Meditation is a common mind-body strategy. While there are many types, meditation is any activity in which you control your attention. This mind-body technique helps you achieve a “relaxation response,” a term used by Herbert Benson to describe the physical changes tied to a state of relaxation—decreased heart rate, respiration rate, and blood pressure.

There are two general forms of meditation, each with slightly different methods and goals: concentration meditation and mindfulness meditation.

Mindfulness Meditation

Mindfulness is the other main type of meditation, also known as Vipassana or insight meditation. Mindfulness involves intentional, non-judgmental, moment-to-moment awareness.

Like TM, mindfulness begins with one-pointed attention, but expands to a wider scope of observation. You observe thoughts, feelings or sensations as “mental events”—without judging or analyzing.

By observing thoughts and emotions in this more distanced and accepting way, you can approach a stressful situation with a mindful response and without reacting in a way that may increase your stress. Mindfulness meditation is also known as insight because the intention is to gain insight as to the true nature of reality. While concentration involves the practitioner focusing their attention on a single object, in mindfulness meditation practice, every aspect of experience is welcomed and appreciated.

Benefits of Meditation

There are many reasons why people meditate. For some it is part of a spiritual journey and has to do with expansion of awareness and how they perceive and experience life. Some simply want to relax, and this benefit of meditation is self-evident. Other people are very specifically interested in the benefits of meditation for health and general well-being. The effectiveness of meditation comes from deep relaxation. When we are deeply relaxed, the body and mind are refreshed and revitalized. This brings many benefits that are both immediate and long lasting. Some major health benefits of regular meditation include:

• Lower blood pressure
• Better sleep
• Less anxiety
• Faster healing
• Decreased use of drugs, alcohol and cigarettes
• Lower cholesterol
• Stronger immune response

Posture

Different postures affect how the energy flows through the body and how alert the mind is in meditation. For most meditations, we suggest sitting upright with the spine erect while still being comfortable.

When to meditate

When you meditate will partly depend on what kind of meditation you are doing and the purpose of the meditation. Although you can meditate at any time, the ideal times are usually in the morning as a start to your day, or in the late afternoon in order to unwind from the activity of the day and be refreshed for the evening.

How often to meditate

The ideal frequency of meditation may vary from person to person depending on many different factors. Generally speaking, once or twice a day is ideal. A regular routine of meditation is invaluable.

Thoughts in meditation

Thoughts arise spontaneously in the mind. They are a natural part of meditation. The goal of meditation is to become more at ease, relaxed and at peace with whatever is happening. Therefore, it is important to not resist anything that comes in meditation, including thoughts.

Don’t try to push out thoughts or resist them. Simply notice that thoughts are present and let them go the way they come — effortlessly. When you find that the awareness has been caught up in a train of thought, easily come back to the focus of your meditation. Don’t purposely follow the train of thought. Let it go. Let go of the meaning of thoughts. Let thoughts be a meaningless activity in the mind!

Our experience of thoughts may change as we meditate.As we disengage the gears of the mind, the mind has an opportunity to settle down. We may experience more subtle levels of the thinking process. Thoughts may become more vague, or may even be an intuitive felt sense of something — a knowing that does not get translated into words and concepts. Allow this process of the changing experience of thoughts to happen.

Noise

It’s enjoyable to meditate in a quiet place, but it is not always possible. All of the meditations on our website can be done in a noisy environment. The key is to not resist noise. Don’t try to ignore the noise or to block it out. Simply let it be and continue with your meditation.

Ending Meditation

It’s important to take time to come out of meditation slowly. When we are deeply rested in meditation, it can be jarring to suddenly get up and start our activity. Remain with your eyes closed for a minute or two. Stretch, move around a bit, and gradually become more active. When you are ready to open your eyes, you can open them downcast at first. Take your time!

DIFFERENT KINDS OF MEDITATION

Breath Awareness Meditation

Sit comfortably and close your eyes. Take a few moments to “simply be”. Notice whatever is being experienced in the moment — sounds, physical sensations, thoughts, feelings — without trying to do anything about it. Continue like this a little while, allowing yourself to settle down.

Now bring the attention to the breath. Simply notice the breath as it moves in and out as the body inhales and exhales. Notice how the breath moves in and out automatically, effortlessly. Don’t try to manipulate it in any way. Notice all the details of the experience of breathing — the feeling of the air moving in and out of the nose, the way the body moves as it breathes, etc.

