Have You Laughed Today?

 

For 7 years I traveled 3 hours each way to Cape Cod to see my elderly parents who were in a nursing home. To make the trip more pleasant, I decided to buy a subscription to Sirius satellite radio. I have quite an eclectic list of programs from Motown music, Broadway, talk radio, Howard Stern and I find that one of  my favorite stations was Laugh USA, which highlights the great comedians (like Bob Hope, Phyllis Diller, George Carlin) I also listened to the Joel Osteen show, which features positive messages! Both are full of laughs and inspirational stories.

In one show Joel Osteen, pastor of Lakewood Church, spoke about the power of laughter and the healing power that laughing brought to one of his friends who suffered from fibromyalgia. It reminded me of the wonderful workshops that I took in the 1980s with Dr. Bernie Siegal, author of the book, A Book of Miracles - Inspiring True Stories of Healing, Gratitude and Love. He, too, spoke of patients who turned their cancer death sentences around by changing their perspective, looking for joy each day and living life to its fullest.

I'm not suggesting that laughter "cures" and I'm not denying it either. In 1978, Norman Cousins, who has been considered the modern father of laughter therapy, wrote Anatomy of an Illness as Described by the Patient. He recounts his experience of watching comedy movies to recover from prolonged pain from a serious illness.

We can't overlook the 1998 movie Patch Adams about Dr. Hunter Campbell who decided at age 18, after three hospitalizations and a challenging life to never have a bad day. I can't do justice to his incredible spirit and life mission. Learn more by going to http://www.patchadams.org

So why do we need laughter? According to some studies, laughter may help physically to:

• Boost the immune and circulatory system
• Improve Blood Pressure readings
• Ease digestion
• Relax the physical body
• Increase endorphins (the body's natural painkillers)
• Improve memory  

Laughter is also the best medicine for:

• Reducing stress
• Improving sleep
• Attitude adjusting
• Enhancing quality of life

"From there to here and here to there, funny things are everywhere."

Dr. Seuss

How do you bring laughter into your life when it seems like nothing is funny?

• 
  Watch funny movies or TV shows
• Spend time with a friend or family member who always make you laugh
• Get a pet
• Watch Too Cute on Animal Planet or find laughable videos on You Tube
• Look for humor everywhere you go
  
• Initiate a laugh by making someone else laugh
• Have a pillow fight with a child - they will love you for it
• Do something that made you laugh when you were young
• Find a Laughter Yoga class
• Most of all... give yourself permission to laugh, no matter what!

"Humor is mankind's greatest blessing."

Mark Twain

Essential Oils for Healing

 I've had the great fortune to discover a company offering invaluable health-based information, summits and community interaction: www.healthmeans.com 

The first summit I attended was The Biology of Trauma, followed by The Anxiety Summit/Gut-Brain Axis, Mind-Body: The Vagus Nerve Connection and several others. The professionals who are interviewed range from traditional medical doctors, functional medicine doctors, therapists, neurologists, and many who have developed modalities to support a holistic approach to healing.

After watching several presentations with Jodie Cohen, founder of Vibrant Blue Oils, www.vibrantblueoils.com , I decided to study further with her and delve more deeply into essential oils. For 35 years I have studied and used flower essences for physical, mental, emotional and spiritual healing but hadn't had the opportunity to learn more about the healing properties of essential oils, which play a role in transporting valuable nutrients to the cells for healing.

I highly recommend Jodie's most recent book, Essential Oils to Boost the Brain & Heal the Body. It covers everything you would want to know about the benefits of using oils to regain control of your health as well as all of the ways to use the oils. It is well written and researched which speaks to Jodie's start as an investigative journalist. Her weekly emails contain invaluable information about the body, mind, spirit and challenges that we all face. She explains the various essential oils for the given topic. Her website also has a blog section with her research and knowledge that is so inspiring and helpful. It's worth spending time there.

Divine Intervention?

For most of my adult life, I've believed in angels, guides, messengers of God/Higher Power, synchronicity. I love when things happen that can't be explained. Is there really Divine intervention? I'd like to think so. I'm really not very woo woo but I have so many stories and happenings that can't be explained logically.

This story is about Mikey, the cat. We got Mikey when we lived in a 200 year old house that had the wide, pine floors that were polished to a shine. Mikey as a kitten would come skidding around the corners in the house and eventually got the nickname "Skids." He cracked us up.

