Restless Sleep- Alternative Remedies

Seems like there was enough stuff going on this weekend to keep us up at night. From acts of violence to strange mass animal deaths- it's all fuel for tossing and turning in bed. Over the past few months, I've heard from a lot of people that are either having difficulty getting to sleep, are waking up through the night, or are experiencing vivid dreams and restless sleep.

Not sleeping well can be a vicious cycle. Being well rested is really one of the keys to maintaining and improving health. When you start to get tired and run down your body's immune system just isn't able to function at an optimal level and you are likely to experience colds and coughs that keep you up at night! Old muscle pains often return, you get more accident prone during the day, work becomes more stressful, and you can't seem to get things done as efficiently. The more frustrated you get over not sleeping the worse the problem becomes.

There are some alternative solutions that may helpful.

Of the Bach Flower essences, White Chestnut is the remedy to try if you aren't sleeping because you can't stop your mind. If the same thoughts are going around and around in your head, you are playing out mental arguments, or trying to find solutions to problems from the day- White Chestnut is recommended. White Chestnut is described as being helpful if your mind is like a stuck record (if you are old enough to understand that reference!); arguments go around and around leading to a troubled mind. The person that can benefit from White Chestnut may find it difficult to concentrate during the day as well and they may appear inattentive or not answer when spoken to. White Chestnut can help balance you so that worry is replaced with trust in a positive outcome. It can help clear your head so that your thinking is more in control and rather than "stuck" on an issue, you can work through effective problem solving strategies.

If you are finding your sleep interrupted by nightmares, Rock Rose is the Bach Flower essence that is indicated. If you wake up with your heart pounding feeling real terror because of something in your dreams, Rock Rose can be very helpful. Rock Rose often helps children with night terrors or nightmares.

Other Bach Flower essences may be indicated depending on your personal reasons for not being able to sleep. Red Chestnut and Pine may be helpful depending on your concerns.

A lot of my clients lately have found the Perelandra essence ETS Plus (Emergency Trauma Solution) to be extremely helpful for restless sleep, even when Bach Flowers haven't helped. ETS Plus is created from 153 different plants, minerals, natural gases and elements found in the sea, atmosphere and on land. Machaelle Small Wright, the founder of Perelandra, creates this essence with nature and combines the electrical patterns only of the elements used and stabilizes these patterns in water. Because only the electrical patterns are used, no allergic reactions or side effects are triggered. The water solution is preserved in brandy or vinegar according to your preference. It's pretty hard to say why or how this one works, but people are certainly reporting to me that it does. If your sleep is restless, you are having difficulty getting to sleep or are waking up through the night with strange dreams or pains, ETS Plus seems to help. Some clients have reported they keep the bottle by their bed and if they wake up they take 10 drops and find they can go right back to sleep again.

There are lots of personal home remedies for difficulty sleeping as well such as warm milk, herbal teas, marjoram as a aromatherapy technique, and my personal favorite - shutting off the television earlier!

Seems as though problems sleeping have been prevalent throughout the ages, so before you try some "new and improved drug" do some research and see if there might be a gentler more effective solution for you.

For more information on Bach Flower remedies or Perelandra essences as sleep aids, check out my website at www.pixiedusthealing.com. You will find a link there directly to the Perelandra website as well.

"All about me" and the Bach flower Heather

Have you ever found yourself stuck in the grocery line, on the telephone, or in a parking lot "talking" which means "listening" to someone go on and on about their complaints, condition, or story? Usually this experience is made more memorable and uncomfortable if the whole time you are thinking about how late you are going to me or how much you need to find a bathroom! No matter what you do to try and break away-the other person just doesn't seem to get the fact that you are no longer, maybe never were, interested in listening. That type of talkative, pre-occupied with self person, "all about me person", describes the Heather state. I try not to take that personally! I don't think my parents had that in mind when they named me.

Heather is one of the lesser used or recommended of the 38 Bach Flower essences. Perhaps this is because of the difficulty in describing the need for it in a positive way. It is also extremely difficult to self-diagnose the need for Heather.

Heather is a state not a soul condition. It is a state that develops once people become lonely. They react to their loneliness by obsessively talking about themselves to anyone that will listen or at least stay put! They feel that if they keep talking you will stay with them and fill their sense of loneliness and they usually have little idea that you not interested in their concern. They often will hold on to your arm and stand very close to you as they talk in an effort to keep you close.

The Heather state is sometimes a way to react to life's chronic problems. People sometimes talk obsessively about a divorce, a bereavement, an ailment, their job, a friend or colleague they are having difficulties with, or financial woes. Usually this happens when they have lost hope in improving the situation although they are usually not conscious of that as the cause of their self-concern. It can happen when anxiety takes over their usual sense of optimism.

