Author: 'Mother Jai'

Jennifer Lawson, aka Mother Jai Mother Jai has been blending and personally using aromatherapy products since 2012 and herbal remedies since 2003. The knowledge and experience she obtained over the years provides you with a well rounded, educated, and informed platform to base your own health and wellness on.
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Adjusting Your Sleep Schedule

Simple Steps for Adjusting Your Sleep Schedule

  1. Make adjustments in increments. The best way to successfully shift your sleep cycle is to do it gradually, in 15-minute increments.
  2. Be consistent all week. The key to changing your sleep schedule is consistency. That means sticking to the same sleep and wake time throughout the week, including weekends.
  3. Keep your room dark at night and light in the morning. Our circadian rhythms are influenced by light and darkness.
  4. Get up if you can’t sleep. Don’t lie in bed tossing and turning, especially if you’re wired. Instead, get up and do something either boring or relaxing.
  5. Stop pressing the snooze button. While it might be rough to get up earlier, snoozing doesn’t help. In general it won’t be the best quality of sleep. Set your alarm to the time you actually want to wake up.
  6. Follow sleep hygiene rules. If you’re having trouble falling asleep, stop drinking caffeine within 12 hours of your bedtime or exercising within four to five hours. Give yourself an hour to unwind before bed. During that time, don’t do anything stressful or stimulating (such as use electronics).
  7. Fight after-dinner drowsiness. If you find yourself getting sleepy way before your bedtime, get off the couch and do something mildly stimulating to avoid falling asleep, such as washing the dishes, calling a friend, or getting clothes ready for the next day.
  8. Hungry at bedtime. For some people, a light snack before bed can help promote sleep. When you pair tryptophan-containing foods with carbohydrates, it may help calm the brain and allow you to sleep better. If you need a bedtime snack, try: half a turkey sandwich, small bowl of whole-grain, low-sugar cereal, granola with low-fat milk or yogurt, or a banana.
  9. Exercise Regularly You’ll also sleep more deeply if you exercise regularly. You don’t have to be a star athlete to reap the benefits—as little as 20 to 30 minutes of daily activity helps. And you don’t need to do all 30 minutes in one session. You can break it up into five minutes here, 10 minutes there, and still get the benefits.
  10. Exercise early. It’s no secret that exercise improves sleep and overall health. Morning exercise seems to affect body rhythms that affect sleep quality. One of the reasons for this interplay between exercise and sleep may be body temperature. Your body temp rises during exercise and takes up to 6 hours to drop back down to normal. Because cooler body temperatures are linked to better sleep, it’s important to give your body time to cool off before bed.
  11. Keep your slumber surroundings tranquil. Your bedroom should feel like a quiet sanctuary. Piles of clothes thrown on your bed, stacks of bills staring at you, or other random clutter will hamper you emotionally and may lead to sleep problems. A tranquil and organized space will help you feel more relaxed.
  12. Postpone worrying and brainstorming. If you wake during the night feeling anxious about something, make a brief note of it on paper and postpone worrying about it until the next day when you are fresh and it will be easier to resolve.
  13. Turn off the TV. In some people, nighttime light can hinder melatonin and create “social jetlag,” which mimics symptoms of having traveled several time zones.
  14. Stretch right before bed. Gentle stretching with deep breathing releases all the pent-up stress from the joints and muscles and makes it much easier for them to relax. Deep breathing helps calm and soothe the mind for getting to sleep faster and staying asleep longer.
  15. Meditation or progressive relaxation. Meditation is directing the mind to one focus, which can be shutting down and going to sleep, by focusing your intent you can make it happen. Progressive Relaxation is a process of mentally and physically working from your toes up and relaxing each muscle group with deep breathing. Each inhale the muscles tense and gather stress. Each exhale is a release of muscle tension.
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Stretching for Better Sleep

Stretching for Bed

Can help alleviate Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) and help you relax more and sleep more deeply.

Seated Leg Stretches

Sitting in your chair or bed and keeping your back straight. Simple stretches done by flexing and pointing your toes while keeping your leg straight.

