Suffering from neck, back and shoulder pain? If you are, you’re in good company. Millions of people wake up every morning and endure every day experiencing pain in their necks, backs and shoulders. While neck, back and shoulder pain used to be thought of as conditions affecting only adults, due to more parents scheduling routine doctors visits for their kids, it’s becoming increasingly apparent that children and teenagers are also suffering from the symptoms. So if it’s not age that causes this severe discomfort, what is it? Believe it or not, the culprit may be your sleep habits and the position you sleep in.

Each and everyday, you are putting stress on your spine, which directly impacts the tension in your neck, shoulders and back. Even simple, everyday tasks like sitting at a desk, driving, and bending over can contribute to wear on these sensitive parts of your body. Your sleep time is supposed to be the time of day when these areas of your body are allowed to relax and regenerate. However, if your neck isn’t properly supported while you’re sleeping, your body doesn’t have a chance to recover from the stress it endured throughout the day. Improper neck support while sleeping can cause increasingly severe neck, back and shoulder pain over the years, to a point where it becomes unbearable.

Neck, back and shoulder pain can actually begin a vicious cycle. You’re in pain, so you can’t sleep, but you need to sleep (and sleep right), to be able to get rid of the pain. A continuous lack of sleep can even lead to further problems like depression, chronic fatigue, and believe it or not, even weight gain has been linked to a severe lack of proper sleep. Fortunately, scientists and health professionals take the causes of neck, back and shoulder pain seriously, and have consistently worked towards finding methods and remedies that will alleviate the wretched symptoms.

The first step towards eliminating the discomfort of these symptoms is to correct your sleep habits, and the most important part of this step is to get a pillow that properly supports your neck. Try to find one that is made to be tailored to the position you sleep in, as not all pillows are created equal. Memory foam pillows have been increasing in popularity, and rightfully so. They’ve actually been quite beneficial in relieving neck, back and shoulder pain for a number of people who have been enduring it for years. Massage, yoga, and proper exercise are also methods that have been found to reduce pain in these regions of the body. By incorporating small change like these into your lifestyle, you should have no problem overcoming your ailments.

If a quality visco-elastic pillow doesn’t solve your neck, back and shoulder pain, you might want to schedule an appointment with your doctor as your pain may be a symptom of a more severe underlying condition. Pain is something that affects your entire being, and remedying it quickly is vitally important to your quality of life.

About The Author

Dr. Joseph J. Berke, M.D., Ph.D.

Discover how sleeping on The Better Sleep Pillow can change your life.

Visit: http://www.bettersleeppillow.com

Dr. Joseph J. Berke is an author and inventor dedicated to helping people get a better night rest. articles@bettersleeppillow.com

Can you prevent the flu? or is it just luck when you are virus free all year long! The flu is a highly contagious viral infection of the upper respiratory tract. Because this illness can be spread easily by coughing and sneezing, influenza epidemics are very common, especially in winter. More than 200 different viruses can cause colds and flu, and strains of these viruses are constantly changing, so vaccinations against influenza have been only partly successful in preventing out breaks of this disease.

The symptoms of influenza begin much like those of the common cold head ache, fatigue, and body aches. In many cases, a fever develops, and you may feel unbearably hot one moment and chilled and shaking the next. Most influenza sufferers have a dry throat and cough. Nausea and vomiting may occur as well. Often a person with the flu is so weak and uncomfortable that he or she may not feel like eating or doing anything else.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO PREVENT THE FLU?

Build you immune system and stay healthy by;

• Eliminating as much stress from your life as possible.

• Drinking plenty of water Eating a healthy diet, high in protein, fresh fruit and vegetables.

• Avoiding sugar, caffeine, & alcohol.

• Taking a high quality liquid, herbal multi vitamin with minerals (To learn more about testing vitamins for quality and assimilation into the body visit www.herbs4health.net read Chapter Nine of the my eBook " 9 Steps To A Healthy Vibrant Body " )

• Washing your hands often with antibacterial soap Getting plenty of rest Exercising a least three times a week Staying away from people with viruses If symptoms of influenza or a cold appear, immediately take a herbal product with Ginger & Echinacea as the main ingredients. (There are many of these available, the best are liquid herbal extracts made from plants)

SHOULD YOU HAVE A FLU SHOT TO PREVENT THE FLU?

Before you can answer that question, you need to learn more about flu shots. What is in a flu shot? There are approximately three different strains of the flu virus in each shot. These include some unknown substances, as most vaccines are grown and strained through animal or human tissues. In addition other vaccine constituents such as; Ethylene glycol (antifreeze) Phenol (carbolic acid ) Formaldehyde ( a cancer causing agent ) Aluminum (known for it’s association with Alzheimer’s disease ) Thimerosal (an antiseptic for cleaning wounds) Neomycin & Streptomycin (antibiotic) are found!

