How Arnica Worked For Me

Years ago we were in a Bed and Breakfast in France.  Having taken 8 years of French in school, it was coming back to me nicely and I was acting as interpreter for my husband - sometimes well and sometimes with poor grammar. 

One morning we were speaking to the owner of the B&B in her office.  The room was one step up from the 'sunken' breakfast/dining area.  I stepped back, and, being close to the edge of this room's floor, I stepped backward and harshly down into the breakfast room, fell, and twisted my ankle.  Europe doesn't post all the warning signs that America does.  I had not taken note mentally to be careful at this exact location in the home we were staying.  It was my fault.  The owner was upset but not as upset as an American would be (probably because lawsuits don't happen there like in U.S.?). 

This was not just any twisted ankle.  Ice was brought and my husband helped me hobble back to our private room.  Then I let loose with my pain, extreme (!) - away from everyone but my husband.  The ankle swelled to twice its size and I was worried about the rest of our vacation.  We continued icing it and the next day went to the Pharmacie.  I was familiar with ARNICA's use for bruises and tried to explain that is what I wanted.  The staff didn't understand until I showed them my ankle and somehow imparted the quest for a product to help with bruising (contusions to them).  Arnica appeared.  It worked magic on my ankle.  I am certain that the Arnica we purchased there is stronger than what you can get in the U.S. health food stores but it is something I keep in my herbal "medicine cabinet" along with myrhh (will write about that in a later blog).
(I am not offering medical advice, just a personal experience.)

We’re not getting any younger - Progressive ideas needed to help aging population | Regional Voices - The News Tribune

The link below is to my local newspaper's article on aging. When I was young some people on the outskirts of my circle had grandmothers living with them. It seemed odd to me at the time because the kid my age had to take orders from both the mom and the grandmom. Mothers hung clothes on the outdoor clotheslines and talked across the fence (if there was a fence, it was not the norm then). Now elderly people are many times quite spry so their families forget they have been on this Earth as long as they have. They might not visit as often or offer help because they don't see the person's age or deny it in their own mind.

There are assisted living centers, and centers where one can rent a small apartment (very small) and have one meal a day or more. Long term health insurance came into being, became popular and now is considered more essential. The authors here pose questions about having multigenerational neighborhoods where everyone helps and cares for each other.

I think it's a good idea to look upon the elders of the community as a resource of wisdom and knowledge, having broad experience from one generation to another. The elders have seen many changes in their lifetimes and can contribute in ways that the younger generations may not have yet imagined. Just as visits to nursing homes with a pet or a child can cheer up the nursing home resident, so can an elder share time, fun, or stories with younger people and out of these experiences could come new innovations just from a conversation.

We’re not getting any younger Progressive ideas needed to help aging population Regional Voices - The News Tribune

How to Conduct a Home Fire Drill - wikiHow

I came across this article and want to share it because it is so important! 
How to Conduct a Home Fire Drill - wikiHow

Killer fungus seen in Pacific Northwest

In the past few years a fungus, Cryptococcus gattii (or C. gattii), has infected humans and animal, including cats, dogs, and dolphins, in Washington and Oregon .  It appears there is now a new strain that can cause respiratory illnesses in normally healthy people.  It is said that people do not need to worry about this becoming an epidemic or even a common condition.  It's good to know about it though.  A strong immue system is important to fight off everyday germs but even more important to fight off something unexpected that can hit you - ecoli, C. gatti, swine flu, etc.
       Here's a link to the article on C.gattii: http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/04/22/killer.fungus.pacific.northwest/

     Recommend you take an immune builder such as Shaklee's Nutriferon which boosts the body's natural interferon.  Its 4 plant extracts are shown in studies to boost the immune system.  Two caplets contains 500 mg of a patented, proprietary 2:1 powdered botanical extract derived from the flowers of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius), Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), the seeds of pumpkin (Curcurbita moschata), and Asian plantain (Plantago asiatica).

 http://www.physicians.shaklee.com/displayContent.htm?fileName=nutriFeronPDR.xml§ionName=shakProdInfo

Earth Day

So many activities for Earth Day are happening today and all week.  I am posting a link to 2 videos regarding cleaning products causing asthma.  Get Clean by Shaklee is green, safe and works.  Basic H2 is the reformulated version of the Basic H that Jacques Cousteau used (twice as strong).  When green was just a color, Shaklee embodied it.  Use safe cleaners, protect the earth and your in-home environment!  Save the landfills from containers of cleaners and save emissions from the transportation of all those products.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTpBru2Oaj4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CKGNZ8pWXA

Shaklee Get Clean® Is One of "Oprah's Favorite Things!"
On November 20, 2007, on her famous "Favorite Things" show, Oprah described the Shaklee Get Clean Starter Kit as "the perfect gift for someone who likes cleaning and also likes to help the environment." Millions of loyal Oprah viewers have seen the video clip.

Future Beauty

The Oprah website and magazine has a great article on what we can expect in the future - fewer gray hairs, fuller more firm skin, thicker hair, brighter teeth and more.  Different industries and medical specialties are studying all of this.  More in the pursuit of looking younger.  Let's hope the methods they come up with prove out to be very safe and that they are not testing on animals.  Let's hope that people decide to use prevention instead of waiting until they are ill or obese to look for help.  Prevention goes a long way in saving medical costs, lost time at work, keeping drugs/antibiotics out the body unless necessary.  You make sure you car has oil in it, right?  What happens if it doesn't?  The engine blows up and the car won't run.  So goes it for your body.  You must feed it, bathe it, exercise it and ensure nutrients get to the right places at the right time in your organs.  Supplements are important because most people do NOT get the nutrients they need from their food. If you didn't just harvest the food yourself, you don't know how long it was on the shelf, or how long it took to get to market.  Organics are great, but organic farmers can't control vehicle pollution near their fields.  Use products from a company that you can trust and doesn't use additives and can prove its claims. 

We can look forward to medical advancements but we need to still investigate new products/drugs/foods to make sure they are safe.  Analyze what the company is saying and look for science that is published and peer reviewed.

By Jenny Bailly, O, The Oprah Magazine
April 19, 2010
http://www.oprah.com/spirit/Beauty-Innovations-That-Will-Happen-in-the-Next-Decade/2

EARTH DAY

April 22, 2010 is the 40th Earth Day.  Many countries and people celebrate Earth Day, and the Green movement is still ongoing.  What are you doing to promote healthy living and sustainable practices in your neighborhood, family, workplace or city?  You can recycle, use CFL bulbs in your fixtures, energy efficient appliances and reusable shopping bage.  Plant trees and shrubs and use native plants in your garden whenever possible to cut down on watering.  Continue to spread the word because there are still those who don't believe in global warming (even though the glaciers are melting and polar bears are drowning because there is less floating ice for them to rest upon; even though weather is more violent and storms larger than before).  Yes, the earth goes through natural weather phases and warming/cooling trends but with all the over-population of the earth and carbon emissions, man has contributed greatly to global warming and the speed with which it is overtaking all of us.  Don't be fooled - every little action counts.  Do what you can to keep the planet green.  There is such a thing as finite resources - have you ever run out of sugar or bread?  The planet can run out of oil; water aquifers can be depleted and never restored (think Florida).........
Be kind to yourself because of your actions, big or small.  Green up your living space, and outdoors use sunscreen (after getting your 15 minutes of Vitamin D unprotected, put on the sunscreen)!
Here is an Earth Day short video from last year: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWlRuIiRrIs