Black Seed Extract 'Cures' HIV Patient Naturally

by Sayer Ji, Founder
 There are words you don't use in medicine today, such as "cure." But a remarkable case study in an HIV positive patient treated with black seed extract resulted in a sustained remission, indicating a safe, accessible and affordable alternative to highly toxic antiretroviral HIV drugs may already exist. 

Nigella Sativa, also known as 'black seed,' has been studied for a wide rage of health benefits, but not until recently was it discovered to hold promise as a curative agent against potentially lethal viral infections, including Hepatitis C[i] and now HIV.

A remarkable case study published in August of this year in the African Journal of Traditional, Complementary, and Alternative Medicine described an HIV patient who after undergoing treatment with a black seed extract experienced a complete recovery, with no detectable HIV virus or antibodies against HIV in their blood serum, both during and long after the therapy ended.[ii]
This was a remarkable and unexpected observation, described by the researchers as follows:

"Nigella sativa had been documented to possess many therapeutic functions in medicine but the least expected is sero-reversion in HIV infection which is very rare despite extensive therapy with highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART). " [emphasis added]

Despite its commonplace use as the standard of care for HIV treatment globally, anti-retroviral therapy remains highly controversial, in part because the adverse health effects of the drug class may outstrip those associated with the HIV infection itself.  This is especially true in cases where the infection was treated 'early,' having been discovered through routine blood work in asymptomatic and otherwise still healthy patients. Drug therapy can also produce selective pressure on the HIV virus to mutate and gain resistance, with the net effect that a stronger, more drug-resistant form of HIV is produced in the body at the same time that the drugs have done severe and even irreversible damage to the patient's immune system.  Sadly, however, the decline and ultimate death of the patient is rarely if ever attributed to the treatment (and its many iatrogenic effects) but rather to the "disease" itself – a well-known problem in our failed 'war against cancer' where the victim (patient) and the 'the cancer' gets blamed for the incessant failure and even disease-promoting properties of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. 
This is all the more reason why the possibility that an ancient healing food like black seed -- which the research shows is generally safe, affordable and accessible -- can cure HIV is so exciting.

The 'Miraculous' Recovery

At the outset of the study, the patient presented with classical symptoms of symptomatic HIV infection, "with [a] history of chronic fever, diarrhoea, weight loss and multiple papular pruritic lesions of 3 months duration." Examination identified moderate weight loss, with laboratory confirmed tests showing 'sero-positivity' to HIV infection with a "pre-treatment viral (HIV-RNA) load and CD4 count of 27,000 copies/ml and CD4 count of 250 cells/ mm(3) respectively."
CD4 cells are essential for the adaptive immune response in the body against a wide range of opportunistic infections and is the primary target of HIV infection. CD4 cell count and status therefore represent a primary diagnostic marker for the severity of HIV infection and the patient's prognosis.

The patient was administered a black seed concoction of 10 mls twice daily for 6 months, resulting in a rapid improvement in symptoms, and significant reductions in viral load:

"Fever, diarrhoea and multiple pruritic lesions disappeared on 5th, 7th and 20th day respectively on Nigella sativa therapy. The CD4 count decreased to 160 cells/ mm3 despite significant reduction in viral load (≤1000 copies/ml) on 30th day on N. sativa."

By the 187th day on black seed therapy, testing indicating the blood was entirely cleared of signs of infection, a so-called 'sero-negative status'. The post-therapy CD4 counts increased from baseline to a normalized 650cells/ mm(3) with an undetectable viral (HIV-RNA) load.
Follow up tests revealed that even after 24 months without herbal therapy the patient's HIV tests remained normal, without any indication of infection or associated immune suppression.
They concluded:

 "This case report reflects the fact that there are possible therapeutic agents in Nigella sativa that may effectively control HIV infection."

Black seed is only one plant ally in the vast array of natural compounds with experimentally confirmed anti-HIV properties. GreenMedInfo.com's database contains research on natural substances capable of reducing antiretroviral drug toxicity, as well as that directly inhibit the replication of the HIV virus.

Is Lucid Dreaming Real?

By Rebecca Turner

It surprises me when people ask the question: is lucid dreaming real?
 
Having experienced countless lucid dreams first-hand the question seems redundant. Let alone that numerous scientific experiments have now validated the existence of lucid dreaming, with EEG measurements, fMRI studies, and good old fashioned controlled REM experiments.
So why the incredulity? 

