Silvana Morelli, BScSilvana Morelli

As a retired registered massage therapist, I've always been interested in health.  I grew up loving sports so that carried into my adult life in my chosen career paths and in my personal life. I now stay active with weight training, hiking and biking. My professional life has always been in health care. This has inspired me to seek out and adopt a life of natural health and wellness.

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Natural Remedies for Lung Infections

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If you live in a part of the world that has an autumn and winter season then you are very familiar with cold and flu season and the last 3 years has had a great impact on our general health but especially our respiratory health.  So, lets talk about what a lung infection is and how to use natural remedies to treat it.

A lung infection occurs when your lungs and airways become infected with a virus, bacteria, or fungus. This can cause a persistent cough, mucous and phlegm, wheezing, or shortness of breath. Most lung infections clear up on their own but sometimes they can be life threatening and lead to pneumonia and swelling in the lungs.

Natural Remedies For Lung Infections

  • Fenugreek tea – add one tablespoon of fenugreek seeds to a pan with two cups of water. Boil this for four minutes, sieve and then drink. Fenugreek contains natural polyphenols that breakdown mucus in the lungs and helps you to cough it up.
  • Zink Chelate – start taking a daily supplement of 200 mg’s chelated zinc to keep your lungs strong and healthy throughout the year. Zinc lowers the risk of pneumonia by activating immune cells and regulating inflammation in your lungs.
  • Wild oregano oil – take two to three capsules of wild oregano oil each day at the first sign of a lung infection. Oregano oil contains carvacrol, one of the most powerful natural antibiotics which speeds up your immune system and fights off respiratory infections in the lungs, throat, and sinuses.
  • Salt inhaler – use an inexpensive salt inhaler to help reduce inflammation in the lungs to make it easier to breathe. Simply place some Himalayan salt into the device and inhale the salty air for 15 minutes per day. The ions from the salt help to calm your airways.
  • Mullein – drop one to two milliliters of mullein extract into a glass of water and drink three times per day. Mullein leaves and flowers have been used for thousands of years to fight viruses and ailments in the lungs. This is effective at reducing lung infections, asthma, earaches, bronchitis, coughs, and even tuberculosis.
  • Rosemary and thyme tea – pick and wash thoroughly a large bunch of thyme and rosemary. Infuse these into a 2-liter bottle of water in the refrigerator overnight and drink through the following day. Rosmarinic acid, Thymol and other compounds from these herbs are antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal which fight off lung infections.
  • Ginger and lemon tea – slice and peel 2 inches of fresh ginger root, add to a pan with three cups of water and allow this to simmer for 20 minutes then add the juice of the fresh lemon at the end. This drink has an anti-inflammatory effect in your lungs helping to reduce the risk of pneumonia, open the airways, and fight off infection.
  • Steam treatment – cover your head with a towel and lean over a bowl of hot water being careful not to burn yourself. Gently inhale the steam to help breakdown thick mucus in your lungs and sinuses. Do this for two to three minutes take a break and then repeat.
  • Eucalyptus oil – is an Australian herb which has been used to relieve asthma attacks and calm the lungs during a coughing fit. Add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to a steaming bowl of water. This will help to calm inflammation in your lungs for easier breathing.
  • Vitamin D3 – take 20,000 IUs of vitamin D3 per day and 200 micrograms of vitamin K2. Vitamin D helps to fight over 300 illnesses especially respiratory infections such as cold and flu. It is a natural hormone which reduces inflammation in your lungs and strengthens your immune system.
  • Garlic – it is one of the most potent antiviral agents on the planet and fights all kinds of infections. This is a broad-spectrum healer rich in allicin which boosts your immunity. Consume garlic whenever you can in soups, stir fries, or shaved into salads to keep your lungs strong and healthy.

As you can see there are many natural remedies which you can use to help fight off lung infections, remove mucus from the lungs, and breathe easier. Try out some of these remedies and see which works best for your unique body. Many of these herbs have been used for thousands of years and have a deep history in the healing of respiratory disorders. These also help those suffering with asthma, bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and many other lower and upper respiratory illnesses. Remember to stay hydrated when you have a lung infection because dehydration causes mucus to become thicker and can trigger more painful coughing. It’s highly recommend taking vitamins D3, K2 and zinc as dietary supplements regularly. Most people are deficient in these because we do not get access to enough sunshine and the soils are often depleted of zinc. Zinc and vitamin D both play a crucial role in protecting the lungs from damage illnesses and respiratory infections. Eating shellfish soaked in vinegar at least once per week is a good way to raise your body’s supply of trace minerals to help protect against lung infections

The #1 Thing People Get Wrong About Arthritis

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Recently, through my own experience of joint pain,  I started a journey of discovering what was causing my sudden knee and hip pain which led me to seeking a physiotherapist to help me fix the problem.  To my surprise, the main factor was muscle weakness.

For most of us, when we think about arthritis, we usually can come up with the same causes like wear and tear from being active for many years, repetitive tasks at work, old injuries, and the big one: AGE! All of these are factors but as we now know so is nutrition, lifestyle and much more.  But muscle weakness was a shocker to me considering I have been strength training for years so surely that couldn’t have been the cause!  Well, after only a few sessions where I was given some very specific strengthening exercises, I was starting to feel better, so I had to re-think my concepts about arthritis.  For this reason, I thought it was important to learn more because I know too many people who have started down the same path that I did which is feeling joint pain, to taking pain killers, to getting imaging, to surgery.  My hope is that if dealt with early on and understanding what is actually happening, people can avoid more pain, more degeneration and surgery.

Let’s talk about imaging first because there are some interesting statistics that my physiotherapist pointed out to me that would surprise you.  In a study of 115 asymptomatic adults, MRI abnormalities were found in %97 of knees: %48 had bone marrow lesion, %30 had meniscal tears, %21 had moderate tendonitis, and %3 had ligament ruptures.  In a review of 1057 asymptomatic adults, impingement was identified via MRI in %37-%67.   There are a lot more statistics like this but the point is this: normal age related changes begin to occur around the age of 25.  Do not fear “abnormal” imaging results, because they are very common and are not directly associated with pain.  In other words, if you get imaging done and the results show tears or arthritis you might be inclined to think about it negatively, worry, change the way you behave, stop being active etc., and that is not usually a good way to approach it.  This was important for me to learn because I too started to slow down and start thinking about surgery.  I was surprised when my therapist told me that she has seen plenty of 80-year-old patients who, based on their x-rays, had advanced arthritis but are still active and pain free!

