About a year ago, I developed insomnia after using a device to "help improve healthier brain wave patterns."  My insomnia especially showed up as waking up several hours before my intended awakening time and being unable to fall back asleep.  So, I dove deep into studying sleep and improving it naturally and holistically, including reading a book by best-selling author and Director of the UC Berkeley sleep lab, Dr. Matthew Walker, entitled "Why We Sleep."  I experimented with many interventions with myself, and these are the results of my curing my own insomnia in 30 days.

One of the things I've learned is that the second half of our sleep cycle is where we have most of our REM sleep. REM sleep reflects our conscious state and the brain waves are very similar. It is basically where we work out conflicts in our lives, solve problems, and integrate material we have been exposed to both during the previous day and even before that if issues and problems still remain. So, the more stress you have in your life the more problems you're going to have with your dreams and your REM sleep. I like the idea of working on your stress during the day rather than waiting until it all piles up and trying to do it all before bedtime. That makes absolute sense. Learning about heart coherence and deep breathing is very important. Meditation can be very helpful but it has to be used properly. Just sitting there quietly observing your stressful thoughts can often make people more stressed. Some people need guided meditations like some of the ones mentioned here. Guided hypnotherapy. Think about the themes that you are experiencing that are making you anxious or stressed and look up some free guided meditations to deal with that. Also yoga and Tai chi are a way to meditate while moving the body which is less stressful for some people than sitting absolutely still. I always do these before bed. These also get tension and stress out of the body which helps the body relax and the mind relax and sleep improves.

I have some other suggestions. Alcohol and other toxins that when ingested are typically processed out by the body during the second half of the sleep cycle which is when your REM sleep is occurring. This will cause more disruption and wakefulness. This also includes prescription medications. I would never ever advise anyone to take prescription medications for any chronic condition especially to induce sleep. A nice valerian root tea with passion flower or hops in the evening or maybe chamomile or kava kava will be helpful, but not too much liquid before bed which will make you have to get up at night to go use the bathroom. Magnesium before bed is also awesome as Epsom salt baths, which will help the magnesium absorb directly into your body through your skin. Keeping your Vitamin D levels healthy is very important and will impact your stress levels and your overall mental health. Not to mention your immune system. I also love CBD but the problem is it seems to make me somewhat constipated the next day, but I have found that taking 1 TSP of the Ayurvedic formula of tripala powder (a combination of 3 dried fruits), mitigates that. I have also found a supplement called GABA Soothe which contains GABA and l-theanine and ashwagandha. My clients swear that it helps with their anxiety and I believe it helps me too.

Food eating too near bedtime or food with a lot of toxicity also functions in the same manner to disrupt the later half of the sleep cycle.  The quality of the food you eat is also important. Consider a plant-based diet with a lot of organic options and lots of fruits and vegetables with lesser amounts of legumes and seeds. Google nutritarianism by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. Watching some kind of violent or stressful media within several hours of bedtime is also not advised. Nor is having a significant workout too late in the evening. HRV goes down after a workout until the body recovers. Zero out the blue light from screens for several hours before bed. As far as dealing with the issue in the middle of the night when you actually do wake up, I do not advise getting out of bed and trying to do other things. In my mind that will train the body to wake up when you don't want it to wake up. Rather lie in bed and practice deep breathing, holding your heart with one or two hands, even practicing a strategy called tapping which has also been called the emotional freedom technique or thought field therapy. You can Google it. It's not hard to learn. There are many guided sessions on YouTube. Look up a woman named Julie Schiffman. It's all about learning to love and accept yourself no matter what's happening including you being awake in the middle of the night. This is all just information. It's a communication from your body to your mind that something is not resolved in your life and needs more of your attention and love. When I am able to maintain that kind of attitude then I can let go and return back to sleep. Think about it. If you are lying there telling yourself that something is wrong and something is bad then your sympathetic nervous system will kick in and start releasing stress hormones and changing your blood flow and blood pressure and body temperature etc. This is going to keep you away. You have to relax and let it go. Say a prayer. As for support from your higher power. Anyway those are my thoughts. I hope you all have an awesome day.

