Karen Knowler: How to Set Up Your Own Super-Smoothie Bar At Home

I've so enjoyed writing this article for you - this issue is a real fun one, I think! As many of you know, I LOVE smoothies and I'm also pretty good at creating and making them, so this issue I thought I'd share with you my guide to creating a smoothie bar in your own home that's good to go at any time of day and is quick and easy to use.

Why smoothies? Because they're fast, quick, fun, delicious and they are great at any time of day and can often deliver a hefty dose of nutrition in a tasty and beautiful package!

My kitchen sees a lot of smoothie action, whether it be green smoothies for lunch or nut milk-based smoothies for supper... and I hope that with the help of this issue, yours will soon too!

Step 1: Tool Yourself Up. The only piece of equipment you need to make a great smoothie is, of course, a blender. Now, as may or may not know, all blenders are not equal! Certainly you can get away with a High Street blender costing around £20-£30 ($25-$50) for a fair amount of time if you treat it kindly, but if you've got the money and the passion then the best place you could invest your money for the long haul is without doubt in the very "hardcore" blender that is the Vita-Mix 5200 series or the Turboblend VS. Yes, they are pricey (especially here in Europe), but they are soo worth it. I am fortunate enough to own one myself and like many others who are also proud owners of these beautiful machines I really do think it's one of the best investments in my health I have ever made. I use it every day and it's my favourite piece of equipment in my entire kitchen. All that said, if budget does not permit you to spend nigh on £400 ($450)  on this particular piece of kit, then all is not lost, just spend the most you can on something that's got good reviews on Amazon or similar and when you've got that part sorted, you're ready to go!

Step 2: Gather Your Ingredients. Before you start let's take a look at what you could have on hand to make your smoothies with.

* Fresh fruit (in a bowl and/or fridge)
* Fresh greens (in your fridge. e.g. spinach, watercress, lettuce, kale, chard etc.)
* Frozen fruit (in your freezer)
* Ice-cubes (in your freezer)
* Sweeteners (e.g. dates, agave nectar, maple syrup [not raw], honey, stevia etc.)
* Flavourings (e.g. mesquite meal, carob powder, cacao nibs/ powder, vanilla pods/ essence etc.)
* Superfoods (e.g. maca, bee pollen, green powders, hemp protein powder, etc.)
* Nuts and seeds and/or their butters (for nut milks)
* Cartons of coconut water/ milk
* Oils (not necessary, but some people like to use hemp, flax or coconut oil in their smoothies for EFAs)

Obviously fresh fruit, greens, nuts and seeds are easy to buy in the shops these days, as are some of the other more specialised foods. But for those ingredients that are new to you or that you can't get hold of locally, the good news is that all of these ingredients are now easy to buy mail order wherever you are in the world.

If most of these are new to you, then the ones I recommend you start off with are: dates for sweetening and agave nectar (light) if you want something new to try; vanilla pods or essence and/or mesquite powder for flavourings; bee pollen (for non-vegans) as an incredible superfood and coconut oil for fat if you'd like some.

Whatever you choose, make sure that you gather all your non-refrigerated ingredients into one place so that they are all together, which leads me nicely on to...

Step 3: Pick Your Spot. Whether you choose to make your smoothies at home or at the office, picking the right spot is key. Why? Because if it's somewhere awkward to get to, or not near to the sink or a million miles from your fridge, ingredients or glasses, then you'll feel much less inclined to actually use your smoothie bar! In my current home my smoothie is simply one quick turn away from my sink, and in my previous home, my blender was located with my sink to the left, my smoothie ingredients to the right on a shelf above (you could have yours in a box or tray if you don't have shelving in your kitchen) and my glasses were located up to the right in a cupboard next to the ingredients. And the fridge was just 2 steps away. Even though this all sounds like perfect common sense, it's amazing how many of us make life difficult for ourselves and dot everything all over the place! By keeping these 5 things all close to hand, you will now officially have your "bar" in place and will be all set to get creative.

