Celebrating Independence as Freedom From Fear

 Independence as Freedom of Choice
Independence Day is a cause for self-reflection.  While I don't necessarily think of myself as patriotic (I've never owned an American Flag), its hard for me to miss the true meaning of this day.  Our great country was started by free thinking individuals who clearly understood they had the freedom of choice.  They could choose control and dependency on an oppressive government, or they could choose the freedom of independence and self-sufficiency.  Our country's first leaders created for themselves and for us, an opportunity to live in peace, to live with the freedom of choice to think as we choose, to live as we choose, to live within a society that supports our freedom, both as a collective in citizenship and as individuals.  The macrocosm of our free, American society is a reflection of our internal freedom of choice, as our internal microcosm of our thinking mind.  We are designed to be free within our own self, as we are within our country.  Are you living your internal design of freedom?

Independence and Freedom VS Fear and Control 
Independence Day is a day to reflect on the level of independence we have chosen to live within our mind and our loving emotional self.  Are you living your individual independence and freedom, or are you living with fear, as your ultimate self-control?  Most people live with internal warring behavior, as reflected externally in our warring world.  This is an ego-spirit tug of war as fear vs love.  It plays itself out in our thoughts as:

* I'm happy with myself /I'm not good enough
* I want to do this/I can't do this
* I love myself/ I need someone else to love me
* I feel equal/I am better (or not as good) as they are
* I feel as healthy as can be/I'm afraid of developing cancer
* My business is doing great!/How in the world am I going to pay my next bill?

Do any of these conflicting thoughts feel familiar?  These are the thoughts of a mind controlled by fear.  When we are in fear, we are unable to live the freedom and independence that is part of our inherent design.  Being controlled by fear isn't always apparent.  It may require some self-assessment.  Here are a few questions that have helped me see the level of my own internal fear that keeps me from living my true freedom and independence.  Maybe they'll help you too.

* Are there areas of your life where you feel stuck?
* Do you have things you want to do but resist doing them?
* What would you do in life if you had no fear?
* Is your life everything you want it to be?
* Do your dreams seem like impossibilities?

Independence is our Birthright
Fear is the only thing that keeps us from living the life we desire, rich with peace, joy, and abundance on every level.  Fear is a completely irrational emotion.  We are designed to live with our loving emotions integrated with our thinking mind.  In other words, we are designed to think with love, not with fear.  Healing the fear allows us to create the freedom and independence that is our inherent birthright.  It allows us to live with love, as our true design as human beings.

As Americans and as human beings, we deserve to live our true freedom and independence.  Today is the perfect day to reflect on how you can live them with greater intensity.  For me, I'm going to make the conscious choice to allow the energy of love to guide me through my life, and allow love to heal my fear and create my internal world of freedom and independence.

I'd love to hear how you will choose to live your internal freedom and independence.    

Happy Internal Independence Day!

            

Eliminating the Pain of Sciatica

Sciatica is a Real Pain in the Butt!

Sciatica is a common ailment.  Most of us have experienced it or will experience it at some time.  It is pain in the lower extremities of the body caused by the Sciatic nerve that has become irritated, impaired or even damaged.  It is literally, a pain in the butt!  The Sciatic nerve begins in the lower lumbar, runs through the buttocks, and the nerve pathway runs from there, all the way down our legs to our feet.  That is why when we have Sciatica, we can feel it from the lower back, down to our feet.  And because the Sciatic nerve is the longest and fattest nerve in the body, it can be extremely painful.  Generally speaking, the larger the nerve, the greater the pain.  Numbness, tingling and weakness are also symptoms of Sciatica.     

What Causes Sciatica?

There are a number of things that can cause Sciatica. According to Sciatica101, some of these causes include:

* Herniated disc

* Lumbar spinal stenosis

* Spondylolisthesis

* Spinal tumors

* Physical trauma

* Poor posture
* Excessive weight
* Lack of physical activity
Visit http://tiny.cc/u52mi for a more complete listing and description.

