[Newsletter Archive]
Oasis in the Desert
NEWSLETTER #1
Letter From Editor
The intent of this newsletter is to provide you with hints and information to guide you on your life’s journey in the pursuit of wellness. I hope that you will find the information useful and pass it on to family and friends. Approximately every other month we will provide information on various health topics that you can easily incorporate into your daily life. As natural health care professionals, our mission is to provide the best information and services we can to our clients and the public in general. Having gone through some serious health issues both as individuals and serving the public, we know how important good health is and its affect on all areas of our lives. We are all extremely busy with work, children, school, relationships, etc. However, we must find time to take care of ourselves. We abuse our bodies in so many ways, yet it is amazing how easily the body will cooperate and mend even when we just make small changes in our health and well-being. In each issue of Oasis in the Desert we will introduce to you – and for some reinforce – topics of interest to help you live a better, more balanced life. You will receive information on different areas of well-being including bodywork techniques, nutrition, exercise, beauty tips and more.
Roberta Ali
BODYWORK
REFLEXOLOGY – MAKE YOUR FEET SMILE!!
Our feet carry so much weight everyday! Even with all that we put them through on a daily basis, your feet carry the secret of wellness and relaxation also. By pressing certain areas of the foot (and hand), release of energy can be obtained, which can help the body balance itself, reduce stress, increase blood and nerve supply in the body. Even a short 20-minute session of reflexology can begin to help the body relax and bring about reduction in pain.
TIP
Have a headache? SQUEEZE YOUR TOES!! Pressing the tips of the toes (and fingers) can reduce or eliminate the pain of a headache.
NUTRITION
In this “diet of the week” society, it can be overwhelming to decide what, what not, how much and when to eat. There are probably as many diets as there are dieters! So we will provide healthful information to help you make simple, logical choses and decisions in eating.
TIP
SNACKING. Even if we eat 3 balanced meals, we can still have difficulty in choosing snacks that are healthy. Instead of running to the vending machines for something to give what we think is “energy”, choose one of these healthy alternatives. The choices below will not only taste good but provide high energy – and are low in calories:
Fix It Yourself Trail Mix
½ oz. almonds (can be replaced with pecans and/or walnuts)
¼ cup raisinschocolate-covered soy nuts
Humming Bagel
½ whole-wheat (or spelt) bagel
Top with ¼ cup hummus and cucumber slices
Soy What
1 cup chocolate soy milk
2 plain graham crackers
Apple-Cheese Wedgies
1 ounce wedge of cheddar cheese (choose white cheddar – No dyes)
Apple slices
*If you have sensitivity to certain foods, choose alternatives or vary menus.
EXERCISE
TIP
WALKING -- When it comes to exercise, many of us just can’t seem to find the time, however, walking is one of the easiest exercises we can do. Walking provides many benefits. First of all, most of us do it everyday! Walking is quite invigorating, gives you energy, it is relaxing and burns calories. It’s great for the cardiovascular and muscular systems. You can walk during most any kind of weather – indoors or outdoors. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes The main thing to remember is to stretch before and after walking and cool down afterwards.
HEALTH SUGGESTION
TIP
ARTHRITIS – The American Heritage Dictionary defines arthritis as "inflammation of a joint, usually accompanied by pain, swelling, and stiffness, and resulting from infection, trauma, degenerative changes, metabolic disturbances, or other causes. It occurs in various forms, such as bacterial arthritis, osteoarthritis, or rheumatoid arthritis".The following modalities alone or combined can help bring relief of this painful, sometimes crippling autoimmune dis-ease:
Herbs
Devil’s Claw for pain
Yucca for stiffness
Flaxseed oil for lubrication of joints
Essential Oils
Rosemary and nutmeg for pain
Cajeput for aches
DIET
Detox using fresh juices such as spinach, carrots, broccoli, kale, celery, cucumber or other vegetables, especially leafy greens. Use in any combination you choose.
BODYWORK
Reflexology -- Press the entire foot (and hand).
BEAUTY HINT -- Everyone is concerned about their looks and what you can do to look your best each day. A lot of the cosmetics, including lotions, and skin care products contact unnatural chemicals which can eventually cause more harm than good.
TIP
SKIN FORMULA – Combine flaxseed oil, lemon oil, carrot oil, lavender oil, orange oil and apply to face and body to keep the skin supple and moisturized.
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Newsletter #2
Letter From Editor
Getting and staying healthy isn't a one time event. We must make efforts to keep our mental, physical, spiritual and emotional health intact. There is NOT a miracle pill that will automatically transform us from an unhealthy person into a “perfectly” healthy person.
At THE HERBALIST, our mission is to help you make the necessary changes to your life that will add up to the OPTIMUM of balance in your life. We are HEALTH ENTHUSIASTS – not health nuts!!
The bits of information we provide here are intended to give you a boost to your journey to wellness. Should you have any questions about any of the information provided, you can contact us by email or phone (513) 521-5051. Our knowledgeable staff will be glad to help you! ENJOY!!!
