The Warrior Spirit

2011-12-18T09:57:00.000-08:00

Ups and downs ~Life's Joy Ride!

Emotions are always high during the holidays. We feel elated, depressed, stressed, joyful. Which one is the one though, that you share with your neighbor, your workout partner, your kids, the love of your life?

Start telling a better-feeling story about the things that are important to you. And don't be fooled...take a moment to really consider what is important. The line at the market check out? A cookie that you feel guilty about? A missed workout? Talking to long distance relatives? Volunteering in the soup kitchen? An anonymous gift? Knowing the hearts of your children?

Do not write your story like a factual documentary, weighing all the pros and cons of your experience. Honestly, how long did you go on about how long it took to park at the mall? Your online ordering experience? The politics of today's water cooler chat? Um, needless FB viewing? Instead tell the uplifting, fanciful, magical story of the wonder of your own life and watch what happens. It will feel like your life begins to transform right before yours eyes, but it is not by magic. It is by the power of intention, creation and your perspective and deliberate alignment with your spirit. If you aren't paying attention to the joyful moments in your life, who is?

You don't have to feel good every single moment, that would not be real. You can feel better in those moments though. Sad news from a friend, listen to an uplifting song. Tough day at the office, dedicate your workout to someone that you could be a little more understanding of. Feeling lonely or missing a loved one, pour a glass of sparkling cider and honor their memory by sharing stories of the past.

Here's to finding your joy whether up or down ~jgirl

2011-12-14T10:48:00.000-08:00

"We act, behave and feel according to what we consider our SELF IMAGE to be and

we do not deviate from this pattern." ~Dr. Maxwell Maltz

2011-12-08T07:45:00.000-08:00

This time of year always finds us with emotions high, stress in abundance and the pressure to deliver unrealistic. Time for reflection, enjoyment and gratitude can be lost in the holiday shuffle. Treat yourself to a moment, close your eyes and imagine a time in your life when you felt anything was possible and wishing was like that feeling of riding your bicycle full speed ahead, confidently. Wind in your hair...ultimate freedom to fly!

There really is magic in the season but the real secret is that it lasts all year long. God chose his son to show us the way home. What a gift! Don't get lost in the matrix, follow your heart.

Love transcends all!

A Magical Mind
Wish

When we wish for something our consciousness opens to receiving it like a flower unfolding its petals to receive a bee.

From blowing dandelion seeds into the air to throwing a penny into a fountain, we have all felt inspired to make a wish, to whisper our secret desires into the ears of the universe and wait for signs that we have been heard. Some wishes come true while others remain ethereal visions that either stay with us or fade like a star in the light of morning. Whether they come true or not, wishes are important missives, expressing our heart's desire as well as our intention to create something new in our lives. When we wish for something, our consciousness opens to receiving it, like a flower unfolding its petals to receive a bee.

There is something innocent and magical about making a wish, something that recalls the energy of childhood. Wishing is not about formulating a plan and following it step by step to attain a goal, which is the realm of adulthood. Wishing is more like a playful volley across the universe, an invitation to play. Waiting for the response is an integral part of the process. Wishing inspires an innocent opening to the possibility of magic as we wait to see if the invisible realm will bring our wish to life. This opening is a beautiful gesture in and of itself, regardless of the outcome. We place ourselves in a magical mind, and this mind is arguably as wonderful as the fulfillment of our wish itself.

In our straightforward, action-oriented society, we may tend to dismiss the power of this seemingly passive process, yet the power of a wish is well known, hence the cautionary phrase, "Be careful what you wish for." If you have given up wishing in favor of more adult pursuits, you might want to bring its magic back into your life. The next time you see the first star of the evening, or find yourself in front of a birthday cake covered in flaming candles, give yourself the gift of the magical realm that you knew so well as a child—close your eyes, open your mind, and make your wish.

2011-10-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

Internal Chatter
Being Aware of Your Thoughts

We seldom accept negative comments from others, however, we so often accept our own inner negative chatter.
Few people enjoy the company of individuals whose attitudes are persistently negative. Yet many of us tolerate the critical chatter that can originate within our own minds. Since we are so used to the stream of self-limiting, critical consciousness that winds its way through our thoughts, we are often unaware of the impact these musings have on our lives. It is only when we become aware of the power of such thoughts that we can divest ourselves of them and fill the emptiness they leave with loving, peaceful affirmations. Many people, upon paying careful attention to their thinking patterns, are surprised at the negativity they find there. But when we take notice of involuntary thoughts in a nonjudgmental way, we initiate a healing process that will eventually allow us to replace intimidating and upsetting self-talk with positive, empowering thoughts.

While the occasional downbeat or judgmental thought may have little impact on your contentment, the ongoing negativity that passes unnoticed can have a dampening effect on your mood and your outlook. When you are aware of the tone of your thoughts, however, you can challenge them. Try to be conscious of your feelings, opinions, and judgments for a single day. From sunup to sundown, scrutinize the messages you are feeding into your subconscious mind. Consider your thoughts from the perspective of an observer and try not to judge yourself based on the notions that come unbidden into your mind. Simply watch the flow of your consciousness and make a note of the number of times you find yourself focusing on gloomy notions or indulging in self-directed criticism.

As you become increasingly aware of your patterns of thought, whether positive and negative, you will gradually learn to control the character of your stream of consciousness. Endeavor always to remember that the images and ideas that pass through your mind are transient and not a true representation of who you are. In training yourself to be cognizant of your thoughts, you gain the ability to actively change your mood. The awareness you cultivate within yourself will eventually enable you to create a foundation from which you can build a more authentic existence.

Challenge
Take action on today's OM. Make awareness the key and decide what to do with the information that you have gathered later. ~jgirl

2011-10-24T16:12:00.000-07:00

The Art of Manliness

The Four Archetypes of the Mature Masculine: The Warrior

What a great read! This falls closely in line with John Eldridge's writing Wild at Heart and our missing rites of passage, societal cues and characteristics. As a woman, we can certainly see the lack of manly men in society and while I cannot even begin to understand that side of it, this offers some fantastic insight. ~j

DO NOT miss the full read, The Mature Masculine Warrior

Every great civilization has a great warrior tradition and accompanying warrior myths.

Today the Warrior archetype lives on in our reverence for those who serve in the armed forces and in modern books and movies. William Wallace from Braveheart and General Maximus from Gladiator embody the Warrior archetype.

But in general, modern culture is not comfortable with Warrior energy.

2011-10-17T07:55:00.000-07:00

Putting Yourself First

Putting yourself first means that it may be necessary to say no to someone else in order to say yes to yourself.

This is daily OM is oh, SO VERY IMPORTANT :)~

Be sure to be aware that if you don't take care of YOU no one else has it on their agenda. You are responsible for your life, your happiness, your health. Check in regularly. Have you let a few things slip? Are you eating healthy, moving, playing, relaxing? Have you taken care of your hygiene? Your house, your car? Seriously, it may seem like little things, but they all add up to YOUR LIFE.

The oxygen you need is all around you, sometimes you just need to be reminded to breathe! ~jgirl

We have all heard the instructions of an airline attendant reminding us to put on our own oxygen mask before we help anyone else with theirs. This advice is often cited as a metaphor for self-care because it so accurately expresses why it is important. It seems to say, ironically, that if you can’t take care of yourself for yourself, do it for others. Few situations in our daily lives mimic the wake-up call of an airplane emergency, so it’s easy to keep putting self-care off—easy, that is, until we get sick, overwhelmed, or exhausted, and suddenly don’t have the energy to care for the people who count on us. That’s when we realize we haven’t been getting the oxygen we need to sustain ourselves. We begin to understand that taking care of ourselves is neither selfish nor indulgent; it’s just plain practical.

Putting yourself first means that it may be necessary to say no to someone else in order to say yes to yourself. For many of us, there is always something we feel we could be doing for someone else, and it helps to remember the oxygen metaphor. You can even encourage yourself by saying “I am caring for myself so that I am better able to care for others” or some other mantra that will encourage you. It also helps to remember that self-care doesn’t have to be composed of massively time-consuming acts. In fact, the best prescription for taking care of yourself is probably small, daily rituals; for example, taking one half-hour for yourself at the beginning and end of the day to meditate, journal, or just be. You might also transform the occasional daily shower or bath into a half-hour self-pampering session.

Whatever you decide, making some small gesture where you put yourself first every day will pay off in spades for you and the ones you love. The oxygen you need is all around you; sometimes you just need to be reminded to breathe.

2011-10-16T18:34:00.000-07:00

Head in the Clouds

Sweet little OM ~jgirl

Following a cloud with our eye and drifting through the sky with it can be an easy and relaxing meditation.
When people use the phrase “head in the clouds,” they usually refer to a mental state that appears to be drifting rather than concentrating. For this reason, putting our heads in the clouds can be a wonderful meditation tool. Whether puffy and white or tinted with the colors of dawn and dusk or shades of gray, those vaporous sky dwellers can remind us of so many things about life and about ourselves.

For this meditation, we can find a physical place to relax and look upward, or we can look to the skies from within our imaginations. Directing our thoughts to the endless of expanse of sky that clouds inhabit, we feel our souls expand to reach beyond any seeming limitations. Following the clouds, we are free to unleash our imaginations. We may choose to merely drift along with them for a time, enjoying their distanced perspective on the world. Or we can look for messages in their fantastical shapes, or feel the joy of bounding between their immense billowy puffiness. However we interact with them, we do so from a peaceful place. Clouds drift above the hustle of the world below, knowing they belong to another realm that cannot be affected by its frenzy, reminding us that peace is always available to us. By directing our vision beyond the ordinary, clouds also remind us of the illusion of appearances. While appearing to be solid, their vapor and mist appear like cotton balls ! from below, giving little indication of the heights they reach. Sometimes they may cast shadows, leaving us in shade, but like life’s difficulties clouds change shape and move onward, revealing the shining sun, twinkling stars, and blue sky that are behind them.

When a ray of light breaks through the clouds, their dramatic filtering only makes the light more beautiful by contrast, just as we can shine more brightly in the midst of life’s challenges. When we allow clouds to offer us a welcome respite, they help us visit the realm of illusion to see the truth beyond.

2011-09-02T16:48:00.000-07:00

Well done!

Thanks Coach Divine (SEALFIT) for sharing these insightful thoughts. Very close to my heart and practice. ~jgirl

Know the Elements

The other day I was contemplating the saying, "still water runs deep" - one of my favorite quotes from my martial arts mentor Kaicho Tadashi Nakamura of Seido Karate.

The still water of the deep section of the river runs pure, slow and silently, like a calm, deep mind. The choppy, shallow rapids are murky, turbulent and dangerous, like a sloppy, undisciplined mind.

I am so grateful for Kaicho Nakamura for teaching me to access the still water and avoid the rapids. Osu!

I then started to think of how the metaphor of the elements is so powerful, and came up with some thoughts on how we can use the elements for optimal health. Here goes:

1. Water: Train your mind to be like still water. Let your energy and attitude flow like water, around and over obstacles rather than through them with force. Detoxify your body with fresh water daily and immerse yourself into the comforting water of the ocean or a lake to create a peaceful re-connection with the earth-mother.

2. Earth: Eat foods that are close to the earth, such as organic veggies, grass fed beef, etc. This food has more nutrients, a higher energy and is not contaminated with the hormones and chemicals often used in the preparation of processed foods.

Ground yourself by walking in nature and barefoot, if possible. There is a grounding current that comes from the earth, making you actually feel more "grounded" once out of your clumsy footwear. I know it may not be practical in the city or in cold environments, but if you can, give it a try. This is one of the many benefits about living in Southern California that I am grateful for.

3. Wind: Learn to breathe properly! We train breath awareness and control at length during our SEALFIT Academy. It is one of the most beneficial skills to learn and develop - basic yet not easy to do. Also I highly recommend a physical practice that flows your internal wind (energy), such as yoga, qui-gong and the like. Our Warrior-Yoga program integrates breath control, physical poses, qui-gong and functional fitness into a nice tight package. A video educational tool for warrior yoga is coming soon!

4. Fire: This element is powerful. First, get outside and into the sun. I love to spend about a half hour (minimum) in the sun daily. We are like plants and need the sun for optimum health. If you live in a sun-deprived area, then book a flight to SEALFIT HQ for some training in the sun. Also, creating fire in your body is a key aspect of yoga for the detoxifying effect on your internal organs. Ashtanga yoga (my teacher Tim Miller from Ashtanga Yoga Center in Encinitas is world class) or any good vinyasa (flowing) yoga program will create a fire in your body. Another option is a good sweat a couple times a week with hot yoga or a sauna. Before I practiced hot yoga, I would do yoga in a sauna - and got some strange looks I admit. The idea is to flush and detox your system with an incredible sweat, then replenish with a ton of fresh water. This practice is very rejuvenating and will also keep you flexible in body and mind.

Finally, having a "fire in your belly" means you have kindled your warrior non-quitting spirit and will fight for things that are good and purpose driven in your life. Hooyah to that!

2011-08-25T16:48:00.000-07:00

Day 7 (of 30)

Breath is the bridge which

connects life to consciousness,

which unites your body to your thoughts.
Thich Nhat Hanh

Breathing is one of those things that we completely take for granted. It happens all the time without us having to even think about it. Well, so many of us do not give the breathe enough credit. It assists in carrying oxygen throughout the body which has many physiological effects. It can help lower your heart rate, calm you in an uncomfortable situation or in a situation of excitement.

The point is, we as a society are shallow breathers. We only bring air in to the chest and then let it go. We should be bringing that air in down to the abdominal area or diaphram brathing. Yes, it takes longer by a second or so, but you've got the time!

There is so much more on the significance of the breath and breathing. I will have to revisit it later. If you have an opportunity to take a yoga class, this is a great place to learn about it. Just ask my good friend Trish at Shri Kula. Also, you can find exercises that include breathing ladders, Kettlebell practice with VO2 max or even dance. No excuses!

You can also just take a couple of minutes a day and do some breathing exercises before you get out of bed in the morning. It will improve your health. You lungs are one of the elimination channels and trapped toxins escape through the breath.

The breath helps still your mind and gives you a sense of calm that we often rush off and forget. You know it's true, when you take a deep breath, it is usually because something is about to happen or you are trying to re-balance from something big that just has.
Take a couple of minutes to try one or more of the breathing exercises in the link below. When you know why breath is so important to your health and how to kick it up a notch, you will enjoy the rewards :-) ~jgirl

https://www.amsa.org/healingthehealer/breathing.cfm

2011-08-21T14:33:00.000-07:00

Day after day people ask me 'what are you drinking?' Answer...lemon or lime or lemon/lime water. I don't drink it all day long or at a specific time each and every day, but it is an integral part of my lifestyle and here is why. Great re-post.

Enjoy and drink up! ~j

Ten reasons why you should have warm lemon or lime water daily

Sunday, August 21, 2011 by: Paul Fassa
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/033383_lemon_juice_digestion.html#ixzz1VhWbd2md
(NaturalNews) A glass of warm lemon or lime water first thing in the morning is surprisingly helpful in several ways. This Yogic or Ayurvedic ritual was primarily for stimulating digestion and eliminating ama, the Ayurvedic term for toxic slime that builds up in the gastro-intestinal or GI tract. This ritual has even more health benefits.

The Ten Reasons Why

1) The warm lemon water helps purify and stimulate the liver. Lemon/lime water liquefies bile while inhibiting excess bile flow.

2) Warm lemon/lime water aids digestion. It's atomic composition is similar to saliva and the hydrochloric acid of digestive juices.

3) The liver produces more enzymes from lemon/lime water than any other food, according to A.F. Beddoe, author of Biological Ionization as Applied to Human Nutrition.

4) The lemon/lime water helps bowels eliminate naturally and easily.

5) Lemons and limes are high in potassium. Potassium is an important mineral that works with sodium for smooth electrical transmission in the brain and nervous system. Depression, anxiety, fogginess, and forgetfulness can often be traced to low potassium blood levels. That same nervous system needs potassium to assure steady signals to the heart. So your heart health is improved from the lemon water's potassium.

6) Calcium and magnesium are plentiful in good ratio to each other in lemon/lime water. Magnesium is important for heart health and calcium prevents rickets.

7) Lemon/lime water can help lower blood pressure.

8) Lemon/lime water has an alkalizing effect in the body as it is buffered. Even if you drink it just before any meal, it will help your body maintain a higher pH than if you didn't drink it. The higher or more alkaline your pH, the more your inner terrain is resistant to minor and major disease.

9) Helps dilute uric acid, which if it accumulates it creates arthritic pain or gout.

10) Helps reduce phlegm in the body.

How and When

Warm purified fluoride free water or spring water should be used. At least a half of a lemon or lime should be thoroughly squeezed into a half glass of the warm water without any sweetener. It's better to use a lemon/lime squeezer to get maximum juice with minimum seeds and effort. This should be done first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, and don't start eating breakfast right away. Some recommend an hour before eating for maximum results.

One technique to assure proper timing would be to heat up water and put it into a thermos before going to bed. Then mix that hot water with room temperature purified lemon or lime water upon arising. Drink it down quickly, then go about your other morning routines before eating breakfast.

