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 Have you ever thought about Anger being similar to a brier patch?  Think about out it.  A brier patch starts out as a little bitty weed, sticking out of the ground.  And if you chop it down pretty quick, yes it will grow back but it won't hurt you too bad to just pluck it out of the ground when its very small.  However. it usually has a vine like root system that winds underneath the ground, that will sprout more briers.  Again, you can pluck them out when they are very small, and it won't hurt too bad. However, they will grow back so your going to have to keep plucking and plucking them all summer long until the winter.  And if you allow them to just grow they will absolutely take over your garden, your trees, and swallow up everything in their way. They are also much harder to cut down once you have allowed the briers to grow out of control. It is not an easy task and again, if you cut them down, they will grow back.  

So how is anger like Briers?  As a therapist I see clients about many different mental health issues.  From marriage issues to  parenting issues, Post Traumatic Stress issues, to depression, anxiety, to grief and loss and just about everything in between.  One thing I have realized is that anger can be one of the most destructive emotions that we all experience.  Anger and bitterness can start very small over something very insignificant.  This would be the tiny little plant.  If we deal with it in it's infancy, then let it go, yes it might come back, but we can learn to contain it.  Anger, when not managed in it's infancy and not contained can absolutely take over your life just like the brier patch. Before you know it, you are angry about everything and everyone around you and it can consume you.  The physical and emotional affects of anger are horrible on your body and on others around you.  You in effect create your own hell.  Anger can cause people to lose their desire for fun, cause physical and emotional pain, can steal your sleep, your joy, make your body hurt all over, lower your immune system, can destroy relationships, and leave you feeling along and worthless, or alone and righteous. Either way, your going to end up alone with your anger.  Allowing anger to take over and swallow up everything that you once cared about.  Allowing anger to cover up all the things you used to see as beautiful, because now all you can see is your anger.  

My remedy is simple.  First, I recommend getting to the Root!  Just like the briers, if you get to the root of the anger, and deal with that, than you will have an easier time dealing with the day to day things that irritate us all.  Such is the brier, if you cut out the root, you may have a few stray briers pop up here and there but for the most part, your work is done.  Once you've dealt with the root, the trick is to keep your mind focused on other things besides anger.  

My favorite is to focus on all the things I am grateful for. When anger starts to creep in, I have learned to deal with it head on, let it go and focus on what I am grateful for.  The dealing with it head on usually entails identifying where it's coming from, understanding why I am feeling angry and usually setting boundaries or talking to someone about it.  Letting the anger go is a conscious choice, where I set my mind to stop focusing on the anger and focus on the things I am grateful for.  The food that I eat, the air that I breathe, the relationships I have, the God that I serve, the beauty that is all around us all, etc.  

This helps me to manage my emotional garden so that I have more room for the good stuff.  In garden language, you have to pick the weeds so that the flowers can truly bloom.  Focusing on gratefulness helps to stave off the briers of anger and bitterness.  Try it sometime.  Make a list of all the things you can focus on in your life that you feel grateful for and see how you feel when you actively focus on those things rather than what your angry and bitter about.  Let me know how that works for you.  Please feel free to share what works for you!!

This is the time of year for colds and viruses.  Cold, Damp winters can make it especially hard to recover.    I thought I would share with you some helpful natural remedies that have worked for me throughout the years.  This is in no way intended to replace medical advice from your local doctor.  Just some natural remedies that may help you heal more quickly.

My first go to remedy for first sign of cold is Colostrum.  I have used this instead of anti-biotics for over 15 years now and have found that most often I can turn a virus from becoming an infection simply by taking this at first sign of cold or flu.  It boosts the immune system to give you that extra punch to fight back.

Second -  Echinacea.  This seems to cut down the time it takes my body to fight a cold or virus.  Works great for clearning sinuses as well as helps with clearing infections in the lungs.  

