Animals, through their behavior patterns and the way that they live, exhibit signs and habits that will relay messages of healing and personal growth to anyone open to receiving their “animal medicine” as the Native Americans called it. There are many ways that animal medicine/totem animals can teach us lessons and guide us upon our pathway. How can you discover your animal totems? How can they help you learn more about yourself and teach you lessons relevant to your day to day life? Below you will find a series of questions that will help you determine one of your animal totems. For this particular discussion, I will focus on your Life Long animal totem. The life long animal totem is exactly that. It is the animal medicine that has come with you into this life and will remain throughout. In answering these questions, you will more than likely find a connection that is undoubtedly not a coincidence. After you answer these questions, please read on for information on what your specific animal totems mean and the lessons that they teach. Keep in mind when answering these questions that your answers can include insects, birds and wild animals.

What animal do you find yourself most attracted to?
When you are out in nature what animal do you always find yourself running into?
What animal do you feel you could sit and watch for hours?
Does art work or jewelry with a certain animal always attract you?
When you were a child, what animal did you collect or obsess over that you are still attracted to today?
Of all animals if you could have any animal as a pet or companion what would it be?
When going to the zoo, which animal do you spend the most time with or are drawn to?
If you could be any animal what animal would it be?
What animal is in your dreams that you have had since childhood?
What animals seem to pop up in your life over and over again like a theme?

Now that you have answered these questions, you should have a pretty good idea of what your animal totem is. Next I will give a brief synopsis of several animals and what their “medicine” and lessons are. Keep in mind that an entire book could be written on each individual animal and their medicine. There are also so many possible animals that I could not possibly list them all here. Consider this a starting ground. From here, you can do further research on your animal and practically and intuitively gain insight into what you can learn from it. If your animal is not listed here, there are numerous books and Internet sources that list full descriptions of many animals; some good ones I have included below for further reference.

Eagle: A sign to reconnect with the element of air. This relates to connecting to the “higher” mind. Freedom. The eagle is often present for those of us who tend to dwell in the past. It gives us the lesson of being able to break free from the shadows of former realities and soar in illumination.

Deer: You are being called to find gentleness of spirit. A call to apply gentleness to all ways of your life. A lesson to not push others to change, but to love them for the way that they are.

Bear: Bear is extremely connected to the dream state. The Bear calls us to calm internal chatter and put focus on the right brain…the intuitive side.

Snake: Teaches us that we are universal beings. Fire, energy, passion and desire are key words here. If the snake is your totem, there is a need within you to transmute some thought, action or idea so that you may achieve wholeness.

Butterfly: Transformation. Gives clarity to the mental process. Thoughts, ideas and decision making are areas that the butterfly guides. High creativity and a guide through creative and spiritual evolution.

Turtle: The turtle is a teacher in the art of grounding. Develop your ideas before you bring them to light. Turtle teaches us to connect with the earth and is a symbol for mother and all things maternal.

Dog: Dog medicine asks you to look at how readily your sense of loyalty is counteracted by your need for approval. The dog relates to interpersonal relationships and loyalty.

Wolf: The wolf is the pathfinder. It encourages you to share your knowledge with others through writing, art, speaking and any other method possible to share knowledge and help others on their path.

Raven: Raven medicine indicates the power of the unknown at work. The Raven encourages you to find the meaning of synchronicity in your life. It is the most mystical of the totems and also relates to healing.

Buffalo: Buffalo medicine is a call to prayer and meditation. Recognize the sacredness of every day life. Recognize the meaning of life and the value of peace.

Owl: Owl calls us to use our silent powers of keen observation. Listen harder and speak more softly. It is the lesson of quiet yet intuitive observation.

Squirrel: The squirrel calls us to prepare for changes and to “lighten the load” in relation to material things as well as emotional attachments such as worry, fear and anxiety.

Horse: Horse medicine relates to remembering where we have been. More specifically, it relates to having been “in someone else shoes”, so it teaches us to maintain compassion and understanding based on our own life experience.

Cats: Cats represent the higher self. Their lesson is one of independence and self exploration. The Cat also represents the duality as well as the unity of male and female in all of us.

Mountain lion: The mountain lion teaches us a lesson of being aware of keeping peace by telling the truth. It revolves around the responsibility in leader ship to be truthful to those whom you are leading (particularly children).

