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Failte! A Hundred Thousand Welcomes To Bath Culture Colorado Style

10/11/2020

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For pictures and text- click here! https://conta.cc/3nH6BiQ

The San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway beckons with an autumnal explosion of fall colors and a soak in the Lobster Pot. The lure of taking the waters inspired a last minute road trip to Colorado and it did not disappoint. In fact, I venture to guess it will be one of my most indelible memories. 

Beyond the anticipated road trip itself, were the box canyons, the springs, mountain tops, a CBD stop, recommended restaurants, hiking, wild animals, ski towns, Durango, and Mesa Verde National Park. Had Monument Valley been open we would have stopped there, too, yet it was still exciting to see a glimpse of the monument from the highway. Without much planning or initial research, our points of interest stacked up, so strategizing the time was essential. How to maximized a three night trip? Return home late on the fourth day and return the rental car the morning of the fifth. This gave us the ease at which we were able to do all of the above and more. Like wandering through the little towns, marveling at the light of early fall, and taking a million pictures every time we opened our eyes, for all around us was a constant, sensational, psychedelic beauty. And also not taking pictures, just breathing in clean clear air and being at one with big beautiful Gaia. These are the highlights of our hot springs journey with just enough detail to get you there and plenty of room for you to fill in the blanks and personalize your visit. An easy search of the area brings up all of the options.

Starting in Sedona, Arizona, we rented a car at 8 a.m. and my friend and I were on the road by 8:45 packed with 2 small coolers, 5 gallons of water, various shoes and small suitcases. Regarding the Southwest, I had been as far North as Lake Powell and Zion, but never Southern Colorado. Once, I had visited a friend in Denver back in the early 90’s, so I was excited to see something different in the state. Leaving Oak Creek Canyon and the pines of Flagstaff, we drove across a craggy, barren landscape through the dusty plains of Northeastern Arizona that gave way to long open vistas with lone spires that stood like stalagmites in the distance, jutting up into a misty pink atmosphere. In these long stretches of driving we talked about everything and nothing at all. I told a long forgotten story of someone I had met from Durango, a friend of a friend who had stopped in Sedona for the night. I remembered he said he was a bartender in Durango, maybe at a famous hotel. That was when I had first moved to Sedona, eight years ago, and I reminisced about what a fun night it had been. His name was Bailey.

We drove on. The two lane highway lead us through Kayenta and the Navajo Reservation, past Monument Valley and the Four Corners of Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico, and into the adorable town of Cortez, resplendent in 1950’s “Americana” Architecture and signage. Driving through, a mental note to eat at one of the authentic looking Mexican restaurants on the way back and within a few blocks we had counted four or five medicinal pharmacies. So, this is Colorado.

Suddenly, we were driving past blazing colors of yellow and yellow-green leaves cast in electric sunlight. Indeed the foliage had begun to change creating a visual vibration of color all around us and we realized we were there at the peak of the season! What a bonus as I realized I had no idea about fall time in Southern Colorado. 
Nestled into the dark green, shaggy pines and spruce, the aspens flickered phantasmagorical glints of light through cadmium yellow leaves as the sun dropped into the late afternoon sky. Unknowingly, we were entering the San Juan Skyway at the golden hour, an All-American Road and a component in the Colorado Scenic and Historic Byway System famous for it’s beauty. And it took our breath away. Truly. Gasping at every turn, we drove into the mountains and climbed higher and higher, past immaculate ranches and almost forgotten small towns, through forests already ablaze with an autumnal gold from the shorter days of sunlight and cooler temperatures. Straight up into the alpine trees, past deep forested gorges dense with spruce and aspens until we finally turned off the highway into the first box canyon, Telluride.

It was 4:30 in the afternoon and Telluride looked just like it did in a movie I had seen at the Sedona Film Festival a few years back. A documentary about how the town raised fifty million dollars to preserve open land from development. Kind of impressive which you felt driving in, a feeling of community and great pride - because it was so beautiful. Surreal, glowing light of yellow and green color therapy went straight to my brain as we oohed and awed our way through. Surrounded by high mountains, I later learned the area has 14 peaks that exceed 14,000 feet in altitude, and nearly all the area is above 6,000 feet. The few valleys and bordering foothills below about 8,000 or 9,000 feet are semiarid and have a growth of sagebrush and the tree line was distinct at an altitude of about 12,000 feet where only grasses and low bushes grow. We were on a “behold the beauty” high mixed with a little altitude giddiness!

As we drove in to the back of the box canyon we saw the mask mandate was prevalent, even on the street, and the businesses were operating in corralled areas on the sidewalk and through to-go windows. We parked by the city park and took a stroll through the trees. The park was full of locals and people like us. We stretched and walked a bit before driving back out to the highway. We were spending the night at a lodge in Ridgeway, an hour further down the two lane highway.

We pulled into town at dusk and the prospect of staying at our lodge, taking a hot tub and sauna, and dining in our room on the smorgasbord of goodies and Montepulciano wine we had brought with us was most appealing. Our room, 107, was on the first floor near the lobby, which made it easy to come and go. We settled in and slept well. The next morning we drove into town for pastries and coffee. Then a stop down Cannabis Row, as I referred to the many pharmacies along the street one right after the next . We chose Rocky Mountain Cannabis simply because it made me think of Rocky Mountain High and I had already been singing that lyric a few times throughout the day. I just couldn’t help myself. Rarely have I felt this high on nature and beauty…like the first time I went to Hawaii. After they buzzed us in the store, we bought some chocolate CBD wafers reportedly good for body aches and pains and, after leaving, decided to eat one as we drove to the hot springs, literally, a three minute drive down the road.

The springs were a delight! It was a good decision to combine a CBD edible with the healing therapies of deep heat, cold plunge, and sauna, the glorious Colorado sun. Clear blue skies made for idyllic heliotherapy or sunbathing on the lawn that was surrounded by fairy herb gardens and colorful flowers, a perfect respite before rotating through the circuit all over again. The other bathers were peaceful and quiet, but the mood was also friendly and I struck up a conversation with a woman that looked exactly like a client I knew back in Saint Louis. Like she was frozen in time, since she certainly wouldn’t look like that now. It was uncanny, but nice to think of my friend from so long ago. All the while, I was in was Bath Culture paradise! The CBD dissolved my low back pain and was strong enough to divide the wafer in half or even quarters in the future. We paid $22 dollars for 10 wafers that effectively could be 40 doses, 20, or 10 - a whole wafer being the strongest. 

The bath house had various ponds, but our trifecta was Lobster Pot, dry sauna, and cold plunge. One eleven and I’m in heaven! The Lobster Pot was the hottest pond registering 114 degrees in the sun and cooling off to 111 degrees in the evening. A few rounds of this intense contrast therapy and we took a break for lunch. 

The town square in Ridgeway is basically a grassy green park with moms and kids and a few blankets out on the lawn where people were playing guitar; where one can swing, tinkle a variety of xylophones, and the Uncompahgre River flows. We settled on a lunch spot across the street and while the waitress was seating us she commented that she liked my mask. I usually wear a hajibe but the classic mask was easier on the trip to get from point A to B and then take it off. I thanked her and added that my aunt had made it. Then she referenced her aunt from Oklahoma had made her some masks and I exclaimed my aunt was from Oklahoma! I don’t usually engage too much with servers at restaurants, so it was funny how this all transpired and our commonalities seemed to add up fast as we made our way to the table. My inquiry about the chicken fried steak further sealed our Oklahoma connection and as she left she announced her name was Bailey, if there was anything else we needed. Our ears pricked up and my friend and I laughed at the coincidence of it all.

When the moon started to rise, went back to the hot springs, back into the Lobster Pot. A group of 20 somethings beckoned us in scooting over to make room in the hot pot. We listened to their vacation banter. Two of the guys lived in Telluride and their childhood gal friends were visiting. They were young adults coming into their own. We joined in and we talked about the smoke and California, the fires, quarantine and masks. Barely touching on politics one of the guys gently summed it up, however, as the others were getting out, I don’t see why its such a big deal to wear a mask in the stores, but Its all about freedom and this is America.

Under the stars we had the Lobster Pot to ourselves as the white, almost full moon began to peek over the roof top.
The next morning we found a better coffee and on the cafe patio, I did a double take on a little girl that I seemed to recognize, yet didn’t know at all. I couldn’t place her but it seemed I had recently seen her somewhere. In fact, I gave her a light apology for staring at her under this pretext. When we went back to the hot springs, later that morning, she was there with her mom and I said hi, acknowledging that I had spoken to her at the coffee house. I eventually decided I had seen her in the Sinclair station standing in line to buy something, when we had stopped for gas a few days before on the reservation. Why do I keep seeing people I think I know? 

This time we were better prepared for the hot springs with just a robe and flip flops, a towel and water. The day before the scene had been quite busy for it had been locals day. In contrast, this morning the bath house was all but empty except for that mom, her little girl, and us. A difference that made the idea of of staying in one of the rooms or camping at the hot springs more palpable.

After a couple of rounds of hot and cold plunging we left. A late check out from our lodge and we headed to Ouray, the next box canyon and hot spring mecca on this scenic loop.

We drove up to Box Canyon Falls to the overlook of the gorge then drove back along the canyon floor exploring the the gravel roads and neighborhoods around the town. The San Juan mountains were huge earning the moniker Ouray is known for as the Switzerland Of America. The vibe was down to earth and liberal, quite different from the pristine ranches and roads of Ridgeway, where an unmistakeable conservative air blew softly in the breeze.
Eventually, we drove up and out of the canyon through Red Mountain Pass and I remembered a friend’s warning. I had to navigate towards the center line and dared not turn my gaze to the right as there was no shoulder but a shear drop off, no guard rail to catch a mistake. Oh, this must be what Andre was talking about…

Here, I started feeling the magnitude of the granite rock around us and words like Paleozoic, Jurassic and Pleistocene came to mind, geological events culminating in the Ice Age. Events that conjured images of the woolly mammoth and the saber tooth tiger ruling the land and the intensity of what it must have been like for early man to survive, a man like Thor, seminal to the modern day Colorado Mountain Man who is descendant of the Scandinavians, Irish, and Scottish immigrants that had pioneered and settled the area mining for gold and working the railroad. These were Celtic badasses and I thought of Bailey with his red beard and twinkling eyes.
We drove on through a corridor of gold and yellow with intermittent clusters of burnt orange leaves winding our way down the Million Dollar Highway. A picnic on the lawn at James Ranch Market satiated us for the rest of the day. 
We pulled into Durango at 5:30 p.m. and it was still quite warm in the 80s when we checked into our lodge, and our room number? 107. The whole journey was unfolding through synchronicities and coincidences like that. We went out to find the town was bustling in the warmth of the evening and after walking both sides of Main Street, and I started noticing almost every guy had a reddish beard. We ultimately settled on a patio seat at The Strater Hotel. We met our server on the sidewalk and behind her black mask her eyes caught mine with an unmistakable double take and she exclaimed, I’m sorry, but you look just like someone I know! She used to work here and you look exactly like her!

