Problems and Solutions for CANDLE MAKING

Making candles can be great fun. It is very exciting to decide what type of candle to make and getting your supplies. However, some individuals quickly become disappointed and frustrated with the process and give up. There are some common problems that beginners experience with candle making. Most of them have quick and easy solutions. It is recommended that all beginners start with the basic candle making process. This gives you the opportunity to learn the basics, then you can move on to making the types of candles you really want to.

An almost burnt-down lit candle on a candle holder. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

One secret to making great candles is to use quality products. In general, candle making supplies are inexpensive. If the wax you purchase is of poor quality, then it is never going to make quality candles. Heating the wax to the proper temperature is very important. The temperature will change depending on the type of candle you are making with it. If the wax isn’t hot enough it won’t form correctly. Likewise, wax that is too hot will lose luster and won’t be as sturdy once it cools. 

Have you every made a beautiful candle, but when you lit it the room filled with smoke rather than the fragrance of the candle? This problem has to do with your wick, it is too long. Simply cut them shorter for future candles. You can snip the tips of the candles you have already created and this should remedy the situation.

Some candles burn and smell great, but they look ugly after a few uses with a crater in the middle of the candle while the edges of the candle jar haven’t even been touched. This is the result of a wick that isn’t wide enough. There isn’t much you can do for candles you have already made except melt the wax in them and start over. You can purchase a wider wick or braid three together to get a good thickness. The wider the candle jar, the wider you need your wick to be for the candle to burn evenly.

Cooling candles is an area of trouble for many beginners. Don’t rush the cooling process or you will damage the hardness of the candle. Forcing the candle to cool will also result in bubbles forming in the top and middle of the candle. While it won’t be a physical defect, the melting wax will go into these bubbles when you have the candle lit resulting in the wick going out. Candles should be allowed to cool in an area where they won’t be moved until completely cool. The area needs to be flat and out of direct sunlight. You will also want to make sure there aren’t any heating or cooling vents in the cooling area.

If you notice that your cooled candle isn’t as appealing as you’d like because the wax pulled away from the glass jar in some areas, try heating your jars in the microwave for a minute or two right before you fill them. This will help the wax adhere to it correctly with a very smooth look all the way around the jar.

It is important to remember that candle making involves some basic concepts. It will take a few tries to complete the steps properly, but give it some time. You will have to experiment to find the methods that work best in your work environment to make the candles you want.

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AYURVEDA regime for winter depression

Long nights, short days, sweaters, warm clothes and chilly weather make many of us sick and depressed. This depression which surfaces especially in winter is a Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and is often called as winter Time Blues or Winter depression. The exact cause for this depression is as of yet unclear. But yet few scientists believe lack of exposure to sunlight as the reason for this disorder.

A 30 kHz bright light therapy lamp (Innosol Rondo) used to treat seasonal affective disorder.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The symptoms of winter depression are tendency to over eat, craving for carbohydrates and sweets and weight gain. 

Had our ancestors observed this change in humans? The answer is yes. Have they recommended any remedies? Yes, they have recommended simple and effective natural remedies to overcome Seasonal Affective Disorder. They have laid down explicit guidelines about diet and lifestyles which have to be followed according to seasons.

The winter season is marked as Hemanta ritu and Sisira ritu in ayurveda. Hemanta ritu starts from mid November and ends in mid January. This falls in southern solstice which is called as visarga kala or dakshinayana in ayurveda. Sisira ritu starts from mid January and lasts till middle of march. Sisira ritu falls in Northern solstice which is called as Aadana kaala or uttaraayana.

The response of human body to this season is very well explained in ayurveda. People will have increased strength and their digestion capacity is increased .This is marked by increased hunger. These symptoms are caused by increased body fire which is supported by vata. Vata inside  body increases in winter because of cold and dryness which is prevalent in outer atmosphere.

The winter time depression is noticed mostly in persons who have vata as major constituent in their prakriti or body constitution. The cause for this type of change is longer nights of winter. 

Light therapy is recommended by doctors for winter time blues. Exposure to artificial light may cause headache , Irritability ,Eye strain , Inability to sleep and fatigue. Exposure to sunlight and if sunlight is not available sitting near fireplace is the remedy suggested in Ayurveda. 

Keeping the home well lit with lights help to reduce the intensity of depression.

Moderate exercise like yoga is another remedy for winter depression. Ayurveda recommends oil massage (abhyanga)  to body and head (moordha taila.). Indulging in sexual act to keep the moods elevated and to keep the body warm is another strongly suggested ayurvedic remedy.

Meeting friends who are kind and understanding boosts morale and brightens up the day. Spending time with friends on the beach helps to expose your body to sunlight and keeps your spirits high.

