The Effects Of Negative Emotions On Our Health

The Effects Of Negative Emotions On Our Health | Third Monk image 6

Emotional-Pain-Chart-negative-emotions

Humans experience an array of emotions, from joy and severe depression and everything in between. Each one of these emotions create a distinct feeling in the body.

That’s why Power Poses can be such a great way to influence your brain’s release of chemicals.

That raises the question, what happens when we have negative thoughts consistently?

Positive or Negative Emotions, it’s All Perspective

VF01

Imagine yourself driving down the street when suddenly you are cut off, what happens next? Do you react in anger? Or do you simply apply the brake slightly and move on with your day.

The same experience can yield two very different results based on how we define our experience. 

Tune Your Perception

Perception (1)

With that in mind, we realize that positive or negative emotions are only defined as such by us.

This reminds me of a wonderful Zen Parable:

The Zen master Hakuin was praised by his neighbors as one living a pure life.

A beautiful Japanese girl whose parents owned a food store lived near him. Suddenly, without any warning, her parents discovered she was with child.

This made her parents very angry. She would not confess who the man was, but after much harassment at last named Hakuin.

In great anger the parents went to the master. “Is that so?” was all he would say.

After the child was born it was brought to Hakuin. By this time he had lost his reputation, which did not trouble him, but he took very good care of the child. He obtained milk from his neighbors and everything else the little one needed.

A year later the girl-mother could stand it no longer. She told her parents the truth – that the real father of the child was a young man who worked in the fishmarket.

The mother and father of the girl at once went to Hakuin to ask his forgiveness, to apologize at length, and to get the child back again.

Hakuin was willing. In yielding the child, all he said was: “Is that so?”

The Mind Body Connection

Negative Emotions

The unseen connection between your mind and body is very powerful and the effects your mind can have on your physical body are profound.

Our emotions and experiences are essentially energy and they can be stored in the cellular memory of our bodies. Have you ever experienced something in your life that left an emotional mark or pain in a certain area of your body? It is likely you have residual energy stuck in that area of your body that you have yet to acknowledge.

It’s all a learning and growing process that we don’t have to judge nor fear. Positive or negative thoughts, the choice is yours! 

> Emotion Effects on our Health | Collective Evolution

A Three Day Fast Can Regenerate Entire Immune System (Study)

A Three Day Fast Can Regenerate Entire Immune System (Study) | Third Monk

intermittent-fasting Three Day Fast

A three day fast can regenerate the entire immune system, even in the elderly, scientists have found, in a breakthrough described as “remarkable.”

Although fasting diets have been criticized by nutritionists, research suggests that starving the body kick-starts stem cells into producing more white blood cells, which fight off infection.

Scientists at the University of Southern California (USC) say the discovery could be particularly beneficial for those suffering from damaged immune systems, such as cancer patients on chemotherapy. It could also help the elderly whose immune systems become less effective.

When you starve, the system tries to save energy, and one of the things it can do to save energy is to recycle a lot of the immune cells that are not needed, especially those that may be damaged.

There is no evidence at all that fasting would be dangerous while there is strong evidence that it is beneficial.

– Valter Longo, Professor of Gerontology and Biological Sciences at USC

In trials, volunteers were asked to fast regularly for between two and four days over a six-month period. Scientists found that prolonged fasting also reduced the enzyme PKA, which is linked to aging and a hormone which increases cancer risk and tumour growth.

Fasting for three days renews entire immune system, protects cancer patients, ‘remarkable’ new study finds | National Post

Foria – Cannabis Sexual Lubricant For Women (Video)

Foria - Cannabis Sexual Lubricant For Women (Video) | Third Monk

The directions for Foria are unlike any other THC-infused product on the market:

Apply 4-8 sprays directly onto the clitoris, inner and outer labia and inside the vagina.

Each spray contains approximately 2 milligrams of THC. Your body and its needs are unique, so it is recommended that you experiment slowly to learn what serving size is best for you.

Allow 15-30 minutes to relax and absorb the medicine, a great time for foreplay or self-massage. Then enjoy alone or with a partner as desired.

So, what exactly is Foria?

