Ahhh!!!! Somehow getting a massage during the colder time of years seems to just get it for me. Maybe it is because my therapists hand heat up and when it is cooler, it feels so much more.

But more than that. Winter is my cross country ski and snow shoe time. Though I am not as active as I once was, sports massage has always been one of my favorite things to look forward to in the winter time.

I am ahead of myself. It is clean the gutters and get the leaves raked up and the deep mulching done. I look forward to my massages after the end of a week end doing yard work.

Shoveling gets me. I switch sides as I shovel. Several old whiplash injuries make my neck and upper back talk after the shoveling is done. I am not alone on this. Several of my clients have the same body issues.

Fall comes and I get out the heating pad that goes underneath the sheets. Not everyone wants it on at this time of the year. But those who do, appreciate a little cosy comfort with their body work.

Fall also bring flue season. My massages are part of keeping my immunity up. Besides sports massage, I get Lymphatic Drainage Massage. Our lymph system is part of our immune system. It is the little lumps and nodules you can get under your ears and around your throat. These little swellings tell us our body is fighting something foreign. It can be allergies, to many pollutants in the air, or a flue virus.

Our lymph system has 3 to 4 times the amount of blood veins and arteries. Who would have thunk?

Here is how it works:

• Between every little two capillaries (these are the smallest of the blood vessels) there is a lymph vein. Out of the capillary, the blood plasma (this is the clear fluid that carries the blood cells) oozes out into the cells. This is the end of the line for nutrients in the blood plasma. That fluid bathes the cells; delivering the groceries while picking up the trash (cellular waste). When this blood plasma is out there doing the delivery, it is now called interstitial fluids. It is the same fluid, it just has a different name because of its location.
• The little lymph vessel is the return station. The interstitial fluids enter here and become lymph fluid. Remember, it is the same fluid, the name has changed again. This is an enclosed hydraulic system. The movement of the body from respiration, daily activities and exercise moves the lymph through the veins. There are little gates along the way to keep it from flowing backwards.
• In the lymph veins are little stations that house cells that will act as guards. These stations are called lymph nodes. They will gather and hold viruses, bacterias, and other stuff. If your body has some swelling in the nodes around your neck or arm pits; you know your immune system is at work. There are too many of the bad guys to send through for your body to eliminate. They are being held until your system can deal with it.
• Another factor of your immunity are cells that travel throughout body. They are like pacman. They chomp up and eat any bacteria, virus, cellular debris or other stuff. These are T Cells. They are voracious.
• All the lymph vessels drain into a large vessels that dumps the lymphatic fluids into the heart. Now it becomes blood plasma. Blood gets oxygenated from the lungs.
• Your breath has the ability to carry out 80% of the wastes that the lymph has just brought in. So get busy and get a deep breathing practice going. Most of us use only 30% capacity of our lungs. That means our skin (biggest eliminating organ of our body), kidneys and bowels have to take the load and dump it.

Many communities do not have any idea what a holistic or alternative life style means. Especially if you do not look like a hippie, are not tattooed, pierced, wild haired, or others things to stand out and away from the norm.

Sharing books: I read a lot of Self-Help books. It helped when I was getting a divorce. The kids Dad wanted to do shared custody. We had very different parenting skills and self help books became my point of reference to find what we had in common and what were our priorities with parenting. I also used some business books about negotiation to help with finding common solutions for our family even though it was a split family. I shared my books and others came that were extremely helpful.

Talk About the Books You Read: You can do this easily one to one or invite people over. My favorite book club meets three to four times a year. We talk about the books we read, what attracted us to reading them, and why we liked them or thought they were important to read. If we can pass on or loan our copy, it is brought to the meeting.

Talk about the Blogs You Read: Many of my friends are techies. Some great information and sources have been networked. Most of this comes through email, but I do get the phone call or the good lead in a passing conversation.

Support a Gathering: Many church or community groups look for a speaker or an idea that everyone can share or do something with. “How to eat more veggies and make them interesting,” is a sure topic to get a crowd. Sharing recipes, cook books, magazines and magazine articles from holistic sources can start people knowing where to go and where to look for alternative sources of information.

Have a Tea Party: I have introduced many to good teas, herbal teas, and medicinal teas. Knowing how to brew a cup of tea has become a lost art. Knowing how to properly brew a medicinal tea for a cold, sore throat, stomach ache, gassy stomach, are skills that should not be lost to past generations.

Have a Non-Processed Snack Party or Pot Luck Dinner: See what comes through the door! Let it be an opportunity to educated people on the politics of food. There is a good and bad side to food processing. The good, is we have fresh foods from other countries when our season for those foods have ended. The down side is processing can lower the nutritional value and some additives or preservatives can cause adverse health effects.

Have a Vegetarian Pot Luck: It is good for people to stretch out of their comfort zones. It stimulates intelligence.

Serve Non-Wheat Snacks: Where are we without our staff of life, wheat? You can show that there are other staffs to use. Health food and grocery stores now have gluten free products. You can get brownie, cake, pancake, biscuit and quick bread mixes in a box. Save the box and show it to them. If you baked it yourself, make copies of the recipe for your friends and acquaintances to take home.

Take a First Aid Class: Get your friends to take one too. If you are raising children, take turns caring for the children so each parent can go. Having a little skill will help with knowing when to go to the doctors office or emergency room.

For the older crowd, heart attacks and strokes can come at anytime. I was with friends at a dinner party when the husband had a heart attack. Knowing how to help, support the person or to be able to keep them alive during transport is very helpful.

Share Some Simple Things Learned From First Aid with Kids: How to stop the bleeding is a good one. The kid care co-op group that I belonged too, did well with those instructions. We did a few serious injuries. The kids did all the right things before an adult was on the scene. We planned a kids first aid class every time we got a new member.

I would love to hear from others how they have introduced holistic living to others. Please write in!

Good Physical and Mental Exercise is essential for a Happy canine. Our canines live in our world under restraints most of the time. Many humans put their furry friend in a fence and think that’s all they need. I have a friend who tells me that her next door neighbor puts the dogs out in the morning and that’s their exercise. She says they bark a lot. This is a common mistake many humans make.

