Active Listening

I always thought Spring was the perfect time for Easter.  We are coming out of our homes and beginning to be engaged in activities with others.  The weather is getting warmer so activities can be outside.  I would hate to do an egg hunt in the heat of summer where eggs get overheated and smell. Or, in the fall when it is raining or in winter when it is all frozen.  Social activities, whether it is a competitive egg hunt or a relaxing spring picnic, are good for both our physical health and emotional well-being.

We are social creatures.  Socializing gives us an opportunity to share ideas and thoughts.  This is essential for a healthy mind and body.  Whether everyone agrees with us or not, it is helpful and healthy for our bodies to share and express their thoughts and concerns.  Communicating with others means both speaking and listening.  You may hear ideas that you to disagree with or cause you to rethink your ideas.  These are both good for our health and our brain.  Active listening includes: paying attention, withholding judgment, clarifying concerns, summarizing the idea and then taking time to reflect.   I like spring for improving my skills on this topic because I can take a walk outdoors, take time and think clearly.  The exercise also helps as I work through thoughts and ideas.  Being an active listener means you are listening to understand rather than listening to respond.   It doesn’t mean you have to agree.  It just means you have to hear.

With the changes happening all over the world, it seems like an essential skill for many of us to have to make progress and growth.   Remember this skill is best when both parties can listen and hear.  Unfortunately that is not always the case.   If you find you are working on this skill and the other person is not ready to hear you, it is best to take action that lets them know they were heard and then step back.  If there is something you can agree with them on great.  If not, step back and let them feel safe for a later conversation.

Ways to listen and be heard: 
Take a casual stance that says you are paying attention. 
Avoid outside interruptions like texts and phone calls. 
Pay attention and ask questions. 
What does the person want to communicate?  Summarize it if you can. 
Ask them if they have any solutions to their concern.  Depending on their energy it may not be time to give a different viewpoint.  You may just need to let them know you are thinking on the topic and are not ready to discuss it. 

Coming back to the topic at a future date, they have been heard and may be more open to your thoughts.  You may have thought of an idea that offers a variation to what they want.  Whether you ever agree on the topic or not, it is healthy for both of you to share your thoughts, and be heard.

I challenge you to take on an active listening opportunity this month.  Email me KBranigan1959@yahoo.com  and tell me how it went.  Use the links above to get ideas if you need them.  You can even tell them you are trying to learn a new skill and would they help you practice.   This skill can be done on Zoom but it is harder to do when they are not there in person.  It is even harder on the phone but sometimes it is necessary.  I hope you can do it face to face.  Again let me know what your successes or frustrations were.

Preparing For Spring Action

Spring will be here this month.  For many of us that means jumping back into our last year’s routine.  I advise you to take a pause and reassess your body.  Have you gained weight?  Are your muscles in the condition they were last spring?  Do you have any old injuries that you may be over taxing?   Did you eat healthy this winter and have the resources to stay active?  If you can say yes, without hesitating, to all of these questions you are the exception to the rule. Congratulations!  Most of us got a little lazy over the cold wet winter. We stayed inside and enjoyed an extra snack and a movie rather than a piece of fruit and a walk or exercise routine.  So what do we do?

A reassessment is in order.  Start slow.  If you are a walker, take a shorter or slower walk than you did last fall, to see how you feel.   The same is true with hiking or gardening, or building a new deck.  Test your body to see what it can handle.  You may be saying, no need I am okay.  Do you want an injury?  It can slow you down for the whole summer, not just spring.  Injuries don’t just happen when we are doing something we do every day.  It is when there is a change of routine.  Like using a muscle we hadn’t thought about in a while.

Once you have done your reassessment, develop a plan to strengthen anything that is weak.  How?  Instead of digging out the whole garden in a day do half of it.  It slows the project down for sure.  Sometimes you can find a friend or hire someone to help you with your task.  If you want to go on a long hard hike, it will need to be later in the year or next year; when you prepare for it through the winter.  Slowing down to avoid injuries not only helps us now, it helps us later too.  Once you strain your back or shoulder, sometimes it never heals completely. 

Ok, you have reassessed and made new plans.  Are you ready?  NO.  Think about what may have caused the problem.  If it was a poor diet, your muscles may not recover quickly.  So make sure you are eating a healthy diet.  Protein is important to active people.   It is part of the reason we crave more barbeques and meat in the summer.   It doesn’t have to be meat, although it is a favorite of mine.   There are a lot of non-meat proteins for our vegetarian and vegan friends.  Nuts and seeds are always popular and often can be made into a granola.  Nuts and seeds may vary but usually contain 9-17 grams per ½ cup.  Even some vegetables have protein.  Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, broccoli, artichokes, spinach, and asparagus all have protein.  Only 4-5 grams per cup which is significantly lower than seeds and nuts.  However, you are getting lots of other vitamins so no worries.  Fruits are extremely low in protein at only 2-4 grams per cup.  Some fruits that have that are guava, blackberries, nectarines and bananas. 

So how much protein should you eat in a day?  It varies between 10-35% of your calories.  Historically they have said 1/3 of your calories should be protein.  This however depends on your body type, your age and your activity level.  So at the higher end of the scale that is about 100 grams of protein or a range of 50-175 grams.  This is why soups and stews are popular in the winter.  We don’t need as much protein as when we are physically active.

Have you reassessed your diet also?  Do you know how to get the protein you need for a physically active life?  Never forget your veggies; they contain so many other nutrients that we also need.  And last but not least is to carry water wherever you go.  I have been doing nutrition work for 25 years.  People most often become dehydrated in spring and summer because they are more active and forget to up their water intake.  Remember the minimum is half your weight (lbs.) in water (oz.).  So if you weigh 120 pounds you should drink 60 ounces of water daily.  Don’t forget to add extra water in for things you are drinking that are dehydrating like coffee, alcohol and soda.          
                                                                   Have fun!  Enjoy the sun!

Emotions and Health:

The good news is all the positive emotions like: joy, happiness, thankfulness, love and hope, strengthen you and improve your health. Yippee!!

The problem is we all also have negative experiences.  Many of them are not our fault.  The stress of Anxiety, stress, anger, grief, and depression are all hard on our health and immune system.  But so is loneliness, low self-esteem, frustration, and negative self-talk.    These all affect what we eat, our physical activity, and how we sleep.   They affect our immune system, blood pressure, and digestion.

Short periods with a negative emotion, drags us down.  But if it goes on for long time, it can destroy us.  What can go on for a long time?  Life transitions such as: relationship problems, job issues, loss of a loved one, financial stress, discrimination, and childhood traumas.  So what can you do?   If it is you, seek support: Talk with a friend or two.   Ask for guidance.  Let them know you are want support.   Often people are hesitant to offer support, unless we ask.  Exercise helps burn off some of the energy we carry when stressed.  If you are not used to exercising, start small.  Walk around the block with a friend.  Journaling is another way to get it said and be able to review it later for reflection.

And if it is a friend who needs these.  Offer the above support ideas.  If it gets to be too much for you, know, it is way too much for them.  Encourage them not to be alone.  Suggest they get professional help.  A counselor at work, school or church is often available.  There are free support groups in every town.  Look it up online and choose one that suits you or them.    There are counselors that have a sliding scale.   Sometimes with trauma, insurance companies will pay for the support.

If you have the funds and feel the need for an independent counselor choose one that you feel safe with and has some experience with your situation.  As a family, grief, and relationships counselor, I can be a resource worrying about some of these happening, can be as bad on our health or worse, than the actual event.

if needed.

