The Lightning Rod. There are five principles Reiki practitioners live toward. One of those is Honor your parents, teachers,

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1 The Lightning Rod Newsletter of The Good Life Alternative - May 2008 Honor Your Mother May is the month for mothers. With that in mind, this issue will have lots of tidbits for the women in your life. Don t worry, Fellas. There is plenty of good information for you too, and next month will be dedicated to you in a special way. Family can be the best connection in our lives or the worst. Whichever the case, our families have a large influence on our health. The fact that many people ignore or just haven t thought about yet is the overwhelming impact of outsiders. There are five principles Reiki practitioners live toward. One of those is Honor your parents, teachers, and elders. We are given some advice on how to live this principle even if our relationships with these people were or are destructive. With this principle in mind, let us all be encouraged to honor all our mothers this month. This includes our biological mothers, our adopted mothers, and all the women (extended family, teachers, coaches, friends) who have nurtured us, loved us, and made us who we are. If you talk to people who were at risk kids who made it out of their bad situations or people on the dark path who managed to overcome addictions and other desperate situations, they all have one thing in common. At least one person in their lives who became their mentor. Someone who intervened into their lives and made them believe there was better out there and that they could have it - that they deserved it. Maybe this person was a teacher, family friend, coach, or pastor. Maybe it was just a stranger in the park. Someone became an angel in the life of those people. Keep Your Joints Wet Regular movement helps bathe your joints in fluid to keep them healthy. However, people already suffering from arthritis may find it difficult to exercise without pain. Summer is the perfect time to try exercise in the water. Swimming, water aerobics, and other waterbased fitness options are easy on the joints while giving an excellent workout. Remember, consult your specialist about specific exercises for you. 1

2 Growth Opportunities For information on any of these events, please contact The Good Life Alternative at or We can be reached through snail mail at PO Box 8685, Bloomington, IN Toxin-Free Home Series Good Life Alternative will once again be offering its brown bag lunch educational series this year. The topic will be A Toxin-Free Home and will take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays from May 13th through May 29th from noon to 1pm. These sessions are free of charge. So, spend your lunch hour with us learning about a healthy lifestyle. We promise not to criticize whatever you put in your brown bag. We just want you there. This will be a very interesting and informative series. If you are interested, please contact our office for more information. Giving and Receiving In the March newsletter, we introduced a new opportunity for women called the Buffalo Sisters Gift Circle. It has been a raving success, so far. If you feel like your giving and /or receiving is out of balance or would just like to spend more time with other women, caring for them and being cared for, please consider joining this free group. We all have gifts and talents to share with others. People share everything from bodywork, music healing, life coaching, spiritual advising, to craftmaking. It will be helpful if you have something specific and planned to offer at each gathering. You by no means need to have a wealth of experience in what you d like to offer. Contact the GLA office for info. Iridology Classes The eyes have it! Classes on iris analysis will be held on Tuesday evenings from June 3rd through July 1st. The fee for this series is $30 per person. Learn about some of the iris signs your practitioner looks for in your iris analysis and what they mean about your genetic tendencies and pre-dispositions. This has been a very popular topic in the past. So, sign up early. 2

3 Toxic Gender? Over the past few years, the American media has caught on and been informing the public about the number of toxic chemicals in our bodies. This is of particular concern to women because some chemicals are many times higher in women than in men, are found in breast tumors, and pass through breast milk into our defenseless babies. This is important to those of us living in Indiana, also, as I am being reminded often that this is the most polluted state in the nation. So, what does this mean for women's health care and what can be done about it? You will probably not be surprised to hear that there is much debate as to what, if any, affect these toxins in the tissues and bloodstream have on a person's health. There is also debate as to whether or not detoxification cleanses do anything to remove them from the body. As with all health care decisions, these are personal ones that you must make as an individual. GLA can educate you about ways to reduce your exposure to toxins and help you plan a cleanse that is tailored to you and your needs. Aromatherapy for Women From GLA s humble beginnings, we have used aromatherapy as a part of our services. Maybe, you enjoyed the benefits of a particular essential oil chosen just for you and your health concerns. Or, maybe, you were just surrounded by the purifying scent of lavender and citrus spritzed on and around the therapy table and entryways of the office, or been welcomed by a sweet smelling candle or incense as you entered the office. Aromatherapy is a vital part of our appointments. Why? Because scent is powerful. More importantly, therapeutic grade essential oils pass the blood-brain barrier and directly affect the limbic system to create specific responses by the body, mind, and even spirit. So, with that in mind, here are a few essential oils and essential oil blends that address the needs of women as reported in the book Aromatherapy A-Z: For anorexia: grapefruit, tarragon. Antihemorrhaging: Rose Beauty: Myrtle Breast General: Clary sage, cypress, fennel, geranium, lemongrass, sage, spearmint Breast Increase and Firmness: Clary sage, fennel, sage Bulimia: grapefruit Cervical cancer: clove, cypress, frankincense, geranium, lavender, lemon Uterine cancer: geranium Cramps: basil, birch, cypress, ginger, lavender, rosemary, marjoram 3 Cystitis: basil, bergamot, cedarwood, chamomile, cinnamon, clove, eucalyptus, fennel, frankincense, hyssop, juniper, lavender, marjoram, oregano, sage, sandalwood, rosewood, thyme Endometriosis: clary sage, cypress, eucalyptus, geranium, nutmeg Estrogen production: clary sage Balance hormones: bergamot, ylang-ylang Vaginal infection: bergamot Infertility: chamomile, clary sage, cypress, fennel, geranium, nutmeg, thyme Postpartum depression: nutmeg Delivery: clary sage, lavender, nutmeg Early labor: lavender Labor: geranium, lavender After miscarriage: Roman chamomile, frankincense, geranium, grapefruit Morning sickness: ginger, nutmeg, peppermint, spearmint

