The Healthy Choices Wellblog

Causes of Chronic Headache or Pressure in Head
This article, copyright, Neva J. Howell, all rights reserved

Question on healing:
I have undiagnosed chronic pressure/fullness in forehead, kind of dull feeeling for the past 12 years, any ideas how this can be treated and alleviated?

Healing Facilitation Response:
Without seeing you or knowing more, I would not have much to go on from your description. I am not a doctor and cannot diagnose or prescribe.

Just off the top of my head, I would rule out systemic candida albicans or heavy metal poisioning. If you have mercury fillings, they may be leaking heavy metals into your system. Candida infection can cause the dull-headed feeling, too.

However, so can stress-related mental disorders as well as more serious situations like high blood pressure, glaucoma or other eye problems, brain tumors, etc…

A subluxation of the spine can also be a factor. If you look back at the time when this chronic headache pattern emerged, and there is a subsequent injury, fall or car accident that involved the spine or neck, then seeing a specialist who can determine if you have a pinched nerve or some other misalignment. Personally, I had this feeling of constant pressure at the base of my skull for years and what finally relieved it was a process called AtlasProfilax. This process removes luxation of the atlas (the top vertebrate at base of the skull) and allows the atlas to move back into it’s natural position.

It was one of the best things I ever did for myself but I can’t know if it would help you so I’d suggest getting more information and learning more about AtlasProfilax at their website.

If you suspect heavy metal poisoning (from metal fillings or if you have worked in fumes, chemicals, etc…), then I’d look at Cilantro Extract in addition to doing an internal cleanse. More on the symptoms of heavy metal poisoning.

Finally, a chronic headache can be a sign of deep infection in a tooth. Have your dentist evaluate the condition of existing fillings and find out if there is any sign of infection in any of your teeth. One person I counseled had infection so deep that it was into the bone and it was really affecting his quality of life in a great many ways. Undiagnosed infection in teeth or mouth bones could conceivably cause chronic headaches too so I’d rule it out.

Healing the Inner Child - Healing the Wounds of Our Childhood
This article, copyright, Neva J. Howell, all rights reserved

Question on healing:
How do you get started when attempting to heal your inner child?

Healing Facilitation Response:
The work is different with each person but basically consists of providing a sacred, safe space where the inner child can begin to express its feelings. Once there is agreement from that part of the self, then cellular release work can be done. This involves releasing pockets of cellular memory in the body to provide self-integration and healing.

You asked how to get started? You already have, by asking the question. Pursue information on the subject and also seek out a healer who specializes in inner child recovery and cellular release work.

There is a lot of information on the main site as well.
Healing the Inner Child Articles:
Inner Child Healing
Healing Ceremony of Release
Healing Emotional Wounds Through Relationships

Digestive Enzymes Information: Help for Bloating and Gas
This article, copyright, Neva J. Howell, all rights reserved

Question on healing:

Since a young age, I have had problems with bloating. I have also had candidiasis for year. A doctor put me on pancreatic supplements (Pancrex V) a few years ago after he tested and found my body wasn’t producing enough protease. They helped but I could only take one or two capsules each meal otherwise, I would have very severe bloating. I thought it may have been because I was reacting to them in the way I’ve reacted to foods that I became intolerant to in the past. I have had periods of food intolerance before. I switched to the plant-based ones about 3 months ago. Unfortunately, the bloating and gas have not subsided. Symptoms are worst when I take the Purezyme protease tablets, but pretty bad with any of them; I also take oxicellzyme and gastrozyme. Do you have any suggestions or information you could offer me?

Healing Facilitation Response:

Well, I’m glad to hear you switched to plant-based enzymes. I’m very familiar with the products you mentioned. I use them and they are one of only a few product lines that I personally endorse. I had several conversations with the owner of the company over the years about just this subject.

One thing I discovered is that digestive enzymes often cause gas and bloating at first but you should be over the worst of that within a few weeks so I’m wondering about other factors, like diet, water intake, parasites, heavy metals, candida and stress…..all these should be looked at closely.

