Category: Health

  • Be SMARTER, With Your Health!

    Be SMARTER, With Your Health!

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    Since, it’s nearly impossible, to fully enjoy your life, if you don’t have your health, doesn’t it make sense, to proceed, in your own, best interests? There are many choices, and decisions, each of us, make, on a regular basis, so, we should, focus, on being, consistently, SMARTER, when it comes to our health, and well – being. Although this may seem obvious, most of us, pay very little attention to it! With that in mind, this article will attempt to, briefly, consider, examine, review, and discuss, using the mnemonic approach, what this means and represents, and why, it’s a wise choice, to proceed, in this manner.

    1. Strengths/ stronger; symptoms; solutions: We can either, proceed, in a proactive manner, or wait, to get sick, and then, try to cure what ails us! Wouldn’t it make more sense, to try to be stronger, by using our personal strengths, to reduce our symptoms, proactively, and seek viable solutions, based on enhancing our immune system, etc?

    2. Motivated: Smarter health comes from, proceeding, in a motivated manner, and the persistence, to maintain, a system, which addressed needs, goals, and priorities, in order to, proceed through life, with a better chance for health and happiness!

    3. Attitude; attention; alternatives: Each of us, must control our mindsets! We choose, to proceed, either with a positive, can – do, attitude, or a negative, problems – focused, one! When we commit to paying keen attention, to what makes us happiest, healthiest, and most prepared, we generally enhance our personal possibilities. Never proceed with a closed – mind, but, rather, consider, options, alternatives, and alternative medicine, as part of a well – considered, strategic and action plan!

    4. Relevant; reliable; research: Learn as much as possible, about all your options and alternatives. Read the relevant research, thoroughly, and ensure, there has been, time – tested examination, of any particular treatment, and/ or, approach! Discuss every option, with a trusted, health professional, to ensure, the potential approach, is a realistic, reliable one!

    5, Timely: The enemy of optimizing the healthiest life, is procrastination! After doing your research, and consulting, with a professional, proceed, in a well – considered, timely manner!

    6. Enduring; emphasis; excellence: Overall, healthy living, is an enduring process, instead of a sprint! Determine your personal emphasis, and always proceed with the utmost focus on personal excellence, in your decisions!

    7. Responsive; responsible; reasoning: Be responsive to your needs, and take a responsible approach. Examine your reasoning, ensure it’s based on a thorough consideration, and evaluation, and proceed, accordingly!

    If you commit to being, SMARTER, with your health, you have a better chance of living a healthier existence! Are you up to the task, and taking personal responsibility?

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    Source by Richard Brody

    Views: 0

  • Lemon Cure For Jock Itch

    Lemon Cure For Jock Itch

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    The discomfort that jock itch can bring one person is surely a nightmare for most. Try to imagine that you are in a public place facing a lot of people, suddenly, you feel intense itchiness in your groin or genital area. It will surely be embarrassing to scratch your groin area in front of so many people. Jock itch can really make your life so uncomfortable and this is because of the fungus called tinea curis. A lot of people have been affected by this infection and most of them are actually physically active all the time. If you are always active, you also sweat a lot and this can be very favorable for the fungi that cause the infection. But you have to remember that there are a lot of ways that you can treat this infection. One remedy that you can use is lemon. To apply it correctly, you must know some information first.

    THE NATURE OF INFECTION

    Jock itch is considered to be an infection. But you have to realize that the fungus that can cause it is naturally occurring in the body. If the environment gets too good for these fungi, they can grow fast and cause a full blown infection which is now called jock itch. Ring like rashes will surely appear on the affected areas like your genitals and your groin. Some dandruff-like flakes will also be seen.

    CONVENTIONAL TREATMENT

    There are conventional treatments that can be done to get rid of jock itch. Creams and ointments that contain anti fungal properties are commonly used to treat this infection. You can actually have them over the counter. Just make sure that you will read the instructions carefully for you to do the right thing only.

