Sunday, March 30, 2008

Calming Meditation

I haven't shared a calming meditation with you in quite a while, so this Sunday morning let's turn to a Chinese proverb...
Outside noisy, inside empty.
For the next seven days (or more if you like), focus on the difference between the noise in the world and the empty quiet place behind your mind.

To become aware of your quiet place, take a long, slow, deep breath, focus on the pause between breaths, and feel your consciousness shift.

Repeat this conscious breathing exercise three to six times and slow yourself way down.

There, there it is.

The inside empty that is the real you, the real you have not noticed most of the time because of the outside noisy.

Stay with your inside empty as long as you can.

There's peace there.

And it's never more than a few breaths away.

If you like this meditation and would like to receive one similar to it, click here to sign up for my popular meditation newsletter EarthRain, which goes out to over 16,000 subscribers every week.

Until next time,

Chet

Chet Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com/blog

Monday, March 24, 2008

Waffle Stomper Snack Bars

This beautiful Monday morning I have a healthy snack bar recipe for you that's better than fresh waffles!

Waffle Stompers Snack Bars

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 cups old fashioned oats
2 cups crispy rice cereal
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 cup honey
3/4 cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
1 tsp vanilla

Filling:

1 1/2 cups chopped pitted dates
1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup boiling water

Heat oven to 350 F. Line a 13 X 9 baking pan with parchment. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, crispy rice cereal, salt, baking soda, cream of tartar and spices.

In a pan, combine the honey and apple juice and heat to blend thoroughly. Cool slightly, then stir in vanilla. Using an electric mixer on low speed, beat the honey mixture into the flour mixture. Batter will appear soupy Pour half the batter in the prepared pan.

To prepare the filling, combine the dates, raisins, and boiling water in a food processor or blender. Blend for 1 minute or until the fruit is pureed. Spoon filing over the batter, spreading evenly.

Pour remaining batter over filling, spreading evenly. Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden and firm to touch when pressed lightly. Allow to cool completely on a rack before cutting. Remove from pan. Peel off parchment and cut into 32 (2-inch) pieces. (I cut mine smaller.)

The flavor is best if you can allow the snack bars to rest 24 hours before eating.

Chet "Waffle Man" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com

Monday, March 03, 2008

Jaw Pain Remedy

Let's start this first Monday in March with a short and natural remedy for jaw pain, shall we?

According to dentist David Lerner, "People with TMD often think it's natural to clench their teeth all the time."

Well, that's just plain not the case.

In reality, clenching their teeth keeps their jaws tense and painful.

In Bill Gottlieb's excellent compiliation Alternative Home Remedies, Dr. Lerner advises, "To break the clenching habit, repeat this phrase to yourself throughout the day:
"Teeth apart, lips together, tongue on the roof of the mouth.
"For ideal jaw posture, put the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth right behind your front teeth.

"These corrections help to center the jaw and eliminate TMD problems," says Dr. Lerner.

Jaw pain relief doesn't get a whole lot easier and less expensive than that, does it?

Chet "No Jaw Pain" Day
Editor, The Natural Health Circus
http://chetday.com./blog