Believe it or not but, in the studies at VRAN (Vaccination Risk Awareness Network), statistics show that, with or without a vaccination only 1 % of the population is treated in hospital for pneumonia or flu. Also there are many different viruses throughout the world, and it is almost impossible to guess which virus will travel to your area. This makes a person wonder how they can choose which virus to inject you with? Another fact to consider is that of all the illnesses that come upon us in the winter months only 10 to 15% of them are influenza virus. To learn more visit www.demarcomd.com/vran/vaccines/flu/flu_severyn.htm

You have read the facts that your body can fight viruses. Your body and your immune system is designed to cure itself. Use this information to make you body healthier. With small changes in your life you can have a healthy vibrant body.

About The Author

(c); 2004 Jane Kriese janes-store@telus.net

Would you like to have a Healthy Vibrant Body? To learn more, sign up for Jane Kriese’s Herbs For Health Newsletter at: www.herbsforhealthstore.biz

“Among the most exciting applications of herbal medicine lie in treating abnormalities of the immune system. Clinical studies have shown that various herbal products are effective in treating allergies, asthma, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis. Herbal medicine also has a unique potential usefulness in balancing the immune system in cases of chronic infection, preventing the immune system from turning on the body and causing destruction.”

~Phyllis A. Balch, CNC Prescription for Herbal Healing

A healthy, properly functioning immune system is absolutely vital to good health. It is the key to the healing process from the tiniest scratch – to the most complex virus. Even the aging process is intimately linked with the immune system.

Compromised immunity leaves us vulnerable to disease and impairs our ability to heal properly and age well.

SIGNS OF IMPAIRED IMMUNE FUNCTION

CANDIDIASIS/ YEAST INFECTIONS

RECURRING INFECTIONS

CHRONIC FATIGUE

LISTLESSNESS

CHRONIC DIARRHEA

SLOW WOUND HEALING

ALLERGIES

INFLAMMATION

People who have more than 2 or 3 colds or infectious illnesses per year are likely suffering from weakened immunity

WHAT IS THE IMMUNE SYSTEM?

The immune system is a complex system of interactions involving many organs and glands as well as substances such as bone marrow, white blood cells, lymphatic vessels and serum factors in our blood. Our immunity dependson all these components functioning together.

HOW DOES OUR IMMUNITY BECOME IMPAIRED?

Unfortunately, modern life is full of things that tend to depress our immune systems.

PESTICIDES

CHEMICHALS IN HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS

FOOD ADDITIVES

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANTS

OVERUSE OF ANTIBIOTICS

POOR LIVING HABITS

STRESS

IMPROPER NUTRITION

CHEMOTHERAPY

Also many disorders have been linked to improper immune function including thyroid deficiency, diabetes, rheumatic heart disease, reheumatoid arthritis, lupus and pernicious anemia.

For optimal immune function we need to address any disorders that may be inhibiting immune function. We also need to take steps to avoid exposure to toxins such as pesticides and chemicals we use around the house. Try wearing gloves when cleaning to avoid skin exposure and avoid inhaling fumes from things like bleach, oven cleaners, and the like. Make sure dishes and glassware are thouroughly rinsed of any residue from dishwashing liquids etc. Even though they’re more expensive, consider buying nontoxic cleansers. Take steps to ensure that the soaps and shampoos you use are made from the most natural ingredients possible. (Aubrey Organics is a good option.) It’s also important to get plenty of fresh air and to drink the purest water available.

HERBS THAT BENEFIT THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

ASTRAGALUS – A powerful antioxidant which protects the liver from toxins, boosts the immune system and generates anticancer cells in the body.

ECHINACEA – Enhances lymphatic function and boosts immune system.

GINKGO BILOBA – A powerful antioxidant which increases circulation to brain cells.

GOLDENSEAL – An antibacterial which strengthens the immune system and cleanses the blood. (Don’t take internally for more than a week at a time or if pregnant.)

ST. JOHN’S WORT- A blood purifier useful in cases of Epstein – Barr virus and HIV.

OLIVE LEAF – Effective against numerous viruses, bacteria and fungi. It has been used in the treatment of people with viral illnesses such as Epstein-Barr disease, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Herpes and AIDS.

SPIRULINA – Aids in protecting the immune system and cleansing toxins from the body. Though technically a nutrient, not an herb, spirulina is a naturally digestible food that helps protect the immune system and aids in mineral absorption. It helps balance blood sugar levels and supplies nutrients that help the body cleanse and heal.

Other herbs that enhance the immune response are

BAYBERRY,FENUGREEK , HAWTHORN, HOREHOUND and RED CLOVER .

~Herbal Formulas~

Herbs often work best when used in combination with other herbs. There are contraindications for certain herbs if you have an auto-immune disorder. Consult a good herbal book or work with an herbalist to create a blend appropriate for your needs.

~ CLEANSE THE LIVER ~

The liver is our primary detoxifying organ and must be functioning optimally for proper immunity.

Herbs which are useful in cleansing the liver include BLACK RADISH, DANDELION, and MILK THISTLE.

~Other Steps to Improved Immunity~

Proper Nutrition

In addition to using herbs to strengthen and balance the immune system it is important to supply the body with adequate nutrients.

Vitamin A Vital to the body’s defense system – known as the infection-fighting vitamin.

Vitamin C Probably the most important vitamin to the immune system. It has a direct effect on bacteria and viruses and is needed for forming adrenal hormones and lymphocytes.

Vitamin E Works synergystically with vitamins A & C as well the mineral selenium as a scavenger of toxic free-radicals.

Zinc Promotes healing of wounds and boosts immune response.

Germanium A trace element which benefits the immune system.

Get sufficient sleep.

Don’t Smoke

Excercise Regularly

Reduce Stress and Anxiety.

Stress triggers changes in biochemistry that suppress white blood cell activity and taxes the endocrine system in ways that ultimately result in lowered defense against infection and an impaired capacity for healing. Stress also depletes the body of nutrients. Addressing chronic stress is a very important element of bringing the immune system into balance.

About The Author

Cori Young is an herbalist living in the Pacific Northwest. For more information on healing with herbs, visit her website, Herbal Remedies Info (http://www.herbalremediesinfo.com)

cori@herbalremediesinfo.com

Has this ever happened to you, out of the blue, for apparently no reason at all? You suddenly start experiencing any or all of the following symptoms: shortness of breath, chest pain or discomfort such as tightness, lightheaded, dizziness, faint, palpitations, a pounding heart, sweating, trembling or shaking, a choking sensation, nausea or stomach cramps, numbness or a tingling sensation, chills or hot flashes.

Then you experience a fear of losing control or going crazy and even a fear of dying.

If you suffer from anxiety, then you already know that you are having an attack. If you are experiencing most of the symptoms above and do not know what is happening to you, there’s a good chance that it is an anxiety/panic attack.

The first thing you should do is to have your doctor check you out. Do not be afraid to have it checked if you think it’s anxiety. At one time, people would feel embarrassed when they found out that it was “all in their head”. But it’s not all in your head. Anxiety and panic attacks are real and you’d be surprised to learn how many people suffer from this condition. Sadly, many suffer quietly at home, too afraid to venture beyond their safe place.

I have had anxiety attacks on and off for over 20 years. My doctor told me it was anxiety, but I was told to simply try to relax.

Over the years, more has been learned about anxiety and panic attacks, as well new drugs have been developed to alleviate them.

But the drugs only mask the symptoms and they come with many unwanted side effects. I was also told that I would be on the drug for two years, then I would have to stop taking them and go through withdrawal.

So I stopped taking my prescription after a few days. I decided that I would have to find a way to stop the attacks myself.

Here is what has worked for me. First, make the decision that you are going to take charge and be anxiety free. Imagine how it would feel to always feel good, to be able to go anywhere you want to go, to stand in crowds or in line-ups and be calm and relaxed just like everyone else. Remember, thoughts do create and if you keep thinking about the attacks, they do get worse.

Do deep breathing exercises as often per day as you can remember. Breathe deeply through your nostrils. Breathe not only with your chest, but take a deep breath and expand your stomach. Exhale through your mouth. This seems to work much better than exhaling through your nostrils, but you can try it both ways to see which works best for you.

I have learned that deep breathing is a good practice for anyone. It helps to increase your oxygen and rid the body of toxins and increase your energy.

Your doctor will tell you to eliminate coffee, tobacco and alcohol from your lifestyle. This is good advice, however, if you feel that it is too much to ask of you at this time. I have some suggestions to follow so that you can still work on your goal of being anxiety free without having to give up so much at once.

You can start out by cutting back on your coffee. Too much coffee can make you jittery and bring on an attack. I still have my coffee many times throughout the day, but I only drink a half cup at a time. So I have cut my intake in half and it feels like it gives me the same lift as drinking a full cup.

If you smoke, but feel that you cannot give up the cigarettes at this time, do the same thing as I did for the coffee. When you want a cigarette, only smoke half at a time.

I chose to eliminate alcohol altogether. Even if I only drank a small amount, it was enough to guarantee an attack the next day. Alcohol does effect people differently, so if you find that alcohol does not always cause you to have an attack the next day, still try to reduce the amount you drink.

Exercise can help a lot. You do not have to do strenuous exercises. I practice Qi Gong. It caught my attention when I read how it can stop anxiety. The exercises are easy, even 10 minutes a day can work for you. It has for me.

Qi Gong exercises are energy work. When you have an energy blockage in your body, it will cause dis-ease. By practicing Qi Gong, you remove the blockage and you can feel better rather quickly. When you practice Qi Gong, you not only heal your own body, but you increase your energy so that you can heal others. I have seen some amazing healings with Qi Gong. So it was no surprise that it can cure anxiety, too.

Another suggestion, which is rather interesting, concerns the stimulation of the “amygdala”, which is a small almond shaped organ in the brain. You actually have two of them, one on each side of your brain.

I learned about the amygdala when I stumbled across a website that told how by stimulating them with your thoughts, it would increase your awareness, intelligence, etc.

There were times when I was feeling good that I would feel a sensation on my forehead. It would be a tingling feeling, or like someone was lightly touching my forehead with their hand. That is the same sensation that I can produce at any time now by putting my attention on my forehead.