Here are some specific suggestions.  Wear blue light blockers that block at least 99% of blue light and avoid screen time 2-3 hrs before bed. Avoid a heavy meal at dinner...stop eating at least 3-4 hrs before bed. No exercise in the evening...but significant exercise during the day. Hot bath before bed w/2 cups epsom salts + lavender essential oil drops (8)...with a 30-60 min cool off period. NO alcohol or drugs (including Rx). NO caffeine, period. Meditation/breathwork/yoga in the evening near bedtime. CBD (20-40mg), valerian (500mg-1g), sleep blend (500mg, I use Solaray for both SP-17 sleep blend and valerian), magnesium (150mg citrate), and tart cherry extract before bed. Aromatherapy...get a mister...I use Gurunanda sleep combo (6 drops) & mister. No electronics in the bedroom. Turn off wifi router and phone. Foam ear plugs + sleep mask. Improve quality of bed esp. w/elevation of head & feet slightly. Keep room cool...65 in winter, 70 in summer. These cured me of insomnia in 1 month and practically doubled my deep sleep from under 1 hr to typically between 1.5 & 2 hrs (1 year later I'm at close to 2.5 hours of deep sleep!). Biggest impact...blue light blockers, hot bath w/epsom salts and aromatherapy, removing caffeine, nighttime herbs + CBD. Have moved my zinc to bedtime as well. Hope this helps...best to all!

Is the Matrix real?  Is it like the movie?  Well, maybe not quite like that.  I doubt we're actually living in incubators, hooked up to machines...not yet.  For now, however, there are many and various what I call "Systems of Control" which take our freedoms away and limit our opportunities to live fully, with optimal physical, mental, and spiritual health.  Following, I'm going to identify these systems and share with you many ways you can begin to remove these from controlling your life.  Remember, this is a process, that may ultimately take many years.

MEDICAL/DIETARY/HEALTH
--Get your physical and mental health in order, as priority #1, realizing that health is wealth, and eliminating your dependence on non-holistic doctors, drugs, and dangerous invasive medical procedures.
--Reduce and ultimately stop using all pharmaceutical drugs (including vaccines), medicinal or recreational (except natural herbs in their pure state or home-made fermented beverages made w/no chemicals).
--Realize that developing natural immunity to microorganisms such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi, is a natural and necessary process that strengthens our resistance to disease and is not to be feared, as long as we are actively maintaining our mental and physical health in a responsible way.
--Realize that as long as you are responsibly maintaining your health, you do not have to live in fear of contracting a serious disease; in fact, that constant fear will only make that outcome more likely by damaging your immune system.
--Eat from the bottom of the food chain (plants), especially fruits and vegetables, as much as possible.
--Eat only as much as you need and maintain a healthy body weight.
--Grow your own food and eliminate your dependence on the processed or chemical-laden Frankenfood grown in poisoned and depleted soil and sold in supermarkets.
--Accumulate natural, healthy food in storage for times of need (jarring, drying, etc.)
--Eat as organic as possible, eliminating the disease-causing influence of Big Agriculture (pesticides, herbicides, hormones, GMOs).
--Reduce pollution by eating whole foods and avoiding processed foods in packaging.
--Add meditation in any of its forms into your life, including releasing stress in your mind and body, thinking more positive, grateful, and compassionate thoughts about yourself and others.
--Spend as much time outdoors in nature as possible, near plants and trees, breathing fresh air, contacting the earth with your body, and sensing nature's refreshing and relaxing beauty.
--Move away from cities which are less healthy where you are easier to control
and live closer to nature.
--Drink only water where you know its source and that has been filtered in some way unless bottled directly at a natural spring in a non-contaminated area from deep in the ground.
--Get at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night, trying to go to bed no later than midnight if possible. Resist the desire to stay up later and deny sleep to engage with media.
--Exercise at least 30 minutes 3-5 times per week doing moderate aerobic and or strength training. Try to have at least 2 strength training sessions per week.
--Treat your body like a temple and your spirit like the true part of God/Divinity that it is.

​FINANCIAL/ENERGY
--Work hard to eliminate your debt, avoid bank loans, and not support banks by paying them interest. Banks support the most evil activities and people on earth.
--Use seller financed, private loans if you must.
--If possible, work as a contractor or in your own business, to reduce paying taxes to a corrupt government and thereby supporting their unhealthy agenda.
--Create sources of sustainable income (sustainable means able to continue for a long time with less effort).
--Accumulate gold and silver in storage or invest in things that have real value, freeing yourself from dependence on fiat currency (paper money).
--Once you obtain optimal health, consider exchanging expensive medical insurance for much more affordable accident insurance.
--Simplify your life in every way, reducing unnecessary expenses, and eliminating and not accumulating everything you don't need.
--Live sustainably by obtaining and using only what you need, recycling and supporting recycled products, and even composting your own waste.
--Minimize the use of plastics.
--Use renewable and sustainable energy (sun/solar, wind, water catchment).
--Reduce your use of non-sustainable, non-renewable energy to a minimum (switch off and unplug lights, fans, motors if not needed, reduce heat and air conditioning use, etc., turning off thermostats when not home).
--Walk, drive, take the bus/train, ride your bike, and at a minimum, drive only a high MPG vehicle...better yet, convert to a sustainable energy vehicle when available and when you can afford it.
--Be aware that most electricity today comes from non-renewable, non-sustainable, unsafe/polluting sources, such as oil, coal, and nuclear energy.

