Unlike cardiovascular disease and diabetes, whose pharmacological treatments have decreased intervention and thus revenue, medicine has found a way to keep the cancer goose well fed.
Read MoreManifesting - The Law of Attraction
I've consulted with a number of prominent energy medicine professionals and learned several techniques that help identify and clear negative subconscious beliefs and unresolved emotions.
The manifestation of Cancer is aided by sudden trauma (old or new), habitual negative emotions, thoughts or beliefs, and the inability to forgive those who have injured us. It is fueled by stress, fear, anger, and unhealthy habits.
The power of the mind is not unknown to us. Volumes have been written about ordinary people harnessing the power of belief and of visualization, and changing their world. From Tony Robbins to Napoleon Hill and Dr. Wayne Dyer to Dr. Joe Dispenza. They all agree that controlling negative thoughts, clearing old grudges and practicing forgiveness pave the way for a healthy, happy life. We can measure the shift in our body’s Chemistry when we shift your thoughts! I have experienced this over and over again.
Below are Dr. Wayne Dyer’s Ten Principles of Manifestation. I recommend you print the list and put where you can see it daily. You are the healer. There is no greater power than that of Divine Light, and it’s available to you. All you have to do is consciously fill your being with it. Take time during your day to sit quietly and envision that light surrounding areas of your body that need healing. Then BEHAVE AS IF YOU ARE ALREADY HEALED.
The mind’s job is to manifest what we believe. It cannot distinguish between images you create that are accompanied by an elevated positive feeling, and reality. That's why hypochondriacs can manifest symptoms when there is no illness, and why a Placebo will work for many patients.
The 10 Principles (click for video):
Have a mind that is open to everything and attached to nothing.
You can't give away, what you don't have.
There are no justified resentments.
Don't die with your music still in you. (live it now)
Embrace Silence. (music is the silence between notes)
Give up your personal history. (everyone has a story, don't live in moments that are gone)
You can't solve a problem with the same mind that created it. (Embrace new thoughts)
Treat yourself as if you were already what you want to become. (Act your way into reality)
Treasure your divinity.
Wisdom is avoiding all thoughts that are weakening you. (entertain ideas only that will strengthen you)
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Be Well.
Gratitude... Each Moment's Lining
If the day and the night are such that you greet them with joy, and life emits a fragrance like flowers and sweet-scented herbs, is more elastic, more starry, more immortal — that is your success. All nature is your congratulation, and you have cause momentarily to bless yourself.
Read MoreDisease and Longevity - You are the Driver
Dr. David L. Katz: 'aging and longevity' :
Somehow, our culture manages to peddle both tanning salons, and wrinkle cream.
We desperately seek longevity, while raising children potentially subject to a shorter life expectancy than their parents.
We hang on every headline hinting at more years in life, and let the established means of adding life to years, and defending our native span, slip through our fingers.
We have known since 1993 at least that fully 80% of all premature death is preventable by means at our disposal.
We have known that lifestyle is the best medicine, and no new Nobel prizes are required to put it to constructive use.
We have known that the master levers of medical destiny are not SPECT scans or surgical robots, but our feet (physical activity), forks (dietary pattern), and fingers (not holding cigarettes).
We have known that by appending to those three just three more priorities- adequate sleep, stress management, and the cultivation of strong social connections (abbreviated as “love”)- we augment further the already incredible potential to promote health and prevent disease.
We have known that the causes of our modern ills, extracting both years from our lives and life from our years, are not really the chronic diseases that populate death certificates - heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes - but the factors ostensibly under our daily controlthat are the causes of these effects.
And we have known for some years as well that even our genes react to the choices we make. In this epigenetic age, we know that DNA is not destiny, while to a meaningful degree - dinner is.
We have known much, but done relatively little. Knowledge is not power if its use is neglected.
~ Be Well.
The Power of Mindfulness and Giving
The relationship between our mental 'health'... meaning our outlook on life and its events...and our physical health, has been well-studied and documented. There is no longer doubt that our state of being directly influences our body's ability to heal, and can make all the difference in that process.
I wanted to share this article to underline the importance of re-programming our tendency to feel doubt, worry and buy into the negativity surrounding any illness we may face.
I watched many, many silly comedies.. both movies and old TV shows.. in my healing process. Laughter, feeling good, and believing you can lick whatever is going on... is half the battle.
"Richard J. Davidson, a professor of psychology and psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison... traveled to Davos for the 2014 World Economic Forum to help spread his belief that health and happiness are not abstract goals, but skills that can be cultivated with just a few hours of practice.
Davidson's research, conducted at his Center for Investigating Healthy Minds in Madison, focuses on the myriad ways in which contemplative practices can produce measurable changes in the human brain and body.
.... read the rest here.
~ Be Well! ♥
Gwen's Story... Don't Let it be Yours
While she prepared the tubes for my blood draw, we chatted easily. Over the last 2 years Gwen and I had become fond of each other. She was complaining again about her constant body pain and digestion, and how the stress of working at the lab was becoming almost too much to handle.
Gwen is about 45, divorced, overweight and due to childhood and young adult experiences, doesn’t believe she deserves good things to happen to her. We’ve all met people like Gwen; their families aren’t what they would have wished for and life traumas left imprints that are difficult to overcome. Gwen has a lovely person with a sweet smile. She has a sense of humor that she hides behind. I like her very much.
Leap of Faith
I decided to take a leap of faith that she brought up her situation again as a subtle request for help. She knew I consulted with several prominent integrative doctors, and was always curious about what I learned. I asked if she would please try to cut back on sugar and carby foods from her diet for just 2 weeks. I asked what vegetables she liked, and she laughed knowing I was going to disapprove of her answer.. “Lettuce?” she offered.
“And…?” I wasn’t going to be put off by her attempt at diverting me with humor.
“Well, I don’t know.. carrots?”
“Are you serious?” I teased, “First of all you’re asking me.. instead of telling me, so I don’t think you know what a vegetable is!”
Gwen laughed again, ”Well they don’t all taste great.”
“Some phlebotomist!” I teased.
A Serious Chat
When she was completed the draw, I spoke to her about the dangers of chronic inflammation. I said I would come back in a couple of days with a biophotonic antioxidant scanner which I borrow from a doctor-friend, to test her. I added that if she wanted me to try to help her, I would need a promise that she would follow what I suggested… else there would be no point in trying.
She smiled at me with an intense expression in her eyes that told me no one had offered to help her before. but she was also looked scared to know what may be going on with her health.
“Ok. so here’s the deal. I will try to come here after work two days a week, and we’ll go for a 20 minute walk on your break as a start. Can you do that?”
She said it would depend on how many patients they had and how many other staff were around, to call first.
Two days later, I showed up with the scanner. Two of Gwen’s colleagues wanted to get scanned as well. Their results were borderline. Needless to say, Gwen’s result was very bad. Her immune system was overtaxed and weak.
