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Feng means WIND and shui means WATER.  In Chinese culture, wind and water are associated with good health – and good feng shui stands for good health and good fortune while bad feng shui means bad luck or misfortune.

Ancient Chinese believed that the energy from the land could either make or break the kingdom – the yin and yang theory as well as the five feng shui elements are the basic aspects of feng shui that come from Taoism.

A compass (lo-pan) and the Ba-Gua are the tools used in a feng shui analysis.  The Ba-Gua is an octagonal grid containing the symbols of the I Ching.  The I Ching is the ancient oracle on which Feng Shui is based.

A feng shui compass (lo-pan) consists of concentric rings arranged around the magnetic needle.  “Lo” means “everything” and pan” means “bowl” – which can be interpreted as the key to the mysteries of the universe.

Feng shui can be as simple or as complex as your own attitudes and your own good sense dictate.  Not spiritual, not religious, but yet can be involved with the elements of both.  It can be easily and effectively be adapted to our modern living environment.

You will not get overnight success, nor will you rid yourself of all life’s difficulties, but it can enhance your periods of good fortune, just as it can help and support you in times of misfortune and trouble.

Certain levels of feng shui are easy to understand and to apply – but the core knowledge takes years of study.  Just like traditional Chinese medicine, feng shui is deep and complex.

Just like fresh air and clean water nourish our bodies, so does fresh, clean chi nourish our homes and our lives.  When the flow of chi through our space is blocked, weak, or misdirected, our relationships, cash flow, creativity, health, and career can suffer.  Chi wants to meander gracefully through a space – like a gentle breeze.  If it flows too strongly, it becomes a hurricane – we are likely to feel as if we are trying to keep our heads above water.  When chi is blocked, it becomes stale and stagnant – like a pond choked with algae and fallen leaves.  You will feel tired, run-down, depressed, you cannot focus properly, and we are hampered in our efforts to move forward in life.

Not only is this true in our private lives but also in the corporate world.  Poor feng shui can mean miscommunication in the work world between managers and employees, conflicts between team members and lack of support for key initiatives.  The company can even have trouble keeping customers or attracting customers.

In the retail business, feng shui problems can block the flow of customers into the store, contribute to theft and staffing problems and have a general negative effect on the size and amounts of sales.

Feng shui provides the tools and guidelines for analyzing and correcting the flow of energy (chi) into and through our space.  It uses the arrangement of rooms and the placement of furniture to create a smooth pathway for chi through a home, office or retail location.  Blockages and other forms of negative chi are removed or counteracted in order to welcome opportunities and
encourage progress.

Colors and shapes are associated with the five elements of feng shui -
Wood, fire, earth, metal and water.  They are used to create movement, balance, or even portection, depending on the needs of the client.  Paintings, photos, statuary and other accessories are chosen and placed to enhance and reinforce the client’s intention.

With feng shui we are reminded that everything is connected and that our physical surroundings have a significant impact on our mind, body and spirit.  We need to take care of our environments so that we may be mindful caretakers of our lives.

If you are dissatisfied with various areas of your life, discover feng shui techniques and secrets that are easy to implement and will give you inner peace and happiness.  Learn to attain what you really want in life – in love, health, prosperity – all by using feng shui,

Dad knew that once he said “I DO” he knew that his paychecks were handed over to his loving wife who would in turn take care of all the household expenses.

It was common for a woman to think – “what’s mine is mine and what’s his is mine” – which is no longer the case in today’s society.  Today things are so much different and much more complex.

Prenuptial agreements (a/k/a antenuptial agreement, or premarital agreement) were unheard of years ago.  The prenuptial agreements back then, if something were to sour in the marriage, were known as DIVORCE LAWS.

But like I said – today things are different.  Our lives are different.

To begin with – a prenuptial agreement is a contract that is entered prior to taking your marriage vows.  Although a prenuptial agreement can include many different things, it is most commonly used for what would happen after the divorce – such as –
Division of property
Spousal support, etc.

There are not only prenuptial agreements for those that are planning their marriage, but there are also cohabitation agreements for unmarried couples.
Also, for those that are already married and want to enter into an agreement can file a postnuptial agreement or a post marital agreement.

The laws vary from state to state.  Years ago many judges would frown upon such agreements because they believed they were corrupting what marriage was supposed to stand for.