Build strong skills now.   Make sure you are eating well, getting exercise and proper sleep.  Develop friendships that are supportive.   Develop skills to cope with everyday issues like talking, meditation and journaling.  In our busy lives we often get caught up in hectic routines.  Stop and take time to smell the roses.  Breathe.

New Years RE-solution

I like to think of the word “resolutions” as “re-solutions,” something you can work towards, to find a new solutions.  Besides losing weight and getting more exercise there are a zillion New Year’s re-solutions.   Yet how many of them will we be working on once January has passed?   How do you keep that process going?  It’s simple.   

First pick something that is really important to you.  Do you want to do a job change?  Do you want to go back to school?  Do you want to start a new relationship?  Do you want to improve your current relationship?  Do you want to learn a new skill or hobby?  Do you want to remodel something in your home or apartment?  Do you just want a new couch?  All of these can seem big or overwhelming depending on your precious experience.

Next write down the steps it takes to do it.  For example: Month number 1. Begin learning how to do it.  Read a book or look it up online.  If it takes you a whole month to get the books from the library or talk with friends about how to do it, that is okay.  You have eleven months left.    The steps to finding a new job, relationship, or hobby is finding the type of job or school that offers what you want.  These are key elements.  So write down what you know and have or what you need to get or do.  Give yourself a pat on the back.  You already know more than many other people.  I am sure you have some good skills.  Feeling frustrated naming your gifts?  Ask a friend, they see you more clearly.  Are you good with people? Good with numbers? Good with planning?  We all have skills. List, the most important features you want from the new job, or to learn from school. 

In month two or sooner you can put them in order.  Each dream has skills that are needed.  Once you have determined yours, align them.   Do you have to learn to type before you can become a secretary?  If so join a typing class.   Learning is part of growing.  Again the order is part of the process. 

Going slow? In month three and onward, work through your list.  You may decide to eliminate something, realizing it is not essential.   You may also determine to add something you hadn’t realized you needed.  Either way, pick something and do it.

Once the process is laid out, think of little rewards along the way.  Did you need to post something online?  Give yourself a reward, walk with a friend or have a coffee chat.   Let yourself watch a favorite movie that night.   Planning these little rewards can give you the motivation to keep going.  My brother would give himself an afternoon out on his motorcycle.  Rewards clear our mind and help us separate from the stress of the job, school or relationship.  For some people, activities are the reward.  For others, it is sharing it with a friend.  If you are rewarded with gifts, keep them small and save a big gift, for the accomplishment of the goal.  If you don’t know what makes you feel rewarded, read Five Love Languages (or take the Quiz) to realize how to reward yourself or your partner.  Yes, if you are working on a relationship, partner rewards are essential.

Even if you just simply wanted a new couch, you still have to decide: what style you want, whether it will fit in your house, how much it will cost, where to get the money from, do you have to get rid of something else?  How? Cost?   Yes even simple dreams take planning.  You are worth it.   Finding new solutions to our concerns is what life is about.  So go ahead make a New Year’s re-solution.

Health and Happiness

Sayings that have been used for hundreds of years, have become cliché to us.  He “died of a broken heart” has been tracked back to Shakespeare in the 1500’s.    In more modern times we speak of “fighting a good fight.” or “keeping your chin up” when we refer to people working at getting well.

When emotions are not dealt with they can fester like a wound.  We wouldn’t leave a cut dirty. We clean it and protect it.  Our emotions should be the same.  In the past when survival was the focus we learned to bury emotions.  Later, we turned to medicine for an anti-anxiety or depression medication.  Yet these cause burdens on other organs and can cause other health issues.  Doctors are seeing this; but have no other ideas other than referring you to a counselor or exercise.  This can be a long arduous trek with no “guarantee” of results.

We all have emotions from our childhood that have gotten buried.  I have previously referred to Bradley Nelson’s book, The Emotion Code.  It offers some simple clearing techniques that I have been utilizing for myself and my clients. 

I have just cleared my TMJ.  It took two clearing because I cleared the lower jaw and thought I would be done.  To my surprise, the upper jaw showed it had stored emotions also.  This is common, our body can dump things together that are related.  As I was clearing the upper jaw I saw that it was so old (I was 10 years old.) that an organ was also carrying part of it.   When the emotions came up I thought no, not me.  I didn’t feel bullied.   But as I looked at it, I realized I had buried the emotion.  Now it is gone and my teeth grinding is too. 

Another health trigger for me is asthma.  It was always triggered by my feelings of fear or stress.  Now it is gone.   Health issues from allergies, anxiety, migraines, weight loss and more can be caused by buried emotions.  Addictions and PTSD also have emotional causes

Vitamins can also help alleviate the physical symptoms of an issue but can’t stop the response from happening.  For example vitamin B complex can help settle an immune or stress response.  I have been taking a vitamin combo for a few years that supports minimizing migraines.   I was taking it for its sister reaction, vertigo.   Clearing the vertigo that I have had since I was a child was scary.  What if it didn’t work?  I didn’t want to wake up in the morning, bloody again from a fall I had in the middle of the night.  So I stayed on the supplements.    It has been a couple of months now.  I have forgotten my supplements and have not sleep walked.   So now I have more faith in the solution.  

So take a minute.  Are you as happy and healthy as you can imagine?  Do you have chronic pain, illness, depression or anxiety?   Read this book.  Or call me if you need help.  It usually takes 1-3 sessions and the problem is gone. 

It is amazing how things get trapped in us, without our awareness.   An emotional issue if not dealt with can develop into life threatening illness.  The medications to subdue it, speed it on its way by weakening other organs.  Love yourself and clear the past.  Whether, you are aware of the issue or not.  I wasn’t.

Neti Pots and Essential Oils:

Some of you have offered ideas and did not wanted to be mentioned.  I have enclosed some of that information in my other blog articles.  It is why Wives Tales went on for three months, I have someone who has asked me to share and will let me give him credit.  Thank you, Dan.  Dan has had a love of Neti Pots for years.  He shared with me how much it supported him through Covid; and as a dancer.  How it has kept him for catching illnesses, like Covid and the flu, despite being so close to many people. 

Beginning to use a Neti Pot is a little awkward at first; but it can be mastered with practice.  The Mayo Clinic gives a good step by step guide on YouTube.  This video covers both Neti Pots and nasal saline bottle washes.  This YouTube video is just for the Neti Pot.  Using a neti pot or bottle can be easy, but takes practice.  Both provide a healthy way to clear and clean your sinuses to avoid or clear minor infections.  Here is another site that talks about making the saline solution.  

 Dan warns that when you first start the saline can sting the nasal passage a bit but this passes quickly and feels great.  I have used a saline bottle before and found the relief from congestion wonderful. 

Let’s take another optional step.  You can add essential oils or herbs to the process.  Both Eucalyptus and peppermint oil have benefits for your nasal passage that are more than just comfort.  Eucalyptus is an anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal product that fights infections.  Peppermint Oil can help with mental clarity or sleep and has anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties.

You can also use Oregano Oil, or just take some dried oregano and make a pot of tea.  (Oregano grows wild in my yard.  It is easy to grow in a pot too.) You can also make or buy teas of peppermint and eucalyptus if you don’t have an oil.  You can use your tea water in your neti pot or nasal bottle.  Oregano is a natural antibiotic.  It is known to help sinus disorders and is anti-bacterial and anti-fungal.   

There are other essential oils and herbs that can be used; but please do your research.  Too strong and you can irritate your sinus passage.  I suggest if you use essential oils, you use only one drop to start with.  Some people can do 4-5 drops but that is not a good starting point.  The neti pot can be used quickly and easily,  If it is awkward,  start with a nasal bottle. 

