Fluoride - Your Teeth Need It, Not Your Drinking Water!

I recently, despite everything I believe in my heart, started drinking the tap water again after separating from my last job. I was more upset about having to drink tap water again, knowing I could no longer afford my beloved bottles of spring water, than loosing the majority of my income.

Why was I so bent about the tap water? Fluoride!

Now I am no anti-fluoride conspirator and I am not stating that we should never ingest fluoride, nor that it does not contribute to a healthy, beautiful smile, but it really is time to look at all the evidence supporting the damaging aspects of prolonged overexposure to fluoride and make the decision that we really need to take it out of the drinking water - leave it in the toothpaste where it belongs.

What is Fluoride?

Per the (EPA) Environmental Protection Agency, fluoride compounds are salts that form when the element fluorine combines with minerals in soil or rocks. That means that fluoride is a naturally occurring element, which naturally ends up in our water sources, usually minimally, yet it varies by geographic location.

Although fluoride is a naturally occurring element that happens to be great for dental health, over exposure and extended use can lead to adverse health effects, some of which are more commonly accepted (or even acknowledged) than others.

These lovely, natural fluoride crystals belong to Deborah Blum, who wrote a very good article on those who advocate the removal of fluoridation from drinking water based on misguided concepts like fluoride occurring only as an unnatural industrial byproduct.

Why Add Fluoride To Drinking Water?

Fluoride is added to drinking water in an effort to reduce tooth decay by (re)mineralizing the teeth. Demineralization occurs with eating and healthy teeth require a good balance of re- and demineralization to avoid tooth decay - or avoid allowing tooth demineralization to exceed tooth mineralization.

In this regard, fluoride is a very beneficial element of dental health and it was thought that administering the chemical to the population via water supplies would be a simple way to ensure good dental health for everybody, especially the main target audience of children growing their adult teeth. Adult teeth forming in children absorb a lot more of the fluoride into the tooth, actually making tooth decay more difficult to achieve, yet also the reason why children are more susceptible to dental fluoridation.

Not only did it become basically standard to add fluoride to drinking water to improve the nation's dental health, we started putting it into toothpastes to apply the minerals directly to the teeth - which was actually a good idea.

The Proven (And More Commonly Accepted) Adverse Health Effects of Prolonged Exposure To Fluoridation

There is no debating the toxicity of fluoride, it is listed as a poison and is used as insecticide (granted at levels you will never experience in drinking water or toothpaste). The effects of consistent overexposure to fluoride are a myriad of chronic health problems, and not only does the average American (I would assume) have no clue how much fluoride they are consuming, they have no idea how easy it is to over consume fluoride.

Like tea? Read this snippet from the Irish Examiner:

The United States National Academies stated in their comprehensive report, Fluoride in Drinking Water (2006), that in countries such as the UK, where tea consumption is common, that the daily fluoride intake for many consumers would be greater than 9mg per day, which is more than twice the recommended dietary intake of 4mg per day.

The consumption of tea is higher in Ireland than the UK and unfortunately we make our tea with artificially fluoridated water. This means that many individuals are exposed to a daily fluoride intake of greater than 10mg per day. This level of exposure will result in increased prevalence of chronic disease. Today in Ireland, according to HSE reports, one in 3 adults suffers from a chronic disease.

Granted over here, you could probably replace tea (Southerners, they mean hot tea) with coffee and/or sweet tea.

According to the (EPA) Environmental Protection Agency webpage:

Exposure to excessive consumption of fluoride over a lifetime may lead to increased likelihood of bone fractures in adults, and may result in effects on bone leading to pain and tenderness. Children aged 8 years and younger exposed to excessive amounts of fluoride have an increased chance of developing pits in the tooth enamel, along with a range of cosmetic effects to teeth.

Children are also more likely to develop dental fluorosis, or develop white markings or streaking on the teeth, which is a form of skeletal fluorosis that develops from overexposure to fluoride.

The general symptoms of overexposure to fluoride include:

• Abdominal pain
• Abnormal taste (salty or soapy taste)
• Convulsions
• Diarrhea
• Drooling
• Headache
• Heart attack
• Irregular heartbeat
• Nausea
• Shallow breathing
• Slow heartbeart
• Tremors
• Vomiting
• Weakness

The Neurological Effects Of Fluoridation Exposure - Feil Smuartor Yeait?

The neurological effects of fluoride exposure can cause a decrease in intelligence, as concluded in this study by Environmental Health Perspectives, the abstract follows:

Background: Although fluoride may cause neurotoxicity in animal models and acute fluoride poisoning causes neurotoxicity in adults, very little is known of its effects on children’s neurodevelopment.

Objective: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies to investigate the effects of increased fluoride exposure and delayed neurobehavioral development.

Methods: We searched the MEDLINE, EMBASE, Water Resources Abstracts, and TOXNET databases through 2011 for eligible studies. We also searched the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database, because many studies on fluoride neurotoxicity have been published in Chinese journals only. In total, we identified 27 eligible epidemiological studies with high and reference exposures, end points of IQ scores, or related cognitive function measures with means and variances for the two exposure groups. Using random-effects models, we estimated the standardized mean difference between exposed and reference groups across all studies. We conducted sensitivity analyses restricted to studies using the same outcome assessment and having drinking-water fluoride as the only exposure. We performed the Cochran test for heterogeneity between studies, Begg’s funnel plot, and Egger test to assess publication bias, and conducted meta-regressions to explore sources of variation in mean differences among the studies.

Results: The standardized weighted mean difference in IQ score between exposed and reference populations was –0.45 (95% confidence interval: –0.56, –0.35) using a random-effects model. Thus, children in high-fluoride areas had significantly lower IQ scores than those who lived in low-fluoride areas. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses also indicated inverse associations, although the substantial heterogeneity did not appear to decrease.

Conclusions: The results support the possibility of an adverse effect of high fluoride exposure on children’s neurodevelopment. Future research should include detailed individual-level information on prenatal exposure, neurobehavioral performance, and covariates for adjustment.

FluorideAlert.org claims to have cited over 100 studies that prove that intelligence reduction is just one of many unpleasant side effects, and they have tons on reference leading to all sorts of health problems directly attributed to chronic over fluoridation.

Just reading the abstract of this study, you can see how easy is would be for conspiracy theories to spawn from this, as there are those who claim public fluoridation is more of a means of population control than the desire to promote good dentition.

Fluoride & Cancer

Dr. Dean Burk, the famous director of the Cytochemistry division of the National Cancer Institute for more than 30 years, contributed much to the field of cancer research. During his retirement, he was interviewed on Dutch television to discuss the proposal to fluoridate drinking water in the Netherlands, in which he reveals shocking, straight-forward evidence linking fluoride and increased development of cancer based on his research of cancer patients in various areas of the United States in areas that did and did not contain fluoride in the drinking water.

