Gardening is a widely practiced activity and intervention used to help connect us to nature, and our purpose. Gardening is our way of saying, “We are investing in our tomorrow, and serves as a reminder that what we nurture will grow. Gardening is used as a way to nurture our mind, body, and spirit. Gardening serves as a way to regulate the brain, and redirect our thoughts. When the brain is regulated, we are able to produce more positive thoughts. Plants are used to feed the body, which powers us to put in the work necessary to bring our dreams in to existence. Being around plants soothes the soul by bringing us closer to nature. When we become closer to nature, we become more in tune with our purpose in life.
Practicing Stillness Through Guided Meditation
Meditation is essential to our health and wellness. Our minds are racing throughout the day, and are full of wanted and unwanted thoughts. It is important for us to practice stillness meditation to slow down our thoughts, and become one with the present moment. The world is forever moving as we progress through different thoughts, scents, movements, and emotions. With the world moving so fast, everything we come across, and the forever changing emotions we are constantly feeling can cause confusion. Stillness meditation helps creates balance, and helps us connection to our divine selves. When we engage in stillness meditation, we are closing down our speech, and resting our body to help our mind come to a rest. This does not necessarily mean that we will have a moment of complete silence, nor does this mean we will be able to make ourselves come in to a complete stillness. We have to simply allow it to happen.
Being still physically will help us to allow internal stillness. Once the flow of our internal selves come to a state of stillness, we will be able to have a sense of heightened concentration. When this is occurring, you may have thoughts and emotions that will occur. Be present. Welcome your emotions and become the observer of your thoughts. In that moment, you will feel a sense of oneness. Stillness meditation can increase your awareness and consciousness. Also, it will allow you to enter a deep relaxation.
Watch this video as Ms. Wang guides us through a stillness meditation practice.
Gardening: An Intervention for Young Children
Gardening is one of the most fulfilling, exciting, and educational activities parents can do with their children. Gardening offers so many benefits that’s understated in today’s society. Gardening is one of the simplest, and most convenient ways children and adults can connect to nature, and the energy attached to nature. When it comes to activities that that offers a wide range of behavioral outcomes, gardening would be number one on my list. Let’s look at some of the benefits of gardening.
Gardening helps with self-regulation in young children and adolescents
Gardening can be used as an intervention to help children and adolescents with their self-regulation skills. Gardening is a tool to aide children in regulating their thoughts, and emotions to be more at ease. Gardening was my top intervention I used when I worked in mental health as a family specialist. Gardening is a powerful tool for children who have ADHD, trauma, and other developmental issues. Engaging in gardening with your children is important. Having a garden with a large range of aromas such as rosemary, lemongrass, lavender, mints, and other herbs aids in children’s ability to self-regulate. Planting, and up keeping a gardening can offer a sense of pride and responsibility in young children and adolescents.
Gardening encourages positive social interactions with young children
When you think of the impact gardening have on young children, it’s amazing. Children display more positive social interactions when gardening with other children, and adults. Gardening offers a positive stimulation when children are actively engaging in gardening. Gardening offers a lot of opportunities to learn about bugs, insects, plants, fruits, vegetables, and growth. With so many things to do, it is appropriate to engage in gardening in large groups. Some children will naturally be interested in playing with dirt, digging, finding worms, planting, picking flowers, watering, and picking out weeds.
Gardening is a great educational tool for children
There are so many educational opportunities for young children when engaging in gardening. There are so many things to learn about such as the process of plant growth, composting, identifying insects and which insects are good, or bad for plants. There are insects that goes through a transformation stage. Children love learning about those concepts, and children love interacting with insects. Gardening offers education on the role nature plays in our life, and how plants helps us breath in clean air and beautiful scents and aromas.
Gardening increases family bonding time
There is a saying I like, “A family that grows together will grow together.” Families that garden as a family have increased bonding time. Gardening is an everyday activity for my family. We spend at least 20 minutes a day either in our greenhouse, watering plants, tasting herbs, and checking on plants, and seedlings. Gardening brings our family together, and creates happier moments.
Watch the video below to see how gardening impacts children:
The Benefits of Cannabis
As we know, Cannabis is a powerful plant. The United States is decades behind on the power of Cannabis due to it being illegal for so long. There was a powerful study done about the effects of cannabis. There were 100 participants. The participants were instructed to take cannabis for chronic pain. The pain rate was on a scale 1-10. On average, participants said their pain dropped 5 points. The average number of pain was a 7.8 before taking Cannabis, and the average number of pain dropped to a 2.8 after taking the Cannabis. In other words, Cannabis was shown to give significant relief in chronic pain. Participants also reported that Cannabis gave them a relief in stress and anxiety, and insomnia while give no side effects. Only 6% of participants reported to have a cough. Many of the participants noted that they stopped taking medicine for chronic pain, stress and anxiety after using Cannabis.
