Author Spotlight: Deborah Dolen

Author Deborah Dolen is the busy author of 29 books. Her work all seems to share a common thread of working with natural ingredients, such as honey, beeswax to make lip balm, bee pollen to make healing salves, and easy-to-grow flowers that are fun to cut and arrange for the home.

For example, Deborah has written about edible flower petals, and she offers tips for making great salads and wowing your guests with sprinkles of bright orange marigold petals and violet impatiens petals. Deborah helps inspire me to garden with her writing about the ways that flowers are meant to do many things. In designing a garden, I like Deborah's advice to choose some plants designed just for making fresh cut floral designs to bring in the home, plus a selection of herbs for making skin care products and medicinal syrups. Beyond putting flower petals in salads, you can also make floral petal extracts for skin care. Deborah Dolen covers all of these--and more--concepts in her books.

If you have even the slightest interest in beekeeping, you may well find that after reading Deborah's book, The Beekeeper's Digest, you'll really want to be a beekeeper and raise honey bees.

Beekeeping has become more and more popular for backyard gardeners. As Deborah writes in The Beekeeper's Digest, honey bees make so many byproducts it is amazing! And you don't have to be a beekeeper to make natural products using things made by the bees. For instance, you can buy bee pollen from a local beekeeper and make "bee pollen oil" by just soaking the bee pollen in macadamia nut oil. Deborah writes that macadamia nut and jojoba oil is most closest to our own skin chemistry, so she uses these two oils for making almost all body care recipes, including lip products, cleansing creams, and even soap. In fact, it was from Deborah Dolen I learned soap is basically oil. Back to bee pollen oil, you simply soak bee pollen in macadamia nut oil for a week, and you'll find that you suddenly have a beautiful orange oil packed with micronutrients and very healing for the skin. Deborah says marigold petals are also dynamic to infuse if you'd like because marigold oil, also known as Calendula oil, is great for anti-inflammatory purposes and circulation. She highly recommends it for people with edema.

Another interesting point in The Beekeeper's Digest is that the source of the hive is very important. The more remotely the honey and byproducts are produced from a major city pollution the better. There are a lot of interesting beekeeping facts in Deborah's book, and she has a wealth of recipes for products like lip balms and soothing creams. You'll never think about beeswax the same way again!

Aromatherapy is another topic dear to the heart of Deborah Dolen. Her work on the topic helps you understand essential oils and what they are known to do, which is a good topic to research if you want to make your own skin care products. Aromatherapy Basics is Deborah's book designed to help you tlearn how nature and botanicals work. &

Many botanicals are natural healers, and essential oils from them can go into a lip balm type recipe and become a healing "salve." One of Deborah's recipes along this line is for a lavender super-healing burn butter. Another example is her bruise balm using blue chamomile. The book helps you create essential oil blends for specific results. It can be a helpful guide if you want to make your own bath bombs and bath salts, as described in two other of her books, The Self Apothecary and The Bathroom Chemist. These books offer a ton of bath and body products to give as gifts for Christmas or other holidays. The cost is very low compared to buying finished body care products, and you can trust the high quality of products you make yourself.

In addition to making bath and body products for the coming holiday season, Deborah Dolen shares a lot of recipes for food items that make great gifts in her Kitchen Arts Collection. This book contains a selection of dry dip mix recipes and loads of "gifts in a mason jar" recipes. For a sample recipe, check out Deborah's .org site: http://www.deborahdolen.org/.

Introducing Scram Crawling Insect Killer

Nobody wants insects invading their home, but is it possible to kill bugs without introducing harmful pesticides into your living space? A new product, Scram Crawling Insect Killer, is a natural pesticide made from food grade materials. The product will kill bugs within 48 hours by drying up their exoskeleton.

