The Spring of Life

Spring-time Health

2009-03-18T09:21:00.000-07:00

"Behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing [of birds] has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land." (Song of Solomon 2:11,12)

Although we have still quite a bit of snow on the ground and we have been predicted to get some more of the white stuff in April, still Spring-time is undeniably in the air and nothing can quench the freshness of it. The above verse forces its way into my mind and makes my heart sing! I love Spring! I love to once again hear the happy chirping of birds. I love to observe the tiny green sprouts of new life beginning to push forth even through the snow. I am looking forward to casting off the winter clothes and putting on the more bright colors of Spring. How refreshing it is.

Although Spring-time begins in different ways in different parts of the world, there are still things we all have in common when the Spring begins to make way. It is good to remember that our bodies are the weakest one week before and one week after an equinox. As Spring officially begins on the 20th, we should be strengthening our bodies with some extra goodies at this time. Garlic and honey is a wonderful combination. You can read more about the benefits of Garlic on my website. Also a natural antibiotic - Grapefruit seed extract - helps out at this time. Read more about the benefits and uses of Grapefruit seed here.

I would like to share with You some Chinese medicine's wisdom about spring-time health. Our family gave up going to traditional medicine practitioners long ago... instead, if necessary, we visit the top Chinese medicine doctor in Estonia. Many of our friends have also visited Dr.Toomas Tiik after unsuccessful treatments by other doctors and they have found help and health. I have learned a lot from dr. Tiik and hereby I would like to share with You some of those things... things that traditional doctors do not tell us, but which are vital to our health and wellbeing.

A lot of us know that liver is the organ that neutralizes poisons in our bodies... but most of us do not know that liver also helps to neutralize emotional poisons. Liver is most active during Spring-time. All nature is being renewed. A new cycle of life begins. This affects our livers, causing most grown ups, especially in the western busy world to have overburdened livers. Overburdened liver is also called "over-heated" liver. As heat moves upward, it causes problems in the head section: dry skin, dry hair, hair loss, migraines, headaches, high blood pressure, and very often also indigestion. Emotional problems that occur due to congested liver are: irritation, anger, mood swings etch.

Huge number of diseases have their roots in unhealthy liver. Most people who have developed heart problems, have had an extended period of overburdening their livers. People in western world are constantly so busy, not taking enough time to calm and be at peace emotionally. Too many ambitions and desires harm liver. Great desire for power, wealth, fame, money... also emotions of anger, hate, un-forgiveness all cause stress that puts too great pressure on liver. I believe this is one of the main reasons the Bible tells us that we need to take one day a week for rest.. Not taking time for emotional and physical rest is the cause of many health problems.

Exodus 34:21 reminds us: "Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest [on the Sabbath]."

Our bodies are not designed to work 7 days a week... which is something we often do. It might not be our paid job but we have other "important" to-do items that we leave for Sundays. But the truth is, our bodies were designed to have at least one day a week for resting - physical and emotional rest and spiritual recuperation. If we do not take this quiet time, our livers get seriously damaged, causing a myriad of health problems. We then visit a doctor who prescribes synthetic drugs for us, causing even greater damage to our livers. Sick liver in turn causes other organs to malfunction... and again we "need" a doctor. This is a vicious cycle.

Although it is not possible to heal the liver only with food and supplements (without resting), there are things we can do to calm and heal our livers. An important thing to remember is to eat the lightest foods in Spring. Our bodies are in need of a good Spring-clean, so, we need to feed our bodies with light foods that are easy to digest.

We have to cut out (hopefully for forever) all white flour products, white sugar products, unhealthy fats, and alcohol. We can substitute white flour with corn four or other whole flours, white sugar with unrefined raw sugar, honey, molasses or rice syrup, and unhealthy fats with pure butter, extra virgin olive oil or other cold pressed (preferably certified organic) oils. We should reduce the consumption of meat, cheese, eggs, and salt.

Very important Spring-time supplements are seaweeds. We can find good seaweed products like Spirulina, Chlorella, Wild Blue-Green and others from our local health food stores. Seaweeds help heal liver. Omega-3-fatty acids should become a part of our Spring diet. Unrefined goat milk and lamb milk are very beneficial. Foods that help calm liver are rice, buckwheat, sprouts, beans, lentils, seeds, fresh vegetables, especially leafy green vegetables and fresh fruits, especially apricots. Herbs that are beneficial are: basil, balm, cardamom, ginger, black pepper, mints, laurel, horseradish and especially dandelion. Dandelion is possibly the best liver calmer and healer. Please visit my website and find our more about the benefits and uses of Dandelion.

A good cleanser for the body is comprised of 1 tablespoonful of apple cider vinegar or brown rice vinegar and 1 tablespoonful of raw honey, mixed in 1 glass of water. Drink it before a meal.

I wish You all a beautiful Spring and a calm liver,

Eve
Spirit-Mind-Body Health, Fitness & Beauty God's Way

www.TheSpringOfLife.net

Spice It Up - Boost Your Health Through Spices

2009-02-12T05:07:00.000-08:00

The whole two months have passed since my previous health newsletter. I had hoped to begin the 2009 peacefully and calmly... but my plan completely backfired and instead an explosion of a fresh vision knocked me out of balance... or perhaps it simply knocked me right to where I belonged. At any rate, I am finally here and excited to share with You some real good news.

Valentine's Day is coming up this week end... and perhaps some of You celebrate it and others don't. In Estonia we celebrate Valentine's Day also as a Friendship day... the latter has even become more popular than the romantic slant of the 14th of February. I think we are just so kind and merciful ;-) not wishing to leave anyone out. So, please, if You do not have a sweetheart, do not feel left out on this day. You too can adopt Valentine's Day as a Friendship day. Invite Your best friends over and have a great time!

If any of You are looking for a truly special Valentine/Friendship gift, please allow me to introduce You to one that will change the life of the recipient: spice rack!

No, I am not kidding! I am quite serious. The truth is, we have lost the understanding of the true value of this most precious commodity that in ancient times was sold for great price. The book of Genesis gives us a peak into what was considered a valuable gift to be brought to a foreign land. "And their father Israel said to them, If it must be so, now do this; take of the choicest products in the land in your sacks and carry down a present to the man, a little balm (balsam) and a little honey, aromatic spices and gum (of rock rose) or ladanum, pistachio nuts, and almonds." (43:11, stress added)

When the lovely queen of Sheba went to visit the wisest and wealthiest king of all times - Solomon - in order to pick his mind, she too brought spices to him as a gift. 1 Kings 10 tells us that "She came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels bearing spices, very much gold, and precious stones. When she had come to Solomon, she communed with him about all that was in her mind." (vs.2)

Verse 10 continues to reveal the amounts, letting us know that "she gave the king 120 talents of gold and of spices a very great store and precious stones. Never again came such abundance of spices as these the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon." (stress added)

Hey, think about it! She brought so many spices to the wealthiest and wisest king of the earth. Why? Because this is where the keys to longevity and health were hidden. What would one need on top of all wealth and wisdom? ...longevity and strong health.

2 Kings 20 contains an interesting account of a king revealing the contents of his treasure house: "And Hezekiah rejoiced and welcomed the embassy and showed them all his treasure-house--the silver, gold, spices, precious ointment" (vs.13)

Think about it. Those ancient kings and queens valued spices even to the extent of ranging them with silver and gold.

I love the Song of Solomon which is quite appropriate to quote before the day that celebrates love. Here the groom adores his precious bride, comparing her love to the most valuable things in life, "How beautiful is your love, my sister, my [promised] bride! How much better is your love than wine! And the fragrance of your ointments than all spices! Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates or a paradise with precious fruits, henna with spikenard plants, spikenard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense, myrrh, and aloes, with all the chief spices." (vs.6,13-14)

Perhaps we should re-learn the value system of the wise and wealthy of the antiquity.

I love what Dr. Eric Braverman from Path Medical Centre in New York City says, "Dysnutrition happens even in the most developed countries when food is plentiful but the overall diet is based on eating all the wrong balance of foods. Sound familiar? The typical American diet that is high in simple carbohydrates--white flour, white salt, and processed food--is aging us. We are getting all the bulk without the nutrients, plus adding to our propensity for developing real food cravings. So whether you are a vegetarian or an omnivore, you can start to reverse aging by simply choosing to eat the right foods to keep you full of vim, vigor, and vitality.

"The easiest way to make sure you are getting more nutrients into every meal, even when you are grazing at the office cocktail party or the neighborhood potluck dinner is by choosing foods that are loaded with spices. Every time you flavor your meals with herbs or spices you are literally "upgrading" your food without adding a single calorie. You are taking something ordinary and turning it into something extraordinary by adding color, flavor, vitamins, and often medicinal properties."

Here's why:

* Spices and herbs maximize nutrient density. Herbs and spices contain antioxidants, minerals and multivitamins.

* Spices and herbs create a more thermogenic diet. Because spices are nutrient dense, they are thermogenic, which means they naturally increase Your metabolism. As Your metabolism revs higher You will burn more of the food You have already eaten as fuel, and store less as body fat. Finish off the meal with organic coffee or tea sprinkled with cinnamon, which contains dozens of nutrients.

* Some spices and herbs increase Your overall feeling of fullness and satiety, so You'll eat less. One study conducted at Maanstricht University in the Netherlands showed that when one consumes an appetizer with half a teaspoon of red pepper flakes before each meal, it decreased their calorie intake by 10-16%. Think of starting Your meal with a tomato soup sprinkled with red pepper.

* You can eliminate salt. When You flavor your foods with spices instead of salt You'll immediately see health and physical benefits. Excessive salt intake keeps water inside Your body. Once You kick the habit You will no long have excessive bloating and water retention. You'll also lose the salt and salty snack craving. That's because using salt begets using more salt: after a while it's impossible to use just a pinch, because You've trained Your brain to require a salty taste for everything You eat. Over time, using spices will also lessen Your cravings for simple, nutrient poor carbohydrate snacks because You will not be yearning for a savory, salty taste.

* Spices and herbs have real medicinal properties. Study after study shows the benefits of distinct herbs and spices. One study at Malmö University Hospital in Sweden showed that up to two hours after eating, people who ate cinnamon-spiced rice pudding measured significantly lower blood-glucose levels than those who had eaten the unspiced version. Other studies suggest that cinnamon may improve blood-glucose levels by increasing a person's insulin sensitivity. One 2003 trial of 60 people with type 2 diabetes reported that consuming as little as two teaspoons of cinnamon daily for six weeks reduced blood-glucose levels significantly. It also improved blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, perhaps because insulin plays a key role in regulating fats in the body.

* Spices and herbs are brain food. When times passes our brain cells begin to die. This causes poor sleep habits and weight gain. We need to up the intake of brain food in order to add new brain cells. Herbs and spices do that.

Every little bit counts, so spice it up!

Dr. Eric Braverman proposes us to add 20 spices to our spice racks, using them daily for their anti-aging properties:

* rosemary and basil for their anti-inflammatory power
* cumin and sage for their dementia-fighting power
* cayenne and cinnamon for their obesity-fighting power
* coriander and cinnamon for their sugar regulating powers
* lemon grass, nutmeg, bay leaves and saffron for their calming effects on your mood
* turmeric for its cancer fighting power
* oregano for its fungus-beating power
* garlic, mustard seed and chicory for their heart-pumping power
* basil and thyme for their skin-saving power
* turmeric, basil, cinnamon, thyme, saffron, and ginger for their immune-boosting power
* coriander, rosemary, cayenne, allspice and black pepper for their depression-busting power

So, do spice up, boosting Your immune system and rejuvenating Your body... and give a truly spicy, flavorful, health-boosting gift to Your loved ones this year!

May You have the most healthy and spicy Valentine's/Friendship Day ever!

Eve

Spirit-Mind-Body Health, Fitness & Beauty God's Way

http://www.TheSpringOfLife.net

Personalized, Simple, Home-Made Christmas-Gift Ideas

2008-12-10T11:59:00.000-08:00

I hope the Christmas season has opened up in lovely, peaceful and merry chords for You. When the angel appeared to the shepherds over 2000 years ago, joyfully announcing the good news of our Savior's birth, he proclaimed, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people. For to you is born this day in the town of David a Savior, Who is Christ (the Messiah) the Lord! Then suddenly there appeared with the angel an army of the troops of heaven (a heavenly knighthood), praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest [heaven], and on earth peace among all men with whom He is well pleased [men of goodwill, of His favor]." (Gospel of Luke 2:10b,11,13)

Here we find out that the first Christmas was birthed with great joy and peace... which, unfortunately, during the past decades has turned into a season of overspending, struggling, and melancholy for many. Perhaps it is time to return to great joy and peace!

I love to buy and make gifts for my loved ones and friends. I try to figure out what would bring joy to each receiver. I take great pleasure in inserting a piece of my own heart into each gift to make it more special and personal. Our family is quite large as I have 2 sisters and a brother and they each have their own family. My sister's husband has a birthday in the end of November and his daughter and my eldest nephew have their birthdays both in the beginning of December, which means that I begin my gift hunt prior to the Christmas season.

I had figured out what to give to my beautiful niece Sydnee for her 8th birthday. If You have heard about Sandra Kuck, You know that she is well known for her beautiful collectible angel books. She has created a whole series of books for little girls. I picked a book the theme of which suited with the necklace I was going to send her and ordered it over the internet. Several days later, beginning to look through my previous orders from the book seller, I noticed that a year ago I had bought the exact same book for my little niece.

Goodness! That was my first mishap... and also the last one... or so I hoped!

As my sister lives in the States, I decided to order some movies for her family for Christmas. They are a close knit family and enjoy doing things together. So, I picked the movies and ordered them... being so proud of myself for finding such a good gift! I felt like patting myself on the back. Unfortunately my delight did not last long. Suddenly I began to question, did I order the DVDs or VHSs - the seller carried both versions?! I opened my Invoice and to my great horror, found that I had just ordered the VHS versions of the movies. I did cancel my orders immediately... only to find out a short while ago that both movies have been shipped!

Oh, no! I couldn't believe I did it again!

Right, what is the moral of my story - keep the peace. Become and stay organized!

There are some things we can do in order to make this hectic season more peaceful and definitely more fun and joyful for ourselves:

1. Compile a list of people for whom You desire to give a gift.

2. Write down the names of Your family members and close friends, including suitable gift ideas for each person.

3. Compose another list of friends and people whom You wish to bless with a keepsake... to make them smile :-)

4. When You have found a suitable gift for someone, make a mark on Your list.

5. Very important point - do not walk around a mall aimlessly buying things simply because they are on sale! You will receive quite a shock later on, when You do Your math, finding out the exact amount You spent on needless stuff. Shop-keepers know that people, when they see cheap things, think, although I did not intend to make a gift for this person nor that one, as those items are so marked down, I am going to purchase them for those people. You will end up spending more than You intended! Buy only with a purpose.

