In tango, heaven is found through the simple gift of grace.
IN MEMORY of my dear friend and dancing buddy Jon who loved Tango so much. He will be greatly missed especially by all the women dancers and his daughter whose name happens to be Grace. He was a kind and gentle man – a true gentleman.
PiazzollaAstor Piazzolla – a major influence
Mesmerizing, sensual and intimate are just a few words you might use to describe the Tango. A dance of romance and passion, it is among the most famous genres of dance in the world and is currently enjoying a massive renaissance throughout much of Europe, South America and the USA.
In Argentina, its spiritual home, the tango is a way of life and considered as important as the samba is to Brazil or bangra dancing is to India. Music is absolutely key, essential, absolutely impossible to separate from the dance itself. It’s not just some initial inspiration; the intricacies and interplay within the music itself are the whole lifeblood of the dance.
Argentine Tango – some history: There is none. But really, The origins of Tango are obscure. There are many theories, each with its passionate advocates, but ultimately it is impossible to discover the facts because the records don’t exist. Tango sprang from the poor and the disadvantaged, in tenement blocks and on street corners, amongst people whose lives usually leave little trace in the history books. Nevertheless, we owe a great debt to the many dancers and musicians who gave shape to the Tango, though we shall never know their names. Well we do know one:
Astor Piazzolla (March 11, 1921 – July 4, 1992) – “In my head I had Bach and Schumann and Mozart and very little tango.”
A LEGEND:
Astor Piazzolla is best known for being the father and inventor of Tango Nuevo – a revolutionary new genre in which jazz rhythms and classical music were infused into tango. Tango Nuevo, at first, was strongly rejected in his home country Argentina, but eventually was appreciated and celebrated for the genius it was throughout the world. I happen to love Tango Nuevo the best of all the tango music.
So often music can reach much farther than any words.
Adiòs Nonino, was composed by Astor Piazzola in 1959 after his father’s death, Vicente (Nonino) Piazzolla. Monica (one of our best local tangueras) posted this one on Jon’s Facebook page.
“My first bandoneón was a gift from my father when I was eight years old. He brought it covered in a box, and I got very happy because I thought it was the roller skates I had asked for so many times. It was a letdown because instead of a pair of skates, I found an artifact I had never seen before in my life. Dad sat down, set it on my legs, and told me, ‘Astor, this is the instrument of tango. I want you to learn it.’ My first reaction was anger. Tango was that music he listened to almost every night after coming home from work. I didn’t like it.”
“To give pleasure to the old man, I clumsily tried to learn, and I was dreadfully bad” (He got better).
Of course tango is a major influence on young Piazzolla, but one must be aware that he is much more multi-faceted than that. His dad said “If you want to change the tango, you had better learn boxing, or some other martial art.”
Whilst in New York his father buys him boxing gloves and Astor decided he wants to be a boxer no less! But this “career” is sharply curtailed after losing in matches against friends Rocky Graziano and Jake La Motta. However what Piazzolla takes from this is a resilience to endure the hard and very critical world of music.
Piazzolla meets Gardel (another Legend)
They say timing is everything! It is 1933, Astor is now 12, when his father – who is a huge Carlos Gardel fan – realizes that the icon is in town. Vicente has the crazy idea to make a wood carving to pay him tribute, and asks Astor to take it to Gardel. When Astor reaches the building where Gardel is living, who does he happen to run into, but Gardel’s musical assistant Alberto Castellano, who is looking lost.
Castellano has a small disaster on his hands – a most fortuitous one for Astor! He has left his key inside the room; but our youthful Piazzolla volunteers to climb the fire escape into the penthouse, through a window, to wake the sleeping Gardel. Inside Astor mistakes the sleeping lyricist Alfredo Le Pera for Gardel and wakes him. Le Pera reacts aggressively until he realizes Astor is a boy and not a thief. Eventually, Gardel is found, who accepts the present and even gives him a signed photograph.