    THE USE OF LEMON JUICE

    Various ways have been presented on how to cure this fungal infection and herbal remedies are some of the most popular. Lemon juice for instance is commonly used. The skin produces natural acids to combat any infection or disease as it is the first line of defense of the body. But if the infection breaks in, your skin loses the ability to produce the acids. This is why you may need to use lemon juice. Try to squeeze out 30 ml of lemon juice and add this to 2 cups of water. Put it inside the container with spray. Make sure that the solution is mixed well. This must be sprayed over the affected areas. One thing that you must remember is that you must not rinse it after. Just use a cloth and pat it to keep it dry.

    Having a jock itch can mean a lot of discomfort too. Thus, you have to learn on how to do the best remedies that can help you relieve it. The tips will actually guide and help you do the right thing. Lemon juice can be used. To do it the right way, you just need to remember some tips so that you have a guide.

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    Source by Jane Chaster

    Views: 0

  • How TRAVEL Helps Your Health?

    How TRAVEL Helps Your Health?

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    From time, to time, nearly everyone, occasionally, feels, their routine, has become a rut, and need, to escape, a little, in order to reduce stress, anxiety, and, thus, enhance their personal health, and well – being. One great way, to do so, is commit, to regularly, TRAVEL, and, escape, in a positive way. It’s more about, enjoying life, to its fullest, instead of constantly, focusing, and being concerned about, one’s work schedule, and routine. With that in mind, this article will attempt to, consider, examine, review, and discuss, using the mnemonic approach, what the opportunities, and advantage, of this mind – set, and behavior, might be, in terms of making you happier, and healthier.

    1. Thoughts: Begin with your personal thought processes. When one travels, and gets away, from the stresses and strains, of every – day experiences, and responsibilities, he must first, do all he can, to clear his mind, and live, in the moment. When one does this, it generally, invigorates, and vitalizes him, in a positive, refreshing way!

    2. Reasoning; rationale: Adjusting your attitude, and attention, and transforming your reasoning, to making yourself, more relaxed, and comforted, your rationale, becomes your friend, instead of a potential enemy!

    3. Attitude; attention: What we pay attention to, and prioritize, often, determines, whether, we will proceed, with a positive, can – do, attitude, instead of a negative, problems – oriented one! Our focus, often needs, some adjustments, and taking some time off, generally, is beneficial!

    4. Views; value; values; vitality: Examine your personal views, and strive for greater vitality. Will you commit to maintaining attention to your finest values, rather than taking, some path, of least resistance? We often tend, to take ourselves, for – granted, and, it is important to value, what we are, and/ or, our personal potential. This often becomes challenging, because, we get so, tied – up, with our every – day stresses, and struggles. Occasionally, getting away, helps relieve these discomforts! Traveling should enhance our personal vitality, in a personally, fulfilling, motivating manner!

    5. Enjoyment: Wouldn’t it be more beneficial to you, if you strove for personal enjoyment, instead of, merely, getting into a rut, which makes you less fulfilled?

    6. Levels you: In order to handle, the obstacles and challenges, which may, create a degree of less than optimal balance, it means, focusing on doing things, which level, you, and make you feel better, and more personally fulfilled!

    Commit to self – help, by taking the time to TRAVEL. Wouldn’t you want, to become, the best, you can possibly, be?

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    Source by Richard Brody

    Views: 0

  • Tin-Cure and Platinum-Cure Silicones

    Tin-Cure and Platinum-Cure Silicones

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    Silicone rubber is a material of choice for many mold makers and casting artists. The excellent flexibility, superior strength, enhanced resistance and long life work in its favor apart from the versatile usage for almost any application.

    Silicone rubber comes as a two-part formula that can be poured, sprayed or brushed on the model/mold. In fact, it is safe and can be used for both mold making and casting as long as it suits your application. Another benefit is that silicone does not stick to anything, so a release agent is mostly not required.

    Silicone rubber is often used for general mold making applications as the molds manage to capture fine details and can be made very quickly as well. Most materials – all types of resins, foams, wax and some low-melt metals – can easily be cast in silicone molds. It is also suitable for making soaps and candles, sculpture reproduction, cold casting. Special rubber variants can be used for making food molds, realistic masks, doll reborning, special effects and even life casting.

