Have You Seen This Herb? Motherwort: Strengthens The Heart And, Well- Our Mothers Too!

I went for a 2 hour walk yesterday evening and I was again amazed by all the medicinal plants popping out of concrete and hiding in random yards and storefront landscaping. East Lansing is no major metropolis but it is in majority concrete like most cities- but life finds a way! There are nutritious and medicinal plants around every corner.

Here's some of my favorites from yesterday's walk!

 CLICK TO ENLARGE: Motherwort found along the Sanford Natural Area on East MSU Campus. As a side note, just two days later, it was all cut down:( Very sad:(Motherwort (a.k.a. Leonerus cardiaca) is one of my favorites to find because it's so distinct! Here's a few ailments and conditions that it can be used for.

• the name indicates it's relevance to menstrual and uterine conditions while cardiaca indicates heart and circulatory uses. 
• used to bring about delayed or suppressed menstruation especially where anxiety is involved
• used as a menopausal changes tonic
• may be used to ease false labor pains
• excellent tonic for the heart, strengthening without straining
• specific for over-rapid heart beat when brought on by stress
• may be used for heart issues that are brougth on by anxiety and tension

Is that cool or what! I actually recently had my Mom start taking this as she experienced chest pain several weeks ago. All though she "checked out" as not having a heart attack or that her heart was in duress, we're playing it safe and beginning heart strengthening antioxidants and motherwort everyday. Motherwort for my Mother- funny!

Click to read more ...

What Craniosacral Is And Why You Should Get Some!

Our Craniosacral MechanismI just took a 4 day seminar on Craniosacral Therapy in Chicago through the Upledger Institute. It was incredible!

I learned SO much. I'm going to try to break it down for you. Not only to organize the thoughts in my head, but to show you what Craniosacral therapy can do for you and the ones you love. 

First of all, let's talk body rhythms. We are all familiar with our cardiac rhythm. We all know very well the rhythm of the lungs. The rhythm of the craniosacral mechanism (brain, spine and sacrum) is the 3rd and likely most fundamental rhythm in our body. It's the cycle of the brain producing cerebral spinal fluid (pretty important stuff) bathing our brain, spine and sacrum in nutrient dense, oxygenated fluid, and it reabsorbing into the blood. 

Without this process which begins at just 5 weeks in our embryonic development, our heart and lungs wouldn't work at all! Everyone has a craniosacral rhythm! Some are faster, some are slower. The average number of cycles for each of us is between 6 and 12 per minute. This is compared to our heart which beats 80 times per minute. The Craniosacral Rhythm (CSR) is slow and should be steady & symmetrical.

Click to read more ...

The Truth About Pesticides: Environmental Working Group Facts

Find out what illnesses can be provoked by exposure to pesticides, what vegetables contain the most pesticides, and stats on how many different pesticides are on the end product- OUR FOOD! It will surprise you!

Click to read more ...

"Vitamin D- 15 Facts You May Not Know" By Mike Adams

Fifteen facts you probably never knew about vitamin D and sunlight exposure.

(Compiled by Mike Adams, based on an interview with Dr. Michael Holick, author, The UV Advantage)

Vitamin D prevents osteoporosis, depression, prostate cancer, breast cancer, and even effects diabetes and obesity. Vitamin D is perhaps the single most underrated nutrient in the world of nutrition. That's probably because it's free: your body makes it when sunlight touches your skin. Drug companies can't sell you sunlight, so there's no promotion of its health benefits. Truth is, most people don't know the real story on vitamin D and health. So here's an overview taken from an interview between Mike Adams and Dr. Michael Holick.

Click to read more ...

10 Minutes of Unprotected Sun Exposure Per Day- Best Vitamin D Money Can't Buy!!

The sun is shining, the birds are chirping and mothers everywhere are slathering their children in sunblock! We are SO ready for summer!

Let's start with YOU! It's important to know YOUR personal threshold of sun tolerance. If you start turning pink in 10 minutes, make sure you have a mineral sunblock on hand to apply. Or put on a hat! Getting 10 minutes of unprotected sun is a GOOD THING for natural health, as long as your not turning pink.

How Much sun, is Too Much? Press your finger to your skin after 10 minutes of exposure & if you leave a white mark where you just pressed while the surrounding skin is pink, you're officially over exposed and it's time to grab some shade.

Click to read more ...

A Golden Opportunity: Craniosacral at Upledger Institute

It's Official! I'm attending the Upledger Institute for a Craniosacral Therapy Seminar in Chicago in June!

I'm SO excited- and I just can't hide it!!!! Oh yeah, I said it! :)

I got the student discount and early registration price and everything! It's an amazing opportunity to learn more about my newest healing modality. This will give me even more tools for my naturopathic tool box! I'm so grateful and so blessed to have this opportunity. Bliss:)

This school was started by Dr. John Upledger, now world famous for his work in craniosacral therapy. He has brought it to people around the world and I'm thrilled to have the chance to learn some of his techniques. 

