“‘Expansion and contraction of your lungs massages your heart as you breathe.  At the same time, your diaphragm pulls and pushes on your heart from below, assisting blood flow.  When our spine is extended by your use of food breathing mechanics, the fascial envelope around the heart stretches, contributing to the balance of pressures around this essential organ.  Healthy posture and breathing actually support your heart.  This gives added meaning to the term “lighthearted’.”

Do you breathe correctly?  Perhaps you do.  Most of us do not.  Many of us are aware that we do not breathe correctly but don’t know how to go about correcting the problem.  Poor breathing habits develop when we get into the habit of incorrectly using our posture and respiratory system, often in response to stress or trauma.

We still our bodies by not breathing at all or with shallow breathing which overrides our natural rhythm and ebb and flow of breath into and out of the body. “Emergency breathing can become an insidious habit that distorts posture and damages health. ((EXPLAIN Humans freeze their bodies in response to an emergency trigger.  We stop our breathing to achieve stillness so that we can hear and see more clearly and pointedly by stabilizing our eyes and ears for sharper perception and quick reaction.

By ‘playing dead’ we can render ourselves “invisible’.  We also hold our bodies still to restrain anger, block fear, or contain the energy of an overwhelming situation.  We hold still to keep our emotions from bubbling over and revealing our private thoughts and feelings.

When the horizontal stabilizers which surround the torso become overly constricted they can close your body around its’ core. They are structures that run perpendicularly around the torso’s central axis.  We hold our arms tightly to our sides limiting the chests capacity to expand.  Evidence of this can be heard in the voice which will sound higher and more shrill especially if the voice is raised.

Spiritual teachers from every tradition stress the importance of proper breathing and mastering ones breathing as a key to balanced living as well as to achieving higher states of consciousness.  One of the very first things one is taught when learning to meditate is to relax and breathe slowly, deeply until a natural rhythm is achieved.  This is because proper breathing affects every aspect of our bodies’ functioning, from our mental state to our digestive efficiency.

Breathing is central to our posture and to the way in which we move.  It has a huge influence on our appearance, health, emotions, outlook, physical and emotional resilience, and capacity to manage stress.

Take a moment to become aware of how you are breathing right now without trying to control it.  Cannot do it, can you?  Mary Bond says,” that trying to be aware of your breath without attempting to control it is like trying to touch your shadow”.  As you become aware of how you are breathing at this moment notice whether you breathe with your chest or belly- nose or mouth -shoulders hunched up and forward or resting low and back.  Just become aware without adjusting it.

Hmmm.  I wonder what you discovered.

REFERENCE:

Bond, Mary, New Rules of Posture:  How to Sit Stand and Move in the Modern world. Healing Arts Press, Rochester, Vermont   2007, pp. 72-90

Preparing for Inspection

Investing in real estate successfully when markets are cooling takes different strategies than when real estate prices were going through the roof.

Here is some advice for investors:

•    Go where land is scarce. In some neighborhoods, land appreciates faster than others.
•    Look for properties that have been on the market at least 90 days and offer at least 10 percent below the asking price.
•    Invest for income, not capital gains.
•    If you’re selling, be quick to adjust the price if offers are scarce.
•    Do your own marketing, including telling your 50 closest neighbors that the house is for sale.

If you have owned your real estate for a long time, home inspection can identify any problems and recommend preventive measures which might avoid costly future repairs. In addition, home sellers may opt for having an inspection prior to placing the home on the market to gain better understanding of conditions which the buyer’s inspector may point out. This provides an opportunity to make repairs that will put the house in better selling condition.
The following suggestions will help to get the home ready for the property checklist, and minimize the need for the home inspector to make a return trip to the home, which may cost an additional fee.

•           Ensure pets won’t hinder the home inspection.
•           Replace any burned out light bulbs.
•           Test all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
•           Clean or replace dirty air filters.
•           Move wood, stored items or debris away from foundation.
•           Unlock or remove locks from any items the inspector must access.
•           Confirm areas and components are accessible by removing items blocking access.
•           Trim tree limbs / shrubs from the roof & away from house.
•           Repair or replace broken, damaged, missing items.
•           Confirm gas, water and electricity are turned on and gas pilots are burning.

