Changes for a Healthy Life

Create a list of New Year’s Goals, rather than resolutions. This can help decrease your level of stress and the increase your quality of life and enjoyment
Take Care of Your Body: - If your body is healthy and in good repair, you’re better able to handle stress in your life. Eat a healthy diet, drink plenty of water, exercise regularly, get enough sleep, receive a Cranio Sacral therapy session or a massage etc. to take care of your body and make stress management easier.
Maintain An Organized Living Space: - A cluttered environment can drain your energy and cause additional stress! Create a beautifully decorated, soothing environment to be a haven where you can escape from the stress in your daily life.
Learn to Organize Your Time: - Keep a schedule and learn to say no to excessive demands on your time. Utilize shortcuts where appropriate and you’ll be less frantic so you have more time to do the things that energize and relax you.
Cultivate A Supportive Social Circle: - People who have a supportive social circle, or just one or two close friends to talk to, and lean on in times of crisis, enjoy a healthier, less stressful life. Make a commitment to meet more people, and develop the relationships you have to feel more secure.
Renew Your Spirit: - We carry stress in our bodies, and hold it in our minds. Managing stress in your daily life can be much easier on you if you take regular breaks from it. There are many great stress-relieving exercises that can help you release both the tension from your body, and the stressful thoughts from your mind, helping you to be more at peace and able to handle the stress that comes in each new day.

New Your in 2010

Will there be a New “YOU” in 2010! There will be if you want it bad enough and you “CHOOSE” to create a new “you” in 2010. Your skin is regenerated and replaced every 30 days. The cells in your blood stream will all be replaced within the year, and so will every bone in your body. It’s called cellular regeneration.

The trillions of cells in your body will respond to your self talk and thought commands. What are YOU going to feed your cells, will you be positive or negative. The power of positive thinking affects you physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. It can help you through anxiety and depression so begin now to create the NEW YOU for 2009.

Ultimately, the only power to which man should aspire is that which he exercises over himself. Elie Wiesel

I posted this quote from Elie Wiesel on Twitter and I received this comment from my cousin Gordon Ottley. He said "I recently read some stories of his experiences. A rumor would circulate that 'Friday, they were to be rescued.' When it didn't happen, people laid down and died. Living in the most horrific circumstanses a human being could possibly endure, he chose to see beauty and feel peace...He claims it saved his life."

I really don't know anything about this man, but I really loved what he said. I can relate to it because I have suffered with anxiety and depression most of my life. It wasn't until I began to take charge, and realize that I have more power over my thoughts and emotions than I ever thought I did, that I could really begin to enjoy life and see the beauty around me. It takes TIME and ENERGY to master the art of Positive Thinking and to create a Positive Attitude. It is possible to have peace, even in the midst of turmoil, pain or personal loss, but you have to seek it out until it becomes a part of you.

Be Happy

A sound mind in a sound body is a short but full description of a happy state in this world. John Locke (1632 - 1704)

The power of positive thinking is an essential part of being happy. It can help in improving self esteem so we can focus on abundance. Abundance in love, family, health, work and play.

Some people find that a confidence building affirmation, to think about and repeat several times a day, helps them to accomplish what they want in life. Sometimes listening to soft beautiful music allows us to let go of the hectic day and brings a sense of peace and happiness. Personally I use all of the above suggestions, and I add scriptures and prayer which helps me through my troubles so I can be happy. Whatever method you use, it does take some effort to be happy on a daily basis.

A NEW YOU IN 2010!

A Great Massage Therapist

Receiving a massage is great, but having one from an excellent massage therapist is even better. I receive a massage every other week, almost without fail. Monique is a certified massage therapist, and one of her specialties is in sports massage.

In my last 3 sessions she was working on my knee pain. She knows that knee pain doesn’t just affect the knee. She has learned some incredible techniques to stretch the muscles in the knee, all through the leg and into the botox. Then she works on the low back to get those muscles to relax. My knee is much much better now. Salt Lake City full body massage can offer relief from many types of pain.

Strawberry Drawing Mask

STRAWBERRY DRAWING MASK
1/2 c Strawberries, very ripe
1/4 c Cornstarch
Mix strawberries and cornstarch together to make a paste and apply it to your face, avoiding the delicate area around your eyes. Leave it on for 30 minutes and then rinse it off with cool water.

A facial mask is a creamy mask applied to clean or smooth the face. It often contains minerals, vitamins and fruit extracts. Some masks are used for deep cleansing of the pores. The perceived effect of a facial mask treatment can be revitalizing, rejuvenating or refreshing. If you suffer from acne, the masks can be very beneficial to soothe and heal the skin and assist with a natural acne treatment.

