Archive for May, 2009

Designer Scarves…A Surefire…Can’t Miss Gift

This holiday, when you are looking for the perfect gift for the perfect woman in your life, you will want to consider beautiful designer scarves look-a-likes that she will love and find highly practical. Scarfs garments are old, but no you’re not buying her used clothing. You are buying her great looking fashion accessories and a practical and beautiful garments that people from many cultures have been wearing for thousands of years.

Not sure if she will like this Fendi or Burberry look a like? It can be scary and perilous for a man to buy a woman clothing for Christmas, birthdays or holidays. However, an in style piece of clothes is a great gift to buy her. One of the things that makes designer type scarves great gifts to get is that you do not need to worry about size or color. You do not have to worry about size because its something a woman just wears over her shoulders. You do not have to worry about color because you can choose a few safe neutral colors that will look good with anything she wears. Anything you do need to know you’ll learn in this article.

The most important thing you want to know about is that it is designed not only for practical purposes of keeping her warm but its purpose on a woman’s shoulders is to make her look good. If you keep this at the forefront of your mind you should be fine. A scarf goes over the shoulders across the back and sometimes connects in the front. That means it “frames” the woman’s face so it is important to find one in a neutral color (that is, a solid color, no patterns, and nothing really outrageous) that complements her.

If the woman loves business and finance and is an executive or professional woman, then you may want to consider finding a slightly more expensive look that is smooth, with no frills or fringes around the edge, and is made of cashmere or velvet or merino. Consider one that is black, white, gray, or a deep color a blue or green. If the woman loves the outdoors and the fall and country living then you may want to consider a loose knit with fringes and browns and greens and rust color. Of course there are many variations of these are just two examples to give you an idea of what to think about.

A good rule of thumb is this: if your recipient is going to be dressed up more formally, then they should have a smooth richly colored scarf with no fringes. If the recipients spends her time in less formal settings, then something loosely knit is better.

If possible, find a designer scarf that matches the color of her eyes. (Even if she doesn’t like the scarf and has nothing to wear with it, she’ll love to hear that you bought it with her eye color in mind!)

For the guy looking to get a girl a great Christmas , birthday or just “love ” gift, one of these beautiful gifts just may be the right one. It is safe and fashionable and if you follow the rules in this article, it is difficult to go wrong.

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Invite the Parents Too

There is nothing so wonderful and exciting then to have a party where all the saplings and parents could involve. The secret of the success of such a party is, of course, to have games that all ages can enter into.

The next time your small fry wants a party for his gang, dont be scared of a rough house. Just answer, Certainly. Then make it an early evening party, invite his friends and their parents. Include all small brothers and sisters. You will have quite a crowd, we will admit, but we can guarantee that if you plan your games right, you will have a party that will be long remembered not only by your young son but his friends and their parents as well.

The secret of the success of such a party is, of course, to have games that all ages can enter into, and you would be surprised how many such games there are. A good opener for such a party is the Nose Game. Hang an old sheet in an open doorway. Tacks stuck into the top of the doorjamb dont show and will hold a substantial cord. Then fasten big safety pins into the top edge of the sheet and pin them over the cord. This makes a very satisfactory draw curtain. In the sheet make two slits, one big enough for an adult to stick his nose through, the other a suitable height for the shorter guests. (This curtain can be prepared ahead of time and drawn across the doorway for this one game.)

Gather all the women on the back side of the curtain. Then ask the men if they are sure they can recognize their own wives. They will be very confident of their ability.

Warn the children not to help their Dads. Then have each woman take a turn at sticking her nose through the slit in the sheet. It is surprisingly difficult for a man, no matter how long he has been married, to recognize his wife by her nose. After the choosing is completed let the women join the men who have claimed them. Most of the men will have some other fellow’s wife.

