Depression or SAD

Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD is seasonal depression. It tends to be high in the winter months especially after the holidays. With January comes cold, and snow, and if you are in cache valley inversion, but it can also bring with it “The Blues.” If we know that this can happen there are ways we can act to strike it down before it gets serious. Here are some natural ways to help pull you out of the blues.

Of course a lot of people have seen relief from being zoned.

Exercise is a great way to help as well. You get your endorphins going and that of course will boost your mood. In addition to if you are exercising you are getting healthier, who is happier about that!!

Eating healthy (which is quite the task after big holidays) will always help to boost your mood. Also remember to eat only when you are hungry, and no eating mindlessly in front of the TV. Your body needs proper nutrition to function properly.

Here it is our habit this month DRINK YOUR WATER!!! Make sure you are hydrated it helps a ton in stabilizing your moods.

Okay so this might not be the best for your skin, but sometimes when I need that little pick me up I head to the tanning beds. I don't ever stay the full time or burn. I just go long enough to get a little warmth and sun, okay fake sun. This can also help the dry patches of skin that tend to appear in these dry cold months.
Go get out in the sun shine if it is out there and make sure you let as much natural light into your home as you can.

Sometimes doing acts of service for others will help you to snap out of a depression. Or find someone that you can confide in and talk with them on a regular basis. Or find a fun activity that you enjoy and possibly a partner to do this with if you know you won't do it on your own. Things like an exercise class, a sewing class, movie night, girls game night, and make sure to do them regularly.

Essential oils which have shown to help include basil, bergamot, clary sage, frankincense, geranium, ginger, grapefruit, ylang ylang, rose, neroli and jasmine, juniper, roman chamomile, rosewood, sage, sandalwood and tangerine. All of these oils will help with depression and lifting your mood.

doTERRA Blends to help with depression are balance, citrus bliss, elevation, serenity, and whisper will all help to lift your mood.

Rocky mountain oil blends to help with depression are baby skin, harvesting gifts, balance, transition, love, transformation, tranquility, affirmation, and endurance.

The butterfly express oil blends of Heart Song, Tranquility, Whispering Hope and Sanctuary are all effective oils to help with any type of depression.


Herbal supplements to help with depression are:

St. John's Wart
Ginseng
Blessed thistle
Ginkgo biloba
Kava Kava
l-glutamine

Natures Sunshine products that can help with depression or SAD
5-HTP Power
7-KETO
Mood Elevator
CAM-e
Glyco Essentials
DHA
Folic Acid Plus
Melatonin Extra
Depressaquel homeopathic remedy

Stones to help with depression are

Lepidolite, Lithium quartz, kunzite, ametrine, sunstone, apatite, botswana agate, carnelian, idocrase, jet lapis lazuli, moss agate, rutilated quartz, rose quartz, prehnite, sunstone or any yellow stones.

You can use a few of these together if you need, or all of them. Or maybe even just one if it is helping. One thing is for sure with any type of depression is to take care of things quickly.

Winter Hair.... ugh the static!

Some simple ways to combat winter static for your hair.

A hot oil treatment with some jojoba oil. Warm up a few teaspoons preferably in a double boiler then massage through the scalp and comb through your hair. Cover with a plastic bag (not over your face just the hair of course), and let it sit for 10-20 minutes then wash out.

I have also heard to use a little less conditioner during these dry winter months.

You can add a few drops of jojoba oil to your palm and put on your dry hair.

Or even try spraying your comb with hair spray and run through your dry hair.

Hope these few tips help you out with that winter time static.

HealthTip of the day

Enroll in a class, such as ballroom dancing, yoga, or even pottery making.

Storage Preparedness Week 3

Okay so for week 3 we will be building up our first aid supplies. Purchase things such as band-aids, neosporin, calamine lotion, thermometers, colloidal silver, on guard essential oil blend from doTERRA, peppermint essential oil. Purchase as much as you can, but don't feel like you have to purchase all of this. I would check at Freebies 2 Deals for a coupon on some of this stuff, and I will offer 10% off colloidal silver, on guard and peppermint oil.

HealthTip of the day

When you accomplish one of your short-term or long-term goals, make sure that you reward yourself well!

HealthTip of the day

Identify what you want to accomplish with your health, stregnth, and weight. Set goals to plan for success.

Essential Oils Class

Hey there all of you who are interested I will be teaching a class (cost $10) on Essential oils. You will learn fun ways to use them, how to use them in place of medicine, ways to make some fun beauty products with essential oils, and include some recipes. And the big exciting thing, I will be doing a demonstration of doTERRA's aromaTOUCH Therpy!! It is so wonderful, and great to do on your family, especially if you have someone that is stressed out, has regular aches and pains, or just needs a boost in their immune system. Come and bring a friend. There will be a wonderful booklet of information on essential oils. If you RSVP through this post you will get in for $7 instead of $10.

The class will be held Wed. Feb. 17 at 6:30 (don't worry I will post a reminder) The location of the class will be 210 E 1530 N, N Logan. Please park along the street not or in the circle drive, do not park in any other drive ways as they are reserved for those who live at Devonshire Court. Please call me if you have any questions 435-760-5860.

Hope to see you there!!!
Sheena

Have a girls night with essential oils!!

Here are a few fun ways to use essential oils and make some great cleansers, masks and moisturizers. Have fun with these and enjoy.

Basic cold cream & makeup remover

1 TBSP Jojoba oil
7 TBSP Coconut oil
10 drops lavender or Roman Chamomile essential oils



Minty Soap and body wash

8 oz unscented liquid castile soap
1/2 c lemon balm hydrosol
1/2 c distilled water
1 tsp jojoba oil
10 drops spearmint essential oil
10 drops peppermint essential oil



mix together well and shake well before each use.

4 Ripe strawberries sliced and stems removed
1 drop peppermint or lavender essential oil

Mash strawberries with fork. Squeeze through cheesecloth or nylon stocking and catch the juice in a small bowl. Add the essential oil and stir to blend. Saturate a cotton square and apply to face and neck (avoiding eye area) and massage with fingertips for about a minute and rinse.

Strawberry juice has gentle astringent and bleaching properties and is best used as a light cleanser for those who don't wear makeup.

Acne Astringent

This is a great asstringent to help heal and sooth acne. It is also great for washing minor cuts and abrasions or great for an oily scalp.

2 c distilled water
1 T calendula or chamomile flowers
1 T yarrow
6 dropps juniper, rosemary or peppermint oil

This can be kept for up to 1 week as long as it is refrigerated after each use.
Boil water and herbs all together. Cover and steep for 30 minutes. Let it cool and then add the essential oil, stir and strain. Apply with a cotton cleansing pad, apply approx. 1 tsp to the face avoiding the eye area.

Tangerine Toner

1/2 c witch hazel
10 drops tangerine, neroli, or sweet orange essential oil

combine all ingredients in container and shake well. Use within a year, no need to refridgerate. Apply with cotton cleansing pad, avoiding the eye area.



Green Goddess Purifying Clay Mask

1 T french green clay finely ground
pure aloe vera juice
2 drops german chamomile or helichrysum essential oil

Combine the clay with enough aloe vera juice to form a smooth spreadable past and stir in essential oil. Apply with fingertips, spreading onto the face and neck and allow to dry completely (20-30 min) and rinse.

Honey Massage Mask

2-3 tsp fresh raw honey

Honey will get thinner and runnier as it warms on the skin so be sure to pull your hair back prior to application. Use your fingers to apply a thin coat of honey to your entire face, when spread evenly it will bead on your skin like water on a car. Leave for 15 min. or longer. Your skin will begin to feel warm and relaxed. pat your skin lightly with your fingertips in a quick tapping motion as though you are playing the piano and then rinse using a very warm damp cloth. This is a great way to soften, deeply hydrate and moisturize your skin.

Balancing scrub

1 T yogurt
2-3 tsp ground oatmeal
1 tsp sugar
5-10 drops of lavender essential oil

combine ingredients until a spreadable paste forms. Allow to thicken for a minute or so. Apply using your fingers, lightly massaging onto face leave on for 5 min and rinse with cool water.

Light Moisturizer

1/2 c distilled water
2 tsp vegetable glycerin
5 drops lemon, grapefruit, or rosemary essential oil

Add ingredients to container and shake to blend. Will keep for up to 6 months without refrigeration. Apply to face with a cotton pad or by spraying the skin lightly and allowing to dry.

Soda vs Water

The Properties of Coke:

- In many states (in the USA) the highway patrol carries two gallons of coke in the truck to remove blood from the highway after a car accident.
- You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of coke and it will be gone in 2 days.
- To clean a toilet: pour a can of coke in to the toilet bowl and let the “real thing” sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in coke removes stains from vitreous China.
- To remove rust spots from a chrome car bumper: rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coke.
- To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: pour a can of coke over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion.
- To loosen a rusted bolt: apply a cloth soaked in coke to the rusted bolt for several minutes.
- To bake a moist ham: empty a can of coke into the baking pan, wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake. Thirty minutes before the ham is finished, remove the foil, allow drippings to mix with the coke for a sumptuous brown gravy.
- To remove grease from clothes: empty a can of coke into a load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle. The coke will help loosen grease stains.
- It will also clean road haze from your windshield.