Renting a home: The Apartment Inspection

Once you have narrowed your choices for a rental unit, consider the following list of questions as you thoroughly inspect each potential unit. This pre-renting inspection checklist can be used to compare the quality of your choices.
•           How much is rent?
•           Is there a late charge for paying your rent after the due date?
•           Can the rent be increased at any time during the lease?
•           What is the length or term of the lease? Is it negotiable?
•           How much advance notice must the residents give before the end of the lease
•           If they plan to vacate?
•           What are the requirements for a full refund of your security deposit?
•           Is subleasing allowed? User what conditions?
•           Who pays for water, sewage and garbage?
•           Who is called for emergencies or repairs?
•           Is there a list of rules and regulations for residents of the property?
•           Is there a non-refundable cleaning fee or other charge? How much is it?
•           Are there limits on the number of occupants in the apartment?
•           Are pets allowed? Is there a pet deposit and is it refundable?
•           Be sure to obtain a copy of the lease

Security
•           Does the building or unit have a security system?
•           Is there a working smoke alarm?
•           Does the apartment have adequate outdoor lighting?
•           What happens if a key is lost?
•           Is there a peephole installed?

Fixtures
•           Is the refrigerator clean and in working condition?
•           Is the heating system gas or electric? Is it in proper working order?
•           If the apartment is carpeted, is it clean and in good condition?
•           Do all of the fixtures, i.e. faucets, toilet, drains and stoppers in the bathroom work?
•           Are there enough windows in the apartment? Do they lock?
•           Is there a doorbell? If so, does it work?

Apartment Amenities
•           Is there ample study room for all occupants in the apartment?
•           Is there sufficient closet space in the apartment?
•           Is there a private yard? If so, who maintains it?
•           Is the apartment air conditioned? Who will be responsible for replacing the filter?
•           Are ceiling fans provided? If not, are they allowed?
•           Will all of your furniture fit in the apartment?
•           Does the complex have private recreational facilities?
•           How far are grocery and convenience stores from the apartment?

This article is part of The Today Series by Cathleen V. Carr©2009 All Rights Reserved

Investing in real estate successfully when markets are cooling takes different strategies than when real estate prices were going through the roof.

Here is some advice for investors:

• • Go where land is scarce
• . In some neighborhoods, land appreciates faster than others.
• • Look for properties that have been on the market at least 90 days and offer at least 10 percent below the asking price.
• • Invest for income, not capital gains.
• • If you’re selling, be quick to adjust the price if offers are scarce.
• • Do your own marketing, including telling your 50 closest neighbors that the house is for sale.

Our next article will discuss how to prepare your house for the inspection.

This piece is part of The Today Series©2009 by Cathleen V. Carr All rights Reserved

People suffering from chronic low back pain who received acupuncture or simulated acupuncture treatments fared better than those receiving only conventional care according to a recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The study highlights central questions about the mechanisms of benefit seen in acupuncture studies.

This trial, led by Daniel Gherkin, Ph.D., of Group Health Center for Health Studies in Seattle, was funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), a component of the National Institutes of Health. “Because of the lack of highly effective medical treatments for chronic low back pain, we were pleased to find that acupuncture-like treatments were helpful for persons suffering from chronic back pain,” said Dr. Gherkin.

The trial enrolled 638 adults with chronic low back pain who had never had acupuncture and who had rated the “bothersomeness” of their pain as at least a 3 on a 0-to-10 scale.

The participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups: individualized acupuncture, involving a customized prescription for acupuncture points from a diagnostician; standardized acupuncture, using a single prescription for acupuncture points that experts consider generally effective for chronic low back pain; simulated acupuncture, which mimics needle acupuncture but does not involve actual penetration of the skin; or usual care, which is standard medical care.

The patients assigned to any of the three acupuncture groups (individualized, standardized, or simulated) were treated twice weekly for three weeks, and then weekly for four weeks. At 8, 26, and 52 weeks, researchers measured back-related dysfunction and how much symptoms bothered participants.

