Balancing Your Mind, Body and Spirit

Ways to Alkalize Your Diet

2011-02-09T05:41:00.000-05:00

The idea behind an alkaline diet is that the nutrients that are found in supplements, alkalizing foods, and water can bring the body out of an acidic state and bring back balance. Alkalizing vitamins, minerals, foods, and herbs fill the body with new energy, vitality, and encourage better health. Alkaline foods, along with water, must be consumed in order to provide nutrients the body needs to neutralize the acids that are trapped inside the body and the toxins that are in the blood, lymph, tissues, organs, and cells.

When the pH balance (acid versus alkaline) inside the body is ‘out of balance’ the body tries to correct that sensitive pH balance. That process shows up as uncomfortable symptoms, including colds, flues, allergies, diseases, viruses, and bacteria. When the body’s pH level is in balance, the body reaches ideal weight and corrects negative health challenges naturally.
Transitioning to a more alkaline healthy diet requires a shift in attitude towards food. The important point to remember is that small changes go a long way. Add more alkaline foods to your diet gradually.

Here are 7 ways to make alkaline diets benefit you:

Reduce your consumption of sugar and products made from sugar, including pop, pies, jello, jams and jellies, artificial juices, puddings, doughnuts, corn, syrups, chewing gum, sweetened drinks, cookies, breakfast cereals, liquors, and mixed drinks.
Avoid processed and man made foods and condiments including ketchup, salad dressings, pickles, luncheon meats, canned fruits, breads, relish, cheese dips, peanut butter, prepared seafood, crackers, canned soups, hot dogs, sausages, and sweetened yogurt.
Avoid cooking and heating foods and drinks in a microwave.
Avoid or limit dairy, meats, fried foods, and fast foods.
Increase your intake of raw vegetables and raw fresh fruits. You should include raw vegetables or vegetables with every meal. If your breakfast is only toast or cereal, stop eating toast and take fresh fruits or vegetable juices instead. If your lunches consist of sandwiches, substitute it with a fruit or vegetable salad. Have a large salad before you eat an entrée at dinner.
Grains are an essential part of a balanced diet and are important in maintaining the alkaline balance in the body. Grains are a great source of vitamins, minerals, and important nutrients, including folic acid, fiber, carbohydrates, and antioxidants. By eating grains you can eat less but feel full. Grains should compromise about 20% of your diet.
Drink at least half of your body weight in ounces of good quality water each day.

Creating the proper alkaline balance within your body will bring you increased quality of life. You’ll start seeing immediate improvements in your health. Your energy will increase. Your concentration will be stronger. You’ll build strength, stamina, and resistance to diseases. Your entire body will function more efficiently just like it was meant to do.

When Did You Decide to Put Yourself Last?

2011-02-08T06:38:00.000-05:00

You feel exhausted, washed out and empty. You've got nothing more to give. You're waiting, hoping and praying for someone to whisk you away on a holiday, a very long holiday.

You are about to discover the ultimate rejuvenation formula to change your energy levels and
well being forever.

Imagine how amazing you are going to feel within as little as one week. There will be no more wishing, hoping and waiting, and no more putting yourself last.

Priority You Time Shouldn’t Happen By Accident : Promise yourself from this day forward not to let “priority you” time happen only by accident. Make a wise rejuvenation choice from this day forward to create daily, weekly and monthly “priority you” time. Take a stand. You deserve some time out, you deserve some fun, you deserve some space, your deserve some pampering and you deserve regular moments to rest, repair and rejuvenate yourself.

Stop putting yourself last. It’s time to start receiving more energy in than you are giving out.

The Priority “You Time” Formula:Go grab your diary now and allocate the following priority you times into your calendar.

1/2 an hour a day plus
1/2 day a week plus
1 day a month

Priority You Time Is All About Receiving:Priority you time is all about receiving and NOT giving energy. Put yourself first and:

make your heart sing
refuel your energy levels
untangle your stress and tension held in your body

Even if you have absolutely no idea at this point what to fill your priority you time with …… it doesn’t matter. Pretend, guess or make it up. Soon life will reveal or remind you what makes your heart sing.