For your info:

- The active ingredient in coke is phosphoric acid. Its pH is 2.8. It will dissolve a nail in about 4 days. Phosphoric acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase in osteoporosis.
- To carry coke syrup (the concentrate) the commercial truck must use the hazardous material place cards reserved for highly corrosive materials.
- The distributors of coke have been using it to clean the engines of their trucks for about 20 years.

Now the question is…would you rather have a glass of water or a coke?

Positive Thought for the day

"The more anger towards the past you carry in your heart, the less capable you are of loving in the present."

--Barbara De Angelis

Health Tip of the Day

Want to stay young? Scientific research has shown that exercise can slow the physiological aging clock.

Dry Skin

Is Your Skin Very Dry During the Winter Time? Mine is for sure, but my water increase has helped a lot. Here are some things you can do if your skin is dry in the winter time or any other time.

First reduce the fats in your diet if you have been eating a lot of process and cooked fats. Also by eating all of these you are overloading your liver which can cause dry skin.he skin to become dry. In addition to the fact that by eating these you are probably not feeling all that energetic or healthy. Eliminate these fats or just reduce them for a few weeks to give your liver a rest and allow it to cleanse.

On the flip side you need to make sure you are getting enough good fats. As this can also cause dry skin. It is recommended that you get 4-6 servings per week. Keep your oils at a low temperature so as not to alter them. Some good oils or fats come from flax, hemp, pumpkin seeds, olives, avocados, coconuts, fish, nuts and seeds.

Again make sure you are getting enough water as this is a really big deal in the upkeeping of your skin.

Some essential oils to use on dry skin would be
Lavender
Baby Skin (a blend from Rocky Mountain Oils)
Geranium
Jasmine
Lemon
Neroli
Patchouli
Roman Chamomile
Rosewood
Sandlewood

Add a few drops to your daily lotion, into your body wash, or just put on with a little coconut oil to help combat dry skin.

Foods that support the skin are:
raw goat’s milk
black bass
rye
avocados
sea vegetables
whey
apples
cucumbers
millet
rice polishings
sprouts

Drinks:
carrot/celery/lemon juice
cucumber/endive/pineapple juice

Herbs:
oat5straw
shavegrass
horsetail
comfrey
aloe vera
burdock
Bitterswet
Bu gu zhi
Ceylon leadwort
chickweed
Cleavers
Common Oak
Dandelion
gotu kola
hearsease
nettle
red clover
sarsaparilla
tea tree
thyme
witch hazel
yellow dock
(not all of these are necessarily for dry skin) if you would like more information on a specific herb and how it helps the skin leave a comment or you can e-mail me.

HealthTip of the day

Strength training is important for cardiac health because the risk of heart disease is lower when the body is leaner.

More on Feng Shui

What is Feng Shui
Feng Shui works on the basis of energy or your aura, chakras, and meridians, the energy that carries your thoughts, ideas and emotions to every cell in your body. It is a two-way process, just as your energy is carried around you and can influence the environment around you so can your environment influence your energy. Resulting in subtle changes in the way you think and feel. Over a long period of time this mixing with external energies can even affect your physical body. Many of the energies that influence your personnel energy are the landscape around you, the city you live in, those that you live with, those that you work with, the weather, the moon, the sun, and the planets. You have heard the expression “you could cut the tension with a knife” this is emotional energy that you can feel interacting with the environment. Individual’s energy of emotions is always interacting with their environment and the areas that they spend the majority of their time. Your feelings, thoughts and emotions are influenced by your environment and the other energies that have been there. Also keep in mind that your feelings, thoughts and emotions are influencing those around you, so be careful what you are thinking and feeling.

What is Feng Shui?
• Space clearing
• Energy work for your home
• Translates to wind water
• Concerned with nature and the energy behind it
• Magnetism of the earth aligning with our own energy and that of our home.

What can Feng Shui Do for you?
By taking control of the way your energy mixes with that of your home’s energy you can change how you feel. First identify that which you need to change within yourself to be more successful. There are so many ways Feng Shui can help you, here are a few ways to apply Feng Shui to your life:
• Health
• Moods
• Relationships
• Creativity
• Ability to manage your finances
• Family life
• Career
• Spirituality
Five Elements
• Wood – growth and creativity, upward energy, active and full of new hopes just like you might feel on a sunny spring morning. It represents the rising sun in the East.
• Water – emotions and the ability to go with the flow. Water relates to going with the flow, being flexible and regenerating deeply – it is the image of the middle of the night in midwinter, facing north.
• Fire – Momentum, action, transformation, the intellect. Fire is outward, expressive and colorful – similar to the middle of a hot summer’s day. This is the midday sun in the South.
• Metal – Abundance, wealth and success. Describes chi, moving inwards, becoming concentrated, and contained. It’s like watching a big autumn sunset in the west with a sense of completion.
• Earth – Stability, reliability and confidence, sometimes referred to as soil. This resembles the downward, settled and secure energy of the descending south-western sun. It symbolizes the end of the summer in the afternoon.

The cycle of Production
Earth produces metal (minerals).
Metal produces (enhances) Water.
Water nourishes vegetation and produces Wood.
Wood burns to increase Fire.
Fire produces ash/adds to earth.

The cycle of Destruction
Earth overpowers Water.
Water extinguishes Fire
Fire melts Metal.
Metal (tools) destroys Wood.
Wood drains nourishment from Earth.

The cycle of Moderation
Earth can put out Fire
Fire can burn Wood.
Wood can soak up Water.
Water can corrode Metal.
Metal is formed by taking from Earth.

Yin/Yang
Yin and Yang are terms that describe complimentary and opposite ways that your energy reacts with the chi around you. Literally translated yin represents “the shady side of the mountain”, and yang “the sunny side of the mountain”. Typically Yin is that which is easy going, flexible, relaxing, slowing down, and being open minded, creative, imaginative, and receptive and the ability to look at the big picture. Generally yang refers to things that are energetic, quick, active, focused, alert, precise, aggressive, assertive and tense.
Decide if you feel best when you are more yin or yang and then adjust the things in your environment to make it happen. Yin and yang can be applied to everything from the food that you eat, to the way you chose to decorate, or the fashion choices you make, or your day to day activities.

Yin chi is cooler, slower and more dispersed. Natural yin qualities - look for a lean frame, and oval face shape, big eyes, full lips, fleshy cheeks, long toes and fingers. Those who blink frequently and have difficulty making eye contact are usually more yin. Some other characteristics would include being sensitive, flexible, gentle, creative, imaginative, and easy going. Those who are naturally more yin can easily find themselves becoming too yin much easier than being to yang. Things you might notice if you are too yin – feeling cold, frequent infectious illnesses, cold, clammy skin, diarrhea, lethargy, depression, victim mentality. To correct this you would want to do things to help you become more yang. To become more yin you can meditate, listen to soft meditative music, eat more fresh salads and fruit, drink water and juices, surround yourself with pastel colors, wear loose, flowing clothes, try stretching exercises such as yoga, get out into nature, and use soft lighting or candles.

Yang chi is hot, compressed and fast. Natural Yang qualities are a stockier build, a round face, and solid look. Some other yang qualities include thin lips, small eyes, and a strong jaw line. Other qualities that are more yang would include being alert, precise, active, dynamic, and focused. Again those that are naturally more yang will find it easier to become too yang rather than too yin. Some symptoms you might find if you are too yang would be tension, dry skin, stiffness/tightness, stress, constipation, anger and a need for control. To correct this you would want to find activities to do that are more yin. Some ways to become more yang get rid of clutter, exercise, play in competitive sports, do martial arts, surround yourself with bright colors, dress up in smart, formal clothes, socialize, eat cooked foods, eat more root vegetables, grains and fish.

Remember that a nice balance of Yin and Yang within your environment is the goal so you have harmony within the home.

Directions
East – Represents your loved ones, from your immediate family to the family of friends you create for yourself, to your ancestors. This is an area of individuality and growth. It is a wonderful area for feeling enthusiastic, assertive, and confident. This area will help you to find the desire to start new projects, focus on details, get things right, analyze, be alert, concentrate and be precise. The symbol associated with this area is Thunder; giving this energy a loud forceful edge, and encourages you to go make things happen for yourself. This is a wonderful energy for getting up early, but can increase the risk of being angry or frustrated. The season it is associated with is early spring, the time of day is sunrise, family member is eldest son, element is wood, and color is bright green, lo shu number is 3.

Southeast – Is the area of wealth and abundance; ranging from self worth to monetary worth and spiritual blessings received. This is a wonderful area for personal resources and anything that enriches your life. To recover your self-worth look here. This is a great area for being imaginative, persistent, generating new ideas, being sensitive, seeking harmony, being positive, creative, and increased your desire to communicate. The symbol for this area is wind and is wonderful for spreading ideas. This is a great energy for progressing in life and working on future prosperity. It can increase the risk of being irritable and impatient. The season associated with this direction is Late Spring, the time of day is mid morning, family member is eldest daughter, element is wood, colors are dark green and sky blue, lo shu number is 4.

