When it comes the lifespan of your carpets, maintenance is key! It is recommended every 12 – 18 months to have your carpets cleaned. Some may think renting a machine from the local supermarket will do the same job but that’s just not true. Not every carpet is cut from the same cloth and not every spot requires the same treatment; some products may actually make a spot worse. Not to mention a professional system will kill bacteria and dust mites, keeping your home cleaner and healthier. You can go to a hardware store and buy nails and wood, but would you want to build your own house?
Community News
Heed the Gut-Brain Connection
More and more evidence is showing that your gut health has an enormous effect on your brain, your body’s immune system, and hormonal secretion. Food sensitivities can cause ill effects beyond the physical symptoms of inflammation, allergies, and asthma. Anxiety, depression, irritability, and mood swings can also appear, because they create imbalances in key chemicals in the brain. Dietary changes that include probiotics, fermented foods, and natural fats help your microbiome and gut-brain signaling. Stress and cortisol equip you with energy to attend to tasks at hand; however, excess or chronic stress has a negative effect on brain chemistry, causing thyroid dysfunction and/or adrenal fatigue, which leads to compromised mental and physical health. Know that Brainwave Optimization brings relaxation to the master regulator of the nervous system – the brain – so it can help your gut. In a “both-and” world, it’s all connected.
Regenerate, Rejuvenate, Rejoice
Originally a Presbyterian church, Bell Aura was built in 1898. Its solid structure has held many guests in its arms, both as a church and as a bed and breakfast. Its positive energy can be felt in every nook and cranny. It hosts many events, from small weddings and family reunions to yoga retreats and house concerts. Our dining room has celebrated birthdays, anniversaries, bridal showers, fashions shows, and murder mysteries. Bell Aura has housed musicians and authors, “tinkers, tailors, soldiers and spies”. (Well, maybe not spies.) It has even been home to a few rescued pets. And some people just come for a warm smile and a good night’s rest. The reviews are always the same: “Absolutely wonderful!”
Hypertension Awareness Month
The possibility of being diagnosed with high blood pressure (hypertension) can be an unnerving thought. However, lifestyle adjustments and proper treatment can often effectively improve symptoms or end symptoms altogether. A diagnosis often starts with a simple blood pressure test. Even for healthy adults its important to get their blood pressure checked at least once a year. Nearly half the people diagnosed with hypertension are unaware they have high blood pressure. Dietary changes, proper exercise, reducing stress, and certain medications are effective ways to battle HBP. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist for more information and don’t forget to check your blood pressure!
Diffusing Essential Oils Just Got Better!
The purpose of diffusing concentrated plant essential oils into the air is 2-fold. It adds a beautiful natural scent to the room and it cleans the air of pathogens. Diffusing is one of the most effective ways to enjoy the benefits of essential oils. Breathing deeply relaxes the body and allows the essential oil molecules to be utilized very effectively. To keep your diffuser working efficiently here are a few tips: use a cup to pour warm tap water into water reservoir, fill water just below the marked water line, and clean the white ultrasonic disc with rubbing alcohol and cotton swab on a weekly basis. Just Breathe!
3 Ingredient Banana Ice Cream
You will need: 2 peeled and frozen bananas, 2 T almond or peanut butter, 2 T almond or coconut milk. Optional add ins: nuts, chocolate chips, fruit, coconut, cocoa powder. Directions: In a blender, mix the bananas and the milk substitute. You may need to cut the banana into chunks depending on how powerful your blender is. Once they are partly chopped up, add in the nut butter. Continue to blend until you get a soft serve consistency. Spoon ice cream into a bowl and stir in any additional ingredients you desire. That’s it! Enjoy this healthy ice cream alternative!
Book Club: Beyond the Label
Beyond the Label offers a unique perspective on mental health: it shares the author’s own recovery from four major mental health conditions: anxiety, depression (attempted suicide), bulimia, and bipolar disorder type 1. The book outlines a detailed, step-by-step plan for how others can achieve optimal mental health. A combination of practical clinical experience and years of lived experience, the book shares insight into how diet, exercise, and sleep can be optimized for improved mental wellbeing, as well as strategies for coping with negative thoughts and emotions, and building self-love and compassion, among other skills.
Using Essential Oils
Aromatherapy is also referred to as essential oil therapy. It can be defined as the art and science of using highly concentrated medicinal plant extracts to promote mental and physical health. Did you know that one of the most effective ways to enjoy the benefits of essential oils is by diffusing? Breathing deeply relaxes the body and allows the essential oil molecules to be utilized very efficiently. Massage is another wonderful way to enjoy essential oils. Add 3-4 drops to 1 oz of coconut oil and enjoy. Never use essential oils directly on your skin without a carrier oil and NEVER ingest essential oils. Just breathe!
Catching Your Breath
Because breathing is an involuntary action, we rarely pay attention to the process. But did you know that how you breathe impacts your health? Deep nasal breathing can reduce stress, help you fall asleep faster, aid toxin removal, and lower blood pressure to a greater extent than mouth breathing can.
And did you know that your nasal passage serves as a biological air filter, humidifier, and air conditioner to cool the brain? So the next time you’re catching your breath, try deep breathing through your nose and note how much better you feel while going about your day.
What Defines Addiction?
Addiction is a primary, chronic disease of the brain. It is a condition in which a person engages in use of a substance or in a behaviour for which the rewarding effects provide a compelling incentive to repeatedly pursue the behaviour, despite detrimental consequences. There is scientific evidence that the addictive substances and behaviours share a key neurobiological feature—they intensely activate brain pathways of reward and reinforcement, many of which involve the neurotransmitter dopamine. Studies show that there are genetic factors, making some people more susceptible to addiction. Are you or someone you love suffering from addiction and looking for help?
Allergy Season is Upon Us
After a snowy winter and wet spring breakup, we’re often left with an abundance of tree and grass pollen that is released into the wind. This can wreak havoc for seasonal allergy sufferers, triggering symptoms like congestion, itchy eyes, sneezing, headaches, and more. Keeping a clean house and taking your workout routine indoors for the duration of the allergy season may help. A quick trip to the pharmacy for some antihistamines may also offer you the relief you need. Antihistamines block your body’s response to allergies, and usually work within an hour of taking them. For more serious congestion, nasal sprays may be a more effective solution.
