40+ ways to become stress free naturally

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Remember that you are not the general manager of the universe.

Talk less; Listen more.

Go to bed before 10:30 p.m. Sleep in a cool dark room.

Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.

During your morning shower/bath think of at least five blessings in your life.

Learn to politely say “No,” to projects/activities that do not fit into your time schedule.

Learn to delegate tasks to others.

Simplify and un-clutter your life.  Keep your home, car and your office organized.

Less is often more.

Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.  Constantly being late is fertile ground for stress.

Respect other people’s time just as you want them to respect yours.  If you are held up in traffic then call ahead and/or be willing to re-schedule the meeting, appointment, etc.

Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don’t lump the difficult things all together.  Don’t procrastinate.

Take one day at a time.  Learn to live in the “now”.

Worry will rob you of your joy.

Live within your budget and means.  Save some money from every paycheck, even if it is only $5.

Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, extra sunglasses, extra garage door opener, etc.

K. M. S. (Keep Mouth Shut!) This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble and stress. Practice it regularly.

Do something for the child in you everyday.

Carry an inspirational book with you to read while waiting in line or waiting for an appointment.

Get daily exercise and sunshine. A daily walk in the sunshine is not only healthy but will help to minimize life’s stressors.

Eat healthy at every meal and pass on the fast food and sugary drinks/snacks.

Organize your desk/work area so that everything has its place.

Listen to a self-help or inspirational CD while driving that can help improve your quality of life.

Write thoughts and inspirations down. Keep a Blessings List or Notebook and add to it every evening before bed.

Every day take 20 minutes to be alone. Practice deep breathing exercises, take a hot bath, read, meditate, pray, sip a cup of herbal tea, listen to soothing music or just close your eyes and relax. Set up a comfy chair with a nice throw/blanket in your bedroom or den. Include a side table to hold a lamp, books, IPOD, CD player, etc.  Let your family know that when you are in that chair, you are unavailable unless someone or something is on fire!

When concerns arise, talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small concerns in the bud. Don’t wait until its time to go to bed to pray – most of us are too tired.

Cherish your friends and acknowledge their special days (birthday, anniversary, etc.)
Keep a folder of favorite scriptures and sayings on hand.

Remember to laugh!

Learn to control your temper.  Harsh words said in anger can never be taken back.  They have a negative effect on every cell of the body and actually bring the immune system down.

Take your work seriously, but yourself not at all.  Don’t be too hard on yourself.

Develop a forgiving attitude and spirit (most people are doing the best they can). We all make mistakes. Practice forgiveness and soon it will become habit!

Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).

Sit on your ego. Don’t talk about yourself and your accomplishments all the time.

Slow down and enjoy each moment.  Make a practice of being aware of all that is going on around you—flowers, refreshing rain, dew drops on trees, deep colors of nature, cool breeze, the aroma of cookies in the oven, etc.

Take an organic multi-vitamin/mineral supplement every day. Include a natural sourced B-Complex to help your body manage stress. It’s a proven fact that vitamins and minerals can help with stress.

Eliminate EMF (electromagnetic fields) stress by using EMF protection. Research now links long term exposure to manmade EMFs with chronic health issues — from stress and fatigue to cancer.

Be positive!  Look for the good in every event and situation that comes your way.

Be teachable and desire to learn. Know-it-alls are tiresome to the spirit and often avoided by others.
Eliminate negative TV and movies.

Decide to do more reading, listening to good music, outdoor activities, family night game playing, crafting, evenings with good friends, etc.

Invest in family relationships. Give your spouse and children your undivided attention, support and love. Tell them you love them every day!

Source: Oasis Advanced Wellness

Real food is harder to find than you think

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Most of the food consumed in this country has been or is becoming chemically treated, genetically engineered, or heavily processed – and none of it requires a warning label. It’s hardly even real food anymore and it is negatively impacting our health. Find out how you and your family can reduce your risk and make healthier choices. In this instance, a picture is literally worth a thousand words.

Don't forget to read our latest article on this subject: This is how you can be sure that your food is non-GMO

Source: Oasis Advanced Wellness

Man cures his skin cancer with cannabis oil

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David Triplett was suffering from skin cancer on his face and after some research he found out about Rick Simpson's hemp oil. This natural remedy has been gaining popularity among the alternative and holistic medical community as a great treatment for cancer that has no harmful side-effects. Here is Davis's story.