POLITICS/RELIGION/SOCIAL
--Boycott voting for a candidate at any level of government in a political election, who belongs to either the Democratic or Republican parties, since those parties are owned and operated themselves as corporations by corporations, banks, the military. Elected officials in these parties function as employees and do not represent your interests (unless you are very wealthy).
--Avoid donating to either of the corporately controlled parties or their candidates. These donations are also not tax deductible, and politicians have no accountability about how to spend your donated monies.
--Support third parties who are progressive in nature, advocating for the transfer of wealth and services back to the 99% of the population who need them.
--Support an election process where voter suppression is illegal and where all votes are made on paper ballots only, counted manually, and in full view of the public.
--Separate yourself from any religion, religious people, or religiosity in your thinking as well as racial or ethnic groups or organizations, that declare themselves to be the ultimate truth, judge the rest of the world as ignorant and evil, and rain hellfire, violence, war, genocide, persecution, prejudice, etc., down on those not in its group.
--Notice the blinding log in your own eye before you judge the splinter in someone else's.
--Treat every living being with great love and respect...because we are ALL part of God/Divinity...animals and plants included!

SAFETY/PROTECTION
--Eliminate all unnecessary association with and support for the current military and the police, except in an emergency militia capacity in case of an invasion of your country only or an attempted military takeover by your government.
--Advocate for a great reduction in the military budget, the expenditure on weapons of mass destruction, the ending of wars and invasions of other countries, and the redistribution of monies saved for human services.
--Keep and secure your own weapons and only ever use them to protect yourself and loved ones in self-defense from an imminent attack.

MEDIA
--Stop watching all mainstream corporate media (CNN, MSN, Fox, ABC, NBC, CBS, NYT, HuffPost, WashPost, Vox, etc.) and get your news from independent, alternative sources (print and video, YouTube recommended), being careful to realize that ALL news has a political slant from those who write and distribute it. Trust more those who reveal their slants rather than those who pretend to be neutral. No media source is ever neutral.
--Spend time, but not obsessively, researching from independent non-corporate media what’s really going on in the world politically and how it may affect you.
--Watch media that makes you feel good, positive, happy, friendly, calm, peaceful, motivated, loved, and loving.
--Stop inputting violence into your mind via news and entertainment media (movies, games), that perpetuates violence and violent thinking and feeling.
--Reduce excessive use of social media and rather invest time and energy into building a strong network of friends and colleagues who will support each other in any situation, reducing your dependence on institutions to do so.

I hope these suggestions were helpful.  Blessings to ALL good people everywhere!!

These are difficult times, with restrictions on our lives on unprecented levels and with corresponding anxiety about not having enough or even about being harmed by illness.  I've assembled some tips here to help keep you positive and focused on improving your life by manifesting your potential and desires, even during these challenges.

1. Redirect anxiety about harm from COVID19 to putting extra energy and effort into self-care.  Avoid being a victim to fear which inhibits your immune system.  Get enough sleep, at least 7-8 hours and try to be in bed before midnight.  Improve sleep by developing a sleep culture.  Exercise regularly, even if it’s at home, at least 3-5x/wk for 30 minutes.  Walk or run or bike, use a machine if you have one, or weights, or do calisthenics.  Get outdoors regularly, breathe fresh air around plants and trees, put your bare feet on the soil, and get sunlight on your skin in a bathing suit for at least 30 minutes 3x/wk.  Eat healthy, preferably more fruits and veggies, which have powerful immune boosting properties.  Prepare food at home rather than getting takeout.  Obtain and use natural nutritional supplements that boost the immune system, improve brain health, and reduce stress, such as a quality multivitamin, extra Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Zinc, Omega 3’s from fish or flax/hemp/chia, Magnesium, Astragalus, Kava or Chamomile, and CBD.  Manage stress effectively and actively and regularly by developing a stress management culture and practice, including some form of meditation or relaxation, herbs, teas, relaxing baths, yoga, taiji, etc.  Practice good hygiene, using masks and washing hands when appropriate.  Get help and support when needed.
2. Limit social media time and Netflix time texting/messaging and rather have phone calls and video chats with actual friends and family.
3. Stay updated on what’s going on, but limit news and media time to an hour or so per day to avoid obsession, anxiety & negativity.  Consider watching independent media on YouTube rather than corporate news channels.
4. If you are working at home or not working, develop a structure and a simple plan for each day and stick to it.  Make a to-do list on your phone or on paper and use your phone’s or a paper calendar to plan and remember events.  Include time for work (or looking for work) as well as time to take care of your health and your personal life.
5. Reframe your thinking about the situation.  First, call it a situation rather than a pandemic.  There is lot of evidence that this virus is no more dangerous or prevalent than the flu.  Second, realize that the chance of you or your loved ones being seriously harmed is very low, especially if you and they are taking good care of your health.  Third, take advantage of more home time and possibly less time at work by spending more time with people you care about, doing more things you want to do, and spending more time outdoors.  Consider joining an online group doing things you enjoy.  Fourth, take the opportunity to reevaluate your life and decide whether you want and need to make changes when this situation passes.  Finally, manifest what you want rather than what you don’t want by thinking positively and imagining what you want to happen, claiming that it will happen, asking the Universe for support and feedback and believing you will get it, and then taking action steps to make it happen.  Remember that what you focus on grows and manifests in your life!

