Are You Sleep Deprived?

Acknowledging your attitude toward sleep and your own sleep-deprived state is an essential first step to a healthy lifestyle. “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.” Is this your motto?

Seemingly, culture has convinced us to deny the very real human need for sleep. Students stay up late studying or doing projects. Workers skip sleep to meet deadlines. Medical practitioners live with shift work schedules, and 24 hour workdays. “Partygoers” develop poor sleep habits and risk serious problems from sleep deprivation. New parents must live the baby’s sleep schedule.

How much sleep does an adult need? Individual needs are different. An adult should sleep 7 to 9 hours a night. The point is to get adequate sleep to wake rested. Those living with extreme stress (for example physical abuse, war, or refugee situations) and have ongoing sleep deprivation may display altered behavior. 

Dr. Harold L. Williams and associates at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research  found the mental symptoms and effects of sleep deprivation are gradual over time. At first they may be unnoticed but become quiet profound including a “number of mental, emotional, and physical disturbances such as; progressive deterioration of mental functioning, reduction of attention span, weariness, fatigue, and possibly isolation.” After ninety hours of sleep deprivation, one develops vivid hallucinations and may end up in psychosis.

Our reliance on technology creates the conditions for sleep deprivation. Technology is highly stimulating---looking at a monitor answering e-mails, mental problem solving, playing on the Xbox, or watching highly dramatic, exciting TV. The body responds as if you are in the action yourself. Your heart rate and metabolism increase and your mind races to keep up. Once you’re over-stimulated it is difficult to calm down and fall asleep.

It is important to be the master of technology. Take un-needed technology, like the TV and phone, out of your bedroom. Be sure the glow from the radio or clock isn’t too bright to sleep in. Recent research on lighting, including streetlights, indicates blue light disrupts the melatonin sleep cycle. A simple solution to bright tech is to put something in front of the LED bulb.

Children have different sleep needs than adults and react differently to sleep deprivation. Sleep deprived children display hyperactivity and may develop attention deficit disorder. They may display emotional outbursts such as aggression, crying, and inappropriate behaviors and school behavior, while achievement may suffer. Although a child might need a simple night-light, avoid lighted pillows or other lighted, musical toys that might interrupt sleep.

Signs of Sleep Deprivation:

Stress--causes you to crack and fold, you have difficulty solving problems you are faced with. You feel helpless.

Memory Loss--can't recollect anything specifically in your mind, memories are vague, "hazy."

Bad Concentration—inability to focus on anything you're doing, poor focus and mental concentration, reaction time is significantly slowed. This serious effect impacts EVERYTHING you do.

Appetite Changes--you will be super hungry all the time or have no appetite at all. Prolonged sleep deprivation may cause weight gain, or loss.

Irritability---a growing anger and near hatred of everything and everyone.

 Tiredness--- characterized by feeling that any task is overwhelming.

Feeling, or being socially inept—you cannot communicate effectively, and the things people say are incomprehensible to you.

The body recharges and repairs itself during sleep. Vigorous and demanding exercise requires better sleep for the body to recharge to its optimum. In the sleep deprived, the body cannot recharge itself and if the routine is continued exhaustion sets in. We need to understand the cumulative effect of sleep deprivation has serious consequences. These include depressed vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature), impairment of thinking and memory, an inability to think critically or creativity, hallucinations, and even death.

Melatonin is the key sleep hormone and is produced in the brain. Sunset triggers heightened melatonin secretion from the pineal gland. When our biological clock, known as circadian rhythm, is disrupted, sleeping can be difficult. These melatonin levels normally decrease with sunrise regulating periods of sleep and wakefulness. As reported in the November 2004 issue of the journal Sleep Medicine, melatonin supplements may be of use for certain insomniacs and to regulate circadian rhythm sleep disorders. Research has shown melatonin supplements taken at the same time each night improve sleep.

Life-style Steps to Improve Sleep Quality

Avoid alcohol, tobacco and especially caffeine. Eat light meals more often through the day. Do not eat within two or three hours of going to bed. Fatty and oily foods, sweets, ice-creams are stimulating and difficult to digest

Try to go to bed at an early hour so that you spend more time in the relaxed state. According to Ayurveda and research, it is easiest to fall asleep and the quality of rest is deeper if we go to bed before 10 p.m.

Avoid stimulating activities like talking intense conversation, or watching an exciting movie after 10 PM or you may find sleep eludes you, or you wake feeling depleted.

Make sure that the room is perfectly dark. Reduce noise levels to the absolute minimum. These changes can get you more rest, and can help alleviate the effects of insomnia

Many sleep problems are due to the inability of the mind to relax and be in the moment. Meditate for 15 minutes or so before going to bed and your mind will be quieter and the more restful your sleep.

Go to bed only when you feel drowsy as this short circuits anxiety about the arrival of sleep, which is a major cause of sleeplessness. If you don’t fall asleep within half an hour of going to sleep, wake up and meditate or read a book. If you awake in the middle of the night don’t fret or fight to get sleep.

If you worrying about sleep onset listen to calm, soothing music, or some audio books to distract yourself. Insomniacs find it hard to fall asleep is because they think too much about falling asleep.

Drink lots of water through the day, to flush out toxins and help support the kidneys. But minimize water intake after 6 pm to avoid disturbing sleep for urination.

Oil massage is an effective way to de-stress and relax. The oil massage encourages toxin elimination, lubricate joints, improve complexion, relieve fatigue and increase energy levels. Recommended oils: sesame oil (some find it a bit hot), coconut oil, or my favorite Egyptian Oil. Warm the oil bottle a bit in a wide bottom dish of water to heat the oil. Massage the oil all over your body with circular motion over flat areas like abdomen and chest and straight strokes for arms and legs. Rest for at least 30 minutes then have a warm shower.

Regular daily exercise increases alertness and raises body temperature. Stop exercise five to six hours before bedtime makes the body temperature drop which facilitates faster sleep. Exercising close to bedtime is stimulating and disrupts sleep patterns. Exercises that cause exhaustion should be avoided.

Quick Fixes for Insomnia

Ensure the bedroom you sleep is peaceful with adequate ventilation

Keep your bedtime and wake time consistent from day to day, including on weekends

Do a small prayer before retiring to reduce stress

Two drops of sesame/castor oil applied to foot will make you sleepy

Soak your feet in warm water for ten minutes before retiring

Take deep breaths--breathe in, imagine happiness and positive energy, and breath out exhaling stress, worries and tension.

Get out of bed when you're not sleeping.

Avoid trying to sleep--read or watch television in another room until you become very drowsy, then go to bed to sleep.

