Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Day Number One of My 21 Day Juice Fast
Friday, September 23, 2011
Words of Wisdom
Oh, it's been way too long.
I thought I would share some great advice about diet and exercise. It's mostly a note to MESELF!
You can find the entire article HERE.
Thank you, Dr. Mercola!
My Diet Plan—Summary of Basic Concepts
If you're still confused about what a "proper diet" is, I suggest reviewing my Insulin Diet Plan, which is designed to guide you through the dietary changes in a step-by-step fashion, moving from beginners to intermediary to advanced. When properly applied, it can improve just about anyone's health.
Following is a summary of the basic recommendations:
Limit fructose to less than 25 grams per day. Ideally, you'll also want to limit the amount of fructose from fruit to 15 grams per day, as you're likely consuming 'hidden' fructose if you eat even small amounts of processed foods or sweetened beverages
Limit or eliminate all processed foods
Eliminate all gluten, and highly allergenic foods from your diet
Eat organic foods whenever possible, preferably locally-grown
Eat at least one-third of your food uncooked (raw), or as much as you can manage
Increase the amount of fresh vegetables in your diet
Avoid artificial sweeteners of all kinds
Swap all trans fats (vegetable oils, margarine etc) for healthful fats like raw butter or coconut oil
To re-balance your omega-3 to omega-6 ratio, take a high-quality omega-3 supplement, such as krill oil, and reduce your consumption of processed omega-6 fats from vegetable oils (trans fats)
Drink plenty of pure water
Optimize your vitamin D levels, either through appropriate sun exposure, a safe tanning bed, or as last resort an oral vitamin D3 supplement
Five Principles of Exercise
Getting back to exercise, variety is the name of the game. You also need to pay attention to intensity or level of difficulty. When an exercise becomes easy to complete, it's a sign you need to work a little harder and give your body a new challenge.
There are five types of exercises that will turn your peak fitness regimen into a truly comprehensive exercise plan:
Interval (Anaerobic) Training: This really is aerobic and anaerobic, but the research shows that the anaerobic phase if far more important. The BEST way to condition your heart and burn fat is NOT to jog or walk steadily for an hour. Instead, it’s to alternate short bursts of high-intensity exercise with gentle recovery periods. This type of exercise, known as interval training or burst type training, can dramatically improve your cardiovascular fitness and fat-burning capabilities.
Another major benefit of this approach is that it radically decreases the amount of time you spend exercising, while giving you even more benefits. For example, intermittent sprinting produces high levels of chemical compounds called catecholamines, which allow more fat to be burned from under your skin within the exercising muscles. The resulting increase in fat oxidation increases weight loss. So, short bursts of activity done at a very high intensity can help you reach your optimal weight and level of fitness, in a shorter amount of time.
It also promotes the production of human growth hormone (HGH), known as “the fitness hormone,” which can help you add youthful vigor to your years, in addition to promoting weight loss and improved muscle building.
Aerobic: Jogging, using an elliptical machine, and walking fast are all examples of aerobic exercise, which will increase the amount of oxygen in your blood and increase endorphins, which act as natural painkillers. Aerobic exercise also activates your immune system, helps your heart pump blood more efficiently, and increases your stamina over time.
Just don’t make the mistake of using aerobic as your primary or only form of exercise, as you’ll forgo many of the most potent health benefits exercise has to offer if you do...
Strength Training: Rounding out your exercise program with a 1-set strength training routine will ensure that you're really optimizing the possible health benefits of a regular exercise program. You need enough repetitions to exhaust your muscles. The weight should be heavy enough that this can be done in fewer than 12 repetitions, yet light enough to do a minimum of four repetitions. It is also important NOT to exercise the same muscle groups every day. They need at least two days of rest to recover, repair and rebuild.
Core Exercises: Your body has 29 core muscles located mostly in your back, abdomen and pelvis. This group of muscles provides the foundation for movement throughout your entire body, and strengthening them can help protect and support your back, make your spine and body less prone to injury and help you gain greater balance and stability.
Pilates and yoga are great for strengthening your core muscles, as are specific exercises you can learn from a personal trainer. Even if a personal trainer is not in the cards for you right now, please watch these sample videos for examples of healthy exercise routines you can do with very little equipment and in virtually any location. Focusing on your breath and mindfulness along with increasing your flexibility is an important element of total fitness.
