When looking at aging gracefully, memory loss is another brain function to consider. As we age, we’ve all had those moments when we forget what we wanted to say, can’t think of the right word, forget an appointment, can’t remember where we put something, suddenly realize we don’t know what the conversation around us is about and other such memory losses. With all the attention given these days to dementia and Alzhemeir’s should these memory lapses cause us concern? Are there ways we can improve memory? We used to be told that doing brain puzzles was a way to help with aging gracefully in keeping mentally sharp, but today doctors are saying that doesn’t help as much as they once thought.

Some of these memory lapses are normal. When the brain is not being required to concentrate, the parts of the brain that control mind wandering or daydreaming are active. Improving concentration can go a long way in preventing the brain from taking these wanderings. There are many conditions that can cause these episodes of wandering and distract concentration including worry, boredom, stress, being over tired and anxiety. Some of this is the brain’s normal way of taking a break. It becomes a problem when it happens too much and interferes with life situations. Studies on memory lapses show that changes in the frontal lobes of the brain can make paying attention more difficult when distractions occur. As we get older these changes make it harder to focus on tasks and be distracted easier or engage in mind wandering. Once distracted, the working memory becomes overwhelmed and stops taking in new information. Ever have someone swear they told you about something that you have no recollection of? Now you know how both of you could be right.

A history of head injuries, sometimes unidentified, can also be the cause of memory failures. These injuries can cause loss of brain tissue which can lead to cognitive and behavioral problems. A past, perhaps forgotten head injury, that caused disorientation can sometimes be the cause of dementia-like symptoms. Your health care provider or a neuro specialist may be able to help you determine if this is a cause of memory problems for you.

There are things you can do to help with memory loss and aging gracefully. Here are some tips with things you can do to increase concentration and awareness and cope with the memory lapses that become more prevalent as we get older.

Keep Your Brain Engaged
The brain is a muscle and like other muscles, it needs exercise. Learning new things is a way to form new neural connections by engaging different parts of the brain. Read books you haven’t read before, take a class to learn something new, or find a new hobby to learn about. These type of activities do more for keeping your mind sharp than just doing crossword and brain type puzzles.

Physical Exercise
Physical exercise and keeping an active lifestyle has been shown in studies to prevent brain shrinkage and improve cognitive functioning. Cardio exercises help support the health of blood vessels that supply the heart and brain, but resistance training also has been shown to help with mental functioning. Keeping blood pressure levels balanced has also been shown to improve mental ability. Yoga and meditation both can help in this respect. Mindfulness meditation is another way to work on attention and concentration as well as relieving stress. Practicing this type of meditating has been known to help people in bringing their minds back from wandering and control their attention.

Planning
You can plan ahead of time if you know you are going to be in a situation that will require a lot of concentration, attention or memory. For example, if attending a party, review names and faces of people you believe you will encounter there. If going to your high school reunion, look over your high school yearbook to refresh your memory on names. Make yourself cheat sheets to take with you if you need to in situations where you will have to remember a lot of information. Keep notepads near places like by the phone, at your desk, in your car; anywhere that you might encounter someone setting an appointment or that you might think of something important you need to remember later. Then be sure to not just walk off and leave your notes to yourself. Pick them up and carry them with you until you can write them on your primary calendar or until you get to your computer to fill in the information you need to complete an assignment.

Memory can also be exercised. Practice at bedtime recalling as many of the day’s events as you can. Spending some time evaluating how your memory works and understanding the types of memory clues that you find helpful can be time well spent. Some people are visual while others are more auditory or tactile. This information can be helpful when you have a something you know you need to remember. For example, if you are visual, translate the information into a picture in your mind. That will make it easier to retrieve the information later.

Take the time to learn your own individual memory strengths and weaknesses. If you know you tend to drift away during certain situations, prepare a list of questions or comments beforehand to refer to that will keep you engaged. If you know there is a certain time of day or a certain task that you have trouble staying focused on, plan to take a walk or do something physical just before that time or before that task. If you work at a desk and start to notice you are losing attention, get up and walk around. This will help you start training your brain that when you are at the desk it is concentration time. Having a reminder note or some other physical reminder nearby that redirects your attention can also work. Driving is another situation that it is important to have a visual reminder to refocus attention as many of us tend to drive on autopilot and drift off thinking about other things.

Organize
Keep a central calendar. Make it one that you can access from anywhere such as an online calendar that you can access from home and office computers and from your mobile phone. Or a paper calendar that is easy enough to carry with you where ever you go. Do not agree to any type of appointment without having the calendar to write it in immediately. An exception to this that I have used well is when someone asks me to do something, I put the responsibility back on them and ask them to email me the request. That way I can leave the email in my inbox until I am at my desk and able to write it in my calendar. Be sure you include enough details to know the time, place, person meeting, etc… After all if you are having memory problems you don’t need to have to stop and figure out where and when and who. I also find it helpful to keep one primary calendar instead of separate work/home/community organization ones. Having everything in one place prevents over scheduling, scheduling more than one thing at the same time and means you only have to go to one place to check your schedule.

