LuminEarth

Children Need Vitamin D

Becki Baumgartner — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 21:46:41 +0000

Vitamin D has long been known to support bone health. But new studies reveal that this vitamin plays many important roles beyond bone health. Recent scientific evidence suggests that vitamin D plays a vital role in maintaining innate immunity, protecting cardiovascular health, and protecting cells, among numerous other health benefits. Emerging data shows that vitamin D deficiency may contribute to the development of various chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, some inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, and certain cancers.

Dietary sources of vitamin D are generally limited to fortified foods and a few animal sources such as fish and eggs. Vitamin D is naturally produced in the body through exposure to direct sunlight; however, not everyone will manufacture the needed amounts with sun exposure. For example, people with darker skin tone, the elderly, and those living in northern latitudes may not produce an adequate supply of the sunshine vitamin.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has recently doubled its recommendation for the minimum amount of vitamin D that children should get daily. The new guidelines recommend at least 400 international units (IU) daily. That’s roughly equivalent to the amount of vitamin D found in four 8-ounce glasses of milk. But most children don’t drink enough milk to receive adequate levels of vitamin D. The AAP states that the best way to ensure that children receive adequate vitamin D is through supplementation.

Two recent studies have highlighted the need for vitamin D supplementation in children. A study published in the journal Pediatrics concluded that even children who live in sunny climates aren’t getting enough vitamin D. Researchers found that a low vitamin D status is prevalent among adolescents living in year-round sunny climates in the southeastern United States. The researchers also compared vitamin D status in African American and Caucasian adolescents and found that African American youths were particularly low in vitamin D. They also found that low levels of vitamin D in kids were linked to increased fat, decreased physical activity, and lower fitness levels.

Another recent study found that seven out of 10 U.S. children have low levels of vitamin D, raising their risk of bone and cardiovascular concerns. The researchers found that nine percent of the study sample, equivalent to 7.6 million children across the U.S., was vitamin D deficient, while another 61 percent, or 50.8 million, was vitamin D insufficient. “We expected the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency would be high, but the magnitude of the problem nationwide was shocking,” reported the study’s lead author. ,
The study showed that low vitamin D levels were especially common in children who were older, female, African-American, Mexican-American, obese, drank milk less than once a week, or spent more than four hours a day watching TV, playing video games, or using computers. The researchers also found that vitamin D deficiency was associated with higher parathyroid hormone levels, a marker of bone health, higher systolic blood pressure, and lower serum calcium and HDL (good) cholesterol levels, which are key risk factors for heart disease.^4,5

In the study, children who took vitamin D supplements (at least 400 IU per day) were less likely to be deficient in the vitamin. However, only four percent of the children studied actually used supplements.⁴

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Cashman KD. (2007, April). Vitamin D in childhood and adolescence. Postgraduate Medical Journal, 83(978), 230-235.
Wagner CL, Greer FR. (2008, November). Prevention of rickets and vitamin D deficiency in infants, children, and adolescents. Pediatrics, 122(5), 1142-1152.
Dong Y, et. al. (2010, June). Low 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in adolescents: race, season, adiposity, physical activity, and fitness. Pediatrics, 15-(6), 1104-1111.
Kumar J, Muntner P, Kaskel FJ, Hailpern SM, Melamed ML. (2009, August). Prevalence and associations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency in US children: NHANES 2001-2004. Pediatrics electronic publication.
Millions of U.S. children low in vitamin D [Internet]. (2009, August 3). Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University; [cited 2010 July 12]. Available from: http://www.einstein.yu.edu/Home/news.asp?id=392.

Source: Nature’s Sunshine Products. Children Need Vitamin D. Extracted in entirety with permission on September 1, 2010 from http://www.naturessunshine.com/us/members/content1/VitaminD-Children/Children-Need-Vitamin-D.aspx

Sleep Tips for Mind and Memory

Becki Baumgartner — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:49:22 +0000

By Mark Toomey,Ph.D., Medical Director, The Raj Maharishi Ayurveda Health Spa

It is said in Charaka, one of the ancient texts of Maharishi Ayurveda that, “proper sleep brings about happiness and longevity in human beings”. In my practice at the Raj it is common to see many people who are concerned or unhappy that as they get older their memory is failing them.

Memory is important for human beings. It allows us to function successfully both as a tool for everyday life, for work and personal abilities. Even such little things as remembering where I put the car keys can be a source of frustration or bliss.

The most up to date research is suggesting that as we snooze away at night our brain is actually performing highly specific tasks that process what we have experienced during the day. Like a good secretary, it sorts our most recently formed memories, copies and makes them stable before filing them away for later retrieval.

Why is this important? Well try and be your brain for a minute and think of all the information you process in one day, both consciously and subconsciously. Scary isn’t it?