Third -  I up my vitamin C levels.  Sometimes I have actually experienced a full healing in 24 hours if I up my vitamin C levels .  Vitamin C with Zinc is even more powerful to fight colds and viruses.  I normally take 1000mg a day of vitamin c, but when I'm sick, I will take up to 10,000 mg.  I will take 1000mg every few hours until I feel it kicking in.  Its a very cheep, but powerful remedy against colds and viruses. 

Fourth -  I cut back on mucus producing products like dairy.  Milk, ice cream, and cheeses are all mucus producing so it can symptoms if your already stuffy.  I dont normally eat these foods but for those of you that do, try just taking them out of your diet for a few days and see if it helps.

Fith - warming the body.  You can do this in several ways such as baths, hot tubs, warm clothes, sunshie, etc.  My favorite way is to make a cup of ginger tea.  This is especially helpful if I've had a stubborn cold for a while.  Warming the body with Ginger Tea can help it fight it from the inside. 

Sixth -  I find that fasting on soup, fruits and vegies and fresh juices can give my body a break, help me detox and fight infections faster.  It is a  true rest for me, that seems to make a great deal of difference in the time my body can heal from a cold or virus. 

Seventh - Rest.  I know most of us dont get enought of this, but resting the body, letting it heal on it's own time, is sometimes all we really need.   Go to bed earlly!

Eight - Drink pleanty of liquid.  I prefer water, hot tea, and fresh juices for extra vitamin C.   Drinking hot lemon water is also good for clearing mucus. 

These are just natural remedies that have worked well for me over the years, and again, not intended to take the place of your medical doctors advice or the place of medication.  I hope they will be helpful.  For more information on Natural Healing Concepts, please visit my website at Naturalhealingconcepts.com.  

Codependency is a complex "disorder" that affects many of us in our life time.  What is Codependency?   Basically, its focusing on another person's behaviors and issues to the demise of our own.  We become obsessed with what the other person is doing, thinking, or not doing, that we neglect our own health.  Traditionally, the terms and definitions of codependency were related to being in a relationship with an alcoholic.  Now, there is a broader understanding that codependency can and does affect people of many different circumstances, not just alcoholism. 

How do I know If I'm a Codependent?
Do you say yes to people when you want or need to say no
Are you filling up with resentments because of another persons behaviors
Do you spend most of your time thinking about what the other person is doing
Do you spend most of your time devising ways to control the other person
Do you give and give until you are give out
Is it difficult for you to set boundaries and tell others how you are feeling.
Do you care more about what other people think of you than what you think of yourself, therefore this drives you to make decisions based on pleasing others, not yourself

This is not a comprehensive list but if you want to learn more about Codependency and how to take back control of your life, then I have a few book recommendations. 

Melody Beattie is one of my favorite authors on this subject.  She has many books on the subject but a good place to start is "Codependent No More" or the newer version "The New Codependency".  Her books are comprehensive and easy to follow.      

Helpful Hints if you are struggling with Codependency
Most of us are juggling so many things that taking time for ourselves is sometimes a very difficult task.  This is the place to start.  Set aside time just for you.  I promise the world will keep spinning and everyone else will learn to take better care of themselves if your not there to do for them what they can do for themselves.  Go for a walk, go on an adventure, get together with a friend, find a way to laugh, do something you love to do, talk with God,

Detaching from your issues and giving yourself time to reflect is the first step.  Giving yourself time to figure out how you are feeling is another very important step.  Joining an Al anon group is very helpful.  This group focuses on breaking the patterns of codependency and helping people learn to take better care of themselves.  Finding a counselor that can help you sort through your feelings and help you to find the strength to trust yourself is also helpful, especially if you find your struggling with setting boundaries or breaking these patterns. 

I promise there is hope for new beginnings.  Finding yourself can be a difficult task, however the rewards are amazing.  You will find more time to enjoy life, less worry, less anxiety, and peace.  Trusting that God can take care of the things that are out of our control is a big step for most of us, however, for me, it is a better way.