6. Write down certain goals for each day in order to peacefully prepare for Christmas. What a great relief to draw a line over a well done job in the end of each day! Besides, this is one of the habits we should all pick up and use daily. It has been scientifically proven that people who write down their goals fulfill 90% of them... while people who embrace their goals only in their minds manage to fulfill the mere 10% of their dreams.

7. Presents with a personal touch and wholly home-made gifts are most special. How about creating Your own home-made cards, candy, candles, Christmas decorations, jams or salad dressings. Gift preparations can be made into family fun with every member pitching in. Here are some home-made gift ideas that I found from blogs:

Brad suggested giving the gift of time or skill. Brad has given music lessons. He has colleagues who have given bike tune-ups and wine advice. What skills do you have? Can you help somebody set up a blog? Plant a garden? Learn to change the oil in their car?

Personal gift certificates also make great gifts. In essence, these are gifts of time. Give new parents a gift certificate for a night of baby-sitting so that they can enjoy a night on the town. Are you good with computers? Give your brother-in-law a gift certificate for free computer repairs.

"One Christmas when I was a poor college student, I leafed through children’s books at the library, looking for pages and pictures that reminded me of various friends. I photocopied these pages, colored them by hand, and then framed them with construction paper. I added a little note to each friend on the back of her piece. I spent maybe $10 total for all my gifts, though it took hours of my time. That was perfect: In college, I had plenty of time, but very little money, and making these things felt like an act of love. But giving somebody a CD I bought from Amazon? Not so much."

Lady Bonita suggests making personalized calendars: “You can buy calendar blanks or use a template from a program; add pictures of things or people meaningful to the recipient; add in important dates (birthdays and anniversaries of family & friends); and maybe a special note or quote every once in a while. For parents/students you can add in the school schedule; for homeowners you can add in a home maintenance schedule; etc. for sports fans, on & on. To make them extra special I sometimes add little treats - a couple dollars taped to a summer date for an ice-cream treat; a coupon for free babysitting on a weekend; video & popcorn night, etc.”

Or, you might create a spice sampler. Bulk spices can make an affordable and appreciated gift for anyone who loves to cook, or who is moving into a new kitchen. Don’t know which ones to choose? Find some tempting recipes that call for exotic spices, then include the recipes with the spices. Or, get creative and make a custom spice blend for a meat rub, marinade mix, salad dressing kit, dip, or seasoning

One lady made felt-backed tile trivets. You can find lots of beautiful tile designs at the home-improvement store. Sometimes the end of a lot can be had at a deep discount. Using a hot-glue gun, add a layer of felt to the back of a 6×6″ (or larger) tile, and you have a useful trivet for bringing a hot dish to the table.

One husband shares a splendid idea: "For several years, my wife and I gave each other love coupons. Sounds sappy, I know. But it was nice to be able to come home at the end of the day and redeem a coupon for a dinner out, or for a back rub, or for an evening watching a favorite movie."

It’s difficult to go wrong with themed gift baskets. Did you can your own pasta sauce over the summer? Use a colander for a basket, add some garlic bulbs, gourmet noodles, and a wooden spoon — a little taste of Italy. Or consider a breakfast basket. Or a breakfast basket (syrup and pancake mix), a movie basket (popcorn, candy, and a movie rental coupon), or a gardening basket (a trowel, a gardening hat, and some packets of seeds).

I have to admit that one of the ideas was most heart warming: a man decided to give gifts to his friends by supporting several different charities. He placed a print-out of a money transfer inside each Christmas card, letting his friends and family know which charity each of them helped to support.

I loved this gift idea! This man grasped the true meaning of Christmas - giving from the heart to those who cannot return the gift. God also gave His best for us - "His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

Christmas indeed is a time of giving - charitable giving - helping and blessing those who cannot render the same to us. It might sound one sided, but believe me, it is not. We can never give without blessings returning to us. I love what Luke says, "Give, and [gifts] will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will they pour into [the pouch formed by] the bosom [of your robe and used as a bag]. For with the measure you deal out [with the measure you use when you confer benefits on others], it will be measured back to you." (6:38)

Proverbs 11:24-25 reminds us, "There are those who [generously] scatter abroad, and yet increase more; there are those who withhold more than is fitting or what is justly due, but it results only in want. The liberal person shall be enriched, and he who waters shall himself be watered."

I believe that during this time of economic crises, helping those in need is the recipe of getting our own needs and desires fulfilled. On top of this our own joy will increase. Scientists agree with this point of view, saying that giving to others, helping those in need, helps especially those who tend to fall into depression during this time of a year. Through helping others we will be healing ourselves. It indeed is more blessed to give... and greater gifts will be showered upon us.

My friend Thomas Ehle sent me a petition to help his chosen charity. Those of You who have not yet picked the projects to support, this one might be the one that You can bless this Christmas time. Thomas writes:

I have started a fundraising campaign for "Operation Smile (OS). OS is a United Nations approved charity organization that conducts free of charge operations on babies and children with cleft lips and other facial deformities in underdeveloped and poverty-stricken countries. These babies and children would never otherwise get to be able to smile a beautiful smile.

The operations are conducted by qualified medical volunteers. An operation to fix a cleft lip costs as little as 240.00 USD. Imagine that! For only 240.00 USD you can make a difference. You can make sure that a child will not spend the rest of its life with a terrible facial deformity but give back a beautiful smile. http://support.operationsmile.org/goto/milliondollarsmile

My fundraising target is 100.000 USD. This amount will bring back joy and happiness to over 400 children and their families.

You do not need to spend a lot of money. Please help any way you can. Make a big donation. Make a small donation.

We all can do our large or small part... but never the less our part to make this Christmas more special for someone in need.

May You all have a wonderful, peaceful and joyful Christmas season,

Eve

Spirit-Mind-Body Health, Fitness & Beauty God's Way

http://www.TheSpringOfLife.net

Relief From Depression, Anxiety, Insomnia...

2008-10-01T14:53:00.000-07:00

When three weeks ago I heard a weather forecast predicting an Indian Summer (old-ladies' Summer if translated word for word from our language), I thought, yeah-right! We had just had the whole of five rain-free days in August and things sure didn't look up for September. But then it hit us - the awesome Indian Summer. Wow! I immediately arranged my plans so that I could take off to the country... and off I was. We enjoyed two whole weeks of glorious sunshine after a Summer that was almost completely void of this blessing.

I must say I was daily soaking up the sun and inhaling all the wonderful smells of an early Autumn. I feasted on all the radiantly golden colors that were not yet in their full glory but where moving towards their elaborate refinement with every coming day. I loved my daily walks to the seaside that was spotted with the elegant bodies of white swans like so many statuesque stones sticking out of water, with some ducks thrown in in good measure. The glory of Autumn is short but it is so inspiring towards creativity... so full of color... so romantic. I was living like in a dream... and that is when I become hopelessly absentminded, unable to keep a clear mind.

So, while shopping in a near-by small-town's store last week, I was trying so hard to keep a lucid mind while looking for a specific item. I walked up and down the aisle that was supposed to shelf the product I needed, painstakingly reading each label. Not there! So, I decided to ask the store help... who led me back to the exact spot that I had vacated only minutes ago, reached out her hand and offered the product that I had not been able to locate myself. Well, may be the product miraculously emerged, just in the few seconds I took my eyes off the shelf to ask for help? Or was it really me...again...walking around in a haze, unable to register in my mind what my eyes saw.

I thanked the store clerk for her help, took my trolley and continued to walk through the shelves with my long shopping list. At some point, I began to detect questioning glances from my fellow shoppers. Oh, my goodness, had I really wiped my lips with a glove so that now my lipstick was flowing like a red river towards my ears, forming a steady grin on one side of my face? Or had I rubbed my eye too energetically, so now I looked like someone had landed their fist in it... all black and blue? I sure hoped I had had my sunglasses in hand. At least I could have hidden part of my face from astonished looks... but I had left them in the car. I had no idea what was wrong.

When I finally located the next item on my shopping list and was about to place my purchase into my trolley, I discovered the reason for curious looks from my fellow shoppers. I had been walking around the store, sporting a trolley full of stockings.

You see, in the country stores when they do not have enough shelf space, as the stores indeed are pretty small, they simply stack the items into a shopping trolley and leave them by a shelf. I had accidentally grabbed the stocking trolley, being confident it was full of my own purchases and was now wheeling it around the store, looking for cake dough. Well, I would have probably sent some astonished looks myself towards a lady who had decided to buy 50-80 pairs of stockings all at once.

I guess I would have to begin to look for a plant to cure my absentmindedness. Though, in this Health First newsletter I wish to share with You about two plants that help to cure so many other problems. Quite a few of You have taken time to email me and ask for some assistance in finding help for insomnia and anxiety. So, I've taken time to search not only for the right plants but also for the right sources from where to buy those plants.

I looked for an online store that would carry clean, synthetics free products, would have prompt shipping and competitive prices... and I have really good news - I have found the store for You. It carries many more items than only those that I am going to talk about in this newsletter, so, You can safely turn to their website to find assistance with other health problems. Plus, I am going to give You a code that You can use for Your first order that will give You an extra $ 5.- off Your purchase.

Saint-John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) – Common Saint John’s Wort is a shrubby, perennial herb that enjoys moist, open places. Its leaves are pale green with lots of light dots, where etheral oils have gathered. Its bright yellow flowers appear from June to September.

Interesting fact: The name Saint-John’s Wort comes from the fact that the plant is usually gathered on St. John’s day (Midsummer). It is also known by the names klamath weed and goat weed.

History: Saint-John’s Wort was well used by ancient Greeks and Native Americans for its medicinal purposes. Later it was also used in divination. It was believed to ward off evil spirits, mental illness, and thunderbolts and to make its bearer invincible in battle. Those who were not yet married placed the plant under their pillow at Midsummer-night in hopes of dreaming about their true loves.

Rich in: Of this plant, all above-the-ground parts are used. It contains flavonoids; etheral oils; tannins; bitter principles; red resin; hyperecin; nicotine acid; vitamins C, P, PP, and carotene; saponnin; and choline.

Internal use: Saint-John’s Wort is a mood-enhancing herb. It is a natural healer for depression, anxiety, hysteria, menopausal irritability, and insomnia. It can calm fear and frustration. It contains antispasmodic, sedative, anti-inflammatory, astringent, antimicrobial, expectorant, and diuretic properties. St. John’s wort is very helpful in case of all pulmonary complaints, all urinary complaints, dysentery, diarrhea, worms, colitis, hemorrhage, catarrh, rheumatism, coughs, colds, sciatica, liver problems, large- and small intestine spasms, jaundice, tuberculosis, headaches, metrorrhagia, and other women’s problems. It strengthens the walls of the capillaries and improves venous blood circulation.

External use: The tea is used as a compress on wounds and ulcers and as a mouthwash in case of stomatitis, gingvitis and bad breath.

Do not use in case of: pregnancy and when trying to conceive. The plant increases photosensitivity, so do not use when staying in the sun. Some studies have shown that St. John’s wort can lower the effectiveness of the pill by almost 50%.

Link: http://www.iherb.com/ProductDetails.aspx?c=1&pid=3410&at=0

Discount code: RIK486

Valerian Root (Valerian officinalis) – Valerian root is native to Europe, South Africa, North America, and temperate areas of Asia. There are about 150 different species of valerian. Even though valerian is a large attractive plant with small white or pink flowers, its fragrance is far from being attractive. The ancient Greek and Roman doctors Dioscorides and Galen both complained about the smell of valerian in their writings. Strangely enough, the scent of valerian is pleasing to cats. Actually, some Victorian physicians suggested that the quality of valerian could be determined by how cats reacted to it... so, if You have a cat, try on it first.

History: The Piute Indians ground valerian root for flour. Native Americans used it to treat horses with distemper. During medieval times, it was used as a condiment and in the 16th century even as a perfume. During the Middle Ages, valerian was considered to be an “all heal” herb. At the time of the World War I, valerian was given to shell-shocked soldiers and stressed civilians. Throughout the centuries, valerian has been used for numerous disorders, mostly related to the nervous system. It is often used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicines.

Rich in: Both the root and the rhizome are used for their healing properties. The major healing components found in the valerian root are volatile oils: valepotrits, valerenic acid, valeranone, and valereal. Those essential oils are found only in valerian. Some other substances in the valerian root include the essential oils pineole, borneol, cineole, carophilene, and azulene; alkaloids; rutin; beta sitosterol; salicylic acid, caffeic acid; B-group vitamins; and the minerals manganese, calcium, and choline.

Internal use: The essential oils in the valerian root exert anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and nerve-calming effects on the body. Alkaloids in the plant relieve pain and relax the body. Valerian root contains carminative properties that help to tone, soothe, and stimulate the digestive and elimination systems. Valerian contains a stabilizing effect on the blood pressure, gastrointestinal, and respiratory tracts, and it is an anti-thrombotic that can be used to prevent the formation of blood clots. The herb calms the stomach while encouraging the release of digestive enzymes and reducing the pain and discomfort of ulcers. It alleviates cramps, gas, and diarrhea and has a soothing effect in case of colitis. Valerian is also helpful in the treatment of asthma, though its greatest value is in the treatment of irritability, depression, fear, anxiety, nervous exhaustion, hysteria, delusions, nervous tensions, attention deficit disorder, and insomnia. Valerian helps one to fall asleep quickly and also greatly improves the quality of sleep. After a cup of valerian tea, one will wake up very rested and alert. Valerian is also helpful in treating shingles, sciatica, neuralgia, multiple sclerosis, and epilepsy. It effectively treats the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy (numbness, tingling sensation, pain, and muscle weakness) and a variety of nervous disorders in children: restlessness, sleep disorders, hyperactivity, learning disorders, bed wetting, anxiety, headache, and the habits of thumb sucking and nail biting. Valerian is effective in treating tachycardia by slowing down the heart while gently increasing its force. It is also effective in regulating arrhythmias.

Good to know: Valerian has no side effects and does not promote dependency. There is even no synergistic effect when the herb is taken with alcohol. It can be taken safely along with other prescription drugs. Valerian is used extensively in Europe where it is accepted by orthodox medicine.

My testimony: I personally have used this herb in a pill form during one of my travels. I had real difficulty in falling asleep due to all the excitement of each day. Luckily my sister, who is much more organized and prepared than me, had a whole bottle of valerian with her... which I managed to devour to the last pill, sleeping like a baby. It does the trick with no side effects and no dependency.