Course Highlights: By the end of this 4-day workshop I should be able to:

• Describe the scientific foundation and principles of CranioSacral Therapy - and why it's the key to relieving pain and dysfunction at their source
• Demonstrate finely tuned palpation skills you can rely on as highly sensitive and intuitive healthcare tools
• Identify the subtle craniosacral rhythm and interpret its patterns to accurately evaluate dysfunction and improvements
• Locate the source of physical problems by traveling through the fascial system, that complex web of tissue that impacts all body structures and systems
• Release dural tube restrictions to enhance interactions between the central nervous system and the rest of the body
• Use techniques that produce dramatic health and relaxation effects, including Direction of Energy and Still-Point Induction
• Work with approaches to a number of common ailments such as TMJ dysfunction, head and neck pain, central nervous system disorders and many more
• Put a simple, effective 10-Step Protocol into practice right away

Gary Null PhD: Documentarian, Best Selling Author & Vaccine Activist

I've never seen someone speak on the subject of vaccinations with such passion, clarity and knowledge. He really is a hero. If you're on the fence about vaccinations, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, take 30 minutes to watch these 3 videos.

Here he presents thought provoking and for me, infuriating- vaccination information to a New York State Assembly in October 2009. Worth every minute. 

Click to read more ...

Dr. Brownstein Article: Merck Contributed to 1000's of Deaths

How can we let these people get away with this stuff, is what I want to know...

I love his blog posts. Their are succinct and interesting. Thanks for contributing to my natural health education Dr. Brownstein!

The article below was taken dirctly from Dr. Brownsteins blog. Here's the link: Make sure to subscribe to his blog to stay in the loop!

FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2012

Big Pharma Cartel Busted

“Merck was ordered to pay $321 million in Vioxx probe,” (Reuters 4.26.10). The article states, “A Boston federal judge sentenced Merck & Co. to pay a $321 million criminal fine for improperly marketing its Vioxx painkiller a decade ago.”
Big Pharma pleaded guilty to having illegally promoting Vioxx for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis before it was approved for that use in 2002. Vioxx was withdrawn from the market in 2004 after it was found to cause heart attacks, strokes and death. Furthermore, Merck agreed to pay more than $600 million to the federal government, 43 states and the District of Columbia for a wider range of improprieties.
So, let me get this straight. Big Pharma Cartel member Merck & Co. just paid out $1 billion dollars for criminal activity. Do you think that is a lot of money? Merck doesn’t. Vioxx generated nearly $2.5 billion dollars in sales per year during the time it was on the market. Perhaps a billion dollar fine is considered ‘just part of doing business.’ But, ‘just doing business’ should not include tens of thousands of patients dying needlessly. What were the consequences of Merck’s illegal activity? The FDA estimates that between 1999 and 2003, Vioxx may have contributed to more than 27,785 deaths.

Click to read more ...

Light Touch Therapy Class~ for Trauma & Beyond!

Date & Time: May 1st, 2012, 6:30pm

Location: NEO Center

Address: 934 Clark Street Lansing, MI 48906

Hosted By: Desiree Winans

Host's Message: Have you had a trauma that you haven't been able to move past? Whether it's physical or purely emotional these events can have lasting effects. For those of us that have been lucky not have traumatic injury or emotional trauma; we still may struggle with problems & illnesses. 
  
Cranio Sacral Therapy offers a key to unlock those traumas and illnesses. The subtle cellular releases it brings are sometimes what is needed allow healing and health to begin.
  
Cranio Sacral is light touch therapy that uses the hands to fascilitate the balancing of what is called the Cranio Sacral Mechanism. This consists of the skull, spine and sacrum (lowest part of spine). 
  
By locating points of tension, using non-invasive pressure, Cranio Sacral permits the inherent therapeutic Life Force in all of us to normalize the body. Many people see results in a matter of weeks! It's relaxing, beneficial and inexpensive compared to physical therapy and other modalities. 
  
Join me to find out how Cranio Sacral works and how you can benefit from it! 
  
THIS CLASS IS FREE WITH A SUGGESTED DONATION OF $5. Snacks and beverages will be provided. 

RSVP HERE!
  
Hope to see you there!

Mind Blowing! My First (Of Many) Ionic Foot Spas

After 15 Minutes of Soaking. I began to smell the chlorine in the water, coming out of my body. This water WAS purified.Can I just say, OH MY FREAKIN' GOSH! I just had my very first ionic foot bath and WHOA! I've never seen such sludge in all my life! I can say whole-heartedly that I am a believer in the detoxifying ability of this machine! This is something that anyone who is working to get healthy, detox or feel better must try and make apart of your regular natural health regiment. 

How did I get hooked up with this? My friend Laura Peiffer has been telling me for months how wonderful ths Ionic Foot Spa is that she does for herself and clients. I've been wanting to try it but we couldn't make time until today. I really had no idea what to expect. I do alot of cleansing, yes. But I know there is still much work to be done in this body- and now I'm certain without a shadow of a doubt! There is

Click to read more ...