What is interesting about the amydala is that there is a method for curing anxiety, panic and phobias that says that the amygdala is responsible for those conditions and that this fact has been known for many years and is common knowledge among scientists the world over.

So there could be something to it, based on my own experience. I still make it a point to focus my attention on my forehead around the area of the amydala everyday. You might to give that a try too.

The thing is, you don’t have to suffer from anxiety and panic attacks. And you don’t have to settle for addictive prescription drugs in order to feel better. There is an abundance of help available to you and it is all natural.

I wish you much success in your healing!

Copyright 2005

Written by Susan Norrad, editor and publisher of The Universe Of Abundant Life Ezine. Find out how you can take control and create the life you want, look and feel great, be happy and successful. http://universeofabundantlife.com

For hundreds of years, the yogi’s have been known to know the secrets for health, peace and happiness. In this short, but informative article, I will briefly describe 3 of these secrets with you.

Let’s get started:

Secret#1: You are not your physical body.

The Yogis believe, you know, that the real Man is not his body. They know that the immortal “I” of which each human being is conscious to a greater or lesser degree, is not the body which it merely occupies and uses. They know that the body is but as a suit of clothes which the Spirit puts on and off from time to time. They know the body for what it is, and are not deceived into the belief that it is the real Man. But while knowing these things, they also know that the body is the instrument in which, and by which the Spirit manifests and works. They know that the fleshly covering is necessary for Man’s manifestation and growth in this particular stage of his development. They know that the body is the Temple of the Spirit. And they, consequently, believe that the care and development of the body is as worthy a task as is the development of some of the higher parts of Man, for with an unhealthy and imperfectly developed physical body, the mind cannot function properly, nor can the instrument be used to the best advantage by its master, the Spirit.

Secret#2: You are not your mind.

You need to realize the superiority of the “I” or “real self” over the mind, as well as over the body; the fact that the mind is not the “I” or “real self”, but is merely an instrument for the expression of the “I”; the fact that the “I” is master of the mind, as well as of the body; that the “I” is behind all thought; that the “I” can set aside for consideration the sensations, emotions, passions, desires, and the rest of the mental phenomena, and still realize that it, the “I,” is apart from these mental manifestations, and remains unchanged, real and fully existent; that the “I” can set aside any and all of its mental tools and instruments, as “not I” or “not real self” things, and still consciously realize that after so setting them aside there remains something–itself–the “I” which cannot be set aside or taken from; that the “I” is the master of the mind, and not its slave.

Secret#3: You are “one with everything”

To be truly happy and healthy, you need to be aware of “The Oneness of All”. You need to bear in mind the Universality of Life. All of the Universe is alive, vibrating and pulsating with life and energy and motion. There is nothing dead in the Universe. Life is everywhere, and always accompanied by intelligence. There is no such thing as a dead, unintelligent Universe. Instead of being atoms of Life floating in a sea of death, we are atoms of Life surrounded by an ocean of Life, pulsating, moving, thinking, living. Every atom of what we call Matter is alive. It has energy or force with it, and is always accompanied by intelligence and life. Look around us as we will; at the animal world;at the plant world;yes, even at the world of minerals and we see life, life, life;all alive and having intelligence. When we are able to bring this conception into the realm of actual consciousness;when we are able not only to intellectually accept this fact, but to even go still further and _feel_ and be conscious of this Universal Life on all sides, then are we well on the road to attaining the Cosmic Consciousness.

There you have it, 3 Yogi’s secrets for health and happiness! Start meditating on these 3 universal truth and will begin to see some positive change in life.

**Attn Ezine Editors / Site Owners** Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your site so long as you leave all links in place.

Carl Cholette is a young entrepreneur who specialized in finding, creating and publishing old but very informative books, courses and programs on various subjects like yoga, health and motivation. He believes that these old manuscripts are pure gold and filled with very useful informations which most people would benefit if they knew about it. You can visit his website at http://www.yoga.myinfobiz.net

I began drinking green tea about five years ago after I had my cholesterol checked. I am not overweight and do not eat a lot of saturated and trans fats, but my LDL cholesterol was a little on the high side, according to my doctor. I began reading up on ways to lower my cholesterol and found a lot of information pointing to green tea as a remedy.

After learning about the benificial properties of green tea, I started drinking two cups before and after work every day with a little bit of honey for sweetener. After a few weeks, I weaned myself off the honey and drank the tea unsweetened. I also began walking on my treadmill 30 minutes a day, 3 times a week. I didn’t change my eating habits as they were pretty good to begin with.

Six months later, I returned to the doctor for a re-check and my cholesterol had decreased by almost 50 points! Just the combination of green tea and a little exercise was the cause of this change. My physician was impressed, and I felt much better about my health.

Why not supplement your own diet with some green tea daily? You can find both caffeinated and decaffeinated varieties at your local grocery or health food store. There are also green tea capsules you can take if you are not a fan of tea or do not have time to brew a few cups a day.