Use your bed and bedroom only for sleeping or sex.

Create a relaxing bedtime ritual, such as reading, soft music, breathing exercises, yoga or prayer.

Avoid or limit naps--limit a nap to no more than 30 minutes and don't nap after 3 p.m.

Some people like subtle background noise, such as a running fan, to help drown out other noises.                       

Check your medications---some contribute to insomnia (also check the labels of over-the-counter products to see if they contain caffeine or other stimulants, such as pseudoephedrine)

If you take a pain reliever take enough to control your pain while you sleep

Set your alarm so you know when to get up but then hide the clock, wristwatch and cell phone in your bedroom--you'll sleep better.

Alternative Tactics (check with your health care professional)

Melatonin. The body’s sleep cycle naturally produces melatonin, releasing it into the bloodstream starting at dusk, increasing through night, and tapering off toward morning. Older adults seem to benefit more from melatonin. Considered safe to use for a few weeks. The dosage for over the counter Melatonin is usually between 0.3 and 5 milligrams (mg) a day usually taken 1-2 hours before bedtime.

A study has shown that melatonin treatment significantly reduces the time it takes to fall asleep, increase sleep efficiency, and increase the overall duration of sleep.

Valerian. A dietary supplement sold as a sleep aid has a mildly sedating effect. The recommended dose of valerian is 400 to 900 mg daily with an extract containing 0.4 to 0.6 percent of valerenic acid.

Acupuncture. A practitioner places numerous thin needles in your skin at specific points on your body’s energy meridians.

L-Tryptophan is an amino acid naturally occurs in the body. It contributes to the manufacture of serotonin, (a neurotransmitter) in the brain, which promotes better sleep. Tryptophan is converted into serotonin, a natural sleep-inducing chemical, which enhances the brain's melatonin production.

Magnesium deficiency is responsible for nervousness that prevents sleep, and can cause leg cramps. Magnesium is essential for normal sleep and has a calming effect on the brain. Magnesium is taken 1 hour before bedtime.

Inositol enhances REM sleep and helps with the body’s ability to fall back asleep after waking in the night.

http://www.holisticonline.com/Remedies/Sleep/sleep_ins_nutrition.htm

http://www.effectsofsleepdeprivation.net/symptoms-of-sleep-deprivation/

http://www.sleeptracks.org/symptoms-of-sleep-deprivation.html

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/insomnia/DS00187/DSECTION=causes

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/inso/

http://naturalinsomniatreatment.net/

http://www.relishinglife.com/6/natural-ways-to-treat-insomnia/

Chakra Health Reflects Your Wellness

“Chakras are large nerve centers aligned to the spinal column that code messages to the brain.” (Griffin, 1997). This precise definition says it all. I have been searching for a way to express the importance of the Chakra System to the Western mind and culture.

We sometimes get lost in discussions of Chakra energy and the topic sounds foreign. We need to consider that our bodies are biochemical engines and our nerves are very like metal wires transferring messages using molecules that contain metals such as copper, iron, and zinc that have an electromagnetic charge. We use the EEG to track the brain’s electrical processing. So why are we adverse to the discussion and reality of other energy systems in the body? Body heat represents energy movement in the body for the destruction of bacteria, and dozens of other processes.

The Ayurvedic system of traditional Indian medicine has identified and described the Chakra energy hubs. Ayurveda is a holistic system that uses a constitutional model to provide guidance regarding food and lifestyle. So healthy people can stay healthy and those with health challenges can improve. A basic principal is to live in harmony with nature and utilize the Laws of Nature to create health and balance within one’s being.

The Chakras are not located in the physical body but exist outside the physical body. To work with charkas is to accept that all of life is intertwined mind, body and Spirit. Mind, body and Spirit are energy systems and charkas are nexus points where these systems touch and connect. Learning to understand the Chakra system gives us one more tool as we manifest good health and well-being.

There are basic principles of energy healing. Everything is energy and we are energetic beings. Because energy follows thought and our attention is like a beam of energy, we affect whatever we focus on in mind, body, or Spirit. We have an energy anatomy just as we have a physical anatomy and they interact with each other.

The physical body is the densest expression of the human energy field. As an analogy consider the states of water. Water is H2O; two hydrogen atoms bonded by energy to one oxygen. It is the energy bonds of all the elements in the body that create the seeming denseness of the body.

For example consider water. As more energy affects the water molecule through heating, the heat energy activates the water molecule. And as the molecules move faster this creates steam. When we reduce the energy the water becomes cooler. The water changes in state of being to mist, then fluid rain, snow and finally hard ice. In ice the energy of the water molecules is barely moving making the ice dense. We know that when the body is exposed to cold, the energy slows down in our own body and the water in the body will freeze, which can lead to death. Man’s natural state is to have an energetic equilibrium equal to the fluidity of water.

The point to remember is the body is biochemical in nature. And all Nature is created and held together by energy. We can learn to purposefully use the existing energy of the body for healing and enhanced well-being.

The human energy field is expressed in the body and changes occur over time reflecting the well being of mind, body, and Spirit. Healing is facilitated by greater rhythm, flow, and balance in the energy field. The free flow of energy is essential to maintain mind, body, and Spirit well being.

A basic understanding of the Chakra System allows us to take proactive action in self-healing. There are many in-depth books and websites on the Chakra System. This is a brief introduction to the charkas, their locations, associated emotional issues, and dietary needs related to the Chakra.

To use this outline first work with what you know. For example if you have stomach issues think about the emotional issues outlined for the solar plexus Chakra. Are you feeling confident in your ability to live life effectively? When one works with the interconnectedness of Spirit, mind and body the opportunity for healing is increased because one is addressing the whole life plan.

1. Allow your Mind to objectively understand the concern—write it out and identify flaws in your thinking. 2. Meditate and reflect—allow your Spirit to guide you to positive thoughts and actions. 3. Feed the Body foods that are consistent with the Chakras dietary needs. Before making extreme changes in your diet discuss them with a nutritionist, or physician---do your self-responsible homework. Research has confirmed that hopeful, proactive action contributes to healing potential.