Step 4: Choose Your Recipes. Now that you have your blender, your ingredients and your actual "bar" all set up, what are you going to make? Well, this is where previous eZines come in. So far I've published probably around 20-30 different smoothies recipes in the past issues, so they should get you started! If you'd like to be super-organised then why not find some smoothie recipes you love (or would love to try) from recipe books and photocopy them (or print the eZine recipes off) and file them in those clear files you bought and you'll be all set to go.

Step 5: Get Smoothie-ing! I generally recommend that if you are very new to smoothie making that you start very simply, as I did, with pure water, a couple of small bananas (or one big one) and one handful of fresh fruit of your choice. Strawberries work well, as do any berries, or peach, nectarine, pineapple or mango. All of these are good and very straightforward to buy and use. From there, when you have your confidence up and are ready to try new things, you can start to get a bit more experimental and add in other more unusual ingredients such as the powders and potions and even a little bit of oil if you'd like to (ideally no more than 2 teaspoons per pint). Personally I keep oils out, but then getting enough calories is not my concern as my needs are pretty low in that department! One step beyond that is to experiment with using nut or seed milks for a base instead of bananas, which is where your nut milk bag will come in. This is really easy to do, but I'll keep the "How To" for another article which will follow next issue. Until then, I'll be expecting you to set your smoothie bar up to perfection ready and eager to go for next week!

Do we have a deal?!
Karen Knowler, The Raw Food Coach publishes "Successfully Raw" - a free weekly eZine for raw food lovers everywhere. If you're ready to look good, feel great and create a raw life you love get your FREE tips, tools and recipes now at www.TheRawFoodCoach.com.

Sour Dough Kefir Bread (The Easy Way)

12-oz kefir
3 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp maple syrup or honey

Combine ingredients and knead until well incorporated. Turn dough out into greased glass bread pan. Smooth top and let sit covered for 24 hours.

After 24 hours, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove cover and bake for 35 minutes. This bread keeps a long time.

Herbal Blogs

Here is a great list of herbal blogs. Compiling this list was, I am sure, a lot of work, but seems like quite the labor of love. I think I will lock myself in my room for a couple of days and pour over all this wonderful information. Well, I don't suppose I will have the luxury of locking myself in my room, but you can be sure that I will be making my way through the list -- over and over again.

Dandruff

Recently, I was asked about remedies for dandruff.

There are a number of reasons for dandruff

My sister-in-law is a hair dresser. She says that many times men (more often than women) do not rinse all the soap off of their scalp and soap scum builds up. The dried soap flakes off like snow flakes. Do you remember a commercial for dandruff shampoo which spoke of snow flakes?

Wonderhubs used to have dandruff really bad, and it turned out it was a yeast issue (in which case, the baking soda solution discussed below would be perfect). Yeast can be a systemic condition, so there is no easy answer to a complete resolution to the problem. It often involves some dramatic changes to a  person's diet. Yeast craves an acidic environment, so these people must eat more alkaline producing foods.

Sometimes, it has to do with the liver being overwhelmed (like many other skin issues) and a liver cleanse helps.

The baking soda hair treatment, is actually in 2 parts:

Mix 1 Tablespoon baking soda in a cup of water and put it in an old (well rinsed) shampoo container. You can multiply the recipe as many times as you need it to fill the bottle

In a separate bottle, mix 1 Tablespoon of either apple cider vinegar or white vinegar (again multiply to fill your container, if need be). Most people prefer the white vinegar because it has a less distinctive odor, and the smell dissipates more quickly.


Squirt the baking soda mixture all over your scalp and massage it in (a scalp massage always feels great). Leave it on for a few minutes (perhaps clean the rest of the body while it 'sets'). Many people apply the baking soda mixture to dry hair. Others just use it in the shower, so the hair is already wet.

Rinse it out thoroughly (again a scalp massage -- it feels SO good).

Next, apply the vinegar solution in the same way and rinse (no need to wait on this one).

If there are other hair related issues, or just for added scent, add some essential oils like cedar or lavender to one or the other of the mixtures.

Many people don't use the vinegar all the time, just occasionally. It may be necessary at first until the hair gets used to the change.

Many people love this from the start, but others find that there is an adjustment period while the scalp and hair let loose of some of the oils and chemicals that have built up over the years.