Awareness of lucid dreaming has grown significantly in the last decade - and even more so in the last two years, with a flurry of movie releases, gadgetry and apps dedicated to the subject. Yet there remain pockets of society who refuse to acknowledge its existence, and who propagate misinformation on the subject. I guess to them, the concept of dream control is so alien they just don't see it as credible at all. They must not know about the research either.

I feel it's my job to clear up this misapprehension. If there is any mystery to lucidity, it's not whether lucid dreaming is in fact possible. It's what can we use it for? How deep can we go? Are we all destined to become lucid dreamers?
Here is my Q&A addressing the most common questions and misconceptions I hear from skeptics as well as people who generally know very little about lucid dreaming. If you know anyone mouthing-off about the illusory nature of lucid dreaming, please elucidate them. Then we can all move on to the much more interesting task of discovering where our lucidity will take us...

"Is lucid dreaming real or just a theory?"

Scientists only really became interested in proving the existence of lucid dreaming in the last 40 years (see below). But prior to that, there were still lots of tantalizing references to lucid dreams throughout history. Let's start there.
We can trace the concept of self-awareness in dreams through the personal records of philosophers, artists and authors over the centuries. For example, the French philosopher Rene Descartes found his lucid dreams so vivid, he concluded that our waking senses are illusory and not to be trusted.

Meanwhile, Tibetan Buddhist monks have incorporated heightened self-awareness and dream control in their path to enlightenment for at least one thousand years. The concept of conscious dreaming is widely accepted in both Eastern and Western cultures, underpinning the universal nature of this human condition which doesn't rely on any particular esoteric interpretation or spiritual belief system (unlike, say, belief in the afterlife or psychic ability).

Those who say lucid dreaming is "just a theory" need to check their definitions of what a theory is. Allow me to clarify:

• A hypothesis is a tentative explanation for an observation or phenomenon that needs to be tested by further investigation. It's basically an assumption which is yet to be explored scientifically.
  
• A theory is the result of scientific testing, in which the reality stands up to our original assumptions. A theory is a set of statements which best explain our observations. Einstein had a couple of particularly good ones: The General Theory of Relativity and The Special Theory of Relativity.

So claiming lucid dreaming is "just a theory" is not at all damning to the existence of lucid dreaming as the accuser implies. It's the same as saying that evolution or gravity are "just theories". They are of course theories, and they are strong ones - the best kind of theories you can have - backed by hard evidence. 

So, theories are great! They use known observations (independent pieces of the jigsaw puzzle) to form conclusions (joining the jigsaw pieces together). The completed jigsaw is the theory. "Just a theory" means solving the puzzle as best we can and in no way should equate to belittlement of the subject at hand.

 

"Is lucid dreaming scientifically proven?"

Lucidity has been scientifically documented in various forms.
The first time was when the British parapsychologist Keith Hearne recorded a set of pre-determined eye movement signals from his volunteer, Alan Worsley, in a lucid dream state under laboratory conditions. Worsley simply looked in different directions in his lucid dream - eg left, right, left, right, left - causing his eyeballs to mimic the action in reality. By doing this, he was able to communicate from the dreamworld to the waking world, in real time.

However, Hearne's research slipped under the radar of the mainstream science journals, and it was Dr Stephen LaBerge at Stanford University who became famous for publishing his own version of this experiment in 1983. LaBerge did his doctorate thesis on lucid dreaming and formalized some excellent lucid dream methods like the MILD technique. Today, he runs intensive workshops and dream experiments at The Lucidity Institute and his classic book Exploring The World of Lucid Dreaming remains a best-seller on the subject.

More recently, a study conducted at the Neurological Laboratory in Frankfurt in 2009 revealed significantly increased brain activity during lucid dreams. An EEG machine recorded frequencies in the 40 Hz (or Gamma) range in lucid dreamers enjoying some conscious REM. This is far greater than the normal dreamstate (Theta range, or 4-8 Hz) and perhaps more alert than you are right now (Beta range, or 12-38 Hz). They also saw heightened activity in the frontal and frontolateral areas of the brain which are the seat of linguistic thought as well as other higher mental functions associated with self-awareness.
From these two experiments alone we can conclude that:

1. We can control our dreams. Lucid dreaming offers the ability to remember waking commands and act willfully when conscious within the dream state, in this case with pre-determined eye movements.
   
