Healthy Happy Loving Life: Writer’s Gratitude

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Calm, Calming, grateful, Gratitude, Healthy Happy Loving Life, Kebba Buckley Button, LifeTools, The life you want

© Kebba Buckley Button, MS, OM. World Rights Reserved.

Photo courtesy of Nita Beshear

Gratitude Feels Good

Gratitude is good for us, feels good, and literally helps our health.  Mayo Clinic says gratitude can “improve sleep, mood and immunity.  Gratitude can decrease depression, anxiety, difficulties with chronic pain and risk of disease.”  And I am deep in my gratitude today.

I have just finished my run of daily articles for a month, in the Ultimate Blog Challenge (UBC), online.  I actually took 2 days off to just rest.  So make that 28 articles on how to be Healthy, Happy, and Loving Life (my program name), in one month.  Now I’m up to almost 700 free articles on my WordPress Blog, https://kebbabutton.wordpress.com .

I am grateful to have finished the UBC and to have built up my article collection.  This month, I used more images than ever before, and the formatting was better. I got many comments, from old friends and new.

© woodsy007 on megapixl

Thank You to My Writer Friends

But the richest source of my gratitude would be the wonderful people I have met during my years in the UBC.  I now have writer friends from Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, New York State, South Carolina, India (two), Canada (2), New Jersey (two), Tennessee, and Georgia.  I may be forgetting a few locations. Occasionally, on their way through Phoenix, one will stop for dinner with me, as learning expert Florence Callender did.  I was on chemo at the time, looked puffy and terrible, and could hardly drive.  But I wasn’t going to miss meeting Flo in person. Flo’s conference roommate, Nita Beshear, took this photo of us.  I was recently widowed, and Nita is a specialist in widowhood. There are no coincidences.  We had a great evening together.

From the always-gracious UBC coordinator (“Fearless Leader”), Paul Taubman, The Digital Maestro, I have learned much about WordPress websites, social media and how to get our articles Out There.  From Martha DeMeo, a domestic goddess and product reviewer, I have learned much about simple cooking– which I had mostly forgotten in recent years– together with gardening and freezing veggies and much more.  Although we live thousands of miles apart, I consider Martha a dear friend.  From Victoria Juster, a spiritual person and medium, I have received much inspiration, friendship, and comfort.  From Doug Jarvie, world traveler and photographer, I have received photo tours of Iceland, Japan, and also warmer places.  His humor keeps us from being too serious.

There are more, but the deadline for this article is today.  Life can be a joyful and richly inspiring journey.  And my writer friends help make it so.

Wrapping Up

In my series of daily articles this month, I have done my best to encourage you to commit to positive living. That shift will profoundly affect your health, joy, and relationships, increasingly as you practice the methods.  As you continue to Discover The Secret Energized You, why not push the possibilities?

See how far the LifeTools can take you into energy, enthusiasm, and rejuvenation. You are now embarking on the most profound adventure: to Discover The Secret Energized You and redesign your life. Make the most of this adventure to make the most of your life! And that will be you, more and more Healthy Happy and Loving Life^sm!

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Kebba Buckley Button is a stress/energy management expert, holistic healer, and award-winning author who celebrates life.  She has a longtime natural healing practice and is an ordained minister. Among her books are: Discover The Secret Energized You (http://tinyurl.com/b44v3br), Inspirations for Peace Within:  Quotes and Images to Uplift and Inspire, and Sacred Meditation: Embracing the Divine.  The books are available on Amazon and through Kebba’s office.   They are also available in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the Franciscan Renewal Center bookstore and at the bookstore at St. Barnabas on the Desert Episcopal Church. Or simply email us to order:  kebba@kebba.com .  Thank you!

Books by Kebba Buckley Button

Healthy Happy Loving Life: Manage Your Moods With Energy Balancing

Tags

Calm, Calming, Healthy Happy Loving Life, Kebba Buckley Button, LifeTools, The life you want

© Kebba Buckley Button, MS, OM. World Rights Reserved.

© photodynamx on megapixl

Moods Can Be Controlled

Do you sometimes feel controlled by your moods?  Today we discuss tools to manage those unpleasant moods.  Yes!  We may sometimes realize that we have physical discomforts clearly related to stress and emotional burdens. From fatigue and appetite problems to skin eruptions and ulcers, our bodies may store our distressing experiences. Nasty events, spiritual, mental, and emotional ills can make us feel bad physically. Also, if we feel bad physically, it is harder to feel great emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. And on it goes, in a cycle.

There are many easy physical techniques to help ourselves shake off/let go of/release stress, and the following sections cover major types of these. You are about to learn simple, portable LifeTools to help you center yourself, loosen up, or energize.  Finger holds and pressure points are related to acupressure, the art of using access points to the nervous system to release build-ups of discomforts. Here are a few techniques.

Center and Find Stillness

When we quiet the busy body we can quiet the busy mind and spirit. The more still we are outside, the more we can find that quiet space inside our hearts and spirits. The more quietude we can experience, the more we can hear the “little voice” inside which is really the “Big Voice”, the Voice of God, Kol Adonai (Hebrew for Voice of God), or the Christ-Self. The more we practice getting in touch with our innermost selves when we are physically still, the easier it becomes to start carrying the sure Quiet around, inside ourselves, in externally chaotic times.

