Herbs for your health.

An herb is a plant that is valued for flavor, scent, medicinal or other qualities. Herbs are used in cooking, as medicines, and for spiritual purposes. 

Today's Herb of the day: is Basil.

Basil is often used therapeutically for arthritis, anxiety, colds, depression, stress, respiratory challenges, and stomach aches. Basil has expectorant and calmative properties to it. Basil is great for expelling mucous from the body, therefore it is often used when one may have some chest congestion or nasal congestion. As an expectorant, it will help to rid this waste from the body and cleanse it. As a calmative, basil helps to ease and calm the senses - so it is great when one is feeling anxiety, stress or needs some calming. It is also great for soothing a weary mind or an upset stomach. 

Here are some ways to enjoy basil:
1) Eat it - throw it in salads, make a pesto, put it in foods! mmmm. basil!


2) Drink it - make a basil tea/infusion either by adding 3 teaspoons of dried basil to 1 cup of boiling water and let it sit (the longer you let it sit the stronger) or about 1 cup of fresh basil into 1 cup of boiling water and let it sit. Remember to boil the water and then remove from flame and then add the basil and let sit. Adding honey, or stevia will sweeten this basil tea up a notch.


3) For nasal congestion, boil a pot of water and add some essential oil of basil to the pot (about 7 drops) and let your head hang over the pot. Breathe in this aromatic vapor and feel the congestion melt away.4) For tired feet, soak 2 cups of fresh basil in 2 liters of water - allow to sit, then slip tired feet into the mixture and enjoy. Feel rejuvenated and also enjoy the antibacterial quality of basil as it cleanses the feet of any germs.


Basil for today folks.
Namaste.

Ginger and it's amazing benefits.

Ginger is an ancient treasured spice. For thousands of years, Asians have employed ginger not only as a pungent spice, but also as a medicine for stomachache, diarrhea, and nausea. Did you know that research also suggests ginger can be used for many other ailments? Take a look!

Migraines: ginger may have the ability to stop prostagldins from causing pain and inflammation in blood vessels.

Ovarian Cancer: ginger powder may induce death in ovarian cancer cells.

Colon Cancer: ginger may slow the growth of colorectal cancer cells. Diabetic Nephropathy: ginger may decrease the incidence of diabetic nephropathy (kidney damage).

Pain and Inflammation: ginger reduces your synthesis of prostaglandins and thromboxanes, which would otherwise cause pain, inflammation and blood clotting.

Tips and Tricks:

Fresh ginger root looks a bit strange in the grocery store. It is usually found next to the garlic or shallots. If the ginger is really fresh you should be able to scrape off the skin with a spoon. Otherwise, you will have to slice the skin off with a knife to uncover the yellow flesh.

If you have never tried fresh ginger, a great way to introduce it into your diet is to add a teaspoon of grated or chopped ginger to a stir-fry with some garlic and onions.

Are you feeling a bit of heartburn or slightly nauseous? Try taking 1, 1-inch piece of ginger and letting it steep in some boiling water for 15 minutes to make a ginger tea. You could also add a 1-inch piece to your favourite green or white or herbal tea to add a bit of spice!

Carrot Ginger Dressing

This dressing will make any salad taste delicious with the perfect balance of sweet to a little bit of zing. It is also delicious over steamed vegetables and brown rice. 

Makes approximately 1 cup

Ingredients:

1 large carrot

1-inch piece peeled ginger (about 1 tsp)

1 small shallot

4 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 Tbsp honey

1/2 cup olive oil/ flax oil/ or hemp oil

Puree carrot, ginger, and shallots in a food processor. Add the vinegar and honey. Blend very well. Add oil in two batches. Blend. Store in refrigerator.

References:

1.             Phanuef H. (2005) Herbs Demystified: A Scientist Explains How the Most Common Herbal Remedies Really Work. New York: Marlow & Company.

2.             Kloss J. (2008) Healthful Herbs from Back to Eden. East Sussex: Ivy Press.

The importance of loving one's self.

We spend so much time waiting to be loved, hoping love will find us, searching, yearning for that special love. Feeling empty and lost without it. Wanting someone to give us love and fill us up. In all reality,things don't work like that. 


It is through loving one's self that love is attracted. What does loving yourself mean?
Basically, Loving one's self is having self respect and love in which is sharable with others in your life.
When you expect love in your life from external sources, usually something different happens,whether it be a misfire, a miscommunication or a miss altogether. It is here in this circumstance in where we find ourselves with an empty void, not filled with the love we so desired and feeling worse; all because we didn't love ourselves first.