Then hustle the kids behind the sheet. Make the men pick their own kids dont let the women help. Mothers have washed those faces so often they are better choosers than the men. One father of four children at a recent party of ours wound up with claiming only one of his four offspring the other three proved to belong to some of the other guests. But then no one had his own family intact.

A stunt that looks very easy but is really hard to do is called the Broomstick Game. Lay a broomstick on the floor. Place your elbow next to the broom handle and measure the distance to your finger tips. Put an apple on that spot. Then kneel on the broomstick, keeping both hands on the stick, and pick up the apple with your teeth. Chances are you will land on your nose first try. The kids love to see Mother and Dad try this one.

To find the richest person in the crowd, divide the group into two teams. Give each one a bowl of uncooked navy beans and a spoon. Each one stands in front of a mirror and takes a spoonful of beans and by looking into the mirror, tries to drop them into an empty milk bottle which he holds on top of his head. More beans will go on the floor and down the neck than into the bottle. Then each one counts the beans he has been successful in getting into the bottle. Each bean is worth $100,000. Keep the resulting figures from your income tax man he’d be staggered at the worth of your guests.

Let the parents watch the kids in a bottle wrestle. It can be played in any living room and nothing will be damaged. Divide the kids into pairs, matching them according to size and weight. The partners face each other on opposite sides of a milk bottle which stands on the floor. They place their hands on each others shoulders. Then each one tries by pushing and pulling to make his partner knock over the milk bottle. The one knocking over the bottle or losing his balance loses the match. This is a very strenuous game that takes a small space in which to play.

The interesting part of this party is when Dads are asked to recognize his wife by her nose. Children love to see their Dads action and movement. All the member of the family can enjoy this party.

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A Guide to Cooking with Wine

Don’t just sip it, eat it!

Want to enhance and improve the taste of your favorite dish? Think that adding wine to your recipe will make it more scrumptious and mouth watering? Well then, you’re absolutely right!

Wines are widely used in the cooking world because they intensify taste and zest. They are also capable of releasing flavors from food that are not possible by regular means of cooking.

The main question you must have now is this: What type of wine goes with what type of food ?

You have red wines, white wine, sparkly champagne, sherry etc. You have grape vine types like merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, zinfandel, syrah, and Riesling. With the wide variety of them available, picking a wine is pretty tricky. The secret here is to know what combinations are used by professionals.

1. Red Wine

There used to be a rule in cooking that “red wine goes with red meat, white wine with white meat”. Although it’s not really true anymore, most chefs still go with that.

– For red meat, young and full bodied red wines are recommended. Try going for Zinfandel Red or Merlot.
– For red sauces, robust, full bodied wines are best. Make pasta, pizza or other tomato-sauce based dishes with it.
– Using root veggies with beef stock? You might want to look for an earth red, full bodied wine. The color it imparts to the meat makes it all the more wonderful.

2. White Wine

Cream based sauces, butter and herbs. Yum. White wine is usually used with white meat and best for light colored dishes.

– If you fancy a zesty dish, add some sparkling champagne.
– For chicken, pork or veal, try cooking with white wine. Spice up your grilled chicken by mixing dry, white wine with butter as the sauce.
– Crisp, dry white wines are ideal for seafood soup and shellfish dishes. Bouillabaisse, anyone?
– Leftover sweet white wine in your fridge? Why make delicious, delectable desserts? Whip up some Bavarian cream.

3. Fortified wine

Fortified wines are what they are: fortified. Additional neutral alcohol is added to them. Then they are aged for a long time. Examples are sherry, port and vermouth.

– Sherry is great for poultry meat and vegetables soups.
– For sweet, fruity dishes or desserts, splash some port or vermouth. Your dry vermouth can also be a good substitute for white wine.

4. Cooking wine

Cooking wines are relatively less pricey wines that use salt as a preservative. They can be found in supermarkets and groceries. Most professional chefs disdain the use of cooking wines because the salt content is hard to work with. You may need to adjust your recipe to work with the saltiness.