“Did I flunk?” she asked jokingly.
I felt compelled to be straight with her. “Your score is not ok, but we knew it wasn’t going to be. You’ve got to start eating well, and I think you may want to take strong antioxidants to help your body fight whatever is going on. I’m not joking, Gwen, you are very vulnerable, and the aches and pain you feel all day long are telling you things have to change.”
She looked at me quietly and nodded.
“So when people bring donuts and bagels here, you need to have food you bring from home so you’re not tempted. We’re going to consider junk food as poison.”
“What would I bring?” she asked me with a blank look.
“Berries, a hard boiled egg, a gluten-free slice of healthy bread with hummus or a salad. Go to my website and browse around. Make only from those recipes… and let’s see what happens in a couple of weeks.
The Next Few Weeks
We never did walk, because either my work or hers got in the way. But she told me she was taking occasional walks with a neighbor friend. I dropped by once for fun, and someone had bought donuts! She immediately shouted, “Not me! I didn’t touch them!”
I texted her a couple of times during the next few weeks to see how things were going. She wasn’t very forthcoming with details… but I didn’t want to push. I knew that for Gwen, eating was part of her emotional world. I went through that after my sister, and then my brother-in-law passed barely 24 months apart. I gained almost 20 lbs that I wasn’t able to shed until I had to. Cutting out sugar and simple carbs was all I had to do.
Food and Emotions
It's not news to anyone that when we feel lonely, and unloved or unlovable, food is a source of solace. And not just any food, but foods that give us the necessary blood sugar high. So we gravitate to baked goods, cookies and sweets or rich foods. And after we’ve indulged we either feel bad, or convince ourselves no harm done.
We might think, “Well, I’m already too heavy, half a pound more or less isn’t going to make a difference.” But half a pound more every week or two does make a difference.
I had low back pain, I hated that when I sat down I had two rolls of fat around my waist. When I was dating, I would wear tops that hid my mid-section… and yet, I didn’t take massive action.
Funny thing is that I was aware of proper nutrition and healthy foods. I am a chef after all, and fed my children well-rounded meals and very little junk. So I hardly ever ate fried or creamy foods, or too many sweets.. but bread, cheese and rice were part of every day’s fare. And even though accompanied by many vegetables and salads, they have their effect.
Gwen had larger emotional scars than mine, so I cut her some slack, but I knew she had to do something soon before her body gave in to whatever was brewing.
Fate Steps In
When I returned for another set of blood tests 6 months later, Valerie greeted me. “Where’s Gwen?” I asked.
“Don’t you know? She’s been out for a week.” she replied.
“No, I didn’t know! What’s up?”
“Oh, my goodness, I thought she would have called you. She fainted while on a walk, and then she had hemorrhaging so they’re doing tests.”
“You’re kidding! Gosh I sure hope she’s ok… thank you for telling me. I’ll call her this afternoon for sure.”
Valerie walked me to the cubby where she was going to draw my blood, “I wish you would. She’s not doing well.”
I felt like I let Gwen down. I had tried, but when you feel someone just can’t go it alone, and the only way they can make a drastic change is to have you there to coach and cheer them on every day, it’s hard to know what to do. At one point, I was going to offer her our garage conversion to come live in, at least for a few months while she taught herself a new way of thinking, eating and living. But there was no way she was going to leave her home, and I never brought it up. I guess I just hoped she could find the resolve to start making a change.
When she told me about some of the devastating experiences she had as a teenager and young adult, I said that I had been sent into her life for a reason then, because with the right perspective she could let go of all that pain and realize she is not the person she was then, and if it were not for this thing we call ‘memory’, she would be a shooting star! She hugged me.
Face the Truth and Make a Change
We are all a little like Gwen in some way. We all talk ourselves into accepting situations, or habits that span years as ‘normal’, and harmless. I mean, if you’ve been eating badly for 12 years and other than the weight gain, or occasional aches and pains, or headaches, or skin conditions, you’re ok.. well, what’s the problem?
We keep on trucking in the same groove until one day, like Gwen, like me, BANG! Something unexpected happens.. a lump, a fainting spell, chest pain, an abnormal blood test.
You know what many of us think in that first moment of realization? … ‘Wait, that can’t be happening to me!’
And the second thought…? ’If only I had paid more attention to blahdeeblah.’
Gwen knew things were bad. Gwen knew her body was breaking down. Why couldn’t she, why can’t we, stop ourselves from being stuck in same pattern? Why is it necessary for so many to hit the wall before embracing behavior that is good for health and well-being? I’ve always been curious about the psychological barriers we all struggle with. When I called Gwen, do you know what the first thing she said to me was?
“I messed up. I didn’t listen to you.”
I hated hearing those words. I told her, “Yes, you did, you stubborn monkey. And I wish I could turn the clock back.”
Gwen was waiting to hear back on a number of tests. She was weak, and in bed most of the day. I asked her to start eating certain foods, and to send her daughter out to get the 3 supplements we talked about. She promised to do so. I recommended she watch happy uplifting videos, and no matter what the results were, to remember there is a world of options.
Don’t be another Gwen. Only YOU can reduce your risk and improve your health. Being 20+ lbs overweight is the gateway to a host of inflammatory diseases.
Our body can’t handle processing all the toxins we’re exposed to in the world, plus the preservatives in processed foods and personal products, plus the pesticides on non-organic produce, plus the effects of smoking or drinking alcohol or eating too many carbs. Living with environmental pollution alone overtaxes our liver and kidneys.. but pile on all that other stuff and we’ve created a recipe for disaster.
It’s a hard journey back to health once it’s lost.
We are victims of money-hungry food manufacturers that spend billions to create flavors and textures that will hook us to their nutrition-deficient products. Stand up and find your strength to resist.
If you struggle, find a friend or family member who will actively support your effort to make a change. Limit yourself to eating only foods you cook and look up recipes on this blog.
And if you like together we can devise a plan that will work for you. Contact me.
I wish you a long and healthy life.
An Incredible Story That Has Much to Teach
The woman's name is Anita Moorjani. Anita was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and doctors told her family she was just hours away from death. It was at this point that she “crossed over” and then returned again into this world with a clearer understanding of her life and purpose on earth. This understanding subsequently led to a total recovery of her health.
Anita was born in Singapore of Indian parents, moved to Hong Kong at the age of two, and has lived in Hong Kong most of her life. Because of her background and British education, she is multi lingual and, from the age of two, grew up speaking English, Cantonese and two Indian dialects simultaneously, and later learned French at school.
She had been working in the corporate field for many years before being diagnosed with cancer in April of 2002. Her fascinating and moving near-death experience in early 2006 has tremendously changed her perspective on life. Her work is now ingrained with the depths and insights she gained while in the other realm.
