Christine Kent - A Whole Woman (or, How to Heal Your Knees, Hips or Prolapse Naturally)

Some of us have to fight the dragon before we can bring home the gold.     

In the 'Hero's Journey,' so beautifully encapsulated by Joseph Campbell, the hero, or in this case, the heroine, goes forth into the unknown.  They enter the forest in their own place and way.  In Christine Kent's case, this was a journey of prolapsed organs after a surgery for a minor incontinence problem.  The surgery and its subsequent prolapse left Christine emotionally isolated from the image of a whole or intact woman that she had previously known.  In an attempt to heal she found herself going against all of the conventional wisdom that the medical community had to offer.  This was the fighting of the dragon.

When the hero fights the dragon, he gets the pot of gold that the dragon was guarding and can then bring it back to his community, for the benefit of all.  Our heroine, Christine, has done just that.  She has not only healed herself, but she has also brought to all of womankind the ability to heal our hips and knees and pelvis of all sorts of disorders.  All of this is done with a few simple exercises to help us correct our beautiful posture and maintain our true natural feminine carriage, gait and grace.  And it is blessedly done without the drugs and surgeries, which are so invasive and yet are considered to be 'the gold standard of care' common these days in the medical view.

Unfortunately, our Western cultural postural ideal is based on a misinformed view of how we should stand and walk.  We all know this "ideal."  It involves tucking the butt under and holding the belly in.  I can't tell you how many times my mother whispered this to me and then tapped or struck me lightly between the shoulder blades to stick my chest out, with shoulders forced back, in the military position.  Sadly, this was all wrong, wrong, wrong, for keeping a woman's body healthy and whole.

When we tuck our rear ends under, it does indeed minimize the look of our butts.  But it also tips our pelvis forward.  As we do this our 'pubic bone,' which is actually a cartilaginous arch between two joining bones, moves to the front of the body instead of staying underneath our abdomen where it belongs.  Without this support, the female body is vulnerable to having organs fall down and out, especially if a woman has birthed children.  As Christine explains, all of the Kegels and tightening exercises to 'strengthen the pelvic floor,' are unnecessary and even damaging to the natural alignment of the organs within the female pelvis.  The real support for these organs should come from the pubic bone, acting like the straps under a saddle, naturally placed at the bottom of the body.  And this only happens when we tilt the bottom of the pelvis back, which makes our butts stick out a little bit.

It is harder to tilt the pelvis back when the stomach is pulled in.  "Pull in your stomach!"  As well intentioned as our mothers were with these words, they set us up for all sorts of pelvis and breathing disorders.  When our stomachs are pulled in we can not naturally relax and receive our in-breath.  The belly has to be loose and dropped down in order to breath properly.

For Christine's Whole Woman posture, this is the start.  Let the pelvis tilt naturally back and relax and drop the belly.  Then, as well, we don't want to collapse the ribs with a forward slouch, we want to lift the ribs and at the same time tuck the chin.  A chin-jut, which happens when we stick our chin out forward, crimps our necks in the back and pinches our cervical spine.  It also realigns the way we look at the world through our eyes.  Instead, when we lower our chin, our eye lids naturally open, allowing us to see more easily as well.

Many cultures, far older than our Western one, often embrace the posterior alignment of the rear end.  It is part of the natural feminine grace and strength.  A woman's natural posture involves: keeping the feet pointing forward while walking, tilting the pelvis back and dropping the belly softly forward to allow easeful abdominal breathing, lifting the chest and tucking the chin by letting the back of the neck be long and lifting the crown of the head from behind.  When we do this, it opens our eyes as we look forward and creates a beautiful feminine form.

But don't take my word for it.  Go directly to the source and see for yourself the vast array of support and information available to you at Christine's website, wholewoman.com.  Whether you have problems with your hips, knees or pelvis or are lucky enough to already have comfort and ease in your body, you will find a true wealth of information there.  I hope that you enjoy it as much as I have.

Blessings to you all and may you have a Healthy and Beautiful New Year.

 

 

As a Clairvoyant Healer, Spiritual Counselor and Intuition Instructor, I share many tips for leading a healthy and fulfilling life.  Please be advised that I am not a doctor. Nor am I licensed in any healing modality. However, I have had years of experience in alternative and complementary health and healing. All healing programs, including standard western medical protocols in addition to natural therapies, can cause harm rather than the benefit that you may be searching for. After all some people can have a strong reaction to something as seemingly innocent as peanuts or strawberries. Therefore, anything that I may recommend in these blogs and videos could be dangerous for you to try. So, it is important that you Ask Your Doctor First before trying any natural healing protocol. However, most medical doctors have little experience regarding natural healing programs and herbal medicine. So please understand if your doctor is unfamiliar with these ideas.

