Natural Healing Resources

With Prescription Drugs killing more people than all the illegal drugs combined more and more of us are looking into alternative means to heal. I am a HUGE believer in the mind/body connection and "healing from within" because I have done it myself. The mind/body connection alone encompasses MANY techniques and when you look into integrative, complimentary and alternative medicines there are a mind boggling amount of ways to be well and heal without prescriptions. Since I began blogging almost a year ago I have seen a HUGE increase in wellness sites. I wanted to provide a resource list to my readers of some of my favorites and some new ones that my blog is fed into. I also wanted to differentiate between integrative, complimentary and alternative medicines. I believe the KEY to healing naturally is finding a method and/or doctors that resonate with you and the more methods you learn about the more likely that is to happen.

Integrative, Complimentary and Alternative Medicines

The following definitions and examples are from NCCAM -- "NCCAM is the Federal Government's lead agency for scientific research on CAM. (Complementary & Alternative Medicine). NCCAM's mission is to explore complementary and alternative healing practices in the context of rigorous science, train CAM researchers, and disseminate authoritative information to the public and professionals.

Complementary medicine is used together with conventional medicine. An example of a complementary therapy is using aromatherapy. A therapy in which the scent of essential oils from flowers, herbs, and trees is inhaled to promote health and well-being to help lessen a patient's discomfort following surgery.

Alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine. An example of an alternative therapy is using a special diet to treat cancer instead of undergoing surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy that has been recommended by a conventional doctor.

Integrative Medicine combines treatments from conventional medicine and CAM for which there is some high-quality evidence of safety and effectiveness. It is also called integrated medicine. An approach to medicine that combines treatments from conventional medicine and CAM for which there is some high-quality scientific evidence of safety and effectiveness."

NCCAM breaks down the categories even further. NCCAM groups CAM practices into four domains, recognizing there can be some overlap (Mind-body medicine, Biologically based practices, Manipulative and body-based practices and Energy therapies. In addition, NCCAM studies CAM whole medical systems, which cut across all domains such as homeopathic medicine, naturopathic medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda.

I have seen NCCAM's information grow in the last year and highly recommend it as a place to go and find out about different approved techniques to heal pain and illness.

ARTICLES on CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine)

The National Library of Medicine is a wonderful resource for reading the latest articles on Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

HERBS/Natural Healing

The most comprehensive site I have found on the benefits/dangers of herbs is The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Dr. Mercola is all about Natural Health. I subscribe to his newsletters which have countless articles of importance. I also wrote about him and showed his video early on in "Prescription Drugs Numb Pain but do Not Heal Pain".

Dr. Nicole Sundene is a naturopath with a WONDERFUL Blog, "Kitchen Table Medicine" where she dispels myths and tells you what herbs, foods and SKILLS will REALLY help you to heal or stay healthy.

To Find Doctors/Centers in Your Area of Interest for Treatment

American Academy of Medical Acupuncture (AAMA)

American Association of Oriental Medicine (AAOM)

American Association of Naturopathic Physicians

American Chiropractic Association

American Holistic Medical Association

American Institute of Homeopathy (AIH)

International Society for the Studies of Subtle Energies and Energy Medicine

National Center for Homeopathy (NCH)

National Institute of Ayurvedic Medicine

Personal Development Sites:

Wow -- I cannot even begin to list the sites that have influenced me... that might have to be a whole OTHER post.... I have referenced some here and some of my other favorites are Tim Brownson of "A Daring Adventure", Akemi of "Yes to Me", Jennifer Abbott of "Principles for Peace" and Evelyn Lim of "Attraction Mind Map".

There are also sites that have a whole collection of people that offer advice and helpful information:

I have written about Personal Development Partners many times with good reason. Aaron Potts of "Today is That Day" started PDP for people interested in personal development to have a place to meet with other like minded people. I met the members of my Mastermind Group through here as well as many other remarkable people. You can feel free to go here and post questions and get many kind and smart responses. I cannot thank Aaron enough for creating this incredible place.