Link: http://www.iherb.com/ProductDetails.aspx?c=1&pid=830&at=0

Discount code: RIK486

I hope You have found some useful tips from this newsletter that You can put into practice. I wish You all great health in Your body, mind and spirit,

Eve

Body-Mind-Spirit Health, Fitness & Beauty in Organic Way

http://www.TheSpringOfLife.net

Why & How to Put Negative Emotions to Work For Your Benefit

2008-08-19T13:50:00.000-07:00

I believe most of us have been watching and enjoying at least some of the many sporting competitions that the Beijing Olympic Games has allowed us to be a part of through TV and internet for the past 10 days. It seems the atmosphere in Beijing is absolutely amazing. Even sportsmen that do not do quite so well as to be able to stand on a pedestal and receive a medal, still greatly enjoy competing in front of tens of thousands of excited spectators. I have heard interviews with sportsmen who say that it is thrilling to be a part of the humongous event, to breathe in the excitement, to break their own personal records by simply being in an atmosphere of victory. Amazing!

It is also the first time China has received such a large number of tourists... not to mention the Chinese actually meeting people from all over the world, being able to communicate with them and make new friends. In this newsletter I wish to talk about something that the Chinese have shared with the world over a long period of time... something that has improved the health of great many people. I am talking about the traditional Chinese medicine.

I personally have never delved really deep into the traditional Chinese medicine, as it contains the spiritual aspect that I do not agree with, but I have learned some things that have turned out to be very helpful. Unlike most western doctors, the Chinese healers have understood the intimate connection between the emotions and disease for thousands of years. They begin each healing process by looking at a person's body but also including the report of their emotional state. Many pioneering scientists and doctors, including Christian ones, have searched for the ways to help heal their patients as whole - body, mind and spirit - and found that traditional Chinese medicine contains many answers to their previously unanswered questions. So, they have borrowed from this ancient wisdom, expanding their ability to bring healing to their patients. The facts I wish to share with You have been confirmed by modern western science as true.

Stress - The Main Modern-Day Culprit That Causes Disease

It is no news to any of us that stress is the causer of more disease than any other factor. In order to strengthen our immune systems and keep illness at bay, we have to learn to achieve a state of balance and harmony mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically... then illness simply cannot set in our bodies. Unfortunately most people have not been taught how to deal with stress and live in a balanced fashion.

Stress is directly brought about by unresolved issues or demands on emotional resources which are built up over time. Stress causes hormonal changes in our bodies, basically asking adrenal glands to produce adrenaline as a reaction to the pressure we are experiencing. The adrenaline release is part of the body’s fight-or-flight response, which is a natural built in system to mobilize the body for physical fighting or running. In itself it is a good thing. However, when the fight-or-flight response becomes an ongoing state of being, it weakens the immune system, making it more susceptible to all kinds of diseases.

Fight-or-Flight Response

The fight-or-flight response is in reality a life saving emotional mechanism, the purpose of which is to get a person out of a great, immediate, physically life-threatening situation. Unfortunately, we misuse the response by triggering off the flow of adrenalin also when we are in no actual life-threatening situation, namely, when we are anxious or worried. When sudden fear is an emotion that arises from a thought of immediate physical danger, then anxiety and worry result from imagined threats - we expect some future event to be dangerous or unpleasant for us.

All three are genuine fears and thus the mind sends the message to the body to prepare for flight or fight. As the body cannot by itself distinguish between a real danger and an imagined one, so, in response to the message from the mind body releases a flow of adrenaline. The adrenalin increases blood sugar and fatty acids in the blood stream which serve as fuels in combat and flight. However, the person who worries a lot does so throughout a day, most probably even when he lies down to sleep. The blood sugar and fatty acids instead of being converted to exceptional physical energy pile up in the blood. As a result the person develops diabetes and gradually clogs arteries with fats, till at some stage fat particles may clump together, closing some artery completely and so cause a heart attack. When this happens in the brain we call it a stroke.

If the fight-or-flight response is activated only during real danger and laid to peace as soon as the peril is over, the pancreas would produce enough insulin to neutralize the excess sugar. But in the state of constant worry and anxiety the inner organs, of which the pancreas is one, are deprived of regular blood supply. The pancreas becomes sick and its operation deficient. It no longer produces the sufficient quantity of insulin and the result is diabetes.

Toxic States of Being Degenerate the Body

Every form of long-sustained emotional stress, including feelings of guilt, resentment, unforgiveness, bitterness, anxiety, worry, anger, hatred, etc. lead to ulcers. Those are literally toxic states of being, which cause the body to stay uptight for a long period of time, hindering the normal flow of blood to the organs. As the stomach and duodenum are deprived of a regular blood supply, they get sick, making it easy for the stomach acid to nibble at the sick cell walls, causing open sores - ulcers.

Toxic states of being tense up our bodies, causing many of our biological processes to be impaired. Nutrient transport, cell respiration, detoxification, elimination, digestion, assimilation, hormone production, and brain function become severely disrupted, leading to a gradual degeneration and stagnation in the whole system. Once we are in the state of deterioration, we then become easily susceptible to viruses, harmful bacteria, parasites, Candida (fungi). We also begin to store toxic chemicals from food and pollution since our bodies cannot detoxify properly.

Ongoing emotional stress is the main root cause of a whole myriad of health complaints, such as: headaches, migraines, lethargy, digestive problems, depression, debility, insomnia, tension, heart palpitations, irritability, chronic fatigue, skin conditions, eating disorders, reduced concentration, heart failure, abdominal pain, diarrhea, cardiovascular disease, weight gain or loss, addictions, arthritis and other inflammatory conditions, respiratory or lung disease, hyper tension (high blood pressure), nervous anxiety, anxiety, and sexual problems like frigidity, infertility, and impotence.

Borrowing From the Chinese

The Chinese believe that certain organs are related to emotional activities, i.e. the heart is related to joy, the liver to anger, the spleen to pensiveness, the lungs to anxiety, and the kidneys to fear. This means that when those emotions are out of balance, they do the greatest damage to their counterpart organs.

Emotional activity, in traditional Chinese medicine, is seen as a normal, internal, physiological response to stimuli from the external environment. Within normal limits emotions cause no disease or weakness in the body. However, when emotions become so powerful that they get out of control and begin to overwhelm a person, they will cause serious injury to the internal organs and open the door to disease. It is not the intensity as much as the prolonged duration of an extreme emotion that causes damage.

As already stated before and scientifically verified, the excess emotional activity leads to severe energy imbalances in a human body, wild aberrations in the flow of blood to organs, blockages, and impairment of vital organ functions. Once physical damage has begun, it is insufficient to eliminate the offending emotion to affect a cure; the prolonged emotional stress will require physical action as well. (TCM does not use synthetic medicines to effect healing to a body. It uses healing plants and herbs.) The emotions represent different human reactions to certain stimuli and do not cause disease under normal conditions.

The seven emotions in TCM:

Joy/Overexcitement

Anger

Anxiety

Pensiveness

Grief/Melancholy

Fear

Fright

Joy/Overexcitement

"When one is excessively joyful, the spirit scatters and can no longer be stored," states the Lingshu (The Vital Axis). In TCM, joy refers to a states of agitation or overexcitement, rather than the more passive notion of deep contentment. The organ most affected is the heart. Over-stimulation can lead to such symptoms as feelings of agitation, insomnia, and palpitations.

Anger
In TCM, anger covers the full range of associated emotions including resentment, irritability, and frustration. An excess of rich blood makes one prone to anger. Anger will thus affect the liver. This can lead to the vital energy of liver - inner heat - rising to the head, resulting in headaches, dizziness, frequent head-colds, and other symptoms. In the long run it can result in high blood pressure and can cause problems with the stomach and the spleen. It is commonly observed that ruddy, "full-blooded" people with flushed faces are more prone than others to sudden fits of rage at the slightest provocation.

Anxiety
Anxiety injures the lungs, which control vital energy through breathing. Common symptoms of extreme anxiety are retention of breath, shallow, and irregular breathing, though, the shortage of breath experienced during periods of anxiety is common to everyone. Anxiety also injures the lungs' coupled organ, the large intestine. For example, over-anxious people are prone to ulcerative colitis.

Pensiveness
In TCM, pensiveness or concentration is considered to be the result of thinking too much or excessive mental and intellectual stimulation. Any activity that involves a lot of mental effort will run the risk of causing disharmony. The organ most directly at risk is the spleen. This can lead to a deficiency of spleen's vital energy, causing worry and resulting in fatigue, lethargy, and inability to concentrate.

Grief/Melancholy
A normal and healthy expression of grief can be unleashed through sobbing that originates in the depths of the lungs - deep breathes and the expulsion of air with the sob. However, grief that remains unresolved and becomes chronic can create disharmony and disease in the lungs.

Fear

Fear is a normal and adaptive human emotion. But when it becomes chronic and when the perceived cause of the fear cannot be directly addressed, it will lead to disharmony. The organs most at risk are the kidneys. In cases of extreme fright, the kidney's ability to hold vital energy may be impaired, leading to involuntary urination. This can be a particular problem with children.

Fright
Fright is another emotion not specifically related to only one organ. It is distinguished from fear by its sudden, unexpected nature. Fright primarily affects the heart, especially in the initial stages, but if it persists for some time, it becomes conscious fear and moves to the kidneys.

Working With Negative Emotions

Though, saying all this, does not mean that we should painstakingly guard ourselves against all negative emotions... nor does it mean that only positive emotions are life-giving. In fact, there is reason to believe that a normal range of emotions - both positive and negative - are helpful to our well being. Emotions can draw us into life-giving activities, warn us about lurking danger, spur us into productive action, and by sharing them, allow us to create closeness and intimacy with others.

However, there can be wrong emotional responses. In this case emotions are unproductive. Unproductive emotional function can lead to emotions becoming so intense that we cannot focus, use reason, or consider other factors, which can cause us to make wrong decisions.

Though, if we become aware of a negative emotion that we express time and time again - often too swiftly - we can view it as a red light and stop, realizing that there are issues or concerns in our lives that we are not effectively dealing with... or we have at some point in the past adopted a negative emotion as an automatic reaction to certain triggers and have now become stuck, reacting out of an old habit and not out of reason.

The trick is to recognize the difference between unproductive negative emotions that cause us to view life, the world, events, and situations through a distorted, negative lens, and productive negative emotions that cause us to face concerns and conflicts in our lives, deal with them, and move on. Seemingly negative emotions can effectively be utilized by pouring them into a creative process, thus 'bringing light out of darkness'. Many beautiful songs and pieces of art have been launched this way.

Help Yourself By Helping Others

So, by no means do I promote only positive emotions, but I do believe we have to search for ways to utilize the negative energy for our own good and for the good of others. When we stop viewing ourselves as the centers of our universe and concentrating on our feelings as if top priority, and begin to pay more attention to people around us, we will arrest the advancement of unproductive negative emotions... the strongest of which is self-pity. Deepak Chopra, a best-selling author and mind-body philosopher, says that helping others can be the key that unlocks the door to happiness, adding, "Most people don't realize how healing helping others is."

So, lets put all the emotions inside of us to work for our good and the good of those around us, producing positive and beautiful out of a seemingly negative emotion or situation. Surgeon Bernie Siegel, one of the pioneers in mind-body healing, tells a story about one of his cancer patients whom he could not heal through surgery. He says, "A landscaper who had cancer surgery but I couldn't cure him went home to make the world beautiful before he died. Over 20 years later he died with no sign of cancer." ...think about it!

I hope You have found some useful tips from this newsletter that You can put into practice. We do need to slow down and learn to take time to enjoy each day and the people in our lives, as it will not only prolong our days but also make them much more healthy and happy. I believe we all have heard the suggestion to go and help someone who is in a worse condition than we are ourselves. I personally have had to put this tip to work more times than I care to count... and it works! By helping others and doing good to others we actually bring healing to ourselves.

I wish You all great health in Your body, mind and spirit,

Eve

Body-Mind-Spirit Health, Fitness & Beauty in Organic Way

http://www.TheSpringOfLife.net

Anti-Aging, Miracle Superfoods

2008-07-21T10:59:00.000-07:00

I hope You have been enjoying the Summer and having the luck of good weather in Your part of the world. We've had much more rain than sunshine... or may be it just seems this way. Though, I must admit that I am one of those nut cases who prefers gloomy weather to constant sunshine and hot temperatures... so, I certainly am not complaining. I'm as pale as a tusk of an elephant but as light skin is quite fashionable at the moment, again, I am not finding fault.

I noticed from my past Health First newsletters that I have not, for quite a while, been sharing important information about plants, moreover, about anti-aging miracle plants. As anti-aging plants are one of my specialties - I love to read about and research nature's miracles - I decided to sweep the drawback by sharing with You the information that I have collected for my book Healing Plants & Healing Promises.

I am going to talk about berries. The most exciting news about those two species - in season at the moment - is their abundant anti-cancer and anti-aging benefits. Antioxidants found in those berries help to fight damage caused to cells by harmful molecules called free radicals. (Free radicals are unstable or highly reactive molecules that interfere with normal biological processes that are taking place in our bodies. When they interfere with the chemical processes, they cause damage to the body and are one of the main causes of degenerative disease.) Scientists have found that berries contain some of the highest antioxidant levels of any fruits, which ranks them among the most powerful disease-fighting foods available.

Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) - Bilberry is a short, shrubby perennial that grows in the woods and forest meadows of Europe, western Asia, and the Rocky Mountains of North America. Bilberry bears edible fruits similar to those found on the American blueberry bush.

History: For over a thousand years, European herbalists have recommended bilberry fruits and leaves to treat many ailments. Bilberry's modern reputation as a healing plant was sparked during World War II, when British Royal Air Force (RAF) pilots noticed that after eating bilberry preserves, their night vision was sharper than usual. Later research revealed that bilberries are powerful antioxidants, capable of protecting cells in the eye and other parts of the body against damage caused by free radicals (unstable oxygen molecules).

Rich in: Bilberry fruits contain sugars, organic acids, essential acids; vitamins C, B1, B2, PP, and carotene; the minerals manganese and iron; tanning agents, pectines, and fibers. They contain neither fats nor cholesterol and provide only 80 Kcal per glass. Bilberry leaves contain tanning agents, organic acids, vitamin C, glycosides, and mineral salts.

Internal use: Bilberries are a truly anti-aging super-food, improving memory, slowing aging processes in a body, and improving coordination and balance. Bilberry fruits are beneficial for sore throat, diarrhea, in treating night blindness, daytime vision impaired by glare, liver- and biliary problems, inflammation of the intestines, and gastric ulcers. Bilberries help prevent macular degeneration, a condition in which the light-sensitive area in the centre of the retina breaks down. It may also help slow the progression of cataracts, a clouding in the eye's lens, and lower the effects of diabetic retinopathy, a degenerative eye disease that affects people with diabetes. Bilberry fruits help prevent and even reverse some damage caused by Alzheimer’s disease. They are helpful for discomforts that are improved with enhanced circulation, like varicose veins, poor circulation, and hemorrhoids. Bilberries are packed with antioxidants that help prevent heart problems and tumors. Dried bilberries are beneficial in case of diarrhea and stomach and intestinal problems. Bilberry leaf tea is helpful on the occasions of urinary tract infections, kidney stones, diabetes, and diarrhea.