Strength training is important in preventing and treating arthritis because stronger muscles mean stronger bones.  During weight-bearing activity, the muscles and tendons apply tension to the bones, which stimulates the bones to produce more bone tissue. As a result, bones become stronger and denser and the risk of osteopenia, osteoporosis, and fractures decreases.   Understanding that by strengthening muscles surrounding a joint will offset the load placed on joints means that you can lead and long, active life without joint pain.  This is so important to understand, especially for our older population, because as we age, we tend to reduce our physical activity and even more so strength training when the opposite is going to help you lead a strong, healthy, pain-free life. It is especially important because as we age, we naturally lose muscle so we must do all we can to maintain and/or increase muscle tissue.  Some other benefits of strength training are increased blood circulation to the joint which in some joints is minimal, fat loss, improved balance, improved mood, better sleep.

As I stated earlier, I have been strength training for years, so I thought I knew what it was all about, and I believed I was fairly strong.  But it wasn’t until I started physiotherapy that I realized I really didn’t know much about strengthening the smaller muscles around joints and the muscles that don’t get much attention because they aren’t the “showy” muscles.   But when I started with a few simple exercises with no resistance, I realized a couple of things: 1. How weak some key stability muscles were and 2. How I can really sweat without seemingly doing much at all!  I also realized how valuable how valuable and underrated physiotherapists and the like are.  We really need to put more focus on those professionals whose expertise it is to optimize the healthy functioning of our bodies to prevent injury and to stop the damage from progressing. Their expertise will help with proper form, understanding how much weight to use, using equipment incorrectly etc. We can use this expertise to capitalize our time dedicated to exercise which these days is limited and understanding that movement, even though is sounds counterproductive, is really the key to healing the damage done to joints.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021929019305949

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3606891/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/arthritis/in-depth/arthritis/art-20047971

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3606891/

3 Powerful Remedies for Psoriasis

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The Greek word for psoriasis comes from “psora”  which means itchy and “iasis” which means action or condition. Therefore psoriasis is an itchy condition of the skin.  More specifically it is an autoimmune condition where your body is producing antibodies against itself.

So, the symptoms of psoriasis are coming from your own immune system and certain parts of your skin are replaced every three to five days instead of every 28 to 30 days. The end result is this accelerated reproduction of skin cells and that’s what creates the redness, scaling and the flakey patches of skin.

What is happening on a cellular level to cause psoriasis is a T cell dysfunction. The T cells are part of the immune system that’s called the ‘acquired’ immune system. The acquired immune system is one that you are not born with but rather you develop overtime and there’s a dysfunction and imbalance triggered usually by an altered microbiome in your gut, a sore throat, or another infection. There are several different types of T cells and the one that is involved in this condition is the T helper cell called TH 17. This happens to be your own immune cell that induces inflammation and autoimmune diseases and also releases cytokines therefore it has an additional inflammatory signal. There are other T cells called the T regulatory cells that are involved in preventing autoimmune disease in the first place and those are usually suppressed. So we have a suppressed T regulatory cell and we have an increase in T helper cells (TH 17).

Some interesting data shows a relationship between the T helper cell (TH17) and vitamin D. Vitamin D happens to be something that can suppress TH17. Vitamin D is not really a vitamin it’s a hormone that acts like cortisol in the body which happens to be one of the significant treatments for psoriasis. Typically people with psoriasis will be prescribed Prednisone – an anti-inflammatory. But vitamin D is a natural Prednisone without the side effects. The other interesting thing about this is that psoriasis is worse in the winter. Why? because vitamin D availability is lower. Also, there is higher incidence of psoriasis the further you live from the equator and if you have psoriasis, you’re a greater risk for depression. The link between these two conditions is vitamin D. In other words, vitamin D is very important.   Some recommendations call for 40,000 daily to penetrate the damage that’s in the colon that’s not allowing you to absorb the vitamin D. Remember earlier we mentioned an altered microbiome being the trigger for psoriasis.

What is a good natural source of vitamin D? Cod liver oil, not only does it have vitamin D, but it also has vitamin A which is also good for the skin. It also has the omega-3 fatty acids, both DHA and EPA and one of the main symptoms of an omega-3 fatty acid deficiency is dry, scaly, red skin. Also, omega-3 is an anti-inflammatory.

The last remedy is bile salts because bile salts stimulate the vitamin D receptor. Bile salts allow vitamin D to work a lot better in the body. So, if there’s any type of resistance, let’s say you have some genetic alteration in your receptor for vitamin D, it’s called a polymorphism, bile salts will help potentially increase the absorption. Also, bile salts directly modulate or control the T helper cell (TH 17) cell. So, bile salts are going to help to regulate this dysfunction as well as stimulate the T regulatory cells which are the ones that put out the fire and helps to calm down inflammation. The type of bile salts recommended would be TUDCA and find a brand with good reviews. Take three to four per day to help you digest the dietary fat. Taken on an empty stomach, these bile salts will help regulate the immune system. As far as the cod liver oil, take whatever is recommended on the bottle.

The last two recommendations are fasting which is very important for all autoimmune conditions as well as no gluten at all in the diet.

The 12 Best Ways To Clear Your Lungs Naturally

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Nowadays many people are suffering with ill health due to problems with the lungs. This is mostly caused by smoking cigarettes including vapor cigarettes and general pollutants in our environment.  Cigarette smoke can be the worst and can cause the lungs to become black and filled with tar. This could cause breathing problems, blocking the supply of oxygen to the blood and potentially causing cancer and a host of other medical problems. In order to change this we should begin to eat specific healthy foods which will detoxify the lungs and allow them to heal. Lets take a look at some of the healthiest foods which you can use to begin cleaning your lungs.  But before we get into the specific foods it’s important to note that when choosing foods always try to look for organic foods because pesticides can also cause toxicity in the body. Also, remember to consult your healthcare professional when considering treatment.