The main ingredient is silicon dioxide from diatomaceous earth. Diatomaceous earth is a natural product which comes from the fossilized remains of tiny plankton. While it hurts insects, it's harmless to people and other mammals, so it's safe to use. Even if you have kids or dogs and cats, you can sprinkle Scram on your carpet without a worry. The manufacturers recommend it as a safe and easy to use product for settings like daycare centers and nursing homes--anywhere you want to remove (or avoid!) an infestation of bugs.

You can actually use Scram in a preventative way, too, if you want to treat an area before bugs have the chance to move in. Landlords love it as a safety precaution for keeping spaces bug-free. It's easy to apply as it's a powder that you can shake on as easily as talc or carpet deodorizer. It can kill ants, fleas, roaches, bed bugs, spiders, and other insects as well.

Basically, the manufacturers of Scram want to make this safe product widely available as a more health-conscious alternative to many of the dangerous pesticides on the market. It's a US-based company, located in Cincinnati. Learn more about Scram Crawling Insect Killer and how it works by visiting www.scrambugs.com.

Introducing Hammam Secrets, a Natural and Organic Cosmetic Company

I first learned about argan oil a little over a year ago as part of an interview I did with a rancher. Recently I found out about another company which sells natural products which use cold-pressed argan oils from trees raised through organic farming. This company is called Hammam Secrets.

On their website, the company emphasizes their use of environmentally friendly methods and healthy ingredients. They don't use artificial additives, paraffin, dyes, or other such components in their products. They also say no to animal testing. And they promote fair trade practices to support the rural Moroccan women who help to harvest and naturally process the argan fruit, creating the healthful oil, known for being a source of vitamin E and fatty acids.

Hammam Secrets sells a variety of products including oils for skin and hair, soaps, flower waters, and gift products like aromatic candles. If you or a friend likes organic skin care and cosmetic products and/or unique gift items, it's a website worth checking out. When you first reach the site, look in the upper right hand corner and click the American flag if you want to visit the English-language version of the site.

Morocco is the only place where the argan tree grows. So if you're interested in argan oil, a Morocco-based company like Hammam Secrets which exports the product all over the world is a great place to start. By the way, they sell other products, too, such as those which use natural aloe.

On the Health Benefits of Garlic

Several of my friends have long been telling me about the health benefits of garlic. Well, in this post I'm officially admitting that I agree that garlic is a superfood!

Honestly, I wish I enjoyed the taste of garlic more than I do; it is hard for me to get the recommended daily amount of one to two cloves. On the plus side, I know that I have the option to take garlic in the form of tablets or capsules, so that's a good thing. Raw garlic is supposed to have the strongest positive impact on health, but tablets or capsules can be good options for people like myself who have issues like heartburn.

Of course, the one to two cloves per day is a preventative dose. What about the use of garlic when it comes to its use as a popular home remedy for various illnesses?

I found a lot of information about garlic on the Full Health and Wellness website. I had heard that garlic had properties that could be helpful in fighting infections, but I hadn't realized that it has been shown in a university study to be as powerful as an antibiotic in some cases. In fact, it fights bacteria, fungus, viruses, infections, and more.

In addition, garlic helps protect the heart and has anti-cancer properties. And it has anti-inflammatory effects, too. What more could you want from a humble bulb?

Introducing Author Deborah Dolen

One of the great things about the Amazon Kindle is that it has allowed a lot of prolific authors to reach their audience in a straightforward and organized way. I have noticed both fiction and nonfiction authors who have successfully published series of books in Kindle format.

One such nonfiction author is Deborah Dolen, a busy writer who specializes in DIY-related topics. In fact, Deborah Dolen has 29 DIY-type books on Kindle and more recently, Barnes and Noble's Nook. I also think it's great how she has produced several Amazon Instant films to catch readers' attention and complement many of her Kindle books.

The topics of Dolen's work include cooking, gardening, crafts, beekeeping, aromatherapy, making perfume, floral design, and more. She has a how-to book on starting a business selling gift baskets, and she has a book on the holistic benefits of housekeeping with natural methods and products. You might call her a Renaissance woman as her range of interests is so diverse! However, they all share the common thread of working with natural products and materials.