After living in the house for 7 years, we were able to break ground on a new house in the same town. We sold the wonderful 1790 house and rented a house in the next town as it would take close to a year to excavate the property and build the house.

When we moved into the rental house, we kept Mikey and our Maine Coon, Wyatt, inside for a few weeks. We didn't want them wandering off. Finally, we let them out for a little bit and I stayed with them to see if they would take off exploring.

Then the day came when Wyatt came in for a snack but didn't have Mikey with him. I knew Mikey wouldn't miss a meal so I wasn't concerned until nighttime arrived with no sign of Mikey. Morning came ... no Mikey. I went through the neighborhood asking if they would check to see if Mikey had gotten curious and gotten locked into a garage. No Mikey. I put up signs and the children asked every day if we had found him.

The people who bought our house called several times and thought they had a Mikey sighting. Could he have walked about 10 miles back to the house we sold? By the time we drove to the house, he was nowhere to be found.

Months went by and no Mikey. Around Halloween, our neighbor across the street said she thought she knew where he was! Her daughter worked at a local vet's office, her car had broken down and my neighbor went to pick her up. She was convinced that Mikey was the cat that someone brought to the office hoping the owners would be found. 

I arrived first thing in the morning at the animal hospital. I walked in and looked to my right and there was a skinny Mikey in a kennel looking at me!! Apparently, Mikey found himself at another neighbor's house that was about a mile away. After a few days of feeding him they brought him to the vet hoping someone would claim him.

What are the odds? 

1. I had only waved to my neighbor and never had a chance to talk until that day

2. Her daughter worked at the animal hospital that Mikey was brought to.

3. The daughter's car broke down and had to be picked up

4. The people who fed Mikey brought him to the animal hospital that connected all the pieces of the puzzle.

Wait...there's more. Weeks later, I ran into our neighbor who lived in the woods next to the 1790 house we had sold. She rescued cats and had about 10 of them. Mikey used to walk through the tall grass to her house to get a treat and visit with all of the kitties. She happened to go to animal hospital with one of her cats, saw Mikey but didn't recognize him. She told the staff to call her if no one claimed him and she would take him home! I think once she had fattened him up, she would have known who he was and called us.

Was this coincidence, a lucky happening or Divine intervention? We'll never know but I like to think Mikey had an angel helping him find his way back to us. After all, wasn't he a furry angel?

 

If You Can't Fix It - Feature It

This became the mantra in our household when we purchased a house that was constructed in 1790. Boy, did it have character and charm. And, we also heated the outside on many cold nights. But the nooks and crannies, built-in bookcases and walk-in fireplaces made up for the less than adequate heat and electrical system.

Over one of the large fireplaces with the original beehive over that I adored, was a 12 by 24 inch indent in the wall. I spent many hours trying to decide what to do with the space. Out of the blue, my husband said:

                "If you can't fix it, feature it."

What a brilliant idea! I then discovered that I had an antique clock that had belonged to my great-grandparents that just happened to fit exactly in the space. Voila! The look couldn't have been more perfect.

16 years ago we left the 1790 house and built a new home. The overly eager excavators decided that I needed a fire pit. They moved huge rocks to an area in the back yard creating what I considered an eyesore. When I saw what they had done, I didn't have the heart to tell them that it wasn't what I considered a fire pit and moving the rocks would have taken a lot of effort. They were so proud of their accomplishments. Luckily, I already had my mantra from the last house. After much thought, I decided that they had created the most wonderful location for a water element. My husband and I dug out a place for a small pond, added a waterfall, planted some flowers and this is one of my favorite features on our property. It is a serene, inspirational place for me to meditate, read or just listen to. My cat also gets great enjoyment sunning on a rock and watching the chipmunks,

If you can't fix it, feature it, can be applied to many situations that have nothing to do with decorating, building or any material thing. For example, Emme, best known as one of the first plus-size models, has featured her wonderful attributes rather than try to fix what the modeling world considered adequate. Thanks to her advocacy, many women have been able to embrace their bodies and shape. Emme adds author, television personality, designer and celebrity to her many accomplishments due to her bravery to feature rather than fix herself.

