The One-Minute Cure, The Secret to Healing Virtually All Diseases by Madison Cavanaugh is one incredible piece of work. Just the seven-page Appendix on stress, The Missing Piece in the Healing Puzzle, is worth the price of the book.

The best way to describe the impact of this book is to simply state the words on the back cover. After reading the book in one sitting early this am, I can attest to the validity of each point.

This book reveals. . .

The remarkable, scientifically proven therapy which creates an environment within the body where disease cannot thrive.

How this therapy not only kills diseased cells but also simultaneously revitalizes and rejuvenates healthy cells, thereby creating vibrant energy and well-being.

How this safe, inexpensive and powerful therapy has been administered by an estimated 15,000 European doctors, naturopaths and homeopaths to more than 10 million patients in the past 70 years to successfully treat over 50 different diseases.

How anyone can self-administer this little-known therapy at home–easily and painlessly—at a cost of only 1 ½ cents per day.

A lifetime spent in the American health care arena, where the treatment of symptoms with drugs is the standard practice of care, has left me weary. It is refreshing to see someone strong enough to stand up against the greed and the drug-driven medical culture in the USA to give the American public a simple, powerful, natural tool  for healing.

Cavanaugh is right on when she states, “As with any newly discovered truth, it must necessarily pass through 3 stages:

First it is ridiculed.

Then it is violently opposed.

Finally it is accepted as self-evident.”

Let’s pray that it makes it past step two, because there is sure to be pressure from groups who stand to lose money when an inexpensive, natural solution replaces expensive drug regimens.

What an accurate quote the author shares from Dr. Mercola: Most prescription drugs are unnecessary, and they could be ‘killing you legally.’

Please, please do not worship at the altar of the medical professional. The medical schools are heavily indoctrinated by the pharmaceutical companies. You can question and challenge a treatment that doesn’t sound right to you. . .or right for your loved one. That is your right. You know your own body better than anyone else on earth. Any medical professional worth his/her salt will not be threatened by that. And what If they are? Next! Please don’t hand over your power in the mistaken notion that, just because someone has initials behind their name, they know more than you do.  Literally, your life or the life of your loved one depends on you taking the initiative.

Thank you, Madison Cavanaugh, for having the courage to give us such a simple, easy-to-read natural solution.

“The Menopause Power Webinar Series” by Diana Schwarzbein, M.D., is a true testimony of her stated mission to educate women. Listen to her series, and your life will change for the better.

Schwarzbein is the author of The Schwarzbein Principle and The Schwarzbein Principle II – The Transition.

Schwarzbein’s endocrinology perspective is a follows:

1. Menopause is the permanent loss of the sex hormone system.
2. Improperly treating or ignoring menopause increases a woman’s risk for diseases such as heart attacks, osteoporosis, cancer, and diabetes.
3. Treat the cause of menopause, not just treat the symptoms.
4. Menopause can be effectively and safely treated with Hormone Balancing Therapy^TM (HBTx).

The Schwarzbein Principle Program consists of:

Step One: Healthy Nutrition

Step Two: Stress Management Emphasizing Sleep

Step Three: Reduce or Completely Avoid Toxins

Step Four: Appropriate Amounts and Types of Exercise

Step Five: Restore Hormone Balance – HBTx

Last week’s articles discussed stress, which is demonstrated by both high and low cortisol. See http://rosiebrownrn.com/low-cortisol-also-indicates-stress/ and http://rosiebrownrn.com/this-anti-stress-formula-works/.

Schwarzbein’s Stress Management Program emphasizes:

1. Sleep—goal is 8 to 10 hours of uninterrupted sleep (not even to get up once to go to the bathroom).
2. Slow down your busy life.
3. Learn how to handle stresses better.

Notes that I took during this section of her webinar included:

• Emphasize sleep! Sleep is the time that your body rebuilds itself. Aging is all about allowing the body to rebuild.
• Sleep allows your body to lower adrenalin and cortisol.
• Melatonin is a hormone. Don’t take melatonin. The levels in the melatonin purchased over the counter are too high and has to be processed through the liver.
• Melatonin will down-regulate your body’s own production of serotonin. It can cause depression if you take it too long.
• Get your body to produce melatonin. If you must supplement with something, try tryptophan or 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), which is a precursor to serotonin, which then converts to melatonin.
• The number one reason for insomnia in menopausal women is estradiol/progesterone balance.
• Just being busy is a stress and will break you down.
• Honor aging—slow down. Slow down the “using” process.