Rick Simpson's documentary Run From The Cure

Do it yourself natural sunblock

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This video will teach you how to make your own high spf, water proof sunblock from organic and natural ingredients for pennies on the dollar compared to buying it off the shelf. Ingredients include- zinc oxide (sunblocking agent), coconut oil (soothes and conditions skin), bee's wax (waterproofing agent), and tea tree oil (soothes and repairs skin and smells good too).

This is a great way to keep it all natural when you go out in the sun this summer. With the heat wave moving into the Northeast that may last until Saturday, it's important to stay protected from the sun .

Rub on and paddle out.

5 Easy Natural Beauty Recipes

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Check out these five basic recipes that you can use to prepare wonderfully effective and totally green beauty products at home saving time, money, and planet.  Each recipe can be prepared in 3 minutes or less and costs only a few cents per application.

1. Cucumber Lifting Face Mask
Chop 1/2 cucumber and blend in a food processor with 3 mint leaves and a pinch of sea salt. This mask de-puffs and tightens sallow, dull skin.

2. Homemade Baby Wipes
Combine 1 cup witch hazel, 1 tablespoon glycerin, 1/2 cup strong green tea, and 1/2 cup rosewater. Shake well until blended. Pour the mix into a container with a lid. Fill the container with squares of clean muslin cloth or cheese cloth, so that they are fully soaked with the herbal solution. Keep in cool place and use the wipes during 10 days. Then prepare a new batch.  Adding vitamin C (up to 1/4 tsp) will extend the shelf life up to one month or even more.

 
3. Diaper rash solution
Combine green tea, fennel, chamomile and rosehip (1 teabag each) in a coffee press and fill it with hot water. Steep for five minutes and strain. Use the cool tea to spray on the sore areas. You can also use the herbal infusion on your face.

4. Acne Mask
Make a puree of 1 sweet onion, 1 garlic clove, 1 tsp honey and 1 tsp aloe juice in a food processor. Prepare several gauze pads the size of your face (cut out the round holes for eyes, since you don’t need the onion puree anywhere near eyes) and soak them in the smelly goo. Apply to your face for 10 minutes or until the mix dries up. Carefully remove and rinse the face clean.

5. Banana Bliss Hair Pack
This mask prevents and treats hair loss. Mash 1 ripe banana with 2 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp brandy or cognac, and 1 tsp apple cider vinegar. Apply generously to shampooed, towel-dried hair, cover with PVC-free shower cap and let sit for 15 minutes. Wash off with warm water.

Source: The Natural Beauty & Health Blog

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19 Stress Busting Techniques

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"Stress is the trash of modern life - we all generate it but if you don’t dispose of it properly, it will pile up and overtake your life."- Danzae Pace We've all fallen victim to workplace stress at one time or another. And some of us probably even called in sick because of a stress-related illness. Turns out that anxiety, stress and neurotic disorder cases are involved in the highest amount of long-term work loss, according to the Center for Disease Control. >More than half of workers report working under stress, according to a recent CareerBuilder.com survey. This comes as no surprise, we are all too familiar with growing job dissatisfaction, heavy workloads, poor work/life balance and no mandatory vacation time. So arm yourself with these stress-busters and survive stress at work.

1. Throw your head back and shout loudly.

Shout and screaming is a great way to let go of all that pent-up tension that causes stress. Rather than risk being carted off to the asylum by shouting in the streets, let off some steam cheering on your local sport team, or heading to a sports bar. The added social contact will help you unwind even quicker.

2. Shake off jitters.

Speakers tense up in front of audiences because they fixate on how their limbs are moving. Their knees would shake, their voices would tremble, their thoughts would become jumbled… you know the rest. Warm up the link between the brain and body, however, and you'll stay more fluid. Shake out your arms and legs and make a motorboat sound (in private) with your mouth.

3. Recognize what you can and cannot change.

If you work in the stock market, you're going to be stressed that won't change. But if you make yourself crazy rushing for that 6:35 PM bus, simply get the next bus and save yourself some grief.