2. We can achieve consciousness in dreams. Lucid dreaming produces a highly active brainwave frequency not associated with regular dreaming or even normal waking awareness, in this case up to 40 Hz.

"How can you prove to me that you're actually controlling your dreams?"

Keith Hearne's original Rapid Eye Movement experiment was an excellent way to prove that lucid dreaming is real because it allowed the lucid dreamer to communicate in real-time with the researcher in the waking world. The experimental method was scientifically verified and is about as close as you can get when it comes to proving you have conscious dream control.

Unfortunately, it's very difficult to prove the content of our dreams. It's like saying: "prove to me that you're thinking of the color red". You can describe the color and assure us you're thinking about it, but thoughts (like dreams) are a subjective experience and can't be transferred to the mind of someone else, nor directly recorded without going through some creative filter. 

This is why all other serious experimental research has turned to the next best thing - measuring brain activity during sleep. A number of new studies have focused on EEG which measures brainwaves and fMRI which measures blood flow in the brain. Despite the obvious difficulties of falling asleep and then becoming lucid inside an fMRI machine, lucid dreamers have done it. That's a feat in itself.
One study by the Max Planck Institute saw lucid dreamers clench their right fist in their dream for 10 seconds. Then they clenched their left fist. At the same time, fMRI scans revealed which parts of their brains were active during this act. Amazingly, the same areas of the brain were activated on performing the same fist-clenching task in a waking state.
Now, the purpose of the study was not to prove lucid dreaming scientifically - that has already been done - but instead to create a database of dream signals and their associated brain activity. It may be a few years off but, in time, a brain scan could reveal the exact content of our dreams, without actually "seeing" them. Other scientists are already working on the dream playback technology. 

When people remain in doubt, I challenge them to experience the lucid dream state first-hand - and then prove to themselves what is possible. When you become lucid, you will immediately understand the potential for dream control. With many different lucid dream induction techniques at your fingertips there is no excuse NOT to try if you are curious about the nature of lucidity. It is the only way you'll truly understand what a conscious dream feels like anyway.
Incidentally, when scientists invent the first mutual dream machine (a la Inception) I'll gladly invite readers into my own lucid dream world so I can demonstrate the power of self-awareness in dreams.

"If you're not controlling every element of the dream, then surely you aren't lucid dreaming?"

This is a common misconception. To lucid dream does not mean to be 100% in control of the dreamworld. Lucid dreaming only means to have conscious self-awareness within the dream state. Sometimes this means controlling it, but other times you will choose to simply observe the dreamworld while holding on to the clarity of thought enabled by your heightened awareness.

As the lucid dream researcher Robert Waggoner so eloquently put it: "The sailor does not control the sea." In other words, your consciousness is the ship that navigates through a subconscious ocean. If you truly had to populate every dream scene with every leaf and blade of grass and wisp of cloud, you would have your hands full just creating and maintaining decent scenery! 

Luckily, the dreaming subconscious is happy to populate the dreamworld while we consciously frolic within it. Sometimes that means a bird flies of its own accord, or a dream figure behaves autonomously. That does not mean you have failed to stay lucid. You are still very much directing your awareness.



Non-lucid dreamers may think there's no point to lucid dreaming if you don't always have control of the dream - but to lucid dreamers, the benefits are clear. The sheer detail of a lucid dream can be enough to leave you dumbfounded and happy to watch the dream unfurl naturally in your super-sensory state. 

What's more, the fact that you have the opportunity to directly interact with your own subconscious dreaming self makes it all the more exciting. When have you EVER been in direct contact with your unconscious mind before? Visualization, hypnosis - and even deep meditation - may pale in comparision to the types of experiences generated by fully lucid dreams.

In the best-selling Lucid Dreaming: Gateway to the Inner Self, Robert Waggoner suggests we talk to a dream figure, or even shout out a question to the dream itself. We'll be rewarded with the wisdom of our own inner voice which plays out its answer within the dream. This alone can be more exhilarating than any controlled dream experience based on the desire to seek out the physical thrills of a virtual reality world. Oh yes, lucid dreams are profound indeed.

"If lucid dreaming is so real, how can you tell the difference between lucid dreams and reality?"

