax you. Picture your breath coming up from your 'gut.'
Slowly repeat a calming word or phrase such as 'relax' or 'take it easy.' Repeat it to yourself while breathing deeply.
Use imagery; visualize a relaxing experience from either your memory or your imagination.
Non-strenuous, slow exercises such as yoga can relax your muscles and make you feel much calmer.
Practice these techniques daily. Learn to use them automatically when you're in a tense situation.

Cognitive RestructuringSimply put, this means changing the way you think. Angry people tend to curse, swear, or speak in highly colorful terms that reflect their inner thoughts. When you're angry, your thinking can get very exaggerated and overly dramatic. Try replacing these thoughts with more reasonable ones. For instance, instead of telling yourself, 'Oh, it's awful, it's terrible, everything's ruined,' tell yourself, 'It's frustrating, and it's understandable that I'm upset about it, but it's not the end of the world and getting angry is not going to fix it anyhow.'

Be careful of words like 'never' or 'always' when talking about yourself or someone else. 'This machine never works,' or 'You're always forgetting things' are not just inaccurate; they also tend to make you feel that your anger is justified and that there's no way to solve the problem. They also alienate and humiliate people who might otherwise be willing to work with you on a solution.

For example, suppose you have a friend who is constantly late when you have made plans to meet. Don't go on the attack; think instead about the goal you want to accomplish--getting you and your friend there at about the same time. Avoid saying things like, 'You're always late! You're the most irresponsible, inconsiderate person Iíve ever met!' The only goal that accomplishes is hurting and angering your friend.

State what the problem is, and try to find a solution that works for both of you; or take matters into your own hands. For example, you might set your meeting time a half-hour early, so that your friend will, in fact, get there on time, even if you have to trick him or her into doing it! Either way, the problem is solved and the friendship isn't damaged.

Remind yourself that getting angry is not going to fix anything, that it won't make you feel better (and may actually make you feel worse).

Logic defeats anger, because anger, even when it's justified, can quickly become irrational. So use cold hard logic on yourself. Remind yourself that the world is not 'out to get you,' you're just experiencing some of the rough spots of daily life. Do this each time you feel anger getting the best of you, and it'll help you get a more balanced perspective.

Angry people tend to demand things: fairness, appreciation, agreement, willingness to do things their way. Everyone wants these things, and we are all hurt and disappointed when we don't get them; but angry people demand them, and when their demands aren't met, their disappointment becomes anger. As part of their cognitive restructuring, angry people need to become aware of their demanding nature, and translate their expectations into desires. In other words, saying 'I would like' something is healthier than saying 'I demand' or 'I must have' something. When you're unable to get what you want, you will experience the normal reactions--frustration, disappointment, hurt--but not anger. Some angry people use their anger as a way to avoid feeling hurt, but that doesn't mean the hurt goes away.

Problem-SolvingSometimes our anger and frustration are caused by very real and inescapable problems in our lives. Not all anger is misplaced, and often it's a healthy, natural response to these difficulties. Some people have a cultural belief that every problem has a solution, and it adds to their frustration to find out that this isn't always the case. The best attitude to bring such a situation is to focus not on finding the solution but rather on how to handle and face the problem.

Make a plan and check your progress along the way. (People who have trouble with planning might find a good guide to organizing or time management helpful.) Resolve to give it your best, but also not to punish yourself if an answer doesn't come right away. If you can approach it with your best intentions and efforts, and make a serious attempt to face it head-on, you will be less likely to lose patience and fall into all-or-nothing thinking, even if the problem does not get solved right away.

Better CommunicationAngry people tend to jump to--and act on--conclusions, and some of those conclusions can be pretty wild. The first thing to do if you are in a heated discussion is to slow down and think your responses through. Don't say the first thing that comes into your head, but slow down and think carefully about what you want to say. At the same time, listen carefully to what the other person is saying and take your time before answering.

Listen, too, to what underlies the anger. For instance, suppose you like a certain amount of freedom and personal space, and your 'significant other' wants more connection and closeness. If he or she starts complaining about your activities, don't retaliate by painting you partner as a jailer, a warden, or an albatross around your neck.

It's natural to get defensive when you're criticized, but don't fight back; instead, listen to what lies beneath the words. Perhaps the message is that this person feels neglected and unloved. It may take a lot of patient questioning on your part to uncover this, and it may require some breathing space, but don't let your anger--or a partner's--make a discussion spin out of control. Keeping your cool can keep the situation from becoming disastrous.

Using Humor'Silly humor' can help defuse rage in a number of ways. For one thing, it can help you get a more balanced perspective. When you get angry and call someone a name or refer to them in some imaginative phrase, stop and picture what that word would literally look like. If you're at work and you want to call a co-worker a 'dirt-bag' or a 'single-cell life form,' for example, picture a large bag full of dirt, or an amoeba, sitting at your colleagueís desk, talking on the phone, and going to meetings. Do this whenever you want to call another person by a rude name. If you can, draw a picture of what the actual thing might look like. This will take a lot of the edge off your fury; and humor can often be relied on to help un-knot a tense situation.

The underlying message of highly angry people is 'Things oughta go my way!' Angry people tend to feel that they are morally correct, that anything blocking or changing their plans is an unbearable indignity that they should NOT have to tolerate. Maybe other people do, but not them.

When you catch yourself feeling that way, picture yourself as a god or goddess, a supreme ruler who owns the streets and stores and office space, striding alone and having your way in all situations while others defer to you. The more detail you can get into your imaginary scenes, the more chance you have to realize that maybe you are being a little unreasonable; you'll also realize how unimportant the things you're angry about really are.

There are two cautions in using humor. First, don't try to just 'laugh off' your problems; rather, use humor to help yourself face them more constructively. Second, don't give in to harsh, sarcastic humor; that's just another form of unhealthy aggression.

What these techniques have in common is a refusal to take yourself too seriously. Anger is a serious emotion, but it's often accompanied by ideas that, if examined, can make you laugh.

Changing Your EnvironmentSometimes it's our immediate surroundings that give us cause for irritation and fury. Problems and responsibilities can weigh on you and make you feel angry at the trap you seem to have fallen into, and all the people and things that form that trap.

Give yourself a break. Make sure you have some 'personal time' scheduled for times of the day that you know are particularly stressful. For example, a working mother might make a standing rule that when she comes home from work, the first 15 minutes will be quiet time. With this brief respite, she will feel better prepared to handle demands from her kids without blowing up at them.

Some other tips for easing up:

Timing. If you and your spouse tend to fight when you discuss things at night--perhaps you're tired, or distracted, or maybe it's just habit--try changing the times when you talk about important matters so these talks don't turn into arguments.
Avoidance. If you get furious every time you walk by your child's chaotic room, shut the door. Don't make yourself look at what infuriates you. Don't say to yourself, 'Well, my child should clean up the room so I won't have to be angry!' That's not the point. The point is to keep yourself calm.
Finding alternatives. If your daily commute through traffic leaves you in a state of rage and frustration, give yourself a project. Perhaps you could find a different route, one that's less congested or more scenic. Or find an alternative way to travel, such as taking a bus or commuter train.
Thanks to Charles Spielberger, Ph.D., of the University of South Florida in Tampa; and to Jerry Deffenbacher, Ph.D., of Colorado State University in Ft. Collins, Colorado, a psychologist who specializes in anger management.

Documents from APA Help Center may be reprinted in their entirety with credit given to the American Psychological Association. Any exceptions to this, including requests to excerpt or paraphrase documents from APA Help Center, must be presented in writing to Help Center and will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Permission for exceptions will be given on a one-time-only basis and must be sought for each additional use of the document.

Feel good

2010-04-05T22:10:00.000-07:00

Life on Purpose: 15 Questions to Discover Your Personal Mission

I believe that we were all sent here for a reason and that we all have significance in the world. I genuinely feel that we are all blessed with unique gifts. The expression of our gifts contributes to a cause greater than ourselves.

First, a personal story
Last year, I was running at full speed; chasing after my dream of money and ‘success’. However, I had forgotten why I was running. Luckily, I met Jim (not his real name). Jim had achieved all the financial goals I was reaching for. He had financial independence, several successful businesses, homes in multiple countries, and the luxury to afford the finest things money could buy. Through hard work, persistence and sheer action; he had made it! But, Jim was not happy. He did not have the free time to enjoy his wealth. He wanted a family. He wanted peace. He wanted to live his life… but he was not able to. He had too many responsibilities, too much to lose, and too many things to protect. He had spent years building his castle, and now that it is complete, he is spending his time keeping it from eroding.

Getting to know Jim was a life altering and eye opening experience. His words snapped me out of my state of ‘unconsciousness’. It became clear to me that, “I did not want to spend the next 10 years chasing after money, only to find that I’ll be back at the same place I am at today; emotionally, mentally, and spiritually”. My ‘chase’ came to a screeching halt, everything was put on hold, and I spent the next two months re-evaluating my life and purpose.

These questions were running through my mind:

What am I chasing after? Why am I chasing it? What is my purpose? Why was I put here?

While reading “E-Myth: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work“, I found myself in tears during the chapter on finding purpose. In that chapter, Michael Gerber asks the readers to do a visualization exercise. Through his guidance, he instructs you to vividly picture the day of your funeral. What do you want your eulogy to consist of? What would your lifetime achievements be? What would matter the most at the end of your life? Is it what you are doing right NOW?

I started writing. It began by listing all the things that are most important to me. I wrote down all the things I wanted to do. I re-visited my personal mission statement. I decided that whatever venture I commit to must align with my personal mission, my values and my goals. For every new opportunity that comes along, I would ask myself how it aligns with my goals. Regardless of how much money I could acquire, if the venture did not align with where I wanted to be, then I would not pursue it. Here is my personal mission statement:

“To Empower, motivate and inspire people to living happier and more fulfilled lives“.
Here are some of my values and goals:

What matters most is my connection with myself, being present and feeling blissful.
What I value most is having meaningful relationships with people. Being able to connect with people on deep levels.
I plan to be financially independent, and have control of my time and location. I plan to work only on projects and causes that I connect with. I plan to acquire my finances without violating my values, goals and personal mission.
I plan to travel and live in different parts of the world. Experiencing different cultures, documenting them in photographs and sharing them with others.
I will buy my mom a house in Vancouver with a ravine in the backyard. That’s a dream of hers and I’d like to fulfill it.
Having a family is important to me. I desire a deep, loving relationship with my spouse.
To live everyday fully as if it was my last.
15 Questions to Discover Your Life Purpose
The following are a list of questions that can assist you in discovering your purpose. They are meant as a guide to help you get into a frame of mind that will be conducive to defining your personal mission.

Simple Instructions:

Take out a few sheets of loose paper and a pen.
Find a place where you will not be interrupted. Turn off your cell phone.
Write the answers to each question down. Write the first thing that pops into your head. Write without editing. Use point form. It’s important to write out your answers rather than just thinking about them.
Write quickly. Give yourself less than 60 seconds a question. Preferably less than 30 seconds.
Be honest. Nobody will read it. It’s important to write without editing.
Enjoy the moment and smile as you write.
15 Questions:

1. What makes you smile? (Activities, people, events, hobbies, projects, etc.)

2. What are your favorite things to do in the past? What about now?

3. What activities make you lose track of time?

4. What makes you feel great about yourself?

5. Who inspires you most? (Anyone you know or do not know. Family, friends, authors, artists, leaders, etc.) Which qualities inspire you, in each person?

6. What are you naturally good at? (Skills, abilities, gifts etc.)

7. What do people typically ask you for help in?

8. If you had to teach something, what would you teach?

9. What would you regret not fully doing, being or having in your life?

10. You are now 90 years old, sitting on a rocking chair outside your porch; you can feel the spring breeze gently brushing against your face. You are blissful and happy, and are pleased with the wonderful life you’ve been blessed with. Looking back at your life and all that you’ve achieved and acquired, all the relationships you’ve developed; what matters to you most? List them out.

11. What are your deepest values?
Select 3 to 6 (See list of words to help you | list in pdf) and prioritize the words in order of importance to you.

12. What were some challenges, difficulties and hardships you’ve overcome or are in the process of overcoming? How did you do it?

13. What causes do you strongly believe in? Connect with?

14. If you could get a message across to a large group of people. Who would those people be? What would your message be?

15. Given your talents, passions and values. How could you use these resources to serve, to help, to contribute? ( to people, beings, causes, organization, environment, planet, etc.)

Putting it all together: Creating Your Personal Mission Statement

“Writing or reviewing a mission statement changes you because it forces you to think through your priorities deeply, carefully, and to align your behaviour with your beliefs”

– Stephen Covey, ‘7 Habits of Highly Effective People’

A personal mission consists of 3 parts:

What do I want to do?
Who do I want to help?
What is the result? What value will I create?
Steps to Creating Your Personal Mission Statement:

1. Do the exercise with the 15 questions above as quickly as you can.

2. List out actions words you connect with.

a. Example: educate, accomplish, empower, encourage, improve, help, give, guide, inspire, integrate, master, motivate, nurture, organize, produce, promote, travel, spread, share, satisfy, understand, teach, write, etc.

3. Based on your answers to the 15 questions. List everything and everyone that you believe you can help.

a. Example: People, creatures, organizations, causes, groups, environment, etc.

4. Identify your end goal. How will the ‘who’ from your above answer benefit from what you ‘do’?

5. Combine steps 2-4 into a sentence, or 2-3 sentences.

What is your purpose? What is your mission? We’d love to hear about your goals and aspirations. Please share with a comment!

