Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Hurricane Sandy sends a warning...

by Craig Ruvere
 
It often takes something catastrophic to occur in the environments we live in for us to realize just how fragile and valuable life truly is.
Hurricane Sandy has certainly been the impetus needed to remind us all of that reality.
I find my mornings are now filled with an enormous amount of gratitude for the many blessings I’ve been bestowed – especially through one of the worst hurricanes the tri-state area has ever seen.
I can’t help but feel that the cosmos is trying to send society a message – a message designed to rearrange what we deem so important in this life and focus on what should be our priorities.
How many of us are infatuated with a materialistic lifestyle, which oftentimes leaves us in financial ruins just to impress the strangers around us?
We judge others more by the style of cell phone they carry, rather than the character and compassion they share with the world.
Some spend most of their lives buried in their careers – void of balance and relationships every human being needs in order to survive and prosper.
But as I said, then something catastrophic happens and suddenly there’s a shift in everything we thought we knew about ourselves and the world.
We begin to understand that the unconditional relationships we often take for granted or claim our lives simply don’t require are the most important things this life has to offer us.
Relationships which help us through the difficult times in life; celebrate our successes and accomplishments; protect us from the evils of this world; shield us from the bullies on the playground.
Carl Sandburg once said that, Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.”
Don’t wait for another catastrophic event to determine the course of your life and the relationships you foster.
We are only given so much time here on earth – make the most of it where it truly matters before someone else spends it for you.

Monday, October 29, 2012

Burning Incense - use common sense



by Craig Ruvere
 
There’s long been a debate amongst the medical community as to the harmful effects of burning incense and its link to cancer and other diseases.
 
The article below represents one of the best arguments this writer has seen for taking precautions. But it highlights something that I feel is simply common sense: prolonged exposure to any kind of smoke, be it from incense or cigarettes, is most certainly harmful to your health.
 
Are you burning incense in a confined space, without proper ventilation, and then breathing in smoke for hours on end? I’d have to assume that any logical person would surmise that this isn’t the freshest, cleanest air you could be breathing.
 
I understand that in today’s world we are all made to feel afraid of the harmful effects of something – the foods we eat, medications we take, the air we breathe.
 
Dozens of scientific studies often contradict each other, which leaves the average consumer scratching their head as to what is and what isn’t a dangerous consumption.
 
But two things come to mind.
1.      Everything in moderation
2.      Use common sense when it comes to heeding warnings
 
Society has come to adopt a lifestyle of processed foods and pollution – convincing themselves that somehow they aren’t to blame for the illnesses many of us face.
 
As I said in #2, use your head when it comes to the warnings. However, I’m not sure anyone could argue that breathing in smoke for any extended period of time is good for your health.
 

Friday, October 26, 2012

Why I stopped weighing myself

by Louise Jensen
 
The other night I met a friend for dinner, who commented on how well I looked. There was a period in time when those words would have automatically translated into, “Louise you look fat”.
But for the first time in my life, if I can be totally honest, I have absolutely no idea what I weigh.
When I was younger, that “weighing yourself once a week in the same conditions” scenario would never have satisfied my curiosity. I was on and off the scale so often that I’m sure it sighed when I approached.
Ridiculously the magic figure would then govern my entire day from what I wore, to what I ate, and particularly, my mood.
It’s only been since my health circumstances changed so drastically that I’ve seen what a beautiful gift the human body is. If I have a day I feel strong enough to stand and cook a nutritious meal for my family without too much pain, I am grateful for my extraordinary skeleton. I am thankful for all I can do, none of which is dependent on my dress size or the figure on the scale.
Aside from the physical, when I got ill I realized the human body is just a place we inhabit in this lifetime. It doesn’t actually define who we are. I call the body the ‘little me’. Me, the actual ‘big me’, is something beautifully whole, intangible and perfect.
Unless your weight is affecting your health, whether you’re too light or too heavy, it is really not important whether you gain or lose a few pounds. Practice gratitude daily for all the incredible things your body does and self-love will naturally follow.
I am amazing. But you know what? So are you.
 
Louise Jensen is an award winning holistic therapist. A regular writer, Louise has overcome living with a disability and has 12 years of experience helping others to heal. Louise recently co-created The Happy Starfish, an online community dedicated to celebrating health, happiness and peaceful living.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Organic doesn't mean it "tastes" any different

by Craig Ruvere
When my wife first told me of her interest in learning more about organic foods, I didn’t really give it much thought. An environmentalist at heart, she’s always been curious to learn about new products and services which promote a healthy lifestyle and improve the sustainability of our planet.
 
But when I noticed a gallon of organic milk sitting on the top shelf of the refrigerator, I immediately blurted out, “That’s gonna taste weird!” I never did master the art of thinking before speaking, because if I did I would’ve understood how idiotic what I was saying truly sounded.
 
In my defense, I don’t think I’m alone in my misconception of what it truly means to be “organic”. I think many of us simply don’t understand this popular new classification.
 