Try this LifeTool for centering. Glance at the photo above.  Now gently allow your shoulders to drop. Place your center three fingertips of each hand in the center of each opposite palm. Hold at least three to five minutes. Feel the metabolism slow and any trembling melt away.  Use this whenever you feel unsettled and don’t know why, or even when you have had too much caffeine.

© dundanim on megapixl

Loosen Up

When we have tension, the body gets tight in ways and places we don’t always notice quickly. We have much more energy when we loosen the tightness and let our natural miraculous energy, blood, oxygen, lymph service, and good feelings flow.

Try this LifeTool for loosening up. Stand, copy the pose in the image above, then “S-E-L-F”:  Shrug, Exhale, Laugh, Feel the difference. Do this at different speeds to feel the effects. The shrugs must be smooth, stretching, gentle, and slow. Avoid making sudden or jerky moves.  Play around with this for at least 5 minutes, and notice how much more relaxed and alive you feel.

Try this additional LifeTool for loosening the body system. Put on an uplifting piece of music and slowly shrug every way you can think of for two minutes. Now extend “shrugging” to the equivalent for the arms, hands, legs, feet, abdomen. Experiment. Again, use smooth, gentle movements. The benefits are in the “going,” not the “getting there.”

Energize

Now that you have practiced centering and loosening, let’s use the circuits in the hands to power up. Let’s release the body’s natural vigor. Try this LifeTool for energizing. Place your hands together in a “praying hands” position, as in the above photo, for at least 5 minutes.  Feel the energy between the hands.

Now fold the fingers together. Hold this position for at least five minutes and feel the energy – and serene vitality –  all over the body. Now you know why prayer positions for hands are so popular!

As you practice the techniques in this article, may you notice ongoing calming, energizing, and transformation! 

As you continue to Discover The Secret Energized You, push the possibilities. See how far the LifeTools can take you into energy, enthusiasm, and rejuvenation. You are now embarking on the most profound adventure: to Discover The Secret Energized You and redesign your life. Make the most of this adventure to make the most of your life! And that will be you, more and more Healthy Happy and Loving Life^sm!

---

Kebba Buckley Button is a stress/energy management expert, holistic healer, and award-winning author who celebrates life.  She has a longtime natural healing practice and is an ordained minister. Among her books are: Discover The Secret Energized You (http://tinyurl.com/b44v3br), Inspirations for Peace Within:  Quotes and Images to Uplift and Inspire, and Sacred Meditation: Embracing the Divine.  The books are available on Amazon and through Kebba’s office.   They are also available in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the Franciscan Renewal Center bookstore and at the bookstore at St. Barnabas on the Desert Episcopal Church. Or simply email us to order:  kebba@kebba.com .  Thank you!

Books by Kebba Buckley Button

Healthy Happy Loving Life: The Stuff of Life

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B/Right Stuff, Healthy Happy Loving Life, Kebba Buckley Button, LifeTools, Right Stuff, The life you want, Wrong Stuff

© Kebba Buckley Button, MS, OM. World Rights Reserved.

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Your Stuff and the Right Stuff

Words delightfully reflect how we look at things. One great example is the word “stuff.” We speak of “owning stuff,” meaning possessions. We specify “that’s my stuff, so leave it alone.” We say, “I’m stuffed!” And we mean, we’ve had too much to eat.  Some say, “Oh, stuff it!” In this case, we mean, “get lost.”  In these phrases, we express ownership and stowage. In psychotherapy, the word “stuff” is used to mean one’s emotional baggage, as in “all his stuff really came up in that argument.” Psychological ownership and stowage both come through in this usage, as in “stuffed emotions.” In popular archetypes, our culture admires a hero who has “the right stuff,” meaning that he is filled or “stuffed” with strong, positive traits that serve him and humanity well.

The B/Right Stuff LifeTool, Part 1, Life

Would you like to size up your own “stuff”? Then try the B/Right Stuff LifeTool. This is about making the bright choices and the right choices for your life. Do you have a notepad and pen or pencil? Or the notes section of your smartphone?  Then let your imagination run free for a couple of minutes and try journaling out your answers to these questions for Part 1:

• What is important in life?
• What is right and what is wrong? What are your values?
• What is interesting?
• Do you run your life according to what is important to you? What is your “stuffing”?
• For your personal goals and values, do you have “the right stuff”? Is there a difference between what you say is right/important/interesting and what you spend your time on?

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The B/Right Stuff LifeTool, Part 2, Your Environment

Now for Part 2, look around your living space and keep writing.  This time choose adjectives for what you see.

• Do you see confusion, clutter, inconsistency, or incomplete projects?
• Does the air smell stagnant? Are there dirty or broken things or stuff that needs to be discarded?

Right now, some of you are looking at a clean home, lovely colors, pretty furniture, clear walking spaces and exercise zones. Some of you have flourishing plants, clean air, and orderly files. All the food in your fridge is probably recognizable, and it’s probably even fresh. Which home would you say has “the right stuff”? If you could move in now, which home would you choose?

The B/Right Stuff LifeTool, Part 3, Your Mind vs. Your Home

For Part 3, work the process in reverse. How much do your descriptions of your “living space” match the “living space” of your mind? After all, bright people do much of their living in their minds. If your home needs dusting and cobweb removal, what about your thoughts? If some furniture is broken, what would it take to fix it? Then what would it take to repair the fixtures of your social life? If there is simply too much stuff in your home, are you often trying to deal with too many thoughts and activities in a week? How about reducing the “stuff” you cope with in your physical living and in your mental tasking? What can you “clean house” about? Can you drop an organization, leave one hobby to alternate years, or give a check instead of time to that fourth worthy cause?

