What A Pain In The Neck! How Reflexology Can Help.

You’re probably thinking what are ear seeds? Have you ever even heard of them before? Well, they’re a pretty powerful holistic tool that can be used for a variety of health-related purposes. 

They’re adhesive seeds derived from the natural vaccaria plant that rest on certain points on your ear. Those points are specific to addressing symptoms for both physical + emotional wellness.

The use of ear seeds is also considered auriculotherapy (interchangeable with "auricular therapy"). This is based on the way the treatment works. Auriculotherapy is best defined as ear reflexology, which is a concept that the outer part of the ear is a map or micro system of the body. 

This method of holistic healing has major ancient roots. t's part of traditional Chinese medicine (commonly called TCM).  

What are the Benefits of an Ear Seed Treatment?

So, why do people love ear seeding? For one, it has so many amazing benefits. This list shows a range of issues + symptoms that ear seeds have been shown to improve:

• Chronic pain

                Lower back pain 

• Sleep difficulties 

• Depression 

• Anxiety 

• Stress 

• Infertility 

• Migraines or other headaches 

• Addiction 

• Weight loss 

While many have utilized ear seeds for such a variety of health conditions and issues, they’re not a cure for any of these. Seeds may only help temporarily relieve some of the symptoms. 

 

Magnesium; Health Benefits

 

One of the most prevalent minerals in the human body, magnesium is involved in energy creation, signal relay, heart function, pain, sleep, mood, muscle contraction, protein formation, RNA and DNA synthesis, bone health, and more. Magnesium can be found inside of every cell in the human body, but it is most prevalent in the skeletal system, with over 60% of the body’s magnesium concentration found in our bones.

Magnesium Deficiency

Studies estimate that over 75% of Americans do not get the recommended daily value of magnesium. The recommended dietary allowance for magnesium is 400-420mg per day for adult men, and 310-320 mg for adult women. However, these numbers do not take into account factors such as increased magnesium use as a result of stress or exercise or differences in our bodies’ abilities to absorb magnesium. 

Bone experts like Dr. Susan Brown, Ph.D, for example, recommend that individuals consume about 600mg of magnesium each day. This is because, in addition to nutritional intake, the amount of magnesium your body actually needs to function at an optimal level depends on a variety of factors. These include things such as how much you exercise, how much stress you experience, your genetic ability (or lack thereof) to absorb magnesium, having a condition like inherited renal magnesium wasting, and numerous other reasons. Alcohol consumption, smoking, medications, and several chronic diseases can also negatively affect the absorption and excretion of magnesium.

Stress has been linked to excreting excessive amounts of magnesium. Several studies have shown that acute stress and anxiety are associated with increased plasma Mg levels and increased urinary Mg excretion.Studies also suggest that individuals may need 10-20% more magnesium during exercise than when they are resting.

Although magnesium is also found in other animals, plants, the sea, and in soil, it is difficult to consume enough magnesium in our diet. One reason is due to the degradation of agricultural practices throughout the past century. These practices have led to soil depletion and resulted in lower levels of magnesium available to be absorbed by the plants and vegetables we eat. Processed foods have even less magnesium than their original counterparts, making it increasingly difficult to get enough.

Magnesium may Help Alleviate Anxiety

Magnesium plays a crucial role in the stress response and magnesium deficiency is associated with increased anxiety and stress symptomatology. In addition, studies have shown that acute stress and anxiety are associated with increased plasma levels of magnesium and increased urinary excretion of magnesium, suggesting that stressful experiences use up more of the body’s magnesium than states of calm.

A 2017 research review that looked at 18 studies examining the effects of magnesium on anxiety showed that magnesium can act as an anxiolytic or have anti-anxiety effects in doses of 75 to 300mg.

Magnesium may Help Reduce Symptoms of Depression

A randomized clinical trial examining magnesium as a treatment for mild to moderate depression at the University of Vermont identified a link between depression and magnesium intake. They found that over a 6 week period of time symptoms of depression and anxiety improved significantly with supplemental magnesium intake, and the majority of study participants indicated that they would use magnesium in the future.

