Green Leaf of a Bio Plant in Nature: epSos .de

Author: oil

Green cleaning is a term that refers to cleaning techniques and products that make use of eco-friendly materials and substances rather than toxic ingredients. Certain products emit volatile organic compounds, which can cause irreparable damage, respiratory problems, and skin infections. Green cleaning techniques are a much safer and healthier way to treat water, purify air, and clean a home or land.

Sunrays are natural disinfectants. Ultraviolet radiation emitted from the sun can be used to disinfect water and air. UV radiation is commonly used in waste water treatment and is increasingly being used in drinking water treatment. In fact, there are several manufactures that offer water purifiers that use UV light. This cleaning technique is more eco-friendly than treating water with chemicals. Almost all the pollutants in the air are carbon-based compounds. These compounds break down when exposed to high-intensity UV light at 240-280 nm.

Hospitals have used UV technology for years to sterilize the air in their facilities. Halo vacuum cleaners also use this green cleaning technology to kill germs, bacteria, mold, dust mite eggs, and flea eggs that fester deep in carpet fibers. Halo vacuum cleaners suck up dirt as well as any other vacuum, but unlike other models, they kill microorganisms like E.coli and Samonella. Rather than use toxic chemicals that are harmful to the environment and humans to sterilize surfaces, a Halo vacuum cleaner is a great alternative.

Electrokinetic remediation is a green technology used to clean land, especially to restore contaminated waste sites. The section of soil that has been contaminated is exposed to a low voltage direct-current electric field. When the electrodes are charged, ions and water move toward the electrodes. The ions flow through the outer casing of the electrode, which contains water, where they are then removed for treatment. Bioreactors and bioventing technology are two forms of bioremediation that are used to remediate soil that has been contaminated by fuel.

Oil Gone Easy S-200 also uses bioremediation to help fight oil spill pollution both on land and in water. This eco-friendly product is more readily available than bioreactors or bioventing technology and is ideal for home and boat owners.

About the Author:

http://www.oilgoneeasy.com/oil_spill_blog/

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Green Cleaning Technologies

macro water drop: Hypergurl - Tanya Ann / Tanya Puntti

by Thelma Oliver

Water is a life giving substance! We are confident that life as we know it cannot exist without the presence of clean water. We can live weeks without food but only days without water. Recent tests on the moon were designed to detect any presence of water, for eventual colonization would be impossible without it.

The earth is not short of water as such. The 326 million trillion gallons of water on earth divided by the current population, 5.8 billion, reveals that we have 56 billion gallons apiece. For sanitation, bathing, and cooking needs, the average person in the world has a daily requirement of about 13.2 gallons of water. That means the world contains enough water to last each of us over 11 million years (not counting population growth)! That doesn’t take into consideration the free recycling system provided for us called evaporation and condensation.

Of course, this is a little misleading for not all (or even most) of this water on earth is in a useable form. Ninety-eight percent of the water on the planet is ocean salt water. Of the 2% of the planet’s fresh water, 1.6% is locked up in the polar ice caps and glaciers. Another 0.36% is found underground in aquifers and wells. A mere trifle, just .036% of the planet’s total water supply, is found in fresh water lakes and rivers. This is still 392 million gallons each, but that isn’t much compared with the 56 billion gallons we could have. The sobering fact is that only about 0.007% of all water on earth (and less than 1% of the world’s fresh water) is accessible for direct human use.

Another problem is that the available useable water is not distributed evenly to the population. For example, the average American uses more water in one shower than most third world people use in a whole day. Nearly one billion people lack access to safe water. Nearly one billion people of the world lack access to safe water. That amounts to about one in eight people. Further, two and a half billion do not have access to improved sanitation, which means they are unable or don’t bother to separate drinking water from wastewater.

Major health issues throughout the world result from a lack of sanitary drinking water. One estimate is that half of all those in hospital beds at any one time are there because of a water related disease. As a result, a child dies from a water-related disease every 15-20 seconds in the world, usually from diarrhea. That adds up to a staggering 1.4 million children each year. The children in these environments often carry 1,000 parasitic worms in their bodies because of stagnant water supplies. In all, unsafe drinking water, inadequate sanitation, or insufficient hygiene account for 88% of diarrhea cases worldwide.

Polluted water brings death, but also an increase in disease, crime, birth defects, and decreased ability to concentrate in school. In other words, it results in major economic decline. Investing in ways to purify water, or to desalinate the sea are investments that bring returns. On average, every US dollar invested in water and sanitation for a third world people provides an economic return for them of eight US dollars.

Some want the western civilization to feel guilty for taking a shower or watering their lawns. This is faulty thinking. Lowering our living standard only borrows their problems. America has sufficient good, clean water because we have learned how to preserve it and where to get it. Our response to criticism should not be guilt but better stewardship and an increased willingness to share our knowledge with others. When we are frugal and generous with our water, we will set a higher standard for other nations to follow.

Article Source: amazines.com

In life, pain is inevitable, the suffering is optional... by tapperboy

By: chris j meagher

Pain sufferers need more information on the side effects of prescribed pain-killers.

A good article can be found here: qassia.com/arthritis-painkillers-and-how-they-can-kill-you.

I was unfortunate enough to have suffered a miasma of pain for some 7 years, after having fallen from a roof. Being instinctively wary of pain killers, and, being a product of my father’s generation’s mentality of stoicism (shut-up and get on with it) – I put up with it and only succumbed to taking pain-killers, in small doses – when things became just unbearable.

I was fortunate to have met someone in a similar position, who advised taking ‘no-brand’ paracetamol. This was useful in taking away the ‘edge’.