    Types of silicone

    Silicone rubber polymers come in two variations – platinum-cured and tin-cured. Both these types are very different from each other and are not even compatible with one another. Let’s find out how:

    • Tin cured silicone rubber uses tin salts (usually 5%) as a catalyst to initiate the cure from liquid state to solid. This is also known as condensation cure. Platinum cured rubber has a platinum catalyst (usually 10%) for curing and is also known as addition cure.
    • Tin cured silicones require moisture for proper curing and excess humidity can accelerate the cure time whereas humidity does not have any effect on the curing of platinum variants at all.
    • Tin cured variants are less expensive and also prove to be easier to use while platinum based ones turn out to be quite expensive.
    • Tin cured silicone molds and casts may tend to shrink a bit at times while the platinum cured counterparts enjoy virtually nil shrinkage.
    • Tin based silicone is tear resistant and even considered biodegradable. Its counterpart is considered very pliable and tough.
    • Platinum cure silicones offer exceptional heat resistance and work better in high temperatures than tin cure ones. The former can even be heat accelerated for faster curing.
    • Platinum cured silicones require very accurate and careful mixing, but this is not the case with tin cure ones.
    • Tin cured silicones are primarily suited for general silicone mold making, prototype applications and prosthetic works. Platinum cured silicones provide good dimensional stability and work well for precision molding, special effects applications, encapsulations and paints. The latter comes in food safe, skin safe and transparent versions also.

    So, go ahead and make your silicone mold by all means, but do choose the type of silicone rubber with care.

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    Source by Ed McCormick

    Views: 0

  • How to Get Cold Patch Asphalt to Cure Faster

    How to Get Cold Patch Asphalt to Cure Faster

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    One of the most affordable and convenient methods for small-scale asphalt mending projects is to use a cold patch mix. Many property owners will tell you that this approach saves money, and can reduce the amount of labor required for the job, making it a great solution for small holes in parking lots, walkways, streets, and driveways. However, the process of cold asphalt patching can be accelerated with the right application techniques, saving property owners some time too! Customers, clients, guests, and occupants can use the pavement in the same day!

    Continue reading to learn some great tips on how you can shorten the amount of time it takes for the cold patch asphalt mix to harden, and drastically cut down on turnaround time, from project start to finish.

    Ease of Use

    The primary reason why this product is the go-to choice for small hole repairs in asphalt pavements is the ease of installation. There is no long, extended process of preparing or mixing materials. Instead, the air does most of the work. You simply pour the mix directly into the hole, compact it with simple manual tools (metal tamper or piece of lumber), and leave it to air dry. The mix turns into a permanent surface patch after extended contact with air.

    The drying process, also known as curing, is very important to establishing a solid, stable surface that lasts a long time. If you want a permanent repair for your asphalt, you need to make sure the entire process is done correctly. If you want to speed up the curing stage of your pavement repair project, you can try a few recommended tips.

    Use Gravel

    You can use gravel to create a more dense space within the hole, which may help to establish lasting strength. Just fill the hole with gravel, little by little, while using your compacting tools to compress the gravel with each layer. Do not fill the hole all the way to the top; be sure to leave 2 inches of space below the surface line for your cold patch mix.

    Pouring Your Mix

    As you pour your mix, exceed the surface line by half an inch. This means that your mix should go over the top of the hole by a ½ inch. Then use your compacting tools to compress your material down until it is properly flattened. You may need to repeat this step two or three times to get a proper fill.

    Expedited Drying

    Asphalt cold patch mix cures by having contact with air. You can speed up the drying process by using hair dryers or commercial paint dryers. If you are going to use a hair dryer, you will need to manually operate it in a steady, sweeping motion to ensure even curing. The material is near dry when you cannot easily press into the surface with your hand.

    Large-Scale Pavement Repair

    For large-scale pavement repair jobs, you need a professional paving company. They have the training, equipment, and resources to provide dependable work in a convenient time frame. Be sure to choose a company that is licensed, bonded, and insured, and retains decades of experience in the road construction industry.

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    Source by Sarahbeth Kluzinski

    Views: 0

  • Why Sleep Is So Powerful For Mental Health

    Why Sleep Is So Powerful For Mental Health

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    In this fast-paced western society we are constantly connected and available 247, we have information flowing into us on a daily basis and there’s an increasing expectation for us to respond instantly. Given all of this, there a growing need for us to be operating or functioning in terms of our mental health not just at ‘normal’ or ‘acceptable’ levels, but ‘optimal’ levels.

