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The
Benefits of Tai Chi:By Joshua Geyl!
The Benefits of Tai Chi Tai Chi is a health and martial
art base gentle exercise that brings the mind and body
together. The principles used to perform and master
Tai Chi is based of the Taoist concepts and the all
commonly known ying and yang. Like all exercise it is
wise to know all aspects of movement and mind and without
one the other cannot function. This is why when it comes
to Tai Chi and with constant application of the principles
a strong body and mind is developed through relaxation.
Tai Chi has been know to increase flexibility, co-ordination,
joint strength, balance and agility, lower blood pressure
and improve the condition of diabetes within months
of starting.. The conventional way of training, the
body to gain improvements usually involves stress with
weight lifting or cardiovascular training and increased
risk of injury. Tai Chi does very little work in terms
of energy and straining, and has a high demand on a
mental workout also, which brings noticeable results
to those who practice. It has been shown to increase
the central nervous system, improve co-ordination of
the various organs of the body, and facilitate metabolism-
all of which contribute to a lower rate of incidence
of hypertension and arteriosclerosis.
Wester Medicine still finds it hard to know exactly
why Tai Chi brings many benefits to those that practise
it on a regular basis. Those who practice it say they
experience a work out while relaxing which for them
is like meditation with dynamic body movements. Science
does point toward all things that reduced stress and
give relaxation will help with a healthier body and
promote a longer life. Tai Chi develops these principles
and through the application of them within the exercises
and in life.
Pre-Conception
Care: By Annie O'Moon-Browning from My Health Sanctuary!
Many
people have asked me what I believe to be the most important
element of Pre-Conception Care. In answering this I
have looked at many life situations and what brings
us to them. What I believe to be the truest answer to
this question is to nourish and care for your own body,
for that of your partner and for the precious relationship
that you have. This union is destined to bring forth
a new life and to invite a soul to return to be your
child.
Metaphysically I believe that in nourishing each other,
you have a far greater possibility of a healthy conception
success. This will also support all the endeavours of
parenting. For it is from a strong and caring union,
that encourages communication, nurturance, tolerance,
patience and acceptance that we discover the essential
basis for personal growth and responsibility towards
any other human being. Be that ourselves, our partners
or our children.
Most of us are spiritually ordained to share the responsibility
of growing a child, a new life, with another person.
In deepening our understanding of this union and in
caring for all its idiosyncrasies, weaknesses and strengths
we are guaranteed a good chance of success.
Intimate time spent alone together in sharing your thoughts
and feelings and in relating to the journey that you
are about to embark upon, is invaluable. Discussion
of our fears, hopes, desires and dreams all work towards
building energy that is conducive to the act of physical
procreation, the conception of your new baby!
Nourishing each other in true communication of needs,
wants and desires are almost more important than the
supports (that I will be discussing a little further
down the track) that we can use to prepare ourselves
for physical conception.
This is the time to allow and invite yourself and your
partner into true intimacy and exposure of who you are
and what you believe in. Each pre-pregnancy, pregnancy,
birth and infant is different. In spiritually preparing
yourself before the actually physical conception, you
are affirming to life, in its deepest state, that you
are truly ready to become a Mum or Dad (again)!
Many couples plan this time to spend away from their
normal routine and include meditations, massaging each
other, writing notes and stories, couple yoga, bathing,
playing, dancing and making love. Opening their hearts
to new possibilities and to learning more deeply about
each other.
In the physical care of your pre pregnant body many
positive and important issues arise. I have spoken to
peoples from different cultures all over the world,
about what they believe is the deciding factor in conception.
I have some wonderful stories of how (in the Solomon's)
if a man wears a leaf from a certain bush, and if this
leaf is woven in a special way, then the woman of his
heart will find him irresistible and conceive the strongest
warrior of the tribe! Other cultures (Nepal) believe
that the day of conception brings about a male or female
child and that you are assured your choice by careful
planning of your lovemaking! Others (German) believe
that the health of the fetus is directly related to
the virility of the man and that if your man has worn
his boots all day in the fields…that your baby will
be healthy and strong. Hence the old saying ladies,
of "getting a man's boots under your bed!"
I love these stories as it speaks to me of the desire
of our species to procreate and of the love of all people
of babies and of the act that creates them!
However, physical well being of the woman and the man
in the 3 months prior to conception is undoubtedly paramount.
In this I am particularly interested in hormonal balance
and nutritional status.
On deciding to start a family, many couples believe
that they will conceive immediately. This occurs if
there is adequate sperm count and viability for the
man, and harmonious hormonal balance for the woman.
Maintaining fetal growth and development is also intrinsically
linked to the woman's hormonal state. If you are out
of balance, if you have been on the oral contractive
pill or if your man's fertility is compromised, your
chances of immediate conception are reduced, and temporary
infertility may occur. It is always advisable to get
your hormonal balance assessed and to have your man's
sperm count checked.
