Monday, February 28, 2011

Making Changes Forum

Trying to quit smoking?  Trying to lose weight?  Trying to be less of a people pleaser?  Trying to decrease the kids’ sugar intake?  Making Changes forum is for discussion about how to begin living the new life you want.  Many people need help with making changes.  People will hold to New Year’s resolutions, for example,  right until the end of January.  Come February and March one's will becomes weaker and weaker until it is broken.  It’s VERY easy to get stuck in habits, routines and other comfort zones.  Here on the home page, there has been and often will be posts about making changes.  In the Making Changes forum, however, we will be actively discussing this topic.

Come check it out.  Talk about a change that you want to make and let us help you.  Remember, separate registration is for the benefit of those who would like to remain annonymous; if you are one who would like to remain annonymous, tell us what to call you (your real identity or not) and tell us what kind of changes you are having trouble implementing.

Re-registration is necessary in order to use the forums.  Click here for simple step by step instructions on how to re-register and use the forums.

Decreasing Toxicity: Achieving Step 2

In step two we are in the process of gathering as much information as possible.  What kinds of toxins are affecting me?  How can I decrease the toxicity level in my home and in my body?  How do I get rid of these toxins?  What safe alternatives are there to the toxic foods and household products?

There is information on this site about eco safe products, filters that can remove fluoride and why you should use glass instead of plastic, for example.  I do my absolute best to provide my readers with accurate information from reliable sources and I may share of my own experience.  There are also several books and magazines that can provide you with great information as well.  Natural Health and Natural Home magazine are two favorites of mine.  They are excellent sources of information on how to create a greener home and a healthier body.  To subscribe or for more information, just click on any of the “buy at amazon.com” buttons below (from left to right:  Natural Health one year subscription; Natural Home one year subscription and a single issue of Natural Home).

You’re almost home.  You’re almost at the beginning of your new life.  Once you have good information and good sources for information, you have achieved step two and you are ready to move on to one of the two most difficult steps which is step 3, acceptance.


Sunday, February 27, 2011

Rants

This forum is just free discussion about any topic of health so just get it off your chest! This is the forum to just tell us what you know. Start a forum in this forum about whatever you want. Post your favorite health videos. Tell us the latest news on health and start a discussion. Give us health tips that have worked for you all of your life. Start a discussion with anecdotes about how you lead your family to wellness. If there is a forum that I didn’t cover and you feel that there should be a forum for this topic, you can talk about it or even start a sub-forum yourself.

Fundamentally, if there is ANY health issue for you to share, this is the forum to do it.

Decreasing Toxicity: Step 2

Just as a quick refresher; decreasing the levels of toxicity in your life is an important decision, but a large responsibility.  The first three steps either motivate people to do it at full force or it turns people off from the idea.  Step one is openness, step two is education and step three is acceptance.  Step one was discussed in prior posts (part one and part two).

Once you have the willingness to learn ways to decrease the toxins in your life, you are ready to move on to step 2 which is education.  This can be the scary part; this is the reason why most people struggle with step one and step three.  “Ignorance is bliss” an old roommate of mine used to say, and she is right.  If we don’t know that something in our world is hurting us, we just stay in our comfort zone.  I’m still battling with myself about vaccinations for example.  I’m planning on having a family, do I vaccinate?  What if I do and my child gets injured?  What if I don’t and my child gets sick?  Sometimes it seems like it would be better just to not know and to trust in the health care system and hope for the best, until I realize that it is better that I know.  Informed decisions are the best, because at least you know what the consequences of your decisions are and you have a little more control over what happens. 

I also talked about sources of information.  It is hard to find reliable information about toxicity, but answers are out there if you want them.  I rely pretty heavily on my doctors.  They are the ones who have access to the information that I desire so they would be more likely to have it.  I also compare information that I found with what my doctors know.

Where else can we get reliable information?

Friday, February 25, 2011

The New Forums

I realized that some of my readers may struggle with using the forum.  There are some people who can figure these things out easily, but there are some who need help.  For those of you who find it a little confusing or difficult, I feel your pain.  I have a functional knowledge of computers, but I too can get lost sometimes.  Below are step by step instructions on how to work the new forums for those of you who are lost.

  1. Go to the Whole Health Destinations page.  
  2. If you haven't registered, select the "Register" link (top right of Whole Health Destinations).  If you have registered, then you may hit "Login" and sign in.  Remember, separate registration is required in Whole Health Destinations.  So you can sign into Whole Health Destinations without signing into Be Well My Friends or you can sign into both.
  3. Once you've signed in, select a forum, for example the Say Hello forum.
  4. To post something select "New Topic" below the description of the forum, but above the "Sub-Forums & Topics" count, to the left.
  5. I would enter a subject and write what you would like to say and then hit the "post message" button below.  
  6. If you would like to reply to a topic:
    1. Click on the topic you would like to read.
    2. Select the "reply" choice at the top.
    3. Write what you would like to say and then hit the "post message" button

If you have any questions about how to work the forums, please, please post a question in the "comments" so that I can help you.  There are no stupid questions, but if you feel embarrassed to ask, remember you can post it as "anonymous" and shield your identity.  One way or another, if you are lost or confused your questions are ALWAYS, ALWAYS welcome here.

    Thursday, February 24, 2011

    Healthy Relationships Forum

    There is a very high divorce rate in this country which tells me that many of us lack the skills to maintain a healthy relationship.  I thought that a forum to discuss this issue would be helpful to many.  To be clear, this forum is to help those in relationships, to support those who seek relationships, and to help some prepare for relationships.  The Healthy Relationships forum is also to support your relationships with parents, children, roommates, friends, relatives and in-laws as well as spouses, boyfriends and girlfriends.

    It is important to take a critical look at how you view yourself because you conduct yourself in your relationships accordingly.  For example, do you remember the post where I talked about a relationship that I had back in college with a sweet and loyal boyfriend who was very superficial?  Well, I pointed out that I was a big part of the problem.  I attracted someone who was superficial because I saw myself on a very superficial level.  I finally got my wish and found an attractive guy who thought that I was attractive.  Unfortunately, he couldn’t see far past the physical; but that reflected how I saw myself.  It is mistakes like this that would be good to point out.  When you become healthy and strong, you will find a relationship that is as healthy and strong as you are. 

    Again, in this forum, how you see yourself and others may be scrutinized.  Therefore, this is one area where re-registration may be beneficial for some.  With your identity protected, you can talk more freely about your issues and seek help from myself and others.