Stretching
I thought I would share some great advice about diet and exercise. It's mostly a note to MESELF!
You can find the entire article HERE.
Thank you, Dr. Mercola!
My Diet Plan—Summary of Basic Concepts
If you're still confused about what a "proper diet" is, I suggest reviewing my Insulin Diet Plan, which is designed to guide you through the dietary changes in a step-by-step fashion, moving from beginners to intermediary to advanced. When properly applied, it can improve just about anyone's health.
Following is a summary of the basic recommendations:
Limit fructose to less than 25 grams per day. Ideally, you'll also want to limit the amount of fructose from fruit to 15 grams per day, as you're likely consuming 'hidden' fructose if you eat even small amounts of processed foods or sweetened beverages
Limit or eliminate all processed foods
Eliminate all gluten, and highly allergenic foods from your diet
Eat organic foods whenever possible, preferably locally-grown
Eat at least one-third of your food uncooked (raw), or as much as you can manage
Increase the amount of fresh vegetables in your diet
Avoid artificial sweeteners of all kinds
Swap all trans fats (vegetable oils, margarine etc) for healthful fats like raw butter or coconut oil
To re-balance your omega-3 to omega-6 ratio, take a high-quality omega-3 supplement, such as krill oil, and reduce your consumption of processed omega-6 fats from vegetable oils (trans fats)
Drink plenty of pure water
Optimize your vitamin D levels, either through appropriate sun exposure, a safe tanning bed, or as last resort an oral vitamin D3 supplement
Five Principles of Exercise
Getting back to exercise, variety is the name of the game. You also need to pay attention to intensity or level of difficulty. When an exercise becomes easy to complete, it's a sign you need to work a little harder and give your body a new challenge.
There are five types of exercises that will turn your peak fitness regimen into a truly comprehensive exercise plan:
Interval (Anaerobic) Training: This really is aerobic and anaerobic, but the research shows that the anaerobic phase if far more important. The BEST way to condition your heart and burn fat is NOT to jog or walk steadily for an hour. Instead, it’s to alternate short bursts of high-intensity exercise with gentle recovery periods. This type of exercise, known as interval training or burst type training, can dramatically improve your cardiovascular fitness and fat-burning capabilities.
Another major benefit of this approach is that it radically decreases the amount of time you spend exercising, while giving you even more benefits. For example, intermittent sprinting produces high levels of chemical compounds called catecholamines, which allow more fat to be burned from under your skin within the exercising muscles. The resulting increase in fat oxidation increases weight loss. So, short bursts of activity done at a very high intensity can help you reach your optimal weight and level of fitness, in a shorter amount of time.
It also promotes the production of human growth hormone (HGH), known as “the fitness hormone,” which can help you add youthful vigor to your years, in addition to promoting weight loss and improved muscle building.
Aerobic: Jogging, using an elliptical machine, and walking fast are all examples of aerobic exercise, which will increase the amount of oxygen in your blood and increase endorphins, which act as natural painkillers. Aerobic exercise also activates your immune system, helps your heart pump blood more efficiently, and increases your stamina over time.
Just don’t make the mistake of using aerobic as your primary or only form of exercise, as you’ll forgo many of the most potent health benefits exercise has to offer if you do...
Strength Training: Rounding out your exercise program with a 1-set strength training routine will ensure that you're really optimizing the possible health benefits of a regular exercise program. You need enough repetitions to exhaust your muscles. The weight should be heavy enough that this can be done in fewer than 12 repetitions, yet light enough to do a minimum of four repetitions. It is also important NOT to exercise the same muscle groups every day. They need at least two days of rest to recover, repair and rebuild.
Core Exercises: Your body has 29 core muscles located mostly in your back, abdomen and pelvis. This group of muscles provides the foundation for movement throughout your entire body, and strengthening them can help protect and support your back, make your spine and body less prone to injury and help you gain greater balance and stability.
Pilates and yoga are great for strengthening your core muscles, as are specific exercises you can learn from a personal trainer. Even if a personal trainer is not in the cards for you right now, please watch these sample videos for examples of healthy exercise routines you can do with very little equipment and in virtually any location. Focusing on your breath and mindfulness along with increasing your flexibility is an important element of total fitness.
