While there can be a variety of factors leading to back pain, you may be bringing this pain on yourself simply by the way you sit, stand or bend at your job. If you’re reading this at work (or even at your desk at home), take a moment to become aware of how you are sitting.

Are your shoulders hunched a bit forward? Are you lacking lower back support? Are your legs stretched out beneath your desk? Also, consider the repetitive motions of frequent tasks throughout your day, or the times you lift too heavy a burden. Is there work-related stress causing tension in your neck and shoulder muscles?

Every year, Americans alone spend an estimated $50 Billion trying to find relief from back pain. Much of that goes towards pain-killing drugs and other “solutions” that never get to the root of the problem. But one technique first developed by Frederick Matthias Alexander over a century ago has proven to be a safe, cost-effective, and long-term solution to both treat and avoid future back pain.

F.M. Alexander discovered that poor posture and inefficient work habits are “learned” as a way to adapt to the demands of the workplace. The Alexander Technique restores balance, coordination and grace through the release of muscular tension and inefficient movement. You learn how to recognize, stop and adjust – to release and relieve stress in the neck, lower back and legs.

But knowing that you’re not sitting or moving right isn’t enough. Most people, when these poor posture habits are pointed out to them, sit more upright, lengthen the spinal cord and place their feet squarely on the floor. Then, over time, they revert back to their old posture. The old ways tend to feel “more natural” due to muscle memory. The Alexander Technique helps us “unlearn” these bad habits.

An Alexander Technique teacher will work with you at your workstation or wherever you perform your tasks, gently guiding your body so that it moves efficiently and effectively. Just as important, the teacher will help you recognize when you might be slipping back to old habits and how to make immediate corrections.

The Alexander Technique makes a wonderful compliment to ergonomic programs that many companies offer their employees. It builds on existing ergonomic workplace strategies by introducing an element of mental and physical awareness to improvements, reducing many of the risk factors behind pain and injury.

The Technique doesn’t require any conditioning exercises, specialized postures or any physical exertion at all. The basic principles are easy to learn and your instruction is personalized to your particular situation. Once mastered, it’s not unusual to discover the ability to apply it to whatever you do – work, play or any activity in between – and carry yourself with a greater sense of coordination and grace.

The Alexander Technique has been endorsed by physicians, health care professionals and scientists thanks to its track record of over 100 years successfully treating chronic pain, injury and even depression and anxiety If you’re interested in finding out if the Alexander Technique can help you, a good place to start is the website for the American Society for the Alexander Technique. It can provide you with useful information about the Technique and facilitate finding professional teachers in your area who have completed the 1,600 hours of study required to receive certification.

References

National Institutes of Health. Handout on Health: Back Pain. Jul 2010.

Little P, Lewith G, Webley F, et al. Randomised controlled trial of Alexander Technique lessons, exercise, and massage (ATEAM) for chronic and recurrent back pain. BMJ. 2008; 337; a884

Related posts:

1. Three Easy Steps to Correct Sitting Posture
2. A Rare Case of Upper Back Surgery
3. Herniated Disc Caused by Poor Lifting Technique?

If you heard that interview already, you know Prolozone Therapy is a virtually painless, non-surgical procedure completed in just minutes in a qualified doctor’s office with a phenomenal 75% success rate.

And by success, I’m not talking about run-of-the-mill “less pain while you keep taking doing the therapy” results. I’m talking about a therapy that corrects the actual underlying disorder and results in a permanent cure for many types of severe chronic pain in areas that are notoriously hard to repair, like joints, tendons, and ligaments in your knee, shoulder, wrist, hip, spinal disc, etc.

Now I’m getting emails from readers all over the world asking where they can find a doctor trained in Prolozone Therapy. So today I’m happy to share a comprehensive list of doctors qualified to administer Prolozone Therapy (and other ozone related therapies).

If you’ve already found success using Prolozone Therapy, I would love to hear your feedback below. And if you haven’t listened to the Dr. Shallenberger interview yet, I urge you to do so now!

Related posts:

1. Prolozone Therapy: Miracle Cure for Pain?
2. Inversion Therapy for Herniated or Bulging Disc
3. Inversion therapy got rid of my sciatica pains!