Dr. Burk to Dutch Parliament: [Water Fluoridation] Amounts to Public Murder on a Grand Scale

Dr. Burk is one of the most noted biochemists in the history of biochemistry - he was very much under the impression that we should not have fluoride in our drinking water.

Watch 6 Minute Interview With Dr. Dean Burk, Former Head of the National Cancer Institute's Cytochemistry Sector

Dr. Burk's interview above is a very brief (yet very insightful) observation of the link between cancer and fluoride exposure, but he is not the only doctor that his contributed to the global forum of drinking water fluoridation.

In this video, Dr. John Yiamouyiannis, biochemist and founder of the Safe Water Foundation, goes into a little more detail about what is actually happening when fluoride is in the body and why it leads to accelerated growth of cancerous tumors.

If Fluoride Is For Dental Health, Overexposure Creates A Myriad Of Health Problems, Why Not Leave It In The Toothpaste & Take It Out Of The Drinking Water?

Fluoride is not recommended for young children. Overexposure to fluoride is bad for anyone. Overexposure is not necessarily fluoride poisoning, but ingesting too much at one time will cause fluoride poisoning and requires prompt medical attention. Extended use of fluoride creates various health problems, even accelerates cancer growth, especially when overexposure is occurring consistently for a prolonged period.

So, really, why would we not take the fluoride of out the drinking water and leave it in the toothpaste if there is no ulterior motives for public fluoridation? We would get all the benefits of good dental health, administered as needed (age specific) and without the worry of overexposure.

It is such a common sense approach that could possibly save millions in health care in as little as a couple of years (the couple of years projection based on the amount of time it took Dr. Burk to see a verifiable acceleration of cancer in populations that started to fluoridate drinking water in the United States).

Sooo, Why Is Fluoride In The Drinking Water, Again?

Why are we not doing anything about the problem of overexposure to fluoride in our communities? (Did you notice how old those videos are? According to Dr. Yiamoyuiannis, there was a verifiable link to overexposure of fluoride and cancer as early as 1965 - that was like 50 years ago.)

This is certainly a problem and it needs to be corrected at local levels through conversations at work, church, school, and most certainly town halls. We have got to get the people who are sourcing our water to stop fluoridating it.

We have got to get the fluoride out of the drinking water - not because fluoride is bad, but because too much fluoride is bad. Tylenol is good for headaches - if you take enough of it, you will die.

McDonald's Thrives, Employees Collect Food Stamps, Other Government Assistance - And You're Loving It!

I have a problem with big businesses like McDonalds. It's too big and their greatness is not reflected in their value as an employer. I know there will always be "big dogs" and "small fries" within any group of anything - and I am not mad at success - but can we at least get a good grip of what success entails?

McDonalds to Uncle Sam: You Scratch My Back, I'll Scratch My Back

McDonalds is a ginormous corporation that generates BILLIONS of dollars in profit annually (even quarterly), yet the employees are barely paid. How can McDonald's be a great American success story when it takes money out of the hands of Americans to subsidize the payment of wages to its employees?

Actually, in what world do we live in where there is a minimum wage and a living wage and we allow the minimum wage to be set so substantially lower than the living wage? If the minimum wage does not equal the living wage, it is mathematically impossible for anyone to thrive off the minimum wage, without working multiple jobs. What is the point of having a minimum wage if it means that 40 hours a week are simply not enough?

The problem that is created when the minimum wage is lower than the living wage is that companies are not doing anything illegal by watching their employees enroll into government assistance. Companies like McDonald's are aware of the number of employees seeking that assistance and can easily see within their own company that the wages paid are simply not enough to support the most basic needs of a huge percentage of their employees - and it is so much more lucrative for them to not care and do nothing.

At What Point Does "Taking" Tax Money Become Simple Theft?

McDonalds, and other megacorporations, could easily raise the wages of employees and still generate billions of dollars in profit, without ever collecting one cent from taxpayer dollars, and (I don't care what anybody says or calculates) without raising the price of that Big Mac made from Lord-knows-what (that people are obviously okay with eating, still, for whatever reason).

We cherish McDonald's in the country as a great American success story, but how many of the employees of McDonald's experience that same pride as an employee of one of the greatest business endeavors in this country? And as one of the greatest examples of business success in the world, how in the hell can McDonald's justify the use of tax payer money to basically pay what they are not paying to employees, when they are well aware of the economic situation of our country and their employees (unless of course the justification is to never reduce the profit margin for any reason, in which case it would make way more sense to do nothing and keep saving...)

I say saving because it obviously saves the corporation money. If McDonald's did increase the wages of employees (and this is not a sob story for corporate profits) it would cost them, obviously, the extra money they put into, and that would be compounded by employer contribution taxes, health care costs, and other liability costs like general liability and worker's compensation, and I'm sure in other ways, too.

I just don't care.

STOP FEELING BAD FOR CORPORATE PROFITS ALREADY - Are You Benefiting?

I am not saying McDonald's should go out of business (however, I personally do not understand why they are even in business as they current serve very little that I would actually ingest into my body - and pretty much nothing from their menu comes to mind...) but I am suggesting that, as is possible with any company, mistakes are being made. If they do not generate enough revenue to pay their employees a decent wage, they have a bad business model that requires some reworking.

Gasp, profits might need to drop a little (a little - we are talking BILLIONS GENERATED QUARTERLY - put away the tissues for corporate profits), maybe the price of a Big Mac does need to go up a little (I bet Burger King would enjoy a McDonald's price hike), because as with any company, the revenue from your products and services should support the overhead of the company.

By having employees who qualify and receive government assistance - at billions annually - there is obviously a problem with the wages and that part of the overhead is not being supported by the revenue from the products - although McDonalds generates more in profit quarterly than the amount of funds received by it's employees annually through government assistance.

McDonald's is robbing the poor (America - check our balance sheet) to finish paying the portion of the poor that they employ, and all while pocketing cash hand over fist.

If McDonald's could not thrive as a company by paying its employees enough that they did not qualify for government assistance, I still would not feel bad - but are you joking? These people pay millions of dollars for some air time on TV - adjusting the wages of the employees across the board will marginally effect profits, but could easily be compensated - causing no effect on profit margin - just by skipping some commercial advertisements at millions of dollars a piece here and there. Or whatever.