SAD

2010-03-26T17:50:00.000-07:00

Seasonal Affective Disorder Sun Therapy

Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is a form of depression linked to lack of sunlight. Onset of symptoms occurs annually during winter months with more cases occurring in areas with longer and more severe winters.
Symptoms include low mood, feeling abnormally sad and weepy, hopeless, worthless and guilty, often with a preoccupation of death and dying. Concentration is poor and motivation is low with agitation, irritability, and restlessness. Sleep is difficult with delayed onset, early waking, and/or sleeping too much. Weight loss or weight gain is common. Physical symptoms are also prevalent and include headaches, generalized aches, pains, and lethargy. All symptoms of vitamin D deficiency.
Light therapy, UVB light, has been used successfully to reverse or diminish symptoms of SAD and to increase vitamin D levels. (Remember vitamin D is actually a hormone produced by the body after exposure to the sun).
Light therapy can be provided through artificial light—light boxes—or by the sun itself. Weather and work permitting, an hour or two in the winter sun, even on an overcast day, can produce benefits.
If you suffer from annual winter blues or from full-blown SAD, consider a move closer to the equator.
Posted by Theresa Snyder MS at Friday, March 26, 2010 0 comments Links to this post
Labels: SAD
Reactions:

Sunday, March 14, 2010
sites
1. http://www.naturalhealthremedies.org/
2. http://www.wethechange.com/24-powerful-relaxation-techniques/
3. http://www.reiki.org/reikinews/ScienceMeasures.htm
4. http://www.egreenway.com/wellbeing/breathing.htm
5. http://beatyourdepression.com/blog/recovery-from-depression/placebo-effect-may-influence-depression-treatment
6. http://www.healthandyoga.com/html/meditation/objectives.html
7. http://organiclifestylemagazine.com/blog/experience-with-natural-cures.php
8. http://www.holisticjunction.com/displayarticle.cfm?ID=8519
9. http://www.io.com/~podnet/herbal.html
10. http://www.reikithehealingpath.com/crystal_healing.htm
11. http://www.instructables.com/id/Grow-organic-food-without-spending-%24/
12. http://www.mindfulhealing.org/about.html
13. http://www.methodsofhealing.com/category/alternative-medicine/
14. http://www.herbalmanac.com/
15. http://www.massageandbodywork.com/Articles/FebMar2006/chair.html
16. http://aromatherapy4soul.wordpress.com/
17. http://massage.gems4friends.com/
18. http://eattasteheal.com/Ayurveda101/ETH_5elements.htm
19. http://www.energy-healing-info.com/
20. http://www.painrelief101.com/specific-conditons/back-pains/the-alexander-technique-for-back-pain.htm
21. http://www.wholehealthmd.com/ME2/Default.asp
22. http://www.acupuncture.com/qigong_tuina/eightextra.htm
23. http://altmedangel.com/library.htm
24. http://www.motherearthnews.com/Natural-Health/2006-05-01/Natural-Mosquito-Repellent.aspx
25. http://www.yogawiz.com/aromatherapy/aromatherapy-essential-oils/lavender-essential-oil.html
26. http://www.energy-healing-guide.com/qi-gong.html
27. http://www.alternative-medicine.co.cc/
28. http://acupressure.pfueller.net/
29. http://www.moonslipper.com/howtobalanceandhealyourchakras.html
30. http://www.crystallotus.com/Acupressure/001.htm
31. http://www.realcountrylife.com/cures.html
32. http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/2008/06/02/how-to-make-a-natural-first-aid-kit/
33. http://wholelifeessentials.com/
34. http://reiki.7gen.com/handpos.htm
35. http://naturalcurereviews.com/
36. http://www.pitt.edu/~cbw/herb.html
37. http://www.complete-herbal.com/
38. http://www.massagetoday.com/aboutmt
39. http://www.naturalelixir.com/frnt_herbs.html
40. http://www.aroma-pure.com/
41. http://www.forgottenmedicalcures.com/
42. http://www.herbaleducator.com/
43. http://www.wholehealthnow.com/homeopathy_info/history.html
44. http://www.reiki-for-holistic-health.com/reiki-healing-with-crystals.html
45. http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/womens_health/83603/1
46. http://www.oohoi.com/natural%20remedy/everyday_food/everyday_food.htm
47. http://www.eclecticenergies.com/acupressure/indexemotional.php
48. http://www.21st-apothecary.com/january2010/cancer-prevention-nutrition.html
49. http://www.bartenblends.com/
50. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_essential_oils
51. http://www.holistichearthealth.com/interaction.asp
52. http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/healthfreedomusa/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=7185
53. http://www.cancerplants.com/
54. http://herbalmedicine.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_make_an_herbal_tincture
55. http://www.herbmed.org/top20.asp
56. http://www.dreamingearth.com/recipes.html
57. http://www.ultimatewatermassage.com/massage-self-howto.htm
58. http://www.herbalshop.com/Acupressure/Acupressure_30.html
59. http://eartheasy.com/live_natpest_control.htm
60. http://www.herbalmanac.com/
61. http://www.holisticonline.com/Humor_Therapy/humor_therapy_benefits.htm
62. http://www.complementary-alternative-medicine.com/
63. http://www.naturalhealthremedies.org/
64. http://holistic-online.com/Herbal-Med/Remedies/hol_herbal-tonics-home.htm
65. http://www.wethechange.com/24-powerful-relaxation-techniques/
66. http://www.reiki.org/reikinews/ScienceMeasures.htm
67. http://aromatherapy4soul.wordpress.com/
68. http://massage.gems4friends.com/
69. http://www.energybalancing.com/health/breath.html
70. http://eattasteheal.com/Ayurveda101/ETH_5elements.htm
71. http://www.io.com/~podnet/herbal.html
72. http://www.reikithehealingpath.com/crystal_healing.htm
73. http://www.mindfulhealing.org/about.html
74. http://www.practicenaturalcures.com/2005/10/common-disease-therapy-with-raw-juice.html
75. http://www.methodsofhealing.com/category/alternative-medicine/
76. http://www.energy-healing-info.com/
77. http://www.simplynaturalorganic.com/book_vegies.html
78. http://www.musictherapymaven.com/
79. http://www.everydayhealth.com/alternative-health/the-basics/what-is-complementary-and-alternative-medicine.aspx?xid=su_generalwellness_alternativemeds
80. http://altmedangel.com/library.htm
81. http://www.magneticsolutions.com.au/reflexology.html
82. http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/15/100.cfm
83. http://www.meditationmindfulness.com/
84. http://www.alternative-medicine.co.cc/
85. http://www.natural-remedies-for.com/site-map/
86. http://acupressure.pfueller.net/
87. http://www.iarpreiki.org/
88. http://www.reikimedresearch.org/
89. http://www.g-jo.com/basic_gjo.htm
90. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/herbsataglance.htm
91. http://www.hkam.org.hk/temp/tcm-acupuncture.html
92. http://www.realcountrylife.com/cures.html
93. http://www.shen-nong.com/eng/front/index.html
94. http://www.herbaltransitions.com/BotanCom.html
95. http://guide2herbalremedies.com/
96. http://www.chinese-holistic-health-exercises.com/acupressure-for-feet.html
97. http://www.herbalshop.com/Acupressure/Acupressure_00.html
98. http://meditationforthemasses.com/does-compassion-meditation-prevent-heart-disease/
99. http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/2008/06/02/how-to-make-a-natural-first-aid-kit/
100. http://www.chioshealing.com/HealingLevel1/ChannelEnergy/channelenergy.htm
101. http://www.aromacaring.co.uk/free_stuff.htm
102. http://www.chopra.com/
103. http://www.findhealer.com/yellow/
104. http://www.herbalshop.com/footm/ftmassage10.html
105. http://www.watercure.com/wondersofwater.html
106. http://www.home-remedies-guide.com/
107. http://www.biopulse.org/color.html
108. http://www.thefrugallife.com/ants.html
109. http://www.intent.com/elisabethfayt/blog/awaken-your-own-healing-ability
110. http://www.altmedicinezone.com/herbal-medicine/create-your-very-own-backyard-pharmacy-the-10-most-useful-medicinal-plants-for-your-garden/
111. http://www.empowher.com/news/herarticle/2009/05/29/relieve-back-pain-acupuncture
112. http://med.stanford.edu/personal/pointfinder/acupoints.html
113. http://www.deeptrancenow.com/colortherapy.htm
114. http://www.tqnyc.org/NYC063364/beneficial.htm
115. http://www.innerrewards.com/topics/natural-remedies-cam/articles/ir-natural-remedies-for-anxiety-and-depression-468
116. http://ahha.org/ahhaarticles.asp
117. http://www.rickrichards.com/chakras/Chakras2.html
118. http://www.mommd.com/
119. http://www.internethealthlibrary.com/
120. http://www.nativeamericanbotanics.com/page_conditions.html
121. http://www.ahha.org/
122. http://www.holisticmed.com/
Posted by Theresa Snyder MS at Sunday, March 14, 2010 1 comments Links to this post
Labels: sites
Reactions:

Monday, March 1, 2010
Cinnamon
Cinnamon cinnamomum cassia
(Laurel Family)

A powerful digestive aid. Useful to stop uterine bleeding and to prevent heart attack. Also used for fibroids, indigestion, liver cancer, peptic ulcer and yeast infections.

The bark is used medicinally as an oil or tea.

Cassia or Chinese cinnamon comes from Burma, while true cinnamon is a native of Ceylon. Cassia is more pungent, while true cinnamon is more light and delicate; it's also more expensive than cassia. Cassia nips the tongue and is more suited to spiced meats, pilaus (rice or cracked wheat with boiled meat and spices) and curries, while true cinnamon is more desirable in sweet dishes, pastries, breads, and cakes. Cinnamon was included as a major ingredient in a "holy anointing oil" that Moses used.

In place of Listerine you can try another antiseptic mouthwash that really does "kill germs on contact." Half a teaspoonful of tincture of cinnamon added to half a tumbler of warm water makes an excellent mouthwash when the breath is unpleasant and the teeth decayed.

To make a tincture, combine 10-1/2 tbsp. powdered cinnamon in 1-1/4 cups of vodka. Add enough water to make a 50% alcohol solution. Put in a bottle and let set somewhere for two weeks, shaking once in the morning and again in the evening. Then strain and, pour the liquid into a bottle suitable for storage. This tincture will last a long time. One of the most delicious, if not helpful, remedies for acid indigestion, heartburn and cramps is to sprinkle a little cinnamon and cardamom on hot, buttered raisin toast and slowly eat, chewing thoroughly before swallowing.

To make an effective French folk remedy for colds and flues, combine 2 cups of water, a small stick of cinnamon and a few cloves together in a saucepan and bring to a slow boil for about 3 minutes. Remove and add 2 tsp. lemon juice, 1-1/2 tbsp. dark honey or blackstrap molasses, and 2 tbsp. good quality whiskey. Stir well, cover, and let steep for 20 minutes or so.

Drink 1/2 cup at a time every 3-4 hours. It's pleasant tasting and really breaks up the fever and congestion accompanying either the common cold or influenza.

An incredible experiment in the journal of Food Science for 1974 demonstrates the power of cinnamon over most yeasts and fungi. Slices of white, raisin, rye and whole wheat breads, manufactured without the usual mold inhibitors, were subjected to various aflatoxins, a group of toxic molds so dangerous that they can cause liver cancer and kill humans and animals alike. These toxins often occur in food.

The toxic molds grew like crazy on all of the other breads, except for the raisin bread where growth was described as being "scant or not visible at all." In trying to identify whether it was the raisins or cinnamon responsible for this, food scientists discovered that as little as 2% or 20 mg. of the spice per milliliter of a yeast -extract and sucrose broth inhibited 97 -99 per cent of these molds.

Cinnamon - delicious aromatic spice is a wonderfully warming and strengthening remedy to dispel cold, winter chills and a variety of conditions associated with cold, congestion and deficiency of vital energy. Cinnamon acts as a tonic to the whole system. A hot drink of cinnamon will stimulate circulation and cause sweating, preventing and resolving flu, colds, catarrh and other infections. Cinnamon helps to reduce fevers. Oil of cinnamon can be inhaled for head colds and chest infections. Its general warming and stimulating properties can give direction in the body by other remedies -such as thyme for bronchial congestion and infections, or blue cohosh as a uterine remedy to treat irregular and painful periods, heavy bleeding, uterine infections and vaginal discharge.

Cinnamon acts as a relaxant, reducing anxiety and stress, relieving cramp and colic. Eugenol in the volatile oil relieves pain, for example when used as a liniment for arthritis, to deaden the nerve in toothache and for such conditions as headaches, muscle pain and neuralgia.

Cinnamon warms and stimulates the digestive system, useful in weak digestion, colic, griping, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, wind and distension. The tannins have an astringent action, stemming bleeding in nosebleeds, heavy periods and resolving diarrhea and catarrhal congestion. When taken cold, cinnamon has been used to stop sweating.

Read more: Herbal Remedies ~ Cinnamon
Posted by Theresa Snyder MS at Monday, March 01, 2010 0 comments Links to this post
Labels: Cinnamon
Reactions:

Saturday, February 27, 2010
Your Brain
100 Ways You Can Tap Into More of Your Brain
Posted by Site Administrator in Features on 08 26th, 2009 | no responses
We’d all like to be more creative, insightful, sensitive and productive, but with all the chaos and stress in our lives, it’s tough to tune out the noise and meet our full potential. But with the right balance of meditation, exercise, diet and recreation, we can discover easy ways to tap into more of our brains. Keep reading for 100 more hacks.

Environmental

Tune into the world around you by using all of your senses, becoming a better listener and getting outside.

1.Listen: Becoming a better listener tunes your brain into all the little subtleties that define someone’s personality, a problem, and an experience. You’ll become more aware of your surroundings and natural trends, too.
2.Slow down: To prevent burn out, take a few minutes or a few days to slow down and relax your mind.
3.Guided visualization: This meditative practice can help your mind make connections between seemingly unrelated experiences or senses.
4.Get fresh air: Fresh air can boost brain power, focus and mood.
5.Get online: Internet surfing engages you mentally and physically as you click around pages.
6.Go for a walk: Explore your neighborhood in a new way by taking a walk and noticing new smells, scenes, textures and noises.
7.Identify your brain’s best hour: Studies have shown that older people think most clearly in the morning while younger people are more focused in the afternoon.
8.Smell natural scents: Natural scents like sandalwood increase oxygen flow to the brain.
9.Connect your memories to events, sense and old memories: By making connections between new memories and things your brain already recognizes, you’ll be able to remember them more easily.
10.Listen to classical music: A study involving people who listened to Mozart found that their brains were able to make complex connections faster.
11.Avoid neurotoxins: Pollution, certain food additives and other chemicals slow down your brain.
12.Learn to deal with stress: Stress complicates your brain’s ability to process short-term memory.
13.Observe something new every day: Each day, think of a new thing to observe, like the colors people wear or different smells.
Exercises

These brain teasers and tricks will keep your mind young and healthy.

14.Draw: Drawing taps into the right side of your brain, a side that many of us seldom use.
15.Streamwriting: Leonardo da Vinci’s streamwriting technique can help you tap into your subconscious.
16.Blind readings: This exercise can help you tap into your intuition and requires you to write three solutions to a problem you have on three different index cards. Turn them over and evaluate which one you’re most drawn to.
17.Play this or that: The this or that game requires you to make impulse choices based on your intuition or gut reactions to questions like "city or town" or "mountains or beach."
18.Self-massage: Use this acupressure exercise guide to stimulate your brain and improve concentration and memory.
19.Aerobic activity: Increase oxygen and blood flow to the brain and give your brain a rest by running, swimming or doing cardio.
20.Red-light Green-light: Associate red lights with no/false/stop and green lights with yes/true/go while asking yourself questions. You’ll learn to trust your intuition after you answer.
21.Dance: Dancing is a great form of exercise and challenges your brain to learn new routines.
22.Puzzles: All kinds of puzzles, including word puzzles, work your brain.
23.Get dressed in the dark: Neurobic exercises, like getting dressed in the dark, require you to use different senses for different activities.
24.Prepare a story: Think out a story that you’ll tell friends later in the day, and consider storytelling style, details, jokes and more.
25.Play trivia games: Read trivia blogs and play trivia games to practice learning simple facts.
26.Sudoku: Sudoku is actually one of the most powerful brain exercises out there.
Diet

Diet plays a big role in how our brains function, just like the rest of our bodies and organs. Add more of these foods into your diet for better brain power.