Stretching
Friday, April 22, 2011
~Garden of Eden~
My Office
I am going through some sort of mystical mode of non-stop synchronicity- ever since I came back from India, my life started to change. I went a few months ago, over Chinese New Year break. I found myself praying constantly whilst in India, for some reason. I am not sure, but it may have had to do with an inner longing for...something..change, really.
Well, ask and ye shall receive. You want change, hon? You got it! Things REALLY started happening after I wrote a song with my dear friend, Dereck, who lives in Wales.I've tried to write songs in the past, but I could never, ever FINISH them! This is the first song I've ever finished. I wrote the words, and Dereck wrote the music (and he helped me change a few awkward lyrics). I haven't heard the music yet, I am waiting for Dereck to send me a demo and backing track. I will post a link here when I record it! :-)
I had been so unhappy for so long- maybe not unhappy, but dissatisfied- because I hadn't figured out a plan or vision for what I wanted to DO with my life!
After completing the song, without revealing too many personal details, I realized that I was looking for satisfaction from without, rather from within. Since finishing the song, I realized that the REAL problem was, I hadn't found a dream! Happy Talk, the song from South Pacific kept ringing in my ears after finishing the song:"You've got to have a dream, if you don't have a dream, how you gonna make a dream come TRUE?" I realized that I wasn't following my HEART.
So....
I told Sujoy (my husband) that I was thinking of becoming a doc of Chinese medicine, and that I wanted to go to a wonderful school in San Diego.
He was adamantly opposed to the idea. He doesn't ever want to live in the US again! At first I was angry, but then I saw his point. There is no work there for him, really. I certainly can't teach either...the schools are in a state of chaos now.
SO, I thought, ok, I will go get my Master's in English as a Second Language. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
:(
THEN, we went to a wonderful flower market to start a container garden. After we bought the flowers, Sujoy brought me to this little organic health food shop where he's been going every morning recently to get this really healthy green drink.
I loved the shop- and bought lots of organic produce there and loved the drink too.
A few days later, we had the conversation again about where we are going to live, etc once Anjoli graduates.
He said, "I saw how excited you were at the health food store. Why don't we buy some land and start an organic farm, then have a Leisure Farm/eco tourist spot where people can getaway from the city and chill out."
So, we are going to start buying land very soon! Sujoy came across this fantastic documentary called: One Man, One Cow, One Planet. It was a such an inspiring movie about a bio-dynamic farmer from New Zealand named, Peter Proctor. He is nearly 80 years old, and he has dedicated his life to bio-dynamic farming. He has moved to India and works with farmers there. I think everyone on the planet needs to watch this fascinating movie. So, anyway, I’ve decided to take on-line courses in bio-dynamic agriculture through a school in England. It starts in January of 2012.
Sujoy finding that movie was incredibly cosmic. I don’t believe in accidents anymore…
Another source of inspiration happened when I received 2 dvds that I had ordered. A few months ago, I learned that a friend in San Diego had to have surgery to have his colon removed. I KNEW that there was a very good chance that he could avoid that surgery, if he followed the Gerson Therapy. I sent him 2 documenteries, along with Charlotte Gerson's latest book.
He was completely blown away, but instead of giving the stuff back to me, he sent it to his brother in Texas who has MS.
Gerson heals MOST degenerative diseases, including cancer.
The 2 dvds are called The Beautiful Truth and the Gerson Miracle.
You can stream the Gerson Miracle for $5 on their website:www.gerson.org
I had to order all the material again then, and I FINALLY watched them a few weeks ago.
I was SO inspired by Charlotte, after seeing the movies. She was my mentor. I worked for the Gerson Insitute for a few years in the late 90s. I spent hundreds of hours learning from her, because I used to answer email inquiries- that and writing articles- those 2 things were the bulk of my job...oh and research (ie reading constantly). I also spoke to hundreds of people who did the therapy, and learned so much from them! I learned that even those who just followed the diet and drank the freshly made juices and coffee enemas healed themselves from diseases like MS. People who had migraines ONLY did the coffee enemas, and it got rid of their migraines, which are in most cases a problem of toxicity. The coffee enema stimulates the liver to release toxins from the liver. They are VERY safe.The only doc who has cured anyone of pancreatic cancer is Dr. Gerson. You can see a recovered pancreatic cancer patient in the movies.
