I cannot count the number of times I heard my mother (and others) say “you’re going to catch cold going outside dressed like that”, or something along those lines.  Many people still believe that more people get sick in the winter because it is cold outside, and the colder temperatures are what causes us to catch a cold.  In a sense, that is the reason.  But the reality of the situation is this:  When it is colder outside, people spend more time inside, with the windows shut. 

When more people are spending time inside, the germs that are spreading around are concentrated in a smaller area.  We touch the same objects and breathe the same air.  When the windows are closed all the time, it does not give opportunity for fresh air to flush out germs that may be lingering.  So, the air we breathe and the objects we touch are full of cold-causing germs.

Think about how many times you’ve been in an environment with sick people…at work, at home, or the grocery store. People coughing and sneezing.  It’s great when they think about covering their mouths with their hands when they cough.  But then, watch what they touch….thereby spreading their germs to doorknobs, shopping carts, office phones, the buttons on the copy machine,  or the pens the cashier in the checkout line gives them to sign their credit slip with, just to name a few. 

Call me crazy, if you wish.  I am the one you see turning the water on and off at the public sink with her elbow, using her forearm to push the lever to get the paper towel from the dispenser, and using that towel to open the door of the public restroom.  I use my own pen when I am in a store checkout line.  I wash the grocery cart handle.  I also carry antibacterial wipes in my car, and wash my hands when I get out of the store.  And I rarely get sick.   I’m also the one who notices how often people leave the restroom without washing their hands. 

One of the best things you can do to prevent getting sick in the winter is to wash your hands frequently, using plenty of soap and hot water.  If you find the skin on your hands is dry from frequent washing, then use a moisturizer afterwards. 

It is also a great idea to not touch your face…your mouth, eyes, or nose..when you are in a public space.  The germs that you may have picked up on your hands can easily infect you when you touch these mucous membranes.

Drinking lots of water is also beneficial during the cold season.  If we are dehydrated, our systems are more susceptible to illness.  Many of us tend to drink less in the winter because we are not as thirsty.  We still need the same amount of fluids regardless of what the temperature is outside.  Try drinking a nice cup of herbal tea…its warming, and will help keep you properly hydrated. 

Getting proper sleep also helps keep the immune system strong.  When your immune system is functioning properly, you are less likely to catch everything that goes around.  And, as always, eat a well-balalnced diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables.  The vitamins and minerals in these choices help keep your body functioning properly.

Develop these healthy habits now, and you might just make it through the winter without catching the colds and flus that everyone else seems to come down with.

Recently, my husband and I were adopted by a stray cat.  She showed up one day, and never left.  We welcomed her into our home, and I have been reminded of certain things from having her here.  Cats really know how to manage stress.  Think about it….have you ever seen a cat that was perpetually stressed out?  They have certain routines that help keep their stress to a minimum.

Take Time to Play Every Day:  Cats have fun while exercising their bodies when they run, jump, chase after leaves, and pounce on our feet underneath a blanket.  Spending time doing something we enjoy is an excellent way to manage stress levels, especially if that activity provides us with some exercise.

Stretch regularly:  Have you noticed that when a cat first wakes up, she stretches before she moves on?  Cats are the most flexible beings I have ever encountered.  I know that when I am taking part in a stretching routine on a consistent basis, I feel a lot better, both physically and emotionally.

Spend Time in The Sun: Do you ever notice how cats will find even the tiniest patch of sun to take a nap in?  Sitting in the sun can be extremely relaxing.  The sun’s rays can warm your muscles and calm your mind.  It also has the added benefit of Vitamin D, which is not readily available through food sources. Recent studies suggest that Vitamin D helps protect our cells from stress that can cause cancer.  Of course, you don’t want to spend too much time in the sun without adequate sunscreen.

 Adequate sleep:  When you get the amount of sleep you need, it makes everything else in life a little bit easier.  Lack of sleep can contribute to high blood pressure.   Cats spend a lot of time sleeping.  Do you know many cats with high blood pressure?

Receive Massage:  Cats are all about getting petted.  After all, that is one of the main reasons they allow us humans into their lives.  Cats  enjoy giving and receiving affection.  For humans, petting an animal can reduce blood pressure, and has a calming affect on both us and our pets.  And, like cats, when we get regular massage, our levels of stress decrease immensely.

Bathe Regularly:  While cats might not necessarily like being immersed in a tub of water, they do bathe regularly.  For us humans, soaking in a bath can help reduce stress.  Immersing yourself in a tub of warm water can help pull tension from your muscles.  Add some bath salts, essential oils,  or Epsom Salts for an added benefit. 