Taking the Bach remedy Heather, helps balance that anxiety and concern so that a person can become as good a listener as they are a talker. In this balanced state when they are able to engage in a two-way conversation, they are likely to find friends that want to be with them and the loneliness is removed. As people move out of the Heather state they actually become very good friends because they are able to help others with a renewed understanding of what it is like to be in a difficult situation. Rather than continuously talk about their own situation they are able to be selfless and understanding of other people's problems. The "neediness" of the person is replaced with a healthy understanding of what it takes to be a good friend. Balanced once again, the person who went through a Heather state is able to put their own suffering to use by empathizing with others.

Anyone, and probably all of us, suffer from the Heather state at many points in our lives. I understand why it seems to be a lesser used remedy. As I type this I hope none of my friends mis-interpret my blog and worry that I am talking about them! I think part of being a friend is providing that listening ear knowing that there is a good chance the roles will soon be reversed. Perhaps being a good friend could also include knowing when your friend could use a little Heather!

Self-pity, resentment, hockey silver and Willow

Maybe I should have gone to bed after the second period in last night's World Junior Hockey Game, when Canada was glowing with anticipation of winning gold. It all kind of came crashing down in the third period.

Today a lot of Canadians seem to be full of resentment and bitterness as thought they have been short-changed a gold medal. Time for a national dose of the Bach Flower essence Willow it seems. I doubt that is what Dr. Bach was thinking of almost 100 years ago when he developed the essence but it seems to apply.

Willow is indicated when you have feelings of self-pity. In the negative Willow state you begrudge other people's good luck, happiness or success. In this case a Russian team of kids that is going home (if they ever settle down enough to be allowed on a plane!) with gold medals that Canadians felt they deserved. The Willow state is really one of victimization. People that benefit from this essence would rather see themselves as victims than admitting to needing improvement. In a way they give up the control of their lives by blaming someone or something else for what they see as their misfortune.

I watched that game thinking how incredibly proud the parents and friends of those hockey players must be. I thought of the hours sitting in a cold rink in the early morning to help your child pursue a dream such that it most likely became your dream as well. I still thought of that in the third period but my perspective just shifted a bit to think how Russian parents most likely felt the same as Canadians!

What I think could use improvement is not the ability of those guys to play hockey. I think they did a great job. Rather than feeling bad about loosing gold we should feel proud they won the silver. Were we not celebrating the game before that took us into the playoffs? I can't imagine winning a silver medal at that level in your career and stage in life and have it be looked at as defeat.

Taking Willow can help you forgive and forget past injustices (real or perceived) so you can enjoy life. The positive potential of Willow can help you attract positive conditions and friends as you move out of a sense of being "hard done by". Taking Willow can help you balance your emotions to move out of the sense of victim and into a space where you feel in control of your own destiny.

It's all about choices. So, today I'm choosing to feel happy about Canada's silver medal win. I'm choosing to think about how grateful I am that we have so much talent in Canada and across the world (including Russia!). I'm choosing to feel how relieved the parents of all those hockey players must be that the stress is over, the injuries aren't life-threatening and their efforts to support their children have been rewarded. And after taking a few drops of the Bach Flower essence Willow, I really think the silver medal is shinier anyway!!

To Hockey Players everywhere- congratulations!!

Bowen Therapy for Neck Pain

On the November 13th blog entry I wrote about Bowen therapy as a technique to treat seizure disorders. I decided to try it out myself to relieve chronic neck pain. I am now a fan!

Bowen therapy feels very different than any other type of massage I've tried. The therapist makes very very subtle movements over the muscles and connective tissue the theory being that these subtle moves send messages deep into the body retrieving cellular memory of a preferred, relaxed and balanced way of being. It is not at all a forceful manipulation. In fact, the technique can even be done through clothes- a point that I think makes a big difference for some people who may not be as familiar with or comfortable with the art of massage or alternative healing. The therapist performs one maneuver and then there is pause (my therapist actually leaves the room) when you can truly feel your body adjusting. For me at least, whatever happens during the pauses feels even more significant than the manipulation part.

As I wrote before, the Bowen technique was first developed by Mr. Tom Bowen in Australia and has been taught to practitioners since 1986. The therapist can target a particular problem or condition with a specific set of maneuvers. Bowen can be used to treat any type of pain including knee, hip, back, neck, sciatica. It also can help with digestive problems, ear-aches and infections, migraines, fibromyalgia, chronic fatique syndrome,menstrual and hormone irregulartities, and respiratory symptoms- to name a few!

