3 Simple (and economical) Methods to Clear Away Negative Emotions and Toxins

from Thrive Living...

Detoxification need not be something to dread as an expensive, complicated and exhausting ordeal. A few quick daily habits can flush out physical and emotional toxins gently and easily. Air, water and a brush are the magical trio that encourage a healthy body, sparking mind and balanced emotions.

Breathe

Breathing usually is not something we think about since it comes so naturally. But a majority of people really don't breathe correctly, especially in our fast paced world. The breath tends to be constricted, shallow and stressed. This style of breathing deprives us of much needed oxygen -- contributing to brain fog, fatigue and accumulation of toxins. But this problem is easily solved with a bit of awareness, intention and a breathing technique called kapalbhati -- "sparkling mind" in Sanskrit. The first breathing habit to cultivate is awareness of the breath.  Most people only breath from the upper portion of the lungs, but we really need to draw air in fully with the diaphragm. Take a few moments through out the day to breathe deeply. By taking in more oxygen, tissues are effectively detoxified, the mind is clarified and the nervous system is calmed -- leading to positive emotional states. Next, the kapalbhati practice. Here are the instructions according to Pure Inside Out:

"Sit in a comfortable position with spine erect…Breathe normally for about a minute. Once composed, you can begin. First, exercise the diaphragm by exhaling suddenly and quickly through both nostrils, producing a "puffing"  sound. Don't focus on inhalation. It will be automatic and passive. This exercise should be done in three rounds, each consisting of 11 strokes (for the beginner)."

Hydrate

Drinking water seems like such a basic action, yet dehydration is common. Drinking 2.2L of water (approximately 9 cups) will flush out toxins throughout the day -- helping to ease the stress put upon the kidneys and liver. It is particularly important to drink plenty of water first thing in the morning as toxins have accumulated during the night. Adding the juice of half a lemon is even better as it helps to support the liver. Chinese medicine believes that the liver is the seat of anger while the kidneys are associated with fear -- balancing these organs is important for emotional health. Purified water is crucial otherwise we are simply trading one toxin for another. Reverse osmosis is the most reliable form of water purification since it is one of the few methods that removes fluoride.

Brush

Dry skin brushing is another economical and easy way to detoxify. Dead skin cells are sloughed away, the lymphatic and immune system are stimulated while toxin harboring cellulite is reduced. A wide, long-handled natural bristle brush is all that's needed. Begin with dry skin and brush in upward strokes toward the heart. The feet are a good place to start. Brush the legs, arms, back and abdomen. It takes only 5-10 minutes to brush the entire body. Make sure to enjoy a hot shower afterwards, drink a big glass of water and breathe deeply. Your happily purified body will thank you. 

http://www.thrive-living.net/2013/07/3-simple-and-economical-methods-to.html?spref=bl

Learn more:
http://www.naturalnews.com/037050_negative_emotions_clearing_toxins.html

Avoid Screaming Kids: Five Easy Distractions During Road Trips| Lending Hand Resources

Avoid Screaming Kids: Five Easy Distractions During Road Trips| Lending Hand Resources

RESPITE: HELPS FAMILIES

"According to the National Respite Coalition, respite has a range of benefits for families: It improves family functioning, enhances satisfaction with life, improves the capacity to cope with stress, and provides more positive attitudes toward their family member with a disability. Data show that respite may also reduce the likelihood of divorce and help sustain marriages."

NJ Council on Developmental Disabilities, People & Families, Summer 2013

Wanna Know How You Can Have A Conversation With Your Non-Verbal Child Wi...

Exercise for Stress Relief

"Exercise in almost any form can act as a stress reliever. Being active can boost your feel-good endorphins and distract from daily worries"​, according to the Mayo Clinic on health and exercise. 

Exercise and Stress Relief :

• Pumps up your endorphins to make you feel good.
• It's meditation in motion to help you remain clam and clear.
• It improves your mood and can increase self-confidence and lower systems assocated with mild depression and anxiety.
• It can help improve your sleep, which is often disrupted by stress, depression and anxiety.

Click here to read more about the many benefits of exercise in reducing stress:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise-and-stress/SR00036

Strategies for Stress Reduction: Squeeze in Chill Time

5 Minute "Breather" Breaks: 

•  When you're starting a task, set an alarm or kitchen timer to go off in an hour. When it goes off, take a five-minute break. Stand up, stretch, walk outside.  Do something that gets your mind off the task for a few minutes. Each time you start to work again, reset that timer so you get a few minutes every hour to recharge your batteries.
• If you're working long days, it's also good to take a 15 minute break every few hours. 

