Archive for March, 2009
Sensitivity:Hypersensitivity
Author: Callie
Brilliant post on the subject of sensitivity from Muji on the Gaia Community – I did laugh at the observation made of Cancerians (myself being one!)
http://snurl.com/elev7
read comments (0)Motivating tips to get you a-moving …
Author: Callie
Unicorn cards
Author: Callie
I adore my Unicorn Cards. Made by Diana Cooper, I love to draw a card each day and spend time looking at the beautiful images as well as taking on board my affirmation for the day.
I am feeling very excited at the moment because I have drawn the same card 3 days in a row, after some mammoth shuffling. I am used to drawing the same card twice, for myself and for clients, but three times in a row is quite unusual; a very powerful omen, when you consider the Law of Three (our actions affect us on three separate levels: physical, emotional, and spiritual. This means that before you act, you need to consider how your deeds will impact your body, your mind and your soul – with thanks to Patti Wigington).
So which card has felt it so important to present itself to me so often this week, at a time where all things are topsy-turvy? Card No. 2 – “Birth”. Diana Cooper writes in the notelet that “This is a card of promise for the unicorns are waiting to help you bring in the new. Expect good things to happen and remain open to gifts from these wondrous beings”.
OK, so I need to remain receptive and open to new ideas or situations! I am happy to do that.
The affirmation was equally enchanting: “I expect new and wondrous things to arrive in my life”.
Another interpretation (to drawing the same card three times in a row) could be that maybe something has yet to pass. For example, maybe a new opportunity was presenting itself but I failed to see it for what it truly was, and passed it by – or maybe another persons actions have unwittingly disrupted or delayed a positive outcome?
At the end of the day, it is a truly beautiful card with an amazing image of two unicorns (mare and foal) with an opened treasure box in a misty glade with a new moon shining brightly, with the unicorn’s magic sparkling around them … maybe I should focus on the magic sparkling around ME and see what tomorrow brings!
It would be lovely to discover other people’s views … please do share!
Subscribe to Angelic Wellbeing by Email
Review: Dare to Blossom by Mary Lunnen
Author: Callie
Dare to Blossom
Author Mary Lunnen is a life coach and writer who works one to one with people helping them gain clarity and focus and achieve their dreams. Mary also runs inspirational workshops, developing the theme of Daring to Blossom: coaching and creativity. “Mary offers a well-rounded service to improve one’s body, mind and spirit – a bonus I wasn’t expecting from life coaching.” “Life coaching with Mary has helped me come to some major decisions.” “Mary has a wonderfully gentle style and is well equipped with practical exercises which I found useful.” This book gives you the opportunity to try out coaching and creativity exercises, giving you a taster of the work Mary does one to one and in workshops.
Mary’s Dare to Blossom book is available to purchase at Amazon or directly from her website.
My personal review of Mary’s lovely book is:
“Clarity and focus are two things that sometimes slip past me. Struck by Mary’s warmth and honesty as she recounts her own journey, this book is a gem. Easy to read and packed full of great exercises and practical tips as you ‘dare to blossom’ … my creative side has been given full reign, particularly with the vision board idea, and I’ve been very surprised with what has developed from just a few moments of pleasure and fun each day. Just like the magnolias waiting to unfurl their resplendent petals, I feel ready to unfurl my own after years of hiding my light – thank you, Mary!”
Mary also runs wonderful workshops in Cornwall and, occasionally, in Central London.
Review: Dare to Blossom by Mary Lunnen
Author: Callie
Dare to Blossom
Author Mary Lunnen is a life coach and writer who works one to one with people helping them gain clarity and focus and achieve their dreams. Mary also runs inspirational workshops, developing the theme of Daring to Blossom: coaching and creativity. “Mary offers a well-rounded service to improve one’s body, mind and spirit – a bonus I wasn’t expecting from life coaching.” “Life coaching with Mary has helped me come to some major decisions.” “Mary has a wonderfully gentle style and is well equipped with practical exercises which I found useful.” This book gives you the opportunity to try out coaching and creativity exercises, giving you a taster of the work Mary does one to one and in workshops.
Mary’s Dare to Blossom book is available to purchase at Amazon or directly from her website.
My personal review of Mary’s lovely book is:
“Clarity and focus are two things that sometimes slip past me. Struck by Mary’s warmth and honesty as she recounts her own journey, this book is a gem. Easy to read and packed full of great exercises and practical tips as you ‘dare to blossom’ … my creative side has been given full reign, particularly with the vision board idea, and I’ve been very surprised with what has developed from just a few moments of pleasure and fun each day. Just like the magnolias waiting to unfurl their resplendent petals, I feel ready to unfurl my own after years of hiding my light – thank you, Mary!”
