Risk assessments are tools used to determine the value of a risk versus the benefit that may be achieved. A risk assessment is often done related to a concrete situation and are sometimes called threat assessments. A risk assessment can be done on a quantitative basis or a qualitative value, both of which will give the assessor information which they require to base a decision.

A risk is usually defined as the chance of a harmful effect that will result from exposure to a specific stressor. This stressor can be physical, chemical, biological, or emotional. This stressor can induce an adverse response in an animal, ecosystem or environment in which it interacts.

Risk assessments are done in a variety of circumstances. Businesses may undergo a risk assessment when deciding to expand or even open a new store. Medical personnel will go through a risk assessment algorithm when deciding whether or not to administer chemotherapy based on specific blood work criteria. Methods of risk assessment are also used to determine financial decisions, public health risk or environmental risk.  Read more...

Heavy-metal refers to a metallic chemical element that has a high density and relatively high atomic mass that is toxic or poisonous. Some examples are mercury, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, nickel, selenium and lead. These elements can damage living things at low concentrations and tend to accumulate in the food chain.

In nature the lowest elements on the food chain is plant life. Specific types of animals are herbivores and eat only plants. These animals can have a build up of heavy-metal in their system, deposited in their muscle mass, from absorption from plants. When these animals are slaughtered and used for food the heavy metal in their system is absorbed by the end user, us.

Researchers have discovered that the human body often contains microscopic heavy-metal from environmental toxins and our food sources. Another source of heavy-metal toxification is from the amalgam fillings made for dental appliances. In 1989 the Environmental Protection Agency stated that the use metal fillings were hazardous substances under the Superfund law. When outside of the mouse they must be stored in unbreakable, tightly sealed containers, they are not to be touched and have specific storage requirements. Outside of the mouth they are toxic but when placed in the teeth they are labeled “non-toxic”.  Read more...

Did you know there are 92 elements found in nature and an additional 22 which are observed elements or scientists believe exists but have not been able to prove.

In addition to all of those there are also hundreds of isotopes of those elements, any one of which can play an important role in human health which has yet to of been discovered.

In these numerous elements are trace minerals which are called this because they are required in such a very small amounts.

And, while scientists and doctors believe they have identified many of the trace minerals required by the body for optimal health, they are required in such minute amounts and there are so many different trace elements that may be necessary, it is highly unlikely that physicians and scientists have identified all of them.  Read more...

Weight gain during perimenopause is a universal complaint among women. It is not uncommon for a woman to gain between 10 and 15 pounds, especially around her abdomen and hips. In some instances women see this as a rite of passage to becoming and older wiser you. But most often, this almost instantaneous weight gain is a signal of hormonal imbalance and is heralded by emotional upheaval and distress over this sudden increase in the late. In medical circles, some described as weight gain as an unavoidable “middle-aged spread”.

And, while women in the past had to accept these changes to their body, current technology and medical knowledge has enabled physicians and holistic practitioners to more clearly establish the imbalances in the body and help the woman to determine specific methodologies she can use in order to reverse the process.

Prior to perimenopause and menopause levels of estrogen in the body can often mask symptoms of other systems having difficulty. A woman has been exposed to many years of toxins, environmental changes and hormonal imbalances, the results of which are now being felt by the rest of the body.  Read more...

Pregnancy: Oils to avoid

Due to the effects of these oils on the reproductive organs, and the sensitivity of the foetus, they should not be used at all during Pregnancy.

* Ajowan
* Angelica
* Anise star
* Aniseed
* Basil
* Bay Laurel
* Calamintha
* Cedarwood (all types)
* Celery seed
* Cinnamon (leaf)
* Citronella
* Clary Sage
* Clove
* Cumin
* Cypress
* Fennel (sweet)
* Hyssop
* Jasmine
* Juniper
* Labdanum
* Lovage
* Marjoram
* Myrrh
* Nutmeg
* Parsley
* Penyroyal
* Peppermint
* Rose
* Rosemary
* Snakeroot
* Sage
* Tarragon
* Thyme (red)

High blood pressure: Oils to avoid

* Black Pepper
* Hyssop
* Lemon
* Lemongrass
* Nutmeg
* Rosemary
* Sage
* Thyme

Low blood pressure: Oils to avoid

* Chamomile
* Lemon
* Lavender
* Marjoram
* Ylang Ylang

Diabetes: Oils to avoid

* Angelica

Kidney problems: Oils that should be avoided

* Juniper

Homeopathic treatments: Oils to avoid  Read more...