In short, the term “organic” simply refers to the way in which agricultural products are grown or processed, and what substances they must not be produced with. Some of these include:
  • Antibiotics and growth hormones
  • Chemical pesticides and fertilizers
  • High fructose corn syrup
  • Artificial dyes and sweeteners made from chemicals
  • Genetically engineered proteins
What’s alarming is that it’s perfectly legal for non-organic foods to be produced with these harmful substances – though good luck finding them on the ingredient labels at the local supermarket. But that makes sense I suppose. I mean would you really buy a can of soup if it said that it may contain growth hormones or anything genetically engineered?
Organic products are not missing any of the flavor people like me first believed – they taste just as good if not better in fact. But what they are definitely missing are the harmful chemicals which have been linked to a variety of health issues and diseases over the last few years.
Yes, the cost of many organically produced foods is quite a bit higher than non-organic. But you saw the list above - can you really put a price on your health?
Now I’m not saying you should run home and throw out everything in your refrigerator and pantries. But I am suggesting that you make one change here and there based on the more popular food items your family consumes. Remember, even a small change can make a difference, but you have to start somewhere.
So the next time you’re staring down at your glass of milk or what’s hanging on the end of your fork, think about what would be missing from your foods if you had chosen to buy organic – and believe me it’s not flavor.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

The body feels the world energetically

by Olga Ivashkov

I will never forget the day when I started to understand my place in the world.
 
I discovered that my body had access to information beyond what the mind can fully understand.
 
The body feels the world energetically. The body feels and the mind thinks; these are two different ways of obtaining information. When we rely only on the mind and our logic, we close ourselves off to a huge source of information. We become partial selves and cannot fully feel what we should be doing in life.
 
You could call this too much thinking and not enough feeling.
 
Actually our body can feel and process information many times faster than the mind. We, as human beings, are multi-dimensional with a conscious mind, a subconscious, a soul and a BODY and this body is capable of guiding us in all areas of our life - if we tune into it.
 
Trust and act upon what your deep feelings are telling you, and you will be led in extraordinary directions.

Friday, October 19, 2012

Half the battle of healing is wanting to

by Louise Jensen, The Happy Startfish
 
A subject close to my heart is chronic illness and pain, and natural methods we can use for coping with disabling conditions - be it dietary changes, herbal supplementation, relaxation and exercise techniques, as well as exploring the mind/body connection to ease emotional stress.

It was with interest then that I read an article today in the Daily Mail promoting a new book by a physiotherapist stating that emotional tension is “almost always the cause of chronic pain”.  The physiotherapist then explains that in the case of back pain, even if you have structural abnormalities that show up in x-rays and scans, these don’t necessarily cause any physical pain.

It is widely recognized that when pain makes the transition between acute (short-term) and chronic (long-term) psychological factors enter the equation. With an estimated 65 million Americans developing chronic back pain each year (half of which is disabling) there seem to be mainly two camps. There are those who believe pain comes from structural faults and those who believe that the mind manifests pain in a very real, physical way.

Personally I don’t hold with either of those views. I have sustained structural damage to my pelvis, spine and discs that cannot be undone and as a consequence I am in pain everyday (camp one would agree with this).  However, when I am under increased pressure and emotional stress my pain levels can more than double (camp two would verify that emotions are causing my pain).

We need to recognize the mind and body as being more intricately interrelated than we can fully understand at this moment in time and source therapists who offer treatments that are a correlation of emotional and structural techniques.

"Half the battle of healing is wanting to."
 
Louise Jensen is an award winning Kinesiologist and is certified in many therapies, including the Mind Detox Method (as featured on Discovery Health) where she graduated from the Mind Detox Academy in record time. A regular writer, Louise has overcome living with a disability and has 12 years’ experience in helping others to heal. In 2012 Louise co-created The Happy Starfish, an online community dedicated to celebrating health, happiness and peaceful living.

 
 

 

 

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Waking up to smell the roses

by Kristen Sommer

Have you ever woken up before the sun rises?

Normally I don’t. I sleep in as late as I can, then I start my day by diving in to the work that I love.

Today I had the chance to wake up before the sun rose. At first my initial thought was, “Who would ever get up willingly at this ungodly hour?!” Not even five minutes in, I noticed changes in my body. It was easier to move. I had less creaks and cracks. My eyes were even open wide and I had as much energy as I normally do during my personal peak ‘awake’ time.

How amazing is the body to adapt so swiftly to a different situation!?

As I stepped outside, I noticed that the air was more crisp and fresh. Though it was cold, I took a few moments to just stop and ‘smell the roses.’ The air was clean, and I felt as if my whole body was waking up with the rising of the sun and the blossoming of nature.  Such a small moment was enough to inspire me for the rest of the morning, and it actually helped me to get through a few new routines that I had planned out.

When we take but a few moments to do something new or different, something in our brain wakes up and comes alive - lending a new, refreshing outlook to the day.

Won’t you smell the roses with me in the morning, for at least one day a month?

