We wake up, take a breath, do a little stretch and stand up for the day. Taking those amazing feet for granted. We wrap them in socks, trap them in shoes, put petroleum-based sandals under them so they can’t touch this precious Earth we call home. The Agony of Da Feet.…
This week’s blog post is by Jeff Helmus, a dentist at River Ridge Family Dentistry.
I opened the box with all the vigor of a kid at Christmas. Inside was my brand new DOU-120 Ozone generator and I was excited. If you think I sound like a dork, you would be close; I am a dentist.
The benefits of using ozone in dentistry are numerous. Ozone can be used as a gas or mixed with water. Ozone is a very effective killer of infective microorganisms like bacteria. Not only does ozone disinfect an area, it also promotes better blood flow, enhanced immune response and rapid healing. A safe and natural disinfectant, it can be used in everything from fillings to root canals. How does a dentist get this excited about ozone? Well, let me tell you my story.
About two years ago, I ended up in the ER due to some intense abdominal pain. I was diagnosed with diverticulitis, which is an infection of the large intestine, a condition that is typically treated with 10 days of a couple of very strong antibiotics. I am grateful for the knowledge and education of my ER doctor, and thankful that they were …
“Shit. They are going to see it,” I thought. For two whole days I had kept it together. In fact, I was the only one who had at that point. Emotions had been building up, connections had been formed, healing had begun, and I felt like I actually began to TRUST these people I barely knew. They were on a fast track to my heart, and, basically, I was screwed. I was screwed because they were going to, and did, see it.
They saw my ugly crying face.
I was taking a continuing education class that proved to be much more. It was a group of eight women whose connection would prove to be powerful and transformative. Through tears, snot, trying to formulate words that were hard to put together through quivering lips, and allowing myself to be seen with my blotchy red face and all, I shared things that I am pretty sure I knew I had deep within me but never fully acknowledged. And it felt GOOD to release that. There was no embarrassment or shame, there was only love and acceptance.
With all of my usual defenses washed away, it was then that I realized …
Lavender has been one of my favorite plants to use therapeutically for the past few years. I love the smell and even the taste when mixed harmoniously with other plants and foods. I recently moved into a house that has a handful of large lavender plants in the front yard and they are just starting to bloom. Lavender has wonderful healing properties, some of which I will share here. …
