Imagine experiencing a garden with all five senses.  That’s what a sensory garden allows you to do.  A carefully designed garden can stimulate, not only the sight, but also sound, smell, touch and taste.

A trolley with an assortment of potted herbs and vegetables is an example of a sensory garden.  This can be placed in a sunny courtyard or balcony where space is limited.

It could also be set in an aged care facility where residents may have more limited mobility. A trolley will allow the garden to come to them.  People living with dementia respond to sensory stimulation and tasting, crushing and smelling different herbs can be beneficial.

Take lavender and chamomile, for example. These plants can have very soothing qualities, as when the oils are released through rubbing the leaves. The smooth and furry leaves of various lavenders are also soothing to the touch. Do this while sipping a cup of tea made from fresh Chamomile flowers and the effect is multiplied. …read more of The Sensory Garden here

Are you experiencing signs of menopause? Occasional hot flashes, mood swings and problems sleeping?

While there are all manner of modern pharmaceutical interventions, there is a gentler and more natural way to address these issues.

According to Maharishi Ayurveda, menopause is not a disease; it is a natural progression from childbearing years. If this is true, what causes such uncomfortable symptoms?

Accumulated toxins can prevent your body from adjusting to hormonal changes of midlife. The key to a comfortable, easy transition is to cleanse the body of impurities that build up before and during menopause.

It is these toxins that lead to uncomfortable and often more serious consequences, such as loss of bone density that most women accept as a normal part of menopause. …read more of Ayurveda and Menopause here

With 50 million Americans suffering from allergies, it is no wonder that there are so many over the counter (OTC) antihistamines.[1]

A nationwide survey found that 54.6 percent of all US citizens test positive for one or more allergens.[2] Unfortunately, OTC medications are often either ineffective, or cause untoward side effects.

If you are an allergy sufferer, you know that spring rings in a season of itchy, watery eyes, sneezing, nasal congestion and postnasal drip.

In the worst of cases, spring allergies can turn into a sinus infection.  These natural remedies can help to ward off the discomforts of allergy season.

Eight Natural Remedies for Seasonal Allergies

1. Medicine at the tip of your fork:  It is as much what you eat, as what you don’t eat.  This is so dramatically helpful that I have to put it at the top of the list.  Eliminate wheat, dairy and sugar and you may be surprised at how your sinuses clear up within a week or two. …read more of Eight Natural Remedies for Seasonal Allergies here

To help keep cool in the heat of summer, the Rainforest Alliance has come up with three refreshing ideas for having fun while keeping sustainability in mind.

Look for the Rainforest Alliance Certified^TM or Verified Green Frog Seal on products and services to be sure that you are doing your part conserving the environment, protecting wildlife and supporting communities across the globe.

Refresh under the cool shade of a tree:
Cool off by relaxing under the shade of a tree. If the shade in your backyard is sparse, why not plant a few more trees. It is a wonderful experience to watch trees grow over the years and once they are mature, you can enjoy the shade that they provide. …read more of Refreshing Ideas for a Sustainable Summer! here

Biofeedback, an effective therapy for many conditions, trains people in a technique that can improve health by controlling normally involuntarily bodily processes such as, heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, muscle tension and skin temperature.

First introduced in 1979, biofeedback might also be called “body feedback.” Through the use of instruments that provide information, biofeedback helps patients become aware of certain physiological functions and learn to manipulate them.

Electrodes attached to the skin measure these processes and display them on a monitor. This drug-free therapy has been shown to improve stress, anxiety, high blood pressure, tension headaches, chronic neck pain and even constipation.

By using the power of visual cues, a person can watch their heart rate slow down or skin temperature fall just by changing their thought patterns and breathing. Slow, deep belly breathing is often used to engender a relaxation response. …read more of Biofeedback: Evolving Mind-Body Therapy here