Still Can’t Sleep?
Still can’t sleep? It’s turning out to be a cold winter in Woodstock this year. But, still not as cold as one would think. The snow melts between the storms.
All these temperature ups and downs invite insomnia in some people. As many articles as I’ve written about sleep, there are always more tips waiting to find space on the blog post.
Still can’t sleep? Have you changed your pillow? If you find yourself awake at night and slugging it out with your pillow, it’s time to go to a store and find one that’s just right for you. There are so many kinds of pillows out there now that a person can get confused. Don’t give up. Think about the kind of pillow you need. You’ll find it!
Sip some mild tea as you relax yourself before going to bed. Give yourself an hour to slow down your systems, calm your brain and nerves.
Still can’t sleep? Try to eat your last meal of the day about three hours before you go to bed. If you are afraid you’ll be hungry, eat a banana before you go to bed.
Wear ski socks when you go to bed. Studies show that people sleep better if their feet are warm.
Have you moved your office out of your bedroom? If not, now is a good time.
What about your curtains? Heavier curtains block light and encourage sleep.
Finally, if you have read all these blog posts about sleep, and none of the tips seem to work for you…it might be time to try a sleep center and take a sleep test.
Thanks for reading this article.
Please share this article with your preferred social media. network.
I’ll be posting more regularly now that the reflexology book is going into it’s second edition and the hunger book is nearing the end. You’ll be reading about their availability soon!
Thanks.
Thurman Greco
Eight More Tips for a Good Night’s Sleep.
I can blog posts until the end of time and never overestimate the benefits of a good night’s sleep. A healthy night’s rest is one of the most important things a person can do to maintain a youthful appearance and lifestyle.
- Sleep Improves your Memory. As you sleep, your brain organizes your memories for you.
2. Adopt a Sleep Schedule. Try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day. As you work on your sleep schedule, allow yourself eight hours sleep in every 24-hour period. This can be a real help because your body will soon prepare itself to sleep in the evenings when it’s time to go to bed. Your circadian schedule will really help you out here.
3. Make your bedroom dark at night. It’s easier to sleep in a darkened room. The darker you can keep your bedroom at night, the better.
4. Check your meds. There are many meds which can interfere with your normal sleep. Check the meds you’re taking. Change out any meds and/or foods and beverages which might be the culprits.
5. Nothing is more likely to induce sleep than being in the dark. Night time is when we produce melatonin.
There are things we can do to encourage sleepiness. When night approaches, keep your lights down low and avoid overhead lighting. Use dimmer switches on lights and lamps.
While you are enjoying a calming evening in a darkened room, this is a good time to enjoy softened and restful music. Or, this is a good time to do some gentle yoga stretches. Or, this is a time to do some calming breathing. Finally, this is a good time to enjoy the cool stillness of the night air, the stars in the sky, a moonlit night.
But, whatever you do, include darkness as part of your nightly routine.
6. High Blood Pressure? Sleep helps lower blood pressure and elevated stress hormones. Get treatment.
7. Valerian has a reputation for improving sleep quality. Taken properly, this may work for you.
8. Anxiety, Depression, and Tension are three common causes of insomnia. If you think you suffer from one of these, get treatment. Treating your anxiety, depression, or tension may well take care of your insomnia issues.
As you try out these different tips, remember that getting from insomnia to a good night’s sleep is a journey. You’ll find things that work and things that don’t work. And, none of it will work or not work 100% of the time.
Thanks for reading this blog post. Please refer this article to your preferred social media network.
Thanks for reading the book.
Thurman Greco
Self-Care for You, Reflexologist
When you look at your calendar for the coming week…where are YOU on the schedule? If you are not on the schedule, you are not doing the basic self-care things things to protect your career. Self-care is the difference between a two-year career as a healer and a twenty-year career as a healer.
You are the healer. You join the professional organizations. You pay your taxes. You make sure your office is “just right”. You take continuing education classes. In short, you do the things necessary to protect your business.
But, what about you: your body, your spirit, your emotional strength, your thoughts? Where are they lined up here with the bills and the available appointments, and the marketing activities?
For many healers, body workers this is the most difficult thing to do on the entire list. As reflexologists, we’re accustomed to give, give, give. And, we enjoy giving. Obviously we enjoy giving or we would never have taken even the first class.
The bottom line here is that you commit to your own private, inner, personal wellness when you receive a weekly session. You also set an example for your client partners.
