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Make Your Home Feel Like a Day Spa

Have you ever gone to a day spa and just felt so relaxed and at ease? So, why not feel the same way in your own home? There are simple things you can do to freshen up each room and make it feel like you are at a day spa whenever you are at home.

Before starting your transformation, there are a few housekeeping things to do. Go through your entire house, put everything away and give it a good “spring cleaning.” Then to help freshen up the rooms give each room a coat of paint. Paint the rooms regardless of the color. White can even get dull after awhile and a fresh coat of paint will liven up the room.

Aromas

Not only will your home look refreshed, it will also smell refreshed. Aromatherapy can be used to help you to unwind, relax and get rejuvenated. You can add scents throughout your home by burning scented candles and incense. Candles also set the mood to help you relax at the end of a long day.

If you would prefer to not burn candles or incense, you can also use plug ins or electric diffusers instead. Place your preferred method in each room of the house and remember to not burn multiple scents in the same room. Scents to use include lavender for relaxation and citrus for fresh and energetic moods. Other popular aromatherapy scents include patchouli, mint or vanilla.

Bedroom

Add a feeling of softness to your bedrooms by purchasing thicker sheets and down filled comforters. Get the ones that you will simply fall into when lying in bed. Use extra soft pillows and add a handful of decorative throw pillows on top of your bed.

Bathrooms

Freshen up your bathrooms with new window and shower curtains. Purchase thick towels and place extras rolled up in a basket in the corner of the room. Put a basket of travel size soaps, hand sanitizer, shampoo, conditioner and lotion. Not only will they look cute sitting on your counter, but they will come in handy when guests come to visit. Hang plush bathrobes in each bathroom to use after a soak or shower. If desired, add candles for a candle-lit bath around the tub. Also, a single small tealight burning near the bathroom mirror will prevent it from fogging up during a shower.

Sitting Rooms

In sitting rooms, including family and living rooms place a bowl filled with fruit as a centerpiece. You can use fresh or fake, but fresh fruit is pleasing to the eye and a healthy snack to easily grab without having to go to the kitchen. Place vases filled with colorful flowers throughout your home to add a fresh floral scent and beautiful colors.

Backyard

Your spa feeling can extend into your backyard for you and your family to enjoy. Float candles or other lights in the pool and place additional candles (with citronella) around the pool. Add a gazing ball and some hanging lanterns throughout your garden. Install a fountain or pond that will give off trickling water sound effects. Make a sitting area with soft cushions and a small table to place books and drinks.

Source: Motykie medspa

Using Light with Acupuncture to Stop Pain

Acupuncture has been around in the healing arts for thousands of years. However, modern inventions have added some new twists to the use of acupuncture. There are forms of acupuncture using magnets, electrical stimulation and various forms of light. Laser light is used by many healthcare professionals. But lasers are not the only form of light that seems to work well on acupuncture points on living things. Lasers for now are best left to the use of professionals but there are products aplenty that are safe for home use. However research that began in the Space Program led to devices made from high intensity LED or Light Emitting Diode, that produced what scientists sometimes refer to as “near-infrared light.” One such device by brand name is the Light Shaker.

The Light Shaker

The Light Shaker was so named because it was developed specifically to treat food allergies. It was a specific invention of E.E. David Olszewski. People with food allergies only need to hold their hand near the food they are about to eat and set this device on pulse and then rotate it clockwise for about 30 to 60 seconds. Then a food that one might normally be allergic to will temporarily be safe to eat because this device matches your body’s energy field to that of the food. Many people with severe food allergies started to swear by this device when it first started appearing at health fairs in the 1990s. These devices are so safe that they may be used by children and can be used directly on the eye. You can’t use lasers directly on the eye except in special cases.

Pain Control and Wound Healing

Acupuncture is famous for controlling pain, even during some major surgeries. The Light Shaker and similar LED or near infrared devices will control new pain or old pain. It can be used with acupuncture points or directly on the skin over a painful area. This LED light will penetrate into the skin or under it up to 2 inches. The light will disperse on its own through meridians that are the conduits of acupuncture sites, if the light is only close to one of the acupuncture site openings. Doctors and scientists at NASA’s Marshal Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL., are studying the ability of these near-infrared lights to heal diabetic ulcers as well as serious burns and burns from chemotherapy. These are human trials that have been approved by theU.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Dr. Harry Whelan a professor of pediatric neurology and director of hyperbaric medicine has said, “The near-infrared light emitted by these LED’s seems to be perfect for increasing energy inside of cells. They show great promise for healing cells whether you are on Earth, under the Sea in a submarine or in a spaceship in orbit, these devices can boost cell energy and accelerate healing.” Dr. Whelan’s research is funded by NASA. He has many peer-reviewed articles published in various scientific journals including: Space Technology and Applications International Forum, and The Journal of Clinical Laser Medicine and Surgery.