    Re-registration is necessary in order to use the forums.  Click here for simple step by step instructions on how to re-register and use the forums.

    Reiki Journal Forum

    Reiki facilitates healing by movement of energy and is mysterious even to those of us who use it.  Besides the fact that it relaxes the client, it often helps me see where the client needs more support and empowerment.  Through Reiki, I’ve been able to sense things in others that enabled me to be a more effective life coach (as well as a more effective counselor and massage therapist) for them.  For this reason, I decided to create a Reiki journal on Be Well My Friends to give another kind of support; but also to share the miracles of Reiki.

    For everyone who has a belief system that is based on things that are tangible or scientifically proven, however, the Reiki Journal forum may not be for you.  You may do better following one of the other forums or the blog here on the home page.  The Reiki Journal forum deals with matters that are more spiritual.  By spiritual, again, I mean the individual as a whole.  In other words, on this blog when I speak of what is spiritual, I am referring to the social, emotional, psychological and mental aspect of an individual and how it all connects and manifests in the physical.

    It is a journal because in many ways I'm tracking growth.  Reiki is a journey through which I am always growing.  In the Reiki Journal forum I will track the growth in the readers (you), past clients and I'll track how I've grown and how I'll continue to grow.  Again, however, my focus is to give what I can to help inspire growth and empowerment in others.  Thank you again for reading; be well my friends!

    Re-registration is necessary in order to use the forums.  Click here for simple step by step instructions on how to re-register and use the forums.

    Wednesday, February 23, 2011

    Decreasing Toxicity: Achieving Step 1

    There could be an array of issues that block someone from being open.  One issue is trust.  If I don’t trust the source I myself may not be open to it, however, I rarely poo-poo information without looking a little further into it.  I will research; gather as much information from as many different sources as I can find and then I compare information.  If there is consistency (especially from solid sources), then I may believe it, but if too many questions are raised, I may keep looking.  Another issue is credibility; most of us know that taking health advice from any Joe-Shmoe isn’t wise.  You’d literally put your life in a stranger’s hands not knowing what his experience or motives are.  This is why I ALWAYS advise others to take health advice from this site and double check with your doctor.  MDs may or may not agree with my way of life, however, there are many credible professionals that advise people to live the very way that I live and advise others to live.  The very NDs who advised me or the nutritionists or researchers could all explain with more depth why you should filter fluoridation out of your drinking water for example.  My own dentist will not use fluoride infested products in my mouth at my request, nor does he push fluoride on me because he KNOWS it isn’t healthy.

    Being open doesn’t mean that you just take information from anyone.  Openness implies listening and acquiring information.  Openness is just the willingness to move on to step two which is education.

    Wellness Cafe

    Got recipes?  It can be so difficult to cook without white flour, white sugar or artificial ingredients and for some people who have to cook vegan, it can be VERY challenging to cook without the stuff that most people are used to.  Some of us, however, are used to it.  

    What are some alternative ingredients that we can use in certain recipes to make food that is healthy and delicious?

    If you have any recipes please share in the Wellness Cafe forum.  I admit that main courses are not difficult for me, but I’m not great at baking.  I used to be and if I can remember any good healthy recipes I will certainly post them. Thanks!

    Re-registration is necessary in order to use the forums.  Click here for simple step by step instructions on how to re-register and use the forums.

    Tuesday, February 22, 2011

    Decreasing Toxicity: Step 1

    As a refresher, in the last post about decreasing toxicity, I’ve talked about the first three steps; the first step is openness, the second is education and the third is acceptance.  It was mentioned how the first and third step is where most people may get stuck.  In this post I will discuss step one more in depth.

    Step one, again, is openness.  You must keep an open mind, because the so-called healthy habits that have been taught via mass media (at least in the past) may be contradicted.  For example, what if all that calorie counting that you’ve been in the habit of doing is counter-productive?  Fortunately, much of the old ideas about healthy living are changing, because many facts that I’ve known to be true for years are becoming more popular.  Eating organic fresh produce, for example, is something that I’ve been doing for years.  There was a time when I’ve been lectured or mocked for it because it is so much more expensive than conventionally grown produce and it seemed nonsensical.  Now, even the great Dr. Oz advises to eat organic when you can.  When you are happy in your comfort zone it is VERY difficult to keep an open mind.  The resistance that I often get from loved ones when I try to urge healthier habits is unbelievable sometimes.  One individual was resisting something that I said about toxicity so adamantly that he started to analyze what a toxin REALLY is.  I, at that point, just stopped talking and just listened because it was very obvious that this individual did not want to know what it was that I had to say about toxicity.  He wasn’t open.  In his defense, I did come charging like a rootin’ tootin’ cowgirl with all my information about toxicity when he just wasn’t ready to hear it.  Just as one needs to be open to the fact that some information may make them uncomfortable, I as a life coach need to be open to the fact that there are people who just don’t want to know.  When this individual's contentment in his comfort zone was threatened, intellectualization was his defense.  He pushed away the information that I offered by over analyzing details like how there are toxins in the world that are useful.  Yes, there are useful toxins in the world, however, that wasn’t pertinent to the conversation.  If an individual so tenaciously desires his safe, warm and cozy comfort zone; they will fight to stay there.  They will fight to stay unless something brutally pushes them out and sometimes they STILL won’t budge even then.

    When one meets resistance in step one that is when I should stop because at that point I cannot expect change.  When one is willing to hear more, that is all that is necessary to graduate to step 2.

    Monday, February 21, 2011

    Forums: Say Hello

    This forum (on the new page Whole Health Destinations) is for everyone to get to know everyone.  You can give your name or you can just give a user ID so that we (other readers and I) know what to call you. 

    So please stop by for a moment and tell us as much or as little as you wish about yourself!  We are all friends here and this will help us to support each other.  You can be as open or as private as you like.  But let me know how I can serve you or how you want to serve others.

    Whether I know you or not, my readers are all very precious to me.  Getting an idea of who you are would be wonderful, but if you’d rather join the other discussions that’s okay too.  Either way, be well my friends!

    Re-registration is necessary in order to use the forums.  Click here for simple step by step instructions on how to re-register and use the forums.

    Whole Health Destinations

    Thank you for being so patient over the weekend.  I am pleased and excited to present the new page on Be Well My Friends called Whole Health Destinations.  On this page we can support our journeys toward our emotional, social, spiritual, physical, mental and environmental wellness as we reach for our whole health destination.

