by Joyce Meek Yates & Amanda Conrad. Just like the muscles in your body, the brain thrives on the motto of "Use it, or lose it." Stimulate your brain by making it work beyond its normal routine. Don't let your thought processes get stuck in a rut! Try...

Few would deny that acupuncture is an effective system of altering bodily responses—its dramatic effects in producing local deadening of the nerves, so that surgeons can operate on a fully conscious patient, are convincing evidence that this is a powerful form of treatment. Whether acupuncture effectively treats all the ailments for which it is offered is another matter.

There are various herbal medicines on sale that claim to alleviate hay fever and perennial allergic rhinitis. The following ones have been tested: Butterbur (Petasites hybridus); Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica); Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba); Luffa complex (also marketed as Pollinosan); Grape seed extract; Quercetin; Perilla 6000 (contains Perilla frutescens)

Conventional medicine has some powerful weapons against hay fever but many people still turn to other forms of treatment. This chapter looks at all those that we have come across and tries to assess whether or not they may help you.

The traditional treatment used for colds—inhaling steam—can be very effective in hay fever. Use a mixing bowl from the kitchen, pour in boiling water, put a towel over your head and shoulders, and sit with your face over the bowl so that you are inhaling the steam. Menthol, eucalyptus, and other essential oils with a decongestant action are sometimes added to the hot water to improve...

You will, no doubt, meet people who have "found the cure" for hay fever. There are two things to bear in mind when considering such claims. One is that most people grow out of hay fever as they get older, usually before the age of 30. The second point to consider is the placebo effect, a phenomenon well known to medicine. Belief that the treatment will work is the crucial element...

Aromatherapy is the therapeutic use of natural aromatic substances — essential oils. The "aroma" in "aromatherapy" refers to the fact that all essential oils have a characteristic smell, while the "therapy" refers to the fact that these oils are used for healing. We now know, through scientific experimentation, that aromas exert an influence on the brain...

Essential oils are extremely versatile to use. The best-known method involves combining one or more essential oils with a vegetable base or carrier oil to make a "massage oil." Aromatherapists use these for medicinal or therapeutic purposes and usually apply them with massage. However, a massage oil can also simply be applied to the body, as one would apply any...

Intensive interviews with people who have made personal and spiritual transformations show several dimensions as being important to their healing. People with miraculous healings show: A belief that healing is possible; A belief in their own personal capacity to heal; etc.

There are many "core heart feelings," but the simplest and easiest to access is gratitude. Showing appreciation elicits an immediate response in your body that lessens the stress response...

Insofar as we observe illnesses through a watching and a listening that are biological, we realize that they all begin with a shock, a precise, punctual event in space and time. And if without an immediately satisfying...

According to ayurvedic teaching, starting any form of treatment without first dealing with the toxins in the system that have caused the disease will only make matters worse. Toxins may either be eliminated or neutralized. This applies to both the physical and emotional level of disease...n>

Heart disease is the single leading cause of death in the United States, claiming more lives than the combined next four causes of mortality. Fifty-eight percent of all deaths are directly or indirectly related to cardiovascular disease, as 2,500 people die of heart disease each...

All of us have fond memories of locales we've been to in life, settings where we've felt complete, at peace, and at ease. Often these are places in nature where we feel a strong sense of connection. In our meditations or in our daydreaming, we often spontaneously revisit...

Color therapy is an ancient approach to healing that has been used since the earliest of times. Decades of research show that color influences our thoughts, our actions, our health, and even our relationships with others. Indeed, many color energies are so powerful that even the visually impaired can sense their vibrations...

Our view of health care is changing, and increasing numbers of spiritual seekers and health-care providers alike are reconsidering the role that the mind — and by association, spirituality — plays in healing. In the process, society at large is becoming increasingly aware of...

Vegetarianism is now quite common in our society. Though each person's decision to adopt a vegetarian diet is usually based on a combination of reasons uniquely his or hers, there are three primary concerns that vegetarians may have considered. These are improved health, ethical and environmental concerns, and spiritual convictions.

Recipe for Fried Rice with Wild Nori.
Our nori goes excellently with all cooked grains, especially rice. Simply roast it and crumple it on, or sprinkle on our pre-roasted Nori Granules Sea Seasoning. For something a little creative with rice try this recipe from Montse Bradford.

This recipe came from the Pacific Northwest where the Tsawatainak Indian tribe would harvest their local laver (nori) each year and cook it up with corn. Traditionally they undoubtedly did not use dairy products, but by the time Judith Cooper Madlener came on this recipe, they had started using a local brand of creamed corn. Take your pick.

Recipe for Gunga (Pigeon peas & rice). Let's see how this favorite Bahamian dish can be cooked... without meat! The recipe was excerpted with permission from the book: "The World In Your Kitchen" (out of print) by Troth Wells, ©1993.

Recipe for Heavenly Rice and Spinach. Leave standard potatoes or plain cooked rice behind! This adventurous side dish has an extraordinary rich flavor. This recipe was excerpted from The Garlic Cookbook, ©2000.

Unfortunately many girls, in order to look like a supermodel, need to develop an eating disorder and spend a lot of time being concerned with their food and their weight. Bulimia nervosa is a form of compulsive eating where you binge and then purge. Types of purging may include...