Mistake #1: Continuing to do what doesn’t work
Mistake #2: Not dealing with pain the first time
Mistake #3: Thinking you’re too fit to have back pain
Mistake #4: Treating only the symptoms
Mistake #5: Not understanding that back pain is a process
Mistake #6: The “I’ve Tried Everything” Syndrome
Mistake #7: Not taking control

If any of those sound familiar I have good news for you. Today I’m making available the full bonus audio which discusses each of these mistakes in detail – and gives you the solution! Click here to listen to the 7 Back Pain Mistakes audio now

Related posts:

1. Do You Really Want to Get Rid of Your Pain?
2. FREE… Complete Healing Formula for Back Pain Audio Program
3. Owner or Victim – Which One Are You?

How would you like a 7 day / 8 night stay at the beautiful, Absolute Sanctuary Resort in Thailand for FREE?

I know, who wouldn’t!

Well, you could be the lucky person who wins this incredible prize. Here’s the details…

UPDATE: due to the super complicated (and pathetic) rules affecting a contest like the one we had planned originally, we were forced to change it. Here are the details for this new contest and how you can win:

Create a video telling others why they should visit our website (www.losethebackpain.com) if they are dealing with any sort of back pain…

We are looking for true, genuine recommendations with compelling reasons why you’re such a big fan of ours. Video needs to be 10 minutes or less and we will be posting a link to the page where you’ll upload your video very soon so keep your eyes peeled for another update.

Below you’ll find a detailed list of everything that is included in this vacation package as well as a video highlighting the resort.

7 Days/8 Nights Detox Holiday Package

We offer a wide range of Detox programs such as our Signature Ultimate Detox, Living Foods Detox & Vegetarian Detox programs to meet individual needs & requirements. Each is a comprehensive & holistic option, encompassing daily colon hydrotherapy sessions, detox drinks, massages, yoga classes & nutritional supplements. Our world class detox center also offers a range of emotional therapies to support you on your journey.

Package includes:

Daily programs:
- 1 x Colon Hydrotherapy per day
- 2-4 x Detox Drinks per day
- 2-4 x Nutritional Supplements per day
- Modified diets ranging from full fasting to light vegetarian meals ( depending on programs)
- 1 x Liver Flush Drink before & after program
- 1 x Coconut Juice per day
- Unlimited Broth Soups
- Initial In-depth Detox Consultation
- Final Detox Consultation with take-home guidelines
- Pool, steam room access
- 1 x Yoga Class per day
- Airport Roundtrip Transfers
- 8 nights accommodation in Superior Pool/Sea view room

Free Bonus:
- 1x 60 min Detox Massage & 2 x 60 min Thai Massage

NOTE:
Prize is valid for accommodation in Superior Pool/Sea view room only
Peak Season surcharge of Bt 1,000 per night applies ( Dec’10, Jan’11, Aug’11)
Prize valid from 1st Sep 2010, – 30th April 2011
You are responsible for your airfare and any other expenses.

Click here to watch a short video overview of the resort

If you’ve been “thinking about” purchasing one of these products, now would be a great time… who knows, you just might be the “lucky one”!

Related posts:

1. The Art of Holistic Healing How to be Part of the Process
2. Win an Inversion Table (Best Pain Relief Tips Contest)

That’s what Mike’s doctor told him when he just couldn’t get rid of the chronic pain in his shoulders, a result of years playing professional baseball. He was also told that the prescription anti-inflammatory drugs he was on would eventually destroy his liver.

Mike quit the drugs immediately. But chronic inflammation flared up like a fire inside his body. To top it off, Mike battled severe acid reflux disease and persistent allergies. He felt 30 years older than the 60 years his birth certificate showed.

Inflammation’s Double-Edge Sword

Inflammation is our body’s natural response to injury and infection. It’s a necessary process for protecting and repairing our bodies. However, chronic inflammation like Mike’s can significantly and adversely affect our body’s cells. It’s been directly linked to heart attacks, stroke, and Alzheimer’s – and suspected in many other disease processes. It’s also a tremendous source of pain.

For Mike, the “heat” was on to find relief. At first, his doctor had suggested masking the pain with a variety of anti-inflammatory drugs. But when his doctor admitted the adverse side effects, Mike found out the hard way why natural health enthusiasts consider prescription drugs a method of last resort. He started looking for a better answer.

“Let Food Be Thy Medicine”

Hippocrates practiced and taught nearly 2,500 years ago. Often called the “Father of Western Medicine,” much of what he taught resembles what we call a natural or complementary approach to medicine today. He probably wouldn’t even recognize the modern pharmaceutical-driven approach found in many hospitals and doctor offices as medicine.