One thing leads to another – Gardel and the Piazzollas became good friends, enjoying the cuisine and Latin musicians that meet in the Piazzolla household, allowing Gardel to feel nostalgic for Argentina. Eventually Gardel, because of his poor English, hires Astor as his interpreter; and after seeing his musical ability, also uses him as a bandoneón player, though only in private functions. Piazzolla takes part in Gardel’s movie El Dia Que me Quieras – who according to biographers was Gardel’s favorite – playing a brief part as a newspaper boy, for $25. Piazzolla considers this movie monumental to his life.
Gardel even offers Piazzolla to accompany him in his world tour as an assistant – but Astor’s father refuses this given the fact that Astor is only a boy of 14. This is a very fortunate refusal, for Astor is replaced by Jose Corpas Moreno, who along with Gardel is killed in the plane crash of 1935, on this tour. Timing, again.
There’s so much more but I will close with this quote from Piazolla:
“I learned the tricks of the tangeros, those intuitive tricks that helped me later on. I couldn’t define them technically; they are forms of playing, forms of feeling; it’s something that comes from inside, spontaneously.”
“Satisfaction of one’s curiosity is one of the greatest sources of happiness in life” – Dr. Linus Pauling
Funny the way life works sometimes. I was reading W. Gifford-Jones MD “a collection of columns” from his book “What I Learned as a Medical Journalist which I find fascinating by the way….when I realized I was out of Vitamin C. I was also feeling under the weather and it was suggested to me that I try out a brand new product – a powder with a high concentration of Vitamin C and L-Lysine called Medi-C Plus. It sounded pretty good so I’m trying it out when I then realize that the Harvard Medical graduate’s name is on the bottle. So now I’m even more curious to know more about this product.In a revolutionary finding, based on scientific fact that should have hit the headlines of every newspaper in the world, he says this powder can both prevent and reverse atherosclerosis in coronary and other arteries to prevent heart attack – a number one killer.
I just needed Vitamin C but while we’re at it…..
“If I had the power to improve the nation’s health I’d prohibit daily TV commercials that tell us that something is wrong with us. I’d do this because Madison Avenue advertising is triggering false hopes and injuring health. We’ve reached a point where a well person is someone who hasn’t been seen by enough doctors, or had a battery of tests done. Then we could dump half of the pills in the trash.” – W. Gifford-Jones, MD (with a twist).
A condensed EXCERPT from the book: How Vitamin C and Lysine Powder can help prevent Heart Attack.
Many years ago, Dr. Linus Pauling, two-time Noble Prize winner, is ignored for reporting that large amounts of Vitamin C and Lysine are needed to prevent coronary attacks. Twenty-five years ago, Pauling reported that animals make Vitamin C while humans do not. That’s why sailors died of scurvy during long sea voyages, but the ship’s cat survived.
Vitamin C is required to manufacture healthy collagen, the glue that holds coronary cells together, just like mortar is needed for bricks. Lysine, like steel rods in concrete, makes collagen stronger. Pauling claimed that it takes a mere 10 milligrams to prevent scurvy, but several thousand to prevent heart attack.
But to take large doses of Vitamin C and Lysine requires swallowing many pills daily. It’s a tall order for those who dislike swallowing even one pill. So for several years, Gifford-Jones had been trying to find a company that would manufacture a combination of Vitamin C and Lysine powder. Now Medi-C Plus is available at health food stores.
It’s easy because the dosage for the Medi-C Plus combination is easy – one flat scoop with breakfast and the evening meal, with either water or orange juice. The only thing you can’t take it with is *Grapefruit juice.
The berry flavour doesn’t taste bad at all. I read labels – it is naturally sweetened with berry and stevia. The scoop inside is not so large that you feel you won’t go through it so quickly which is another plus factor. Helps in collagen formation, developing & maintaining bones and for teeth and gums. Nothing not to like – I’M IN! This may be my new “for life” product.
*Grapefruit juice and fresh grapefruit can interfere with the action of some prescription drugs, as well as a few non-prescription drugs. Grapefruit most commonly interacts with drugs taken for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, depression, anxiety, allergies, HIV, impotence, and seizures. If you’re taking medication for any of these conditions, avoid grapefruit as a snack or juice. To be on the safe side, also stay away from tangelos, which are a hybrid of tangerine and grapefruit.
