Killing Pain

Pain killers are the number one prescribed medicine of the world today. But when I looked up some facts was astounded to see that Americans consume over 80% of the world’s pain killers. The article stated that we here in the states over 110 TONS of opiates for pain control are used every YEAR!
That statistical fact floored me. Think about that for a minute. Opiates are far and away the most addictive; dangerous drug to date and yet we're popping those pills like there's no tomorrow apparently. Not that this is the only pain medicine either; which blows my mind even more.

But let’s just stick with opiate pain meds here. Opiates are from the poppy family with the majority of the plants being grown for use in mostly Asian countries for legal and illegal distribution.
Heroin; Morphine, Codeine, Oxycodone (Oyxcontin) all fall under the beautiful if deadly flower of opium.
While there are many uses for pain medicine; and some of them are vital to immediate relief of pain; the dangers of its addictive qualities are what make it so bad.
After addiction the long term damage can happen almost without realizing it.

Here are some facts on opiates when used long term:
Addison's disease
Cardiovascular disease
Brain damage
Kidney and Liver damage
Depression including serotonin and taurine deficiency
Hyperalgesia (more pain)
Hormone disruption; including low sperm count and other infertility issues
Addiction and Death

Now while I do not discount someone's need for pain relief do have issue with use of these drugs for anything above emergency use.
There are many treatments for pain in the alternative world; but they involve finding the BASE of the pain and working on that rather than a band-aid approach to it.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Corn_Poppy_(Papaver_rhoeas).jpg

Reposted from http://www.bubblews.com/news/1233324-killing-pain

How to stop pain naturally with Willow Bark Tincture

How to stop pain naturally with Willow Bark Tincture

As an herbalist I'm always on the look out for lovely natural remedies for health issues. Most pain issues have an underlying cause but sometimes the cure can take weeks to fix. Most people are not willing to wait weeks to feel better.
So most would rather grab the Tylenol bottle to fix the sprained ankle; or the lower back pain from a weekend warrior session.

But this only works minimally and is not a great overall health fix in that it damages organs of the body.
So what to do to fix this?

A tincture is perfect! Tinctures are typically plants or plant parts steeped in alcohol to get the medicinal benefit from them. White willow bark is what aspirin USED to be made of; a great anti-inflammatory and great for those little aches and pains of every day life.

I buy a reputable quality dried White Willow Bark from an online source but you can get it from the tree. Just remember that it needs to be organic; not sprayed by anything at all.

Here is my recipe:

1/5 white willow bark to 4/5 grain alcohol such as vodka or brandy....cheap alcohol is fine.
A large quart jar; clean and dry with a lid
cheesecloth or a fine herbal strainer
brown or cobalt colored eye dropper jars
Labels

In the jar put about 1/5 of the jar to bark; fill up with the alcohol.
Shake vigorously for a minute and place in a cool dark place for about 2 to 3 months.
Strain through a strainer and pour into the clean dropper bottles as needed. Label and store in a clean dark place. Do not refrigerate; do not put near electricity or in sunlight.

To Use:
Put 30 to 60 drops into a glass of water as needed to stop pain. This can be done 4 times a day to elieviate pain.

*Note: this is a product that can thin blood so don't use with blood thinners and don't use with kids without a doctors ok.
http://www.bubblews.com/news/1234958-how-to-make-white-willow-bark-tincture-for-pain
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Whitewillowtincture.jpg