The mind will wander away from the breath — that’s fine, it doesn’t matter. That’s a part of the meditation! When you notice that you are no longer observing the breath, easily bring your attention back to it.

Let all of your experiences — thoughts, emotions, bodily sensations — come and go in the background of your awareness of the breath. Notice how all of your experiences — thoughts, emotions, bodily sensations, awareness of sounds and smells — come automatically and effortlessly like the breath.

In time, you can become aware of the tendencies of your mind. You will see how it resists certain experiences and tries to hold onto others. The natural settling down of the mind allows you to notice these underlying tendencies and creates the possibility to let them go. If you experience a resistance to what is occurring, an attempt to change what is happening, a tendency to hold on to some experience — let it go.

Basic Nature Meditation — Eyes Closed

These meditations are done outside in natural surroundings. They help to enliven the basic intelligence of nature in our awareness and physiology. Our being resonates with the sight of a flower, sound of birds, feeling of the breeze. These experiences wake something up inside of us, and help to set our lives into a more natural rhythm. Nature lovers have discovered this secret without ever studying meditation!

Find a comfortable position sitting or lying down. Begin with a few deep breaths, breathing deep into the belly, to help you relax and to bring you to the sensations of the present moment. Now close your eyes and be present to what is being experienced with your eyes closed. Notice how your body feels, as well as the activity of your mind and emotions. Experience whatever is present without resisting anything or trying to change it. Do this for about a minute.

Now bring your awareness to everything that you can experience in your surroundings. Feel the temperature of the air on your skin, the feeling of the breeze and the sun. Notice the sounds around you — birds, bees, crickets, flowing water. Listen to the symphony of nature. For the rest of the meditation, continue to experience these feelings and sounds. Whenever your mind wanders, gently bring it back to the experience of nature.

As you meditate, you can see where your attention is naturally drawn, or purposefully scan for different experiences. You can also focus on one experience and notice the experience in greater detail. If it is a bird’s song — notice the quality of the sound — as if you are going more deeply into the sound. (It may seem to have a shape or texture.) Don’t analyze the sound and label it with your mind — simply notice the quality of it.

Once again, whenever you notice that the mind has become absorbed in thoughts, easily bring it back to the sounds and sensations of being in nature. At times both awareness of the sensations from the environment and thoughts will be present. That’s fine. Just easily favor the experiences of nature.

Walking Meditation

There is a tremendous richness of experience to become aware of as you walk. The body loves movement, and will reward you with pleasure if you pay attention to how it feels! So much of the time we are caught up in our mental worlds — thinking of the past or future, planning, imagining… Paying attention to the body as you walk will help you to enjoy simply being alive.

This meditation is best done outdoors. We recommend setting aside at least 20 minutes for your walking meditation, and not trying to combine it with anything else like going on errands or walking briskly for exercise. Let this be a walk just for meditation so that you can sink into the experience with your undivided attention!

Before starting to walk, spend a little time while still standing still. Allow your awareness to be with your body. Take some deep breaths, inhaling deep into the belly. Put your full attention on the sensation of breathing. Then allow the breath to return to normal and notice it going on its own for a little while. Now bring your awareness to your body, noticing how your body feels as you are standing, and becoming aware of all the sensations going on in your body.

Now begin walking. Walk at a relaxed, fairly slow but normal pace. Pay attention to the sensations in your body as you walk. It is natural to find your attention drawn to the sights around you as you walk, but keep bringing your attention to what is going on internally.

The idea is to have your attention on the physical experience of walking. If the mind starts getting caught up in thoughts, easily bring your attention back to the experience of walking. Notice how the body feels in great detail as you walk. The entire body is involved in the act of walking — from alternation of the left and right foot to the swinging of your arms and hips.

Notice how the soles of your feet feel — the contact they make with your socks or shoes, the textures of the fabrics touching them, the way they feel as they bear the weight of your body and the sensations in them as your walk along. Feel the entire foot, being aware of how it moves as the heel is placed on the ground, and then the movement rolls to the ball of the foot and toes. Notice how it feels as the foot lifts and moves forward. Allow your awareness to move up through every part of the body, noticing the sensations as you walk. Gradually scan all parts of your body as you bring your attention to the ankles, skins, calves, knees, thighs, hips, pelvis, back, chest, shoulders, arms, neck, head.

When you become aware of tension anywhere in the body, let it go. Allow that part of your body to relax. Allow your ankles, belly, shoulders, arms, neck — all of your body — to relax. Let your hips swing loose. As you do this, the walking will become more enjoyable.

