Are You Sick Or Just Detoxing?

Whenever I someone I know is about to detox for the first
time, the first question after "Are you sure this is gonna
work?" always seems to be "Will this make me feel bad?"
followed closely by "Will I have to take time off from
work?"

My straight answer to all three is "It depends".

And it does depend.

No two people are alike, nor do we live the same lifestyle
or have the same level of toxicity in our bodies when
beginning an internal detox program.

There are, however, some facts we all have in common.

Your body is detoxing all the time. Your liver, kidneys,
lymph and skin continually process toxic wastes and
eliminate them via urine feces and sweat.

When the amount of toxins is greater than the speed at
which your body can eliminate them, a cleansing reaction or
"healing crisis" occurs.

A healing crisis is fancy language for catching a cold or
the flu. Most of us don't generally choose to catch a
cold. In fact, we'll do just about anything to avoid
getting sick.

However, when you elect to detox using a cleanse kit, you
voluntarily start a healing crisis and your body will react
in kind.

Here's what you can expect and how to make it go away
faster.

Headache - The most common cleansing reaction. Caffeine
withdrawal, in particular, plus the increase of released
toxins causes muscles to constrict and tighten around the
neck, shoulders and temples.

Remedy: Drink more water. Soak in a hot water tub. Light
exercise. A cup of Chamomile or Mint tea, each have a
soothing, settling effect on muscles and tension.

Backache - Since your intestines and colon reside in your
lower abdomen, increased dietary fiber form larger bowel
movements.

Full of toxins, stools are highly acidic and can cause
temporary lower back pain as they are eliminated from your
body.

Remedy: Stretching to loosen muscles, fruit juices have a
laxative effect and will speed up bowel movements. Lower
back pain associated with colon cleansing usually subsides
after the 3rd or 4th day.

Light-Headedness - Dizziness is also a common cleansing
reaction at the beginning of a cleanse as your body adjusts
to the flood of toxins into the bloodstream.

Remedy: Increase water intake. Eat pieces of fruit like
grapes, apples and/or pineapple. Take a break and stop
moving until the dizziness passes. If the problem
persists, cut back on the cleanse kit dosages and/or
contact a health care provider.

Nausea - Stomach upset can be caused by a liver
overburdened from processing toxic waste. It could just be
something you ate, but when you're cleansing, all your
organs of detoxification are kicked into high gear.

Remedy: Carrot juice diluted with water, coffee enemas,
and or mint tea.

Cold & Flu Symptoms - Runny nose, slight fever, scratchy
throat, muscle aches and general fatigue.

Two or more of these symptoms at a time may mean you need
to shift the detox into a lower gear to let your body
process the toxic overload.

Remedy: Get plenty of rest. Drink plenty of fluids.
Prolong the cleanse a few days by taking less fiber and/or
herbs than the kit recommends. You will still get the same
benefits, but with greater comfort.

Bad Breath/Smelly Odor- All humans are connected from mouth
to anus by one continuous tube.

The old saying goes "you are what you eat", but if what you
eat is unusable, your body will either get rid of it or
hide it in a place where it will cause the lease amount of
harm.

During a detox those hiding places are destroyed. Putrid
waste that has been festering in the dark comes to light
and it doesn't smell too good. Your breath and sweat may
become a little fragrant.

Remedy: Brush your teeth often. Tongue scraping also
helps. Suck on citrus fruit wedges (lemons, oranges),
gargle with salt water or baking soda and water.

Emotional Changes - Depression is one of the first symptoms
of sugar withdrawal. Cravings for sugar and complex carbs
like pastries, bagels or cookies and the denial of those
cravings can cause frustration, anger and hyper-sensitivity.

Remedy: Remove the offending item(s) from your view.
Throw away or give your favorite sweets and carbs to a
trustworthy neighbor to hold before you begin a cleanse so
they won't be a temptation.

If that's not possible, eat a piece of dried fruit or drink
a cup of tea sweetened with Maple syrup (grade B, if
possible).

If you're feeling particularly down, take a walk, pet your
cat or dog or go see a funny movie.

Keep remembering why you choose to cleanse and think of all
the amazing improvements in your health that you will be
able to see, feel and smell in just a short time from now.

To your health and well being,

Jay Greene

----------------------------------------------------
Jay Greene has been doing regularly scheduled maintenance
on his body for the last 6 years. He has recently defied
the laws of nature by becoming one of the youngest looking
40 year olds on the planet. His new eBook "The Ultimate
Detox Reference Guide" offers step-by-step instruction on
how to make maintenance colon cleansing a regular part of
any healthy lifestyle.
Check it out at http://www.tipsforhealing.com

Using Aromatherapy's Proven Anti-Anxiety Effects

Humans have been emulsifying, burning, macerating, pressing
and distilling plants for their aromas (and medicinal
properties) for a long, long time. Only since the dawn of
the New Age and modern Western scientific inquiry, however,
has the impression of aromatherapy gotten soft. But now,
the same scientific institutions are validating the use of
essential oils, and their profound anti-anxiety effects. So
now, rather than "running for the shelter of mother's
little helper" when things get a little hectic, you can
bypass the liquor store, the pharmacy and the junk-food
isle and head confidently to the natural health market for
a little bottle of scented bliss. Maybe not as decadents
for everyone, but many folks will appreciate the healthful
choice for themselves, their children and their families.

