Domestic Violence Poem

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When the violence comes from someone you are intimate with
There’s less of a stigma; it’s called domestic or dating violence
And the cycle is passed on from generation to generation
Because of society’s apathy, victims continue to suffer in silence

On the news the other night they reported
How a man kept his wife in a cage
Because she had threatened to leave him
Now where is the public outrage?

In fact there was more coverage, indignation, and anger
When we found some animals had been mistreated at the zoo
Is that why there are three times more animal shelters
Than there are shelters for battered women and children to go to?

Much of domestic violence is done at home in privacy
Women and children are abused where others can’t see
And even when reported they rarely get maximum sentences
What does that say about society’s values and priorities?

Many times women can’t leave because they can’t afford to
And they are afraid for their lives and of losing their kids
When they seek solace they are counseled to save the marriage;
Some convince the women to just pray and forgive what he did

But forgiveness from the victim doesn’t make abusers stop
And the exposure only fuels their anger and rage
And the abuse gets more and more brutal
Blind eyes and ears have already set the stage

If he defames you and hurts you
And takes advantage of you; he’s a user
Don’t confuse it with love because he says he’s sorry
Any man who hurts you is nothing but an abuser

If you see someone in trouble offer a shoulder, resources, or an ear
And call the police if its screaming sounds that you hear
Even though you don’t want to get involved, the facts are clear
And that is people die when others remain silent because of fear

We are a violent society and it just doesn’t make sense
To condone it in the home is ignoring domestic violence
You know it’s wrong; you’re not that slow or that dense
You’ve got to do what you can to stop domestic violence!

©2009, Barbara S. Talley- www.ThePoetSpeaks.com

Violence Is Violence Poem

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We call it child abuse
When an adult strikes a child.
“Spare the rod and spoil them,” says the abuser
As he/she justifies violence with a quote and a smile.

But the rod in the quote was used as a guide
Never did the shephard use it to whack or beat the sheep
Spare the guidance and you’ll spoil the child was the true message
Beating powerless children into submission is for cowards  and creeps

And contradictingly we teach them to turn the other cheek
While our own actions teach that the powerful can use violence
And instead of educating them to work out their differences
We habitually use force to make the weak to comply in silence

And what happens when they get too big to be beat?
What have we taught them about handling disagreements in life?
How do you think they will relate to their children?
And their friends or enemies or husband or wife?

Violence continues because society secretly sanctions it
Saying, “We were all spanked and we turned out just fine.”
“Anyway, spanking is essential to their development,” they say.
“How else can you get kids to behave and mind?”

When your child abuses another child, it’s minimized
Because you simply refuse to see your own child as a bully.
He’ll grow out of it and you brush it off with, “Boys will be boys!”
Naïve or do you really not understand the implications fully?

“No child should be labeled as violent,” some say.
Many were abused and that’s why they are so tough.
And others simply say that they are not trying to raise a sissy.
“There’s nothing wrong with him; he just plays a little rough.”

“He’s a good kid, he is just misunderstood.
It’s natural for boys to fight.
It’s part of the masculine development.
Just ignore it, and he’ll be all right.”

If the violence is directed against a stranger or neighbor
It’s called assault or perhaps battery.
If it’s done on a highway in our cars, we shrug it off as road rage.
Accepting violence as normal is just insanity.

If it’s directed toward another religion or race
It gets another label; now it’s called a hate crime.
Every fifteen seconds a woman is abused
And we’re becoming more apathetic and violent with time.

If it’s on the playstation, or field, or in the ring
We call it entertainment, a sport, or a game.
Society even pays money to see more of this violence.
And the strongest of these “entertainers” rises to fame.

If it’s directed against a leader who’s powerful and not an ally
And there’s a plan to kill him, it’s  not murder but an assassination.
And we call violence against another country patriotism or war.
And somehow this is okay, is this a humane response or ignorant indoctrination?

Violence is just violence.
Power over another is its primary goal.
The perpetrator gets his/her adrenaline rush
By hurting others and keeping them under their control.

Violence is violence.
It’s all the same don’t you see.
And if society doesn’t begin to take it seriously
The next victim could be you or me.

©2008-9, Barbara S. Talley, www.ThePoetSpeaks.com

Garlic: Nature’s Natural Antibiotic

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GARLIC

What To Do When The Experts Are No Help!

What do you do when you’re feeling sick, the pain is unbearable,  and the prescriptions that the “experts” prescribe are either making you sicker or are just not working?

The first emergency room said, “It’s not shingles!”  The second hospital emergency room physician said very emphatically, “It’s definitely shingles!”  The third prognosis came from the neurologist, “I don’t think it’s shingles, but I’m not sure.” So where does that leave us, you’ve got it…confused!!

So now I’m going into the third week of painful episodes with a close family member.  Her skin feels like it is burning and is extremely sensitive to touch, even clothing hurt her.  At one point, the pain surrounded three quarters of her abdomen area, so she could only lay on one small area, which after a few days became numb and/or aching.

