Throughout my life, it has become apparent that when I am healthy and happy, my hair and, certainly, my finger and toe nails, have reflected this positive state by being healthy and happy also. If I become vitamin or mineral deficient or when my heart or kidneys—my two weak spots during some phases of my life—were struggling, these states quickly became reflected in the health and strength of my hair and, very quickly, in the health and strength of my nails! I eventually came to believe/realize that if my emotions were in a whirl for any length of time at all, this unsettled state of mine would impact my hair and nails as well.
Of course, being the curious person that I am, I began research to see if thoughts along these lines were my imagination or a real phenomenon! Guess what I very quickly learned! And then, being me and being involved in a ‘health care and improvement’ world, I began to research herbs, essential oils, homeopathics, supplements, and the connection between general nutrition and optimum health as reflected in my hair and nails.
There is absolutely no question that the condition of our hair and nails often (always?) serves as an outward indicator of our internal health. The condition of the hair and nails can be (No, is!) a reliable signaling system for conditions ranging from nutrient deficiencies to hormonal imbalances and can even be an early indicator of a chronic illness.
The Spleen
A Vital Organ in the Human Body
After a bit of pondering, I chose to discuss the spleen for this month’s Foot Zone Focus. I did this for several reasons. First, I wonder how much the majority of us, including foot zone therapists, people in general, and even medical doctors, really ‘know’ about the spleen. By ‘know’ I mean understand both how important this small organ is to good health, and how much trouble it can cause if it should rupture.
Please ponder for a moment what is causing stress in your life. What in your life is ‘stressful’ to you? And, please, consider for a moment that our bodies and our minds are simply not equipped to handle long-term, chronic stress without suffering serious consequences, big and small.
Some people – I wish I were one of them – respond to most situations calmly. They simply handle stress well, with little or no ill effects on their bodies or minds. For these people, stress is not all bad. In small doses and handled properly, stress can even help us accomplish tasks quickly and well.
Can alternative health products such as essential oils, herbal remedies, and Blessed Water/Homeopathic remedies really help us reset our thinking and handle stress more appropriately? I certainly do believe that they can! Some of those remedies are featured in this month’s newsletter. Let’s begin today, however, with a little bit of information about the effects of stress on us physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Why am I taking up time and space to point out to you the long-term effects of stress and to discuss the things that might be stressing each of us out? Because, as I said in the first paragraph, I am hoping you will ponder the stress in your life and take steps to minimize the effects of stress on your health and happiness.
Warts The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the culprit causing warts of whatever variety. This virus family triggers extra cell growth. With warts, the outer layer of skin becomes thick and hard. Unsightly bumps of various sizes appear. A wart can grow anywhere a person has skin. However, they are most…
Nosebleeds Nosebleeds are fairly common occurrences, especially with children. The location of the nose and a large number of blood vessels in the nose predispose it to bleed from time to time. The medical term for a nosebleed is epistaxis. Who knew? I have never heard that term used…
#15 -TCM Headaches – 4 Stomach/Spleen The Stomach/Spleen Meridian pair will be the topic of the next part of this article. When we speak of “earth” people, we are speaking of those who are strong in the characteristics of this meridian. This Meridian, #4 – Earth…
#14 -TCM Headaches – 3 Large Intestine/Lung Below is a brief explanation of two ways in which headaches and migraines may be connected to the large intestine/lung meridian pair. A more complete explanation, as well as discussion of a couple of interesting neurotransmitters created in the gut but…
#13 TCM Headaches – 2 Bladder/Kidney The Bladder/Kidney Meridian, as well as the physical organs of bladder and kidneys, is associated with the season of Winter. Water is the element associated with this meridian pair. In winter, life appears to have ceased. In reality, at least in Chinese…
Eating Disorders Dying to Be Thin Eating disorders are not fads. They are not a simple phase that a teen will, eventually, grow out of. Reasoning with the person, discussing and teaching them about nutrition and health, has no lasting effect on their disorder. Severe eating disorders are mental disorders…
#6 – Headaches – Hypoglycemia Hypoglycemia is a family heritage of mine. I thought I understood the subject pretty well. However, I have learned some new things while doing research for this article. Therefore, I hope some of what I have learned helps someone with their own blood sugar-related…