For things that need to be done within a short time period, I still find sticky notes helpful. For example, if I call a repair service and they are out to lunch, I can make a sticky note reminding myself to call in 20 minutes and stick it in a prominent place so I don’t forget it. I also sometimes will set an alarm and/or email myself a reminder with the subject line ALARM. That way I know what I was supposed to remember when the alarm goes off. Whatever system you devise to organize things whether it’s appointments or physical objects all having their own place, just be sure to get in the habit of never straying from the system. If you keep your keys on a hook in the kitchen then when you get home, do not put the keys down until you put them there. If you get distracted by something, just hang onto the keys until you can put them in their place. Practicing this will help increase awareness and prevent you from going on autopilot which is the state in which most things are misplaced.

Nutritional Supplements
Nutritional supplements can help you get the nutrition your brain needs for optimal health. The brain needs a diet that includes high quality fats and proteins to function properly. Vitamin B1 and B12 are especially important to prevent memory loss. Acidophilus and bifidus, two of the probiotics or friendly bacteria that live in our gut, help in the production of B-vitamins. Stress, drinking chlorinated water, and taking antibiotics can all kill the probiotics naturally found in the gut. Taking acidophilus and bifidus supplements can help restore the populations of these beneficial bacteria, allowing our bodies to produce B-vitamins.

A form of blue-green algae that is a special stripped-down version of the algae cell which allows it to pass through the blood brain barrier can help with mental clarity, memory retention, and mental energy. This form of blue-green algae known as Aphanizomenon flos-aquae is acknowledged as the oldest complete food on the planet and provides just about every nutrient your body needs, in the form of a living, single-cell, raw food that is highly assimilable. The amino acids found in this blue green algae are the building blocks of the healthy nerve cells and neurotransmitters vital for proper brain function. It also provides essential omega-3 fatty acids that help maintain normal, healthy blood chemistry which means it feeds the blood that feeds the brain.

Another blue green algae supplement that is supportive of brain health has the added ingredients of bee pollen, vitamin A, enzymes, antioxidants, gluten-free wheatgrass juice, Hawaiin noni, eleuthero, ginkgo, and turmeric. Bee pollen is reported to have a high amino acid content useful for stimulating memory and concentration. Wheatgrass juice has been found to provide nutrients that support brain health and clearer thinking. Many people have used gingko for a long time to promote increased memory and mental concentration by increasing circulation and providing increased oxygenation of brain cells. Curcumin, found in turmeric, has been the basis of much research and found to have benefit for enhancing memory, as an anti-inflammatory, for enhancing nerve growth in areas of the brain and as an antidepressant. It is also being studied and used in relation to treating Alzheimer’s. This supplement gives you a combination of all these brain boosting ingredients in a single capsule as an alternative for natural brain health support.

There are ways to deal with memory loss and lapses in your goal of aging gracefully. I hope within the 5 memory boosting tips given here you find something that works for you. Just giving a little thought to how your mind works and ways to help you cope with a lagging memory can make life so much easier.

If you enjoyed this post or found it helpful, let me know by leaving a comment below. You can also find me on Facebook where I always appreciate a LIKE. To order any of the products mentioned in this post or other  products for you or your horses, please visit my online store.

Photo Credit: http://pinterest.com/karenkennaby/

Once you have determined the correct horse temperament you may ask, “What good does this do me?” Well for one thing it could help you chose the best horse supplements so you don’t waste money on products that are not a fit for your horse. Let’s look at some additional Five Element theory to see how this could work.

One aspect of Five Element Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) involves the creation and controlling cycles. The creation cycle is Fire – Earth – Metal – Water – Wood. Another name for this is the mother/child cycle. This means the Fire element supports the Earth element, Earth supports the Metal element, Metal supports Water and Water supports Wood like a parent supports a child.

Using this Five Element approach, if one element was weak you would support it and the Mother so it would provide more support for the weak element. If an element was in excess you would want to support the child element and also the controlling element. This may seem complicated but with a little thought it does make sense. Let’s look at an example.

Say your horse has a dull hair coat. Knowing about horse temperament type can save you lots of time and money by helping you determine what is causing the dull coat. If your horse is a Metal type, your horse is probably suffering from simple skin dryness and you need more quality fat, such as chia seeds, in his diet. If your horse is a Wood type then he may have a liver blood deficiency and need more green foods such as blue green algae. If your Earth horse has a dry coat is could easily be a parasite infection as this type is more prone to worms. Deworming the Metal horse or Wood horse might not only be a waste of time and money but could also be an extra toxic insult to the horse. I am not saying you would not check every horse with a dull coat for worms but knowing your horse’s temperament would keep you open to other possibilities.

You can use the creation cycle to provide additional support. Using the same example of the dull hair coat, that would be a deficiency condition so in addition to supporting the weak element you could also support the Mother element. Earth is the Mother of Metal so look at horse supplements that support Earth. Sweet flavored foods, such as papaya are good for the Earth element. Earth can also benefit from digestive enzymes.

If your Wood horse has a dull hair coat you can also support the Water element since it is the Mother of Wood. Alfalfa hay and kelp are good horse supplements for the Water element and both would contribute to building healthy blood.

In the case of an Earth horse with parasites, in addition to appropriate chemical deworming and Earth horse support, you could also give a horse supplements for the the Fire element. Prebiotics, such as Ration Plus or PrePro are of excellent benefit to the Fire horse and both would also improve overall digestion to help lessen the opportunity for parasites to thrive.

In summary, we have looked at three different approaches to dealing with a dull hair coat based on Five Element horse temperament typing.