27.Blueberries: Blueberries, the most popular "brain food," support cell growth and have valuable antioxidants.
28.Red cabbage: Red cabbage contains polyphenols that improve brain function and protect against stroke and Alzheimer’s.
29.Kale: Three servings per day of dark green leafy vegetables like kale can slow cognitive decline by 40%.
30.Almonds: Almonds contain phenylalanine, which stimulates the brain’s ability to create dopamine, adrenaline and noradrenaline.
31.Walnuts: Another valuable nut is the walnut, which contains protein, omega-3 fatty acids and help relieve bad moods, appetite and insomnia.
32.Salmon: Salmon contains healthy fats from omega-3s that are incredibly beneficial to brain health.
33.Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt contains tyrosine which improves focus and mental alertness.
34.Green tea: Another popular brain food is green tea, which boosts alertness, dopamine production and helps the brain make connections.
35.Asparagus: One cup of asparagus contains 70% of your daily requirement for folic acid, which helps memory.
36.Strawberries: Strawberries are rich in powerful antioxidants that promote cells’ abilities to help the brain send messages.
37.Eggs: Eat eggs for protein and choline, which improves memory.
38.Thyme: A study using rats found that thyme helped the older rats’ brains operate more like younger rats.
39.Tomatoes: Tomatoes give your brain valuable carotenoids to help it stay young.
40.Eat low-carb: High-carb foods can make you feel sleepy and sluggish, especially if you eat carbs made of white sugars.
41.Eat: Studies show that anorexics’ brains are more preoccupied with perfection and practical details rather than creativity or impulse.
42.Caffeine: Caffeine helps you stay alert temporarily and helps prevent cognitive decline.
Sleep

Sleep is important if you want more energy, better focus and a higher brian performance.

43.Get up earlier: Wake up earlier to get a fresh start and give yourself more time to get ready without rushing.
44.Take a catnap: A catnap as short as 6 minutes may sharpen memory.
45.Sleep deeply: Allow enough time for your sleep to reach the REM cycle so that your brain can dream and make connections.
46.Stay on a schedule: A regular sleeping schedule will help you fall asleep faster and wake up easier.
47.Go to bed earlier: The first part of your sleep may help your brain the most, so allow for extra sleeping time at night, not the next morning.
Social Hacks

Did you know that hanging out with friends is actually good for your mood and your mind? Here’s how being social impacts your brain health.

48.Volunteer: Volunteering reduces stress and provides you with a social outlet for making new friends and learning something new.
49.Plan a party: Your brain will have to focus on new types of details, and you’ll also get a lot of beneficial social interaction.
50.Share stories: Help your brain make connections by retelling stories to friends.
51.Hang out with friends: Social relationships and activities, even just talking on the phone, improves brain cognition, keeps you sharp, and lowers stress.
52.Hold group discussions: Group discussions fulfill your need to be social and help you think of things in a new perspective.
53.Take a class with a friend: Learning something new with a friend can help you review facts later and supplement the experience.
54.Interact with everyone: Don’t be friendly with friends only: to get as much brain benefit as you can out of social interaction, say hello to neighbors and strangers, too.
Learning

Brains that are constantly learning something new are less likely to go into a decline as you age.

55.Take a class: Explore a new subject to exercise your brain while practicing skills like critical thinking.
56.Memorize a poem: Memorize a new poem each day and then recite it back to someone in the evening.
57.Read: Reading engages your mind, teaches you new things, and can help you become more intuitive.
58.Learn song lyrics: Look up lyrics to a song and then test yourself when it comes on the radio.
59.Brainstorm: Let your brain make its own connections before starting on a project in a more clinical way.
60.Strike a balance: Over analyzing a subject can actually hinder creativity, so give yourself a break.
61.Watch less TV: While there are educational programs on TV, you’ll learn more by engaging yourself in actual activities.
62.Write: Even if you don’t think you’re a writer, take a few moments each day to practice being creative.
63.Practice: Practice new skills to get your brain accustomed to new strategies.
64.Switch up what you read: Read a science or travel magazine instead of a mystery novel to challenge your brain.
65.Try everything: Even if you think it’s a dumb idea, trying all solutions to a problem helps you stay creative.
66.Take notes: Take notes even if you’re not going to be quizzed later, as this practice helps you remember facts as well as your feelings about a subject.
67.Ask more questions: Asking questions keeps you engaged and helps you remember.
Habits

Consider these habits for better brain health.

68.Breathe deeply: Increase oxygen flow to your brain by breathing deeply.
69.Meditate: Clear your head and learn how to really connect yourself to the present moment through meditation.
70.Use your fingers more: Engage your fingers by using chopsticks, writing with a pen instead of the computer, or roll a pen through your fingers to stimulate your brain.
71.Take care of your teeth: Gingivits and poor oral health can contribute to cognitive decline.
72.Make lists: Lists help you make connections, analyze your tasks in a visual way and help memory.
73.Keep things varied: Don’t fall into a routine with your food, schedule, movie choices or hang-out spots.
74.Quit smoking: Nicotine reduces brain function by constricting blood flow to the brain.
75.Drink less alcohol: Alcohol doesn’t just impair your mind temporarily: frequent drinking can lead to cognitive decline in the long term, too.
76.Trust yourself: Tap into your intuition and natural brain power by trusting your instincts.
77.Write things down: The actual process of writing things down helps you remember them.
78.Keep a journal: Help your brain make connections at the end of the day by keeping a journal.
79.Translate: If you speak another language or are at least learning one, try translating past conversations, TV scenes and signs into the other language.
Challenges

Keep your brain sharp by testing it as much as you can.

80.Use your other hand: Make your brain concentrate on an activity it usually does involuntarily.
81.Travel: Traveling opens up your brain to all kinds of new challenges, smells, sights, noises and experiences.
82.Play Scrabble: Tricky games like Scrabble that require you to make connections and find solutions are good challenges for your brain.
83.Try to remember: By recalling facts, specific details and conversations from the last couple of days, you’ll work out your brain.
84.Drive a different route to work: Switch up your regular routine to make your brain work a little harder. Test yourself on the way home.
85.Take on extra responsibility: Instead of delegating a hard task to a subordinate, do it yourself to engage your brain.
86.Memorize phone numbers: Trying to remember a series of numbers gives your brain a good work out.
87.Rearrange your furniture: It’s amazing how accustomed your brain can become to an environment, but if you rearrange it, you’ll be challenged every time you walk into the room.
88.Do your errands on a different day: Break the routine by running your errands on a different day of the week.
89.Interview people: Interview people about their jobs and relationships to keep things fresh and continue learning.
90.Add in the physical aspect: Your brain becomes more engaged when you combine the mental with the physical, so practice a pen trick while you read.
91.Take a test: Take a test on any subject to find out your weaknesses and how you can improve upon them.
92.Use new media to interact: If you only talk to your parents on the phone, try using IM or Facebook chat every once in a while for a different experience.
93.Memorize names: At a party or other social event, try to remember all of the names of the people you just met, in the same order.
Vitamins

Add these vitamins to your diet for better brain power.

94.Vitamin E: Vitamin E can prevent Alzheimer’s.
95.Vitamin B: Vitamin B12 can prevent brain shrinkage in older individuals.
Wellness

These healthy living hacks will keep your mind sharp well into old age.

96.Stay healthy: Eating too much saturated fat and developing Type II diabetes can actually hurt your brain, too.
97.Keep your energy up: Exercise and eat healthy foods to stay energized and focused.
98.Practice good heart health: Heart-healthy foods and activities are also good for your brain.
99.Try natural remedies when you’re sick: To avoid side effects like cloudiness and more serious issues, ask your doctor about natural remedies.
100.Wear a helmet: Each concussion can greatly increase your chances of dementia.
Posted by Theresa Snyder MS at Saturday, February 27, 2010 0 comments Links to this post
Labels: Your mind
Reactions:

Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Grounding
Art of Grounding
So many of us in the modern day become so wrapped up in our lives, that we forget to pay attention to the little details that can truly enrich our daily experiences. Our attention is often occupied by events that happened last week, month or year, or even by worries of what will happen tomorrow, next Tuesday or even next month. We forget or may never realize that the greatest power we hold is in the moment.

One way to come back to the present is to ground oneself. Grounding is, in effect, being completely in your body (aware of physical sensations), and being present mentally and emotionally. Aside from the health benefits grounding provides (such as stress relief), you'll feel lighter and more in control of your environment. There are numerous ways to ground - the important thing is to find a method that truly works for you. I've included two ways you can experiment with: Tree Hugging , and Visualization Meditation.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hug a Tree
This exercise will require a nice looking tree that you wouldn't mind putting your arms around, as well as some privacy, if you're the type to feel self conscious hugging a tree in public (you can also sit at the base of the tree, or lean your back against the trunk). When you have found yourself a good tree, wrap your arms are around the trunk. Close your eyes and take at least three deep breaths, loosening your muscles at the same time.

Position your feet so that they are flat on the ground. If possible, remove your shoes so your feet are making contact with the earth; this will aid in your grounding process. Acknowledge any negativity you may have stored in your system - thoughts of worry, anxiety, past hurts, grudges, other people's energies, physical pain, etc., and then one by one, release them into the earth, watching them sink deep into the soil beneath you. Imagine that energy being soaked up and neutralized by the earth's healing energies.

When you're ready, imagine the healing energy of the earth begin rising up through the soles of your feet; you can imagine this energy as having a color, even a certain texture. Feel this energy rising up through your limbs, into your torso, arms, shoulders, neck and your head, and then out through the crown of your head.

Next, visualize pure healing white light from the universe streaming down into you through the crown of your head. Imagine this light flowing throughout your body, and sink into the ground through the soles of your feet. See the two energies mixing within your body, harmonizing and balancing your energies. Allow both energies to run for a few minutes.

Don't forget to breathe deeply and slowly while you're doing this. You might feel tingling, buzzing, warmth or energy coursing through your body, all of which is normal. If you find yourself getting dizzy, slow down the energy flow, and take it easy for a few minutes. Slowly bring yourself back to the present, and detach yourself from the tree gently. Thank the tree for its assistance, as well as Mother Earth for her healing and loving energies.

Meditation Visualization
You may do this excercise standing or sitting on a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Begin by breathing into your muscles, bones and organs until you are feeling calm and quiet. Bring your attention to the soles of your feet as you imagine roots growing out from them and extending slowly through the floor and into the earth. Watch them move deeper and deeper into the earth until they hit the magnetic core center.

Allow your body to feel the effects of gravity as it gets heavier and pulls you down, draining any tension, stress, negative emotions and energies out of your system. Let them sink into the earth through your roots and continue to breathe deeply. Instead of forcing your breath, allow your breath to breathe you.

Now that you are completely relaxed, slowly imagine a ball of healing earth energy gathering at the end of your roots, and see it moving through your roots towards your feet. Allow as much time as you need in order to visualize this ball of energy reaching the soles of your feet. Feel it traveling up through your limbs and into your abdomen and let it pause there for a moment.

Take some time to get used to this energy and observe its physical, emotional and mental effects on you. Explore the texture of this energy, and the colors that may accompany it. Immerse yourself in this feeling, and when you're ready, visualize this ball of energy expanding slowly until you are completely enveloped by it, like a bubble.

Let this ball continue to grow until it reaches about three to four feet from your physical body. Soak in the healing energies and know that you are safe and in control of your environment. You may stay in this state for as long as you need.

When you're ready, slowly wiggle your toes; rock your feet side to side, back and forth gently, until you can easily lift your feet up. Imagine those roots you just planted into the earth gently dislodging from your feet. Gently bring the rest of your body back to the present by wiggling and stretching them. Thank the Mother Earth for sharing her healing energies with you.

Welcome back!
Posted by Theresa Snyder MS at Tuesday, February 23, 2010 0 comments Links to this post
Labels: grounding
Reactions:

mornings
How to be Happy First Thing in the Morning
by William McCamment on July 10, 2009

I have discovered the secret to being happy first thing in the morning and, surprisingly, it has nothing to do with getting to work early and hiding a family of radioactive badgers under your boss’ desk.

I’m always happy in the morning–even when I lived in Wisconsin and had to get up at 2:30 a.m. so I could have time to scrape ice off my 1988 Nissan Pulsar and drive 60 miles through nearly-fictional weather in order to get to my crummy little job.

I realize I’m probably not normal, but here are a few things I’ve learned that should help most people reduce their morning grumpiness:

1. Give Yourself Extra Time And Do Something Fun In The Morning

I know a lot of you would rather be mauled by dingos than have to get up any earlier, but giving yourself extra time in the morning will take that “rushed” feeling away and reduce the tension level by several degrees. I give myself a full hour before I even have to start getting ready. Usually, I spend it relaxing with a large cup of coffee and plotting a bank heist surfing the internet.

2. Learn To Get Up Before The Alarm Goes Off

Waking up to a screeching alarm is the surest way to inspire a killing spree. I’ve trained myself to wake up an hour before the alarm goes off and, seriously, it is the best advice in this whole article (don’t forget to shut off the alarm when you get out of bed though!).

3. Avoid Chore-Style Work First Thing In The Morning

Sure, you’ll have to feed the cats to stop their relentless yowling, but doing things like answering emails or shellacking patio furniture is way too much like work. Engage only in mindless, low-level activities such as watching squirrel videos or reading Dead Rooster.

4. Stay Away From The News

Trust me, if the world was vaporized by a runaway asteroid, someone would have told you.

5. Do Something Nice For A Random Person

Look for an opportunity to do something nice for someone. This is not only one of the most uplifting things you can do for yourself, but it might even cause a chain-reaction brightening the days of dozens of people you’ll never even meet. Give it a try and see how good it makes you feel.

Being happy first thing in the morning is important because it sets the tone for your entire day. Work on the morning and, I promise you, the rest of your day will have a much better chance of turning out great
Posted by Theresa Snyder MS at Tuesday, February 23, 2010 0 comments Links to this post
Labels: mornings
Reactions:

Saturday, February 13, 2010
humor
Research results indicate that, after exposure to humor, there is a general increase in activity within the immune system, including: An increase in the number and activity level of natural killer cells that attack viral infected cells and some types of cancer and tumor cells.
An increase in activated T cells (T lymphocytes). There are many T cells that await activation. Laughter appears to tell the immune system to "turn it up a notch."
An increase in the antibody IgA (immunoglobulin A), which fights upper respiratory tract insults and infections.
An increase in gamma interferon, which tells various components of the immune system to "turn on."
An increase in IgB, the immunoglobulin produced in the greatest quantity in body, as well as an increase in Complement 3, which helps antibodies to pierce dysfunctional or infected cells. The increase in both substances was not only present while subjects watched a humor video; there also was a lingering effect that continued to show increased levels the next day.

Laughter Decreases "Stress" Hormones

The results of the study also supported research indicating a general decrease in stress hormones that constrict blood vessels and suppress immune activity. These were shown to decrease in the study group exposed to humor.

For example, levels of epinephrine were lower in the group both in anticipation of humor and after exposure to humor. Epinephrine levels remained down throughout the experiment.

In addition, dopamine levels (as measured by dopac) were also decreased. Dopamine is involved in the "fight or flight response" and is associated with elevated blood pressure.

Laughing is aerobic, providing a workout for the diaphragm and increasing the body's ability to use oxygen.

