Belly Button Healing: Does it really work?

by

Belly button, navel, umbilicus. This little knot of sorts seems to be just a reminder of our origin. Once attached to the life-giving placenta in the womb, at first glance it doesn’t really serve any purpose. But recently I’ve noticed a lot of articles about the Ayurvedic practice of belly button healing. Is there really anything special about the belly button that give it healing powers?

The practice of belly button healing involves the application of therapeutic oils inside and around the belly button. Supporters claim that the navel is the body’s focal point for the health of the physical body, mind, and spirit. Some practitioners claim that you can access and treat just about any physical or emotional ailment through this “reset button”.

The Premise of Belly Button Healing

Vagus Nerve

Many of the claims about belly button healing have to do with the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is the longest and most complex of the 12 pairs of cranial nerves that emanate from the brain. It runs from the brain to the abdomen, with branches to several major organs along the way. Your vagus nerve is responsible for many important functions including:

  • Sends and receives sensory information from the throat, heart, lungs, and abdomen, as well as taste sensation from the tongue.
  • Provides motor functions for the muscles responsible for swallowing and speech.
  • Responsible for function of the digestive tract, respiration, and heart rate.
  • Delivers information between the gut and the brain.
  • Plays a part in fear management and dealing with stress and anxiety.

Stimulating the Vagus Nerve

It seems there may be some truth to the validity of stimulating this nerve. One study shows that stimulating the vagus nerve may help some people dealing with depression and other psychological disorders. However, this study involved the use of a battery-powered generator implanted in the chest wall. This generator connects to a wire wrapped around the vagus nerve in the neck, and sends intermittent pulses of electricity along the nerve directly into the brain. 

Another study employed a similar mechanism to decrease symptoms of epilepsy. Additional studies demonstrate that vagus nerve stimulation may help with arthritis, headache, memory improvement, Crohn’s disease, PTSD, and more.

It is important to note that none of these studies cite the belly button as a connection to the vagus nerve. The methods vary, but most of them employ an electrode or other stimulatory device attached directly to the nerve, parts of the ear, or neck.

Vital Organs

Another reason supporters claim the validity of belly button healing is because it is situated over many of our vital organs, such as the stomach (or gut), intestines, kidneys, spleen, etc. Most important here is the gut. The gut is responsible for producing up to 90% of our serotonin (the happiness hormone) and 50% of our dopamine (the joy hormone). This, as well as the natural flora of microbes in the gut, make it an essential organ for regulation of mood and emotions. (Check out this post for more on that.) Not only that, but the umbilicus sits over some pretty major arteries as well.

Acupuncture

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) believes that the navel plays a significant role in overall health. The acupuncture point in the center of the navel is called “shen que” or Spirit Gate. According to TCM, this point is the focal point of all the body’s meridians, or network of energy pathways.

TCM practitioners claim that naval stimulation can help with digestion, clear meridians, promote blood flow, regulate organ functions, and stimulate the immune system. They believe that drugs administered through the navel quickly spread to all the meridians and internal organs. I found one study to back this notion, in which patients with Crohn’s disease reported a reduction of sysmtoms.

Ilchi Lee, founder of Change Your Energy, wrote a book about belly button healing and even designed a device to stimulate the navel. He refers to the navel as the body’s reset button and calls it a gateway to this second brain. He claims a daily practice of navel stimulation gives internal organs a workout and pumps vitality back into your life.

What the Skeptics Say

There is no question that the bely button is situated over some pretty major organs, arteries, nerves, and energy flow. The questions remain though: Does putting oil into the belly button penetrate to the gut or other organs more effectively than other application sites? Does the navel’s proximity to vasculature make it a quicker means of getting therapeutic oils and medicines to the bloodstream? Can stimulating the belly button offer true medically-relevant stimulation of the vagus nerve or manipulate the body’s energy? The truth is, there are no studies to support or refute these questions.

Due to the lack of scientific studies regarding belly button healing, many people claim belly button healing is just pseudoscience. Critics claim there is no scientific reason to make a connection between the intestines, the enteric nervous system, or nearby organs with the navel any more so than anywhere else on the abdomen. Furthermore, they say there is no reason to believe that manipulation of the belly button would yield systemic benefits.

Where Does this Leave Us?

We all know the critics are often wrong. The scientific community is reluctant to accept many natural therapies, but that doesn’t mean they don’t work. So what do you do?

For starters, you can try it. Next time you feel down, try putting your therapeutic essential oil inside your navel. If you overindulge at a meal, see if a few drops of oil in the belly button alleviate your discomfort. Overheating? Try a few drops of a cooling oil in your navel and take note of whether or not it brings relief.

When you do, drop me a comment below and let me know your thoughts. How did it work for you?

Love learning about natural therapies and want to learn more about how to use essential oils? Check out this post to get started today!

