What is complementary and alternative medicine? Complementary and alternative medicine usually refers to practices that are not integrated into conventional medicine. Treatments in the category of complementary and alternative medicine are constantly changing. Treatments change when studies prove them to be effective or not.

Some of the treatments used in complementary and alternative medicine are:
* Homeopathy * Ayurveda * Acupuncture * Herbs

Are the treatments safe and will they work? Educate yourself before starting any new complementary and alternative medicine treatment, and always tell your doctor which ones you are trying.

The two terms complementary and alternative are often grouped together; however, they are not necessarily the same thing. An example of a complementary treatment would be something used along with the conventional therapies your doctor prescribes. Alternative therapies are generally something used instead of conventional methods. An example of an alternative therapy or treatment might be seeing a homeopath or naturopath instead of your regular doctor.

Some complementary and alternative medicine practitioners use similar principles to what your conventional doctor might do. Others might be quite different. The basic philosophies of
complementary and alternative medicine include:

• Your body heals itself
• Prevention is the most important element
• Learning and healing go together.

The complementary and alternative medicine practitioner sees himself or herself as a teacher and mentor to guide you. You are the one who does the healing. There are five broad categories the National Institute of Health uses for classification of therapies used by complementary and alternative medicine practitioners, they are:
* Healing Systems * Mind-Body Connections * Dietary Supplements and Herbs * Manipulation and Touch * Energy Therapies

Contrary to what you might think, most doctors are not opposed to complementary and alternative medicine. About half the doctors in the United States refer people to complementary and alternative practitioners.On the dark side is that some alternative medicine practitioners make exaggerated claims about curing disease. They may ask you to forsake treatment from your conventional doctor to use their unproven treatments. It is true also that some forms of alternative medicine can even hurt you. It is wise to educate yourself before using treatments, and always discuss your plans to use alternative and/or conventional treatments with your personal physician. Your doctor most likely is the best source to help you sort out the good from the bad.

Source: Mayo clinic (2006)Disclaimer: *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This article is not meant to diagnose, treat or cure any kind of a health problem. Always consult with your health care provider about any kind of a health problem.

Author: Connie Limon
About the author:Connie Limon. Please visit us at http://nutritionandhealthhub.com and sign up for our weekly health and nutrition tip. Articles are FREE to publish to your newsletters, website or blog.

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“When at a loss to explain my new malaise, I visited my naturopath. It may sound unorthodox, but if it works, who cares?

She insisted that my exhaustion was caused by electromagnetic “smog” in my flat. The problem, she explained, is that our dependence on office and communications equipment (especially mobile phones and the masts needed to power them, as well as microwaves, computers and electrical equipment), exposes us to frequencies that can have a detrimental effect on our wellbeing, especially if we are run-down, or if our immune system is compromised in some way.

This made sense, as my symptoms had begun soon after installing wireless technology in my sitting room. Wireless (Wi-Fi) technology allows you to access emails and the internet anywhere in your living space. It’s convenient but I could live without it if meant having more physical energy. So I immediately turned off my wireless network and replaced it with broadband.”

Click here to read the full article at www.independent.co.uk

The topic of electromagnetic pollution is highly charged with many people clinging desperately to the outdated notion that what you can’t see, can’t hurt you, especially when comforted by early reports of safety from our own government. Many people do not need a scientific study to know that they feel dramatically different when far removed from power lines, mobile towers and home wiring. More importantly when it comes to the safety of yourself and your family is it really so ridiculous to err on the side of caution?

According to Mike Adams of NewsTarget.com,

“the human body is really a magnificent quantum physics machine. We are made up of literally nothing more than vibrating energy. Humans are made of cells, which are made of atoms, which are made of particles, and those so-called particles are actually just vibrating energy. Every atom is just a probability wave, and most of the stuff we call physical matter is really made up of completely empty space. We are more empty space than physical stuff; more vibration than mass. Thus, we can be strongly impacted — either positively or negatively — by vibrational energy.”

The precending quote came from an article in which Mike was reviewing a machine (VRCR) that changes the vibrational energy in your home.

Learn more about EMF & EMR:
Mike Adams review of the Violet Ray
5 steps to protect yourself from EMR
www.pillaroflight.net

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/leecullivan/122271605/

By: mcomo

Many of us wake up in the morning being attacked by electromagnetic frequencies
(EMFs) from our clock radio which is usually a short distance from our head. If it’s a real cold night, some may even curl up with their electric blanket for another dose of EMFs. Before leaving the house in the morning we are exposed to more EMFs from blow dryers, electric shavers, electric tooth brushes, coffee makers and microwaves. On our way to work, we might make a few calls on our cell phone. Once we arrive at the office, we flip on the overhead florescent lights, power up the copier, fax machine, computer and talk on the phone throughout the day. When we go back home, we turn on the TV or stereo, stand in the kitchen and cook dinner while surrounded by all electrical appliances and repeat the same thing all over again the next day.

We are constantly being bombarded with electromagnetic frequencies. All electrical devices emit these frequencies. Some experts believe that EMFs are a real threat and can cause or contribute to cancer, brain tumors, leukemia, birth defects, miscarriages, chronic fatigue, poor immunity, heart problems and stress, as well as zap your overall energy.

Dr. David Carpenter, Dean at the School of Public Health, State University of New York believes it is likely that up to 30% of childhood cancers come from exposure to EMF. Some scientists believe that over exposure to EMFs are responsible for a high rate of suicide among electric utility workers. Researchers at the University of North Carolina believe that EMFs contribute to the decrease in melatonin levels which in turn can cause sleeplessness, depression and suicide.

Advanced technology is wonderful and most people are not willing to give up modern day conveniences, but there are things that you can do to reduce EMF exposure. You can purchase a devise called a gauss meter and it will help you measure the amount of EMFs being emitted from appliances, electronics, power outlets, etc. When the meter measures something high in EMFs, the gauge will register in the red zone and beep.

