Live Consciously!

January 9, 2012

If you have mud on your headlights, you need to wash them so that the light can shine through and direct your driving.   In much the same way, if you have issues from your past that are affecting your choices and personal interactions today, then CLEAR THE MUD!

 One of my favorite ways of ‘clearing the mud’ is to do tapping, or Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT).  The key is in being persistent and consistent in tapping on the issues.  Act like a detective and get to the root of the problems you are having in your relationships or with life in general.    Look at the issues from all angles, and then tap them away!   EFT has been used quite successfully with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and has improved my life in numerous ways.    Being persistent is necessary, however, and it really helps to have someone detached from the situation to help guide statement creation.  If the situation is too painful to look at for ourselves, we may need to keep statements of a
general nature until such time as the pain level is reduced.

By clearing the mud, we allow the Light to shine through our lives.     Feel free to email me if you would like additional information on tapping or would like specific help with
working on tapping statements!

Remember good choices, bring good consequences, and in all
our choices, we are building our tomorrows!

Does it make more sense to wait until we have a serious illness before we seek ways to help ourselves, or does it make more sense to live a life that allows for health and vitality?   By making good health choices today, we are securing a future of wellness, rather than a life tied to medicines, doctor visits, and unending tests.

So how do we do this?  First we change our minds!  Instead of saying “I don’t want to give up this food.” or “I can’t live without that food.”   change our minds!    Examine why we are eating the junk that we are eating…..and if we have emotional issues that this type of eating is stemming from, then deal with those issues first!   Then the changes come easily.  And, the fact of the matter is, that we CAN live without those addictions, because many people do.   My dad always said, “It all comes down to mind over matter!”  and this is true.   We have the power to change, to be in control, yet too often we have given that power away, to our emotions, to our tastes, or to others.  I say let’s take our power back, and be the boss of our own bodies, our own lives!

We start with eating foods that are right for us.   Eating fresh fruits and vegetables is a great way to start improving one’s health.  These food items also give a good solid base for exercising, providing energy and nutrients necessary for the proper functioning of the body.   Many of us like to do the exercise, while making the excuse that because we exercise, we can eat ‘what we like,’ food lacking in nutrition.  In reality, though, what we eat goes hand in hand with successful exercise, and in order for the body to recover properly after exercise, or stress of any sort, we need to provide a solid nutritional foundation.  If we help ourselves early, we can avoid health disasters later!

Good choices = good consequences.   : )

Feeling good feels great!  Being able to get up and do the things that we enjoy doing makes all the difference in the world with how we feel about ourselves and how our lives are unfolding.     If we are not feeling great and able to do those activities that bring us joy, then the time has come to reassess our habits and practices and determine what can be done to improve them!  Results are guaranteed with effort!

So what are the habits and practices that we can modify?

• Increase the nutritional content of the food we eat by eating foods that are nutrient dense rather than, well, fluff!
• Stay active!   Even when feeling tired, getting out for a walk or run will boost our energy levels to help us get through the day.
• Deal with emotional issues that we have been avoiding. Just because we do not see the emotional burdens we carry does not mean they are not impacting our health.
• Make certain that the skeletal body is aligned properly. An impingement in the spine or misaligned joints may affect the level of enjoyment or our ability to perform our favorite activities.
• Dental checkups are important for our physical health as well as the health of our teeth.   Be sure to have any lingering dental issues dealt with promptly!

And remember, good choices bring good consequences, especially with our health!

Why do so many of us wait until we have a serious health problem before we start looking at what we need to do to remain healthy?    I say, why wait until you get to the edge of the precipice before paying attention to the signs that say ‘dangerous cliff’.     Sometimes the rocks will give way beneath your feet and down you go.

Start loving yourself enough today to prevent the pain and suffering that is imminent with neglectful behavior such as lack of exercise and eating a diet devoid of nutrients!  Eat like you want to enjoy living!

And remember….good choices bring good consequences.

Speaking with my hairdresser today, I was impressed with her understanding of how chemicals in the environment are hazardous to our health and wellbeing, as well as the health of the planet.  Exposure to environmental toxins affects not only our physical health, but can also affect our mental health and the functioning of the nervous system.  I do believe the level of consciousness of the inhabitants of this planet is rising!

This is one of the most important things to understand.  When we do things like use lawn chemicals, we are just putting a pretty face on something that under the surface is not healthy; giving the impression that the lawn is healthy because it looks green, but in reality a lawn that uses chemicals becomes dependent on those chemicals, and is unable to survive without them!  Not only that, but we are then creating a situation in which we, our pets, or someone we know, may become accidentally exposed to those chemicals, thus causing any sort of health issue.  Is a superficially pretty lawn more important than the health of you, your loved ones, pets, or neighbors?

The health of our bodies is much the same.  We can lose weight, put on make-up and wear fantastic clothes, but that is just surface appearance. The real issue is what is happening under the surface!   Is the body being nurtured and being given what it needs to stay healthy?  Or are we just giving that impression?