Subsequent discussions with my doctor revealed that there were NO side effects, to any quantity taken, within reason. This worked very well for me, although I remained cautious.

Then 3 years ago, I attended a free buddhist meditation class that went for 10 weeks.

I originally attended in an attempt to alleviate a more pressing matter, that of crippling depression. I needed simplicity and serenity and, although not particularly a believer, I was well brought up, so I followed the lessons not wanting it to be a waste of anyone’s time.

On about the sixth week and odd thing happened mid lesson during some intonation, with visualisation of sending negativity out, to the universe, and drawing back in positive energy.

I felt a disturbance in my left arm, similar to marbles running down a tube. This was a physical event, to the tune that my partner noticed the disturbance.

I was absolutely stunned! There was no longer any pain – ANYWHERE!

I could move, pain free. I could sleep through the entire night.

I actually smiled.

In general, I have had a relatively pain free existence since that time.

This is not about advocating anything in particular, more the fact that chronic pain sufferers tend to get bogged down with the advice from the guys in white-coats.

Most certainly, it is easy to just give in to the quick fix advice, which as we ultimately discover, can have a dire price attached to our overall health.

Instant pain relief is seductive, addictively so, when one\’s entire life revolves around pain.

I have found, in my case, that an open mind has been the most helpful, in relief of chronic pain.

About the Author:

Learn How To Rid Yourself of Insomnia And Sleepless Nights
End Your Arthritis Pain For Good!
Say Goodbye To Your Carpal Tunnel Syndrome!

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Chronic Pain Relief Alternative

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Photo credit: TimOve

Author: Roseanna Leaton

You know what it feels like when love is first blossoming; you find that it is almost impossible to not smile, you feel as if you are walking on air and you wake up early each day feeling fantastic. To be in love feels good. Having close relationships and intimate ties to other human beings is not only good for our mental and emotional health; it is also good for our physical health as well.

This is a fact which nobody can deny; there is too much evidence which proves the point. There have been many different types of studies conducted, in communities all over the world which indicate the healing powers of love and friendship.

One study which is often cited relates to the town of Roseto in Pennsylvania, which was up until relatively recently inhabited by immigrants from a small town in Southern Italy. This community of Italian-Americans in Roseto remained very close in terms of family ties and traditions, maintaining their cultural values and religious beliefs through several generations. The inhabitants of this small town experienced significantly less heart disease than in either of the two similar sized neighboring tons. They also lived significantly longer.

When scientists began researching the Roseto phenomenon they could not find anything significantly different in terms of diet, exercise or work which could account for this community’s good health. The only thing which was different was their social cohesion and supportiveness. Researchers began to suspect that it was Roseto’s stable structure which could have protected the inhabitants from heart disease and also led to longevity.

These suspicions turned out to be well-founded, as was evidenced by the dramatic increase in heart disease in the 1960’s and 1970’s as the previously close and cohesive community began to fragment and become more isolated. Many different studies have ensued and each supports the basic belief that when we feel isolated or unsupported, our health is endangered. By contrast, when we are involved either in an intimate and loving relationship, or in a supportive community our health tends to be a whole lot better.

The thing to bear in mind is that it does not matter what type of supportive relationship you are involved in, so long as it provides you with a feeling of being cared for. For some people their religion is what provides them with this feeling, this perception of being part of something bigger and being cared for as an integral part of that community. For some this may take the form of going to church and being an active part of a church group; for others it may be a perception of our spiritual nature which provides a feeling of cohesion and connectedness.

Everyone is different in how they perceive their world and a major key to good health is to feel cohesion and connectedness. Many people may on the face of things live a life with lots of support, family and friends around them, but they might still feel a sense of isolation, and this feeling is one of the strongest predictors of heart disease. It is a matter instinctive importance to the human soul to feel supported as opposed to isolated. Yet it is not what is happening around you that matters so much as how you feel about it. One person may be alone, bur feel spiritually connected, whilst another could be surrounded by many and still feel alone.

I am reminded of a quote by Viktor Frankl which loosely runs along the lines of “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing; his ability to choose his thoughts in any set of circumstances”. This quote is very empowering. This gentleman very elegantly describes how we do in fact choose our thoughts and it follows that we can change our thoughts should we wish to do so. If for any reason you are feeling isolated or alone, you can change this feeling. It may take a little effort on your part, but never the less, you can change how you feel, and you will find that hypnosis mp3 downloads are very helpful in your desire to feel a greater sense of well-being.

This is a huge topic and I am only scratching the surface here. The risk factors predicted by a sense of isolation do not just relate to heart disease and an earlier death. The whole spectrum of disease comes into play.

In a community where social cohesion has been left behind, it is important to seek new ways in which to provide yourself with a feeling of togetherness and support, to encourage the belief and understanding that you are not alone. A journey into spirituality may be just what you need.

Roseanna Leaton, specialist in hypnosis mp3 downloads for health and well-being.

About the Author:

With a degree in psychology and qualifications in hypnotherapy, NLP and sports psychology, Roseanna Leaton is one of the leading practitioners of self-improvement. You can get a free hypnosis download from http://www.RoseannaLeaton.com and peruse her extensive library of hypnosis downloads for hypnosis empowerment.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – The Healing Power of Love and Good Relationships

insomnia by Jonathan Jacobsen

Copyright © Michael Clark 2009. All rights reserved.

If you can’t sleep, then get up and do something instead of lying there worrying.
It’s the worry that gets you, not the lack of sleep.

–Dale Carnegie

It’s 2:42 a.m.