Dr. Steve Maraboli, a motivational speaker, author and Behavioral Science Academic has an inspirational quote:

"There is nothing more pure, more beautiful, than a woman being unapologetically herself; comfortable in her perfect imperfection. To me, that is the true essence of beauty."

Amy Purdy, who became a double amputee at the age of 19 was one of the celebrities on Dancing with the Stars 2014. As a result of Meningitis she could not fix the situation she found herself in and she sure has featured it. She is an accomplished athlete and snowboarder who has won numerous World Cups and won a Bronze medal at the 2014 Paralympic Games in Sochi, Russia.

"We can complain because the rose bushes have thorns or rejoice because thorns have roses."

           - Abraham Lincoln

 

Face Reading Blog

 Now that I am back writing, I am taking time to update this blog as well as my face reading blog: www.gingersfacebook.blogspot.com

Face reading has been a big part of what I offer with my business. I had the wonderful opportunity to study with Daniel Whiteside in the 1980s. His parents had done a 5 year research study with facial structures and their associated behaviors. Daniel took it to another step when he joined forces with Gordon Stokes who had been the educational director with Touch for Health. What a duo!

Understanding individual facial traits has allowed people to gain a greater respect for themselves and what they offer to the world. I invite you to gather more information on my blog and have fun with it. 

When I finally decided to write a book about face reading, I was surprised at how much fun it was. I wrote in my own style: concise with pictures and stories. I am not a novelist!

Juggling "things"

 Just because I CAN do many things at once, doesn't mean that I SHOULD!

.....because when I do, the circuits in my brain get confused. I lose focus and have a hard time juggling everything that is on my list. 

Can you relate? Have you tried to be a Superwoman?

Don't let a health crisis or challenge force you to burn your Superwoman cape! Now is a good time to tune in and and listen to your wise little voice that encourages you to be the best YOU. 

Stephen R Covey says, "Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important." He also said, "When you have too many top priorities, you effectively have no top priorities."

That's a lot to think about!

Possessions

 From the book, Start Where You Are, by Meera Lee Patel, she asks:

"If you could own only four possessions for the rest of your life, what would they be?" 

This question is harder than you think. My husband and I played around with this. We said, well definitely a car. But, we decided that we could rent or lease. Well then, a house. We could also rent. As we listed different possessions, we concluded that most of what we owned could easily be given up. They are all just "things." 

Meera's book has so many questions like the one above. It really gets you thinking and gives you a better idea of who you are and what you value.

 

Overwhelm Support

 Overwhelm occurs when your nervous system is stuck in freeze mode: fight, flight, freeze. If you can't run or fight, you protect yourself by becoming immobile. Jodie Cohen, founder of Vibrant Blue Oils writes:

"The freeze response kicks in when the survival system has decided that whatever is facing us is too overwhelming."

So, what do you do? I encourage you to visit the website: www.vibrantblueoils.com

Jodie is an authority on essential oils. Her extensive blogs on the overwhelm response are from many different perspectives. Her book, Essential Oils to Boost the Brain & Heal the Body is a must have. You will feel like you have gone back to school and you will be armed with meaningful information to support your body, mind, spirit.

 

If you are a facilitator for healing or simply interested in learning more to help yourself become healthier, I recommend the information and summits at www.healthmeans.com

Come back to my blog for more information on the nervous system. I will continue to post simple techniques for supporting your brain and body.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Addicted to Drama

 I just received the book, Addicted to Drama by Dr. Scott Lyons, a holistic psychologist and body-based trauma expert. I'm interested in his take on the dependency of crisis, chaos and trauma, especially for my clients who struggle with trauma exposure responses.

As a behavioral kinesiologist, I spend considerable time helping clients "rewire" their brain and subconscious. There is an area of the brain called the CIA - Common Integrative Area - that loves to hold you in what you know. If trauma or chaos is the norm, your brain will be confused when you are still and quiet. It's looking for the crisis.

I see that Dr. Lyons has some tips for healing that are very reasonable. I would add that you need to become aware of who and what overwhelms you. What is "too much" for you? The world is already overrun with fear, chaos, confusion. Get to know your limits and become aware of when to step away. And, overwhelm happens. What brings you back into balance? Do you need to turn off your phone or tv, take a walk, take a shower, dance, listen to music, take a flower essence, punch a pillow, pet your cat? Do what works for you.