Much of Deborah Dolen's work being a decade old, she has gone back through her catalog and created updated editions of many of her books. One example is her book, Handwriting Analysis in Psychology, which she wrote in 2006 and updated in May of 2013. Author Rose Wynters recently featured Dolen on her blog. Wynters has created a thorough post which includes a review of the Handwriting book as well as an interview, which is what sparked my interest in this author.

Wynters hosts a great website embracing many thoughtful interviews full of interesting reading material for people who are interested in selling books in Kindle format. In the interview, Dolen calls herself "an accidental author by circumstance" and describes her experience in finding success on Amazon. In short, she was a young widow who had to raise three daughters and keep them interested in creating things. All of her books were inspired by hands-on projects she engaged in with her daughters.

An interesting phenomena of Deborah Dolen's work is that her hard copy books became collectible almost overnight in 2008 (commanding hundreds of dollars each and thousands if the edition was signed by her) when she stopped printing her books in order to make her work exclusively available for Kindle. Book collectors jumped all over her hard-to-find print copies, although she did not benefit and in fact still donates the hard copies she may have to good causes.

Since 2008 she has spent a good deal of time transferring her previously published print works to Kindle format, and her entire collection of titles is now available on Kindle. As her exclusive contract with Kindle recently expired, she was able to premier her work on Barnes and Noble's Nook.

In 2012 Deborah Dolen's work became available on international platforms that include Amazon UK, Amazon France, Amazon Spain, Amazon India, and Amazon Germany. You can see clips of her videos on YouTube channel where she enjoys half a million views and counting.

I feel confident that we'll be seeing more books from Dolen in the years to come, and I'll be interested to see what topics she covers next.

Meet Laurie, Founder of Natures Light

Laurie is an herbalist who founded Natures Light over 10 years ago after she found out she was estrogen dominant and needed synthetic hormone replacement which has been known to cause cancer.

She decided to look for a natural alternative, and when she couldn't find a good one, she decided to make her own, using ingredients regular people can pronounce--especially since she has sensitive skin. Since then thousands of women have been helped with her progesterone cream.

Natures Light is a small company, family owned and family run, making natural progesterone in small batches, taking care to create products which offer the natural therapeutic properties of herbs and oils.

1. What does conventional medicine currently offer for women experiencing symptoms during menopause, and why do you think are doctors still prescribing hormone replacement therapy?

Conventional medicine offers synthetic hormones which are derived from animals' urine and parts of plants. These are still prescribed because the pharmaceutical lobby is powerful, and doctors don't know what else to do and are looking for a quick fix. The medical path is to always turn to pills, unlike the natural path which uses food for medicine.

2. What makes natural progesterone cream a safer alternative to HRT?

Natural progesterone cream is derived using the whole plant and gives your body the building blocks it needs to produce progesterone. So the plant-based progesterone cream works with your body. On the other hand, synthetic HRT may increase your risk of cancer, clotting, strokes, heart attacks, and gall bladder disease. Our cream is only progesterone--no estrogen added.

3. Would you tell us a bit about what inspired you to start your company and the process you went through to develop the creams you offer for sale?

I was frustrated with losing two weeks out of my life every month! I felt out of control, and the doctors either didn't believe me, or they just wanted to give me synthetic hormones which increases your cancer risk in one in three women.

I decided with my history using herbs and knowing that I was already at an increased risk for cancer that I would make my own progesterone. There were creams on the market, but they either didn't work, or they smelled horrible, or they caused my skin to break out!

After about nine months of testing, I developed my proprietary process of making my own progesterone cream.

4. What are some of the ingredients that go into your products, and are they safe for women with allergies or sensitive skin?

Nettle contains boron and one of the most bone-building herbs; since osteoporosis is often associated with menopause, we chose nettle to be a major ingredient. It is also great for menopause symptoms, cramps and bloating.