 

 

Nutritional Genomics or How What You Eat Affects Your Genes

 

 

When I'm working as a Clairvoyant Healer, I've often wondered why I can look at one person and see that their main underlying problem is coffee and yet when I look at someone else, who is drinking coffee all day long, it is not a problem at all.  It turns out that there is a gene CYP1A2, that does not express itself well for some people who have that gene and drink coffee.

Bruce Lipton, author of The Biology of Belief, uses a good analogy to describe this phenomenon.   He says that how our genes are expressed is like someone wearing a long sleeve shirt.  When the shirt sleeve is long, we are expressing those genes in the normal way.  But in the presence of certain conditions like stress, or negative self talk, or a particular pharmaceutical medication, or various foods, then it is like rolling up the shirt sleeve of that genetic code and a whole different expression of those same genes are revealed.  In people who have the CYP1A2 gene, it is the coffee that rolls up the sleeve.

When it comes to nutrition, the field of genomic research is still relatively in its infancy, but it certainly holds vast promise for helping us to understand why some of us react one way to a certain food while others react another way.  Donna Gates, who wrote the book The Body Ecology Diet, now in its eleventh year of publication with Hay House, is passionate about the study of nutrition and how the foods we consume relate to our individual genes.  She is the one who coined the term "inner ecosystem" to describe the vast array of non-human organisms that preside over digestion in our gut tracts.  We need this network of microbes, now called "the microbiome," in order to digest our food.  And the foods we eat feed not only us, but also these organisms, which are comprised of a variety of bacteria, viruses, funguses, yeasts and more.

If we eat a diet of primarily white flour, coffee, alcohol, meats and lots of sugar, we promote populations of little critters in our gut tract that thrive on those foods.  If we eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, we promote the growth of a very different microbiome.  

Many of us now realize that one of the biggest problems associated with poor digestion in our culture stems from the overuse of antibiotics, especially in childhood.  The current medical trend for occasional or rare use of antibiotics is helping to correct this, and fortunately does not cause the same devastation to our microbiome and the "good bacteria," as the regular use of those drugs did in previous decades. 

However, after WWII, it was discovered that the use of antibiotics in animal feed either significantly increased weight gain and/or prevented disease in farm animals.  The practice of including antibiotics in animal feed in the animal husbandry industries, continues to this day and has had a very serious lasting effect on many a digestive tract in our American human population.  So, if you are eating non-organic animal products you are adversely affecting your microbiome with low level doses of antibiotics with quite probably every one of those meals.

Most of us have heard the term 'probiotics' by now.  These are the 'pro' meaning positive, and 'biotics' meaning relating to or resulting from living things, like gut flora.  But not that many people are familiar with the term 'prebiotics.'  'Pre,' meaning that which comes before or creates, and biotics, which is basically life.  Prebiotics are fiber rich foods, like fruits and vegetables, that create the conditions that are favorable to the intestinal flora or 'friendly bacteria.'  These foods are what we need for good digestion.  Prebiotics feed the microbes so that they can first break down our foods so that we can absorb the nutritional components.  Prebiotics in the form of raw fruits and vegetables are best for breaking down into materials that promote good probiotics in our gut tracts.

Fermented raw foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, or live culture nut and other milk yogurts, (with an especially favorable nod to organic raw goat milk kefir,) are particularly good at feeding and rebalancing the microbiome.  These foods have been used for centuries among human populations to restore healthy gut flora or to assist digestion when it tends to decline in advanced age.  As my husband who makes a spectacular kimchi sometimes says,  "There is a reason for why people eat these things."

Meanwhile, pasteurized, cooked or canned sauerkrauts, kombuchas, yogurts, et all will have very little to no positive effect on repopulating a microbiome as their cultures have been killed primarily through heating, but also through other food processing methods.  So, "Rah, Rah, Raw!" for raw fermented foods.

Now, back to nutritional genomics.  Genes are in every cell of our bodies.  They are located in the mitochondria of the cell, which holds the DNA.  The DNA, as you probably recall from biology class in school, is a pair of twisted strands, looking something like a spiralized ladder.  Our genes are located on these two strands and they contain all of our genetic material.  Each and every cell in our body has genes and every cell needs food.  That food comes from our digestion.  The food is delivered to the cell by our blood.  The nutrition in the blood that feeds the cell also feeds our DNA.  If our DNA is fed bad food, we then get the bad expressions of the genes, also known as disease.  The shirt sleeve gets rolled up.  It's that simple.  That's why junk food is bad for you.  

Our individual genetic code explains why some foods are good for some people while those same foods may be bad for other people.  Knowing one's personal set of DNA answers the question of why some of us do poorly with too many carbohydrates while others do really well with non-refined carbohydrates and actually need them for good quality sleep, and good mental and physical health.  Our genes can explain why some foods serve us and some foods don't.

None of our genes, not a single one, is positively expressed in the presence of sugar.  I'm not talking about the sugar from fruit here, which is a natural and very healthful food, loaded with bioflavonoids or other wonderfully nutritive elements like enzymes, vitamins and minerals.  But the processed, stripped bare, plain old sugar that comes in a box or a bag, does not feed your good genetic expression.  It feeds the bad ones.