    There are several forums on the new page.  In these forums we can support and sustain each other in our journeys to health holistically.  This is a wonderful place to ask questions, seek support and help others.  Separate registration is required for the benefit of those who wish to reach out anonymously.  This way everyone will have the opportunity to strive for their whole health destination without fear or pause.

    So get ready to reach your health destinations and always remember that a destination is nothing more than the beginning of a new journey!

    Feedback continued

    I was leading a client of mine through some guided imagery.  She started out beautifully, but when she had to acquire things that she desired (in guided imagery exercises) she wouldn’t take it.  There was always something blocking her.  Sometimes it was something big and scary, but often it was something that she just couldn’t see.  As the reader (in the previous post) has pointed out, part of the problem with asking "Can you" is that it will give some an excuse to give in to the belief that they can't.  If the individual can't envision themselves in their new life, they may stay stuck in their old life and comfort zone.  Perhaps it would be effective to look at WHY they so tenaciously want to hold to the belief that they can't. 

    When the client I described above tried to explain why she couldn't, she insisted that it was some external power that prevented her from having her dreams.  What she adamantly refused to see, was that it was SHE who was standing in her own way.  Sometimes people are afraid of owning their power.  Think of the first time you got into the driver's seat of a car with your learner's permit.  All of a sudden you have this tremendous responsibility.  There are some who are used to being controlled by others.  This is what they know and understand.  They are a passenger in their own life rather than being the driver.  When they need to take the wheel, it is the scariest thing to them because it is like being in that driver's seat with no driving skills, no guidance nor anything except a permit to drive.  Because this is what having control of their life means, they feel safer saying "I can't."

    Unfortunately, the individual who believes this is the only one who can put an end to their lack of power.  They have to face their own fear of having control and take the wheel in their own lives.  There will be more on how one can take steps to own one's life and own one's power in future posts. 

    Feedback on Resistance and Empowerment I

    “I love the article; the advice and the questions are very empowering.  I would rephrase the 3rd question to something like, "How can you envision...” instead of "can." "Can" may lead to a misconception that I cannot change, therefore I won't change. But of course that is absurd, since we have the free will to create any change in our lives; sometimes it may take a while to condition ourselves to a new habit, but we all can change if we really WANT to.”

    I LOVE the points that this reader made.  He made several good points.  First, YES WE DO have the free will to create any change in our lives; I agree with the reader completely on this point.  On the other hand, you are also very correct in implying that some people are so convinced that they can’t change that they won’t change or they will take a VERY long time to change and/or they will need a ton of help in order to change.  You are also correct in implying the power of our words.  In my experience with counseling, counselors must word things very carefully.  Words like “try”, for example, can lead the student or client to a misconception that they don’t have to if it’s too hard.  This is a cultural phenomenon and America happens to be one of the cultures where this is prevalent.  I would never willfully tell a student or client to “try” to do anything.  When students or clients say “I will try to…” I correct them with “I intend to…” or “I will…” or words that offer more motivation and/or empowerment.

    The point that was made about the wording is the most powerful and provocative because it is so true and it is fertile ground for a variety of discussions.  Please be sure to read the post that follows this one, for I will elaborate on some of the topics of discussion that can come of the reader's point that words have power.

    Friday, February 18, 2011

    Be Well My Friends!

    To improve the quality of this site, bewellmyfriends.com will be under construction until late Sunday evening or early Monday morning the latest.  I am sorry for any inconvenience but appreciate your patience and I look forward to resume posting as promised.

    Be well my friends!

    Decreasing Toxicity

    Eliminating toxins from your life can be difficult, in fact, eliminating them completely is impossible (because there are toxins in the very air that we breathe and there are some in our bodies that will never go away completely).  The goal here is to eliminate some toxins and to decrease others to a bare minimum.  It took me years to decrease the toxicity in my environment and body and I’m still in the process of decreasing more.  Healthy living is a step by step journey that never ends.  The first step is openness; the second is education and the third is acceptance.  I want to focus on these first three steps because more often than not, the first and third step is where many get stuck before they slide back into old habits.  This is why people who are passionate about their health are often people who were once sick.  Even if the first and third step in the lives of people like us was an issue, there came a point where we abruptly stopped taking issue to it.  The desire to learn how to heal induced an openness to the education and when we saw that the new lifestyle was working, we very quickly accepted the new lifestyle.  Some of us went on to be desirous to learn more.

    In the next couple of posts we will discuss the steps in more detail.  Once the first three steps are achieved you’ve found yourself over some of the biggest humps in your journey.  It is in the first three steps where you will meet the most resistance.  When you are taking those first few steps that is when you will be tested because any fear that you have of being outside your safety zone will be amplified within that time.  So the question is, how to get beyond that resistance?

    Thursday, February 17, 2011

    Empowerment and Resistance II

    Resistance is natural when you are making changes.  You will experience resistance from every which where.  You will experience resistance from yourself, from your families and from your friends.  This is just fear of being outside a comfort zone surfacing in yourself and everyone around you.  This is perfectly normal; in fact, it is to be expected.

    I still face resistance to changes that I’ve already made in my life at times.  Family members will voice the excuses that they live by and try to get me to bend a little because it is easier for them to hang out with me if I give in.  But it is easier for me to say no to many things because I’m in a new comfort zone and backsliding into old habits would be even more uncomfortable for me.  I’ve claimed power over the resistance in my own head; it often doesn’t even feel like resistance as much as a mild temptation. 

    I created a comfort in saying "no".  Make no mistake, saying "no" is a skill.  When two year olds learn to say "no", it’s like the greatest thing in the world because all of a sudden they have this new POWER.  They can make a CHOICE and it makes the world a whole new place.  They also learn that sometimes saying "no" has consequences.  This is ingrained in every one of us.  Saying "no" sometimes has negative consequences.  Now, I’m not saying that you are ruining your two year old by setting boundaries; I am saying that when we get older we have to reclaim the power that we have over our own destinies.  I am a recovered people pleaser; I know all about finding the courage to say "no".  I can tell you now; if you are anything like me you're probably find  saying "no" to be FRIGHTENING.  In that particular respect, I'm finally in a place beyond resistance because when I need to say "no" I'll say it.  Because of that and many other babysteps that I have taken over the years, I am finally in charge of my own future.

