Well Tuned Naturally

Wouldn’t it be great to have all the energy you needed to get yourself through the day? So many of us find ourselves struggling to come up with the ambition to get things done and hopefully have somewhat of a productive day. With a few minor adjustments in habits, lifestyle and attitude, you can turn the struggle into a pleasant journey that will leave you happy, satisfied and more fulfilled. We will begin with a short discussion of two common types of energy we all experience at one time or another and how they affect our lives for better or worse. They are calm energy and tense energy.

CALM ENERGY
Calm energy is a state of low stress and high controlled energy. Small issues remain small and do not develop into more than what they really are. They therefore do not get in the way of things that are more important. Your physical and mental reserves are at a high level, giving you the serene confidence of an ideal flow state where you feel in continuous control.Your sense of well being and a positive outlook are in place. Due to this positive vantage point, your perception of attaining a successful result is much greater.Everything you do seems to go easily and smoothly. This is by far the energy you need to have on a regular basis.

TENSE ENERGY
Tense energy is the opposite. It can be the result of artificial stimulants such as caffeine, a situational effect of anger, stress or by merely being in a general rush. This type of energy cannot be maintained without a price. It interferes with the optimal neurotransmissions in the brain and in the long run leaves you exhausted; depleted mentally and physically. Continuing on this way will have negative consequences on your overall performance and will also erode your health over time. This type of energy is commonplace in many people’s lives, so much so that it seems normal. It is a sad testament to our current fast-paced culture that this seems to be the case. But this does not have to be. Here are ten steps to a positive, productive flow state that will support your efforts, making your life easier and more fulfilling.

THE TEN STEPS

1) Start with a good nights sleep, eight hours if possible. Without proper rest, it is difficult to maintain any kind of consistent energy level the next day. Be sure your bedroom is as dark as possible. Any light will interfere with your sleep cycle by suppressing the production of melatonin, a hormone released at the end of the day that signals your body that it’s time for sleep. Avoid a heavy meal at the end of the day, the process of digestion forces your body to stay active, not allowing it to settle into a good sleep pattern. Likewise, avoid caffeine or alcohol close to bedtime.

Let go of any worries and frustrations you may have. It may be helpful to come up with an affirmation you can say to yourself as you settle in each night. Something to the effect of: “This day is finished. I release any worries or concerns to my higher power and I am allowing myself to relax into a peaceful, healing sleep”.

2) When you first wake up in the morning, train yourself to think about what you will be looking forward to for the day, not what you are dreading.Focus on thoughts of gratitude for all the good things in your life, feel the warmth of this emotion glowing inside you. Give your day a positive purpose from the start.

3) Allow yourself a few minutes before rising to slowly and gently arch your back, stretch your arms and legs and turn your head from side to side. When you get up, leave your arms loose at your sides and shake them. Do the same with each leg, first one than the other. If you are up to it, drop down and do a few pushups, stand up and do a few kneebends or forward lunges. Then take three to four slow, relaxing breaths. Imagine breathing in energy that instantly courses throughout your entire body, invigorating and strengthening every cell. As you exhale slowly, breathe out all tension, fatigue and negative feelings. Any activity for just a few minutes first thing in the morning triggers your brain to produce signals to release tension and to begin the process of increasing your overall alertness. Try it, it’s amazing how little it takes to jump start your day with these simple movements.

4) Do not skip breakfast, no matter what. It does not have to be anything elaborate, but starting each day with a low-fat, high fiber breakfast is critical to continuing to develop the calm energy to carry you through the day. A toasted multi-grain bagel with low-fat cream cheese can provide a quick tasty meal, for example. Another easy to prepare breakfast is muesli. Before you go to bed, put 1/2 cup of old fashioned oats into a bowl and add just enough water to cover them.Cover the bowl and put it in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning, add 1/2 cup of your favorite low fat yogurt and one to two teaspoons of brown sugar or honey. Top it off with pieces of apple, banana or any other fruit that strikes your fancy. This is a delicious, satisfying breakfast that has everything you need to start your day off right.

