This week I want to introduce to you sound healing. 

Some of you may be familiar with the practice, some may have at lease heard of it, and some of you may not know what it is at all. Regardless of the category you find yourself in, this newsletter will bring a greater awareness and understanding of what sound healing is and how it works.

This is a topic that I could talk for days about, but my intention is not to overwhelm you but to just give you a general understanding of the practice and its benefits. Should you choose to dive deeper I'll provide some resources along the way that will allow you to crawl as far down the rabbit hole of knowledge as your heart desires.

Here is a 30 minute sound healing by yours truly to start your journey into sound.
Please listen in headphones or on good speakers for the best sound experience. 

Enjoy!

Everything in our universe, both living and not, is in a constant state of vibration.

Think back to grade school science classes when you were taught about matter and the atoms that create it. We were taught that the atoms that create solids are closer together, more compact, and move slower than that of liquids or gas, but that nonetheless, even those atoms were always in a state of motion/vibration. Without that vibration, that frequency which holds all matter together, there would be no shape, no form, no light, no world, no us. 
Take a moment and let that sink in.


So what do vibrating atoms have to do with sound?

Well, sound is simply the range of vibration that we as humans can audibly perceive. But as humans, we have an extremely limited hearing range of approximately 20-20,000 Hertz.

Hertz (Hz) is a measurement for vibration or frequency calculated by the number of cycles per second (CPS) at which it vibrates. A cycle is one full oscillation, and 1Hz is equal to 1cps.  When picturing. a wave, 1 full cycle would start at the center line, curve up to the apex at the top of the wave, dip down through center to the crest of the bottom of the wave, and end back at center.

But just think of how expansive the range of vibration is that we can't hear.If vibration causes sound, then how much sound occurs all around us daily that we can't perceive?

What is resonance and dissonance?

Resonance is the natural frequency at which any object naturally vibrates at in its healthy state. Dissonance is what happens when the object falls out of its healthy frequency into a state of disharmony or dis-ease. 

Ever think about how sound as an adjective (safe and sound), is another word for health and means "in good condition; not damaged, injured, or diseased?"  Well within our bodies, every organ, muscle, bone, ligament, joint, cell, and function has a unique resonance which when kept, maintains health in the body. 


So how does dissonance arise? 

Just as all things we can see, hear, and touch have a certain frequency, so to do do emotions and thoughts. When we live within strong emotions or thought patterns for long periods of time (such as anxiety or depression), or when we experience trauma or prolonged physical, mental, or emotional stress, parts of our body will try to adapt to this new frequency as it is the body's nature to do so for survival. This part of the body that is affected will then fall "out of tune" and will then begin to seek harmony from other organs, tissues, cells, molecules, etc. in order to return to resonance. So when left unresolved, this one place of imbalance can create disharmony throughout the entire system.

Think of your body like a symphony. If even one player is out of tune or loses their sheet music, it causes chaos and disharmony for the entire orchestra. Give that player another copy of the sheet music or make a quick tune up to heal the situation, and everything else can return to harmony, saving the symphony. 


Below are some examples of emotions and their frequency:

• Low Frequency Emotions
  • Shame              20Hz
  • Guilt                 30Hz
  • Apathy             50Hz
  • Grief                75Hz
  • Fear               100Hz
  • Anger             150Hz
• High Frequency Emotions
  • Courage          200Hz
  • Acceptance     350Hz
  • Love                500Hz
  • Joy                   540Hz
  • Peace               600Hz
  • Enlightenment 700-1000Hz
    

Cymatics

Before we going into the different aspects and actions of sound and how it affects the body, I want to first solidify the understanding that sound does have the power and capacity to shift and change matter within and around us. I feel when this concept is fully understood, the idea of sound healing becomes a little less ethereal and a little more real. So I'd like to introduce to you the study of Cymatics.

Cymatics (a term coined by Dr. Hans Jenny) is the study of the effect of sound on physical form. Cymatics was explored through experiments using different substances (putty, water, lycopodium dust), and a means by which to apply a specific frequency to that matter (a metal plate and a crystal oscillator) in order to see the results of sound on form. It was found that through vibration at specific frequencies, matter would change shape, sometimes resembling organic or geometric structures that already exist in our world. 

