It’s not easy, but it is simple…

Sometimes, life throws you a curb ball and it’s tough. And it seems like it’s really hard and if you are anything like me, you can have these moments where you don’t know what the answer is; you just don’t know what to do for the best. Sometimes, i have no clarity and every time I think about the RIGHT answer it just seems impossible because there doesn’t seem to be a right answer. I have had a few of these challenges over the past month …and i have procrastinated ( a bit), worried (quite a bit), obsessed ( a lot!!!) But i realise there is no RIGHT answer, but there is CHOICE. One choice will get one result, another something different.

And my final conclusion is this.

The answer is simple.

The answer is always simple, I just make it complicated because I don’t want to do the work, or  change, or give something or someone up, or take responsibility…and this doesn’t change anything but it helps to know the difference. Even though i know some choices aren’t easy, they are always simple.

Superheroes to blast the target!

Below are some super heroes of the ‘food’ variety that can detox your body, and really hit the spot. Maybe turn you into your very own super heroe because they give you that energy to save the world   ( yes you’re right! I might be exaggerating ever so slightly but you get the picture?)

1.Broccolli

Research has shown that if you eat broccoli or any other cruciferous vegetable everyday, you halve your risk of cancer. Broccoli is also an excellent source of vitamins C (more than double of an orange), Vit A, Beta Carotene, iron, calcium, folic acid, zinc and potassium.

2. Blueberries

Blueberries are Super Foods and a part of foods that detox the body because they are rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents. They lower ther risk of heart disease and cancer. Blueberries are a good source of vitamin C and great for healthy skin. To get more Blueberries in your diet, add them to fruit salads or cereal, you can also drink blueberry juice but stick to unsweetened and as fresh as possible.

3.Kiwi Fruit

High amounts of enzymes that help combat everything from autoimmune diseases, allergies, and cancer. Kiwi fruits contain a remarkable amount of Vitamin C, E and A, which help protect our body against free radicals from all fronts. They are high in the enzyme actinidin that breaks down protein.

4. Spinach

Spinach contains lutein which can be helpful in preventing cataracts and blindness in the elderly. Spinach contains vitamins A and C, folic acid and magnesium which can help block free radicals and may help prevent osteoporosis. It is also high in chlorophyll which is an incredible cleanser. Add chopped spinach to your salads, steam or stir-fry. Baby spinach is a lot sweeter than ordinary spinach.

5. Garlic

Garlic is a well known infection fighting super-food and often refered to as a natural anti-biotic as it contains allicin which is an anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal substance. Regular consumption may also lower cholesterol and blood pressure. May contain chemicals capable of destroying cancer cells.

Toxin Alert !!!!!!

What is a detox?

Ever heard someone going on about Toxins and how they are piling up inside you, especially around christmas, new year and the full on binge season of goodwill?? And wondered what they were going on about??? Below is your road map to all things detox….

Detox is short for detoxification and involves the removing of toxic substances from your body via the bloodstream. The human body has a natural detox function through the liver, kidneys and lower gastrointestinal tract. Before learning how to detox your body naturally, you need to understand the basics of how your body cleanses itself: The liver attempts to keep the body clean as it denies other toxins from entering the blood stream, however, over time, this body detox process is exposed to so many toxins that this natural fight mechanism can wear down – so learning how to detox your body can bring substantial benefits to your health and well being.

We are constantly exposed to thousands of toxins and chemicals on a daily basis at our work locations, in our homes, through the air that we breathe or our food and water supply. In addition, our diets include more processed foods, sugars and non-healthy fats than ever before. These factors plus other contributors like illness, disease, alcohol, tobacco, illegal/pharmaceutical drugs, even over-eating, can cause your natural body detox process to struggle or become sluggish. This is where doing a liver detox with a healthy detox diet comes into it’s own.

Research has indicated, even without the inevitable breakdown of our body detox functions, the human body is simply not capable of eliminating the variety of toxins and chemicals that are ingested on a daily basis. The toxins will accumulate in our cells (especially fat cells), blood, tissues, organs (colon, liver and brain) and remain stored for an indefinite length of time bringing all kinds of eventual health problems as time goes by.