Each party should have an attorney representing them to make sure that this agreement is enforceable.  Many times both parties to the agreement have a private judge present during the signing to ensure that neither party was coerced into the agreement.  Many times the process is video-taped.

Should they divorce, these agreements can limit property rights and alimony.  And these agreements can also dictate what happens when one of the parties die.  Such an agreement can act as a contract to make a will and/or eliminate your rights to property, probate homestead, probate allowance, right to take as a predetermined heir, and the right to act as an executor and administrator or your spouse’s estate.

Prenuptial agreements is only valid if it is completed prior to marriage.  If a couple is already married, they may draw a post-nuptial agreements.  Such agreements must be in writing – oral agreements are not recognized.

A prenuptial agreement does not regulate issues relating to the children of the marriage in regards to custody and access issues.  Anything matters involving children must be decided in the best interest of the children.

There may be a “sunset provision” inserted in the agreement meaning that after a certain amount of time, the agreement will expire; possibly after the birth of a child, unless the parties renew the agreement.

In some states, after a certain number of years of marriage, the prenuptial agreement will lapse.

You may wonder why anyone would want a prenuptial agreement.

Since it is basically has to do with the financial consequences of the marriage ending, there are reasons for these agreements:

If you are wealthier than your partner this ensures they are marrying you for who you are and not your money -

If you make as much money as your partner this can limit the amount of alimony paid out -

If you are re-marrying your legal and financial concerns are often quite different than in your previous marriage.  There now could be children, support obligations, home ownership, etc. -

If your partner has a high debt load you don’t want to be responsible for their debts if your marriage ends -

If you own a business and your marriage ends, your spouse can end up owing a share of the business and other business partners may not want this to happen –

You don’t want your spouse to overturn your estate plan with what you want done with heirlooms, etc. –

If you are much poorer than your partner an agreement can ensure that you are financially protected -

And if you quit your job to raise your children an agreement can ensure that the financial burden of raising children is shared by both partners.

With today’s economy the way it is, you can easily save much by becoming your own home-based travel agent.  The stress of today’s problems warrant you needing a vacation as well.

Only a travel agent can access deals that the average traveler will never even see.  They also receive courtesy upgrades and discounts while traveling.  There are many benefits when you are an independent travel agent.  You will learn how to familiarize yourself with trips, resort tours, airfare discounts and vacation packages.

Remember that travel agents can also find better pricing than any website.  They also have access to the unpublicized deals and upgrades.  A travel agent can get deals that are not on any website.

Being your own travel agent you will get access to special deals by belonging to consortiums which can negotiate extra benefits for traveling.  Yo9u  may get free airfare and/or shipboard credit.

Also, as a travel agent, if rates go down after you have booked, you can get a refund.

You think it can’t happen to you?  Well it can.

The loss of a purse or wallet can result in checks being written, credit cards being used, and what is even worse – they may even have your social security number and/or your medical information.  So now not only are you a victim of identity theft, but of medical identity theft.

Do you think you are safe because you haven’t lost your purse or wallet?   No you are not.

If someone really wants to find your personal information they will find it.

To begin with – invest in a shredder and shred every important piece of paper you need to dispose of INCLUDING all that junk mail you get telling you that you are reproved for credit cards, insurance, etc.  Most of that junk mail has your name, address, phone number, date of birth – a good start for someone who wants it.  ALWAYS shred all financial information.

Don’t be too quick to throw out what looks like junk mail it could be a letter alerting you to new accounts opened in your name, or an address change that you did not authorize.

As far as shredders go – I prefer the ones that “chip” the paper so small you could  never paste it together to see what it was to begin with.

You can view your bills, bank statements, and credit card statement on line – just don’t use WiFi – scamsters are right there to grab all they can from you.

And when it comes to your credit cards – check the activity on line on a daily basis to catch any problems immediately.  Do the same with your bank statements.  Don’t wait a month for a statement to arrive and to be checked.

Protect your social security card – don’t carry it with you.  Many times  you can give your driver’s license number in place of it.

If you suspect fraud – immediately contact one of the three major credit bureaus and file a fraud report – DO NOT WAIT.  Once you report it to one company, they will alert the other two companies.  And you will be able to obtain one free credit report from each of the three credit bureaus.