This concept is better seen than explained, so below are a few videos you can check out that explain or give a great representation of cymatics.  

Ted Talks - Making Sound Visible Through Cymatics 

CYMATICS: Science Vs. Music - Nigel Stanford

"Cymatics - Bringing Matter to Life" Film by Dr. Hans Jenny 

Secrets of Cymatics
 


Frequency in the Human Body

Now that you have a better understanding of resonance and dissonance, how disharmony affects the health of a system and how sound affects form, lets take a look at what frequency does in the human body.

Did you know that our bodies usually feel the vibration of sound before we hear it?

We are intrinsically feeling beings, we perceive and process vibrations from everyday sounds, experiences, and encounters through our skin, cells, and tissues in our bodies. And while the hearing aspect is important, sound healing is more about what is felt. But before we dive into how sound interacts with the body, lets deepen our understanding of the resonance within each aspect of the body.

Think back to the previous analogy of solids having closer together, slower moving atoms. Well slower moving means longer wavelengths or oscillations, which translates into lower cycles per second or hertz. So the denser substances will have lower frequencies than more mutable or etheric aspects in our body.  

Below is a general list of body parts or aspects from lowest to highest frequency:

• Bones                              <--  lowest frequency
• Joints
• Tendons & Muscles
• Organs
• Blood & Liquid                                    
• Mental body (thoughts)
• Emotional body
• Etheric body (spirit)          <--  highest frequency

Resonance 

The main method of using sound to heal is by way of resonance. Through resonance, if we know our bones resonate at a much lower frequency than other parts of our body, we would use lower frequencies (such as that of a digeridoo) to inspire healing there.

There are two types of resonance, free and forced. 

Free resonance is when an object will begin to vibrate only when it comes in contact with a frequency that matches its own. Forced resonance (think plucking strings on a guitar) is when one vibrating source produces vibration in another object, even when they don't share the same frequency. 

I like to think of Free resonance as external or internal sounds or experiences that remind the body of what its healthy state of vibration is and gently encourage it to return to health. Forced resonance, on the other hand, is like the body receiving new external messages (like a massage)  that can still move the body toward health, but by way of external factors shifting things into a healthier place. In healing, forced resonance is most commonly seen by way of entrainment and through the pathway of water. 

I will mention and explain entrainment and forced resonance's affect on water in the sections below.


Entrainment  

Entrainment is a type of forced resonance in which the vibrations of one object change those of another, causing the second object to "lock in step," or synchronize with the first. This type of resonance is most commonly seen through brain entrainment.

So what is brain entrainment?

Essentially through the power of sound and this "lock in step" type of resonance, we have the ability alter our brainwave states. The way it is applied is through use of beat frequencies or binaural beats. Binaural beats are created with two different frequencies, one played in each ear. When these two frequencies are a certain number of Hertz apart, our brain does the math and starts resonating at a Hertz equal to the difference between each frequency.

For example, lets say we had a tuning fork that resonated at 100Hz ringing in our right ear, and we struck another fork, ringing at 105Hz and put it beside our left, the difference between those frequencies, 5Hz, is the measure of the brainwave state our mind would sync to (Theta wave). 

Below is an explanation of the different brainwave states and their approximate Hertz.

• DELTA [ 0.5 – 4 Hz]
  • Deep Sleep: Deeply unconscious, sleep, astral travel, dreaming, other dimensions, loss of bodily awareness
• THETA [ 4 – 8 cps]
  • Subconscious/meditation: Drowsy, tranquil, unconscious, light sleep, shamanic journeying, high creativity
• ALPHA [ 8 – 13 cps]
  • Subconscious/deep relaxation: Deeply relaxed, light hypnosis, meditation, biofeedback, daydreaming, just before & after sleep, mystical state
• BETA [ 13 – 20 cps]
  • Waking Conscious: Fully awake, alert, focused
• HIGH BETA [ 20 – 30 cps]
  • Hyperactivity & anxiety
• GAMMA [40 – 80 cps]
  • Superconscious/insight:  Highly attentive state of consciousness and perception. Higher mental activity and high level of information processing (integration

But why is this so cool?

When applied, this allows us to shift into a more relaxed state of mind if we are too awake, or wake up and focus when we are feeling drowsy. So instead of being a victim to poor timing of brainwave states, we can gain back a bit of control of our day, all through the use of sound.

