3 Best Essential Oils For Cold And Flu

Cure a case of the sniffles—naturally

By Tieraona Low Dog, MD  

Cool weather makes you more vulnerable to viruses. To fight back, pump moisture into your airspace.

The reason: Viruses that spark colds and flu thrive when it's cool and dry. Low humidity dries out nasal passages, making it harder to trap and eliminate the microbugs. Help moisten passages by running a humidifier 24/7—but keep it clean per the manufacturer's instructions. I add five drops of oregano, eucalyptus, or peppermint oil to my humidifier's reservoir to reduce germs and freshen the air. (A whiff of peppermint can also soothe stress.)

A steamy 15-minute bath or shower helps, too. Drip 10 drops of essential oil into the tub or onto a washcloth placed on the shower floor. Breathe in deeply. (Get more ingredients for a blissful bath, here.)

The best essential oils for easy colds:

Peppermint: Relieves headaches caused by congestion
Eucalyptus: Decongestant; soothes respiratory problems
Oregano: Proven antibacterial; fights sinus infections

TIERAONA LOW DOG MD, is the author of Life Is Your Best Medicine.

http://www.prevention.com/health/health-concerns/best-essential-oils-cold-and-flu

Reiki

What is Reiki?

Reiki is a Japanese technique for relaxation which assists in re-balancing and unblocking the flow of life force energy of everyone's body. A Reiki experience is a calm, peaceful, and safe method of self- improvement for the mind, body, and spirit. Valued for leaving its recipients with feelings of decreased levels of stress and increased well being. 

Benefits of Reiki

- Relaxation. Feeling relaxed can help relieve stress, agitation, acute and chronic pain.

- It can assist in promoting improved sleep patterns

- It can help to strengthen the immune system

- Reiki compliments medical and therapeutic techniques to promote recovery and healing within

- It improves centering/ balance/ focus. 

Sheila Buchanan, Reiki Master

Call today for your appointment : 216-215-4713

20 Scientifically-Backed Ways To De-Stress

What's your stress "tell?" For some, a quickened heart rate or a slight feeling of queasiness is enough to let them know they're getting anxious or overwhelmed. But just as a slight from your boss or bad news from a family member can get your stress hormones pumping and your blood pressure rising quickly, you have the power to reset almost instantly. When we're stressed, hormones like cortisol flood our systems, producing the "fight or flight response" in which our heart rate goes up, we breathe more heavily (requiring more oxygen) and our blood vessels constrict. While in the pre-civilization world, the increased blood flow to our heart and muscles helped us escape from predators and dangerous situations, we find ourselves in a very different position now. Our bodies can't tell the difference between an approaching grizzly bear and a ticked off spouse or a particularly epic traffic jam, so our stress response is triggered when there's no imminent danger. Instead of helping us to escape, this can contribute to chronic conditions like hypertension and headaches, as well as mental health concerns like depression and anxiety disorders. What's more, stress can make other conditions -- like asthma, irritable bowel syndrome and insomnia -- worse. The good news? Just as we have a stress response, we also have a "relaxation response," during which your breathing slows, your blood pressure decreases and you even use less oxygen, reports the NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. We don't really have a choice when it comes to getting stressed -- we may as well work to undo its effects. With that in mind, here are 20 ways, backed up by good scientific evidence, to keep your stress in check:

Go For A 10 Minute Walk

While just about any walk will help to clear your head and boost endorphins (which, in turn, reduces stress hormones), consider walking in a park or other green space, which can actually put your body into a state of meditation, thanks to a phenomenon known as “involuntary attention” during which something holds our attention, but simultaneously allows for reflection.