The main reason is because you have self-awareness. This is the crux of everything. Indeed, in non-lucid dreams, you have no self-awareness and the result of that is you accept the dreamworld as reality. You go along with it, even if it's totally surreal. So the "realness" of a lucid dream does not stop us from realizing we're dreaming. On the contrary, the realness is a side-effect of self-awareness, and this allows us to make the distinction clearly.
But how, exactly? Well, there could be many telltale signs but ultimately you know you're dreaming simply because you know you're dreaming!
Right now, reading this screen, you are self-aware. You are using your five senses to build up an accurate picture of your surroundings and that keeps you rooted in reality. There is no doubt in your mind that you are awake right now.
A similar process of logic occurs when you become lucid. Often it is a spontaneous realization that something in your dream reality is amiss. Perhaps you have seen something strange, or heard something out of the ordinary. This triggers a far heightened sense of self-awareness in the dreamworld which enables you to fully question your reality and verify that you are, in fact, dreaming.

How you do you know when you're thirsty? You feel a dryness in your throat. How do you know when you're scared? You feel a flurry of adrenaline. How you you know when you're dreaming? You feel your reality has changed. To become conscious in a dream is simply to become more aware of your surroundings.
For most lucid dreamers, the inability to separate dreams from real life only rears its head in the bizarre limbo-like state of a false awakening. This is where you dream of waking up and accept it as your waking reality. An alternate type of lucid dream, based heavily on your reality, it lodges you in a logical loop where you become unable to recognize that you're dreaming. The only "escape" is to perform one - or sometimes several - effective reality checks before you can turn your false awakening into a lucid dream.

However, there is nothing dangerous about false awakenings. You either finally recognize you're dreaming and become lucid - or you wake up for real. Multiple false awakenings can be disturbing at the time but they are otherwise harmless vivid dreams, the kind of which we've all had before.

"Are there any limits to lucid dreaming?"

So far the only limits I have found are self-imposed ones.

For instance, it's quite common for beginners to struggle to maintain their lucidity for more than a few seconds. The whole experience is far too exhilarating and they wake up. 

However, there is a steep learning curve and with a little practice, lucid dreams can last 10-20 minutes -- and occasionally up to an hour. Even a short lucid dream can make your week, though, so don't feel you have to be an expert oneironaut before you reap the rewards. For many, a lucid dream is immensely exhilarating the very moment you become lucid, so that even a 7-second lucid dream becomes a talking point the next day.

Another frustrating limitation for newbies is the act of dream control. Many people start lucid dreaming in order to fly or have sex, and so they must master dream control to fulfil their need for physical gratification. However, they soon find that flying can be difficult (it contradicts known laws of reality) or finding a sexual partner is impossible (the subconscious has a different agenda) and this ultimately leads to frustration. 

A far more worthwhile pursuit, then, is to learn everything you can about the conscious dream state as an intrepid explorer. Simply enjoy the experience for what it is. You will still enjoy many rewarding experiences and have the chance to uncover fascinating insights that will stay with you forever.

10 yoga poses

 If You Only Do 10 Yoga Poses, Do These

Yoga poses and techniques have been used for centuries as a way to achieve optimal health and well-being. Below are 10 selected from The Ultimate Yogi program, along with descriptions of their therapeutic benefits. Even when you don't have a couple of hours to attend your favorite yoga class, just a few minutes with a couple of postures can be incredibly powerful, especially when combined with breath, intention and presence. 
 

Malasana (Yoga Squat)

This pose is a squatting position with toes out, the heels in, and the hands at prayer position in front of the chest. It's great for pregnant women, as it stretches the calves, inner thighs, relieves back ache and opens the pubic symphysis in the the pelvis.

Half Moon

In this pose, you balance on the right leg and right hand with the the left leg lifted parallel to the floor and the left arm extended straight up. In order to age gracefully, we must challenge our balance regularly. When in a balancing pose like this, the brain lights up like fireworks. It good for the brain, the mind and the nervous system. 

Alternate Nostril Breathing

This is a from of yogic breathing that's done in a comfortable seated position that brings equilibrium to the two branches of the autonomic nervous system. It greatly releases stress and anxiety, and also helps to clean the lymphatic system.

Gratitude Meditation

This is a universal form of meditation where you focus on all the things you feel grateful for, which is the perfect antidote for depression.