The bottom line, McDonald's wouldn't sweat if it doubled the wages of all its employees. I'm not an economist or analyst of finances, but I still don't give a damn what anybody says - these people are straight up crying wolf when they cry about profits or the imaginary need to increase items on the menu - and if they do, they do! Who's fault is anyway if the McDonald's business model (that includes fair compensation to its employees) is unprofitable?

If it really is, do the right thing and go out of business, McDonalds. But again - that is like, NEVER, going to happen. They could honestly double the wages AND provide whole, natural, organic food and STILL not even notice anything because they make so much money...

Sources for "McDonald's Thrives, Employees Collect Food Stamps, Other Government Assistance - And You're Loving It!":

"McDonald's Reports Solid Third Quarter 2013 Results" from McDonald's Press Release
http://news.mcdonalds.com/Corporate/Press-Releases/Financial-Release?xmlreleaseid=123038

"McDonald's Low Wages Cost Taxpayers $1.2 Billion Per Year: Study" by Jillian Berman, Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/15/mcdonalds-wages-taxpayers_n_4100866.html

Watch The Most Shocking Second A Day Video #WithSyria

Just Because It Isn't Happening Here, Doesn't Mean It Isn't Happening...

It seems like there is little anyone could do...

For many its as if nothing is even happening...

It's Syria, not America...

Why Should You Care About Syria?

Pretty soon, these videos could feature American children and families, loosing everything. The problems around the world are real and they are coming to your doorstep.

Change in this country and around the world is necessary - and it starts with each of us, first by caring, then...

Best Ever Freshly Squeezed Organic Texas Margarita de Oro (Gold)

Looking for a delicious, guilt-free cocktail (and light on the pansy)? This classic gold margarita recipe is all organic and made with real fresh fruit and organic agave nectar!

The taste of a freshly squeezed, organic margarita is so much better than artificially flavored and sweeten margaritas mixes (that give me an absolute headache del diablo). If you have never tried a freshly squeezed margarita, you just don't know what you are missing out on...

Organic Texas Margarita de Oro Ingredients:

• 4.5 ounces lime juice, freshly squeezed
• 1/2 orange juice, freshly squeezed
• 1 - 2 teaspoons organic agave nectar
• 1 ounce tequila of choice (make it 2 ounces for a fiesta strength margarita)
• (Optional) Simple syrup (1/2 water, 1/2 sugar mixture) to taste

Directions To Make Organic Texas Margarita de Oro:

1. Pour tequila over ice.
2. Squeeze in limes and orange half.
3. Add organic agave nectar
4. Shake and serve!

Sweet Dreams for Doctors that Treat Sleep Apnea & Sleeping Disorders

Sleep apnea and sleeping disorders are nocturnal breathing events that nobody had seemed to of heard of until a handful of years ago.

Now everybody is plagued by sleep apnea. Poor sleep is now a sleep disorder and disorders are correctable: in this case, usually with CPAP masks (that have certainly ruined the sleep of millions).

Why Can't Anyone Sleep Anymore?

Sleep apnea and sleep disorders are not a new thing. You most likely know exactly what it sounds like when a person experiences an apnea. If you have ever listened to an elder snore, then you have probably heard the signature breathing pattern of a classic apnea: the snoring pattern is interrupted by a sustained retention of breathe (that is sometimes worrisome to observe, fearing no other breathe may come).

Sleep disorders usually consist of apneas, although there are other types of events, and they are usually treated with a (CPAP) Continuous Positive Air Pressure machine that, once titrated to the correct pressure, regulates breathing and minimizes events.

Although CPAP machines work well to treat sleep disorders, their use is practically irrelevant - and your doctor is not going to tell you that. The medical industry has made a fortune treating sleeping disorders, and all that money is not going to be turned down.

Sleep Apnea & Other Sleeping Disorders May Not Be What They Seem

The truth of the matter is that most of the time (not always) sleeping disorders are a mere nocturnal detection of poor health within the body, much like a headache is sometimes indicative of attention needed in a different area of the body.

Simply put - most people do not need to treat sleep apnea near as much as they need to lose 50 pounds and make alterations to their diet.

If you are suffering from sleep apnea, think about consulting a more holistic health care provider for ideas on what might be causing your sleep apnea and natural ways to remedy it.

Why Treat Sleep Apnea & Sleeping Disorders When Something Else May Be Wrong?

Treating sleep apnea and sleeping disorders (and any illness, really) has simply become a huge market.

Food from farms has become food from industrial plants loaded with synthetic products, fueling all sorts of health problems that people are just expected to endure. If the doctor knows that you need to loose weight to breathe better, and he knows you won't exercise, why not make money off of your visits (sleep disorder detection requires at least one overnight sleep study, sometimes several, and at least one overnight titration session), the CPAP machine (which may need to be rented monthly), and the disposable supplies that will always be needed? Why not?

Sources for "Sweet Dreams for Doctors that Treat Sleep Apnea & Sleeping Disorders":

"Treating sleep disorders can wake up your bottom line" by Jeffrey Bendix, MA
Medical Economics
http://medicaleconomics.modernmedicine.com/medical-economics/news/treating-sleep-disorders-can-wake-your-bottom-line?page=full

Money Worship and its Requirement in Society - What Are Your Thoughts?

You may not see it for what it is, but you most likely worship money on a daily basis. We live in a society that worships money and all good citizens simply obey, bow down, and worship the money...

The very action of money worship that we are forced to exercise everyday is in great conflict with the spiritual (or religious) ideals that we claim to uphold. To me, but not most, it is obvious as to why economic problems create such a heavy burden on our souls: we live in a society that believes that one can only survive through the obtainment and consumption of currency.

I say believe, and you probably think that sounds funny, because you would not only believe this, but you would not be able to imagine a life lived any other way. And why not? Our country took ownership of this land and required its citizens to pay to live on it. By this principal alone, it is essentially illegal to live a life where you do not idealize the obtainment and consumption of currency. You probably even place the idea of obtaining and consuming money above your own natural instincts, including the desire to be happy, many times everyday, simply because the God given land you stand on is not free.

Alternative means of living (ironic that I use 'alternative' to refer to the most natural state of living possible) - like the notion of living freely off the land in peace, dedicating "work hours" to organic means of communal sustainability, charity, and the overall care tending of our land and fellow men - are not tolerated, and as a matter of fact, illegal.

In nature, it does not cost anything to live off of the land, but in society, you must pay for that land. Submission is the only answer for most; insanity is the only excuse for those who disagree.

Debt Based Living Model Is A Sin According To Jesus, But The Great American Way

The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
- Proverbs 22:7

If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him.
- Exodus 22:25

No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
- Matthew 6:24

Americans - and increasingly, everyone else - are forced to live this huge life of indebtedness. Children are raised their entire lives in the public school system, never learning anything regarding self or communal preservation or sustainability - just to be dumped into a life they cannot afford without borrowing money. Want to go to school? Borrow money. Want a place to live? Borrow money. Need some cash to get you through the week? Put it on a credit card - if you can afford to borrow money.

