With the inevitable approach of summer and time spent outdoors I thought that this article might be of interest to those of you who love the sun, but want an alternative to the traditional sunblocks.

The active ingredients are minerals that reflect harmful rays.

Scripps Howard News Service

BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. — They say good things can come from adversity. That seems to be the case for Peter Zahner, who developed a line of natural sunscreen after a bout with basal cell carcinoma.

A Bonita Springs resident and native of Switzerland, Zahner became somewhat of a self-educated expert on sunscreens in the years after his diagnosis. Finally, in 2002, dissatisfied with the way most sunscreens performed and increasingly skeptical about their safety, he set up a makeshift laboratory in his home to come up with a better product. By 2005 he had hit upon the formula for MelanSol, made from 100 percent natural ingredients.

“I learned that sunlight is actually vital for good health and vitamin D absorption and in the right amounts it is healing,” he said. “And I learned as well that all ingredients that are not natural harm or interrupt health and healing.”

Zahner, 64 and a mechanical engineer by trade, has sold about 30,000 bottles of MelanSol since he started marketing it about a year ago. Today he has distributors in Canada and Switzerland, and is working to firm up a deal with one in the United States.

“The goal was to filter a reasonable amount of UV radiation and fight free radicals with antioxidants,” he said.

Zahner said he started researching sunscreens after discovering that the ones on the market irritated the area along his jawline where the basal cell carcinoma had taken root. It made him wonder what else they were doing to his body.

Then he found studies — some dating back to the 1970s — that indicated there were increased rates of skin cancer in countries where sunscreens are heavily marketed. Though such a link has not been medically proven, it made sense to Zahner.

“If you put something all over your body it only makes sense that your body absorbs it,” he said. “I wanted a natural product that was free of chemicals and wouldn’t be harmful.”

Of the 16 UV-filter ingredients the Food and Drug Administration has approved in order for a product to be called a sunscreen, 14 create a film on the skin that absorbs the UV radiation and two reflect it. MelanSol’s active ingredients are the two physical, or mineral, ingredients that reflect the rays instead of absorbing them — primarily zinc oxide, but also a small amount of titanium dioxide.

MelanSol also contains bio-melanin, which is extracted from the fruit of the date palm and mimics the melanin the body produces naturally. Zahner said the ingredient reduces free radicals, helping to counteract the harmful consequences of UV radiation such as the breakdown of collagen and skin structure.

Miles Chedekel, owner of Mel-Co in Palm Springs, Calif., produces bio-melanin and other ingredients, such as mineral proteins for skin nutrition and plant extracts for the certified organic and vegan market. Mel-Co is the source for the bio-melanin in MelanSol.

“Melanin is the single most important thing that protects the skin from the sun’s damaging effects,” he said. “It’s the natural pigment in the skin. It’s a natural, not a synthetic, chemical or a mineral.”

MelanSol is one of just a few sunscreens that contain it, he said, although it’s found often in much higher concentrations in sunless tanners.

Garlic, (also known by its scientific name Allium Sativum) is a plant native to Africa and central Asia. It was discovered and used by the ancient Egyptians, Babylonians, Jews, Greeks and Romans. Garlic earned a renowned place in the modern natural medicine. In the Middle Ages and Renaissance when the population was facing great plagues, garlic was used very often as a protective medicine. It gained its fame owing to some wrongdoers who fended off the plague by using antiseptic garlic vinegar. As a result, garlic was known as the best antidote against the plague under the name of “the vinegar of the four thieves”. The diuretic qualities were discovered by Bartholius, who recommended it for treating ague, while Sydenham would recommend it as a dropsical treatment.

The active compounds of garlic are volatile oil, the mixture between sulfide and allyl oxide in an almost pure state, two very important mineral antibiotic components (sulfur, iodine, zinc, and manganese) and vitamins B and C.

The main therapeutic qualities of garlic describe it as being antiseptic, antibacterial, stimulating digestion, reducing high blood pressure, glandular regulator, diuretic and even cancer deterrent.

