Sunday, December 21, 2014
Creating Healing Miracles
The Mind, Body and Spirit is each persons sacred trinity.
For us to effect healing miracles in our life we must strive to master the
wholeness of self.
 |
| Image by: Bryan Harry - NPS |
Often we turn aspects of our being over to authority
figures outside of self. This puts us in a disempowered state. We put
physicians in charge of the physical body, priests or imams in charge of the
spirit, and society/culture or governing elites in charge of the mind. When a
crisis confronts us we find self in a state of shock because we have no internal
resource or strength.
Life often bestows upon us healing crises. We are
confronted by physical illness, loss of loved ones, moments where our work or
work product is assaulted and insulted, trusted and treasured relationships
dissolve, love seems decimated, or we feel abandoned by all that is Good.
It is difficult to believe these crises are meant for our
good/evolution. But when you make Spiritual and Mental peace with the
crises/challenges healing begins and unrealized opportunities are revealed. Your
inner strength and conviction emerge and you are no longer mentally
storm-tossed.
Under these conditions we must see the healing crisis for
what it truly is opportunity---while
stagnation is death. Life is change, evolution, and
growth---the process of reclaiming the wholeness of self—the initial sacred
trinity Mind, Body, Spirit. Our own existence, Life, is a miracle. It is
essential to remember only the body can heal the body. (I break my arm—the
miracle of my body knits the bone back together.)
Lewis Mehl-Madrona, M.D., in his book Coyote Healing:
Miracles in Native Medicine, helps us realize how we can create healing
miracles in our life. He advocates that disharmony in Mind, Body, or spirit
limits our potential for the healing we seek.
Mehl-Madrona's life story is that of a Native
American-European hybrid (his word choice) searching for his ancestral roots.
His story is that of seeking of mind, body, spirit, and community integration
within a framework of Christianization, colonization, and assimilation. He
rejected the traditional medical school thinking in which "life was a
relentless progression toward death, disease, and decay. [And] the physician's
job is to slow the rate of decline."
This approach was unacceptable and he has stated that by the weekend, he had found a Cherokee
healer with whom to study. That was 1973 and he hasn't stopped his studying
with [Native American] elders.
Lewis Mehl-Madrona, M.D is a board-certified family
physician, psychiatrist, and geriatrician with a Ph.D. in clinical psychology.
He worked for over twenty-five years in emergency medicine in both rural and
academic settings. Currently he is the Coordinator of Integrative Psychiatry
and Systems Medicine for the University of Arizona’s Program in Integrative
Medicine. When he entered Stanford University School of Medicine in California,
in 1973, Lewis realized that his culture had much to offer mainstream society -
through its understanding of the power of story and through its understanding
of healing and transformation. (http://www.mehl-madrona.com)
Mehl-Madrona asks why should we be surprised when cancer
patients die on the schedules predicted by our studies---how much do we program
people to have the outcomes we expect by convincing them what to expect? I
agree with Mehl-Madrona and wonder how much of the increasing cancer rate is
due to subtle subconscious programming and a stressed mindset eroding our
biochemical immune system.
Mehl-Madrona believes "It is difficult to locate the
inner healing because it is a state of mind body Spirit rather then a thing,
and is different for each of us in accordance with our beliefs, values,
history, and culture."
Mehl-Madrona’s focus is to rekindle “The fire of hope in
all aspects of our lives... we cannot wait any longer to eat the food of hope
we…rather we must find our sustenance in the present moment.”
He views hope as essential “to the power of our inner
healing which is responsible for so-called spontaneous remission [when] the
inner healer is missing… people die of simple treatable illness is despite good
medical care…. it is difficult to locate the inner healing because it is a
state of mind body Spirit rather than a thing…it is different for each of us.
We must find that multi dimensional self, Mind, Body and Spirit, and confront
the embodiment of your illness.
Mehl-Madrona states “Native American healers expect
miracles and prepare in all ways possible for them to occur.” In contrast when
modern allopathic medicine sees miraculous recoveries, these recoveries are
discarded from studies as anomalous cases. Miraculous recoveries are viewed as
tainting the otherwise orderly results. Mehl-Madrona’s believes this small
group of “miracle” patients has everything to teach us about healing and
survival.
The book Coyote Healing distills the common
elements in miracle cures to help people start their own healing journey. Dr.
Mehl-Madrona reviewed hundreds of cases where individuals experienced miracle
cures. By examining the energies, attributes, and teachings implicit within
Native American healing and how these relate to body-mind healing, he reveals
that survivors found purpose and meaning in their life-threatening illness.
Peaceful acceptance was key to their healing. Peaceful acceptance does not mean
giving up. It means the miracle of finding faith, hope, and serenity,
which empower life energy even when a cure seems impossible.
Native American healers teach us that healing requires self-awareness
in 1. The importance of relationship; 2. The importance of acceptance and
surrender; 3. Focus on the present; 4. The importance of community; 5.
Transcending blame; 6.The importance of the spiritual dimension; and the need
for 7. Profound change.
Book Chapters:
What is a miracle?
