Thursday, January 31, 2013

In Case You Missed it: Cyber Safety for Teens

Photo: keepschoolsafe.org 
This is not my typical blog post-but I feel that recently a situation that occurred in my personal life should be brought to light and addressed.

A few weeks ago my 13 year old daughter came to me  upset that a on-again-off-again friend (we will call her "Susan" ) had given a boy she knew named "Timmy" her cell phone number. (My daughter had never heard of  this  boy), and was upset and scared because he knew her name and where she lived. "Susan" said she had met him online, and he wanted to talk with & meet my daughter.

I took her phone and looked at the texts. "Timmy"  had texted her dozens of times, ignoring all of her requests to stop.

Something seemed off about the language and vocabulary. Even the name, "Timmy" didn't seem right. (How many 13 year old boys call themselves "Timmy"?)

He told her she was beautiful and he really liked her-to which she replied "You don't even know me-and I sure as h*ll don't want to know you-you f*cking a**hole!!" (She is definitely her mother's daughter...)

He asked her several times to send him a picture of her face...(to which she refused) and I got even more irritated. I was a little upset that my daughter did not come to me sooner, and instead engaged in conversation, although cautious in an attempt to get information out of "Timmy" to see what she could find out about him to report him. (Her father is a retired police officer, so I didn't go too hard on her!)

He texted again as I was looking at the conversation & I dialed the number back. No answer. Just an automated "The person you are trying to reach is not taking calls..." recording. It would not let me leave a message. I texted in capital letters: THIS IS LAUREN'S MOM. I OWN THIS PHONE. REMOVE THIS NUMBER FROM YOUR PHONE BOOK IMMEDIATELY.

The texting stopped. But I had already looked the number up online and it came back to a land line in the south. The number was registered to a 23 year old man. I immediately looked him up on the sex offender's registry and came up with nothing.

I called Susan's mother, and left a message as to what I wanted to talk with her about & that it was urgent. (She returned my call 2 days later.) Meanwhile, I called the guidance counselor at school (left message) and the police department who said the whole event sounded very odd, my daughter was right to come to them, and they would check it out.

When I finally spoke with Susan's mother, she claimed that Susan made the whole thing up to "prank" her friends. When I asked about the phone number being registered to a land line in the south, she said that Susan purchased "temporary" phone numbers and used them to "trick" people. (??) Then she tried to tell me that Susan made whole thing up because my daughter and another girl did something mean to her.

Inwardly I had this conversation:  "You're kidding. No self-responsibility? This is the way we act when someone does something mean to us? and you allow this?"

I was not buying any of it. Somebody was not being truthful.  (This is the same mother that dropped my daughter off 3 hours late last spring from getting ice cream, with not as much as an apology or explanation- dropped her off in the driveway and drove off-so I have already had my radar on.)

"And you are aware, that Susan purchases fake phone numbers, and makes up imaginary boyfriends, and stalks/harasses her friends this way and you allow her to be online anyway? Is purchasing someone else's phone number even legal?", I asked (out loud), not really expecting to get an answer. I told her that my daughter was scared and that I had filled out a police report when she [Susan's mom] did not get back to me right away, so they would be calling her. I'm not sure if she was embarrassed or just didn't care, but her acknowledgement was somewhat apathetic.

Later, I asked my daughter what her and "Kelly" (not her real name) were arguing with Susan about-she looked at me confused. They said they were not arguing, they were concerned for her that she was in danger from meeting guys on the Internet. (Apparently she has often said that she meets guys on the Internet.)

In school the next day, Susan maintained that "Timmy" was real, and asked my daughter, "why did you tell your mom? You got me in trouble! My mom closed my Instagram account..." My daughter pointed out that she got herself in trouble.

A few days later, Susan wrote a letter, (6 pages long) telling my daughter that she made it up and was so sorry. She placed a ring and some feather earrings in the envelope. My daughter said she tried to give them back, but Susan wold not take them. My daughter has kept her distance anyway.

This week Susan is telling the kids that she does drugs.

I don't know if  "Timmy" is real, or if Susan is lying to her mother. I don't know if she does drugs or not. But I do know one thing: this girl is crying out for help. At this point, she not permitted at my house, nor is my daughter permitted at hers. (and I didn't have to lay down that law to my daughter-she set that boundary herself.)