6 Princlipes of Transcendent Beauty

2011-02-07T06:28:00.000-05:00

It seems to be hard-wired into our genes to want to be attractive and beautiful. The cosmetic industry knows it, and so do cosmetic surgeons–and their profits continue to pour in. But there are secrets to an ageless and infinite beauty that is within reach of all of us, without makeup, chemical peels, botox, or the surgeon’s knife.
These six principles of transcendent beauty are worth being passed along to your friends: they are real keepers. Read them here:
1. You must feel beautiful before you can look beautiful.
As the old saying goes, “There is no cosmetic for beauty like happiness.” When we connect with our inner beauty (which we can do with meditation), we connect with an ageless, infinite, and divine beauty that exists within all of us.
2. Get past the ordeal by mirror.
We need to get past the compulsion that drives us to root out our tiny imperfections and then feel guilt and shame when we see our reflections as inadequate. We need to get rid of negative feelings that cloud our vision of ourselves and instead begin to see ourselves the way our loved ones see us. And it also wouldn’t hurt to get rid of all our magnifying mirrors, which magnify “flaws”, and instead use lighting that enhances our reflections when we look into our non-magnifying mirrors!
3. Take responsibility for your own happiness.
Think of your inner self as a lighthouse standing steady with a constant beam despite the buffeting of the surrounding ocean. How powerful it is to envision your inner self as a sanctum protected from the vagaries of the outer world! It can also be empowering to analyze our situation, choose to be happy despite the aspects you can’t control, and take positive steps to change what you can control.
4. Live in the present.
One of the often overlooked ways to recognize the beauty within you is to concentrate on living in the present and to avoid basing your actions and feelings on thought and memories of the past. If you can become aware of this tendency, even for just for brief moments during your life, you’ll come to understand that others’ reactions to you are the result of what you project. If you want to elicit positive reactions from those around you, you need to express positive emotions and perform affirmative acts. From the beauty viewpoint, living in the present means accepting yourself as you are while not denying yourself as you were or might be.
5. Surround yourself with beauty.
Surrounding yourself with beauty–both tangible and intangible–is a time-honored technique for nurturing your soul. Keep living plants and animals in your home. Clothe yourself in beautiful garments–or, rather, garments that make you feel beautiful. Keep company with people who elevate you rather than bring you down–people who love you and show their love. Whether you believe in fortunes or fate, your life is yours to shape. And the most important and positive decision you can make is to bring beauty into your life.
6. Do at least one thing a day that inspires you.
We draw oxygen from the air we breathe, but we draw life from our passions. Keep your passions at the center of your days, whatever they may be–music, sports, cooking, reading, or writing. Whatever feeds your soul and makes it sing.

Adapted from Face Value, by Hema Sundaram (Rodale Press, 2003).

No Expectations Leave Us with Endless Possibilities!!!

2011-02-04T02:00:00.005-05:00

We expect things in life. We expect things to be as they were in our childhood, the way we were brought up. We expect things to be the way we want them to be, the way we feel things should be. We expect things to be the way we want them to be in our love life, our careers, our families, our vacations and our relationship with others. We are conditioned to expect certain things to go a certain way.

The greater you expect things to be, the harder it is to deal with things that do not go your way! Having no expectations is one of the greatest lessons we can learn. This is not an easy concept to wrap your mind around. But what happens if you let go of the expectations? Are you ready to forget about what you think you want, and learn more about the endless possibilities that are available to you?

Here’s some tips on letting go of those expectations that you are carrying with you:

Allow change to happen freely. All be itself.
Let go of old ideas. It’s time to grasp new ones anyway.
Embrace new ideas, no matter how different they are from yours. Learn that everyone can be right.
Conflicting thoughts are not a threat. They can be a window of opportunity. Ask yourself “what can I learn?”
Go into EVERY situation with an open mind. And this means every single one of them.
Follow a new idea or opportunity where IT leads you, NOT where you want it to go. Do not form an expectation ahead of time.
Take a new situation, one day at a time. Live in the moment with the new opportunities that are presented to you, just let them happen.
Be available mentally, emotionally, spiritually for an approach that may be different than yours.
Find the positive in EVERY situation that is presented to you. Why was this situation brought to me?
Learn the lesson the Universe is tossing your way.

Progress is not possible unless people embrace new ideas, mind sets, skills and expectations to match the opportunities afforded by the introduction of something new to them! By allowing yourself to be open to ANYTHING that is new to you and giving it a chance, you can find your life going in the direction of new adventures and endless possibilities!

Try it today!

The Many Health Benefits of Laughter

2011-02-03T02:00:00.000-05:00

What is better than a contagious giggle that goes beyond your control? Laughter is just a natural, easy to share, and spontaneous reaction that its no wonder it is so good for you. Laughter truly makes you feel better.

So, just what can laughter do for your health? It can:

Lower blood pressure
Increase vascular blood flow and oxygenation of the blood
Give a workout to the diaphragm and abdominal, respiratory, facial, leg, and back muscles
Reduce certain stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline
Increase the response of tumor- and disease-killing cells such as Gamma-interferon and T-cells
Defend against respiratory infections–even reducing the frequency of colds–by immunoglobulon in saliva.
Increase memory and learning; in a study at Johns Hopkins University Medical School, humor during instruction led to increased test scores
Improve alertness, creativity, and memory

According to humor expert, William Fry, M.D. of Stanford University, humor and creativity work in similar ways by creating relationships between two totally disconnected items, you engage the whole brain.

Humor works quickly. Less than a half-second after exposure to something funny, and electrical wave moves through the higher brain functions of the cerebral cortex. The left hemisphere analyzes the words and structures of the joke; the right hemisphere “gets” the joke; the visual sensory area of the occipital lobe creates images; the limbic (emotional) system makes you happier; and the motor sections make you smile or laugh.

So let’s laugh. Let's get a good laugh going. What makes you laugh? Go ahead, share your best in the comments below. Spread laughter and good health all at one time!

The Healing Secrets of Color

2011-02-02T02:00:00.001-05:00

From ancient times, healers from all over the world have used color to harmonize internal energies so that the entire body is in better balance. This leads to greater overall health and well-being. Now, modern research has agreed by concluding that color can have a positive affect on our state of mind and overall health. Here is a list of common illnesses and complaints with the colors best suited to assist in healing them.