South – This direction is great for fame, or being known in your community, career, or gaining respect and recognition. This area is concerned with your outward self as well as self-actualization. If you need that recognition work on this area. It is a great area for feeling dramatic, flamboyant, generous, proud, excited and passionate. It increases the desire to be sociable, outgoing, spontaneous, expressive, and get noticed. It can also risk feeling self-centered, over-emotional, hysterical, and stressed. This energy is bright and fiery. The symbol is fire, the season is midsummer, the time of day is midday, the family member is middle daughter, the color is a bright reddish-purple, and the lo shu number is 9.

Southwest – This is a direction of love, marriage, and romance. It is also an area of relationships of all kinds be they business or personal and helping to deepen these relationships. This direction is associated with being receptive. A great direction for being sympathetic, caring, and patient. It increases the desire to be down-to-earth, practical, and frugal, consolidate and be secure. It is the ideal energy for improving quality to what you are doing. This settling energy runs a risk of feeling jealous or dependent. The symbol of this direction is earth, the element is earth/soil, the colors are matt black, brown, beige or yellow, the time of day is afternoon, the season is summer changing to autumn, the family member is the Mother, and the lo shu number is 2.

West – This is the direction for children, if you want to have them, help them, or to stimulate your creative impulses work on this area. This is where you nurture that which you have created. It is a great direction to feel romantic, content, and playful. This direction will increase your desire for wealth, new relationships, complete projects, and be stylish. It will also help you to become more playful and seek the pleasures of life. This is a wonderful energy for bringing things to a successful conclusion. There is a risk of feeling depressed or pessimistic. The symbol is a lake, the element is metal, the time of day is early evening (sunset), the season is autumn, the family member is youngest daughter, the colors are rusty-red, maroon, or pink, and the lo shu number is 7.

Northwest – This is a direction of achievement, including those who help you to achieve. It is a direction of giving and receiving responsibility. Great for being responsible, dignified and in charge; it increases one’s desire for feeling in control, being organized, planning for the future, and having integrity. The symbol for this direction is heaven meaning that it is a great direction for finding greater wisdom and clearer intuition. It represents experience and maturity which helps in gaining the trust of others, commanding respect or finding a mentor. Be careful as it can increase the risk of being arrogant and authoritarian. The season is early winter, the element is metal, the color is silver-grey or off white, the time of day is late evening, the family member is the father, and the lo shu number is 6.

North – This is the direction for progress. Progress is not always about moving forward, but possibly about self assessment before we move onward. It can be progress in a career or a personal journey. Think of this area as the foundation of your home’s energy. It is great for feeling spiritual, independent and sexual. It can increase your desire to be flexible, find peace, develop yourself, study, be objective and different, and improve your health. This is a great energy for getting original ideas without distractions. It is an ideal direction for conception, vitality, and allowing the body to heal itself. This is a very quiet energy and is helpful if you have sleeping troubles; make sure your crown chakra is facing this direction to correct. The risk of this direction is that you might feel isolated and aloof. The season is winter, the time of day is night, the symbol is water, the element is water, the color is cream with a high gloss finish or clear varnish or other translucent finish and glossy black, the family member is the middle son, and the lo shu number is 1.

Northeast – This is the direction of knowledge, wisdom and self-cultivation. Gaining self wisdom can bring about changes in our life, encompassing turning points. Good direction for being motivated, outgoing, and driven. This direction will increase your desire to seize opportunities, compete, win, decisive, win, be clear-minded, and adventurous. This is a sharp piercing energy that is quick to change. This makes it a wonderful direction for striking a deal or trading. It is useful in clearing your mind, thinking of a new direction in your life, and more decisive thinking. It does run the risk of getting greedy and obsessive. The season is winter changing to spring, the time of day is early morning after the first haze of light, the element is soil, the symbol is a mountain, the color is white, the family member is the youngest son, and the lo shu number is 8.

Center – This is the heart of your home, a place of balance, harmony and spirituality. It is also considered the prosperity point of a home. To achieve harmony and balance you must have joy. This energy is the link that connects all 8 directions. It does not have a time, season, element, symbol or family member, but can said to be a representative of them all. As such it is an energy that can help you to attract people to you and become the “center” of attention. It is the power center of all the energies within the home and must be treated with respect. This area of a home if at all possible should be kept clear to open up the energy and allow it to move and flow.

The Lo Shu
This is one of the oldest and major keys to the understanding of practical Feng Shui. It is a 3x3 tic-tac-toe grid containing the numbers 1-9, but in a very special order. The number 9 being the largest yang number is aligned with the south, while the smallest yang number 1 is aligned with the north.
4 9 2
3 5 7
8 1 6











Clutter
Dear Friends,
Clutter has a way of taking over our lives. Clutter becomes that unwanted houseguest that you can't get rid of. It robs us of peace while we are home and it also steals any bit of joy when we leave home; the dread of returning to that mess. What about those of you that will not even go anywhere because of the chaotic state of your home. We received a message today from a member that gave up their family vacation to clean and declutter their home. Thank you for the God Breeze. I realize that it had to be done for the safety of a crawling baby, but I felt that I needed to address this inconsiderate squatter, so you could see what he is doing to you and your family. When a home is filled with clutter, it takes on a life of its own. Your whole day is spent giving it attention, instead of your family and yourself. Let's look at some of the things we give up, so we can devote our lives to this inconsiderate houseguest.

1. Clutter filled homes, are not welcoming to friends or family. So we do not invite them over often. When we do, we almost kill ourselves trying to get the house presentable so we will not be embarrassed. You know the drill. Major Crisis Cleaning until 3:00am and they are coming the next day. As a result of not wanting to make the preparations, we alienate ourselves from our friends and family, by closing our doors and throwing away the key. Clutter is a very selfish housemate. It wants you all to itself. This is another way for the Evil One to attack families. When the structure of the family is broken down, he wins. Clutter is his most effective weapon.
2. Clutter in your home, does not allow your mind and body to rest. The guilt of all the clutter, keeps you working non-stop. You can't organize clutter; you can only get rid of it, like a diseased cancerous tumor. Purge it from your life and you will find out what living is all about. Clutter causes you to turn down invitations to lunch or weekend getaways with your husband. It will also get in the way of you taking time for yourself. It yells at you, you don't deserve to have any fun; you have not taken care of ME yet. Oh selfish clutter. Like a spoiled child, it requires all your attention.
3. Clutter tells the world that you are not worthy. We have all heard it. If you can't take care of this, you can't have it. We have been brainwashed by this clutter to believe that we do not deserve to have nice things, since we can't keep our home looking presentable. So we only buy more clutter at yard sales and junk shops, because it only cost a dollar. Now don't email fussing about this. I love yard sales as much as the next person, but think about this mentality for a few minutes. Don't we deserve to be surrounded by pretty things that we love, instead of someone else's cast-offs. When we quit wasting our money on more clutter to feed the already growing demon in our home, we can save to purchase things that make us smile.
4. Clutter never wants you to leave home. This is why he makes it so difficult for you to pack and go on vacation. Laundry has to be done, you have to get people to come to the house to feed your critters, or worse yet, you need someone to house sit for you. Clutter will never allow strangers in his domain. He wants you all to himself. The bills have to be paid, so you can go, clutter invades your finances and family responsibilities. You don't have wills done, because it is just too much trouble. So you stay home, so you won't have to make the decision of who will care for you children in case of an accident. Clutter loves to keep you home, so he has your full attention. He throws ever obstacle in your path.
5. Clutter loves to make you sick. This way you are totally dependent upon his way of life. He robs you of your health, so this gives you an excuse to give him more clutter. The more there is the happier he becomes and more sick you get. Sometimes you will not allow people to come into your home to help, because clutter has quarantined you. Or
shall we say imprisoned you in your dungeon.
6. Clutter's main sustenance is chaos. So when you are running around your home searching for something in all the mess, clutter is celebrating with a feast. Trying to find a document on your desk, is not fun for you, but clutter begets clutter. You end up making an even bigger mess during the search.
7. Clutter loves ignorance, because you know no other way to live. If you did, he would not have a home that provides him of all the undivided attention that you give his needs. You have never enjoyed a peaceful afternoon, without clutter vying for your every thought and deed. He knows that if you ever feel one ounce of peace, you will tell him to hit the road, because that peace is so contagious. It is time to put clutter in his place and send him packing from whence he came. So where does clutter belong and how do you get rid of this unwanted houseguest. It is not easy. He keeps pleading with you that, "you need me", and laying many guilt trips on you for what relatives will think if you put him out into the cold. (You know those gifts and inherited clutter you have been saddled with over the years.) Your clutter did not accumulate overnight and it is going to take days, weeks and sometimes several months to rid yourself of this squatter. We do it in small steps to make it easy on you. This way, your houseguest has no clue that you are evicting him. Slowly but surely the clutter will leave one boogie or one room rescue at a time. Some of you may need to take a "get tough" approach and order a dumpster or set up regular pickups from charity thrift stores. What ever you decide to do, consistency is the ticket to getting him to vacate your premises. Just 15 minutes a day is all you need to set him on the road. When you kick his bottom out your door, you will begin to have your home to yourself again. Peace is just a boogie away. It is time to pack his bags and send him out into the world to fend for himself. You have wasted enough of your time on him. From now on,
you are going to become very particular about whom you bring home to reside with you and your family. Are you ready to evict this squatter, so you can FLY? FlyLady
P.S. Are your special clutter friends taking you from your children? One day after you are gone your children will have to evict clutter once and for all: a dumpster is a proper coffin. Clutter took you away from them. Don't let clutter become your only loved one. You have flesh and blood precious souls around you.