This is the original NDE description that Anita Moorjani submitted to The Near Death Research Foundation in August 2006.
EXPERIENCE DESCRIPTION:
I had end stage cancer (Hodgkin’s Lymphoma), and was being cared for at home. I was connected to an oxygen tank, and had a full time nurse. But on this morning, February 2nd 2006, I did not wake up. I had fallen into a coma. My husband called my doctor who said I needed to be rushed to hospital. The senior oncologist looked at me and told my husband that it was now the end, and that my organs were now shutting down. I would probably not make it beyond the next 36 hours. However, the oncologist said he would do whatever he could but prepared my husband that I would most likely not make it, as my organs were no longer functioning. They determined this because my body started to swell up, and I had open skin lesions. They started me on a cocktail of medication on a drip, and poked me with tubes and pipes for nourishment, drugs and oxygen.
I thought that I was drifting in and out of consciousness during this time, because I was aware of everything that was going on around me. But it was confirmed to me later by my family and the doctors that I was in a coma the whole time. I saw and heard the conversations between my husband and the doctors taking place outside my room, about 40 feet away down a hallway. I was later able to verify this conversation to my shocked husband. Then I actually “crossed over” to another dimension, where I was engulfed in a total feeling of love. I also experienced extreme clarity of why I had the cancer, why I had come into this life in the first place, what role everyone in my family played in my life in the grand scheme of things, and generally how life works. The clarity and understanding I obtained in this state is almost indescribable. Words seem to limit the experience – I was at a place where I understood how much more there is than what we are able to conceive in our 3-dimensional world. I realized what a gift life was, and that I was surrounded by loving spiritual beings, who were always around me even when I did not know it.
The amount of love I felt was overwhelming, and from this perspective, I knew how powerful I am, and saw the amazing possibilities we as humans are capable of achieving during a physical life. I found out that my purpose now would be to live “heaven on earth” using this new understanding, and to share this knowledge with other people. However I had the choice of whether to come back into life, or go towards death. I was made to understand that it was not my time, but I always had the choice, and if I chose death, I would not be experiencing a lot of the gifts that the rest of my life still held in store. At first, I did not want to come back, because my body was very sick, and I did not want to come back into this body as the organs had already stopped functioning and I had all these open skin lesions. But it seemed that almost immediately, I became aware that if I chose life, my body would heal very quickly. I would see a difference in not months or weeks, but days!
I then started to understand how illnesses start on an energetic level before they become physical. If I chose to go into life, the cancer would be gone from my energy, and my physical body would catch up very quickly. I then understood that when people have medical treatments for illnesses, it rids the illness only from their body but not from their energy so the illness returns. I realized if I went back, it would be with a very healthy energy. Then the physical body would catch up to the energetic conditions very quickly and permanently. I seemed to become aware that this applies to anything, not only illnesses – physical conditions, psychological conditions, etc. I became aware that everything going on in our lives was dependent on this energy around us, created by us. Nothing was real – we created our surroundings, our conditions, etc. depending where this “energy” was at. The clarity I felt around how we get what we do was phenomenal! It’s all about where we are energetically. I somehow knew that I was going to see “proof” of this first hand if I returned back to my body.
It felt as though I was drifting in and out between the two worlds, this physical world and the other side, but every time I drifted into the “other side”, I seemed to go deeper and experienced more “scenes”. There was one where I saw how my life had touched all the people in it – it was sort of like a tapestry and I saw how I affected everyone’s lives around me. There was another scene where I saw my brother on a plane, having heard the news I was dying, coming to see me (this was verified to me as when I started to come round, my brother was there, having just got off a plane). I then saw a glimpse of my brother and me and somehow seemed to understand it was a previous life, where I was much older than him and was like a mother to him (in this life, he is older than me). I saw in that life I was very protective towards him. I suddenly became aware he was on the plane to come and see me, and felt “I can’t do this to him – can’t let him come and see me dead”. Then I also saw how my husband’s purpose was linked to mine, and how we had decided to come and experience this life together. If I went, he would probably follow soon after.
In addition, I seemed to understand that, as tests had been taken for my organ functions (and the results were not out yet), that if I chose life, the results would show that my organs were functioning normally. If I chose death, the results would show organ failure as the cause of death, due to cancer. I was able to change the outcome of the tests by my choice!
I made my choice, and as I started to wake up (in a very confused state, as I could not at that time tell which side of the veil I was on), the doctors came rushing into the room with big smiles on their faces saying to my family “Good news – we got the results and her organs are functioning – we can’t believe it!! Her body really did seem like it had shut down!”
After that, I began to recover rapidly. The doctors had been waiting for me to become stable before doing a lymph node biopsy to track the type of cancer cells, and they could not even find a lymph node big enough to suggest cancer (upon entering the hospital my body was filled with swollen lymph nodes and tumors the size of lemons, from the base of my skull all the way to my lower abdomen). They did a bone marrow biopsy, again to find the cancer activity so they could adjust the chemotherapy according to the disease, and there wasn’t any in the bone marrow. The doctors were very confused, but put it down to me suddenly responding to the chemo. Because they themselves were unable to understand what was going on, they made me undergo test after test, all of which I passed with flying colors, and clearing every test empowered me even more! I had a full body scan, and because they could not find anything, they made the radiologist repeat it again!!!!
Because of my experience, I am now sharing with everyone I know that miracles are possible in your life every day. After what I have seen, I realize that absolutely anything is possible, and that we did not come here to suffer. Life is supposed to be great, and we are very, very loved. The way I look at life has changed dramatically, and I am so glad to have been given a second chance to experience “heaven on earth”.
For more, click here.
You Create Your World Every Moment
I wish there was a fool-proof formula we could all follow to move 'out' of ourselves, to float above this vehicle we call our body, and observe ourselves act and react to mundane, fleeting, mostly unimportant events in our life. To see how we take things far too seriously, including ourselves! I wish we could REALLY see, FIERCELY believe, that it is the programming of our minds that creates chaos and negativity or hinders peace and happiness in our lives. And that if we spend just a handful of weeks working consciously to change our reactions and attitudes, we can intentionally generate a new program.
I wish we listened, quietly, with inner stillness to what others are 'saying' before we allowed our ever-churning brain to start preparing our response to justify what 'we' think.
I wish I could help you understand without a shadow of doubt that you house in your heart Divine Light that is clouded over by falsely thinking that you are separate from the Universe, from all Humanity and from Truth. And that if you sat quietly for just 10 - 15 minutes each day, and let go of everything during those minutes, focusing on 'seeing' the Light flickering in your heart, and imagining it growing until if filled your being, after a while your perspective, your attitude and your knowing will be informed by that Light and life will begin to change.
What is going on with this body, in this life is a Gift intricately planned to present us with situations designed to help us learn specific lessons, (if we allow them to). These lessons invariably expand our understanding of Who we are, Where we are going and Why it's necessary to cultivate Acceptance and Awareness.