Where can you find binaural beats to use?

Lucky for us, there are a number of free music streaming apps that make binaural beats easily available and right at our fingertips. If you search "binaural beats" on Spotify, there is a long list of options you can choose from depending on what state of mind you are needing.

Below, are some additional avenues for you to explore the magic of beat frequencies:

Binaural beats phone apps:

• Atmosphere: Relaxing Sounds
• Brain Waves - Binaural Beats
• myNoise
• Binaural Beats


Tuning Forks:

• BioSonics Brain Tuner Set


Important: when exploring binaural beats, remember that the way brain entrainment works is through two different frequencies played in opposite ears. So you will not get any benefit when listening from a speaker as it does not allow the brain to "lock in step" and find the resonant difference. So when entraining your brain, always use headphones.

Intention is an important key to healing, and its also just an important thing to be aware of in your everyday life. If you aren't familiar of just how powerful intention is, check out this short clip (or the extended video) of Dr. Wayne Dyer's talk on the power of intention.

Just as all matter, mass, and things we can see, touch, or hear hold resonant vibration, so to do emotions, thoughts, and intention. If there is nothing else you take away from this week, at least let this one part stick.

                                      "Our intention creates our reality" - Dr. Dyer

Intent is the energy behind sound that is carried upon its waves to magnify the healing potential. Let your conscious intent be that of healing and you will create healing, whereas if your intent is negative or doubtful, that is the energy and experience you will manifest.

There have been countless studies on the power of intention and how it can manifest physically, but the one, most prominent example I can think of is the work of Dr. Masaru Emoto. Dr. Emoto studied the affect of words on water and captured the crystaline structure of water samples using a dark field microscope.
In his work, samples of water that were given positive messaged through words, written messages, prayer, or music would create beautiful, snowflake-like, geometric structures, whereas when the words were negative, the crystaline structure would fall into disorder and chaos.

With our bodies made up of over 70% of this highly recordable substance (water), these findings put into perspective just how much power and affect our own thoughts, words, and intentions can have on us.

This video explains more about Dr. Emoto's studies with a visual representation of the crystaline structures recorded.

So as you take this newfound understanding of the power of sound into your world, remember that even your intent carries sound/vibration and that the healing starts with you.

I hope you enjoyed the sound healing for this week and are feeling inspired to explore the healing potential of sound and vibration. 

If you want to read more about sound here are some book recommendations:

** The 7 Secrets of Sound Healing by Jonathan Goldman  **
Healing Power of Sound by Mitchell L. Gaynor, M.D.
 The Humming Effect by Jonathan Goldman
Human Tuning by John Beaulieu
Tuning the Human Biofield by Eileen Day McKusick


Reminders:
 
The Harmonizing Healthcare clinic has started a weekly broadcast with the mission of supporting you in a deeper way and helping you optimize your well-being physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Dr. Sarica Cernohous, L.Ac., Brittany Petrick, L.Ac., and other guests will come together every Tuesday to cover topics of health and wellness in order to inspire and support you on your journey of holistic health. 
The purpose of this service is to help and support you, your family, and our community, so if there is a topic of health or a challenge that you are going through and would like us to cover it, please let us know. 

Here is our link so that you can follow us: 
https://allsocial.com/harmonizingcare?follow=harmonizingcare


We are also still offering online herbal consults if you are unable to make it into the clinic but would still like to keep your health as top priority.
Please call us at (928) 856-0656 to schedule.


With gratitude,
The Harmonizing Healthcare team

(928) 856-0656

​Tomorrow the sun will finally reach the highest point in the sky, and we will experience the longest day and shortest night for the year. You know what that means... Summer is here!

As we welcome and celebrate the summer solstice tomorrow, I wanted to bring more awareness to the symbolism of this time, the energetic aspects to be aware of for this season, and tips and tricks to stay cool and balanced as we move into the hottest part of the year.

Below is a video that will guide you through a breath technique to keep your cool as things heat up.

The Harmonizing Healthcare team also has an exciting announcement for you this week! 
So make sure to read or scroll all the way to the bottom of this weeks Newsletter for more details.

