Supernatural Botanicals

As it turns out, meditation does more than relax the mind and body, it also kicks pain to the curb.  Wake Forest University School of Medicine confirms what we meditation-enthusiasts have known for years…that many of the body’s problems can be alleviated by meditation.  They concluded in a recent study that people who had a pain-inducing heating device placed on their legs were able to reduce the hurt by 40%, simply by meditating.  In comparison, morphine only decreases pain by about 25%.

Subjects in the study used the “focused attention” technique.  You can achieve this by closing your eyes, breathing through your nose, and concentrating on the air coming in and going out.  The more you practice, the better it works.  It also sharpens your focus, lowers your blood pressure, and zaps stress.

Believe it or not, this simple yoga pose has major benefits for your body.  Something that’s easy to do, yet good for you?…..that’s something we can all be on board with. 

To do a leg drain, also known in yoga as viparita karani (inverted action), simply find a wall, lay on your back and rest your legs straight up against the wall.  You can use a folded blanket or towel under your lower back to take strain off of your lower back area.  Stay in the position as long as is comfortable to you. 

Lymph and other fluids flow away from the legs and into the lower belly.  It provides a gentle stretch to the calves, back and neck.  According to the Yoga Journal, the pose also gives blood circulation a gentle boost toward the upper body and head, which creates re-balancing after standing for a long time.

This move is ultra-relaxing to the central nervous system and completely clears your mind, calms the body, and improves your flexibility.  It’s a perfect move to get your day started, or after a long day or work. 

Your body benefits greatly just by the simple act of deep breathing.  A slow, controlled breath will not only soothe the central nervous system to make  you more relaxed, but also helps your body in these ways:

• Lowers blood pressure
• Relaxes muscles
• Helps weight loss
• Increases energy
• Calms the mind
• Aids sleep
• Fights wrinkles
• Slows heart rate
• Aids in digestion
• Boosts the lymphatic system (which carries toxins away from the cells)

A morning bath can make you feel revitalized. Use a stimulating essential oil such as rosemary or grapefruit. 

Don’t stay in the tub too long, as an ultra-long bath strains your circulation and hot water dissolves your skin’s natural lipids. There is a definite correlation between bath temperatures, duration of soak and the mood your bath leaves you in.

REFRESHING
77 degrees F to 86 degrees F – Duration 10 minutes

RELAXING
98 degrees F to 102 degrees F – Duration 15-20 minutes

THERAPEUTIC
102 degrees F to 104 degrees F – Duration 10-30 minutes. To treat a cold or induce sweating.

If you feel overwhelmed and stressed on a regular basis, there’s no need to go running for the Prozac.  Your body has a built in mechanism that de-stresses you without pharmaceuticals.  Did you know that deep breathing (at least five seconds in, and five seconds out) can slow your central nervous system and help wash calm over your body and mind?  Simply breathing in and out slowly, with intent, for several minutes does wonders to calm the central nervous system.  Skip the drugs and utilize what your body already has…maybe you just haven’t tapped into yet?

If you only have five minutes for exercise today, try this five minute yoga stretch with Tara Stiles.  She’s beyond flexible….and ultra-inspiring!  A great stretch will not only elongate your muscles to give you a long, lean look, but it also relaxes your mind and recharges your batteries. 

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR4wvCYNlvk

This is one of my favorite yoga stretches, albeit, one of the hardest stretches.  It’s an amazing hip opener.  If you are a woman, you should be able to bend down further than the man in this video.  We are just programed to be more flexible than men, so go down as far as you can…and breathe into it.  Just when you feel like you can’t take it another second, take a deep breath and breathe again.  Try to stay in the pose for a full 30 seconds.  The more you breathe, the more you’ll feel your hips relax. 

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6i0d78nx2DY

Mood music to fit your every mood.  Click which one you are in the mood for, and r-e-l-a-x.

“When you go from hot to cold water, it creates an oxygenating effect and stimulates the lymphatic system.  We call this Contrast Therapy at Canyon Ranch, but you can do it at home.  First, soak in a hot bath for 20 minutes.  All your veins swell in the heat.  Then step into a cool shower, which constricts the veins, so you can get a kind of pipe-cleaning effect as the blood pumps harder and flushes out all the toxins.  It’s very cleansing.”   …Charlotte Prescott, Canyon Ranch