The Cost of a Miracle

A couple months ago, I came across this quote from Pope St. Leo the Great:

Dearly beloved, when our Lord Jesus Christ was preaching the Gospel of the kingdom and healing various illnesses throughout the whole of Galilee, the fame of his mighty works spread into all of Syria, and great crowds from all parts of Judea flocked to the heavenly physician. Because human ignorance is slow to believe what it does not see, and equally slow to hope for what it does not know, those who were to be instructed in the divine teaching had first to be aroused by bodily benefits and visible miracles so that, once they had experienced his gracious power, they would no longer doubt the wholesome effect of his doctrine.

In order, therefore, to transform outward healings into inward remedies, and to cure men’s souls now that he had healed their bodies, our Lord separated himself from the surrounding crowds, climbed to the solitude of a neighboring mountain, and called the apostles to himself. From the height of this mystical site he then instructed them in the most lofty doctrines, suggesting both by the very nature of the place and by what he was doing that it was he who long ago had honored Moses by speaking to him. At that time, his words showed a terrifying justice, but now they reveal a sacred compassion, in order to fulfill what was promised in the words of the prophet Jeremiah: Behold the days are coming, says the Lord, when I shall establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. After those days, says the Lord, I shall put my laws within them and write them on their hearts.

When some tragedy happens -- whether it be an illness, or the loss of a loved one, or the loss of work, home, or fortune -- we all hope and pray for miracles. Unfortunately, when we acquire that miracle, we then return on our merry way, as if nothing unusual happened. Even when we find healing through some 'normal' means we tend to see is as license to return to the life we had before the experience. Of course, life really never is the same....

The good Pope tells us:

"...those who were to be instructed in the divine teaching had first to be aroused by bodily benefits and visible miracles so that, once they had experienced his gracious power, they would no longer doubt the wholesome effect of his doctrine."

So, a miracle has the purpose, not of directly building our faith, but of allowing us to open our minds, hearts, and even our very souls. to the deep mysteries of our Faith.

It 's not a matter of: "Oh! How nice! Thank you, God."

It is an invitation to discipleship, and making a commitment to seeking a more intimate relationship with Jesus -- to leave the rat race behind so that one can sit at His feet and drink deeply of what He has to teach about the deeper meaning of life. The pope tells us: "whoever longs to attain eternal blessedness can now recognize the steps that lead to that high happiness." The great saint, then proceeds to speak of the Beatitudes.

Though God CAN work miraculously and simply heal us when we pray, most of the time He chooses not to do this. He wants us to LEARN TO BE FAITHFUL with the body He has given us to take care of by making sure we eat the foods He's given us to eat, exercise, use products that NURTURE us and not intoxicate us, etc; then He will BLESS us with good health (as a reward) that we may be a blessing to others. If we can't be faithful in taking care of our own body, how can we be given authority over more?

Miso Soup

This is a simple soup that is tasty, even on those icky, sicky days when one does not have much appetite.

Soak for 2 hours or over night

6-inch piece kombu or
5 dried shitake mushrooms
6 cups cold water

Remove shitake and slice thin, discarding any tough parts which remain. Return shitake to broth and bring to a boil.

After simmering for a few minutes, remove kombu and reserve it for another use. (It may be reused to make soup stock or cooked with beans or vegetables.)

Add and cook for 5 to 10 minutes:
2 - 3 cloves of garlic, minced (some prefer to saute garlic for a few minutes, first)
1 carrot, sliced

Add and cook for 5 to 10 minutes more:

1 1/2 cups chopped greens (such as kale or mustard greens)

Add and simmer for 2 minutes:

1 pound tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 green onion, thinly sliced

Turn off heat. Dilute in a little of the broth, then add to soup:

1 cup white, barley, or brown rice miso Allow to steep briefly before serving.

Other vegetables like corn, zucchini, or yellow squash may be added along with the carrots.

Potato Leek Soup

March first was Saint David's feast day. Since our youngest is named David, we like to celebrate with a potato-leek soup. It makes a wonderful comfort food for these last few weeks of winter.

Somehow, the first of March slipped past us this year.

Now, however, we find ourselves at the beginning of Lent, with a fast day on Ash Wednesday. Since we have people in the family who cannot do a complete fast, we opted for the missed potato soup for our dinner.