The majority of our furry friends are a little more lucky. They get to go on walks on a leash. This is a very good thing; a dog needs at least an hour of strenuous play or running. The breed will you have will dictate how much exercise they need. Also, if when you get home he/she is still bouncing off the walls, you can figure he/she didn’t get enough.

If you can run, walk, roller blade or bike with them everyday, you will notice a happy and well behaved companion! If there is not a place conducive to doing these activities, create games in the back yard; frisby, fetch the ball, agility course. If you can find a safe place where your furry friend can run free with no restraints, that’s the best!

I saw Ceaser Melan (Dog Whisperer), put a dog on a treadmill! Wow! What a site. The dog was running along at a pretty fast clip and seemed to be enjoying herself. I saw Ceaser roller blading with his pack. If your pouch is restricted to a fenced back yard, don’t make the mistake of thinking that’s all he/she needs. It’s not enough. They need you to take time (make time, put the time into your schedule) everyday to play games with them. These angel beasts need physically and mentally stimulation on a daily basis. I’ll repeat this. Our canine friends need physical and mental exercise on a daily basis!

• Stuff toys with food, cookies, peanut butter; a puzzle ball or Intellitoys.

• Change their toys regularly…their much like children and want new ways to play.

• Play stimulating games; Hide the Cookie. Just a matter of confining your dog to one part of the house and hiding bits of cookies everywhere (where it’s OK and safe for his/her nose). Then release him/her and say ‘find the cookie’.

The above link will give you more detailed description of games you can play to keep your furry friend happy and well exercised.

Now get out there and have some fun!

Happy Trails!

A Holistic Healing Resource

The Live Holistically resource for those who need to be able to take responsibility for their own health care, for whatever reason.

EFT Essentials

The article section will explain the mechanics of different healing methods, and so as we go along, I shall point to: EFT , Essential Oils or Herbal Teas and know that you have access to the essentials, which will make it easy for you to follow what I am saying.

Aches

Such a small word, but if your whole body is aching, or even a small part of it is, it feels very big indeed!

Did Your Loved Ones Ache?

If you were around ageing relatives as you were growing up, and those relatives grunted when they knelt down, or held their back when picking things up, you internalized the idea that when you get old, you ache.

Just 3 Years Old

By the age of 3 you knew this to be truth, and thought nothing more of it, until you reached the same age as Granddad, and you found that your back aches in the very same place.

Sharp Pain vs. Ache

There is a big difference between a sharp pain and a general un-specific ache. Both are sending a signal, but the sharp pain demands immediate attention, and this could be from a trusted health practitioner.

On the other hand, the aches that creep up un-noticeably, and that you might put down to ageing, can mostly be dealt with without seeking medical intervention.

Emotional Freedom Technique

• Even though I don’t feel loved I accept and forgive myself
• Even though I long to be held I love and accept myself
• Even though I feel aches all over my body I love accept and forgive myself
• Even though my leg (arm, hand, foot etc.) is aching I love and accept myself
• Even though I believe in my old programming I love and accept myself

Affirmation (Subscribe via. email and receive Free Affirmation Guide Book)

• I love and approve of myself
• I am loving and loveable

Say these affirmations while looking into your own eyes in your mirror. You will soon tell if you have any resistance to these statements.

Bach Flower Remedies (follow link)

• Rescue Remedy: A combination of Cherry Plum, Clematis, Impatiens, Rock Rose and Star of Bethlehem, all purpose emergency composite for causes of trauma, anguish, bereavement, going to the dentist etc.
• Honeysuckle: For those with nostalgia and who constantly dwell in the past

Herbalism

• Copious Chamomile Tea
• Add Cayenne Powder to meals
• Add Cayenne Tincture to all herbal teas

Breathing

Take deep full breathes and release slowly while making a HAAAA sound. Called a haaa breath, it relaxes the body completely, it needs to be done at least 50 times as relaxation eases all pain.

Relaxing The Body And Calming The Mind

Try this technique for infusing your whole being with peace.

Preparation :

In the sitting position place your feet flat on the floor, with your palms resting gently on your knees. Keep your spine straight so that the energy will flow, imagine that you are balancing something precious on your head, and it mustn’t fall or it will break.

My next topic will be Acne.

1. I never grow my nails long. I just think about it.
2. I always wear a bra to work. Now days I really have to.
3. Getting introduced to someone then being asked if I can massage the shoulder that is killing them. I watch in amazement as they take their shirt off.
4. People who are always 20 minutes or more late for their appointment.
5. The person who has to answer their phone and have a 5 or 10 minute conversation. And insist that the massage continue as they talk.
6. People who forget their appointment, then tell me how badly they needed to get in as they make their next appointment two weeks out.
7. The customer is always right.
8. The new client who makes an appointment and doesn’t show up.
9. People who bring their spouse or significant other to the appointment with them. I have a reception area, but they don’t want to miss a thing.
10. The spouse or significant other who wants a free massage lesson while their mate is getting a massage.
11. Giving a free consultation and then having a medical group send their treatment reports for someone who never actually had an appointment.
12. People who come for a massage, pick my brain about other therapies that I do and what I would recommend for them; then go see someone else.
13. Doing everything: cleaning the office, keeping the books, laundry, budgeting, advertising, laundry, marketing, laundry, cleaning the office, laundry……….
14. People who ask for a free massage to see if they want to be a client.
15. Massage therapists that give a reduced rate or a free massage for first time client. There is no other health professional that feels they have to do anything for anyone for free.
16. Massage therapist that do things that gives my profession a bad representation.
17. People who are hoping I am that bad massage therapist.
18. People who abuse themselves then want a quick fix.
19. My urge to help others no matter what.
20. People who ask what they can do to make their situation better, then don’t.

Do you belong to one of these groups?

• Women
• Adolescents
• Children
• Elderly
• Menopausal Women
• Follow a Vegetarian Diet
• Have Some Allergies
• Eat Fast Foods
• Eat Junk Foods

I think that covers just about everyone, except mature men and women who only eat a whole food diet!