These LED devices were originally designed for the Space Shuttle Program to aid in commercial plant growth research in space. The healing benefits to other living things has grown out of this original research. At the Medical College of Wisconsin,

Seasonal Affective Disorder(SAD)

Many people suffer horrible symptoms in winter, a sort of once a year depression. Many of these LED lights in different colors have been used to treat this disorder. But from there, many other uses of different colored LED lights have been found to address many varied medical issues. Many LED light manufacturers make large panels of LED lights that pulse in the UV range specifically for SAD.

Safer Than Dangerous Drugs

Before one resorts to dangerous drugs for chronic pain conditions and other medical conditions, safe modalities like acupuncture the traditional way with needles or with burning cones should be tried. But the beauty of using these modern inventions that use LED lights one does not need to be an expert in acupuncture and there is no need to fear harming oneself with these devices. They seem ideal to help people suffering from chronic pain. There are many books on the subject for further study, and books on acupressure to teach one the basic information of where acupoints are on the body. It is a nice way to heal yourself or someone you love or at least make them feel much better. One of the earlier and better books on this subject is Light Medicine of The Future by Jacob Liberman.

An LED Facelift.

All of these LED light devices also have a very nice side effect. They can reduce wrinkles in the skin to a large degree. They seem to stimulate the production of subcutaneous collagen. They are possibly yet another well kept beauty secret. One instruction book that comes with The Light Shaker even has a chapter on using this device for an acupuncture facelift.

This is a new and emerging field of science. Acupuncture is more than 6,000 years old, but using LED’s is new. In an era where there are ever increasing costs to health care and dangers in the use of prescription drugs, any new way to help people with medical problems that is safe and effective is always welcome.

How to Obtain Free Premarital Counseling

The scary thing about today’s relationships is that half of all marriages end in divorce however this does not have to be you and your spouse’s destiny. In fact, many couples who seek premarital counseling are able to have really great marriages and don’t seem to encounter many of the same issues that their counterparts who don’t attend premarital counseling. With this in mind, many couples are not only interested in premarital counseling but are encouraged to seek it out by their pastors, priests, rabbis and and even their family members and friends. In this brief article, we will discuss how to obtain free premarital counseling so that you can not only put your upcoming marriage on a firm foundation but you can receive counseling without breaking your pocketbook. Are you ready? Let’s begin.

First of all, you must keep in mind that finding competent and free premarital counseling will take a bit of hard work and effort. You shouldn’t just sign up for the first free counselor you find. Instead, you must actively seek a counselor that is equipped to help you deal with any impending and unforeseen issues. You must find one that will help you and your spouse understand one another and plan for any obstacles you may experience when you become husband and wife. In essence, you must both be willing to work with the counselor and willing to search for one that offers the quality services you deserve.

Second, keep your eye out for qualified counselors. Ask friends and family members for referrals. In addition, whether you are spiritual or religious, local parishes often offer these types of services to members of the community. All you have to do is call and ask for their help! If you are religious, compatibility can be an issue and therefore meeting with a local parish can help the two of you work through your spiritual differences and come to a mutual understanding. For instance, let’s say the wife is Catholic and the husband is Baptist well, you might choose a non denominational counselor to counsel the two of you. On the same token, you may want to check with qualified local community centers. In many instances, many of them have have publicly funded counseling services available. You can always visit one of these community centers to see if they can accommodate you or know of a center that can.

Third, check online. Aside from in the physical community, free premarital counseling is also available online! The digital age has permitted us to seek answers through our computers, which can connect us to therapists, religious leaders, or communities of like-minded individuals who can help with group counseling.

When seeking free premarital counseling, just remember that counseling will only work if you work it. Both you and your future spouse have to be willing to put forth the necessary work and effort to make the session worthwhile. In addition, when evaluating a counselor and/’or counseling program, you need to use the same criteria in a free program that you would seek in a paid one. Make sure that the counselor understands your goals and is willing to work with you and your partner to achieve those goals. In addition, you should both be comfortable and satisfied with the guidance you are receiving. And, the counselor should work with both of you, not against you, to make your relationship stronger than ever.

Good luck and Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials!

Learn the Hidden Secrets Behind Acupuncture Treatments?

Acupuncture works off the belief that we must maintain a balance of vital energy flow in order to remain healthy. An individual can look and feel healthy despite this flow being out of balance. Since energy out of balance can quickly become sickness, acupuncture is seen in this regard as preventive medicine. It is also a vital medical tool for treatment and restoration as well.

