The Third Eye Meditation

Breathe deeply. Inhale, slowly filling your abdomen up to your collarbone and exhale until the last breath is out. Relax.
Close your eyes. Place your attention on the area between your eyebrows. After a short time, a point of light will present itself in the center of your inner field of vision. Keep your focus there. For some people, it will be beneficial to raise their eyeballs as if they were looking up at about a 25-degree angle. For others, just directing their attention upwards will be easier and less distracting. After some experimentation, go with one of the ways exclusively. In the beginning of third eye practice, it may help to place your thumb at the outer edge of one eye and your middle finger on the outer edge of the other, while placing your index finger at the mid-point between your eyebrows. This gives you a point of focus to place your attention. It also allows you to prevent your eyelids from fluttering. This commonly occurs and can be distracting until you get used to the sensations that accompany this technique.
Let the light come to you. Be available to be filled. The more you continue practicing this meditation, the more layers of the veil of illusion will peel away and Reality will reveal itself to you. As you perceive the Truth, your understanding of the delusional concept that you are apart from the rest of the universe will lose its grip on you, and the knowledge that you are a part of all and everything will become undeniably apparent. Your chattering mind will eventually dissolve in the unspeakable transcendent light of love that is now and forever within and without you...

Read more: http://www.parentingweekly.com/pregnancy/breathingspace/vol19/pregnancy_meditation.asp

The Importance of Dietary Iron

Iron is found in every cell of your body and is an essential component of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to tissues throughout the body. Iron is also found in myoglobin, which distributes oxygen to the muscle, skeletal, and heart muscles. Iron is also critical to the proper functioning of the immune system and the production of energy. Insufficient iron stores in the body can lead to anemia and other illnesses. Women who are menstruating, pregnant, or lactating are at an increased risk for iron deficiency.
There are two types of dietary iron: heme iron, which is found only in animal tissue, and non-heme iron, which is found in plant foods and diary products and is added to iron-enriched and iron-fortified foods. Although heme iron has been shown to be more readily absorbed by the body, most dietary iron is non-heme.
Iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency in the US and around the world. Iron deficiency causes anemia which reduces the oxygen carried to tissue. Donating blood regularly, excessive menstrual bleeding, some medications that interfere with the absorption of iron (such as antacids), and pregnancy and lactation can all contribute to iron deficiency. The elderly, vegetarians and children are often iron deficient. People who are low in iron may experience weakness, fatigue, an inability to focus, increased susceptibility to illness, hair loss, lack of balance, headaches, brittle nails, apathy and depression. They may also crave or eat inedible materials such as dirt, clay, laundry starch, charcoal, and lead paint chips, a behavior called pica. Iron deficiency is associated with learning disabilities and a lower IQ in children and Harvard researchers recently determined that that iron deficiency may play a key role in female infertility.
Chronic iron overload, on the other hand, can cause many of the same symptoms, including loss of appetite, fatigue, weight loss, headaches, bronze or gray hue to the skin, dizziness, nausea, and shortness of breath. However, this condition usually only occurs in people who have regular blood transfusions, take iron supplements or have a genetic disorder called hemachromatosis. Men are at a greater risk for iron overload than a deficiency because they do not regularly lose iron.
Iron poisoning can occur when large quantities of iron-containing supplements are ingested and can cause nausea, vomiting, damage to the lining of the intestinal tract, shock, and liver failure. It is a leading cause of death among children.
The iron present in whole grains is contained in the bran and germ. The milling process that turns whole grains into refined grains removes the bran and germ, eliminating approximately 75 percent of the iron. Although many refined grains are fortified with iron, it does not absorb as well as naturally occurring iron. And while cooking with iron cookware adds iron to food, it can eventually lead to iron toxicity. Our bodies absorb iron as it's needed; for example, during children's growth spurts and during pregnancy and lactation. Certain nutrients increase iron absorption, such as ascorbic acid (vitamin C), copper, cobalt, manganese and amino acids, while others - such as calcium - decrease its absorption. While oral contraceptives don't increase absorption, they can help women maintain their iron levels by reducing the amount of blood lost during menstruation.
The regular use of antacids and low stomach acid can decrease the body's ability to absorb iron, as can the caffeine and tannins in coffee and tea. While the effect from tannins does not need to be a consideration for people with healthy iron levels, those who are iron deficient should wait an hour or more after meals before drinking caffeinated teas. In addition, the phosphates found in soda, phytates found in whole grains, and oxalates found in spinach and chocolate can all decrease iron absorption. The phytates and oxalates can form complexes with the iron, which prevents its absorption in the intestinal track.