Variation: Keep your attention on the rhythm of the walking — the alternation of left and right foot. Simply notice the experience of left-right-left-right motion. Keep bringing your awareness back to this experience when the mind wanders in thoughts or distractions of the environment.

Meditationoasis.com

http://www.wellbeing.com.au/article/features/wisdom/Meditation-for-Mindfulness_1041

John and Linda BallisFor more helpful tips on improving your health revisit this website regularly, http://wholisticmedicalcentre.com or go to our website http://.wheeloflifebook.com and purchase our book “The Wheel of Life’s 8 Keys to Success”

I’m often asked to name one thing that can be done right away to get healthier. With respect to food choices, the best suggestion I have is to begin drinking freshly pressed vegetable juices. Drinking just one freshly pressed juice each day is a reliable way of infusing your body with a wide variety of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that can protect your cells against premature aging and disease.

Almost everyone who has studied nutrition can agree that freshly pressed vegetable juices are highly beneficial to human health. But few people make time to prepare and drink them regularly.

Making time to drink vegetable juices isn’t a problem for most people. It’s the time that is needed to wash fresh vegetables, feed them through a good juicer, and clean the juicer afterward that prevents most people from making fresh juices a regular part of their lives.

So the first step to incorporating juicing into your life is to fully understand how good it is for your health and why making time to do it daily is one of the very best investments you can make.
The Right Ingredients
The key to making healthy vegetable juices is to make green vegetables the bulk of every serving. Green vegetables won’t spike your blood sugar and insulin level like fruits and sweet vegetables like carrots and red beets will.

This is not to say that you can’t juice fruits, carrots, and red beets. Fruits and sweet root vegetables can be healthy additions to your drinks, and they’ll definitely add sweetness and flavor. You just want to make sure that they never make up more than one-third of each glass that you drink.

And if you have a problem controlling your blood sugar level, you’ll want to use a blood sugar monitor to determine how much is acceptable for you. I’ve worked with dozens of diabetics over the years who haven’t been able to handle even an ounce of fruit, carrot, or red beet juice in their drinks without negative health consequences, so please consider this point before you select your ingredients for juicing.

Romaine lettuce is one of the best green vegetables that you can juice. You can also juice other types of green, leafy lettuce like red or green leaf lettuce.

For variety, try adding large handfuls of kale, Swiss chard, collard greens, Bok Choy, and any other dark green vegetable that you might steam before eating.

For another layer of flavor, you can add a tiny slice of lemon (including the rind for its flavonoids) to your vegetable juices.

Some people enjoy adding a clove of raw garlic for even more bite.

Be creative and add any vegetables you crave. You really can’t go wrong as long as you make sure not to use too many carrots, red beets, or fruits.

Clearly, organic vegetables are better than non-organic vegetables. But my experiences have led me to believe that the health benefits of drinking juices made with well washed, non-organic vegetables far outweigh not juicing at all. If you are only able to juice non-organic vegetables due to financial or other life circumstances, it’s still well worth your while to do so.
Preparing to Juice
We like to fill up the kitchen sink with cold water and dunk all of our vegetables for a good five minutes. Before we pull all the vegetables out to sit in a colander to dry off a bit, we shake them around in the cold water to make sure that we’ve removed any dirt or even bugs that may be hiding in the vegetables, particularly in heads of celery and lettuce.

If we know that we need to make a few gallons of vegetable juice over several days, we store washed carrots and ribs of celery in containers full of water in the refrigerator.

We store leaves of lettuce spread out and stacked vertically in a container with layers of paper towel in between each layer of lettuce to help absorb excess moisture. Fresh lettuce can last a whole week or more when stored in this fashion.

If you’re really pressed for time and want to make enough juice to last three to four days, you can make a big batch and store it in an air-tight container in the refrigerator – not as good as drinking right after pressing, but still likely better than drinking store-bought fruit juices or even vegetable cocktails like V8.
The Art of Juicing
Juicing is, for the most part, quite easy to do. You make sure that your vegetables are small or crunch-able enough to fit through the feeding mechanism of your juicer, and you push them in one at a time.

It’s best to juice soft vegetables like leafy greens first, as they are a bit harder to push through the extraction mechanism than firmer vegetables like carrots and celery. Firmer vegetables like carrots and celery can actually help to push any bits of softer vegetables that are deep within the feeding tube of your juicer but not yet
completely through the extraction mechanism.