Let’s begin with mixed berries. Eating lots of mixed berries that are rich in antioxidants each day will kick start the healing process and cause the body to use oxygen more efficiently. Free radicals are unstable molecules that are beneficial in small amounts but can damage your cells when their numbers get too high, causing oxidative stress. Berries are a great source of antioxidants, such as anthocyanins, ellagic acid, and resveratrol. In addition to protecting your cells, these plant compounds may reduce the risk of disease. One study showed that blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries have the highest antioxidant activity of commonly consumed fruits, next to pomegranates.

Apples have been shown to prevent many lung diseases and help you to breathe easier. Apples are rich in antioxidants. They have an antioxidant flavonoid known as quercetin. Quercetin is also available red wine, tea and onions. The flavonoid is known to have properties which can offer protection to lungs from harmful effects of air pollution and cigarette smoke.

Garlic is one of the most powerful superfoods known to man. The allicin compound within will reduce inflammation, ease asthma and coughing, and reduce the risk of lung cancer.

Grapefruit helps to improve lung function  by supplying healthy vitamins and minerals for cleansing.  They are also full of antioxidants that can help support the health of your lungs. Naringin, a flavonoid serving as a cell cycle regulator, is found in grapefruit and exhibits increased anti-inflammatory activity in the body.

Water is needed to heal the lungs. You should always keep them hydrated. This helps to move tar and heal infected tissue.

Chili Peppers contain the spicy capsaicin compound which stimulates healthy blood flow and fights infections.

Ginger removes toxins from the entire body including the lungs.

Pistachios are rich in a type of vitamin E called gamma tocopherol. Getting plenty of this nutrient in your diet has been shown to may help reduce the risk of lung cancer and provide a wonderful boost of vitamin E.

Cabbage is packed full of antioxidants which boosts the immunity of the body overall.

Sliced lemons with the peel added to water is beneficial because they are high in Vitamin C, which boosts the immune system and helps the body resist asthma triggers. Antioxidants are concentrated in lemon juice, which helps the body to fight off any allergen or irritant that enters the lungs. Lemon juice has antiseptic properties, which means it can help kill bacteria in the body and prevent mucus buildup. The citric acid in lemon juice improves lung function by cleansing and strengthening the lung tissue.

Carrots juiced to make fresh carrot juice are rich in vitamins and will give your body everything it needs to heal.

Milk Thistle contains a flavonoid called silibinin which has been shown to prevent lung cancer.

Reducing the amount of dairy in your diet will help reduce the buildup of thick mucus in the lungs and sinuses which can cause further problems.

Cooking your own food rather than eating ready-made foods will provide your body with the nutrients it needs for the lungs to heal.

Smokers may find themselves in nicotine withdrawal so it’s recommended to drink dandelion root tea to help with this.  Dandelion root is a natural liver cleanser so by helping remove nicotine from the system, this root can help with reduce the withdrawal symptoms.

You should also try to drink green teas as much as possible because these will flush the body and the water vapor will clear the lungs.

The more raw fruits and vegetables you eat the faster your lungs will begin to flush out tar and toxins.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24587990/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26501271/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25872898/

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf801381y

https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2017/diet-rich-in-apples-and-tomatoes-may-help-repair-lungs-of-ex-smokers-study-suggests

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4103721/

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091208191956.html

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8230811/

 

 

The Ultimate List of Foods That Get Rid of Joint Pain

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Joint degeneration is very common with over one in four adults suffering with some type of arthritis or joint pain. If you’re one of these people you may experience pain, burning, throbbing, or a grating feeling in your joints. The joints in your body contain connective tissues like ligaments, tendons, and cartilage which allows them to move and bend. Sometimes these tissues can become damaged, or they wear away causing stiffness and a dull, aching sensation especially in the spine, hands, or the joints that you use most often.

Joint pain can be caused by poor posture such as slouching in front of the computer, rheumatoid or osteoarthritis, a deficiency in certain nutrients could be causing your joints to become weaker and inflamed. Or alternatively, you may have sustained a sports injury when exercising or carrying a heavy load. No matter what the cause there are natural diet tips that you can follow to help relieve joint pain and to repair the joint tissues.

There are foods that you can eat daily that will reduce the symptoms and even heal your arthritis.

Cabbage

Start to consume chopped, raw cabbage as a side dish to your meals and you’ll soon notice less pain and inflammation in your joints. Cabbage is unique among the salad vegetables as it’s loaded with L- glutamine, an amino acid which stimulates healing throughout your body. Cabbage is also loaded with the vitamin C complex which stimulates collagen production. This can strengthen the framework and the connective tissues in your joints. It’s also recommended to eat one serving of sauerkraut two to three times per week. This is a type of fermented cabbage and it’s one of the richest sources of vitamin C on the planet to lower inflammation in your joints.

Oily fish and wild salmon

With joint pain it’s recommended to eat oily fish at least three times per week like wild salmon, sardines, mackerel, and anchovies. These fish are loaded with unsaturated fats called DHA and EPA. These are two omega-3 fatty acids which regulates inflammation in your body and prevent your immune system from attacking the tissues in your joints. These fats also help to lubricate the joints by producing the healthy synovial fluid that’s between them. On a side note, please avoid the farmed fish and opt for the wild caught varieties instead as these naturally contain more nutrients from the ocean. If you don’t want to eat the fish, you can supplement by taking one to two teaspoons of virgin cod liver oil daily.

Extra virgin olive oil

Real extra virgin olive oil is one of the most powerful natural pain killers in the world and it’s being compared to ibuprofen in some studies. You want to stop consuming inflammatory vegetable oils and seed oils that are making your joint pain worse. These include corn, cotton seed, peanut oil, sunflower, canola, and margarines. Real olive oil contains oleocanthal, a substance which blocks certain enzymes in your body that are causing the inflammation in your joints. Using at least two to three tablespoons daily, ideally drizzling it over your salads or stir fries, will help you to extract and absorb more antioxidants from other vegetables.

