Dry Skin Brushing

I have done dry skin brushing off and on over the years. When I did my colon cleanse last week, I was reminded that dry brushing is a good way to renew another important organ, the skin.

What is Dry Brushing?
· Dry brushing is a simple technique for skin renewal and detoxification.
· Form of massage, exfoliation, and acupressure,
· Skin brushing encourages new skin cell turn over which in turn aids the body in eliminating toxins from all the major organs via the body's largest eliminating organ, the skin.
· Helps to build immunity against bacteria, viruses and infections by cleansing the lymphatic system and stimulating the production of disease fighting immune cells.
· Can help to improve the appearance of cellulite.
· Improves the function of the nervous, digestive, and circulatory system·
· Detoxing dry skin brushing is an invigorating, inexpensive way to improve your overall appearance and health on a daily basis.



Did You Know that the Skin is:
* Largest most important eliminating organ in the body and is responsible for one quarter of the body’s detoxification each day?
* Eliminates over one pound of waste acids each day in the average adult, most of it through the sweat glands?
* Functions as our third kidney?
* Receives one third of all the blood circulated in the body?
* Is the last to receive nutrients in the body, yet the first to show signs of imbalance or deficiency? Pimples, blackheads, or blotches?

Benefits of Dry Skin Brushing:
1. Removes cellulite
2. Cleanses the lymphatic system
3. Removes dead skin layers
4. Strengthens the immune system
5. Stimulates the hormone and oil-producing glands
6. Tightens the skin preventing premature aging
7. Tones the muscles
8. Stimulates circulation
9. Improves the function of the nervous system
10. Helps digestion
11. AND it’s easy, inexpensive and invigorating!

How to do dry skin brushing
Buy a natural body brush. Find a brush with a long handle that lets you reach personal areas like your back and butt. Brush all body parts in circular motion, either starting with your feet or at the head (always brush toward your heart). It only takes a few minutes (5-15 minutes before showering). When you begin to dry brushing, you will notice your body feeling more awake and this will not only lead to more balanced skin moisture, but you will feel more energized and awake. Your skin will feel tighter and firmer with time and will feel softer, smoother and more moisturized.

Euterpe Oleracea ~ Have you heard of it?

One way or the other you have heard about it, it takes number three among the fruit juices in the supermarkets after oranges and pomegranates. I am talking about Acai. In “The Perricone Promise,” Dr. Nicholas Perricone hones it the number one superfood. What is all the buzz?



Have you heard of acai?
I had the privilege to hear Dr. Alex Schauss, world’s foremost acai berry researcher and senior director of natural and medicinal products research for American Institute for Biosocial and Medical Research (AIBMAR). He is one of the first scientists who discovered the nutritional benefits of the amazing Acai berry. Dr. Schauss was the first to perform an ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) analysis on the Acai berry.
But first, let me tell you a story about how the natives of Brazil discovered the Acai palm tree...

There was a village in the Amazon region that was rapidly increasing in population which led to food becoming scarce. The tribe leader, Itaki, declared that no woman may bear a child and if she did, the baby would be sacrificed. Shortly after, Itaki's daughter, Iaca learned that she was pregnant. When her father heard about it, he was both excited and abhorred because he knew that this child would be treated the same as all others during this trying time.
The child was born and sacrificed; Iaca was devastated--she cried day and night and did not eat anything for days. One of the nights in her hut, she heard her daughter's cry from the jungle. Iaca ran into the forest and found her daughter by the side of a slender palm tree. Attempting to embrace her child, the image disappeared. Her tribe’s people found her the next day dead but with a smile on her face. Her eyes were still wide open looking up at the bountiful dark purple fruits on top of the palm tree. They started eating the berries, satisfied their hunger and renewed their energy.
Itaki declared that the fruit would be named after his daughter Iaca. They just spelled Iaca backwards and called it Acai.

History proved this was an acai palm, which can be enjoyed by eating the hearts of palm or acai berries.
Dr. Schauss’ studies have shown that this little berry is one of the most nutritious and powerful foods in the world! People could live on if for months and be well nourished. The taste of the berry is something like a vibrant blend of berries and chocolate. Hidden within its royal purple pigments is the magic that makes it nature’s perfect energy fruit. Acai is packed full of antioxidants, amino acids, and essential fatty acids. In our local supermarket it appeared mostly in form of juice blends, or as freeze dried powder. The reason being, as Dr. Schauss explained is, that the berries are spoiling very rapidly upon harvest.
The University of Florida (2006) conducted a series of tests on the Brazilian acai palm berry. The results showed that the high levels of antioxidants found in the berries are capable of destroying cultured human cancer cells.

