Natural Health and Remedies

I’m reminded of many situations in which people have been referred to a therapist to lose weight and yet they’re just not quite ready.

In 2013, about 2.1 billion people — 30% of the world's population — were overweight. Half of the survey respondents considered themselves overweight with 50% wanting to start dieting.

While we typically think of diet change as happening when we’re actually “doing” something, a lot of critical stages take place beforehand.

Some people experience a "trigger" that propels them into taking action toward losing weight. This might be a conversation with a loved one, a realization that their weight is impeding their lifestyle or an appeal from a health clinician. Yet there are five stages to be completed before successful weight loss is achieved. You may have been very active with stage one and progressed to stage two. But stage two may need more consideration before stage three the action stage of weight loss occurs.

Stage One: In the precontemplation stage, people are not thinking seriously about changing and are not interested in any kind of help. People in this stage tend to defend their current bad habits and do not feel it is a problem. Are you in the precontemplation stage? No, because the fact that you are reading this shows that you are already ready to consider that you may have a problem with one or more bad habits

Stage Two: In the contemplation stage people are more aware of the personal consequences of their bad habits and they spend time thinking about their problem. Although they are able to consider the possibility of changing, they tend to be ambivalent about it. In this stage, people are on a teeter-totter, weighing the pros and cons of quitting or modifying their behaviour It might take as little as a couple weeks or as long as a lifetime to get through the contemplation stage. On the plus side, people are more open to receiving information about their bad eating habits, and more likely to actually use educational interventions and reflect on their own feelings and thoughts concerning their bad habits.

Stage Three: In the preparation stage, people have made a commitment to make a change. Their motivation for changing is reflected by statements such as: “I’ve got to do something about my weight, this is serious. Something has to change. What can I do to lose weight?” This is sort of a research phase; people are now taking small steps toward cessation. They are trying to gather information about what they will need to do to change their behaviour.

Stage Four: This is the action stage where people believe they have the ability to change their behaviour and are actively involved in taking steps to change their eating behaviour by using a variety of different techniques. This is the shortest of all the stages. The amount of time people spend in action varies. It generally lasts about 3-6 months. This is a stage when people most depend on their own willpower. They are making overt efforts to quit and change their eating behaviour and are at greatest risk for relapse.

Stage Five: Maintenance involves being able to successfully avoid any temptations to return to bad eating habits by maintaining a healthy life style diet. People are acquiring new skills such as learning to dance, to avoid relapse by changing social habits. They are able to anticipate the situations in which a relapse could occur and prepare coping strategies in advance. They are patient with themselves and recognize that it often takes a while to let go of old behaviour patterns and practice new ones until they are second nature to them.

So what stage do you see yourself at? Then it’s now time to move on to the next stage so that you eventually achieve your goal within the planned time frame, to loss weight and sustain healthy life style changes.

Remember it all started in the mind: Stage one!

(This article relates to The Transtheoretical Model of Change)

There are many essential oils extracted from plants, trees and flowers that contain powerful anti-inflammatory, analgesic and detoxifying properties. These can bring pain relief to the muscle spasms and inflammation which result from sports injuries. Joint and muscle pain and menstrual pains can also be relieved with the healing properties of essential oils.

Generally, essential oils are too concentrated to use directly on the skin. Use 10 - 12 drops essential oil of choice blended with a carrier oil such as grapeseed, jojoba, sweet almond or coconut oil. These vegetable oils have the advantage of being excellent natural skin moisturizers when massaged into the skin. Add diluted blends to bath water or massage affected areas. A compress for pain relief may be used by soaking a piece of cloth in a basin of warm water along with essential oil/s of choice.

According to Shellie Enteen, Aromatherapist of 20 years standing, some of the best essential oils with analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties include chamomile, sweet marjoram, lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint, rosemary and thyme. Oils which have a therapeutic, warming effect for massage or in a bath include juniper, birch and black pepper.

Muscle ache relief blend: Combine 5 drops lavender, 4 drops marjoram and 3 drops rosemary with 30ml carrier oil (Jojoba oil) and use for massage.

Coriander muscle rub for pain relief: Blend 4 drops coriander, 4 drops juniper and 4 drops black pepper oil to 4 teaspoons grapeseed oil. Massage into tired, aching muscles.