    Optimal means we are functioning at the highest levels mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually, such that we’re able to cope well with the demands of life. If we are operating at sub-optimal level, it’s much harder for us to perform even the basic of life’s functions.

    So how do we ensure our health and wellbeing levels are what they should be?

    One key contributory factor for long-term mental health and wellness is to ensure we have 7-9 hours of good quality sleep per night.

    Repair

    Sleep repairs the body. This has a positive knock-on effect to how you function cognitively the next and following days. When we sleep, we sleep in cycles of 60-90 minutes. During that time we oscillate between deep (so-called delta) sleep where the body repairs itself and the lighter REM sleep.

    Recall

    REM (rapid-eye-movement) sleep, or lighter sleep, moves information from your short-term memory to your long-term memory. This helps you to better recall information you absorb on a daily basis. It is during this REM phase of sleep that your eyes move rapidly from side to side (hence the name) and that you dream.

    Rhythm

    Getting to bed at the right time (ideally 10pm) and getting the right amount of sleep every night keeps your circadian rhythm in check. Your circadian rhythm is your natural body clock that gives you signals when it’s time for you to sleep and when it’s time for you to wake up. Working shift patterns (especially night shifts) can knock this out of balance which can have major consequences not only for your mental and physical health but also for your gut health.

    Lack of good quality sleep means that instead of being fully awake and energised during the day, you may find yourself sleepy, sluggish and unable to focus for any significant length of time. In addition, when you’re in bed at night you may feel ‘tired and wired’ (meaning your body is physically tired, but your mind is wide awake and you’re therefore unable to sleep).

    Melatonin, the hormone that prepares your body for sleep, and serotonin (your awake hormone) need to be in balance for you to function at your best in the day. This means melatonin kicks in naturally from around 9pm (to help you sleep) until about 7am when serotonin is released to take you through the day. When this melatonin, serotonin cycle is in balance you are fully awake during the day and sleepy at night (when you should be). This in turn means you get a better night’s sleep.

    Immune Booster

    So never underestimate the power of sleep if you value your health and wellbeing. Good quality sleep not only helps us function more effectively, it also boosts our immune system, helping us to stave off viruses and other infections that we would more easily catch with an inferior level and quality of sleep.

    Sleep is therefore one of the fundamental pillars of amazing health and wellbeing. Without it we may over time find ourselves not only operating under par but opening ourselves up to chronic exhaustive conditions such as ME, chronic fatigue syndrome, or fibromyalgia. These conditions can be debilitating and could, if not kept in check, leave us either bed bound or wheelchair bound.

    So a key way to look after your mental health over the long term is to ensure that you not only get your 7-9 hours but that you ensure that you go to bed at the right time to increase your chances of getting a much better night’s sleep.

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    Source by Carmen Gilfillan

    Views: 0

  • Does Tiger Balm Cure Nail Fungus?

    Does Tiger Balm Cure Nail Fungus?

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    The fungus “Candida” is present in all our bodies.

    Under certain circumstances, it can become rooted in different locations or organs, spreading as if it were an “infection”. This infection is made visible through the presence of “white” discharge or some other infected material (in the case of the toes, a yellowing of the nail).

    Candidiasis is the “infection” state of the fungus – affecting everything from dandruff to having vaginal candida discharge.

    Whilst nothing wrong from a purely health perspective, the underlying condition is often unsightly, and can lead to further complications if not treated.

    Most pertinently, the infection will likely not go on its own. This means if you have Athlete’s foot (another form of Candidiasis), or some other Candida-based infection, you’ll typically have to work hard yourself on cleaning it up.

    Solutions are actually quite bountiful… “Tiger Balm” (a more powerful Vicks Vapour Rub) being one of them.

    Firstly, the important thing to note is that there are two types of Candidal infection. You can either get a growth on the surface of the skin, or it can be embedded inside the skin. The type you have determines the remedy.

    Secondly, ALL Candida responds in the same way to the various remedies. The only difference lies in accessing the root cause of the problem. If you have an embedded infection, it will typically require direct access through the surface layer of skin (hence why the likes of laser treatment is used for Toenail fungus).