4. Break it down.

You're not Superman or Wonder Woman so don't act like one. Setting unrealistic goals only dooms you to failure, which fuels your stress levels. Try splitting a larger, seemingly insurmountable goal into smaller, more reachable targets. It’s far less stressful to aim to write three paragraphs before lunch than it is to complete a whole report by the end of the day.

Make to-do lists and tick of your accomplishments. This will make you feel less stressed as you will see how much you have already achieved and make you realize that no task is insurmountable.

5. Don't micromanage, delegate.

Again, don't try to be the hero. Effective managers delegate and don't micromanage. Prioritize your tasks to focus on the important ones. If you have subordinates, delegate responsibilities to them as much as possible. At home, hire someone to help with household chores or get your spouse and children to pitch in.

6. Play with your balls.

Stress balls that is. The act of squeezing a stress ball or a hand exerciser tenses the muscles in both your hand and your arm. Holding the ball for a second or two and then releasing it relaxes the muscle, causing the tension to leave your arm and hand, thereby relieving stress.

7. Keep cool under fire.

High-stress situations force us to bounce our attention between our inner thoughts - 'Oops, I'm screwed' and the task at hand. That rapid shifting makes everything feel like it's speeding up. Force yourself to focus by taking the time to jot down your plan what's wrong, and how will I fix it? – before you act.

8. Keep a golf ball or empty bottle.

Keep them for quick massages to relieve arch strain or foot cramps. This can be extremely soothing whether you work on your feet or at a desk. Foot massages are known to relieve tension, mental and physical stress, fatigue and headaches.

9. Brush it off.

If you can, paint your work space with calming colours such as soft blue. Research shows that exposure to shades of blue can lower blood pressure, improve sleep and reduce pain perception. In contrast, exposure to red light has the opposite effect, raising blood pressure and feelings of stress as it triggers release of adrenalin.

10. Reduce your distractions.

Your workspace should keep you motivated, not provide hot spots for daydreaming. Dress up your desk with items that keep you focused and place photos out of your direct and peripheral lines of sight. The effective use of space can not only increase your concentration but also reduce insomnia and stress.

11. Leave your work at work.

While we all want to appear the model employee, there is more chance of appearing so if you are not a sleep-deprived wreck, muttering in the corner. Aim to create a calm atmosphere at home by leaving your work worries behind, and try not to bring home any extra work, even if that means having to get to the office a bit earlier the next morning.

12. Be realistic.

Much of stress is self-induced from setting yourself ridiculously tight deadlines or by procrastinating. That work report will always take you twice as long as you had time-budgeted for once you factor in proof-reading, tea breaks, and the other ‘little things' like eating and sleeping. Take one thing at a time. Learn to prioritize urgent tasks and allot yourself enough time to complete your tasks, therefore reducing stress before it even starts.

13. Smiling is good, laughing is even better.

Nat King Cole had it right when he sang: Smile though your heart is aching. 'The brain cannot easily hold contrary emotional states simultaneously' so if you want to feel more smiley, then smile more. But if smiling is good, laughing is even better. A good belly laugh exercises your abdominal muscles and gets fresh air into your lungs. Think of it an internal workout.

14. Communicate.

It can be hard to do, but next time you have an issue with someone get it off your chest. Let your colleagues or manager know about it. They are human too, and don’t always see themselves for who they really are in the workplace. A friendly conversation expressing your emotions can do a world of good and can make things a whole lot better around the office. It won’t stop the overtime, it won’t increase the paycheck, and it won’t completely stop the griping. It can, however, make a job more enjoyable, build self-esteem, and engender a more positive attitude.

15. Take a break and walk away.

Or try to distance yourself from what is making you stressed. Counting to 10 will help you to move away from the situation mentally as well as giving you 10 valuable seconds to re-think the screaming-fit you were about to unleash on your unsuspecting co-workers.

16. Get organized.

You got up late and now have five minutes to leave the house. One of your shoes is in a tangle of bedclothes, the other in the cupboard under the stairs, and your brief case is no-where to be seen. Sound like you? Being organized will cut morning stress in half. Get into the habit of leaving your shoes, jacket and brief case by the front door and picking out what you want to wear the night before.

Make a list of everything you need to remember in the morning and set your alarm five minutes earlier, even if this means you just spend those five minutes in bed contemplating the day ahead.