Self Growth is another site I have mentioned quite a bit. I met Camille Strait, Andrea Leake, Dr. Judith Orloff, Karin Hiebert and many other inspirational people on self growth. You can go here to find articles on just about anything having to do with natural health, well being, success or personal development. It is also a n informative place to go to browse whatever means of healing you are interested in and find people that you want to learn more from. Each person has samples of their writing, videos and you can find experts on everything from EFT ,meditation, Goal Setting, Happiness, Hypnosis and MUCH more.

Sites to Check out

I am now affiliated with a few sites that are just incredible and I am humbled to be a part of them. My blog posts are featured on all of the below:

Wellsphere's summary on WHO they are is as follows; "Wellsphere builds online healthy living communities that help people ‘Get active, Eat better and Unwind’. Wellsphere’s groundbreaking platform works by connecting each member with local health and wellness resources, classes and activities that match their unique interests and goals, and with the personalized advice and social support they need to sustain healthy habits.".

Wellsphere is so much more. Wellsphere also has you set goals and rewards for yourself and gives you a place to track goals. Wellsphere also offers a free service you can use with any cell phone called Wellphone that can send you reminders via ANY cellphone. Below is a video of the Wellphone being featured on NBC News:



I have my weight loss goal up at Wellsphere and I am rewarding myself with a "girl's night out" when I lose that "last 10 pounds". They offer the ability to have team members remind you as well as your cell phone and the incentives to keep you on track!

My blog is also now featured on ABS NEWS ON CALL for Pain Management. They have a comprehensive site where you can ask questions about pain and receive live answers from nurses standing by. You can also look at many videos and get an unlimited amount of information on living with or treating pain.

Last but not least you can check out where to find a doctor or check symptoms there is Health Care.com. Here you can find out which doctors will accept your insurance, are recommended as well as browse countless health blogs. You can also find out what kind of doctor you are looking for based on symptoms. This site is not totally holistic but has some wonderful holistic doctors listed as well as chiropractors and acupuncturists and other specialists in natural healing.


Real Stories for Inspiration

There is nothing more motivating than hearing from someone that you can relate to that they did exactly what you are hoping to do. I am honored and privileged to be a part of the first book out, "Living the Law of Attraction" that has over 50 stories of real people who applied the Law of Attraction to their lives and changed forever. The forward is done by Bob Doyle of "The Secret" who also has the free "Boundless Living Challenge" going on right now. It also has Marie Diamond of "The Secret" behind it. The people that put it together; Rich German and Robin Hoch are spectacular. I was on the launch call and this book has some truly amazing stories in it that will keep you inspired no matter if your goal is physical healing, weight loss, financial, spiritual, emotional or relational. I am sure to do a whole post on this book soon but couldn't write a post of resources without mentioning this incredible collection. I am also for a limited time giving out a free copy of "Living the Law of Attraction: Real Stories of People Manifesting Health, Wealth and Happiness" for people that sign up for my coaching program with me as their Mind Body Connection Mentor. You can email me at jennymannion@yahoo.com for more information and read about my Paging Me System here.

Okay I think that's enough to get you all started! Remember that we are constantly learning more about how the mind affects the body. Most people have some healing (whether it be emotional or physical) to do in their own lives and it is my hope these resources can help you on your path.

Weeding My Thoughts to Plant New Seeds

It is wonderful (yet I'll admit a little scary) for me to be able to share something that I have considered so intimate for so long with my readers -- my poetry writing. I have posted 2 other poems on my blog; My "Happy Birthday Poem to Aaron Potts" of "Today is That Day" and the Dual Purpose Meme I Wrote "Jenny from A-Z -- 26 Things you Did Not Know About Me". The next poem is a little more serious and the idea came to me from a dream that I actually remembered (a rarity). I love gardening and working on my self-talk so this poem is a good reminder for me to keep on weeding! I hope you enjoy it and I welcome comments.

Weeding My Thoughts to Plant New Seeds

By Jennifer Mannion 07/08

I am weeding through

my thoughts

negative self talk

ugly words

that spread

as many weeds have

in the unattended

plot of dirt.

The big ones

come away easily

though tiring nonetheless.

It is these little ones

peeking out

now you see them

now you don’t

depending on the sun

rain,

the way the wind is blowing

that day.

I take hold

and pull

fully aware

and present.

They do come out

with effort.

I feel relief

at their release.