Cranio Sacral Therapy and Anxiety

I am so amazed how CranioSacral Therapy has helped me overcome so much of my anxiety. I lay on the table, surrounded with soft beautiful music, the sound of trickling water from the fountain and a soft blanket me to give me warmth and comfort. The warmth of the Therapists hands gently placed on my head help me to relax and feel safe.

Cranio Sacral therapy helps to teach my system to calm down and helps to restore the natural rhythms and vibrations throughout my whole body. It helps my back to relax so it can realine itself naturally. My therapist talks to me softly to calm and soothe my nervous system. Since I have been receiving Cranio Sacral Therapy on a regular basis my anxiety has dramatically decreased.

Drink Water at Regular Intervals for Health

You need to drink water at regular intervals for optimum health, regardless of whether your thirsty or not. Keeping well hydrated is a must if you want to build muscle. So as you exercise, drinking water for health and building muscle is just too important and the benefits cannot be overstated.
Drinking water filters not only help to make your water clean, it also makes it taste better. Many people do not drink enough because their water doesn’t taste good. Aquasana water filters are a great product. You can just put a filter on your kitchen tap, or you can get whole house water filters. If you live in an area where the water is extremely hard, you may be interested in shower water filters also.

Treating Dehydration at Home

Dehydration occurs over time, and if it can be recognized in its earliest stages, and its cause be addressed, then home treatment may be adequate. Whole house water filters will give you clean, clear, good tasting water to help.
Some of the steps a person can take at home to prevent severe dehydration include:
- A person with vomiting and diarrhea can try to alter their diet and use medications to control symptoms to minimize water loss.
- If a fever is the cause of the dehydration, you can take some medication to control it and administer lots of fluids.
- Fluid replacements may be attempted by replacing fluid by mouth with frequent small amounts of water or other clear fluids.
- If the person becomes confused or lethargic; if there is persistent, uncontrolled fever, vomiting, or diarrhea; or if there are any other specific concerns, then medical care should be given. 911 should be activated for any person with altered mental status - confusion, lethargy, or coma.
Drinking water filters take many harmful chemicals out of the water so you can keep your body strong and in good running order.

Senior Moments and Cranio Sacral Therapy

Cranio Sacral Therapy is great for seniors. As we age, our brains normally shrink, especially affecting regions associated with learning. This creates greater distractability, and can affect learning and memory. Along with craniosacral therapy sessions, here is a list of other things you can do to slow down the aging process.

1) Eat real food, and avoid things that affect the brain in negative ways, such as caffeine, smoking, alcohol, MSG, aspartame, stimulants.
2) Certain nutritional supplements improve brain function. All the B vitamins (especially B1-thiamine, B6, B12, folic acid) and essential fatty acids (both omega 3 and omega 6) and anti-oxidants such as vitamins C, E, beta-carotene, selenium, glutathione.
3) Remove toxins from the brain and body, like a sauna to encourage sweating safely and chelating agents for toxic metals.
4) Walk as exercise. Be sure you learn how to walk correctly. Stretching may be the most important part of an exercise program.

5) Get some type of body work such as Cranio Sacral Therapy or Massage. Hands on work really helps to relax muscles and realign the skeletal system so you can standup straighter.

YOU Have the Power to CHOOSE

You, and only you have the power to choose to think positively. Do you want to be: Confident, Successful, and Unstoppable this year? You can be, you simply have to choose to keep your thoughts and actions and habits, positive and on track. The Power of Positive Thinking is essential in life especially if things go ‘wrong’.
Is it easy? NO, everything worthwhile takes some effort on your part.
Can you do it? YES, if you choose it! I spent most of my life being negative and scared. After years of working on my attitude, controlling my thoughts, and focusing on what I could accomplish rather than what I ‘can’t’ and what I ‘have NO control over’, my whole life changed and I began to succeed in ways that I never imagined that I could. I have taken charge of my life and have become very successful. I am also happier, not because of success, but because I focus on the positive.

