A Pathway to Self Love

I've been practicing and teaching intuitive energy work, Thetahealing®, and Reiki and providing spiritual guidance for over 10 years. Something that has come to my attention consistently is the lack of love men and women have for themselves and their bodies. So many women I work with come to me operating under the assumption that everyone else is more important and should come first. Whether this is a subconscious cultural belief or a very pronounced cultural belief, many women are taught to put men, children, and other's needs before their own. Women are taught that self love and self care are selfish acts.

Women have also been taught throughout the ages and across the globe that the less space they take up, the better - would a woman consciously choose to wear a girdle or bind her feet? As a result, I have seen woman after woman come to me with body image issues. They believe that curves are not OK and there is never enough weight lost. They're trying to reach a "thin" goal that's abstract, unattainable, and unrealistic. We are haunted by a need to look like the women in the fashion magazines - women that diet themselves down to below weight, for the camera, without regard to their health.

Men also have their own set of social pressures. They are taught that to be a man means being the main bread winner. They've been taught for centuries that it's weak to express or show emotion. They're also being portrayed as the disrespected, incompetent dad more and more by the media. Male obesity is currently on the rise as we go deeper into an age of texting and email and less and less personal interaction.

Loving ourselves starts on the inside, with the outside being a reflection of that self love, or lack thereof. With so many obese men and women now on the planet, what is it that we're truly looking at? Is it just that our national diet is unhealthy, or is it a much deeper issue? Are we eating to meet our physical needs or are we eating to meet our emotional needs, having exchanged food for love in this country?

For over ten years, I've worked with both male and female clients providing specific spiritual affirmations, tools, and spiritual guidance to increase their self love and to clear their negative beliefs about themselves. I've taught women's empowerment workshops and provided holistic tools and classes for clients to move through their energetic blocks and beliefs. I also work with clients to clear self sabotaging beliefs and behavorial patterns that continuously prevent them from achieving self love and their deepest desires. I work with clients to empower them and instill self confidence, self love, and self forgiveness, while affirming their extraordinary talents and gifts. I experience great joy as I see my clients and students achieve new relationships, marriages, children, careers, and opportunities that are their hearts' desires.

These changes can occur so easily in the client when working with a high vibrational energy. During the session, the client is in an active role of checking beliefs through muscle testing, while I work with my skills and gifts and the client's intention to promote the shift within them.

After and between sessions, I encourage my students and clients to stand in front of the mirror and tell their bodies how beautiful they are and how much they love themselves, to reaffirm all the downloads. Here are some affirmations to say every morning, to get you started:

I love my body.

I am beautiful/ I am handsome

I am extraordinary!

I am a unique, beautiful, and extraordinary woman, and I have a beautiful body.

I am a unique, handsome, and extraordinary man, and I have a beautiful physique

I love myself, and I love my body.

If you'd like to work with Theresa to clear energetic blocks, self hatred, negative behavior patterns, anger, or resentment and to learn more about loving

Healthy Body - Healthy Mind

More than two thousand years ago, Hippocrates, the Greek physician and father of medicine, said, "A wise man ought to realize that health is the most valuable possession."

We are obliged to Hippocrates' and others from the past for
reminding us that fitness and health is not just a new and passing phenomenon and neither are the ways to achieve and maintain good health.

The fundamentals of good health, known and proven for so
long, are available to anyone who decides they want to fully enjoy the enormous benefits of healthy living.

The reality of this lesson is brought home in the compelling story from over a century ago of an American boy, sickly and weakened by childhood diseases, who sought a refuge from his physical handicaps in a love of books and reading. As time went on, just as his mind grew strong from his studies, his body continued to fail.

His concerned father at last told his 12-year old son, "You have the mind but not the body, and without the help of the body the mind cannot go as far as it should. You must make your body know you will do it!" And the wise father then gave the boy weights and other gymnastic equipment and worked with him to strengthen his frail young body.

