Here are a few simple recipes that you can choose from The Dolphin Clinic.

hair care

They are SIMPLE, ECONOMICAL & EFFECTIVE. Your hair will look and feel much better. I know the thought of making these seems a little daunting – but do it once and you will be pleasantly surprised.

Regular Conditioning Treatment
10mls Almond Oil
10mls Avocado Oil
7 drops Rosemary Essential Oil
5 drops Geranium Essential Oil

Put into a small bottle or cup, mix (stir or shake) and massage into scalp, leave on for as long as possible, and shampoo off. Ideally do this once or twice a week, you will see the benefits of softer healthier hair.

Extra Conditioning Treatment for very DRY Hair
10mls Jojoba Oil
10mls Avocado Oil
5 drops Rose Essential Oil
4 drops Sandalwood Essential Oil
4 drops Geranium Essential Oil

Warm the Jojoba and Avocado by placing them in a cup inside a bowl of hot water, wait a few minutes until the oil is warm, add the essential oils and mix. Rub into the scalp using approximately 1/3rd at a time. Cover your head with a towel and relax for 10-20 minutes (or as long as you can!).  Then apply your shampoo to dry hair, then add water and shampoo and condition your hair as normal. The results are worth the effort.

Boost your Conditioner
If you don’t have time right now to do the above conditioning treatments simply add Jojoba to your conditioner, leave on for 5 minutes and rinse off as normal. Lots of natural hair care products claim to have Jojoba in them, but it is often only in small amounts.  Boost it up with Organic Jojoba Oil for real benefits.

Dandruff
10mls Almond Oil
10ml Jojoba Oil
5 drops Lavender Essential Oil
5 drops Rosemary Essential Oil
2 drops Cedarwood Essential Oil

Put into a small bottle or cup, mix and massage into scalp, leave on for as long as possible, and shampoo off. Ideally do this once or twice a week.

Hair Rinse
Hair rinses seem to have gone out of fashion lately. This is a shame as they can add a lovely shine to your hair, and they are easy to apply.
20mls Water
10mls Apple Cider Vinegar
15 drops of the following essential oil(s) depending on your hair type.

Dry Hair: Sandalwood, Lavender, Ylang Ylang, Cedarwood, Geranium
Normal Hair: Lavender, Rosemary, Lemon
Oily Hair:    Clary Sage, Lemon, Cypress, Eucalyptus
Split Ends: Chamomile, Geranium, Rosewood
Flaky Scalp: Patchouli, Rosewood

Simply mix in a bottle or cup. Have it in the shower with you. Once you have finished washing your hair, squeeze out excess water, poor the rinse over your head, massage into the scalp and towel dry hair. Style as usual.

Headlice
Use Dolphin Clinic Headlice Treatment.

It contains Geranium, Thyme, Eucalyptus and NZ Manuka, in a combination of Almond and Jojoba carrier oils.

Apply to dry hair, comb through to ensure complete coverage. Leave on for several hours, preferably overnight. Apply shampoo to dry hair, then add water, rinse and condition.

Many thanks to The Dolphin Clinic for this great information.

Microwaved Water - See What It Does To Plants

Below is a science fair project that  the authors granddaughter did for 2006. In it she took filtered water and divided it into two parts. The first part she heated to boiling in a pan on the stove, and the second part she heated to boiling in a microwave. Then after cooling she used the water to water two identical plants to see if there would be any difference in the growth between the normal boiled water and the water boiled in a microwave. She was thinking that the structure or energy of the water may be compromised by microwave. As it turned out, even she was amazed at the difference.

The author has known for years that the problem with microwaved anything is not the radiation people used to worry about, It’s how it corrupts the DNA in the food so the body can not recognize it. So the body wraps it in fat cells to protect itself from the dead food or it eliminates it fast.. Think of all the Mothers heating up milk in these “Safe” appliances. What about the nurse in Canada that warmed up blood for a transfusion patient and accidentally killed them when the blood went in dead. But the makers say it’s safe.  Never mind then, keep using them. Ask your Doctor I am sure they will say it’s safe too. Proof is in the pictures of living plants dying. Remember You are also Living. Take Care.

Origins:   The introductions of new, widely-adopted technologies are often accompanied by fears of possible deleterious effects from the use of such devices — everything from concerns that telephones would spell the end of regional accents to parental admonitions not to sit too close to the television (lest you ruin your eyes!). Usually these fears are largely allayed after a few years, as the technologies improve and become ubiquitous, and evidence of the feared negative effects fails to materialize. Nonetheless, even though the microwave oven has been a standard household appliance for several decades now, rumors continue to linger that microwaves somehow “change the molecular structure” of consumables and therefore make food products heated in them unsafe to eat. The sample “experiment” represented above is an expression of that sort of rumor, but it is pure junk science, both in its methodology and its conclusions.