I am writing a book about my experience with brain surgery and how I healed afterward! It's called: Garden of Eden: An American's Journey of Healing in Taiwan.
My goal is to finish it by my 50th birthday - Aug. 17, 2012!
A few months ago, I watched a video of Roger Daltrey (I think it was a video) talking about the teens at the Teenage Cancer Trust. He just REALLY REALLY impressed me so much- how he is so hands on, down to earth, just a great big LOVE. He is one of my heros, to be honest, and so is Charlotte Gerson, who is Dr. Gerson's daughter - she carried on his work when the medical establishment did all they could to suppress his work and miraculous accomplishments.
Since I have been doing so much research for my book, I thought it would be a wonderful idea to share my knowledge and experience with holistic health with the teens Roger helps via The Teenage Cancer Trust. I contacted the Education Department there, and they are very excited about my idea! So, I am writing a “Wellness Manual” for them. They want to meet me! I am thrilled. I would love to lecture at the clinics, and perhaps do workshops with them. We’ll see. (I do realize that the information I share cannot be about how to follow the Gerson Therapy, as it is not accepted in mainstream medicine. But, I am clever, I will present only information that is universally accepted and validated by mainstream medicine!).
My hubby doesn’t know this (YET- he thinks I am a bit crazy!), but what I REALLY want to do is set up a Healing Center on our Eco-farm! I want people with degenerative diseases to go there, and I will teach them about nutrition and healing. I already have gone through the Gerson Practitioner Training when I worked for Gerson, but I want to do it again in the next few years. This has been a dream of mine for a LONG time. Now I can see that it may become a reality.
It feels so good to follow my BLISS. It’s been a wonderful ride! Who knows where this road will take me?
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
How to Get Out of a Rut
I am not sure if anyone even reads this blog...I doubt it since I have been ignoring it for many months now.
Depression is something I have grappled with since I was a child. About a month ago I found myself trapped in its dark clutches (once again).
I sometimes get into awful ruts - we all do, of course.
I have to publish this for myself (and hopefully some of you will find it helpful too!).
Thanks to my brill blogger bud, LucyD for this wonderful article.
xxx
Stuck in a Rut? Here's How to Get Out
Ever find yourself stuck in that terrible loop of inactivity, depression, and anger? Are you angry at the world, others or yourself because you're not getting things done - or even started because you're circling around and around, covering the same ground and never moving forward? Well, it's time to stop spinning your wheels and cursing the mud! Digging your way out of this rut is possible - and the way to do it may be closer than you think! Look at the steps below - one of them just may give you the inspiration - or kick in the butt - to break this cycle and start you down a happier path.
1. Have manageable goals.
If you can't get started because the task overwhelms you, break it down into small, manageable bites. You don't have to solve the problems of the world in 5 minutes. Take it one step at a time. For example, job hunting - that most terrifying of activities. Today's goal is simply to find your resume. Once that's done, relax and give yourself permission to enjoy the rest of the day! Tomorrow, you look up a name and number. The next day, you work on your resume for fifteen minutes. A day later, you call the number you looked up. And so on. At the end of a week, make a list of all you've accomplished and admire it! You may be surprised at how a little each day can add up!
2. Go ahead - argue with yourself.
Be your own best friend. Every time you say "I can't" - disagree! There is no law that says you have to agree with everything you think or say! Get creative. Aloud, in writing, or by taking action - note all the ways that you can - no matter how ridiculous or outrageous! For example, I know that climbing Mount Everest would help me get in shape! Brainstorm - each thought leads to another! Even if you start with completely silly and unrealistic, coming up with any opposition to a "can't" gives it less power and brings you closer to the positive!
3. Break the rhythm by changing your routine.
You need a jump start, so take action. Do something you've never done before. Go on a hike or to the opera. Eat something you can't pronounce. Or go even further. Want to date? Put in a personal ad. Want a new career? Sign up for a class. Upset the norm somehow! And remember, you don't have to do this alone. Enlist a friend. Sometimes making plans with a friend will help you break out and do something new! Free yourself from your mind's rut and go for it!