In addition to cholesterol-lowering properties, green tea has also been known to have a positive effect on dental hygiene (decreased tooth decay and increased fresh breath), lowering the risk of cancer and stroke, managing weight loss and also decreasing glucose levels.

Although nobody has perfect eating and exercising habits, it is important to do all you can to protect your body from disease and illness. This way you will not only require less healthcare as you age, but you will be able to enjoy the years that you have, even when you are 70 or 80 years young. I continue to drink green tea every day and hope that more people will add it to their daily routine to live longer and healthier lives (along with exercise and a healthy diet of course!).

Stacy Tabb is an author and publisher of many successful informational websites, including an antiaging website aimed at the prevention of disease and illness, and the promotion of a healthy lifestyle.

Why Your Subconscious May Be Able To Give You a Powerful Tool for Doing That–A Good Night’s Sleep

Being able to function starts with good sleep–without it you’re a mess. Yet pain prevents you from using the reliable sleep advice that works for other people. Here’s a possible way out of that dilemma.

Sleep research has shown that the body keeps a meticulous accounting of how much sleep it is owed. Any amount less than what you need gets added to your sleep debt.

For example, if you need eight hours of sleep and only get seven for seven days in a row, at the end of the week you have as much sleep debt as if you had stayed up all night. This impairs health, reduces performance, and puts you at serious risk while driving.

The Importance of Sleep in Pain Relief

The foundation of your ability to function despite your pain is sleep.

If you have chronic pain, sleep debt not only affects you the way it affects everyone else, but also makes your pain seem far worse than when you’re rested. This is true regardless of whether you have back pain or pain in the neck or other extremities, arthritis pain, fibromyalgia pain, or neuropathic pain (nerve pain).

The Sleep Dilemma You Face

There’s no secret about what it takes to get a good night’s rest. Sleep experts concur that you need to go to bed and get up at the same time every day; go to bed in a dark, quiet room; and avoid stimulating foods or activity before bed.

Yet as a person in chronic pain you can do all of that and still have severe sleep problems. Your pain simply won’t leave you alone long enough to fall sleep easily or stay asleep for long.

Better Sleep Through Visualization Statements

You may be able to resolve the above dilemma by engaging your subconscious mind through the use of visualization statements.

Visualization statements represent the specific language that your subconscious wants you to read back to it to help ease your pain. They’re simple and are targeted directly at the main factors that could bring you relief.

You can obtain these statements by learning how to communicate directly with your own subconscious mind. The process is straightforward and can be done at home by working with a facilitator over the telephone. You you need no special skills and no previous experience in working with the subconscious.

Here are five ways that visualization may be able to help you get better sleep:

1. Finding a comfortable position.

When you have serious pain the biggest problem you face may be that you can’t find any position comfortable enough to sleep in. No amount of turning and adjusting can give you relief, so you stay awake until exhaustion completely overtakes you-perhaps hours later.

It’s possible to choose what you think might be a comfortable position, such as lying on your side, and use visualization statements to program the subconscious to make that position just comfortable enough for you to fall asleep. If you repeat this statement often enough you may find that within a few days it’s not so hard to fall asleep quickly.

2. Staying asleep despite the pain.

Time and again pain may break through your sleep to awaken you. To avoid this it’s possible to visualize several different things:

? If cramped muscles are waking you up, you can attempt to program your subconscious to keep your muscles relaxed during sleep.

? If turning over into a particularly painful position is waking you up, you can visualize yourself being free of a desire to turn over in bed.

? If throbbing or stiffness after a certain time in bed is waking you up, you can visualize that your body remains calm and flexible during sleep.

3. Getting back to sleep if you do awaken.

You may be able to fall asleep easily enough but awaken after a few hours–not necessarily from pain, but due to pain meds or other factors that may be disrupting your sleep.

To get back to sleep it’s possible to learn what visualization your subconscious would find most relaxing and repeat it to yourself over and over as you lie in bed. For example, your subconscious may simply want you to visualize that every night you attain deep sleep. Or it may indicate a particular phrase that you could repeat.

4. Getting sound and refreshing sleep.

Sometimes you may sleep for eight hours but wake up feeling exhausted. This could be due to any number of factors, one of which may be that your pain prevents you from obtaining the short periods of very deep sleep during the night that are the most restful.

By crafting a visualization statement about sound and refreshing sleep that your subconscious agrees with, you may be able to wake up more energized. This could happen even though you have not specifically identified why your sleep is not sound.

5. Handling the poor sleep of fibromyalgia.

In the special case of fibromyalgia pain the sympathetic nervous system may be creating fight-or-flight type agitation that makes it very difficult for you to sleep.

One approach that seems to work is simply to visualize your body as being free of agitation. Another approach is to work on the specific parts of the body most affected, for example the feet and legs. Yet another is to visualize calm in any situation that may be creating unusual stress–for example a job or a relationship.

A further method is to visualize that the Alpha-2 receptors of your sympathetic nervous system are receptive to catecholamine, a substance that is thought to calm that system down.