Time to plant

good thoughts

the flowers

to replace

the barren dirt

turned up soil

the result of

weeds removed.

Just seeds at first

but I see the picture

on the seed package.

I know they will ultimately

be exquisite.

I can visualize

in my mind’s eye

the awakening

to come

from deep inside.

The Universe provides

all the daily nutrients.

I express gratitude

for the constants.

The sun, water

air needed for survival

so fresh

given abundantly.

I am patient

mostly

as I wait for

new growth.

Anticipating

yet still pulling weeds.

Daily upkeep is necessary

to prevent

the weeds from threatening

impending beauty and

further development.

Finally I can see

they are coming

slowly it seems

at first.

Then suddenly

sprouting faster

than I could have imagined.

The absolute beauty of

the flowers

burst into life

colors, smells

everything feels new

when you look at

existence this way.

I feel the flowers

and myself

vibrating

with aliveness.

I enjoy

the magnificence

while understanding

there is still

work to be done.

Dead-heading

so new growth

can continue.

I give thanks

when I reflect on

the transformation.

The pure energy

and thrill I get

every time

I envision

the old weedy plot

and how far

it has come.

Since I am cognizant

of the weeds

they come less often.

There is less upkeep.

Growth will continue

as long as I am present, thankful.

How could I not be?

Change is

incredibly inspiring.

SFT Will Teach You How to Remove Emotional Pain

I am very happy to present a guest post by Jennifer Abbott from Principles for Peace. I met Jennifer via one of my favorite blogs, Tim Brownson's, "A Daring Adventure". After corresponding a few times she told me about SFT Awareness and I asked her to write a post for my readers to share this amazing program. I believe everyone has the capacity to change habits, adopt new positive behaviors and to grow and heal. I also believe hearing of a technique that YOU feel a strong connection to is the BEST way to ensure lasting success. Jennifer teaches SFT Awareness which I had not heard of before but will resonate with many people. This wonderful program will surely help many MORE people get over depression, addiction, health issues, traumas and whatever else they were beforehand unable to conquer. When you conquer emotional issues you empower yourself, can live up to your full potential and help others as well. Thank you Jennifer for spreading the power of SFT Awareness.

Why Would Anyone Want to Learn about SFT Awareness?

The program with which I am involved is a thriving nonprofit program called SFT Awareness. I bet you’re wondering what that stands for?.... It stands for Search for Truth. That may or may not mean much to you, so let me tell you a little more about it…

When I learned about SFT Awareness my life was nothing short of a mess. Negative thinking was prevalent in my life, I was carrying around a lot of baggage and I found myself hitting some very low points. SFT has made such a huge difference in my life that I am determined to spread this program throughout the world.

The first thing we like to tell people is that SFT Awareness is not counseling. It is training. We equip people with attitudes and skills that they use for the rest of their lives. If you were to ask SFT students about the focus of SFT you would likely get varying answers. Some would say it’s about removing depression. Others would say it’s about stopping addictions. SFT does address these issues and successfully, but what SFT Awareness does is teach people how to process and remove emotional pain. The reason it works for addictions and most depression is because the root cause of these issues is addressed – the emotional pain.

We do not teach students to not have pain events. That’s not realistic. We simply teach them the right attitudes and skills needed to recognize, process and remove emotional pain from their lives when things do happen that they do not like. We call these attitudes and skills that we teach Master attitudes and skills because they are the attitudes and skills that the Master teacher Jesus used and taught. They work every time when applied correctly.

I like to use this illustration from one of my trainers (and the founder of SFT Awareness): Suppose the tires on your car wear down. You go and get them replaced. However, in a few months they wear down again. The reason they wore down the first time – and the second time - is because your car had an alignment problem. Now you could go and just have the tires replaced again, but without fixing the alignment problem guess what will happen? That’s right. The tires will wear down again. That’s why people go through depression cycles and why people keep going back to their addictions – they have not processed their emotional pain. If you remove the emotional pain then you remove the depression and the need for addictions.

As students learn to change their thinking, many who were previously on anti-depressants find that they no longer need these medications (Although we never tell students to stop their medication. That’s up to them and their doctor). Medications may be necessary for some depression, but medicating depression that is caused by unprocessed emotional pain will only put a band-aid™ on a wound.

