Posts Tagged ‘wellness’

Affirmations for Health & Wellness

Affirmations are statements of acceptance that one uses to allow the manifestation of your destiny. They are powerful and positive thoughts and statements that you send out into the universe. That positive energy reaches far beyond what the eyes can see and can do wonders in your life. To do positive affirmations, you need to eliminate the negative around you. If you come into such energy, you must find ways to not let it hold you back from what you are trying to accomplish. That energy should not stick to you.

You must first believe that YOU CAN manifest your destiny. It must be a positive, powerful belief. Not just a “maybe I’ll try this and see if this works.” Having the right thoughts and visualizations can help you to create the life that you want. Many of our readers are interested in changing their lives for the better through holistic health and wellness. It’s partially changing your lifestyle and eating routine, but it is also about changing your mind. Let’s focus on changing the way we think, on allowing more positive energy in our lives, and in turn also giving us the positive energy we need to affirm and achieve our goals.

Before You Begin
There are several areas of our lives that we can apply affirmations to. For this article we are going to focus on our health and wellness. As you work with the affirmations provided below, remember to:

• Use the present or past tense. Do not use the future tense. You want your mind to know it has already happened.
• Be POSITIVE. Use the most positive terms you can. Never use negatives in affirmations.
• Write them down. As you are learning to do these, write them down so you will remember exactly what you want to say.
• Believe. Always believe that what you saying is happening. It may seem weird or even difficult at first, but with practice you will change your mind. The more you believe, the stronger the affirmation.
• Repetition. Being repetitive and persistent helps to set them i your head and into your own unconscious being. Do you want to change your life? Then speak your life into existence.
• Time. Always have a specific time daily set aside for your meditations, affirmations and visualizations. This will help set a pattern for you so you can do them daily. Make them a part of your life. Make the time.

Affirmations for Your Heath
Here are some affirmations to get you on your way to optimal health. These will more than compliment and enhance the strides you are already taking. One ounce of the right thoughts get way more done than a million ounces of action.

• I have the power to control my health.
• I am in control of my health and wellness.
• I have abundant energy, vitality and well-being.
• I am healthy in all aspects of my being.
• I do not fear being unhealthy because I know that I control my own body.
• I am always able to maintain my ideal weight.
• I am always able to maintain my ideal weight.
• I am filled with energy to do all the daily activities in my life.
• My mind is at peace.
• I love and care for my body and it cares for me.

Resource: Affirmations http://www.mjbovo.com/Affirmations.htm

COLON HYDROTHERAPY: A Gentle Irrigation For Your Colon

I am writing this article to dispel any myths, fears or phobias that you may have about colonic irrigation.  Colon hydrotherapy is a safe, gentle, therapeutic lavage or bath of the large intestine.  In fact colon lavage was first recorded 1500  B.C., in the ancient Egyptian document, Ebers, Papyrus which dealt with the practice of medicine. These enemas were described as the infusion of aqueous substances into the large intestine through the anus.  Hippocrates ( 4^th and 5^th century B.C. ) recorded using enemas for fever therapy.  Galen ( 2^nd century A.D. ) also recognized and was a proponent of the use of enemas.  Today with modern technological advancements in colon irrigation instrumentation, particularly with regard to safety, along with educated and skilled hygienists, colon therapy has become a valuable adjunctive modality to allopathic and naturopathic doctors in cleansing and healing the colon of gastrointestinal disorders.

WHAT IS COLON HYDROTHERAPY

Colon irrigation is an internal bath that cleanses the large intestine of accumulated fecal matter, toxic gases, and harmful mucous.  Unlike an enema, it doesn’t involve the retention of water.  There is no discomfort, very low internal pressure, just a steady flow of filtered water in and out of the colon  (large intestine).

HOW IS A COLONIC ADMINISTERED?

