Tag Archives: self care

End-of-life Planning – It Is Never to Early to Plan Ahead

end-of-life planninFirst published in April 2018 when my dad began having health issues at the age of 85, this updated article now includes additional end-of-life information (see epilogue below), based on what we have learned during this two-year process and dad’s eventual passing in January 2020.

I usually write about the many ways to heal your body. However, after my own recent experiences working through the trauma of an aging parent, I wanted to pass on my newfound knowledge in the hopes that it helps someone else. My brothers and I wish we had had a better map to follow as we negotiated the twists and turns of decisions that needed to be made as we tried to do what was best for our dad.

If you have an aging parent or if you are a parent with older children, I would strongly encourage you to do the uncomfortable — to have those end-of-life discussions with your loved ones before it is too late. Talk about options, preferences, wishes, etc. (See links below.)

I had some of those discussions with my parents over the years, but as my four brothers and I have come to find out these past couple of months, these discussions were not enough. The legal documents put in place were also not enough.

It has been a rough couple of months for my family, especially my dad. Below in the epilogue the story continues during the last two years of dad’s life. Continue reading →

New Techniques to Search for Quality Health Information On-line

UPDATE March 31, 2022. Since first publishing this article in September 2019, on-line censorship has exploded, especially as it relates to natural health. It is more difficult than ever to get reliable health-related information that shows more than the medical paradigm. This article has been updated to help you stay informed, so you can make the best decisions for your health and that of your loved ones.

If you like to do your own health research on-line, you should know that censorship has hit the natural health industry with a vengeance.

It was already bad enough in late 2019 that Dr. Joseph Mercola, who has one of the largest and longest running alternative health websites, decided to leave Facebook, leaving behind 1.8 million followers. By the end of 2021 he was forced to remove 25 years of archived natural health articles from his website.

Originally, the natural health censorship started banning certain topics like alternative cancer therapies and pro-choice vaccine information. Then it moved on to natural health therapies and health freedom websites.

Now many of the top alternative health websites and social media platforms, including those by licensed medical doctors, are being affected. If you search for a specific health-related topic, previously popular links are no longer being provided.
Continue reading →

For the Women in Your Life

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just in time for Mother’s Day, I wanted to share some of my favorite woman-inspired videos and tools.

Enjoy as you learn a wide variety of information that you can use and incorporate into your daily life.

The best of health to you and all the Moms out there!

Breast Health

Did you know that one of the best things you can do for breast health is to massage your lymph nodes? Unlike your vascular system which has the heart to pump your blood, your lymphatic system needs external stimulation like exercise to pump the lymph through your body. If you do not exercise enough, toxins can accumulate in your lymph nodes.

There are hundreds of lymph notes concentrated under your arm pits and around your breasts. You can vigorously massage under your arms and around your breasts on a daily basis to make sure toxins do not accumulate in those areas. Other concentrations of lymph nodes include down the sides of your neck, behind your knees, and your inner thighs. Take a moment during the day, especially if you have been sitting still for a while, to vigorously massage and stimulate these areas. Your body with thank you! Continue reading →

Stress Free and Centered During the Holidays and Throughout the Year

The holiday season can be a stressful time for many – more commitments, more shopping, more socializing, more cooking, etc. However, not all stress is bad. In fact, stress can be a good thing, because without it we can’t learn and grow as we move through life.

It is how you respond to the stress that will determine if the stress affects you in a negative way. (To learn more about the long-term affects of stress on your adrenal glands, click here.)

It is not so much about removing the stress, but rather how you decide to react to the stress you have. It is a matter of changing your mind-set. Easy to say, I know, but not always easy to put into place.

As you learn “let it go” and “go with the flow,” here are six tips for de-stressing and creating a routine of relaxation. Continue reading →

Digit Fidget: A Fun and Easy Way to Massage Your Whole Body

My family has been enjoying our new found device – “a digit fidget.” As you can see from the picture, it is a small woven wire ring that fits around your finger. As you role it slowly up and down each finger, the points from the wire gently massages your finger to relax and calm your whole body.

It is hard to believe, but it works amazingly well. We first discovered it this summer at a local store. The sales person told us that her boss uses it before presentations to help calm her nerves. Others use it to help relieve anxiety, ADHD, soreness, fatigue, the pain from arthritis, among other things.

From an energetic point of view, it really is massaging your entire body. We all have energy pathways running Continue reading →