Mary also runs wonderful workshops in Cornwall and, occasionally, in Central London.
The entire process of undergoing conventional medical testing for cancer can, by itself, be a very traumatic and health-damaging experience. This was affirmed by a study recently published in the journal Radiology, which found that the stress and anxiety arising from waiting for one’s breast biopsy results can have tangible adverse effects on one’s state of health.
About Cortisol
Made by the adrenal gland, cortisol is a hormone which is part of the human body’s response to stress; it is thus often called the “stress hormone”. By helping to adjust factors such as blood pressure, blood sugar levels and immune response, cortisol helps the body to deal with acute stress situations. However, in cases of prolonged chronic stress, the secretion of cortisol goes haywire, either from being overworked or from ceasing to occur altogether; this causes the immune system to become vulnerable and the body to be less adapted to handle stress.
Details and Findings of Study
The study team had looked at the cortisol samples from saliva belonging to 126 women who had taken part in a previous study which examined the effect of biopsies on patient stress. These women went through large-core breast biopsy and were given their respective diagnoses several days later. On the day the biopsy was performed and for each of the following days after that, samples of their saliva were collected.
By the time it was 4 days after the biopsy procedure, 16 of the women had found out they had cancer, while another 37 of them discovered they had benign lumps. The remaining 73 ladies, however, still remained uncertain, either because they had not yet heard about their test results, or because they needed to go through further testing.
The researchers uncovered an interesting finding – waiting was as stressful as being diagnosed with cancer itself. Women in the “uncertain results” group experienced cortisol secretion which was markedly different from those cleared of having cancer, and instead was very much similar to the secretion of the ladies who were diagnosed with the disease.
“When women express how taxing it is to have to wait for results, the medical establishment may dismiss their feelings as psychological. We were able to show that this state of not knowing the diagnosis goes along with biochemical changes which can have adverse effects on wound healing and the immune system,” said Elvira V Lang, MD, an associate professor of radiology at Harvard Medical School, radiologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and the leader of the study.
The study team concluded that their “results indicate the need for more rapid communication of biopsy results”. That is certainly an important point, and it should be taken seriously. Persons who have chosen to undergo biopsies should discuss the process with their doctors before undergoing the procedure. In particular, the schedule of communicating the test findings, accounting for delays such as weekends and holidays, should be discussed. But this should not detract from another important issue – the safety and necessity of biopsies in the first place.
Discussing the Potential Dangers of Biopsies
According to the American Cancer Society, a whopping 1.2 million breast biopsies take place each year in the United States. 80% of these procedures do not result in cancer diagnoses. Statistics on the total number of biopsies performed each year were not readily found online, and one can only imagine how staggering that figure could be. While this procedure may save some lives, no one seems to be keeping score of the harm it is doing.
Medical doctors will often tell their patients that biopsies are safe, painless, covered by insurance and very important, because they are necessary for finding out as soon as possible if cancer is indeed present. If so, the doctors would emphasize the importance of prompt commencement of “proven” therapies. Unfortunately, very little, or at least not enough, is said about the dangers of biopsies.
Biopsies, without doubt, potentially trigger the spread of malignant cancers. On his website, researcher and writer Karl Loren mentions 47 scientific reports which discussed cancer and biopsies, with many of them describing the spreading of cancer because of a biopsy. He also mentions another 73 studies, most of which “describe a real danger of cancer spreading throughout the body just because of a biopsy”, he states.
Here is what one source which he quoted had to say: “Additionally, doctors and researchers have noted that biopsy of a cancerous tumor can cause spreading or ’seeding’ of cancer cells along the path or track made by the biopsy needle. This could cause a cancerous condition which had been confined solely to the prostate capsule to spread into surrounding tissues, making a serious health concern even more problematical.”
Further, we now also know that the stress induced by the waiting part of the entire biopsy procedure is considerable. And stress, as is clearly accepted, is a major causative factor for cancer and other serious diseases. In addition, it must be mentioned that radiation from X-rays and CT scans are cancer-causing, too.
Adding everything together, questions must surely be asked of the different levels at which conventional cancer diagnostic methods are themselves contributing to the disease epidemic. However, with billions of dollars being reaped each year from mammograms, CT scans, biopsies and the like, is anyone doing the serious asking?