The Disturbing Trend

I read with dismay the latest celeb to chop off her breasts in a valiant effort to stave off cancer. Angelina Jolie decided to have a double mastectomy after learning that tests revealed that she may have an 87% chance of getting breast cancer in her lifetime.
Now as appalling as this procedure is to me I do understand the fear. After all who wouldn't be afraid of dying from such a disease? But the facts are that there is NO tests that can truly predict you getting cancer. In fact the latest mammogram facts are dismal with many false positives and false negatives to be a great marker for health. The thing is this. NO ONE knows who will get cancer or any other disease unless it's a genetic one of chromosomes.
There are many factors in the world of health and I imagine that Ms Jolie has the odds in favor with a good lifestyle and healthy habits to protect her.
As for her choice to do this; I absolutely do believe a person has a right to do what they wish with their own body. But this is a dangerous trend in that she announced it to the world and encouraged others to get tested. THAT bothers me. Just because she believes it;  will make many follow in hero worship right onto the operating table to have their breasts chopped off....after all it's a great way to stop cancer right? Didn't Angelina say so?
The thing is; cancer is not one disease; breast cancer is but one of MANY types of cancers. If your body is unhealthy; if your pH is off; if you smoke, drink or do other unhealthy lifestyles you have a greater risk of disease of any kind. Cutting ones breasts off is not a protection from another cancer coming for you.
So what next? A kidney removed? A colon taken out? How about taking at least one lung?
The whole "chicken little" scenario is freaking me out.
I wonder ....would a man be willing to have his testicles removed if they were healthy in an effort to save himself? How about a radical mastectomy for men? They get breast cancer as well you know. Or maybe we should line men up for prostate removal....a major cancer spot in men. Have them remove those pesky organs.....after all we've done that to millions of women....you know where the word "hysterectomy" comes from don't you? Women's hormones got out of whack so they yanked out the offending organs and called it a hysterectomy so the women wouldn't be hysterical anymore....nice huh?!
Somehow I get the creepiest feeling that some Dr Mengele is behind all this horrifying trend to experiment on women. And that bothers me very much. You think I'm being stupid? So let me ask you this; when was the last time you saw a guy have his nut sack mashed in a machine to test for lumps and maybe cancer? But millions of women subject themselves to this very procedure; all in the name of "health"....and are browbeaten if they don't.
I just think when a woman has an issue we seem to go too far in "protecting" her from her body betraying her.....but where is the fear in men? Are they just tougher or is it the predominantly male scientific population that seems to think it's ok to try these things on women?
I know from personal experience the devastating loss of a person I love to cancer. I'm not belittling those who've had it or have been in my shoes. But we need to take a collective breath here people and THINK of the long term consequences of mutilating our body's before we decide to take the plunge that we cannot undo in having a major surgical procedure like this.

Brainwashed

I've been studying very hard the aspects of herbology with a friend and the subject of how I came to this alternative health path came up.

I thought back to when I believed health involved doctors and medicines, tests and worry about weight and the continuous fear of cancer and diabetes always in the back of my mind. This treadmill of feeling that I had no choice; that I had no say in what to do about it was very depressing. I considered as most do, the eventual betrayal of my body was just a matter of time.

Yet I always thought that there must be a better way; a simpler way to health and with it the happiness; peace of mind. So when my health was worse; my mental state was down; I decided that I needed to heed the ideas being shown to me from an alternative health source. This led me to my new career as an herbalist and a sense of confidence that I’m finally making a difference in the lives of my family and others.

I can’t say that it’s been a cake walk. I was more than a little surprised that although most people didn't agree with me (some finding me humorous at the least; dangerous at the most) their attitude was a bit disheartening. I guess I didn't realize the extent of people’s belief system would be so entrenched in the ideas that they held dearly as to be threatened by mine.

You see I've always been the “why” kind of person; you know the kid that always asks that question? That was me. I didn't necessarily disagree with someone all the time but I did want to know the path to that conclusion. I just thought everyone was like me with this idea of always questioning why. I could not have been more wrong.

I've been criticized several times in the last days; by people I thought to be my friends; my neighbors….I realized that when people feel threatened by what they seem think is an attack on  the status quo; will do anything to hold onto what they feel is safe. They may even strike out.

I have tried to always analyze people’s behavior to read them for my own protection and understanding. But this just baffled me. I mean didn't these people that I talked to want to heal? Don’t people want to understand how the earth holds secrets with help in every direction? Apparently not from where I sit.

So that led me to try to figure out the human condition; the thought processes by which we reach the conclusions of our life. I realize that although I’m a pretty analytical kind of person; not all are. Most would rather have an “expert” in a field tell them what’s safe; what’s important and what’s good for them. I am not in that category at all.

Now you will say that maybe I’m just trading my belief in one to a belief in another area; allowing another set of “experts” to show me the path to health rather than a physician. No that’s not the case. When I took the Masters course I studied everything. I took notes and then compared them to experience with using the supplements and ideas given to me. I studied my family while they took supplements and read tons of bits of information pro and against this line of thinking. Remember, I’m the “why” kind of person and don’t just follow willy nilly into a spot because someone says to.

