Archive | December, 2014

So Many Health & Beauty Benefits…

If you are not incorporating Apple Cider Vinegar into your diet and health program then you are missing out on an incredibly healthy food and medicine.

Apple Cider Vinegar is beneficial for just about every part of your body both internally and externally from your head to your toes.

We are talking about unfiltered apple cider vinegar such as Bragg’s which in addition to acetic acid (the main active compound in vinegar) also contains strands of protein, enzymes, and beneficial bacteria.

These strands are known as “the Mother”.  They are the cloudy strings seen on the bottom of the bottle and contain many of the most beneficial compounds of Apple Cider Vinegar.  It is a good idea to stir these strands around each time you reach for the bottle.

Apple Cider Vinegar is the only vinegar that is so beneficial to our health.  All other vinegars can promote yeast growth and are typically avoided on many diets.

ACV (apple cider vinegar) with the Mother actually helps to control and destroy yeast infections.

The acetic acid as well as malic acid also found in ACV is a potent antimicrobial, antibacterial, and antifungal.

Malic acid is also antiviral making it very supportive to help us avoid colds and the flu.

ACV can lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

ACV may help to lower blood sugar levels as well as improve insulin sensitivity when eating a high carb meal lowering blood glucose and insulin responses.

The Lymphatic System benefits greatly from the addition of ACV to our diets.  ACV helps to break up mucus in the body and cleanse the lymph nodes.

Needing to soothe a sore throat!  Mix a 1/4 cup of ACV with an equal amount of warm water and gargle.  You can add cayenne and honey if you wish.

This gargle will help kill of any bacteria in the throat and can also help relieve sinus infections.

As any energy boost ACV is more effective and so much safer than the energy drinks available.  Try drinking a mixture of 2tsp. ACV with 2 cups of water and see if this does not give your energy a boost.

As a digestive aid take a Tbs. in 8 ounces on water 15 minutes before a meal to stimulate digestive juices.

The apple pectin fiber in raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar helps to soothe the entire gastrointestinal tract helping to prevent stomach cramps and bloating.

Here are more uses of Apple Cider Vinegar:
dissolves kidney stones
regulates the pH balance in the body
relieves nausea
relieves heartburn (chronic reflux),
relieves asthma
relieves allergies
helps with weight loss
relieves migraines
lowers blood pressure
reduces inflammation
relieves arthritis
gets rid of toe nail fungus
clears up fungal/bacterial rashes
soothes bug bites
gets rid of warts
clears up ache/eczema
use as a deodorant
rinse your hair to control dandruff
What a gift from the Mother to help us with our healing with another “food for medicine and medicine for food”.

Together Our Hands Are Joined To Heal One Another…

Alexander Gardener
The Lymph Guy
thelymphguy.com
thelymphguy@gmail.com

Not all Apple Cider Vinegars leave the Mother in tact even if they claim to be unfiltered.  Bragg ACV is one of the few you can count on to always have the Mother there for you.

Diffusers For Sinus Relief…

Aromatherapy is the use of aromatic plants and essential oils for healing therapies – physical, emotional, and spirit.

The recorded use of aromatherapy dates back to many ancient civilizations including the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Indians, and Chinese.

Distilled essential oils have been used as medicine ever since the invention of distillation in the eleventh century when the first essential oil was isolated using steam distillation.

A French surgeon used essential oils as an antiseptic in the treatment of wounded soldiers during World War II.

Today you will find a wide range of essential oils easily available at most health food stores, perfume shops, boutiques, as well of course online.

Plants have natural antimicrobial, antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral properties.

Each essential oil will have prominent properties that make it ideal for a particular use.

For example we all know how cleansing Pine Oil is, as it so often the base for many cleansing agents as is also Lavender.

In fact Pine Essential Oil is used to protect against sinus infections and helps to clear mucus and phlegm, as well as protecting your home and body from a wide variety of germs.

I remember when living in San Francisco going to Golden Gate Park in the fall and gathering Eucalyptus leaves and bringing them home for a sinus treatment.  We would fill a pot with water, add the leaves, simmer for a minute or two, and then sit with a towel over our heads inhaling the steam and essential oils from the Eucalyptus.

This steam method is still a wonderful treatment but so much easier and more accessible is using a diffuser.

Diffusers can be as simple as the one pictured above.  In this method water and a few drops of oil are placed in the top bowl and a tea candle is lit below creating enough heat to help disperse the oils.

More effective and easier to use are the electric Ultra Sound Diffusers now readily available.

What is so wonderful about these is first they do not use heat that keeps the healing properties of the oils in tact.

Secondly they tend to disperse the oil farther around the room than most other methods.

And thirdly many have timers that allow you have it running when you go to bed and then it just turns itself off.

The benefit of dispersing the Essential Oil around the room is to help keep your whole environment healthier.  Hopefully this will help other family members, yourself, or co-workers from catching the cold or flu.

Perhaps the most commonly used Essential Oil for sinus treatment is Eucalyptus.

I recommend using Eucalyptus Globulus as it has the highest content of Eucalyptol or cineol.

Eucalyptol is also found in Camphor, Tea Tree, Sage, Rosemary, Bay Leaves, common Sativa, and other aromatic plant foliage.

One of Gardenia’s sinus support blends is a drop of Eucalyptus, a drop of Juniper, and a drop of Silver Fir.

I often will go to the diffuser and just inhale the oils as they are being channeled out into the room.

Once you start using a diffuser you will find that you will want to use one for other healing needs such as stimulating a more restful and peaceful environment or when meditating using a blend that supports deep inner workings.

Perhaps just simply using an oil that uplifts the spirit the way Peppermint will.

Or create a romantic setting with Rose Essential Oil.

The possibilities are endless as there are hundreds of essential oils to choose from these days.

Here is another tool that you will find so much relief with as well as pleasure with its use.

Together Our Hands Are Joined To Heal One Another…

Alexander Gardener
The Lymph Guy
thelymphguy.com
thelymphguy@gmail.com

Be sure to use a pure essential oil and not one blended with carrier oils or other ingredients.  Always use organic and choose a company you can trust.  If possible know the source of the raw ingredients as some are being overly harvested such as Sandalwood, Frankincense, and Palo Santo.

The Pentacle Diffuser pictured above is available from my shop Twilight Center.