Keep it in Perspective

By Kass Hanson

Perception: The recognition and interpretation of sensory stimuli based chiefly on memory. "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." - Anais Nin. However, when faced with a barrage of challenges, there's a natural and powerful force that can suck you into themes and memories of the masses (fear, pessimism, misery) instead of your own. Be aware and think it through. Also, it might be time to create some new memories.

When you expand your thoughts and experiences, your perceptions will follow. A delightful illustration: Mark Twain, when 14, wrote that he thought his father was so ignorant that he could hardly stand to have him around. He added "When I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much he had learned in 7 years." Pause to process . . . now, fast forward 7 years. Does today look different?

It's also effective to gain perspective by stepping outside and looking in. Here is an exercise designed to open the eyes of those sporting rose colored glasses as well as those donning double eye patches. All the world's a stage! Pretend for a paragraph that you are watching a play of your life. Is it a comedy, drama, tragedy? How long has this play been running? Is it successful? How many acts and scenes are there? Are the original actors still performing? Are they any good? What is the setting? What is your role?

1. Stage LEFT! You havfe bowed out and rejoined the audience to watch and critique.
2. Behind the Scenes: You work hard, receive recognition . . . or feel burned out, bored, and unappreciated.
3. Supporting Role: You are satisfied but keep your eyes open for your big break.
4. Lead Actor: You are the center of attention and not really concerned with much else. Reviews are good and you're rockin'!
5. Director/Producer: You are in charge, calling the shot, and coordinating all the pieces and players.

Do you stick to one role or combine a few? You may be pleased with your performance and settle in for another season. You may dust off that huge hook, yank some folks off stage and send them to the Soaps. You might have no desire to partake in this play any longer.

The curtain closes. In any event, whether you pretend or act, you enrich and enliven your experiences. Then, when faced with opportunities to "keep it in perspective", you will have that many more costumes, themes, sets, and lines to chose from. "Whether you think you are (optimistic, happy, fulfilled) or that you are not, you are usually right." Act 1, Scene 1 . . . the curtain rises.

Time's a Tickin': "1st rule of holes. When you're in one, quit digging." Ever waste time complaining, commiserating, and repeating scenes gone awry ad nauseum?

1. Deal with conflicts ASAP. Write (even if you don't send), call, email then let it go. It will release the tension. Often it is you who suffers while the other sits clueless.
2. Focus on your message and be satisfied with your effort regardless of the reply.
3. Establish a plan for behaving and responding in the future and give yourself a break.

Increasing the Effectiveness of Your EFT Sessions - 6 Reasons to Keep a Tapping Journal

By Karen McLaughlin

EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) can be an extremely powerful tool for creating positive changes in your life. While even a very basic and sporadic "tapping practice" can be beneficial, there are many ways to make your use of EFT more effective. One simple strategy is to keep a written record of your tapping experiences. Certainly, not every single "tap session" needs to be noted. Little things like tapping when you've burned your finger on the stove, or can't find the car keys, probably don't need to be written down (unless either of these is a routine occurrence - then it might be related to a core issue, and worth looking at in closer detail!) I do think it's enormously valuable to keep detailed notes about tapping sessions on the "big issues" you're working on - the chronic ones like an ongoing health challenge.

Here are six different ways that keeping a tapping journal can lead to more effective and powerful EFT sessions:

1. Keep track of issues and incidents you want to tap on: This could include a list of stressful past experiences on which you want to clear emotional intensity, or notes on different aspects of a particular issue (like chronic back pain) that you want to explore in your tapping. Keeping these all jotted down in one place means you won't have to waste time at the start of your EFT session wondering what to tap on!

2. Record issues and aspects you've tapped on: Note whether you did the work on your own or with a practitioner or tapping partner. Often, even if you've tapped on something on your own, it may be worth exploring again with a tapping partner - they can help you see aspects of the issue you may have missed.

3. Document changes in intensity levels (0-10 "SUDS" score) before and after tapping: This allows you to get a clear picture of how effective your tapping is. This is particularly important when you're working on your own - sometimes EFT works so well that you can "forget" that the issue that is now a zero used to be a ten!

4. Write down new aspects, incidents and insights that surface during your tapping sessions: This is valuable information that will come in handy for future tapping sessions! It's important to note these details down as soon as possible so you don't forget about them later. These notes may help you see themes that will allow you to detect a core issue.

5. Record "homework assignments" and/or tapping phrases: If you're working with an EFT practitioner or tapping partner, they will likely give you some suggestions about tapping you can do on your own in between sessions. You can also record anything new that comes up while you're doing your homework assignments, to discuss with your practitioner or tapping partner during your next session.

6. Note shifts in perception/experience: I ask clients to pay attention to what happens in their life related to the issue we've been tapping on. Sometimes things shift in such a subtle way that if you're not paying attention, you don't notice the change! So, for example, if you've been working on a weight issue, notice any ways that your experiences with your body and/or food feel different to you.