Rabbit: Rabbit medicine comes to people who tend to worry a lot. It teaches us that what we resist will persist. Rabbit encourages us to stop talking about “what if”.

Frog: Frog teaches the lesson of finding serenity within ourselves. Often it is a call to cleanse ourselves of any person, place or thing that is not contributing to our well being.

Dolphin: The dolphin medicne is communication with nature. The lesson here is to be mindful of your own body rhythms and natural rhythms in order to hear what the Creator is trying to tell you. Divine communication.
This is just a sample list. If you have a particular animal you would like to know about, please write to me and I will post a synopsis of that animal here for you.

These numbers don’t mean much unless Osteoporosis hits your own family. It has mine. My 70 year old father has it and my brother’s stepdaughter has it at age 19!

Minerals are needed for prevention of Osteoporosis. Minerals and co-factors are the building blocks for building healthy bones.

Sub-optimum nutrition is the rule for most people, not the exception. This is often because of eating a diet that is high in calories, but not high in nutrition. Many people today in the U.S. do not eat many vegetables or fruits. They are on the go and eat fast food, and food that has all ready been prepared in packages and cans.

Nutrition needs to be emphasized now more than ever. Our food is often missing the amount of nutrition that it had even 100 years ago. Our soil has become depleted.

Where can one start in getting these minerals? A good source of minerals are yellow and green leafy vegetables, especially the dark, leafy ones.

Seven to nine servings of vegetables and fruit daily are now suggested to prevent illness and build health. What has your intake been this last week? Most of us could work on this.

I know that this can be difficult to get in that many servings. So I suggest that you begin making a fresh vegetable juice each morning to make sure that you get in more vegetables. Juicers can be bought at the health food store or ordered online.

You can also purchase books with recipes of different vegetable combination suggestions. This keeps things from getting monotonous and it is best not to eat (drink) the same thing day after day.

Continue to do this and you will see a big difference. Your energy and stamina will come up. Your skin and hair will get a healthy glow. People will ask you what you are doing because you look better. And you will thank yourself in later years because you thought to provide yourself with the nutrition that builds strong bones and a healthy body.

Originally located on the banks of the popular Hillsborough River with only a small group of exotic birds and local species, Lowry Park today is recognized as one of the top three zoo’s in the country.

With more than 1500 resident animals enjoying the 41 acres of natural habitat, a visit to the park will give you an up close and personal look at a variety of exotic species; some endangered.

You will also have the opportunity to visit the Florida Manatee and Aquatic Center where important work is done to rehabilitate injured manatees. The Native Florida Wildlife Center, home to the Florida Black Bear and Florida Panther. Primate World features a large variety of these most intelligent and entertaining animals. The Asian Domain houses familiar and not so familiar residents and the Free Flight Aviary where you will step into our feathered friends domain and experience their world.

The park features daily bird of prey and reptile encounter shows where you will learn about these fascinating creatures.

The newly opened Zoo School (The Florida Environment Education Center) offers programs and summer camps for all ages. Specially designed programs are available for tots, older children, teens and adults. There’s something for everyone at the education center!

There’s also a petting zoo for the children, plenty of snack stops, cafes and souvenir shops to pick up a special memento of the day.

If you like, bring a picnic lunch or have a cookout. Located directly across from the zoo you’ll find the Hillsborough River with plenty of rolling green grass, covered picnic areas and convenient barbeque pits. Whether you take a stroll along the river path or watch the boats slowly meander their way down the river, it’s a lovely way to spend the day.

McLaren and Mercedes are working on a new road car. The beast, that will cost 6 figures, is believed to be extremely high tech, blah blah blah.

A couple things spring to mind.

Firstly, have McLaren not learned their lesson? It’s widely acknowledged that the reason they started to stink in the mid 90’s was due to the fallout from them designing the McLaren F1. Given the new car is being developed now, I find it interesting that McLaren of late seem to have lost some of their edge.

Secondly, the car is rumoured to be being built in Portsmouth, England. I was born there. Am I proud? Not really, I think Portsmouth is a dump.