Cats are very wise animals. If we all took a little bit of advice from them, we would all be  better off.

One of the greatest ways to calm yourself down during a stressful moment is to take a few deep breaths.   Often, when we are in the midst of a stressful experience, we either hold our breath, or take short, shallow breaths, as our sypatheric nervous system kicks in (also known as the fight or flight response).  This type of breathing does not allow for proper flow of oxygen throughout our body. 

So what is a true, deep breath?  Many people are unaware that the main muscle involved in breathing is the diaphragm, which sits just below the rib cage.  When we breathe properly, this muscle contracts, pushing down towards our belly, allowing our lungs to fully expand.  When we exhale, the diaphragm relaxes, pushing up against the lungs, helping to expel air.   

Have you ever watched an infant sleeping?  Do you recall how the baby’s belly expands?  The child is using her diaphragm muscle properly.  Unfortunately, as we age, especially in today’s society, the stresses of the world affect our breathing, and we tend to breather using the uppper portion of our lungs.  Hence, taking in a breath and your chest rises instead of the belly expanding.

Try this:  Lay down flat.  Place one hand on your chest, and the other on your belly.  Inhale slowly, and see where the breath lands…is it your belly, or your chest?  If you feel your chest rising more than your belly, focus on expanding your belly as you inhale.   It may take some practice before you master this proper breathing technique.

When you notice  your body tensing, take a few minutes to breathe deeply.  It can make a world of difference. 

I am a self-proclaimed Aqua-holic.  I love water, pure and simple.  I drink a lot of it.  In fact, besides my morning cup of coffee, and the (very) occasional margarita or glass of wine, water is all I ever drink.

Your body is made up of 80% water.  In order for your body to function properly, your cells must be properly hydrated.  The cells are the building blocks of all your muscles and organs.  If they are dehydrated, your body is not going to function as the efficient machine it is designed to be.  According to a lot of what I have read, one of the causes of many dis-eases is dehydration. 

According to F. Batmanghelidj, M.D. in his book Water: For Health, for Healing, for Life: You’re Not Sick, You’re Thirsty! , “every twenty-four hours the body recycles the equivalent of forty thousand glasses of water to maintain its normal physiological functions….Within this pattern of water metabolism and its recycling process…the body becomes short of about six to ten glasses of water each day.” (p.225)

Most reliable sources I have read, including “Dr. Bat”, suggest drinking at least half of your body’s weight in ounces of water per day.  So, for example, if you weigh 150 pounds, you should drink at least 75 ounces of water daily.  Using this formula, that commonly known recommendation of drinking eight 8oz glasses a day really only works for those who weigh around 128 pounds.

If you are active, drink caffeine, or alcohol, you should drink even more than half your body weight in ounces of water.

For some of us, that is a lot of water.  Some are hesitant to drink that much, because they don’t want to spend the day in the bathroom.  Try to gradually build up to the amount your body really needs. Add one more glass per week, until you reach your recommended amount, so your body gets used to drinking more.

Some folks I know complain of constipation.  I ask them how much water they drink, and usually I hear “very little” or “none.  I don’t like the taste.”  Water is an excellent laxative.  Try drinking a glass of water with fresh lemon squeezed into it upon rising in the morning.  This helps to get your digestive process moving.  You can also pour a tiny bit of pure fruit juice (not sugar-laden) into your glass to give it a little bit of flavor, if that will help you drink more.

So go have a nice, tall glass of water right now.  Your body will thank you for it.

I am currently reading a book titled Attitudes of Gratitude: How to Give and Receive Joy Everyday of Your Life.  It provides excellent guidance to re-awaken to the joy and exuberance a child experiences on a daily basis, emotions that most adults lose sight of when the stresses and strains of life become too much.  I am using the book as a reminder of how to stay physically, mentally, and spiritually healthy.

One of the readings reminds us how the emotions of love and appreciation can bring about physical healing.  We’ve all heard about people who are diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses and are given a short time to live who make a major turnaround and live for years beyond what the medical profession predicted.  Generally, these people have positive outlooks, and are deeply spiritual people whose meditations and prayers are full of gratitude.

Negative thoughts weaken the immune system, which is the foundation of health.  The immune system works by attacking germs that enter our body.  Those of us who spend a lot of our time obsessing on negativity, who are angry at the world, and are unable to forgive, are more prone to heart disease, cancer, and other serious illnesses.