Without a positive attitude and strong faith in the power of our mind, we can't heal. Negativity changes your body chemistry, physically. It takes hours to neutralize the toxins that negativity releases in your body. That alone should deter you from giving in to such a response. Stop, breathe and consciously choose a reaction before you say or do something you'll regret.
It's not easy, but practice is the only way to make it a habit. No one is going to walk into your life and make everything better. You have to do that.
This moment is all you have. How do you want to spend it?
Unhappy? Fearful? Worried? Frustrated? Bitter? How about choosing to be Happy, Brave, Accepting, and Grateful?
Vow to live your life as if today is the all you have...this moment the only moment. Join the abundant Joy that resonates in every aspect of Creation, and don't let anyone shake your determination to feel good.
Excerpt taken from The HuMan Handbook
"Change is what happens when the pain of holding on becomes greater than your fear of letting go. You are using up enormous amounts of life force energy holding on to your pain and past.
Change your habits and you will quickly change your life. It only takes three weeks to “birth” a new habit. The Universe ...will express anything you make into a habit.
You are the architect of the reality that you are experiencing. Forming new habits is how you will manifest what you want. Creating habits is the key to your success or failure.
Consciously creating new habits for more than 21 days is a small price to pay for what you want to manifest."
"When things change only two things can happen with one being obvious and the other being extremely subtle. The obvious thing is that you will manifest what it is that you want to experience. The not so obvious thing is that you will surface what it is you need to heal, so that you can manifest what you want."
E-mail your first and last name to SabrinaRose@HolisticLearningCenter.com, subject line- The Human Handbook to receive a copy.
It doesn't matter where you are in your journey...this human handbook is a guide to mastering the inner you!
The Theme of Divine Presence; Being Who You Really Are
For many year I have been reading and studying the writings and lives of several mystics. Inayat Khan is one of those. The insight and awareness I developed over the years has nourished my vision of life and my attitudes.
It is this new awareness that helped me understand, learn from and move through many trying experiences... a forced separation from my first home and country, the passing of my parents followed by the passing of a sister and brother-in-law, my divorce, the process of reinventing myself, the loss of my dearest friend and mentor, and cancer.
There are principles at the heart of every system of faith that echo one another, and it is these common principles that Inayat Khan touches upon in his writings. He speaks from personal experience, from a life devoted to self-knowing and awareness.
It is with calm Grace that one must strive to face each new inner lesson offered by life, and it is with Awareness that we must inform our reactions and actions.
I hope you are able to gather a few drops of gold from the passage below, to store tenderly in your heart, and to draw upon them as life unfolds.
I included the link to the entire Chapter in the title below.
Inviting Divine Presence into Your Life
Consciously invite the Divine Presence into your life!
The wonders of Divine Presence are always available to everyone, but Divine Presence will not force itself on anyone. We are free to be asleep. We are free to be ignorant. We are free to be selfish. We are free to be as foolish as we choose. And we pay heavily for such misdeeds and lack of understanding. Yet the Divine Presence is always there, just waiting for us to awaken from our slumber.
In order to enjoy a life of love, harmony and beauty, one must align one's outer life (worldly life) with one's inner life (spiritual life). In other words, the most pressing need of mankind today is to re-unite body and soul.
The wonders of spiritual life will not be fully embodied in one's own life until one awakens to the presence of Divine Presence and allows it to be the very foundation upon which every aspect of daily life is built, thereby bringing the wondrous blessings of love, harmony and beauty into every situation.
Life should be a joyful journey, and living in harmony with the ideals of Divine Presence is the key.
If you do not yet feel that wondrous Divine Presence deep within, then (for the time being) simply strive to allow your life to be centered around great ideals such as loving-kindness, generosity, compassion, gratitude, and joyfulness.
Whenever anything else arises, calmly observe whatever has arisen without undue reaction, and return as quickly as possible to embodying those great ideals such as loving-kindness, generosity, compassion, gratitude and joyfulness.
In this simple manner, one can gradually begin to reprogram the sub-conscious mind, and thereby more fully live in harmony with the Divine Presence.
Be Beautiful!
In every moment of every day, the central theme of Divine Presence is simply this: Be Beautiful!
Each of the beautiful attributes of mankind, such as loving-kindness, generosity, compassion, grace, and joyfulness, all arise from the wondrous Divine Presence which exists in the calm pure depths of the heart.
The beauty which any individual exhibits truly glorifies the Source of Beauty, and will hopefully invite others to turn, in their own way, toward that same Source, like moths toward the flame.
What does it mean to be beautiful?
- To be beautiful is to let our thoughts, words and deeds bring Divine Presence into the world.
- To be beautiful is to greet each and every being with grace, with love, with compassion, with joyfulness.
- To be beautiful is to see the ever-present Divine beauty everywhere.
- To be beautiful is to express joyful gratitude for all that we receive.
- To be beautiful is let the Divine radianceof your inner light shine upon all beingswithout any of one's own hindrances or preferences whatsoever.
- To be beautiful is to expect nothing in return.
That which is truly beautiful always arises from the depths of your own loving heart. That is, you will be most beautiful when you are living in harmony with your own highest ideals and greatest aspirations.
One cannot be an expression of true beauty when trying to be like someone else.
Follow your heart! Be beautiful in your own way!
~~~~~~~~~~~
The important thing is not to think much, but to love much; and so, do that which best stirs you to love.
Saint Teresa of Avila
What If? - Why Statistics Shouldn't Scare You!
One of the most routine pieces of information that the medical industry, for it is an industry, throws at us is a Statistic. Statistics are there to show you how likely you are to contract some disease, to have a boy or girl, to getting a divorce, or find a new job. There seem to be so many studies that we now have a statistic for everything...including how many times you're likely to blink in a minute! How could we go on without that piece of data?
We have to be honest though; we like them. We quote them to others to deter them from some decision or action. If they favor us, we advertise them.
Well, one thing I surely learned from taking Statistics in Grad School, is that if you manipulate data just right...you can come up with a number of statistics... and not all will agree. In other words, much of data can be manipulated to show the statistic you are after.
And yet, without statistics we're loathe to trust information lest it merely be opinion.
Let's think about that for a minute. I'm going to go out on a limb and ask... is there anything truly that is more than opinion?To be tagged a trusted statistic, the number must be based on factual data... that may or may not hold up in time.
How much time is long enough? 5 years worth of data? 20 years? Up until such time as new data is discovered?
Some of you are going to gasp in horror, shake your heads in dismay, and remind me about all the theories we accept as truth since they are based on scientific FACTS! You know the proven, repeatable, unbiased, honest-to-goodness, theories.
Hmmm... can you think of something we believed to be true for decades that was later dis-proven? I mean besides the Earth being flat, and that the Sun rotates around the Earth.
