Health

Clay Baths and Other Clay-Based Spa Therapies

An ingredient in both ancient Egyptian and Mayan healing traditions, clay has been used externally to soothe troubled skin and joint pain and internally to heal stomach ailments. Because of its antiseptic and magnetic properties, clay has also long been used as a detoxifying agent.

Types of Clay

Clay, like mud, consists of fine mineral granules. Clay is created slowly by the chemical weathering of rocks and by natural hydrothermal activity. Clay’s specific mineral content depends on the region clay it’s derived from. However, all clay is primarily composed of silicate particles and water molecules that give it plasticity. Dried or fired at high temperatures, clay loses its plasticity and forms a ceramic material. Clay absorbs water and fats, and it adsorbs onto its surface molecules toxins and gases, while imparting mineral nutrients.

The main types of clay are kaolinite, montmorillonite-smectite, illite, chlorite, bentonite and varve. Up to 30 different subtypes of clay exist. In addition to pure clay, many commercial products have been made that contain clay blended with herbs, essential oils, sea salt and other ingredients that enhance clay’s properties.

Highly prized is clay from France as well as the Umbrian region of Italy and from volcanic ash. The colors of clay vary depending on the mineral content. Green clay contains about 50 percent silica along with smaller amounts of magnesium, aluminum, calcium, titanium, iron, phosphorus, sodium and potassium and is particularly good for oily skin and acne. The mineral content of green clay imparts a strong drawing or magnetic power.

Yellow clay has a weaker drawing power and is more suitable for children, pets, and individuals with sensitive skin. Yellow clay is particularly beneficial for eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis and various rashes.

White clay has a very high silica content and is used to nourish, balance, and moisturize combination and dry skin, and it works well as a hair/scalp mask.

Red clay, with its high iron content, is used to regenerate tissue and revitalize skin that is damaged by the sun or that has broken capillaries, varicose veins, stretch marks, bruises and burns. Pink clay is similar to red clay although its actions are milder, making it excellent for firming mature skin and reducing dark under-eye circles. Pink clay also helps with collagen repair and is beneficial for people with connective tissue disorders.

Clay Baths

The clay bath is primarily used for detoxification. When dry clay is absorbed into hot water, its particles create a porous network with a large surface area. The clay molecules act like a magnet because of their strong negative ionic charge. This causes them to draw and react with positively charged ions, including heavy metals, radioactive molecules, and other toxins.

For clay baths, clean, raw, natural swelling smectite clays, including bentonites and French clays, are considered superior. It’s important to avoid any contaminated clays, as well as any clays with additives. Clay should be stored in containers that are completely sealed, and kept away from moisture, metals and petroleum chemicals.

Clay spa baths typically last for one hour. Specific clays and enhancers are used depending on the individual’s specific needs. Clay baths are effective for treating sports injuries and reducing arthritic pain. In addition, clay baths are frequently used for treating heavy metal toxicity, general chemical toxicity, recovery from radiation and chemotherapy procedures, lymphatic stimulation, comprehensive cleansing protocols, and for stress reduction.

Home-use clay bath treatments are widely available. Specific clay bath products have been developed that help remove mercury and other heavy metals. Clay Baths Australia offers a high quality magnetic clay that’s been vigorously tested.

Clay Masks and Wraps

Clay is also used in facials and wraps to remove impurities and toxins and to revitalize the skin. Clay is also used as a hair treatment to remove mineral deposits and toxins.

The Spa at the Four Seasons, Biltmore in Santa Barbara, California offers a Chardonnay Clay Body Wrap. A mixture of chardonnay, grape seed extracts, and clay cocoons the skin for 50 minutes. This therapy is reported to firm and detoxify the skin, leaving it rehydrated and revitalized.

At the Yaxkin Spa at the Hacienda Chichen Resort in Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico, one of the top eco-spas in North America, clay is used in the 90-minute Deluxe Holistic Mayan Spa Healing Experience. This therapy is used to renew the spirit, cleanse and invigorate the body, and restore the equilibrium and serenity of the mind. According to Mayan healing, clay is used to align the energies of earth, water, fire and air in the individual. A blend of essential oils, honey and clay is used as a body wrap and facial. The ritual includes aromatherapy, reflexology, crystal and gemstone therapy, and herbal wash.

Source: Motykie Medical Spa

Pemmican: A Traditional High-Protein Food

Pemmican is a traditional food that has been used for centuries by indigenous people in North America. This high-protein and nutrient-dense food has been a staple for hunters, travelers, and warriors who needed a reliable source of energy in remote areas where food was scarce. In recent years, pemmican has gained popularity among health-conscious individuals who are looking for a natural and sustainable food that provides long-lasting energy and essential nutrients. In this article, we explore the history, benefits, and nutritional value of pemmican.