5. Exotic wines

Cooking is an experiment. If you’re feeling bold and daring, you could try cooking with exotic wines. Asian wines are popular choices for an all together different meal. There is the sake, bekseju and seol joong mae.

– Sake is a rice based wine from Japan. Although it’s mainly a beverage, it is popular as an additive to many Japanese dishes.

– Beksuju is a Korean wine made from raw rice and herbs. It can be used in vegetable dishes to increase the ‘herbal’ feel. Seol Joong Mae, a fruit wine made from plum, can be used for desserts and fruity dishes.

I hope that clears up some of your confusion. With that said, here are some few reminders for the novice cook:

– Cook only with wine that you would drink. There is no sense in cooking something that you wouldn’t want to taste.
– There are a lot of good, quality yet inexpensive wines out there. Don’t get too carried away and buy something that’s way off your budget.
– Don’t cook using aluminum or cast iron cookware. Alcohol is reactive with these materials and could cause harm to your dish.
– After adding your wine, try to wait for 5-10 minutes before tasting it. Wine needs to simmer for a while before it can impart flavor to your food.
– Got some left over wine? Put them in your ice cube tray and freeze them. This makes them good for future use.

Get your favorite recipe, pick a wine and start cooking !

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Tomato and Garlic Pasta

“There is nothing nicer than the flavor of fresh tomatoes. You can use canned, but the trouble you take to prepare this dish is worth it. You prepare the sauce while the pasta is cooking, no long hours of waiting. Great if you want meatless pasta.”

Here is ingredients ( serving 4 people) of Tomato and Garlic Pasta and Directions to make this dish.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 (8 ounce) package angel hair pasta
  • 2 pounds tomatoes
  • 4 cloves crushed garlic
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • salt to taste
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS (Nutrition)

    Place tomatoes in a kettle, and cover with cold water. Bring just to the boil. Pour off water, and cover again with cold water. Peel. Cut into small pieces. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. In a large skillet or saute pan, saute the garlic in enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan. The garlic should just become opaque, not brown. Stir in the tomato paste. Immediately stir in the tomatoes, and salt and pepper. Reduce heat, and simmer until the pasta is ready; add the basil. Drain the pasta, but do not rinse in cold water. Toss with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, and then mix into the sauce. Reduce the heat as low as possible. Keep warm, uncovered, for about 10 minutes when it is ready to serve. Garnish generously with fresh Parmesan cheese. VARIATIONS: Saute fresh quartered mushrooms with the garlic, or add shoestring zucchini along with the tomato.

More Cooking Online

 Source: http://www.allrecipes.com

 

 

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Is It Wise To Get A Tattoo?

OK, first off, you’ve probably wanted a tattoo for years now and what you wanted has probably changed from a skull and cross bones, Love and Hate and finally settling on the names of your children etched Gothic style into the side of your arm – but when (and if) do you stop dreaming and go out and get one actually done?

It’s a bold step, because in the main it’s one that you make forever, so let’s think carefully about designs. Celtic seems to be popular – knotts, bands and crosses and they’ve always caught my eye so I may follow suit and get one of these, sounds simple but next you need to decide where on your body you’re going to get this done.

Tattoo’s are both personal and public, people like to display their art while it usually holds an inner meaning or memory. But I don’t want to go for a job interview / meeting etc. etc. with my tattoo on show, perhaps I feel it somehow lessens my professional look.
So it’s above the elbow or safely tucked away somewhere on my back.

Style wise I’ve seen a nice little emblem to go at the top of my neck (but below collar line) which holds in it two jewels, one for each of my children. It’s not over the top and would hopefully not look out of place.

Finding the right place to get your tattoo.

Now, I dislike having my haircut. I’m uncomfortable with the banal chit-chat between cutter and customer and usually can’t wait to run out. Fact is, tattoo’s take longer than hair cuts, much, much longer. I telephoned a local artist who said for the size I wanted it would be just over an hour, a small price I guess for the lifetime work of art.