“In addition to the long-term health concerns, buying a house with high fields will be an economic disaster. In a few years, when power line radiation is as well known as asbestos and radon, a house with high fields will be practically impossible to sell. Already there are hundreds of lawsuits regarding EMFs and property devaluation.” Mercola.com

I took a gauss meter through my whole house and office and did a lot of rearranging to minimize exposure. The most amazing thing I found was that my alarm clock emitted EMFs 5 feet in every direction. I moved it across the room, then I noticed one of my cats was sleeping next to it so I got rid of it altogether and purchased a little battery operated one. It’s the digital display LED type that is high in EMFs. The TV, which I thought would be the worst, only emitted harmful EMFs 3 feet out from the front and 5 feet out from the sides. TV Manufacturers have really improved on this. The refrigerator was another shocker. It was in the (high) red zone 3 feet out from the front and sides. The oven also measured high. I don’t have a microwave, so I went to a friend’s house and my meter measured EMF 5 to 6 feet in every direction when running and 3-4 feet when it was not. All I could think of was all the children standing in front of the microwave oven waiting for their food; day after day. That’s scary. I also wonder what it does to the food. Please keep this in mind when storing nutritional supplements. Keep them away from EMF, for it will reduce their potency. My computer also measured very high for a good 3 feet.

There are many things that can be done to minimize exposure. Try not to stay in the kitchen when appliances are in use, especially the microwave. Keep phones and alarm clocks away from your body while sleeping. Avoid sleeping with an electric blanket. Turn it on to warm the bed and then unplug it. Waterbeds that heat the water with electricity are bad news. Position your computer as far away as possible from where you sit. A flat screen monitor reduces EMF exposure. Change all fluorescent lights to incandescent ones. If using a cell phone, try to keep it as far away from your body as possible. Consider an ear piece to use with your cell phone; otherwise the transmitter is only a few inches from your brain.

There are also a variety of products on the market to help reduce the harmful effects of EMF such as diodes, special crystals, magnets and pendants. Some are placed directly on the electrical device and others are worn on the body. Of these devices, the Q link pendant is my personal favorite and has undergone many studies and has numerous testimonials on its effectiveness in counteracting the ill effects of harmful EMFs.

Have a safe and happy spring and summer…and not to worry, for your gas grill is totally free from EMFs.

“We are not trying to sensationalize this health problem, we are trying desperately to wake people up to how big this problem is and what these radiations are doing to all of us, especially our children, grandchildren, and future generations.” Electropollution.org

Buy the E.L.F. Zone Gaussmeter

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This Article provided by Michael Comeau is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Always consult your doctor when seeking medical advice. Michael Comeau has been owner of many successful businesses over the years including his current online business which can be viewed at www.workfromhome4dollars.com/ Keep up to date on all of my articles with my FREE NewsLetter at www.workfromhome4dollars.com/NewsLetter.php

Meditation is healthy, safe and affordable. In fact it’s free. The only expense you’ll have is a meditation mat, which isn’t even necessary-at least from my experience. Meditation has been around for 5,000 years, and was originally a spiritual component of yoga. Through the years non-yogis adopted it, intuitively sensing and connecting the practice with greater peace of mind. Personally, I can’t say enough good things about meditation. Its use has rewarded me with less worry and much more energy. But I’ve never been one for anecdotal evidence. Let’s get to the science…

Transcendental Meditation
Recently, there’s an incredible amount of science tied into the benefits of meditation. The studies are endless and cover a variety of meditative practices. On Transcendental Meditation alone (mantra repetition) there are over 500 studies. Some are more noteworthy that others. A study in the Japanese Journal of Public Health found that through Transcendental Meditation, industrial workers sleep improved and their smoking decreased. Another study conducted at the MERU Research Institute, in Buckinghamshire, England found that the length of time practicing the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program correlated with younger biological age and younger functional age.

Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness meditation, which asks us to focus on our breath to facilitate awareness of the present moment, is another widely studied meditation technique. After studying the effects of 8-weeks of mindfulness meditation on participants, a 2003 report in the Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine concluded: “A short program in mindfulness meditation produces demonstrable effects on brain and immune function.” Impressive, but fairly vague. To get a more committed response to the benefits of meditation we have to turn to Taiwan. In 2002 their journal Chang Gung Medicine reported that “training in MM may be a medically superior and cost-effective alternative to pain medication for the control of headaches with no underlying organic causes in highly motivated patients.”

Stress Reduction and Meditation
What causes these positive physical changes? To answer this, other research has looked at the specifics of what happens in the body during meditation. . Researchers at the Maharishi School of Management in Fairfield, Iowa, found that meditation has an enormous impact on stress reduction. When they examined a group who had meditated for four months they saw that they produced less of the stress hormone cortisol. They were therefore better able to adapt to stress in their lives, no matter what their circumstances were.

Having balanced cortisol levels is essential to mental and emotional health. Notice I say balanced rather than none. We don’t want to completely eliminate cortisol. If we did we’d be dead. Even low cortisol levels can be dangerous. Not enough cortisol is the identifying trait of Addison’s disease. John F. Kennedy had this condition, which he denied passionately during his presidency. Yet during his term he regulated his levels through hydrocortisone (synthetic cortisol). The reverse of JFK’s condition is called Cushings Syndrome.

The five most common and noticeable changes of this condition include; red face and puffy cheeks; excess fat surrounding the collar bones, muscle weakness, and hypertension. But we don’t have to have Cushing’s Syndrome to be damaged by extra cortisol. The changes we experience may be subtle variations of these. Plus, the changes caused by excess cortisol are age dependent. Young people may stop growing and teenagers can develop acne. The mature among us aren’t safe either. Since excess cortisol damages bone-tissue those over age 60 may develop fractures related to osteoporosis. So it’s evident that if we can regulate cortisol, especially through a natural process, we owe it to ourselves to try.

“The brain waves of meditators show why they’re healthier. Neuroscientists have found that meditators shift their brain activity to different areas of the cortex—brain waves in the stress-prone right frontal cortex move to the calmer left frontal cortex. In other words, they were calmer and happier than before.” Psychologytoday.com

Other Benefits of Meditation
Regina Drueding, MD, is a meditation instructor at Life Circles in Utah, USA. She quotes the benefits of meditation as follows: “more energy, improved quality of sleep, decreased anxiety, lessened chronological aging, improved concentration, improved visual acuity, increased alertness and heightened immunity.” She writes: “Besides the benefits mentioned earlier, meditation results in improvement of hypertension, sleep disorders, headaches, heartrhythm disturbances, chronic pain – pain due to cancer, infertility and irritable bowel syndrome. Following meditation, mental and physical refreshment result – and benefits are cumulative with regular practice.”

