health and wellness

I have been studying and reading Louise L. Hay’s books for five years now, and I have gained an enormous amount of strength from her life teachings and lessons. Author to international bestseller, You Can Heal Your Life, Louise Hay has dedicated her life to those seeking personal growth and self-healing. Through difficult times, she has offered great wisdom and healing to many worldwide for well over 25 years. Today, I dedicate in extending some of her profound words of healing to Holly Fannin, who is struggling with breast cancer, and to others all over the world who are also in need. I ask everyday that our hearts be open and our prayers extend.

Louise L. Hay - Words For Healing:

• Think positive, peace-filled, loving thoughts. Every cell in your body responds to each thought you think.
• Allow the love from your heart to wash through you and cleanse and heal every part of your body and emotions.
• Be assured that every day, your body’s natural desire is to be healthy, whole, and complete.
• Feel the glorious, dynamic energy that is flowing through you today.
• Feel privileged to live in the wondrous, magnificent machine that is your body.
• Inhale the precious breath of life. It is your connection to your Higher power.
• Know that your Mind and body are in perfect balance. You are healthy and in harmony with the universe.
• Bring into your life every person, place and thing that you need for your complete healing.
• Love every organ, muscle, joint, and cell in your body.
• Release all negative thinking. Focus on the perfect state of health that you desire.
• Remember that you are never alone. Your guardian angels are part of your life and have helped to keep you healthy since the day you were born.
• Be aware that your Higher power is always leading you and guiding you. Your prayers for good health and healing are always answered.
• Make sure your internal dialogue is positive. What you think affects every aspect of your health.
• Inject a lot of laughter into your life - it’s one of the best medicines there is!
• Bless all the healers of the world with love; appreciate those in both the conventional and alternative medical worlds. They all have a lot to offer.
• When it comes to health decisions, trust your intuition. Listen to that still, small voice within because it always knows just what to do.
• Send love and healing energy to everyone in your world. You all contribute to the overall health of the planet.
• Accept the challenges and responsibilities involved in taking care of your health and healing. Know that you are always supported by life.
• Accept perfect health as a natural and normal part of your being. Send love to every area of your body.

And lastly, I offer the world peace, love and joy. To all, let us pray,

All is well in my world. Perfect health be ours today and always.

            -written by Angela Doss

A fantastic 10 minute Pilates video for full body flexibility that will stretch you out, open you up, and leave you much more relaxed. Viewed 600,000 times and voted 5 stars.

This is a wonderful pilates video - viewed over 500,000 times, rated 5 stars

Improving ones self esteem is vital to our success, and indeed, affects all areas of our lives. It determines how confident we are and it reflects who we are as a person, and how we feel about ourselves. Whatever level of self esteem one has of themselves, it will surely portray itself in an external form. Unfortunately, many people don’t recognize they suffer internally from low self esteem, and more often, are in denial of some of the self-made beliefs they have built up in their minds over the course of their lives. Regardless of whether it is self-recognized or not, it can often become a sensitive or uncomfortable topic for many to discuss. The mere discussion of it can often stir up within ourselves a painful process in which to heal. 

The University of Texas at Austin offers a deep understainding on this very subject of its cause and how to improve our self esteem. Building higher self esteem requires dedication, devotion, self love, and is indeed, a process that is achieved through vigilance and patience of oneself.  For some, this can be a lifelong endeavor. Yet, every single person has within them the power to experience higher self esteem if one would only choose to tap into a higher source - at the core of their being. Once we get past some of our inner fears and embrace the process of learning to seek more within, it becomes quite impossible to see anything else but the perfection that lies within us all. By learning to be more cognitive -more gentle and kind to the soul, it is amazing the gem that one would soon discover.  Below are some of my tips to help start us in our journey.

Forgive Your False Deceptions

A lot of us fall prey to false deception whether we allowed another to pollute our self esteem or whether they are self-inflicted. Often we fall prey to feelings that we lack the ability, we’re not good enough, rich enough, worthy, good looking, charming, or intelligent enough to achieve or accomplish the certain aspects of our lives. These are self-sabotaging habits we have formed subconsciously and have forever held fervently in our minds. This is the very reason why we are getting the same poor results year in after year, while we continue to watch our lives slip away at the hands of lowered self esteem. As we start to become more aware of these traps, we can then teach ourselves how to shut down and turn the self-destructive switch off by reprogramming our minds through the powerful use of positive affirmations.