All studies that I did, I took with a grain of salt; and although I trust my teacher very much have to find the answer for myself. It’s just my nature to do so. Again and again I found this information to be correct, every time! That was amazing to me. I couldn't believe that the previous path by which I’d been led to health was going in such a wrong direction as to make me sicker.  Furthermore, I realized that the people in charge of this locomotive of health weren't caring about the damage they had done and would do to me and countless others but just mowed us all over in their effort to get richer.

After years of soul searching I've come to the conclusion that we are basically just children at heart. We want to believe; we want to feel safe; we want to have a “mommy and daddy” take care of us. It’s a big scary world out there and the idea that a fatherly type doctor or a government agency can make it all better is pretty powerful stuff. I should know as I did it most of my life.

I also realized this week that we are easily swayed by important figures in our society. I don’t know why that took so long to sink in; after all aren't most of us glued to the TV set this week for Super Bowl? Aren't we cheering for our “heroes” on the field? Or maybe we’re watching the presidential inauguration today with misty eyes; convinced a president is the answer to all our ills in society.

This was brought home to me today when I watched a story on TV about a boy who lives by a Nazi concentration camp. He befriends a boy in the camp that’s Jewish. When he asked his parents about the “boy in the pajamas” he’s told that they aren't really people. How does a nation; in fact how do several nations of people come to the conclusion that a race of people are sub-human? How do intelligent, loving, caring parents, teachers and heads of state believe such a horrendous thing?

I won’t go into the long version that smarter people than me have concluded, but suffice to say they are brain washed by a person or groups of people that make them feel better because they are the “experts” who just want to help them. And so millions were murdered because a psychopath decided to try to rule the world. And we almost let it happen.

Now I find that the world has many “experts” who want to have a monopoly on the world; through control by money; they are stealing the most important thing we have….our health. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve watched those commercials in the media about medicines that are held in a romantic light of making things all better even though they state the obvious dangers right in the commercial! And yet we go to the doctor and get a prescription, hopeful it will help! We have been led to believe that that is NORMAL to have those side effects; even though there are many other alternatives that work as well or better than them. And the cost of poisoning ourselves is horrific while they, the “experts” get rich off your suffering.

We are paying for people to kill us slowly.

I just have to shake my head and remind myself that I cannot save everyone; and in point of fact I am not SUPPOSED to! People are supposed to care for themselves! People are supposed to make their own conclusions on how to care for themselves!

If we learn about our health; our body….how medicines affect it and how diet and supplements can help; THEN we will have optimum health!

Be careful of anyone (including a person like me!) of telling you what’s good for your body. Don’t just accept that if someone you trust says something you follow what they say.  Be informed and most of all listen to your body and how it reacts to what you put on and in it!

The government is not looking out for your health because they are in the money making business; not the health business. Yes I have a business as well but will never tell you what you have to purchase; I’ll never look you in the eye and scare you with my ideas just to make a sale for my benefit.  I give you information and a place to buy supplements IF YOU WISH. I do not diagnose, treat or cure. YOUR body does! God does! The government and I don’t heal you. That is your job.

If you want to be a “sheep” being led to slaughter that is also your choice. I have no say; nor should I, in this decision. Just make sure that you make an informed one for the best choice for you and for your family.

Cures.....what's the truth?

Today I got a shout from a friend that was outraged at LinkedIn pulling a book for being too controversial in it's subject matter. It was a self help book to cure cancer. As an herbalist I have seen first hand the effects that the real world has done for our life, our body's with chemically laden food, little nutrients and stressful lives wreaking havoc on us all.

So I know the next question....IS there a cure for cancer? The answer is yes and no. By that I mean that cancer can be reversed; or slowed with alternative help. But the cures are as many as the types of cancer there are. This means that there is not a one step fix all for all cancers. As I've studied cancer and other devastating diseases; I've realized just how very complex good health can be for someone that's let themselves go.

First off I have to say that this is my opinion of alternative health; and if you have issues of cancer or other diseases I suggest you to get to a medical professional and talk to them as well. I am speaking from MY point of view of what I'd do if I was sick. Now having said that; you are the one that needs to decide what and how you will treat it. No one should make you feel bad about alternatives; in fact I would RUN not walk away from any professional that does not listen to your concerns and validate your ideas.

