Happy Thanksgiving! As the holiday seasons approach--finding ways to relax and taking a few peaceful moments--can make a huge difference. Consider the following ideas--whatever ones appeal to you are are medically safe for you to engage in:

TEN WAYS TO RELAX

1. Get a massage--to let go of muscle tension and worry and to help your body remember to tune into those feelings of relaxation.
2. Practice focused relaxation--Sit or lie in a comfortable position. Support your neck and back with  pillows if you like. Scan your body and notice where there is tension or discomfort. Breathe slowly into those areas. Imagine relaxation flooding into the areas of discomfort. 10 minutes a day can help.
3. Meditate--Silently repeat a word that has little emotional meaning for you--such as "one". Give it your full attention. Let thoughts flow through, and return to your focus word again and again--letting the thoughts release, and filling your mind with peace.
4. Practice abdominal breathing--Inhale slowly through your nose. Exhale completely, squeezing the belly comfortably in. Begin by practicing 5 minutes at a time.
Try it when you feel anxious or can't sleep.
5. Soak in a warm bath--Add a few drops of an essential oil like lavender or ylang-ylang to your bath for relaxation. Or just soak your feet. Add a tablespoon of Epsom Salts to a basin, or 1/2 a cup of Epsom salts to a bathtub of warm water and enjoy--is relaxing and releases toxins!
(Be aware of allergies or sensitivities. Not for children.
Not for pregnant women or for people who are in fragile health without an MD's OK)
6. Consider Biofeedback--Check in to see if there are professional biofeedback practitioners in your area to help you develop self-regulation
over the mental and physical processes associated with stress related medical disorders.
7. Take a nap--even if only for 10 minutes
8. Take a warm shower--As the water rushes around your neck, slowly and gently drop your neck forward and stretch it from side to side.
Then circle your shoulders slowly and comfortably forward and backwards under the warm water.
9. Try repeating a positive suggestion--such as "shoulders free" or "neck relaxed". Repeat the phrase, but don't strain or do anything at all but say the phrase.
This brings an idea into your mind which may gently support muscle relaxation.
10. Consider taking a yoga class--Many people find yoga increases relaxation and relieves many of the effects of stress.
ENJOY!
Adapted from Client Education for Self Care--Information for People

​I love October because we have often spent a weekend in Door County, Wisconsin on an island. It is a peaceful place and great for artists because it is secluded from most of the outside world. In October, the air is crisp and cool, and the waves from the lake are crashing into the shore with a whoosh. My husband and I enjoy walking in the woods or down by the lake. We light a fire in the wood stove every night and settle in. We often read books or watch old movies. One of my friends and her son joined us this year--which was especially heart warming. 

What are heart warming memories of fall for you? How do you make memorable moments? How can you update the past to create positive memories in the present? Wishing you joy in what is in my area of the country--a season of brilliant and beautiful color--and a time for becoming a little more introspective and quiet. 

EDIBLE FLOWERS
(To safely use flowers and herbs-- look up both Latin and Common names. Be sure the Latin names you want to use are edible & are not on a  list of poisonous plants. Remove reproductive flower parts & pollen, stems, & damaged flower parts before using.  Check for insects.
Use organic edible flowers--and not flowers from a regular florist.) 
Be aware of your own sensitivities, allergies, and health conditions 

Edible Flower Recipe
by Jim Meuninck

Jill Meuninck
Lavender Butter, Honey, Mayonnaise

Make from fresh or dried [edible organic] lavender flower petals/blossoms.
Lavender Butter--Mix a few petals into butter.
Lavender Flower Honey--Stir a few petals into warm honey. Use with toast, tea, & lemonade.
(Do not use honey with children under 2 years)
Lavender Mayonnaise--stir a few flower petals into mayo and let sit awhile in refrigerator before using.

                                
                                                   Self Massage for Runners

Sitting on a chair or the floor or beach :) begin by using both hands to squeeze and release the upper thigh. Work downward toward your foot. Work the front, back, & both sides of the full length of both legs.

Roll the calf muscle back & forth between the heels of your hands. Work both legs from the knee to the ankle in a rhythmic motion.