European Commission Knows Truth

A report by the European Commission into nutrient intake in European Member States concludes:

For almost all vitamins, minerals and trace elements, there exist one or more population groups with intakes below nationally recommended levels.

These are the groups that I have listed above.

A developed world, where no-one is undernourished is a myth.

3.6 million People Under-Nourished

Up to 3.6 million people in the UK are mal-nourished, and, shock horror, costing the National health Service £7.3bn or $14.8bn per annum. Whenever a blame campaign is launched, the figures for the cost to the NHS are rolled out with dreadful regularity.

American Crops Suffering Too!

A report from The Organic Centre in Boulder Colorado says that the nutritional quality in many American crops has also declined.

“To get our recommended daily allowance of nutrients, we have to eat many more slices of bread today than people had to eat in the past.”

Most Food Found Wanting

The nutrients found to be most deficient included:

• Iron
• Iodine
• Vitamin B2
• Vitamin B6
• Vitamin D
• Zinc
• Protein
• Calcium
• Copper
• Selenium

This was despite the fact that many nutrients are added to foods to fortify them.

Weighty Problems

This, coupled with Aspartame and Monosodium Glutamate additives, which make the body crave carbohydrate, is adding to the so-called obesity problem, which the UK government are readily creating.

We must wait to see how they will solve this problem of their own creation.

Charles Benbrook, Boulder Organic Centre’s chief scientist makes the point that:

Less nutrient-dense foods, coupled with poor food choices, go a long way towards explaining today’s epidemic of obesity and diabetes.

Conventional Farming To Blame

Conventional farming is to blame for this shameful situation. Closer plant spacing and the vast amounts of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, benefit no-one except the pharmaceutical companies that manufacture them.

We Want Organic

Organic farming methods are totally different, using manure or cover crops to provide plant nutrition. These practices allow the plant to absorb as much as 20% more minerals and 30% more antioxidants than conventional methods.

Banning The Good Stuff

Mindful of this scientifically proven, and well documented evidence, the European Commission - the European Union’s Executive Body - is planning to ban thousands of vitamin and mineral supplements from being sold in Europe.

They are simply choosing to ignore the evidence of independent studies, along with the abundance of knowledge and scientific data, on vitamins and nutrition which has now been available for 80 years. The Commission wishes to keep the public safe, by imposing restrictions on the permitted levels of all vitamins and minerals, in all supplements.

If these restrictions go ahead, it will result in Europe wide bans on literally thousands of food supplement products, some of which have been sold and consumed safely for decades.

Allegedly Ensuring A Safe Product
When the maximum levels for supplements are eventually announced, European citizens will finally discover whether European Commission protestations are true. They claim, “that they only wish to ensure a safe product for the consumer”.

However, some bodies have alleged, that the real aim is to ban all supplements to further ensure a decline in the health and immunity of all citizens.

Nature’s Store Of Nutrition
Nature has provided the perfect store house of vitamins and nutrients that don’t depend on the farmer, or retailer. Become aware of what is growing in off-road un-cultivated ground, or grow your own herbs organically in your garden. You only need a very small plot, as herbs hate being over-fertilized, and some even thrive on poor soil.

Common Every Day Weeds

The Self-Heal herb contains: vitamins A, B, C and K plus flavonoids and rutin, the common Nettle, Vervain, and Clivers are all anti-scurvy. The story about lemons being the only cure for the vitamin C deficiency disease Scurvy, always was, complete myth!

• Iron - Wild Watercress, all Seaweeds, Burdock, Meadowsweet, Mullein, Nettles, Parsley, Silverweed
• Iodine - Bladderwrack, Garlic (cultivated or wild Ransoms)
• Vitamin B2 - Kelp, Fenugreek seeds, Dulse Seaweed
• Vitamin B6 - Sunflower seeds, Walnuts
• Vitamin D - Kelp, Dandelion leaves, Sesame seeds
• Zinc - Garlic, Pumpkin seeds, Sunflower seeds
• Calcium - Chamomile, Clivers, Dandelion, Meadowsweet, Silverweed, Shepherd’s Purse
• Copper - Brazil Nuts, Chocolate
• Selenium - Garlic, Horsetail, Kelp

This demonstrates that you don’t have to rely on the whims of any government to keep healthy, you can do it yourself.

Recently I was at a University Conference: Woman to Women. We were asked what could we do individually to help our communities and to be bigger than that. How could we help the women in the world?

As I am a volunteer with an international non-governmental agency that uplifts the world by uplifting the individual, I felt pretty good. I have been a volunteer with this group for nearly 10 years. Most of the other women were at a loss as to what they could do locally to help globally.

One of the speakers, suggested using the Internet for finding and supporting different groups. She spoke of the Fair Trade Cooperatives for native made clothing and coffee. There are groups supporting children’s health and education by contributing a dollar a day. There are also the political and social issue of women’s genital mutilation. Social pressure from other countries can turn the tide for many. We can support Doctors without Borders, make contributions for medication for the African Aids Epidemic.

I had to tell them about my girlfriend’s $10 a month club. I don’t remember if the origins came from an Oprah Winfrey show or somewhere else. But it is an easy to do club.

• One charity or cause was picked a month. We could add to the list with causes or charities that we wanted to contribute to.
• We used the Internet to email choices and to vote. Those who were non-techies, were updated by telephone.
• We could donate goods amounting to $10 or $10.
• One day was chosen with a time frame for donations to be dropped off. If you couldn’t make it, you made arrangements with the person who was the acting drop point. This was tea and social time too, but not always.
• The person collecting items and then dropping them off rotated. If help was needed, some one volunteered to be the helper.

Some of the charities or groups that we gave to:

Emergency Care for Children: This agency takes care of children for emergency situations, such as a single parent being hospitalized and when there is no family to help.

Care and Share: This group collected canned goods and other foods for distribution. As much of their stock went out to help with Katrina, the winter needs for families in need was very low. It was pretty easy to call on friends and family to get them to give $10 worth of goods or money. A group of 15 women were able to get over 100 contributions.

Amnesty International: We went through all our household stuff and gave it to this group. The people coming into our country are given a stipend for putting a home together. Even with Goodwill and other used goods distributions, it is pretty minimal.