    The point is that if you’re able to access the infection (it’s either on the surface of the skin or close), you can apply active ingredient straight to it. In the case of the “cottage cheese” type substance for most fungal infections, this means you can apply the likes of anti-dandruff shampoo, yoghurt or “Vicks Vapour Rub” to essentially kill off the fungal spores. This will be quick and painless.

    If you have an embedded infection (heels / toenails / vagina), you need to be careful with what you end up doing. Specifically, if the infection is under the surface of the skin, you have to remove the top layer in order to hit the fungus directly. This is where the likes of Tiger Balm comes in.

    Tiger Balm is nothing special. It’s just a more powerful Vicks Vapour Rub without the Eucalyptus. The most important thing is that it’s potent. Really potent. And it hurts.

    The cream basically tricks the brain into “numbing” the pain receptors on your body. It creates an “ice heat” – GREAT for muscle injuries, but basically means that you should expect some discomfort from using it (look up Tiger Balm on YouTube for more info).

    To this end, if you want to get rid of a Toe nail infection with it, you first need to be able to get rid of the surface layer of the nail. This is best done by filing, or can be done by applying a cream to soften the nail before trying to pick off all the infected layers on the top.

    Once you’ve removed the “crusty” layer of the nail, you should then be using the likes of Tiger Balm to kill off the infection directly. Again, this may hurt but you need to be absolutely stoic in its application – put it all over the nail so it will get rid of it entirely. If it works, the new nail that forms should be entirely “fungus free”.

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    Source by Richard Peck

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  • Why Is Plant Oil an Ideal Health Choice?

    Why Is Plant Oil an Ideal Health Choice?

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    Plant oils are usually extracted from different plants, especially the seeds. Just like most fats, the oils help to make food palatable, and can be used for purposes of cooking. There are many varieties of plant oils today and there seems to be no end in sight. In the local supermarkets today, there are different oils that you can choose to purchase because they are readily available.

    One thing that is obvious is how easy it is to find plant oils that are refined instead of the ones that are cold pressed and fresh. However, such oils are added to processed foods. Some are also included in cosmetics and cleaning products.

    Plant oils are not equal when it comes to health benefits. Some have more properties than others. There are some considerations that you need to make such as how the oil was made in the first place. Usually, the seed oils are first subjected to very high temperatures and sometime harsh chemicals are introduced. This makes the oil lose some of the nutrients that are supposed to be beneficial to our bodies.

    As for the virgin oils, they are ground and centrifuged to separate the oil and the seed. The extra virgin oils usually need to meet very vigorous criteria in terms of chemical composition and purity.

    When you are buying the plant oil, you need to consider how far it really is from the original form. In most cases, when refined oils are being created, they have to follow different steps. This includes mashing, bleaching, deodorizing, stripping, refining under high temperatures, chemical alterations, and so on.

    Most of the plant oils are in liquid form and are almost never in solid form. When the weather gets cloudy and cold, the oil may become cloudy. The exceptions to this rule are coconut and some butter because of the fat content that is quite highly saturated. If you notice that oil is solid, it may be an indication that it has been altered chemically especially through hydrogenation.

    Usually, the fats that are refined commercially have trans-fats. This comes during processing. What you notice is that most plant oils have a very high omega 3 content and that is why you should be using them instead of the refined options.

    The most popular plants with a high omega 3 content include:

    • Flax seed
    • Hemp seed
    • Pumpkin seed
    • Walnut seed

    The ones with higher monosaturated oil content include:

    • Olive
    • Almond
    • Avocado seed
    • Palm
    • Peanuts

    The plants with higher saturated oils include:

    • Unrefined palm
    • Unrefined coconut

    The reason why you should avoid the commercial cooking oils is that they have a higher content of omega 6. Choosing an oil that provides your requirement of omega fatty acids is always a good way to go. There are some that are able to offer omega 3, 6, and 9, which are very essential for wellness, health, and vitality. They are better than flax and fish. It is always good to know the health benefits to expect from the oil you intend to use.

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    Source by Shalini M

    Views: 0

  • Can Meditation Cure Cancer?

    Can Meditation Cure Cancer?