The miracle of peacefulness
Finding the inner healer
The healing journey: Medicine Wheel
The East: Discovering spirit
The south: Discovering emotion
The west: Discovering the body ate
The north: Discovering the mind and community
The power of ceremony
Hearing stories and changing stories
(The reference to the cardinal directions are places on
the Native American Medicine wheel for in depth examination see this website
Be sure to read the foreword and introduction. Larry
Dossey M.D. writes the foreword. Dossey, a physician and medical reformer,
investigates the compelling medical, scientific, and spiritual evidence for a
universal consciousness. He is also known for presenting convincing evidence
for a nonlocalized, holistic view of the mind and reality that accounts for the
power of prayer and transcendental experiences.
Book Reviews
“We all delight in reading about medical miracles. Dr.
Lewis Mehl-Madrona, a highly trained practitioner of integrative medicine and
Native American healing, gives us inspiring stories along with insightful
analyses of them so that we can apply their lessons to our own lives.” (ANDREW
WEIL, M.D., author of 8 Weeks to Optimum Health)
“Lewis Mehl-Madrona has deconstructed the mechanisms of
miracle cures and true healing in a way that is sensible, coherent, and
shockingly enlightening. Your view of life and wellness will be forever
transformed!” (Thom Hartmann, author of Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight)
“If ever there was a time to be open to miracles, the time
is now. Coyote Healing provides a blueprint for celebrating the miracle of
healing in all aspects of life.” (GARY SWARTZ, PH.D., author of Living
Energy Universe)
Lewis Mehl-Madrona can be contacted at the Coyote
Institute -- East, P.O. Box 9309, S. Burlington, VT 05407, USA
Mehl-Madrona,
Lewis . Coyote Healing: Miracles in
Native, (March 25, 2003) Bear and Company: ISBN-10: 1591430100
www.healing-arts.org/mehl-madrona
www.mehl-madrona.com
http://www.amazon.com/Coyote-Healing-Miracles-Native-Medicine/
Friday, November 21, 2014
The Healing Power of Ginger
Certain smells create feelings of well-being and invoke
happy memories. Ginger spice does that for me. Ginger is a happy, warming herb
that stirs up memories of family holidays, gingerbread cookies, and pumpkin
pies. Ginger is an ancient spice used worldwide in cooking and is also
well-known for various health benefits.
Ginger is known to: boost bone health, eliminates
arthritis symptoms, strengthen the immune system, prevent various types of
cancer, improve respiratory conditions, help with flu symptoms, increase
appetite, aid digestion, nausea, reduce excess gas, enhance sexual activity,
and relieve menstrual pain.
Although ginger, Zingiber Officinale, is inaccurately referred to as “ginger root”, it is
actually the stem, rhizome that is used. In Western cultures, ginger is
typically used in sweets and alcoholic beverages such as ginger beer and ginger
wine. While, in Asian cultures, ginger powder is used directly in traditional
cuisine, or in coffee and tea.
Ginger is known as an essential oil, a spice, and is one
of the oldest herbal. Ginger has been used in China for over 2,000 years for
treating inflammation and diarrhea.
Cultivation may have begun in southern Asia then spread to East Africa
and the Caribbean. Ginger is a perennial plant that grows bright red flowers
that are often used in the South Pacific for seasonal festivals, decorating
stalls, houses, and clothing.
The Armenian
monk Gregory of Nicopolis brought gingerbread to Europe, in 992. German
immigrants brought gingerbread to Sweden
during the 13th century. Early reference logs from Vadstena Abbey record that
Swedish nuns
were baking gingerbread to ease indigestion in 1444.
In Medieval England gingerbread was thought to have
medicinal properties. Gingerbread became widely available in the 18th century.
Queen Elizabeth I of England created the idea of the gingerbread man in the 16th
century. The first gingerbread man
was revealed at a Royal ball where several were made to resemble respected
guests.
Gingerbread Men Cookies Recipe
Original recipe
makes 2 dozen cookies
3 cups
flour
2
teaspoons McCormick® Ginger, Ground
1
teaspoon McCormick® Cinnamon, Ground
1
teaspoon baking soda
1/4
teaspoon McCormick® Nutmeg, Ground
1/4
teaspoon salt
3/4 cup
butter, softened
3/4 cup
firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup
molasses
1 egg
1
teaspoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
Directions
Mix flour,
ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt in large bowl. Set aside. Beat
butter and brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until
light and fluffy. Add molasses, egg and vanilla; mix well. Gradually beat in
flour mixture on low speed until well mixed. Press dough into a thick flat
disk. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out dough to
1/4-inch thickness on lightly floured work surface. Cut into gingerbread men
shapes with 5-inch cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on increased baking
sheets.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes
or until edges of cookies are set and just begin to brown. Cool on baking
sheets 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. Decorate cooled
cookies as desired. Store cookies in airtight container up to 5 days.