Alcoholism is one disease that everyone should be concerned about because the facts show that the disease alcoholism affects the lives of men, women and children all over the world. There certainly are safe and responsible drinkers but those that do not drink responsibly have an impact that encompasses them but their families, co-workers, friends, and even the communities that they live in. T

his fact is included in publications by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). These facts about alcoholism are very concerning because there are an abundance of facts that point to alcohol impacting the health and well-being of those who drink alcohol to excess and also has an impact on family members and others they know too.

There are many statistics and facts about alcoholism floating around such as the fact that there are 100,000 or more U.S. deaths each year that are a direct result of excessive alcohol consumption. There are both direct and indirect causes of death due to alcohol including drunk driving, diseases such as cirrhosis of the liver, falls that cause injury as a result of intoxication, heart disease and stroke as a result of high blood pressure caused by alcohol.  Read more...

Congestive heart failure occurs when the heart is not pumping blood as efficiently as it should and is not getting the required amount of blood to the organs in the body. Soon after the efficiency of the heart goes down the organs do not receive the right amount of oxygen and nutrients, and symptoms occur.

Symptoms of heart failure include:

Edema, irregular or rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, trouble concentrating, wheeze, nausea, coughing with phlegm that is white or tinged with blood, appetite loss or fluid retention that results in fast weight gain.

Symptoms are not always apparent while resting but will almost always show up during some type of exercise. Exercise tends to cause an individual to become fatigued and dizzy. The blood pressure goes down and the body attempts to make up for the lost blood volume by setting off hormone and nerve signals that are meant to increase blood volume by retaining water.  Read more...

If you are ill, you should generally turn to a physician for help. However, in many countries, essential oils are used in the mainstream medical community. So, if you still need help after seeing your doctor, you can use essential oils to help you heal.

The first thing to remember when using essential oils for healing is that you need to buy only the certified therapeutic grade oils. These oils are purer and more concentrated. They will cost more, but if you buy the cheaper oils they will have little healing effect.

Essential oils strengthen your immune system. They can help with viruses and cold sores, for example. Clove, lemon, cinnamon, rosemary, and neroli are just some of the essential oils that will help in this area.

There are also essential oils that are powerful antifungal agents. Some of these are tea tree, lemon grass, and rosemary oils. Fungi can cause many problems in the body. Many people are allergic to mold. Allergies of all types can be treated with tansy, spikenard, cajeput, and chamomile, to name a few. Tansy, along with eucalyptus and marjoram are essential oils used to help with asthma. Bronchitis can be eased with eucalyptus, rosemary, and thyme oils.  Read more...

Nutritional supplementation with multivitamin pills is the question that arises for most individuals throughout their life. Recommendations from the food and drug administration include eating eight to 10 servings of raw fruits and vegetables daily in order to help the body receive enough vitamins and minerals to function appropriately. Unfortunately, many individuals find that eating this many raw fruits and vegetables every day is a challenge. And because of this challenge they turned to multivitamins and nutritional supplements to make up the difference.

Unfortunately, researchers and physicians as well as nutritionist know that you cannot skip the daily servings of fruits and vegetables and expect that of vitamin and mineral supplement will make up the difference. The micronutrients that are available in raw fruits and vegetables have a greater bioavailability than anything that can be manufactured in the lab. This means that those enzymes, vitamins and minerals are much more unavailable to the cells within the body when they are obtained from fruits and vegetables, raw seeds and nuts as opposed to a pill which was manufactured and delivered in a bottle.  Read more...

When you go on a diet, the objective is to reach a healthier weight and reduce the risk of obesity-related conditions. But, how do you know what is a healthy weight? That is where the BMI chart comes in.

BMI stands for “Body Mass Index.” It is a tool that is used to determine how much you need to weigh in relation to your height. It is a better way to determine where you stand on the obesity scale than just weight alone.

The BMI is a guideline that gives doctors a place to start when approaching their patients about weight. It has been determined that being overweight increases your risk of certain diseases such as heart attack, stroke and diabetes. A poor diet can raise bad (LDL) cholesterol which in turn can increase plaque development in the arteries and lead to other life-threatening conditions.  Read more...

In the ever elusive search for the fountain of youth people look towards creams, lotions, potions and fills in order to fit the bill of keeping them younger and healthier for years in the future. And, while some nutritional supplementation is helpful in maintaining an overall healthy body, it is most important to get enough of every vitamin and mineral as well and staying out of the sun and reducing the exposure to outside toxins such as alcohol and tobacco.

Researchers have recently identified vitamin B (vitamin B6 and B12 specifically) has components which are necessary to prevent premature aging. Vitamin B12 is an essential water soluble vitamin found in a variety of foods such as fish, meat and dairy products. It is frequently used in combination with other be vitamins and is called a vitamin B complex. These vitamins are necessary to maintain healthy nerve cells in the manufacture of red blood cells. The body also uses a vitamin B complex to make DNA, the genetic materials in all cells which define how the body works.  Read more...