A good night’s sleep allows us to retrieve specific information, without having it mixed up or diluted with all the other millions of bits of information. Sleep allows our brains to be specific in the face of overwhelming diversity.

Certain memories can be pruned and others reinforced. Those that we need can have specific channels opened to this for easy recall. It’s even possible that while we sleep there is a censor deciding on what’s important and what’s not. Recent evidence indicates that the brain is “very wise” as to what it actually wants to remember and what is not worth keeping.

This instrument is so refined as to process emotional tags that we have, to say, certain images and can either strengthen them or untie the knots that may bind us to them.

It will analyze our vast storehouse of memories, finding out which are related or not and letting others fade forever. What’s even more remarkable is that sleep may even help us find meaning in the knowledge we acquire that day.

It is not just obvious but scientifically proven that a poor night’s sleep, or even worse — deliberate shortening of sleep — dramatically affects our cognitive processes and our ability to have a good memory.

So if you want a good memory, then get good night’s sleep.

Ten Easy Ways to Get Healthier Sleep

Here are ten tips from the Council of Maharishi Ayurveda Physicians for blissful sleep:

Eat three meals during the day – breakfast, lunch around noon and an early dinner.

Do regular balanced exercise – modern research also confirms that moderate exercise can help improve sleep.

Try to go to bed by 10 p.m., during the drowsy Kapha time of night, so that your mind can settle down faster.

Eliminate or severely restrict the intake of stimulants such as caffeine or alcohol.

Wear comfortable clothing to bed – organic cotton is highly recommended

Avoid hot, spicy foods at dinner.

Do not bring work-related material into the bedroom.

Keep your bedroom dark or very dimly lit.

A gentle massage of hands, feet and neck before bed can aid relaxation.

In bed, take long, deep, easy breaths, letting your mind and body relax.

A good night’s sleep not only helps you stay alert the next day, but it can also keep you healthy in the long run.

Research conducted at the University of California at San Diego indicates that Blissful Sleep helps people fall asleep more quickly. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, Vol. 11, 2003, pg. 223-225)

Maharishi Ayurveda herbal formulations are precise, authentic blends of different herbs, carefully selected to work together and create synergy and balance, so you get the benefits and no side effects. We employ the ancient and time-tested techniques of Ayurveda in their purity while at the same time using the rigor of modern science to validate the safety, cleanliness, and effectiveness of every product. These products work to restore balance in the mind, body and emotions, thereby supporting the body’s natural ability to rest and rejuvenate.

VISIT MARHARISHI AYURVEDA

Source: Marharishi Ayurveda, Personal Communication, August 26, 2010

Red Raspberry Leaf

Becki Baumgartner — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 22:09:05 +0000

By Jyll Renee

Botanical name: Rubus idaeus

Common name: Raspberry, Red Raspberry

Habitat: Red Raspberry bushes are native to North America and are cultivated in Canada

Info: Raspberry is a good astringent remedy and useful in formulas for children’s diarrhea. The herbs most famous application and traditional herbalism and midwives is preparing mothers to be for childbirth. Raspberry leaf appears to tone the uterine and pelvic muscles.

Personal info: My daughter just recently delivered a healthy baby boy and drank the tea throughout the pregnancy and continued to drink the tea after childbirth. Her healing is miraculous. The constituents that affect the smooth muscles, such as the uterus have been clearly identified.

Constituents: tannins, fruit, sugars, citric and malic acid, vitamins, A,B,C and E, pectin, volatile oil, iron, calcium and phosphorus

Properties: Hemostatic, astringent, mild alterative, parturient

Ref:

www.naturalmedicine.com Prock, Deborahe, ND
The New Age Herbalist, Richard Mabey pg 105 1-28-09

Submitted by: Jyll Renee, Master Herbologist (Click here to learn more about Jyll Renee.)

Creating Personal Wellness Every Day

Becki Baumgartner — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 04:35:31 +0000

by Daniela Sales

Every day we make hundreds of choices all of which directly or indirectly impact our well being. From a holistic viewpoint, one of the main goals is to achieve balance in your whole being – physical, emotional, mental and spiritual – and then to continue creating your life and health in a way that allows you to maintain that balance of well being and a loving peaceful life experience.

Regardless of what you have done up to this point, it is always the right time to take care of your well being. You can begin right now by setting the clear intention to move joyfully through your life while enjoying health, abundance, love and peace within and without.

The first step is opening your heart and loving yourself and all around you without reservations. Once you do that, motivation to care for your well being, your environment and all life around you can become a part of your lifestyle. From that place you can empower yourself by learning new things, asking many questions, making your own wise decisions to create your own healthy life.