That’s what I’ve been telling everyone the last few days! We all laughed in unison. One drink and we went back to the lodge for a hot tub and an early night.
The next morning we found a delicious coffee house and walked along the Animas River Trail followed by breakfast at Jean Pierre’s. Think pistachio eclairs extraordinaire and live piano! Also the best classic Eggs Benedict I’ve ever had.
Just after noon we were on our way to Mesa Verde National Park. The expanse of the park was incredible and the colorful glow of the scrub oaks created a patchwork tapestry of red and orange autumn leaves. We saw a coyote on the trip and he seemed accustomed to seeing cars and people passing by, although the park was not crowded at all. Mesa Verde is immense and probably always feels comfortable to visit with a sense of having it to yourself. With our limited time, the ranger recommended we do the Mesa Top Loop where we saw the spectacular Square Tower House, Sun Temple, and various Pit Houses. At 8,500 feet in elevation we could see for miles to the next mountain ranges and beyond.

Looking through a telescope.

Indeed, we had lunch in Cortez and then headed back to Arizona. We drove into the setting sun which seemed befitting, the finale to our journey, the end just as awesome as the beginning when we drove up with the rising sun. Our timing with the light and the scenery had been spectacular and fortuitous without planning. We were so satisfied and as we drove on, a cloudless sky of light cast a dramatic perspective on the vast, craggy, barren land of the reservation and all those spaces in between out in the desert.
The sun was dropping low casting an orange alpenglow and the Harvest Moon rose up behind us. I watched it out the back window and then to the side of our car. We were an hour out of Flagstaff and almost home.

​Get In Touch With Your Skin With Bath Culture!
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The dark side of vaginal health products

6/18/2020

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​www.mic.com/p/the-dark-side-of-vaginal-health-products-18651391

By Melissa Pandika
Updated:
June 16, 2020

A plethora of new vaginal "health" products that claim to keep your vagina pretty, “fresh,” and healthy have emerged as of late, so much so that media outlets have declared V-care one of the biggest wellness trends of 2019. Fur sells oil for pubic hair and skin, while The Perfect V sells beauty sheets for your vulva. Lady Suite sells a probiotic cleanser. Plenty of other brands sell spritzes, washes, and wipes. Douches and wipes have been pushed on women for a while — but now, brands market these and similar products as “self-care.” Are all these vulvar and vaginal health products really necessary, though? And more importantly, are they safe?


Before this recent explosion of products, consumers posed the same question about douches, products that cleanse the vagina with water and other fluids. It turns out that many doctors advise against douching, since it can disrupt the delicate bacterial ecosystem in the vagina, which in turn maintains the acidic environment needed to prevent irritation and infection. Yet nearly one in five women ages 15 to 44 in the US douches, according to the Office on Women’s Health. Douching persists, as Timeline points out, thanks largely to the longstanding marketing strategy of cashing in on women’s insecurities — namely that their vaginas are smelly and gross.
Nearly a decade after Summer’s Eve drew criticism for employing this very tactic to market its feminine hygiene products, a new cadre of “intimate care” brands have emerged. Many distinguish their products from their older, mainstream counterparts through attractive, millennial-bait packaging, as well as the promise of gentle, naturally-derived, organic ingredients. They focus not only on cleansing, but also on pampering and beautifying — a means of feminist self-care. The Perfect V describes its offerings as “pure, indulgent pampering and love for your ‘V,” while “lady-owned” Lady Suite says it’s “dedicated to helping all ladies fall in love with their bodies” and wants to facilitate “a positive connection between you and your lady parts.”
But are these products really all that different from their predecessors who pandered to patriarchal expectations that women’s bodies constantly be groomed, fragrant, "pretty," and youthful? Experts still believe that their appeal is more so psychological than physical.
“As a general matter, there is no good evidence that women need these products,” says Stacy Lindau, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Chicago, about douches, feminine wipes, or any variation of them. For the most part, vaginas and vulvas have evolved to function without their help. Think about the safeguards your other mucosal surfaces have in place, like your nose, which contains hair and mucus to trap germs, or your eyes, which produce tears to keep them lubricated. Your vagina works in a similar way, Lindau explains, with hair on the outside and mucus on the inside.
In fact, these products may even worsen vaginal health, and we have little evidence of their safety, Lindau tells Mic. Washes, soaps, sprays, and other products used to cleanse the vulva or vagina can irritate and break the skin, as well as cause inflammation that prevents bacteria, blood vessels, and nerves from maintaining an acidic environment in the vagina, she adds.
Several patients who have visited her with complaints of vaginal dryness and painful intercourse saw their symptoms improve after they stopped using feminine hygiene products. (She does note that there are some cases in which intimate care products may help, such as for women with breast cancer who have undergone therapy that lowers their estrogen levels. Since reduced estrogen levels can cause vaginal dryness, they may benefit from products that restore its moisture.)
“Any person with a vagina who might want to use these products should look at the ingredient list and ask themselves how many they can pronounce or recognize,” Lindau says. You should also ask yourself whether you would put these ingredients in other mucosal membranes, like your eyes or mouth. If the answer is no, then you probably shouldn’t put them in your vagina, either.
And unless you’ve had a hysterectomy, remember that the vagina connects to the cervix and uterus, and finally, the fallopian tubes, which enter the abdominal cavity — meaning that “we’re putting chemicals into a body part that allows them to essentially travel to the inner cavity of the body,” Lindau says. The abdominal cavity, in turn, houses many other organs, and there’s a chance that douching may carry germs into that cavity.
Many of the newer intimate care products are advertised as “pH-balanced,” which may make you think they won’t throw off your vagina’s pH, but Lindau says that they may still contain ingredients that cause irritation. There’s also no strong evidence to suggest that probiotics — typically live, beneficial bacteria — will restore a healthy bacterial ecosystem in the vagina. Although researchers are trying to understand the human microbiome, “we’re not at the point where we can take early scientific discoveries and translate them to a recommendation.”
So, what are some proven ways to stay healthy down there? First, consider embracing your bush. Lindau says that pubic hair plays an important role in maintaining vulvar and vaginal health. Second, “let your body do its job,” Lindau says. “Avoid soaps, sprays, oils, and creams to the vulva and vaginal area unless there’s a very good reason.” Mucus already expels discharge, blood, and semen from the vagina.
Lastly, body odor is normal, Lindau says. The beneficial bacteria in the body naturally produce some odor. Using soaps and other odor-eliminating products could destroy beneficial bacteria and cause an overgrowth of harmful bacteria. If your vagina smells like baby powder and roses, you’ve probably killed important bacteria that help keep it healthy. A fishy scent or other strong odor may point to a problem, though, especially if you’re also experiencing issues such as itching or discharge, according to the Mayo Clinic. See a doctor if you’re worried about vaginal odor, rather than try to mask or remove it with an intimate care product.
To Lindau, these self-care-gone-south products speak to a larger, problematic obsession with hygiene — “where women feel that they need to use cleansing products in order to be sexually active or to be appealing.” Even if you’re drawn to these products mainly for the wellness they promise, you’ll probably have more luck finding it elsewhere.
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Winter Solstice Retreat: Manifesting With The Moon

12/7/2019

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Meditation: Divine Soul Connection

11/17/2019

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Meditation and yoga are more popular today than ever and whether you choose a practice of yoga, which includes meditation or just meditation alone, it’s inspiring to learn how accessible meditation really is and the physical benefits that go along with the practice.

Meditation,  from Latin word meditatio meaning "to think, contemplate, devise, ponder, is a practice where an individual uses a technique to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state. Classic meditation techniques focus the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity. The term meditation was introduced as a translation for Eastern spiritual practices, referred to as dhyāna in Hinduism and Buddhism, and comes from the Sanskrit root dhyai, meaning to contemplate or meditate.

Meditation has been practiced since antiquity in numerous religious traditions, yet as a yoga practitioner and teacher, I know meditation as the seventh limb in the eightfold path to self-realization and enlightenment described in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. Each limb is to be practiced sequentially as one step prepares the practitioner for the next moving from forgetfulness to illumination, from unhealthy to health, from sadness to happiness, from constriction to happiness. Practicing the limbs of yoga foster the idea that impurity is destroyed and the radiance of  wisdom (jnana) leads to discernment (viveka).
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The eight limbs of yoga are: yama (self restraint), niyama (right observance), asana (right alignment), pranayama (regulation of breath), pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses), dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation), and samadhi (free attention). Dhyana, or meditation, evolves out of the previous limb of dharana, or concentration, where the controlled mind that is gained through pratyahara (sense withdrawal) gives rise to our ability to intensify our attention on a single point. 
When this concentration is prolonged through an uninterrupted flow, it becomes dhyana. In dharana, we experience release, expansion quietness and peace, freeing us from attachment. This freedom results in the indifference to the joys of pleasure or the sorrows of pain. The repeated continuation, or uninterrupted stream of that one point of focus is called absorption in meditation (dhyana). Not to be confused by Sanscrit words, but rather decipher that mediation comes out of a process of preparing the mind for the purpose of reaching a heightened level of spiritual awareness and to develop your inherent potential.
Meditation may be used to reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and pain, thereby increasing peace, perception, self-concept, and well-being. Continual scientific research aims to define the possible health effects on our psychological, neurological, and cardiovascular systems along with other effects on brain and immune function.
For these reasons, meditation attracts not only spiritual seekers on the road to enlightenment, but anyone looking to explore different ways of being- through physiological changes in the body that create more joy, more happiness, and more ease in daily life. Meditation helps to cultivate the middle path by increasing and enhancing one’s ability to allow, tolerate, and observe the complex world and relationships around them without attaching one’s self or an expectation or outcome to any person or event.

