Some natural things to do for cold/flu..

With cold and flu season underway I have had lots of questions on what you can do to naturally fight of these things. I am a registered reflexology practitioner, not a naturopath or homeopathic, so please note these are my personal opinions and not the gospel. You can always check in with your local Homeopathic or Naturopath doctor. Minda Ahaju, ND is a fantastic Naturopath in West Mountrose and the one I go see! You can find a link to her information here.

So, first off the basics is lots of rest (sleep is key), plenty of water, exercise and take a good multivitamin! In this busy season make sure you keep going to your regular massages, reflexology, chiropractic or whatever alternative things you do! It is so easy in this busy season to just drop them and not do anything. Its your health, so take care of yourself! Some of the other things you can do is take extra Vitamin D and C to aid in preventing colds and flues. There has been lots of studies recently showing that vitamin D is aiding in preventing some flues. Vitamin D is also great to take in the winter due to the lack of sunshine we get.

If you feel a virus or cold coming on you can take a drop from Echinamide called Anti-cold or Anti-virus. There is a wild cherry flavour for kids too! Boiron makes Oscillococcinum which can be taken if you feel flu symptoms coming on and of course lots of people use Cold f/x too. Oil of Oregano is another great thing for sore throats and colds. This is sold in liquid form and is very strong. Just a drop or two is needed. I use it with a bowl of hot water and create a steam bath to inhale. Just add one or two drops and put a towel over your head tent it over the bowl. Close your eyes because it will sting if you have them open. Just sit there for 10 or 15mins and breathe it in deep!

These are just some tips that can guide you through some natural ideas! Contact a Naturopath or Homeopathic to find out more.

Remember flues/colds attack us when we are worn out and just plain tired. Take care of yourself. Get plenty of rest and water and eat well! It really does help!

Stay healthy this season!

saturday quote

Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong. The amount of work is the same.

Francesca Reigler


Same amount of work and less energy spent on happiness then being mad, sad or holding a grudge. This is advice that I particularly need to heed today. That said today's quote is as much for you as for me! My reminder to let go of anger today. Move forward. Choose to be happy. If not for me .... for my family, especially my kids. They react and feed off how I behave. Important to remember that. What I make a big deal of they do. What I blow off they do. They see me happy... they are happy. Funny how kids mimic us eh?

I'm sitting here typing as the kids are laughing their heads off watching cartoons. Life is good. These are the moments I love!

Life is good!!!!

My experience with Yoga.

I remember my first yoga experience. I'm pretty sure it was about 10 years ago. It was in the basement of a local church

. I completely remember feeling terrified as I had NO clue what I was getting into. I must admit that I did not fully enjoy my first term of yoga. My instructor was amazing, but I was impatient. I didn’t want to be slow learning the moves and what helps with what. I just wanted to do it DARN IT! Although I didn’t learn as much as I should have from that first session, the breathing techniques certainly helped with the birth of my second son.

A few years later after taking a year of reflexology I had a new appreciation for a lot of things. One of them was the breathing in yoga and the slow pace of learning moves properly. I went back and tried it again with the same instructor. This time was a different experience all together. I was patient. I learned. I stretched and breathed. I learned what moves helped with digestion and what aided sore backs. I loved every moment of it. What was different this time?

My ATTITUDE and I had GRATITUDE.

Again, attitude is everything. EVERYTHING. I shifted my attitude and slowed down and took the time to hear my instructor and her here words of wisdom. I did not brush her off this time. I listened, absorbed, and enjoyed the moments. When you learn to slow down and appreciate things change.

This lesson taught me a few things.

1. To slow down and enjoy the moment. Stop rushing.

2. Listen to those who are wise in their profession. We are always students.

3. Gratitude. Be thankful for the teachers and slowing down.

I think of her and the lessons she taught me every time I do yoga. Thank you Shanta, you truly do not know how you changed my life!

MIA, thankfulness and prayer

Wow I have been missing in action for awhile, and I need to thank Jenn for picking up the slack, she has been super busy and still managed to throw some valuable information our way. thank you Jenn for talking about the value of menu planning, gratitude and dealing with less then ideal people situations.

I have been sick my kids have been sick and now my hubby is fighting off the illness. The kids seem to have kicked it, but I still have a nagging cough, you know the kind, the tickle your throat dry hacking cough that gives you a headache and every once in awhile takes away your breath and makes you almost throw up. Yes. That kind of cough. I am on some puffers that are helping deal with the cough but it has still not gone away. My doctor assures me this is just the way it is. Everyone is having a hard time bouncing back.

Our house is still a disaster, we are digging out from under the piles of laundry that I am just to exhausted to deal with after work. Work which has been difficult because we are experiencing such a stressful time right now and it likely won't get any better until well into the new year. Work that just doesn't seem to go away so the longer I am off sick the more work I have to come back to. Work where everyone is under stress to preform above and beyond. Yes its fun.