It’s a sensual enhancement oil designed for female pleasure — a therapeutic aphrodisiac. Women have described it as relaxing, and they’ve said it’s heightened their sensations. They’ve associated it with warming and tingling, localized in the sexual region. – ” Mathew Gerson, Founder of Foria

Cannabis as a sexual aid is nothing new. But the creation of a lady-specific topical oil designed for sexual use directly on a woman’s genitals is new — or is it?

There’s a rich history of cannabis and sex. It got me looking a little differently at cannabis historically.

There are even examples of midwives using a honey-based concoction of cannabis for birthing and various other reasons where marijuana has been introduced to the body this way. – Gerson

Foria2

Ladies: Would you use this THC-infused oil for heightened orgasms? | The Cannabist

Eating Mangos Increases Your Marijuana High (Study)

Eating Mangos Increases Your Marijuana High (Study) | Third Monk image 2

Cut_and_Cubed_Mangos (1348x884)

The chemical compounds found within mangos have been discovered to increase, strengthen, and even lengthen the euphoric feelings felt after smoking marijuana.

Eating fresh mangos or even drinking a fresh mango smoothie one hour prior to smoking will dramatically increase the euphoric feelings felt by marijuana and help medical marijuana patients more effectively ease their pain.

A chemical compound known as myrcene terpenes, which is often used for fragrances, is found within cannabis as well as many other various plants such as lemon grass, hops, and of course mangos. This is what gives these plants their unique smells.

Mango Kush

Once ingested, the myrcene terpenes assists the THC by allowing it to pass through the Blood Brain Barrier more efficiently. By eating a mango up to one hour prior to smoking, the time it takes THC to reach the brain is cut in half. Amazingly, the length of the high may last twice as long.

Individuals who have eaten a mango, digested it, and then smoked have also noted that the euphoric feelings felt by marijuana are much more intense.

How to Cut a Mango

What are some of your favorite ways to increase your cannabis high? Have a preferred mango recipe? Share in the comments below!

> Increase Effects of Marijuana Consumption | The Weed Blog

8 Powerful Plants That Detox the Air in Your Home (Guide)

8 Powerful Plants That Detox the Air in Your Home (Guide) | Third Monk image 6

HouseplantsInAHomeOffice-850x400

The average American spends 90 percent of his time indoors.

Unbelievably, air pollution inside your home or office can be worse than the pollution outside, which is why the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ranks indoor air quality as one of the top five environmental risks to public health.

To clean up the air in your home stop buying products made with toxic chemicals that pollute your living space. Products like air fresheners, vinyl flooring, pressed wood made with formaldehyde, and harsh solvents fill your air with nasty chemicals that harm your health.

Ventilating your home by opening a window, even if it’s for just a few minutes a day, will improve your indoor air quality.

Researcher Kamal Meattle discovered that three common houseplants used strategically throughout a home is a great way to grow fresh air and vastly improve the indoor air quality.

Areca Palm (Dypsis Lutescens)

Dypsis_lutescens- Plants That Detox

Areca Palm is “The Living Room Plant.” It is a daytime oxygen factory and Meattle recommends having 4 shoulder height plants per person.

Mother-in-Law Tongue (Sansevieria Trifasciata)

Plants That Detox

Mother-in-Law’s Tongue is “The Bedroom Plant.” This plant is an evening oxygen factory and Meattle recommends having 6-8 waist-high plants per person.

Money Plant (Epipremnum Aureum)

epipremnum Plants That Detox

Money Plant is “The Specialist Plant.” This plant is the filter that removes formaldehyde and other volatile organic chemicals from the air.

Garden nasa collection

If you’re not satisfied with just three options, new research has identified five “super ornamentals” plants that demonstrate high effectiveness of contaminant removal.

These include the Purple Waffle Plant (Hemigraphis Alternataa), English Ivy (Hedera Helix), Variegated Wax Plant (Hoya Cornosa), Asparagus Fern (Asparagus Densiflorus) and the Purple Heart Plant (Tradescantia Pallida).

Remember to check all plants for toxicity to dogs and cats via the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Of the 28 plants tested, these five were effective at reducing levels of a number of common household VOCs, including benzene, toluene, octane, alpha-pinene and TCE.

The healthier your plants, the more vigorously they’ll grow, and the better they’ll clean the air for you.