Have you been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and been told by your doctor or psychiatrist that this is a lifelong disease,often inherited, and uncontrollable without medication? Do you believe them? Though I am not a doctor, I can say that most doctors who are good at what they do will tell you that a patient’s healing journey begins with how much they believe they can actually heal. So, the question is begged then, why are many told bipolar is not curable? I will allow you to venture your own theories, but mine is that it all boils down to lack of knowledge, making more profit, and having more control.

What is true is that people with bipolar disorder have experienced brain changes over time that are not quickly and easily reversible; however, that is a long way from saying they are not ever reversible. These changes can occur as a result of trauma, stress, poor nutrition, drug inducement, and others. Though it is true that having family members with bipolar increases one’s risk of also having it, it is not clear whether this is more genetic or more a learned social behavior. Also, most doctors have limited to no training in medical school about the impact of nutrition and other lifestyle decisions on either physical or mental health. In this article, 5 ways will be presented on how you can take control of your own mental (and physical) health and begin to improve and reverse your condition safely and naturally.

1.    Improve your diet.  An unhealthy brain typically lives inside an unhealthy body. Look at what you’re eating (and not eating), and you might better understand why your brain is struggling. Mood disorders are made worse behaving unstable blood sugar. Think of it like this: mood follows sugar. When you eat a lot of sugar (including sweets, sodas, and baked goods) or white starch, your blood sugar and mood shoot up, then crash 15-30 minutes later. You feel exhausted, irritable, foggy. If you want to control your mood, control your sugar. Eat either 3 normal sized meals or 5 smaller sized meals, whichever works best for you. Make the bulk of your meals fruits, vegetables, whole grains,legumes/beans, nuts and seeds. These foods are high in fiber and protein, which cause blood sugar to be more stable. Have smaller amounts of animal products; one serving per day is enough. Eat less at restaurants, which soak foods in sugar, salt, and oil to make them “tasty” so you’ll become addicted. Also, avoid eating packaged foods full of chemicals, hormones, and genetically modified ingredients, contributing to gut and systemic inflammation, nutritional deficiencies, including the inability of your brain and nervous system to manufacture the hormones they need to regulate properly. Healthy foods that enhance brain power include blueberries, pomegranates, avocados, whole grains, beans, nuts & seeds, fish,green tea, and dark chocolate. Another simple tip is to keep yourself hydrated by drinking at least 3-4 bottles of water per day; this will help your brain work better, reduce headaches, clean out toxicity and waste more efficiently, and make you less thirsty, so you might better avoid liquid temptations like soda, coffee, and alcohol, all of which are not great for your mental or physical health.

2.    Supplement. Along the lines of nutritional deficiencies, consider the following nutritional supplements to boost your brain’s performance. Omega fatty acids are essential for brain health, and they reduce inflammation in your whole body. They are instrumental in the makeup of the myelin sheaths over your nerve fibers, equivalent to the rubber coating over copper wire to prevent electricity from escaping the wire before it reaches its destination. The diet of most Americans is severely deficient in this nutrient, since most of us do not eat fish/seafood, flax, chia, hemp, or walnuts on a regular basis. Further, the omega 6’s found in most of the other plant oils we eat actually make it harder for our bodies to absorb omega 3’s. To counter this problem, supplement with either 1000 mg of fish oil or 1 tablespoon flax oil (tablets or bottle)daily. Refrigerate the flax oil to keep it from spoiling, and keep the fish oil in the freezer so it melts rather than bursting in your stomach, to prevent acid reflux. Also consider adding B vitamins (also found in whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds), which are known to help the brain function better, especially when it’s under stress. Another important supplement known to reduce inflammation and improve brain power by creating new brain cells and improving memory, is turmeric (or curcumin), a yellow root which is available in powder form (take 1 or 2 capsules per day) or you can add it to recipes. This root is what makes Indian food yellow. Finally, gut health is now thought to be far more important than earlier assumed, and the gut is now being called the “third brain,” since it contains a nexus of thousands of nerve fibers, appears to communicate directly with the brain and heart, and manufactures most of the chemicals our nervous systems need to regulate. Consider taking a good quality supplementation daily, preferably in the morning before your first meal, to make sure your gut is populated with healthy bacteria. This is especially important for those taking antibiotics or other drugs, which tend to destroy gut flora. Going up to two capsules a day might be necessary while taking any kind of drug and for weeks afterwards.