The 7 Chakra Hubs

1. Root Chakra represents our foundation and feeling of being grounded. Location: Base of spine in tailbone area. Emotional issues: Survival issues such as financial independence, money, and food, as well as sexual identity, personal power, and self-acceptance. Dietary needs: oxygenating foods high in iron, B12, folic acid, vitamin E, phosphorus and zinc.
2. Sacral Chakra represents connection and ability to accept others and new experiences. Location: Lower abdomen, about 2 inches below the navel and 2 inches in, and is related to the urinary, genital, and adrenal organs. Emotional issues: Sense of abundance, well being, pleasure, sexuality, a sense of direction/purpose and stress response/immunity. Dietary needs: B3, niacin, magnesium, B6, and pyridoxal phosphate (enzyme needed for B6 metabolism).
3. Solar Plexus represents the ability to be confident and in-control of our lives. Location: Upper abdomen in the stomach area (effects metabolic process for heat and energy). Emotional issues: Self-worth, self-confidence, self-esteem, a sense of community, and vital coping energy. Dietary needs: VitaminsC/K/P/B5/B17. Pantothenic acid, PABA, para-amino benzoic acid, choline, and biotin.
4. Heart Chakra represents our ability to love. Location: Center of chest just above heart. Emotional issues: Love, joy, inner peace, self-trust, faith, intimacy, breathing easy. Dietary needs: Increase green plants, chlorophyll, inositol, vitamins D and F, calcium, copper, potassium
5. Throat Chakra represents the ability to communicate. Location: Throat. Emotional issues: Communication, self-expression of feelings, speaking self-truth, creativity, heart-brain balance. Dietary needs: iodine, vitamins A/B1/B2, thiamine, riboflavin, chromium
6. Third Eye, or Brow Chakra, represents our ability to focus on and see the big picture. Location: Forehead between the eyes. Emotional issues: Introspection, intuition, imagination, wisdom, ability to think and make decisions, motives and actions. Dietary needs: vitamin K, manganese, sunlight
7. Crown Chakra is the highest Chakra and represents our ability to be fully connected spiritually. Location: The very top of the head. Emotional issues: Inner and outer beauty, our connection to spirituality, pure bliss, and the union of spiritual ideals with physical realities. Dietary needs: Lipoic acids from flowering plants.

There are many good books and websites on the Chakra System which discus the many ways to work with Chakras for well-being. This knowledge is not new or foreign it is a system developed over centuries of observation. Many of the techniques we have intuitively found for ourselves.

The Ayurvedic Chakra System also identifies colors, sounds, and types of music, flowers, flower essences, oils, jewels and minerals that have resonant energies for healing. Does a yellow room make you feel energetic? Does the smell of cinnamon calm your nerves? When you wear a diamond or pearls does your confidence increase? Does music set your spirit free?

https://www.educate-sustainability.eu/kb/content/characteristics-water

Griffin, Judy.  Mother Nature’s Herbal. (1997) Random House. New York.

http://heartofhealing.net/energy-healing/human-energy-field/chakras/

http://eocinstitute.org/meditation/meditation-chakra-healing/?bingads18253

Father Zago's Aloe Isn't Medicine, And Yet It Cures!

One of the many injustices allopathic medicine has perpetrated is to label cancer a terminal disease. Popular culture has accepted the concept “cancer as death sentence” and constantly puts forth hypnotic suggestions to this end. This creates within us a self-fulfilling scenario. The very real power of the mind and a broken spirit can sabotage one’s healing process.

After cancer surgery, I felt like a victim of random life experience and this eroded my sense of self and confidence. I know one’s thinking, as well as the chronic diseases, can be corrosive to mind, body, and spirit. But after reading Father Romano’s book, one feels empowered and hopeful. His Aloe recipe can be utilized as therapeutic, preventative, or adjunctive.

Aloe Isn't Medicine, And Yet It Cures! (1997), written by Father Romano Zago, OFM, gives the reader a sense of empowerment. Chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, or heart and kidney issues can make us feel helpless, out of control.

Father Romano Zago, who also wrote Cancer Can Be Cured, included within the appendix a scientific monographic including a history of Aloe Vera and Aloe Arborescens. Father Zago's books have received acclaim in the field of alternative medicine on five continents. In Aloe Isn't Medicine, And Yet It Cures! he presents the curative properties of Aloe. The book describes a recipe and plan for curing over 100 types of illnesses.

Father Zago’s recipe for preparing Aloe juice medicinally and treatment plans are clearly explained in his books and are relatively simple. Although Zago describes a process where one grows the plant and processes it at home, he does explain how to use commercially produced Aloe juice in the recipe. It is essential to buy good quality juice that comes in a dark bottle.

The Aloe Vera plant has been used by many civilizations medicinally for thousands of years. The Sumerians were first to document the medicinal properties of the plant. Ancient Egyptian papyrus documents have been found noting at least 12 Aloe Vera formulas treating everything from skin disorders to the internal workings of the body. Aloe Vera was widely used in India, 375 B.C. The powers of Aloe Vera are mentioned in the Bible. Aloe was one of the most frequently prescribed medicines during the 18th and 19th centuries. It continues to be one of the most commonly used herbs in the United States

The Aloe Vera plant is a succulent belonging in the genus of aloes and the tall, spiky leaves grow like long rosettes. Aloe prefers dry, warm conditions but is basically pretty hardy. Many of us have grown this plant for it’s essential beauty relatively unaware of its true healing power. As a child I knew it and used it as “the burn plant.”

The medicine is extracted from the plant leaves. Cut off the leaf removing the thin outside layer of green flesh from one side exposing the gel-like interior. The gel-like substance contains the healing constituents.

Until the 1940’s the healing power of Aloe Vera was anecdotally established, not based on scientific evidence. However since then, there are a growing number of rigorous scientific studies and evidence that proves the benefits of Aloe Vera. The top benefits of Aloe Vera:

High in Vitamins & Minerals: including A, C, E, folic acid, choline, B1, B2, B3 (niacin), B6, one of the few plants that contains vitamin B12; some of the 20 minerals found in include: calcium, magnesium, zinc, chromium, selenium, sodium, iron, potassium, copper, manganese.

Aloe Vera is high in amino acids and fatty acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein include18-20 amino acids, with all 8 essential amino acids.

Aloe Vera is an adaptogen. It has the ability to boost the body's natural ability to adapt to external changes and resist illness stimulating the body’s defense and adaptive mechanisms to cope with stress (physical, emotional and environmental stress like pollution.)

Aloe helps with digestion issues, which are related to many disease states. It soothes and cleanses the digestive tract improving digestion. As an adaptogen, it helps with either constipation or diarrhea to regulate your elimination cycles. It can be a remedy for irritable bowel syndrome as well as acid reflux.

Aloe helps to decrease the amount of unfriendly bacteria and in the gut keeping healthy intestinal flora in balance. As a vermifuge, it helps to rid the body of intestinal worms.