Go over each report and check each and every detail.  Anything suspicious, immediately alert the credit bureau.  Also, file a police report.  You will at least have it on record and it could help in catching the thief.

The down-side of this – although you may act quickly, it could take months or even years to fix and it is a time-consuming process.

Any company that offers to fix your credit after identity theft be wary of.  You would be better off doing it yourself.

Did you know that you can put a freeze on your credit files (unless you are currently looking for a loan or credit card) which would prevent identity thieves from opening new accounts in your name?  There may be a fee involved, depending on the state you live in – but it is worth it.

When it comes to medical identity theft – there are different types.  Your identity could be stolen so that someone can get a prescription, or it can be used to falsely bill Medicare and Medicaid.  Someone could be billing the government for equipment or care that was never received.

Once your medical identity is stolen, false information can appear on your medical reports.  You may not think much about that – but – think about this:  Your blood type is A, someone steals your identity and has a blood test showing their blood type as B. That is entered on your medical record and if you end up in the emergency room your records will say type B and that could be disastrous if not corrected.

Try to protect yourself by giving your personal information to doctors and health care workers ONLY.  And don’t be afraid to ask for records from anyone who has treated you.

Check any requested medical records thoroughly and if there are any errors, immediately let them know so changes can be made.  If your records have errors, they have 90 days to respond.

Only a few states have considered or passed laws to help protect against medical identity theft. Those states are California, Florida, Nevada, Arkansas and Delaware. For now, it’s your responsibility to review your own records.

If you think someone has stolen your medical identity, call one of these numbers:
The U.S. Health and Human Services Fraud Hotline at 800-447-8477
The Federal Trade Commission’s ID Theft Hotline at 877-438-4338

Seems today that everyone is concerned about someone or something and is running criminal checks.

Potential employers do it all the time.  Many times a criminal check is done for a house-sitter, baby-sitter, home health care aide, the new person in your life (or someone in your family’s life).

Did you know that someone may doing a criminal check on you?  Oh – I see.  You’ve done nothing wrong.  You have a clean slate.  Well you may have a criminal background and not even know it.  What about a traffic violation – even a minor one – that gets recorded?  Have you been questioned in a group or gang-related incident, even if it was just a few questions and you were let go?

Well there are search engines out there that you can check.  Most require a name, date of birth, social security number, address, or other information before you can get the results.

You can also go to a public library or the police station where the records are kept and find out if you have a criminal record.

You can also hire a private detective or an agency that specializes in doing such things and pay their fees to find out.  You can also search public record databases and access millions of public records.

What about if you are dating?  Or your son or daughter is dating?  Today you can never be too careful.  And if you have met someone on-line – there is a very good chance that this person is not who and what he/she claims to be.  A person can look nice but still be hiding a shady past.

A background check will verify the information you have on this person.  A background check can include:  Address History/Social Security Number Trace, County Criminal Records, Statewide Criminal Records, Instant Criminal History, Federal Criminal Records, Sexual Offender Registry, County Civil Records, Federal Civil Records, Drivers History, Credit Reports, Education Confirmation, Prior Employment Confirmation, License and Certificate Confirmation, Workers Compensation Records, Drug Testing, Reference Checks and any other search you’d like us to conduct.

You can do a nationwide criminal search but it may not be as accurate as it could be and can be misleading.  It may not include all states, and with all the databases relying on court records – there is a good chance that all courts do not participate.  Many that do participate give outdated information most of the time.

Do a state check and also do a county check as well.  The information you get will be much more accurate and up to date.  Besides, the county criminal searches are the most complete.  Statewide criminal searches usually base their information on databases that are run by state or private firms.  County records are researched right at the court – usually at the Superior Court level.

If there is someone that you are suspicious about, it is best search information on them for over a year.  It is the only way to protect yourself and your family.  It is for SAFETY reasons. 

Anyone can do a background check on anyone.  And no one agency or site can find out EVERYTHING.  Many times you need to really investigate.  You may have to check multiple counties or states, and you may find out that someone has multiple names and addresses.

Remember – checking out someone’s private life is something that should not be done for fun.  What are you going to do with this information?  This is the area the law is concerned with – what are you going to do with the information?  If you use this information to discriminate against a person, deny them employment, housing or entrance to a school, etc. then you are violating the law and opening yourself to big time liabilities and possible lawsuits. This is what all of the consent forms with warnings are all about. It’s not the getting of the information that the laws are concerned with but the use of it.

