Creating Inner SunShine!

Sunshine is a body, mind, and soul soothing ray of warmth. We smile more and laugh more when the sun shines. The warm sun on our skin just feels good. The bright light entering our eyes triggers good feelings.

The sun's rays create physiological responses in our bodies. One does not need the scientific reasons behind this. Common sense tells us the sun is just good. Plants starved of sunlight wither and die. Animals locked away from the sun wither and die. The logical conclusion is that sun is good for hum-animal!

Sun on your skin is what produces vitamin D (remember that Vit D is a hormone not a vitamin). Sun light to your eyes regulates many hormonal processes in the human body: serotonin, melatonin, endorphins of all sorts, regulate the cycles of night and day (this is apparent in the cycling of a female's reproductive functions), and so many other hormonal functions necessary for life on this Earth. Worshipping the sun is a fine thing to do. Without the sun life would not exist.

Here I sit in Northern NY State. I have to say it has been a gloomy late fall and early winter. I can count the sunny days in the last month on about 1 hand (with fingers left over!). Clouds, I have seen many clouds these past 4 weeks. 

Now today was sunny.  Wow, what a gift to body, mind, and soul. I hope everyone took advantage and soaked up and soaked in a bit of sunshine; even 10 minutes outside in the deliciously cold and yummy sunshine.

What is a person to do when we have days and days, weeks and weeks of very little sunshine? My first answer would be the obvious: get out of here.  Head south, friend, head south!  For most of us that is not a possibility. The trick is to learn how to create inner sunshine; how to raise our feel good hormones despite the lack of obvious sunshine in our days and life.

When my youngest son was 8 years old, his wise 'lil self said these words to me:  

"When you lift the corner of the clouds, the sun is always shining."  Eli 

I was taken aback by his wisdom. He was speaking more of human sadness but the words hold true here...

1. Get outside and get as much natural light as you can, every single day in every season. Even if it is cloudy, the sun is still there working magic with your hormones and health. Think about it... a solar panel still makes electricity on a cloudy day and a sun flower still follows the sun on a cloudy day. Get out there and create your own electricity (life force energy) with the sun's rays... even when they are behind a cloud. Be a sun flower and follow the sun's rays. Lift the corner of that cloud in your little world, metaphorically speaking, and get some natural light.
2. You will get fresh air too. Again, this is life force enhancing. Get outside; you will be glad you did. Ditch the stationary bikes and XC Ski machines in the winter. Put on some Yak Traks, or similar boot sole (soul) enhancement, and go say hello to Old Man Winter. 
3. 100% Whole food diet. Seriously, do I need to say more about this?
4. Pets: Having a pet to love and care for (and love you right back) is a huge creator of inner sunshine. Don't believe me? Try it. But only if you genuinely want to pour some love into a friend and have it come back to you 10 fold.
5. Plants: Yes, get a plant and talk to it. Water it. Having a green plant growing in your home is something that you can love and care for. Grow an indoor herb garden that you can take little bites of to improve your mood: peppermint, rosemary, parsley, sage, lavender, oregano, basil... just have a window handy that gets plenty of light (even if the sun is not shining).
6. Whole Health Lifestyle Choices. Another area I rant on about... Is anyone listening to me?
7. Yoga... Yes, I love Yoga and all it has invited into my life: body, mind, & spirit healing.
8. Acupuncture: I have extolled the virtues of acupuncture many, many, many times and I will again, over and over. Want a happy sunshine lift? Go get acupuncture.
9. Massage: Massage is a great way to increase your endorphins.  It is sunshine rubbing your muscles, energy transfer from another human being who is a storehouse of solar energy. Think about it: all of the food we eat is stored solar energy. A human is stored solar energy. 
10. Reiki or any other kind of healing energy work that speaks to you and your personal needs. Just do it; you will feel lighter, brighter, sunnier, and happier. Learn to do self-Reiki. 
11. Have FUN.  Laughter and fun ups the feel good hormones.
12. Volunteer and make someone else's day, or life, better - brighter - sunnier.

Bye Bye Back Pain (cont.)

Last week I wrote a post about kissing back pain goodbye. I was not finished when I finished! I have a few more thoughts and suggestions to offer.

Suggestions #2 and #4 I mentioned previously and I am re-writing; reminding you again of their healing virtues.

1. Stop doing whatever activity is disturbing your back health. This suggestion is sometimes easier said than done. For example, vacuum cleaning can be rough on the low back. Paying attention to body dynamics and how you actually push the vacuum cleaner (whole body push vs. pushing by bending from the waist, waist pushing creates and exacerbates the low back problem.)