The warm lemon/lime water daily habit is as cheap and easy as it gets to help you improve and maintain your health. Bottoms up!

Sources for this article include:

http://www.quantumbalancing.com/new...

http://www.waterbenefitshealth.com/...

http://marcussamuelsson.com/recipes...

http://www.healthnfitnesstips.com/l...

About the author

Paul Fassa is dedicated to warning others about the current corruption of food and medicine and guiding others toward a direction for better health with no restrictions on health freedom. You can visit his blog at http://healthmaven.blogspot.com

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/033383_lemon_juice_digestion.html#ixzz1VhWJb8eG

2011-06-12T16:04:00.000-07:00

Day 6 (of 30)

Bodies in Motion

Key points:

“normal” aging isn’t normal at all. It’s a choice you make by the way you live your life.
But our bodies are designed to age slowly and remarkably well. Most of what we see and fear is decay, and decay is only one choice. Growth is the other.
The hard reality of our biology is that we are built to move.
Your body is made up of trillions of cells that live mostly for a few weeks or months, die and are replaced by new cells in an endless cycle.
You replace about 1% of your cells every day. That means 1% of your body is brand-new today, and you will get another 1% tomorrow.
You choose whether those new cells come in stronger or weaker. You choose whether they grow or decay each day from then on. Your cells don’t care which choice you make. They just follow the directions you send.
It’s not a miracle or a mystery. It’s your biology, and you’re in charge.

Enjoy today's news...this is a great plug for exercise, but it holds true for nutrition just as well.

Each nutrient is processed inside the body and either supports health or the decline of health. What a great combination for wellness. Pay attention, it's your choice! ~j

Parade Magazine 3/20/07
New research reveals surprising facts about our changing bodies. You Can Stop ‘‘Normal’’ Aging
By Dr. Henry S. Lodge
Published: March 18, 2007

From your body’s point of view, “normal” aging isn’t normal at all. It’s a choice you make by the way you live your life. The other choice is to tell your cells to grow—to build a strong, vibrant body and mind.

Let’s have a look at standard American aging. Barbara D. had a baby when she was 34, gave up exercise and gained 50 pounds. Exhausted and depressed, Barbara thought youth, energy and optimism were all in her rearview mirror. Jon M., 55, had fallen even farther down the slippery slope. He was stuck in the corporate world of stress, long hours and doughnuts. At 255 pounds, he had knees that hurt and a back that ached. He developed high blood pressure and eventually diabetes. Life was looking grim.

Jon and Barbara weren’t getting old; they had let their bodies decay. Most aging is just the dry rot we program into our cells by sedentary living, junk food and stress. Yes, we do have to get old, and ultimately we do have to die. But our bodies are designed to age slowly and remarkably well. Most of what we see and fear is decay, and decay is only one choice. Growth is the other.

After two years of misery, Barbara started exercising and is now in the best shape of her life. She just finished a sprint triathlon and, at 37, feels like she is 20. Jon started eating better and exercising too—slowly at first, but he stuck with it. He has since lost 50 pounds, the pain in his knees and back has disappeared, and his diabetes is gone. Today, Jon is 60 and living his life in the body of a healthy 30-year-old. He will die one day, but he is likely to live like a young man until he gets there.

The hard reality of our biology is that we are built to move. Exercise is the master signaling system that tells our cells to grow instead of fade. When we exercise, that process of growth spreads throughout every cell in our bodies, making us functionally younger. Not a little bit younger—a lot younger. True biological aging is a surprisingly slow and graceful process. You can live out your life in a powerful, healthy body if you are willing to put in the work.

Let’s take a step back to see how exercise works at the cellular level. Your body is made up of trillions of cells that live mostly for a few weeks or months, die and are replaced by new cells in an endless cycle. For example, your taste buds live only a few hours, white blood cells live 10 days, and your muscle cells live about three months. Even your bones dissolve and are replaced, over and over again. A few key stem cells in each organ and your brain cells are the only ones that stick around for the duration. All of your other cells are in a constant state of renewal.

You replace about 1% of your cells every day. That means 1% of your body is brand-new today, and you will get another 1% tomorrow. Think of it as getting a whole new body every three months. It’s not entirely accurate, but it’s pretty close. Viewed that way, you are walking around in a body that is brand-new since Christmas—new lungs, new liver, new muscles, new skin. Look down at your legs and realize that you are going to have new ones by the Fourth of July. Whether that body is functionally younger or older is a choice you make by how you live.

You choose whether those new cells come in stronger or weaker. You choose whether they grow or decay each day from then on. Your cells don’t care which choice you make. They just follow the directions you send. Exercise, and your cells get stronger; sit down, and they decay.

Men like Jon, who go from sedentary to fit, cut their risk of dying from a heart attack by 75% over five years. Women cut their risk by 80%—and heart attacks are the largest single killer of women. Both men and women can double their leg strength with three months of exercise, and most of us can double it again in another three months. This is true whether you’re in your 30s or your 90s. It’s not a miracle or a mystery. It’s your biology, and you’re in charge.

Dr. Henry S. Lodge is on the faculty of Columbia Medical School and is co-author of “Younger Next Year” (Workman).

2011-06-11T15:46:00.000-07:00

Day 5 (of 30)

Water and Your Bod! (Another great reminder of what has been said over and over again!)

This is the number one issue that I see with my clients. Are you hydrated? It can alter your metabolism dramatically if you 'forget' to make this a health building priority. Not rocket science gang! Now, quality of water is important to so, get educated. Get hydrated. Get it?!

Glug, glug, glug ~j

Pure Water

Like the battery in your car, your cells are responsible for charging you up with energy and vitality. When you feel lifeless, you are suffering from a lack of vital energy, much like a stalled car. Since every body is in essence a rechargeable vehicle, it can be reinvigorated to run smoothly and efficiently; it takes the right fuel and constant care. The second most important element of life itself, after oxygen, is pure water.

Water is the primary conductor of the body’s electric current, and our cells require pure water on a regular basis. Water that is full of impurities and biological incompatible chemicals prevents the constructive interaction of bodily systems and encouraged cancer causing activity.

Pure water is an unrestricted highway on which all intercellular activity moves freely. This unrestricted flow allows the meridian system, the body’s electrical roadway, to stay fully charged at all times, creating a powerful, protective shield that prevents free radicals (reactive atoms that are produced in the body and can damage cells, proteins, and DNA by altering their chemical structure) from destroying healthy cells. Free radical damage is the cause of disease, premature aging, and all the body’s internal plagues.

The natural metabolic process of the body-including digestion and elimination-create toxic by-products. Because the production of these by-products is a perfectly normal function, they occur even in those who follow the Hippocrates Lifeforce Program. Exercise encourages perspiration and the flow of blood, which cleanse the respiratory and circulatory system of particulates that stifle systemic electrical functioning. Eliminating positions from the body allows greater absorption of nutrients and accelerates all healthy body function.

Hormones, the chemical messengers of the body, flourish in a clean bloodstream, because the communication between cells, tissues, and organs requires a constantly clear channel. Many kinds of brain disorders and body malfunctions occur because of a hormonal imbalance often caused by the absence of clear cell-to-cell directives. Thyroid dysfunction, which is increasing worldwide at alarming rates, has a profound impact on our minds and metabolism. In many people, the pituitary gland, at the center of the brain, is apparently dysfunctional. This core of hormonal generation empowers other glands, so when it produces either too few or too many hormones, all other glands and their anatomical connections malfunction and degenerate-sometimes permanently. Electrochemical charge, the foundation of functional life, must be constantly renewed-with the assistance of abundant pure water-otherwise, our health, emotions, thoughts, spirit, rest, functioning, and movement all suffer.

Here are three steps for success in keeping the water that enters your body pure:

Do not drink tap water provided by local governments. Not only does most of it contain harmful levels of chlorine and fluoride, it is also contaminated with a wide range of synthetic chemical toxins that water purification plants cannot remove. If you are not convinced...check it out and make your own decision.
Do not drink most bottles water. Many brands, such as Aquafina and Dasani, the two best selling brands in the United States, are just municipal tap water that has been crudely filtered. Here is another opportunity to find out what is offered locally.
Do your homework! Purchase your own high quality water filter that is right for your lifestyle and health. Use BPA free bottles, stainless steel or glass for trips to the gym, to work or away from the house. If you don't look into a house filter, consider shower or bath filters (whole new topic!). They are very inexpensive and very helpful at taking out the crud. Especially if you use organic soaps, lotions and other hygiene products.

http://www.epa.gov/ogwdw/wot/pdfs/book_waterontap_full.pdfhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tap_water
http://www.cdc.gov/features/drinkingwater/
http://www.ewg.org/healthyhometips/filtertapwater

2011-06-10T14:35:00.000-07:00

Day 4 (of 30)

High-tech tomatoes. Mysterious milk. Supersquash.

Are we supposed to eat this stuff?
Or is it going to eat us?

~Annita Manning

Think Globally, Eat Locally (YES, it is worth repeating! AND just as important today!)

Now it is more important than ever to eat locally and shop your local farmer's market and small grocery store.

We all know that the quality of our food is in jeopardy these days. Farmers, politics and disease are all related in a crazy world. But what can we do?

Awareness is a powerful tool.

Believe it or not the simplest of things...speak with your dollar, vote with your choice...on a daily basis buying and eating food that is grown locally.

Food that has been transported long distances doesn't contain as much life force (energy) by the time it gets to your kitchen. Making a commitment to shop, buy, and eat locally is not only a very important part of creating positive change, it can also be delicious, fun and far more nourishing than you thought.

One of the best places to begin the adventure of eating locally is a farmer's market. Stalls brim with fresh fruits and vegetables grown on nearby farms. Not only is this good for the environment (fuel, transportation expenses etc.), it's good for the farmers since they benefit from selling directly to the you, the consumer. You benefit, too, from the intimate experience of buying food from the hand of the person who grew it. In addition, the food is fresher and more diverse. In supermarkets, particular varieties of fruits and vegetables are favored due to their ability to survive transport to a far destination. Alternately, at a farmer's market, you will find versions of the fruits and vegetables you know that will surprise and delight your senses—green striped heirloom tomatoes, purple cauliflower, white carrots, and edible flowers, just to name a few.

Make an effort to buy as much of your food as possible directly from local farmers. You will become one of a growing number of people eating delicious food to balance our resources on the planet and having fun doing it.

http://www.cafarmersmarkets.com/index2.html

2011-06-09T06:37:00.000-07:00

Day 3 (of 30)

"Dis-moi ce que tu manges, je te dirai ce que tu es."
[Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are].
~Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

Knowledge is power! It is time to pay attention and wake up to quality of your foods if you aren't already on that path.

Become aware of the foods that you buy and eat! Whole foods that are closest to their natural state are your best options. Example: An apple instead of apple juice. Stay out of the packages, shop the perimeter of the market instead of the packaged isles filled with chemicals and advertising.

Consider getting your produce from a local farmer or farmers market. Go local or organic! Support your community by buying fresh, herbicide and pesticide.

The basics for healthy food choices:

eat foods that are fresh, seasonal, local and in their closest to natural state.
eat foods that are grass-fed, pasture raised, without hormones or antibiotics
eat foods that are free from chemicals, food dyes and pesticides
eat foods that are local organic over industrial organic - yes, there is also a war going on inside the organic world these days...the point is to be conscious and not get hung up on it.
eat foods that are non-GMO and non-irradiated, this is huge, you midwesterners...how much corn and soy do you see along the side of the road in your community?
eat foods that support sustainable agriculture and reduce your ecological footprint

Here's to increasing your awareness today and tomorrow and...! ~jgirl

2011-06-08T19:23:00.000-07:00

Day 2 (of 30)

Perfect sincerity and transparency make a great part of beauty,

as in dewdrops, lakes, and diamonds.

~Henry David Thoreau

Beauty products...one thing that we use to look younger and feel good about our outward appearance. What we don't always realize is that these products can be having the opposite effect on our skin and overall health.

The European Union has banned more than 1,000 ingredients from cosmetics, while the United States has banned only 10. Did you know that your nail polish may contain formaldehyde, a suspected carcinogen? Or that four common chemicals in perfume are classified as hazardous waste by the US Environmental Protection Agency?

Every year we each absorb an estimated two kilograms of chemicals through beauty and cosmetic products. Chemicals found in lipsticks, skin lotions and hair dyes have been linked with tumors, cell mutation, allergies, reproductive complications, endocrine disruption and cancer.

Look for some alternatives or at least look at the ingredients that are in the products you are using today ;-).

EWG's Skin Deep

2011-06-07T12:46:00.000-07:00

Day 1 (of 30)

There's so much pollution in the air now that

if it weren't for our lungs there'd be no place to put it all. ~Robert Orben

We have looked at some choices recently for cleansing our bodies, now is a good time to consider our environment, a little closer to home. Just what you are 'cleaning' with. It is no secret that chemicals run abound in our cleaning products, just one whiff down the 'stinky' isle (as my daughter calls it) at the market and you know it is true. Get rid of toxic household cleansers like dish and dishwasher soap, laundry detergents and bathroom scrubbers. If it has a poison sign on the label you don't want it in your home. Not only does it leave lingering chemicals in the air just after cleaning, but there is off-gassing that happens when it is stored in a cabinet or on the shelf.

Look at the back of your cleaning products...poison sign? What to do, what to do...there are so many options out there now for a 'greener' clean both good for you, your family and the environment and you get to choose with every dollar you spend or you can use some easy to make at home options as well!

Non Toxic Home Cleaning

Breathe clean and easy peeps! ~jgirl

2011-06-07T12:42:00.000-07:00

30 DAYS

Ever wonder what you can do in 30 days? Most people believe they can anything for just about 30 days.

How about some ideas. Over the next 30 days I will offer some options that support continued movement toward a more natural and healthy lifestyle.

Personally I have decided to engage in the Ralph Waldo Emerson 30 day writing challenge. Kind of outside of my comfort zone, but hey! The sun is finally shining and summer is on it's way. What better time that now that to take things up a notch.

As usual, when it comes to your personal decisions and responsibility, take what you like, discard the rest ;-). Comments, recommendations and suggestions always welcome.

Join in the fun! It's only 30 days. ~jgirl

2011-05-20T19:36:00.000-07:00

Can Gluten-Free Grains Contain Gluten?

Here is a little ditty. The pubmed (gem) article brings a nice touch to this tidbit brought around again by the National Association of Nutrition Professionals.

Choose wisely my friends, choose wisely.

Twenty-two gluten-free grains, seeds and flours, not labeled gluten-free, were purchased and sent to a lab for gluten content analysis . Products included white rice and flour, brown rice, corn meal, polenta, buckwheat and buckwheat flour, amaranth seed and flour, flax seed, millet grain and flour, sorghum flour, and soy flour. Gluten contamination of mean gluten levels ≥20 parts per million (ppm) was found in 32% of the samples (7/22), mean gluten levels ranging from 8.5 to 2,925.0 ppm was found in 41% of the samples (9/22) and 59% (13/22) of the samples contained less than 5 ppm for gluten. The authors point out that inherently gluten-free grains, seeds and flours are not gluten free and co-mingling can occur anywhere along the line from field to package. Some degree of contamination exists in naturally gluten-free grains.

J Am Diet Assoc. 2010 Jun;110(6):937-40.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20497786
Note the date here...this is NOT new news, just new news to the public...

The results of this study suggest that inherently gluten-free grains, seeds, and flours not labeled gluten-free may be contaminated with gluten. This raises health concerns for clients who must follow a gluten-free diet, as the consumption of these products can lead to unintended gluten intake.

This is why I advise my clients to go grain free! If you must OR a few times a week, choose naturally gluten-free grains, flours, seeds, and products made from them that are labeled gluten free. Keep in mind that a gluten-free label is not a guarantee that products have been tested and contain below 20 parts per million of gluten, but they are still more likely than unlabeled products to have been tested. Buyer beware or at least accepting of the consequences ;-).

~jgirl

2011-05-04T07:11:00.000-07:00

Spring Cleaning~
Does your inside, match your outside?

One important and still relevant life lesson stems from the old term no pain, no gain. Throughout the peaks and valleys in your life you'll discover that true strength comes from the ashes of struggle. This is the same way with physical fitness and it's a big focus in my training and coaching programs, because a lot of people are trying to understand how to get from where they are, to where they want to be. How do you get out of debt, shed 50 pounds, and achieve the life of your dreams? It seems impossible when you're in the pit of depression, when you're in debt, when you're overweight, or struggling. But it's all possible, and I coach people how to take one day, and one step at a time to transform.

How?

Step 1: Take action in your life today.
You must be willing to let go of the life that you have (or some things within it) in order to grasp the life ahead of you, the life you are destined for! This lesson is about letting go, and moving on. It's about taking action in order to live the life of your dreams!

Are there people, places, or even things you need to let go of? Make a list today and you'll be amazed at how this one simple act ignites transformation. Once you do you are free to take action towards your dreams because you're moving in the right direction, without any anchors or unnecessary baggage.

Step 2: Keep moving.
Movement is about creating inertia, in your body, mind and soul. When you move mentally, you create change. When you move physically, your external body transforms!