Find out more about dietary iron and how you can get it from your diet: http://www.parentingweekly.com/pregnancy/breathingspace/vol18/pregnancy_health_fitness.asp

Olive Oil's Bountiful Benefits

Olea europaea, also known as the olive tree, has been a source of food, wood, fuel and medicine for civilizations since approximately 3000 B.C and has become a symbol of peace and wisdom throughout the world. The oil produced from its olives is used extensively in Mediterranean diets and may be the cause of lower rates of heart disease, atherosclerosis, diabetes, asthma and certain types of cancer in that region's population.
Olive oil is made from crushing and pressing olives. Extra virgin is the unrefined oil made from the first pressing and has the most delicate flavor and highest phyto-nutrient and antioxidant content. Virgin is also derived from the first pressing but has a higher acidity level than extra virgin, fewer phyto-nutrients and a less delicate flavor. Pure olive oil is a bit of a misnomer as it actually means the oil is a blend of refined and virgin olive oils.
While olive oil is rich in fat, it is primarily monounsaturated fat which is better for you than saturated fat. Scientists have determined that particles of LDL ("bad") cholesterol that contain monounsaturated fats are less likely to become oxidized and stick to artery walls, eventually forming the plaques that can lead to a heart attack or stroke. A recent study, published in the Medical Science Monitor, of 28 individuals with high cholesterol showed that, when the saturated fat was removed from their diets and replaced with olive oil, their LDL cholesterol levels dropped an average of 18 percent. Scientists believe that the polyphenolic compounds found in olive oil inhibit the adhesion of cells to the blood vessel lining, thereby preventing atherosclerosis.
The polyphenols present in olive oil are responsible for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anticoagulant benefits, and may help fight osteoporosis, colon cancer, diabetes, heart disease, asthma and arthritis. The positive affect of olive oil's polyphenols on bone health are so dramatic that France's National Institute for Agricultural Research has been licensed to use them in food, supplements and herbal medicine for the prevention of osteoporosis. Postmenopausal women used in a crossover study were found to have decreased inflammation-mediated bone loss and their DNA experienced 30 percent less damage when consuming extra virgin olive oil. This is due to the antioxidants found in olive oil, which are free radical scavengers.
A recent study found that the oleic acid found in olive oil may help fight breast cancer. Oleic acid, the primary monounsaturated fatty acid present in olive oil, has been found to reduce the expression of Her-2/neu oncogene, which has been related to the aggressive growth of breast cancer. Her-2/neu levels are high in one-fifth of breast cancer cases, particularly those that are resistant to treatment. Oleic acid promotes the suicide (apoptotic) of aggressive, treatment-resistant cells. The anticoagulant properties in olive oil have beneficial effects on the endothelium, the thin layer of cells that lines every blood vessel in the body. The endothelium facilitates blood flow and regulates blood clotting and the adhesion of cells to the vessel walls (which leads to the formation of plaque). After eating a meal, the endothelium is usually impaired for hours, but scientists at Reina Sofia University Hospital in Cordoba, Spain, found that after consuming virgin olive oil its function actually improves. In addition, the amount of nitric oxide in the blood increases, which relaxes the blood vessels.
Olive oil may also be useful as a mild pain reliever. Pennsylvania biologist Dr. Gary Beauchamp found that, when he tasted high quality olive oil, the stinging sensation it left in his throat resembled the sensation caused by ibuprofen. After studying olive oil further, he discovered a compound in the oil that suppresses the body's prostaglandin system and functions like a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent. He found that approximately 4 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil contains roughly the same amount of anti-inflammatory compounds, or oleocanthal, as 10 percent of the ibuprofen recommended for pain relief in adults. While this amount won't cure a headache and many diets should not include this much oil, daily consumption can prevent inflammation and provide similar benefits as long-term ibuprofen use without the risk of intestinal bleeding and kidney damage. To find out how much oleocanthal is in your olive oil, scientists suggest tasting it. The greater the sting, the greater the oleocanthal content.