2. Acupuncture helps to relieve the inflammation allowing the body to go back into alignment.

3. Yoga is an amazing whole body wellness tool and creates a good "aahhhh" feeling in the back.  http://www.yoga-loft.org/  Yoga builds core strength: strength in both your abdominal and back muscles. This strength of core is a gift to your spinal health. Strong muscles support the spine and your whole body has better posture and carries you through life like a dance.

4. Chiropractic care helps to put the body back into alignment. Here in Potsdam, NY we have BodyWorks Chiropractic Care: http://www.potsdambodyworks.com/    Dr. Roy and his wife have a beautiful healing practice.

5. Ma-Roller: The MA Roller is a self-massage tool that gently stretches the spine and deeply massages the anti-gravity paraspinal muscles, like very deep-tissue work.

This tool helps to relieve pressure points and get the kinks out.

How to use the Ma Roller is explained quite well on the website link above.

I have one, I use it, and I love it.

6. Lumbar Extender: This little gem is great for returning the natural curve of the lower back relieving pain and inflammation created from incorrect posture (the low back bulging out instead of curving inward) and poor sitting habits.

The Lumbar Extender is used to help relieve chronic back pain, correct postural imbalances, restore the natural curvature of the back, and improve flexibility in shoulder and back muscles.

I have recommended this "back bender" many times over the years. It has helped relieve disk problems and avoid disk surgery.

Me, draped over my back soothing device.

I confess, I receive zero kickbacks for suggesting these products. You can find them on eBay and Amazon, new and used. Do not buy the knock off version of the Lumbar Extender called the Back Magic. The story is that the less expensive product is made with lower quality materials that have been known to break soon after purchase.

I have had the lumbar extender for 15 years; no damage, wear, or tear!

Cheers to a healthier back in 2015

                                                                                                            Join the School of Self Healing to learn more health enhancing skills To place in your own medicine bag & use in your daily life and quest for vibrant health!  

Click image above or one of the links below to learn more information and get Self-Healing today!

http://www.paulayoumellrn.com/buy-a-home-study-course-begin-the-self-healing-fun/

http://www.paulayoumellrn.com/school-of-selfhealing-welcome-page/

http://www.paulayoumellrn.com/online-classes-1/

The Protein Powder I Would Make and Use

Do you use protein powder Paula?

Should I be buying and using protein powder?

What is the best protein powder to use, the best base substance the protein comes from?

Answers: No, No, and Real Food.

A protein powder is derived from some food that the protein has been removed from. This creates a concentrated protein.

Let's be mindful around the food we eat. Protein powders are refined food products. The protein has been extracted from the whole food. Why not just eat the whole food? And, how exactly do they, whoever they are, extract the protein? Chemicals? Extreme heat? 

Mindfulness: Eat whole food.

The above powder ad says it is made from pea, hemp, chia, potato, and chlorella protein... (keep reading below the picture!)

www.bodyunburdened.com

Instead of Refined Isolated Protein Powder From These Sources, Try this:

• Buy hemp, chia, sunflower, golden flax, pumpkin, and sesame seeds. Organic and raw, of course. 
• Measure 1/2 to 2/3 cup of each into a mixing bowl.
• Blend them together well.
• Pour into a wide mouth quart canning jar.
• Use 1 to 2 (or more to your liking) tablespoons in your morning oatmeal, granola, smoothie....

You now have the benefits of a whole food, not just the refined out, isolated protein. You get the healthy fats, the fiber, and all the nutrients that are lost in refining of a whole food into just the protein powder.

Whole foods feed your body cells for:

1. healthy cell regeneration
2. preventative medicine
3. healing medicine

Wapatuli Pie Recipe

I remember Wapatuli Punch Parties from my college days... all too well. A cooler full of fruit juices, fruit chunks, and vodka-rum-whiskey and the party was on a roll. 

Call me old but I like my Wapatuli pie better!

When Jake asked me to make him an apple pie I was low on apples. I combined apples, cranberries, blackberries, and blueberries (all local fruit I froze over the summer, apples fresh from Martin's Farm Stand). I chuckled as I was making it as my mind immediately went to college Wapatuli Parties!