Let’s dig in to how beneficial Cannabis is. There are many benefits to cannabis as we know. We discussed how Cannabis is substantial to relieving chronic pain. Cannabis can also work to aid in treating cancer patients who are receiving chemotherapy. Cannabis also increases appetite, which helps with weight gain in cancer, and anorexia patients.
It is shown that Cannabis is widely used in the medical field. How can Cannabis be useful for the day to day consumer? What are the benefits of self-medicating with Cannabis? Well, cannabis is highly recommended as a home remedy for may illness and symptoms by individuals who practice herbalism. I am going to list 8 things we can use Cannabis for as a home remedy.
1. Cannabis can be used for bladder pain
2. Cannabis can be used to prevent and relieve headaches and migraines. Let’s also remember that too much cannabis consumption, just like any medicine can cause headache and migraines.
3. Cannabis can help lower blood pressure, especially for individuals who has high blood pressure due to genetics.
4. Cannabis can relieve anxiety, and decrease your cognitive impairment by aiding you in gaining a heightened consciousness.
5. Cannabis can be used as a home remedy to help aid in overcoming depression. The use of Cannabis on a day to day basis can help fight depression or completely eliminate depression. Cannabis heightens your consciousness and helps you effectively reflect on the issues that’s causing you to be depressed. Cannabis must be used in low doses in to fight against depression.
6. Cannabis can help with insomnia. Cannabis users, depending on the type of cannabis you’re using, can increase one’s ability to sleep. Indica is the most common Cannabis that is used for sleep deprivation. To add to insomnia, if you are having nightmares, cannabis can help decrease, or eliminate nightmares.
7. Cannabis can shrink or stop the growth of brain tumors. When cannabis is used in the form of oil, cannabis can kill brain tumors. This indeed was actually proven in a 2014 study. The study can be found here: https://mct.aacrjournals.org/content/early/2014/11/12/1535-7163.MCT-14-0402.abstract.
8. Cannabis can decrease the amount of stress we have. Stress comes from worry, and Cannabis puts you in a conscious state where you’re your cognition is higher, and you are able to conceptualize your thoughts better. Cannabis helps relax you, and relaxation is a therapeutic tool used to relieve stress.
I strongly suggest individuals, if legal where you reside to grow both Indica and Sativa plants to help aid as a home remedy for the 8 things listed above. Cannabis also strengthen one’s creative abilities. We will learn how to grow Cannabis, and the different forms we can use Cannabis to serve as home remedies for sicknesses and therapeutic practices.
Mental Health: Anxiety and Depression
Mental health has been widely overlooked throughout modern times. I mean, things such as anxiety, and depression cannot be measured in a way where we can see depression and anxiety levels. Anxiety and depression has no face. Anxiety and depression wears the faces of many of us, and can hide behind smiles, and loads of success. In other words, the people who look the happiest, and who has achieved the most success can be suffering from anxiety and depression. Our children can be suffering from anxiety and depression. I am going to help us define and identify symptoms of anxiety and depression, and different ways to approach and overcome anxiety and depression. There is no cure in its totality, but we can all fight it together.
Anxiety is something we all have dealt with at one point or another. Some of us deal with anxiety on a daily basis with no known approaches other than prescribed medicines from psychiatrist. Some will describe anxiety as an over amplified feeling of worry. High levels of worry turns in to anxiety. Others may describe anxiety simply as your body’s response to stress. I like to look at anxiety as both. Your body’s response to high levels of stress, and high levels of worry will result to high levels of anxiety. I have been dealing with anxiety since I was a small child. Throughout my childhood, I was not aware of the term anxiety, or depression. I was not able to label my behaviors, or feelings. My body would shut down in various situations where I experienced high levels of stress and worry. I would shut down to the point where I wouldn’t speak to people for days, weeks, and even months. Every time I was around the people who was causing me stress and/or worry, I would shut down immediately. I thought this behavior was normal. This is something I am still healing from.