How to Meditate

Meditation is both simple and complex. It’s like defining the color orange: When you see it you know it. Similarly, the experience of meditation is best, well…experienced. In an article in New View magazine, Shippensburg University’s Dr. C. George Boeree describes the basics of Buddhist meditation. In summary, the beginner’s technique is as follows:

1. Sit or kneel comfortably.

2. The hands are loose and open with the palms up, one atop the other and thumbs lightly touching.

3. Head is upright. Eyes may be closed or open. If open they should focus on your hands or a spot nearby.

4. Beginning meditators should count upwards to ten on each exhale. Breathe in a relaxed and natural way. Then begin again at one and repeat. Continue to breathe naturally.

5. Continue for 15 minutes.

In my personal experience, I don’t find that the specific length of time is as important as repetition and persistence. To paraphrase, 10 minutes daily beats 15 minutes once a week. This brings me to another point: We all have different personalities and as such, different meditation approaches suit some more than others. Thankfully there are many varieties of meditation. Some varieties have sub-varieties.

Mindfulness meditation is one of these versatile practices. Perhaps it’s because its essence-awareness of the present moment-is so versatile. Mindfulness in our daily life can be practiced by slowing down and attending to our surroundings. What are our 5 senses telling us? We can use mindfulness in the middle of a hectic day, such as paying attention to our breathing when stopped at a traffic light. We can also use other everyday events as triggers for mindfulness. Buckling your seatbelt? Make this a reminder to return to the present. Really think about what you’re doing and the details of the experience.

The more traditional may benefit from a more formal mindfulness practice. You may sit in the identical form as in traditional Buddhist meditation- on a chair or kneeling. However, you may also sit with your legs crossed. Your eyes are closed and your posture is both straight and relaxed while your head remains upright. Focus on your breath and allow mental chatter to float by without regard. Thoughts, emotions and sensations will come, but don’t be influenced by them. Keep focused on your breath. If you are getting involved with your thoughts don’t worry-your efforts aren’t destroyed. The key thing is to bring your attention back to breathing and continue. This can go on for 5 minutes to 5 hours. It’s up to you.

Transcendental Meditation is another popular form of meditation. Generally, this type is practiced twice daily for a period of 15-20 minutes. Again, this technique involves sitting comfortably. Yet in contrast to basic Buddhist the eyes stay closed. Each student is given a mantra and is instructed to induce relaxation through use of this mantra. Since many of either can’t or won’t go to a formal TM class, a no-fail mantra I recommend is the classic OM. In The Heart of Yoga, T.K.V Desikachar writes that repetition of “OM” enables us to maintain mental and emotional calmness, overcome obstacles and enable understanding. It is the shortest of the mantras, and is said to be suggestive of God. If you’re uncomfortable with the religious aspects of OM I suggest a word that has positive meaning for you, such as love, calm or peace. Calm is an ideal substitute, since vocally it resembles OM.

Final Word
You may never, ever choose to meditate. Yet if this is your choice it may be valuable to question why. For a long time I was reluctant because of images of the dropout hippie 60’s. Yet when I tried it the experience overcame my reservations. If you try it the same may happen to you. If it doesn’t you haven’t lost any money, and you’ve gained a new experience.

“If you practice regularly, the benefits of meditation will promote a sense of calm and control, you’ll feel far more relaxed and happy. Your ability to concentrate will be greater. You won’t become stressed about things and you’ll feel more peaceful and relaxed about everything. One of the greatest benefits of meditation is learning to go with the flow and things that used to irritate you before simply become insignificant.” Project-meditation.org

Buy the: Folding Travel Zabuton Set

Resources:
Getting in the Gap: Making Conscious Contact with God Through Meditation (Hay House Inc., 2003)

The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh (Beacon Press, 1975)

Galina Pembroke

Article Source: http://www.uberarticles.com/articles

About 15 years ago my friend, a self avowed health nut loaned me a tape based on a presentation by Dr. Joe Wallach extolling the virtues of natural healing and the alternatives available to us. His estimate is that we have the ability to live 120-140 years. Before you roll your eyes, let me give you some background information on Dr. Wallach.

Joe Wallach grew up on a farm in the Midwest and questioned the different way farmers cared for their livestock as opposed to how we humans cared for ourselves because he noted that livestock never came down with the same illnesses as humans because farmers always found ways to prevent disease with nutrition. Dr. Wallach went on to study agriculture and eventually became a Veterinarian. He worked in Africa with Marlin Perkins of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom for 2 years specializing in the treatment of rhinos and elephants. During that time, a special grant was setup to study the effects of the environment on animals at the St. Louis Zoo, and subsequently other zoos in the area. Over the next 12 years, Dr. Wallach performed 17,500 autopsies on animals and 3,000 on people that lived in the area.

His next stage in life was what he described as a “license to kill”, he became a Physician. In the course of his practice, he wrote seventy-five scientific articles, wrote 8 multi-author textbooks plus one on his own, 1700 newspaper interviews television appearances and the gamut of media, but his message of applying the same successful dietary knowledge of preventative nutrition used for animals to humans fell on deaf ears. That was in the 1960s, fortunately more people are listening today, and we generally call them liberals.