I have always believed that AWARENESS is 99% of the solution to any problem!

 

 

 

 

 

Ancestral Math

 Everyone has generational patterns that travel along the DNA. Some traits and behavior patterns are wonderful and others are not. I do not finger point or place blame. Life happens to everyone. In my job as a holistic nurse and kinesiologist, I get to identify and support the release of your generational beliefs, limiting thoughts, faulty core beliefs, negative patterns and so much more. In doing so, it offers an understanding of what some of the progenitors went through in their lifetime. I find it fascinating.

I came across this interesting chart that shows the reality of how many people came before you. Imagine the stories!

Kidney Meridian Acupressure Point

 K-27, also called energy buttons, is a Kidney Meridian acupressure point that lies right below your collar bone, towards the midline of your body. When tapped or massaged it has the ability to:

• 
  strengthen your immune system;
• improve vision;
  
• get you focused and alert;
• help you think more clearly;
• help you read and comprehend more easily;
• calm tension, anxiety, worry;
• reset your electro-magnetic body;
• gives you more energy;
• can be done any time you need any of the above.
  
  
  
  

Star of Bethlehem Flower Essence

 Star of Bethlehem is a Bach flower essence for releasing acute shock and trauma. I have so many stories of instant relief coming from a few drops of this wonderful vibrational medicine. I recommend keeping this flower essence on hand for yourself and your children.

When my daughter was 8 years old, she got stung by a bee or yellow jacket. You know how much that hurts! She was hysterically crying. I squirted drops of Star of Bethlehem flower essence in her hands and she immediately stopped crying! I was surprised at how fast it was able to quiet her nervous system.

4 drops of the flower essence under the tongue, on the palms of the hands or drops in water can immediately support you during a traumatic experience. It is simple and powerful at the same time.

De-Stress with a Simple Exercise

The following is a self-care technique to release pent up anger, frustration and stress so that you don't become a volcano ready to erupt. Use it for yourself and teach it to your children. They feel overwhelm just as much as the grownups in their life!

1. Stand. Rub your hands together and then shake them off.

2. Take a deep breath and circle your arms above your head.

3. Turn your hands towards you and make a fist.

4. As you blow the air out, "pound" your fists and arms downward. When your arms reach the bottom of the motion, open your hands.

5. Repeat 2 more times, slowly and deliberately.

6. Finish with a "Zip Up" energy exercise. Place your hand on your public bone, take a deep breath as you move your hand up the center of your body to the lower lip. Repeat three times.

    

   

Just Breathe

 It seems so simple to say ... just breathe. It's automatic, right? It is, and you can support so many systems in your body with conscious breathing. Take 5 minutes during the day to focus on deep cleansing breaths. Be aware of your muscles relaxing, your brain clearing and know that you are also detoxifying your body.

One technique you may be aware of is square breathing. It's a wonderful recommendation for anxiety, stress or just needing a break.

Breathe in for a count of 4. Hold for a count of 4. Release for a count of 4. Hold for a count of 4. Repeat as many times as you feel you need.

 

 Another breathing technique that is helpful for reducing stress and supporting body systems is belly breathing. Get comfortable sitting or lying.

1. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly, below your rib cage;

2. Focus for a moment on relaxing;

3. Breathe in slowly through your nose. Feel the hand on your belly rise.

4.  Exhale slowly through pursed lips. Is the hand on your chest staying still?

These are only two examples of breathing techniques. Allow yourself to tune in throughout the day and focus on your breath and notice when deep breathing becomes automatic. That is the result of neuroplasticity or the ability of your brain to "rewire" based on new learning patterns.

 

 

Exercises for Whole Brain Learning

Brain hemisphere exercises make learning so much easier, more fun and less stressful. When you are able to access both right and left sides of the brain, you are more productive and focused.

In the last article, a simple, brain hemisphere exercise called cross-patterning was introduced. Marching in place while bringing your opposite hand to your opposite knee wakes up the brain and recharges the energy in your body.

Another way of integrating your brain hemispheres and focusing your mind is an exercise called Crossing the Midline:

1. Hold a pen in your RIGHT hand and draw the infinity symbol on a piece of paper. Trace the symbol several times and follow the tracing with your eyes. The larger the paper, the more eye muscles can be used.
2. Repeat while holding the pen in your LEFT hand.
3. Repeat while holding the pen in BOTH hands.