How to prepare: In case of diabetes, take 2 tablespoonfuls of crushed leaves, pour over with hot water, and let steep for 3-4 hours.

In case of catarrh in throat, gums or mouth, take 3 teaspoonfuls of dried bilberry fruits, pour over with ½ a liter of cold water, boil for 10 minutes, drain, and cool. Drink the tea several times a day. Do not swallow immediately; instead hold it in your mouth for a minute and then swallow.

As bilberry fruits are very salutary to our health, being a preventative remedy against many diseases, we should eat one glass of bilberries a day while they are in season. You can crush the berries and add some honey or brown sugar, or top them with a splash of organic whipped cream. This makes them delicious! Yum!

External use: Bilberry leaf tea compresses help heal eczema and psoriasis.

When to pick: The leaves should be picked while the bilberry bush is in blossom because their medicinal value is the greatest then.

Red Raspberry ( Rubus idaeus) - Red raspberry belongs to a group of small-fruit crops called brambles. Brambles have perennial roots and biennial canes. Canes produced during spring and summer will produce fruit on the same canes the following year. The canes will then die back to ground level during winter. Raspberry flowers are white or greenish white, single or in small grapelike clusters. Its leaves are pinnately compound, with three to five leaflets. The fruit, which in proper botanical language is not a berry at all but an aggregate fruit of numerous drupelets around a central core, is rounded, two centimeters long, and broad, ripening between July and September. The red raspberry is the hardiest or most cold tolerant of the bramble or cane berries. It typically grows in forest clearings or fields, particularly where fire or wood-cutting has produced open space. It is easy to grow and has a tendency to spread unless cut back.

History: Ancient Greeks and Romans used raspberry not only as food but also as medicine. Raspberry leaf tea, helping to tone the muscles of the uterus, has been used for centuries to prepare women for childbirth. In Armenian medical practice, the raspberries were used against flu, chronic rheumatism, and other diseases. The concentrate of the fruit with honey was used against rubella. Poultices, made of the decoction of the flowers, were used against snake bites. Extract of raspberry fruits and leaves was used as vitamin drink, as well as a cure against cough in Austria. The leaves were used against diarrhea and throat diseases in Germany and against stomach bleeds, diarrhea, vomiting, menstrual problems and number of respiratory diseases in Bulgaria. In the 18th century, physicians and herbalists deemed the berries useful as a remedy for heart disease.

Rich in: Red raspberry is packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber. It is a good source of vitamin A, B, C, D, and E; the minerals calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, potassium, iron, and zinc; flavonoids; alkaloids; organic acids; fragrant volatile oil; soluble fiber, mainly pectin; and mineral salts. The most promising benefit of red raspberries is their substantial quantity of ellagic acid. Ellagic acid is a phenolic compound that has become known as a potent anti-carcinogenic/anti-mutagenic compound. Clinical tests conducted at the Hollings Cancer Institute at the Medical University of South Carolina show promising results that suggest ellagic acid may help prevent cancer, inhibit the growth of cancer cells, and arrest the growth of cancer in those who have a genetic predisposition for the disease.

Internal use: Red raspberry contains antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, astringent, antiseptic, diaphoretic, diuretic, and choleretic properties. Red raspberry leaves have been used by women for centuries as a support to the reproductive system, especially during pregnancy. According to Susan Weed’s "The Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year," the following benefits can be obtained by drinking raspberry leaf tea before and throughout pregnancy (check with your healthcare provider first!): It can increase fertility in both men and women. It is an excellent fertility herb when combined with red clover; it prevents miscarriage and hemorrhage of an atonic uterus by toning the uterus; it eases morning sickness by providing gentle relief of nausea and stomach distress throughout pregnancy; it reduces pain during labor and birth by toning the muscles used during labor and delivery (though it does not counter the pain of cervical dilation); it provides a safe and speedy parturition by working to encourage the uterus to let go and function without tension (though it does not strengthen contractions but allows the contracting uterus to work more effectively); it helps bring down an undelivered placenta when combined with ground ivy or angelica; and it assists in production of plentiful breast-milk. Anne McIntyre, a well-known English herbalist, recommends a cup of raspberry tea a day after the third month of pregnancy. After the sixth month, she recommends as much as three cups per day. When used after birthing, raspberry leaf tea helps to decrease uterine swelling and minimize postpartum hemorrhaging. It is beneficial in normalizing blood flow during menstruation and reducing painful menstrual cramps. It supports the whole reproductive system (being equally effective for the male reproductive system) and also cleanses and prepares breasts for a pure milk supply for the nursing infant by cleansing and purifying the blood. Red raspberry leaf helps to stop excessive bleeding inside the body (or outside when applied externally). This herb helps shrink swollen and inflamed tissues.

Raspberry fruit is widely used against gum diseases, anemia, stomachache, digestive problems, menopause, and for sobering from drunkenness. In Tibetan medical practice, the extract and decoction of raspberry fruit and leaves are known as cures for neurasthenia, a number of neuroses, and a series of pungent and chronic infections. Raspberry leaves and fruit can benefit visual acuity when used for a period of time. It also benefits the joints and tendons. Red raspberry's bitter compounds relieve muscle spasms. The herb is also known for ridding the body of mucus. Herbalists find raspberry reliable for childhood eruptive diseases such as measles and chickenpox. The Chinese have long used raspberry to strengthen and tone the kidneys. It also has a toning effect on the urinary system, soothing irritated mucous membranes that accompany bladder infections.

How to prepare: Prepare tea by pouring 1 cup (250 ml) of boiling water over 1–2 teaspoons (5–10 grams) of the dried leaf and steep for 10-15 minutes. Up to 6 cups (1500 ml) per day may be necessary for acute problems such as diarrhea or sore throats due to a cold, while 2-3 cups is used during pregnancy. By itself, raspberry is usually not a sufficient treatment for diarrhea. Tincture, 3/4–1 teaspoon (4–8 ml) three times per day, may also be taken. In case of dysentery, an aromatic tea from raspberry and blackberry should be taken (1 tablespoonful three times a day). To prepare the tea, mix 1 teaspoonful of each plant with 1 cup of hot water.

To make tea of dried fruit, mix 2 teaspoonfuls of dried fruit with 1 cup of hot water. Let it sit for 20 minutes, then drink as tea. To reduce the high temperature, drink it every hour.

Nutritious raspberries are very easy to include in your diet. They are a great addition to recipes or as a healthy fresh snack by the handful. But raspberries don’t have to be fresh to be nutritious. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, frozen and canned produce might be more nutritious than fresh items whose nutrients have diminished through shipping and long storage. Fruits and vegetables destined for canning and freezing are picked at full ripeness and processed within hours.

Raspberries can also be dried. The fruits are dried in thin layers in the sun or in the oven at 60-80 degrees Celsius. The fruits should be turned over every once in a while. If the drying is done correctly, the dry-fruit should make 18-20% of the initial material and should not leave scents when touched.

External use: To use as a throat rinse and as lotion in case of skin diseases, make a decoction from dry leaves. Mix 1 tablespoonful of dried leaves with 1 cup of water and boil for 20 minutes. In cases of pus wounds and face pimples, make an ointment from fresh leaves. Mix one portion of leaf-liquid with 4 portions of butter. Raspberry leaf tea also acts as an astringent on irritated skin by tightening the top layers of skin or mucous membranes, effectively reducing secretions, relieving irritation, and improving tissue firmness. Raspberry can also be used as an eyewash for discharge, a douche for leucorrhoea, and as a hair rinse. For eye inflammations, use a poultice made of flours.

When to pick: The fruit is gathered when completely ripe. Place berries in a basket with layers of leaves from some wide-leaf plants in between. The leaves and the flowers can be gathered in June through July, dried in a cool place, and stored in bags.

Do not use in case of: gout or nephritis, since they contain purine alkalis in big quantities.

Important! Always prefer organic produce which contains many times more vitamins, minerals and trace elements than do plants that have been sprayed.

I with You a wonderful Summer,

Eve
Body-Mind-Spirit Health, Fitness & Beauty in Organic Way
http://www.TheSpringOfLife.net

Abdominal Breathing - The Correct Way To Breathe

2008-06-14T09:44:00.000-07:00

What's that stiffness in my neck?
Feel that lump come in my throat

Stomach dropping to my knees
Feel like I just missed the boat

Panic rising to my head
Heartbeat racing, breathing fast
Can I do it? Will I fail
How long will these feelings last?

Apprehension overwhelms
Nervous twitching, fingers curled
Tension headache, aching back
All these symptoms now unfurled

Now my body's overrun
Hormones racing from my glands...

Lost our way of fight or flight
Stored up anger, unreleased
Words and shouting flung about
Now it's time that raging ceased

Relaxation, that's the key
Integration of the mind...

Hold that stress out at arm's length...
Throw it out, release that woe

Find the tools you have inside
Make a choice to be serene...

A poem "Stress" by Sharon K. at http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~skort/page19worrypoems.htm#EXPECTATIONS

None of us is unfamiliar with stress. We've all experienced it... well, we daily do. Some stress is easier to handle than other. Some stress is more subtle than other... though, if subtle, it can creep up on us slowly but surely until one moment it all explodes and panic attacks. We lose it!

Is there anything we can do to keep stress at arm's length at all times? Fortunately the answer is YES!

Our overall health depends on many factors of which one of the most important is our breathing. As we all breathe - for if we didn't we would no longer be alive - we believe we breathe correctly. But, there is a correct and health promoting way of breathing, and an unhealthy way of breathing. If we learn to breathe right, a lot of the life's stresses would just float by, without getting us all worked up and anxious. In this Health First newsletter I wish to share with You about the right way of breathing and the easy steps we all can take to incorporate this health promoting habit into our lives... and if we do, we are taking a humongous step towards peace, calm, and greater overall health.

Due to the increasing stress levels, our rather sedentary life styles, and the popular image of the hard, flat belly that graces the covers of fashion- and health magazines, our breathing has become extremely superficial. Tight clothing and belts, being fashionable, but restricting abdominal breathing, lead us to relearn our breathing habits... though, not for the best. Most of us have not been taught about either diaphragmatic breathing or deep, abdominal breathing. Doctors usually have other solutions for their patients to cope with stress and anxiety, which, more often than not contain synthetic medications. Yet, there is a very simple but life changing habit that we can learn and incorporate into our daily lives that will help us keep stress at arm's length.

Although most of us engaged in abdominal breathing as babies and young children, we gradually became upper chest breathers. The end result of our poor breathing habits is not only insufficient oxygen to our brains and the other cells of our bodies, but also insufficient movement in our internal organs and in the fluids upon which our health depends. Without this oxygen and movement we quickly become susceptible to illness and disease.

Chest breathing is unhealthy, even dangerous

Shallow, incomplete breathing can result in lethargy, poor circulation, headaches, anxiety, panic attacks, and other problems. If already angry or anxious, the rapid shallow breaths reinforce the emotions. Unfortunately most shallow breathers don't realize this. They assume that, as breathing is automatic we naturally do it the right way. We do... well, we used to, as babies.

Chronic stress can lead to a restriction of the connective and muscular tissue in the chest resulting in a decreased range of motion of the chest wall. Due to rapid, more shallow breathing, the chest does not expand as much as it would with slower deeper breaths and much of the air exchange occurs at the top of the lung tissue towards the head. This results in "chest" breathing. Rapid, shallow chest breathing results in less oxygen transfer to the blood and subsequent poor delivery of nutrients to the tissues.

You can see if You are a chest breather by placing Your right hand on your chest and your left hand on Your abdomen. As you breathe, see which hand rises more. If your right hand rises more, You are a chest breather. If Your left hand rises more, You are an abdomen breather.

Watch how a baby breathes. Its abdomen rises and falls with each in/out breath, its lower lungs & diaphragm utilized. As we grow and mature, unfortunately, most of our breathing changes. Stress, overwork, pollution, sedentary lifestyles, and other factors contribute to poor breathing habits. Sill, there is good news - correct breathing can be (re)learned. Similar to learning to play an instrument or riding a bike, You can train Your body to improve its breathing technique. With regular practice You will breathe from the abdomen most of the time, even while asleep.

Using and learning proper breathing techniques is one of the most beneficial things that can be done for both short and long term physical and emotional health.

Why is abdominal breathing correct?

During times of emotional stress our sympathetic nervous systems become stimulated and effect a number of physical responses. Sympathetic nervous system is the part of the autonomic nervous system that helps mobilize the body for action. When a person is under stress, it produces the fight-or-flight response: the heart rate goes up, the blood vessels narrow - restricting the flow of blood, perspiration appears, the muscles tense, and the breathing becomes rapid and shallow. If this state remains for a long period of time, the sympathetic nervous system becomes over stimulated. This leads to an imbalance, affecting the physical health and causing inflammation, high blood pressure, and muscle pain to name a few. Abdominal or diaphragmatic breathing can be used to directly influence these stressful changes causing a direct stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system, which results in relaxation and the reversal of the negative shifts. We can see how our bodies know to do this naturally when we take a deep breath or sigh when a stress is relieved.

How does it work?

The diaphragm is a large muscle located between the chest and the abdomen. When it contracts it is forced downward causing the abdomen to expand. This brings about a negative pressure within the chest forcing air into the lungs. The negative pressure also pulls blood into the chest improving the venous return to the heart. This, in turn, leads to improved stamina in both disease and athletic activity. Like blood, the flow of lymph, which is rich in immune cells, is also improved. By expanding the lung's air pockets and advancing the flow of blood and lymph, abdominal breathing helps prevent infection of the lung and other tissues. But, above everything else, it is an excellent tool to stimulate the relaxation response that results in less tension and an overall sense of well being.

In deep, abdominal breathing, the upward and downward movement of the diaphragm, combined with the outward and inward movement of the belly, ribcage, and lower back, help to detoxify inner organs, promote blood flow and peristalsis, and pump the lymph more efficiently through the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system, of course, is an important part of our immune systems and has a great impact on our health.

Abdominal breathing technique

Breathing exercises such as this one should be done twice a day or whenever You find Your mind dwelling on upsetting thoughts or when You are experiencing pain.

Loosen any restrictive clothing, such as tight pants and belts.

Place one hand on Your chest and the other on Your abdomen. When You take a deep breath in, the hand on the abdomen should rise higher than the one on the chest. This insures that the diaphragm is pulling air into the bases of the lungs.

After exhaling through Your mouth or nose, take a slow deep breath in through Your nose imagining that You are sucking in all the air in the room and hold it for a count of 7 (or as long as you are able, not exceeding 7). DON'T push your abdomen out as far as you can (no need to encourage a pot belly!).
Slowly exhale through Your mouth or nose for a count of 8. As all the air is released with relaxation, gently contract Your abdominal muscles to completely evacuate the remaining air from the lungs. It is important to remember that we deepen respirations not by inhaling more air but through completely exhaling it.