With leafy greens, we find that it is best to roll them up into small balls before feeding them through the juicer. This helps prevent a single leaf from getting stuck between the feeding tube of your juicer and the plunger that you use to push the vegetables down.

Fruits, like firmer vegetables, can be added near the end, as you are unlikely to have a problem with pushing them down and through the extraction mechanism with the plunger.
Healthy Juice Recipes

Vegetable-based juices:

2 carrots
2 ribs of celery
8 leaves of romaine lettuce

2 carrots
Handful of parsley
6 leaves of romaine lettuce
Squeeze of lemon

2 tomatoes
3 ribs of celery
1 carrot
Squeeze of lemon

6 leaves of romaine lettuce
1 tomato
1 rib of celery
1 carrot

Big bunch of kale
2 carrots
2 ribs of celery

Big bunch of Swiss chard
2 carrots
2 ribs of celery

6 leaves of romaine lettuce
2 cups of green cabbage
2 carrots

6 leaves of romaine lettuce
2 ribs of celery
1 apple, whatever is in season

4 ribs of celery
2 carrots
1 apple

Fruit-based Juices (only for special occasions and if you don’t have high blood glucose levels):

3 ribs of celery
2 apples

Small handful of strawberries
Watermelon (cut into strips, rind included if you wash it well before cutting)

Honeydew (cut into strips)
Squeeze of lemon

1 apple
1 pear
3 ribs of celery

2 apples
8-10 strawberries

1 cup of pineapple
1 cup of grapes
Small handful of strawberries

This is some serious, life-sustaining stuff, so drink with gratitude and enjoy knowing that you’re taking great care of yourself.

Source: www.drbenkim.com

John and Linda BallisFor more helpful tips on improving your health revisit this website regularly, http://wholisticmedicalcentre.com or go to our website http://.wheeloflifebook.com and purchase our book “The Wheel of Life’s 8 Keys to Success”

That’s a liberating concept because if stress is a choice, you can choose not to have it. If you feel like your stress levels are off the charts, watch this new video for a new perspective that can change your life.

Stress is a Choice, provides ten rules that provide an inspired road map to simplify life and to choose less stress.

Many of us hurry through life going from one place to the next, focused on conquering the next mountain, making the next deal, running the next errand, and believing we will never have enough time to do all the things we need to get done.Yet, there is all the time in the world if we just realize we are the creators of this life we choose to live.

We know you are thinking “my work has expectations to meet, “My family runs at 110mph”… whatever your stress is, this short video can show you how you are choosing stress. It doesn’t mean you will get less done. This will show you a different way of approaching life that will reduce your stress with out affecting your productivity.

If you feel like your stress levels are off the charts,here is a new perspective for you that can change your life. Stress is a Choice, provides seven rules that provide an inspired road map to simplifing your life…and to choose less stress.

John and Linda BallisFor more helpful tips on improving your health revisit this website regularly, http://wholisticmedicalcentre.com or go to our website http://.wheeloflifebook.com and purchase our book “The Wheel of Life’s 8 Keys to Success”

A gluten-free diet is used to treat celiac disease or just a food intolerance to gluten, an autoimmune disorder that can appear at any age and is caused by an intolerance to gluten. Gluten causes inflammation in the small intestines of people with celiac disease. Eating a gluten-free diet helps people with celiac disease control their signs and symptoms and prevent complications.

Initially, following a gluten-free diet may be frustrating. But with time, patience and creativity, you’ll find there are many foods that you already eat that are gluten-free and you will find substitutes for gluten-containing foods that you can enjoy.

Diet details

Switching to a gluten-free diet is a big change and, like anything new, it takes some getting used to. You may initially feel deprived by the diet’s restrictions. However, try to stay positive and focus on all the foods you can eat. You may also be pleasantly surprised to realize how many gluten-free products, such as bread and pasta, are now available. Many specialty grocery stores sell gluten-free foods. If you can’t find them in your area, check with a celiac support group or go online.

If you’re just starting with a gluten-free diet, it’s a good idea to consult a dietitian who can answer your questions and offer advice about how to avoid gluten while still eating a healthy, balanced diet.