To learn more about SFT Awareness you may visit the SFT website at www.sftawareness.org . Currently, sessions are available in the Nashville, TN area, the Tri-cities (East TN) area and by workshop (if you wish that one be held in your area). Contact information is available on the SFT Awareness website. You may also enjoy my blog www.principlesforpeace.com where I blog about many of the things taught in SFT.

Hope you found this informative.

Jennifer Abbott

July Headache Blog Carnival - How Spirituality Helps Us Cope with Migraine Disease

Just a quick note to let you know my post, "5 Writing Exercises that Help Heal Pain" is in "The Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival". This Carnival has been created to provide both headache and migraine disease patients and people who blog about headache disorders with unique opportunities to share ideas on topics of particular interest and importance to us. Visit the link to this month's carnival for a collection of informative entries on how spirituality helps us cope with migraines and headaches. There are many inspirational entries to enjoy. I suffered from migraines when I was ill and KNOW just how debilitating they can be. For anyone that does suffer from these or headaches or knows someone that does -- I believe there is a lot of useful information at this Carnival. Thank you!

25 Words of Work/Life Wisdom

I have not participated in a Group Writing Project in months and I am very grateful to Liz Strauss from Successful Blog for this wonderful opportunity. I thoroughly enjoy blogging but sometimes it is nice to go back to my roots of poetry and looking at fewer words at a time instead of editing a 1,300+ word post. I love writing exercises as mentioned in my post "5 Writing Exercises to Help Heal Pain" and this project brought my attention to another area of my writing -- the importance of every word. I loved Liz's personal examples in her post explaining the "Writing Project: 25 Words of Work/Life Wisdom". Here are my entries:

#1

I see

too many people

blaming

external factors

or others

for their own unhappiness

not realizing

their own power

for greatness

lies within

awaiting discovery.

A "vision board" is an excellent way to set goals

and "see" what you want in your life.

#2

I see

too few people

smiling at strangers

passing on

the kindness, warmth

and infectious lightness of mood

a smile brings

in a few seconds.

(A smile from my daughter Christina pictured ALWAYS lightens my mood)



The rules are simple and are as follows: Make an Observation -- Look for something you see too much or too little of.

1. Write a sentence about it.
2. Count the words you have written.
3. Edit the sentence until you have 25 words exactly. Notice how your idea changes as you edit and how your feelings change with each rewrite.
4. Add a picture if you can.
5. Post your 25 words on your blog by July 19th.
6. Link back to this post or leave a link to your post in the comments section. I don’t want to miss yours when I compile all of them.

Thanks again to Liz Strauss for coming up with this Group Writing Project. I hope many join and am excited to see the final result when Liz puts them all together.

5 Writing Exercises to Help Heal Pain

Writing has always been a part of my life in some form. From poems, plays and journaling to my writing about how sad and sick I was when I was ill. I would write about how much pain I was in, how upset I was that I could not do the things I wanted to do and just how miserable I was in general. I told myself I was "getting it out" but I now know that doing that perpetuated my conditions and me feeling unwell. Receiving my first Susan Sark book got me writing positively again. Reading "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill added more positive writing exercises. Discovering my passion for blogging and writing about health has been such a gift for me. I would love to share 5 Writing Exercises you can use to help heal your pain.

1) Write Down 10 Things That You Love about Yourself

When I was ill I was constantly beating myself up with the messages I was telling myself. "I am so sick". "I can't be a good mom or wife when I am so sick" "I am a burden because my pain stops me from doing anything that needs to be done".... oh they went on but there's no point going back THERE now! Everyone can name ten things they like about themselves if they stop and take the time to think about it. It can be any attribute or quality that you have (mental or physical). It can be the simplest things like "I make awesome eggs" to "I love my children unconditionally".

Making this list does a few things:
1) It changes your focus from what you cannot do to what you CAN DO.
2) It helps to build your self esteem.
3) It gives you a list to go back to whenever you are beating yourself up about something.... Next time you can say, "Ok, well I might not be in the Olympics tomorrow but I CAN DRAW perfect Olympic circles" (I always envied those teachers that drew perfect circles!)