Before we get too in depth, however, a discussion of acupuncture’s history, uses, and effectiveness is in order. A better understanding of this subject is helpful in deciding whether acupuncture is right for you.

First used in China over 2,000 years ago, it is one of the oldest still-used medical procedures in the world. Acupuncture stimulates the anatomy of the body to balance energy flow throughout. Through the use of tiny, metallic needles placed in specific energy points while manipulating the area or related areas by hand massage or electrical stimulation, flow is re-aligned.

Even today, acupuncture forms the basis for traditional Chinese medicine and is used to properly align the two opposing forces within the body: the Yin and the Yang. Through the vital pathways (meridians) which allow the flow of qi (vital energy), the Yin and Yang energies become balanced as they connect over 2,000 acupuncture points along the body. Even Western science, always skeptical of traditional methods, has proven that acupuncture does work, though it doesn’t completely understand why.

The National Institute of Health has studied the affects of acupuncture in many areas of health care. It’s shown to be effective in postoperative nausea, osteoarthritis, chemotherapy side effects, lower back pain, headaches, menstrual cramps, addiction, asthma, carpal tunnel, and more. Their studies showed that acupuncture was able to provide pain relief, improved arthritic joint mobility and function, and complemented standard care.

Most doubters, once they become patients, become believers. Current medical theories as to why acupuncture works center around its affect on the body’s nervous system. The theory is that acupuncture regulates the nervous system and induces the release of endorphins and immune-system cells. Another theory concludes that acupuncture alters the brain’s chemistry by changing how neurotransmitters in the brain react.

No matter the theory of why, there is no doubt that it does work. As a patient myself, I can attest to the wonderful effect it’s had on my back pain. Acupuncture is a proven aid in maintaining optimal health, despite its current classification as an alternative medicine.

For the healthy individual, acupuncture is still very beneficial. Because of the balance of vital energies and their link to wellness over time, maintaining the balance through acupuncture is a preventive measure, keeping you healthy. It’s analogous to giving your car a tune-up before it develops a serious problem.

Dancing With Your Self-Consciousness

It is likely you have been ambushed by seeing this image at some point in the last few weeks.

This, of course, is Tom DeLay (W-Texas). The “W” stands for “Wild Thing.” If you haven’t seen the footage, you really should. It is an exercise in complete lack of self-consciousness. I applaud Mr. DeLay for that lack of self-consciousness. How many of us could let it all hang out like this in front of millions of people and all after being indicted for violating campaign finance laws?

Obviously, putting the alleged violation of the law aside, it is this type of bold action that makes a statement. Likely you and I are looking to make a statement different from DeLay’s “I’ve always wanted an excuse to wear sequins and dance for the world like I do in my kitchen.” Regardless, the path is the same: jettison that self-consciousness and take the risk! What’s the worst case, really? Well, that is worth exploring. Let’s consider the source and experience of self-consciousness briefly.

Self-consciousness is the sense of oneself or being aware of one’s actions or states. It is certainly a useful social tool. Self-consciousness is part of what allows us to create and maintain our self-image. We filter our actions into acceptable or unacceptable according to what is congruent with the self-image we have built. This filtering process is related to our self-confidence.

Our level of self-confidence determines which actions are deemed acceptable in this filtering process. If we are more self-confident, we allow ourselves more latitude for pushing the edge and risking what may be embarrassment due to failure. When we are more self-confident, we are just that: confident that the self-image we have built can withstand the occasional gaff or failure. Without pushing that edge, we won’t grow.

Plainly said, being overly self-conscious keeps us all from realizing our potential. Recognizing the utility of our self-consciousness is important. However, recognizing the limitations our self-consciousness creates and pushing that edge can be the difference between average and amazing, between so-so and successful, between mediocre and marvelous. You get the drift.

Only you can explore to what extent your self-consciousness limits your potential. Be honest with yourself. Ask yourself some of these questions:

Have you ever missed an opportunity while trying to save yourself potential embarrassment?

Do you admire someone in your life who regularly takes those social or professional risks, really sticks her neck out there, and reaps the rewards?

Have you ever had a thought you held back only to have a colleague raise that very point and become the hero?

Do you have personal plans or goals that you keep to yourself because of how you anticipate people will react? If yes, then please visit hypnotist chicago today and find the help you need.

As you consider putting self-consciousness in its place and making a leap or two for personal growth, remember these key points:

Just as you are self-conscious, so are others.

For better or worse, your friends and colleagues are focused on themselves, not you. Consider how much you notice a friend’s failures or gaffs. And, if you did, your reaction is likely one of support and empathy. You can expect the same reaction.