ABCESSES Lavender, Tea Tree, Thyme, Myrrh, Frankincense, Birch (Blends: Antiseptic, Antibacterial, ImmuniBoost, Antimicrobial)

ABDOMINAL CRAMPS Lavender, Clary Sage, Rosemary, Ginger, Basil, Peppermint, Anise, Fennel (Blends: Antimicrobial, DigestAid)

ACCUMULATION OF Toxins Birch, Carrot Seed, Juniper (Blends: Liver Detox, Kidney Clear, Circulate, Energy Balance)

Acne Bergamot, Chamomile, Geranium, Lavender, Palmarosa, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Tea Tree, Vetiver, Lemongrass, Rosewood, Cedarwood, Eucalyptus Radiata, Orange, Neroli (Blends: Antiseptic, Antibacterial, Liver Detox, MenoPal)

AGING SKIN Frankincense, Helichrysum, Cypress, Rose, Lavender, Patchouli, Sage, Geranium, Rosewood, Sandalwood (Blends: Youthful, Oasis, FirmUp)

Allergies Chamomile, Lavender , Melissa, Patchouli, Ledum, Nutmeg (Blends: Energy Balance, DigestAid, RespiRescue, CongestAid)

AMENORRHOEA (Missing or scanty periods) Basil, Fennel, Clary Sage, Marjoram, Myrrh (Blends: Regulate, MenoPal)

Arthritis Benzoin, Birch, Black Pepper, Chamomile, Eucalyptus, Ginger, Juniper, Helichrysum, Balsam Fir, Rosemary, Oregano, Clove, Nutmeg, Tansy, Elemi, Peppermint (Blends: Joint Dr, GoutBGone, BackacheAway, Circulate, PainAway)

Asthma Clary Sage, Cypress, Frankincense, Lavender, Marjoram, Hyssop (Blends: DigestAid, RespiRescue)

ATHLETES FOOT Tea Tree, Myrrh, Balsam Fir, Lavender, Peppermint, Lemongrass (Blends: Antimicrobial, Antiseptic)  Read more...

Like so many New Age practices and beliefs, aromatherapy has ancient roots. The use of Essential Oils to affect mood and well-being can be found far back in Egyptian, Greek and Roman history. In fact, when the three kings of biblical fame brought gifts, including gold, to baby Jesus, their other highly prized offerings were Frankincense and Myrrh resins from these Herbs are still in use today.

While scientific evidence about aromatherapy is scant, its long-standing role in spirituality and healing, along with strong anecdotal support of its benefits, gives Essential Oils an important role as a complementary Alternative Medicine therapy.

Cherie Perez, RN, quality assurance specialist in the department of GU Medical Oncology at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, is a strong proponent of aromatherapy, including as an adjunct for Cancer treatment. She teaches monthly classes for patients on the topic. I recently asked Perez to tell me about how aromatherapy can be useful for people who are healthy, as well as those with chronic illnesses.  Read more...

Color is used in many forms to heal and aid the sick, diseased and distressed. As a color therapist I use the following color to balance the 11 chakras of the physical and energy body of the person. I always start with the heart chakra, the center of the human form and the seat of the soul. Here are the colors I use to balance the 11 chakras:

Heart Chakra: Green (4th) Green is the color of harmony and balance. It is good for tired nerves and it helps with the heart area. It will balance the emotions and bring about a feeling of calmness. Green is a good general healing color because it stimulates growth so it is good for helping heal broken bones, regret of tissue of all kinds. Green is a good color for Pregnant women to help create an atmosphere of serenity and calm. Too much green may create more negative energy if there is some already present in the person being treated.  Read more...

Most Headaches result from Tension. Tension produces pain in the neck and shoulders resulting in constriction of the blood vessels and blood Circulation resulting in Headaches. Stress, guilt, fear, anger, Depression, and rage are all contributing factors to Tension Headaches.

Underlying health problems can also result in Headaches. Everything from sinusitis to nutritional imbalance, spinal misalignment to PMS, poor Circulation to TMJ are all culprits. Food Allergies and additives, cigarette smoke, air pollutants, poor ventilation, certain drugs, chemicals, and overexposure to sun are also factors. Proper diagnosis of the particular headache makes treatment much more specific and easier to diagnose.

Migraines are the result in an abnormal flow of blood to the brain. Pain can last for several hours to several days. Migraines are frequently related to food and environmental Allergies. They may also be brought on by poor Circulation, chemical sensitivities, changes in humidity, stress or underlying illness. If you get frequent or unusually severe Headaches, medical attention must be sought.  Read more...