There is power, in movement.
Exercise increases blood flow to the brain and body. That increases the amount of oxygen and removes cellular waste products. Physical exercise causes the lungs to draw in extra oxygen to bathe the tissues and help power the heart. Exhalation removes carbon dioxide, and waste products from biochemical reactions. It's the same when you exercise your mind and take steps towards your dreams. When you take action, instead of waiting to attract something, your life unfolds and things start to happen!

Step 3: Take a holistic approach.
Don't allow yourself to focus too much on one area, only. Give yourself a brief assessment. Are you in the best mental, and physical shape you could be in? If not, what can you do to change? Taking a moment to pause, and think about the condition of your body mind and soul, will help you stay balanced and healthy in all areas. Taking a holistic approach means understanding what's out of balance in your life.

Step 4: Get into a routine.
Successful people who live healthy lives have learned to incorporate some sort of routine in their day. That's because consistent healthy patterns on a daily basis, create the foundation for real growth and success. Add physical and mental fitness to your schedule. Focus on your physical routine (exercise) as well as your mental routine (reading a positive book, affirmations, or studying something that will expand your mind).

Step 5: Re-wire your mind.
Program your brain for healthy thoughts! Listen to positive music, ipod downloads, and CD's in the car. Your thoughts drive your future, and if you tend to process things negatively, be self-aware enough to turn that around. Top athletes like Tiger Woods, are masters of their minds, focusing on positive thoughts, concentration, and mental management. Having a healthy and positive outlook is essential for your best life.

Getting Mentally Fit and Physically Fit
In life, your mental and physical routines should be intertwined. One thing affects the other, and even if you're physically fit on the outside, it's important to be just as physically fit on the inside. Ask yourself today, does your inside, match your outside? The benefits of a regular fitness program are increased muscle mass, toned legs, buttocks, arms, abs, and healthier looking skin. But the benefits of paying attention to your emotional and intellectual state of mind are a healthier outlook on life, and more positive relationships in life, and also in business. When I coach someone in fitness, I always emphasize the power of routines, and a holistic mind, body approach.

Are you satisfied with your progress in all quadrants of your life -- physical, spiritual, emotional and financial? If not, what's holding you back? Find your compass, and get in sync. Take steps that will lead you to live the life of your dreams.

By John Spencer Ellis, co-author of The Compass.

Very nicely written! Had to repost! Get Spring Fit peeps! Now is the time~ jgirl

2011-04-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

I believe in you, and I believe in your destiny. ~Kahlil Gibran

Every day we have the blessing to start fresh, new and it is time to acknowledge how BIG that is. If you are trying to make postitive changes in your life and you find that you stumble a little here and there, well, that's part of life. You will keep trying until you are strong enough to make it through. That is called growth.

We are all here for a purpose, whether you know what that purpose is or not. If you look, it will be plain as day. Clearing the body of weight, toxins and other debris opens up the flow. Gives you increased physical health so that you can focus on things that are bigger in the big picture.

Below are a couple of links that can help you on your way. More of the 'how to' to eating fresh, local and sustainable, recipes and delicious options. You may have very little time for cooking, but just changing one meal a day will impact your health, your community and ultimately the politics of food. Plus, you just might enjoy it.

Sustainable Kitchen
http://www.sustainabletable.org/kitchen/

The Foodee Project
http://www.thefoodee.com/blog/category/uncategorized/meal-of-the-day/

2011-04-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

What is the question?

Diet, exercise and stress management...the BIG 3, life changers~

Let's start with food.

So, the question is...where are you right now? Is there something in your life that is holding you back when it comes to making healthy food choices? Maybe you just don't have enough guidance or information...

In my ongoing quest for finding healthy local produce, I came across a very knowledgeable woman offering demos for the store. We struck up a conversation over greens, yogurt and rescue remedy. In talking with her and both being practitioners of different modalities, I realized that no matter where we are in our walk toward health, there is always somewhere for us to go. So whether you have decided to eat a salad a day, stop eating fast food, delve into the world of raw and fermented or are just mulling all of this information over, there is always something new and exciting waiting for you.

You don't have to do it all or know it all right now.

As you gain more knowledge, your viewpoint will change toward what you believe is healthy. I have people come into my office all the time and tell me that they 'eat healthy.' Then, they tell me what they eat...it is not necessarily healthy. Just because you don't eat fast food, doesn't mean it's all good. There are many hidden carcinogenic (cancer causing) agents in A TON of our foods.

As a matter of fact, A few years ago, the FDA approved a viral cocktail that will be sprayed on cold cuts, sausages, hot dogs, sliced turkey, and chicken. To be fair, please read both links below, then decide whether you'll want to eat these foods or feed them to your kids!

http://www.organicconsumers.org/2006/article_1801.cfm

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=2464943&page=1

Now, after reading these articles, has your viewpoint opened up, just a little? Maybe you've realized that you might be willing to change, just a little?

Little tip in case you have...Read labels: anything mentioning bacteriophage preparation, AVOID! If you get cold cuts and meats at a restaurant, ask them if they use meats prepared this way. The same rule goes for irradiated foods, and foods that contain hormones and antibiotics.

In your best health ~jgirl

2011-04-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

When we consider the consequences of our actions,

we can determine the best choices to create the outcome we desire.

So what is this 'real foods' thing all about?

God designed us in an amazing and intricate fashion. In a nutshell, our bodies were meant to eat from nature to provide fuel to our cells which in turn run the metabolic machine that keeps us going.

Things like chemicals, food dyes, pesticides, herbicides, plastic, trans fats, fake sugar and such actually clog, congest and confuse our internal body functions. This is generally what the Standard American Diet (SAD) is made up of. This is why so many people feel crummy and are on one or more prescription drugs, act crummy- depressed, angry, unpleasant disposition and are generally cranky butts - stuck in their lives watching reality tv, gossiping about others, no sex drive, hate the neighbor and never really smile. Most of us know there is a problem out there, but what can we do about it. Well, we can WAKE UP and get informed. We have been trained and misinformed on so many things. The media has educated us brilliantly. Now it is time to think for ourselves.

The basics for healthy food choices:

eat foods that are fresh, seasonal, local and in their closest to natural state.
eat foods that are grass-fed, pasture raised, without hormones or antibiotics
eat foods that are free from chemicals, food dyes and pesticides
eat foods that are local organic over industrial organic - yes, there is also a war going on inside the organic world these days...the point is to be conscious and not get hung up on it.
eat foods that are non-GMO and non-irradiated, this is huge, you midwesterners...how much corn and soy do you see along the side of the road in your community?
eat foods that support sustainable agriculture and reduce your ecological footprint.
eat foods that are healthy for YOU (grains, dairy, legumes etc. do they fire up your gut?)

Most of these things you have already heard of, but maybe don't know how to transition in your home. That is our journey. We have to start at somewhere.

Where does your food come from. Most of it comes from processing plants and factories far far away. It takes more fuel to get it here than you put in your car on a weekly basis. It was once food, but has been denatured or ripped apart and put back together...kind of like Frankenstien. The difference is, our food gets dressed up real pretty with shapes and colors and packaging before it goes out in public, but Franky, well, you've seen him.

Sustainable - Sustainable agriculture integrates three main goals--environmental health, economic profitability, and social and economic equity.

Translation - Sustainable agriculture is a way of raising food that is healthy for consumers and animals, does not harm the environment, is humane for workers and animals, provides a fair wage to the farmer, and supports and enhances communities.

If we don't get our food from 'home' or our local community we will become dependent on other countries for our basic survival. Sounds extreme, but look at what happened with the ecoli spinach ordeal. One location, one mishap, one big deal. Are you ready to make a change?

Action
Look up your local grocer. You will find farmers markets, farms and stores from the links below. Maybe take a field trip in and see what it looks like. This is only the tip of the iceberg. There may be stores like Trader Joe's and Whole Foods in your area too, but they usually won't come up on this site. It doesn't mean they aren't good, it just means that they are a chain, more industrial and corporate. We are looking for options.

http://www.sustainabletable.org/shop/

http://www.foodroutes.org/

http://www.kidsfootprint.org/index.html - nugget for kids!

2011-04-01T15:49:00.000-07:00

Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterward. And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. ~Abraham Lincoln

There is always a lot of information that comes at you fast. In the news, from a friend, a class, a blog, the tv. Sometimes it is too much, sometimes it is very confusing, sometimes we actually want more. The point here is...don't stress about it. Do the best you can. Make the best choices you can with the information you have today. But don't stop listening, learning or growing.

I go through periods of time when I just can't process one more thing. And the information doesn't stop, it waits until it is relevant for you. I know this is true because when it is time, I just can't get enough of it.

We can only handle so much at once. We have to mentally digest, sometimes rationalize, consider a plan when we think about change. Most of the time we don't even think about change unless we are forced to or get a rude awakening. A friend is sick, we are diagnosed with something that couldn't possibly be, an incident, an accident... then, we will use what we have learned as a building block for the next steps that we are ready to take.

So, sit back, have a farm fresh salad or homemake your soup today.
Enjoy your kitchen instead of thinking of it as a chore and chew your food.
Laugh with your kids, your spouse, your friends.
Kiss your loved ones.

Food is a necessity, but it is also an enjoyment to be shared with others.
By reawakening and training their senses, Slow Food helps people rediscover the joys of eating and understand the importance of caring where their food comes from, who makes it and how it’s made.

2011-03-15T10:38:00.000-07:00

Ending The Cycle
Start Today

Hi there peeps...no this one isn't new...but one of my favorite Om's. Just a reminder that you have the choice, we always have the choice and not choosing is also a choice. ~j

Today we can make the choice to end a cycle or way of being that is not in alignment with our soul’s desire.

One of the hardest things in life is feeling stuck in a situation that we don’t like and want to change. We may have exhausted ourselves trying to figure out how to make change, and we may even have given up. However, each day offers us an opportunity to renew our resolve and to declare to the universe that we are ready for change. We may even say out loud that we have tried and struggled and have not found a way, but that we are open to help, and that we intend to keep working to create change for ourselves. Making this declaration to the universe, and to ourselves, may be just the remedy for the stagnation we are experiencing. And, it can be done today, right now.

It is difficult to understand, even with hindsight, how the choices we have made have added up to our current situation, but it is a good idea to examine the story we tell ourselves. If we tend to regard ourselves as having failed, this will block our ability to allow ourselves to succeed. We have the power to change the story we tell ourselves by acknowledging that in the past, we did our best, and we exhibited many positive qualities, and had many fine moments on our path to the present moment. We can also recognize that we have learned from our experiences, and that this will help us with our current choices.

When we do this kind of work on how we view our past self, we make it possible for the future to be based on a positive self-assessment. This inner shift may allow us to get out of the cycle we’ve been in that’s been keeping us stuck. Now we can declare our intentions to the universe, knowing that we have done the inner work necessary to allow our lives to change. Allow today to be the day to end cycles and enter into a new way of being.

2011-03-04T07:33:00.000-08:00

Under The Hood
Importance Of Looking Deeper

If we aren’t engaging in the deep, inner work of self-examination, we may not be aware of the real substance of our lives.

It’s easy to get caught up in examining our actions instead of really deeply examining ourselves. This can be deceiving because our actions may be very spiritual—we meditate, are nice to people, take care of ourselves and others—and yet, we may not be penetrating to the issues below the surface. It’s as if we’ve washed and shined the surface of our car without taking the time to check under the hood. We may appear to be in great shape, but if we aren’t engaging in the deep, inner work of self-examination, the chances are good that we are not deeply aware of the real substance of our lives.

We live in a very appearance-oriented, externally focused world, so it makes sense that we place a lot of value on how our lives look, sometimes to the detriment of noticing how our lives really feel. When we get too caught up in what we are doing and lose track of our core, we sometimes begin to feel dissociated, as if we are not fully awake, alive, and grounded. This is a sure sign that it’s time to engage in the hard work of going deep within to rediscover the foundation of our lives. Without the substance that comes from looking at ourselves deeply, and working through the difficult things we find, our spiritual lives can start to feel hollow or shallow, as if there’s nothing at the center holding it all together.

Of course, the peace that comes with prayer, meditation and spiritual practice is an essential part of the whole picture of our development, but it serves us best in conjunction with the less settling, more chaotic work of digging around below the surface to see what needs to be healed, owned, or released. Then our actions are more than just an attempt to keep everything in control, looking pretty and nice. Fueled by the energy of a life in transformation, they become powerful expressions of courage and faith, further inspiring our own inner work and that of those around us.

2011-01-23T17:26:00.000-08:00

Take a Breath

On a cellular level, Oxygen is the key ingredient in all processes that involve the absorption of nutrients, the energy cycle of the cell itself, and the elimination of toxins from the cell. If there is not enough oxygen in the blood and delivered to the cells, then this process breaks down.

Important side note: Insufficient Oxygen in the blood also reduces the "line-of-defense" of the human immune system.

Get breathing gang. Zowie!

How do you breathe? Yoga, CrossFit, walking, meditation? Well, whatever your choice, just get it done!

In, pause and Out, ahhhhh ~jgirl

2011-01-18T07:32:00.000-08:00

Tearing Down to Rebuild

Rethinking Complaining

When we complain we are tearing down an undesirable structure in order to make room for something new.

We all know someone who has elevated the process of complaining to a high art. Sometimes funny, sometimes exhausting, these people have the ability to find a problem just about anywhere. In its more evolved form, complaining is simply the ability to see what’s not working, in one’s own life or in the external world, and it can be quite useful if followed to its natural conclusion—finding a solution and applying it. However, many of us don’t get that far, and we find that complaining has become an end in itself. In small doses, this is not a big problem, but if complaining has become a huge part of our identities, it may be time to take a good look at how we are spending our energy.

Complaining is a person’s way of acknowledging that they are not happy with the way things are. In a metaphorical way, when we complain or criticize, we are tearing down an undesirable structure in order to make room for something new. But if all we do is tear down, never bothering to summon the creative energy required to create something new, we are not fulfilling the process. In fact, we are at risk for becoming a stagnant and destructive force in our own lives and in the lives of the people we love. Another issue with complaining is that we sometimes tend to focus on other people, whom we can’t change, as a way of deflecting attention from the one person we can change—ourselves. So transforming complaining into something useful is a twofold process that begins with turning our critical eye to look at things we can actually do something about, and then taking positive action.

When we find ourselves complaining, the last thing we need to do is get down on ourselves. Instead, we can begin by noticing that we are in the mode of wanting to make some changes. But rather than lashing out at somebody or an organization, we can take responsibility and look at our own house—not our neighbor’s house. Finally, we can ask ourselves the positive question of what we would like to create in the place of whatever it is we want to tear down. When we do this, we channel a negative habit into a creative process, thus using our energy to change the world around us in a positive way.

I love these OM's. Really take a sec with this one. A solution to your resolution. Make a real change and see lasting benefits. ~jgirl

2010-12-14T16:42:00.000-08:00

This little OM is dedicated to my good friend. We have recently had this conversation and there is so much truth to be found in it.

Enjoy and be aware that there is not only physical and mental/emotional aspects of our health, but spiritual as well and they work together in a beautiful dance that we call life.

Blessings for the season. ~jgirl

The Journey Of Commitment
Entering Into Commitment

Entering into a committed relationship is in fact a spiritual journey that we undertake with another person.

Loving and committing to another person is a spiritual process whether it involves a wedding or any other type of commitment ceremony. Often when we enter into a relationship, we allow our emotions to lead us forward without thinking more deeply about what true commitment involves. If we can understand that sharing our lives with another person is not just based on love but also on the hard work of being able to compromise and enter into a dialogue with them, then we are much more likely to find the key to having a successful relationship with our partners. So many people have not experienced a loving relationship between their own parents and therefore have no role model of what love should feel like or look like.

Many of us have been exposed to the idea that love should be romantic and sweep us off our feet. While this is a natural part of any relationship, the true test of our love comes from our willingness to explore this world with another person; to not only share in the delights that we encounter but also to negotiate the bumps in the road together. Generally this often takes the form of a mutual exchange of ideas, but because any relationship is based on the needs and experiences of two people, we might also face a certain amount of misunderstanding. Learning to be open and receptive to our partners and to treat their wants and ideas with respect can help us navigate even the most difficult situations. One way to do this is to take a deep breath, holding our partner in a space of love, and allow ourselves to listen fully with our hearts to what they have to say. Should this become difficult to do, we can also turn toward people whose relationships we admire for advice or guida! nce. Knowing that there are resources out there to help us and being up for exploring them with our partner will only serve to deepen and strengthen our relationship.

Entering into a committed relationship is in fact a spiritual journey that we undertake with another person. By being able to love and care for someone else with an open heart, we will find that we can reach a greater level of personal transformation, evolving along our path and learning powerful lessons about ourselves that we might not otherwise be able to do on our own.

2010-12-02T07:50:00.000-08:00

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exp. 1/31/11

2010-12-01T09:21:00.000-08:00

Think Globally, Eat Locally

Now it is more important than ever to eat locally and shop your local farmer's market and small grocery store.

We all know that the quality of our food is in jeapordy these days. Farmers, politics and disease are all related in a crazy world. But what can we do?

Awareness is a powerful tool.