Allowed foods
Many healthy and delicious foods are naturally gluten-free:

• Beans, seeds, nuts in their natural, unprocessed form
• Fresh eggs
• Fresh meats, fish and poultry (not breaded, batter-coated or marinated)
• Fruits and vegetables
• Most dairy products

It’s important to make sure that they are not processed or mixed with gluten-containing grains, additives or preservatives. Many grains and starches can be part of a gluten-free diet:

• Amaranth
• Arrowroot
• Buckwheat
• Corn and cornmeal
• Flax
• Gluten-free flours (rice, soy, corn, potato, bean)
• Hominy (corn)
• Millet
• Quinoa
• Rice
• Sorghum
• Soy
• Tapioca

Always avoid
Avoid all food and drinks containing:

• Barley (malt, malt flavoring and malt vinegar are usually made from barley)
• Rye Triticale (a cross between wheat and rye)
• Wheat

Avoiding wheat can be challenging because wheat products go by numerous names. Consider the many types of wheat flour on supermarket shelves – bromated, enriched, phosphated, plain and self-rising. Here are other wheat products to avoid:

• Bulgur
• Durum flour
• Farina
• Graham flour
• Kamut
• Semolina
• Spelt

Avoid unless labeled ‘gluten-free’
In general, avoid the following foods unless they’re labeled as gluten-free or made with corn, rice, soy or other gluten-free grain:

• Beer
• Breads
• Cakes and pies
• Candies
• Cereals
• Cookies and crackers
• Croutons
• French fries
• Gravies
• Imitation meat or seafood
• Matzo
• Pastas
• Processed luncheon meats
• Salad dressings
• Sauces, including soy sauce
• Seasoned rice mixes
• Seasoned snack foods, such as potato and tortilla chips
• Soups and soup bases
• Vegetables in sauce

Certain grains, such as oats, can be contaminated with wheat during growing and processing stages of production. For this reason, doctors and dieticians generally recommend avoiding oats unless they are specifically labelled gluten-free.

Watch for cross-contamination
Cross-contamination occurs when gluten-free foods come into contact with foods that contain gluten. It can happen during the manufacturing process, for example, if the same equipment is used to make a variety of products. Some food labels include a “may contain” statement if this is the case. But be aware that this type of statement is voluntary. You still need to check the actual ingredient list. If you’re not sure whether a food contains gluten, don’t buy it or check with the manufacturer first to ask what it contains.

Cross-contamination can also occur at home if foods are prepared on common surfaces or with utensils that weren’t thoroughly cleaned after being used to prepare gluten-containing foods. Using a common toaster for gluten-free bread and regular bread is a major source of contamination, for example. Consider what steps you need to take to prevent cross-contamination at home, school or work.

Results

People with celiac disease who eat a gluten-free diet experience fewer symptoms and complications of the disease. People with celiac disease must eat a strictly gluten-free diet and must remain on the diet for the remainder of their lives.

Not getting enough vitamins
People who follow a gluten-free diet may have low levels of certain vitamins and nutrients in their diets. Ask your dietician to review your diet to see that you’re getting enough of key nutrients like iron, calcium, fibre, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and folate.

Not sticking to the gluten-free diet
If you accidentally eat a product that contains gluten, you may experience abdominal pain and diarrhea. Some people experience no signs or symptoms after eating gluten, but this doesn’t mean it’s not damaging their small intestines. Even trace amounts of gluten in your diet may be damaging, whether or not they cause signs or symptoms.

Source:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/rss/MayoFull.xml

http://www.bewellbuzz.com/nutrition/gluten-free-diet/

John and Linda Ballis

For more helpful tips on improving your health revisit this website regularly, http://wholisticmedicalcentre.com or go to our website http://.wheeloflifebook.com and purchase our book “The Wheel of Life’s 8 Keys to Success”

What about getting rid of those constant niggling headaches?

Get the help you need to reduce your neck pain that causes headaches and stress for yourself or your loved ones.

What better Birthday present could there be?

 Neck Relaxer

The calm of blissful relaxation and relief from pain, ensuring peaceful rest are two guaranteed benefits of a wholistic approach to stress management that uses ancient techniques in a modern way.

Wholistic medical centre practitioner, John Ballis^*, is the guiding force behind the oddly shaped yet highly effective design of a new self-help product called Neck Relaxer^TM.

The Neck Relaxer^TM features two semi-ridged soft rubber prongs on a sculptured solid base material – with the overall shape, reminiscent of a breaking wave. The two prongs are designed to fit neatly into the nap of the neck, where they apply gentle pressure to key points on either side of the spine, inducing muscle relaxation in a technique developed by the Chinese many thousands of years ago and known as “ The Gateway to Heaven”.

The benefits of using Neck Relaxer^TM are thoroughly documented by years of market research and product trials. The results of which convinced John Ballis that his design was as beneficial as hands-on treatment for head, neck and shoulder problems.