Here are some the health benefits of the acai berry:
· Remarkable concentration of antioxidants that help combat anti-aging.
· Synergy of mono-unsaturated fats (healthy), dietary fiber, and phytosterols, to help promote cardiovascular benefits and digestive tract health.
· Low glycemic (sugar) index which makes it ideal for diabetics
· Perfect essential amino acid complex equal to the protein of an egg.
· Valuable trace minerals, vital to muscles.
· Increases energy and stamina
· Boots immune system

Another important benefit of the discovery of the acai is the influence on the Brazilian ecosystem. The rainforest has been destroyed at a rapid rate; according to the Brazilian government the Amazon will have lost 25% of its original area by 2020 through deforestation, mostly for clearing land for farming and harvesting the palm tree for lumbar and the heart of palm. Since the palm tree can be harvested for the acai year after year, no trees have to be cut down which will help the world’s climate as well.
I hope I didn’t overwhelm you with this specific information. I just wanted to give you a short introduction to how food and nutrition can influence our state of health. Small adjustments in our diet may not show up until later in life, but in the long-run can add years to our lives. Prevention is the best cure. Let’s help each other to stay well.

For more information on acai and to purchase the MonaVie juice, please visti:
http://www.the-team.biz/mv991215/tabid/148/Default.aspx

Natural Health versus Allopathic Medicine

It is difficult in today’s world to have a clear picture of health because media and popular opinions want you to think that you need “the Purple Pill” to keep the acid down your throat or that you need laxatives to go to the bathroom.
We all know that to keep our bodies healthy is an everyday effort. Sure, we can splurge sometimes, but if it happens too often, we have to pay for it, maybe not right away with health problem but certainly with hangovers or weight gain.


What is a good gage?













Pay attention to your pH.
Without getting too complicated, everything we eat has a certain pH value, either it is acidic or it is alkaline. In general, fruits and vegetables have an alkaline effect on our bodies while meats and starches have an acidic effect. There are different opinions out there, how much of each we should eat. It also depends on the kind of activities we do on a day to day basis. If you are in good health, have lot of energy and are seldom sick, your diet should consist of 60% alkaline forming foods and 40% acid forming foods. To go back to a better stage of health, your diet should consist of 80% alkaline forming foods and 20% acid forming foods. Most doctors will not tell you that health problems are caused by acidosis.

What is acidosis?
An acidic pH occurs from an acid forming diet, emotional stress, toxic overload, and/or immune reactions or any process that deprives the cells of oxygen and other nutrients. The first sign is usually fatigue, heaviness in the intestines and low energy levels.
Acidosis causes digestive problems, cardiovascular damage, weight gain, tendency to infections, hormone imbalances, high blood pressure, etc.

“Increasing bean intake as part of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables might help prevent heart disease, lower cholesterol and even lower blood pressure.”
Dr. Lydia Bazzano ~ Harvard Clinical Fellow in Medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital.

Clean your bowels
According to Dr. Albert Zehr, everyone can benefit from a frequent cleanse and detoxification program. When considering the contaminants and pollution in our environment, cleansing your system may be more important than ever before. Dr. Zehr has designed Colo-Vada Plus as a 14-day program that contains a generous supply of antioxidants and nutrients known to play an important role in the body’s immune system.

Positive Mind
Along with good nutrition, positive thinking and expectations are important. I was talking to a friend of mine about how I had chosen the natural route to restore my health (I have some challenges right now with my right hip). Before our conversation I was kind of down and out on the results I had gotten until now with the restoration of my hip joint. My allopathic doctor had given me two solutions, steroid injection (which I did and lasted only about 3 weeks) and hip replacement. I chose the natural route and lost for a moment my clear vision of health. To keep a positive mind, we have to constantly reinforce it with positive information, both from the spiritual and the physical aspect. I am always looking for more news in the natural health field and feed my mind with motivational literature. I am reading right now a book on “The Slight Edge” by Scott Olson. He points out that in everything in life we have to make choices. The consequences don’t show up until later but with a clear vision of what we are looking for, in our case good health, we want to chose good food, good thoughts, and lots of sunshine.

I believe that many people are frustrated with allopathic medicine. The side effects of medications are often worse that the symptoms of the ailment. That's why we need to educate ourselves today about all the different alternatives. Let's be responsible not just for our health but also for our general well being.

Happy 4th of July 2009

After we all celebrated Independence Day with picnics and fireworks, I like to remember some historical facts about how our ancestors commemorated this day. I am thinking of our founding fathers who, in the year 1787, just prior to the birthday of these united states (in those days they were still colonies), gathered for the Constitutional Convention in Philiadelphia.