Well, this story has a remarkably happy ending. The boy heeded his father's encouragement, and not only worked hard to rebuild his health, but became a superior athlete, graduated from Harvard University and went on to lead a vigorously active life of eminent achievement. This once-sickly boy eventually became the 26th president of the United States. He was Theodore Roosevelt, who at age 42, was and is the youngest man ever to become president.

Throughout his life, Roosevelt practiced what he called, "the
strenuous life." His energetic commitment to physical activities
included boxing, horseback riding, swimming and hiking among others.
Teddy Roosevelt discovered that an important foundation for good
health is movement and activity. He demonstrated that our bodies are
designed to get stronger as they are constantly used and challenged
with purposeful physical activities.

Teddy Roosevelt, incidentally, was a great outdoorsman and probably
knew more about natural science than any other President who has ever
been in office, and some of his most notable achievements were in the
area of conservation. He added about 150 million acres to the
national forests, set up five new national parks, created the first
51 federal bird reservations and established the first four national
game preserves. He loved nature and worked to preserve the
environment for future generations.

Roosevelt undoubtedly agreed with Hippocrates view that, "The first
wealth is health." And with the old proverb that takes Hippocrates
idea one step further by saying, "Health is better than wealth."

Because Teddy Roosevelt's life dramatically exemplifies the
life-changing power of achieving and maintaining good health. The
simple moral to his story is that nothing is more essential to
building a successful life than good health.

As Teddy Roosevelt showed us, the secrets to good health are not
complicated. They are known and waiting for you to discover them and,
most important, to put them into practice. The blessings and joys of
good health and fitness can be yours when you choose to make them
priorities in your life.

Good health, you know, means having the capacity to live life fully
and being able to experience the best that life has to offer. It
means having vigor and energy. It is having the ability to pursue
your dreams with the confidence that you will be able to accomplish
them.

It's doubtful that Teddy Roosevelt would have accomplished much in
his life had it not been for the words of advice from his father
about developing his body in addition to his mind. It's worth
thinking about, especially these days when so many of us live
sedentary existences. We can only go where our bodies can take us,
and our bodies need exercise to stay healthy and strong. So remember:
build both your body and your mind. They're a powerful combination.
Teddy Roosevelt proved it.

Action to be taken: Commit to a firm set of health related goals and
get yourself in the best physical shape starting today.

Alcohol and Health Effects of Alcohol on the Body

Alcohol and health effects of alcohol on the body can be short term or long term effects. The consumption of alcohol and health related problems can occur over a short time frame, while other conditions and long term effects of alcohol on the body may only happen following years of alcohol abuse.

Alcohol comes into direct contact with the mouth, throat, esophagus, stomach and intestines as well as being absorbed into the bloodstream. Health problems can begin as headaches, feeling nauseated, sore throat or indigestion. However, if alcohol abuse continues, these and other alcohol and health symptoms can develop into more serious illnesses and diseases.

Here are examples of short term health effects of alcohol on the body:

o Nausea, Vomiting, Dizziness, Hangovers - excessive alcohol consumption can result in the body trying to protect itself by getting rid of the alcohol and vomiting. Alcohol and health and the central nervous system are related since alcohol affects a person's sense of balance and orientation, leading to a feeling of nausea and/or dizziness. Hangovers are partly due to the body's dehydration caused by alcohol consumption, and hangover effects of alcohol on the body may be felt a few hours after consuming alcohol.

o Loss of Muscle Control - slurred speech is one of the effects of alcohol on the body. Impaired judgement and poor coordination are alcohol and health effects that can lead to falls and accidents.

o Adverse Interactions with Medications - alcohol is known to interact negatively with at least 100 medications. For example, antihistamines taken with alcohol can increase the drowsiness that this medication by itself can cause. Large doses of the painkiller acetaminophen taken together when consuming alcohol increases the risk of liver damage.

o Pregnancy Risks - alcohol can cause numerous birth defects, the most serious being fetal alcohol syndrome. Babies born with fetal alcohol syndrome will have physical abnormalities, mental impairment and problems with behavior. To avoid negative alcohol and health effects during pregnancy, do not drink alcohol while pregnant as no one knows exactly how much alcohol causes birth defects.

