Can Homeopathy Help Prevent Breast Cancer?
Filed Under Breast Health, Homeopathy | 1 Comment
Homeopathic medications have a wide range of use in treatment and prevention of breast disease as well as in the promotion of proper lymphatic drainage. Here are just a few examples of the most common remedies from my clinical experience:
Phytolacca Decandra (poke-root)—Great glandular remedy. Will work specifically for swellings with heat and inflammation. It has a powerful effect on fibrous tissues and muscle sheaths as well as scar tissue. It is the most used homeopathic medicine for mastitis, with the primary indication being that the breast is hard and very sensitive. The breast can be hard, painful, and have a purple hue in later stages. Any mammary abscess will require Phytolacca at some point of treatment. Phytolacca is also used when breasts are irritable, before and during menses. This remedy is very common for women to complain that they have pain is radiating into the axillary region, caused by an enlargement of the axillary glands.
Scrophularia Nodosa (knotted figwort)—Has a specific affinity for the breast and it is very useful in the dissipation of breast tumors. Very powerful medicine whenever enlarged glands are present. This remedy is used with fibroadenoma of the breast (nodules) with pain in all flexor muscles. Many patients with Hodgkin’s disease will require this remedy.
Baryta Iodata (iodide of Baryta)—Acts on the lymphatic system. Patients who require this medicine have leucocytosis. Leucocytosis is an increase in the number of white blood cells in the blood. It is a common feature of inflammatory reactions, particularly those caused by bacteria. Lymph nodes that have chronic or acute infection will respond greatly to this medicine.
Conium Maculatum (poison hemlock)—The ancient Greek philosopher Plato made this medicine well known by his graphic description of its employment in the death of Socrates. However, there are many other applications for this homeopathic remedy that seem invaluable when it comes to breast conditions. This medicine is very effective for breasts that present with a stony, hard tumor or gland. It has also proven its therapeutic value in cancers of the esophagus, stomach, liver, and prostate.
Dr. Alex Mostovoy
Good Vibes: The Power of Music
Filed Under Law of Attraction | Leave a Comment
I’m having a great day, mostly because I started playing music in my office. Man, I love music (especially the uplifting inspired kind). It just raises my spirits no matter what else is going on. I don’t even have to know what the words are saying—and there’s something to that!
Music works by infiltrating your cells and your heart. It shifts your energy without needing to understand anything mentally. After all, when you get in your head, it rarely infiltrates your body, and if you are not resonating from your cells in a high place, then you do not have access. Click here for an amazing talk about feeling music (classical music, in this case) and awakening possibility.
When you are in your head, you will not have access to the answers to your problems. You see the answers lie in the realm of infinite wisdom. When you listen to music that is written from infinite connection, your body will instantly connect with the infinite. You can always tell when a song writer has woken up to their unlimited self by how much the song opens you up to your unlimited self when you listen to it.
So today, instead of working so hard to find solutions and get in the groove, just put some tunes on and dance a little. Then see what comes to you!
Jennifer Hough
Positions for Labor
Filed Under Mom Talk | Leave a Comment
In order for labor to progress, it is extremely important for a woman to change her positions frequently (at least every 30–40 minutes) during labor. A wide variety of positions will alleviate some of the discomforts of labor.
Walking
• Excellent position for ease of pain and back pressure
• Can hasten the speed of labor due to gravity
Sitting on Birth Ball
• Places the woman in a squat position without stretching the muscles in the legs
• Eases the perineal pressure
• Aids the descent of the baby
Side-Lying
• Excellent for relaxation or with use of medication
• Helps to reduce elevated blood pressure
• Should be alternated with activity such as walking (if not medicated)
Hands and Knees
• Optimal position for relief of painful back labor
• Encourages rotation of baby from posterior to anterior position
• Allows partner to be free to massage the back
Leaning Forward While Kneeling, Sitting, or Standing
• Takes the pressure off the back
• Can help rotate the baby from posterior to anterior
• Allows partner to be free to massage the back
• Can use the birth ball, the bed, the partner, or a chair as support
Lunging with Partner Support
• Allows for opening of pelvic floor
• Rocking motion with support can be relaxing
• Allows partner/mom closeness
Squatting
• Encourages proper fetal alignment into the pelvis and aids in the descent of the baby
• Opens the pelvis 1–2 cm, wider than other positions
• Helps to relieve backache
Swaying/Slow Dancing
• Loving position to labor in with the partner—allows for emotional as well as physical support
• Provides mobility to the pelvis
• Uses gravity to help speed up the labor
Cheers,
Andrea Page
Resources:
Kitzinger, Shiela. The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth
www.birthsource.com
Simkin, Whalley and Keppler. Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn: The Complete Guide (1991)
Perez, Paulina. The Nurturing Touch at Birth (1997)
Grease Spatters
Filed Under Clean Quick and Green | Leave a Comment
Kitchens are super high maintenance. Cleaning grease means you are taking a proactive approach to keeping an area nice and clean and reducing the amount of heavy scrubbing required during your annual clean-a-thon.
