Acupuncture Shown to Reduce Headaches, Back Pain

Posted on by Tammy

Suffering from headaches, back pain or both? A new study conducted by researchers from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York shows acupuncture outperformed both placebo and conventional pain therapies. They published the study results in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

The findings “provide the most robust evidence to date that acupuncture is a reasonable referral option,” the authors wrote in the article.

The research, funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, had researchers conduct a meta-analysis of data from 29 prior studies involving nearly 18,000 adults, according to an article in The Sunday Leader.

The original studies were done with patients reporting chronic pain from a variety of issues, including neck, shoulder and back pain, arthritis, and recurring headaches. Participants in each study were randomly assigned to treatment with acupuncture, standard treatments such as drugs and physical therapy, or fake acupuncture, which inserted needles at points other than the traditional meridians, the report stated.

Using a scale from zero to 100, the average participant’s pain measured 60 before anything was tested on them. Conventional methods brought the pain down to 43, fake acupuncture brought it down to 35, and the actual acupuncture dropped pain to 30, according to the research.

New UNREAL Candy Backed by Celebrites

Posted on by Tammy

Celebrities including supermodel Gisele, her husband Tom Brady, Matt Damon, John Legend, and Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey all have something in common – they are endorsing a new, all-natural candy company called UNREAL (see video below).

The company is on a mission to create, “candy unjunked” – meaning candy without artificial colors, flavors and preservatives, including GMOs, corn syrup and hydrogenated fats. Instead, it uses real cane sugar, milk, peanuts and cacao. In fact, UNREAL managed to reduce sugar by more than 40 percent on average compared to the typical candy bar, and all of the ingredients they use are responsibly sourced, according to their Web site www.getunreal.com.

“UNREAL has done it with candy. And if they can do it with candy, we can do it with anything,” Dr. Mark Hyman, Chairman of the Institute for Functional Medicine said in a recent article on MNN.com.

And the company isn’t stopping at candy. UNREAL plans to create snacks, breakfast foods and soda in the future to offer healthy alternatives that taste good!

The candy is available in a variety of stores including CVS, Walgreens, FredMeyer, Kroger, Ralph’s, RiteAid and Staples.

Emily Blunt and John Krasinski Purchase $2 Million Environmentally Friendly Home

Posted on by Tammy

John Krasinski, star of “The Office” and his wife, actress Emily Blunt, recently purchased a $2 Million home in Ojai, Calif. run on renewable energy technology, according to a report by TMZ.com.

The home is 4,177 square feet, with 4-bedrooms and 4.5-baths, and is completely eco-friendly, featuring giant solar panel to help power the home using the sun. The property is also surrounded by mountains and hiking trails, and is also walking distance from an organic famers market, the report stated.

To view a photo gallery of the new home, click here.

The Karma Chow Ultimate Cookbook

Posted on by Tammy

Founder of KarmaChow.com, Melissa Costello, became a vegetarian at age 19, and has been experimenting with healthier versions of everyday recipes ever since. Now she shares more than 100 in the new book, “The Karma Chow Ultimate Cookbook: 125+ Plant-Based Vegan Recipes for a Fit, Happy, Healthy You.”

Costello includes recipes for breakfast, beverages, snacks, dips, soups, stews, salads, dressings, main dishes, side dishes and deserts. There is also a section on baking substitution for white flour, whole wheat flour, cornstarch and eggs, and the book opens with staples for the vegan pantry. Below is a recipe from the book for kale chips!

Sweet and Savory Kale “Chips”

INGREDIENTS
1 large head dino kale (looks like dinosaur skin)
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp creamy almond butter
1 tbsp agave nectar or maple syrup
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
½ tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Strip the stems from the dino kale and wash well. Place in a large bowl. Blend or whisk the remaining ingredients together until smooth, then pour over the kale. Toss with your hands to coat each leaf. Place the kale in a single layer onto nonstick cookie sheets (or line a regular cookie sheet with parchment paper).

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until edges are crispy. Be careful not to burn.
Eat within one day since edges won’t remain crispy if stored for longer.

Learn to Open Yourself Up for Connection

Posted on by Tammy

By Jennifer Garza

I’ve always considered myself an open person. I’ve loved meeting people from all walks of life and sharing experiences. But as we get older, we learn (sometimes unconsciously) to protect ourselves, to judge other people’s motives, and that connecting sometimes results in hurt. We develop shells without realizing it.

I recognized my shell after my brother died. He was a bartender at a seaside resort in South Carolina. After his death, my parents were inundated with letters from patrons – some who knew him for a few years, others who only saw him twice a year on family vacation. So many people were crushed to hear the news. Some even orchestrated services in other states to memorialize his life. Why? Because he took every opportunity to connect.