Our homes are the outpicturing of our minds. How much clutter or gunk can be in the mind of a person with a clean, pleasant, and airy home? Just why do you think they call that one space a “living room”? Are you relaxed, happy, and satisfied in your mental living room? If not, here is an easy trick: clean your physical living room! Just as a cluttered mind generates a cluttered homescape, cleaning your homescape can clear your mind. Here’s the really easy part: everything can be classified as either “Love It As Is” or “Other.” The “Other” is of 3 types: “Clean It,” “Fix It,” and “Out it goes.” If it’s worth cleaning or fixing, do it; hire a little help if you need to. Otherwise, toss it or donate it.

© catcha on megapixel

Your Plan to Clear the Wrong Stuff

Now, what’s in your living room? Write that down. Do you see a pattern? When we get rid of the Wrong Stuff, we end up with only the Right Stuff. After this exercise, notice:

• how many nice new people you meet in the following two weeks.
• how your mind is clearer and your goals are starting to take orderly mental form.
• how you’re more effective in the workplace and in social groups. Your former resistance to cleaning up your “stuff” was holding you back on many levels.

Hey, now that you’ve “cleaned house” with your living room, have you thought about “straightening out” your “bedroom stuff”? Wow! Think of the possibilities and write them down. Clear the Wrong Stuff from the rooms of your physical house and the Right Stuff will express in many ways in your lifestyle. Make the b/right choices for you. Enjoy choosing your stuff and your life, starting now.

Next time:  Manage Your Moods With Energy Balancing 

As you continue to Discover The Secret Energized You, push the possibilities. See how far the LifeTools can take you into energy, enthusiasm, and rejuvenation. You are now embarking on the most profound adventure: to Discover The Secret Energized You and redesign your life. Make the most of this adventure to make the most of your life! And that will be you, more and more Healthy Happy and Loving Life^sm!

---

Kebba Buckley Button is a stress/energy management expert, holistic healer, and award-winning author who celebrates life.  She has a longtime natural healing practice and is an ordained minister. Among her books are: Discover The Secret Energized You (http://tinyurl.com/b44v3br), Inspirations for Peace Within:  Quotes and Images to Uplift and Inspire, and Sacred Meditation: Embracing the Divine.  The books are available on Amazon and through Kebba’s office.   They are also available in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the Franciscan Renewal Center bookstore and at the bookstore at St. Barnabas on the Desert Episcopal Church. Or simply email us to order:  kebba@kebba.com .  Thank you!

Books by Kebba Buckley Button

Healthy Happy Loving Life: Your Nature in Yin and Yang

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great relationships, Healthy Happy Loving Life, Kebba Buckley Button, LifeTools, Love, The life you want, Yin and yang

© Kebba Buckley Button, MS, OM. World Rights Reserved.

© alexmax on megapixl

Yin and Yang:  Let Your Nature Nurture You

 

Are you forcing yourself to act against your true nature?  Not only can stress cause fatigue, but fatigue can cause stress. It’s vital, if you are tired a lot, to ask yourself which started first. If you are ridiculously tired, one factor may be that you are forcing yourself to act against your true nature. This is incredibly wearing and leads to a lot of wasted energy, as well as misunderstandings in relationships.

Some people are even in a job or a profession that forces them to function against their true nature. In the classic American Winner Model, everyone is supposed to succeed by being extroverts: forward, talkative, witty, persuasive, and assertive. This is great for those whose temperaments are suited to this behavior, and it is very unhealthy for those who would be forcing themselves against type. Some people are trying to be quiet introverts, working in cubicles away from other workers when they actually need interactive jobs surrounded by many people and much activity. Others are trying to work in highly interactive environments that are giving them the sensation of being hammered.  These workers need a quiet corner and a job structure with breakaway, stand-alone tasks. Some love to lead, and some love to follow. Some love to supervise and some love to sit doing repetitive tasks for years at a time. Fortunately, we need all these types in most career fields.

There are a number of useful personality inventory tests, and you may have taken several of them. I hope that you learned some interesting things about your nature from these systems. One useful framework that is not widely used is the oriental philosophy of the opposite natures, yin and yang. In Chinese philosophy, everything and everyone has a relatively yin or yang nature. Some substances and some people are very yang, and some are very yin.  Some are on the scale in between.  Balance is the goal.

Following is a figure, Yin and Yang Characteristics, that shows the relative yin and yang of different qualities. See if one of these, yin or yang, sounds more like the real you.

Yin And Yang Characteristics

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Passive vs. Active

Weak vs. Strong

Cool vs. Warm

Dark vs. Light

Moon vs. Sun

Inward vs. Outward

Taking in vs. Giving Forth

Left hand vs. Right Hand

Feminine-grounded vs. Masculine-grounded

 Listening vs. Talking

Asking vs. Explaining

Responding vs. Initiating

“Taking in”  vs. “Giving forth”

 Nurturing vs. Caregiving

If you like to express yourself verbally a lot during your work day or in your personal relationships, you may be more of a “yang-grounded” person. Try to be in jobs that require verbalizing, and find relationships with people who are listeners. Conversely, some of you are getting exhausted from the level of verbalizing required in your job and relationships. You have more of a “yin-grounded” nature, and it will always be exhausting to have to talk a lot. Try to be in jobs that can be handled with written communication and find a talker-initiator for your significant other.

