Mood:  on fire

Let's sit back now and start getting a little more comfortable with one another. I'm Mary...or Mary Jo...or Jody...or Dr. Eshelman...whichever name you prefer.

Why not post a comment to me, and let me know who you are!

I would like to point out some of the features of this website which might make it more useful to you. If you have any suggestions as to how we could make it more user friendly, by all means, please let me know. I want people to be comfortable here. The URL for the main website is www.allnaturalhealthworks.com. It is still under a great deal of construction, but it is due soon for release. In the meanwhile, if you want a wee little peek, you can find it by clicking here There's still LOTS of work to do on it, though, so please, if you visit it now, please come back again soon! My son is helping me put it together. He's doing a wonderful job! He's doing all of the coding himself. He's teaching himself as he goes! I'd say a lot of very complimentary things about my son here, but he doesn't like it when I do the "Mom" thing! You can see for yourself on his website, some of why I'm so proud!) www.invizablemunkee.com

In the way I designed the website, I'm hoping people will want to come back and back. The idea is to make it an entire online learning center, with all the resources at hand. The Research Section alone should keep you busy for years! And the Daily Smile page should keep you coming back! Hahaha!

That and the Stress Relief Paintball game! (Stress can be real hard on your health!) In the Education portion of the website, you will find the Online Learning pages, with lessons and articles, as well as instructions for making a lot of good recipes and formulas. (This portion is still under a lot of heavy construction. Please check back often for more!) I see my job as a naturopath to offer people enough reason to find things out for themselves, and to help them learn how to recognize what's true from false. I don't have all the answers. I'm not a walking encyclopedia, but I do know how to use reference books. There are other ways, too, in which we learn, besides books. I will try to find ways to lead you through practical learning, either by extending opportunities to you to attend classes, workshops and groups, or by leading you through activities as a part of our learning right here. Be sure to check for Upcoming Events! I know. A lot of these pages are still under construction. But pretty soon they won't be, and I'll try and keep you busy with what IS ready till then! Along the same lines as learning to recognize good information from bad...(there is a LOT of false information out there! We'll talk to great lengths about this!)...is also learning to recognize good natural health products from those which are ineffective, or perhaps even dangerous. There is a lot to be considered,and sometimes what we might normally think is the best, is actually the far less superior choice. If we are to learn to make good choices, we need to learn what points need to be considered in making these choices. For instance, in the case of herbs (and any food, really!), it is important not only which herb to use, but how it was grown, when it was picked, how it was processed and stored. It is important to know which form to choose for which purpose, and how to effectively use. It's also extremely important to know what other ingredients are used in the formula,and the way in which it was devised. Some herbs are grown in soil that is weak, and then sprayed with pesticides and picked at the wrong time of year. Sometimes they are not stored in a manner so as to retain freshness, or treated with heat and chemicals. Sometimes they might even have mold. Believe me, it's important to know your source. The best source, always, is herbs from right where you live. (Provided your lawn isn't chemically treated, because in that case you wouldn't have any herbs, and if you did they'd be poisonous then. See why the source matters so much? They do this to many commercial herbs! I urge you to know your source!) If you choose to purchase your herbs, which often we do for reasons of convenience and formulation beyond what we know, then it is important to buy them from a reputable source. Our Products Section features products which we have chosen to be of exceptionally good quality. There will be a few more posted soon. Included in the selections are not only pre-formulated products, but also the raw ingredients to prepare products yourself, if that's something that you'd like to do. I do a little of both! To understand a little more of what our mission is here, be sure to read About Us. All Natural HealthWorks! isn't just me! There is a whole network of "us!" We have a network of holistically minded people who have joined together to provide education and services! You may choose one of these people to work with you by reading their bio and contacting us, or you may choose particular services you'd like, and we'll do the referral for you. If you would like to be involved on our team, please let us know. Part of why this is such a healing place is because we recognize everyone has healing gifts! If you'd like to find ways to develop your gifts to share, we can help you with that! We always have room for beginners! And if you are a seasoned professional, we have a spot for you, too! Be sure to read what we can offer to you! (This goes for Support positions, too!) Hmmmm....Let's see...What else should I highlight to you regarding the website? We have a Dog-Gone Good Section on Pets!!! EVERYONE deserves natural health! You will find lots on our website...drug prevention is something you'll read lots about. That topic is close to my heart. You'll also read a lot about God. I don't apologize for that to anyone, but I do need to clarify. When I speak of God, I have no intention of trying to push my idea