Plus trying to get my act together so that I can plan and excute some kind of Christmas this year, since a couple of people I know so "gently" remind me EVERYDAY on their facebook updates HOW MANY DAYS THERE ARE LEFT UNTIL CHRISTMAS! No pressure!

However I do try to stop at some point in the day and say a quick thank you for all I do have and to say a quick prayer for those having a harder time then me.

I am sick, but I am not hospitalized and neither were my children - thank you
I pray for those that are at a loved ones bedside as they watch and wait
I am thankful that I am working and will be able to provide food and a special gift for my family
I pray for those who have been laid off or lost their jobs and don't know what they will do this holiday season
I am thankful that I have friends and family that have been there to support and help me through this
I pray for people who feel alone or who are alone, I pray they will find someone to count on

We are so thankful that we have no "obligations" this weekend, we have been able to relax, recouperate and have alot of family time this weekend and it has been good for us.

Here's hoping that you will be able to take some time this Sunday to be thankful and say a prayer or make a thoughtful gesture to someone in need.

Some tips for keeping this illness at bay.

Hand Washing
drinking warm liquids everyday
gargling with salt water
take a q-tip and dip it in the salt water and gently swab your nostrils

All these tips will help kill bacteria.

If you can, get vaccinated.

Take care all!
Shann

Energy Vampires...

You know what I'm talking about. The people the SUCK the life right out of you. They drain your positive energy and leave you feeling like CRAP. Yep we all have them in our life.

How they drain you?

• they complain not stop about everything around them
• make mountains out of molehills
• complain about their job, their spouse, their kids or anyone else
• don't take no for an answer
• they nag at you till you feel yourself becoming as negative as them
• oh and remember its never their fault. No ownership in problems. Pass the buck and pass the blame
• they are never happy with the weather, the time of day, the season, the day of the week, you, what your wearing ect. ;)
  
• any suggestion of positivity and they just get mad
• some lie
• gossip non stop
  
• drama queen (or king what the heck equal opportunities)
  
• everyone is out to get them...always

Now I'm sure many of us could add to that last too. Not every energy vampire in your life does all the above, but I'm willing to bets a chunk of them are there.

They need our positive energy, but in the meantime they literally suck us dry. We end up feeling miserable or tired, run down and worse yet, negative!!! I know for myself that after dealing with a few of these people (or even one depending on the day) I just feel exhausted. All I want to do is curl up on the coach and have the world leave me alone. Sad isn't it?

We've all been there. We will more than likely be there again.

What can you do?

Avoid them. Sometimes easier said then done. If you are able to cut them loose, do so. Why spend time with people that make you feel horrible. But in many cases, we are not able do that, so we have to deal with them. How?

• limit your time and interaction with them
• tell them it is a pleasant day and I'm sorry you feel that way and walk away
• have a buffer, someone else with you so you don't get the full hit
• avoid as much as you can
• pump yourself up in a positive way before you interact
• smile .... it normally gets them every time.
  
• schedule some me time to rejuvenate after dealing with them if you have to
• do not give away your positive energy, tell them to stop and say something positive right this second ;)
  
• ask them if what they are complaining about is a real problem or just a gripe!
  
• do not accept responsibility for their feelings
  

The bottom line is we have to deal with these kind of people and as we said in the past.... ATTITUDE is EVERYTHING. How you react to them is key.

Feel free to add to those lists in the comment section.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Wednesday and has no Energy Vampires in their life today!

Gratitude...

It is Sunday evening as I type this. I just finished writing in my gratitude journal and I thought maybe I should share a few things on here! I really do try to write out a few times a week a list of what I'm grateful for! It helps make me happy, loved and appreicate life just a wee bit more! ;)

1. my wonderful husband
2. my kids (and yes even the ways they are changing)
3. my trip to NYC this spring
4. CHRISTMAS is less then 40days away
5. my new treadmill (yes I'm even using it!!!) lol
6. watching the boys play hockey :)
7. Gingerbread lattes from starbucks (little piece of heaven)


Whats on your list???
jenn

Fabulous Friday....

“Life is a series of experiences, each one of which makes us bigger, even though it is hard to realize this. For the world was built to develop character, and we must learn that the setbacks and griefs which we endure help us in our marching onward.”

—Henry Ford

Love this quote! Life is experiences. The good the bad, the ugly. All of it. How we react to that experience is what matters. Builds character. Again good, bad and ugly, its all there. Life is attitude and how we view it and react to it!

Today hasn't been a balanced day for me, I cannot say it was really a fabulous friday. To tell you the truth it was far from it. I know Shannon is going through some similar experiences too! Hey at least we fall off the balance wagon at the same time! But life handed me a few things and I'm getting back on track. I have some amazing friends that help do that and I got the best email from my aunt today! A link about a new treatment for MS!!!! Very cool! You can check it out here. All in all today is ending well.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!