We are our own harshest critics.

We are typically harder on ourselves than anyone else would be. In fact, likely you have surrounded yourself with people who are more readily able and willing to see the genius in your effort than you are. (If you haven’t, you can and should!)

Consider the worst-case scenario.

Considering the worst case and being prepared to accept it is always a useful exercise. Even in the “Dancin’ Tom DeLay” example, the worst case isn’t so “worst.” It gave us all a chuckle. And he’s back in the news dancing washing from our brains the image of his smiling mugshot.

No risk, no reward.

Robert Kennedy summarized beautifully, “Only those who dare to fail greatly can achieve greatly.” We admire and hold out as examples those who risk and achieve.

Own it.

Your confidence and belief in yourself creates your reality.

In that spirit, I suggest a boycott of self-consciousness if only as an experiment. You choose the timeframe: a day, a week, forever? Take some chances! Wear the vintage hat you bought, but have never worn. Float that plan at work that you have been developing. Ask that person you have been hanging out with out on a real date. Try the awesome hip hop class you’ve been eyeing. Allow yourself to stretch and grow. Fun and learning opportunities await!

Acupuncture And Lower Back Pain

If you suffer from low back pain, you are not alone ! At some point in their lives, up to 80 percent of all Americans will experience low back problems. (Frymoyer, JW, N Engl J Med, 1988) Next to the common cold, low back symptoms are the most common reason for visits to primary care physicians. (Cypress, Amer J Pub Health, 1983) The direct annual health care costs for low back problems in the United States are estimated to be at least as high as $20 billion. Indirect costs, such as disability payments and lost work time, could significantly increase the overall cost. (Webster and Snook, J Occup Med, 1990) The average back problem cost employers almost $19,000 – with some back cases costing from $125,000-$150,000. Workers out with back injury for more than six months have only a 50% chance of returning to full productivity. There are two main types of low back pain.

Years of abusing your back (poor posture, improper lifting and the lack of body conditioning) makes the back prone to injury. The lower back is particularly vulnerable and the dysfunction of its major joints can lead to painful results. Other pain-sensitive structures can be stretched, torn and distorted.

This type of pain is caused from inflammation caused by irritation or injury to the disc, the facet joints, the ligaments or the muscles of the back. A common cause of mechanical pain is disc degeneration. Mechanical type pain usually starts near the lower spine and may also spread to include the buttock and thigh areas. It rarely extends below the knee.

Facet syndrome (back sprain) is most often brought on by a sudden movement or injury, often following years of back neglect, and results in pain and stiffness and difficulty moving. You may find yourself bent off to one side. Sacroiliac syndrome occurs from a sudden injury or movement and is felt as a sudden pain in the hip area. You have difficulty changing positions and the pain can be excruciating. It is sometimes difficult to differentiate from a facet syndrome or disc herniation. This is the most commonly misdiagnosed back problem, usually called a muscle pull. Herniated discs are brought on by a sudden movement, often lifting, on top of general wear and tear and may cause severe pain in the back and legs. It takes quite a while to build up and may take quite a while to get better. Muscle and Ligament Strain is most often caused by poor posture or an old untreated back injury. Symptoms are chronic backaches with occasional spasms. Scoliosis (curvature of the spine) is most common among teenage girls. It is important that it be screened for after the age of 10. Your chiropractor can show you how. While few symptoms may occur, the long term effects can be quite significant.

Spinal stenosis can also cause compressive type pain. In some people, degeneration of the spine can result in a narrowing of the spinal canal where the spinal nerves are located. This causes all of the nerves within the spinal canal to become inflamed, and fail to function properly. Numbness can invoke both of the lower extremities and may become worse with activities such as walking. Pain can involve both of the lower extremities and worsens with activities such as walking, and gets better after short periods of rest. Weakness of the muscles of both legs may also occur, and again this may get worse when activity increases.

Historically, adjustments (spinal manipulation) have been accepted by patients for eons as an appropriate method of treating back pain. Hippocrates, the father of Medicine, used this approach more than 2000 years ago while 1995 marked the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the introduction of chiropractic to the modern world. Today, the chiropractic profession is recognized as one of the five diagnosing professions in Ontario (also dentistry, optometry, medicine and psychology) and throughout the world. Over 200 million visits are made to chiropractors annually, many for treatment and/or prevention of lower back pain.

Acupuncturist stresses the importance of body wellness in maintaining a healthy back. Treatment/prevention programs will include instruction in good back habits, diet, exercise and overall body conditioning. If alternative forms of therapy are required, your Acupuncturist is knowledgeable about other health professionals and can refer you. Please visit Acupuncture Arlington today and get treatments like Cupping, Electroacupuncture and Gua Sha.