It turns out Hippocrates was really onto something when he said “let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” We’ve talked about many foods and herbs with healing properties before, such as boswellia, lemongrass, arnica,
lemon balm, pineapple, turmeric and ginger.

Today I want to tell you about another food you should know about: the purple mangosteen.

The Purple Mangosteen

Mangosteen has been used for thousands of years by traditional healers in folk, ayurvedic, and traditional Chinese medicine in Asia. The indigenous peoples of Southeast Asia used it to remedy a wide range of ailments. They would boil the rind and drink the tea for relief of various digestive issues, infections in the body, inflammation pain, and even malaria-induced fevers. Mashed into a poultice, it was spread over the body to improve numerous skin conditions.

While the fruit’s sweet and tangy, slightly citrus tasting interior pulp gets your attention first, it’s the deep purple yet bitter pericarp (outer rind) of the tangerine-sized fruit that excites scientists and natural health advocates the most. Thanks to its incredibly nutrient and antioxidant-rich pericarp, mangosteen has joined a handful of other superfruits in recent years in gaining widespread notice.

When Mike first heard about mangosteen from a friend a few years ago he decided to give it a try. Since it can be difficult to find fresh mangosteen fruit in the United States, Mike tried a juice supplement made from the whole-fruit mangosteen. He was amazed when years of chronic pain evaporated in 36 hours. Not only that, but he also credits mangosteen juice with stopping his acid reflux and allergies right in their tracks.

The Science Supporting Mangosteen

There’s been a lot of hype about one exotic food or herb after another in the press in recent years. Being skeptical is natural – and healthy. But eating foods rich in antioxidants is backed by solid science. And solid science also backs many of the claims made about the mangosteen. So let’s take a moment to dig into what might make the mangosteen so special.

Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) belongs to the scientific family Guttiferae, the same family as St.John’s Wort. What really separates the mangosteen from other natural foods are the amount and variety of a class of phytonutrients called xanthones found in it.

So what are xanthones? Basically, they are a class of plant-derived nutrients with some pretty amazing biological properties… including, some claim, the ability to improve chronic conditions like cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, viral and bacterial infections, allergies, and Crohn’s disease among others.

That’s where the mangosteen really stands out. Its pericarp contains a whopping 43 different xanthones – and some of them have never been found anywhere else.

Among the most studied mangosteen xanthones are alpha-, beta-, and gamma-mangostins, garcinone E, 8-deoxygartanin, and gartanin. Over a dozen studies provide evidence of the anti-inflammatory effects of xanthones on inflammation alone, which is a major source of pain and disease when left unchecked.

These recent studies and many impartial scientific reviews have begun to add serious credibility to what many Southeast Asians have believed for generations… mangosteen is both tasty and a unique healer.

Where to Find Mangosteen

Until recently, mangosteen had only been available in tropical regions of the world where it’s harvested. Only over the past decade has mangosteen been imported and promoted in the United States in a widespread fashion.

Whole fruit mangosteen can still be difficult to find in the United States outside of specialty health food or import food markets in larger cities. Canned fruit can be found online and in some stores.

More commonly available are mangosteen juice, capsules, and powders through many nutritional supplement and health food stores and supermarkets. Of course, they can be found all over the Internet, too.

What I Recommend

While the fruit is great to eat, if you’re looking at the mangosteen for health benefits I recommend you go with a whole-fruit mangosteen juice or juice blend, meaning it includes the pericarp along with the pulp. After all, it’s the pericarp where you’ll find the abundance of phytonutrients like xanthones. And you probably won’t get nearly as many eating the fruit whole because the bitter rind won’t be pleasant for most to eat directly.

If you drink the juice for health, give it time to take effect. While Mike’s story is impressive, some can take as long as three months to notice an improvement. Since whole-fruit mangosteen juice is so potent you can actually benefit from drinking as little as 1 to 3 ounces at each meal.

Since the use of mangosteen is so new in Western nations, I would love to hear your comments below on your experience with this fruit if you’ve taken it for your health. Was it all it’s cracked up to be for you? Let us know!

Related references:

Pedraza-Chaverri J, Cardenas-Rodriguez N, et al. Food and Chemical Toxicology. Medicinal properties of mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana). 2008 Oct;46(10):3227-39.