17. Eat Nemo.

Australian researchers have discovered that eating oily fish such as salmon and sardines can help lower stress levels. This is because oily fish are jam-packed full of omega-3 fatty acids which help your nervous system to function properly and reduce the affects of hostility and aggression.

Most fish are also filled with stress-fighting vitamin B12 which plays a role in the production of serotonin; nature's Prozac.

18. Don't be afraid to take vacations.

Too much to do at work? Add another task to your list: take a vacation and relax. People can't operate at full throttle on the job day after day. When you do get away, leave your work cell phone and BlackBerry at home. You need to recharge so you can be at your peak when you get back to work.

19. Ask for help.

Look for signs that you're getting burned out. If you routinely zone out on the job, think that none of your work matters, or consistently dread going to work, it's time to get some help. So consider seeing a therapist or a career coach for guidance tailored to your own needs.

These tips for managing stress will help you change your actions and your outlook. Best wishes as you implement these ideas. Live a great stress-free life.

Source : Dave Sommers, Healthy Holistic Living

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Cinnamon & Honey Weight Loss Tip

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A simple recipe claimed to help you lose weight. Many of you may not think of eating honey for weight loss, but honey is a useful food to help you lose weight. Since it is a simple sugar, NOT a refined and processed sugar, it contains vitamins, minerals, nutrients and is good for you.

Honey helps boost and speed up the metabolism which helps the body burn fat.

Honey has a healthier glycemic index (GI) than sugar, therefore it doesn’t cause a sugar rush, but it is gradually and progressively absorbed into our body.

Cinnamon stabilizes blood sugar levels and increases the metabolism of glucose. Since high blood sugar levels can lead to increased storage of fat, cinnamon helps prevent this. Cinnamon improves insulin function. Thus, you lose weight.

The cinnamon and local honey clean parasites, fungus and bacteria in the digestive tract. The honey will also help stabilize blood sugar levels, which result in less food cravings. You will also have a feeling of fullness and satiety.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp of organic local honey
1 tsp of organic cinnamon
To make it simple: One part cinnamon and two parts honey is what is required for this recipe.

Instructions:
Put the cinnamon in a bowl
Boil 1 cup of water
Pour the hot water over the cinnamon
Steep for 15 minutes
-Add honey to the -cooled- liquid
Why add honey to the cooled liquid? – hot liquid will destroy the enzymes in the raw honey.

Action: Drink twice a day: 1/2 cup in the morning and 1/2 cup before going to bed. Take on an empty stomach.
You may experience more energy and better sex drive.

As always consult your health practitioner before starting a new diet.

Source : Dave Sommers, StepIn2MyGreenWorld

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Health Benefits of Bananas

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I like to consider the banana as the “king fruit” – it feels very “complete” in terms of nutrients, and provides us with an incredible burst of energy. Bananas have been a staple food for individuals for many centuries and still to this day top at one of the top 5 fruits in the homes of families. Bananas provide an array of benefits for the human body, including (and not limited to) the list below. Read on to find out how bananas will help improve and nourish your life!

1. Reduce depression
Bananas contain catecholamines, dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine (1). They also contain tryptophan which metabolizes the neurotransmitter serotonin (the “happy” molecule) as well as tyrosine (1). Dopamine and serotonin are both neurotransmitters, with dopamine being involved in movement, motivational and pleasure seeking behaviours and serotonin being involved in physical, emotional and psychological conditions. These two chemical help to reduce depression and improve your mood (2).

2. Regulate the bowel system
Bananas are high in non-digestible fibbers like cellulose, hemicellulose and alpha-glucans (4) which helps prevent constipation and restores and maintains regular bowel function. A 7-8-inch banana has more than 3g of fibre! This composes nearly 8% of your total daily requirement of fibre, and helps ease waste through the GI tract.

Bananas will help with both constipation and diarrhea. Bananas also contain pectin, and because of this, they have the ability to absorb water in the intestine giving them a bulk producing ability.

3. Reduce blood pressure & risk of heart disease
Bananas are rich in potassium (as we all know), and potassium is required for muscle contraction as well as correct functioning of the heart and nervous system. Eating just one banana will provide you with enough potassium for the day!