A client receiving a colonic lies on a table below the temperature-controlled input machine.  A disposable speculum is gently inserted in the rectum.  Water flow, which is always under the direct control of the practitioner, flows into the colon via a small tube carrying with it impacted feces, toxic gases, and harmful mucous.  The practitioner gently massages the abdomen to help the colon release its’ contents.  It is possible to see the expelled waste matter when it passes through a special viewing window in the colon hydrotherapy machine.  The client is well covered and their modesty is given top priority during the procedure.  The process takes approximately 40 to 50 minutes.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF COLONIC IRRIGATION?

Many of the chronic ailments and degenerative diseases that plague our society today is due to toxicity.  A sluggish toxic bowel can be directly or indirectly related to a myriad of chronic conditions, to include cystic acne, eczema, psoriasis, female reproductive disorder, low back pain, bad breath, allergies, asthma, infected sinuses, constipation, flatulence, IBS, diverticulitis, bloating, weight gain, chronic fatigue, body odor, depression, and finally cancer.  Colonic cleansing offers relief and in some cases significant improvement in many of the conditions listed above.  Colonic cleansing enhances and improves bowel regularity and as well as absorption of nutrients into the cells of the body.  I offer my personal testimony to attest to the benefits of colonic therapy.

I suffered from cystic acne, severe allergies, eczema, constipation, female reproductive disorders,  and suicidal depression from early childhood to adulthood.  At the age of 24 I had an awakening and my life’s journey guided me to seek natural therapies and a holistic lifestyle.  Dr. John Chissell, a medical doctor in Baltimore who practiced both allopathic and alternative medicine referred me to a colon therapist.  Dr. Chissell became my mentor and a very good friend. I became a vegan, fasted religiously, and included colonic irrigation as a part of my detoxification program.  Today 56 years later I’m acne and eczema free.  My bowel habits are regular, minimal allergies, great energy and no deep debilitating thoughts of suicide, hopelessness, or despair.

Many of my clients have similar testimonies.  Some report having more energy, less desire for junk and fast foods, feeling lighter, cleaner on the inside.  Others report weight loss, less bloating and gas,  improved bowel movements,  cleaner fresher breath,  relief from back pain, menstrual cramps, clear skin and body odors.  Removing impacted fecal matter, toxic gas, and old mucous from the colon gives the body an opportunity to regenerate, rejuvenate and heal itself from the inside out.  Repressed anger, negative emotions and traumatic cellar memories can also be released bringing the mind, body, and spirit into a joyous state of inner peace, balance and harmony.

SOME COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS

One of the most popular misconceptions is that the colonic destroys the healthy bacteria.  The healthy bacteria is produced in the small and large intestines.  Colonics removes large amounts of toxic fecal matter enabling the intestine to manufacture beneficial intestinal flora.  We encourage our clients to take additional probiotics after the session.  Another misconception is that colonics can rupture the colon.  I have administered colonics to thousands of clients over the years and have not had that experience.  I have control of the pressure and temperature of the water.  By using very low pressure I’m able to prevent any injury or harm to the colon.  The pressure gauge on the colonic machine also reveals when the colon is full and ready to release.

CONTRAINDICATIONS

The following is a list of contraindications for using the procedure; severe abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, inflamed hemorrhoid, abdominal surgery, abdominal hernia, dialysis patient, fissures, severe cardiac condition, crohns disease, colitis.

SUCCESS STORIES

Over the years I have established relationships with allopathic and naturopathic doctors who refer their patients for colonic cleansing.  Several of those doctors as well as other health care practitioners are also clients of mine and have experienced the benefits of colonic irrigation.  On several occasions I was sent patients who were referred by their doctor for a colonic cleanse because their CT scan revealed severe fecal impaction.  The clients came in with complaints of abdominal bloating, pain, low energy, and constipation.  After the colonic session the clients stated that they felt relieved of bloating, gas and abdominal distention and pain. They stated that they felt lighter and cleaner on the inside.   Colonics have relieved many women of menstrual cramping, sugar and junk food craving, constipation, bloating, and weight gain.  I gave a colonic to two eleven year old males whose mother brought them in for constipation from eating junk and fast foods.  I was very impressed with these young boys who handled the sessions very well.  My oldest male client was 92 years  of age.  He was referred by his doctor because he had a sluggish bowel.  He was always grateful that he got some relief.