​The summer solstice, and season of summer, has been long celebrated throughout the history of every culture. Summer Solstice, which your ancestors, many generations back, may have referred to as Midsummer, signified the start of a bountiful season when the land is its most fertile and the sun shines its brightest. It was known as a time of celebration, potential, and passion, and a time to bask in the abundant, life-giving energy of the sun, and to enjoy the beauty and abundance of the land after the hard work, careful tending, and cultivation marked by spring.  

The summer solstice is the day when the earth's tilt is at a point where the land of the northern hemisphere is closest to the sun. As we find closeness to this fiery ball of gas that gives light and warmth to our planet, we step into a time marked by the rising power of the Fire element. With the energy of fire, and the shortened proximity between earth and sky, both physically and spiritually, now is a time to step into your personal power and purpose. 

Now is the perfect time to deepen your connection to nature as it is beaming and glowing with the sun's energy. Get out into the forest, tend your garden, or just stick your feet in the soil to ground into this beautiful, bountiful energy of the season. As you deepen this connection, remember to only take what you need and stay in a space of gratitude for all you are offered (a good practice both for our connection to the land and for life in general). And for a land that is so abundant and gives so much for us to survive, think about ways you can give back. Can you cultivate by growing your own garden, clean up by picking up trash, or give back another way such as spreading seeds or offering water and love to the land.

Summer is a great time to rediscover and take steps onto the path aligned with your truth and use the fire within to burn away anything that no longer resonates with you or feels out of alignment in your life. But as you make this shift of manifesting newfound truths and releasing old habits, remember that things take time, these fruits of transformation may not come until next season, so allow yourself to transition slowly into this new celebrated version of you.

During this warm, bountiful season, we should find fertility in our own life to inspire and create; draw into existence all of your creative desires. Bring this fire energy into your life and allow it to be the flame that not only burns away the things you've outgrown, but also the flame that ignites your passion, will, and drive. And as the distance between earth and sky draws closer, remember to celebrate and find gratitude for all the work you've done to grow closer to your highest self and truth. 


This summer, find time to experience life and do things that bring you joy, but also find time to sit back, relax, and enjoy the beauty of your own accomplishments.

Season:                Summer
Element:              Fire
​Direction:           South
Yin Organ:          Heart
Yang Organ:      Small Intestine
Emotion:             Joy
Sound:                  Laughter
Taste:                    Bitter

​
Summer is a yang season, represented by the element of fire, the spark which inspires life. 

When our fire is balanced, we embody or attract:

• Enthusiasm for life
• Good communication
• Charisma
• Optimism
• Magnetism
• Empathy
• Awareness
• Love
• Joy
• Community
• Intuition

When we our fire is either excessive or deficient, it can show up in some of the following ways:

• Excessive perspiration
• Hot flashes
• Rashes, hives, hot skin conditions
• Trouble sleeping and insomnia
• Bad dreams
• Hyper-excitability 
• Apathy or lack of joy
• Anxiety, Irritability, restlessness
• Mania or depression
• Excessive talking, rapid speech, or inappropriate laughter
• Headaches
• Thirst
• Addiction to or craving for stimulants
• Swollen Feet
• rapid or irregular heart beat
• Sores in the nose, mouth, tongue, or lips
• Red eyes
• Chest pain
• Chills
• Hyper or hypotension
• Issues with boundaries
• Confusion

As we shift from spring to summer, in TCM, it is a shift from Liver energy to Heart energy. We are shifting from a focus of awakening, detoxing, digesting, and planting seeds and into an energy of passion, connection, mindfulness, creativity, and joy.  

Heart

In TCM the Heart is viewed as the emperor of the body which governs the blood and the mind. It is in this Heart energy we experience joy, tap into intuition, and connect with others. The Heart is responsible for moving the blood, and this regulation of movement ensures that proper nourishment is continually flowing to all functions of the body to maintain balance. The Heart is also the home of the Mind and Spirit, encompassing consciousness, cognitive ability, memory, spirituality, and emotional and psychological health. 

While Summer is most connected with the Heart (yin), it is also associated with the Small Intestine (yang), the Pericardium, and the Triple Burner.