Dear Friends,
What is your clutter doing to you? One day when I was having a conversation with my dear friend Tracy, she coined a phrase that I asked to borrow. Clutter is to our homes as cholesterol is to our arteries. So I ran with it. Over the past few years, it has been forwarded to me saying you have to read this. It is so funny when your own words come back to you via the internet. LOL this is scary, so let’s examine the similarities. Cholesterol clogs arteries.
Clutter invades the pathways of our homes.
Cholesterol increases blood pressure.
Clutter causes stress in your life.
Cholesterol reduces your life span.
Clutter decreases your joy in living.
Cholesterol cost major money when you treat it.
Clutter pushes money away from you.
Cholesterol causes heart disease.
Clutter destroys closeness in families
Cholesterol is a result of over indulging in fatty foods.
Clutter is a result of over indulging in stuff.
Cholesterol causes arteries to harden
Clutter causes hearts to harden.
Do you see that we have to put our homes on a cholesterol free, clutter free diet? How do we do this: By changing our eating habits we live in a society in which the one who dies with the most stuff wins! Do you want your stuff to be the death of you? Start changing you eating habits, by only buying things that are needed. When you bring something new home, purge something old that it replaces. Get rid of the items that you have more than one of. Give away the things you no longer use. Clean out those clothes that you can't wear. Clean out those attics and basements. Look at why you are holding on to things. Are you afraid that you are going to have to do without? Fear and hoarding are signs that you don't have faith in God. Clutter was clogging up my pathways to the abundance. When I got rid of my clutter I opened my heart to all the joy that life has to offer. What is stopping you from getting rid of clutter?
Are you ready to FLY?
FlyLady

Love this website www.flylady.net so very helpful in helping you to regain control over your clutter.

Another wonderful source if you are in need of a good de-cluttering is Terra Linse Grahm she is available by phone at 307-250-2784, or by e-mail is terralinse@yahoo.com. She is here in Logan and has helped me a couple of times with a major de-cluttering. Give her a call for your major de-cluttering needs. She is also finishing her master’s degree at USU in Landscape architecture and horticulture. She is wonderful with plants if you need some of those to help remedy situations within your home.

Form School
Form school has to do with the forms of the surrounding landscape. In this school you look at the mystical animals that are represented by different land forms and try and identify your best direction. The four mystical animals are the phoenix, tiger, tortoise, and dragon. The main idea is that the front is a large open vista preferably overlooking water, this represents the phoenix. A mountain, trees or hills in the rear to protect, this is symbolic of the tortoise. On the left there should be a form higher and lighter structures represented by the dragon and on the right there should be low solid protection represented by the tiger. Using this you can determine the best direction for the home to face.

Three-gate School
This is a newer style of Feng Shui, with the door position determining how the magic square fits over the floor plan. Each sector of the square represents a different area in your life. The far left corner – wealth, far center – fame, far right – relationships, mid-left – family, center – yourself, mid-right – children, front left – knowledge, front center – career, and front right – mentors. This is the easiest method to use on your own.

Eight Mansions School
This is a Chinese compass-based method; you have a kua number determined by your date of birth which determines if you are in the east-life or west-life group. After determining this you have 4 of the 8 compass directions that are favorable to you while 4 of the 8 directions can be negative. Usually half of your home is positive to you and the other half is harmful. Your life group, direction that your home faces, and where you main entrance is define which half is which.
Flying Star School
This is a traditional Chinese compass based system in which the date of your home construction, the present year, and the magic square are all combined in a chart to determine which directions represent which areas of the home, and they continue to change as the year changes. For this method you need a special compass called a lo pan to take these readings.

Eight directions School
This school comes from Japan, based off of the traditional Chinese compass-based Feng Shui. This school uses a compass to orientate the eight directions over the floor plan of your home. Based on the magic square, each direction carries a different energy into the home. This can energy can be enhanced or calmed using the five elements. Your sleeping and sitting positions also determine which energy you personally absorb more of. Rather than the energies being seen as positive or negative, they are simple arranged to enhance your energy to what makes you feel the best at that time.
Combination
Most practiced Feng Shui is a combination of some of the different schools. Not one is better than the other; you have to find what is most effective for you.

Feng Shui Tips
• Use your intuition with furniture arrangements
• Try to have all 5 elements in your home
• Create a balance of yin and yang with your furniture
• Mirrors are useful for reflecting back bad energy
• Mirrors should be kept as clean as possible to help energy flow
• Crystals and bright objects reflect energy outwards
• Keep your home in the best condition possible
• AVOID CLUTTER
• Single level homes produce more energy than split level homes
• Kitchens should face east
• Bedrooms should never open directly onto the kitchen
• Long straight hallways should be avoided
• Spiral staircases should be avoided
• Front door should be slightly larger than the back door
• Front door should not be in line with the back door
• A solid front door is better than glass
• Good idea to frame the front door with trees or shrubbery but essential that it remains visible
• Flowers on each side of the front path encourages ch’i
• Dining room should be its own room
• Dining room should not be lower than the living room
• Best shape for a dining table is round
• A large mirror in the dining room is great as it symbolically doubles the amount of food on the table
• Have at least 3 chairs at the dining table
• The best place for the bed is the furthest diagonal from the entrance
• The foot of the bed should not directly face the door
• Place the bed against a solid wall rather than under a window
• A round mirror in the bedroom will enhance the relationship
• Do not put a mirror directly in front of the foot of the bed
• The bed should be accessible from both sides
• Allow room under the bed for ch’i to flow
• Keep the toilet as inconspicuous as possible
• Bathroom and toilet doors should be kept closed
• Toilets should not be placed in the center of a home
• A toilet should not be close to the front door
• The backs of chairs or sofas should not face any entrances to the living room
• The living room should feel comfortable and welcoming
• If possible your guests will feel more positive when facing south or east.
• Plants help ch’i to circulate and can also be used to block negative energy
• Water attracts energy and money
• Live animals help the energy to circulate
• Don’t hang a mirror opposite any door as this stops the energy from entering the next room
• You cannot have too many mirrors in your home, however they should be used sparingly in the bedroom or areas that need to be restful
• Octagonal shaped mirrors are powerful as they represent all 8 directions
• Remember that what works for one person will not necessarily work for you as we all have a unique energy
• The best place to start is by removing clutter in your home!
• Make changes slowly… ideally focusing on one area at a time

Crystals & Feng Shui
There are 3 ways in which crystals and gemstones can be utilized in Feng Shui. One is using gemstones to invoke elemental balance in order to provide a healthy environment for yourself and your family. The second utilizes gemstone color associated with the magic square or lo shu grid to change your live and aid in healing. The third method invokes the power of birthstones

A bowl of crystals or gemstones on the windowsill or a table in front of a window can help to calm the energy flow coming in.

Gemstones and crystals placed around the hearth provide protection and help smooth energy entering your home

If you have to have a sofa without a wall behind it put a sofa table behind it with a crystal or two to provide a buffer of protective energy

The living room has a special area called the wealth corner. This is in addition to the directions and lo shu that fall into this area. The wealth corner is located in respect to the main entrance of your living room, take one step in turn to your left and look up to the ceiling. This is your wealth corner. A small crystal suspended from the ceiling about 6 inches will activate beneficial energy. Some of these crystals would include citrine, beryl, chrysoprase, iolite, moonstone, carnelian, and green aventurine.

Angled walls within a room will sometimes lead to a missing piece of that room, by using crystals on that angled wall you will help to amplify this energy so that the missing peace is put back into balance.