The issue of cancer is complex for many reasons but most of the reasons stem from diet. I know that this is something everyone keeps saying but the thing is; if you don't get great food energy into your body then you will NEVER be well; it's like playing a defensive game. You need to be able to heal the cells; repair the body and it's issues or your body will break down.....this is only a matter of time.

Now to those that have been affected by this disease or other diseases of the body; such as MS or other auto immune diseases; this problem is something that has been going on for years. It's not like a piano fell on you from the clear blue sky. Your choices of food, your choices of medicine; your choices of vaccinations may have been at play here. I am not pointing fingers; I too have been guilty of eating poorly, taking the flu shot and going to the doctor for the next new poison they offer. But I learned years ago that I was going the wrong way health wise and changed my attitude toward health.

So where to start. I recommend several things to do in the case of a serious illness. First of all you need to eliminate all toxins that you can possibly eliminate. Pesticides in food, water contamination, toxins in house cleaners and personal body items need to be eliminated with organic food, purified water and changing your hygiene habits to come next.

Then you need to address WHAT to eat. I recommend; as many others do as well; a diet as full of raw organic as possible. I believe that most health issues can be resolved with a pH balance of 7.0 being the optimal place for healing within the body. How do you check for pH? It's a simple test with a litmus paper; found at the health food store that you either urinate on or spit on; first thing in the morning before brushing or any food or liquid.
I believe as an alternative professional that disease cannot live inside a pH balanced body. There are many foods that will help in this quest of better pH. Lemons, greens, low carb, lower protein all play a part in the effort to heal.

Next we need to address parasites. These tiny creatures are prevalent in society and have been around as long as man has with health issues being contributed to the little pests in many cases. Most health professionals will tell you that you don't need to worry about it; that your diet is not the issue or that they just plain don't exist. Yet many many more people are having health related issues from these critters.....they are very common not only in third world countries but our own as well. Brain tumors are at an all time high with as many as dozens of surgery's being performed in Arizona each month! The physicians are telling people that uncooked pork is the issue; that cooking it to 180 F will kill any parasite but I can assure you that this is a falsehood. It DOES NOT KILL THE EGG.  And so if the pork steak or roast, bacon or sausage is contaminated; so you will be if eaten or handled.

Here is a video of a brain worm; please note this is pretty graphic so use caution and note that the doctor is concerned about the amount of them in their state. This is a real problem!
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,455067,00.html

The things you can do are many; from addressing stress with flower essences and herbs, from changing diet and lifestyle, from eliminating toxins such as lawn fertilizers to the perfume you wear.

Lastly I want you to remember that YOU are in charge of your life; not your doctor, your healer or your mother. YOU have the ability to heal yourself as soon as you know you are in charge.
So take the time to look at the facts I've presented and remember that you can heal; you can change and you   CAN be well. It's all up to you.

Sanctuary

As I look back to when I was a young mom; one thing that always stands out is how tired and hassled I always felt. I was a busy person before I had two wonderful kids; I was manically busy afterwards. With helping my husband with farming, feeding hired men and the family; gardening, crafting and caring for elderly family members; I had a full load.

But one thing I always managed to do was take some time for myself. I learned early on that a grumpy Kim was no good to anyone and snapping at your kids was not the answer to the problem that ailed me…..I needed some quiet time.

It’s funny but we always seem to know that when our kids are having a meltdown from too much stimulation, too little sleep; they need a “time out” in the form of a nap or just a quiet space like their rooms. So why do we have such a hard time understanding that with ourselves?!

Meditating is a great way to help the body to get back into balance; helps the brain to function and lowers blood pressure as well as boosting the immune system. By meditating I don’t mean necessarily sitting on the floor, cross legged, humming a mindless tune. I mean taking a quiet spot and making it your sanctuary. This can be a place in your bedroom, your living room, even a garden shed! Just find a spot where people are not traipsing through and get a good book or a piece of needlepoint and spend some quality time letting your mind flow freely, away from chores.

When I was a new mother for the first time I had a very colicky sick child. Kristin was crying almost nonstop for the first nine months after she was born. She slept almost not at all; which meant that I didn’t either. But when I put her down at eleven o’clock in the evening; I would pick up the crosstitch piece that I was working on and be at it until one a.m. when she woke again. My husband knew I was exhausted and asked me why I would do this; totally flabbergasted at my behavior. I replied  "I need time to unwind”….and I did. It worked wonders on my attitude and although I got even less sleep; found it centered me to the point that I could function much better during the day.