Genes are labeled using a series of numbers and letters.  The MTHR677 gene is very common in Italian and Hispanic populations.  When people with this gene eat the good 'Mediterranean Diet' with plenty of vegetables and fresh olive oil, they have good energy, less cardiovascular disease, increased fertility and lots of happy smiling faces.  People with the "slow" version of the CYP1A2 gene don't do well with caffeine and will feel jittery and nervous when they drink coffee or eat chocolate.  Children with autism will always have an MTHFR gene mutation and will be unable to methylate or detoxify their bodies adequately.  For individuals with this gene a clean healthy diet, free from junk foods, is especially important since it is harder for their livers to detoxify their bodies.

There are companies that can analyze your genetic code from saliva and many people are doing this now.  But there are only limited ways to figure out what all those letters and numbers mean.  I'm guessing that it is a bit like getting a printed off and analyzed astrology chart, somewhat helpful, but not terribly clear.  Hopefully more diet and nutrition majors in food science studies will enter this very promising field because coaches are not yet all that readily available.  

Also, it is worth mentioning that some of the bigger corporations have been found snatching up personal genetic information, presumably for advertising opportunities.  I understand that this was the case with a major online retailer.  They were purchasing personal data from the genetic code company called "23andMe," who was offering genetic testing comparatively inexpensively until the FDA issued them a warning, which shut down their marketing for a while, opening the door for dialogue on standards. 

If you do choose to get your genes analyzed, see if you can find a good nutritional gene coach.  They can help with bringing balance and suggest supplements to support various situations, but the main tool for creating balance and stability is always diet.  Donna Gate's book, which I mentioned earlier, The Body Ecology Diet, will get you there, pretty much no matter what your genetic code may be, because diet is always at the root of our good or bad health.  And her number one tool is first clearing the chalk board by cutting out the common offenders and stopping eating whatever is causing the trouble and then rebuilding the microbiome with raw fermented vegetables.  

So, check out my husband's wonderful kimchi video and start off your New Year with a fresh clean slate of healthy prebiotics and a great diet element for creating beautiful lasting health.

 

 As a Clairvoyant Healer, Spiritual Counselor and Intuition Instructor, I share many tips for leading a healthy and fulfilling life.  Please be advised that I am not a doctor. Nor am I licensed in any healing modality. However, I have had years of experience in alternative and complementary health and healing. All healing programs, including standard western medical protocols in addition to natural therapies, can cause harm rather than the benefit that you may be searching for. After all some people can have a strong reaction to something as seemingly innocent as peanuts or strawberries. Therefore, anything that I may recommend in these blogs and videos could be dangerous for you to try. So, it is important that you Ask Your Doctor First before trying any natural healing protocol. However, most medical doctors have little experience regarding natural healing programs and herbal medicine. So please understand if your doctor is unfamiliar with these ideas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm So Grateful for Homeopathic Medicine

 

 

Decades ago one of my main mentors, Charles Otto, D.C., introduced me to homeopathic medicine.  And I'm so grateful.  This extremely effective and subtle healing therapy works in part on the principle of 'like treats like,' somewhat like vaccinations.  This is known as 'The Law of Similars,' where something that triggers a disease can also be used to treat that condition.  With homeopathy, the substance is used in minute concentrations, where it is almost a mere whisper of its former self, and the more dilute the preparation the stronger it is. 

Homeopathic medicine was first created by Samuel Hahnemann, a German Doctor in the late 18th century.  It found widespread use throughout Europe and North America.  Though still embraced in Europe, its use was diminished significantly in America, in the 1950's, when the pharmaceutical and related industries began stacking the Boards of Directors of all of our medical universities with men who would promote their approach to healing using drugs and surgery to the exclusion of all other types of healing modalities.  The end result of this planned monopoly was that hundreds of natural healing clinics fell out of popularity and closed their doors in the decades that followed.  

Fortunately, two natural healing colleges have remained, Bastyr University in Washington State and until very recently Florida College of Natural Health.  (Sadly, as of 2020, FCNH no longer exists.)  Students of natural healing, known as Naturopaths or Naturopathic Doctors, can practice in many states in America, though a number of states require additional licensing or certification.  Similar to how a plant that has been sprayed with poison may die in one area, blessedly what works well for nature will continue to survive and pop up in another area.  So, we do still have access to Naturopaths, which include herbal doctors and homeopaths, who can help us with our healing journeys using tools other than the too often dreaded standard western medical approach of drugs and surgery, sometimes referred to as allopathic medicine.  Naturopaths are often preferred as they can offer more gentle, less invasive options which are still very effective.