First of all, water heated in a microwave oven is no different in “structure or energy” than water heated with a gas flame, on an electric stove, or over a wood fire: It’s just water, plain and simple. More important, though, is the awareness that drawing valid scientific conclusions from experimentation involves conducting multiple trials under carefully controlled conditions, something not in evidence here. The extraneous factors that could have produced the exhibited results (i.e., one live plant and one dead plant) exhibited above are legion. For example:

* One plant could have been compromised from the very beginning and would have died even if both plants were treated alike.

* The container used to store or boil the microwaved water could have introduced a residual substance into the water that hindered plant growth.

* The soil or bedding material used for one of the plants might have contained something (either originally or introduced later) that hindered plant growth.

* The two containers of water might have been heated and/or cooled unequally, resulting in one plant’s receiving warmer water than the other.

* The plants might have been subject to differing environmental factors (e.g., light, heat) due to their placement, or affected differently by external factors (e.g., insects, pets).

* Since the experiment was not conducted “blindly,” the possibility that the experimenter in some way influenced the results cannot be ruled out.

Rather than simply speculate, though, we performed the same experiment in a more controlled manner. We started out with three each of three different types of plants: one member of each set was given water that had been boiled on a gas stove, water that had been boiled in a microwave oven, or water that had not been boiled at all. All the water used in the experiment came from the same source, the same vessel was used for boiling water both on the stove and in the microwave, and all three types of water were stored in identical containers. The water given to all of the plants was at room temperature. The plants were kept in a carefully controlled environment that protected them from our pets and equalized (as much as possible) their exposure to environmental factors.

As evidenced by the photos below (taken while the plants were briefly removed from the environment in which they were tended and placed in a setting better suited to photography), all three plants in each set fairly thrived. When Barbara asked me to indicate (blindly) which plant in each set I thought had fared the best, in two cases I selected plants that had been given microwave-boiled water, and in one case I selected a plant that had been given unboiled water:

As for the coda to the example quoted at the head of this page, there have been some cases in which the use of microwave-heated blood in medical procedures has been cited as causing serious problems, but not because microwave heating “corrupts the DNA.” Rather, conventional microwave ovens can heat blood too quickly and/or too unevenly (resulting in hemolysis), so standard (and slower) blood warming procedures are generally preferred or mandated.

The URL for this page is http://www.snopes.com/science/microwave/plants.asp

Insomnia is a difficulty in falling asleep, in staying asleep, or in sleeping soundly.  The need for sleep varies from person to person and from age to age, but in general it tends to decline as one grows older.  Some people are short sleepers and do not need the 7 to 9 hours that others do.  If the energy level is adequate during the day, there is no need to be concerned about a lack of sleep.

Sleep apnoea refers to not breathing, then gasping of air repeatedly throughout the night.  This can happen hundreds of times, robbing the person of precious nightly sleep.  Constant daytime sleepiness is a consequence of this condition. Narcolepsy usually beings after the age of 10 and is sudden, uncontrollable sleeping during the day.  It is hereditary and most people do not realise that they have the condition.  It may cause insomnia.

The majority of cases of insomnia are caused by mental disturbances such as depression, stress and a lack of minerals.  Other causes are lack of exercise, caffeine intake, high fat diet, blood sugar irregularities, anxiety, tension, physical pain or discomfort, or drugs and alcohol.  Sleep problems suffered by individuals in their mid to later years are mainly due to a lack of the hormone melatonin.  Hormones are the most powerful biological messengers in the human body, and practically all known hormones decline as we age.  Melatonin has successfully treated patients with delayed sleep phase insomnia, and has also shown to advance sleep time and sleep duration.  Melatonin also affects your immune system, mood and behaviour, hormone dependent cancers and cardiovascular disease.  One of the most effective methods of raising melatonin levels is through exercise and taking the supplement 5 HTP.

Treatment may be to resolve a stressful situation before sleep or make a pact to tackle it in the morning.  Insomnia perpetuates itself in that thinking about the inability to sleep creates further tension in the mind and body.  Only be relaxing and ceasing to worry about circumstances can a person sleep and thus relieve anxiety and tension.  In learning to change the patterns of thought associated with sleep, the insomniac must establish a new bedtime routine which might include such muscle and mind relaxers as leisurely walks, warm baths (lavender is soothing), massages, hot milk, soft music, or quiet meditation.

Diet can be very helpful.  The well-nourished person who enjoys good health and a felling of well being probably will be less troubled by insomnia than one who subsists on a diet deficient in essential nutrients.