The number of studies investigating the therapeutic actions
of essential oils has exploded over the last ten years, as
popular interest grows in the areas of natural health and
wellness. The efficacy of may 'folk' remedies is being
validated, with many of them having benefits at least as
potent as their pharmaceutical counterparts, and most
having very limited, if any, side effects. This is
especially true with the use of essential oils for reducing
stress and lessening anxiety. And what's wonderful about
the oils is that their readily available and easy to use. A
mother with active children can just plug in a diffuser and
let it do its thing. A stressed-out commuter can do the
same. Feeling a little wound up, but want to keep the aroma
a little more personal? Apply a few drops of diluted oil to
yourself or loved one wherever you like. What oils have
these anti-anxiety effects? Let's have a look...

Lavender has been the most frequently studied of all the
essential oils. Its anti-anxiety (or simply 'relaxing')
action has been documented both in the laboratory (using
stressed-out mice and rats) and in clinical environments
with actual human beings. Many, many studies have reported
the same thing: inhalation of lavender oil brings calm
under a great variety of conditions. At least one study
compared Lavender oil aroma to that of Juniper, Cypress,
Geranium, Jasmine and Frankincense. It was only the
Frankincense that had a somewhat similar effect, but not
nearly as effective as Lavender. Several studies compared
Lavender's effect to diazepam (Valium) with Lavender's
aroma having similar (but likely more healthy) calming
results. In other studies, Lavender has been shown to
improve sleep, decrease conflict between animals, and
reduce the amount of pain medication needed by recovering
hospital patients.

Sandalwood oil is another well-known stress reducer. For
those that may not enjoy the floral aroma of Lavender,
Sandalwood could be the oil of choice. Its warm, earthy
scent is grounding and centering, being used by some
spiritual traditions to enhance relaxed, focused meditative
states. The science shows similar results - Sandalwood oil
topically applied relaxed the body while stimulating
psyche. Studies on sleep/wake cycles using Sandalwood oil
topically improved the quality of sleep and lessened waking
episodes. A small study using Sandalwood suggested the oil
may be helpful in reducing anxiety for palliative care
patients. Beyond the scope of Western scientific inquiry,
Sandalwood oils and pastes have been used for centuries in
Ayurvedic medicine for the treatment of psychological
disorders, utilizing its sublime mental-health promoting
actions.

While Sandalwood and Lavender have the most data to back
them up, many other essential oils have had positive test
results. Rose is a standout; it has also been tested
alongside Valium (apparently the anti-anxiety gold
standard) with better and longer-lasting results. The rose
aroma's effect seem to increase over time, where as
benzodiazepines' effect will tend to decrease - and the
test subjects appeared less confused or sedated. Rose, like
Lavender, reduced conflict between test subjects as well.
For a little variety, you can mix Rose and Sandalwood
together (try a 1:4 ratio)...this is a classic Indian
aromatic blend combining two of the world's best known
anti-anxiety scents.

Other oils found in research databases include Angelica,
Chamomile, Lemon, Lemongrass, Tagetes and Ylang Ylang. Some
oils tested didn't show repeatable results in the
laboratory environment, but if you find and oil aroma that
you find relaxing, it's more than likely not purely 'in
your head'; the olfactory (smell) sense is the one of the
five senses most directly wired to the brain's emotional
centers. These are, in turn, directly wired to the
autonomic nervous system controlling functions such as
heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure - all of
which are closely tied to one's level of stress.

So what to do with these stress relieving wonders? They're
really easy to use - one of the great features of
aromatherapy. Both topical application and inhalation show
repeatable results in laboratory tests. A common method of
topical application is to dilute the essential oil in a
carrier oil like Jojoba down to 10% or less. Essential oils
tend to pass easily into the bloodstream when applied to
the skin, so nearly any technique will do. A few drops of
your mixture can be placed on the wrists and rubbed
together (this is nice, as you'll smell the aroma as well).
For inhalation, there's a great many aromatherapy diffusers
available, from little, inexpensive plug in units, to
professional models which make a cloud of pure, intense
aroma. For anxiety relief, any model where you can smell
the aroma will do the job - the higher end diffusers tend
to bathe a larger area in your aroma of choice.

How to chose an oil for you, your family or friends?
Aromatherapy choices tends to be some personal. Some folks
go mad for Rose Geranium, and other folks can only think of
'grandma' (in a nice way!) with the bright scents of
florals. These same individuals will often love the
grounding aromas of the woods: Sandalwood, Frankincense,
Spruce, etc. The beauty of the scientific data is that it's
not one type of essential oil that's effective to support
health and wellness naturally - it's the santalol in
Sandalwood, the linalool in Lavender, and the citronellol
in Rose that imparts much of the therapeutic effect. Other
oils have different chemical constituents that also bring
about relaxation. Even the most scientifically aligned
practitioners will tell you: if it feels good, use it. Try
a variety of aromas if you're new, and use your favorite
with confidence - relaxed confidence, of course - knowing
you're using some of the best medicine nature has to offer,
with the science to back it up.

----------------------------------------------------
http://www.anandaapothecary.com/essential-oils.html offers
further information on the therapeutic use of essential
oils. There are many, many oils to choose from, all with
their own unique therapeutic action. Some are stimulating
to the mind, and others calming. A great many are effective
for treatment of infectious diseases if properly used.