Laughter brings in positive emotions that can enhance – not replace -- conventional treatments. Hence it is another tool available to help fight the disease.

Experts believe that, when used as an adjunct to conventional care, laughter can reduce pain and aid the healing process. For one thing, laughter offers a powerful distraction from pain.

In a study published in the Journal of Holistic Nursing, patients were told one-liners after surgery and before painful medication was administered. Those exposed to humor perceived less pain when compared to patients who didn't get a dose of humor as part of their therapy.

Perhaps, the biggest benefit of laughter is that it is free and has no known negative side effects.

So, here is a summary of how humor contributes to physical health. More details can be found in the article, Humor and Health contributed by Paul McGhee

Muscle Relaxation - Belly laugh results in muscle relaxation. While you laugh, the muscles that do not participate in the belly laugh, relaxes. After you finish laughing those muscles involved in the laughter start to relax. So, the action takes place in two stages.

Reduction of Stress Hormones - Laughter reduces at least four of neuroendocrine hormones associated with stress response. These are epinephrine, cortisol, dopac, and growth hormone.

Immune System Enhancement - Clinical studies have shown that humor strengthens the immune system.

Pain Reduction - Humor allows a person to "forget" about pains such as aches, arthritis, etc.

Cardiac Exercise - A belly laugh is equivalent to "an internal jogging." Laughter can provide good cardiac conditioning especially for those who are unable to perform physical exercises.

sites

2010-03-14T18:33:00.001-07:00

1. http://www.naturalhealthremedies.org/
2. http://www.wethechange.com/24-powerful-relaxation-techniques/
3. http://www.reiki.org/reikinews/ScienceMeasures.htm
4. http://www.egreenway.com/wellbeing/breathing.htm
5. http://beatyourdepression.com/blog/recovery-from-depression/placebo-effect-may-influence-depression-treatment
6. http://www.healthandyoga.com/html/meditation/objectives.html
7. http://organiclifestylemagazine.com/blog/experience-with-natural-cures.php
8. http://www.holisticjunction.com/displayarticle.cfm?ID=8519
9. http://www.io.com/~podnet/herbal.html
10. http://www.reikithehealingpath.com/crystal_healing.htm
11. http://www.instructables.com/id/Grow-organic-food-without-spending-%24/
12. http://www.mindfulhealing.org/about.html
13. http://www.methodsofhealing.com/category/alternative-medicine/
14. http://www.herbalmanac.com/
15. http://www.massageandbodywork.com/Articles/FebMar2006/chair.html
16. http://aromatherapy4soul.wordpress.com/
17. http://massage.gems4friends.com/
18. http://eattasteheal.com/Ayurveda101/ETH_5elements.htm
19. http://www.energy-healing-info.com/
20. http://www.painrelief101.com/specific-conditons/back-pains/the-alexander-technique-for-back-pain.htm
21. http://www.wholehealthmd.com/ME2/Default.asp
22. http://www.acupuncture.com/qigong_tuina/eightextra.htm
23. http://altmedangel.com/library.htm
24. http://www.motherearthnews.com/Natural-Health/2006-05-01/Natural-Mosquito-Repellent.aspx
25. http://www.yogawiz.com/aromatherapy/aromatherapy-essential-oils/lavender-essential-oil.html
26. http://www.energy-healing-guide.com/qi-gong.html
27. http://www.alternative-medicine.co.cc/
28. http://acupressure.pfueller.net/
29. http://www.moonslipper.com/howtobalanceandhealyourchakras.html
30. http://www.crystallotus.com/Acupressure/001.htm
31. http://www.realcountrylife.com/cures.html
32. http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/2008/06/02/how-to-make-a-natural-first-aid-kit/
33. http://wholelifeessentials.com/
34. http://reiki.7gen.com/handpos.htm
35. http://naturalcurereviews.com/
36. http://www.pitt.edu/~cbw/herb.html
37. http://www.complete-herbal.com/
38. http://www.massagetoday.com/aboutmt
39. http://www.naturalelixir.com/frnt_herbs.html
40. http://www.aroma-pure.com/
41. http://www.forgottenmedicalcures.com/
42. http://www.herbaleducator.com/
43. http://www.wholehealthnow.com/homeopathy_info/history.html
44. http://www.reiki-for-holistic-health.com/reiki-healing-with-crystals.html
45. http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/womens_health/83603/1
46. http://www.oohoi.com/natural%20remedy/everyday_food/everyday_food.htm
47. http://www.eclecticenergies.com/acupressure/indexemotional.php
48. http://www.21st-apothecary.com/january2010/cancer-prevention-nutrition.html
49. http://www.bartenblends.com/
50. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_essential_oils
51. http://www.holistichearthealth.com/interaction.asp
52. http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/healthfreedomusa/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=7185
53. http://www.cancerplants.com/
54. http://herbalmedicine.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_make_an_herbal_tincture
55. http://www.herbmed.org/top20.asp
56. http://www.dreamingearth.com/recipes.html
57. http://www.ultimatewatermassage.com/massage-self-howto.htm
58. http://www.herbalshop.com/Acupressure/Acupressure_30.html
59. http://eartheasy.com/live_natpest_control.htm
60. http://www.herbalmanac.com/
61. http://www.holisticonline.com/Humor_Therapy/humor_therapy_benefits.htm
62. http://www.complementary-alternative-medicine.com/
63. http://www.naturalhealthremedies.org/
64. http://holistic-online.com/Herbal-Med/Remedies/hol_herbal-tonics-home.htm
65. http://www.wethechange.com/24-powerful-relaxation-techniques/
66. http://www.reiki.org/reikinews/ScienceMeasures.htm
67. http://aromatherapy4soul.wordpress.com/
68. http://massage.gems4friends.com/
69. http://www.energybalancing.com/health/breath.html
70. http://eattasteheal.com/Ayurveda101/ETH_5elements.htm
71. http://www.io.com/~podnet/herbal.html
72. http://www.reikithehealingpath.com/crystal_healing.htm
73. http://www.mindfulhealing.org/about.html
74. http://www.practicenaturalcures.com/2005/10/common-disease-therapy-with-raw-juice.html
75. http://www.methodsofhealing.com/category/alternative-medicine/
76. http://www.energy-healing-info.com/
77. http://www.simplynaturalorganic.com/book_vegies.html
78. http://www.musictherapymaven.com/
79. http://www.everydayhealth.com/alternative-health/the-basics/what-is-complementary-and-alternative-medicine.aspx?xid=su_generalwellness_alternativemeds
80. http://altmedangel.com/library.htm
81. http://www.magneticsolutions.com.au/reflexology.html
82. http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/15/100.cfm
83. http://www.meditationmindfulness.com/
84. http://www.alternative-medicine.co.cc/
85. http://www.natural-remedies-for.com/site-map/
86. http://acupressure.pfueller.net/
87. http://www.iarpreiki.org/
88. http://www.reikimedresearch.org/
89. http://www.g-jo.com/basic_gjo.htm
90. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/herbsataglance.htm
91. http://www.hkam.org.hk/temp/tcm-acupuncture.html
92. http://www.realcountrylife.com/cures.html
93. http://www.shen-nong.com/eng/front/index.html
94. http://www.herbaltransitions.com/BotanCom.html
95. http://guide2herbalremedies.com/
96. http://www.chinese-holistic-health-exercises.com/acupressure-for-feet.html
97. http://www.herbalshop.com/Acupressure/Acupressure_00.html
98. http://meditationforthemasses.com/does-compassion-meditation-prevent-heart-disease/
99. http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/2008/06/02/how-to-make-a-natural-first-aid-kit/
100. http://www.chioshealing.com/HealingLevel1/ChannelEnergy/channelenergy.htm
101. http://www.aromacaring.co.uk/free_stuff.htm
102. http://www.chopra.com/
103. http://www.findhealer.com/yellow/
104. http://www.herbalshop.com/footm/ftmassage10.html
105. http://www.watercure.com/wondersofwater.html
106. http://www.home-remedies-guide.com/
107. http://www.biopulse.org/color.html
108. http://www.thefrugallife.com/ants.html
109. http://www.intent.com/elisabethfayt/blog/awaken-your-own-healing-ability
110. http://www.altmedicinezone.com/herbal-medicine/create-your-very-own-backyard-pharmacy-the-10-most-useful-medicinal-plants-for-your-garden/
111. http://www.empowher.com/news/herarticle/2009/05/29/relieve-back-pain-acupuncture
112. http://med.stanford.edu/personal/pointfinder/acupoints.html
113. http://www.deeptrancenow.com/colortherapy.htm
114. http://www.tqnyc.org/NYC063364/beneficial.htm
115. http://www.innerrewards.com/topics/natural-remedies-cam/articles/ir-natural-remedies-for-anxiety-and-depression-468
116. http://ahha.org/ahhaarticles.asp
117. http://www.rickrichards.com/chakras/Chakras2.html
118. http://www.mommd.com/
119. http://www.internethealthlibrary.com/
120. http://www.nativeamericanbotanics.com/page_conditions.html
121. http://www.ahha.org/
122. http://www.holisticmed.com/

Cinnamon

2010-03-01T20:27:00.001-08:00

Cinnamon cinnamomum cassia
(Laurel Family)

A powerful digestive aid. Useful to stop uterine bleeding and to prevent heart attack. Also used for fibroids, indigestion, liver cancer, peptic ulcer and yeast infections.

The bark is used medicinally as an oil or tea.

Cassia or Chinese cinnamon comes from Burma, while true cinnamon is a native of Ceylon. Cassia is more pungent, while true cinnamon is more light and delicate; it's also more expensive than cassia. Cassia nips the tongue and is more suited to spiced meats, pilaus (rice or cracked wheat with boiled meat and spices) and curries, while true cinnamon is more desirable in sweet dishes, pastries, breads, and cakes. Cinnamon was included as a major ingredient in a "holy anointing oil" that Moses used.

In place of Listerine you can try another antiseptic mouthwash that really does "kill germs on contact." Half a teaspoonful of tincture of cinnamon added to half a tumbler of warm water makes an excellent mouthwash when the breath is unpleasant and the teeth decayed.

To make a tincture, combine 10-1/2 tbsp. powdered cinnamon in 1-1/4 cups of vodka. Add enough water to make a 50% alcohol solution. Put in a bottle and let set somewhere for two weeks, shaking once in the morning and again in the evening. Then strain and, pour the liquid into a bottle suitable for storage. This tincture will last a long time. One of the most delicious, if not helpful, remedies for acid indigestion, heartburn and cramps is to sprinkle a little cinnamon and cardamom on hot, buttered raisin toast and slowly eat, chewing thoroughly before swallowing.

To make an effective French folk remedy for colds and flues, combine 2 cups of water, a small stick of cinnamon and a few cloves together in a saucepan and bring to a slow boil for about 3 minutes. Remove and add 2 tsp. lemon juice, 1-1/2 tbsp. dark honey or blackstrap molasses, and 2 tbsp. good quality whiskey. Stir well, cover, and let steep for 20 minutes or so.

Drink 1/2 cup at a time every 3-4 hours. It's pleasant tasting and really breaks up the fever and congestion accompanying either the common cold or influenza.

An incredible experiment in the journal of Food Science for 1974 demonstrates the power of cinnamon over most yeasts and fungi. Slices of white, raisin, rye and whole wheat breads, manufactured without the usual mold inhibitors, were subjected to various aflatoxins, a group of toxic molds so dangerous that they can cause liver cancer and kill humans and animals alike. These toxins often occur in food.

The toxic molds grew like crazy on all of the other breads, except for the raisin bread where growth was described as being "scant or not visible at all." In trying to identify whether it was the raisins or cinnamon responsible for this, food scientists discovered that as little as 2% or 20 mg. of the spice per milliliter of a yeast -extract and sucrose broth inhibited 97 -99 per cent of these molds.

Cinnamon - delicious aromatic spice is a wonderfully warming and strengthening remedy to dispel cold, winter chills and a variety of conditions associated with cold, congestion and deficiency of vital energy. Cinnamon acts as a tonic to the whole system. A hot drink of cinnamon will stimulate circulation and cause sweating, preventing and resolving flu, colds, catarrh and other infections. Cinnamon helps to reduce fevers. Oil of cinnamon can be inhaled for head colds and chest infections. Its general warming and stimulating properties can give direction in the body by other remedies -such as thyme for bronchial congestion and infections, or blue cohosh as a uterine remedy to treat irregular and painful periods, heavy bleeding, uterine infections and vaginal discharge.

Cinnamon acts as a relaxant, reducing anxiety and stress, relieving cramp and colic. Eugenol in the volatile oil relieves pain, for example when used as a liniment for arthritis, to deaden the nerve in toothache and for such conditions as headaches, muscle pain and neuralgia.

Cinnamon warms and stimulates the digestive system, useful in weak digestion, colic, griping, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, wind and distension. The tannins have an astringent action, stemming bleeding in nosebleeds, heavy periods and resolving diarrhea and catarrhal congestion. When taken cold, cinnamon has been used to stop sweating.

Read more: Herbal Remedies ~ Cinnamon

Your Brain

2010-02-27T15:27:00.001-08:00

100 Ways You Can Tap Into More of Your Brain
Posted by Site Administrator in Features on 08 26th, 2009 | no responses
We’d all like to be more creative, insightful, sensitive and productive, but with all the chaos and stress in our lives, it’s tough to tune out the noise and meet our full potential. But with the right balance of meditation, exercise, diet and recreation, we can discover easy ways to tap into more of our brains. Keep reading for 100 more hacks.

Environmental

Tune into the world around you by using all of your senses, becoming a better listener and getting outside.

1.Listen: Becoming a better listener tunes your brain into all the little subtleties that define someone’s personality, a problem, and an experience. You’ll become more aware of your surroundings and natural trends, too.
2.Slow down: To prevent burn out, take a few minutes or a few days to slow down and relax your mind.
3.Guided visualization: This meditative practice can help your mind make connections between seemingly unrelated experiences or senses.
4.Get fresh air: Fresh air can boost brain power, focus and mood.
5.Get online: Internet surfing engages you mentally and physically as you click around pages.
6.Go for a walk: Explore your neighborhood in a new way by taking a walk and noticing new smells, scenes, textures and noises.
7.Identify your brain’s best hour: Studies have shown that older people think most clearly in the morning while younger people are more focused in the afternoon.
8.Smell natural scents: Natural scents like sandalwood increase oxygen flow to the brain.
9.Connect your memories to events, sense and old memories: By making connections between new memories and things your brain already recognizes, you’ll be able to remember them more easily.
10.Listen to classical music: A study involving people who listened to Mozart found that their brains were able to make complex connections faster.
11.Avoid neurotoxins: Pollution, certain food additives and other chemicals slow down your brain.
12.Learn to deal with stress: Stress complicates your brain’s ability to process short-term memory.
13.Observe something new every day: Each day, think of a new thing to observe, like the colors people wear or different smells.
Exercises

These brain teasers and tricks will keep your mind young and healthy.