Kamal Meattle: How to Grow Fresh Air

> Plants to Purify Your Home | Mind Body Green

Marijuana Use Relieves the Pain of Social Exclusion (Study)

Marijuana Use Relieves the Pain of Social Exclusion (Study) | Third Monk image 4

marijuana relieves social exclusion

Newly published research suggests that Marijuana use can relieve the intense discomfort of social exclusion.

Marijuana has been used to treat physical pain, and the current findings suggest it may also reduce emotional pain. – Research team led by University of Kentucky psychologist Timothy Deckman

Deckman and his colleagues are building on two lines of recent research: One that shows the pain of social exclusion is more intense than previously believed, and another revealing that physical pain and emotional pain travel similar pathways in the brain.

ba6b8e35823c7dcd2e52656ee2c601a0

The Studies

The first incorporated data on 5,631 Americans, who reported their level of loneliness, described their marijuana usage (if any), and assessed their mental health and feelings of self-worth. Not surprisingly, the researchers found a relationship between loneliness and feelings of self-worth, but it was significantly weaker for regular pot smokers.

Another experiment, featuring 537 people, found those who were experiencing social pain were less likely to have suffered a major depression in the past year if they smoked pot relatively frequently.

24POT1-articleLarge

The Results

Those who smoked marijuana relatively frequently felt less threatened than those who smoked it less frequently, or not at all.

Together, these studies show that “marijuana use consistently buffered people from the negative consequences associated with loneliness and social exclusion,” Deckman and his colleagues conclude. But buffers are of limited usefulness.

In that sense, avoiding social pain by smoking pot does not necessarily address its root cause. It does work, at least for a while, but it’s also a way to avoid dealing with the underlying issue.

If you are dealing with social exclusion, I recommend consistent meditation and an open, honest inner dialogue. This has helped me find the true cause of underlying issues I was unaware of consciously. A psychedelic trip under the right conditions and with a positive inquisitive mind-set was also very helpful.

In the end remember to do whatever feels right for you, and don’t hesitate to ask for help.

9b695f227a479747fafb706904b2f5cf

> Pot Relieves Loneliness | PS Mag

A Beginner’s Guide to Intermittent Fasting

A Beginner's Guide to Intermittent Fasting | Third Monk image 3

Fasting_4-Fasting-a-glass-of-water-on-an-empty-plate

What is Intermittent Fasting?

Research shows that those who eat less are generally healthier and live longer than those who eat more. Intermittent fasting is based on this principle. Basically, it’s a technique that incorporates a weekly fast into your routine. This method is great because it allows you to reap the benefits of fasting without leaving you feeling weak or deprived.

I can understand that this idea might not sound very appealing, but the fact is there’s ton of health benefits to fasting, and it really isn’t as horrible as it sounds.

The Benefits of Intermittent Fasting

Aside from removing your cravings for sugar and snack foods and turning you into an efficient fat-burning machine, thereby making it far easier to maintain a healthy body weight, modern science has confirmed there are many other good reasons to fast intermittently. For example, research presented at the 2011 annual scientific sessions of the American College of Cardiology in New Orleans showed that fasting triggered a 1,300 percent rise of human growth hormone (HGH) in women, and an astounding 2,000 percent in men.

HGH, human growth hormone, commonly referred to as “the fitness hormone,” plays an important role in maintaining health, fitness and longevity, including promotion of muscle growth, and boosting fat loss by revving up your metabolism. The fact that it helps build muscle while simultaneously promoting fat loss explains why HGH helps you lose weight without sacrificing muscle mass, and why even athletes can benefit from the practice (as long as they don’t overtrain and are careful about their nutrition). The only other thing that can compete in terms of dramatically boosting HGH levels is high-intensity interval training. Other health benefits of intermittent fasting include:

Normalizing your insulin and leptin sensitivity, which is key for optimal health Improving biomarkers of disease
Normalizing ghrelin levels, also known as “the hunger hormone” Reducing inflammation and lessening free radical damage
Lowering triglyceride levels Preserving memory functioning and learning

Source: Mercola

Burning Fat

ipOiu

From a fat-burning perspective, intermittent fasting is a powerful tool. When you’re in a fed state, the body has to produce insulin to keep your blood sugar at a safe level. Insulin’s main job is to shuttle excess glucose (sugar) from the bloodstream over to the muscle, liver or fat cells for storage. But insulin doesn’t only take sugar out of the blood – it also increases fat storage.