Benefits of Ginger
Ginger contains enzymes that destroys parasites and their
eggs, and is associated with anti-inflammatory activity. There are over 400
active ingredients in ginger, which includes ascorbic acid, caffeic acid,
capsaicin, beta-sitosterol, beta-carotene, curcumin, lecithin, limonene,
selenium and tryptophan. The synergy of these ingredients contributes to the
therapeutic power and versatility of ginger.
Bone Health: A
University of Miami study, conducted with several hundred patients from different
backgrounds and ages, demonstrated improvement in osteoarthritis.
Ovarian
Cancer Treatment:
A University of Michigan
Comprehensive Cancer Center found ginger to be a powerful weapon in the
treatment of ovarian cancer. Ginger powder induced cell death in all of the
ovarian cancer cells to which it was applied.
Colon Cancer Prevention:
A University of Minnesota study found ginger may slow the growth of
colorectal cancer cells.
Diabetic Nephropathy (kidney
damage) Prevention:
A study of
diabetic rats demonstrated that rats given ginger demonstrated a reduced
incidence of diabetic kidney damage.
Morning Sickness:
A
review of several studies has concluded that ginger is just as effective as
vitamin B6 in the treatment of morning sickness.
Motion Sickness Remedy: Studies demonstrated ginger is an effective remedy for nausea associated
with motion sickness.
Reduces Pain and Inflammation:
The anti-inflammatory and powerful natural
painkiller properties of ginger are demonstrated in several studies.
Heartburn Relief:
Ginger
tea has long been used as a natural heartburn remedy.
Migraine Relief:
Migraine
research demonstrates that the properties of ginger have the ability to stop
prostaglandins which cause pain and inflammation in blood vessels.
Cold and Flu Prevention and Treatment: Ginger has long been used as a natural treatment for
colds, flu, and food poisoning.
Menstrual Cramp Relief:
Ginger tea with brown sugar has long been used in Chinese medicine as
a treatment for menstrual cramps.
Adding turmeric to ginger tea is a healthy, easy tea you
can make at home. You will benefit from the healing benefits of both herbs. Ginger is anti-inflammatory and
anti-viral and is known as a nausea treatment. Turmeric has antibacterial,
anti-inflammatory, and anti-viral properties. This combination tea is very
effective for food poisoning or a stomach virus.
Ginger and
Turmeric Tea Recipe
Ingredients
4 cups water
1/2 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 tablespoon ground turmeric
lemon (optional)
honey (optional)
Directions
Bring water to a boil. Reduce heat and add turmeric and
ginger. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Strain into a mug using a mesh strainer or cheesecloth.
Add honey and/or lemon to taste.
Cooking with Ginger
Many of us have dried ginger in our pantry but to take
full advantage of the healing properties of ginger try cooking with fresh
ginger root. First remove the skin from the rhizome using a paring knife or
scrape off the skin to preserve more of the flesh. Try blending fresh ginger
root into fruit smoothies or vegetable combinations. Add freshly minced ginger
as a finishing touch to sautéed and stir-fried dishes, or for a subtle flavor,
add ginger at the beginning of cooking.
An easy recipe for fresh, clean ginger tea is to simmering
a 1-inch piece of fresh ginger rhizome in 2 cups of water for 10 to 20 minutes.
Strain and stir in fresh lemon juice and sweetener if desired.
www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/ginger-root
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gingerbread
Friday, November 14, 2014
Make Your Own Bath Salts: Happy Soaking
Turning bath time into spa
time can be as easy as tossing a handful of salt and a handful of baking soda
into a nice warm (hot) tub of water. Homemade bath salts are a perfect gift for
the ones we love, or a perfect self-indulgence after a stressful day.
If you are like me you need
a good reason to be self-indulgent. After spending the day in front of a
computer, take a salt and baking soda bath for a calming, radiation detox.
I wrote an article on
essential oils and their therapeutic qualities previously. If you intend to use
essential oils in your bath salts creation, I recommend you review the article
on essential oils.
How to create bath salts
1. Start
with a clutter free, clean work surface---a kitchen table covered with a
plastic garbage bag works perfectly.
2. Measure
out sea salts, or Epsom salt, and pour into a large mixing bowl.
3.
Add essential or fragrance oil, colorant (optional), and mix
the salts thoroughly with your hands. Use disposable gloves to protect your
hands while blending. If your hands get too salted they may become very dry and
irritated.
4. Dendritic
salt is a man-made salt, which absorbs carrier oils, essential oil, and
colorant easily can be added to natural sea salt. Mix Dendritic salt and sea salt completely. It takes some
time for the scent and colorant to incorporate with the salts so be patient (see
colorants below.)
5. When
the salts have been coated pour them out onto a wax paper lined baking sheet.
Spread the salts out in a thin a layer as possible for a quicker drying time.
Drying bath salts at least six hours before placing in a bottle to lessen the
chance of clumping in the jar.
6. Place
dried salts into a glass jar with a tight closure. Seal scented bath salts as
tightly as possible avoiding excessive air exposure, which may cause clumping
from humid air, or premature scent fading.
7. Let
the sealed bath salts jar “age” or “ripen” for a few days. Stir, shake or mix
every day, however a bath salt gift is likely sit a few days before it is used,
which will allow the scent to blend well by the time it is used.