Red: anemia, cold, leukemia, numbness.
Orange: alcoholism, arthritis, common cold, constipation, depression, fatigue, gallstones, gout, kidney and liver disease, muscular stiffness, ulcers.
Yellow: arthritis, jaundice, rheumatism.
Green: angina, chest pain, gastric ulcer, heart disease, peptic ulcer, trauma.
Turquoise: abscess, acne, asthma, boils, cold sore, dermatitis, eczema, fatigue, fever, hay fever, pneumonia, stings, stress, swelling, tension.
Blue: anxiety, acne, asthma, backache, blisters, bruises, burns, cough, cramp, dermatitis, earache, emphysema, gallstones, hernia, herpes, hiccups, influenza, itching, laryngitis, PMS, sneezing, sores, sprains, stiffness, stings, stress, sunburn, tonsillitis, toothache, wheezing.
Violet: Conjunctivitis, earache, menopause, mental illness, myopia, neuralgia, paranoia, warts.
Magenta: Fainting, headache, migraine, morning sickness, nausea, shock, stroke, vomiting.

How to Use Color for Healing

Simply visualize or imagine the color in your mind as you bathe or lie quietly on your bed, in order to restore your well-being.
Purchase a colored light bulb in the shade you need. Insert into your bathroom fixture or portable lamp (making sure it is a safe distance from the water) and use it while you take a healing bath.
Use natural food coloring in the bathwater. Several drops won’t affect your skin and will tint the water to a gentle hue.
Burn a candle in the appropriate color as you meditate, bathe, or simple lie quietly.
Eat foods of the same colors that you are wishing to work with.

It is not recommend that you use color therapy in place of medical attention, but rather as a compliment to your treatment plan.
　
　
　

12 Ways to Use Essential Oils in Your Daily Life

2011-02-01T02:00:00.002-05:00

Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils for health and healing. It is gaining popularity as across the US as we continue to search for alternative and complimentary therapies. Many people are familiar with the term aromatherapy, but really aren’t sure how to use it in practical applications. Here are a few examples of how you can incorporate them into your daily life.

Diffuse lemon or orange in air with a ceramic or electric diffuser to fragrance the air.
Facial steam - add a few drops of lavender oil to steaming water, remove from heat source, place your face over the bowl and drape your head with a towel.
Bath water - add 4-10 drops of your favorite oil to your bath or jacuzzi.
Skin spray - add 4-10 drops of lavender, geranium, or tea tree oil to 2 oz. of distilled water in a misting bottle then spray skin for a fresh uplift to the day.
Linen spray to freshen sheets & towels - same as the skin spray but mix 20-30 drops to 2 oz. and spray your sheets. Jasmine and rose essential oils work well.
Room spray - same as linen spray but the concentration is 50-75 drops to 2 oz. of distilled water. Orange gives a crisp clean scent.
Hand or foot bath - add 10 - 12 drops of peppermint (to revive) or lavender (to relax) oil to warm water with 2 tablespoons of Epsom salts. Soak your hands or feet.
Massage oil is easily made by adding 10-20 drops of oil to 1 oz. of carrier oil (such as grapeseed, olive, or sweet almond). For tired, achy muscles, use rosemary or lavender.
Put a few drops of eucalyptus oil on a cloth by your pillow at night to help breathing when struck by a cold or flu.
Hot compresses are wonderful on sore, tired muscles. Add 5-10 drops of oil to hot (not boiling) water. Soak a cloth in the water, wring it out and place on the affected area. Repeat as needed. Again, lavender and rosemary are good choices.
Dab tea tree on acne pimples to help clear up the infections.
Revive old potpourri mixes by adding 10-20 drops to the mix and stirring.

Remember, that most essential oils must be diluted before use directly on your skin. Lavender and tea tree are the only two oils that can be applied directly on the skin. There are many excellent resources online that discuss essential oils and their effects on the body, spirit and mind.

5 Ways to Keep Your Brain in Top Shape

2011-01-31T02:00:00.018-05:00

Exercise
Exercise supports your brain health the same way it supports your heart health. It improves your blood flow throughout the body, lowers your blood pressure and controls your weight. Increased blood flow means more oxygen and nutrients flooding brain cells to support optimal function.
* Try:
Activities like running, walking, cycling, strength training, dancing, yoga, or Pilates.

Eat for Your Heart… And Your Mind
A heart-healthy diet rich in colorful fruits and vegetables, omega-3 fats, and whole grains also support improved cognition. Fruits and veggies are rich in vitamins and minerals, which support healthy brain chemistry. Omega-3 fats also support brain cell structure and function.
* Try: Deep colored fruits and vegetables (fresh or frozen), walnuts, flax seeds, salmon, flax seed oil, and walnut oil.

New Activity
The key word is "new." Learn a new language, take a class or pick up a new instrument. When it comes to brain fitness, it's really a "use it or lose it" approach. Activities that make you think help support new brain cell growth. Whether you’re at home with a DVD or in a classroom setting, novel challenges to your brain help keep you sharp.
* Try: Sudoku, crossword puzzles, word search puzzles, language DVDs, or shopping without a list.