**Don’t miss listening to “Transforming Health” with host Brad Kingfor the most evocative and informative up-to-the-minute interviews with leading health professionals – Live every Wednesday @ 12PM-PST/3PM-EST on VoiceAmerica.com – #1 internet radio station in North America. Here’s the link: http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1686/transforming-health
In April I signed up for the Lululemon Seawheeze half marathon with my sister. Good thing we were fast because it sold out in minutes. Part of the attraction is that you get a cute pair of booty shorts and it seems more like a party than an actual run. Anyway, we started training last month but I just had to take two weeks off due to an annoying asthmatic cough (and a slight back injury) which happened all an once. I managed to re-join the Running Room group last Sunday where we did a manageable 8K run (reluctantly chosen over the 10K group). While I was secretly happy that it wasn’t much longer than that, I did wonder if I should have pushed myself for the extra 2K. I just didn’t want to chance wheezing my way through the Seawheeze run in August. Then it occurred to me that maybe I’m not a natural born runner. Some people just seem to keep up the steady pace without falter. Others like me are unpredictable – sometimes I have tons of energy and feel like I can go even longer than the actual planned run and at other times I’m done after about 10 minutes. What gives?
Starting out:
Practice patience, grasshopper. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is a happy runner.
If you want to become the kind of runner who can’t wait for the next workout, it’s going to take time to get there. Truth is, the most common mistake new runners make is running too much too soon. For example, some new runners set a lofty goal to go couch to marathon in three months. Don’t get me wrong, it can be done. But these runners are more likely to spend their time in the “bite-me zone” of hurt and pain. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.
I’ve seen way too many runners cross the finish line only to toss their shoes in the closet to collect dust because they’ve burned out by overzealous goals. Invest in running. Take your time to find the joy, and you’ll be a runner for life. If you are about to take your first steps, think about running 30 minutes straight in a few months (or a 5K event). With the pressure gone, all you need to focus on is putting one foot in front of the other. Set a smaller goal for your first running session. For example, aim to finish and go a little farther than you have to and complete your workout in a good mood. Set another goal for your second workout and so on, and so on.
50,000 people runners can’t be that stupid can they? The Annual largest 10K run in N. America.
Consistency is the secret to success. It’s all about creating momentum.
I use to play with dominoes when I was a young girl, and I’d line them up on a table close enough together that when I knocked over the first one, the rest came falling down in a breathtaking sequence. This is exactly how running works as well. You want to maintain the momentum from one run to another to maintain a consistent progression. If you space the workouts too far apart, you begin to lose the wonderful effects of consistency (improvement). If you find yourself in a bind and unable to get in your normal 30-minute session, head out for a quick 15 minutes of running (or even a walk). A shorter workout is better than none at all.
Running is like life. It will have its ups and downs. Ultimately, it will come down to what you do on the down days that truly pays off in the long run. Be prepared to edit, tweak and modify to ebb and flow with life’s running interruptions. It’s not about perfection, but rather keeping your running momentum flowing.
I learned to run from a course – of course I did!
I like to get high: It’s the best part of running and it doesn’t happen all the time. It’s a euphoric state that is experienced by not only runners, but by anyone engaged in a vigorous workout. Boxers and bikers have reported similar states of being, as have weight lifters, cross country skiers and rugby players. The high itself is described as a feeling of well-being, to being one with the world or to a total out of body experience. It is typically related to longer periods of vigorous exercise rather than shorter, easier workouts, possibly due to the stress the body undergoes as the major muscle groups begin to run short on glucose. The experience of the high also seems to rely on the individual makeup of the runners themselves, with some experiencing it at 5 miles, while others must run 20 before the euphoric feelings kick in.
