Cilantro - Coriandrum sativum
The love it or hate it herb, truly. Most people perceive the taste of cilantro (coriander leaves) as a tart, lemon/lime taste, but 3–21% of people  think the leaves taste like dish soap. This disparity is linked to a gene in some people that allows them to detect the taste of specific aldehydes that are also used as odorant substances in many soaps and detergents.
Native to Southern Europe, North Africa and Southwest Asia this herb is able to be cultivated in many other locations around the world. Its cultivation by humans dates back to the ancient Greece of the second millennium.

The mature seeds of cilantro are referred to as coriander a popular ground spice that has a nutty slightly sweet flavor. Both the leaver, cilantro and the seeds, coriander can be found in many culinary dishes as well as being used medicinally as well as an essential oil.

Cilantro is taken by mouth fresh or in capsule form is excellent for cancerous conditions. It is highly beneficial to remove toxic heavy metals such as mercury, lead, or aluminum from the body. I recommend my clients do a heavy metal detox at least one time per year. Cilantro is part of that protocol.

Cilantro, appear to have more antioxidant activity than the coriander seeds due to the high phenolic content. Coriander leaves contain beneficial flavonoids, polyphenols, and phenolic acids. The polyphenols present include kampferol and quercetin, which have also been shown to have an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect. These plant metabolites have attracted interest and study for their potential protective role against oxidative damage and its associated diseases, including coronary heart disease, stroke, and cancers. The leaves of the plant are high in vitamins A, K, and C, as well as calcium.

Incorporating this herb in food, taking it as a nutritive support or for the benefits it offers as a powerful antioxidant this herb packs a punch on every level! 

I came across this wonderful photo when I was searching for an image for Bridge to Health's monthly Meet-up, Chi Nei Tsang Learn & Share during which I will be teaching Laughing Chi Kung.
It may seem odd to practice laughing, but there is actually scientific data that suggests that the importance of "learning to be happy" when your younger is essential to maintaining happiness through out your lifetime. It seems that unless you cultivate your ability to be happy and enjoy life you can actually lose the feeling of happiness as you age. Happiness is then inevitably lost!

The Proverbs 17:12, tells us a "happy heart does good like a medicine".

The many benefits of laughter help us to cultivate our sense of happiness and brings so much more to the table.
Benefits of Laughter

• Relaxes the whole body. A good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after.
• Boosts the immune system. Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease.
• Triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.
• Protects the heart. Laughter improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood flow, which can help protect you against a heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.
• Burns calories. It’s no replacement for going to the gym, but one study found that laughing for 10 to 15 minutes a day can burn approximately 40 calories—which could be enough to lose three or four pounds over the course of a year.
• Lightens anger’s heavy load. Nothing diffuses anger and conflict faster than a shared laugh. Looking at the funny side can put problems into perspective and enable you to move on from confrontations without holding onto bitterness or resentment.
• Helps you to live longer. A study in Norway found that people with a strong sense of humor outlived those who don’t laugh as much. The difference was particularly notable for those battling cancer.

Practicing laughing actually creates new brain wave patterns and creates new neural pathways. Regular practice of laughing for 30-40 days will engrain laughter as a habit. You will actually be more amused by life in general.

Beyond practicing laughter as a form of healing meditation and the cultivation of chi (energy and information) it is important to keep life on the lighter side.
You can do this by....

• ​Staying away from the daily news sources. The news only reports what is apparently going wrong. There is a tendency for news reports to focus on drama and fear. If it's really important you will hear about it, otherwise if nothing else take a break for awhile for the news.
• Limit watching films and TV that depict violence, oppression, aggression or are depressing topics with little or no redeeming value. When we watch entertainment our mind and physiology experience what we are watching as though it is really happening. This takes a toll on your adrenal glands, increases the production of adrenaline.
• Conversely, watching programs that are light hearted, have good moral lessons, engage your mind to follow the mystery, are comedic all support healthy minds and healthy bodies. 
• Socialize more, play games with others, throwing the frisbee and laugh at how silly the other person looks while trying to catch it...seriously, anything that takes you away from your day to day troubles builds happiness. Playing is a higher brain function, get out and play with others regularly!​  ​​

Laughing Chi Kung:
Opening Practice

• Prepare yourself my sitting in a relaxed upright posture that allows for a straight spine without straining to hold the body upright. Use a mediation chair, or pillows to prop yourself up comfortably.
• Connect with your following the in and out flow of the breath like a wave.
• Slowly expand the breath and become aware of the breath moving from your sacrum to your upper chest.
• Initiate your inner smile. With each breath take the smile into all the cells of your body.
• Become aware of the movement of energy through the body, continue for about 5 - 10 minutes and rest.

Belly Laughing

• Place your hands over your tan tien (lower belly, between the belly button and the pelvis).
• Initiate a deep belly laughing, ha ha ha sound. Move your belly in and out with each laugh, continue for about 5 minutes, stop and.....
• Rest your tongue on the upper pallet and become aware of the jaw, try to relax the jaw if possible.
• Become aware of the energy flowing through the body, gather the energy into the navel area, breath and notice how your body feels.

Giggling

• Place your hands over your tan tien (lower belly, between the belly button and the pelvis).
• Initiate a small giggling sound, hee hee hee. Notice this sensation is more centered in the chest area, continue for about 5 minutes, stop and.....
• Rest your tongue on the upper pallet and become aware of the jaw, try to relax the jaw if possible.
• Become aware of the energy flowing through the body, gather the energy into the navel area, breath and notice how your body feels.

Silent Giggling

• Place your hands over your tan tien (lower belly, between the belly button and the pelvis).
• Initiate a small giggling sound, hee hee hee as a silent inner sound. Notice this sensation as different from giggling out loud. Continue for about 5 minutes, stop and.....
• Rest your tongue on the upper pallet and become aware of the jaw, try to relax the jaw if possible.
• Become aware of the energy flowing through the body, gather the energy into the navel area, breath and notice how your body feels.

These Chi Kung Laughing Meditation will enhance your sense of spaciousness within your body and work to reset your brain patterns to become more joyful, to laugh at life's humorous moments and not to take life or your ego too seriously. Life is for enjoying and in the modern world or woes a little practice can take us a long way!
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