Take a Break
De-stressing yourself can boost brain fitness in several ways. Stress hormones are released in response to mental or biological stress, which can have a negative impact on brain functions, like memory. Sleep deprivation also can affect brain fitness, so get at least 6 to 7 hours nightly. Give your brain a daily rest for 30 to 60 minutes from all the multitasking. Put away the phone, computer, and TV remote and enjoy a little "alone" time. Exercise is also a great stress reliever. In fact, think of "alone” time and exercise time as double-duty brain boosters.
* Try: A daily 30-minute walk without cell phone; at least 6 hours of nightly sleep; counting to 10 and breathing deeply before responding to any stressful situation, or meditating.

Be Social
Join a group with an activity you enjoy, whether you’re meeting up with a book club, cooking, or walking together. Social interaction, online or in person, has been shown to boost brain fitness. And have fun while you’re at it! Playing games like Scrabble or bridge also boosts interactive skills and stimulates your brain.
* Try: Social groups and networks, chess club, join a sports team, or go dancing

About Self-Esteem

2011-01-28T02:00:00.002-05:00

Self-esteem is a person's sense of personal value or self-worth. It also involves how people define themselves, which in turn influences their motivaions, attitudes and behaviors throughout life.

Healthy self-esteem is important for emotional well-being, and it is helpful in realizing life.

A Healthy Self-Esteem Involves:. People that believe in themselves and have a positive outlook in life are also more likely to have healthy self-esteem and generally tend be happier.
* Trust. Confidence and faith in oneself as well as others.
* Self Nurturing. Learning how to take care of others as well as oneself.
* Autonomy. Self-determination and independence.
* Identity. An individual’s sense of self.
* Intimacy. The ability to relate closely to others.If an individual is unable to develop these or loses sight of them, low self-esteem can result. How people feel about themselves can be related to various factors, including the environment, body image, personal and social expectations and experiences.

Low self-esteem can be damaging because it can affect a person’s body, mind and spirit.

Self-acceptance is crucial for developing a healthy self-esteem
Tips for Boosting Self-Esteem:

* Identify your positive attributes

* Recognize areas in which you excel

* Do not measure yourself using other people’s standards
* Take risks in order to succeed
* Learn to set realistic goals
* Develop a support system of friends and relatives
* Focus on accomplishments and don’t dwell on failures

Life Balancing

2011-01-27T02:00:00.002-05:00

Achieving life balance is about getting the right mix of career, family time, rest and relaxation. Too often the pressures of managing a career and making money dominate our lives - so take some time out and think about how you can achieve your own personal life balance. Incorporate these ideals into your life for balance.
1. Figure Out What Really Matters to You in Life.
The important point here is to figure out what you want your priorities to be, not what you think they should be. Don't let what others influence your decisions about YOUR priorities. This is your life.

2. Drop Any and All Unnecessary Activities.
If at all possible, drop any commitments and pursuits that don't make your top-five list of priorities. Unnecessary activities and projects keep you away from the things that matter the most to you.

3. Protect Your Private Time.
Protecting your private time often leads to greater satisfaction in both work life and personal life, greater productivity, and more creativity. Set time for work and set time for aside for leisure. Do not let your work spill into leisure time. Family and fun are equally as important as your paycheck.

4. Accept Help to Balance Your Life.
Allow yourself to rely on your partner, family members, or friends - anyone who can take on some of your responsibilities while you focus on other top priorities. When someone offers to lend a hand, accept it. They shouldn't offer if they truly don't want to help.

5. Plan Fun and Relaxation.
Fun and relaxation are an essential part of living a well-balanced life. Plan what you're going to do and make necessary arrangements to ensure you'll be able to keep your commitment. Even if you don't know what you are going to do, plan free time anyway. Something you enjoy will come up and fill that time.

Now that you have the basics, fill it in with the specifics that will make your life more meaningful to you. Finding the right balance is what life is all about. It's time to start living yours today.

Three Steps to Weight Gain

2011-01-26T02:00:00.002-05:00

Just how do we gain weight without even trying? Dr. Joseph Mercola offers this simple explanation in his book “Raising Fit Kids in a Fat World”.
1.
When you eat carbohydrates, your blood-sugar level increases as the carbohydrates are digested. Your body then releases insulin to lower the amount of sugar (glucose) in your blood. Insulin helps convert carbohydrates into fat. Insulin also inhibits your body’s ability to burn fat. This is the insulin response.
2.
High insulin levels suppress glucagons and growth hormone. Glucagons promote the burning of fat and sugar in the body. Growth hormone is needed to increase the growth of muscle tissue. A steady diet of grains, starches and sugars signal your body to block the release of these two key fat-releasing hormones.
3.
Increased levels of insulin cause hunger. Typically the craving will be for sweets and more grains. The grains and sugars you eat simply drive you to eat more of the wrong foods. This is the reason as to why many starchy vegetables, grains, and sugars can be addictive.
By changing your eating habits, you can break this vicious cycle that attributes to weight gain.

Simply stated, stay away from added sugars, simple carbohydrates and all processed foods that contains these ingredients. When you do, the binge eating of "sweet and salty" will come to an end and your blood sugar will remain stable.