Dr. Wallach challenged conventional medicine and supported his hypothesis that the average lifespan of the population during his studies was 75.5 years of age while that of a medical doctor was only 58. In his studies, he learned that the main difference in longevity was that people who received their water supply from glaciers or had their fields flooded, both sources depositing and re enriching mineral depleted soil, received the essential nutrients, improving their health, and ultimately their longevity. The primary reason for the increased longevity in areas with mineral rich soils is because our bodies need about 90 nutrients and they are most readily available through plants grown in this wonderful soil. Most soil throughout the world is tremendously depleted so Dr. Wallach strongly recommends supplementing our diet, specifically with colloidal minerals (the only kind we can readily absorb)

Some of his conclusions were:

• A senior that dies, after a fall in fact dies form osteoporosis

• Arthritis can be cured by ingesting cartilage
• Kidney stones are caused by a calcium deficiency.
• A copper deficiency will cause grey hair, skin wrinkles and other aging symptoms
• Diabetes, Cardio Myopathy, Alzheimer’s, cancer and even male pattern baldness are preventable through diet and nutrition

I deal extensively with seniors and quite often I am amazed when I ask health related questions and look at their lifestyles. Approximately half of them have the triple American whammy: diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol. Looking around at their environment there is an abundance of processed food, cakes, ice cream, white bread and the smell of grease, evidence of their cooking habits. They have obviously put their faith in the ability of their medications to keep them alive. As they get older, the dosages increase and their livers and kidneys need even more drugs to make them work. The other half of seniors I meet are remarkably disease free, have diets rich in fruit and vegetables and exercise on a regular basis.

Recently, I listened to a talk radio show and the topic focused on African Americans in the southern states, notably Georgia, who regularly ate small amounts of dirt. I have also read that poor Hatian people sometimes make cookies out of dirt that are duly baked and consumed, supposedly to stave off hunger. This is known as pica and originated in Africa, more as a dietary supplement. . This condition also occurs during pregnancy as the body’s way of getting needed minerals for the developing fetus. According to Dr. Wallach, our bodies will let us know to a large extent what we need, we just need to learn how to listen and that is where his conclusions are so important. We as humans have the ability to make choices (unlike the farm animals), unfortunately we seem to look for the easy path, not addressing the underlying causes.

You can learn more about the work of Dr. Wallach through this link or you can purchase his book, Dead Doctors Don’t Lie at Amazon.com.

Author: Spence Pentland

Qigong is most often referred to as any set of breathing and Qi circulation techniques that are capable of improving health, preventing illness, and strengthening the body. Qigong is slow meditative exercise for the body, the breath, and the mind.

‘Qi’ is the vital force behind everything, everything is ‘Qi’ at differing densities; quoting Einstein, “matter = energy times the speed of light squared”. ‘Gong’ is cultivation, effect, attainment. Qigong can be translated as ‘cultivation of vital force’. It regulates the balance of Yin Yang energy returning the body to a balanced, normal physiological state.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the human body is treated as an integral system of interrelated networks with different physiological functions. This integral system uses the energy pathways to link the organs and other human systems into a unified whole, making the communication and interaction between parts of the body possible. The energy that flows in the energy pathways is called Qi. It extends internally to the organs and externally throughout the body, completing and interrelated system of networks.

Traditional Chinese Medical Qigong is a compilation of effective preventative, healing, and strengthening exercises derived from a long history of the Chinese people’s experience with nature and living in harmony with it.

Qigong is studied not merely for the health and strength of the body, but as an attempt to understand human nature and its interactions with the environment and the universe as a whole. Realizing that humans are part of nature, any attempt to understand human physiology inevitably involves the study of wholism.

From commoners to scientists, martial artists to government officials. Qigong studies span the masses of the Chinese population.

“Qigong practices can be classified as martial, medical, or spiritual. All styles have three things in common: they all involve a posture, (whether moving or stationary), breathing techniques, and mental focus. Some practices increase the Qi; others circulate it, use it to cleanse and heal the body, store it, or emit Qi to help heal others. Practices vary from the soft internal styles such as Tai Chi; to the external, vigorous styles such as Kung Fu.” - National QiGong Association

Supporting Research into the Health Benefits of Qigong
Qi Gong is a practice which combines relaxing movement, breathing and visualization. It is a tool to make Qi circulate in order to preserve one’s health, cure diseases and prolong life. The consistent practice has been shown to foster development of a profound inner calmness and non-reactivity of the mind, allowing individuals to face, and even embrace, all aspects of daily life, regardless of circumstances.

Science has proven the complementary healing effects of Qigong in medical science. Qigong can relieve chronic pain (including low back (6)), reduce tension, increase activities of our immune system (even at the genetic level (2)), improve heart health, mediates neuroendocrine responses (10), improve eyesight, and influence blood flow & biochemistry (1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 10).
There is also proof of its positive effects on depression (4), and stabilization of the autonomic nervous system and the emotional state (5). It induces a state of relaxation via the induction of alpha brain waves and the release of serotonin (8). Jang & Lee randomized study put forth Qigong as an effective complementary therapy for managing the symptoms of PMS (9). It has also been concluded that visualization was an effective intervention for long-term smoking cessation and abstinence in adult smokers (3). The Division for Research and Education in Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies, Harvard Medical School, study of the ‘Use of mind-body medical therapies’ stated that ‘much opportunity exists to increase use of mind-body therapies for indications with demonstrated efficacy’ (11).

The cultivation or preservation of ones health through the complimentary practice of Qigong plays an integral part in any persons path to wellness and the accomplishment of their goals. Join a class, read a book, buy a video.

Buy: The Essential Qigong Training Course: 100 Days to Increase Energy, Physical Health & Spiritual Well-Being

Qigong is catching on in the United States but is still relatively new to most people. If you are interested in pursuing Qigong you can search for a teacher at the National QiGong Association or start out with a Tai Chi class which you can find at many health clubs. There are many Qigong books and videos available if you want to see how great it makes you feel in the privacy of your own living room.

References:

1. The application of qi-gong therapy to health care, Li TY, Yeh ML, Tri-Service General Hospital.

2. Genomic profiling of neutrophil transcripts in Asian Qigong practitioners: a pilot study in gene regulation by mind-body interaction. Li QZ, Li P, Garcia GE, Johnson RJ, Feng L, Microarray Core, Center for Immunology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.

3. Guided health imagery for smoking cessation and long-term abstinence, Wynd CA, Nursing Program, University of Akron College of Nursing, Akron, OH 44325-3701, USA.

4. Qigong exercise for the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease: A randomized, controlled pilot study, Schmitz-Hubsch T, Pyfer D, Kielwein K, Fimmers R, Klockgether T, Wullner U, Department of Neurology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.

