Body Talk eZine

Finding Joy During the Holidays by Laura Marie

It's holiday time again. We love them, yes. But, if you're like me, all the media commotion makes it easy to forget their true meaning. And what's behind the true meaning of the Holidays? This year, after meditating on this question, three ideas came to mind: grace, gratitude, and random acts of kindness. With these thoughts, I give you my own three steps for making the Holidays more meaningful.

Step One: Find Grace

It's been a rough year full of deadlines, long hours, and a whole lot of doing. Now we enter into an even busier season! There seems little room for enjoyment. And therein lies the answer. In my experience, the business of life far overshadows its genuine excitement: the thrill of living in the moment, choosing a meaningful gift, or spending time with one another. How to get back to this state of childlike wonder during the Holiday season?

When I'm feeling frazzled or anxious during this time of year, there's nothing that centers me faster than reading the words of my favorite authors. Over the years, I've built an extensive arsenal of motivational books just for this purpose. I offer this solution to you, as well. If you're looking for a portal to peace and guidance: it's instantaneous.

Here are some of my favorites:

Dr. Wayne Dyer: “There's A Spiritual Solution To Every Problem”

Neale Donald Walsh: “Conversations With God, Book One”

Iyanla Vanant: “One Day My Soul Just Opened Up!”

Step Two: Be Grateful

To me, gratitude is an instrument of faith. Faith is paramount for bringing meaning and fulfillment to the Holidays. Here's an example: During this pre-holiday season, I felt hurt and disappointed by a friend who just stopped calling. In the past, the Holidays seemed to escalate disappointments, family tension, or friendships gone awry. Somewhere in my mind, the fairy-tale says holidays are about setting aside differences and loving each other. Yet, sometimes, friendships end and families disagree.

If you've had a similar experience, I've found asking for guidance from the universe in handling these situations can often dispel disappointment and create a sense of gratitude. Focusing on what is in your life that brings you joy can usually help you realize, everything is as it should be. If a friendship ends or family hardship moves to the fore during the holiday, we can learn to forgive. Moreover, when we are grateful for what we have, trust that we will be guided to handle the situation with a loving heart. Then we can open ourselves to receive the joy of the holiday moment.

Need A way To Find Gratitude This Season? Give This Exercise a Try:

Each day commit to taking a long look around yourself. When doing so, find everything you can to be grateful for: a kind and loving family, health, a particular passion or gift you possess. If you practice, soon you'll become overwhelmed with gratitude for what you already have. I hope you will find every ounce of negativity falls away. If you feel inspired, say, "Thank You!" aloud, in praise of the gifts you have already received.

Random Acts of Kindness:

When we've taken the time to nurture our souls by becoming more grateful and accepting this holiday season, there is a way to continue to expand our gratitude. How? By sharing it. For example, I've noticed, if I continue to give away what I have in earnest, it expands. Therefore, if we choose to create more joy, we can do so by causing another to feel pleasure. Here's my favorite way: random acts of kindness.

Need More Joy This Holiday Season? Give This Exercise A Try:

Begin by asking yourself, “How is it I may serve during this holiday season?” Can I give a few extra dollars to charity? Can I send a card and a short message to someone who I haven't seen in a while? Can I send flowers to my mom "just because?" If you look around, it is not hard to find ways to share a loving thought or message. For a small amount of time, effort, and money, it's easy to cause an earthquake of joy.

My Blessing To You:

May you find grace, joy, and love in this holiday season. For when your heart expands, you can give to others in earnest. Love is the true meaning of the Holidays: sharing what you have with those you love. I think you'll find, by giving a healthy dose of kindness away—there's just that much more to go around.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Laura M. Turner, journalist, author and Certified Natural Health Practitioner is the creator of the Body Talk eZine: Nature's Anti-Aging Treasures Website. She invites you to join her "10 Years Younger" Campaign and to learn more about living younger, healing yourself and those you love with quality retail or wholesale Young Living essential oils and essential oil-based products. Visit today and begin a healthier tomorrow.

 

Dermatologist Recommended Skin Care - Is This Your Best Choice?