I feel concerned about the atmosphere that Susan has grown/is growing up in, however I cannot condone dishonesty, self-destructive behavior and pretending to be something you are not. These are all the opposite of what I have taught my children and my students. They go against everything that our young people should be demonstrating by this age. And if my daughter was demonstrating these characteristics in this manner, and another parent knew about it, I would hope that she would bring it to my attention.

This child needs the right kind of attention and care that neither me nor my daughter, (nor "Timmy"-real or imaginary-) can give her. For me to attempt would place me in a situation way over my head and out of my areas of expertise. For my daughter to continue this shaky interaction would be condoning the lies and/or the risk behaviors. My daughter has recognized and verbalized this to me, which shows that she is thinking clearly for now.

If Susan is picking up that many guys online at 13-there is a huge problem-and if she is going to this extreme length to create an elaborate lie and make her life sound more interesting than she thinks her peers will perceive it-there is STILL a huge problem. Either way, Susan is the one who loses. I wish I could do more, but I'm afraid I cannot.

I urge you as parents and an educators: by all means, give your kids responsibility & a bit of growing room, but do NOT set them lose on the Internet by themselves until you are certain of their maturity level, their level of self-control, and their ability to foster typical social interactions & relationships. Know who their friends are-and know who they are talking to online. Once they have one social account, they just set up a bunch more-with fake names so that if they get caught doing something they shouldn't be-they just use their alternate accounts.

Give them down time-unplugged every day. (My daughter's phone goes in a drawer from the time she comes home until homework, dinner, after dinner cleanup, the next day's lunch is made and showers are done.) Teach them to be true to themselves and their creative genius-and that there is no reason to be in any kind of a jealous or imaginary "competition" with a peer.

Help them get in touch with their intuition-and that if something does not feel right-to listen to that feeling-not a friend or classmate who consistently exercises poor judgement.

We want to hear from you: 

What would drive a teen to repeatedly go out of their way to make up an elaborate lie? 

Is it merely to make their life seem more interesting or is there a deeper problem? 

Do you think there was something else I could or should have done?

IN addition, if you have or know of any other resources for 'tweens or teens-especially girls-please let us know what it is.


Please leave your insights and resources in the comments area below.



Related Links:


New Jersey Senator: New Internet Safety Program Needed

NSTeens: Making Safer Online Choices

Teenangels

Wired Safety

Rae Cole Girls

7 Ways to be an Emotionally Attentive parent, Caregiver or Teacher

Roots of Action



Contact: barbara@bodylogique.com 


Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Forgetting What You Know (How to Start Thinking & Creating)


Photo: Jacob Barnett, You Tube

Forgetting what we know is essential to learning by, thinking and creating.

Educators and Parents: For a few minutes today, forget everything you know. Stop learning & just watch, think & create with this amazing young man!

Jacob Barnett is an American mathematician and child prodigy. At 8 years old, Jacob began sneaking into the back of college lectures at IUPUI. After being diagnosed with autism at the age of two and placed in his school’s special ed. program, Jacob’s teachers and doctors were astonished to find that he was able to teach calculus to college students.


Jacob is also CEO and founder of Wheel LLC, a business he started in his mom’s garage, and is in the process of writing a book to help end “math phobia” in his generation.
Jacob’s favorite pastime is playing basketball with the kids at his charity, Jacob’s Place. It is a place where kids with autism are inspired every day to be their true authentic selves…just like Jacob.
In the TEDxTeens video below, Jacob urges us to: "Stop Learning & Start thinking & Creating"

I think the bigger lesson to be learned for parents & educators is this: when that "difficult" or "non-compliant" student is not communicating or jumping through our educational/social hoops, they just might be thinking and creating beyond our perception. 


I am so inspired right now to forget everything I know (and start thinking & creating...)


Jacob Barnett TEDxTeen talk





Contact: barbara@bodylogique.com 




.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Yoga for Youth Athletes

Photo: Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins
http://news.menshealth.com/ 
Have you ever taught Yoga to high school athletes?

I saw this question last week on a Linked In message board:

I have a teaching opportunity in a few weeks to work with a high school's varsity baseball/ football teams. There will be 30 boys who have never done yoga. Unfortunately, I'll be teaching them on the football field without mats. Have you ever taught a group like this before? Do you have any advice?