Aloe Vera is a gelatinous plant food. The benefit eating gelatinous plant foods is that as the gel moves through the intestinal tract, it absorbs toxins along the way to be eliminated.

Aloe alkalizes the body. Disease cannot manifest in an alkaline environment. It is recommended the diet be 80% alkaline forming foods and 20% acidic. As an alkaline forming food, it helps to balance overly acidic dietary habits.

Some research demonstrates that Aloe Vera extract injected into the blood multiplies the oxygen transportation and diffusion capabilities of red blood cells. A study published in the British Medical Journal (2000), beta sitosterol, found in Aloe Vera, helps to lower cholesterol.

The Aloe Vera polysaccharides stimulate the white blood cells enhancing the immune system’s fight against viruses. Aloe has a high level of anti-oxidants, which help combat the unstable compounds known as free radicals, contributing to the aging process.

Aloe is used to reduce or prevent fever.

Aloe Vera has many benefits for the skin: burns, abrasions, psoriasis and even to bug bites; helps relieve pain of wounds; relieves or prevents itching; disinfectant, anti-biotic, anti-microbial, germicidal, anti-bacterial, anti-septic, and also helps to treat fungal and viral infections.

Aloe reduces inflammation, which helps with painful joints due to stiffness and helps improve joint flexibility.

TOXICITY, CAUTIONS & CONTRA-INDICATIONS: No known toxicity. However, Aloe is not recommended for use internally for more than 10 days, as it can cause laxative dependency (this refers to ingestion of pure aloe, not to Zago's Aloe recipe.) Long-term use of aloe latex may cause potassium deficiency and result in irregular heartbeat and weakness (Perhaps potassium supplementation would be appropriate.) Potential Drug Interactions: Aloe should not be taken internally if you are taking the following drugs: digoxin (Lanoxin), diuretics, steroids, drugs for irregular heartbeat, and drugs that cause potassium loss. It may cause blood sugar levels to become too low, especially if combined with blood sugar medications.

Although I have not tried Father Zago’s recipe, my Alternative physician, who also has MD credentials in allopathic medicine, suggested that I drink Aloe Vera. The gelatinous texture was not palatable to me. Perhaps Zago’s recipe would be different—I intend to try creating it.

However, I did find a dried form of Aloe that I was willing to try. It is somewhat difficult to digest but by mixing it into Kefir milk (a yogurt drink), I found the Aloe easily digested.

The corrosive nature of chronic diseases, to mind, body, and spirit, and the hypnotic suggestions of powerlessness, looming misery, pain and death fostered by our current culture can be countermanded.  Father Zago’s book, Aloe Isn't Medicine, And Yet It Cures! empowers us to heal ourselves. I believe part of the strength of the treatment plan lies in taking self-responsible action. Aloe seems to be a wonderful adjunctive therapy if you choose not view it as primary treatment.

http://altmedicine.about.com/od/herbsupplementguide/a/Aloe.htm

http://www.ehow.com/about_4762069_medicinal-uses-aloe-vera.html#ixzz2sCP88sjo

umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/aloe

http://www.thealoeinstitute.org

 Zago, Romano. Aloe Isn't Medicine, And Yet It Cures!, (March 13, 2009) iUniverse Publishing. ISBN-10: 1440125767, ISBN-13: 978-1440125768

http://www.herbalist.com/articles/details/21/ALOE+VERA

Winter: The season for reflection

Greetings for the New Year!! St. Louis has been very cold this month and I have been hibernating. Actually, I have been obsessed with a 1,000 piece puzzle of Klimt's "The Kiss."

As I worked on the puzzle, I realized that working through the puzzle was a metaphor for living. I have in mind a picture of what I expect from life---a picture of the outcome. I want my life to be beautiful like Klimt's painting filled with gardens, love, relationships, harmonious, rhythmic patterns, and perfect edges. I loved my basic design art class that is where learned one can create a universe of beauty within seeming rigid  parameters and boundaries.  

I set a plan. I separated the background pieces from the garden; his clothing from her clothing; his skin from her skin. I set the edges and then worked in from edge pieces. I especially liked the boundary pieces that have the colors of two sections. Sometimes I focused on color patterns, sometimes on puzzle piece shapes, sometimes on the big picture content, and sometimes I talked to the puzzle pieces. I would ask the puzzle pieces, "Where are your friends? Where do you belong?" 

Sometimes when nothing in the puzzle seemed to fit together, I would work outside the puzzle. I would find a pair of pieces that fit together nicely and I would build on them outside the boundaries of the puzzle. Then I would take this pattern and place it inside the puzzle boundaries and move it around until the perfect placement presented itself.

When everything was correctly placed, the puzzle had a beautiful seamless quality. It was rhythmic with harmonious colors and no ruff edges. If I was forcing the shapes together the picture edges would loosen threatening the beauty of the picture. I feel sad for the pieces I ripped---but there are only three that look really worn and tired.

The process was not perfect. I had several false starts. I had to redo sections of the edges on three sides as what seemed to be perfect decisions were actually misplaced pieces. When I tried to incorporate the pattern section I completed outside the puzzle into the puzzle, it seemed not to fit. I was really frustrated as the pattern section had internal integrity and the puzzle was 80% complete with beauty and symmetry.

I asked myself, what is my best tactic for dealing with problems that seem intractable? Flexibility of thinking works---change my point of view, turn my choice---90 degrees, 180, 270, 360. My last puzzle pieces I struggled with for days. At last I realized they did not belong to the right side of the puzzle but belonged to the six isolated pieces missing from the left side of the puzzle. Like life, I didn't understand these outlier pieces until I stepped back and accepted the reality. The picture is only complete when I incorporate the outliers in the open spaces. They slipped in quietly, comfortably. They blend in perfectly. One piece looks like a little man with shovel feet and the other piece looks like a house with handles on the sides.

I remember that my guidance once told me every season has a focus and winter time is a time for reflection. After honest reflection, one knows what seeds to plant in the spring. This winter seems endless. My puzzle gave me a focus for reflection and I reclaimed my excitement and anticipation. The kiss of Spring will be glorious and brings with it great potential. Now I have thoughts on the seeds I hope to plant.

Herbed Oil: A gift from the heart

I like gifts that come from the heart. I especially like gifts that are handmade. I've always been interested in making gifts that represent the person that I'm giving the gift to. When I became interested in the study of herbs I found it very, very enjoyable to put together herbal gifts for my friends.