The beauty of my product is its simplicity. I acknowledge that many practitioners use the Gateway to Heaven technique, but Neck Relaxer^TM brings the benefits of hands-on treatment to a patient whenever they feel stress in the neck and shoulders and need help to combat its painful and damaging effects.

“It is enormously satisfying to actually see the health of my patients and those who use Neck Relaxer^TM improve in just a short period of time. Some people have remarked how much it has changed their lives and in many cases helped them to overcome chronic pain. I am amazed that I am the first practitioner to develop and market a product such as Neck Relaxer^TM knowing how effective the technique can be.” John said

According to John, Neck Relaxer^TM relieves stress in a few minutes if used each day, he also claims it is most effective before sleep. Its main benefits include:

• reduced or eliminated pain and stiffness in the neck and shoulders
• a sense of lightness and well-being
• deeper sleep and sustained relaxation
• improved vascular circulation to the neck and head
• reduces or eliminated headaches or migraines
• improved neck flexibility

This can be the perfect Birthday gift for those you love or it could be part of your own step by step plan for your own New Year’s Resolution. why not start today?

To purchase the Neck Relaxer and have it delivered to your door

Buy your Neck Relaxer Here

John and Linda Ballis
For more helpful tips on improving your health revisit this website regularly, http://wholisticmedicalcentre.com or go to our website http://.wheeloflifebook.com and purchase our book “The Wheel of Life’s 8 Keys to Success”

 These are stretches to do at your desk.

This program will take 2 – 3 minutes.

 
Prolonged sitting at a desk or computer terminal can cause muscular tension and pain.

• Taking a few minutes to do a series of stretches can make your whole body feel better.
• Learn to stretch spontaneously throughout the day whenever you feel tense.
• Don’t just do seated stretches, but do some standing stretches too. Good for circulation.

Breathe easily

There shouldn’t be any pain

Don’t bounce or force any movements

Feel the stretch

Relax

1. Bend your fingers at the knuckles to produce some tension, holding your wrists backwards.

Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 3 times.
2. Separate and straighten your fingers until you feel a stretch holding your wrists backwards.

Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 3 times.
3. Raise your shoulders up towards your ears until you feel a slight tension in your neck and shoulders.

 Hold for 3 – 5 seconds.

Slowly relax your shoulders into their normal position.

Repeat 2 – 3 times.

This is a good stretch to use at the first sign of stress and tension in the shoulder area.

 
4. Interlace your fingers behind your head and keep your elbows out to the side in line with your shoulders. Pull your shoulder blades together to create a stretch in the upper back and shoulder blades

 Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 2 times.

This is a good stretch to use when the upper back and shoulder areas are tight.
5. Slowly tilt the head to the left side to stretch the muscles on the left side of the neck. Feel a good even stretch but do not overstretch.

Hold for 5 seconds.

Return the head to an aligned position.

Repeat the stretch to the right hand side. Repeat 2 times

 
6. While sitting in an aligned position turn your chin toward your left shoulder in order to produce a stretch in the right side of your neck. Hold for 5 seconds.

Return the head to an aligned position.

Repeat the stretch to the right hand side. Repeat 2 times

 
7. While sitting in an aligned position drop your chin forward towards your chest in order to produce a stretch in the back of your neck.

Hold for 5 seconds.

Return the head to an aligned position.

Repeat 2 times
8. Hold your left arm just above the elbow with your right hand with your left hand over your right shoulder. Gently push your left elbow towards your right shoulder while simultaneously turning your head and looking over your left shoulder.

Hold for 10 seconds.

Return to an aligned position.

Repeat the stretch to the right hand side.
9. Straighten your arms out in front of you with your fingers interlaced and your palms facing away from you. The stretch should be felt in your arms and between your shoulder blades.

Hold for 10 seconds.

Release and then

repeat the stretch. Repeat 2 times

 
10. Straighten your arms out above your head with your fingers interlaced and your palms facing away from you. The stretch should be felt in your arms and through the upper side of the rib cage.

Hold for 10 seconds.

Release and then

repeat the stretch. Repeat 2 times

 
11. Hold your left arm just above the elbow with your right hand with your left hand behind your head and pushing towards your right shoulder. Gently push your left elbow until an easy tension – stretch is felt in the upper arms and shoulders or back.

Hold for 10 seconds.

Return to an aligned position.