Berenson L. Science of the Mangosteen and the Role of Inflammation on Chronic Disease. 2008.

Chen LG, Yang LL, Wang CC. Anti-inflammatory activity of mangostins from Garcinia mangostana. Graduate Institute of Biomedical and Biopharmaceutical Sciences, College of Life Sciences, National Chiayi University, 300 University Road, Chiayi 600, Taiwan, ROC. 2008 Feb;46(2):688-93.

Mahabusarakam W, Proudfoot J, Taylor W, Croft K. Study on inhibition of lipoprotein oxidation by prenylatedxanthones derived from mangostin. Chemistry Department, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Thailand. 2000 Nov; 33(5):643-59.

ScienceDaily. Link Between Inflammation, Cancer Confirmed. 2008 Jun 3.

Nakatani K, Yamakuni T, et al. gamma-Mangostin inhibits inhibitor-kappaB kinase activity and decreases lipopolysaccharide-induced cyclooxygenase-2 gene expression in C6 rat glioma cells. Department of Pharmaceutical Molecular Biology,Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Aoba, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8578, Japan. 2004 Sep; 66(3):667-74.

Bumrungpert A, Kalpravidh RW, et al. Xanthones from mangosteen inhibit inflammation in human macrophages and in human adipocytes exposed to macrophage-conditioned media. The Journal of Nutrition. 2010 Apr;140(4):842-7.

Related posts:

1. Glucosamine and Chondroitin: Miracle Joint Cure?
2. Top 10 Foods to Beat the Cravings
3. Pain Relief in the Produce Aisle

Over the years, I’ve helped literally millions of people burn off fat using proven weight loss techniques. And I’ve also come across a bunch of myths that keep popping up… causing unsuspecting people to hit plateaus… frustrating them to the point that they simply give up and quit.

Well, today I’m going to blow the lid off these myths and share the TRUTH that will keep you from getting bogged down on your road to weight loss. Plus, I’ll share what actually works… so you can burn off fat off more easily and faster than you ever thought possible.

So here you go… the real truth behind the top 5 weight loss myths:

#1 – Eating More Boosts Your Metabolism – Let me set a fact straight for you. Eating more frequently has absolutely no effect on your metabolism. Dozens of research studies have confirmed this fact. However, while eating more doesn’t necessarily mean that your metabolism will be increased, it can still help you lose weight.

The real reason eating more often helps you lose weight is because it helps regulate your blood sugar, which can drastically reduce your cravings. And when your cravings stop, you eat less junky food… and lose more weight.

Want to know how to really turbo-charge your metabolism in no time? My Burn Fat Fast program will help you do just that. Better yet, right now you can get it free, but don’t wait as I’m only giving it away for a limited time.

#2 – Cardio Helps You Burn More Fat – The fact is, any type of exercise or movement will help you burn more fat than just sitting in a chair all day doing nothing. However, the type of exercise you choose to do can make a dramatic difference on how long it takes to burn off that fat and how long you actually need to exercise.

Here’s the bottom line about cardio workouts: they’re actually one of the slowest and least effective methods for burning fat – even if it is recommended by so many overpaid personal trainers! Want something better? Keep reading…

#3 – Slow Cardio Burns More Fat than High Intensity Training – This myth is actually true, but there’s a monster-sized catch because nobody ever talks about the whole picture. Yes, traditional cardio such as jogging or power walking does burn more fat from your body during the time you actually exercise – because you have to keep at is so long. But it still doesn’t burn nearly as many calories as high intensity interval training (HIIT) does. And burning calories, my friend, is what is going to help you lose weight.

Let me explain. High intensity interval training causes a phenomenon known as “EPOC”, which stands for “Excess Post-Oxygen Consumption.” In simple terms, your body cannot keep up with the energy demands of the exercise so it spends the next few hours – sometimes up to 24 hours – “catching up” on the demand you put on it during your workout.

This process essentially puts your fat-burning on autopilot and ramps up your metabolism for as much as 24-48 hours after you’re done exercising! Compare that with slow cardio whose benefits stop as soon as you do. So ask yourself… would you rather have an hour of hard work burning fat, or two days of automatic weight
loss after a five or ten minute workout?

By the way, Dr. Sears’ PACE program is an excellent place to start if you want to give HIIT a try.