Coconut oil is the smallest molecule for easy absorption and penetrates the epidermis--it doesn't just puff it up. So it is a great delivery system.

Aloe vera has over 100 properties and is so soothing. It is a base for all our products.

Our herbs are all certified organic, and we offer an unscented version for sensitive skin and allergies. Additionally, all of our products are paraben free!

5. What are some of the other products you sell through Nature's Light, and where do you envision your company over the next few years?

We sell our PRO Xtreme-Natural Pain Relief Cream for arthritis, gout, fibromyalgia, muscle spasms, general aches and pains. We also have a spa line--Aviva Spa--with bath products: soaps, bath bombs, and more.

We have recently developed a line of products for animal care. Equine Fly Spray is an all natural alternative that keeps bugs and flies away safely. In our animal care line we also have Mare Care Cream for hormonal imbalance in female horses.

Over the next few years, I envision that our company will continue to grow. I am in the process of developing more products for our animal line, and I am working to further develop my spa line as well. Our motto "Nature Designed It, We Combined It" says it all: nature offers answers that we have yet to rediscover.

Thanks, Laurie!

Introducing Vintage Candles Unwined, Maker of Natural Soy Candles

As a fan of candles made of natural materials, I was happy to learn about the natural soy candles made by Vintage Candles Unwined. And better yet, the candles are made using glass cut from upcycled wine bottles.

Vintage Candles Unwined is an independent company based in Boise, Idaho. They buy the cut and beveled glasses for their candles from a local company which employs individuals who have workplace challenges. The candles are hand-poured and do not include any dyes or chemicals; even the wicks are eco wicks which keep your home environment free of crude oil refinements that are contained in paraffin waxes. And after you burn your candle, you can reuse the glass as a drinking glass or small vase or pencil cup or...!

The company offers a variety of scents and will consider ideas and requests submitted by customers. They are currently in the process of designing a new label for their candles, and can add an image of any state you'd like to the labels of the candles you purchase. Each candle contains 8-12 ounces of soy and will burn for 50-75 hours.

Find candles from Vintage Candles Unwined at local retailers in Boise and online at http://www.vintagecandlesunwined.com and on Etsy.

Improving Kidney Function: A Guest Post from Robert Galarowicz

The All Natural Kidney Health & Kidney Function Restoration Program To Learn How Improve Kidney Function

I'm Robert Galarowicz.

I'm an author, creator, and natural health kidney disease expert who's helped hundreds of kidney disease sufferers improve their kidney function, avoid dialysis and have better kidney health than they could have imagined.

And I'm here to tell you that there's a simple, four PDF step-by-step e-book program anyone with kidney disease can use to reverse your impaired kidney function and begin healing your kidneys with scientifically proven, natural remedies with no pain and no harmful side effects.

And in these guides I want to teach you natural kidney remedies including supplements, diet, and herbs that are used throughout the world to heal your kidneys, even if your doctor said there is nothing that can help and no matter how hopeless things may seem.

Even better, this simple, powerful program has been proven again and again to work on almost ANY type of kidney disease (no matter how bad situation may seem).

If you really want to avoid dialysis, kidney failure, and living a miserable quality of life where you die prematurely, then you must read these four simple guides that condense EVERYTHING you need to know about improving your kidney health into an easy short read.

No "fluff," no "opinions," no "waste of your valuable time and money"--just concrete science with over 300 medical citations which make up this program.

This four PDF e-book program is nothing but a real, powerful, step-by-step treatment regime that will help you improve your kidneys naturally, without the use of drugs.

If you're like the many customers who have used these methods before, you'll be able to delay dialysis by years or even decades--or possibly even avoid dialysis all together simply by following this simple, step-by-step treatment plan.

Here's just a LITTLE sample of what you'll discover in this astonishing program:

--The most healing and scientifically proven, research-based All Natural Kidney Health & Kidney Function Restoration Diet, exactly what foods to eat and avoid.