14.Draw: Drawing taps into the right side of your brain, a side that many of us seldom use.
15.Streamwriting: Leonardo da Vinci’s streamwriting technique can help you tap into your subconscious.
16.Blind readings: This exercise can help you tap into your intuition and requires you to write three solutions to a problem you have on three different index cards. Turn them over and evaluate which one you’re most drawn to.
17.Play this or that: The this or that game requires you to make impulse choices based on your intuition or gut reactions to questions like "city or town" or "mountains or beach."
18.Self-massage: Use this acupressure exercise guide to stimulate your brain and improve concentration and memory.
19.Aerobic activity: Increase oxygen and blood flow to the brain and give your brain a rest by running, swimming or doing cardio.
20.Red-light Green-light: Associate red lights with no/false/stop and green lights with yes/true/go while asking yourself questions. You’ll learn to trust your intuition after you answer.
21.Dance: Dancing is a great form of exercise and challenges your brain to learn new routines.
22.Puzzles: All kinds of puzzles, including word puzzles, work your brain.
23.Get dressed in the dark: Neurobic exercises, like getting dressed in the dark, require you to use different senses for different activities.
24.Prepare a story: Think out a story that you’ll tell friends later in the day, and consider storytelling style, details, jokes and more.
25.Play trivia games: Read trivia blogs and play trivia games to practice learning simple facts.
26.Sudoku: Sudoku is actually one of the most powerful brain exercises out there.
Diet

Diet plays a big role in how our brains function, just like the rest of our bodies and organs. Add more of these foods into your diet for better brain power.

27.Blueberries: Blueberries, the most popular "brain food," support cell growth and have valuable antioxidants.
28.Red cabbage: Red cabbage contains polyphenols that improve brain function and protect against stroke and Alzheimer’s.
29.Kale: Three servings per day of dark green leafy vegetables like kale can slow cognitive decline by 40%.
30.Almonds: Almonds contain phenylalanine, which stimulates the brain’s ability to create dopamine, adrenaline and noradrenaline.
31.Walnuts: Another valuable nut is the walnut, which contains protein, omega-3 fatty acids and help relieve bad moods, appetite and insomnia.
32.Salmon: Salmon contains healthy fats from omega-3s that are incredibly beneficial to brain health.
33.Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt contains tyrosine which improves focus and mental alertness.
34.Green tea: Another popular brain food is green tea, which boosts alertness, dopamine production and helps the brain make connections.
35.Asparagus: One cup of asparagus contains 70% of your daily requirement for folic acid, which helps memory.
36.Strawberries: Strawberries are rich in powerful antioxidants that promote cells’ abilities to help the brain send messages.
37.Eggs: Eat eggs for protein and choline, which improves memory.
38.Thyme: A study using rats found that thyme helped the older rats’ brains operate more like younger rats.
39.Tomatoes: Tomatoes give your brain valuable carotenoids to help it stay young.
40.Eat low-carb: High-carb foods can make you feel sleepy and sluggish, especially if you eat carbs made of white sugars.
41.Eat: Studies show that anorexics’ brains are more preoccupied with perfection and practical details rather than creativity or impulse.
42.Caffeine: Caffeine helps you stay alert temporarily and helps prevent cognitive decline.
Sleep

Sleep is important if you want more energy, better focus and a higher brian performance.

43.Get up earlier: Wake up earlier to get a fresh start and give yourself more time to get ready without rushing.
44.Take a catnap: A catnap as short as 6 minutes may sharpen memory.
45.Sleep deeply: Allow enough time for your sleep to reach the REM cycle so that your brain can dream and make connections.
46.Stay on a schedule: A regular sleeping schedule will help you fall asleep faster and wake up easier.
47.Go to bed earlier: The first part of your sleep may help your brain the most, so allow for extra sleeping time at night, not the next morning.
Social Hacks

Did you know that hanging out with friends is actually good for your mood and your mind? Here’s how being social impacts your brain health.

48.Volunteer: Volunteering reduces stress and provides you with a social outlet for making new friends and learning something new.
49.Plan a party: Your brain will have to focus on new types of details, and you’ll also get a lot of beneficial social interaction.
50.Share stories: Help your brain make connections by retelling stories to friends.
51.Hang out with friends: Social relationships and activities, even just talking on the phone, improves brain cognition, keeps you sharp, and lowers stress.
52.Hold group discussions: Group discussions fulfill your need to be social and help you think of things in a new perspective.
53.Take a class with a friend: Learning something new with a friend can help you review facts later and supplement the experience.
54.Interact with everyone: Don’t be friendly with friends only: to get as much brain benefit as you can out of social interaction, say hello to neighbors and strangers, too.
Learning

Brains that are constantly learning something new are less likely to go into a decline as you age.

55.Take a class: Explore a new subject to exercise your brain while practicing skills like critical thinking.
56.Memorize a poem: Memorize a new poem each day and then recite it back to someone in the evening.
57.Read: Reading engages your mind, teaches you new things, and can help you become more intuitive.
58.Learn song lyrics: Look up lyrics to a song and then test yourself when it comes on the radio.
59.Brainstorm: Let your brain make its own connections before starting on a project in a more clinical way.
60.Strike a balance: Over analyzing a subject can actually hinder creativity, so give yourself a break.
61.Watch less TV: While there are educational programs on TV, you’ll learn more by engaging yourself in actual activities.
62.Write: Even if you don’t think you’re a writer, take a few moments each day to practice being creative.
63.Practice: Practice new skills to get your brain accustomed to new strategies.
64.Switch up what you read: Read a science or travel magazine instead of a mystery novel to challenge your brain.
65.Try everything: Even if you think it’s a dumb idea, trying all solutions to a problem helps you stay creative.
66.Take notes: Take notes even if you’re not going to be quizzed later, as this practice helps you remember facts as well as your feelings about a subject.
67.Ask more questions: Asking questions keeps you engaged and helps you remember.
Habits

Consider these habits for better brain health.

68.Breathe deeply: Increase oxygen flow to your brain by breathing deeply.
69.Meditate: Clear your head and learn how to really connect yourself to the present moment through meditation.
70.Use your fingers more: Engage your fingers by using chopsticks, writing with a pen instead of the computer, or roll a pen through your fingers to stimulate your brain.
71.Take care of your teeth: Gingivits and poor oral health can contribute to cognitive decline.
72.Make lists: Lists help you make connections, analyze your tasks in a visual way and help memory.
73.Keep things varied: Don’t fall into a routine with your food, schedule, movie choices or hang-out spots.
74.Quit smoking: Nicotine reduces brain function by constricting blood flow to the brain.
75.Drink less alcohol: Alcohol doesn’t just impair your mind temporarily: frequent drinking can lead to cognitive decline in the long term, too.
76.Trust yourself: Tap into your intuition and natural brain power by trusting your instincts.
77.Write things down: The actual process of writing things down helps you remember them.
78.Keep a journal: Help your brain make connections at the end of the day by keeping a journal.
79.Translate: If you speak another language or are at least learning one, try translating past conversations, TV scenes and signs into the other language.
Challenges

Keep your brain sharp by testing it as much as you can.

80.Use your other hand: Make your brain concentrate on an activity it usually does involuntarily.
81.Travel: Traveling opens up your brain to all kinds of new challenges, smells, sights, noises and experiences.
82.Play Scrabble: Tricky games like Scrabble that require you to make connections and find solutions are good challenges for your brain.
83.Try to remember: By recalling facts, specific details and conversations from the last couple of days, you’ll work out your brain.
84.Drive a different route to work: Switch up your regular routine to make your brain work a little harder. Test yourself on the way home.
85.Take on extra responsibility: Instead of delegating a hard task to a subordinate, do it yourself to engage your brain.
86.Memorize phone numbers: Trying to remember a series of numbers gives your brain a good work out.
87.Rearrange your furniture: It’s amazing how accustomed your brain can become to an environment, but if you rearrange it, you’ll be challenged every time you walk into the room.
88.Do your errands on a different day: Break the routine by running your errands on a different day of the week.
89.Interview people: Interview people about their jobs and relationships to keep things fresh and continue learning.
90.Add in the physical aspect: Your brain becomes more engaged when you combine the mental with the physical, so practice a pen trick while you read.
91.Take a test: Take a test on any subject to find out your weaknesses and how you can improve upon them.
92.Use new media to interact: If you only talk to your parents on the phone, try using IM or Facebook chat every once in a while for a different experience.
93.Memorize names: At a party or other social event, try to remember all of the names of the people you just met, in the same order.
Vitamins

Add these vitamins to your diet for better brain power.

94.Vitamin E: Vitamin E can prevent Alzheimer’s.
95.Vitamin B: Vitamin B12 can prevent brain shrinkage in older individuals.
Wellness

These healthy living hacks will keep your mind sharp well into old age.

96.Stay healthy: Eating too much saturated fat and developing Type II diabetes can actually hurt your brain, too.
97.Keep your energy up: Exercise and eat healthy foods to stay energized and focused.
98.Practice good heart health: Heart-healthy foods and activities are also good for your brain.
99.Try natural remedies when you’re sick: To avoid side effects like cloudiness and more serious issues, ask your doctor about natural remedies.
100.Wear a helmet: Each concussion can greatly increase your chances of dementia.

Grounding

2010-02-23T18:43:00.001-08:00

Art of Grounding
So many of us in the modern day become so wrapped up in our lives, that we forget to pay attention to the little details that can truly enrich our daily experiences. Our attention is often occupied by events that happened last week, month or year, or even by worries of what will happen tomorrow, next Tuesday or even next month. We forget or may never realize that the greatest power we hold is in the moment.

One way to come back to the present is to ground oneself. Grounding is, in effect, being completely in your body (aware of physical sensations), and being present mentally and emotionally. Aside from the health benefits grounding provides (such as stress relief), you'll feel lighter and more in control of your environment. There are numerous ways to ground - the important thing is to find a method that truly works for you. I've included two ways you can experiment with: Tree Hugging , and Visualization Meditation.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hug a Tree
This exercise will require a nice looking tree that you wouldn't mind putting your arms around, as well as some privacy, if you're the type to feel self conscious hugging a tree in public (you can also sit at the base of the tree, or lean your back against the trunk). When you have found yourself a good tree, wrap your arms are around the trunk. Close your eyes and take at least three deep breaths, loosening your muscles at the same time.

Position your feet so that they are flat on the ground. If possible, remove your shoes so your feet are making contact with the earth; this will aid in your grounding process. Acknowledge any negativity you may have stored in your system - thoughts of worry, anxiety, past hurts, grudges, other people's energies, physical pain, etc., and then one by one, release them into the earth, watching them sink deep into the soil beneath you. Imagine that energy being soaked up and neutralized by the earth's healing energies.

When you're ready, imagine the healing energy of the earth begin rising up through the soles of your feet; you can imagine this energy as having a color, even a certain texture. Feel this energy rising up through your limbs, into your torso, arms, shoulders, neck and your head, and then out through the crown of your head.

Next, visualize pure healing white light from the universe streaming down into you through the crown of your head. Imagine this light flowing throughout your body, and sink into the ground through the soles of your feet. See the two energies mixing within your body, harmonizing and balancing your energies. Allow both energies to run for a few minutes.

Don't forget to breathe deeply and slowly while you're doing this. You might feel tingling, buzzing, warmth or energy coursing through your body, all of which is normal. If you find yourself getting dizzy, slow down the energy flow, and take it easy for a few minutes. Slowly bring yourself back to the present, and detach yourself from the tree gently. Thank the tree for its assistance, as well as Mother Earth for her healing and loving energies.

Meditation Visualization
You may do this excercise standing or sitting on a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Begin by breathing into your muscles, bones and organs until you are feeling calm and quiet. Bring your attention to the soles of your feet as you imagine roots growing out from them and extending slowly through the floor and into the earth. Watch them move deeper and deeper into the earth until they hit the magnetic core center.

Allow your body to feel the effects of gravity as it gets heavier and pulls you down, draining any tension, stress, negative emotions and energies out of your system. Let them sink into the earth through your roots and continue to breathe deeply. Instead of forcing your breath, allow your breath to breathe you.

Now that you are completely relaxed, slowly imagine a ball of healing earth energy gathering at the end of your roots, and see it moving through your roots towards your feet. Allow as much time as you need in order to visualize this ball of energy reaching the soles of your feet. Feel it traveling up through your limbs and into your abdomen and let it pause there for a moment.

Take some time to get used to this energy and observe its physical, emotional and mental effects on you. Explore the texture of this energy, and the colors that may accompany it. Immerse yourself in this feeling, and when you're ready, visualize this ball of energy expanding slowly until you are completely enveloped by it, like a bubble.

Let this ball continue to grow until it reaches about three to four feet from your physical body. Soak in the healing energies and know that you are safe and in control of your environment. You may stay in this state for as long as you need.

When you're ready, slowly wiggle your toes; rock your feet side to side, back and forth gently, until you can easily lift your feet up. Imagine those roots you just planted into the earth gently dislodging from your feet. Gently bring the rest of your body back to the present by wiggling and stretching them. Thank the Mother Earth for sharing her healing energies with you.

Welcome back!

mornings

2010-02-23T17:51:00.000-08:00

How to be Happy First Thing in the Morning
by William McCamment on July 10, 2009
I have discovered the secret to being happy first thing in the morning and, surprisingly, it has nothing to do with getting to work early and hiding a family of radioactive badgers under your boss’ desk.

I’m always happy in the morning–even when I lived in Wisconsin and had to get up at 2:30 a.m. so I could have time to scrape ice off my 1988 Nissan Pulsar and drive 60 miles through nearly-fictional weather in order to get to my crummy little job.

I realize I’m probably not normal, but here are a few things I’ve learned that should help most people reduce their morning grumpiness:

1. Give Yourself Extra Time And Do Something Fun In The Morning

I know a lot of you would rather be mauled by dingos than have to get up any earlier, but giving yourself extra time in the morning will take that “rushed” feeling away and reduce the tension level by several degrees. I give myself a full hour before I even have to start getting ready. Usually, I spend it relaxing with a large cup of coffee and plotting a bank heist surfing the internet.

2. Learn To Get Up Before The Alarm Goes Off

Waking up to a screeching alarm is the surest way to inspire a killing spree. I’ve trained myself to wake up an hour before the alarm goes off and, seriously, it is the best advice in this whole article (don’t forget to shut off the alarm when you get out of bed though!).

3. Avoid Chore-Style Work First Thing In The Morning

Sure, you’ll have to feed the cats to stop their relentless yowling, but doing things like answering emails or shellacking patio furniture is way too much like work. Engage only in mindless, low-level activities such as watching squirrel videos or reading Dead Rooster.

4. Stay Away From The News

Trust me, if the world was vaporized by a runaway asteroid, someone would have told you.

5. Do Something Nice For A Random Person

Look for an opportunity to do something nice for someone. This is not only one of the most uplifting things you can do for yourself, but it might even cause a chain-reaction brightening the days of dozens of people you’ll never even meet. Give it a try and see how good it makes you feel.

