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Monday 13 January 2014

DETOX: HOW YOUR BODY DEALS WITH TOXINS


After over-indulgence at Christmas and New Year, January is often the month when we think about detoxing.  During the digestive process everything you consume is broken down to release products that are useful to the body, while the unwanted by-products and toxins are converted into waste and expelled in the form of urine, faeces, sweat and carbon dioxide. The vital organs, comprising kidneys, liver, lungs, lymphatic system and skin, work together to rid your body of potentially harmful toxins.

 

Normally the body is very efficient at processing waste. However, if it becomes over-burdened with toxins, ie. when we over-indulge over several days, the elimination process is compromised and the body begins to store toxins instead. As the level of harmful toxins builds up, the efficiency of the organs is reduced and the immune system is suppressed, impairing your overall state of health and wellbeing. By adjusting your diet and lifestyle, you can reduce your exposure to toxins and aid more efficient excretion.

 

Symptoms of Toxic Build-Up

 

Toxic overload manifests as a general feeling of being unwell with the following symptoms:-

 
  • Regular headaches
  • Constant fatigue
  • Poor complexion and dull hair and eyes
  • High levels of catarrh and congested sinuses
  • Cellulite, water retention and a feeling of bloatedness
  • Sluggish digestion and susceptibility to constipation and irritable bowel syndrome(IBS)
  • Mood changes, depression and anxiety
  • A weakened immune system.

 

Digestion

 

Your health is more or less governed by what you eat. Helpful bacteria in the gut play an important part in the digestive process. If these become depleted however due to poor diet, antibiotics or toxin overload, food can remain in the intestines in a semi-digested state and a number of digestive problems can arise, including constipation, painful wind and IBS. Supplements such as digestive aids and probiotics can help improve general gut health.

 

The Role of the Excretory Organs in the Digestive Process

 

Kidneys: The kidneys work together to filter your blood, removing toxins and expelling them in the form of urine. They also play a vital role in regulating the amount of fluid in the body and processing the by-products of digestion. Too much alcohol and persistent infections can damage your kidneys.

 

Liver: The liver processes everything that enters the body, including medication as well as food and drink. It has a number of functions including the removal of toxins from the bloodstream. Harmful substances are neutralised by the liver and passed into the intestines in the form of bile where they are eventually expelled as faeces. If the liver becomes overworked, it begins to store toxins rather than neutralise them. This can lead to problems such as diabetes, hepatitis and liver cirrhosis.

 

Lymphatic System: This is a series of vessels carrying lymph fluid that runs alongside the blood vessels. Toxins and waste drain into the lymphatic system and are transported to the lymph nodes where they are filtered out. High levels of toxins slow down the lymphatic system, leading to a poor immune system and the build-up of cellulite.

 

Skin:  Every poor in the skin eliminates waste in the form of sweat and sebum (an oily substance that moisturises the skin). The state of your skin is a reflection of your health since stress, poor health and toxin build-up can all manifest as a poor complexion.

 

Lungs:  These organs filter out airborne pollutants such as carbon monoxide, allowing oxygen to enter the bloodstream and waste products to be removed in the form of carbon dioxide. However when levels of toxins in the body build up, this can lead to recurrent health problems such as excess catarrh.

 

 

Notes:

 

  1. The Aqua Detox Foot Spa treatment is on offer for just £19 during January 2014. During this treatment toxins are released through the pores in the soles of the feet while the ionisation unit helps to restore the correct balance of positive and negative ions in the body to boost wellbeing.
     
  2. Reflexology, which can promote detoxification; massage treatments to promote lymphatic drainage, and a range of facials to boost the appearance of the skin, are also available from Helen Shortland.

 3.     Digestive aids and probiotics are available from Little London Herbal Stores, 9 Kings Walk, Nottingham, NG1 2AE. Please visit website at www.all-ages-vitamins.co.uk


 

Helen Shortland is a Reiki Master Teacher, Meditation Teacher and Holistic Therapist based at Little London Herbal Stores on Kings Walk in Nottingham city centre. Please ring her on 07748 591690 to book a treatment or visit her website http://helenshortland.com for further information.

 

Wednesday 1 January 2014

SENSING AND SEEING AURAS

Your aura is the energy field that surrounds your physical body.  It is made up of electromagnetic energy generated by your physical body, including infrared radiation from your body heat, and electrical activity from your nerve and muscle cells.  It also comprises etheric or vibrational energy generated by your spiritual body.  Your aura is the ‘real you’ - the energy field that extends far beyond the physical body which can be called your spirit, soul, essence or etheric body.