Walnuts

Take some walnuts and soak them in water for 24 to 48 hours. This germinates the nut and removes any phytic acid which could have blocked certain minerals from being absorbed. Dry them out on a low heat and then consume a small handful of them daily to get rid of arthritis pain. Walnuts are loaded with L -arginine. This is an amino acid which increases human growth hormone, the hormone that can regenerate the ligaments, tendons, cartilage, and the muscles that surround your joints. Walnuts are also loaded with alpha linolenic acid another type of omega-3 which can get rid of the stiffness and inflammation and help to improve mobility. You can also do the same with Brazil nuts as these are also rich in selenium a trace mineral which improves the quality cartilage proteins in the bones and joints.

Moringa powder

Produced from the moringa tree which grows in warm climates like India has some of the most nutrient dense leaves in the world. These leaves contain seven times more vitamin C than oranges and 15 times more potassium than bananas. Both are key nutrients that you need to reduce inflammation, stiffness, and to heal joint problems. You can eat these leaves fresh, or you can take one teaspoon of the powdered moringa mixed in a glass of water daily. This will rapidly improve mobility in your joints and get rid of pain and swelling.

Thyme, Oregano and Rosemary

You should try adding these herbs to your diet to reduce joint pain. If you have rheumatoid arthritis this means that your body is attacking its own tissues causing a breakdown of the joints. However, if you consume certain herbs like fresh thyme, rosemary, oregano, they can help to modulate your immune system which will prevent your body from attacking the joints. These herbs contain thymol, carvacrol and Rosemarinic acid which have all been shown to block leukotrienes. Leukotrienes are agents that are in your body that cause inflammation. So, lowering them by eating these herbs helps to turn off the inflammation in your body.

Black seed oil

Black seeds have been used for thousands of years by ancient cultures for getting rid of diseases, infections, and inflammation in the body. 1 teaspoon of black seed oil every morning can help get rid of joint pain. It contains a powerful compound called thymoquinone which also helps to fight off rheumatoid arthritis and lower inflammation in the joints. As a side note, it’s also excellent for fighting bacteria and viruses to keep you free of any cold or flu infections.

Avocados

Start eating at least 1/2 an avocado every single day to see some major improvements in your pain and mobility. Being one of the most nutrient dense foods in the world, avocados are rich in potassium and magnesium, two of the key minerals that you want to focus on when fixing joint pain. The vitamin E and the boron in avocados has also been shown to help treat osteoarthritis by stimulating the growth of cartridge cells.

Apple cider vinegar

Consuming one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar mixed in a glass of water before each meal is one of the best remedies in the world for joint pain. It helps to strengthen the pH of your stomach so that you can absorb more minerals, collagen and amino acids that are all needed to strengthen your joints.

Cherries

Cherries contain a wide range of antioxidants that can help to control arthritis and reduce pain, especially the anthocyanins. People with arthritis often choose to drink concentrated cherry juice because it can help to lower uric acid for those with gout and can also reduce stiffness throughout the body. Please make sure that you choose a brand which contains no added sugar as the sugar varieties can have the opposite effect.

Cruciferous vegetables

If you really want to completely heal your joints permanently you will need to be consuming lots of leafy green cruciferous vegetables daily like kale, collard greens, broccoli, brussel sprouts, arugula, and spinach. These vegetables are absolutely loaded with potassium and carotenoids which are vital the lowering inflammation in your joints. Eating these often will help to prevent free radical damage to your cells and tissues to allow the healing to begin. Make sure that you consume your vegetables raw or very lightly steamed ask cooking and heat can kill off many of the live enzymes within them that your body needs to heal.

Bone broth

The connective tissues in your joints are made up of collagen. This gives them a strong mesh like framework. If your joints are weak and painful however, you can start consuming bone broth as it’s the best natural source of collagen as it’s made from boiled animal bones. It’s also rich in chondroitin and glucosamine which are well known for improving joint pain. When you drink this your body is supplied with all the raw materials that it needs to build new collagen in your tissues including your joints, hair, skin, arteries, teeth, and nails.

Turmeric and black pepper

Turmeric is a golden colored spice which contains an active ingredient called curcumin. Curcumin has been proven as one of the most potent anti-inflammatory remedies in the world especially when it comes to aches, pains, and joint problems. You can use turmeric powder in your curries, stews or you could even boil it to make herbal tea. Make sure to also add a pinch of black pepper which contains piperine. This helps your body absorb the curcumin by an additional 2000% to help lower inflammation throughout your body.

Other tips

It’s very important that you stick with the whole food diet long term and make sure that you’re also cutting out junk foods like refined flour, sugar, and soda drinks as these can all damage your joints by triggering inflammation. The number one food that you must avoid however is vegetable oil. Examples of this are corn, soy, cotton seed, canola, rapeseed, grapeseed, and margarine. These cheap oils are rich in Omega 6 which is pro-inflammatory. They are often used in restaurants, take out food and ready meals, so you want to start cooking your own healthy dishes at home using healthy fats like extra virgin olive oil, raw coconut oil, or grass-fed butter.

On a final note, being overweight puts your body in an inflammatory state and puts added load onto the joints in your spine, hips, and knees. Your joints will not heal properly but following a whole food, sensible, caloric deficit diet will allow you to lose those extra pounds.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21443487/

Earthing: The Most Important Health Discovery Ever

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Do you always wear shoes? Although shoes protect your feet from the cold or harmful objects, there’s a reason why wearing shoes isn’t always beneficial. When we wear shoes, we don’t receive energy from the earth. When you put your bare feet on the ground there is contact with the earth and mother earth is endowed with electrons and these electrons are literally absorbed through your feet.  It’s like taking handfuls of antioxidants but you’re getting them through your feet.  We need to absorb the electrons from the earth in order to balance out each part of our body with the earth’s electrical current.

Earthing means connecting to the earth to support the specific function of the organs of your body. It supports the body as a whole but it specifically supports organ systems down to the tissues and the cellular function of the entire body. All the systems in the body go to balance, to normal when you’re grounded.

The man who started the grounding, aka, earthing movement is Clint Ober. Growing up as a rancher in Montana, Clint Ober saw firsthand how humans and animals were supposed to rely on the earth for much of their needs. But as he grew up, he saw the disconnect forming. He first learned about grounding working as a cable installer. Ten years later, he formed Telecrafter Corporation and built it into the largest cable installer in the US. What set his company apart was the focus on the proper grounding of cable for safety and TV signal stability. Later, Clint entered the computer industry and helped increase awareness of the need for proper system grounding.  All this technical knowledge led to the curiosity of how grounding affects the human body. He had suffered chronic pain from his decades-long active lifestyle. After some creative experimentation with duct tape, he realized that grounding greatly improved his sleep as well as his pain. Fast forward to today where Clint’s company Earthing helps people ground their bodies with inexpensive products designed to facilitate the flow of the earth’s natural electricity.