Small Intestine
The Small Intestine - the yang organ of summer, is the organ where most absorption of nutrient occurs during the digestive process. It essentially weeds out the bad and soaks up the good. In a similar fashion, energetically, this organ allows for discernment and clear judgement of information and impressions received and digested in our daily interactions. 
Pericardium

The Pericardium is the membrane that surrounds and protects the Heart in the physical realm. Energetically, this organ is viewed as the gateway to the heart. This gate serves to open and welcome in positive energy, and set the boundaries that prevent negative energy from entering. 

Triple Burner

The triple burner (San Jiao), is an energetic organ that is felt, but not physically present in the body. Even though it has no physical presence, it is just as important as any other organ, and passively oversees the balance and flow of the entire system. It is responsible for passively directing and regulating the fluids of the body, controlling body temperature and discharge of waste, freeing up portals and movement, and relaxing restraint or swelling.

Foods to enjoy (cooling yin foods that disperse heat and nourish the fluids of the body)

• Apple
• Lemon
• Kiwi
• Watermelon
• Orange
• Pear
• Pineapple
• Tangerine
• Apricot
• Cantaloupe
• Tomato
• Peach 
• Bitter greens: endive, escarole, spinach, kale, swiss chard
• Cucumber
• Salads
• Yogurt
• Wheat
• Barley
• Fish
• Duck
• Rabbit
• Mint
• Dill
• Cilantro
• Lighter foods/meals


Foods to avoid (Hot and Dry foods):

• Coffee
• Excessively spicy foods
• Ice cold foods 
• curry 
• Sugar
• Alcohol


Stay hydrated

• Drink lots of water
• Drink watermelon juice or green tea (disperses heat)


Wake up earlier

• If the sun can stay up late and wake up early, then so too should we.


Invite in more water into your life

• Cool baths and showers
• Visit natural waters (lakes, creeks, oceans, springs)
• Go swimming


Do things that bring you joy

• Connect with people you love 
• Make time for play
• Start new creative projects 
• Go on adventures
• Play games

Exercise

• Incorporate more cardiovascular exercise to keep the heart and circulatory system healthy
• Do workouts that are fun and make you sweat. Sweat removes toxins. 
• Meet yourself where you are now - start slow and work your way up if needed. 
• Don't overdo it. The heat of summer makes the heart more vulnerable, so build endurance gradually.


Relax

• Schedule in downtime 
• Allow for short, midday naps
• Make time for meditation, solitude, and introspection


Moisturize

• With fire comes dryness - so hydrate your skin and cells.


Establish and maintain healthy boundaries

• With the heart more open and vulnerable, its important to keep healthy boundaries. If this is something you have a difficult time with, now is a great time to start. The more you practice, the easier it gets, and the more peace and joy you will maintain in this season. 


Refrain from hot emotions (anger)

• Lets not add more flame to the fire, for we may overheat, dry out, or burn out of control. Try to avoid situations that cause irritation, frustration, or anger. If you can't avoid these situations, see if you can observe the interactions as though you are not a part of them and separate yourself from your emotions. The breath technique from this week's video is also a great tool if you notice any hot emotions creeping in.  

​Essential oils suggestions for Summer

• Peppermint
• Lavender
• Vetiver
• Eucalyptus 
• Sandalwood
• Citronella
• Rosemary
• Citrus oils: Lemon, Lime, Grapefruit
• Geranium

I hope this week's newsletter has provided some inspiration and insight for your summer celebrations.

As promised in the intro, I have an exciting announcement for you! 
The Harmonizing Healthcare clinic will be starting a weekly broadcast with the mission of supporting you in a deeper way and helping you optimize your well-being physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Dr. Sarica Cernohous, L.Ac., Brittany Petrick, L.Ac., and other guests will come together every Tuesday to cover topics of health and wellness in order to inspire and support you on your journey of holistic health. 
The purpose of this service is to help and support you, your family, and our community, so if there is a topic of health or a challenge that you are going through and would like us to cover it, please let us know. 
We will be using the new social media platform, AllSocial, which is free to join. 
It is a great resource for alternative health education. 


Our first broadcast will be on Tuesday June 23rd. 
Here is our link so that you can follow us: 
https://allsocial.com/harmonizingcare?follow=harmonizingcare


We look forward to connecting with you in this new way and offering you education and resources to harmonize your life.


