Has anyone else out there noticed that many so-called "Alternative Healing" techniques are beginning to cost as much as the "regular healing"? Well, here are some natural and alternative remedies.that will keep you in the black as well as good health.
Light Therapy ("Phototherapy")
One common remedy for seasonal affective disorder, mild depression, insomnia, fibromyalgia / chronic fatigue and jet lag is to expose yourself to full spectrum (i.e., "artificial sunlight") lamps. The problem is, professional "light boxes" designed for that purpose can cost upwards of $200. So here's the Kyriel Penny-Pinching Phototherapy solution:
- Visit your local hardware store (for example, Home Depot or Lowes) and buy a shop light--one of those 4 ft. long, overhead fluorescent lights you plug into the wall and hang over your workshop, or wherever. Make sure it has a plug! Otherwise you'll have to wire it directly into your house's electrical wiring. (The cheapest one will do--I spent under $10.)
- You may also need an extension cord, to reach from the light to the wall outlet. (Make sure to buy one with a heavy enough gauge to support the light's wattage--consult your local hardware helper if you're unsure.)
- Buy hooks you can sink into your ceiling, from which to hang the shop-light. (Make sure to use strong enough hooks to support its weight. Again, consult your local hardware helper-person.)
- Most shop lights have two places for bulbs, but you really only need one full-spectrum lamp. So if you want to save extra money, buy one of the cheapest fluorescent bulbs you can find to fill the first slot. (I spent 99 cents for a 25 watt standard fluorescent tube.)
- For the second bulb, find a FULL SPECTRUM or ARTIFICIAL SUNLIGHT fluorescent tube (48 inches, usu. 40 watts). Note: This is not a plant light, because those are only ultraviolet, not full spectrum (although plants will love it). The brand I bought, for under $7, reads "GE Sunshine" and in small letters, "full spectrum light" (product code 12224). Supposedly, they last up to 20,000 hours. (I have not yet burnt my first out, so I'm not sure.)
- Now, just for extra positivity, take the money you saved on the cheap bulb and buy a little plant. Place the plant under the light, and admire it while you bathe in the light. (I always say plants improve mental outlook--and besides, if the plant turns brown, you know you're not getting enough sun because it's not.)
- Hang the light over a work-area or table where you can sit for an hour or so. Sit under the light and read, knit, enjoy music, or in my case, work on your website. Occasionally glance up toward the light, but do not stare directly at the light. (We don't want any retinal damage, here.)
- If you develop a sunburn, you are sitting too close or too long! You only want an hour or so, either in the morning or late afternoon. Try to do it at the same time every day, to reset your body-clock. Experiment to see what works best for you.
Experimenting with mine, I found that an hour of light around 4 p.m. gives me a small boost of energy, then causes me to be tired around 3 am. (Which is actually earlier than normal.) I sleep more soundly, for about 8 hours, and wake up feeling more refreshed. Knock on wood, I have not yet experienced any side-effects besides an odd bronzed quality creeping across my fine, fish-belly white skin. Plus, running the artificial sunlight lamp keeps vampires out of my office.
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Herbal Remedies with Cooking Spices
We can't always afford to run down to our local health food store and buy expensive, exotic herbs to soothe what ails us. So here are some home remedies you probably have in your spice cabinet or cupboard--and if not, you can get them from your supermarket.
- Ginger - found in ginger ale or ginger beer (soda aisle), ginger snaps (cookie aisle), ginger root (produce aisle), powdered ginger (spice aisle), and crystallized ginger (Asian section). Ginger is excellent for nausea and stomach upset, whether due to motion sickness, food poisoning, or other causes. Sucking on a bit of ginger can settle one's stomach almost immediately. (It will, however, sting your tongue with its sharp spicy taste.)
- Nutmeg - found in some spice cookies (cookie aisle), some hot cider (instant drinks aisle), and powdered nutmeg (spice aisle). Nutmeg is good for mild depression. I sprinkle some in hot chocolate and sip it slowly while smelling the aroma.
- Tea - found in tea bags (instant drinks / tea aisle) and loose tea (same place). Tea is a good drink for many purposes. The caffeine in black tea is good for suppressing the appetite. Green tea contains a number of antioxidants, known to rid the body of toxic material. Herbal tea, of course, has innumerable purposes according to what herbs are in it. Used teabags can be placed over the closed eyelids to soothe tired eyes, eyestrain, and puffiness (wait until the teabags are cool, of course). Loose tea can be made into a poultice for infected wounds--simply gather the used, wet tea leaves together, wrap in light gauze, and place over the purulent (nasty) wound. The tea is astringent, so it will draw the wound together and kill bacteria. The wet tea will also suck up pus and other such nastiness as it dries.
- Anise - found in most licorice (candy aisle) and anise extract (not artificial flavoring! spice aisle). Anise is excellent at dispelling intestinal gas. I take anise before I reach for medicines. If you have gas pains, colic, bloating, or flatuelence, this is the herb for you. (Put about 1/8 tsp. extract into 1 cup of water and drink it down very fast.)
- Sage - found as whole or powdered sage (spice aisle) and as a component in poultry seasoning (spice aisle). Sage is an antibiotic, and can be used externally (as a poultice or wash) or internally (as tea). In my experience, it works better against bacterial infections than viral infections.
- Garlic - found as whole or powdered garlic (spice aisle) and fresh garlic bulbs (produce aisle). (I don't recommend garlic salt, as it contains too much sodium.) Garlic is good for high blood pressure and infections of both bacterial and viral nature.
Meditation
When you mention meditation, most people imagine a Yogi somewhere high in the mountaintops, folded neatly into that impossible lotus position. I'm here to tell you, folks, it doesn't have to be that hard.Meditation can be as simple as daydreaming. Don't believe me? Ok, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and focus on somewhere that's purely beautiful, calm, serene. How about a forest glade, with a patchwork of rich emerald leaves and fuzzy ferns all around, tiny white flowers spotting the grass, and a softly-trickly brook nearby. The sky is a deep, thick blue with huge, puffy, silvery clouds slowly gliding by.
Ok, open your eyes. How stressed do you feel right now? Ten to one odds, I bet you feel just a wee bit better.
That, in its simplest form, is meditation. You don't have to say "Ooooommmm" and make your mind empty and fold yourself into Tantra-Pretzel Formation Six. If you can do that, great! If you can't, do what you can. Just a little bit of daydreaming every day--the technical term is visualization--can improve your mental outlook significantly. Just imagine yourself in a very peaceful place that makes you feel good. It doesn't have to be a real place unless you want it to be. The key is to really put yourself there mentally, seeing yourself as a happy and healthy, whole person.
Cost: $0.
If you have a money-saving home remedy, please write to Kyriel@dreaminggates.com. Thanks!
