Bye-Bye Blog

Here we are at the end of another journey. I am one step closer to transferring colleges and I am so excited! Although it was fun commenting and reading everyone's work I will not continue using a blog. I do journal fluently. I like the freedom of pen and paper and staring at a computer screen makes me nauseous. I did enjoy it while it lasted though. Thank you everyone for pursuing a higher education. Have a great life!

Don't stress!

     Yoga is a stress technique I have been using for 3 year now. I initially started yoga because I had ''a lot on my plate'' and needed a way to release different emotions and excess fat. After the first class I was hooked!!! I practiced yoga religiously. I made friends, I lost weight, I fell in love with myself, and I learned how to react to life more reasonably.
     The class starts with easy stretching then works you into more advanced positions then there is breathing exercises then finally savasana (corps pose). Emotionally, spiritually, mentally, and physically I feel lighter and   more balanced. I will continue practicing yoga hopefully for the rest of my life.
I highly recommend everyone to at least try yoga once.

Herbs and health

Ginger is my herb of choice! My family tries to get away with putting ginger (fresh or ground) in everything. I just discovered that ginger treats menstrual cramping, migraines, morning and motion sickness, reduces pain and inflammation, heartburn and so much more! It can be used as a flavor enhancer in cooked foods as well as tea to help with indigestion. I personally have been using ginger for 5 years now. Negatives side effects include a bad taste in the mouth or mouth irritation. There are no known toxic effects of ginger but too much ginger can lead to belching, gas, and diarrhea.

Something interesting I learned was ginger aids in stopping cell growth in ovarian cancer cells!

Psychological health

As a kid, my brother would resolve issues violently and with anger and confusion. We both had a difficult time dealing with our parents divorce, constantly switching schools, leaving friends and moving into different apartments but my family knew my brother was... different. My brother has had Schizophrenia for about 2 years now. At the age of about 17/18, he started experimenting with various drugs which drastically change his and our whole family's life. Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a breakdown of thought processes and by poor emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking and its accompanied by significant social or occupational dysfunction (wiki). I am not going to explain the specifics of the frightening encounters with my brother but let's just say Hollywood movies barely comes close to the life altering ways of having that type of mental disorder. The night terrors and screaming, thinking he is God, daytime hallucinations, its all real to him. Unfortunately schizophrenia can be drug induced but is also genetic. In my brothers case, it was both. Currently my brother is taking medication but is trying to become mentally stable enough to come off them. Expanding social networks and finding a healthy hobby or type of exercise routine that you like help make life easier and that exactly is helping my brother get better.