Relaxing with meditation, massage , light music and laughter helps to great extent.

The following ayurvedic tips help to prevent and reduce the intensity of seasonal disorder of winter, the winter time blues.

1. Expose yourself to sunlight as much as you can. In absence of sun light sitting near fire place is very helpful.

2. Massage your body with vata balancing herbal oil (abhyanga). Never forget to apply oil on your head (moordha taila.). 

3. Then remove the oil by taking hot water bath. A mixture of  flours of yellow gram (channa), green gram (moong) , fenu greek seeds (methi)  in equal proportion is the best herbal scrub which can be used to remove the oil. This mixture prevents the washing of natural oil from skin.

4. Consume hot soups.

5. Use vata balancing foods like wheat, oil, corn, black gram and jaggery. 

6. Tickle your taste buds with sweet, sour and salt tastes

7. Always use hot water for all daily routine activity.

8. Use thick blankets and sheets made of cotton, silk and wool.

9. Always wear foot wear.

10. Indulge in sexual act.

11. Spend your leisure time with friends and relatives whom you like.

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ASTROLOGY, medicine, astronomy

Sixteenth century engraving of Claudius Ptolemy (AD c100-170) being guided by the muse Astronomy - Margarita Philosophica by Gregor Reisch, published in 1508.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There was a time when astrology was an accepted science and was a part of medical diagnoses, as much as were a patient’s physical symptoms. It’s hard to say whether we’ve e-volved or de-volved, as we no longer think about living in harmony with cosmos. We consider ourselves too advanced scientifically to think that movements in the stars and planets might have a serious impact on our daily lives and our health.

But are we right. Who is anyone to say that man, with his limited brain, can truly comprehend the workings of the universe, or how he fits within it. Western civilization is predicated on conquering, not understanding. But it wasn’t always so.

Astrology is one of the most important historical contexts in which astronomy developed. The Babylonians carefully assembled tablets of the position of Venus, as it was believed to denote omens for weather, war, famine, diseases, rulers and kingdoms.

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Claudius Ptolemy composed the Tetrabiblos, believing that astrology could be placed on a rational footing, despite being a conjectural art like medicine. In practice, belief in astrology meant that horoscopes were cast for new-born children, prospective spouses and political enemies, public buildings were opened and marriage and other ceremonies conducted on auspicious days. Numerous records of astrological practice can be found from the Roman times and physicians routinely consulted astrological charts as part of the diagnostic process.

For instance, every sign of the zodiac was considered to rule a part of the human body: the Sagittarius ruled the thighs, Pisces the feet, and so on. When the moon was in the zodiac ruling a particular part of the body, bloodletting from that part was to be avoided, since the attraction of the moon might cause excessive bleeding. Numerous medical manuscripts and almanacs include the figure of the 'zodiac man' as a reminder of the specific influence of the moon. In addition, the power of the moon's pulling power varied by its phases, and thus almanacs usually showed the phases of the moon.

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AROMATHERAPY Massage Creams

Driven by the stresses of the day, we have no choice but to subject ourselves to fatigue and tension. Often, we still have to hold 3 jobs at a time just to accommodate all our periodic expenses. And some rest and a good night sleep are our well-earned comforts.

A specially created massage combining technique and aromatherapy oils. The essential oils are absorbed through the skin and carried to the muscle tissues, joints and organs to relieve tension and relax your mind. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Sounds strange? It is but it happens. Its ironic that we have to toil ourselves daily just to get the leisure we want at the end of the day. And yet we work some more everyday just to make both ends meet with maximum comfort we want for ourselves.

It seems that this has become the trend and we just have to follow the flow of living. Nonetheless, our daily schedule is tiring and truly physically taxing. With some measures to maintain our vigor and to rejuvenate our spent energy, we are sure to find ourselves refreshed as the new morning starts.

One of the known methods that could provide the release of one's body and mind in everyday stress is through aromatherapy. Apart from being an art, it is also a science that aims to induce healing through the stimulation of the olfactory nerve. This works primarily by altering moods using scents and aromas.

There are a number of principles used in aromatherapy. The candles and lotions aside, it also advocates the use of creams that have a delicate mixture of essential oils in massage therapy.

Aromatherapy massage creams brings about the effects of tranquility in the mind and more vibrant skin. Aromatherapy creams are made from aromatic essential oils that are known to bring healing only on one's mind and body but also to one's skin. In fact, the essential oils used in aromatherapy are first discovered when a Frenchman accidentally dipped his burning finger in lavender oil. This then helped heal the wounds with the absence of scars.

Like with the essential oils, aromatherapy massage creams also have various flavors that can cater individual needs.