Not only do we consider living outside of your means acceptable, those who do not borrow and create debt are either wealthy beyond the imagination of most people, or too unproductive to warrant any merit in our economic system.

So How Do We Live In A Modern Society Without Worshipping Money?

I have several ideas, some that might get put into print in the future, on how we could start by restructuring many aspects of modern acceptability in education, government, industry, and trust me (I like to talk), a lot more. But at this time, I am very interested in learning about different view points from other people on how we could stop the madness. Society has grown to this point where it seems out of control and too late to do anything about. But what are the things that you see we could do differently to live a life of happiness and thrive at the same time?

Power Up Your Morning Grits with Spinach & Mushrooms

Need a quick breakfast that is quick, fills you up, and full of powerful health benefits? Try this quick powerhouse grits breakfast with fresh mushrooms and spinach leaves.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup grits
• 1/2 cup fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup fresh mushroom pieces
• 2 teaspoons fresh garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• freshly ground sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Bring water to a boil.
2. Add fresh mushrooms to boiling water for about 30 seconds, then
3. Add grits and stir well.
4. As the grits thicken, add in the fresh spinach, minced garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and ground sea salt and pepper to taste.

It's that simple! Enjoy this recipe as a complete breakfast or as a compliment to pork or beef dishes.

Meditating to Remember Yourself In Past Lives

Do you ever wonder who you used to be in your past life or lives? Has it ever really occurred to you that you have been alive more than once, likely several times, and that it is possible to recall memories from your formal selves?

The fact is, most of us have probably already lived here before. By not understanding that probability, it is easy to be unaware of the ulterior motives of our past lives that could possibly be playing out into our current existence. Although it may seem unfair that karma could literally be punishing you for something not done in this life, it is also an important factor to consider in making this life better.

If any of your past lives are influencing this one, wouldn't you like to know?

Remembering Yourself In A Past Life Begins With Meditation

Being able to connect with your former selves (if there were pervious versions of you), is no easy task. Months and months of mediation may (or may not) yield but one solid memory that could possibly illicit more questions than answers. If you are not accustomed to meditation and do not have a regular meditation regimen, you should consider reading more about meditation and practicing it regularly before jumping into the deep end.

Find yourself in a comfortable position (for me, this type of meditation session tends to last a lot longer than normal meditation, so I would be more comfortable lying down). Listen to your body breathe.

If you are more experienced with breathing techniques, you might find your subconscious to be more aroused by a Kundalini style of breathing (thinking about how you breathe when you are actually asleep: you take a deep breathe in and you rest for about 4 seconds in between inhale and exhale, in between this world and the next, and you exhale deeply until again you are completely still and in between inhale and exhale, until the rhythmic pattern repeats itself over and over, as dictated by not you, but by life itself - God.

Focus your awareness on your desire to remember yourself in past lives. Try not to think the question, "who was I in a past life?" and except an immediate, cosmic answer, rather know that you want to access that realm of your own knowledge and simply accept any thoughts, images, emotions, or whatever seeps up into your conscious.

As things do come to you, just allow them into your conscious. Try to visualize, hear, or sense in whatever way you can, but avoid questioning and trying to make sense of everything - you can do that outside of your meditation, once you have possession of the knowledge to think freely upon it. Trying to solve the whole puzzle in a meditative state just blurs the images of the pieces at hand, and leaves most pieces upside down (or blank). In order to solve your puzzle, you might need to spend time with each piece individually.

Crystals That Can Help You Remember Your Past Lives In Meditation

If you have access to these stones, they have unique qualities that (in different ways) will help reconnect with your past lives: apatite, aragonite, charoite, dioptase, garnet, Herkimer diamond, brown jasper, moldavite, electric blue obsidian, opal, serpentine, sheet quartz, among others.

Before You Open The Door To Your Past Lives

Before you really start to meditate on remembering your past lives, you must consider what you are actually asking for. If you did in fact live in pervious lives, you died - and possibly in a horrific manner that you could possibly recall in vivid detail, like drowning under a strong current in a river, burning alive in a house fire, being raped and beaten to death by a group of degenerates, or who knows how. By recalling experiences, you do have the ability to be influenced positively or negatively by them, and ultimately bring negative energy back into this existence.

If you do recall something horrific and painful, allow yourself to experience it with the comfort of knowing that you can only experience the experience, but in the safety of your own comfortable space. As soon as you are done meditating, you are free to experience or not experience anything that you remember.

Do Not Forget What Took You Forever To Remember

If you are serious about discovering who you were in past lives, you are going to need to keep a journal or private blog so that you can remember everything and look at the information that you have obtained abstractly.

Immediately after mediation, it helps to write down every detail, emotion, though, etc, that came through that session. Some of the details you write will have no meaning to you until months later, after several sessions that yield small pieces of the puzzle here and there.

Do Not Be Discouraged If You Cannot Recall Yourself In Past Lives

Do not be taken aback if nothing is coming to you - you cannot fail at meditating. Every moment that you are closer to yourself, you are closer to God, so do not turn this into a goal oriented system of intention and failure, you will not find what you seek that way.

Trying to remember yourself in past lives is not a process that can be forced. Some will be able to recall themselves almost immediately; some may never. Don't be discouraged. There could be great spiritual significance to your inability to recall past lives, and it is possible that this is your very first cycle - welcome to life!

Natural Fruit Smoothie Recipe Featuring Strawberries, Spinach, & Chia Seeds

Looking for a delicious, healthy fruit smoothie to replace spent energy and gain vital nutrition? Try this all natural smoothie with fruit, spinach, and chia seeds for protein.

Since this delicious fruit smoothie contains spinach, it is also a green smoothie, although the color is not quite as green in this recipe. If you want to pump up the spinach for extra nutrition, it will certainly darken the smoothie!

Ingredients for this Natural Fruit Smoothie:

1 banana
1 medium apple
1/2 cup strawberries
1/4 cup raspberries
3 tablespoons chia seeds
1 cup spinach
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk, milk, or yogurt

Directions for this Natural Fruit Smoothie:

NOTES: You will want to use either a high powered blender or use a food processor to get a really smooth blend. This smoothie recipe yields about two servings.

Simply mix all the ingredients into a blender or food processor until well blended. Thicken the smoothie with an additional banana or thin the smoothie with extra coconut milk, milk, or water.

Make this healthy fruit smoothie as a meal replacement, a healthy afternoon treat, or as a source of energy before or after a workout.

