JBA Central Blog System

It has long been discussed as to what the most important meal of the day is. While some argue that lunch is the most important, studies have shown that it is, in fact, breakfast that takes the title of most important. Why, you ask? It would seem that the body needs that jump start in the morning which is supplied by eating breakfast. That jump start allows your brain to start working, as well as giving your body energy that it needs to function. Not eating breakfast makes your body use stored energy and you feel tired quicker. Eating breakfast also allows your body to burn calories, sets your metabolism for the day and allows you to function better. While eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all important, eating a hearty breakfast will benefit you the most.

There are many healing systems that are known to us today. Each of these systems addresses the innate needs of the body, spirit and soul, and help to bring us into balance with ourselves and our environments. From energy work like reiki to rebirthing techniques that allow us to be reborn into our higher selves to physical therapies such as massage that bring healing to our physical bodies as well as our mental/emotional/spiritual bodies, we are blessed to have so many opportunities for healing in today's world.

If you feel called to explore one of these modalities, this is more than just an idea- it is a calling. Our higher selves, if we listen to them, know exactly what we need and can help to guide us to that which will be for our highest good. In creating a healthy lifestyle that is balanced and centered, it is essential that we all learn how to listen to ourselves- to what we need and to that which we are called to do. The more healing we do, the better we are at listening deep inside.

Each night as you go to bed the hope is that you'll rest soundly in order to allow your body to do it's nighttime functions, many of which are restorative and necessary for good physical, mental, and emotional health. If you are unable to sleep, or if you have fitful dreams or spend a lot of time processing your day (above and beyond the brain's filing system) then you won't be reaping the many benefits of sleep.

Starting off your evening with a mental review of your day and a little bit of re-writing can help you to relax, achieve closure with your day and get yourself off to a great start sleep-wise. Here's how you do that: mentally run through your day, looking at everything you did, and then think about the ways in which you wish things had gone differently. Re-write the day in your head, energetically correcting, if you will. While you will accurately recollect the day as it happened, you will also have already spend the time working out what did happen, and what you would have desired to have happen. This eliminates a lot of the processing work that can keep you up at night and that fills your dreams with mental business.

For those seeking couples counseling, Apex NC is as good a place as any to be living. There are a wealth of resources in the area that can help couples to find the help they need in creating a stronger, healthier marriage. Living in a time where the divorce rate is 50%, it can be a lot of work to help a marriage through those rough patches. Of course, in order to grow and learn and become even more of who you were meant to be as a healthy, whole person, this kind of work is essential. Having good marriage counseling during these times can be what makes it all possible.

The type of therapy that a couple chooses may depend on their goals or their desired experience. It may also depend on what the issues are that need to be addressed also. The needs of a couple looking to work through personal issues that are affecting their marriage may not be the same as a couple who is struggling with the stress of raising a special needs child. There are different modalities that can be utilized in order to personalize therapy.

The hobbies that we enjoy are very much a part of our well-being. These interests and activities allow us to explore ourselves, participate in activities we enjoy, feel as if we are able to spend our time according to our desires and more. They may help to create part of our social support network, they might provide meditative time, they may provide physical activity and of course, they might just be plain 'ol fun! Many people find themselves wishing that they had more time to devote to their hobbies, while others find a way to turn these hobbies into a way of life or even a source of income.

It is important for general health and well-being to have hobbies. They are what help to create us as unique individuals, they help to relieve stress, and they create a continued and stronger interest in life. That joy for life is essential for health at any age.

Western apparel is something that many people grew up associating with the wild west as it was created in our imaginations by Hollywood. Cowboys became a classic cultural icon that completely transcended the reality of life for those who were on the cattle drives, living in early rail towns and out ranching the wide open ranges. Because of this effect, you will find that western apparel aficionados span a much larger territory than the west actually does. Heck, for that matter you'll even find Japanese westerns- completely the result of the western movies made in America.

What does this mean for us, then, that we have so attached ourselves to it? If you look at the basic premise of so many of these movies, redemption, hard work, a sense of freedom, setting rules and standards for our selves, fighting the good fight, being out in nature- all of these are ways in which we are seeking to better ourselves, heal ourselves, and create the kind of world we want to live in. Not bad for a movie genre, right?

f you have a bug bite, a funny rash, a small cut or any other number of minor mishaps, you don't even need to come inside in order to start doctoring up your wound. In fact, right outside in your yard is one of the best medicine cabinets you need.

There is a theory that in order to find out what a plant can/should be used for, that one needs but to look where it grows. Common (broad and narrow leave) plantain grows abundantly and shouldn't be considered a weed! Instead, you should remember it the next time you have a bug bite- grab a leaf, ball it up, chew on it for a minute (yes, really) and apply it to the skin to relieve the itching.

If you think you've brushed up against some poison ivy, look around for jewel weed. It likes moist areas and is often found growing within twenty feet of poison ivy. Split the stems, crush up the leaves and rub on your skin. It relieves the symptoms and speeds healing of poison ivy break-outs and some even say that it can be used to prevent a break-out from happening if used preventatively!

Once upon a time, small communities were, for the most part, self contained. Farmers sold or traded their produce for help building or repairing their homes or barns and the cobbler kept boots and shoes wearable. Today, more people are trying to return to these roots in their own areas and once again making them more self-sufficient communities even in
multifamily housing in the center of big cities. Everything from organizing the families living there to grow their own food to sharing child care duties as some parents go off to work.

Affordable housing initiatives are now including prior planning to make room for more efficient and safe common areas within these micro communities. Existing housing authorities are also modifying and providing the funding needed for families to start healthy eating programs and after school programs providing fun exercise, and help with homework. Many of these programs include funding for computers, books, and school supplies. This not only encourages these families by providing the resources they need for a happier life, it also discourages gang activity and crime- making a safer environment for all.

As times change, so do the needs of people. It used to be that talking to a person while lying on the couch was the answer. While that is still a viable option, many look to self-help and other activities that can help them out in the long run. As it turns out, there has been quite the revolution in working out from what it used to be to what is offered now. Nowadays, upbeat music is used to help create and keep the tempo so that people are more motivated to work out. Yoga offers relaxing music while other cardio-intensive classes use hip-hop and techno music. Furthermore, these upbeat workout groups enable you to fit in and jump right in, without worry of looking goofy while working, because everybody looks goofy doing the moves. In the end, it is all about making you happy and helping yourself. By doing this, you can reduce stress, feel great, and enjoy your life. And the best part… you don’t need to lay on a couch to figure that out.

Active support of personal good health is a daily activity. From the food you eat and the schedule of your meals, to fitness exercise and activities, to personal health exams for everything from skin cancers to breast cancers, it is of the utmost benefit to create a personal daily lifestyle that includes healthful regimens for your highest good. If you are a woman breast cancer is a reality for which you are well advised to do regular self checks.

Dr. Hillary Smith has posted a video on You Tube that shows an excellent lymph drainage technique that incorporates a good check of the breast tissue. By utilizing this self massage technique daily, women are able to become very familiar with the textures of their breast tissue and thereby b e empowered to notice any changes in the tissue that might signal the early stages of an abnormality such as a tumor. Such breast self exams are easy and quick to do, start today.