The convention was in a deadlock over how large and small states could be represented equally. Some delegates gave up and left.
Then, on JUNE 28, 1787, 81-year-old Benjamin Franklin spoke and shortly after, the U.S. Constitution became a reality.

The venerable Franklin spoke in somber tones:

"Mr. President,
The small progress we have made after four or five weeks close attendance, continual reasonings with each other, and our different sentiments on almost every question -- several of the last producing as many Noes as Ayes - is, methinks, a melancholy proof of the imperfection of the human understanding.
"We, indeed, seem to feel our own want of political wisdom, since we have been running all about in search of it.
"We have gone back to ancient history for models of government, and examined the different forms of those republics, which -- having been originally formed with the seeds of their own dissolution -- now no longer exist.
"And we have viewed modern states all round Europe but find none of their constitutions suitable to our circumstances.
"In this situation of this assembly -- groping as it were, in the dark to find political truth, and scarce able to distinguish it when presented to us -- how has it happened, Sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of Lights to illuminate our understanding.
"In the beginning of the contest with Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayer in this room for 'Divine Protection.'
"Our prayers, Sir, were heard and graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a Superintending Providence in our favour.
"To that kind Providence we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity.
"And have we now forgotten that powerful Friend? Or do we imagine we no longer need its assistance?
"I have lived, Sir, a long time. The longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth - that God governs in the affairs of men!
"And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable than an empire cannot rise without his aid?
"We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings that: 'Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it.' I firmly believe this.
"I also believe that without His concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel.
"We shall be divided by our little, partial, local interests. Our projects will be confounded and we ourselves shall become a reproach and a byword down to future ages.
"What is worse, mankind may hereafter, from this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing government by human wisdom and leave it to chance, war and conquest. "I therefore beg leave to move that: "Henceforth, prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven -- and its blessing on our deliberations -- be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business; and that one or more of the clergy of this city be requested to officiate in that service."

And with that the delegates adjourned for the Anniversary.

Mr. Edmund Jennings Randolph, delegate from Virginia, proposed that they take a break from Monday, July 2 until Thursday, July 5, so that "time might be given to such as choose to attend to the celebrations on the anniversary of independence."

On the Fourth of July, many delegates attended that special service at Calvinist Church. After an oration delivered by a young law student, the Rev. William Rogers concluded with this prayer:
"We fervently recommend to thy fatherly notice our federal convention. Favor them, from day to day, with thy inspiring presence; be their wisdom and strength; enable them to devise such measures as may prove happy instruments in healing all divisions and prove the good of the great whole ... ..that the United States of America may form one example of a free and virtuous government. May we continue, under the influence of republican virtue to partake of all the blessings of cultivated and Christian society."
George Washington later that day noted in his diary: "Went to hear an oration on the anniversary of independence."

Within three more weeks, the Congress agreed upon the basic Constitution by inventing a republican government of democratically elected president and representatives having specific terms of office.
It was adopted and submitted to the 13 states for ratification.
After national debate -- and the adoption of ten amendments detailing the personal rights of citizens -- the Constitution was ratified by the states.
Though Franklin's unique proposal for prayer before solemn government proceedings was not formally adopted - it was not formally dismissed. Both houses of Congress now traditionally open each day with prayer while in session.

Although the constitution has been amended many times, the original document still stands valid:

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, ensure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. .... "

And with that the oldest government on earth has been established. Although not perfect, the U.S. constitution gives us rights of freedom and choices, but most of all it includes the power of heaven. Without including God and his heavenly wisdom this country will perish just as any other government before.

Lessons I learned from Gardening

"Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth."

George Washington (1732-1799)

My favorite time of the year is fall with all its splendid colors, milder and warm days, and harvesting. Unless we live out in the wild, without planting in the spring, there will not be a harvest in the fall. A garden has to be prepared in the spring, amended with fertilizers and composts.

Then we can sow the seeds, plant and water and … wait. We can do some cultivating during the summer, remove weeds and rocks coming up and … wait.

That is the greatest lesson that at times, like in life, we have to wait. During the first few weeks, the seeds are in the ground, there is no physical evidence that anything will grow there. With faith and trust in nature, we’ll see seedlings come up shortly. Time is on our side, we can see the process of growth after a while.

Then the nurturing and protecting starts: against bugs, critters, birds and other predators. Again we can only … wait. After many weeks and a lot of work, we can start harvesting and we’ll see the fruits of our labor. It is somehow predictable, but still depends on the weather and other external circumstances. I guess, that’s why most plants have such plentiful results, like you plant one seed of corn and harvest about 4-8 corn cobs with hundreds of new seeds. Nature is good and rewarding, by putting in just a little it gives you a lot.