My brother was not shy about sharing the details of his life and his love for his family. One lesson I’ve learned from him is that connecting with others is a gift. I am surprised at what has happened in my life as result of this lesson. By being open to others, others have become more open to me. People smile more often, say hello, and tell me their stories. These connections and what we learn from them enrich us and become woven into our lives.

So how do you begin the process?

1. Set an intention to be open. Let the Universe know that you are willing. Don’t force connections – just allow. Once you allow, take action if your instincts prompt you.

2. Look for signs. Signs will guide you toward relevant experiences. The more you are open to signs from the Universe, the more signs you will see. Look at chance meetings and opportunities as more than coincidences – they are.

3. Learn from the positive and negative experiences that result from being open. Cherish wonderful connections, but learn from betrayals as well. If a person takes advantage of your kindness, perhaps they were sent for you to learn to assert yourself. If you allow someone to consistently lie to you despite knowing better, perhaps they are a vessel for you to learn to trust your instincts. The obstacles in life often give us the most opportunity to learn. Sometimes, they are an even bigger gift than the blessings.

Here’s to living a beautifully open life!

Jennifer Garza, M.S., has a master of science in counseling and psychology. She is a former therapist and has taught life enhancement classes at venues including college campuses, state conferences and prisons. She is the author of the inspiration journal “365 Days to Happiness: Use Your Strengths, Thoughts, and Dreams to Manifest a New Life.” Garza has been featured in Natural Health magazine, AOL, BusinessInsider.com, Young Entrepreneur.com, and on FTNS radio. Visit her website at www.authorjennifergarza.com or connect with her.

Creating Sacred Sleeping Space

Posted on by Tammy

By Keri Nola, LMHC

After a long day, the one thing we often look forward to is a restful night’s sleep. We usually envision our head landing on our soft pillow as we cuddle up with our cozy comforter and imagine enjoying a long, peaceful night’s sleep. Then, in reality, we often experience an uncomfortable night of tossing and turning with our minds racing, and we wake up feeling tired and frustrated.

If you are ready to empower yourself to welcome a more satisfying slumber, the first thing to do is create a sacred sleeping space. Is your room a peaceful place to rest or is it a busy space filled with reminders of work, chores and distractions? Here are some tips to create your own sacred sleeping space:

1) Energetically cleanse your space. Did you know our spaces collect the energy of unfinished business such as conversations, work, arguments, etc? When this unfinished business is floating around, it can interfere with our ability to get restful sleep. Spaces can be cleared in a variety of ways.

Establish a bedtime intention such as “I now clear the energy of any unfinished business in this space, and I welcome peaceful sleep,” or “I declare this space fit for restful slumber and request that only love and light be welcome here.”
Burn herbs and spices like sage, lavender or cedar. Be sure to choose a scent you like that will not be overly stimulating before bed.
Place crystals such as clear quartz in the corners of a room to collect unwanted energy and occasionally clear and recharge them by placing them outside during new/full moons.

2) Consider removing electronics like TV’s, computers, and even phones from your sleep space. The lights, vibration, and energy of these items can interfere with our ability to get restful sleep. If the thought of doing this feels too overwhelming at first, start by covering any lights these devices may have and/or just try removing one of these items at a time and chart your sleep for a week to see what shifts for you.

3) Choose room aesthetics mindfully. How do you respond to the colors and decorations you’ve chosen for your sleep space? It’s important that we are surrounded by colors and objects that generate feelings of peace in us to promote restful slumber. This doesn’t mean we have to spend a lot of money, but we can make simple changes like bringing in meaningful colors and items to help increase the sacredness of our space. When you walk into your space, do you feel calm, held, comforted? What can you add or take away that would welcome more feelings of peace? Also consider scents that you find soothing that you may add in the form of aromatherapy, natural candles, etc.

We each have unique needs that when met will support us in sleeping more peacefully. I invite you to try some of the options above and see how they affect your sleep experience. Stay tuned for an upcoming article I’ll share on emotional and energetic rituals to help promote sleep!

Keri Nola is author of “A Year on Your Path to Growth: Daily Inspirations to Reconnect with Your Soul,” and founder of Path to Growth LLC, a Central Florida-based integrative healing center that blends traditional and holistic techniques for journeys to peace. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Nola provides psychotherapy and facilitates therapeutic retreats for those seeking to reconnect with their inner wisdom, particularly after trauma or loss. She also offers heart-inspired business consultations for healthcare professionals. For more information visit www.pathtogrowth.com, on Facebook and Twitter @pathtogrowth.

NOTE: Picture of Keri Nola by Monica Alfonso