Thursday, January 12, 2012
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Feel like sending some healing to a friend? There’s a new way to send healing through the internet using a new "Send Healing" App on Facebook. Send Healing allows you send a hug, breath of fresh air, and other healings.
How about sending a healing to a friend or family member just for fun. They say the placebo affect is real! So in theory, an electronic hug can actually have a positive effect.
We know how many neutral or negative messages bombard us constantly while online, it seems this Facebook app is a way for people to share some positive energy with each other to help counter everything else.
Have you tried this app or one like it? What was the result?
Sunday, January 30, 2011
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GMO food is on a global rampage and recently Whole Foods and other leading organic brands have caved - publicly admitting that they no longer oppose the mass commercialization of GE crops.
The only opposition to GMO is the consumer (or you and I).
As the food giants take more and more control of the global food supply it will naturally lead to higher prices and worse quality food. With total domination of the food markets they will name their price. So what are we waiting for?
If food prices are simply going to go up anyway – why not spend more now on non-GMO food and support the local farmers and companies who are struggling to compete with the giants and who supply wholesome good food and therefore health.
There’s no more playing around. Every dollar we each spend determines who the ultimate winners will be. Every single dollar we give the corporations the stronger they get. Don’t give them a penny!
Connect with your local farmers. It can be really easy. Go to the market or jump online and order a box of food to be delivered every week (or every few days). Visit your local health food store and give them a few extra dollars.
These are the people who will stick by you. These are the people you can talk to. These are the people we will have to ultimately trust with our health. Because if we don’t – they’ll be nothing but big business deciding what we eat, drink, and pay.
Small farms and local health food stores need us now!
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
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According to a 2008 Harvard study, emissions from wildfires in North America can have important consequences for air quality both regionally and at sites thousands of kilometers from the fire. The increase in ultrafine particles in the air resulting from these wildfires can have long-lasting negative health effects. We’ve compiled a list of tips to follow if you live in or around areas affected by wildfires:
- Stay indoors and keep your doors and windows closed.
- Consider purchasing an IQAir Perfect 16 Whole-House Air Purification System or, at the very least, replace your furnace filter with a high-efficiency filter upgrade. These are available from most hardware and home improvement stores and cost $30-60.
- Run your air conditioning system. You can run the fan only, if you are comfortable with the temperature. Constantly cycling the air through your air conditioning system with upgraded air filters will remove some of the air pollutants.
- Don’t run your bathroom exhaust fans, since this can cause more polluted outside air to be drawn into the home.
- Create a safe-room within your house using a room air cleaner with a HEPA filter. This will be the room where particularly sensitive members of your family, those with emphysema, allergies or asthma can retreat.
- Do NOT use ionizers or electrostatic precipitators that are commonly sold as air purifiers. These products can exacerbate breathing problems as they can create ozone and lead to increased deposition of particulates into lung tissue.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
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Fruit is nature’s sugar. And dried fruit is nature’s answer to healthy candy. Its chewy texture, concentrated sugars, high nutrition stats and easy portability far outweighs the processed sweetness, chemicals and additives in any bag of licorice or chocolate bar. Plus since any fruit can be dried, the snacking possibilities are endless from ribbons of fragrant dried mangoes to soft and tart apple rings.
But dried fruit can get expensive especially for uncommon fruits like berries, tropical fruits and other seasonal tree fruits. So for those looking to save on their grocery bill but still eat healthy, then making your own dried fruit with a food dehydrator will in the long run, keep money in your pocket and your diet healthy.
Here is what you need to know about drying fruit:
The versatility of dried fruit
While dried pineapple, apples, bananas and raisins are all easy to find at your local grocery store, often they are prepared with added sugars, oils and preservatives like sulfur dioxide. And although most stores carry the same types of dried fruit, most fruit can be dried from blueberries to nectarines and from strawberries to cantaloupe.
Dried fruit is full of fiber, vitamins and minerals and it has an obvious longer shelf life than fresh fruit.
You can add dried fruit to yogurt, granola, cereal, or baking batter, or use as a salad or ice cream topping. Kids love dried fruit because it is so sweet. Since most of the water from the fruit has evaporated, what is left is a very concentrated form of the fruit’s natural sugars.
How is fruit dried?
There are three primary methods for drying fruit: One is to let the fruit bake in your oven on very low heat for several hours. Secondly, you can dry the fruit out in the sun for 8-36 hours depending upon the water content of the fruit and the last option is to use a food dehydrator.
How do I choose a dehydrator?