  1. Sitting up straight, raise feet up, and hold legs straight.
  2. Breathing in bend toes back towards shins, holding for a few seconds.
  3. Breathing out releasing toes straight again.
  4. Breathing in point toes and hold for a few seconds with breath.
  5. Breathing out releasing toes straight again.
  6. Repeat holding the stretches with breath.

Ankle Rotations

Simple rotational movements done to relax and strengthen the ankle joint.

  1. Sitting up straight, raise feet up, and hold legs straight.
  2. Breathing slowly, evenly, and smoothly in through nose, out through mouth.
  3. Point your toes and draw circles in clockwise direction with them.
  4. Stop and draw circles in counterclockwise direction.

Shoulder Scrunches

  1. Sitting up with back straight, chin parallel to the floor, legs resting and feet relaxed.
  2. Breathing in through your nose, bring your shoulders up to your ears.
  3. Hold your shoulders to your ears while holding breath, for a few seconds.
  4. Breathing out through your mouth releasing your shoulders back down and relaxing.
  5. Pause and repeat at least five times.

Shoulder Squeezes

  1. Sitting up with back straight, chin parallel to the floor, legs resting and feet relaxed.
  2. Breathing in bring your shoulders back, squeezing the shoulder blades together.
  3. Hold your shoulder blades together while holding breath for a few seconds.
  4. Breathing out release the shoulders and relaxing them.
  5. Repeating shoulder squeezes with breaths and pauses at least five times.

Head Roll

  1. Sitting with back straight, feet flat, chin parallel to floor, and palms resting on knees.
  2. Breathing slowly and deeply, bring your chin to your chest. Then roll the head to the left, drawing a circle with your head.
  3. Straighten up, pause, and relax.
  4. Bring chin back to chest and roll head to the right, drawing a circle.
  5. Straighten up, pause, relax, and repeat.

Neck Twist

  1. Sitting with back straight, feet flat, chin parallel to floor, and palms resting on knees. Breathing slowly and deeply, relaxing the neck.
  2. Gently turn to the left, as far as your head will turn without injury, hold and stretch. Face forward again. Relaxing the neck.
  3. Gently turn to the right, as far as your head will turn without injury, hold and stretch.
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Sore Muscles After Exercise

Exercise physiologists refer to the gradually increasing muscle discomfort or soreness that occurs after physical activity as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Delayed onset muscle soreness occurs when the muscle is performing an eccentric or a lengthening contraction. DOMS usually kicks in 12 to 24 hours after a tough workout and peaks between 24 to 72 hours.  Muscle discomfort is simply a symptom of using your muscles and placing stresses on them that are leading to adaptations to make them stronger and better able to perform the task the next time.

The mild muscle strain injury creates microscopic damage to the muscle fibers. Scientists believe this damage, coupled with the inflammation that accompanies these tears, causes the pain. It can happen when you bump up your workout intensity, frequency, or length, or when you try a new activity.

The good news is that normal muscle soreness is a sign that you’re getting stronger and is nothing to be alarmed about. During exercise, you stress your muscles, and the fibers begin to break down. As the fibers repair themselves, they become larger and stronger than they were before.

Mild to moderate muscle soreness is common and generally harmless. On the other hand, severe muscle soreness can be damaging and dangerous. It’s important to know the difference between reasonable muscle soreness caused by exercise, and pain due to overuse or muscle injury.

How much pain is too much? If, the pain you’re experiencing prevents you from carrying out daily activities associated with living or working, then the exercise was too much. If the discomfort lasts for more than 72 hours, then the exercise was too much.

How can you tell if your soreness is the normal kind of soreness? If the pain begins during or immediately after the exercise, it is not normal. Pain that occurs during an exercise is a sign that there is a problem with the exercise. This type of pain should be seen as a signal from your body to stop the activity before serious joint or muscle damage occurs.

In severe cases, the muscles can break down so much that you can become very ill and cause damage to your kidneys. Seek medical attention immediately if you experience any of the following after a workout or activity that causes muscle soreness:

  • Severe unbearable pain
  • Severely swollen limbs
  • Loss of joint range of motion due to severe swelling
  • Dark colored urine or decreased production of urine
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Eating Right, Not Dieting

Consider the prospect of never having to diet again. Simply by eating nutritious foods and avoiding counting calories. Consider some nutrition facts below.