Here is how I made our soup:

In an 8 quart stockpot, I melted

2 - 3 Tablespoons coconut oil

Then I cut into 1/4 inch slices and sauteed them until soft:

2 leeks

After about 5 minutes I stirred in:

1 Tbs. dried thyme (I prefer fresh thyme, but ours is not quite tall enough)

I turned the heat up a bit (just until it boils) as I added:

6 cups water
1 1/2 - 2 pounds potatoes (about 3 medium)

Turn heat down, once the water boils. TeCook until the potatoes are soft. Then liquify the soup. I like my little hand blender, or put it, in two batches, into my Vitamix.

Return to heat, and stir in:

1 Tbs. grated ginger, or 2 tsp. dried ginger
2 handfuls chopped sorrel or basil.

If you do not have these, organic baby spinach will work well.

Simmer for 5 more minutes.

Serve with a teaspoon of miso stirred into each bowl. Note: do not cook the miso. It contains pro-biotics and enzymes which will be destroyed by cooking.



For a little extra punch, do a kindness to your liver and add:

1/2 tsp Young Living JuvaSpice.

Cancer is curable NOW

The 7 chapters of the movie:

"CANCER is curable NOW"

1. FAULTY SYSTEM

which is not designed to heal, but to make money.
Greed, Fear, Pressure, Obedience, Blind Faith

2. THE CAUSE OF CANCER

will elaborate on the most proven and known causes and how to avoid them: Household Toxins, Food Toxins, Plastics, Vaccination, Environmental Toxins, Emotional Toxins, Overwhelmed by Life, The real cause of cancer, Dealing with the cause

3. THE JOURNEY TO HEALTH

is the most important part for every cancer patient it includes change of lifestyle, knowledge, self-responsibility and removing the cause. are treatments you can do by yourself, with help of a therapist or in a clinic. These treatments are absolutely mandatory for everyone who wants to achieve health.Self-responsibility, The pain of change, Victory is a Decision, Cancer is a Wake-up call, Finding good support, Common sense, Self confidence, A new way of healing, Healing is possible, Your body heals itself

4. MANDATORY CANCER TREATMENT

are treatments you can do by yourself, with help of a therapist or in a clinic. These treatments are absolutely mandatory for everyone who wants to achieve health: Exercise, Oxygen, Sunshine/Vitamin D3, Cancer diet, Alkaline, Detox diet, Gerson therapy, Detoxification, Supplements, Vitamin C, Enzymes, Immune boosting

5. MEDICAL CANCER TREATMENT

are non toxic, non invasive immune boosting and cancer growth reducing treatments with little to no side effects: Whole body hyperthermia, Local hyperthermia, Prostate treatment, Ozone treatment, Dental cavitation, Root canal fillings, Antineoplastions, Hormone harmonizers, Nature has no side effects, Low dose insulin potentiation, Metronomic low dose

6. MENTAL CANCER TREATMENT

covers all the methods and disciplines which can reduce stress, emotional challenges, mental blocks and unhealthy habits necessary to heal cancer. People are waking up, Healthy Habits, Motivation, Mental Detox, Meditation

7. BLESSINGS FROM CANCER

shows that if cancer is approached with an open mind and with a willingness to embrace change it always turns into a huge blessing not only for the patient but for all those involved.
Secondary gains, Blessing for all involved, We vote with our shopping cart, It's time to change, Epilogue

You find all this information on only 1 DVD

AND THERE IS MORE

DELETED SCENES

The movie "CANCER IS CURABLE NOW" was originally 5 hours before cutting it to it's present length of 112 min.

All the deleted scenes have been sorted by relevance and will be posted on:

WWW.WAKE-UP.tv

There is already a huge change in how people approach health. People are waking up!

The old system does not work and many realize that. Even breakthrough discoveries of modern science proof that medicine, as practiced today, has no means to heal. The only thing they do is to cover up symptoms.

Chocolate Hazelnut Butter

Recently, we got a coupon for Nutella from Costco. So we got 2 jars, then 2 more, then... Well, let's just say we got hooked on the stuff. But there are some issues with the ingredients being less than healthy.