Repeat the stretch to the right hand side.
12. Stand a little way from a solid support and lean towards it with your head resting on your forearms. Bend your right knee and place your right foot on the floor in front of you. Leave your left leg straight and out behind .you. Keep the toes of your right leg pointed straight ahead with the heel on the floor. Move your hips forward until you feel a stretch in the calf of your right leg. Hold for 10 seconds.

Return to a standing position.

Repeat the stretch to the other side.
13. Sitting in a chair cross your left leg over your right knee. Rest your elbow or forearm of your right arm on the outer side of your left leg. Apply a firm, steady pressure with your right arm on your left leg Place your left hand on the back of the chair.. As you do this look over your left shoulder to produce a stretch in the side of the hip, and the lower and middle back.

Hold for 15 seconds.

Release and then repeat the stretch to the other side.
14. Interlace your fingers behind your back. Slowly turn your elbows inwards whilst straightening your arms. This produces a good stretch in the shoulders and arms when you find yourself slouching forwards.

Hold for 15 seconds.

Repeat 2 times
15. Clasp both hands around your left leg below the knee and gently pull your leg towards your chest. Use your right arm to pull your leg towards your right shoulder. This should produce a stretch in the side of your left leg.

Hold for 30 seconds.

Release and then repeat the stretch to the other side.

So why not take a short break every hour or so to try some of these stretches.

 Remember, however if it hurts don’t do it.

Download your copy of the Stretch chart by clicking below.

John and Linda Ballis

For more helpful tips on improving your health revisit this website regularly, http://wholisticmedicalcentre.com or go to our website http://.wheeloflifebook.com and purchase our book “The Wheel of Life’s 8 Keys to Success”

Ginger Benefits Ginger has been used effectively for gastrointestinal problems as major as colitis and as minor as motion sickness. It stimulates good digestion. It helps alleviate congestion and minimizes mucous, even helping asthmatics. Various ginger extracts have been shown to improve cardiovascular health and circulation. Ginger kills off 5-LO enzymes, without which prostate cancer cells die within hours. A component of ginger has demonstrated the ability to slow or stop several types of cancer mestastasis (spreading cancer cells). Some oncologists use ginger extracts as adjuncts to their toxic therapies, enabling them to shorten the length of their patients’ suffering from chemo or radiation. It is also an excellent natural anti-inflammatory. More naturopaths and even MDs are picking up on the fact that daily ginger consumption helps sooth daily arthritis pain as well other chronic aches and pains. Even brain inflammation is sometimes handled or alleviated with ginger. One mainstream medical report asserted that ginger was no better than ibuprofen for arthritic inflammation relief. But ibuprofen is an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) with many harmful long term side effects, affecting kidneys, liver, and intestines while damaging the immune system. With all the concern regarding increased nuclear fallout and radiation from Fukushima, it’s good to know that ginger offers considerable radiation protection. But it needs to be consumed on a daily basis. How to use ginger is in the next section of this article. It makes sense to use a natural, less expensive anti-inflammatory that is also an immune system enhancing tonic on a daily basis for chronic aches and pains.

How to Use Ginger

Since ginger extracts have so many powerful mainstream medical applications as implied above, your daily or frequent use of ginger roots will certainly provide considerable health benefits as well. Powdered ginger capsules are handy to have on hand. But either juicing or brewing as a tea from fresh ginger roots are the best ways to use ginger. Make sure the ginger roots you purchase are crisp with smooth outer skins. Avoid the moist, wrinkled roots. A traditional method is to first skin the roots, then cut several long thin slices that can be placed into a pot of pure water. The more ginger slices the better. Too strong is easily thinned down with added water. Too weak is almost useless as a tonic or remedy. After bringing the pot to a boil, bring the heat down and let it simmer for around a half-hour. The pot with water and ginger can remain intact overnight for additional steeping. Go ahead and have a cup, but pour the rest into a glass container to refrigerate. If the tea is strong enough, you can treat it like a concentrate. Pour some into a cup and add hot water each time you have some. If the taste is slightly offensive, add some raw honey. If you have a slow speed masticating juicer, you can juice a small (two inch long), freshly peeled piece of thick root as part of whatever juice you like to drink. If you make water kefir, you can add a tablespoon or two of this thick heavy ginger liquid into the fermentation process for every pint of water kefir you brew.