In the 1970s, Herbert Benson, MD, a researcher at Harvard University Medical School, coined the term “relaxation response" after conducting research on people who practiced transcendental meditation. The relaxation response, in Benson’s words, is “an opposite, involuntary response that causes a reduction in the activity of the sympathetic nervous system”, the fight or flight response. Studies on the relaxation response have documented the following short-term benefits to the nervous system:                                                                                                                                    
Lower blood pressure / Improved circulation / Lower heart rate
Less perspiration
Slower respiratory rate    
Lower blood cortisol levels
More feelings of well-being                                                                                                                                         
Scientifically, meditation has been proven to:
  •     Decrease anxiety
  •     Improve cognitive thinking                                                                                                             
  •     Ease stress by activating the Parasympathetic Nervous System
  •     Increase oxygenation of the body through deeper breathing                                         
  •     Moderate digestion
  •     Stimulate the relaxation response
  •     Increase mental and physical flexibility
  •     Stabilize emotions by increasing the grey matter in your brain which is responsible for muscle control,          seeing, hearing emotions, and speech.
Whether you come to meditation through the philosophy and practice of yoga or meditation as the practice in and of itself, you are embarking on a great self exploration of your mind and body. 

K.I.S.S Principle

Simplified, meditation is an approach to training the mind and training implies practice. The idea of meditating can be quite intimidating and even unfathomable for a beginner to sit for long periods of time and think of nothing. The easiest way to approach meditating is to keep it simple and straightforward by focusing on the breath- creating a fixed point of concentration and not go for the distance. Quality over quantity is the idea and sitting for 5-10 minutes to start with is an accessible approach.  Focus and concentration is challenging, so start by meditating for only a few minutes and then work up to longer periods of time. Concentration meditation involves focusing on a single point like the breath, repeating a single word or mantra, trataka ( i.e. staring at a candle flame), listening to a repetitive gong, or counting beads on a mala. The trick to meditation is each time you notice your mind wandering, you draw yourself back and refocus your awareness on the chosen object of attention. As thoughts arise let them pass by like clouds in the sky.  Know that even the most proficient meditators do this. This is the practice and in this process your ability to concentrate improves.

Another variation is mindfulness meditation which encourages the practitioner to observe wandering thoughts as they drift through the mind without passing judgement or labeling. Here the intention is not to get involved, but to be aware of each mental direction as it appears. Mindfulness meditation reveals how your thoughts and feelings tend to move in particular patterns. Through this process you can become more aware of the tendency to quickly judge an experience as good or bad, pleasant or unpleasant and with practice, an inner balance develops, so as not to be driven by your perceived “likes” and “dislikes”.

Various techniques make meditation easier to embrace and takes the pressure off of what is seemingly the impossible or daunting for a beginner. One of my favorite meditation techniques is the cultivation of compassion which involves envisioning negative events and recasting them in a positive light by transforming them through compassion. I also subscribe to moving meditation techniques, such as tai chi, qigong, and walking meditation, especially accessible to a beginner because intrinsically and physiologically one is balancing the brain with each swing of the opposite arm in movement with the opposite step hence working across the center line of the body and balancing the left and right brain hemispheres. The balancing effect is readily calming to the mind clearing way for concentration.                                                                                       

However, the purpose of meditation is not to achieve benefits, but to simply to be present. The goal of meditation is no goal, but rather to defragment your thoughts so you can step back and make sense of them with a clearer prospective. In Buddhist philosophy, the ultimate benefit of meditation is liberation of the mind from attachment to things it cannot control, such as external circumstances or strong internal emotions. The liberated or “enlightened” practitioner no longer needlessly follows desires or clings to experiences, but instead maintains a calm mind and sense of inner harmony. Meditation is said to increase the blood flow to the brain and “rewire the circuity” of the brain. In the movie What The Bleep Do We Know, science showed the more we repeat the same thought patterns in our mind the stronger those brain synapses become. Sort of like the more chocolate you eat, the more chocolate you crave. Meditation invites us to strengthen positive feel good neurological pathways and weaken or break the cycle of negatives disruptive patterns.
How To Start
  • Taking your “seat” and have a timer with a gentle alarm (like on your phone).
  • Find a conducive environment that is peaceful, quiet, dimly lit where you won’t be distracted or disturbed for fifteen minutes or so. Use a blanket or shawl if you are chilly and make sure you are not hungry or have a full stomach because digestion can be distracting.
  • Sit upright on any firm pillow. A zafu, or meditation pillow, is a round, firm pillow helpful to sitting upright. Or you can sit in a chair that supports an upright position. Slumping can be distracting and cause you to loose focus. Alternatively, you can lie down, if you can avoid falling asleep.
  • Start your timer for 3-5 minutes and settle in. Close your eyes. If you choose to lie down you might enjoy an eye pillow over your eyes.
  • Take a few slow deep breaths in through the nose and out the mouth. Now allow an easy breath, not to make it anything other than it is. Come into body awareness by focusing your attention on your breath. Follow your breath moving in through your throat into your lungs and back again. Notice the rise and fall of your belly, the rise and fall of your chest. Expanding on the inhale and gently contracting on the exhale. The mind tends to wander on the out breath, which is something to keep in mind. When your mind does wanders, simply bring your awareness or “attention muscle” back to your breath.
  • Remember not to judge or chastise yourself. Go easy on yourself. The greatest mediators all experience the mind wandering, so don’t overthink or analyze the process.
  • Maintain this meditation for 2-3 minutes by continually bringing your awareness back to your breath. Do this until the timer chimes. That’s it! Take a few stretches.
  • As you continue to practice, try it for longer periods of time like 5-10 minutes. Use a timer so you don’t have to think about it and can completely immerse yourself in the experience.
  • If you have particular difficulty concentrating follow the above steps and try counting. Count your breaths until you reach five, and then start over again.
  • Regularity is key to building mindfulness with a shorter daily practice being more effective than a once in a while longer sit. Meditating 10 minutes a day is better than mediating for an hour once a week.
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There is an old adage, where the mind goes the body follows and the attention you give to the things around you sends energy to those things: conversations, events, ideas. Most of the time we are thinking of multiple things at once which creates a kind of chaos in the mind. Meditation highlights your breath and in turn exercises your attention to focus on one thing, clearing the mind of scattered thinking, increasing your mind’s concentration and awareness, and in turn creating a cascade of effects in the body for peace, calm, and equanimity.
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What To Expect By Using A Shampoo Bar

11/9/2019

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Limited Edition Aroma Beauty Bars
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Sassafras and Orange Crush + C
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Bergamot + Rose and Indochine
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Beyond Shampoo Bar Samples
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Before Beyond Shampoo and Beyond Shampoo Bar: dry and frizzy
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After: 1 month later my hair is smooth and manageable.

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Shampoo only air dry
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Shampoo only blow dry
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Shampoo and Beyond Conditioner blow dry bangs only
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Shampoo and leave-in Beyond Conditioner, no touching for compact  air dry
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Shampoo, brush Chakra Aroma Moisturizer through hair, air dry
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Shampoo, blow dry, gloss with Dream Cream 
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Shampoo, blow dry bangs only, scrunch Dream Cream into hair, air dry
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Shampoo, ribbon Dream Cream through damp hair, air dry
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Shampoo, air dry
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Shampoo, leave-in Beyond Conditioner, air dry
Beauty Bar Neutral Cleanser is a multi purpose bar for face, body, hair , and shaving. Whether you are new to using natural and organic products on your body, or you are a long time devotee to the original apothecary of herbs and botanicals for body care, using a shampoo bar is a very different experience to the commercial, mainstream fare that most of us grew up with.

Having ditched the slippery shine, plastic-y feeling, fragrance, and scalp irritation of conventional shampoos a long time ago, I have to remember how different the experience is so that you know what to expect.

Beauty Bar Neutral Cleanser, Aroma Beauty Bars, and Beyond Shampoo Bar are all made with natural and organic ingredients and are completely biodegradable. That means after a few minutes the lather will break down into nothing after its cleansing action is done. Rinsing the shampoo is immediate and you won’t see a big foamy residue in the tub. Void of the silicones and synthetic ingredients that create an artificial “silkiness” and “shine”, my shampoo bars cleanse and condition your hair with natural botanicals, oils, and butters. That being said, those are the conditioning qualities that are left behind once the cleansing lather has done it’s job.


Chemical ingredients like Dimethicone, Methicone, Amodimethicone, Cyclomethicone, Dimethiconol (ingredients ending in “cone”) coat the hair with a plastic like barrier to create a temporary silky/shiny effect. Big sudsing action accompanies these ingredients to distribute this coating evenly, but this actually impedes nutrients and conditioning from absorbing into the hair and skin.

If you are used to using shampoos with big sudsing action and fragrance (synthetic aromas that make the liver work double time to detox) you are set up for a transition period that I want you to be aware of. Once you stop the fake “shine” you will reveal hair that is thirsty for real moisture and nourishment.

Remember how everyone said you have to switch your shampoo every once in a while because it doesn’t work anymore? Well, that’s because it was never really caring for your hair in the first place and after a few months of coating your hair in synthetic glossing agents the hair starts to freak out underneath all of that “plastic” with brittle and frizzy characteristics.