Last week, I saw a video from Splendor in the Raw where Chef Tina Jo makes this Chocolate Hazelnut Spread in the food processor. If you know me, you won't be surprised that I used hers as a jumping off place. I tend to like things a bit less sweet than other people. The taste of the hazel nuts really sings out here. The butter needed a bit more liquid, so I put a little more coconut oil in it. This is the result.


Place in food processor and process until it forms a paste (like peanut butter):

2 c. raw hazelnuts, soaked over night
1 Tbs. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Himalayan pink salt
1/2 tsp. ground ginger

Be patient with this part. Stop the machine occasionally to scrape the nuts down from the sides. It also keeps things from heating up too much. Tina Jo says it takes 10 to 15 minutes to get to the right texture. I rushed it and my spread came out a bit 'grainy'. I processed it a bunch more at the end, but the machine had to work a lot harder than if I had done it at this point.

Add, then process again until smooth:

3/4 c. liquid coconut oil.

Coconut oil has a melting point of 78 degrees. My kitchen tends to run really cold in the winter. So my coconut oil is like a rock. To liquify the oil, just sit the jar of oil in a bowl of warm water. The oil will melt around the edges. Then you can pour it into your measuring cup.

Next, add:

3/4 c. agave or honey
1/4 c. yacon syrup

This time of year, honey tends to crystalize. Put the jar in a bowl of warm water until it becomes liquid again.

Finally, add to processor and run until creamy:

3/4 to 1 c. raw cacao powder

Store in a tightly closed glass jar. No need to refrigerate. Tina says it will keep for a month, but I am not sure that shelf life will be tested at our house. ;)

Hazelnut butter is tasty on whole wheat (even sourdough) bread or pancakes. Spread some on an apple, pear, or banana. It goes really well with flax crackers. I caught my 12 year old spooning it right out of the jar. You could even put some over home made ice cream. ;)

Just a couple of notes:

* I really recommend the Tropical Traditions coconut oil. It has a really mellow flavor that goes well with the nuts and chocolate. In addition, their oil is produced by families in the Philippines in their traditional way: minimal heating, no chemicals, and it supports families in one of the poorest countries in the world. For those who want to support 'made in America' the Philippines are a US territory.

* Yacon syrup is made from the root of a plant in the sunflower family. It has no glucose in it, so it is often recommended for diabetics. Yacon also contains a significant amount of antioxidants and pre biotics (particularly fructooligosaccharides - FOS - which supports normal gastro-intestinal flora and fauna). The taste, however, may take some getting used to, since it has a strong flavor, somewhat like molasses. For this reason, I used it as only part of the sweetener. Yacon goes quite well with chocolate, however. I had some amazing chocolates made with yacon at the Young Living convention last year.

Mint, Ginger, Pear Smoothie

Our friend has a couple pear trees, so we had an abundance of pears. They are also our brain injured son's favorite fruit. So we put this smoothie together. It was a treat on a hot summer day.

We used peppermint (very cooling), but you can try spearmint or a combination of the two.

Place in Vitamix in the following order:

1 cup water
2 soft pears, cored and cut into half inch cubes
3 Tablespoons dried peppermint or spearmint (or a handful of fresh mint
1 Tablespoon fresh ginger (or 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger)
1 teaspoon dulse
2 handfuls of organic baby spinach
1 Tablespoon flax seed

Start blending on low, increasing the speed gradually to about 7. Blend until smooth.

What does America Eat?

The average American consumes 1,996.3 pounds of food in a year - almost five and a half pounds each day. Another source pegs this at over 3500 calories a day. We certainly are well fed people.

Dairy products top the list of what we consume, at 631.7 pounds. 181 pounds of that is 'milk beverages'. When we milked our goats, we figured a gallon of milk weighs ten pounds. So, the average American drinks not quite one and a half quarts of milk (beverages) each week - a third of soda consumption. Cheese is broken out separately on the chart. The 31.4 pounds of cheese a year comes to almost a pound and two thirds a week. The chart does not say, but one wonders how much of that is 'cheese food' or the fake cheese that often comes with fast food. Also, Americans eat, on average, 24 pounds of ice cream per year or about a half gallon every week. Do you think that we eat a lot more in the summer than at other times of the year?