Essential Oils and Healing

So I mentioned essential oils above.  If you would like to know more about them and their benefits read on.  I’ll take a minute here to share these wonderful holistic health tools. 

Essential oils are concentrated plant extracts made by steaming or pressing parts of a plant to capture their natural smell and flavor. We see them in cosmetics, perfumes, soaps, and food additives. They can also be used for relaxation, stress relief, and mood enhancement.

As I mentioned above, peppermint, eucalyptus and oregano help promote health.    Many people use these oils in diffusers.  You add a few drops of oil to water in a diffuser and it can fill the whole room with a fragrant bouquet.  Some people like peppermint for relaxation.  Rubbing it on the temples can also alleviate a headache.  My favorite to relax with is cedarwood;   I put a drop on my neck to feel calm.

Most flowers and herbs have an essential oil.  If you look up a purpose for them you can choose to support yourself as you like.  If you have a favorite oil, look up its benefits here.  Remember you may react differently than they suggest.  It is simply what that essential oil has been identified for. Here is another site with ideas and suggestions.  Essential Oils are available at grocery stores, pharmacies and online.  For pleasure, take your pick.  For healing purposes, choose a brand that is clean and pure.  Here is an e-book to help you get started. 

Emotional Brain Health

I introduced some new concepts last month related to emotions and allergies and the importance of addressing them and clearing them.  I would like to take that one step further to your brain.  Some things get set into our brains, as patterned responses, that are not productive.   Sometimes we can be aware of a faint trigger from long ago but often the events were traumatic to our soul and our body does not remember them.  Occasionally, we can remember the first time our brain reacted. 

A reaction can be a migraine or severe headache.  It can be as is my case, vertigo which is known as the silent migraine.  Structural trauma or stress like an injury, can be another cause.  It can also be related to an environmental toxin or food sensitivity triggered in the brain.

Unlike the other emotional releasing we talked about it is deep enough that the brain needs to be reset.  And as we get older and have more history we are more likely to have an incident that needs clearing.

As I mentioned, I have intermittent vertigo.  I have had it off and on for years. Stress or unhappiness can make it flare up.  And once it does it is hard to make go away.  I have tried Chiropractic which sometimes would reset it.  I have tried supplements which can keep the severity of it from stopping my life.  Massages and stretching didn’t seem to touch it.  I have even researched daithe earrings, a type of piercing that relieves or lightens headaches for people that suffer from chronic pain. 

I decided to try a brain reset: before I spent hundreds of dollars and a year healing with the daithe earring.  As with the previous method, I found the underlying area of the body that held the blockage.  It was a little trickier since it was the brain.  Once I determined the area of brain focus, I determined where to clear the problem.   Then I used some tools I had to let the body relax a bit.   As I sat there I created statements to help clear the concern.  Which means, I had to talk to myself.  It is definitely easier when I am working with clients, than it is with just myself.  With some good notes and reviewing the matter, I cleared the areas and focuses that needed to be cleared and reset.  It is important to give your brain a little rest after this reset, so I took a 10 minute nap.  You can do longer.  Until, you feel a clearing head.  

When I laid down, my head felt full like a full room that is being rearranged.   It is important to lay flat on your back and not on your side or with your head twisted.  Getting up I felt refreshed and my head was clear.  The soreness in my neck was gone.  The imbalance I had felt when starting was gone.  I knew I had cleared a big block in my brain.  Will it be gone forever?  I don’t know.  With my allergy resets sometimes I have to go back and reset some portion of the allergy.  It has never taken me more than two times.  The brain can be the same adjustment for clearing. When you rearrange a room sometimes you go back and adjust a piece of furniture or accessory.  Our body is the same.

If you have something you want to resolve, you can talk to your counselor or chiropractor.  If those do not work, I do clearing and reset sessions with clients who have concerns or challenges they would like gone.  Call or email me if you have questions or would like to set up an appointment. 

Emotions and Health

It has been a fun active summer for many of us.  Our emotions underlie everything.   So I hope you truly enjoyed your summer.   Emotions affect our health and our decision making, both long and short term.   Let me share a few stories.  These are emotions I have experienced or have seen experienced through my life.

Common growing up fears: – The dark- Going into a dark space and not being allowed to leave easily Spiders –Unexpectedly finding a spider on or next to you.  Separation- Children can have as much or more anxiety of being separated from their parent as the parent does.  It is a learned behavior.  All these childhood issues have caused lifelong health issues or fears for people I know. 

My Chronic tonsillitis: Not speaking my truth – Growing up I heard and saw things that I did not want to hear or know.  I was not allowed to question or talk about them.  It changed how I viewed myself.   So I never mentioned the world as I perceived it.  It was my secret.  My body did not like this.  I developed chronic tonsillitis at about 7 or 8 that lasted well into my teens.  At 20 I decided to get my tonsils out.  I had moved away from home and was out in the world being me.  It was odd to realize everybody’s throat was not sore constantly.  I didn’t have tonsillitis for 40 years.  Then, I moved back to be near my family.   As I again learned there were things I could not say, I stifled my voice.  I had to learn how to speak up and be heard, or be sick.

Another’s illness: Related to fear and shame – A middle aged married couple owned a salon where they happily worked together.  The husband’s mother who lived far away got cancer and was dying.  Her son flew home to see her and help. He planned to only go for a couple weeks.  He was gone for 2 months.  His mother’s cancer went into remission.   He happily returned home.  Six months later his mother’s cancer returned and moved quickly.  He planned to fly home again.  His wife said. “No! I cannot run the business without you.   It is too stressful.  If you go we are done.”  The husband felt torn and did not go.  His mother died within a month later.   The husband developed kidney cancer which is related to the emotions of fear and shame.  He died within 6 months. 

Allergies: Hypersensitivity to the environment:  I have had the opportunity to clear a number of my allergies using an emotional unwind method.   I and a number of my clients used to need allergy medicine every day for congestion, sneezing and itching.  Now I rarely use allergy medications.  Allergies can be caused in a myriad of ways. Here are the three primary ways allergies are created. First is genetic. Family allergies can be something you are born with.  Second are emotional stress or trauma allergies. These are created when we an emotion is not handled well and an allergy is created.  Third are nutritional allergies, created by the body due to a nutritional deficiency not allowing us to process an item.  All can be fixed, some easier than others.

We do not realize how strongly our emotions affect us.  Emotions start outside the body in our energetic field.  As we process them they move into the body.  If we process them healthfully we can learn from them and grow.  If we can’t they can make us sick.  Louise Hay wrote a book called, Heal Your Body.  It tells what parts of our body are affected with each emotion.  She suggests affirmations.  I personally have not had success using her positive statements but I do find she is accurate with the emotions tied to certain health issues in the body.  So it is a good starting point.

For example: For me, tonsillitis probably start as a childhood cold.   My body learned I could not speak.  It became chronic tonsillitis which I had at least 6 months of every year.  I never learned to speak up for myself.  When I was 20, I had them taken out.  I had gone away to college and learned to speak up more and say what was important to me.  Later when I was about 61 or 62, I got tonsillitis again a few times.  I realized I had moved back to take care of my parents and was not speaking my truth again.  My truth was not theirs and they didn’t want to hear it.  I did an emotional unwind on myself and was able to understand letting go and did what was right for me.   It allowed my heath to return and, for me, to do Me.  At this age if I had not recognized the markers and been untrue to myself, I would have had increasing health issues.   I could have ended up regretting my choices; as much as my friend, who died of cancer.