Remember – good choices bring good consequences!

I used food to heal my body, and you can, too!   There are so many things that you can do to improve your health situation!   Never ever give up on getting well!  You just need to educate yourself about what to do!

Suzanne Somers says in her book Sexy Forever that after she was diagnosed with cancer  she “began to eat as if my life depended on it.”   This is a truth for all of  us:  our lives depend on what we consume each day….

Think about it this way:  Right now most of us live with the idea that we should work hard, make lots of money, have lots of toys, enjoy all that life has to offer….eating what
we want, being entertained, and gosh why not, we are all going to die after all!

Here is a scenario to consider…..

You work all your life to increase your wealth, save for your retirement – you are all set!   No worries there!  But oops, you’ve been so concerned with making money and having fun, you’ve forgotten to take care of your health!   Now the time has come to reap what you have sown.  The body is breaking down because it hasn’t received the nutrition it has needed to keep functioning at an optimal level, and is no longer strong enough to fight off the invaders, or the pipes are clogged….ie, the arteries, the heart.    Now you have to spend all of that money that you’ve saved for retirement, on doctor visits, medicine, hip or knee replacements, and then after a while, around the clock care!  Is this the future you envision for yourself?  Before you know it, your wealth is gone, and you haven’t even had a chance to enjoy your retirement.  If your spouse is still alive, then you’ve spent their wealth as well.   They may even need to go back to work after you are no longer present on this Earth.

This scenario is not imaginary.  This has happened to several people with whom I am acquainted, and most certainly you know someone as well!   Now is the time to take action for your health and your wealth!    Unless your hopes for the future are to make the doctor, pharmacist, drug company, medical facility, and assisted living facility wealthier!

Remember, good choices bring good consequences!

I have been thinking a lot lately about how we are creators of  our own suffering.

Any thoughts on this?  How do you create your suffering?  Do you see others in your life creating pain and agony for themselves?  Or do you think we don’t create it at all, that’s just life?

Balance is a functional part of every movement. As individuals age many things affect the ability to balance including loss of muscle strength, medications, and chronic illness. Poor balance often becomes the norm, which increases the potential for falls and injury. Seniors following the recommendations below will be in the best position to prevent balance-related falls.

1. Wear properly fitted footwear. Whether walking at the mall or exercising at home, footwear should be secured snugly around the foot. Loose footwear may cause the foot to slip when seniors move.

2. Exercise! Research shows that the positive effect of strength/resistance training improves the ability to balance. Seniors may strengthen their legs by doing properly executed exercises while wearing a weight vest. Using a weight vest eliminates the need for seniors to use hand-held weights, allowing them as necessary to hold onto a post or other source of support. Balance training is beneficial in stabilizing joints during movement. The practice of balance training consistently pushes the limits of stability. Example: stand on one leg for 3-10 seconds, performing 10-15 repetitions. Those who need support may hold onto a table, dresser, or other form of support, gradually eliminating the support. To progress the exercise once single leg balance is achieved without support, extend the lifted leg out to the front or side of the body. For individuals that are more advanced, perform balance training in an unstable environment, such as on an air filled pad or disc. Balance exercises may be performed daily.

3. Refrain from using a narrow stance when walking. Many seniors tend to pull their feet in underneath the center of the torso, believing that this stance will provide them greater stability. Actually, the opposite is true. Walking with a narrow stance interferes with gait and proper hip movement, creating greater balance issues and a shortened step. Feet should be hip width apart allowing for an adequate gait and normal length step.

4. Stay hydrated. As individuals age the ability to conserve water is reduced and the sense of thirst is not as prevalent. Dehydration may cause muscle weakness and dizziness. Remind seniors to drink water and other non-sugary beverages throughout the day.

5. See a chiropractor after falls or accidents. Joints that are out of alignment due to falls or accidents may interfere with the ability of seniors to maintain balance.

It’s never too late to get in shape!

(This article was previously published in Your Home & Lifestyle Magazine.)

Often, tight muscles will result in knee pain.   Look to stretching and nutrition when knee pain flares up!  However, there are times when stretching a muscle is not enough to get muscles to relax back to normal length.  When this happens, you may need to explore things like trigger point therapy or massage to help the muscle to relax again.

Tightness that may affect the knee may originate in the hamstrings, buttocks, hips, IT band, quadriceps, inner thigh area, or even the lower leg.  Check all of these areas for restricted movement.   You can do this by going into a deep squat.  After moving into the squat, pay attention to where your movement feels limited, and then work the tightness out of these areas.  I typically like to position the muscle so that it is in a relaxed state before working on it.

If chronic tight muscles are a problem, look to your nutritional habits!   The body needs plenty of the right nutrients to keep everything, including the muscles, working properly. Keep in mind, calcium is responsible for tightening the muscles, magnesium is necessary for relaxing them again!   A diet of processed foods does not allow for proper nourishment of the body and will negatively impact muscle recovery!

Remember, good nutritional choices bring good health consequences!