Monday, October 15, 2012

LIVING WELL: Where's the best classroom?

I heard this in passing the other day: the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.

We’d all like to believe that we have all the answers and require little guidance from those who’ve come before us, but we’d be wrong.

Some of the greatest lessons and morals I’ve learned have come from my grandparents especially. Hearing their struggles and sacrifices has provided me with an appreciation of life I don’t think I would have attained on my own.

I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t have all the answers and often seek the advice of those far more traveled than myself before making a decision. Some might see this as a refusal to be independent. I look at it as insurance. After all, why would anyone want to repeat the mistakes of the past?

While many of us left the classroom a long, long time ago, it’s important to remember that we’re never done learning from some of the most experienced teachers life has to offer us.

Friday, October 12, 2012

LIVING WELL: It's all about choices

“You rarely have time for everything you want in this life, so you need to make choices. And hopefully your choices can come from a deep sense of who you are. ”
Fred Rogers (aka Mister Rogers)

Man has been bestowed the ability to think and have free will. Combined those two characteristics allow us to make choices as we navigate through this ever chaotic and complicated existence.

Some choices are simple like what to have for dinner, while others are more complicated such as taking a new job or moving to a new town or state.

But they’re our choices to make regardless of the influence we might receive, good and bad, from the people surrounding us. Our choices to ponder, as rationally as possible, before actually having to live with them on a daily basis.

As Rogers says, “you rarely have time for everything you want in this life.” Stop and ask yourself, are you making choices based upon what you want in life or what others expect of you? Are you paralyzed by the decision making process and therefore never fully commit to anything at all?

Whatever choices we make it’s important to remember who ultimately benefits or carries the burden from those choices – us.

So take some time to think about what’s truly important in your life and what accomplishments you hope to achieve based upon what’s dancing around inside your heart. There you’ll find the truth and there is where you should look the next time you find yourself with a choice to make.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Turn your cant’s into cans and your dreams into plans




By Louise Jensen


Okay, so I am presuming (a dangerous pastime indeed) that many of you have heard of gratitude journaling?  Some of you may already have one, others may keep a regular journal.  Fancy then trying a reality journal? “Why do I need another journal?” I hear you ask (sorry, there I go, presuming again).

Reality journaling is a sure fire way to be absolutely clear of your goals, regardless of whether they are big or small; life-changing or life-enhancing. It’s a great tool to run alongside consciously trying to manifest what you want using meditation and affirmations. I use it to really reinforce my hopes, wishes and aspirations.  To align my conscious with my subconscious, to then harness the power of the Universe to transform them into being.

Imagine your dreams of today could become your reality tomorrow.  Pretty cool eh?

We all already manifest to a certain extent. Ever wished for a coffee and it suddenly appears?  Wishing you could locate a lost item, open a drawer and there it is?  We can energetically attract what we believe, on some level, can actually happen.  If we can learn to not block what may consciously appear impossible, move our mind out of the way and have a little faith, we are left with infinite possibilities.

If you want to try a reality journal (I am no longer presuming anything) express what you want in life as if it is actually happening right now.  i.e. instead of journaling “I want a new job”, you would journal “I started my new job today as a ………”.  You have to release your inhibitions and really have fun with this.  Remember no-one will see it but you unless you choose to share.

Once you have your goal down start to really play around with it.  Where are you?  Who are you with?  What is happening?  How do you feel?  Make it as real as you can. Once you have a different perspective on your life you can start to really see where the changes are you want to make.

You can always use a different colored ink to integrate this into your regular journal.  Mix it up a little.  Imagine how you would like your life to be, believe it can be, then trust the Universe to make that your reality.


 
Louise Jensen is an award winning Kinesiologist and is certified in many therapies, including the Mind Detox Method (as featured on Discovery Health) where she graduated from the Mind Detox Academy in record time. A regular writer, Louise has overcome living with a disability and has 12 years’ experience in helping others to heal.  In 2012 Louise co-created The Happy Starfish, an online community dedicated to celebrating health, happiness and peaceful living.  

Monday, October 8, 2012

Time changes things, but we have to change ourselves



It’s the first week of October now - the very beginning of autumn.

I always take this time of year to reflect on my summer accomplishments – and unfortunately my disappointments.

I’m amazed at how different the summer actually turned out as compared to what I expected at the start. The months were filled with many adventures and unexpected surprises, which allowed me to learn from so many experiences and lessons.

I discovered a very strong, invaluable message along the way.

Time certainly changes things, but many times we have to change them ourselves.

The coming winter months will be overflowing with our actions, beliefs and energy. If we can master the process, then there’s no reason why we shouldn’t expect good things to happen to us.

I am making a conscience effort to use my energy and my thoughts in a positive way. What about you?

Howard Thurman once remarked, “Don’t worry about what the world needs.  Ask what makes you come alive and do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

Over the next few months, fill your life with peace and love and really come alive! It’s one of the greatest blessings you can offer to not only yourself but your family, your friends and the entire world.

With love,
Olga