Pie Filling: 

• 2 large apples cut into bite sized chucks, leave skin on for the nutrients and fiber
• about 1 cup of each berry, add more to have enough to fill your pie plate
• 1/2 cup of sucanat, unrefined sugar

Pie Crust:

• 2/3 cup of a mixed flour blend: quinoa, amaranth, millet (I grind myself in my electric coffee grinder)
• 1/3 cup dark buck wheat flour (why the crust looks so deep brown)
• 1/2 cup each coconut flour and almond flour. I only used these as I was out of the above mix blend and did not feel like grinding more.
• 2/3 cup pasture raised butter
• 1/4 tsp. unrefined sea salt
• 5-6 tbsp. cold milk, the coconut flour soaks up more fluid as I usually use about 2-4 tbsp. cold milk
• extra flour for rolling out crust, I used the buckwheat flour

A whole grain crust is a much tastier way to enjoy pie. It has flavor unlike refined, white flour crust which taste like baked wall paper paste and butter. The butter is its flavor saving grace!

Place all ingredients into a food processor and process until the whole mess rolls into a ball. Cut ball in half and roll into pie crust and make your pie.

Whole grain pie crust can be crumbly. (See picture at bottom. I had to piece together a few patches!) Take time and be gentle with it. I use a cotton mat and a cotton sock cover for my rolling pin. I bought these in a package kit at Evans and White's Hardware in Potsdam.

Put the pie together and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, just until it starts getting bubbly. There is no need to over cook fruit.

Enjoy!

Healing the Collective Mind, Body, & Soul!

Human… Heal thyself! 

Healing literally means to make, return yourself, to whole–whole in mind, body, and spirit.

Healing is natural

I write this to remind everyone of their own innate ability to heal.  Healing is the norm.  If you cut your finger, it heals without intervention.  Every part of your body is capable of healing if it is given what it needs to heal and thrive.  This is a Vitalist philosophy of healing:  healing comes through nature.  You are nature; therefore, healing comes from within you and through you.

The responsibility to care for our bodies, to ensure lifelong health, prevent disease, and heal is ours.  Healing is not about what you are giving up; it is not about deprivation.  It IS about what you are inviting into your life: the choices, changes, and additions that will open doors to healing, health, and happiness in ways you may never have imagined or experienced.

Healing your own body is a supreme act of self-responsibility.  It means taking control of aspects of your life that have often been left in the hands of the modern medical professional. “You are in the driver seat, Doc. I will do whatever you say.”

Self-responsibility would change the above statement to,  “Thanks for being here to support me, Doc. This is how I plan to handle this health crisis.”

“If you don’t take care of your body, where are you going to live?”      Unknown

Healing is a simple equation:

Remove the cause(s) of your health issue + add in healing choices = healing, returning to whole!

10 steps to start on your self-healing path:

• Remove the causes of your disease.  If you are diabetic, this means removing sugar, in all its forms, from your diet. Lung disease?  Stop smoking or exposing your body to the toxins creating the lung challenges.  Find a healer who can help you with the task of discovering the causes of your health challenges.
• Add in whole foods.  Whole foods heal the body by feeding your body cells with nutrients.  Refined, factory made foods deplete the body of nutrients.  You want to nourish the body, not deplete it.
• Add in herbs that heal the health challenges you are facing.  Every organ system has herbs specific for healing that system.  Herbs are whole foods.  Herbs feed your body cells.
• Movement.  Movement, daily exercise, increases circulation to every body cell.  This brings more oxygen and more nutrients to each and every body cell.  This IS healing! I call this Movement Magic! Increased circulation also removes the waste products, toxins, from each and every body cell.  Again, this is healing!
• Movement Outside!  Engaging in your daily movement outside has the added benefit of fresh air and natural light.  Fresh air and natural light are amazing healing tools for every body cell.  Both help your body to produce the hormones that balance the nervous system and create happy, feel good emotions. Feeling happy and emotionally balanced sends ripple effects of healing throughout your body to every cell.

 “Just lift the corner of the clouds and the sun is always shining.”  Eli Schechter 

