Preserving Your Energy and Grounding Yourself During A Time of Cleansing and Change

Preserving Your Energy and Grounding Yourself During A Time of Cleansing and Change

Preserving Your Energy and Grounding Yourself During A Time of Cleansing and Change: 'Why Use A Protective Stone During Your Detox?'

The time of detox is a very special time where your objective is to achieve deep inner peace and optimize your well-being. It is also a time when you heal yourself from physical, mental, and emotional trauma that may have been stored within your 'body' (in all its various dimensions). Because you may become extremely open, receptive, and vulnerable to outside energy during a time of detox, it's always a good idea to protect yourself against any negative energy - within yourself, from others, or even from modern apparatus that can transmit them. Hematite is a great, simple, and extremely affordable choice in order to help you achieve this objective of release and protection against energies that may negatively affect your health and well-being. The Hematite is a great stone to have not only during the time of detox but all the time so that you may protect yourself against the ongoing attacks of negative energy that often come along with fast-paced, aggressive modern lifestyles (city settings, workplace, abusive family, etc.) Please read below for more detailed information on Hematite and how to use it optimally. Consider getting a simple stone to keep by your side or a piece of jewelry made with hematite that you can wear easily for protection. Make sure that you repeatedly release the energy that may have built up in your stone through the various techniques provided below whenever you feel that it is necessary.

For more, visit http://crystal-cure.com (see Coupon deal below)

General Gemstone Details

Hematite is a metallic gray iron oxide mineral, and the same stone of a differing variety as specularite. Ancient Egyptians used it to stanch blood and promote the formation of blood cells. In the Middle Ages is was known as the "blood stone" due to the fact that the water used to polish it would turn red during the process, as if the stone were bleeding. Native American folklore states that war paint made from hematite will make one invincible in battle. People in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries wore hematite jewelry during mourning.

Scientists of the Mars Exploration Rover Project believe that deposits of hematite on Mars may help prove whether large amounts of liquid water ever flowed on Mars' surface. They say that where water was, life may have had a chance to thrive as well. Hematite is said to protect the wearer's vital energy and guarantee survival. Amulets of hematite have been found in nearly every pharaoh's tomb as a support in the afterlife.

Scientific Properties:

Hematite generally occurs as massive opaque material with a metallic luster, showing a blood red color when cut into thin slices. However, it can also occur as short, black rhombohedral crystals as well, and my have iridescent surfaces.

An imitation substance, hematine or hemalyke which closely resembles hematite, is made of stainless steel, chromium and nickel sulfides, these however are magnetic, while natural hematite is not. Most marcasite in today's market is facetted hematite. Actual marcasite tends to erode and dissolve from exposure to the air

Mystical Properties:

Hematite, besides it's association with the blood, has also been known to be called the stone for the mind. It brings with it grounding and calming which in turn creates mental organization and focus. It will assist in original thinking, logical thinking, and mathematics. Hematite decreases negativity and can help balance the mind - body - spirit connection, it draws negative energy away from you into itself. It's acts well as a stabilizing force. It is a good stone to have around when you are being bombarded with vibrations and energies of other crystals and stones.

Healing Properties:

Hematite is used for staunching blood as well as to stabilize the circulation of blood and combat venous hyperemia and embolism. Hematite stimulates iron absorption in the small intestine, which in turn improves oxygen supply to the body.

It can be in direct contact with the skin, but results in inflammation for some people, so test it carefully before using, and if inflammation should occur or worsen, discontinue contact immediately. Never wear a hematite near inflammations of any sort, as it can exacerbate them. Never discharge hematite in water. Placed among tumbled rock crystals hematite releases it's negative energy and at the same time becomes recharged with positive energy.

Magical Properties:

Energy: Projective Element: Fire Powers: Healing, grounding, divination. Hematite is a strange stone; heavy, solid ad silvery black. It's name alone leads to some mystery. Ancients called it Bloodstone, so references in the past are all relating to that name. Therefore magical information relating to this stone is scarce. Hematite is worn for grounding and stabilizing purposes and to focus the attention on the physical plane.

Zodiac:

Associations: Saturn Not a Traditional Birthstone for any Month

Stone of Aries and Aquarius, but is assigned to Scorpio, whom it not only protects but also warns of danger by changing temperature.

Chakra Classification:

Hematite is particularly effective on the First, or Root/Base Chakra. but will also energize the "earth star" below the feet.

Where to purchase your Hematite and other healing gemstones and crystals:

Hematite has great healing properties and is a great gemstone to use both during your detox and any other time. There are many other gemstones and crystals which can provide you with protection or support during healing. Following is a great website where you can find gemstones and crystals both in their natural form or  integrated into beautiful jewelry and decoration pieces. You'll also get lots of information on stones and crystals there and the prices are extremely reasonable (by far, the very best I found while searching online.) For a 5% rebate, enter the coupon code 'detox' at check out and you'll get the discount on your full order. 

http://crystal-cure.com

Food & Nutrition: The Benefits of Fiber for Weight-Loss, a Healthy Heart and Energy Levels

Food & Nutrition: 'Dietary Fiber and Weight-loss: The Benefits of Fiber for Your Heart, Weight, and Energy"

WebMD Feature by Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD

Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD

December 31, 2010

Following a higher-fiber diet will not only be extremely healthful and sensorily satisfying for you but it will also help you shed or keep away the extra pounds a more processed diet may have put on you.  For more on the health and overall benefits of a high-fiber diet, read the WebMD feature below. 