How about:
There are 109 Elements in the Period Table New information: Since 1994, six new elements have been discovered.
or:
The first mammals evolved about 155 million years ago. New information – “The shrew-like animal would have run under the feet of dinosaurs at the start of the Jurassic period, nearly 195 million years ago … Hadrocodium wui pushes back by another 40 million years its first appearance in the fossil record.”.
Here are a couple of sites just for fun...
1. Medical Facts that Have Been Proven to be Wrong
2. What Scientific Laws or theories have been proven wrong?
All this is to say that as we add new information to our data, our statistics or theories have to change. With me so far?
Ok, here's the "WHAT IF"...
Let's go back to the Medical Industry... that slow to move, slow to assimilate new information, give me 3 - 10 years of similar data before I can make a decision, industry.
- Medical statistics in the West are based on Western Medicine's view of valid data. Yes?
- In the U.S. and even more so abroad, many, many people incorporate "alternate" methods into their every day or healing regimen. Yes?
- When a patient visits a traditional medical practitioner, their condition is assessed from a "symptom" and "data I learned about that symptom" perspective. Yes?
- A patient is hardly ever asked what their eating habits, supplementation, attitudes and belief's are as part of the standard, one size fits all data sheet they fill out. Yes?
- A diagnosis is based on those symptoms (I am trying to distinguish these from causes of illness) and on scientific data, clinical that is. Yes?
- You are then given a statistic if relevant to your situation, and with Cancer patients, boy are we happy to quote statistics. Yes?
- You leave programmed with the belief that you will fall in one of those statistical groups, and left to wonder which it will be... because you really have no control over that...it will depend on how your 'disease' responds to treatment. Yes?
Here's my belief and something you should think about seriously
To make things simple I'm going to choose two people to illustrate my theory. We're going to name them B and K.
B and K have recently had mammograms that show a small mass in one of their breasts. B and K are informed they should have biopsies.
B is conservative, has not done a lot of thinking about health trends or a lot of research about cancer treatment approaches. She is a believer in Traditional medicine and trusts that her Oncologist has all the answers.
B opts for a needle biopsy, since she is assured they are safe.
K is progressive, she is a hiker, has acupuncture for benign symptoms and is very interested in nutrition and Eastern medicine. She immediately scours the Internet for the latest news in Breast Cancer research.
B doesn't want a needle biopsy. She can't believe it's 100% safe, since in her mind there is no way that pulling a needle filled with cancer cells isn't going to leave a few of those microscopic cells along the needle path. She opts for a lumpectomy.
They have the same type of cancer, and their Oncologist suggests the traditional Chemo drugs for that type, followed by a course of radiation. The statistics are shared with each of them... since they were both caught early there is a 78% chance that nothing will develop, and a 22% chance of recurrence. Chemo adds another 5-6% benefit.
For our example, they both choose to have Chemo.
They both meet with the resident Nutritionist who tells them about foods and supplements to avoid during treatment, and how to modify their diet for cancer prevention. He gives each a handout about Chemo side effects and some suggestions to alleviate them (most are drugs to take).
K leaves feeling down, a little overwhelmed by the information and the changes she has to make. Her husband is supportive and upbeat, and her sister is distressed, a little worried about her own fate now. K's home is comfortable, clean and in a suburban neighborhood. K has two children, 14 and 16, and a small dog. Her brother has left her a message on her answering machine encouraging her to talk to a Doctor he trusts before making a decision.
B leaves feeling anxious to get home so she can initiate a search for a Complimentary Therapy practice. Her boyfriend sends a few emails to solicit info from friends. They live in a two-story condo and have custody of his 12-year-old son. The house is a little messy, but furnished tastefully. Flowers stand in a vase in the living room, and a parakeet in a large cage near the patio door. Two of B's friends are waiting for her when she arrives...each has brought a gift from the Farmer's market. They cook lunch together while she tells them what her approach is going to be.
K and B go through the same treatment cycle.
K
takes the suggested meds for side effects. Eats well and tries to be positive. Her husband goes to most of the sessions with her, alternating with her concerned sister. K suffers from fatigue, has a rather emotional reaction to her hair loss, and is cautiously optimistic. She walks for 20 minutes most days and tries to act brave in front of her sister so as not to worry her. Her kids are taking things well and help around the house.
No one suggests she have alternate types of care during the course of her treatment. She's not sure she trusts acupuncture, when a friend mentions it.
B
finds and consults with a Nutritional Oncologist. She immediately starts on a long list of supplements each specifically targeted to either support her immune system, help the Chemo be more effective by unmasking cancer cells, or counteract the side effects. She continues acupuncture to move the toxins out as quickly as possible and alleviate nausea, and joins her two friends in a Yoga class twice a week.
Her boyfriend sets up a rotating meal prep schedule with some of their friends, so that for the 4 days after Chemo they don't have to worry about cooking. They give each cook an approved ingredient list. He makes sure B has plenty of uplifting books to read, is ready with an amusing story when he gets home, and the three watch funny movies after dinner and homework are done.
B meditates, is determined to move through this process and into a healthier body, and goes out with the girls to shop for a crazy wig when her hair falls out.
Outcomes
A year and a half later, K has a recurrence almost in the exact same spot as her previous tumor. She opts for a mastectomy and new course of treatment. She mostly sticks with her diet, and takes a few standard vitamins.
B on the other hand, is an active volunteer in the Cancer Wellness Community 3 days a week after work. She has completely changed her lifestyle and eating habits and continues with a maintenance Supplement regimen per her Nutritional Oncologist. Her friends, inspired by her, have cut out some of the bad foods they used to indulge in. She has one more scan in 6 months and will proclaimed Cancer-Free.
And What do the Statistics Say?
K and B's Oncologist, ignorant of all the ingredients that went into each woman's healing process, chalks one person up as benefiting from the XYZ Chemo combination, and one woman needing a second round with XQW treatment, and per statistics not as good a prediction for long-term cancer-free survival.
Where are the Stats that take into account the needle biopsies vs. lumpectomy?
Where are the Stats that traces eating habits and the effect of well-studied supplementation?
And where are the Stats that show how one's attitude and faith skew the odds in one's favor?
Where are so many of the potentially high-impacting variables accounted for in the Medical Industry data?
No where.
And so from my heart I say:
- You are not a Statistic.
- You are in charge of your healing process.
- Educate yourself and be open-minded.
- Surround yourself with happy, positive people.
- Don't mess with the recommended Cancer Diet, it's Medicine!
- Cultivate an unshakeable faith in your ability to heal
- You are NOT your illness... it is passing.
- Laugh, laugh, laugh... It really IS the Best Medicine!
~ Be Well. ♥
How and Why to Get Moving - and an Introduction
In my post titled How My journey Began - Part 1, I mentioned a number of outstanding CAM specialists that I had the good fortune to consult with about treatment, nutrition, supplements and lifestyle changes necessary for good health and healing.