Breathe Deeply
Any yogi knows that the breath -- known as pranayama or “life force” -- plays an important role in nourishing the body. And medical researchers agree. “Breathing exercises can help you relax, because they make your body feel like it does when you are already relaxed,” explains WebMD. Breathing exercises -- or even just taking a few deep breaths -- can help reduce tension and relieve stress, thanks to an extra boost of oxygen. While shallow breathing -- a marker of stress -- stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, reported NPR, deep breathing does the opposite: It stimulates the parasympathetic reaction, which helps us to calm down. What’s more, breathing exercises have been proven in clinical research to aid some of the systems that are harmed by stress: They can reduce blood pressure and may even be able to change the expression of some genes, according to Harvard researcher Herbert Benson.

Visualize

A short visualization is an easy way to get back to center. Even the National Institutes for Health recognizes the power of “guided imagery” to elicit a relaxation response.

Simply make yourself comfortable (at your desk, in an empty conference room -- wherever!) and then try to picture a peaceful scene: a future vacation, your favorite beach. You can even visualize yourself accomplishing a future goal or, as Women’s Health magazine puts it, “picture yourself in an elevator, happily sandwiched between two hot actors of your choice.”

Eat A Snack (Mindfully!)
Stress-eating doesn’t have to be bad.

"The connection between the gut and brain is huge -- called the 'gut-brain axis' -- and lots of interesting data supports the idea that the gut is a major mediator of the stress response,” Dr. Drew Ramsey, an assistant clinical professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons and the author of The Happiness Diettold The Huffington Post earlier this year. “After all, stress is a brain and immune system mediated phenomena, and your gut is the largest organ in your immune system." Pick a snack that will fill you up -- say, half an avocado, a handful of nuts or a hard boiled egg -- because nothing is more stressful to the brain, Ramsey explains, than feeling like you’ve run out of nourishment. Take your snack away from your computer and go sit someplace peaceful. Focus on your food: its texture, the way it tastes, how it makes you feel. Now you’ve turned your snack into a meditation.

Buy Yourself A Plant

Houseplants aren’t just beautiful air purifiers -- they can actually help you calm down. Researchers have found that simply being around plants can induce your relaxation response. One Washington State University study found that a group of stressed-out people who entered a room full of plants had a four-point drop in their blood pressure, while a comparison group who didn’t see plants dropped only two points, Prevention magazine reported.Need some advice on what to buy? Here’s a guide to houseplants that de-stress your home (or office!)

Step Away From The Screen
Uninterrupted computer use has been associated with stress, lost sleep and depression in women, according to a study from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. In the same study, late night computer use was also associated with stress -- in both men and women.

Make sure to take frequent breaks during your day of computer use -- and try to shut offline at least an hour before bedtime.

Pucker Up

Kissing relieves stress by helping your brain to release endorphins, reports WebMD. And that has real-life implications: In a study of 2,000 couples, Northwestern University researcher Laura Berman, Ph.D., found that those who only kissed when they had sex were eight times more likely to report feeling chronically stressed or depressed.

Try This Naam Yoga Hand Trick

Applying pressure to the space between your second and third knuckle (the joints at the base of your pointer and middle fingers) can help to create a sense of instant calm, according to Sharon Melnick, author of Success Under Stress.

"It activates a nerve that loosens the area around the heart, so any of that fluttery feeling you feel when you're nervous will end up going away," Melnick told Business Insider.

Hang Up, Then Turn Off Your Phone
Cell phones stress you out, there’s no question about that. Talking can even raise your blood pressure.

Put On Some Music
While classical music has a particularly soothing effect -- it slows heart rate, lowers blood pressure and even decreases levels of stress hormones -- any music that you love will flood your brain with feel-good neurochemicals like dopamine.And while music can soothe everyday anxiety (crank it up on the drive home!), research shows that it’s particularly beneficial for those in the midst of stressful events, like surgery.Don’t have your headphones handy? Try humming or making your own music. One study of stressed-out nursing students found that recreational music-making relieved stress and prevented burnout.