5) Eat 5-6 smaller meals throughout the day. This way you will be keeping your body’s energy furnace stoked without overwhelming it with fewer, larger meals that will leave you sluggish. Be sure to include a mix of carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats such as those found in fish and nuts. This combination will provide the fuel, maintain your energy and will leave you feeling satisfied. Also be sure to keep yourself well hydrated through the day by drinking plenty of water.

6) Focus for a few moments on your normal breathing pattern. You’ll notice that while you aren’t in an active state, your breathing may be quite shallow. Throughout the day take a couple of minutes to do some concentrated belly breathing to take more oxygen into your system. By doing this you will be assisting the oxidation level of your metabolism. First, sit up straight and face straight ahead. Take a slow, deep breath through your nose, expanding your abdomen first rather than you chest, but don’t force it. Exhale slowly and evenly, try to take twice as long breathing out as breathing in. Again, don’t force it. Repeat this sequence four times.

7) You can change your energy level instantly by ACTING energetic. Quicken your breathing pattern slightly, move more quickly and speak at a faster pace as if you’re really excited about something. Your body will respond with a noticeable surge of energy. Try this, you may be surprised at how well this works. Emotion is indeed directly influenced by motion.

Beware of the energy vampires! These are the people around you that siphon off your energy in several ways. Non-stop talking, continuous complaining and whining, asking an endless series of questions, incessant bragging to gain approval are just a few ways this can happen. Except for young children you may be raising, you are not responsible for anyone’s life or feelings but your own. When you can fully accept this and apply it in your life, you will find it much easier to politely end the conversation or walk away from the circumstance that would otherwise sap your energy.

9) Get into a regular exercise program. Go for a walk,develop a stretching routine, get a cardio exercise DVD suitable for your fitness level and follow along with it. Any exercise is better than none at all. Try for at least 20 minutes of activity three times a week to start.

10) Find ways to serve others and express thanks for all that you have during the day. By openly showing gratitude, you will attract more things into your life that will reinforce this feeling further. Likewise, by being of service to others you will give your self esteem and level of happiness a big boost. Either do a Google search for “volunteer” or contact your local church, school or nursing home for opportunities to serve. By taking action to be of service, you will find that good things will come into your life in unexpected ways almost as if by magic. If you continue on this path, your energy level will take on a life of its own and by supporting it with the previous suggestions, any lack of energy for you will be a thing of the past!

In the West, we like to think of our world as modern and of our medical system as sophisticated. Yet, with the wide array of illnesses, diseases and disorders that continue to escalate in scope and number, it might be time to explore another way of evaluating and maintaining health. Many people are doing just that, exploring the realm of natural health.

The basic premise of natural health is that when the body is nourished and maintained optimally, it is able to heal itself naturally. Better yet, it can prevent the occurrence of disease in the first place. In other words, we wouldn’t need the interventions of our medical system in many cases after all. Instead, we could create the environment and conditions that allow the body to heal itself in which optimum health can be assured.

A healthy lifestyle is the cornerstone to natural health. Prevention is the foundation. Natural health is not about being a health fanatic, but more a health conscious person. This means holistic health, encompassing the whole person, body, mind and spirit.

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Achieving a cure for panic attacks is challenging but certainly not impossible. Millions of people suffer from some sort of anxiety or panic disorder and many are able to completely overcome it and move on to live a confident, normal life.

But it does take dedication and some positive thinking to get there. If you truly want to eliminate the panic attacks and you take the action to overcome them, then you’ll certainly have no problem achieving your dream of living a life free of these symptoms.

Although there are no known medical cures for panic attacks, people often choose to follow natural treatments over taking prescription medications, which can have drastic side effects. (more…)

Homeopathy is a system of medicinal treatment that would be considered a form of alternative medicine. The homeopathic system of treatment is based on two principles: Law of Similars and Potentization.