One of those practitioners is Dr. Moshe Frenkel, who is the founder and director of Integrative Oncology Consultants.
He is a clinical Associate Professor at the University of Texas and board-certified family physician with extensive experience in complementary and integrative medicine. In addition, he serves as the Chair of the Clinical Practice Committee of the Society of Integrative Oncology and is faculty of the Center for Mind Body Medicine.
Prior to directing Integrative Oncology Consultants, Dr. Frenkel was the medical
Director of the Integrative Medicine Program at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston Texas. Dr. Frenkel founded the first Integrative Medicine clinic in this center.
My phone consultation with him was preceded by filling out a form that gave him insight into my feelings, my goals, my fears and my current state of health. In other words, he was going to speak to me as a whole person, not as an illness. That fact alone raised my faith in the relevance of our dialogue.
Dr. Frenkel's clinic is overseas, but he still does phone consults. If you know anyone facing treatment for cancer, please consider leading them to his website. There are instructions to initiating a consultation there. He was kind, thorough and generous with his time.
Feel free to mention that I, Hoda, referred you.
The following advice if directly from Dr. Frenkel's website. I can't encourage you enough to get moving. God knows I struggle with getting out of the house, but am thankful I did every single time I finish my 25 - 30 minute walk.
~*~*~*~*~*~
People touched by cancer or a chronic illness are often advised by their doctor to avoid physical activity and rest as much as possible. But for cancer patients and survivors, regular moderate exercise can be a key in improving their quality of life. Recent research shows that exercise can benefit survivors throughout the cancer continuum.
It is important for a person with cancer to remain as physically active as possible. Not enough movement can result in loss of strength, function, and range of motion of the body. Exercise will help keep muscles functioning as well as improving energy levels and quality of life.
Exercise can also help during recovery from chemotherapy. While it may not be the first thing you want to do after chemo, research has shown that exercise helps battle cancer related fatigue.
Use the following tips to help you get started and keep you going.
-
Choose an exercise you enjoy.It’s easier to stick with a program if you enjoy it. Enjoy the outdoors? Start walking in parks around your neighborhood. Like to dance? Register for a ballroom dance class that gets you moving several times a week. Even if you can’t imagine yourself enjoying the exercise itself, do the exercise that has other rewarding attributes. For example, work out with friends so you can enjoy the social aspects of exercise.
- Start slow. The U.S. Surgeon General’s Report recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity on most (5 or more) days of the week. Moderate intensity is the intensity of a brisk walk. Your heart rate is elevated and you’re breathing faster than usual, but you’re not working so hard that you get worn out after a few minutes. When doing moderate intensity exercise you should be able to talk, but not sing.
Don’t begin by exercising for 30 minutes all at once. Start with shorter exercise sessions and work up to longer sessions gradually. You start with sessions as brief as 5 minutes. As you get stronger and develop the exercise habit, 5 minutes can easily become 10 minutes, then 15, and so on.
-
Break it up. If you feel like you don’t have time or energy for your full exercise session, divide it into shorter bouts. Three 10-minute exercise sessions are just as beneficial as one 30-minute session, and may be easier to fit into your schedule. Once you start though you may surprise yourself and want to continue going
-
Set short term, specific, and realistic goals. Remember that it takes many steps to get to the top of the mountain, and everybody has to do it one step at a time. Set realistic short-term goals for yourself, like exercising for 15 minutes on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday this week. You can use these short-term goals to build up to longer term goals.
-
Monitor your activity. Many people find that it helps them to monitor their progress in writing. This can be as simple as keeping track of the days you exercise on a calendar posted on your refrigerator, or creating a graph of the amount of time you exercise each week so you can view your progress.
-
Don’t forget to reward yourself! But lay off that ice cream as your reward. (Unless it's my recipe for Ashta Ice Cream!) As we listed exercise has numerous benefits, but many of them are longer term so they don’t reinforce behavior change right away. Identify some rewards you can give yourself when you accomplish your goals.
It’s probably easy to think of things to buy as a reward – you could put off buying that new CD, book, or new exercise outfit until you achieve your exercise goal. But your rewards don’t have to cost money. For example, you could reward yourself by taking time to call a friend you haven’t talked to in a while, or setting aside time to do an activity that you enjoy.
- Don’t give up if you miss one or two session. Starting an exercise program, or increasing the amount of exercise you do, is an important step in developing a healthier lifestyle. However, making a lasting change in your life isn’t easy. Some weeks you will make your goals; others you might fall short. It is important to be persistent; if you don’t make your exercise goal, don’t se e that as a sign that you are not an "exerciser."
Examine your goals to make sure the
y are realistic, then make a plan for the next week. Whether you want to do a 5-minute walk or a fifty-minute walk, one of the most important habits you can acquire is planning when this walk will occur.
How much should I exercise?
The more intense an exercise, the shorter amount of time you need to exercise to get the same benefits. Similarly, you can do a lower intensity exercise for a longer amount of time to get the same benefits.
The table below lists some common exercises, their intensity level, and how many minutes per week you would need to engage in that activity for good health. If an activity is not listed, the average amount of time to spend 
on a moderate intensity activity is 150 minutes per week.
| Activity | Intensity (how hard) | Duration (how long per week) |
| Walking | About 3.5 mph | 150 minutes |
| Jogging | Light (about 5 mph) | 90 minutes |
| Swimming | General (not lap swimming) | 90 minutes |
| Dancing | Ball room | 180 minutes |
| Dancing | Fast, modern | 110 minutes |
| Aerobics | Low impact | 110 minutes |
| Water aerobics | Regular | 135 minutes |
| Stationary cycling | Light effort | 180 minutes |
| Cycling | Outdoors (about 10-11 mph) | 90 minutes |
| Tennis | Regular doubles | 80 minutes |
Pick Up a Colored Pencil, Open a New World
A few weeks into my Chemotherapy, I remembered that the Anthroposophic doctor I had seen the week before hosted painting classes for some of her cancer patients. She herself had amazing drawings she created when battling illness. For those unfamiliar with Anthroposophical medicine, it is a complementary approach to medicine that integrates the theories and practices of modern medicine with homeopathic medicines, physical and artistic therapies and biographical counseling.
The medical approach has its foundation in a spiritual-scientific understanding of the human beingthat regards human wellness and illness as biographical events connected to the body, mind and spirit of the individual.
Anthroposophical medicine uses a holistic approach ("salutogenesis") that focuses on factors that support human health by strengthening the patient's physiology and individuality, rather than solely addressing factors that cause disease. The autonomy and dignity of patients is a central theme; therapies are believed to enhance a patient's capacities to heal.
This system was founded in the 1920s by Rudolf Steiner in conjunction with Ita Wegman as an extension to conventional medicine based on the spiritual philosophy of Anthroposophy.