Camel Pose

In this pose you stand up on the knees, hips width apart. Both hands rest either on the lower back or heels depending on the student's flexibility. The pose increases lung capacity, and stimulates the adrenal, pituitary, pineal and thyroid glands. 

Bound Angle

In this pose you sit on the floor with the soles of the feet together, allowing the knees to drop out and toward the floor. The shoulders stack over the hips, and it is optional to lean forward, keeping a straight spine. The pose relieves the symptoms of a woman's menstrual cycle, menopause, and even prostate disorders by circulating energy through the pelvic organs.

Warrior 1

Standing with the feet at least 4 to 4.5 feet apart, the front toes point forward with the back foot on a slight angle, the feet aligned heel to heel distance. The front knee stacks right above the front ankle, with the front thigh parallel to the floor. Both arms extend overhead as the shoulders, chest, and hips attempt to square forward toward the front of the room. This pose is a wonderful stretch for the "mother of all abdominal muscles," the psoas. Psoas tension is often seen displayed in the body through a tight jaw, grinding of the teeth, and general mouth tension. This pose can help stretch the psoas and bring relief to overall tension in the body

Wheel Of Vitality

Standing with the feet wide apart, turn the heels in and point the toes out. Bending the knees out toward the toes, the students squats toward the floor, keeping the knees properly aligned. With the hands at the heart, a circular tai-chi type movement begins: 1) open the arms out and bring the hands back together at the heart, 2) hands are pressed toward the sky, then back down toward the floor 3) hands sweep down, toward back foot and then make a big circle forward, all the way back around 4) reverse the circular movement the opposite way. Repeat this arm motion three times, maintaining the steady squat the entire time. This movement promotes the cardiovascular system, and the movement of blood through body while improving focus and emphasizing the breath.

Half Lord Of The Fishes Pose

Bend the left knee while crossing the right foot over top, with the knee sticking straight up. With the right hand on the floor behind for support, bend the left elbow and place it on the outer right thigh to engage into a deep, thorough twist. Repeat on the other side and make sure that you twist from maximum spinal length. This pose is good for improving digestion by wringing out the digestive organs and system and is a simple twist that can help alleviate back pain by bringing awareness to the low back and helping to unwind muscles of the low back region.

Forearm Plank

Think upper push-up, but on your forearms. With the elbows right under the shoulders and the palms flat to the floor, the back toes tuck so the body is in one line of energy from the crown of the head all the way through the heels. This is a wonderful pose that uses the students' own body weight to create strength in the shoulders and the core muscles. Using your own body weight in yoga to create strength helps to keep the skeletal system strong and helps to prevent osteoporosis.

5 Steps To Change Subconscious Beliefs

Out-Smart Self-Sabotage: 5 Steps To Change Subconscious Beliefs

By Dr. Kim Ward 
Are you tired of getting in your own way? Perhaps you agree that if you want to get to the gym by 6am, you can't stay glued to the TV till 1am. The same is true if you have a project due at the end of the week—it’s probably a good idea to skip happy hour. Yet still, many people find themselves making decisions that don't support their goals or intentions. 

Achieving success in areas where we tend to self-sabotage is more complex than simply finding a new program to follow. Let’s start by understanding why you do what you do, from a neuropsychological perspective. 

First, behaviors are driven by your thoughts and emotions. Let’s say you want to lose weight but you keep eating sweets in the break room. The choice to eat the tasty snack is based on your thoughts and emotions. Your hand does not reach into the bowl on its own accord. It does not have its own brain which makes it move without your permission. 

You might have a core belief that contradicts to your goal. By design, core beliefs are held in the subconscious mind just outside of conscious awareness. They act as blueprint instructions determining your choices. 

Let’s say you have a goal to improve your career. Yet, plagued by learning challenges, you have the belief that you are not smart enough to accomplish what you want. These beliefs subconsciously override any desires to go for what you want. You may find you are good at the start, but seeds of doubt kick in and you decide this is just too hard and not worth the effort. Subconsciously you have already decided you are going to fail so you consciously choose not to follow through. 

Given these beliefs are out of conscious awareness most people never examine them. Consequently, every time you unknowingly repeat them, you strengthen them. This is how habits are solidified. 

In order to change subconscious patterns, it's helpful to understand two basic rules of human behavior. 