Repeat the cycle four more times for a total of 5 deep breaths and try to breathe at a rate of one breath every 10 seconds (or 6 breaths per minute). At this rate Your heart rate variability increases which has a positive effect on cardiac health.

In general, exhalation should be twice as long as inhalation. The use of the hands on the chest and abdomen are only needed to help You train Your breathing. Once You feel comfortable with Your ability to breathe into the abdomen, they are no longer needed.

Abdominal breathing is just one of many breathing exercises. But it is the most important one to learn before exploring other techniques. The more it is practiced, the more natural it will become improving the body's internal rhythm.

Benefits of slow, deep diaphragmatic or ab breathing exercises:

Increased intake of oxygen

Stimulation of abdominal organs

Boosted blood flow

Less stress on the heart

Relaxation

Increased energy

Tips

Breathe SLOWLY and EVENLY throughout the exercise

The standing position encourages greatest blood circulation

Next time You're emotionally stressed notice how it affects Your breathing rate and depth, then spend a few minutes doing slow, deep abdominal breathing and check again - Your breathing should be deeper and more even and You should feel better.

This slower breathing, combined with the rhythmical pumping influence of the diaphragm, abdomen, and belly, helps turn on the parasympathetic nervous system - our "relaxation response." Such breathing helps to harmonize the nervous system, thus reducing the amount of stress in our lives. And this, of course, has a positive impact on our overall health.

Warning

Every day we see more and more books being published outlining various advanced yoga breathing exercises. But until we learn how to integrate natural, abdominal breathing into our lives, many of these advanced yoga breathing (pranayama) exercises can be harmful to our physical and psychological health.

Information has been obtained from the following articles and websites:

https://www.amsa.org/healingthehealer/breathing.cfm

http://www.authentic-breathing.com/abdominal-breathing.htm

http://www.healthyplace.com/communities/anxiety/christine/treatment_breathing_techniques.asp

http://www.dstressdoc.com/abdominal%20breathing.htm

Eve

Body-Mind-Spirit Health, Fitness & Beauty in Organic Way

http://www.TheSpringOfLife.net

Forgiveness - Healer of the Body, Mind and Spirit

2008-04-05T16:36:00.000-07:00

Isn't is so exciting to welcome the Spring! We celebrated the beginning of the Spring on the 20th of March, the next day we celebrated Easter and the day after Easter we received the very first real snow of this winter. It just snowed and snowed and snowed. The traffic was a complete mess. Smaller streets were so full of snow that it was hard to get through. When at night I went for a walk with my little dog, the snow was already up to my knees. It was actually quite a joy to see the sparkly, soft white blanket covering the empty streets. No one was clearing it off at night, so, I had quite an exercise wading through knee-high snow. Well, sure, sidewalks had been cleaned a few hours earlier, so, I had to actually step aside to get into the deep stuff... and I loved it :-)

Now, mere ten days later, almost all the snow has melted and it has become really warm. The sun has been shining daily, warming our hearts and filling us with renewed energy. Spring is the time of the sprouts of new life coming up everywhere. A thorough Spring clean is on the minds of ladies... also, new colors in fashion are drawing us, filling us with the desire to discard old and embrace the new.

I do wish to talk about a thorough Spring clean today... though, not a house clean... nor do I wish to talk about the new fashion colors... but instead, an inner cleanse. And no, I am not talking about the change of diet, either. I am talking about the Spring clean of our souls and hearts. I am talking about forgiveness.

I remember a dream I had 14 years ago where I saw a vision of a carrot being brushed by a brush... but not from the outside, but on the inside. I still vividly recall the brush energetically, yet gently, cleansing the carrot on the inside. I did immediately understand the meaning of the dream. It was the time for a thorough Spring clean - on the inside.

The Bible talks a lot about forgiveness, but it does not fully explain how forgiveness influences our body, mind, and spirit... although Proverbs 14:30 does teach us, "A calm and undisturbed mind and heart are the life and health of the body, but envy, jealousy, and wrath are like rottenness of the bones." Still, scientists have picked up the matter and have researched the power of forgiveness quite thoroughly. In this Health First I wish to share with You the results of scientific research.

The Gospel of Matthew, sixth chapter, verses 14 and 15 let us know, "For if you forgive people their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up resentment], your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up resentment], neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses."

Luke 6:27-28 goes even further, saying, "But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."

It seems almost impossible to act according to this exhortation... until we understand what it does to our body, mind and spirit. All positive emotions, attitudes and decisions - towards ourselves and towards others - move our body, mind and spirit towards healing, releasing health promoting hormones in our bodies and literally mending us. This indeed does make forgiveness an exercise of self-love. We forgive for it brings healing to us.

Nearly every religion believes in the power of forgiveness to heal the soul — now medical and psychological researchers have confirmed it also heals the body.

Unforgiveness, which often occurs as a result of having been hurt, humiliated, angered, or having suffered fear or loss, feelings of guilt, or envy, can have profound affects on the way your body functions. Like proper nutrition and exercise, researchers say, forgiveness appears to be a behavior that a patient can learn, exercise and repeat as needed to prevent disease and preserve

health.

Physically the body responds to unforgiveness as it does to stress: muscles tighten, causing imbalances or pain in the neck, back and limbs. Blood flow to the joint surfaces is decreased, making it more difficult for the blood to remove wastes from the tissues and reducing the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the cells. Normal processes of repair and recovery from injury or arthritis are impaired. Clenching of the jaws contributes to problems with teeth and jaw joints. Headaches are probable. Chronic pain may be worsened, blood flow to the heart is constricted, digestion is impaired, breathing is restricted. The immune system functions less well, increasing vulnerability to infections and perhaps malignancy. Injuries and accidents through inattention are more likely.

"Harboring a grudge affects us spiritually and physically," says Dr.Joseph A. Favazza, the dean of general education and a religious studies professor at Stonehill College in Easton, South Africa.

But the damage goes far beyond the emotional — holding onto that grudge affects your heart function, your waistline, your ability to fight off colds.

How?

A clinical psychologist and professor of psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University, Everett L. Worthington Jr., who is widely considered one of the foremost experts on forgiveness in the world, took up the study of forgiveness eight years before his mother was murdered in 1996, and his brother subsequently committed suicide. Dr. Worthington has since published more than 20 books and more than 200 articles on its physical, emotional, mental and spiritual aspects.

Although a suspect was arrested and police said he initially confessed to the crime, irregularities in the handling of evidence resulted in the suspect being released. Nevertheless, Worthington says, he had run the full course of shock, anger and grief and was ready to forgive in less than a month after his mother's death.

Dr. Worthington says, "Harboring a grudge is a personal stressor. Any chronic stressor takes a physical toll. It will affect your immune function and cardio function, your heart rate, your blood pressure; it will increase the stress hormone that causes the body to store fat."

"When your brain is stimulated because of stress, it causes your body to release the stress hormone cortisol, which combines with fat and gets stored at your waistline where the body can get it (easily.) Chronically elevated cortisol is the universal bad boy of modern-day living. It affects your cardiovascular health, your digestion, your sexual behavior. It harms the reproductive system, your brain, your emotions.

"And every time you think of that person (who wronged you), it sends cortisol into your body."

Mr. James, a motivational speaker and the president of Celebratelove.com, discusses forgiveness in his latest book, "How to Really Love the One You're With", says, "Forgiveness is not for the other person — it's for you," he said. "If you don't forgive, it's like your foot is nailed to the floor. You have to let go."

Mr. James recalled a personal example:

"I was in a seminar once and one of my best friends stood up and shared some painful things about his father ... The instructor said, 'During this break, you need to go call your father and say, 'I love you, Dad.'

"When he came back in, I hardly recognized him. His face was shining."

"Once we forgive, we're no longer held prisoner to the grudge."

"Eruptions of anger at others have been shown, clearly, to increase the risk of heart arrhythmias, heart attacks and high blood pressure", says Dr. Douglas Russell, a Veterans Affairs cardiologist who, in a 2003 study, found that the coronary function of patients who had suffered a heart attack improved after a 10-hour course in forgiveness. But when anger is turned inward and directed at oneself, lack of forgiveness appears likely to have an ongoing, toxic health effect that might be even more corrosive to physical and mental health than anger directed outward.

"Sometimes people hurt us, and we move on, and it might fade," says Toussaint, the psychologist of Luther University in Decorah, Iowa. As he has refined that work with better definitions of forgiveness, however, Toussaint says he has been surprised to learn that those who hold onto self-blame might suffer more. "Forgiveness of self holds the more powerful punch," Toussaint says. "The effects are dramatic."

In work not yet published, Toussaint found that men who do not forgive themselves readily are seven times more likely to meet the full diagnostic criteria for clinical depression than men who do. Highly self-forgiving women are three times less likely to have the symptoms of clinical depression — a risk factor for a host of ills — than their sisters who are prone to regret and self-blame. Those more forgiving of themselves also sleep more and are in better overall health, he has found. He also has found that women (who typically outlive men) are more forgiving than men.

Kathleen Row, the chair of the psychology department at East Carolina University, who has studied correlations between a person’s health and the ability to forgive for over 25 years, says, that in her research she has found a marked difference in the blood pressure and heart rate recovery levels of those who can more easily forgive compared to those who cannot. “You literally carry it around with you,” says Row, comparing unforgiveness to a heavy sack we have to constantly carry around.

Yet another researcher, Dr. Frederic Luskin at Stanford concludes his studies, saying, "The thing about long-term or unresolved anger is we've seen it resets the internal thermostat. When you get used to a low level of anger all the time, you don't recognize what's normal. It creates a kind of adrenaline rush that people get used to. It burns out the body and makes it difficult to think clearly -- making the situation worse." He adds that when the body releases certain enzymes during anger and stress, cholesterol and blood pressure levels go up -- not a good long-term position to put the body in.

"Life throws you curves, and most of us don't start off emotionally prepared to deal with them," Dr. Luskin says. "That arrogance keeps us from being healthy. Basically, at some point you have to realize that, even if your mother was distant to you when you were a child, you can't live in the present and say, 'I can never be OK, because my mother was distant when I was a child.' It's unfortunate that it happened, but at some point you have to move forward and let it go."

Jeffrey R., a Maryland man whose father sexually molested him and three siblings as children, acknowledges that self-blame and denial after the abuse has exacted a terrible cost on his family. Two older brothers — both of whom have refused to discuss their father's actions — have had seven heart attacks between them before the age of 60. One is a drug addict for whom a longtime stomach ailment now threatens to become deadly. Another lives alone, "eats unhealthy, lives unhealthy," says Jeffrey, a member of Survivors After Incest who spoke on condition that his full name not be revealed.

"When you have this background, you become very skilled at pretending things are OK, just ignoring it," Jeffrey says. Meanwhile, the guilt, shame and anger, he says, "are just consuming."

After nine suicide attempts and decades of contending with temper and suspicion toward others, Jeffrey says he's not ready to forgive the father who did it, the mother who looked the other way or the aunts and uncles who, after the abuse came to light, refused to discuss it. His sister, who was raped by her father at 5, has embraced forgiveness, says Jeffrey, telling her brother God will judge their father. Jeffrey insists he's let go of the anger and bitterness caused by his abuse, and it "has saved my life."

But forgiveness on the same level as his sister's? "I'm not really there yet," he says.

The material has been obtained from following research articles:

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080127/LIFE/801270314/-1/LIFE01

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/jan/12/forgiveness-for-the-body-and-mind/

http://www.ecu.edu/news/poe/1006/forgiveness.cfm

http://www.almanacnews.com/morgue/1999/1999_06_09.forgive.html

http://www.iloveulove.com/forgiveness/forgivhealth.htm

Going back to my dream, 14 years ago, I too have a personal testimony of the healing power of forgiveness.

By that time I had managed to collect a good group of people who I needed to forgive to. So, I wrote down the name of each person and also the matters I needed to forgive them for. Day after day I took special time to read through my list and make a choice to forgive each person. It took me about 30 days of daily reciting when I suddenly felt free... completely free from burdens I did not even know I was carrying around. I had never experienced such freedom before.

This freedom influenced by body too. I suddenly lost quite a bit of weight. It just dropped off. I did not change my diet nor did I exercise more, I just exercised forgiveness. It was then, when I realized that we do physically carry with us the weight of unforgiveness, bitterness, hurt, strife...

So, let us start this Spring with a thorough Spring clean of our hearts, examining the feelings we hold towards ourselves and others. It is often something people do not wish to do - look inside. It is far too painful. But, if we wish to live a healthy life - body, mind and spirit - we need to be brave enough to look inside and cast out all the burdens that make our lives less happy and joyful. So, let us be brave enough to embrace forgiveness toward ourselves and others. It is the exercise of self-love.

I wish You many blessings and great health in Your body, mind and spirit,

Eve

Body-Mind-Spirit Health, Fitness & Beauty in Biblical Way

http://www.TheSpringOfLife.net

Organic, Certified Organic and Natural... and A Great Deal of Confusion!

2008-03-03T12:15:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday I was invited to talk to a group of ladies about natural skin care. I was quite surprised to find most ladies completely uncertain about the difference between organic, certified organic, and natural.

I have been working in the field of skin care for 13 years by now... goodness, time does fly! I mainly serve my personal clients, research the new trends and traditional methods, and write articles... not to mention conducting all the tests on my own skin. I was a bit unprepared about the vastness of the want of knowledge on this subject among modern ladies. Though, when I start to think about it, there have been so many different views displayed in the media. The pharmaceutical companies and doctors who only believe in healing (though, it does not really provide healing, so, I should use another word... fixing a problem short term would suit better) through synthetic medications, firmly hold on to their court, claiming that synthetic is as good as organic... or even going as far as to say that organic doesn't work. So, who should be believe?

I can only talk through my own personal experience and research... and logic. No synthetic substance works long term. It can fix a problem short term, but when we have a problem, it reveals the need to change a habit. In our modern society we are constantly on the run, having no time to calmly think and change our bad habits. Unfortunately, this results in more problems and greater need to fix them.

We have to understand that we catch a flu, we catch a cold or a virus, but we ourselves develop a cancer, type II diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer's disease etch. (Yes, I know that some people are genetically more prone to a certain disease, but we can still avoid it!) Each of those diseases hide (develop) for a long period of time, about 8 to 12 years, until doctors are able to detect them through their equipment. When they detect it, the disease is already in full bloom. So, the greatest favor we can do to ourselves is to change our bad habits.

I know, I did pick a serious subject, but it is very important for us to understand those things. Our health depends on them.

I am going to concentrate on our skin this time, bringing out the most asked questions and the areas where greatest confusion prevails.

What is Skin?