Read more:

http://www.parentingweekly.com/pregnancy/breathingspace/vol17/pregnancy_health_fitness.asp

The Heart Can Heal Itself

At the University College London (UCL), scientists have recently discovered that cells from the heart's outer layer can migrate into a failing organ to carry out necessary repairs. This finding highlights the power of stem cells that are readily available in each person's heart and may lead to more effective treatment of serious heart problems.
Ten years ago, a toddler with a heart that was too big and too weak was given a donor heart and her original heart left intact. Recently, her body rejected the donor heart and when the doctors opened her up, they found her heart had healed itself.
The cells that carry out these repairs are called progenitor cells and are controlled by the protein thymosin beta 4, which has already been shown to reduce muscle cell loss after a heart attack. Scientists are now researching ways to manipulate this protein to treat heart disease. Progenitor cells are similar to stem cells because they have the potential to turn into many different types of adult tissue.
In the past, it was thought that to carry out repairs on the heart, progenitor cells needed to be summoned from the bone marrow, but this study puts that theory to rest. The progenitor cells needed to repair the heart are already located within the heart tissue itself.
The UCL team found that progenitor cells under the influence of thymosin beta 4 can be stimulated to create new blood vessels. Dr. Paul Riley, the lead researcher said: "We found that, when treated with thymosin beta 4, these adult cells have as much potential as embryonic cells to create healthy heart tissue." This discovery helps to avoid the risks of immune system rejection when using stem cell transplants from another source because the cells are already located where they are needed.

Read more: http://www.parentingweekly.com/pregnancy/breathingspace/vol16/pregnancy_health_fitness.asp

The Dalai Lama's Meditation

Sit quietly, calmly with eyes closed, as relaxed yet aware as you can be.
Visualize yourself on the left side of your minds eye as you would appear to yourself and others in a moment of impatience. Really see this inner vision. Watch your face, observe your body language. What does your impatient self look like?
On the right side of your minds eye, see yourself when you are very patient. What do you look like when you have a lifetime of time. As tense as you appeared on the left as your impatient self, see yourself as relaxed in your patience on the right.
Now on the left side, see yourself as you appear when you're depressed. Look carefully. How does that make you feel? Can you be aware of the aura of doom and gloom you're radiating? And then, on the right side of your minds eye, see yourself as you are when you're joyous. Merge with that happiness. Know how others would see you.
Continue seeing all the seemingly negative feelings and behaviors on the inner left-hand side of your minds eye and the opposite on the right.
On the left, see yourself as jealous and on the right as how you appear when you are truly glad for someone else's success or happiness. On the left, see the bigoted you and on the right, the all-embracing. On the left the mean, on the right the sweet. See the stupid you and the brilliant. See the clumsy and the graceful. On the left, see the unsatisfied and on the right, the contented.
Go on and on, becoming familiar with the "you" on the left and the opposite "you" on the right.
Then see the total "you" who would be there on the left if none of the characteristics of the right side were present. Now see the "you" who would be the totality of yourself with the right side only if none of the behaviors and feelings of the left side "you" had ever appeared.

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http://www.parentingweekly.com/pregnancy/breathingspace/vol15/pregnancy_meditation.asp

Yogurt's Amazing Benefits

Yogurt has been consumed for thousands of years, but scientists have only recently begun to reveal its ability to dramatically increase your overall health. Yogurt contains valuable nutrients and can help you lose weight, boost immunity, ward off fungus and infections, and fight cancer.
Researchers have studied countries in which fermented dairy products (including yogurt) are eaten on a regular basis and have found a direct correlation between the consumption of these products and a longer life span. So what is so special about yogurt that it helps improve health and prolong life?
Yogurt is made by adding living bacteria cultures to milk, which turns the sugar in milk (lactose) into lactic acid. While we usually consider bacteria as something to avoid, these are good bacteria that provide a wealth of health benefits. And it is safe to eat throughout pregnancy, unless you are specifically allergic.
The bacteria present in yogurt can help prevent yeast infections during pregnancy and boost overall immune system health. A recent study of women who were at a high risk of yeast infections showed a threefold decrease in infections in women who ate eight ounces of yogurt a day for six months.
A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that yogurt fights off pneumonia in animals. Malnourished mice that were fed the live cultures present in yogurt were able to clear the pneumonia pathogen from their blood and had less lung damage than the control group. The result was the control group took 21 days to recover from pneumonia while the mice given yogurt cultures recovered in just 7 days. In another study involving healthy women aged 22 to 29 daily yogurt consumption was proved to stimulate cellular immunity, a benefit that persisted even after the women stopped eating yogurt every day.
Although low-fat foods are recommended as part of a healthy diet, according to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition even full-fat dairy foods may significantly reduce the risk of colorectal cancer and other diseases. The fat found in these products, known as conjugated linoleic acid, has been shown to be cardioprotective.
Yogurt has also been shown to be beneficial for inflammatory diseases like inflammatory bowel disorders and arthritis. Israeli researchers reported in the Journal of Nutrition that the probiotic (friendly) bacteria, Lactobacillus, found in yogurt have "remarkable, preventative and curative" effects on arthritis. Yogurt can also shut down the bacterium responsible for ulcers, according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Yogurt is a great source of calcium which is especially important for pregnant women whose calcium reserves are used by their growing baby. One study of young girls going through puberty growth spurts found that yogurt is better for building bone than calcium supplements. It's also a good source of phosphorous, riboflavin-vitamin B2, vitamin B12, pantothenic acid-vitamin B5, iodine, zinc, potassium, protein and molybdenum.
Calcium-rich foods such as yogurt can also help you lose weight around the midsection. A study published in the International Journal of Obesity of 16 obese women and men on a reduced calorie diet lost 61 percent more fat and 81 percent more abdominal fat in three months when consuming yogurt daily, compared with 18 participants that ate the same number of calories but little to no dairy products.

