I have just completed reading a book written by Eunice Ingham Stopfel, the book was titled “Stories the feet have told”. Eunice was the founder and developer of the Ingham method of Reflexology. This was the method of reflexology that I had been trained in. There was a quaint phrase in the book that I think says it all.

“ If you’re feeling out of kilter,

Don’t know why or what about.

Let your feet reveal the answer find the sore spot and work it out.”

This describes perfectly how the reflexologist works. Looking at your whole body system and in conjunction with the client looking for areas of sensitivity and congestion indicating lack of circulation in the area. It’s particularly important that we look at the glands (our Endocrine system) and how it is functioning. It’s often where much of the story can be told as congestion in one gland may indicate where the health problem is coming from. Once discovered, the reflexologist can work this area to improve circulation and therefore function to that part of the body.

Depending on the individual and their health concern or concerns and how the client relates to the reflexology will depend on how effective the treatment will be. It is important to know that you will need to allow 4-6 appointments and then review your progress from there.

Our feet are our support system, yet we rarely associate our feet with other areas of our body. Often we look at a localised area where we feel pain or discomfort. We concentrate on that area thinking that is where problem is. However by looking at the whole body and parts of the body that are not functioning correctly, we can assist the body to get back in balance, helping to restore normal flow, and allow the body to  heal itself.

If your reflexes are under pressure hence the related body part will be experiencing it. The feet and your body are telling you a story, indicating that something is happening.

Don’t ignore it, let a reflexologist find the sore spot and help you work it out

As we make our way through life, we can often accumulate negative emotional baggage. Our subconscious mind will store many of our experiences in order to protect us from future harm. Imagine that from birth, everything that happens to us is written down internally on our Script. This script has no other function other than to keep you alive and to protect you from danger.

Every experience you have ever had will be stored on your script, some of which will be good, but mostly, bad experiences tend to be stored, along with every time anyone has insulted you etc. Your inner script is very powerful and if you let it, it will rule the decisions you make for the rest of your life. Your script is the reason behind low self esteem as it holds on to every bad experience you’ve had rather than remembering the positive.

Do you know any babies with low self esteem? Of course not, it is something that builds throughout life based on the outcomes of our negative experiences.

Would you choose to remember a criticism or a complement? Of course we would choose to remember a compliment, but we dont have a choice in the matter while we let our scripts control us. Our minds hold on to the negative things that have been said about us and it can become fairly depressing.

The good news is that you are not your script, you are not the sum of your past experiences as many people think. You are separate from your script and do not have to follow its misguided instruction. It is possible to separate yourself from your script, to operate without referring to it. You can free yourself from the constraints that your script incurs, doing so will change your life.

There are many self-help programs around, but most of them only last for the duration of your payments. Freeing yourself from your script is a life-long change that will make you believe in yourself as you never have done before.

Dry skin is very frequently sensitive as well, which only makes it more difficult to care for. Dry sensitive skin is tight because of the lack of natural oils and has a tendency to develop small expression lines that will eventually become wrinkles. Furthermore, this kind of skin makes one more liable to allergic reactions, rashes, capillaries breaking and sudden flushes. Therefore, taking care of dry sensitive skin can be a real challenge sometimes. It is worth mentioning that it afflicts people of all ages, colours and genders.

You have to follow stringent rules in your choice of cleansing, moisturising and make-up products when you have dry sensitive skin to take care of. Firstly, you need to minimize the amount of products you put on your face. The fact is, the more chemicals you use, the bigger the chance of developing rashes. The products have to be fragrance-free and hypo-allergenic so that you don’t get red, irritation blotches. Blusher and foundation can pose some difficulties for dry sensitive skin.

Try not to put on too much make-up in order to allow your skin to breathe adequately. When you are shopping for make up, other than looking for the hypo-allergenic label, you should also try to make sure that they are oil-free. Foundation and blusher should be water-based because they won’t clog your pores. Furthermore, oil-absorbing foundations are not recommended for dry sensitive skin, because they will make your epidermis even drier.

It is also not to be recommended that you use exfoliants or astringent products on dry sensitive skin because they can irritate the thin upper layers of skin. The same thing must be said in relation to cleansing – too frequent washing of the face means removing the natural oils that oil the skin, which will result in an increased dryness.

Furthermore, your day-time moisturiser should have a sun-protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 built-in. However, however much you may enjoy sunbathing, dry sensitive skin does not really permit you to enjoy such outdoor, skin-parching pleasures.