Treat Yourself! Eat One (ONE!) Candy

Eating or drinking something sweet is soothing because it stems the production of the stress hormone, glucocorticoid (which helps explain why we find ourselves staring down the barrel of an empty cookie package when things go haywire). While not an excuse to unleash your emotional eating on the office vending machine, a Hershey’s Kiss, peppermint candy or other reasonably-sized treat, can help.

Or, On The Other Hand, Plug In
Yes, screens can stress you out. But used in the right way, there’s no reason you can’t turn to the Internet to get a little stress relief. A Cleveland Clinic study found that web-based stress management programs, like guided meditation, decreased stress levels and boosted scores emotional well-being in a group of 300 healthy adults, Healthy Living’s Amanda L. Chan reported.

Chew A Piece Of Gum
Chewing gum doesn’t just make your breath better -- it can relieve anxiety, improve alertness and reduce stress during episodes of multitasking, according to a 2008 study.

Watch A Viral Video
A good laugh is a fine relaxation technique. “Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain,” explains the Mayo Clinic.Counterintuitively, laughter first activates your stress response and then deactivates it, creating a kind of “rollercoaster” that leads to a feeling of relaxation.What’s more, even if you don’t find the viral video your uncle Joe sent you to be thatfunny, just the anticipation that it might be will actually boost endorphins.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Start with your toes and work your way up: tighten your foot muscles as much as you can, then relax them. Make your way up, tightening and relaxing each muscle until you’ve finished with your face. It may seem silly, but this practice can help reduce anxiety and stress and is often recommended to patients who suffer from depression and anxiety disorders.

Seriously, Turn Off Your Phone
Smartphones, in particular, are linked to increased stress, as more and more people feel pressure to respond to messages at all times.

See Your BFF
Friends aren’t just fun -- your very closest ones can actually reduce your production of cortisol, according to a study in middle school aged children. We think the same holds true for adult besties. And psychologists agree.

Eat A Banana (Or A Potato!)
Potassium helps to regulate blood pressure, which rises during times of stress. Some people find that eating a banana when they’re feeling stressed can help improve energy and recovery. And research shows that it can protect your body from the negative effects of stress, like increased risk of heart attack and stroke. The American Psychological Association recommends it to stave off the physical detriments of stress as well.

Try Eagle Pose
Many yoga poses are known stress relievers, as they open the shoulders, relieve neck tension and do away with many of the physical symptoms of stress.Eagle pose is a prime example of how a brief asana can target back and neck tension.Learn how to do the pose here.

Craft
Repetitive motions -- like the fine motor skills used to knit, make jewelry or cross-stitch -- can soothe anxiety, according to avid knitter and pediatrician, Perri Klass, M.D. Mindfulness expert Dr. Herbert Benson agrees: Knitting fulfills the two criteria of mindfulness practice, as he sees it: "the repetition of a sound, word, phrase prayer, or movement, and the passive setting aside of intruding thoughts and returning to the repetition."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/09/stress-relief-that-works_n_3842511.html

Yoga Myths

BY BRENDA BLANCO

1. You have to be flexible to do yoga. 

If you aren't flexible now, imagine yourself in 10, 20, or 30 years? Start practicing now so you CAN be flexible.Yoga requires a combination of strength, balance, and flexibility. Everyone has at least one of these in their favor and you can use that to help you improve the other areas of your practice.

2. Men don't do yoga. 

Yoga was started by men and practiced exclusively by men thousands of years ago. Plus, the popularity of yoga among men is growing today. The ratio of men to women in my classes has grown from 1:10 to 1:2 in the past few years.

3. Yoga is too expensive.

Most yoga studios offer introductory specials for new students. Plus, there are many affordable online yoga services available and free youTube classes.

4. Yoga is a religion.

Yoga is built on spirituality and the promotion of being kind and compassionate towards yourself and others. It is not a religion and does not judge religions. It is accepting of all religion.

5. Yoga is not a workout. 

There are many types of yoga. For those who want a more vigorous experience, try a power or ashtanga class. This class will get your heart rate up, build strength, and burn calories.