of God onto you. That word means so many things to so many people,and it's a very personal thing. You can substitute other words if you like. That works even better sometimes, if the word is something unfamiliar or frightening to you. To some people that word might be. There could be all sorts of meanings attached. The only thing I will say about my beliefs is that I believe God is all-good, everywhere present, to be worshipped in spirit and love. I don't believe there are "accidents;" I believe there is a Higher Power at work...a force which works to our good. (Remember? All-good and all-present! Phew! What a relief and a blessing to know!) Anyways, that's my take on it all. To me, God made us to be well, whether you consider that to be simply a biological thing or whether you believe in a Spiritual Power at work. Either way, I believe we were designed with wellness and survival in mind, if we just use what we were given, and don't mess it up by distorting it too much out of shape! Spirituality is something we can't avoid talking about, if we're going to talk about holistic healing and health. We are whole beings, and our spiritual selves are a part of that. In fact, that's where the real truth of our being lies...in the part that's unseen. However we do have bodies! Sometimes we get so spiritually minded that we forget about that! So perhaps to say the spiritual part of us is the most important is unfair in the whole picture of health. We have to take care of our bodies, as well, if we want to live here in this form. And our minds...What of our minds? Our minds and emotions form the link between body and spirit...How we use our mind can build us up and make us strong, or our minds can drive us insane. There are links between all three that could easily lead into another whole blog right here and now. I'll save that for another day soon! Suffice it to say that in dealing with holistic health, the topic of spirituality and faith will arise. I hope this introduction, in brief, to the website has proved to be useful to you. If you have any suggestions as to how we can make this better, please let us know, for sure! Also please let us know if you would like to help us make this vision a reality. We need extra support now at the beginning. We need people to work before there's even money to pay! (It's a good learning experience, though, and the money will be coming soon!) Speaking of money...Not to be crass, but it's a matter that should be discussed. I don't ever want money to be an issue. I believe healing is meant for us all. God (nature) provided to us everything that we need to be well. You can get healthy with just prayers, sunshine, herbs from the yard, exercise, clean water and song! Learn how to do accupressure or reflexolgy with just your own hands for tools, and there's something else you can do! There are plenty of things you can do to improve your health without money, and I love teaching those things! Then there are things you can do to reduce the cost of things you choose to buy. We have programs in place to reduce the cost...everything from bartering programs to apprenticeship programs to marketing products yourself. We will do whatever we can to work with you. We're even trying to get insurance in place! We have placed a language translator onto the website. We want to be able to reach everyone that we can! However, some of the writing has been placed onto pictures and then tranlated into html, and the translator cannot pick up this. I would suggest that if someone is trying to translate a page that won't translate, that they type the words into the box. It takes longer, but it can be done. If you have questions, we have one person on-board (Dr. Lupe Banuelos), who speaks fluent Spanish. Other than that, I'm willing to try and muddle my way through just about any language with someone on the translator, if they would like to converse directly with me. There's more than one way to communicate. If someone wants help, I will try. A note about the products we offer...Not only do we offer high quality health products, we also offer a wide range of other products, as well. For instance, books and educational resources, neti pots and yoga supplies, all-natural cosmetics, etc. Please support us in our efforts to bring you quality education for free and consider shopping from us! We even sell toothpaste online, educational nature toys,and we have a great product to save you big bucks at the gas tank, as well! Please think of us first when you shop! (We even have CHERRY TREES!!!) Also, please don't forget to visit our Links Page! You will find items to which the above applies, such as: Organic Flowers! Way cool! (Please be sure to link from our page! Thanks!)

You will also find extremely useful and potentially life saving information and resources...

...as well as links to some very nice people and friends!

You can view the rest of our links by clicking here! As for me, I think I'll go to a spa! Doesn't that sound like a really great plan?! I look forward to getting to know you better in health! Mary Jo Eshelman, ND, CTN, CNHP allnatureworks@aol.com P.S. Please join our forum! Let's form a network of health-minded friends, and support each other in our quests for improved well-being and vitality! The information presented is the author's personal and professional opinion, and is intended for educational purposes only. Nothing printed here is designed to take the place of a physician's advice. If you are experiencing problems with your health, it is recommended that you consult with a licensed health care professional. All Natural HealthWorks! is not responsible for any damages or ill-effects resulting from the information presented herein, nor do we make any recommendations regarding your health. We are simply here as a resource for you in making your own choices for your health yourself.