5. Nonlinear analysis of heart rate variability during Qigong, Lee MS, Rim YH, Jeong DM, Kim MK, Joo MC, Shin SH, Center for Integrative Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, College of Oriental Medicine, Wonkwang University, Korea.

6. Randomized, controlled trial of breath therapy for patients with chronic low-back pain, Mehling WE, Hamel KA, Acree M, Byl N, Hecht FM, Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, USA.

7. Qi-training (qigong) enhanced immune functions: what is the underlying mechanism? Lee MS, Kim MK, Ryu H, Center for Integrative Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Republic of Korea

8. Appearance of high-frequency alpha band with disappearance of low-frequency alpha band in EEG is produced during voluntary abdominal breathing in an eyes-closed condition, Fumoto M, Sato-Suzuki I, Seki Y, Mohri Y, Arita H, Department of Physiology, Toho University School of Medicine, 5-21-16, Omori-nishi, Ota-ku, Tokyo 143-8540, Japan. 9. Effects of qigong on premenstrual syndrome: a randomized placebo-controlled study, Jang HS, Lee MS, Department of Nursing, Wonkwang Health Science College, Iksan, Korea.

10. Endocrine and immune effects of Qi-training, Lee MS, Kang CW, Ryu H, Moon SR, Professional Graduate School of Oriental Medicine and Center for Integrative Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Republic of Korea.

11. Use of mind-body medical therapies, Wolsko PM, Eisenberg DM, Davis RB, Phillips RS, Division for Research and Education in Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Spence Pentland of Vancouver BC Canada received his five year Doctor of TCM education from the International College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Vancouver. To complete his studies he spent 500 hours at Anhui Hospital of TCM Hefei City, in the Peoples Republic of China. He is a licensed and registered member of the Canadian Traditional Chinese Medicine Association, and practices at Acubalance Wellness Centre (Acubalance Wellness Centre Vancouver BC) where he treats only Men’s reproductive health (Mens Reproductive Health Information) and Women’s fertility issues (Infertility Information).

Article Source: http://www.uberarticles.com/articles

A Funny Thing Happened
Not long ago, I was riding my bike on a familiar trail near my home. I was deeply engrossed in possible topics for articles downloadable from our Natural Healing Tools web site.

The trail is about 20 miles long. Three to four miles of it run under large power lines towering over the path. Suddenly, it hit me - the topic of my next article. EMF! That buzzing sound overhead was coming from those power lines just above me. No, I couldn’t see the field of energy emanating from the lines, but I sure could sense that I was passing through an area I wasn’t comfortable with. Then, I remembered that I usually picked up my pace a little when I reached this stretch of trail, probably out of a sense of self-preservation.

Trying to not overreact, I remember thinking, “Hey, what you can’t see won’t hurt you…right?” I thought a little longer, then got the hell out’a there!

Over the last several years, I’ve speculated about the numbers of artificial energy sources - sources of EMF, or Electromagnetic Fields - that fill our environment. I, perhaps like you, question just how safe places like the path under the power lines are, despite overt signs of harm. Here’s where I come down on the subject of EMF. Just my opinion, but based on a growing body of hard evidence and many hours of in-depth investigation.

A Little About EMF
As a kid, I remember learning that our Sun, Earth and other bodies naturally radiate electromagnetic energy of varying frequencies and intensities. Perhaps you’ve experienced the low electromagnetic frequencies generated by a lightning storm - you can feel the lightening.

Our sun is a natural source of EMF. We’re told to use sunscreen to protect us from UV radiation. The Northern Lights are actually solar radiation colliding with the gases in the Earth’s atmosphere. Without the protection of the atmosphere we would be bombarded with harmful, much more intense and potentially fatal radiation.

But these are natural sources of electromagnetic radiation and there’s only so much we can do about them. What about the new forms of artificially generated radiation? Modern technology has introduced countless new sources of electromagnetic radiation.

Some estimates suggest that humankind today is subjected to 100 to 200 million times more electro-magnetic radiation than our distant ancestors. One hundred to 200 million times more! How can that possibly be good for us? The sources? Those power lines I mentioned earlier, but also computers, TV’s, radio towers, cell phones and microwave ovens, to name just a few.

One recognized authority on the subject of EMF, Robert O. Becker, states in his book “Cross Currents” (pg.188), “We have now almost reached a state in which the entire electromagnetic spectrum has been filled up with man-made frequencies. Our electric-power systems oscillates (operates) at 50 or 60 times per second (50 - 60 Hz), just above the highest naturally occurring frequency of 30 Hz. Our microwave beams operate at billions of times per second and are getting even closer to the trillion-cycle frequencies of visible light. We have filled the previously empty electromagnetic spectrum between these two extremes with man-made radiation that never existed before on Earth. And we did it in less than eighty years.”

Here’s the problem.
We’re the guinea pigs! In a sense, we have been silently recruited to participate in some ongoing experiment that will impact us long-term in ways we can only imagine. Only through the outspoken concern of people and groups has the issue of what many call “electropollution” been brought to the forefront.

According to Becker, there is a growing body of scientific evidence showing that exposure to man-made electromagnetic fields results in significant abnormalities in the physiology and function of living organisms. The potential risks to human health, he says, are well documented.

In his book “The Body Electric” (pg.327), Becker states, “Three dangers of EMF overshadow all others. The first has been conclusively proven: ELF, electromagnetic fields vibrating at about 30 to 100 hz, even if they are weaker than the earth’s field, interfere with the cues that keep our biological cycles properly timed; chronic stress and impaired disease resistance result. Second, the available evidence strongly suggests that regulation of cellular growth processes is impaired by electropollution, increasing cancer rates and producing serious reproductive problems. Electromagnetic weapons constitute a third class of hazards culminating in climactic manipulation from a sorcerer’s-apprentice level of ignorance.”