A short while ago I was awakened by two cats howling outside my window. Unable to get back to my slumbers, it seemed like a good time to write about the social construction of sleep.¹

Sleep is a wonderful restorative. The ancient Greeks extolled its virtues as a sacred salve releasing mankind from diurnal cares. And Sigmund Freud called dreams the “royal road to the unconscious.”

Freud’s brightest student, Carl Jung, was equally interested in dreams. Jung felt that our nighttime productions compensated for and guided daytime activity toward a greater, integrated sense of meaning.

Sleep Deprivation and Snake Oils

The Indian mystic Sri Aurobindo had another view. He said sleep is a sluggish, inferior form of consciousness that is best conquered through intense meditation. In fact, Aurobindo claimed to have overcome the need for sleep. Similarly, Christian monks tend to get less sleep than the average layperson.

But on a physiological level, sleep is important. The body synthesizes proteins faster in the cerebral cortex and retina during sleep hours, enhancing growth and restoration.² Sleep deprivation actually impairs the functioning of the cerebral cortex, the newest portion of the brain in evolutionary terms.

It’s been repeatedly demonstrated that sleep deprivation has harmful effects on memory and contributes to anxiety and even paranoia. Keeping people sleepy is a great way to brainwash, manipulate or indoctrinate. No wonder cult leaders and political interrogators use sleep deprivation to weaken subjects into compliance.

In National Geographic a Harvard neuroscientist claims that US society (and by implication other so-called developed nations like Canada) is “tremendously sleep deprived.” If we don’t sleep well during the night, it’s usually recommended to nap, rest or meditate sometime during the day.

As for the latest sleep-inducing herbs and wonder-drugs, this is a clear case of buyer beware. Scammers more concerned with making money than helping others often have a clever sales pitch (one which postmodern deconstructionists would have a field day with).

For instance, if you don’t get a solid eight hours every night these unscrupulous sellers say you have an illness.³ Then you’re informed that substance X (which they happen to market) is just the thing for you, this being supported by a host of quasi-scientific claims. Your saving medicine may be an extract, a herb or perhaps some other costly snake oil–all to make you healthier, happier and more productive.⁴

This, of course, is an extreme scenario, one facilitated by cheesy web marketing. On the other hand, there is solid scientific research in support of the responsible use of some herbs and extracts. Healing with herbs is also advocated in the Old Testament (Sirach 38: 1-15) and many people swear by their benefits.

At the same time, however, a CBC Marketplace documentary suggests that we usually don’t know the full long-term side effects of many herbs (the idea of ’side effects’ arguably being a euphemism for unhealthy effects).

To ingest herbs and oils merely on the reassuring word of an absolute stranger seems unwise. Hopefully mass media marketers of herbs and wonder-drugs will soon be integrated with reliable health officials to avoid some illnesses that may be aggravated by their products. A definite step in the right direction here seems to be the Adverse Drug Reaction Database.

Concerning the normative allopathic sleep medications available today, their use is often a compromise situation due to their oft-downplayed unhealthy and addictive effects. But in certain situations their use can be more positive than negative, providing these drugs are taken responsibly.

The red flag should go up, however, whenever anyone tries to make a fanatical religion out of any kind of treatment–those unimaginative perhaps fearful souls who cling to existing therapeutic frameworks while closing their minds to new possibilities.

New Age Fancies

Many leading New Age figures say the electric lights and general hubbub of modern society have disrupted our natural biorhythms, often called the Circadian rhythm. These pundits of the soul lament that we’ve severed some kind of sacred connection with the natural environment and our distant ancestors.

All this calls to mind romantic myths of the natural man, the natural woman and the noble savage.

But who can really say what’s natural and what’s not?⁵

Anthropological research suggests that Cro-Magnons and Neanderthals weren’t all that different from contemporary mankind. And they probably awoke in the dead of night much like we do in the 21st century.

Instead of fretting about money or health our ancestors likely worried about ambushes, wild beasts, storms and seasonal climate change.⁶ Indeed, this BBC story about Neanderthal violence seems to indicate that life in prehistoric times was no cakewalk.

To say that primitive mankind lived in some kind of stress-free, golden age replete with undisturbed nights seems more like New Age fiction than responsible history.

Transpersonal Connections

As to why we awake in the dead of night, in some cases this could be due to transpersonal connections.

The Catholic saint, Faustina Kowalska, for instance, wrote in her Divine Mercy Diary that she rose in the middle of the night in response to distressed souls in need of her prayerful intercession.

During the night, I was suddenly awakened and knew that some soul was asking me for prayer, and that it was in much need of prayer. Briefly, but with all my soul, I asked the Lord for grace for her.⁷

For some people this kind of scenario is difficult to understand. By way of analogy, it might help to imagine an intern always on call. Suppose there’s an emergency in the middle of the night and she is awakened by her cell. Again, many people today just cannot imagine let alone appreciate this dynamic. It’s far too subtle for the ordinary person steeped in conventional wisdom and a historically relative vision of the universe and beyond.

In many folks’ minds saints like Sister Faustina would be a fanatic or ill. And the tormented souls for whom she intercedes are just figments of her imagination or hallucinations. Sadly, this kind of thinking seems to have crept into certain corners of the contemporary Catholic Church too, a place where a bona fide mystic such as St. Faustina could at one time be just what she was called to be–a contemplative saint.⁸

Most, however, must hold 9 to 5 jobs to maintain a desired standard of living for themselves and perhaps their families. These people are necessary to industrial society and it’s probably in their best interest to do everything possible to maintain a nighttime sleep pattern.