    Resistance and Empowerment I

    Making healthy changes can be overwhelming.  It can be overwhelming that most of the world implicitly believes some of the most twisted lies that circulates in mass media.  It is overwhelming that those of us who look out for our health must search harder for real food and pay more for it as well.  Most industries trying to sell food aren’t interested in selling foods that nourish.  They want to sell foods that are massed produced, addictive, look great and lasts forever in their containers.  Yes, all of this can be very overwhelming, but remember the power is in your hands.  You hold the power to live your life the way it needs to be lived.

    My father always called education the great liberator.  Knowledge is power, but owning your power can be intimidating.  It takes courage to look at yourself and be honest about the way that you’re living.  It takes courage to look at all of what makes up your comfort zone.  It takes courage to change to a lifestyle that's out of that comfort zone because you aren’t used to it and because people may sometimes mock you for what you’re doing or try to temp you to backslide into old habits.  It takes courage to make these changes, but once you make them, you will eventually find a new comfort zone that is healthy.   

    When you are trying to make healthy changes, most of your empowerment will be attained once you've moved beyond resistance.  A good example is weight bearing exercise.  When you do weight bearing exercise your muscles are working against resistance.  When you do this continuously, what happens?  Yes, your muscles get stronger!  When you find yourself exercising instead of making excuses or saying no when your tempted to say yes or making a habit of decreasing the toxicity level in your home and body instead of vowing to do it tomorrow; THAT is when you will say "I CAN do this!" with confidence and conviction.  The few times you backslide won't matter because you've already had a taste of the better you.

    Take it a day at a time and make one change at a time.  Each time you achieve moving past resistance, you will get stronger!  Ask yourself the following questions:

    1. What is the one unhealthy habit in your life that NEEDS change?
    2. Which new healthy habit can replace the old unhealthy habit?
    3. Can you envision yourself in your new life with the new healthy habit?
    4. When do you want your new life to start? 

    Wednesday, February 16, 2011

    The Fattest Place on Earth

    In previous posts, I’ve talked about different dangers of western foods.  The refined foods with preservatives like trans fats and other such junk that brings illness instead of nourishment can be found just about anywhere.  I have a most difficult time avoiding them without paying much higher prices. 

    Imagine a small, beautiful island where most people focus on the tasty nature of western food, without thinking about the dangers?  To anyone who ever try to convince themselves that western food is fine; you need to see this video.



    Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar II

    Apple cider vinegar has so many benefits.  As said in the last post, I buy Bragg's apple cider vinegar because of its high quality.

    I try to keep some in my house at all times for several reasons.  For one thing, it can make a GREAT facial toner.  The BEST facial toner I’ve ever used had 3 ingredients in it including, the main ingredient, apple cider vinegar (but it was discontinued like many other wonderful products).  I know of some who just the apply apple cider vinegar to their face, (I would dilute it though).  I met a woman who looked 15 years younger than the age she said she was and she swore it was because she used sugar scrubs and apple cider vinegar on her skin.  I know of some people who use it on their skin to disinfect small wounds too.  I’ve used it to combat food poisonings (bacterial) and stomach viruses as well.  Two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in a large glass of water, will do the trick.  I learned, however, to sip and not drink when I have this issue.  I also put a tiny bit in salads sometimes.  I wash my veggies thoroughly; however, a little apple cider vinegar adds a little kick to the flavor and simultaneously kills any pathogens that I may have missed.  Sometimes I wash my veggies in apple cider vinegar, but I don’t do this often, because as I said, I try to use this stuff sparingly.  Last summer we were invaded by a huge mob of fruit flies.  I left bowls of apple cider vinegar everywhere, and unlike the saying, I caught far more flies with vinegar than I ever could with honey.

    There are dozens of more ways to use apple cider vinegar.  It is good to have some in your house at all times.  You can find Bragg's apple cider vinegar in your local health food store or at Whole Foods.  There are also a few books below that can elaborate on everything this post is about and may even give more information on how useful apple cider vinegar can be.  I'm confident that any one of these books will teach you several things that you never even knew about apple cider vinegar.

     

    Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar

    Vinegar has many benefits from cleaning, to unclogging your drain to aiding a fruit fly problem.  Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar is raw, unfiltered and aged in wood.  Because of its high quality, it is more expensive than distilled white vinegar, which is one of the reasons why I use the Bragg's apple cider vinegar more sparingly.  I use the white vinegar for cleaning or for unclogging drains.  Bragg's apple cider vinegar, however, I'll ingest or use on my skin.  White vinegar has acetic acid which can be a little hard on the stomach while apple cider vinegar has malic acid which is naturally secreted by the stomach anyway; so it is easier on the body when ingested.

    You can find it in your local health food store, but in case you can't, you can click on the "buy from amazon.com" button below. 



    Tuesday, February 15, 2011

    Iodine Deficiency

    It is worth it to talk to your health care provider about iodine.  Are you deficient?  Some doctors believe that many Americans are.  With the American dietary norms, it wouldn't surprise me if these doctors are correct.

    Iodine is the one nutrient I knew I was lacking for a very long time.  I stopped eating iodized salt a long time ago because I know very little about how iodine is added into salts.  I have used sea salt for years.  Sea salt contains a little iodine, but perhaps not enough for healthy iodine maintenance. 

    Sea veggies are very high in iodine as well as other essential vitamins and minerals.  The three that I eat are kombu, nori and kelp.  I add a little kombu to beans,  bean stews and sometimes other stews as well.  By adding kelp granules or powder to your salads or snacks you could easily increase your daily dose.  I use kelp as a salt alternative.  I still use a little salt sometimes, but not as much as I would without the kelp.  Roasted nori snacks don't contain as much iodine as kombu and kelp, but besides being nummy they are packed with vitamins.  The nori snacks happen to be one of my favorites by the way!

    Below are the products that I use.  You could find them in your local health food store.  If for some reason you can't find these in your health food store you can buy them by clicking the "buy through amazon.com" buttons below the item that you want.  The prices seem high because if you purchase them through this site, you will purchase them in a package.  The kelp and kombu are in packages of 6 and the Sea Gifts nori snacks are in a package of 24.

     

    Monday, February 14, 2011

    Valentines Day

    I wanted to write a short piece for Valentines day.  I just remembered reading about a study that was done on heart disease.  The researcher accidentally stumbled upon the discovery that affection actually decreases the effects of heart disease.  The rabbits that were cuddled and petted before they were fed toxic foods to induce heart disease, were up to 60% less sick that the rabbits who weren't touched at all.