I Understand How Michael Jackson Could Get Hooked on Painkillers

I can understand how Michael Jackson could get hooked on painkillers.  They kept prescribing her painkillers which she took like clockwork because if she didn’t she couldn’t get any rest or relief.  It amazed me how quick they were to prescribe a medication even though they weren’t sure what it was.

By the end of the second week of pain, her window sill which housed her medicines was filled to the brim with a mixture of allopathic prescriptions, vitamins, minerals, and natural remedies.  Occasionally she would get a glimmer of hope and an easement in the pain, just to be shocked back into reality with another painful episode.  She was getting so disheartened.  I decided to call my irridologist.

Garlic Is A Natural Antibiotic

Dr Laurie recommended GARLIC and reminded me of the garlic detox she had prescribed for me a year ago.  She explained that garlic is a natural antibiotic.  It appears that this is not something new,  for  Garlic Central also reports that, “Louis Pasteur examined garlic’s use as an antibacterial back in the nineteenth century and showed how it killed bacteria under laboratory conditions. Numerous modern studies confirm that garlic has definite antibiotic properties and is effective against many bacteria, fungi and viruses. According to Wright State University (1), garlic is approximately one per cent as potent an antibiotic as penicillin.”

Garlic Must Be Fined Chopped or Crushed to Release It’s Anti-Fungal Properties

The allicin and diallyl sulphides in organic garlic is what makes it so healthy and powerful.  Accillin is anti-fungal and the diallyl sulphides are good for the blood, circulation,  and boosting the immune system.  According to Garlic Central, “Allicin does not occur in “ordinary” garlic, it is produced when garlic is finely chopped or crushed. The finer the chopping and the more intensive the crushing, the more allicin is generated and the stronger the medicinal effect.”  The site also states that garlic should be eaten raw, chopped, and with cooked food to protect the stomach because, “if garlic is cooked whole then it has almost no medicinal value or health benefits.”

Dr. Laurie’s Garlic Detox

The garlic detox consists of taking one tablespoon of raw organic garlic four times a day for four days.  I did it last year and I’ve rarely been sick.  Now brace yourself, you will smell like garlic for a few days, so do this over the weekend.  But the benefits are worth it!  She recommends doing it each season or when you feel something coming on.

Did you know that garlic according to http://www.garlic-central.com/garlic-health.html, is not only a “herbal wonder drug,” but can also :

The Benefits of Garlic

In addition, http://naturalhealthremedies.org/what-are-the-health-benefits-of-garlic/ shares the following extraordinary benefits:

  • Garlic has a powerful antioxidant effect-“Allicin naturally increases antioxidant enzymes atalase and glutathione peroxidase in your blood. It can help against the damaging effects of nicotine and slows the aging process of your liver by inhibiting lipid peroxidation.”
  • Garlic has 1% of the potency of penicillin and can ward off a number of bacteria such as Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli, Cryptococcal meningitis, Candida albican and Staphylococcus. The problem with most antibiotics is that bacteria develops resistance to them, however this is not the case with garlic.  These benefits were first realized back in the early 19th century when English priests caught infectious fever. The French priests, who ate garlic everyday, didn’t.”
  • Garlic is effective in reducing Blood Pressure– “Clinical trials, which were published in the Journal of Hypertension, showed that the blood pressure of volunteers was reduced 1 – 5% after taking garlic supplements. This may not sound a lot but this small reduction can reduce the chance of a stroke by 30-40% and heart disease by 20-25%.”

Can Two or Three Cloves of Garlic Prevent a Cold?

And, if all this weren’t enough, they assert that two or three cloves can prevent a cold!   As with any powerful medicine, there are precautions http://www.garlic-central.com/dangers.html.  Garlic Central cautions against storing raw garlic in oil in room temperature.  They also share recommendations on what to look for when buying it. http://www.garlic-central.com/garlic-101.html

When I googled the ‘health benefits of garlic’, I got 5,310,000 hits.  There is so much more to garlic.  Check out these links for a scientific explanation on the potential benefits of using garlic:  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090130154901.htm or http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/15/unlocking-the-benefits-of-garlic/, or http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=60.

If that doesn’t convince you to introduce garlic as a regular part of you diet, then do your own research to find out how it helps with impotence, inhibits coronary artery calcification, reduces free radicals, and protects against many cancers.

Barbara Talley is a speaker, author, poet, and publisher.  Her signature workshop, Superwoman Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, shares the importance of balance and loving ourselves enough to  take  care of our health so that we have the energy to go after our dreams. www.thepoetspeaks.com

ACV: A Super Tonic for Super Energy and More

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Use Apple Cider Vinegar As A Tonic

“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.”    This phrase comes to mind because I had heard about the benefits of ACV years ago at a Women’s Gathering that I organized.  I asked all the women to come prepared to share natural remedies that they had used or learned about growing up.  One older lady present discussed how she had taken ACV when traveling to other countries and had never gotten a stomach virus even when all of her co-workers had gotten ill.   When I purchased a bottle, I noticed that there was a recipe for an energy tonic right on the label.  The recipe consisted of vinegar and honey or  blackstrap molasses three times a day.    Folk Medicine: A Vermont Doctor’s Guide to Good Health, written by D.C. Jarvis, M.D states that cider vinegar could destroy harmful bacteria in the digestive tract and recommended it as a digestive tonic to be consumed with meals.  I know that my daughter and I had started using vinegar for cleaning the house, but I had never considered it for internal cleaning.