But let’s not suppose for a minute that this is the natural way when arguably it’s just a choice to participate in a highly conditioned social order, one relative to certain historical moments and locations.

Consider, for instance, India or South America. In these cultures a daytime nap is largely built-in to the fabric of life. In the afternoon stores close down, shutters are drawn and most everybody sleeps.

In the West, leading figures like Mozart, Winston Churchill, Elvis Presley and James Joyce took advantage of the late night hours. Likewise, Jesus Christ prayed through the night.

It’s hard to imagine what kind of world we’d have if these great individuals hadn’t let go of the conventional mores of their time.

By the same token, not everyone is a born artist, politician or spiritual leader. Moreover, it seems only a relative few are able to stand aside and see beyond their culture. In fact, getting a solid eight hours sleep can be quite pleasant. It can be reassuring to fit in with one’s real or imagined status quo, as we did in childhood.

But for most of us childhood is over and it’s time to consider alternatives, especially if our socially constructed understanding of the ‘good night sleep’ isn’t happening any more. Waking up in the middle of the night – or just staying up late – could be seen as an opportunity for productivity and enhanced creativity.

For all we know, it might even be essential to the new global community.

Notes

1. For those unfamiliar with the idea of the ’social construction of reality,’ see Berger and Luckman’s sociological benchmark.

2. It’s conceivable that Sri Aurobindo created these metabolic conditions while meditating, but on this we can’t be sure.

3. Readers interested in the notion of the ‘medical gaze’ are referred to Michel Foucault’s The Birth of the Clinic.

4. Manufacturing and sales departments of allopathic and homeopathic substances tend to downplay the negative short and long-term side effects–side-effects arguably being a euphemism for unhealthy effects. And selling consumable substances on the basis of a partial or skewed reporting of results is scientifically unsound. Along these lines, an internal FDA study suggests that about 2/3 of FDA scientists have lost confidence in that agency’s ability to protect the public from potentially harmful substances. See “Inside the FDA,” CBS.news.com, December 16, 2004:  http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/08/26/health/main638721.shtml?CMP=ILC-SearchStories

5. The idea of the natural can be critiqued from sociological, philosophical and theological perspectives. Meanwhile, some maintain that the natural is qualitatively different from the volitional and the spiritual.

6. Ronald Wright’s discussion in A Short History of Progress is worthwhile; part one is freely available in audio here.

7. Divine Mercy in My Soul, p. 319. While the transfer of anxiety may not always be as clear and apparent as with the example of an achieved saint, it seems reasonable to suggest that everyone may be open, in varying capacities, to the ebb and flow of collective emotions and other psycho-spiritual qualities and experiences. In Indian philosophy, this points toward the idea of karma transfer, as outlined by Indologist Wendy Doniger O’Flaherty in The Origins of Evil In Hindu Mythology. C. G Jung and other transpersonal psychologists such as S. Grof similarly speak of syntonic countertransference.

8. (a) Not to ignore the possibility of spiritual deception. Please see ETs, UFOs and the Psychology of Belief and related articles at earthpages.org and earthpages.ca dealing with the idea of discernment. (b) The Church’s organizational structure stresses that the clergy conform (and to some degree laypersons) to a relatively narrow range of officially sanctioned modes of worship and service. And perhaps in an attempt to be ‘modern’ and receptive to the scientific establishment, the Church seems to uncritically embrace some of the more spurious scientific truth claims circulating today. This is no abstract point. In keeping with Michel Foucault’s thinking, giving credence to questionable discourses may have potentially harmful effects on individuals and society.

It really makes little difference where in the world you live. The point is that all women go through the same changes during their lives.

What am I talking about? Menopause, is a fundamental happening to women, usually starting in the forties age group although there are the rare occasions when it can take place in the younger woman.

What is the menopause? And what are the symptoms.

It used to be called the change and was not widely talked about; instead it became a whispered word where some brave people shared their experiences with others. Word of mouth is such a great way of passing on information.

The problem with the menopause from that prospective is, symptoms can vary from woman to woman

It is a collection of hormonal changes that take place within a woman’s body. It’s pointless to fight it because it will happen regardless. But how you deal with it will make the difference in your quality of life for the duration.

Don’t just decide on the easiest option HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy. Instead be brave, stand out from the crowd and do yourself a favour explore natural alternatives for the sake of your health.

Need help?

My book entitled Looking Good Feeling Great Ladies 50 and Over is packed full of suggestions and options to take you on a journey of rejuvenation. Don’t be concerned if you are in your middle forties the book can be beneficial to you also.

Nina Bagnall

Go on, visit my website and buy the book. Don’t delay it’s in your own interest to take control over this chapter of your life.

http://eloquentbooks.com/LookingGoodFeelingGreatLadies50andOver.html

http://www.authorsden.com/ninatbagnall

When you have tried various suggestions of mine let me know how you get on by visiting author’s den and leave me a message.

Copyright © Harry Henshaw, Ed.D., LMHC, 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Music has always been a very important part of our lives, from childhood to our being an adult. As a part of our experience, music can have both a physiological and psychological affect upon us as human beings.

In addition to the influence that it has on our life, music also has many therapeutic qualities and has been utilized in promoting a variety of healings throughout the ages. As we know further, music can be a very powerful medium for altering our state, of changing how we actually feel. More specifically music can be very effective in producing a very deep and healing state of relaxation and in the process, reduce stress and even promote sleep. Music can also be used to assist one in improving his or her self-esteem and furthering an individual’s personal growth and development, transformation.