Learning how to detox is most often achieved through means like the modification of diet, the use of herbs or teas and more radical methods like colon hydrotherapy, body cleansing juice fasting and sweat lodges. These methods are said to jump start the body’s natural detoxification process. In certain cases artificial detox techniques such as dialysis may have to be implemented.

The word detox is also used to describe the initial detoxification step in any drug or alcohol abuse rehabilitation program. Drug detox is the first step in the journey to abstinence and a drug-free life. The process must always be done under medical supervision and care since the patient will likely battle withdrawal symptoms while abstaining from whatever substance they are dependent on. Through learning how to detox your body and abstinence the body is cleansed from the toxins brought on from abusing their bodies. There should be a greater chance of the patient staying clean if counseling and other rehabilitation efforts are continued following detoxification.

More people are aware of detoxification procedures in today’s world due to modern medicine’s link between colon health and overall health. There is a belief that many common complaints like fatigue, gas, bloating, constipation, headaches, indigestion and weight gain are due in large part to a build up of toxin-filled fecal matter that builds in the colon over time.

Compare the functions of the colon in our bodies to a sewer system in a large city. If debris clogged a region’s sewer system it would only be a matter of time before the repercussions would be felt within the area. The neighborhood would be filled with filth, there would be a horrific stench, and the sewage overflow could possibly contaminate the drinking water. It would not be a healthy environment. People would become sick. The same applies to the human body when the detoxification process is not working well. An overall well-being is felt when the colon is clean and healthy. When it becomes congested it’s not difficult to imagine the potential health consequences.

With obesity becoming more and more of a major health concern there has been a renewed focus on the link between the buildup of toxins and weight gain, especially with belly fat and waist size. Therefore, learning how to detox with a healthy detox diet, and getting a good liver detox for a total body detox is a very important part of many weight loss programs.

The Big Clean Up!

Tips for Vitality and Health in 2011

January is the after-math of over-indulgence….after a combination of too many mince pies, too much alcohol, or many rich meals …we may not have the tummy than we planned, so i am dedicating 12 blogs over the month of january to all things health and detox to kick start your health goals and help you all get leaner, cleaner and more healthy.

TIP 1 …

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar and weight loss health benefits have been utilized for centuries. This is a tried and tested home remedy used throughout the world. Take 2-3 teaspoons in some water before meals (i would recommend adding a little apple juice, orange juice for taste).

How Does Apple Cider Vinegar work?

No one is really sure how apple cider vinegar works to promote weight loss, but below are a few theories.

1)Increases metabolic rate

While we are at rest, the body’s metabolism is kept going by a substance called growth hormone released by the pituitary gland. Apple cider vinegar helps with the digestion of protein, which is the building block of growth hormone. A higher level of protein breakdown makes it more likely that growth hormone will be produced, thus elevating your metabolism while you sleep. In so doing, it contributes to weight loss. Protein is also needed for the production of insulin, which is necessary for converting glucose to energy and maintaining an active metabolism. Apple cider vinegar can raise your metabolic rate by increasing the body’s ability to utilize proteins for insulin production.

2) Appetite Suppressant

Recent studies on vinegar as an appetite suppressant have been conducted by a team of Swedish scientists from Lund university.They have shown that vinegar taken in liquid form before a meal, helps dieters eat less. According to Ostman, there’s a direct relationship between increased acetic acid and feeling satisfied. For the studies, 12 healthy volunteers were given 3 amounts of vinegar (about 1.5, 2, & 2.5 tablespoons of standard vinegar containing 5% acetic acid.) diluted in water along with a portion of wheat bread containing 50g of available carbohydrate. Satiety was measured with a subjective rating scale and was reported to be significantly increased at 30, 90 and 120 minutes after the meal. (http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/v59/n9/abs/1602197a.html Dec 2010)

3) Increased well-being

Apple cider vinegar can help you maintain a feeling of well being which is an important factor in weight loss and staying healthy.Apple cider vinegar helps to release proteins during digestion and some are used to build the amino acid tryptophan, which is needed to produce adequate levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin. This behavior-regulating chemical is a natural tranquilizer that helps us to maintain a feeling of serenity and in this state we are much less likely to indulge in stress-induced eating, according to this weight loss theory.