So, what are the implications?
Let’s look at what’s known. All of those electrical devices with which we surround ourselves - office machines, computers and other devices that get plugged into a wall socket - all operate at a frequency of 60Hz. The huge power lines that cover over 500,000 miles across the United States operate at 60Hz. Studies show that these 60 Hz frequencies (ELF, extremely low frequency) have damaging effects on all life forms of life. These frequencies are suspected of contributing to or even causing depression, suicides, psychosis, cancer, leukemia and a number of other physical and mental problems. Scientific evidence also indicate these frequencies can influence our genetic material during cell division, possibly linking chronic exposure to the origins of cancer (Becker, above).

Then there are those devices that operate at the other end of the electromagnetic spectrum, like our cell phones. Cell phones use microwaves that oscillate at billions of times per second. What are the long-term effects of using devices that operate at billions of time per second? We simply don’t know. This is an area that is much less understood. What can we do to protect ourselves? Here’s what I do and don’t do. Again, this is what I think and believe based on compelling scientific evidence and hundreds of hours of investigation. Follow your conscience.

* Don’t position your electric clock radio in close proximity to your head.

* Minimize all electrical devices in your bedroom.

* If you sleep with an electric blanket, turn it on before you get in bed and unplug it when you get in. Never keep it on while sleeping.

* Avoid waterbed heaters.

* Sit at least arms length away from your computer.

* Stay back from appliances when running - microwave, electric range, all of them.

* The larger your TV screen the further back you should sit (a readily available hand held meter will test EMF and help you determine how far back you should be).

* Stay at least ½ miles away from TV or radio towers.

* Avoid long conversations on cell phones and always wear an earpiece (above 2 minutes has shown alterations in electrical activity of the brain for at least 1 hr. after use.)

* Don’t wear your cell phone on your belt or in a pocket while it is on (you are still absorbing radiation)

* Use a landline instead of your cell phone whenever possible.

* Limit your time spent under fluorescent lights (they produce much different magnetic fields compared with incandescent bulbs.

* Before you buy a home have it tested for high levels of EMF.

* Consider proper grounding of household wiring.

* Use protective devices that have been tested in areas where there is increased EMF exposure (workplace, home, vehicle).

In the meantime ………
We’re just now beginning to understand how electromagnetic fields affect living organisms. More hard knowledge and wider awareness are needed to help us make wise choices and ensure a safe future of the generations to come. We continue to see newer advances in technology that outpace the research being done to warn us of potential dangers. Most people continue to enjoy the comforts of these new technologies but never think about the consequences of using them.

The choice to use or not use these new devices and how often or long to use them is an individual one. I’m unwilling to let the never-ending new sources of EMF work their way into my home, my car, my clothing and my work area without questioning and limiting my exposure to them. For my money, no exposure and very limited exposure is the way to go. Until there are uniform guidelines based on hard scientific evidence about how much and how long are safe for each type of device, I choose to do without or do with less.

It’s time we stop letting ourselves be guinea pigs. It’s time we start insisting that those elected or appointed to protect us do their job. It’s time to find out what is and isn’t happening to us after hours, days, weeks, months and years of exposure.

Looking for a little protection from the harmful effects of EMF? Check out the Circuit Sweeper on our Natural Healing Tools.com web site. For heavy EMF conditions the Circuit Sweeper’s 12 Pointed Resonator adds a protective broadcast to the area surrounding the Circuit Sweeper, giving you two sweeps in one unit. I have them in my home.

About the Author:

James P. Urban DC is the president of Natural Healing Tools Inc., a company providing health and wellness tools and current up-to-date information geared towards a healthy lifestyle.

Buy the Book: EMF Balancing Techniques

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I hope that reading the title of this article got your attention. We are going to talk about energy management. You heard it right: I have used the big word ENERGY. I know you are probably thinking to yourself right now: “Here we go. She’s going to start talking about some esoteric concepts that don’t mean anything to me.”

Let me tell you that isn’t going to be the case. My intention here is to demystify the esoteric concept of energy from a simple and practical standpoint.

Here is what we will touch upon:

• What does it mean to be an energetic being?
• How to manage your energy in the way that works for you.
• How to recognize an “energy drain.”
• What is the difference between spending versus investing your energy.
• How to protect yourself from energy vampires.
• How food affects your energy.
• What to do to feel more energized and alive in your life.
• Tools and resources you can use to affect your energy levels and also to protect yourself.

Since this would be too much information to cover in one article, and I also don’t want you to go to sleep while reading this, I’m dividing it into two parts. The first part we will talk about managing your energy. The second part will cover how to protect your energy and tools you can use, and will be discussed in the next issue of Live Your Life.

Let’s start from the beginning. Why am I the person you should listen to? I don’t think you SHOULD do anything in your life. Yes you heard me right. However, if what I’m saying is making sense to you and you feel attracted to it, then by all means read and draw your own conclusions about what I’m sharing with you. I always believe in questioning and trying things for yourself. Otherwise, how will you find your own way in life? This is my platform to share my own experiences with you and what I have learned through those experiences.

So if you are still with me, here we go:

The first time that I was introduced to the concept of energy was when I was 20 years old. Coming from a conventional medicine background you can imagine my response to the energy concept. (Too bad you can’t see my face, because it would be so much easier to show you than to describe what that looked like back in the day.) It was kind of the same thing as talking about UFOs. Not something I ever knew about, had no tangible experience with, and on top of everything, I was coming from a very rigid place, which was, “If I can’t see it, smell it, or touch it, then it must not exist.” Does that sound at all familiar to you? I had 1,000 questions and I wanted to understand it NOW! I was functioning from my intellect and that is where I stayed most of the time. Why? Because that is where I was comfortable.

Here is the reason: There were events in my childhood so painful and overwhelming that at one point in my life I disconnected from my emotions.

The result was me disowning a very essential and important part of myself–my sense of knowing. Call it intuition. I found out years later emotions are your essential connector to your intuition.

Pointer #1: It is usually challenging to believe in something that you never had a tangible experience with (and know that it exists).

Pointer #2: If at some point in your life (due to overwhelming events) you disconnected from your emotions (which by the way most of us do), your sense of knowing (intuition) is greatly diminished or masked.

That is why lots of folks are having a hard time relating to the concept of energy. We don’t operate in those terms in our lives, on a day-to-day basis. However, that doesn’t mean energy doesn’t exist and it doesn’t affect our lives just because we don’t believe in it.