--The "Core Supplement Program." This chapter covers the exact supplements including herbs, vitamins, nutrition, etc, and what they are and how they help your kidneys.

--The common over the counter, prescription medications and drugs which you want to steer clear of at all cost.

--14-day easy-to-follow menu plan with recipes, snacks and an eating out guide.

--The Definitive Guide To Potassium Content of Foods which will give you the knowledge to make the perfect low potassium food choices for great kidney health.

--The Definitive Guide To Protein Content of Foods to make the perfect protein foods choices to control your phosphorus and protein intake.

And so much, much more... All in instantly downloadable guides and for less than you'd pay for dinner and a movie.

What propelled you to write this program?

My "deep burning passion" with Kidney Disease began when I was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD) at 22 years old. This led to dialysis and since 2004, I been living with a kidney transplant.

This gave me first-hand experience of every single phase and symptom of kidney disease. This "deep burning passion," led me to become a nutritionist and naturopath (natural health expert).

And after spending thousands of hours researching and studying everything on how to help kidney disease naturally, I took these discoveries and used them personally and with hundreds of clients. The results were astounding and I put everything into writing and creating "The All Natural Kidney Health & Kidney Function Restoration Program." You can visit my website which has a FREE video called, "Over 7 Tips To Better Kidney Health" at http://www.healkidneydisease.com.

You can also visit my youtube.com channel with tons of tips and recommendations to better kidney health at https://www.youtube.com/user/betterkidneyhealth.

Thanks, Dr. Rob!

Introducing Minerals By Bee

Minerals By Bee is an up-and-coming beauty company which creates and sells unique, handmade bath and body care products alongside alcohol-free fragrances and mineral makeup.

With a goal of helping you discover the beauty of well-being, Minerals By Bee offers earth-friendly natural skin care, and natural beauty and personal care products. Minerals By Bee uses quality essential oils or flavor oils in all of their body care products. No artificial fragrances will ever be found in any of their natural products.

Most importantly, Minerals By Bee products are never tested on animals, and they help protect both people and the earth by being sulfate-free, paraben-free, and phthalate-free. In fact, the products are free from all synthetic ingredients and are all tested on very willing friends and family.

To keep up with the latest product offerings and additional information about botanical skin care, follow Minerals By Bee on Facebook.

Also, anyone who creates an account on the Minerals By Bee website can receive a free sample kit!

Meet Laura Rude, Author and Hypnotherapist

Laura Rude is an author, a Washington State certified hypnotherapist, and the founder of the website Postpartum-Living.com, a resource for new mothers and their families who find themselves dealing with postpartum depression.

Because of the immense number of women who struggle with the disorder and the devastating effect it has on new mothers and their families, Laura began researching the topic and bringing together information and creating a place to share stories and resources. Laura has worked with a vast number of clients in her hypnotherapy practice and witnessed how a natural and utterly side-effect-free therapy like hypnosis can benefit those suffering with various afflictions of both body and mind.

Laura is an avid student of the subconscious mind and has researched natural methods for dealing with depression, stress, and anxiety. She discovered that many new moms preferred a natural, drug-free approach to treating their postpartum depression but found little available to them. Through her extensive research, she has written a book called Creating Postpartum Wellness and created an easy-to-follow six-week program, implementing natural and holistic methods for combating this disorder. Her book is available on Amazon in paperback and for the Kindle.

Laura is married with one son and lives near Seattle, Washington.

1. When did you start your Postpartum Living website, and what has the response from readers/visitors been?

I began postpartum-living.com in May of 2011. The response from my visitors has been great. I began the site because I found a genuine lack of information and resources for women who wanted to implement natural remedies for overcoming their postpartum depression and anxiety. The moms who visit my site really appreciate it.