4) Less water retention

According to the last one of these weight loss theories, the potassium in apple cider vinegar helps to balance the sodium in your diet, and to minimize retained fluid.Sodium, a major cause of fluid retention, is obtained in large amounts from the salt in processed foods. Balancing the sodium in the diet lessens water retention and results in reduced body weight.

Other uses: Apple cider has a number of other uses. I find it is brilliant when mixed with lemon, hot water, ginger, and a little cayenne pepper to combat a cold and soothe the throat. It feels like it cuts through all that mucus clogging the throat and it relieves that feeling of stickiness in the throat that can make you feel a little sick! Its also very good to put in an ice compress to reduce swelling apparently ( i will let you know my findings later on this one) and is good for the skin and hair.NB: It should be noted that it is generally recommended that you get more natural varieties ‘with mother’ as this is the part which has a lot of the natural goodness.

Set aside just five minutes for a happier New Year!

Meditate for World Peace any time during the days December 31st and January 1st.

At first glance, the notion of thinking positively about the world and consciously wishing the world peace, prosperity and harmony, could seem futile, airy-fairy, new age ‘clap trap’ or any combination of the above. But lets examine this from evidence and research on the power of collective thought…

The collective unconscious, as defined by Carl Jung, is something we are most likely to hear discussed in analytical psychology. Jung referred to the collective unconscious as “a reservoir of the experiences of our species.” He believed that the human species had an active unconscious code or ‘instinct’ that is embedded deeply in our psyches- our ‘primal instincts’ if you like.

Human beings, when feeling fearful and threatened, can be triggered into hostile actions. Think of crowds who trample each other trying to evacuate a building in an emergency or the change of behaviour in a riot. So what about conscious thought?

The book the secret is well-known for its promotion of the power of intention. It talks about the law of attraction and ‘like’ attracting ‘like’. Less than two years after the release of The Secret, Oprah Winfrey co-produced an online study group focused on Eckhart Tolle’s book, A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose. In A New Earth, Tolle exposes the pathology of the “collective ego”, and he points the way to a worldwide evolution of a new collective awareness. If we closely examine Jung’s collective unconscious and compare his observations with Eckhart Tolle’s collective ego and the pain-body, there are some striking similarities, the most significant among them the degree to which our collective thoughts determine our perspective and consequential actions.

It could even be said that “thought become things”. So what of collective thinking? What could those thoughts become?

There will be a meditation for 5 minutes before the hour and for 5 minutes after the hour throughout the time zones bringing in the New Year’s around the world. If you can, link with the millions of people meditating for world peace 5 minutes before midnight until 5 minutes after midnight, your time.Below is the meditation i will be joining in with.

Celebration of Peace Meditation

About five minutes before midnight, start by adjusting your posture so your body is comfortable and ready to enter into a state of peaceful meditation.

Breathe in…

Let yourself expand; your mind grow clearer, and your emotions become calmer and more peaceful.

Picture yourself in a beautiful place, feeling happiness, security and safety, which is filled with possibility.

Imagine connecting with millions of people…of like thoughts.

Imagine being surrounded by a beautiful light….

Take a deep breath in.

How could you experience and create more peace in your own life?

Simply say to yourself : ” Peace to me.Kindness to others.  Laughter and happiness to everyone.”

Picture joining hands with thousands of people around the world as you send an intention of peace to :

Your friends and family

Someone you know who is struggling.

The World

All living things

Remember the importance of Vision:

When disturbing world events occur, use your imagination to picture the eventual positive outcome.

A Christmas Wish

What do I want for Christmas?

By William Michaelian

Nothing to buy, nothing to sell.
Family gatherings. Laughter. Music.
Multitudes of happy children, warm and fed.

An end to the current war, and to all wars.
Water in the well, food on the table.

