Thinking Outside of the Pill

By Carol Harblin (CHHC)

Ever look at a pill? Why do we think that Tylenol or a prescription medication is going to solve all our problems with one swallow? Why do we blindly take that pill and not even have concern about the dangers of it?

If it's given to you by a doctor on his little pad, then it has to be safe. This is the common thought of many Americans. Doctors have been our guidance and our rock. Why have they sold out to big pharma? More often than not, they see a symptom and jump at the chance to give a drug based on that symptom. This is not healing - it's masking.
Healing is actually sitting down and figuring out why a person feels the way they do and makes a step-wise plan to alleviate the condition of the person.

If those little pills really worked, then why are people feeling worse and why do they have to stay on them for the long haul? If those medications were actually a healing remedy, then the actual problem would be alleviated.

There are many people who take blood pressure medication. If those pills really helped to bring down the blood pressure, why do some people still struggle to maintain a normal reading?

People who take these prescription drugs only want to swallow a miracle pill and resume their normal routine. People don't want to change their behavioral patterns. The only time a person really wants to change their patterns is when they have been faced with a life or death situation. Why does a person have to wait until they've fallen to such a bottom before they want to get into a healthy lifestyle?

There are so many other ways of feeling better without swallowing a pill. Meditation, acupuncture, Reiki, reflexology, or even massage are just some ways that can help restore balance and heal yourself.

Take yourself back and think outside the pill.

Little Random Acts of Bonding

By Carol Harblin (CHHC)

On a bike ride the other day, I saw a father playing catch with his daughter and son. Also on my travels, I saw a blossoming family playing miniature golf together. Just when I thought the family of today was incapable of spending time together without the use of technology, my faith was renewed again. In fact, on that same bike ride I saw a few different people riding their bikes with either their significant other or with their family.

Bonding and spending quality time with your family, away from televisions and technology, feeds the family more than food ever would. Strengthening the family bonds with board games, bike riding, walking, hiking, boating, or golfing encourages communication to flow. Having open communication and a strong bond between parent and child decreases the likelihood for drug habits to form.

Oprah had a show the other week where she took away the technology of a couple of family's homes to see how they would survive for a couple of weeks. At first, they were suffering from withdrawal. They were frustrated and angry. As the week went by, the family's communication was improving and they were finding each other again. Technology seems to lose a family sometimes if it goes out of control.

Relationships with family members are just as important to nurture as the relationships with friends and significant others. But, it's important to maintain a balance with each of them. Your whole outlook and attitude changes for the better when the relationship portion of your life is fulfilled and satiated.

On a typical Saturday afternoon, turn off the television set and do something the whole family can do together.

Are you really hungry?

By Carol Harblin (CHHC)

Let's face it...there are many obese people in our country. BUT it's not their fault. We are the victims of our issues and our emotions. Our emotions can dominate and run rampant in our heads and make us do things we don't want to do such as EAT!

Eating is a very comforting practice. It is something that we've done with our parents since infancy. We've associated eating with comfort and nurturing.

In this messed up world, who doesn't want to be nurtured and comforted?

Listen to your body. Your body really does know best - if you let it.

If you are in a restaurant or the food court and are overtaken by the aroma around you - Stop. Don't buy anything just yet. Wait and think. Are you REALLY hungry or are you just drawn in on the aroma of the environment?
Did you know that sometimes smelling the food can be more satisfying than actually eating it?
Our taste and our smell are two completely different senses and more often than not we eat with our noses and not our tastes.

The food we eat has a smell. That smell has a memory attached to it - good or bad. Our memory decides whether we eat it or not. If it's an irresistible smell, we will most likely want more of it and gorge ourselves in an addictive way until we are full.

Why do we make ourselves the victim of our own mess?

Next time you are at your next meal, sit with yourself and be present. How hungry are you anyway? Take your time to chew your food. Realize what you are eating. Is it cleansing or is it comfort food?

Next time you are munching on popcorn or chocolate think about your own life. What is suffering? Career? Relationships? Finance?