Happy Solar Eclipse, Summer Solstice, and New Moon! 
With gratitude,
The Harmonizing Healthcare team

(928) 856-0656​

Lets talk about the healing power of plants. Plants can be a huge ally in our journey to wellness. Medicinal plants are like beautiful gifts from Mother Nature that work synergistically with the human body to create balance. They can be a wonderful tool in finding physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health. 

This week I want to shed some light on Peppermint and talk about her benefits, uses, history, and folklore of this plant. 

Below is a video on the benefits of Peppermint Essential. I hope you enjoy! 

Mentha piperita - Peppermint

History

Peppermint (Mentha piperita) is in the Lamiaceae (mint) family, and is a hybrid plant between spearmint (M. spicata) and water-mint (M. aquatica). The plant has a bit of uncertainty regarding its origins, but is thought to be of Mediterranean origin. Since discovery, it has been highly valued in Greek, Roman, and even Egyptian culture. 

Before its medicinal uses, Greeks and Romans used Peppermint to adorn themselves and dining tables, and to flavor sauces and wines. It is said that ancient Egyptians, may have used Peppermint as ritual perfume, and there has been discovery of dried leaves in Pyramids dating around 1000 BCE. The essential oil of peppermint has recorded use from as early as the 14th century for dental hygiene and teeth whitening. 

Peppermint grew in popularity in Western Europe in the 18th century, as people began to discover the many medicinal uses of the plant. It is now grown commercially throughout Europe, Asia, and North America.


Benefits/Therapeutic Actions


• Cooling
• Stimulating
• Stomachic (aides in digestion)
  • Relaxes the stomach muscles and increases the flow of bile and other digestive liquids
• Soothes lining and muscles of the colon
• Carminative (relieves gas)
• Antiemetic (prevents vomiting) 
• Soothes nausea & bloating
• Carminative (relieves gas)
• Antispasmodic (relieves muscle spasms)
• Diaphoretic (stimulates perspiration/sweating)
• Antimicrobial (stops or slows growth of microorganisms)
• Analgesic (relieves pain) when used topically
• Antiseptic

Different Uses

• Peppermint Tea with dried leaves 
• Essential oil
  • Add to homemade toothpaste for oral hygeine 
  • Use topically (diluted in carrier oil) for tension and minor muscle aches 
  • Diffuse or inhale for energy, focus, and clear breathing
  • Use internally (diluted in 4oz of water) for healthy digestion, circulation, and respiration
• Tincture (plant infused in alcohol
• Dried herb capsules 
• Ointment or cream
• In cooking - use fresh leaves:
  • Infused in honey
  • In chocolate or hot chocolate
  • Mixed into dressings 
  • Infused in water, lemonade, iced tea, cocktails, or mock-tails 

The Myth behind the Mentha

The Latin name for Pepermint, Mentha (From Menthe - meaning thought), is said to have originated from the Greek myth of Minthe and Pluto (or Hades), God of the underworld. Minthe was a Niad nymph, daughter of the river god Cocytus, who's river ran through the underworld. 


In one version of the story, Minthe had been a lover to Pluto  before he had asked Persephone to be his wife. One day Persephone was abducted, and Pluto abandoned Minthe. Minthe, upset, confronted Pluto and boasted her own beauty over that of Persephone's, and claimed his marriage to her would grow dull over time.

In another version, Pluto and Persephone had already wed before Minthe entered the picture. Minthe caught the eye and heart of Pluto, and Persephone found out about their affair. 

Both versions of the story end with either Persephone, or her mother Demeter, driving Minthe deep into the ground. Pluto tended to her, and brought her back to life as a healing, aromatic plant. 

DoTERRA Blends and Kits with Peppermint

Blends

Align 
Promotes feelings of self acceptance, peace, and purpose. Great blend for centering and setting intentions.
 
Aroma Touch 
Add to carrier oil for massage to soothe, relaxe, and ease tension

Breathe
Creates feelings of clear easy breathing and minimized effects of seasonal threats

Deep Blue 
Cooling comforting blend that can help soothe tension from work, exercise, or growing bodies.