References
Waiting For Biopsy Results May Adversely Affect Health (http://www.sciencedaily.com/release…)
Elvira V Lang, Kevin S Berbaum and Susan K Lutgendorf. Large-Core Breast Biopsy: Abnormal Salivary Cortisol Profiles Associated with Uncertainty of Diagnosis. Radiology 2009;250:631-637.
http://www.karlloren.com/biopsy/ind…
(c) Reuben Chow has a keen interest in natural health and healing as well as personal growth. His website, All 4 Natural Health, offers a basic guide on natural health information. It details simple, effective and natural ways, such as the use of nutrition, various herbs, herb remedies, supplements and other natural remedies, to deal with various health conditions as well as to attain good health. His other websites also cover topics such as depression help, inspiration, as well as cancer research and information.
Are you using pure skincare products?
Author: Callie
To achieve a more radiant skin and beautiful complexion, it is vital to use only the purest skin care products, particularly those made only with raw, living and natural ingredients. In this article, I explain why this is the best external skin care possible which, together with a healthy diet, right lifestyle and a positive mental attitude, helps the skin to become softer, firmer and achieve an unmistakable glow.
From the outset I’d like to emphasize that becoming more beautiful is available to anyone now, regardless of their present health, condition or age, who is willing to create beauty through changes in the diet, external skin care and mental outlook.
What we put on our skin is just as important as the food we eat. The skin is the body’s largest organ and plays a crucial role, not only in the elimination of toxins and in regulating our internal temperature, but also in terms of absorption.
Therefore it is critical to use skin and personal care products that, first of all, are free from toxic chemical ingredients. Some of these ingredients include:
a) Propylene glycol: Found in practically every skin moisturiser, propylene glycol is used as the base ingredient in the manufacture of brake fluid and industrial anti-freeze. It greatly damages and ages the skin. It also causes rashes and dry skin.
b) Lauryl sulphates: These corrosive chemical ingredients used in industry to manufacture garage floor cleaner and engine de-greasing are also one of the main ingredients in practically every major brand of shampoo, bubble bath, face wash, shaving gel & toothpaste. Lauryl sulphates eat away at the mucous lining of the skin, are highly irritant to the eyes and cause urinary tract infections.
c) Parabens: synthetic chemicals which have been linked with breast cancer. They are used as preservatives in many shampoos and personal care products.
Secondly, it is important to use skin care products that are made only with raw, living and natural ingredients such as raw cacao (cocoa) butter and cold-pressed oils. This is because the skin greatly nourishes from the life force, antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and essential fatty acids present in the natural ingredients.
The benefits are numerous. The life energy in the ingredients is highly nourishing and healing. Antioxidants for example, help to reverse skin ageing and inflammation and help heal scar tissue. Minerals play a key role in beautifying the skin, hair & nails. Sulphur, for instance, is a central component of collagen & connective tissue, which provides elasticity & flexibility to the tissues. Vitamins such as A, C and E are moisturizing, soothing and healing to the skin. Essential fatty acids help to remove toxins from tissues.
To ensure that the life force and all these nutrients are retained, skin care products must be made at temperatures below 40C. If ingredients are heated above this level during the manufacturing process, most of the antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and the life force in the ingredients are destroyed. A good example of this is cold-pressed olive oil, which has long been considered a topical remedy for wrinkles and facial lines. Not surprisingly, olive oil is the best source of raw vitamin E. However, it is also is extremely sensitive to temperature and light and becomes completely corrupted when heated.
Heated oils and fats when used in skin care products even in the so-called most natural ones- are actually one of the worst offenders to skin beauty. They contain highly toxic transfatty acids, which may be absorbed into the cell membranes, causing them to become porous and weak. Heating oils and fats also leads to the creation of free radicals, which are unstable oxygen molecules that have lost an electron. Collagen, a protein molecule that constitutes 80% of the dermis, is particularly susceptible to free radical damage, which includes wrinkles, lingering scars and stiff collagen
In contrast, cold-pressed fats and oils kept at low temperatures help to beautify the skin, strengthen the cell membranes and restore nutrients to the tissues.
In short, the best external skin care is to use products made using only 100% raw and living ingredients. At present, the only company in the world producing a range of such products is Raw Gaia.
(c) Hector Bolanos, 2006
Hector Bolanos is the sales & marketing director at Raw Gaia, a natural skin care company. He can be contacted at enquiries@rawgaia.com
:: Holistic Feathers is a Raw Gaia skincare stockist and uses their skincare products exclusively in her natural facial treatments
<a href=”http://twitter.com/home?status=Currently reading ” title=”Click to send this page to Twitter!” target=”_blank”>Tweet This!