Earthing has several benefits such as the reduction of inflammation and chronic pain, sleep improvement, better energy levels, and even less stress.

Here are a few more benefits:

Better circulation

Walking barefoot increases the blood flow to your legs which helps you feel less pain, have less varicose veins, and have warmer feet in the winter.

Lower blood pressure

Walking barefoot can help us increase our blood flow, lower our blood pressure, and lessen cortisol action which in turn decreases stress and inflammation all over the body.

Better balance

When you can feel the ground, you can better stimulate the balancing system of your brain. This is especially important for elderly people.

Less foot problems

Wearing the wrong type of shoes is normally the main cause of several foot problems such as calluses, bunions, athlete’s foot, and ingrown toenails.  When we walk barefoot, we steer farther away from these kinds of problems. Even arthritis begins to slowly improve as our feet get stronger, more flexible, and receive better blood flow.

Better posture

When we wear shoes, we are forced to move our hips back and forth straining our back, shoulders, and neck to keep from falling. When we walk barefoot the opposite happens. When we feel the ground, the nerve endings in our feet send us messages of balance. This can improve posture and balance as well as reduce stress and bodily tension.

Healthier kids

The American pediatric association recommends that kids walk barefoot as long as possible because shoes weaken and deform feet. According to Dr. Merzenich, one of the best neuroplastic physicians in the country, the stimulation we get from walking barefoot improves memory, attention, concentration, and intelligence.

More strength

Walking barefoot helps us to stimulate new muscles that are used for both balance and support.

Healthier feet

Our body follows an interesting principle- if you use something you must maintain it if you don’t use it ‘you lose it’.  When you walk barefoot your feet wake up and begin to strengthen themselves.

Reduced inflammation

Have you ever shocked yourself by touching something during the winter? This happens due to the difference in magnetic charge between your body and the object. This is the way your body gets rid of the unwanted charge.  Studies have shown that free radicals act on our inflammation by transporting the positive charge. Although these particles of positive charge play an important role in our immune system, if we don’t have a way to get rid of them, they build up in our bodies, causing excess inflammation and even cell and tissue damage.  The earth, on the other hand naturally possesses a negative charge.  Direct contact with the earth allows us to get rid of the positive charge found in the fee radicals.

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Through modernization and practicality, we accidentally disconnected from the earth which made sense but on the other hand nobody knew the consequences or the side effects of losing our ground, losing our electrical ground with the planet. I encourage you to watch the The Earthing Movie on Netflix because it is very enlightening and will also show you some personal stories of the benefits of earthing.  And for those who live in winter climates there are products that you can use in your home to help ground you.

https://www.earthing.com/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4378297/

https://earthingcanada.ca

The Earthing Movie: Netflix

5 Easy Ways to Stop Acid Reflux

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What is Acid Reflux?

Acid reflux is a common condition where you experience a burning sensation in your chest known as heartburn or GERD. This condition can make it difficult to digest foods normally and may cause a chronic sore throat along with a sharp pain and nausea especially when you lay down to sleep at night.

The Underlying Root Causes

  1. The first and most common cause of acid reflux is a deficiency in chlorides and potassium. These are minerals that are needed in your body to build healthy levels of stomach acid.
  2. High levels of mental stress will turn off the “rest and digest” part of your nervous system causing the LES valve above your stomach to stay open and acid to leach upwards.
  3. Antacid medications – although these are designed to help you the truth is that common antacids are neutralizing your stomach acid which makes acid reflux worse over time.
  4. If your stomach lining has been damaged it can easily get infected with a harmful bacteria called helicobacter pylori which lowers your stomach acid as its survival strategy.
  5. Eating refined grains which contain gluten irritates the stomach lining in most people, along with sugar and inflammatory vegetable oils.
  6. A history of taking antibiotics or other painkiller medications can damage the mucus layer in your gut and harm your friendly bacteria leading to acid reflux.

So, what’s really going?

Your stomach naturally holds very strong stomach acid which is important as it’s needed to breakdown and digest the foods that you eat. Just above your stomach and at the bottom of your food pipe there’s a little valve made of muscle called the LES sphincter. This valve opens when you eat allowing food to get to your stomach. The rest of the time however this valve is supposed to squeeze tight and stay closed to prevent stomach acid from getting up your food pipe and into your throat. Unfortunately, this LES valve often becomes weaker in many people, and it stops closing, remaining relaxed between swallows. This allows stomach acids and digestive enzymes to start moving upwards and regurgitating into your food pipe and your throat. This can cause a burning sensation in your chest behind the breastbone especially when you lay down because it’s easier for the acid to flow back up the pipe. You may also have the sensation that there’s a lump in your throat. Another sign of acid reflux is when sour tasting stomach fluids and food start back flowing and regurgitating into your mouth and these acids cause inflammation sometimes making it hard to swallow. This can cause a sore throat and a buildup of mucus when you wake up each day giving you the urge to clear your throat or cough on a regular basis.

Studies show us that acid reflux is caused by having the wrong level of acid in the stomach. Stomach acid should naturally be between 1 and 3 on the pH scale, which is very strong, in order to help breakdown and digest your foods. However, if this acid becomes too alkaline the little valve becomes loose and the acid starts refluxing into your food pipe. If left untreated acid reflux can lead to ulcers, damage and scar tissue in your esophagus which prevents you from swallowing food properly and ultimately can raise the risk of throat cancer. The very last thing that you want to do is take an antacid drug. It may relieve your symptoms for a short time, but it will also raise the pH and neutralize your important stomach acid making acid reflux much worse over time.

We’re going to explore five vitamins that can be used to help stop acid reflux permanently by restoring the normal pH of the stomach and allow this valve to close. We’ll also look at the simple lifestyle changes that you need to make to fix the root of the problem.

As always, we recommend you speak to your healthcare provider if you have any medical concerns.