Human Trafficking: There are groups that specialize in rescuing women and children who have been sold or forced into the sex trade.

I saw one of the women from the conference a week later. She wanted to join my girlfriend’s club. I told her she had to start her own. I hope you do too.

Okay, I made a commitment to write a post every Sunday. I’ve been thinking all week about what I want to say. There are so many choices. I’m so glad you found your way to this spot in the universe. Thanks for dropping in.

What Are The Choices?

It’s Sunday morning and every time I’ve tried to sit down to write, Pieper insists that she needs me to play or take her for a hike. Look at that face, How can I say no. I opt for ‘play, as I can clean the deck and throw the ball at the same time. Between the sun, wind and snow throughout the year, everything turns brittle here; including me. Want to stay young and beautiful? Hydrate.

When Does It Get To Be My Turn?

After a little over an hour of play fetch the ball and cleaning the deck, at last, Pieper and Bernie (Bernadette’s parents are in China) are sleeping soundly for the moment. I get a turn at writing.

Discovery!

While sweeping the deck, I discovered how what I want to do, and the steps I take to get there, shape my life. Not the big things; like finishing this post, but the little things I have to do in order to get to the posting. Like coordinating playing with ‘furry beasts’ and cleaning the deck…a definite case of one and one not equaling two ; in this case it equals three or maybe four.

1. Pieper and Bernie got to play and exercise.
2. I got the deck cleaned.
3. I got to sit down and write.
4. Pieper and Bernie are getting rest from playing.

Does ‘The End Justify The Means’?

The little steps we take in our ‘day to day’ lives defines each of us. Uninteresting? I don’t think so. Where do we want to go? How can we get there? Does ‘the end justify the means’? To what end? What means?

Example: I wrestled with the idea of getting someone to clean my house. My thinking; if someone could do the unpleasant tasks, then I could do more important things; like writing this post.  However, I really can’t afford to have someone clean my house.  Question. If I could, would I?
Humm, I wonder? Knock, knock, here comes my conscience! Everything has a season and a reason. Every step I take, no matter how little, is significant. I clean my house and in between, everything seems to fit together just great.

The Journey Is All We Have

The journey is really all we have. Not a new concept, but a concept worth repeating. We humans aren’t the ’sharpest’ knives in the box. Look what’s happening to our noses! Therefore: Being In The Moment and Being Present should be at the forefront of our mind.

The means by which I get to where I want to be defines the person I am; playing with my ‘furry beasts’; cleaning the deck; deciding what order everything gets done; and taking time to talk about how these steps affects me and those around me creates my journey.

Their Turn!

The ‘furry beasts’ are up again and are anxious to go get some exercise. And I think it’s time for me to take a hike! I’ll take my camera today. Yesterday afternoon we came upon a beautiful doe grazing in the rolling hills next to my home.

The hike was wonderful; the pictures I took show vistas of the lay of the land surrounding my home. We hiked for almost two hours. When we arrive home, we’re ready for a snack. Pieper didn’t eat much breakfast and I know she is starved, as am I…Bernie on the other hand, seems to always be ready to eat. I’ve been making her sit and wait until I tell her ‘okay’; otherwise she dives into her bowl at full speed. She always seems to be hungry. Steve and Marsha feed Bernie Purina One. I feed Pieper Merrick 5 Star Entrées for Dogs. She loves it! And never seems to be starving. We eat and now there’s shopping to be done. I try to leave the dogs home, but they will have none of it…so off we go.

Into The Real Wild!

My first choice is not to drive. I put off driving to the last moment; like when I’m out of something and nothing can take its place. My shopping list is done. I have to go out into the streets, meet and great other humans…face to face. Indoor flea market for deck stain; bird place for birdseed; which was closed, as was the KR Pet-N-Feed Supply shop where I buy Pieper’s food. If I had taken time to read their business card I would have noticed they’re not open on Sundays; wasted gas and about 10 minutes on that trek. Lessons learned. I won’t make that mistake again. However, I made a great find at the flea market; a paper shredder. I’m a happy camper. On to the grocery store.

Home Again!

Ah, safe and sound. Get the ‘furry beasts’ in, unload the car, get more laundry going, put away groceries, give the dogs some treats…thank goodness Marsha and Steve are getting back from China tonight and they will be re-united. She’s ready for some one on one, and so is Pieper.

Full Circle

What the heck was I talking about? Oh, Little Steps: Defining my journey and getting to where I want to be. Well, in the big picture, all the little steps I’ve taken this week end may not seem like much; but I’m pretty darn close to where I planned on being; I’ve a clean house; good food; I feel good and I’m almost ready for winter. Winter is such a peaceful time. Snow, crackling fires and good friends to share the season. Hopefully, no more prickly burrs for Pieper to get into and I’m about to take Bernie home.

Happy Trails

Here is an astronaut floating in space. The context of purpose is for the astronaut to go way out there and to do something. I bet he’s up there to fix a space shuttle. Space Exploration! Sending shiny metal tubes out there, to the moon and beyond. Dress astronaut in shiny space resistant fabrics that will hold oxygen and not let space in. Now that they are dressed for the occasion, let them go outside and float.

Originally posted by Jean, the Cheerful Monk, when she wrote, At Home in the Universe. Jean asks, “have you ever felt you looked at things differently from other people…that a part of you was alone in the universe? If so, what was your reaction? Were you frightened… depressed… exhilarated… lonely? What did you do?”

Michelle Vandepas asked me what was my response?

The idea of floating above the world or out in the planets and stars has always caught my imagination. Would I like to float in space? Would I see if I could do something that may not work or work out? You bet I would! And you bet I do!

But on the practical side, I am an older woman who has lived many years with a physical disability. So it is not happening in this life time.

This life I danced and explored movement through the confines of our planet’s gravity system and my own abilities and disabilities. Another way to explore space. I had been a sprinter, a broad jumper and took acrobatic/ tumbling lessons before the back surgeries. I loved using my momentum or stillness in balance to have brief moments of shape and space happening together.