Magnesium and Bone Health

Magnesium is perhaps one of the most important, yet underappreciated bone-building nutrients in the human body and studies suggest that higher levels of magnesium result in lower bone fracture rates. One US study observing individuals 60 years and older over 8 years showed that only 27% of participants met the recommended daily magnesium values at baseline. After 8 years the women in the study who had the highest magnesium intake also had 62% less occurrence of fracture. The men with the highest magnesium intake had 53% fewer fractures than their low magnesium counterparts. The women who experienced fewer fractures consumed 380 mg/day of magnesium from diet and supplements which is just a little above the recommended daily allowance of 310 to 320 mg for women.

In another study of 2,248 men from Finland between the ages of 42 to 61 researchers found that at follow-up after 25 years the men with the lowest blood levels of magnesium had over a 200% increased risk of bone fractures compared to those men with higher magnesium. Interestingly, the men in the highest 4th segment of blood magnesium had no fractures at all.

Magnesium for Energy

Cellular energy production processes are made up of many magnesium ion dependent enzymatic reactions. Essentially, magnesium helps convert food into energy. Without adequate levels of magnesium, nutrients taken in through food and supplements would not be metabolized. One study examining dietary magnesium restriction in postmenopausal women between the ages of 41 and 75 showed that when magnesium was restricted, the women experienced increased energy needs and adverse effects on cardiovascular function during exercise.

ATP or adenosine triphosphate is the energy source in cells and it must be bound to a magnesium ion in order to be biologically active. ATP captures energy from the breakdown of food molecules and releases it to fuel other cellular processes. Adequate levels of magnesium are integral to this process and dysregulation of mitochondrial magnesium ions has been shown to disrupt ATP production.

Magnesium and Migraines

Low magnesium levels have been linked to headaches and migraines, and according to the American Migraine Foundation, magnesium is frequently used to help prevent migraines at doses of 400-500mg per day. One study examining magnesium’s effects found that supplementing magnesium reduced the frequency of migraine attacks by 41.6 percent.  Other research has shown that daily magnesium supplementation can help prevent menstrual-related migraines.

Magnesium to Improve Sleep Quality

Magnesium deficiency is associated with insomnia, restless sleep, and frequent nighttime waking, and research suggests that magnesium supplementation can improve sleep quality and help alleviate insomnia. By activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the rest and digestion response, magnesium can aid the process of nighttime relaxation.  Studies have shown that magnesium increases GABA, a neurotransmitter that helps promote relaxation and sleep by quieting down nerve activity. Magnesium also regulates the hormone melatonin, which is produced in response to darkness and helps with circadian rhythm timing and sleep.

Magnesium and Heart Disease

A review of studies on magnesium and cardiovascular disease concluded that high magnesium intake is associated with a lower risk of stroke, cardiovascular disease, and major cardiovascular risk factors including metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and hypertension. Higher levels of circulating magnesium are also associated with decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, especially coronary heart disease and ischemic heart disease, suggesting magnesium’s role possibly helping reduce cardiac problems. 

May Lower Blood Pressure

One study found that 368mg of daily magnesium supplementation for three months reduced people’s systolic blood pressure by an average of 2 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), and reduced their diastolic blood pressure by 1.8 mm Hg on average. According to researchers who performed a meta-analysis of 34 studies totaling more than 2,000 patients, their findings supported a causal anti-hypertensive effect of magnesium supplementation in adults. If you have low blood pressure, talk to your healthcare provider about your daily magnesium intake as unsafe low blood pressure can be a side effect of too much magnesium.

May Improve Blood Sugar Control

Research shows that magnesium helps to regulate blood sugar.  Low levels of magnesium have been associated with insulin resistance and magnesium deficiency has been observed with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, though it appears to be more prevalent with type 2. It is unclear whether magnesium deficiency is a cause or a consequence. However, studies suggest that magnesium supplementation can help improve diabetes control by increasing magnesium blood levels. According to the National Institute of Health, when people with poorly controlled diabetes supplemented their dietary magnesium intake with 1,000 mg of magnesium per day, they showed improvements in glycemic control after 30 days.

Set Fitness Goals You Can Actually Achieve

It’s time for a new way of thinking. 

No matter how big or small your goal-whether it’s losing 5 or 50 pounds, walking a mile or running your first marathon-making change requires planning and SMART goal setting. 