Color has a powerful influence on our body chemistry and emotions. The strongest effect is through the eyes. Colored light therapy can be produced by using colored glass or cellophane filters placed in front of light bulbs or the sun.

Ideally, stimulating colors should be used in the morning and sedating colors in the evening. If a sequence of colored lights is used, start with stimulating colors, to proceed to Blue, and finish with green.

Red (Bright Red): Warm and stimulating, this color is good for anemia, or whenever you feel pale or cold or have chilled extremities; it’s also useful for ultraviolet and X-ray burns and frostbite. Red is a liver stimulant and counterirritant (it brings internal inflammations to the surface.)

Orange: A respiratory stimulant, this is useful for weak lungs, Asthma, consumption, and emphysema; it is also for overweight and underactive people with an Underactive Thyroid (because it energizes the thyroid and sedates the parathyroid). Orange can relieve spasm, cramps, and other abdominal issues.  Read more...

Aromatherapy brings us the aromatic energy of living plants in the form of Essential Oils. These fragrances are a natural antidote to the emotionally debilitating effects of winter. Aromatherapy is supportive in the winter season of quiet regeneration. Winter Essential Oils cleanse and freshen air in homes closed tight against the cold weather.

Essential Oils for winter include woody, evergreen, citrus, spice and resin oils. Gingerbread and delicious spice cake come to mind with pungent Essential Oils such as Clove, Cinnamon, allspice, Ginger and Nutmeg. Fresh citrus oils including Bergamot, sweet Orange, Lemon and Tangerine recall memories of old fashioned citrus pomanders.

Warming oils include Orange, Black Pepper and Rosemary. Immune boosting oils are Tea-Tree, Lavender, Sandalwood and Bergamot. To ease congestion and fight infections use Tea-Tree, Pine, Eucalyptus and Lavender. Bergamot tea is useful for a Sore Throat and can be used as a gargle. Chamomile tea is very soothing and eases an upset stomach.

Bergamot (Citrus bergamia)Bergamot is uplifting sweet with a fruity fragrance. Helpful for Depression. Refreshes a room. Avoid sunbathing and sunbeds when using this oil.  Read more...

Insomnia is a symptom, not a disease. Stress related to work, school, health or family concerns. Depression. Use of stimulants, including caffeine, alcohol, nicotine or other over-the-counter or prescription medications. Prescription drugs, including some Antidepressant, High Blood Pressure and steroid medications, can interfere with sleep.

Many over-the-counter medications, including some brands of aspirin, decongestants and weight loss products, contain caffeine and other stimulants. And antihistamines can affect urinary problems. Change in environment or work schedule. Long-term use of sleep medications. Medical problems, including fibromyalgia or complex diseases of the nerves and muscles.

Behavioral Insomnia, which may occur when you worry excessively about not being able to sleep well and try too hard to fall asleep. Most people with this condition sleep better when theyre away from their usual sleep environment. Sleep

Sleep. That wonderful but sometimes elusive state of bliss and rejuvenation!

Best Sleep Tips  Read more...

Lighting colored Candles that coordinate with what you need. For example if you want to gain knowledge, light a yellow Candle. Light a pink Candle to send love. Blue to resolve a spiritual problem. Lavender is good for healing. Silver is good for protection.

Color Frequencies

RED Red is the color of energy, vitality and power. It is used for burning out Cancer, drying up weeping sores or wounds, etc.; it will warm cold areas to reduce pain. Red is a powerful healing agent for healing diseases of the blood and Circulation. It will help with Depression. Red is not to be used on people with High Blood Pressure or Anxiety. If you stay under the red ray too long or are exposed to red for a considerable time it will make you very agitated or even aggressive. It is associated with the male polarity. A red carpet or wall – in a place of business – will draw money. If you are a sales person – try wearing something red!!  Read more...

Aerobic exercise means working your muscles with oxygen or air. This means that the muscles are able to perform with the amount of air or oxygen to breathe in during your exercise routine. People who are performing aerobic exercise should be able to carry on a short conversation. If you are gasping for air while talking you have reached your aerobic threshold and are probably working and aerobically.

Working and aerobically means that you will tire or faster and will be more likely to experience or muscles, and possibly injury, after the exercises over. Aerobic exercises uses the same large muscle group in a rhythmic pattern for a period of approximately 20 minutes or longer while maintaining 60 to 80% of your maximum heart rate. In other words, aerobic activity is activity done long in duration but short in intensity. These activities can include walking, biking, jogging, swimming and cross-country skiing. And aerobic activities would include racquetball, downhill skiing, weight lifting, sprinting and football.  Read more...