2. What particular insights have you gained into postpartum depression through your work as a hypnotherapist?

My work as a hypnotherapist is interesting and so rewarding. I work with many people struggling with depression, anxiety, fears, and insomnia, to name a few common issues. This has led me to understanding more about these issues and how using hypnotherapy and natural treatments can alleviate them. Many postpartum moms are affected by these issues.

3. What motivated you to write your book, Creating Postpartum Wellness?

I wanted to make all the research I had done and the information I had studied available to the moms who needed it and could benefit from it, so I decided to write a book of natural treatments and create a simple and easy-to-implement program.

4. In writing the book, how did you combine your perspectives as a mom yourself and as a clinician? Once you're a mom, you have a great perspective on many of these issues. Having experienced depression myself also allowed me to really empathize and understand on a personal level some of the feelings of despair and shame, as well as the stigma associated with depression. As a hypnotherapist, I was able to explain hypnosis and its effectiveness, and dispel some of the common misconceptions about it.

5. I'm thinking that natural treatments for depression must be especially important for breastfeeding moms, and I'm curious to know more: what are some of the benefits of natural treatment methods?

Yes, breastfeeding moms find natural treatments for depression valuable for sure--rather than taking pharmaceuticals. In addition to that, almost all of these natural treatment steps in the book can be followed in the privacy of a mom's home. I have found that many moms don't want to share their pain or shame with others--they just want it to end! This is a great choice for those women, as well as those who prefer a natural route to healing.

Thanks, Laura!

Meet Darlene Josaphe, Author and Publisher

Darlene Josaphe, helps women manage stress successfully with resources that educate, combined with personal support. She is the author of the Self-Help Stress Solutions book series on Amazon and editor of the Ezine, Stress Management Fan Club.

1. What inspired you to start writing about natural methods of stress relief?

Women everywhere are experiencing severe amounts of stress in all aspects of their lives, on the job and at home. I see it all around me every day, and I know from personal experience that coping with stress is a difficult prospect. Unfortunately many turn to "solutions" that often do little to improve things and may even make their situation worse--drinking too much, using narcotics, or giving in to fits of anger; these things only hurt you and those around you and rarely do anything to actually address the situation that is causing stress.

I discovered from my own personal experience that there are many positive and beneficial things that can be done to address stressful situations naturally. First of all, facing the situation and doing what you can to change it is vitally important, even if it means making long-term plans, long-term goals, and long-term lifestyle changes. That's why I decided to write about natural methods of stress relief, identify and expose the core causes and detrimental effects of stress for women, and share the high-performance strategies and techniques that women can use immediately to improve their lives. Natural methods work to relieve stress effectively and naturally.

2. What are your best sources for coming up with tips to share with your readers (your own experience, research, suggestions from other people...)?

My best resource is by far my own personal experience, as well as the experiences of the many women whom I have worked with in my professional life during the last 20 years. Women coping with divorce, family conflict, parenting challenges, financial tragedy, job burn-out and frustration; women who are overwhelmed by the pressures and anxieties of modern-day living. Really, who isn’t stressed these days?

But in addition to my own experiences, I also do a lot of research and reading on healthy living and wellness, not only focusing on physical wellness, but also on emotional and spiritual wellness. For women, emotional and spiritual wellness is supremely important for inner-peace, joy, and happiness.

But more than just reading about healthy living, emotional wellness, and spiritual wellness, I work hard to apply what I learn.

I used to be a stressed out, overworked, overwhelmed woman, but I learned how to slow down, re-organize my focus and priorities, and bring balance into my life. I discovered that there is a lot I can do to manage my stress levels and keep them within acceptable standards. When I see how natural stress relief methods work in my life, such as gardening, walking, juicing, proper time management and money management, camping, nutrition, aromatherapy, etc, I write about it so that other women can learn to implement these natural stress relief methods too. They really do work!

3. In addition to your books, articles, and stress management for women ezine, what services do you offer in terms of personal support?

I offer one-on-one support via email. I always answer emails personally.

