This is a must have in a medicine cabinet and is typically the first thing I reach for. The homeopathic version of arnica comes in a pellet that you place in your mouth but also can be used topically as a cream, ointment, salve or tincture.

Arnica is a flowering plant native to the mountains in Europe and Siberia and is now cultivated in North America.

The Europeans and Native Americans have used Arnica for medicinal purposes since the 1500’s. The popularity of Arnica in the US continues to grow and is widely used by athletes.

Arnica Montana is used to soothe sore muscles, bruises, heal wounds, sprains, and other conditions caused by overexertion and trauma. Arnica also reduces inflammation and is used with rheumatic pain, swelling due to fractures and even inflammation from insect bites.

The other day, my son was out playing roller hockey in the street and fell on his elbow. He came in and I could already see the swelling beginning. The first thing I reached for was Arnica Montana.

If you are having any type of surgery, take Arnica before and after surgery to help with inflammation.

The uses for Arnica are endless, from a bug bite to a major surgery.

Arnica is sold in stores that sell herbs and natural/alternative remedies. The Vitamin Shoppe and Whole Foods are two examples of stores that have Arnica however it is becoming so widely used it would not surprise me to see it in any grocery store and maybe even Target as an ointment. If you can’t find it locally, there are thousands of sites online that sell Arnica.

Today it seemed like I had a list of things to do with very little time. I reviewed what I needed to get done and felt some stress come over me. Then I caught myself and remembered that because of the Law of Attraction (like thoughts and actions attracts like thoughts and actions), if I stay in my stressed out place, more and more stress will come. However, the empowered me knew, if I create wisely, everything will get done in a timely manner stress free!

So how do we do this when our list is a mile long with very little time? Segment Intending.

Segment Intending is an intentional, focused creation in segments. Intention can be broken down throughout the day or simply for one activity. The key is that we spend focused time on how we would like the outcome to be, despite what others may say or our past experiences. For example, if we hear that the wait staff at a new restaurant that we want to try is rude, do we want to go to the restaurant expecting to have rude service OR do we create and intend for a new experience, a happy, fun wait staff and a great meal.

Using my day as an example-I had to exchange an item at the pet store, get a week’s worth of groceries and find 3 dressy outfits for a trip I am taking this week. I had 3 hours to do all of it. (Yes, the most stressful thing was finding the outfits in such a short amount of time).

So before I left my house I thought for about 2 minutes about what I had to do and then planned out my route and visualized the ease in my 3 tasks. I saw in my mind the exchange at the pet store.  There was no one in line and a clerk would be waiting to help me when I walked in. The exchange would be easy and quick (even though I did not have a receipt). I would be in and out in less than 5 minutes.

Next I visualized my grocery shopping experience. I would walk in, focused, no distractions and would be in and out of there in 30 minutes with a week’s worth of groceries and some extras for when I am away (this would normally take me at least 60-90 minutes).

Lastly, I visualized my trip to the clothing store to find my 3 outfits for the important events that I will be attending this week while away. I will walk in and it will be as if the perfect dresses will be on the end rack, waiting for me to see them. If a dress is hidden, I will walk right up to the correct rack and pull it right out. It will be an incredibly easy and fun experience.

The outcome? The pet store was EXACTLY as I had intended, the grocery store was never quicker and I walked into one store and found 3 dresses right away and then one more store to find one more dress. I ended up buying 4 dresses because I could not decide on which one I liked more. It was the most efficient shopping experience I have ever had when buying specific outfits, and I made it home with time to spare!

Before we start each day, begin by  creating the type of experiences we would like to have instead of living by default and allowing our day to just happen. Plan not only with a list but take 2 minutes to visualize and intend how easy and beautiful all experiences will be in our life each day.

This is a sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes time of year for many of us. There are many products on the market from Benadryl and Claritin to allergy shots for relief of allergies. However, there are some powerful all natural answers to the allergy prayers as well.

An allergic reaction happens when the body interprets a substance as a “foreign enemy” and goes into attack mode. If the immune system is not strong enough to disable the antigens in a substance (dust, mold, pollen) then the immune system has an overaggressive response which looks like runny nose, watery eyes, fatigue, etc.

To key to allergy relief is a strong, healthy immune system.

These are my favorite supplements that boost immune system function:

1. Vitamin C-3000 mg/day taken throughout the day. Excellent for reducing histamine levels in the blood. Also Vitamin C strengthens and detoxifies the immune system. (I love Nature’s Plus Vitamin C-they are chewable, taste great and kids love them too!)

