YOGA, AN ANCIENT SCIENCE AND ART

YOGA IS A TERM THAT ENCOMPASSES SPIRITUAL, MENTAL, AND PHYSICAL DISCIPLINES AND ORIGINATED IN ANCIENT INDIA.  YOGA'S TRADITIONS ARE FOUND IN BUDDHISM, HINDUISM, JAINISM AND SIKHISM.  IT WAS BROUGHT TO THE WESTERN WORLD IN THE LATE 19TH CENTURY BY HINDU MONKS AND GAINED IN POPULARITY IN THE 1980'S.

EACH YOGA ASANA (POSITION) BENEFITS THE BODY IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.  OVERALL, YOGA BENEFITS OUR BODIES PHYSICALLY BY STRENGTHENING MUSCLES, ENABLING FLEXIBILITY, ADDING MUSCLE TONE, HELPS IN PREVENTING CAUSES OF SOME TYPES OF BACK PAIN, AND TEACHES US TO BREATHE BETTER THROUGH SPECIFIC EXERCISES CALLED PRANAYAMA.  YOGA HELPS WITH INDIGESTION AND INSOMNIA.

BECAUSE YOGA REQUIRES INTENSE CONCENTRATION, IT CALMS US MENTALLY.  THE MEDITATION TECHNIQUES INVOLVED HELP US DISENGAGE FROM OUR THOUGHTS WHILE BECOMING MORE AWARE OF OUR BREATHING.  IT HELPS WITH STRESS REDUCTION AND BODY AWARENESS.  

TRY THE FOLLOWING YOGA POSES, WHICH HELP IN DETOXIFYING YOUR BODY THE NATURAL WAY:

1) THE RECLINED TWIST - INCREASES THE HEALTH AND FUNCTIONING OF YOUR DIGESTIVE SYSTEM.
2)  THE DOWNWARD DOG - ENCOURAGES DIGESTION; HELPS INCREASE BLOOD AND LYMPH CIRCULATION.
3)  LEGS UP THE WALL - ENCOURAGES DIGESTION AND HELPS CALM THE NERVOUS SYSTEM.
4)  THE SEATED TWIST - STIMULATES DIGESTION BY SQUEEZING THE ABDOMINAL ORGANS.
5)  RABBIT - STIMULATES THE THYROID GLAND, IMPROVES IMMUNE SYSTEM, BALANCES HORMONES AND IMPROVES CIRCULATION
6)  TWISTED REVOLVED SIDE ANGLE POSE - STIMULATES DIGESTION AND BLOOD FLOW, ADDS LEG STRENGTHENING AND ELONGATION OF THE SPINE.
7)  SUPPORTED SHOULDER STAND AND PLOW - HELPS RELIEVE BACK PAIN, AIDS IN DIGESTION, FOCUS AND BETTER SLEEP.

THESE POSES CAN BE FOUND AT ABE'S MARKET, ALONG WITH SEVERAL YOGA GOODS SUCH AS CLOTHING, MATS, STRAPS, BLOCKS AND EYE PILLOWS.

ORGANIC SHORT AND SWEET TEE


ORGANIC RACER BACK TANK TOP


ROUND YOGA MEDITATION COTTON CUSHIONS



BEAN PRODUCTS YOGA MAT



AROMATHERAPY EYE PILLOW



YOGA MAT CLEANSER

THE HEALING PROPERTIES OF CALENDULA

CALENDULA, AN ANNUAL PLANT, BELONGS TO THE SAME FAMILY AS DAISIES, CHRYSANTHEMUMS AND RAGWEED.  IT IS TYPICALLY FOUND IN EUROPE, WESTERN ASIA AND THE U.S.  THE FLOWERS OF CALENDULA HAVE BEEN USED FOR MEDICINAL PURPOSES AS FAR BACK AS THE 12TH CENTURY, WHEN IT WAS USED TO TREAT STOMACH UPSETS.

TODAY, HOWEVER, CALENDULA IS USED TOPICALLY, SINCE IT HAS BEEN KNOWN TO HELP WOUNDS HEAL FASTER.  THE PETALS OF THE CALENDULA PLANT ARE DRIED AND THEN USED IN OINTMENTS, TINCTURES AND WASHES.  IT IS USED TO TREAT BURNS, BRUISES AND CUTS AND MINOR INFECTIONS.  IT IS A NATURAL HEALANT FOR DIAPER RASH BECAUSE OF ITS SOOTHING PROPERTIES.  I HAVE USED IT ON MY DOG WHEN SHE GETS LITTLE SCRAPES OR CUTS AND IT WORKS LIKE A GEM.  CALENDULA IS ALSO EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING DERMATITIS & SKIN INFLAMMATION IN BREAST CANCER PATIENTS UNDERGOING RADIATION TREATMENTS.

ABE'S MARKET HAS SEVERAL PRODUCTS THAT CONTAIN CALENDULA. A FEW OF MY RECOMMENDATIONS ARE:

Weleda - Calendula Lotion, 6.8 Oz

Calendula Buttercream

Calendula Chamomile Face Serum

Lavender Calendula Soap 3PK

Gentle and Calming Face Cleanser

ALCHEMILLA PURE SKIN CARE HAS CALENDULA SALVE

AND CALENDULA OIL. 