What I Talk About When I Talk About Running. An intimate look at writing, running, and the incredible way they intersect, from the incomparable, bestselling author Haruki Murakami.While simply training for a New York City Marathon would be enough for most people, Haruki Murakami’s decided to write about it as well. The result is a beautiful memoir about his intertwined obsessions with running and writing, full of vivid memories and insights, including the eureka moment when he decided to become a writer. By turns funny and sobering, playful and philosophical, relevant both for fans of this masterful yet guardedly private writer and for the exploding population of athletes who find similar satisfaction in athletic pursuit.
Using black soap won’t make your face turn black any more than using white soap will make your face turn white.
African black soap is a gentle, all-natural alternative cleanser made only from plant materials.Ordinary store-bought soaps can be too harsh or drying for your skin. Proponents of African black soap say it does more than just keep you clean — the suds are packed with skin-loving benefits, too.
THERE’S NOTHING BASIC ABOUT AFRICA’S BLACK SOAP.
Most black soap is made with a blend of Plaintain skin, Cocoa Pod Powder, Tropical Honey, and Virgin Coconut Oil. African Black Soap is most commonly hand-crafted by village women in Africa who make the soap for themselves and to support their families.
The same women who make black soap choose to use only black soap on their babies, as its purity makes it gentle and non-drying for babies’ sensitive skin. In fact, black soap is generally the only soap used in most Western African countries.
Uses of African Black Soap
African black soap contains shea butter, which moisturizes skin but doesn’t clog pores. Shea butter gives the soap some UV-protection properties, but not enough to replace your usual sunscreen. According to Organic Spa Magazine, the soap may fade skin discoloration and dark spots. The soap cleanses gently, so it’s ideal for people with rosacea, rashes, dryness and other skin conditions. African black soap contains plantain extract, which has antibacterial properties that may help treat acne breakouts. Some people use the soap as a shampoo or mild makeup remover.
How the Soap is Made
African soap is traditionally made by harvesting and sun-drying palm leaves, cocoa pods and the bark from shea and plantain trees. This material is then roasted in a kettle at a constant temperature and mixed with oils, such as coconut and palm oil. The soap then cures for two weeks before it’s ready to use.
What makes Black Soap different:
Black soap is made with rare tropical honeys that are known for softening the skin and creating a smooth surface.
Black soap is also a natural source of vitamins A & E and iron. This helps to strengthen the skin and hair.
Black soap contains a high amount of glycerin, which absorbs moisture from the air and literally deposits it into the skin, making the skin soft and supple.
For centuries, Ghanaians and Nigerians have used black soap to help relieve acne, oily skin, clear blemishes and various other skin issues. Many swear by it for skin irritations and conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.
Women in Africa will use black soap during pregnancy and afterwards to keep them from getting stretch marks and to protect them from dry skin that is often accompanied by pregnancy.
Black soap can also be used as a hair shampoo. The shea butter in the soap softens the hair, while the vitamins give it strength.
Men can use black soap in shaving. The high shea butter content leaves the skin smooth and protected.
African black soap is unique in that it contains no preservatives, color enhancers, or fragrances. African black soap creates a soft lather without the animal fat additives that are commonly used in soaps made in the US.
Mine came in this plastic container bought in New Orleans. It works wonderfully.
Buy at Amazon.com or elsewhere online unless you go to West Africa or New Orleans.
Nothing quite finishes a look like a great pair of sunglasses.
Not to mention that they help to protect your eyes from the SUN
These are some of the chicest pairs to grace a face:
Michael KorsRalph Lauren – if you can wear White. I WISH I could but look ridiculous.I LOVE these MEN Sunglasses!Looove Kate Spade, fun floral – it’s summer after all!Marc by Marc Jacobs
Opening Ceremony
Prism by Anna LaubJeremy Scott. Not my personal choice but just HAD TO SHOW YOU….that, plus the DRESS!Dolce & Gabbana
Do you have a favourite?
I can’t seem to get away from tortoiseshell– it’s still my all time favourite.
I’m enjoying experimenting with different kinds of salads. While I always love a classic green or Cobb salad, these two are a fresh and tasty change.