Read more: http://www.parentingweekly.com/pregnancy/breathingspace/vol14/pregnancy_health_fitness.asp

Meditate on Reality

Find a comfortable space and position. Begin breathing deeply through your nose. Slowly draw out each breath, gently allowing the air to fill your body and then escape.
Close your eyes.
Listen to the sounds around you, whatever they may be. Listen to barking dogs, passing traffic, people talking. Listen to the sounds going on inside your body. Listen to your stomach's grumbling, your heart's pumping beat, the blood running into each part of your body.
With these sounds, create a mental image. Imagine each sound as a wave on the surface of a large lake or ocean. But instead of water, it is life. As you go deeper into the water, your breath becomes free and deep. This is the ocean of your life, where you exist and move.
Breathe in deeply, hold it for a moment and as you exhale, plunge deeper into the ocean of life.

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http://www.parentingweekly.com/pregnancy/breathingspace/vol14/pregnancy_meditation.asp

The Lion's Roar during Labor

Pratyahara is the act of directing your attention to a "disturbance." Instead of trying to avoid or suppress pain, accept it and experience it. As you get to know it, it will no longer feel dangerous. The pain may not disappear but the fear of it will. Fear and stress can complicate the birthing process and put your body through more suffering than necessary. Once you can accept the pain and allow yourself to experience it, birth becomes a powerful experience. Some women have said they were able to feel each movement of their uterus through this technique, while others have said they were able to allow the forces of nature to work.
The Lion's Roar
Many women have found this vocal toning technique to be very beneficial during labor. Open your mouth and stretch your tongue far out. While exhaling, make a relaxed, deep sound. This will automatically cause your body to respond and begin to relax from your groin to your pelvic floor and up.

Read more: http://www.parentingweekly.com/pregnancy/breathingspace/vol12/pregnancy_exercise.asp

When Faced with a Big Decision, Don't Think

When faced with a really big decision, some people make lists of pros and cons, while others talk it out with their best friend, but a new study suggests that listening to your unconscious mind may be a better way to arrive at a conclusion.
The research, performed at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, found that our conscious mind can only consider a small amount of information at one time, so when it is faced with a lot of data, it has to ignore a significant percentage, which can result in an unsatisfactory decision. Therefore, it appears our conscious mind should only be trusted with simple decisions, such as what to have for lunch.
In the study, scientist Ap Dijksterhuis and his colleagues tested 80 people both in the lab and at furniture and department stores. The participants were provided with information about a number of products and asked to make decisions about simple and complex purchases, such as which shampoo, furniture, or car to buy. In one test, half the test subjects were asked to think about the information they were provided and then choose which item to buy among similar products. The other half were shown the same information but were given a series of puzzles to perform, such as anagrams and arithmetic. When the puzzle session ended, the participants were asked to make snap decisions about which product to buy.
"We found that when the choice was for something simple, such as purchasing oven gloves or shampoo, people made better decisions - ones that they remained happy with - if they consciously deliberated over the information," says Dijksterhuis, "but once the decision was more complex such as for a house, too much thinking about it led people to make the wrong choice. Whereas, if their conscious mind was fully occupied on solving puzzles, their unconscious could freely consider all the information and they reached better decisions."
However, the unconscious mind does appear to need some guidance when making decisions. "It was only when people were told before the puzzles that they would need to reach a decision that they were able to come up with the right one," Dijksterhuis concluded. If the test subjects were told that the product information they had been shown before the puzzles was unimportant, they failed to make satisfactory choices.
"At some point in our evolution, we started to make decisions consciously, and we're not very good at it. We should learn to let our unconscious handle the complicated things."
So what exactly is the unconscious mind? Read more:

http://www.parentingweekly.com/pregnancy/breathingspace/vol11/pregnancy_health_fitness.asp