As a therapist I have always used relaxation music in my clinical and counseling work with others. I have found that when I use relaxation music during both an individual and group counseling session that my clients do more productive work, are able to focus more effectively on themselves and the issues that they are becoming present to because they are more relaxed, focused and centered and as a result, better able to concentrate. Being relaxed during the counseling process always tends to generate more productive results for the individual being counseled. Relaxation music can be a very effective and powerful aid for assisting a client to reach resolution with respect to that which he or she is working on with their counselor.

The relaxation music that I now utilize during both my individual and group counseling sessions with others is that which is found on the CD, Prescription for Stress. The musical patterns that are on Prescription for Stress were originally developed for my work in counseling and especially in my hypnotic work with clients. In addition to its application for a traditional counseling session, the musical patterns on Prescription for Stress are excellent for assisting in the induction of a hypnotic state in that this music helps the client enter into a very relaxed state of hypnosis more easily. In the past I have used a variety of other musical compositions in my counseling practice but was very dissatisfied with the results that my clients and I achieved with them. As a musician I eventually decided to compose my own music and have found the results of my compositions with the clients that I work with to be excellent. After using the relaxation music that I composed for my work in counseling, I also discovered that the music had another application as well, that is, to assist anyone in achieving a very deep state of relaxation and as a result to effectively and efficiently reduce the stress in their lives.

Managing our stress is very important if not crucial to our overall well being. Prescription for Stress is an audio product specially designed to assist an individual in managing and reducing the stress that he or she may experience on a daily basis. This audio health care product utilizes two components to assist an individual in effectively experiencing a very deep state of relaxation, reducing stress and also in promoting a peaceful, restful sleep. The first component is the musical pattern itself. I have found that musical compositions that are harmonically slow, repetitious, with sustained voices, which are rhythmically, random in tempo assists an individual in experiencing a very deep state of relaxation. The second component of this product is the binaural audio tones that are interwoven into the music. The binaural tones, through a process referred to as entrainment or frequency following, gently guides or directs the mind/body to generate more of the targeted frequency of brain wave activity whether it be for either profound relaxation or sleep. The first CD contains binaural audio tones within the alpha and theta range, which induces a very relaxed state. The second CD contains binaural audio tones within the delta range and thereby assists one in experiencing a peaceful, restful sleep.

Anyone can experience the technology and effect of Prescription for Stress by merely playing it on their home audio system. Use of this powerful relaxation music can be accomplished by listening to it with ones stereo speakers or with headphones, the latter being the more effective way to listen to his product. Listening to Prescription for Stress with headphones allows one to experience the full effect of the technology, the uniquely designed music compositions combined with the binaural audio tones and thereby gain a deeper state of relaxation. Those who practice meditation, self-hypnosis or yoga will find that their practice is even more enhanced while listening to this audio product. I now also recommend that mental health and addiction counselors use this product when conducting counseling sessions with their clients whether it is in a group or individual setting. While many counselors are not present to the power of this type of relaxation music when utilized within a counseling context, those who do employ it find that their sessions with a client to be more effective and productive due to the reason stated above.

Self-esteem is also extremely essential to ones well-being. Enhancing My Self Esteem is an audio health care product uniquely designed to assist an individual in improving his or her self esteem, supporting the development of a positive self-image and promoting the individual’s personal growth and development, transformation. Enhancing My Self Esteem will assist a person in changing negative and possibly even destructive thought patterns to positive and empowering beliefs about him or herself. Utilizing the same combination of original musical compositions and binaural audio tones as Prescription for Stress, Enhancing My Self Esteem is an audio health care product that creates a very profound and relaxing auditory environment, a space for the individual to become open or highly suggestible to a series of very positive affirmations. Within a conversation of transformation, the thoughts that we think and say or commit to word are very important, very powerful for improving our self-image and transforming our lives. Enhancing My Self Esteem is an audio product that creates a very relaxed auditory environment for the person to listen to, begin to practice and eventually accept 50 positive affirmations, affirmations designed to improve a person’s self esteem and begin the process of transforming his or her life.

To fully experience the beneficial effects of Enhancing My Self Esteem it is recommended that a person listen to both tracks once a day for a minimum of 90 days. The first track has been designed for use with your stereo system’s speakers and should be listened to during the morning or afternoon hours. Track One provides a person the opportunity to consciously practice all of the positive affirmations, to commit them to word, to make them real. Track two has been developed exclusively for use with headphones and should be listened to during the evening hours preferably before the individual goes to sleep. The second track has been developed for a person’s unconscious mind and will be that which the individual takes into his or her dream state. Each listening should be done when the individual will be completely free of any distractions. After the first ninety days of use, it is recommended that the person listen to both tracks two times a week for another 90 days to further enhance the beneficial effects.

In addition to anyone wanting to improve their self esteem and further his or her personal transformation, I also recommend that mental health and addiction-oriented counselors utilize Enhancing My Self Esteem with their clients. Most of the clients that mental health and addiction counselors see in treatment in either an individual or group setting have an impaired self-image and are continuously experiencing extremely low self-esteem. For whatever reason the clients that are seen by mental health and addiction oriented counselors tend to have many negative thoughts and beliefs about themselves, many negative affirmations about who they think they are. Assigning Enhancing My Self Esteem as homework for a client to listen to outside of the counseling session allows that client the opportunity to begin a process of improving his or her self-esteem and as a result to be more productive within the counseling session.