Most healthy food stores across the western world do offer herbs and supplements along with homeopathic medicines.  These persist due to their efficacy even though they are not supported by our insurance industries and are paid for out-of-pocket.  Consumers spend billions of dollars annually on these products.  This alone stands as a testament to their usefulness.  My own personal apothecary is full of natural healing products.  I have supplements to address many vitamin and mineral needs.  I have herbs to provide broad spectrum healing, many of which I grow and harvest myself.  And I inherited a Standard Homeopathic kit from Dr Otto after he passed.  Many different homeopathic medicine kits are available for purchase like the HomeoFamily Kit by Boiron.  But I love my old one, with the good doctor's hand written notes alongside the map of remedies inside the top.  

Homeopathic medicines come in the form of tiny little tablets or balls that have been infused with the energy of the plants or other substances from which they were derived.  And as I mentioned, the more dilute they are, the more powerful they are.  So a homeopathic medicine that has been diluted two hundred times, 200x, is more potent than one that has only been diluted six times, 6x.  A 6x formulation can be used many times a day, for instance, one might prefer to take a 6x dose of Hypericum perforatum along with 6x Arnica montana every half hour, or as needed, to speed the healing and ease the pain of a burn.  Whereas, a 200x formulation of something like Ignatia amara might just do the trick, with a one time dose, for easing the sighing disappointments of a teenager.

 Some of my favorite remedies are as follows.  I frequently use Arnica montana for injuries like bruises and scrapes, Hypericum perforatum for nerve troubles like aches and pains, or Belladona, also for pain.  Whenever I get something in my eye or a little sliver or a splinter or have a run-in with some fiberglass, I turn to Silica, sometimes labeled Silicea, to help bring relief.  Apis mellifica eases the sting of insect bites or punctures, the ones that like cold compresses.  Ledum palustre also helps with puncture wounds, the type that likes hot compresses.  Ledum is good for dog bites, impalements and vaccinosis.  Symphytum (comfrey) helps with fractures and torn tissues.  I have used Ignatia amara for grief and the negative thoughts that can sometimes accompany that situation, along with Aconitum napellus for the shock of bad news.  

My basic homeopathic kit holds several dozen remedies along with descriptions of their common uses or indications, but there are hundreds of homeopathic medicines, all with wonderful uses and I only have a working knowledge of a very few.  Often homeopathic remedies can be quite specific, depending on the individual and how the symptoms are uniquely presenting themselves, so, it is, of course, best to consult with an experienced homeopath or naturopath to really dial in an appropriate cure.  However, if you need a little shortcut, the Boiron company has a homeopathic medicine finder on their website, https://www.boironusa.com/mf/.  They also have a hot-line that you can call at 1 (800) 264-7661 where their knowledgeable staff can help you to make a selection. 

Dr. Otto taught me, years ago, that homeopathic medicines should always be taken away from food, either a half an hour before eating or an hour afterward.  They do not like to be taken while someone is using essential oils, or drinking strong beverages, like coffee or black tea.  These are subtle medicines and they can be influenced by other materials, so they do not like to be stored near any electronic devices.  They prefer to be stored in a cool dark place, (as is also the case for most herbs and supplements.)  When taking homeopathic medicine, one should place a single little pellet under the tongue and let it dissolve there, taking care not to touch the fingers, lips or mouth to the inside of the container.  If they are handled carefully, none of these subtle medicines will ever expire.

Interestingly enough, prior to the 1950's and the subsequent takeover of our medical approach to healing by the pharmaceutical, surgical and related industries in this country, most medical doctors were quite proficient at prescribing appropriate homeopathic cures.  They used them to help with healing and as an adjunct to their procedures.  But, now that time has passed, and very, very few medical doctors in the U.S.A. have any knowledge of homeopathics, nor of most other natural therapies for healing, including the basics of diet and nutrition.  Hopefully this tide is turning with our new millennium.   

Please understand that I am not opposed to the standard western medical approach to healing.  Prescription medications and surgical remedies certainly do have their place and I will absolutely avail myself of their services, should I have need and gratefully too.  But, sometimes a more subtle, or more far reaching approach to healing is worthy of consideration.  So, for those among us who enjoy being self empowered and prefer to care for our own bodies for most of the ills that seem a part of life, I'm writing this blog to encourage you to check out homeopathic medicines if you have not yet been introduced.  You will find them right there, in your local neighborhood healthy food store.  So stop in, and say 'Hello,' because a good thing will always prevail.

 

 

 As a Clairvoyant Healer, Spiritual Counselor and Intuition Instructor, I share many tips for leading a healthy and fulfilling life.  Please be advised that I am not a doctor. Nor am I licensed in any healing modality. However, I have had years of experience in alternative and complementary health and healing. All healing programs, including standard western medical protocols in addition to natural therapies, can cause harm rather than the benefit that you may be searching for. After all some people can have a strong reaction to something as seemingly innocent as peanuts or strawberries. Therefore, anything that I may recommend in these blogs and videos could be dangerous for you to try. So, it is important that you Ask Your Doctor First before trying any natural healing protocol. However, most medical doctors have little experience regarding natural healing programs and herbal medicine. So please understand if your doctor is unfamiliar with these ideas.