8.
Be sure to label the jars with a description of the salts,
essential oils, and basic soaking instructions.
9.
Avoid using disposable plastic bags, which are made from a
quickly deteriorating plastic and are easily broken down by the essential oils
in the salt blend.
10.
Dendritic salt holds the scent last longer and effectively
retains the original scents. This allows you to use less essential oil.
11.
Herbs are popular additions to bath salt recipes but can be
messy in the tub so a good idea to include an organza bag with your bath salts
to contain dried herbs. The salts melt and the herbs seep in the hot bath
water. After the bag dries empty out the herbs and re-use the bag.
Essential Vocabulary
Aromatherapy--The
practice of careful use of essential oils to maintain and promote physical,
psychological, and spiritual well-being. Aromatherapy is a preventative
approach as well as an active therapy for illness.
Essential Oils are
highly concentrated plant extracts distilled from plant material including
leaves, flowers, needles, fruit peels, grasses, wood and roots. These oils
should always be diluted in carrier oil before applying directly to the skin.
However, lavender and tea tree oil can be used neat (undiluted in a carrier
oil).
Dried Herbs tend
to possess the same scent and
therapeutic properties of their essential oil.
Carrier Oils are
natural oils that are used
to dilute and "carry" essential oils so they can be used on the skin.
Carrier vegetable oils or fixed oils do not evaporate like some essential oils.
Moisturizing oils, such as almond, olive, are commonly used as a
"carrier" oils. Most essential oils should be diluted by the ratio of
12-30 drops to 1 ounce of carrier oil. Carrier oils can also be combined with
sea salts to create exfoliant salt scrubs.
Sodium Bicarbonate (baking
soda) combined with equal parts
sea salt assists detoxification from exposure to heavy metals and radiation.
Citric Acid is a
colorless translucent crystalline acid derived
by the fermentation of carbohydrates or from lemon, lime, and pineapple juices.
Citric acid and baking soda create a fizzy, effervescent blend that helps to
release the aroma of the essential oils into the air.
Colorants.
FD&C Liquid Dyes are available as water-based dye, which can be added one drop at a
time, or mixed to create unique shades of color. FD&C Liquid Dyes tend
to retain much of their translucent appearance. These dyes can bleed into
one another when layered, and can lose potency and brightness over
time. (Avoid the oil dispersible and powder form dyes, which are not
suitable for making Bath Salts.
Pearlescent Micas are powdered, mineral based colorants that create a shimmering opaque
color. Use micas sparingly to provide intense color. Micas coat bath
salts most evenly when added directly after a wet ingredient, such as fragrance
oil, or essential Oil is added.
Start with 1/8 teaspoon per 1-2 cups of salt, and add more if
needed.
Ultramarines and Oxides are
mineral based colorants that provide opaque, matte color but can be tricky to
use. To coat salt evenly you'll need to incorporate some kind of oil,
however, do not make Bath Salts too slick by adding too much oil. Mix the
Ultramarine or Oxide in a small dish with a few drops of Carrier Oil to create
a slurry. Then add Fragrance Oil or Essential Oil to the dish and stir
again. Pour the mixture into salt and stir well. Start out with 1/8
teaspoon per 1-2 cups of salt, and add more if needed. Be careful not to add
too much Oxide or Ultramarine colorant as it can leave the tub rather messy.
Simple Scented
Bath Salt Recipe
- 16 ounces all-natural bath salt
- 15-30 drops of essential oil
- In a mixing bowl, add drops of the essential oil to the bath salt and mix well. Store in a glass jar. Add 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the scented salts to a bath for a soothing, luxurious experience!
Salt/Essential oil Combinations
Salt/Lavender
· 16
ounces Dead Sea Salt
· 20
drops Lavender Oil (lavender essential oil include its ability to eliminate
nervous tension, relieve pain, disinfect the scalp and skin, enhance blood
circulation)
Salt/Spearmint/Rosemary
· 16
ounces Himalayan Pink Salt
· 10
drops Spearmint Oil (cooling, energizes body system, revitalize your brain
functions.
· 5
drops Rosemary Oil (improve memory, stimulate the adrenal glands and
lymphatic system, condition your hair and even make it grow)
Salt/Sweet Orange Oil/Grapefruit Oil
· 16
ounces Pure Atlantic Sea Salt
·
20 drops Sweet Orange Oil (mood lifter, boosts the
immune system, lymphatic stimulant, sedative and relaxant)
·
10 drops Grapefruit Oil (mood lifter,
anti-cellulite, antioxidant)
Epsom Salt/Eucalyptus/Lavender
16 ounces Epsom Salt
5 drops Eucalyptus Oil (anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, decongestant, deodorant, antiseptic, antibacterial, stimulating)
15 drops Lavender Oil
Caution: Do not
take hot baths and salt baths (including Epsom salt
baths) if you have heart trouble, high blood pressure, or are diabetic. Use
caution if pregnant.
http://www.wikihow.com/Take-a-Detox-Bath
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/detox-baths.html#ixzz3IgrNwoY2
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/detox-baths.html#ixzz3IgrNwoY2
http://www.naturalbeautyworkshop.com/my_weblog/2008/11/how-to-make-bat.html
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Salt: Great for Detox Baths, part 1
Salt is the corner stone of the body’s internal cleansing
process.