It Starts with Women
Many of us are dealing with anxiety, and depression, and have been dealing with it from childhood. It’s time to break the curse, and heal ourselves, and our children. Mother’s, did you know that anxiety and depression can be inherited through genes that only you carry? Yes, mothers, you pass down the gene that is inherited by your children that passes on anxiety and depression. We, as a society, have to nurture our women, and help them heal because they give birth to our nation. They are the creators of life. They are the creators of the world. Healing the future from anxiety and depression starts with healing our women.
Another big factor is environment. Many of us grew up, and is currently living through rough, and stressful environments. Many of us have been working very stressful jobs in harsh work environments where we are underpaid, and overworked. These are also major contributors to anxiety and depression. There is an array of factors that contributes to the rise of anxiety and depression.
Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression
If you are having moments of highs and lows, or are having moments where you where you are shutting down or shutting people out, you may be suffering from anxiety or depression. Let’s list some symptoms of anxiety and depression to help you identify with what you could be possibly suffering from.
Anxiety
- If you are constantly nervous, restless or tense
- If you are feeling weak, and a lack of energy
- If you are feeling fearful, and is constantly panicking
- If you are having a strong need to avoid things that triggers your emotions
- If you are performing repetitive behaviors and responses
- If you are having constant negative thoughts, and are fixated on those thoughts and ideas
- If you are experiencing selective mutism
Things that may cause anxiety
- Death of a close friend or family member
- Major life changes
- A stressful living environment, community, or work environment
- Poor eating habits
- Fear and insecurities
- Too much screen time (media, tv and video games)
Depression
- Trouble concentrating, and making decisions
- The feeling of worthlessness
- Major loss of interest in things that once brought you pleasure
- Suicidal or homicidal ideologies
- Restlessness
- Fatigue, or sleeping too much
- Loss of appetite, or overeating
Things that may cause depression
- A major death or loss/rejection
- Major life changes such as change of job, community, school, etc
- Genetics
- Major illnesses
- Poor diet and lack of exercise
- Overstimulating and negative environments (home, work, community, etc)
How to approach anxiety and depression?
Overcoming anxiety and depression is a lifestyle and a lifetime commitment. It’s an everyday fight. There are far more things in our society that causes anxiety and depression than we have to actually help heal them. There are many sacrifices to be made, and we must take full accountability for how we choose to maneuver through life. We must take charge of our own lives. Here is a list of things you can do to help heal yourself from anxiety and depression.
- Read more books on self-development: Reading more books will help you to develop and maintain effective ways to live life, and to develop yourself in to a more positive thinker.
- Surround yourself with more positive people: Having more positive people in your corner will help create a balance in your life. We are surrounded by so much negativity by default. Having positive friends, and family will help you keep positivity flowing in your life.
- See a therapist: Some of us do not have many positive people in our lives. It is great to see a therapist, even if you do not have a huge need to because you will be able to have support in overcoming small issues before they become bigger issues that will cause anxiety and depression. If you are currently suffering from anxiety and depression, having a therapist can help you take accountability, and control the things you can change.
- Eat better and exercise more: Depression is a chemical imbalance in the body. Stress is one of the things that creates that chemical balance. What you put in your body is a major contributor to that chemical imbalance. Many of the foods we eat have chemical in it that causes your body to experience stress because your body is constantly fighting those chemicals. What we eat plays a huge role in how we experience out external world. Exercising helps our body deal with stress. Exercising helps us to regulate ourselves which will result in better responses to stressful situation, and a more positive way of thinking.
- Change your environment: This is so overrated. Sometimes the environment you function is the cause of your anxiety and depression. Having a dysfunctional living environment, and work environment can be cause you to feel low and worthless. Living and operating in messy and unstructured environments can translate in to how you feel about yourself. Being surrounded by negative people will have an effect on how you feel about yourself.
In conclusion, take charge of your life. Your mental health matters. If you need to rid of negative people, do it. If you need a change of environment, do it. We have to be accountable for our own lives. We all deserve happiness. Happiness starts with you. Let me know what you think. I would love to hear some of stories!
5 Proven Ways To Boost Your Immune System
We all strive to have a strong immune system. If not, we should. Who wants their body to be protected against sickness and disease? Thought so. Your immune system is your defense system. There are many holistic practices that are used to help boost your immune system. There are what I like to call “common practices” which includes plant medicine that are easy to grow, and access. I am going to give you 5 common practices to help boost your immune system.
1. The most common plant used to help boost your immune system is mint. You will hear me talk about mint a lot because the properties of mint are truly amazing. Mint is a great tool for boosting your immune system. Some of the nutrients you will find in mint are calcium, vitamins A and C, potassium, calcium, and iron. Not only can mint leaves help boost your immune system, they are easy to grow, and can be used in a variety of ways. I grow, and use mint daily, especially in the winter season to help boost my immune system.