Follow these guidelines to setting SMART goals and you will be surprised at what you can do:

1. Specific. Your goal should be clear and easy to understand. 

◦ A common goal, “get healthy,” is too general. There are so many ways to get healthy. How do you want to do                     it? Is it losing weight? Start exercising? Stop smoking? Break it down and it will be easier to manage.

◦ Let’s pick weight loss and make a SMART goal out of it together. For example, “I will lose weight.”

2. Measurable. A goal to “lose weight” is not enough. How will you track your progress and how you will know                    when you have reached your goal? Making your goal measurable means adding a number.

3. Attainable. Before you can add a number, you have to know how high or low you want to go. It’s good to                         ‘shoot for the stars’, but don’t be too extreme. Likewise, a goal that is too easy is also not very motivating. Only                 you know your limits. 

◦ Let’s take our goal above. What percentage is attainable for you? Research suggests that a 5-10% weight loss is                 attainable for most overweight people. 

◦ A measurable, attainable goal could be, “I will lose 7% of my body weight.” 

4. Relevant. Set goals that are important to where you are in your life right now. Don’t set a goal that someone                     else is pressuring you to attain-that isn’t very motivating.

◦ Examine our goal so far. Does it seem relevant to you? If so, let’s keep going. If you are not concerned about                     weight loss or this is not a good time in your life to focus on that, choose something that IS motivating to you. 

5. Time-bound. Include an end-point. Knowing that you have a deadline motivates you to get started. 

◦ Since healthy weight loss is about 1-2 pounds per week, set your deadline accordingly. For our example we can                 use 3 months. “I will lose 7% of my body weight in 3 months.”

Now we have a SMART goal! With a goal like this, it’s a good idea to set a few more action-oriented SMART goals so that you have a game plan. Here are a few examples:

• I will walk 5 days every week for 30 minutes each. 

• I will drink water instead of soda every day this week. 

• I will bring my lunch to work instead of eating out 4 days this week. 

Becoming a better version of you starts by being SMART!

 

The Joy of The Holiday

 

The excitement of children. They can’t wait to open their presents and in their anticipation they spread their enthusiasm to the entire family. Children can be our best teachers.

Making a small difference. Knowing that you gave loved ones something that will put a smile on their faces or would make their lives a little bit easier is the best reward for the thought and effort in getting them presents. It is not about the value of the gift, but the thought behind it and the effect it can have.

Time with your family. This is the time to connect with family members. It is the time to share memories and to create new ones that will be cherished for years to come.

Celebrating tradition. The traditions of the holidays are as unique as the people who celebrate them. Embrace your family’s way of celebrating, or start new traditions that the younger ones will be able to connect with in the future. These shared experiences will strengthen the family bond.

The spirit of the holidays. The infectious positive spirit is what makes this time of the year special.  Kindness and generosity become the norm. The desire to help others and share the holiday spirit demonstrate the collective goodness of  humanity.

Relaxed work environment. As the holidays approach, people start taking time off to celebrate the holidays. Others who still work get the advantage of taking it easy. The interesting thing is that life goes on without any major setbacks. So why can’t we work like that the entire time?

Time to self. You can reflect on your experiences throughout the year and think of what you would like to accomplish in the next year. But more importantly, it is time for you to just take it easy and enjoy some quiet time and pamper yourself. If you are rested and relaxed, you will enjoy the holidays more.

Lights, music and food. The decorations and lights brighten the mood. The music lifts your spirits. The festive foods and treats indulge your senses. These are blessings that we share at this time of the year. We are fortunate enough to have them and be able to enjoy them.

Hope the day will come when every person on the face of our planet will have peace, abundance and the ability to celebrate the holidays. This is the perfect time for well wishes to all.

Happy Holidays!

Ways To Cleanse After A Major Holiday Indulgence

 

How Detoxing Works

There are a lot of misconceptions that surround detox diets. From crash diets that freak your body out and only make the problem worse to flushing without replenishing the system, fad detox diets are everywhere.

It’s important to note that detoxing doesn’t mean starving, nor does it mean you’re performing a flash sale on your digestive system. For a detox to be successful, you have to remove the bad toxins, keep the good bacteria, and fill the freed spaces with nutrients.