Things you can do!:
Begin by filling your spiritual tank. Schedule a session for yourself each week. Every week. Do something. Get a massage. Get a Reiki session. Schedule a session with a shamanic healer. Try out that new chiropractor who just moved into your neighborhood.
Do something! The important thing is to get on someone else’s table at least once a week.
Personally, I receive an hour-long Reiki therapy session every week…no matter what. I also receive a reflexology session every week. The work I do the rest of the week is much better for this hour which I invest in myself.
Thank you for reading this blog.
Please refer this article to your preferred social media network. Share this article with a fellow healer.
Thurman Greco
Forgiveness
In 1513 Juan Ponce de Leon went exploring for the fountain of youth in what is now Florida. He found it and it exists. A branch of it is probably at a fitness center in your community. I found one in my community. It’s called the Fitness Connection and is on Albany Avenue in Kingston, New York.
There is a branch of the Fountain of Youth within reach of you. Can you name one? Do you use one? Regularly?
Being tuned into the Fountain of Youth is important. Don’t ever mistake this. But, it’s also important to be healed. The quality of your life will be much better when you can forgive those who injured you in some way. Forgiveness opens the door to healing.
Without forgiveness, we go through our daily life carrying anger, blame, fear, guilt, hurt, regret, resentment, revenge, sadness.
Getting rid of negative baggage can change your life for the better.
Begin to release this negative baggage by listing the people in your life who you need to forgive. Include yourself in this list if you blame your self for things as well. (Don’t we all?)
Now, spend some time each day forgiving those who need forgiveness. You are forgiving people for yourself…nothing more. You know that when you offer forgiveness, miracles can occur.
Don’t worry about the person anymore. You are releasing this person’s energy into the universe. You are releasing this person’s karmic connection to yourself. You are cutting the cords which have been binding you together.
Healing you never expected will take place.
How does forgiveness happen? How can you make this work for you?
Sit for a few minutes in a quiet place and offer forgiveness to each person individually:
“I offer forgiveness to ………………………….. I forgive you for …………………………………..
Now, I am free and you are free, too. I release you to your divine plan of life. Everything between us is cleared up, now and forever.”
When you have forgiven everyone you can remember, go into your past lives and offer forgiveness to those who need it:
“I offer forgiveness to everyone in my past life who has damaged me in some way. I forgive everyone for whatever he/she did. Now, I am free and you are free, too. I release you now. Everything between us is cleared up, now and forever.”
These forgiveness meditations may take more than a day. Actually, they may take several weeks or even months. Don’t worry about this. Take whatever time is necessary. Forgive a person or few persons each day when you have a few moments.
As you do this, notice how you feel when this happens. Notice how much better you feel with each meditation. Notice how much better you look. Notice how much younger you act. Notice how much excess weight you are losing.
You may not observe any changes immediately. However, you will begin to see yourself, your environment, and your world improved, healed, more beautiful.
As you forgive people and release them to their divine plans…
You will feel better.
Your vocabulary will change.
Your thoughts will be positive.
You will feel free.
You will feel light.
Replace the negativity with love.
Bring love alive in your life.
Eat, sleep, and breathe love.
ENJOY!
Thank you for reading this article. Please share this blog post with your favorite social media network.
Spread the word about “A Healer’s Handbook”! Thank you to everyone who has purchased this book. Thank you to everyone who will purchase this book in the future.
Thank you to Michele Garner for contributing her heart art at the top of this blog.
Thank you to Sangi van den Nouweland for contributing the cover art on “A Healer’s Handbook.”
The information about the Fountain of Youth came from the Fountain of Youth Archeological Park in Saint Augustine, Florida.
Thurman Greco
TT
Juice Cleanse Tips
- Begin your cleanse by spending a few days eating fresh fruit, salads, sprouts, nuts, and seeds and avoid all processed foods. Maintain a raw food diet for about three days before you actually focus on the juice part of the cleanse.
- Make sure the water you drink is the cleanest you can find. A big decision here is whether you prefer ultrapurified water or spring water. This choice is a personal one. I’m happy with either one. When I’m doing a cleanse, I prefer ultrapurified water. When I am at home and just drinking water on a daily basis, I prefer spring water. I like spring water because I live in the Hudson Valley of New York State where I have access to superior water. I know what spring the water comes from, even. In some cases I’ve actually visited a spring and personally seen it. I never drink water shipped in from another continent, country, state, or even another part of New York State. That being said, I would probably make different decisions about the water I drink if I lived in another part of the country. Certainly, if I lived in a foreign country, I would do different things.