The researchers found that at eight weeks the individualized, standardized, and simulated acupuncture groups all improved their dysfunction scores significantly more than the group receiving usual care. These benefits persisted for one year, though diminished over time. However, there was no significant difference between the groups receiving the needle and simulated forms of acupuncture.

Thus, while acupuncture was found effective in treating low back pain, neither tailoring acupuncture needle sites to an individual patient nor penetrating the skin appears to be important for receiving therapeutic benefit.

“The findings of this research show that acupuncture-like treatments, including simulated growing body of evidence that there is something meaningful taking place during acupuncture treatments outside of actual needling. Future research is needed to delve deeper into what is evoking these responses.”

The researchers believe that further research is needed to determine the roles of patient expectancy, practitioner reassurance and the physiological effects of non-insertive stimulation and other effects that may contribute to acupuncture-like benefits.

Reference :

G herkin DC, Sherman KJ, Avins AL, et al. A Randomized Trial Comparing Acupuncture, Simulated Acupuncture, and Usual Care for Chronic Low Back Pain. Archives of Internal Medicine. 2009;169[9]:858–866.

“This is an exciting time for Indian health. We’re in the midst of a movement for national health care reform, as well as reform for the Indian health system,” said Kelle Little, the health and human services administrator for the Coquille Indian Tribe Health Center.

She explained that Indian Health Services — a government agency responsible for providing health services to American Indians — is on the cusp of change.

The object of the program is to teach members to embrace lifestyle changes that will help them reasonably lose weight, exercise more and eat healthier.

(AP Photo/Will Kincaid)

In this photo taken Oct. 14, 2008, Ron His Horse is Thunder, chairman of the Standing Rock tribe, talks about the Indian Health Service at Standing Rock Reservation Tribal Headquarters, Fort Yates. N.D. His Horse is Thunder says his remote reservation on the border between North Dakota and South Dakota can’t attract or maintain doctors who know what they are doing.

The Coquille Tribe joined a consortium with the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Indians and the Klamath Indian Tribes on diabetes prevention. The Diabetes Prevention program, which began in 2006, is funded by a grant from the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory.

Little said it’s an important program for American Indians, who have a high rate of diabetes and related health problems.

The tribe is also working on childhood obesity with a project that provides pediatricians with materials and dietitian referrals.  “Obese children become obese adults,” Little said. “If we can treat or at least help families to manage the condition … when children are young, we’ll reduce the risk for chronic disease as adults and adolescents and improve their quality of life.”

The issue is near and dear to the tribe because Indian Country, as Little put it, has a high rate of obesity among its youth.

In Part 1 of this Green Wedding Series we revealed that almost everything at a wedding can be handmade or used. Couple can exchange vintage rings bought at estate or thrift stores or recycle an old family diamond as an engagement ring. This frequently can allow for great cost savings for beautiful rings.

We also mentioned that fresh flowers can be obtained from local gardens and consider using wildflowers, too.

We reminded you that just like with camping no trash should be left behind. When you leave, you try to erase every sign of yourselves having been there and bring that attitude into the wedding and reception.

Here are more great earth friendly tips for a lovely green wedding:
- Replace cut flower centerpieces with potted plants that guests can take home and keep indoors or replant.
- Dedicate a registry to a cause. The I Do Foundation (Idofoundation.org) lets guests donate money to a specific charity of choice.
- Go paper-free. Websites such as weddingwindow.com, theknot.com, and evite.com let couples create invitations online to be sent online.

- Consider webcasting your big day and cut down on guest travel. Websites such as webcastmywedding.net and livevows.com offer guests a chance to view the nuptials on the Net.

Organize carpools for the guests or hire hybrid buses or limos.

- Give favors that can help the earth, such as a tree seedling or seeds to plant in guests’ backyards, http://www.plantamemory.com is a great source.

Paper Saving Wedding Tips:

Select only 100% Post-Consumer Waste (PCW), 100% recycled or tree-free paper, such as recovered cotton, for your wedding stationery.

Use natural inks for invitations Printing your invitations with soy- or vegetable-based, biodegradable inks ensures the cards are easily recyclable—every ton of paper recycled saves 17 mature trees.