 

What Can You Do About It?

Here are just a few tips to relieving Sciatic pain.

1. Basic Comfort: Make sure your office chair, car seat and other frequent sitting spots are comfortable and not putting unnecessary pressure on your Sciatic Nerve.  A strategically placed pillow can do wonders to relieve the pain.

2. Exercise: Yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi have been used to reduce the pressure on the Sciatic Nerve, which can greatly reduce the pain. 

3. Potassium:  Some studies show increasing your potassium levels can help.  Eating potassium rich foods such as potatoes, bananas and oranges have been shown to help.

4. Water: Drinking plenty of water can reduce pain.  For Sciatica, soaking in a hot tub followed by a cold shower may help as well.

5. Alternative Therapies: If you’ve done what you can and the pain persists, alternative therapies can help.  Neural Depolarization™  http://tiny.cc/xvp4f , Massage, Chiropractic and Acupuncture have all been successful in relieving the pain of Sciatica.

(Resources: www.sciatica101.com, http://tiny.cc/8pw3t)

My Own Experience With Sciatic Pain

I had been temporarily using a hard chair as a desk chair.  Not a good idea.  Even with a cushion, the pressure that put on my Sciatic nerve caused enough suppression to the nerve, that I developed Sciatic pain.  OUCH!  This is when it comes in handy to be a health practitioner.  I was able to work on my own nerves with Neural Depolarization™, the nervous system therapy I use in my practice.  With NDP™ I was able to eliminate the pain quickly and easily.  I do give my Sciatic nerve a “tune up” on occasion, since I do sometimes spend significant amounts of time sitting at my computer.  (Who doesn’t?). This nips the problem in the bud, and keeps it from becoming anything significant.

Try NDP™ For Sciatic Pain

I use NDP™ with my clients who come to see me for Sciatica.  They too find it to be very beneficial.  NDP™ gently assists the nerves in repairing the impairment in the nerves, which eliminates the cause of the pain, and therefore the pain itself.

Here is one person’s experience of NDP™ for Sciatica:

“ I have had sciatica issues for many years. It had gotten to the point where I could not sit down and watch a movie at home without having to get up after 20 minutes or so. And then pace the room for the remainder of the show. I had 3 sessions with Carole and the improvement has been dramatic. Currently, it is hardly an issue at all--almost zero.” D.E. Cary, NC   

If you’d like more information on NDP™ for pain relief, visit www.painreliefraleigh.com

What have you used to relieve your Sciatic pain?  Please share it with us.

Achieving Optimum Health: Inspirations Gained From Parkinson's Disease

Achieving Optimum Health: Inspirations Gained From Parkinson's Disease: "What or Who Inspires You? Where do you gain your inspiration in life? It may be your family, your friends, religion, teachers or even..."

Inspirations Gained From Parkinson's Disease

What or Who Inspires You?

Where do you gain your inspiration in life?  It may be your family, your friends, religion, teachers or even a song.  One place I have gained inspiration is from my clients.  One of the things I love most about my work are my clients  In working with people who are experiencing extreme pain and significant health challenges, they sometimes become much more in touch with their internal selves; that part of us that we so frequently ignore, yet is the jewel, the diamond hidden within all of us.  From that place comes inspiration, strength and courage.  From that place comes our ability to love.  For some, whose physical lives have become so challenging, they often learn that it is within our inner most self, where we find the greatest sense of peace. 

 Disease as an Opportunity to Learn and Grow

One of my greatest sources of inspirations comes from one of my clients, who has been living with Parkinson's Disease for over 25 years.  While others choose to succomb to their illness and allow it to "become" them, their self-image, their crutch in life, this man has chosen to allow himself to see it as a gift, a source of learning, growing, self-discovery.  He has chosen to allow Parkinson's Disease to be his tool of inspiration, of learning to make the most of his life and appreciate each and every day. 

