How to Unclog Your Sinuses Without Drugs

How to Kill a Cold the Natural Way

1) Get Adjusted!

2) Hydrate!
    ~Drink lots of water
    ~Use a steam vaporizer while sleeping but keep it clean!

3) Do NOT overblow your nose!
    ~Gently squeeze the mucus out

4) Drink Thyme tea!

• A sprig of thyme
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 dash of cayenne pepper
• Top with hot water and enjoy up to every hour if necessary   

What to do when you just want to be miserable

I posted on Facebook this morning, "If you wake up in the morning not loving your life, you have three options: stay miserable, change your life, or change the way you look at it." I then stated that I hoped everyone would bypass option one.

I have since reconsidered.

Sometimes, you don't feel like bypassing option one!

Sometimes, you want to be miserable. Sometimes, it doesn't feel like there's any other option. And even if that may simply be an ego-induced illusion, if that's where you are, enjoy your misery! Live it up. Savor it. Be as miserable AS POSSIBLE.

Make it count. Don't just be miserable...

However, I do have a few rules:

1) Set a time limit. Every party must come to an end, including this one, so set a time limit, set an alarm, and when it goes off, bring your party to an end. I recommend a series of 5 minute parties. You can have them as often as you like, but you must walk away from them in between. Some people even like to store their party in a special box and put it on the shelf. This box can exist in the material world, or simply your imagination.

2) Don't hurt anyone else.  Please do not toss shrapnel at those you love. It's fine to share your circumstances with those you care about or even tell them what you are doing, but pity parties are best had with one guest and one guest only.

3) No Judging. You are in no way to berate yourself for this party of yours. This is something you are treating yourself to. There is nothing wrong with it and there is nothing wrong with you. There is nothing wrong with the way you are feeling. Wouldn't it be great to live in a judgement free zone? That zone starts in your own mind. Tell the haters to take a hike.

Happy pity partying! Scream, cry, curse, throw a fit (or even a pillow!) and let me know how you feel when you're done in the comments below!

The Last Announcements of 2012

Dearest Patients and Wellness Advocates, I hope this holiday season is treating you well!  I know many of you received your special gift this week (and really hope you didn't have to use it yet!) and I'm glad it brought a smile.  After all, laughter is the best medicine!  Zack enjoyed playing Santa Paws as well (We know he loves lovin!  For a picture, check out Samsara Chiropractic's Facebook page!) Some announcements: First of all, a reminder that the office will be closed next week. (It's about time I take my own advice and take some vacation time! ;.) We will be in the office New Years' Eve from 10-1 but appointments are filling up fast, (I think we only have two left!) so call NOW! Normal hours will resume January 2nd. Second, most insurance deductibles start over January 1st. Many patients are already pre-paying at the current rate to save in the new year but all pre-pays MUST be complete by January 1st. Don't miss out! Third, I want to share some wonderful upcoming opportunities: The next Dinner with the Doc is  Tuesday, January 8th at 6:30pm at  Social 156 North Gaston Ave Somerville. "How To Kill The Common Cold!" Learn how to stop a cold in it's tracks.  Learn what REALLY makes you sick and how to naturally bring your body back into balance. Also, due to popular demand, we will be having an encore presentation of the movie, "Doctored" Saturday, January 19th at 3pm.  Make sure to RSVP with the front desk for all events!  We need to know how many chairs to provide and we need to advise the wonderful folks at Social how much food they need for us! Keep in mind that these events are included in the cost of your care, so I encourage you to take advantage of them!  I also know that many of you have friends or family that you have been trying to encourage to come see us. These events are a great opportunity for them to come and get their questions answered without any pressure or fees!  Our mission is to get our message out and provide care (and hope!) to those who need it.  I hope, since you were most likely in that place before finding us as well, that you will help us help them! Finally, some of you are aware that I organize an organic produce co-op pick-up point around the corner from the office through Purple Dragon. There are currently a very limited number of openings, but if you know someone who might be interested in getting high quality, affordable, local when available, farm-fresh produce every two weeks, please have them contact me.  I've been a customer of theirs for over 15 years and have never been disappointed. And on that note, I hope you have a very Merry Christmas. Stay safe! Yours in health, Dr. Redmond

Adrenal Boost: Completed!