Stop Comparing Yourself To Other People

We are constantly comparing ourselves to others - a sure sign we do not feel adequate about ourselves. The Nemours Foundation  for children and teens explains that this can begin within ourselves as a young child. As we grow older, it’s evident that this type of behavior clearly demonstrates that we are not comfortable within our own skin; that we are somehow no longer equal to, nor satisfied with the whole of whom we are as a person. It is the external manifestation that portrays our inner beliefs, and suddenly we subconsciously find ourselves in a pool of desperation attempting to be more like the person we are comparing ourselves to. This has become nothing more than a fictitious ideal we have put atop the pedestals of our mind - a deception of what we think would make us equal or better if only we resembled more to an other’s character. If we stopped a moment to still our minds and search within, we would see our self-worth; the value and beauty we possess that poses no differences among our fellow man.Surround Yourself With Positive And Supportive People

People come into your life for a REASON, a SEASON or a LIFETIME. When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.

What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn. They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it, it is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons, things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

Thank you for being a part of my life, whether you were a reason, a season or a lifetime.

       -Unknown Author

Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal. -Henry Ford

If you don’t know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else. -Lawrence J. Peter

Some of the world’s greatest feats were accomplished by people not smart enough to know they were impossible. -Doug Larson

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. -T.S. Eliot

The rung of a ladder was never meant to rest upon, but only to hold a man’s foot long enough to enable him to put the other somewhat higher. -Thomas Henry Huxley

If you want to make your dreams come true, the first thing you have to do is wake up. -J.M. Power

It is never too late to be who you might have been. -George Eliot

God gives us dreams a size too big so that we can grow in them. -Unknown

Great ideas need landing gear as well as wings. -C.D. Jackson

Life’s problems wouldn’t be called “hurdles” if there wasn’t a way to get over them. -Unknown

Success isn’t a result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire. -Arnold H. Glasow

I don’t care how much power, brilliance or energy you have, if you don’t harness it and focus it on a specific target, and hold it there you’re never going to accomplish as much as your ability warrants. -Zig Ziglar

The best angle from which to approach any problem is the try-angle. -Unknown

It is easier to go down hill than up, but the view is best from the top. -Arnold Bennett

There are no shortcuts to any place worth going. -Beverly Sills

One of the secrets of life is to make stepping stones out of stumbling blocks. -Jack Penn

If you don’t have time to do it right you must have time to do it over. -Unknown

If one does not know to which port is sailing, no wind is favorable. -Seneca

The world makes way for the man who knows where he is going. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Cholesterol 

There’s no denying that a healthy diet is an important defense against rising cholesterol. “If you eat a predominantly plant-based diet - with lots of fruits and vegetables plus some fish - you are on the right track to keeping your cholesterol at a healthy level,” says Lisa Dorfman, a registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the The American Dietetic Association .

That said, certain super-foods can actually help lower bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase the good cholesterol (HDL). Ideally, you want to shoot for a total cholesterol under 200, with the bad one (LDL) under 110 and the good one (HDL) greater than 35. So try to incorporate more of these foods into your daily diet:

Almonds

Studies have found that eating a quarter cup of almonds a day can lower your LDL by 4.4 percent, according to dietitian Leslie Bonci, who is also the director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. “Eating nuts, especially almonds, which are high in good-for-you monounsaturated fat, is better than simply eating a low-fat snack like pretzels,” says Bonci. Of course, they can also be high in calories, so stick with a small serving and choose almonds that are dry roasted without oil.

Fish

Omega-3 fatty acids are widely considered to be the best of the “good” fats, and the best place to find them in is fish - especially fatty fish like salmon, halibut and tuna. According to Dorfman of the ADA, you want to get 1.5 to 3 grams per day of omega-3. A 4 ounce fillet of salmon will give you close to 3 grams, and you can also get these fatty acids from walnuts and flaxseed (two tablespoons of flaxseed provides 3.5 grams) and in fish oil supplements. If you are looking for a change to eating salmon try this delicious Blackened Salmon sandwich that was recommended to me by a wonderful chef in San Diego, CA.

Oatmeal

A daily serving of this hot delicious cereal will provide dramatic drops in cholesterol levels. Those great results are due to the high levels of soluble fiber found in oatmeal. “The soluble fiber binds to the bile acids that are the precursor to the development of cholesterol and help flush it out,” says Bonci. It is noted that it doesn’t matter how you get your oats - instant or traditional, slow cooked.

Red Wine

A glass of red wine, which contains flavanols, has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties that may help lower cholesterol and stave off heart disease. But in this case, more is not better. “For women, the recommendation is one drink a day and for men, it’s two,” says Bonci. More than that will, literally, dilute any potential benefits. These flavanols can also be found in red grape juice and dark cocoa.

Soy

Soybeans, soy nuts and edamame, plus any products made from soy such as tofu, and soymilk, can help to reduce the production of new cholesterol. A little can go a long way - aim for about 25 grams of soy protein daily (the amount in a cup of edamame). It is noted, however, that those who are at an increase risk of breast or prostate cancer may want to eliminate it since too much soy can act similarly to the body’s own estrogen which may activate some hormone-dependent tumors.

references:
Sally Wadyka for MSN Health & Fitness
Lisa Dorfman for American Dietetic Association
Leslie Bonci for University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

What It Means To Be Young 

Youth is not a time of life, it is a state of mind; it is not a matter of rosy cheeks, red lips, and supple knees; it is matter of the will, a quality of the imagination, a vigor of the emotions; it is the freshness of the deep springs of life.