1. There must be a positive intention motivating all behaviors.
2. The subconscious mind will go to any length to protect you and what you believe (like a worried mother). 


5 Steps to Change Your Subconscious Beliefs
 
1. Identify your core subconscious beliefs by taking an honest look at your predominate patterns.
You might have a pattern of overeating, avoiding the gym, or attracting the same types of relationships. Anytime a pattern of self-sabotage is present, the subconscious is involved. By identifying your patterns, you bring these subconscious pathways to the surface so they can be consciously observed and changed. Ask yourself:· What do you believe to be true about yourself or your life in order for this pattern to exist?
 
For instance, if you have a pattern of overeating, you might believe that you deserve to eat what you want, when you want it. Or that food is your only consistent form of pleasure. Or that you haven’t eaten enough until you feel a certain full feeling. Or that food is a well-deserved reward or comforting stress reliever. 

2. Identify the perceived purpose or positive intention of the belief in your pattern.
What purpose or positive intention does (did) this belief serve?·The positive intention behind overeating might be to experience comfort, control, pleasure, stress relief, or companionship. 

3. Feel and release any emotion that you become aware of related to these beliefs.
Given that emotions are the primary language of your subconscious mind, as you bring your patterns into conscious awareness, you have an opportunity to express the energy of emotion stored there. Emotions are the glue holding you to your past experiences and patterns. 

4. Identify alternate ways to meet this positive intention given your life and resources today.
Your brain will go right back to the old way if you don’t have something that satisfies this perceived intention. Learn to meditate, spend more time with friends, get some counseling or identify other sources of pleasure and reward.

5. Identify healthier beliefs regarding this area of your life and practice them.
For example, if you have a tendency to overeat, you could tell yourself:
I eat the perfect amount of food for my body.
I choose organic whole foods that nourish my mind, body and spirit.
I have a healthy relationship with food.

9 Ways To Become A Better, More Positive You

By Belinda Anderson 
Our lives are often filled with challenges, which can sometimes make it very difficult to be positive. However, I know that choosing to be positive has helped me turn my life around and become a better me. 

I find myself seeing the positive much more than the negative, which is a vast contrast from my earlier years! But don’t be fooled into thinking it’s easy-peasy, because it’s not.
Here are nine steps I’ve taken that have helped me see the positive more than the negative in life: 

1. Say affirmations every day until they sink in and resonate within every cell of your being.
Sure, they may sound ridiculous initially, but overcome this and keep saying them until you absolutely believe them to be true! Every day I tell myself that “I am healthy, happy and energized; my mind is peaceful; my heart is full of love. I attract positivity, success, and abundance into my life.” This is a habit worth keeping! 

2. Use visualizations to get clear on what you want.
Become a productive daydreamer — let your imagination become your best friend. When you add feeling to your visualizations (really believe it and feel it), you create positive energy, which helps produce positive changes in your life. 

3. Create a vision board and place it where you can see it regularly.
In BIG writing, put the words "Thank You, Thank You, Thank You" on it to show the universe that you're thankful for everything you have, and for everything that's coming your way! 

4. Practice expressing an attitude of gratitude for all that you have in your life.
Gratitude allows us to participate more in life; it allows us to reshape the meaning of any situation. You notice and appreciate the positives more than the negatives, and that magnifies the pleasures you get from life. 

5. Listen to joyful music.
Music can energize or relax you, and experiencing inspiring audio can encourage you to be the best you can be. 

6. Read motivational books.
These make you feel empowered and excited about your personal growth journey. 

7. Put inspiring quotes around everywhere for you to see.
It's the same as above — if you surround yourself with inspiration, you're bound to be inspired! 

8. Surround yourself with people who lift you up.
Finding the right people to share your life with is one of the most difficult areas of life, but if you make an effort to surround yourself with positive, uplifting people, you'll begin to feel the effects quite quickly. 

9. Practice meditation.
Meditation will bring you peace in daily life and make you more conscious, aware and mindful — a huge relief in the midst of our chaotic, multitasking lives. 

Do as much as you can every day to become a better and more positive you. Take notice of all the beautiful things around you, as opposed to being blinded by the chaos in your life. You'll be amazed at the positive feelings you will experience in your mind and body. The more intentional you are about thinking positively, despite the negativity you face, the more you will experience life in its true light. And thanks to you, the world will also be a better place because of your positive attitude and energy.