Bananas also contain flavonoids which show anti-inflammatory, hypolipidemic (ability to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol), hypoglycemic and antioxidant activities. Because of their hypolipidemic properties, flavonoids in bananas can reduce the risk of heart disease, inflammation and aging (3).

4. Help our bones grow stronger
Bananas help our body retain minerals like calcium, nitrogen and phosphorous, all of which help to build healthy and regenerated tissues. How do bananas help the body absorb these minerals? Bananas contain healthy prebiotics called fructooligosaccharides which nourish the friendly probiotic bacteria in our colon (4). When we eat a banana we are better able to absorb nutrients and compounds that protect us against bad bacteria because of the prebiotic capability of the banana, helping us to produce vitamins and generate digestive enzymes. Our friendly probiotic bacterium in our intestine ferment the fructooligosaccharides and thus increase the amount of probiotic bacteria (4) which allows the body toabsorb more calcium!

5. Help individuals to quit smoking
Did you know that bananas can help you quit smoking? They help to reduce the amount of stresses and help you deal with nicotine withdrawal. Bananas contain Vitamin C, A1, B12, B6, potassium and magnesium which help to relax your body and ease off the terrible side effects of nicotine withdrawal such as stomach cramps, stress, headaches, shakiness, irritability and nausea. They also help with the mental and physical symptoms of quitting cigarettes such as keeping your hands busy with something else, other than the cigarette. Holding a banana in your hand and consuming it will keep your hands busy, and will also deliver your body with potassium and magnesium which help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

6. Help prevent anemia
Individuals with anemia have a hard time producing enough healthy red blood cells. The common treatment is to take iron pills, however, the banana can provide similar benefits. Bananas are incredibly high in iron, and help to stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood – thus, they are helpful in cases of anemia.

Around 8mg of iron is needed daily for men and women, however, during menstrual cycles women should consume up to 15mg of iron. One medium sized banana contains around 0.4mg of iron, which is high for a fruit! Consume a 6-8 RIPE banana smoothie and you will get nearly 3-5mg of iron in one shot!

7. Provide us with energy
We all know bananas are a rich source of sucrose, fructose and glucose, all of which compliment the high fibre in the banana, and thus releases the sugars slowly into the bloodstream to give us stable energy throughout the day. Bananas also contain high levels of potassium which help to keep our muscles contracting properly during exercise and prevents lactic acid build up (less cramping). Just TWO bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout!

8. Reduce menstrual pains
Bananas are rich in vitamin B6 which helps to regulate blood glucose levels and thus positively affect your mood. One study found that treating premenstrual women with 100mg of vitamin B6 per day effectively treated their premenstrual symptoms and premenstrual depression (5). Instead of taking pills like ibuprofen or Midol (and reaping the side-effects of those drugs), simply eat a banana!

9. Power our brains
Our brains run on glucose – therefore, bananas are great to help boost our brain power. Bananas also contain potassium, which research has shown can help assistant learning and memory by making pupils more alert. Children who consume a potassium-rich fruit breakfast often do better on tests than children who do not.

10. Help prevent ulcers
Bananas have also been shown to neutralize the acidity of gastric juices and thus reduces ulcer irritation (4). They also protect against the formation of ulcers and ulcer damage by increasing the thickness of the mucous membrane layer of the stomach thanks to the flavonoid in the banana called leucocyanidin!

Sources:

(1) Ohla, S., Schulze, P., Fritzsche, S., & Belder, D. (2011). Chip electrophoresis of active banana ingredients with label-free detection utilizing deep UV native fluorescence and mass spectrometry.Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, 399, 1853-1857.

(2) Smith, K., Fairburn, C., & Cowen, P. (1997). Relapse of depression after rapid depletion of tryptophan.The Lancet, 349, 915-919.

(3) Vijayakumar, S., Presannakumar, G., & Vijayalakshmi, N. (2008). Antioxidant activity of banana flavonoids. Fitoterapia, 79, 279-282.

(4) Kumar, K., Bhowmik, D., Duraivel, S., & Umadevi, M. (2012). Traditional and medicinal uses of banana. Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, 1, 57-70.

(5) Wyatt, K., Dimmock, P., Jones, P., & O’Brien, P. (1999). Efficacy of vitamin B-6 in the treatment of premenstrual syndrome: systematic review. BMJ, 318, 1375.

Thank you to Live Love Fruit

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