HHS / NTP Study Proves Ginkgo Biloba Extract Causes Cancer

A friend of mine recently recommended that I take Ginkgo biloba extract to increase my memory. I have heard of people taking Ginkgo biloba to improve brain functioning all of my life, and lately it has been a popular additive in beverages for "improved memory" and other mental benefits.

Since I have become very conscious of the things I put in my body, something told me not to take it without looking into it...

There Are A Good Things To Be Said About Ginkgo Biloba...

Ginkgo biloba and mental cognition

There are many studies available on the many mental health benefits of Ginkgo biloba. It is hailed as a drug that can help improve memory retention and cognition, as well as prevent or retard dementia and mental decline.

As Ginkgo biloba extract has popularized in Western medicine, it has so popularized in health foods and beverages. While studies do suggest that Ginkgo biloba can improve mental cognition in certain healthy individuals (young adults more than all other age groups), most food items do not contain a high enough level of the extract for any noticeable results.

Ginkgo biloba and blood circulation

Ginkgo biloba has long been recognized as an herb that could improve circulation and treat blood disorders. Ginkgo biloba extract has the same effects inside the body as fibrinolytic drugs which are used to remedy blood clotting. Gingko biloba can be used to compliment fibrinolytic drugs, or substitute them in treating thromboemboli and thrombosis.

Additional claimed benefits include:

1. Anxiety
2. Glaucoma
3. Macular Degeneration
4. (PMS) Premenstrual Syndrome
5. And more...

However, Ginkgo Biloba Is Toxic And Causes Cancer

In March of 2013, the (NTP) National Toxicology Program released the results of a study commissioned by the US Department of Health and Human Services that proves Ginkgo biloba to toxic and cancerous to lab rats:

In male and female rats and mice, the liver, thyroid gland, and nose were the major targets of Ginkgo biloba extract toxicity. Many of the toxic and carcinogenic effects associated with Ginkgo biloba extract administration are characteristic of lesions related to hepatic enzyme induction. In general, the carcinogenic activity of Ginkgo biloba extract was more pronounced in mice than rats.

Administration of Ginkgo biloba extract resulted in increased incidences of nonneoplastic lesions in the liver, thyroid gland, and nose of male and female rats and mice and the forestomach of male and female mice. Increased severity of nephropathy in male rats was also due to administration of Ginkgo biloba extract.

The Sad Ginkgo Biloba Truth

Unfortunately, it is probably better to stay away from Ginkgo biloba extract, unless recommended to you by your doctor for the treatment of blood problems - even then, think twice about taking it, discuss alternatives, and always seek secondary advice!

Sources for "HHS / NTP Study Proves Ginkgo Biloba Extract Causes Cancer":

"Fibrinolytic effects of Ginkgo biloba extract" by Gholam Ali Naderi, PhD, Seddigheh Asgary, PhD, Abbas Jafarian, PhD, Nazila Askari, MS, Alireza Behagh, MD, Roya Hasani Aghdam, MSc, and the respective departments of Biochemistry, Pharmacognosy, Pharmacology, and Microbiology at Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2716226/

"Gingko biloba" by University of Maryland Medical Center
http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/ginkgo-biloba

"Toxicology and Carcinogenesis Studies of Ginkgo Biloba Extract (CAS No. 90045-36-3) In F344/N Rats snd B6C3F1/N Mice (Gavage Studies)" by the National Toxicological Program
http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/htdocs/LT_rpts/TR578_508.pdf

Worried About the Perservative BHA or BHT in Your Foods?

It tricky keeping up with the dos and don'ts of preservatives and food additives (and food in general), but for those concerned, I do have some good news about the awkward looking BHA and BHT that is sometimes found on food nutrition labels: it's probably not that bad for you, and in theory, it's kind of good for you.

So What Exactly Is BHA & BHT?

At first glance of the nutrition label, you could quickly think that BHA or BHT looks like something to avoid, especially when it is commonly followed by "(as a preservative)". But it is basically sprayed, powdered antioxidants.

Technically, according to Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.,

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and the related compound butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) are phenolic compounds that are often added to foods to preserve fats.

Oxygen reacts preferentially with BHA or BHT rather than oxidizing fats or oils, thereby protecting them from spoilage. In addition to being oxidizable, BHA and BHT are fat-soluble.

Cancer & BHA & BHT

There is a lot of conversation about the possible links between BHA and BHT and cancer and studies prove carcinogenic attributes, but it cannot be proved that the carcinogenic attributes that exist affect humans. BHA and BHT have been linked to causing tumors in rats, but it is in a part of their stomach that humans do not have. Some studies even suggest preventative benefits of BHA and BHT in that the antioxidant properties could slow or inhibit the grown of cancer.

The follow has been appended as of March 6, 2014 at approximately 10:00AM:

Bottom Line on BHA & BHT: Not Natural, Not Proved Harmful

To be fair, BHA nor BHT have actually been proven to cause harm to humans. It does possess carcinogenic and tumorigenic qualities, yet it also contains antioxidant qualities. Since the human body is not really affected by the cancerous aspects (which the antioxidant properties would help to counter), the antioxidants would become even more beneficial, probably making BHA and BHT more helpful than harmful - especially consider how long it really does extend the shelf life of food.

However, it is still an unnatural ingredient and that in itself is still aggravating to some, especially when something like vitamin E could be just as useful.

It as always a good idea to avoid unnatural foods and maintain a diet rich in whole, natural foods.

Sources for "Worried About the Perservative BHA or BHT in Your Foods?":

"BHA and BHT, Chemistry of BHA and BHT Food Preservatives" by Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
http://chemistry.about.com/od/foodcookingchemistry/a/bha-bht-preservatives.htm

"Fresh Look at Food Preservatives" by Judith E. Foulke
http://www.nettally.com/prusty/formj.htm

Complete Any Mexican Dish with this Pico de Gallo (Salsa Fresca) Recipe

Want to make that wonderful stuff that comes with all your favorite Mexican dishes at any restaurant?

Pico de gallo - literally rooster's beak - also known as salsa fresca - is a huge staple in Latin American cooking. It is an all natural and easy to make recipe, can be made organically, and is super good - it goes great with everything!

To Make Pico de Gallo (Salsa Fresca) You Will Need

1 medium tomato
1/2 medium white onion
1 small jalapeño
1 lime
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
cilantro to taste

Making Pico de Gallo (Salsa Fresca) Is Very Easy

If you have a food processor, it takes no time at all to make this pico de gallo. Even having to chop these ingredients by hand isn't going to take very long.

Dice up the tomato or place it in a food processor whole and pulse 2 or 3 times. Add in all of the other ingredients and pulse just a few more times or until it reaches the consistency that you like! That's all!