Britta Aragon sums it up beautifully in her blog, describing how that artificial coating on the outside of skin and hair causes several issues:
  • It traps everything under it—including bacteria, sebum, and impurities—which could lead to increased breakouts and blackheads in the skin and on the scalp.
  • The coating action actually prevents the skin from performing its normal activities—like sweating, temperature regulating, sloughing off dead skin cells, etc.
  • Prolonged exposure to dimethicone can actually increase skin irritation, due to the coating property and because dimethicone is listed as a possible skin and eye irritant.
  • Those with sensitive or reactive skin are at risk of an allergic reaction to dimethicone.
  • On top of all this, dimethicone is a non-biodegradable chemical—bad for the environment.
She goes on to describe how using these types of ingredients on your skin/hair can actually exacerbate skin aging by inhibiting skin’s natural processes, creating a dependency on the coating product, disrupting the skin’s own hydrating processes, which in the end increases dryness, making fine lines and wrinkles more noticeable- or in the case of your hair, dry and frizzy with possible breakage. The coating properties may increase breakouts, particularly if you’re susceptible to acne, which will lead to scars and older-looking skin and irritating bumps on the scalp. Without nourishing the health and vitality of the skin and hair, aging take its toll.

The Transition Period
Monsoon Nectar relies on oils (essential oils, fixed oils, butters) and botanicals to cleanse, nourish and condition the hair and scalp. Our skin secretes a natural moisturizer called sebum and these oils are most similar to our sebum and are readily absorbed and utilized.

Once you reveal the true condition of your hair it might take a little time to rejuvenate your locks, but trust the process. Just like any health regimen it might take a few weeks to see  big results, but immediate changes will be taking place.

Think about how oils break down oils. If there is a gummy sticky glue-like mess you want to clean up, soap and water doesn’t work, because oil and water don’t mix. Using an oil breaks down that substance (oils mix with oils) and removal is easy. On a less extreme level that is how oils are great cleanser for the hair, scalp, and skin. Using high nutrient oils and botanicals imparts rejuvenating qualities in this process.

Gone are the days of a big foamy lather with the hair piled up on the head- that is only going to create tangles and stress on the hair when using a natural shampoo bar.
  • Brush your hair out before you shampoo. This is stimulating to the scalp and distributes your natural sebum from the scalp down the hair shaft. We loose 80-120 hairs a day and brushing usually captures this hair so you don’t see it all over the house or at the bottom of the drain.
  • Removing snarls and tangles before you shampoo ensures better distribution of your shampoo bar lather.
  • Remember, your scalp is an extension of your complexion, so focus on your scalp for cleansing.
  • Since the shampoo bar is loaded with moisturizing oils you can monitor this conditioning, or lessen it, depending on your application.

If you want a heavier finish with a more smoothing and conditioning action, massage your shampoo bar directly on the scalp. Distribute the lather by targeting the sides of the head, the top and the back. For long hair you might slide the shampoo bar down the hair a few times. Put the bar down and massage the lather and distribute evenly over your scalp and then finger comb or squeeze the lather down your hair. Keep your hair organized in a downward direction and not bundled up in tangles. The initial, foamy lather will start to biodegrade immediately, so squeeze the lather down your hair right away. As the lather disappears nourishing oils and butters are what is left behind on the hair. This will feel very different and you might think your hair feels waxy or greasy. Trust the process.

If you desire a light finish, lather the shampoo bar in your hands first and then apply to your scalp and hair following the directions above.

Try both versions above without conditioning your hair afterwards. Air dry or blow-dry and feel the effect.

On a different occasion, shampoo and then follow with a conditioner. Make sure you follow up with a natural product, like Beyond Condition, as to not reintroduce chemicals and synthetics that won’t be compatible with natural oils- a conventional conditioner full of chemicals and synthetics will not feel compatible.

Trust the process and try the shampoo bar first with out conditioning afterwards. On another occasion, use the shampoo bar and then use Beyond Condition afterwards in the shower. Experiment with air drying and then blow-drying. Compare the effects and results.

Hair that is thicker, thinner, textured, curly or straight will all react differently, so know your options for a fuller finish or a sleeker finish:
  • Shampoo. Rinse. Comb out. Air dry or blow-dry.
  • Shampoo. Rinse. Apply Beyond Conditioner. Rinse. Air dry or blow-dry.
  • Shampoo. Rinse. Comb out. Apply and leave-in Beyond Conditioner to towel dried hair. Air dry or blow-dry.
  • Shampoo. Rinse. Comb out and towel dry hair. Apply one of the Chakra Aroma Moisturizers as a serum on damp hair. Comb through hair and condition. Air dry or blow-dry. Experiment with a light and heavy application.
  • Shampoo. Rinse. Comb out and towel dry hair. Apply a soft butter, like Dream Cream, to comb out hair and condition. Air dry or blow-dry.
  • Shampoo. Comb out. Air dry or blow-dry. Then glaze dry hair with one of the Chakra Aroma Moisturizers or Dream Cream. Start mid hair strand and lightly apply moisturizer down and through hair. Your hands are like a tool, so distribute the moisturizer evenly on the front and back of your hands and lightly whisk your hands through your hair. You can always add more so start with a light application. If your scalp feels dry, massage your fingertips over your scalp after you have applied oil to hair. This is only a residual amount, so your hair will not look greasy. Mindful of your hairline.

Oils and butters will eventually weigh down your hair, so alternate with Beyond Shampoo when necessary. I do not use a shampoo bar every day. Once you see and feel the effects on your hair, you'll know when to use it according to the desired look you want to achieve.

My mantra Get In Touch With Your Skin! resounds here in the process of getting in touch with your hair and scalp by working your products differently. Different combinations of products and application techniques give you a variety of effects depending on your mood and look you are going for. Either way your hair will be bouncy and clean, rejuvenated and nourished for strength and shine- the hallmarks of healthy hair and scalp.


< Check out the various effects you can get with the different combinations of shampooing with a shampoo bar and conditioning your hair by rinsing the conditioner out or leaving the conditioner in your hair, scrunching your conditioner in or smoothing it with a brush, 
blow drying or air drying, finishing with a serum or a butter.

Think of all of this moisturizing as a styling product to smooth and condition your locks! Experiment with a light or heavy application to easily style and manipulate your hair  for your look and mood! 

I gave up sticky, smelly, gummy gels, sprays, and hair styling products a long time ago for the natural feel and shine of healthy happy hair.


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Skin Deep And Beyond Aromatherapy Facial

10/14/2019

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A Monsoon Nectar Aromatherapy Facial merges beauty and the healing arts to impart your skin with a radiant glow and reset your sense of joy, comfort, and ease.

​Aromatherapy, the combination of aroma- meaning scent or smell and therapy- meaning treatment, is concerned with the psychological and physical health of the individual on a holistic mind, body, and spirit level. Natural aromas from essential oils are the basis for aromatherapy which we experience through our olfactory system, our sense of smell. Another word for our sense of smell is olfaction which affects the limbic system of the brain, our feel good mood center. Involved in sensory perception, motor function, and olfaction, the limbic system is also responsible for controlling various other functions in the body including interpreting emotional responses, storing memories, and regulating hormones.

Limbic system structures are involved in many of our emotions and motivations, particularly those that are related to survival such as fear and anger. The limbic system is also involved in feelings of pleasure that are related to our survival, such as those experienced from eating and sex. The limbic system influences both the peripheral nervous system and the endocrine system.
Regina Bailey ThoughtCo.com

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I like to think of aromatherapy as a portal, since it can evoke memory and influence our mood and behavior. Likewise, it can be repelling and indicate a caution or warning to our surroundings and environment. One of the most powerful of the five main senses, our sense of smell guides us through a complex process between sensory organs, nerves, and the brain making our olfactory system remarkable in detecting, identifying, and perceiving molecules in the air and therefore, closely related to our sense of taste.

​Through the ages evidence shows that essential oils have been used by civilizations for medicinal, therapeutic, spiritual, ritualistic, culinary, hygienic and cosmetic purposes to support good health and treat ailments. The Egyptians were known for massaging their bodies with fragrant oils after bathing, while the Greeks used the oils medicinally and cosmetically. However, the practice of burning incense as a mood enhancer for harmony and balance dates back to China, where the oldest surviving medical book (dated around 2700 BC) was found to contain information on over 300 plants. As plant remedies were discovered, different methods of extraction evolved from burning/smoke, infusion in an oil, the process of distillation, and chemical extraction. An Egyptian papyrus dated around 1555 BC depicts infused oils and herbal preparations for spiritual, medicinal, mummification, fragrant and cosmetic uses. Egyptians are acknowledged, in fact, to have coined the term perfume from the Latin per fumum which translates as through the smoke.

The term aromatherapy only came about in the 2oth century, in a 1928 article written by French chemist Rene`- Maurice Gattefosse`. In the article, he describes accidentally burning his hand in his science lab, then randomly dunking his hand in a vat of lavender oil and how rapidly the burn healed. Gattefosse` went on to write a book that was translated into English called Gattefosse`s Aromatherapy, which is still in print and widely read today.

​Pleasure is potent healer and, naturally, we are attracted to aromas and experiences that make us feel good, which is why an Aromatherapy Facial is one of the best ways to reset your mind, body, and spirit.
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The Aromatherapy Facial that I offer combines ayurvedic principles with modern cosmetology to create a truly sensational and pleasurable experience during your sedona spa retreat. My signature skin care Monsoon Nectar Chakra Aroma Skin Care is formulated with essential oils and botanicals from the main aroma categories below:

Citrus - fresh, clean, refreshing, inspiring- think lemon, orange, and grapefruit.
Floral - flowery, soothing- think lavender, geranium, chamomile, and rose.
Herbaceous - herbal, energizing- think oregano, thyme, rosemary, clary sage.
Spicy - not hot, but spices of fall and winter, grounding- think nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, ginger, cardamon.
Woody - grounding, soothing, stabilizing- think sandalwood, fir, cedarwood, cypress, juniper.
Earthy - more masculine- think patchouli, vetiver, angelica.
Resinous - reflective, grounding, inspiring- think frankincense, myrrh.
Camphoraceous - unmistakably heady scent that is strongly aromatic, energizing- think tea tree, eucalyptus, peppermint.

​Essential oils are known to soothe the skin and make it glow, maintaining moisture and radiance. They have a small molecular weight allowing them to penetrate deep on the surface of the skin. Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties in the oils alleviate redness and irritation in the skin, while healing properties make essential oils ideal for use in facials.