6. Yoga is just for 20-somethings.  

My teacher Dharma Mittra just turned 74 years old and can still do headstand without his hands! (Not to mention other challenging poses...) If you have physical limitations, try a gentle yoga class or other class specific to your condition. Another option is a private classes to establish a routine you can do on your own.

7. Yoga's too much of a time-commitment. 

Any practice of yoga will benefit you. Even a 10-minute routine first thing in the morning at home will strengthen your body and mind.

8. Yoga's only for people who are fit and thin.

A yoga class is a place of non judgement. Everyone is there to better themselves physically and mentally. Take a beginner's class or workshop and ease yourself into regular classes. Depending on your intention, yoga can help you attain a healthier weight or allow you to love and accept yourself as you are.

9. There is only one type of yoga.

Vinyasa is the most popular type of yoga right now and involves using your breath with movement. Hatha yoga is slower with more static postures. Power yoga is more strengthening and cardiovascular. Hot yoga adds heat for an extra challenge. These are just a sampling of the many available styles today. Try each type of available classes near you and see what works best for you.

10. Yoga is not for people with injuries or chronic pain.

This is the reason why you should practice yoga. Speak to your teacher before class about your special conditions so they can give you modifications and keep an eye on you. Yoga is healing and can help you with your pain relief.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-10070/top-10-myths-about-yoga.html

Benefits of Hot Stone Massage

 By Jill Lee

Hot stone massage is a natural therapy in which warmed stones are positioned on parts of the client's body of to maximize the therapeutic benefit. The stones used are typically river rocks or other very smooth-surfaced stones made of basalt. These stones are heated in sanitizing water before use. The high iron content in basalt helps the stones retain heat during the massage. Hot stone massages are beneficial on both physical and psychological levels. Always check with your doctor before getting a hot stone massage; individuals with certain conditions--including pregnant women and people with high blood pressure--are advised to avoid this type of therapy.

Muscle Relaxation

The heat from the stones helps your muscles relax, allowing the massage therapist to manipulate your deep tissues more effectively. Overly tense muscles can hinder the massage procedure, so if your muscles are extremely tight or stiff, the heated stones may provide the extra relaxation you need for the massage to be beneficial in releasing tension and easing sore muscles.

Pain Relief

While all types of massage can help relieve pain caused by tense muscles, stiff joints or injuries, a hot stone massage may provide greater relief due to the intense nature of the massage. Because the hot stones allow the massage therapist to penetrate deeper, you may find that a hot stone massage leaves you feeling physically better than a Swedish or deep-tissue massage that does not incorporate heat. It is important to let your massage therapist know if you feel that the heat from the stones is too much or that the pressure he is using is too harsh. Pain or discomfort during the massage process can cause more harm than good after the massage is over.

Improved Circulation

Typically, a massage therapist allows the heated stones to rest on trigger points in your body before beginning the actual massage. As the heat from the stones penetrates into your deeper body tissues, your blood vessels open, resulting in improved circulation. Poor circulation can lead to fatigue, which tenses the muscles, and a buildup of fluid and lactic acid in the muscles. Increased circulation delivers more oxygen to the muscles, which can help ease aches and pains.

Mental Benefits

Massage therapy can result in mental benefits as well as physical ones in many people. You may find that the relaxation afforded to you through a hot stone massage helps ease some of your mental stress and tension. A hot stone massage may also help you combat some of the symptoms of anxiety disorders and depression. While massage therapy is not a substitute for traditional medical or psychiatric care, it can be an integral part of your treatment plan.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/116678-benefits-hot-stone-massage/

Reiki for Animals

By: Sheila Buchanan 

The awareness that an unseen energy flows through all living things and directly affects the quality of a person’s or animal’s health has been part of the wisdom of various cultures since ancient times.  When life energy is low it is more difficult to deal with stress and the body is more susceptible to illness.  When life energy is strong, one can more easily deal with stress and is less likely to get sick.  Reiki is a technique that increases a person or animal’s supply of life energy.