These are often blended with skin-rejuvenating ingredients like jojoba oil and coconut oil and botanical thickeners to produce a good aromatherapy cream.

Unlike with massaging oils though, aromatherapy massage creams can only be used through topical application. Combined with soothing massage, aromatherapy creams can help reduce the stress from fatigue, muscle strain, headaches, depression and even hypertension. It could also possibly redirect a person with anxiety disorder from thoughts that often bug his mind.

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Avoiding COLDS and FLU Naturally

This year it is of utmost importance that we pay attention to strengthening our immune systems naturally.  Using certain herbs, foods, supplements and homeopathic remedies can help you avoid catching a cold or flu and build your immune system.  If you do catch a virus, they can help 

relieve the symptoms and shorten the duration and severity of the illness.

What most people don’t realize is how much your daily diet has an impact on the strength of your immune system.  If you or your child are eating sweets daily, processed foods, junk food, drinking soda or other sweetened beverages regularly, you are weakening your immunity and will be more likely to catch virus’s. One teaspoon of sugar (soda has about 9-11 tbsp.) can weaken your immune system for 4 hours.  I believe that this is why so many people are now having an extreme difficulty fighting illnesses.  (Besides repeated antibiotic use)

Try eating more vegetables, at least 4-5 servings a day!  Along with eggs for breakfast, how about a few pieces of steamed asparagus, some spinach, squash or a few tomato slices.  Have a salad with lunch, and at least two vegetables with dinner.  Fresh fruit can also bolster vitamin C and help build resistance.  

Eat berries daily!  Especially frozen - freezing berries breaks the cell wall and releases more color pigments containing the beneficial bioflavanoids.   Avoid all white flour (eat only WHOLE grains), baked goods, sugary cereals, cookies, cakes, candy, and sweets.  You’ll feel so much stronger than you realize!  

Good Natural Vitamins a MUST!

It is very important to take a good quality, plant-based not synthetic, multi-vitamin/ mineral supplement daily which supplies you with vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, amino acids, essential fatty acids, proanthocyanadines, bioflavanoids, green foods, enzymes and more.  

Taking 2000-4000 mg. of  Vitamin C every day will help you fight infections.  Eating garlic regularly or taking odorless garlic capsules helps fight viral, bacterial, and yeast infections.  Bee propolis is known as Russian penicillin and is often found in natural vitamin 

supplements.  It is collected by bees to protect the hives from infection.

Super Antioxidants

I HIGHLY recommend using Super Antioxidants daily!  Not only because they help reduce the signs of aging, along with aches and pains, but they can greatly increase your immune system, being 20 - 50 times more potent than Vitamin C and E!   

Using Echinacea (purple coneflower) herbal extract regularly can help you avoid or reduce the severity and duration of viral illnesses.  40 drops for an adult taken 4-6 times a day at the first sign of a cold can help you avoid it completely.  Olive Leaf extract is  proven more powerful than penicillin in fighting upper respiratory infections, sinus, strep and throat infections!  Those with autoimmune diseases should consider using Astragalus instead of Echinacea to strengthen the spleen and immune system.  It is a safe, long term immune system tonic.

Oil of Oregano

My favorite is a high-quality, full-strength Oil of Oregano.  It is a very powerful agent against bacterial, viral,parasitic, and fungal infections.  I recommend keeping some on hand!  It’s an excellent general tonic and immune stimulant.  You can take one or two capsules a day, or 

place one or two drops of the oil under the tongue to go immediately into the blood and lymph system.  4-5 drops can also be placed in juice andtaken several times a day.  This can be your best defense against the flu!  

Therapeutic value of Colloidal Silver

Also consider using Colloidal Silver for excellent anti-viral protection!  It works great to help avoid or reduce symptoms of colds and flu.  The body has an innate ability to rejuvenate and restore itself to optimum health. When taken daily, Colloidal Silver acts as an optimal immune system supporter by helping the body fight invaders. Medical tests indicate no known adverse effects from the use of properly prepared Colloidal Silver, and there has 

never been a recorded case of drug interaction with any other medication.

The body does not develop a tolerance to Colloidal Silver and no allergic reaction has ever been recorded.

How Colloidal Silver Works

The presence of Colloidal Silver near an invader disables its oxygen-metabolism enzyme, its chemical lung, so to say. Within a few minutes, the invader suffocates and dies, and is cleared out of our bodies by the immune, lymphatic and elimination systems. Unlike pharmaceutical antibiotics, which destroy beneficial enzymes, Colloidal Silver leaves these tissue-cell enzymes intact, as they are radically different than those enzymes of primitive 

single-celled life. Thus, Colloidal Silver is absolutely safe for humans,reptiles, plants and all multi-celled living matter.