Cost-wise it seems to depend on the size of the tattoo, a small 2 inch square tattoo is about $90.00 whereas the larger more extravagant ones reach into the $1,000 and beyond, and that’s not to mention multiple sittings!

With that said and done, I’m booked for a sitting and this time next week I’ll be the proud owner of my first (does that imply more to come??) tattoo.

After scouring the internet I’ve found a nice site which has some downloadable pictures and outlines which you can take along to the tattoo parlour and they will reproduce the design for you, or ammend it should you have any particular requirements such as names and colours. I don’t really want any specific text on mine so will be happy to get as close to the picture as the artist can.

Have to admit there is a worry he or she will get it wrong, but I’m going to a reputable artist who comes recommended.

Wish me luck!

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How To Walk In High Heels Without Breaking Your Neck

What a prospect! You want to wear the heels because they make you look taller, more slender, look nice with your clothes but, then there is actually wearing them!

You know that occasional teeter-totter? Or perhaps you have already experienced a side ankle bend or even a complete fall. Hopefully this has not happened to you. Even if it hasn’t happened to you, it can still be a bit challenging to walk in certain high-heeled shoes.

But the idea is for that never to happen to you.
You may have heard the saying, “practice makes perfect”. Well in this case, practice does makes walking in high-heeled shoes possible, especially if they are brand new shoes. It takes time to get use to a new pair of shoes, whether flat’s or high heels. With heels, there is a certain risk that can be overcome with a little practice, skill and know how. Whether you’re dancing the night away or attending a business meeting.

You want to walk or dance with assurance without falling.
Here are some practical steps you can take to help you achieve this.

1. First, just practice standing in your new pair of heels. Place yourself in front of a full view mirror, standing a while, then turning from side to side. This allows you to get accustomed to the look and feel of the new heels you are wearing.

2. Second, try the new high-heels out by taking a few steps in them, if possible, on a hard floor or low carpeting. Then slowly progress to a thicker carpeted surface. High-heeled dress shoes are fun for women once you learn how to walk in them.

3. Third, keeping your legs straight and as close together as possible, take a few slow, determined steps. Place one foot in front of the other, noticing the placement of each foot. As you practice, your confidence in walking in high-heels will increase.
This will make the process of walking in high-heels more natural for you. Walking in high-heeled shoes will become second nature for women who walk in them often.

Walking or dancing in heels can be an intimidating experience, but it does not have to be. You can be the high-heel diva when you learn how to walk and dance in high-heels and can have fun doing it!

From sexy stilettos heels that make you dizzy just to look at them to lower heels. Although lower heeled shoes are better for our body, there are times when they just won’t do.

So on the occasions when you have just got to wear the higher heels, put them on and practice sensibly and safely first. Then walk out into the “high-heeled” stepping ground with confidence and, oh yeah… remember to smile!

This is the beginning of how to walk in high heels without breaking your neck!
So take your time, go slow and before you know it, you will be strutting your stuff in your new
high-heels!

Surely someone will say, “You look marvelous darling”.

Reference:  Fashion Games

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Alternative Ways to Quit Smoking This New Year