Also, I’m wondering if adding PureZyme on an empty stomach, in addition to what you are taking with meals, might be helpful. Protease performs quite differently on an empty stomach than it does when food is present and can be very healing.

The way protease works when taken on an empty stomach is that it goes to work purifying the systems - the blood, the lymph, the liver, etc… It is just a wonderful, wonderful cleanser and regenerator for the body when taken that way. The plantadophilus is also very supportive for a body with candida and knowing you have that, I would definitely suggest adding the plantadophilus if you don’t already have it.

As far as addressing bloating through adjusting enzyme dosage, the general concensus among enzyme specialists seems to be that taking more rather than less, can eliminate the discomfort. However, the Oxicellzyme formula contains broccoli, which can cause gas in some people and barley grass which can sometimes be intense to the digestive system at first, in some people (myself included). You should check with the enzyme specialist at the company about the best way to balance the bloating and still be able to get your digestive system back on track but I suspect cutting back on the Oxicellzyme might be helpful.

You might also want to consider an internal cleanse. I have found that when problems with bloating go back as far as yours do, there may be years and years of old debris in the colon, hardened and clinging to the walls. Also, parasites which may have migrated into organs and muscles by now. I don’t want to frighten you but we can have some pretty nasty systems and still be walking around, which is a testament to the genius of God’s creation.

Regular use of the oxicellzyme and plantadophilus are suggested to balance out bloating but again, check with the enzyme specialists at Enzyme Essentials. They know their stuff!

On gas and bloating in general:
Gas and bloating is a fairly standard problem with many people when they are not digesting their food properly. When protein is not digested properly it putrifies. When carbohydrates are not digested properly they ferment. When fats are not digested properly they turn rancid. All of this creates toxic effects which results in bloating and gas as well as possible ill health in the future. These conditions become more prevalent as we age because our body is not able to produce as many digestive enzymes as was the case when we were younger. Many people notice that they are not able to eat the rich and spicy foods they could once eat.

Digestive enzymes will generally alleviate this problem but some patience may be required as the body releases waste and toxins, and gets used to more heightened digestive activity. After years of gastric abuse, it may take about a month or two for the body’s digestive system to begin working properly after you start taking digestive enzymes regularly. The body has to learn again how to digest and eliminate properly in cases where the bloating and gas have been constant.

Of course, you could also have some tests done and rule out any problems with the colon itself. Candida can also really play havoc with your entire system so I’d make very sure that was gone. Getting off sugar entirely for 30 days would be a great start - even fruit sugars, honey, etc.. Protease deficiency can be a factor in developing yeast, by the way. If it were me, I’d be taking the purezyme on an empty stomach (at least 3 hours after eating) every day for a while, to help the body kill off yeast. Protease functions differently when taken on an empty stomach than it does when you take it with food. Since you have a deficiency that has been diagnosed, I would think you’d want to use it both ways.

Emotional Healing: The Positive Response to Negative Feelings
Excepted for any noted source material, content copyright, Neva J. Howell, all rights reserved

Question on healing:
I am dealing with negative and angry feelings. I try
to find inner peace and quiet but I still feel this way.
Do you have any suggestions for overcoming these feelings?

Healing Facilitation response:
When we get mad, negative, etc…, it is a part of us
asking for loving attention.

When we just try to “not feel that way”, we are resisting
ourselves and turning a deaf ear to our own inner cries for
help. Rather than trying to stop feeling negative, angry,
etc…, it is better to notice that you are feeling that way,
turn your loving attention to your inner self, and ask what
is needed to bring you back into loving balance.

Anger is a warning that we are not honoring our own needs
in some way. Usually, it is disquised as someone else not
honoring our needs but the truth always is that we allow
people in our lives for a reason.

If there is someone not honoring you as a person, perhaps
not hearing you or not respecting your need for privacy,
love, intimacy, attention, etc., then they are there to
teach you to better express what you need.