A Miracle Called Honey

Living up to its name as the "Nectar of the Gods," honey and other bee products historically have been hailed for a wide-range of uses, including quick energy for workouts, to increase fertility, to halt decomposition in certain foods, and increase overall nutrition. It is used in skin products, to soothe sore throats and to increase intestinal health. Truly a miraculous substance, honey and other bee pollen products come in almost as many varieties as wine but offer many more benefits.

Before grape wine was ever introduced, people in ancient Crete were consuming "honey wine," made from honey, water, yeast and added flavors. The word "honeymoon" stems from Anglo-Saxon times when newlyweds would take a fermented honey drink, called mead, every day for a month to increase fertility. Honey wine was popular throughout history in Northern Europe; so popular, in fact, that the word for "drunk" in classic Greek is translated as "honey-intoxicated."

The most commonly known bee product is honey, which is a concentrated energy source and contains antioxidants and amino acids, as well as a wide variety of vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin B6, thiamin, riboflavin, Pantothenic acid and minerals such as calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and zinc. Although these substances appear in trace amounts and vary depending on the honey's floral source, they contribute to the overall nutritional benefit of honey. There are over 300 floral sources for honey in the United States, including clover, alfalfa, buckwheat, blackberry, and orange blossom. A honey's flavor, color, and consistency are usually determined by the dominant floral source in the area where the honey is made. Lighter-colored honeys have a milder taste, while darker-colored honeys are usually bolder in flavor. Darker honeys also tend to have a higher mineral content and greater antioxidant potential.

Honey contains natural sugars that are quick and easy to absorb, making the journey from table to bloodstream in a record-breaking seven minutes. The natural sugars present in honey are glucose and fructose, and recent studies suggest that this unique mixture of sugars works best in preventing fatigue and enhancing athletic performance, and it won't cause the sudden drop in blood sugar that is associated with refined sugars.

A limited study at the University of Memphis Exercise and Sports Nutrition Laboratory found honey to be one of the most effective forms of carbohydrate gels to ingest just prior to exercise. Many post-workout products on the market combine large amounts of carbohydrates (usually maltodextrin) with protein. In a comparison of a honey-protein versus a maltodextrin-protein shake taken after a vigorous weightlifting workout, the honey-protein combination was as efficient at promoting muscle recuperation, and the blood sugar of the participants who consumed the honey-protein combination was sustained for at least two hours post-workout. Athletes may also benefit from using honey for its antibacterial properties, which can help clear infection in wounds, as well as the anti-inflammatory action of honey, which can reduce pain and improve circulation, speeding the healing process.

A natural preservative, honey has also been used for centuries to keep food from degenerating. It reduces enzymatic browning in fruits and vegetables and prevents lipid oxidation in meats, and can delay spoilage in baked goods, dairy products, meats, sauces, snacks and spreads. Some manufacturers have taken advantage of this quality, using it in cereal bars and on certain vegetables.

Skin care manufacturers have used honey for its moisturizing qualities in everything from hand lotions and moisturizers to bar soaps and bubble baths. It is valued as an effective ingredient in skin care products because it is a humectant, meaning it attracts and retains moisture, and for its anti-irritant properties, making it suitable for sensitive skin and baby care products. Cleopatra's legendary milk and honey baths are just one of many historical examples of how honey has been used to improve and protect skin and beauty.

Historically, the beautifying properties of honey were only one benefit, but its main use was assisting in fertility. British beekeeper Clive Brockdorff and his wife Susan Fletcher, a nutrition consultant, sell honey to enhance fertility and sexuality through their Norfolk-based company, Apitherapy Foods. "Put a woman who's struggling to conceive on bee pollen and you can pretty much guarantee a result within two or three months," Susan claims. Several studies both in Europe and the U.S. have examined the beneficial links between bee pollen and sexual health and have proven its ability to restore and rejuvenate tired or aging sex glands in both men and women. It can also increase sexual stamina and endurance and improve sexual dysfunction caused by prostate disorders, stimulate ovarian function, and increase the biological value of the egg.

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