Grease will leave a sticky residue on counters, hood vents, stove tops, cupboard doors, and microwaves. It can be nearly impossible to clean off if left for a long time! Not only that, it discolors the area (the golden shine french fries) and is a hideous dust magnet.
It’s important to develop a little routine after cooking with grease. Clean all areas by spraying affected areas with all-purpose cleaner (vinegar will work well, too) and letting it sit for a while.
For heavier grease marks, you can use a sprinkling of baking soda and an abrasive sponge to do the trick; test the material first to be sure you won’t ruin any finishes.
You can also try natural orange cleaners which are fantastic for heavy degreasing.
Melissa
Forgiveness
Filed Under Meditation | Leave a Comment
Forgiving is a value many of us have accepted because it is part of our cultural heritage. It is probably something we were taught about at a very young age before we developed any sophisticated understanding of morality, emotions, or human relationships. So do we really know what it means to forgive?
Sometimes we may say, “Oh, I forgive you” when we mean, “Oh, I forgive you, you jerk. You aren’t worth holding a grudge for.” Or, “I forgive you. I know you can’t help being such an obviously lower form of life.” Sometimes we may think, “I forgive you this time, but do it again and you’ll never know what hit you.”
Now that we are adults, perhaps we should re-examine our understanding of forgiveness in the light of all that we now know about people and about ourselves.
What does it mean to forgive? Broken down into parts it means:
• I understand that humans are not perfect.
• I acknowledge your fallibility as a human being, just as I accept my own.
• I give up my attachment to the negative emotions I have created within myself in response to my understanding of your behavior.
• I wish to heal the break between us.
• I open my heart and extend my compassion to you.
Practice:
Spend some time contemplating your feelings about someone you believe has wronged you. See if you can loosen up the emotional restrictions that you have developed in response to this perceived wrong. Work through the above list of the parts of forgiving as it applies to this person. Notice your reactions: your hesitations, your rationalizations, your emotions. When you observe a reaction that prevents you from moving along to the next step, sit with it awhile. Examine it closely. Then let go of it. Let the obstruction melt away like an ice cube in the sun. In place of the darkness of resentment allow the light of compassion to fill you.
Tom Barrett
Just Heavenly
Filed Under Law of Attraction | Leave a Comment
I had a meeting yesterday with a lovely man named Brother David. (He is a wonderful teacher of Gratitude; look him up!) His presence truly did put me at peace, and it was then that I realized that he did not have to say much because he just oooooozed a wisdom and humility that had me locked in a full body smile.
I bet you know someone like that. My question is, how do you become someone like that?
Imagine being the person who lights up the room. Not because you are the funniest, the loudest, the most popular, or the most beautiful. You see, when you plug into the truth about humanity (that we are powerful beyond measure and walking love-generating machines born to create limitlessly) then you have also plugged into the largest hydro-electric company in the Universe.
Well actually, you have plugged into the Unlimited Life Stream that is the Universe. So without saying a word, you will light a room. When you do that, you are beautiful—and it is effortless. It is also not the point. The point is, if you can change a room, you can change a planet.
The fastest way to light a room and instantly plug in is to smile. Today, smile at 7 people, at least. Why 7? Because it’s 1 before 8, which is infinity on its side. I do believe we are very close to remembering our own personal infinities… and 7 is close enough.
Bring Heaven with you wherever you go—instead of waiting for it to show up someday.
Jennifer Hough
Healthier Air in Your Home Is Right Under Your Nose
Filed Under Naturopathy | Leave a Comment
Do you wake up every morning with a stuffy nose? Watery eyes? That dragged out feeling? Relief might be right under your nose.
Many of our average household plants are natural air purifiers. If placed strategically around your home, they can rid the air of harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde, benzene, and chemicals found in spot removers and furniture polish.
Have you noticed that people rarely open their windows to air out their homes, cars, and work sheds? We go from air-conditioned or heated environments in our homes to the same in our cars and work environments. When was the last time you felt the cool breeze of the morning air across your face? Or the intoxicating smell of freshly cut grass and sweet smells of wildflowers?
Our homes have become miniature chemical manufacturing sites. Nasty chemical byproducts of everyday household cleaners are floating in your home’s airspace and entering and causing havoc to your bodies.
And why do we allow these insults to enter our homes and infect our children and pets? Because we think that a clean house is a healthier house. What appears on the outside to be clean is actually harboring chemicals that most of us couldn’t pronounce on a good day!
Does that mean you should discard all of your household cleaners? Probably not–unless you want to commit to going green. Unfortunately most of us haven’t bought into that yet (let’s save that one for another article).