Don’t expose dry sensitive skin to the sun only to tan it, because you will only achieve early ageing and maybe even fairly serious health problems. And last but not least, a warning must be given that you should change some of your cosmetic products for others.

If you decide that you want to change to another skincare brand, it is very important that you test the product on a small piece of skin in order to check whether it triggers any allergic reactions.

According to a recent study, the number of people visiting complementary health practitioners has risen by fifty percent in the last ten years. What is a complementary health practitioner? Do they work well with “regular” doctors? Why would someone choose to visit a complementary health practitioner”isn’t a “regular” doctor enough? This article will answer all of these questions.

Who are Complementary Health Practitioners?

A complementary health practitioner is someone who offers medical/health services that can be used to compliment the treatment a person is already receiving from a “regular” medical professional. These professionals practice things like chiropractic medicine, osteopathy, physiotherapy, alternative medicine, acupuncture”things of that nature. Usually these treatments are meant to help the treatments prescribed by a “regular” doctor.

Why do Patients Choose Complementary Health Practitioners?

Readers might not believe this but “regular” doctors do sometimes tell their patients to find a complementary health practitioner to help them keep their recovery progressing at a rapid pace. A physiotherapist can work in the same office or hospital as “regular” doctors and will often work alongside the medical team to make sure a patient recovers from his/her injury. Patients can also be sent to Chiropractors and Osteopaths for additional help.

Sometimes, however, a person will choose to visit a complementary health practitioner before visiting a “regular” doctor and this is why there are rumours of animosity between the two types of medical professionals. There are a number of reasons that a person would choose an osteopath or alternative medicine professional instead of a traditional western medicine doctor.

There are a lot of people out there who simply do not trust or are afraid of going to see “regular” doctors. Some people find it easier to trust alternative medicine. Still other patients will choose a complementary health practitioner because his services are more affordable than the services of a “regular” doctor.

How Could the Relationship Between Complementary Health Practitioners and Regular Doctors Be Described?

Most people think that “regular” doctors and complementary health practitioners are rivals and do not get along. This could not be more false! Complementary health practitioners and regular doctors have a wonderful working relationship! This article has already mentioned that regular doctors will often refer their patients to a complementary health practitioner for extra therapy or additional treatment.

The same can be said of the complementary health practitioners. Many osteopaths, chiropractors and physiotherapists will refer their patients to “traditional” medical professionals when they find that their patients are in need of specific treatments that only a “regular” doctor is licensed to provide.

The cholesterol in blood comes from two main sources: the foods we eat and what we manufacture. Cholesterol levels that are too high or too low in the blood can be a very dangerous factor, often leading to a heart attack or a stroke. There are many people who take statin drugs to reduce their cholesterol. However, there are many natural foods that you can eat to help lower cholesterol safely and naturally without the use of dangerous statin drugs. You may notice a substantial improvement in your cholesterol level once you begin consuming these whole foods on a daily basis.

Here is a list of the top 10 natural foods to help maintain a healthy cholesterol level in the body.

Oat bran and brown rice bran are the best foods for reducing cholesterol. They are rich in soluble fiber, thereby lowers cholesterol levels by binding fats and heavy metals.

Blueberries (organic) alone may help lower cholesterol as effectively as statin drugs! Berries, in general, help prevent oxidation of bad cholesterol and they are super abundant in antioxidants.
Fish is a good source of protein and omega 3 fatty acids, which has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol. Omega 3 fatty acids also help to lower triglyceride levels.
Garlic contains allicin and can have a powerful antioxidant effect. Lowers cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
Apples contain both soluble and insoluble fiber. Apple’s two kinds of fiber are useful for reducing cholesterol levels and for decreasing your risk of hardening of the arteries, stroke, and heart attack. Apple’s insoluble fiber works to remove LDL from the body, while apple’s fiber pectin reduces the amount of LDL cholesterol made in the liver.
Nuts are abundant in fiber, phytonutrients and antioxidants such as vitamin E and selenium. Nuts also contain plant sterols and the healthy fats (mono-and polyunsaturated).
Beans are high in soluble fiber; lowers the bad cholesterol and raises the good cholesterol. Other foods high in soluble fiber include lentils, peas, and ground flaxseeds.
Foods with Plant Sterols (or stanols) are powerful phytosterols found in plant membranes that may block cholesterol absorption. Sterols are found naturally in several kinds of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, cereals, legumes, and vegetable oils.
Olive oil has been known to reduce LDLs, raise HDLs, and is rich in antioxidants.