Emotional Health = Physical Health

Emotional Health = Physical Health: 10 Ways To Feel Great!

 

By Lauren Borden

"The root cause of 85% of illness is related to emotional or psychological issues." -- Dr. Norman Shealy, MD

The intimate connection between body, mind, and spirit has been known and honored in Eastern medicine for millennia. But only relatively recently have we begun to see that emotional health is directly connected to physical heath. 

Now we know: Neglect your emotional and spiritual health, and sooner or later it will take a toll on your physical body. Thousands of Western studies have now finally proven this mind-body connection.

Yet many people have not yet made this connection or been exposed to the power of this information. However, as the information discovered by quantum physics continues to become more widespread, more and more people are starting to understand that at our root level we are energy beings. Thus, energy has a big impact on how we feel, heal, and thrive in our environments. 

We're finally beginning to see the human being as not just a body that is machine-like and gets “fixed” when it breaks, but a complex energy field that is constantly interacting with its environment on a multi-dimensional level. Thus every single disease comes only after enough emotional, mental and spiritual imbalance has occurred within and was not addressed.

Here are a few tips for maintaining emotional balance:

1. Maintain good physical health. 

This point is so basic it's often overlooked. Our physical health affects our emotional health much more than we realize. Make sure to eat well, exercise and get plenty of sleep. 

As Virgil said: "The greatest wealth is health."

2. Learn to release anger and let go of grudges. 

Vent if you have to then shake it off. Walk it off. Harboring anger or ill feelings builds emotional toxicity, which ultimately affects your overall health. 

"For every minute you are angry, you lose sixty seconds of happiness." -- Anonymous 

3. Be aware. 

Look for the hidden message or lesson in negative or difficult situations. Learn from them. Experiencing adversity is meant to alert you to something or teach you a new skill.  

As legendary NFL quarterback Brett Favre said, "Life deals you a lot of lessons, some people learn from them, some people don't."

4. Keep your brain active. 

Don't let complacency or boredom set in. In order to feel alive and vibrant, we need to keep our minds active by learning new things and challenging ourselves. 

"If I had to live my life again, I would have made a rule to read some poetry and listen to some music at least once a week; for perhaps the parts of my brain now atrophied could thus have been kept active through use." -- Charles Darwin

5. Stimulate your senses.

As well as keeping your mind active, enjoy beautiful art, listen to music that lifts your spirits or try a new gourmet dish. Our senses need to be reawakened every now and then too. 

"Man has no Body distinct from his Soul; for that called Body is a portion of Soul discerned by the five Senses, the chief inlets of Soul in this age." -- William Blake

6. Have fun and don't take yourself too seriously. 

Balance in life is important for maintaining emotional health. Too much emphasis on work causes stress as well as wear and tear on the body and mind. Take time off; go to the beach, the park or a movie to take your mind off your current quandaries. Chances are when you come back you will see things from a fresher, more productive perspective. 

"I hope life isn't a big joke, because I don't get it." -- Jack Handey

7. Maintain supportive relationships. 

Maintain good relationships with friends and family for much needed feedback, a shoulder to lean on or a different perspective. Often we get so caught up in our own problems and misery we can't see the forest for the trees. Having an objective pair of eyes and ears can give you a whole new way of thinking.

"Someone to tell it to is one of the fundamental needs of human beings." -- Miles Franklin

8. Share. 

Donate your old clothes, furniture or items you don't use anymore to your local Goodwill, Salvation Army, or charity of your choice.

It will make you feel good, first by helping someone out and secondly by cleaning out your closets and basements of 'stuff' you haven't put to use in a long time. 

"For it is in the giving that we receive." -- St. Francis of Assisi

9. Relax. 

Take some yoga classes, learn to meditate or incorporate a relaxation technique into your routine. Besides having fun and not taking yourself too seriously, it's a good idea to integrate tools for relaxation into your routine for those times when life gets somewhat overwhelming. Having many methods to fall back on ensures emotional well being.   

"If a man insisted always on being serious, and never allowed himself a bit of fun or relaxation, he would go mad or become unstable without knowing it." -- Herodotus

10. Learn to have gratitude for exactly where you are. 

How many times have we heard that life is too short? We get so caught up in the whirlwind that we forget to live in the present moment and realize how lucky we really are. And in those times we're not caught up in the whirlwind, we're worrying about the future. It's time to slow down and enjoy the now! 