Creating your personal protocol(s) as your own roadmap is a very powerful way to live a creative balanced life and to daily create your personal wellness. It is my honor to provide assistance along the way for many of you who choose to empower themselves in this way. At times it may be creating a personal detox protocol, or selecting an appropriate herbal combination for the goals one has in mind, or learning to create variety of herbal remedies, including meditation in daily life, or integrating energy work and Reiki healing in your lifestyle, etc.

Nurture, clarity, care and balance are important at every level of our being: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. We can only begin to create balanced well being once we allow ourselves to embrace love and joy of life and once we accept the responsibility for our decisions.

Anytime is a great time to renew your commitment to your health and well being. As a contribution to your path to balanced well being we share with you our favorite recipe for Green Abundance smoothie we enjoy daily this summer.

Green Abundance Summer Smoothie

Place following ingredients into your blender:

6oz of certified organic unfiltered and unsweetened apple juice

2 Tablespoons of Hemp Seed Oil

2 Tbsp of Green Abundance powder

½ cup of frozen raspberries

2 Tbsp of Body Balance

Blend for approx 1 minute until smooth. Enjoy!

Only from your own place of power can you make choices that are right for you. When you create your state of wellness from your personal place of power it becomes much easier to wisely select professionals and friends who can best help and support you on your personal journey of healing and growth. Learn and inform yourself, embrace love and joy of being alive, share love with those around you, create new things, engage in new learning, nurture your spirit as well as your body and mind, take responsibility for your wellbeing and more than anything allow joy and peace to fill your whole life experience.

May these few humble thoughts inspire you to create your wellness every single day while embracing love and joy of being alive!

To learn more about services we provide or to order Green Abundance super-food powder visit us at http://bodyandmindstl.com

In Health, Abundance, Love and Light,

Daniela Sales
Reiki Master Teacher & Wellness Consultant
The Avokado Studio of Arts for Creative Living
http://bodyandmindstl.com/services.html

FREE Herbal Remedy Recipe every month! Sign up for our email newsletter at http://bodyandmindstl.com

Disclaimer: The statements in this article are for educational purposes only and have not been evaluated by or sanctioned by the FDA. Only your doctor can properly diagnose and treat any disease or disorder. The remedies discussed herein are not meant to treat or cure any type of disease. The user understands that the above information is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician or a pharmacist.

A Thank You To Our Sponsors…

Becki Baumgartner — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 00:28:42 +0000

THANK YOU SPONSORS… for helping make LuminEarth.com possible!

We appreciate your confidence in us!

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What’s Your Gut Feeling? The Scoop on Digestion

Becki Baumgartner — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 01:57:10 +0000

by Becki Baumgartner

Symptoms and Factors that Contribute to Poor Digestion

In today’s fast paced world automatic processes like digestion are often overlooked, if not forgotten. But think about it…if a body could not digest, how would it survive? Now think a little more. If digestion is limited, does it not make sense that quality of life might be limited as well? Believe it or not, digestive health is the foundation of overall physical health.

Most people are aware that the following symptoms are caused by poor digestion.

Constipation
Diarrhea
Heartburn
Poor Appetite
Gas, Bloating and Cramping
Foul Breath

But many are not aware that the following can also be signs of digestive distress.

Irritability, Depression and Anxiety
Sluggishness and Fatigue
Frequent Skin Infections and Acne
Stiff Shoulders or Low Backache
Chronic Aches and Pains
Headache
Insomnia
Poor Hair, Nail and Skin Quality
Weakened Immunity
Weight Gain

These symptoms can indicate deteriorated intestinal conditions and may be a warning signal of failing health. Poor digestion affects overall health and well being. Well being is closely tied to digestion and elimination. Digestion is needed to provide the body with energy and nutrients, and elimination is needed to remove toxins. If either of these processes is slowed for any reason, the body will either be shortchanged on nutrients, overloaded with toxic waste, or possibly both.

Some contributing factors to digestive complaints are:

Poor Diet
Overuse of Antibiotics
Chronic Infections
Food Intolerances
Stress
Heavy Metal Toxicity
Lack of Proper Enzymes
Low Hydrochloric Acid

Poor Digestion Cheats Your Body of the Basic Necessities

Carbohydrates, proteins, fats and vitamins are necessary to maintain health. When digestion is not working properly, important nutrients may not be properly processed and used for basic body functions.

Carbohydrates provide energy, and is necessary for protein to be digested. When present in the system, carbohydrates also enable the use of protein for regeneration and repair. Carbohydrates also provide the blood with glucose via digestion to provide energy for the muscles, organs and tissues.

Protein has many functions, the many being that it provides a secondary energy source. In order to grow, repair injuries, create new tissues, and regulate water balance, protein must be present in the body. Protein is the building block for major organs, blood and clotting, skin, muscles, hair, nails, hormones, enzymes and antibodies. The acid/alkaline balance of the blood is also maintained with protein.