Don't Neglect Lunch: 

• Taking a half-hour or an hour off for lunch can be a real energizer in the middle of a busy day. If possible, do some socializing during lunch, either in person or on the phone. 
• Find some good music and listen to it during your breaks. This can really help get your mind off work for a few minutes.

Take a Daily Walk: (if at all possible):

• A 20 to 30 minute daily walk can help reduce your stress and help you get or stay fit. 

Plan Time for Yourself:

• Get out a calendar an plan some time for yourself. Going out one night a week for a few hours can help put some balance and perspective into your life. Don't you feel and work better when you have something to look forward to? If you and your spouse can do it together, that's great. If not, take turns, if you're a single parent, may you can trade off with another single parent, or plan for when their other parent (if they're in the picture) has them. 
• Go out with friends or see a movie by yourself or with friends - whatever you enjoy. Or plan for movie time with your partner, after the kids go to sleep. 

These pauses for relaxation or breathers can help make you more efficient,  more optimistic and give you ideas you can't get when the fatigue poisons are building up in your brain. 

Girlfriend to Girlfriend: Message from the Heart

Desiree Suter, Founder of Integrative Wellness Solutions and The Parents Cafe

I am new to blogging, obviously. I am surely not as sophisticated as some of the bloggers out there, and have a great deal to learn. But what I do know, and what I want to impart comes from my 18 years of experience as a mother, a woman, raising two children with special needs.  One son has Down syndrome, and another has ADHD. It's hard for me to completely own the ADHD as a special need, because that son has no cognitive impairment, and is intellectually quite bright. His issues are more around executive functioning and focus/attention. He has never been classified in school, nor did he have an IEP or 504 plan. But, I share this to say he does have needs, and many times his needs have been more consuming and emotionally draining than those of my son with profound cognitive delays. In their younger years, their needs, ALWAYS, came before mine.  Their father and I divorced when they were very young, and I found myself as a working, single-mother, all alone, in a state where I had no family and very few friends.  It was HARD!

The level of daily stress I encountered during this time was immense, to say the least. As I look back on those years in writing this, I don't know how I did it without cracking. I learned along the way, but it took a toll. Fortunately, working in the disabilities field enabled me to be on top of the law, services available to us and resources that were most helpful in supporting me and the boys. But what I found was that while there were many wonderful programs for kids with special needs, there were not many for the parents, themselves. There are respite services, and I encourage you to access these services and NEVER give them up! But, unless you are connected to a support group, and sometimes even then, many parents don't ever learn about or have explained to them the emotional journey that goes along with the healing and life adjustments parents go through in having a child with special needs, and at different points along the way in raising them.  In addition, many parents aren't always explained or told the importance of taking care of themselves along the way.  I mean, not just explained to, but emphasized in the way that they understand that this is part of what you HAVE to do for both yourself and your child(ren)...all of them, special needs or not!

As women, we are generally the primary caregivers for our children. There are many father's, though, really stepping up to the plate and either taking more of a role at home or doing it solo. I must commend them, as well.  However, this is a girlfriend to girlfriend...woman to woman discussion today.

If I can call you girlfriends, because in our walk, we share something that we deeply understand in our hearts when we meet that those without kids with special needs can not fully appreciate. While we can't change our child's disability or special needs, we find it our duty to help them achieve all they can, and be all they can be. And we should. But, when we burn out, have resentment toward, get ill, lose ourselves, lose our vitality for life, then what good are we to our children, our partners, or ourselves? We are the glue. We hold it together for our kids and our families. So, it is imperative that we hold ourselves together!

It wasn't until I remarried, and my new husband saw that I was drained, depleted, and living with chronic fatigue that sparked him to talk with me about it, and allow me to see all that I share with you today.  He allowed me to see my state of being, and insisted that it wasn't how things should be. We mapped out ways for me to have a breather, delve into myself again and my interests, we budgeted for a sitter so we could have some grown-up or couple time together, we found money in the pot for me to go to the gym, we found time for me to get my nails done, and get together with friends, he shared in the cooking a few nights per week, he helps with homework and laundry, and we found vacation spots that were "special-needs friendly" so we could vacation together as a family, but also found our time to vacation alone. I started following up with my own health, and making appointments to see doctors for my own issues. I began to feel like I mattered again, and that I had more of a purpose in my role and my life...I began LIVING again...and I found a gem of a man to do life with!