Some of you are stressed out from supervising because you need to be in breakaway tasks (yin). Examine the possibilities for going down or across the organizational tree; you will spend less time and money on doctor visits. The more your life activities and your nature are in sync, the healthier, happier, and more peaceful you will be.  Nurture your nature, and let your nature nurture you.

Next time:  The B/Right Stuff!

As you continue to Discover The Secret Energized You, push the possibilities. See how far the LifeTools can take you into energy, enthusiasm, and rejuvenation. You are now embarking on the most profound adventure: to Discover The Secret Energized You and redesign your life. Make the most of this adventure to make the most of your life! And that will be you, more and more Healthy Happy and Loving Life^sm!

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Kebba Buckley Button is a stress/energy management expert, holistic healer, and award-winning author who celebrates life.  She has a longtime natural healing practice and is an ordained minister. Among her books are: Discover The Secret Energized You (http://tinyurl.com/b44v3br), Inspirations for Peace Within:  Quotes and Images to Uplift and Inspire, and Sacred Meditation: Embracing the Divine.  The books are available on Amazon and through Kebba’s office.   They are also available in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the Franciscan Renewal Center bookstore and at the bookstore at St. Barnabas on the Desert Episcopal Church. Or simply email us to order:  kebba@kebba.com .  Thank you!

Books by Kebba Buckley Button

Healthy Happy Loving Life: Wordless Wednesday Desert Gardens

Tags

desert gardens, Healthy Happy Loving Life, Kebba Buckley Button, relaxation

© 2023 Kebba Buckley Button, MS, OM.  World Rights Reserved. http://www.kebba.com

All images in this post are © Kebba Buckley Button.  

Today’s desert garden views are from a condo enclave, the perimeter of a labyrinth site, and a peace garden at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix.  Summer temperatures soar to 115 routinely and even to 120.  Yet, the right plantings are lush and beautiful year round.  They provide cooling and peacefulness.  Notice the curving walkways that add interest and strengthen the Feng Shui.  Look at these on the largest screen you have.  Enjoy!

Enjoying nature is a LifeTool you can use whenever you like.  Let wonder help you Discover The Secret Energized You, and push the possibilities. See how far the LifeTools can take you into energy, enthusiasm, and rejuvenation. You are now embarking on the most profound adventure: to Discover The Secret Energized You and redesign your life. Make the most of this adventure to make the most of your life! And that will be you, more and more Healthy Happy and Loving Life^sm!

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Kebba Buckley Button is a stress/energy management expert, holistic healer, and award-winning author who celebrates life.  She has a longtime natural healing practice and is an ordained minister. Among her books are: Discover The Secret Energized You (http://tinyurl.com/b44v3br), Inspirations for Peace Within:  Quotes and Images to Uplift and Inspire, and Sacred Meditation: Embracing the Divine.  The books are available on Amazon and through Kebba’s office.   They are also available in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the Franciscan Renewal Center bookstore and at the bookstore at St. Barnabas on the Desert Episcopal Church. Or simply email us to order:  kebba@kebba.com .  Thank you!

Books by Kebba Buckley Button

Healthy Happy Loving Life: Enrich Your Relationships With the Love Codes

Tags

finding love, great relationships, Healthy Happy Loving Life, Kebba Buckley Button, LifeTools, Love, The life you want, The Love Codes

© Kebba Buckley Button, MS, OM. World Rights Reserved.

© dashaketti on megapixl

If you are ready for more love in your life, this article on Love Codes is for you!  Many don’t realize that people communicate respect, regard, caring, affection, and love in at least six different styles. And when we know what some of these styles are, we suddenly notice the many, many signals of caring and love that are coming our way all the time. We can also then choose to get our love messages across in another person’s style, to be sure they’re getting our signals.

The easiest people to hear are The Verbalizers. They use words. They tell you “I love you,” “You’re super,” “I’m so glad you’re in my life,” “We’re so glad you could come for dinner this evening,” “Let’s get together again soon.” You can use words back to them. This is clear. You know when these folks are expressing love.

Second easiest to understand are The Gifters. These folks give you stuff.  They show up with a flower from their garden, a packet of cookies they made, or a card for your birthday. Of course, they may bring fine chocolates and jewelry, and that’s all right too. Some of these folks may even send you a plane ticket.

The third group is still somewhat easy to understand. These are The Touchers. They hug you hello, they touch your arm for emphasis, they hold your hand, they may rub your neck. They show they care through touch. One holiday, I went to join friends at their home. Their small nephew really likes people. As the front door opened, I saw a streak coming toward me. It was the Human Love Bullet! Tiny Riggs jetted into my leg, throwing his arms around my knee. I felt so loved.

The fourth type is often unrecognized. These are The Do-Fors. These people are always doing something for you. In men, this may take the form of always fixing things around your house or taking your car in to the garage. In women, this more often takes the form of cooking something for you or offering you something they have prepared. These folks bring your paper in from the driveway, pick up something you’ve dropped, and ask if you need anything from the grocery store. For a group, they volunteer to sing and do readings, make the photocopies, email the membership meeting notices, and set up the chairs for events.

© yolopuki on megapixl

Now, you may be thinking, “But, I give gifts and do things for people.” Yes, you are a combination type. And most people are combination types. Your loved ones are lucky. And perhaps you have known people who share love in 3, 4, 5, or even all of the Love Codes.  Great!  Enjoy.