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

The Secret of Life is Enjoying the Passage of Time

 

 

More than forty years ago, James Taylor recorded a song with this refrain: "The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time."  This musical lyric has been playing in my head all month, and I believe it to be true.  As the words have been percolating deeply into my psyche, I find myself relaxing into greater and greater levels of contentment and an underlying sense of joy.  

Allow me to digress for a moment into the physiological anatomy behind all of this.  The autonomic nervous system of our bodies is comprised of two basic parts, the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous systems.  

The sympathetic nervous system is our 'fight or flight' mode and it is our common response to stress.  This is where we are all charged up, our heart rate increases and our kidneys release adrenaline.   When our sympathetic nervous system is engaged, we are on our guard and ready to go, full speed ahead.

The parasympathetic nervous system is our 'rest and digest' mode. Here our bodies can tend to housekeeping and maintenance.  We are relaxed, our heart rate slows and we are at ease and can undergo repair.  Too often in modern life, this aspect of our beingness is over-ridden by stress and the cares and concerns of the day, leaving us in an unbalanced state.

For a healthy nervous system it is best if we allow both these modes of being to occur, perhaps giving a little more time to our parasympathetic mode, in order to even out the balance.  When we take the time to pet the dog, cuddle the cat, smell the roses or gaze up into the blue sky, even if just for a few moments, we are tipping the scales more toward that balance. 

It is worth our while to note that our internal mental climate is so often controlled by habit.  We do have choices.  And sadly, we sometimes choose to develop habits of being self-critical, or routinely pessimistic, or even being easily offended.  These types of thought habits put us in that 'fight or flight' mode.  Should we choose instead, (using our will and consciously directing our attention,) to notice what is beautiful, right and good around us, we shift our energy into a calmer more relaxed way of being.  And this is not only a healthier way to be, but is also a much more enjoyable way to spend time.  All it takes is a little self-observation and a tiny bit of conscious effort.

Now, I'm not saying that we should ignore the world's suffering.  Our advocacy on behalf of what we believe is right and good in the world can be a passionate and very positive use of our sympathetic nervous system.  There is a time and a place to vehemently defend what we believe in.  But I feel that it is best if we don't allow it to habitually completely consume our light.  We can also have gratitude and give ourselves time to remember and enjoy the beauty that we may have been fighting for.

A great healer and a friend of mine recently told me some profound wisdom and I typed out on a piece of paper.  

He called it "The A,B,C's."  

"A" is for Awareness.  (Be) Aware that I have choices.  

"B" is for Breathe, Better.  When we Breathe Better, we pause, we take a moment that allows us to relax or rethink our stance just a little.  

"C" is for Choose, Better.  I can think about how to Choose Better.

My friend is a healer of the physical body, and this was intended as a first response for injury or trauma, but right away I noticed how in my life his same wisdom could also be used for my mental, emotional and spiritual health as well.  Why not find ease and grace in my mind as well as in my body?  So, I leave you with these beautiful A,B,C's of his and the secret of life, which is enjoying the passing of time.

 

P.S.  Vote.

Your Most Elevated Thought of the Day

Lately, an elderly friend of mine has taken to asking me what was my most elevated thought of the day.  This has given me the opportunity to stop and notice from time to time where my head is at.  Just like any other part of our routines, our thoughts can become quite habitual and his question has been reminding me that it is good to remember to cultivate elevated ones.

I feel that we are more creative than we realize.  Our thoughts, and where we are focusing our minds, are the first step of that creative process.  

One of the things that my spiritual teacher, Jana Massey, used to advise, being as we live right next to a major earthquake fault line, was to take care not to envisage disaster in our area.  After the Santa Rosa fire, of 2017, here in California, and initially after the Y2K concerns at the beginning of the new millennia, my husband and I have taken the very practical steps advised regarding having an emergency evacuation kit ready-to-go.  So, we have copies of our important documents, pet carriers, change of clothing and other essentials packed and gathered should there be need.  And though thus prepared, I try not dwell on it.  As Jana suggested, I like to see my community as happy and whole and settled in my mind's eye.

Here, on the Central Coast, mere days after a severe heat wave, it is natural to be concerned about the very real results of climate change, and its varied and widespread impacts on human communities and wildlife world wide.  This is certainly something that we want to address and give pro-active efforts toward.  And though there is always room for improvement, I do much toward that end.  

Then, as well, similar to what Jana advised with envisaging peace and tranquility, I also like to make an effort with what might be called spiritual activism, thus I place some of my thoughts positively in the etheric realms as well.