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    Meditation is a powerful tool of preventative medicine. It can facilitate self-healing and inspire a deep sense of well-being. In this article, you’ll learn four ways to use meditation for health and wellness. You’ll also read a profound story of how mindfulness and meditation cured one woman’s cancer.

    Let’s begin with this story of miraculous healing from “Meditation: An In-Depth Guide” (Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin, 2011) by Ian Gawler and Paul Bedson.

    Bernice Heals Her Cancer

    (p.274-278, MAIG)

    In 1980, Bernice Groeke was diagnosed with melanoma in her calf which she had surgically removed. A year and a half later, doctors found melanoma in a lymph node in her groin and also surgically removed that. A year and a half after that, the cancer had spread to her lungs, at which point the doctors said that it was inoperable. They said there was nothing medically they could do for her and that she had only months to live.

    Bernice decided to join a 12-week cancer self-help group. Soon after joining the group, the discussion turned to the effect of mindset on handling the physical pain and mental-emotional suffering of cancer. Bernice had never really given much thought to her mindset.

    However, as the group discussed the power of mindfulness and positive thinking, Bernice quickly recognized just how negative her usual mindset tended to be. In fact, she had taken it as her duty to be on guard and to warn her family and friends of anything that could go wrong. On the flip-side, she was also quick her warn herself and others not to get too excited about new possibilities because they were likely to end in disappointment.

    Bernice realized her mindset was the definition of a “glass half-empty” approach to life. So, after learning about the benefits of thinking more positively, she decided to change her habitual mindset. To do this, she decided to repeat the affirmation “I am a positive person” anytime she recognized herself going negative.

    About six weeks into her new mindfulness and affirmation practice, she was sitting with her husband after dinner when she experienced one of the melanomas pressing uncomfortably against her spine. Her husband noticed her agitation and asked what was wrong.

    Bernice replied, “Perhaps the doctors are right. Perhaps I’m just kidding myself. Perhaps I should just accept the fact that I’m going to die and give up on all this other stuff.” (p.275, MAIG)

    Her husband was sympathetic to her pain and he was also aware of her new affirmation practice. So, instead of just sympathizing, he replied, “Oh that’s interesting. What are you?”

    “What do you mean, what am I?” she replied.

    “Oh, I thought you were a positive person now” he said.

    Bernice reflected on this and replied, “You’re right, I am.”

    Bernice recalled that, as she said this, she felt a palpable shift inside her body, as if a switch had been turned on. From that moment on, she was able to see the positive in every situation.

    Shortly after this inner shift, she was meditating and praying in church and had a profound mystical experience of God’s Presence in which she understood the Biblical phrase “Be still and know that I am God.” From that moment on, her faith was strengthened. She found it easier to follow through on her healthy diet and her healing efforts with meditation. She also became enthusiastic about serving others.

    Within six months, scans revealed that her lungs were clear of all tumors. And, within a year, much to their surprise, doctors proclaimed her cancer-free.

    Soon thereafter, Bernice volunteered to speak to meditation groups at the Gawler Foundation telling them her story. She beamed radiantly as she spoke and her enthusiasm for life was infectious. Bernice became an inspiring spiritual force.

    Several years later, her husband died in his late eighties. Her friends and family wondered how Bernice would take his passing. After all, they had been together for over sixty years.

    While she grieved appropriately and was deeply saddened, she surprised them with her resilience. She said, “Well, you know, it is really sad that Wain died and I will miss him terribly, but it will be interesting… I have never lived on my own before. I wonder what it will be like not having to take Wain into account anymore?”

    Shortly thereafter, to help with expenses, Bernice took in a student boarder from overseas. They quickly became the best of friends. She taught him of life in Australia and he gave her company and financial support. It was a beautiful new chapter in her life.

    Then, in 2009, at the age of 93, and 26 years after her cancer had disappeared-it reappeared. This time, she deteriorated quickly.

    At first, she thought she was at fault. She went to Gawler to express her disappointment in herself. Gawler was quick to remind her of her remarkable recovery. For over 26 years, she had lived cancer-free. He reminded her that we all die of something-and that we don’t always know why. He also reminded her of her faith.

    Bernice conceded that she had somewhat lost touch with her faith and now she had some doubts and fears of dying.