Belive it or not the simplest of things...speak with your dollar, vote with your choice...on a daily basis buying and eating food that is grown locally.

Food that has been transported long distances doesn't contain much life force by the time it gets to your kitchen. Making a commitment to shop, buy, and eat locally is not and only a very important part of creating positive change, it can also be delicious fun and far more nourishing than you thought.

One of the best places to begin the adventure of eating locally is a farmer's market. Stalls brim with fresh fruits and vegetables grown on nearby farms. Not only is this good for the environment, it's good for the farmers since they benefit from selling directly to the consumer. The consumer benefits, too, from the intimate experience of buying food from the hand of the person who grew it. In addition, the food is fresher and more diverse. In supermarkets, particular varieties of fruits and vegetables are favored due to their ability to survive transport to a far destination. Alternately, at a farmer's market, you will find versions of the fruits and vegetables you know that will surprise and delight your senses—green striped heirloom tomatoes, purple cauliflower, white carrots, and edible flowers, just to name a few.

Make an effort to buy as much of your food as possible directly from local farmers. You will become one of a growing number of people eating delicious food to save the planet and having fun doing it.

2010-11-24T08:26:00.000-08:00

Are You Full of IT?
Water that is...

Hey blogger peeps! Get and stay hydrated this holiday season. You may find yourself a little overextended, extra glass of wine, big meal, skipped a workout.

Stay strong.

You can do it!

Schedule in one extra workout session each week to ensure you are on track and bring your water!

1% dehydration will impact your athlectic performance!
2% and your metabolism really starts running amuck.

Keep it green at mealtime and enjoy a salad for balance. It's easy to celebrate with fruits and vegetables! Soups, stews, salads, sides, all opportunities for a cellular celebration ;-)

After oxygen, water is your highest priority for attaining optimum health. Why? It's quite simple-your body is over 70% water. Your brain is over 85% water. So it makes sense that you can't drink too much water - pure water. Staying hydrated is absolutely crucial for optimum brain function and optimum health.

Adequate hydration is not only essential for optimum brain function, it also:

• Maintains your body temperature
• Aids in digestion
• Metabolizes fat
• Lubricates and cushions your organs
• Transports nutrients throughout your body
• Flushes toxic waste from your body
• Keeps you looking and feeling young

There is evidence that cellular hydration state is an important factor controlling cellular protein turnover; protein synthesis and protein degradation are affected in opposite directions by cell swelling and shrinking. An increase in cellular hydration (swelling) acts as an anabolic proliferative signal, whereas cell shrinkage is catabolic and antiproliferative. The cellular hydration state is mainly determined by the activity of ion and substrate transport systems in the plasma membrane. Hormones, substrates, and oxidative stress can change the cellular hydration state within minutes, thereby affecting protein turnover. We postulate that a decrease in cellular hydration in liver and skeletal muscle triggers the protein catabolic states that accompany various diseases.

Cellular hydration state: an important determinant of protein catabolism in health and disease

2010-11-22T10:32:00.000-08:00

Enduring Discomfort
Missing Our Old Habits

Sometimes you may find yourself missing an old habit or pattern or having a craving for something that you have sworn off as a detriment to your lifestyle! This this is actually normal and happens to most of us from time to time or at first, daily.

Whenever we make the effort to free ourselves of an addiction or a habit we no longer need or want, we are often surprised to find ourselves missing it as if we are depriving ourselves of food, air, water or shelter...you know, survival. Yes, it sounds crazy because our brain tells is that we think we should instinctively gravitate toward that which is good for us. And yet, it makes a lot of sense when you consider that we humans are creatures of habit. This is why we gravitate to people and places—and patterns of behavior--that make us feel comfortable. Here's the bomb...many of the habits we form are not conscious and are based instead on learned behavior from role models, experiences or programming that might not always have had health in clear view.

Most addictions begin as a way of avoiding feelings that are extremely uncomfortable, so it makes sense that stopping the addiction means, for a time, a fair amount of discomfort. The same, of course, is true of habits that we have developed over time that we are ready to release. This is tough stuff, yep hard. Don't be so hard on yourself, work through it and stay the course. Two steps forward and one step back is still one step forward. Create those new healthier patterns, and one day you won't even notice that you haven't looked back in a while. Take advantage of simple tools that can help your move past the emotional aspect of those habits. EFT, TFT and ERT are all great options.

Step up to the plate. If you have decided to make a change, keep it in your crosshairs, work through the self sabotage. You are worth it! Be confident! Remember that it will lead to the change we seek in our lives. Our bodies, hearts, and minds always need time to adjust to a new way of doing things, but they will adapt, and even become our allies, if we remain true to our vision of a new way.

2010-11-15T16:22:00.000-08:00

Being Clear About Desires

Getting What We Want

The best way to get what we want from life is to first know what we want. If we haven't taken the time to really understand and identify what would truly make us happy, we won't be able to ask for it from those around us or from the universe. We may not even be able to recognize it once it arrives. Once we are clear about what we want, we can communicate it. When we can be honest about who we are and what we want, there is no need to demand, be rude or aggressive, or manipulate others that are involved in helping us get what we want. Instead, we know that we are transmitting a signal on the right frequency to bring all that we desire into our experience.

As the world evolves, humanity is learning to work from the heart. We may have been taught that the way to get what we want is to follow certain rules, play particular games, or even engage in acts that use less than our highest integrity. The only rules we need to apply are those of intention and connection. In terms of energy, we can see that it takes a lot of energy to keep up a false front or act in a way that is counter to our true nature, but much less energy is expended when we can just be and enjoy connections that energize us in return. Then our energy can be directed toward living the life we want right now.

Society has certain expectations of behavior and the roles each of us should play, but as spiritual beings we are not bound by these superficial structures unless we choose to accept them. Instead, we can listen to our hearts and follow what we know to be true and meaningful for us. In doing so, we will find others who have chosen the same path. It can be easy to get caught up in following goals that appear to be what we want, but when we pursue the underlying value, we are certain to stay on our right path and continue to feed our soul.

2010-11-10T12:42:00.000-08:00

Knowledge Is Power

Farmageddon Trailer from Kristin Canty on Vimeo.

2010-11-09T21:28:00.000-08:00

Your thoughts will become your words.

Your words will become your actions.

Your actions will become your habits.

Your habits will become your character.

Your character will define your destiny.

Now, knowing that what you think about expands...
what's on your mind?!

~jgirl

2010-11-01T18:32:00.000-07:00

Use your imagination not to scare yourself to death

but to inspire yourself to life.

~Adele Brookman

2010-10-08T10:35:00.000-07:00

Culling Out the Weeds

Mind Over Matter

The power of the mind is a curious thing, because it is so powerful yet so difficult to control sometimes.

The power of the mind is a curious thing, because it is so powerful yet so difficult to control sometimes. We find ourselves thinking a certain way, knowing that this thought may be creating trouble for us yet we find it difficult to stop. For example, many people have the experience of getting sick at the same time every year or every time they go on a plane. They may even be aware that their beliefs impact their experiences, so continue to think they will get sick and then they do.

Sometimes we need to get sick in order to process something or move something through our bodies. But often we get sick, or feel exhausted, because we don’t make the effort to galvanize the power of our minds in the service of our physical health, which is one of its most important functions. We really can use it to communicate to our bodies, yet we often regard the two as separate entities that have little to do with one another.

Knowing this, we have the power to create physical health and mental health, simply by paying attention to the tapes running in our minds. Once we hear ourselves, we have the option to let that tape keep running or to make a new recording. We harness the power of the mind in our defense when we choose supportive, healing words that foster good health and high spirits. All we need to do is remember to tend the field of our mind with the attentive and loving hand of a master gardener tending her flower beds, culling out the weeds so that the blossoms may come to fruition.

2010-10-02T15:33:00.000-07:00

hope heALS

Sacramento ALS Walk today with the family and friends.

There are so many heartfelt expressions that can be made in an event like this and I find myself unable to put them into words. It is with so much gratitude that I say thank you.

I am daily striving to find those things that are my invisible barriers and yet they seem to pale in comparison to the struggle that happens inside a person with ALS (PALS), they are constantly moving forward with the spirit of a warrior.

That's YOU mom!

What a great inaugural event for Team hope heALS. Again, much thanks for the love and support of our friends and family.

Live, Love, Fight! One of the many awesome slogans that I saw today.

Never Give Up on yourself or those that you care about.

We love you~

2010-09-30T15:03:00.000-07:00

Inner Hierarchy

Listening with Your Heart

Most of us were born and raised in cultures that value the head over the heart and, as a result, we place our own hearts below our heads in a sort of inner hierarchy of which we may not be conscious. What this means is that we tend to listen and respond from the neck up, often leaving the rest of our bodies with little or no say in most matters. This is a physical habit, which sometimes feels as ingrained as the way we breathe or walk. However, with effort and awareness, we can shift the energy into our hearts, listening and responding from this much deeper, more resonant place.

The brain has a masterful way of imposing structure and order on the world, creating divisions and categories, devising plans and strategies. In many ways, we have our brains to thank for our survival on this planet. However, as is so clear at this time, we also need the wisdom of our hearts if we wish to continue surviving in a viable way. When we listen from our heart, the logical grid of the brain tends to soften and melt, which enables us to perceive the interconnectedness beneath the divisions and categories we use to organize the world. We begin to understand that just as the heart underlies the brain, this interconnectedness underlies everything.

Many agree that this is the most important work we can do at this time in history, and there are many practices at our disposal. For a simple start, try sitting with a friend and asking him to tell you about his life at this moment. For 10 minutes or more, try to listen without responding verbally, offering suggestions, or brainstorming solutions. Instead, breathe into your heart and your belly, listening and feeling instead of thinking. When you do this, you may find that it’s much more difficult to offer advice and much easier to identify with the feelings your friend is sharing. You may also find that your friend opens up more, goes deeper, and feels he has really been heard. If you also feel great warmth and compassion, almost as if you are seeing your friend for the first time, then you will know that you have begun to tap the power of listening with your heart.

2010-09-15T12:26:00.000-07:00

Great baseline laboratory test!
An overall view of your health.

If you aren't looking with an annual check-in and are serious about prevention you should consider this test. Get it through your doctor, your health care practitioner, your nutritionist or a knowledgeable trainer. Bottom line, you should know what this looks like annually.

Cardio Plus Special $29
This is a great offer!

Here is a description of the profile. DirectLabs offers testing directly to the consumer. You can order it by the end of the month (Sept 20X) and have the draw done within another 30 days or so. Again, this is a basic baseline. ~jgirl

The process is simple.

Order the test online (see link below).
Go right to the LabCorp near your home or office once the requisition hits your email box.
Results are within 3-4 days. If you are unsure about reading the results a 30 minute phone or online consultation is available for $49.

Link for ordering: Cardio Plus - Sept Special - scroll down a bit on the page OR

Enter in search: CardioPlus-Sept Test of the Month

Description
CardioPlus Profile - Only $29 - (DLS Regular Price $45- Valued at over $280)
This is a great baseline laboratory test! An overall view of your health.

Tests Included:

Glucose
Uric Acid, Serum
Bun (Urea Nitrogen)
Creatinine, Serum
Bun/Creatinine Ratio
Sodium, Serum
Potassium
Chloride, Serum
Calcium, Serum
Phosphorous
Iron, Serum
Protein, Total Serum
Albumin, Serum
Globulin, Total
Albumin/Globulin Ratio
Bilirubin, Total
Alkaline Phosphatase, S
Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH)
Triglycerides
LDL Cholesterol
GGT
Cholesterol, Total
HDL Cholesterol
VLDL
Total Cholesterol/HDL Ratio
Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT or SGPT)
Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST or SGOT)

2010-09-15T10:55:00.000-07:00

Seeing Inside

Sight Versus Vision

Sight is the ability to see the physical world while vision is the gift of seeing beyond it.

When we look with our eyes, we see the physical world in so we can participate in it with knowledge. It brings us pleasure using our senses, which perceive the colors and shapes of all the myriad expressions of nature and human beings. It helps us feel in control, allowing us to see what is coming toward us, which way we are going, and exactly where we are standing at a given moment. We are able to read signs and books, navigate the interiors of buildings with ease, sense and perceive how a person is feeling by the expressions that cross her face.

As anyone who has lost their eyesight can tell you, though, there are things that are clearer when you cannot see the world through your eyes. One of the reasons you meditate pr pray with the eyes closed is because we automatically become more in touch with our inner world when we are not distracted by the outer world.

It is in this state that vision becomes our mode of seeing.

Vision comes from within and shows us how to navigate the realms of thought, feeling, and emotion. It enables us to see things that aren’t yet manifested in the world of form, and it also connects us to that part of ourselves that exists separately from the world of form.

As we age, even those of us with perfect eyesight will generally lose some of our acuity, but this loss is usually replaced with inner vision. This is the time of life when we are meant to turn inside and take what are sometimes the very first steps of a journey that cannot be traced on a map. We call upon intuition and feel our way along a path that ultimately carries us beyond the realm we can see with our eyes and into the land of spirit.

2010-09-08T13:48:00.000-07:00

Discover the Joy of Eating

Eat a variety of real foods – nutrient dense…meat, fish, eggs, nuts, roots, fruits and veggies!
Chemical free –organic, bio-dynamic, less packaged
Staple foods on hand – be prepared, meal & menu planning
Choose good fats – rich in omega 3’s, essential fats EFA’s
Healthy clean proteins – hormone, antibiotic & nitrate free…grass fed, pasture raised.
Eat fresh, seasonal, local grown foods – right in your community!
Relaxed eating – eat slowly and savor your meals… chew, chew, chew!!

~ it’s more than just food!

2010-09-03T17:21:00.000-07:00

Put Some Brain & Some Brawn Into It!

When considering an exercise routine you have to consider training with weights. Olympic lifts, Dumbbells and Kettlebells. Yes, your other weights are valid and if they work for you USE THEM! But I promise I will forget to mention a few here or there so I am mentioning the ones that I regularly use for training.

Here's the key point! And completely in a nutshell.

Weight training is good for your brain. Period. It stimulates a neuroendocrineimmune response. There is a cascade of anabolic hormones that are released during training. Anabolic hormones are not only important to muscle development but for the nervous sytem and the even complex neurological function of your brain.

Don't just give your workouts some muscle but put your brain into it! Give it a strong message of longevity and vitality. It makes sense!

On the flip side...detrimental to good brain health is stress. This is the biggest hindrance in our society to higher cognitive frontal lobe functions. I see it in your scans ALL THE TIME!

If you are under stress your frontal lobes shut down and you become reactionary rather than reflective. This is the sympathetic nervous system overworking and the parasympathetic nervous system never getting a chance to engage. Having stress hormones constantly released can literally wear you out.

We were not built to be under constant stress. Physical, emotional or mental. So, take the appropriate rest and recovery time. That might mean a day off from exercise or even your lifestyle once in a while. Incorporate some strategies to lower or remove stress. There are many options that fit and that will be in a different blog post. In the meantime, work smarter, not harder and find joy in your choices!

Here's to a iron-clad opinion!~ jgirl

2010-09-01T15:28:00.000-07:00

Levels of Action!

Just a quick tidbit on nutrients and a few levels of their actions~

Nutrients can effect the body at 4 degrees of action or levels.

A homeopathic level which is mildly stimulating to the neuroendocrine system.
A physiological level which is required by cells for growth and repair.
A pharmacological level where the nutrients forcefully stimulates a biological or neuroendocrine pathway.
And a toxicological level where the substance is in excess and overwhelms or poisons the cells or biological systems.

2010-08-30T14:16:00.000-07:00

Turning Inward

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

The outer world serves as a mirror and our inner world has a magnetic force that draws to us what we need to evolve.

We spend a lot of our lives looking for role models, mentors, teachers, and gurus to guide us on our path. There is nothing wrong with this and, in fact, finding the right person at the right time can really help. However, it is important to realize that in the absence of such a figure, we can very safely rely upon ourselves. We carry within us everything we need to know to make progress on our paths to self-realization. The outer world serves as a mirror. Or to use another metaphor, our inner world has a magnetic force that draws to us what we need to evolve to the next level. All we need to do to see that we already have everything we need is to let go of our belief that we need to seek in order to find.

The path of the spirit is often defined as a journey with a goal such as the fabled pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. In this metaphor, a person begins a search for something they want but do not have and then they find it, and there is a happy ending. However, most of us know that getting what we want only makes us happy for a moment, and then the happiness passes until a new object of desire presents itself. Joy is a permanent aspect of our inner selves and is not separate from us at any point. We do not have to travel to find it or imagine that it resides only in the body of another. In fact, what the best teachers will do is point out that this very precious elixir is something we already possess.

So when we find ourselves on our path, not knowing which way to turn and wishing for guidance, we can turn to ourselves. We may not know the right answer rationally or intellectually, but if we simply ask, let go, and wait patiently, an answer will come. The more we practice this and trust this process, the less we will look outside ourselves for teachers and guides for we will have successfully become our own.

2010-08-11T07:24:00.000-07:00

A Matter of Priorities

Letting Go of the Little Stuff

When we stop worrying about unimportant matters we can devote more to what is truly important.