The same thing can happen with other emotions like anger, resentment, helplessness, lack of trust and fear.  There are hundreds of emotions that seem to can be broken down to fifteen-twenty basics.  Each one initiated with a set of events in our lives.  Some we are aware of and some are hidden.

If you get sick and injured when new things call you to do them, you have a block somewhere.  If you are okay where you are, don’t bother looking at how to change or fix anything.  If you are wanting to grow, change or get past something, start taking some notes.  When do you feel off or down? When do you graze on food?  When do you have little accidents or time delays so you are running late? These little things were created so you had coping mechanisms.  Do you like them?  You may have delayed getting to your music lesson late because you didn’t want to go and now you’re late for everything.  As we age, our earlier in life denials that weren’t dealt with come back to haunt us, like my tonsillitis. 

If you have something you want to resolve, talk to your counselor or read a book on healing.  If those do not work, I do emotional unwinding sessions with clients who have issues that are still nagging at them.  Call or email me if you have questions or would like to set up an appointment. 

Sleeping in the Heat

There are 3 things that are key.  Number one, hydrate.  Do this an hour or two before bed so you don’t need to get up as soon as you have fallen asleep.

Number two.  I usually need to make a list of the next day’s activities so my brain doesn’t keep going over things.  I make the list and then if I am not tired; I will usually read a book, do a crossword or watch a show to finish slowing my brain down. 

We keep busy on the long days of summer but with the heat even when we are tired, our body needs to “relax.”   How?   Some people suggest a warm bath or a lukewarm shower or bath to cool the body down before retiring.  It also helps alleviate that sweaty stickiness.  A bath or shower can also signal the body that you are slowing down.  I like to shower just before bed as I feel cool and relaxed when I climb into bed.  If you have a hot tub, the intense heat followed by a cool shower is an extra good wind down.

Alcohol within an hour or so of bed feels as if it is a relaxant; but the brain does not enter REM sleep as well and statistics say that we don’t get the same benefit from our sleep.  So reduce your just prior to bedtime alcohol.  Also don’t eat a big meal just before bed.  Since our stomach is acidic, it is more likely to give you acid reflux or heart burn if you eat a meal just an hour or two before bed.

Research says is the best sleep temperature is 65-68 degrees.  If you have central air reducing the temperature is not a difficulty.   If you don’t have central air, a circulating fan blowing in the bedroom gives the feeling of coolness to the body.  If I am relaxed and showered, I can easily sleep in 72 degrees without a fan.

Keep your sleep area dark and quiet.  Remove anything that distracts, like a digital clock that you may be tempted to glance at.

Sleep experts say if you can fall asleep on your side it offers the coolest temperature for your body.

All these techniques to fall asleep work best if you actually had a day with at least 20 minutes of exercise and 30 minutes of outdoor natural light.  Also, if you don’t drink caffeine after 2 pm.  

Going to bed and getting up at the same time each day creates a rhythm your body finds comfort in.  They say, get at least 7 hours of sleep daily.  For me, I need at least 8.  Some studies show that women’s brains work differently; other studies say it is our hormones.  Either way extra sleep is helpful.

Without good sleep we are all susceptible to more health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, depression, mood disorders.  These issues are more common in women.  They believe they are related to hormones.  After menopause, women are more likely to have sleep apnea or insomnia.   If you aren’t getting enough sleep see a specialist.

Wives Tales Blog #3  Cockroaches and Styes   

I was thinking we might be done. But, I have two wives tales to dispel. For the first,   I want to thank Katy for sharing, a new wives tale with me.  Don’t kill a cock roach because it will bring others.  Two different pest control sites disagree.  So here is the scoop. 

Cockroaches have been around for about 300 million years.  They are one of the oldest insects alive.  They are a social insect and live in groups.  They leave pheromones on their eggs to attract each other.  So if you see one cockroach you already have some.  The longer you have them the more there are.

When you crush a cockroach they release oleic acid.  This acid, they can smell.  Since the cockroaches like the taste of it, they emerge from hiding.  They were there; you just didn’t know it.  And since their bodies are strong and you will have to hit it with 900 times their body weight to kill them. Then oleic acid is spread.

So why are they in your house?  A heat wave, (which many of us are experiencing now) searching for a cooler location.  Or, too cold can drive them in also.  Food sources such as garbage cans attract.  Dense vegetation around your home also attracts, so clear it out.  And water such as leaky faucets is a common cause.

You are not going to starve them out quickly.  They can go a month without eating.  Then they will eat each other, their babies and the eggs.  Some things that work if you don’t want to hire an exterminator are bait traps that have poison that takes a while to work so they go back to the nest and die, then others feed on them and die. Or, sticky traps that attract them and they get stuck and die.  Bad news you have to throw the trap away.   A more humane way if you are worried about killing them is peppermint oil and neem oil.  Place it where they are attracted and you don’t want them: such as, in cabinets, under sinks, near laundry areas and doors.  They are repelled by the smell.

For our second wives tale, you can thank me.  I got a stye in my eye.  I thought, how do I fix this?  I had used a warm compresses in the past and had always gotten frustrated.  Online it says 7-10 days.  Really?  Who has time to do that 2-3 times a day for that long?  Not to mention they are painful and itchy.  The wives’ tale says to rub it with a gold ring.  However this could cause a greater infection as most rings are dirty.  I understand the concept of homeopathic levels of minerals but I do not want to risk my eyes with other bacteria.  Sties are caused by Staph (Staphylococcus bacteria.)  And they are caused by things that are dirty getting in your eye: like make up, dirty hands, contact lenses to name a few.

So I looked it up on the internet.  I found an article from a girl learning from her family about sties and using honey.  She said they did it all the time and it made their eyes bright and white.  I thought what the heck and tried it.  She said it hurt a lot.  I did not think it was horrible.  I tried 2-3 different honey’s thinking I must be doing something wrong.  It did not work on the stye or make my eyes bright and white. 

I also found on the internet about a tea bag.  Make some black tea and put the cooled wet tea bag on the eye for 5 minutes.  It did stop the itching and soreness; but no shrinking of the stye. The pain was gone for about 10 hours.  I did it twice but neither time did the stye shrink. So I gave it up.

Since it is July and I am currently drying yarrow and it is an antibacterial, I decided to try it.  Yarrow flowers are found all over the place: wild fields, roadsides and fields, at this time of year.  I smashed some and put it in a clean cloth and let the moisture seep into my eye.  It stung a bit.  After about 5 minutes I took it off and it felt better for the whole day.  The stye appeared to shrink.  I did morning and night for a day or two, my eye was feeling better, no longer red and no sign of a stye.  The antibacterial and skin healing properties of yarrow had worked.  I then applied yarrow oil, (I had made from drying the flowers last year, then soaking them in oil, draining out the flowers and keeping the processed oil in the refrigerator.) around my eye for a day or two just to offer the added benefit.  And my eyes loved the moisture.  And I loved the stye being gone.

Have an issue we can explore or you have explored.  Share it with us.  Have a great summer.

Old Wives Tales #2

Well I know you have all been called on an old wives tale.  Yet I haven’t heard from you.  So I will share a few odds and ends about the ones I know something about.  And hopefully next month I can share some of your stories. Old wives tales are rooted in oral traditions in an attempt to pass on information.  There are lots about having babies but let’s start with food.

The good news is if you swallow gum you will not be digesting it for 7 years.  It will pass right through your system like everything else, including watermelon seeds.  Chocolate does not cause acne.  However it is a high fat food and that is not healthy in large amounts.