Psychic Empathy - The Sense of Sensing Energy

Many people have a natural ability to detect the emotions and sensations of other people as if they were experiencing those emotions themselves. They are called empaths.

Many empaths do not realize that they have this ability which can cause a wide range of problems with their emotional balance and spiritual wellbeing as one can pick up energy at random from current, past, or possibly even future sources.

Many of the cues that an empath reads are visual and audial, an obvious example being when a friend is upset about something that has just happened to her, you can see in her body language and hear in her voice that she has a problem without her having to acknowledge that she is upset.

There are other forms of information being emitted by your friend. Her emotional state, mental state, and even subconscious processes form a certain frequency in their energetic output that empaths can feel.

Psychic Empathy Is A Natural Sense

Empathy is considered a psychic ability, but some empaths would barely consider themselves to be a psychic while others experience empathy as just one of their varying clair-abilities (psychic empathy being considered clairsentience).

Empaths who are more finely tuned, or persons who consider themselves psychic, are sometimes able to not only detect the nonvisual, energetic cues that a person projects, but either associate and decode the thought processes behind those energies or actually see, hear, or otherwise know what those thoughts are (which debatably falls under clairvoyance).

It is important to remember that all psychic abilities, however super natural sounding they may seem, are all very natural senses that are highly developed in some people. To some, psychic empathy, or the ability to feel or be effected by another person's energy is no different than standing outside and being able to feel the wind blow across your skin - it is a current of energy and you feel it.

Energy Is Everywhere

In conversation, you immediately start to loose people when you start talking about feeling and reading energy. It just sounds so supernatural and far fetched, but it is a very real, natural sensation that is familiar to all of us on some levels. Think about it like this:

You are in a cold room and there is small heater in the corner so you go and sit in front of the heater to warm up. You are not psychic, but you have the ability to "feel the energy" that the heater is producing.

Most people think in terms of feeling the heat that the heater produces, however, this is not what is actually happening. Heat is a sensation that is produced by your body - it is a reaction to the energy. When you have had enough of the energy coming into your body, you know to move away from the heater because of the way your body is reacting. You don't feel the heat, you feel the energy.

Now imagine if you could not feel energy. You would not know to sit in front of the heater to get warm. If you were sitting in front of the heater, you would not know to move when you are getting too hot, or obtaining too much energy - your clothing could possibly catch fire.

Your body naturally detects and feels energy as part of your ordinary senses. Whereas everyone can feel the energy produced by a heater or a fire, empaths simply have a sensitive sense of energy and can feel, and unfortunately absorb, the energy of most all living creatures, plant or animal, and other sources of energetic and magnetic activity.

The Typical Psychic Empath

Again, many people have empathic abilities that influence their decision making and their entire lives several times a day and they have no idea. People with empathic abilities, whether they recognize them or not, tend to be warm, friendly, free-spirited kind of people that love to talk to you about anything. They seem to be able to connect intimately with people effortlessly and in no time at all. They are genuinely concerned, rarely surprised, and incredibly non-judgmental of actions that should be considered crude, unlawful, or otherwise negative in nature.

They are able to dispense the best advice because it personalized to your specific needs. When you open up to an empath, he or she can actually feel exactly the way you feel. By swimming around in your emotions, the empath as an unbiased third party can sense what is good or bad for you in a situation and can help you determine what you need to feel better, on a spiritual, mental, emotional, or sometimes even a physical level.

Empaths, especially those who do not understand their abilities, can also be very bitter, dark people at times. Much pain and confusion comes along with accepting unseen energy from unknown sources constantly, at random times of the day. Terrible mood swings can rule the life of an empath who does not realize that the source of the darkness is just a message that is felt.

When an empath becomes aware of their abilities and learns how to manage all of the additional energy, it brings a clarity to everything that is happening transforming the empath in to powerful source of positivity.

DIY - Organic Honey & Brown Sugar Scrub

This luxurious, organic sugar scrub featuring honey and brown sugar is a simple, rewarding recipe that will leave skin feeling fabulous. Make a jar and scrub away stress and negativity!

This homemade, all natural sugar scrub makes a great DIY project that can be fun for the whole family and is an awesome gift to give!

The Benefits of Honey on the Skin

Did you know that honey was good for your skin?

• Honey opens up pores, making it easier to remove debris, and this organic sugar scrub recipe that much more effective.
• Honey is antibacterial so it treats and helps prevent acne.
• Honey is full on antioxidants so it helps fight and prevent aging.
• Honey is a natural moisturizer and helps restore a radiant complexion.

Organic Sugar Scrub Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Organic Coconut Oil
  
• 2/3 cup Organic Cane Sugar


• 1/3 cup Organic Brown Sugar


• 1/4 cup Organic Honey


• 1/3 cup Sea Salt


• 1-2 tablespoons Vitamin E (Optional)

Organic Sugar Scrub Directions:

Simply mix all of the ingredients together and you are ready to use your organic honey and brown sugar scrub or give it as a gift to a friend!

If you would like to adjust the consistency of this recipe, you can add more cane or brown sugar for thicker, more gritty feel. If you need it to be creamier, add a little more coconut oil.

Fresh All Natural Roasted Garlic Salsa Recipe

Fresh all natural salsa prepared with roasted garlic, garden fresh tomatoes, and other natural ingredients is a delicious, healthy treat that takes no time to prepare!

Ingredients

• 3-4 medium tomatoes
• 1 medium jalapeño
• 4 medium garlic cloves
• 1/4 medium onion
• 1/2 cup cilantro
• 1 small lime (to be squeezed)
• 1 tablespoon honey

Directions

NOTE: This fresh, all natural roasted garlic salsa recipe will be a lot easier to prepare with a food processor! It's still simple to make without one, you just have to chop everything up by hand to the consistency you want.

1. Sauté whole garlic cloves in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until the outside of the cloves start to get well done. Remove from heat.
   
   You can actually roast the garlic cloves in the oven if you prefer, just remember to add olive oil when you mix in the food processor.
   
   
2. Place the tomatoes in the food processor.
   
   For smooth, well blended salsa, pulse the food processor several times until the tomatoes are starting to get smooth. Skip this step for a chunkier salsa.
   
   
3. Add the garlic and olive oil, jalapeño, onion, cilantro, honey, and lime juice to the tomatoes in the food processor and pulse until you reach the desired consistency.

Serve this fresh, all natural roasted garlic salsa with all natural chips as a Mexican style appetizer or use as a condiment on your favorite foods and Mexican dishes!