Benefits of Saltwater Soaking
Salt Varieties include:
According to Wikipedia, different kinds of salts, their
uses, and methods of extraction were studied in China around 2700 years BCE.
Hippocrates encouraged his fellow healers to use salt water for the treatment
of various ailments by immersing patients in seawater. Ancient Greeks continued
this practice. In1753 Charles Russell, English author and physician, published
the book “The Uses of Sea Water”. During the19th century, Father Sebastian Kneipp, Bavarian priest and
holistic healer formalized the idea of “hydrotherapy” therapeutic water
soaking.
The body’s capacity for detoxification of environmental
pollutants is not endless. Daily our exposure to toxic substances is on the
rise as new materials and substance are created in and synthesized in chemical laboratories.
These chemicals end up in our air, water and food.
On average U.S. citizens have residues from over 400
toxic compounds in their body according to the EPA. The U.S. water supply
contains 2,100 chemicals, including pesticides, herbicides, PCBs, and
medications such as hormones, antidepressants and recreational drugs.
Approximately, 80,000 metric tons of carcinogens are released into the air
annually. Genetically modified ingredients are found in over 80% of our
foods. 82,000 man-made chemicals are in use daily but only a fourth have
been tested for toxicity.
The liver is the main cleansing organ of the body. It
removes toxins and metabolic waste by converting them into water-soluble
compounds. These water-soluble compounds are eliminated from the body through
urine. Nonwater-soluble compounds are transformed by the liver and
excreted into the bile, which is transported to the intestines and excreted.
Toxins that are not eliminated or completely removed by either process are
eliminated via our sweat through the skin. This demonstrates why salt water
soaking is so beneficial for a healthy body. The skin is seen as the third
kidney since toxins are excreted through sweating.
Benefits of Saltwater Soaking
·
Ease stress and improves sleep and concentration
·
Help muscles and nerves function properly
·
Regulate activity of 325+ enzymes
·
Help prevent artery hardening and blood clots
·
Make insulin more effective
·
Reduce inflammation to relieve pain and muscle cramps
·
Improve oxygen use
·
Flush toxins
·
Improve absorption of nutrients
·
Help form joint proteins, brain tissue and mucin
proteins
·
Help prevent or ease migraine headaches
Hydrotherapy, soaking, for body detoxification is an
ancient remedy that anyone can perform in the comfort of home. A cleansing soak
assists your body with the elimination of toxins as well as with absorbing
minerals and nutrients from the water. According to Naturopath Dr. Hazel
Parcells hot water draws toxins to the skin’s surface, and as the water cools
it pulls toxins from the skin.
Salts are highly alkaline and cleansing. Typical salts used
in hydo-therapy baths include sea salt,
baking soda,
clay, and Dead Sea salts. Epsom salts, magnesium based salt, supports the
detoxification by causing you to sweat. Sea salt baths are often recommended
for treating a wide range of medical conditions.
Sea salts, the relaxing effects of hot water, and essential
oils are a synergistic combination. These Aromatic baths provide relief from
stress and anxiety, assist with muscle and joint pains, and treat the symptoms
of more severe skin conditions.
Salt Varieties include:
Himalayan salt, or
Jurassic sea salt, was formed 150 million years ago during the formation of the
great mountain ranges of today. These ancient sea salt deposits were preserved
and protected from pollutants by layers of volcanic eruptions. These salts
typically contain 84 valuable trace minerals that create a beautiful, natural
pink coloring.
Atlantic Sea Salts are
collected from deep, clean ocean waters. The seawater is channeled into large
clay trays and where the water is allowed to evaporate it naturally in the sun
and wind. This white bath salt is naturally absorbent and perfect for adding
coloring or scent.
Dead Sea Salt differs
greatly from other sea salts in mineral content, being made up of only 8%
sodium chloride with a high percentage of magnesium, sulfates and potassium. It
is rumored that Cleopatra had a spa constructed on the shores of the Dead Sea.
Dead Sea salts re known to aid in the treatment of common dry skin conditions
like eczema and psoriasis, as well as, to reduce pain and inflammation from
arthritis and rheumatism.
Dendritic Salt is
a highly purified sodium chloride that is crystallized commercially
manufactured. Dendritic salt is highly absorptive and holds essential oils more
intensely and for longer time. It requires less pigment, and reduces clumping,
and is used as a preservative for bath salt blends.
Epsom salt is a
pure mineral compound of magnesium sulfate in crystal form, which looks like
salt. Although it isn’t salt, sodium chloride, Epsom salt benefits those who
are magnesium deficient. Magnesium deficiency contributes to heart disease,
stroke, osteoporosis, arthritis and joint pain, digestive problems, and chronic
fatigue. Epsom salt is most easily taken into the body through the skin.