The next most consumed foods on this list look like good news - vegetables total 415.4 pounds per year. At a little over a pound of veggies a day, it looks like we are beginning to listen to those who promote the '5 a day' campaign. Yet, we still have a long way to go.

Unfortunately, 56 pounds of our vegetable choice is corn, which is one of the most heavily genetically modified (GMO) foods on the market. Since labeling of GMO is not required, especially for ingredients in prepared foods, we have no way of knowing whether we are eating GMO corn or not when these foods are on our menu. Corn is also notoriously hard to digest and a leading cause of food allergies.

Americans also eat 29 pounds of French Fries -- about three quarters of a pound each week or not quite 3 biggie fries orders. We could go on and on about the dangers of eating French Fries frequently (every two or three days by this chart). One thing that is overlooked it that potatoes are at the top of the 'dirty dozen' most heavily pesticide laden foods on the market. Couple that with deep frying at high temperatures and it looks like a recipe for health disaster. Maybe you want to focus on the 'Clean 15' if we do not want to fork out the bucks for organic. Better yet, let's support organic growers and suppliers so that we show them that we want safe, nutritious foods.

Fruits come in third at 273.2 pounds (3/4 of a pound a day - maybe an organic apple, to keep the doctor away?). Again this sounds like we might be headed in the right direction. These are not broken down by type, however. Many of those which are most available -- apples, peaches, imported grapes, strawberries, domestic cherries, and nectarines -- are on the 'Dirty Dozen' list. Once again, it may be worth it for your health to switch to the 'Clean 15' or make the commitment to buying organic. Imagine the impact it would make if you buy one organic fruit a day.

Animal protein foods are next, adding up to 232.4 pounds -- about a quarter pound per meal. Most authorities agree that a quarter pound is a reasonable serving of animal protein. Much controversy surrounds the chemical contamination of these foods as well.

We certainly indulge our sweet tooth. 165.6 pounds of caloric and artificial sweeteners are consumed by the average American each year. That is eight percent of food consumption. Perhaps the 53 gallons of sodas account for a good bit of this consumption - along with much of the caffeine. Most sweeteners are devoid of nutrients and sodas can be faulted in the same manner. In order to be metabolized, they use up valuable resources in the body. Artificial sweeteners carry much darker dangers. Thus, they become anti-nutrients. It would seem that substituting some fruit to satisfy the sweet tooth could make a big impact on a person's health. Half a pound of fruit - maybe a banana or a kiwi - is also much more satisfying to the brain, the palate, and the tummy than this anti-food.

World agriculture produces enough food calories to meet the energy needs of all the nearly 6 billion people alive today. Global agriculture keeps pace with population growth. Nevertheless, during any year in which enough calories are produced on a global level to meet the energy requirements of the entire population, food shortages can still occur under two situations: If the patterning of production directs too many calories into animals instead of humans, some enjoy meat while others lack calories; Alternatively, overemphasis on production of calories (sugar producing crops and overly refined grains) may jeopardize the production of other protein- or micronutrient- rich foods that also enter into the calculus of global food security or shortage.

The numbers of people potentially supported by the global food supply depend heavily on the kind of diet people consume. The World Hunger Program calculates that global food supplies have been more than adequate, since the mid-1970s, to support the world's population on a vegetarian diet. But they would support only 74 per cent of the 1993 population on a diet where 15 per cent of calories come from animal foods. Only 56 per cent of the 1993 world population could have been provided with diets where 25 per cent of calories came from animal foods. Increased demand for meat is a particular concern, since livestock conversions, usually calculated in terms of food energy grain-to-livestock ratios, are high. In a feedlot, it takes two kilos (kilograms) of grain to produce one kilo of chicken or fish, four kilos to produce one kilo of pork, and seven to produce one kilo of beef. In the 1990s, it was calculated that some 4.3 billion large domesticated animals and 17 billion poultry ate 40 per cent of the world's grain supply.

