You may be asking what does Yin/Yang have to do with my life and well-being?

Everything in your life consists of both Yin/Yang energy. When these two energies are in harmony, health and well-being results. An imbalance causes dis-ease.

In essence, Yin/Yang are relative terms used to describe everything in your life. Everything around you and in you, has these energies. Nothing is purely Yin or Yang but contains both energies in varying amounts. You cannot have one without the other. Neither one is better, with both being needed for balance and well-being.

The basic idea of Yin/Yang is that the only constant in your world is continual change. In other words, nothing remains the same; no disease, no condition, no emotion, absolutely everything is continually changing. In the same way, Yin/Yang are in a constant state of change, complementing and opposing each other.

Yin literally means the ‘dark side of the mountain’ representing: darkness, night, coldness, stillness, winter, autumn, earth, moisture, passivity, femaleness, black, blue, silver, moon, water etc. Yin energy maintains and endures, it is nourishing and supports growth and development. Reflection and stillness create Yin energy.

Yang on the other-hand is translated as the ‘bright side of the mountain’ representing light, maleness, day, warmth, heaven, activity, sun, dominance, spring, red, orange, yellow, summer etc. Yang energy is creative and generating, it develops and expands; it is aggressive, dynamic and full of movement. The power of Yang energy is what drives creativity. Passion and fire fuel Yang energy.

The Yin/Yang energies within your body and within each organ need to be in balance for your body to function in harmony. If there is an imbalance with your body’s systems, with either too much Yin or too much Yang, you will experience disharmony or dis-ease. To achieve wellness, you need to balance work (yang) and play (yin) and indulgence (yin) and discipline (yang).

Chinese Medicine, ChiYo, shiatsu, feng shui, acupressure and acupuncture all apply these principles of Yin/Yang in restoring well-being.

Now that you under the concept of Yin/Yang, we will look at how this affects you in your every day life.

Everything in your life, whether it be the food you eat, your personality, your job, your activities, the music you listen to, your moods, your emotions, the colors around you, the climate where you live etc can all be defined as either having either mainly Yin or Yang energy. So it’s about balancing these two energies. In a state of good health, Yin/Yang harmoniously support and depend on each.

You can apply the principles of Yin/Yang to your every day life. For example, if you are constantly on the go, have a fast-paced career, participate in competitive sports, have a tendency to want everything yesterday and love to push yourself, all Yang qualities, to achieve internal balance and well-being, you need to include Yin energy i.e. meditation, yoga, ChiYo etc in your life.

If this balance is not achieved, then another factor comes into play and that is that if something is extremely Yin or Yang, then it will become its opposite. For example, excess Yang as the example given above, will eventually become a Yin condition leading to fatigue and exhaustion, forcing your body to achieve stillness and rest through illness.

Below are a few examples of Yin/Yang qualities in your life. These are intended to give an idea of how Yin/Yang features in your life. You will be able to determine which energy (Yin or Yang) is the most prevalent and which energy (the opposite) you need to include to achieve balance and well-being.

Are You Predominantly Yin or Yang?

Yin Personal Characteristics:

Yang Personal Characteristics:

Yin & Yang Actvities

Yin & Yang Careers

Yin & Yang Foods

In summer (Yang) increase your intake of Yin foods and vice versa.

Balance should be your goal if you want to achieve well-being. So listen to your body as it will always tell you what it needs to achieve this balance.

Article by Rosanna Commisso
Rosanna Commisso is the Founder of ChiYo Life. ChiYo is feng shui for your body. It is a gentle holistic practice developed by Rosanna Commisso that combines the healing and regenerative techniques of specific yogic breathing, standing meditation, flowing Chi energy movements with acu-massage to increase internal Chi, balance the yin and yang energies in the body and activate the chakra systems, healing body, mind and spirit. www.chiyolife.com.au

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Almond milk is a popular beverage in Medieval Europe and the Middle East. It has been proven to have many health benefits for those who are lactose intolerant. Here’s a simple guide to making your own almond milk at home.

Homemade Almond Milk Recipe

Ingredients Needed:

• Raw almonds, 1½ cups
• Filtered water, 4 cups

Soak almonds in water for minimum six to eight hours. Drain the water, and blend the almond with 4 cups of water, until it reaches a milk like consistency. Strain it to remove almond skin and granules. One can store almond milk in an air-tight jar in the refrigerator for four to five days. If you want it to be sweeter, then blend in a few soaked dates or add a small amount of agave nectar as well.