Companionship for the lonely.
Solitude for those in search of calm.
Understanding for the prisoner.

Compassion for those who judge.
Strength for the belittled.
Comfort for the torn.

I want what everyone wants,
But believes can never happen.
Truth instead of lies.
Generosity instead of greed.
Knowledge instead of fear.
Modesty instead of arrogance.
An open heart, an open mind.

To follow Life where it leads,
With gratitude for hard times
And what they teach,
And, when good times come,
To pass them on for others to enjoy.

But if these things are too much to ask,
If I am silly or have somehow missed the point,
There is still one thing I would like to see.
A giant teddy bear for the wide-eyed world.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO THOSE THAT CELEBRATE, HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE ELSE…… WISHING YOU HAPPINESS LAUGHTER AND LOVE    Xxx

The Present Thief

When i was little, I used to be obsessed with gifts (well presents i called them). That is to say, I was very keen on receiving them…birthdays, christmas…EXCITING TIMES in Zoe World! And as my sister will testify, this ‘desire’ was a little out of control.

One christmas Eve, ‘Santa’ left presents for us both in our pillow cases at the end of the beds, and i woke up in the middle of the night and opened all my presents. Then its like i was in that movie the red shoes, because i just couldn’t stop, and i went on to open all of my sisters presents too! Explaining why i had two of everything while my sister had nothing, was a little hard to pull off …And actually, i did not want two of everything. It served more as a source of unhappiness than happiness, as it was the act of opening i loved: ripping off the paper; the anticipation and breathless excitement of what would be inside; and the consequences of my actions and the actual things inside the paper, gave me little happiness. I thought my sister’s presents were nicer; I worried about how i would explain what i had done; i felt ‘greedy’ and ‘disappointed’ all at the same time.

Which is interesting, and perhaps a good lesson in what the gift really is..

There is an art in knowing how to receive: however wonderful your gift, if a person does not know how to receive, that gift will be lost on them. When i was small, frantically opening all those presents,what i did not receive was the hours of time it took ‘santa’ to buy and wrap…the thought and care that went into getting me and my sister what we would want, the hours of fun i might have playing and sharing those toys….. Wrapped up in that STUFF was their love, their thought and their time. But i did not understand receiving, so i missed it!

A friend was telling me the other day about a time she had very few things in her home after moving and starting afresh, and the joy it brought to bring home her a salad bowl. In her life, at that time, there was space, time and desire to appreciate this bowl in all its beauty. Somebody made this and she and her family would have wonderful food they could eat from this. And sometimes we need to just get back to basics to really receive…

In the end, a gift is not something you can buy, it is deeper than that. What we actually give, is ourselves…kindness, time, love, thoughtfulness, compassion, hope, support, friendship, fun, laughter, inspiration…..these are the gifts. The other STUFF, it’s just presents.

Yoga-lates: Standing tall

Great posture is supremely useful in a healthy body and mind. Yoga views a person’s posture as a physical manifestation of one’s inner state. One’s view of the world and one’s mental, emotional and spiritual state reflects in one’s general deportment. Have you noticed how people sag literally when they are ‘down’ ? Or how they radiate outward and stand tall when they’re happy?

Deficiency in posture often begins in childhood with lack of awareness which becomes habitual and self-sustaining. This pattern becomes further reinforced and perpetuated by the stress in our lives and chronic neuromuscular tension.perhaps these chronic habits even affect our day to day moods?

Imagine what we could all achieve if we had great posture all the time?

 

Of course, a lot of good posture in Yoga is in the how you do the asanas not which ones you choose. And it is in HOW you translate what you learn into everyday life.The potential for efficient posture is generally present in each person. We just tend not to use the facility we have: we do not access length in certain parts of the body and we over-recruit in other parts. We learn unhelpful movement patterns and strategies to deal with moving, which is very similar to how we deal with our lives- where we also tend to have inefficient coping strategies.