The fifth type is the most difficult love communicator for many people to understand. These are the Quality Time People. They hang out with you. They may call and just stay on the phone, waiting for you to talk.  And you’re thinking, “What does this person want?” They’re telling you they care about you by spending time with you. They may come by your house for no apparent reason. They want to spend time with you. They may not know this is their way of communicating regard, affection, or even love. But now you know. To nurture relationships with these people, plan activities with them. It may not matter what activity, just plan something, and spend time with them.

The last group is the Cash Communicators. They tell you they care with money. We see this in parents of college kids, who often ask, “How are things going? Do you need any money?” In this type of love communication, money is truly the currency of caring. They donate to worthy causes, and they give generous tips.  Some people who can’t communicate caring any other way rely on offering money as their means of sharing their love.

So we can see that love takes many forms. And there’s so much more love going around than we have been recognizing. How about that kind driver on the freeway this week who sweetly pulled back to let you into the lane you needed? This is lovingkindness. How about the smile from a stranger in the grocery store? This is the look that tells you that another human wishes you well.

Love: it feels good and helps your health. Let’s receive it, send it, and enjoy it, in all its forms. The Apostle Paul said, “Make love your aim.” Now you can aim more accurately. And, now you can decode when love is aiming for you.

Next time:  Handling Hurtful People Easily

As you continue to Discover The Secret Energized You, push the possibilities. See how far the LifeTools can take you into energy, enthusiasm, and rejuvenation. You are now embarking on the most profound adventure: to Discover The Secret Energized You and redesign your life. Make the most of this adventure to make the most of your life! And that will be you, more and more Healthy Happy and Loving Life^sm!

---

Kebba Buckley Button is a stress/energy management expert, holistic healer, and award-winning author who celebrates life.  She has a longtime natural healing practice and is an ordained minister. Among her books are: Discover The Secret Energized You (http://tinyurl.com/b44v3br), Inspirations for Peace Within:  Quotes and Images to Uplift and Inspire, and Sacred Meditation: Embracing the Divine.  The books are available on Amazon and through Kebba’s office.   They are also available in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the Franciscan Renewal Center bookstore and at the bookstore at St. Barnabas on the Desert Episcopal Church. Or simply email us to order:  kebba@kebba.com .  Thank you!

Books by Kebba Buckley Button

Healthy Happy Loving Life: 15 Top Tips to Beat Allergy Suffering Naturally

Tags

allergies, allergy, Allergy stress, Feeling energized, Health, Healthy Happy Loving Life, Kebba Buckley Button, natural allergy relief, stress, Stress Management, The life you want, UpBeat Living

© Kebba Buckley Button, MS, OM.  World Rights Reserved.

© rawpixelimages on megapixel

How Big is the Problem of Allergic Suffering?

According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI), allergies are common and on the rise. Worldwide, allergic rhinitis (irritation of the sinuses) is a misery 10 to 30 percent live with.  And if you thought pollens were your major source of allergic discomfort, be comforted.  Pollens are the main allergen group globally.  The goal of this column is always to help you find the most effective, most natural, and least expensive solutions to anything that is causing stress and misery in your life.  So here is some basic information to help you thrive, rather than survive.  And here are my top 16 tips for beating allergy suffering.

As you have noticed, tissue in hand, peak allergy season is upon us.  Now, in many parts of the country, the misery of allergy stress is keeping sufferers from enjoying life.  Sniffles, congestion, headaches, sore throats, raspy voices, brain fog, fatigue, and even nausea are all symptoms people are having this week.  For those who want to track the density of pollen in their area, websites like Pollen.com can send out a daily email alert, with a rating of 0 to 12, and the types of pollens that are high that day.  Designate your location and you’ll find out, for example, that Phoenix is high in Ash, Poplar, and Mulberry pollens.  Today’s level is 8.7, and tomorrow is expected to be 7.8.  So tomorrow is a better day for gardening, and today is a better day to wear a mask outside.  Pollen.com also has an app called Allergy Plus, which is free.

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What are some medications you could use?

Everyone knows there are over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamines of several different types.  If you have been taking one, and it isn’t working while a particular pollen is high, you may want to try another type of antihistamine.  Also, there is now a different type of (prescription) medication for allergy, an antileukotreine, that may work better for you.  A popular prescription brand is Singulair, with the generic name Montelukast.  Check with your doctor about symptoms and possible interactions with other drugs you may be taking.

What are some natural allergy solutions?

Yes– this column is usually about natural solutions!  And these tend to be low-cost and pleasant, with quick- and also extended relief.  Here are some you may want to try.

1. Rinse your sinuses with salt water. You can purchase a pot with a pointed end through which to sniff or snort the salt water.  It might be called a neti pot.  Be sure to follow the instructions on keeping the pot clean.  You can also put warm water and a pinch of salt in a small bowl, and simply sniff or snort the salt water.  Hold your head back or down, and hold your nostrils, to get the salt water into your sinuses.  Blow the water and possibly mucus out and repeat several times; you may also want to gargle with the leftover salt water.  There are packets of salt available to add to your warm water.