With the ever-increasing price of cigarettes, and volumes of warnings that aim to increase the public’s awareness of the dangers of cigarette smoking, you’d think it would be a no-brainer for smokers to just up and quit the habit cold turkey. However, being a former smoker myself, I know that this statement is neither realistic, nor fair. Smoking is genuinely an addictive habit, not just mentally, although it certainly is psychologically addictive, but also physiologically, since nicotine is a substance that the body grows used to and craves, and when it is suddenly taken away, the withdrawal symptoms are anything but pleasant. These withdrawal symptoms are the reason that many smokers never make it past a few weeks quitting the habit. It’s also the reason that quitting smoking is so hard to do, especially the longer you’ve been doing it. I’ve heard it all when it comes to the creative ways that men and women both will try to kick the habit. Some try the cold turkey thing, although this rarely works unless you have an iron will and are able to naturally cope with the symptoms of withdrawal on your own. Some people try cigarette alternatives, like herbal cigarettes, which are designed to help get rid of the nicotine addiction since they do not contain nicotine. However, what some people don’t realize is that herbal cigarettes are just as dangerous as smoking real cigarettes, and sometimes even more so, because they still emit carbon monoxide into the lungs and the body, and they also have carcinogenic chemicals that activate once the herbs are burned. One of the alternative cigarettes that is popular is reportedly an especially dangerous option, a tobacco and clove combination. The cloves become extremely toxic when burned and inhaled into the lung tissue, with the potential to cause pneumonia and even pulmonary edema. They also happen to contain a lot more tobacco content than regular cigarettes, another reason to avoid them. I’d say avoid herbal varieties of cigarettes all together if you can, even as a quitting mechanism, and instead opt for maybe a supplement or a patch to help you get through the rough patches, or try another alternative such as hypnotism. Hypnotism is one of my favorites. Self hypnosis has worked for scores of people to help them kick the habit once and for all. It works by way of subconscious suggestion, on a subliminal level, and creates a strong desire to quit that is powerful because it comes from within your mind and is rooted in personal desire. This is one of the best ways to quit since it is truly all natural, and creates a desire beyond just a short time period of quitting that stays rooted in the subconscious for long after you’ve quit. Of course if you ever feel yourself slipping and craving cigarettes again, you can always do “touch up” sessions of self hypnosis in your own home whenever you feel you need that positive reinforcement again. Another popular alternative way to quit smoking currently are herbal supplements that are orally taken or adhered to the skin, in a patch form, that work sort of like a nicotine patch does, to transdermally (delivered through the skin) help you through your potential withdrawal symptoms. The herbs are basically adhered to the skin via a patch which delivers beneficial ingredients through the skin to the blood stream, at time released intervals so you get the symptom control throughout your day, every day, to help ensure that your goals are reached. Many people who are thinking of quitting smoking worry about the withdrawal symptoms, which include weight gain, irritability, restlessness, increased anxiety (although smoking actually increases anxiety, which many people don’t know), inability to concentrate and many other unpleasantries. In the end, no matter which alternative method you use to help yourself permanently give up the habit of smoking, it’s going to boil down to a real concern for your health and well being, and a sustained desire to stay away from the potentially life shortening vice. Only over time will you begin to see and feel the benefits of having clean, clear lungs such as, but not limited to, increased energy, better looking skin and teeth, and increased lung capacity, and that’s what keeps you on the wagon!

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Your Right to Heal

Webster\’s defines the word \’subtle\’ as delicate or elusive, as in the “subtle aroma of a candle”, imperceptible or non-tangible such as “the \’subtle\’ distinction between two variables”, and hard to understand; difficult to distinguish or defome as “a \’subtle\’ difference in feelings”.

Energy is defined as “VITALITY” and “VIGOROUSNESS” and “ACTIVITY” (esp. physical activity), and is further defined as “an entity rated as the most fundamental of all physical concepts and usually regarded as the equivalent of or the capacity for doing work either being associated with material bodies (as a coiled spring or speeding train) or having an existence independent of matter (as light or x-rays traversing a vacuum).

Healing is defined as “the act of process of curing or of restoring health : the process of getting well”. What we want to concentrate on here is the act of replacing illness and disease in the human body through the use of natural methods as opposed to the use of pharaceuticals and other less-subtle methods such as chemotherapy, radiation treatment and surgery. Since the word, “cure” seems to agitate the oversight and governmental agencies into a virtual frenzy of over-reaction, it might be advisable to define the word \’cure\’.