Mediterranean Sea salt is a perfect salt for adding straight to the tub, as a raw ingredient
blended with essential oils for scrubs and body treatments.
Grey Breton salt is unwashed, unrefined, and additive-free. Grey
salt is traditionally hand-harvested in Guérande, France in the Brittany
region. The salt’s natural trace minerals absorbed from its sea origins create
the distinctive gray color. Because it is unwashed, unrefined, and
additive-free, it maintains the health-enhancing nutrients calcium, potassium,
copper, zinc, iron and others.
Hawaiian Red salt,
also known as Alaea sea salt, is a natural, unprocessed salt. The distinctive
red color comes from purified volcanic, red Hawaiian clay, which is high in
iron oxide. The therapeutic benefits of Hawaiian Red salt baths include healing
wounds, body aches, and muscle sprains.
Indian Black salt
is a pinkish gray, sulfur salt, which is harvested in the Pakistan and India
volcanic regions. This bath salt is beneficial for a wide variety of conditions
including skin infections, inflammations, and respiratory problems. This
unrefined sulfur salt is a natural disinfectant, which has a strong purifying
and re-mineralizing effect on the body. Black salt is a central ingredient in
classical Ayurvedic healing therapies. Sulfur salt has strong, distinct smell
like that of sulfuric spring water.
With a basic understanding of the various salt varieties,
you can create spa baths personalized to your health needs. When buying salt
for therapeutic soaking, it is more economical to buy bulk quantities from an Internet.
I recommend buying food grade salt from a reputable dealer as the purity is guaranteed.
You can then use the salt for cooking experimenting with flavors, as well as
soaking getting, and the full benefit of the mineral content.
Warning: do
not eat commercial bath salts or homemade bath salts to which essential oils or
chemical colorants are added.
Homemade bath salts make easy fun personalized gifts. Part
2 will describe methods for making
personalized, spa bathsalts.
http://www.wikihow.com/Take-a-Detox-Bath
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Stomach Pain and Gallbladder
Generally the gallbladder doesn't cause too many problems
or give us much concern. But it can be a scary experience if you pass a larger
gallstone. The pain may be intense enough to make a person faint. Passing a
gallstone typically occurs within an hour of eating a meal.
A large gallstone that blocks a duct in your
digestive track is experienced as a sudden, increasing pain in your right upper
abdomen. Pain may be felt in the center of the abdomen, or as traveling into
the back under the shoulder blades and into the right shoulder. The pain can
last from a few minutes to a few hours. In extreme cases, you may experience a
yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes, as well as a high fever.
Most gallstones are
extremely tiny, and are passed from the body without notice. They are
pebble-like deposits of bile, or cholesterol, which formed in the gallbladder
as part of the digestion process. However, if you develop a really large
gallstone, which causes extreme pain as it passes through the body, you need to
seek medical help immediately.
If the gallstone is blocking a bile duct, the size of
the stone will dictate if surgery is needed to remove it from your body.
Another option a physician may use is to dissolve the gallstone with oral
medication.
There are several gallbladder conditions that have
similar symptoms. The different types of gallbladder problems have common
symptoms and start with pain in the upper abdominal area, either in the upper
right or middle.
Common
symptoms of Gallbladder Conditions:
Severe abdominal pain
Pain that may extend beneath the right shoulder blade or
to the back
Pain that worsens after eating a meal, particularly fatty
or greasy foods
Pain that feels dull, sharp, or crampy
Pain that increases when you breathe in deeply
Chest pain
Heartburn, indigestion, and excessive gas
A feeling of fullness in the abdomen
Vomiting, nausea, fever
Shaking with chills
Tenderness in the abdomen, particularly the right upper
quadrant
Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
Stools of an unusual color (often lighter, like clay)
A medical diagnosis by a physician will identify whether
you have a temporary case of gallstones, or if you have developed gallbladder
disease. The correct diagnosis gives you the information needed to decide
between alternative treatments or allopathic treatments.
Gallstones
(cholelithiasis). This condition occurs
when small stones, or sometimes larger ones, develop inside the gallbladder and
cause pain known as biliary colic. However, 90 percent of people with gallstones
will have no symptoms.
Biliary colic is a severe episodes of pain caused by gallstone
blockage of the cystic duct. The gallbladder contracts against the blockage,
causing spasmodic (or sometimes constant) severe pain. Biliary colic usually
last only an hour or two and may infrequently or years apart.
Inflamed
gallbladder (cholecystitis) is caused by
gallstones, excessive alcohol use, infections, or even tumors that cause bile
buildup. However, the most common cause of is gallstones. Gallstone irritation
may cause the gallbladder walls to become swollen and painful. Inflammation
episode may last for several hours, or even a few days. The sluggish, inflamed
gallbladder may be invaded by intestinal bacteria, and becomes infected. When a
gallbladder actually ruptures, this is a surgical emergency. Cholecystitis
always requires medical attention, particularly if fever is present.
Dysfunctional
gallbladder or chronic gallbladder disease.