10 Essential Oils for Motivation

by

When your get-up-an-go got up and left, sometimes you need a little somethin’-somethin’ to help get you motivated. When you’re struggling to push past the blahs, try some aromatherapy to perk up your mood. Here’s a list of 10 essential oils for motivation, plus a diffuser and roller blend to get you started.

Essential Oils for Motivation

Peppermint

  • Peppy aroma encourages alertness
  • Stimulates the senses
  • Cooling menthol boosts energy

Cypress

Rosemary

Orange

  • May help soothe emotions during times of stress.
  • Uplifting aroma
  • Encourages energy and positivity when emotionally down

Ginger

  • Helps bring solar plexus into balance
  • Encourages focus regarding one’s purpose
  • Brings self-awareness and appropriate assertiveness

Spruce

  • Promotes concentration
  • Fresh aroma inspires creativity
  • Helps with releasing negativity

Jasmine

  • Balancing to the sacral chakra
  • Encourages creativity and courage to take on new projects
  • Inspires joy

Eucalyptus

  • Brings mental clarity and purpose
  • Helps reduce negativity
  • Potent aroma encourages alertness

Frankincense

  • Encourages clear communication
  • Helps balance the throat chakra
  • Uplifts the spirit and promotes authenticity

Sandalwood

  • †Helps with visualization and helping to see one’s future path clearly
  • Combats procrastination
  • Balances the third eye chakra

Motivation Monday Diffuser Blend

Put these oils in your diffuser and get ready to tackle Monday with energy and a positive attitude!

  • 4 drops frankincense
  • 3 drops orange
  • 2 drops cypress
  • 2 drops peppermint

Motivation Roller Blend

Garnet and carnelian crystals enhance this blend because they stimulate motivation, energy, drive, and a positive attitude!

Instructions

Combine essential oils in a 10 mL roller bottle and drop in crystals. Top off with coconut oil or another neutral carrier oil.

What are your go-to essential oils for motivation? Comment below and share your favorites!

Looking for more roller blends to improve your productivity? Check out this Focus Essential Oil Roll-On!

Ways to Combat Burnout

by

We’ve all been there. One day, you are rocking and rolling at your job. You feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day, you have pride in your work, and people seem to be drawn to you and your cause. And another day, you just can’t seem to bring yourself to answer another email, make another phone call, or handle another issue at work. You wake up tired and dreading the day ahead. Burnout. It happens to the best of us when we go, go, go for too long. Check out these tips for combatting burnout.

Step 1: Admit that you are burned out.

The first step to getting past the burnout is being aware of the problem in the first place. If you feel frustrated and/or exhausted about your job, then you are likely experiencing burnout to some degree. Below are a few of the signs to look for:

  • Dreading going to work
  • Trouble sleeping or decreased energy
  • Irritability, especially with co-workers
  • Feeling unrecognized or unappreciated
  • Negative attitude
  • Thoughts of quitting
  • Frequent illnesses or headaches
  • Decreased productivity or drive
  • Lack of creativity

If you exhibit one or more of these symptoms of burnout, it’s time to take action.

Ways to Combat Burnout

Like many things, many of the “treatment” options for burnout are the same as prevention. If you adopt these practices into your life, you are far less likely to become burned out in the first place.

Take a Break

I’m not talking about a coffee break. I’m talking about a full-on vacation, with no phones, computers, or work-related anything. You need to disconnect from your work completely from time to time in order to stay refreshed.

Meditate Daily

Even if it’s just for 10 minutes, taking time to just breathe can be extremely powerful. Meditation helps reduce stress and re-focuses the mind and refreshes body. Learn more about the benefits of mediation here.

Delegate

Often, burnout results from not being able to keep up with the demands of your job. Most people can keep up with being overworked for a while, but eventually it will get you down. If you have the ability to hire someone to take care of tasks that don’t have to be done by you, do it. If you work for someone else, consider a candid conversation with your boss about your workload.

I often say I only do the things that only I can do. If it doesn’t have to be done by you, delegate some tasks to others so you can focus on what is most important.

You may also need to evaluate if you are in the habit of saying yes too much. Check out this post to learn more about saying no.

Schedule Self-Care

Don’t just schedule it; prioritize it. Being intentional about making time for yourself is crucial to staying on top of your game. Make time to head to the gym, spend time with friends, take a bath, read a book. . .whatever it is that helps you relax. Find time daily, weekly, and monthly to squeeze in a bit of self care. Learn more about the importance of self care.

Change Your Attitude

When you feel overwhelmed, focus on gratitude for the job you have and the skills that got you there. Feeling pressured? Focus on joy for the ability to work. When you feel frustrated, focus on forgiveness and appreciation for the opportunity to grow. You get the idea. Instead of dwelling on the negative, seek out the positive.