Elements and the directions with Gemstones

Fire – peridot or obsidian
Metal – malachite, azurite
Wood – Jet and Amber
Earth – Andalusite & tourmaline
Water – Opal and pearl

Northwest – Achievement and assisting people – Moonstone
North – Career/personal journey – Black spinel
Northeast – Wisdom/knowledge – Lapis Lazuli
East – Family/ancestors – Jade
Southeast – Prosperity/blessings/self-worth – Amethyst
South – Illumination/fame/success – garnet
Southwest – Relationships/love/romance – Rose quartz
West – Creativity/projects/children – White quartz
Center – Balance/harmony – Citrine






• Agate – Center – connection to the natural world, Northeast – wealth, Southwest - Love, use in your negative direction of misfortune as a protection
• Alexandrite – center – spirituality, south success and reputation, southeast – self-worth, any negative direction as a good luck amulet or any area where healing is needed.
• Amazonite – northeast – self cultivation, southwest – relationships, any negative direction to disperse negativity
• Amber – used to represent the wood element, center – balance/calm, northeast – wisdom, west – ancestors, southwest – love, negative directions of misfortune and loss if they fall in your kitchen or dining rooms. Use in any direction to help boost changes you want to attract into your life.
• Amethyst – primary gemstone for the southeast direction. Center – balance/spiritual growth, northeast – wisdom, in any negative directions as protection and good luck. Place anywhere to manifest change.
• Aquamarine – Southwest – relationships/love, negative directions for courage and protections
• Aventurine – north – career, west – creativity, any area/life aspect that needs an emotional lift, any negative directions for solutions, choices or luck.
• Bloodstone – East – ancestors, southeast – abundance, southwest – relationships/love, negative directions to remove obstacles, and attract luck.
• Calcite – west – creativity/projects, northeast – knowledge, north – career, northwest – benefactors, southeast – personal resources, negative directions to amplify positive energy.
• Carnelian – center – harmony, south – success, west – creativity, southeast – self-worth, negative directions for protection and soothing.
• Chrysoprase – south – success, southwest – relations, southeast – abundance, northwest – benefactors, any negative direction for adaptability.
• Citrine – Primary gemstone for center – spiritual growth/guidance, southwest – relationships, east – community, west – creativity, north – personal journey, southeast – self-worth/prosperity/wealth, any negative direction as protection, strength and healing.
• Coral – southwest – relationships, center – harmony, east – community, any negative direction for protection and to clear negativity.
• Flourite – South – illumination, north – personal journey, center – harmony/balance/spiritual healing, any direction that needs a boost of vitality; and any negative direction for good luck and protection.
• Garnet – Center – spirituality, north - personal journey/success, southwest – partnership, northwest – travel, negative directions for personal power to bring victory
• Jade – Center – harmony, southwest – partners/love, northeast – wisdom, positive directions of life and longevity and any negative direction for solving problems and bringing luck.
• Jasper – Center – grounding, west – children, southwest – relationships, east – community/family, any negative direction to protect against negativity.
• Lapis lazuli – Primary stone of the northeast direction – Center – tranquility/spirituality, northeast – wisdom/knowledge, north personal journey, west – creativity, any negative direction for protection.
• Moonstone – Primary stone for the northwest direction – Center – balance, northwest – travel, north – personal journey, west – creativity, southwest – love/mother, southeast – wealth, any negative direction to bring good fortune.
• Obsidian – Primary stone for the north direction, North – personal journey, Center – grounding, any negative direction for protection.
• Onyx – Center – balance, northeast – self-cultivation, any direction where you seek transformation, any negative direction for protection.
• Opal – primary gemstone for the element water, South – illumination/insight, north – personal journey, southeast – self-worth, west – creativity, any negative direction as a symbol of hope.
• Quartz – Quartz is useful anywhere you need to amplify your strengths or where you want to transform a life aspect. Center – balance/spirituality, west – projects/creativity.
• Rhodochrosite – southwest – love/relationships/partner, center – balance, southeast – abundance/comfort, any area that needs love and caring, any area where there’s transition needing support, or any negative direction to offset negativity with love.
• Rose quartz – Primary gemstone for the southwest direction – relationships, center – emotional balance, any direction where emotional healing is needed.
• Serpentine – North – personal journey, center – balance
• Sodalite – east – community, southwest – relationships, northeast – wisdom, north – career, south – success, any negative direction to resolve issues.
Feng Shui and Family
• Avoid contaminating your home with the chi of nasty arguments, simmering resentment or jealousy by discussing such issues outside the home.
• Better understand your family’s dynamics by examining everyone’s three ki numbers. Discover ways to bring in the missing chi, if one or more members are opposite in terms of the fie elements
• Find out simple ways to make the chi more yin and peaceful reducing the risk of arguments
• In crease the chi in your home that helps everyone to have fun and feel more playful
• Focus on the kitchen, often the heart of the family home
• Keep the chi of the utility rooms clean and functional
• Make sure your storage is well organized so that everything has its place and the most-used items are accessible
• The atmosphere of the nursery influences how your baby will sleep, along with the visual stimulation that he or she will receive, so it is important to set up this room carefully to increase the chances of a peaceful night

Feng Shui and Health

Make sure that your home that:
• Is exposed to natural light including some sunlight
• Is made from natural materials
• Is surrounded by some natural vegetation and trees
• Is in an area where there is clean air
• Has a variety of plants inside
• Is furnished with items made of natural fabrics and materials

Feng Shui and Abundance
• The East helps you come up with new ways to earn money. Place a moving water feature there to help you start new money making projects. Put a shiny coin in the water at the beginning of the day when you feel close to a breakthrough
• The Southeast looks at ways to increase your prosperity in the future. Put a bowl of fresh water on top of the largest bank note in your currency to get new ideas for your future prosperity. Refill each day as soon as you get up.
• The Northeast enables you to seize the opportunity to make a profitable investment and is great for quick decisions. If you like to speculate and play the stock market, increase this chi by keeping your share certificates here along with a large white crystal.
• South Helps develop the passion to go out and earn money. Hang pictures of things that motivate you to earn more money. These images should be inspirational and should keep you focused on the future.
• Southwest is used to focus on your savings and find ways to make the money you have go further. Use a clay pot to keep your savings-account details in, or simply keep a yellow flowering plant in a clay container to boost this directions energy.
• West makes it easier to make more money out of what you are already doing to earn money. Put shiny coins on a red cloth to increase this chi, making it easier to make money. This also helps you to have fun and enjoy making money.
• Northwest is good for acquiring more integrity about money and greater respect for its value. Keep your financial information in this part of your home, if you want to get serous about your finances. This area is good for understanding the value of money.
• North increases the chi that relates to your cash flow. Ideal if people are slow in paying you. Hang a small, round multi-faceted crystal in this part of your home to increase the chi that relates to your cash flow.
• Use a money plant - with rounded leaves in a metal container

HealthTip of the day

Do pushups, situps or other exercises during commercial breaks. Stretch during the show!

Headache?

Okay so I thought I would just throw this in here this week, I have been having some serious headaches lately and thought I would share what I have been doing to rid myself of them.

Possible causes: muscle tension, hormone imbalance, toxic colon, vagus nerve stuck on, dehydration.

Prevention: calcium, magnesium, niacin, omega-3 essential fatty acids, Co Q 10 antioxidants.


A combination of:
- Deep Blue (essential oil from doterra)
- Frankincense oil
- Paine (butterfly express oil)
- Peppermint oil
- Lavender oil
- Baby Me (oil blend from butterfly express, and rocky mountain oils)
- My-graine (oil blend from butterfly express)

Apply to the back of neck (a few drops in a bowl of water, then soak a washcloth, wring out and place at back of neck); apply to underside of big toe just below the fleshy part; diffuse; smell—carry a cotton ball soaked with oil in purse or pocket.

Some herbal supplaments to help with headache and migraine:
Linden - make and infusion using 1 heaping tsp of linden to 1 cup water or use teabags. Drink up to 5 cups per day.

Vervain, Valerian - Make and infusion of vervain and drink up to 4 cups a day.

Peppermint herb - get some peppermint tea (fantastic) drink up to 5 cups per day.

Fever-few herb - at the first sign of an impending attach, take pills or 10 drops of tincture with water.

Skullcap herb - make an infusion using 1 level tsp of dried herb per cup of water and take up to 4 cups per day.

cayenne pepper (works like caffeine)
white willow
willow tree bark
meadowsweet
passionflower
chamomile
ginko
feverfew

Most herbal supplements can be taken as either a pill, tea, or tincture.


For me I have been drinking more water at the onset of a headache. In addition to a little caffeine like a couple pieces of chocolate. Then putting on the oil blend of deep blue, peppermint, lavender, and frankincense on the back of my neck, on my temples, and on the big toe (this is the reflex for the head in the foot).
Normally my headaches are just headaches and happen maybe once or twice a year, but as of lately they have been migraines and frequently. I have found that I really need to take some time to relax and de-stress when I am getting these, so I have been making sure to take a little extra time for myself.

I have also been wearing a quartz necklace which is said to help with headaches, along with amber, amethyst, smoky quartz, lapis lazuli, hematite, rose quartz, and turquoise just to name a few. Please contact me if you would like information on where to purchase any of these items. Most can be purchased at your local healthfood store, through me or online.


Can drink two glasses of Gatorade to relieve headache.

Emotion: Invalidating the self. Self-criticism. Fear.
I love and approve of myself.

Migraine: Dislike of being driven. Resisting the flow of life. Sexual fears. I relax into the flow of life and let life provide all that I need easily and comfortably. Life is for me.

Just a few little tips for you, thought I would share.