Being happy first thing in the morning is important because it sets the tone for your entire day. Work on the morning and, I promise you, the rest of your day will have a much better chance of turning out great

humor

2010-02-13T17:24:00.000-08:00

Research results indicate that, after exposure to humor, there is a general increase in activity within the immune system, including: An increase in the number and activity level of natural killer cells that attack viral infected cells and some types of cancer and tumor cells.
An increase in activated T cells (T lymphocytes). There are many T cells that await activation. Laughter appears to tell the immune system to "turn it up a notch."
An increase in the antibody IgA (immunoglobulin A), which fights upper respiratory tract insults and infections.
An increase in gamma interferon, which tells various components of the immune system to "turn on."
An increase in IgB, the immunoglobulin produced in the greatest quantity in body, as well as an increase in Complement 3, which helps antibodies to pierce dysfunctional or infected cells. The increase in both substances was not only present while subjects watched a humor video; there also was a lingering effect that continued to show increased levels the next day.

Laughter Decreases "Stress" Hormones

The results of the study also supported research indicating a general decrease in stress hormones that constrict blood vessels and suppress immune activity. These were shown to decrease in the study group exposed to humor.

For example, levels of epinephrine were lower in the group both in anticipation of humor and after exposure to humor. Epinephrine levels remained down throughout the experiment.

In addition, dopamine levels (as measured by dopac) were also decreased. Dopamine is involved in the "fight or flight response" and is associated with elevated blood pressure.

Laughing is aerobic, providing a workout for the diaphragm and increasing the body's ability to use oxygen.

Laughter brings in positive emotions that can enhance – not replace -- conventional treatments. Hence it is another tool available to help fight the disease.

Experts believe that, when used as an adjunct to conventional care, laughter can reduce pain and aid the healing process. For one thing, laughter offers a powerful distraction from pain.

In a study published in the Journal of Holistic Nursing, patients were told one-liners after surgery and before painful medication was administered. Those exposed to humor perceived less pain when compared to patients who didn't get a dose of humor as part of their therapy.

Perhaps, the biggest benefit of laughter is that it is free and has no known negative side effects.

So, here is a summary of how humor contributes to physical health. More details can be found in the article, Humor and Health contributed by Paul McGhee

Muscle Relaxation - Belly laugh results in muscle relaxation. While you laugh, the muscles that do not participate in the belly laugh, relaxes. After you finish laughing those muscles involved in the laughter start to relax. So, the action takes place in two stages.

Reduction of Stress Hormones - Laughter reduces at least four of neuroendocrine hormones associated with stress response. These are epinephrine, cortisol, dopac, and growth hormone.

Immune System Enhancement - Clinical studies have shown that humor strengthens the immune system.

Pain Reduction - Humor allows a person to "forget" about pains such as aches, arthritis, etc.

Cardiac Exercise - A belly laugh is equivalent to "an internal jogging." Laughter can provide good cardiac conditioning especially for those who are unable to perform physical exercises.

Blood Pressure - Women seem to benefit more than men in preventing hypertension.

Respiration - Frequent belly laughter empties your lungs of more air than it takes in resulting in a cleansing effect - similar to deep breathing. Especially beneficial for patient's who are suffering from emphysema and other respiratory ailments.

herbs

2010-02-13T14:39:00.000-08:00

ALOE VERA
Living First-Aid Plant, Medicine Plant, Wand of Heaven, Burn Plant, Divine Healer

Aloe vera barbadensis F. Asphodelaceae

Description
Erect perennial, originating from North Africa and the Mediterranean, with thick, very succulent, dagger shaped 30- 80cm long leaves, encircling a thick, central stem. The oldest and largest leaves are at the base, with leaves in the centre of the rosette formation being younger and smaller. Mature leaves can be 2-2.5cm thick and 6-10cm wide at the base, gradually tapering to a point at the apex. The upper leaf surface is flat or slightly dish-shaped and the lower surface rounded, with both surfaces being smooth to the touch. However, the margins of the leaf are armed with firm, spreading, triangular-shaped teeth 2-4mm long. Leaves on mature plants are a distinctive grey-green, due to the surface being covered by a greyish bloom, although during summer they can be greener and during winter they can take on a bronze tinge. I personally feel the plant colour depends a little on fertility and moisture available to the plant. New young plants, called pups or suckers, develop near the base of the parent plant as it grows to a good size or to maturity, which may take 2-4 years, depending on climate and growing conditions. Leaves of young pups tend to fan sideways and are pale green with white spots. The spots and fan shape disappear as the pups become older.

Aloe Vera Barbadensis

Flower stalks develop from the main stem of the plant and stand upright, reaching a height of 60-90cm. They may have 2-3 terminal branches and poker-like blossom heads 5- 8cm long, made up of many pendulous tubular flowers with a green tinge that changes to bright yellow at maturity. Pistil and stamens protrude beyond the end of the petal tube, which is an identifying feature of this species. Another identifying feature of A. vera barbadensis is that when the leaf is cut, the sap has a strong smell.

... ... see How can I use HERBS in my daily life? for full text.
Constituents: beneficial HDL cholesterol, creatin, creatinine, aloin, aloe emodin, barbaloin, glycoside barbaloin, ester of cinnamic acid, isobarbaloin, chrysophanic acid, ethereal oil, resistannol, anthranol, anthracene, aloetic acid; enzymes oxidase, lipase, emylase, catalase, aliinase; mono and poly saccharides, cellulose, glucose, aldonentose, L-Rhamnose, mannose; lupeol, phenol; protein 2%, essential amino acids lysine, leucine, valine, isoleucine, threonine, methionene phenylalanine; and secondary amino acids histidine, proline, arganine, glycine, hydroxyproline, alanine, aspartic acid, tyrosine, chrystine, serine, glutamic acid; fatty acids linoleic, linolenic, myristic, caprylic, oleic, palmitic, stearic, B-sitosterol Vitamins: A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, folic acid, choline, K Minerals: calcium, zinc, chromium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, manganese, chlorine, copper, phosphorus, sulphur, silicon, iron, cobalt

Actions: antimicrobial, astringent, antibiotic, antioxidant, analgesic, antihistamine, anti-inflammatory, antiperspirant, antipruritic, cathartic, demulcent, fungicidal, germicidal, diuretic, detoxicant, vermifuge, vulnerary, emmenagogue, emollient, cosmetic, aphrodisiac, coagulant, antipyretic

Bonnie & Isabell in aloe patch

Medicinal Uses
Man has used aloe for over 5000 years. Egyptians first wrote of the healing powers of the plant on their ancient papyrus texts calling it the plant of immortality. Cleopatra and Nefertiti bathed in aloe juice to retain their youth and beautiful looks. Aloe is mentioned several times in the Bible. It was used in the burial of Jesus. History and legend tells that Aristotle convinced Alexander the Great to conquer the island of Socotra in order to collect aloe plants to use as medicine for his soldiers. Greek writer Dioscorides made detailed accounts of aloe’s uses. Aloe’s influence spread far and wide. In our century, we have the opportunity to read numerous books, hundreds of scientific papers and search the internet to discover the many benefits of aloe.

Research studies highlight the tremendous healing powers of aloe when used both internally and externally. Some of the benefits include: as a pain and allergy inhibitor, for inflammation, fluid retention, perspiration odours, itching, hemorrhaging and to close cuts for cell regeneration and healing, to destroy parasites, harmful bacteria and fungi in the intestinal tract, to relieve bowel tension and help produce bowel movements, moisturise skin, increase blood flow, remove toxins and dead tissue, penetrate skin to reach tendons, muscles, joints and the lymph system, and promote the growth of new tissue. It also has a normalising action on fluid levels and the acid/ alkaline balance in the body. Research has shown that aloe vera can increase the proliferation of lymphocytes and stimulate natural immunity through killer cell activity. Aloe has a strong effect on the immune system, by activating and stimulating macrophages, monocytes, antibodies and T-cells, as well as increasing the number of anti-body forming Bcells in the spleen.

One of the most important functions of aloe is to aid the digestive system, as poor digestion can be responsible for many diseases. Our food comprises proteins, carbohydrates and fats that must undergo a process of digestion, which consists of breaking down complex substances into simpler ones so they can be absorbed and used by the body. Aloe is able to assist the body by providing the active properties of a large range of amino acids, monosaccharides, fatty acids and enzymes that act as catalysts in breaking down complex foods so the body can assimilate the nutrients more efficiently. Considerable in-vitro and in-vivo research has been done with the concentration of mucopolysaccharides (MSPs) found in aloe vera. MSPs are long-chained sugar molecules, which are found naturally in every cell of the body, however, around the time of puberty, the body stops producing them. When taken internally, they have been shown to have immune stimulating effects. The MSPs of aloe vera interact with the body’s immune system, enhancing rather than over-riding this system. MSPs interject themselves into the cell membranes of the body resulting in much greater cell fluidity and permeability, allowing toxins to flow out of the cells more freely and nutrients to flow in. These nutrients include electrolytes and water, so the MSPs are able to facilitate absorbtion in the gastro-intestinal tract. The overall effect on the body is a rise in energy and cell metabolism activity which leads to a feeling of wellbeing. MSPs also act to protect cells from invasion by microbes such as viruses by setting up a protective barrier, which forms a lining on the colon and keeps toxic wastes from entering the body. MSPs will also lubricate the joints and relieve pain by dilating capillaries, which increases the supply of oxygen and blood to the area. Aloe vera’s properties are extraordinary and have been used to treat man’s many ailments from A to Z. Its uses and the conditions it may relieve include: abscesses, abrasions, acne, allergies, AIDS, anemia, arterial insufficiency, arthritis, athlete’s foot, asthma, bad breath, baldness, blisters, bed sores, bladder infections, blood pressure, bruises, bronchitis, burns, bursitis, bunions, bed wetting, boils, bone fractures, candida, canker sores, cancer, carbuncles, cataracts, cramps, chilblains, chemotherapy side effects, chapped skin and lips, coughs, colds and cold sores, colic, constipation, cystitis, conjunctivitis, colon cleanser, complexion enhancer, chicken pox sores, lowers serum cholesterol, convulsions, chronic fatigue syndrome, diabetes, dandruff, dysentery, depression, dry skin, dermatitis, denture sores, detoxifier, duodenal ulcers, oedema, Epstein Barr virus, earache, fevers, fungus, frost bite, fluid retention, gastrointestinal problems, genital herpes, gangrene, gingivitis, glaucoma, gynaecological diseases, gall ailments, heat rash, headaches, hemorrhoids, heart burn, high blood pressure, hang-overs, hives, heat exhaustion, insomnia, ingrown toenails, indigestion, insect bites, inflamed joints, jaundice, kidney infections, leprosy, laryngitis, lupus, liver ailments, leukaemia, lacerations, multiple sclerosis, mouth ulcers, moles, migraines, menstrual pain, nausea, nervous stress, nappy rash, obesity, psoriasis, prostatitis, pancreas problems, pimples, problems caused by protozoa (ringworm, fungi, virus), prickly heat, periodontal disease, radiation burns, rashes, scar tissue, skin lesions, stings, styes, sprains, sores, scalds, stretch marks, shingles, staph infections, sunburn, sore throat, stomach ulcers, sports injuries, sinus, sun spots, spurs, tonsillitis, tendonitis, trachoma, tuberculosis, tiredness, tropical ear, ulcers, vaginitis, venereal sores, varicose veins, worms, worts, wounds, X-ray burns, yeast infection and zoster (shingles).

Aloe vera has six antiseptic agents (sulphur, lupeol, salicylic acid, cinnamic acid, urea nitrogen and phenol) which act as a team to provide antimicrobial activity thus eliminating many internal and external infections. The pain relieving action is due to the effective analgesics in salicylic acid, magnesium and lupeol. Fatty acids also have a pain reducing, allergy and inflammation relieving effect, and work to lower harmful cholesterol levels.

Researchers have found that aloe vera applied externally has the ability to reach the deepest body tissues, penetrating some seven layers. Research at the University of Texas showed that aloe penetrates human skin almost four times faster than water. A friend, Joyce, who has discovered the many benefits of aloe vera says, "If it hurts, stings, itches or burns, put aloe vera on". Apply the gel from the leaf immediately for burns and scalds, insect bites, nettle stings, chilli burns, pain in general and for quick healing. For external use, a fresh leaf can be cut open with a knife and the gel applied to the skin. When wiping the aloe leaf directly on the skin, all the sap can appear to have been used up, but if you take a knife and score the inside surface of the leaf with a few cuts, more juice will be released.

... ... see How can I use HERBS in my daily life? for full text.
Aloe Candleabra

Dose: As a general tonic, aloe vera can be taken regularly for stamina and well being. Cut one or two large leaves from the base of a plant, and allow to stand half an hour for the yellow sap just under the skin to drain. Take care not to get this sap on clothes, as it can stain. To make an infusion from the leaves, cut them into 2cm chunks and place the pieces into half litre size glass jars with lids (or other containers), filling the jars about one third. Top up the containers with cold water and put them in the refrigerator. Leave to steep eight hours or overnight. Pour off one half to one glass of the aloe infusion and drink first thing in the morning and also the same amount before each meal and at bedtime if desired. After draining the infusion from a jar, refill the jar with water. This is where it is beneficial to have several jars prepared, so that the jar just refilled goes to the back of the shelf in the refrigerator, and the jars are continually rotated. This allows enough time for each jar to steep before being used. The infusion can be drunk whenever you feel thirsty.

After 10-12 days, the used aloe can be emptied into the compost, and a new batch started with fresh leaves. If the jars are not used for a number of days the liquid may ferment. Discard and start a fresh batch. Each time the jars are refilled, the infusion will get milder and weaker, but it will still benefit the body. The flavour is mildly bitter during the first days, but then the infusion will taste like crystal clear spring water. In fact, many people use this method of infusion to purify drinking water, particularly in countries where water is untreated. Some people use this procedure to remove the chlorine taste from treated water by placing a peeled chunk of aloe (with the yellow sap washed off) into a large jug of water in the refrigerator. As liquid is taken out to drink, the jug is topped up again. After several weeks of use, a new chunk of aloe can be started in a clean jug of water. Aloe vera may be prepared as 100% juice, stabilised with vitamin C. Pick large leaves, cut the skin off, rinse the yellow sap off with water and place the clear gel in a blender. For 3 cups of gel, add 1 teasp. of vitamin C powder and blend at low speed. Place in a covered container in the refrigerator. Take 2-5 tablesp. daily, mixed with water or added to fruit juice, which helps to disguise the gooey texture and makes it easier to swallow. The pure juice, taken regularly, is recommended as the most effective way to reap the medicinal benefits of aloe.

I remember a lady who joined a herb course and heard of aloe’s benefits for ulcer sufferers. She decided to start her family on aloe and each morning prepared fresh orange juice, adding the stabilised aloe juice she had made up. She did not tell her family about the aloe, as they tended to be rather finicky when it came to new things. After several months, her husband remarked that his stomach ulcers had not been bothering him for a while. Margaret kept her secret to herself and enjoyed having a happier husband without ulcers always niggling, but she told her story to me with delight and we had a good laugh together!