Now, if a person were to eat small, infrequent meals every day, this release of insulin would not be a big deal. The problem is many experts have led people to believe that eating five or six meals a day is the only way to eat for weight loss. Now let’s think about this logically for a second. Do you think the best way to lose weight is to cause your body to constantly release a hormone that favors fat storage? I didn’t think so!

Metabolism

Another rumor is that fasting and/or eating infrequent meals every day will slow down your metabolism. This simply isn’t true.

To make this point clear, all you have to do is think back to our primitive ancestors. They rarely (if ever) ate the same amount of food on consecutive days. Their caloric intake was dependent on what was available on that particular day. And they would be forced to fast intermittently because sometimes food was simply unavailable.

Furthermore, evolution takes, minimally, thousands of years, and even though our world has changed drastically, our bodies have not had time to evolve from this primitive lifestyle. As a matter of fact, it has only been within the last 50 to 100 years that our bodies have been exposed to a consistent caloric intake. The truth is, being in a consistently fed state is not natural to the body’s physiology. This is precisely why eating less leads to better health and a longer life.

Telomeres

Human_Telomeres

So, how does intermittent fasting work? There are a lot of different things that happen in the body on a cellular level when you’re in a fasted state, but one I can single out has to do with the length of your telomeres. You can compare telomeres to the plastic casings at the end of a pair of shoelaces. Just as the plastic casings protect the end shoestrings, telomeres protect the ends of your chromosomes. The length of these guys is important. Basically, the shorter your telomeres, the shorter your lifespan.

It just so happens that intermittent fasting is a way to increase the length of your telomeres. Actually, simply eating less can also help your telomeres stay nice and long. Animal studies have shown that animals who ate about 30 percent fewer calories also lived about 30 percent longer than the animals that ate more. So the next time somebody says you should eat five or six meals a day, I suggest you think twice before following their advice.

Blood Sugar Issues

BloodViscosity

Now some of you might be thinking, “I have issues with my blood sugar, so I can’t fast.”

If you have issues with your blood sugar, you should first work on improving the quality of your foods before introducing fasting. Once you get your blood sugar under control by reducing the amount of refined sugars and processed foods you eat, you can try eating less to see how you feel.

How Long is a Fast?

curvy-road-2

I want to be clear about what I mean when I say “fast.”

The benefits of fasting come after about 18 hours, but this doesn’t mean you have to force yourself to go without food all day long. To give you an example of what a fast might look like, let’s say you stop eating after dinner at 7 p.m., you go to bed and wake up at 7 a.m. Right there you have already fasted for 12 hours. In this scenario, if you wait to eat your first meal at 1 p.m. you will have successfully completed an 18-hour fast. Not too bad, right?

Intermittent Fasting Calculator – It lets you plan your caloric intake with respect to a certain macro nutrient ratio you want.

intermittent-fasting

> IF | Huffington Post

45 Amazing Uses for Lemons

45 Amazing Uses for Lemons | Third Monk image 1

45 amazing uses for lemons

When life gives you lemons, REJOICE, there are 45 amazing uses for lemons that will have you begging for more lemons from life.

A glass of steeped lemon water in the morning on an empty stomach goes a long way for your body, but today we’re taking the use of lemons to the next level.

45 Amazing uses for Lemons

1. Freshen the Fridge

Remove refrigerator odors with ease. Dab lemon juice on a cotton ball or sponge and leave it in the fridge for several hours. Make sure to toss out any malodorous items that might be causing the bad smell.

2. High Blood Pressure

Lemon contains potassium which controls high blood pressure and reduces the effect of nausea and dizziness.

3. Prevent Cauliflower From Turning Brown

Cauliflower tend to turn brown with even the slightest cooking. You can make sure the white vegetables stay white by squeezing a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice on them before heating.