There have been a few times in my own life when things
seemed so unfair that I felt being a victim was my only
option. Looking back on those events now, I see how
they helped me discover my own truth and my own
strength.

Self-reproach, guilt, hate or shame is another hidden
reason we can feel angry all the time. Some part of you
may feel unworthy or as if you have failed, or as if you
are selfish, etc. By opening to your own beliefs
about yourself, either through the spiritual disciplines
such as meditation and prayer or through the help of
an energetic healing facilitator who can assist in
bringing belief systems forward in consciousness,
you can begin to learn how to accept yourself,
love yourself, forgive yourself and heal.

I encourage you to embrace yourself fully.
Accept your own humanity.

Physical reasons for anger can include
hormonal imbalances (particularly during
menopausal years) as well as more serious
conditions such as brain tumors so a complete
physical is also in order, so that you may address
whole being healing.

The Holistic Connection Between Anger and Your Liver
Except for any noted source material, content copyright, Neva. J. Howell, all rights reserved

Question on healing hepatitis C:
(personal details removed to protect identity)

I apparently contracted Hepatitis C after an emergency surgery.
I was given a blood transfusion.

I have had very low, ill, anxious, and depressed years in my life
and did not know what was wrong with me until I was diagnosed
with Hepatitis C. Since that time, I have been on a mission to
heal myself from this disease.

Upon diagnosis, I divorced my husband of many years.
I felt that the negativity, cruelty, and abuse from him
had to stop before I could get well. Do you think you
could help me cure this disease and become a whole,
healthy person again?

Healing Facilitation Response:
My experience has taught me that our physical bodies are
a very accurate geiger counter for how well we are living our
lives. It is a tribute to your self-awareness that you heeded
the wake-up call of the illness and took the action necessary
to remove yourself from abuse.

You are so right to discern that a poisonous relationship was
a factor. We store anger in the liver. A lot of times, without
even knowing it, we even store the anger of our abuser there,
in addition to our own anger at the abuse.

Since I treat myself holistically, it is the only approach I can share
but it is your responsibility, ultimately, to make sure you take a safe
course for your own healing, according to its current state of strength.
I know milk thistle is good for the liver but can be too harsh if there is
too much damage or the liver is in too weakened a state.

On a spiritual level, cleansing residual anger is vital. You may
feel you have done this already but having just gone thru a
devastating break-up myself, I know that the levels of pain
go deeper than we consciously discern and that it may take
deeper and deeper healings to reach the level the liver would
respond to.

I would suggest healing work as often as you can get it:
Reiki, reflexology, massage, and other healing work. I truly
feel that releasing stored anger and resentment about the
abuse you have endured can do as much to help your liver
fight hepatitis C as any medication or health supplement.

In addition to myself, call in all healers and workers connected
to your soul group and ask them to work with you during dreamtime.
It is some of the most powerful healing you can ever receive.

I used an essential oil blend called “Release” which is put out by
Young Living Oils. This essential oil blend contains oils known to have
the healing properties of releasing anger from the liver cells.

I have a friend who is a distributor for the company. Let me know
if you want her contact information. Otherwise, you can
google Young Living and find a distributor easily.

The Center for Disease Control has some good info on Hepatitis C on
their website: Information about Viral Hepatitis C. The page starts
with how you access your risk of contracting Hepatitis C, but if you look
over the left, there is a lot more information about it in the links there.

And finally, in coordination and cooperation with your doctor, I would
suggest looking into natural health formulas for supporting healing of the
liver. One company I respect has created Liver Dr. and I believe it might
hold some promise for those with livers damaged by Hepatitis C.

Get information on Liver Dr.

Holistically addressing Chronic Constipation in a Child
Except for any noted source material, content copyright, Neva. J. Howell, all rights reserved

Health Question:
My nephew has had a problem with going to the bathroom
for over 3 years now. Is there a safe colon cleanse that
can be given to him?

Healing Facilitation Response:
You didn’t say how old the child is but I’m assuming that,
since you are writing on his behalf, he is still fairly young.