Everything has an aura or energy field, including living things such as people, animals, plants and crystals, as well as buildings, places etc which have an energy of their own.  The human aura or energy field is comprised of our thoughts, feeling and emotions, as well as past experiences.  Proficient clairvoyants can also see past lives in the aura and the things we are attracting into our energy field in the near future. The aura is not usually seen with the naked eye but can become visible to those with clairvoyant ability or through practices such as meditation and visualisation. The aura can also be seen through a specific photographic technique called Kirlian photography.
 

A Mirror of your Health, Thoughts and Feelings

Your aura reveals a wealth of information about your mental, emotional and physical health and can also indicate how developed you are spiritually. The more relaxed and happy you are, the bigger your aura will be.  A bright, clear aura is a sign of good health while a blurred, dull, irregularly shaped aura indicates ill health or distress. Unhappiness can cause it to shrink, while a sudden shock can make your aura retract momentarily.
 

Learning to Read Auras

The first time you see an aura, you will see it as white or gold. This is not the true aura colour; just the first stage of clairvoyant sight.  When looking into the aura, try to remain emotionally detached, not excited, just remain as relaxed as possible.  When you are more practiced, you may start to see colours in the aura. You may only see white but flashes of a colour may come into your mind.  Ask to be shown a person’s aura colours. Ask your higher self what colour is in their aura. When trying to see the aura, look to the side of a person in soft focus rather than directly at their physical body.  It is always easier to see an aura against a plain dark background.  When working with smaller objects such as plants or crystals with a smaller life force, you need to look directly at the object and slightly unfocus your eyes.  Any time you want to relax more, try a sigh and drop your shoulders. Take a deep breath in, hold it for a moment, then as you sigh, breathe out and let all your muscles go.
 

How to see your own aura

When looking for your own aura, hold your hands either palms up or down on your lap, holding the fingers apart. Do not stare too hard, just soft gaze at your hands. You will soon start to see a white outline around your fingers.  It may be thicker on one side than the other. You may also see what looks like smoke moving between the fingers: this is just your own energy attaching itself to itself.  Practice bouncing energy between your hands.
 

How to see someone else’s aura

Ask a friend to stand in front of a plain coloured background such as a wall.  Let your eyes fall into soft gaze in the space a few inches to the side of their head and above their crown.  You may start to see what looks like a halo of light around the person’s head.  Alternatively choose one spot on which to focus, such as the centre of their forehead.  Focus on this spot for at least 60 seconds then attempt to ‘see’ the energy surrounding their head with your peripheral vision while still concentrating on the centre of their forehead.  Try not to look away or let your mind be distracted. You should start to notice that the energy around your friend is brighter and a different colour from the wall against which they are standing.

When sensing a person’s aura with your hands, you will feel a slight resistance when your two auras touch.  This is what happens when two energies meet, eg. two electrical currents coming together cause a spark. You can feel that resistance as warmth, tingling or even cold.

 
Interpreting the Colours of your Aura

Different colours reflect different characteristics and personality traits, a list of which is below.  Please note however that different colours also have different meanings in different layers of the aura (ie. the emotional, mental and physical body) as well as having a divinatory meaning.

Violet:  A spiritual person with psychic abilities.

Purple:  Sensitive and spiritual.

Pink:  Loving and compassionate.

White:  Keeps things to self, detached.

Dark blue/Indigo:  Intuitive, introverted, serious.

Blue:  Calm, loyal, dependable, fair.

Light blue:  People-person, a peacemaker.

Turquoise:  A multi-tasker, busy and organised.

Light green:  Open, honest person.

Green:  Practical, emotionally balanced person. Dark muddy green can indicate jealousy or possessiveness.

Brown:  Down to earth, well grounded person.

Yellow:  Lively mind, intelligent, independent person with lots of ideas.

Orange:  Warm, sociable, witty, happy, confident, creative.

Red:  Frustration, anger, worry. Ambitious, driven, concerned with material issues.

Gold:  Likes learning, gaining knowledge, wise.

Burgundy:  Full of passion and enthusiasm for life.

Lavender:  Intuitive.

Silver:  Persistence. Silver sparklies round head can indicate psychic potential.

Grey:  Fear.

Black:  Working through a lot of emotional pain. Can also indicate those who are victims of abuse or who are substance abusers.

  

Helen Shortland is a Reiki Master Teacher, Meditation Teacher and Holistic Therapist based at Little London Herbal Stores on Kings Walk in Nottingham city centre. She runs a range of spiritual themed workshops including Developing Intuition and Connecting to your Spirit Guide. Please ring her on 07748 591690 to book a treatment or visit her website http://helenshortland.com for further information.

 
Upcoming workshops:

Developing Intuition workshop  Sat 26th April 2014, 2.30-5pm, £15.

Connecting to your Spirit Guide workshop  Sat 22nd February 2014, 2.30pm-5pm, £15.

Please email me at helenshortland@live.co.uk for further information/booking.