DigestZen 
Supports healthy digestion and soothes upset stomach, gas, or indigestion

Blends for Kids 

Tamer  
For digestive ease to use topically or aromatically 

Thinker 
For focus and to reduce mental stress or distraction


Kits

Travel kit: 
Lavender, Wild Orange, Peppermint, Aroma Touch

Athlete’s Kit: 
Includes single oils of Lavender, Melaleuca (Tea Tree), Peppermint, blends of Breathe and On Guard, and Deep Blue muscle rub → supports healthy athletic activity and recovery

Family Essentials Kit: 
Just like the name says, its the essentials that covers all the bases and a great kit for getting started. 
It includes Peppermint, Lemon, Melaleuca (Tea Tree), Oregano, Frankincense, and blends of Deep Blue, On Guard, DigestZen, and Breathe. 

Beginner’s Trio Kit:
Lemon, Peppermint, Lavender  (Introductory kit is this same Trio but smaller bottles) 

I hope this Newsletter has gotten you excited about different ways you can use peppermint in your life.


If you need extra assistance in this time, Harmonizing Healthcare is still offering online herbal consults. Feel free to give us a call to book your next session!


Have a beautiful weekend!

With gratitude, 
the Harmonizing Healthcare team

(928) 856-0656

I'm sure you have heard by now how important sleep is for your health, but do you know exactly how many functions are impaired by not getting enough sleep?

And not getting enough sleep doesn't just include the number of hours from when you first close you eyes to when you get up in the morning, it also encompasses the quality of sleep you get throughout the night.


So how is the quality of your sleep?

Do you feel rested upon waking in the morning, or are you exhausted from restless sleep, tossing and turning, or excessive dreaming?


In this weeks newsletter we are touching on the importance of sleep and things you can do to make sure you are getting enough.

See the video link below for guidance on a breath technique that can help improve the quality of your sleep.

The Impact of Sleep on the Body

Mental and Emotional Health:

Your body's information highway, the Central Nervous System (CNS), is one of the many parts within the human body that needs sleep to function properly. Without enough sleep, many functions within this system are affected. Lack of sleep in reference to the CNS can result in:

• Decreased ability to concentrate or retain information 
• Affect on mental and emotional states
• Impacts ability to make decisions, solve problems, and cope with change.
• Impaired balance and coordination 
• Decreased response/reaction time - increases risk of accidents
• Mood swings
• Anxiety
• Mania 
• Depression


Physical Health:

Sleep is important for many functions in our body that responsible for maintaining our physical health as well. Without enough sleep, our immune, cardiovascular, digestive, and endocrine functions are all negatively affected. 

In our immune system, lack of proper sleep inhibits your body's ability to build up its defenses and protective antibodies in order to efficiently fight off foreign threats to our health.

For our digestion, lack of sleep can contribute to weight gain, and unhealthy digestion, through a number of ways:

• Exhaustion leads to more inactivity, which impacts digestion.
• Inhibits the ability to create hormones that regulate digestive functions, such as feeling full.
• Decreases production of insulin necessary to reduces glucose levels. 
• Decreases ability to tolerate glucose.

Sleep also helps with our cardiovascular health by ensuring or maintaining:

• Health of the heart and blood vessels
• Blood sugar
• Blood pressure
• Inflammatory response

For our endocrine system, proper amount and depth of sleep ensures proper growth and development. Lack thereof can inhibit the production of necessary hormones which can stunt growth and impact fertility, puberty, and libido. 


Better Sleep

Proper amount and type of sleep

Every person is different, so some people need more sleep than others, but generally, adults over the age of 18, should be getting ab out 7-9 hours of sleep a night. Throughout the night, a healthy individual should experience all of the different cycles of sleep. These cycles can be categorized into light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep. 

In light sleep, we transition from laying down and relaxing to the physical changes of relaxed muscles, reduced temperature, and slowed breath, brainwaves, and heart rate. This is the stage we experience during short naps, and is where our brain makes the transition to Theta brainwaves.

We then transition from light sleep to deep sleep where all of the physical changes from light sleep transition into their lowest or most relaxed state. Our brain makes its way into the deep, slow, Delta waves, and in this state, it is tough to wake us up. At our deepest state of sleep, our bodies begin to heal and strengthen the physical systems mentioned in the previous section. 