Not to be underestimated is the value of maintaining good colon health.  The Chinese have long equated respiratory problems with poor bowel function.  If waste product is not beingremoved in a timely fashion then toxins build up in the body, and particularly the respiratory system.  Be sure to take herbs which perform a good bowel detox, as well as keep the intestines in fighting shape with friendly bacteria, such as acidophilus or bifidophilus.  Enzymes are a must.  Take a broad spectrum enzyme combination,  both with meals and 

between meals.

Regular daily exercise and fresh air will also keep your lymph moving and your immune system strong.  Try rebounding (jumping on a mini-trampoline) everyday, even if it's just 2-5 minutes, several times a day.  

Be sure to wear a hat when out in the cold.  Getting plenty of sleep and daily relaxation to reduce stress will also help.  Keeping your self strong and healthy not only protects you from the flu, but many other ills as well.

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The 3 Most Popular Ways to Escape Uncomfortable Feelings of Low SELF-ESTEEM

Watch TV, open the newspaper, listen to the radio, or visit news sites on the Internet and you’ll immediately notice that the amount of human failure and disaster one is exposed to is disheartening. If you are like me, you may find yourself avoiding these sources of news and “entertainment” because you can’t stand the amount of negativity that infiltrates your mind and harmfully impacts your energy-state! Not surprisingly, much of the negativity in the world is sourced from people having an unhealthy, low level of self-esteem. Shocking, extensive research shows that over 85% of the world’s population has some type of deficiency in their level of self-esteem.

Low self-esteem causes feelings of discomfort, unhappiness, anger, fear, procrastination, frustration, shyness and incapability. This array of negative thought processes and sensations causes people to look for artificial ways to cover up their lack of confidence by taking on forced or unnatural behaviors. Three of the most common ways of covering up a negative self-image, diminished self-esteem and low confidence levels are:

1) Forced and unhealthy communication Forced acts of communication are ways we relate with each other in an unnatural and destructive way. Examples of unproductive communication could be uncontrolled anger, screaming or abusive language, or making unfair or unproductive remarks. All too often, when we feel uncomfortable in social situations or fear being controlled by another, we try to gain the upper hand by dominating the other person in some manner. For example, your spouse might make a remark that you allow to cause you to feel poorly about yourself or attacked in some way. (The words of another can never negatively impact our self-esteem unless we allow them to do so.) Most of the time, we react to what someone says when they bring up something we can not be with about how we see ourselves. This reactive feeling is all too often a sign of a diminished self-esteem. As a result of feeing threatened, you might counter with an aggressive or hostile remark of your own. Before long, you have unintentionally begun a downward spiral in communication that will surely erode your relationship over time.

Lacking self-esteem likewise impacts all other areas of life. Additional examples include fear of public speaking, ineffective professional communication, pursuing a carrier that is not in alignment with one’s passions and life-purpose, dating or even marrying people that do not match up well with our most important values because we fear we may not attract our ideal partner, and bringing up children to be fear-based, reactive, or unhealthy in their perceptions of the world and in their relationships with others.

2) Sleeping Excessively in order to Escape from Reality Do you know anyone who “sleeps their time away?” For countless people, sleeping is a way to escape their painful feelings of incapability, fear, discomfort, unworthiness, and weakness. These feelings stem from the interpretation that one is somehow unlovable or not good enough and are ultimately the result of low self-esteem levels. They drain our energy and cause internal friction that makes us tired. They also result in having us want to escape those situations instead of coping with them in an appropriate and effective manner. For many people sleeping is the easiest escape rather than learning to face life’s challenges. Sleeping is a means of recuperation — so upon awakening, all challenges can be coped with more easily with fresh energy. However many people don’t use sleep for the purpose of regenerating energy. They numb their pain with ‘chronic sleeping’ as an escape from reality. As an escape strategy, problems remain unaddressed and unsolved and so tend to become worse with the passing of time.

3) Use of Alcohol, Drugs, and Cigarettes As an active observer of people’s coping strategies, notice how often so many look for ways to numb the pain rather than address the source of their challenges. Many find comfort in cigarettes as a stress reliever. The underlying source of mental stress and bodily tension is often diminished self-esteem. So often, people condition themselves to turn to alcohol or drugs after experiencing a stressful event. Rather than deal with the causes of life’s disappointments, relationship challenges, or ineffective communication, it’s often easier to look for ways to forget about the problems by turning to alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs. Of course, these destructive forms of escaping the uncomfortable feelings that are caused by low confidence, a bad self-image and poor self-esteem often result in compounded health and social challenges of their own. In addition to their harmful physical effects, drugs and alcohol amplify negative feelings and thus result in further destructive behavior. In this way, they compound the already present challenges and result in a worsening, vicious cycle of greater proportions.