Skin is not a tight stretchy material that holds our organs and bones in place, it actually is a living organ. Our skin is the largest eliminatory organ in the body. It is a two-way membrane. Toxins are eliminated through the skin via perspiration and absorbed through the skin, into the body’s systematic circulation, through hair follicles and sebaceous glands. One square inch of skin contains 65 hairs, 100 sebaceous glands, and 650 sweat glands.

So, as our skin is a living organ, with the function of eliminating toxins from the body, and also absorbing those substances that are applied to it, we should begin our skin care regime from there.

Do Skin Care Products Absorb into the Body through Skin?

Cosmetic manufacturers are not supposed to claim that their products penetrate our skin. If they did, the products would then be labeled a „drug” and henceforth be governed by much stricter regulations. This is both good and bad. Good because it means our skin can be nourished from the outside with some wonderful ingredients. Bad because it means some cosmetic manufacturer can put into their products that which would never be allowed to be taken orally, but are still absorbed into our system, through our skin.

What does „Natural” and „Organic” Mean on Product Labels?

Nowhere does the idea of „natural” or „organic” take a more gratuitous bruising than the cosmetics industry. At present there are no laws that restrict the use of those words on personal care and home care products. So, they are widely used to describe even those products that hardly contain anything natural.

If we look at the term „natural” we probably define it as „existing in, or formed by nature; not artificial”. Many labels have long lists of chemical names, some followed by the phrase „derived from ...” (some natural substance). This is misleading to consumers.

When chemicals such as Cocoamide DEA or Sodium Hydroxysultaine are followed by the term „Derived from coconut oil” the consumer is led to believe that these synthetic chemicals must be natural. While this may be true in some cases; it is ultimately irrelevant because what you end up with after the chemical processing is usually anything but natural or pure.

For example, to create Cocamide DEA, a foaming agent in some shampoos, requires the addition of a synthetic chemical and known carcinogen, Diethanolamine – DEA, to the coconut oil. It is therefore no longer natural, or safe!

If we look at the term „organic”, we usually think it means „grown and cultivated without the use of chemicals”. That is the conclusion most cosmetic companies would like us to make when we see the term „organic” on a label. Some of those companies are cynically using the chemistry definition of „organic” – meaning a compound that contains a carbon atom. Carbon is found in anything that has ever lived. Bu using this definition of organic, they are saying that a petrochemical preservative called Methyl Paraben is „organic” because it was formed from leaves that rotted over thousands of years to become crude oil, which was then used to make this preservative.

An increasing number of companies are now claiming to use „organic” herbs in their products. But what about the rest of the ingredients? Are they safe? (Answer by Narelle Chenery)

Isn’t There an Authority That Governs the Use of the Term „Organic” On Labels?

The simple answer is NO. However the term”certified organic” IS governed by a number of internationally recognized bodies. In Australia, Australian Certified Organic (ACO) is the largest, in Japan - JAS, in USA - USDA, international - IFOAM. Searching for products with the logo of a certifying body on the label is the only way you can guarantee the organic authenticity and integrity of every ingredient in the product. Without this, the organic claim means nothing, as it cannot be verified.

How Do We Know What We Are Buying is Really „Natural” and „Organic”?

Fortunately, there is a very simple way to differentiate between hype and truth in cosmetics – and that is to read the ingredient list on the label. It is a legal requirement that all skin care products must be labeled with the ingredients in descending order of their quantity in the product. A good rule of thumb is to divide the ingredient list into thirds: the top third usually contains 90-95% of the product, the middle third usually contains 5-8% and the bottom third, 1-3%. (Answered by Narelle Chenery)

Is Organic Really Better?
Organic produce contains several times greater amounts of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and trace elements than traditionally grown produce. Even when You find no synthetic chemicals on the product label, the traditionally grown ingredients still contain synthetic substances from the herbicides and pesticides that the plants have been sprayed with. To give You an idea, a traditionally grown apple has about 20-30 different toxins sprayed on it, in order to kill all the worms. Unfortunately the toxins also kill many healthful substances in the fruit. So, organic product, on top of containing more healthful elements per ingredient, does not contain harmful toxins.

But Organic is More Expensive!

It actually is not true! When You buy a "certified organic" product, You actually pay less than for a supermarket bought beauty- or home care product that contains very little natural ingredients. In a "certified organic" product, You receive many times more vitamins, minerals, enzymes, trace elements in one jar than supermarket products contain in tens of jars together.

Over and over again people come to me with skin problems that have been created by synthetic preservatives and other substances in their skin care products. Those problems are most of the time quickly eliminated by a pure product.

Are Those Claims Scientifically Proven?

I recently read an interesting study conducted by scientists in Rutgers University in USA (http://www.organicnutrition.co.uk/whyorganic/whyorganic.htm ). Before these studies were carried out the idea that organic crops were nutritionally superior was widely accepted on faith alone. People hoped that the effects of organic cultivation were better for the earth. In recent years this has been proven time and time again.

Researchers at Rutgers University in the USA, intrigued by the emphatic claim that "Organic is Better", decided to shop around for some answers. They went to a supermarket and purchased a selection of produce which they analyzed for mineral content. They then went to a healthfood store and purchased the same products but grown organically and carried out the same tests. The Rutgers' team expected the organic produce to be slightly superior in this comparison, but the results were incredible:

Percentage of Dry Weight			Quantities per 100 Grams Dry Weight				Trace Elements. Parts per million Dry matter
Vegetable:	Mineral Ash	Phosphorus	Calcium	Magnesium	Potassium	Sodium	Boron	Manganese	Iron	Copper	Cobalt
Snap Beans Organic Non-organic	10.45 4.04	0.36 0.22	40.5 15.5	60 14.8	99.7 29.1	8.6 0.9	73 10	60 2	227 10	69 3	0.26 0
Cabbage Organic Non-organic	10.38 6.12	0.38 0.18	60 17.5	43.6 13.6	148.3 33.7	20.4 0.8	42 7	13 2	94 20	48 0.4	0.15 0
Lettuce Organic Non-organic	24.48 7.01	0.43 0.22	71 16	49.3 13.1	176.5 53.7	12.2 0	37 6	169 1	516 9	60 3	0.19 0
Tomatoes Organic Non-organic	14.2 6.07	0.35 0.16	23 4.5	59.2 4.5	148.3 58.8	6.5 0	36 3	68 1	1938 1	53 0	0.63 0
Spinach Organic Non-organic	28.56 12.38	0.52 0.27	96 47.5	203.9 46.9	237 84.6	69.5 0	88 12	117 1	1584 49	32 0.3	0.25 0.2

So, organic really is better!

My question is: What Does Your Skin Eat?

Remember: all You put on Your skin will be absorbed into Your body or it will stay on top of Your skin as a tight, impenetrable film. I urge You to rather make Your own beauty care product than buy the synthetic. It does make a difference!

You are welcome to visit my site and the certified organic range we offer at TheSpringOfLife.net

I wish You many blessings and greater health in Your body and skin,

Eve

Body-Mind-Spirit Health, Fitness & Beauty in Organic Way

http://www.TheSpringOfLife.net

Love, Give & Stay Healthy on Valentine's

2008-02-11T09:31:00.000-08:00

"One word frees us from all the weight and pain of life: that word is Love.” (Sophocles)

Valentine's Day is knocking on the door. It is quite impossible to not notice it. Shop windows everywhere are decorated with hearts (cards or candy or toys... or just plastic stuff) that have once again been pulled out from the bottom shelves or tucked-away boxes and are now adorning every previously vacant spot. Although, like every other beautiful holiday, Valentine's Day has also been so commercialized... I still like it! I think it is wonderful to have one day a year that is completely dedicated to LOVE. Hey, we can never have enough of it. And, I am not talking about romantic love only.

In Estonia we celebrate Valentine's Day also as a Friendship day, so, no one is left out. Even those who do not have a sweet-heart are fully included in this beautiful day, dedicated to Love. We send cards to all our treasured friends and family members. We prepare little delightful gifts to one another and of course, we indulge in sweet stuff. So, please, if You do not have a sweet-heart, do not feel left out on this day. You too can adopt Valentine's Day as a Friendship day. Invite Your best friends over and prepare something sweet BUT healthy for them... so You can truly enjoy. Make it special... and remember,

“We do not remember days, but moments. Life moves too fast, so enjoy your precious moments.” (sorry, I do not know who to give credit to for those wise words)

I have picked out some delicious, mouth-watering, yet, completely healthy recipes for You. We can enjoy sweet stuff without killing ourselves with unhealthy ingredients. The first recipe is the one I am going to prepare. The second recipe is so easy, even men can combine those healthful ingredients, creating a low-calorie delight to their sweet-hearts or friends. The third recipe is for those who love to bake... and the fourth one can easily be boxed and made into a lovely gift.

But, before I move on to the recipes, here is a site where You can get ideas for a home-made card: http://www.bisous.biz/catalog/layout_1_cards.htm A very simple card idea that I have used very often myself, is to pick a bloom of a flower, flatten it and place it between sheets of paper (or newspaper). Put some books on it as a press and leave for a couple of days. When it is dry, glue the bloom on a plain card. Now all You need are beautiful words and the card is ready. Bless Your sweet-heart with something that You have made Yourself.

Now, on to the healthy, sweet, mouth-watering recipes for the Valentine's:

Healthy Chocolate Pudding Inspired by The Great American Detox Diet, by Alex Jamieson (Rodale Press, 2005).

After the indulgence of the holidays, we may still want sweets, but we need to be mindful of our health and our waistlines. This seemingly decadent dessert actually gets its sweetness from dates and figs rather than refined sugar, and it boasts a lot of luscious chocolate pleasure.

Ingredients:

10 dates, pitted and cut into quarters
10 dried figs, cut into quarters (stems removed)
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons raw nut butter, such as almond, cashew, or peanut
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 to 2 cups water

1. In a blender or food processor, place the dates, figs, cocoa, nut butter, vanilla, and 1 cup of water and pulse until just beginning to blend.

2. Slowly add water as you continue to pulse, until the mixture is creamy, smooth, and the desired consistency.

Serves 5 to 6.

Good-for-You Chocolate Mousse by Cait Johnson, author of Witch in the Kitchen (Inner Traditions, 2001).

My sweetheart and I discovered this amazingly delicious but oh-so-healthy dessert because we were craving something sweet, creamy, and chocolaty but didn't feel like really cooking. It's ridiculously easy to make, and it tastes so decadent, it's hard to believe it's good for you, too.

Ingredients:

1 cup Greek-style yogurt (any yogurt has healthy probiotics, but the Greek kind is extra-thick and creamy)

Organic fair-trade cocoa powder, to taste (lots of antioxidants here; we used about a tablespoon, but some of you may prefer it stronger)

Maple syrup, to taste (a natural sweetener that is better for you than refined sugar; we used about 2 tablespoons, but let your sweet tooth be your guide)

Optional toppings: Walnuts, dark chocolate shavings, a dollop of plain yogurt, thawed frozen raspberries.

Simply mix the ingredients together, spoon into pretty glasses, top with optional toppings (or leave it nude) and enjoy.

Serves 2.

Lemon Custard Cakes inspired by a recipe in Martha Stewart Living Magazine.

These amazing confections burst in your mouth like sunshine with their bright sweet-citrus taste. The combination of lemon and tender custardy cake makes a dessert that feels like Spring.

Ingredients:

3 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup organic granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons grated lemon zest (basically the zest from 1 organic lemon)
1/4 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
Butter for custard cups

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil while preheating oven to 350F. Lightly butter six 6-ounce custard cups and place them in a deep baking dish lined with a kitchen towel.

2. Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl until light, then whisk in the flour. Add lemon zest and juice gradually, whisking to combine, then whisk in the milk.

3. Use an electric mixer to beat the egg whites with the salt until they form soft peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the lemon mixture, using a whisk.

4. Evenly divide the batter among the buttered custard cups. Place the baking pan in the oven and then fill the pan with boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the cups.

5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until custard cakes are golden brown and puffed. Serve warm or room temperature.

Serves 6.

Date Nut Truffles inspired by Vegetarian Times Magazine.

These mouth-watering little treats are so delicious, the grateful recipients will never guess how healthy they are! Made with almonds, dates, and coconut flakes, these lower-in-fat-and-sugar morsels will disappear in no time. Date Nut Truffles make a lovely dessert, gift, or potluck offering.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
2 cups pitted dates
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons sugar or sugar substitute

1. Cover dates with water in a saucepan and bring to a boil, then remove from heat, cover, and allow to stand for 10 minutes. Drain dates, reserving 1 tablespoon of the water. Puree dates and reserved liquid in a blender or food processor until smooth.

2. In a skillet over medium heat, toast the almonds until light brown, 3 or 4 minutes.

3. Place pureed dates in a bowl and add the almonds, vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon, almond extract, and a pinch of salt. Stir well to combine.

4. Place the coconut flakes on a plate. Combine cocoa, sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon in a bowl.

5. Shape the date mixture into 1-inch balls, roll in coconut mixture, and then in cocoa mixture.

Helpful hints: The truffles will keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge, or for 2 months in the freezer.

May You have the most wonderful Valentine's/Friendship Day ever! ...and remember:

"Love never fails" (1 Corinthians 13:8) ...so, give, be a blessing, and You in turn, will be blessed!

Eve
Body-Mind-Spirit Health, Fitness & Beauty in Organic Way
http://www.TheSpringOfLife.net

Perfect Exercise For the Whole Body - Indoor Rowing

2008-01-23T16:02:00.000-08:00

I hope You are doing well and keeping up with Your new year resolutions... if You made them. If You set no new goals for Yourself to improve Your physical and emotional health, I just might have something for You! This past weekend I got so inspired by my 15 year-old nephew. I am so excited to share with You that we have a new champ in our family! Yay! My nephew, Georg, just won the second place in indoor rowing competition, in his age group, between the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania). Wow! What an exciting event that was. My mom - Georg's grandmother - shouted so loud that she managed to almost lose her voice... but she did not mind... as long as she was able to cheer her grandson.

It has been so amazing to see Georg change so much over the past year. He used to be quite grumpy, getting into mischief from time to time, but now he is truly alive. He is so much more content with himself. He has a worthwhile goal to work towards... though, to be honest, he is only starting to learn about goals. I guess it has been a pleasant surprise to himself that he actually has got a talent for rowing. Thus far he simply enjoyed it as a sport. Now the competitive element is starting to kick in as well. And yes, he really loves it when we are excited for him and go to see him compete.

I was so inspired by his rowing that I decided to share a bit more about the sport. Did You know that indoor rowing is one of the most perfect sports available? This is due to the fact that it works out the whole body. Also, it is great that one can take it up at any age... and do it right at home.

Hear what some rowing fans have to say about the sport:

Elsie Ardry, USA: "I will be 68 years old in August, 2005. I began rowing while at a spa retreat and absolutely fell in love with it. I started using a local fitness center's Concept 2. But, after about a year, I decided to buy my own."