The Health Benefits of Almond Milk

Lactose Free — Lactose is the sugar found in cow’s milk. Many people are lactose intolerant, and consumption of milk causes abdominal discomfort, bloating and diarrhea. As almond milk is extracted from almonds, a nut, hence it’s plant derived and lactose free, and can be easily substituted everywhere where one might use cow’s milk which makes this one of the most important almond milk benefits. Soy milk and hemp milk are two more alternatives if you are lactose intolerant.

Homemade and Pure — As one can easily extract the milk at home without much effort, and also store it without using preservatives and additives, it would be right to say that consuming almond milk means to consume health, 100 percent!

It has already been proven that to increase milk production, cow’s are being injected with antibiotics and growth hormones. These unnatural additives can then lead to allergic reactions and toxic side effects in humans. In most extreme circumstances, these additives can even lead to the development of certain types of cancers.

Nutrition Packed — Almonds are protein rich, and full of vitamin E, magnesium, selenium, manganese, zinc, potassium, fiber, iron, phosphorus and calcium. Full of heart healthy flavonoids, almond milk helps lower LDL cholesterol and protect the heart. High levels of vitamin E, ensure powerful antioxidants in the body.

Antioxidants inhibit the growth of free radicals that are known to cause cancer. Almond milk contains many vital nutrients, unlike other milks, it doesn’t need to be fortified with vitamins and minerals. Almond milk is low in calories, contains no cholesterol and saturated fats, which helps make this nut milk very healthy and good for those trying to lose weight. Power packed with nutrients, almond milk will help you and your family stay fit and healthy.

A Word of Caution

Almond milk should not be substituted for breast milk. It does not provide the necessary adequate nourishment required for infant growth. For lactose intolerant babies, it would be best to consult your family doctor or a pediatrician on what would be best for your child.

Nuts like almonds also include goitrogens; this substance is known to suppress thyroid gland functioning by interfering with iodine uptake. The use of bitter almonds has also been cautioned against, as bitter almonds, when blended with water can release cyanide.

Buy good quality almonds, to not only extract its milk, but also for the many almond milk benefits. And if you don’t want to have it bland, add in some chocolate or vanilla flavor to create an instant yummy healthy drink!

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• List of Different Types of Nuts
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• How Cow’s Milk Can Sabotage Your Metabolism

Source: NatureWise

With so many different sizes, styles, prices and systems available for garden compost bins how do you choose the bes one for your garden? There are a few simple things to keep in mind to ensure your new composter is right for you and your garden.

The choice of commercially available ready-made garden compost bins is endless. Plastic, wood, mesh, static, open, covered, spinning, rolling, wormery or fermenting system. How on earth do you know which garden composter to choose?

First things first, do not panic too much. If you are new to garden composting, rest assured that any bin your choose will make you great garden compost. Organic matter wants to decompose and break down. Even if you used no bin at all, and just piled it all up in the corner of the garden, you would end up with compost. The speed and efficiency at which humus is produced may vary considerably with different garden composting systems, but the end result will be the same eventually.

Price & Size

The primary considerations when choosing a garden compost bin should be price and size. Your budget will determine whether you can even consider the more flamboyant multi-chamber rotating composters, or if you will need to stick with basic static models. There is no point in dreaming of new super-fast systems if you do not have the budget for it.

Decide your price range and stick with it. The cheapest composters work, and often the more basic are the longest lasting so do not stress yourself with what you would have, just look at what you can have.

Does Size Matter?

The size of the bin is also key. There is absolutely no point in buying a huge container if you do not have huge amounts of organic debris to put in it. Be realistic. You want to be able to fill any bin within six months and ideally within three. Multiple bins are always preferable because once a container is full it will need to be left for at least a few months. So, you will need another bin to start filling.

The Speed of Composters

The speed at which you want to make compost may impact on your purchasing decision. The quickest way to produce garden compost outside is with a spinning compost barrel. Used correctly with regular mixing of the garden waste and kitchen scraps, these can make your compost within eight weeks. Speed does not really matter in the longer term, because once you start making your own garden compost you will always have some being made and some finished. But, in the early stages it is beneficial to get some made quickly for an immediate return on your investment.

How Important Are Looks?

Considering how ugly some bins are, probably the last thing people really consider are the looks of any system. If your garden is a large one, that’s fine as you can hide an ugly bin and not worry about it. But, most gardeners will find their bin is on view from some part of the garden.

