" In your quest or pursuit of happiness, pause to relax and be happy."
Thanks Karen
“Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections.”
“Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence”
In conjunction with contentment is happiness. These are quite different. You can be content but not happy. You can be happy and not content. The best is to be content and happy.
Success does NOT bring you happiness. Wealth does NOT bring you happiness. Happiness comes from within. There are always moments in life when we can become unhappy. These are situational. Most often the death of a loved on brings us unhappiness. This is understandable. You must also look beyond and think what a relief for the individual or family if he/she was suffereing. I encounter death more often than I wish. This has made me a bit jaded. A bit unemotional. Possibly because I have seen death in my own family. It brings me joy when death comes quickly to anyone. I do not like to see suffering. It is not only the suffering of the individual involved, but the loving family. To read quotes onm death and dying can be sad but also inspirational. Here is one I seem to find solice in:
You live on earth only for a few short years
which you call an incarnation,
and then you leave your body as an outworn dress
and go for refreshment to your true home in the spirit of God."
From the Broadway play, Mack and Mabel-- a Jerry Herman musical comes a song that can sum of feelings. " Time Heals Everything"
Wild Plants as a food source become even more important and better for one's overall health. I know we as Americans eat too many processed food. We are saturating our bodies with far to many chemicals. I do not think the food industry even realiuzes the dangerous effects of these chemicals. The natural health food centers and organic foods are one option, but not always affordable in today's economic climate. Right outside your door step are the small farmers who grow organically but cannot afford an organic license. There is also the food co-op in yoiur area. I have talked about food co cops int he past. If you live outside the city, growing in your yard are the wild planmts. Become familar with the wild plants as these can be a great food source.
One of the 'backyard' plantrs useful for the teratment of arthritis is Dandelion ( Taraxacum officinale ) As discussed previously it is a emmber of the Daisy Family. It is one of the oldest medicinal herbs. It does have diuertic properties like the conventional drug, lasix or furosemide. It is one of the best known plants for treatment of chronic rheumatoid arthritis. Dandelion works on the interstital tissue. For my arthritis patients, I prescribe dandelion tea starting in the spring. If you prefer you can get dandelion juices . I prefer the tea as the juice is sweetened with sugar. You repeat this process in the fall. So twice a year ( Spring and Fall ) with a summer and winter of better mobility, less stiffness and decreased tendency for other joints to get sore.
Another herb which I have personally not used is Bittersweet ( Solanum dulcamara ) It is so uncommonly written about that is difficult to find citations of its use. If it is not in the Mosby's Handbook of Herbs and Natural Supplements, then I know it is not used commonly. When you go from Bilberry to Blackberry in any book--Bittersweet is overlooked. It is not Bitter Melon nor Bitter Orange. It is Bittersweet. Other names for Bittersweet include Bitter Nightshade, Felonwort, and Violet-bloom. It is a vine like perennial herb that has long trailing or climbing stems reaching up to ten feet in length each.
The species name of the bittersweet herb - dulcamara, is a reference to the taste of the berries. The berries initially have a bitter taste and then become unpleasantly sweet as they ripen. This is why it is called Bittersweet. Bittersweet is a native European species, it has been naturalized in America. It has many uses other than arthritis. The bittersweet is very effective when consumed to treat different kinds of skin problems like long term eczema, persistent itchiness on the skin, disorders such as psoriasis, as well as warts. In addition to the other beneficial properties mentioned above, the bittersweet herb has a mildly narcotic effect; it also possesses a diuretic effect. Small doses of the bittersweet remedy are useful in treating problems like dyspnoea, cough, and pain in the chest produced by exposure to cold weather. Bittersweet remedies are also useful in relieving catarrhal headache induced by acute colds, and this remedy is also helpful in treating nasal catarrh. Bittersweet contains steroidal alkaloids (including solasodine and soldulcamaridine), steroidal saponins, and about 10% tannins.
Until tomorrow...
Top photograph: Bittersweet
Bottom photograph: Dandelion
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