Years ago, I saw a PBS documentary called 'Next Year Country.'  It was about the severe drought in Montana, in the early 2000s.  Several ranchers, fearing for their livelihoods, pooled their resources and hired a rainmaker.  He came from the Mount Shasta area and brought with him large long metal pipes and other equipment and camped out on the land for several weeks.  He aligned the pipes with underground water ways and ley lines.  Then he chanted and sang.  And he laughed and spoke with and got to know the people.  And he did indeed call the rain.  That year, that corner of the state was green and full of rain and grain.

I've been remembering what the rain-maker said.  He explained that clouds are alive and that they are like children or animals or anyone else, and we need to be delighted to see them if we want them to come around.  He said we need to let them know how we feel and engage with them, talk to them and smile and celebrate their presence.  

So, as one example of my most elevated thought of the day, lately I've been engaging in etheric, spiritual activism by practically jumping up and down with joy at the sight of these big cumulonimbus clouds that have been sailing around the edges of our sky since the two glorious days of gentle rain that fell on our dry ground right after the heat wave.  Those drops of rain swirled among the leaves of the oak trees, moistening their branches and the earth and the air.  I went out several times and danced in the rain, loving those cold drops on my skin and in my hair.  Glad of my happy warm home to come in to, and of the moisture that was soaking deep into the ground.

I remember once coming across a quote.  It might have been Ram Dass.  In any case, it spoke deeply to me and I'll leave you with this as a beautifully elevated thought for you, if you'd like, to hold for today.
"The foundation of our spirituality is to be appreciative of the gift of life, to have fun, to play, to laugh, to see our lives as a piece of God."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fleas!

We recently became overwhelmed with fleas.  So I called my retired naturopath friend and asked for assistance.  She said that Neem Oil works great and we found that it did.

For the past few years, when the summer-time flea bloom has occurred, we have resorted, as so many of us do, to using the veterinarian prescribed drops.  These are placed on the back of the animal's skull, near the base, where it meets the neck.  The solution gradually spreads over the animal's entire body and definitely kills the fleas.  But it is very toxic and can be transferred to our hands while petting our furry friends.  So, it is not what I consider safe.

Contrary to the label instructions, we have typically used a half dose of these flea treatments on each animal, to minimize the amount of poison that we use.  But even with that, our cats languished listlessly for a day or two, with very little energy or interest in food, and looked like they had really bad headaches.  

As well, for the previous two years, within a day or two after the application of the flea drops, our dog collapsed as if dead, after retrieving her ball at the park.  She lay limp and motionless at our feet, leaving us, fearing for her life, down on the ground with her, until she miraculously came back, half a minute later, a little confused at first, but then seemingly fine.  

This was very alarming, and the vet didn't know what might have caused this reaction in our dog nor what exactly it could be.  But the event was very concerning to us, and I had my suspicions that it could be related to the neurotoxin in the standard flea treatment.  So, this year, not wanting to take a chance on the possibility that it could be the drops, I decided to take a more aggressive natural flea care approach.

Of course flea combing is essential.  We use a nice fine tooth metal comb.  I find that the plastic combs don't really get them and the larger toothed metal combs can miss some too.  This required that we have our dog's hair cut quite short as the weather grew warm so that we could get the comb through her coat.  

The cats, with their finer hairs are considerably easier to comb, but they are not that fond of having their belly's combed, so a few get missed that way.  And, it seems that the combing really does have to become a part of the daily routine.

We use a container of water with a drop of dish soap stirred into it to assist with the flea combing process.  After a pass through the animals coat, combing as close to the skin as possible, I immediately dunk the comb into the water.  This confuses the flea and gives me a moment to remove it from the comb.  The soap breaks the surface tension of the water and prevents the flea from being able to jump out.  Instead it sinks to a watery demise.

Our dog's groomer says that the lawn at the park is a common source of fleas.  And that dogs often pick fleas up there.  Both our cats and the dog go in and out of the house at will, and we live on a creek, so they also get exposure to the fleas carried by the wildlife that share our home with us.  We have raccoons, possums, rats, squirrels and lots of birds that share our space with us. 

One trick that we are blessed to be able to avail ourselves of is letting our dog swim in the ocean.  Apparently the combination of salt water and then freshwater can kill fleas.  Fleas can endure submersion in either type of water for a time, but both types, one right after the other, really messes with their ability to survive.  So, we take our dog to the beach for a nice swim, retrieving her toys, and then rinse her off with the hose once we get back home.  

Vacuuming is another helpful approach.  We regularly drag out the vacuum and clean all the rugs and sweep the floors.  We also use diatomaceous earth.  This is made from the shells of tiny crustaceous creatures that has been ground into a very fine dust.  When insects come in contact with the dust, it scratches and damages their exoskeletons and causes them to die.  

Diatomaceous earth is very effective so long as it remains dry. But the powder can cause irritation to the skin and eyes along with respiratory troubles if used indiscriminately.  We handle it very carefully, so as to not raise any excess dust and carefully place it under and inside the covers of the sofa cushions, which we then additionally cover with a sheet or other piece of fabric.  We also put it deep in the dog's bedding under several layers of top fabric, so her skin or lungs will not become inflamed.  This approach helps to do away with the fleas and their eggs that are living deeper in the bedding.