Pemmican: A Nutrient-Dense Energy Source

Pemmican is a combination of dried meat, fat, and sometimes berries or other dried fruits. The meat is typically bison, elk, or deer, but any lean meat can be used. The fat is usually rendered from the same animal, and it is mixed with the dried meat to create a dense and compact food that can be stored for long periods without refrigeration. Pemmican is high in protein, fat, and calories, which makes it an excellent source of energy for people who engage in intense physical activity or have high energy needs.

The History and Benefits of Pemmican

Pemmican has been a staple food for indigenous people in North America for centuries. The word “pemmican” comes from the Cree word “pimikan,” which means “manufactured grease.” Pemmican was used by hunters, traders, and warriors who needed a portable and nutrient-dense food that could sustain them during long journeys or battles. Pemmican was also used as a trading commodity and was highly valued by European explorers and traders.

Pemmican has many nutritional benefits. It is high in protein, healthy fats, and essential micronutrients such as iron, zinc, and vitamin B12. Pemmican is also low in carbohydrates, which makes it an ideal food for people who follow a low-carb or ketogenic diet. Pemmican is also easy to digest and provides a slow and steady release of energy, which makes it an excellent food for endurance athletes or anyone who needs sustained energy throughout the day.

Pemmican is a traditional and sustainable food that has many nutritional benefits. It is high in protein, healthy fats, and essential micronutrients, and it provides a slow and steady release of energy that can sustain physical activity and mental focus. Pemmican is also easy to make and store, which makes it an ideal food for outdoor enthusiasts, travelers, and anyone who wants to eat a healthy and natural diet. If you are looking for a nutrient-dense and energy-rich food, try making pemmican and experience the benefits of this traditional food for yourself.

Acupuncture and Cupping for a Water Birth

There is the hospital way of having a baby where they lay you side ways on the table with numerous hours of excruciating labor or there is the Chinese way.

Before the mother can have a baby, she has to decide how to have the baby. American medicine lays out the rules for having a baby in the traditional hospital with hours of excruciating pain with an epidural or a C-section. Chinese medicine gives several techniques that can help ease of the pain birth of a child.

ACUPUNCTURE/CUPPING

Having a baby is so easy in Chinese culture that perhaps population control is a necessity. Consider acupuncture and cupping as an additional source of support for having a baby.

Acupuncture during childbirth involves inserting needles into pressure points near the spine. Women that receive acupuncture during child birth have less pain and need less medication. The cups are placed around the stomach to help with muscle cramping.

HOT WATER BATH

A hot water bath or a hot tub is also a great way to relax the muscles. Sitting in a hot tub or hot water bath helps to alleviate the majority of the pressure off the back. The warm water helps to induce a quick and natural labor.

Considering the baby comes out from water inside and goes to water outside makes the delivery much more natural and easy.

EXPLORE

Many mothers to be fail to explore alternative medicine perhaps out of fear or just as plain ignorance. It is important to understand that a proper childbirth involves having a qualified medical staff present whether it is at your local hospital or at your house.

There are several factors that can influence a proper child birth. There is a possibility that the baby might need a C-section or may be a stillborn. A mother should definitely consider all your options before making a decision like so .

Chinese medicine holds the key to longevity and good health in many ways. It is essential to explore alternative medicines as a treatment option for any procedure. It is also best to consult with the proper medical professionals and seek their input as well.

The key to having a baby as naturally and as quickly as possible will lead to a very speedy recovery for the mother. In general, the mother is the one that has the final say as to whether an Oriental style delivery is the best option for her. As with any medical procedure, there are always some risks and having a qualified medical staff is truly the key to success.

Counseling a Minority Family in Grief

With many American families continuing to experience growth, through birth and immigration, mental health professionals must recognize that, even within a family unit, the cultural difference may be significant. For this reason, when counseling immigrant families, or families of minority status, the mental health professional must be well versed in the dynamics of the minority culture.

To ensure the family unit remains intact, in terms of social assimilation, the therapist’s goal is to not only unify and break the differences internally within the family but allow them to see the complexity of their misunderstandings and how it will impact the family unit from a societal standpoint. In many cases, a grieving minority family may be found to place every aspect of life on hold, including work, social networking and even interpersonal relationships, as they each grieve individually, often waiting for a spiritual intervention to set them free to move forward with their lives.

One way in which a therapist assists a grieving minority family through these interpersonal conflicts and suspensions of activity, is by combining two or three family members together as a sort of support network. Realizing no one in the family unit will move forward until permission and consent is given to everyone, creating these small networks within the family will allow the units to become more permissible in the resumption of activity after a death has occurred.

In exchange for the therapy provided to the family members, the therapist must also reach out to the grieving minority family and ask for guidance in how the therapist can serve them best. In doing so, the therapist can allow for the cultural views of the minority group to gauge the progress by which the counseling and grieving will occur and, ultimately, may work to reduce any potential conflicts in therapy recommendations. In other words, through the therapist’s ability to work as a team with the grieving family members, the family members will begin to view the therapist as part of their network and, ultimately, the therapy recommendations may be more receptive. It is important, therefore, to develop a we mentality rather than an I mentality in the therapy of minority groups.

As with any psychotherapy process, the key to successful outcomes lies in the ability of the therapist to remove personal emotions and bias from the needs of the person seeking mental health services. Because of the vast differences in and among immigrant families, providing therapy to these minority groups can be challenging.

The Basics of Acupuncture

A Brief History

Acupuncture has been practiced for over 2000 years. It is one of the oldest medical treatments still being
practiced in the developed world. Despite being associated mainly with China, people all over the world have been using acupuncture for centuries to treat a variety of ailments.

Procedure

Acupuncture involves placing very thin needles, much smaller than those used for injections, into the skin at specific points on the body. This is thought to correct imbalances in a person’s chi; energy flowing through the body. It is this imbalance that is believed to cause disease. Acupuncture is performed by a trained Acupuncturist who knows what type of treatment will be most beneficial to their patient. The Acupuncturist will decide how many treatments will be needed and where on the body they will take place. Most people do not experience any discomfort during acupuncture treatments because the needles used are so thin. Acupuncture brings immediate pain relief to many people.

Ailments Treated

Acupuncture has been used to treat numerous diseases and conditions. In fact, there is an acupuncture point for almost anything you can think of. There are even acupuncture points to treat addiction, infertility, and obesity. One of the most common uses of acupuncture is to relieve pain caused by anything from headaches, to arthritis, to cancer. It’s pain relieving properties are so powerful that in his book, Acupuncture: It’s Place in Western Medical Science, Dr. George T Lewith says that acupuncture has even been used as anesthesia during cesarean sections in China.

Possible Side Effects

According to the American Journal of Acupuncture, acupuncture is considered to be extremely safe. Most serious side effects occur as a result of an unqualified practitioner.These rare side effects include infection caused by improperly sterilized needles, Puncture of a vital organ, burns from heated needles, accidental abortion, and needles broken off in the skin. Again, these are very rare and not something that would occur with a properly trained acupuncturist. Slightly more common are minor, temporary side effect such as muscle spasms, minor pain at the acupuncture point, and nausea.

Finding an Acupuncturist

It should be relatively easy to find an acupuncturist in any city. In very small towns it may be a bit more difficult. Start by talking to friends or family who have had a positive experience with acupuncture. Your primary care physician may also be able to identify a qualified acupuncturist. Another option is to contact the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Once you find an acupuncturist make sure it is someone you are comfortable talking to about your health and lifestyle. Ask them about their training and experience. Above all, make sure this is someone knowledgeable that you trust. This will put your mind at ease, keep you safe, and most importantly, get you on the road to recovery.

Why should I do Yoga?

There are so many reasons to practice Yoga. Some come for the flexibility, others for the stress relief, still others to find relief from physical pain, and there are many more reasons to unroll your mat and practice. Yoga, which comes from the Sanskrit word “Yuj” means to yoke, join or unite. This implies joining or integrating all aspects of the individual to lead a balanced and useful life. Most importantly, Yoga teaches us to tune in to our “Self” by peeling off layers of expectations and conditioning. And then, in Yoga, we learn to really listen to ourselves and begin to understand. It is because of this tuning in, this listening, that Yoga can help us to become better communicators. So, maybe you did not come to your mat to become a better communicator, and that’s okay. But as you tune in, it is likely that you will, and here are just a few reasons why, from practical physical reasons to the more philosophical:

Yoga brings awareness to the breath. According to the Bergerac company, when we are nervous, speaking energy becomes trapped in our abdomen, the place most of us instinctively tighten when we feel threatened or under stress. As soon as we tighten the belly, the diaphragm cannot move properly. In our restoring fertility Yoga practice, over time, we intrinsically understand the ebb and flow of the breath, and will have the awareness, as well as many Pranayama techniques to guide us.

Yoga encourages Self acceptance. This acceptance, built over time in our practice, allows us to find equanimity in every situation so that we are confident in our Selves. We will not therefore, be as tempted to say something just to appease someone else, we will be able to use our authentic voice which will lead to more calm, clear and focused communication.

In Yoga, we learn not to judge control, force, coerce, or even expect. As far as how this can enhance your communication, this one speaks for itself!! Think about how much more effectively you can communicate if you let go of the control of every outcome and simply focus on sharing what you have to say and listening.

Yoga encourages you to listen. When you spend time in practice listening to yourself, and that means, really listening to yourself, you begin to understand what it means to be present and listen to what is there, not what you think is there, or what you have always thought . As you become more skilled at listening, this naturally transcends your practice on the mat and you are able to be fully present and listen to others as well.

Yoga encourages peaceful conflict resolution. So you are in class, standing on one foot, and lifting the other leg and wrapping it around your standing leg, and then you are wrapping your arms around each other, right? Sounds like the body is way out of its comfort zone. So what do you do? Become angry? Yell at the teacher? Withdraw and give up? Nope. You BREATHE. Now, if you can simply breathe into this challenge in class, surely you will approach conflicts off the mat with a little more tranquility.

Yoga encourages you to treat yourself with love, kindness and respect. And, thus, you can open to others in the same fashion.