~Erin H. 



I really enjoy working with youth athletes, as much as I enjoy working with children with physical and cognitive learning challenges. I find that many teens are very curious about yoga -especially relaxation & stress management-and will ask some really good questions once they feel comfortable with you. 

I have put together a packet of all the professional and Olympic athletes who use yoga as a part of their regular training (You can find more lists and articles online.) I use this to start a conversation about how yoga can be a great complimentary discipline, what they would like to learn and how they would like to improve in their sport as well as individually.  

First, I start with the body: basic skeletal and muscular anatomy. They have to understand how they are built, where their movements come from and how to project and conserve their energy in a balanced & effective manner. I use simple, anatomy & "sport-related" language and focus on both conditioning the large muscle groups they use in their sport as well as strengthening those underused muscles. (The "Anatomy Coloring Book" is an excellent resource for this, and a good place to start. I photocopy the pages and have them color them in their free time.Its an easy way to learn the basics of anatomy.Many times I am asked for "extra" copies so they can color them in again.) 

I remind them often that the skeletal system is for support and the muscular system is for movement. I encourage them to move deliberately and in a controlled manner, holding postures for several slow breaths and relaxing for several breaths before the next posture. This is not just in yoga, but in all they do: walking up steps, opening lockers, getting a drink from the fountain, brushing teeth, etc. I show them how to find counter-movements for stretching larger muscles as well as the "hidden" muscles closer to the skeleton.

I target balancing postures that will help them improve their focus as well as build core awareness & strength and incorporate popular music (that they like) to do some active "Power" sets, after they warm up-about midway through the class. 

As they start to understand and become more aware of how they move, we work on how they would like to move: emphasizing coordination of breath with the movement they are doing will help them become more fluid, purposeful and helps reduce/prevent injuries. They quickly learn that this new awareness also reduces stress and improves their concentration. 

Partner postures help with awareness of where other teammates and opponents are & the "teamwork" part of sports. 

When planning a class, I select & relate each of the postures & sets to the sport and teach them the anatomy of the specific movements and how postures and breathing will help them with range of motion, speed and agility. 

Just as in a non-athlete yoga class, we finish up with relaxation. I take them through a semi-guided imagery of tuning in to their bodies, and then through their next game, and have them "play the tape" slowly in their mind's eye, so it reflects the outcome they would like to see. 

In addition,  they learn a technique to release that outcome so they don't become overly attached to it. (I use an imagery of "Cutting Ribbons" to help them detach from a specific outcome and just focus on playing their best and being the best sportsman/woman they can.) 

This age group likes to be approached as adults-so I give them something to think about too-a character building activity-random act of kindness, etc. each week in addition to a conditioning and restorative set.

Don't be afraid to have fun with them! A sport or yoga-themed movement game (Yoga Twister) once and a while will break it up a bit and keep it interesting. 

As far as the mats, it may be more of a challenge conducting a class outside on the grass, but as long as its not wet/muddy/cold it should be okay. Maybe the coach is unclear on your objectives, so be sure to put everything on paper to avoid misunderstandings. You could also suggest the team members supply their own mat if it becomes a problem. (The mats do get a little ragged from outdoor use though. Be sure to let them know that!)

Is there an alternate place to do the class in the event of bad weather? (Gymnasium or Library?) Alternating locations is also a good way to train the body (and mind) to be adaptable to a variety of situations and environments, further supporting "flexibility".

Good Luck! 

~Barbara




Further Reading:


Why Every Athlete Should Do Yoga

Yoga for Hockey Players

Modern Athletes Realizing Yoga's Benefits

Dance-Cheer-Yoga! 

Kareem Abdul Jabbar Fit After 50: Staying Flexible with Yoga



Contact: barbara@bodylogique.com 

.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Calming Technique: Deep Pressure

Photo: innovativecaremodels.com 
How our bodies feel is directly affected by what our senses pick up from the environment. Some of us are more "tuned in" to our outer and inner environments than others.

The most calming of sensory inputs, which can last in the nervous system for up to a couple of hours, or even longer, dependent on the intensity  is deep pressure input.  Simply defined, deep touch pressure is the type of (tactile) surface pressure on the body in most types of firm touching, holding, hugging, or swaddling. 