1) Women with large breasts have a higher rate of breast cancer than women with small breasts.
o True
o False

2) Young women are more likely to have breast cancer than women over age 50.
o True
o False

3) Exercising regularly can decrease your risk of breast cancer.
o True
o False

4) Gaining weight can increase your risk of breast cancer.
o True
o False

5) Minority women have a higher risk of breast cancer than Caucasian women.
o True
o False

6) Most women who develop breast cancer do not have any known risk factors other than increasing age.
o True
o False

7) The lower inner breast quadrant is where most breast cancers occur, and you should emphasize that area during a breast self-exam.
o True
o False

Monthly breast exams at home are all a woman needs to do to check for breast cancer.
oTrue
o False

9) Smoking and/or drinking alcohol increase your risk of breast cancer.
o True
o False

10) Your food choices can affect your risk of breast cancer.
o True
o False

Answers:

1) False. Breast size has nothing to do with a woman’s risk of breast cancer. But a woman with large breasts may have more difficulty feeling a small nodule, meaning detection may be delayed in some cases. This is why regular physician exams and mammograms are so important.

2) False. Most cases of breast cancer occur in women over the age of 50. The cells that cause breast cancer are stimulated by exposure to estrogen over time, and the longer the breast cells are exposed to estrogen the greater the risk of breast cancer. This exposure can be caused by the early onset of menstruation, delaying childbirth until after age 30, late onset of menopause or hormone replacement therapy in the postmenopausal woman.

3) True. Over the past several years dozens of studies have been done on the effect of exercise on women, and one fact came through in the majority: women who exercise regularly and vigorously (at least three to four hours a week) have some protection against breast cancer (an overall 13 percent lower risk). This effect was strongest in the women with the least body fat and may be in part because fat stores estrogen.

4) True. Women who maintain a stable weight (without swings up or down in weight) have a lower risk than those who gain. According to a Harvard medical study, 16 % of postmenopausal breast cancer was linked to weight gain, with the highest risk for women who put on 44 to 55 pounds after adolescence. The lowest risk was for women whose weight remained stable and did not fluctuate more than 4 to 5 pounds during adulthood.

5) False. Breast cancer is more common in Caucasian women, but the risk of mortality is higher if a minority woman is diagnosed.

6) True. While genetics, environment, exposure to toxins and other factors can all increase a woman’s risk, many women with breast cancer do not have any risk factors, which is why regular screening is important for ALL women. Only 5 to 10% of all breast cancer has been linked to genetics (such as a mother or close family member who has it).

7) False. While breast cancer can occur in any area of the breast and all areas should be checked during a self-exam, most breast cancer occurs under the nipple and in the upper outer breast quadrant radiating towards the armpit. With regular exams you can learn what your breasts are normally like and whether any changes have occurred. You should note if any unusual lumps, nipple discharge or bleeding occur, or if there is unusual tenderness or other changes since your last self-exam and let your doctor know.

False. While regular self-exams of the breast ARE important, a woman should also have a yearly professional breast exam as well. These professional checks can find lumps that are smaller (and have a better treatment prognosis). Yearly mammogram should start by age 40 when the risk of breast cancer goes up.

9) True. Smoking increases the base cancer rate by 25% compared to non-smokers according to the American Cancer Society. The more a woman smokes, the higher her risk of cancer, and quitting can help decrease this risk. Alcohol intake is another identified risk, and cutting down to 2 drinks or less a day has been associated with improved outcomes.

10) True. According to research done at Johns Hopkins University, 30 to 40 percent of cancers are related to diet and could be prevented by changing what and how we eat. Foods that contain antioxidants help to fight free radicals (toxic byproducts of metabolism that can damage cells and lead to cancer). Foods such as carrots, mangos, broccoli, tomatoes, dark green leafy vegetables, garlic, and even tea all contain antioxidants. Choosing to eat a lower fat diet and to increase fiber can also decrease the risk of cancer. Soy products are also linked with a decreased risk of breast cancer, since they contain isoflavones such as phytoestrogen.

Stress is one of those things that have a tendency to come out in different ways.

If you can check off several of these items, you are suffering from stress and stress kills.

If you find yourself having these symptoms please see your healthcare professional.