4. Mental Health

Lemon water can also prep up your mood and relieve you from depression and stress. Long distance walkers and world travelers as well as explorers look upon the lemon as a Godsend. When fatigue begins, a lemon is sucked through a hole in the top. Quick acting medicine it is, giving almost unbelievable refreshments.

5. Refresh Cutting Boards

No wonder your kitchen cutting board smells! After all, you use it to chop onions, crush garlic, and prepare fish. To get rid of the smell and help sanitize the cutting board, rub it all over with the cut side of half a lemon or wash it in undiluted juice straight from the bottle.

6. Respiratory Problems

Lemon water can reduce phlegm; and can also help you breathe properly and aids a person suffering with asthma.

7. Treating Arthritis and Rheumatism

Lemon is a diuretic – assists in the production of urine which helps you to reduce inflammation by flushing out toxins and bacteria while also giving you relief from arthritis and rheumatism.

8. Prevents Kidney Stones

Regular consumption of the refreshing drink — or even lemon juice mixed with water — may increase the production of urinary citrate, a chemical in the urine that prevents the formation of crystals that may build up into kidney stones.

9. Keep Insects Out of the Kitchen

You don’t need insecticides or ant traps to ant-proof your kitchen. Just give it the lemon treatment. First squirt some lemon juice on door thresholds and windowsills. Then squeeze lemon juice into any holes or cracks where the ants are getting in. Finally, scatter small slices of lemon peel around the outdoor entrance. The ants will get the message that they aren’t welcome. Lemons are also effective against roaches and fleas: Simply mix the juice of 4 lemons (along with the rinds) with 1/2 gallon (2 liters) water and wash your floors with it; then watch the fleas and roaches flee. They hate the smell.

45 amazing uses for lemons 1

10. Anti-Aging

Lemon water reduces the production of free radicals which are responsible for aging skin and skin damage. Lemon water is calorie free and an antioxidant.

11. Fruit and Vegetable Wash

You never know what kind of pesticides or dirt may be lurking on the skin of your favorite fruits and vegetables. Slice your lemon and squeeze out one tablespoon of lemon juice into your spray bottle. The lemon juice is a natural disinfectant and will leave your fruits and vegetables smelling nice too.

12. Treat Infections

Lemon water can fight throat infections thanks to its antibacterial property. If salt water does not work for you, try lime and water for gargling.

13. Deodorize Your Garbage

If your garbage is beginning to smell yucky, here’s an easy way to deodorize it: Save leftover lemon and orange peels and toss them at the base under the bag. To keep it smelling fresh, repeat once every couple of weeks.

14. Keep Guacamole Green

You’ve been making guacamole all day long for the big party, and you don’t want it to turn brown on top before the guests arrive. The solution: Sprinkle a liberal amount of fresh lemon juice over it and it will stay fresh and green. The flavor of the lemon juice is a natural complement to the avocados in the guacamole. Make the fruit salad hours in advance too. Just squeeze some lemon juice onto the apple slices, and they’ll stay snowy white.

15. Purges The Blood

We consume a lot of junk food or food with a lot of preservatives and artificial flavours. This builds up a lot of toxins in the blood and body but daily consumption of lemon water helps to purify the blood.

16. Make Soggy Lettuce Crisp

Don’t toss that soggy lettuce into the garbage. With the help of a little lemon juice you can toss it in a salad instead. Add the juice of half a lemon to a bowl of cold water. Then put the soggy lettuce in it and refrigerate for 1 hour. Make sure to dry the leaves completely before putting them into salads or sandwiches.

17. Oral Health

Lemon juice also stops bleeding gums and reduces toothaches

45 amazing uses for lemons 5

18. Lighten Age Spots

Why buy expensive creams when you’ve got lemon juice? To lighten liver spots or freckles, try applying lemon juice directly to the area. Let it sit for 15 minutes and then rinse your skin clean. It’s a safe and effective skin-lightening agent.

19. Create Blonde Highlights

For salon-worthy highlights, add 1/4 cup lemon juice to 3/4 cup water and rinse your hair with the mixture. Then, sit in the sun until your hair dries. To maximize the effect, repeat once daily for up to a week.