Law of Similars

Back in 1796 a German physician by the name of Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann published a paper in which he detailed his principle that “likes are cured by likes”. Hahnemann claimed that quinine, a medicine widely used for successful treatment of malaria, produced symptoms of malaria in a healthy person. The patients of malaria were treated with a medicine which created the same symptoms as those created by the disease. The observations with quinine and other medicines led Hahnemann to his “Law of Similars”.

Four years later Hahnemann advanced his doctrine of “potentization of dynamization” which stated that medicines in small doses effectively exerted their curative power.

Potentization

Potentization is a process by which medicine is diluted in precise steps and subjected to a vigorous shaking action called “succussion”. This process brings about an energetic change that gives medicines a deeper curative effect. Repeated dilution ensures that the medicine has no toxic effect. This allows homeopathic use of many substances which would be unsafe under normal conditions.

Homeopathy is relatively young – just over 200 years old. New medicines and treatments are constantly being evolved and documented. Such research studies are called “provings”, after a German word meaning ‘test’. As a result of these research studies, Homeopathy is used in a wide variety of health conditions.

Lower Concentrations More Effective

Homeopathic medicines do not work strictly by chemical action. At ‘higher potency’ the medicine is diluted so much that concentration of original medicine reduces to insignificant level. Yet at these lower concentrations, the medicines not only work, they are more effective. The “potentization” process brings energetic change in the medicine. In turn the medicine stimulates the body’s defense mechanism to fight the cause of disorder. This approach produces more stable cure as compared to treatment with drugs. Direct chemical action of the drugs often produces harmful side effects. Homeopathic medicines on the other hand have no or little side effects. They are safe and non-toxic.

Two centuries of existence has firmly established homeopathy. It is accepted form of treatment in many parts of the world. However, the theory of homeopathy is inconsistent with known laws of science; therefore the critics often dismiss it as pseudoscience and quackery.

While critics dismiss it as an effective treatment method, those who have been helped have a different opinion. Because homeopathic medicines have a relatively slow but lasting effect, they are not first choice in emergency situations, but do have their place in many others.

Aromatherapy is a type of alternative medicine that has been around for about 6000 years. Aromatherapy involves the use of essential oils to address not only physical symptoms, but mental, spiritual and emotional factors as well, making it a holistic therapy. Holistic therapy recognizes that these aspects of your being are essential to take into account as they all greatly influence your overall health.

Essential oils enter your body in three main ways:

* through your skin
* through olfaction – your sense of smell
* through your lungs

The Skin

Using essential oils in massage is the most common use of aromatherapy. The massage oil is made from a carrier oil with a few drops of essential oils added, this allows the essential oils to be absorbed into the skin. Applying heat will increase the rate at which the oils are taken in. The massage itself will produce a bit of heat, and covering the area with towels or blankets or a heated wheat bag is also common.

Once the essential oils are absorbed into the skin they work their way into the underlying tissue thereby affecting the nerves, organs and blood stream.

Here’s a quick and easy experiment to prove that essential oils really can enter your body through your skin. Cut a clove of garlic in half and rub the liquid (garlic essential oil) from the cut end on the bottom of your foot. See how long it takes before you can taste garlic on your breath (usually about 15-20 minutes).

The Sense of Smell (Olfaction)

The olfactory receptors, which are called chemoreceptors, are nerve endings embedded deep within your nasal passages. Fragrance chemicals in the air are inhaled and dissolve once they hit the fluid lining in your nasal passages. This allows the chemoreceptors to pick them up and send the ‘chemical message’ to the brain.

These chemical messages are sent first to the frontal lobe of the brain where the smell is analyzed, and secondly to the limbic system and autonomous nervous system. This is where emotional and physical responses to the fragrance are created. For instance, you might feel calm or sleepy, or you might sneeze. Other times you might be reminded of something in your past, and this experience will have an emotional response attached to it.

You may be able to relate to how quickly and dramatically ‘chemical messages’ can be sent to the brain if you’ve ever had the experience of having smelled a real strong scent or odor that may, or may almost have, caused an upset stomach.