How to Detox After Holiday Feasts

1. Up Your Magnesium Intake

 Magnesium is great for relieving stress and helping your heart. After all of that turkey, you can feel tired and overstuffed, but magnesium, which is used to treat fatigue caused by a deficiency, can help give your body a little boost. Magnesium is also good for the heart and blood pressure.

Magnesium can easily be imbibed through foods. Try to add extra whole grains, nuts, fish, and dark green vegetables to your diet after the holidays. You can also take supplements or snack on pumpkin seeds or almonds to make sure you get your daily dose.

2. Try Fasting

Although extended fasting isn’t recommended, a short fast over a few days can help you feel lighter and re-tune your body after a day or two of gorging. A healthy fast will involve a lot of water, nutrient-rich juices every two hours, and a light dinner that is full of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Fasting has been used for centuries to help people “lighten up” after a long winter and has been known to give the faster some mental clarity akin to enlightenment. Although we can’t promise a spiritual experience, we can assure you that a few days of careful fasting will help you detox after that big Thanksgiving dinner.

3. Hydrate

If you want to release and flush out the toxins in your body, you need to make sure you’re getting a sufficient amount of water each day. The recommended amount is your weight divided in half and converted to ounces. For example, a 140 pound woman would want to drink 70 ounces of water a day, which amounts to just over 2 liters. 

4. Start Taking Probiotics

A healthy gut helps regulate the rest of your body, which makes regulating your gut health over the holidays that much more important, as it can help with digestion, as well as stress and fatigue.

There are over 100 trillion microorganisms from about 400 different species living in a healthy gut, and maintaining them and their environment helps your body efficiently absorb all of the good stuff and eliminate the bad.

Though you can get a lot of probiotics from food sources, it might be worthwhile to take a probiotic supplement over the holidays to give your body that extra boost.

5. Take Deep Breaths

Have you heard of the stress hormone cortisol? It’s the chemical responsible for the fight or flight response our bodies have to danger. When we feel threatened, our brains release cortisol, which shuts down digestion and slows the metabolism to prepare for a fight and store energy sources.

When this reaction happens without an actual threat-which occurs a lot in today’s safe but stressful society-your body simply stores fat and stops burning calories. Yikes! To get your metabolism back on track after a stressful situation, take some deep breaths.

Breathing deeply activates the vagus nerve, which calms the body and brain and jumpstarts those fat-burning processes again. Just five slow, deep breaths can help to reignite your metabolism.

6. Sleep it Off

When your body is tired, it turns to a quick energy fix. This means an exhausted body will crave sugar for that boost of energy, but the kick is brief and the body is left more tired than when it began.

To keep from running to the cookie jar for a pick-me-up, get enough quality sleep each night. The holidays can be stressful, but take measures to make sure sleep isn’t getting snubbed. Give yourself enough hours, turn off all electronics, and stretch before bed. You’ll sleep better and be able to resist those tempting sugary goodies in the morning.

7. Get Alkaline

Alkaline is essentially the opposite of acidic, and your body needs to be both to be healthy. The balance between the two is called your pH level. A negative pH level means your body fluids and tissues are very acidic. A positive pH means your body is more alkaline. The healthy ideal level is a pH of 7.0 or above.

A positive pH level can help your body in multiple ways. It reduces inflammation, keeps colds at bay, helps to manage stress, and supports blood sugar levels. You can help to raise your pH by eating alkalizing foods, such as fruits and vegetables, and reducing your consumption of acidic foods like sugar and alcohol.

8. Watch What You Drink

Although you may be craving pumpkin spice lattes and peppermint mochas, be very cautious about the sugary beverages you indulge in. Liquid sugar calories are worse than those from food because they get funneled straight to your liver without going through any breakdown or filtration process.

Also, sugary drinks don’t make you feel full, even though they’re the single biggest source of sugar calories in most people’s diets. Not only do you never fill up on sugary drinks, your body craves it more and enters a vicious cycle of sugar indulgence.

Skip the sodas and fancy coffees this holiday season and switch to water, tea, and black coffee to help your body detox after a sugar-filled season.