Soy protein -studies show that a total daily intake of 25 grams of soy protein significantly lowers LDL cholesterol levels. Soy has a high amount of polyunsaturated fats, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Soy products are also a great replacement for animal products.

Last but not least, it’s important to keep in mind that cholesterol is found only in animal products, not plant foods. Therefore, eating fewer animal foods and more plant foods will lower the blood cholesterol. If you already have high cholesterol, temporarily changing to a vegetarian diet with fish and non-fat dairy products, such as yogurt may help lower your levels quickly.

Robin Reichert is a natural health writer, AFPA Certified Nutrition and Wellness Consultant, and is currently a graduate student of natural health at Clayton College. Lifelong learning and educating others about natural health is her passion.

For more natural health and wellness information, please go to Robin’s Wellness Resource Center at http://www.wellness-bee.com

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Chinese people have known of the health benefits of raw garlic for thousands of years. In China, apart from being used to flavor food, garlic is also traditionally used in teas and folk remedies. Why? Garlic is one of nature’s strongest immune system boosters, and a powerful antibiotic, digestive aid and libido enhancer. As you’ll see below, these are just some of the health benefits of raw garlic.

However, while the health and medicinal benefits of garlic are numerous, it can also overheat your system if you eat too much. According to Traditional Chinese Dietary Therapy, garlic is warm in nature and a strong stimulant. Therefore, people who have excess heat in their body should first balance their system. Excessive internal heat comes from eating too many heating foods and drinks, e.g. meat, fried foods, coffee and alcohol. This causes symptoms like red eyes, bad breath, constipation, yellow urine, a yellow tongue moss and acne. If you have these kinds of symptoms, eliminate or greatly reduce the above items from your diet for a few weeks before you start eating garlic regularly, or it will just make your body hotter and your symptoms worse.

Below are some main health and medicinal benefits of garlic. Note: To get the full health benefits of raw garlic, you have to do just that – take it raw! Commercial garlic pills, tablets, oils and capsules, especially the odorless ones, are often devoid of the active enzymes that provide the benefits. Crushed, raw garlic may be mixed into virtually any meal, or put in gelatin capsules for easy swallowing, or drunk as a tea by simply crushing 1 or 2 cloves and adding hot water. These methods may not be very appealing, but do you want the benefits or not?

Health & Medicinal Benefits of Garlic

Powerful immune system enhancer

Antibacterial, antiviral Antifungal – effective remedy for yeast infections & candida

Clears boils & infected sores

Improves appetite Digestive aid – especially good if eaten with meat

Increases libido – take several raw cloves a day

Expells intestinal parasites & worms

Reduces high cholesterol

Health Remedies Using Garlic Cloves

Below are some Chinese health remedies using garlic cloves as the main ingredient. These are common, traditional ways that Chinese people make use of the health benefits of raw garlic.

Garlic Tea: Put 1 or 2 cloves of crushed garlic and 1 or 2 grams of loose-leaf green tea in a teapot. Add a teaspoon or two of unrefined brown sugar if you wish. Pour in boiling water that has been left to cool slightly. Stir the mixture and let it steep for several minutes before drinking. Afterwards, leave the ingredients in the pot, as you can top it up with more water once or twice throughout the day. This is a common folk remedy for killing germs and resolving toxins in the body.

Garlic Nose Drops: This is a preventative for the common cold and sinus problems. Crush several cloves of garlic to obtain the juice. Mix with warm water at a ratio of two parts water to one part garlic juice. Lie down and use an eye-dropper to place a couple of drops into each nostril as soon as you feel any symptoms coming on. Continue for as long as necessary. If the drops overly irritate your nostrils, stop, or reduce the number of drops.

Garlic Paste: Crush 2 garlic cloves and mix with several drops of pure sesame oil to make a paste for external application to boils,carbuncles and infected sores. Cover then reapply when the paste becomes dry and falls off. If the skin becomes overly irritated discontinue use or wait for a day or two and try again.

Maximizing the Health Benefits of Raw Garlic

To get the full health benefits of raw garlic, whether in salads, as tea, or in capsules, it’s important you eat less refined, processed and canned foods, and more foods in as close to their natural state as possible. Afterall, what’s the point in taking fresh, raw garlic to improve your health while, for instance, continuing to eat nutritionally-dead, toxin-producing junk foods?

