Alternative & integrative health Expert Voices Today

The Second Gift of Myrrh

Last week's blog was about the three gifts the wide men brought to the baby Jesus. The three most precious commodities of the day were the essential oils frankincense and myrrh, and the element of gold. Myrrh comes from the same family of plants as frankincense; Burseraceae which means dry fire. Myrrh is a gum that it produced in Libya and Iran which is then distilled into an oil with a pleasant balsamic camphor-like, musty, incense smell. Like frankincense, myrrh was a precious oil used in fumigations, embalming, unctions and liturgical practices. The Egyptian papyrus, the Vedas, the Bible and the Koran mention numerous uses of Myrrh in perfumery, ceremonies and medicine. Myrrh was an ingredient in many unguents, elixirs and other multi purpose antidotes. More…

Three Heavenly Gifts

In the Biblical story of the birth of Christ, the three wise men brought gifts of frankincense, myrrh and gold to the baby Jesus. Essential oils such as frankincense and myrrh were highly prized as medicinal substances used to treat all kinds of illness and injuries. Since the earliest times of humanity aromatic fumigations have been used daily in rituals, as medicine and during religious ceremonies as an expression of the sacred. Fragrances have been seen as a manifestation of divinity on earth. They established a connection between humans and Gods. More…

Alternative Medicine - Does Your Insurance Cover it

The answer to this question is both yes and no. Some insurance companies cover some treatments that fall into an alternative medicine category such as chiropractor, acupuncture and physical therapy but treatments such as herbal medicine and aromatherapy are not covered. It's interesting to note that in England the Royal family uses Homeopathic medicine, herbal medicine and aromatherapy to treat illnesses. More…

Let Nature Be Your Medicine – Herbs That Heal

What most people don't realize about herbs are that they are what we call, "food stuff." Herbs are plants and as such they provide a variety of vitamins, minerals and nutrients that the body uses to both nourish and heal it's self. Records show that Herbs were used by the Egyptians, Romans, Persians, and Hebrews as medicine to treat a host of illnesses. In fact the early pharmaceutical industry was based upon the ability to isolate medicinal ingredients from plants and make them available in purer form. Nature however synergized the ingredients within plants to create an overall supportive effect. Therefore true herbal medicine makes use of the essential elements of the whole herb. More…

Everyday Foods to Keep You Healthy

There are many wonderful natural whole foods that are good for our health. In times of stress it is very important to pay extra attention to a healthy diet. One of the foods that has always been a food promote for health is the apple and since apples are coming in season now might be a good time to focus on the merits of the apple which has been the center of legends, folklore, and even religion for thousands of years. More…

All our reasoning ends in surrender to feeling. -- Blaise Pascal

Yoga offers an opportunity to get in touch with your feeling. To get in touch with your feelings you must be willing to get quiet and still. When the mind is swarming inside and the outside world is pulsating with noise it is very difficult to get close to the quietude of your soul. Your soul is the source of your instincts, hunches, and intuition. It is interesting to watch some students in a yoga class squirm and run away from stillness and quietude. Then there are others who strive to find that quiet place within. When we move into ourselves we void out the world. I think the fear is often times that we will miss something. In the deep moments of quietude one realizes there is nothing to miss. More…

Love the moment and the energy of the moment will spread beyond all boundaries. -- Corita Kent

Yesterday a friend reminded me that several weeks ago when I was experiencing a wonderful time in my life, she had told me to enjoy the moment because this was subject to change.  I did enjoy the moments and it did change.  I told her about the change that had happened and she reminded me that this was part of my life.  I had to accept the changes both happy and sad and learn how to embrace each side of the spectrum with strength.   More…

All work and no play make Jack a dull boy

Taking the time to play and to rest are probably the most important things we can do to insure we find balance in our lives.  As I am writing this blog I am getting ready to leave for two weeks vacation. We are going to Turkey and Greece.  I feel tired and ready to get away from it all and just relax.  More…

You are only as Young as you are Flexible

Probably one of the most important components of yoga or any exercise routine is flexibility.  When the body is flexible we have greater range of motion, and are able to do more physical activities. More…

You Are What You Eat

Health is a function of diet. What we eat, how we eat, and when we eat are             important elements of a healthy lifestyle.       Yoga promotes the principles of inspecting what and how we eat, for the essence of food has a direct effect upon our physical, mental, and spiritual being. Yoga is an all-inclusive discipline, ignoring no aspect of human existence, which includes our diets. More…