Low self-esteem is most often the cause of these destructive and escape-seeking behaviors. Rather than detach from or attempt to escape the challenges brought on by a poor self-image and low self-confidence, there is a more effective way to live a more powerful, happier and more abundant life — simply by elevating one’s level of self-esteem. After working personally with thousands of coaching clients in the past 15 years, I have uncovered an effective yet simple and easy-to-implement formula for improving one’s self-esteem. The entire process of healing one’s painful past, accurately assessing one’s current situation, and proactively designing the future in choice can be found in the step-by-step self-study program entitled, “The Self-Esteem Book: The Ultimate Guide to Boost the Most Underrated Ingredient for Success and Happiness in Life.” For more information on restoring your self-esteem and reclaiming your magnificence, visit TheSelfEsteemBook.com website.

Copyright 2006 Dr Joe Rubino

BRICK STONE Home Energy Efficient

How Can Brick Stone Make Your Home Energy Efficient?

A home that’s energy-efficient is actually healthier and cost effective. Energy efficiency modifications in your home can eliminate or at least lessen the poor quality of air that’s brought in by various weather conditions. One way to make your home energy efficient is to pay attention to the building materials and to the house design. 

The Braden energy efficient farm house (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In Australia, bricks have long been recognized as commonly chosen building materials. In fact, nearly 90% of the built houses in the said place are constructed using bricks. Because of the campaign to decrease energy consumption in its entire forms, there are building regulations these days that require the newly built houses to be more energy efficient. Well there are some things you need to know in order to come up with an informed choice. 

Think about the amount of energy that’s usually consumed in your home. Maybe, you’ll be surprised to find out that a large part of the home energy is used up in cooling and heating. Cooking and lighting, even when put together, comprise only a few percent. Hence, anything which can help lessen the cooling and heating bills of your home will be a good investment, right? But the question is, do you think it is possible to cut down cooling and heating energy consumption while keeping up a practical thermal comfort inside your home?  It is in this case that passive design comes into play. 

Passive design handles the energy coming from the sun to improve the house’s cooling and heating in a natural way. There are actually four major principles in passive design. These are orientation, insulation and thermal mass. 

·  Orientation. The huge glass portion in the north part allows the low winter sun in. And to block the high summer sun, simple shading like eaves is applied. 

·  Ventilation.  When the crest of summer time has already passed, air is permitted to get in and go out of the house in order to make it cool in a natural manner. To optimize cross ventilation, the either side of the building or the house have generous openings with almost negligible internal obstructions. 

·  Insulation. The insulation in the wall and ceiling serves as the obstacle to heat transportation. Insulation efficiency can be calculated by means of its R-value but it doesn’t present the whole issue. Various walls may have the same R-value but may not work the same. 

·  Thermal Mass. Wall materials that are dense and heavy, like bricks, suck up heat and hamper its conveyance through the walls. Through these, temperature changes become moderate and the heat absorption during summer is significantly hampered. Compared to brick walls, the lightweight materials have very low thermal mass. And because of this thermal mass, brick walls turn out to be more capable of moderating home temperature even if they have similar R-values. 

Now come to think of thermal mass and consider brick stone. The first two techniques in the passive design, which are orientation and ventilation, need to be set up into the house. And your home material preference has a major effect on the quantity of thermal mass in a house or a building. One of the simplest and most economical ways to put up thermal mass is through bricks. Those bricks that are made from clay contain very high thermal mass. They are available to make your home well ventilated, comfortable and more energy efficient. 

There is a research proving the idea that Brick stone homes are energy efficient. The said research has revealed that a large part of the heat is bounced back to the outside environment via the brick’s exterior panel.  Another conclusion that came out is that in summertime, the temperature inside a home that’s constructed from bricks remained favorable and comfortable in spite of the changing temperature outside.

The US Department of Energy stated that thermal mass stores up heat by means of converting its temperature. It can be achieved by storing heat coming from a warm room or by means or transforming direct solar radiation into heat. And since brick stone has more thermal mass than other building lightweight materials, it is a very useful element that can be used up in making your home more energy efficient. 

To sum up, brick is a very simple and inexpensive technique in putting up thermal mass in your next home. Therefore a brick stone home is more energy efficient than those that are made from other materials.

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The Most Potent Form of ALOE VERA

There are many forms of aloe vera supplements on the market today including pills, liquid, aloe juice, and freeze dried soluble powders. If you do your due diligence and seek information you will reach the obvious conclusion that freeze dried aloe is by far the most effective way to absorb the benefits into your system. 