Because alcohol and health effects can involve many organs in the body, long-term heavy drinking puts you at risk for developing serious health conditions and illnesses. Here are examples of long term effects of alcohol on the body:

o Liver Inflammation and Cirrhosis of the Liver - liver inflammation symptoms include abnormal yellowing of the skin, eyeballs and urine, fever and abdominal pain. And in the case of cirrhosis, as many as one in five heavy drinkers will develop cirrhosis of the liver. Alcohol is especially harmful to the liver since the liver is needed to metabolize alcohol. Alcohol destroys liver cells, and it destroys the ability of the liver to regenerate new cells.

o Cancer - long term heavy drinkers increase their risk for certain forms of cancer such as cancer of the mouth, throat and esophagus and colon.

o Heart disease - long term heavy drinking increases a person's risk for developing high blood pressure and heart disease.

o Pancreaitis - long term heavy drinking can result in the development of inflammation of the pancreas called pancreaitis. The pancreas are needed for food digestion, and pancreaitis symptoms include severe abdominal pain and weight loss. Pancreaitis can be life-threatening.

Additional long term negative alcohol and health effects on the body include damage to the brain, nerve damage, bleeding in the esophagus, erectile dysfunction in men, insomnia and depression. If you'd like to learn more about alcoholism stages and warning signs, there are proven resources available that can help. It is never too late to begin recovery from alcohol addiction.

Copyright 2006 InfoSearch Publishing

Learn the alcoholism signs and alcoholism stages that everyone should know. David Buster is VP of InfoSearch Publishing and webmaster of http://www.safemenopausesolutions.com - a website of natural health articles, health resources and information for healthier living.

Coffee Information: Coffee Can Prove Healthy To the Body

Coffee is processed from coffee beans that grow on coffee trees. According to coffee information, coffee is by far the most traded agricultural produce in the world. Coffee is recommended due to its stimulating effects, made possible by the content of caffeine. Coffee berries go through several processes before they are transformed to roasted coffee.

Berries have over the years been selectively picked using the hand. This involves the selective process of picking berries that are close to mature. Alternatively, the crops can be strip picked; this is where the berries are harvested regardless of their degree of ripeness using a machine. After picking, the green coffee berries are processed by the dry process technique or the wet process technique.

The next step is the roasting. Coffee is often sold in roasted state, except in rare occasions. Coffee is roasted before consumption. It can be roasted at the factory or roasted at the comfort of the house. The process of roasting influences the taste by chemically and physically altering it. The beans decrease in their weight as the moisture is lost while increasing in volume; this caused the coffee beans to become less dense.

Caffeine has been associated with many health problems including cancer and high blood pressure. As a result, many people choose to avoid caffeinated beverages. However, according to coffee articles, coffee can prove healthy to the body. Some of the researches performed recently have found that regular drinking of coffee reduces chances of type 2 diabetes. Scientists are however quick to caution against an increased consumption of caffeine because they are not sure why the intake of caffeine affects diabetes.

According to the articles, coffee offers health benefits to the heart. One study discovered that women who consume 2 to 3 cups daily have a 25% lower chance of contracting heart disease. In addition, persons who are heavy drinkers and smokers experience fewer chances of liver damage and heart disease compared to people who do not consume coffee. These health benefits could be linked to the supply of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties in coffee.