As the kids got older; I found that summer was a terrible time to try to find any solace in the house with them being underfoot. So I would rise from bed before the dawn and have a quiet cup of tea and head out to the garden until hungry kids would urge me to come make breakfast. I even taught my littlest one to come out to the garden patch if he couldn’t find me. I can’t tell you how many times Casey would be seen; sleeper jammies on, dragging blankie and sucking his thumb; wanting his morning oatmeal. I even learned that organic gardening was imperative with him stuffing himself with strawberry’s while there.

So today on this fine Sunday morning I want you to walk around your place; pick a quiet nook and just sit for a few minutes. Close your eyes and let your mind take you to places beyond the dirty dishes; beyond the screaming kids.

This place of sanctuary is yours. And it will become your best friend if you let it.

To Supplement or Not.....

As I work with people to get to a better, healthier body and life; I find that most people are really trying to do just about anything to get the slimmed toned body.

One of the things I find many do is supplements. These are anything from the most expensive designer type protein shakes and powders to the low cost multivitamins at a discount store.

Most people that know me as an herbalist know I do recommend using the company’s products I work with that they provide. And although I am a distributer don’t have any problem with other quality supplements. The problem I do have is that I don’t know which ones are best without study. The misinformation, even blatant lying of these companies makes my head want to explode!

So what’s the big deal? Why do I care whether someone wastes their money on worthless products? It’s when I see someone taking these supplements I realize something that they don’t. Supplements can harm!

I know, I know, I’m always telling people that most supplements don’t usually cause injury. But I am talking about the company I know and trust. I’m talking about them using supplements I’ve suggested with the knowledge that I provide in a session. The truth is; some supplements can harm. No, most don’t cause serious issues but there are a list of supplements that I will absolutely have issue with.

One of the first on my list is the plain old multi-vitamin. Found in just about every store that sells food or prescriptions; the infamous multi-vitamin at first glance would seem to be the perfect thing to supplement the less than stellar American diet. But even the glossy box and nutrient label that swears to have over 100% of all the needed vitamins and minerals in a day; are less than helpful to the average person.

 And truth be told; many have too much of some nutrients and less than absorbable quality ingredients. Almost all the cheaper ones are mostly filler. So what’s the big deal with this? Look to some of the side effects of the following culprits.

Calcium has to be one of the worst for me; not only because so many are taking it; but because the wrong calcium can actually cause serious harm! 

To understand how calcium can cause issue we first have to understand how the body works. When you digest food and it goes into the stomach, the body has to break it down into manageable pieces, which is what hydrochloric acid does. Then food enzymes carry those nutrients to the parts of the body that need them. However when the body receives a food or nutrient that they cannot utilize, such as a form of calcium that is not digestible for the body; then it will actually pull calcium out of bones and other tissues to make an enzyme to cart it off. It will go to the brain, liver, and kidneys; sometimes ending up in arteries. This leads to heart disease, kidney death and even dementia! Ever notice those commercials for catheters? I’ve lived long enough to know that this is a new phenomenon.  And worse; it’s our women that are having the brunt of the problem because doctors are prescribing this poison to all women in the mistaken idea that calcium makes strong bones. It can but it’s a lot more complicated than drinking a glass of milk or popping a pill. And with the wrong calcium we now have a virtual epidemic of women whose kidneys have stopped working properly!

Another horrific supplement I find is the metabolic accelerator. These supplements “rev up” the body’s fat burning systems and make the person feel energized and healthy. This could not be farther from the truth. These accelerators are merely  acting much like caffeine on the body; forcing the “flight or fight” syndrome of the adrenals to work harder, included in that acceleration on the the heart and nervous system. This wreaks havoc on the body; causing adrenal fatigue, heart disease (even a heart attack or stroke!) in young people trying to emulate the Hollywood idea of healthy.

I could go on and on about the dangers of the wrong supplement but I find that if you can get to an alternative healer; go to a reputable health food store; this does NOT mean GNC or Vitamin Cottage, you can usually find some quality ingredients.

But before you start popping a capsule; before you start swallowing a vitamin remember this…… Food is the best source of help for health. God intended us to utilize what He provided and is the very best for our Mind, Body and Spirit!