4. Ask yourself, "What are my obstacles to moving on?"
Understanding what's blocking you can help in forming a counter-attack. Are the obstacles of your own making? Are there any external obstacles? Differentiate between the factors that you have control over and those you don't. Put aside the factors you have no power over, and address the ones you do. Fighting what can't be changed is discouraging, depressing and will lead to feelings of hopelessness. Put your energy into what can be changed, and you will be encouraged and revitalized by the progress you will then be able to make.
5. Make an appointment with yourself.
Pick a time of day when you're at your best. Tomorrow at 11:00, I will spend 15 minutes -writing / cleaning / exercising / making phone calls / apartment hunting. Whatever! Turn off the phone if you have to and clear that time for yourself. You don't have to do anything more to achieve your objective for the rest of the day - just put in that 15 minutes! If you don't keep the appointment with yourself this time, then next time, don't bother writing down the appointment - make it for NOW!
6. Your surroundings can have a powerful impact on the psyche.
Sometimes a change of scene can help revive and inspire you. It's amazing the power new surroundings have to renew and refresh the spirit. And you don't have to travel to the far reaches of the universe either. If Tahiti is not an option, try sitting in a different chair at home, taking a different route to work, or working at the library. New perspectives are at your fingertips!
7. Make bribery work for you!
Reward yourself with a treat if you reach your day's target. Some of us will do anything for chocolate. But don't worry if you're not a chocolate doesn't appeal to you - treats don't have to be fattening! Instead of food, use something else. Imagine - if you reach your day's target early, you can play hooky! You can go to a movie, take a walk in the park, go shopping, or surf the net - because you're free!
8. If you're trapped in an emotional "loop", such as anger at a friend or sorrow after a break-up, try distracting yourself when you feel the loop starting again - grab a book, watch a movie, call a friend.
Talk to the person you're upset with, or if that is not an option, write a letter without mailing it. If, after a time proportionate to the situation has long passed, you are still having trouble getting off your emotional carousel, consider seeking professional help in order to find resolution or the strength to walk away. Looping wastes a tremendous amount of time and prevents you from finding satisfaction elsewhere in your life.
9. Relax. De-stress. Take the pressure off yourself.
Sometimes you need to give yourself a break from the constant nagging, and those shoulda's, woulda's, and coulda's that you keep running through your mind. Chastising yourself is clearly not helping you actually get anything done, not to mention that it's depressing and bad for your emotional well-being. So cut yourself some slack, do things to make yourself feel good, and when you've left behind all those shoulda's, think about what you really want, and go to another number on this list!
10. You didn't think you'd get through this list without reading about the tried and true, take one day at a time.
Don't try to accomplish a lifetime's work in an hour. That will only make everything seem hopeless. Take care of today. And don't worry about yesterday. Yesterday is over. If you wish you'd done something different yesterday - remember that tomorrow, yesterday will be today! Because basically, all your tomorrows and yesterdays start today! If you do something today, then tomorrow you won't need to feel bad about yesterday! (Got it?)
So the next time you find yourself unable to move forward, take a moment to believe in yourself. We all get stuck at times. The trick is to minimize the time you stay stuck! Any car can be gotten out of that rut in the mud if approached with the right tools. Trust that you will get out of whatever quagmire you may find yourself in - now that you have your own tools at hand to help!
Mark Sichel is the author of the best selling and highly acclaimed book, Healing From Family Rifts. Mark has been a practicing psychotherapist, teacher, consultant, and speaker since 1980. In 1999, in an effort to reach a larger audience, Mark created www.psybersquare.com, a self-help website that was awarded the prestigious WWW Health Award for excellence in patient education in the Fall of 2000. Mark is available for consultation and speaking engagements internationally and can be contacted via his website, www.marksichel.com
Depression is something I have grappled with since I was a child. About a month ago I found myself trapped in its dark clutches (once again).
I sometimes get into awful ruts - we all do, of course.
I have to publish this for myself (and hopefully some of you will find it helpful too!).
Thanks to my brill blogger bud, LucyD for this wonderful article.
xxx
Stuck in a Rut? Here's How to Get Out
Ever find yourself stuck in that terrible loop of inactivity, depression, and anger? Are you angry at the world, others or yourself because you're not getting things done - or even started because you're circling around and around, covering the same ground and never moving forward? Well, it's time to stop spinning your wheels and cursing the mud! Digging your way out of this rut is possible - and the way to do it may be closer than you think! Look at the steps below - one of them just may give you the inspiration - or kick in the butt - to break this cycle and start you down a happier path.