We experience numerous disappointments each and every day. Our expectations go unmet, our plans are blocked by circumstance, our wishes go unfulfilled, and we discover that our lives are subject to a myriad of forces beyond our conscious control. In some cases, our response is powerful because we must invest ourselves and our resources to overcome genuine hardship. In others, our reactions are far more passionate than our circumstances likely warrant. The tension that permeates our bodies and minds when we are late for an event, interrupted at work, or sitting in traffic is not inappropriate, but it can interfere with our well-being in profound ways. When we stop worrying about relatively unimportant matters, we can be at peace and devote so much more of ourselves to what is truly important.

The small frustrations and irritations wield such power over us because they rob us of the illusion of control. But every problem is a potential teacher—a confusing situation is an opportunity to practice mindfulness, and difficult people provide us with opportunities to display compassion. There is a natural human tendency to invest copious amounts of emotional energy in minor dilemmas and frustrations in order to avoid confronting those more complex issues that are largely outside the realm of our control. The intensity of our response provides us with a temporary sense of personal power that helps us cope with challenges that might otherwise overwhelm us. But it is only when we let the little stuff go that we discover that the big stuff is not really so devastating after all.

In the stress of a singularly tense incident, differentiating between an inconsequential annoyance and a legitimate challenge can seem a monumental task. Ask yourself whether the emotions you are feeling will be as vivid in a year, a day, or even an hour. As focused as you are on this moment in time, your reward for letting go of your emotional investment may be the very happiness and harmony of being whose loss you are lamenting. Needless aggravation is seldom worth the cost it exacts. You cannot distance yourself from life's inconsistencies, irritations, and upheavals, but you can relinquish your desire for perfect order and gain peace of mind in the process.

2010-08-04T09:51:00.000-07:00

Compassionate Intensity
Balancing Your Warrior Spirit

When called to explore the way of the warrior, we can exhibit strength without sacrificing tenderness.

The human soul is dynamic, adapting readily to the changing conditions we encounter as time marches unerringly forward. Though we may use a single set of characteristics to define ourselves, we slip easily into contradictory roles when circumstances necessitate doing so. When we feel called to explore the way of the warrior, we may feel a strong sense of dismay because we have no wish to disavow ourselves of our softer side. Yet embracing the warrior spirit is not a matter of denying gentleness or compassion—all human beings embody all traits to some degree, and seemingly contradictory aspects can coexist peacefully within us. We can exhibit strength without sacrificing tenderness precisely because both are elements of the self and both have a role to play in the complexity of existence.

Balance is the key that unlocks the door of peaceable coexistence where opposing characteristics of the self are concerned. The warrior spirit, when allowed free reign, is overpowering and all-consuming. If it is to be an affirmative force in our lives, it must be tempered with wisdom and moderation. Our inner warriors are ready to react instantly to conflict, chaos, and confusion, while nonetheless remaining committed to a path of goodwill and fairness. They lie at the root of our dedication to integrity but do not drive us to use our strength to coerce others into adopting our values. The warrior may be nourished by raw emotions with the potential to cause us to lash out, but it channels that energy into positive and constructive action.

Your inner warrior is one source of strength you can draw upon in times of great need. When you employ your warrior spirit thoughtfully, it manifests itself as clarity, focus, determination, courage, constancy, and an unflappable zest for life. The warrior views roadblocks as evolutionary opportunities and is not afraid to pursue a purpose to its climax. There is more than enough room in the existence of the warrior for softness and benevolence, and the warrior's willingness to stand up for their beliefs can aid you greatly as you strive to incorporate these ideals into your existence. Exploring this unique side of yourself is a means of broadening your reality so you can internalize mindfulness while meeting life's challenges with an intensity of spirit that never wavers.

2010-08-02T11:05:00.000-07:00

Fruit Abuse – Report it Here!
by Veronica Grace Patenaude

Oh beloved fruit, how I love thee. But these days I am noticing more than ever that you are not being treated properly or even very well in general. Something terrible has happened to our society. People have forgotten how to choose you, take care of you, cut you and serve you.

This has to stop!

To raise awareness for my dear friends I have compiled all of my best examples to help spread the word and educate people on this nonsense.

Here are some recent examples.

#1. The disgusting conglomerate “fruit salad”.

WHY do they insist on adding oranges or other acidic fruits like kiwi or pineapple into these “fresh” concoctions? It absolutely ruins the flavor of everything. Who wants to eat watery orange flavored melons and grapes. I wish someone would teach them some fruit sense! Not all fruits have to be combined to create a fruit salad, the more fruits the worse the taste.

Preventative measure:
If out at a restaurant, ask if the fruit salad is pre made or made fresh. If fresh ask that they only include fruits of your choice or omit the oranges. If at someone’s house where they’re preparing fruit salad tell them about the effects of acidic fruits on sweet fruits and melons and help them design a colourful fruit salad that won’t compromise the flavor of each fruit.

#2. The sad tale of the unripe banana.

Ever seen a co worker tote an unripe yellow banana to and from work every day? Sitting on their desk, and then going into the fridge and then back on their desk and then back into the fridge? Abandoned and unripe… It just never gets eaten despite their “healthy intentions” such a shame.

Preventative measure:

Ensure your friends and family know how to select a banana and when it is ripe to each. Tell them that the banana should ripen at room temperature for several days after it turns completely yellow and that it is ripe when there are brown speckles all over it. This is when the banana is at it’s sweetest and the starch has been converted into sugar by the enzymes in the banana.

#3. The overworked grocery clerk that slams your apples down on the scale at the grocery check out.

This is one of the most heartbreaking stories. You spent minutes, yes, MINUTES picking out perfectly ripe, unbruised apples. Each one a delicate work of art. Only to make it to the check out and have them callously tossed around and inevitably bruised before you even make it to the car. How could someone be so heartless?

Preventative measure:
Smile and say hello to your cashier. Ask that they be extra careful with your produce and you really appreciate it. Or just use self checkout and avoid the whole situation!

#4. The fruit bowl of death.

You might have seen this at your parents or friend’s house. The iconic bowl of fruit in the kitchen, yet no one is eating out of it. The fruit just sits there to get old and squishy and gets brought out to the table when guests are around only to disappoint them with a watered down lacklustre flavor. Grapes and cherries belong in the fridge people!

Preventative measure:

Talk about how much you enjoy eating fruit, how easy they are to eat and quick and satisfying. Make fruit sound appealing to those around you to include these in their diets every day. Comment on how you love keeping your ripe fruits (peaches, nectarines, grapes, cherries, oranges, lychees and other perishables) crisp and fresh. Let people know that counters are best suited for slower ripening fruits like bananas, melons and apples.

#5. The moldy produce drawer.

You open up the fridge at a friend’s house and notice they have some old decaying fruit or vegetable matter (you can’t tell at this point) in their produce drawer. In fact there’s more than a few abandoned things in here that have seen better days. Your host told you there was “some” fruit in the fridge… I think you’ll be going hungry at this point.

Preventative measure:

To prevent this catastrophe from happening to you inspect your fridge weekly removing any foul smelling or squishy produce. Compost it and make a mental note to only buy what you will consume each week. For friends with mouldy produce drawers tell them it’s too bad their food went to waste. Suggest some recipes or meal ideas for the foods that were spoiled so they have an easier time remembering what to do with them next time around.

#6. The tupperware of old fruit.

Your aunt always keeps some cut up fruit in a tupperware container in the fridge. The unfortunate part is that it never gets finished and keeps going from fridge to table every meal. The fruit is cut up but getting mushy and watered down by now and is past it’s prime. Sadly she does not know that fruit can be enjoyed a better way. (Do not abuse your watermelon this way!)

Preventative measure:

Consume cut fruit within the same day or at most 2 days. It is at its freshest and most flavorful the same day. Encourage everyone at the table to take a slice or two of fruit and make sure that it is finished that meal. For the next meal cut up some new fruit and serve it fresh and watch people wonder in amazement at the difference in flavor and texture! Insist that you eat a lot of fruit and enjoy preparing it fresh for each meal.

#7. Eating fruit at the end of a meal.

Quite often people want to end their meal with something sweet, whether it’s a dessert, coffee with sugar or some fruit. What they don’t realize is that eating fruit on top of heavy foods like meat, dairy or bread is really doing your body a disservice. It creates a poor environment for digestion and the fruit sugars begin to ferment on top of the previously eaten food items causing bloating, gas and blood sugar swings.

Preventative measure:

Eat fruit first before the meal or as a snack 20 to 30 minutes beforehand. This ensures your body has enough time to digest this water rich food and not cause any digestive upset or blood sugar swings. Encourage your friends and family to do the same. Let them know they’ll crave less heavy foods for their meal and inevitably be more energized and possibly lose weight too!

#8. The notorious garlic-onion fruit.

Have you ever noticed how the taste of raw garlic and onions permeates every food you eat? Especially fruit? Many times restaurant staff use the same cutting board to cut fruit on as they do garlic or onions so inevitably your “delicious” fruit plate ends up tasting like onion watermelon or garlic pineapple. TRULY disgusting.

Preventative measure:

ALWAYS use a separate cutting board for vegetables than fruits. Wood and plastic cutting boards retain the oils from garlic and onions and pass them on to other foods. Ask your waitress to ensure that the kitchen staff does not cut your fruit on the same cutting board as those items. Tell your family and friends to use two separate cutting boards when preparing foods for entertaining such as vegetable trays and fruit platters. Your taste buds will thank you.

So now you’ve been informed, help spread the word. Educate your friends and family about proper fruit conduct and how to enjoy fruit at its prime.

Let this be the beginning of a new day for fruits everywhere. A brighter tomorrow where there are more educated people who can handle you and appreciate you properly. Children who will know how to select and when you are ripe for peak enjoyment.

Have you witnessed any fruit abuse? Report it here!

2010-07-30T07:15:00.000-07:00

Return and Reclaim
Returning to Creative Dreams

What a perfect little OM today. Enjoy. ~j

Our creativity is an important part of being a well-rounded human being. For many of us, this has been shut down.

As children, many of us entertained fantasies or even goals of being an actor, singer, dancer, artist, or musician. In some cases, we received enough encouragement to develop our abilities in those creative arenas, but somewhere along the way we stopped. This stopping may have been due to circumstances beyond our control or to our own unconscious acts of self-sabotage. Being creative can be scary in a world that seems to value logic over imagination and practicality over dreaming. We can forgive ourselves for shutting down or turning our attention away from our inner artist, but perhaps we can also take steps to reclaim our dreams.

In certain times and places, developing a creative ability was considered an important part of being a well-rounded human being. It was not necessary to be a professional or a masterly genius, because the act of creativity was valued in and of itself. It gifts are manifold—from the sheer pleasure of allowing our imaginations free reign to sharing and enjoying the fruits of our labor. Children share drawings and songs freely, without self-consciousness, and there is no reason why we cannot do the same thing. You may already be remembering some lost form of expression, such as making jewelry or writing songs. Your soul may be responding with an energetic lift as it feels its way back to a time when it was allowed to express itself freely. Your brain, on the other hand, may be throwing up obstacles, like the idea that you are too old or do not have the time.

The truth is, you are not too old, and if you have time to pick up a pen, you have time to make a doodle or write a haiku. Recognize that the obstacles you find before you have arisen from a place of fear and that they will wane in power every time you do something creative. Each creative act takes you deeper into a realm of beauty and magic, a realm that you have every right to return to and reclaim.

2010-07-29T20:03:00.000-07:00

Unplug!

How strange that Nature does not knock, and yet does not intrude! ~Emily Dickinson

'We have electrical fields within and around us and our health and wellbeing rely on how those fields are working and balanced," says Kerry Crofton, PhD, author of Wireless Radiation Rescue. To reduce exposure to these emissions, Crofton suggests:

spend a day in nature, unplugged.
turn off wireless routers when not in use.
when you cell phone is on, keep it away from your body.

2010-07-23T07:14:00.000-07:00

Your imagination is your preview of life's coming attractions.

~Albert Einstein

2010-06-27T08:08:00.000-07:00

It's amazing how much passion is behind the smoothie vs. juicing argument...a few comments here from RenegadeHealth.

Here's the quick and dirty...

Smoothies contain more fiber, don't oxidize as fast, and allow for slower nutrient absorption.
Juices have less fiber, oxidize quicker and allow for quick absorption.

Now again, this doesn't mean that juices are bad, they just have their place. We use them as we would a supplement. Drinking an organic vegetable juice is an opportunity to get great nutrients and minerals straight into your system.

When you juice a veggie, you strip away all the fiber. This makes the nutrients extremely available for your system to absorb.

When you blend a veggie, you break down the fiber making the nutrients easier to absorb, but you still have a bunch of fiber that will slow absorption in your intestines.

When it comes to readily available nutrients, juices take the lead.

Smoothies hands down on this. Put your ingredients into a blender and turn it on. Cleaning with a blender is simple too.

Rinse it out a bit, add some water and soap, then put it back on the
base. Turn it on for a few seconds, then use a sponge to clean out
what's left.

Juicers are harder to clean because they have more moving parts. My fav juicers are the Omega 8300 and the Green Star depending on your price point and purpose.

To get the best of both worlds, you can use your blender to make
juices.

Add your juice ingredients to the blender, add some water, and
blend. When you're done, strain everything through a nut milk
bag and you have your juice ready to go.

When it comes to ease, it's not really the smoothie or the juice,
it's the machine. I choose Vitamix all the way!

So raise a glass and cheers to your health. ~jgirl

2010-06-11T01:54:00.000-07:00

No Hard Edges

Creating Space In The Body

When our minds are cluttered with too many thoughts and information, our bodies respond by trying to take action.

Our minds and bodies are interconnected, and the condition of one affects the condition of the other. This is why prayer/meditation is such a powerful tool for healing the body, as powerful as physical therapies. When our minds are cluttered with thoughts, information, and plans, our bodies respond by trying to take action. When the body has a clear directive from the mind, it knows what to do, but a cluttered, unfocused mind creates a confused, tense body. Our muscles tighten up, our breath shortens, and we find ourselves feeling constricted without necessarily knowing why.

When we sit down to quiet the chatter, we let our bodies know that it is okay to be still and rest. This is a clear directive from the mind, and the body knows exactly how to respond. Thus, at the very beginning, we have created a sense of clarity for the body and the mind. As we move deeper into meditation, the state of our mind reveals itself, and we have the opportunity to consciously decide to settle it. If you put a cow in a small pen, she acts up and pushes against the boundaries, whereas if you provide her with a large, open space, she will peacefully graze in one spot. In the same way, our thoughts settle down peacefully if we provide them with enough space, and our bodies follow suit.

When we settle down to examine and experience our consciousness, we discover that there are no hard, definable edges. It is a vast, open space in which our thoughts can come and go without making waves, as long as we let them by neither attaching to them nor repressing them. As we see our thoughts come and go, we begin to breathe deeper and more easily, finding that our body is more open to the breath as it relaxes along with the mind. In this way, the space we recognize through meditation creates space in our bodies, allowing for a feeling of lightness and rightness with the world.

Great OM today gang~ jgirl

2010-06-07T17:36:00.000-07:00

Such a great post from Whole 9. Just had to repost. Enjoy~ jgirl

What’s in YOUR cooler?

Happy Tuesday, and thanks to all for contributing your own form of weekend motivation. We had a ROCKING workshop at EmerFit in Fort Collins, CO on Saturday morning, followed by a fantastic cook-out featuring Whole30-approved 100% grass-fed dogs and burgers, plenty of fresh fruit and veggies and unsweetened tea, courtesy of our hosts and the members of EmerFit. Thanks so much for the hospitality, and the great time. We’ll be back – in the meantime, get on with your June 1st Whole30 start date, and let us know how things are going!

We’re 17 days in to our own on-the-road version of the Whole30, and we’ve got this travel stuff down at this point. Part of the reason we took on this project – completing the full Whole30 while permanently on the road – was to experience with our readers the challenges we all face trying to Eat Good Food when life requires lots of travel, socializing or just a a super-hectic schedule. So today, we’re going to spend some time dissecting the contents of the Whole9 cooler – what’s in it, what’s in the grocery bag next to it, and how we put things together to make delicious, Whole30-approved meals and snacks. We’ll break it down by food groups, and will include things in rotation – we don’t always have all of this stuff on hand, depending on grocery availability and our travel schedule. But we’ve found a few lifesavers along the way, and we hope by passing these along to our readers, you’ll have an easier time Eating Good Food under any circumstance, whether at home or on the road.

What’s in the Whole9 cooler (and accompanying grocery bags)?

Protein:
Deli turkey/chicken/roast beef. Usually Applegate Farms, where the only ingredients are organic meat, water and sea salt.

Sweet Apple chicken sausage, by Bilinski, organic and all-natural. (We’ll cook these while camping, or bring the camp stove right into the hotel. True story.)

Albacore tuna. Chicken of the Sea Healthy Selections (in the pouch), where the only ingredients are tuna and water.

Hard boiled eggs. We always have a dozen of these on hand.

Smoked salmon. Wild caught Alaskan (never farm raised), unseasoned.

Whole Foods brand of “simple” chicken breast or salmon, where the only ingredients are chicken/salmon, salt and pepper.