My first session was a general non-specific re-balancing one. That's a great way to first experience the technique and also gives the therapist an idea on what areas she might target for future sessions. For me the second session was more targeted to neck pain. I have old injuries, it's the first spot to hurt most times, and it's also where I tend to hold stress and tighten.

With some other types of massage, I found the process itself to be rather painful although the results were positive. With Bowen, the entire thing felt wonderful. The therapist worked a lot through my neck and into my head and targeted some teeth, jaw and joint (TMJ) issues as well.

One of the interesting aspects about this massage is that it is the one that keeps on giving- at least for me. For days afterwards I can still feel little tinges and sensations that to me indicate further healing. I had some real sensations in my teeth and gums and realize that my jaw feels looser and overall I feel more relaxed. Although it is difficult to describe, this feels like a very powerful healing technique to me. My neck still hurts but not as much, or as often, and I feel I have greater range of motion- and that's after just 1 targeted session.

When targeting a particular condition or ailment, it seems most times at least a series of 6 sessions are indicated. Each session lasts between 30 minutes and 1 hour and are likely to be spaced approximately 2 to 3 weeks apart.

I will definitely be continuing- I am looking forward to my next session and I'll keep you updated on my progress. I have always been happy to be a "guinea pig" and try alternative therapies before I suggest or recommend them. Believe me this is an enjoyable experience! And thank you Amy for that heated bed to lie on- that alone is worth the price!!

Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is a diagnosis attached to a certain set of behavioural symptoms most commonly seen in children although it can be present in adults as well.

“Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is a recurrent pattern of negativistic, disobedient, and hostile behavior by young people toward authority figures. A diagnosis of ODD requires that four or more of the following eight symptoms have been present over the course of at least 6 months: (1) losing one's temper, (2) arguing with adults, (3) actively defying adults' requests or rules, (4) deliberately annoying others, (5) blaming others for mistakes, (6) being easily annoyed, (7) being angry and resentful, and (8) being spiteful or vindictive” (American Psychiatric Association, 2000).

The diagnosis is given when the behavior interferes with social or academic functioning. The symptoms are typically seen in multiple settings but in some cases, the child may act out only in response to particular settings or individuals. He or she may be violent and uncooperative at home but very well mannered and controlled in the school setting for instance. The reverse is also possible and parents may be shocked to hear their child is a problem in the school setting. Teachers may identify symptoms in students that don’t show the same severity of problems in the nonacademic setting.

The diagnosis of ODD seems to reside within the categories of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disabilities, and mood disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety disorders. In some cases children may be diagnosed with more than one of these conditions and treatment may be focused on more than one aspect.

The treatment for ODD is often focused on psychotherapy in order to encourage more effective anger management. Family psychotherapy is encouraged to improve communication and mutual understanding. Parent Management Training Programs are encouraged to help parents better manage and cope with the child’s behaviour. A particularly popular version of a parent management training program called “The Total Transformation” by James Lehman is available on-line and can be completed at home.

Conventional medicine treatment of ODD also may include medications. The typical drugs include Methylphenidate or Ritalin, and Depakote. Methylphenidate, commonly known as Ritalin, is a stimulant used to help focus attention and reduce restlessness. It is commonly prescribed for ADHD disorders. Depakote is an anti-convulsant drug used to treat seizure disorders as well as bipolar disorders.

At Pixie Dust Healing www.pixiedusthealing.com, our aim is to provide information on alternatives to conventional treatments. This is not to say conventional treatments aren't effective and right for you. But you have a right to know there are other options as well so you can make an informed choice and explore options if they feel right for you.

There are alternatives for the treatment of ODD. There are at least 7 homeopathic remedies that may be helpful for the symptoms of ODD. The materia medica is the homeopathic version of the Compendium of Pharmaceutical Specialties (CPS) that conventional doctor’s use as a reference to match symptoms with drug treatments. Unlike the CPS which changes every year, the materia medica was based on Dr. Samuel Hahnemann’s work, the founder of homeopathic medicine, over 200 years ago. The medica outlines the type of symptoms that match each of the homeopathic remedies. It is interesting to note that over 200 years ago, all the noted symptoms of Oppositional Defiant Disorder are described. Apparently this “disorder” was present hundreds of years ago despite different parent practices, social constructs, environmental influences, and diet.

The 7 homeopathic remedies most commonly matched to the symptoms of ODD include:
Tarentula Hispanica
Lycopodium Clavatum
Hepar Sulphuris Calcareum
Anacardium Orientale
Ignatia Armara
Stramonium
Hyoscyamus
While all 7 of the remedies describe aspects of ODD, there are subtle differences between the remedies. A homeopathic practitioner will investigate various aspects of the person and their behavior, looking at the "whole patient" in order to determine which remedy would be most helpful.