20. Make a Room Scent/Humidifier

Freshen and moisturize the air in your home on dry winter days. Make your own room scent that also doubles as a humidifier. If you have a wood-burning stove, place an enameled cast-iron pot or bowl on top, fill with water, and add lemon (and/or orange) peels, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and apple skins. No wood-burning stove? Use your stovetop instead and just simmer the water periodically.

21. Clean and Whiten Nails

Pamper your hands without a manicurist. Add the juice of 1/2 lemon to 1 cup warm water and soak your fingertips in the mixture for 5 minutes. After pushing back the cuticles, rub some lemon peel back and forth against the nail.

22. Cleanse Your Face

Zap zits naturally by dabbing lemon juice on blackheads to draw them out during the day. You can also wash your face with lemon juice for a natural cleanse and exfoliation. Your skin should improve after several days of treatment. Lemon water is also a cooling agent, best way to beat the heat.

23. Freshen Your Breath

Make an impromptu mouthwash by rinsing with lemon juice straight from the bottle. Swallow for longer-lasting fresh breath. The citric acid in the juice alters the pH level in your mouth, killing bacteria that causes bad breath. Rinse after a few minutes because long-term exposure to the acid in lemons can harm tooth enamel.

24. Treat Flaky Dandruff

If itchy, scaly dandruff has you scratching your head, relief may be no farther away than your refrigerator. Just massage two tablespoons lemon juice into your scalp and rinse with water. Then stir one teaspoon lemon juice into one cup water and rinse your hair with it. Repeat daily until your dandruff disappears.

25. Get Rid of Tough Stains on Marble

You probably think of marble as stone, but it is really petrified calcium (also known as old seashells). That explains why it is so porous and easily stained and damaged. Those stains can be hard to remove. If washing won’t remove a stubborn stain, try this: Cut a lemon in half, dip the exposed flesh into some table salt, and rub it vigorously on the stain. But do this only as a last resort; acid can damage marble. Rinse well. Use These Lemons To Clean – Easy and Effective

26. Remove Berry Stains

It sure was fun to pick your own berries, but now your fingers are stained with berry juice that won’t come off no matter how much you scrub with soap and water. Try washing your hands with undiluted lemon juice, then wait a few minutes and wash with warm, soapy water. Repeat until your hands are stain-free.

27. Soften Dry, Scaly Elbows

Itchy elbows are bad enough, but they look terrible too. For better looking (and feeling) elbows, mix baking soda and lemon juice to make an abrasive paste, then rub it into your elbows for a soothing, smoothing, and exfoliating treatment. Rinse your extremities in a mixture of equal parts lemon juice and water, then massage with olive oil and dab dry with a soft cloth.

45 amazing uses for lemons 4

28. Headaches

Lemon juice with a few teaspoons of hot tea added is the treatment of a sophisticated New York bartender, for those who suffer with hangover headaches–and from headaches due to many other causes. He converts his customers to this regime, and weans them away from drug remedies completely.

29. Chills and Fevers

Chills and fevers may be due to a variety of causes; never the less the lemon is always a helpful remedy. Spanish physicians regard it as an infallible friend.

30. Diphtheria

Skip the vaccine for this disease. Lemon Juice Treatment still proves as one of the most powerful antiseptics and the strong digestive qualities of the fruit are admired around the world. With the juice every hour or two, and at the same time, 1/2 to 1 tsp. should be swallowed. This cuts loose the false membrane in the throat and permits it to come out.

31. Vaginal Hygiene

Diluted lemon juice makes a safe and sane method of vaginal hygiene. Though it is a powerful antiseptic it is nevertheless free from irritating drugs in douches and suppositories.

32. Forget The Moth Balls

A charming French custom to keep closets free from moths is to take ripe lemons and stick them with cloves all over the skin. The heavily studded lemons slowly dry with their cloves, leaving a marvelous odor throughout the closets and rooms.

33. Stomach Health

Digestive problems are the most common ailments but warm water and lime juice is the solution to most digestive problems. Lemon juice helps to purify the blood, reduces your chances of indigestion, constipation, eliminates toxins from the body, adds digestion and reduces phlegm.

34. Disinfect Cuts and Scrapes

Stop bleeding and disinfect minor cuts and scraps by pouring a few drops of lemon juice directly on the cut. You can also apply the juice with a cotton ball and hold firmly in place for one minute.