* Do you suffer from muscle tightness, in your neck, back and shoulders?
Yes or No
* Do headaches seem to never want to go away or are you constantly complaining of having migraines?
Yes or No
* Are you unable to sleep, lying sleepless for hours?
Yes or No
* Do you awake in the night and have trouble getting back to sleep?
Yes or No
* Do you have unexplained aches and pains in different area of the body, disappearing then appearing in some other parts?
Yes or No
* Do you suffer from Ulcers or other Stomach problems?
Yes or No
* Do you find you have digestive or gastrointestinal problems without any real physical reasons?
Yes or No
* Are you restlessness even if you have a chance to rest you just can’t seem to relax?
Yes or No
* Do you find yourself gritting or grinding your teeth especially while you sleep?
Yes or No
* Can’t seem to concentrate or seem clumsy?
Yes or No
* Does it seem like your having mood swings or a little off the wall?
* Are you crying a lot for no specific reason?
Yes or No
* Have you had an increase of colds, flu or infections from feeling run down?
Yes or No
* Has your reliance upon alcohol to relax, pills to sleep or tranquillisers to calm down become more and more?
Yes or No
* Do you find that you don’t go visit friends and relatives anymore?
Yes or No
* Do you find you blame others for everything that’s wrong?
Yes or No
* Are you finding that you’re having chest pains, but you don’t have angina or heart trouble?
Yes or No
* Are normal everyday tasks of life seeming harder to do?
Yes or No
* Have you had an increase in forgetfulness?
Yes or No
* Do you worry about whether you might have a chronic illness yourself?
Yes or No
* Do you constantly watch television for hours, even when you are not actually interested in the programs?
Yes or No
* Do you have feelings of despair, or feel overwhelmed, depressed, overanxious most of the time?
Yes or No

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms medical attention may be required.

Today we are offering you 2 healthy recipes to enhance your weekends–one for baked oatmeal and one for a green tea beverage.

In the weeks to come we will discuss the benefits of oatmeal and green tea. Today, however, just the recipes are provided for your palate and good health! Enjoy! (Please note that the oatmeal recipe is not low calorie, but because monounsaturated fat and oatmeal are used, the recipe is a healthy one.)

Baked Oatmeal

(Recipe courtesy of Whitingham Farm Bed & Breakfast in Whitingham, Vermont)

Ingredients:

1 cup milk (We use non-fat)

2 eggs (we use egg substitute to equal 2 eggs)

1/2 cup oil (we use light olive oil for baking)

2 cups instant oatmeal

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Blend milk, eggs, oil, and brown sugar in blender. Combine with oatmeal and baking powder. Allow to rest for 14 minutes. Stir and transfer to buttered (we use Smart Balance Spread) 1-quart baking dish. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve with hot milk, syrup, or vanilla yogurt.

One of the nicest things about baked oatmeal is that you can make a batch and reheat it! It’s great served with berries or bananas!

While many of us are aware of the antioxidant power of green tea, we may avoid it because we don’t like the taste. By mixing the tea with a fruit juice (grape works well)the tea taste is diluted. Many people have commented on the following recipe, stating that they finally have an appreciation for tea!

Fruity Green Tea Punch

Prepare green tea by pouring hot water over green tea bag. (We prefer to use decaffeinated tea). Let steep for 5 minutes. Combine tea with an equal amount of your favorite fruit juice–grape is good. Another favorite is combining it with peach juice…or how about a little of each? Experiment! This recipe may be served either hot or cold. Before you know it, you just might become a tea lover.

Use pine from the Yule celebrations to stoke the fire, bringing prosperity and good luck to the household. Sweep out the dust of winter and re-cleanse the doorways and windows. Honey, rosehips, witch hazel and sage are all perfect herbs to strewn and use in spells at this point on the Wheel.

Decorate your festival table with white, yellow and pale pastel candles. Decorate with representations of crocus, one of the earliest flowers. Use dragon’s blood to scent the air and fill your guests with its power.

If you have very personal work to do, this is the time to get it started. Whether magical work or projects you’ve put off.  Imolg encompasses all that is growth and birth. If you hand your desires to the Lady, she will carry them through the year from her current Maiden stage to her Crone or wisdom stage, watching you as you gather knowledge with her on her journey through the Wheel.

Light your Imolg with love and laughter. Celebrate all that is growth in your life. Throw open your arms and revel in the awakening around you.