Aloe vera with flower inset image. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The consumer has to be careful because not all freeze dried aloe vera is the same.  The most potent freeze dried aloe vera is produced from the pure aloe gel.  This will give the product the highest range of molecular weight possible. The more complete the molecular weight, the more complete the healing properties will be.

By hand filleting the gel off the Aloe leaf and combining other proprietary extraction and mixing techniques, there is one company named 21st Century Aloe Vera that produces freeze dried powder containing all the healing advantages of the fresh plant in a concentrated form. 7-8 gallons of fresh gel make 1 ounce of this product!  The biggest whole leaf juice competitor contains 97% of its molecular weights under 150,000 Daltons, which makes it almost useless in terms of healing properties. 

Other more advanced freeze dried competitors do better with 99% of its molecular weight up to 1,000,000 Daltons.  But they use alcohol in their antiquated freeze dried process while 21st Century Aloe Vera uses none.  10% of 21st Century Aloe Vera has molecular weights from 1,000,000 to 2,500,000 Daltons.  You can't find a more complete or potent aloe vera product anywhere.

In the rest of the aloe vera industry there are not very many products that actually offer anything more than 150,000 Daltons in molecular weights, a long way off any meaningful healing result.  

Only the gel from aloe vera should be used for human consumption and not the whole leaf. All whole leaf products contain broken down MPS (Mucilaginous Poly Saccharide) molecules and therefore no real healing properties. Even worse than this is that whole leaf supplements contain caustic minerals and enzymes that are very hard on the stomach.  Freeze dried products made only from the gel are very soothing and healing to the stomach.

MPS from the aloe plant is the sticky portion of the plant. It is a long sugar molecule arranged in long linear chains. The longer the chain, the more MPS weights. The MPS molecule ranges from 10,000 to 2,500,000 Daltons. For all the healing effects to be available in an aloe vera supplement, all the molecular weight ranges need to be there. 

Unfortunately, there are not very many aloe vera products on the market that actually offer anything more than a few thousand Daltons in molecular weights of the MPS molecule. By hand filleting the gel off the leaf, freeze drying with a proprietary method of mixing the powder including the vast and complete range of MPS molecular weights 21st Century Aloe Vera contains all the healing advantages of the fresh plant.

Aloe Vera is a wonderful, necessary supplement for good health and well being.  It's anti-inflammatory, blood sugar balancing, anti-pathogenic, free radical scavenging, and immune modulating.  As such it's extremely effective in bolstering and balancing the immune system. 

AIDS is a bell weather disease regarding the immune system because the HIV virus launches a direct attack upon it.  Any product that positively affects the symptoms of this disease can certainly positively affect any other attack on the immune system.  

Because of it's potency in terms of it's purity and absorption into the body, a freeze dried product made from the gel only repairs the immune system in a universal fashion resulting in the reversal of countless number of conditions and diseases.  If a powerfully destructive disease like AIDS can be reversed with a natural treatment that repairs the immune system in a universal fashion, then literally all disease will benefit from this type of treatment.

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Lowering blood pressure with the help of ACUPUNCTURE

Blood pressure measurement. 

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Doctors and scientists from the Irvine university of California have recently discovered a new method of lowering blood pressure. This method is based on electroacupuncture, which seems to have a significant effect in lowering blood pressure. The method has been tested on rats, by inducing low electric stimulation at the front of their legs, and their blood's pressure after the treatment was 40 percent lower than before(their blood pressure had been artificially increased before). This opens new doors for hypertension treatment, maybe it will even replace the traditional medical treatments with this ancient method.

These are all the methods that were tested :  

Needles were inserted into:

-pericardium 5-6, and they were rotated every 10 to thirty minutes. While this procedure was performed, the rats' blood pressure was being raised by doctors.

-the rats' forelimbs, without any stimulation or twist, for 30 minutes.

Also, the pericardium 5-6 was electrically stimulated with frequencies ranging from 2 to 100 hertz.

During these tests the changes in blood pressure were continuously monitored, and the results carefully recorded. The most successful in lowering blood pressure were those tests which involved manual and electrical acupuncture, which had serious effects in lowering blood pressure, lasting up to one hour, and ranging from 33 to 36 percent. The best results were recorded at the rats which had been stimulated by electroacupuncture, especially at those treated at the electroacupuncture frequency of 2 hertz.

However, the best results were recorded at the rats stimulated at the heart (6-7) and stomach (36-37). Their blood pressure was lowered up to 44 percent for the heart stimulation, and 36 percent for the stomach.

An important observation that doctors made was that this electroacupuncture treatment can only lower blood pressure for the hypertensive people, it has no effect for healthy people.