35. Soothe Poison Ivy Rash

You won’t need an ocean of calamine lotion the next time poison ivy comes a-creeping. Just apply lemon juice directly to the affected area to soothe itching and alleviate the rash.

36. Remove Warts

You’ve tried countless remedies to banish warts and nothing seems to work. Next time, apply a dab of lemon juice directly to the wart using a cotton swab. Repeat for several days until the acids in the lemon juice dissolve the wart completely.

45 amazing uses for lemons 2

37. Bleach Delicate Fabrics

Avoid additional bleach stains by swapping ordinary household chlorine bleach with lemon juice, which is milder but no less effective. Soak your delicates in a mixture of lemon juice and baking soda for at least half an hour before washing.

38. Clean Tarnished Brass and Polish Chrome

Say good-bye to tarnish on brass, copper, or stainless steel. Make a paste of lemon juice and salt (or substitute baking soda or cream of tartar for the salt) and coat the affected area. Let it stay on for 5 minutes. Then wash in warm water, rinse, and polish dry. Use the same mixture to clean metal kitchen sinks too. Apply the paste, scrub gently, and rinse. Get rid of mineral deposits and polish chrome faucets and other tarnished chrome. Simply rub lemon rind over the chrome and watch it shine! Rinse well and dry with a soft cloth.

39. Replace Your Dry Cleaner

Ditch the expensive dry-cleaning bills (and harsh chemicals) with this homegrown trick. Simply scrub the stained area on shirts and blouses with equal parts lemon juice and water. Your “pits” will be good as new, and smell nice too.

40. Boost Laundry Detergent

For more powerful cleaning action, pour 1 cup lemon juice into the washer during the wash cycle. The natural bleaching action of the juice will zap stains and remove rust and mineral discolorations from cotton T-shirts and briefs and will leave your clothes smelling fresh. Your clothes will turn out brighter and also come out smelling lemon-fresh.

41. Rid Clothes of Mildew

Have you ever unpacked clothes you stored all winter and discovered some are stained with mildew? To get rid of it, make a paste of lemon juice and salt and rub it on the affected area, then dry the clothes in sunlight. Repeat the process until the stain is gone.

42. Eliminate Fireplace Odor

There’s nothing cozier on a cold winter night than a warm fire burning in the fireplace — unless the fire happens to smell horrible. Next time you have a fire that sends a stench into the room, try throwing a few lemon peels into the flames. Or simply burn some lemon peels along with your firewood as a preventive measure.

43. Neutralize Cat-Box Odor

You don’t have to use an aerosol spray to neutralize foul-smelling cat-box odors or freshen the air in your bathroom. Just cut a couple of lemons in half. Then place them, cut side up, in a dish in the room, and the air will soon smell lemon-fresh.

44. Deodorize a Humidifier

When your humidifier starts to smell funky, deodorize it with ease: Just pour 3 or 4 teaspoons lemon juice into the water. It will not only remove the off odor but will replace it with a lemon-fresh fragrance. Repeat every couple of weeks to keep the odor from returning.

45. Reduce Asthma Symptoms

In addition to a general detoxifying diet, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice before each meal, and before retiring can reduce asthma symptoms.

45 amazing uses for lemons 3

* If you do consume lemon peel, stick to organic lemons to reduce your pesticide exposure.

45 Uses for Lemons That Will Blow Your Socks Off | True Activist

7 Ways Hemp Seeds Can Improve Your Health

7 Ways Hemp Seeds Can Improve Your Health | Third Monk image 1

hemp-seed-plant

Hemp seed is considered a ‘superfood’ for many reasons and scientists are continuing to discover new benefits of the seed and its derivatives.

The American Chemical Society published a January 2014 paper that revealed “just how many healthful compounds hemp seed oil contains.”

But while research may still be evolving, it turns out that hemp seed has had a long history as a health food. Here are the most notable health benefits that hemp seeds may offer:

1. Rich in Fiber, Vitamins and Minerals

HempSeeds3

Hemp seed has high levels of fiber and vitamins A, C, and E.

The hemp seeds contain tocopherol, which is known to have benefits in Alzheimer’s and atherosclerosis, and phytol, which has both anticancer and antioxidant properties.

