In my background as a yoga therapist, I can vouch for the fact that very often, physical pain is the result of emotional stress. Once the emotions are felt and released, the physical body responds and someone with years of chronic pain may suddenly find themselves pain-free once and for all.

The same mind-body theory applies to back pain, a common malady suffered by 55 million Americans. Dr. John Sarno, author of Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection, suggests that 75% of back pain is emotionally related, particularly linked with repressed anger. This anger results in diminished blood and oxygen flow, causing muscle spasms and nerve dysfunction, i.e., pain. By admitting to the anger and working through it, the back pain will be relieved. Keep in mind that anger and stress amplify pain anyway, so there’s a lot to be gained by relaxing.

Of course, it’s important to maintain proper posture and strengthen your core muscles; these are the best preventions for back pain. Accidents and injuries may contribute to slipped disks and pinched nerves, causing pain, and these should not be ignored. But if you’ve been checked out physically and the pain won’t go away no matter how much stretching or massage you do, you’ve got nothing to lose by digging a little deeper into your psyche and smoothing the emotional kinks that may be showing up as pain in your back.

Image: vonSchnauzer

A few years ago, a dentist told me I’d need dentures by the time I was 50 – that’s how bad my teeth and gums were. Granted, they didn’t look bad – my teeth are strong, straight and pearly white – but my gums were already declining. I was brushing twice a day, but I wasn’t flossing and I was eating plenty of sweets.

After two root canals (and I’m only 30!), I take much better care. I still don’t floss as often as I should, but at least it’s more than I used to. I’d like to save my teeth, and save money too. Here are my natural dental care tips:

First and foremost, use a tongue cleaner. I know, it sounds icky, but the slimy stuff on your tongue when you wake up is plaque. It’s ickier to leave it on.
You have to floss. There’s no way around it. Do anything to make it fun! My husband and I have made a pact to remind each other to floss every morning. Do we always remember? No, but it’s a start!
Use ayurvedic toothpaste for the best blend of warming, astringent and detoxifying herbs. These herbs will promote gum circulation, tightening and cleansing.
Sprinkle baking soda on your toothpaste for extra cleansing and whitening.
Brush a few times a week with a paste made of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. Rub this on your gums too.
Rinse with green tea for a natural fluoride wash.
If you get a toothache after all that, clove oil works wonders. Apply directly to the painful tooth with a Q-tip so you don’t get the burning oil on your gums. A paste of ginger and cayenne powder also works.
Check out Pristine Planet’s dental care page for a variety of natural products for teeth and gums.

May as well green up the routine, too! Use a Preserve toothbrush made from recycled plastic.

I often grumble about all the work and time it takes to care for my teeth, but I suppose it’s better to have teeth to take care of in the first place! Let us know your own dental care tips in the comments below.

Image: ninette_luz

So you think beauty is only skin deep? It actually goes much deeper; beauty has a lot to do with your diet, too. Although topical creams and oils can help your skin and hair look more radiant, the best way to glow is from within – and that means eating right. So think twice about filling up that beauty drawer with ever more cosmetics and spend the money on these delicious foods instead.

Requirements for Radiant Skin

Antioxidants. These protect your skin from the damaging effects of UV radiation and may help prevent skin cancer. Foods high in antioxidants include green tea, citrus fruits, cacao, blueberries, prunes and leafy green vegetables like kale and spinach.

Hydration. If you’re thirsty, so is your skin! It’s essential to drink plenty of water (filtered or spring water) every day, but juicy fruits and vegetables (like apples, strawberries, watermelons and celery) help with your hydration needs.

Selenium. This mineral is used by your body to create a protein with antioxidant properties. The absolute best source for selenium is a handful of brazil nuts. If you can’t find those, other nuts will do. Fish, turkey, whole wheat pasta and brown rice will also help, but nothing compares to nuts!

Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Omega-3’s maintain healthy cell membranes to keep your cells hydrated and free of toxins. Hemp, flax and chia seeds are excellent sources of Omega-3’s. Wild salmon, walnuts and sardines can also give your skin cells a boost.

Handbook for Healthy Hair

Vitamins A and C. These vitamins help your body produce sebum, the oil secreted by hair follicles that serves as a natural conditioner. (Beware shampoos that strip away too much oil and leave your hair dry!) Spinach, broccoli, kale and Swiss chard are great sources for both of these vitamins.

Protein. Your hair needs plenty of protein to grow. Beans, lentils and other legumes are great sources of protein, iron and zinc.