A child still young enough to be called a child should not
need a colon cleanse. Although they might have parasites
and experience symptoms like anal itching at night, restless
sleep and alternating constipation with diahrrhea, parasites
will not typically (by themselves at least with no other
factors) cause the type of chronic constipation you are
describing.

There are safe options for restoring intestinal regularity and
normal bowel movement but, before I go into that, let’s talk
about some other considerations.

I am not a doctor or psychiatrist, but I do know that
children can develop a resistance to going to the bathroom
which can cause them to hold stool until it becomes a chronic
problem to be constipated. There are any number or reasons
why this could be so, ranging from embarassment about going
in public places like school to some type of subconscious or
conscious fear of going.

I have no idea if you are open to modalities like reiki, but even
counseling with a mental health therapist might rule out this
consideration. I would strongly advise exploring psychological
factors. If a doctor did not find any medical reason for there
to be backed-up stool, then the constipation may not be due
to physical problems.

Diet can be a huge factor in constipation so I’d also look
carefully at the child’s food intake. If he doesn’t eat fruits
and vegetables, and eats a lot of fast food, processed food,
sugary foods, or white flour products, that can definitely
cause chronic constipation.

If he were my child, I’d do my best to get him off sugar and
white flour, and get him eating more fiber-rich foods. In my
experience, giving someone with chronic constipation fiber
to take only makes it worse if they are not also drinking a lot
more water and cutting back on the foods that hold waste
in the colon (refined sugar is probably the worst culprit).
Things have to be moving already for fiber to be a good idea,
in my opinion.

Again, I am not a doctor and I don’t know if fiber is the thing
with them. It is a good thing, but I just don’t experience that it’s
when there is a chronic constipation problem until the backed up
waste has been eliminated and especially if the person isn’t
drinking enough water. Not drinking enough water is very big
factor in many cases of chronic constipation and children are
notorious for choosing cokes, juice drinks or other beverages
instead of water if left to their own devices.

If he were my son, I’d try making sure he drinks water at
breakfast and dinner, instead of other drinks for a while.
If there is no problem with bedwetting, I would even try a
little water before bed as well and you also might want to
put him on a good multi-vitamin for children if he isn’t taking
one already.

Finally, if changing his diet, increasing his water, and ruling
out emotional factors don’t eliminate the problem, I would
get another opinion. Another doctor might find something
that this one is missing.

One resource I visited suggested setting specific
bathroom times for the child, to get them used to the
idea of going and sitting to see if they need to move
their bowels. Over time, the body may get the idea. You
can also try adding laxative-type foods such as prunes,
pears, plums, and peaches. Also, some doctors recommend
flax oil and I would definitely use flax oil or flax seed before
trying more harsh laxatives. Using flax seed oil
regularly may help a great deal to correct the constipation,
provided any emotional factors in holding off going to the
bathroom are also addressed.

Suppositories can also be used, but since they may be a
bit embarrassing for the child, I’d try all the other avenues
first. As a last resort, enemas can relieve the constipation
if it gets too bad.

In lieu of considering an actual colon cleanse which, again,
I think would be too harsh for a child, I’d suggest trying the
dietary changes, dealing with any stress or fears that might
be causing the child to avoid going to the bathroom and
using a natural children’s laxative only when needed, and
rely more on diet to take care of the situation.

One of the very best and safest options for relieving
constipation that I know about is foot reflexology. Most
children love it. Most adults too, as a matter
of fact.

Foot reflexology is very easy to learn or you can find a
reflexologist in your area and get an appointment for your
nephew.

Here’s an article that covers
some questions about reflexology and reiki,
so that you can consider these options more fully.

Vaxa Nutraceuticals makes a vitamin formula specifically for children, called
Vaxa Buddies

Additional colon-related information: Symptoms and help for celiac sprue
Addressing Severe Constipation in an Adult

Health and Wellness Alert:
New Toxic Side Effects of Nicotine 

I have always been ACUTELY allergic to cigarette smoke. Within seconds of being in a smoky environment, I begin to feel poisoned and sick. I’ve always been that way. When I was growing up, however, no one thought a thing about smoking in rooms with children. It was not even considered to be any kind of health threat for the adult, much less the undeveloped lungs of the child.