Bearing in mind that the average time for conception
(even in the healthiest condition) is 12 months, you
really do have time to relax and enjoy yourselves before
becoming concerned.
In the 3 months prior to your desired conception it
is recommended that you carefully monitor your diet,
your stress levels, your ovulation and your overall
well being. Keeping fit and supple are all bonuses in
producing a healthy ovum. As your body is about to embark
upon the 24 hour job that is needed to grow your baby,
an appropriate supplement regime, suited to your body
type and health history is strongly recommended. For
example, if you are a blond, blue-eyed Anglo Celtic
woman you will definitely need a calcium and sodium
supplement
Embarking on an individualized program of Herbal and
Homeopathic hormonal balancing, cleansing and building
will go a long way to a healthy happy pregnancy, serene
lactation and long term vitally as you age.
For the long-term planners of parenting I highly recommend
that you both take a de-toxification program under the
guidance of a trained practitioner. This will really
strengthen your body and balance your hormones maximizing
fertility.
For those couples experiencing long-term fertility issues
there are some excellent estrogenic or progestogenic
herbs (depending on the individual woman's hormone balance)
that can be prescribed to rectify this health issue.
Optimal fertility can be restored with good success
as long as there are no medical problems. Each couple
is different and it is always advisable to seek the
assistance of a fully qualified Natural Health Care
Practitioner.
Finally I would like to commend any couple for the steps
taken with your health prior to conception. Every positive
health decision you make will be guaranteed to support
your baby, your bodies and your long term overall health,
happiness and well-being.
Annie O'Moon-Browning is the Director of 'My Health
Sanctuary' in Brisbane and has practiced as a Natural
Health Care Practitioner for 27 years. She has been
a senior educator of Homeopathy and Naturopathy in colleges
in Queensland and specializes in Pre-conception Care,
Infertility and Detoxification programs. She can be
contacted on 07- 3369 9965
Copyright ©My Health Sanctuary 2008
32 Lorward Avenue Bardon Queensland
http://www.myhealthsanctuary.com.au/
Push Me Pull Me: By Sue Lester NLP Practitioner,
Coach Trainer!
Have
you ever wanted something so badly that the sight or
thought of someone else having it made you furious,
sick to the stomach or tearful? Maybe it's that promotion,
that baby, that income, that partner? Desire can motivate
us, but taken to the extreme it works in reverse, driving
away what we most want, spiraling us down into despair.
This may sound overly dramatic for those who haven't
experienced this, or know someone who has. However,
I've worked with many clients experiencing this, and
I know many of you will totally relate to what I'm saying.
You've no doubt heard, seen or read of "The Secret",
The Law Of Attraction etc, so perhaps feel that since
you want something so badly, it has to come to you.
The key, of course, is how you feel when you thinking
about what you desire. How you feel about a goal anchors
into your body, so, after repetition of desire, simply
the sight, sound, mention or thought of the goal (or
similar) will immediately generate the same response
in your body. The idea is that you are filling your
body with positive sensations, so psychologically and
physiologically you program yourself that this goal
is a very good thing for you. The bonus is that you
are certainly more likely to achieve your goal/desire,
and most importantly, your journey will be a pleasant
positive experience.
The opposite works the same way. If you continually
experience strong negative emotions when you think of
your desire e.g. anger, jealousy, frustration, sadness,
fear, guilt, you will anchor those into your body. The
result is you'll associate your goal with pain, and
strive to avoid achieving it. So, you not only miss
your desire, you have a miserable journey grabbing at
something you always keep out of reach, in order to
protect yourself from the pain.
For example, this means that if you are conceiving,
on IVF or not, yet the sight of someone else's baby
or a pregnant woman sets off a negative emotional chain
reaction, you are training your body that "baby=pain".
To train your body to believe that "baby=love", you
need to collapse your negative anchor (easily done using
NLP), and layer in a new positive anchor by flooding
your body with warm, loving, protective, happy feelings.
This will involve stepping out of your own 'stuff' and
looking at a baby with new eyes, marveling at it as
the innocent, unique and miraculous being it is. Touching,
holding, smelling and looking at it lovingly will all
generate the positive anchoring in your body. Likewise,
the pregnant woman you see is also a miracle on her
own journey. She's not chosen to conceive to hurt you,
and ascribing that meaning, in your body, only hurts
yourself.
Likewise if you are jealous of another's good fortune,
e.g. a promotion or successful business, you are anchoring
in that success=pain, or wealth=pain. You are also closing
off opportunities to share that good fortune. If you
were expanding your business and looking to 'head-hunt'
a former colleague, would you consider the one who had
sour grapes, or the one who was generous of spirit,
and genuinely pleased at your success. Take a moment
to look at a desire you haven't yet achieved, and ask
yourself what you are anchoring in, and whether you
are helping or hindering your chance of success. Look
at ways you can turn your attitude and behaviour around
to serve your purpose better.