These gifts can be themed from your kitchen and edible, spa and bath, practical, or decorative. The types of gifts one can make include bath salts for soaking, lotions, soaps, oils for the body or oils for cooking. One can also make craft items such as candles, sachets, scented pillows, potpourri, wreathes. Possibilities are only limited by your imagination. Herbal crafts are gender-neutral as gifts, or by creator

The gift of an herbal creation says not only do I love you; I care about your health and your well-being. In these times of economic stress it seems we should be focusing on expressions of love. During occasions of personal celebration, birthdays, Christmas, Hanukkah, or any other holiday consider giving a gift from the heart.

If you’re an herb gardener consider sharing the bounty of the herb harvest with others. Perhaps the best place to start is by creating an herb infused oil. An herbal infused oil can be made with different purposes and mind. One purpose would be culinary something that you use in the kitchen, or one could create an herbed oil for massage to soothe and heal the body.

Let's focus on easy herbal oil for the kitchen. Most carrier oils are good for the body inside and out. You can buy a variety of base oils in any grocery store. The oil you choose defines how the herbal oil can be used in cooking. Be sure to include a simple list of ingredients with the gift of infused oil so that it can be used properly and not damaged in the cooking process. We want our loved ones to get the full health benefits of the herbs and the oils.

This is a list of my favorite oils and their smoking point when cooking. High smoke point (best suited for searing, browning, and deep frying): Almond, avocado, hazelnut, palm, sunflower, light olive oil. Medium-high smoke point
 (best suited for baking, oven cooking or stir frying): grape seed, macadamia nut, extra virgin olive oil, and peanut. Medium smoke point 
(best suited for light sautéing, sauces and low-heat baking): hemp, pumpkin seed, sesame, walnut, coconut. No-heat oils* 
(best used for dressings, dips or marinades): flax seed, wheat germ. Toasted sesame, extra virgin olive oil and walnut oils also work well in no-heat preparations. Do not use an oil at too high of a temperature as this damages the oil and creates free radicals. Easy research can be done online if you want to know more about cooking oils and their health benefits.

Great herbal combinations to add to your choice of carrier oil:

• Sage, rosemary, tarragon, and marjoram---used to pan-fried chicken or to make herbal salad dressing.
• Dill and lemon--- great for baking grilling or pan-frying fish.
• Thyme ---is excellent for brushing over chicken before roasting.
• A Mediterranean combination, rosemary, thyme, marjoram---can be add to tomato sauces, chicken, or lamb stews.
• Basil and chili---best over Italian style bread's or added to tomato and mozzarella salad.

To create an herbed oil gather the herbs you wish to infuse. If harvesting them straight from your garden, the herbs must be clean and dry to the touch. You can also use dried herbs. Keep in mind that herbal oils are unprocessed, so their typical shelf life is a couple of months. Follow standard USDA guidelines on sterilization for canning products. For this information visit the USDA at http://www.usda.com/.

1.  Always use sterilized jars and bottles. For fresh herbs, be sure your herbs are dry and free of chemicals and dirt. If you buy dried herbs they are most likely fine but I would check for ugly plant matter, stems etc. and remove these.

The process is fairly easy and requires approximately two hours to prepare. The herbed oil needs a minimum of one week to steep before it is ready to use. Choose jars and bottles that have eye appealing and airtight lids. Fresh herbs yield a more robust flavor with greater potency and health benefits.

2.  Fill a clean jar with the plant material you've collected. (There are mini lessons demonstrating the preparation of infused on "You tube") The plant materials (leaves, flowers or roots) can be chopped before. Label the jar with both the contents (herbs and oil) and the date.

3.  Add the carrier oil (depending on the intended use). Be sure to fill the jar completely with oil, covering the top of the herbs or flowers, then seal tightly.

4.  Set your jar on a shelf that is NOT in direct sunlight. Once a day, gently turn the jar upside down for a few seconds, and then return it to a right side up position. Repeat this process for a minimum of one week---up to six weeks for appropriate infusion.

5.  Strain your oil using a cheesecloth or by adding a paper coffee filter to the mesh type strainer. Be sure to transfer only to clean, sterile, and moisture free containers. You may add clean, dry herbs to the bottle for visual effect.

Even though this infused oil was originally intended for cooking, don’t be limited by this. I can think of nothing more soothing than massaging olive oil or almond oil into the skin.

If infused oils do not appeal, there are other wonderful herb gift ideas found in books such as Herbcrafts: Practical Inspirations for Natural Gifts, Country Crafts and Decorative Displays, Tessa Evelegh (1997).

http://www.yummly.com/recipes/herb-infused-oil

http://www.ehow.com/how_5598853_make-herb-infused-oils.html#ixzz2mkBYiYqW

http://voices.yahoo.com/culinary-herbal-oils-flavor-cooking-oils-1261851.html

http://health.clevelandclinic.org/2012/05/heart-healthy-cooking-oils-101/

Dr. Norm Shealy: Advocate for Optimal Health

The top causes of premature death: Obesity, Cigarette smoking, Prescription drugs, Medical complications, Depression, Inactivity, Carelessness, Alcohol, according to Dr. Norm Shealy.

At a recent workshop, Dr. Shealy stated if you want to live to be 100 (and he means a vibrant healthy 100 years of age): Have a positive attitude, Maintain a Body Mass Index (BMI) 0f 18-24, No smoking, Eat real food, Exercise 30 minutes a 5 days a week, drink less than two alcoholic drinks a day, and do not take street drugs.

Dr Shealy is a vibrant 84 year old who practices what he preaches. He lives a wellness lifestyle on his farm in southeast Missouri. He grows his own organic food and cans it. He takes 5,000 units of vitamin D3 weekly.

Norm Shealy, a leading expert in pain management was among the first to specialize in the resolution of chronic pain. Shealy, a pioneer in developing safe and effective treatments such as Biogenics, founded in 1971 the first comprehensive pain and stress management facility in the country. The Shealy Institute is respected worldwide for its innovative and successful rehabilitation approaches. Dr. Shealy's intensive research into pain and stress management has resulted in numerous pioneering treatments using non-drug approaches. His has published over 275 research articles. Shealy has presented seminars and workshops worldwide, which are attended by physicians and lay persons alike. He has been a consultant to leaders in every specialty and to the personal physicians of Presidents Kennedy and Eisenhower.

Long at the forefront of Alternative Medicine and Alternative Health Care, he introduced major innovations for pain control including the Dorsal Column Stimulation (DCS) and Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS).  His research emphasis has broadened to include the vast field of self-regulation including biofeedback, autogenic training and his introduction of Biogenics ©, a major tool for stress reduction.

