Spring Allergies - Move your lymphatic system

Spring is a phase where life comes out of dormancy, waking and warming back up.  River ice melts flowing fresh water to areas of need and animals start grazing on plant shoots to regain energy from sparse winter conditions. Our bodies, going through similar cyclical changes having bared the winter weather uses this time to wake up and move stagnation. The body uses the lymphatic system to assist in the removal of stagnation.  Waste or by-products from tissue travels by way of the lymphatic system towards the heart through lymphatic vessels into and out of lymphatic nodes and onto lymphatic ducts draining into the circulatory system to be filtered and removed.  This whole system amazingly works against gravity without any muscles from within. Pressure from the outside is what moves both superficial and deep lymphatic vessels. The deep lymphatic vessels exist underneath muscles where movement contracts these muscles compressing them and pushes the fluid upward. Superficial lymphatic vessels lay underneath our skin and are compressed by gentle pressure, the weight of a dime. This is the purpose behind skin bushing and light touch massage. 

So what does this have to do with allergies? Allergies are a result of the immune systems response to something in the environment on hyperdrive triggering the immune systems army (cytokines, prostaglandins, other fancy medical terms) to check out the situation and respond if needed. The troops can respond via the lymphatic system they can also rest there-in the nodes- or circulate back.  Now remember it’s spring, your body is still waking up. You may have not quite cleared the winter crud’s or moved your muscles well enough to remove waste so stagnation and immune system activation can create the perfect storm and back-up fluid or waste. Think of this like a clogged kitchen sink. This is when physical symptoms usually start. Not always disease-like more so quality of life concerns: heaviness, fatigue, sluggishness, congestion, etc.  So now, how do we spring clean your lymphatic system to prevent symptoms?

1. Diet-Foods fresh, light, and green. Baby salad greens, dandelion greens, sprouts, fiber rich and fresh.  Lots of hydration.
2. Exercise-Rebounding exercises help the fluid flow back toward your heart like walking on real earth, rebounders, trampolines, etc.
3. Thoughts- It’s a new season. Time for regrowth, new beginnings, and change.  What stagnated thoughts of yours need reframing?
4. Medicine-Think green!  Green’s drinks, cleavers, ocotillo, nettles.  Cleavers grows like a crazy weed in Austin. Harvest a clean patch and brew tea!  Lymphagogue is the herbal term used for herbs that circulate the lymphatic system.  Nettles are a great possibility for allergies because they also have an anti-histamine like effect.  Now remember the clogged sink analogy.  You do NOT want to stimulate circulation when you are not eliminating therefore caution with constipation.  
5. Lymphatic massage. Make sure to only use the pressure of a dime and circulate towards the heart. Too much pressure can collapse the superficial vessels keeping the fluid from flowing properly.  See the video below for an explanation of a simple head and neck lymphatic massage technique.

These Statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.  They are not intended to replace medical diagnosis or treatment.  If you or your family feel ill it is in your best interest to seek professional medical advice.

Increase your receptivity to Healing

Have you ever wanted to try energy healing but something holds you back?  It is good to recognize resistance from within.  Sometimes resistance is good, it is for safety or precaution.  Other times it can be attached to doubt, fear, or criticising thoughts. 

You should firmly ask yourself, am I being resistant, how and why am I resisting?  Ask yourself these questions and journal them before committing to treatments for these blockages can keep from receiving effective results.  Energy is subtle, it can be blocked by resisting thoughts. Receptivity is part of the Pranic Healing vocabulary and is thought of as a necessary state for optimal healing.  

To receive the most from your Pranic Healing and energy medicine sessions you can Invoke at the beginning for guidance, healing and protection.  If you do not believe in a higher source you can simply state a positive affirmation.  Another way to increase receptivity is through education.  Attend a free Introduction to Pranic Healing Course and learn all about the modality; its origin, Master Choa Kok Sui’s intention for the modality, and how to become more sensitive to energy. Testimonials on our website and the US Pranic Healing website will give you examples of people from all walks of life that have benefited from Pranic Healing as seeing it is believing it.

We at Health Through Nature are open-minded to Pranic healing and other forms of energy medicine.  We want a world with more options for subtle, cost-effective, painless, and easy ways for people to heal themselves.  This is why you will hear a lot more about Pranic Healing courses, meditations, and services within Health Through Nature.  