The gallbladder becomes rigid and scarred repeated episodes of inflammation and
gallstones. Symptoms are constant and include abdominal fullness, indigestion,
increased gas, and chronic diarrhea after meals throughout the day.
Lifestyle, Diet and
Home Remedies
- Eliminate
fatty and greasy foods in your diet---foods high in cholesterol can result
in the accumulation cholesterol in your bile that could result in more
gallstones.
- Avoid
fatty beef or pork--- stick to lean meats and consume plenty of fish,
turkey and poultry.
- Avoid peppers
and chili peppers -- spicy foods can lead to increased gallbladder attacks
and intense pain.
- Avoid condiments
such as mayonnaise and using excessive.
- Avoid
junk foods (chips, cookies and cakes) and high-fat diary products, such as
ice cream.
- Increase
Vitamin C intake---helps in breaking down cholesterol accumulation in your
body, which breaks down stones to allow them to easily pass through your
stool.
- Increase
water intake per day will help in passing gallstones--try to drink at
least one glass of water every hour.
- Eat
foods rich in fiber---which helps regulates bowel movement.
- One
should eat a healthy diet, lose weight slowly (not abruptly), and maintain
the healthy weight.
- Application
of hot pack (caster oil pack) in the upper abdominal area can relieve the
pain.
- Administer
a warm water enema to eliminate fecal accumulations for those constipated
patients.
- Doing
physical exercises are needed to facilitate peristalsis.
Inflamed Gallbladder Diet
- Drink
beet, carrot, lemon, grape, grapefruit, and pear juices.
- Eat
moderate amounts of cooked vegetables and add more slightly raw cooked
veggies.
- Avoid
eating the following: fats, eggs, meat, spices, pickles, coffee, sugary
products, and fried, greasy, processed foods.
- Eat
frequent small meals rather than having 3 larger meals a day.
Consult your physician for an accurate diagnosis and
treatment recommendations before beginning an herbal regimen. Certain herbs may
help gallbladder disease, gallstones or other stressors on your gallbladder.
Some herbs also improve liver function.
Herbs used for gallbladder conditions:
Milk Thistle
According to the University of Michigan Health
System, milk thistle in capsule or tablet form may help to prevent gallstones.
A study found that taking 420 mg of the silymarin contained in milk thistle
helps decrease the cholesterol levels in bile, which helps prevent gallstones
from forming. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends taking 80 mg
to 160 mg of standardized milk thistle seed extract two to three times daily
for liver and gallbladder support
Coffee
Coffee helps prevent gallbladder disease. Two large
studies published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, June
1999, showed men who consumed the most caffeinated coffee (more than four cups
per day) had the lowest risk of gallbladder disease. In a separate study
published in December 2002 in Gastroenterology, researchers found caffeinated
coffee protects against gallbladder disease.
Peppermint
According to the University of Pittsburgh Medical
Center, peppermint oil may help to dissolve gallstones. Preliminary studies
have found that taking peppermint or other essential plant oils helps dissolve
gallstones over the course of several months
Artichoke
The University of Maryland Medical Center has found
taking an extract from the globe artichoke leaves may support the gallbladder
and liver. The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center reports the artichoke
leaf may help gallbladder contraction, which pushes out the gallstones. Take
250 mg to 500 mg two to three times per day of standardized globe artichoke
extract to support gallbladder function,
Turmeric
Turmeric is also used in Germany for gallbladder pain
according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. According to the
University of Maryland Medical Center take 300 mg three times daily of
standardized turmeric extract to support your liver and gallbladder.
Dandelion
The University of Michigan Health System says
dandelion helps to treat gallstone related gallbladder pain. Dandelion root
contains bitter compounds that stimulate bile production in the gallbladder and
helps the body in processing fats.
Warning: certain herbs that help expel gallstones
may be risky because the gallstones could lodge in the bile ducts and rupture.
http://www.gallbladderpainsymptoms.org/passing-gallstones-symptoms.html
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Affirmation and Intention for Healing
What can the individual soul do when faced with the many crises that surround us? We can pray and petition for help. Or we can take a step forward and use our God given ability for affirmation. Many religions, philosophies, psychotherapists and hypno-therapists recommend this technique as a method of personal healing. We should take affirmation to the next level for the healing of our cultures, societies and nation states.
Although, there are many good prepackaged resource books, cards, and workshops on affirmations. It is my belief that creating one’s own affirmations is a superior process because the individual can tailor the affirmation to personal circumstance and needs.
Louise L. Hay is a world-renowned teacher of affirmations. Many have used her techniques, positive philosophy and positive affirmations to get what they want in life and for more wellness in the body, mind, and spirit. Her first book Heal Your Body, 1976, discusses the connection between the mind and body and contains many affirmations.
Do affirmations work? Yes, they do. Like self-hypnosis, the affirmation restructures your thought patterns. (Hypnosis is a psychological state marked by a level of awareness different from the ordinary conscious state. It is an altered mental state, or may be used for imaginative role-enactment.) Learning to use an altered state (as in a state of self-hypnosis) when repeating an affirmation allows the affirmation to restructure our thought patterns in the subconscious aspect of mind.