Fred Koene, The Netherlands: "I have recently bought my own indoor rowing machine. I planned it already quite some time ago. I used to run rather frequently but due to an ankle injury that wasn't possible anymore. I got acquainted with the C2 at the gym at my work, but time was short to use that very often. Having two young children makes it difficult to go to a fitness-centre. So I decided to buy my own C2. Since then use it very often. I love doing sports again. Rowing sure feels like a great workout."

Nalini Rhea, USA: "Rowing was my answer to a major mid-life crisis. At the age of 45, I joined Gold's Gym in Woodbridge, VA in February 2003 because I'd gained 34 pounds and was devastated at what the weight had done to me, both physically and psychologically. Largely due to workouts on the erg, I've lost 41 pounds in less than two years. In April 2004, I became a member of the Prince William Rowing Club in northern Virginia. Part of a women's novice sweep 8+ boat, I quickly came to love rowing. I've just completed my second season in sweep rowing, and am now concentrating on sculling."

Kathi Strichman, USA: "In April of 2001, I was 40 years old, weighed 270 pounds, had never exercised a day in my life and literally lived to eat. A very good friend, Jack (a man who lived 3000 miles away, and to whom I had only communicated with via e-mail and the phone) said exactly the right thing at the time that I really needed to hear it and he inspired me to start changing my lifestyle. In December of 2004, we were trying to workout at our local gym. All of the cardio machines were being used except a C2 erg. I eventually gave in and decided to give it a shot. I rowed for half an hour and believe it was the best workout that I have ever had. By February 2005, we had our own erg in our home and were rowing on an almost daily basis. By April 2003 I had lost 100 pounds and was living a healthy, very rewarding lifestyle."

The Many Benefits of Rowing

Whether you already row or are considering rowing to keep in shape, to lose weight, to cross-train for another sport, to compete on the water or rehabilitate from injury or surgery, rowing is the complete exercise for you.

Arms, legs, chest, back, abs — even your mind. Your whole body gets a complete workout from the efficient, rhythmic motion of rowing. Rowing is such a great exercise in so many different ways.

Low-impact (easy on the knees and ankles)
High calorie burner (because it uses so many muscle groups)
Great for joint health (joints move through a wide range of motion)
Upper body (completes the stroke)
Lower body (the legs initiate the drive)
Works the back and abs too!
Superb aerobic fitness (great for cardiovascular fitness)
Relieves Stress (for overall health and well-being)

This is different from the rowing you may have done as a kid in a rowboat. The difference lies in the sliding seat. Your legs compress and extend with every stroke – in addition to the more obvious work being done by the back and arms.

Legs: You begin each stroke with your legs compressed and your shins vertical. You initiate the drive with the powerful muscles of your legs, and finish with your legs fully extended. Rowing promotes both strength and flexibility through this wide range of leg motion.

Arms: At the catch, your arms are outstretched; at the finish of the stroke, they have pulled the handle into your abdomen. As with the legs, this range of motion promotes both strength and flexibility.

Core: chest, back, abs: At the start of the stroke, the power of the legs is connected to the handle by means of the arms and the core muscles of the body. Then the back is more fully involved as it swings open through the middle of the stroke. Finally, the body is stabilized at the finish by the abdominal muscles.

Your Mind: Customers tell us that the rhythmic nature of rowing helps clear the head and ease the stress of the day.

***Rowing compared to other forms of exercise***
	Low Impact	Lower Body	Upper Body	Core	Full Range of Motion
Indoor Rower	*******	*******	*******	*******	*******
Treadmill		***		*	**
Bicycle	***	***	*	*	***
Elliptical	***	***	*	**	**
Stair Stepper	**	***		*	*
Recumbent Bike	***	***		*	*
Ski Machine	***	***	*	**	**
Swimming	***	***	**	*	**

If You haven't found a sport to enjoy, I hope You got inspired by this wonderful exercise machine. Try it out in Your local sports club... and who knows, You might want to get one for Yourself, to give a complete work-out for Your whole body and to de-stress Your mind. All information has been obtained from: http://www.concept2.com

Whatever You pick as Your chosen activity, do make time for physical exercise 5-7 times a week. It not only improves Your physical appearance, it improves Your whole outlook to life, not to mention de-stressing from day's events and providing You with a restful sleep.

I wish You all better physical, mental and spiritual health than You've ever had before,

Eve
Body-Mind-Spirit Health, Fitness & Beauty in Organic Way
http://www.TheSpringOfLife.net

Life-Changing, Energizing and Uplifting Quotes

2008-01-03T11:24:00.000-08:00

I hope the year of 2008 arrived for You with real excitement and enthusiasm, looking forward to the best year of Your life! I hope You agree with me that each coming year should be better than the previous one. Why?! Because we have grown and matured and learned to love and to give more... learned to forgive and let go... learned to receive every coming day as a gift, looking forward to bless someone, to do good... learned to accept oneself and love oneself the way we are... learned that it is our attitude that makes our days successful, or a failure. No one else can ever make us happy or successful. Only we can.

I wanted to bless You in a very special way in the beginning of the year of 2008, so, I decided to pick some wise, encouraging, uplifting, life-changing quotes for You. Do go through them and pick the ones that speak to Your heart... write them out for Yourself and keep them in front of Your eyes... allowing them to lift You up when You feel down... to turn You to forgiveness and love when You feel mad... to keep You going strong when You feel like giving up.

Life can be a struggle... but hey, this is our life, we should make the most of it! It is not what we go through that determines our success in life, but how we react to it. Every day we have a new choice to make, shall I choose to give thanks and rejoice... or shall I allow the circumstances to dictate how I feel! We can't always choose our circumstances, but we always CAN choose our attitude. It is one of the most powerful forces in our lives.

So, dear friends, here is my gift for You in the beginning of this new year - the quotes! Lets decide to make this year better than the previous one.

"A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes."

Hugh Downs
Veteran Journalist

"We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all that we need to make us really happy is something to be enthusiastic about."

Charles Kingsley
1819-1875, Author and Clergyman

"Really big people are, above everything else, courteous, considerate and generous - not just to some people in some circumstances - but to everyone all the time."

Thomas J. Watson
1874-1956, Founder of IBM

"Do not save your loving speeches for your friends till they are dead; Do not write them on their tombstones, speak them rather now instead."

Anna Cummins
Poet

"Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves."

James Matthew Barrie
1860-1937, Author of Peter Pan

"You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love."

Henry Drummond
1851-1897, Scientist, Evangelist and Author

"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless."

Mother Teresa
1910-1997, Missionary

"As you rise above the sordid self; as you break, one after another, the chains that bind you, will you realize the joy of giving, as distinguished from the misery of grasping... you will then understand that it is indeed "more blessed to give than to receive."”

By James Allen from “Path to Prosperity”

“No matter what happens, look for the good and you’ll find it. A positive thinker does not refuse to recognize the negative - he refuses to dwell on it. Positive thinking is a form of thought which habitually looks for the best results from the worst conditions. It is always possible to look for something good; to expect the best for yourself even though things look bad. And the remarkable fact is that when you seek good, you will find it.”

Dale Galloway, pastor

„True peace comes not from the absence of trouble, but from the presence of God and will be deep and passing all understanding in the exact measure in which we live in and partake of the love of God.”

Alexander Maclaren

"To the dull mind all nature is leaden. To the illumined mind the whole world burns and sparkles with light."

Ralph Waldo Emerson
1803-1882, Poet and Essayist

"Realize that true happiness lies within you. Waste no time and effort searching for peace and contentment and joy in the world outside. Remember that there is no happiness in having or in getting, but only in giving. Reach out. Share. Smile. Hug. Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself."

Og Mandino
1923-1996, Author and Speaker

"When one can sing praises in the face of adversity, the adversity will soon disappear. That is not a promise; that is a Law."

Raymond Holliwell

Pastor, Writer and Speaker

“We cannot tell what may happen to us in the strange medley of life. But we can decide what happens in us...how we can take it, what we can do with it...and that is what really counts in the end."

Joseph Fort Newton
Author

"A good heart is better than all the heads in the world."

„A good memory is one trained to forget trivial misfortunes.”

"A great attitude does much more than turn on the lights in our worlds; it seems to magically connect us to all sorts of serendipitous opportunities that were somehow absent before we changed."

Earl Nightingale (1921-1989), Philosopher and Syndicated Radio Personality.

"A mature person is one who does not think only in absolutes, who is able to be objective even when deeply stirred emotionally, who has learned that there is both good and bad in all people and in all things, and who walks humbly and deals charitably with the circumstances of life, knowing that in this world no one is all knowing and therefore all of us need both love and charity."

Eleanor Roosevelt (1884 - 1962) American First Lady

"A person is not hurt so much by what happens, as by his opinion of what happens."

Michel de Montaigne (1533 - 1592) French Renaissance writer

“A small amount of craziness - mixed with a reasonable amount of eccentricity – is an attractive alternative to conformity.”

J D Boatwood

"It has been said that our anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, but only empties today of its strength."

Charles Haddon Spurgeon
1834-1892, Preacher

“The significant, life-forming times are the dull, in-between times.”

Jan Karon In This Mountain

“The height of the mountaintop is measured by the drab drudgery of the valley.”

Oswald Chambers

"No matter how small and unimportant what we are doing may seem, if we do it well, it may soon become the step that will lead us to better things."

Channing Pollock
Actor, Writer and Composer

"Never let your head hang down. Never give up and sit down and grieve. Find another way. And don't pray when it rains if you don't pray when the sun shines."

Leroy "Satchel" Paige
1906-1982, Baseball Player

„Wealth, like happiness, is never attained when sought after directly. It comes as a by-product of providing a useful service.”

Henry Ford

„Out Of Difficulties Grow Miracles”

Jean de La Bruyere

“Before you begin a thing remind yourself that difficulties and delays quite impossible to foresee are ahead...You can only see one thing clearly, and that is your goal. Form a mental vision of that and cling to it through thick and thin."

Kathleen Norris
1880-1966, Novelist

"Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires...courage."

Ralph Waldo Emerson
1803-1882, Poet and Essayist

"Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried is the true failure."

George E. Woodberry
1855-1930, Writer and Critic

"Stand up to your obstacles and do something about them. You will find that they haven't half the strength you think they have."

Norman Vincent Peale
1898-1993, Pastor, Speaker and Author

"Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible objections must first be overcome."

Samuel Johnson
1709-1784, Author

"Winners are losers who got up and gave it one more try."

Dennis DeYoung
Rock Musician and Songwriter

“It’s easy to have faith in yourself and have discipline when you are a winner, when you are number one. What you got to have is faith and discipline when you’re not a winner.”

Vince Lombardy

"Happiness is to be found along the way, not at the end of the road, for then the journey is over and it is too late. Today, this hour, this minute is the day, the hour, the minute for each of us to sense the fact that life is good, with all of its trials and troubles, and perhaps more interesting because of them."

Robert R. Updegraff
Author of "Be Thankful For Your Troubles"

"The last of the human freedoms: to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way."

Viktor Frankl
1905-1997, Neurologist, Psychiatrist and Author

"To forgive is the highest, most beautiful form of love. In return, you will receive untold peace and happiness."

Dr. Robert Muller
Chancellor Emeritus of the University for Peace of the United Nations

"Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strength. When you go through hardship and decide not to surrender, that is strength."

Arnold Schwarzenegger
Actor and Governor of California

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs - ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."

Harold Thurman Whitman
Philosopher and Theologian

"There's no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love. There is only a scarcity of resolve to make it happen."

Wayne Dyer
Get Wayne's latest book Inspiration: Your Ultimate Calling

“Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which, in prosperous circumstances, would have lain dormant."

Horace 65-8 B.C.

"The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything."

William Connor Magee

I wish You all the very best, the healthiest, the happiest, the most blessed year of Your life,

Eve
Body-Mind-Spirit Health, Fitness & Beauty in Organic Way
http://www.TheSpringOfLife.net

Have a Healthy & Creative Christmas This Year!

2007-12-22T07:04:00.001-08:00

Don't You just love this gorgeous time of Christmas lights and decorations and joyful expectation! Wow! I do. Though... I hope Your Christmas season did not start off the way mine did! Let me elaborate. I was doing some shopping and really enjoying my time. I was visiting one of my favorite stores - a special tea store - and feasting on the rich, healthful aromas and tastes, picking out those most pleasant to my taste buds. I was about to pay for my chosen teas... when I could not find my card. I searched from everywhere, but no card. So, I left my teas and hurried back to where I had made my last payment. Good news was that the cashier had taken my card to the information desk. So, I rushed to the desk and got my card back. What a relief! I paid for my teas and went on with my shopping. I suddenly spotted some really cute hand-knitted, colorful hats. I had exactly the people in mind who I wanted to buy those hats for. As it was a private person who sold them, I had to take out cash from the cash machine. I got the cash and bought the cute hats. Wow! I was so happy and content. I went on with my shopping, now feeling truly elevated and victorious. In a little while, I once again found myself searching for my card in order to pay for the items I wished to purchase... and once again, no card! No way, I thought! It could not be happening again! But it was. I had forgotten my card into the cash machine and it had swallowed it. Just this moment I got a phone-call. A lady was letting me know that I could come and pick up my car. I had dropped off my car to get the tires changed - we have to change our Summer tires into the Winter tires by the 1st of December - and had decided to do some shopping in the near-by mall to kill the time. Now I needed to pick up my car and I had no card to pay with and no cash. I apparently was yet again in one of my complete absentminded-modes. I had to quickly figure out what to do... which meant calling someone who could think straight and give me wise instructions or come and save me. Luckily there was a bank close by and I was able to cancel my card and get a replacement card to be able to get cash. So, I got my car but I missed my next appointment because I spent too much time on messing up.

Still, the good thing is, I did not lose my Christmas spirit in the midst of my adventures in the mall. I am grateful for that. For I love Christmas. It is the most special and the most wonderful time of a year. In Estonia, it is the darkest time of the whole year. It starts getting dark right after 3 p.m. so, You can imagine us loving the Christmas lights and all glittering decorations. We actually NEED them in order to get us through this otherwise dark and cold time of a year. I love to decorate with a lot of gold - sparks things up! Keeps me awake too!

In order to have a more relaxing and pleasant shopping time, I have some useful tips for You:

* When You go shopping, write down exactly what You are going to buy and who You need a gift for, so that You won't be distracted by the millions of offers all around, ending up with stuff You do not even know who to give to... stuff You bought because they looked so cute on the window... they were SO cheap...