I am currently using Enhancing My Self Esteem with all of the clients at the Holistic Addiction Treatment Program, a residential and outpatient program in North Miami Beach, Florida. The Holistic Addiction Treatment Program is an agency that treats individuals who suffer from alcohol or drug dependency. The vast majority of clients of this agency experience chronic relapse. Within Transformational Counseling, Enhancing My Self Esteem is assigned as homework for all of my clients, as a way of continuing the work that is presented in my individual and group counseling sessions, as a way of transforming the thoughts and words of the client. The prescription for use of this product is the same as mentioned above. After the assignment is made I always ask the clients about their use of this product, about what they are becoming present to as they listen. In addition to assisting the individual in eventually feeling better about themselves and increasing their motivation with their recovery, I have also found that Enhancing My Self Esteem tends to elicit important thoughts and memories from the past, thoughts and memories that are then processed in the preceding counseling session.

Enhancing My Self Esteem is a very powerful, healing product. With continued use, clients tend to always report that they feel better about themselves and are more motivated, especially with respect to their recovery. When utilized in conjunction with Transformational Counseling, the effects can be extraordinary for a client. As Transformational Counseling is about an individual altering his or her very thoughts and words, that which has defined their very being in the past, Enhancing My Self Esteem is a product that allows a client to powerfully practice their transformation on a daily basis. While the basis or foundation for the actual transformation is in an individual’s language, the thoughts that he or she thinks and the very words that they say, the environment from which this takes place is one that is initially created through the power of music.

Harry Henshaw, Ed.D., LMHC

Copyright © Galina Pembroke, 2009. All rights reserved.

Who among us really understands the chakras? For all that we know about these seven spinal energy points, much is still undiscovered.

According to ancient texts, the chakras appear as spinning wheels of light. In fact, the word chakra is Sanskrit for wheel. Chakras receive and emit energy, which may be either negative or positive depending on the health of this energy. During the healing process, you will discover differences in the needs of each chakra. You needn’t fear this challenge. Think of your chakras as a garden, with each flower requiring specialized care. Some chakras will require less attention, while others are more demanding. The dedication to this self-scrutiny makes healing the chakras as challenging as it is rewarding.

The guidelines below may be modified to your needs. When choosing stones, be attentive not to the size or appearance, but instead to your reaction when holding them. Some of these crystals may be unfamiliar, but you are likely to find them at a metaphysical or rock shop. Though you may enjoy this intro-duction to chakra healing, it is best to undertake long-term treatment with the guidance of a trained professional. Besides being experienced, many professional chakra healers are highly intuitive. Their objec-tive insight may help you understand the reasons for each imbalance. This can be healing in and of itself.

1^st Chakra: This is the root chakra. It is located at the base of your spine, or tailbone. The root chakra belongs to the realm of the physical.  If you feel grounded, secure, and rooted in the present, this chakra needs little attention. However, many are not so blessed. A blocked root chakra may lead you to grasp at the physical, becoming clingy and overly possessive. Conversely, if you’re too open here you may feel estranged from your body and possessions. As a result, your generosity may be taken advantage of.

Crystal Correction: A blocked chakra is opened by obsidian. This gem brings a centered, peaceful perspective, so that the impulse to compulsively acquire is replaced by an understanding of the temporary nature of belongings. To heal blocks, place a piece of obsidian on your genital region while lying down on your back, As you relax more the stone’s strength will connect with your own, enhancing it. An abundantly open root needs rose quartz. Though typically associated with the heart, this soft pink quartz allows us to accept and love ourselves, so we can protect ourselves by saying no.

2^nd Chakra: The sacral chakra controls our sexual energy and creativity. You need only press two inches below your navel to feel its location. The gift of a balanced sacral chakra is expressiveness and flair. A blockage may result in resistance to new ideas. A sacral chakra that’s too open is evident in the “drama queen” as well as in all reckless behavior, from bed-hopping to dangerous driving.

Crystal Correction: Carnelian: this variety of quartz is beautiful for opening the sacral area. Though it can be found in many colors, the stimulating qualities of red or orange give courage to the timid. This enables us to pursue our dreams, without fear-based illusions blocking our path. Conversely, if this chakra is too open, you may require lapis luizi. This historic light blue stone was highly valued in ancient Egypt and Babylon. Today, we can use its moderating properties to help us act with care. In Crystal, Gems & Metal Magic, Scott Cunningham writes: “Simply touching the body with this stone improves your mental, physical, spiritual, psychic and emotional condition.” For optimum benefits to the 2^nd chakra, rest this stone as long as desired.

3^rd Chakra. This is your solar plexus, known also as the power center. Here resides a reservoir of untapped will and heroism. When this chakra is healthy, we understand our potential and are motivated to explore it. When blocked we may feel “butterflies in our stomach” or suffer other stomach woes. A blocked power center makes us act and feel powerless. The opposite problem happens when this energy-center is too broad.

Crystal Correction: Golden Beryl is a light, lemon yellow stone that directs will and improves confidence. Consequently, it is fantastic for 3^rd chakra blockages. Placing this stone two inches above your navel will free your power center, helping you to realize your goals. For those overwhelmed by this chakra, green jade is in order. This soothing stone helps channel our passions gently and harmlessly, and reduces negative impulses towards others.

4^th Chakra: This is the heart chakra and its place is self-explanatory. This is the divine sphere of spiritual growth, love, resilience and high ideals. A congested heart chakra makes us overly critical of both others and ourselves. In this condition, we find it difficult to open ourselves to possibilities for love and friendship. Conversely, if our heart is too big, we may attempt to do the impossible, trying to carry the weight of the world.

Crystal Correction: Placed upon the heart, green jasper helps us feel secure enough to open up and reveal ourselves. This facilitates honest and joyful communication. For a heart with no bounds try peridot. This pale, pastel green stone also recharges us by calming us down. Peridot allows us to be sympathetic but not sacrificial.