Not Being Stopped

Overall, visualization seems to have a positive effect on sleep even when you’re in pain. It is necessary to learn what specific language your own subconscious wants to hear about sleep. But once you’ve deciphered that information you may be able to trigger just enough of a change to help you sleep.

The good news is that if even one of these visualization techniques works for your sleep, it may be able to make the difference between being stopped and not being stopped by your pain.

Ben Plumb is CEO and President of The Visualization Group, Inc. The company’s service is delivered by people like himself who personally suffered from years of chronic pain, and used the visualization method described in this article to obtain relief when nothing else worked. For more information, please visit http://www.thevisualizationgroup.com.

(c) 2005 The Visualization Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The methodology and program disclosed in this article are Patent Pending.

Hello!

Alan Allard here?

You have my respect for taking action to learn how to improve your overall health. You can discover and learn how to do just that?change and improve your health?and enjoy the new levels of energy and vitality that will simply come your way.

You might want to know why I believe you are capable of changing and improving your health, regardless of the past. I am a former psychotherapist, now in private practice coaching others for rapid personal change, accelerated performance enhancement, and creating and nurturing outstanding levels of well-being. I am also the founder of GeniusDynamics, a Training and Coaching firm that specializes in accelerating the process of reaching levels of "unconscious competency," what many call "being in the zone." And, as I have worked one on one with clients for over twenty- two years now, I have identified seven keys that can and will improve your health and energy.

The seven keys that I share with you are not meant to be understood in a literal, "This is the most important key, and this is the second most important key," manner, or practiced in a linear fashion. Rather, these are dynamic principles, beliefs, values, behaviors, etc that work together simultaneously and synergistically.

With that said, here are the seven keys!

Health And Energy Key # 1:

Begin With A Well-Formed Outcome

Simply put, your brain and your mind (conscious and unconscious) are "outcome focused," by nature. You will always be using your brain and your mind to be moving toward an end target, a goal, a desired outcome?so choose each one wisely.

Now, when you think of something, anything, such as your health, keep your mind on what you desire, and off of what you do not desire. And the key to keeping your mind off of what you do not desire is to?keep it on what you do desire! Period. See, hear and feel that which reflects what you desire. If you get off track, away from what you desire, to what you do not desire, simply bring your mind (your pictures, sounds and feelings-more on this later) back to what you desire.

Some individuals might find it challenging at times to craft a well-formed outcome because of conflicting beliefs that need to be "cleaned up." More on that later.

Health And Energy Key # 2:

Create and Maintain A Useful State

You are always creating and entering into, and operating out of, a "state?" a mental, emotional, spiritual, physical state. You have no doubt heard someone say, "I am in a really good mood." Or, "She is in a really good frame of mind today!" When I use the word "state," I am describing what is going on with you on mental, emotional, spiritual and physical levels?your total being.

Now, if you get anything out of this article, get this, and you will be ahead of the game: Never plan your future, or begin to solve a problem, or do anything, without first ensuring that you are in a useful, appropriate state for the outcome you are going for. Period.

Remember at time when you were in a conflict with someone you love, perhaps even with yourself! Did it help matters if you were in a less than useful state? By "less than useful state" I mean, one that is composed of, say, impatience, irritability, cynicism, lack of empathy, "I want to be right," etc? What might have been the difference if instead, you had created and entered into a state that is composed of perhaps patience, caring about the best interest of the other person, curiosity, flexibility, creativity, genuine self-regard, etc?

Now, this article cannot fully coach you how to do that. You might want to have one individual coaching session to learn how to easily do what I am describing. You can also practice doing the following so you can enjoy learning how to create a useful state for yourself.: Imagine that your desired outcome is to persuade someone to your point of view on a matter. Now, remember a time when you communicated very effectively and got your outcome of someone being persuaded to your perspective. Imagine seeing a movie of that experience, and then "step into" the movie you are watching, and relive that experience for 30 seconds or more.

Now, step out of that movie, and remember a time when you were communicating with someone and you were very patient with that person, taking the time to really hear them out and to understand them on a superb level. Make a movie of that, and step into that! Then step out of it and remember a time when you were communicating with someone or a group of people and you demonstrated great flexibility to the point of reaching your outcome! Whatever "obstacle" came up, you were flexible in responding resourcefully to it. Now step into that movie?

You get the idea, right? This is one easy way to build a useful state for reaching any desired outcome.

Again, always make sure that you are in a useful state, one that is appropriate for easily and enjoyable reaching your desired outcome.

Health And Energy Key # 3:

Invest Yourself In Healthy And Rewarding Relationships

The people that you surround yourself with, those you let into your space, will affect you on all levels. It is as simple as that. Choose wisely. Perhaps it is time for you to let go of some relationships and to begin some new relationships. You are not doing anyone a favor by allowing them to adversely affect you over a period of time. That is not love, it is something else.

Know what you want from your relationships. Learn how to communicate with those around you, especially your loved ones, in such a manner that you effectively enhance the quality of your relationships, for all concerned. Learn to master the states you are in! When it comes to powerfully effective communication, the state you are in will be paramount. In your communication, be clear and be effective. Communicating effectively with yourself and others is the greatest single skill you can learn and develop. Invest your time, money and energy in doing so and you will be rewarded beyond what you are capable of currently imagining.

