Search Results for: blog the power of touch

Comfrey: Power Plant of the Garden

You know comfrey? If you do, you might roll your eyes at the very thought of having more of it in your garden. The plant can be a bit of a monster. It seems to spread if you so much as touch it, popping up here and there in the garden beds. Yet comfrey is a wonderful plant for your garden, so it’s hard to wave goodbye to it. In fact, we should be saying hello more often than we do. Why should you invite more comfrey to your garden? First, it’s an excellent bee plant. When I want bees … Continue reading →

The Power of Touch

Did you know that there is power in touch? According to some mental health experts’ touch can alleviate tension, anxiety and other psychological problems. Some believe that touch can even bring about physical healing. I remember how it felt when I stopped breastfeeding my youngest son. I knew he was going to be our last child and the thought of not having that special bonding experience anymore really bothered me. But I also knew that I would get to enjoy closeness in other ways. When my children were younger I enjoyed those times they would jump into my bed and … Continue reading →

Positive Reinforcement and the Power of Distraction

I try very hard to be a positive reinforcement trainer with my dogs, and not a negative reinforcement. Some days it works better than others. When we’re out walking, I’ve got a constant stream of chatter going — encouragement and praise, mostly, though sometimes, I also just talk to them about what they’re doing. If the dogs are doing something right, I tell them. It’s when the dogs are doing something wrong that I sometimes run into trouble. Lally is generally easy to correct. A light tug on the leash or saying her name is enough to get her attention … Continue reading →

An Eel-Powered Holiday

Worried about rising energy costs and a big electric bill after the holidays? Lighting a tree may not put a huge dent in your wallet but you can do it for free if you have the right equipment — an electric eel. Japanese inventor Kazuhiko Minawa spent a month working on a system that would collect energy from an electric eel. The Aqua Toto Gifu aquarium in Kakamigahara provided the eel and the tree; the eel provides the energy. Thanks to Minawa, it’s an eel powered Christmas for the aquarium. The aquarium is calling it the “e-tree” — E for … Continue reading →

The Marriage Blog Week in Review for December 3-9

It’s that time of year…the busy time. (Busier than usual anyway.) Find you have limited time to keep up on all the blogs you want to read? That’s what makes Week in Reviews invaluable. They’re your key to staying in tune with what Karri, Heather, and I wrote about last week in the Marriage blog. Monday, December 3 All I Want for Christmas… Since Heather and her family were assaulted with health problems throughout the year, all she wants is to enjoy her work at Families.com without anymore trips to the doctor interrupting it! For Men Who Do Not Wear … Continue reading →

The Power of Feeling with The Braille Ring

I have great sympathy for anyone who has a disability. There are so many things in life that I take for granted that I never realize others miss out on. I usually never give a second though to the things that are simple to me like matching the color of my clothing in the mornings, pushing my children on a swing, and listening to music in my car. However, these things do come so easy for some. Like the other things, I had never really thought about people who have never seen their wedding dress or their husband’s face or … Continue reading →

RS/EQ: “The Nourishing Power of Hymns” by Jay E. Jensen

Part of the Relief Society/Priesthood lesson curriculum each month is based on one of the conference talks. Our teacher chose “The Nourishing Power of Hymns” by Jay E. Jensen for our class this last week. Miriam already did a great review of this talk, so I thought I’d share the ways in which the lesson was presented to our specific Relief Society. Our teacher began by sharing her personal testimony of the power of music in our lives and the times when she herself felt down and was uplifted by a touching piece of music. She then asked us to … Continue reading →

Never Underestimate the Healing Power of Ice Cream

Yesterday Tyler was outside playing when he ran up to me screaming bloody murder. He had fallen and skinned both knees. After cleaning up the wounds and applying a nice flexible Band-Aid, I was all ready to send him on his way when he turned to me and said, “I think some ice cream will make it feel better.” Ah, the innocence of youth. Wouldn’t it be great if we could ease all of our problems with a nice big old bowl of ice cream? As adults, we know that life’s not that simple but kids really think they can … Continue reading →

The Pregnancy Blog Week in Review for Jan 27 – Feb 2

Time flies when you are pregnant. With the pressures of work, other children and family responsibilities, it’s easy to get busy and miss some of the articles posted in the Pregnancy Blog. This weekly review is an easy and fast way to get caught up on your reading. Saturday, January 27 Let’s Talk About Water Birth: Fluid Pain Relief Sara Denomme talks about the magical experience of her daughter’s home water birth. Sunday, January 28 If you are planning to breastfeed your new baby, you will need a good book as a resource. Check out Great Breastfeeding Books for some … Continue reading →

The Let’s Talk Pregnancy Blog Top Ten: How to Induce Labor Naturally

If you’re attempting to have the most natural labor possible, you’re going to want to avoid artificial induction at all costs. Not only are artificially-induced contractions often significantly stronger and more painful, but starting labor unnaturally can likely lead to further complications. The current state of your cervix will determine how likely the onset of labor is. No amount of any of these, save number one maybe, will produce a baby if it’s not time. Sure, there are plenty of old wive’s tales for starting labor naturally, including eating spicy foods or taking a ride down a bumpy road. But … Continue reading →