Vegetables:

Carrots
Celery
Cucumber
Sugar snap peas and snow peas
Pepper slices (red, green, yellow and orange)
Tomatoes (usually the small grape variety)
Sprouts (sunflower, alfalfa, radish, broccoli, sweet pea shoots)
Baby spinach (mostly for cooking while camping)
Jicama – peel, slice into thin strips and munch, these are our new favorite snacks
Fresh salsa. Whole Foods and other stores sell fresh, organic salsa with 100% approved ingredients.
Frozen butternut squash and sweet potato, for microwaving post-workout
Pumpkin (canned and organic). Technically a fruit, it’s still a great source of post-workout carbohydrates.

Fruit:

Whatever we can get that is fresh, local, in-season and not too expensive
Larabars (a dried fruit/nut combination, used only in food emergencies)

Fat:

Olives. Lindsay Naturals in the can, where the only ingredients are olives, water and sea salt.
EVOO (extra virgin olive oil). We bring a bottle everywhere, and pour over veggies, salads, meat, whatever.
Avocado. Tons.
Fresh guacamole. Whole Foods and other stores sell fresh guac with 100% approved ingredients.
Coconut milk (full fat, in the can)
Shredded coconut, unsweetened.
Coconut oil (for cooking when camping)
Avocado oil (for cooking when camping)
Macadamia and hazelnuts, and some almonds, cashews and pecans
Sunbutter (in serious moderation – one to two servings a week)

Herbs/Spices:

Cinnamon. We bring a bottle everywhere.
Sea salt, pepper, cumin, cayenne, nutmeg.
Fresh basil and cilantro – we top lots of stuff with fresh herbs.
Tips, tricks and adding variety to your Road Trip Food

Protein is going to be the hardest to get in good amounts. Plan ahead and stock up – cook chicken or salmon the night before you travel, boil a dozen eggs, find deli meat and tuna packets that meet criteria.

Smoked salmon is often overlooked, but the wild caught stuff is a great source of N-3 and protein. Slice, roll around chunks of honeydew melon or mango, secure with a toothpick and go.

Fruit is way too easy to overdo when traveling, so swap some of that fruit for portable vegetable sources. A flexible cutting board, sharp knife and plastic silverware help you branch out from just carrots and celery.

Fresh salsa and guacamole are life-savers. Roll deli turkey around pepper slices, secure with toothpick and top with salsa and guac – delicious and totally portable.

Frozen root veggies are also a good idea, especially if you’re training on the go. Sweet potato and squash varieties are just as good hot or cold – top with cumin and cayenne for a spicy kick.

Nuts are also easy to crack out on when traveling. Try olives instead! They’re portable, don’t need refrigeration and you can eat an awful lot for the same amount of fat as an ounce of nuts.

Spices and herbs are an easy way to add flavor and variety to your meals, and don’t take up a lot of room in your bag/cooler.

Planning and preparation are key! Take time to purchase, prepare and pack your cooler before a trip and you’ll have good, Whole30-approved meals and snacks at the ready.

We hope this peek inside our cooler (and, below, our hotel fridge!) helps to give you fresh ideas and inspiration for your own travels. Got a road-trip-worthy snack, meal or food idea? Post to comments!

2010-05-28T16:01:00.000-07:00

For love of country they accepted death... ~James A. Garfield

2010-05-26T20:31:00.000-07:00

A healthy human environment is one in which we try to make sense of our limits, of the accidents that can always befall us and the passage of time which inexorably changes us.

Rowan Williams

2010-05-24T07:37:00.001-07:00

Build your weaknessess until they become your strengths. ~

2010-05-16T10:05:00.000-07:00

Once in a Lifetime Experiences

Often we are comfortable in the same routine. Stepping out here and there for a taste of something new, but those once in a lifetime experiences...are you letting them pass you by?

The invitations to life don't always come with a fancy bow or special wrapping. Sometimes they are found in an obscure event or off the beaten path. The key is to recognize them when the do show up. Then it is time to decide, since life is about the experience, where does it show up in your priorities? Is there desire? or just a flicker of interest?

In my opinion, it isn't about being distracted from what is important to you, but those once in a lifetime experiences are to enhance your journey on this earth.

See one? Go for it~ jgirl

2010-05-13T03:57:00.000-07:00

Ideas are cheap. Execution is priceless.

Be someone that gets it done.

Really?!

What was I thinking? Was all I was thinking as Team VictriX took the field at the SoCal Regional Affiliate WOD 1 event. Hey, I am just the girl with the blender. I am in excellent health, love my job, have an amazing family, happy with my life, what more could there be?

I had been in deep denial that I was even at UC Irvine for this challenge. A competition? Well, I have had no aspirations to take my CrossFit experience and throwdown. Sectionals? Nope, only back in the box a couple of months and not confident. But now, a team, with the focus being about the experience, that was the crack in the door. It might be fun.

Fun it was...after the butterflies died off during suicide sprints. Actually, it wasn't really that fun, yet. The team executed with 1 full round of individual efforts strung together. Sprints, 30 DB thrusters, 10 Ring dips, next! The set of 30# DB thrusters were brutal. Could I actually rip off 30 of these? I had to. Don't think, just do. They had to be to standard too. Hey, I am a metcon junkie, what is the deal with these weights? Use your legs or you will die. The last thing I wanted to hear was 'no rep'. Being a judge at the NorCal Sectionals was an eye opener to the lack of form a lot of CF athletes practice. Breathe and count them off. The number only goes down.

I am not sure exactly how I felt when all was said and done. Fun wouldn't be the word that I would have used. I think I was in a fog. Ring dips scaled, I was thrilled that I finished, but had a new respect for pushing my limit. That was HARD for me. The good news was, I was on the afternoon team to do the second team WOD too! I am here of my own free will. Yee haw~ 30# one arm DB snatches, lots of them ;-). Why couldn't they be kettlebells? Why did I continue to doubt the possible. Sometimes it is you up against...you.

A spin around the multiple competitions that were going on showed feats of strength that were impressive. The human potential is inspiring. Housewife, business exec, athlete, all on the same playing field getting it done. CrossFit brings out the primal in all of us. Time to refuel, rest and take it all in.

Late afternoon approached and our team set out for warm up. The weather was warm and we knew the track would be hot, be prepared for some sweat. Doesn't the back of my affliate shirt say something like...I'm not sweating, my muscles are crying. Strategy set, no butterflies, I was more focused on reps, reps, reps, run, snatch, pull. That was my job. Do it right, do it fast.

NOW we are having fun. This was the highlight of the weekend for me. Our team worked so well together. We didn't prepare as a team for this event but we knew the drill. We finished a group run, 500 db unders, 250 snatches and 125 pullups in just over 21 minutes. Exhausted and elated I walked away breathless and ready for some meat!

Knowing that the rest of the team still had one more WOD to complete tomorrow kept the excitment of the weekend flowing, but as for me... Ahhhhh! I could take my sore and sunburnt body and relax. It's not often that one does a CF workout more than once a day and I was ready to kick it and enjoy the sites.

Still can't find our live stream online, but I heard it is there. Our heats were 10:50am, 4:50pm and 8:50am. http://live.crossfit.com/

I still have no aspirations to be a bad-ass or the top performer and I am not always the most motivated. But I show up consistently and strive to do my best each day. I check my ego at the door because some days are really tough, the only easy day was yesterday and keep my sites on those goals for PR.

I CrossFit because I love it. Bullied to try it, challenged to do the work, driven to continue. I love the community, the love/hate relationship with the WOD's, the excitement of the white board. It helps to make me the best person that I can be physically, mentally and emotionally.

Thanks to my trainer, my teammates and our support posse. These are wonderful people who have lives, loves, challenges and experiences outside of the box and have the courage and spirit to bring it consistently. I love sweating with them, training them and cheering them on as they inspire me and coach me through those times when I need it too.

The trip home was the biggest challenge of the weekend. Among a myriad of ridiculous trials, an unexpected stay in Bakersfield, two new tires, chipped tooth, speeding ticket, pouring rain and a very patient passenger, I found myself back at rep 27 of the thrusters thinking, "finish this damn thing! It'll all be over soon. I wonder what's on the white board today?"

Find the crack ~jgirl

2010-05-11T13:34:00.000-07:00

Power in Ambition

You may channel the whole of your passion into your ambitions. As you address activities related to your goals and those tasks dedicated to your evolution as an individual, you will likely feel more competent and driven than ever before. This flame of personal power that has sparked within your soul can inspire you to undertake challenges that might once have frightened or unnerved you. Your focused ambition can motivate you to change careers, begin pursuing a line of insightful spiritual inquiry, or travel to those far-flung lands that awaken your imagination. This can also be a wonderful way to explore your creative talents or immerse yourself in an exciting new discipline. You may embark upon a new phase of your life’s journey today as you pursue your dreams.

Ambitions can be a source of personal power when leveraged as a means to increase motivation and drive. Often, our dreams and goals are imprecise—we have a vague idea of the success we hope to attract into our lives but no set plan on how to achieve it. When we understand not only the composition of our aims but also their subtleties, we become energized and excited to embark upon the quest to build the futures we desire. Our passion is fueled by our comprehension of the steps we must take to attain success. When channeled through ambition, your ideas about what achievement really means are touched by realism. This enables you to subdivide your large goals into manageable steps that you can pursue with passion.

2010-05-03T01:01:00.001-07:00

Nourishing You to A New Level of Well

2010-04-24T11:37:00.000-07:00

Water and the Human Body

By Janelle Deeds Nutrition Consultant & Educator

You have heard it once; you’ve heard it many times…water is vital to the quality of your health. But what is really going on when you take that drink of water? Why does it really make a difference, especially if you aren’t even thirsty? And what is all the fuss about?

Here are a few benefits of drinking water include:

Maintains beautiful healthy looking skin - skin health is a reflection of our internal health.

Keeps your organ and joints moist - this permits the passage of nutrients and wastes between the blood vessels and the rest of the body.

Helps to maintain muscle tone and supports weight loss - water plays a key role in the metabolic breakdown of proteins and carbohydrates.

Supports the regulation of your body temperature - when the body becomes too warm you will break out in a sweat. If you cannot sweat and your temperature rises, you can experience heat stroke or exhaustion.

Transports oxygen to the cells.

Your body is entirely made up of cells. Protoplasm, the basic material of living cells, is made of macronutrients that you are very familiar with; proteins, fats and carbohydrates. They are integrated in cells and with the various chemical elements combined with water to create the more familiar macronutrients. The basic functioning of the cells, including water balance, digestion, removing toxins, elasticity of the cells, oxygenation, nutrition, sodium/potassium balance etc. depend on Cell Salts. These cell salts are vital nutritional elements of the cell and lacking any one or more of these minerals will prevent the cells from up taking the proper nutrients supplied by digestion and the blood. In the late 1800’s, Dr. Willhelm H. Schuessler observed that the human body, when reduced to ashes contained only 12 minerals in the form of salts.

In a normal healthy body, minerals and micro elements pass through the cell membrane to the nucleus by electro-osmosis. A cell exchanges elements with the rest of the body by electrolysis. The body needs electrolytes (salt minerals like sodium, potassium, chloride and bicarbonate) for basic body functions. If your body loses water, it loses the ability to use these minerals.

Dehydration of the body is a serious matter. At 1% dehydration, most individuals will find that they have reduced athletic performance; others may experience a headache, tiredness, irritability or just feel thirsty. They often may not feel quite right but with no specific concerns. When 2% dehydration is reached, athletes can experience a 30% loss in performance, others may find rapid onset of fatigue, increased heart rate and elevated body temperature. Metabolic processes are now hindered which can include symptoms of indigestion and constipation. When the body can no longer release waste properly it retains toxins which can create a dis-eased state.

Hydration and detoxification start inside and continues to reflect on the outside. By keeping your water intake up throughout the day you are providing your body with the necessary support to function at an optimal level.

Look to your foods for water as well. Dry, packaged and processed foods contain little to no water. However, organic, seasonal, fresh fruits and vegetables are abundant in all of the necessary nutrients, water, vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and phytonutrients. They taste good, are nourishing for your body as well as offer a refreshing alternative.

A few tips for drinking water:

Never drink water that smells or tastes like chlorine. It is the natural minerals that you want in your water, not chemicals.

Use bottled water as a temporary solution. It can be expensive, is environmentally unfriendly and the chemicals in the plastic can leach out to give undesirable side effects. Check into a home purifying system or water service.

Have your water tested for leaching. Impurities from plumbing and hot water tanks can show up in your cooking water or shower!

You can consider a water treatment product such as the water wand, cell food or many other options on the market today to facilitate your blood’s ability to become more alkaline. By decreasing the surface tension of the water/liquid, you align the water molecules and restores it to its natural state. Water in its natural state supports the increase in your blood’s available oxygen and thus improving the function of your body and thereby reducing fatigue.

So raise your water glass and cheers! To your health.

2010-04-22T18:38:00.000-07:00

Fascia and Stretching!
Crazy important topic here gang.

Video is not for the squeemish. Thanks VictriX for the reference. Always tend to the tissues. Stretching, foam roller, massage, rolfing, bowen etc. etc. Remember health is far more than one dimensional. ~j

http://www.youtube.com/v/_FtSP-tkSug&hl=en_US&fs=1&">

Gil Hedley, Ph.D., of http://www.gilhedley.com gives a lesson on the importance of movement and stretching to maintain the sliding properties of tissues in the body, as well as the value of bodywork modalities and yoga when movement potential has become inhibited.

'I made this little clip when I was filming my DVD series in 2005.My thoughts have matured a little bit as compared to the way the ideas are presented in here, as might be expected from anyone engaging their learning curve and involved in a process of discovery, but I am also glad that so many people enjoy it "as is."

The relationship between the superficial fascia and the deep fascia consists of a variety of transitional tissue configurations, sometimes very loose (normally) and sometimes very fixed (normally), and I have found these differences are quite predictable from one area of the body to another, and from one body to another, whether the tissue is fixed or not.

Also, it is normal for there to be "fuzzy" tissue between "individual muscles" within the muscle layer. As with all tissues of the body, all the matter of which it consists is transitioning at various paces, some quicker, some more slowly. "Fuzzy" tissues indeed cycle more quickly then some more dense tissues. By example, the stomach lining sloughs off in 3 to 5 days, the skin cycles in 2 to 5 weeks, bone is cycling over the course of months.

There are what I call "filmy" fasciae all over the body, and when the dissector pulls on these "filmy" fasciae, they have the appearance of "cotton candy" when in traction (I show this in the fuzz speech), and this demonstrates the normal structure of the tissue: filmy and loose, usually found between layers of muscle, and sometimes between deep and superficial fascia.

I used this type of "normal fuzz" in my video as a way of providing an illustration for the
fact that, at a level which is initially beneath visual recognition, there is bonding (covalent bonding and hydrogen bonding) occuring throughout the body under various conditions, and this bonding is occuring amongst the connective tissues at large.

By using something visible to illustrate something invisible, people are helped to understand the importance of stretching, but for those wanting to understand more precisely, it is important to comprehend the difference between my illustrations using normal tissue "fuzz," and the kind of bonding which is taking place invisibly in connective tissue which can, in some instances, represent a pathological progression of tissue growth limiting movement.

That having been said, there are some areas of the body which do indeed demonstrate the possibility of tissue binding at the gross, visible level, such as accumulations around the thoraco-scapular interface, "normal" scar tissues, and visceral adhesions.

I recently wrote an article for the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, ed. Leon Chaitow, on this very subject, called "Visceral Adhesions as Fascial Pathology." In this article I discuss normal and abnormal types of adhesion in the viscera, as well as their causes and their effects, with illustrations provided. I think you can look this article up on line or will be able to once the print version is officially published, though I'm not sure that the print version has "hit the newsstands" yet, as the article was just accepted for publication in November 2009.

I mention this article because it is a concrete demonstration of examples where the inhibition of movement results in tissue
binding and pathological states of mobility.

There are students of the body who are oriented towards the research literature, while I am oriented towards the very practical efforts of observation in the laboratory. I consider myself more of a sculptor and philosopher than a scientist. Still, those involved deeply in the professional conversations surrounding these matters (and I have many such colleagues) assure me there is ample scientific research and support backing the general implications of statements I make in "the fuzz speech," which itself is offered not to "prove" anything scientifically, but rather to inspire folks to expand their inner horizons and outward relationships with this inspirational bit of fun. Thank you for watching!'

2010-04-11T11:33:00.000-07:00

A Bit About BodyFat
As bathingsuit season approaches, the new years resolutions are long gone but concern for revealing the flesh is certainly on the horizon.

Keep things in perspective folks. Thin is not always healthy so be aware of your overall body composition rather than just weight. Bodyfat is a necessity for health.

Here is a bit from Tom Venuto. Keep it real! ~ j

That's the trouble with trying to pin down one specific body fat number as contest or photo-shoot ready: Everyone distributes their body fat differently and two people may look different at the same body fat percentage.

Here's what I'd recommend:
Get familiar with some benchmarks for body fat levels. My Burn The Fat system has a body fat rating system, which includes averages and my suggested optimal body fat percentages.