Also spicy foods do not cause ulcers.  They can cause stomach upset if you have a sensitive stomach.  Spices such as chili, onions, cayenne and garlic can encourage gas, they do not cause ulcers.  Ulcers are caused by bacteria or extreme stress.  There are foods that can relieve gas such as ginger, cumin, pepper and even cinnamon.  There are foods that help ulcers such as probiotic foods like yogurt, high fiber foods such as oatmeal and apples, and food high in Vitamin A and C, like sweet potatoes and peppers that help heal the stomach.

Coffee stunts your growth which is also not true.  But too much caffeine can keep you from absorbing calcium and other nutrients important to a growing child.  Ritalin for children with ADD/ADHD has the same effect that caffeine does, it helps calm them

Fish is a brain food used to be true.  The good omega 3’s offer good nutrients for the brain.  However with all the mercury in fish now that our waters are polluted the FDA suggests using caution with fish for pregnant women and children.

And one believed to be started during WWII was that carrots improve eyesight.  Although Vitamin A in carrots is good for the eyes, excess does not give you super-vision.  It was started to throw off  the Germans.  Since we had secretly started using radar.

I think I have covered most of the food items.  Did I miss any?  Let me know and I can add them next month.

Let’s look at habits like popping your knuckles.  It does not cause arthritis.  But if it is done habitually, it can weaken your hand strength and cause inflammation which is not good.  And crossing your eyes as we all tried to do as children will not cause them to get stuck that way.  I think it was our parent’s way to keep us from doing it.

Too much loud noise or music can cause permanent hearing loss.  It is true it does cause short term loss or tinnitus.  However it takes repetition to make it permanent.  So if you have a job that places you around loud noises wear ear plugs.  And don’t listen to your headset so loudly, as it can damage the ears and cause permanent loss of acute hearing.  If others can hear your headset it is causing damage.

Old Wives’ Tales #1

I used to love to read under the covers at night.  I was told the dim light would damage my eyes.  This is not true.  It does cause eye fatigue which is probably why I fell asleep doing that.  Another thing we have heard is going outside with a wet head will cause you to catch a cold.  Also not true.  It will weaken your immune system as it is using its resources to keep you warm.  So if your immune system is already compromised you are more likely to catch a cold.

Well that covers the basics of what I know.  If I missed something let me know.  I look forward to hearing your questions or stories.  Have a fun time and take care of yourselves.

I am writing this article because I learned a lesson a few years back that changed my belief about, “Old Wives Tales.”   There is some truth in them.  The problem is that the whole story doesn’t always get passed down.  For example. I had always been taught you should never put butter on a burn.  That is not completely true. 

When you think about American history, there was not a drug store at the corner or ice in every home.  So what did you do if you got seriously burned?   Well, I was in Russia a number of years back and got to learn the answer.  Our group was out of town, I mean o-u-t of town in the country where our hosts had a small cabin on a pond.  They had built a little hot house with a wood fire in it.   I went out late and everyone else was leaving.  I decided to enjoy the quiet for a while by myself.   I noticed there was a water bucket on the wall with a ladle.  I thought how wonderful; I’ll create a little steam. 

What I did was seriously burn my arm, as it spat up.  I had severe blisters immediately.  I was embarrassed and concerned about infection.  Not wanting to frighten everyone I thought I have a little tube of antibiotic ointment back at the hostel. I just need to get there.  So I after hanging my arm in the bucket of water for a bit I wrapped the towel around it and went to go inside and change.  My ever so polite hosts offered to take my towel, I said, “Oh no I’ll get it.”  One host insisted and saw my arm.

He took me back out to the house that had a changing area. He had me sit down and went outside and cut from the aloe plant outside the door that I had not noticed.  He cut the aloe and smeared it all over my burn.  Then he wrapped it in a cool damp cloth.  After 10 or so minutes he came back and checked it.  He had brought butter.  I was afraid.  I knew you were NOT supposed to put butter on a burn.  But I was a guest in a foreign country, I thought well I guess I will have this to remember my trip forever.  What I hadn’t realized was the aloe had not only begun to heal the burn but it helped cool it.  So he was putting the butter on an injury caused by fire but the heat had been minimized in the burn.  So the butter acted as a natural oil and salve to the wound.  We wrapped it and we’re on our way. 

I looked at it that night amazed.  I was even more amazed in the morning when the skin looked only pink with no blisters.  We were leaving that day and he came by to check my arm.  I was so thankful and told him so.  So it is true you don’t put butter on a burn.  But, you can put it on an injury that is cooled first to seal and heal burned skin.

Next month we’ll look at more “old wives tales,” and share what is missing in the story.  If you have one you would like to share please email me; and we can share it.

Destroying Your Health A Bottle At A Time

Plastics and Micro-plastics are seriously affecting our health. Chemicals in the plastics disrupt our endocrine system. These chemicals can cause infertility, dementia, obesity, diabetes, prostate and breast cancer, thyroid problems, bladder problems, and increased risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Getting away from plastic is impossible; but, you can limit some of the effects. Plastics are identified by a number from 1-7.  Numbers 2 (HDPE-high density polyurethane), 4 and 5 (LDPE- low density polyurethane) are the safest.  Tupperware is #4, #5 and #7 , so be careful.  It didn’t become BPA free until 2010 So, if it is before 2010it may have BPA’s.  Avoid 6 and 7, all together.   (At the end of the article are sites to check out more details on each.)

That leaves numbers 1 and 3.  Plastics rated at 3 are PVC and they emit ongoing toxins.  PVC is in toys, shower curtains and deli wrap meat.  They leach phthalates, dioxins, BPA and more.  Keep away from children who put everything in their mouths.  These chemicals are known to affect kidney and heart function.  They are not safe.   Number 1 is also known as PET or PETE.  It is meant for a single use.  It is used for single serve water, soda and juice containers.  Don’t refill or reuse these containers to drink from.  The squeezing and flexing of plastics cause them to release chemicals so these become “unsafe.”  They are recycled for carpet, fiberfill jackets and sleeping bags.

Micro- and Nano- plastics are plastics that have degraded to particles. They break down and recycle themselves into our water.  Plastics are even more problematic when microwaved.  The micro- and nano- plastics particles leach into our food from the plastics we are using.  There are 7 times more particles for micro-plastics and 47 times more for nano- plastics in our food after being microwaved for a couple of minutes.    When heated the toxic particles are released from the plastic and become a part of our food.  Plastics in the refrigerator do not do this.  When it says microwave safe, they mean for the container not for you.  And since it is still unclear if we can remove plastics from our bodies, we do not know the health outcome.  Studies show that nano- and micro- particles cause inflammation and cell death.  Both which affect the brain and cause dementia.  Studies have also shown it to increase risks in our heart and lungs.  In children, they can cause chronic diseases later in life. 

So what can we do?

• Avoid using plastics, whenever you can
• Drink out of glass or stainless steel containers
• Don’t microwave your food containers
• Use #2, 4 and 5 plastics
• Toss them if they get damaged
• Don’t reheat your food in plastic
• Make sure the plastic you use gets recycled as best possible

I went through the plastics in my cupboard and threw out old, knicked and warped plastics.   Then I went through my refrigerator and put things in the glass containers that I have.  A little step towards a life time of health. 

 If you have any other questions or concerns you would like to see an article about, please let me know.

Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoO1p4QIBAE
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/are-plastic-particles-in-bottled-water-harmful-to-health
https://ryaninstitute.uri.edu/microplastics/
https://yesstraws.com/blogs/news/types-of-plastic-plastic-numbers-guide
https://townofcarrboro.org/2597/Plastics—Facts-What-the-Numbers-Mean
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/can-you-microwave-plastic
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/parkinsons-dementia-how-nanoplatics-affect-protein-in-brain#More-insights-into-what-may-cause-neurodegenerative-diseases
https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/14/health/tupperware-safety-tips-plastic-containers-wellness/index.html
https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/plastic-particles-bottled-water

Spring Allergies

According to the AAFA in 2021, 80 million people were diagnosed with seasonal allergies.  That is 26 % of adults and 19% of children.  This means the number is actually higher as many people just buy over the counter medication and don’t talk with their doctor.   Why?

They don’t think doctors can help.  Common allergy symptoms include headaches, sneezing, itchy skin, runny nose, congestion, watery eyes and hives.  Over the counter medications help with the symptoms yet they also make you tired or brain fogged.   Although none of us like this, we are willing to trade the symptoms for the reaction.  Some people even go through allergy shot protocols.

Why is our body reacting this way?  It is mistaking the pollens, dust mites and other substances as harmful.  Typically there are 3 things that can cause our bodies to make this mistake.

The first is DNA.  We may have inherited this allergy from our parents.  I have grass allergies and so do my children. 
The second way is a reactionary allergy.  Let’s say as a child we are sitting under the tree and a bee flies by.  Our caregiver may overreact and yell and shoo the bee away.  That protective mechanism can startle us so seriously that we defend against something in the area we are aware of, like grass pollen.  This is an emotionally acquired allergy.  
The third type of allergy is also physically acquired.   It is caused by our body not having the natural support to ward off the issue.  Antigens are foreign substances that enter our body.  Antibodies are a protein that helps eliminate them.  If our body is nutrient deficient in the materials needed to clear the allergen from our system; it reacts. 

So although doctors say DNA allergies are not curable; they are.  At least some of them.  Both acquired allergies can be alleviated.  An emotionally acquired allergy can be cleared with some counseling and homeopathic treatments.  A nutrient deficiency can also be cured by providing the nutrients needed to build better antibodies and adding a homeopathic to reprogram the body to know, it can fight the issue now.  

The DNA allergies, doctors say they cannot be fixed.  I agree it is a harder, longer process that most people are not willing to wade through.  I have worked through some of my family allergies.  I still have more.  It takes diligence and time.

For more info on allergies: https://aafa.org/allergies/allergy-facts/

HEART-BLOOD-CHOLESTEROL

Cleaner blood and a healthier heart need good nutrients and oxygen.  The first thing to do is know your numbers.   What are your heart rate, your blood pressure and your cholesterol levels?  Let’s look at how to adjust them, to keep yourself healthy. 

First of all, excess belly fat is related to higher blood fat levels and pressure. So the weight loss that you started due to holiday eating, just earned another reason to be worked on.

To reduce the temptations of popping food in your mouth, take up a hobby that uses your hands: like crocheting or knitting, crossword or jigsaw puzzles, painting, model building or woodworking.

Movement, yoga, dance, or aerobics also raise your heart rate and stretch your muscles.  You-tube has lots of movement videos to inspire you.  And if you need something more social, take a class.   Want simple?  Start walking: to begin your day, during your lunch break or to relax after dinner. 

Since a heart healthy diet limits your sugars, add in fruits and vegetables.  Fresh grilled fish or baked chicken are good protein sources.   Avoid salt.  There are a lot of spices to perk up your food and help your heart. Turmeric, cayenne, curcumin, pepper, garlic and onion are a few.  Caution: fast foods are loaded with salt. You will love the last two.  Laugh and eat dark chocolate.  Laughing, according to the AHA lowers stress hormones, decreases inflammation and raises your HDL cholesterol levels.  Dark Chocolate in moderation also helps reduce inflammation and lower heart disease.  Be guilt free with just a square or two a day.  Being happy reduces stressors and can allow for a longer healthier life

Healthline.com –   28 Tips to Improve your Heart Health

https://www.mayoclinic.org/   Heart disease> healthy heart diet

Resolution or Manifestation

It’s New Years.   Have you made your resolution or are you into manifestation.  I have to admit I am not good at even wanting to think about resolutions.  It is defined as the decision to do or not do something.   And honestly, if I am still doing it I probably don’t want to not do it badly enough or I would have stopped.  If you are good at resolutions and have made yours, my hat is off to you. 

This year I have decided to manifest my goal rather than to make a resolution to do it.  Manifest means: the action of showing or creating an idea.  They are both nouns; but, manifest calls me to spend energy doing it.  Rather than having the mind power to stay steadfast.  With manifest if I mess up a day I can still work towards the success of creating long term success.  We all falter at times.  And that is why I have given up my resolutions in the past.  I felt the failure.  When I think about manifesting, if the first way I try collapses, I can start another way.   This is going to be a short article.  You either know what you want, and are willing to work for or you can resolve to stay where you are.  Have a Happy New Year!

And speaking of manifestations:   This article was inspired by my editor, Katelyn and her suggestion: KatelynAlderson.com

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Christmas Gift Giving

Christmas is a hard time to come up with the right gift.  Birthdays can be challenging; but Christmas is lots of people challenging.  Have a small budget and wanting make everyone happy?   Remember we say that the gift doesn’t matter; it’s the thought that counts.  And we know that is only partially true

So if you are on a tight budget, here are some tricks to extend your love and your pocket book.  If you have a hobby such as drying home grown herbs, crocheting, woodworking or painting, making a gift for someone is very doable.   My neighbor makes wood push cars for his grandchildren and another crochets something different every year to share.  It is a little late to start on your hobby now.  But there is one gift that is always welcomed.  Service.  Think of someone older that could use a drive to the doctor or help with the computer.  One hour of service is a great gift.  And if they are younger with kids, you can babysit them or take them to the park.  Do you know a parent who wouldn’t appreciate this? And for the “in-betweens,” teach them your hobby.  Or know what they are working on and offer help with it, like raking the leaves or shoveling snow, or a coupon good for one or two hours of assistance at their request.  This gives you quality time with the person you value.  A much more meaningful gift. 

EMF’s What and Why?

EMFs are electromagnetic fields.  An electromagnetic field is “a physical field produced by electrically charge objects” from Wikipedia.  Why should you care?  This is the feeling I had when they were putting in remote utility readers in Seattle.  Then one day in my kitchen, by my counter, stove and microwave, I felt nauseous and had an immediate headache.  Every time I went to my favorite spot to prepare things in my kitchen, I got this sick feeling.  I called a friend who is also in nutritional healing.  Her first question was, “Have they put on your remote reader.”  As we talked, I went outside and looked.   They had.  It was the EMF’s constantly coming off the reader. The city was going to charge me $40 dollars a month to take it off and read it manually.  I looked for other options.  Online I learned how to make a faraday cage. ( A metal enclosure to trap EMF affecting the surrounding area.)  It solved the problem.  However, so much of what we live with today put off EMF’s,  not quite as strong as the meter reader but strong enough to cause health issues, such as : infertility, tumors, cancer and sleep. (The Non-tinfoil Guide to EMF’s by Nicholas Pineault ~The EMFGuy.com)

Simple things we do create this risk, like putting your phone in your pocket.  The EMF’s are constantly coming off the phone straight into your body.  According to my meter (Trifield Meter), at about 18” these EMF’s drop off to a stressful, but not toxic level.  Some plastic covers for the phone can redirect the EMF’s to the front of the phone.  Since more is coming out the front always use the speaker phone.  Do not put it next to your head as it is going straight into your brain.  Just 10 minutes a day of exposure can cause health problems like cancer, tumors or brain fog.  Also don’t leave your phone plugged in where you sleep.   Move it to the other side of the room or another room.  Another issue is your router box, TV connection box, answering machine and cordless phones.  Again position them at least 3’ (Trifield meter) away from where you are.  And use your home cordless phone on speaker also.