#4 – The More Exercise You Do, the Better – Think of your metabolism like a regular car. If you’re driving and decide to rev your engine by putting your foot to the floor, your car will receive a burst of speed – for a little while. Keep the pedal to the metal long enough though and your car engine will explode. Same thing with your body if you exercise too hard and too often.

Yes, you want to exercise hard… for brief periods of time. Then give your body the rest it deserves. This not only keeps your metabolism at peak levels but helps your body remain injury-free!

#5 – The Best Way To See Your Abs Is By Doing Sit-ups – I think I lost count of how many times I heard this myth my first year as a personal trainer. Now, please listen… sit-ups are NOT the magic pill to help you see your abs. The #1 most important factor dictating whether or not you can see your abdominal muscles is the amount of fat you have covering those muscles. The only exception to this rule would be someone who already has virtually zero fat over their abs. If this is you, then sit-ups might help.

If you want to see your abs, and you can still pinch the skin over your abdominal muscles, what you need to work on is losing those last few pounds through high intensity interval training with full body conditioning exercises and healthy eating… not a bunch of sit-ups which do little more than lead to muscle imbalances and lower back pain.

Once again, maybe because I just can’t help myself, I’m giving away ANOTHER program that really will help you get the ripped abs you want… or, if you’re less ambitious, at least flatten your tummy. Finish reading this post then hop on over to get a free copy of my abs training DVD, “The ABsolute Truth” while I still have free copies left.

So, here’s the bottom line. For the average person, simply getting the right information about losing weight and exercising – then following that information to a “T” is all you need to finally lose the weight you’re trying to drop. Look, most of the information you can find on losing weight today is absolutely false. Remember, if the typical weight loss information you find on the Internet or in your grocery store checkout line was true, 64% of Americans wouldn’t be overweight!

Related posts:

1. Hypnosis: Changing Your Mind About Weight Loss
2. How to burns even more calories 24 hours a day…
3. 4 Secrets To Fit, Strong and Sexy Abs

Did you know that these mantras in your brain, the ones which keep repeating these negative messages, actually help keep you locked in a cycle of pain?

One of the most powerful ways to treat pain is to teach your mind and body to control it. That’s where hypnosis comes in. It helps you overcome this onslaught of negative self-input and replace it with focused, positive thought.

In effect, hypnosis changes the mantras in your brain. And once you replace the bad with the good, you have already turned the corner away from pain and towards lasting relief.

Even conventional medicine recognizes the power of hypnosis

While the concept of hypnosis dates back to at least the 11^th century AD, hypnosis only gained widespread acceptance as a medical technique over the past century. In 1958, the American Medical Association finally approved hypnosis as a viable approach to medicine.

Since that time, hypnosis has been used to help people reduce pain, lose weight, stop smoking, increase self-esteem, end fear of public speaking, manage stress and generally help subjects take control of their own lives. All through the power of the mind.

Healthcare practitioners continue to slowly evolve from a conventional mindset to an integrative approach which takes into account the mind-body connection in health and well being. Hypnosis has been one of the few bright spots of progress in this effort.

Over the last 50 years, hypnosis has been increasingly used for healthcare applications in hospitals, clinics, and psychotherapy practice. A substantial body of research now demonstrates the effectiveness of hypnosis as part of the treatment for many conditions that conventional medicine has found difficult to treat.

Helen Crawford, professor emeritus of psychology at Virginia Tech, has spent much of her career investigating the use of hypnosis in the treatment of pain, particularly chronic lower back pain and pain related to jaw alignment problems. Her outstanding work has been recognized by prestigious awards such as the 1992 Bernard B. Raginsky Award for Leadership and Achievement from the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis and the Ernest R. Hilgard Award for Scientific Excellence from the International Society of Hypnosis in 2003.

In an article published by Science from Virginia Tech, she explains that “Pain is an awareness created by the brain. Over time a strong memory of pain is created so future pain may be easier to feel because the message gets through more quickly. Hypnosis can help break that memory pattern.” She also recommends starting hypnosis early in the treatment process, before strong pain memories can develop.

Hypnosis for back pain and neck pain

There are numerous risk factors associated with developing back and neck pain. In each case, hypnosis can either help you overcome the risk factor itself or minimize the impact it has on your health.