3.    Get your sleep.  Those with bipolar disorder know that sleep is an issue. People in manic or hypomanic stages often skip sleep believing they can“make it up later.” Our bodies don't work like that. Less than 6 hours of sleep is clinical sleep deprivation and causes brain impairments in most people, especially after several days, weeks or months. Aim for a minimum of 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. Create a sleep culture to help you sleep better, including using white noise, wearing eye covers and earplugs, removing all electronics from your bedroom, and using it only for sleep and sex. You can also use 1 or 2 capsules of valerian root an hour before bedtime to make you sleep more easily and deeply without any side effects, as well as consuming a relaxing sleepy time or chamomile tea in the evening and avoiding any caffeine after noon. Also, avoid drinking too much fluid after dinner,to avoid having to get up during the night to use the bathroom. Hydrate throughout the day with one bottle of water in the morning, 1 in the afternoon, and 1 later in the afternoon or early evening.

4.    Move your body, preferably in nature. There are so many benefits to being out in nature, it’s amazing so many of us think we can be the only animal in the world that barely ever goes outside. Sunlight is great for your health and mood, and the Vitamin D it causes your body to make is not just vitamin, but also a hormone used to regulate among other things your nervous system. Have you heard of SAD or Seasonal Affective Disorder? This is a very real depression that comes basically from too little sunlight, usually in the winter. Not to mention that outside air has 10 times the air quality of inside air, which means more oxygen, more energy, more mental clarity. The random movements of clouds, trees and grass blowing in the wind, light dancing, all have relaxing and balancing effects on our nervous systems, as does swinging our arms bilaterally while walking. Exercise improves circulation of all fluids, elimination of toxicity,strength, overall health, and most importantly, mood!

5.    Manage your stress.  It can’t be emphasized enough that stress accumulates and is the “number one killer,” worse than all others. Without stress management, the brain becomes overwhelmed, the mood tanks, and the bodily systems all take a hit. What are some ways to best manage stress? Well, all of the above suggestions will reduce systemic stress and especially keep your brain happier and healthier. In addition, having supportive relationships with positive friends, keeping active doing things we enjoy, doing work we basically like, and practicing active stress management areal important. What is active stress management? That would include practicing deep breathing, listening to guided relaxation tapes, listening to relaxing music, taking relaxing baths with candles and music and essential oils and Epsom salts, practicing tai chi or yoga, getting massage, even having safe and loving sex with a partner. Find a method that works for you and do it regularly, at least every other day (or every day even better). What about drugs and alcohol? Though it’s true many with bipolar disorder, self-medicate in this way, not only are these effects short term, but drugs are addictive,take more and more quantity to do their job, and destroy our health, finances,and relationships. Just say no and get help if you cannot.

If you are able to put these changes into effect, no doubt you will be well along with way to recovery. Should you simply abandon your prescribed medication right away and commit to this path? That is not recommended, as it will take time for your body to adjust to change, even positive change. It would be better to put these changes into effect, see if your moods and energy levels stabilize, and then consider reducing your medications gradually and evaluating the effect, preferably while working with a licensed mental health care provider to insure you’re safe and getting the proper support. Most importantly, if you believe you can heal yourself, you will be that much closer to actually doing just that, instead of relying on high doses of toxic medications your whole life!

The basic recommended PhoenixWay juicing plan for maintaining optimal health is 1 liter of fresh-made, raw vegetable/fruit juice per day. This recommendation is based on the research of Dr. Max Gerson, Dr. Norman Walker, and other leaders in holistic, natural healing on the benefits of reversing most disease in the body, cleansing and detoxing, maximizing energy, and enhancing youthfulness and longevity. Since green juice is arguably the most nutritious and important for the body, the plan is green juice every other day, alternating with 3 different carrot-based juices on non-green days.

The standard “green” juice is several green chard leaves (4-8), several lettuce leaves (romaine, green, iceberg, etc.), 4 stalks celery, 1/2 cucumber, ½ green bell pepper, 2 medium apples (or pears or 1 each pear and apple), sometimes jicama (equivalent to apple size), large handful cilantro, 1/2 squeezed lime.