Currently Dr. Shealy is researching specific blends of essential oils that effectively stimulate energy circuits in the body to enhance DHEA, oxytocin, calcitonin, and reduce free radicals. He has designed a combination of oils that provide detached calmness and relief from both depression and anxiety without the harmful effects of prescription medications. These oils are a vast improvement over and are more appropriate for our children than harsh medications.

Shealy is concerned that 40% of our children suffer from “a black cloud of depression.” That this depression is initiated in the first seven years of life, and sometimes at conception because of the environmental conditions in the mother’s womb resulting from poor nutrition, stress, pollution (environmental, pharmaceutical). Also major trauma in the first 7 years of life inhibits the child’s ability to produce adequate amounts of oxytocin. Oxytocin characterized as the “hormone of love” might provide hope for those suffering with depression, according to researchers who are currently conducting a clinical trial, according to researchers at the University of California.

Dr. Shealy has designed the OPTIMAL RECOMMENDATIONS & THE BIOGENICS® PROGRAM ©, which is described on his website. Here he outlines his suggestions for living a healthy optimal, vital life. He describes many natural and alternative treatments for many health concerns. The Shealy Protocols cover the treatment of: Depression, Migraine, Anxiety, Fibromyalgia, DHEA restoration, Osteoporosis, Addiction, Diabetes, Reduction of Free Radicals, Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Shealy states “You always start with conventional medicine. Physicians are superb at making diagnoses. In acute illnesses conventional medicine may save your life. But, if the treatment suggested does not work or, you evaluate the risks and are not willing to take them, “Complementary, Alternative, Holistic, Integrative” approaches are worth considering.”

I believe because Dr. Shealy no longer has a private practice he has chosen to focus on helping us to be empowered consumers as we invest in regaining and maintaining healthy, optimal lives. If you have the opportunity to hear Shealy speak, I highly recommend it. On his website be sure to check out the resources section and the pages identified as OPTIMAL RECOMMENDATIONS & THE BIOGENICS® PROGRAM ©, and THE SHEALY PROTOCOLS©.

Shealy is an advocate for the integration of mind/body/Spirit as key to living an optimal life. He has researched Holistic Medicine almost from the beginning of his career in the 1970s. He founded the American Holistic Medical Association in 1978, to include the concepts of spiritual healing and spiritual health. He has researched the field of Energy Medicine, using electrical, electromagnetic, mental, physical and emotional tools for health enhancement.

http://www.normshealy.com/

http://holosinstitutesofhealth.com

http://psychcentral.com/news/2012/02/20/treating-depression-with-the-oxytocin-the-love-hormone/35027.html

Benefits of Mindfulness Training

According to the Huffington Post scientific research has shown the benefit of Mindfulness training in these areas:

• Lowers stress chemicals in the body
• Lets us get to know our true selves--you choose your behaviors your are less reactive
• Can make your grades better—better focus and attention
• Could help our troops—helps PTSD
• Help people with arthritis—helps with pain management
• Changes the brain in a protective way—increases emotion al hormone balance
• Works as the brain’s “volume knob”—one gains psychological perspective
• Makes music sound
• Helps even when we’re not practicing it—a generalized calm when not meditating
• Has four elements that help us in different ways—socially, mind, body, spirit
• Could help your doctor be better at his/her job—he is focused, you are calm
• Makes you a better person—your decisions are better thought out
• Could make going through cancer just a little less stressful
• Could help the elderly feel less lonely
• Could make your health care bill a little lower—strengthens the immune system
• Comes in handy during cold season-- strengthens the immune system
• Lowers depression risk among pregnant women
• Lowers depression risk among teens
• Supports your weight-loss goals
• Helps you sleep better

Mindful meditation takes many forms. Some individuals such as Christian monastics, or Buddhist monks spend years perfecting their meditations. Many of us would like a meditation recipe book---Americans love “how to” recipe books. I have been doing my own brand of meditation for years, which tended to be more like an interior monolog. This monolog became real meditation when I gave up rehashing negative emotions and experiences and chose to listen for insight. Prayer is a form of meditation. Someone once asked Mother Teresa of Calcutta what prayer she said. Mother Teresa responded she no longer said prayers---she listened to hear what God was saying.

I’m not saying we should be able to match Mother Teresa’s meditative abilities. But the choice to develop mindful meditation practice brings with it a lot of mind/body/spirit benefits just through an honest effort. Who doesn’t want the best life you can have?

The book Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom, does have many step by step activities and, meditations to help you develop your mindfulness skills. You may not agree with all of the author’s philosophical insights. But the science is real, although the discussion of brain structures was at times tedious. The author has a true desire for you to know and accept that you can change your brain chemistry, emotional outlook, and physical well being for the better.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/08/mindfulness-meditation-benefits-health_n_3016045.html

http://www.wikihow.com/Do-Mindful-Meditation

http://www.ehow.com/how_2319093_do-mindful-meditation.html

Mind/Body/Spirit Synergy: Mindfulness

I am in the process of developing my mindfulness skills. There are various definitions for the term.  "Mindfulness as a psychological concept is the focusing of attention and awareness, based on the concept of mindfulness in Buddhist meditation." "Mindfulness helps us to stop living by reacting to pressure, freeing us from destructive mental and emotional patterns.  It changes our habitual way of reacting unhelpfully.  We learn and practice staying calm and making sound and creative choices.  To be mindful is to be in each moment and live our lives with understanding."

I finished reading Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom, by Rick Hanson (2009). The book editor describes Buddha's Brain ---"a clinical psychologist and a senior neurologist explain how the brain benefits from contemplative practice and show readers how to develop greater happiness, love, and wisdom by drawing from breakthroughs in modern neuroscience."

Buddhism is not my spiritual practice but I do see great benefit from the Buddhist philosophical approach for emotional and physical well-being. Since solid research has demonstrated that mindfulness meditation does change the biochemistry of the brain, I believe we should use this knowledge to improve our emotional health. There are cultural differences between Eastern thinking and Western thinking. But often these differences are exaggerated by our own insecurities.

It is disconcerting to me when meditation practices advocate letting go of your sense of self, be impersonal---etc. As a Westerner, and from the USA, we tend to see Eastern practices as creating an overly compliant, dependent populace. (Yes this a naive, biased, stereotype but it seems to be human nature to be negatively biased about the unknown, which may actually be an evolutionary survival mechanism. Buddha’s Brain, the book, addresses topics like this.) And I am sure many Easterners view our striving for assertiveness as arrogant and aggressive. To me it seems the best place to be is living in the middle and having the ability to choose behavioral responses from either end of the continuum that enhance one’s life and well-being.