Physical factors

• Smoking
• Lack of regular exercise
• Obesity
• Pregnancy and childbirth
• Previous neck or back injuries
• Prior back surgery

Psychological factors

• Lowjob satisfaction
• Interpersonal relationship problems
• Depression
• Fatigue or insomnia
• Alcohol or drug abuse
• Excessive stress

Change Your Mind, Change Your Life

Your mind is a virtually untapped source of amazing power. If you change your mind, you must change your life.

Hypnosis is simply a tool to help you change your mind, giving you the ability to change your innermost ideas and images about pain, stress, and virtually every other area of your life. And through hypnosis, you can finally take control over your pain.

References

Haque, A. Psychology from Islamic Perspective: Contributions of Early Muslim Scholars and Challenges to Contemporary Muslim Psychologists. Journal of Religion and Health. 2004; 43 (4): 357-377 [365]

Astin JA. Mind-body therapies for the management of pain. Clinical Journal of Pain. California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA. 2004 Jan-Feb; 20(1): 27-32.

Harris, S. Researchers look at how hypnosis helps control pain. Science from Virginia Tech. 1996

Lu DP, Lu GP, Kleinman L. Acupuncture and clinical hypnosis for facial and head and neck pain: a single crossover comparison. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis. 2001 Oct; 44(2):141-8.

Montgomery GH. Duhamel KN. A meta-analysis of hypnotically-induced analgesia. How effective is hypnosis? International Journal of Clinical Experimental Hypnosis Issue 2. 2000 April: 48(2):138-153

McCauley JD, et al. Hypnosis compared to relaxation in the outpatient management of chronic low back pain. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1983

Weisberg Dr Mark. 50 years of hypnosis in medicine and clinical health psychology: a synthesis of cultural crosscurrents. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis. Minnesota Head and Neck Pain Clinic, St. Paul, MN 55114, USA. 2008 Jul. 51(1):13-27

Related posts:

1. Hypnosis: Changing Your Mind About Weight Loss
2. Alternative Back Pain Treatments, including Massage, Meditation, Acupuncture, Hypnosis ect…
3. Back Pain Treatment Options

This time, it was worse. Her doctor could find no specific cause of her pain. After prescribing pain-killers, he sent Joan home.

The pain-killers brought little relief, but some uncomfortable side effects. Upset stomach, dizziness, sleepiness during the day, and a feeling of “just not being right” were the most frequent.

She tried other things. Nothing worked.

Then one of her friends told her of a healer who used Jin Shin Jyutsu (jit-soo) on her, leading to immediate pain relief. Thinking she had nothing to lose, Joan agreed to see this healer. After only one session, she felt much better. Her pain lessened greatly, she felt
more relaxed, and more at peace than she had in months. One more session, and her back pain was gone.

This is a typical scenario familiar to healers around the world who use the art of Jin Shin Jyutsu.

What is Jin Shin Jyutsu?

Healers in the Far East have known for centuries that illness is rooted in tension and imbalance. Unreleased body tension causes an imbalance of energies that adds to fatigue and discomfort. When this condition continues, illness and degenerative diseases develop. Over time, healing arts were developed to help restore balance among body energies.

Jin Shin Jyutsu is one of these ancient healing arts widely known and practiced even before the births of Buddha and Moses. Its primary aim is to release deep tension in the body and restore the free flow of energy. With the release of tension and restoration of energy balance, your body can begin healing itself again. Better health, less pain, faster healing, and increased resistance to disease and degeneration are the natural result.

More than a healing art, Jin Shin Jyutsu is a philosophy for life. Practitioners recognize there are twenty-six “Safety Energy Locks” (SELs) located along energy pathways which feed life into your body. When one or more of these paths become blocked at an SEL, little or no energy flows to the local area. This energy stagnation leads to an eventual
loss of harmony along the entire energy path resulting in illness and degeneration.

Healers who use Jin Shin Jyutsu use gentle touch to release body energies that have been “dammed up” at an SEL by stress, physical energy, emotional strain, or mental fatigue. The skillful use of touch is applied at several of these SELs at different places on the body in a certain sequence. This gentle pressure releases energy blockages to restore proper energy flow.

Reestablishing proper energy flow throughout your body immediately reduces stress and tension and restores stability to your mind, body, and spirit. The long-term result is increased health and well-being.

What Happens In A Treatment Session?

Because of the gentle, non-invasive nature of Jin Shin Jyutsu, almost anyone can be helped by it. Even those for whom the gentlest massage would be painful can be helped by Jin Shin Jyutsu, making it useful for even young children, the very elderly, and other fragile individuals.