  • Betaine hydrochloride with pepsin

Betaine hydrochloride is by far one of the best supplements to help stop acid reflux by fixing the root of the problem. You can take two to four capsules of betaine hydrochloride before eating a meal to start acidifying the pH of your stomach. This will help you to digest food better, the LES valve will tighten up, and start working normally preventing reflux. Try following this protocol for two to three days and if you need to you can slowly add more capsules each time until you feel better. Over the course of the few weeks your stomach acids will build back up and your digestive system will start working normally.

  • Ginger

Acid reflux can be extremely painful and uncomfortable especially when you’re trying to sleep at night and the pain can keep you awake. When you feel heartburn coming on consider chewing on a fresh slice of ginger root. The natural liquids inside ginger root contain powerful phenolic compounds that soothe the tissues in your food pipe and stomach lining to ease the inflammation caused by the acid. Ginger has actually been used for thousands of years and it’s well known for its ability to soothe and heal GI irritation, nausea, acid reflux and indigestion. If you wish you can get dried ginger powder capsules and take one to two after your meal to help prevent acid reflux and to support your digestion. You can also remove the peel from a fresh slice of ginger and then shave the ginger into your salads, stir fries or you can make a spicy drink with ice and cold water and perhaps even a little lemon juice.

  • Probiotics

Probiotics are live, friendly bacteria and friendly yeasts which live in your large intestine and help with digesting your food. They also make neurotransmitters for your brain such as acetylcholine. This is what we call the gut brain axis or the gut as your “second brain”.  These friendly microbes help to stimulate certain nerves which controls the opening and closing of the LES valve above your stomach to make it open when you eat and close again when you stop eating. Basically, if you have lots of friendly microbes living in your gut, you’re much less likely to have acid reflux, indigestion, ulcers, gastritis, IBS, SIBO and autoimmune diseases because they help to keep the whole system healthy and working normally. Unfortunately, many people don’t have enough friendly bacteria because they are easily killed off by antibiotic drugs, medications, artificial sweeteners, and junk foods which can all lead to acid reflux. So, to fix this problem simply start eating fermented foods that are rich in lactic acid bacteria such as kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir and pickles on a regular basis. These foods are rich in live probiotics that will help to heal your digestive system and improve your overall health.

  • Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is perhaps the most well-known natural remedy for treating indigestion, heartburn, and digestive problems. Simply mix one tablespoon of organic, raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar and drink this in a tall glass of water with a straw before every single meal. This liquid contains acetic acid which helps to correct the pH of your stomach helping to digest foods better and prevent acid reflux and GERD. Acetic acid from apple cider vinegar is a type of short chain fatty acid which also supports the cells in your colon providing them with energy so that you can digest foods and absorb vitamins and nutrients properly. Many people find that apple cider vinegar is one of the most simple and effective remedies for acid reflux. However, if you’re in a situation where you have an extremely inflamed throat or food pipe you may want to take two to three apple cider vinegar capsules before each meal instead as these will be less irritating to your esophagus.

  • Zinc L-Carnosine

Zinc is an essential mineral that the body needs to heal tissues especially the cells on the inside of your body. What’s very interesting is the Japanese developed healing compound called zinc L-carnosine which they have used for almost 30 years to treat stomach ulcers. Zinc L-Carnosine is very effective because it works to restore the protective mucus barrier in your gut and throughout your digestive system helping the cells to heal and repair. The zinc mineral in general also prevents an overgrowth of harmful microbes like H-pylori in your stomach. You can take 70 milligrams of zinc L-Carnosine daily in a supplement if you wish. Zinc is an essential mineral needed by men and women so getting it from healthy food sources like shellfish, grass fed red meats and pumpkin seeds is also recommended.

Simple Lifestyle Changes

Start eating raw shredded cabbage daily. You can use any type of cabbage like red, purple, green, Savoy or even sauerkraut in a delicious salad. All types of cabbage are rich in glutamine chlorophyll and vitamin C which all help to heal your stomach lining, esophagus and intestines from any type of damage that’s already been caused by the acid.

Reduce refined grains and vegetable oils from your diet like bread, biscuits, cereals, pasta, pastries, corn oil, soy oil, canola etc. as these will all irritate the lining of your stomach. You want to replace these highly processed foods with filling, satisfying, whole Foods like pasture raised eggs, wild fish, grass fed meats, extra virgin olive oil and steamed vegetables.

Start sprinkling Himalayan salt or Celtic sea salt on your meals. These provide chlorides which helps your stomach to build hydrochloric acid.

You should also make sure that you’re eating foods that are high in potassium as these activate cells that support stomach acid production. Some suggestions are avocados, leafy greens, wild salmon, beet tops, squash and brussels sprouts.

Also when you’re eating trying to chew your food more often to help break it down and make it easier on your stomach.

In the morning when you first wake up drink a tall glass of carbonated mineral water on an empty stomach this will hydrate your digestive tract and the slight acidity will help to strengthen the pH of your stomach.

Cut back on tea and coffee for awhile until you get your ass in reflux under control.

If you’re living in a state of stress or struggling to sleep well at night you must find ways to relax and get this under control as stress over stimulates your sympathetic nervous system keeping the valve open. Try taking long, slow walks in nature at least 45 minutes a day to bring in lots of oxygen and calm your nervous system down. Also eating probiotic rich foods daily will help to manage stress and heal your entire digestive system.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7146259/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6341159/

A Fascinating Behind-the-Scenes Look at Sound Therapy

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Few things are as irritating as loud and unexpected noises. Exposure to noise activates the brain’s stress pathways and triggers the release of related hormones such as cortisol. But if certain sounds have the ability to unsettle us, would it be that other sounds would have the power to heal us?

In cultures all over the world sound healing has been a tool for promoting the physical and emotional health of the body for as long as history can account for. From Australian aboriginal tribes using the didgeridoo as a healing instrument for over 40,000 years to Egyptians using vowel sound chants in healing because they believed vowels to be sacred. These practices highlight how sound manifests through physical vibrations and frequencies and though science is still catching up to understand how sound heals, the current research is very promising. There is strong evidence that music has mental and physical health benefits in improving mood and reducing stress. In fact, rhythm, in particular can provide physical pain relief and has shown to help people with pain from arthritis, menstrual pain, or knee replacement pain.