Snacks for a Super Smile

Avoid Processed and Refined Carbs. Chewy carbohydrates like bread and crackers tend to get stuck under the gums and promote bacterial growth. Drink plenty of water with meals and snacks to wash all those little food particles away.

Polyphenols. Found in black and green teas, polyphenols prevent plaque and reduce the chance of developing cavities.

Cranberries. These tart berries have a compound that prevents bacteria from sticking to teeth and gums, but make sure your cranberry juice isn’t loaded with extra sugar or else, what’s the point?

It makes sense that balance in your body shows up as beauty on the outside, and whole, healthy foods will keep you looking and feeling fantastic. The emphasis here is on whole foods, not supplements. Although supplements can be good for people who have a particular deficiency, it’s always better to get your nutrition from the best foods you can find. Eat well and be beautiful!

Read more at the State.

Image: lanuiop

Back in March, I was trying to organise a wedding for 110 guests from the other side of the world and slim down to look great in my bridal dress, as well as doing my day job. I was one stressed-out bunny!

At the time I wrote about the steps I was taking to manage stress and why. When we are busy, looking after our mind and body can get sidelined – right at the point where it’s more crucial than ever. I believe that the stress we put on our body is a metaphor for the stress we put on the planet. For me it’s a practical mirror as well – I’m far more likely to look for the easy, not-so-green solution when I’m stressed.

As well as using my common sense and listening to what my body needed, I went to a workshop on understanding stress at Neal’s Yard Remedies in London to try to learn more about it. In this post, I’ll share with you the highlights of what I learned – and how effective it was when I put it into practice.

At the workshop we were told that 90% of illnesses today are caused by stress, from headaches and backaches to insomnia and irritable bowel syndrome. Stress is cumulative an one major stressful event is enough to tip you over the edge. If you reach 300 on the Holmes-Rahe scale, it leads to ill health, and divorce is worth 73 points just on its own. So it’s important to manage stress well in your daily life – if your underlying stress levels are low, then you are physically, emotionally and mentally equipped to deal with the ups and downs of life.

Understanding stress is a personal journey – your stress triggers and how it manifests itself in your body will be different to mine. We were advised to keep a diary to track our stress levels, rating it from number 10 as maximum stress and number one as the least stressed. The diary should record what we’ve eaten, how we were feeling emotionally and physically, whether we had slept much the night before and what had been going on during the day, while women should also note their menstrual cycle. We were told to keep the diary for two to three weeks to give it enough time for patterns to emerge.

As I thought, a healthy diet is extremely important. However, dietary changes should be gentle and aimed at nurturing rather than punishing the body. Interestingly, we were told never to do a detox in the cold months – if we want to detox, then it should be in spring and for a maximum of three or four days. Otherwise, we were told the odd glass of wine was fine when managing stress – and even helpful because it can help with relaxation. Treats, such as wine, chocolate, or a treatment such as massage and acupuncture, are highly effective in alleviating stress. Yay!

I learned that Vitamin B – found in brown rice, eggs, some red meat, bran, sesame seeds and brewer’s yeast – is crucial in the fight against stress. Vitamin C – found in citrus, kiwi, strawberries and other fruit and vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage – is also important. As well as the dietary sources, both Vitamin B and C can be taken as a supplement. If the digestive system is not working properly, then fibre is especially useful, while warm water with a slice of lemon can help get things moving again.

Exercise is great because it burns up adrenaline and cortisol and produces endorphins to help you deal with stress. Again, it’s important not to overdo it, especially if you are not already physically fit, instead aiming to do a little every day, including cardiovascular exercise such as walking or jogging but also activities such as yoga and pilates, with a focus on breath. Meditation can also be useful in calming the mind and promoting overall well being.

I rarely have problems getting a good night’s sleep, but for some people stress manifests itself as insomnia, which can obviously compound the problem very quickly. The workshop advocated “sleep hygiene” – trying to leave the bedroom uncluttered, without televisions or computers that emit energy. I love to read before I go to sleep but if you have trouble sleeping, it’s apparently a good idea to restrict this to the living room to trick the brain into thinking that bed means sleep. We were told never to take work to bed and to keep a notepad next to the bed so we can jot down things that worry us to get it out of our head. Drops of lavender essential oil on your pillow or in an oil burner before you go to bed can also help you sleep.