Internally, garlic is not used so much due to the strong smell that remains in the mouth. Yet it is still being used often for treating various afflictions: the consumption of 2-3 cloves of garlic a day has wonderful results in treating pharyngitis and intestinal infections. It also counteracts flu complications and helps treat gout and insures a general state of health.

Garlic juice is another useful treatment obtained from this herb. It has noticeable results in treating: hypertension, infectious diseases, lung problems, bronchitis, tuberculosis, asthma, intestinal parasites and can even deter cancer occurrence.

Indications:
- several drops of garlic juice digested with a small quantity of sugar are efficient in stopping a bout of asthma;
- a wad of cotton soaked in garlic juice calms an ear ache;
- eliminating the intestinal worms, a mixture of 20 ml of garlic juice with 200 ml of warm milk drunk early in the mornings is very efficient as a treatment.
Caution! To eliminate the unpleasant smell of garlic it is advisable to chew 2-3 coffee beans, aniseed or caraway, an apple or a piece of parsley.

Another less known benefit that garlic has is its aphrodisiac effect. Research has shown that garlic is capable of improving the blood flow through the veins and also the sexual performance in men. Unfortunately, garlic consumed in normal quantities is unable to reach spectacular results, but the edible products containing garlic may aid you in this sense.

To those of you who have been viewing this blog and wondering where I’ve gone, I have not diappeared into the ethers. I have several projects all taking place at once that have not allowed me the desired time to dedicate here. I want to assure you all that I will be updating this blog very soon with new and informative articles for your health and wellbeing.

Incidentally I have just been contacted by a Mr. Robert Morgen who has a wonderful site on working with the Kundlini energy. A link to his Kundalini Awakening Program has been posted under my Blogroll.

For those who are unaware of Kundalini, it, in the most simple terms, is a very powerful internal energy which can be invoked using methods such as meditation and yoga. From Wikipedia: “Kundalini (kuṇḍalinī कुण्डलिनी) according to various teachings is a type of “corporeal energy”. Kundalini in Sanskrit literally means “coiled up”. Kundalini is envisioned as a serpent coiled at the base of the spine, hence a number of English renderings of the term such as ’serpent power’.” Because it is so powerful it can be dangerous to try to raise the Kundalini through the chakra system on your own without the guidence of an adept. There are steps that can be taken to insure that the awakening of the “serpent power” is done in a safe and productive way. And as always, whenever you are entering into a new practice it is essential to find out as much as you can prior to beginning to ensure that the integration of the new system into your life is as safe and helpful as possible.

To find out more about the process of awakening the Kundalini in you, please visit, www.kundaliniforyou.com

Thanks again for your support!

Namaste

Rhonda

kundalini

Originally uploaded by tuongthanh239

Awesome representation of the Kundalini energy by nhatvannhat.com

Chakra is a Sanskrit term meaning circle or wheel. There is a wide literature on chakra models, philosophy, and lore that underpin many philosophical systems and spiritual energy practices, religious observance, and personal discipline. Theories on chakras fit within systems that link the human body and mind into a single unit, sometimes called the bodymind. The philosophical theories and models of chakras as centers of energy were identified through the mystical practice of yoga in Ancient India where they were first codified.

For the rest of this article, please visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chakra

While adding Essential Oils to your routine is a wonderful way to enjoy the benefits of aromatherapy, having knowledge about the oils your using is always recommended.  Some of these products can be as dangerous as they are beneficial when not used properly.  Before using any homeopatic remedy or essential oil at home, please be sure to find out what you can about any potential dangers and contraindications of the product that you have chosen.   You can always find tons of useful information online, but if you are still unsure about the safety of any substance, you can always check with your local day spa or pharmacist regarding the properties any essential oil.  It is strongly recommended that if you are using medications, medicinal lotions or creams that may possibly react with the essential oil that you have chosen, be sure to ask your family physician before you begin.  Below is a list, provided courtesy of Aromaweb.com, of some potentially harzardous essentials. 

Hazardous Essential Oils

“The below chart displays essential oils that should not be used in aromatherapy without the express administration by a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. Many should not even be used by a qualified practitioner. Do not assume that an oil is safe to use if it is not on this list.