For anyone not in a position to grow aloe vera, numerous bottled brands of aloe juice or drink are available. However, even though the label may say 100% aloe juice, the bottle may not contain only aloe! Large doses of aloe at one time are unwise. Overdose can cause irritation to the stomach with diarrhea and vomiting. As taking aloe may stimulate uterine contractions, it should be avoided during pregnancy. And taken by breastfeeding mothers, aloe can have a laxative effect on the baby.

If taking aloe vera causes cramping of the bowels, use a little ginger with it. The ginger can be in the form of dried powder, fresh or an infusion made with fresh root. For a laxative effect, in some people, just drinking the aloe infusion or the stabilised juice may be sufficient. For severe constipation, the yellow sap may be left on when blending the gel, as it is this yellow sap that has a strong cathartic action and tastes very bitter. If a person finds the bitterness too unpleasant, the yellow sap can be added to fruit juice.

Over the last 20 years, I have had numerous people share with me an aloe recipe for cancer treatment. Most of these recipes refer to using the candelabra aloe (A. arborescens) and have come from various South American or European cultures, where it has been a tradition to use the recipe regularly as a general tonic for good health. Candelabra aloe has a rather special substance called Aloctin A, found in quantities that can stimulate biological activities, such as mitogenic activity of T lymphocytes, with scientific research showing its strong performance in boosting the immune system.

In cancer patients, immune modulating polysaccharides increase the body’s production of tumour necrosis factor, which is a natural chemical that functions to shut off the blood supply to malignant tumours. Another aloe derivative, Alexin B, possesses powerful anti-cancer activity against lymphocytic leukemia. We may hear more about candelabra aloe in the future, as the herb farm was recently able to assist a research group by air-freighting 2000 plants to Sardinia to be grown for research.

Tonic Recipe
To prepare the Tonic Recipe, blend in a mixer or mincer whole leaves to make 300g, add 500g of natural honey and 750ml of red wine. Put the mixture in a dark bottle and keep in refrigerator. The daily dose is 50ml of the mixture half an hour before breakfast, lunch and the evening meal. Gel from the candelabra leaf has been found to give relief when applied topically for shingles, arthritis and inflammation. Martin, a local retiree recently shared with me that he had severe arthritic pain in his wrists and knees, but after applying poultices of candelabra, the pain was completely relieved. He has been sharing his experiences of candelabra with everyone he meets with painful arthritis. Aloe vera is a valuable plant with many healing benefits. Never underestimate the power of aloe.

... ... see How can I use HERBS in my daily life? for full text.
Isabell Shipard’s passion is herbs and sprouts, and she loves to inspire and share the joys and wonders of plants. Her books will truly inspire and help you to see that for health and well-being... Herbs are Special.

Self-esteem

2010-02-12T14:52:00.000-08:00

What is Self-Esteem?

People with self-esteem:

* hold themselves as worthy of being loved and loving others; worthy of being cared for and caring for others; worthy of being nurtured and nurturing others; worthy of being touched and supported and touching and supporting others; worthy of being listened to and listening to others; worthy of being recognized and recognizing others; worthy of being encouraged and encouraging others; and worthy of being reinforced as "good" people and recognizing others as "good" people.
* have a productive personality; they have achieved success to the best of their ability in school, work and society.
* are capable of being creative, imaginative problem solvers; of being risk-takers, optimistic in their approach to life and in the attainment of their personal goals.
* are leaders, and are skillful in dealing with people. They are neither too independent of nor too dependent on others. They have the ability to size up a relationship and adjust to the demands of the interaction.
* have a healthy self-concept. Their perception of themselves is in sync with the picture of themselves they project to others.
* are able to state clearly who they are, what their future potential is, and to what they are committed in life. They are able to declare what they deserve to receive in their lifetime.
* are able to accept the responsibility for and consequences of their actions. They do not resort to shifting the blame or using others as scapegoats for actions that have resulted in a negative outcome.
* are altruistic. They have a legitimate concern for the welfare of others. They are not self-centered or egotistical in their outlook on life. They do not take on the responsibility for others in an overdone way. They help others accept the responsibility for their own actions. They are, however, always ready to help anyone who legitimately needs assistance or guidance.
* have healthy coping skills. They are able to handle the stresses in their lives in a productive way. They are able to put the problems, concerns, issues and conflicts that come their way into perspective. They are able to keep their lives in perspective without becoming too idealistic or too morose. They are survivors in the healthiest sense of the word. They have a good sense of humor and are able to keep a balance of work and fun in their lives.
* look to the future with excitement, a sense of adventure and optimism. They recognize their potential for success and visualize their success in the future. They have dreams, aspirations and hopes for the future.
* are goal-oriented, with a sense of balance in working toward their goals. They know from where they have come, where they are now and where they are going.

What Are the Signs of Low Self-Esteem?

People with low self-esteem:

* consider themselves lost and unworthy of being cared for.
* are poor risk-takers.
* operate out of a fear of rejection.
* are typically unassertive in their behavior with others.
* are fearful of conflict with others.
* are hungry for the approval of others.
* are poor problem-solvers.
* are fraught with irrational beliefs and have a tendency to think irrationally.
* are susceptible to all kinds of fears.
* have a tendency to become emotionally stuck and immobilized.
* have a poor "track record" in school or on the job; conversely, they sometimes overcompensate and become overachievers.
* are unable to affirm or to reinforce themselves positively.
* are unable to make an honest assessment of their strengths, positive qualities and good points; they find it difficult to accept compliments or recognition from others.
* have poorly defined self-identities, with a tendency to act like chameleons to fit in with others.
* are insecure, anxious and nervous when they are with others.
* often become overcome with anger about their status in life, and are likely to experience chronic hostility or chronic depression.
* are easily overcome with despair and depression when they experience a setback or loss in their lives.
* have a tendency to overreact and become de-energized by resentment, anger and the desire for revenge against those whom they believe have not fully accepted them.
* fulfill roles in their families of origin that are counterproductive and maladaptive. These roles carry over into their adult lives.
* are vulnerable to mental-health problems and have a propensity to use addictive behavior to medicate their hurt and pain. Such addictive behavior can encompass alcohol, drugs, food, gambling, sex, shopping, smoking and/or workaholism--or the search for excitement, truth, wisdom, and/or a guru who can offer an easy guide to achieving happiness.

How Do People With Low Self-Esteem Feel?

The following "Letter from a boy" taken from a Midwestern paper gives us an idea of what a person with low self-esteem has to say.

LETTER FROM A BOY

Dear Folks,

Thank you for everything, but I am going to Chicago to try to start some kind of new life.

You asked me why I did those things, and why I gave you so much trouble; the answer is easy for me to give you, but I am wondering if you will understand.

Remember when I was about 6 or 7, and I used to want you to just listen to me? I remember all the nice things you gave me for Christmas and my birthday, and I was real happy with those things for about a week at the time I got the things; but the rest of the time during the year, I really didn't want presents. I just wanted all the time for you to listen to me, like I was somebody who felt things too, because I remember even when I was young, I felt things. But you said you were busy.

Mom, you are a wonderful cook, and you had everything so clean, and you were tired so much from doing all those things that made you busy. But you know something, Mom? I would have liked crackers and peanut butter just as well--if you had only sat down with me a little while during the day and said to me: "Tell me all about it so I can maybe help you understand."

And when Donna came, I couldn't understand why everyone made so much fuss, because I didn't think it was my fault that her hair is curly and her teeth so white, and she doesn't have to wear glasses with such thick lenses. Her grades were better, too, weren't they?

If Donna ever has children, I hope you will tell her to just pay some attention to the one that doesn't smile very much, because that one will really be crying inside. And when she's about to bake 6 dozen cookies to make sure first that the kids don't want to tell her about a dream or a hope or something--because thoughts are important, too, to small kids, even though they don't have so many words to use when they tell about the feelings inside them.

I think that all the kids who are doing things that make the grownups tear their hair out worrying about are really looking for somebody who will have time to listen a few minutes, and who really and truly will treat them as they would a grownup who might be useful to them. You know: polite to them. If you folks had ever said to me, "Pardon me" when you interrupted me, I'd have dropped dead. If anybody asks you where I am, tell them I have gone looking for somebody with time, because I've got a lot of things I want to talk about.

Love to all.

Where Does Healthy Self-Esteem Originate?

Healthy self-esteem originates in the environment found in the family, school, peer group, workplace and community.

For healthy self-esteem, individuals need to receive nurturing from the people in their environment. That nurturing should include:

* unconditional warmth, love, and caring; the realization that other people recognize them as deserving of being nurtured, reinforced, rewarded and bonded with. The environment transmits messages of warmth, loving and caring via physical touch; the meeting of the survival needs of food, clothing and shelter; and the providing of a sense of stability and order in life.
* acceptance of who they are; the recognition that other people see them as worthy individuals who have a unique set of personality characteristics, skills, abilities and competencies that make them special. Acceptance helps individuals recognize that differences among and between people are OK, and this encourages the development of a sense of personal mastery and autonomy. Acceptance enables people to develop relationships with others yet maintain healthy boundaries of individuality within themselves.
* good communication; being listened to and responded to in a healthy way, so healthy-problem solving is possible. Appropriate giving and receiving of feedback is encouraged and rewarded. Communicating at a "feelings" level is a mode of operation for these people, allowing them to be in touch with their emotions in a productive manner.

For the environment to support the development of healthy self-esteem, it must contain:

* recognition and acceptance of people for who they are. To base such recognition and acceptance on the condition that they must first conform to a prescribed standard of behavior or conduct is unhealthy. Unconditional recognition and acceptance, given in the form of support, allows individuals to reach their ultimate potential.
* clearly defined and enforced limits, with no hidden tricks or manipulation. Limits set the structure for the lives of individuals, allowing clear benchmarks of appropriate and inappropriate behavior. Limits enable individuals to recognize their responsibilities and chart their course of behavior in a rational way.
* respect and latitude for individual action within the defined limits of the environment. This encourages individuals to use their creativity, ingenuit and imagination to be productive within the established structure. Restrictions that suppress individuality can lead to a narrow focus, with people becoming stunted and handicapped in the use of their personal skills, abilities and resources.
* established freedom within the structure. This enables individuals to develop a sense of personal autonomy. If they are too tied down and inhibited, they can become resentful and eventually rebellious against the prescribed structures in their environment. Being given the freedom of self-expression within the established rules and norms allows individuals to explore their potential to its fullest; thus, there is a greater possibility of becoming successful, healthy achievers.
* bonding, which is the physical/emotional phenomenon that occurs between individuals and the others in their environment. It is necessary for the development of healthy self-esteem.

What is Bonding?

Bonding is...

* the forming of a mutual emotional attachment between an individual and a "significant other" (parent, child, friend or lover).
* the significant other giving unconditional love to the individual.
* developing an emotional link between the individual and the significant other.
* developing a sense of security for the individual.
* establishing an emotional intimacy and sense of closeness between the individual and the significant other.
* helping the individual feel a healthy sense of identity.
* transmitting links between the individual and the significant other, through which nonverbal communication and understanding take place.
* providing the individual with a sense of belonging or being connected.
* bringing the individual into the larger network of caring and love present in the extended environment.
* concern and love of the individual by the significant other, as exhibited in all aspects of the individual's life.

How is Bonding Between Individuals Manifested?

Bonding is reflected in the way a significant other:

* speaks about the individual, reflecting an understanding attitude and interest in the individual.
* holds and touches an individual.
* willingly allows the individual to enter a strange environment.
* encourages the individual to be socially secure.
* encourages the individual to be self-confident.
* encourages the development of the individual's self-concept.
* responds to the individual's problems (acceptance and coping = positive bonding; detachment, rejection and withdrawal = negative bonding)
* deals with the individual's problems (blaming, ostracizing and/or condemning = poor bonding; cooperative, helpful and understanding = good bonding)

What Are Some Ways to Encourage Bonding?

* Talk face-to-face with an individual
* Get on the other person's level to effect eye contact when talking
* Use physical touch when interacting
* Work at meeting the "match" of the individual by encouraging him to do things for which he is ready and capable
* Speak in a loving, caring manner to the individual
* Show respect for the individual
* Interact with the individual at his level of understanding and ability
* Listen carefully to the individual; offer empathy and understanding when he is troubled.
* Be honest with the individual when describing or dealing with problems
* Be supportive of the individual as he faces the harsh realities of life and becomes fearful, scared or concerned about the future
* Let the individual grow to be his own person by encouraging the development of independent and autonomous thinking
* Assist the individual in becoming a good problem-solver by encouraging open exploration and discussion of options and alternatives when facing problems at home, school or work, or in the community

What Developmental Tasks Can Adults Perform to Ensure the Ongoing Development of Their Healthy Self-Esteem?

18 to 32 years of age:

1.Pull up roots from the family of origin (the family you were born and reared in)

2. Develop an individual sense of autonomy

3. Establish the self as independent from the family of origin

4. Shift attention from the family of origin to new commitments (e.g., school, work or hobbies)

5. Learn personal management skills as a consumer (financial) and as the head of a household (home management)

6. Relate to parents as adult to adult

7. Develop an occupational identity and learn to adjust in the "adult" world

8. Test power and establish healthy patterns of conflict resolution

9. Establish intimate relationships with significant others

10. Learn to place the demands of the family of origin in their proper perspective while developing an adaptive response to the "adult" world

11. Establish social networks in the various environments--e.g., school, dormitory, work, apartment complex or community

12. Get involved in community life and/or politics

13. Enhance the ability to communicate in interpersonal relationships

14. Explore courting, coupling or a trial mate relationship (selecting a mate)

15. Maintain intimate friendships with trust, love, and caring

16. Maintain healthy, stable, and appropriate sexual interaction in relationships

17. Commit to a marital partner through a public affirmation of marriage

18. As a married couple, define, negotiate and compromise, and establish goals, expectations, roles, relationships, finances, ways to solve problems and a family-life model

19. As a married couple or a couple in a committed relationship, provide mutual support, help and energy to enrich the relationship

20. As a married couple, establish a family system by having a child or children

21. Expand the family system and re-establish definitions and expectations concerning intimacy, sharing and sexual compatibility; make an honest reassessment of the romantic ideal

22. As a married couple establish a healthy, complementary pattern to solve problems and handle power and control issues and ways to resolve conflict in the family system

23. Shift attention to the role of parenting and accommodate the child(ren)'s dependent needs, as well as their emotional (bonding) needs

24. Focus attention on the child(ren)'s intellect, personality, sexuality and goal-oriented behavior

25. Assist child(ren) in entering the new environment of peer group, preschool or school

26.As a married couple, make a periodic reassessment of the relationship; either take the steps to shore it up or decide to separate or divorce

27. If needed, adjust to divorce and single parenthood. Redefine relationships with new sex mates. Adjust to re-entry into a school and/or work environment