Fats are yet another energy source which is vital for health but needed only in small amounts. Fats supply essential fatty acids help maintain healthy skin, regulate cholesterol metabolism, are the precursors to prostaglandins, carry and aid in the absorption of fat soluble vitamins. Fasts supply more energy than protein and carbohydrates, since it has nine calories per gram and the others only four.

Vitamins are necessary for life, but cannot be use as a food source because they have no calories. Growth, development, metabolic processes, digestion and assimilation and other body functions depend on vitamins. Vitamins act as catalysts for various chemical processes within the body.

Kitchen Spices Aid Digestion

Simply adding the following to foods while cooking can help aid digestion and absorption of nutrients.

Fenugreek helps maintain a good metabolism and prevents constipation.
Ginger stimulates blood flow to the digestive organs and helps relieve nausea and bloating.
Coriander strengthens the stomach and helps relieve flatulence.
Chilies increase the absorption of non-heme iron from other ingredients in a meal.
Turmeric aids in reducing hyper-acidity and indigestion.
Cloves help relieve gastric irritability and dyspepsia by promoting enzymatic flow and boosting digestive functioning.
Cinnamon relieves nausea and stimulates gastric and digestive juices.
Black Pepper has a stimulating effect on digestive organs and causes and increased flow of saliva.
Cardamom relieves flatulence and strengthens digestive activities.

Supplements Help Support the Digestive System When the Body Needs A Little Extra Help

Many times the body is weakened by poor diet, stress, illness, environment, and other situations that one experiences from day to day. When the body can’t produce on its own or obtain from the diet what it necessary for well being, supplements can be of great assistance. Supplements are available to aid digestion and can be found at most health food stores and many drugstores. They are usually administered in capsule form, liquid form, or teas. These supplements are labeled with instructions that should be carefully followed, and professional assistance requested if recommended. The following supplements are excellent in aiding the digestive system.

Food Enzymes help break down food components for absorption into the bloodstream. Some enzymes are produced by the body and some are found in foods. If the body is under stress or if a great deal of processed food is eaten, the body may be lacking in the enzymes needed to properly to digest food.
Probiotics are the “healthy bacteria” in the intestinal tract. These perform essential functions in the body and are adversely affected by aging, intestinal pH, antibiotics, stress, immune response, physiological factors, and acids in the body.
Psyllium Hulls or Husks add essential fiber to the diet and help maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
Aloe Vera Gel soothes the tissues lining the digestive tract and contains many biologically active compounds that support the digestion and absorption of food and nourish the intestinal system, and can help soothe IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).
Triphala cleanses and tones the intestinal tract, corrects constipation, promotes detoxification of the entire body, and promotes elimination. It is very helpful in ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel syndrome, and also helps high blood pressure and hypertension, and to improve circulation.
Yellow Dock has a mild laxative effect and stimulates the release of bile and digestive enzymes.
Ginger helps calm a sour stomach, improves digestion and helps the body efficiently move out wastes.
Marshmallow Root helps relieve diarrhea and constipation.
Slippery Elm Bark is a plant with much mucilage and helps relieve digestive upsets and problems, diarrhea and constipation.
Senna is useful for occasional acute constipation. It is not recommended during pregnancy, and prolonged use may cause a dependency.

Poor Elimination Blocks Nutrients and Overloads the System with Toxins

A slow colon minimizes proper nutrient absorption because slow moving waste matter creates a block between the intestinal walls and the nutrients. You may be eating healthy enough foods, but your body is not absorbing the nutrients because of this block. This may also cause signals to be sent to the brain requesting more nutrients (making you hungry) and thus cause weight gain. Another concern is that this slow moving fecal matter becomes toxic. These toxins not only cause digestive disorders, but can also spread to the rest of the body if the condition persists. This can affect overall health, contributing to chronic and systemic ailments. An unhealthy colon is also creates an inviting home for parasites, which produce more toxins, increasing the amount of toxins the body must endure.

A Colon Cleanse Will Provide a Fresh Start

Digestive health can easily be improved by performing a simple colon cleanse. Many health food stores and supplement suppliers provide pre-packaged colon cleanses, or one can simply be created by following the instructions below.

Note: Do not perform a colon cleanse if you are pregnant or nursing OR if you have any major medical complications or take prescription medications. Check with your health practitioner.

The following items are needed to create a colon cleanse:

Psyllium Husks
Herbal Laxative Tea
Probiotics

Psyllium husk will provide bulk, extract toxins, and help to move everything out of the digestive tract. These can be purchased from almost any drugstore or health food store and are available in loose or encapsulated form. Metamucil is a common brand of psyllium husk. Follow the directions on the package and any recommendations provided. It is normal to experience a small amount of gas and/or bloating at first.