Dull coat in a Metal horse:

• Increase quality fat in the diet to combat dryness
• Add sweet foods such as papaya to support Earth
• Add digestive support in the form of enzymes to support Earth

Dull coat in a Wood horse:

• Add green foods to build blood
• Add alfalfa and or kelp to support Water

Dull coat in an Earth horse:

• Deworm with appropriate chemical dewormer
• Support Earth with papaya and digestive enzymes
• Give prebiotics to support Fire

Horse temperament typing is of great value when choosing horse supplements. It saves time, money and unneeded drugs. Your horse will get well faster and stay healthier when he gets the correct products to meet his needs.

Next month we will talk about the control cycle. The control cycle is more about balance between the elements. When out of balance one element can affect another element. If an element is deficient it can be “insulted” by a related element and if it is in excess it can “over control” a related element. The control cycle is Fire controls Metal, Earth controls Water, Metal controls Wood, Water controls Fire and Wood controls Earth.

For more information on Five Element typing please check out our book, Horse Harmony, our Five Element typing e book and our online certification course.

For more information about feeding based on horse temperament type check out The Feeding Guide.
If you enjoyed this post or found it helpful, let me know by leaving a comment below. You can also find me on Facebook where I always appreciate a LIKE. To order any of the products mentioned in this post or other  products for you or your horses, please visit my online store.

Must be spring in Texas. Our goat, Dixie, had triplets. Donald, Daffy and Daisy are the cutest babies. Dixie has been a good mom except she keeps losing her babies in the pasture. Alicia and I were out until 9:30 one night finding Daisy and two days later Dixie lost Donald and Daffy. This time I decided that Dixie needed to help in the search. First we had to do a crash course in leading since Dixie did not want to leave her buddies at the barn.

Natural horsemanship techniques seem to work as well on goats. I would hold pressure on the lead rope until Dixie thought about coming forward then I would release. She picked this up quickly. Every now and then Dixie would take a shot at blasting past me and rolling her hind end around worked great to curb that behavior. After about an hour of walking the pasture with Dixie bawling her head off, we found the kids. I was thrilled but Dixie, not so much. I wanted her to stand for the hungry babies to nurse and she wanted to go back to the barn. I finally put a choke hold on her and the kids got a quick drink.

Alicia and I have been working hard on our garden. We have bought some fruit trees and realized that we did not have near enough space in the front yard to plant them. We decided we needed an orchid area and this required a new fence. At the rate of 2 post holes a week this turned into a 3 week project. The fence is finally done and we are ready to plant the trees.

Just when we were starting to get some blooms going on the vegetable plants the hailstorm hit. Golfball sized hail and plants do not go together at all. After the worst of the storm passed we went out to assess damage. First we made sure all the horses were fine. Cerise must have panicked and left her shelter for the trees which meant that Tess, my 32 year old mule, ran around the house and down the hill to look for her. Once we found them, we brought Tess back up and put her in with Cerise in case we had further bad weather.

No windows were smashed so that was wonderful, but the garden plants took a major hit. Anything with a wide leaf suffered the most. Most of the stalks are still intact so we will see what can recover and what will need replanting. The trees were still in pots up close to the house; so glad we had not planted them. This morning the ground is solid green from all the down leaves. I hope the deer will be able to eat them so some good comes from the hail. We did get some much needed rain. This morning we had another round of thunderstorms and now it is clear and beautiful. Yep, it is spring in Texas.

If you enjoyed this post or found it helpful, let me know by leaving a comment below. You can also find me on Facebook where I always appreciate a LIKE. To order any of the products mentioned in this post or other  products for you or your horses, please visit my online store.

How to slim down is a big question in the mind of Americans, especially around New Year’s. Weight loss remains the top New Year’s Resolution, and yet 92% of people are no longer working on how to slim down by February 1st of any given year.

If you made weight loss a resolution this year, and find that you are no longer very dedicated to that goal, fear not! There are many simple strategies that you can use to help you slim down. Most of them don’t involve working up a major sweat. In fact, most of them are just plain common sense!

Tip #1: The Power of “Later…”
One of the biggest impediments to how to slim down is the impulse factor. When faced with a big plate of sugar cookies at work or a giant basket of tasty nachos at the bar, how can you avoid falling for the temptation? Avoiding temptation is especially difficult if your co-workers or friends are busy chowing down.

One trick that works well for many bad habits–everything from eating too much to smoking–is to tell yourself, “Later.” In other words, you are giving yourself permission to have a cookie or some nachos, just not right now. Some people use the phrase, “In five minutes…” instead. Whatever phrase you say to yourself to delay gratification, even for a little bit, will work as long as it resonates with you. After you give yourself the delay command, immediately turn your attention to something else.

You will be surprised at how often you simply forget to go back to those cookies or nachos. In fact, many people have used this same delay tactic to successfully stop smoking. By giving yourself permission to engage in that bad habit (just not right now), you satisfy your craving for the moment. By turning your attention to something else, your attention becomes distracted and you likely will forget about the craving altogether. Try it… chances are that you will like it!