Try Some Aromatherapy

It’s often difficult to push through frustrations and put on a happy face amidst irritation and challenges. Essential oils have profound effects on the emotions. Try diffusing an uplifting blend at work or try a roll on for motivation. Check out this post, 10 Essential Oils for Motivation!

Leave Work at Work

This one is pretty straightforward. If you work all day and bring your work home with you, it doesn’t allow your mind to detach and fully relax. This can be more of a challenge if you work from home. Schedule set work hours and stick to them. To fully combat burnout, make sure to turn off computers, phones, and other distractions so you can fully disconnect.

Consider a Change

If you implement these changes and you still experience burnout, it may be time for a change. Most experts say that the best solution for burnout is pursuing work that you are passionate about. If your work is unfulfilling and unrewarding, it will be a constant battle to stay positive and motivated. Even people who love their jobs get burned out, but it is far less likely and frequent.

You’ll burn out much faster working five hours a day at a job that hurts your soul than you would working 15 hours a day at a job that feeds your soul.

To learn more about being an empowered decision-maker, download this free ebook, Empowered Choice.

The Season of Libra: A time for fun and relationships

by

Fall is in the air as we leave the season of Virgo and enter that of Libra. From September 23 – October 23 the sun is in Libra. This transition may leave you feeling a little more vulnerable and craving companionship. Find out what makes a Libra tick, as well as what this season entails for those not born under this sign.

Personality

Interestingly, Libra is the only zodiac sign that is not represented by a human or other animal. In a season of nearly equal-length days and nights, the Libra personality strives for balance and equality as well. Signifying this need for balance, the sign is represented by the scales. This defining characteristic is seen throughout the lives of those born under Libra.

In relationships, Libras enjoy talking about themselves and have a great need for validation from their friends and partners. Likewise, they are great, perceptive listeners who make you feel valued and accepted. A Libra will seek out truth and fairness in all situations. This sometimes means they shy away from conflict, but they also make great mediators and work towards mutual compromise. Libras are very intuitive and sensitive to other people and constantly seek out justice and equality in work and relationships.

Libras typically do not like being alone, and they often bring the party with them. People born under this sign tend to be outgoing, social, sometimes flirtatious, and always up for a good time. Libras make great lovers, but not surprisingly, they can be a bit high maintenance. They enjoy material things, value outward appearances, and enjoy music, art, and being surrounded by beauty.

Sometimes, the sensitive, companion-seeking Libra may come off as superficial because of their focus on outward beauty and need to be the center of attention. But deep down, the Libra is a caring soul who longs for deep connections with others.

Time to Channel Your Inner Party Girl

Sorry, Virgos, but your season was a bit blasé. Chances are, you checked some things off your to-do list and did a bit of cleaning and organizing during the Virgo season, but it wasn’t a lot of fun. Get ready to make up for lost time during the next month. The time of Libra is anything but boring; rather, it’s time to put away your planner and join the party!

You may also feel the urge to shop during this season. The indulgent Libra can get to all of us and convince us to buy now, especially if you’ve been longing for something. Be cautious. Some splurging is advantageous, but it is easy to get carried away and end up with regrets and shopper’s remorse.

Consider spending a bit of time sprucing up yourself this month too. Whether it’s a new haircut, a wardrobe update, or maybe just a new shade of lipstick, this season is the ideal time to nurture your outward appearance and express some self-love.

The Heart Chakra

As feelers and relationship-centered beings, the heart chakra governs those born under Libra. This chakra not only deals with relationships, but also love of yourself, forgiveness, and compassion.

An open heart chakra helps us feel deeply connected, aware of the beauty around us, and in harmony with our inner selves and others. However, a blockage in the heart chakra can manifest as difficulties in relationships, low self esteem, and a desire to withdraw.

Because the heart chakra encompasses the respiratory and cardiovascular system, people with an imbalance in this chakra may also experience respiratory and heart-related illnesses or complaints.

Crystals and Stones

Libras are peacemakers who tend to shy away from confrontation. Their desire for justice can also make them a bit judgmental at times. Crystals that help encourage speaking out and promoting tolerance and open-mindedness are helpful during this time. Stones for grounding are also helpful for maintaining focus.

  • Aquamarine
  • Aventurine
  • Green Tourmaline
  • Kunzite
  • Lapis Lazuli
  • Moonstone
  • Labradorite
  • Citrine

Essential Oils

Calming essential oils help balance the happy-go-lucky energy that prevails during this time. Look for oils that encourage balance in the body and energy.

Libra Roller Blend

Try this roller blend to encourage mental and physical balance. You can also use a combination of these essential oils in a diffuser if you prefer.

Combine essential oils in a 10 mL roller bottle. (I love the Constellation Trio from Whimsy & Wellness!) Add crystals and top off with carrier oil. Affix roller and shake gently before use.

Want to learn more about balancing chakras with essential oils? Check out this post!