Sometimes we eat to fill the void of something that is lacking or is a major problem. Someone may be having a hard time at work because they have been wanting that promotion for a year, and their boss doesn't see how hard they've been working and gives the promotion to someone else. At lunch, they eat their usual lunch, but for dessert they go to the vending machine and buy 10 peanut butter cups. They didn't really want to eat the peanut butter cups, but they felt that they had to fill the void inside where the promotion would have filled.

If you have a craving, drink a glass of water or distract yourself with something else and you most likely won't have that craving anymore. Sometimes cravings can be very powerful though. Indulge in a little bit of your craving and then sit with yourself. Ask yourself, "Why did I NEED this?"

Questions for you to answer:
Am I really hungry? If no, I must be hungry for something other than food.

• I need to be nourished with a job that stimulates me and with people who respect me.
  
• I need to be with friends.
  
• I need to meditate and be with just myself.
  
• I need to focus on my finances and balance my checkbook.

Decide how hungry you really are when you sit down at meal time too. Eat until you feel satiated. Don't keep eating until your pants are too tight and you say, "Why did I have that last bite?"

What's In Your Spice Cabinet?

By Carol Harblin (CHHC)

Herbs and spices have been used since the beginning of time. Some have been used as currency, medicine, and even in food. Spices do not have to be hot. Spices can be Thyme, Cardamom, Turmeric, Ginger, and Garlic. Salt and Pepper are not the only two that you can shake on top of your lunch or dinner plate. In fact, why do restaurants continue that ever-so-dull practice? Why not offer something new for our palates? Restaurants could place Turmeric and Curry in place of the Salt and Pepper. It can't be worse than salt. Salt contributes to hypertension and high blood pressure, just to name a few. In our homes, we can toss out those Salt and Pepper shakers and replace them with what we want to try. Isn't that funny how we are subconsciously controlled in that way to use Salt and Pepper and to think that is are sole options?

Go to the supermarket and experiment with at least three different spices. Place them on the dinner table and tuck away the salt and pepper. I challenge you to live like that for two weeks. Just TWO weeks.
I can tell you that after that time, you will really awaken your taste buds and have a new appreciation for flavor at meal time.
Learn to taste with all your taste buds. Taste all six flavors: Sweet, Salty, Sour, Pungent, Bitter, and Astringent.

The many herbs and spices that many are rediscovering and are becoming conscious to, have positive health benefits. Of course, garlic has heart health benefits in that it helps thin the blood (without aspirin!), lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Ginger and turmeric have anti-inflammatory effects as well. Ginger can also be used to alleviate nausea too.
How about Cardamom? This spice can help with asthma and respiratory issues.

Herbs and spices have wonderful benefits; however, it is important to talk over the information about herbs and spices with a holistic health care provider before independently experimenting. Why? Because many people take prescription drugs. Prescription drugs are man-made synthetics and chemical forms of herbs and spices. Because of this, a drug and a spice that have the same purpose may contradict each other.

Keep it simple at first and experiment with something easy like Basil and Thyme. Find a holistic health practitioner to go over the rest. Remember what Hippocrates said: "Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food."

Reawakening Your Senses and Come Alive!

By Carol Harblin (CHHC)

When was the last time you really touched someone? Smelled a fragrance? Really listened to someone? Looked at a sunrise? Tasted a meal?

Chances are, you didn't use your senses to the fullest. What does it take to use your senses? It goes deep into the consciousness of your being. Learning to appreciate every moment and taking the time to appreciate the senses you are experiencing within your perception.

Touch is a therapeutic sense. Hug someone whether you or the other needs it and see how you feel. It allows you to release a tension from within. You are reaching out to another life force to share in that sensation and release. Hugs give strength to giver and the receiver because as you release a certain energy, you are also receiving a feeling of true connectedness.

The sense of smell defines your past and your memories. It can encapsulate a very loving memory where you may want to retreat to during stressful times. Some aromas can be soothing as some can be curdling to your soul. Aromatherapy can be very soothing and therapeutic for people with any type of imbalance, whether it's just an off day or an illness.

The art of listening is indeed a real art. People can hear anything, but to really listen to someone's words and have those same words resonate through them is the key. Listen to how the words make the person feel and their inward expression as they speak. Listen to their breath. Is their breath even? Is it shallow and nervous?