5^th Chakra: The throat chakra helps us communicate both through words and physical language. It is located at the base of the throat. When this chakra is balanced, we speak honestly and confidently. If we are blocked here, our deceit is subtle. For example, we may leave out information. Alternately, if this chakra is enlarged we talk too much and without forethought. This is commonly known as “foot in mouth” syndrome.

Crystal Correction: Sodalite;a gorgeous navy stone, helps with a constricted throat chakra. This crystal gives us courage and clarity. Knowing our truth, we may sound it with conviction. On the other hand, those with an expansive 5^th chakra need to sound their truth more quietly. In this capacity, amber is helpful.  This stone is intensely soulful. In The Crystal Handbook, Kevin Sullivan reveals that “in Viennese esoteric literature, Amber marked the resting place of the spirit or spirits believed to animate the stone.” Fossilized, multimillion year-old tree sap, amber gifts us with the natural wisdom of early earth.

6^th Chakra: Many know this energy center, located between the brows, as the 3^rd eye. If in balance, this chakra gives us the ability to peer beyond appearances, revealing our innate psychic potential. When it is blocked, however, we limit ourselves to unexamined facts. This leads to rigid thinking and interrupted joy. However, if we are too open here we may be disconnected from the physical world. An inability to shut the psychic eye, when fitting, floods with an upsetting sense of unreality. Balance is key. As we dream, we also must wake.

Crystal Correction: A moonstone placed on the 6^th chakra can clear the issues that blind our intuition, and open the mind to the unseen. Because moonstone is related to cycles of change, it invites personal growth. This helps us tune into flow, welcoming spontaneity and releasing rigidity. With an unnecessarily open 3^rd eye, blue lace agate is needed. This pretty, sky-blue stone sharpens our focus, clearing out the clutter of psychic distraction.

7^th Chakra: Wow! Words are not enough to express the capacity of the crown chakra.. Situated at top-center of your head, this chakra presents the possibility of enlightenment. Though balancing it won’t make us a Buddha, it will surely carry us to peaks of spiritual ecstasy and connect us with our life’s purpose. If you’re blocked here, you’re far from alone. A healthy crown chakra is rare. It is the gift of tireless efforts in spiritual self-development. When blocked, we may be confused about our career and lack lasting, rapturous peace. For maximum results at balancing this chakra, we must first ensure the wellbeing of our previous chakras. Having this chakra too open is rarely a problem, unless you dislike joy and harmony. Yet, we live among the disenchanted. We must be able to communicate with both the cynic and the sorrowful. Otherwise we are trapped in our own mind. As safe as this place is, it can get pretty lonely.

Crystal Correction: Clear quartz is a trusted healer for all chakras, but it particularly useful in opening the closed crown. Due to the 7^th chakras location, the crystal selected should be small enough to rest on the top of your head. This stone provides clarity of purpose and allows us to see the broader meaning in everyday events. In doing so, it guides us to understand and live in sync with universal truths. For those with an overly open crown chakra, hematite is healing. It is also grounding. By drawing attention to the practical realities of existence, this dark and powerful stone will help us meet our own and others earthly needs.

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Galina Pembroke is an internationally published writer specializing in health.

Copyright © Nina Bagnall, 2009.
All rights reserved.

Ladies, when we reach our fifties we need to be more self aware.

The appearance of a lot of women when they reach their middle forties seems to change. Inexplicably they, with gusto I might add, suddenly begin to look older.

It might have something to do with how our bodies start to change and it gets to be more of a chore to keep that stomach flat, hips thin and bottoms pert. Does this sound familiar? “I don’t care anymore, I just want to eat and drink what I want and not worry about my figure.”

Our bodies are a miracle, of which we should all be very proud. It’s not just for the young to be thinking of their hair, figure, and what they eat.

This practise should be carried through no matter what age we have reached.

Never should looking after your self be an “afterthought,” as it often comes to be later in life.

Its time, ladies, to bring this afterthought to the forefront of your life and to prioritize your day by setting aside time in the morning and evening for the body, mind and soul.

Stop lamenting, visit:

http://www.eloquentbooks.com/LookingGoodFeelingGreatLadies50andOver.htm

Remember the body has to have balance otherwise it’s out of sync.

Buy the book. It will act as your reference bible. You will wonder how you ever got along without it.

Beauty by Nicola Rinaldi

Copyright © Galina Pembroke, 2009. All rights reserved.

Why beauty comes from within…

From tradition to trends, there’s always been a secret knowledge of the parallel between good health and beauty. The oldest of this knowledge may be found in the ancient science of Ayurvedic medicine.

Youth ends at 60

Dr. Scott Gerson, medical director of the National Institute of Ayurvedic medicine, writes that “According to Ayurveda, youth ends at 60. ” This contrasts dramatically with television images showing youthful vigor declining after 30. Isn’t this youthful vigor a measure of beauty? In Ayurvedic medicine, the key to this outer radiance is internal balance.

Part of this balance is obtaining health of both mind and body. The first step in attaining this goal is through detoxification. The Ayurvedic term for this is pancha karma. Generally this is aided or performed by clinical ayurvedic specialists. The treatments usually consist of a warm oil massage, special cleansing diets, lots of pure fresh water, breathing practices and meditation. After gaining basic knowledge of these steps through an ayurvedic specialist, we are encouraged to regularly use basic Ayurvedic grooming techniques. These consist of massaging oil to the body, bathing daily, rubbing the body with herbal bath powder and applying oil to scalp.