MORE ABOUT ME

My name is Argo Duenas.  I’m a certified colon hydrotherapist, foot reflexologist, and  REIKI practitioner.  As the owner and manager of Back To Nature Health and Wellness Center located in Annapolis, Maryland, I have dedicated over 25 years of my life serving and raising the health awareness in my community and the greater Washington, Baltimore Metropolitan area.  I also hosted and produced a local cable television talk show for ten years educating and raising the community’s awareness about alternative therapies, natural cures, and disease prevention.  An ounce of prevention is truly worth a pound of cure. Please visit my website at www.backtonaturewellness.com

Wellness Wednsday: Happiness

This Wellness Wednesday post is from the mind of Jessica, the visionary behind Raw Food Nation:

hap-pi-ness [hap-ee-nis] noun
1.     the quality or state of being happy.
2.     good fortune; pleasure; contentment; joy.

What will it take to make you happy? If someone were to ask you right now, “{insert your name here}, I want you to be happy, what will that take?” How would you answer? Would you have an answer? Would it come quickly or would you have to get back to that person later, after carefully thinking about the question.  We are all on individual paths of enlightenment as we unfold the mysteries of this life, as we experience the ups, the downs, and everything in between. But when it comes to happiness, to true bliss and contentment, when it comes to that inner protected light in which no man or thing can extinguish, how do we obtain that?

I was enjoying a warm summer day with a good friend, under a shaded tree laying on a blanket, discussing life, literature and everything in between, when she recommended that I read the book Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I had initially thought this book was about dieting given its location in the bookstore and proximity to other nutrition/lifestyle books. But little did I know that within the pages of this masterpiece was the definition of happiness that agreed with me the most, so clearly articulated and written with good choice of words. I would like to share this definition with you, which to me goes far beyond the dictionary definition above, and makes more sense too.

“…people universally tend to think that happiness is a stroke of luck, something that will maybe descend upon you like fine weather if you are fortunate enough. But that’s not how happiness works. Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it, you must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it. If you don’t, you will leak away your innate contentment. It’s easy enough to pray [to whomever you choose] when you’re in distress; but continuing to pray even when your crisis has passed is like a sealing process, helping your soul hold tight to its good attainments.”

Suddenly the notion of happiness is much more than awaiting for something or someone to fall upon you, directly into your path. And it’s also something that you must not only work to obtain, but also work to keep. Happiness becomes something that you can have in this lifetime, instead of spending a lifetime searching for it, it becomes obtainable and within reach. No longer being a stroke of luck, consider this: your happiness is your responsibility. Just as is your health and wellness, and just as it is your responsibility to rise each morning and carry out your mission on earth. So your daily “to do” list should read something like this: “take shower, prepare lunch, get presentation ready for meeting, work on obtaining/maintaining my happiness….” and so forth and so on.

I close with article with yet another excerpt from the book, on the same page nonetheless, “…all sorrow and trouble of this world is caused by unhappy people… The search for contentment is, therefore, not merely a self-preserving and self-benefiting act, but also a generous gift to the world. Cleaning out all your misery gets you out of the way. You cease being an obstacle, not only to yourself but to anyone else. Only then are you free to serve and enjoy other people… When you set out in the world to help yourself, you inevitably end up helping everyone.”

And it is with these final words that I encourage everyone to get up, go out, and get happy!

After reading this article, feel free to comment below and let us know your personal definition of happiness for your life.

Wellness Weds: Mismatched Socks

This Wellness Wednesday post is from the mind of Jessica, the visionary behind Raw Food Nation:

Join the Mismatched Socks Revolution!

One morning many sunrises ago I was getting ready for my office job. Although I was running a little behind schedule, there were neatly pressed clothes awaiting me in my bedroom, and a green smoothie going in the blender. My morning routines had gotten so planned and organized so that I could maximize my time and get out of the door to make it into the office. Even though on this particular morning I was running late, I am baffled that I halted my routine in an attempt to locate the mate to a sock  I was planning to wear.