For this reason what the bin looks like should be taken into account much more than seems to be the case. If you can afford a beautiful product brilliant. But, if like most gardeners you are faced with buying a cheap but effective plastic bin think about the color of it at least. Black disappears into the background, so an ugly black composter will be much less noticeable than a more stylish bright green one. Simple, but true.

Traditional Composting Systems vs. Worm Composting

Try not to be swayed too much towards worm composting or kitchen compost bins if you have the room and use for an ordinary garden composter. These should be chosen if a compost pile in the garden is not an option, or if you are looking for an additional composting system to use in conjunction with a traditional garden compost bin. Both those systems are great, because they recycle food scraps so effectively but they are much more effective when used in addition to a garden bin for the bulky waste.

I must reiterate, do not stress about the type of garden compost bin too much. They all work and the chances are you will want another one in a few years so you can try a different one then! Once you start garden composting there just never seems to be enough so most gardeners use several systems alongside each other.

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• Greenhouses: Healthy for You & the Planet
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• Is Eating Purely Organic Food Better for you?

The succulent and fleshy aloe vera plant is a native of the African continent. The jelly extracted from its parts can be used to make aloe vera juice, which can be used as a nutrition supplement. Aloe vera’s wound healing properties were known to man, since the ancient days.

For its healing touch, the plant was honored with the titles like “the Miracle plant” and “the Natural healer”. The ancient people from the Greek, Chinese, Egyptian, Sumerian and Roman civilizations used aloe vera to cure minor skin injuries and similar conditions, because of its soothing properties.

The modern science attributes, the aloe vera juice benefits to its richness in nutrients. Researchers have identified vitamins such as vitamin C, vitamin B12 and vitamin E and minerals such as iron, copper and germanium in the aloe vera juice, which contributes to healing of many health conditions. Along with the essential fatty acids (amino acids), it also contains trace elements such as calcium, potassium, zinc and manganese. Here are some of the most common aloe vera juice benefits.

Digestion Benefits

Some experts advise to drink at least two glasses of aloe vera juice every day to get the maximum about of health benefits. One of the aloe vera juice benefits is that it can be used to initiate the process of loosening and discharging waste materials, such as undigested food waste, intestinal parasites, and harmful bacteria, which may be clinging to the inner lining of the colon and large intestine.

These wastes materials cause clogging of the intestinal lining and prevent complete absorption of nutrients from the digested food. The harmful toxins produced by the bacterias are also washed out during this process, which improves the overall function of the digestive system.

Doing an aloe colon cleanse can help break down the plaque that may be forming an inner lining of the digestive tract. Other digestive benefits may also help the regulation of the production of gastric acids, which prevents ulcers like, gastric and duodenal ulcers, acid indigestion, inflammation of colon and irritable bowel syndrome. Aloe vera juice benefits include improved digestion, blood circulation.

One possible side effect of aloe may be diarrhea if you drink too much. Excessive intake of aloe vera juice should be avoided during pregnancy.

Anti-inflammatory & Pain Relief

The people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis can avail themselves, the analgesic and anti-inflammatory aloe vera juice benefits. The joint pains and stiffness of the muscles that a person experiences, at his joints while going about the daily business, can be greatly relieved, with the help of aloe vera juice. Improved joint flexibility and movements can be observed.

Mucopolysaccharides, which are amino sugars necessary in regeneration of body cells are present in the aloe vera juice. Drinking aloe vera juice may help the regenerated joint muscle tissues which aids in mobility. Aloe vera juice will also help strengthen joint muscles which results in reduction of friction among the bones, muscles and ligaments of the joints and surrounding body tissues and thus, alleviating pain and inflammation in the weakened or aged joints.

Cancer & Blood Disease Prevention

Acemannan, is a D-isomer mucopolysaccharide and acts as a immuno-stimulant. It is also present in this juice and is believed to boost the production of white blood cells. This helps in strengthening the immune system and boosts the body’s ability to fight bacterial and viral infections.

Because of this fact the United State’s Food and Drug Administration authorities have recommended it’s use in avoiding health problems due to the lowered immunity in the HIV patients. The aloe vera juice is currently being studied for its potential use in treating the cancers such as leukemia, ovarian and breast cancer, because it has been found to prevent the growth of tumors in laboratory rats.

Hair regrowth and skin rejuvenation are also among the other health benefits of aloe vera, which are widely popular and are derived respectively from the enzymes and the collagen present in the aloe vera juice. With the advances in technology, the scientists and the researchers are discovering new health benefits of aloe vera juice.

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• Body Wraps: The Newest Detox Method?
• A Quick & Easy Guide To Internal Cleansing