There are many different theories that attempt to explain why sound experiences can be linked with deep relaxation and physical pain relief from the placebo effect to sound stimulation that touch fibers in the body that affect pain perception. But what we do know is that in your ear is the vestibulocochlear nerve which connects to the vagus nerve, the major parasympathetic nerve in the body. The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for reducing stress, lowering blood pressure, and relaxing muscles.

Another theory on the benefits of sound rest on the concept of binaural beats which states that “listening to certain frequencies can change one’s brain waves”. What are brain waves? They are electrical activity in the brain as displayed in the form of brain waves or rhythmic repetitive frequencies. These rhythms can be measured using a device called EEG. There are five categories of brain waves and different states of alertness and consciousness in different parts of the brain generates varying frequencies of brain waves.  Gamma waves are involved in tasks that take higher processing. Beta waves occur when the brain is active, alert, and engaged consciously. Alpha waves occur when the brain is resting after finishing a task or when one meditates. Theta waves are associated with daydreaming and REM dreaming phase of sleep. This kind of state is associated with times when ideas and creativity flow. Delta brain waves are the slowest and associated with deep, dreamless sleep. The importance of these waves can be imagined by knowing the reactions that they produce. For example, too much gamma waves result in anxiety or stress. Too little gamma waves result in depression.

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Now the question arises, can someone manipulate our brain waves? If you have two identical tuning folks tuned to the same note and tap one of them, the second fork also starts vibrating in sympathy. Research in binaural beats show that different frequencies presented to each ear through stereo headphones create a different tone as the brain puts together the two tones it’s hearing. For example, frequencies of 200 Hertz and 210 Hertz produced a binaural beat frequency of 10 Hertz. Now as we know each center in the brain generates a specific frequency based on the predominant chemical it’s secretes. So, when we send in waves of electrical energy at 10 Hertz, certain areas in the lower brain stem will respond because they normally fire within that frequency range. It has been shown that stimulation of gamma brain waves reduces Alzheimer’s. Sound can even heal cancer cells.

If you’ve seen opera singers shattering glass from their voice you must have noticed that the first thing they do is tap the glass and listen to its resonance pitch so that they can vocalize the same frequency. The glass will not shatter if the resonant frequency is not matched. So, researchers thought maybe we could also shatter something microscopic if we find the right frequency. Doctors have used focused ultrasound to destroy tumors in the body for quite some time now, but the method used damaged both cancer and healthy cells alike as it focuses on heating the blood around the cells through sound. So, they started searching for the magic frequency. They started with 100 Hertz and looked through the microscope to see if anything was happening. They tried hundreds and thousands of frequencies to find the magic combination. We know now that cancer is vulnerable between the frequencies of 100,000 to 300,000 Hertz.  This has helped in developing a low intensity ultrasound approach that exploits the unique physical properties of tumor cells to specifically target only them and provide the most selective, safer option.

There are many questions left to investigate about the precise mechanism, but the findings are very encouraging. Nikola Tesla said” if you want to know the secrets of the universe think in terms of energy, frequency, and vibration”.  Albert Einstein said, “everything in life is a vibration”.  Clearly there is and enormous amount of work left to be done but with new advances in technology we can imagine the future of healing around what’s being called medicine’s best kept secret.

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnsys.2021.782399/full

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4362523/

https://www.semma-health.com/blog-all/researchers-demonstrate-how-cancer-cells-are-obliterated-by-resonant-frequencies

 

The #1 Thing Making Your Eyesight Worse and How to Fix It

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We are in a culture of technology which means if we are not constantly staring at our computer or laptop screens then we are staring at our phones up close not allowing our vision to relax.  But what does this do to our eyesight? Well, the simple answer is that we are not allowing our vision to relax which is not natural to the human eye.  You may or may not have migraine headaches, or headaches but you may have sleep problems, or visual problems because you’re not viewing sunlight early in the day. Challenges with your eyesight get worse as you age but there is even an epidemic of myopia in young people today. If your behaviors around vision aren’t right, you cannot expect to have good, healthy eyesight for a long time, meaning throughout your life, and if your vision is already poor many of these exercises, that we’ll describe, perhaps all of them will improve your vision to some degree. And, if your vision is starting to go then doing these exercises is likely to really enhance the quality of your vision.

Just looking up from your computer screen is not going to solve the problem. You need to set aside time for some intentional behaviors that will help your vision.

You need to go to a window to look out at a distance. Ideally you should open the window because windows filter out a lot of the blue light from the sun that you want during the daytime.  Actually, 50 times less gets through the window.  What is better is to get outside and relax your eyes, look out at the horizon. This will allow your eyes to go into panoramic vision, letting your vision expand.  The goal is for the lens mechanism to be very elastic. You don’t want to get stuck in that configuration of looking at things up close. Accommodation is a wonderful feature of your visual system, but you don’t want to push it too hard.  Getting outside, with all its many benefits will not just lighten the load on your mind or allow you to think about other things but it will maintain the health of your visual system. In other words, you want to exercise these muscles and that involves the lens moving and getting kind of thicker and relaxing that lens. The relaxation of the lens is one of the best things you can do for the musculature of the inner eye.

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You might be surprised but for every 30 minutes of focused work you probably want to look up every once in awhile and just try to relax your face and eye muscles including your jaw muscles because all these things are closely linked to brain stem. Allow your eyes to go into panoramic vision where you’re not really focused on anything and then re-focus on your work.

At least every 90 minutes of looking at things up close or even if you’re looking at a screen or watching a movie you ideally would have at least 20 probably more like 30 minutes of being outside ideally. But if you can’t be outside then spending that time exercising non-up-close vision. You might think “that’s impossible how am I supposed to do that when I’m at an office?” Try to get to a window or get outside if you can do it safely, get onto a balcony and just let your eyes relax.