Most treatment sessions last for an hour. You’ll lie on a table, fully clothed. At first, the healer will “listen” to your pulses on each wrist to discover existing harmony and disharmony in your energy system. This and your symptoms help the healer determine the flows that are most needed. Healers then use their hands like “jumper cables,” touching Safety Energy Locks, usually two at a time, in sequence. This restores the flow of your body energy through affected areas. You’ll feel noticeably more relaxed at this time.

Self-help exercises are also taught for you to continue treatment at home, making Jin Shin Jyutsu a long-term and cost effective solution to
pain.

Jin Shin Jyutsu in the Treatment of Pain

Western medical doctors typically lean more toward the use of medications and surgery to treat pain. Seldom do they consider turning to other healing arts to relieve their patients’ suffering.

One of the most immediate benefits of Jin Shin Jyutsu is the reduction in levels of stress. Reducing stress in the body has many positive health benefits, not least of which includes allowing your body to heal faster and feel less pain.

Scientific studies have repeatedly shown that acupressure techniques similar to the specific touch patterns used in Jin Shin Jyutsu are useful in many other ways too, including reduced fatigue, decreased post-operative pain, decreased chronic pain symptoms and increased perception of quality of life.

Perhaps most impressive though are the many testimonials from people who have found Jin Shin Jyutsu to provide pain relief when nothing else worked for them. If you suffer from chronic lower back pain, neck pain, or other ailment, Jin Shin Jyutsu may just give you the pain relief you’ve been looking for.

Related posts:

1. My Experience With The Ancient Healing Powers of Qigong
2. Stress and Back Pain
3. Acupressure for Back Pain Relief

Readers of our monthly print newsletter, Live Pain Free, get a free CD or DVD every month as part of their subscription. Recently I sent every reader of Live Pain Free a CD of an interview I did with Dr. Frank Shallenberger.

Now it is very unusual for me to share recent interviews from our paid newsletters with non-subscribers, but I felt this information was so important I am making this interview freely available right now.

How important is this information? Let’s just say that if you or a loved one suffers from any kind of pain, especially in the back, neck, hips, knees, wrists, or other joints – including all forms of arthritis pain – you need to listen to this right now.

There is absolutely no financial incentive for me to share this information with you like this. It’s just that what you’re about to hear literally may change your life.

So what are you waiting for? Click play…

Click Here to Download the MP3

How would you like your own copy of the life changing material in every issue of Live Pain Free for yourself? Let me send you a free issue of Live Pain Free and its accompanying CD or DVD this month. As a special thank you just for taking a look I’ll also send you a free copy of our 2-CD audio program “The Complete Healing Formula for Back Pain” at no charge – I’ll even cover shipping.

Get your free issue and gift now

$79 value – yours FREE!

Related posts:

1. Where to Find Prolozone Therapy
2. Free Back Pain Book: 7 Day Back Pain Cure
3. Want a FREE Copy of My New Book, “The 7-Day Back Pain Cure”?

What if the next time you used your “herbal” shampoo, you read a warning label on the bottle that revealed some of the ingredients are commonly used as industrial solvents linked to cataracts, cancer, and even blindness? Would you still use it?

What does your label say? Go grab a bottle from your bathroom and see if any of these potentially hazardous ingredients are listed: DEA, TEA, Sodium lauryl sulfate, Sodium laureth sulfate, or Propylene glycol.

Every one of those ingredients has been linked to potential harm – as either being carcinogenic (causes cancer), a neurotoxin (brain damage), or having the potential to cause birth defects.

Are you sure you want to put that on your skin? Or even worse, your child’s skin?

Who’s Watching Out for You?

In reality, no one is.

The beauty and personal hygiene aisle is one of the least regulated sections of your grocery store. The average woman in the US uses 12 personal products a day. The average man uses six. The problem is fewer than twenty percent of all chemicals in cosmetics and hygiene products have been tested for human safety.

In other words, your bathroom is a minefield of toxins and you get to play the guinea pig.

Toxic Soup

If you think the FDA has your back, think again. Since 1938, they’ve banned only eight out of 12,000 chemicals used in products. Eight.

Shampoos, soaps and cosmetics regularly include chemicals known to be carcinogenic, neurotoxic, or to be reproductively toxic. Chemicals proven to affect brain development in animals. Worse yet, the FDA doesn’t even require that all of the ingredients be listed on the label.