- When having a cleanse, be sure to rest several times during the day. Include some guided meditations that you’ve chosen especially for this cleanse occasion.
- Set aside time for reflexology sessions and chakra healing sessions. Begin each day with a Reiki therapy session if you can.
- End your cleanse by eating easy-to-digest water, plump fruits and leafy green salads. Avoid processed foods for as long as you possibly can. This is crucial to the success of a cleanse.
Reflexologists, now is a good time of the year to conduct a cleanse as a group with several of your fellow practitioners and client partners. Include a nutritionist in the group to help supervise the cleanse.
ENJOY!
Thanks for reading this blog post.
Please refer this article to your preferred social media network.
This book can be purchased through Amazon or through my website. Enjoy!
Thurman Greco
5 Ways to Be Connected
The human immune system is a fast responder. It knows immediately when/if we are having emotional or spiritual problems. And, of course, this response affects our health.
If wellness is important to you…and I think it is because you’re a reflexologist, then one of the best things you can do is pamper your immune system. This works for your client partners also. No one is exempt on this.
This we know: there is a direct correlation between negative emotions, disease, and accelerated aging. Appreciation, sympathy, understanding are important to all of us.
Inner peace is important to being well – being grounded.
One thing in life which promotes inner peace and groundedness is an appreciation for nature and seeing the connection that all living beings share.
There are several ways to promote this connectedness:
WALK IN THE PARK. Actually, a “walk in the park” is the generic term for any activity which gets you positively involved with nature That can include biking, hiking, museum going, or anything else which makes you aware of how connected we all are.
GET A PET. This is a biggie if you can do it. Not everyone lives where pets are allowed. But, if you can…a dog or cat is awesome. Pets offer something which humans seem to be unable to offer: unconditional love.
A pet will:
improve your immune system function,
give you a more positive outlook on life,
lower your blood pressure
love you unconditionally.
What more can you ask for?
KEEP A JOURNAL. For some this can be a challenge. But, this journal is not for anyone but yourself. So, don’t worry about the spelling, punctuation, paragraphs, etc.
The purpose of your journal is to make a note of special moments which sustain you when you’re feeling low. Such moments include:
a cat’s purr
a baby’s smile
a smell of a flower
a compliment
a smile from a stranger
When you record them, you may notice that these special moments occur more often than you thought.
BREATHE. This is a biggie. Breathe in while while mentally repeating a positive phrase such as “I bring positive energy into my life.” Hold your breath for a moment and then exhale as you repeat “I radiate positive energy.” Consciously breathing for a couple of minutes each day can have a profound impact on your life.
Many people go through their whole lives not even thinking about how they breathe or what their breath does for them. Honor your breath.
INCORPORATE SURPRISE. Try to do something unexpected every day. Compliment a total stranger on a haircut or a jacket or something. It doesn’t matter what, really. Just say something complimentary to someone who is totally not expecting anything.
Leave a small token for someone who is not expecting anything…and keep it a secret if you can.
Offer to walk someone’s dog.
Say “Thank you.”
GET INVOLVED. This can mean walking a dog at the local pound or hosting a food drive for your local food pantry. There are many, many groups out there where people are working to make life better for us all. Volunteering is an extremely positive way to go through life.
Thank you for reading this blog/book.
please refer this article to your preferred social media network.
don’t forget to join the email list.
Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
Michele Garner donated the artwork for this post.
More About Allergies and Reflexology for the Spirit
Be aware of the products used to clean the home, pets, car, and workplace. Products should be used that come under the category of “hypoallergenic”. It won’t do much good to wash sheets and blankets in hot water with a detergent containing scents and coloring that create allergic reactions.
Finally, your client partner needs to try to resolve issues with persons causing problems. Your client partner will then have more energy to deal with the other allergens in life.
Often, it’s necessary to use the services of an otolaryngologist and an allergist as well. Desensitizing treatments can be very effective for persons suffering with contact allergies. One tried and true natural method is allergy shots.
This may seem like a lot to do. But, over time, a better quality of life will emerge. The purchase of over-the-counter preparations to deal with constant allergy symptoms will decrease. Life will, hopefully, improve.
AREAS TO WORK: respiratory system, immune system, sinuses, digestive system, endocrine system, liver and solar plexus.
ESSENTIAL OILS: German or Roman chamomile, wintergreen, lavender.
That completes the section on allergies. Our next section will be on ankle breaks and sprains – both very spiritual events.
Thanks for reading this blog.
Peace and food for all.
Thurman Greco