• Sleep.  When we get to bed, to sleep, before 10 p.m. each night, our bodies work in rhythm with the earth’s circadian rhythm. This is poetry in motion; magic healing energy to your every body cell.
• Get plenty of juiciness in your life!  Hydration is a must for keeping body cells working at their optimum levels.  The internal structures, organelles, of each and every body cell need proper hydration to do their jobs.  If your cellular structures are doing their jobs, your whole body is functioning at optimum performance.  Your cells are your building blocks!  Get your juiciness from pure water, herbal teas, and fresh produce every day.
• Juiciness in your emotional and spiritual life is also essential for health and healing.  When we connect with people we love, who love us, when we have support in our lives, have people to tell “our stories” to, and have people we listen to as they tell their stories, we produce oxytocin.  This is the feel good hormone, the hormone of love.  Oxytocin is also the antagonist of adrenaline, the stress hormone.  Oxytocin helps us to relax, release stress, feel love, and heal mind, body, and soul.  Find some juicy friends in your life.
• Kindness.  Create and live from a space of a healthy attitude toward yourself, all others on this planet, and life in general.  Practice a kind attitude towards all, starting with you.  Self-care, and its ripple effects for your health and how you perceive and interact with the world, cannot be  emphasized enough.
• Energy Healing.  Energy healing helps us to release blockages in our body’s internal energy system, the chakras and meridians.  When life force energy flows freely to every body cell, this is healing energy.  Find a form of energy healing that works for you and use it regularly to shift the healing, life force energy in your body.   Energy healing to try includes acupuncture, acupressure, reiki, yoga, Tai chi, Qi gong, Tae kwon do, prayer, meditation, massage… to name but a few.

Taking one step at a time can create huge changes in your health, happiness, and vibrant longevity. Step up to your plate of health and healing today.  Ask a holistic health coach for support on your healing path. This one action could bring some juiciness, oxytocin, into your self-healing equation.

See my bonus pages for more tips on incorporating healing changes into your juicy life!

Every person who self-heals adds one more healed being to the collective mind, body, and soul. These actions, in your personal life, make the world a better place for every living being.

Get healing and, please, tell me your story!  

My Happy, Juicy, Life Announcement:

My next book... Early Morning Coffee & Donuts will be out before the end of this year, 2014.  OK, so my fingers are crossed that all goes as planned with the publisher!

Are you chuckling yet?  A book about coffee and donuts from Paula, seriously?  Maybe, just maybe, it is more than you think it is.... read what it IS about here: http://www.paulayoumellrn.com/book-2/

Cheers of good health to you in mind, body, and soul!

My Whole Food Vitamin

Have you heard of Bullet Proof Coffee? This is my bullet proof, whole food, vitamin & mineral morning drink.

Body cells need nourishing. Whole food eating is my basis for nourishing my and my kid's body cells. In today's world, our bodies can use every bit of extra cell nourishment we can get.

Recipe:

• 1/3 to 1/2 cup water, gently warm (not hot!) before adding to your blender. This helps the butter blend in.
• 1 tbsp. butter or coconut oil, your choice, I go with pasture raised butter. This helps the body better absorb the fat soluble nutrients.
• 1 1/2 tsp. turmeric - ginger blend
• 1 heaping tbsp. Superfood Plus powder formula
• 1 to 2 mg of iodine drops, when I remember to add it
• 1 tbsp. organic fruit juice concentrate (I use this for my kid's doses as a flavor enhancer. Cherry and grape concentrate work very well.)

****I added to my mix on 10/22/14:

OK, so I just watched the 9th video in The Quest for the Cures series: http://thetruthaboutcancer.com/live/episode9.php 

This is The Truth About Cancer video series that talks about cancer; what cancer really is and how to cure the body naturally.  I am going to add fresh black pepper to this mix!  Fresh as in you do not cook it and best when ground from whole peppercorns.

Blend all the ingredients, gently.

To make it easier, less cleanup, use an 8 oz jam jar. Add the warm water and butter and shake until melted. Add the rest of the ingredients and shake well; lid on please. It makes quite a green mess if you forget the lid!

The turmeric-ginger blend. I buy in 1 lb. bags from Frontier herbs; organic of course.  Available through the Potsdam Food Coop or Nature's Storehouse - support your local health food store!

This is the Superfood,  www.herbdoc.com. The chorella and spirulina are potent heavy metal detoxers.

There are many green food powders on the market. Try your local health food store. To find one, read ingredients carefully for 100% whole foods. This SuperFood Plus is available wholesale which considerably cuts down the cost. I keep it available and share my wholesale discount. 

My indoor herb garden. I chew sprigs of the herbs daily for their medicinal, healing properties.

Last winter the kids and I took Juice Plus over the winter months. We had a great winter, in regards to our health, and avoided all the viral bugs that swarmed about us. We may add JP again this winter. Juice Plus are blends of fruits and veggies that have been juiced and low heat dehydrated. Basically they are fruit and veggie juice powders.

What do you do to add extra, whole food nutrition to your life? Share in the comments. New ideas are always good!

Holistic Healing Taste Testing

I decided to do some taste testing of the holistic healing options in my Northern NY State. As I taste test around Northern NY I will report on my findings.