The PROCESS:
1. The facial begins with oil cleansing and massage using essential oils that are mixed into a carrier oil. This is a pre cleanse step that softens congestion, absorbs dirt on the skin, and sets the mood for relaxation.

2. Deep cleansing involves removing the oil and debris from the skin with a foamy cleanser.

3. Steaming the skin swells the pores to further release congestion and debris. A few drops of an essential oil in the facial steamer produce a variety of effects such as:
  • Tea tree – for clogged pores, colds, sore throat, acne, whiteheads and blackheads.
  • Lemon oil – oily skin, blemishes, skin brightening, allergies
  • Lavender oil – soothing skin, beautifying skin, blemishes
  • Peppermint oil/Eucalyptus oil – clogged nose & sinuses, sore throat, difficulty breathing, allergies, headache, migraine, colds & cough
  • Geranium oil – skin beautifier, treats hormonal & cystic acne, clogged pores, oily skin, dry skin

4. During the 5-10 minute steaming process a hand and arm massage is given.

5. Exfoliate to remove dead skin cells and make the skin smoother and more receptive to moisturizing and nutrients.

6. Massage to exercise and relax muscles in the decollate, shoulders, neck and face. Stimulates detoxifying and regenerating.

7. Masking the skin is customized to further draw out impurities, impart vitamins, and/or hydrate and moisturize the skin.

8. Final moisturizing to plump and protect the skin against pollution and environmental elements. A hydrated cell is a defensive cell.

The BENEFITS:
  • Brighten to remedy a tired and dull complexion.
  • Sooth and potentially treat acute or chronic skin conditions.
  • Treat clogged pores and diminish appearance of large pores.
  • Control oiliness.
  • Relax the senses / mind.
  • Hydrate and restore moisturize to dry skin.
  • Exfoliate to reveal a smoother, more youthful appearance.
  • Revitalize and rejuvenate mature skin.
  • Heal skin burns.
  • Detoxify skin.
  • Reduce puffiness around eye.
  • Slough off dead skin.
  • Soften and prevent fine lines and wrinkles..
  • Stimulates circulation and the natural healing capabilities of your skin.

How often to get an Aromatherapy Facial? Cellular turnover, or cell renewal factor, refers to the constant shedding of skin cells and the subsequent replacement of new, younger cells coming to the surface. This process takes place every 28-40 days. When the new cell makes it’s way up from the stratum germinativum, deepest layer of the epidermis, it eventually reaches the uppermost layer of the epidermis called the stratum corneum. Here the cell has become rough, dry, and flaky and is sloughed off. As we age this whole process called desquamation slows down. Finding the right amount of exfoliating and nourishing the skin is the secret to a smooth youthful appearance. Once a month or at least once a season is the ideal frequency to give your skin professional attention from an esthetician, particularly in more arid environments like Sedona, Arizona. Refresh and renew with an Aromatherapy Facial during your Sedona spa retreat and get in touch with your skin!
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Ozone Therapy Is A Highlight In Bisbee

7/16/2019

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In the land of Arizona, Bisbee has become my get-a-way when I can take time away from Sedona. I used to live here and run my business in this eclectic artist enclave, reminiscent of Jerome, but more populated by locals. And when I left, I had no idea that my visits would feel as if I never left at all.

Returning frequently, I still feel like a local. I stay with various friends, sometimes house/dog sit, and see clients in their kitchen or on the patio for old school hairdressing. I can meet up with friends or just let the days unfold serendipitously, as it’s easy to run into people you know. I eat at my favorite restaurants and make sure to bring back the best coffee in the world and maybe a jar of honey from over the line. Every visit feels like coming home and this town’s specialties are just that!

While I’m here, one of my favorite things to do is go to The Garden’s At Mile High Ranch and get an ozone sauna. Today, Maggie (one of the family owners), gave me the option of music or a meditation and I opted for the "moving beyond fear" meditation.

In a private setting, I can look out through a window and see the garden and the large trees that surround the property. Th ambiance is soothing. The therapy consists of 30-45 minutes of steamy warmth that detoxifies your body and can be done once in a while or as part as a detoxification program. The steam sauna with ozone allows the steam to surround the body and ozone can be introduced through the skin. Just your head remains outside the sauna for easy breathing.

The goal is to increases the eliminative, detoxifying, and cleansing capacity of the skin by stimulating the sweat glands and increasing blood circulation and this further promotes healthy skin tone and texture.

Humid heat swells the pores which allows the ozone through the skin into the bloodstream where it  travels to the fat and lymph tissue. Cleansing the lymph tissue of toxins is important to any detoxification therapy and the ozone/steam sauna is the easiest and best way to accomplish this.

The combined action of moist heat and ozone cleanse the lymphatic system, which you can think of as the garbage system of the body that carries 90% of the body's fluids. Raising your body temperature artificially induces a fever-like effect and results in the destruction of bacteria and viruses. Combined with heavy sweating and the cleansing effect initiated by ozone, this “fever" results in the elimination of toxins accumulated mainly in the lymphatic system and gives your liver a huge break. Ozone brings oxygen to the tissues for enhanced health and vitality and the combination of steam and ozone is a natural, effective way to promote a refreshing sense of well-being.

Part of Bath Culture, the use of ozonated steam purifies the skin, soothe sore muscles, boost circulation and imparts deep relaxation.

Benefits :
Reducing lactic acid build up
Relaxes muscles
Increases muscle flexibility
Oxidizes toxins so they can be eliminated through the skin, lungs, kidneys and colon.
Stimulates blood circulation, helping injured muscles to repair quicker.
Stimulates vasodilatation of peripheral blood vessels relieving pain and speeding the healing process.
Eliminates bacterial and viral infections of all kinds.
Speeds up the metabolic processes of the inner organs and endocrine glands resulting in a loss of 200-450 calories in a 20 minute session.

Research shows steam hyperthermia as an effective treatment for:
* Detoxification programs
* Immune system deficiencies
* Pain management
* Cancer
* Arthritis
* Stress and muscle tension
* Increasing body metabolism
* Elimination of toxins
* Blood circulation

The Gardens at Mile High Ranch is for sale!
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Pet Friendly Hotel | Bed & Breakfast | Bisbee, AZThe Gardens at Mile High Ranch is high-desert country with two acres of lush gardens, wildlife, and beautiful 150-year-old cottonwood trees. BLM wilderness is located just beyond our boundaries. The Gardens is located only one mile from the Historic District of “Old Bisbee”, and we offer peaceful evenings and a healthy breakfast served in your own apartment. 

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Essential Oils, Aromatherapy, And Your Chakras

6/4/2019

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What is a chakra? A Sanskrit word meaning wheel or disk. In yoga philosophy the chakra system refers to spinning vortexes in the energetic or subtle body that correlate to the glandular system in the physical body; not physical entities but they do affect the body just as thoughts affect the breath and emotions affect behavior. These meeting points between the mind and body are concentrated consciousness. Passed down from ancient India through yoga philosophy, the chakra system is a path of connection to the divine energies of consciousness. A path of connection between Heaven and earth, spirit and matter, mind and body. This path runs through the core of each of us and is accessible and available at all times. ​

Specific essential oils also correlate to these energy centers and can be inhaled and or applied topically for grounding and balancing effects to create a sense of well being and ease. Amazingly, these natural essences facilitate reconnecting with your true nature devoid of the anxiety and stress that cause blockages. Blockages, emotional or physical, affect our esteem, confidence, ability to love and communicate, physiology and sleep, and so on. In essence, we are our healthiest when are energy is balanced. Out of balance creates disharmony and that sense of feeling "off" that can be felt in relationship issues, emotional turmoil, dis-ease and even illness.

Nature Knows is an adage to consider since plant essences are the original apothecary with medicinal merit and efficacy. Throughout all cultures man's connection to the earth leads to the connection with the Divine, so through these plant essence we can connect to the Divine within ourselves tapping into our true nature of ease and comfort and love.
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Living Beauty Detox Program Seasonal Winter Cleanse: Kidney and Adrenal

4/1/2019

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The Living Beauty Detox Program by Anna Louis Gittleman, has been my beacon to health for many years. The book purports "eat right to clear out toxins, manage your hormones, and bring out your best looks". Based on Chinese Medicine each season is connected to different organs in the body. Each season has a dietary, mental, and physical protocol so that by the end of four seasons you have cleansed your major organs with herbs, teas, and foods specific to each season, toning and cleansing those corresponding organs.

I advise everyone to buy their own book, especially at the current affordable rate! You won't want to loan it out either, because you'll need to reference it regularly -or when you do you will want to be sure and have it. Dare I say a bible to your health!

Admittedly, it had been a while since I had done a cleanse religiously, but menopausal symptoms were setting in with night sweats becoming tiresome (no pun intended) and kind of creepy! I was motivated to clear out my system and rid myself of a major sleep disturbance.

I pulled my book off the shelf, made a grocery list, and because Valentine’s Day was approaching and then my birthday, I decided I would do the short version of the cleanse and cycle through it a couple of times. The cleanse is based on eating, so it’s very easy.

Omitted are the classic culprits of dairy, caffeine, alcohol, or sugar, but rather the diet consists of fruits, veggies, lean protein (a vegetarian protocol is available), teas and herbs. Based on the principal that a cell does not give it up unless nutrients are coming in, the protocols are based on bringing in superfood nourishment to detox your body.

The duration is 3 days up to two weeks with a maintenance plan to follow that introduces more favorite foods. So, who can’t do anything for three days? Plus you are eating! It’s so easy and you feel so good you just naturally want to keep going, especially with the small investment in supplements.

I always suggest splitting the supplements with a friend the first time, try a 3 or 4 day cleanse, and then figure it our for yourself. Make it easy and prove to yourself how doable it is.

Like I add a little more salt than she suggests and for this past winter cleanse and I allowed myself a morning cup of very weak ceylon tea that has caffeine.