Constant aggressiveness creates a body chemistry overloaded with stress hormones, which is damaging to the body. Being overly compliant also creates an over abundance of stress hormones. Both behavior choices displaying “fight or flight” stress reaction. So perhaps we are not on opposite ends of a continuum but we are actually standing side by side—brothers and sisters under the skin.

One then sees that the best place to be is to be impersonal, let go of excessive self-interest. It is not easy; it is a mental discipline. How many of us make ourselves sick worrying over things we cannot change. Possibly we could have a positive effect if we calmed our minds to allow creative insight and intuition.

If the ego self is overly invested in controlling a situation for a specific outcome, we limit our possibilities. I am in a time of transition between being retired from a career that defined my livelihood, and my emotional sense of self-worth and self-competence and I am transitioning to ……? That blank space creates an inner tension and stress. When my ego self takes over and I worry about the future, or crave the economic stability of the past, my thinking becomes stuck, frozen.

Mindfulness meditation has helped me realize that quieting the mind puts me in touch with my own inner knowing and allows room for inspiration from the higher realms of Spirit. At the same time the body responds by cutting back on cortisol the stress hormone and releases happy, calm hormones such as dopamine and oxytocin.

It is my hope you will join me in my mindfulness adventure. I intend to post my insights and thoughts for the day. My spiritual inspiration has opened my eyes---this is part of my new life and I still have much to contribute. Best Wishes!

Prolotherapy for Chronic Back Pain

I am a chronic back pain sufferer. I have ligament laxity. Ligament laxity is a term that refers to ligaments in the body that can move more than usual. Doctors can also call these looser than normal ligaments hyper mobile; they do not generally refer to lax ligaments as a condition. Chiropractors tend to use the term to describe a potential cause of chronic joint pain or sprains.

For me exercise does not improve ligament or tendon laxity. When exercising here is a point of diminishing returns. I realized as muscle strength increased there was a corresponding tendency to tendonitis and ligament strain. Seemingly my muscle strength over powered my ligaments. Physical trainers and even physical therapists that have the “boot camp” mentality and harass one to work through pain often frustrate me. Pain is a symptom of something wrong, not something good.

Yes weight-bearing exercise is healthy, while running faster and longer builds muscle as well as a stronger heart and lungs. However this does me no good if I end up with sprained ankles and I can’t walk at all. Swimming is the best exercise foe me to keep up muscle strength, flexibility and cardiovascular health.

Hyper mobility is genetic. An estimated 5% to 12% of the adult population has some degree of generalized joint hyper mobility associated with ligament laxity. Marfan or Ehlers-Danlos are recognized syndromes, which are generally rare syndromes, and are characterized by ligament laxity and other determinants.  Hyper mobility syndrome appears to be familial with a clear-cut female predominance. Typically symptoms first appear in children or young adults. Although hyper mobile individuals have a potentially heightened aptitude for activities such as gymnastics, dancing, and playing musical instruments, they also have an increased susceptibility to dislocations, traumatic joint pain, tendonitis, and overuse injuries. These problems may present as a fibromyalgia-like syndrome triggered by exercise.

Chronic back pain can be a symptom of underlying structural problems, or it may be a symptom of an underlying condition. It is essential to have an appropriate physical exam to rule out kidney stones or kidney infection, prostatitis, chronic diverticulitis, cancer of the pelvis, endometriosis, ovarian cysts, fibroid tumors, shingles and circulatory deficiency from hardening of the arteries.

Your back supports your entire body, using a complex interconnecting network of nerves, joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments. All these components are capable of producing pain in the back, low back and surrounding areas. Because the back is connected to the rest of your body, back pain can be an early warning of underlying conditions elsewhere in your body.

Large nerves that originate in the spine and go to the legs and arms can make pain radiate to the extremities. The pain may be felt in the neck (or might radiate into the arm and hand), in the upper back, or in the low back (and radiate into the leg or foot). Other symptoms may include symptoms weakness, numbness or tingling.

If left untreated, most back problems only worsen as time and gravity take their toll on our bodies. After falling hard on my knee and twisting and torqueing my pelvis I had excruciating lumbar pain for nearly five years. I had sciatic pain shooting through my buttocks and down my leg into my foot. I could walk for about fifteen minutes at a moderate pace but could not tolerate standing after five minutes.

I started with physical therapy and back strengthening which created minor improvement but the PT became a treadmill sadist and I felt myself regress. I saw an orthopedic surgeon who requested I get an MRI. Although, I did have two slightly herniated discs, very slight spinal stenosis, and mild lateral arthritis, I did not meet his criteria for surgery because the pattern of symptoms did not indicate a diagnosis remediable by surgery.

My chiropractor told me about prolotherapy an injection technique that stimulates growth of cells and tissue that stabilize and strengthen weakened joints, cartilage, ligaments and tendons.

The injected solution intentionally causes controlled irritation in the tissue. This irritation is an inflammatory response, which increases the blood supply and thereby stimulates the tissue to heal and regrow new tissue. Typically prolotherapy involves the injection of natural substances such as dextrose into the tissue to initiate the healing process. Dextrose is the most studied substance worldwide and is extremely safe and effective. 

My initial prolotherapy, which occurred 1 ½ years ago, created a 20-30% improvement. (I have not lost any of this improvement.) I also worked with a Rolfer (Structural Integration therapy) and Sacral-Occipital Therapy Chiropractic. I would say I had another 30% improvement. Because I still have a tendency to extreme muscle tension in the lumbar, I felt that the pain had decreased significantly but not enough.

Recently, I attended a Dr. Norm Shealy workshop on wellness protocols. He described sacral shear as the cause of low back pain. This happens when the sacrum become hyper mobile and presses on the sciatic nerve. The sacrum is a small triangular bone located at the bottom of the spine and between the hips. I realized I had originally because I had only addressed half of the hyper mobility affecting my sciatic nerve. I am seeing a local osteopath for prolotherapy injections to strength the ligament laxity around the sacrum.

Prolotherapy was the innovation of Dr. Earl Gedney, an osteopathic physician and surgeon. In the early 1930s, Dr. Gedney caught his thumb in a door thereby stretching the joint and causing severe pain and instability. He was told that nothing could be done for his condition and that his surgical career was over. Gedney knew of a group of doctors that used irritating solutions to stimulate the repair of the distended connective tissue ring as treatment for hernias. He extrapolated this knowledge and utilized it to inject his injured thumb. He was able to fully rehabilitate the thumb. In 1937, Gedney published “The Hyper-mobile Joint,” the first known article about Prolotherapy. The 1937 article gave a preliminary protocol and discussed two case reports, one of a patient with knee pain and another with low back pain who were successfully treated with this method. Prolotherapy is practiced by physicians in the U.S. and worldwide. It is effective in treating many musculoskeletal conditions such as tendonopathies, ligament sprains, back and neck pain, tennis/golfers elbow, ankle pain, joint laxity and instability, plantar fasciitis, shoulder, knee, and other joint pain.  C. Everett Koop, the former US Surgeon General has endorsed prolotherapy, was helped by it, and practices it.