Dermatologist Recommended Skin Care - Is This Your Best Choice? By Laura M. Turner, M.Sc., CFT, CNHP

If you’re like most people, you look for a "professional" recommendation before and when you're buying personal care products.  What if the recommendation is plagued by "kickbacks" and celebrity endorsements not worth their salt? In other words, what if “Dermatologist Recommended” doesn’t mean that a skin care product is sufficient, or at best, safe for your skin?

Sadly, that’s the case with many professional and infomercial products.

It's true. Many dermatologist-recommended skin care creams and other products prescribed by a doctor or doctors are full of chemicals that are damaging to your skin and may be harmful to your overall health.  Many of these chemicals include  "acrylamides," "parabens" and "alcohol" to name only a few. Many of these damaging chemicals are carcinogens and known neurotoxins.

Before you buy any beauty product, ask yourself, "Are these ingredients something I want to put on my skin?"

The smart answer is "No." So how do these products get to be dermatologist recommended skin care? There are two reasons.

First, there is always a doctor who will recommend something in exchange for the name recognition or the money involved. It's just a fact.

Second, chemicals have become a large part of the beauty world. Dermatologists use chemicals all the time; too many of them, they’re called medicine. Most do not think long-term. Most doctors only think of how a product can fix the immediate problem.

If your focus is on healthy skin and beauty, you will need a natural solution.

Fortunately, you can find natural dermatologist recommended skin care products.  The key is to look for natural ingredients that target the issues you’re hoping to correct. Here are just a couple ingredient ideas:

One essential component to look for is natural Vitamin E. Active manuka honey, babassu and avocado oil will also help your skin stay well-hydrated and resist signs of aging. Because these ingredients are all-natural and completely organic, you could eat them! And that is the goal.  You can apply all these natural ingredients to broken skin to promote healing as well, so you can imagine that they will help keep your skin young-looking and healthy.

It's great to have these ingredients as part of your natural skin care routine: But what do they do?

>>Avocado oil stimulates the production of collagen while reducing age spots.

>>Babassu prevents dry skin and creates a layer of protection to lock in moisture and keep out dirt and pollutants.

>>Manuka honey is an antibacterial that stimulates the production of collagen and elastin and helps soothe severe skin conditions.

>>Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that helps reduce blemishes, age spots, and wrinkles.

As you can see, these ingredients are an important part of any natural dermatologist recommended skin care product.  The bottom line? Always go natural and always know the ingredients in any product you choose.

Be sure to read: Anti-Aging Skin Cream Reviews: The Right Way To Use Them

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Laura M. Turner, journalist, author and Certified Natural Health Practitioner is the creator of the Body Talk eZine: Nature's Anti-Aging Treasures Website. She invites you to join her "10 Years Younger" Campaign and to learn more about living younger, healing yourself and those you love with quality retail or wholesale Young Living essential oils and essential oil-based products. Visit today and begin a healthier tomorrow.

 

New Year, New You - Grow Young Along With Me!

What is RetroAging? In short, it’s an anti-aging concept that I’ve been developing for some time.  It came about as a result of a conversation with a doctor who said to me: “The first 40 years are free – after that you’ve got to work at it.” 

It’s true that being younger that 40 is easier.  Yet prior to the bell tolling for this age of reason, it does require some work, still.  And in large majority is not (unless you are just plain lucky) a free ride. 

  My life has been a testament to this.  When I was 39 I suffered a terrible bout with bipolar depression and nutrient deprivation. It came from nowhere. I ate well (so I thought) exercised often, meditated even.  I had never been to the doctor (save regular checkups).  

During my recovery from bipolar, depression (and a host of other anxieties and phobias) and eventual reversal of my diagnosis, I mentally outlined those practices that actually changed my body chemistry. I’m not kidding. My thyroid was working at a snail’s pace, my B12 levels were at dangerous lows. Yet, as a chemist, biologist and an aspiring medical professional you’d think I’d have an unfair advantage. Not so.  In fact, it wasn’t until I found an integrative physician, that I began my climb back to health.

This begs the question: what is an integrative approach to medicine?  Simply, it is a combination of medical intervention as well as nutritional, and mind/ body practices. It is a study of the whole human being, not just pieces and parts. And, it works.  

With this said, Dear Reader, I do hope you are having medical screenings on a regular basis.  I hope you are watching your blood panel closely for any changes in chemistry that may be indicative of medical issues before they manifest. This is where it all begins. 

