Healthy Living With an Attitude of Gratitude

[caption id="attachment_1413" align="alignnone" width="150" caption="Awakening the Heart!"][/caption]

It’s easy for us to take our lives for granted when things are going well.  But if we return a Thank You to the Divine for our good fortune, we will make space for new blessings to arrive when we least expect them.

By saying Thank You for my food, shelter, job, family’s health everyday, you will also strengthen your connection to the Source and create more trust and faith that will inevitably sustain you during hard times.

When you are in a crisis or prolonged bad luck, try to have gratitude for what is going right in your life.  It’s easy to complain and see the negative in unfavorable situations you are encountering.  But if you can think of at least one thing that is positive about it, you may be able to shift your perception and change the outcome.

By looking at your glass of life as being half full instead of half empty you can bring more abundance to yourself and your family.

So make Gratitude a part of your daily routine today!

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Acupuncture Relieves Fibromyalgia !

A significant study conducted under the watchful eye of Mayo Clinic researchers has clearly demonstrated that Acupuncture brings relief to fibromyalgia sufferers. These are very positive findings for individuals who wish to avoid a reliance on drugs to treat the pain caused by this condition.

“This study shows there is something real about Acupuncture and its effects on fibromyalgia,” said Dr. David Martin, the Mayo Clinic anesthesiologist who was the study’s lead investigator. “Our study was performed on patients with moderate to severe fibromyalgia. It’s my speculation that if Acupuncture works for these patients with recalcitrant (hard to treat) fibromyalgia – where previous treatments had not provided satisfactory relief – it would likely work for many of the millions of fibromyalgia patients.”

Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder with symptoms that include widespread pain, tenderness and stiffness in the muscles. It is generally accompanied by fatigue, headache and sleep disturbances. Fifty patients for whom symptom-relief treatments had failed were selected for the study. Mayo Clinic physicians who specialize in pain management randomly assigned subjects to a group that would receive Acupuncture or a group that would receive simulated Acupuncture (treatment to a sham Acupuncture point). Subjects were not informed which group they were in.

Each person filled out a symptom-assessment questionnaire prior to the first treatment and then received six treatments over a period of two to three weeks. Follow-up data was collected from all patients immediately after treatment. Then, one month after care ended and then again seven months after treatment, they were re-interviewed to find out about their current levels of pain and other symptoms.

Following the initial treatments, symptoms of pain, fatigue and anxiety were most significantly improved in the patients given true Acupuncture. These patients experienced the largest improvements one month after their care ended. At the seventh-month follow-up interview, some patients reported that their discomfort had returned if no additional Acupuncture care had been administered.

Dr. Martin believed the study patients would have seen sustained improvement with ongoing Acupuncture. “It’s a reasonable expectation that if they received more Acupuncture after two to three months, they would have maintained their improvement,” he said. “Acupuncture usually works for about three months, and then patients need a less-intensive treatment session. These patients would need more acupuncture periodically for as long as they experience fibromyalgia symptoms.”

 

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Lavender – the wonder oil

It is said that Lavender has 167 uses. I never managed to put together the full list, but I think that it is very close.

From Ayurvedic point of view Lavender is the perfect oil that is suitable for any person. And I truly believe that no medicine cabinet or pantry should go without it.

Lavender has been used continuously for centuries to enhance food and for health as dried flowers, herbed oils, and essential oils. People were using Lavender from washing linens to soothing teas, from hiding under the corset of beautiful ladies for a pleasant smell to healing wounds of a soldier.

It is important to say that among various species of Lavender only Lavandula officinalis (other names: Lavandula angustifora, Lavandula vera) can be used therapeutically. Therapeutic Lavender is not cheap and is the most often adulterated oil. There are more than 30 different types of Lavender oils for sale. Not all of them are of a therapeutic and organic grade. Some species of Lavender contain too much ketones and are too toxic to be used in aromatherapy. Buy your lavender only from the reputable sources.