The great dancers and athletes have external and internal awareness. You can see it in the gaze of the eyes, focused but with a depth of being inside themselves. Their bodies become the lyrical extension of personal consciousness meeting the aliveness of the world.

Being a student of meditation and quantum physics, space is what we are filled with and is what is all around us. As my spiritual teacher says, “We are hollow and empty.”

We think and are taught our greatest fear comes when we face the unknown. We bind our senses to the matrix of our daily life, community and our place in geography.

When we are born, the extreme change of environment from inside our mother’s womb to the outside, shocks our system to breathe, to open the eyes, to live in the body. Our mother is the beginning matrix or ground for us. Her very being anchors us in the world. We get our nourishment, care, entertainment , and through that bonding we are secure in what we do not know.

Modern times have changed the process of birth and there are more outside demands upon the mother. Her attention is taken away from baby, leaving baby facing the unknown with a distant or absent matrix. I believe the consciousness of “is-ness” takes us through those fragmented beginnings.

There are no words, thoughts or feelings that tell our senses how to be or what to do. The inherent intelligence and health of our bodies and the spark of what ever it is that puts life into that body are the personal matrix that gets us through. To quote Carl Jung:
“Is he related to something infinite or not? That is the telling question of his life”.
Obviously, I believe we are.

Western culture bases value on our ability to manipulate the world around us. I watch in wonder, interest, sometime disbelief and horror with the happenings around me and in the world.
“Only if we know that the thing which truly matters is the infinite can we avoid fixing our interests upon futilities, and upon all kinds of goals which are not of real importance”….
Obviously, there are many who don’t know they have a choice. And there are many who are so invested in their agenda that the consequences others face, makes the history of mankind.

Eastern culture bases value on being in the world. The Eastern traditions of Yoga and Meditation take us beyond the layers of being into that essential self. A deep inquiry into your being will take you into the intimate journey of self knowledge. Whether you get there through adventure, trials and tribulations, or just being still, the Hero’s Journey is the same. How exciting it is to live at a time of West Meets East.
“In the final analysis, we count for something only because of the essential we embody, and if we do not embody that, life is wasted.”

A Holistic Healing Resource

The Live Holistically resource for those who need to be able to take responsibility for their own health care, for whatever reason.

EFT Essentials

The article section will explain the mechanics of different healing methods, and so as we go along, I shall point to: EFT , Essential Oils or Herbal Teas and know that you have access to the essentials, which will make it easy for you to follow what I am saying.

Accidents

There is no such thing as an accident, if the event results in injury to your person, then it is caused by anger. Just because it is directed at the self, doesn’t make it any less painful.

Levels of Accident

There are 3 levels of accident:

1. Minor
2. Life threatening trauma
3. Leading to death

Some people seem to be “accident prone”, while others go for a lifetime without getting a scratch.

The Level:3

The strongest level is 3. This results from poor teaching, which can be from many sources, ensuring that the brain is programmed to behave in a self-destructive way.

The Level:2

The type 2 person who suffers a traumatic, life threatening accident, has also received programming which will ensure this happens, but this person will not die. The sort of pain which they will choose for themselves will be: broken bones, burns that scar, perhaps loss of an eye or limb.

The Level: 1

The type 1s are the most common, and most of us will experience: bumps, cuts, bruises and sprains that heal quickly, just leaving us with the memory of pain.

Parts Of The Body

Every part of the body has significance and reason behind its trauma or loss, and our dominant thoughts will create the accident to suit the body part.

We won’t go through life saying,”Today, I want to have an accident, but because of this old programming, we do have the mental patterns that will attract an accident to us.

The Body

Not every mental equivalent is 100% true for everyone. However, it does give a point of reference to be able to begin the search for the cause of the dis-ease.

The Head: We feel that something is wrong with us

The Eyes: Something we don’t want to see about our lives, past, present or future

The Neck: Usually means that we are being stubborn about our own concept of the situation

The Throat: Not believing in our own power

The Arms: Represent our ability, or not, to change direction

The Hands: Fear of loss

Fingers: Each has individual meaning:-
Index finger- anger and fear
Thumb - worry about someone/something
Middle finger - has to do with sex and anger
Ring finger - both unions and grief
Little finger - has to do with family and pretending
The Back
Represents our support system…….Problems with the back usually mean that we feel that we are not being supported.

• Upper Back - lack of emotional support
• Middle Back - guilt
• Lower Back - finances a mess and feeling “burnt out”

Legs: Fear of moving forward

Knees: Wanting to move forward but not wanting to change our ways

Feet: Not understanding out own lives, past, present or future

Skin: Individuality being threatened

What Accidents Are
All accidents are expressions of anger. They are an acting out of the built- up frustrations resulting from not feeling the freedom to speak up for ourselves.

Our Rebel Selves
Accidents also show the world that, we too, can rebel against authority. We are so angry that we would like to hit out at someone. If our programming is for type 3 accidents then we may have a fatal car crash. Type 2 will ensure that we get hit!

Anger And Guilt

When we are angry at ourselves, when we feel guilty, when we feel the need for punishment, an accident is the ideal way of dealing with the need for pain.

Not Our Fault

We want it to seem that any accident is not our fault, that we are helpless victims (see: Diana Princess of Wales: Drama Triangle pt.1)

We can then turn to others for sympathy and attention. More often than not, we receive the attention we crave because we have surrounded ourselves with a support system who also get their reward from playing this game. (see: Drama Triangle again)

Tea And Sympathy
And so, we get our wounds dressed, and sometimes we get bed-rest, in the case of broken or lost limbs, for extended periods of time. What we also get is Pain!