Here are a couple of simple tips to help your SELF along with this process,

• The way you treat yourself, and see yourself, is the way others will treat you and see you.
• Treat others as you'd like to be treated, WITH LOVE AND RESPECT!
• Bring about kindness and good will by performing random acts of kindness
• Forgive yourself when necessary; when you're feeling you're not worthy of love.
•  Post affirmations: Such as "I am worthy of love." "I love myself today and everyday."
• Let go of past events
• Think about what you really want in life.
• Keep a journal or blog
• Steadily work at and on loving and accepting yourself as you are.
• Get Started (You become what you think about, act upon and do.)
• Raise your motives, and aim higherANDDDDDDDDDDDD Finally,
• HUG YOURSELF!

With these simple steps, loving yourself can make the world an easier place,
and make you easier on the world.
<3


MORE Self Love TIPS:

• Remember that you are human because sometimes we feel like outcasts or weirdos, but that is just something that makes you unique and to be human is to be imperfect.
• Here's something to try saying every day. Place it on your mirror. It always helps: "Look in the mirror and what do I see? A handsome boy staring back at me!" "Oh wow!" I thought. Who could that be? [smile and say] "Oh! It's most definitely me!"
• Make a list of the things you could love about yourself, ie: things you've done that if you saw someone else do them, you would love them. For instance, if you scored more in basketball, write it down, then eventually you can build up more pros, to help you know why to love yourself (if you're analytical).
• Practice Metta meditation. It will help you love yourself and others more.
• Just don't become vain, vanity is not loving yourself, as you love others.
• Do what you enjoy. Go out somewhere, perhaps, with someone. Or stay at home, prepare yourself a nice meal and settle down with a good book in front of a cozy fire, a fan or air conditioner.
• Every time you realize a negative emotion, pause and feel it; then thank yourself for feeling it, accepting it. Emotions are nothing more than internal experiences which contribute to who we are. Accepting problems (negative things) as opportunities (good things) in another perspective can yield great results (problem solving).
• Mirrors will be your friend in this process. Seeing yourself as lovely and worthy of love is extremely important. Pick a favorite characteristic about yourself, and determine what exactly you don't like about yourself. Then proceed to fix these imperfections.
• Never EVER EVER EVER expect to be like someone else 100%. Use your life to build a mysterious and appealing YOU. Not a remake of someone else which turns people away. Write a diary of your exciting and unique life!
• Listen carefully to the messages you are sending for yourself. Turn off negative messages or turn them into a positive messages.
• Treat yourself like the most loving parent would

WARNINGS:

• 
  Misery loves company, so do not hang-around unhappy, frowning and grouchy people."
• Loving oneself is different from self-adoration or narcissism, which are negative and a huge turn off to others as they involve placing oneself above others.
• Loving yourself does not mean grabbing all of the attention and becoming selfish. It is actually a golden confidence that whispers, I know when it is my time to shine and I can become selfless.
• Remember The best way to love yourself is to trust who YOU are, YOU have all the answers for you.

Namaste.

What is a wounded Healer?

Wounded healer is an archetypal dynamic that psychologist Carl Jung used to describe a phenomenon that may take place in the relationship between analyst and analysand: 'Jung...warned of its dangers as well as its necessity'.

(Archetype:is a universally understood symbol or pattern of behavior, a prototype upon which others are copied, patterned, or emulated.)

In Greek mythology, the centaur 'Chiron was known as the "Wounded Healer" because he was poisoned by one of Hercules's arrows' by dropping it on himself. Unfortunately, 'Chiron was unable to heal himself and so suffered the pain of an incurable wound'.

It is also possible that Jung derives the term "wounded healer" from the ancient Greek legend of Asclepius, a physician who in identification of his own wounds creates a sanctuary atEpidaurus in order to treat others. By contrast, the figure of 'Apollo Medicus could be said to subvert the ancient folkloric motif known in Jungian discourse as the "wounded healer": the physician whose "own suffering and vulnerability...contribute crucially to the capacity to heal"'

Practial Reasoning:

The following is an example of the "wounded healer phenomena" between a analyst and his/her analysand:

• The analyst, through the nature of his profession is consciously aware of his own personal wounds. However, these wounds may be activated in certain situations, especially if his analysand's wounds are similar to his own. (This can be the basis of countertransference).
• In the meantime, the wounded analysand "inner healer" is unconscious to him, but potentially available.
• The analysand's wounds activate those of the analyst. The analyst realizes what is taking place, and either consciously or unconsciously passes this awareness back to his analysand.
• In this way, an unconscious relationship takes place between analyst and Client.

 This type of depth psychology can be potentially dangerous, because the analyst is vulnerable to being infected by his analysand's wounds, or having his or her wounds reopened. Also, the analyst must have an ongoing relationship with the unconscious, otherwise he or she could identify with the "healer archetype", and create an inflated ego.

Keeping an open heart, and on going relationship with consciousness, being a wounded healer has helped me personally grow closer to the universal energy of all that is, to myself and to humanity itself as a whole. I work very hard every day with my inner guidance system, and open heart to keep my ego at bay. It is a constant work in progress.

 That said, I am thankful to experience and have experienced everything in my life, wounds, scars, ups and downs, for without it; I would be incomplete.

Namaste.