During this time of the year, there is a tendency to manifest allergies (particularly upper respiratory symptoms or skin rashes), dry skin or throat, sadness or depression, and variances in the level of our immunity.

On a psycho-spiritual level, fall is associated with the quality of integrity and perseverance, that ability to maintain faith and hold one's spiritual equilibrium in the face of challenge and move through the experience with virtue.

To celebrate fall and empower with you abundant health, we will explore:

• Natural and proactive solutions for the type of  depression caused by less sunshine.
• Natural relief for fall allergies.
• Strategies for developing attitudes that prevent depression with an inspiring story from Duane Stevenson, one of the leading physical fitness coaches in the United States.

Did you know that  95% of the serotonin in your body resides in the tissues of the small intestine?  Balancing the small intestine with a good source of acidophilus from foods like miso soup and yogurt can also help to maintain healthy levels of serotonin.

Exercise Away the Blues

The Mayo clinic found that exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, three to five times a week, can significantly reduce anxiety and depression.  Yet, as we move into cooler fall and winter weather, many people become more sedentary.

Why not incorporate gentle qi gong movements and massage as a loving way to get more exercise and balance your serotonin levels?

Qi Gong Emotional Balancing Movement:  Bend forward slightly and swing arms side to side as if swishing through a pool of water.

Increase the vigor of the movements as you inhale deeply for a count of 3 and exhale for a count of 5.

Qi Gong Self Massage:

Large Intestine Pathway: Massaging this energy pathway helps to facilitate release of sadness, grief or disappointment. It also stimulates the metal organ of the large intestine to help build immunity.

To begin the massage, use your right hand to vigorously tap and slap the top side of the left index finger from nail bed along the finger towards the hand and wrist.

Continue tapping and slapping along the top of the wrist to the top side of the elbow. Continue tapping along the top of the upper arm to the shoulder and sides of the neck. Massage the area near your right nostril with small circular motions.

Repeat on the right arm with taps and slaps to the top of the right index finger, along the hand to wrist.  Continue up to the elbow and along the top of the upper arm to the neck. Massage the area near your left nostril with small circular motions.

Lung Pathway: Massaging this energy pathway helps to facilitate release of sadness, grief or disappointment. It also stimulates the metal organ of the large intestine to help build immunity.

Vigorously tap the chest on the left side and continue tapping down the inner side of the left arm toward the inner side of the elbow, lower arm, wrist and inside of the thumb.

Repeat on the right side of the chest and down the inner side of the right arm and right thumb.

Small Intestine Pathway: Massaging this energy pathway helps to stimulate the small intestine to help maintain healthy serotonin levels and the ability to separate pure (positive)  from impure (negative) experiences.   By surrounding ourselves with positive experiences, we can help prevent depression and anxiety.

Massage in circular movements along the outer side of the left hand starting with the smallest finger, moving  toward the wrist, along the outer edge of the arm to the elbow, along the outer edge of the shoulder, top of the shoulder and reach back to tap the shoulder blade. 

Repeat on the right hand, arm and shoulder.

Natural Relief for Fall Allergies

Note with any herbal remedy, please consult your medical physicians and a trained herbalist as to the appropriateness of using herbs.

Natural Antihistamines

I use Gaia Brand Nettle Leaf  with standardized fluid extract in my clinical practice because it has one of the most energetically potent and bio-available forms of nettle leaf.

Quercetin is an anti-oxidant found in the peels of apples and red onions. It is anti-inflammatory and may help address prostate cancer, reduce depression in addition to being a natural antihistamine.

Many forms of quercetin supplements are formulated with  bromelain, a digestive enzyme from pineapples, which can help relieve inflammation of sinuses.

Chinese Pre-Made Herb Formulations

Pe Min Kan Wan: addresses  sinus congestion, runny eyes, and runny nose.

Be mindful that some Chinese pre-made formulations contain dyes or preservatives.  Plum Flower Brand and Gan Cao are two brands that I use in clinic as they are free of dyes, chemicals and preservatives.

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Spiritual Prosperity: Beating the Odds with Physical Fitness

What does a personal trainer and titanium crutches have in common? Duane Stevenson.

Duane is one of the leading personal fitness coaches in the country who developed a unique system of cross training that has enabled professional athletes of the World Fighting Alliance and mixed martial arts athletes to achieve consistent wins in competitions.

He also has developed a system of training modules that can be used by everyday people to improve their fitness level and improve overall health and wellness.

As a child, Duane Stevenson was diagnosed with benign tumors along his spinal column that caused him to lose the ability to walk by age three. Yet, Duane never let his physical condition stop him from setting a goal to become a leader in the fitness industry.

With titanium crutches in tow, Duane studied a wide variety of martial arts as teenager and young adult. Later, he developed a system of cross training that not only challenged athletes to push boundaries on the physical level but to also develop transformations of their mental and spiritual selves.

Health Prosperity caught up with Duane during a break in his training schedule preparing fighters for a mixed martial arts competition.

Health Prosperity: What three strategies have enabled you to avoid depression despite all the obstacles you faced in your life?

(1) Support from a higher power and family.

Duane:

God has always been present in my life even when I did not understand some of the things that I was going through. I also I had a strong mother who would not let me give up.

(2) Belief in self.

Duane:

I had faith in myself to use my disability to empower me to work harder for what I wanted in life.

3) Cultivate a strong will.

Duane:

There's not much you cannot accomplish in life. I try to be a great trainer and great person with a will to never give up. I teach people that they are the only obstacle that can prevent them from being the best they can be.

Health Prosperity: How do you empower your clients to go beyond the physical aspects of training and develop mind, body and spirit together?

Duane: With me being disabled, my clients can look at that and know that its possible to make changes in their lives with nutrition, eating and exercise etc. and develop the will to want to changes in their lives even when it seems like the odds are against it. It’s not about just being a great fighter. I teach people how to develop their spirit, integrity to become the best they can be.

I also help my clients to believe in the power of God and know that anything is possible in life.

For more information about the monster cross training programs visit Duane's website at http://www.monsterwarrior.tv

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The information in Health Prosperity is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any ailment or condition. Health Prosperity recommends that readers consult with their medical physicians before implementing any of the strategies or guidance regarding herbs, diet or qi gong movement.