Another big issue is laptops and tablets.  The keyboard area sends out emissions front and back.  Don’t panic.  It has a simple solution.  Buy a keyboard (I got mine for $5.00 at the thrift store.) then you can stand 2 feet away from your laptop.  Your hands are not constantly over the laptop absorbing EMF’s. And they are not being sent into your lap.

I read an article that they are making faraday cages for wrist watches and phones.  They did not list the brands or if they are out yet.  I suggest if you are looking for either of these you ask questions before spending your money and risking your health.  If in checking things out you get more information, please feel free to share it with me and other readers.  I am sure your fellow readers want to stay safe.

There are other things in the home that emit EMF’s.  To me these are the biggest culprits because you are constantly handling them.  If you are hypersensitive lights please look into what is affecting you.  If you have been exhausted or feeling sick with no answers, I suggest checking it out.  If you are feeling well and haven’t noticed a problem, it doesn’t mean you are safe.  It means your body is not yet showing signs.  Don’t wait until you are sick, infertile, brain dull or have cancer to clean up your environment.

Shielding is for Health

We all wear seat belts to protect ourselves from the danger of either a mistake on our part or the mistake of another driver.  Yet we don’t shield our bodies against negative influences that we may step into or may be flung at us.  The question is why.

I think it is because we are a tangible society that doesn’t acknowledge that the intangible is as dangerous as or more dangerous than the tangible.

How many times have we walked into a room and felt a terrible oppression?  Or in one corner of the room there is a person being quite negative and we steer clear of that.  Those are both common examples of negative energy that we know to avoid.  Yet there are many energies that are subtle and we don’t protect ourselves from being hit by them. 

When I first started back into acknowledging energy, I was quite ignorant about how it could affect me.  I was learning to dance and had all my receptors open to learning new dances and following my lead.  After about 30-45 minutes of dancing I would have to leave. Often I would vomit at the curb’s edge and drive myself home feeling very nauseous and weak.  I couldn’t figure out what was happening at first.  Then I saw the same pattern at each dance.  I realized that I was picking up the energies of the other dancers.  Often when people go to parties, dances and other social events they dump their negative and unhappy energy.  For someone that is sensitive this is quite traumatic to feel.  I think it is why some of us are more introverted.  Introverts get their energy from inward and extroverts get their energy from other people’s attention.  It wasn’t until I learned to shield against the negative energy that I could go, dance and enjoy.  It still was quite tiring but it was great not to be sick.  In time I could stay the whole evening.

Other people have shared stories of being able to think more clearly with a shield.  Others ate less.  And still others felt less need to run away, get violent or angry to protect themselves.

If you feel drained in the office cubical, at the amusement park, grocery store or any public place, you need to create a shield.  If you feel tired after a business meeting, an interpersonal discussion or any interactions with people, you need to strengthen your shield.

For many people this is a hard concept.  For those of you with a good imagination this is an easier task. There are a number of ways to do this.  You can visualize a white light coming down from the heavens and you are protected in that light.  Some people visualize it like being the guy on stage with a spot light and in that circle they are safe.

 Other people feel the need to visualize climbing into a suit of armor.  Some people visualize another set of light clothing. And for children, I have them blow an imaginary giant bubble with gum.  They climb inside and are protected.  The bubble will bend but not break. Whatever works for you is a good way to do it.

So whether you need an imagined visual barrier or a tangible barrier, you need protection. Some people like to shield before grounding but most people do best with grounding first and then shielding. (Grounding is being present in your body.) And just like the grounding, shielding takes practice to maintain.  And it is necessary to maintain it consistently everywhere and always.  I even keep mine intact when I am home alone. 

How do you know if it is working?  Well in simple situations you will note that you feel less drained by other. Things like headaches, dizziness and upset stomach are other things that people commonly feel if negative energy is incoming.  The simple test or to fix it, is to ground, shield and breath deep releasing anything negative.  If you have done a good job and you are still off it is probably not energy.  How do you know if you have done a good job?  After much practice you will notice and feel the difference.  Until then ask an energetic friend or just do it again. Even if it is a physical cause the deep breath should give some relief. 

Seasonal Eating Enhances Performance

The seasons are changing and so are your needs.  It’s more than just changing the clothes you work out in; eating seasonally and locally will go a long way to support your health and performance both emotionally and physically.  How is that?  Our body responds to the weather of each season.  The air temperature, the humidity or lack of, the length of the daylight and the intensity of rays all play a role in your bodies’ needs and performance.  The mother earth in her infinite wisdom naturally grows things that match our needs.

The healthier you are and the more reserves you have the less likely you are to put your bodies out of kilter during season changes and stress.  Being active increases your need to be conscious of the changes.  You tend to tax your reserves more and require greater availability of the resources you do have.  As I mentioned in a previous article, as little as 1-2% dehydration can create fatigue.  As temperature and humidity changes with the coming of fall you are likely to drink less fluids.  Then unexpectedly you find your performance dropping and your feeling of well-being slipping from your grasp.  Once dehydration sets in so does weakened digestive and athletic performance abilities.  It sets off a domino response.

Then of course as the days shorten, your list of need to accomplish doesn’t.  So often you cut back on sleep.  This extra stress activity throws your body off.  Less fresh fruits with higher water content and nutrients can cause a deficiency you aren’t aware of until you are off.  Studies show most people lower their respective rate of physical activity due to cold and darker days.  It also seems with the weather changes, the way we utilize our nutrients changes.  Even the nutrient content of milk is different in the winter than the summer.  So the same foods do not provide the same support, at different times of the year.  Seasonally eating can help balance this.  Squash, a winter vegetable has more vitamin A that is needed in the winter months, Oranges and other fruits are higher in vitamin C, needed so much in the summer months.  Each of these foods has the other nutrients, just in different ratios.  Eating seasonally and locally for your area can improve your performance by providing more available nutrients. 

Weather: Hot and Cold ~ Wet and Dry ~ Sunny and Cloudy

I mention locally because food raised or grown locally can be picked later and purchased earlier.  Vitamin C is known to be particularly unstable.  So an orange grown in Florida and picked early has lost the last few days of nutrient gathering and by the time it reaches the diagonal end of the country in 3-5 days it has lost over 60% of the already lowered Vitamin C content.  The same is true with all the wonderful fruits we get from other southern hemisphere growing areas.  I am assuming you are buying organic because I do not have space here to go over all the health concerns of the different pesticides much less them mixed together in your system.

Looking for maximum nutrient value with limited calories, local and seasonal food choices become essential.  Food equals energy, eat the best, to be able to perform the best.  For more specifics on this topic: Search the internet for locally grown in WA. (or your state).  A myriad of resources will come up.   “Food choices” is also something to keep in mind when you are traveling.  The local areas environment may pull more of one type of nutrient from your body.  If staying for more than a few days, consider eating like locals.  For example in sunnier climates low essential fatty acids can cause the skin to burn easier.  Traveling diet, lifestyle and locality changes affect your needs.