For those who are looking for an effective and timely way to dry fruit, a quality food dehydrator is an excellent option. Food dehydrators vary in size and price depending upon your needs. While there are many dehydrators you can choose from, you do want to invest in a good one so that fruit is dried consistently and that is enough tray space to produce more than just a handful of dried pineapple chunks.
Good dehydrators can cost anywhere from $200 to $500 and while this price tag may seem a bit much for a kitchen appliance, keep in mind that it is an investment in your health and in quality. Most dehydrators come with numerous racks as well as timers and temperature gauges so that your fruit is dried evenly and efficiently. Also, all dehydrators dry a lot more than just fruit.
You can dry vegetables for chips, meat and fish for jerky, herbs for cooking and petals and flowers for potpourri. The possibilities are just as endless as the variety of fruits you can dry.
- Heather Ashare, MPH
Saturday, April 04, 2009
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We're sad to announce that Meadow Stone Farms is packing up their sweet goat soap and moving to New Zealand. This small family farm in rural Connecticut has provided eZoetic with wonderful soaps made from raw, organic, full cream goat milk, generously donated by Elsa and the other happy dairy goats that have been grazing on natural pastures, grasses, and wildflowers.
We're happy, however, to give you one last chance to order from the last of Meadow Stone Farm's soaps! Choose from the Baby Animal soaps, Facial Bar, Shave Bar, Luxury Bath Bar, or the Baby Bar -- only while supplies last.
But HURRY! Orders must be placed by midnight this Sunday, April 5!!
Please note, that we know of no other raw organic goat milk soaps available anywhere in the U.S.A.!
We wish the best health and happiness for everyone in the Meadow Stone Farm family.
Warm wishes,
The eZoetic Team
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
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One of the most well known and widely used herbs is Echinacea. This medicinal plant with its prickly scales, cone flower, tall stems and pink or purple petals has been used by Native Americans for almost 500 years to treat everything from tempering a fever to disinfecting a wound. Today, Echinacea is very popular among alternative medicine doctors, naturopaths, holistic healers and even some western medical doctors.
While we tend to equate Echinacea with treating a cold, this powerful herb is actually used for a variety of ailments. Here are three reasons why and how Echinacea is used and what you need to look for when choosing an Echinacea supplement.
1. The Common Cold: Perhaps the most documented and studied use of Echinacea is its effects on colds. While there is still some debate in the medical literature on Echinacea’s effectiveness in either preventing or shortening the symptoms of the common cold, it is one of the most reached-for herbal supplements when the first symptoms of a cold appear.
A review of 16 clinical trials showed that Echinacea might be effective in reducing the incidence and duration of the common cold in adults. But since Echinacea supplements can vary widely and since independent studies have revealed that some Echinacea products are mislabeled, contain trace amounts of the substance or no Echinacea at all, it is very important that you select a potent high grade Echinacea and from a reputable and trusted company.
2. Immune Booster: Echinacea is also believed to stimulate the immune system and fight off infections. Often individuals take it to treat an infection or prevent one from starting. Interestingly, according to Dr. Andrew Weil, Echinacea contains similar active ingredients to other immune-boosting plants like the Chinese herb Astragalus membranaceous. A study in the medical journal, Lancet Infectious Diseases found that patients who took Echinacea decreased their risk of developing a cold by 58 percent as well as decreasing the duration of their cold by over a day and half.
It is believed that the polysaccharides (long sugar chains) present in the herb are responsible for triggering the activity of the immune system. So next time you’re feeling extra run down and concerned about catching something, consider taking a high quality Echinacea supplement to nix an infection before it has time to manifest.
3. Anti-Inflammatory: Echinacea is also widely used to treat inflammatory skin conditions like psoriasis or eczema. But unlike the internal ingestion of Echinacea to fight off a cold, when used to quell a fiery skin condition, Echinacea is applied topically to the skin usually in the form of a salve. Echinacea’s natural anti-inflammatory properties are believed to quiet the skin’s hyperallergenic reactions and soothe it at the same time.
Make sure that you talk to your health practitioner before using Echinacea since the herb can have interactive effects with other medications and it may cause side effects for those who are allergic to plants belong to the daisy family like ragweed, marigolds and chrysanthemums.
- Heather Ashare, MPH
Monday, March 02, 2009
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Great things come in small packages. Nowhere is this truer than with lavender, the tiny purple-blue flower that produces a powerful aromatic scent. Lavender has been used for thousands of years as a perfume, a cleaning tonic and as a healing remedy. Today, lavender is still being used by complementary and integrative health practitioners like chiropractors, massage therapists and acupuncturists as part of their regular treatment plans. It is also added to scores of cosmetics, aromatherapies and medicines because of its versatility and pleasant aroma.