Use your sight to your advantage. Allow your eyes to take in what they see like a video camera. Paint a picture with your soul. Look into your lover's eyes and reach their soul. Look at the sunrise or sunset and feel it with your soul and catch it with your breath.

Tasting a dinner, or taking a bite of an apple on a crisp autumn day can heighten your sense of taste to a new level. Tasting involves each taste bud on your tongue. Of course we know about the sweet, salty, and sour tastes. Those flavors are highly used in everything we eat. But, there is also the pungent, bitter, and astringent tastes that we seem to forget about. Add some extra seasoning to each meal and awaken your taste buds. Sip some green tea with your meal.

Experiencing your senses brings extra zest to your experiences and life. Slow down your pace in your daily routine and bring some sense to your life!

The Mark of Summer Begins

By Carol Harblin (CHHC)

Ready...set...GRILL!

Memorial Day is the common marker for summer grilling, picnicking, and wearing white. People will be drinking their beer in the sun as they go boating, and play their favored outdoor games. Dust off the grill and prepare the meat for a good tasting barbecue. I'm all for it! Let's get started!

But wait. I hate to be a buzz kill, but I saw a few red flags waving.

First, preparing meat should be prepped inside and then kept chilled until you are ready to place it on the grill. Let's not keep food out in the sun either. I can already hear the crazed media having a field day over our left out foods that made us sick. Foods like potato salad have mayonnaise in it and could spoil if left in the sun.

Vegetarians won't be eating meat on the grill, but leave some space for some grilled vegetables! Yum! Try wrapping the vegetables in foil and placing it on the grill. That way it won't be contaminated with the meat.

Got beer? We all know there will be several people sipping on something alcoholic this holiday and even over the summer at any given summer event. It's okay to drink as long as you realize you should not drink in the sun for a long duration of time, and that you should not drive anywhere either - even a boat.

Got sun? Finally! Don't just slather the sunscreen on your bodies. Allow that long awaited sun to absorb into your skin for at least 15 minutes for that wonderful vitamin D! Many people are freaked about what the media has pumped in their brains about skin cancer and how you have to put on sunscreen. Well, it is important, but not immediately necessary. Literally soak in 10 to 15 minutes of that beautiful sun for some healthy vitamin D. What do you have to lose besides bone density?

Have fun holistically! Get a group of people together and set up badminton, croquet, and even Frisbee. Be present in every moment and have fun. Play some golf, go for a swim, take a bike ride, go hiking - whatever it is, take in the moment and be present and have fun. Just know that whatever you do, there is a trail that you are leaving and that it is important to clean up your mess. Be socially and environmentally responsible this summer.

Spring Fever Hits Hard

By Carol Harblin (CHHC)

After a long hard winter, there is only one thing on everyone's mind: sunny days. This Spring however, it's a little tricky. The weather has been warm one day and chilly the next. That's the ideal combination for the flu. That's all we need is a sore throat and nasal congestion on a beautiful 74 degree day! But it could happen - especially if we try cramming three days into one because we are excited to finally see warm weather.
There is also the hype about the Swine Flu. With a sneeze, or a cough it has everyone wondering if they are the next victims of Swine Flu. I've seen a few people in public areas wearing masks to protect them from this virus.
What can we do? Continue your Spring plans as usual. If you want to go to the park, play golf, ride your bicycle, go for a run - just do it! Enjoy yourself. The day has given you a gift, so play and enjoy. Even if you are caught with the sniffles or a cough, that should not stop you from going outside and being out in the elements. The warm sun will actually help your vitamin D levels in your body (without sunscreen for at least 10-15 minutes). Aside from vitamin D, the sun has more therapeutic effects. It soothes your dampened spirits and helps you relax.
The next warm day, I challenge you to sit in a comfortable position and allow the sun's rays to cover your body and completely relax under the magical spell of the sun.
Close your eyes, and breathe in and out. Trust the sun's blanketed warmth.

The important thing to know about all this Swine Flu is to not to be so wrapped up into the media. Learn to enjoy your day and be spontaneous - have fun, relax, and smile.

Don't overbook your day with appointments. Pencil in some time for yourself. An overbooked day causes anxiety and exhaustion. Balance your days and spread out your appointments and tasks.