Bowen Therapy or Bowen Technique is a gentle means of soft tissue relaxation that does not involve external, forceful manipulation.  Because of its gentle approach, all ages can undergo the therapy, including newborns and the very elderly (and everyone in between!).  Bowen aims to achieve deep relaxation for the participant.  When that level of relaxation is reached, the body becomes aligned, balanced, and able to heal itself. When a participant undergoes Bowen Technique, he or she experiences a gentle massage of the muscles and tissues over the problem area.  Practitioners often begin in the abdominal region, as this is seen as the "center" of the body.  Practitioners leave the room before moving to another area of the body, slowing the pace and giving their clients a chance to relax even more. The motions of Bowen Technique are said to act as energy surges, sending messages to the brain to heal a particular area or body system.  Practitioners claim they are teaching the body to heal itself - or, more correctly, reminding the body of its own innate ability to heal. Here are some of the benefits of Bowen Technique. * Pain Relief - Many participants seek out Bowen Technique because they desire relief from ...

With the arrival of warm weather, many people look forward to sandal season - but others look forward to barefoot season.  It used to be customary for children especially to go barefoot in the spring and summer, but our culture has changed and now shoes are the norm.  Going barefoot indoors in the winter is not unheard of, either, in this day and age of centrally heated homes.  Taking off the shoes and going barefoot now and then - or regularly if possible - can have some real health benefits. * Fewer Ingrown Toenails - Going barefoot - or "barefooting" - can decrease your chances of developing ingrown toenails.  If you have had them before, going barefoot could prevent them from happening again.  Without the confining pressure of shoes on the toes, nails can grow freely and correctly. * Less Athlete's Foot and Toenail Fungus - Fungus does not thrive when it is continually exposed to light and air.  Going barefoot can reduce toenail fungus or athlete's foot for this reason. * Developing Foot Structure - Babies and children who are accustomed to going barefoot or wearing thin-soled footwear tend to have much stronger arches in their feet.  Studies have shown that wearing ...

Slings offer so many benefits for mother and baby.  Dad can get in on baby bonding, too, since slings work just as well for him as they do for Mom.  Caretakers, babysitters, grandparents, and so forth can use a sling.  Let's look at some of the benefits of baby-wearing, or slings. Just What Is a Sling? A sling is a piece of cloth that is knotted or otherwise attached at either end (sometimes by a ring of plastic or wood) that fits cross-wise on a woman's body.  The baby can be placed in the back or the front, depending on the type of sling.  Slings are different from the carriers that strap on to a parent's body and look like a frontal back-pack.  Cloth slings have been used by women all over the world for millennia. Closeness More and more experts report what mothers have always instinctively known - holding baby close has many benefits.  Thankfully, as this comes to light, more mothers in modern cultures are holding their babies closer.  Slings help in this regard. A close relationship between mother and baby is associated with thriving, healthy babies who develop normally. Nursing For the nursing mother, slings provide opportunities for discreet, public nursing.  A baby can ...

Mango chutney is a tangy condiment that goes well with Indian curries and other dishes.  Making your own can be very satisfying as well as tasty, and if you use fairtrade ingredients, it can be even more satisfying.  You can give this as a Christmas or housewarming gift, too. For 4 cups of fairtrade mango chutney, you will need the following ingredients, fairtrade certified: -4 pounds fresh, ripe mangoes (about 4) -1/4 cup candied ginger, chopped (use fresh, peeled ginger if you can't find fairtrade candied ginger) -1 small, sweet onion, chopped -1/4 cup raisins (use golden raisins if you want to make the chutney more uniform in color) -1 clove garlic, minced -1/2 cup apple cider vinegar -1 cup pineapple juice -1/2 cup evaporated cane juice or Sucanat (these are usually fairtrade certified sugars; fairtrade white or brown sugar can be used as well) -1/4 teaspoon ground cloves -1/4 teaspoon nutmeg -3 teaspoons curry powder -1/4 teaspoon kosher salt Put the sugar, pineapple juice, and vinegar into a saucepan.  Bring to a boil and add the rest of the ingredients except the mangoes.  Cook at a low simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes. While it's cooking, peel the mangoes.  This is best accomplished with a thin paring knife.  Run the knife carefully down the ...

A sunburn can be a nasty experience.  A bad one can give you chills and a fever, not to mention terrible pain.  A mild sunburn can still result in blistering, itching and peeling. If you've accidentally stayed out in the sun too long, there are some things you can do that can help reduce itching and peeling.  Most of these treatments are inexpensive and all of them are natural - you may even have some of them in your kitchen cabinets or pantry. First, be careful with that burned skin - don't use soap, washcloths, or do any scrubbing in the shower.  Wash your hair upside-down under the bath faucet to avoid shampoo running over your sunburn.  And when you get out of the shower or bath, pat your skin dry with a soft towel - don't rub. * Tea - Tea, green or black, has skin-soothing properties and has been known to stop relieve sunburn itch and prevent peeling.  Black tea seems to work the best, or you could use a combination of green and black.  Brew a quart or so of strong tea, pour it into a lukewarm bath, and soak. * Baking Soda Bath - Baking soda can be very helpful ...