Naturally Avoiding the Afternoon Energy Fail at the Office

It starts to happen almost everyday at the office. A couple of hours after lunch, your eye lids weigh more than your entire body and you have entered a state of mindless sleepwalking.

This is typically followed by either the third cup of coffee for the day, a sugary soda, a mystery power beverage, or a sugary snack, and maybe a combination of these to compensate for the loss of energy, but it does not really work that well in the end.

In order to operate at full mental capacity at the office, your body needs to function well. Your body needs to be adequately hydrated and it needs a consistent amount of fuel via healthy snacking and lunching.

Hydration is key to maintaining energy, focus, and productivity at the office!

Drinking coffee in the morning is fine for most people, but remember that there are adverse health effects of consuming more than 20 ounces in a single day (which is about a medium at most coffee shops).

Drinking teas at the office is also fine for most people and it really does not matter how much tea you consume, the tea itself is good for you!

Sodas are discouraged completely at the office, actually, never drink a soda. They contain high quantities of sugars, calories, synthetic ingredients and just bad energy in general. One of the things that people who love sodas often do not realize is how bad the sodas actually make them feel and how long those effects last.

With drinks, be conscious of the additives like milk, cream, sugar, etc. - less is always better.

Whether or not you drink coffee, teas, or other beverages your body needs straight up, pure water. The water in coffee, tea, and other drinks does not do it! Your body needs pure water consistently throughout the day to properly hydrate and oxygenate, which is the key to natural energy.

Maintaining an adequate level of hydration will not only make you more alert and mentally elevated, but you may even find that headaches and neck pains start to disappear.

Healthy snacking and lunching moderates energetic sustainability

What many people do not realize is that the "energy fail" does not necessarily come from a lack of food intake, sometimes it is more about the intake not matching the needs of the body, resulting in excess loss of energy.

For example, if your breakfast consists of a bottled Frappuccino drink and a doughnut, and your next snack before lunch is a candy bar, you are already setting your body up for failure. When so much sugar is consumed through out the morning, your body is simply going through a high and it will eventually have to come down.

If this style of snacking is followed by an unhealthy lunch, loaded with fats, carbohydrates, greases, etc., your body is simply overwhelmed. After a couple of hours, no snack or drink is going to bring you close to where you are coming down from. Your whole body is allowing energy to escape and you simply feel tired and find it hard to focus.

Try starting your morning with a light breakfast complimented by fruits and nuts.

You should snack on more natural foods that provide real energy through real nutrition through out the day, like fruits, nuts, raw greens and veggies, or whatever you like that is honest, wholesome food.

For lunch, eat smart. Convenience is not your friend. Sometimes you cannot avoid the devil, but most of the time you can try to avoid processed foods, preservatives, artificial flavorings, and senseless indulgences.

Being sensible about what you consume before and during your office day will absolutely determine how you function, so listen to your body and feed it wisely.

Your heightened performance at the office just might pay off in unexpected ways!

The Power of Potted Plants & Flowers in the Classroom

Indoor potted plants can create stunning decorations, but the benefits of having potted plants and flowers in the classroom go far beyond aesthetics!

The Benefits of Potted Plants & Flowers in the Classroom

Live plants breathe just like you and I breathe, except they inhale carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen, whereas we inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide.

When you have several breathing bodies combined to an enclosed space, everyone starts depleting the oxygen supply, even in states of inactivity. Since the room is (hopefully) not air tight, oxygen will enter the room and nobody should be falling out, however the students are forced to operate with a less than optimal amount of oxygen, which adversely affects the entire learning process.

When the brain is receiving less than optimal amounts of oxygen, it makes normal tasks increasingly difficult, such as focusing, concentrating, and comprehending.

Even with one or two children operating with less than optimal oxygen circulating through the brain and disruption throughout the whole classroom is abound and can disrupt an entire classroom quickly.

Simply by adding some potted plants or flowers to the classroom, the oxygen supply is constantly being renewed by the plants, maintaining an optimal level of oxygen in the classroom, even as doors and windows are closed for long periods of time.

Colorful flowers in the classroom can encourage creativity in learning students

Bright colors are meant to be beautiful to the eye and even catch our attention. Looking around a room and being able to glimpse a colorful flower and focus in on it sharpens the eye and the act in itself helps activate creativity in the brain.

Adding potted plants and flowers in the classroom not helps get the brain at optimal levels of functionality, but also actually promotes a better learning process. Not to mention the importance of teaching our children to respect and nurture all the gifts of mother nature by tending and caring to live plants from early ages.

Fight Insomnia Naturally by Adding Valerian Root to Your Favorite Tea

Insomnia has been around since the time of ancient Greece and Rome, and so has their natural cure for it! Valerian root has long been hailed as a natural (and inexpensive) remedy for insomnia, thanks to its sedative, relaxing properties.

You can find valerian root at most grocery stores and definitely in Latino or other smaller ethnic stores.

If you have never tried valerian root, you may be initially surprised at the odor and strong taste. I definitely recommend you trying valerian root with a strong tea that you like for deep relaxation or fight insomnia naturally:

Recipe Instructions for Valerian Root Tea:

Ingredients: Valerian Root, Tea, Honey, Water

Cut off a small cube of valerian root and grind into small pieces. Boil in one to two servings of water for your tea. Place a bag of your favorite tea (or grind up a fresh mix of your own dried garden teas) in a mug and drizzle with one to two teaspoons of honey as a sweetener. Pour the boiling water over the tea and honey (straining so that the clumps of valerian root does not get in your tea) and allow the tea to steep for a few minutes.

Other natural uses for valerian root

Valerian root can also be used as a:

• sedative
• anticonvulsant
• migraine treatment
• natural pain reliever

Do not over do the valerian root!

Valerian root is very potent and can be classified as a drug. It's relaxing properties can be helpful and therapeutic for those with insomnia, but overuse can inebriate you as consuming alcohol or marijuana.

You should avoid some activities like driving and operating heavy machinery while consuming valerian root.

Breathing Air With All Natural Candle Smoke Could Improve Your Cardiac Activity

Not only does candlelight create a nice mood, but scientists in Sweden have recently identified that there are positive health benefits to breathing in air containing all natural candle smoke.

Breathing in air that contains all natural candle smoke can positively change cardiac rhythm, according to the study conducted by Lund University.

In this study, participants breathed air pumped into a small chamber, sometimes with air from a room with lit candles. The participants did not know what they were breathing and did not know if the air contained candle smoke, yet each instance of a participant breathing in the air with candle smoke reflected a positive change in cardiac activity.

Dr. Isaxon suspects that the healthy benefits from the candle smoke come from the particles of sodium and potassium that form when the wick is burning.