According to C. G. Jung, “… in addition to our immediate consciousness, which is of a thoroughly personal nature…. there exists a second psychic system of a collective, universal, and impersonal nature which is identical in all individuals. This collective unconscious does not develop individually but is inherited.” The collective unconscious is an inherited, current, and shared connection transcending time and space. We use this transcendent connection to our human peers consciously and unconsciously. This connection explains our sudden awareness of a distant (location) loved one’s passing, injury or problems.
Our connection to the collective unconscious is the hub of the sixth sense. The sixth sense is often called extrasensory perception or ESP. ESP includes the receiving of information perceived through the mind and not through the recognized physical senses.
Affirmations are a method of utilizing our sixth sense. They should always be created with a positive intent. Intention is the specific purpose for performing the active process of affirmation. One must keep the mental and emotional intent positive to avoid unanticipated, or unintended consequences.
Life is only random if we choose to live randomly. Intention and affirmation are mental energies that put us into life’s flowing pattern in the right place. The right place may not be the easy place but it is the best place for growth. Intentional behavior can also be just thoughtful and deliberate goal-directedness.
There are basic steps when creating an affirmation. Remember to say your affirmation 3 times in a row as a set. Continue to work with the affirmation over time until you feel or see it manifest. Be sure to look for the affirmation manifesting in your life. You may need to revise or refine your affirmation. If you design an affirmation of change allow the change to occur.
How to create an affirmation
1. Identify what you want to change.
2. Identify and commit to your outcome or result.
3. Create a short concise proactive sentence this is the affirmation statement.
4. Say your affirmation statement with an attitude of positive, empowered will.
5. Say the same affirmation again with an attitude of belief---this will happen (put behind it the full force of your personality and belief system.
6. The third time you say your affirmation say it with an attitude of gratefulness--thanksgiving affirming that this intention is manifesting for good.
Try this quick and easy affirmation (my personal favorite): I will be in the right place at the right time to be a totally positive and effective person in my own life and in my contribution to humanity at this time. (Repeat three times with intention, belief, and gratitude) Add Thank you! After the third repetition. Please do take the time to look for the positive result in your life.
This affirmation reveals the individual as self-responsible and ready to contribute to the wellbeing of All. The result is to connect with the flow of human energy and be drawn to those individuals to whom we can be of service, or who will be of service to us.
The affirmation process is slower when you work alone in the process. Change is always faster when working in a group or dyad (you and a therapist, or priest, or friend.) Perhaps you can start an affirmation group where individuals bring a personal affirmation to empower, or the group can create affirmations for social change.
According to self-help author Louise Hay and many holistic healers, the mind and body are connected. Illnesses of the body are rooted in the emotional and spiritual aspects of the mind’s beliefs and thought processes. Hay's approach is to identify and resolve the mental root causes of disease. Stress and unhealthy thought patterns can be changed though the process of affirmation. Hay lists numerous illnesses and the emotional thought patterns that tend to cause them in her book, Heal Your Body.
Hay’s book can be a wonderful resource. But it is much more powerful to create affirmations based on your understanding of your own needs and thoughts patterns.
According to the Louise Hay website:
An affirmation is a positive statement you say or think about yourself. Saying daily affirmations helps reprogram our negative self-talk so we can manifest more positive thinking, feeling and experiences in our lives.
According to Remez Sasson and Dorina Sasson, authors of the e-book Affirmations Words with Power, affirmation thoughts gain strength by repetition and exert pressure on the creative power of the universal mind. Your thoughts are inseparable from universal mind. (Jung calls this the collective unconscious.)
Sasson states: thoughts, actions, and events are connected with each other and affect each other. The repetition of an affirmation creates vibrations, energy patterns, within the universal mind. (Remember: the brain/mind is powered by energy, stores information as electrical energy, and transmits energy that can be measured on an encephalograph. This is the interaction point of mind, body and Spirit.)
We can create an affirmation that attracts to us the right people at the right time who are appropriate to our needs. By broadcasting our thoughts, desires and ambitions to the universal mind the benevolent universal mind responds by creating the needed circumstance.
My thoughts have been caught up with what's happening in the Ukraine, and in Iraq and Syria, and western Africa with the Ebola virus. Also with what is happening in a near by city where there have been protests about the militarization of local police and how this militarization can lead to police over-reacting and violating citizens rights and freedoms.
I am not a geo-politician, historian, or medical aide worker. However, I can and do create positive affirmations for the healing of issues I care about. I do not claim to know the perfect answer to anything---therefore I am careful about what I affirm (no personal attacks—my affirmations tend to center on healing. After all, the person whose soul is healed has no reason to harm anyone else). I do know God is good and when we affirm good God hears and responds. When we affirm bad, or evil, it will likely turn on us because God is only good.
There are many other books about affirmations available on Amazon.
Remez Sasson and Dorina Sasson’s e-book Affirmations Words with Power is available at: http://www.successconsciousness.com
http://www.healyourlife.com/articles/topic/4/Affirmations
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_Can_Heal_Your_Life
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