Herbal Laxative Tea taken at night will work through the night and gently aid elimination in the morning. These teas can also be found in many drugstores and health food stores. Some even contain herbs that will eliminate parasites. After the psyllium husk has been in your system all day working to clean out accumulated toxins and dried fecal matter, the herbal laxative tea will flush everything out of the intestines in the morning. Some natural laxative herbals and/or anti-parasitic herbals are senna leaf, chamomile flower, peppermint leaf, fennel seed, cinnamon bark, ginger root, milk thistle seed, passion fruit, licorice root, rhubarb stem, and barberry.

Probiotics will restore beneficial bacteria to the digestive system. These bacteria should be present in the intestines naturally, but colon cleansing may remove them creating the need for replacement. Antibiotics also destroy the good bacteria needed for a healthy colon. Probiotic supplements available in health food stores, and beneficial bacteria is also plentiful in natural yogurt.

Water is very important during a colon cleanse. It is important to drink plenty of water while doing your cleanse. This will help flush out toxins and prevent digestive system disorders.

Lifestyle Changes Will Build and Maintain Digestive Health

Small changes made over a period time can result in dramatic health improvements. Many small changes can be made now to improve digestive health leading to improved overall health.

Some small changes with huge payoffs are:

Drinking plenty of water. Adequate fluid intake is a necessity for digestion. If not enough water is consumed, the body will obtain the fluids it needs by extracting them from the waste material in the colon. This will make the stools hard and dry, and slow down digestion metabolism, possibly to the point of toxicity. A good recommendation to body weight in pounds by two, and drink that many ounces of water per day.
Eating fresh veggies, fruit, and other raw foods. Fresh veggies and fruits will provide enzymes that aid in digestion, as well as natural fiber, fluid, and vitamins that are easily accessible for metabolism. Raw foods (foods not cooked over 116 degrees) are a wonderful source of naturally occurring enzymes. Cooking foods above 116 degrees destroys all enzymes.
Eating Enough Fiber. Fiber helps regulate the digestive system whether you have diarrhea or constipation by helping to normalize the transit time. Eating fiber-rich foods help to move waste material through the intestine. Fiber also absorbs fluids along the way, this helps in constipation by softening the stools as they pass through, and in diarrhea by absorbing the excess fluid thereby making the stools more solid. Fiber also helps normalize blood sugar levels.
Getting Plenty of Exercise. Stretching and aerobic exercise can help eliminate trapped gasses in the intestine. Certain types of exercise, such as yoga can increase blood flow to the digestive tract and encourage peristalsis. Core workouts will strengthen the muscles used in digestion and having strong core muscles frees up some abdominal space. Aerobic exercises in general will speed up metabolic processes.
Avoiding Processed Foods. Many of the essential nutrients your body needs for digestion are removed during the processing. Processed foods take much longer to digest, and some processed foods my not be fully broken down.
Eliminating Stress. Stress affects digestion in a couple of ways. Being stressed sends signals to the brain to release chemicals, and these chemicals often cause the digestive tract to be more sensitive, and to twitch and cramp. Stress may also cause people to indulge in eating items that are not so healthful, adding to the stress placed on the digestion.
Eating Slowly and Chewing Thoroughly. Eating more slowly gives the stomach more time to start digesting the food, and thoroughly chewing allows the enzymes in the saliva to do their work before the food reaches the stomach. By slowing down eating, more time is provided to send signals of fullness to the brain, and can aid in weight loss.

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Sources:

All4NaturalHealth.com. (n.d.). Preventing Digestive System Disorders – How Healthy is Your Gut? Retrieved August 2, 2010 from http://www.all4naturalhealth.com/digestive-system-disorders.html
Eliopoulos, C. (2004). Invitation to Holistic Health. Boston: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Gladstar, R. (2008). Rosemary Gladstar’s Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health. Adams, MA: Storey Publishing.
Life Mojo. (n.d.). 10 Kitchen Spices with Healing Power. Retrieved August 1, 2010 from http://www.lifemojo.com/lifestyle/10-kitchen-spices-with-healing-power-3852125
Regenerative Nutrition. (n.d.). Digestion Problems. Retrieved August 2, 2010 from http://www.regenerativenutrition.com/natural-supplements-cure-digestive-problems.asp
Tierra, M. (1998.) The Way of Herbs. New York: Pocket Books.
Yoga Health and Healing. (n.d.). Digestive Health. Retrieved August 3, 2010 from http://www.yogahealthandhealing.com/articles-on-health-and-wellness/nutrition/43-digestive-health.html

What Do I Do If I Suspect That My Child Is Being Bullied?