Of all the things to worry about, my attention was fixed on finding this lost sock. I searched frantically through the sock drawer and my hamper. Is there really a sock monster that comes and steals the innocent socks from their owners?! Where the heck is my other sock? Five or ten minutes into it, I gave up, but not with the intent of picking out a new pair of socks. Instead, I grabbed a completely different sock all together that seemed to be without a mate and decided to have mismatched socks for the day. Was I a little late to work? Yes. But how cool was it to have people ask about my socks and if had I mismatched them on purpose.

Now, normally I do not give much thought to the socks that I wear, but after this incident, a question came to mind: why do we put so much emphasis on matching our socks? My goodness, half of the time they are hidden by worn jeans or dress trousers. And even when they are fully visible, does anyone really pay attention to them? And aren’t mismatched socks more fun? Think about it, no longer will you worry about pairing socks or how to go about pleasing the sock monster. Now your sock drawer can be free to let its contents mix and mingle however they choose.

If you are not too shy or you are looking for something different to do, next time you need to grab a pair of socks, go mismatched and see how it feels. Challenge yourself to carry out this small task. I can almost guarantee that you’ll smile and maybe even chuckle every time you get the opportunity to glance down at your feet. Something as simple as mismatched socks can brighten your day and give you a dose of good energy. Not to mention they are just plain fun. Let a little bit of your creativity shine through. It’s very liberating, and follows the same notion as coloring outside of the lines and thinking outside of the box.

Join me, in the mismatched socks revolution.

Peace & Veggies,
Jessica

Wellness Wednesday: Sleeping

One of our favorite topics: precious sleep! It’s such an important part of your life. Sleeping is what allows your body to rest, rejuvenate, and recoup from your busy day. Many recommend at least 8 hours a night (but keep in mind this number may vary by person and lifestyle). You should awake each morning restored and feeling anew. Sleep should be right near the top of your daily “to do” list next to making healthy eating choices and getting exercise. The combination of these three elements in balance are sure to improve your quality of life.

But let’s say that sleep does not come easy for you. Maybe your mind is always racing right before bed or your feet get cold and that wakes you up. Whatever the reason, before you start jumping to conclusions, why not try some of these easy techniques to see if you can lure yourself into a more rewarding sleep pattern. Do you have your teddy bear ready? Okay, let’s go!

Sleep in complete darkness or as close to it as possible. If there is even the tiniest bit of light in the room it can disrupt your circadian rhythm and your pineal gland’s production of melatonin and seratonin. There also should be as little light in the bathroom as possible if you get up in the middle of the night. Whatever you do, you should keep the light off when you go to the bathroom at night. As soon as you turn on that light you will for that night immediately cease all production of the important sleep aid melatonin.

Listen to relaxing music or nature sounds. For some, just having relaxing, soothing music in the background or a CD playing nature sounds helps to relax them so they can fall asleep. These CD’s can be found in a lot of local stores and online too. They are inexpensive to purchase and can do wonders for your quality of sleep.

No TV right before bed. It would be even better to get the TV out of the bedroom completely. It is too stimulating to the brain and it will take longer to fall asleep. Television before bed is also disruptive of pineal gland function.

Wear socks to bed. Your feet often feel cold before the rest of your body due to the fact that they have the poorest circulation. A study has shown that wearing socks can reduce night wakings.

Do some light reading, like something spiritual or religious. This will help to relax. Don’t read anything stimulating, such as a mystery or suspense novel, as this may have the opposite effect. In addition, if you are really enjoying a suspenseful book, you might wind up unintentionally reading for hours, instead of going to sleep.

Journaling. If you often lay in bed with your mind racing, it might be helpful keep a journal and write down your thoughts before bed. This way they are out of your head and on paper, freeing your mind to be more relaxed and get you to sleep.

Get to bed as early as possible. Our systems, particularly the adrenals, do a majority of their recharging or recovering during the hours of 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. In addition, your gallbladder dumps toxins during this same period. If you are awake, the toxins back up into the liver which then secondarily back up into your entire system and cause further disruption of your health. Prior to the widespread use of electricity, people would go to bed shortly after sundown, as most animals do (unless they are nocturnal), and which nature intended for humans as well.