The "orange" juice is 8-12 large carrots, 1 medium apple, 1 medium yellow beet, 1 medium orange, ½ orange or yellow bell pepper, 2 celery stalks, 1 chunk fresh ginger, 1/2 squeezed lime.

The “purple” juice is 8-12 large carrots, 1 medium purple beet, 1 apple, a few handfuls of blueberries and/or
blackberries, chunk ginger, 2 celery stalks, 1/2 squeezed lime.

The “red” juice is 8-12 lg carrots, 1 medium tomato, few handfuls strawberries, 2 celery stalks, ½ red bell pepper, 1 apple, 1/2 squeezed lime.

Adjust due to fruit size. If apples are small, add another; ditto with tomatoes, beets, oranges, etc. Lime can be put directly in juicer or squeezed in separately. Lemon can be substituted (but limes are cheaper!).
This juicing program can be added to an intermittent fasting program, such as the one I personally have followed, to stay clean and energized and control calorie consumption and maintain lean, healthy weight. The plan I’ve followed is on fasting days (usually Mon, Wed, and Fri) 1 liter of juice per day (above), plus all the fresh fruit and flax milk (w/added vegan protein, 1g/1oz, usually 1 liter minimum) I want, alternating with days (Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun) where I still do the juicing and eat fruit and flax milk, but balance by adding in other healthy (typically vegan) foods and usually less fruit (sometimes less flax milk). You can also fast one whole day (such as Mondays) on just 2 liters of juice and water/tea, or add in some fresh fruit if you need it.

Juicing Shopping list
(based on 1 liter/day, green juice every other day, 1 each of “purple,” “red,” “orange” juices per week)

2 bunches celery, organic
2 bunches swiss chard, green, organic
2 cucumbers, organic
1-2 clumps cilantro, organic
5 lbs carrots (at least 16-20 large)
1 medium beet, purple
1 medium beet, yellow/orange
1 package blueberries, organic
1 package blackberries, organic
1 package strawberries, organic
2 bunches bananas
5 lbs apples, organic (at least 12 medium)
1 bag oranges
1 bag grapes, purple or red, organic
2-4 tomatoes, organic
4 limes
1 large piece fresh ginger

The following produce should be organic, due to high pesticides/herbicides (the rest optional): apples, all leafy greens, celery, cucumber, bell pepper, berries.

The flax milk I used to use is Good Karma Flax Milk, Unsweetened + Protein, found at Whole Foods, EarthFare, and sometimes Harris Teeter. It tastes great drinking while eating a banana or two. I now make my own fresh flax/hemp milk by blending 5 cups of spring water with 4 TBSP ground flax seed and 6 TBSP of hemp seed, a pinch of sea salt, and 1 TBSP of quality local honey or agave nectar. Blend for 1 minute, rest 1 minute, repeat total 3x. Strain through nylon nut milk bag (available online, Amazon, eBay, etc.).

Ken Pataky, MS, LPC, Holistic Psychotherapist & Transformational Life & Health Coach
The PhoenixWay to Holistic Natural Health, http://www.phoenixway.net

​​I’m including here some tips and pointers about stress management, which will improve how you feel both individually and in any relationships you may have.  In fact, doing these are an important addition to talk therapy; without them, your progress will be limited.
 
You may be doing some of these already, and some will be new.  Try to do more than 1, as they will work together to support each other, and 1 + 1 will be greater than 2. 
 
First, are supplements.  I buy mine from Vitacost.  They are cheap w/free shipping over $49, here in NC so delivery is quick, and they always send you discount coupons for 10-15% off your next order.  Always take supplements with food.
 
For Women:
 
Women’s multi:  https://www.vitacost.com/natures-way-alive-once-daily-womens-multi-vitamin-ultra-potency-60-tablets-13 (1 per day)
 
Dong quai root (to help w/depression, women’s cycle balance): 
https://www.vitacost.com/natures-way-dong-quai-root-565-mg-100-vegetarian-capsules (1 per day)
 
For Men:
 
Men’s multi:  https://www.vitacost.com/natures-way-alive-once-daily-mens-multi-vitamin-60-tablets (1 per day)
 
Eleuthero root (to improve energy and endurance):  https://www.vitacost.com/solgar-eleuthero (1 per day)
 
For both Men & Women:
 
Omega 3’s (fish oil, to improve anxiety, depression, brain fog, and reduce systemic inflammation including obesity, heart disease, arthritis):  https://www.vitacost.com/vitacost-synergy-mega-efa-1200-mg-omega-3-epa-dha-per-serving-120-softgels (1 per day, keep the fish oil refrigerated or in freezer if you get fish burps)
 
Vitamin D (to improve mood, immunity):  https://www.vitacost.com/vitacost-vitamin-d3-mini-gels-5000-iu-100-softgels (1 per day)
 