In the next upcoming articles, I will continue to share Dr. Schwarzbein’s gems of wisdom from her webinar series. We will all have a more wonderful life if we tune into the information she is teaching us.

Ever think you could learn lessons from a young mimosa tree? Me either.

One night at dusk, a friend pointed out a young mimosa tree, often called the “sleeping plant.” One look at its leaves explains its name.  Each evening the leaves curl up into a fetal position as if welcoming in the full moon, the star studded sky, and a restful night’s sleep.

In the days prior to electricity, the end of daylight signaled the time for rest and retirement from the day’s activities. Nighttime was the time to refresh and renew, to balance the melatonin-serotonin ratio. Mimosa trees grow rapidly, to about 20-25 feet. Is there a health message there for us?

Soon enough the dawn appears. Just as the mimosa’s leaves stretch and open to grasp the light of another day, so did the inhabitants of the bed unwind from their fetal positions, welcoming a new day.

The mimosa is also called the sensitive plant. The name derives from the Latin word mimus, meaning “to imitate.” The mimosa was given this name because of the way it folds its leaves when touched.

What if we humans were more sensitive? What if we thought more about how much touch can warm another’s heart? What would happen if we folded our arms around the person who reaches out to touch us? What if we touched each other more?  What if we made a bigger effort to transfer love from one heart to another?

Mimosa trees are commonly planted near back patios because of their ability to attract hummingbirds. What if our energy was so beautiful that we attracted others to us?

The mimosa’s blooms are a striking pink color with a unique texture. The tree is also known as the “silk tree” because of its stunning, shimmering flowers. They can be seen blocks away, and the fragrant scent can be detected almost as far.

Like the mimosa, can’t you sense the person who fills the room with vibrance the minute they enter the doorway…and the one who sucks the life out of you?

A lesson from the mimosa…size or money or prestige just doesn’t matter. Mimosa trees work beautifully when you need a small to medium sized ornamental tree. Though they have a tropical look, they are very hardy. They adapt to almost any soil type, and they even tolerate drought conditions. Wouldn’t it be grand if we were as adaptable to the people and circumstances we encounter along our life’s journey?

The mimosa’s bark is a gentle light gray, providing a beautiful contrast of color. As we encounter the contrast in our day, might we be just a little gentler with our bark as we navigate our way?

The mimosa’s fragrant, hot pink blooms grow in clusters, adding an explosion of color and excitement to any spring setting. What if we humans gathered together, pulling together for a common cause? What explosion of color and excitement might we bring to an initiative, be it work, play, or love?

Mimosas can be planted in full sun or partial shade. Any location works.

No matter our location, all it takes is learning and applying a few simple lessons provided by the mimosa tree.

“What do you mean hormone imbalance symptoms may happen so insidiously that women might not even know they are suffering needlessly? What kind of symptoms do they have? When does it happen?”

When I was asked these questions this morning, I took pause and really reflected on the ones that tend to sneak up on you – the ones that might leave you totally unaware. The ones that when finally addressed give you such energy and enthusiasm that many women simply become euphoric. Women who lost a part of themselves and didn’t even know when it showed up missing.

It happens oh, so slowly that you just assume it is because you are getting older. It is not until the neon light-life halting problems strike that you seek help in desperation.

What happens so subtly, so slowly over time?

One of the most subtle of symptoms is the feeling of being tired, fatigued, worn out, no energy, exhausted, just not as much enthusiasm as you once had. You feel old and flat. It takes so much more energy to trudge up those stairs. You don’t feel like playing with the kids or grandkids. You’d rather put on that comfy robe and sit in your chair.

The second is a feeling of depression. There is a feeling of sadness that invades your life. The zest for living is just not there. You shuffle through your days in the hope that things might be better tomorrow. Tomorrow comes, and it is more of the same. You know it’s not right, but you may feel too embarrassed to talk to your doctor about it. If you do, you can pretty much count on a prescription for an antidepressant. But why do you feel this way? When did this happen?

The third is the infernal inability to sleep – night after night. You are so exhausted. Surely you will sleep tonight. It has been so many nights since you last slept. In fact, how long has it been since you’ve had a good night’s rest? Can you remember? You might lay there, totally exhausted, but not able to fall asleep. You might fall asleep, but sure enough, there you are awake once again in the middle of the night. You do all the things the books say to make you sleep – and nothing works.