The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health analyzed 2,983 chemicals used in personal care products. Here’s their final tally:

• 884 of the chemicals were toxic
• 778 caused acute toxicity
• 376 caused skin and eye irritation
• 314 caused biological mutation
• 218 caused reproductive complications
• 148 caused cancerous tumors

Among these, DEA and SLS are two of the most widely cited offenders you should be on the lookout for.

Diethanolomine (DEA)

One of the most common toxic compounds found in personal care products is DEA (diethanolomine). DEA is used extensively in hundreds of soaps, detergents and shampoos. You probably have DEA in your bathroom right now and don’t even know it. It could even be in your baby’s shampoo.

So what’s the big deal about DEA? The industry claims it has only a very low toxicity rating.

Well, according to a 1995 study funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, DEA does have low acute toxicity. But it also found that DEA cannot be easily excreted from the body. It builds up in fatty tissues of the liver, brain, kidneys, and spleen through repeated oral and dermal (skin) exposure.

As your body repeatedly gets exposed to this toxin, significant cumulative toxicity develops in your tissues which can lead to tissue and nerve damage and even premature death.

Fifteen years later you can still find DEA in consumer products all over the grocery and department store shelves. Buyer beware.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfates (SLS)

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), and its cousin Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES), are detergents used to dissolve oil and grease and provide suds. The primary difference between your shampoo and a product used to degrease the engine in your car is how much SLS is used.

Tests reported by the American College of Toxicology nearly three decades ago still hold true today. Those tests found acute skin irritation with concentrations of 0.5% to 10% SLS. Concentrations above 10% were found to be highly irritating and above 20% were considered dangerous, causing skin corrosion and severe irritation.

In fact, SLS is the universal standard chemical used to irritate skin in clinical testing. SLS has showed penetration into the eyes, as well as systemic tissues (brain, heart, liver, etc.)

While manufacturers are beginning to reduce the amount of this chemical used in their products due to consumer outcry, you’re still better off eliminating products using it altogether.

It Adds Up

Here’s the deal. Unless you have an allergic reaction, using a toxic shampoo probably won’t hurt you the first time you use it. Or the second time, or third. You may not have any noticeable effects the first hundred times you lather up with it.

The problem is, we don’t know how long it takes to do lasting damage. It’s the long term, gradual effects linked to these chemical ingredients we’re exposed to again and again through multiple hygiene and cosmetic products that increases our risk.

The lead in your lipstick may not hurt you tomorrow, but it adds yet another drop of poison to your body. The formaldehyde from your soap, the pesticides and neurotoxins from your shampoo, and all the the products you use on a daily basis all add up. Once the damage is done, it may be too late to reverse it.

Become a Label Detective

On cosmetic and hygiene products, words like “herbal,” “natural,” and even “organic” have no legal definition. That means anyone can put anything in a bottle and call it natural.

So what should you do to protect yourself? Become a label detective! Avoid products with chemicals that you know are unsafe, and even those with chemicals you’re not yet sure about. Do your own research or ask a trusted friend who does their own.

Here are a few other ways you can protect yourself:

• Try your own home-brewed shampoo and conditioner using baking soda and vinegar. To create your own mixture, add one tablespoon of baking soda to one cup warm water. Shake well. Wet hair and comb mixture through. Use about a tablespoon of vinegar in 2 cups of water for a finishing rinse.
• Look for products with no artificial fragrance – it can take hundreds of chemicals to make one artificial fragrance.
• Use fewer products. Do you really need to use 15 products a day? Save time, money and your health by cutting back on the number of products used on your skin and hair.

References
Environmental Working Group: Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Bouillon, C. “Shampoos and hair conditioners.” Clinics in Dermatology, 1988; 6(3): 83-92.
Conry, T. Consumer’s Guide to Cosmetics. Garden City, NY: Ancor Press / Doubleday, 1980, p. 74.
Final report on the safety assessment of sodium lauryl sulfate. Journal of the American College of Toxicology; 1983; 2(7).
Sixth Annual Report on Carcinogens, 1991. Summary. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, 1991, pp. 192-195.

Related posts:

1. Rub on Relief-Active ingredients
2. 3 Ways to Eliminate Joint Pain
3. Should You Be Scared of the Sun?