Muscle Spasms? Try Magnesium

I started having muscle spasms in my legs when I was pregnant with my first child. My Mother told me it was just a normal part of pregnancy so I didn't worry about it. They continued over the years but, though extremely painful, they didn't last long ,and didn't happen too often, so I still didn't worry about it.
At some point the spasms moved to the bottoms of my feet and seemed to be more frequent, but I was used to it by then, and thought nothing of it. Then one day I was walking out of a meeting and chatting with someone, when a really intense spasm left me unable to walk and lasted much longer than usual. The woman with me told me to drink milk. This was my first clue that my body was lacking something that I needed. I tried Calcium and it helped a bit, but it wasn't until I heard that Magnesium should be taken with Calcium and tried it, that I discovered it was wonderful for eliminating those muscle spasms.
Magnesium is a mineral which we would normally expect to be supplied by our diet. Today, though, such deficiencies are common as our eating habits have changed. The use of processed food seems to be the culprit here.

Odor Control with Vanilla

This is the time of year, at least here in the northern U.S. , that our closed up homes can get - well- smelly. Fresh air is great for keeping our homes smelling nice and clean but that isn't an option in January.
Those cooking, pets, smoke, and musty odors can become a problem. Commercial air fresheners are usually overpowering and only mask the odors. I think they just add to the problem.
My easy, thrifty, solution is Vanilla. I discovered this by accident and am so pleased with it that I had to share it. Vanilla just seems to devour odors and leaves us with a nice, gentle, natural scent instead.
I had vague memories of people using small bowls of Vanilla extract to eliminate odors and experimented with it and it does work. Then I tried scented candles and they work too. Vanilla sprays were my favorite for awhile but now they are hard to find.
One thing that is easily found at the Dollar Store is Carpet Fresh which is available in many scents but trust me, stick with the Vanilla. It is also made with baking soda which is another great product for eliminating odors.
This rug and room deodorizer also works great for kitty litter boxes, cars, basements, diaper pails, garbage pails, and upholstery. Also can help with musty closets, the hamper, etc.
See what other uses you can come up with.
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Acne? Pimples? Try This Easy Method

After washing and drying your face put a drop of Lavender Oil on a Q -Tip and gently rub on each spot at bedtime. It is best to use a fresh Q-Tip with each spot.
The anti-inflammatory and antiseptic qualities of Lavender Oil will work while you sleep.
Repeat every other night until your skin is clear.

Staying Sane On Insane Days

Stress! We all experience it. Lots of it. Kids, bosses, sick relatives, too much to do - too little time to do it, too many demands, things going wrong, noise, unexpected interruptions, problem after problem.
How to cope? We all want to feel better and we all have our own ways of coping. I have what I call my "Sanity Kit"; the things I discovered over the years that help me make it through those bad days.

~A fresh air break will help. Just a few minutes outside can relieve stress. Even in cold, snowy,weather; when I am busy at home I enjoy going outside to feed the birds and squirrels or take a walk to get the mail. How can you get outside ?

~Small treats sprinkled throughout a hectic day is nice too. Coffee, a cold drink, a few grapes or some chocolate.

~Take a few minutes to stretch. You can do this even if you are tied to your desk. Stretch those back muscles, legs, arms, roll your neck, wiggle your fingers and toes. This releases stress from your body.

~Lavender - relieves stress, is calming, helps or prevents headaches. There are a lot of ways to use Lavender but the easiest one that will work no matter what situation you are in is to keep a bottle of Lavender Essential Oil handy along with either tissues or some cotton balls.
A few drops of the oil on your tissue - then simply inhale the scent for a few seconds while concentrating on it should make you feel better and you can do this as often as you need to. It isn't very noticeable if you are discreet. The scent will be thought to be your cologne.

~Positive Self Talk! This is the most important one of all and easily forgotten when we are in the middle of a bad day. To get the most benefit from this we need to train ourselves to make this a habit. Since we are always talking to ourselves we might as well tell ourselves things that will make us feel better. Statements such as I can't stand this will make us feel worse. Instead,try
telling yourself something positive: I'll get through this, things will get better, I can handle this ,will work for you instead of against you. Try taking deep breaths while thinking your positive thoughts.