Fitness Programs - Getting Started

2011-01-25T02:00:00.002-05:00

As with all new things, to be successful, you need to begin your new fitness program slowly. Here are some tips to help keep you on track.

Start Slowly and Build up Gradually: Give yourself plenty of time to warm up and cool down with easy walking or gentle stretching. Then speed up to a pace you can continue with for five to 10 minutes without getting overly tired. As your stamina improves, gradually increase the amount of time you exercise. Work your way up to 30 to 60 minutes of exercise most day of the week.
Break Things Up if You Need to: You don't have to do all of your exercise at one time. Shorter but more frequent sessions have aerobic benefits, too. Fifteen minutes of exercise a couple of times a day may fit into your schedule better than a single 30-minute session.
Be Creative: Maybe your workout routine includes various activities, such as walking, bicycling, or rowing. But don't stop there. Take a weekend hike with the family or spend an evening dancing.
Listen to Your Body: If you feel pain, shortness of breath, dizziness or nausea, take a break. You may be pushing yourself too hard.
Be Flexible: If you're not feeling good, give yourself permission to take a day or two off.

Above all, the most important thing is to get up and get moving. Say good-by to that lazy lifestyle that is keeping you from becoming fit. The more you move, the better you will feel. Get started today!

How Full is Your Bucket?

2011-01-24T02:00:00.002-05:00

Tom Rath’s book, “How Full is Your Bucket,” gives insight as to how every-day interactions affect your health, relationships, productivity and longevity. Emotional health contributes to your physical health by helping to determine how a person responds to illness. Your bucket is all about your emotional health.

The Theory:
Everyone has an invisible bucket. It is constantly being filled or emptied depending on your interactions with others. You love when your friends, co-workers, family member or strangers fill up your bucket. But when your bucket is emptied, it hurts.

The Bucket:
There are two ways to fill a bucket. One is to say and do positive things and fill up someone else's bucket. The beauty of this is that when you fill up someone else's bucket, you also fill your own bucket. It's a two-for-one deal. Positve emotions make you stronger and more optimistic.

The same rules apply for emptying a bucket. When you empty someone else's bucket, you empty your own at the same time. Or, you can empty your bucket all by yourself. Negative self-talk, having a poor body image, and un-healthy habits steal your energy, and can leave you cynical.

Stay Healthy:
Keep your bucket full. Surround yourself with people who fill up buckets. Make someone else's day by filling up their bucket. Filling up an emotional bucket - what a simple way to be healthier.

Think of how good life can be if the only "extra load" you need to carry is a full bucket. Your full bucket will not only lighten your emotional overload, but produce a healthy and stress free body as well. What a great tool to use to bring balance to your life and the lives of others.

Start today. Start right now. Make the next interation with the very first person that you see a positive one that will fill their bucket and yours.

5 Steps in Reclaiming Your Goals

2011-01-21T05:00:00.000-05:00

Your intentions have been good. Deciding to change yourself, really committing to be a better person in some way, is not a decision arrived at easily. The fact that you’ve decided to make a change means that you’ve taken stock in yourself. You’ve reflected. What if you haven’t met your goals? You are not perfect and all-powerful. Self-change is hard, so it’s not surprising if you don’t get it right the first time. Stop feeling bad and follow these steps:

Tell yourself, "it's okay". But don't given in and think "it's okay, I don't need to be better." If changing wasn't so important, why did you decide to do it in the first place?
Congratulate yourself on wanting to be better. Your decision to be better takes moral courage.
Figure out what went wrong. Were you too ambitious? Was your plan to vague?
Form a new plan that is informed by your failure. For example, if you are the wrong foods because preparing healthy one took too long, find ways to make it less time consuming.
Finally, GET GOING!

Making changes in your lifestyle is difficult. Learning to forgive yourself is equally as difficult. Pick yourself up, set your mind on the goals you set out to achieve. And get your motivation back. Set backs will happen, but keep focused on the bigger and brighter future you have planned for yourself!

Stay Healthy, Stay Strong

2011-01-20T05:54:00.000-05:00

Good nutrition is the foundation of good health. What you put inside is what you get outside. Better nutrition directly contributes to stronger immune systems, less illness and better health. Good nutrition is a way of life. It is a habit that is established over the years and it needs to be followed carefully. Once you develop good eating patterns, they will be with you for life. Your body needs the right kinds of lean proteins, carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables and whole grains, good fats, plenty of fiber, minerals, nutrients, and vitamins. Clean and pure water is equally important. The three most important factors to healthy food and good nutrition are:

Eat whole, fresh food
Eat a wide variety of food
Only eat in moderation

It can be that simple. Three key phrases that can help you change your eating patterns for good. The food you eat determines the kind of balance your body will enjoy. When you follow proper food habits, you can start living a disease-free, healthy, and happy life. Do yourself a favor, memorize the concepts of good nutrition. Implement them. Enjoy a good life. Your mind and body will thank you!!!

Simple Ways to Live a Less Stressful Life

2011-01-19T05:00:00.000-05:00

Stress is a major problem for many people. It can run you down, cause you to lose sleep, and even bring on illness. Relieving stress is one of the best feelings as it lifts your spirits and your heart. If your life is full of stress, here are some simple things you can do to get your life to a more manageable level.