With so many different uses and so simply to use, lavender is an excellent natural addition to your medicine cabinet. You can purchase lavender in two common forms: dried lavender flowers and lavender essential oil, the extracted form of the fresh flowers of the lavender plant. We recommend using the oil form since it contains lavender’s therapeutic elements in a more absorbable form than the dried flower. But keep in mind that all essential oils are not created equally. When choosing an essential oil, look for an organic and/or therapeutic grade oil. Many inexpensive essential oils have little or no therapeutic benefit. Investing in one bottle of a quality organic essential oil will last you quite some time since you only use a few drops per remedy.
Here are three simple and therapeutic benefits of this soothing and healing essential oil.
Relieve Joint Pain
Did you overextend your seated-twist stretch in yoga class or were you moving and unloading boxes all day? For relief from sore muscles or over-worked joints, swap out your Bengay and instead mix together an easy but effective lavender massage oil. Add 1 – 4 drops of essential lavender oil to one tablespoon of carrier massage oil and rub liberally on the affected areas.
If you are at all worried about smelling like a floral garden, take heart in knowing that soldiers in the World Wars were often treated with lavender oil which was directly applied to wounds or to their achy joints to relieve pain.
Get a Better Night’s Rest
For someone who struggles with falling asleep or staying asleep, consider adding a lavender remedy to your warm raw milk bedcap. From eye pillows to lavender tea, research has shown that lavender’s calming scent can improve insomnia and promote sleep and relaxation.
For a deep night’s slumber add 5-10 drops of essential lavender oil in a warm tub right before you go to bed or mix 2-4 drops of lavender essential oil in with 2-3 cups of boiling water. Inhale the vapors as you breathe deeply and smoothly for 5 minutes or more. You can also apply a few drops of lavender oil to a cotton ball, place the ball in between your pillow and pillow case and drift off to dreamland.
Treat Minor Cuts, Burns and Abrasions
Lavender is a powerful antiseptic containing more than 200 compounds that can be used to attack fungi, viruses and other microscopic invaders. When your little one has a small scrape or when you accidentally glided your arm over the hot tea kettle, apply a lavender oil tincture to your injury. While essential lavender oil is one of the few oils that can applied directly, we recommend diluting 2-4 drops of the oil with 1 tablespoon of olive or almond oil and applying to the affected area.
But just make sure that you don’t not use lavender oil directly on open wounds and keep it away from the eyes, lips and nostrils.
Although side effects with lavender oil use are rare, if you are taking medications or have skin sensitivities, talk to your health practitioner before testing out any of these therapeutic suggestions.
- Heather Ashare, MPH
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
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Nothing expresses romance more than a beautifully lit candle. With Valentine’s Day just a few days away, why not surprise your sweet with all natural candles made from 100% pure organic beeswax?
Chocolate is delicious, and flowers perk up any room, but candles exude warmth, comfort and intimacy. However, not all candles are created equal. Since we ultimately breathe the candle’s ingredients, it is important to select candles that are chemical-free and natural.
With so many different fragrances, kinds, shapes and burning times to choose from, it’s tough to decide. So we’ve done your wellness homework for you and listed our favorite picks for natural candles that will cast a warm and soft glow on your Valentine’s Day celebration.
Northern Light Lampe Pillar Candle
Northern Light candles pride themselves on taking the craft of candle making and turning it into an art form. And nowhere is this more evident in their Lampe Pillar candle. This elegant classically shaped candle is made from pure 100% organic Australian beeswax. Its slow-burn rate makes it perfect for a long evening and its subtle sweet fragrance is just enough to add a mild scent to a room without overpowering your senses.
Not only is the Lampe Pillar beeswax candle made without causing any harm to bees but to the environment as well with its eco-friendly packaging.
The Cathedral
This candle may be the candle of all candles. Poured with 100% organic beeswax, the Cathedral’s weight and burning time make this an illumination that will last for hours. Plus, since it also contains macadamia nut oil, it gives off a light nutty fragrance that enhances the sensuality of this truly supreme candle.
Goldbag Tealights
If you prefer the look of many small tealights flickering in the dark, then Northern Light’s Goldbag Tealight candles will decorate your home with a small sea of illuminations. The Goldbag includes 25 tealight candles and two reusable Australian tin holders in an eco-friendly drawstring bag. Made from organic beeswax that will burn for 7-8 hours, this set of all natural tealights is affordable, sustainable and lovely.
You can trust Northern Light’s candles for their purity and beauty as they safely and gracefully illumine your Valentine’s Day or any other special celebration.
- Heather Ashare, MPH