I share all of this to impart to you the importance of finding time for you, finding time for you and your partner, remembering you are important and that your life was given to you, not only to give to your children, but to yourselves as well. Your life is to be enjoyed! It's okay to do so, without guilt.  Find your "me time". 

Parental Stress with Special Needs Children

By RICK NAUERT PHD

@PsychCentral News, Feb 26, 2009

Raising a child with a disability can cause more daily stress and long-range health problems than parenting a child without disabilities, finds a new study.

The investigation looked at a clinical measure of stress along with parents’ survey responses.

‘Our findings indicate the magnitude of the additional daily stress that these families face,’ said lead author Marsha Mailick Seltzer, of the Waisman Center at the University of Wisconsin.

The study evaluated parents who have children living with disabilities that included attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder and Down syndrome.

Researchers used data from the Midlife in the United States study, which included telephone interviews with 82 midlife parents (average age 57) of children with disabilities. Parents responded to items about their experiences in the past day concerning time use, daily stress, positive events and physical symptoms. Researchers compared these parents to a similar group of parents of children without disabilities.

They asked parents how often in the past 24 hours they had experienced daily stressors such as arguments, work stress and home stress.

Parents of children with disabilities had a greater number of stressors and a higher number of days during which they had at least one stressor. They reported having at least one stressor on 50 percent of the study days compared with 40 percent among the other parents. Parents of children with disabilities also reported experiencing a greater number of physical health problems.

The researchers also evaluated saliva samples from the parents to measure the changing patterns of their cortisol expression during the day. Cortisol is a biological marker that plays an important role in linking stress exposure to health problems.

Daily cortisol patterns of parents of children with disabilities showed chronic strain that was much higher than normal on days when the parents spent more time with their children.

“The findings suggest that parents of children with disabilities would benefit from stress-reduction strategies,” Seltzer said. “There may be long-range health consequences of cortisol dysregulation, so it is important to moderate stress.”

“Parents of children with disabilities are in need of support,” said Patricia Wright, national director of autism services for the Easter Seals. She said the organization “receives frequent requests regarding respite services, for instance. Respite is critical for family wellness; however, it is not an easy support for many families to access. Unfortunately, respite services are often unavailable due to lack of funding.”

The study appears in the March issue of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior.

Source: Journal of Health and Social Behavior

Parents:

I shared this article to highlight how very important it is for you to: (1) make it a priority to incorporate stress reduction activities into your life; (2) highlight the correlation between chronic stress and potential health issues for you down the road; (3) secure respite, either through state funded programs, or privately through family, friends or another caregiver - build this into the budget, if necessary. 

WHAT SIBLINGS WANT US TO KNOW...

The siblings of children with special needs are so incredibly important in the family structure. They are not only your other children, but they have their own relationships with their sibling with special needs.  As parents, we understand and appreciate that their feelings, needs, concerns and desires, as individuals, are just as important as those of their sibling with special needs. 

What we sometimes overlook are their thoughts and feelings about their brother or sister with special needs, as well as the relationships they have with them.  It is also really helpful to reflect on their role and significance to the entire family and show them how much they are appreciated and valued! 

  Here are 20 things they want us to know......

http://specialchildren.about.com/od/supportforsiblings/a/siblingsknow.htm

SPECIAL NEEDS EXPO : CONNECTING THE SPECIAL NEEDS COMMUNITY

http://specialneedsexpos.com/

NJ First Annual Fatherhood Forum

New Jersey Fathers Moving Forward

First Annual Statewide Fatherhood Forum

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

9:00 AM - 3:45 PM

New Jersey Department of Children and Families Professional Center

30 Van Dyke Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ

Featured speaker: 

Ronald B. Mincy, PhD, Columbia University School of Social Work

Explore these topics and more . . . .

Engaging Fathers - Fathers and Education − Employment − Entrepreneurship − Men's Health and Wellness − Financial Empowerment − Child Support -

The Affordable Care Act

Celebrating Fatherhood! New Jersey Fathers Moving Forward is a FREE event featuring speakers, workshops and resources related to responsible fatherhood and parenting.  There will be relevant information for fathers and families, human services providers and anyone interested in celebrating fatherhood.

This is a free event, but you must register in advance to participate. 

To register, visit http://www.eventbrite.com/event/5915053083. Each person must be registered separately.

