Posted on Leave a comment

Healthy Lifestyle – The Gift of Giving

 

????????Hey Earth’s Enrichers

It’s New Years’, the season of change and taking on new challenges. The holiday spirit doesn’t have to end, so why not continue the gift of giving and fellowship? We discovered some new information about the gift of giving that we know you would be interested in. Giving is the concept of passing something along to another individual without the need to receive anything in return. Inadvertently, when you give you do get something in return.

Would you believe us if we told you that when you give to someone you receive a good bill of health in return? Yep! Giving inspires relationship building, stress relief, reduced heart disease, and lower blood pressure. Human beings are natural social creatures who tend to wear their hearts on their sleeves. So, it makes a lot of sense when our emotions and social life affect our health.

Think back to when you have had a fight with a family member, suppose they felt unappreciated, how did you feel? It probably felt like thunder in your chest and a tsunami in your stomach. Negative feelings and bad relationships with others create restlessness and makes it hard for the body to relax. Cruelty is not something our bodies can easily handle, but it comes with the territory. We were given generosity, kindness, and fellowship to help us fight the cruelty, stinginess, and greed that can have negative effects on our health.

So, we encourage you to give a little cheer this New Year and the holiday seasons to come. The world is full of people who need it. Giving is not just for the holiday season but for all year long and it shows people that you care. If you have a chance to give, then give. Believe us when we tell you, it feels much better when you do and you never know what opportunities you can provide to a person by giving.

Another way to give is with fellowship. Sometimes, even spending time with people is more than enough. Quality time with family members and grandparents can bring them more joy than any amount of money could buy. They look forward to it and will always remember the quality time.

To help those who are less fortunate, donate what you can to a shelter, also spending time in a soup kitchen and helping out will help you find joy, especially if you can’t be with your family at that moment. It will help give you the emotional support you need, fellowship, and create warmth when you are homesick.

The EE 411:  The Rules on Giving

Okay, everyone pay attention. Take a deep breath in and out—we’re going to learn the rules on giving.

  1. Give to another to create joy
  2. Expect nothing in return
  3. Smile when you give
  4. Thank others for what they give you with a hearty smile
  5. By all means, write thank you cards
  6. Under no circumstances do you tell someone you are taking their gift back to the store (even if it’s socks).

In return you will be rewarded with:

  • Stress relief
  • Relationship building
  • Reduction of stress can help reduce heart disease and high blood pressure
  • Fellowship
  • Intimacy and empathy
  • Patience
  • Happiness
  • Sleeping better at night
  • More gifts

So, we hope our gift to you can be useful during your journey through life. Generosity is the key to health and happiness. We at EE hope you had a happy holiday season and a great New Year. Enjoy the gift of giving!

Share with Us: What gifts will you cherish from last year?

(This post was brought to you by Earth’s Enrichments.  Similar posts can be found by visiting our Blog.  More information about our  company and products (USDA Certified Organic Soaps, Organic Bath Salts, Organic Sugar Scrubs, Organic Body Balms and Organic Lip Balms) can be found on our Website. Thank you Earth’s Enricher!) 


Posted on Leave a comment

Healthy Lifestyle – Massage Therapy

 Healthy Lifestyle - Massage TherapyHey Earth’s Enrichers

Earth’s Enrichers, summer is coming to an end and this is probably one of the most stressful moments. This is the time the students are preparing to return to school and when work seems to be piling up the highest. However, just because the summer is nearing its end does not mean summer is over!

Now is the time to prepare yourself for what’s ahead, while enjoying the weeks of summer you have left. This is no time to get tense! Well some of you may already be tense. No worries we have a solution. First things, first; tension can be caused by anxiety and stress. Although these are forms of mental stress, they can manifest themselves in physical ways like headaches, back, or neck pain.

So, ladies and gentlemen, what’s the best way to remove physical tension, while also soothing your mental tension? A massage! Yep, the kind of massages you’d find in a spa.  Massages are meant to work out the tension in muscles and reduce the discomfort it brings. They’re not just for relaxation purposes.

Massage therapy is an actual therapeutic and medical process of relief. It’s been known to be help with anxiety, headaches, sports/work injuries, joint pain, stress, sleep/digestion disorders, nerve pain, and pain & muscle tension. A nice natural, soothing, handy option for relief. It can also improve posture, increase range of motion, improve circulation, lower blood pressure, and can even strengthen the immune system.

Massage therapy or massages in general are a form of treatment and with most treatments there are some things you must do to help prepare your body. It is important that you prepare your mind for what is about to happen, especially if you have never had a message. So, do some research to find out what to expect and/or meditate on it. You must be open and relaxed in order to experience the benefits of the therapy.

To help keep your mind on what’s going on during the process, it is recommended that you not eat before your session. That way your body isn’t trying to digest your food, while it’s supposed to be relaxing. Also, to keep yourself relaxed, try not to frazzle yourself too much before your session. If you are relatively anxious or stressed, it may take you longer to relax during the massage.

There is no hidden rule that says you cannot talk during your massage.  In fact, communication between you and your massage therapist is recommended. This way you can inform them of what is uncomfortable or what is making it harder for you to relax. For instance, if there is a certain part of your body that is particularly sensitive or if the music played is distracting, you can just let them know. They are totally cool with it. It’s about making your experience a relaxing and beneficial one.

Speaking of making yourself relaxed during your massage, you don’t have to be naked if you don’t want to be.  Just let your massage therapist know what you’re comfortable with and wear clothes you consider fairly comfy. Also, be sure to tell them if you are allergic to any oils or lotions. That way you won’t end up breaking out after your session.

