Natural Health

Meditate On Your Breathing

Using certain breathing techniques, meditation relieves stress naturally. With an overall sense of peace and relaxation, the mind is calmed through one of the many forms of meditation.

Some techniques are connected with religious or spiritual beliefs. Yoga developed from Hinduism. Enlightenment can only be reached through meditation in Buddhism. Jewish prayers are often meditative, and even Christian faiths used meditation, such as rosary beads in Catholicism.

However, meditation does not necessarily have to be spiritual or religious. Balancing the mind, body, and spirit is a natural treatment for stress and anxiety. First one must find a quiet place to become comfortable. There is no certain position, but many like the lotus position, sitting with the legs crossed with a straight back and level shoulders. Find what is comfortable for you as long as you choose a position that keeps the spine straight throughout the process. This is easier for circulation and deep breathing that is needed for meditation.

After choosing your place and position, you are ready to begin. Some like to stay quiet while others will hum or make a repetitive noise. Doing this with the eyes close can block out thoughts and noises allowing the mind to clear.

Certain breathing techniques and focused thoughts are often used to reach that relaxed meditative state of mind. You can start by focusing on each individual body part releasing the tension until the whole body is relaxed. A few deep cleansing breaths help clear the mind and increase oxygen in the blood. Slowly inhaling, you should count to four and exhale while counting to eight to help focus the mind.

Studies on meditation as a form of stress relief reveal that it does lower the biochemical byproducts of stress. These also show that it lowers blood pressure and heart rate, increasing positive brain waves. Unlike sedatives or other stress-relieving medicine, meditation has no negative side effects.

Meditation is effective enough in stress relief that hospitals offer it for patients that have chronic or terminal illnesses. Since stress is reported to hinder health, meditation is especially useful with those patients. Dr. James Austin of the University of Colorado found in 1999 that meditation recircuits the brain. This was later verified with imaging techniques that map brain activity. Harvard-affiliated Mind-Body Medical Institute found, along with other Boston hospitals, that meditation changes biochemistry closely linked to relaxation, such as heart rate, metabolism, blood pressure, respiration, and brain chemistry.

Proven to create life with less stress, meditation is easily growing in popularity every day.

Common Herbs And Some Specific Uses

First Aid Kit:

Charcoal for external drawing of poisons
Oil of Garlic
Antispasmodic tincture
Peppermint Oil for nausea
Sweating Herbs – ½ Elder Flower and ½ Peppermint

Liniment:

2 ounces powdered Myrrh
1 ounce powdered Golden Seal
½ ounce Cayenne
1 quart Apple Cider Vinegar

Mix together; shake each day for seven days then strain and bottle.

Gout:

Eat a minimum of four ounces of fresh Bing Cherries each day. If fresh cherries are not in season drink bottled or buy concentrate and have on tablespoon three times a day.

Hangover:

Rub a wedge of lemon in each armpit.

Migraine Headache:

At the first sign, dip a toothpick in Cayenne Pepper and sniff in each nostril.

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