9. Go For a Walk

The body uses the circulatory system to transfer toxins between filtration systems and eventually get them out of the body. That means the more oxygenated your body is, the easier it can get rid of toxic build up from weeks of splurging.

Try going for a walk after meals to help clear glucose from the bloodstream and help oxygenate your organs so digestion goes smoothly.

10. Counter Sugar with Fat

No, this isn’t a joke. There are healthy fats that can help you feel full and energized so you can cut back on sugar.

Reach for healthy fats, such as those found in protein-rich foods like nuts and omega-3-rich fish. Other fat-smart foods include avocados, coconut butter, and extra virgin olive oil. When you feel a sweet tooth craving coming on, try to satiate it with these alternatives and you can keep the pounds from piling on over the holidays.

11. Turn to Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt should already be a staple in your diet-it’s low calorie, full of nutrients, and contains healthy probiotics-and it should absolutely be a pillar of your detox diet.

Greek yogurt contains fructose, which can help to burn any lingering alcohol in your system. Include some nutritious additions, such as energy-boosting pistachios or antioxidant-rich blueberries to really put this snack over the top.

12. Detox Your Life

Food and drink aren’t the only toxins in our lives that may hurt our health. The first of the year is a great time to purge your life of toxins and chemicals that may be harming you.

Obviously, alcohol, refined sugar, and processed foods have got to go when you’re detoxing. But other toxins to eliminate include cigarettes, fragranced soaps and candles, and harsh cleaning chemicals. Introduce all-natural alternatives into your home so that those toxins don’t re-enter your body when your detox diet ends.

13. Sip on Dandelions

Yes, we mean those weeds that grow in your yard each spring. Dandelions are actually a powerful plant full of nutrients. Some studies have shown that dandelions contain diuretic and liver-detoxifying properties, and one study even showed that dandelion root extract reduced alcohol-related liver damage in mice.

You can easily find  dandelion teas at your local health foods store or try a dandelion supplement  to receive all of the plant’s healthful benefits.

14. Sweat it Out

Your skin is your body’s largest organ, which makes it an essential part of a comprehensive detox. Although you may not feel like heading to the gym on New Year’s Day, you’ll benefit from sweating out those toxins from the night before.

Even if you can’t get yourself to the treadmill, a session in the sauna or hot shower can help you excrete toxins and leave your body ripe for replenishment with nutrients and lots of water.

Conclusion

The temptation to overindulge during the holidays is strong, but a you have seen, there are endless ways to fight off cravings, detox bad decisions, and repair the body with essential nutrients. Maybe you’ll even start a new family tradition this holiday season.

How To Stay Active During The Holidays

 

It's hard enough to exercise the rest of the year, but add holidays to the mix and many of us find exercise becomes less of a priority as to-do lists grow longer and longer.

The last thing you want is more stress and, for many of us, trying to keep to our usual workout program does just that. At the same time, staying active in some way will give you energy, reduce stress and tension and, of course, help mitigate some of the extra calories you may be eating.

So, how do you find that balance? These quick tips will help you plan ahead, prepare yourself for any eventuality, and provide workouts to help you stay active this holiday season.

Plan Ahead

If you're traveling, planning ahead can make all the difference. Take some time to figure out what your options are so you're ready for anything. Just a few ideas:

-  Search for walking, running or-ark trails nearby 

- Look up information about the hotel you're staying at and find out if they have an exercise room

- If you're staying with family, ask if they have any fitness equipment

- If that's not an option, find any nearby gyms and ask if they let guests use their facility

- Talk to your family in advance and suggest taking a walk or doing something active together

- Ask your personal trainer to create a workout or two you can do on your own while away 

- Plan simple workouts that don't require much space or equipment. If you're traveling or have visitors, you may be able to sneak in a workout in the basement without bothering anyone.

- Participate in a holiday-themed run.  There are plenty of events like runs and walks you can participate in this time of year.  Some benefiting charities and local organization, and some just for fun. 

Try to plan your workout schedule beforehand. Even if you have to change it (which is likely when you're traveling), you've already made a commitment to exercise. It's easier to stick with it when you have it planned than to squeeze it in later.