What if I told you that all these effects might be happening to you not because you are getting older? What if I told you there’s a very good chance you can invigorate your life, sleep at night, and feel fabulous and energized?

Well you can. It all starts with what I call the LOVE Method that can be found in my book Stop the Needless Suffering, The Complete Woman’s Guide to Balancing Your Hormones Naturally. See www.RosieBrownRN.com.

Stop the Needless Suffering tells you exactly how to:

L – Learn All You Can

O – Obtain Help (From a health care practitioner knowledgeable in bioidentical hormone balancing – which includes the sex hormones, the adrenal glands, and the thyroid)

V – Validate with Data (how and where to obtain testing to see what your lab values are)

E – Engage in an Action Plan that is Right for You

The bottom line to this discussion?

Oh, yes, you can feel better!

Here is your homework…according to Vicki Talmage, www.vickitalmage.com. (See yesterday’s article, http://rosiebrownrn.com/from-sludge-to-homework/).

The homework is “designed to prepare your body to let go and assist your biochemistry to get in a cleansing mode and to prepare you for your first colonic.”

It is important that you to work with Vicki to obtain the full details on how to approach this homework assignment properly. Below is an abbreviated summary taken from her instruction pamphlet to give you an idea of what to expect:

1. Drink one gallon of pure steamed distilled water every day. Drink two quarts before 2:00 pm and two quarts after 2 pm.

2. Eat only fresh fruit before noon. Eat a large 2” slice of watermelon every morning.

3. For lunch, eat a whole plate of raw veggies. Use spinach, chard, raw collard greens, curly or non-curly kale, romaine, or any deep leafy green as a base of your salad. Then add broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes or cucumbers…any raw veggie including a whole avocado. Use any of your favorite oil/vinegar-based dressings. One baked softball-sized beet every day is the key to successful body cleansing. Eat the salad plate and beet first and then, if you are still hungry, have a plate of steamed veggies.

4. For dinner, eat the same large salad first and then eat another beet. Eat plenty of salad greens with raw vegetables. Use delicious dressings that you love, preferably without milk, cheese, and eggs in them.

5. About two hours before bed, eat another 2” slice of watermelon. Watermelon rehydrates the body and begins to break up the mucoid plaque in the small intestine to be more easily removed from the body.

6. Do this beginning cleanse homework for three to seven days.

When I read these instructions, the first question I asked Vicki was, “Three to seven days? What about protein? I don’t see any protein included. Isn’t that a long time to go without protein?”

Vicki very quickly reminded me that the vegetables do in fact contain protein. It is a myth that we have been sold on that we must have other protein sources such as animal in order to maintain health.

Stay tuned to hear what comes next on this journey of “A Simple Solution for Optimum Health.”

Yesterday I wrote about the neat lady I met at last week’s Book Camp, Vicki Talmage. See http://rosiebrownrn.com/attract-adventure-to-you/. Vicki was all set to go to Med School when she was diagnosed with intestinal cancer. Her diagnosis led her on a search for health and living. Thirty-two years later, she is still passionately teaching people around the world about the significance of food and colon health.

Vicki reminds us that food is fuel. Your body adapts to what you give it. Fueling the body with poor food choices leads to a weakened immune system, trauma to the colon, and a buildup of material in the small intestine.

Per Dr. Mercola, 80% of our immune function resides in the colon. With a toxic colon and a lining of sludge in the intestines preventing absorption of nutrients from our food, it is little wonder that a myriad of degenerative diseases is the end result.

Vicki inspires hope that you can turn things around, no matter your age. A few of the empowering tools she provides to increase the level of optimum health in your body and in your mind includes:

1. Learning and applying a few principles of quarterly body cleansing.
2. Eating simply and being satisfied with what you eat.
3. Addressing and resolving discontent immediately instead of procrastinating.

Vicki has demonstrated in her work that within the first month of beginning her cleansing program, many people have experienced positive results in weight loss as well as increased energy, clarity of mind, and satisfaction in their lives.

Vicki states, “Just a few simple steps to cleanse the bowel, using wheatgrass juice to rebuild the cells, and using proper food combining techniques can bring amazing benefits to your way of life, and to your attitude.”

Vicki suggests that you do a week of “homework” and have a good colonic before starting consumption of wheatgrass juice.