Aside from following my seasonal cleanse, internet research on my current issues led me to adding Ayurvedic herbs into the mix. I included a triphala, shatavari protocol in the morning and ashwagandha at night. (see Natural Herbal Remedy For Western Menopause) 

The first round of my winter cleanses started on a Sunday and worked wonders. My digestive issues disappeared, my body felt great, my sleep smoothed out, zero pms, and no night sweats. I broke the cleanse on a Thursday evening, took a long weekend off, then returned on the following Monday through Thursday again. I finished my round of cleanses with a three day version right before my 50th birthday. All of February went smoothly and I am still celebrating, really the rebuilding of my adrenals and kidneys. The big self nurturing protocol was rest! Minimizing stress through meditation, yoga, massage, self-care body treatments, and most importantly, as much sleep as I can possibly get, even still allowing myself to sleep in as late as possible.

As I continued researching my symptoms during this time I discovered kidney energy deficiency is one root cause of menopausal issues.  Kidney energy powers the many functions of the body. Learning this connection definitely prompted my winter cleanse!

Another organ that is important is the Liver. It’s the number one organ in terms of women’s health. The Liver meridian runs through the reproductive area, so when Liver Qi is stagnant or weak this area will be impacted. The Liver also regulates the smooth flow of blood and emotions. It’s easy to see the connection between the Liver’s role in promoting regular blood flow and menstrual health, but most women are unaware of this organ’s function when it comes to regulating emotions.

In Chinese Medicine meridians are invisible energy pathways or channels that run through the body. Our vital life energy, or "qi", is thought to flow along these meridians, and anything that disrupts the smooth flow of chi is said to cause illness. Our life essence or vital qi is stored in our kidneys and apparently the herbs that tone and support the kidney also are major bone fortifying herbs. An interesting connection when you consider low kidney qi is common to menopause and osteoporosis occurs in menopause and the latter years. Since the skeletal system controls the endocrine system this seems to be the connection with the particular herbs prescribed for bone fortifying and menopausal symptoms that I write about in my blog Natural Herbal Remedy For Western Menopause.

In that blog I outline and attribute the cessation of night sweats and other symptoms I was having to the Ayurvedic and Chinese herbs I have started taking and the herbs and dietary protocol outlined in The Living Beauty Detox Program.

Here is the herbal protocol according to the seasonal diet for winter from The Living Beauty Detox Program with the addition of Ayurvedic and Chinese herbs for menopause. Hopefully, this will motivate you with an idea of the cleanse, but is no replacement for having the book as a direct resource.

​I mix 1 tsp shatavari and 1/2 tsp of triphala with a couple of ounces of hot water first thing in the morning. Shatavari is an excellent herb for cleansing the gut, like triphala, so it made sense to take them together. Before bed I take 1/2 tsp ashwagandha with a couple ounces of hot water.

Nothing iced or cold 
Breakfast- Lunch - Dinner: Cooked warmed foods from the meal plan lists - low glycemic - organic- lean proteins - veggies - warm/cooked fruit

nettle tea  - alkalanizing minerals for kidney cleansing and adrenal support  - 2 x per day
unsweetned cranberry juice mixed with a green supplement and fiber

Morning and night in teas or tinctures, capsules or as a food seasoning :
flaxseed oil - lignan-rich
juniper - diuretic/bladder infections
ginger - warming/ increases circulation in kidneys
marshmallow - sooth mucus membrane/urinary tract
horsetail -  antioxidant and anti-inflammatory/diuretic
miso and sea salt  - sodium and electrolytes assist both kidney and adrenal function. enzymes, calcium, iron
tamari - aides digestion
raw plain sauerkraut -
apple cider vinegar

A side note:  I am working with my western doctor and going to a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner to cross check what I am doing. I am not prescribing for you, but rather sharing my research, personal experiment, and experience using these particular herbs. Please do your own research according to your symptoms, as the information is dense and I have only included what was pertinent to me.

Oh, and now it is spring and you bet, I’m starting a liver cleanse next!

Marna Woo

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East Meets East: Natural Herbal Remedy For Menopause ~  Night Sweats Begone!

4/1/2019

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Too much info? Go straight to my protocol by scrolling down- just before "Definitions".
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A month ago, I turned fifty and I’m still celebrating! You don’t know how your going to feel or who you’ll be with for that landmark birthday, but it has been special and I had no idea turning fifty would be so fun! However, as a woman turning fifty my body is definitely changing, even though I am not technically in menopause (I still menstruate regularly) and according to my blood tests I am not even perimenopausal.

However, changes are occurring and most notable during this past year was the frequency of night sweats disturbing my sleep. Clear, odorless sweat would pool on my chest and soak the nape of my neck. Waking up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat became a super drag.

I remember my first night sweat about eight years ago and they progressed, randomly since, sometimes even skipping a year or months at a time. Having a night sweat was actually kind of novel, at first. Sometimes I would get up for a hand towel to dry off or just roll over to the other side of the bed where the sheets were dry, fall back to sleep and wake in the morning completely dry.

In the last few years, though, this routine got to the point that if I sensed a pattern, I would sleep in a thin t-shirt and have an extra t-shirt at the side of the bed. Peeling off a cold wet t-shirt in the middle of the night was kind of gross, but having a dry shirt handy was the answer to warming up and falling back to sleep quickly.

During my 47th and 48th year, the night sweats occurred more often until about mid-way through my 49th year. Suddenly the frequency and intensity came with a new force that sometimes I would have to change my shirt three or four times a night. Yikes! This prompted me to start sleeping with a few extra t-shirts next to my bed, just in case. Ultimately, I decided the t-shirt was just creating an eventual cold scenario and not wearing a shirt was the more comfortable. Instead, I laid on a terry cloth bath towel and placed a terry cloth hand towel flat against my chest. This actually worked for comfort as the terry cloth never got soaked and felt warm and dry. I did this set up three or four times and knew I had to find an answer. I laughed after a friend and I were sharing notes and she revealed she slept in a terry cloth robe! Even still, terry cloth was no real solution to the annoyance.

Night sweats had officially become a nuisance and disturbance to my sleep. I was feeling tired during the day and the stress started mounting. My night sweat had always been clear and completely odorless to the point that I would marvel at how fresh my shirt smelled the next morning. I attributed it to perimenopause and listened closely when my friends would describe similar stories or even commiserate about hot flashes- something I feel lucky not to have experienced and hope I never will. But there is nothing lucky about night sweats as they seriously interrupt a good nights sleep.

Right before I turned fifty, however, the nature of my sweat changed. I wouldn’t call it a bad odor and nothing like BO, but my shirts did not smell completely fresh the next morning. Then I noticed my sheets and pillow cases were tinged with an orangish yellow color from the sweat- WTF! I started to wonder what was going on with my nervous system and body in general as my internet searches indicated all night sweats are some form of detox, menopausal, disease or otherwise. One thing I knew for sure is that I was stressed out and I needed to take action.

​All of my internet searches for my symptoms brought forth particular anti-stress herbs that happened to be in my pantry! I hadn’t linked my night sweats to stress and hadn’t taken the herbs ashwagadha and triphala for a while. Luckily, they were on hand, so I started taking these adaptogen and balancing herbs, but learned they shouldn’t necessarily be taken together like I had been doing. I refined my protocol according to newly learned directives taking triphala in the morning (as it is indicated to take on an empty stomach) and ashwagandha at night (as it is indicated to help with sleep).

Around the same time, I mentioned to a friend that my libido had tanked and he suggested shatavari to the rescue. I looked it up and saw “The Queen Of Herbs” was also recommended for night sweats and menopausal symptoms and immediately ordered the powder off the internet.

​Up until two months ago, I was experiencing night sweats regularly throughout each month, particularly around my moon (I am exactly regular in my menstrual cycle). Within the first month of taking these herbs my night sweats subsided.
​

I mixed 1 tsp shatavari and 1/2 tsp of triphala with a couple of ounces of hot water first thing in the morning. Shatavari is an excellent herb for cleansing the gut, like triphala, so it made sense to take them together. Before bed I take 1/2 tsp ashwagandha with a couple ounces of hot water.
​

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Another piece to this puzzle is that I had a low back attack in December, just a few months ago, during the peak of these night sweats. As a yoga teacher, hiker, and all around physically active person, my body has weathered the aches and pains that go along with constant physical activity. Yet, another change in the last few years had been that my joints flared up with major discomfort (another symptom associated to menopause). I had a patellar cartilage tear in my knee, an avulsion in my pinky, bursitis in my elbow along with chronic neck pain. A couple of times I had a low back attack, but nothing like the one in December. An x-ray in January revealed I had spinal degenerative disc disease and a potential kidney stone. Whoa, whoa, whoa...what!?

I took a urine analysis and the possibility of a kidney stone was negative, but I had already begun researching kidney stone on the internet and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) links came up first. Delving into those TCM sites brought forth a plethora of low qi symptoms that I related to, symptoms like: blurry vision, low libido, tinnitus (minimal but existent), low back pain, digestive issues, teeth issues, joint and arthritis pain, NIGHT SWEATS, hot flashes, sleeping issue- either trouble getting to sleep or waking up, depression... well, night sweats caught my attention and so did everything else! Suddenly, I felt like I had an answer.

​This is where things got interesting. The more I researched my overall symptoms, menopause, and night sweats on the internet the same Ayurvedic herbal recommendations kept coming up: ashwagandha, triphala, shatavari- all of which are referred to as Rasayana herbs for their wide ranging health benefits. Among the Ayurvedic Rasayana herbs, Ashwagandha holds the most prominent place. Triphala is classified as a tridoshic rasayana, meaning that the energetics are appropriate for Vata, Pitta, and Kapha doshas or all types of patients. Shatavari, also known as Asparagus racemosus- a well known Ayurvedic rasayana which prevents aging, increases longevity, imparts immunity, improves mental function, vigor and adds vitality.

Completely inspired, I kept taking the three Ayurvedic herbs and by the end of February I hadn’t experience a night sweat. However, I kept researching TCM and that led me to an obscure Chinese herb called eucommia, yet, I was already familiar with eucommia! I had taken it for my knee pain the year prior and raved that it was derived from the “rubber tree” plant in China that claimed to fortify your bones, joints, and tendons with a latex quality. Wow! I remember the first article about eucommia had the tagline, “Great for athletes and yoga teachers.” At that time I was suffering a tear in my patellar cartilage that had occurred just from kneeling on the floor too long. Patellar tears can take up to 9 months to heal and mine did take that long, but when I added eucommia into my diet during the last few months of that time period, I felt my healing accelerated. I noticed the ridges in my fingernails smoothed out and I felt stronger. The pain in my knee went away.