Massage is an essential component in Ayurvedic medicine, and the addition of herbal extracts and essential oils increases its already impressive healing capacities. According to Dr. Nancy Lonsdorf, author of A Woman’s Best Medicine (New York: Tarcher/Putnam) the benefits of herbalized oil massage include the following: “Improving circulation in the body, providing a purifying and cleansing influence to the physiology, increasing the secretion of hormones from the skin and maintaining the suppleness and youthfulness of the skin.”

The Ayurvedic diet also aids in keeping us youthful and vibrant. The Ayurvedic diet is rich in disease-killing antioxidants, as it encourages eating many fruits and vegetables. These antioxidants also protect the cells. This is important to maintaining beauty, since cellular death is responsible for both the inner and outer effects of the aging process.

Thriving during menopause

For a portion of women, one of the biggest traumas during aging is menopause. Yet, as Dr. Sharon Lieberman reminds us in her book Get off the Menopause Roller Coaster (Arizona: Avery books), “menopause is not a disease.” In fact, the methods we use to ease ourselves through this transition may aid in improved health and enhanced beauty.

Along with proper diet and exercise, the most pivotal of these methods is supplement use. Since estrogen-loss is responsible for the unpleasant symptoms of menopause, considering replacing this estrogen is worthwhile. Yet conventional Hormone Replacement Therapy is dubious in its side effects. Thankfully we have other options. “For most people black cohosh and chasteberry work really well for menopause, and if you add some ginseng it can really help,’ says Dr. Lieberman. ”Black cohosh is completely safe and effective.” We can trust our source. Besides being an author, Dr. Lieberman has a Ph.D in Clinical Nutrition and Exercise Physiology and is the recipient  of the National Nutritional Foods Association 2003 Clinician of the Year Award. The positive effects of black cohosh extend beyond its estrogen balancing abilities. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, black cohosh is one of the herbs that prevent premature aging and hair loss. Dried rehmannia and Chinese yam are other examples.

“The other herb that I love is Ginseng,” reveals Dr. Lieberman. “Ginseng  is a wonderful supplement for women to take, and it helps  control hot flashes.”  Remarking on the power of Ginseng, Dr. Lieberman says: “It’s one of the few herbs in Traditional Chinese Medicine that’s actually used alone. Most Traditional Chinese Medicine is taken as a formula, but the strength and adaptability of ginseng is sufficient enough to merit its independence. Ginseng is an adaptogen. Adaptogens are aptly named, as they adapt to a broad range of problems. They achieve this by facilitating overall balance. For example, ginseng has been shown to reduce blood sugar levels in Type 2 diabetes. Yet if you have normal blood sugar but are stressed, ginseng will lessen tension without dramatically dropping blood sugar. Other studies, quoted in The Merck Manual of Medical Information, suggest that ginseng also increases HDL (healthy) cholesterol.

Ginseng is also aids in attractiveness. “Ginseng has long been used by men and women as an anti-aging tonic,” says Dr. Lieberman. “It’s  great for your hair, skin and nails.”  Though ginseng is completely safe, it’s important to select the best quality. Dr. Lieberman suggests Panax ginseng, because it’s the most widely studied. She also advises choosing 8 percent ginsenosides (the active ingredient in ginseng).

For those who prefer traditional western methods, Dr. Lieberman says: “If you take nothing else take a good multivitamin and multimineral complex.” Specifically, she suggests a “4-6 a day multivitamin/multimineral, since you’re not going to get what you need through food anyway.”

De-Stress Through Diet

If you want to slow down the aging process, lessen stress. In 2004 a study at the University of California at San Francisco found that chronic stress appears to hasten the shriveling of the tips of the bundles of genes inside cells. This in turn shortens their life span and speeds the body’s deterioration.  Popular methods of stress reduction include meditation and exercise, even caffeine reduction. But a complete overhaul of diet?

Amanda Geary, founder of the UK’s Food and Mood Project, thinks this is a splendid solution. The Food and Mood Project recruited 200 individuals between the ages of 26 and 55 who lived in London or SE England. They found that the effects of diet on stress were substantial. Says Geary: “From the Food and Mood Survey results, those using this form of self-help found that cutting down or avoiding potential food stressors like sugar (80%), caffeine (79%), alcohol (55%) and chocolate (53%) and having more food supporters like water (80%), vegetables (78%), fruit (72%) and oil rich fish (52%) had the most beneficial effects on mental health.”

A side effect of this stress-less eating is that it improves overall health. We’ve been meaning to eat more veggies and drink more water anyway. Eating oil rich fish may be a different matter. This is a low priority for most, and the controversy over contamination may be keeping us away from the tuna aisles. Thankfully, the essential fatty acids-omega 3’s in particular- that are responsible for the mood elevating effects of fish come from other sources. Flaxseed, for example, is superior to fish in its quantity of omega 3’s. Dark leafy green vegetables and walnuts also contain linolenic acid that the body converts to the same type of omega-3 found in fish.

Omega 3’s are most active in the tissues of the blood vessels, immune system, eyes and skin. Due to this, regardless of why you initially take omega 3’s you’ll receive the side benefit of healthier skin. Udo Erasmus, author of Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill (Burnaby: Alive Books) describes essential fatty acids as “natures perfect moisturizer.” Why? When we have the right amount of omega 3’s they help our skin form a barrier against moisture loss.

Beauty may seem like a dubious motivation for keeping healthy, but it’s a definite consequence. We may not want to throw out our beauty creams just yet, but we need to acknowledge that they’re most effective when applied to a healthy body.

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Galina Pembroke is an internationally published writer specializing in health.