Nutrition

The process of breaking down food and substances taken in by the mouth to use for energy in the body. Now more focused on the steps of biochemical sequences through which substances inside us and other living organisms are transformed from one form to another – metabolism and metabolic pathways.  Nutrition also focuses on how diseases, conditions and problems can be prevented or lessened with a healthy diet. In addition, nutrition involves identifying how certain diseases, conditions or problems may be caused by dietary factors, such as poor diet (malnutrition), food allergies, metabolic diseases, etc.  The human body consists of elements and compounds (nutrients) ingested, digested, absorbed, and circulated through the bloodstream to feed the cells of the body.

Nutrients

There are six major classes of nutrients: carbohydrates, fats, minerals, protein, vitamins, and water. These nutrient classes can be categorized as either macro-nutrients (needed in relatively large amounts) or micronutrients (needed in smaller quantities).

  1. The macronutrients include carbohydrates (including fiber), fats, protein, and water. The micronutrients are minerals and vitamins. The macronutrients (excluding fiber and water) provide structural material (amino acids from which proteins are built, and lipids from which cell membranes and some signaling molecules are built) and energy. Some of the structural material can be used to generate energy internally, and in either case it is measured in Joules or kilocalories.
  2. Other micronutrients include antioxidants and phytochemicals, which are said to influence (or protect) some body systems.

Nutrient Dense Foods

These are fresh, unprocessed foods that were grown or raised in the best, most natural conditions.  They possess and provide the most nutrients per ounce of food; the nutrients are combined within in a way to promote proper utilization within the human body.  In other words, they contain a variety of nutrients in specific combinations necessary for proper digestion, absorption, and use within the body.  When foods are processed, their molecular structure is broken down and certain components are lost, especially delicate vitamins and minerals, thus making processed foods empty calories that have little nutritional value. 

Diet and Physical Health

A nutritious diet is essential to promote and maintain overall physical health for any age.  The body needs nutrients in their naturally occurring forms to function and heal appropriately.  A diet full of nutrient dense foods provides the most effective nutrient combinations for promoting optimal physical health and helping the body to maintain its strength and integrity, defeat infection, and deter cancer development.  The best diet for health is one composed of wholesome and fresh foods that are prepared by hand and not processed for ease of consumption.  Avoiding white flour and high fructose corn syrup as much as possible can help to greatly decrease inflammation and promote joint health. 

Guidelines for Healthy Eating:

  • Aiming for regular, balanced meals and snacks, every day.
  • Hitting most of the major food groups each day to meet your needs for growth and health. 
  • Balancing nutrition-rich foods with small to moderate amounts of other foods like sweets or fast foods. 
  • Eating when hungry and stopping when full.
  • Learning about nutrition, but keeping your food as just one important part of your life, not obsessing over what you eat. 

Healthy eating habits are essential to maintaining a healthy weight and a person’s weight is the result of several factors:

  • How much and what kinds of foods you eat.
  • Your physiologic and genetic make-up.
  • Your age and health status.
  • Whether your lifestyle includes regular physical activity.
  • Whether you use food to respond to stress and other situations in your life.

Reading Labels

A big part of healthy eating is understanding what is in the packaged foods you’re buying.  Understanding labels and product contents is very useful for planning a healthy menu.  Reading product labels is a simple habit to establish that can ensure you are purchasing the least processed foods containing the least amount of chemical additives possible.  If you cannot pronounce what is on the label then you should not be eating it. 

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Basics of Herbal Remedies

These are supplements or products made from whole plants or plant extracts that are prepared and consumed in different ways for the purpose of nourishment, prevention, and healing.

Common Types of Herbal Remedies

Spice: ground dried plant materials used in cooking, added to foods for additional flavoring and nourishment

Tea: dried plant materials steeped in boiled water to extract nutrients and drunk, washed with, or used in a poultice on the skin.

Decoction: dried plant materials are boiled for a longer period to extract denser chemcial compounds for stronger healing medicines.