Tip #2: It’s All About What You Ate Yesterday
When it comes to weight loss and slimming down, most people are focused on today’s meals. But a lot of weight is related more to what you ate yesterday rather than what you will eat today. Why? Because unless you have had a lifetime of stellar digestive health, chances are that you are carrying around 10 to 15 pounds of undigested food, water, and gas in your gut. This is according to Dr. Rob Danoff, D.O. and M.S., who writes for MSN Health and Fitness (read more at:
http://healthyliving.msn.com/diseases/heartburn-and-gerd/intestinal-cleansing-bowel-detox-necessary-1)

That is a lot of weight to be carrying around your middle. Luckily, you can correct the effects of your past dietary sins, and help your body release all this unneeded and undigested goop in your gut. Dr. Danoff recommends getting some exercise, being sure you are drinking the right amount of water, and eating more fiber-rich foods. In addition, he suggests adding probiotics or probiotic rich foods to your diet, including acidophilus  and bifidus. Now is that a no-sweat way to lose weight or what?

Tip #3: Pick Your Route at the Grocery Store
One of the biggest tips on how to slim down is to never shop while hungry. Beyond that, though, one way to avoid buying junk food is to plan your route around the grocery store so you hit the healthy sections first. Start with the produce section, and work your way around to the dairy section to buy eggs and healthy dairy (not ice cream), and then the meat counter. Once you have worked your way through these sections, feel free to wander up and down other aisles. With your cart filled with healthy foods, you will be far less likely to succumb to cookies, chips, or gallons of soda.

Tip #4: Prep for Parties
One trick that slim people employ to stay slim is to prep for a foodie party by eating a little something before heading out to the party. Eating even a handful of nuts or a quarter of an avocado or a spoonful of peanut butter will help you feel full. This is important because you never know when food will actually be served at a party. If dinner gets served up 9 o’clock and you are accustomed to having dinner at 7 o’clock, you will be starving by the time dinner appears. That leads to a ton of sinning on the snacks that usually precede dinner. So fill up with a small snack, then dress up and hit the party. You will be safer than usual from temptation!

Tip #5: Ask Yourself, “Would I eat this at home?”
Going out to eat is one big impediment to getting or staying slim. First, a lot of the courses served in restaurants are high in calories. Second, the portions are usually extra large. Finally, studies show that people in social environments tend to eat more than people dining alone or at home. If you find yourself dining with other people, look at the menu choices and ask yourself, “Would I eat this at home?” If the answer is negative, don’t order that entree. A meal is a meal, even a meal that you eat in a restaurant. That’s how you have to think if you want to get or stay slim!

See? None of these tips involved massive sweating or going with the “no pain, no gain” motto. These tips on how to slim down are really about planning ahead, asking yourself some common-sense questions, and plain being smart. Not rocket science, just simple stuff that really works!

If you enjoyed this post or found it helpful, let me know by leaving a comment below. You can also find me on Facebook where I always appreciate a LIKE. To order any of the products mentioned in this post or other  products for you or your horses, please visit my online store.

Photo Credit: http://pinterest.com/caitylady4031/

The first time I stepped out of my trailer holding a rope Remi’s eyes got wide and he pulled back on his lead rope. I had forgotten that he had once been a roping horse and I guess it was not a good time in his life. As a Yang Ming (Metal/Earth) horse temperament, Remi does not quickly forget bad experiences. The Yang Ming horse can be a bit slow to learn but they remember well once they have learned and Remi learned that roping was bad for him.

I took my time with Remi and started out just carrying my rope around when I led him. Eventually he got OK with that. Then I started petting him with the rope and rubbing him all over. He was very worried at first but eventually settled. I did not try and rush him. Sometimes I would go weeks and not even get my rope out. We had plenty of other things to work on so he could build his trust in me.

I started swinging my rope around Remi from the ground and then I tied it to the saddle and rode with it but never took it down. After this was no concern to Remi I started making a loop from the saddle and swinging it slowly around. One day I just took my rope down, built a loop and tossed it at the roping dummy. Remi did not care at all. Soon I could carry my rope and make a loop while Remi trotted along. Then I could swing the rope as he trotted and then I could throw the loop.

All of this reintroduction to roping happened over several years but with the Yang Ming horse temperament it is critical to go slow and not miss any steps. Last weekend I was able to rope a steer off Remi and take a dally. This is the first time I have ever roped a live animal. Remi worked like charm and never even got tense. He loves cows. He likes moving them and now he can enjoy being roped off of.

I am having fun, too. I never thought I would want to rope but it is great fun. It takes lots of coordination to control your horse, make and loop, swing, catch and dally. I think it will make me a better rider. I am so pleased with Remi and he seems to feel pretty darn good about himself.  He has come a long way.

See the video of our roping session.

For more information about Five Element Horse Temperaments check out Horse Harmony.

For more information about Holistic Horse care check Holistic Horsekeeping.

Five-Element Temperament Type Resources -
Want to know more about the Five-Element temperament typing system? Want to type you or your horse at no cost? Check out these resources below:

Horse Harmony Test website

Horse Personality Type Information

Horse Personality Type Book

Horse Personality Type Ebooks

Horse Personality Type Educational Audios

Horse Personality Case Studies

We also have some Five Element Audios of actual case histories and discussion of each horse temperament type. Real life cases are a great way to gain understanding of Five Element typing.

If you enjoyed this post or found it helpful, let me know by leaving a comment below. You can also find me on Facebook where I always appreciate a LIKE. To order any of the products mentioned in this post or other  products for you or your horses, please visit my online store.

If you missed part 1 of this article on how Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) divides types of pain into 5 types and treats each type quite differently, you can see it at http://ow.ly/kAgei.