2. Check your spice cabinet for ginger powder. Mix ½ teaspoon ginger powder into a cup of warm, filtered (chlorine-removed) water.  Stir and drink.  Feel your symptoms improving in minutes.  Yes, fresh ginger root, grated and pressed through cheesecloth or a tea filter, is wonderful.  But when you are feeling bad, and you want immediate improvement, just add the ginger powder to your water.  The ginger is very yang, and it will balance out the yin symptoms of allergies.  If you prefer, you can take ginger in capsules, which you can buy in any health food store—empty, for you to fill, or already filled.  Oil of oregano capsules work for some.
3. If the roof of your mouth is prickly, try drinking freshly squeezed orange juice.
4. Look for homeopathics. For Arizona, Allergena for Zone 6, 2 ounce, may sufficiently solve your seasonal allergies.

© serenethos on megapixl

Reducing the allergens you take in

1. Change your home’s air filter to one that has many accordion-type folds across its can be the most irritating.  Research has proven that this type of filter removes almost all of the provocative particles, so spend the extra $8 for this type.  Your improved sleep at night and your increased productivity during the day will be worth much more than that.
2. Use local air filters in each room. You can run room-size air filter units ($39 to $450),  parking one near your work area and one near your sleep zone.  Some types are totally silent, and some make a humming or whirring sound.  Some require purchased replacement filters, and some simply have a contact plate inside to wipe clean.  Play around with different models, to find the best type for you and your budget.
3. Outside, filter what you breathe. Wear a mask if you like—never reverse it! And have a fresh air filter installed in your car. There is probably also an “air recirculate” setting on your car air conditioner or heater.  Use that to limit the amount of fresh air coming in.
4. Vacuum and dust. Allergens such as dust can make your seasonal allergies worse.  Use a water-bath vacuum if you have one, and use a damp cloth for dusting.
5. Try a salt lamp. Salt lamps favorably change the ions in the room, and they are said to purify the air.  Until more research is done, think of salt lamps as pleasant glowy things that offer a comforting, soft light, and may be beneficial to your health.  These are available in white or amber, in natural mineral shapes and as spheres,  from golf-ball size to bowling-ball size.  My office has an 8” round salt lamp in each room, with embedded dimmer switches; found online, they were about $35 each.
6. Wash and dry your hair every night. Yes!  Your hair efficiently picks up odors, smoke, dust, and pollens, during the day.  Then, when you lie down to sleep, you are breathing a special concentration of the very irritants that are causing your allergy stress.  So wash that hair every night.
7. Put a small, fresh towel across your pillow every night. Especially if nightly hair washing doesn’t work for your lifestyle, at least you can give yourself a clean surface to sleep on every night.  In the morning, throw that little towel in the wash and launder it on HOT with natural detergent.  Dry it on HOT.  You can also use a bath towel you have folded into a pillow size and shape.

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Strengthen your system

1. Place the palms or heels of your hands to the sides of your neck and gently rock across the sore muscles. Notice how tight your shoulder tops are.  Now gently stretch your shoulders in every direction for 2 minutes.  Notice your congestion calming and your head feeling less heavy.
2. Do yoga or chikung (Chinese yoga) to increase breath. Ask your yoga- or chikung teacher, or try these exercises:  in yoga, do Suryanamaskar, the Salutation to the Sun.  In chikung, do the Northwest Exercise.
3. Take Vitamin C and combinations containing it. Vitamin C increases breath and strengthens your blood vessels.  Some Vitamin C supplements are available with other helpful vitamins, minerals or herbs that may reduce your allergy symptoms.  The two most popular are Emergen-C and Airborne.
4. Elevate your head when sleeping. If you are very congested, despite your best efforts, sleep on a wedge pillow or simply add an extra pillow.  As always, experiment to make it the most comfortable.

And finally

See your doctor if you see funny colors. If your throat feels raw, or your nasal discharge is white or green, it may be time to let your doctor check for strep and its friends.  Infections are even less fun than allergies!

Have fun experimenting with a few, or all, of these natural helps.  Remember, what relieves your allergy stress may or may not work for your friend or your relative.  Hopefully, you’ll be much more comfortable after using these tips, and you’ll be able to enjoy your life during pollen season.

So plan ahead and set yourself up for comfort and energy during pollen season!  Now exhale completely and enjoy this beautiful Spring!  And that’s you: more and more Healthy Happy and Loving Life^sm.

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Kebba Buckley Button is a stress management expert, holistic healer, and award-winning author who celebrates life.  She has a longtime natural healing practice and is an ordained minister. Among her books are: Discover The Secret Energized You (http://tinyurl.com/b44v3br), Inspirations for Peace Within:  Quotes and Images to Uplift and Inspire, and Sacred Meditation: Embracing the Divine.  The books are available on Amazon and through Kebba’s office.   They are also available in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the Franciscan Renewal Center bookstore and at the bookstore at St. Barnabas on the Desert Episcopal Church. Or simply email us to order:  kebba@kebba.com .  Thank you!

Books by Kebba Buckley Button

Healthy Happy Loving Life: 3 Top Secrets of Great Relationships

Tags

great relationships, Healthy Happy Loving Life, Kebba Buckley Button, LifeTools, The life you want

© Kebba Buckley Button, MS, OM. World Rights Reserved.

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Three Top Secrets of Great Relationships

If you want the best energy, health, and wellness, take a fresh look at your relationships. That’s right.  Studies show that people with a network of supportive relationships are less likely to get serious medical conditions. They are also more likely, if they do become ill, to become well. People with happy relationships are less prone to depression and more inclined to be financially successful. With satisfying relationships, people have a greater sense of well-being and simply enjoy life more.