The Lungs

The fastest way to get essential oils into your bloodstream where they can start working is by inhaling them. Since your respiratory system is designed to get oxygen into your bloodstream, when you inhale the fragrance of vaporized essential oils, they too are carried quickly into your bloodstream.

Some Benefits of Essential Oils

In France, the birthplace of aromatherapy as currently defined, it is a part of mainstream medicine in the control of infections because of the strong antibacterial, antiseptic, antiviral and antifungal properties of many essential oils.

All essential oils are antiseptic to some degree. However, a few of the more powerful antiseptics are lavender, thyme, clove, cinnamon, tea tree, manuka and oregano.

Essential oils are extremely beneficial in skin care. The ancient Egyptians, who invented cosmetology, used essential oils in skin care around 5000 years ago.

A study in Japan showed that lemon, vaporized in a room, reduced typing errors by 54%. Lemon is well known for its antiseptic and antimicrobial properties which would make it additionally beneficial in office environments.

Some essential oils actively mimic neurotransmitters which have a powerful ability to alter mood. These can be helpful for conditions such as stress and depression.

These are just a few of the many uses of essential oils in aromatherapy. But there is also an important aspect of aromatherapy that is often overlooked – the pleasure aspect. Using essential oils is fun, even if you aren’t a qualified aromatherapist. Find authentic essential oil suppliers and have some fun discovering which fragrances you enjoy; they are bound to have a beneficial effect even if you just use a few drops in your bath water.

A Word of Caution

Please understand that these oils do affect the body, so inquire about the safety of use if pregnant or breastfeeding or with other conditions as some may not be suitable during that time. Also, as the field grows more popular, it’s important to find out where the product comes from and how it is produced to ensure its safety. Do a little homework first, and then enjoy.

From the youngest of age to those only young at heart, everyone loves a good sing-a-long whether you consider yourself a singer or not. Singing is a natural and enjoyable part of life. Many youngsters learn to sing before they learn to talk, because it’s so natural.

Everyone can be taught to sing; you don’t necessarily need to have a great voice just a desire to make a joyful noise. Whether you sing in a choir, the car, the privacy of your shower or at the pub’s karaoke night singing is an activity that is healthy, fun and affords a great many benefits to the body and mind.

Sing to Relax

Singing helps us to relax and feel better. It allows us to express deep emotion and releases us from stress. It often has a way of lifting our sprits in the midst of whatever circumstances we find ourselves in.

Physiological, Emotional and Psychological Benefits

Doctors believe that singing is good aerobic exercise for the lungs, abdominal muscles and blood circulation. Singing with or without music is also used in therapy for treating adults who have suffered emotional, physical, and psychological trauma and illnesses. For example music and singing can aid the treatment of stroke victims for whom speech is impaired. Singing is considered beneficial as it helps articulation, rhythm and breathing.

One of the ways in which singing has benefited people is in its use with the elderly. It is becoming popular in the UK and other parts of the country for seniors to join community groups and choirs to sing anything from hymns to modern songs.

The Zimmers

There’s even a British ‘rock group’ made up of 40 old age pensioners called ‘The Zimmers’ who have made a cover version of The Who’s song ‘My Generation’. They have become a bit of a global phenomenon with their popularity reaching as far as the U.S. shores and beyond. The band was originally created as part of a BBC documentary about the treatment of elderly people in Britain. For the pensioners involved however this has certainly brought them out of ‘retirement’ and given them a new lease of life.

Many of the elderly see these singing groups as a lifeline and something to look forward to. These groups are a means of forging good friendships and giving them a sense of belonging which is bound to have a ripple effect as far as their health is concerned. Singing songs from their childhood may well evoke happy memories of youth and special occasions which will cause them to feel better within themselves. Studies in America have shown that singing in the elderly improves their breathing, posture, voices and life expectancy.

So regardless of your age or your ability to carry a tune, join in a chorus and tap into the joys of singing your way to health and healing!