The consumption of coffee can also help with treatment of headaches because caffeine is a pain-killer or mild analgesic. Furthermore, caffeine can cause the constriction of blood vessels; this can help with the treatment of headaches caused by dilation of the blood vessels. Caffeine consumption can also help with the improvement of mood and irritability. Studies show that the taking of caffeine has a tendency of increasing the happiness, well being, alertness, sociability and energy in moderation. This explains why women who consume coffee are less likely to engage in possible attempts of committing suicide. However, caution must be taken, considering that the excess consumption of caffeine could increase anxiety, jitteriness, stomach upsets and nervousness.

Penis Health Watch - Increasing the Body's Natural Erection Enhancement Products

Introduction

Nitric oxide (NO) is a natural gas that is produced by the body to ensure vasodilation of blood vessels and healthy circulation. When penile erections occur in men, it is because NO is released in large amounts in the local tissues to significantly increase the blood flow into the penis tissues. Medications to treat erectile dysfunction in men, such as Viagra, are known to stimulate NO production in the body. While it is easy for many men to get a prescription for these drugs, there are also easy lifestyle chances, such as good penile nutrition and exercise, which has a marked effect on NO production and release.

Exercise

Men with a sedentary lifestyle are more likely to experience sexual health problems. Exercise is known to be an important factor in ensuring cardiovascular strength, and studies show that exercise also helps to maintain high NO levels in the body. Hanover Medical School in Germany studied the effects of endurance exercise on NO levels in both trained male athletes and untrained men. Both groups showed significant increases in NO levels following their exercise, proving that lifestyle plays a huge part in cardiovascular disease and possibly sexual health. These results were published in "The Journal of Cardiovascular Risk" and provides more evidence that men should participate in regular mild to moderate aerobic exercise if they want to maintain penis health and sexual satisfaction.

Food

What you eat is going to directly affect the health and function of your penis. Many foods contain a wide spectrum of bioactive chemicals and nutrients, which impact upon NO levels in men. Vegetables and fruits high in antioxidants will reduce oxidative damage to the blood vessel wall, which if unchecked can lead to reduce NO production. Foods high in vitamin C, E and D have a stimulatory effect on NO release, as do fruits containing high amounts of citric acid. Eat plenty of oranges, bell peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, grapefruit, lemons, strawberries, watermelon and limes. Vitamins are often susceptible to cooking methods, so consume fruits and berries as fresh as possible.

Herbal Remedies

Herbal remedies have been used as male tonics and aphrodisiacs by every culture of the world for hundreds of years, and today researchers are beginning to understand how these plant medicines work to promote penis health. Studies show that Horny Goat Weed, Nettle root, Goosefoot, Yohimbe and Ginseng all have a significant effect on NO production in the male body when taken internally. This supports the traditional use of these herbal medicines in the treatment of erectile dysfunction and low libido. Consult with a trained herbalist or naturopath on the therapeutic dosage of these herbs required for stimulating NO production, and if you are on prescribed medication check with your doctor first.

Amino Acids

Amino acids are required as ingredients for making NO in the body, and in particular the amino acid known as L-Arginine is important for this process. L-Arginine is found in many foods, including nuts, beans, and chocolate, and can also be taken as a supplement. In a clinical trial published in "The Journal of Sex & Martial Therapy" in 2003, researchers treated men with erectile dysfunction with supplements of L-Arginine and pycnogenol. After three months of treatment up to 92% of men were able to achieve a normal erection. This study supports the results of earlier clinical trials, which also found L-Arginine to be useful in increasing NO production and improving sexual function in men.

Penis Health Creme

Men can improve erectile health by applying topical products known as penis health crèmes. Penis specific formulas (most professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil) contain nutrients and natural oils that moisturize the skin and provide important vitamins for NO production. For example, vitamin C has shown to stimulate NO release, vitamin E is blood thinning and protects circulation, and L-Arginine is required for the production of NO. These nutrients are combined with amino acids and shea butter for fast absorption, and can be applied daily to promote healthy skin and blood vessels in the penis.

