CHAPTER 1
Water
"Water water everywhere and all the boards did shrink, water water everywhere nor any drop to drink."
– Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Are your "boards shrinking"? Water is essential to sustain life. The average survival rate without water is about 3 to 5 days. The human body is approximately 70% water. Water is necessary to transport nutrients into—and flush toxins and waste out of—cells. All functions—digestion, circulation, absorption, body temperature, mental clarity, blood purity, tissue and bone cushioning—depend on proper hydration. However, many people substitute ounces of other fluids in place of the recommended ounces of water intake on a daily basis.
Caffeinated beverages, alcohol, sodium-laden broths, and other similar fluids, actually contribute to dehydration. In addition, these fluids must be broken down in order to capitalize on their H2O content. There is a great book expanding on this topic by Fereydoon Batmanghelidj, M.D., titled Your Body's Many Cries for Water. You're Not Sick, You're Thirsty. I encourage you to read it.
The optimal amount of water your body needs daily is based on your weight, activity level, and environment. The rule is to divide your body weight by 2.2, and that number is the number of ounces you should consume daily. Of course, if your activity level or environment is extreme, more will be necessary. This also is variable by health status or medications, if your fluid intake is restricted. Always check with your medical team if you have any questions or doubts.
Always drink the best quality water you can. The range of systems to improve your home water quality can vary from simple pitcher filtration to whole-house filtration systems. What you should choose depends on your source of water, the contaminants contained, and your budget. Even bottled waters range dramatically in price. Testing your water quality also varies from moderately inexpensive test kits you can use on your own to having testing conducted by professionals. Again, this is your personal choice based on your needs and budget.
Many clients report improvements in multiple health issues just by increasing water to levels appropriate for their bodies and their needs. Clients who complained of sudden or chronic back pain due to degenerative disc issues found that an increase in water intake decreased their pain level. Many clients also report digestion is greatly improved with appropriate water increase. Another benefit many experience is better overall skin texture, tone, and suppleness. Weight-bearing joints like knees and hips feel less stiff and achy. Even improvements in focus, concentration, and cognition have been reported. These are just some areas where my clients have seen definitive and noticeable changes that have enhanced the quality of their life. With benefits such as a decrease in pain, better digestion, glowing complexions, and improvement in brain function, it's no wonder why.
Try adequate water intake for you and see what improvements you note.
Earthing
Earthing is a growing movement. Its proponents believe connecting to the Earth's natural energy is necessary to maintain vibrant health. Earthing is simply the act of walking barefoot and connecting to the Earth's natural energy fields. Very few of us get this opportunity on a consistent basis. But some of you know that a day walking on the beach or walking barefoot in a park makes you feel uplifted and energized in a subtle way. I never understood why I always felt rejuvenated after a walk on the beach or through the wet grass. Now I know why.
Throughout history, mankind spent numerous hours outside working, sleeping, and living day-to-day, more intimately connected to the Earth's subtle energy. In modern society, we are more often sequestered from this energy due to insulated dwellings and workplaces, and from wearing footwear that impedes this subtle energy exchange. The daily onslaught of electromagnetic frequencies from cell phones, computers, and other electronic devices to which we are exposed are known to disrupt our energy fields, which makes reconnecting to the Earth's healing energy force more important.
The opportunities for Earthing, or Grounding, as it is also described, vary by your location, season, and time constraints. However, any time you get a chance, make it a point to reconnect with this subtle energy. Adding water as a conductor (such as walking on a beach in the water or on wet grass) improves the efficacy. But spending time barefoot on dry ground or sandy soil alone also has benefits.
The best part is the relatively low cost: you don't have to travel very much farther than your own back yard, a local park, or a nearby beach if you live by the coast. Look around you for any location that allows safe, barefoot strolls. Even just sitting with your bare feet on the ground also works. Some people even choose to sleep outside on the ground, although that may be impossible for most, and undesirable for many.
Studies by geophysicists, biophysicists, electrical engineers, and electrophysiologists say there is a flow of free electrons when you make direct contact with the earth. This flow of healing energy is stated to decrease inflammation, an underlying cause of so many health issues. Some benefits touted regarding this practice are improved sleep, decrease in chronic pain, and decrease in inflammation. Better sleep, less pain, and reduced inflammation would enhance the quality of life for so many people. So Earthing can be an inexpensive, beneficial practice to enhance one's goals for health and vitality.
Give it a try wherever, whenever, and as often as you can, and see what improvements you note.
Affection
Affection is a state of mind that is associated with a feeling or a type of love. It is an emotion that is more than just goodwill or friendship. It can involve a physical gesture such as a hug, but it's more compassionate and nurturing in nature in comparison with sexual touch. It is a display of genuine emotional caring for someone.
Look to your own experiences. When someone strokes your arm, leg, or your hair in a nurturing manner, do you note a calming effect? Do you remember being comforted as a child by a parent or family member by gentle, loving touch?
There are also non-physical ways to display affection. Think of a time when you...