When we focus on experiencing joy, love, gratitude, and optimism, the sense of well-being can strengthen the immune system, which can fight off the pathogens that create illness.  As the author of the book states, “…the more we experience a sense of gratitude, the more endorphins and the less adrenaline we pump into our systems, thus contributing to longer, healthier lives.  As we count our blessings, we literally bathe ourselves inwardly in good hormones.” (p.20)

Do what you can to stay as healthy as possible, starting with a healthy mind. When you find yourself thinking negative thoughts, or stressing over something that is going on in your life, stop a moment and find something to be grateful for in that moment.  Are you feeling stress from your job?  Be thankful that you have one.  Are the actions of your child causing you to feel angry?  Remember that her coming into your life was a true blessing.    Finding the positive in any situation can help you feel better, both emotionally and physically.

For the past several years, I have seen advertisements in natural healing magazines for “Foot Detox Patches”, which are made of ingredients such as bamboo vinegar and tourmaline. While I’ve been tempted to experiment, as I’m always curious as to these kind of things, it wasn’t until recently that the urge got stronger. Recently, I was in a store buying something for my massage practice, and saw them on a shelf. Go figure.  Of course, I couldn’t stop thinking about them, so a few days later I went back and purchased a box of the patches. I decided to chronicle my experiment, which is being done with an open mind.

Day 1:

Pre-Patch body awareness:  Lower back pain (I’ve had for 2 days), neck issues (pretty common, although I am concerned about a lump in my scalp that makes me think I’m misaligned.  But that’s another posting).  I am tired, but its been a long day.

Off to the bathroom…wash the feet, and dry thoroughly.  I took my toe-ring off, because metal can mess with energy flow, and I don’t want any intrusions.

After I peel the backing off the adhesive, I take the little patch out of its protective pouch, poke it a bit out of curiosity, smell it…very tentatively… It smells a little like smoke, nothing too nasty.  I place it ever so gently on its adhesive nest, and take a deep breath.  Ok, I am ready.  I then place it on the bottom of my left foot.  Immediately I feel some warmth and tingling.  Repeat the process for the right foot, without the poke-n-sniff.  Again, I feel warmth.

The directions say put them on an hour before bedtime.  Walking around the house on them a bit before climbing into bed was rather odd.  I am someone who goes barefoot as often as possible, so it was uncomfortable having something stuck to the bottom of my feet.

When I did get into bed, I noticed that my arms, back, and neck began to tingle a bit.  Not in a scary way. Rather soothing in fact. Interesting.  Kind of like an energy flow.

I had to get up a few times during the night to go to the bathroom.  Of course, I had to look at the bottom of my feet.  I saw nothing coming through. I was a bit skeptical, but each time I crawled back into bed, my mind racing curiously.  The excitement made it a little difficult to sleep.  (Hey, I lead a very quiet life.  Foot patches are a highlight)

When I finally rolled out of bed in the morning, I got up and the first thing I noticed was there was no back pain.  Might or might not be related.  Got to the bathroom, and after my usual morning constitutional, I again looked at the patches.  No visible changes below.  Still skeptical, I tore off the first patch.  Low and behold…a dark greenish-gray.  My foot tingled.  I wiped the warm, slightly slimy-yet-sticky residue off the bottom of my foot, and peeled the second patch off.  Same look, same sensation. The smoky smell was stronger.

Physically…I felt more rested than I have recently, and more than I usually do the morning after a long day at work and an even longer day at home.  My calves felt tired, and slightly sore.  The soles of my feet felt like my arch was a bit elongated, and were tingly.  It also felt a bit like I had gotten a reflexology session…clear is the only way I can describe it. I noticed the taste in my mouth was different.  Since the odor of your breath (and the taste in your mouth) is related to what is floating around in your digestive system, this makes sense.

Towards the end of the day, the lower back pain returned, but only slightly.  It felt more tired than sore. The calf discomfort is gone, but my right knee hurts (not normal for me).  I felt slightly nauseous a few times during the day, but nothing that concerned me.   I also got a little dizzy when I did energy work on one of my clients.  I haven’t had that happen before.  The directions say use the patches every other day.  I’m going to be bold and apply them again tonight.

Day 2

I slept REALLY solid last night and did not get up to “eliminate” until 4:15 this morning. At one point last night, I felt a somewhat odd tingling sensation in the middle of my abdomen…kind of like what I felt in my upper body the night before.

My curiosity continues, so I looked up the product online.  I found a review site, where about half of the folks said the patches did not work, and were a bunch of crap.  One said if you put them on warm rice they do the same thing, which is something I wondered about.  Is it the warmth of my feet that creates moisture, which turns the pad greenish-gray and goopy?  It was powder inside when I put them on my feet.  I feel a science experience coming on.