1. Have manageable goals.
If you can't get started because the task overwhelms you, break it down into small, manageable bites. You don't have to solve the problems of the world in 5 minutes. Take it one step at a time. For example, job hunting - that most terrifying of activities. Today's goal is simply to find your resume. Once that's done, relax and give yourself permission to enjoy the rest of the day! Tomorrow, you look up a name and number. The next day, you work on your resume for fifteen minutes. A day later, you call the number you looked up. And so on. At the end of a week, make a list of all you've accomplished and admire it! You may be surprised at how a little each day can add up!
2. Go ahead - argue with yourself.
Be your own best friend. Every time you say "I can't" - disagree! There is no law that says you have to agree with everything you think or say! Get creative. Aloud, in writing, or by taking action - note all the ways that you can - no matter how ridiculous or outrageous! For example, I know that climbing Mount Everest would help me get in shape! Brainstorm - each thought leads to another! Even if you start with completely silly and unrealistic, coming up with any opposition to a "can't" gives it less power and brings you closer to the positive!
3. Break the rhythm by changing your routine.
You need a jump start, so take action. Do something you've never done before. Go on a hike or to the opera. Eat something you can't pronounce. Or go even further. Want to date? Put in a personal ad. Want a new career? Sign up for a class. Upset the norm somehow! And remember, you don't have to do this alone. Enlist a friend. Sometimes making plans with a friend will help you break out and do something new! Free yourself from your mind's rut and go for it!
4. Ask yourself, "What are my obstacles to moving on?"
Understanding what's blocking you can help in forming a counter-attack. Are the obstacles of your own making? Are there any external obstacles? Differentiate between the factors that you have control over and those you don't. Put aside the factors you have no power over, and address the ones you do. Fighting what can't be changed is discouraging, depressing and will lead to feelings of hopelessness. Put your energy into what can be changed, and you will be encouraged and revitalized by the progress you will then be able to make.
5. Make an appointment with yourself.
Pick a time of day when you're at your best. Tomorrow at 11:00, I will spend 15 minutes -writing / cleaning / exercising / making phone calls / apartment hunting. Whatever! Turn off the phone if you have to and clear that time for yourself. You don't have to do anything more to achieve your objective for the rest of the day - just put in that 15 minutes! If you don't keep the appointment with yourself this time, then next time, don't bother writing down the appointment - make it for NOW!
6. Your surroundings can have a powerful impact on the psyche.
Sometimes a change of scene can help revive and inspire you. It's amazing the power new surroundings have to renew and refresh the spirit. And you don't have to travel to the far reaches of the universe either. If Tahiti is not an option, try sitting in a different chair at home, taking a different route to work, or working at the library. New perspectives are at your fingertips!
7. Make bribery work for you!
Reward yourself with a treat if you reach your day's target. Some of us will do anything for chocolate. But don't worry if you're not a chocolate doesn't appeal to you - treats don't have to be fattening! Instead of food, use something else. Imagine - if you reach your day's target early, you can play hooky! You can go to a movie, take a walk in the park, go shopping, or surf the net - because you're free!
8. If you're trapped in an emotional "loop", such as anger at a friend or sorrow after a break-up, try distracting yourself when you feel the loop starting again - grab a book, watch a movie, call a friend.
Talk to the person you're upset with, or if that is not an option, write a letter without mailing it. If, after a time proportionate to the situation has long passed, you are still having trouble getting off your emotional carousel, consider seeking professional help in order to find resolution or the strength to walk away. Looping wastes a tremendous amount of time and prevents you from finding satisfaction elsewhere in your life.
9. Relax. De-stress. Take the pressure off yourself.
Sometimes you need to give yourself a break from the constant nagging, and those shoulda's, woulda's, and coulda's that you keep running through your mind. Chastising yourself is clearly not helping you actually get anything done, not to mention that it's depressing and bad for your emotional well-being. So cut yourself some slack, do things to make yourself feel good, and when you've left behind all those shoulda's, think about what you really want, and go to another number on this list!
10. You didn't think you'd get through this list without reading about the tried and true, take one day at a time.
Don't try to accomplish a lifetime's work in an hour. That will only make everything seem hopeless. Take care of today. And don't worry about yesterday. Yesterday is over. If you wish you'd done something different yesterday - remember that tomorrow, yesterday will be today! Because basically, all your tomorrows and yesterdays start today! If you do something today, then tomorrow you won't need to feel bad about yesterday! (Got it?)
