Positive Attitude and Good Health

Does your attitude affect your health? Can having a positive, happy attitude keep you healthier, and a negative, unhappy, even angry attitude hurt you? Yes it can. The mind and body are so closely interwoven, and can affect us in more ways than we can imagine. Research now shows that our mind the and immune system may act as a single unit. Feeling stressed can make you more susceptible to whatever virus is going around. When you feel joy, lighthearted and happy, your immune system has a better chance of protecting you from bacteria and viruses. Even pretending to feel good can affect you.

Expectations also play an important role. If you expect to be healthy you can increase your chances of better health. If you expect to be sick, you will increase your chances of that. If you think that your health is at the mercy of your feelings, just remember that you have greater control over them than you think. One way is to spend as much time as possible around positive, happy people. Take the time to learn how to create a more positive attitude.

The Healing Powers of Wheatgrass

Some people claim that that drinking wheatgrass can heal all kinds of illnesses and health problems. Others claim that it doesn’t really do anything at all. The Hippocrates Health Institute has carried on the research where Ann Wigmore left off. They provide guidance for healthy living that focuses on wheatgrass, raw and vegan diets, and a healthy lifestyle. The institute sees many people suffering from all kinds of sicknesses, and many have remarkable turnarounds. The ailments that have been healed include cancer, brain tumors, gallstones, weight problems, bone density, arthritis, seizures, and many other health problems.

If you are new to wheat grass, The Wheatgrass Book written by Ann Wigmore can really be a wonderful new beginning for you. Wheatgrass can be juiced or just cut and added to salads, and because you grow it yourself, it is always fresh.

Sprouting at Home

Sprouting at home takes only a few minutes a day. It can produce many of your daily nutritional requirements that you need from fresh produce. The costs of sprouting is low and the freshness is wonderful. If you have a jar, some screen or netting, and rinse the sprouts twice a day, you can grow delicious organic sprouts in 4 to 6 days. You can also purchase sprouting trays that come with easy to follow instructions.

Growing your own sprouts means having fresh organic vegetables every day, and it only takes a square foot of counter space. Common seeds for sprouting include alfalfa, peas, lentils, broccoli, cabbage, mustard seed, garbanzos, and quinoa. You eat them on their own or add them to salads, sandwiches, or soup.

Being Pleasant to Others Helps to Develope a Positive Attitude

A few kind words, or a small act of kindness can make both the giver and the receiver feel good about themselves. When you feel good, you want others to feel the same way, so happiness and a positive attitude spreads. Decide that you will be pleasant to everyone you meet. Being pleasant can help others, and it can most certainly help change your own attitude if you are feeling blue. Have a smile and a good word for everyone you meet during the day.

When you are kind to others and they don’t return the pleasantries, don’t become angry or annoyed! Don’t worry about it or let that affect your positive attitude. You are responsible for your own attitude, so please do not allow others to get you into a “bad mood”. When you wake up in the morning, just make up your mind that you will have a good day and maintain a positive outlook on life. If something doesn’t quite work out as you had planned, be optimistic that things will improve. Isn’t it wonderful that your attitude is controlled by you, and your positive attitude and habits can lift and spread to others.

Music Calms the Savage Beast

A fight broke out between two men. Among the bystanders was Pythagoras, the great mathematician and philosopher. Just as one of the combatants was about to strike the other with his sword, Pythagoras picked up his lute and plucked a single, clear note. Upon hearing this sound, the angry man lay down his sword and walked away.
Pythagoras' understanding of harmonic relationships helped him choose the one perfect tone that could pacify the man. The Touch of Healing - Alice Burmeister

Music has had a huge impact on my clients as I assist them with Cranio Sacral therapy. Many times as they are working through anger, fear, anxiety and panic, the music allows their body to unwind from the emotion and begin to relax. Other people come to let go of their daily stress and tension. Sometimes my clients will tell me about a pleasant memory that the music has reminded them of. Music allows us to temporarily forget unpleasant situations and calms us so we can be more positive and find solutions to problems.

Head Massage

A face and head massage is a particularly pleasurable experience. Most people will be surprised at the amount of tension they hold in their head, especially around the jaw. If you go to a professional massage therapist, there is not usually time for a full face and head massage as part of a full-body massage. You might like to try it on its own or in combination with a back and shoulder massage.

You and your spouse or friend could lightly massage each others face and head. It will help give you a lift, and in many cases it can calm anxiety and put you in a better mood so you can be more positive. One piece of advice though, if your partner has very thick hair, be careful no to get you fingers tangled up and end up pulling their hair. It is hard to relax when your hair is being pulled.

An Olympic Body

10 Tips to Know to Have an Olympic Body

I was reading an article written by Annabelle Robertson and I wanted to share a small portion of her ideas. Whether you want an Olympic body, or just a more healthy and robust body I think these ideas are worth thinking about as you create your exercise program.

1. Know your body type. Are you built for speed or endurance or power? Knowing this will help you choose the appropriate exercise.

2. Determine your goals. If you want to lose weight focus on nutrition and cardiovascular. If you want to increase cardiovascular endurance then focus on swimming or running or cycling. If you want speed just add sprints to your routine.