    With this in mind, make sure you touch, hold or cuddle with a loved one this week.  Happy Valentines day!!! :-)

    Wellness Fizz

    When I feel a sore throat coming on, I drink Wellness Fizz this as instructed on the container.  So far this winter it has been working very well.  I almost caught a cold, but it turned into a sniffle that was gone in a week and a half.  This is one of few things that I purchase with “natural flavors” in it.  Although there isn’t proof, I decided to trust in what I was told about the natural flavors being extracted from a tea.  Besides, I believe the benefits of the product outweigh the disadvantages of that one ingredient and I really enjoy the fruity flavor.  I've only tried berry and tangerine but it looks like there are other flavors out there as well.  In fact, I can't find the berry one that I'm used to on Amazon, but I found the tangerine and one with assorted flavors that I've never seen before.

    You can purchase them below:

    Sunday, February 13, 2011

    Liver

    If there is one organ you should be sure to take care of it’s your liver.  I am being treated for some liver issue that threw off my hormonal balance (low progesterone) and caused a miscarriage last year.  I felt the effects of my low progesterone for years, and it would cause excruciating pain each month unless I used progesterone cream.  I had no idea, however, that it would cause a miscarriage.  My doctor is currently giving me something to give me my liver some support, which has resulted in higher progesterone levels.  As a result, I don’t even need the progesterone cream anymore.

    There are simple ways that you can take care of your liver.  My doctor in San Diego recommended a coffee enema.  I wouldn’t suggest this unless you are receiving guidance from a doctor or health professional as I was.  From my experience it seemed very easy to get hurt if you aren't sure of what you are doing.  For a gentle liver cleanse, I have an occasional cup of milk thistle tea.  I usually take my tea without sugar but if you really need it sweetened, I would suggest some stevia or steep the tea with dried goji berries.  There is another liver cleanse that is very gentle and yet so very effective, which is a castor oil pack.  A doctor told me about castor oil packs and that it is a good practice to do it twice per week.  She told me that it is so gentle that doctors use them on babies, but so effective that it helps the livers of recovering alcoholics.  I usually do a castor oil pack when I feel like I’m coming down with something, but I really should do it more often.  It isn’t that difficult and you can fall asleep with it.  Dr. Gary Null suggests beet juice to support liver function and he also seems to recommend chiropractic care.  As for the chiropractic care, I feel I’ve been very clear about how I feel about it.  It is definitely helping me in more ways than I thought it originally would and I dare to believe that it will do even more for me.

    There are many different health issues that can arise from an unsupported, weak or sickly liver as I have experienced and learned.  So be sure to take care of that liver and stay well!  :)

    Below are some of the products that I use.  To purchase, please click on the "buy from amazon.com" button below the product of choice:

    Friday, February 11, 2011

    Pity Party

    I had a pity party the other day.  No one was invited either, I hosted and partied all by my lonesome.  Why is this significant to a blog about health and wellness?  Well, I’ve posted about positive thinking and laughing and how it is good for the body, right?  Stress can weaken the immune system and lead to illness.  So although I know I am not the only person in the world who has had a pity party, it is still a no-no in my book of health as well as anyone else’s. 

    “Why me?” is the question that started me on the road to Boo-hoosville.  I couldn’t understand why out of all the women in the entire world, why did this have to happen to ME?  I want to explore this, because I know I’m not the only one who has asked this question.  We are all at some point faced with distressing news about…whatever; and it can potentially open the door to feelings of victimization, helplessness and even hopelessness.

    So how do we DEFEAT the pity party?  You encourage the host… you!  The distressing days can always be the threshold of something great; if and only if you choose it.  People may use it as an excuse to make poor choices and THAT’S where they go wrong.  I remember how much I disliked my single life.  Dating wasn’t ever fun for me until I met my husband.  I met the worst of the worst guys within a month before I met my man.  A girlfriend of mine had cancer before she finally found the strength and courage to leave a very destructive relationship and start on the road to a healthy life.  Dark times are wonderful motivators to make us better.  Once I started thinking clearly, I finally remembered this and the pity party was over.  Remember that we are just on a journey.  No matter what journey you travel you will find bumps and potholes.  They will make us stronger, believe it!

    Hormones and Weight Loss (Calorie Counting)

    I was on a Jenny Craig diet when I was in college.  I don't advocate Jenny because of all of the preservatives and other junk in the food.  If you have problems with weight, you are probably ill and not undisciplined and lazy like you may have been taught.  This is an unfortunate and very wrong connotation, that overweight people are lazy, undisciplined or that they eat too much.  This may be the case with some, however VERY few, but this is NOT the case with everyone.  I believe, in fact, that in most cases there is a toxicity issue.  Every last one of my friends who came to America from abroad gained weight at some point.  Some lost the weight and others gained more.

    I know I've mentioned in prior posts how I feel about calorie counting.  If that is what you've been doing to lose weight only to see your weight constantly fluctuate, STOP IT NOW!  You aren't helping yourself and you aren't doing anything good for you body.  The problem may more likely be a hormone that isn't functioning properly (leptin, thyroid...) and what your body needs to do is heal.

    Here is a doctor from Maximized Living that feels the SAME WAY about calorie counting that I do:




    Thursday, February 10, 2011

    Hormones and Weight Loss (Leptin)

    Maximized Living is a healing organization that consists mostly of chiropractors and nutritionists.  They teach their obese patients that they are NOT lazy or undisciplined, but they may be ill or unbalanced.

    Leptin is a hormone responsible for burning fat.  If the leptin in your body is functioning properly, you aren't likely to have any kind of problems with weight gain unless there is another pathology involved.  If you are having trouble losing those last few pounds, it could be because the leptin in your body isn't functioning properly.  According to Maximized Living, that could be because your body is overwhelmed with toxins.  Maximized Living teaches a variety of patients about the healing diet.  This diet is for people that have certain pathological conditions that need to heal.  The healing diet eliminates foods that contain anything that will exacerbate symptoms or make their condition worse.

    Here is a chiropractor explaining why the traditional diet and exercise hoopla doesn't work for those who are trying to lose weight..



    Wednesday, February 9, 2011

    Advertisements on This Site

    I feel I have a responsibility to make a statement about the kinds of ads that you see on this site.  The ones around the posts, as opposed to in the posts, are NOT chosen by me.  I don’t mind ads for Universities, farmer's markets or for the Google phone or other such ads.  The ads for harsh cleaners, fast foods and a certain soft drink, however, are NOT supported by this site (if I avoid posting the name, the number of appearances it makes may decrease).  If I remember correctly, I was explicitly and unapologetically harsh whenever I spoke of processed foods or harsh cleaners.