So the next time you find yourself unable to move forward, take a moment to believe in yourself. We all get stuck at times. The trick is to minimize the time you stay stuck! Any car can be gotten out of that rut in the mud if approached with the right tools. Trust that you will get out of whatever quagmire you may find yourself in - now that you have your own tools at hand to help!
Mark Sichel is the author of the best selling and highly acclaimed book, Healing From Family Rifts. Mark has been a practicing psychotherapist, teacher, consultant, and speaker since 1980. In 1999, in an effort to reach a larger audience, Mark created www.psybersquare.com, a self-help website that was awarded the prestigious WWW Health Award for excellence in patient education in the Fall of 2000. Mark is available for consultation and speaking engagements internationally and can be contacted via his website, www.marksichel.com
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
It's not rocket science, but...
The American Institute for Cancer Research has released a 517-page report detailing the CONVENTIONAL medical view of what your main risk factors for developing cancer, and what you can do to reduce your risk.
Among their findings -- after reviewing more than 7,000 large-scale studies over the course of five years -- the Institute is now convinced that excess body weight increases your risk for the following types of cancer:
*
Colon
*
Kidney
*
Pancreas
*
Esophagus
*
Uterus, and breast cancer in post-menopausal women
The report also found that there are certain lifestyle changes that will reduce your risk of getting cancer:
1. Be as lean as possible within the normal range of body weight
2. Be physically active as part of everyday life
3. Limit consumption of "energy-dense foods," foods that are high in calories, fat and sugar. Avoid sugary drinks
4. Eat mostly foods of plant origin, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans
5. Limit intake of red meat and avoid ALL processed meat
6. Limit alcoholic drinks to one per day for women, two per day for men
7. Limit consumption of salt. Avoid moldy grains or legumes
8. Aim to meet nutritional needs through diet alone, without dietary supplements
Nothing earth shattering here, I know I know...
I have been eating more carbs and it SHOWS. They really perk me up though. I was getting very depressed eating a low carb diet. I'm just going to cut down a bit (especially on the BEER, which I LOVE) and increase my activity level by walking more and working out 5 days per week.
I have been feeling much happier lately! I am being more social and keeping busy via volunteering at my daughter's school and taking lots of classes.
I have a job interview this Friday for a teaching position. I would be teaching reading and writing at an after school program near my apartment. Wish me luck!
Among their findings -- after reviewing more than 7,000 large-scale studies over the course of five years -- the Institute is now convinced that excess body weight increases your risk for the following types of cancer:
*
Colon
*
Kidney
*
Pancreas
*
Esophagus
*
Uterus, and breast cancer in post-menopausal women
The report also found that there are certain lifestyle changes that will reduce your risk of getting cancer:
1. Be as lean as possible within the normal range of body weight
2. Be physically active as part of everyday life
3. Limit consumption of "energy-dense foods," foods that are high in calories, fat and sugar. Avoid sugary drinks
4. Eat mostly foods of plant origin, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans
5. Limit intake of red meat and avoid ALL processed meat
6. Limit alcoholic drinks to one per day for women, two per day for men
7. Limit consumption of salt. Avoid moldy grains or legumes
8. Aim to meet nutritional needs through diet alone, without dietary supplements
Nothing earth shattering here, I know I know...
I have been eating more carbs and it SHOWS. They really perk me up though. I was getting very depressed eating a low carb diet. I'm just going to cut down a bit (especially on the BEER, which I LOVE) and increase my activity level by walking more and working out 5 days per week.
I have been feeling much happier lately! I am being more social and keeping busy via volunteering at my daughter's school and taking lots of classes.
I have a job interview this Friday for a teaching position. I would be teaching reading and writing at an after school program near my apartment. Wish me luck!
Monday, November 12, 2007
You know it, you love it, you shouldn't live without it
Desiderata
Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.
-Max Ehrmann, 1927
Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.
-Max Ehrmann, 1927
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Good Advice!
"When you awaken each morning, think of something (or someone) that makes you happy...for 15 minutes. This improves your world. "
~ Anastasia/cedars
~ Anastasia/cedars
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