David Kelley – Confidence in Creativity

May 16th, 2013

This video is very liberating for those of us who love to create but who don’t truly trust our own perceptions about the quality of the product we create. In other words, we are inhibited.

Maybe we went through some criticism from a sibling , friend or other person. So we tend to doubt our own abilities. The thing is though, that art is all about us and so what we create is personal. It can’t be right or wrong. It just is.

Since creativity is so important as a way to express who we are and what we feel, everyone should indulge in it. Go ahead, listen to this man and realize his concepts are valid. Enjoy!!

 

 

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House Dust – A health hazard

May 8th, 2013

I want to talk to you about something we all deal with in our homes, house dust. This is where you will find all matter of bacteria, dust mites, pollen, spores and an array of other allergens.

Many of you already learned a valuable lesson from your mother when you were kids. Take off your shoes at the door! This will stop all matter of activity you care to indulge in from coming inside with you since our shoes pick up everything. That means the mat at the front door does have to be cleaned regularly too unless you left your shoes just outside the door which is not so attractive in the winter.

Arrange your entryway to accommodate shelves or mats for shoes. I would suggest a bench or two to hide footwear under and provide a place to sit when taking them off.

Now there is the actual cleaning of floors which we can do by vaccuming. But think a minute about your dirt-sucking machine and make sure it has a true Heppa filter that is good enough to trap fine particles. The object is to keep any dust you picked up from getting back into the room.

The second consideration when vacuuming is the type of machine. It should be a canister type to keep it far enough away from you since the motor creates a magnetic field you want to keep away from your body. This, by the way, is also why you do not want to be using a leaf blower that straps to your body.

Cleaners is the next thing on your list and it makes sense to not further pollute the air and surfaces with chemicals. So natural products you have  in your home like baking soda, vinegar or lemon juice will fit the bill for this. Throw out your bleach and ammonia since these are chemicals, when mixed with other cleaners they can cause toxic gasses and they really just cover up those smells. You might consider steam cleaning those floors occasionally with dry steam that reaches 240 degrees Farenheit. I assume you also know that rugs are the worst for holding all kinds of bacteria, dust and mold so get rid of them.

The last thing is to have your house tested using a kit you can buy or a specialist can come to your house. Mold, lead and radon are the culprits you are seeking and do not belong anywhere near your family.

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Compost – the easy way

May 3rd, 2013

This guy from “growing your greens” knows his stuff. Who doesn’t want to know how to do this properly and from scratch? He details it for us and makes the whole process seem easy.

I do it myself and have a kitchen composter to keep things moving in my cooking area. The carbon filter in the top allows for a seal to prevent any odours from escaping.

During the winter, I have a garbage can of loose soil and leaves in a room on my covered porch that is sealed off. I mix the stuff from my composter with these two in another bin and it breaks down there. This way, I can compost all year and not worry about odours outside to attract the bears.

Enjoy the information here. He does a good job!!

 

 

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Stomach Upset – My Own Solutions

April 29th, 2013

Every one has had to deal with stomach upset of one kind or another. You could say that it comes from eating fatty foods, products that contain too much salt or sugar and even spicy foods that linger in our digestive tracts. But that would probably be the basic cause while other possibilities go unrecognized.

You might be a person with a slow metabolism and so the food remains with you longer. You could have an intolerance to certain products or products in combination. As a highly stressed individual, you would surely have a reaction that matches the physical tensions you sense.

Many things go towards distressing your digestive tract and prohibiting the proper absorption of what we eat. So what can you do about it? It depends on the actual problem area, your own sensitivity, your physical condition and other factors that are particular to an individual.

I for one had a lot of acid that wanted to resurface in my throat. So I started looking at what I could do for that. I raised the head of my bead to keep my head above the rest of my body. I stopped eating and drinking 3 hours before I went to bed. The last thing I had was a tall glass of water with two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in it.

In the morning, I drank a tall glass of warm water with a slice of lemon squeezed into it. Then I waited for at least 20 minutes before eating anything and ate my breakfast in a relaxed state. Before eating that meal, I took my usual multi vitamin, two vitamin D tablets and Acedophylus, a pro-biotic. Every other morning I had yogurt with active probiotics in it for that meal too.

My lunch became my main meal to keep the heavier meal to a time where I could work it off. I preceded that meal with a digestive enzyme tablet and ate my meal being sure to chew everything as much as possible.