In the next article I will share what Vicki considers “homework.” I don’t know about you, but for me it looks like I will be going back to school…

Have you ever looked at life as an adventure? You know, you get up in the morning and with the magical wonder of a kid, you create a chest popping excitement about where the day might take you?

Could it be that merely holding this thought attracts adventure to you?

As I walked down the stairs at my local airport, headed for Book Camp in Salt Lake City last Thursday, I had the thought, “What if I look upon this trip is an adventure? I wonder who I will meet along the way? I wonder what great things might come into my life as a result?”

I wasn’t disappointed.

The display set up right next to my book table belonged to an incredible person I was destined to meet. She introduced herself and commented that she didn’t know about the event till the evening before, so her being there was a miracle in itself.

The display belonged to Vicki Talmage, www.vickitalmage.com. Almost immediately she was asking me about my book, Stop the Needless Suffering, and I was asking her about her “Simple Solution for Optimum Health” display.

We hit it off immediately. She told me her story of how her life took a turn, launching her unexpectedly into a passion that became her lifetime career.

She was all set to go to Med School when she was diagnosed with intestinal cancer. Her diagnosis led her on a search for health and living. Thirty-two years later, she is still passionately teaching people around the world about the significance of food and colon health.

“Our bodies are gauges to determine the level of our health. They will manifest on the outside what is either working or not working on the inside. If we understand that healthy functioning bodies and emotions are essential for optimum weight, we resist the temptation of fad diets or starvation programs.

It may be time to take a look at how we are living our lives and make the necessary adjustments to take care of ourselves.

In the hectic pace that we have chosen to live in, we have to learn again how to take care of and respect ourselves. Scheduling time into each day to eat our meals and making a conscious choice to eat high quality foods will improve our quality of life and clarity of mind.”

I purchased her book, From Bin to Banquet, and read it on the flight home. I devoured her pamphlet on colon health. Now the buck stops here.

To hold myself accountable, and to share my new learnings with you, I will devote a series of upcoming articles on the information that Vicki taught me.

“I wonder what great things might come into our lives as a result?”

Well, we did it! We rang in the New Year…but did we also ring in some not-so-good habits? Sitting here munching on my peanut brittle, I know I have.

I went looking for a little “encouragement” to help get back on the healthy living path. Thought you might enjoy some of these tidbits as well.  :  )

Doug Larson:

“Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon.”

Nursery rhyme quoted by Wayne Fields, What the River Knows, 1990:

“The best six doctors anywhere,
And no one can deny it,
Are sunshine, water, rest, and air,
Exercise and diet.
These six will gladly you attend,
If only you are willing.
Your mind they’ll ease.
Your will they’ll mend.
And charge you not a shilling.”

Rumer Godden :

“There is an Indian Belief that everyone is in a house of four rooms: A physical, a mental, an emotional and a spiritual. Most of us tend to live in one room most of the time, but unless we go into every room everyday, even if only to keep it aired, we are not complete.”

 Meryl Streep :

“It’s bizarre that the produce manager is more important to my children’s health than the pediatrician.”

Ahh, enter in January, the month of New Year resolutions.

Perhaps it would be wise to consider including the “six doctors,” the vegetables, and the “four rooms” as we take pen to paper to scrawl out those New Year’s resolutions?

What do the Salvation Army bell ringers, the presents under the tree, the donations to needy families and food banks, and Christmas parties have in common?

 Christmas and money… the two seem to be directly associated. It is the one time of year that generosity seems to flow…and credit cards overflow.

Money is an interesting phenomenon. What is money? You have probably heard of money as a flow of energy, but have you ever thought of your diet affecting the flow of money?  Check out the info below. Ouch to all those holiday cookies, candies, and party drinks!

http://ezinearticles.com/?Clearing-Blockages-to-Increase-the-Flow-of-Money-into-Your-Life&id=28202:

“When we understand that money is energy, only then can we begin to focus on how to direct that energy flow into our lives. It all starts with each of us individually. How is your energy flowing today?

One way to get our personal energy flowing is to first look at our health. What are we putting into our bodies? I’ve learned that some of the biggest zappers of energy are things such as sugar, white flour, white rice, processed foods, soft drinks (diet ones too), drugs, smoking, alcohol, just to name a few. And please stay away from artificial sweeteners such as aspartame which is in that blue sweetener packet. This poison will block one’s energy in many ways.

Eliminating these items from our diets and replacing them with nutritious foods, especially “live” foods such as raw, fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, and lots of pure water will not only bring us good health but will greatly enhance the energy flow in our bodies.