Reiki is both powerful and gentle.  It can be used to help everything and anything that needs healing – whether physical, mental, spiritual, or emotional – past, present or future.  Regardless of the illness or injury, including serious problems like cancer and heart disease, colds, cuts, broken bones, sunburns, insect bites, insomnia, lack of confidence – Reiki will heal it.

Healthy people also depend on Reiki as a preventative method as well as assisting you in returning to a state of good health.  There are tons of books and articles giving testimony to the healings from Reiki.  It is also used in conjunction with other healing modalities to heal and change your life – all depending on your needs and circumstances.

Use Reiki to relieve stress, overcome unwanted habits, achieve desired goals, and to protect you from harm.  All living things including animals and plants, respond to Reiki.

And Reiki lasts a lifetime.

It  is not a religious “thing”.

Strengthen your intuition, grow spiritually, relieve pain, maintain emotional, mental and physical balance, reduce stress, alleviate aches and tiredness, vitalize your soul, vitalize your body, balances your immune system – all with Reiki.

Reiki will not interfere with any medical treatment and enhances medications and quickens healings, reduces high blood pressure, heals the cause, and eliminates the effect of the imbalance.

It is a releaser, activator, energizer, transformer of energy – an intelligent energy which goes to the greatest need – a key to open cellular memory stored on all levels of being.

Reiki is a science of an Indian origin, rediscovered by a Japanese priest, Dr. Mikao Usui.  He called his teachings a “Ronin” (leaderless) method to ensure that no one-person could lay claim to them then or in the future, keeping them freely available for all who wanted to practice.  He never used the term Reiki for his healing.  This term may have been introduced by Hayashi or the gakkai.  Hayashi’s disciples from the United States spread the name Reiki.  Dr. Usui path led him to various countries to study different religions and learn more about the healings of Jesus.

Reiki is a traditional form of healing with roots in Japan.  It is an art that should be learned to heal.  Training is involved to reach “degrees” or levels of Reiki practicing – striving to become a Reiki Master.  These healing can be done as hands-on or as distance healing.  Patients can be healed by being touched or healed by distance healing.  Healing sessions begin with meditation and then hand placement.  It is energy attunement that is at the core of Reiki healing.

You can also suffer from tennis wrist – but that condition is usually caused by the continuous playing of tennis – straining the muscles in the elbow or wrist due to the weight of the racket.  Even if you don’t play tennis – continuously carrying a weight in one hand can cause it.  Whether it’s a briefcase, tote bag or even the trash you take out at night with one hand can strain the muscles in the carpal tunnel of your wrist.  Continual gear shifting of a semi-truck can cause tennis elbow and lead to deterioration.

Now that computers are so popular, many are experiencing tennis elbow and tennis wrist.  Remember when sitting at your computer, you should sit up straight in a good back supporting chair – do not slouch.  Be sure to have your keyboard even with your wrists to avoid unnecessary discomforts.

See your physician to check and make sure that there is nor fracture or sprain.  A sudden acute pain following a trauma (such as a blow or twist), may be a bone fracture or muscle sprain instead of tennis elbow.  Your physician can also discount gout or rheumatoid arthritis, as well as nerve entrapment.  Nerve compression of the elbow is recognized by numbness and tingling.

Since tennis elbow does not cause swelling or fever, so if you experience either – immediately consult your physician.

For immediate pain relief – temporarily stop all activities that may have caused it or that aggravate it.  Wrap some ice in a towel and apply it to the sore area.  Leave on for 10 to 15 minutes to reduce the inflammation and reduce the pain.  Repeat twice more – any more than that is not good and leave an hour’s gap between each application.

You can see a physical therapist that can give you exercises that will cure your tennis elbow – your physician can suggest a good therapist for you.

There are also ultrasound treatments that can be used to alleviate the pains.

Here’s a few tips to help you:

Contract  a top sales agent that is going to work on YOUR behalf and not on behalf of the buyer.  A good local agent that knows the neighborhood is your best bet.

Face it – everyone would love to sell their home for a million dollars but there are many factors involved when setting your selling price.  Don’t list with an agent that is going to tell you to price your home so ridiculously high that no one will even pay attention to the for sale sign.