Try doing only one thing at a time
This is the simplest and best way to start reducing your stress, and you can start today. Right now actually. Focus as much as you can on doing one thing at a time. This is referred to as being mindful It is a very satisfying way to live. You will find that you are getting more enjoyment out of life when you focus on what you are doing at the moment.

Develop one healthy habit this month
Pick one aspect of your life that you would like to see a positive change in. Try some of these on for size. Eat fruits ad vegetables for snack. Floss every day. Quit smoking. Cook something healthy for dinner. Drink water instead of soda. Just pick something that is personal for you and develop one new habit at a time.

Get out there and have a blast!
Have fun each and every single day, even if it's just for a few minutes. Play - it takes your mind off of everythink. Remember the fun play was when you were a child. It consumed you. Let go of adult inhibitions and enjoy the moment. Whatever you choose to do, be sure to laugh.

Tap into your creative self
Throwing yourself into a creative activity is another great way to de-stress and to prevent stress. Try artwork - even watercolors and crayons, write a poem or a short story, cook something new that just comes to mind using the food in your pantry. Challenge yourself to create something new and different that reflects who you really are!
　
　
　
　. . .

9 Principles for Positive Change

2011-01-18T05:00:00.000-05:00

Everyone is always looking for the positive side of life and in daily events. If you're having diffuculty focusing in on where to look or what to change to bring in more positive interactions, here are some simple guidelines to follow.

Love Yourself - Don’t make limitations. If you can truly love yourself then your life experience has no limits, no boundaries.
Forgive Everyone and Release the Past - When we hold something inside for any amount of time it starts to eat away at our soul. These bits of anger drain us of our life’s energy and creates sickness.
Awareness - Start living consciously. Become aware of our actions, thoughts and words.
Gratitude, Prosperity and Abundance - Be open to and grateful for the natural abundance that you can see everyday.
Honesty - Be honest with yourself and others. With the ability to be honest with oneself and with others you will make changes in your life for the good of yourself growing.
Being Positive - Start seeing the positive side of things. By thinking positive we raise our performance in everything we do.
Take Responsibility for Yourself - By doing so you are better placed to start leading the life that you want and making the choices that will lead you to your own destiny.
Be Open and Trusting - Let go of all fear. Trust in the process of Life. Be open to all opportunities around you. Know that the Universe is yours for the taking.
Self-Care - Start looking after of yourself. Acts of self-care are acts of self-love.

You can begin by making one positive change at a time. Choose it, implement it, and live it. Focus on it as if it were the only change that you have an opportunity to make. Once you are successful with this positive change, it becomes habit. Move on to another one to implement. In no time at all, you will be attracting more and more positive aspects into your life.

What is Your Style of Meditation?

2011-01-17T08:31:00.000-05:00

A large part of the reason people don't meditate is the misconception of what it is. Many people believe that you must set aside long periods of time in order for it to be beneficial. Many have visions of a person sitting in a sparse monk like room, in the lotus position with empty minds.

Effective meditation is, and will be different for each person.
And since everyone is different, whatever works for you, is what works for you! Don't compare yourself to others in regards to meditation. Some people need quiet to meditate; some people need the room to be dark. Others like the sun, still others need music

If prayer is talking to God, then meditation is listening to God.

Some people have trouble visualizing, others have trouble with the intruding thoughts. If your not visual, that is okay, hearing someone else's voice in a guided meditation

Keep in mind that walking and other activities that are rhythmic and healthful can create a meditative place within you. Swimming, dancing, running. Yoga is also meditative for people.

So you see, it simply is a matter of finding what works for you. Throw away the false assumptions.
Explore your style of meditation and start listening.

Commit to Working with a Wellness Coach

2011-01-14T05:00:00.000-05:00

A wellness coach will help you determine the areas of your lifestyle, attitudes and behaviors that you are most motivated to change, help you create a wellness action plan to create the necessary change, and then motivate you and keep you accountable for reaching your goals of increased health and well-being.

Working with a wellness coach might very well be your first big step toward becoming healthier and feeling better. This may very well help you build the confidence that you need to make the changes in your lifestyle that you know need to happen in order to regain and maintain good health.

Wellness coaching has made great strides in the past few years and appears to be poised to play a prominent role in the new culture of wellness. Sometimes wellness coaching is referred to as life coaching or personal coaching as well.

After you have worked with a coach for a while and feel a level of comfort and compatibility, explore the idea of setting up a long-term coaching program.

The program may call for more intensive work to begin with, perhaps two coaching sessions per month. After that time you may choose to have one session a month or one every six weeks. The idea is to create the framework that enables you to receive ongoing coaching.

Working with a wellness coach can keep you motivated and accountable for your agreements to reach your personal wellness goals.

The Key to Affordable Health Care

2011-01-13T05:00:00.000-05:00

There is a new cutting edge therapy that lowers the risk of developing the most common and deadly chronic diseases (obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease) by up to 80 percent.

This innovative therapy is called “taking care of yourself.“ It involves things such as not smoking, exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet of whole foods, sleeping enough, getting sun exposure, reducing stress, and maintaining a healthy weight.