Apple Cider Vinegar Even Helps Thicken Thinning Hair

But, it wasn’t until a family member shared her personal story about ACV a few months ago that I took it to heart.  Since then I have been drinking ACV regularly.  I swear even my toenails which have been dark since I can remember are getting lighter.   My relative talked about how ACV had helped to restore her daughter back to health.  The ACV removed the mercury from her daughter’s frail body through her scalp after a near death experience after a childhood vaccination.  She also talked about how it had helped to thicken both of her daughters hair as well as friend’s whose hair was thinning. After several months her friend’s hair was thick again.  All the women present wanted some right then.  She encouraged me to use ACV to detangle my daughters’ thick afro hair after washing it.

Get Raw Brown Vinegar with the Mother In It

She raved about it so much that I decided that I wanted to find out more about it.  At first I got the wrong kind.  I didnt know whether to get white or brown vinegar, apple or rice, or distilled.   The white vinegar didnt work for ailments but worked wonders on my white tile.   Brown vinegar that’s processed also didnt work.  I was instructed to make sure that I got the Braggs Brand with the ‘mother’ in it.   It also had to be organic,  raw, and unfiltered.

To my surprise, the Bragg’s brand http://bragg.com/products/acv.html had a tonic recipe right on the bottle.   But, a little research on the web uncovered even more secrets of ACV.  Here is what I found out at http://www.earthclinic.com/Remedies/acvinegar.html . 

Health Benefits of ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar)

“Apple Cider Vinegar, that wonderful old-timers home remedy, cures more ailments than any other folk remedy.”   This site has been recording the health benefits of ACV for the past eight years.  Here’s how they summarize the benefits of ACV: “They include cures for allergies (including pet, food and environmental), sinus infections, acne, high cholesterol, flu, chronic fatigue, candida, acid reflux, sore throats, contact dermatitis, arthritis, and gout. One reader reported that a shot of ACV saved him from going to the emergency room for heart pain. Apple Cider Vinegar also breaks down fat and is widely used to lose weight. It has also been reported that a daily dose of apple cider vinegar in water has high blood pressure under control in two weeks!” On a personal note, another family member is using it right now with cayenne pepper for shingles.  Be sure to check out my post on cayenne. http://tinyurl.com/cayenne-superfood

Note:  I am not a doctor or health professional, just a person seeking super health through natural healing remedies.  Check out everything yourself and do your own research.   My irridologist doesn’t agree with the hype about ACV.  So, you’ll have to make up your own mind.  This info is only to get you started.

Barbara Talley is a professional speaker, author, poet, and publisher.  Visit her website at www.thepoetspeaks.com

Cayenne: A Superfood for Super Healing

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If we want to be super healthy, we need to feed our bodies with foods that heal.  A close family member was recently (and incorrectly) diagnosed with shingles which is an adult version of the Chickenpox virus and is extremely painful.  In my research to find natural solutions to an ailment that they say there is no cure for,  I came across ACV (Apple cider Vinegar), Lysine,  and Cayenne pepper as possible cures.

Benefits of Cayenne Pepper

One doctor noted that if we could only have one herb, it should be cayenne or Capsicum because it helps everything else work better.  Apparently cayenne has been used for thousands of years by ancient cultures.  Who’d have thought that a simple spice made from chili peppers could:

  1. Relieve the pain of arthritis, shingles, and hemorrhoids
  2. Rebuild the tissue in the stomach and the peristaltic action in the intestines.
  3. Cure stomach aches, cramping, gas, varicose veins, allergies, and constipation
  4. Stop heart attacks, racing heart and arrythmia
  5. Nourish the heart, clean the blood, and facilitate healing of the blood vessels
  6. Cure athlete foot,  infections, and viruses because of its anti-fungal properties
  7. Open sinuses
  8. Relieve headaches and cramps by increasing blood flow
  9. Assist in weight loss
  10. Kill lung, pancreatic, and prostrate cancer cells.   Watch the video at http://www.cayennepepper.info/.
  11. Prevent and treat blood clots
  12. Heal a sore ulcerated stomach

Cayenne Pepper Is Measured in Heat Units (HU)

Now before you run out and buy the first cayenne pepper you see, (as I did unfortunately) read on.  Apparently all cayenne pepper is not created equal.   Did you know that cayenne pepper for medicinal purposes comes in strengths of 30,000, 60,000, and 90,000  measured as HU or Heat Units?  According to Earthclinic.com, a HU over 30,000 is required for medicinal purposes and  it should not be  irradiated.  Under 30,000 may be contaminated.  Check out the website below for testimonials on the benefits of using cayenne pepper.  http://www.earthclinic.com/Remedies/cayenne.html.

Note:  I am not a doctor or health professional, just a person seeking super health through natural healing remedies.  Check out everything yourself and do your own research.  This info is only to get you started.

Barbara Talley is a professional speaker, author, poet, and publisher.  Visit her website at www.thepoetspeaks.com