I've been awfully quiet about my recent challenge.

A little over a month ago, I decided I needed to recharge my adrenal glands.

After one aborted attempt, I restarted a month ago, and with the exception of one dinner party, a couple french fries, and a half-inch sliver of banana cream pie on Labor Day, I've been pretty consistent with my efforts.

I have to say... I really FEEL a difference!  I tested my saliva pH before starting and periodically throughout the last month and it has also consistently been more basic.  But the biggest differences I've noticed has been my energy, my sleep quality, sinuses clearer than I ever thought possible, and the fact that despite the scale barely budging, my clothes are fitting better.  And every time I cheated, I FELT the difference as well... I'd feel tired, slow, and hit an afternoon lag that just wasn't there when I was avoiding sugar, wheat, caffeine, alcohol, and fried foods.  I'm curious to see how my body changes now that I have added dairy back in, but I can say without a doubt that I notice negative shifts in my energy level and mood when I consume wheat and sugar.  And it is immediate!  I've also noticed how heavy and congested my digestive tract feels when I eat too much red meat (an observation I've never made before...).  Oatmeal also seems to slow me down a bit...

Why do I tell you all this?

I can't promise that you will have the same experience I had, but I'd love for you to try this experiment for yourself and report back to me what you noticed.  Be an alien in your own body and see how your food affects your moods, body functions, and energy level.  Awareness leads to knowledge and knowledge is power!  Let me know what you discover... 

My Facebook Fast

It's been slightly over a week now since I've started my 30 day Facebook Fast, and I've already noticed a shift.  Bear with me as I try to explain, as I am still trying to sort it all out.

First of all, I haven't felt this connected to the world in quite some time... which is ironic since Facebook supposedly connects us to so many!

When I say I feel "connected" it's something far beyond just people... I guess it's more of a spiritual connection... of which a side effect is feeling more secure in who I am.  I had no idea the effect Facebook was having on my self-esteem...

I can't help but think of one of my favorite books, The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz.  One of the agreements is, "Don't take anything personally."  Facebook sets the stage perfectly to alternately feed and starve the ego (our false sense of self).  Any time we expand or contract the ego, self-esteem is affected. That false sense of self automatically makes us feel separate from the world instead of one small cell of a larger, cohesive organism.  The ego makes us feel disconnected.  It wants us to feel like an individual!  It makes us want to feel unusually unique!  Of course, we all are in our own way, but this can also turn against us, making us feel so unique that we get cocky, over-confident, or feel like an island that no one can understand.  It makes us feel alone and lonely.

On top of that, virtual interaction is a whole new breed... it's communication without connection.  And when I consider the state of the world today, with cyber-bullying and the lack of empathy that we witness in things like this video:

it occurs to me that it is this lack of connection that is brewing such a diseased world. Communication without being witness to others' emotions guards us from the pain that we cause, and keeps us from sensing that pain and feeling it in our own hearts.  We have been well-trained from the time we were small children to disconnect from what we see on screens... that what we see isn't "real."  That's how we can watch horror, and action, and absurdity without ending up in a mental ward!  It's a protective mechanism.  I'm starting to wonder if many of us are experiencing the same numbing effect with Facebook.  Classic Conditioning and Stimulus Generalization at its finest.

In this week since I've been off facebook, I have been more clued in to who my real friends are, I've been less self-absorbed, less distracted, and felt more spiritually engaged...

Can't wait to see what happens next week! (Stay tuned and "Follow" for updates!)

Did I stay off Facebook?  Click here to find out!