    Gawler encouraged her that doubts and fears were natural human feelings, especially in the face of death. He encouraged her to mindfully recognize her doubts and fears and accept them for what they were-natural feelings toward facing the unknown. He also suggested to Bernice that dying was like “going home.”

    He reminded Bernice of her faith and encouraged her to imagine what it would be like to rest in the Divine Presence. He told her that “dying was easy, that she had led a good life, and she could look back on it with gentle satisfaction and no regrets. To die she only had to breathe out and not breathe in again. It would be easy.”

    Supported by Gawler’s words, Bernice resolved to focus on the Divine Presence and imagine herself merging with it when the time came.

    Bernice died less than a week later, peacefully. And, her funeral was a joyous celebration of her life. Family, friends, and throngs of those whom she had touched with her smiling service came to celebrate what she had meant to them.

    A beautiful story.

    4 Ways Meditation Supports Health and Healing

    So, what can we draw from Bernice’s story that can help us heal and be healthier?

    1. Your mindset affects your ability to heal

    As we saw with Bernice, her healing began with healing her attitude, her habitual mindset. She recognized her habit of looking at life through a negative and fear-based lens. She was always wary, on guard, and expecting the worst. Before attending the cancer self-help group, she hadn’t really noticed this was a mindset, or that it was detrimental-she just thought she was being conscientious, responsible, and careful.

    Bernice learned to change her mindset by affirming, “I am a positive person.”

    Now, having a positive mindset is not about making things up or making things better than they really are. It’s about noticing the opportunities that are present in every situation. It’s about seeing what can be done rather than focusing on what can’t. It’s about being present with “what is” and noticing what you can do to move things forward in a good direction.

    When you do this, you open yourself to a wider scope of possibilities and become more inspired to take positive action.

    2. The choices you make matter

    As you open yourself to a wider scope of possibilities, you realize you can choose to take actions that make a positive difference for yourself and others. Things are not “just the way they are,” they are the result of a series of choices that combine to create specific results.

    Meditation supports a state of clear seeing in which you can recognize options and make good choices. Through meditation, you become more able to choose what works and let go of what doesn’t.

    As Bernice opened to the possibility of healing, she began to make different choices. She chose to say her positive affirmations to reset her mindset. She adopted a healthier diet. She meditated daily. She increased her efforts to serve others. She widened her community.

    In time, these combined with other unseen forces to create healing.

    3. Meditation itself supports healing

    One of the most important things you can do to facilitate healing-whether it’s physical or mental-emotional-is to activate your body’s natural relaxation response.

    When you are in stress-mode, over-busy, and over-whelmed, your body restricts energy flow to digestion, immune, and higher-thought processes. Your sympathetic nervous system directs all energy outward and you lose your ability to absorb nutrients, repair your cells, and make good choices.

    Our bodies are made to alternate between periods of activity and rest. Most of err on the side of too much activity. We rush from one thing to the next and don’t allow ourselves time to consciously process the events of the day. Then, we spend our sleeping hours actively processing life in our dreams. This hinders deep rest and recovery.

    When you consciously relax, using a tool such as meditation, you activate your parasympathetic nervous system, your natural recovery and repair mode. This brings digestion, immune, and higher-thinking capacities back online. You also begin to process and integrate the events of the day, and of your life up to now, so you can let the past go and be more present with what is.

    For these reasons, it’s vitally essential to consciously activate the Relaxation Response at least once a day using a tool such as meditation for at least 10-20 minutes.

    4. Meaningful imagery supports healing

    Bernice had a strong faith in God. Because of this, she found it quite helpful and healing to imagine herself immersed in the Divine Presence. This soothed and comforted her. Her faith also prompted her to take other healing actions, serve others, and build community.

    When we think only of ourselves and our own suffering, it’s easy to get bogged down in feeling “Woe is me.” Widening your vision to realize your Oneness with the larger field of Life inspires and heals. Health and healing occur naturally as a result of the Universal Life-Force flowing strongly and smoothly through your whole being. Meditation is a powerful way to mindfully recognize blocks to this flow, release them, and center into this deeper enlivening Presence.

    Enjoy your practice!

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    Source by Kevin Schoeninger

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