 Eyes are so important for reading, learning and processing whole brain information. The simple act of reading can weaken the eye muscles due to the continuous movement of the eyes back and forth across a page. Add fatigue, stress, poor lighting, etc. and vision can be inhibited.

Moms, for years have been telling their children that they have yes in back of their heads. Well, Moms you are right! You actually "see" in the area in the back of the head called the Primary Visual Area.

To reduce stress in the eyes, locate the bump, called the mastoid process, in the back of the head - about 2 inches right and left of the midline and about 2 inches above the base of the skull. Or, think about shining a light through the pupil of the eye and having it come out the back of the head. that's the spot!

1. Massage the eye points gently - the Primary Visual Area - while;
2. Slowly bringing your eyes around a giant imaginary clock, both clockwise and counter-clockwise;
3. Repeat with eyes open and then closed, taking deep breaths as you go.

An energy exercise to reduce stress and integrate the brain hemispheres is called the Overload Exercise. Use this any time you are stressed, overwhelmed or overloaded.

1. 
   Place one hand on your navel, while the other hand massages below the
   clavicle (collar) bone, to the right and left of the sternum;
2. Massage above and below the lips while continuing to hold the navel;
3. Massage the tailbone;
4. Reverse hand positions and repeat steps 1 through 3.

 You will find yourself or your child taking a deep cleansing breath after this exercise. The cob webs in the brain seem to go away and the lights come on! Now it is easier to go back to the task at hand. thinking is so much easier.

Whole Brain Learning

In the 1960's, Roger Sperry and other scientists began research that confirmed that our brain has two hemispheres, left and right, with each one performing a different function. Their investigation led to a Nobel Prize and a better understanding of the different styles of learning, perceiving and functioning.

The LEFT brain hemisphere controls the right side of the body and processes information logically, analytically and sequentially (one step at a time).

A child with left brain dominance likes to be in a more structured environment with rules and systems in place and prefers to work alone in a quiet setting. Their focus is on details.

The RIGHT brain hemisphere controls the left side of the body and sees the big picture without breaking it down into parts.

A child who is right brain hemisphere dominant is creative, intuitive, imaginative, flexible, a "free spirit" and often "flies by the seat of her pants."

Despite the fact that we all have a dominant brain hemisphere, learning is much easier when we can function from a whole brain approach - when the brain is "switched on." Information needs to shuttle back and forth from the right side of the brain and body to the left side and back again.

For example:
When we read, the left or logical side of the brain processes individual words while the right side puts all of the ideas together.

Stress influences our learning ability. Sometimes stress switches us off and clear communication between right and left brain hemispheres is blocked. It becomes a mental tug-of-war with each side wanting to be in charge. Reading, reading comprehension, math, spelling, focusing and even physical coordination becomes difficult and challenging.

A simple brain hemisphere integration exercise called Cross-Patterning or Cross Crawl switches on the brain, revitalizing your energy, making learning much easier.

1. March in place while bringing your OPPOSITE hand to your opposite knee. Do this 3 or 4 times.
2. March in place while bringing your SAME hand to your SAME knee on the right side and then the left side. Repeat 3 or 4 times.
3. Repeat Steps 1 and 2, ENDING WITH STEP 1.

Any exercise that requires crossing the middle of your body is a wonderful way to keep the brain hemispheres working together, keeping you clear and focused - walking, running, tennis, ping pong, playing the piano, soccer, patty cakes, etc.

5 Reasons to Look in the Mirror - What Our Facial Structures Reveal About Us

A mirror can be your best friend. What?

Get out a mirror right now and follow along with me as I take you on a tour of your wonderful, unique face. You are looking at your gifts, your talents, your personality, your communication style, your stress management skills, your resume, your true nature. Your story is written on your face and it is your story to tell. 

• Look at the size of your irises - the colored part of the eye. The larger the irises, the greater your emotional response to life. You laugh more, cry more, experience life more. Many people may have attempted to tone you done. Don't let them. This is who you are. The smaller the iris, the more emotionally restricted you have been. Give yourself permission to experience and FEEL life more fully. It will be a wonderful gift that you give yourself.