We talked about complementary remedies for stress relief – herbal tinctures and teas, flower remedies, essential oils and homeopathy. This part of the workshop was a useful eye-opener into the range of treatment available, although it comes down to personal judgement what is useful for you. For example, I am sceptical about homeopathy since the scientific evidence consensus does not support it and I’ve never personally had success with the treatment, but I love the herbs, aromatherapy and flower remedies. Also, we were advised that anyone who is taking conventional medication needs to approach complementary medicine with care, since some herbs can interfere with some drugs. If in doubt, it’s best to check with a qualified herbalist first.

Since that didn’t apply to me, I decided to try a selection of treatment. I bought a herbal supplement called rhodiola rosea that is meant to be good for stress relief and emotional support. I also took home a herbal tea blend of chamomile, passiflora (passion flower), lemon balm and rose, which I drank two or three times a day. I felt immediately soothed when I drank the tea but apparently the effects also build up over time.

I found the flower remedies especially useful – I’m sure scientists would tell me it was a placebo effect, but I really felt like I could feel them working immediately. Bach flower remedies or Australian bush flower remedies both work int the same way – the flower essences are infused in an alcohol solution and you take drops directly under the tongue, or dilute it into a glass of water. Some have a strong immediate effect, while others are slower and cumulative, but we were told not to take them for longer than 12 weeks if they weren’t working.

I took the Focus blend – larch, elm, white chestnut, hornbeam, gentian and clematis – to help me concentrate on specific tasks during the day. I’m usually a big procrastinator but it really helped my productivity. Then when I needed to relax, I tried Unwind – vervain, impatiens, agrimony, rock water, walnut, aspen and white chestnut – which helped me let go of tension knots. I was so impressed with the results that I made sure I had some Rescue Remedy (also known as S.O.S. blend) on hand for my wedding day in case I had an attack of nerves.

I also tried the dual approach with aromatherapy – buying basil essential oil to help me concentrate during working hours and lavender to help me unwind at night. It’s best to invest in an oil burner but you can also get effective results by dropping oil in a bowl of boiling water or on tissue paper to sit on top of the radiator.

At the end of the workshop I bought a copy of the booklet Understanding Stress: Natural Solutions that Really Work by Susan Curtis for £2.50. It’s also on sale through Amazon Canada. It gives a clear, concise summary of stress, looking at why it happens, what the symptoms are and how to overcome it through supporting your body, emotional balance and spiritual health.

Through the workshop and my follow-up reading and experimentation I discovered a lot about complementary medicine and what works for me. I’m interested in continuing this journey further. I am grateful that I live in a world with modern medicine and that I personally have access to that. However, the health system is more about treating illness and I’m interested in going beyond that to promoting wellness.

Managing the symptoms of stress is important if you want to prevent it damaging your body, mental wellbeing and relationships. However, equally important is exploring the underlying causes. I believe chronic stress and environmental damage are both symptoms of our modern lifestyle. If we can get that back in balance, our health and the planet will both benefit.

Image: Vincent Boiteau

Do you suffer from asthma, heartburn, arthritis, ulcers, back pain or migraines? Here’s your prescription: Drink two glasses of water and call me in the morning.

The premise is simple enough. Chronic dehydration keeps the body from operating properly, metabolizing efficiently and flushing out toxins which then accumulate in various parts of the body. Dehydration is a recipe for health problems.

I found myself repeatedly fascinated and surprised by Dr. Batmanghelidj’s book Your Body’s Many Cries for Water. The name says it all.

Dr. Batmanhelidj has spent over two decades researching the connection between dehydration and many of the body’s most common ailments. His basic argument is that most of the time we don’t need any kind of medicine at all – just plenty of water.

Image: darkpatator

You’re resolved: toxic chemicals are out of your life. Now how about your fellow creatures? Our pets deserve natural care too, but fleas are often the biggest pet problem we have to buy chemicals for – or do we? Here are some non-toxic flea care ideas to help you keep your animal companions – and your home – safe and organic.

B vitamins and garlic are natural insect repellents, so supplement your pet’s diet with a pet safe vitamin. Healthier animals are more resistant to pests and diseases, too. It might take a few weeks to notice the effects, so consider this part of your long term flea treatment.
Regular flea combing is essential to making sure eggs and insects never stay on your pet long enough to matter. Simple daily brushing pays off! Plus, it helps you bond with your little buddy.

Castorand Pollux makes a flea collar infused with naturally insect repelling essential oils.

Keep the environment flea-free too. Use diatomaceous earth or boric acid to keep fleas and other pesky bugs at bay. These are minerals that cut up bug’s stomachs, without having any toxic effect on humans and animals.

Biological control: There’s a nematode, called the ‘killer roundworm’, that feeds on flea larvae, and you can buy bottles of it, add water, and spray the tiny worms around your yard. Supposedly they will die out once they run out of fleas to eat, but I’d do a little more research before introducing another species into the garden. Ask your vet about it.