....
Up to that moment I used to spend the first few days after Chemo reading stacks of books by my favorite authors, taking my 'round the clock list of supplements, attempting a short walk in the afternoon, and doing light cooking till my son and bf came home around 4pm.
Based on that recollection of art as therapy, I felt the urge to try to paint, so my daughter brought me some paints, a few small canvases and brushes. As a teenager, I dabbled with my father's oil paints, but enjoyed drawing a lot more.
I attempted an abstract painting, but didn't like the medium, so I asked J to buy me a drawing tablet on his way to work the next day, and he gave me a huge box of colored pencils. I ordered a rainbow of Sharpies from Amazon too.
In the early 70's I loved drawing psychedelic pictures, and actually had a couple that my Mom thought to bring me from Lebanon on one of her trips here in the early 90's.
HAC_love_small
Below is the template of one of them done in pencil that I decided to redraw in color.
A World of Colors
This began a journey that wove a thread from the past into the present in a lovely healing pattern. I was addicted to cranking out a picture every 2-3 days. Since I have never really 'grown up', I brought my favorite animated or cartoon characters into surround, and asked them to join me in this play with shapes, color and images.
The focus, the colors, and the call to be creative in a world of fantasy, helped me ignore the raging battle inside; my body dealing with the onslaught of Chemo drugs (I was on a dense-dose regimen with a treatment every 2 weeks), trying to cheerfully weather the awful taste in my mouth for 6 days after treatment and still eat well, and the stunning transformation of my hair into a brittle patch of falling squiggles, and the inevitable a drop in energy. (I shaved my head not long after that very disturbing experience began!)
My family had fun being surprised by each new creation, and made suggestions for the next picture.
Since my boyfriend J is in the music business, and we all either play an instrument, sing, or are avid music lovers... I had come up with a tribute to the what is essentially the backdrop of our lives. Remember, my creativity was dampened more and more each week by the Chemo doing a number on my brain cells.
I laughed that these were worthy of a child's portfolio! But I was having a blast, or as much of one as I could during this amazing process of rebirth.
HAC_mushrooms
Conclusion
I framed the originals, three were gifts, and made good quality copies of the rest, since my family thinks that I should make them available for purchase! Cute people, aren't they? :)
Art is a meditation, it reduces stress and summons creativity... as side many of us may not nurture enough.
So next time you're dealing with an overwhelming situation, whether you think you have talent or not (it didn't stop me!), pick up some colored pencils, crayons or markers, and Go WILD!
~ In Good Health!♥
Think Twice Before you Lay on a Tanning Bed
Ten years ago, I tried a tanning bed ONCE, at the encouragement of a teenaged niece. I am sightly claustrophobic (thankfully) so didn't repeat the experience. I also wasn't sure I felt safe in the first place. 6 years later, I had a small spot on my chest that turned out to be Squamous Cell Cancer. Thankfully I caught it very quickly and had it removed.
UV light is not something to mess with. In my opinion companies that offer tanning bed services are in fact socially and morally irresponsible in light of the prevalent data about the dangers. To me, they are no better than Cigarette companies who promote and make their wealth from selling a product that has no Benefits, and a rather long list of Risks!
Well, chances are you know someone who has used a tanning bed, or you may have tried it yourself. Please read this article and pass it on to anyone who may be deterred from repeating the experience, or trying it for the first time.
We need to take care of each other.
The following article appeared on NPR's health blog.
Use Of Tanning Beds Common, Despite Cancer Risks
by Scott Hensley
May 10, 2012
Ed Andrieski/APJodi Duke, a 35-year-old melanoma survivor living in Aurora, Colo., shows the scar left on her arm from melanoma. She used tanning beds as a teen and advocated for a bill to regulate tanning in the state that failed in 2007.
Who's really hooked on tanning beds?
Odds are she's young, white and lives in the Midwest.
Figures just published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report paint a detailed picture of indoor tanning habits across the country.
Overall, in 2010 about 5.6 percent of adults used a tanning bed, or other device that blasts UV rays at skin to darken it. Tanning sprays didn't count.
But the most likely adult users, as you might have guessed, are women between 18 and 25. Around 30 percent of white women in that age group had used an indoor tanning machine of some sort in 2010.
"I am astounded" by the results, Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, told the Associated Press.
People who go in for indoor tanning tend to do it quite a bit. About 58 percent of white women who tanned indoors did it 10 times or more in a year. For white men who tanned indoors, the comparable figure was 40 percent.
Indoor tanning equipment that exposes a person to UV rays (not tanning spray) carries the risk of skin cancer. The frequent tanning sessions found in the survey increase the risk.
"What tanning beds are doing is concentrating the same kind of rays that we get from the sun; so, you're getting a much bigger dose" than you would from the same amount of time outdoors, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center's Dr. Allan Halpern, told Shots when we talked to him about an earlier study on the risks of indoor tanning.
Melanoma, a type of skin cancer, is on the rise. And the increase in melanoma is greatest among young women, a point the researchers say could be related, in part, to tanning bed use.
"Indoor tanning is particularly dangerous for younger users because indoor tanning before age 35 years increases the risk for melanoma by 75%," wrote the researchers, who are from the National Cancer Institute and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
~~~
~ Be Well. ♥
The Windmills of Your Mind
Are You your thoughts...?
Have you ever considered that perhaps, once our brain has been programmed with what and who we think we are... dating back to messages and impressions received in childhood and the teen years, that becomes the theme music over which all the lyrics of our life are written?
Unless we start to consciously erase and re-record our theme music, writing new movements to create the person we want to be, we're stuck.
We get so caught up in the constant and unrelenting work of our minds (sane and less than sane thoughts) that we identify those ramblings with who we are!
IF you meditate, then you've observed the absurd goings-on in our attic! My goodness, how busy!
Deepak Chopraadvises us to attempt to live in those moments of silence between thoughts. A challenging and wonderful practice.
During a normal day many of our thoughts are logical and grounded so they aren't huge offenders... it's the thoughts that judge...telling us we aren't smart enough, or kind enough, or beautiful enough, or tough enough that we love to identify with and that can drag us down. It's the instantaneous reactions, void of purposeful control or scrutiny, that get us in trouble.
You are... or become... what you identify with. Release your identification with your thoughts and choose who you are by they way you act and react to life.
One of the laws of the cosmos is: Like attracts like. If you send out negative, self-defeating thoughts, more of that will come your way. On the other-hand, if you insist on finding the good, the positive, or the opportunity for a change, in whatever you face or in yourself, the universe will amplify this aspect.
We all have weaknesses. Focusing on them makes them bigger.
We all have strengths. Focusing on them makes them bigger.
Another Deepak Chopra insight: "Be conscious of your decisions and make the best choices you can at the time and in the circumstances, and you will be making the forward ... progress."