In addition, we also change all of the bedding covers regularly to avoid having flea eggs and larvae, that are on the surface, hatch out in their beds.  We put these covers right into the washing machine and then the clothes dryer.  The water and the heat does the trick there.

But still, despite all of this, the fleas got ahead of us this year.  And I just didn't want to take a risk with our beautiful dog's life or cause the cats so much discomfort with the neurotoxins, which after all, are neuro, meaning nerve and toxins, meaning poisonous.

Thus the Neem oil, to the rescue.  It has been used, diluted as an insect repellent for hundreds of years on crops in agriculture.  It doesn't kill insects or the fleas, but they really don't like it, and stay away.

Neem oil is solid at room temperature, so if you use it in your pet shampoo, you need to warm it lightly first before adding it.  I just put a small amount, like a half teaspoon in perhaps two cups of warm water with about one tablespoon of shampoo.  Use it all up, as neem breaks down rapidly in soap.  It may leave a slight odor on your dog's coat, but that is what repels the fleas.  

Another way to apply neem oil is as a spray, diluted in alcohol.  Neem oil will stay in suspension in the alcohol.  I use four ounces of a good quality vodka, (I always like to support organic producers, even for a use such as this,) and add one dropperful, or fifteen drops, of neem oil into the alcohol, in a small spray bottle.  Shake first, before applying and lightly mist the dog's coat and then rub it in.  This is also a great thing to do before going for a hike in tick season, as it will prevent these insects from getting on your dog as well.  

Of course, whenever using any new product on your animal, it is good to observe how they react to it.  Cats do more grooming than dogs, thus they may consume more of the oil on their coats.  Most will do fine.  But we are all unique and anyone can be allergic to anything, so it is good to be attentive. 

Neem oil not only repels fleas, but it also helps to reduce itchiness and has been used for fungal infections and for treating ringworm and mange.  Perhaps you'd like to give it a try with your dog or cat.  It has worked great for us and it might just work well for you too.

As a Clairvoyant Healer, Spiritual Counselor and Intuition Instructor, I share many tips for leading a healthy and fulfilling life.  Please be advised that I am not a doctor. Nor am I licensed in any healing modality. However, I have had years of experience in alternative and complementary health and healing. All healing programs, including standard western medical protocols in addition to natural therapies, can cause harm rather than the benefit that you may be searching for. After all some people can have a strong reaction to something as seemingly innocent as peanuts or strawberries. Therefore, anything that I may recommend in these blogs and videos could be dangerous for you to try. So, it is important that you Ask Your Doctor First before trying any natural healing protocol. However, most medical doctors have little experience regarding natural healing programs and herbal medicine. So please understand if your doctor is unfamiliar with these ideas.

Scratchy Throat? Here's What I Do

 

Sometimes I just do something super simple like gargling with salt water or diluted Raw Apple Cider Vinegar, (I like Braggs,) and that always helps to ease a tickle in a throat.  But, when I really want to stop something in it's tracks before it even gets started, I have a much more thorough approach.

And that is one of the main keys, 'before it even gets started.'  So often, we want to deny the subtle signs that anything is wrong because we really don't want it to be real.  Instead, I openly refer to this phase as 'a slight imbalance in my wellness.'  And I let people know that I'm going to be tending to this, because this is the most crucial time to tune in and take action, rather than hoping it will just go away.  

Our bodies are masters at sending us subtle cues well before bigger symptoms occur and it pays to pay attention to them.  Headaches, backaches, changes in the bowel habit, these are all ways our body talks to us to let us know that something is amiss.  And that little, tiny scratchy throat is no exception.  So, here is what I do.

First, I drop everything, clear my calendar, at least for the rest of the day, stop what I'm doing, go inside, get warm, stay warm and start heading in the direction of rest and wellness.  I don't eat junk food or sugar, but if I did, I'd stop that nonsense pronto as that sort of eating habit is sure to dip the immune system and kick a bad thing into high gear.  

Generally, I'll then reach for a salt water gargle, first, which is always right at hand with good quality Celtic Sea Salt or Real Salt being permanent residents in my kitchen.  I use one teaspoon of salt, dissolved in, first a half a cup of hot water, stirred, and then another half a cup of cold water added in order to dilute the solution to a comfortable temperature.  While standing at the sink, I pour some of the salt water into the palm of my hand and while closing one nostril with my fingers, I snort the puddle of salt water, from my hand, up my into my sinuses, with my other nostril.  Then, I trade hands and nostrils and pour and snort some more.  

After that, I take a nice big mouthful of the salt solution and gargle and spit.  I repeat this several times, hitting high notes and low notes, and all the notes in between, vocally, while gargling.   This exposes all of the many folds of my vocal chords to the salt solution.  These folds can be hiding places for invading microbes and it is best to let them know, with the salt, that they are not welcome.