Keeping a tapping journal has been tremendously useful for me personally, and I now encourage all of my clients to keep one, too! I hope you'll consider starting your own tapping journal to enhance your EFT sessions

A Bottled Water Cooler is Looked at as an Essential Item Both at Home and Office

With the increase in bottled water consumption there was a need felt to chill them. Placing huge bottles of water in the refrigerator is just not possible and every time pouring it in small jugs and then freezing it can become difficult. Thus water coolers work as great options to get both cool and clean water. Most coolers have an in built filter that filters the water before passing on the clean and chilled water to you. Due to the high demand there was a need of associations that monitor the performance of these manufacturers to ensure we get clean and hygienic water.

Today coolers is found in several homes and offices and it has become essential equipment for access to clean and pure water. Due to the rising demand several manufacturers have come up with coolers to not only make good money but also help the masses get hygienic water. ADA, and Sunbeam are some of the reliable names in the market today that offer best quality coolers. There are even cooler covers and accessories to help it blend with your décor. Also you shall come across various designs, and size in bottled water coolers.

Bottle water cooler is low on maintenance and easy to use. With so many brands coming up in the market it can get confusing to choose the best for your family. You can always ask for recommendations and check reviews online. However, keep in mind that each one has his own perception and thus solely judging the product on others views may be wrong. Make sure you buy bottled water cooler from an authorized dealer. When checking the product make sure it meets all the industry standards. Being a member of bottled water cooler association will help you understand the genuineness of the product.

Bottled water cooler is a must in your home and office. The office management is responsible for hygienic and pure water being accessible for its employees. With countertop coolers available one can easily place it on desk, as it requires very little space. Everyone is sure to find a design to suit their needs and that's what makes bottled water cooler a thing to have at our homes. With bottled water cooler association taking charge of water quality and safety it becomes easy to rely on these coolers. One can always reach out to these associations for complaints as well as doubts.

Bottled water cooler is a good investment and nothing is more important than your health. If you are among those few who still rely on tap water its time you took a look at the various bottled water coolers available in market. Bottled water cooler is certainly a product that is necessary in your home and office.

Did you know that Sweden has been the leading innovator of flavored carbonated water for the last 6 years? With a world market share of 2/3rds and increasing?

More and more people are turning to flavored carbonated water due to its amazing refreshing taste and huge health benefits as is has no added sugar, colors, preservatives, sweeteners, fruit concentrate or calories. Some of the many great fruit flavors that can be purchased include black currant, apple, lemon and blueberry and many more.

The Side Effects of Cancer Treatment

Ok, so which is it kemo therapy or chemotherapy? Actually the correct spelling is chemotherapy but when you are searching online Google gives as much credibility to kemo therapy as chemotherapy. What really matters is what are the side effects of this particular treatment for cancer. How long will these effects last and is it worth it?

What is usually associated with chemotherapy is tiredness and lack of stamina in the long run. Fertility can be affected in the long term with certain types of kemo therapy. You really need to do some research on these side effects with the particular kind of treatment to be received.

It has been known that millions of women over 40 have experienced hair loss when undergoing chemotherapy. However there have been some ways found that will prevent this in some cases. That too can and should be researched.

The whole thing is that kemo therapy was designed to kill off the cancerous cells in the body. The negative side of that is that it also damages the healthy cells in the body. This is what causes the byproducts of the therapy.

How many side effects will you have? Good question. Some patients have considerable side effects while others have relatively few. It is a crap shoot.

We have listed the lack of stamina and the hair loss. Some other well known results are nausea, vomiting and pain. The healthy cells usually recover so as time goes on the side effects will gradually disappear.

The chemotherapy you have to undergo will have its own regimen and its own scheduled times. You may have to have a treatment every day, every week or every month. You may take the drugs you need by mouth or by a shot or intravenously.

So whichever way you may spell it is up to you. Just do your research, ask a lot of questions, and keep a positive attitude.

Natural Cancer Treatments - Is it Necessary to Become Vegetarian?

By Harriet Denz-Penhey

There are many schools of thought in the cancer alternative medicine literature about what is needed by way of diet in natural cancer treatments. The vast majority suggest that someone who wants to heal themselves from cancer must give up meat, especially red meat. However is this the case and what about other foods? Are there any similarities there?

The reason that most suggest giving up red meat is because they claim that vegetarianism is healthier and that red meat makes the blood acidic - upsetting the acid-base balance in the blood which should be more alkaline. Vegetarians tend to have a very deep belief in the inherent "healthiness" of their eating pattern, something that does not seem to be well supported in the medical literature. (I can hear them howl, "Yes it is!" But I beg to differ.)

There is a major issue that is agreed across all of the cancer alternative medicine believers and that is that lot fed animals give inferior meat than grass fed ones. The statement is frequently made that animals free to roam in large grassed areas and eat their grass mixed with many other forms of green herbs gives meat that is naturally healthier than those fed on grains, soy products, antibiotics and growth hormones.