The stomach, upon retiring, should not be too full or too empty.  Hunger can cause an awakening during the night.  Protein contains a substance called tryptophan that releases serotonin, a natural sleep aid, in the brain but the protein should not be taken with carbohydrates, since it will interfere with the carbohydrate action.  Casomorphins, which are natural opiates, are found in warm milk and may be responsible for its sleep-inducing properties.  Avoid foods that are high in fat and are heavily spiced. Heartburn interferes with sleep.  MSG may interfere with sleep.  Foods that produce tyramine, which releases norepinephrine, a brain stimulant, are sauerkraut, bacon and other smoked products, chocolate, spinach, eggplant, wine, and cheese.  Other foods that are too stimulating include caffeine and salt (which stimulates the adrenal glands in the same way caffeine does).  Salt also can lead to high blood pressure, a disease that can make sleep difficult.

Nutrients may help.  Serotonin levels generally induce sleep and prevent waking during the night.  As noted, the amino acid tryptophan (found in milk, baked potato with skin, dried sunflower seeds, tomato soup with skin milk, shredded wheat, roasted pumpkin, and turnip and collard greens) is converted to serotonin in the body.  Vitamins B6 and C are necessary for the conversion of tryptophan in serotonin.  The tryptophan in complex carbohydrates is more readily accepted by the brain for the use of sleepiness; amino acids in other animal protein foods compete for those receptor sites.

Deficiencies in the B vitamins, particularly B6 and pantothenic acid, may result in insomnia.  Vitamin B3 or niacin (50 to 100 milligrams minimum) improves insomnia when there is mild depression.  In some cases, vitamin C, protein, calcium, and magnesium (deficiencies may cause awakening for no reason, with difficulty returning to sleep) are sedatives and promote deep sleep; potassium can also calm the nerves and promote sleep.

Sleeping pills or barbiturates should be used only as a last resort, because they may produce dependence and other serious side effects.

Nutritional and herbal support for insomnia includes;

5-HTP – is the direct precursor of serotonin and melatonin, which improves sleep quality and sleep duration of primary insomnia.

Magnesium/Calcium – two of the most significant minerals for the neuromuscular system, excellent relaxers.

Tyrosine/Glutamine – both indicated for secondary insomnia. Tyrosine combats brain fatigue, adrenal exhaustion and helps with individuals who wake in the middle of the night and can’t fall asleep.  Glutamine is the precursor to GABA.

Kava Kava – a powerful sleep inducer working within the body’s means.

Some interesting points on insomnia.

• Avoid all alcohol and other central nervous system stimulants.

• Avoid heavy exercise at night; this reduces the available melatonin for sleep inducement.

• Concentrate on foods high in Tryptophan (turkey, bananas, figs, dates, milk, tuna, almonds, and grapefruit) before bedtime.

• Avoid nasal decongestants and other cold medications, some are very stimulatory to the nervous system, and may cause a feeling of awakeness.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is the most abundant (omega – 3) fatty acid in the human

omega 3 fishoil

brain, and its levels in brain membrane lipids are altered by the type and amount of fatty acids in the diet, increasing with development and decreasing with aging

Mammals utilise DHA either as DHA itself or the precursor α-Linolenic acid (ALA) and intermediates between ALA and DHA, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).

DHA and EPA are absent from all vegetable fats and oils, including nuts, grains, and seeds and are also very low in ruminant fats, including milk and dairy products. The richest dietary sources are fish, sea foods and poultry, where as eggs provide lower sources of EPA and DHA.

The major dietary sources of ALA are soybean and canola oils; flax seed oils and some nuts are also high in ALA, however ALA conversion to DHA is low in humans, with, 1% dietary ALA converted to DHA.

Increased dietary intakes of ALA do not increase DHA in blood lipids of either pregnant women or their newborn infants.

Dietary DHA, however, is well absorbed and readily incorporated into plasma and blood cells lipids in human diets. DHA is readily incorporated into lipids of the developing brain, both before and after birth. DHA deprivation may effect brain development at multiple levels, from protection against oxidative stress, and altered neurotransmission function.

It is well known that infants that are supplemented with DHA shows 15% higher total amounts of DHA in the brain cortex than infants that are not supplemented. As well as this, chronic dietary restrictions of Omega-3 fatty acid can increase brain levels of Omega-6 fatty acids, leading to a decrease in behavioral learning.

DHA supplementation for infants plays an important role and is associated with later decreased anxiety and fear memory, has important free radical scavenging properties and protects against oxidative damage of lipids and proteins in developing adult brains, with a decrease of neuron loss and cognitive and motor functions.

Other recent studies have shown the DHA promoted cell cycle exit in retinal neuroprogenitor cells (prevention of retinal genetic disorders) in culture and promotes differentiation of neural stem cells into neurons by promoting cell-cycle exit and suppressing cell death.