Other Benefits of Gardening

Health
- good moderate exercise
- builds stamina, strength and flexibility – the three keys to overall fitness
- stress relief
- better nutrition from local grown (organic) produce
- be part of the rhythm of life, get your hands in the dirt, get grounded
- be in the sun and get benefit of vitamin D

Environment
- grow organic
Organic fertilizers like seaweed or alfalfa meal are the best way to grow healthier plants. Often the residues from chemical fertilizers find their way into our ground water.
- composting, natural fertilizer, recycling
- garden composting creates usable material from your organic kitchen scraps and other garden waste.
- catching rainwater in barrels
Plants do better if given water free of mineral and chemical deposits. Using rain water is the purest way to irrigate your crops and ornamental garden.

Community
- connect with neighbors and other people
- connect with nature
- connect with rhythm of life, get sunshine

Creativity
- Gardening requires you to use your head and your creativity. The time spent planning the garden and researching different plants is a great brain workout. I do it during winter when I can’t go outside. Gardening gives me a chance to be creative. It involves our whole personality and give us a chance to let get results year after year.

Gardening is fun. Do you know where the expression "you have a green thumb" comes from? Gardeners snip off dead flowers or leaves which leaves a green residue on your thumb.

Relax --- it doesn’t have to be picture perfect. I like the surprise plants which suddenly grow and turn out to be another tomato plant or a lost squash or some of the beautiful Cleome which come back year after year even in places where I don’t want them. With their large pink, white, rose or purple flower heads, they grow 3-4 foot high plants.

I always leave some room for these surprises. Just like in life, you can plan everything perfectly, but you always have to be flexible and leave room for changes. As it says in bible, 1 Cor. 3:7 "So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth."

Here is a side with beautiful pictures and directions on planting a garden: http://www.squidoo.com/home-gardening-guide

A T T I T U D E - acronym

ATTITUDE
by: Charles Swindoll
The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.
Attitude, to me, is more important than facts.
It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill.
It will make or break a company... a church... a home.
The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way.
We cannot change the inevitable.
The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude...
I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.
And so it is with you... we are in charge of our attitudes.


Webster’s New World Dictionary defines attitude as the position or posture assumed by the body in connection with an action, feeling, mood, etc. or a manner of acting, feeling, or thinking that shows one’s disposition, opinion, etc.

How does one controls or changes one’s attitude?
We are not born with either a positive or negative attitude. Most kids have an upbeat outlook on life or can be easily persuaded in a positive way. When we go through the course of life not everything goes our way and some people feel entitled to an “attitude.” I believe it is an accumulation of negative emotions which bring us down and hold us down if we let it.

I am using an acronym for the word attitude:
Awareness
· Awareness is the ability to perceive a situation, to feel or be conscious of an event, a circumstance or a pattern. It is the beginning of changing one’s attitude. Once we are aware of a difficulty we can take the necessary steps for changes. If we don’t know how to do it we can always ask or get help.
Think
· Thinking is a mental process. It is one part of our mind faculties: intellect, emotion and will. Sometimes it can help to just stop and think through a situation before we make a choice and consider the consequences of our actions.
Therapy
· Therapy can help if a diagnosis has been made and a treatment is necessary. Again, it is a matter of choice and dependent on the severity, a plan can be developed. Regarding attitude, it is sometimes possible to create some helpful conditions such as three-week retraining of behavior. To create new habits takes about 30-40 days where one can focus on a new practice. This can be applied to lifestyle, giving up smoking or anything else we do every day. Napoleon Hill, (Think and Grow Rich) dubbed it the R2A2 practice.
· Recognize a principle or improvement that will benefit you.
· Relate the improvement to your own beliefs, experience, business or life.
· Assimilate the improvement into your daily routine.
· Apply and take action and make the improvement a new HABIT.
Identity
· There are many identities, but for simplicity I am referring here to our human identity. Our identity come from our creator who purposed us to be good, gave us choices and responsibilities. He gave us unlimited potential and a desire to grow and learn. Our conscience still directs us that way. By focusing our condition of being created in the image of God, we can inherit all of His characteristics and Divine nature.
Trust
· Trust is a relationship of reliance, a spiritual value which is essential in relationships. We put IN GOD WE TRUST on our money because we want God to be part of our financial life. Trust in a relationship is both emotional and logical. Emotionally, we make ourselves vulnerable by being open and honest. Logically, we speculate a certain behavior from others. In trusting others we have experienced their trustworthiness and have faith in human nature. Trust is a feeling which includes friendship, love, agreement, and comfort. Steven M.R. Covey, wrote a book on the Speed of Trust.
Understand
· Understanding is a psychological process of relating to an abstract or physical object such as a person, a situation or a message. More than using concepts, real life experience brings true understanding. Wisdom growths with years of repetitious activities, and building habits of discipline. Therefore, understanding is crucial to having a good attitude.
Decision
· Some people believe that attitude is a talent and we were born with it. Most of us have discovered that when we are down and out on our “luck” it is not any talent or aptitude which helps us out but a very down right decision which can change things around. Taking a different look at a situation or relationship can bring a whole new perspective. It is never wrong to enlist the help of our heavenly father or a trusted friend.
Emotions
· Emotions are physical sensations in our body, felt as tingles, hot spots or muscular tensions. Human beings are spiritual before we are flesh and blood. Emotions are energy in motion. They are transfered by our mind to express certain feelings and attitudes. The nervous system transmits messages to the muscles which move our arms and legs and make us act a certain way. If these emotions are directed in a positive and constructive way, guided by principles and values, we experience joy, happiness, and peace. On the other hand, if we repress the flow of emotions either by being told we are worthless, stupid or talentless, these sensations turn to resentment, fear, anger, guilt, etc. As long as we carry any of the negative emotion with us, we go up and down, being moody and can never experience a life of true fulfillment. The easiest way of releasing these negative emotions is through Emotional Release Therapy.
Emotions are the most influential to our attitude. Unfortunately, most of us are not aware of our emotional state or misinterpret feelings. Without developing our Emotional Intelligence, which is not something we are born with according to Daniel Goleman, we cannot balance life properly. We can raise our Emotional Intelligence Quotient (EQ) by learning new skills. EQ is a term that describes the ability, capacity, and skill or a self-perceived ability, to identify, assess, and manage the emotions one's self.
Therefore, without developing our ability to manage our attitude we cannot grow to love and engage in human relationships.