Herbs at bathtime
Author: Callie
It’s easy to bring a little herbal health to bath time with you and there are lots of reasons why you should.
Relaxing in a warm bath is, in itself, beneficial as it soothes the skin, stimulates circulation and helps your muscles release any tension that’s built up during the day. Add herbs to the equation and you have the perfect remedy for a tired mind or body. Herbs have many healing and therapeutic properties that benefit not only the skin but your whole self. Some will encourage relaxation, while others will stimulate brain waves, helping to clarify or solve a problem that may have been bothering you.
Herbs that Help
* For relaxation, choose chamomile, rose and hops
* For soothing aching muscles, try thyme, lavender and rosemary
* To relieve stress, combine, rose, jasmine and sage
* As a pick-me-up, choose between peppermint and rosemary
* To stimulate, try lemon verbena, bay leaf and basil
* If you’re suffering with a cold, lie back in some eucalyptus-scented water
How to Do It
There are several ways to bring the power of herbs into your bathroom: in a bag, through an infusion, through a decoction, or combined with a milk powder. We’ve suggested one combination of herbs for each method but you can experiment and choose herbs you like or to meet your need.
A Herb Bag
We’ve used cups for measuring out ingredients. The measurements don’t have to very accurate and we suggest you use a medium-sized mug. For information, a cup is 8 fl oz, which is slightly smaller than most mugs, which are 10 fl oz (half-pint).
Make a drawstring bag out of a piece of cheesecloth or muslin. You’ll need to end up with a bag about 4” square to hold the herbs. Place up to ½ cup of your favourite herbal mix into the bag and pull it tightly shut so the herbs can’t escape. When you’ve used the bag once you can empty it and wash it gently ready to be re-used.
If you can’t face even the little bit of sewing involved in making a drawstring bag, you could have a large square of cheesecloth, place the herbs in the centre and tie some string around the top. Alternatively you could use an old (clean) and worn thin sock!
Let the bag hang under the running water as you fill the bath. Then use the bag as a cloth for washing. For an extra luxurious bath, add ½ cup honey to the running water. Or for a different experience add a couple of tablespoons of sea salt.
For a Herb Bag
* ½ cup lavender
* ½ cup sage
* ½ cup rosemary
* ½ cup rose petals
Mix and store in an air-tight container and use as desired.
To Make an Infusion
* ¼ cup sage leaves
* ¼ cup mint leaves
* ¼ cup thyme leaves
* 2 tablespoons orange peel (infuse with the herbs)
* a few drops of grapefruit essential oil (add after straining)
Place herbs in a bowl and pour over 2 pints of freshly boiled water. Leave the herbs to steep for about 30 minutes and then strain and add to your bath water.
To Make a Decoction
* ¼ cup lavender flowers
* ¼ cup rose geranium leaves
* a few drops of grapefruit essential oil (add after straining)
* ¼ cup rose petals (add to the bath water)
Crush the herbs slightly and then place in a saucepan (not aluminium). Cover with an inch or so of water and bring to the boil. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Strain and add to your bath water.
Milk Bath
* 2 cups powdered milk
* ½ cup cornflour
* 4 tablespoons dried herbs
Make in advance and store in an airtight container to use as required. When ready to use, make a smooth paste with hot water and add to the bath.
(c) Herb Expert
<a href=”http://twitter.com/home?status=Currently reading ” title=”Click to send this page to Twitter!” target=”_blank”>Tweet This!
Relax and de-stress the simple way!
Author: Callie
We are absolutely thrilled to announce our latest addition to our workshops … the Art of Being Still
The Art of Being Still is a toolbox of simple techniques which allows you to experience deep relaxation of your conscious mind and body, and also enables you to relax at the deeper subconscious level.
While in this relaxed state of subconscious, you will discover that you can bring bring about changes that beforehand were difficult – such as giving up smoking or working through a phobia, for example.
Just a few of the benefits you may gain from “The Art of Being Still” practice:
:: deep relaxation of your mind and body
:: improved sleep patters and quality of sleep
:: emotional stability
:: a heightened feeling of well-being
:: better breathing patterns
:: improvement in concentration
:: positive thinking
Continue reading to discover more benefits …
We are currently investigating delightful new venues to hold the workshops but if you wish us to come visit you and hold a workshops in your area – or if you are interested in a two hour one-to-one session with Callie – please get in touch with us.
Choose your balloon
Author: Callie
What for?
Ahhhhh, the clever people at www.energybalancing.com have given you the gift of choosing YOUR balloon …