“Gratitude is good nutrition for your soul. If you don’t take it in daily you will start to get sick, tired and dissatisfied.” Becky La Plante, L.Ac.

When The Secret by Rhonda Bryne first came out, I was young and hungry for the information. I acted as if I had everything I wanted; made vision boards, thought about the things I wanted and tried to be positive. I followed the steps, but I never truly believed that I could get what I wanted. I did get results, but the underlying beliefs of lack would always resurface and I was back to square one. Eventually I stopped trying and got frustrated with the process. I see now that I was lacking gratitude in this whole process. By being grateful for what I had, the feeling of lack could not exist because I had to consciously look for things to be grateful for.  

Fast forward to the past 2 years. I am now finally established in CT, and I can finally say I feel satisfaction, happiness love, and joy.  This was not the case 4 months ago. Moving across the country, taking new state exams, starting a new business while struggling to pay bills, make new friends, and continue my education and healing work left me too serious, lonely and alien in this foreign state, fearful of my financial survival, and hyper aware of my grief.  I was so wrapped up in trying to survive that I forgot to see the beauty around me.

I reached out for help and I was lucky enough to be introduced to the workbook called The Magic.  Because I was so fed up with being unhappy, I committed to the 28 days of exercises focused on being grateful for what I have now, had in the past, and will have in the future. I gave my self permission to just day dream about what I would ideally be being and doing if I had everything I needed. Miraculously, I instantly started to feel more relaxed, less tense, happier, and more satisfied. Things finally started to go my way. I was able to pay my bills on time, found love and found peace again. Things didn’t look exactly as I daydreamed them to be, but they sure felt the way I daydreamed I would be feeling.

I must admit, that there were definitely days that I still felt crappy and unfulfilled but thankfully I was committed to gratitude even if it started out at first with simple things such as my cats, my car, my bed, a roof over my head, etc. The more things that I thought of, the better I felt, and the quicker I got out of my doom and gloom.

After I finished the program, things were going well, and while enjoying the harvest of my hard gratitude work, I gradually started to forget to do my gratitude practice every day. I still had more tools and better gratitude habits then before, but I quickly learned that gratitude was like good nutrition and vitamins. If I didn’t take it in, I would start to feel tired and dissatisfied. This is why I am creating this support group.  I am sure it would have been even easier for me to stay on track during and after the program if I had other friends and people also taking gratitude as medicine to share my results and failures.  To support and to be supported is a great gift that can carry us far beyond what we could do alone.

I am 100 % sure that gratitude transformed my life and my health and after being in healing world since I was 16 years old, I am sure it is one of the quickest, easiest, and least expensive tools to take charge of our own peace, happiness, and joy. 

By Becky La Plante, L.Ac.
Licensed Acupuncturist
http://www.elementaltransformation.com/chinese-herbal-medicine.html

In Chinese Herbal Medicine and Nutrition there are over 365 plants, foods, minerals and animals that known to have medicinal properties. Each herb works with one or more organs, has particular temperatures, flavor/tastes, and directions/flows and energy pathways.

The summer is considered the greatest of yang and humans are effected by the heat, which along with feeling hot and humid we are prone to get other illnesses aggravated by these temperatures and conditions. 

Below are a yin cooling foods and herbs used in Chinese Medicine to help cool you down, and if you do get sick, to help heal you. Herbs are best used in partnership with each other. For any questions, please contact me through my website above. 

Watermelon: There is a reason why this juicy fruit is abundant in the summer. It is used in Chinese Nutrition for summer heat and to cool you down down the body and the blood. Although watermelon is 90 percent water, it can have diuretic properties to help clear toxins from your body, so make sure you don't use it as a subsitute for water. 

Mint
Chinese Name: Bo He
Again, if it grows in the summer it usually can heal ailments of the summer. Mint is abundant in the summer and can be found wild in nature.  Make a tea with some fresh mint, or add it to your water to cool your self down. 

It is used in Chinese Medicine to expel wind heat particularly from the head region -  for fever, headaches, red eyes, cough, sore throat.

Chrysanthemum Flowers
Chinese Name: Ju Hua
Crysanthemum is another cooling herb and is great made into an iced tea. It is used for general cooling and medicinally for fever, headaches, eye problems, and sore throat. It can be used as a compress for red inflamed eyes and infections. 

A Very Common Herbal Formula for a Summer Cold
Chinese Name: Yin Qiao Wan
English Name: Honeysuckle and Forsythia Formula 
Common cold, flu, general immunity, fever w/slight or no chills, headache, desire for fluids, cough, sore throat.

Do you remember the last time you sat in your yard and noticed the flowers or the trees that you pass by everyday, or even the birds and animals busy with their day to day activities? It is easy to miss the beauty of nature around us when living in the city, driving in traffic, struggling to pay the bills, and then coming home to de-stress from the day with some form of media.

We spend more and more money every day on medications for insomnia, blood pressure, anxiety and depression and more, not aware of the possibility that just turning off the TV or computer and going outside can be the cure of many of our ailments.  The research suggests that this disconnect with nature and its elements may be a major contributor to physiological dysfunction and psychological imbalances.

Studies show that being out in nature contributes to relaxation and an increased sense of well-being, restoration of mental clarity, physical health and healing, decreased recovery time from surgery, and decreased A.D.D. and A.D.H.D. symptoms in children. They also show that walking barefoot or sitting on the earth has benefits too common disorders including sleep disorders, pain and inflammation, chronic stress, and cardiovascular disease.

There are many gems that nature has to offer us, including herbal medicine. Herbs have been used for thousands of years and most of the time the most beneficial herbs for us are usually growing in our own back yard.  

Go ahead and try the free and simple medicine experiencing nature has to offer and notice the difference in your health and well-being. Take 20 minutes a day, as many days a week, and just sit outside or walk barefoot on the grass, go to a local park and sit next to a tree, or even go for a hike in the mountains.  Notice the plants around you; you never know what medicinal qualities they may have to offer you. 

Becky La Plante, L.Ac. 


References:

Journal of Environmental and Public HealthVolume 2012 (2012), Article ID 291541, 8 pages doi:10.1155/2012/291541

Psychological Benefits of Nature Experiences: An Outline of Research and Theory

With Special Reference to Transpersonal Psychology John Davis, Ph.D. http://www.johnvdavis.com/ep/Psy%20benefits%20of%20n%207-04.pdf