Day 3

I am totally enthralled with this whole foot detox pad thing. Last night’s application was similar to the two nights before.  I did not notice anything different, although I must admit I also didn’t pay attention.  The pads are still the same color as the two previous nights.  I don’t think I’m that toxic, but I also recognize that I am a little off balance energetically.  Perhaps that is it.

Day 4

The first 3 nights of my patch experience, I have placed them on the same spot of my feet, the arch, which in reflexology is the general area for the whole digestive and eliminative organs. Last night, I decided that if these pads work the reflexology points, it would be beneficial to me to place the pads on areas where I tend to have issues…namely, respiratory system…lungs, bronchial tubes, sinuses.

So, I placed the patches on the balls of my feet last night.  When I first placed them on my feet, I noticed the warmth that I had experienced the first two nights.  My feet also itched quite a bit.  I always take that as energy releasing, so I was not alarmed, although I did read about someone having an allergic reaction, and that thought entered my mind…hmmm, do the detox herbs contain something like mushrooms that makes it extremely foolish to put over the points of my respiratory system, being that I am very allergic to them?

When I went to bed, I prayed for healing of my heart, throat, and lungs.  I also was very conscious of what was going on in my body. I noticed a similar energetic tingling, this time beginning in the area of my heart chakra and solar plexus.   It then spread up to my throat, and down to my sacral area.  I tried to consciously move the energy down my legs and into my feet, but it seemed to want to linger where it was.  I let go of that plan and fell asleep.

When I woke up, my chest did feel lighter.  My heart felt more open.  That was encouraging.  I’ve been feeling a little heavy in that region lately.

I coughed and sneezed a bit, but that could have been due to the cheese in yesterday’s asparagus omelet, or the big gigantic piece of German Chocolate Cake (I was forced to eat it at gunpoint…. really!)… Nah.

I think today I will stay away from wheezy stuff, and put the patches in the same place tonight.  Just to see.

Day 5:

I placed the pads on the balls of my feet again.  As the night before, I noticed a similar energy movement in my chest area.  I also had a pain in the area of the thyroid point on my feet.  Hmmm…my mother has thyroid issues.  Maybe that can be my excuse for my “extra baggage”.  It’s NOT the German Chocolate Cake after all!

Day 6:

In the interest of equal opportunity,  this time I placed the pads on my heels.  Almost immediately, I felt a discomfort/tightness/not-quite-pain on the lateral (that’s outside) of my left foot.  About 30 minutes later, my left knee hurt.  I did not feel any energy sensations when I lay down.  Everything feels quite happy this morning.

Yesterday, I looked up Kinoki Foot pads on the internet.  Most sites were about how it is a scam, how they saw no difference in their health, etc.  My thoughts are this:  Are the people who say it is a scam not really understanding the properties of the ingredients?  Which are, according to the “Official” website  (www.BuyKinoki.com) Bamboo Vinegar, Chitin, Tourmaline, and Detox Herbs.

Bamboo Vinegar: According to the competitor’s product site (Takara foot patches), It has a disinfectant effect in sterilizing the skin; the ester content can easy permeate and bring nutriment to the deep tissues. The acetic acid contained in bamboo vinegar will soften the skin cuticle and has a wonderful effect for skin care.  Herbal properties include the powerful ability to assist in the discharge of unnecessary waste matter and toxins from the human body.

Chitin: Put simply, it is a substance that is often found in the cell walls of fungi.  It is also a main ingredient in the exoskeleton of such critters. It is a natural polymer.  According to Wikipedia, it is used in surgical thread, and is biodegradable. Chitin also accelerates healing of wounds, and has been used as a stand-alone wound-healing agent.   Its most famous use is as a weight loss product.

Tourmaline:  A healing crystal (or should I say heeling, since this is about feet) that is piezoelectric.   Heating it will create a different electrical charge, one positive, and one negative.  It encourages balance of the whole body’s energetic framework.  It is used to counteract negativity and detoxify the system.

The last ingredient they list is “Detox Herbs”.  I guess they need to be nebulous, otherwise their secret ingredients would be open to the world and the might lose out on our money.  I guess all I can say is that detox herbs have a very powerful affect on the body, and I find them useful.

After saying all this, my conclusion is that they work if you are conscious enough to be in tune with your energy, believe that healing can be gotten from natural ingredients and through points in your feet, and not just when a prescription is written or a surgical knife is wielded.