Health And Energy Key # 4:

Be Flexible

"Flexibility is the key!" The key to what? The key to achieving your outcome, the key to persuasive communication, the key to rewarding relationships. Flexibility is being able to do something different if what you are doing is not getting you the results you desire. Flexibility will get you to where you want to go with your health and energy. If what you have been doing has not gotten you the health and energy you want yet, do something else! You might be aware that there is no one "diet" or exercise program that is useful for everybody. You can find and use what will work for you?for now. And you can be flexible and change what you are doing as you find what works even better for you, moment by moment.

Health And Energy Key # 5:

Place Your "Health And Energy" As One Of Your Top "Life Values"

Tragically, "health and energy" is rarely a top value with most people. And I say "tragically" because of the fact that your values will drive your behaviors, and your behaviors will drive the results you create. So, it follows, that to engage in healthier behaviors, you will need to make sure that your health and energy is one of your top values. If you want to learn how to easily change your values, to actually choose which ones you want to drive your behaviors, you can do so in one coaching session. You will then have the ability and the tools to prioritize your values as you move through life. Remembering that your values will drive your behaviors. What is that worth?

Health And Energy Key #6:

Personal Congruency

"Congruency" is when your beliefs, values, behaviors, emotions and states are all lined up? and going in the same direction! You can easily understand how important this is. If for example, on one hand, you believe that you can greatly improve your health and energy, and on the other hand, you believe that doing so is not really possible, or that it would be quite difficult and unpleasant?well you can see the conflict, and you probably would feel the conflict as well. The stress that these two conflicting beliefs generate is unnecessary and can be eliminated with the appropriate tools and skill set.

Much energy is dissipated because of incongruent values and beliefs, not to mention incongruent behaviors! And when you learn how to "clean things up" and develop more congruency, you will immediately enjoy the results in your health and energy. Doing so is worth your investment, whatever that might be for you.

Health And Energy Key #7:

Design Your Life With Wisdom

And what is wisdom? It is contemplating and understanding the consequences of your choices and behaviors, not just for the immediate future, but for the distant future as well!

Now, my experience as a psychotherapist and Life and Business Coach has taught me that consistent improvement is more reliable than the so called overnight successes that you hear about from time to time.

Your health and energy?your overall well being, are all worth your patience! Because it is far better to take small and incremental steps into increased vigor, health and energy, than to take on too much, too soon. Your body and mind will thank you for exercising wisdom. An effective personal trainer said in an interview that "Most people try to do too much, too soon, get discouraged and then throw in the towel."

It can be different for you. Be flexible enough to find out what works for you, in what increments, and then move forward with patience. Your patience and persistence will take you to your desired outcome of greater health and energy. Period. Remember the story of the tortoise and the hare? Enough said. And if it isn’t? remember that Rome was not built in a day. Or a month for that matter. And yet progress began with the first action taken, and continued with each step after that. Each step brings more of what was desired.

An Easier And Enjoyable Way To Learn The Seven Keys:

Now that you have the Seven Keys To Improving Your Health And Energy?Now!?use them… experiment with them. If you desire some assistance beyond this article, give Alan Allard a call or drop him an e-mail by calling 630-355-2111 or emailing at: alan@geniusdynamics.com. His coaching experience can make it easier for you to implement the Seven Keys For Improving Your Health And Energy… Now! Drop Alan an e-mail or call him and let him know what you thought of this article and what is on your mind. He would love to hear from you.

Copyright 2003-2004, Alan Allard

Alan Allard is president of GeniusDynamics, offering life and business coaching. He is certified in Human Performance Engineering ™ and offers seminars and training as well as private coaching. Free Coaching e-Letter at: http://www.geniusdynamics.com

The gallbladder is a small pear-shaped organ that sits on the right side of our bodies just beneath the liver. Its primary function is to store and secrete bile. Bile is a yellow-brown fluid produced by the liver, which helps us digest fats. Our liver produces up to three cups of bile a day. Our gallbladder can store up to a cup of bile as it awaits a fatty meal.

When we eat, our gallbladder contracts and pushes bile into the small intestines where it helps with the digestion of fats. Bile is made up of water, cholesterol, fats, bile salts, proteins and bilirubin. Under certain conditions, substances in the bile, especially the cholesterol or bile pigment (bilirubin) can harden into stones ? gallstones.

Gallstones can be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball. We can develop one large stone or a multitude of smaller ones. Many people with gallstones have no symptoms at all. Others go through life relatively symptom free, experiencing minor symptoms such as abdominal bloating, intolerance to fatty foods, belching, intestinal gas and indigestion. For others, however they may suffer what is called a gallstone "attack". Gallstone attacks often follow a fatty meal. Symptoms of an attack include steady, sever pain in the upper abdomen that can last from 30 minutes to several hours. Sufferers may also experience pain in the back between the shoulder blades or under the right shoulder. A gallstone attack is often accompanied by nausea or vomiting. If symptoms such as sweating, chills, a fever or a yellowish color to the skin or whites of the eyes occur, it is important to seek medical assistance.