I view this odyssey as a life lesson; it took sixty years to get to this point I cannot expect to reverse the damage quickly. The alternative approaches I have chosen have been researched; they are not paid for by health insurance but they should be. Health insurance should pay for therapies that promote health, not pain killer medication addiction and steroids that cause physical deterioration.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/413950

http://www.prolotherapy.com/Prolotherapy.php

http://www.getprolo.com/tag/sacroiliac-pain/#sthash.BYAO8X00.dpuf

http://www.getprolo.com/prolotherapy-after-back-surgery/

Black Mold Triggers Serious Health Problems

This article on black mold and natural ways to get rid of it was published before on this site. Long exposure to mold creates many serious health problems. There are natural ways to clean up mold without toxic exposure to harsh chemicals. 

I had been introduced to the dark side of mold—black mold. My last work place, a public school, was infested. I ignored it—big mistake. I just tried to stay away from that office as much as possible. I blamed the increased headaches, dry eyes, allergy reactions, aches, pains, depression, and more, on to aging and stress. 

 I found myself with a bronchial infection where I did not sleep for three days because I coughed constantly. I went to the physician she put me on antibiotics. After six weeks of medication I began to make progress. But while I was laying on the couch reviewing my life, trying to figure out— how did I get to this state of depleted health, I realized THIS IS MOLD RELATED.

I had a damp basement in my home. My contractor set to work to deal with the wet basement—French drains outside and in. A French drain can have perforated hollow pipes along the bottom to quickly vent water that seeps down through the upper gravel or rock. I could tell an immediate improvement in the interior environment after the mold remediation.

People living with black toxic mold usually breathe in the mycotoxins. However they can also ingest them or absorb them through their skin. When mycotoxins end up lodging in the lungs this creates breathing problems. Inhaling mycotoxins is much more harmful than ingesting them. The main type of mycotoxins are called trithochecenes. These are some of the most toxic mycotoxins. It is suspected that trichothecenes can cause cancer and damage the immune system. This can lead to a wide range of symptoms. The seriousness of the symptoms depends on the amount of mycotoxins and length of exposure.

If you have a black toxic mold problem you might suffer some of these symptoms:

• Dry eyes • Vision problems • Mental impairment • Neurological symptoms• Memory loss • Anxiety • Depression • Confusion

• Balance problems • General discomfort • Pain • Joint pain • Muscle aches • Muscle pain • Tiredness • Fatigue • Headache • Nausea • Stomach pain • Abdominal pain • Internal lesions • Bleeding • Dermatitis • Rash • Breathing problems • Respiratory problems • Burning lungs • Bleeding lungs • Pulmonary hemorrhage • Wheezing • Shortness of breath • Sore throat • Burning throat • Vomiting • Diarrhea • Coughing • Coughing up blood • Sneezing • Flu-like symptoms • Cold symptoms • Fever • Nosebleeds • Rhinitis • Swollen lymph nodes • Heart palpitations • Yellow nails • Whitemarks under nail • Neck boils • Malaise • Seizures • Autoimmune disease • Acid reflux • Internal organ damage

A frequent musty smell in your home may be the sign of a mold infestation. If you suspect a musty smell, it’s a good idea to hire a professional who can assess your home. If you suspect you have a serious black mold problem call a professional mold remediation specialist to test the mold and make recommendations. The biggest mistake would be to try to kill or remove black toxic mold yourself. Disturbing black toxic mold can trigger the release of millions of spores and mycotoxins. These can contaminate your home, perhaps even beyond repair. The goal of black toxic mold removal is not to kill the mold, rather the goal is to completely remove the mold from your home.

For small, household mold clean up from nonporous surfaces, you can scrub mold from surfaces using water and detergent. Lightly wet the mold growth before you start scrubbing to stop mold spores from escaping into the air. Dead mold spores are still allergenic. So the main goal is to remove the mold, whether you kill it or not.

Does bleach kill mold? Bleach does NOT kill mold. It doesn't even disinfect mold spores. The only thing that bleach does is change the color of the mold by damaging the roots of it. Bleach is not an effective way to kill mold and provides only a temporary solution by slowing its growth. Chlorine bleach doesn't kill mold spores because bleach is made mostly out of water. Water is a main requirement for mold growth and trying to get rid of it with a product that is 99% mold (ie. bleach) isn't very effective.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1075538 

Natural Mold Removers

Tea Tree Oil - which you can purchase at health food stores does a fantastic job as a mold remover. It is expensive but you only have to use small amounts to get great results. It can be used on walls, ceilings, shower curtains etc. Be aware that it does have a very strong odor which will take a few days to calm down - at least it's better than a musty moldy smell! Tea Tree Oil appears to remove and kill the vast majority of mold types.

First thing to do is mix 2 teaspoons of the tea tree oil with approximately 2 cups of water in a spray bottle. Shake gently to mix the two then spray the areas of mold with the solution. There is no need to rinse the mixture off simply leave to dry. You can keep the mixture ready for next time!

Vinegar - something which every household will most definitely have in the kitchen cupboard and it costs very little to buy. White distilled vinegar poured into a spray bottle and sprayed directly onto the area of mold will kill around 82% of molds according to reports. Again, don't rinse, allow to dry. This one is particularly smelly but a good, cheap mold remover!

Grapefruit Seed Extract - this one has a huge advantage over the others - it is completely odorless. The down side is that like tea tree oil it is expensive but again only small quantities are needed. Put 20 drops of the grapefruit extract into a spray bottle and mix with two cups of water. Once again apply to the affected area, no rinsing is required just allow to dry. This mixture too can be kept indefinitely.

Borax- is a common cleaning chemical used by individuals and industrial companies alike. It does not emit any toxic chemicals when you use it, so you do not need to wear any sort of respiratory mask while using Borax. Mix one cup of the Borax with a gallon of water. Shake or stir the container you mix the solution in to thoroughly stir up the water and Borax. Dip a scrubbing brush into the Borax mixture and scrub the mold away with the brush. The Borax will loosen the mold's hold on the surface while the brush completely removes it.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5564625_use-borax-kill-mold.html#ixzz279ynpPVg 

http://EzineArticles.com/3582608