If any of the healing options speak to you, try them out and report back to me in the comments.

Acupuncture:  Ok, I confess, I have used and LOVE acupuncture for over 16 years. The taste test was successful after my very 1st acupuncture treatment. I guess I could say I have become a regular consumer! Acupuncture has helped in healing my sciatica, headaches, low back pain, and menstrual issues (I am sure there have been more!).

Originating in China, traditional acupuncture is the oldest continuously practiced medical system in the world. It is based on natural laws that describe the flow of life energy both in nature and in the body. Acupuncture addresses the needs of the whole person and has the best results when patients use it in conjunction with other health promoting attitudes and behaviors.Well known for relieving pain, traditional acupuncture is actually a holistic approach that addresses body, mind, and spirit.

I recommend you try acupuncture with Shelby Connelly and Five Elements Living. I am certain you will find it a tasty way to support your healing!  (315) 262-2622

• • addiction
• • common cold
• • migraines
• • allergies
• • depression
• • mood swings
• • anxiety
• • digestive disorders
• • menopausal symptoms
• • fatigue
• • sciatic pain
• • back pain
• • fertility issues
• • sinusitis
• • bursitis
• • insomnia
• • arthritis
   

Stalking the Wild Nettle

Nettles are my favorite healing herb. This fact about me is something I do not hide. Now I have plenty of other herb friends, both cultivated and wild, that run a semi-close second in my favorite herb department. Nettles are #1!

Nettle seeds

In the above picture you are looking at the beautiful tiny seeds that dangle in strands from the nettle plant. These seeds are powerhouses of nutrition for nourishing thyroid health.  The dose is 1/4 teaspoon daily. I would take this as 1/8 teaspoon, twice daily.

To dry nettle seeds I cut the entire stalk at the base and hang them upside down in a warm and dry space. Make certain you have a screen or something similar underneath the hanging plants to catch any falling seeds. When they start to dry, I carefully cut each strand from the stalks. I put them in a paper bag, poked with a knife to make many air holes, and hang the bag to completely dry the seeds. Leave the top of the bag wide open for better air flow. You can also use a very fine mesh bag to hang and dry the seeds.

The remaining stalks can be left to dry out the leaves. Again, trim the completely dried leaves off the stalks and store them in an air tight container. You now have dried nettle leaves for adding to soups, stews, sauces, and for making healing tea.

The beautiful nettle plant displaying her seed strands.

Looking straight down at the nettle plant. The seeds strands form a whorled pattern about this beautiful, healing plant.

Nettle's many healing gifts to your body:

• strengthens the kidneys and adrenal glands
• builds natural energy from the inside of the body (which is the opposite of coffee's effects in the body, coffee wears out the adrenal glands, nettles builds and heals the adrenals
• nourishes the hair and skin making you shine with vibrant health
• is an adaptogenic herb, helps a living organism adapt to stress (adrenal health!)
• rebuilds and restores the body cells as nettles is a powerhouse of nutrition
• great for reducing allergies on its own or make an herb honey with raw, local honey and nettle puree, take 1/4 teaspoon twice daily (This is basically making a tincture using honey as the base.)
• great for nourishing the male and female reproductive tracts
• nourishes thyroid health and contributes to body weight balancing

This is but a partial list of all the benefits nettles has in the human body. I suggest you become friends with nettles and learn all you can about her healing ways.

What you are observing, below, is a chicken nettle salad sitting on top of a romaine lettuce, carrot, and cucumber salad. In the upper left corner is a big dose of my late spring, wild leek infused sauerkraut. I got carried away and made 8 quarts! 5 quarts down, 3 quarts left to enjoy!

Chicken Nettle Herb Salad

• left over chicken breast from dinner at the ADK Cafe in Keene, NY. If you are ever passing through here, stop and eat. The food is divine, the meat is local and pasture raised!
• sprigs of fresh rosemary
• fresh chives
• nettle top leaves
• homemade mayonnaise made with 3 tablespoons whipped heavy cream, 1 small egg's yolk, and a dash of yellow mustard. I whipped the cream well, added in yolk and whipped some more, then added mustard. The cream and eggs were both from local, pasture raised animals cared for with love.

The chicken was chopped up, mayo blended in, added in the chopped herbs and nettles, and stirred all together. I plopped this decadent chicken salad on top of my veggie salad (all local veggies from Martin's Farm Stand) that was dressed with my homemade herb vinegar dressing. The finishing touch: wild leek sauerkraut!

Eat healthy, eat whole... your body cells with thrive with vibrant, radiant health!