High-fiber Diets and Weight Loss

If you’re overweight and want some help losing weight, start eating foods high in fiber. Dietary fiber is not a magic weight loss weapon, but it has the power to help fill you up without filling you out.

Here’s why: One of the most effective ways to lose those extra pounds is to control hunger, the dieter’s Achilles heel. Hunger is affected by many things, including when you eat, and the composition of your meals -- the amount of fats, carbohydrates, protein, fiber, and water content.

Eating healthy high-fiber foods makes you feel full, so you can resist eating more food than you need. Fibrous foods also can take longer to chew, giving your brain time to get the signal that you have had enough to eat.

Read on to learn about losing weight by eating a high-fiber diet.

How Dietary Fiber Helps Weight Loss

'Studies show that most people eat about the same weight of food each day', says Barbara Rolls, PhD, author of The Volumetrics Eating Plan. If you choose high-fiber, water-rich foods -- such as broth-based vegetable soups, salads, fruits, and vegetables -- instead of foods without fiber and water, you can eat the same weight of food but feel full on fewer calories.

A 2009 study in the journal Appetite compared the satiety or fullness factor of apples, applesauce, and apple juice with added fiber before lunch. People who ate an apple before lunch ate 15% fewer calories than those who ate the applesauce or drank apple juice. This suggests that the fiber in the whole apple was more filling even when compared to the juice that had added fiber.

Beyond the fiber content, crunching and chewing a whole piece of fruit stimulates your senses and takes longer to eat. So psychologically, it may also be more satisfying than beverages or soft foods. Chewing also promotes saliva and the production of stomach juices that help fill the stomach.

Fiber at Breakfast Is a Healthy Weight Loss Habit

In its tracking of the eating habits of successful dieters -- those big losers who have kept weight off for years -- the National Weight Control Registry has found that most eat breakfast regularly. And cereal is one of their morning rituals. 'In general, eating cereal -- especially high-fiber cereals -- is beneficial for weight loss', says fiber expert Joanne Slavin, PhD, RD, a professor at the University of Minnesota in St. Paul and member of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. “Studies that look at what people eat show those who eat more carbs, more fiber, and cereal in general weigh less than those who eat less fiber, carbs, and cereal.”

How Much Dietary Fiber Do You Need?

Most women should get at least 25 grams and most men 38 grams each day to gain all the health benefits of fiber, according to the Institute of Medicine’s Dietary Reference Intake. The problem is that most Americans get only about half that when not on a diet and even less when dieting, especially on low-carb diets. Tufts University researcher and professor of nutrition Susan Roberts, PhD, has shown that people who eat 35 to 45 grams of fiber a day are less hungry when losing weight and lose more weight than people who eat less fiber. (But beware of consuming fiber as a bulk laxative; it can sap your body of needed nutrients and vitamins.) “There is no downside to eating a diet rich in fiber,” Slavin says. “And the potential health gains are significant.”

Does Type of Fiber Affect Weight Loss?

Fibers come in a variety of forms: 

Fiber is either soluble or insoluble: Soluble dissolves in water, insoluble does not. Both of these types are fiber are found naturally in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts.

“Dietary” fiber refers to the fiber found naturally in the foods that we eat.

“Functional” fibers such as inulin are added to packaged foods to boost their fiber content. These fibers are isolated or extracted from a plant or animal source, or they are manufactured.

Although all fiber is healthy, research indicates that fiber from whole foods may aid weight loss the most – likely because those high-fiber foods are also low in calories. “As a registered dietitian, I always say ‘food first,’” Slavin tells WebMD. “No one fiber is perfect, so eating a wide variety of fibers is the perfect solution to gain all the health benefits of fiber,” Slavin says. “Not only will you trim your waistline with a high-fiber diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts, but also reduce the risk for heart disease, diabetes, obesity, diverticulitis, and constipation."

Add Fiber Calories Wisely and Slowly

Slowly adding more fiber to your diet can avoid bloating and gas by giving your body time to adapt. It is also important to drink plenty of liquids while increasing fiber. Try these tips for adding more low-calorie foods to your meal plan to boost fiber while keeping calories in check:

• Eat whole fruits instead of fruit juice.
• Snack on veggies.
• Make vegetables a main course.
• Add a filling vegetable salad instead of a starchy salad as a side dish with meals.
• Enjoy a bowl of vegetable-based broth soup before meals.
• Start the day with a high-fiber cereal topped with fruit and low-fat dairy.
• Eat more beans.
• Make all your grains whole and limit them to a few servings each day.
• Add nuts and seeds to your weight loss plan, but keep the portions small because they are high in fiber and calories.

Experts are quick to point out that fiber alone won’t peel off the pounds. You still need to eat a healthy, calorie-controlled diet and get regular physical activity. But controlling or maintaining your weight is easier with a diet rich in fiber.