Matthew Scott is a professionally trained Chinese medicine practitioner from Australia, now living in China. Matthew offers [http://www.chinese-herbal-remedies.com/online-herbal-remedies-advice.html]online herbal remedies advice at his website, Chinese-herbal-remedies.com

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Do you know what your Vitamin D level is? Chances are you don’t and chances are it’s low. Research seems to be coming out almost daily about the effects of Vitamin D deficiency and how many people are deficient. Estimates range from about 35% in young people to 100% in the elderly.

There is a growing awareness of how critical Vitamin D is to our health. There have been many studies on various diseases and conditions which point to Vitamin D deficiency as playing a relevant role. Recent research indicates that the following may be associated with Vitamin D deficiency:

• rheumatoid arthritis
• cognitive impairment and dementia.
• hypertension which may cause high blood pressure
• metabolic syndrome, a precursor to type II diabetes
• heart disease

As you can see most of the above are related to inflammation. People with higher levels of Vitamin D also have better lung capacity, something that could be important to asthma sufferers.In fact, in the May 1, 2009 issue of American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, researchers at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston report a link between insufficient levels of vitamin D and increased severity of asthma in children.

There is now increasing evidence that Vitamin D deficiency plays an important role in the increase in autism. Vitamin D goes through two biochemical processes which ultimately produces calcitriol, which affects brain cell development. Some research indicates that a low Vitamin D level in a pregnant mother will affect brain development in the baby. The research while not conclusive, at this time, gives hope for a solution to the increasing incidence of autism.

Vitamin D is also essential for the absorption of calcium which children need to grow health bones and adults need to prevent osteoporosis.

Vitamin D is not something we get in large quantities from food but rather something we absorb from sunshine. As we have become a society who spends more and more time indoors or covered up when we’re outdoors, our Vitamin D levels have dropped. And many of us live in northern climes where, at least in the winter months, there may not be a lot of sunshine. Although surprisingly, there is a large number of people in states like Florida and Texas with below normal Vitamin D levels. Taking Vitamin D3 supplements is an inexpensive and simple solution which scientists believe will give us more protection against many diseases that are on the rise.

The daily recommended dosage of Vitamin D3 has changed drastically recently as more data becomes available. Cancer prevention specialists at the University of California are now recommending as much as 1000 IU/day. There are actual studies which show Vitamin D3 is effective in treating and preventing prostate and colon cancer and new studies are indicating the same may be true for many other types of cancer.

Remember the blood test for Vitamin D levels is inexpensive and can be easily added on to any blood test you may have. The recommended level of Vitamin D is 75-125 nmol/L. Check with your doctor before beginning any new supplementation.

Karen Davison helps people live a healthier, longer, more energetic life. Karen’s passion is helping others discover and realize their dreams, so they too can choose the lifestyle they desire. Learn more about health and nutrition at http://www.metabolicplan.wordpress.com

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Vital detoxifying organs such as the kidneys and liver are adversely affected by dehydration and do not clear toxins from the body efficiently. As a result, these toxins accumulate in the tissues and over time, can cause degeneration and disease.

Some conditions associated with inadequate hydration include:

• Headaches
• Poor digestion and constipation
• Reduced immune function
• Inflammation and joint pain
• Allergies, asthma, skin conditions
• Disturbed lipid/cholesterol metabolism
• Decreased energy levels

Adults should aim to drink around 2 to 3 litres of water per day, depending on their diet, size and level of physical activity. Drinking other liquids such as tea, coffee, soft drinks, alcohol etc DOES NOT count as water, since they actually put a metabolic load on the body and may even have a diuretic effect. Pure filtered water is the best option as it is free of most pollutants, additives and chemicals. Bottled water is a more expensive option. Tap water is acceptable and better than nothing.

 The thirst response in humans is not very efficient and by the time we realise we are thirsty, the body is already quite dehydrated. Get into the habit of drinking water on a regular basis, preferably between meals, as excessive water intake with a meal can reduce digestive enzyme activity.

Simply becoming more aware of the importance of water and increasing your water intake is one of the cheapest and most beneficial things you can do for your health.

Good health !!

Marita Reynolds.

Marita Reynolds. © Copyright 2009

New wonder drugs and mind-boggling surgical advances usually make the top of the news. No matter how great may be the achievements of the medical profession, if you are concerned with maintaining your own personal health then you will probably get more immediate protection by following some simple steps towards a more healthy way of life rather than waiting to be saved by a new technique. In case you are not sure where to start, let me give your some suggestions.