Here is the home made laundry soap

Laundry Soap
4 Cups hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
5 Cup Washing Soda
½ Cup Borax



- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.
-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)

-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Or just add a couple of drops per load that way you can add lavender to the sheets to sleep better, grapefruit to your clothes for more energy, and lemon to the towels for that clean smell. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.
-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)
-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads

Organization and your Health

Okay this sounds a little far fetched, but just hear me out. Can you imagine feeling peaceful and relaxed in a home that is chaotic? Probably not, you would probably find yourself a little stressed. STRESS has been proven to break down the immune system causing you to be more susceptible to disease, and even chronic illness. If your home is organized and has good energy flow through it, you will notice life goes more smoothly, you will stay healthier, and you have more energy as well. This is the art of Feng Shui.

First thing to do when trying to create a better energy in your home is to dejunk/declutter. Clutter clogs up our homes and makes us feel awful. One website I can recommend in getting this clutter under control is Fly Lady. I know this website has helped out thousands of people, and in a way that you don't feel so overwhelmed. The website recommends going through your home one room at a time and taking 3 bags, one for things you will donate, one for things that need to be put away in a different room, and one for things you will throw away. You go through each room in your home doing this and when you are all done, you take one bag to the local good will, one bag to the trash, and take the final bag and go put away all of your stuff that was misplaced. Whatever is still left int he misplaced bag after going to each room needs to go to storage.

Easy enough right. Okay so not really, especially if you are a pack rat like me. But find a good friend or just someone to help you part with things you no longer need. If you use stones or would like to start, smokey quartz will help you to let go of things you no longer need. My good friend Terra is great at this and will actually come to your house and help you organize (for a small fee of course) her e-mail is terra_linse@yahoo.com if you are interested in having some help on this adventure.

Okay go get to it, de-clutter your home and I will be back tomorrow with more information on how to feng shui and organize your home!!

Preparedness Storage Week 2

Okay so last week we all should have purchased some form of nuts. I chose almonds and walnuts to add to my storage. This week the item we are looking for is Detergent, bleach (can be used for water disinfection), cleanser, dish soap and hand soap. Don't forget the coupons. Now you don't have to purchase all of these items, but just stock up a little. In fact if you just wanted to make them that is okay too. Look for some recipes to come during the week.

Doterra

Hey for those of you who use essential oils go check out the blog at doterra Doterra Blog lots of fun info and giveaways...

Positive Thought for The Day

"Rest and you rust."

--Helen Hayes

There is a lot of info on why to drink water... so DRINK UP!!!

Water Retention

The best way to beat bloat is give your body all the water it needs. People who retain water do this because they are not getting enough!! Although some are hard to convince that this is true. The human body is so simple and it functions in a "primal survival mode" and responds accordingly to anything it perceives as a possible threat to its survival. The main goal of the body is to stay alive. By depriving your body of the amount of water it need each day you are threatening its survival. So in response it is going to hand on to all the water it can for any future need. This water is often stored in extra-cellular spaces and appears to us as bloated hands, legs and feet. Another reason for bloat is too much sodium. The human body can only handle so much and then it will start looking for water to dilute this, causing you to retain water. So by drinking plenty of water and cutting back on sodium, you will find yourself less bloated so DRINK UP.

Water and Metabolism
This falls right in line with weight loss, without a good metabolism it is extremely difficult to loose weight. Water, also known as the body's solvent, regulates all bodily functions including circulating and dissolving. Every enzymatic and chemical reaction of the body occurs in the presence of water. It transports hormones, nutrients, oxygen and antibodies in the blood stream and lymphatic system. In addition our bodies' proteins and enzymes are more efficient in solutions of lower viscosity, meaning we need to dilute them and drink more water so DRINK UP.

Water and Digestion
Digesting solid foods has to happen with large amounts of water, so our bodies can properly digest our food. Without water not all of our food digests as it should and we end up with constipation problems so DRINK UP.

Water and muscle tone

Of course everyone wants that rock hard Jillian (from biggest looser) body, well drinking your water each day is a start. To get that desired muscle tone you obviously need a good exercise program in addition to proper water intake. Water will help the muscle achieve a better contraction, help prevent sagging skin that follows weight loss, and it will help to maintain clear, youthful skin so DRINK UP.

Water and Muscles
Be sure you are hydrating while you exercise! Muscles are mainly composed of water. So it only makes sense to drink a lot of water if you want to have more muscle mass. In addition to this water removes wastes from the muscle cells, and tranports nutrient to the muscle cells, this decreases your recovery time so DRINK UP.

Water and Constipation
Since I have been doing my water habit through the last week I have to share with you that I have noticed my bowel habits are much more regular. (no need to be embarrassed by talking about poop, everyone does it, and more people than care to admit have problems with their digestive system.) When the body doesn't get enough water it will rob from the colon. When this happens you can bet that constipation is not far behind. Normal function will commonly return upon proper hydration so DRINK UP.

Water and Body Temperature
Water helps us regulate and maintain body temperature through perspiration. Without water this balance is disrupted so DRINK UP.

Water and Asthma
Histamine is a major factor in regulating the way we use and distribute water. It also helps control the body's defense mechanism. Asthmatics' histamine levels increase with dehydration, mobilizing their body's defense mechanism to close down their airways. Knowing this, we can draw the conclusion that asthma could be relieved through increased water intake so DRINK UP.

Water and the Kidneys
Our kidneys scream at us for water. The purpose of kidneys is to remove waste such as uric acid, urea and lactic acid. All of these are dissolved in water, when we deprive our kidneys of water these wastes are not removed effectively and damage may result so DRINK UP!!


Water and Joints
Cartilage between the vertebrae of the spin and at the end of long bones retain a lot of water. Cartliage must have water for the purpose of lubicating the body's joints during movement. When well hydrated, the cartilage and opposing surfaces glide nicely, minimizing the damage that can be caused to the joint by friction. This friction leads to joint deterioration and pain so DRINK UP.

Water and Back Pain

Who doesn't have back pain, well if you don't you are lucky. Minimizing this pain ban be as quick and easy as staying hydrated. The water that is stored in your spinal disc core supportes about 75% of the upper body's weight. Your spine is very dependent on the hydraulic properties of water so DRINK UP!!


Water and the Brain
What water can help my brain? Yes your brain tissue is 85% water. The brain is 1/50th of the body's total weight and uses approximately 1/20th of the body's blood supply. Dehydration causes energy generation in the brain to decrease, there are actual studies that link depression and chronic fatigue syndrome with dehydration so DRINK UP.



Don't obey your thirst!
By the time you are actually thirsty you are already dehydrated. The bodies thirst refles is the last signal of dehydration. Don't wait til your thirsty to drink, do it now!!! The question often comes how much water should I drink, well again there are several recomendations out there. They say a non-active (those of you with a desk job) needs 1/2 oz per pound of body weight per day!!! Or 8-10 8 oz glasses per day. DRINK UP!!

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More Reasons to Drink Water!!

There's no substitute for water!
Beverages that contain water are not good enough, it needs to be water. Drinks such as juice, tea, soda, and coffee counter the positive effects of water. Drinks that have caffeine stimulate the adrenal glands (which are already overworked from high levels of stress) and dehydrate and rob your body of important minerals and vitamins. Drinks that contain a lot of sugars or artificial sugar substitutes stimulate the pancreas and spike your blood sugar levels and take your body out of its natural fat burning state. So Sodas are the worst, they have caffeine, sugar and on top of it contain sodium and acid that can eat through a dime. YIKES!! Do you really want that in your stomach... Okay so I can't say that I don't have the occasional soda, but these types of drinks should be the exception not the rule.

One of the major factors in headaches and migraines is dehydration. During times when it is extremely hot migraines are often signs of dehydration. To further complicate the matter dehydration brings on stress (another factor in migraines and headaches) and dehydration brings on stress!! Got a headache, it takes approximately 20 minutes for the pain med to kick in, that will have to be filtered by your liver, while it takes the same amount of time 20 minutes to rehydtrate enough to stop the headache with no side effects except maybe an extra trip to the potty.

Water and Pregnancy
Water is especially important in pregnancy. Morning sickness is a common ailment inthe first trimester of pregnancy. One reason for morning sickness is dehydration. When mom doesn't drink enough water not only is she dehydrated but so is her baby. This is the babys way of saying hey give me some water!!

Water and Weight Loss

What weight loss plan is there that you don't drink water... no good one that is for sure! Water has no calories, fat or cholesterol, and it is low in sodium. It is a natural appetite suppressant. It is a great helper in assisting the body to metabolize fat. Low water intakes equal an increase in fat deposits; whereas high water intakes reduce the amount of fat deposits. If we are dehydrated our kidneys do not function properly, resulting in their workload being pushed over to the liver, and the preventing the liver form operating at its best. How does this tie into weight loss you ask. Well, because metabolizing fat is a primary function of the liver and by being dehydrated you are not allowing it to function at its best, less body fat is metabolized and more is stored. Stored fat does not equal weight loss but the opposite. 30% of the average person's water intake comes from the food they eat. When we diet and restrict our food intake this restricts our water intake as well. This is just another reason we should increase the amount of water we are drinking especially while trying to lose weight.