(Light touch pressure is a more superficial touch on the skin: tickling, light touching or brushing, or moving just the hairs on the skin. Occupational therapists have observed that a very light touch alerts the nervous system, but deep pressure on skin, muscles and joints is relaxing and calming.)

In the elementary or middle school classroom, deep pressure activities can be highly effective for improving concentration, cooperation and overall receptivity of the material being taught, or for those times when they become worked up, anxious or have meltdowns.(This is one reason that phys-ed and recess programs need to be re-instated or expanded.)

As an Mind-Body Educator, one of my objectives is to show other educators and parents how to incorporate these techniques into everyday routines. There are a variety of ways to satisfy this sensory need:


  • Weight bearing yoga postures: (especially, plank, chair, mountain, tree, forward bends, downward dog, warrior III, triangle, half-moon)
  • Weighted Lap Blankets
  • Frequent Movement Breaks
  • Self-Massage
  • The 4 B's


This is not only effective for the students with sensory or cognitive challenges, but all children. The one question that is often asked, is "How much pressure do I give?"

Below I have included links to three articles that explain this sensory need a bit more as well as ways to address it and how much pressure to use:




Deep Touch Pressure Helps Kids Concentrate & Be Calm (Life Skills 4 Kids)

Calming Effects of Deep Touch Pressure in Patients with Autistic Disorder, College Students, and Animals  (Temple Grandin, PhD )

Proprioceptive Dysfunction (SensoryProcessingDisorder.com)


Please feel free to share these resources with others. IF you have another good resource, please leave us a link in the comments below.


Contact: barbara@bodylogique.com  




.

Friday, January 11, 2013

In Case You Missed It: ALL Kids are Smart Kids


When the S.M.Art Kids® Programs were born, it was with the idea that ALL kids are smart kids.

We recognize that each child has their own skills, gifts and talents and each child learns at a pace and manner that is unique to him or her. Some of these skills and talents are difficult to measure quantitatively.

The elements of our programs (stories, movement & art) were not selected randomly. They were included deliberately with sensory-challenged children in mind . Each element addresses & integrates one or several of the senses.

In addition, each element is linked to one of the 8 Intelligences . Angela Moorad SLP from OMazing Kids Yoga calls them, the 8 Pathways to Learning. (See first article link below for an article with 2 great diagrams.)

The idea, or theory of Multiple Intelligences, developed by Harvard researcher Howard Gardner, is that humans have potential in a variety of areas and learn in different ways.



What Are the 8 Intelligences?

  •   Linguistic Intelligence (“Word Smart”) – The ability to use words effectively; effective use of spelling, vocabulary, and grammar. [Examples in Everyday Life: talking, listening, reading (e.g., traffic signs, novels, poems), writing (e.g., letters, e.mail, reports, poetry]
  • Logical Mathematical Intelligence (“Numbers Smart”) – the ability to work well with numbers and/or to be adept at logic or reasoning. [Examples in Everyday Life: balancing checkbook, understanding the national debt, understanding budgets.]
  • Spatial Intelligence (“Picture Smart”) – The intelligence of pictures and images. The ability to visualize pictures or objects in one’s mind, to abstractly create in 2 or 3 dimensional form. [Examples in Everyday Life: arts & crafts, decorating your house, landscaping.]
  • Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence (“Body Smart”) – The intelligence of the body or body parts (e.g., hands), fine-motor coordination. [Examples in Everyday Life: playing sports, dancing, working under the hood of a car, unscrewing a jar of mayonnaise.]
  • Musical Intelligence (“Music Smart”) – The capacity to carry a tune, remember musical melodies, have a good sense of rhythm, enjoy and appreciate music.[Examples in Everyday Life: sing in a choir, play a musical instrument, enjoy music.]
  • Interpersonal Intelligence (“People Smart”) – The ability to understand and work with people. [Examples in Everyday Life: listening to others, encouraging or understanding others, motivating others.]
  • Intrapersonal Intelligence (“Self Smart”) – The intelligence of self-understanding or self-knowledge, of knowing who you are, of knowing what you are good at and what you are not good at. [Examples in Everyday Life: reflecting on one’s goals and beliefs.]
  • Naturalistic Intelligence (“Nature Smart”) – The ability to identify and/or a sensitivity to natural forms (e.g., birds, flowers, trees, animals, clouds, geological formations).[Examples in Everyday Life: gardening, camping, supporting ecological causes.]
Proposed 9th Intelligence
  •  Existential Intelligence (“Life Smart”) – The intelligence concerned with ultimate life issues.[Examples in Everyday Life: reflecting on the meaning of life, reflecting on religious or philosophical issues.]