Burn The Fat, Feed the Muscle Body fat rating scale

WOMEN:
Competition Shape ("ripped"): 8-12%
Very Lean (excellent): 13-15%
Lean (good): 16-20%
Average (fair): 21-25%
Below average (poor): 26-30%
Major improvement needed (Very poor): 31-40%+

MEN:
Competition Shape ("ripped"): 3-6%
Very Lean (excellent): 7-9%
Lean (good): 10-14%
Average (fair): 15-19%
Below average (poor): 20-25%
Major improvement needed (Very poor): 26-30%+

Just a quick note:

You're not destined to get fatter as you get older, but in the general population (non fitness and bodybulding folks), the average older person has more body fat.

What I did do is list a range instead of one number, so younger people can use the low end of the range and older people can usethe higher number. Also, just so the average reader can keep things in perspective, single digit body fat for women and low single digits for men is far beyond lean - it's RIPPED - and that's usually solely the domain of competitive physique athletes.

Competition body fat levels were not meant to be maintained all year round. It's not realistic and it may may not be healthy, particularlyfor women.The average guy or gal should probably aim for the "lean" category,or if you're really ambitious and dedicated, the "very lean category"as a realistic year round goal.You'll probably have to hit the "very lean" category for six pack abs.

However, the bottom line is that there's no "perfect" body fat percentage where you're assured of seeing your abs. Besides, body fat is one of those numbers that gets fudged and exaggerated all the time. The low numbers are nice for braggingrights, but they don't measure your body fat percentage on stage...What counts is how you look and whether you're happy with that (orwhether the judges are happy with it, if you're competing).You can use my chart to help you set some initial goals, but for themost part, I recommend using body fat testing as a way of chartingyour progress over time to see if you're improving rather than pursuing some holy grail number.

Thanks Tom Venuto! Great perspective www.burnthefat.com.

2010-04-08T17:27:00.000-07:00

Don't Stress About It

Superheros are fictional. However, feeling motivated toward making a change to support the environment and a better quality of life is the real deal.

Most of us do what we can to watch our budgets and make our shared planet a better place. As Earth Month 2010 (yep, that's April) gears up, look for what you can do to be a bit more conscious without making it an epic task.

Check out the article below to take a few simple steps. My favs are highlighted and don't stress about it, awareness is the first step.

~ j

5 Things You Can Do to Help the Environment Right Now

Do you think that you are powerless to help the environment, because you are only one person? Think again! There are simple changes you can make to your daily routine to help the environment, and even improve your health and save you money.

The environment is a hot topic these days, and there is a lot of information out there about what is wrong and what we can do about it. All this information can be overwhelming, and leave you unsure of where to start. There are simple things that you can do everyday to do your part for the environment, and most of them take nothing more than an extra few seconds of your time.

5. Recycle

Who cares if I just throw this one can in the garbage instead of the recycle bin? If everyone in the U.S. thought this way, and threw out just one can or plastic bottle a day, imagine the amount of waste that would be poured into our landfills. Not to mention the amount of packaging that could be recycled instead, and used in a positive way. It is so easy to recycle at home, it's no more difficult than taking out the regular garbage, you just need to put your recyclables into whatever container your city or town requires for pick up. If you are really ambitious, those soda cans can even be turned into profit if you have a recycling facility nearby that will pay you for them. More and more restaurants, stores and other venues are providing recycling receptacles for you when you are out of the house as well, making it a snap to recycle when you're out and about.

4. Skip the paper or plastic at the grocery store

There are many reusable shopping bags available, and they are even available in fun colors, patterns, or with fun sayings on them. There are reusable bags that fold up into tiny little packages, making it easier than ever to pop them in your purse or pocket and take them with you wherever you go. Keep a supply in your car so that even when you make an unexpected stop at the store, you don't have to use paper or plastic.

3. Walk or take a bike ride

Is the grocery store less than a mile from your house? Think about walking or biking there. It's good for the environment, great for your health, and can actually be a great stress reliever. If you live within a short distance of your job, you might even think about biking to work. It takes a little bit of effort on your part, but the payoffs can be big. With gas prices as high as they are right now, it will even save you some money!

2. Use environmentally friendly cleaning products.

Take a look at the ingredients in the cleaning products you use in your house. Scary, isn't it? Environmentally friendly cleaning products are becoming more common, more affordable, and easier to find. Not only will it help the environment, but it will also keep toxins and chemicals out of your house, which can have a great affect on your health, and the health of your children or pets. And the number one thing you can do to help the environment right now...

1. Realize that you can make a difference, even though you are just one person.

You often hear people say: "I'm just one person, how can I make a difference?". If everyone in this country thought that way, the end result would be disastrous. You have the power to do your part, and for each person who does their part, this earth will be so much better off for it.

We have a responsibility to ourselves, and to our children to do whatever we can to leave this earth a better place than when we got here. Go ahead, take a few small steps, and know that you ARE making a difference.

2010-04-05T09:13:00.000-07:00

Six Nutritional Sins

Nutrition and cleansing are constantly interacting to attain normal body function. Structure is related to function, and structure of our bodies is based on what we feed it. With that in mind, and according to Dr. Bernard Jensen, these six nutritional sins are the root of most health problems and health breakdowns.

Inadequate consumption of fiber: As a rule, in the U.S., our nutritional habits do not allow us to keep our bowels in proper working condition. Fiber reduces toxic waste build-up by stimulating the bowel to move things along more quickly. Twenty to thirty grams of fiber per day are recommended.

Consuming too much fat and the wrong kinds of fats and oils: Either we have fallen prey to the fast food and processed food lifestyle which is very high in hydrogenated and/or saturated fats known as “bad” fats, or we avoid fats altogether thinking they are “fattening” and “unhealthy”. The “good” fats are critical to proper functioning of the body and as a rule, the average American is getting nowhere near enough of them. Good fats and oils include flax, avocado, raw nuts, fish, goat’s milk, and seeds such as flax.

Excessive consumption of pasteurized, homogenized dairy products: Pasteurized and some homogenized products consist 25% of the American diet, where a healthy amount of dairy products should be closer to 6%. Cow’s milk is one of the greatest mucus forming foods and also a major cause of allergies and immune system responses. Alternate recommendations are goat’s milk and/or freshly made nut-milk.

Excessive consumption of inorganic salts: Organic ionized salt contain two of the most important electrolytes in our body, sodium and chloride, which are able to transfer electrical energy. It serves to neutralize acetic, butyric, lactic and fatty acids in the system, all by-products of the intake of excessive fatty foods, starches, meat, butter, potatoes, oily nuts, etc. Inorganic salt, on the other hand, is manmade and does not react in the body the same way. Instead, it increased the risk of hardening of the arteries, increases blood pressure, increases risk of stroke, etc.

Excessive consumption of sugar and wheat. In the 1940s, people consumed 16 pounds of sugar a year. Now it is close to 125 pounds a year! Refined sugars do not meet the body’s needs. They provide empty calories along with tooth decay. There is also a buffering process that takes place as a result of eating refined sugar that leaches calcium and phosphorous from various areas of the body causing a multitude of problems. It can cause various conditions such as hypoglycemia, blood sugar disorders, and malnutrition. Wheat and dairy together account for 54% of the average daily food regime. Dairy is approximately 25% and wheat 29%. The appropriate percentage for wheat should be closer to 6%.

One factor that is of grave importance is that wheat contains gliadin (gluten), which is highly intolerant to a large portion of the population, even though they may be unaware of it. Gluten is sticky, and as such, sticks to the bowel causing problems in the small intestines. This breakdown of the mucosal barrier (lining of the small intestine) then leads to malabsorption issues. With the inner terrain now being out of balance, this in turn invites pathogens to set up residency in your GI track, including yeast (candida), parasites and bacteria. There are saliva tests available to determine if you have such a gliadin intolerance, and whether your GI tract is healthy or compromised as a result.

While I am not 100% with each and every morsel here, I agree with the high 90% of this valuable information. Take a moment at least to read through and see where your habits fall under the nine laws according to Dr. Jensen. ~j

Nine Dietary Laws
To maintain optimal health, the following nine dietary laws should be adhered to:

The law of natural, pure and whole. What God made cannot be improved upon. He gave us whole foods. Whole foods build a whole body. Organically grown, in mineral rich soil, unprocessed.
The law of proportions. This law applies to the 6;2;1;1 rule. That is that each day we should eat 6 vegetables, 2 fruits, one protein and one starch (a non-gliadin starch). With the right foods and the right proportions, the body will show improvements day by day, and in 6 months, you will have a better body.
The law of acid-alkaline balance. The diet should contain 80% alkaline forming foods and 20% acidic forming foods. Vegetables and fruits are alkaline, whereas proteins and starches are acid forming. The alkaline foods neutralize the acid forming foods.
The law of variety. Our diets need to have variety, that is we should eat different fruits and vegetables, starches and proteins. Do so day-by-day, week-by-week, don’t eat the same things two days in a row. Eating produce from different areas also offers you the mineral content from various soils.
The law of raw foods. Sixty percent of our diets should be comprised of raw foods, in a natural, and raw form, supplying the best source of vitamins, minerals and live enzymes. That includes vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and whole grains. Juices and nut butters are also great. Raw foods supply lots of good fiber.
The law of natural cure. Nature will cure, when given the opportunity. Repair and replacement of tissues is reliant upon a good intake of nutrients and a good mind/spirit life. Only when tissues are replaced will the healing become complete.
The law of moderation. Eating one of a few foods to excess causes nutritional deficiencies due to the lack of the other foods. Overeating causes imbalance, obesity, health problems such as diabetes, heart conditions and circulatory problems. That includes the three major food categories; proteins, carbohydrates and fats.
The law of deficiency. If we do not eat the right foods, we will not be supplied with the right nutrients and will become deficient. Every disease is associated with some kind of nutritional deficiency.
The law of food combining. Certain starches and proteins should not be eaten together (i.e. meat and potatoes). Melons are to be eaten separately from other foods. When ill or tired, it is best to practice the law of food combining as this will remove some of the stress from the digestive organs. Once health is restored, and good digestive function exists, there can be less emphasis on food combining.

Resource: Dr. Bernard Jensen

2010-04-04T15:36:00.000-07:00

"Let us not look back in anger,

nor forward in fear,

but around us in awareness."

~ Leland Val Vandewall

2010-03-30T10:43:00.000-07:00

Add a bit of sweet to your Healthiest Way of Eating with this mosaic of kiwifruit and strawberries. It takes just minutes to prepare and is full of health-promoting vitamin C. Most people don't realize that a kiwifruit has more vitamin C than an orange!

10-Minute Kiwi Mandala

Prep and Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
8-oz plain or vanilla yogurt
3 TBS fresh orange juice
1 TBS cream honey**
1/2 tsp grated orange rind*
1/4 tsp grated lemon rind*
1 kiwifruit
4 strawberries
Optional: 2 TBS chopped walnuts or pecans, orange zest for topping

Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk the yogurt, orange juice, honey and grated orange and lemon rind, making sure the honey is completed blended into the yogurt.
Place in 2 shallow soup dishes.
Peel the kiwifruit and slice into 1/8" rounds.
Take the stems off of the strawberries and cut them lengthwise into 4 pieces.
Arrange the fruit in a beautiful pattern on top of the yogurt mixture and sprinkle with some grated orange rind and nuts if desired.
Refrigerate for 1/2 hour so that the yogurt is well chilled.
Enjoy immediately!

*Cream honey is whipped honey found in most health food stores.
**Use an organic orange and lemon, if possible, to avoid wax coating. Serves 2

2010-03-28T08:42:00.000-07:00

Every gift, though it be small, is in reality great if given with affection.~Pindar

2010-03-21T22:46:00.000-07:00

To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best,

night and day,

to make you everybody else

means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight;

and never stop fighting.

- e. e. cummings

2010-03-17T21:13:00.000-07:00

"Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself.

And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams." ~the Alchemist

2010-03-16T08:22:00.000-07:00

Health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind and spirit. When one is free from physical disabilities and mental distractions, the gates of the soul open. - Iyengar

2010-03-15T20:30:00.000-07:00

Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

2010-03-15T20:05:00.000-07:00

Quiet Please!
Taming Monkey Mind In Meditation

It’s been called the monkey mind – the endless chattering in your head as you jump in your mind from thought to thought while you daydream, analyze your relationships, or worry over the future. Eventually, you start to feel like your thoughts are spinning in circles and you’re left totally confused.

One way to tame this wild creature in your head is through meditation – although the paradox is that when you clear your mind for meditation you actually invite the monkey in your mind to play. This is when you are given the opportunity to tame this mental beast by moving beyond thought – to become aware of a thought rather than thinking a thought. The difference is subtle, but significant. When you are aware of your thoughts, you can let your thoughts rise and float away without letting them pull you in different directions. Being able to concentrate is one of the tools that allows you to slow down your thought process and focus on observing your thoughts.

To develop your concentration, you may want to start by focusing on the breath while you meditate. Whenever your monkey mind starts acting up, observe your thoughts and then return your focus to your breath. Some breathing meditations call on you to focus on the rise and fall of the breath through the abdomen, while others have you concentrate on the sound of the breath. Fire can also be mesmerizing, and focusing on a candle flame is another useful tool for harnessing the mind. Keep the gaze soft and unfocused while observing the color, shape, and movement of the flame, and try not to blink. Close your eyes when you feel the need and continue watching the flame in your head. Chanting, devotional singing, and mantras also still the mind. However you choose to tame the monkey mind, do so with firm kindness. The next time the chattering arises, notice it and then allow it to go away. With practice, your monkey mind will become quiet and so will you.

Great OM today. With breath and observance ~j

2010-03-11T15:47:00.000-08:00

Placer County Real Food Cookbook

Thanks Joanne and Laura for all of your dedication and inspiration. We are looking forward to the upcoming publication of your REAL FOOD Cookbook!

Cheers! ~j

2010-03-04T20:17:00.000-08:00

Quantum Physics - What A Ride!

Really, it's okay to stop for a moment and think! Enjoy ~j

2010-02-16T07:33:00.000-08:00

SuperBrain Yoga

A scientifically validated method that will help you energize your brain and enhance its sharpness and clarity. It’s a simple technique developed by Grand Master Choa Kok Sui which increases intellectual capacity and sharpens both memory and concentration.

This practice is based on the principles of subtle energy and ear acupuncture. Basically, SuperBrain Yoga allows energy from your lower chakras–or energy centers–to move up to the forehead and crown chakras. When this happens, this energy is transformed into subtle energy, which is utilized by the brain to enhance its proper functioning.

Here are some of the benefits of SuperBrain Yoga:

1. It energizes and activates the brain by synchronizing Alpha brain waves.
2. It reduces psychological stress and improves psychological stability.
3. It results in greater intelligence and creativity.
4. It promotes proper functioning of the brain.

Best of all, SuperBrain Yoga is really easy to learn and you can do it in just three minutes a day. Just read on.

(Disclaimer: This is a very simple exercise, but please remember that you’re doing it at your own risk.)

How to Practice Super Brain Yoga: Step-by-Step Instructions
Ideally, this exercise should be done in the morning. Follow these seven steps:

Remove all jewelry and stand up straight.
Place your tongue on the roof of your mouth right behind your teeth (as if you were about to say “La”). Leave it there throughout the exercise.
Take your left hand and grab hold of your right earlobe. Make sure that the thumb is in front.
Now take your right hand and grab hold of your left earlobe. Again, make sure that the thumb is in front. At this point you’re pressing both earlobes simultaneously. Make sure your left arm is close to your chest and inside your right arm.
Inhale through your nose and slowly squat down to the ground.
Hold your breath and do not exhale until you start making your way back up to a standing position.
Repeat this squatting action between 15 and 21 times.

Remember to keep a hold of your earlobes and to keep your tongue touching the roof of your mouth throughout the entire exercise.

For more information you can get the “SuperBrain Yoga” book). Please note that the woman in the video makes a mistake when she says when to breathe in and when to breathe out. As the text instructions above explain, you breathe in on the way down and you breathe out on the way up.

2010-02-01T09:16:00.001-08:00

Just Breathe~

One way to begin the decade is with a deep breath. Maybe two.

Breathing is quite a necessity for life. Minutes with out air and a human body will perish. Stop...inhale, hold for a moment, exhale. Yes, good. Now we can talk.

(pause, pause, pause)

Learning how to breathe is an important part of your health, part of your life. Take all of the 'healthy' things that you can do and breathing is an essential underlying component of all of them. I will keep this as simple and direct as possible.

Just breathe.

Deeper, not shallow, let that air in...all the way to the diaphragm, I know you have heard of it! The belly breath look it up friends. Click, go to a class, ask a friend, just learn it! Prana, Qi, Chi, let's begin there.