Discuss with your realtor the prices of homes in the area, and listen to their expert advice.  Yes you can always come down on your price – just don’t over-price it too high.  Your realtor can also give you various statistics of how fast homes are selling, what buyers are looking for and how your home compares to others in the vicinity.

Be flexible when pricing.  What is your initial asking price?  How long will you hold out before making a reduction?  How much of a reduction are you willing to take?

Too stubborn for a realtor?  Don’t want to pay their percentage for doing the work for you?  You can try selling it yourself.  Sure you are eliminating the agents’ commission – and you can put your property on the market for a lesser amount.  Lower-priced home always sell faster.  The lower the price – the faster it will sell.

Selling yourself makes you the real estate agent – so begin to work on your own behalf. 

Start out by assessing your home by looking at it as if you were buying it.

Is it clean? Spacious?  What is the condition of the floors and/or carpeting?  What is the condition of the walls?  How about the fixtures?  Are your doors and windows in good repair and do they seal well?  What is you indoor and/or outdoor paint job like?  Roof?  Gutters? Garage?  Basement walls? Driveway and walkways?  Heating and/or air conditioning units?  Light fixtures and wall switches?  All the electrical plugs working?  Lead VS copper piping?  Doorbells working?  Sinks, tubs, showers and toilets all working properly?

Clean up the kitchen and bath – remove everything from the countertops.  Potential buyers want to see the kitchen and bath – not a counter display of appliances, etc.

Keep your home – the rooms, closets, cupboards, pantry, basement, attic – all clutter free.  This gives the potential buyer a chance to see your home and not your junk.  Rent a storage unit to store things in.  Would you buy a home so filled with clutter that you couldn’t see anything but clutter?

Have you done any major repair work or remodeling?

Your entryway to your home should look inviting.  Landscape a bit to make it look more appealing.

How’s the lawn and fence look?  Free of all clutter?  Well maintained?

Before anyone will look at your house and do a walk-through they will do a drive-by.

Now for the pricing – it would be worth getting a professional appraisal. 

Have an Open House and if possible, try to pre-screen prospective buyers.

You will need and attorney to protect your interests.  A qualified real estate attorney will help you through complicated offers (those with a variety of conditions), act as an escrow agent to hold the down payment, evaluate the complex mortgages and/or leases with options to buy, review all contracts and handle your home closing process.  Your attorney will also tell you what you need to disclose to the buyer before selling and will also help you to avoid inadvertently discriminating against any potential buyers.

Sometimes a title company will handle all aspects of the transaction and have in-house legal departments that can assist you with legal issues that may arise.

Banks today are not giving mortgages – so be willing to be the bank.  Someone may want your home but may not be able to qualify for a loan.  You can legally sell your home, carry the note as if you were the bank and offer instant qualifying to your buyers.

Be prepared with information on interest, monthly payments, late fees, insurance, taxes and anything else a buyer will be asking you.

Remember that if your buyers cannot qualify for a loan now – there is a very good chance that in a couple years they will be able to qualify for a loan with the bank and pay off their note with you.

Lastly – for those that believe in St. Joseph – and many swear by this – Purchase a St. Joseph Kit for selling your home.  St. Joseph the Homeseller, patron saint of the happy home.  According to Catholic folklore, a home where a St. Joseph statue is buried on the property will sell quickly and be blessed. Whether the house goes for the asking price, of course, is left to a higher authority.  You can find the prayer on line if you are interested in trusting St. Joseph with the sale of your property.

Toxins are everywhere.

There is pollution in the air, pesticides in your foods, and even items in your home can cause toxins in your body.  Cigarette smoking, including second hand smoke, alcohol, medications, drugs – all toxic substances.  Even the fluoride in your drinking water and toothpaste can accumulate in your body and contribute to disease.

A natural detoxification can purge these from your body.

The foods you are eating are toxic!  Just read the ingredients on the labels and you will see many things you won’t recognize – many you probably cannot even pronounce!  And after time these chemicals can  accumulate toxic levels in your body.  Add to this the pesticides used to grow fruits and vegetables and you will see why so many are suffering from poor health.

Rid your body of these toxins and gain your health back.

First you need to live a less-toxic lifestyle.

If you smoke cigarettes or use any tobacco products – quit.