So, do you want more satisfaction from the relationships you have? Do you want more close friendships? Do you perhaps have a business in which your client relationships could use some refreshing or deepening? Would you like to reduce stress in conflicted relationships? If so, read on for the three top secrets of great relationships.

 

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The first secret of great relationships is to treat each person as though they are precious.

 If you believe in a Divine Power, then you know the Divine holds each person to be precious, no matter how they look, sound, or act. Try to see each person as “a soul in a package.” A person’s physical form—their body, their appearance—is only packaging for the soul. In spare moments, practice imagining that you can see “the soul inside the package” of the people you see most often. Notice how you begin to care less about the externals you had been wishing they would change. Your teenager’s pink hair will seem less important. Your neighbor’s black lipstick and nails will fade in your awareness. That negative guy at the office will begin to seem less negative. When you truly treat another with respect, that is what you will get back. If someone speaks to you rudely, speak back as though they had spoken politely. Their energy will shift to the level of yours.

In situations with conflict, reply in a courteous, positive, interested manner. Most people will gradually shift, becoming polite and beginning to match your tone. You know this works in reverse. Many times, you have seen tones rise in anger, response by response, until a conversation has turned into a conflict. So now, with awareness, you can work it the opposite way to bring down dislike, disrespect, and conflict, notch by notch. If the relationship is already positive, you can deepen it with this method, as the person will absorb your respect more and more and reflect it back. Over time, this builds mutual trust and confidence. People will feel safe to express their minds and hearts around you.

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The second secret of great relationships is to listen to the other person’s story.

 Really listen. Make most of your conversation focus on the other person. Studies show that people crave to be loved, and the number one way that people feel they are loved is by others’ listening to them. Ask questions, even if they sound initially superficial. During any holiday time, for example, you can turn to an acquaintance and ask, “So are there any foods you particularly like this time of year? Are there foods that really say ‘Christmas’ to you?” Then maintain eye contact and listen. What you will begin to hear is what is important to this person about the holidays, or what they find superficial and do not bother with at these times. You will begin to hear whether they do or don’t get together with family or if they are closer with their friends than with their relatives.

Feel free to ask clarifying questions, since it shows the person that you really are listening and are interested. Ask “Wait, did you just say your sister comes from Ohio every year to ski in Flagstaff, Arizona? When there are tons of snow in Ohio? How did that get started?” Now you’ll learn that ski slopes are much steeper in Arizona, and your friend prefers drinking espresso drinks while his sister is skiing the expert slopes. So the next time you meet your friend, meet him at a unique and charming espresso bar. Listening to others will get you out of your normal thought grooves and blow fresh ideas through your consciousness. You may find that, in getting to know them, you enjoy them more, and certainly they will feel closer to you because you inquired and listened.

 © Kebba Buckley Button

The third secret of great relationships is to make no assumptions.

 Be open to who each person may really be. A person who is “messy” today may have stayed up all night with their ill parent at the hospital or with their asthmatic child at home. An “unfriendly” or “grumpy” person may be grieving. A “curt” person may be in physical pain. A “vague” person may need their other glasses, which are at home on the hall table. A “secretive” person may have a gossipy coworker who has previously damaged them with exaggerated careless whispers. You could be the first kind person these people have talked with in a long time.

Do not assume any unsmiling person needs cheering up and they need you to fix them! Do ask privately, with respect, and informally, “Are you OK?” Remember, others may be listening, so keep your voice down. If the person grumbles something back, ask quietly, “Can I help in any way?” At this point, they will probably say, “Oh, it’s just my ______(back/4-year-old/Dad in hospital, car problem).” So now ask gently, “What’s going on?” If they say they just want their space, and if you can honestly offer to listen at another time, say quietly, “Well, if you want talk later…” and now give them their space. Advice is completely unrequired in many situations, but your kindness will long be remembered and appreciated.

If someone begins to tell you all about their recent troubles, it is again not your personal mission to fix this person. Remembering that each person is precious, try to discern if the person just needs to vent. Do they just want to be heard, or do they want suggestions? If you can’t clearly tell, ask, “Do you want any ideas on that?” If they don’t want suggestions or help, just listen and then let them be.

Remember: each precious soul has a right to make choices along life’s path. So if you want better, closer, deeper relationships, treat others with true respect, listen, and be open to who they are. In focusing on others, you will reap lifetime rewards.

Next time:  Natural allergy helps!

As you continue to Discover The Secret Energized You, push the possibilities. See how far the LifeTools can take you into energy, enthusiasm, and rejuvenation. You are now embarking on the most profound adventure: to Discover The Secret Energized You and redesign your life. Make the most of this adventure to make the most of your life! And that will be you, more and more Healthy Happy and Loving Life^sm!

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Kebba Buckley Button is a stress/energy management expert, holistic healer, and award-winning author who celebrates life.  She has a longtime natural healing practice and is an ordained minister. Among her books are: Discover The Secret Energized You (http://tinyurl.com/b44v3br), Inspirations for Peace Within:  Quotes and Images to Uplift and Inspire, and Sacred Meditation: Embracing the Divine.  The books are available on Amazon and through Kebba’s office.   They are also available in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the Franciscan Renewal Center bookstore and at the bookstore at St. Barnabas on the Desert Episcopal Church. Or simply email us to order:  kebba@kebba.com .  Thank you!

Books by Kebba Buckley Button

Healthy Happy Loving Life: Perk With Coffee

Tags

alkaline drops, Healthy Happy Loving Life, heart health, Kebba Buckley Button, LifeTools, The life you want

© Kebba Buckley Button, MS, OM. World Rights Reserved.