Treatment and Prevention of Bi Syndromes:

Wandering Bi - The horse that is off for no reason.
Treatment and prevention for Wandering Bi includes protection from the wind by providing good shelter or blanketing. Nutritional support would include Citrus C/Q or Bleeder’s Blend to support the lungs, and chia seeds for fatty acids and minerals to support the skin, connective tissues and joints. Di magnesium malate can also be helpful for muscle soreness. Glucosamine based joint supplements or non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs will not give the desired pain relief with early signs of Wandering Bi. As the Wandering Bi syndrome develops the Wind can transform into heat and manifest as inflammation. At this time Wandering Bi will respond to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and glucosamine based joint supplements, but the underlying cause will not be eliminated. The homeopathic remedy, pulsatilla, can be helpful. Acupressure points would include LI 11, TH 5, GV 14, BL 11 and 12, GB 39.

Treatment and prevention of Wandering Bi

• Provide good shelter or blanket during windy weather
• Citrus C/Q, Bleeder’s blend
• Chia seeds
• Di magnesium malate
• Pulsatilla
• Acupressure points LI  11, TH 5, GV 14, BL 11 and 12, GB 39

Painful Bi - The horse that starts out lame but warms out of it.
Treatment and prevention of Painful Bi includes providing shelter from the cold or blanketing if needed. Nutritional support would include glucosamine based joint supplements such as Cosequin ASU and MSM which have a slightly warming effect on the tissues due to the sulfur they contain. Liniments such as Formula 11 will warm an area by increasing circulation. Hot compresses and rubbing will relieve pain. Regular exercise is important to keep circulation going so blood does not become congealed or stagnated in one area. Arnica, Ruta and Rhus tox are good homeopathic remedies to consider for Painful Bi syndrome. Acupressure points to consider include ST 36, LI 11, CV 6 and GV 4. The herb, moxa, can be burned over the acupressure point to provide an additional warming effect.

Treatment and Prevention of Painful Bi

• Providing shelter from the cold and blanketing as needed
• Cosequin ASU
• MSM
• Hot compresses and rubbing
• Regular exercise
• Arnica, ruta and rhus tox
• ST 36, LI 11, CV 6 and GV 4

Fixed Bi - The horse that has sound days and lame days depending on the weather.
Treatment and prevention of Fixed Bi includes providing a dry place for the horse to get out of the rain or mud. Nutritional support includes drying foods such as blue green algae and diuretic herbs such as those included in AniMotion. Food based enzymes with digestive aids help prevent dampness in the body. Avoid over feeding poor quality fat such as animal fats or vegetable oils. Homeopathic remedies to consider include Bryonia and Dulcamara. Acupressure points are SP 6 and 9, and ST 36.

Treatment and Prevention of Fixed Bi

• Provide a dry place for the horse to stand and sleep
• Blue green algae
• AniMotion
• Food based digestive enzymes with added digestive aids
• Avoid poor quality fats and oils
• Byonia and Dulcamara
• SP 6 and 9, ST 36

Febrile Bi
Treatment and prevention of Febrile Bi focuses on supporting the Wei Qi and expelling external pathogens. Citrus C/Q, Garlic plus C or Equinacea are all good products for support of the Wei Qi with Febrile Bi. Liniments such as Sore no More and Draw solution will relieve pain. Drawing agents such as Sore no More poultice, epson salts and Draw solution will help pull toxins to the exterior. Avoid bandaging if possible because it can increase the pain. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be needed to control pain. The homeopathic remedy, Apis, may help with hot swollen joints. Hepar sulph and Silica are good remedies for hoof abscesses. Acupressure points include ST 44, LI 4, GV 14 and LI 11.

Treatment and prevention of Febrile Bi

• Citrus C/Q, Garlic plus C or Equinacea
• Sore no More
• Draw solution
• Poultices and epson salt soaks
• Avoid bandaging
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
• Apis, Hepar sulph or Silica
• ST 44, LI 4, GV 14, LI 11

Bony Bi
Treatment of Bony Bi can be very disappointing so prevention is your best option. Treat all other Bi syndromes early and consistently to avoid degeneration into Bony Bi. To treat Bony Bi focus on pain relief and gentle exercise. Use the entire arsenal of treatments for all the other Bi conditions including daily non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs if needed. Additional acupressure points specific for Bony Bi are BL 11, GB 39 and ST 40.

Treatment and Prevention of Bony Bi

• Treat all other Bi conditions early
• Gentle exercise
• All other treatments for Bi conditions leading up to Bony Bi
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on an ongoing basis
• BL 11, GB 39, St 40

Pain from a TCM approach is not all the same and thus requires different plans for treatment and prevention. Western Medicine is often unable to explain pain before obvious pathology exists so targeted relief is limited. The TCM approach to pain can begin long before pathology occurs and can be targeted based on identifying the external pathogen as primarily related to Wind, Cold or Damp. You can save your horse much suffering with the TCM approach to relieving or preventing Bi syndromes.

If you enjoyed this post or found it helpful, let me know by leaving a comment below. You can also find me on Facebook where I always appreciate a LIKE. To order any of the products mentioned in this post or other  products for you or your horses, please visit my online store.

Photo Credit: http://pinterest.com/horsetouch/

Having better hair doesn’t have to mean hours at a salon or wrecking your wallet with expensive hair treatments. The fact of the matter is that many salon treatments may help your hair look better temporarily, but many of these treatments actually damage your hair. For instance, excessive coloring, perming, and highlighting actually stresses your tresses.

