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What is Wellness? Being well means more than just not having a disease or illness. A big part of being “well” is the feeling of general ease or normalcy. We perceive “wellness” when we don’t have to think about how we feel. When something is off, we want to go back to “normal”, or the way we are accustomed. Wellness is a status quo, or homeostasis. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could freeze ourselves in a permanent state of ease? The answer to that is complex. While it would feel nice, we would never learn what to avoid, and we would not have gratitude for the natural feeling of just being. Trauma occurs when something disrupts our status quo. Our bodies adapt to whatever has changed to protect us from harm. We don’t like this change because it puts us on high alert, and we want to go back to homeostasis as soon as possible. If the trauma is severe or persistant, this new way of feeling may last a long time, or even be permanent. It is then that we will have to redefine what “normal” or h...
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 Am I Well? How do we know if we are well? Being well is different for each of us, but there are certain quality of life factors that we can use as indicators. Wellbeing can be defined in economic terms; where wealth creates things like safety and peace of mind. And, it can be decided by having freedom to choose how we spend our time. Some aspects of wellbeing are external, like the environment, and some are internal, like how we feel about something. First, lets talk about economic wellbeing and the relationship between money and happiness. This is subjective. The World Health Organization describes economic quality of life as “an individual’s perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations standards and concerns.” Positions can be your job, housing, education, work-life balance, and access to services and healthcare. If any of these are missing or inadequate, it may be outside our...
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 Should I Float? Let's talk about float therapy, or sensory deprivation therapy, using a float tank. First off, why would anyone want to deprive themselves of all the senses? The theory is to allow the mind and body to reset from excess stimuli met in our everyday lives. For people who are overwhelmed, this therapy is planned time with no distractions. Thinking about it, the two daily activities we have with little to no stimuli are sleeping and taking a shower. Everything else is sensory heavy. Float tank sessions last thirty minutes to an hour. If you’re not familiar with floating, the tank is a large pod filled with enough Epsom saltwater to cause your body to float effortlessly. The water temperature is the same as body temperature and simulates a feeling of continuum with the water and your body. Not having to hold your bodyweight, in addition to the absence of sound and light, makes floating an ideal environment for sensory and activity deprivation. The tank has user options...
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How Do I Use Essential Oils?  Aromatherapy is based on the usage of aromatic materials including essential oils and other aroma compounds, with claims for improving psychological and physical well-being. It is offered as a complementary therapy or as a form of alternative medicine, the first meaning alongside standard treatments, the second instead of conventional, evidence-based treatments. [ 2 ] History Aromatic plant oils have been used for medicinal purposes since the Egyptians discovered their benefits in ancient times. In fact, besides healing and medicated ointments they used oils in spiritual practice like anointings by priests. Cedarwood was used in embalming of the dead and for the burial of mummies. Today, the medical use of aromatic oils are recognized alongside prescription drugs as part of a treatment plan for better overall wellness, which focuses on the whole person, and not just the absence of infection or disease. Aromatic plant oils have been used for medicinal...
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Do Herbal Medicines Work? Today, let’s talk about the use of herbs as medicine and if it’s worth adding some to your health regimen. First off, it is professionally accepted by physicians that plants and herbs can be quite powerful, and most prescription medications are derived from them. The healing validity of plants is not disputed. However, like essential oils, some uses of plant medicines are spiritual. Tribal people believe that part of healing comes from the power of spirits. We do our best to keep well. When we are sick, we seek help from a physician, change unhealthy habits, and ask God for a speedy recovery. From this regard, I agree that healing is partially spiritual. So, while we follow best practices, in the words of one such tribal herbalist, Emma Dupree (1897-1996) from Falkland, North Carolina, “It is God that does the healin’.” The earliest discoveries of herbal medicine are from ancient Egypt and other parts of Africa. Medical Papyruses were discovered in Egypt datin...
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 Does Spirituality Affect My Health? This is an opinion piece on Spirituality , to follow up my last article Does anyone go to Church ? Born and raised in the Christian faith, my moral values were shaped by the King James Bible. My family attended the same church until I was a teenager and after moving from the area, we did not find a new church to attend. The next time Bible study was introduced to me was in college, where it was approached as part of history. I will never forget the reactions of some of my classmates who were angry about studying the Bible as a historical book. They believed it should not be studied or analyzed because it was a religious book. Instead of being angry, I took the information and included it with what I already learned in church. I began practicing Yoga in college as well. Yoga is considered exercise if taken as a class. I never learned or thought of it as a religion or spiritual practice. When I had a physical injury, the doctor told me to stretch...
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 Does Anyone Go To Church? Today, I want to talk about religion and church participation in the United States. I wonder if anyone still goes to church, and what is the general attitude about religion today. First off, I want to share my knowledge and experience with church and religion. I think it's typical for my age group. I was raised in the Christian faith, and was taught the King James Bible. My family went to church every week and we had lots of social activities that originated from church. Church members called themselves "family" and "brothers and sisters in Christ." My memories of church are mostly of rules and structure. Church leaders told us what to do and they told us it was what God wanted. They told us God interpreted the Bible through them. Of course, the leaders had instructions on tithing part of your income to the church. I think most of this is pretty status quo. We stopped going to church when I was a tween. Mostly, because life today is ...
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