Need directions?  Contact Joan Noerling at joan.noerling@acf.hhs.gov

Questions?  Contact Barbara Andrews at barbara.andrews@acf.hhs.gov

Register today!  Registration deadline is Friday, July 26, 2013

Planning Committee

New Jersey Department of Children and Families

New Jersey Coalition of Fathers and Families

Pascale Sykes South Jersey Strengthening Families Initiative

Stronger Families New Jersey

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services/Administration for Children and Families

http://www.eventbrite.com/event/5915053083

Day Tripper

Day Tripper

Guided Meditation: A Great Way to Start for Beginner's

Guided Meditation
Accessing the World Within

by Madisyn Taylor

Guided meditation is a wonderful way to start a meditation practice and can be deeply relaxing.

A guided meditation uses the sound of a person’s voice to direct you through an inner process of relaxing your body and shifting your mind’s focus. The voice may be a person in the room with you or a recording—even something downloaded from the internet—and it is generally spoken in soothing, soft tones. You may be guided to focus on aspects of your physical body, such as on your breathing, relaxing your muscles one-by-one, or on an area in need of healing. Sometimes it might involve visualizing a journey through the beauty of the natural world. Other times, you may be led to envision yourself working with light or energy, accomplishing your goals, or repeating positive thoughts in your head. Your guide may walk you through relaxation or motivation to help you change a habit, access untapped potential, or perhaps merely to find the silence within you.

Whether you are familiar with meditation or you are a beginner, being guided gives you the opportunity to benefit from the insight of others. There are numerous meditation and visualization techniques based in various spiritual philosophies and psychological applications. You may want to try several techniques to see what appeals to you the most, or just to gain a fresh perspective.

Guided meditation allows you to learn from others in a way that is similar to ones used by ancients the world over. Once learned, meditation is a tool that will always be available to you. Like having a tour guide while traveling in a foreign country, a guided meditation takes you on an inner journey. But this tour allows you to see and experience your own inner world, a place that truly only exists within you. The scenes created in your mind’s eye can be revisited at anytime, without a guide, because once you have seen the fascinating landscape of your own inner terrain, there will always be more to explore.   (Daily OM, July 23, 2013)

Inspired Journeys: Overcoming Adversity and Thriving

POWERFUL STORY!  

WHAT ARE THE KEY INGREDIENTS TO TAKE AWAY?

http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/self-improvement-blog/inspired-journeys-overcoming-adversity-and-thriving

In this hour, we will talk with Dr. Wayne Evans and his wife, Reverend Robin Williams Evans about their journey in raising their now 6 year old, Wyatt. After a normal pregnancy, a birth trauma left their newborn without oxygen for 17 minutes. As a result, Wyatt is a “severely special needs child” requiring ongoing medical care. We will explore the impact that raising a special needs child has on a marriage, as well as the physical, emotional, and financial challenges. Wayne and Robin will inspire you as they describe their decision to take a frightening and life-changing event and turn it into an opportunity to strengthen their spiritual beliefs as well as their life philosophy that crisis and trauma can transform people into their best selves. We will explore how these parents chose to focus on what their son could do, rather than on what he couldn’t do, and how they continue to see Wyatt as a blessing and a miracle in their lives.

The Science of Changing Your Mind - Dr. Joe Dispenza

"Heart Healthy Sweetness"

A Bevy of Berry Benefits - Natural Awakenings - July 2013 - Natural Awakenings

"Relishing Raw Foods"

Supermodel Carol Alt on How Eating Raw Keeps Her Vibrant

Webinar: The Connection between Nutrition and Autism

Nutrition And Autism: What Is The Connection And What Does The Research Tell Us?

Thursday, August 1, 2013 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM CDT

- Show in my Time Zone

Webinar Registration

Is there an “autism diet”? What is dietary intervention? What role does nutrition play in autism spectrum disorders? In this webinar we will look at what answers the existing research gives us, and discuss areas where more research is needed.

Presented by Kelly Barnhill, MBA, CN, CCN, Director of Clinical Services at The Johnson Center and Dr. Dane Mosher, Physician, The Johnson Center

https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/174642710

How Birdhouse Can Make Autism Easier

This is an interesting way to manage all the details and info associated with your child's schedules, patterns, behaviors, health info etc.   And, there's an app for it!   This is useful for many families with children with special needs...not just specific to autism.
 http://www.friendshipcircle.org/blog/2013/07/08/how-birdhouse-can-help-make-autism-easier/

The Glue in Family Resilience

Today's Tip for Couples Raising Children with Special Needs: 

"Finding ways to deal with the added stresses, minimize them, overcome them – by sharing them- can glue a marriage (and a family) together more firmly than ever.” 