The idea of making this shift may seem impossible, but
it can be achieved more quickly and easily than you
can imagine, if you have access to the right techniques,
and you do.
Plate
Smash Exposes Calorie Overload:By Great Ideas in Nutrition!
We are so used to eating ever-increasing quantities
of food that we haven't noticed how many extra calories
we are overloading on our plates according to dietitian
and author of Portion Perfection - A visual weight control
plan Amanda Clark.
The number of calories per serving in classic recipes
cooked at home has increased by nearly 40 percent in
the past 70 years. This is the finding of a recent study
that reveals the trend of growing portion sizes in numerous
cookbooks.
"A calorie increase of 40 percent per serving is sizeable
because a rise of just 10 percent is enough to result
in weight gain," said Australian dietitian Amanda Clark.
The author has developed a new e-game called Plate Smash
http://www.portionperfection.com.au/platesmash/
as a visual tool to show adults and teenagers how
much is right to eat for lunch.
The game features an animated angel who helps you choose
the foods and drinks you want, but if you go into calorie
overload based on your age, gender and weight loss goals,
your plate smashes.
"I believe most people would like to eat the right amount,
if only they knew what that was. The Plate Smash game
makes you stop and think about how many calories you
are putting on your plate for one meal," said Mrs Clark.
The game was also designed for parents who want to learn
the right quantities of various foods their active or
inactive teenagers devour for lunch, including pizza,
sushi, sandwiches, meat pies, French fries and chicken
nuggets.
"If parents and teens know their calorie limits, this
could help prevent and manage rising obesity in young
people," said Mrs Clark.
"Latest research shows the best way to lose weight is
to eat what you want and get into the habit of limiting
your portion sizes."
"Reduced-calorie diets result in meaningful weight loss
if you stick with them, regardless of whether they are
low-fat, low-carb or high-protein."
"If you focus on eating the perfect portions, you can
eat the foods you like, including the occasional treats.
This means you won't feel deprived and can stick to
a healthy way of eating for life," said Mrs Clark.
Amanda's book Portion Perfection features hundreds of
photographs of popular foods and drinks to graphically
show how much is right to eat for adults, teens and
children.
About
the Portion Perfection book, plate and bowl
Portion Perfection is a visual weight control plan that
shows you exactly the right amount to eat if you want
to lose or maintain weight. It includes everyday and
occasional foods (such as treats like chocolate or wine)
and spells out just how much to eat for various age
groups. It has hundreds of pictures showing popular
packaged foods, including almost every brand of yoghurt,
cereal, muesli bar and crisps available in Australia,
as well as common take-away foods. There's also a Portion
Perfection plate and bowl to help you serve up the right
amount. All the Portion Perfection products are available
at www.greatideas.net.au
About the Author
Amanda Clark is an Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian
who received one of the highest accolades in her profession
when she won the Dietitians Association of Australia's
President's Award for Innovation. Amanda has spent the
past 15 years reviewing other nutrition authors' work
for listing of the best on her online bookshop at www.greatideas.net.au
Mothers Days Gift Idea: from
My Health Specials!
Pau
D'Arco Pau d'arco or Taheebo (Tabebuia avellanedae)
is an indigenous tree to South America. The Brazilian
Indians have used the inner bark of Pau d'arco for over
1000 years. They have used Pau d'arco for treating dysentery,
fever, malaria, carcinomas and stomach ulcers and topically
(externally) for treating skin diseases, fungal infections
and skin cancers.
The first time Pau d'arco was ever used in western medicine
was at the Santo Andre Hospital in Brazil, in the treatment
of cancer in 1960. Knowledge of the herb became more
widespread following a number of 'miraculous' cancer
cures, including three successful leukaemia treatments.
There is one story of a medical doctor who had a brother
dying of cancer in the Santo Andre Hospital. After administering
a brew of Pau d'arco the pain was relieved and the patient
rested soundly. After only one month of continually
taking Pau d'arco, he was discharged from hospital with
no trace of cancer. This same hospital has continued
to use the herb therapeutically with cancer patients
with tremendous results.
Reports on Pau d'arco found in various U.S. publications
are both informative and encouraging:
Lets Live, February 1985 said...
"Over the past 20 years reports from doctors and patients
have indicated that this bark, when ingested (usually
in tea form), has cured terminal leukaemia, arthritis,
yeast and fungus infections, arrested pain, stopped
athlete's foot and cured the common cold."
In a study done in 1981 in Brazil with nine cancer patients,
pain was relieved and the size of the tumours was reduced
in all patients. Three of these patients experienced
complete remissions.
Despite these impressive results and many personal testimonies,
no long-term statistics have been documented and the
exact mode of action still remains relatively unknown.