Anyone see the EPIC movie AVATAR recently? Just close your eyes and venture back to the scene where the Na'vi are seated together in a community BREATHING as one under the Tree of Souls. Breathing in as ONE (pause) and yet the light under each individual illuminates, breathing out (pause) and the light is transmitted to the source of all (Eywa) synergistic (for our corporate friends). Just breathtaking - for lack of a better word. Spectacular to see them functioning as one. Connected. Ever been in a yoga class where you are breathing in unison with those around you? Perfect agreement and accord. The state of being so tuned, in the same sound, pitch, in the moment. What an amazing experience. One that is available to you at any time. Believe it or not. We are a community, tied together through breath. Every living thing. every being that crosses your path experiences breath. Even those of our CrossFit family! Gasping sometimes, burpee breath training, boxing, focus, contol... But let's back it down a bit and make it your own. Start easy and controlled. Then move forward!

How about a Daily Deeds? Just try it.

When you wake up each morning, as you are laying in bed, your body will thank you for taking a very few minutes while you do these simple no-brainer breathing exercises. Dr. Andrew Weil has been talking about them for years now. Why not try it. Simple dimple....I am posting one of the full exercises here, but you can follow the link for the remaining options :-)

The Stimulating Breath (also called the Bellows Breath)
The Stimulating Breath is adapted from a yogic breathing technique. Its aim is to raise vital energy and increase alertness.

Inhale and exhale rapidly through your nose, keeping your mouth closed but relaxed. Your breaths in and out should be equal in duration, but as short as possible. This is a noisy breathing exercise.

Try for three in-and-out breath cycles per second. This produces a quick movement of the diaphragm, suggesting a bellows. Breathe normally after each cycle.

Do not do for more than 15 seconds on your first try. Each time you practice the Stimulating Breath, you can increase your time by five seconds or so, until you reach a full minute.

If done properly, you may feel invigorated, comparable to the heightened awareness you feel after a good workout. You should feel the effort at the back of the neck, the diaphragm, the chest and the abdomen. Try this breathing exercise the next time you need an energy boost and feel yourself reaching for a cup of coffee.

Many blessings for the new year. Now, a deep breath and we're off!

Enjoy! We'll be back for the balance of breath work in eating and exercise :-). Yep, it makes a difference here too. Check in...how do you feel? You should feel good, motivated and ready for more!

~jgirl

2010-01-31T08:19:00.000-08:00

What are you going to do?

This little slogan found online by Ted at CrossFit Folsom Lake reminds me of the 'Just Show Up' mantra. You never know what might be in store for you some days, but you won't know if you aren't there.

Equally as important is 'Honor the Work, Honor the Rest'. Will it be a run or walk today, will you scale and get your ego out of the way so that you move forward instead of back. Is it fear of succeeding when you reach beyond what you thought was possible? Because those days are plentiful when you push it to the limit.

Maybe it is a day to find your breathing rhythm. Anyone ever read The Way of the Peaceful Warrior (Dan Millman)? You may perform an amazing human feat though awareness, listening to your body, from the inside out.

Thanks Robert (PHYZYKS)for pointing out the need to acknowledge and connect to the diversity within...the path emerges...aligning your powerful potential.

So...what are you going to do?

As I find myself back in the box, sore, blistered and mentally in my own way, I promise to do my best... in those moments there is no place that I would rather be. ~j

2010-01-30T06:41:00.000-08:00

Full Moon Craziness

It was a beauty! Until our region clouded over and more rain~ If you were lucky enough to enjoy the brightest and biggest of 2010 I hope it was a sight.

~jgirl

Biggest and Brightest Full Moon of 2010
space.com – Fri Jan 29, 7:45 am ET

Tonight's full moon will be the biggest and brightest full moon of the year. It offers anyone with clear skies an opportunity to identify easy-to-see features on the moon.

This being the first full moon of 2010, it is also known as the wolf moon, a moniker dating back to Native American culture and the notion that hungry wolves howled at the full moon on cold winter nights. Each month brings another full moon name.

But why will this moon be bigger than others? Here's how the moon works:

The moon is, on average, 238,855 miles (384,400 km) from Earth. The moon's orbit around Earth – which causes it to go through all its phases once every 29.5 days – is not a perfect circle, but rather an ellipse. One side of the orbit is 31,070 miles (50,000 km) closer than the other.

So in each orbit, the moon reaches this closest point to us, called perigee. Once or twice a year, perigee coincides with a full moon, as it will tonight, making the moon bigger and brighter than any other full moons during the year.

Tonight it will be about 14 percent wider and 30 percent brighter than lesser full Moons of the year, according to Spaceweather.com.

As a bonus, Mars will be just to the left of the moon tonight. Look for the reddish, star-like object.

Full moon craziness

Many people think full moons cause strange behavior among animals and even humans. In fact several studies over the years have tried to tie lunar phases to births, heart attacks, deaths, suicides, violence, psychiatric hospital admissions and epileptic seizures, and more. Connections have been inclusive or nonexistent.

The moon does have some odd effects on our planet, and there are oodles of other amazing moon facts and misconceptions:

A full moon at perigee also brings higher ocean tides. This tug of the moon on Earth also creates tides in the planet's crust, not just in the oceans.

Beaches are more polluted during full moon, owing to the higher tides.

In reality, there's no such thing as a full moon. The full moon occurs when the sun, Earth and the moon are all lined up, almost. If they're perfectly aligned, Earth casts a shadow on the moon and there's a total lunar eclipse. So during what we call a full moon, the moon's face is actually slightly less than 100 percent illuminated.

The moon is moving away as you read this, by about 1.6 inches (4 cm) a year.

The moon illusion

Finally, be sure to get out and see the full moon as it rises, right around sunset. Along the horizon, the moon tends to seem even bigger. This is just an illusion.

You can prove to yourself that this is an illusion. Taking a small object such as a pencil eraser, hold it at arm's length, and compare its size to that of the moon just as it rises. Then repeat the experiment later in the night and you'll see that the moon compares the same in both cases. Alternately, snap two photos of the moon, with a digital camera or your cell phone, when the moon is near the horizon and later when it's higher in the sky. Pull both photos up on your computer screen and make a side-by-side comparison.

Astronomers and psychologists agree the moon illusion is just that, but they don't agree on how to explain it.

2010-01-29T09:41:00.000-08:00

The Ultimate Fast Food!

Thanks Green For Life ;-). Winter, spring, summer or fall...there is a green smoothie that can be enjoyed and is packed full of healthy nutrients.

TGIF ~j

http://www.greenforlife.com/15-smoothies-in-3-mins.htm

2010-01-28T12:55:00.000-08:00

Get your Green On!

Green Lemonade Recipe ~

Click and enjoy!

2010-01-28T09:53:00.000-08:00

New thinking about what we are eating!

FRESH the movie

FRESH is more than a movie, it’s a gateway to action. Our aim is to help grow FRESH food, ideas, and become active participant in an exciting, vibrant, and fast-growing movement.

When I write we, I don’t mean our small team (officially two of us, with lots of amazing helps from our interns and volunteers) but I mean YOU. All of you. FRESH is a grassroots efforts for a grassroots movement. It’s been tremendously exciting to see the movie catch on and spread like wild fire, being used all over the country as a platform to raise awareness and connecting people to the solutions available in their community.

Within a month of our launch, we’ve received over 20,000 visitors and hundreds of screenings have already been organized. We want to reach 1 million folks. Not just because that would totally feel nice to our ego (mine especially!), but because, we believe that FRESH can truly help get us to a tipping point, when sustainable food will no longer be just a niche market.

Please help us reach 1 million people (to start with that is.) Organize a home screening or a community screening. Get in touch with us, let us know what we can do more and better. We’re open!

I am thrilled to see that work that is being done to 'free our farmers' and create awareness around quality of food for our communities.

I will be organizing a viewing of the movie FRESH and invite you all to attend or find one in your local area. You do have a voice, you do vote with your dollar and you can make a difference right in your own backyard.

Smile and know that what you put into your mouth, chew and digest fuels your body, your life, your contribution to life on earth.

Enjoy! ~j

2010-01-22T08:23:00.000-08:00

Get Over It!

The five recommendations in the article below are not just options for recovering from vaccinations but are good practice for reaching and maintaining above average health. Because I believe that they are such key factors I am going to list them at the top here too with my 2 cents attached. ~j

Do regular cleansing. - Take a short period of time out of your normal routine. Intermitten fasting, one day or a 3-7 day herbal program or one of the many options that give your body a break and an opportunity to rejuvinate. Seasonally is my favorite time to check in with this. Breathe, stretch, nourish.
Clean and support your liver. - The liver is a workhorse. We live in a world with many toxins and our exposure is in excess. Supporting the function of the liver can be a bit like taking out the garbage in your house. Food, herbs, homeopathics, emotional release can all provide your liver with a well earned house cleaning.
Get a massage. 'nough said!
Think Green...drinks green! By now, you should know that I am a fan of the green smoothie. Truly a stellar way to bring life into the body. Green juices are fantastic as well, but not quite as convenient. So find your favorite green and enjoy it daily! Rotate, explore, revitalize.
Smart use of technology. To measure, monitor and protect. - This one is pretty loaded. We are surrounded by technology. Positive and negative. For starters...watch out for the zappers, your cordless or cellphone, wireless internet, EMF (see Dirty Electricity) and the list goes on. Bio-feeback scanners can help to identify imbalances in the body as an option to support the elimination of pesky symptoms or imbalances. This is such a broad catagory, just be aware and begin there :-).

Vaccinations: How to Recover

(NaturalNews) Vaccinations cause various problems that have led to their becoming controversial more than ever before. Because we now know more about what happens. In this article, we plot a step-by-step route to recovery from their effects.

While some studies show that nearly 40% of those surveyed are seriously considering not vaccinating their children, the majority of those surveyed were vaccinated themselves. (1) Generally, the medical profession thinks of the dangers of vaccinations in terms of deaths or retardation due to adverse reactions to vaccinations. Many parents may think about autism concerns. Actually, the dangers of vaccinations are far more widespread and certain in two important ways.

First, vaccinations interrupt normal immune development when given before immune system maturity. When given after, they serve to hyper-excite one facet of the immune system in its relation to four other stages of natural immune system response. Normally, the immune system goes from:

- you smelling a sick person to
- contact with the mucus membranes to
- the blood (the specific area targeted by vaccinations) to
- byproducts of pathogen breakdown which then requires activity in the body cells and the lymphatic system.

When one part is over-excited, the others may not function adequately, and the one targeted is likely to react excessively and ineffectively, such as in the case of allergies and auto-immune disease.

Second, vaccinations also deposit a foreign protein (or protein particle) and its attendant cocktail of chemicals (and possibly heavy metals) into the body without natural processes (e.g. injury) to alert the body to repel any invaders. History has shown us sadly that these particles may end up deposited in the body somewhere - usually an already weak area.(2)

These two factors (immune mal-development and deposited supertoxins) have long been criticized by outspoken doctors as possible contributors to rising rates of cancer and other diseases. (3) According to Dr. Richard Schulze, the London Journal of Medicine published two articles in the 1890s which voiced the concerns of medical doctors that cancer rates had quadrupled since the introduction of the compulsory vaccination act there.

Fortunately, today we know more about how to recover from the ill effects of vaccinations than ever before. Following is a formula that can be followed to that end. Also included is a short explanation of each:

Do regular cleansing - monthly or seasonally. This helps your body to start cleaning out areas which normally would be ignored as a low priority.
Clean your liver vigorously. The liver is in charge of monitoring weak areas of the body and can change digestive chemistry and cravings to suit the needs of a needy area of the body. Unfortunately, due to clutter from stones, stress and toxicity, the liver may never have a chance to do this as it should.
Get a massage. The massage therapist will work areas of your body that are not normally attended.
Think green...drinks! Raw chlorophyll regenerates blood and enhances resistance to EM radiation and the resonance of heavy toxins.
Utilize technology to fight technology by using bio-energetic devices that promote healthy vibration in your home. Technologies such as Quantum Biofeedback can specifically target hidden poisons and the ill resonance they set up in your body.

Thank you for reading,Kal Sellers, MH

References:(1)Riekman, Guy. "Rights and Responsibilities." 2007, Life University. Marietta, GA.(2)Fallon, Joan. "Autism- New Hope." 2008, Life University, Lyceum Speaker.(3)Mendalsohn, Robert S. How to Raise a Healthy Child In Spite of Your Doctor. New York:Ballantine, 1984.

2010-01-21T10:54:00.000-08:00

Moving as One

Leadership and Responsiveness

Wonderful little OM today. Key thought...shared vision. Enjoy! ~j

If you have ever seen a flock of geese fly overhead, you know how difficult it is to tell who is leading whom. The geese move in swift syncopation as if they are all responding instantaneously to the same cues, tapped into an unseen force that directs and guides their movement as one. It is the same way with wild horses or a herd of buffalo. Yet in all these cases, there is a leader who has established his position through demonstrations of strength, ability, and dominance. The total cohesiveness of these groups is a symbol both of excellent leadership and an excellent ability to follow. It takes both of these qualities for any group or system to work well.

In human communities, it is not always easy to establish who should be leading and who following. There are many reasons for this, including but not limited to the fact that our ways of determining leadership are less instinctual and therefore less clear. It is very rare that everyone is in complete agreement as to who should lead. In the big picture, of course, competition is a positive factor, preventing stagnation and entrenchment. However, in smaller groups, when a leader is truly called to the position and her constituency is responsive to her leadership, an enormous amount of work can be accomplished. This tends to work only if the individuals in the group share a powerful, heartfelt common goal. This goal is the unseen force that directs and guides the group so that they can move as one.

A flock of geese winging in unison across the sky can serve to remind us of what we can accomplish when we surrender to the greater good. When any group of people moves as one, there is a leader at the helm who has sacrificed his or her individual ego to the larger vision of the group and followers who have done the same. When the ego is subdued, it is easier to sense the right way to go and correctly choose the leader who can best take us there. Like a flock of geese, we move swiftly and harmoniously toward our shared vision.

2010-01-20T14:03:00.001-08:00

Primal compliant, Paleo lovers just adapt a bit and enjoy!

Roasted Squash and Turkey Soup!

Don't miss this one~ j

2010-01-11T18:49:00.000-08:00

Please feel free to visit my most recent blog site 1 Lap Around the Sun.

It is an offshoot of a one year exploration of my most passionate interests.

~jgirl

2009-12-31T14:59:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

Celebrate life~

Let go of those preconceptions and let in a world of the unimaginable!
Be grateful for your loved ones and those things that make your life rich and full.

Thank you for stopping by and coming back to share ! ~j

2009-12-31T14:57:00.000-08:00

“Every once in a blue moon, something new comes along that scrambles your preconceptions.”

2009-12-31T14:50:00.000-08:00

Cumin Crusted Sea Bass

4 servings

Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

* 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
* 1 pound sea bass fillets, skinned and cut into 4 pieces
* 1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
* Lemon or lime wedges

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Toast cumin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
3. Grind cumin seeds, salt and pepper with a spice grinder or mortar and pestle into a fine powder. Rub spice mixture on both sides of bass.
4. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add bass and cook until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
5. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until fish is opaque in the center, 3 to 7 minutes.
6. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately, with lemon or lime wedges.

Delicious with sauteed spinach.

Enjoy! ~j

For the more serious counters, Nutrition information:
Per serving: 138 calories; 4 g fat (1 g sat, 2 g mono); 49 mg cholesterol; 1 g carbohydrates; 22 g protein; 0 g fiber; 224 mg sodium; 336 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (62% daily value).

2009-12-30T09:45:00.001-08:00

This grand show is eternal. It is always sunrise somewhere; the dew is never all dried at once; a shower is forever falling; vapor is ever rising. Eternal sunrise, eternal sunset, eternal dawn and glowing, on sea and continues and islands, each in its turn, as the round earth rolls.
~John Muir

Today, you might simply feel inspired by the beauty of the world around you.

If you want to enhance this focus, you might consider devoting a block of time to spend in a natural setting that fills you with awe and wonder. Oceans, rivers, canyons, and forests would be good places to visit because you can marvel at the power of nature and immerse yourself in the sights and sounds around you.

Wherever you choose to wander today, simply let go of worrisome thoughts and engage fully with beauty and wonder as they heighten your feelings of euphoria.Immersing ourselves completely in beautiful surroundings can lift our thoughts above boredom, petty concerns, and stressful circumstances. Seeking experiences of wonder and awe on a regular basis automatically helps us feel lighter and more carefree. As we spend time in beautiful surroundings, we feel removed from our limited focus and our problems seem to shrink when compared to the raw power and blissful serenity that nature offers. As a result, our mood and mind-set seem to lift and expand, creating a stronger sense of spiritual awareness, inner peace, and abundant joy in all of our experiences.

Embracing the wonder of nature can intensify your feelings of euphoria and make every moment deeper and more meaningful today.

A little Om ~j

Limit Your Exposure to Cell Phone Radiation | Environmental Working Group

2009-12-30T09:36:00.001-08:00

Limit Your Exposure to Cell Phone Radiation | Environmental Working Group

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2009-12-29T10:01:00.000-08:00

Investigation: Monsanto Seed Biz Role Revealed

By Christopher Leonard, AP Agribusiness Writer , On Monday December 14, 2009, 12:01 am EST

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Confidential contracts detailing Monsanto Co.'s business practices reveal how the world's biggest seed developer is squeezing competitors, controlling smaller seed companies and protecting its dominance over the multibillion-dollar market for genetically altered crops, an Associated Press investigation has found.