* Prepare Your shopping day ahead, knowing how You are going to move in order to have the shortest distances between Your stops;

* If You prepare for a long shopping day, take some healthy snacks with You, so You can snack while shopping and You won't be tempted to go and have some unhealthy and fattening fast food;

* Bring a bottle of water or juice with You. Sometimes we start feeling hungry when we really are thirsty. Take sips of water while shopping;

* Try to replace sweet with spicy. Sometimes when instead of reaching for a sweet snack, we take a bite of spicy or pickled snack, we feel that we don't crave the sweet snack any longer;

* And even better, do Your shopping online... saves You a lot of time and stress (and perhaps keeps You from losing something on the way, IF You too tend to get absent-minded);

* ...or use one of my favorite options - create something Yourself for Your loved ones. Make a card or a little gift Yourself. Putting Your own time and creativity and love in a gift, is the most precious gift of all. You can weave two good things into one - create something Yourself while doing it with Your best friends or family - make it a quality time with Your loved ones.

One of my absolutely, completely, unquestionably favorite things about Christmas is spending time with my family. Every year we take a special time to create something with our own hands. This year I couldn't do it with my treasured sister as she now lives in the States... and my other sister is so busy doing her exams while her 3-year-old tries to squeeze as much of his mummy's attention as he can. So, I took my mom and made an appointment with a silk painter. I decided we were going to paint silk ties to our family's male population... which it is quite numerous. As the artist could take 3 rookies at one time, to instruct, I took one of my friends with. Sure enough, we had a wonderful time. I do think we made quite exquisite ties too... but honestly, it was more about having a good time together. I have to admit, my mom was more concentrated on creating something beautiful, so, her ties look better than mine... but still, all our ties come from our hearts, so, the receives better like them ;-)

Do get together with Your family and treasured friends to create something together, instead of sitting and eating... go for it! What a great way to have fun! Last year my sister Madli created incredibly beautiful Christmas tree decorations of paper, wool and pearls. She gave them as gifts to her friends. My sister Mae has, for years, created little angels that she has given as gifts to her friends. One of my favorite activities has got its roots in the soviet times when we did not have much of anything to create a Christmas mood... for Christmas was banned! We had no candles in stores. So, in order to have candles to burn, we had to make them. Our foreign friends gave us candles as gifts. We did not throw away the left overs. We kept them and at Christmas time we - the kids - and our parents made new candles by melting the old ones together. We got really spectacular ones with all the colors we had stored away and the creative ways of shaping them. I still love to make candles... though a few years ago I managed to set something on fire. (If I had not done it alone, though, nothing would have gone up in flames. I promise!)

Christmas time tends to be a lot about eating... so, here a few tips to survive the holiday dinners:

* Always drink a large glass of water or cold tea 10-20 minutes before dinner. This helps to control the amount You eat. Your stomach will get a feeling of fullness before You manage to overeat;

* When filling Your plate with all the good stuff on the table, choose larger amounts of veggies and greens than other foods;

* If You tend to diet, please forget the diet mentality during the holidays. It will get You into real trouble. Instead, choose the healthier foods in greater quantities and allow Yourself to try also the treats;

* Do not skip meals to save the calories for the big dinner later in the day. This strategy backfires almost always. When You arrive hungry, You will overeat and feel horrible later on;

* Do not ever arrive hungry to a dinner, especially if You are trying to avoid certain foods. If You are hungry, You will choose the most sugary and fatty foods. Instead, eat some healthy snacks, some fruit or veggies about an hour before the dinner and You will have willpower to avoid the unhealthy foods;

* Beware of colas! Choosing to drink water or unsweetened tea at Your meal can save You about 140 empty calories... 280 calories if You get a refill.

In conclusion, let us also not forget the true reason for celebrating Christmas! Jesus Christ said in John 10:10,

"I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)."

May You all have an abundantly blessed Christmas-time. May the joy, love and peace fill Your homes and relationships to the full... till it overflows and blesses those around You,

Eve
Body-Mind-Spirit Health, Fitness & Beauty in Organic Way
http://www.TheSpringOfLife.net

Cleanser of the Body, Healer of the Heart

2007-01-12T09:22:00.000-08:00

Cayenne Pepper (Capsicum frutenscens) - The cayenne pepper belongs to a Capsicum family, more commonly known as chili peppers. The pepper derived its name from a South American town that bears the same name.

History: Cayenne pepper, as well as other chili peppers, has been cultivated for over 7,000 years in Central and South America. Cayenne pepper was considered helpful for various conditions of the gastrointestinal tract, including stomachaches, cramping pains, and gas. It was frequently used to treat diseases of the circulatory system. Christopher Columbus brought the peppers back from his travels to America in the end of the 15th and the beginning of the 16th centuries. At the time black pepper was extremely expensive as it had to be imported to Europe from Asia. So, cayenne pepper started to gain popularity as its substitute.

Rich in: Cayenne pepper contains a large amount of a powerful antioxidant vitamin A. It is rich in all carotenoids, including beta carotene; vitamins C and B6; the mineral manganese; dietary fiber. One of its most important constituents is a substance called capsaicin.

Internal use: Capsaicin in cayenne pepper has powerful pain-reducing and ulcer preventing properties and cardiovascular benefits. The hotter the pepper, the larger the content of capsaicin. Capsaicin is an efficient relief for nasal and lung congestions and helps to clear away the mucus. It has also been studied as a treatment for colds, flu, arthritis, psoriasis, diabetic neuropathy, and of various inflammations. Cayenne pepper, when used regularly, reaches every part of the body, improving the entire circulatory system and promoting the elasticity of arteries, veins, and capillaries. It contains powerful anti-infectionary properties, which promote the health of the mucous membranes that line the nasal passages, lungs, intestinal tract, and urinary tract. Cayenne pepper helps kill the negative bacteria and protect against stomach ulcers. It can help reduce the symptoms of asthma, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and it can help prevent arteriosclerosis, colon cancer, blood clot formation, heart attack, stroke, pulmonary embolism, obesity, and diabetic complications like nerve damage and heart disease. It normalizes blood pressure and is beneficial in case of both high and low blood pressure. Cayenne pepper defends the body against invading pathogens. It boosts the whole immune system.

How to prepare: At the first symptoms of cold or flu or just as a preventative remedy, add some powdered chayenne pepper and honey to your tea. If you do not enjoy the spicy taste of the herb, take a little powdered chayenne and gulp it down with cooled tea. I prefer to use it this way. My sister loves the strong taste of the spice in her tea. For a sore throat use it as a gargle.

Important facts: John Christopher, famous natural healer, praised the use of Cayenne throughout the time of his practice. He had this to say in his Newsletter titled "Cayenne", Vol 1, Number 12: "In 35 years of practice, and working with the people and teaching, I have never on house calls lost one heart attack patient and the reason is, whenever I go in--if they are still breathing--I pour down them a cup of cayenne tea (a teaspoon of cayenne in a cup of hot water, and within minutes they are up and around). This is one of the fastest acting aids we could ever give for the heart, because it feeds that heart immediately. Most hearts are suffering from malnutrition because of processed food we are eating, but here it gets a good powerful dose of real food and it's something that has brought people in time after time. This is something that everyone should know how great it is, because a heart attack can come to your friends or loved ones any time. And even yourself. The warm tea is faster working than tablets, capsules, cold tea, because the warm tea opens up the cell structure--makes it expand and accept the cayenne that much faster, and it goes directly to the heart, through the artery system, and feeds it in powerful food. ...in most cases, your heart attack is a case of malnutrition. The heart hasn't had a decent meal for so long that it is practically starved, and we give it immediately a good meal instead of whipping it with nitroglycerine or digitalis or some other type of drug to force it to beat rapidly to bring more food values to the heart so that it could find a little help to keep going. Here we give the cayenne directly to the system, and it goes into the heart area acting as a good full meal. Many fast responses come from this."

External use: To stop a wound from bleeding, or to fight infection and promote healing, pour the powdered herb straight on a wound. A topical application of a cream, containing capsaicin, has been found very helpful in reducing severe pain in people suffering from cluster headaches as well as in the patients of diabetic neuropathy and osteoarthritis .

Good to know: Always get your spices from a special spice store because most of the time the quality of herbs in special stores is greatly superior to the ones sold in ordinary supermarkets. To make sure the spices you use are not irradiated, choose organically grown herbs.

Eve
Body-Mind-Spirit Health, Fitness & Beauty in Organic Way
http://www.TheSpringOfLife.net

Wise Words for the New Year!

2007-01-03T07:23:00.000-08:00

"You can't just sit there and wait for people to give you that golden dream. You've got to get out there and make it happen for yourself."

Diana Ross
Singer and Actress

"Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried is the true failure."

George E. Woodberry
1855-1930, Writer and Critic

"Stand up to your obstacles and do something about them. You will find that they haven't half the strength you think they have."

Norman Vincent Peale
1898-1993, Pastor, Speaker and Author

"Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible objections must first be overcome."

Samuel Johnson
1709-1784, Author

"Winners are losers who got up and gave it one more try."

Dennis DeYoung
Rock Musician and Songwriter

"Lots of people limit their possibilities by giving up easily. Never tell yourself this is too much for me. It's no use. I can't go on. If you do you're licked, and by your own thinking too. Keep believing and keep on keeping on."

Norman Vincent Peale
1898-1993, Pastor, Speaker and Author

Remember: You CAN do it! Whatever is in Your heart, You CAN do it! If You haven't yet found the one thing that You want to do most... think: what would I do even for free?... this is where Your heart is also. Believe in Yourself and go for it! You have ALL what it takes to succeed!

I wish You many blessings and a great year of 2007!

Eve
Body-Mind-Spirit Health, Fitness & Beauty in Organic Way
http://www.TheSpringOfLife.net

Staying Healthy and Happy Throughout the Holiday Season

2006-12-13T09:49:00.000-08:00

I hope You are all enjoying the holidays! I am wishing You the most wonderful Christmas time ever and may the year of 2007 be filled with much joy, love, hope, peace, health, success and prosperity in every area of Your lives! :-)

To make this holiday time more pleasant, more happy and more healthy, I have a few good tips for You. I'm sure You'll find some tips that suit You and help You through some stressful moments.

More than anything I suggest You surround Yourself with people You love and enjoy being around... people who uplift and encourage You... people who make You feel special... people who make You laugh! This gives us strength to be around not so positive people... those who need a good dose of positivity and uplifting from us!

I believe that more than anything the Christmas time is a time to remember those who do not have much... to go and bless a family with a wonderful Christmas dinner or some gifts for their kids... give to those who can't give a present back to You. It truly is a greater blessing to give than to receive. Heart-gifts are the ones that touch the most... and mean the most. It always gives me a true Christmas feeling when I do things for people who don't have much, but who are so happy and grateful when they are remembered. :-)

Christmas time tends to be a lot about eating... so, here a few tips to survive the holiday dinners:

Always drink a large glass of water or cold tea about 30 minutes before dinner. This helps to control the amount You eat. Your stomach will get a feeling of fullness before You manage to overeat.

When filling Your plate with all the good stuff on the table, choose larger amounts of veggies and greens than other foods.

If You tend to diet, please forget the diet mentality during the holidays. It will get You into real trouble. Instead, choose the healthier foods in greater quantities and allow Yourself to try also the treats.

Do not skip meals to save the calories for the big dinner later in the day. This strategy backfires almost always. When You arrive hungry, You will overeat and feel horrible.

Do not ever arrive hungry to a dinner, especially if You are trying to avoid certain foods. If You are hungry, You will choose the most sugary and fatty foods. Instead, eat some healthy snacks, some fruit or veggies about an hour before the dinner and You will have willpower to avoid the unhealthy foods.

Here are some tips for the shopping time:

If You prepare for a long shopping day, take some healthy snacks with You, so You can snack while shopping and You won't be tempted to go and have some unhealthy and fattening fast food.

Bring a bottle of water or juice with You. Sometimes we start feeling hungry when we really are thirsty. Take sips of water while shopping.

Try to replace sweet with spicy. Sometimes when instead of reaching for a sweet snack, we take a bite of spicy or pickled snack, we feel that we don't crave the sweet snack any more.

And even the best, do Your shopping online... saves You a lot of time and stress.

...or even better - create something Yourself for Your loved ones. Make a card or a little gift Yourself. Putting Your own time and creativity and love in a gift, is the most precious gift of all.

And finally, when You have people coming over, don't get stressed out by trying to make everything look perfect and then end up snapping at others and even spoiling the mood. Relax! When things go wrong, sing a little tune. When You are happy and in a good mood, others will enjoy the visit so much more... and no one will notice things that didn't turn out quite right.

May You all have a wonderful holiday time!

Eve
Body-Mind-Spirit Health, Fintess & Beauty in Organic Way
http://www.TheSpringOfLife.net

Dream... And Dream Bold

2006-12-02T09:08:00.000-08:00

"All of the great achievers of the past have been visionary figures; they were men and women who projected into the future. They thought of what could be, rather than what already was, and then they moved themselves into action, to bring these things into fruition."

Bob Proctor
Author and Speaker

"Nothing is as real as a dream. The world can change around you, but your dream will not. Responsibilities need not erase it. Duties need not obscure it. Because the dream is within you, no one can take it away."

Tom Clancy
Author

"Focus more on your desire than on your doubt, and the dream will take care of itself. You may be surprised at how easily this happens. Your doubts are not as powerful as your desires, unless you make them so."

Marcia Wieder
Speaker and Author

"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them."

Walt Disney
1901-1966, Cartoon Artist and Filmmaker

"Picture yourself vividly as winning and that alone will contribute immeasurably to success. Great living starts with a picture, held in your imagination, of what you would like to do or be."

Harry Emerson Fosdick
1878-1969, Minister

The Holidays – The Final Stretch

2006-11-28T08:22:00.000-08:00

Here are some ideas to help you reduce stress and enjoy yourself through the holiday home stretch:

Try ten-minute workouts – they do have benefits! (It’s about the cumulative time spent throughout the day, not just one particular workout.) Some ideas:

Perform one set of exercises, to fatigue, for each of the major muscle groups (legs, chest, back, arms, and abdominals).
Try a quick cardio blast: start at an easy intensity to warm up for one minute then perform a variety of moves to increase your intensity for the next eight minutes (you should feel like you’re “working”). End with a one-minute cool down.
How about a yoga break performing ten minutes of sun salutation? You can find this series of yoga poses online or in most yoga books.

Avoid crowded malls and finish your shopping online. There are many websites that have almost anything you need, and your favorite stores probably have websites too. During the holidays you can often find great deals, like free shipping!
Carry individual serving size snacks for those times you get hungry while away from home. Items such as nuts, bars, peanut butter and crackers, and string cheese work well.
Get plenty of sleep! This will help with stress, keep your appetite in check and maintain your energy.

You can do this! Promise yourself this year will be a less-stressed, fun, and relaxing holiday season. You deserve it!

By Amy Lundberg
Lifestyle Fitness Coach
Amy Offer's a Free report on the 7 Keys For Maximizing Your Motivation: Toned and Fit Body at www.aimforfitness.com

Happy Holidays to You All,

Eve
Body-Mind-Spirit Health, Fitness & Beauty in Organic Way
http://www.TheSpringOfLife.net