 (Dickman & Gordon, 1985).

Put your relationships high on the priority list!

Today's Tip for Parent's Raising Children with Special Needs

Today's Tip:   Don't Lose Yourself in Your Child. 

Spontaneous Happiness, with Dr. Andrew Weill (playlist)

Contest | STRIDER™ No-Pedal Balance Bikes | Parenting Special Needs Magazine

Contest | STRIDER™ No-Pedal Balance Bikes | Parenting Special Needs Magazine

"LOVE, NO MATTER WHAT"

This Ted Talks video on YouTube, by Andrew Solomon, has a compelling message for all of us.

Please take the time to view, contemplate and share with others. 

  Much love. 

Different Dream Parenting: A Practical Guide for Raising a Child with Special Needs

The Special Needs Book Review has endorsed Different Dream Parenting: A Practical Guide for Raising a Child with Special Needs as a good resource for parents of children with special needs.

Author, Jolene Philo, "takes you by the hand and leads you from your first step after your gut feeling warns you something is not quite right with your child. She counsels you how to get that all important diagnosis, the services, the treatment, the support, and guides you through the education system, the insurance and government red tape, and at the same time, if you are someone of faith, the scriptual references will inspire and comfort you", says the Special Needs Book Review.

What I like is that "Jolene does not sugar coat the journey in front of you. She acknowledges parenting children with special needs is challenging. Over fifty parents share excerpts of their own story raising a child with high needs."

http://www.amazon.com/Different-Dream-Parenting-Practical-Raising/dp/B00CNL3D76

Are Kids with Gadgets More Likely to Have ADHD?

I have often wondered how and if technology lends to attention issues in children. This article lends to some thought provoking discussion around our children, technology and attention issues.

Having a son with attention deficit who struggles to learn how to manage it, and seeing his preoccupation with gadgets and his ability to focus well on those things versus studying for a history exam is perplexing. This article and videos shed light on how the engagement in the "apps" on these technological devices provide the stimuli that increases dopamine levels in the brain...what they may be lacking in, to begin with. As a parent, I have found that exercise or playing a sport does wonders for decreasing hyperactivity and increasing focus as it increases dopamine levels naturally, through a healthy activity.

http://mashable.com/2013/07/02/kids-gadgets-adhd/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=linkedin

Emotional Balance Starts with the Ability to Manage Stress

Aha! No wonder why I am battling high blood pressure! Millions of us are existing in states of depression,  anxiety, and feeling imbalanced and out of sorts. The pace, demands, and lifestyles we unconsciously lead, and grow into, support this state of being. But that's a conversation for another time! 

The idea, however, is to provide you with some fast and effective ways to rapidly reduce stress in your life. "Learning to effectively manage stress is the first step to regaining your emotional balance", according to HelpGuide.org. In fact they say, "you may think that the worst kind of stress comes from traumatic situations like a car accident or a mugging. But chronic, everyday stress can be just as damaging. Relentless small-scale challenges can wear you down, whether or not you even realize it's a problem".  

That's pretty eye-opening. Especially, as a parent of a child with a disability. While I knew the stress of raising a child with special needs was more intense than the norm, I didn't realize until a few years ago, how the chronic stress of it had taken it's toll on me and my health...specifically my blood pressure.  So, I share this with anyone who will benefit, because we all have our share of stress; but I am especially encouraging parents raising children with special needs to be mindful of the need to reduce your stress.  Check out the Quick Stress Relief Toolkit on HelpGuide.org

Becoming a Healthier, Happier You!

Between my kids, work, family life and all the millions of demands that come my way on a daily basis, I feel like I am stretched to the max, overwhelmed, and on a never-ending ride! How about you?

As a result, I am always seeking information to provide strategies to help bring balance into my life. Learning what to let go of, how to handle things differently, re-prioritizing and "not sweating the small stuff" is easier said than done! That's for sure! I don't know about you, but I need tools...not just words! 

So on my own personal quest, I stumbled on a terrific resource that I wanted to share with you. It's called "Bring Your Life Into Balance": A Free Self-Guided Program for Becoming a Healthier, Happier You. 

Cheers!