Even small items on this list can shine light on some of your special abilities. This is what makes YOU unique and valuable. They are traits to be celebrated! You are giving attention to wonderful things about yourself instead of the endless loop of negative self talk. In order for others to love you and in order to heal you MUST love yourself.

2) Write down 15 Things/People you are Grateful for

This is a BIGGIE and I truly did not realize how big until I used it as a healing tool. When you are ill or if you are in pain of any kind it is easy to look around and see what you don't have and focus on what you are upset about. Everyone as long as they are breathing has at least their breath to be thankful for. Food, water, shelter, friends, parents, kids, a nearby park, a beautiful day outside..... all things we might take for granted but all things worth celebrating. Peter over at The Change Blog wrote an amazing post on gratitude this week, "How Gratitude Can Change Your Life". I go through what I am grateful for in the morning, at night and sometimes during the day in my head but I also take the time to write down a gratitude list every now and again.

If you are ill -- be grateful for the health you do have... even if one little part of your body is pain free. If you are facing a difficult time emotionally -- be grateful for the things in your life that are stable. Be grateful for past relationships or "challenging" situations that helped you learn. Feel gratitude for being able to read. Feel grateful for pets, flowers, music -- anything that you can think of that makes you smile.

Susan Sark was a wonderful discovery for me in writing positively and about what I am grateful for. She used writing as a means to heal from sibling incest. SARK suggests writing lists of favorite people, favorite books, tells you to "plant impossible gardens" and is an inspiration in every sense of the word. She made me realize that I am the only one who can tell my story and that everyone has a story worth sharing. I have several of her books and highly recommend Sark's Journal and Playbook which is a large journal with some blank pages and some pages with suggestions on what to write. Her book "Sark's New Creative Companion: Ways to Free Your Creative Spirit" is also filled with ideas as are her many other books and her website.

3) List 5 Positive Affirmations and 5 Inspirational Quotes You Will Look at Every Day

It takes a little effort to change bad habits and to become "aware" and listen to your self-talk. You are sure to slip backwards at times -- "life happens" and it is not always what you expect or would have asked for. I have already said that it is important to "Appreciate Every Moment NOT JUST the Good Ones" but having quotes written down that inspire you will be a quick way to refocus and re-inspire yourself when you need it most. There are so many people that have inspiring sayings. You need to pick quotes that resonate within you and you FEEL will continue to inspire you. Here are a few sites to go and look for some to write down:

Inspirational Quotes

Hearts & Minds

Famous Inspirational Quotes

A few of my favorites that helped me are:

"When you Change the Way you Look at Things
the Things you Look at Change"
-- Wayne Dyer
"You Do Enough, You Have Enough, You Are Enough"
-- Susan Sark
"Keep Your Mind on a Higher Image Rather than on a Lower Concern"
-- ?????

As for affirmations -- make these also resonate within you. These can be things you want to achieve or qualities you want to make sure are a part of your daily life. Here are a couple of sites to look for some positive affirmations that might resonate with you:

Vital Affirmations
Free Positive Affirmations for Stress Release

Here are a few of the ones that I used:

I trust in my ability to bring forth better circumstances.

I am healthy and am feeling stronger every day.

I have everything I need and what it takes to create an amazing life.

In "Think and Grow Rich", Napoleon Hill talks about the importance and power of Affirmations and Daily Mantras. By writing these and reading them every day you are sending out the message to your subconscious as well as the Universe that this is what your focus is and this is what you want.

4) Write a Forgiveness Statement for Yourself and a Forgiveness Statement for Someone Else

Self-forgiveness is something I had never even thought of before I learned about the mind/body connection. As a "recovering perfectionist" I am still learning to "take it easy on myself" and "let go" of some of the stuff I feel I "should" be doing..... While I did not consciously create my illnesses, I felt guilty about my negative energy after learning about The Law of Attraction. I had to forgive myself for not healing sooner and forgive myself for possibly many additional years of health. I have learned so much and honestly if I had only been sick 2 years maybe it would not have been as deep a passion to teach others about healing from within. I am grateful now my illnesses lasted as long as they did because it has me where I am right now.