Cleansing

What is Cleansing?
Okay so a lot of people are a little nervous to do a cleanse, most have some awful picture of a day of diarrhea, and sitting on the toilet or massive stomach cramps... I have yet to have this experience while doing a cleanse. Our bodies actually will cleanse all on their own, but sometimes it is nice to give your body a little extra boost and do some things that will help your body cleanse a little easier. Two of the organs in our bodies are very dedicated to cleansing, the liver, and the kidneys. But many of the systems in our bodies assist in this among those are the lymphatic system, digestive system, the skin, and the lungs to name a few. Cleansing is the bodies way of getting rid of the build up of toxins we have accumulated. There are many ways that the body cleanses, sweating, urinating, defecating, and vomiting. I don't recommend vomiting voluntarily to cleanse, but when our bodies have been poisoned such as overdosing on a drug our bodies naturally vomit to try and cleanse.

Why should I cleanse?
There are many reasons for cleansing, the main one is that the world we live in today is full of toxins, from the food we eat, to the air we breath, to the water we drink. Our world is inundated with toxins that we really don't want setting up camp in our bodies. One thing to keep in mind is that our homes don't clean themselves (but imagine how nice that would be), and our bodies can't do the job on their own either. We maintain our homes on a day to day basis by doing the basic cleaning essentials such as dishes, vacuuming, making the beds, keeping up on laundry. And then a few times during the year we really clear out the clutter and do a good deep down cleaning. We need to do the same things for our bodies, there are some basic things we can do to help keep our bodies clean and healthy that we need to do on a regular basis, things such as drink plenty of water, eat nutritious foods, exercise regularly, and then take a few times each year to do a good deep cleaning. In addition to just helping your body eliminate toxins, cleansing has been said to help prevent disease, improve immune function, make the body stronger and can cause some emotional cleansing.

How long should I cleanse?
Depending on the cleanse you are doing, but a serious herbal or fasting cleanse should be done no longer than 30 days. The recommendation is that you cleanse for as many days as 2x your age or 30 days which ever is less.

Different Types of Cleanses:
There are many different types of cleanses, colon cleanses, parasite cleanses, kidney cleanses, metal cleanses, liver cleanses, and many many more. The best way to cleanse is to do a good colon cleanse first (again this is not the sit on the toilet all day long type of cleanse, or even like the icky stuff they give you before having a colonoscopy type cleanse) as this is one of the main routes of flushing toxins from the body, that and through our sweat and urine. After completing a good colon cleanse I would then proceede to cleansing other areas of the body. The experts say there are a few key times during the year to cleanse, the spring, as this is a naturally cleansing time. The foods the are on during the spring are ones that are naturally cleansing, such as strawberries and asparagus. Another time is in the fall, before we store up all that winter ick. And another great time to cleanse is with the new year.

How Do I Cleanse?
There are many ways to help the body cleanse, I think the very best are to do an herbal cleanse and exercise in addition to drinking plenty of water. Some tips to remember while cleansing, be sure to drink lots of water, have plenty of fiber in your diet, make sure you are getting probiotics and enzymes, and a good fish oil will enhance the cleansing process.

Herbs - Acacia gum, cinnamon, rhubarb root, marshmallow root, slippery elm, ginger root, fennel, cayenne, coriander, cumin, gentian, black pepper, peppermint, spearmint, and cellulase. A tradition of herbal cleansing is recorded in many ancient cultures some dating back as far as 5,000 years.

Saunas - Sweating will help to eliminate toxins, just make sure that you are consuming enough water as you do this. Saunas were developed in Finland hundreds of years ago and have been used since by people all of the world for their healing benefits. The skin is the largest major organ of elimination. The heat causes toxins to be released from cells into the lymphatic fluid and then released as sweat. Sweating helps to take the toxic load off of the kidneys and liver enabling them to function more efficiently.

Fasting - When we fast we are no longer taking in toxins through our mouths though we may still be breathing them, but this allows our body a day to just clean out. It is similar to when all the kids leave and you are home alone to just clean, you tend to get much more done. It puts the digestive organs on a little vacation since they consume greater output of energy than any other bodily process it allows the energy to be focused on healing the body. Fasting is another time honored cleansing tradition. Dating back thousands of years.

Colon Hydrotherapy - The most popular form being the enema which is and infusion of water into the anus. I am not as familiar with this form of cleansing as I have never done it myself. But there is oodles of research showing all of the many great and wonderful benefits from them.

Soaks - Bring the bath water to about 104 degrees Fahrenheit stay in the tub about 20 minutes (get out if you feel woozy) rinse off with fresh water. If you add any one of the following: baking soda, epsom salts, dead sea salts, apple cider vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, clay, oatstraw, or burdock root you will increase the effectiveness of the detox.

Essential oils - Oils such as fennel, hyssop, juniper, or melaleuca are all cleansing oils that will help to draw toxins out of the body. To use them apply them to the feet, back of the neck or any area that needs cleansing.

Skin Brushing - Body or skin brushing is another fantastic way to cleanse, this stimulates the lymphatic system. It is excellent to do prior to a bath or shower. Brush the skin before showering or bathing stroking toward the heart, gently but vigorously. Doing this helps to open the pores of the skin and increase the circulation and remove dead skin cells. It just helps it to do its job a little better.

Exercise - Exercise is a great way to continuously cleanse. When we sweat we are getting rid of toxins in our bodies. Also by moving around it helps our bodies to improve our circulation and our digestion, these both help improve the cleansing process. Exercise is the easiest(that is if you can find the motivation) and least expensive way to cleanse our bodies. Recommended exercises for cleansing include rebound exercise (this stimulates both the lymphatic system, circulatory system and digestive system), cardiovascular exercise, interval trainnig. But really the best form of exercise is the kind that you will do on a regular basis.

Healing Stones - Here is a list of healing gemstones that will help you to cleanse: Peridot, Rose Quartz, Smoky Quartz, and Crystal Quartz.

Foot zoning and Body work - yes it helps your body cleanse to get a foot zone or a massage... how much easier does it get. By loosening toxins within the body as long as we get our water in afterward to flush them out we will get rid of toxins. This is a great way to maintain throughout the year with a monthly treatment.

Certain foods - Flax seed, Okra, Strawberries, Asparagus, green super-foods, liquid chlorophyll (can be purchased at a health food store or through me), beets, shiitake mushrooms, apples, papaya, and kifir.

How often do I have to do it?
Like I said earlier I would recommend atleast 2-3 times per year. I usually do a good herbal cleanse in the spring and fall, and then some smaller ones throughout the year and some of my tips such as body brushing, detox soaks, exercise, healing stones, and essential oils I do throughout the year. I would recommend doing the "Master Cleanse" for a couple of days prior to doing any cleanse just to help prepare the body.

What results should I expect?
I have found that each person gets a different result, which makes sense since we are all made a little differently. Some of the things I have found, weight loss, a boost in energy level, regulated digestion, better sleep, improved fertility, and cleared brain fog. While you are cleansing you may feel a little icky the first day or two in addition to a possible break out, although these seem like negative side effect they are essentially good. If you experience these symptoms, you know that you are cleansing out a lot at once.

How long before I see results?
Again this has been different for each individual that does them, some see immediate results while others finish the cleanse and have said they didn't feel much different.

Master Cleanse/lemonade diet recipe:
2 Tbs. Fresh lemon or lime juice
2 Tbs. Grade B maple syrup (this is the real stuff, not the sugary stuff we are used to)
1/10 tsp. cayanne pepper
10 oz distilled water

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate. In the case of diabetes use black strap molasses in place of the maple syrup. Drink between 3 quarts to a gallon of this potion per day with no other food or drink. Do this for as long as you would like, as a cleanse or for a day or so just before you start a cleanse. There are many that swear by this cleanse and will do it for a number of days, I have never gone longer than 3 days without food. And since I am not a physician or nutritionist I cannot make any recommendations.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Prepardeness Storage Week 1

NUTS!!!

After Christmas there tend to be lots of sales on nuts. Store them, and freeze the bagged kind to add to your preparedness storage, and incorporate into your diet.

Okay there is a ton of information here on the health benefits of nuts, don't be overwhelmed. They are great for your heart, a great diet tool if used properly, and easy to add to any recipe, in fact I have included one from one of my favorite websites below.

Stock up on nuts this week when you are out doing your weekly grocery shopping. Why nuts well, nuts are considered to be a healthy snack!! They are high in calories, so you only need just a few. Research has shown that those who eat nuts regularly have lower risks of heart disease. In '96 a study completed by Iowa Women's Healthy found that women who ate nuts at least 4 times a week were 40% less likely to die of heart disease! In the famous Nurses Health Study, participants who ate five ounces of nuts per week cut their risk of heart disease by 35%. In the U.S. Physicians Study, Harvard researchers discovered that men who consumed nuts 2 or more times per week were 47% less likely to die from heart attack and had a 30% reduction in risk for heart disease. The Adventist Health Study showed that those who ate nuts frequently (over 4 times per week) showed significant reduction in heart attacks (51% fewer heart attacks). Sounds good to me!