Most are Type 1

Thankfully most of us are type 1, which means bumps, bruises, minor cuts and sprains are normal. These little hurts will all heal quickly with a little tender loving care: and as usual the best place to start with that is EFT (see: EFT: Essentials)

Emotional Freedom Technique

• Even though my finger (head, knee, toe, head etc.) is sore I love and accept myself
• Even though I have bruised (head, knee, toe, head etc.) I love and accept myself
• Even though my finger (head, knee, toe, head etc.) is bleeding I love and accept myself
• Even though I want to rebel against authority I love accept and forgive myself
• Even though I want to rebel and believe that this is the only way I can do it I love and forgive myself

Affirmations: (Subscribe via. email and receive Free Affirmation Guide Book)

• I release the pain in me that created this
• I am at peace
• I am worthwhile
• In my world I am my own authority
• I am the only one that thinks in my mind

Herbalism:

1. Arnica and Comfrey creams and ointments help bruises to heal. Don’t use on broken skin
2. A frozen cube of distilled Witch hazel applied directly to the bruise with bandage heals bruises
3. A handful of Daisies can be held against the bruise to reduce pain and swelling
4. Daisies made into a poultice or compress
5. Wintergreen ointment brings relief to torn muscles

Cuts:A minor injury that permits the escape of blood: This may lead to infection so shouldn’t be neglected.

Treatment: If the wound is a small puncture wash with ‘real’ soap and tepid water, pat dry with clean towel. Wipe with distilled extract of Witch Hazel.

OR: Solution of St John’s Wort (Hypericum) tincture

OR: 1 tsp. of Marigold (Calendula) tincture to a cup of sterile water

Cover wound with dry sterile dressing.

Literally hundreds of natural substances promote healing, these include:

• Myrrh
• Echinacea
• Cinnamon
• Chamomile

Aromatherapy (see: 13 Tips to Use Essential Oils)

• 5 drops of Cypress, Mint or Lavender essential oil blended with 2 tsps. (10 ml) soya oil is good for smoothing gently into bruised areas.

Caution: Seek help from your trusted health practitioner for severe swelling or pain - you may have a fracture. Also a Haematoma (bleeding immediately below the skin) may need draining to release stagnant blood.

My Family Gave to Me

What we learn in our families are skills we take into life. Many families pass on learning’s of animal care, carpentry, gardening / farming lore and more. The more skills under your belt, the better your survival, was a typical philosophy of children raised by Depression Era parents .

My Mom was a social worker before she married my Dad. She had worked in New York, then in Salt Lake City. She was a wealth of information about nutrition, balanced meals and diets, food preservation, home health care and first aid. I learned cooking from scratch; canning our fruits, jams, jellies, pickles, relishes and veggies. Even my brother knew how to run a sewing machine, mend a sock and sew a button on a shirt. Both my sister and I learned to break down, clean, shoot a rifle and hand gun. We also learned to change a tire and the oil. Good beginnings, very diversified for a girl.

College and Getting Out in the World

He was the older college student with life experience. He was also macrobiotic. Expounding on philosophy and theory as he demonstrated macrobiotic cooking was a Saturday dinner extravaganza. Better than the local drinking holes and other doings of college students. I was among his group of wide eyed admirers. Having peas with my hot dogs was my idea of a balanced cheap meal.

Macrobiotics as the Vehicle for Knowledge

Macrobiotics introduced me to food as balance for health and your personal pharmacy. It also introduced me to the early politics of food. Smaller farms and orchards were being sold out. The life style didn’t pay; competition with corporate farming and imported foods under cut the cost of the local farmers/ranchers expenses. An increasing population was being housed on prime farm land. You could get more for house on a lot than several acres of farm land. This was the late 1960s. Nothing has changed, there is just more of it.

That lead to an interest in herbs. Back to Eden, Jethro Kloss’s text of herbal and natural healing opened a new world for me. Herbal teas came loose and in bulk form. Most of them in the health food stores and catalogs were medicinal. Kloss inspired me to become pro-active with my own health care. It also gave me an alternative for health care as I didn’t make much money at the time.

Notations of Research as an Awakening

I married that older macrobiotic student. While he was finishing his degree; he worked for an international outdoor program during the summers. Many of the instructors were less than well at the end of the season. Their diets consisted of Army rations and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Needless to say, their dietary needs for high altitude living were not met. He lobbied for dietary changes as only a philosophy student who studied logic and ethics could. He was awarded the research to revise the diet.

I did a lot of the notations on the research. I was introduced to Adel Davis and Prevention Magazine and the politics of the Sugar Industry. I learned then that the preservatives used in foods were carcinogenic and/or toxic. The methods used to refine foods (like regular white flour) were toxic processes in themselves.

Labels Tell Me What I Need To Know

I have been looking at labels since. Sadly, over the years, many products have changed to adding chemical ingredients that once didn’t. The good side of that is the growing, harvesting, distribution, and manufacturing of organic and “natural” products. No longer having to order by catalog or buy only at a health food store makes my day.

Scary Hospital

Dad and I prepared for #1 baby and delivery by reading Mexican (yes they were from Mexico) birth and child care literature. It was the only thing that we could find at the time that was practical relevant information. We learned what to expect with pregnancy, delivery, recovering from birth for both mom and baby. It also gave some good tips on possible complications.

That birth was in a hospital. Dad was denied access to the delivery room, but he could watch from a window. I had to make a scene with the nurse to get my baby brought to me to nurse. They wanted to wait until my milk came in. I was across the room where they circumcised the baby boys. Just two nurses and a doctor. Those baby screams made my skin crawl. I think that small act of physical trauma done so early in life with no mother or father present creates a wounding in the psyche of our men.

My Commitment for Natural Healthy Baby

Not many women nursed at the time. Often I would wind up in a rest room nursing. Older women and women from other countries would stand and keep me company, cooing over happy suckling baby. My family had formula that they gave #1 when ever I had my back turned. They were so afraid of him becoming retarded. They had children at a time where there was no testing to determine if mom’s milk was giving adequate nutrition. Baby formula to my folks was all about having healthy infancy and babyhood.

I only used bought baby food when we traveled. There were several that I wouldn’t buy because of the ingredients listed on the label. A blender and sieve worked very well for making my own baby food. I used ice cube trays to freeze a small stock to keep on hand for variety and convenience.

I am deeply grateful to Meryl Streep’s campaign to remove preservatives from baby foods. I am also grateful to the inventive people who created a food grinder that you can use at the table for your baby.

Raising Children in a Culture in Love With Chemicals

Dr. Bronner’s soap was our body wash and for a while, shampoo. Health foods stores have free hand outs about many education topics. One of their great services has been the paper on chemical and plant based ingredients used in hair, skin and cosmetics. That helped me avoid a lot of toxicity for the kids and for the home.