Now, of course, everyone who can read knows that second-hand smoke is just as dangerous as smoking. This article speaks of even more toxic connections that have been discovered between smoking and health problems.

Even as a child you were likely told that smoking was bad for you! It is common knowledge in today’s society both smoking and secondhand smoke are extremely damaging to your body. A new scientific study points the finger, no longer just at the toxic chemicals you find in cigarettes, but also at nicotine itself, the addictive component in tobacco.

This study, Recently released by the University Hospital Magdeburg of Germany, revealed that nicotine in the bloodstream is a direct cause of Atrial Fibrosis, a condition which causes arrhythmias and is directly linked to Congenital Heart Failure.

Learn more about nicotine’s scary side effects

Another good online article about the connection between nicotine and atrial fibrosis is housed at Medscape Today on this page: Nicotine in Cigarette Smoke Induces Atrial Fibrosis Related article on atrial fibrillation testing

Did you catch the show, The View, where Whoopi Goldberg was talking about kicking the smoking habit.  They profiled the stop smoking program offered by one of my favorite companies, Native Remedies.  To find out more about how to stop smoking naturally, check out these homeopathic and herbal stop smoking formulas

What you should know
about Seasonal Affective Disorder

Are You SAD?

While autumn can bring beautiful leaves and crisp, enjoyable evenings that many enjoy, for others the fall season can be somewhat melancholy, bringing about an unwelcome change in mood. As daylight hours shorten, as many as 1 in 3 Americans notice increased feelings of lethargy and sadness, as well as a decreased number of bright and happy thoughts, as if their emotions are echoing the change in seasons.

This common condition, known as Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD, is a type of depression brought about by the change in seasons. Although anyone can be affected regardless of age, gender or location, SAD generally tends to be more prevalent in populations that live in more northern regions, where the changes in seasons are more drastic and noticeable.

FIND OUT IF YOU HAVE SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER

Why I Stretch Every Day:
Except for any noted source material, content copyright, Neva. J. Howell, all rights reserved

Because I work at the computer a lot and also work with hands and shoulders a lot in my foot reflexology and energetic healing work as well, I have to take particular care of neck and shoulders.  However, I believe people tend to store tension in neck and shoulders anyway so I always suggest implementing a daily ritual of stretching.  I put my neck and back through it’s entire range of motion at least 3 times per day.

That means I get up from bed and I do range of motion stretches,  I get up from the computer periodically and do my stretches and I do them again before going to bed.

I have other stretches I do in the shower, when the muscles are more relaxed.  These stretches take only minutes in my day but add so much to my quality of health and vibrancy.

To take the neck through the range of motion is simple too. 

Tilt neck slowly forward, then back to center.
Next, tilt neck slowly backward, then back to center.
Then to right, then to left, coming back to center in between.
And last of all, point right ear toward right shoulder and back,
then repeat with left ear.

 To take your back through it’s natural range of motion,  I just repeat those directions.  With knees slightly bent, I lean forward and then roll slowly back up the spine to center.  Next, I lean backward and back to center.

 Then, I turn with my hands out to the side, while watching where I’m going, slowly right and back to center and slowly left and back to center.

I’m grateful to my chiropractor for sharing these valuable range of motion stretches with me.

Foot Reflexology FAQ:

Is it ever not ok to have a reflexology treatment?

Most reflexologists agree that some of the same cautions you might hear when you ask about massage, also apply to reflexology.

Some common contraindications to reflexology include:

1. Blood clots or tendency to form blood clots
2. Some types of infections (discuss with reflexologist)
3. Any type of open sore on the foot, or contagious rash such as poison ivy
4. Latter part of pregnancy (could possibly induce labor)
5. Certain types of inflammation, neuropathy, etc.

Discuss any concerns you have about getting reflexology with your reflexologist.

possible reflexology side effects