For additional information on most common penis health issues, tips on improving penis sensitivity, and what to do to maintain a healthy penis, visit: http://www.penishealth101.com. John Dugan is a professional writer who specializes in men's health issues and is an ongoing contributing writer to numerous online web sites.

Acupuncture Triggers The Body's Natural Healing Ability

There are some people who question the idea that acupuncture can trigger the body's natural healing ability. This is one of the reasons as to why people do not want to rely on acupuncture therapy in treating their health conditions. They have relied too much on prescriptive pills that changing this form of lifestyle will not only change their way of life but it will also make them anxious. Maybe one of the reasons for this is that there are some people who do not really know what acupuncture is all about.

Acupuncture is known as an Oriental medicine. This has long been practiced and applied in the East. This may even be the first medicine that the early Chinese adopted. In addition, acupuncture is part of Traditional Chinese Medicine that have long been practiced by many ancient Chinese people. In fact, this Oriental medicine was actually used for infections and even fevers. This was used to treat the many ailments in the early days. That is why, today, there are many researchers who study and analyze the benefits of acupuncture and what it does to the body.

It is found out that acupuncture actually triggers a person's natural healing properties inside the body. When these healing properties are released, a person will have a good chance to feel better and to remedy his health condition. Actually, acupuncture therapy was based on an ancient belief that each and every person has an invisible energy which is referred to as chi or qi. This energy is what makes a person feel healthy and sick.

When a person does not have a free flow of energy throughout his body, he will definitely feel sick and frail. In order to be healthy, a person should always have a free flow of energy and blood throughout his body. This can be achieved by avoiding any disruptions or blockages that may hinder the free flow of blood in a person's body. However, if a person feels like he is going to get sick or he may suffer some kind of health condition, it may be helpful for him to seek acupuncture therapy.

Acupuncture has been known to treat a wide range of health conditions such as PMS, chronic fatigue, arthritis, muscle pain, joint pain, fertility and many others. Acupuncture may be known as a Traditional Chinese Medicine but it has also been proven to be the most effective and safest treatment out there.

The Main Functions Of Water In The Body

You always hear that you need to drink plenty of water to keep your body healthy and balanced. That statement is absolutely 100% true. In fact, drinking enough water and keeping your body hydrated has tremendous positive effects.

First, let's take a look at how much the human body is made up of water. Depending on the body size, a human body can be anywhere from 55% to 78% made up of water. Your brain consists of 90% water. Your muscles consist of 75% water. Your bones consist of 22% water (yes bones), and your blood consists of 83% water.

Bottom line is every cell in your body needs water from head to toe, which is why it's so important to drink plenty of it. Let's take your brain for example, which is made up of 90% water. If your body isn't hydrated and your brain doesn't get enough water, your brain will not function well, you will not be as sharp or responsive, and you may even get a migraine or headache. If you feel a headache coming on or maybe fatigue, it may be as simple as you needing more water in your system.

Besides keeping your body hydrated, water has a lot of other positive functionality for your body as well. For instance, water helps transport nutrients and oxygen into your cells. Water helps moisturize the air in your lungs. Water is the main agent to flushing out toxins and waste by-products in your digestive system. Water also regulates your body temperature (which helps with exercise). Water actually increases your metabolism but more importantly water protects your vital organs and helps your organs absorb nutrients more efficiently. Water makes up a majority of your muscles, so it protects and moisturizes your joints and muscles as well.

As you can see, something as simple as water has a tremendous impact on making and keeping our body healthy and balanced. That's why it's important to put down the sodas or juices that don't help our body and switch to only drinking water. Plus, water doesn't have any calories and it quenches our thirst. It's important to note that the human body is perfectly designed to be balanced and healthy. It's us (humans) that screw up the balance by putting stuff in our bodies that whack it out of balance. Start by switching to only drinking water to get your body back to the way it is designed to work.

By the way, do you want to learn more about the benefits of drinking water? Is so, check out this detailed analysis:

10 Benefits Of Drinking Water

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