Becki Baumgartner — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 18:53:42 +0000

What are parents to do if their child tells them that he or she is being bullied?

First, listen; gauge the seriousness of the incident and whether there is a history of such bullying.
Then find out what has been tried and work out options with your child–such as being more assertive, avoiding people and places, and seeking help through the school.
It is tempting to confront the bully’s parents or even the bully. Don’t. It seldom pays and commony makes matters worse. When bullying occurs at school, work through your teachers and principal.
When help is needed, call on the school. It has the prime responsiblity for keeping students safe. Schools can help, especially if parents work closely with them.

One of the most important things that a parent can do in this situation is talk with your child. Tell your child that you are concerned and that you’d like to help. Here are some questions that can get the discussion going.

I’m worried about you. Are there any kids at school who may be picking on your or bullying you?
Are there any kids at school who tease you in a mean way?
Are there any kids at school who leave you out or exclude you on purpose?

Sometimes, more subtle questions are needed:

Do you have any special friends at school this year? Who are they? Who do you hang out with?
Who do you sit with at lunch and on the bus?
Are there any kids at school who you really don’t like? Why don’t you like them? Do they ever pick on you or leave you out of things?

It is also important that parents talk with staff at school. Share your concerns about your child and ask the teacher such questions as:

How does my child get along with other students in his or her class?
With whom does he or she spend free time?
Have you noticed or have you ever suspected that my child is bullied by other students? Give examples of some ways that children can be bullied to be sure that the teacher is not focusing on only one kind of bullying (such as physical bullying).

The pain and embarrassment of being bullied often causes victims to hide what is going on. But, there are a variety of ways to tell if your child is being bullied.

Symptoms include:

Depression
Anxiety
Safety Concerns
Sadness
Aggression
Academic Issues
Low Self-Esteem
Deficits in Peer Relations
Substance Use

Other possible warning signs may include:

Numerous lost belongings
Frequent injuries or damage to clothes or property
Spends time primarily with younger students (may indicate a problem with peers)
Avoids recess (i.e., playground) before, during, and/or after school
Arrives to school late or just at starting bell
Appears to be alone most of the time at school
Obtains an excessive or insufficient amount of sleep
Somatic complaints (i.e., headaches, stomachaches, etc.)

Video courtesy of www.ancomm.com “Code of Silence”.

Sources:

Parent Involvement Workshop “Bullyproofing Your Child” presented by Captain Swann of the Metro Nashville Police Department. Page from handout copied verbatim.
Data courtesy of Education.com. Topics: “Hot Topics in Bullying”, “Helping Your Child with Bullying”.
This Bullying Special Edition Article is sponsored by Norton Family Resources.

How You Can Help Prevent Bullying at Your Child’s School

Becki Baumgartner — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 18:39:40 +0000

Here’s how you can take action NOW, to help ensure the safety of your children:

Talk with and listen to your kids – every day. Research shows that approximately half the children who have been bullied never tell their parents about it. Children are often too ashamed of themselves to tell anyone, sometimes they feel that no one can help, not even their parents.

Spend time at school and recess. Research shows that 67% of bullying happens when adults are not present. Whether you can volunteer once a week or once a month, you can make a real difference by showing up.

Be a good example of kindness and leadership. Your kids can learn a lot about power relationships from watching you. Any time you speak to another person in a hurtful or abusive way, you’re teaching your child that bullying is OK.

Learn the signs. If you suspect that your child might be bullied, talk with your child’s teacher or find ways to observe his or her peer interactions to determine whether or not your suspicions might be correct.

Create healthy anti-bullying habits early. Help develop anti-bullying and anti-victimization habits early in your children, as early as kindergarten. Coach your children on what not to do – hitting, pushing, teasing, being mean to others. Equally if not more importantly, teach your children what to do – kindness, empathy, fair play, and turn-taking are critical skills for good peer relations.

Help your child’s school address bullying effectively. Whether your children have been bullied or not, you should know what their school is doing to address bullying. Research shows that “zero-tolerance” policies aren’t effective. What works better are ongoing educational programs that help create a healthy social climate in the school.

Establish household routines about bullying. Your children need to hear from you explicitly that it’s not normal, okay, or tolerable for them to bully, to be bullied, or to stand and watch other kids be bullied. If your child is bullying, you can help him or her find other ways to exert their personal power, status, and leadership at school. Work with your child, his or her teachers, and the principal to implement a kindness plan at school.

Teach your child how to be a good witness. Children can often effectively diffuse a bullying situation by yelling “Stop! You’re bullying!” Most bullies stop withing 10 seconds when someone tells him or her to stop.