Believe it or not, this worked and I do not get any stomach issues. I am a firm believer in pro-biotics. As to the other techniques I used, I came across these and tried them one at a time till I found a regime that worked for me. If your problems are similar, try the pro-biotics first and expand from there.

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A Cat’s Purr – newly defined

April 20th, 2013

I remember having two cats that were brothers.  One of them was very social and the other was always getting into fights. But they genuinely liked each other and taught me a lot about the breed. They also both purred differently.

Since I believe we, like cats, all have different personalities, it stands to reason that their habits like purring would be different. It wasn’t just the sound but when the purr was used and the way the cat expressed itself.

So when science recently came up with how they believe the cat makes the sound, I was not surprised. They think it comes from the voice box or vocal chords. Previously, it was believed it was from a vibration of bones leading to the head or vibrations from the chest area when blood passed through a large vein.

The brain sends out a signal that opens the vocal chords with the diaphragm becoming the pump. While this is all well and good, the why or the event that initiates the act is still not completely clear. In fact, it is now apparent that cats purr for many reasons.

Contentment seems rather obvious but I have seen my cats looking pretty happy and still they did not purr each time. I suspect it has a lot to do with chemical reception and interpretation. For example, if the cat was out in a field of catnip, you would hear a lot of purring and there would be kneading of claws, not to mention a lot of rolling and writhing.

That might also explain how some cats pick up a disease in humans and choose to sit in the lap of the afflicted person while purring away. They sense the chemicals and it brings about a reaction. This in turn does create a vibration of energy that the cat transfers to the person she is in contact with and it is believed it has a healing affect.

A cat will also purr when she is in pain and it appears to soothe her as well. Apparently endorphins are released in the cat when purring commences which explains the numbing of pain. So petting her helps both of you. How delightful!!

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Arsenic – What Levels Are Safe?

April 11th, 2013

It was a surprise to me to find out that rice has trace levels of arsenic in it. Dr. Oz mentioned this one day on his show and I was stunned. Since that time, more information has come out that it is also in rice products all the way from rice cakes to baby cereal.
There is no federal limit set in the U.S. or Europe for levels of arsenic in food and so it is found in fruit, juice, corn, wheat, beer, flour and other products.
Some arsenic comes from the ground and is referred to as organic arsenic. But inorganic arsenic does not and does not pass through the body quickly. This is the real killer.
The beer and wine industry has been using diatomaceous earth for hundreds of years to filter the products, remove that cloudy look. Even swimming pools However, for over 20 years, the wine and beer industry has been turning away from this use due to the fact it contains arsenic and silica which is known to damage our lungs.
That is to say, they have lessened the amount used, now more 50/50 along with polyethylene filters, cross-flow filtration or centrifuging. It has been suggested that washing DE before it is used might be an option but this has not been tested.
Back in the day, arsenic was used to cure STD’s with the idea that it would either cure you or kill you. That mentality led to todays usage in tiny traces in medicines to thin the blood and send Cancer packing. Levels in other medications are present in varying levels of toxification.
Since we are aware prolonged exposure will lead to skin, liver and digestive ailments not to mention cancer and overindulgence to death, we should be regulating all levels of usage.
I have to wonder, when will we take our health into our own hands again? It is long overdue and we are all suffering for it.

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Gardening – A healthy alternative

April 7th, 2013

Some of you may think because you live in a big city that you cannot grow your own food. Others rationalize that they know nothing about the process or are just plain not interested. Still more figure they can just pop over to the grocery store and pick up what they need.

The whole process from burying the seed, watering, weeding and caring for the healthy sprouts to putting the produce away by canning, freezing or drying is something we should all experience. Not only will you have the satisfaction of knowing what is in your food, you will be able to taste that freshness you can’t get any other way. But it doesn’t stop there.

Family projects involving the garden plot lead to “together” time that is invaluable. Also, you teach your family how to be self-sufficient in an insecure world where anything can happen. They too will share it with their families when they go off to start their lives with their partners. So in effect, you have started a healthy tradition you can be proud of and that will withstand the test of time.

Protecting a garden from potential harm due to chemicals is a wonderful contribution. Also by building up that soil year after year, you are putting back what nature gave you and completing the old circle of life. So many natural alternatives to chemicals are readily available now so there is no excuse for not creating something sensational out of a strip of plain old dirt.

Just be vigilant to make sure your selected plot is untainted to start with and be sure of the origin of your seeds.. What you put in is an indicator of what you will get as a direct result. Hey, it is worth all the bragging rights to say you did that. Why not make the effort? I know you will be delighted!!