In Western Herbal Medicine today, Pau d'arco is used
for its immune stimulating, antitumour, antimicrobial,
anti-fungal, antiparasitic and blood cleansing actions.
Treatment of candida with Pau d'arco is firmly established
here in the west ñ along side citrus seed extract, Pau
d'arco is probably the most promising anti-fungal agent
that we herbalists have.
Treatment with Pau d'arco not only eliminates candida,
but also at the same time, enhances the immune system,
thereby preventing further infection. Used in conjunction
with an anti-candida diet and quality Lactobacillus
supplementation, Pau d'arco has the potential to balance
the body, where thrush is an issue.
One of the main reasons viruses are so difficult to
treat is that they invade and use body cells to sustain
their existence. Once a virus has invaded, they are
difficult to eradicate without also damaging the host
cell. Studies have tested lapachol, one active constituent
from Pau d'arco and found that it inhibits various strains
of virus including some types of influenza and herpes
viruses and the Epstein-Barr virus (causing glandular
fever.) It makes you wonder what the whole herb, with
its thousands of active constituents is capable of!
Many trials have used only the isolated constituent;
lapachol, resulting in nausea and vomiting and these
trials have subsequently been halted.
No side effects or toxicity has ever been reported from
the use of Pau d'arco.
Pau d'arco should NOT be used during pregnancy or when
on anticoagulant medication.
Pau d'arco could easily be voted as the world's most
revolting herb. The best disguiser for nasty tasting
herbs is dark grape juice, although with Pau d'arco,
it may only help slightly. (Grin and bear it.)
Detox
For Life 16 Sonanne Place Fig Tree Pocket 4069
Phone: 0413 024 901
Flourish Remedies Herbal Pharmacy 777 Eumundi Noosa
Rd Doonan 4562 (behind Fruits of Noosa) Phone: 07 5449
1130
http://www.detox4life.com.au/
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Short
and Sweet:Chick Pea, Roasted Beetroot & Capsicum
Salad!
Chick
Pea, Roasted Beetroot and Capsicum Salad
Serves 4
2
tbsp olive oil 2 cups cooked chickpeas (canned is fine)
1 large red capsicum, chopped 150g baby spinach 1 diced
red onion 1 tbsp cumin 1 tsp sesame seeds 3 tbsp tahini
(hulled) Juice of 1/2 lemon 1/2 cup chopped parsley
6 small baby beetroots, halved roasted and cooled Place
olive oil, chickpeas, capsicum, spinach, beetroots,
onion, cumin and sesame seeds in a bowl. Blend tahini,
lemon juice and water to make a dressing and drizzle
over the salad ingredients. Sprinkle with parsley.
Brought
to you by www.massattack.com.au
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our new FREE e-book 7 Secrets of Weight Loss Revealed
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Laughter
is the best medicine!
Joan
went to a psychiatrist. "Doc," she said, "I've got big
troubles. Every time I get into bed, I think there's
somebody under it. Am I going crazy?"
"Just put yourself in my hands for one year," said the
shrink, "Come to me three times a week, and I'll cure
your fears."
"How much do you charge?" "A hundred dollars per visit."
"I'll sleep on it," said Joan. six months later the
doctor met Joan on the street. "Why didn't you ever
come to see me again?" asked the psychiatrist.
"For a hundred bucks a visit? No way! Instead, I went
on one of those 'Dude Ranch' vacations, and an old cowboy
cured me for the price of a bottle of whiskey."
"Is that so! How?"
"He told me to cut the legs off the bed!
Ain't nobody under there now!!!"
.Quote
of the week!
"Much of the stress that people feel
doesn't come from having too much to do. It comes from
not finishing what they started." David
Allen
For
a Good Cause: Why Support HAND?
HAND
is a not for profit organisation in north Brisbane supporting
people with intellectual disability by enhancing leisure
and lifestyle opportunities. As part of its services
to people, HAND manages the : * Leisure Access Program,
* the HANDS UP! Program and the * Day Respite Program.
http://www.hand.org.au
BACK
ISSUES OF NATURALLY HAPPY
In
the next issue of "Naturally Happy"
- The
Skin Management Centre
- Healthwise!
- Great
Ideas in Nutrition!
- Ion
Secret!
- Sureslim!
- nourished.com.au!
- Short
and sweet!
If
this link doesn't work please email info@myhealthspecials.com.au
My
Health Specials provides this information for your personal
education and enrichment. Information provided should
not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem
or disease. Nor should the information replace the advice
of your health care practitioner. Always seek professional
advice if suffering an illness. My
Health Specials Pty Ltd and all parties involved in
the conception, production, ongoing maintenance and
operation of Naturally Happy accept no liability and
no responsibility for any damage whatsoever arising
from or in connection to your use or operation of the
website or information contained in this e-magazine.
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