© cameraydave on megapixl

Coffee is Much More Than Caffeine

Coffee lovers worldwide know the distinctive aroma, taste, and general effects of a steaming—or iced—cup of this ancient beverage. Served black, thick with spices, or dressed up with milk, cream, foam, soymilk/almond milk, sugar, and possibly flavored syrups, coffee is the beverage of choice for millions. Entrepreneur upstart Starbucks, now the industry leader in the U.S., even sponsors coffee shops on the Mercy Ships, floating surgical hospitals serving the African coastal countries with free medical services.

So, aside from taste, why is coffee so popular? Any coffee drinker will tell you they get a short-term boost from drinking java. They would all agree with the medical studies that have proven that coffee produces an increase in energy and mental clarity, including memory, for an hour or more after it is consumed. Many assume that boost is from the caffeine in the cup. In conversation, people often refer to coffee and caffeine as though caffeine is the only substance in coffee. These folks believe coffee is simply a stimulant and a metabolic cheat. The truth is much more beneficial and enjoyable.

According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN), the antioxidants in coffee may reduce inflammation and thereby reduce the risk of potential disorders related to it. Cardiovascular disease is one of these. Phenols, volatile aroma compounds, and oxazoles in coffee contribute to its high antioxidant content. Researchers were surprised to discover that coffee is the single greatest contributor of antioxidants to the diet of both U.S. residents and Norwegians. A typical serving of coffee contains more antioxidants than typical servings of grape juice, blueberries, raspberries, and oranges, according to another study in the AJCN.

Coffee:  because adulting is hard.

The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published a broad review of studies of coffee use. Coffee is now known to be associated with a lower risk of Type 2 diabetes, as well as lower risk of heart disease, liver cancer, and cirrhosis of the liver. Drinking decaffeinated coffee produced the same results as drinking coffee with its inherent caffeine, up to five cups per day. However, researchers are not suggesting that people raise their coffee intake in order to prevent disease. Of course, everyone needs to coordinate self-medication with their doctor or other medical professional. If you are concerned about how acidic your favorite coffee is, try adding alkaline drops (such as Alkazone) to your cup.

So do you love coffee? Do you feel good, feel alert, and function well with a cup or three per day? Then why not relax in a favorite chair, drink your favorite blend, and let the research roll in?

Next time: 3 Top Secrets for Great Relationships!

As you continue to Discover The Secret Energized You, push the possibilities. See how far the LifeTools can take you into energy, enthusiasm, and rejuvenation. You are now embarking on the most profound adventure: to Discover The Secret Energized You and redesign your life. Make the most of this adventure to make the most of your life! And that will be you, more and more Healthy Happy and Loving Life^sm!

---

Kebba Buckley Button is a stress/energy management expert, holistic healer, and award-winning author who celebrates life.  She has a longtime natural healing practice and is an ordained minister. Among her books are: Discover The Secret Energized You (http://tinyurl.com/b44v3br), Inspirations for Peace Within:  Quotes and Images to Uplift and Inspire, and Sacred Meditation: Embracing the Divine.  The books are available on Amazon and through Kebba’s office.   They are also available in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the Franciscan Renewal Center bookstore and at the bookstore at St. Barnabas on the Desert Episcopal Church. Or simply email us to order:  kebba@kebba.com .  Thank you!

Books by Kebba Buckley Button

Healthy Happy Loving Life: Wordless Wednesday Labyrinth Views

Tags

Healthy Happy Loving Life, Kebba Buckley Button, labyrinth, labyrinth meditation

© 2023 Kebba Buckley Button, MS, OM.  World Rights Reserved. http://www.kebba.com

All images in this post are © Kebba Buckley Button.

Today I share three views of a favorite Labyrinth— a patterned prayer walkway at St. Barnabas on the Desert Episcopal Church in Scottsdale, Arizona. The practice of Labyrinth walking goes back at least thousands of years.  On this recent day, I was teaching a method for releasing grief.  Each of us left a stone in the center of the Labyrinth, symbolizing our releasing something.  It was a powerful and pleasant experience.  Here, I share three views of the Labyrinth from different angles, so you can get the idea of its size and pattern. And yes, the urbanscape rising behind the Church is the custom Residences by Ritz Carlton.  Enjoy your Labyrinth visit!

Walking the Labyrinth is a LifeTool you can use whenever you like.  Let wonder help you Discover The Secret Energized You, and push the possibilities. See how far the LifeTools can take you into energy, enthusiasm, and rejuvenation. You are now embarking on the most profound adventure: to Discover The Secret Energized You and redesign your life. Make the most of this adventure to make the most of your life! And that will be you, more and more Healthy Happy and Loving Life^sm!

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Kebba Buckley Button is a stress/energy management expert, holistic healer, and award-winning author who celebrates life.  She has a longtime natural healing practice and is an ordained minister. Among her books are: Discover The Secret Energized You (http://tinyurl.com/b44v3br), Inspirations for Peace Within:  Quotes and Images to Uplift and Inspire, and Sacred Meditation: Embracing the Divine.  The books are available on Amazon and through Kebba’s office.   They are also available in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the Franciscan Renewal Center bookstore and at the bookstore at St. Barnabas on the Desert Episcopal Church. Or simply email us to order:  kebba@kebba.com .  Thank you!

Books by Kebba Buckley Button