Essential Oils

Essential Oils have become very popular among the public.  I commend companies for bringing health back into the hands of the individual and empowering people to use simple and effective natural tools of healing.

That being said I feel the need to provide a broader prospective of natural health and express caution with the rise in Essential Oil Use.  I do so because even though Essential Oils are natural, as anything concentrated, they have risk.  Please take into consideration the following if you or your loved ones have started using Essential Oils. 

Natural hygiene.  Good air, good exercise, good water, good food, and good community are the foundation to health.  Simple but true, these must be in place for health and healing to take place.  If you loose one of these it will be like loosing a leg on a stool, still possible to stand but pretty wobbly.  This foundation should not be dismissed due to use of natural agents.  Example, “I can drink this sugary drink tonight and won’t get sick because I took my Essential oil”.

Whole plant medicine. If we are looking for “natural” medicine than what is closer to nature than a whole plant.  The Volatile Oil (Essential Oil) of Oregano has been shown to inhibit bacterial growth. That is fantastic but if we limit ourselves to the oil we are missing out on the properties of the whole plant.  The oregano plant has shown to prevent oxygen-based damage to cellular structures in the body with one gram of fresh plant having 42 times more antioxidant activity than an apple.  Oregano’s plant material has digestive aide properties and is rich in fiber and Vitamin K.  Consider planting and cultivating Oregano you will benefit in many ways!  

Natural medicine should be individualized.  Plant medicine is different than Pharmaceuticals.  Pharmaceuticals are stable and consistent.  Plants are alive, moving and adapting to their environment.  Have you ever seen an Oak tree in the Midwest versus the Southwest it is the perfect example of how plants change and adapt to their environment.  We should harmonize natural medicine with our constitution to create balance.  Therefore, I believe setting standards on plant medicine can limit their potential.  I use Manual Muscle testing to individualize natural medicine including Essential oils and I can tell you they are powerful and effective but are not always indicated or helpful and sometimes can stress an individual.  Feel free to bring your Essential Oils into your visit and we can test to find the best for you.

Safety with concentration.  It takes pounds of rose petals to extract one ounce of the essence of Rose.  This means it is concentrated and concentration equates to a stronger response.  With Essential Oils being aromatic their is no barrier to protect the brain.  This must be understood especially with developing brains of young ones.  Other reactions found from concentrated oils include skin irritation, light sensitivity and airway irritation.   

I want to remind you that the Natural Product Industry is a 37 billion dollar Industry.  Please make sure the companies you align with have integrity.  Look for companies that follow good manufacturing practices, have clean products with well defined ingredients, and make investments into researching natural products for safety and efficacy.  We commit to these guidelines with Medicine at Health Through Nature.

Maitake mushroom

The public is starting to understand the value of mushrooms.  I’m going to spend some time educating about mushrooms starting with my favorite, Maitake.  Maitake (Grifola frondosa) mushroom has great medicinal qualities, tastes fantastic, and can be readily accessible.  It has been cultivated since the 70’s but it's cultivated flavor does not do justice for the wild crafted version.  

Maitake means dancing mushroom in Japanese theorized to be due to people jumping with joy when found.  I’m pretty sure I have done this.  Hen of the Woods is another nickname for this beautiful mushroom, when found at the trunk of an oak tree it looks like a chicken hen taking a rest.  

Medicinal constituents found in maitake are polysaccharides (Fraction-D, Fraction-SX, alpha and Beta-D-glucans), lectins, proteases, (immune stimulating, cancer fighting glucose modulating, and cell killing properties) lipids, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidic acid (healthy fats, brain food, fat emulsifiers) Vitamin D2, B1, B2 (provitamins and vitamins), and a whole bunch of trace minerals.  

Maitake is being used in integrative cancer settings and for cancer survivors.  It is found in formulas to ward off viruses, has shown significant glucose lowering effects, has a mild blood pressure lowering effect, and is a liver protectant.   

For a generally healthy individual Maitake can be food as medicine by adding great flavor to many dishes, my favorite being soups and side dishes.  It is well known that if germs get near my loved ones you will find a big pot of soup with Maitake on my stove.