~Give yourself something to look forward to. It doesn't have to be something incredible. What would you like to do at the end of the day? A bubble bath, good book, movie, a nap,your favorite T.V. show or a great dinner? It doesn't matter as long as it is something you enjoy and can remember is waiting for you.

~Remember, the day or situation will come to an end. Relief is on the way and will arrive sooner or later. (Let's hope for sooner)
Written for: http://Carnival of Patience Therapy A great Carnival! Check it out.

Peppermint Tea: Aid For Stomach Problems

Yes, Peppermint tea! That little box of tea bags that you can buy at your supermarket can really help if you suffer with any of these problems:

stomach cramps
gas
flatulence
indigestion
heartburn
diarrhea
bloating

Peppermint Tea is great if you feel that you ate too much or ate something that disagrees with you. It is best if used at the first sign of discomfort. An even better way to use this tea is to drink a cup before eating. If your symptoms are severe you might need two cups.
Relief is usually very quick but does seem to depend on how long you were suffering before drinking it.
It works well for IBS - Irritable Bowel Syndrome - but people with GERD will worsen their problems with this.
It is advised that pregnant or nursing mothers use it with moderation.
This is another one of those things that I make sure I always keep in the house. It seems to work better than the usual over the counter products from the drug store and is natural, safe, and has no side effects.
Peppermint Tea is made from the herb Peppermint and smells minty and refreshing. I'm sure you've encountered Peppermint at Christmas time ,or in your toothpaste :so you are familiar with the taste and don't need to be hesitant to try the tea.

Scented Fire

It's a beautiful winter day here today; a peaceful , gentle, snowfall is creating a quiet and serene feeling as it blankets the surrounding woods. A perfect day for the beef stew bubbling in the crock pot.
All that's needed now is a fire in the fireplace. One of my favorite things in the winter is a scented fire. Easy to do; just two drops of Lavender Oil on some pine cones, toss them into your fire and discover how enjoyable it is to relax with the scent of Lavender drifting through your home. Doubles the pleasure.

Discover Pain Relief For Almost Everything :Arnica

Arnica is a fantastic Homeopathic remedy that I thankfully discovered a few years ago. It is so great that it is one of those things I wish everyone knew about. Some of the things it helps with:

Muscle soreness and aches
Sprains
Back aches
Bruises caused by falls, blows, or bumps
Joint pain
Shock
Trauma
Injuries
Childbirth

This is one of the best things you can keep on hand in your First Aid Kit for emergencies. It minimizes shock and trauma if someone has an accident and it is safe for children. And you. As this is a homeopathic remedy there are no side effects to worry about and no drug interactions either.
People use this before and after surgery and dental work and report speedy recoveries and no post operative pain. There are also many reports of pain relief and easier, faster than normal recoveries from fractures, sprains, etc.
I have, of course, used it for the usual things and was pleased at the results:

*Huge bruise on my husbands hip after a bad fall on the deck
*Back aches
*My bad knee - arthritis
*Headaches
*Sore muscles after gardening
*A sore wrist on my daughter-in-law caused by working on the computer 10 hours a day
*She was amazed at the instant results one quick spray of Arnica gave her
*A bump on my head after tripping and hitting a door frame.

The wonderful thing about Arnica is that it works in many more ways than advertised! I have used it for many things that the makers haven't even thought of. Such as:

*An ingrown toenail - very painful - swelling and pain soon gone and was able to cut out the embedded nail
*Bad burn on the palm of my hand - instant relief of pain AND it didn't recur
*A badly dislocated elbow bone that was extremely painful after hitting it on the edge of a door (tripped over the dog) It kept the pain away during the healing process
* Currently using it for the muscle and joint aches caused as a side effect of my husband's Chemo
( with impressive success)

Arnica is available in:
Spray
Ointment
Massage Oil
Pills
Bumpstick
Pills

I personally use all of them and always carry some whenever I leave the house.