We all have the intrinsic ability to learn in each of these ways, but in general, we primarily gravitate towards one or two of these qualities that we prefer, or are uniquely 'wired' to learn in one way over another.

Many educators are beginning to recognize the unique ways in which children learn and are finding creative ways to incorporate these concepts into the classroom.

How do you learn best? Find out! Take this Learning Style Quiz at Edutopia.

This week's links center around the science of learning. Enjoy!



Eight Pathways to Learning

Research Projects: Multiple Intelligences

Autism & the Fear of Intellectual Variability

A Creative Brain for All Children

When Students Seem Stalled

The Motor Story: Teacher's Corner

How Classroom Layout Affects Student Learning

Autism, Overactive Brains & Teen Social Adjustments

Kindergarten Readiness

The Connection Between Emotions and Learning

The Best & Worst Learning Tips 


*Do You have a "Learning Link" or resource to add? Please leave it in the comments section below!




Contact: barbara@bodylogique.com 



.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Feelings,Yoga and Learning - Part 1

Image: Jay Directo/AFP

Women are known for talking about their "feelings", but have you ever asked yourself: where do our "feelings" come from? What are they exactly?

We tend to refer to joy, anger, confusion, etc. as  our "feelings", and our kids may come & tell us that someone has hurt their feelings, but this is not accurate. These are emotions & an emotion is simply a reaction, created by either a positive or negative response to someone or something that is happening around us.

We might say we feel cold when we are shoveling snow, but when we touch something with our hand, or sense it with our skin, that is really a sensation. Humans need a variety of sensory stimulation in order to develop higher brain functions. Tactile input is sensed by the skin and emotions can be placed in the interoception category, which refers to what we sense inside of us.

When we are solving a challenge and we say "I feel that we should...."  we are really talking about what we are thinking, so that is more of an opinion. Our opinions are influenced by our knowledge, our own perception of our experiences,our emotions, and the people we surround ourselves with.

Our feelings are more than this. As I see it, feelings are the essence of who we are when we are figuratively (and maybe actually) naked-and take away all of the external sensations, opinions, memories, reactions & emotions.

All emotions are derived from one of two main categories: 'positive' emotions are generated from a position of Love, and 'negative' emotions come from some form of Fear. As humans we have an intrinsic need to
feel our emotions-some of us more deeply than others. These reactions to our emotions are what makes us women-and what makes us human.

We have all had the experience of allowing our emotions (reactions) get the better of us, and some of us to the point of social antagonism, argumentative behavior, aggression, headache, depression, stomach problems (ulcers) or even more serious illness. Emotions are the relay switch- the gate- between sensory input and thinking / decision making.

Why are our emotions so powerful and what connects them so closely to our physical body, our thoughts and our senses?

Image: realpowercoaching.com 
The answer lies in a system that some call our emotional anatomy (or energy anatomy) and in the yoga world, referred to as the *Chakra System, illustrated at right.

*(Quick Sanskrit lesson so you don't have to go out & buy Rosetta Stone: Chakra  simply means "disc". )

Simply put, these discs represent emotional energy centers in the body. They not only contain & regulate emotional reactions to sensory input, or to other people, but also those inner subtle feelings that we cannot really define, but seem to, (at least in part), define us.

Coincidentally (or not) the emotional areas of the body correspond anatomically with where our major organs are located, and associate with a higher concentration of nerve endings.

Our sensory systems and emotional systems are linked & directly effect each other. The human body, our environment, our belongings, our thoughts and the entire world in which we live is perceived by us through sensations, emotions and opinions. These all come from different areas of the body & are carried as different forms of energy, some subtle and some not-so-subtle. They all vibrate at the same time on different frequencies. The energies intersect and interact, at every moment, seeking receivers, sending us signals and waiting for a response. Some call this silent talking, but if you have ever watched its outer effect in action, its not-so-silent.