And we love to hear your personal pet stories, so let us know what has and hasn’t worked for you.

Image: kpjas

After suffering through months of frigid weather and barren tree branches, spring is finally on the way. Pretty soon, the frost will melt away, the days will grow longer, birds will begin chattering, trees will turn green, buds will plump and the bees will start buzzing.

But, along with the joys of this season of renewal comes one majorly irritating nuisance: allergies. Decongestants and antihistamines aren’t your only remedy for itchy eyes and a runny nose. Here are some natural tips to make this transition easier on your sinuses.

Dust and dirt trap pollen, so thorough spring cleaning is a must. While you’re at it, install new air conditioning filters as well.

That thick head of hair acts as a nest for pollen. Take a shower before you hit the sack to avoid transferring pollen to your sheets and pillowcases.

Invest in an air purifier to eliminate airborne contaminants like pollen, dust, mildew and mold, which can exacerbate your allergies.

Drink plenty of water to flush those allergens out of your system. Cut down on caffeinated drinks and salty snacks or increase your water intake accordingly to counterbalance ingestion of these types of beverages and foods.

Start your mornings with a shot of wheatgrass juice. This healthy fluid is rich in nutrients like protein, potassium, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium and iron to help detoxify your body. Imbibing just two ounces is equivalent to eating almost five pounds of vegetables.

Stick to a good workout routine. Cardiovascular exercise bolsters your respiratory system, not to mention all those toxins you’ll sweat out in the process.

Curling up each night to sleep, I’ve found a simple ritual that makes bedtime just a little more cozy and sweet. I mist the air with jasmine, neroli, lavender, and a blend of flower essences especially created to help me drift off in sensual, aromatic bliss. This scented mist is the fruit of Nectar Essences, a small, green company that specializes in essential oil and flower essence sprays to wake you up, calm you down, or help you sleep like a baby.

Putting love and intention into every bottle, Jenny Pao, a holistic healer specializing in Flower Essence Therapy, created these gentle formulas to bring balance to our bodies in a deliciously aromatic way. She creates her healing flower essences by soaking exotic blooms in water, and blends them with select essential oils, which are the delicately harvested aromatic soul of a plant. When you spritz with Nectar Essences, you envelop yourself in the embrace of the flowering realm. Consider Nectar Essences the perfect gift for the luxurious sensualist in your life.

Top image: geishaboy500

I have thick, long, beautiful hair, and I favor natural, low-maintenance hair care. Generally, a little bit of coconut or olive oil rubbed into my damp hair is enough to keep it shiny, but not so after moving to the ultra-dry climate of Arizona. My hair was quickly becoming dry and brittle as the hot season progressed.

Then my friend Solana saved the day (don’t we always get the best things from our friends?). She was working at a natural cosmetic store and came to visit me with a delicious smelling container of something called Ojon oil. “It comes from a tropical nut in Central America. The Miskito tribes use it and swear by it for shiny hair.” And I can tell you, it works. Once I started using the Ojon, my hair went back to its happy, shiny self ““ Arizona’s scorching summer notwithstanding.

Rest assured, the Ojon company uses pure ingredients, and has a responsible business relationship with the people who work for them. The nuts are sustainably harvested by hand and over 200 people have gained full time employment in their home town, ensuring that their native forest will be saved and not destroyed for other financial incentives. Ojon oil is produced only in small batches, but you’ll be happy to know that a little goes a long way.

Search no more, eco queens, your one-stop green beauty shop has been found. Spirit Beauty Lounge ““ founded by the lovely Spirit Demerson ““ features a fantastic selection of organic, ethically sourced and totally luscious beauty and personal care products. This lovely site is easy to navigate and even Spirit’s blog is a compelling read. Plus they’ve got LiveChat if you need a personal shopper.

But what I like best is Spirit’s personal story: she found it impossible to raise the necessary funds to open an organic spa in New York City and, instead of giving up, decided to open her Lounge online.

And the organic cherry on top? Spirit Beauty Lounge donates 1% of their profits to a worldwide network of almost 1,500 environmental organizations, all product packaging must be biodegradable or recyclable, and the site is hosted by a company that runs completely on solar power. Talk about putting your money where your mouth is! It’s green entrepreneurs like Spirit that are making all the difference.

If you want to support Spirit Beauty Lounge and give their products a try, EcoSalon readers receive a 20% discount. Just use the code ECOSALON when checking out of the online store.