Important Note: The information provided in the Oil Profiles area is for educational purposes only. This data is not considered complete and is not guaranteed to be accurate.

General Safety Information: Do not take any oils internally without consultation from a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. Do not apply undiluted essential oils, absolutes, CO2s or other concentrated essences onto the skin. If you are pregnant, epileptic, have liver damage, have cancer, or have any other medical problem, use oils only under the proper guidance of a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. Use extreme caution when using oils with children and give children only the gentlest oils at extremely low doses. It is safest to consult a qualified aromatherapy practitioner before using oils with children. A skin patch test should be conducted prior to using an oil that you’ve never used before. Instructions on conducting a skin patch test and more safety information can be found by visiting the Safety Information page. For very in-depth information on oil safety issues, read Essential Oil Safety by Robert Tisserand. ”

Gorgeous Japanese garden.  Part of the Butchart Gardens near Victoria, British Columbia.

Take time out to relax…

A great way to add a soothing and aromatic touch to your next bath or pedi-soak is to add essential oils.  These wonderful gifts of nature can calm your mind after a stressful day at the office, and also have wonderfully healing homeopathic properties. 

Next time you come home feeling frazzled try adding Lavendar or Lemon to the bath water.  You’ll find yourself feeling refreshed and relaxed. 

Check out lots of combinations to help you get through the day:  http://www.aromaweb.com/recipes/default.asp

Mandalas have been used for centuries in meditation and prayer.  The creation of the intricate and beautiful works are complex, time consuming, and steeped with meaning.  Traditionally these creations were made of colored crushed stone, but in more modern times are made of colored sand.  The following description of these amazing Sand Mandalas is courtesy of Wikipedia.

“The Sand Mandala (tib: kilkhor) is a Tibetan Buddhist tradition which symbolises the transitory nature of things. As part of Buddhist canon, all things material are seen as transitory. A sand mandala is an example of this, being that once it has been built and its accompanying ceremonies and viewing are finished, it is systematically destroyed.

Tibetan monks making a temporary sand mandala in the Kitzbühel city hall.

Historically, the mandala was not created with natural, dyed sand, but granules of crushed coloured stone. In modern times, plain white stones are ground down and dyed with opaque inks to achieve the same effect. Before laying down the sand, the monks assigned to the project will draw the geometric measurements associated with the mandala. The sand granules are then applied using small tubes, funnels, and scrapers, until the desired pattern over-top is achieved. Sand mandalas traditionally take several weeks to build, due to the large amount of work involved in laying down the sand in such intricate detail. It is common that a team of monks will work together on the project, creating one section of the diagram at a time, usually working from the center outwards.

The Kalachakra Mandala for instance, contains 722 deities portrayed within the complex structure and geometry of the mandala itself. Other smaller mandalas, like the one attributed to Vajrabhairava contain sufficiently fewer deities and require less geometry, but still take several days to complete. Like all mandalas, these are meant as two-dimensional representations of what is supposed to be a three-dimensional environment. There is one particular case where a three-dimensional mandala can be experienced: Borobodur in Java, Indonesia.

The destruction of a sand mandala is also highly ceremonial. Even the deity syllables are removed in a specific order, along with the rest of the geometry until at last the mandala has been dismantled. The sand is collected in a jar which is then wrapped in silk and transported to a river (or any place with moving water), where it is released back into nature. For this reason, the materials in a sand mandala are always biodegradable, and, in keeping with the symbolism are never used twice.

Sand mandala. Drongste Gompa, 1994

The sacred destruction of mandalas may be done in other ways. Some sand mandalas are placed on sidewalks. Often people and children will use the materials provided by the artist to make a sand mandala. The mandala is exposed to the elements in a high traffic public space. In the instance of manhole mandalasand street mandalas, the making and the destruction is also a sacred process. The destruction is partially completed by people who pass by and unknowingly step on the mandala without seeing it. Sometimes, children will play with the sand. Some persons will help it along by scuffing the mandala. The rain, wind and snow will finish the work till not a trace of sand remains. Sometimes the artist will even sweep it up so the sand can be recycled in another street mandala. A natural process.”