The effects of global warming are clear.  There are an increasing number of forest fires, deadly flooding, and extreme weather temperatures and conditions.  These natural disasters and weather patterns have inspired me to take a more conscious look at my ecological efforts.

If you are like me, you probably already have some practices that help conserver our environment. Most of us already have a practice of recycling plastic, glass, paper, and cardboard; we carry our own cloth bags when we shop instead of using plastic bags from supermarkets and grocery stores; we have stopped buying plastic water bottles and carry our own refillable water containers; and we have stopped using to-go containers at coffee and tea shops and use our own re-usable to-go containers.

I wanted to see what else we could do and looked into other practices that allow us to make more of an impact.  Here are five.

The benefits of turmeric are commonly touted, which is why we find them in lattes, teas, soups, spice blends, and supplements.

I use it readily in cooking- I add it to broths, stews, soups, lentils, curries, and on grilled or roasted vegetables.

Turmeric is a root that looks much like ginger but has thinner branches.  In fact, it comes from the same family as ginger and cardamom- the Zingiberaceae family.

Turmeric can be used fresh or as a dried spice.  It reduces inflammation, provides anti-oxidants effects, boosts the immune system, and can provide great support for those undergoing cancer treatments. I wrote an article about turmeric a few years ago, where I described some of the clinical evidence supporting the benefits of turmeric.

I read.  A lot.  I’ve done it since I was a child, and I have continued this habit as an adult. I read all types of books including fiction, non-fiction, historical, reference, self-development, and spiritual.

Books offer an escape, a diversion, a learning tool, and a transformational vehicle.  I often encounter books that change my perspective and open my eyes in unexpected ways.

The books I have included in this list have done just that.  They may be classified under the self-development or self-help category, but they are not what you expect.  Some offer profanity, humor, and even cynicism, and others offer spirituality, but they all provide the possibility for transformation.

Hypertension or high blood pressure (HBP) is a chronic condition in which blood pressure is elevated above its normal range of 120 mm Hg of systolic pressure or above 80 mm Hg of diastolic pressure.

HBP is often asymptomatic and requires blood pressure readings in order to be identified.  However, it can cause nose bleeding, headaches, a red or flushed face, dizziness, fatigue, nervousness, insomnia, blurred vision, fluid retention, and shortness of breath (Marieb & Hoehn, 2013).

Treatment for HBP involves lifestyle changes, although other types of support, such as the use of aromatherapy, can be beneficial.  Here are 3 essential oils that can aid with HBP.

I recently got an email from Emily Z, a 14-year old who is aspiring to be a mental health professional.  She alerted me to an informative webpage on eating disorders.

Emily’s enthusiasm inspired me to look more into the topic, especially in how it relates to teenagers since they are more susceptible to develop them.  I have however, also included some information about how eating disorders affect adults.

An eating disorder happens when a person develops an unhealthy relationship with food and can involve under eating and/or over eating.  Often, eating disorders are associated with distorted body image (Maryville University, n.d.).

There is no identifiable cause for eating disorders, although there are factors that have been linked with eating disorders. I will explain these here, as well as possible treatment options.  I will start by explaining the more common eating disorders.

Our bodies communicate regularly with us.  They tell us when things are going well.  We feel comfortable in our own skin, we move with ease, and we do things freely.  We go on with our lives without much thought.

They also tell us when things are off.  We feel tightness, aches, pains, illness, or discomfort.  We know there is something amiss, and we rest, we take supplements and/or medication, we exercise, and we do what we feel is necessary to take corrective steps.

The same thing happens to us with our food.  When we eat something, and it works well for our bodies we respond well. In fact, we don’t even think about it. But, when we eat something that is not good for us, we feel discomfort.  Often, we get so used to the discomfort, either because it happens frequently or because there is too much going on in our lives, that we stop listening.

The key behind getting control of our diet is remembering to listen to our bodies. That means learning to eat intuitively. I mentioned eating intuitively in an article about how to get vitamins from our diet, and I mentioned I would dedicate a separate article on how to eat intuitively, and here it is.

Last week I explained why balanced chakras are the key to vitality, and what it means when our chakras are in harmony.  I also gave you a description of each chakra.

The lower chakras, namely the root, sacral, and solar plexus, affect our wellbeing and our ability to relate to our self, our sense of self, and the tangible world.  The upper chakras, namely the throat, third eye, and crown, affect how we connect with the outside world.  The heart chakra brings both together, as it foments our ability to lovingly connect with ourselves and others.

When one or more chakra is out of balance, we can bring them back to center by engaging in activities, behaviors, practices, thoughts, and intentions that allow energy to flow freely.

To know what to do, it is first important for us to recognize which chakra needs attention.  I will share how we are likely to feel physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually when our chakras our out of balance.  These are generalizations but hopefully can help to bring awareness to what we may be experiencing.  Symptoms can stem from over expressing the energy of a chakra, and other times from under expressing it.  I share a bit of what happens in both cases.

I have explained chakras in the past, and provided basics on how to balance them.

Chakras are energetic forces in and around our bodies. Different schools of thought claim a different number of chakras, some located within and some just outside our bodies. There is no dispute, however, that there are at least seven chakra points within our bodies.  These seven chakras are the ones I focus on.

Chakras work on us on a physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual level.  The epicenter of each chakra sits in the midline or center of our body, and they rotate forming vortexes or wheels around our being.  The word chakra is Sanskrit for wheel.  I will tell you the vitality we experience when our chakras are balanced.