    If there is a product that is advertised in an individual post, it is because I use or will be using that very product and I recommend it highly.  Because of all of the very common products that I urge people to get rid of like fluoride toothpaste, I feel the need to give people some ideas about what they can replace it with like the tooth powder that I talked about in an earlier post.  I post the add to make it easier for you to buy.  Many of these items you could find in a health food store, however, sometimes health items are found in some cities and states and not in others.  One reader informed me that Salba seeds, for example, aren't available in the UK.

    To the products that I DO NOT support but utterly reject and despise with every single cell in my body:  just in case I wasn’t quite clear, explicit and harsh enough; fast foods and the soft drink are the highway to disease and death!  THIS is what I teach, THIS is what I advocate and I don't apologize for speaking the truth that I know and understand.

    I presented a video that shows how the unnamed soft drink can BADLY damage your skeletal system and overall health; just as a reminder, here it is again (I notice there is a pop up that sometimes blocks the important information, you can close it by clicking the X):



    Feedback on Salba Seeds

    "I have never even heard of Salba seeds. Did a check on them, WOW that's what I call super food but not available in the UK"

    This was an excerpt from an email I received from one of my readers.  I wasn't aware of the fact that Salba Seeds weren't available in the UK.  My husband and I often buy vitamins online even though they are available in the stores because it is so much cheaper.  I encourage you to compare the price to the health food store just in case.

    The first box shows the Salba seeds that I usually buy, but we started buying the second because it contains more and we use it everyday now.  The ground organic one (last) as you may observe is the cheapest.  An individual who works in the health department at our local health food store said that the body has a much easier time absorbing and assimilating fat omegas from the ground seeds.  I haven't found anything else that supports this notion, but that doesn't make it untrue.  I prefer the whole seed and that's all that I've ever used. 


    Hydrogenated Oil/ Trans Fat

    Losing weight isn’t just about decreasing calories and putting on your running shoes.  What if you are a walking container of toxins?  What if THAT is why you are having trouble losing weight?  In the last post we’ve discussed the dangers of trans fats, which foods contain them and why it is added to foods.  The following video gives more information on the parts of the United States that have banned trans fats and why. 

    Tuesday, February 8, 2011

    Hydrogenated Oil

    Hydrogenated oils, also known as trans fats, are added to products in order to increase their shelf life.  I never understood why companies would ruin foods by putting this stuff in it until recently.  It is a toxin that is partially responsible for the epidemic of obesity in this and other countries.  Even Melaleuca, a company whose cleaners I LOVE, a company who prides themselves on the healthy nature of their products puts this stuff in some of their cosmetics; at least they did when I used to buy their products a few years ago. 

    For YEARS when I saw that foods had hydrogenated oils, I wouldn’t dare take it home.  I didn’t even think about the foods that I’ve eaten in restaurants though.  I know even recently I must have had some trans fat.  There is a restaurant a family member of mine LOVES and I finally had to clamp up and tell her that I can’t eat there anymore.  I’m glad that I did that because now at least that is one toxic pool that I can avoid swimming in.  Because there are so few “toxic pools” in my life one fewer is plenty.

    I urge you to check those ingredients.  Pastries, crackers, chips, fries, fried foods and even some “health foods” contain trans fat; read the ingredients.  If it contains hydrogenated oil, then it is better off left on the shelf.  Trans fat isn’t something that can be removed from the body very quickly or easily; so let's avoid putting it in there.

    As I've talked about in a previous post, cooking with coconut oil instead of vegetable oil is another good way to avoid trans fats.

    Science II

    What is science?

    Wikipedia says: (from the Latin scientia, meaning "knowledge") is an enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the world.

    Mirriam-Webster says:  a : knowledge or a system of knowledge covering general truths or the operation of general laws especially as obtained and tested through scientific method

    So, science builds and organizes knowledge or it can also be seen as the operation of general laws especially as obtained and tested through scientific method.  Well, that's interesting because I hear so-called scientists mock anecdotal data all the time.  If one starts with the anecdotal data, questions why it happens, further studies and observes it; isn't THIS building and organizing knowledge?  I believe the true scientists are inspired by the anecdotal.  Before a study is replicated, it has to be done for the first time; it wouldn’t be done for the first time if there wasn’t a scientist who was curious about something that was once anecdotal.  What is a hypothesis, but an educated guess based on a cross between what is known and what is anecdotal?  Before Dr. Haley Boyd (a true scientist) started his research on the effects of thimerosal,  didn't he use facts that he knew about thimerosal, (that it made him sick and it contains high levels of mercury), and what was anecdotal, (many parents believed that vaccines, which contained thimerosal, made their children very sick) as building blocks to form his hypothesis?

    True scientists are these highly educated individuals with the curiosity of children.  They are tenacious and stubborn when it comes to knowledge because they will not stop asking "what if..." even after the first "what if..." is answered.  Sometimes after the first "what if" is answered it snowballs into what seems like an infinite abyss of "what if..." after "what if..." before that scientist becomes one of the greats because in the midst of answering those questions he/ she discovers something amazing.

    It's the kind of science that those individuals pursued that inspires and intrigues me.  It is that kind of science that I miss when I hear all of the junk in mass media.  It is that kind of science that is lost and/ or insulted when I hear something as vital as anecdotal data being dismissed instead of used for further questioning and observation.

    Monday, February 7, 2011

    Science

    Too often good solid facts as well as reasonable speculations were poo-pooed in the name of science.  When I started the journey toward a more holistic lifestyle it worried my parents because they didn't see any scientific evidence that supported my choices; until now.  Jenny McCarthy said that she, as well as other mothers of autistic children, managed to decrease or alleviate symptoms of autism in their children by adjusting their diets; and I've heard scientists tear this notion apart because it's not supported by science.

    Scientists professed that fluoride will do good for teeth; however, we have hydrofluorosilicic acid, a hazardous waste, in our water and call drinking it daily a "healthy" practice.  There is definitely something wrong with that.  Something like vaccines could serve us but then a deadly neurotoxin like thimerosal was added to it, making it something that may be better to stay away from.  When people call these catastrophes “great medical breakthroughs” or worse, “science”; it makes me want to scream.  The stories of children who have become autistic or disabled because of thimerosal is called "annecdotal" and what happened with the survivors they call "science" but I call that a gross manipulation of what true science is.  When Jenny McCarthy was trying to tell the world what worked for her child, a researcher said something about how anecdotal data ISN'T data.  Well, a true scientist would ask why this worked for her and observe it more closely even if they feel that her suggestions are nonsensical.