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Our Lymphatic System – A Definition of Healthy

March 29th, 2013

Since disease is so prevalant in our culture, it stands to reason that we have to be more vigilant about what we put on and in our bodies. In fact, one of the natural cleaners we have in our bodies is the lymphatic system.
If we understand how this works and act accordingly, we can free ourselves of potential problems before they start. One thing we want to avoid is blocking off this system with foods that do not react naturally in the body including foods high in artificial additives that enhance flavour, color or that stabilize the product.
We have to be on guard for foods high in fat, excessively sweet or salty products and all those refined products that use white flour, white sugar, etc. Most folks already are aware of this but do not know why we should try to eliminate these.
Let’s go back to the lymphatic system. The largest organ in the system is the spleen. It eliminates blood cells no longer effective or past their prime and fights infection. Many women who suffer with weight issues do not have a healthy lymphatic system.
It turns out that raw fruit is a huge contributor to cleaning out this area of concern. That is because the acids and enzymes in the fruit are dedicated to this “sweeping out the old” process. All raw fruits and veggies have this purpose so the more raw produce you eat the better off your lymphatic system will be.
To further activate results, eat plenty of flaxseeds, raw nuts, avocados, drink lots of water and pure juice without any additives or sweeteners.

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Creativity – It Can Be Taught!!

March 23rd, 2013

We all have some form of creativity in us. With time, listening to others and noticing the values of others, we forget that creativity is alive in us. All we have to do is to believe in it and we will create something totally unique to us.

The trick is to be ourselves and not to conform to the beliefs of others just so that we feel we “fit in”. Even though others may create something that feels truer to what you believe the form should be, that does not make it the one to follow. Only believe what you know to be spontaneously creative to yourself. You are one-of-a-kind and this knowledge should give the kind of joy that explodes onto a page or into a form that you built.

It flows with paint and charcoals on a canvas, in the written form in a book or newspaper and in the building materials that result in a structure that you can utilize. All things are possible if you just open your eyes to the possibilities.

I am talking about this because I find that in time, we do change our expectation of our ability to be artistic and so stop trying. Some stop altogether which is just a shame since it is such a lovely and spiritual outlet. It might seem childish for some to pursue this idea but in fact, being childish is just the point.

When we were children, we did not doubt we could create anything. That optimism should not stop just because we have a large dose of reality starting to develop. In fact, we need it more and more as we get older. It creates a sense of fun in our lives and is therefor vital to our enjoyment of life.

So if you have been avoiding the whole idea of a special creation all your own, take a minute and think about what you might be missing. It adds perspective to our existence and a joy in all things. That sounds just wonderful to me and I like the idea I am learning something new. Give it a shot and see if it does not give you a lift you haven’t experienced in some time.

 

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Catnip – A Gardeners Aid

March 16th, 2013

Many people are interested in using natural alternatives to chemicals in their gardens. One plant has many benefits to help the backyard gardener create a crop that is successful. This plant helps to deal with the usual munching culprits that prevent this.
Catmint or Catnip is known to contain Nepetalactone. This one ingredient alone is a mosquito and fly repellent. The plant also deters cockroaches, termites, aphids and deer.
Butterflies also enjoy the plant, likely attracted to the flowers.The flowers are white with purple dots. It looks similar to mint although the leaves are greyish-green. Generally they grow to be a bush 5 feet high and 3 feet wide.
Researchers have found it to be ten times more effective than DEET which is present in most mosquito repellents. However, it is not as effective when used on the skin.
The flowers have been used in herbal tea blends related to sleep, stress reduction, and relaxation. Another quality appreciated is the ability to make a person perspire, thus helping in fevers, etc. It has been known to be effective for toothaches when the leaves are chewed. On top of this, it is used as a culinary herb for many dishes, particularly in France.
Known to have a slightly numbing effect, it is no longer used as much in a medicinal way like it used to be. Additionally, no studies have revealed how it inter-relates with other herbs or medicines.
One thing for sure, it is a decorative plant and your cat will love it. Cats love to rub themselves against the plant and eat it. This behaviour can go on for 10 or 15 minutes. Sniffing it seems to produce “high” effects and the felines appear to love the result, purring madly and drooling.
The plant is found in Europe and Asia where it can tolerate drought -like conditions. However, it can be found in seed form to grow anywhere, preferably in the bright sunlight. As a perennial, it will appear faithfully every year in spite of dying back almost to the ground.

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