Who told Stark County to quit dispersing the shots and pills? The local health authorities have also informed office personnel at local physicians’ offices that patients are not in danger anymore. We’re not in danger? There was another new case just reported, and two teens died a week ago. In addition, there is a possible fourth victim who is experiencing symptoms currently in isolation at Alliance Hospital, although this is yet to be confirmed or denied. With a 2-10 day incubation period, how could they possibly know that we are out of danger?

Many residents are outraged, questioning the actions being taken by the local health community. They don’t know whom to believe. Some experts say that there is little danger due to the close proximity needed to transmit the disease, but everything is closing. Schools have been canceled for the year. Churches have cancelled sermons. It is getting scary in Stark County. Parents in the community are beginning to question these health mandates, demanding that the antibiotic treatments resume. Are we safe? Are we out of medication, or are health officials just trying to cover their bottoms?

After calling area doctors, hospitals and the health department, area residents find that all are dissuading patients that are showing no symptoms from seeking preventative treatment. What is so scary about this is the fact that if there are symptoms present, it may be too late due to the 2-10 day incubation period. As with everything else, the almighty dollar may be to blame. Money enters the equation, and t a time like this, local agencies should be coming together, insuring that residents are safe, not worried about who is going to pay for what. After all, this is an emergency situation, isn’t it?

Receptionists at doctors’ offices all over the area are threatening patients with statements like this; “Your insurance won’t cover the treatment, so you will need to bring $80.00 in cash if you want the shots.” This is happening in America? I guess if we don’t have the nearly $350 it would take to treat a family of four, too bad. Are the working-poor that expendable in this country? If you don’t have cold cash, you will be turned away by most local doctors– doctors whose children and families were probably vaccinated and administered antibiotics a week ago.

A receptionist in a local doctor’s office in Canton said that she doesn’t understand what is going on either. “It is terrible; you should write about it,” said the young girl on the phone, knowing that I was a writer. A local news station in Cleveland is also looking into this story at my request.

Health officials are taking risks with thousands of lives here in Ohio. It seems that only people wealthy enough to afford hundreds of dollars per family are permitted to have this luxury. This prompts the question: Why aren’t insurance companies paying? Since when did the HMOs run the world? Would they rather we all get sick? They are playing God here in N.E. Ohio and it has to stop now!

When looking at methods for treating arthritis pain, it is important to remember that you should talk with your health care provider about the pain you’re experiencing and also about any pain relief methods that you use.

The pain relief methods discussed below are temporary, designed to be helpful when joints hurt more than usual. This may be after completing an exercise program, after a strenuous day or during stressful times. Not all of the methods described below will work for you – it’s important to experiment to find out what works best.

Heat and cold treatments. Heat and cold treatments are among the most common types of temporary pain relief. At home, heat can be used in the form of heat packs, warm baths or showers, warm towels applied to the affected area, etc. According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), heat treatment can be used for 15 to 20 minutes, three times a day. Heat treatments work because they help to relax muscles and reduce sensitivity to pain.

For some people, or for some types of pain, cold treatments may be more effective in providing relief. Cold compresses or ice packs can help to reduce swelling. When using ice packs, never put ice directly on your skin. Always wrap it in a towel or washcloth first. If you don’t have a cold compress, try using a bag of frozen vegetables (many people find that frozen peas are particularly helpful because you can shape the bag around the swollen joint).

Relaxation therapy. Relaxation therapy can help to reduce pain by relaxing tension in the muscles. Your doctor or local Arthritis Foundation can provide information about relaxation therapy. In some forms, relaxation therapy can involve a focused effort to relax tension in each muscle. In other forms, it may involve massage or therapies.

Sleep. Sleep is often overlooked in dealing with pain. A lack of quality sleep can lead to fatigue, and make you more sensitive to pain. Try to relax before bed by taking a warm bath or reading a book. If you are having trouble sleeping due to arthritis pain, consult your health care provider for treatment options.

TENS. If your pain is not relieved by any of the above methods, you may want to talk with your doctor about TENS, or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. In TENS therapy, a device is used to deliver an electrical current under the skin. TENS machines can be adjusted throughout the day as needed for pain relief. Many TENS machines are expensive, though lest costly versions are available and effective.