Nowadays, it has been scientifically proven at the base of everything is energy. We are energetic beings that vibrate at certain speeds. The sooner you’ll get this concept, the better off you’ll be.

Pointer #3: You are in charge of your vibration.

However, if you don’t know that, aren’t aware of the energy concept and the practical application of it in your life, you most likely are the victim of your environment and people around you. What do I mean?

Everything you interact with on a day-to-day basis (be it people, things you do, or behavioral patterns you engage in) influences your energy levels and how you function in the world. So how do you recognize an energy drain?

Here are some things to look for:

1. People you talk to or interact with (in person or on the phone), afterwards you feel tired and drained (people who complain a lot, people you look at and don’t feel right about, people who always just want to talk about themselves and their tragedies, etc.).
2. Places and circumstances that leave you feeling tired (places with a lot of people like subways at rush hour, movie theaters or shopping malls, places where violent things have happened–like the Twin Towers, etc.).
3. The food you eat–especially processed foods (those that come prepared in a boxes and cans, pizzas, hamburgers, chips, things you put into the microwave, sugar in any form, eating lots of red meat, and potatoes, overeating, etc.), after you eat them your energy greatly decreases.
4. Doing more than you can handle physically and emotionally, going to extremes.
5. Always taking care of others and not having time for yourself.
6. Mostly “doing” instead of “being.”
7. Having unresolved emotional residue from the past (like childhood trauma, things you had a hard time dealing with, etc.). These things create energetic weight you carry around and make it harder to deal with things on a day-to-day basis. Basically you expend twice as much energy.
8. Excessive use of alcohol, coffee, or other substances including medications and recreational drugs. Energetically they create a gunk in your system and put you out of your body, so the more you use them, it becomes increasingly harder to function in life and be present with what’s going on. They decrease your vibration.
9. EMF (electro magnetic frequency). This is a low vibration frequency that most of us are exposed to on a day-to-day basis from TV, microwave, computers, cell phones, fluorescent lighting, energy plants (nuclear or hydroelectric), airplanes, anything you plug into an electric socket (hairdryers, toasters, etc.).

In closing our talk about energy management, let me tell you how a combination of some of these or all of these things can result in your life.

• Loss of physical energy
• Being tired a lot
• Feeling overwhelmed in life
• Feeling depressed
• Low sex drive
• Reoccurring physical symptoms like eye strain, headaches, backaches
• What’s the point attitude
• Having hard time focusing
• Sleeping disturbances
• Inability to relax
• Inability to fully enjoy life
• Various physical and emotional ailments

Stay tuned for part two, where we will talk about ways to protect your energy and tools that have helped me that you can use to help yourself and take charge of your life.

Enjoy and don’t forget to have fun!

Click here to read Have More Energy - Part two

If you would like to use this article for your own e-zine, not a problem; however, you MUST include the following for the attribution block: Copyright © 2006 Erika Gombosova, Emotional Healing and Self-Discovery Coach, and LiveYourLife.us. Erika helps people process their emotional trauma in a safe environment, helping them to develop more energy, clarity, confidence, improve relationships with themselves and others, improve physical appearance, and help them to live life more fully. Learn more about Erika and Live Your Life, visit www.liveyourlife.us.

About the Author:
Erika Gombosova is an Emotional and Self-Discovery Coach. Based on her own business and life experiences, Erika has discovered there are certain elements (what she calls the inner game) that get in the way of succeeding and moving forward in business and in life. She designed the Self Reclaiming System, which helps women entrepreneurs to move past their old programming and internal limitations to create the successful businesses and live

Purchase the book: Why Am I So Grumpy, Dopey and Sleepy?

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/gre/30926646/

This technique is a step by step guide that combines self-hypnosis and some self-inner guidance with the idea of balancing your chakras. Now it is not really important to know what your chakras are - in brief, they are regarded as central energy points in your body in Eastern medicine and philosophy. They have certain colors associated with them that are going to be integrated into this technique within your mind.

I know it made me feel wonderfully energized, refreshed and very well balanced afterwards.

Step One:
Find a place where you are not going to be disturbed for a while and allow you eyelids to close. Imagine that as you close your eyelids, they melt and relax into your face and begin to send relaxation throughout your body.

Create some expectation; we all know how hypnotic expectation is, don’t we? Tell yourself that in a few moments you’re going to enter one of the most relaxed states that you’ve ever known.

You can take yourself into self-hypnosis (if you don’t know how, go get my book) or use any good meditation technique or relaxation strategy that you know. Take a few moments to focus on your breathing and engage in the moment. Notice what you are thinking and feeling.

Step Two:
Using your imagination, begin now to sense that you are floating on a soft cloud, almost like it is a mist that is gentle, soft, and completely supportive. It melds and molds itself to the exact contours of your body, imagine that you settle deeply into it and take sufficient time to really develop that comfort.

Imagine that the cloud is a beautiful, soft yet strong, strawberry red color. Imagine that the wonderful red mist gently envelops your entire being. Sense that it is bathing you in a soft and gentle relaxation.

Let that red mist move throughout your body, drawing away anything unwanted, leaving you in a soft, peaceful state. Imagine that red color in each and every cell of your being. Let that red mist sink into the very depths of the center of your mind.

Spread that red all through you, reaching all the way down to the tips of your toes, all the way down to the very tips of your fingers and feel yourself in harmony with this natural red color as your body is feeling more and more balanced and alive.

Let the red mist focus around the base of your spine. Maybe you can even imagine that your spine vibrates in harmony with red and the entire area of the lower back and spine goes into a total relaxation. When you really engage in doing this, you can create some magnificent sensations.

Imagine and sense that you are in tune with nature and all of nature is in tune with you. Breathe that red, gentle mist in and now allow a little, tiny red bird to gently glide around you, wrapping your body in a soft, red, blanket of balance and relaxation.

If you are not a fan of birds, then you can of course imagine anything else - angels or a loved one, or that the blanket wraps itself around you unaided. Choose what suits you personally.