Save paper by opting to use an all-in-one invitation with a tear-away RSVP postcard and print an email address or phone number on the invitation itself for RSVP.

Use the Internet  Your guests can go online to find information on travel and hotel accommodations, maps and transportation, wedding weekend events, and how to RSVP and indicate meal selections all from your wedding website.  Remember to print it on the invitation.

Go paper-free   Websites such as http://www.weddingwindow.com, http://www.theknot.com, and http://www.evite.com let people create invitations online to be sent online.

Send Thank You notes with a postcard or a single flat-panel card and envelope.

Give wedding guests herb seeds in a small pot for growing their own fresh food.

Create an alternative green gift registry and ask for items such as family recipes, candid photos from the reception, and compact fluorescent light bulbs, gardening tools.

Chic and Savvy eco-conscious couples are donating leftover reception food to homeless or battered women’s shelters They are planting trees in honor of the occasion or their new family or cherished guests in lieu of giving favors, and asking that contributions be made in their name or in honor of the event to the charity of their choice.

A 2009 David’s Bridal Internet survey found that 45 percent of some 500 engaged or recently married women had considered some aspect of caring for the environment in their wedding planning decisions. This trend is going to continue to grow and although hard figures are difficult to find, evidence of the growth of green weddings can also be seen in the increasing availability of green wedding planners, caterers, limo drivers, florists, DJs, photographers, and honeymoon hotels and resorts.

Of the 2.5 million weddings that take place each year a small fraction can currently be considered green by virtue of the waste accumulated from just one wedding.

Why go green for your special day?

What all green weddings typically share is an effort to conserve resources and reduce waste. In the United States our traditional weddings generate up to 200 tons of CO2 per event. The average wedding in the United States will generate about 110 tens of CO2 per while the rest of the world that averages 22 tons per year.

Green weddings are believed to not only portend and influence the bride and groom’s future lifestyle but they can also influence family and guests. Participants and guests at green weddings tend to become more aware of the importance to go green.

A green wedding can be a subtle vehicle for passing on tips and examples of what others can do at home and can provoke good ‘wedding talk’ about respecting and embracing the environment. A well-planned green wedding can save you money, too.

To start right recycle an old family diamond as an engagement ring or bought at estate or thrift stores. During the actual wedding ceremony the couple can exchange vintage rings purchased from these same sources. This frequently allows for great cost savings for beautiful rings.

Where do you start the planning of a green wedding?

Chic and savvy eco-conscious couples donate leftover reception food to homeless or battered women’s shelters They plant trees in honor of the occasion, their new family or cherished guests, in lieu of giving favors, and ask that contributions be made in their name or in honor of the event to the charity of their choice.   Obtain fresh flowers from local gardens and consider using plentiful wildflowers on tables and in bouquets.

A green wedding is a clean wedding.

Just like with camping no trash should be left behind after the happy event. When you leave your wedding or reception site try to erase every sign of yourselves having been where ever you celebrate and promote that attitude throughout the entire wedding parade of events from engagement party to bridal shower and bachelor party through honeymoon.

Go paper-free.

Websites such as weddingwindow, theknot, and evite.com let couples create invitations online that can be sent online. An excellent resource for a planning a green wedding Modern Bride’s Green Wedding Website found at http://portovert.com/expert_tips .

Research at Live Green, Live Smart indicates that couples that have had green weddings tend to make choices that permeate every level of the wedding experience. Green brides and grooms select gifts that:

• Are less energy consumptive

• Can be donated to social causes in celebration of the event

• Contain no “blood diamonds”

• Are less opulent events overall

• Reduce their carbon footprint after the nuptials

Overall, green weddings and honeymoons can show respect for the environment and cost considerably less than the national average.

About Crystal Healing

A method of healing with the use of crystals placed on or around the body is called Crystal Healing. Since the earliest times, crystals have been used to heal and restore balance. They help in releasing and clearing negative energy, thereby assisting in energy healing.

History

The earliest records of crystal healing have been traced in Ancient Egypt. India’s Ayurvedic records and traditional Chinese medicine also claim healing with the use of crystals, dating back to 5000 years ago.