We can only that these treatments involving acupuncture will soon be available to everyone, because they represent a very good way to lower blood pressure

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The Daily Battle Against ADULT ACNE

The prevalence of acne and pimples is generally thought to be problems of the teenage and prepubescent strata of the population, but it is not unusual to see minor cases of adult acne.

And this is normally the situation faced by many adults who scaled through their teenage period without any visible sign of acne that plagued their mates, only to discover to discover that they have been afflicted by adult acne at a stage in they assumed they are free from acne foe ever.

Cystic acne on the back. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For these set of people, the embarrassment and confusion that results from this is better left unsaid, and the recurring question they keep asking themselves is isn't acne supposed to be an adolescent problem.

Established facts however points otherwise, adult acne is more common than what people imagined. Statistics show that nearly 40% of acne medications in America are bought and used by a class we thought are free from the condition- adults.

There are several reasons why acne occurs, and the most common one many associated as the primary reason- poor hygiene- is nothing but a myth. The main causative agent for almost all acne, and that includes adult acne is as a result of hormonal imbalances or blockages of pores on the skin.

Though an additional reason why adult acne occurs may be due to the oil of the sebaceous glands, or faulty closing of the hair ducts on the body, especially the face.

The good news however is that almost all cases of acne can be treated. This should serve as a soothing balm to most adults, who embarrassed by the onset of adult acne, use any medication they can lay their hands on at the local drug store.

This has been proved in several cases to worse the situation, because most of the medications were produced solely to combat acne in young people. Thus they may not have the ability to act on adult acne.

While there might be no significant difference in form and appearance between adult acne and the regular one, if you are afflicted with adult acne, a smart move will be to consult a dermatologist.

This skin physician will be able to explain what caused the adult acne in the first place. Once the diagnosis has been made, the physician can then suggest a prescription drug that can eliminate the condition permanently. But in reality, any adult that is afflicted by adult acne need not be embarrassed by the problem.

As stated earlier, the prevalence of adult acne is more common than imagined, so the best option still remain going to a dermatologist to eliminate the condition instead of resorting to self medication and spending a fortune in the process, nor forgetting the anxiety and fear that are sure to happen when you discover the onset signs of acne.

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DIABETES and YOGA

Cardiac yoga sample exercise 

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Diabetes in various forms affects up to 5percent of the world population with 12 million diabetics in Western Europe alone. Of the different ways in which diabetes presents, noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) is probably the most commonly encountered genetic disease. NIDDM or Type II diabetes is multifactorial, depending also on environmental factors including obesity, sedentary lifestyles and nutritional imbalances.

Yoga has shown some beneficial results in curing diabetes. The yoga exercises that are prescribed for curing diabetes is different from hatha yoga exercise because it involves positions tailored to treat certain conditions, as well as meditation, relaxation and stretching exercises.

One of the studies conducted to cure diabetes was the one set up by the Yoga Biomedical Trust, founded in 1982 by biochemist Dr Robin Monro, and an Indian yoga research foundation which discovered that practicing yoga for 30 minutes a day for one month helped reduce blood glucose levels in some diabetics.

The yoga patients took part in one or two 90-minute sessions a week and were asked to practice at home. The classes included the specific yoga exercises of the spinal twist, the bow and abdominal breathing.

At the end of the 12 weeks blood sugar levels fell significantly in all patients in the group and were slightly raised in a control group which had not joined in the yoga sessions. Three yoga students managed to reduce their medication, including one man who had not changed his drug regime for 20 years.

It has been known for a long time that exercise is helpful for diabetics. Yoga therapy may help reduce stress levels which could play a part in maturity onset diabetes. But one drawback is that some patients would find it hard to keep up the regular sessions needed to sustain the benefit. All the patients said they would like to see these classes set up on a permanent basis but we don't have the money.

It is not necessarily the exercise component of the yoga therapy package which is most important, because there is not enough physical exercise to account for the changes, but stress reduction has a lot to do with it. Stress hormones increase sugar levels in the blood. People also benefit from the stabilization of their moods which yoga brings, an increased feeling of well-being and a feeling of being more in control, which may help with their diet control.

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A Close Look At BELTS

With most types of martial arts, the color of the belt that you have will signify your rank within your style of martial arts.  The belts that are used with martial arts signify your rank within that style, although they have no universal means or ranking within the martial arts world.  More or less, they tell others how much you know about your specific martial art.

Rhee Tae Kwon-Do 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Dan black belts in October 2007. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The use of belt colors in martial arts is an old practice, dating back hundreds of years.  Belts and their use in martial arts all started by a man known as Jigoro Kano, who created the style known as Kodokan Judo.  Kano started out by using only white and black belts to signify rank within his style of martial arts.  His reason for using belts, was to specify which students could compete in different activities.  For example, those with white belts couldn’t compete in the same activities as those with black belts.