Get Prepared

If you're not sure about your schedule or whether you'll even have time to get in a workout, plan for the worst-case scenario. That may be staying in grandma's basement with no equipment and only 10 or 15 minutes to yourself. Try these quick tips for squeezing in a workout even when you only have minutes to spare:

- Bring a workout plan with you. Plan a10 minute routine you could do right in your bedroom. For example, you could choose 10 exercises and do each for 1 minute (squats, lunges, pushups, jumping jacks) or check out the holiday workouts below for other ideas.

- Bring resistance bands. They travel well, and you can use them for quick strength exercises whenever you catch a few minutes.

- If you have a laptop, bring along a workout DVD or try streaming workouts online,  such as those offered by FitnessOnDemand.

- If guests are staying with you, move your equipment (weights or bands) into your bedroom so you can sneak in some exercise at night or in the morning.

- Wear running or walking shoes as much as you can. You may find a 20-minute window when people are napping or before dinner for a quick walk or run.

You may even want to invite some family members for a walk. Sometimes there are others who'd love to work out, but they're just waiting for someone else to step up first.

Use Every Opportunity

Planning and preparing are nice, but even the best-laid plans get derailed, especially during the holidays. If you find there's just no way to get in a workout, get creative and find ways to move your body any way you can: 

- Walk as much as possible. Take extra laps at the mall, use the stairs, volunteer to walk the dog.

- If you're hanging out with kids, set up a game of football, tag, or hide and seek.

- Offer to help with the housework, shoveling snow, or raking leaves.

- If everybody's sitting around watching football, get on the floor for some sit-ups or pushups. If that's too weird, try isometric exercises — squeeze and hold the abs, the glutes, or even press the hands together to engage the chest.

- If you don't have equipment, pick up some full water bottles or soup cans for quick lateral raises or overhead presses. Something is always better than nothing.

The most important thing is to be realistic and go easy on yourself. You aren't always in charge of your schedule during the holidays so you can only do your best. Remind yourself that you can get back to your routine when you're back home.

Give Yourself The Gift of Health

As the holiday season approaches it is so easy to get in a rut of automatic “giving.” We make shopping lists, brainstorm the perfect gifts, and focus on “giving” gifts. We even feel the stress during the holidays of navigating our friends’ and families’ expectations for where we should be “giving” our time during the holiday season.

This party, that party, this food drive, that charity auction, etc. All good things.

In the flurry of all the stress to “give” during the holidays, we tend to forget the life-changing gift of  giving ourselves the gift of health and self care we each deserve, however.

When we say “self care” it can easily get confused with selfishness or narcissism, but this is a misapplication of the term. I’m talking about doing what you need to do in order to stay healthy, energetic, and present in your life – during the stress of the holidays and beyond.

Look, I know how easy it is to slip into self-judgement if you have to say “No” to an amazing event or “No” to someone’s offer of a food that doesn’t fit with your health goals. We all do it. We become martyrs.

But you cannot give from an empty vessel. You must fill your vessel up with health, joy, respect, and happiness, so much so that is spills over to others. Give yourself the opportunity to say “Yes,” to taking the critical time needed to stay healthy and take care of yourself. When that happens, it cannot help but spill out! This kind of giving is so infectious and so effective — but it can’t happen until you give yourself the gifts of health, joy, respect, and happiness first.

Schedule time to take a breath during the holiday season. Give yourself the time to take a walk, enjoy a yoga class, or even do some breathing exercises. Acknowledge when you’re tired and need more rest. And fuel yourself with plenty of fresh, whole organic foods that will nourish your body, give you energy, and support your immune system.

The hustle and bustle and all the potential stress during the holiday season can be energizing if you pace yourself, stick with healthy habits that build you up, and give yourself time to rest and recharge at several points during the season.

Don’t wait until the first of the year to make a resolution that you know you will break! Say “yes” to making healthy choices and taking one small step at a time now — without the pressure of perfection that a resolution usually carries and START NOW.

This holiday season, ask yourself this question: What have you been unwilling to give yourself for your health during previous holiday seasons?

Sit with that. Be honest. Write down what you consider your most important option. And commit to living out this holiday season differently. Health starts with each small choice you make.

Start choosing to give yourself the gift of health and happiness. And see it as a way to actually give more to the people you love. Each small choice will give you so much momentum, and so much love to give that it cannot help but change your life — and the lives of others.