2. Essential oils are great to use if you want to boost your immune system. There are certain aromas I recommend you use if you want to boost your immune system. Aromatherapy is such a big thing because science proves that essential oils encourages cell growth which leads to faster healing. You can provide aromatherapy in your own home with a diffuser, and high grade essential oils. The highest grade of essential oils you can find is Doterra. There are many other brands that can be found in your local stores like Target, Walmart, or even Amazon. The three most common essential oils to use for boosting your immune system are peppermint, lavender, and rosemary. Other essential oils such as eucalyptus, grapefruit, frankincense, tea tree, and lemon are also great for boosting your immune system. Essential oils, depending on how high the grade is can be used in a diffuser, topically, and internally. Doterra essential oils can be used for all three purposes.
3. An easy way to boost your immune system is to get more sleep. Yes, very simple right? I will say it again because I know you are not getting enough sleep. GET MORE SLEEP. Why is sleep important? Sleep is important because sleep is a way to manage the amount of stress on your body. Stress means that your body is fighting extra hard. Stress makes your body vulnerable, and guess what? Yes, you guessed it. It weakens your immune system. In a study done in 2013, it was found that 60-80% of people who visited doctors for illness had stress related components. The study can be found at this link: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/1392494
4. One of the best ways to boost your immune system is to eat healthier. We are at number four on the list, and I’m sure you’re like wow, I didn’t know it was that easy. Taking care of your immune system can be very easy and practical. Eating foods like fruits and vegetables will definitely aid in boosting your immune system. This holds true due to all the antioxidant that are found in fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants helps fight off viruses, and keeps your body protected. I am going to name some common fruits and vegetables you can stack your refrigerator with to help boost your immune system. Oranges, cranberries, goji berries, watermelon, blueberries, spinach, kale, cabbage, and purple seeded grapes is what you should fill your refrigerator with. They are all powerhouses for boosting your immune system. The great thing about it is… They are all common fruits that are easy to have in your home garden.
5. Drink less alcoholic beverages. Alcoholic beverages, if you did not know, makes your body vulnerable and more prone to getting sick. Yes, alcohol lowers your immune system. I still drink my alcoholic beverages, but I always have my alcoholic beverages served with mint leaves, sage leaves (which is another plant that’s amazing for boosting your immune system), and blended with fresh fruits and vegetables. I balance my alcohol with immune system boosters.
There you have it. These are 5 common ways to help boost your immune system. I like to find the most common, and practical ways to approach health. These are things you can get started on as soon as today. Enjoy!
Who We Are
Many of us are plagued with poor health due to the lack of resources in our communities. Many of us are faced to overcome liquor stores, and fast food restaurants on every corner. Many of us have been passed down poor health choices and diets from our parents, and elders who have been misled in the same direction. Health is the most important factor to living a happy life. As a Matter of fact, good health is linked to individuals living a happy, fulfilling life. When we think of health, we usually think of diet and exercise. Health is more than the food we put in our bodies. Health is being connected to, and having the ability to redirect our thoughts (mental health). Health is how we take care of our outer bodies (physical health), and our connection to the universe, and an entity that’s greater than us (spiritual health). The beautiful thing about approaching health is that all aspects of our health are connected. For an example, meditation approaches the mind, body, and spirit. Plant medicine powers the mind, and cures the body which helps you become closer to your spiritual self. Many of us think it’s impossible to obtain optimal health, but it’s not. The mind, body, and spirit is intertwined.
Holistic Divine Innovation’s name was established in deep thought of approaching optimal health. We understand that there is an abundance of internal and external negative factors that is preventing individuals from living their best life. We want to change that. We want to provide an abundance of resources, and practices to offset these negative factors. Holistic Divine Innovation’s goal is in our name itself. Holistic (a whole approach) Divine (God like) Innovations (way of living) goal is to educate and show individuals across the world how to live, and maintain healthy, self-sustaining lives through the use of holistic practices. Our blogs are designed to approach our everyday needs, and struggles. Our ideas are practical, and can be implemented by anyone. We will provide resources, and step by step guides on how to approach simple and complicated tasks. As we stay connected to local communities, and communities across the world, we will provide information that will help individuals obtain the type of lives they want to live while staying true to our name.
Now for you, our supporter. Which aspect of health would you like to improve? What is something you battle with?