The effects of the all natural candle smoke in the air are particularly helpful for seniors and persons with heart disease.

What about the soot from the wick burning?

Soot from candles has been contributed to various health problems in the past, but this study did not find any negative effects of breathing in the soot, although Dr. Christina Isaxon admits that she was not really looking so hard for any at the time.

Remember to choose candles that are as natural as possible and without toxic scents and fragrances to burn. The candles used in the study were pure stearine. Soy candles would make a good choice.

It is also recommended to burn the candles away from drafts for more salt production and less soot.

Cheap, All Natural Shower & Bathtub Drain Cleaner

Looking for an effective, all natural, chemical free way to clean your bathtub and shower drains? With just two natural ingredients, you should be able to tackle any drain clogs or messes!

This all natural, chemical free shower and bathtub drain cleaner recipe is made with only two natural ingredients:

1. baking soda
2. white vinegar

Instructions: Pour about a quarter to a half of a small box of baking soda down into the drain. You will slowly pour the white vinegar over the baking soda down the drain. The white vinegar will cause the baking soda to bubble, and the intention is to pack the baking soda down the drain enough so that it is forced to expand down into the drain, rather than bubble up and out of the drain.

If needed, repeat this process, then rinse the drain with hot water.

All Natural Way to Unclog A Shower or Bathtub Drain

If you have a serious clogged drain that makes the water take a long time to go down the drain, you just need to add this step:

If possible, allow the water to drain completely out of the shower or bathtub.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Very carefully bring your pot of boiling water to the shower or tub and pour slowly into the drain. Be very careful not to burn yourself with the boiling water, hot pot, or steam coming from the water as you pour! Most debris that are clogging the drain melt away instantly and the water noticeable flows faster through the drain.

Then use the baking soda and white vinegar as directed above for clean, fresh smelling drains.

The powerful boiling water even cuts through hair buildup, but sometimes requires multiple pourings.

Prevent & Fight Poor Blood Circulation with Stretching and Yoga

Healthy blood circulation throughout the body is vital to supplying the life force oxygen to each and every cell in your body. Optimal oxygen distribution inside of your body is very important for the prevention of cancers and a plethora of illnesses associated with poor circulation.

The answer to prevention and healing are pretty much the same: keep the blood flow in your body active by being active and pay attention to the nutritional value of your diet, making sure to adjust the foods you eat according to the needs of your body.

In this case, being active does not necessarily mean adhering to extensive exercise routines, simple stretching from 5 to 20 minutes a day, a couple of times a week could drastically change how you feel and how the blood is circulating throughout your body.

Light yoga is also a great way to improve poor blood circulation, along with all the added benefits of mental and physical clarity that come with yoga.

The following videos are great examples of simple exercises and yoga poses that can help you heal and prevent poor blood circulation and related illnesses:









Remember, the key to healthy blood circulation and living a healthy life in general is maintaining a level activity and movement in your body. Do not over exert yourself but be diligent and maintaining a lite stretching or yoga routine and your blood circulation should become substantially better in just a few weeks!

Clearing, Healing, & Activating Your Seven Chakras Through Guided Meditation

Clearing your chakras should be a regular part of your personal wellness routine, like exercise and being conscientious of the foods you intake.

What are chakras?

Chakras are energy centers in your body where energy circulates or enters or exits the body. There are seven main chakra centers in our bodies, and each center correlates to different parts of our physical and emotional infrastructure as a person and spiritual being.

The amount of control you exert over your chakras will directly reflect the amount of control that you exert in all aspects of your life.

Clearing the chakras through guided meditation

Depending on your body's needs, you may need to activate a chakra, open a chakra to incoming energy, or restrict the flow of unwanted energy into a chakra. For beginners, it may be hard to focus on the chakras, locate negative energy, or figure out how to actually release the negative energy. However, with practice it is not hard and the results will quickly reflect in your day to day life and beyond!



For beginners, it will also help to use guided meditation videos like the one here. The important thing to remember while trying to meditate is to not try too hard - simply relax and listen to your body.

As you find peace, move your thoughts from one chakra to the next, releasing all the negativity harbored within you.

All Natural Chemical Free All Purpose General Cleaning Spray

Going completely chemical free can be quite an achievement, and simply overwhelming to many, but cutting back on the amount of chemicals you inhale in your home will positively effect your health and mentality, and cleaning products are a great place to start.

Common all purpose general cleaners and cleaning sprays typically have so many unnecessary toxins and chemicals (which mind you, our bodies are not meant to inhale). The supposed point is the powerful cleaning action, but grandpa was right, "you just need a little elbow grease," and the most basic, cost effective, all natural, chemical free cleaning spray that you can batch up in seconds.

You only need two ingredients to make this all natural, chemical free, all purpose general cleaning spray:

• 1 part water
• 1 part white vinegar

Store the cleaning spray in a spray bottle and use as needed to clean all types of surfaces and glass. This simple all purpose cleaning spray works just as well as commercial cleaners, without the toxins to your body.

White vinegar is usually diluted to about 5% acidity, so it actually disinfects. However, it is important to note that vinegar does not kill or affect salmonella, so always wash meat prepping areas with hot, soapy water to clean away all the germs!

You will likely find that after using natural cleaners for even a week or so, the smell of Windex, 409, or any of your regular cleaners will absolute offend your sense of smell. You might feel bad you have not switched to natural cleaning products sooner!

It's also surprisingly simple how for almost any mess, any situation, you need the same bottle! It's convenient and even a little space saving. Definitely cost effective, you can save tons by not buying expensive products for no reason!

Got a messy job for your cleaning spray?

If you need a little extra scrubbing action, sprinkle a little baking soda over the mess before applying the cleaning spray, then apply more elbow grease!

DIY - The Best Do-It-Yourself All Natural Avocado Shampoo for Dry or Damaged Hair Types

Looking for a simple, all natural shampoo that will actually clean your hair and will keep your hair moisturized and damaged free? This cheap, easy to make avocado based shampoo is the all natural solution that you have been looking for!

Ingredients:

One Avocado
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup baking soda

Directions:

1. Peel and cut up the avocado. Beat the avocado with a fork until you get a smooth, creamy consistency.
2. Stir in milk, honey, and baking soda and mix well.

That's it! This avocado shampoo is thick enough that you can work it into your scalp and into your hair. Some all natural shampoos are not thick enough to mess with long hair, but this shampoo is thick. The baking soda will scrub away dirt and debris without damaging or drying out your hair. The avocado oil helps moisturize and protect dry or damaged hair. The honey also helps protect the hair and adds a touch of scent.

This all natural DIY shampoo will only hold for about 3 to 4 days and you will want to store it in the refrigerator between uses.