In the few years I have known this man, I have come to see him as a Superman of men.  Much like Christopher Reeve, who became a real Superman, long after his movie role, this man faces the challenges of his life as a true Super Man, who's hope is to inspire others, as he has become so inspired.  With his full permission, I am sharing with you one of his recent writings that he sent to me.  I hope he will inspire you, as he has inspired me.

"I found myself today asking aloud, “How long can I keep this up?”

This – being the whole package,….Dealing with the chronic pain, muscle stiffness, the mental slowing that Parkinson’s brings to my table everyday.

I’ve never been afraid of having Parkinson’s, never shed too many tears over it. In my engineering mind, the objective has been just to get from one day to the next.

My father taught me some valuable lessons about dealing with life. Some of his favorite lines were:

-         “You’ve got to just deal with it son.”

-         “You’ve got to play the hand you’re dealt.”

-         “Just do the best you can.”

-         “The bigger deal you make of something the bigger deal it will become.”

 

All of those statements are true.  I took them to mean “be strong, hang in there, and keep going.  Prove that you can still be successful, and not to wear Parkinson’s as my calling card. Just get on with life.

In my life, I’ve tried to prove to every naysayer that I am stronger than PD, that I was in for a dog fight, and it would not break my spirit.  The first 20 years life was a cake walk, compared to the last 10 years.  These last 10 years have been a struggle.

I’ve experienced in my life many epiphanies ……….It seems strange to say, but having Parkinson’s has been one of my greatest teachers.

But there is a dark side of PD, the depressive side, the side of the illness where no one wants to go.  It is a place where for a long time, I chose not to go. I saw little use for me to go there because I saw no value in dwelling on the down side of things.  Another reason I wouldn’t go there is because once I opened up that can of worms, there would be no turning back.  I knew that first step down into the p-o-o-p would be a dewsy.  No one could tell me how far, or how deep the drop off would be.

But there in lies a gift that has been in front of me the whole time. While I have spent my life attempting to hold my head up to be super human, so I could show everyone I could handle having Parkinson’s with grace and dignity.

I had almost completely ignored my gift.  The gift is a deep understanding of what it is to be human, and what it is to experience pain. .  Life is the most real there.   It is a raw, ugly, painful uncomfortable place, but it is where life is experienced.  It is where my heart is broken; it is where I am most vulnerable; it is a tender fragile place inside of me where the truth lies.

The feeling of complete desperation that I feel now is what’s real. I can’t fix it, or engineer my way out of it.  No success, money, or things being a certain way for me would bring calmness, satisfaction, or happiness.. Those all are just distractions.

It is from that sadness, the place where my heart is broken wide open for the world to see…. It is from that fragile state of being where I am closest to god and one with the universe.  It is from that tender vulnerable place, where I’ve learned the most about compassion for others.  It is a place where I am my weakest and I am my strongest.

 It is where many compassionate people come from, like Mother Teresa and the Dalai Lama.

It is being human. Having gone through the things I have gone through has given me the ability to relate to anyone, the capacity to live life more fully and to cope with any adversity.

Life is full of little paradoxes that have much to teach us.  I am sharing my thoughts to have an impact on your life today.

It is true, “our thoughts make our world”,…. But don’t avoid those uncomfortable places, where life’s challenges are. 

Live your life where it is meant to be. Live it where it is real, to experience the joy and the pain, and to become wiser from the experience."  J. Chapel Hill, NC

Parkinson's Disease inspires this man, he inspires me. What is it that inspires you?

How to Shrink an Enlarged Prostate

This is not exactly a comfortable subject for many people, but it is an important one.  With as many as 50% of men in their sixties and 90% in their seventies and eighties http://tiny.cc/7wrhp developing some symptoms of an enlarged prostate, its time to address the question of, How do you shrink an enlarged prostate? 

Symptoms of an Enlarged Prostate

First, a quick look at some of the symptoms of an enlarged prostate. 