Immunization was avoided until #1 was 7 years old. The state that we were living in had a mandatory law of immunization for school age children. The fine and jail term was beyond the meager means of the time. #2 is 15 months younger, so his immunization started then.

Organic popcorn could be had fairly easily. I popped tons of it for treats. Brewer’s Yeast was one of the major flavoring agents. I baked bread, cinnamon rolls, cookies, but no pies. Fresh fruit was always available.

As the kids grew older, they were involved with dinner planning and shopping. We had some general rules. One was no more than 3 poisons per day. Preservative and sugar were in the poison category. It was more difficult to negotiate the family dinners and holiday times. Luckily, my Mom could understand why I chose a different lifestyle and felt that it was in the interest of health for my family. She included many of the ideas she was introduced to. Eventually, Mom became a very fine vegetarian cook.

Before Dentists

Before dentists were affordable people found ways to clean their teeth without using toothpaste, all sorts of weird and wonderful recipes have been utilised, some with greater success than others. My grandfather used a mix of soot and bicarbonate of soda, and still had most of his teeth when he died.

My father visited the dentist once in his life, an obligation when signing up for the armed forces. The dentist removed a tooth, and so that was it, no more dentist for him! He had all his other teeth when he died.

Status Symbol

I did not fare so well. My mother marched me along to the dentist’s office every 6 months, as by the late 1950s and early 1960s looking after your teeth was advertised in newspapers and magazines as a status symbol. I remember being thrilled when the new high powered drills arrived and the grinding became quick and virtually painless.

At every visit I seemed to need 5 or 6 fillings, often the same ones drilled out and re-done. My parents didn’t question the procedure, as every other child seemed to have the same poor teeth.

Not All Dentists Are Honest

The first alert that we had was a big splash in the local newspaper. These particular dentists were drilling children’s teeth to receive generous payments from The National Health Service (UK). There were no dental fees then, it was all covered by the insurance stamp deducted straight from the pay packet. The dentists were sent back to their own country, but my teeth were ruined.

40 Years On

Move forward 40 years. Receding and bleeding gums, various abscesses, 3 monthly visits, and a dentist who decided to cap my molars with gold. The removal of huge chunks of mercury amalgam stopped the pain and the bleeding, and I decided that 3 monthly visits were no longer a necessity.

Chemicals Don’t Like Me

Vast amounts of research and many brands of toothpaste later, I found that I was sensitive to toothpaste. Dentists of course, do not choose to believe this, as many glazed looks and shaking heads will testify, but between the mercury amalgam and the chemical soup of toothpaste, my teeth were under siege. This is a list of chemicals which are commonly found in toothpaste :

1. triclosan
2. polyethylene glycol
3. poplypropylene glycol
4. tetrasodium pyrophosphate
5. sodium fluoride (sometimes hidden in Water)
6. saccharine
7. titanium dioxide
8. sorbitol
9. glycerol
10. potassium nitrate
11. strontium chloride
12. zinc citrate
13. sodium lauryl sulfate
14. chlorhexidine
15. aluminum trihydrate
16. sodium monofluorophosphate
17. sodium methyl cocoyl taurate
18. hydrated silica
19. allantoin

source: Heinz R. Gisel, Doctors for Vitality Clinics August 2007

Many Suspect Chemicals

Most of these chemicals are suspect, and all household name brands contain some of these highly toxic ingredients. Although all brands claim to be safe, and alone, for a specific product, this may be the case, but in all their calculations they do not take into account any accumulation of toxins by repeat use, or the toxic compounding by use of other cosmetic products containing the same chemicals.

Even In Baby Care Products

Shampoos, hair conditioners, sun screens, chemical soaps, skin care, shaving creams and detergents all contain some of these toxic chemicals, and enter the body through their vapour and inhalations in the shower, and through the skin when used with warm water.

Anyone For Toothpaste

Even if toothpaste isn’t consciously eaten, it will enter the body through saliva, which is involuntarily swallowed. The mucous lining in the mouth has an absorption efficiency of over 90%, with the lips also having excellent absorption properties. This is how toxins reach the bloodstream and end up in organs like: brain, heart, lungs, kidney and liver.

We Have No Idea!

You, the consumer, have no idea what levels of toxins are tolerable to you. You may add up the “other ingredients” on the labels of your commonly used “personal care” and “anti-bacterial” household products, from air freshener to laundry detergent, and be shocked at the result, but in the end it comes down to how much your body will tolerate.

Passionate About Chemicals

If you have read my posts: Free Health Care Veto: Educate Yourself or ADA recommend Chewing Gum or Lose Weight: Heal the World, 1,4-Dioxane in Baby Cleanser, you will know how passionate I am about keeping harmful chemicals out of the body. We have no need of them, all we have to do is change our buying habits and get used to different amounts of suds in our personal products. If we didn’t buy these chemical mixes, you can bet they wouldn’t be promoted.

How To Keep Your Teeth

I want everyone reading this article to go back to using original soaps, it is possible, I only use soap to shower, wash my hair and brush my teeth. With soap you get natural suds, and you don’t need oily conditioners (coconut oil is wonderful here). I hear you recoiling in horror at the thought of brushing your teeth with soap, well bear with me, I have found a special tooth soap.

Tooth Soap

Tooth Soap uses the same oils that I use in my own recipe, and comes in an economical jar, which conserves the essential oils used for flavouring. The first time that you use it will be strange, but when you get used to it, it will conserve your precious teeth, and you won’t be accumulating any toxins.

Make It Yourself

I wouldn’t recommend anything that I didn’t use myself and know to be effective, and the only cheaper way to obtain tooth soap is to make it yourself. If you find that you can get used to brushing your teeth with soap, ask me how to make your own.