Medicinal properties of Lavender:

• Analgetic (arthritis/rheumatism, muscle pain, bruises)


• Antibacterial (according to some research it is effective against: diphtheria, pneumonia, acute sinusitis, otitis media, meningitis, sepsis, septic arthritis, endocarditis, peritonitis, pericarditis, cellulitis, brain abscess, urinary tract infections, E. coli, septicemia, ankylosing spondylitis, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus, salmonella, staphylococcus, streptococcus, gastrointestinal illness to name a few)


• Antifungal (candida, nail infection, chlamydia, tinea capitis)


• Anti-inflammatory (eczema, insect bites, sinusitis, cystitis, bruises, spraines, acne, otitis)


• Antiseptic (acne, bronchial secretions, cystitis, otitis, skin infection, influenza, sinusitis, tuberculosis)


• Antispasmodic (cramps, coughing)


• Balancing (nervous system)


• Calming, sedative (headaches, migranes, anxiety, insomnia, sleep problems)


• Cardiotonic  (tachycardia)


• Carminative (flatulence, colic)


• Cicatrizant (burns, scars, varicose ulcers, wounds)


• Emmenagogic (scanty periods)


• Hypotensor (hypertension)

At this point you might feel completely overwhelmed.

Not to worry. Follow these simple rules to be on the safe side:

• Always consult doctor if you have any serious problems. Never self-diagnose or self-medicate.


• Never drink essential oils.


• Never put essential oils in your eyes, nose, or on private parts.


• Only use essential oils from the reputable sources

The following are a few suggestions on how safely use lavender for your family.

• Insect repellent:

o   Add few drops to a skin lotion, apply just before your daily walk in the park

o   Put a few drops on your hands, rub together, than rub your body just before going out

o   While traveling, put a drop on your bed and a drop on the pillow

Note: for outdoor use you will need to reapply essential oil every few hours.

• Insect bites – apply one drop and rub in.


• Burns – apply one drop immediately, do not rub if the blister appears. For the bigger burns: soak gauze and gently cover the injured place, and go to the hospital.


• Skin rushes – apply a few drops, gently rub. Contact the doctor if the rushes persist and no improvements show in the next day or two.


• Small cuts – apply 1-2 drops. It will disinfect, ease the pain and help with healing.


• Cough, cold, flu, sinus infection – diffuse the oil in the room for a couple of hours or as long as you want. 20 drops to 1 cup of water.


• Ear infection – 1 drop of Lavender massage around the ear. 1 drop of Lavender (can be mixed with 1 drop of Chamomile) on the cotton ball, place a cotton ball into the ear. Must be applied to both ears even when the pain affects only one.


• Insomnia – diffuse the oil in the room during the night. 20 drops to 1 cup of water. Puts restless babies to sleep like a charm.


• Headache – 1 drop of lavender (can be mixed with 1 drop of Peppermint) applied around the hairline.


• Muscle pain, arthritis, back pain – ease the pain by applying 1-2 drops of Lavender directly to the affected area.


• Depression, anxiety, mood swings – diffuse the oil in the room for a couple of hours or as long as you want. 20 drops to 1 cup of water.


• Ice-cream – yummy.  Only use therapeutic or food grade oil for it. Instead of vanilla flavoring add 1 drop of Lavender oil for 2 cups of ice-cream mixture before putting it in the ice-cream maker. It adds unforgettable flavor.

A word about diffusers: Only use cold diffusers (ionic diffusers) because heat destroys therapeutic properties of essential oils.

Suggested sources of good quality essential oils:

Young Living: https://www.youngliving.org/harmony66

Tisserand: http://www.tisserandusa.com/

 

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Tasty Water while Fighting Cancer

You know it is important to stay hydrated by drinking water, but many people don't get too excited about drinking 8 glasses of boring, plain water a day.

Instead of drinking sugary drinks or flavored water with man-made chemicals, give your essential oils a try.  You'll be surprised how yummy they can make that boring old water and the citrus oils have naturally occuring molecules that have been shown to stop cancer growth!  Yup, I'm serious!

Citrus oils contain a molecule called d-Limonene, which has been proven in many studies to stop the growth of new cancer cells.  Simply by adding a few drops of citrus essential oils to your water, you are ingesting this healthy molecule and supporting your health - and they taste so good too!

• Grapefruit Essential Oil contains 68-92% d-Limonene


• Orange Essential Oil contains 85-90% d-Limonene


• Lemon Essential Oil contains 55-75% d-Limonene


• Tangerine Essential Oil Contains 65-80% d-Limonene

 
When you are adding oils to your water make sure you are using either a glass, ceramic or stainless steal container.  Don't use plastic because the oils can break down the plastic, which you will then be drinking - yuck!

Add a drop or two of the oil first, then add your water.  It helps to mix up the oil in the water that way.  Enjoy!

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