Spread the word that bullying should not be a normal part of childhood. Some adults hesitate to act when they observe or hear about bullying because they think of bullying as a typical phase of childhood that must be endured. It is important for everyone to understand that all forms of bullying – physical, verbal, and emotional should not have to be endured by anyone.

Talk about teasing and bullying with your kids. Watch for bullying and teasing occurring in television programs, books and movies, and encourage discussions with leading questions such as “How do you think that person felt?” “What else could have been done?”

Be a role model that conveys an attitude of respect for all persons.

Work with the school to make sure each child is safe, that bullies are reprimanded in an appropriate manner, that monitoring at school is adequate, and steps are being taken to spread anti-bullying messages. Children should not be expected to handle bullies on their own.

Recommendations for Schools:

School administrators should be encouraged to create a climate in which students themselves understand the importance of coming forward and warning of impending violence. Strategies designed to combat bullying, such as peer mediation, conflict resolution, anger management and zero tolerance programs that are being implemented in some schools should be encouraged.

Video courtesy of www.ancomm.com “Code of Silence”.

Sources:

Parent Involvement Workshop “Bullyproofing Your Child” presented by Captain Swann of the Metro Nashville Police Department. Page from handout copied verbatim.
Data courtesy of Education.com. Topics: “Hot Topics in Bullying”, “Helping Your Child with Bullying”.
This Bullying Special Edition Article is sponsored by Norton Family Resources.

The Sun Dance

Becki Baumgartner — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 03:15:25 +0000

by Leo ‘Circling Bear’

These are not my words but thought I would pass them along to a few that may be of interest and to my Sun Dance supporters to stir there memories.

After this Friday evening I will be leaving to go to the Sun Dance site to start my purification. I do not know for sure if I will have contact with anyone after that. It is just the briefest of description of the Dance with a few facts. ~Leo ‘Circling Bear’

The Sun Dance was banned in Canada in 1880 and in the United States in 1904.The Christian missionaries along with the federal government sought to prohibit the dance after seeing of the practices that were executed in the ceremony, especially the piercing of the young men’s chests. They failed to comprehend the spiritual significance of the practices and the dance.

The Sun Dance is again legal through the passage of the American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978

Annual Sun Dance was held in some form or another by many American Natives of the Plains Indian tribes. It was performed in the summer, usually in late July or early August, after the buffalo hunts. The Sun Dance is again legal through the passage of the American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1979

The Sun Dance ceremony has both spiritual and physical significance for the individual dancer, traditionally male but presently females are included in some tribes but do not undergo piercing.

In a Lakota / Sioux ceremony, women dancers are never pierced because according to the Sioux the woman is recognized as already having endured her pain in childbirth. This pain is considered greater than any faced during the Sun Dance because bearing children may cause women to die and certainly facing death is considered the greatest challenge.

After the dancers spend four days in purification. On that fourth day in the afternoon (which is when the dancers actually start there four day dance ending four days later) we ceremoniously take the tree never letting it touch the ground until it is carried to the arbor. This requires the efforts of the hole tribe with great effort. The dancers tie there ropes and flags to the tree and it is raised and planted in a pre-dug hole in the center of the arbor. Once this is done the dancers put there 607 prayer tie’s on the tree and any supporters that have prayer ties are added.

The next morning before sun rise the dancers are call to do the morning sweat lodge. After that at sun rise the ceremonial procession is led by the Sun Dance chief, followed by the holy men, and woman and a man carrying a buffalo skull. This begins the Sun Dance. The Sun Dance is an annual thanksgiving to the Great Spirit and to all of the powers between the breathing ones and Wakan Tanka.

At the end of the day the dancers are lead to the Sweat lodge for another sweat.

This is repeated for four days.

The Sun Dancers supporters that come from the dancers tribe, the band, or Tiyospaye work around the camp to keep things running smoothly and assist the dancers needs in camp. The dance could not go on without the physical and spiritual help of the supporters. We are are all one with a common goal of this an annual renewal ceramony. Everyone has there part to play.

If a man is called to pierce the dancer signifies to the holy holding his wooden pegs he is ready.

During the piercing the man thinks of the tree, realizing that it is a tree of life, without it and others like it man could not live on Earth. He also concentrates on its decorations symbolizing the powers of the four directions, the red, yellow, black, and white banners, plus the green and blue ones for Mother Earth and Father Sky. He thinks about all those he is doing this for. This concentration also takes the man’s attention off of the pain that he is enduring and will endure when the holy man inserts the pegs, which is more painful than the insertion of the blade.

To the protruding ends of the pegs the holy man attaches a rope fasten by a thong. This signifies the umbilical cord which attaches the man to his mother, Mother Earth.