If you’re looking for a cool and refreshing salad recipe for this summer, look no further.
This salad is light and sweet, with a perfect balance between fruit and vegetables. Not only is it delicious, but it also features two extremely hydrating foods – watermelon and cucumber, making it perfect for the summer. Serve it up at barbecues or throw it together at lunchtime. Either way it’s a winner.
As far as the herbs, freshness is key. If you don’t have mint on hand, you can easily substitute basil, for a dish that will be just as delicious.
Ingredients
1/4 watermelon, diced into bite-sized chunks
1/2 cucumber, diced into bite-sized chunks
2 ounces feta, crumbled
1 lime
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
4-5 fresh mint leaves, chiffonnade (cut into thin strips)
freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Toss the watermelon and cucumber together in a large bowl. Sprinkle the cheese on top and season with olive oil, lime juice and black pepper. Sprinkle the chiffonnade of mint leaves over the top of the salad as a garnish.
The colors of the salad look best before tossing, so if you’re making this for company, I recommend serving like this and tossing at the table. Alternatively, you can toss the watermelon and cucumber with the oil, lime juice, salt and pepper and then add the cheese and mint at the end. Or, you can slice larger pieces of watermelon and place large thin slices of feta over top which gives this an elegant look.
For this one you must love cooked beats (not pickled), artichoke hearts, sweet onion & prosciutto (Italian word for ham that is cured & very thinly sliced).
Ingredients:
Sliced cooked beets
Sliced Artichoke Hearts
Thinly sliced sweet onion
Good Quality Feta Cheese (I always ask for the “Barrel” sheep Feta from Minerva’s Greek)
Top with torn crisp Prosciutto. (Cook in frypan on medium-high heat (turn once) until done – should only take a couple of minutes).
Just arrange on the plate to your liking and drizzle with organic olive oil, a splash of lemon juice & balsamic vinegar (I used one with fig & dates). Simply delicious!
Every year millions of dollars are spent by art collectorseager to own the world’s most sought after paintings. However, the most expensive paintings are not necessarily the most famous paintings. The most famous ones are generally owned by museums, which very rarely sell them, and as such, they are quite literally priceless. An overview of the TOP 10most famous paintings of all time, found in museums around the world:
the birth of Venus, Sandro Botticelli
10. The Birth of Venus is a painting by Sandro Botticelli created around 1485–87. It depicts the goddess Venus (or Aphrodite as she is known in Greek mythology) emerging from the sea upon a shell in accordance with the myth that explains her birth. The original location of the painting and its commissioner remain uncertain. Some experts attribute its commission to Lorenzo de’ Medici and the Villa of Castello as the site to which the work was originally destined. Today, the painting is held in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.
Water Lilies, Claude Monet
9. Water Lilies is a series of approximately 250 oil paintings by French Impressionist Claude Monet. The paintings depict Monet’s own flower garden at Giverny and were the main focus of his artistic production during the last thirty years of his life. The paintings are on display at museums all over the world. The one shown here is displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
The night watch, Rembrandt van Rijn
8. Completed in 1642, at the peak of the Dutch Golden Age, The Night Watch is one of the most famous paintings by Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn. It depicts a city guard moving out, led by Captain Frans Banning Cocq and his lieutenant, Willem van Ruytenburch. For much of its existence, the painting was coated with a dark varnish which gave the incorrect impression that it depicted a night scene, leading to the name Night Watch. This varnish was removed only in the 1940s. The painting is on display in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
The Scream, Edvard Munch
7. The Scream is a series of expressionist paintings and prints by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch, showing an agonized figure against a blood red sky. The landscape in the background is Oslofjord, viewed from the hill of Ekeberg, in Oslo. Edvard Munch created several versions of The Scream in various media. The one shown here was painted in 1893 and is on display in The National Gallery of Norway. It was stolen in 1994 in a high-profile art theft and recovered several months later. In 2004 another version of The Scream was stolen from the Munch Museum, only to be recovered in 2006
the girl with the pearl earring, Johannes Vermeer
6. Sometimes referred to as “the Dutch Mona Lisa”, the Girl with a Pearl Earring was painted by Johannes Vermeer. Very little is known about Vermeer and his works and this painting is no exception. It isn’t dated and it is unclear whether this work was commissioned, and if so, by whom. In any case, it is probably not meant as a conventional portrait. Tracy Chevalier wrote a historical novel fictionalizing the circumstances of the painting’s creation. The novel inspired a 2003 film with Scarlett Johansson as Johannes Vermeer’s assistant wearing the pearl earring. It has been in the collection of the Mauritshuis gallery in The Hague (Netherlands) since 1902.