These items are all things that can fit into your normal daily routine. The key to affordable healthcare is disease PREVENTION, not treatment.

What is needed is personal involvement -- YOUR personal involvement -- in the form of commitment to your own health.

With the misconception that healthcare is something people must go out and get by relying on others to make decisions for them, many people claim they can’t afford preventive care. But actually, the question should be: Can you really afford NOT to?

Do not accept disease as part of the aging process. It is not and does not need to be present. If you carefully follow some basic health principles,

Do not smoke
Exercise on a regular basis
Eat whole foods in their natural state
Get enough restful sleep
Increase your exposure to the sun to ensure adequate amounts of vitamin D3
Reduce your stressors
Maintain a healthy weight

By committing to a healthy lifestyle, you are building a healthy mind and body, and thereby safeguarding yourself against a multitude of health problems and serious diseases.you will drastically reduce your need for conventional medical care. Here are the basics (again):

Starting Off the New Year with You in Mind

2011-01-12T05:00:00.000-05:00

“It is never too late to become the person you might have been.”
- George Eliot, English Victorian Novelist

A new year, a fresh start. You have lots of ideals in mind. You are going to do better this year than ever before. You are determined to set goals for yourself and achieve them. But how? What will make this year different from any year in the past?

Here are a few guidelines to make 2011 your year:

Commit to Thirty Days - Four weeks is all the time you need to make a habit automatic. When you make it through the initial phase, it becomes much easier. A month is a good block of time to commit to a change since it easily fits in your calendar.
Stay Consistent - The more consistent you are, the easier it will be. If you want to start exercising, try going at the same time, to the same place for your thirty days. When cues like time of day, place and circumstances are the same in each case it is easier to stick.
Associate With Role Models - Spend more time with people who model the habits you want to mirror. You become what you spend time around.
Use “But” - A great technique for clearing negative thought patterns. When you start to think a negative thought, use the word “but” to interrupt it. “I’m no good at this, but, if I work at it I will get better.”
Do it For Yourself - Don’t worry about all the things you “should” have as habits. Instead tool your habits towards your goals and the things that motivate you. Weak guilt and empty resolutions don‘t work.

Whatever changes you implement, do so with your heart. Place your intentions on the person that you want to be and the changes you want to make. Plan your actions, then take that first step. Once you get your momentum going, the rest becomes easier and easier.

Health Benefits of Relaxation and Techniques to Try

2011-01-11T05:00:00.000-05:00

Everyone has a different way to relax that works best for them. There are many forms of relaxation. There is no right or wrong way to do it. The most important part of relaxation is that you practice it each and every day.
By regularly practicing relaxation, you can reduce stress symptoms such as:

Slowing your heart rate
Lowering blood pressure
Slowing your breathing rate
Increasing blood flow to major muscles
Reducing muscle tension and chronic pain
Improving concentration
Reducing anger and frustration
Boosting confidence to handle problems

Here are some relaxation techniques that you might want to try:

Progressive Relaxation. Alternating tensing and then relaxing muscle groups - one muscle group after another. Begin with the feet and progress upward through the body.
Exercise. Activities such as stretching, yoga, tai chi, pilates and other physical techniques.
Visualization. Visualizing something for relaxation or making positive changes, such as picturing in your mind a relaxing scene.
Guided Imagery or Meditation. This is the process of being guided through calming scenes and environments, the healing process, or a scenario with a positive outcome.
Autogenics. This is done by imagining that your limbs are warm and heavy, your heart rate is slow and steady, and your forehead is cool.
Meditation. Focusing the mind on a word, phrase, or idea and letting go of other thoughts with an attitude of passive acceptance for relaxation or making positive changes.
Sensory. Being able to experience or imagine the sensations of sight, sound, smell, taste, and/or touch.
Deep breathing. Done slowly and regularly and taking sufficiently deep breaths.
Other Methods. Almost anything repetitive can be relaxing. Activities such as exercise, massage, hypnosis, self-hypnosis, crafts, hobbies, dance, music, conscious mental rest, artwork, and walking are good examples.

The best way to find out which relaxation methods work best for you is to try them. You may not feel any different at first, but by doing a relaxation technique you experience all the health benefits of relaxation!

Relaxation is a skill. This means that relaxation is something that can be learned, practiced and eventually mastered. Everyone has the ability to learn how to relax, but not everyone will relax the same manner.

What Has Happened to Our Health?

2011-01-10T05:00:00.000-05:00

Have you ever stopped to take a look around you and wonder why so many people in this country are sick? There is an overwhelming number of adults - young and old - stricken with diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, obesity, heart disease, and high cholesterol. Even more alarming is the number of children who are also showing signs of these diseases.

So many people walking around are feeling lousy, tired, irritable and just plain worn out. They are exhibiting what is referred to as “vertical illness.” They function day to day, completing their work tasks and plugging along. But these people are not healthy and vibrant. They are just surviving life - and some are barely making it.

What has happened to our health? With all the doctors and specialists, prescription medications, medical procedures and surgeries, and the amount of money spent on health care, shouldn’t everyone be active, feel great and exhibit signs of vitality?