If you want better hair and you don’t want to stress your tresses, try some of the natural solutions we discuss in this article. Most of these solutions are simple, practical, and can be achieved with ingredients in your kitchen cabinet.

Natural Solutions for Better Hair from the Outside In
Changing just a few aspects of your daily hair care regimen can give you better hair. You just have to know a little bit about how hair grows and is nourished. Consider a few of these natural solutions that can help your hair look and grow better:

Sun Protection: Like your skin, your hair can suffer from sunburn. Mild sun exposure can give your hair some great highlights, and won’t do much damage. However, prolonged sun exposure, especially in the hours between 10 AM and 3 PM, can damage your hair. The results can be split ends, dry hair, and a general lack of health. Wear hats or use specially-formulated shampoos or conditioners that include sunscreen.

Comb Rather Than Brush: Depending on your hair type and fullness, try combing your hair rather than brushing your hair. The bristles on brushes can damage hair shafts, while broad-toothed combs don’t. Obviously, people with super thick or curly hair may not be able to use a comb. If you have this kind of hair, choose a brush that has bristles with rounded tips to limit damage.

Treat Your Scalp at the Right Time: If you are going to use any kind of scalp treatment, timing is important. Scalp treatments are more effective when the pores are open, so the perfect time to apply any scalp therapy is just before you step into a warm bath. The pores in your scalp will be open and dilated, and thus more able to respond to any kind of applied treatment. After you have rinsed out your scalp treatment, consider rinsing your hair with cold water. The cold water re-tightens pores and has the tendency of leaving your hair shinier.

Natural Solutions for Better Hair from the Inside Out
The above tips help support hair health from the outside in. You can get better hair by supporting your hair from the inside out. Your lifestyle often has a big influence on the health of your hair. For instance, check out these simple natural solutions for better hair from the inside out:

• drink enough water
• get plenty of sleep
• eat plenty of healthy fresh foods
• exercise regularly (enough to sweat and open your pores)
• avoid smoking and excessive alcohol intake

These lifestyle solutions are pretty much “no-brainers” because they support your body’s general health as well as hair health.

Supplements are another way to get better hair. When it comes to healthy hair, most people immediately think of biotin. While taking oral supplements of biotin may help you have better hair, your body’s ability to absorb nutrients plays a big factor in this supplement’s effectiveness.

What often seems to work better is to support your liver as well as your body’s level of probiotics. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the liver governs the head hair. If your liver is healthy, your hair will also be healthy. Eating foods that support the liver, such as leafy greens and sprouted greens, will help you have better hair. If you can’t slow down enough to prepare fresh foods, consider adding to your diet a powdered supplement of sprouted greens that gently supports your liver health. Just mix the powder with any veggie juice and drink it down. Voila… mission accomplished!

Another way to support hair health from the inside out is to ensure that the probiotics that live in your gut are healthy and happy. Probiotics are the beneficial bacteria that live in your gut, and provide a variety of health benefits. These benefits include assisting with digestion, preventing harmful bacteria from taking up residence, and providing a first line defense against foreign invaders.

But when it comes to having better hair, probiotics are important for a different reason: they produce a variety of vitamins, including biotin. Probiotics also produce vitamin K, folic acid, and a variety of B vitamins. All of these support general health. Biotin helps with healthy hair growth. As always, the body seems to accept and assimilate the vitamins produced by its own systems rather than synthetic or other forms of vitamins not ingested in natural or whole foods. At the end of the day, it seems a better idea to take probiotics, such acidophilus  and bifidus, orally rather than taking a single biotin supplement.

Better Hair from the Outside or Inside
Are you getting the message that natural solutions that produce better hair are simple, practical, and plain common sense? That’s what we have discovered. No matter what “type” of hair you have, these natural solutions are equally applicable. More importantly, by boosting your hair’s health using these solutions, you also support your body’s overall health.

Now that’s a no-brainer, right?
If you enjoyed this post or found it helpful, let me know by leaving a comment below. You can also find me on Facebook where I always appreciate a LIKE. To order any of the products mentioned in this post or other  products for you or your horses, please visit my online store.

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD) and Attention Deficit Disorder(ADD) are big problems in people but what about horses? What causes these conditions and how can they be handled? Do horses need stimulant drugs to function normally like some people do? These are all questions that have probably run through your mind if you have a horse who just can’t seem to stay focused.

Dr. John Taylor has done extensive work with ADHD and ADD children and adults and his findings are interesting. He has found a huge connection between gut health and ADHD and ADD. He believes that probiotics such as acidophilus and bifidus are critical to help people with focusing disorders assimilate all the nutrients needed for proper brain function. The correct balance of vitamins, minerals and animo acids will allow the brain to function much more effectively.

That being said, the brains of people with clinical ADHD and ADD are not normal. The brains of affected people only function at 90% the level of normal individuals. Correctly chosen drugs can help the brains of these people function at a full 100% but there is a caveat. According to Dr. Taylor, if you force the affected brain into full functioning without providing the needed nutrition you will cause the death of brain cells and over time the drugs will no longer be affective.

In addition to probiotics, Dr. Taylor is very high on blue green algae as an ideal source of nutrition for the brain of healthy and attention disorder individuals. Let’s look at some sample diets to support the horse with an attention disorder from the Five Element perspective.