Step Three:
Having done this inside your mind, next up imagine floating on a soft, almost peach-like orange color. Allow yourself to be in harmony with this orange (just as you were with the red) and right around the area of your abdomen there is an energy center that vibrates with this color of orange.

Allow this orange mist to bring this gentle softness, this natural awareness to your body and feel it almost like a sponge, absorbing and releasing anything you might need to let go of, bathing you in a soft mist of peace, relaxation and comfort. Feel and sense anything unwanted being absorbed into the mist from all the parts of your body.

Allow this orange to penetrate your body and give you peace and comfort, feel the freedom as you do this. Feel yourself relaxing more and more as this orange mist flows in and around all the parts of your abdomen. Then in whatever way you feel resonates with you the best, imagine a little orange ribbon gliding gently and gently carrying the mist over and around and through your body, your body wonderfully at ease and relaxed. Take enough time to really enjoy doing this.

Step Four:
Now in your mind’s eye imagine yourself floating on a yellow mist, the soft color of lemon, beautiful, lemon yellow right there in the center of your chest.

Take all the time you need to really be in harmony with this color of yellow and the middle area of your body and the center of your chest is relaxing more and more as you can imagine that area has an energy center that vibrates to the color yellow. Breathe in the soft yellow mist, the comfort of that gentle softness with each breath that you take really let it flow throughout you now, let it move through your entire being.

Allow your body to be at peace as the yellow mist eases and soothes your body.

Imagine that all of nature is in tune with this yellow and you are in tune with nature. Feel the freedom of the atmosphere that you are creating in your mind.

As we did previously, now imagine a silky ribbon of yellow, floating gently around you, wrapping the mist of balance and awareness around your body with a blanket of gentle, soothing tranquility.

Breathe in the yellow velvety mist as it bathes you in a sea of peace, taking all the time you need to sense deep comfort.

Step Five:
Imagine that you are floating on a green mist, actually begin to see, sense, imagine and feel a green mist all around you, absorbing into your skin, feeling immersed, enveloped in that green mist, a beautiful color of green. Green as lush grass.

And as you breathe in this soft, green mist the gentle softness is all around your heart, and you feel your heart begin to relax all around that area, all the way up to the area of your throat. As you relax imagine that you can feel your heart opening, opening and connecting with the world around you.

Imagine that your chest and your heart area vibrates now to the color of green and feel the peace and the relaxation that that brings. Begin to feel this green bringing the relaxation all through your body, gentle softness, this wonderful green color.

Anything unwanted around your heart is being absorbed by that green, floating it away, drawing it away, leaving only peace, balance and comfort in its place. Each time that you breathe in the mist of the green, imagine and feel your body becoming even more limp, loose, safe, and comfortable.

Feel the green cleansing and freeing you, allowing your body to work in perfect harmony with nature just as it was intended to do. Then imagine a soft, silky green ribbon, floating around you… as with the previous steps.

Step Six:
Ok, so now just imagine yourself floating on a mist of blue. Just engage your mind in that idea that you are gently floating peacefully on this beautiful blue color. While doing that, allow your throat and your neck relax all the way up through the back of your neck and your throat and your neck are feeling calm and relaxed.

Breathe in the blue air and feel it drifting and floating throughout your entire body. Allow this gentle blue mist to draw up and soften and balance all the muscles in your body. Think that your body is at peace as the blue mist works through it and soothes it.

Imagine that the blue mist carries takes away anything unwanted, leaving only comfort, ease and safety.

Once again, imagine that all of nature is in tune with blue and you are in tune with nature. Your body has been perfectly designed to work in harmony with nature and so let all the natural processes of just ‘being’ occur for you while you are doing this.

Feel the comfort increasing within you as the blue mist fills every cell and every muscle and now imagine that silky ribbon, floating around your body, gently touching your body with a blanket of blue mist, bathing you in a sea of total relaxation.

Step Seven:
Finally, imagine yourself floating on a misty cloud of violet, a beautiful violet-rosy color, a very soft combination that creates a nice lavender color.

Imagine that the soft color of violet, that very soft purple, penetrates your body and allow yourself to go deeper into your own mind. Imagine that you draw this purple into your body. Feel that beautiful color bringing you serenity and peace.

Ensure that you feel safe and comfortable on this beautiful soft purple mist. Tune into nature, tune into this natural feeling with this violet color you are in and begin to breathe in the gentle violet mist. Breathe it in and feel the muscles of your mind working in harmony with the way that nature intended.

Feel yourself totally relaxed, feeling the wonderful things that are happening within your body at this moment.

Step Eight:
Now inside your mind, imagine a combination of all the colors you have been thinking of throughout this technique form a rainbow and surround you. Imagine that they combine to form a beautiful white light, purifying, cleansing, filling your body and your mind with the glorious sense of comfort, rejuvenation and balance.

Right there at the top of your head, bring that light in, a beautiful clear bright light, floating all the way down through your entire body, filling all the spaces between all of the cells, bringing you the comfort of knowing that you deserve to have the experience of a peaceful, balanced, energized life.

Step Nine:
Now allow yourself to be completely immersed in this beautiful rainbow of the energy of life, you allow your mind and your body to be very receptive, very open to creating the experience that you want and that you deserve.

Bask in the colors for as long as you like.

Step Ten:
When you are ready, you can allow yourself to come back to the awareness of the place that you are in. Tell yourself that when you open your eyes, you feel very balanced, very balanced and energized. Then open your eyes, wiggle your fingers and toes, reacquaint with your surroundings and enjoy being more balanced and refreshed.

Take some time to really balance yourself and get recharged in this way - it is so lovely to do so. Even if you think that chakras are nothing more than new age hocus pocus, this is still a wonderful exercise that is very relaxing and energizing. You don’t have to believe in something for it to be real.

Author: Adam Eason
About the author: Adam Eason is a UK based, renowned consultant, speaker and best-selling author. Please visit his website for a vast range of personal development resources and to receive your amazing free, instantly downloadable hypnosis session for ultimate relaxation and the sensational free ebook ‘The Happy Brain Manual’ filled with techniques, tips and strategies to make more of your brain: http://www.adam-eason.com Thank you.