Reiki can be used for physical, mental/emotional, and spiritual rebalancing and wellness. The nature of Reiki supports energetic harmony and balance and always goes to the origin of any problem or dis-ease, working for the highest good to rebalance and clear the energy “flow”.

Reiki is ideal for use with animals because it is gentle and non-invasive and doesn’t require the practitioner to physically contact the pet.  Rather than causing stress, discomfort, or pain, Reiki is calming and soothing to animal and can yield powerful results.  Animals respond intuitively to the power of Reiki to support and promote their own natural state of emotional, behavioral, and physical balance and well-being.

For animals who are healthy, Reiki helps maintain their health, enhances relaxation and provides an emotional sense of peace and contentment.  For animals who are ill, Reiki is a wonderful and safe complement to Western Medicine, Chinese Medicine, and all other forms of wellness enhancement and support.  For example, Reiki has been documented to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy, support acupuncture treatment, and complement the effects of flower and gem essences.

For dying animals, Reiki is a powerful yet gentle way to provide comfort, relief from pain, fear, and anxiety, and to ease the transition to death and a compassionate way to support a dying animals’ family.

Sheila Buchanan is a Certified Shamanic Reiki Master.  She completed an Animal Reiki Internship in 2012 with Kathleen Prasad, founder of Animal Reiki Source.  She has worked with and helped countless pets with emotional and physical issues (including her own two dogs and two cats).  She is also an Ordained Minister in the state of Ohio and offers end-of-life sessions to animals that are dying and/or in hospice.  She compassionately offers her services to grieving families to help them heal from their loss and move forward.

Thai Yoga Massage

What is Thai Massage?

Thai massage is believed to have been developed by Jivaka Kumar Bhaccha, physician to Buddha, more than 2,500 years ago in India. It made its way to Thailand, where the Ayurvedic techniques and principles gradually became influenced by traditional Chinese medicine. For centuries, Thai massage was performed by monks as one component of Thai medicine.

What Does Thai Massage Feel Like?

Thai massage is more energizing and rigorous than more classic forms of massage. Thai massage is also called Thai yoga massage, because the therapist uses his or her hands, knees, legs, and feet to move you into a series of yoga-like stretches. Many people say Thai massage is like doing yoga without any work. Muscle compression, joint mobilization, and acupressure are also used during treatment. People describe Thai massage as both relaxing and energizing.

What Should I Expect During My Visit?

Thai massage is usually done on a padded mat on the floor. No oil is applied, so you are fully dressed. You are usually asked to bring or wear comfortable clothing to the massage.

A typical Thai massage is 60 minutes to two hours long.

Many people find that Thai massage has the following benefits:

relaxes

reduces stress

improves circulation

increases energy

increases flexibility

improves range of motion

centers the mind and body

Precautions

Massage is not recommended for certain people:

infectious skin disease, rash, or open wounds

immediately after surgery

immediately after chemotherapy or radiation, unless recommended by your doctor

prone to blood clots. There is a risk of blood clots being dislodged. If you have heart disease, check with your doctor before having a massage

pregnant women should check with their doctor first if they are considering getting a massage. Massage in pregnant women should be done by massage therapists who are certified in pregnancy massage.

massage should not be done directly over bruises, inflamed skin, unhealed wounds, tumors, abdominal hernia, or areas of recent fractures.

Additional tips

Don’t eat a heavy meal before the massage.

If it's your first time at the clinic or spa, arrive at least 10 minutes early to complete the necessary forms. Otherwise, arrive 5 minutes early so you can have a few minutes to rest and relax before starting the massage.

Be sure that your massage therapist has your complete health history, because people with certain conditions should not have Thai massage.

If you feel discomfort at any time, let your massage therapist know.

http://altmedicine.about.com/od/treatmentsmtoq/a/Thai_Massage.htm