Learning about eucommia enlightened me to the importance of focusing on the skeletal system. I always focused on the liver, the heart, or digestion, but my achy joints were a wake up call and reminder that the skeletal system is where we make our red and white blood cells, the foundation of our immunity. The skeleton serves six major functions: support, movement, protection, production of blood cells, storage of minerals and endocrine regulation. I was surprised to remember our bones regulate our hormones and then it made sense that bone fortifying herbs were coming up in my search to ease menopause, as the skeletal system seems to be compromised by this time of hormonal change.
I continued to research the benefits of eucommia herb and TMC and discovered two new Chinese herbs were recommended as well: dipsacus and drynaria, respectively known as teasel and go sui bu. Aside from bone fortifying and regenerating qualities, these two herbs also deal with pain and that caught my attention right away.
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I am already taking D3-k2, iodine, and magnesium on a regular basis after a mammogram scare a few years prior, and that is another pertinent story. I only mention it because those supplements are keystone building blocks to this process, as well. In the same vain as I write this blog, I wrote Needless Biopsies ~ How I changed My Mammogram And Avoided A Surgical Breast Biopsy again, sharing my experience in hope of helping others with a like situation. 

And what is this process? I’ve hustled to catch up and am learning women need to prepare for menopause. Or is it just the western woman? Just as I point out in my Needless Biopsies blog, Asian women fair differently from Western women in breast cancer statistics, as they do in menopause statistics. Apparently, the phase of menopause is relatively unknown in Asia and the Chinese and Japanese don’t have a word for it.

Menopause
The word “menopause” isn’t even in the traditional Chinese medical vocabulary. Actually, TCM calls the various symptoms that some women experience when their cycle ends simply “menstrual cycle ending symptoms.” So you may be surprised to learn that menopause is essentially a Western concept. This stage of life is a natural part of a woman’s life-cycle and is a gateway to an enriching and fulfilling time of her life. You may be surprised to learn that during this transition period a woman has a great opportunity to enhance her health. More on menopause

Reading this actually gave me hope that I could change my symptoms.

I kept researching Ayurvedic and Chinese Medicines plus menopause and kidney related sites and they all led to the same herbal recommendations for my symptoms: triphala, ashwagandha, schisandra (another Chinese herb), eucommia, and the newly introduced shatavari, dipsacus and drynaria! I really felt like I was onto a remedy with everything cross checking and relating to my symptoms. ​

​Interestingly, though, I also read studies specific to Asian and Chinese women that correlate the lack of these “menopausal symptoms” to a plant based diet high in phytoestrogens, herbs, green tea, and positive aging psychology, very unlike in the west, where American and British women suffer these “symptoms” the most while consuming more red meat, coffee, alcohol, and sugar with anti-aging self deprecation.

​Similar studies on cancer attribute the iodine rich seaweed and seafood along with phytoestrogen rich diets prevalent in Asian cultures to be the reason for a lower percentage of cancer, particularly breast cancer, in those regions as well.

So why aren’t we doing what they are doing? And are the phytoestrogens and iodine why I crave a poke bowl every day?

Here inlays the possibility of the cancer machine in both of these first world powerhouses not wanting to interrupt sales, so to speak.

​Why aren’t they telling us this information?
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Research indicates that soy, significantly consumed in the traditional Japanese diet, may be useful in preventing hot flashes in women. Edible beans, especially soybeans, contain the compounds genistein and daidzein, which are estrogenic and help control hot flashes. That may explain why only 7 percent of menopausal Japanese women suffer from hot flashes, as compared to 55 percent of women living in the United States, according to the estimates in Dr. Lindsey Berkson's writing, the "Hormone Deception" where he sites there isn’t even a Japanese word for "hot flashes.”

So, why have we been told that the jury was out on soy and it is best avoided based on reports that estrogen feeds cancer? Soy is a phytoestrogen and I’ve come to learn phytoestrogen foods are beneficial for women looking to rebalance their hormones as they approach menopause, and of course they are a staple in the Asian diet. Familiar and favorite foods, other than soy, are phytoestrogens and it is better to ingest unrefined phytoestrogens through food sources than highly refined sources, like soy milk or supplements. Americans have been misinformed to steer away from phytoestrogen foods, while a comparison study shows other cultures eating these foods for centuries and having lower cancer rates.


Further investigation did, however, show an increase in (breast) cancers where a western diet has infiltrated these regions.


​Certainly, there are different kinds of cancers as there are different types of estrogen. Caution should be taken concerning the consumption of estrogen rich foods in high risk people, but the statistics can’t be ignored, and it’s worth exploring with your doctor.
I was so consumed with all of this new information, I suddenly realized it was winter and the season of the kidneys and adrenals. According to my Living Beauty Detox Program book,  which is based on Chinese Medicine, it was time for a seasonal cleanse!

In Chinese Medicine meridians are invisible energy pathways or channels that run through the body. Our vital life energy, or "qi", is thought to flow along these meridians, and anything that disrupts the smooth flow of chi is said to cause illness. Our life essence or vital qi is stored in our kidneys and apparently the herbs that tone and support the kidney also are major bone fortifying herbs. An interesting connection when you consider low kidney qi is common to menopause and osteoporosis occurs in menopause and the latter years. Since the skeletal system controls the endocrine system this seems to be the connection with these particular herbs prescribed for bone fortifying and menopausal symptoms.

As of this writing it has been two months since I have experienced a night sweat and the contrast to what I was experiencing before is profound. I’ve continued this conversation with girlfriends and hear the same frustration and dismay that I had, so I’m sharing what I have discovered and how easy it has been to create a different experience.
Here is the protocol I have given myself with the side note that I am working with my western doctor and going to a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner to cross check what I am doing. I am not prescribing for you, but rather sharing my research, personal experiment, and RELIEF that I have found using these particular herbs. Please do your own research according to your symptoms, as the information is dense and I have only included what was pertinent to me.

Oh, and now that its spring, you bet I’m starting a liver cleanse next!

​Marna Woo


Daily Protocol, my latest recipe for success:

​I take Tri-Iodine a couple of times a week and D3 K2 daily. more info 

MORNING: 1 tsp shatavari + 1/2 tsp of triphala powders with a couple of ounces of almond milk warmed with 1 tsp raw honey and cinnamon, cardamon, ginger, cloves pinch of salt + 2 gel caps evening primrose oil.

​BEFORE BED: 1 tsp shatavari  +1/2 tsp ashwagandha powders with a couple ounces almond milk warmed with 1 tsp raw honey and cinnamon, cardamon, ginger, cloves pinch of salt + 2 gel caps evening primrose oil.

In the morning and again at some point on the day:


1 Eucommia capsule (2 x’s a day)
1/2 dropper full Teasel (dipsacus) (2 x’s a day)
1/2 dropper full Go Sui Bu (drynaria) (2 x’s a day)
2 capsules
Adrenal Support capsule (eleuthero + schisandra 1 x morning)
1 teaspoon Flaxseed Oil (daily- part of the Spring Cleanse in the Living Beauty Detox Program)

In the above flaxseed link are the 50 highest natural sources to help you identify what to include in your diet (or not) depending on your preference. Many women swear by estrogen rich foods for menopause symptoms. Some medical opinions go so far as to “emphasize the need for the intake of foods containing” them because they reportedly “can take out the postmenopausal indications to a large extent” such as hot flashes (8). Whether or not they can help hormonal imbalances is something you need to discuss with your doctor before ever using them for that purpose.
Whatever your opinion on them may be, you should have a right to know if you’re eating a food with high amounts of phytoestrogens. Males are more likely to avoid them, while some females want more in their diet and others may wish to minimize or avoid consumption due to safety concerns. Unfortunately, manufacturers fail to disclose this information and U.S. labeling laws do not require or even allow it to be stated within the nutrition facts box.
Definitions

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3252722/
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera, fam. Solanaceae) is commonly known as “Indian Winter cherry” or “Indian Ginseng”. It is one of the most important herb of Ayurveda (the traditional system of medicine in India) used for millennia as a Rasayana for its wide ranging health benefits. Rasayana is described as an herbal or metallic preparation that promotes a youthful state of physical and mental health and expands happiness. These types of remedies are given to small children as tonics, and are also taken by the middle-aged and elderly to increase longevity. Among the ayurvedic Rasayana herbs, Ashwagandha holds the most prominent place. It is known as “Sattvic Kapha Rasayana” Herb (Changhadi, 1938). Most of the Rasayana herbs are adaptogen / anti-stress agents.

Ashwagandha is commonly available as a churna, a fine sieved powder that can be mixed with water, ghee (clarified butter) or honey. It enhances the function of the brain and nervous system and improves the memory. It improves the function of the reproductive system promoting a healthy sexual and reproductive balance. Being a powerful adaptogen, it enhances the body's resilience to stress. Ashwagandha improves the body's defense against disease by improving the cell-mediated immunity. It also possesses potent antioxidant properties that help protect against cellular damage caused by free radicals.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5567597/

In addition to laxative action, Triphala research has found the formula to be potentially effective for several clinical uses such as appetite stimulation, reduction of hyperacidity, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulating, antibacterial, antimutagenic, adaptogenic, hypoglycemic, antineoplastic, chemoprotective, and radioprotective effects, and prevention of dental caries. Polyphenols in Triphala modulate the human gut microbiome and thereby promote the growth of beneficial Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus while inhibiting the growth of undesirable gut microbes. The bioactivity of Triphala is elicited by gut microbiota to generate a variety of anti-inflammatory compounds.

Triphala is classified as a tridoshic rasayana, meaning that the energetics are appropriate for Vata, Pitta, and Kapha or all types of patients. Charak describes rasayanas as having the qualities of supporting strength and immunity.