How can we take a stance and make a change in the health of our society? Why not start by taking a look in the mirror. How do you look? How do you feel? Do you have disease and illness? Are you carrying extra weight? Do you have enough energy to make it through each day? Or are you living a compromised lifestyle because of compromised health? Take a good close look in that mirror. Are you happy with the person looking back at you?

If you are unhappy with what you see and how you feel? What can you do? Start by taking a look at the food you are eating. It all begins with what you place in your mouth. Do the foods you eat on a regular basis serve your body well? Do they provide you with the proper minerals, nutrients and vitamins necessary for health, energy, and fitness to carry you throughout your day? Or do they bog you down with fat, sugar and empty calories?

After taking a critical look at yourself and your current diet, determine if you want to continue on your path of decline, disability, premature aging and pain. If not, then the answer is simple. Choose to eat wholesome fresh foods. There is no question that these foods are best suited for optimal support of health, fitness and the prevention of disease. Again, foods that are whole, fresh and in their natural state. Raw fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meat, the right kind of fats and plenty of water.

Stay far away from foods that rob you of your vitality, your health, and your life - man made (synthetic) food-like products, processed oils, trans fats, processed and refined products, sweet and salty foods, and other junk foods and drinks.

What is the result of making these changes in your diet and lifestyle? A healthier society one person at a time. Stop now, take that look in the mirror and decide if you can make a difference.

Finding Time for Yourself

2011-01-07T05:00:00.000-05:00

Quiet moments during the day soothes the soul, settles the inner being, brings out your integrity. Having a time for solitude can be an amazing thing. Here are some ways to find your quiet time and see how getting away from it all can allow your true self to emerge.

Alter your sleeping habits. Try getting up a few minutes earlier than normal to watch the sun rise. If your day is too busy to find time to be alone to have stillness and silence, getting up a bit earlier can be a good solution. If you’re not an early riser, then nighttime can be just as peaceful when everyone else has gone to sleep. Stay up a bit later at night and enjoy the mysteries of the dark.

Get back to nature. Our work stations can be filled with noise, conflict and chaos. To get away from this, get out into nature as much as possible. Perhaps a walk in the park or on the beach, a nature trail hike, or sitting on the banks of a river is just what you need. Pay close attention to everything around you - the sights, the sounds the feeling of the breeze and sun.

Begin to practice mindful meditation. An easy way to start is to close your eyes and pay attention to your breathing. Notice your breath as it enters your body, and again as it goes out. Focus on the sounds around you. Listen carefully to whatever is going on - the ticking of a clock the sound of traffic or the humming of the refrigerator. Do this for at least one minute and increase over time.

Take time to read. Choose your favorite novel, poetry, inspirational quotes or whatever inspires you for the day. Fill your mind with beautiful and encouraging words to carry with you to keep you focused on greatness and thankfulness for all the world has given you.

Finding time for yourself is not a luxury, it is a necessity. Begin with 10 to 15 minutes daily and try to work up to a couple of hours each week. You will be pleasantly surprised to find your true self emerging and the amazing thoughts, feelings and actions you posses and can share with the world around you.

Your Chakra Colors and What They Do

2011-01-06T05:00:00.000-05:00

Chakras are the energy centers in your body that basically align with your spine. There are seven main chakras in the body. Our chakras affect us physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Colors have been long associated to these energy centers in the body. Wearing or surrounding yourself with these colors is one way to balance the body and bring inner healing.

The Root Chakra (Muladhara) is associated with the color red. It is located at the base of the spine. This is our life force energy. This chakra brings us groundedness, trust, and belonging. Enhancing this chakra with red lessens feelings of mistrust.
Located just below the navel is the Sacral Chakra (Swadhisthana). This chakra’s color is orange. Our sensitivity and feelings come from this energy center. We experience sensuality, emotion, and creativity. Increasing exposure to orange lessens feelings of inferiority.
Yellow is the color associated with the chakra located just above the naval. This is the Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura). This energy center is associated with knowledge and mental intelligence. It gives us our will, sense of identity, and clarity. Ensuring adequate amounts of yellow lessens feelings of confusion.
The Heart Chakra (Anahata) is located in the center of the chest and associated with the color green. It is here that we receive our emotional energy and balance in life. Feelings of compassion, forgiveness, and intimacy are connected to this energy center. Using plenty of green lessens feelings of isolation.
Blue is the color for the Throat Chakra (Visuddha). This energy center is located at the base of the throat. It is here that we gain our communication energy. Self-expression, communication, and the power to manifest are provided with this chakra. Good amounts of blue lessen feelings of stagnation.
Located in the center of the forehead between the eyes and is the energy center associated with the color indigo. This is the Third Eye Chakra (Ajna). Attributes such as empathy, intuition, and integrity; are governed by this energy center. Exposing ourselves to indigo lessens feelings of despair.
The color violet is related to the Crown Chakra (Sahasrara). This energy center is located at the top of the head. It is here that we get our inspiration and Spiritual energy. It gives us our sense of peace and inspiration. Enhancing our lives with violet lessons our feelings of distraction.

To read more about chakras and color balancing, please read http://www.suite101.com/content/color-therapy-and-your-chakras-a186904