Problems urinating

Frequent urination, which can include trips to the bathroom at night that disrupts your sleep

Slow urine flow

Difficulty emptying the bladder

Blood in the urine

Pain urinating

Problems achieving and maintaining an erection 

NOTE:  These symptoms may be indicative of other problems, so it is important to see your doctor for a diagnosis.

 

Treatment for an Enlarged Prostate

Conventional treatment for an enlarged prostate usually includes medication as the first course of action.  This can suppress the symptoms and offer a temporary fix, but rarely eliminates the actual problem.  Surgery is often a solution for more advanced problems, as is inserting a catheter.  Surgery is invasive, expensive and painful.  Would you really want your prostate removed?  A catheter is also not a desirable solution to most men I know.  So what is the alternative?

Alternative Treatment for an Enlarged Prostate

There are a number of alternative and natural treatments for enlarged prostates, and the bladder problems they may cause.  The most common treatment I have found in my research is Saw Palmetto http://tiny.cc/2x1aq .  This shrub has been used for prostate health for many years, and has been shown to be quite effective.  It is now so common, it can be found at most stores that have a varied selection of supplements.  Zinc, selenium and pumpkin seeds have all been reported to be helpful as well.  Many men have found some relief using these dietary supplements.

An alternative therapy that can be very effective in shrinking the prostate and eliminating bladder problems is Neural Depolarization™ nervous system therapy http://tiny.cc/h6q4l .  Why is this helpful?  When there are prostate and/or bladder problems, the nerves that go directly to the prostate and bladder will likely be impaired.  Whether the nerve impairment caused the condition or the condition caused the nerve impairment, is uncertain.  By gently repairing the affected nerves and bringing them back into a normal state of function, the prostate and bladder can also be brought back into a normal state of function.  The result?  Well, let’s just say everything should be flowing smoothly.

Does Neural Depolarization™ Really work for an 

Enlarged Prostate?

Here is what one man had to say about his experience using Neural Depolarization™ nervous system therapy as a means of eliminating his prostate and bladder problems:

 “I was diagnosed several years ago with an enlarged prostate that made it difficult to urinate.  I started medication (flomax), which helped initially, but it became increasingly difficult to empty my bladder over the past year.  My urologist commented that I would probably need a catheter at some point, which prompted me to pursue an alternate path.  I had heard Carole Hoffman speak of NDP and it made since that treating the nerves would have a positive effect on my situation.  I started treatments with Carole and after 3 sessions, I can see a vast improvement in urine flow.  I feel like I have better muscle control and that my bladder is emptying.  The treatments are non-invasive and I saw immediate improvement after the first session.   I would recommend anyone to Carole as a better alternative to medication and a path to better health.  Carole does her research and is a wealth of knowledge on natural healing and health maintenance. I'm very happy with the treatment and the result, and will recommend her to others.”  Mike, NC

If you, or someone you know is suffering from an enlarged prostate and the bladder problems that can result, consider Neural Depolarization(TM) as a safe and effective solution.  It worked for Mike, and it could work for you too. 

Imagine, sleeping the whole night through.............uninterrupted! 

Health as a Choice to Love Ourself

I went to pick up a friend at the hospital, from her Chemotherapy treatment.  I hadn’t set foot in a hospital in years.  As I walked in, I smelled and felt the air.  It was dry and of poor quality.  My nose sensed the intermingling of scents: of medications and perfumes, sterility and disease.  Absent, was the fresh smell of health.  I watched the people with an intensity of observance of a mind wanting to learn and understand.  I saw people wearing masks, employees, patients and visitors.  I wondered if they were trying not to spread their own germs, or trying not to pick up germs from the others.  Either way, I found it sad.  An awareness of irony stirred in my mind.  I sat in the waiting room, waiting for my friend.  It was difficult to pick out the patients from those who were waiting for their loved one to take home, like me.  They all looked if not sickly, at least of a much lower level of health than I have come to appreciate living.  Those who were not patients at that time, I sensed were future patients in the making.  As I watched, gathering it all in, I marveled at the focus all around me.  It was a focus on disease, lived through the energy of fear.  I wondered how anyone can get healthy, being in a place of disease.  I was glad the hospital world was not a part of my world.