28 to 40 years of age

1. Deepen commitment to work and marriage

2. Handle the restlessness that comes from commitment in marriage or work

3. Increase productivity at work and in family life; develop a more natural relationship

4. Establish definite patterns of decision-making, problem-solving and distribution of power

5. Expand social network

6. Increase community status

7. Learn to cope with stress in the couple relationship

8. Readjust to single life, single parenting and the aftermath of divorce

9. Find another partner for a marital commitment; readjust to the new marital relationship

10. Put down extended roots

11. Accept that children are growing up

12. Mature in the parental role and clearly establish the structures of the family system

13. Adjust to the mother or wife returning to the workforce or school

14. Relate to parents as older or senior citizens

15. Deepen social involvement

16. Examine community concerns

17. Allow one another room to grow in a relationship; allow tolerance of growth in each another

18. Acknowledge the individual differences within the couple relationship

19. Mature and increase intimate friendships

20. Deepen commitment and productivity in marriage, family, work and/or community; pursue long-range goals

21. Mark an increase of intimacy in marriage and/or committed relationship

22. Accommodate to the autonomy, independence and peer-oriented shift of adolescent children

23. Accommodate to the identity formation of adolescents in their sexual, emotional, social and professional selves

24. Modify parental roles in response to the child's growth and personal autonomy, socialization, intellectualization and personal development

38 to 55 years of age

1. Evaluate one's life structure

2. Reassess marriage, with either deepening of the relationship or divorce and adjustment to single life

3. Adjust to second and/or third marriage(s) and to the children in them

4. Adjust to the mother or wife returning to the workforce or to school

5. Extend roots in the community and maintain an identifiable system of connectedness

6. Refine the social network

7. Expand personal relationships

8. Revise status in the community

9. Prepare and plan for retirement and/or loss of spouse

10. Adjust to the loss of a mate

11. Learn to integrate oneself with others to avoid isolation

12. Solidify mature sexual relationships

13. Adjust to a last child on his own; adjust to the "empty nest" syndrome

14. Examine, review and reassess progress made in life

15. Search for an accommodation between aspirations and realities

16. Evaluate success and failure and search for future goals

17. Accommodate to separation and a loss of self-sufficient children

18. Create linkage of new family networks with in-laws once children marry

19. Stabilize the marital relationship once children have moved out

20. Adapt to the loss by death of parent(s), extended family member(s) and intimate friend(s)

48 to 65 years of age

1. Disengage from old hometown associations in retirement

2. Prepare for and accept retirement

3. Expand into new community-interest areas, taking on new roles and senior-citizen status

4. Adjust to loss by death of mate, friends and other loved ones

5. Become reconciled to one's impending death

6. Create new senior social networks

7. Renew involvement in areas set aside during "family-focused" years

8. Expand and enhance personal relationships into caring and loving companionship

9. Adjust to the role of mentor and sage in the extended family

10. Relate reasonably with married children, their spouses and their own children

11. Deal with the care of one's aging parents and their dying

12. Adjust to the selling of one's home and moving into a residence that requires lighter maintenance

13. Prepare budgets and finances to adjust to living on a reduced, stabilized income

14. Re-stabilize and reorder one's priorities

15. Deal in a healthy way with the loss of youthfulness, vigor and health

16. Handle changes in intimacy threatened by aging and boredom

17. Secure stable relationships

18. Establish a functional three-generational hierarchy in the family of origin and in new and old extended families

19. Accommodate to a healthy grandparenting role and resolve the issue of "dependence vs independence" in relation to the demands of the children

20. Creatively employ leisure time and develop individual potential outside of employment

21. Accommodate to illness and declining physical powers

22. Accept one's personal mortality

62 years of age and older

1. Deal effectively with aging, illness and death while retaining zest for life

2. Support and enhance each spouse's struggle for productivity and fulfillment in face of the threats of aging

3. Struggle to maintain intimacy in the face of aging, separation and illness

4. Adjust to single life or the loss of a spouse

5. Extend community interest into new domains

6. Learn and manage new roles in new peer groups

7. Be reconciled to one's impending death

8. Adjust to the new rules and customs of retirement

9. Handle and cope with the death of a spouse, loved ones, family members and close friends

10. Continue involvement in all aspects of one's life to maintain some sense of order

11. Sustain personal friendships and social networks

12. Enhance friendships, caring, sexuality and companionship in light of changes due to aging

13. Make a productive review of one's life and accept all (perceived or real) shortcomings, failures or successes

14. Learn to accept being cared for by one's family

15. Have an understanding relationship with one's children; maintain boundaries between involvement and interference

16. Relate to grandchildren and great-grandchildren in a healthy manner

17. Handle the care and death of one's parents

18. Move into quarters where one is more likely to be the receiver of care than the giver

19. Adjust to reduced, stabilized income

20. Adjust to the sense of realism that one's life has been rewarding and fulfilling--that there is now time to rest and soak in the rewards of leading a productive life

Steps That Can Be Taken to Improve Self-Esteem

Step1: Determine if your self-esteem is at a healthy level by completing the following questionnaire.

Self-Esteem Assessment

Directions: Circle T if the statement is true for you. Circle F if the statement is false for you.

T F I am able to discuss my good points, skills, abilities, achievements and successes with others.

T F I assert myself with someone whom I believe is violating or ignoring my rights.

T F I am content with who I am, how I act and what I do in life.

T F I am not bothered by feelings of insecurity or anxiety when I meet people for the first time.

T F My life is balanced between work, family life, social life, recreation/leisure and spiritual life.

T F I am aware of the roles I played in my family of origin, and have usually been able to make these behavior patterns work for me in my current life.

T F I am bonded with the significant others in my environment at home, work, school or play or in the community.

T F I am able to perform the developmental tasks necessary to ensure my ongoing healthy self-esteem.

T F I am satisfied with my level of achievement at school, work and home and in the community.

T F I am a good problem-solver; my thinking is not clouded by irrational beliefs or fears.

T F I am willing to experience conflict if necessary to protect my rights.

If you circled F for three or more of the preceding questions, you probably need to work on increasing your self-esteem. Proceed to Step 2.

Step 2: Review the material in Sections I through IV on self-esteem and answer the following questions in your journal:

a. What are the signs of your low self-esteem?

b. What was lacking in your childhood and earlier adult years that could explain your low self-esteem?

c. How would you rate your bonding with the significant others in your life? List your significant others, then rate the quality of your bonding with them as poor, fair, average, above average or excellent.

d. List those developmental tasks you need to perform at this stage in your adult life to ensure your ongoing self-esteem.

Once you have answered the above questions, go to Step 3.

Step 3: You are now aware of some inner feelings you experienced in answering the four questions in Step 2. Explore what you felt by answering the following questions in your journal:

a. I had the following feelings as I responded to the four questions in Step 2:

b. I believe that these feelings are based on the following beliefs I have about my self-esteem:

c. I believe that the following irrational beliefs and fears are at the root of my stagnant self-esteem:

d. Having identified my feelings, beliefs, irrational beliefs and fears concerning my low self-esteem, I believe I need to take the following actions to improve my self-concept:

Step 4: Having identified the steps you need to take to improve your self-esteem/self-worth, make a commitment to take these steps and involve the significant others in your life in the execution of them.

If, however, at the end of exploring your feelings in Step 3, you still suffer form low self-esteem, return to Step 1 and begin again.

Sweaty Palms

2010-02-12T14:09:00.000-08:00

Without a doubt, sweaty palms can cause a lot of discomfort and embarrassment. The medical name for this condition is known as palmar hyperhidrosis. The exact cause of this condition is still not known, but some experts speculate the cause is due to hyperactive sympathetic nervous system.

The individuals that experience severe palmar hyperhidrosis usually find it a lot more difficult to perform certain every day tasks. The good news is that there are some natural sweaty palms remedies that can provide some significant relief from the problems.

One of the most effective natural sweaty palms remedies is sage tea. Recent studies have shown that sage tea can dramatically reduce the sweating.

To use sage tea as a treatment you will have to buy tea that contains 5% sage. Once you have the tea you should brew it and allow it to steep for up to two days.

Now strain the tea and soak your palms in it. You can also soak a rag or small cloth in the tea and apply the soaked rag on your hands.

Some individuals believe that using antiperspirants are one of the best sweaty palms remedies. You can find natural antiperspirants on the market that don't have any chemicals in it.

You can also find antiperspirant lotions that you can use to solve your excess sweating. To use antiperspirant you will just need to rub it on your hands.

Another one of the best sweaty palms remedies is acupuncture. Acupuncture is a Chinese remedy that utilizes pins to stimulate specific nerves on the body.

This procedure is only safe when performed by a licensed acupuncturist. Moreover, the FDA has also stated that the needles used in this procedure must be sterile and non-toxic.

If you decide to go through with acupuncture to treat your sweaty palms, the placement of the pins will depend on your symptoms. Other than these natural sweaty palms remedies, you should also know some of the things you should avoid to keep the severity of this condition under control.

You should not use any baby powders on your hands. Having your hands covered with powder will only make the situation worse. You should also avoid foods that contain iodine. Some of these foods include broccoli, asparagus, beef, turkey, liver, and white onions

Another one of the more effective sweaty palms remedies is tannic acid. Tannic acid in tea can act like a natural antiperspirant for your hands.

If you are battling with excessive sweating, there are is an effective Excess Sweating that can stop the sweating and other symptoms in less than 2 weeks.

Click Here if you're serious about ending this nightmare once and for all.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Maxwell_Jordan

Feel good

2010-02-09T19:05:00.000-08:00

5 Ways to Snap Yourself Back into a Good Mood
We all have those moments. You know, where Captain Cranky Pants sneaks up behind us, and wedding sacks us from behind, taking us from what was a great mood, to a mood of just plain blah or worse.

No matter the reason – whether it stemmed from something that someone else said or did, something we did, or even just our imagination running away with us – we HAVE the power to change how we feel. We can stop the train of thoughts that are blatantly causing us to feel worse and worse and flip them into an upward slope of feeling better and better.

Whether you are aware of it or not, our thoughts have a snowball effect. If we start thinking negative thoughts, it will only lead to more of the same – more negative thoughts. Unless we consciously choose to redirect what we are thinking about, we will just continue to cycle in those blah-icky-gloomy feelings.

The trick is first realizing what is happening. Awareness is a powerful powerful tool that many times we forget we have. We go on and on throughout our day, without realizing we actually have control over what we are thinking.

By stopping and becoming aware of what we are thinking, we are allowing ourselves to take that step outside of the picture long enough to observe what’s going on so that we can change it. You know the old saying, you can’t fix what you don’t know is broken. Well this is the prime example.

Here Are 5 Tricks That I Use to Put Myself in a Great Mood
1. I close my eyes, take a deep breathe, and think of 3 things in my life that I am grateful for.

I know this sounds cliché and silly, but the moment we shift our attention from something that we think is bad, to something we see as good, it automatically begins to shift our mood. When I think of these things that I am grateful for, I make sure to take time to see them in my mind, whether it is a person, place, or thing, I spend a few moments visualizing it until I notice the difference in how I feel. Try this and pay attention to your feelings, it’s almost like you can feel the shift in your chest as you move from the gloomy thoughts to the happy thoughts. The only way I can describe it is when I begin to focus on the things I am grateful for, I feel like I light up like a Christmas tree.

2. I ask myself, how does this serve me?

Sometimes I will even take #1 an step further and pull out a sheet of paper and start writing a list of reasons why whatever it is that was bringing me down, is actually a gift because it is allowing me an opportunity for growth or to learn some great lesson. Again, this trick is sooo under-rated because when we can see the good in any situation, and appreciate that it is helping us in some way to become stronger, smarter, or better equipped, then it no longer has the negative feelings attached to it. Every seemingly bad situation has the power to make our life better if we allow it, and that is the key.

3. I turn on a feel good song.

Good music is an amazing thing, so turn on a good song, and sing along, OUT LOUD, dance, move your feet… who cares who is looking, just do what feels good. It’s impossible to be in a bad mood after jamming out to your favorite feel good song. Don’t’ believe me? Try it. I dare you…

4. Get in a kick butt workout.

Yes, some days it’s tough to get inspired to get to the gym, but once you get moving, you feel pretty good, right? And then when you are finished, the endorphins are flowing, and you just feel great. The bad mood has completely vanished! Poof!

For faster results, combine #3 and #4.

5. Give to someone, unconditionally.

Whether it is with your time, your love, your attention, or your money, when you give open-heartedly to another human being it sparks something inside that turns on the happy switch. It really ties into #1 above, because when you give something to someone, with no strings attached, expecting nothing in return, you can’t help but feel gratitude for life itself and all the small things we so often take for granted.

Final Thoughts
Those are my go-to methods for busting a bad mood before it even starts. It’s really not rocket science, but these are the things that seem so simple, yet we just don’t do them. I challenge you to take a handful of these tips and make them part of your daily routine.

The more you take time for the simple feel-good pleasures in life, the more you will notice that life will automatically bring you more of the same. Happiness becomes.. EASY! And just a normal part of who you are. Can you believe it? What an amazing thought. That alone puts me in a good mood.

stop procrastinating now

2010-02-09T05:51:00.000-08:00

In order to stop procrastinating now, consider the following procrastination tips:

1.Deal with Your Stress. Start getting enough sleep. Take plenty of time to relax. Ask for help when you need it. Find something that works for you.
2.Set a Schedule. It may help you to get a day planner or other type of scheduling plan. Not having a set schedule is one of the main reasons why people procrastinate.
3.Break your Tasks Apart. Sometimes you'll find yourself procrastinating because the task at hand seems too large.
4.Take Breaks. If you push yourself too hard, you may eventually burn out. After you accomplish each small task, give yourself some time to yourself.
5.Do It Now. When it comes to the little things, take on the "do it now" mentality. All those little things can add up to some serious stress if you continue to procrastinate.
6.Give Yourself a Firm Deadline. When you have one particular task that you must accomplish, don't leave anything up in the air.
7.Get Someone to Hold You Accountable. When you have a particular thing that you need to accomplish, have someone check up on you during certain intervals. It's definitely a good way to hold yourself accountable in the end.

Yoga

2010-01-26T10:48:00.001-08:00

Handbook for Life… 2010
Cross Posted (& Edited) from Linda’s Yoga Journey

HEALTH:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is
manufactured in plants.
4. Live with the 3 E’s — Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.
5. Make time to meditate.
6. (Breathe)

7. Read more books than you did in 2009.
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minute walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

PERSONALITY:

11. Comparing our lives to others is fruitless. We have no idea what their journey is about.

12. Replace negative thoughts with positive ones especially about things out of our control. Invest energy in the positive present moment.
13. Try not to over do. Understand limits.
14. Why take ourselves so seriously. No one else does.
15. Gossip drains precious energy.
16. Dream more while we are awake.
17. Envy is a waste of time. We already have all we need.
18. Forget issues of the past. Let go of our partners mistakes of the past. Focus on our present/future happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

20. Make peace with our past so it won’t spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of our happiness except us.
22. Realize that life is a school and we are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons we learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. We don’t have to win arguments. It’s ok to agree to disagree.

SOCIETY:
25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything.
28. Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is insignificant compared to what you think of yourself.
31. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends & family will. Stay in touch.

LIFE:
32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. (Higher powers) heal everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
36. No matter how we feel, get up, dress up, and show up.
37. The best is yet to come.
38. When we awake alive in the morning, be thankful.
39. Our Inner most is always happy. Release your “Inner Happy” on the world every day