Again the actual definition by Webster\’s is: “HEAL; to restore to health, soundness or normality. To bring about recovery from : REMEDY”. The word \’cure\’ is also defined as a process for preserving food, however we will limit our definition on the healing and remedy aspect for our purpose here. To go on… the word “cure” is further defined as a medical course of treatment for a bodily ailment – used without implication of success.

and (b) recovery from a disease, (also) : remission of signs or symptoms of a disease :

and, return to freedom from an infecting agent (and) (c) a drug, treatment, regimen or other agency that cures a disease. [Side note: perhaps it\'s this word \'agency\' that the purveyors of administered health care have latched onto!?]

So we can see that curing or healing a disease is not the exclusive term or narrow definition that some would like to claim. In fact it should be our inconvertible right to discover methods to cure or heal our own body. It is everyone\’s right in our free society to explore, define and discover natural means that will allow healing, recovery and freedom from foreign pathogens. It is much more than an act of belief or faith that our bodies are able heal themselves, if given the right building blocks to do so. Physicians in our society play an important role in providing emergency care when wounded, relief from pain, diagnosis of disease and administering prescription (or non-prescription) pharmeceuticals (drugs) when appropriate and useful.

But, should we allow complete control and reliance on our family doctor for such critical issues as prevention and indeed – healing? Perhaps this is so, and the preferred means for many. However, maybe you are one who likes to \’think outside the box\’, or perhaps you are more independent minded and wish to take greater responsibility for your own life, health and ultimate wellness. How one actually FEELS is a personal decision. If you are feeling tired, sickly, weak, etc, is your first reaction to see the doctor? Maybe – just maybe – there is a better way. A Way that opens the door to never being sick, always feeling well and being self-reliant as far as practically possible. The term, SUBTLE ENERGY is a recent phenomena and might be defined as a physical energy, such as electromagnetic or acoustic, that is of such low intensity we have no means of measuring it presently.

And further, subtle energy fields could be a fundamental manifestation of energy that underlies classical energy systems. There is indeed a complete business segment which orbits around an invisible cause of stress and illness and is a prime example of recent breakthroughs, discoveries and perhaps a quantum leap in health science. The simple truth is that main-stream medicine does not recognize or relate to these subtle energies. The same is true for many natural healing – dare we say the word \’cures\’? – to many of the diseases and afflictions that are pervasive in modern society. Is it possible that there are ways to rid our bodies of such maladies as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and even the common cold, flu or allergies? You be the judge. It\’s your body and it certainly does not belong to any oversight agency.

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Room games Colection

Dress up Girl in romantic scene Dress up Girl in romantic scene-Dress up Girl in romantic scene: Wow, a romantic scene! Can you dress up this likable girl suitable with such a romantic scene?

Loki and the Catinvaders Loki and the Catinvaders: Fire at the cats and find out who is controlling the cats.

Dress me up in fashionable style Dress me up in fashionable style-Dress me up in fashionable style: Choose the most special clothes, hairstyle,…to dress up this attractive girl in a way you like.

Sue\’s Dating Dress Up Help Sue choose clothes for her first date on coming Valentine\’s day. Make her sweeter for the date!

Fur Collar Coat Fur Collar Coat: These fur collar coat are so lovely. Do you want to try it out? It will keep you warm and make you more pretty in this winter. Enjoy!

Robinson\’s Farm Robinson\’s Farm-Robinson\’s Farm: Put the cursor in the right down corner to see the original picture, you will see Robinson\’s farm with many different kinds of cattle and then put all animals in the correct place.rn

Sandwich Stacker Sandwich Stacker: The object of the game is to catch tasty items to buid your sandwich.

Joining Adventure Dress up Joining Adventure Dress up: This little kid are going to join Strawberry Shortcake on her day out for an adventure! But first you must help her decide what to wear. Make sure she is comfortable but still looking pretty!

Mainstream Fashion for Girls Mainstream Fashion for Girls: Girls mainstream fashion has been a little more bearable but not by much. … I have to say that this year the fashion trends were a little off the wall. Make yourself look fashion-forward!