The fact is that under the sinks in most households you will find the offending culprits: furniture polish, carpet stain removers, air cleaners, disinfectants, counter-top cleaners etc.
• The best way to rid your home of these lingering chemicals is to open up your windows and air it out.
• You can also decorate and purify your home with the natural beauty of plant foliage. Plants are natural air purifiers; they absorb the harmful chemicals in the air and break them down within their root system. Plants also convert carbon dioxide to oxygen, a vital component of human cellular health.
Here are some common household plants you could start with:
• Aloe vera
• Bamboo fern
• Boston fern
• Chinese evergreen
• Chrysanthemum
• English ivy
• Focus
• Philodendron
• Rubber plant
You don’t have to have a green thumb to have beautiful and thriving greenery. Some plants need very little care while others need lots of sunlight and daily watering.
Go ahead, don’t be afraid to experiment with a few different plants and see which work best for you. Be naturally savvy and health smart! The next time you go to the store to replenish your household cleaning products, pick up a couple of the beauties listed above and brighten up a room with the green of nature.
To find out more about the chemicals you breathe visit www.householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov.
In health and wellness,
Dr. Linda Mundorff
The Attitude of Gratitude
Filed Under Law of Attraction | 1 Comment
Today, I am abundantly grateful for you and all you do to make the world, your family, and your life a better place to be. Now, there are some people out there who have the silly idea in their head that to be more blessed, you just have to work harder to get more stuff.
Aren’t you relieved to know that having a blessed life is a function of how strong your gratitude muscle is? It’s not a function of how much money or stuff you have, or your number of friends, or your career. Phew! See, wasn’t that easy?
How blessed you are is in direct proportion to how good you are at being grateful for the life you have. If you don’t feel blessed, guess what you need practice at?
Oh, and remember: Appreciation is situational. Gratitude is cellular.
Just for the heck of it today, prove me right. See if you can generate a whole new level of feeling blessed (no matter how grateful you already are). The cool thing is you will likely realize you were that blessed all along.
Jennifer Hough
Laugh More, You’ll Love it! Part 1
Filed Under Health and Wellness | Leave a Comment
I just finished watching the entire collection (6 seasons) of Third Rock from the Sun, a television sitcom where aliens visit Earth, pose as humans, and learn about us. What is so great about this show is the humor. The jokes are well thought out and clever, but most of all it is a visual, charismatic type of humor that grabs hold and keeps you smiling long after the jokes been played out.
After each episode, I would always want more. Not necessarily more of John Lithgow dressed as a woman or of French Stewart’s hilarious dimmed look always in constant struggle to understand. Yes, this is all good stuff. But what I really want more of is the euphoria that washes over you when the laughing begins and continues even after it has ceased. Laughing makes you feel so warm and happy. What’s not to like?
There is nothing to hate about laughing. In fact, Helpguide.org explains that laughter can help lower stress and blood pressure, elevate mood, boost the immune system, protect the heart, and even improve brain functioning. Helpguide also tells us that a good laugh can “foster instant relaxation.” Amazing! This is fantastic news.
As humans, we know this. But we do not experience a good laugh nearly enough.
Let’s do this more often, shall we?
First thing’s first: Learn to laugh at yourself. You do not experience nearly enough laughter in your life unless you learn to take a joke at your expense. Relax a little. Imitation is the highest form of flattery. At least that’s how I like to look at it.
The next step in the process of learning to laugh daily is to wake up every day with a good attitude and just do it. Or at the very least, try smiling while feeling upset. The feeling upset part doesn’t work.
So relax, lighten up, and turn that frown upside down. Besides, you look better that way.
Erin
Pets as Herbal Teachers—Part 6
Filed Under Herbalist | Leave a Comment
I have talked about one herbal combination that I’ve used with both people and animals for joint health and arthritis. The main ingredients are alfalfa, horsetail, and bromelain with nine other herbs to reduce inflammation in the joints.
I’ve seen this hjerbal formula do wonders with my dogs with hip dysplasia; my dog Sam uses it for her arthritis. However, it saved the life of my friend’s Australian shepherd, Bruno.
I don’t remember now whether or not this fellow had developed this backbone defect or had an accident, but this young dog’s spine was so out of alignment that by the time his owner came to me, he was in excruciating pain. Bruno’s attitude was so bad because of the anguish that he couldn’t be trusted with people or other dogs. His owner was afraid that Bruno would have to be put to sleep.
We started on a regime of just this one herbal combination and she was amazed. In no time, he was his normal self! Over time, we could reduce his dose to a maintenance level and Bruno lived for many more happy years because of the herbs. Thanks, Bruno, for demonstrating the power of the simple plants!
Wendy
« go back — keep looking »