Guernica, Pablo Picasso
5. Guernica is one of Pablo Picasso most famous paintings, showing the tragedies of war and the suffering it inflicts upon individuals, particularly innocent civilians. Picasso’s purpose in painting it was to bring the world’s attention to the bombing of the Basque town of Guernica by German bombers, who were supporting the Nationalist forces of General Franco during the Spanish Civil War. Picasso completed the painting by mid-June 1937. The painting can be seen in the Museo Reina Sofía in Madrid.
The Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo
4. The Sistine Chapel ceiling, painted by Michelangelo between 1508 and 1512, at the commission of Pope Julius II, is one of the most renowned artworks of the High Renaissance. The ceiling is that of the large Chapel built within the Vatican in Rome. Central to the ceiling decoration are nine scenes from the Book of Genesis. Among the last to be completed was the Creation of Adam in which God the Father breathes life into Adam, the first man. The Creation of Adam is one of the famous paintings of all time and has been the subject of countless references and parodies.
The Last Supper, Leonardo da Vinci
3. The Last Supper is a 15th century mural painting in Milan created by Leonardo da Vinci and covers the back wall of the dining hall at the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. It represents the scene of The Last Supper when Jesus announces that one of his Twelve Apostles would betray him. Leonardo began work on The Last Supper in 1495 and completed it in 1498 though he did not work on the painting continuously. Some writers propose that the person in the painting seated to the left of Jesus is Mary Magdalene rather than John the Apostle, as most art historians identify that person. This popular theory was the topic of the book The Templar Revelation (1997), and plays a central role in Dan Brown’s novel The Da Vinci Code (2003).
The Starry Night, Vincent van Gogh
2. The Starry Night was painted by Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh. Although Van Gogh sold only one painting in his life, the aftermath of his work is enormous. Starry Night is one of his most famous paintings and has become one of the most well known images in modern culture. The painting shows the village of Saint-Rémy under a swirling sky, in a view from the asylum towards north. The cypress tree to the left was added into the composition. Since 1941 it has been in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci
1. The most famous painting of all time, the Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo da Vinci during the Renaissance in Florence. He began painting the Mona Lisa in 1503 or 1504 and finished it shortly before he died in 1519. The painting is named for Lisa del Giocondo, a member of a wealthy family of Florence. In 1911, the Mona Lisa was stolen by Louvre employee Vincenzo Peruggia, an Italian patriot who believed the Mona Lisa should be returned to Italy. After having kept the painting in his apartment for two years, Peruggia was finally caught when he attempted to sell it to the directors of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. Today, the Mona Lisa hangs again in the Louvre in Paris where 6 million people see the painting each year.
I’ve had the pleasure of seeing six of these paintings in person. The Birth of Venus (Florence), Water Lilies (Met, New York), The Night Watch (Amsterdam), The Last Supper (Milan), Starry Night (MOMA, New York) & Mona Lisa (Paris).
So, do you have a favourite? I appreciate them all, but if I had to choose it would be between The Birth of Venus and the Girl with the Pearl Earring. Does this mean I’m a girly girl?
what pictures can. So here are a few of my favourite souvenir books from travels past:
I like to collect cookbooks from places where the food has been exceptionally good. I do use them on occasion and it helps to re-create special memories.