We are all like simultaneous projectors & antennae, picking up on the mental and emotional activity of our surroundings and of others, and projecting our own energy into our environments. At the same time, others are picking up on our signal projections and sending out their own. The Internet, smart phones, social networking and video chat has increased this process by leaps and bounds and why we sometimes feel fatigued after being on the computer. It is also why it is a very good idea to unplug often.

You will notice that our kids go through different stages of projection & receiving emotions, moment to moment, day to day and as they develop and grow. Parents & teachers will notice that on those days when one child is"off" they all are. That is because children cannot yet filter out all the intersecting stimuli and they react to all of it as it floats by. If we could see this, or hear this in action, it would resemble static.

By understanding how our emotional energy system works and effects us, you can better understand how to respond, react, conserve, utilize & spend it more efficiently, allowing you to feel better physically, think more clearly, exude strength and confidence (even when you are not feeling strong OR confident) and work more effortlessly to design the Life & Health you desire for you and your family.

In addition, if you are an educator or therapist, understanding this process will enable you how to design classroom environments, treatment plans & lesson plans that will eliminate some of the static and where learning can become effortless.


Part 2 of this article (will publish on Monday 1/14) will take us deeper into this process and talk about some of the ways we can help ourselves and our kids get a better grip on emotions and use them to help us find our own super power, make better decisions and become more confident in our own unique abilities.


Contact: barbara@bodylogique.com







Monday, January 7, 2013

New Year, New Home


I would like to take a moment to welcome our newest community members. We are growing every day and I appreciate your comments and e-mails! Thank you!

So for the last 3 weeks I have been upgrading and moving the "BodyLogique" website. The web address is the same, and the new location is mobile compatible and a little more compact than the other site.  I was able to also consolidate the "S.M.Art Kids Adaptive Yoga" website and move it as well. (My hosting company locked the "S.M.Art Kids" site over a dispute and a complaint I filed involving the domain name that was recorded incorrectly. If you are a current member and have not been able to access the S.M.Art Kids site, that is why. It doesn't look like we will be able to rectify the dispute, so I have just moved everything. I had plans on re-activating the teacher's forum, but I will have to get back to you on that because that feature is locked as well.)

We are unveiling a few new children's programs for spring as well as a series of new webinars and workshops, and I hope to have complete information up in the next week to 10 days. Please bear with me as I settle in and learn how to use the web tools.

At the same time I moved the BodyLogique site, I have also just completed our new training site. Here you will find online courses as well as our full schedule of live, interactive workshops.

Now here is a favor I'd like to ask: I need to borrow your vision.  (Figuratively of course.)

I've been sitting here in my office, for the last 3-4 weeks, cutting, pasting, linking, writing, editing, moving everything and when it came time to publish the new site, I had this moment of panic. I have never liked the "template" model because you are limited on how to customize, but I know that in order for phones and other devices to be able to actually read what's on there, it has to be this way. 

have had the old website for almost 10 years-and I am not sure how I feel about the new one. I know its time, but I am on a huge learning curve and really can't be objective. I am not a web site genius and I am probably one of the most non-technical people you will ever meet, and I have just GOT to get up from this desk! Can you you help me for a few minutes by looking the BodyLogique as well as the S.M.Art Solutions sites over and tell me:

a) if there are any links that don't work
b) is it concise, clear and understandable and 
c) what you think?  

I want to know what you like as well as what you don't like. I really do appreciate your input!

Once this part is complete, then I can begin working on uploading the videos and courses we have planned and outlined.

Okay-to the treadmill and then my mat :)


~Barb











Contact: barbara@bodylogique.com 

.

Friday, January 4, 2013

In Case You Missed It: Cold & Flu Remedies

Photo:  campalleghanyblog.com/

Since flu season has seemed to hit my house in the last few weeks, I thought I would dedicate today's post to Cold & Flu remedies.

I have never tolerated medicine very well and have to take it before bed or I cannot function. Even the "non-drowsy" varieties leave me feeling foggy and useless.

My grandmother was the first one to use a home remedy on me. I remember many times, at her insistence, eating a big plate of fresh scallions from the garden (with olive oil to dip) that she said would 'chase away' the cold I had gotten, or that I felt coming on. Well, the scallions did, in fact, get rid of the cold-and also kept away most of my friends-as they did their best to avoid me and my 'fresh green onion' aroma.