PMS cramp rub: Blend 5 drops sage, 5 drops geranium and 5 drops chamomile oil - massage affected area, rubbing in a clockwise direction.

Jasmine massage for menstrual cramp: It takes large quantities of jasmine flowers to produce a small amount of expensive jasmine essential oil. However, only a few drops are needed to produce a pleasing, soothing effect. Blend 4 drops jasmine, 4 drops sage and 2 drops lavender with 5 teaspoons sweet almond oil. Massage in a stroking motion over the abdomen, up and around hips and around to the small of the back.

Cardamom massage oil for stomach cramps: Cardamom essential oil is distilled from the seeds and has a warm, spicy aroma and a warming quality. Add 2 drops cardamom, 2 drops basil and 3 drops marjoram to 2 teaspoons vegetable carrier oil of choice. Massage in a clockwise direction over the stomach and abdomen.

Rub for painful, tight chest: Add 2 drops tea tree, 2 drops hyssop and 2 drops myrrh to 3 teaspoons vegetable oil and rub into the chest.

Massage with essential oils makes good sense. It can benefit mood, decrease stress, help prevent disease, and most importantly decrease pain.

(Source: Gary Denning Gazoint.com.au)

Is it conceivable that massage can provide more effective relief from low back pain than medication? A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine suggests this therapy might indeed alleviate back pain better in the short term than traditional interventions of medicine, bed rest or exercise: Healthday reports.

The investigation conducted by the Group Health Research Institute in Seattle involved 400 patients who had low back pain, the majority of which were middle aged, Caucasian and female. Researchers found those who were given a series of relaxation massage or structural massage were better able to work and be active than those who were given traditional medical care, such as pain pills, muscle relaxants or physical therapy.

According to The New York Times, the study's participants were randomly divided into three groups: structural massage, relaxation massage and traditional care. Patients in the massage groups received one hour of therapy weekly for 10 weeks.

At the conclusion of the 10 week period, over one-third of the patients who were given massage therapy reported their pain was much improved or eliminated completely, as opposed to only one in 25 patients who were given traditional care. Furthermore, patients in the massage groups were twice as likely to have spent fewer days in bed rest, used less pain pills and participated in more activity than the traditional care group.

Lead author Daniel Cherkin was surprised by the fact that structural massage did not prove superior to relaxation massage in relieving pain. Structural massage involves manipulating specific back pain related muscles and ligaments, while relaxation massage, otherwise known as Swedish massage, involves inducing body-wide relaxation.

The beneficial effects of the massage seemed not only to be experienced during the 10-week therapy period, but also to linger for a time following the cessation of therapy. Evidence of this lingering effect was manifested by the fact that the massage groups continued to display improved function six months after the study's onset. At the one year mark, however, no significant differences were found in the three groups.

Although the researchers were uncertain of massage therapy's exact mechanism of action for easing back pain, they voiced several theories. 1. One suggestion was that it either stimulated tissue locally or produced a general central nervous system response. 2. Another speculation was that merely spending time in a relaxing environment and feeling cared for might have been responsible for the improvement. 3. An additional factor to consider is the subjectivity that is impossible to eliminate in such studies. Patients in the control group were aware that the other groups were receiving massage and this knowledge may have caused them to discount their own progress.

It should be reiterated that the study suggests rather than proves the benefit of massage for back pain. Also, some members of the American medical community not associated with the research have expressed reluctance to accept the suggested benefits as being valid.

Conversely, the study's authors offered their assessments of its import. Cherkin characterizes the results as being "pretty strong." He states the massage was tested on patients who did not improve using the standard medical approach to back pain treatment. He feels that massage therapy is a reasonable thing to try for anyone getting insufficient relief from this malady. The coauthor, Dr. Richard Deyo, feels that massage appears to provide clinicians with another choice for managing the challenging medical problem of chronic low back pain.

Gary Denning’s comment: The more people who are able reduce their pain prescriptions in place of relaxation massage the safer the roads. Over 20 percent of the 32,166 fatal accidents in the U.S. in 2015 involved at least one drugged driver. In some states, driving under the influence of prescription pills is even more common than driving drunk. And it is becoming increasingly common for people to combine alcohol with drugs, not realizing how much the effects are amplified.

A relaxing massage for many begins the aid of healing.

(Source: Gary Dennings'  Gazoint.com.au)