Bratz Doll Coloring Bratz Doll Coloring: You can choose to color some pictures of Bratz in only one game. Make your own picture, create your own view abour your favorite doll, Bratz. Do you like?

Pizza Passion Pizza Passion: Pizza Passion is totally addicting action game fun. Taste the passion fresh out of Love\’s oven. Toss away to pizza heaven!

Foxy Girl Dressup Foxy Girl Dressup-Foxy Girl Dressup: So many kinds of clothes and dresses you can choose. Come to choose suitable ones and dress this foxy girl in a way you like.

Dress up Sailor Girl Dress up Sailor Girl -Dress up Sailor Girl: This girl sailor needs to be dressed up. Would you like to help her? Come to dress her up in a way you like.

Flowery Fairy Flowery Fairy: What\’s not to love about fairies? They have the magic power that we dream for, the looks we envy and the wings that are not only accessories. So bring on the magic power and give this fairy the look she deserves. This Fairy is likely making all flowers here blossom. So nice!

Play Seesaw With Fruits Play Seesaw With Fruits: Help these two friends to eat all the fruit that they could, jumping on their seesaw. So funny to jump high and eat lots of fruits here. Let\’s go!

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The Healing Power of Trees

During fall, it almost becomes a national past time to appreciate trees, especially in the northeast where they fully display their glory in brilliant techno color. Personally, I\’m a year round tree hugger and proud of it! There is something very special about walking in the woods, or entering the silent sanctuary of a pine grove, or just sitting in the cooling shade of a tree\’s expansive branches. I find trees both majestic yet comforting, elegant yet solid, enduring yet ever changing. When I surround myself with trees, my breathing becomes deeper, all my senses are satiated, and I feel peaceful and grounded. The Japanese have a special word for this feeling \’shinrinyoku\’ or \’forest bathing.\’ What a wonderful poetic image, \’bathing\’ in the refreshing atmosphere of the woods.

The Japanese have also accumulated some hard scientific data on the physical benefits of \’forest bathing.\’ In 2004, Japan\’s National Land Afforestation Promotion Organization conducted an experiment on the healing effects of forests. The study compared the physiological benefits of walking in the city with walking in one of Japan\’s few remaining old leaf forest. They found concrete evidence that a forest stroll had beneficial effects on blood pressure, heart rate, and the immune system. Their findings also detected an increase in the intracellular anti-cancer proteins. This boost in activity of the natural killer cells that fight cancer sometimes lasted for as long as thirty days.

They also discovered that walking in the forest decreased the blood glucose levels of diabetic patients. And that people who even just viewed forest scenery for twenty minutes had a 13% lower blood concentration of the stress hormone cortisol. While this evidence of the physiological benefits of nature is ground breaking and exciting, the psychological benefits have also gained long over due recognition in recent years with the relatively new field of Eco- Psychology. The basic idea of Eco-Psychology is that humankind\’s disconnect with nature and its renewing rhythms are a central contributing factor to most emotional woes. The mind which has been shaped by the modern world is readily comforted by the wider natural world from which it evolved. Eco-psychology has three basic premises.

First, there is a deep reciprocal relationship between humans and nature.

Second, the separation of humans and nature leads to suffering for both the environment and for people.

And third, realizing the connection between humans and nature is mutually healing. As a Life Coach and Retreat Leader, I have always thought of nature as an essential partner. My preferred method of one on one coaching of “Walk and Talks” is done outdoors. And my retreats are held at eco-resorts, national parks, and arboretums. Being fully present in nature has a wonderful way of centering a person. And the natural world is always full of metaphors that help put life into perspective. So,the point of all this information is to get outdoors! Enjoy this wonderful autumn weather. You will feel better physically and emotionally if you take the time to reconnect with nature. And you will probably become a better steward for the world because of it.

Copyright (c) 2008 Karin Marcus

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