If we add together the meat and milk products (864.1 pounds) in the American diet, we find that 43.3 percent of the American diet comes from animal products. This does not take into account butter and lard, from the oils category. The chart does not compare calories, but certainly, Americans consume much more than their fair share of food in general, but particularly foods from animal sources. Study after study shows that diets high in vegetable content foster healthier, longer lived peoples.

As you plan next week's menus, think about altering some of your food choices. Take into account the benefits to both your health, and the world's economy. Here is a handy tool to help you make better choices about your exposure to toxic chemicals.

A Secret Method to Wipe Out Your Headache

A colon massage is a way to rub down your abdomen to stimulate the activity of the colon, getting things moving again. It can energize the muscular, wave-like contractions of the intestines (peristalsis) to move their contents along during digestion and, eventually send the waste products out the rectum. You can find relief from constipation; headaches; flatulence; bloating; and even fatigue. Another secret I will share with you is that by combining this method with therapeutic grade essential oils, you increase its effectiveness many-fold.

You can even teach your children to do a colon massage for themselves

You already know that over eating, or eating the wrong foods, can cause tummy aches, diarrhea, or constipation. Your food choices can also cause headaches. For example, eating too much salt and animal products could give you a squeezing, vise-like pain in the back of your head. A frontal headache can be caused by overindulging in sugar, chocolate, alcohol, or fruit juice. Side head pain can be caused by taking excessively greasy or oily food. Food additives, like MSG can cause pain at the top of your head. So, the next time you are stuck in the throes of a pounding headache, give yourself a colon massage using Essential Oils. See how quickly you find relief.

Let’s start with a quick review from your high school anatomy class. I know, you thought it was soooo boring, and you would never, ever use the information the rest of your life. Surprise! Here’s where that knowledge will come in handy.

The colon begins where the small intestine ends - on the lower right side of the abdomen. It proceeds upward to the bottom of the rib cage. Crossing the stomach, it stretches to the left side of your abdomen. For those of us who are older, or a little pudgy, the colon may droop in the middle. A longer portion of the colon drapes down the left side, connecting to the rectum, deep in the center of your body.

Begin by laying down on a flat surface – preferably on a bed or the floor. Bend your knees.

Apply a few drops of peppermint, fennel/anise, tarragon, diluted ginger, Release, Di-Gize, or even one of the citrus oils. All are excellent for digestive issues. If the essential oils are too intense, just rub a small amount of unscented vegetable oil (olive, sesame, almond, or coconut oil ) on top of the essential oil. You can also mix a drop or two of the essential oil with a teaspoon of the carrier oil.

With a closed fist or the tips of your fingers, begin massaging on the lower right side of the abdomen in small circles. Work up along the right side. Continue massaging across, a little under the rib cage. Then proceed to rub, in your circles, down the left side. Follow the path of the large intestine.

Take your time. There is no reason to rush. Massage at least 1-2 minutes before moving to the next area. Pressure can be applied during the massage. How much pressure depends on the tolerance level of each individual. Usually you will find an area that is exceptionally tender or downright painful. This is the area where you want to concentrate your massage. Start with a more gentle pressure, but stay with it until you can get in there and massage with conviction. More than likely, your headache originates from that very spot.

Continue massaging until you feel your headache dissipating or your abdomen feels soft and squishy and the tender spots are not quite so tender. I like to do at least 3-4 complete passes over the large intestine followed with gently kneading the center of my abdomen, to give the small intestine some encouragement. You might find that you will release gas or you may have to use the bathroom. Both of these are good signs.

I prefer to perform my own colon massages. You, on the other hand, might choose for someone else to do the massaging. The technique is still the same. Up the right side, across and down the left. If you do have someone available who can do foot reflexology, complete your session with them working on your large intestine vita-flex points in the same direction and using the same essential oils.

Colon massages can help to ease colic in babies and soothe digestive upset or headaches in children. Be sure to dilute the essential oil 50:50 before applying to their sensitive skin. For newborns, just massage lightly in a clockwise direction without the essential oils, opting to put the peppermint or Di-Gize on the bottoms of their feet instead.

Next time you have a headache, or feel bloated and gassy, Take a break and treat yourself to a colon massage with the extra added boost of essential oils. You may well find renewed energy to get on with your day.