3. Eat healthfully. ‘Brooke Bennett, three-time Olympic gold medalist in the 1996 and 2000 Olympics believes that content, not calories, should be the focus.’ Some of the foods mentioned were fruits, vegetable, lean proteins and slow carbohydrates like rice and sweet potatoes.

4. Eat frequently, with a mixture of protein and carbohydrates at every meal. Athletes eat 5 to 6 small meals a day, approximately 21/2 to 3 hours apart, with a mixture of proteins and carbs at every meal. That allows them to burn body fat and create healthy lean muscle.

5. Watch the mirror, not the scale. Look at yourself in the mirror and if your clothes fit and you look good, don’t worry about what the scale says. She suggests that you check you measurements and forget the scales.

6. Drink plenty of water. The amount of water one requires depends on medical condition, physical health and the environment. The Institute of Medicine generally recommends about 91 ounces of total water for women and 125 ounces for men. Too much water can be harmful.

7. Ease into new exercises. Just take it easy so you don’t hurt yourself.

8. Vary your activity, but include the weight room. “Olympic athletes spend a lot of time on their primary activity (a cyclist will ride, a runner will run), but for most folks, varying the activity reduces boredom and uses a variety of muscles which may otherwise not get worked.”

9. Train regularly and consistently. Olympic athletes train constantly but as an individual you need to determine what is best for you then do it on a regular basis.

10. Consider hiring a personal trainer. Besides using their ‘know how’, people will usually train better because they have to report back to their trainer. Having to report will give people more incentive to stay diligent. If you can’t afford a personal trainer then find someone who will work out with you and help keep you going.

All of these suggestions are worth considering to be healthy and to help us enjoy life to its fullest. You can find more free fitness information by searching the internet.

CranioSacral Therapy and Back Pain

I see so many young mother’s who suffer with chronic back pain. Besides the normal day to day wear and tear on their backs from cleaning house, picking up kids, shopping etc. I have found one thing that they all have in common. They all carry their infants to and from the car in the car seat. As if the baby isn’t heavy enough, you add the weight of the car seat and you have quite a load. The twisting and turning that is required to lift and fit the seat into it’s proper place is so hard of the back.

Sometime there are no other alternatives, but I suggest that when they can, they should put the car seat in the car first and make sure it is secure, then put the baby in and secure the belts. When they get to their home or other destination they should remove the baby from the car seat, do whatever they need to and then remove the car seat later when it is empty. I know that sometimes this is not convenient, but the constant nag of back pain isn’t convenient either.

Cranio Sacral Therapy has been beneficial in helping these mother’s to ease up and even stop the back pain. Of course therapy is more helpful as people learn to help themselves.

5 Steps for Good Skin Care

As we age, our skin gradually becomes thinner and begins to wrinkle. Oil-producing glands grow less active, leaving our skin drier. The number of blood vessels in our skin decreases and our skin becomes more fragile.

PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THE SUN - Ultraviolet light damages your skin, causing deep wrinkles, dry, rough skin, liver spots, and more serious disorders, such as noncancerous (benign) and cancerous (malignant) skin tumors. Avoid the sun during the high-intensity hours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and use sunscreen.

DON’T SMOKE - Smoking accelerates aging of your skin and increases wrinkles. Smoking causes narrowing of the tiny blood vessels in the outermost layers of skin. This decreases blood flow and depletes the skin of oxygen and nutrients that are important to skin health.

WASH YOUR SKIN GENTLY - Strong soaps can strip oil from your skin. Instead, choose mild soaps or detergent substitutes with added oils and fats. If your skin is sensitive, avoid products containing perfumes or dyes. Use a soft sponge, cotton cloth or cotton balls when removing eye makeup to avoid damaging the delicate tissue around your eyes.

MOISTURIZE YOU SKIN - Skin moisturizers provide a seal over your skin to keep water from escaping. The moisturizer that’s best for you and the frequency with which you need to use it depends on your skin type, your age and whether you have specific conditions such as acne. If you have sensitive skin, look for products free of heavy dyes, perfumes or other additives. If your skin is very dry, you may want to apply an oil while your skin is still moist.

SHAVE CAREFULLY - For a smooth shave press a warm wash cloth on your skin before shaving to soften the hair. Apply shaving cream, lotion or gel before shaving to protect and lubricate your skin. Use a clean, sharp razor. Rinse your skin afterward with warm water.

Laughter Really Is the Best Medicine

Here are a few tips for panic attacks and anxiety attack symptoms. One of the causes of anxiety attacks can be from extreme fatigue from overwork or lack of sleep. Also a lack of appropriate nutrition can induce panic attacks because the nerve’s and tissues are not getting the essential vitamins and minerals. If you pay close attention to those two things, there is just one more ingredient that can make a big difference, and that is laughter. No it isn’t a cure all, but it can help you over time as you make laughing a habit.

Dr. Don Colbert noted that research conducted by the Department of Behavioral Medicine at the UCLA Medical School into the physical benefits of happiness proved conclusively that “laughter, happiness and joy are perfect antidotes for stress”. Solbert added, “A noted doctor once said that the diaphragm, thorax, abdomen, heart, lungs–and even the liver–are given a massage during a hearty laugh.” The Maker’s Diet, Jordin S. Rubin