"Life is a memory except for the present moment that goes by so quickly you hardly catch it going." -- Tennessee Williams

Choose to take good care of your mental and emotional health. It can determine the quality and enjoyment of how you experience your physical body and everyday life.

8 Things Your Grandparents Did That Could Save Your Life

 By Dr. Alejandra Carrasco
 Our society has largely lost the wisdom of generations past. There is a lot to be learned from our grandparents' and great-grandparents' ways — so much, in fact, that it can literally save our lives. 

Here are a few kernels of wisdom we should apply immediately:

1. Grow your own food. 

Invest some time and energy in growing your own food. Not only is there an incredible sense of accomplishment and wonder in growing your own fruits and veggies, but the quality control is unparalleled. You can ensure that your crops aren't sprayed with pesticides and you can control the types of seeds and transplants that you sow and grow. 

Choose heirloom varieties whenever possible. Whether you're living on a large plot of land or in a tiny apartment, you can grow some of your own food. Square foot gardening is an incredibly effective method to produce a robust share of food in a small space.   

2. Get back in the kitchen. 

Nothing beats a home-cooked meal. First off, the intention and love you put into cooking for yourself and your loved ones is incredibly nourishing. Secondly, if you prepare your own food, you can control what goes onto your plate and into your body. You can make more empowered choices and ensure that you are eating a whole foods, organic, non-genetically modified diet.

3. Make your own cleaning products.  

Say goodbye to toxic household chemicals and cleaners and scrub your home down with easy-to-make homemade products. Get comfortable using baking soda, vinegar, lemon, castille soap, and essential oils for most of your cleaning needs.  

For a general household cleaner and disinfectant mix a couple of drops of castille soap into 2 cups of hot water. Stir in 30 drops of lavender or tea tree oil- both of which have antibacterial properties, and you have a great, all around cleaning product. Pour into a spray bottle and use on all surfaces except for glass.  

4. Get some home remedies under your belt.  

Many of us have been taught, or at least been exposed to, home remedies that have been passed down from generation to generation. Well, there is some serious wisdom in a lot of these teachings! Learn how to combat a cold with garlic, ginger, and onions. Fight seasonal allergies with nasal saline rinses and green tea. Soothe a bug bite with lavender oil or a plantain poultice.  

5. Don't discount the power of broth. 

Broth was the foundation of most foods a couple of generations ago. Learn how to make your own homemade broth from scratch and consume it on a daily basis. Make pot full of broth  once and week and use it as the base for your weekly cooking. You can use grass-fed animal bones (chicken, beef, or fish) or vegetables for a mineral dense and incredibly nutritive broth.

6. Ferment your own foods.  

Almost 80% of your immune system exists in your gut, which contains about 100 trillion bacteria. Here’s some perspective – you have 10 times more gut bacteria than the number of cells in your whole body!  

The gut also houses your body’s second nervous system- you have the same amount of neurotransmitters in your gut as your brain.For optimal immune and nervous system function, you need adequate friendly microflora populating your gut. Consuming fermented food on a regular basis can help rebalance and repopulate health-promoting bacteria in your gut and redirect your body towards good health.   

7. Find a tribe.  

People who have close relationships with others and maintain regular social commitments have a 50% lower risk of death than those who live more isolated lives. Researchers have found that “weak” social ties were more harmful to overall health than heavy smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, and obesity. So, host that monthly Pinterest party, start a knitting circle, or find a group of folks to work-out with. Get connected with others and foster those relationships throughout your life.

8. Spend time outside.  

Go outdoors! Get some vitamin D and give your eyes a break. Vitamin D is a powerhouse in the body- it boosts your immunity and functions in hundreds of processes body wide. And spending time outdoors is great for your over-stimulated eyes.  

Your pupils contract, similar to muscles, when looking at various distances - simply by strolling around outdoors, your eyes have a chance to both focus on the ground in front of you and the landscape around you, which is great for our vision.

And finally, let's not forget the benefits of simply being in nature.  Run around the yard with your pets or kids, read a book on a park bench, or take a stroll around your neighborhood. Spend time in natural light and connect with our beautiful planet.