What are Crystals?

Crystals are nature’s gift to man that augment healing. Crystals are found in all shapes, sizes, colors and composition.

Each crystal has a unique vibrational resonance. They owe their unique qualities to their mineral content, their inherent geometry and the color frequency they emit.

Crystals and the Human Body

The human body has a complex electromagnetic system, also known as a vibrational energy system. Nature has created crystals to be perfect electromagnetic conductors, capable of interacting with our electromagnetic system.

Crystals have been found to carry vibration that activates certain energy centers within our electromagnetic system, thus having a positive effect on our entire body systems.

By Cathleen V. Carr

Copyright 2009 All Rights Reserved

• Chakras are the spinning wheels of conscious energy.
• There are 7 major chakras and 50 minor chakras.

Chakras absorb the life energy or Prana. Thus any blockage or disruption in the flow of this natural energy affects a person on all 3 levels – physical, mental and spiritual.

Prana has Healing qualities. As more prana or life force is absorbed by the body through the chakras it keeps a person balanced and healthy.

In crystal healing, crystals should be placed on the chakra points. Crystals of various colors help in the healing process by creating certain tranquil emotions and altering the state of mind.

The colors of the crystals are associated with the various chakra centers in the body. Each chakra has a color and if crystals of the same color are placed on the associated center, it amplifies the affects of both healing energies to that area of the body where the healing is needed.

When crystals are placed at corresponding chakra point, they cleanse and energise the chakra. This helps in healing and harmonizing energy.

CHAKRA        BODY PART      COLOUR             ASSOCIATED GEMSTONES

1st Chakra – Root Chakra           Red      Red Jasper, Garnet, Onyx, Rubies

2nd Chakra – The Navel            Orange             Carnelian, Moonstone, Hematite, Orange Zincite

3rd Chakra – Solar Plexus        Yellow             Citrine, Amber, Topaz

4th Chakra – The Heart              Green         Rose Quartz, Chinese Fluorite

5th Chakra – The Throat          Light Blue         Aquamarine, Turquoise Blue Lace Agate

6th Chakra – The Third Eye      Dark Blue         Lapiz Lazuli, Sapphire, Turquoise

7th Chakra – Crown                Purple Clear             Quartz or Amethyst

Making compost is essentially about the care and feeding of microorganisms.  These micro shredders chew up the contents of your compost pile. Then the bacteria and fungi which concurrently grows with the microorganisms break the chewed up contents down further into the form that your plants can use by turning it into gardening gold.

AP photo by Armando Franco

Microorganisms like to eat things that are high in carbon like leaves, wood chips, shredded paper and even cardboard- things that are brown.  They also like nitrogen rich goodies like weeds, kitchen scraps, grass clippings, coffee grounds, smashed up egg shells and old plants.  Keep greasy things and human or animal feces out of your compost pile.

The trick to really rich compost- other than quality ingredients- is the proportions of those carbons to nitrogens mixed together along with  air and water.  Combine your brown carbons 60% to green nitrogens 40%.  Layering, like with lasagna, is key.  Start with a brown layer and lay green over it, water the two and repeat until all your ingredients are used.  Keep adding to your pile until it is at least four feet square.

What makes the compost gourmet? Adding a couple of extra ingredients will make up for any missing micro-nutrients.  Add blood, bone meal, kelp meal, finely ground granite sand or even a touch of lime.  Add ingredients in 1 pound amounts and mix well.

If your ratios are correct the pile will heat up as the organisms get to work shredding, eating and multiplying.  Monitor the heat in the middle of the pile with a compost thermometer.  The center needs to be between 135-155 degrees and STAY THERE for at least three days.  This maintenance of the heat ensures that  bad organisms and weed seeds are killed.

When the temperature begins to drop turn your compost pile, add a little water and let it heat up again.  You must do this three times before you leave it alone and let the pile continue its transformation for six months.  This half year period gives the microorganisms time to completely process the waste into gourmet plant food.  While you are waiting for this to happen you can decide what your going to plant in your garden.

By Cathleen V. Carr

Copyright 2009 All Rights Reserved