If you consume alcoholic beverages – quit.

Choose only organic foods including lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.  Today’s typical diet is filled with foods that are guaranteed to make you sick.  All those fatty, creamy, super-sweet, super-sized meals are so overloaded with toxins! 

Switch to the following to help reduce the toxins in your body:

Since fiber cleans out your digestive tract, promoting better digestion and excretion and ridding toxins naturally through urination and defecation, opt for whole wheat breads, bran cereal, broccoli, brown rice, and raw fruits and vegetables.

Vitamin C is great for detoxifying your body because it produces glutathione which is for keeping your liver functioning properly, strengthening your immune system, helping your respiratory system and healing any damage that has occurred from taking medications.

Don’t forget WATER!  Water flushes your system and even replenishes your energy.  Replace all those sugary drinks, alcoholic beverages, sodas and sugary juices with water.

Organic foods are healthier.  Processed foods are filled with chemicals.  Organic fruits and vegetables are free from pesticides which are harmful.

Some do it herbally – BUT YOU MUST CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN BEFORE DOING THIS!

To herbally begin to purge your body of the toxins you’ve accumulated,  you will need herbs and herbal detoxification products consisting of a pill or a liquid.  This process can take one to four weeks.

When doing a toxic cleanse this way, there is a good chance that you will feel ill.  Believe it or not – it is a good sign because it means that your body is purging out the toxins that have been stored in your tissues.  These toxins are released through your waste and from your pores.  You may even experience flu-like symptoms for a few days.  You should then begin to feel better and healthier as these toxins leave your body.

Once you have cleansed your body, you won’t want to go back to your old toxic lifestyle.  Your organs will be working at peak performance and your energy will increase, you’ll feel youthful and you will live longer.

There are also herbal wraps that will remove toxins from your skin and body.

Before you start any detox program – you have to talk to your physician about it.  Detox programs cannot be taken lightly and some cannot go on a detox program at all.  Consulting your physician is the best thing to do.  Besides – if starting any diet or exercise program you should consult your physician.

You can even eliminate toxins in your body by exercising.  Exercising also promotes better metabolism.  Regular exercise will have you feeling better in no time.

Some prefer to use yoga which not only  detoxifies your body but also helps to relieve stress in your life.  Yoga will ease the mind, increase respiratory efficiency, decrease blood pressure, improve posture and concentration, help digestion, and promotes better sleeping habits.

Pilates is very much like yoga – boosting your immune system and energy without putting too much stress on the body.  Pilates focuses on the core postural muscles that keep the body balanced, strengthens the deep torso muscles and improves your spines alignment.

Swimming is another great way to detox.  Swimming works all the muscles of the body, works your heart, increases your body temperature, increases your breathing – all aiding in cleansing your body internally.  Pools with less chlorine are preferred or swim in lakes and streams.

A good workout with a strong sport like basketball, football, etc. that makes you sweat will cleanse your body as well as strengthen your cardiovascular system and improve your respiratory system.

You can also protect yourself from toxins.

Alcoholic beverages are not good for you – but an occasional glass of red wine is beneficial.

Hair dyes contain many unhealthy chemicals that harm your hair and scalp and breathing in the fumes is not healthy either.  The same with hair sprays and mousses/gels.

Make up and many other beauty products are filled with harmful toxins and should be limited.  Look for make up and other beauty products that are free of chemicals and made of organic products to keep your skin healthy.

Drugs are probably the most toxic things that you have in your home.  And many are addicting.  These can compromise your immune system and destroy your relationships with family and friends.

Cigars, cigarettes, tobacco products all contain 4,000 different chemicals including hydrogen cyanide, arsenic, tar, and nicotine – all poisonous.  You are killing yourself with every puff.

Not only do toxins bring your body down – but so does stress and toxins make stress worse.  Stress also induces your body to produce toxins.  Find time for you.  Meditate, go fishing, go hiking – just isolate yourself and spend quiet time with you.  Forget what you did previously and don’t think about what you have to do.  You cannot re-live your past and you cannot live in the future.

Don’t be afraid to say NO.  You don’t have to say yes to everything everyone wants you to do.  You don’t need the added anxiety and frustration.

Take a good, long warm bath in Epsom salts and relax – you’ll feel much better.