Astragalus root (to support adrenal health exhausted from stress, improve energy):  https://www.vitacost.com/natures-answer-astragalus-root-90-vegetarian-capsules (1 per day)
 
Kava Stress Relief Yogi Tea (to foster relaxation and positive mood, you can also get at Walmart).  https://www.vitacost.com/yogi-stress-relief-herbal-tea-caffeine-free-kava
 
(OR chamomile tea OR sleepytime tea, drink in the evening, at least 2 hours before bedtime)
 
Valerian root (to improve sleep naturally):  https://www.vitacost.com/natures-answer-valerian-root-90-vegetarian-capsules-1 (take 1-3 about an hour before bedtime)
 
OR
 
Melatonin (natural:  https://www.vitacost.com/life-extension-liquid-melatonin-natural-citrus-vanilla (1 ml, an hour before bed)
 
Here are some other suggestions about managing stress/worry/anxiety/frustration:
 
Complete moderate exercise, especially weight training, at least 3-5x per week, for 30-60 minutes.  Ideal is minimum 2 strength training sessions and 5 cardio of 30 minutes (can be walking).  Make it fun.  Do it with a partner.  Do it outside when possible.  Exercise is even more effective than psychotropic meditation for managing anxiety & stress.
 
Get outdoors.  Nature has a positive effect on our mental & physical health.  Put your bare feet on the soil to ground yourself.  Sunlight is the best form of Vitamin D.  Open your windows.  Open your sunroof/windows.  Outside air is 10X more healthy than inside air (unless you are in a city or near a great source of pollution).
 
Limit caffeine to one cup per day if possible, no later than lunch, to improve sleep and to reduce anxiety.  Caffeine may improve focus & energy, but it also worsens anxiety/worry/stress.  Find another source.
 
Limit alcohol to one drink per day or less, with food/dinner, to improve early morning sleep.  Alcohol is a toxin, interferes with deep sleep and worsens depression.
 
Try adding epsom salt (magnesium) baths, 2 cups per bathtub, 2x/week...also add relaxing music, candle/low light, etc., and essential oil/s...3-5 drops...esp. lavender.  Magnesium relaxes muscles and helps use up excess calcium in the body, improving cardiovascular health, arthritis, etc.
 
Eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts/seeds and smaller amounts of animal protein (ideally less than 10% of the diet, 5% even better), to improve calmness and peace of mind and healthy brain and body function.  Meat carries stress hormones from when the animals were killed, which add to your stress.  A plant based diet reduces inflammation, toxicity, acidity, and negativity.
 
Develop a daily Meditation/relaxation practice, ideally a mind body practice such Yoga or Taiji/Qigong, with deep relaxing breathing, to release tension and develop more positive overall feelings in your mind and body.  Learn how to regulate your stress & emotions with holistic practices such as HeartMath & Tapping & Hypnotherapy.  Click on the links in this paragraph to learn more about these on my website, http://www.phoenixway.net.  

Ken Pataky, MS, LPC, Holistic Psychotherapist & Transformational Life & Health Coach
The PhoenixWay to Holistic Natural Health, http://www.phoenixway.net

For those who suffer from too much or too little sleep, disturbed sleep, or inability to fall or remain asleep, please enjoy this helpful holistic guide.  Choose as many of the following steps to implement simultaneously as you can—the more the better.  They all work synergistically to support each other!

