Archives for April 2015

No matter how many articles or books we read, how many interviews we watch, or how many movies we see, only those brave men and women who have faced or made the ultimate sacrifice for their country can possibly know what it’s like to be front and center in the thick of war. We can admire them. We can support them. And we can thank them. But we can never be them.

Like many war veterans, Stan Deland would much rather move forward than live in the past, although the past is always there with him. Having joined the Marines in 2000, he first served as an infantry Platoon Commander who led 60 Marines from Kuwait to Baghdad during the initial invasion of Iraq. A year later, Stan returned to the Middle East as second in command of an Infantry Company that swelled to 260 Marines for the November 2004 assault through Fallujah.

The physical toll for Stan was mercifully minor. The emotional toll had to be contended with. One never knows how an experience will shape you and Stan feels blessed that his time in the Marine Corps gave him the confidence to walk through a new, much different door. A few years ago, he decided to parlay his training as a Marine – a training replete with clarity, balance and an obvious emphasis on helping others – into a remarkable homeopathic brand that offers stress relief and emotional detox to anyone, anywhere wading through the literal or figurative minefields of life.

It all began after Stan’s second tour in Iraq. Having served his country overseas for a total of 18 out of the previous 36 months, it was time for him to look inward and assess health and life beyond the “airway, breathing, and circulation” that a corpsman looks for when assessing a casualty.

War causes some to look for answers and it opened Stan up to new possibilities. A few months after returning from Fallujah he had a most fortuitous meeting with a highly intelligent and skilled acupuncturist interested in pushing the limits of human potential. This manner of looking at health, wellness and life appealed to the Marine in Stan. He was a willing guinea pig for any and all treatment modalities the acupuncturist could come up with.

Some of the most profound protocols involved homeopathy. This was a stunning realization: homeopathy – something Stan, like many in the West, was more than a little skeptical of – was directly leading him down a much-needed pathway of increased self knowledge and peace. And if the right ingredients and the right products could help him achieve new levels of internal freedom after the remarkable twists and turns of his life in the Marines, surely it could help countless adults and even children improve their own lives too.

Today, Stan’s company – Siddha Flower Essences (www.siddhaflowers.com) is a fast-growing brand with a veritable menu-full of life-affirming products designed to provide stress relief, emotional detox and such essential benefits as joint pain relief, heart health, improved sleep, softer skin and much more — not only for adult and young humans, but for pets as well.

Offering the very best nature and modern manufacturing have to offer, Siddha’s products are based on the long-held view that our nervous system is an electro-chemical entity that needs to be nurtured and healed.

“Western medicine does wondrous things addressing the chemical portion of our nervous system,” says Stan. “However, flower essences, homeopathy and other forms of time-tested healing modalities like acupuncture are more finely attuned to the electrical portion  of our nervous system.

“According to Chinese medicine, there are both internal and external causes of disease. The external causes include trauma, infection, poor diet, unhealthy lifestyle choices, and a harsh working or living environment — to name a few. The internal causes of disease are sometimes known as the 5 Thieves because they rob us of our energy and our youth. These include anger, sadness, fear, anxiety, and over-stimulation. Siddha Flower Essences are here to help people resolve the internal causes of disease. Homeopathic remedies have had a profound impact on my life, and I feel exceptionally fortunate to be able to provide a similar opportunity to others.”

Side-Effect Free                                                                                                                                                                                                                     While Stan and his team would never negate the importance and efficacy of numerous Western drugs and medical treatments, many of Siddha’s customers are ready to embrace alternative options after experiencing negative side effects from “traditional” products, even supposedly mild over-the-counter drugs.Because Siddha doesn’t manufacture physical/bio-chemical medicine, there are no negative physical side effects or dependency issues. In addition, all of the company’s all-natural products are manufactured at an FDA registered facility that operates according to OTC Drug and GMP guidelines – in compliance with all relevant federal, state and local regulations.

As Stan puts it, “Our products are designed to bring subtle yet powerful change, so ‘safe’ might not always mean entirely comfortable. However, these minor discomforts are only signs that the body is healing itself. Once the healing takes place, you are very likely to experience increased physical and emotional wellness. These remedies are not forcing change but instead are working synergistically with your body and mind. Most often that means helping to resolve belief structures and energetic blocks that limit or no longer serve a purpose. The fewer layers we lug around, the closer we are to our true nature.”

I received samples of the products for the Pets, Children and a few other of the top sellers. My favorite are the products for the Pets. I like that they are natural, safe & effective. They are also safe for dogs & cats of all ages. The following are the ones in this line up: Abandonment & Separation, Calm Down, Oral Health and Temperament & Boundaries.  They are easy to use and I like that they do not contain alcohol, sugar or dairy. There is also one for adults called Stress relief. This one is a Must-Try!

About Homeopathy                                                                                                                                                                                                Many believe that the art of homeopathy dates back to around 400 BC, when Hippocrates prescribed a small dose of mandrake root to treat anxiety or mania. In the late 18^th Century, Samuel Hahnemann gave homeopathy its name and broadened its scope — believing that all effective drugs produce symptoms in healthy individuals similar to those of the diseases that they treat, in accord with the “law of similars” that had been proposed by ancient physicians. Because Hahnemann thought large doses of drugs that caused similar symptoms would only aggravate illness, he advocated extreme dilutions of the substances, devising a way to preserve a substance’s therapeutic properties while removing its harmful effects.

Flower essences, cell salts and other homeopathic ingredients are captured in water using traditional homeopathic manufacturing techniques. These ingredients have been shown over many years of use to resolve specific kinds of stress and relieve other ailments such as muscle and joint pain, irregular sleep and damaged skin.

About Siddha Flower Essences                                                                                                                                                                        Co-Founded by Stan Deland, a Marine who served two tours of duty in Iraq, Siddha Flower Essences offers a contemporary take on the centuries-old Eastern practice of homeopathy. Based in Malibu, California, the company offers a wide array of products designed to alleviate the stresses, aches, pains, anxieties and emotional imbalances all too common in today’s Western society (and worldwide). Safe and effective for adults, children and pets alike, Siddha’s homeopathic flower essence products – available atwww.siddhaflowers.com and in a growing number of retail stores – are being embraced not only by longtime homeopathy advocates but by mainstream consumers yearning to avoid side-effect-laden drugs as well.

Photo of  Stan Deland, courtesy of  Siddha Flower Essences.

Self Disclosure: I received free samples to facilitate this feature. No other compensation was received to post.

Three strikes, you’re out! With the start of  Major League Baseball a couple weeks ago, baseball fans across the country will be tuning in to America’s favorite pastime for a new season. Not only is baseball a spectator sport, but Education.com has many resources to make it a learning experience as well. Now, how cool is that?! Do you have a child who loves baseball? These resources are a lot of fun and educational too!

Along with the fun and memory making that comes along with baseball, there’s also an educational opportunity for fans of all ages to learn about how this popular sport uses every day math and science in its game. Education.com has tons of free resources for kids, parents, and teachers to learn about the history of baseball, the physics of throwing a baseball, baseball math games, and more.

In addition, Education.com’s Brainzy, a math and reading subscription program for 3-7 year olds, has over 300 games and activities focused on subjects that are needed in school, and in the everyday game of life – and baseball!