 And yet, as I observed the nurses and other hospital employees interacting with the patients, I understood this to be a perfect place to learn and live compassion, caring and love.  I observed this, as I watched with a smile. Like the tender balance of the dual soul, I watched the emotions of fear and love being lived in strange harmony together, as one neutralizing the other.

Sitting in my chair, I pulled out my reading material.  It was the handout of the seminar I had just attended  with the Institute for Metaphysical Studies, “The Creation of Our Dual Soul Energy”.  Picking up where I had left off the night before I read, “We create our own level of health and disease by the energy balance or imbalance of ourselves with Earth and Nature”.  My eyes began to well up as I realized a sense of appreciation for my own choice to live health, rather than disease, and for the teachings of  Kathy Oddenino www.kathyoddenino.com and Spiritual Philosophy, which taught me the difference and that I have a choice.  As I looked around at the others visible to me, I felt sad for them and their choice.  Do they not know they have a choice, or is disease their choice?  I felt grateful to know that I have the knowledge to make my choices consciously.  Through Spiritual Philosophy, I’ve learned to value and to love my life and my health.  Learning to love is also a choice.  Embracing the wisdom of Spiritual Philosophy is how I choose to live that love.

My hope for all those I observed at the hospital is that they too will choose to learn how to live love.  A choice to live in health, is a choice to live in love....for ourself      

Weight Loss Myth: Eating Low Fat and Sugar Free Foods Will Help You Lose Weight

This one was inspired by my significant other, who came over last night with some sugar free and low fat ice cream as a treat. Ice cream is my downfall when it comes to sweets. (Two of my dearest friends are Ben and Jerry) He thought he was doing a good thing. (He gets an "A" for his sincere efforts). Unfortunately, he is under many miss-perceptions, like so many people, when it comes to weight loss and healthy eating. Perhaps you are too.

Let's Face It, Gaining Weight Is A Whole Lot Easier Than 
Losing It.

We all know that. We don't need anything making it even harder for us. Did you know that some of the things you are doing to lose weight can actually be sabotaging your weight loss efforts? Here is just one of the many myths about weight loss that I hope will make it easier for you to lose weight faster and keep it off for good.

"Low Fat" And "Sugar Free" Foods Will Help Me Lose Weight.

Nope!  On the contrary, "low fat" foods usually have a much higher sugar content, to improve the flavor. Fat actually adds flavor to foods, so without it, they have to add sugar, and synthetic additives, to make it taste good enough for you to eat it.

"Sugar free" foods usually use artificial sweeteners to sweeten them up. Artificial sweeteners are extremely harmful to your body. (You're much better off with sugar)

Both of these "diet" foods contain artificial and synthetic chemicals that harm your body. To add insult to injury, when you consume these chemicals, your body recognizes them as harmful and goes into "survival mode". This includes holding on to and even gaining weight, to help it stay balanced in the face of the unintentional abuse you just heaped on it!

The result ends up to be, the more "diet" foods you eat to lose weight, the more you gain weight!

The Myth Buster

Low fat and Diet Foods do not help you to lose weight. They can cause you to gain weight instead!

Just The Facts, Jack

If you want to eat foods that will help you to loss weight, go for the natural foods that come right from nature, or as close to nature as possible. Fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains are best. If you're eating plenty of these foods on a daily basis, then its OK to allow yourself a little sweet treat now and then. Keep it small, only on occasion and enjoy it thoroughly. No guilt Allowed! Oh, and keep it natural whenever possible. (No sugar free ice cream, please)

Do Yourself A Big Favor, And Don't Buy Into All The Marketing Hype Of The Diet Industry.

They're main interest is their profits, not your weight. Learn to read labels. They are one of the best defenses you have to protect yourself from misleading advertising and to support healthy eating and weight loss.

Stay posted for more health myth busting posts.

Do you have a health myth you'd like to have busted? Write a comment to let me know.