2. Grape Seed Extract-100mg/1-3 X per day. This is a natural antihistamine. Also, its flavonoids inhibit allergic reactions that can cause eczema.

3. Quercetin-Builds mast cell membrane strength. These membranes are carriers of histamine. Quercetin keeps the membrane walls strong to prevent ruptures that leak histamine freely into the body, thereby causing allergic responses.

4. Bromelain-1000mg/day. Bromelain is an enzyme that comes from the juice and stem of the pineapple. It is an excellent anti-inflammatory that strengthens the immune system and clears mucous from the respiratory system. (Can also be used post surgery or anytime an anti-inflammatory agent is needed-has similar effects to ibuprofen).

5. MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane)-1000mg/1-3X per day. MSM contains sulfur which is an important nutrient for healthy body functions. MSM keeps the immune system strong and supports the respiratory system. MSM also improves allergies, skin problems, asthma and headaches.

There are many homeopathic remedies on the market that also can be taken with or without supplements. My favorite brand is bioAllers. It’s a liquid homeopathic. They have specific remedies for Tree, Grass, Pollen, Hayfever or a combination Pollen/Hayfever. Homeopathic remedies are great for children that can’t swallow pills. I use this one for my son in addition to the supplements.

It is not necessary but could benefit greatly to begin taking the supplements and homeopathic remedies before the symptoms appear. This will build the immune system gradually and the body will be ready when the pollen hits. However, if pollen has begun in your area and allergies are upon you, no better time than now to build immune strength.

Lastly, we all can agree that stress plays a role in immune health. Relaxation techniques, meditation and any enjoyable activity will help with immune strength. Relax, take supplements and enjoy an allergy free season!

While we sleep we let go of the conscious mind, the resistant or fearful part of us, the part that says “no way,” “I’m afraid” or “that will never happen to me.”

During this time of “no resistance” the things we have been trying to create and manifest in our lives have a way in. Nothing is stopping them from manifesting when the “resistant conscious mind thinking” has ceased.

To take your creations to the next level try spending the last few minutes before falling asleep in a “creation mode.”

Close your eyes and imagine anything that you would like to bring into your life. A new car, new home, relationship, job, vacation, anything! Spend time before drifting off to sleep imagining you have already attained it. Imagine driving around town in the new car, parking it in the garage. Imagine walking on the beach in the new bathing suit with your new thinner, toned body and having people compliment you on how great you look. Our brains cannot tell if it’s really happened yet or in our imagination.

The key to manifesting whether it be day or night, is to remove resistance to what we desire. In dream state, the resistance is removed because the conscious mind is shut off. So if we sleep for 8 hours, that’s 8 hours of manifesting we are doing with no resistance! When we think about how much time throughout the day we spend time “consciously creating,” (very little to none) an exercise like this could certainly have profound effects on your life. Have fun with it and watch before your eyes, your creations begin to manifest all around.

My 12 year old came in from school and said he had a bad day and that he “needed” a bath. I realized in that moment how often both of my kids take baths not because they are dirty but because they, “need them.” I thought to myself, how intuitive of them.

As we know, bath time is a time of not only cleansing dirt but is also a time of relaxation. We all know that ads “Calgon take me away!” Bath time is where let go of all of our tensions and frustrations from the day. But there is actually more to a bath.

When we add 2 cups of sea salt to our bath and soak for 20 minutes we cleanse our emotional field.  This field of energy that we all have exists off of our physical body. Imagine a bubble of soft light/energy that encircles the human body, this is the emotional body.

When we leave our home and encounter another human being, whether we know them or not, we step into their energy field. Unfortunately when we step away from them we also take “their emotional stuff” with us. We may take their good mood or bad mood, their fight with their boss, their depression or their elation  over getting engaged-all of it.

Have you ever left the house in a great mood and by the time you got home you were in a terrible mood? When we absorb someone’s emotions from their energy field, we feel their emotions-good and/or bad!

Sea salt baths remove other people’s emotions that have attached to our field but also balance out our energy centers, our chakras to create an extra peaceful state.

Remember in most cases fear is simply a sign that you’re moving into unknown territory not a signal to turn back. Unknown territory is the domain of discovery and the breeding ground for self trust.

Getting Real: Ten Truth Skills You Need to Live an Authentic Life by Dr. Susan M. Campbell