The events in which DHA fulfils its essential roles, including neurotransmission and protection from oxidative stress are relevant throughout ones life and for maximizing cognitive potential during brain development and minimising its loss with aging.

At Ideal Health we recommend that all pregnant and lactating women supplement with Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs). The product we recommend to ensure your baby has a rich source of EFAs is Efanatal.

This product is rich in a combination of Long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCP’s), (DHA, GLA & AA) which are vital in the development of the baby’s eye & brain function. LCP’s are important before, during & after pregnancy & while breastfeeding.

Taken before, during and after pregnancy (while breast feeding) to supply you and your baby with LCP’s, to help specifically with better eye and brain function.

The 28-day human reproductive cycle, initiated and maintained by hormones, is controlled by the pituitary, a pea sized endocrine gland situated centrally beneath the brain (behind the nose). Probably the most significant gland in the body, the pituitary is often called “the conductor of the endocrine orchestra” because of its essential function and control over many of the other glands and body systems.

The reproductive system is where we see the power exerted by the pituitary gland most clearly. The menstrual cycle is all about the product of the ovum (egg) and the preparation of the uterus to support and nurture the ovum once it has been fertilized by a single sperm.

The menstrual period constitutes the first five days of the cycle, this is when the endometrial tissues lining the uterus are shed and menstrual bleeding occurs. Endometrial regrowth begins again on about the 5th day of the cycle and is precipitated by hormones from the ovarian follicles (the tissues that surround an immature ovum in the ovary). The ovarian cycle is regulated by hormones from the anterior pituitary gland, specifically follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). During the last few days of the previous cycle and the first several days of the next, these hormones stimulate follicle development, and as it develops, it begins to product oestrogen on about the 7th day. Oestrogen enters the general circulation and influences endometrial growth. On about the 14th day of the menstrual cycle, the combination of the high FSH, LH and oestrogen levels induce ovulation – the bursting of a mature follicle from the ovary and then release of an ovum. After ovulation, the follicle undergoes significant changes, influenced by LH, to become of the corpus luteum. On about the 21st day, the corpus luteum secretes progesterone as well as oestrogen, the combination of which have remarkable influence on endometrial development. The endometrial tissues lining the wall of the uterus become thick, with an abundance of blood carrying arteries and other tissues to build an environment conducive to nutritional support of an implanted fertilized ovum. If fertilization occurs (on about the 16th day), the corpus luteum becomes the principal source of hormones supporting development of the embryo and will continue as such for the next 90 days or so or until the placenta is capable of producing its own hormones.

If fertilization does not occur, on about the 26th day, the corpus luteum begins to reduce back to its immature state, and oestrogen and progesterone levels drop. Lacking hormonal stimulation, the endometrium begins to collapse and eventually on about day 28 breakaway from the uterus to be shed as menstrual blood via the vagina. After 3-5 days of menstruation, a layer of only about 1mm of endometrium is left for regeneration. The pituitary will make sure the ovaries take care of that…. And so the cycle continues, or at least is should…

Femaprin

So many women face the discomfort and distraction of hormonal imbalances. Symptoms of hormonal imbalance may include infertility, menstrual irregularities, menopausal discomfort, PMT, dysmenorrhoea (period pain), plus cyclical acne, fluid retention, breast tenderness, irritability, depression and headaches. This is not the way nature intended a woman’s hormonal cycle to be, but nature does have a solution for it. FEMAPRIN™ Vitex agnus castus extract.

Balance is important for a woman, and Nature’s Way has created a supplement that can help maintain a woman’s natural balance. All natural FEMAPRIN™ is the best selling standardized Vitex agnus castus extract, fortified with whole fruit Vitex and vitamin B6. FEMAPRIN™ can help restore natural hormonal balance in order to prevent the all too common menstrual cycle discomforts faced by so many women.

FEMAPRIN™ Vitex agnus castus works by directly nourishing and enhancing the function of the pituitary gland, the master gland for sex hormone balance and the menstrual cycle (see below for an explanation of the female reproductive cycle). Vitex increases the production of certain hormones whilst mildly inhibiting others in order to create balance and harmony throughout the menstrual cycle between the main sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone. It is important to note the FEMAPRIN™ does not contain hormones or hormone-like substances.

There have been over 200 publications dealing with the subject of Vitex agnus castus. Best results are obtained with continuous use over several months without interruption, taken first thing in the morning as part of a daily dietary program. FEMAPRIN™ or any other Vitex agnus castus product should not be taken when on the contraceptive pill or HRT and is not recommended during pregnancy (though no adverse results have been shown with use during the first trimester, especially when being used to enhance fertility). For anovulatory cycles or infertility, treatment duration should be at least six to seven months.