Garlic (roasted) was another favorite remedy of Gran'mom's. She would tell us the story of her brother, who was a medic in WWI during the influenza pandemicThe flu killed more people between 1918-19 than the war itself. She told us how he stayed well by keeping a fresh clove of (raw) garlic in his mouth at all times, like a lozenge. It apparently worked-and I am supposing he had a lovely aroma as well!

It was not until years later I understood why scallions (Green Onion)  and garlic  that were given to me when I was getting a cold helped me stay well: scallions have anti-pyretic (fever reducer), expectorant, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties. They are also full of vitamins A, C and Calcium.

Garlic has more than 150 health benefits and has strong antibiotic and anti fungal properties. It strengthens the immune system, detoxifies the blood, relieves of bronchial coughs, asthma & head colds. I think my great uncle was 'in the know' too.
Thanksgiving 2006: Gran'mom with her
great-grand child  (my daughter) 

My grandmother, having grown up on a farm in Pottstown PA, and being the oldest daughter of 11 brothers and sisters, knew many of these natural remedies for staying well and she used them throughout life. 

She told another story of a neighbor's son named Paulie-who had a fever that would not break. Her fever remedy: potatoes. She went to the neighbors house and packed Paulie in potatoes- literally- sliced potatoes and wrapped him & the slices up in sheets: his head, chest, legs & feet. She said that by that evening, the fever had broken and he was well on his way to recovery. 

My mother was not as homeopathic as my grandmother, but her favorite cold remedy was pastina soup-or "Star Soup" as I used to call it. Homemade chicken broth with star pastina added was the standard 'cure' when me or my brother got sick. 

One study has found that chicken soup has anti-inflammatory properties that will ease cold symptoms, however there has not been any double-blind scientific study to explain why chicken soup helps us feel better. Is it the steam? The nutrients? Or maybe its all that love from mom that goes into making it.

There must be something to those old, natural home remedies. My grandmother lived to be 98 years old, and was rarely ever sick. (But good luck getting your kids to eat a plate of scallions and roasted garlic, or letting you pack them in potato slices!)

Here are a few other remedies I have used over the years to help strengthen the immune system, ease cold symptoms & keep my children (and myself) well:



  • The best remedy for colds is a proper diet, especially fluids to clear the kidneys. Warm water mixed with lemon juice and honey or fruit juice and hot water. This helps to neutralize the acid condition in the body. Pineapple juice in particular is beneficial for this purpose.
  • Ginger is a common remedy for colds and coughs. It is a known digestive aid and can help settle the stomach and controls nausea and vomiting. Ginger tea, ginger ale and candied ginger will all help symptoms of cold and flu.
  • Lime Juice (well diluted) is highly beneficial for reducing colds and fevers. Rich in vitamin C, it eliminates toxins and reduces the duration of the infection.
  • Honey and Lemon Juice will help sooth a sore throat and help eliminate congestion respectively. Honey has antibacterial properties and will help prevent throat infections. Mix a tablespoon of each and warm slightly over stove or in microwave for about 20 seconds. Swallow it one teaspoonful at a time. (Do not give honey to children under one year of age.)
  • Apple Cider Vinegar will help relieve aches & reduce fevers. Pour 2-3 cups in warm bathwater. Yo u can also use with a compress for  muscle aches or on forehead for fever.
  • Rest and sleep helps boost the immune system and allow the body to repair and heal itself. Rest and sleep are not the same. Resting is when you are calm but fully awake and aware. Sleeping is when you are not aware. Your body needs both in order to heal and maintain balance. I have learned when to say 'no' to a project because my body needs to rest and my mind needs relax.
  • Exercise helps reduce stress, maintain metabolic balance and boost immunity by eliminating toxins from the body. Daily activity and light exercise (such as a 10 minute leisurely walk in the absence of fever, or dehydration.) when you are starting to feel better will help  you get back to full strength much faster.

For more information on cold & flu remedies, read below.

*(Please remember to check with your doctor first before taking any new supplement or combining herbal remedies with traditional medications. Unwanted reactions may occur in some cases, so please do your research first.)