Youth means the predominance of courage over timidity, of adventure over the love of ease. This often exists in a man of sixty more than a boy of twenty. Nobody grows old merely by a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals.

Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul. Worry, doubt, self-distrust, fear and despair - these bow the heart and turns the spirit back to dust.

Whether sixty or sixteen, there is in every human being’s heart the love of wonder, the sweet amazement at the stars and the star-like things, the undaunted challenge of events, the unfailing child-like appetite for what-next, and the joy of the game of living.

You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubt; as young as your self-confidence, as old as your fear; as young as your hope, as old as your despair.

        -Samuel Ullman

Many people think eating fruit and drinking fruit juices are one and the same in regards to its nutritional value, and many people just don’t see a big deal in the need to know. But the truth of the matter is; it really is a big deal. The reason for the emphasis on whole fruits versus fruit juices is simple: regardless of the fruit and regardless of the method used for juicing, the most diverse and intact collection of nutrients comes to you through the whole fruit!

What’s Missing In Fruit Juice

Whole fruit provides you with a whole lot more nutrition than fruit juice. When looking at two very important components of fruit - the skin and the pulp - it will help to clarify why there is such a big difference between the two.

Fruit Skins

The edible skins of many fruits such as apples, apricots, blueberries, figs, grapes, pears, plums, prunes, raisins, raspberries, and strawberries are all part of the important biological activity in the life of the fruit. The skin is one of the places where the fruit interacts with sunlight, and forms a variety of colored pigments that absorb different wavelengths of light. These pigments, including carotenoids and flavonoids, are well researched as nutrients that protect our health and nourishment. The skins of whole fruits like grapes have actually been studied for their ability to help lower risk of cancer and help provide protection from ultraviolet light. Unfortunately, when fruits are juiced, we don’t always get to enjoy the fruit’s skin. That is because many juicing processes remove the skin, and do not allow for its full benefits to get into the juice.

Fruit Pulp

In addition to the skin, which is an important source of fiber in most fruits, the pulpy part of the fruit is also a source of fiber and other nutrients. Orange juice makes a good example of the health difference when you focus on the issue of its pulp. The white pulpy part of the orange is the primary source of its flavonoids. The juicy orange-colored sections of the orange contain most of its vitamin C. In the body, flavonoids and vitamin C often work together, and support health through their interaction. When the pulpy white part of the orange is removed in the processing of orange juice, the flavonoids in the orange are lost in the process. This loss of flavonoids is one of the many reasons for eating the orange in its whole food form. Although many commercial products will say “pulp added” on their labels, the “pulp added” many not even be the original pulp found in the whole fruit, and it is highly unlikely to be added back in the amount removed.

Is Fruit Juice Unhealthy?

The answer to this question depends on how it’s consumed, and what foods it replaces. Fruit juice that has been robbed of its fiber and broad range of nutrients is basically just a concentrated source of sugar that lacks the supportive nutrients to help it digest and metabolize. Fruit juice elevates blood sugar more quickly than whole fruit, and the level of sugar that can be obtained from fruit juice is higher than the level found in whole fruit.

Additionally, many fruit juices that are sold in supermarkets contain only a small percentage of real fruit juice, and contain added sweeteners (sucrose or high fructose corn syrup). As a result, it is easy to consume a large amount of calories without getting any actual nutrition when you consume these beverages. Make sure you read fruit juice labels carefully! Turn over on the back of the jar or bottle, and look over the ingredient list - you may be surprised to see exactly where the fruit itself fits in!

Practical Advice

If fruit juice is the only “convenience” choice for replacing a can of soda pop, we’re all in favor of fruit juice versus soda pop. If fruits are juiced together with vegetables, the pulp is retained, and juicing allows a person to increase his intake of vegetables substantially, then we also would support this step (especially if you use a home juicer that allowed close to 100% retention of the pulp and skin.) However, in most cases, the switch from whole fruit to fruit juice can only be made at the expense of full nourishment and health.

references:
Birt, D. F.; Pelling, J. C.; Nair, S., and Lepley, D. Diet intervention for modifying cancer risk. Prog Clin Biol Res. 1996; 395:223-34.

Boss, P. K.; Davies, C., and Robinson, S. P. Expression of anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway genes in red and white grapes. Plant Mol Biol. 1996 Nov; 32(3):565-9.

Kootstra, A. Protection from UV-B-induced DNA damage by flavonoids. Plant Mol Biol. 1994 Oct; 26(2):771-4.