• Look at the space between your eyes. Are your eyes close-set with little space between them or are they wide-set with significant space between them? If you have close-set eyes, you are excellent at details and getting things done. Your friend, wide-set eyes, can benefit from your ability to focus on what needs to get done. They, on the other hand, are able to see the big picture and help you create a plan for the future. Together, you make the best business partners.

• The tip of the nose indicates your degree of trust. Look at your profile. Does the tip of your nose turn up like a ski jump or does it turn down? If the tip of your nose turns up, you are very trusting and enthusiastic in the moment. You are often the cheerleader who encourages others with your eager nature. If your nose tip turns down, you have learned healthy skepticism and will accept people and ideas after much thought. You have learned to do your homework and will not rush into something with blind faith.

•  What does the mirror show you about your lip structures? Are your lips full or thin? This is often a trait that changes over time. Most of us begin life with full upper and lower lips and revel in experiencing life fully and talking, laughing and expressing ourselves without a care for what others think. If our lips have thinned, it is often because of being told to "zip it" and we have learned to just stick to the facts. Why not become more child-like and allow for more self-expression, whether it be with the spoken word or through art, music, photography, dance, writing, etc.

• Now let's look at your cheekbones. Draw an imaginary line along the outside of your eyes. Are your cheekbones outside of the line or inside of the line? Cheekbones have to do with adventure. If you have prominent cheekbones, you love physical adventure. Even moving furniture around can get you excited. Taking a new road home from work, trying a new exercise routine, anything new is an adventure. If your cheekbones are sunken and inside the imaginary line, you love mental adventures. Reading, studying manuals, gathering new information, searching the web, etc. is an adventure for you. It doesn't mean that you don't enjoy physical experiences, but if you want to regroup when you are stressed, grab a book and settle down and give yourself a mental exploration.

Help. I'm Trapped in My Own Mind and I Can't Get Out!

• Do you feel as if you have painted yourself into a corner? 
• Does your mind keep you trapped in a perpetual spinning motion?
  
• Do options seems to have flown out the window?

You are not alone. So many of my clients feel that they have run out of alternatives. Together we discover ways to find the key to the self-imposed prison.

As an adult, you spend about 95% of your time living in your back brain in an area called the CIA or Common Integrative Area. This is where fear, pain, fear of pain, fear of fear, judgements and negative reactive patterns lie. It is the part of the brain that holds you back and allows you to repeat habits and destructive behavior. At one time or another you have said aloud,

"Why am I doing this? I know better!"

Yes, perhaps you know better. So now what? How do you stop the repetitive patterns that block productive movement forward?

• Stop for a moment and allow yourself to brainstorm options. To access the "big picture" located in your right brain hemisphere, block off your right nostril and breathe through your left nostril only. Keep paper and pen available as ideas start to flow. This simple breathing technique keeps left brain hemisphere's editing blocked for now. When you are ready to take the new options and make them happen, block off your left nostril and breathe through the right nostril only. This allows you to have access to left brain hemisphere's manifestation ability. 

• 
   When your thoughts feel out of control, the mental chatter becomes unbearable, your head aches and you keep going over the same problem repeatedly, get the Bach flower essence White Chestnut. This will quiet the mind and lead to tranquility and discernment. Put four drops of the flower essence in water or under your tongue several times a day. Feel the
  difference. 

• If you want more help stepping outside of the box and stimulating productive thinking, get yourself the book and set of cards called, Creative Whack Pack by Roger von Oech. These tools have been used by business people, educators, artists, scientist, students and more. An example of what one card says: "What would Walt Disney do?" Hmm. It is certainly a different way of looking at things.

•  Consider using a creative and logical, whole brain, technique called mind mapping. This technique was developed in the early 1970's by Tony Buzan as a tool to help people take notes and it has become a wonderful problem-solving tool. Two of Tony Buzan's books are: The Mind Map Book and Use Both Sides of Your Brain. Another book to consider is Mindmapping, Your Personal Guide to Exploring and Problem-Solving by Joyce Wycoff. A mindmap looks like this:

•  One of the best and quickest ways to identify and release the blocks that are keeping you from moving forward is with muscle testing. This is a biofeedback tool that allows for access to your body wisdom. The only real source of information about you, is you. Sometimes you have to bypass your conscious mind and go to the root cause of a problem.