Victor Frank wrote: “The last of the human freedoms is to change one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.”

To learn more about the Leadership Development System of the TEAM, please visit our website at: http://www.the-team.biz/.

OSU Commencement 2009

Yesterday, I was part of a historical event. It was the 388th commencement ceremony, the largest commencement ceremony The Ohio State University ever held, with 8,162 students graduated this spring semester. Our daughter, Yusun Kim, was part of it and we therefore didn't mind to spend 2 1/2 hours in the arena with some 30,000 other participants. She received a Bachelor of Arts from the College of Mathematical and Physical Sciences.

I must say, I was curious what a famous politician and astronaut would tell young people at the doorstep into the "real" world. Senator John Glenn spoke at the heel of all the awards including one honorary doctorate for his wife Annie Glenn, for public service.

That was also the focus of the Senator's message which focused on three points:
1) Why not?
2) You are part of something bigger than yourself.
3) Serve others.

At the first point he reminiscent on the progress of humankind in his own lifetime. He inspired the audience to keep an inquisitive mind and always be curious by asking "Why not?" The infinite probabilities of our modern world have put men on the moon, advanced medicine to find penicillin, technology to develop computers, cellphones among just a few conveniences.
That took him to his second point to remind us that we are part of a larger community. Senator Glenn told the crowd:
"No person lives solely as an island unto himself, particularly in a democracy such as ours."
"Those whose world is centered just on themselves live in a very small universe. We are fulfilled when we are part of something bigger than ourselves."

Glenn was referring to society at large, saying that a democracy such as the U.S. requires people to get involved and not just focus inward. He said that's also the way to find personal fulfillment.

That's why he inspired the audience to serve others. Young people need to get involved. By serving others, they can gather their best experiences and memories.

He also mentioned that June 14th is Flag Day: "Beautiful as that waving red, white and blue piece of cloth may be, it is what it stands for, what it symbolizes on this Flag Day, that stirs our feelings, our allegiance and our willingness to support the greater cause it represents -- even at personal risk."

Glenn finished with a familiar, “And in this stadium remember the teams and outstanding individuals who played here ... and now you, just like the OSU teams will represent The Ohio State University. To you, the class of 2009, make yourself proud, God speed, and to each and everyone of you, Go Bucks!“


The Ohio State University President Gordon Gee told students to dream, and dream big.
“If you cannot dream, you will not achieve it. Never, never let a bigoted remark stand.“ President Gee gave the advice especially in regards to high unemployment and a questionable economy. He told the graduates, that with a big dream anything is possible.

At the end of the ceremony we gathered our family and friends and waited for our graduating daughter. She finally arrived, waiving her certificate proudly, "Mom, Dad, I got my certificate, I did it." We had no doubt about it, since she had worked hard and truly deserved the reward.