This is where you can start to change your body chemistry before you get into trouble, not after.  It’s a long road back if you do fall into harm's way, but I want to shout from the roof-tops prevention is your first line of defense.  The good news is, early intervention is your second line of defense, and you will be on top of if you are managing the basics.  

What’s more:  It is my hope that I can and will provide you with the necessary “integrative” addendum to the anti-aging process. How do I plan to do this? It my resolution to publish several short and easy to understand wellness eBooks, all with integrative topics in mind.  We'll begin soon with the imbalance closest to my heart: dealing with stress, panic and anxiety. They are both bad news, and get lots of people in trouble.

In addition, and to create the full spectrum of prevention, other topics on the table include; healthy eating for longevity, exercise for women, introduction to yoga and more. Nope, I'm not reinventing the wheel. I like systems and I like simplicity… To me, these are both hard to find in today's jungle of supposed "health" information. Yet, if I’ve done my job, my RetroAging eBooks will give you both... systems and simplicity for wellness, and they will help you enjoy your life and health longer. Stay tuned for more information on those in this coming year.

With all the best of intentions, we begin a new year. Take time today to scribe your healthy resolutions.  How would you like to change your body for the better? I hope you will join me this year to “body talk” and open the discussion on the reversal and slowing of aging.  There’s strength in numbers and keeping the body free from disease, building self-esteem, empowerment and spirituality are my game.  Join my team - I plan on doing my part to make it an exciting journey.  Welcome to a new year and a happy, healthy 2012! 

Blessings,

*Laura*

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Laura M. Turner, journalist, author and Certified Natural Health Practitioner is the creator of the Body Talk eZine: Nature's Anti-Aging Treasures Website. She invites you to join her "10 Years Younger" Campaign and to learn more about living younger, healing yourself and those you love with quality retail or wholesale Young Living essential oils and essential oil-based products. Visit today and begin a healthier tomorrow.

 

Anti Aging Exclusive: A Review of Put Old On Hold By Barbara Morris, R.Ph.

I couldn't put down Barbara Morris's new book Put Old On Hold. Save her ability to grab me by the funny-bone with personal satire, her book is a self-contained anti-aging capsule in itself. As a practicing pharmacist, she gives us many (laugh-out-loud) accounts of the degeneration of human consumption - sorry Emeril - and likens common American cuisine to, well, something like turtle turds.

From a micro sense, however, Put Old On Hold, touts and challenges readers to create their own assault on the aging process. It left this reader to put the book down - after first reading cover to cover - and take an inventory of my current herbal, vitamin and mineral supplementation (among other things like revisit my yoga exercise video library).

Moreover, setting my own personal healthcare biases aside, the most exciting message of Put Old On Hold is its ability to give hope. In this writers opinion, hope is a most important commodity in a world of faster, better, more. Instead, Barbara gives it to us straight from the hip in a practical, been there done that format.

Here's just a sample of lessons learned:

• The power of positive self- talk
• Secrets for "thinking" yourself young
• The honest truth about the illusion of retirement
• Key secrets to vitality, anti-aging and better living in a second lifetime

I believe anyone, regardless of age, will be excited about a future which may once have seemed uncertain after reading Barbara's book. Put Old on Hold will be reference I'll continue to use today tomorrow and 50 years from now. Thanks to Barbara, I'm not afraid anymore - If at age 79 the goddess of goddesses tells me I can be just like her, Bam! I'm all over it.

 Put Old On Hold is available through Amazon.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Laura M. Turner, journalist, author and Certified Natural Health Practitioner is the creator of the Body Talk eZine: Nature's Anti-Aging Treasures Website. She invites you to join her "10 Years Younger" Campaign and to learn more about living younger, healing yourself and those you love with quality retail or wholesale Young Living essential oils and essential oil-based products. Visit today and begin a healthier tomorrow.

 

Invisible Beauty: Discovering the Seven Sources of Healing Energy and How to Use Them

Have you read The Little Prince? The children's story by Saint-Exupery? It's the story of a boy who met a rose. He thought she was different, but he wasn't sure. He was too young to understand that he loved her and how to love her, so he left her behind. He continued to travel and met many other roses. None of them were "his." What made his rose different and what gave her beauty was something that was invisible.