Landscapes
only 999 more places to go! A great guide if you have the time and $$$
As they say, “a picture is worth a thousand words”
“There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer” – Ansel Adams
“I don’t like food that’s too carefully arranged; it makes me think that the chef is spending too much time arranging and not enough time cooking. If I wanted a picture I’d buy a painting” – Andy Rooney
Every day we should hear at least one little song, read one good poem, see one exquisite picture, and, if possible, speak a few sensible words. – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
The Greeks were the first to record the use of Oregano and they credited Aphrodite, the goddess of love, with creating it, with the purpose of bringing joy to mankind.
The word “oregano” is from two Greek words – oras, which means “mountain”, and ganos, “joy” – basically meaning oregano “joy of the mountains”. Ancient Greek physicians prescribed oregano for infections, wounds, headaches, respiratory disorders, seizures, snakebike and other forms of poisoning.
I can attest to the powerful healing benefits of this Mediterranean oil. It’s responsible for single-handedly clearing up my terrible asthmatic cough which I had for two straight weeks. I don’t like to use inhalers but was on the verge of doing so when I decided to try Organic Oregano Oil once again (I had previously taken it for several years, never got sick and then went off it when my last bottle was finished). So last night instead of taking it orally I just diluted several drops in water and my coughing subsided immediately. I don’t believe it to be a co-incidence. I believe the oil cleared up my annoyingly aggravating cough. The one benefit of having a hoarse voice would be to sound like Demi Moore, but unfortunately my voice sounded more like Marge Simpson. So I decided to discuss all the benefits of this miracle oil.
The oregano used to produce oregano oil for healing purposes is not the same as what we generally call oregano and you won’t find it in the spice section of your local grocery store. There are more than 30 species of oregano and only a few have been proven to have real medicinal value. So it is very important to be sure you are buying quality oregano oil from a trusted manufacturer of natural products.
Oregano Oil grows wild around the world, especially in the mountainous area of Greece and Turkey, where the highest medicinal grade is found. Medicinal oregano is rich in minerals as well as vitamin C, vitamin A and niacin. It takes a lot of oregano to distill a small amount of oil – in fact, about 1,000 pounds would be needed to make one pound of oil. This is why superior quality medicinal oregano oil is quite expensive. However it is also quite potent and a little goes a long way as a natural remedy or treatment, making this healing herb a good investment.
Oregano oil contains natural compounds that combat bacteria, fungal, viral and parasitic infections. It can be used for ailments ranging from athlete’s foot to food poisoning. Basically you can use it from head to toe. It is an antiseptic, anti-microbial powerhouse and as such it has an almost infinite number of uses around the home. Be sure to have a bottle on hand.
How to use it: For daily use, place 1 to 5 drops of oil under the tongue and hold it there for 5 to 10 seconds for sublingual absorption. You can then follow with a drink of water or juice. If you don’t like the taste (it’s strong) you can add it to a glass of water, milk or any kind of juice and drink it to increase your immune support or fight an infection.
There are so many uses (too numerous to mention there) that you might want to google it yourself. As for me, it helped my throat right after using it and that’s why I decided to blog about it. The vapours of the oil when taken internally are touted as a treatment for coughs and sinus congestion. Putting a drop under the nose can help clear sinus congestion and the oil can also be added to a humidifier of vapourizer for nighttime support. It also helps for shingles, itching, ear infections, headaches, digestive difficulties, athelet’s foot, candida, dandruff and muscle aches.
Choose a product prepared by a reputable manufacturer and follow the label directions. You can start to enjoy better health right away with this potent natural ally in your medicine cabinet.
Have you tried it?
Also, **Don’t miss listening to “Transforming Health” with host Brad King for the most evocative and informative up-to-the-minute interviews with leading health professionals – Live every Wednesday @ 12PM-PST/3PM-EST on VoiceAmerica.com – #1 internet radio station in North America. Here’s the link: http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1686/transforming-health
IN MEMORY of my dear friend and dancing buddy Jon who loved Tango so much. He will be greatly missed especially by all the women dancers and his daughter whose name happens to be Grace. He was a kind and gentle man – a true gentleman.
Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION. 
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