Here are a few yogic things to consider when seeking an improvement in posture ( i am thinking the sexy man below from Dynamic Yoga website could do a whole lot toward improving my posture!!! :

1.Spiral lengthening - Godfrey Devereuex writes a lot about this. As we can see in the pictures…this is about lengthening literally outward – you need to concentrate on the dynamic outward and inard spirals running in both direction of each limb and the spine. This, i think, is key to getting that integration across all the faschial networks of the body. In order to connect to other people and the world, we must first connect to ourselves!

 

2.Tadasana

Or ‘Mountain pose’ ‘ is standing on two legs. The image of a mountain- it’s strength, durability and stability are key to Tadasana. And it is surprising what the body and mind can learn from staying with this posture- how to be still? How to be stable?How to have a firm foundation?

3. Tree pose or Vrkshasana. This is standing on one leg which teaches literally that – how to stand on one leg. We need this for everyday activities such as walking.I also like the image of a tree with roots that reach down wide and strong. The image of trees is valued a lot in Qigong because they have good ‘chi’ – trees are survivors- they stand tall through all weathers and can live for thousands of years.

4. The feet – the position of your feet affects the position of your pelvis, which in turn affects your spinal position and a knock on affect upward in shoulders and head position. Thus the direction your feet face, and where your weight is distributed actually has massive affect on your posture. The attention in many yoga sessions to the positioning of the feet and the spreading and distributing the weight of the feet across the whole foot evenly is worth considering when seeking good posture.

5. Iyengar Yoga – uses props to help support individual postural imbalances- insufficiencies in specific muscles, restrictions in specific joints. It known to be very specific with attention to detail in alignment of body, as well as emphasising full body/ fascial connection.The amount of time postures are held for gives the body time to process and organise within a new movement pattern. Sometimes, it even gives the nerves time to re-organise and lengthen.

Do a little, get a lot…

The notion that good health can come in small tidbits is not really new. Research showing that making small changes can add up to a big difference has been quietly accumulating for a while.

For example, a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 2004 found that adding just 30 minutes of walking per day was enough to prevent weight gain and encourage moderate weight loss.

And if 30 minutes is still too big a bite? Another study, published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, found that three brisk 10-minute walks per day were as effective as a daily 30-minute walk in decreasing risk factors for heart disease.

“Just the act of going from sedentary to moderately active gives you the greatest reduction in your risks,” says Helene Glassberg, MD, director of the Preventive Cardiology and Lipid Center at the Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia.

But it’s not only in fitness where small changes can make a difference. The same principles apply at the kitchen table (and the office snack bar).

“Reducing fat intake, cutting down on sugar, eating a piece of fruit instead of a candy bar — over time, these things can make a difference,” says Grossman.

As long as the changes are moving you toward your goal — be it weight loss, a reduction in cholesterol or blood pressure, or better blood sugar control — you can get there by taking baby steps, she says.

Moreover, Grossman tells WebMD, making small changes can help give us the motivation to make bigger ones.

“A lot of bad eating habits are about not taking charge of your life, and that attitude is often reflected in other areas,” says Grossman. On the other hand, she says, when you make small changes at the kitchen table, the rewards may show up in other areas of your life.

“It’s the act of taking control that makes the difference in motivating you,” says Grossman. “An inner confidence and power begins to develop that can be seen in other areas of life.”

‘I do’

Yes is a three letter word which means so much and can actually transform your life and the world of others around you.

We live in a world where we are almost institutionalised to say ‘No’…we think ‘what’s the catch?’ WE think ‘But i shouldn’t or i really ought to…’We think ‘ What if..?’ and ‘I’d love to but….’.We have many excuses for why we can not do something before we have even really thought about whether we want to. Then what we feel about all these opportunities are fear and regret, not excitement and joy. And then ‘whoosh’ life and opportunity has passed us by and we’ve missed it! Maybe that is our Will that just walked out the door?!

Have you seen that film YES MAN where Jim Carrey’s character has to YES to everything? It really is a good reminder of the power of yes or ‘i do’ to every opportunity.

So just for today ( or longer if you like it! : – Try saying yes to everything. Or if you don’t want to go to that extreme as it may SERIOUSLY change your life, try thinking to yourself before you answer someone who offers you an opportunity. ” I could if i wanted to’