Remove the clock from view. It will only add to your worry when constantly staring at it… 2 a.m. …3 a.m. … 4:30 a.m. … If you have to use an alarm clock keep it at least 3 feet away from you. Also consider adjusting the volume of your alarm clock to be lower, as it is very stressful to the body to be awakened suddenly.

Keep your bed for sleeping. If you are used to watching TV or doing work in bed, you may find it harder to relax and to think of the bed as a place to sleep. Watch TV in your living room, do your work in your study. Have separate places for doing various tasks, and then make sure you respect the nature of the bedroom.

Put your work away at least one hour (but preferably two or more) before bed. This will give your mind a chance to unwind so you can go to sleep feeling calm, not hyped up or anxious about tomorrow’s deadlines.

Exercise regularly. Exercising for at least 30 minutes everyday can help you fall asleep. However, don’t exercise too close to bedtime or it may keep you awake. Studies show exercising in the morning is the best if you can do it.

Establish a bedtime routine. This could include meditation, deep breathing, using aromatherapy or essential oils. Whatever works for you (so you may have to do some experimenting up front). The key is to find something that makes you feel relaxed, then repeat it each night to help you release the day’s tensions.

With that we welcome you to take a moment and think about the things you can do to improve your sleeping habits, and then how you can put them into action… Sweet dreams!

Resources:
33 Secrets to a Good Night’s Sleep http://www.mercola.com/article/sleep.htm

Meditation Monday

Introduction:

The practice of meditation is over 2,500 years old, and countless individuals have utilized its power to cultivate compassion and wisdom. Scientific and medical research has shown that meditation can reduce stress, improve health, enhance performance, and measurably make us happier. Meditation is a way to calm the spirit, relax the body, and to become more in tune with oneself. At Raw Food Nation, we are not only dedicated to promoting the health benefits of eating raw foods, but also the lifestyle choices that come with it. For this reason, we are introducing Meditation Monday as a reminder for you to take a moment to center yourself. We hope that these posts will be educational, and beneficial to your well being.

What is mediation?

Simply put, meditation is a form of relaxation. All meditation involves substituting your thoughts for an alternate object of attention. Whether it is your breath, an image, or a sound, when the mind becomes absorbed in something other than thought, it relaxes.  According to the book Quiet Mind by Susan Piver, meditation is “a profound relaxation of your conventional mind which then naturally calls forth the mind of wisdom” and understanding.

How am I supposed to sit?

There are several different practices that offer a variety of ways to meditate, but one of the overlapping foundations of them all is to take good posture, in other words, finding a way to sit that is both upright and relaxed. Generally speaking, you can sit on a pillow on the floor with your feet crossed or you can sit at the edge of a chair with your feet pressed firmly on the ground. Once you have chosen the way to sit that suits you best, make sure your back is straight and relaxed. Susan Piver recommends that you “feel the crown of your head reaching up to the sky while your sitting bones reach down to the center of the earth. This way…you are joining heaven and earth simply by being a human being who is sitting down.” (we bet you didn’t know you had that ability!)

Your hands should rest comfortably at mid-thigh or just above the knee, or you can place one hand within the other. Depending on the particular practice of meditation, you may have your eyes open or closed. If your eyes are open, they should gaze slightly downward to a spot on the floor that is 4-6 feet away. Your gaze is soft, your jaw is relaxed. Your body also begins to relax.

As you sit, pay attention to your breathing, as it comes in and out of your nose. “Your breath is always in the present moment,” says Susan Piver, “so the simplest way to ‘be present’ is to be with your breath. Sitting this way is a basis for meditation.” See if you can do this at the beginning and end of your day, for just five minutes – ten minutes. What a fabulous way to decompress, center yourself and to gain clarity.

References:

We are not experts and nor do we claim to be, so whenever possible we will provide the resources we used so that you can explore further. For this post we used the following:

Quiet Mind: A Beginner’s Guide to Meditation, compiled and edited by Susan Piver