John and Linda Ballis

For more helpful tips on improving your health revisit this website regularly, http://wholisticmedicalcentre.com or go to our website http://.wheeloflifebook.com and purchase our book “The Wheel of Life’s 8 Keys to Success”

by Neev M. Arnell, Natural News

“Should the FDA be so permissive with chemicals in food, suspect or not, that amount to little more than marketing?” asks The Daily Green. This question is particularly pertinent considering that colorings have not always proven to be harmless.

Citrus Red 2, Red 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2 and Green 3, –which include some of the most commonly used artificial food colorings–have all been identified as being, or being contaminated with, potential cancer-causing chemicals, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest. And Blue 1, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 are known to trigger reactions in those with allergies.

History paints an ugly food color portrait

Until the twentieth century, food coloring could only be obtained from what people found in nature. Ancient Romans used saffron and other spices to put a rich yellow color into various foods. Other frequently used natural colors included paprika, turmeric, beet extract, and petals of various flowers.

But many of the others frequently used, although natural were not only unappetizing, but downright dangerous. Bakers added chalk to whiten bread, for example, and sweets manufacturers loaded candy with vermilion (which contains mercury), red lead, white lead, verdigris (which is a copper salt), blue vitriol (which contains copper) and Scheele’s green(which contains both copper an arsenic).

The science of food coloring evolved from there and technology created a new kind of dye derived from coal tar, a waste product of coal gas and coke. The synthetic dyes came to be known at coal-tar colors and they are what we still use today.

By the beginning of the 20th century, some 695 of these had been synthesized, and over 80 were on the market. While they were generally a safer alternative to metal salts and used in less quantity, they were still unregulated.

In 1938, responsibility for regulating and enforcing color was granted to the newly instituted Food and Drug Administration. At that point, there were 15 synthetic colors approved for use in foods, 6 of which are still used today.

Modern food colorings have their own problems

While manufacturers were no longer adding mercury or arsenic to their products, food-coloring dangers took center stage, yet again, in the 1950s after many children became ill from eating Halloween candy containing the Orange 1 food coloring. The FDA banned the color after more rigorous testing suggested that it was toxic.

Red 32 and Orange 2 were also delisted due to the same Halloween incident, according to the Harvard Law School paper, The Palette of Our Palates: A brief history of food coloring and its regulation.

The controversy continued when, in 1976, the agency banned Red 2 because it was suspected to be carcinogenic, according to The New York Times.

Other colors have since been banned in the US including: Violet 1; Reds 2 and 4; Yellows 1, 2, 3 and 4, and Yellow 5 is undergoing testing, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.

The FDA decided to remove Red 2 from the provisional list in 1976, after Conflicting studies were published. Some studies showed the dye was safe and others showed that it was not safe and, in fact, caused breast and intestinal tumors in rats and was toxic to gonads and embryos. The FDA de-listed it stating that the color industry had not met its burden of proving the safety of Red 2.

Yellow 5 was the successor to Red 2 in popularity. The color, sometimes called Tartrazine, also had its own problems. It was one of the dyes singled out in 1977 by Ralph Nader’s Public Citizen Health Research Group as unsafe. The group pointed to the de-listing of Red 2 and Red 4 a year earlier as evidence that dyes we consider “safe” are often later shown to be toxic.

While the FDA said that Public Citizen was “overstating the issue and causing public alarm that is simply not warranted,” they simultaneously admitted that Yellow 5 caused severe allergic reactions in a small number of people.

Is the FDA doing a better job today?

The FDA suggested that problems associated with artificial coloring might be akin to a peanut allergy or intolerance to these substances and not to any inherent toxic properties of the colorings themselves, said the New York Times.

This may not be accurate, according to a 2004 Southampton University study covered by the BBC. A team of researchers found that adding food colors to children’s diets increased hyperactivity rates in all young children, not just those who were allergic to food colorings or who had Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

“I want this to address a fundamental issue which is ‘Why do we have to have colored food?’ said Professor John Warner, the study’s author.

“It’s absolutely imperative to have follow up studies because we are not now just talking about a population of children with a particular problem we are saying there’s a potential for this to be an effect on all children,” he said. “And, if that really is the case, then food coloring should be removed.”

Consumers can avoid synthetic food colorings by checking labels in grocery stores or by shopping at chains like Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe’s, which refuse to sell foods with artificial coloring.

Source: www.naturalnews.com/032512_artificial…

 John and Linda Ballis

 For more helpful tips on improving your health revisit this website regularly, http://wholisticmedicalcentre.com or go to our website http://.wheeloflifebook.com and purchase our book “The Wheel of Life’s 8 Keys to Success”