In nature grains were only eaten in autumn when the animals would use them to set down some fat to support survival through the winter. Soy has never been a widespread food source for animals and despite the claims of big business we do not yet know the consequences of eating GM soy either directly or via animals. Antibiotics shouldn't be needed for animals in natural conditions. They are only needed to keep infection down to manageable levels and healthy animals don't need them. We do not know the long term effect of growth hormones on people although we do have some indicators in the early development of puberty in children.

For all of these reasons even the meat eating natural cancer treatment adherents would suggest that you only eat meat from pasture fed or range fed animals. This goes for all animals and birds. Therefore what you eat will very much depend on where you live and what is available locally.

As to the rest of the diet - the cancer alternative medicine practitioners all seem to agree that we should eat as close to nature as possible. This means that there should be a focus on brightly colored fresh fruit and vegetables and we should not eat anything that is heavy in sugar or white flour. ALL agree on this.

Cancer cells grow fast in proportion to the rest of the cells around them, very fast in some cases. White flour based products such as breads and pasta turn to sugar quickly and these launch an insulin cascade that supports fast growing cells such as cancer. At least that is one theory. Even diet sodas with no sugar, but with the aspartame sweetener, also initiate that insulin cascade as the sweetness alone is sufficient to set it off.

But is it possible to "fill up" without bread and pasta? What do you substitute with? I substitute with salads and thick vegetable soups. Much to my surprise they filled me up and saw me through to the next meal without any high glycemic fillers. However I did need twice the amount and also, usually, some meat or egg. Red cabbage has become a firm favorite in the family.

High phenol fruit and vegetables become the core of the anti-cancer diet. Phenols in the foods are a natural health enhancer through the biochemical pathways that support the immune system. The foremost of these are the brassica family which includes cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and sprouts and the onion family which includes, unsurprisingly, onions, leeks, garlic and chives. Have some of these daily and use them as the base around which you build the rest of your meal.

"Ah," a little voice sounds in my head, "But we don't cook at home. I have to eat out every day. I can't control what they put in the food I can afford to buy." For people in this situation, it is time to take charge of your own lives. You can go through life feeling out of control, or you can take charge of what you can. What you put in your mouth is one of those aspects you can control if you choose to.

Making major changes in your diet can be a major stress. The way we have come to eat is embedded in our psyche. It becomes a decision that has to be made, and sometimes re-made each day unless you change your circumstances. If you have the ingredients for healthy meals at home then you are much more likely to prepare them.

If you do nothing else cut out all sugar and white flour products - sodas and any sugar laden drinks, breads, croissants, doughnuts, cakes, cookies, sugary mayonnaise and pasta. Replace with large salads, fruit, and free range meats, at least for six days a week.

Garlic, Cancer and You

By Yulia Berry

Garlic - that oh so deliciously pungent bulb from the lily family that has been around humankind since the invention of writing, has been valued for its ability to spice up a meal, whet the appetite and to help cure a host of different ailments. Now, today's researchers are taking a second look at garlic and are finding out that it not only helps makes things taste good, it might also play a role in preventing certain types of cancer.

Garlic and cancer

A number of studies have been done focusing on garlic's organic allyl sulfur components and their ability to effectively inhibit the cancer process. These compounds make cells more vulnerable to the stress which is created when cells divide. Since cancer cells divide more rapidly than normal cells, they are susceptible to these specific stressors. Therefore, cancer cells have a much greater potential to suffer damage from the allyl sulfur compounds that are found in garlic.

The studies on garlic have revealed that garlic's benefits are not limited to any specific species, to any particular tissue or even to a specific type of carcinogen. However, there is a strong link between garlic and the prevention on prostate and stomach cancers. 37 different observational studies have been done on people exploring the use of garlic and cancer prevention. Of the 37, 28 of the studies have revealed that garlic does play some role in cancer prevention.

It is important to note that these studies are observational: comparing the incidence of cancer among garlic and non-garlic consuming populations. Clinical studies are still needed for further verification, but unfortunately government funding for garlic research is limited and pharmaceutical companies are reluctant to study widely available plants that might have health benefits since there is no profit in it.

A complicated chemistry

Garlic's chemistry is extremely complicated and how garlic products are manufactured and processed greatly effects the medicinal value of its various chemical constituents. Peeling garlic and then turning into an oil or powder can actually increase the number and variety of active compounds. The peeling process releases the enzyme allinase and kick starts the process that leads to the chemical reaction that produces diallyl disulfide. Diallyl Disulfide is also formed when garlic is crushed or chopped, however if it is cooked immediately after peeling and chopping the cancer fighting benefit of this sulfide is lost. Some secientis have recommended that you let the garlic sit for 15-20 minutes after it has been peeled in order to allow the allinase reaction to occur.