When I talk about Qigong, some think of it as a martial art or a strenuous workout, while others think of it as a mystic or even a religious practice. Despite being thousands of years old, there is still a misunderstanding about what is Qigong. In this article, I will try to simplify it and bring more clarity to the concept of Qigong and demystifying its practice.

The first scientific truth I remember learning from elementary science is that chlorophyll is responsible for plants' green color. Since then, I have learned many valuable truths about chlorophyll's life-enhancing nutrients, including the antioxidants all living organisms need to thrive.

When we expand our minds and open our lives to make room for positive change, we will discover a shift in many areas that have long been requiring our [intentional] attention. How often do we feel we have no option but to put something 'on the back burner' because more pressing matters are calling louder to us? When we live parts of our existence by default, we stand back and leave the steering of our life's ship to whatever winds blow the strongest at any given time.

In nature during evening-time, various plants and flowers close their blooms and retract their leaves in anticipation of the dark hours when they'll be deeply asleep. As the sun rises the following day, they open and stretch to greet the light and increase their oxygen while beginning interactions with numerous wonders in nature (dew, breeze, rain, insects, birds, and more).

Since we are currently in the cold Winter season here in Utah, USA, many of us could be experiencing even worse arthritic pain than usual. This is caused by our blood vessels constricting more in cold surroundings, reducing blood flow to our joints. We should try to avoid being cold by bundling up when we can! Whether our chronic pain is from an autoimmune disease (Rheumatoid Arthritis, aka RA) or aging/injury (Osteoarthritis, aka OA), we can pursue several practices, home remedies, or treatments to soothe our physical hurts.

Welcome back! I hope you have gained some useful practices or tools from Part I of this article and feel more equipped to monitor and improve your health in any body areas needing extra quality time and attention.

After reviewing all the incredible body systems discussed in Part I, we are ready to examine a suggested guide for evaluating our mental and emotional health.

Many people don't like going to the doctor. It can be common to experience intense anxiety, fear, and dread about upcoming visits to clinics, offices, and hospitals. Taking tests and waiting for results can bring much fear and stress. But...

What if we decide to be more proactive about what appears to be our body's version of 'optimal,' 'normal,' or 'healthy?' Could we reduce unneeded stress and anxiety about doctor visits? We still need to attend our various checkups and follow-up appointments, but could our entire mindset about our health change to bring more peace and ownership of our bodies?

B vitamins are nutrients the human body needs for each of our 30+ trillion cells to work correctly. These essential vitamins help us in many ways.

We must consume B vitamins daily to ensure our bodies are not lacking in significant areas. We may have heard the word 'deficiency' many times in medical terms, but it's essential to understand to create our healthiest selves. If we follow a specific diet, it may be that the chosen diet plan has unknowingly eliminated particular vitamins.

How often have you heard the comment, 'They're good people inside and out' or 'They're beautiful inside and out'?

An integral part of the success of making conscious life changes is the mental and spiritual creation of those changes. Before we were in our bodies, did we exist as a spiritual creation? Holistic practitioners, whether personal or professional, believe in the mind—body—spirit connection. This concept drives the information I share when introducing powerful tools that can bring us more health and healing.

The difference between good and bad health often lies in a fact we don't even think about, something we usually take for granted... something we typically forget is a huge part of us:

The fact that we must be able to breathe to be alive.