About 90 minutes after we first close our eyes, and every 90 minutes that follows until we wake up, is when we experience the REM, or rapid eye movement, cycle. REM sleep, just as the acronym explains, is when there is rapid movement of the eyes behind closed eyelids.

But what else happens in the REM cycle?

Our brainwaves begin to quicken, resembling those of someone awake, and the breath, blood pressure, and heart rate follow suit. During this stage, though our systems seem awake, our body becomes temporarily immobilized, protecting us from physically acting on the dreams that occur during REM cycle. This is the stage where our mental health and memory improves.


So how long should we be experiencing each of these cycles?

Assuming 8 hours of sleep a night, a healthy night sleep for the average adult will look something like this:

• 2-5% awake (9-24 min)
• 45-55% light sleep (3 hrs & 36 min - 4 hrs & 24 min)
• 13-23% deep sleep (62 - 110 min) 
• 20-25% REM sleep  (96 min-2 hours)
  

But remember, every person varies.



What are things you can do to get better sleep & enough sleep

• Create a sleep routine, and stick to it
• Use an eye mask and/or ear plugs to reduce external noise and light
• Get enough exercise/movement during the day
• Reduce caffeine, alcohol, and sugar consumption
• Limit screen time, especially before bed
• Maintain healthy eating habits
• Limit your bed for sleep - don't watch tv, read, or be on your phone while in bed
• Get enough sunlight during the day, spend time outside
• Listen to binaural beats before bed
• Meditation
• Breath work 
• Acupuncture 
• Massage
• Restorative yoga
• Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy for Sleep

Essential oils can be a great tool to help the body relax, fall asleep, and to get deeper sleep. Below are some of my favorite oils for better sleep:

Roman Chamomile
Lavender
Cedarwood
Sandalwood
Bergamot
Jasmine
Geranium

You can either diffuse these in the room prior to sleep, or try taking a warm bath before bed with 4-6 drops of your oil of choice (or a combination of oils).

Visit my DoTERRA shop below to purchase any of these oils.

TCM & Insomnia

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine , insomnia is typically the result of an imbalance between the Yin and Yang (Yin-Qi and Yang-Qi). When these aren't in harmony and flowing equally with one-another throughout the day, it can lead to sleeplessness.

Another view within TCM is that insomnia ensues when the Ethereal Soul (consciousness - hun) or the mind are agitated or unable to settle in their home, and thus wander in the night. The Ethereal Soul resides in the Liver and the Mind finds its home in the Heart. Either the ethereal soul or the Mind will find unrest when there is deficiency of the blood or yin, or will be agitated when by pathogenic factors such as heat or blood stasis occur.

Below are some factors that contribute to the disharmony between the Yin-Qi and Yang-Qi, or cause unrest/agitation for the ethereal soul and mind:

• Excess worry, sadness, grief, or guilt
  • Weaken heart-blood or cause heart-fire
  • Creates agitation or unrest for the mind
  • May lead to Heart-Qi stagnation which blocks the mind from its residence
• Stress or extreme/longstanding emotion, such as anger or frustration
  • causes stagnation or heat in the liver and agitates the ethereal soul and dream state
• Being over worked
  • weakens kidney yin which deprives the heart-yin of proper nourishment which then causes unrest for the mind
• Irregular Diet, overeating, or consuming too much greasy, heavy food
  • May cause phlegm heat in the stomach and agitate the mind


Other TCM perspectives on sleeplessness:

• Trouble falling asleep is typically caused by a deficiency of Blood
• Waking up frequently is typically attributed to a Yin deficiency
• Excessive dreaming, which leave one feeling exhausted upon waking, may be due to a deficiency of Blood or Yin.  
  
• Nightmares that wake one may be due to a deficiency of the Gall Bladder and Heart.
• Restless dreams can be caused by Phlegm-Heat, which affects the stomach and agitates the mind.
• Snoring can be a result of Phlegm congesting the Stomach channel
  

I hope this weeks newsletter has provided you with more awareness and understanding of the importance of sleep. And may you find the tools necessary to get the sleep you deserve.

If you need extra assistance in this time, Harmonizing Healthcare is still offering online herbal consults. Feel free to give us a call to book your next session!


Happy full moon and lunar eclipse!  Have a beautiful weekend!


With gratitude, 
the Harmonizing Healthcare team

(928) 856-0656