It is also rich in minerals, including phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, sulfur, calcium, and has modest levels of iron and zinc.

2. Fights Bad Cholesterol

Studies suggest hemp seed and hemp seed oil can help break down cholesterol as well as prevent problems caused by high cholesterol, including blood clotting.

3. Improves Skin Condition

DSC03984

Dietary hemp seed oil has shown to improve clinical symptoms of atopic dermatitis.

A 2005 study concluded that its cholesterol and skin benefits were both due to “the balanced and abundant supply of PUFAs (polyunsaturated fatty acids) in this hemp seed oil.”

4. Contains Perfect Balance of Fatty Acids

Hemp seed oil contains a 3:1 ratio of the two essential fats: omega-6 and omega-3.

This is the ideal ratio recommended by WHO and Health Canada for cardiovascular health. No other nut or vegetable oil contains this ratio.

5. Prevents Heart Disease

Hemp seed’s fat profile is believed to help prevent a variety of heart conditions.

A 2007 study concluded hemp seed can prevent blood clotting, which “may be of benefit in the protection against clot-induced strokes and myocardial infarctions.” 

Another study concluded that hemp seed may offer significant protection against stroke.

Finally, the American Chemical Society analysis concluded that the high levels of α-linolenic acid (an omega-3 fat) in hemp seed “may have favorable nutritional implications and beneficial physiological effects on the prevention of coronary heart disease and cancer.”

6. Beneficial in Degenerative Diseases

hemp-seeds-2

The same analysis concluded that the level of γ-linolenic acid (an omega-6 fat) in hemp seed “provides it with a high pharmaceutical value for degenerative chronic diseases.”

According to the authors, these may include atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, or certain types of cancer.

7. Reduces Inflammation

Hemp seed contains a variety of plant sterols and alcohols that are known to reduce inflammation, which is a factor in a wide range of diseases.

9 Surprising Health Benefits Of Hemp Seeds | Leaf Science

Neuroscience of Breathing Techniques – Ted Talk (Video)

Neuroscience of Breathing Techniques - Ted Talk (Video) | Third Monk image 1

Neuroscience of Breathing

Breathing is an action that we are all aware of, but are we taking full advantage of this action?

By taking full advantage of different breathing exercises we can enjoy positive effects in our daily lives.

Alan Watkins’ Ted Talk takes you into the neuroscience of breathing techniques, allowing us a look at breathing through a scientific filter.

Neuroscience of Breathing Techniques

In the second half he talks about how breathing techniques work physiologically. He mentions that there are 12 different ways that the breath can be adjusted, but only talked about the most important three:

Rhythmically
Smoothly
Location of the focus during the breath (in the center of the chest)

To remember this, Dr Watkins uses the acronym B.R.E.A.T.H.E:

Breathe
Regularly
Through the
Heart
Everyday

Healthy Sleeping Positions (Video)

Healthy Sleeping Positions (Video) | Third Monk image 1

Healthy Sleeping Position

We spend about 1/3 of our lives sleeping and some of us still don’t have it down.

You would think that something that involves a lot of nothing would come easy but a lot of us have bad sleeping habits that can lead to joint pain, spinal issues and disease.

Sleep is when the body heals and regenerates and even though we may not be actively conscious the brain still sends many signals through the spine to our organs.

Healthy Sleeping Positions

Sleeping Solo

Sleeping With That Special Someone

The key to maintaining a healthy sleeping position, whether you are flying solo or snuggling with a fine dime piece, is a neutral spine.

Live it up, sleep well, dream big; peace.

Best sleeping position - female

Psychedelic Sex – Terence Mckenna (Video)

Psychedelic Sex - Terence Mckenna (Video) | Third Monk image 1

Psychedelic sexTerence Mckenna recounts his experience with a woman while on DMT; the idea of connecting so deeply with another human while in a deep psychedelic trance is sensational.

Mckenna’s trademark story telling skills bring this moment to life in an avalanche of vivid descriptions with plenty of psychedelic nuances as he brings this moment into focus.

Psychedelic Sex – Terrence Mckenna

A mind, body and soul inclusive experience; psychedelic sex; an experience shared by Terence Mckenna.

Sex on Acid