Pressing deeper into the muscles of the whole leg, make circles with your fingertips or heel of your hands, working up & down both legs

Caution: If any of these moves are painful, your muscles may be very tight or you may have shin splints or some other common runner's injury. If you don't see improvement or if the pain is intense, discontinue self-massage & consult with your massage therapist or physician. Seek physician approval for self massage if you have a health condition that would limit your doing the above techniques. 
                       Information from Client Education Handouts for Self-Care--Information for People 

                          Self-Care for a Headache in Progress
           Adapted from Client Education Handouts for Self-Care. Information for People

(If you ever experience a sudden severe headache, especially if unlike anything you've experienced before--seek medical attention immediately! Consult your MD or other health care practitioners for any restrictions regarding your particular health conditions before using the methods below.)

1--Cold or hot packs. Put ice (or a bag of frozen peas) in a cloth and press it gently against the painful spot, or against the back of your neck. If you don't get relief, switch to a heating pad, hot water bottle, a microwavable hot pack, or a hot, wet towel, covered with plastic wrap and a dry towel or fleece to hold in the heat. (Use at a comfortable temperature to avoid a burn.) Try each for 15-20 minutes at a time. 

2--Brush your hair. Brush from the temple, moving gradually to the base of the skill. Do one side at a time. Then work down the center of your head.

3--Massage your head

• Use your fingers to make small circles on your forehead, temples, & scalp. Massage for up to 30 seconds in each spot. Use a comfortable amount of pressure
• Try this acupressure technique. With your thumb and first finger, squeeze a point near the base of your thumb on your other hand in the webbing between your thumb and first finger. Hold until the discomfort subsides. Repeat up to 5 times.

4--Also try neck massage. Reach around and cup the base of your neck with your palm. Using a comfortable yet gentle amount of pressure, knead the muscle slowly from bottom to top--avoiding any pressure on the spine.

5--Consider regular massage sessions, even if you must reduce the length of time of each session. The benefits of massage are cumulative and may act to present the development of tension that can lead to headaches.
 
Resources:
Headache Help: A Complete Guide to Understanding Headaches and the medicines that Relieve Them. Lawrence Robbins, MD, and Susan Long
An Alternative Medicine Definitive Guide to Headaches. Robert Milne, MD and Blake Moore with Burton Goldberg.

Here are some ways to use essential oils at home to help when you are feeling stressed or feeling "blue".

Use only high-quality essential oils. Be aware of your allergies & sensitivities when using aromatherapy oils. Only a few drops of the oils are needed. Do not take internally. Be aware of possible drug interactions--although not common with essential oils. Do not use with children. 

Essential oils for stress or the blues: geranium, rose, neroli (orange blossom), lavender, lemongrass, basil, Roman chamomile  (Some people with hayfever or asthma or other lung related conditions could have a reaction to chamomile or other essential oils, so talk with your heath care providers before using if you have lung/breathing conditions).

Essential oils can be used on the skin diluted in a base oil like almond, walnut, and grapeseed--but any good quality vegetable oil works fine.

Ways to use your oils:
Self-massage: Make your own personalized oil, by blending neroli and geranium, or lavender and lemongrass, in a base oil. It's also nice to add a few drops of basil to either of these blends.
Baths: Add 10 drops of lavender, Roman chamomile, or rose to a warm tub of water and swish!
Diffusers: A diffuser is a special device to dispense essential oils into the air without altering their components. Use as directed.

(Information adapted from Information for People--Client Education Handouts for Self-Care--from resources by Francoise Rapp & Jeanne Rose)

Areas to Add to Your Spring Cleaning List
adapted from Brooke Chaplan, Mother Earth Living article 3/23/16
​
Washing Machine
Remove dirt from vents & holes, and run a load with extra strength cleaner-if extra strength of your cleaner would be safe for you and your clothes

Dish Washer
Scrub the inside and run a cycle with vinegar to remove accumulated grime

Air Filters & Vents
If you don't, dust can be sent into the air whenever the furnace or air conditioner comes on, which could aggravate seasonal allergies

Electronics
Clean television remote, computer keyboard, and phones. [Wipe down without getting liquid into the workings or damaging the equipment.]