 

     

ARGAN OIL AND ITS BENEFITS

ARGAN OIL IS MADE FROM THE GREEN NUTS OF THE  THORNY ARGAN TREE, WHICH IS FOUND PRIMARILY IN MOROCCO AND ALSO IN ALGERIA AND ISRAEL. WORKERS PEEL THE OUTER LAYERS OF THE TREE'S FRUIT, THEN POUND THE NUT TO EXTRACT KERNELS. THE GOLDEN ARGAN OIL, WHICH IS THEN EXTRACTED FROM THESE KERNELS, SERVES MANY PURPOSES, SUCH AS A HEART-HEALTHY GOURMET PRODUCT AND AN INGREDIENT IN PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS THAT BENEFIT THE BODY FROM HEAD TO TOE, DUE TO ITS STRENGTHENING EFFECT ON HAIR, NAILS AND SKIN.  

ARGAN OIL CONTAINS TRITERPENOIDS WHICH ARE ACTIVE SUBSTANCES THAT OFFER SKIN PROTECTION BENEFITS, SOME OF WHICH INCLUDE SUN-PROTECTION, DISINFECTANT AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY PROPERTIES.  ARGAN OIL ALSO CONTAINS FATTY ACIDS, UNSAPONIFIABLES (STEROLINS).  STEROLINS ARE KNOWN TO PROMOTE MOISTURE RETENTION, REDUCE INFLAMMATION, AND IMPROVE SKIN METABOLISM.



ARGAN OIL ALSO CONTAINS VITAMIN E AND TOCOPHEROLS.  THESE ANTI-OXIDANTS HELP NEUTRALIZE FREE RADICAL DAMAGE.  THEY ALSO HELP REDUCE WRINKLES. ARGAN OIL IS ALSO KNOWN FOR ITS MEDICINAL PROPERTIES SUCH AS HELPING TO LOWER CHOLESTEROL LEVELS, AIDING IN DIGESTION AND IS ALSO CONSIDERED BENEFICIAL FOR ARTHRITIC OR RHEUMATIC CONDITIONS.  BECAUSE OF THE STEROLINS (STEROLS), IT IS ALSO KNOWN FOR ITS ANTI-CANCER PROPERTIES.



EVEN GOATS ENJOY THE GREEN NUTS OF THE ARGAN TREE AND CAN BE FOUND GRAZING IN THE TREES!


PURE ORGANIC ARGAN OIL BY ANTHO




LIFE-FLO SKIN CARE PURE ARGAN OIL




PANGEA ORGANICS FACIAL CREAM




TREAT YOUR SKIN & BODY TO THE MANY BENEFITS OF ARGAN OIL TODAY.

HOW TO RID YOUR BODY OF TOXINS

 

START THE NEW YEAR ON THE RIGHT FOOT BY DETOXING YOUR BODY.  LET'S FACE IT, THE HOLIDAYS CAN WREAK HAVOC ON OUR BODIES.  MOST OF US WHO STICK TO A HEALTHY DIET DURING THE YEAR FIND IT DIFFICULT TO DO SO ON THE HOLIDAYS.  DEPENDING ON YOUR ETHNICITY, TRADITIONAL HOLIDAY FOODS ARE, FOR THE MOST PART, VERY RICH & HIGH IN SODIUM.  

BEING OF ITALIAN DESCENT, I LOVE ALL THE TRADITIONAL FOODS MY FAMILY MAKES FOR CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR'S AND FIND IT DIFFICULT TO ABSTAIN FROM THEM.  EVEN THOUGH I TRY EATING THEM IN MODERATION, I STILL FIND MYSELF GOING A BIT OVERBOARD AND AM GLAD WHEN THE LEFTOVERS ARE GONE!

YOU CAN, HOWEVER, GET YOUR BODY BACK ON TRACK BY DETOXING IT.  DETOXIFICATION EITHER ELIMINATES OR NEUTRALIZES THE BODY OF TOXINS.  CLEANSING RITUALS DATE AS FAR BACK AS 1800 B.C. WHEN THEY PLAYED A PART OF MAN'S HEALTH AND WELL-BEING AND WERE ALSO DONE FOR RELIGIOUS PURPOSES. 

BY CLEANSING YOUR BODY THROUGH A NATURAL DETOX, YOU WILL FEEL ENERGIZED, YOUR SKIN WILL BECOME CLEARER, YOU WILL IMPROVE YOUR BRAIN ACTIVITY AND MEMORY, HAVE FRESHER BREATH AND LOSE WEIGHT.  THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE BENEFITS OF DETOXIFICATION. 

CLEANSING YOUR BODY OF TOXINS CAN BE DONE THROUGH SPECIFIC TEAS, BATH SOAKS, FACIAL MASKS, BODY SCRUBS, AND DETOX DIETARY POWDERS AND DRINKS. 

IMMUNI TEA DETOX KIT



DEAD SEA DETOX BATH SALT

ORGANIC BODY SCRUB - DEAD SEA SALT DETOX

FOOD SCIENCE OF VERMONT SUPERIOR GREENS

MAKE A NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION TO GET HEALTHY AND FEEL BETTER IN 2013!