To complete your spa experience, be sure not to rush into movement. Take your time with getting back into your normal grove; getting up too fast might cause you to get dizzy. Remember your body will be going from extreme relaxation to outputting energy. So, take your time. Next, hydrate your body. The water helps flush out the toxins in the body.

Let’s not forget, a massage is not just therapy, it’s relaxing “me time.” So, enjoy it the way you want. Play the music you want to hear, use the oils you like the best, dress (or don’t dress) the way you see fit, and relax. The experience will be different for everybody and the benefits may not immediate. It may take some time to notice the changes after a massage. If you have never experienced a massage, we recommend you do more research and try it. You may love it! Remember, summer is not over yet!

The EE 411: Types of Massages 

There are many types of massages and they are used for different purposes. We have ten popular massages listed below:

  1. Deep TissueThis massage strives for deeper contact with muscles and the strokes tend to be slower. This is usually used for individuals with tight muscle pain, strain, issues with posture, or who are recovering from an injury.
  2. BackUsually brief massages that focus on the back. Tend to be generic spa massages.
  3. AromatherapyMassages that usually incorporate complementary, relaxing scents to help relax the body and mind of the individual.
  4. SwedishA very familiar massage that incorporates kneading, circular motions that target the superficial layers of the muscles. Usually, tame and soothing. This is the best options for newbies to start out with. J
  5. SportsKind of like the Swedish massage but more for folks with sport or activity related injuries.
  6. ShiatsuThis is a Japanese style massage that uses fingers to target acupuncture patterns. At each point, they linger for a few seconds to increase energy flow and maintain balance. A very pleasant experience.
  7. ThaiThis is similar to a Shiatsu, but it uses pressure points to increase energy and you are a bit more active because of the series of postures and positions you’ll be in. Great for reducing stress, increasing range of motion and flexibility.
  8. Hot StoneThis is a massage that incorporates fairly large smooth heated stones that are positioned on certain parts of the body. They are there to loosens tension. The therapist usually applies slight pressure on the stones.
  9. Reflexology– (or foot massage) This uses pressure points on the foot that corresponds to different organs of the body.
  10. Trigger PointThis focuses on tight muscle fibers that usually happen when they are over used.

(This post was brought to you by Earth’s Enrichments.  Similar posts can be found by visiting our Blog.  More information about our  company and products (USDA Certified Organic Soaps, Organic Bath Salts, Organic Sugar Scrubs, Organic Body Balms and Organic Lip Balms) can be found on our Website. Thank you Earth’s Enricher!) 

Posted on Leave a comment

Health Lifestyle – Daily Health: Sunlight

 

Hey Earth’s Enrichers

Free Happy Woman Enjoying Nature. Beauty Girl Outdoor. Freedom cHow are your everyday health activities coming along? Have you been getting enough water, food & nourishment, and physical activity? It’s harder than it sounds, huh? Well, we have one more ingredient to healthy living. This ingredient will complete your basic daily health prescription.

Your body requires certain things to help it get through the day and maintain a balance of good health. Without these things, it could produce small signs which are messages or SOS signals, if you will, from your body saying it needs them. So your body’s basic needs boils down to sleep, food or nourishment, physical activity, sun, and water.  This week our topic will be sunlight.

The sun is a very important factor in your daily life, even on rainy days. It provides us with key nutrients that are great for our everyday health. These nutrients come from the UVB rays that come from the sun. These rays are present even when you cannot physically see the sun.

The sun is our primary source of Vitamin D. It is not the sun directly that makes the Vitamin D for us. It is our body’s reaction with the UVB rays. Vitamin D helps regulate the absorption of calcium and phosphorous into the body. It also helps regulate the immune system. Another reason why Vitamin D is so important is for bone development. It helps build strong bones and teeth, and helps osteoporosis or osteomalacia.

Another aspect of sunlight is your mood. Some researchers have discovered that sunlight can brighten your day. With the reduction of sunlight, a person can develop anxiety, depression, stress, and low energy. When an individual retains the right amount of sun or vitamin D3 it helps reduce anxiety, stress, and depression.   

Also, being in the sun feels great! It’s spring time, finally, turning into summertime. You will have plenty of opportunities to be in the sunlight! It is important, however, to be careful.  Safety is always first. Make sure you know how much sun your skin can handle and find a sunscreen that is good enough for you. Also, if you are having a problem absorbing Vitamin D, see your doctor. A professional can help you figure out what is best for your body.

The EE 411:

Environmental factors that can impede Vitamin D absorption are:

  • Incorrect use of sunscreen
  • Pollution
  • Longer periods spent inside
  • Also, not eating enough foods with Vitamin D

Ways to get some sun/Vitamin D are:

  • When you are inside, find a window and sit by it. Get some sun by any means necessary.
  • Walk for a little while outside, whether it’s to get lunch or walk the dog.
  • Use sunscreen wisely, that protects from harmful UV rays, while still allowing you to have the nutrients necessary.
  • Having trouble, ask a professional for advice and/or take a vacation at the beach. 🙂

Share with Us: What is your favorite way or means of getting some sun?

(This post was brought to you by Earth’s Enrichments.  Similar posts can be found by visiting our Blog.  More information about our  company and products (USDA Certified Organic Soaps, Organic Bath Salts, Organic Sugar Scrubs, Organic Body Balms and Organic Lip Balms) can be found on our Website. Thank you Earth’s Enricher!)