As always consult with a health care professional before making changes to your lifestyle.  Katherine Branigan is a Certified Nutritional Therapist in private practice in person and online in Nine Mile Falls, WA.  She has been in practice for 23 years.  In her practice she also addresses the physical, emotional and energetic components of health and healing.          ©K Branigan

Summer’s Pace Got You Down?  posted 8/12/23

Run out of energy, before you run out of day?  Summer is a busy time full of adventures and activities.  If you notice a dip in your energy levels, it can be because something is out of balance.  Low energy not only means missing out on daily fun but also more rapid aging.   

Well the truth is it may be that you have let yourself get out of shape.  Even with watching your diet and exercise you can find your energy lower.  I know your medical doctor says your blood tests all look “normal.” Did you know that “normal” changes?  Normal is based on a bell curve of the population’s health.  It is not based on what a healthy body could be.  We all know many people more out of shape than ourselves.  Do we really want to compare ourselves to them?  Maybe it is time to step out of the medical paradigm and look at your health from the options of nutritional optimum.

Yes they are different.  Even if you are eating fairly well there may nutrients that you are missing due to lifestyle, stress and aging.  If you are feeling the joy of summer and the aches of the extra hours and activities. here are some things to consider.

Take an Inventory of your Lifestyle, Diet and Symptoms.  For example do you regularly wake up tired?  Do you have a gas or bloating feeling after eating?  Do you run out of energy before you run out of day?  If you want to take a complete survey of your health go to Nutritional Assessment  and fill it out.  If you have a number of issues in any one of the sections, there are things you can do to feel better and have more energy.  Low energy not only means missing out it means you are using your reserves.  The older we get the more work the reserves are to replenish.  Notice the weak area in your body and seek a knowledgeable person to help you.  If it is structural you may want to see a chiropractor, cranial massage or physical therapist.  If it is physiological you can choose an acupuncturist, body trainer or nutritional therapist.

The Nutrition Component:

Almost all physical conditions have some sort of nutrition component.  Sometimes it is healing the digestive track or stimulating the endocrine system.  Looking at your symptoms can give you an idea where to start.  If most of your symptoms are related to digestion you may need more amino acids.  Good stomach acids can be encouraged by betaine HCL supplementation or by taking some Bragg apple cider vinegar with each meal.  Amino acids can be attained by eating live foods, like raw vegetables.  As we age our endocrine system seems to take a beating.  Our thyroid or pituitary glands don’t function as optimally.  This often shows up as foggy brain or forgetfulness when we talking about poor pituitary function.  A sluggish thyroid might be the cause of weight gain, head aches or moodiness.  Dietary changes can correct some of these problems, you may need to seek a professional as some of these can develop into long term problems.  A doctor might do a blood test and say everything is fine.  Yet in the nutritional world there is a different formula for looking at blood work.  The medical world bell curve perimeters don’t allow for treatment until there is a medication answer.  A nutritional specialist or other experienced person in nutritional blood chemistry can see things earlier.  It is much easier and healthier to deal with these prior to the medical paradigm.  At this stage: lifestyle, diet and supplementation are simple solutions.  The above questionnaire is a way to become aware of weaknesses you may have.  Simple changes can bring big changes.

For more information or an appointment call Katherine Branigan, NTP, MSA. MFP  (206) 779-1959 or email for an appointment  Katherine@NutritionalTuning.com   

Health Tips for Northwest Summers

The Pacific Northwest has special summer concerns: ever-changing weather, seasonal allergies, and a variety of times to go on vacation. Each of these aspects can challenge our health and immune system.  This is a summary of things to day for staying energized and enjoying the summer.  Enjoy a sensational and healthy summer season!   

• Tips layer clothes ~ chilled and overheated bodies strain immune
• Use fleece and synthetics ~ dry quicker & offer breathe ability when damp
• Beware of the evening drop ~ can lose 15 degrees +
• Wear sunscreen in cloudy weather ~ Cancer causing UV rays still there
• Hats recommended
• Use good sunglasses especially on or near the water ~Glare can damage eyes esp w/ adrenal stress
• Carry water and drink regularly ~Drink before thirsty
• Eat light and fresh when hot ~ high water content, alive
• Eat protein with your veggies when damp and cold  ~ Carbs also for sustained energy, Nuts and seeds are great to carry

Allergies: Animals ~ Blooming Flowers ~ Trees and Grass

• Know your space, minimize exposure
• Clean your body ~ diet and exercise
• Liver and Colon supports ~ ex. herbals (Milk Thistle) and foods (Fiber)
• Lymph drainage ~ water, herbals & fruits
• Fruits (especially in the morning)
• Distilled water ~only upon waking
• Don’t touch your face ~ Wash your hands regularly
• Walks in the morning are easier than mid-day ~ damp & cool air
• Use homeopaths to assist in clearing allergies ~ see you health provider

Vacationing: Diet ~ Time Schedules ~ Locations

• Eating on the go ~ choose live, avoid junk, not $, quality  
• Drink water before eating ~ 20 min is best
• Don’t skip meals ~ eat regularly to avoid fatigue & blood sugar
• Eat less than you want & carry something with for later ~ keeps away highs and lows
• Know the availability of food and drink where you are going ~ can ruin the day
• Get good sleep ~ warm, dry, allergy free and long enough to heal
• Have a backup plan ~ Stress & cancelled activities can ruin the break

Three Major Cause of Allergies
posted 5/27/2023

Although many people think of spring as the time for allergies, they are a year round, full time concern for many people.  Whatever sense or senses that an allergy affects, it is unpleasant.  Allergies tend to fall into at least one of three categories.

Physical Deficiencies: A deficiency in the body can be something you are born with or you can develop it later.  For example, even as a baby, I was sensitive to milk.   It caused constipation and stomach pain.  However, I grew up in a family that didn’t believe in allergies.  So, I was told to drink my milk, to have strong bones.  It wasn’t until I was forty and studying nutrition that I realized my milk issue was related to the fat in the milk.  I had been born with a weak gallbladder and a simple supplement cured my constipation and digestive issues.  Other people think they have developed food allergies when often it is just an amino acid deficiency. Especially as we age, these can cause us to develop sensitivities to foods or smells.

Environmental Overload: The second cause of allergies is when our body experiences a chemical, smell, or plant that it doesn’t have the resources to handle.  Again this can start at any age.  Some people don’t have a problem because their bodies can clean up the disruption.  If you can’t, you need to detox your body.  Sometimes we have been deficient so long that we not only need to detox the body, we need to reintroduce the needed nutrients to help the body keep itself clean. 

Emotions: The one is the hardest to define and yet easiest to cure once it is identified.  It is an allergy that is related to an emotional issue.  For example, as a 3 year-old you are at the table eating your peas.  Mom and Dad start arguing loudly and you get frightened.  You may develop an allergy to peas.  Sometimes just the memory of the incident can cure the allergy.  Other times, homeopathics are needed.

Having personally experienced all three types of allergies, I can tell you the solution can be easy or challenging.  It is a joy when the answer becomes clear and the problem goes away.  I recommend always starting with a digestive check first.  When we have a weak spot in our system it will borrow where it can; but, often that creates an unidentified weakness, allergy.  Once you know you are getting good nutrients in the body; then detoxify it to make sure you clean out the crud that has accumulated.  Detoxifying is much harsher on the body when it isn’t able to get the nutrients it needs.  Seek a good nutritional therapist or other health care practitioner to assist in the process.  Looking at the emotional cause of allergies is more challenging.  However, it can be done without discovering the exact cause. 

By: Katherine Branigan, NTP
NutritionalTuning.com
(206) 779-1959