4 Adrenal Fatigue Increasingly, everyday people seem to show symptoms of adrenal fatigue. The sympathetic nervous system causes the fight or flight response. This response is designed to save our lives when we are running from the tigers in life. Our pupils dilate, causing nearsightedness. Digestion slows to allow more energy to go the muscles, which are themselves preparing for quick reaction. Then, the parasympathetic nervous system steps in to bring us back to calm after we are safe. But what if there isn't a tiger? Or what if we are always running? Adrenal fatigue is practically expected from people living with post-traumatic stress disorder. What you may not realize, however, is that constant deadlines, fighting traffic, living in a bad relationship, and many other situations common to modern American life cause the body to react just as if we are running from that tiger. Our brain does not make a distinction between physical threat and mental, emotional, or spiritual threat. This constant back and forth stimulation of the adrenal hormones can eventually lead to nervous exhaustion, not to mention planting the seeds for a host of chronic illnesses. For example, when we experience stress, one of the responses is slower digestion. Can you imagine all the health problems that could result from chronically slow digestion? Fortunately, plenty of natural approaches exist to address both the effects and the root causes of adrenal fatigue. Some of these include dietary and lifestyle changes, nutritional support, herbs to support the adrenal glands, stress management coaching, bodywork and energywork. At GLA all these approaches can be addressed. Many people find breath exercises and Reiki to be particularly beneficial. If you have additional questions about adrenal fatigue, please call or scarlettnd@gmail.com. Info from your American Cancer Society The American Cancer Society is a volunteer-driven, volunteer-led organization. Our Board of Directors is made up of professionals and lay people who have been dedicated to eradicating cancer for decades. Volunteers are crucial at every level of the Society, from volunteer leaders to those who work with patient service programs like Reach to Recovery, which pairs trained breast cancer survivors with people affected by breast cancer. The volunteer spirit present within the Society is constant, says Marion Morra, MA, ScD, volunteer chair of the Society s Board of Directors. Not only do our volunteers directly impact the lives of cancer patients and their families through support and fundraising, the volunteerism spirit extends to our efforts with our sister advocacy organization, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action NetworkSM, where grassroots volunteers work to increase government funding for cancer screenings and treatment, and so much more. More than two million volunteers carry out the Society's mission of eliminating cancer and improving quality of life for those individuals facing the disease. These dedicated volunteers donate their time and talents to further cancer research; educate the public about early detection and prevention; advocate for responsible cancer legislation in the local, state, and federal governments; and serve cancer patients and their families as they manage their cancer experience. To find out how you can get involved in the fight against cancer, call the American Cancer Society anytime at ACS-2345 or visit 4

5 Dragon Time Available through GLA, Dragon Time essential oil blend from Young Living Essential Oils contains clary sage, lavender, yarrow, fennel, marjoram, and jasmine. It has been designed by Young Living to support normal, healthy emotions for women during their monthly cycles and menopause. Walking for Health Reducing your risk for cancer may be as simple as putting one foot in front of the other. It s beautiful weather now, so take an early morning or after-work stroll around the neighborhood! The American Cancer Society recommends adults engage in at least moderate activity for 30 minutes or more on five or more days of the week; a bit longer and more vigorous exercise is even better. Children and adolescents should engage in at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity at least five days per week. Upcoming Reiki Trainings Reiki I - An Introduction to Reiki This is a great class for absolutely everyone because it offers a great introduction to this healing art. If you would like to understand Reiki better or learn to share it with others or for your own benefit, register for our next Reiki I training the evenings of June 4th and 5th. You can register by calling and requesting a registration form. If these dates do not work for you, we will work around your schedule to make sure you get the training you desire. This workshop is also great for nurses and massage therapists. Cost of workshop - $75. Reiki II - Practitioner Level Training On the evening of June 20th and the day of the 21st, Reiki II training will be offered to those who already have certification in level I. This training discusses using Reiki for mental or emotional health and across time and distance. Cost for this workshop is $150. 5