1. Exercise Regularly. In the past humans had to work at physically demanding tasks and this kept them in shape. Today, we are engaged in mental rather than physical labor, and this lack of physical activity is often the cause of obesity, diabetes and a host of other illnesses. Instead of sitting back on your easy chair, you should make it a point to exercise daily. If you are not the athletic type or you don’t want to invest in an exercise machine, the easiest way to get exercise is to take a walk each day. Thirty to forty minutes daily will definitely keep you in shape.

2. Heed the call of your body before eating. I know that most people have a routine when it comes to eating. At a certain time it is the hour for lunch and at another it is dinner time. But instead of eating according to the clock it is a better idea to eat only when you actually feel hungry. If you ignore the signals of your body and eat when you are not hungry (on a continual basis) then this may lead to digestive problems. So, be sensitive to your real needs and refrain from eating if you are not really hungry.

3. Observe a fast on a periodic basis. “What, are you telling me not to eat?” Look at it this way. You don’t work seven days a week and 52 weeks per year. You need rest periods from time to time in order to maintain your overall efficiency. The same is true for your digestive system. By fasting on a periodic basis you can give your digestive system a chance to rest, and also help eliminate toxins from your body. Try it and you will see how good it feels.

4. When You Get Tired, Go to Sleep! This seems like an obvious rule, but I know that I am not perfect in following it and millions of other people have the same weakness. Sometimes we stay up later to get some work done, but then lose that time the next day due to being drowsy or by getting up later. Some people take stimulants to keep awake and others just can’t turn off the TV or computer. Just like your food habits, your body is trying to tell you what to do and when to do it. Listen to your body when it comes to sleeping, and you will maintain your health.

5. Get Up as Early As Possible. You may have heard the expression “Early to bed, early to rise makes the man healthy, wealthy and wise.” I don’t know if early rising will make your rich or wise, but it is definitely one of the traits of people who live long. Our body is best suited to being active during the day and sleeping during the hours of darkness. If you reverse this pattern and sleep during the day and remain active deep into the night, then you will disturb your body’s natural equilibrium and this usually leads to illness.

6. Relieve Stress with Meditation and Yoga. Stress is the cause of many illnesses and our daily routine at work and even at home is often filled with stress causing incidents. We definitely need a way to get rid of the stress and also a way to deal with mental tension. Silent meditation, accompanied by simple yoga and deep relaxation is an ideal way to shut off the noise of the outside world and to find inner peace. You don’t have to tie yourself in pretzel or meditate for hours on end. Just some simple exercises will help you physically and mentally.

Practice any or all of these above-mentioned methods and you will be pleasantly surprised with the results. Hopefully you will never have to try out the wonder drugs or undergo the latest types of surgery!

We have grown up in a culture that has actually encouraged us to always be active in body and mind. We tend to constantly keep our minds working in overdrive and thinking all the time, using our energy resources continuously without allowing ourselves to re energise by having some “no thought” time. To clear our head as it were.

Recall back to how many times a simple thought has entered your mind, which has led you to another thought and then another thought etc, until your mind has created a scenario that hasn’t even happened yet. Sometimes this scenario may have a happy ending, other times we may have unnecessarily upset ourselves. Our ego and mind love to play with our thoughts to see what they can create. Nine times out of ten it is our imagination that is running wild creating unrealistic situations and “what if” or “if only” scenarios. These take us out of the present moment.

So how do we manage this egoic mind? Start by developing the skill of meditation. Meditation is a learned process of calming the mind and not becoming attached to the dramas and thought streams it wants to create.
It is a process of concentrating on the breath and being the observer of our thoughts, rather than becoming attached to those thoughts and allowing them to anger or upset us.

It is common for people to say “they haven’t got the time to spend meditating” or “why would I waste time sitting and not doing anything, when I achieve so much more by staying active?”

I find this very puzzling. Is it any wonder that people are suffering ill health, anxiety and stress related disorders in the western countries? simply because they feel that they need to be constantly doing or thinking about something. Not taking some time to simply sit, relax, breathe and unwind has been proven to have detrimental effects on our health.

If you are one of those people, please acknowledge that aspect of yourself. It’s never too late to learn meditation. There are a variety of meditation techniques available. You just need to find one that suits you and spend some time practising.
Think of it as part of your daily health plan. Even 10-20 minutes per day is all you need to get started. Give yourself time to practice and persevere. You will definitely feel better for having incorporated some meditation into your daily routine.

For further information on Meditation please visit the Links page at  http://www.soleresponse.com/links.html

 Meditations/Relaxation music CDs available click here

Good health !!

Marita Reynolds. © Copyright 2009