You can take a few minutes each day or maybe if you don’t do it each day, every third day or so, and just visually track a ball whether its moving in an infinity symbol or sometimes it can be more of a sawtooth shape.  Try changing the speed that you’re following the cue and sometimes the cue that you’re following can be dilating and contracting. This is going to keep the extraocular muscles conditioned and strong and allow you to have a healthy smooth pursuit system. There are some programs online, you can look up smooth pursuit stimulus.  You could do this with a pen or someone else could hold a wand. Remember the brain follows the eye. It follows the movements of the eye and then all the neural circuits within the brain must cope with changes and smooth pursuits. So, while it’s preferred that you get out into the real world to experience smooth tracking of visual objects like going to hockey game and trying to track the puck or watching a tennis match, it can still be done with 5 to 10 minutes, three times a week.

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Practice accommodation for a few minutes maybe every other day by just by bringing an object up close, you’ll feel the straining your eyes, move it out, you’ll feel a relaxation point, move it past that relaxation point where you will have to do what’s called aversion eye movement to maintain focus on that location as it moves out, bring it back in.  There are a lot of videos online that are geared toward improving the extraocular eye muscles.  This is a lot like the visual training that’s done post concussion to try and repair some of the balance, motor, visual and cognitive aspects of the brain. It’s really worth preserving your vision and if you’re starting to have vision problems then these exercises can help prevent further damage.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28666215/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1357404/

10 Best Acupressure Points that Heal Your Body

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Acupressure is a technique in traditional Chinese medicine that is similar in principle to acupuncture. Both acupressure and acupuncture are essentially methods of sending a signal to the body either by a needle or by hand to turn on its own self healing or regulatory mechanisms and is based on the concept of Chi or life energy which flows through natural pathways in the body called the meridians.  When the flow of Chi is blocked or when there is an imbalance in yin and yang, we might experience illnesses and pain.  In treatments physical pressure is applied to these points with the aim of clearing blockages in these meridians. Acupressure helps to correct these imbalances and restore the flow thus returning the body to a more natural state of well-being.

Below is a list of 10 acupressure points that you can use to treat common aches, pains, and conditions.

Feng Chi (GB20)

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This point is also called the gal bladder 20 and is a very useful acupressure point to know because massaging it can help treat headaches, migraines, eye blurriness, fatigue, low energy and cold or flu symptoms. This point is in the groove of where the neck muscles attach to the skull. Once you find this point apply deep, firm pressure to the skull and massage the area for 4-5 seconds. While you are massaging this point try to relax and breathe deeply. Scientific studies have shown that This point in combination with other acupressure points help to manage migraines and dry eye symptoms.

Jian Jing (GB21)

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Applying acupressure to this point can relieve stress, facial pain, headaches, toothaches, and neck pain. The point is located on the shoulder halfway between the arm and the spine. To find it pinch the shoulder muscle with your thumb and middle finger. Once you find the point apply downward pressure with your index finger or thumb and massage were for 4-5 seconds. But this point must never be utilized during pregnancy because it may induce labor. Unless that’s what you’re attempting to do.

Hegu (LI4)

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Also known as the joining valley, this point is located on the highest spot of the muscle where the thumb and index fingers are brought close together. When stimulated it can provide relief for stress headaches toothaches, facial pain, and neck pain. Once you locate this point use a deep firm pressure to massage and stimulate area for again for 4–5 seconds. Ancient traditional Chinese medicine books sites many examples of how applying acupressure to this point has helped with anything from headaches and constipation to general pain and a delayed labor. More recent studies show that using it helped with jaw muscle pains and tensions headaches.

Tai Chong (LV3)

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Known as big Russian point, the tai chong point is located on the feet and should be used for stress, low back pain, high blood pressure, insomnia, and emotional upset. In some ancient Chinese books, it is said to be able to relieve digestive issues, eye problems, headaches, canker sores and irritability. This point is located in the space between the big toe and second toe. Slide your finger along a space until you find the depression before your finger touches the bone. Once you locate the point apply pressure and massage for 4–5 seconds. There has been scientific literature that suggests stimulating this points can also help with post stroke depression.

Nei Guan (P6)

Also called inner gate, it can be used to cure nausea, anxiety, carpal tunnel syndrome, upset stomach motion sickness and headaches. It can even be used for regulation of heart palpitations. This point is located three finger widths below the wrist on the inner forearm in the depression between the two tendons. After you find the spot apply pressure for 4-5 seconds. Scientific studies have shown that stimulation of nei guan alleviates nausea and vomiting in pregnancy and helps prevent post operative nausea and vomiting.

Zhong Zhu (TE3)

This point is known to ease temporal headaches, shoulder and neck tension, and upper body pain if stimulated. This point is in the groove formed by the tendons of the 4th 5th fingers behind the knuckles. Once located, apply strong pressure into the depression and massage for 4 -5 seconds.

San Yin Jiao (SP6)

This point is stimulated for urological and pelvic disorders as well as fatigue, insomnia, and menstrual cramps. This point can be found on the inner side of the leg and is located four finger spaces above the ankle in the depression under the tibial bone. This point is very beneficial for the ladies because studies have shown that it is effective in alleviating menstrual pain.

Zu San Li (ST36)

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This point is effective in lessening gastrointestinal discomfort, nausea and vomiting, stress, and fatigue. It is located four finger widths down from the bottom of your kneecap along the outer boundary of your shin bone. If you’re in the right place a muscle should pop out as you move your foot up and down. In traditional Chinese literature stimulating this point can promote health and longevity

Yin Tang (EX)

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This is the third eye point and is located right between the two brows. This acupressure point is good for calming your mind, improving memory, relieving stress, chronic fatigue, headaches, eye strain, insomnia as well as anxiety and agitation. Because of the location of the Yin Tang, it can be an effective point  to treat a frontal headache.  Yin Tang also benefits the nose and is often used to treat nasal and sinus congestion as well as nose bleeds.  To stimulate it use your finger to gently press on it for a few seconds to one minute and then release repeat several times a week.

Shan Zhong (REN-17)

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Also known as the sea of tranquility, this point is very beneficial for restoring emotional health, it calms and relieves anxiety, nervousness, depression, hysteria, and other emotional imbalances, it also helps boost the immune system. This point is located at the center of the breastbone, four finger widths from the end of the bone. Apply pressure to stimulate it and you should feel much calmer and at peace.

So those are 10 acupressure points to help you with your common illnesses and pain. Keep in mind that some of these points can potentially induce labor so if your pregnant use caution.