Fire Horse Temperament - the Fire horse is more likely to suffer the equivalent of ADHD. These horses are anxious and jumpy. They are constantly looking for a tiger to leap out from behind every bush. They don’t always go into a full shy but they are jerky to ride as every other step can be a mini shy as they react to sights, sounds or movement around them. The small intestine is the digestive organ that can be weakest in the Fire horse and I find they respond well to prebiotics such as Ration Plus, Probi or KLPP. The Omega form of blue green algae has the cell wall removed and tends to be less stimulating while still providing a wide range of nutrients to the brain. Many Fire horses also do well with chlorella algae.

Earth Horse Temperament- the Earth horse is more ADD without the hyperactivity. These horses can appear lethargic and uninterested in learning but when offered an activity they enjoy they can fully engage. Earth horses love to eat and socialize so they are happy to meander down the trail and enjoy the scenery but if ADD is a problem they will have trouble focusing to learn a pattern or particular task. The stomach is the digestive organ that can be weak in the Earth horse. Probiotics, such as acidophilus, can be helpful as well as digestive enzymes. The Alpha form of blue green algae may be needed in larger than normal amounts to stimulate the brain of the ADD Earth horse.

Metal Horse Temperament - The Metal horse tends to be more ADD with normal energy. This horse comes across as a slow learner but in reality is just a slow processor of information. He can learn when the information is presented in an organized way and broken down into small amounts of information at a time. Once the Metal horse has focused adequately to learn a simple task he can then add a new task and retain the previous lesson. The Metal horse may be slower to learn but his memory is the best of all the horse temperament types. The large intestine is the challenging digestive organ for the Metal horse. The probiotic, bifidus, is the best for him along with digestive enzymes plus pungent digestive aids such as ginger. The Omega form of algae is the best choice for nutrients. Kelp is another good source of brain nutrition for the Metal horse.

Water Horse Temperament - the Water horse is definitely ADHD. While the Fire horse can be anxious the Water ADHD horse can be downright terrified of his environment. While the Fire horse looks for the tiger, the Water horse is pretty sure the tiger is already chasing him. This horse can be dangerous to ride as he can shy hard and bolt at any moment. Nutrient assimilation is less of a problem with the Water horse and focus should be on brain nutrition. Di magnesium malate and herbal products designed to help with relaxation can be very useful. Some herbal products will specifically address the fight or flight reflex and help balance it. The Omega form of blue green algae will help with focus. Chlorella and kelp can also be good. These horses can be difficult to keep weight on and the temptation is to feed more grain. Alfalfa hay or beet pulp are much better choices for adding weight without increasing the energy level of the horse.

Wood Horse Temperament - the Wood horse can be ADD or ADHD. The ADD Wood horse becomes bored easily and requires constant introduction of new activities to stay engaged. The ADHD Wood horse is the supreme overachiever. This horse anticipates your cues and gets frustrated that you don’t keep up with his agenda. He wants to jump higher or run faster with little concern about proper form or control. With the Wood horse the liver is often the organ of concern. While not exactly an organ of digestion the liver is important for energy metabolism and blood sugar balance. Milk thistle, dandelion and high chlorophyll foods such as blue green algae help the liver to function well. Probiotics also support good liver function. Avoiding toxins, such as fly sprays, chemical dewormers, vaccines, and drugs will keep the liver from becoming overly stressed. Regular exercise is also very important for the Wood horse. He needs lots of play time if you want him to be able to focus for training sessions.

So, I believe ADD and ADHD are problems for horses as well as people. Drugs may not be the answer for horses but digestive support and brain nutrition can go a long way to helping these horses function normally. Successful management of ADD and ADHD is not a one size fits all approach but an individualized program to fit each horse based on his temperament.

If you enjoyed this post or found it helpful, let me know by leaving a comment below. You can also find me on Facebook where I always appreciate a LIKE. To order any of the products mentioned in this post or other  products for you or your horses, please visit my online store.

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Horse temperament typing has become a way of life for me. Each one of my horses gets fed and managed as an individual with a diet based on his temperament and each is thriving with this approach. In the past however, my milk goats on the other hand just get pellets. I put out free choice goat minerals and kelp but otherwise they didn’t get anything special. How did this work for the goats? Not so well. This changed when I started temperament typing them.

I have typed each of my goats. Sally is a Fire/Wood(Shao Yang), Sissy is Earth, Calico is a Fire and Dixie is Shao Yin(Fire/Water). Dixie, as a Shao Yin, is not pushy and she does not always get her fair share of food. Sissy as an Earth tends to get overweight unless she is being milked. Sally is the top in the pecking order and she likes Calico and protects her so they both get plenty to eat.

When Sissy is in milk it is actually hard to keep weight on her because, just like an Earth temperament horse, she does not always assimilate well. She could not eat enough alfalfa to meet her energy needs in the time it takes to milk. I don’t like feeding a goat lots of grain any more than a horse because they can get laminitis. When Sissy lost weight from heavy milk production I took into account that she was an Earth goat and put her on extruded feed and some grain. The extruded pellets were very easy for her to digest and I was able to milk her for another few months and have her hold her condition.