Most of the time when we are stressed, having someone to talk to goes a long way in helping to soothe frazzled nerves or just to help regain perspective and direction. Some women may not always feel comfortable opening up to family members, and others may live far away and isolated from family and friends, like I was for many years. Yet, via cyberspace, with the click of a button, you can connect with someone in a meaningful way that brings some perspective and peace to your life.

Developing a meaningful support network is by far the single most important natural stress management strategy for women. The support network does not have to be big and extensive. It can be as strong as one person you can confide in, one pair of shoulders to cry on, and one pair of trustworthy listening ears.

4. Why has the Kindle format been such a good fit for your self-help books for women?

Women are online in LARGE numbers, and women shop on Amazon in droves. So the Kindle is a "natural fit" to reach women around the globe with my self-help books and stress management information. Kindle books are easily available online. You don't even need to own a Kindle to be able to download and read books in Kindle format. All you really need is an Amazon account and you can purchase, download, and read the self-help books in a matter of minutes. You can even log in to your Amazon account and purchase the books to give as gifts to someone who may need some stress relief. All you need is the recipient's email address, and Amazon will do the rest!

Another reason the Kindle format is an excellent fit for my self-help books for women is because you can immediately access the information. Unlike traditional hard-copy books that have to get shipped, the Kindle format is digital and can be downloaded immediately, whether 9:00 AM in the morning or 11:00 PM at night. The sooner women can get their hands on the self-help stress solutions, the sooner they will be able to apply them and start living happier lives with less stress.

Finally, the Kindle format allows me to offer my self-help books to women at really affordable prices. With this horrible economy, money is hard to find. Self-publishing on Kindle helps me to keep the costs of the books under $5. And for members of my Stress Management Fan Club, I even have Amazon promos where they can download one of the books for FREE during special giveaways.

So the Kindle format is easily available online through the biggest online shopping resource in the world (Amazon), it's available for immediate download, and it's super affordable. A winning proposition for women around the globe who are in need of natural stress relief solutions.

5. What are a couple of specific suggestions for stress relief you'd offer for someone reading this who'd like to turn off the computer and practice a stress management technique or two right now?

One specific suggestion for someone who wants to turn off the computer and practice a stress management technique RIGHT NOW would be for her to head outside in nature for a few minutes. Nature offers an abundance of natural stress relievers that have a soothing effect on frazzled nerves. The problem is that, other than scenes of nature on our computer screen savers or on TV, we seldom get a chance to tap into the FREE natural stress relief solutions right outside the window. If it's safe to do so, why not turn off the computer and head outside right now for a short walk around the block, breathing in fresh air and taking in the soothing sights and sounds in your own neighborhood which you may seldom get a chance to appreciate, as you fly back and forth each day? Take in the flowers in the gardens as you walk, or the butterflies fluttering by, or the birds chirping a happy song.

If it's not possible to head outside right now, I have another specific suggestion. Try stretching! Stretching can be especially good when you're at work and feeling your back, neck, and fingers tense up. All you need to do is get up and stretch your arms over your head and feel your back muscles loosen up. Roll your head in a circle very slowly and gently. Shrug your shoulders a few times to stretch them as well. To stretch your fingers, spread them in front of you and try to reach them out as far as possible and then just "crunch" them at the knuckles a few times. You might hear your knuckles crack and this is okay; you simply don't want to strain them or make a tight fist which just pulls the muscles.

It's important to remember that stretching exercises don't need to take a long time. Five minutes can do a world of good, especially if combined with deep breathing. Stretching routines only take a few minutes and can be worked into your schedule very easily, whether you are at work or at home.

These are two specific stress management techniques that anyone, anywhere can practice right now!

I invite everyone reading this to join our stress management fan club right now, too, to start learning about and applying natural, DIY stress solutions which can help you beat stress, and regain the balance, joy, and inner peace you deserve.

Thanks, Darlene!