    In the next few posts we will explore what science is and why there is all of this confusion about the scientific evidence in mass media which many now know to be false.

    Preservatives

    I would like to give a warm welcome to those of you who came to Be Well My Friends via Emilia Klapp's Diabetes Club.  I hope you find the following information enlightening:

    To give a demonstration about preservatives, I wanted to use McDonald's fries as an example since it's known to have such an incredible shelf life.  Please just take a quick look at the ingredients for McDonald's french fries below.

    French Fries:
    Potatoes, vegetable oil (canola oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, natural beef flavor [wheat and milk derivatives]*, citric acid [preservative]), dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate (maintain color), salt.  Prepared in vegetable oil (Canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil with TBHQ and citric acid added to preserve freshness). Dimethylpolysiloxane added as an antifoaming agent.

    The video below has been shown in a previous post.  This post will explain in depth WHY the fries won’t break down.  Highlighted above are all of the ingredients that are added to preserve the fries.  It looks as though there is flavored vegetable oil added to the fries before it is fried in plain vegetable oil.  Both oils contain citric acid and hydrogenated oil.  Citric acid is probably the most benign out of all of the preservatives, but if you want to use citric acid to preserve food wouldn’t it be better just to squeeze some lemon or lime juice on it?  I use lemon juice on my chicken and on my veggies all the time.  Maybe it just isn’t enough because not only do they use citric acid to preserve the fries, they also use hydrogenated oil.  Hydrogenated oil is a toxin also known as trans fat.  In a later post, I will go more in depth about the dangers of trans fat; but just to give an idea about how bad trans fats are, some states banned or are trying to ban trans fats as of now.  Poor McDonald's will be up a creek!  What are they going to do when their fries aren’t made to see the next ice age?  Well, McDonald's won’t need to fret much, for TBHQ will save the day!  TBHQ, by the way, is a DISGUSTING toxin.  Four grams of this stuff can cause physical illnesses such as vomiting and collapse.  Why do they put this in our food again?  Oh yeah, so that the food can do what the famous "Smoking Fry" video below demonstrates; watch:


    Sunday, February 6, 2011

    Checking Ingredients II

    I'm not trying to pick on McDonald's food.  There are MANY foods sold in supermarkets that are equally as bad and sometimes worse.  I posted the ingredients in this McRib Pork Patty for two reasons; BHT and BHA.  I remember a few years back, a girlfriend of mine took a biology class where she learned about BHT and BHA.  She told me about this particular lesson.  Her class was taught that both of these preservatives can cause cancer.  To give an example, the professor showed the class what one of the two preservatives (I believe it was BHA specifically) do to cells.  First they took some cells from inside of the mouth.  Then the students applied some BHA to the cells.  The students watched in fascination as the BHA very quickly mutated the cells.

    McRib Pork Patty:
    Pork, water, salt, dextrose, BHA and BHT and propyl gallate and citric acid (preservatives).

    Often, you would find BHT in the PACKAGING of a product (which I wouldn't buy either).  This clearly shows that it is IN THE FOOD.  What is much worse is that it isn't one or the other but both in the sandwich plus other preservatives as well.  I no longer wonder why it takes these sandwiches so incredibly long to decompose.  I'm sad for anyone who eats this regularly.

    Checking Ingredients

    Different weight loss programs will tell you about different ways to lose weight.  One thing they may all tell you is to check the ingredients of the foods that you eat.  There are a few things you may want to look for when checking packaged food ingredients.  If it is something that you recognize like “water” then it is safe, if it is something that is questionable like “hydrogenated cottonseed oil” you should probably leave it on the shelf.

    The following isn't a packaged food, but a fast food item.  If you are watching what you eat, the same principle applies when it comes to restaurant food if you can get a hold of the ingredients. This is the amount of stuff that they put in one McDonalds chicken sandwich:

    McChicken® Patty:
    Chicken, water, salt, sodium phosphates.  Battered and breaded with:  bleached wheat flour, water, wheat flour, food starch-modified, salt, spices, wheat gluten, paprika, dextrose, yeast, garlic powder, partially hydrogenated soybean oil and cottonseed oil with mono -and diglycerides, leavening (sodium acid pyrophosphate, baking soda, ammonium bicarbonate, monocalcium phosphate), natural flavor (plant source) with extractives of paprika.  Prepared in vegetable oil (Canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil with TBHQ and citric acid added to preserve freshness).  Dimethylpolysiloxane added as an antifoaming agent

    There are many things that bother me about the ingredients in this sandwich.  First of all, that is a lot of stuff to put in one silly chicken sandwich.  Secondly, some of these ingredients don’t even sound like food.  I’ve made chicken sandwiches before, NONE of them needed monocalcium phosphate or an antifoaming agent.  I would want to know why theirs do need it.  Thirdly, there is sometimes hidden MSG in food flavoring even if it is “natural flavoring” and even if it wasn’t, why does a chicken sandwich NEED flavoring?  Aren’t we just looking for a chicken flavor?  If so, what ever happened to just adding simple spices to kick up the flavor?

    As always questions, comments and furthermores are valued and welcome.

    Friday, February 4, 2011

    Weight Loss

    In my experience as a personal trainer, weight loss was the number one reason why people started an exercise program.  I often hear of people trying to count calories and fat and wonder why they can’t lose weight.

    Many health professionals are finally starting to look at issues that involve something other than counting calories and fat.  Problems with weight and obesity can be routed in a couple different problems, however, when I look at the way Americans eat, I wonder why there are so few of us having problems with weight.  Have you ever looked at the ingredients in processed foods or fast foods?  MSG is sometimes a hidden ingredient in the flavoring of processed foods.  Some doctors say that MSG and artificial sweeteners have some influence in weight problems and obesity. 

    In upcoming posts we will continue to explore other problems with the American diet.

    Health Food Stores vs The Supermarket III

    In previous posts, I've listed reasons why people are afraid of shopping at health food stores.  I've mentioned how people are afraid that the products won’t be as effective and how people are afraid that the food won’t taste very good.  The one thing left to discuss is the high prices at health food stores.