Shortly after Kano introduced his idea of using belts, other belt colors were introduced to the world of martial arts.  Over the years, it became a great way of telling what experience a student had in his style - just by the look of his belt.  Other styles began to use this system as well over the years, including Karate, Taekwondo, and several others.

The only problem with using belts to signify ranking, is the fact that one school may have different requirements from another school.  Even though they both may teach the same style of martial arts, their ranking system and requirements to get a certain ranking may be totally different.  This can cause confusion in ranks, especially if a black belt from one school isn’t as versed in the style as a black belt from another school.  Even though most schools stick to the same criteria, there are schools that choose to incorporate their own unique style as well.

Although most martial arts styles use belts to signify rank, there are some martial arts out there such as Shootfighting that don’t use belts at all.  The styles that choose not to use belts don’t go by rankings either, as they are more or less for self defense purposes.  Pitfighting is another style that doesn’t use belts either.  These styles are great to learn for protecting yourself - although they differ from the traditional sense of martial arts.

All things aside, belts are an innovation to martial arts.  They give students something to aim for, and a reason to keep practicing.  Most students that study martial arts aim for getting the black belt, which is the most prestige belt in martial arts.  A black belt takes years of practice to obtain, as the student will move through many lower ranked belts before getting the opportunity to try and earn the black belt.

The HISTORY OF WICCA - Where Did The Craft Originate

Symbol of Wicca

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The history of Wicca or "The Craft" is complex but traditional Wicca is rooted in the so called "British Mystery Traditions", for example the Picts, who existed before the rise of Celtic consciousness, the Celts, and some Celtic Druidism.

Wicca predates Christianity by about 28 000 years.

A variety of archaeological discoveries, reveal that the history of Wicca can be traced as far back as the Paleolithic peoples who worshipped a Hunter God and a Fertility Goddess. Cave paintings, that are dated at around 30,000 years old, depict a man with the head of a stag, and a pregnant woman standing in a circle with eleven other people.

Modern American Wicca has its roots in British Wicca, brought to the United States in the late 1950's by English and American initiates of Gardnerian, Alexandrian and Celtic Wicca. These are different forms of Wiccan tradition. All of these cultures form part and parcel of the history of Wicca.

The ancient Greek Mysteries of Eleusis, Italian Mysteries of Rome, Etruria and the general countryside, Mysteries of Egypt and Persia before Islam, and various Babylonian, Assyrian and other mid-eastern Mysteries also find a place in the history of Wicca and its beliefs and traditional practices. Perhaps the best way to describe Wicca is to call it a modern religion, based on ancient witchcraft traditions. But do bear in mind that not all those who practice witchcraft today are Wiccas.

Wicca is a both a belief system and a way of life. Over the years information about how Wiccan ancestors lived and worshipped has been lost due to actions of the medieval church. However, modern Wiccas have tried to reconstruct the history of Wicca in an effort to lay the foundation for their practices.

During ancient times Wicca was called "The Craft of the Wise". This name was derived from the fact that most Wiccas aligned themselves with the forces of nature. They also had knowledge of herbs and medicines, gave council and were important in the village and community as Shamanic healers and leaders. The history of Wicca indicates that Wiccas once had a prized place in society which is quite a contrast to how they are viewed today.

Ancient Wiccas felt that man was not superior to nature, the earth and its creatures. Instead they were only one aspect of the world. The idea of sustainable development to maintain balance and equilibrium was central to the belief systems of the ancient Wicca. The history of Wicca is a far cry from the way that man views the earth today.

In the last several hundred years, witchcraft and witches have been incorrectly labeled as evil and unrighteous. Where do these ideas that form so much a part of the history of Wicca originate? Some Wiccas believe that the medieval church of the 15th through 18th centuries created these myths.

This was done in an effort to covert people to Christianity. The history of Wicca contains many stories of the persecution of witches based on so called "evil" practices.

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Another theory about the history of Wicca is that as medical science became more prominent in society those who did these initial studies did not understand female physiology, especially menstruation. This "mystery" seemed to fit in with the churches agenda in labeling healers as evil heathens and placing power and respect in the hands of male physicians.

Many of these myths and superstitions have survived in modern times giving The Craft a bad name. While Wicca is essentially witchcraft, those who practice it usually do not refer to it as such because of these negative connotations. The history of Wicca is important since it is the persecution of those who practiced it that has led to its current ethic of "religious freedom first".

By James E Johnson [http://www.pier55.com] offers some of the best HOW-To and FAQS concerning all areas of interest. Article Source: EzineArticles

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