When setting out to achieve anything, the energy of it must first come through us. That is why it’s so important to clear the way, so to speak, so energy flows freely. If we have blocks in this flow, these manifest outwardly into our lives, in various forms. Poor health as well as a shortage of cash flow are possible results.

The next step is to look around at our immediate environment. Energy flows constantly, everywhere. The trick is directing this energy so it becomes most beneficial to our lives. If we have clutter in our homes or offices, we have blockages to energy.

How is your energy flowing today?

May your energy flow abundantly this holiday season. Blessings to you for good health and wealth.

How to normalize your blood pressure for the rest of your life without dangerous drugs is a focus of Dr. Mercola’s December 15^th posting, “How You Can Normalize Your Blood Pressure Without Drugs.”

The not-so-good news is that one in three adults in the USA will have high blood pressure. The great news is that over 85 percent of those who have hypertension can normalize their blood pressure through lifestyle modifications.

The article, though lengthy, is well worth the read. The following excerpts from the article contain seven empowering lifestyle techniques and perhaps not so widely known information:

1) Eat right for your nutritional type

Eating sug­ars and grains — in­cluding any type of bread, pasta, corn, potatoes, or rice — will cause your insulin levels to remain elevated.

Insulin stores magnesium, but if your insulin receptors are blunted and your cells grow resistant to insulin, you can’t store magnesium and it passes out of your body through urination. Magnesium stored in your cells relaxes muscles. If your magnesium level is too low, your blood vessels will constrict rather than relax, which will raise your blood pressure and decrease your energy level.

Insulin also affects your blood pressure by causing your body to retain sodium. Sodium retention causes fluid retention. Fluid retention in turn causes high blood pressure, and can ultimately lead to congestive heart failure.

When you consume a high-carbohydrate meal, you raise both your blood sugar and your insulin level. A high level of insulin acts as a very strong stimulant to your sympathetic nervous system. The reaction of your sympathetic nervous system causes spasms — constrictions — of your arteries. And if you already suf­fer from hypertension, this further constriction of your blood vessels can increase your risk of a heart attack.

2) Normalize your omega 6:3 ratio

 Both omega-3 and omega-6 fats are essential for your health. Most Americans, however, are getting too much omega-6 in their diet and far too little omega-3. Consuming omega-3 fats is one of the best ways to re-sensitize your insulin receptors if you suffer from insulin resistance

Omega-3 fats are typically found in flaxseed oil, walnut oil and fish, with fish being by far the best source.

3) Eliminate caffeine

The connection between caffeine consumption and high blood pressure is not well understood, but there is ample evidence to indicate that if you have hypertension, coffee and other caffeinated drinks and foods can ex­acerbate your condition.

4) Normalize your weight

Studies show that even a modest weight loss, when maintained, can reduce blood pressure long-term.

 5) Learn to Manage Your Emotional Stress

The link between stress and hypertension is well documented. Doctors and health care professionals committed to treating the whole person rather than a list of physical symptoms are well aware of the crucial con­nection between diseases of the body and unresolved emotional conflict.

Suppressed negative emotions such as fear, anger and sadness can severely limit your ability to cope with the unavoidable every day stresses of life.

It’s not the stressful events themselves that are harmful, but your lack of ability to cope.

6) Use Exercise as a Drug

 7) Get a Daily Dose of Sunshine

Believe it or not, the farther you live from the equator, the higher your risk of de­veloping high blood

pressure. And did you know that blood pressure is typi­cally higher in winter months than during the summer?

Sunlight actually affects blood pressure in several ways:

• Sun exposure causes your body to produce vitamin D. Lack of sunlight re­duces your vitamin D stores and increases parathyroid hormone produc­tion, which increases blood pressure.
• Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to insulin resistance (IR) and Syndrome X (also known as Metabolic Syndrome), a group of health problems that can include IR, elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels, obesity, and high blood pressure.
• Vitamin D is also a negative inhibitor of your body’s renin-angiotensin sys­tem (RAS), which regulates blood pressure. If you’re vitamin D deficient, it can cause inappropriate activation of your RAS, which may lead to hy­pertension.
• Additionally, exposure to UV rays is thought to cause the release of endor­phins, chemicals in your brain that produce feelings of euphoria and relief from pain. Endorphins naturally relieve stress, and stress management is an important factor in resolving hypertension.