1. Make your bedroom a sacred space only for sleeping/rest and sex.  Avoid working or studying there.  Your bodymind learns to do in a space what you normally do in a space.  Remove all electronics (except a small device to play a relaxation tape, if you are doing that).  No TV (remember, TV is about staying awake and watching something, also adds stress to your mind.).  Keep your cell phone in another room and powered off at night.  If you need it for the alarm, put it as far away from you as possible so you can still hear the alarm.
2. Wear foam noise-reducing ear plugs and eye shades.  The straps don’t have to be tight.
3. Use room-darkening shades.  Cover all windows, even small ones.  I use 2 throw pillows from my bed to block the ½-moon window over the large shaded window in my bedroom.
4. Use white noise:  a white noise maker, an air/HEPA filter.  I have a large HEPA filter in my foyer that I can hear all over my house.  It’s miraculous to reduce/hide background noise.
5. Avoid eating 3-4 hours before bedtime.  A full stomach will mean a night of digesting which is disturbing to sleep.
6. Avoid drinking within an hour of bedtime and do most of your hydration earlier in the day.  Getting up to urinate 1 or more times during the night disturbs sleep.
7. Drink relaxing herbal tea after dinner but not too late in the evening.  Recommended teas include SleepyTime teas, chamomile teas, kava teas (Yogi Stress Relief).  Herbal detox teas should happen in the morning, since they are diuretic and will make you urinate.
8. Take 1 or more capsules of valerian root an hour before bedtime.  Valerian root is a powerful sleep-inducing herb that has none of the negative side effects of sleep pharmaceuticals that leaves people feeling rested but not groggy.  It is also not addictive.  Another alternative is melatonin, which can also be taken before bed in low doses (start w/.5 to 1mg and go up to 3 to 5 mg if needed).
9. Aim to get to bed before midnight and sleep for at least 8 hours.  Deep sleep (without dreams) occurs more at night than sleeping during the day.  Your body also makes more melatonin and human growth hormone during the night, not during the day.  You can’t fool Mother Nature!
10. Get up in the morning and get as much sunlight as possible during the day, including sunbathing for 15 minutes in a bathing suit on both sides (front & back) of your body.  Sunlight during the day, especially into your eyes when it stimulates your pineal gland, increases melatonin production and deepens sleep.  In addition, avoid wearing dark sunglasses every time you’re outside.  Don’t look directly into the sun, of course, but blocking all sun to your eyes will reduce melatonin, HGH, and reduce sleep quality.
11. Exercise.  Exercise reduces tension in the body and tires the muscles, which leads to deeper, more relaxing sleep.  Not exercising allows tension to build up in the body, which then keeps the mind from discharging tension and leads to restlessness, monkey mind, and insomnia.
12. Practice a bodymind relaxation practice, such as yoga or tai chi.  Slow, meditative movement and/or stretching with sustained deep breathing is profoundly effective in reducing tension and improving ease in the mind and body.  Deep breathing turns off the fight-flight-freeze response and triggers the parasympathetic autonomous nervous system to literally change the chemical composition of your body and its functioning, in order to invite deep relaxation, recovery, and healing.  Practicing before bed is very effective as a sleep-promoting routine.  Using incense and gentle, quiet music can enhance your practice.  Always include deep relaxation at the end of your practice, totally letting go.  Perhaps complete your personal hygiene prior to your practice, so you can go right to bed after…or even do it in your bed.
13. Meditate.  Learn how to meditate and practice up to 20 minutes per day, twice per day.  Meditation with sustained deep breathing clears the mind, also reduces tension, and heightens awareness about what is really bothering you, so you can address it.  It also allows you to develop the ability to witness your suffering without being as pulled in by it.  When disturbing content arises, imagine you’re watching it on a movie screen and sitting as far back in the theatre as you need to in order to feel safe.  Avoid going into the movie.  Just watch it.  If you can’t go to sleep or wake up and can’t return to sleep, practice meditating and tell yourself you’re not wasting time but are actually doing something that’s improving your bodymind health.
14. Eat food that is calming rather than stress inducing.  Plant food is more calming for the body.  Animal food includes stress hormones from the suffering prior to death as well as other powerful toxicities.  Foods that contain tryptophan—such as walnuts, pumpkin, leafy greens, mushrooms, soy (organic or non-GMO), wheat (organic), potato—create more melatonin and serotonin, which promote better sleep and mood.  Animal products contain cytokines, which degrade tryptophan.  The fiber, antioxidants, and omega 3 fats and other nutrients such as Vitamins B6 & C, magnesium, and iron also reduce cytokines and allow tryptophan to flourish and be better absorbed.
15. Avoid distressing media, such as violence TV or movies (or even the news), especially before bed.  Your mind takes those stressful images into sleep and perpetuates them into your dreams.  Even though your cognitive brain may know they aren’t real or directly threatening you, your mid and lower brains are more childlike and do not.  You are literally traumatizing your brain and engaging your sympathetic autonomic nervous system fight-flight-freeze response.
16. Take an Epsom salt bath, preferably before bed.  Put 2 cups of Epsom salts in a warm (summer) or hot (winter) bath, and perhaps 3-5 drops of lavender essential oil.  Epsom salts are made of magnesium, which absorbs through your skin and relaxes your muscles as well as your mind.  Play some relaxing music, reduce lighting, avoid electronics, and really let go.
17. Obtain a health weight.  Obesity makes breathing more difficult, increases sleep apnea, and makes the entire body less efficient in all processes, including rest and recovery.
18. Try to sleep and wake at similar times as much as possible.  We train our bodyminds by the behaviors we repeat. 
19. Avoid blue light from electronics at night and turn off all electronics at least 1 hour before your target bed time.  There are now free apps for computers and mobile phones that can turn the blue light off from these devices for specific times.
20. Seek out a teacher or coach.  Find someone who can help you deal with issues that persistently bother you, improve relationships, bring more love into your life, and who can teach you how to relax, breathe, meditate, learn a bodymind healing practice, and learn how to heal yourself energetically and holistically!