Infusion: dried plant material is soaked in a liquid base in a warm place to gently extract nutrients for use on the skin or as supplement. Ex – honey or oil.

Salve: liquid plant extracts and animal fats combined for external injury and wound healing.

Balm: dense moisturizing blend of waxes, butters, and/or oils; heals cracked skin, dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema, etc.

Syrup: making a decoction of plant materials and then cooking it with a sweet base like maple syrup or honey until thick. Great for everyday remedies like for allergies or colds.

Standardized Extracts: encapsulated concentrated herbs, not always what they say, labeling often misleading

photo of jar near cinnamon sticks

Safely Healing Herbs & Spices

Gain benefits from eating, drinking, or soaking in any of these herbs.

Basil leaf: nourishing, balancing, clearing, toning

Black Pepper: anti-inflammatory, healing, warming, calming, pain relieving

Calendula flower: common marigold; anti-inflammatory, healing to mouth and digestive tract, soothing to rashes and irritation

Catnip leaf: antianxiety, calming, relaxing, sedative, soothing

Chamomile flowers: anti-inflammatory, sedative, relaxing, pain relieving

Cinnamon bark: anti-inflammatory, detoxifying, sugar balancing, antioxidant

Dandelion Root & Leaf: nourishing to kidneys and liver, diuretic and water balancing, highly alkaline and reduces acidity

Echinacea root: antiviral, immune boosting, colds and flu, repiratory infections; should not be taken for more than 2 weeks in a row.

Eucalyptus leaf: mucolytic, clearing, opening, healing, soothing, pain relieving, calms coughs and muscle spasms

Fennel seed: digestive, great for gas, nausea, upset stomach, heartburn

Ginger root: helps relieve every digestive issue, alleviates vertigo and motion sickness, and calms the nervous system.

Jasmine flowers: antidepressant,nourishing, calming, sedative, healing, balancing, regulating

Lavender flowers: calming, relaxing, balancing, soothing, and healing

Licorice root: digestive, calming, sweet, hormone balancing, sugar balancing

Marjoram leaf: mucolytic, cough suppressant, fights cold and flu, relaxing

Nettles leaf: antihistamine, clearing, balancing, detoxifying, nourishing

Oregano: antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, healing

Passionflower herb: calming, sedative, hormone balancing, aphrodisiac, nourishing, regulating of cycles

Peppermint leaf: digestive regulator, reduces heartburn, balances peristalsis, stimulating to system

Rose petals: nourishing, calming, soothing, healing, balancing, uplifting

Rose Hips (fruit): full of Vit C, more than oranges, nourishing and healing

Rosemary leaf: stimulating, healing, and regulating to therespiratory and digestive tracts.

Sage leaf: cough suppressant, antispasmodic, fights cold and flu

Thyme: anti-inflammatory, hormone balancer, antibiotic

Turmeric: anti-inflammatory, pain relief, antioxidant, healing, balancing, tonic

Yarrow flower & leaf: anti-inflammatory, headache relief, calming, clearing, detoxifying

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Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS)

Causes of PFPS

  • Overuse
  • Not enough rest between exercise sessions
  • Improper footwear
  • Improper training
  • Improper alignment

Signs & Symptoms

  • Knee pain
  • Tight hamstrings
  • Tight calves
  • Muscular spasms in legs

Treatment

  • See a doctor about knee to ensure no damage is done
  • Give the knee 48 hour break to rest and heal before returning to exercise
  • Use Ice to reduce inflammation
  • Epsom salt soak or compress on knee to help healing process
  • Arnica oil or salve can assist in the healing process
  • Lavender and chamomile can reduce pain and inflammation
  • When pain is present reduce activity on the knee (avoid running and exercises on hamstrings and quadriceps)
  • Increase flexibility in hip, knee and ankle
  • Myofascial release at groin and hip with foam roller
  • Increase strength of glutes and hip flexors

Exercises to Reduce Pain & Improve Function

  • Stability Ball wall squats
  • Side stepping
  • Multidirectional lunges
  • Hip abductor/adductor machine
  • Glute machine
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