As we are moving into the colder months of fall and into the winter season, the following will help your body adjust:

1. Drink ginger tea. Add a little honey and lemon to this healthful beverage. Stimulating and warming to your system.
2. Stay hydrated. Keep your cells plush with water. This helps move things through and out your system.
3. Drink hot water during the day. Yes, that is right, hot water with no tea or anything in it. It is warming and will help move mucous in the digestive tract. The less mucous, the less ground there is for a virus or bacteria to grow.
4. Breathe and breathe some more. Get out and walk in the fresh air. Take a breath class. The more oxygen in the blood, the better.
5. Laugh and laugh some more: See the humor in the stressful situations. Do fun things with your friends. Watch funny movies. Laughter stimulates your immune system and produces endorphins.
6. Dry brush your skin: Use a soft to medium natural bristle bathing brush to stimulate circulation and slough off dead cells. Do before you shower. Or dry brush, then wipe the body down with a damp cloth.
7. Steam baths or saunas for sweating: This will help remove toxins. If you are not pregnant or have a heart or liver condition, you can stimulate and strengthen your circulatory system by showering with cold water afterwards. This will also help you with temperature changes.
8. Hot Stone Massage: Need I say more?
9. Eat more leafy green veggies! Leafy greens have micro-nutrients that clean and rebuild the body. The fiber content will help move things out of the digestive tract.
10. Cayenne or capsicum is warming and stimulating. Add cayenne to the foods you cook. You can also get capsicum in capsule form and take it as a supplement with meals.
11. Essential Fatty Acids (Omega3 and Omega6): The dryer the weather, the more important they are. If you live in higher altitudes, they are crucial for your health and you will likely need 1/2 to 1 dose more than Federal Daily Requirement limit stated on supplemental labels. You can always eat more deep/cold water fish or eat more things with flax seed.
12. Vitamin C in fresh fruits or veggies such as cabbage; peppers, especially the red, yellow or orange; broccoli and tomato. You can always add a Vitamin C supplement during the cold and flue season.
13. Cleansing your system: Taking some time to let the digestive tract have a rest from hard to digest foods and foods high in chemical content (preservatives and pesticides) is very beneficial. A cleansing diet for 5 days to one week can be steamed vegetable, salads with brown rice or millet. Yes, even for breakfast! Have some organic chicken, wild salmon, or some nuts and seeds to meet the protein needs. Remember to drink plenty of water!
14. Detoxification will remove accumulations of toxins from your system. In the Eastern cultures, detoxes are done with seasonal changes. There are many publications on how to do it your own. If you have a medical issue, it is best to consult an Nutritionist, Naturopath or other Alternative Heath Practitioner to over see the process.
15. Get some sunshine daily. 25 minutes of sun will give you Vitamin D. It will also keep your outlook on life up.

Although I love the bounty of summer fruits and vegetables, autumn has always been my favorite season . My introduction to seasonal cooking was when I first read Perla Meyers The Seasonal Kitchen: A Return to Fresh Foods. I was just starting as a chef in a small cafe in Connecticut and I wanted to learn everything I could about cooking with the seasons. The cafe had a blackboard menu and I was responsible to come up with more than twenty specials a day. Being creative was a big part of the job. That first fall I experimented with squashes, pumpkins, wild mushrooms, fresh figs, stews, braises and warming comfort foods. My customers favorite desserts were simple ones; stuffed baked apples with walnuts, honey and dried cranberries and poached pears in port with a vanilla custard sauce. Acorn squash risotto and sweet potato gnocchi would sell out before the 7:00 p.m. dinner rush. And although I occasionally still cook that way I often look for lighter versions When I picked up a spaghetti squash at the market yesterday the cashier remarked that she didn’t know how to cook any of those squashes (referring to the pile near the front entrance). I saw the squash and immediately thought of making a fresh tomato sauce with the last of the garden tomatoes, cipollini onions, garlic and fresh herbs.

Spaghetti Squash with Quick Tomato Sauce

1 spaghetti squash cut in half and placed on a baking sheet rind side up.

Although you can microwave most squashes my favorite way is to bake squash at 375 degrees for about 35-40 minutes.

Quick Tomato Sauce

• 8 very ripe fresh tomatoes diced
• 3-4 cipollini onions sliced thin (1 medium sized regular onion diced can be substituted)
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup of Chianti or your favorite red wine
• Fresh herbs, basil, rosemary, oregano to taste
• salt and pepper to taste

While squash is baking heat olive oil, add onion and saute until clear. Add garlic cook for an additional three minutes. Add fresh tomatoes and wine bring to a boil and then turn down heat and simmer for twenty minutes. Add herbs and salt and pepper to taste. Puree for a smoother texture.

When squash is tender remove seeds from squash and run a fork lengthwise through the squash to get strands. Serve sauce over spaghetti squash strands.Top with a sprinkling of Parmigiana cheese.

Every time I go to buy treats for Pieper my eyes roll when I look at the price! At Wag N Wash, a wonderful Doggie Bakery, Healthy Food and Dog Wash; their treats are over eight dollars a pound.

Treats are so easy to make. The quality of the ingredients are up to you; well your dog. You know what he/she likes and can include whatever it is into the ingredients of the mix. My Pieper likes peanut butter, garlic, nutritional yeast and Spirulina. She loves Greenies, but they are so expensive.

I’ll make a large batch of cookie dough. I’ll split the batch into two bowls; add peanut butter to one batch and Chlorophyll or Spirulina in another batch. Making treats is a delicious, easy and an economical way to pamper Pieper.

You can use any kind of flour, or combination of flour. I used a combination of organic buckwheat, rice and oat. I try to stay away from wheat as wheat is so overly used and can cause allergies. The entire process takes about 20 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to bake.

2 Cups of flour

1 Cup of Oats

1/2 Cup Flaxseed Mill

1/2 Cup of peanut butter*

1 T of honey

1/2 Cup of warm filtered water (a little at at time) or until right consistency

1 T of Mega C Plus powder

Mix the above until it is a cookie dough consistency and roll out. Cut with your favorite cookie cutter or roll into tiny balls.

*You can change the ingredients to match the preference your sweetie prefers. Say she really likes salmon…use that instead of the peanut butter.

Place on cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees for about 30 minutes until they are crunchy.

Oh, by the way, if you are out on the trail and get hungry…these are good enough that humans can munch on them too!

Happy trails!