Get a good night’s sleep to reduce stress.  Sleep deprivation is not good for you.  Once lost – sleep is never something you can catch up on.

Check your emotions.  Wearing your emotions on your sleeve doesn’t help.  Try not to overreact and get depressed when things don’t go your way.  Don’t lose your head over setbacks or failures.  Keep everything in perspective and in time, with sensible studying of what happened you will find a reasonable solution to make things better.  Don’t let  your problems control you – control your problems – sensibly.

Your sciatic nerve runs from the buttocks down the back of your leg.  Sciatic nerve pain is pain that is in the low back, continuing through the buttock and down one leg.  The pain can go past the knee and even as far as the foot.  You can also experience a weakness in your leg muscles.

The sciatic nerves are the largest nerves in the body, about the size of your little finger.  They come out of your spinal column low in the back and then go behind the hip joint down the buttock, down the leg and to the foot.  One part of your leg can experience extreme pain while another part of  your leg can be totally numb.

Sciatica is different from other forms of low back pain because you have two sciatic nerves, and the pain is usually on one side.

To describe the pain the work that would best fit it would be “electricity” because is can also burn like fire or tingle so much just like the feeling of your leg going to sleep.  The pain will range from slightly annoying to absolutely unbearable.  Part of the leg can be painful and another part can be numb and/or your foot can be numb as well..

Sciatica is pain that results from an irritation of the sciatic nerve.  Usually it is caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve from a herniated disc pressing on the nerve.  This usually strikes those between the ages of 30 and 50.   Also this irritation on the nerve can be caused by tumors muscles, internal bleeding, infections or injuries.

If sciatica is caused by a ruptured intervertebral disk, the narrowing of the spinal canal that puts pressure on the nerve is called spinal stenosis.  A pelvic fracture would do the same thing,  During the late stage of pregnancy, a woman may also experience sciatica because of the uterus pressing on the sciatic nerve and/or from the muscular tension and/or vertebral compression consequent to carrying the extra weight of the fetus.

Pseudo-sciatica is caused by the compression of peripheral sections of the nerve – usually from soft tissue tension in the piriformis or related muscles and can mimic sciatic pain.  The sciatic nerve runs through the piriformis muscle (in the buttocks region).  When the muscle shortens or there are spasms due to trauma, it can compress the sciatic nerve.  This is the major cause of sciatic known as piriformis syndrome.

When this nerve get inflamed the pains start.  Sometimes you can place an ice pack on the nerve to cool it down and ease the pains.  It will reduce the swelling and in turn should reduce the pain.  Remember that anything cold will reduce the swelling.

Once you have cooled down the sciatic nerve, place a heating pad or something warm on the nerve to heat it up.  This will help the nerves relax and that will help to reduce the inflammation.

You can try to reverse the symptoms by not sitting on uneven surfaces and removing anything that may be in your back pockets causing you to sit unevenly. 

There are also anti-inflammatory drugs (Motrin, Celebrex) and muscle relaxers for a good start.  Many may need a more powerful anti-inflammatory treatment and may have to take oral steroids (such as a Medrol Dose-Pak).  For more severe cases, surgery may be recommended.

Stretching on a daily basis will help to relieve the muscles around the sciatic nerve and can help to prevent inflammation of the sciatic nerve.  Just by simply bending forward from the waist, nice and slowly and trying to touch your toes (holding for 30 seconds) will be beneficial.  Do not bounce, just gently stretch.  Bouncing will aggravate the sciatic nerve.

If you want to do exercises – always start slow and easy.  Be sure your exercise routine is a gentle one.  In time you can work a bit harder at it.

There are several home remedies that may help as well.  The juice of potatoes and celery, when combined, will provide relief.  You need to drink 10 ounces daily.

Making a poultice using horseradish and applying to the area for an hour at a time will stimulate the sciatic nerve and give tremendous relief.

Elderberry juice and elderberry tea is also a muscle relaxant as well as a stimulant.

You need to increase your vitamin B1 and Thiamine – naturally.  Enjoy green peas, spinach, liver, beef, pork, navy beans, nuts, pinto beans, bananas, soybeans, whole-grain cereals, breads, legumes and unpolished rice.

Should you experience a progressive weakness in the leg or an uncontrollable bladder – immediately see your physician.  This is a sign that there is a problem and cannot be ignored.