Natural salt, from dehydrated ocean water is full of minerals and it is also a good bio-film disruptor, which means that it can break through the little crust that microbes, like bacteria form, as a protective layer, on top of their colonies. These colonies are where they can thrive and multiply.  

Xylitol is another great bio-film disruptor.  So, I also reach for my Xlear nasal spray, which has xylitol in it, and I shoot a couple of good squirts up into my sinuses after I've recovered a little from the salt water snorting.

I tend to have very clear sinuses, but when I inhale Xlear up my nose, I am always amazed at how much mucus is liberated.  I'll generally need to spit and blow for a good five minutes after a good application.  It is surprising how much material can be undetected and stored up in those sinuses.  And those hidden, mucus-rich areas can be fine homes for microbes and their bio-films.  

Xlear is also one of the tricks I use for staying healthy after having spent time out in public, where I may have been exposed to any number of infectious, air-borne microbes.  In the same regard, I may use my nebulizer to inhale a very dilute mist of .75% hydrogen peroxide.  I learned about this technique from a May 2020 article that a friend of mine shared from Dr. Mercola.  Just a couple of breaths using this mist can really knock back pathogens from the lungs.

 While the water is still hot in the tea kettle from making my salt water solution, I generally brew myself a couple of cups of Throat Coat Tea by Traditional Medicinals.  This is a very soothing combination of herbs to support the health of the throat, coating it with slippery elm bark and marshmallow root.  Wild cherry bark, fennel and cinnamon add their goodness, drying mucus, easing airways, reducing inflammation and acting as antioxidants.  The licorice root boosts the immune system and gives it all a lovely taste.  Sipping this nice warm tea all day also helps to rinse away any little microbes that may be trying to set up housekeeping in the mucus membranes of my throat.

At this point I might additionally reach for a throat spray, like 'Singer's Saving Grace' or HerbPharm's 'Soothng Throat Spray.'  A couple of squirts in the back of my mouth are very soothing and also help to discourage any invasion.

I'm a big fan of Dr. Richard Schulze and his American Botanical Pharmacy.  He is one of our great contemporary herbologists and his 'Oral Therapy' mouth wash is miraculous.  I'll also gargle with that, to really knock back any invaders and I follow it with his beautiful 100% food sourced Vitamin C tablets, 'Super-C Plus.'  I'll suck on one or two of those and they feel so good.  In fact, they could go in my top paragraph as the one or two things that can be done to start turning a situation around.  After having successfully managed to conquer the invasion with this protocol, I keep a few of these little C tablets in my pocket for a few days, so I can pull one out and suck on it from time to time, in order to keep the internal balance in my throat in good health. 

After all of this flushing and chasing away of bad microbes, I like to go to my refrigerator where I keep what I need to replenish my throat flora with healthy microbes.  For this I use a beautiful probiotic capsule that has been carefully preserved from an old world source.  It is called 'Healthy Trinity' by Natren.  I put two of these beautiful capsules in my mouth and let them slowly dissolve there.  I'll often do this just before I fall asleep, for good internal mouth flora and also, incidentally, for tooth support.  This is, as the French would say, the pièce de résistance, or the final important feature for regaining the balance of health in my throat.  

I keep all of these things on hand because having a fully equipped apothecary, or in-home store of herbs and remedies, is a big part of natural healing.  This is a good idea for anyone who is interested in a holistic approach to health.  My throat care prevention supplies are  just a small portion of my personal apothecary.  I also keep herbal stores for organ cleansing, injuries and first aid, brain health, heart health and a host of other simple mostly herbal remedies for maintaining and creating beautiful health, in the way that nature provided.

 A good cook knows the importance of having basic staples on hand: vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, grains, what have you.  The same holds true for natural healing techniques.  What I have given you here is one recipe from my cookbook.  There are hundreds more.  And like any recipe, it may shift and change as the years go by.  My storehouse of home remedies started decades ago, with one cupboard.  Now it is quite extensive, housed in several cabinets, a dresser or two and even a mini-fridge.  And if you haven't already, this is a perfect place to get started, a few powerful healing allies, to help stave off a sore throat, before it even gets started.  Enjoy.

 

 

As a Clairvoyant Healer, Spiritual Counselor and Intuition Instructor, I share many tips for leading a healthy and fulfilling life.  Please be advised that I am not a doctor. Nor am I licensed in any healing modality. However, I have had years of experience in alternative and complementary health and healing. All healing programs, including standard western medical protocols in addition to natural therapies, can cause harm rather than the benefit that you may be searching for. After all some people can have a strong reaction to something as seemingly innocent as peanuts or strawberries. Therefore, anything that I may recommend in these blogs and videos could be dangerous for you to try. So, it is important that you Ask Your Doctor First before trying any natural healing protocol. However, most medical doctors have little experience regarding natural healing programs and herbal medicine. So please understand if your doctor is unfamiliar with these ideas.