I think goats are a little better than horses to choose what foods are best for them. Sissy will hardly touch the kelp which is not surprising since too much kelp can cause some dampness in Earth temperaments. Too much dampness can show up as a tendency to get parasites or fungal type infections. Dampness in the gut will create a thick layer of mucus that not only attracts parasites but interferes with assimilation. So Sissy is smart to limit her intake of kelp. Sally and Calico both love the kelp and eat almost all of it when I put it out. Luckily my goats get some browse even with this drought. I see them out chopping down on the cedar and my fig tree now resembles a palm tree.

Sally will get sore feet if she eats too much grain so even when she is in milk I give her mostly pellets and beet pulp. She can wolf down the alfalfa and she does well on it. Calico is just a year old but looks like she will enjoy the same foods that Sally does.

Dixie is doing fine right now but due to have kids any day and she will need way more feed to keep up with her milk production. I will certainly have to separate her to make sure she gets her fair share. As a Shao Yin, once Dixie has her kids she may need some extra digestive support in the form of the prebiotic, Ration Plus.

So yes, in my opinion, it is very important to temperament type goats if you want them to produce well, be healthy and happy. Not just for diet but handling as well. For instance, Sally does not like to be touched which makes her less than desirable as a milking goat but she produces great kids who are not all like her. I tend to let her raise her kids and then rebreed her rather than milk her. Dixie wants to please so bad that she is a pleasure to milk. Sissy can get cranky about milking but backs down easily if you hobble her and give her food she likes. Milk goats are great fun and typing them makes them even more fun to have and enjoy. –Madalyn

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What a wonderful weekend at the Texas Buck Brannaman clinic. I was so looking forward to a weekend of learning and fun with my friends. I was sure not disappointed. Jeannie Choate organizes this clinic every year and she does a super job. I met Jeannie in 2001 when I rode Tess in the first Texas clinic with Buck. Jeannie and I hit it off immediately and have been close friends ever since. Jeannie never questioned that I was bringing a 17 year old mule to the clinic and Buck gave us the same attention as all the riders on horses.

Every year since I have either ridden or audited this clinic and it is always a highlight in my year. I rode up with my good friends, Rita and Pat and I was looking forward to seeing all my other friends that come each year to ride and learn from Buck. On the way to Belton we listened to Rita’s husband making a guest appearance on a radio show about the March Madness basketball tournament. Robert bought the opportunity to be on the radio at a charity event. I am sure the regular hosts were nervous about having a non professional with them but Robert did a great job. I am not a basketball fan but he made it fun. By the end of the show the hosts were referring to him by his high school nickname of Diggy.

Once we got the horses tucked in we went over to the check-in site and let Jeannie take a break for dinner. We got bored pretty quickly and broke out the wine and gave each other rides on the shavings cart. Who says horse clinics need to be too serious? One of the horses in the barn was having a meltdown because he could not see his buddy in the stall next to him so we lifted up the boards and tied them so he had a peephole. It was fun to see his expression when he saw his friend just in the next stall. I swear he looked embarrassed.

There is always a significant weather event at the Texas Buck Brannaman clinic and this year it was 40 mile per hour winds when a cold front blew in. All the horses were frisky but the heaters in the show barn kept it comfortable. We also had a rabbit show in the hall next door so that was entertaining. I had no idea how big rabbits can get. Did you know the owners groom them and show them just like dogs? They are too cute for words.

Pat rode her horse, Cooper, in the horsemanship 1 and Rita rode Kate in horsemanship 2. I audited and helped with checking in observers. As much as I love to ride with Buck I get a huge amount of knowledge from auditing. Having ridden with him for years I feel the pain of the people new to his style. I also love to see the changes in the horses and riders from the beginning of a clinic to the end and from year to year. This was Pat’s first year to bring Cooper and he made huge changes in his responsiveness and Pat got more clear with her cues. Kate is an old pro at Buck Brannaman clinics and she worked perfectly. I can remember Rita struggling in the early years so it was fun to watch them both do so well.

Attending the Buck Brannaman clinic is about getting me more solid in my horsemanship foundational skills but I always take away a few nuggets of information. This year I got the concept of releasing as the horse thinks about doing what you ask. This well timed release means so much, especially to a sensitive horse. Buck used the terms direct and drop when asking a horse to move a foot. In other words, don’t wait for the horse to actually move the foot to release but release at the beginning of the movement. I have been practicing this since I have been home and it makes the horse’s foot movements much more fluid and balanced.

Another great visual for me was Buck moving horses from the ground and under saddle forward and back with no hesitation in the transition. Buck explained that even a hint of stickiness in this movement indicates a brace and it needs to be dealt with. Since my horse, Remi, tends to buck when he gets braced I want to get this movement perfect. Part of the horsemanship 2 class is cow work and roping. Although I don’t see myself ever actually roping a live cow, I love the feel of swinging a rope from a horse. I also like moving the cows from horseback and Remi loves this, too.

Sadly, the clinic came to an end and I had to get back to work. Not that I don’t love my job working on horses and educating about holistic care, but the clinics are a neat break. The good news is I have the opportunity to ride with other great clinicians, Larry Hannon, Buster McLaury and Tom Curtin, later this year. Remi and I are also training for a cowgirl rodeo in April. I am so blessed to have such great friends, teachers, clients and horses in my life.  –Madalyn

If you enjoyed this post or found it helpful, let me know by leaving a comment below. You can also find me on Facebook where I always appreciate a LIKE. To order any of the products mentioned in this post or other  products for you or your horses, please visit my online store.