Nuts are also one of the best plant sources of protein. Nuts are also high in good fats, the one's shown to lower your LDL cholesterol. Nuts contain the amino acid arginine, which can boost immunity and reduce blood pressure. Manganese and boron are also found in nuts. Some nuts contain tryptophan, which stimulates production of serotonin in the brain. Tryptophan can help to alleviate depression and boosts relaxation. Eating peanuts has been shown to reduce triglycerides and LDL cholesterol. Not all fats are bad. Nuts, in fact, contain the heart-healthy fats Omega 3 that render a protective affect. The fat in nuts is monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat—not the artery-clogging saturated fat found in meat and processed foods. Several studies over the past several years have shown the health benefits of nuts which contain vitamin E, folic acid, magnesium, copper, protein, and fiber, and are rich in antioxidant phytochemicals.



The FDA approved the following health claim for 7 kinds of nuts

"Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 oz per day of most nuts as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease."

The Food and Drug Administration is now reviewing a proposal that would allow foods containing nuts to carry this label: "Diets containing one ounce of nuts per day can reduce your risk of heart disease."

FDA only approved the heart health claim for almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, some pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts as these nuts contain less than 4g of saturated fats per 50g. However that doesn't mean you should restrict yourself to these 7 nuts only. In addition to nuts, seeds such as flax seeds, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds may offer the same heart health benefits. Again moderation is the key - limit your intake to 1 to 2 oz of unsalted nuts per day.

Limit your intake of these tasty treats to 1 to 2 oz per day so as to not add a lot of extra calories to your diet. Maybe substitute them for something else, such as making nut butter and using that instead of regular butter, or sprinkle them on your cereal.

Heart-Friendly Nuts

* Almonds
* Hazelnuts
* Peanuts
* Pecans
* Pine nuts (see the recipe for pesto below)
* Pistachios
* Walnuts

Since I know the number 1 new years resolution is usually to loose weight, here is some great info. Nuts are a dieter's dream com true. Dieters who eat nuts tend to stick to their diets because the fat, fiber and protein content of nuts makes them very filling. This results in a dieter who is not starving, but satisfied in between meals, and so they eat less. There have been many studies that found eating SMALL (this is the key, small amounts) amounts of nuts helped dieters lose weight. Consider adding nuts to your diet plan this year, just be sure they are the healthy kind. One ounce of nuts contains between 150 - 200 calories, so really just a few go a long way! Most of these calories come from the heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. In the past when consuming nuts I would consume handfuls as I ate... having a little eating on autopilot... hand from bag to mouth without even thinking... Doing this you will consume many extra calories... avoid this by pre-portioning your nuts into small bags for a great snack. Or take just one handful and be done. The goal is to eat nuts instead of other sources of fat such as candy, cookies, cakes, donuts, and chips. You can get really creative with your nut choices and recipes to add them in... or top an apple or celery with some natural peanut butter.
So here are some tips on ways to incorporate them into your diet.

* Top hot or cold cereal with nuts for a nourishing breakfast.
* Sprinkle almonds on top of yogurt.
* Add peanuts to nonfat frozen yogurt.
* Use fat-free salad dressing and add nuts to your salads.
* Use nuts to replace croutons in salads or soups Almonds are fantastic.
* Bring pasta to life by sprinkling it with chopped nuts walnuts are to die for over pesto.
* Remember that slivered almonds do wonders with everything from chicken to desserts.
* Add nuts to bread, pancakes, waffles, or muffins.
* Mix nuts into lite cream cheese for a delicious spread.
* Add nuts to popcorn for a tasty snack.
* Add great flavor to steamed veggies with a handful of nuts.
* Toast nuts to enhance the flavor. Bake for 5-10 minutes in a 350-degree oven

The calorie counter here... small portions approximately 1 once (one small handful) has about this many calories in these types of nuts:
Dry roasted peanuts, regular (30 nuts) 170
Dry roasted peanuts, unsalted (30 nuts) 160
Cocktail peanuts (30 nuts) 170
Honey-roasted peanuts (30) 150
Almonds (24) 160
Brazil nuts (7) 170
Cashews (20) 170
Walnuts (14) 180
Pistachios, shelled (47) 170
Pecans (20 halves) 190
Macadamia nuts (11) 200

I'd guess that basil is possibly the most popular herb grown at home. So I'm guessing if you have an herb garden, you've got fresh basil. And it would be a complete shame to have fresh basil at your disposal and not make pesto! Such a quick and easy thing and you can use it so many ways. If you're buying basil at the store, you could always substitute some spinach or arugula for some of the basil to stretch your dollar, but I think all-basil is the best if you've got access to it. Let's do it!

Here is a fantastic recipe for Pesto (a delicious way to add some nuts into your meal) For more fantastic recipes go to www.ourbestbites.com They have some wonderful recipes, one of my regular websites.


Fresh Basil Pesto
Recipe by Our Best Bites

2 1/2 - 3 C basil leaves, gently packed
3/4 C fresh Parmesan cheese (this is not the time for stuff in a plastic bottle)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 C pine nuts, toasted
1/2-3/4C extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
a few cracks pepper

Place everything but olive oil in a food processor. (For the salt, start with 1/4 t and add the rest at the end. The final amount really depends on the saltiness of your cheese, so give it a taste first.) Give it a few pulses until things are chopped up.


Slowly pour in olive oil while processor is running* until you reach the consistency you want. It's gorgeous and green and perfectly wonderful! Eat it right away or store in the fridge or freezer (directions below).

*If you have a extra small food processor, or no food processor at all, you don't have to add the oil while it's running. You can process everything (or hand chop if you're good with a knife!) and add the oil by hand. Processing it in the machine however creates a mixture that holds together a bit better than a hand mixed version.


Now what to do what to do... Here's a few of my favorite ways to eat fresh pesto. First and foremost, you need a fresh loaf of crusty artisan bread. Rip off chunks and dip it right in. No matter what you are eating- this one is a must!


Use it on panini. We made this dinner with a rotisserie chicken, garden tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and lots of fresh pesto (of course!)


Possibly one of my most favorite dinners ever and SO quick and easy. It's like a simplified short-cut variation of this pasta dish. Put some cherry tomatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Pop it in a 425 degree oven for about 10 minutes. In the mean time boil some pasta. Toss the hot pasta, tomatoes, and pesto all together for a dinner that's done in 15 minutes flat! Did I mention it's soooo good??



Freezer Instructions:
One of the great things about pesto is that it freezes well, so you can make it in the peak of summer when your basil is going bonkers and then have it all winter long. Just put it in an ice cube tray and after it's frozen pop all of those cute little cubes in a zip-lock bag or freezer container. Pull them out any time you need a burst of fresh flavor.

Here's a few more ways to use pesto:
-Use it as a sauce on homemade pizza. Love it on grilled pizza!
-Toss it with fresh steamed veggies.
-Top a baked potato (it's super yummy mixed in with the sour cream)
-Put some in Kate's Cheesy Garlic Swirls, instead of the butter and garlic seasoning.
-Slather it under the skin of a whole chicken and roast in the oven or crock pot.
-Dollop it in soups (like this one)
-Mix it with mayo for sandwiches
-Drizzle on scrambled eggs
-Combine with cream cheese on a bagel (yum!)
-Mix into salad dressings- it's great with homemade ranch
-Pop it in some homemade hot pockets with mozzarella and pepperoni!
-Drop a frozen cube or two into homemade pasta sauce (both creamy and tomato based) and pizza sauce.

January

When I think of January I think of cold, snow, and a time to reflect on the previous year and make goals for what I can do better. This said I have decided that each month I will be incorporating a new habit into my life, so at the end of the year I am a healthier, happier person in 12 new ways!! They say it takes 21-28 days to form a habit so I figure if I give myself a whole month I can do it.

My habit for January is to drink at least the recommended 8-10 glasses of water per day. I have heard many different recommendations on how much water we should be taking in... 8-10 glasses, 3 liters, 1/2 your body weight in ounces, but I figure that 8-10 glasses I am improving from what I get now, it is close to my body weight in ounces, close to 3 liters, and it is easy to remember.
I have decided that when things are simple, and fun you get them done!! Join with me by pledging in a comment to this post and at the end of the month January 31, to be exact, to keep it fun I will do a drawing for a free ecofriendly water bottle!! Be sure to include your e-mail or contact info so I can let you know if you won!!

Reasons to drink more water:
-75% of americans are Chronically dehydrated

-In 37% of americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger

-Even mild dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%

-One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 99% of dieters studied in a University of Washington study

-Lack of water is the #1 trigger for daytime fatigue

-Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water/day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers

-A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page

-Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79% and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.

That said I would encourage you to get more water, but also remember the environment, and try to get a filter for your tap, and purchase a reusable water bottle so we can do our part to be green. It is said that only 2 out of every 10 water bottles actually gets recycled.