The man is then helped to his feet by an assistant and with his wreath of sage with two spiked feathers placed on his head. The man fully realizing the badge of honor which has just been bestowed upon him. Carefully holding onto the rope he takes his position again in the Sun Dance, and gradually adds his weight on to the rope and into the pain in his chest as he begins dancing and pulling on the rope.

At the direction of the Sun Dance chief the dancers, including those who were pierced, move toward the tree four times, each time touching the tree with their palms. This is the powerful moment when the tribe is deep in prayer; the prayers become a spiritual wind sweeping down and over the backs of the Sun Dancers penetrating in them, trough their arms and hands, into the tree and upward to the ultimate powers and to Wakan Tanka.

Following the fourth touching of the tree, the dancer leans back harder against the ropes. They are now free to seek their Sun Dance vision. Simultaneously the tribe, and all in attendance, is seeking its vision. This is the essence, the heart, of the Sun Dance, which is the gathering of the tribe, the band, the gathered Tiyospaye, acknowledging the spiritual and physical relationship to all that is the cante, that is, the essence of survival.

After Four days, the dancers have finished their connection with the tree of life the Sun Dance chief leads them from the circle which ends the dance. Then they are met by tribes gratitude for their appreciation for they know their spiritual tradition had once again been renewed.

Source: Leo Circling Bear, Glasgow Reiki Meetup Group . Personal Communication. August 3, 2010.

Past Life Regression: Lesson 4

Becki Baumgartner — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 00:46:46 +0000

by Jim McElwee

Today I’d like to share this final installation of our examination of past life regression. This time I’d like to help illustrate how various physical and mental characteristics you have in your life and what they can tell you about your past lives.

Once you’ve developed a relationship with your past lives, you can begin searching for the specific identity of your past life identity. Of course before you do this you must first have gone through the process of opening up the different parts of your subconscious. Think of it in the same way as the difference between waking and dreams. After we dream we have a brief period in the morning where we remember everything we dreamed about with crystal clarity, but these memories mysteriously vanish if we don’t think about it during this time. Keep in mind our past life regression therapy is there to help you make this transition, much like an awakened individual remembers dreams, and you can always find it at The Unexplainable Store.

First, let’s take a look at physical characteristics as they are the easiest to notice. Take a moment to look at yourself. What’s noticeable or different than those around you? Do you find yourself dressing in a more vintage fashion? Even if your fashion sense is contemporary, does it call back to another era’s equivalent? In your room do you have trinkets or objects of a historical significance?

And there are physical marks too. Those who have made contact with their past life identities will often tell of birth marks or unexplainable scars appearing in locations where their previous identities sustained either fatal or life changing wounds. These scars often carry with them a sort of deep subconscious pain as well. Contact with the past self allows you to get better in touch with this deep emotional process and emerge more at peace with yourself.

With physical characteristics we are primarily wanting to see unexplainable or unique traits that will successfully tell us who we were. Those who have undergone the process of past life regression have often reported an ecstatic rush of excitement at discovering who they are. And this excitement only grows as they continue on their journey of self discovery.

Next, let’s take a look at mental characteristics. The brain is a complex and incredibly powerful thing with potential that runs deeper than anything we could possibly fathom. It’s no surprise then that the brain will often find ways to directly link with the “ghost” running it in ways that can tell it exactly who the person’s true self is, and even interpret memories that ghost or soul may be unaware of. And whether we tap into these memories directly or not, they do manifest in the world around us. Fortunately, they have a tendency to manifest in some very direct ways.

First, think about what you want in life more than anything else in the entire world. Next, think about what you fear above all else. Since fear and desire are incredibly important psychological traits, they no doubt have some connection with the soul directly. And through these we are better able to understand what the soul is like.

Next, take a look at your mental traits in much the same way we looked at the physical ones. Even if it isn’t what you want more than anything else in the world, what strong wishes do you have for yourself and those around you? Do you find yourself possessing skills that no one else around you has? Beginner’s luck and being a natural at any given task is a strong indicator of something your soul feels natural doing. This natural activity is often more than enough to give you some very strong indications that will help you on your journey back to who you always have been.

Just as each generation must remember the actions of the previous in order to not repeat the same mistakes, each individual is left with the responsibility to learn who they once were in order to ensure they live rich and fulfilling lives. And in this enrichment the individual can find true happiness and wisdom.

I hope you enjoyed our exploration of past life regression. As long as you remain forever true to yourself, both past and present, you will find yourself a more spiritual and enlightened individual. And perhaps your future incarnations will reap the benefits of this exploration as well.

Have a safe and enlightened journey!

Jim McElwee, The Unexplainable Store

GO TO PAST LIFE REGRESSION: LESSON 1
GO TO PAST LIFE REGRESSION: LESSON 2
GO TO PAST LIFE REGRESSION: LESSON 3
GO TO PAST LIFE REGRESSION: LESSON 4

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