Self-forgiveness also allows you to love yourself more. Replaying a conversation or an action that you cannot take back does not accomplish anything. While there are situations where I would recommend healing pain by saying "I am Sorry" the first person you should be saying sorry to is yourself. Eckhart Tolle talks about the "Power of Now" and if you are reliving something that you did or said you are living in the past. The past is behind you and life is really about what you can do NOW for NOW and to keep moving forward with your life. Write yourself a nice long letter about how you forgive yourself for whatever you are holding onto and feel yourself lighten immediately.

Forgiveness for someone else that you have blamed or feel that has wronged you is very important as well. There are horrific things that happen to people. Incest, molestation, abuse, rape and yes unfortunately there are a lot more. I was in a very emotionally abusive relationship for a couple of years and boy did I harbor anger and bad feelings toward my ex boyfriend. I spent hours wishing it didn't happen, re-living every awful event and just letting my blood boil so much I am surprised I didn't implode. Guess what? That never made it any better. I carried my distrust of men into my marriage and was lucky enough to get a spouse that understood where it was coming from and dealt with it for years until I was finally able to "let it go".

Writing a letter of forgiveness to someone who hurt you does not mean you approve in any way of what they did -- it just means you have suffered enough with it and are now willing to part with the negative emotions you have attached to it. Remember that the experience made you who you are today, made you stronger, made you look at things "a little differently"..... My regular readers might be getting sick of this quote but it is one I repeat very often to myself -- so get used to it... ;-) The wise Dr. Deepak Chopra said "You must realize that everyone is doing the best they can from their own state of consciousness". Usually an abuser was abused themselves -- does that excuse their behavior? No, but it can help to explain it. You have probably re-lived any situation that has caused you pain enough and given it more attention than it deserves. Writing a letter is a good way to say "ENOUGH" I am moving forward with my life now.

5) List 5 Goals and Mini Goals You Can Use to Achieve Them

If you do not know what you want to achieve -- how will you know where you are going? How will you know when to celebrate and pat yourself on the back for moving in the right direction? How do you know what you really want? Listing goals can seem scary but listing them is the first step in making them a reality. It used to be if someone asked me what I wanted out of life I would give a broad answer, "to be happy", "to be wealthy", but those need to be elaborated on or have mini steps in place to get you to that point. I now set goals in 5 areas of my life (physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and financial). It is imperative for me to set mini goals in those areas as well. Mini goals are baby steps used to get to your big goal. You don't necessarily have to spell it all out if you haven't gotten it all figured out but using smaller steps makes those big goals seem more attainable. Each time a each mini goal is met it will build your self esteem and confidence and give you strength to keep on moving forward and taking action.

Say your goal is to start a new career, this alone might seem daunting and overwhelming. Let's break it down into mini goals to make it more obtainable.
1) Look in local paper to find out what, if anything interests you.
2) List 3 things you love to do and look online to see what kind of jobs are affiliated with those skills.
3) Look into training online or in community in what you want to learn.
4) Contact someone working in that field to find out more about it and to see if that is really what you want to do.

This makes the major goal more obtainable and suddenly not so scary. Once you do these steps you can create new mini goals to get even closer if need be. You are taking action and moving forward and that is helpful for your self esteem, self love and health (mental and physical).

Write down some goals for those 5 categories and the steps you would need to get there. It is time to start thinking about what you can do NOW to meet those goals. If you want to make money doing something you love it is time to set some goals about finding more information on jobs that would incorporate it.

"Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill is also wonderful in laying out how to write down goals for success. Mr. Hill explains how to write in detail about what you want to obtain and set dates for when you want to obtain it by. He also goes into the process of visualization to make the writing even more powerful. Tim Brownson of "A Daring Adventure" had a guest post at "Pick the Brain" called "How to Visualize Your Success" that I highly recommend you checking out.

These writing exercises will help you get into the right space you need to be in to heal. You will be proactive in your healing and are telling your subconscious "I am ready to be healthy" or "I am ready to let go of the heavy burdens I have been carrying". Doing these exercises will help you release pain and encourage new growth to heal from within. Enjoy these and if you want more writing exercises I have them outlined for every part of my "Paging Me System" in my ebook.

How do you use writing to heal you emotionally or physically? I would love if you would comment on how you can see these exercises or any other writing exercises helping you to heal.