    People definitely an issue with price.  I shop at Whole Foods stores, and recommend Whole Foods stores, but understand why so many insist on referring to them as the "Whole Paycheck" stores. The prices, I admit, can be overwhelming.  The thing is, it’s harder to mass produce real food than it is to mass produce junk.  Food industries often add a lot of cheap junk to stretch what was once real food, but of course, the quality plummets.  If you want quality, you're going to pay for quality; if you're going to buy cheap food, you will get cheap nutrition.  I admit once again that it isn't always easy living with those prices, however, I don't have a choice.  If I don't buy quality food, I will not live a quality life.  It depends on how badly you need to live well.  If you're like me and the other stuff just makes you fatigued and spacey, you do whatever you need to in order to make it work.  Once I saw what the junk does to my body in comparison to what the quality products do for my body, I couldn't go back, no matter how feasible the cheap prices were.

    A physician, (a Bastyr University graduate), once adressed the fact that good health costs money when she was lecturing at the Southwest School of Naturopathic Medicine in Arizona.  I believe it was one of the most important statements that I walked away with that day.  She said that you can worry about the money, however, in the end somebody is going to get paid.  You’re going to pay your grocer or your doctor, but again, in the end SOMEBODY is going to get paid.

    Thursday, February 3, 2011

    Feedback on Laughter

    "I AGREE THAT LAUGHTER IS A GOOD STRESS RELIEVER BUT WHEN ONE IS AROUND TOXIC PEOPLE IT IS SURE HARD TO LAUGH. ONE HAS TO STAY AWAY FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE TOXIC. IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS AN ONGOING BATTLE ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU’RE SURROUNDED WITH TOXICITY! IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE A GOOD LAUGH. MORE IMPORTANTLY, SOMEONE YOU CAN JUST  'LET IT ALL OUT'"

    I know what you mean.  My opinion, however, slightly differs on one point and I'll share this to empower and encourage you.  Yes, it is difficult to laugh when you have ANY toxin around you.  For sensitive individuals like you and I it especially seems difficult when that toxicity is generated by people's actions; however, I ALWAYS try to laugh about my dark days.  I can't say that I'm always successful, but I do try.  When I have difficult people in my life, it's even MORE important to find the comedy. 

    I remember having a toxic roommate situation several years ago.  That was most difficult for me because she was a horrible toxin and she was in my house.  Laughter was essential at that particular point in my life.  It was the only way I could keep going until I was able to improve my situation.  You see, when you laugh at your trials, you take away the power that it has over you.  Take Jeff Allen; if you knew of his VERY DIFFICULT past you would wonder how he makes a living making people laugh.  Once you understand what laughing at your worst times can do for you, you wonder why more people with dark days don't turn to comedy as a method of therapy.

    You and I see eye to eye on what you said about having someone around to “let it all out” with though.  On that point, I agree with you with all my heart and soul.  The one thing that is more powerful than finding the comedy in your dark days and laughing about it, is laughing with someone.  Then your past bad days brighten your "today" and someone else’s "today" simultaneously.  Often, THAT is what comedy is all about.

    Health Food Stores vs The Supermarket II

    People sometimes have a difficult time with the idea of living a healthy lifestyle.  One problem people have reside in false notions about health food store items.  They believe that they aren't as good as the products that are toxic or processed; nothing is further from the truth.  The health food stores just offer more choices; often healthier choices.  Many of the products I buy are just as effective and they are healthier in the long run; in other words, they are BETTER.

    I admit, it took me a while to find good and effective natural products that I’m happy with on a whole.  This is why I post information about my favorite products.  At least my readers won’t have to look too far unless a product isn’t available where they are.  This is a real bummer for me as well as you when it isn't.  The good news is, often these products can be purchased online if not from your local health food store.  Often, you can buy them online at a cheaper price than at a health food store too.

    So where should YOU shop?  Well, many supermarkets have a health food isle.  Of course, I would only take that route if you want to limit your choices or if you already know that the supermarket carries a health food product at a better price.  Furthermore, it doesn't hurt to comparison shop.  For example, my husband found organic lemons at Wal-Mart for a NICE price a couple of months ago.  A Colorado supermarket chain is currently expanding their selection of organic produce which will make it easier for people who don't live very close to health food stores.

    As long as you know what you are looking for, a supermarket may not be an entirely bad place to shop.  Just understand that your choices aren't limited to highly toxic foods and products that supermarkets usually offer.

    Wednesday, February 2, 2011

    Health Food Stores vs The Supermarket

    This post is inspired by a project that a girlfriend of mine is doing for school.  She has to write about why people shop at health food stores as opposed to the regular supermarkets.  What does the health food store have that the supermarket doesn’t besides raised prices?  Well, let’s explore this.

    In my observation, the supermarket sells products that have a lower price because of their low quality or because of their highly toxic content.  People who shop at health food stores either have allergies or they are like me and they realize that their bodies are healthier when the toxicity level in their body and household is low. 

    When I go to Wal-Mart or other supermarkets and pass the isles with cleaners, I gag or hold my breath.  Those things are so potent and toxic; I wonder how more people don’t drop dead from these nasty fumes.  The last time I went to the east coast to visit my mom, I remember going to the supermarket with her to search for some quality whole grain bread.  I found everything under the sun except that.  The breads either weren't whole grain or they had some toxic ingredient like hydrogenated oil, reduced iron or sugar.

    I shop at health food stores because I know that my choices aren't limited to that junk.  I may have to pay more, but I have made a decision a long time ago that my energy and health is worth the extra money.

    Tuesday, February 1, 2011

    Laughter II

    Laughter is key in my life. Besides strengthening my relationships, it strengthens the immune system and decreases stress and pain.  But then again, the fact that laughter decreases pain isn't exactly a new fact to most people.  Think about it, if you are in pain, how much are you thinking about it if you are busy laughing? The only exception to this is when you have an abdominal injury or something.  I was just thinking of when my dad came home from surgery on his abdomen many years ago, laughter actually did hurt him. Other than such a situation, laughter is great therapy for any other ailment AND it is great preventive medicine.

    I want to also share something interesting I read about laughter in animals.  The one that I found most fascinating was the study on laughter in dogs.  A dog's laughter sounds like panting, however, this "laughter" type panting was recorded and played for dogs at a shelter, it reduced stress and increased socialization and playing.  I found this to be very inspiring, but not very surprising.

    So, find time to laugh everyday. One half hour of your favorite comedy per day at least is all that is necessary to reduce stress and strengthen the heart and immune system.

    Here is more Jeff Allen: