Worldwide, back pain is the single leading cause of disability, preventing many people from engaging in work as well as other everyday activities. Experts estimate that up to 80% of the population will experience back pain at some time in their lives. Emily Lark is one of those statistics, but she’s been able to get pain free, naturally. Tune in and find out how to ease YOUR back pain naturally! About Emily Emily Lark is a speaker, author, studio owner, and creator of the internationally bestselling program Back to Life.  After living most of her life with debilitating back pain, Emily created a method to naturally heal back pain that has now helped hundreds of thousands of people around the world.  Back to Life is so simple that anyone can do it from home in just minutes a day and it has quickly become the #1 healthy back DVD program in the world.   Back Pain Statistics Back pain accounts for more than 264 million lost work days in one year—that’s two work days for every full-time worker in the country. Experts estimate that up to 80% of the population will experience back pain at some time in their lives     Emily’s one thing that most people are doing wrong when it comes to chronic pain. “I think one of the key things that people are missing when it comes to chronic pain, I think the biggest thing that people are missing is the strength-building, too, because if we can strengthen the muscles to support our skeletal system, then they don’t start feeling that pain, the joints have more life to them.”   The worst back pain advice that many doctors are still giving. Most of us, when we injure ourselves, when we’re in pain, we think that what we need to do is just kind of rest. But now, we’re really starting to find that movement is actually the fastest route to healing in most cases.   Emily’s Top 3 Stretches to Stop Back Pain. Neck and shoulders Doorway stretch, where you go into a doorway with your elbows on the side like goalposts, you lean the chest forward, and you hold for just 30 seconds. Then, you can work your elbows up a little bit, you can work them down.  But you want to feel that stretch in the front of the chest.  I try to tell people to remember to do it just three times a day.  Get up for 30 seconds and stretch that out.  Your core (your abdominal muscles, specifically the ones in the lower abdomen region) All you do is sit up really tall, and then you just lift one knee up and pull the belly in. And you lower it down and lift the other one up.  That’s going to activate those lower abdominal muscles.  You can do a marching movement; you can lift and hold.  Your spine Try to move the spine in all six directions at least once a day. And so, that would be a forward bend, a back bend, side bend to the right, side bend to the left, and then a twist, and a twist.    Stretching Tips You want to ease into it, because if you try to push too hard into a stretch, your body actually gives the opposite reaction of tensing up the muscles. Start in a stretch where you feel that edge, but you’re not feeling any pain, you’re not feeling horrible amounts of tension. And then using the breath, breathing in and out through the nose, actually has a very calming effect on the nervous system and it actually, if you think of your breath kind of communicating directly with your muscles, that will help the muscles start to release.  Rather than pushing them into it, try to breathe into those muscles. You always want to hold a stretch for at least 30 seconds. That’s kind of like the magic timeframe, where if you hold for 30 seconds, that’s where you’re going to get the most bang for your buck.  Anything less than 30 seconds, they’ve shown you don’t actually really increase your flexibility.    Don’t Forget to Warm Up If you haven’t moved at all yet in the morning, absolutely, you can go into some gentle morning stretches, but don’t push the body if it’s the first thing you’re doing. If you’ve been moving around throughout your day, your body is kind of warmed up, and then you can go into it a little bit more.    What back pain is really telling us. “I think the worst thing that we can do is just try to medicate and numb the pain out. Because clearly, if we’re in pain, our body’s trying to tell us something.” ~Emily  People often think that it’s our strong muscles that are the ones that are the tight ones. It’s actually the opposite that’s true.  The weaker the muscles are, the tighter they get.    Simple daily tips to help with back pain like how to stand, sit and sleep. Stacking your posture When you’re standing, always try to stand with your feet lined up with your hip bones, with your toes straight forward. Standing with the feet straight forward, and then slightly lifting your arches, you’ll feel the ankles stop rolling together, and the knees stop knocking together.  From there, we kind of work our way up to the low belly. I always advise people, as much as we can remember, try to draw the low belly in.  We want the shoulders to draw back right over the hips rather than forward. Then, we want to draw the ears back right over the shoulders. And a great test for this, to see if you’re standing up as tall as you could be, is to go stand with your back against a wall and try to see if you can get your shoulder blades to touch the wall, the back of your head to touch the wall at the same time, and then here’s the kicker, see if you can get your low ribs to touch the wall at the same time.   * * *   Deeper Dive Resources   INSPIRED Library Articles on Back Pain https://organixx.com/?s=BACK+PAIN   Organixx – Clean Sourced Collagens https://shop.organixx.com/a/secure/checkout/QDxYPYGKBx7qmdyvdnGm?ch-tn-box=third-box&gl=5d88ec8202e26bb740380841   Organixx – Turmeric 3D https://shop.organixx.com/a/secure/checkout/OobbS9ROAoETfnAGmGDF?ch-tn-box=first-box&gl=5d8908c502e26b5f0c38083c   Emily’s Website https://www.emilylark.com/about-emily   Emily’s Facebook https://www.facebook.com/EmilyLarkOfficial/   Back to Life Program https://www.healthybacksystem.com/organixx   Back Pain Statistics https://www.acatoday.org/Patients/What-is-Chiropractic/Back-Pain-Facts-and-Statistics    

Coronavirus is still with us this Fall and Winter. Tune in to find out from Jonathan and TeriAnn why BOOSTING your immune system right now may not be the way to go. We help you understand your immune system; innate and adaptive, cytokine storms, and the role of beta-glucans, or a β-glucans for short, play in SUPPORTING your immunity. Which leads you into the magic of mushrooms. Here’s a hint…they aren’t just for anti-aging! “Boosting” your Immune System may be the worst thing you can do during a pandemic… The single best thing you can do for your health and the health of your loved ones is to take steps towards supporting the health of your immune system. And I chose the word “support” carefully because new research is now showing that... Immune SUPPORT is better than an immune BOOST during a pandemic! Let’s Look at The Immune System The immune system protects the body from possibly harmful substances by recognizing and responding to antigens. Antigens are substances (usually proteins) on the surface of cells, viruses, fungi, or bacteria. Nonliving substances such as toxins, chemicals, drugs, and foreign particles (such as a splinter) can also be antigens. The immune system recognizes and destroys, or tries to destroy, substances that contain antigens. Your body's cells have proteins that are antigens. These include a group of antigens called HLA antigens. Your immune system learns to see these antigens as normal and usually does not react against them. Important Distinctions of Your Immune System Innate Immune System The innate immune system is made of defenses against infection that can be activated immediately once a pathogen attacks. The innate immune system is essentially made up of barriers that aim to keep viruses, bacteria, parasites, and other foreign particles out of your body or limit their ability to spread and move throughout the body. The innate immune system includes: Physical Barriers such as skin, the gastrointestinal tract, the respiratory tract, the nasopharynx, cilia, eyelashes and other body hair. Defense Mechanisms such as secretions, mucous, bile, gastric acid, saliva, tears, and sweat. General Immune Responses such as inflammation, complement, and non-specific cellular responses. The inflammatory response actively brings immune cells to the site of an infection by increasing blood flow to the area. Complement is an immune response that marks pathogens for destruction and makes holes in the cell membrane of the pathogen. The innate immune system is always general, or nonspecific, meaning anything that is identified as foreign or non-self is a target for the innate immune response. The innate immune system is activated by the presence of antigens and their chemical properties.   The Adaptive Immune System: Precision and a long memory If the body’s first line of defense – the innate immune system – is unsuccessful in destroying the pathogens, after about four to seven days the specific adaptive immune response sets in. This means that the adaptive defense takes longer, but it targets the pathogen more accurately. Another advantage: It can remember the aggressor and acts specifically against certain antigens. If there is new contact with an antigen that is already known, the defense response can then be quicker. This way the defense responses of the adaptive immune system are more efficient and faster than those of the innate defense, if the antigen is already known. The adaptive immune system can remember the antigens because it produces memory cells. This is also the reason why there are some illnesses you can only get once in your life, because afterwards your body becomes “immune.” While after first contact with the pathogen it takes several days for the immune system to respond, a second infection often has no consequences, or at least the symptoms are weaker. The adaptive immune system has several parts that react in different ways, depending on the place in the body where the pathogen is. Antibodies are made available for germs outside the cells (in the blood and in body fluids). To eliminate pathogens that are inside the tissue, a cell-mediated immune response is necessary. These parts of the adaptive defense include: T lymphocytes B lymphocytes antibodies as soluble proteins in the blood cytokines in the blood and tissue as hormone-like messenger substance Cytokines Cytokines form a group of proteins that participate in cell signaling, intercellular communication and in many cellular and immunological functions. They are prominently involved in inflammatory responses and defense against viral infections. If the other parts act like soldiers protecting you, then cytokines are like Navy Seals, sent in for only the toughest missions.  These cytokines are small molecules in the body that are released by certain cells to help coordinate the battle against infection. So, you might be thinking “Great! How do I get more of these hard-working cytokines into my system?” And that makes sense. If they’re the best of the best for fighting illness, then you’d want more of them, right? Well, it’s not so simple and now some doctors have recently made a startling discovery… As it turns out, “boosting” cytokines during a pandemic like this might cause what some doctors call a “cytokine storm.” And this cytokine storm might be the explanation of why some people rapidly decline in a pandemic, while others are able to stay healthy. Scientifically speaking, a “cytokine storm” is when, in some cases, the body's own immune system actually overreacts to an infection.  And that’s when problems can start. While cytokines are generally a good thing for your immune system… Too many of them at once might actually cause an overreaction.  This “overreaction” could cause more damage to the body’s own cells than to the invading disease cells it's trying to fight off. Your Cellular Immunity Defense System There is one thing that almost every single medical doctor does agree on when it comes to diseases… A compromised immune system is the single biggest risk factor anyone can have. You might be wondering… How do I build the foundation of my immune system without overloading it? Fortunately, there is something you can do, and it has to do with what doctors and medical researchers call... your Cellular Immunity Defense System Cellular immunity protects the body through: T-cell mediated immunity or T-cell immunity: activating antigen-specific cytotoxic T cells that are able to induce apoptosis in body cells displaying epitopes of foreign antigen on their surface, such as virus-infected cells, cells with intracellular bacteria, and cancer cells displaying tumor antigens; Macrophage and natural killer cell action: enabling the destruction of pathogens via recognition and secretion of cytotoxic granules (for natural killer cells and phagocytosis (for macrophages); and Stimulating cells to secrete a variety of cytokines that influence the function of other cells involved in adaptive immune responses and innate immune responses. Cell-mediated immunity is directed primarily at microbes that survive in phagocytes and microbes that infect non-phagocytic cells. It is most effective in removing virus-infected cells, but also participates in defending against fungi, protozoans, cancers, and intracellular bacteria. It also plays a major role in transplant rejection THIS LITTLE-KNOWN NUTRIENT - Activates Your Cellular Immunity Defense System It’s called a beta-glucan, or a β-glucan for short. Outside of freshman chemistry class, you may never have heard of a beta-glucan.  But these β-glucans attach themselves to white blood cells and stimulate them to seek and destroy bacteria and viruses.   Your body already has natural bacteria killing cells called B cells and T cells, and dozens of research studies show that once β-glucans are in your system, they activate and strengthen these killer cells.   It’s like sending every little immunity soldier into battle with a rocket launcher packed with an unlimited supply of bacteria-seeking missiles.  And that’s not all they do…  Remember those little immunity defenders called cytokines?  We know that overloading the system with them can cause a “cytokine storm,” but striking the right balance of them can really fortify your immune system.  Well, that’s part of the magic of β-glucans...  β-glucans are what trigger natural and healthy cytokine production and those little cytokines are what spring to action in an immune response.    So, the more β-glucan you have in your body, the stronger your immune system.  AND what’s more, β-glucans naturally regulate your cytokine production, so they won’t “overload” and cause a dangerous cytokine storm.  So, you might be asking, how do I make sure my β-glucans are strong and that my system has enough of them to fight off infectious bacteria?  Well, there is one superfood that contains extremely high amounts of β-glucan.    The #1 Superfood That Fortifies Your Cellular Immunity Defense System: NUTRITIONAL MUSHROOMS - The Cutting Edge of Natural Immune System Research Just by using nutritional mushrooms regularly, researchers say you can increase your levels of β-glucans more than any other nutrient on earth. It’s like having a never-ending supply of reinforcements to send into the war against infectious diseases. Researchers have found that nutritional mushrooms contain 0.53 grams of β-glucans per 100 grams of mushrooms, which makes them far and away the most β-glucan-rich food you can find on the planet.   3 Mushrooms That Act Like “Turbo Shots” To Your Immune System  SHITAKE In a 2011 study, 52 healthy adults, aged 21 to 41, took home a 4-week supply of shiitake mushrooms. They were told to eat one 4-ounce serving of the mushroom every day.  Then after the 4 weeks were completed, they returned for some simple blood work.  Their results showed a decrease in inflammatory proteins which the researchers thought was a pretty good benefit in itself…  But then they looked a little harder at the data and saw that each patient's B cells, T cells, and natural bacteria-killing cells had all increased.  When they finally figured out what triggered this response, it was no surprise that it was all connected back to the β-glucans that came from the shiitake mushrooms they had been eating.  "If you eat a shiitake mushroom every day, you could see changes in their immune system that are beneficial," said Food Science and Human Nutrition Professor Sue Percival, who was the leader of the study.    She also said that those β-glucans were not only able to "Enhance the immune system,”  ... but “also reduce the inflammation that the immune system produces." And the benefits of shiitake don’t just stop there, because these mushrooms flood your system with other nutrients like B vitamins, vitamin D, selenium, niacin, and 7 of the 8 essential amino acids.   Plus, the enzymes packed into shiitake also make it easier for your body to absorb almost any nutrient.   Which means if you’re already taking a vitamin C or D supplement for your immune system, shiitake will actually make those supplements work better!  REISHI Known as the Mushrooms of Immortality, reishi mushrooms are packed with polysaccharides, antioxidant properties, and those crucial β-glucans that can help with immune function. As early as 206 BC there are writings about reishi mushrooms being used to help people live longer. Today’s researchers now know that they were living longer simply because their bodies were better equipped to fight off disease. Simply put, they had super strong Cellular Immunity Defense Systems.Again, it’s thanks to the high content of those powerful β-glucans! In fact, reishi mushrooms have been shown to have as much as 5.8% levels of β-glucans, higher than any other mushroom strain on earth.   MAITAKE Remember those important cytokines?  Well, we know it’s important to strike the right balance of them in your system…  So that you have enough of them to help your immune system fight off bacteria...  But not too many to cause a dangerous “cytokine storm”.  It turns out that maitake mushrooms may just be the secret to striking this delicate balance.  A 3-week study of a group of healthy young women taking Maitake mushrooms resulted in the benefits you might expect.  Similar to reishi and shiitake, they all saw improvements in their immune systems thanks to the increase in β-glucans…  But the study with maitake gave researchers some really exciting results with those cytokines  It turns out that maitake was able to trigger both stimulatory (IL-2) and suppressive (IL-10) cytokines.   That means they were able to increase the cytokines, but not past a certain level so they got out of control. But here’s where things really start to get interesting…  Maitake is not the only mushroom researchers have studied for the immune response…  While it was by far the strongest in supporting the immune defense reaction…  There was one way they were able to trigger an even bigger response…  They combined it with shiitake!  And it was that combination that was stronger than any other. MUSHROOM POTENCY CAN BE INCREASED EXPONENTIALLY WHEN THEY ARE USED TOGETHER!  Just look what happened when the research team from the National Institute of Complementary Medicine, the School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, and Integria Healthcare started mixing mushrooms together…  They started with nine varieties of whole mushroom extracts.  They tried them each individually with some pretty good results…  But then they tried mixing a few of them together, and as you’d expect, the results dramatically increased.  And when their work was done do you know which 3 of the 9 mushrooms worked best for the immune system?  You guess it - the magical trio of reishi, shiitake, and maitake.  When these 3 were combined, the lead researcher told the media that they came together to create and immune system “super-force.”  “What we found that was surprising was that the (combination) gave three to four times the impact that what we would expect,” Associate Professor Joe Tiralongo said. 7M+ by Organixx  7M+ is a breakthrough proprietary formula that ensures you’re getting the most powerful combination of those 3 crucial mushrooms packed with those β-glucans at a level no other mushroom supplement can offer. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of 7M+ give you what you need to help support your immune system like nothing else on the market.  And… It turns out there’s so much more that mushrooms can do for our bodies than just immune support.   That’s why Organixx added 4 other nutritional mushrooms into this formula…. CHAGA Chaga has been used for centuries primarily in the East. It's known for its immune support and soothing properties. Many traditional healers have used it as a soothing tea for a powerful and natural digestive support. It's also shown the potential to help maintain healthy blood pressure levels that are already within the normal range. Chaga also has very powerful antioxidant properties that make it a powerhouse on its own. CORDYCEPS Cordyceps mushrooms have been shown to help regulate a healthy immune system. Cordyceps were at one time so highly valued that they were only allowed to be consumed by the Emperor of China (who lived to 100+ years old and still fathered children into his 100s). Also known for the ability to support sexual health and athletic ability, cordyceps have been the most sought after nutritional mushroom in the Orient. LION'S MANE One of the more interesting mushrooms coming from the ancient east. Lion's mane is known to support brain health, support cognitive function, and aid against age-related memory loss. It also helps maintain mental focus and function, as well as promoting healthy digestive function through its powerful regulation of bacteria. TURKEY TAIL Turkey tail is considered one of the best-researched mushrooms on earth. Its benefits are just as strong as other nutritional mushrooms such as reishi, cordyceps and maitake. It contains powerful antioxidant nutrients and high levels of selenium, vitamin D, and vitamin B3, which are crucial for boosting and maintaining immunity. Fermentation INCREASES the Power of Nutritional Mushrooms Most other mushroom supplements don’t take this into consideration. They simply get a basic mushroom formula and bottle it up. That strategy does work a little better than just eating whole mushrooms… But fermentation takes it to a whole other level of potency and that’s exactly what the team at Organixx has done with 7M+ and their proprietary fermentation process. Fermentation is simply the process of breaking something down so that the highest amount of nutrients can be extracted. Research found that fermented mushrooms are, indeed, the best way to increase the levels of those powerful β-glucans. Fermentation also extracts all the healthy and beneficial other nutrients that are packed into mushrooms. This means that those nutrients can get into your system better because they’re more bioavailable. The Ingredients in 7M+ Are Certified Organic – Why That Matters to YOU! Once a nutrient like mushrooms are harvested, they are then dried and concentrated down to a very potent dose. This sounds like a good thing because you’ll get a higher dose of the nutrients, as we discussed already… But if those mushrooms were not grown organically, that means pesticides and poisons were used on them. And when they are concentrated down, you’re not only getting high amounts of nutrients…. but HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF POISONS too! Why 7M+ for You and Your Family 7M+ is specifically formulated to give you everything you need to help support immunity and feel younger and healthier. This year, with the entire globe dealing with a health epidemic, maintaining your immune system might be something that makes all the difference. With 7M+, you get seven of the world’s finest beneficial mushrooms, jam-packed with β-glucans – nature’s powerful sickness-fighting ingredient. With the immune-supporting power of 7M+ working throughout your entire body, you can help increase your and your family’s odds of staying well even during times like this. Only two capsules a day provide you with a completely safe, 100% natural, and amazingly effective formula to support immunity… and help you live a longer and healthier life! RESOURCES 7M+ by Organixx https://shop.organixx.com/a/secure/checkout/PS9gd0VOOLThuCn8OMXV?ch-tn-box=third-box&gl=5d88ec0f02e26b5443380841 Empowering You Organically Episode 47: The Magic of Mushrooms https://organixx.com/empowering-you-organically/the-magic-of-mushrooms-episode-47/ Cytokines https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/cytokines Cytokine storm: An overreaction of the body's immune system https://www.newscientist.com/term/cytokine-storm/#ixzz6KBGrH9ZF Cytokine Storms May Be Fueling Some COVID Deaths https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200417/cytokine-storms-may-be-fueling-some-covid-deaths NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/797584 Into the Eye of the Cytokine Storm https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3294426/ COVID-19: consider cytokine storm syndromes and immunosuppression https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30628-0/fulltext The innate and adaptive immune systems https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279396/ Cellular Immunity https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/cellular-immunity The immune system review https://www.khanacademy.org/science/high-school-biology/hs-human-body-systems/hs-the-immune-system/a/hs-the-immune-system-review Cell-Mediated Immunity https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/cell-mediated-immunity Cell-mediated immunity https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell-mediated_immunity Types of immune responses: Innate and adaptive, humoral vs. cell-mediated https://www.khanacademy.org/science/high-school-biology/hs-human-body-systems/hs-the-immune-system/v/types-of-immune-responses-innate-and-adaptive-humoral-vs-cell-mediated Edible Mushrooms: Improving Human Health and Promoting Quality Life https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4320875/ Determination of Glucan Contents in the Fruiting Bodies and Mycelia of Lentinula edodes Cultivars https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4206800/ Beta-glucans in edible mushrooms https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263256678_Beta-glucans_in_edible_mushrooms Shaping the Innate Immune Response by Dietary Glucans: Any Role in the Control of Cancer? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7016572/ Consuming Lentinula edodes (Shiitake) Mushrooms Daily Improves Human Immunity: A Randomized Dietary Intervention in Healthy Young Adults. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25866155 Ganoderma lucidum (Lingzhi or Reishi) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92757/ Immune-enhancing effects of Maitake (Grifola frondosa) and Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) extracts https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4202470/ Immune-modulating Effects of Maitake Mushroom Extract https://www.naturalmedicinejournal.com/journal/2009-12/immune-modulating-effects-maitake-mushroom-extract Synergistic immuno-modulatory activity in human macrophages of a medicinal mushroom formulation consisting of Reishi, Shiitake and Maitake https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/authors?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0224740 Researchers prove mushrooms are magic for your immune system https://thenewdaily.com.au/life/wellbeing/2019/11/08/mushroom-medicines-health-benefits/  

HOLIDAY EDITION, where you will learn helpful tips for heading into the holidays, before a holiday party, while you are at the party, the morning after the party, and to deal with holiday stress.......all to help you stay happy and healthy during the holiday season! Has this ever happened to you? You’re in a routine of eating well, exercising, and making time for activities that keep you emotionally and mentally well… and then the holiday season arrives and   all your  healthy habits seem to fly out  the window. If this sounds like you, you’re definitely not alone. To help, here are 27 tips to keep the holiday weight gain and stress at a minimum this year, while helping you feel as good as possible going into the new year. Be sure to download the show notes at empoweringyouorganically.com for all 27 tips in one place!~

Gratitude undeniably improves our well-being. Science proves it! Tune in this week for 10 ways to become more grateful. There are some interesting suggestions here - you don’t want to miss it! The Expert on Gratitude Robert Emmons, who has a PhD and is the leading scientific expert on gratitude, shares a lot of really good information. He is a Professor of Psychology at the University of California – Davis and the founding Editor-In-Chief of the Journal of Positive Psychology.  He has authored many books around gratitude and happiness and emotions and positivity, and this is his top 10 list for becoming more grateful.    Top 10 List for Becoming More Grateful Keep a gratitude journal. Establish a daily practice in which you remind yourself of the gifts, grace, benefits, and good things you enjoy. Setting aside time on a daily basis to recall moments of gratitude, associated with ordinary events, your personal attributes, or valued people in your life, give you the potential to interweave a sustainable life theme of gratefulness.  Remember the bad. To be grateful in your current state, it is helpful to remember the hard times that you once experienced. When you remember how difficult life used to be and how far you have come, you set up an explicit contrast in your mind, and this contrast is fertile ground for gratefulness.  Ask yourself three questions. Utilize the meditation technique known as Naikan, which involves reflecting on three questions: “What have I received from __?”, “What have I given to __?”, and “What troubles and difficulty have I caused?” Learn prayers of gratitude. In many spiritual traditions, prayers of gratitude are considered to be the most powerful form of prayer, because through these prayers, people recognize the ultimate source of all they are and all they will ever be. Come to your senses. Through our senses, the ability to touch, see, smell, taste, and hear, we gain an appreciation of what it means to be human and of what an incredible miracle it is to be alive. Seen through the lens of gratitude, the human body is not only a miraculous construction, but also a gift.  Use visual reminders. Because the two primary obstacles to gratefulness are forgetfulness and the lack of mindful awareness, visual reminders can serve as cues to trigger thoughts of gratitude. Oftentimes, the best visual reminders are other people. Make a vow to practice gratitude. Research shows that making an oath to perform a behavior increases the likelihood that the action will be executed. Watch your language. Grateful people have a particular linguistic style that uses the language of gifts, givers, blessings, bless, fortune, fortunate, and abundance. In gratitude, you should not focus on how inherently good you are, but rather on the inherently good things that others have done on your behalf. Go through the motions. If you go through grateful motions, the emotion of gratitude should be triggered. Grateful motions include smiling, saying thank you, and writing letters of gratitude.  Think outside the box. If you want to make the most out of opportunities to flex your gratitude muscles, you must creatively look for new situations and circumstances in which to feel grateful.   Homework from Jonathan: Exercising Your Gratitude Muscle According to UCLA's Mindfulness Awareness Research Center, having an attitude of gratitude changes the molecular structure of the brain, keeps the gray matter functioning, and makes us healthier and happier. When you feel happiness, the central nervous system is affected. You are more peaceful, less reactive, and less resistant. Now that's a really cool way of taking care of your well-being as you go through not just the holiday season but the rest of your life.   Joan Moran, from UCLA Recreation’s FITWELL program, wrote an opinion piece in 2013 for the Huffington Post where she discussed positive benefits of an attitude of gratitude.   We want to help you exercise your Gratitude Muscle this holiday season! So, we’re sharing her timeless tips with you today. And challenging YOU to incorporate this into a daily practice this holiday season….and beyond!   The following questions (and their honest answers) will help you grow your attitude of gratitude during the holidays:   Ask who in your life — past and present — has given you inspiration, motivation, love, support, and guidance. These people can be family, friends, teachers, mentors, or work colleagues. You carry these people around like angels on your shoulders because they are always giving you energy. Take a moment to acknowledge them and give thanks that that they are in your life. You can follow up with a note or phone call of thanks to let them know that they matter to you. Ask what skills, talents, personal characteristics, values, beliefs, and education opportunities you utilize every day and are you grateful for. The one stable gift that I am grateful for is my ability to teach. This is the gift I cannot live without because it leads to other fabulous learning and knowing experiences as well as different skill sets. You will recognize your greatest talents and gifts by reflecting on the values and beliefs that you live by and personal characteristics that you have developed. Ask yourself what gift keeps on giving for you. What gifts will change your life mightily?   Ask where you have been in your life that has deeply affected you emotionally, intellectually, physically or spiritually. In what ways have experiences outside your normal daily activities positively influenced your life? It is likely you have experienced some travel during your life. The places you visited, the people you met, perhaps from other cultures have broadened your life, influenced your view of the world and affected your sense of self within your community. Take time during the holidays and reflect on how these powerful experiences have shaped who you are today.   Ask how you normally express your gratitude. Do you express gratitude daily? And if you are not taking the time to do so, why not? It is easy to forget to say thank you because our lives are so busy and filled with "to-dos" and "musts." Make it a habit at least twice a day to find a quiet place to pause and say thank you for your gifts. Reach out to friends by phone or email to say thank you to them for being in your life because they cherish you and give you support and love. Acknowledge and be grateful for your loving community.   Ask what negative situation could be a positive in your life. Why should you be grateful for the negative things that happen to you in life? Life isn't perfect. Bad stuff happens. But inside every negative experience is a positive experience waiting to happen. Eliminating the negative self-talk, you put yourself through develops stronger mental health habits. It allows you to become more accepting of everything that happens in life — the good, the bad, and the ugly. And the process of removing negativity creates the opportunity for growth and transformation.   * * *   Deeper Dive Resources Episode 59: Do This “One Thing” Every Day to Improve Your Emotional, Mental, and Physical Well Being https://organixx.com/empowering-you-organically/improve-your-emotional-mental-and-physical-well-being-episode-59/   Robert Emmons https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/profile/robert_emmons   The Science of Gratitude by the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley https://ggsc.berkeley.edu/images/uploads/GGSC-JTF_White_Paper-Gratitude-FINAL.pdf   Pause, reflect and give thanks: the power of gratitude during the holidays http://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/gratitude-249167   UCLA’s Mindfulness Awareness Research Center http://marc.ucla.edu/   Counting Blessings Versus Burdens: An Experimental Investigation of Gratitude and Subjective Well-Being in Daily Life https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/images/application_uploads/Emmons-CountingBlessings.pdf   Expanding the Science and Practice of Gratitude https://ggsc.berkeley.edu/what_we_do/major_initiatives/expanding_gratitude   Naikan Method https://www.naikan.eu/english/naikan-why.html   Does gratitude writing improve the mental health of psychotherapy clients? Evidence from a randomized controlled trial https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10503307.2016.1169332?scroll=top&needAccess=true&journalCode=tpsr20   Neural correlates of gratitude https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01491/full   What Does a Grateful Brain Look Like? https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/what_does_a_grateful_brain_look_like     Subscribe to Empowering You Organically  Never miss an episode!    APPLE PODCASTS                 SPOTIFY                 GOOGLE PODCASTS    

Angie Corogin is back this week to help us unlock the power of Mindfulness. Angie shares the difference between Formal and Informal Mindfulness, gives us practical exercises to use, and shares a story that will resonate deeply with all of us! Relaxation here you come…  Angie Corogin  Angie is a heartful yoga and mindfulness (MBSR) instructor, yoga studio owner, mindset coach, and certified integrative wellness consultant. She supports communities, corporations, and individuals to integrate functional wellness practices into their modern lives. Angie is committed to an earth-conscious lifestyle, from what she eats & drinks to all of the things that she consumes and is inspired to share this way of life with others. Angie has earned degrees in Environmental Education (B.S.) and Intervention Services (M.Ed).   Definition of Mindfulness  Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally, in the service of self-understanding and wisdom.” JKZ   It is holding our attention to whatever is rising. Being here.  HumanBEING not humanDOING. This can be hard at first, boring, restless, thinking we aren’t doing it right.    We sense the world through, hearing, tasting, touching, seeing.  That is our only way to know anything at all. Our senses inform our thoughts.  And this is our perception, from where we form opinions and then make decisions and hold positions.  Its a completely a personal experience but one that we can often collectively understand and benefit from sharing our experience with others.      Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR).  The timelines of stress research and mindfulness research start to merge in 1979.  Jon Kabat-Zinn recruited chronically ill patients not responding well to traditional treatments to participate in his newly formed eight-week stress-reduction program, which we now call Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). This program includes mindful meditation, mindful eating, walking, and mindful movement (aka gentle yoga).   Substantial research has mounted demonstrating how mindfulness-based interventions improve mental and physical health—comparably so to other psychological interventions  Our body is a partner to each moment. Here in the west, we spend a lot of time disconnecting from our body.  Body shaming, and in fact spending a whole lot of time up here, in the mind, thinking.   And so again, mindfulness - paying attention for the sake of paying attention. We can start to recognize our habitual patterns. Knowing our patterns can really change things.   You can do this practice long, short, in a car, while washing dishes, having a cup of tea, eating a meal, walking, in the shower. Mindfulness can be invited into each and every moment. It’s a practice, not a performance.  We just keep coming back to each moment.  Giving each moment incredible value, importance and attention.   Simple right, not so easy. A very important aspect of mindfulness is bringing an attitude of kindness to our own self. Right, what’s that?  Yes, being kind to ourselves is a thing.   S.T.O.P  The STOP acronym is one of the most well-known and cherished brief mindfulness practices to use during the day. It’s super simple:  S – Stop  T – Take a breath  O – Observe what’s going on  P – Proceed  This can be done any time during the day when you remember. You become aware of what’s going on around you or inside of you, you ground yourself with some conscious breaths, and then you proceed with more clarity and from a place of choice.  Here are three wonderful ways to practice STOP in more depth: The ABCs of STOP—or practicing STOP for Awareness, Beauty, and Compassion:  STOP — A: STOP for awareness  Using the STOP practice to become fully aware of the present moment: What is going on in the body? The mind? The emotional field? Or asking yourself: What is out of my awareness right now? It can be as simple as noticing your brain is foggy after being on a conference call for two hours (and that you need a stretch break) or that you have been thinking about the upcoming teacher meeting all morning. Simply stop and take a breath.  STOP — B: STOP for beauty  Pause for a moment and notice something beautiful in your surroundings. It can literally be to “stop and smell the roses.” Use all of your senses to find something and then take it in for a breath or two. If that feels too big of a stretch you can ask yourself: “Ok, I know this is a stressful moment right now, but if there was something beautiful about it, what would it be?” Maybe then we notice the flowers on the table, which blend into the background when we are busy. Or the beautiful braids of the woman in front of us in the (long!) check out line at the grocery store.  Compassion is a natural, caring response to suffering, big and small, in ourselves and in others.  STOP — C: STOP for compassion  In a moment of stress or pain, practice STOP to open your heart to kindness and compassion. Compassion is a natural, caring response to suffering, big and small, in ourselves and in others. Sometimes the tug of compassion calls us to stop, at other times we need to stop and really take something in, so we can open the doors of the heart and invite compassion in. Maybe we are a little impatient with our child complaining at length about something that happened at recess. Maybe the adult brain doesn’t see it as hurtful but stopping and truly listening might allow us to connect with the truth of her hurt and allow our heart to melt a little.    Breath Focus Practice  Take a moment and find something to let your eyes rest on.  Soften your gaze but looking. You might like to rest your hands….  And when it is comfortable begin to let your eye lids lower, any amount or all of the way closed. Feel yourself sitting, standing, know what you can about being right here.  Only this moment matters right now. What can be known?  Begin to look at the inside of the eyes.  Look with awareness. Look to know, to see what’s there.   Move your attention to your breath. You might even feel this ability to look inward at the breath. From any perspective that you can you know the breath. From the nose, the nostrils, the throat, the chest, or ribs moving or belly.  You might sense warmth and then cool as your breath enters and leaves.   And then gently open your eyes again. And continue to look with this awareness.       Deeper Dive Resources    Angie’s Website  http://www.angiecorogin.com/  Angie’s Newsletter  https://angiecorogin.com/mbsr-course    Angie’s MBSR Course – Next One Starting November 23, 2020  https://angie-corogin-wellness.thinkific.com/courses/mbsr-winter  Angie on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/movementality/  https://www.facebook.com/angiecorogin/    Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Anxiety and Depression  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5679245/    A meta-analysis of Mindfulness Based Interventions (MBIs) show that MBIs are effective in reducing acute symptoms of depression but not anxiety  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25865879/    The acceptability and potential benefits of mindfulness-based interventions in improving psychological well-being for adults with advanced cancer: A systematic review  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29389483/    The Effect of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) on Depression, Cognition, and Immunity in Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Pilot Feasibility Study  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7429186/    What Works in Mindfulness Interventions for Medically Unexplained Symptoms? A Systematic Review  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7373253/    The ABCs of STOP: Three Short Mindful Breaks for Your Day  https://www.mindful.org/abcs-stop-three-short-mindful-breaks-day/    Organixx on Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/OrganixxSupplements    Organixx on Instagram  https://www.instagram.com/organixxliving/    Subscribe to Empowering You Organically 
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Emotions we don't release get trapped in our bodies. Or as today's guest, Ruth Cummings, puts it "Our bodies are a trash can for all the emotions we didn't process". Tune in for Part 2 to learn how we can better manage the connection between emotions and disease.  Ruth Cummings  Ruth Cummings is the owner of Athletic Touch Therapeutic Massage, which she founded in 1995.    She has over 50,000 hours experience as a massage therapist working on all types of clients, ranging in age from infants to centenarians and everyone in-between.    Ruth has worked on professional athletes in the NFL, MLB, and UFC, as well as amateur athletes in college and elsewhere.   She specializes in chronic pain relief and injury rehabilitation, but her real passion is the treatment of emotional pain in teens and their parents.    Ruth has a BA in psychology and creative writing, is a natural therapeutic specialist, as well as a personal trainer.   She coaches soccer and tennis, and her coaching achievements include two high school state championships in soccer and one in tennis.    She is an effective communicator with teens, and offers personal coaching in positivity, anxiety control, and self-esteem.  Ruth is married with two teens and her family loves to travel.  Check out her blog or massage website.   Summary: What is Emotional Pain  - https://familyfitnesstravel.com/what-is-emotional-pain/  We feel physical pain after emotional intense situations in our lives that manifest into the physical pain we feel.  Our bodies hide painful, scary and stressful feelings to keep us safe and alive. The difference between emotional pain and non-emotional pain, is how chronic and stubborn it is.  Most of the time we are not even aware that we are stuffing emotions at the time of the intense situation, which makes it difficult to let things go that we didn’t even know we were holding onto.  We can hold emotions from our younger years all the way to a few minutes ago, and each can cause odd pain in our bodies that are logically hard to explain.  The mind and the body don’t always see eye to eye which makes unraveling these emotional pains challenging. Once we can get the mind and body to recognize the pain pattern in which they are spinning, the healing is much easier.  Awareness is the main ingredient in starting the healing process, then breath work, journaling, seeing a counselor are a few Self-Care suggestions to implement to start feeling better.    Heart Chakra  Location: The center of your chest, just above the heart.  Color: Green  Meaning: Love, Compassion  Blocks in our heart chakra can manifest in our physical health through heart problems, asthma, and weight issues. But blocks are often seen even more clearly through people’s actions.  People with heart chakra blocks often put others first, to their own detriment. It’s the middle of the seven chakras, so it bridges the gap between our upper and lower chakras, and it also represents our ability to love and connect to others. When out of alignment, it can make us feel lonely, insecure, and isolated.     Throat Chakra  Location: The throat.  Color: Blue  Meaning: Love, Communication  As one would expect, this chakra is connected to our ability to communicate verbally. Voice and throat problems as well as any problems with everything surrounding that area, such as the teeth, gums, and mouth, can indicate a blockage. Blocks or misalignment can also be seen through dominating conversations, gossiping, speaking without thinking, and having trouble speaking your mind. When in alignment, you will speak and listen with compassion and feel confident when you speak because you know you are being true to yourself with your words.    Deeper Dive Resources  Ruth’s ALL Humans Welcome Prayer Chain  https://familyfitnesstravel.ck.page/38470dc383    Ruth’s "In Touch with Kindness" weekly email with health, self-care and fun happy tips.   https://familyfitnesstravel.ck.page    Ruth’s Blog – Family Fitness Travel  https://familyfitnesstravel.com/about/    Ruth’s Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/Family-Fitness-Travel-101244591542431/    Ruth’s massage website:   www.athletictouch.com    Ruth’s Play & Self Care website:  www.familyfitnesstravel.com    Ruth’s FREE Newsletter with Weekly Tips:  https://familyfitnesstravel.ck.page    Links From Ruth:  19 Ideas to Release Stress & Emotions From Your Body  What is Emotional Pain?  Self-Care Basics: A Beginner's Guide  Dr. Lad's Pranayama (Breathing Exercises)  Root Chakra Healing Sound (one of my favorites...there are many)  Sacral Chakra Healing Sound  Heart Chakra Sounds:  https://youtu.be/qxLoVPZvtTY    Throat Chakra Sounds:  https://youtu.be/QJs4iCV-g6I    The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer  https://untetheredsoul.com/    Thich Nhat Hahn Foundation  https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/  Live It Challenge  https://organixx.com/live-it    Organixx on Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/OrganixxSupplements    Organixx on Instagram  https://www.instagram.com/organixxliving/     

The sacred plant has been used for 5,000+ years to prevent, treat, and even beat hundreds of debilitating conditions and diseases. Up until 80 years ago, the sacred plant was readily available and used for countless ailments and chronic pain. But then, during the rise of the modern medical system, the sacred plant was unjustly suppressed by lawmakers who feared its healing powers, and sought to eliminate it so it could sell patented synthetic drugs for profit. It’s been hidden and forbidden ever since. Lia Hawks The Sacred Plant is a mission centered company started in April 2017. Since their beginning, their team has been dedicated to understanding, helping, and empowering patients, loved ones, caregivers, and more. Helping to ignite the conversation around knowing there are powerful, natural, safe options for them to live a healthy, happy, and pain-free life. Lia Hawks is a founding team member, holding the role of Director of Content. What is most important to note is the work she has done alongside the experts, patients, physicians, researchers, lawyers, nurses, advocates, and more to get an essential understanding of just how The Sacred Plant can make a difference in the lives of so many who once had lost hope.   What is The Sacred Plant? Cannabis The sacred plant has been used for 5,000+ years to prevent, treat, and even beat hundreds of debilitating conditions and diseases. Up until 80 years ago, the sacred plant was readily available and used for countless ailments and chronic pain. But then, during the rise of the modern medical system, the sacred plant was unjustly suppressed by lawmakers who feared its healing powers, and sought to eliminate it so it could sell patented synthetic drugs for profit. It’s been hidden and forbidden ever since.   CBD & THC The two most found cannabinoids in the plant out of over 100+ others.   CBD is known for: Anti-inflammation Anti-Anxiety Energy Boosting Stabilizes Cancer Bone density and formation Various others…   THC is known for: Kills cancer cells indirectly through apoptosis restart Pain reliever Muscle Spasm Depression Body relaxation   Ratios 3 parts CBD to 1 part THC will remove the psycho active feeling of the THC. Whereas, a 20:1 CBD:THC would negate all benefit of THC that your body could benefit from.   What is the Endocannabinoid System? Our body has the ability to heal itself, however when our immune system is compromised, that ability to heal is turned off.   Through our Endocannabinoid System we can optimize our body’s response. Kick starting healing, repair, and feeling well!   The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a complex cell-signaling system identified in the early 1990s by researchers exploring THC, a well-known cannabinoid. Cannabinoids are compounds found in cannabis. Endocannabinoids, also called endogenous cannabinoids, are molecules made by your body. They’re similar to cannabinoids, but they’re produced by your body. Experts have identified two key endocannabinoids so far: anandamide (AEA) 2-arachidonoylglyerol (2-AG) These help keep internal functions running smoothly. Your body produces them as needed, making it difficult to know what typical levels are for each. Endocannabinoid Receptors These receptors are found throughout your body. Endocannabinoids bind to them in order to signal that the ECS needs to take action. There are two main endocannabinoid receptors: CB1 receptors, which are mostly found in the central nervous system CB2 receptors, which are mostly found in your peripheral nervous system, especially immune cells Endocannabinoids can bind to either receptor. The effects that result depend on where the receptor is located and which endocannabinoid it binds to. For example, endocannabinoids might target CB1 receptors in a spinal nerve to relieve pain. Others might bind to a CB2 receptor in your immune cells to signal that your body’s experiencing inflammation, a common sign of autoimmune disorders.   Deeper Dive Resources   FREE Report from The Scared Plant – 5 Ways CBD Helps Prevent & Treat Cancer http://TheSacredPlant.com/EYO The Sacred Plant on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oursacredplant/   Getting High on the Endocannabinoid System https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3997295/   The Therapeutic Aspects of the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) for Cancer and their Development: From Nature to Laboratory https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5412000/   How the Endocannabinoid System was Discovered https://www.labroots.com/trending/cannabis-sciences/8456/endocannabinoid-system-discovered   Organixx on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/OrganixxSupplements   Organixx on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/organixxliving/    

The Live It Challenge continues with Angie Corogin. 2020 has been a stressful year for the world. Today is all about stress and mindfulness. Angie shares how the practice of mindfulness may help you meet challenge and stress differently. And you will enjoy the exercises Angie walks us through as she explains. Relaxation here you come… Angie Corogin Angie is a heartful yoga and mindfulness (MBSR) instructor, yoga studio owner, mindset coach, and certified integrative wellness consultant. She supports communities, corporations, and individuals to integrate functional wellness practices into their modern lives. Angie is committed to an earth-conscious lifestyle, from what she eats & drinks to all of the things that she consumes and is inspired to share this way of life with others. Angie has earned degrees in Environmental Education (B.S.) and Intervention Services (M.Ed).    Mindfulness Today is all about stress and mindfulness. I would like to share how the practice of mindfulness may help you meet challenge and stress differently.   These practices are easy, nothing you haven’t done before, however, this is not so simple.  Let’s start with a practice, I invite you to minimize all of the extra windows on your devices or life, begin to gather yourself here.  Totally here. Calling yourself back from all of the places that you are.   Short Attentional Focus Practice 5-Sense Pause (look around, hands/feet, soundscape, soften the mouth/jaw, breath) Rub hands, eyes / tap forehead, temples, cheeks, chin, chest Brush off arms and shoulders SH massage / GB 21 (neck, shoulder, headaches, too much thinking)   Standing Yoga              Mountain/ arms up & down             Edges of feet, ankle rocks              Knees             Hips             Swing arms/chair             Sunflowers             Mountain             Sit/ Thymus thumps             We took that time to practice because we can use all of these words to point at what mindfulness is. We can quote studies, articles, and interview experts too, but we really can only know mindfulness through the direct experience of the practice, our own practice of paying attention. And now, I am going to attempt to use words to describe stress and mindfulness, which are both, felt and known by each of us… and known by us differently.  We all describe stress and mindfulness a little different.  Definition of Stress  I’d wage that humans have been feeling stress since day 1. This look at stress with the lens of science is relatively new. Researchers have had a difficult time agreeing on an acceptable definition of stress. Some have conceptualized stress as a demanding or threatening happening or situation (e.g., a high-stress job, overcrowding, and long commutes to work). Such conceptualizations are known as stimulus-based definitions because they characterize stress as a stimulus that causes certain reactions. But stress is more than that. Stress is something that we each feel. Stress is the state which is seen in response to internal or external stressors. And here is what I think, its difficult to define something that is so…so individually experienced. Every system of the body responds to stress in varying ways. Sweating, quickened breath, fast heartbeat or skipping beats, holding our breath, blinking a lot, it can manifest in as many ways different as we are different from one another.  Stress enlists changes affecting almost every system of the body, influencing how people feel and behave.  History of Stress I want to zoom back in time a bit and keeping this brief, but I want to go back to something I said.  The “formal” study of stress is relatively new so lets have a quick chat about that.  In the 30’s Walter Cannon coined flight or flight. He was studying dogs swallowing buttons, and the swallowing mechanism.  He discovered emotions impacted this somehow. He found fight and flight. Fight I can meet this challenge. Flight I can flee this challenge. Around the same time Hans Seyle was exploring the concept of general adaptation syndrome, a study on stress, any kind - mind, body, emotions. When we encounter stress, especially when its prolonged our body biology changes. It 1984 Stress researchers Lazarus and Folkman at Berkeley expanded and proposed a way to look at stress differently. Their transactional theory of stress considered stress as a transaction between a person and their environment that is appraised as taxing or exceeding resources and endangering their well-being.  So, this theory introduces the idea that our perception of the stressor could be the source of stress. Stress is transactional.  Let me break it down. We have some awareness we can bring to assess our ability to meet our stress. Ex. I’m making a new meal for dinner and am excited to share it with my husband, he was supposed to be home at 6, and rolls in at 630… I’m frustrated and disappointed and trying to figure out how to enjoy the cold meal.  It’s the next day, dinner is at 6, I’m busy at work, I have NO idea what to make and need extra time.  He gets home at 6:30 and I’m relieved. Same situation, my appraisal of it is different.  OK, so what can we do with all of that.  Stress has been defined in lots of ways; we know it in our own way.  A powerful, a potent antidote to stress… is mindfulness.  Definition of Mindfulness Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally, in the service of self-understanding and wisdom.” JKZ  It is holding our attention to whatever is rising. Being here.  HumanBEING not humanDOING. This can be hard at first, boring, restless, thinking we aren’t doing it right.   We sense the world through, hearing, tasting, touching, seeing.  That is our only way to know anything at all. Our senses inform our thoughts.  And this is our perception, from where we form opinions and then make decisions and hold positions.  Its a completely a personal experience but one that we can often collectively understand and benefit from sharing our experience with others.   Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR).The timelines of stress research and mindfulness research start to merge in 1979.  Jon Kabat-Zinn recruited chronically ill patients not responding well to traditional treatments to participate in his newly formed eight-week stress-reduction program, which we now call Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). This program includes mindful meditation, mindful eating, walking, and mindful movement (aka gentle yoga).  Substantial research has mounted demonstrating how mindfulness-based interventions improve mental and physical health—comparably so to other psychological interventions Our body is a partner to each moment. Here in the west, we spend a lot of time disconnecting from our body.  Body shaming, and in fact spending a whole lot of time up here, in the mind, thinking.  And so again, mindfulness - paying attention for the sake of paying attention. We can start to recognize our habitual patterns. Knowing our patterns can really change things.  You can do this practice long, short, in a car, while washing dishes, having a cup of tea, eating a meal, walking, in the shower. Mindfulness can be invited into each and every moment. It’s a practice, not a performance.  We just keep coming back to each moment.  Giving each moment incredible value, importance and attention.  Simple right, not so easy. A very important aspect of mindfulness is bringing an attitude of kindness to our own self. Right, what’s that?  Yes, being kind to ourselves is a thing.  Visualizing Resistance Make a fist. This is resistance. Resistance in your body, mind and soul. Try to pry it open. Come on, pry it open. What do you notice when you pry and push? Now use the other hand to support and be kind. Now what do you notice? Powerful because we can feel it. You can use this in your practice because you can actually do this. Stress is a sense of threat. Things happening that I don’t want to happen. OR wanting a particular thing to happen that is not. So, what is this hand, what is support to your stress…. A deep breath. Counting to three. Looking around, find a few green or blue things. Feel your feet, hand. Sense into the sounds around you.  Take a deeper breath.  Breathing is a huge tool for many of us that we underutilize.  Parts of Brain Our stress response is hard-wired, automatic, habitual. When we experience a threat, the automatic sympathetic nervous system goes into high gear (with signals from the brain stem and limbic system).  Different parts of the brain are responsible for initiating this automatic reaction: This here is the brain stem and is the earliest part of the brain to form was what many refer to as our reptilian or lizard brain (brain stem). This is the survival part of our brain. Responsible for basic survival—keeps our hearts beating, keeps us breathing. Lizards that weren’t vigilant enough ended up getting eaten, which is why this part of the brain is hardwired to feel a constant, vigilant anxiety. Next part of the brain to evolve was the mammal or mouse brain (limbic system – amygdala, hippocampus) regulates our emotions and desires. Its main job is to move us toward the things that maintain life. The amygdala is the smoke alarm, detecting stress.  The most recent part of our brain to evolve is the primate or monkey brain (cortex) handles the higher cerebral functions—thinking critically, problem solving, planning, making mental maps of our world, and connecting with others. In essence, our online brain. Monkeys that weren’t able to connect with other monkeys did not survive. When encountering stress or a challenge that we appraise outside of our ability to meet. Thinking goes out the window and our prefrontal cortex goes offline.  We are operating from the lizard and mouse like part of our brain.  Fortunately, most of the time we do not find ourselves encountering life-threatening situations. Unfortunately, physiologic responses to non-immediate stresses are largely the same as when you’re fighting for survival. Our body doesn’t know the difference. But we can tell it!  We’re still prone to go into fight or flight when our sense of control is threatened, even if we’re just driving on the freeway or we receive harsh feedback from coworkers. Our brain still perceives events in terms of mortal threats to our well-being and sense of self, even when there is none. THIS IS AUTOMATIC, HARD-WIRED, HABITUAL REACTION FINE-TUNED FOR SURVIVAL. SO, what can you do?   If it’s a non-life-threatening moment, we can one - breathe.  Take a few breaths.  Let your prefrontal cortex come back online.  You might want to sit or lay down, lower your eyes, take a slow walk.  Most of all, we can get to know how stress feels as it begins in our body. We can also develop wisdom in how to support ourself in the heat of the moment. In the senses, we can often find a way back to homeostasis.  “We can’t stop the wild and painful catastrophes of life, but we can learn to cope.” JKZ or as Thich Nhat Hanh, the Vietnamese Buddhist monk and revered teacher says, "Without the mud, you cannot grow the lotus flower." Breath Focus Practice Take a moment and find something to let your eyes rest on.  Soften your gaze but looking. You might like to rest your hands….  And when it is comfortable begin to let your eye lids lower, any amount or all of the way closed. Feel yourself sitting, standing, know what you can about being right here.  Only this moment matters right now. What can be known?  Begin to look at the inside of the eyes.  Look with awareness. Look to know, to see what’s there.  Move your attention to your breath. You might even feel this ability to look inward at the breath. From any perspective that you can you know the breath. From the nose, the nostrils, the throat, the chest, or ribs moving or belly.  You might sense warmth and then cool as your breath enters and leaves.  And then gently open your eyes again. And continue to look with this awareness.      Deeper Dive Resources   Angie’s Website http://www.angiecorogin.com/ Angie’s Newsletter https://angiecorogin.com/mbsr-course   Angie’s MBSR Course https://angie-corogin-wellness.thinkific.com/courses/mbsr-winter Angie on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/movementality/ https://www.facebook.com/angiecorogin/   Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Anxiety and Depression https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5679245/   A meta-analysis of Mindfulness Based Interventions (MBIs) show that MBIs are effective in reducing acute symptoms of depression but not anxiety https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25865879/   The acceptability and potential benefits of mindfulness-based interventions in improving psychological well-being for adults with advanced cancer: A systematic review https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29389483/   The Effect of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) on Depression, Cognition, and Immunity in Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Pilot Feasibility Study https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7429186/   What Works in Mindfulness Interventions for Medically Unexplained Symptoms? A Systematic Review https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7373253/   Organixx on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/OrganixxSupplements   Organixx on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/organixxliving/    

Emotions we don't release get trapped in our bodies. Or as today's guest, Ruth Cummings, puts it "Our bodies are a trash can for all the emotions we didn't process". Tune in to learn how we can better manage the connection between emotions and disease.   Ruth Cummings Ruth Cummings is the owner of Athletic Touch Therapeutic Massage, which she founded in 1995.   She has over 50,000 hours experience as a massage therapist working on all types of clients, ranging in age from infants to centenarians and everyone in-between.   Ruth has worked on professional athletes in the NFL, MLB, and UFC, as well as amateur athletes in college and elsewhere. She specializes in chronic pain relief and injury rehabilitation, but her real passion is the treatment of emotional pain in teens and their parents.  Ruth has a BA in psychology and creative writing, is a natural therapeutic specialist, as well as a personal trainer. She coaches soccer and tennis, and her coaching achievements include two high school state championships in soccer and one in tennis.   She is an effective communicator with teens, and offers personal coaching in positivity, anxiety control, and self-esteem.  Ruth is married with two teens and her family loves to travel.  Check out her blog or massage website.    Summary: What is Emotional Pain​ - https://familyfitnesstravel.com/what-is-emotional-pain/ We feel physical pain after emotional intense situations in our lives that manifest into the physical pain we feel. Our bodies hide painful, scary and stressful feelings to keep us safe and alive. The difference between emotional pain and non-emotional pain, is how chronic and stubborn it is. Most of the time we are not even aware that we are stuffing emotions at the time of the intense situation, which makes it difficult to let things go that we didn’t even know we were holding onto. We can hold emotions from our younger years all the way to a few minutes ago, and each can cause odd pain in our bodies that are logically hard to explain. The mind and the body don’t always see eye to eye which makes unraveling these emotional pains challenging. Once we can get the mind and body to recognize the pain pattern in which they are spinning, the healing is much easier. Awareness is the main ingredient in starting the healing process, then breath work, journaling, seeing a counselor are a few Self-Care suggestions to implement to start feeling better.    Are you ready for the Organixx LIVE IT challenge?  Real quick, did you know that here at Organixx, we live by 5 core values?  Passionate about our Mission, Empowering You Organically Rigorously Honest and Trustworthy Team Players with Extreme Ownership Respectful Communication with a Balanced Ego Resourceful and Creative Growth  Our first Organixx Core Value is, we are Passionate about our Mission, Empowering YOU Organically. This doesn’t just apply to our customers, but to our team as well. We’ve just finished the second round of our Organixx LIVE IT challenge internally with just our team, and now we’re inviting you and the rest of the world, to join us for round three... for free.  What is the Organixx LIVE IT challenge?  Unlike a diet, Organixx Live It implies positive action.  A diet is restrictive; it requires a person to limit the things that they eat or drink in order to be successful. Organixx Live It is the opposite. It is unlimited and inspiring. Organixx Live It is a path to wellness that allows you to take action, participate in activities that bolster your health, improve your overall wellness, and inspire your continued journey to a long-term healthy lifestyle.  During our Live It activities, we will be challenging ourselves to improve our health and well-being and we will have a little fun at the same time, with chances to win some amazing prizes.   Deeper Dive Resources Ruth’s Blog – Family Fitness Travel https://familyfitnesstravel.com/about/  Ruth’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Family-Fitness-Travel-101244591542431/  Ruth’s massage website:  www.athletictouch.com Ruth’s Play & Self Care website: www.familyfitnesstravel.com Ruth’s FREE Newsletter with Weekly Tips: https://familyfitnesstravel.ck.page What Is Emotional Pain? https://familyfitnesstravel.com/what-is-emotional-pain/ Live It Challenge https://organixx.com/live-it Organixx on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/OrganixxSupplements Organixx on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/organixxliving/    

  Like a city’s infrastructure, the liver has hundreds of different functions and is a connected with every part of the body.  Tune in to learn how to support your liver for vibrant health!    ***  FEATURED PRODUCT    Stronger than a tea… yet gentle enough for daily use  Promotes a robust immune system that protects you year-round  Supports healthy liver function (your body’s #1 detoxifier)  Aids bile production for strong, predictable digestion  Supports healthy lungs that cleanse your body of airborne toxins  Boosts energy, promotes regular sleep patterns, and even improves mood  6 organic superfood ingredients    HOW TO USE  Mix one scoop daily in 8-10 oz of hot or cold water or your favorite beverage    “Like a city’s infrastructure, the liver has hundreds of different functions and is a connected with every part of the body.  At every moment of the day, this vital organ is involved in manufacturing, processing, and supplying vast amounts of nutrients for the 60 to 100 trillion inhabitants (cells) of the body. Each cell is, in itself, a microscopic city of immense complexity that generates billions of biochemical reactions per second. To sustain the incredibly diverse activities of all the cells of the body without disruption, the liver must supply them with a constant and uninterrupted stream of nutrients, enzymes, and hormones. With its intricate labyrinth of veins, ducts, and specialized cells, the liver needs to be completely unobstructed in order to maintain a problem-free production line and frictionless distribution system throughout the body.”   ~ Andreas Moritz ~ a Medical Intuitive and practitioner of Ayurveda, Iridology, Shiatsu and Vibrational Medicine. Author of The Amazing Liver & Gallbladder Flush, Timeless Secrets of Health and Rejuvenation, Lifting the Veil of Duality and It's Time to Come Alive.    The liver is our largest cleansing organ in our body. It must deal with all digestive functions in the body and much more.    Your liver is your best friend; treat it with mindfulness and kindness by eating clean food of the highest quality to lessen the amount of work it has to perform to keep you alive and healthy. When you eat the SAD (Standard American Diet) full of fried foods, meat, sodas, endless cups of coffee, dairy, unhealthy, hydrogenated fats, highly- acidic foods, white flour, and sugar, you damage the liver, clog the bile ducts responsible for the digestion of fats, and create liver and gallbladder stones.     Remember, when the liver works overtime all the time, its ability to filter out toxins becomes compromised. The stones start forming, clogging out both organs and eventually suppressing the immunity of the entire body.    Cleansing the liver is highly recommended for anyone who is trying to balance their hormones. Detox is vital because our bodies are loaded with chemicals, excess estrogens, and other toxins.    There are two critical steps you can take to maximize your liver’s ability to remove toxins.      These are:   Decreasing toxic load  Supporting the liver through dietary and lifestyle improvements 
    1. Recommendations to reduce toxic load:   Eat an organic whole foods diet 
  Eat antibiotic and hormone-free meats, fish, and dairy 
  Use a whole-house water filtration system 
  Use a high-quality air purifier in the home or office, and open windows as often as possibl
  Avoid alcohol, caffeine, smoking, and illegal drugs 
  Avoid plastics - particularly plastic wrap and plastic-lined cans 
  Swap out chemical household cleaners, soaps, and antibacterial products for all-natural brands 
  Use chemical-free beauty and skincare products - choose those without toxic preservatives and additives such as parabens and artificial fragrances    2. Support the liver through diet and lifestyle to promote optimal functioning: 
  Decrease intake of refined carbohydrates to help heal fatty liver 
  Eat liver-supportive foods such as beets, citrus, avocados, and cruciferous vegetables 
  Consume high-quality protein such as eggs, fish, organ meats and gelatin found in bone broth - the amino acids found in these foods support phase 2 of liver detoxification  Support the emptying of the GI tract by eating plenty of fiber 
  Break a sweat - this should be done regularly, through exercise, saunas, and steam rooms 
  Manage stress to decrease cortisol overproduction 
  Use herbs that support the liver - these include chlorophyll, cilantro, turmeric, dandelion root, burdock root, milk thistle, and artichoke extract  Take supplements that support liver function, including the B complex of vitamins, vitamins A, C, D, and E, along with N-acetyl cysteine, which is a precursor to glutathione (the master antioxidant).     3. Support glutathione production  Glutathione is one of the most potent antioxidants in the body. It protects the liver from damage and it plays a crucial role in preventing a host of conditions linked to inflammation.     Ways to increase glutathione production include: 
  Gentle exercises, like tai chi or restorative yoga 
  Taking stress down a few notches with calming practices like meditation, mindfulness exercises, or grounding 
  Include sulfur-rich foods in the diet that support and stimulate glutathione production, such as garlic, onions, and cruciferous vegetables 
  Consume foods high in vitamin C and E, like oranges, berries, grapefruit, tomatoes, peppers, sunflower seeds, almonds, and avocado 
  Include selenium-rich foods, like brazil nuts, sardines, beef, and liver 
  Eat bitter-tasting dark leafy greens, like arugula, chicory, mustard greens, Swiss chard and collard greens 
    4. Get your sweat on  One of the best ways to encourage detoxification is through the skin. Sweating is a way to help purge heavy metals and larger toxin molecules from the body.  Sauna - infrared saunas, in particular, can help break a sweat in a healthy way  Steam Room  Exercise
    5. Address overexposure to environmental toxins
  The poly-chlorinated and brominated chemicals, like PCBs and flame-retardants, are harmful to the liver. These are present in drinking water and many foods. Other environmental toxins such as BPA and other plastic softeners like phthalates can artificially increase estrogen levels.   Avoid plastics including water bottles and food packaging, BPA-coated receipts, and plastic flip flops  Consider installing a high-quality home water filtration system, or start by purchasing a drinking water filter   Use only natural cleaning products and personal care products 
  Eat organic fruits and vegetables, grass-fed meats, and sustainably caught wild fish