Setting Goals For Lifestyle Changes

Having the power of positive thinking, came after learning to set goals that provide guidance and direction. I had never been one to put in a lot of time to set goals most of my life, because I was buried in depression, anger and fear. Here is a wonderful format to follow that WILL help you if you just apply a the effort. It was written by Dan Robey who wrote the book called The Power of Positive Attitude. I didn’t want to abreviate the information below, because it has so much good information. Please take the time to read it all.
Goals like ‘lose weight’, ‘eat better’, or ‘have less stress’ are far too vague and unspecific to help very much in making change. Use the S.M.A.R.T. criteria to help put more detail into your goal. Spending some time creating effective goals will be a huge help later on.
S - Specific:
* You must state your goal as specifically as possible.
* Try to put as much decision work into your goal now.
* Set the goal “lose 20 pounds” instead of “lose weight”.
* But you can do even better. Try “Lose 20 pounds by increasing my exercise to 4 times a week and reducing sugar and portion size”.
* Have your goal be like an instruction telling you what to do.
M - Measurable:
* You need to have a way to measure progress.
* Progress will feel good and measuring will keep you from cheating. The goal “lose 20 pounds” can be measured by a scale.
* Produce evidence for your progress. If your goal is to “reduce stress” create a stress measure for yourself like the number of times you get upset everyday.
* Keep a log and record each stressful reaction.
A - Attainable:
* Your goal should be meaningful to you. It should be set by you, not someone else.
* The goal should be inspiring enough that it motivates you to success. If you are not determined to meet your goal, obstacles will be very difficult to overcome.
* If your doctor says, “lose weight” and your wife says, “lose weight” but you are not inspired by this, find another goal that also improves your health while you try to find a way to become inspired about weight loss.
R - Realistic:
* Goals should be ambitious, but not impossible.
* Do not set yourself up for failure.
* Choose a goal that you are confident you can reach, but that will stretch yourself also.
* Break large goals into smaller goals.
* Create a plan to do all the steps you need.
T – Time Based :
* When will you finish your goal?
* You need to choose a time, the sooner the better.
* Saying “I will lose 20 pounds in 3 months” is good, but saying “I will lose an average of 2 pounds every week for 10 weeks” is better.
Write your goal: Now really think about your goal. Finish the following sentence, write it down and put it somewhere you can see it.
I will [your goal here] by [how you will do the goal]. I will know I am making progress because [how you will measure the goal] [time goes here].
For example: I will lose 20 pounds by increasing my exercise to 4 times a week and cutting back on sugar and portion size. I will know I am making progress because I will lose 2 pounds a week for ten weeks.
Dan Robey

Leg Massage to Improve Circulation

We all know how important it is to have and maintain good circulation in our bodies. People who stand on their feet all day, or sit for hours on end, would benefit from a leg massage. You can give yourself a leg massage, but it is nicer to receive one from someone else give.
Step 1. Wrap hot towels around bare legs and feet if you wish and leave them on until they are cool. Do not have the towels hot enough that they will burn the skin.
Step 2. Remove the towels and using lotion or oil on the leg, start at the ankle and rotate with your fingers in a circular motion using both hands as you are rotating all the way around the leg. Work all the way around like a spiral up to the knee.
Step 3. Go back at the ankle and place your palms on each side of the leg. Using your thumb, firmly press down and push in a straight line all the way up to the knee on each side of the bone. Go back down to the ankle, spread your thumbs a little farther apart and repeat the pressured straight line up to the knee. Continue this as far as you can towards the back of the leg, then repeat.
Step 4. Hold the ankle with one hand and place the other hand with the four fingers (not the thumb) on the calf muscle, rotating deep, circular motions into the calf. Repeat as many times as you would like to.
Step 5. firmly grasp the ankle using the index finger and thumb of both hands. Using the entire length of your finger and not just the finger-tips. Grasp firmly enough into the curve between your index finger and thumb and twist back and forth, wrists together, then apart..together, apart..etc. Do this all the way up to the knee. Repeat this a few more times.
Massage is one of the greatest way to relax and keep the body healthy and flexible. It can also help us feel more positive about our daily life as our body is able to let go of the daily stress.

Gratitude

Treating anxiety attacks is not always an easy thing. There are so many causes of anxiety attacks. But No matter what causes them, there are many things that can helps us get through it. I suffered for many years, but one certain change in attitude made a huge difference, and that was gratitude. Being truly grateful for many things in life. I found this quote that I wanted to share. Please read it and put in into practice.
Gratitude has been such a powerful exercise for me. Every morning I get up and say “Thank you.” Every morning, when my feet hit the floor, “Thank you.” And then I start running through what I’m grateful for, as I’m brushing my teeth and doing the things I do in the morning. And I’m not just thinking about them and doing some rote routine. I’m putting it out there and I’m feeling the feelings of gratitude. James Ray

Massage during 1st Trimester

Among some of the myths surrounding prenatal massage, is the misguided belief that massage should be avoided during the first trimester. It’s fair to say that under the skilled hands of a certified massage therapist, massage during the first trimester is not only safe, but can be very supportive during the transitional first months. If a woman in the early stage of pregnancy is experiencing any of the symptoms of a miscarriage, which may include bleeding, abdominal pain or cramping, and lower back, thigh or pelvic pain, she should not receive a massage.
If you choose to have a massage, you will need to communicate with your therapist as to whether you would like to have your abdomen massaged at any stage of the pregnancy. Abdominal massage should be done with an open palm, light pressure and gentle effleurage following a clockwise direction. The placenta is attached firmly to the uterus and appropriate massage will not damage or dislodge this strong attachment. A properly trained prenatal massage practitioner can safely and effectively address first-trimester concerns.