There are a number of factors that increase your risk of having gallstones. Those at a higher risk include women, especially women who are pregnant, on hormone therapy or taking birth control pills, people over 60 years of age, Native and Mexican Americans, overweight individuals and individuals who fast or go on crash diets and lose a lot of weight quickly.

It is important to recognize that if the gallbladder is loaded with stones, there is very little room to store bile and fat digestion may become impaired. In turn, the unused bile can back up into the liver causing liver congestion. If this is the case, it is important to evaluate your liver’s health prior to cleansing on your gallbladder.

Recommendations For Wellness

The traditional treatment for gallstones is to have your gallbladder removed. There are, however, a number of things you can do to reduce your risk of producing gallstones or experiencing a gallstone attack.

• Reduce your consumption of saturated fats typically found in red meat and pork, while increasing the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables you consume.
• Start a diet and exercise program, but avoid crash dieting which can increase your risk of gallstones. Both diet and exercise can help you reduce your risk of producing gallstones.
• If you are taking birth control pills or are on hormone replacement therapy, speak with your doctor regarding your risk of forming stones or have them check your gallbladder for the presence of gallstones regularly.
• Studies indicate that coffee increase the flow of bile and may help to decrease the risk of gallstones. If you decide to add a little coffee to your health plan for this reason, make sure you only consume organically grown coffee beans.
• Supplement with vitamin C. Vitamin C is needed by the body to convert cholesterol to bile acids in the body.
• Lecithin has been shown to help break down and transport fat molecules and may help dissolve gallstones. Studies indicate that it is helpful in protecting us from gallstone formation.
• Safflowers can be used to thin body fluids as well as aid in the digestion of oils.
• Nature’s Sunshine Gall Bladder Formula can be used to help stimulate circulation, improve liver function & aid in the production of digestive fluids.
• Do a gallbladder flush. During a gallbladder flush, 1-2 cups of olive oil are consumed to simulate the gallbladder into releasing bile. This increased demand on the gallbladder to release bile works to push the stones out.
• If you think your liver is congested, or if you have been having minor symptoms of gallstones for a long period of time, it is important to support and cleanse your liver for a period of time before doing a gallbladder flush. Try taking herbs such as milk thistle, dandelion or a liver cleanse formula.

Dr. Rita Louise, Ph.D. is a Naturopathic Physician and a 20-year veteran in the Human Potential Field, but it is her unique gift as a medical intuitive and clairvoyant that illuminates and enlivens her work. Author of the books "Avoiding the Cosmic 2×4" and "The Power Within: A Psychic Healing Primer", her unique insights bridge the worlds of science, spirit and culture and are changing the way the world views physical, mental and emotional health.

To schedule a session and experience Dr. Louise in action, visit http://www.soulhealer.com or call 972-475-3393.

One of the most unanswered questions online today is, how to perform keyword research that gets free traffic from the search engines. Many SEO experts recommends using one keyword or keyword phrase per page, while others recommends using secondary keywords with your main keyword.

My philosophy is simple, you simply use both methods and check to see which method works best. You will also have to draw the line and recognize which is working best and continue with that method.

For me, I love to use one keyword phrase for review pages and for content pages I use secondary keywords with my main keyword, making the theme of that page much more search engine friendly. Our job is to please the spiders as well as our visitors.

My advice for newcomers is to build our first page using only a free tool such as GoodKeywords. I did the same with my first site, which ranked very highly for my choosen keyword phrases, due to the fact that the competition wasn’t very high and I also didn’t use the highly targeted keywords found in the search results.

Now, I must admit that I wanted to take my keyword research to higher heights and even discover a niche of my own with very little competition, and that is where free keyword research tools fails. They don’t supply enough data for you to analyze if your keywords are actually worth while or highly competitive.

That is where, wordtracker and KRA comes into play. Wordtracker is the number one keyword research tool online, has been for many years and still is. Those who generate five figure monthly commission checks with affiliate programs knows the importance of wordtracker and just can’t live without it.

KRA, is a tool by SEO expert Andy Williams that you can use to filter out secondary keywords and related phrases. If your into optimizing your pages for better search engines result, then I highly recommend you get yourself a copy.

You can reap the benefits of online keyword research by using these tools, and stop fiddling around with free tools. Free tools are for beginners who are testing the waters. It is now time for you to join the rank of professional marketers and stop hoping for success.

The best feeling you can get from your online marketing is when you make that first sale, and it doesn’t matter how big it is. Stop targeting the wrong keywords and start building much more profitable content pages that only the smart marketers are targeting.

My final words: If a keyword research tool is so good, then why would you create a tool with an import possibility for wordtracker data?

About the author:

Alexander Marlin, Ebenezer St. Maarten A.N. Has been actively marketing on the Internet for over 3 years. One of his many keyword research websites can be found at http://how-to-build-website.com/keyword-research.html