Changing Gear

Malaysia Yoga has done wonders for its practitioners. Give it a try. A friend of mine notorious for his stress puppy temper recently swapped booze for yoga. Since then, he has blossomed into a model of karmic serenity. Well, he is less grumpy anyway. Hence my curiosity about yoga, especially the circulation-boosting, muscle-toning brand known as “power yoga”, which I am exploring while stationed on the Thai tropical island of Lanta, pronounced “Lantaaah” by the laid-back locals. Here, a course with a good reputation and a dream location, Relax Bay, is run. The scene: a shaded wooden platform, a stroll away from the ocean, at the back of one of the countless semi-luxurious resorts set off the main drag. Meet Mona Haymaker, 55, the Oklahoman power yoga instructor equipped with an accent reminiscent of Hillary Clinton, a steely gaze and a ready smile.

Mona’s students seem a cheery bunch aside from the sole inevitable guru wearing nothing but a ponytail and a pair of spandex shorts, whose party trick is to raise both legs over his head then wrap them around his elbows in a triple helix formation without breaking sweat. While the guru limbers up, I find a space on the corner of the deck and try to get to grips with the atmosphere. On one hand, calm comes across, conveyed by Mona saying: “Sink into yourself, discover yourself” and the whisper of the sprinkler anointing the set-piece lawn. On the other hand, the air is sticky. This could almost be Bikram: the 99-per-cent-perspiration-1-per-cent-inspiration style of yoga conducted in sauna conditions and popular with fit women and middle-aged men. While the spandex-clad guru performs with the grace of a tai chi master, another student doing the crow or something falls off her haunches. The crew-cut caveman in front of me maintains equilibrium but is sweating profusely. Before my shirt becomes drenched like his, I rip it off and try not to dwell on the anal ravine exposed by his sagging shorts or the massive welts on his legs, which suggest that a sea-eagle-sized mosquito has mauled him. “Inhale and exhale,” Mona chants, inviting us to focus on respiration and relax. Easier said than done when you are upside down in the crab position. Anyway I hope that my contortions will help release the tension packed into my shoulders by decades of hunt-and-peck typing, and ease my mind agitated by “Thai time” travel misunderstandings. I am already raising my heart rate so much that this session now feels like a cardio class without the pounding techno music. Inhale and exhale, Mona says. Still, I struggle to focus on breathing, besieged by minor misgivings.

One stems from the knowledge that my mat is right at the edge of the abyss, which means that, when enacting some balletic pose, I might tumble over and trigger a ripple of gently humiliating mind-body laughter. When we flip onto our backs to cycle our legs, I fret that the steamy gap between my back and the mat will generate suction resulting in that taboo sound that makes children laugh and mortifies adults. Sure enough, the sound, a kind of deafening squelch — occurs, spurring me to shift my stance and do the rest of the exercise perched on my tailbone. Meanwhile, another worry that floats into my head concerns my cell phone. Tucked into a tight pocket of my backpack, poised to belt out an entire mp3 song if someone rings, it could erupt any moment. Happily, nobody calls for the moment. Instead, in true surreal Thailand style, a grasshopper sails into the arena, lands on the mat beside a student and holds its ground, apparently preparing to stretch the limits of what it means to be an insect. Repeatedly, we go into the “cobra” position, which involves performing a kind of slow, belly-to-the-ground push-up. After busting about a hundred cobra moves and taking a shot at a swathe of others named after a menagerie of animals, the stress in my muscles builds to breaking point. Soon, I have “sewing machine legs” and trickles of sweat running down my temples, staining my mat. “Don’t forget to relax. Any time you need to rest, put your knees on the floor,” says Mona, maintaining the pace, which makes regular yoga seem like meditation with a bit of stretching thrown in. Beside me, a lily-skinned student whose performance until now has been immaculate, is forced to keep slapping marauders with an especial taste for her flesh. Unsure if it is right to kill any creature during yoga, I do not blame her. Nor does Mona. Dryly, she says: “OK, I think we better wrap up now, before the mosquitoes eat us alive.” We rise to our feet, lighter, fitter and, doubtless, in the case of students who know what they are doing, calmer too… Om!

If you are looking for someone and something that truly touch your life…..then give this a go. Mona truly walks the path she talks…..without the bullshit. I’m a 37 year old woman travelling in Thailand and I recently had the fortune of spending some time with this lady – I watch in amazement at her ability to give to everybody she meets. And you couldn’t ask for a more beautiful location – sun, sand, sea, Yoga and Mona. What more can you possibly want!

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