If you haven't read the book, I won't give away the good parts. The take-home message is simple: "To truly see one must look with the heart." This idea can hold for your health, as well. For according to ancients, there are seven sources of invisible energy that act as fuel to our being.

In his book Ayurvedic Healing: A Comprehensive Guide, Dr. David Frawley tells us, if we are aware of these sources of energy, we are all able to draw from them. To me, this discovery is as important as that of the one made by the Little Prince. And as I continue to dig deeper into my spiritual work, I understand not only the importance of looking within ourselves for inner strength, but love is the fulcrum of all balance in each of our lives.

In this article then, we'll discover the seven sources of energy and why they are essential to each of us. I hope you will take the time to review each one and decide how you can use each idea to create your powerful energy source.

Source One: The Energy That Comes From Our Inner Inherent Vitality.

This energy source, according to Frawley, is dependent upon what he calls "karmic" factors. Translation: The energy source we already possess. This power is given to us at birth and manifests as an outward presence in some or more of a shy position in others. This energy is our innate natural power. In my mind, regardless of whether we are introverted or extroverted, this energy puts us in a natural flow with all of life. To tap this energy source then, be aware of what "fuels you" and what activities make you tired. Therein lays the answer to the actions that flow with your tide.

Source Two: The Energy That We "Draw From Outside Sources."

This energy is otherwise known as food and breath. Most of us know this one; proper eating from organic sources increases power. So does deep breathing. Deep breathing strengthens the heart, the lungs, and the brain. In most Eastern practices, this can also involve breathing exercises. This idea states, through breathing exercises, we are breathing in and inspiring the breath of life.

Source Three: Activities That "Produce Energy through the Mind."  

These activities could include "sensory perception." Translation: We can do well to keep our environment beautiful and spend time in nature. Inhaling nature gives the mind positive energy and increased creativity. Nature is considered an outside energy source. Ask yourself: Is my environment supportive to my creativity, to my life and my work? Does my environment give me energy? Or does it make me feel tired and depleted? These are all subjective notions to consider.

Source Four: Deep Sleep. 

Proper sleep is a necessary ingredient for a sharp mind. It acts to renew the brain and is known as a natural form of meditation. Deep sleep regenerates our entire being. As I've written before, lack of sleep can stimulate neurotransmitters in the brain that can create schizophrenic-type behaviors. Sleep rests the heart; it mends the body and boosts the immune system. The benefits far outweigh the scope of this article!

Source Five: Energy We Receive From Other People.

Who we associate with can be a source of or cause a deficit in our vitality. As we naturally seek to associate with others and "congregate" with one another—it makes healthy sense to align ourselves with those who we can "emulate" and those who are doing what we think to be valuable. For example, my grandmother used to tell me, "Show me who your friends are and I'll show you who you are." This source of energy is self-explanatory.

Source Six: Love.  

Love is the highest and "most nourishing" form of energy. Love can "keep people alive" it can keep them well and can raise awareness of all of those whose lives we touch. Love is a healing force. And according to Frawley: "A person who feels love will not be depressed, and a person who gives love becomes a source of life itself."

Source Seven: Our Soul.  

If love is the healthiest form of energy, the most important source of energy is our soul. To receive this energy, we must find a way to contact it and tap into its power. Easterners have long understood: If we depend entirely on outside sources of energy, we are limited and "possess a tendency toward decay." Therefore our most important quest is to find a way to connect with this internal source of energy—we do this by seeking self-actualization through meditation and following the path to our true aspirations and vocation.

In Conclusion:

I do hope you will take time to consider the energy that is fueling your tank. Is it giving you power? Or is it taking away from the delicate balance of your life and holding you back from being all that you wish to be? It's well worth your consideration. As you expand your thoughts into the energy that fuels you, you can harness this power by looking within yourself to align with the person you were meant to be. For now, be as the Little Prince: View stars above and see them with the eyes of your heart.

References:

(Frawley, 200. p.346)
This article has also been reprinted on beliefnet.com 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Laura M. Turner, journalist, author and Certified Natural Health Practitioner is the creator of the Body Talk eZine: Nature's Anti-Aging Treasures Website. She invites you to join her "10 Years Younger" Campaign and to learn more about living younger, healing yourself and those you love with quality retail or wholesale Young Living essential oils and essential oil-based products. Visit today and begin a healthier tomorrow.