Roberta Ali
BREATHE EASY! We tend to take the seemingly simple act of breathing for granted. But without it, life would not exist for long. Breathing is both an involuntary and voluntary action in the body. We don’t consciously breathe most of the time, however we still are able to decide how deep or shallow we want to breathe. For instance, in swimming, we must control our breaths – when to inhale and when to exhale to prevent water getting into our lungs.
Have you considered that most people do not take full breaths – only breathing from their upper chest and diaphragm? Most people don’t take full, deep breaths from the abdomen. Dr. Andrew Weil says, “Breath is the master key to health and wellness, a function we can learn to regulate and develop in order to improve our physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.”
Deep breaths can have beneficial effects on our health – it is relaxing, can help reduce stress, anxiety, loss inches, burn fat and even help with pain management.
TIP
Try the following and begin to get on the road to breathing easy!
1. Inhale slowly into the lower lungs.
2. Expand the sides, back, and front of the lower ribs.
3. Once lower lungs are filled, inhale more air into the upper chest.
4. Exhale air from upper chest very slowly.
5. Keep lower lungs full.
6. Contract abdominal mucles to push all air out.
7. Exhale remaining air.
8. Relax.
9. REPEAT AS MANY TIMES AS IS COMFORTABLE -- DO NOT OVEREXERT YOURSELF!
DIET
Whole Grains – brown rice, whole wheat, oats, millet, kasha (buckwheat) and quinoa are loaded with vitamins B and E, magnesium and zinc. Whole grains provide the sustained energy we need over a period of time, because the fiber slows down digestion and provides us with longer lasting energy and a steady supply of nutrients.
Dark Leafy Vegetables -- kale, collard greens, spinach, broccoli. These greens contain more vitamin C than fruit, they contain a vast amount of minerals as well as a more assimilable form of calcium than most dairy products.
BEAUTY HINT
Oily skin and acne are not only problems for teenagers, but many people in the 30’s and even 40’s can experience oily skin and breakouts. The skin is the largest eliminative organ of the body. If the body is unable to eliminate toxins through the kidneys, liver, bowels, and lymphatics it will come through the skin in the form of pimples and acne. Some of this can come from lack of water, ineffective bowel movements, and/or poor diet.
TIP
Oatmeal Facial Scrub
To deep clean skin and remove dead cells try this non-abrasive scrub:
Mix about 1 tbsp. of old fashioned oatmeal with 1 tsp. of non-fat plain yogurt.
Apply to damp skin (face, neck and neckline).
Massage GENTLY for several minutes. Rinse.
NUTRITION
Sometimes getting the daily requirements of nutrients in our body can be challenging. Wouldn’t it be nice to get your fruits and vegetables in a glass along with many of the vitamins and minerals our bodies need?
TIP
SMOOTHIES
Using a variety of fruits, vegetables, milk/soy milk/rice milk, and seasonings and you can come up with your own versions and favorite drinks. Below are just some recipes to get your started!
BETA BOOST
1 cup diced mango (fresh or frozen)
1 cup chilled carrot juice
1 cup frozen unsweetened quartered strawberries
½ cup chopped red bell pepper
Combine the mango and carrot juice in a blender. Add the strawberries and bell pepper. Blend until smooth.
MAKES ABOUT 2 ½ CUPS; SERVES 2
This drink with its red , yellow and orange colors are a good indication that it is high in beta-carotene, which the body uses to make VITAMIN A; it also contains VITAMINS B6, B12, C, D, E; CALCIUM, IRON MAGNESIUM, PHOSPHORUS, and POTASSIUM.
LITE ‘N LUSCIOUS
¾ cup quartered fresh strawberries
¼ cup unsweetened apple juice
½ cup frozen unsweetened raspberries
1 frozen banana, sliced
Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth.
MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS; SERVES 2
This smoothie is excellent after exercise. It is also good as part of a weight loss regimen because raspberries are quite low in calories. POTASSIUM that is lost during exercise is replaced with this fantastic smoothie. It also contains PROTEIN, VITAMIN A, C, CALCIUM, MAGNESIUM, SELENIUM, and SODIUM.
ENERGY BOOSTERS
The one thing that most people complain about is the LACK OF ENERGY. Even if eating right for the most part, exercising, getting enough rest – most of us would say that they could use more energy.
The lack of energy can be traced to many things such as emotional stress or distress, illness, poor diet, lack of water and more.
Check out the following herbs, oils and foods that you can incorporate to help you increase your energy levels.
HERBS
Bee Pollen – this wonderful product has many medicinal uses, but one its properties is its nutritional benefits. It is a complete blood building food. It is completely balanced for vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, fats, enzyme precursors and all essential amino acids.
Spirulina – is a form of algae that multiplies in warm, alkaline fresh waters. This complete food (with the exception of carbohydrates) has more beta-carotene than carrots, 250% more B12 than liver and 4 times the protein of beef. (Spirulina is 65-70% protein while beef is only about 18%). It helps to increase alertness both mentally and physically.
Essential Oils
Peppermint – This oil is purifying and stimulating to the mind. By placing a few drops food grade peppermint on the tongue, one can improve concentration and alertness thus increasing energy.
Grapefruit – This essential oil is refreshing and uplifting. On a psychological level, it acts as an antidepressant. It helps with jet lag and stress. It can be diffused or applied topically when mixed with a carrier oil.