Understanding the Common Cold 

10 Misconceptions About Cold and Flu

Pneumonia: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

Medicinal Properties of Vegetables

9 Ways An Apple A Day Keeps The Doctor Away

Why Was This Ancient Spice Given to People Building the Pyramids?

5 Herbs to Cure the Flu

Natural Flu Remedies

12 Strategies for Building a Healthy Immune System

Stress and the Immune System

Nurse Fired for Refusing Flu Shot



*What are some of your most effective home remedies? Please tell us below!



Contact: barbara@bodylogique.com 


.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Everything Old Becomes New

Photo: Prasanth Photography


This post was Originally Published in -2004
This is a slightly modified & updated edition for 2013.

I have been in the process of re-editing and re-designing my web page, my programs my office and my schedule. This is a huge undertaking as I have been running programs for more than 10 years. There is so much stuff around me that I have accumulated. Where do I begin?

I have never been a good multi-tasker, but I do have excellent concentration skills. If I have one particular thing to zero-in on-a target, I can make awesome things happen.

When I work on several things at once, as we are sometimes forced to do when self-employed, I feel overwhelmed & as if I am not clear or effective. In order for me to balance these needs, and get anything done, I have had to learn to be more flexible, and it seems as if just when I think I can’t be any more flexible, something makes me push those boundaries of flexibility back even further. Its been a good exercise, which has also helped me learn to see what is really important, in my inner and outer words, as well as when to stand my ground, when to push back and when to walk away.

In Yoga we often refer to flexibility often-being or becoming more flexible. This idea applies not only to the body but to the mind as well. It not only applies to adults, but to kids; not only the elite, but also to the ordinary; not only to the physically fit, but to the physically challenged. Flexibility applies to everyone. Some of us learn easily, and others have to learn the hard way.

Being rigid, stiff and inflexible is associated with stress, frustration & old age - hence the expressions: "You can't teach an old dog new tricks" or "I'm too old and set in my ways." Flexibility, energy and creativity are and have always been, associated with youth. This is no coincidence. Watch kids playing sometime and you will see.

While a certain amount of routine can be good for some, when we attach ourselves (our bodies, minds and emotions) to certain foods, routines, habits, people, outcomes, ideas, beliefs, our past, our pain, our wants & our possessions we become physically rigid, strained & stressed. We get bored, we stagnate, and we get sick and actually age. In our minds we believe that these things represent safety & security, but in our hearts we know that they really do not.

By being willing to let go & move on from past & present experiences, relationships, work, outdated ideas, things and people who do not serve us any more, we begin to realize that the only true security lies within us - by cultivating an attitude of curiosity, acceptance, self-reliance and flexibility.

If we improve on something we already have, that is innovation, and that is a start, but true creativity is the process of taking an experience, information or materials and transforming it into something that has never been in existence before. This is the most energizing thing we can do for ourselves and for our kids.

There is documented evidence that by learning to be more creative & more flexible, (in both Mind and Body) we can biologically renew ourselves and can actually influence the stress response & ultimately reverse the aging process. We often forget that both, flexibility and creativity are learned behaviors that come from practice. They come from being willing to let go and find new options, experiences and solutions to problems that really support us and work for us, rather than against us.  Flexibility and creativity foster acceptance & allows us to embrace the unknown, detach from a particular outcome, reduce stress & reverse physical and mental aging.

The creative process requires focus and awareness. When we are focused & aware, we can reawaken our creative response & recapture the energy and enthusiasm of Youth. When we learn & live this, we can begin to teach this to our children, through example and through actively assisting them with the many challenges of childhood, adolescence and young adulthood.

Without flexibility, there can never be creativity. We have unlimited creative potential that can be used to solve any problem we are facing!  Our kids need to learn this and understand it, but first we must understand it.

The first step is to let go. As we begin to let go of old attachments, things, beliefs and habits, we will feel renewed, refreshed & effective in our communication, relationships and in our work.

As this New Year begins, consciously aim to let go regularly, & search for new ideas to express & new experiences to create. Teach your children to do the same. A new idea, belief, activity or experience, project, friendship, clothing style, exercise, food or music will go a long way to engage & energize your body, mind and soul and may infinitely make the old become new.


Contact: barbara@bodylogique.com 




.