Triphala (Sanskrit; tri = three and phala = fruits) is a well-recognized and revered polyherbal medicine consisting of dried fruits of the three plant species Emblica officinalis (Family Euphorbiaceae), Terminalia bellerica (Family Combretaceae), and Terminalia chebula (Family Combretaceae) that are native to the Indian subcontinent. It is classified as a tridoshic rasayana in Ayurvedic medicine as it promotes longevity and rejuvenation in patients of all constitutions and ages.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4027291/

Shatavari means “who possesses a hundred husbands or acceptable to many”. It is considered both a general tonic and a female reproductive tonic. Shatavari may be translated as “100 spouses”, implying its ability to increase fertility and vitality. In Ayurveda, this amazing herb is known as the “Queen of herbs”, because it promotes love and devotion. Shatavari is the main Ayurvedic rejuvenative tonic for the female, as is Withania for the male. Asparagus racemosus (family Asparagaceae) also known by the name Shatavari is one of the well known drugs in Ayurveda, effective in treating madhur rasam, madhur vipakam, seet-veeryam, som rogam, chronic fever and internal heat[1],[2]. This herb is highly effective in problems related with female reproductive system. Charak Samhita written by Charak and Ashtang Hridyam written by Vagbhata, the two main texts on Ayurvedic medicines, list Asparagus racemosus (A. racemosus) as part of the formulas to treat women's health disorder[3]–[6]. A. racemosus is a well known Ayurvedic rasayana which prevent ageing, increase longevity, impart immunity, improve mental function, vigor and addvitality to the body and it is also used in nervous disorders, dyspepsia, tumors, inflammation, neuropathy, hepatopathy. Reports indicate that the pharmacological activities of A. racemosus root extract include antiulcer, antioxidant, and antidiarrhoeal, antidiabetic and immunomodulatory activities. A study of ancient classical Ayurvedic literature claimed several therapeutic attributes for the root of A. racemosus and has been specially recommended in cases of threatened abortion and as a galactogogue. Root of A. racemosus has been referred as bitter-sweet, emollient, cooling, nervine tonic, constipating, galactogogue, and aphrodisiac, diuretic, rejuvenating, carminative, stomachic, antiseptic and as tonic. Beneficial effects of the root of A. recemosus are suggested in nervous disorders, dyspepsia, diarrhoea, dysentry, tumors, inflammations, hyper dipsia, neuropathy, hepatopathy, cough, bronchitis, hyperacidity and certain infectious diseases.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4793136/
Eucommia ulmoides (EU) (also known as “Du Zhong” in Chinese language) is a plant containing various kinds of chemical constituents such as lignans, iridoids, phenolics, steroids, flavonoids, and other compounds. These constituents of EU possess various medicinal properties and have been used in Chinese Traditional Medicine (TCM) as a folk drink and functional food for several thousand years. EU has several pharmacological properties such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiallergic, antimicrobial, anticancer, antiaging, cardioprotective, and neuroprotective properties. Hence, it has been widely used solely or in combination with other compounds to treat cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, sexual dysfunction, cancer, metabolic syndrome, and neurological diseases. This review paper summarizes the various active ingredients contained in EU and their health-promotin
Eucommia ulmoides (EU) (commonly called “Du Zhong” in Chinese language) belong to the family of Eucommiaceae, a genus of the small tree native to Central China [1]. This plant is widely cultivated in China on a large scale because of its medicinal importance. About 112 compounds have been isolated from EU which include lignans, iridoids, phenolics, steroids, and other compounds. Complementary herbs formula of this plant (such as delicious tea) has shown some medicinal properties. The leaf of EU has higher activity related to cortex, flower, and fruit [2, 3]. The leaves of EU have been reported to enhance bones strength and body muscles [4], thus leading to longevity and promoting fertility in humans

https://nutritionreview.org/2014/07/drynaria-gentle-dental-herb/
Modern research has identified the physiological actions by which traditional bone-knitting herbs work to rebuild bone tissues. Over time a large body of contemporary research has focused on one particular herb that is particularly effective at  restoring bone loss arising from periodontal disease. The herb, Drynaria fortunei, is referred to in China as GuSuiBu, literally meaning “mend broken bones.”

http://www.itmonline.org/articles/drynaria/drynaria.htm

Drynaria and Dipsacus
yang tonifying herbs for bones, tendons, and brains

Drynaria and dipsacus are extensively used in modern Chinese practice for the same purpose as over the previous centuries: treatment of injuries and various disorders of the bones, tendons, and joints; frequently, they are combined together for these applications.  Because of their history of use, most research on formulas that include them, the individual herbs, or their isolated active fractions has focused on the treatment of osteoporosis or bone fracture.  Studies in laboratory cell cultures and in animals support their beneficial effects on bones in terms of stimulating the osteoblasts (1-3).   Recent reports indicate that these two herbs may be of value in prevention of senile dementia, including dipsacus used for Alzheimer’s disease.

https://draxe.com/schisandra/
Known as an adaptogenic agent, schisandra helps balance hormones naturally and therefore improves our ability to deal with stressors, both physical and psychological. Adaptogenic herbs and superfoods have been used for thousands of years to naturally raise the body’s resistance to environmental stress, anxiety, toxin exposure, emotional trauma, mental fatigue and mental illnesses. Because schisandra helps nurture the adrenal glands and turns down an overproduction of “stress hormones” like cortisol, it’s linked with better mental capabilities, physical endurance and metabolic health.

Research shows that schisandra is beneficial for fertility and hormonal health, helping promote a strong libido, preventing sexual dysfunction like impotence and positively affecting the reproductive organs, including the uterus. (9)

Because it positively impacts hormone production, including estrogen, it’s capable of helping with bone healing and forming bone mineral density. This is useful for preventing diseases like osteoporosis, which are common among older women as they experience changes in hormonal levels.

Because it impacts nearly every organ system within the human body (what TCM refers to as the 12 “meridians”), it has dozens of uses and benefits. TCM views schisandra as an herb that helps balance all three “treasures” within the body: jing, shen and chi.

Historically in TCM, schisandra was used to promote a balance between yin and yang. It’s said to help “calm the heart and quiet the spirit” by positively affecting the brain, kidneys, liver and lungs.

Eleuthero The plant is mostly used in traditional medicines as an adaptogen, a compound that helps the body better handle and adapt to stress. Eleuthero also acts as a stimulant, increasing nervous system function.

Bibliography
http://www.shen-nong.com/eng/exam/internal_night_sweats.html

http://www.shen-nong.com/eng/principles/sevenemotions.html

https://www.tcmworld.org/what-is-tcm/the-five-major-organ-systems/

http://www.shen-nong.com/eng/principles/kidneysfiveyinorgans.html

https://www.tcmworld.org/what-is-tcm/the-five-major-organ-systems/kidney-health/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320630.php

https://www.webmd.com/menopause/guide/menopause-natural-treatments

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-natural-menopause-tips#section2

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4389700/

https://vsearch.nlm.nih.gov/vivisimo/cgi-bin/query-meta?v%3Aproject=medlineplus&v%3Asources=medlineplus-bundle&query=perimenopausal&_ga=2.26932350.2135405379.1554080627-1521236835.1554080627

http://www.menopause.org/for-women/menopauseflashes/menopause-symptoms-and-treatments/menopause-101-a-primer-for-the-perimenopausal

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3252722/

https://www.superfoodevolution.com/eucommia-bark-benefits.html

https://www.ayurveda.com/resources/articles/ayurveda-a-brief-introduction-and-guide

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321841.php

https://www.tcmworld.org/what-is-tcm/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/kidney-stones/symptoms-causes/syc-20355755?mc_id=google&campaign=1645215277&geo=9030347&kw=&ad=315907324245&network=g&sitetarget=&adgroup=59686016821&extension=&target=dsa-383746019937&matchtype=b&device=c&account=1733789621&invsrc=cfm&placementsite=enterprise&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIh4bXh9-t4QIVEdvACh2Z3gheEAAYASAAEgKvFfD_BwE

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321916.php

https://www.spine-health.com/conditions/neck-pain/chronic-neck-pain-what-condition-causing-my-neck-pain

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bursitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20353242

https://www.verywellhealth.com/avulsion-fracture-2549280

https://www.verywellhealth.com/difference-between-meniscus-tear-and-cartilage-tear-2549642

https://www.indigo-herbs.co.uk/natural-health-guide/benefits/shatavari

https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/info/ayurvedic-living/living-ayurveda/herbs/shatavari/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hot-flashes/symptoms-causes/syc-20352790

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4389700/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3252722/

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320630.php
https://www.peacefuldumpling.com/benefits-of-sprouted-tofu

https://www.tcmworld.org/health/womens-health/

https://www.humann.com/nutrition/powerful-combo-vitamins-d3-k2/

http://chineseherbinfo.com/gu-sui-bu-drynaria-rhizome-mender-of-shattered-bones/

https://chineseherbinfo.com/xu-duan-dipsacus-teasel-root-restore-what-is-broken/

https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-998/magnesium

https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/basic_info/mammograms.htm

https://www.gaiaherbs.com/products/ingredient/234/Schisandra

https://draxe.com/schisandra/

https://www.pacificcollege.edu/news/blog/2015/03/29/whats-ringing-tinnitus-and-how-tcm-can-help

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-green-tea#section10

https://draxe.com/phytoestrogens/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/osteoporosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20351968

https://www.tcmworld.org/what-is-tcm/the-five-major-organ-systems/kidney-health/

https://www.webmd.com/kidney-stones/picture-of-the-kidneys#1

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/qi

https://chopra.com/articles/9-practices-seasonal-detoxification
https://www.livescience.com/22537-skeletal-system.html

https://www.hormone.org/hormones-and-health/the-endocrine-system

http://www.villageacuherbs.com/about-me

https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-35/iodine

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319084.php

https://www.superfoodly.com/estrogen-foods-list-50-high-phytoestrogen-sources/

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/iodine-rich-foods

http://time.com/5025278/adaptogens-herbs-stress-anxiety/

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/triphala

https://lifespa.com/5-reasons-use-ashwagandha-sleep/

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