Bach Flower essences may also be helpful for Oppositional Defiant Behavior. Like homeopathy, Bach Flower essences don't match remedies to conditions but look at the individual so any combination of the 38 essences may be indicated. Some of the obvious ones include:

Cherry Plum- for lack of control/outbursts
Holly- for anger that is manifested physically
Vine- for bullying type behavior
Rock Water- for fixed ideas/ things have to be a certain way
Scleranthus- for the rapid mood swings and contradictions
Beech- for intolerance
Clematis - for lack of focus/inattention
Rock Rose- for terror

Rescue Remedy would be helpful during an episode if possible to administer- the spray might help with that instead of the drops. And most definitely, any parent or caregiver of a child displaying these tendencies could benefit from a healthy dose of Bach Flower Remedies as well!

Wild Oat for Finding Direction

January can be a difficult time of year. Perhaps it's because we no longer hold the romantic notion of snow and a "white Christmas" that we did in November and December and the idea of a Canadian winter closer to beginning rather than ending can be a bit daunting. Maybe it's because of the down time during the Christmas season in which we might have had a chance to stop and think, do some soul searching and some introspection. That kind of inner critique combined with resolve to start a new year on a different foot sounds good in theory but can be tough to put into action. Maybe you've taken off the Agrimony mask (see the previous entry) and aren't quite sure what's underneath.

If you feel you are looking for change but aren't quite sure which direction to take, Wild Oat may be a helpful Bach Flower essence for you. Wild Oat is for those people that are "ready to go" with ambition and talents but completely undecided as to what to do. You know you want change but have no idea what the "new thing" would look like. It is particularly helpful if you are looking for career paths or life purpose goals. In a Wild Oat state you don't feel undecided between two different things- that's more a Scleranthus type feeling. The Wild Oat person has no idea between a multitude of possibilities.

People in a Wild Oat state may try several different careers, have multiple hobbies and varied talents. They tend to become easily bored, and very unsettled and therefore drift from place to place or job to job. They aren't content with their drifting though and may feel frustrated and dissatisfied as though life is passing them by in some way as though they aren't reaching their true potential or on the right path.

Wild Oat can help you find a clear picture of what you want to do in life and help give you the ability to decide on your true path, bringing your talents and ambition to a focus. For truly multi-talented people, Wild Oat may help you find ways of pursuing more than one career at once. Wild Oat can help balance that unsettled feeling.

Rather than resort back to the "same old, same old" because it's somewhat comfortable and easy, consider trying some Wild Oat Bach Flower essence to move yourself towards the change you are seeking.

2011 New Year's Resolve

Happy New Year! I don't know much, if anything, about numerology but today's date 01 01 2011 seems pretty positive to me. Feels like a very balanced, even number and I welcome that.

For a lot of people 2010 was a pretty memorable year. Not necessarily in a good way, but definitely a date that will be remembered. Seems like for many it was a year of turmoil, sometimes loss, and most definitely change.

I had always felt that 2010 was going to be hugely significant for me personally and I kept waiting for "something to happen". Didn't really feel like it did. But when I consider the whole year, I think it was a year of "germination". So often we remember significant dates because of the end result. For instance we remember the year people were born but the real miracle is the year people were conceived which may or may not even be the same year. I think in hindsight, perhaps years from now, a lot of us may look back at 2010 and realize it was the year that set things in motion.

I'm not big on the concept of New Year's resolutions. Too much pressure and too many rules. However, as I released my balloon to Melvin last night (if this makes no sense check out the blog for my book Melvin's Balloons http://melvinsballoons.blogspot.com, I did make a resolve. I picked a green balloon to release, not for the connection to the heart chakra so much as for the healing significance of the color green. I resolved to bring healing into the universe by whatever method I can.

So to follow through with my resolve....

If your head and body feels a bit like today's picture, and not in a good way this morning- there are some homeopathics that might help.

Nux Vomica is a homeopathic preparation that is derived from Quaker Buttons- a poisonous plant that is also known as the "vomiting nut". As a homoepathic, nux vomica can be very effective in treating symptoms of nausea and vomiting. It is often helpful in relieving motion or travel sickness. It can help reverse the common symptoms of a hangover as well.

If nux vomica doesn't work, or if the signs and symptoms are more that of headache,exhaustion, sensitivity to touch, noise and light, rather than nausea , China Officinalis may be helpful. This homeopathic comes from Peruvian bark and was first used to treat malaria. China can help reverse the symptoms of dehydration which is why it may be helpful if your symptoms are related to an overindulgence in alcohol! It is also a good remedy to have in your first aid kit to treat the symptoms of heat exhaustion.

In the meantime I resolve to let go of 2010 and welcome 2011 and all that it may bring!

Happy New Year