~~~~
When I was a girl, one of my mother's close friends and distant relative was a darling woman named Shareefi. She was one of the two daughters of a religious elder in our community. She was short and little on the round side, with a matching face...like the moon.
I don't think I can recall one time that she wasn't smiling...her eyes twinkling with deep creases at the ends.
It didn't matter what the conversation was about, Shareefi smiled through every word. If it was what one may consider sad news, she let her smile drop of 2 seconds, but it's as if her face couldn't relax into anything but cheerfulness.
That was 36 years ago... she obviously made a lasting impression on me. What a wonderful example of how to radiate our inner beauty into the world!
Own who you are. Recognize your beautiful self. Accept yourself for your strengths and weaknesses, because that's how we're all created...with aspects we have conquered and others to work on. That's the point of life. So why not accomplish our growth with a resolve to do it cheerfully, like Shareefi?
While you can't control most situations life will offer you, you can definitely control how you choose to reactto them. It may take a little practice, but soon you'll re-program your brain not to automatically kick into upsetness, anger, self-defense, or alarm when things go differently than you expected.
How great to be able to handle every 'crisis' or 'disappointment' with calm and grace?
For an inspiring talk byHazrat Inayat Khan on Self Control, click here.
What is your ideal? Hold that up before your mind's eye daily, it's your goal. Be relentless in your pursuit.
The next time you find yourself feeling low because of a some situation, or because someone is judging you, say to yourself, “I am not defined by situations or opinions, I know who I am.”
Inayat Khan said, "The greatness of man lies in the greatness of his ideal."
Become your ideal, but even as you strive to do so Love this beautiful creation that you are now.
We are all flowers growing together in the Universal Garden, whether temporarily in the shade, or struggling to bloom, each one worthy of shining in the sun.
~ Namaste. ♥
Think of One Word to Describe a Pie – Before You Read On!
Ok, how many of you said "Round"? How many of you said, "Sweet"? or "Apple" or "Pizza"?
round pie
Depending on the country you live in.. the word "Pie" will evoke a variety of images or adjectives. But no matter what the particular response is, it probably includes a smile and a yearning.
Pierogi (Polish), Kulebyaka (Russian), Steak and kidney pie (British), Zwiebelkuchen (German), Tourtière (French Canadian), Banitza (Bulgarian), Kreatopita (Greek), Fatayir (Lebanese), Torta de frango (Brazilian), Bunuelos (Mexican).
Pies are comfort food...especially the ones you can hold in your hand, warm from the oven, whisps of steam rising from the flavorful filling.
rectangle apple_pie
I think there is something very earthy about Pies...to me they're usually all about the crust... and then about the filling. And if they're about the filling, I love them even more because it's encased in a buttery crust. True?
Pies can be round, square, rectangles, triangles, crescents and shapes that defy description!
rolled pie
On my Cancer Prevention diet, I have to be very careful about the amount of Carbs I eat, since we all know they cause our blood glucose levels to spike, and Cancer feeds on Glucose (those pesky rat finks).
But I don't believe in depriving oneself of comfort foods, because they nourish your soul, and healing and staying healthy means taking care of ourselves in a holistic way... body, mind and spirit. If one is off, you're out of synch and susceptible to illness.
I've successfully experimented with spelt and barley flour crusts that use coconut or olive oil instead of butter (depending on the type of crust or dough I need), and if I throw in some freshly ground flax seeds, I've upped the fiber so I"m well within our Good Carb Formula.
apple_pie
When I think of Pie... the image that comes to mind depends on how hungry I am! If I've just had lunch or dinner, then it conjures up an image of a slice of apple pie.
If I'm hungry, then I think of the Crescent-shaped Beef, Onion, and Pine nut pies Mom used to make, or the lemony Spinach Triangles I love so much.
fatayer
What's your favorite pie...sweet or savory?
~ Cheers! ♥
All About St. Francis and the Children
When I was about 16, my best friend and I went to see "Brother Sun, Sister Moon". (This is while I was living abroad). We were both so touched by the movie and the life of St. Francis, we plotted to pack some things, find out about getting to Assisi, and signing up to be Franciscan Nuns! Well, since I'm here with kids and a boyfriend, you're thinking.. 'she didn't do it'.
Golly, you're a bright bunch! ;)
We didn't because we had little doubt our respective parents would have found us, dragged us back home, and made house-nuns of us for the rest or our lives. BUT, the effects of the movie stayed hidden somewhere in my heart, because when I traveled to Italy for 15 days in 1990, my tour included the charming little city of Assisi.
Sitting to meditate in the Lower Church at the crypt in The Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi melted my heart. It is impossible to ignore the sweet atmosphere which permeates the tiny space...a token of what it must have felt like to be in St. Francis' presence.
And of course life arranged the many twists and turns that would cause me to settle a stone's throw away from the beautiful city named after him, San Francisco.
Today, I participated in a special event tailored to reach some of the under-privileged children from San Francisco schools, and to teach them about the Patron Saint of their city, through a celebration. A celebration of every person's access to this sweet saint and his unique connection with all creatures.
Volunteers from our community started their day at 6 a.m. to begin with setup of the events scheduled for the day: actors, dancers and singers who were in the play on St. Francis' life had to get to the National Shrine of St. Francis early, people who were setting up audio equipment at the park a mile from the Church where activities and food would be waiting, drivers bringing fresh flowers, the lunches, decorations, table and chairs and tents, and activity captains with their crews.
The program began in the morning at the National Shrine of St. Francis, where the children watched the play.
They then came to the park where an Umbrian Festival awaited them!
First there was a delightful picnic lunch with fresh fruit made by our community volunteers. Then the children ran to visit several tents; Fresh Flowers in water bins waiting to be arranged in Baskets and decorated, face and hand painting, lawn games, and a puppet show with St. Francis and his cohorts.
At the end of the Festival, each child was carefully given a very special cupcake decorated by expert bakers, and snuggled amidst opalescent ribbon in a take away box.
I had the privilege of being one of the hand painters. As I painted a butterfly on one 8-year-old girl's hand, she said, "This is the bestest day ever!"
I told her it sure was for us, because we had the super cool treat of hosting her and her schoolmates. A boy at another table was overheard saying, "I don't want this to end!"
Having the opportunity to participate in work that brings joy to children, especially those who live in households fraught with tension and instability, is a gift... and the reward beyond measure.
Today several children asked to have hearts or glittery stars with the words "I Love you, Mom" painted on their hands. I realized that today is Mother's Day in Mexico. ♥
Participating in activities that serve others, especially when we are dealing with issues of our own, actually brings healing. It also gives us perspective. We may find that our issues are not so great after all, that many people are struggling just to meet basic life needs.
If you can find an hour a week to donate to a soup kitchen, or a Day Center for the homeless, or children's after school enrichment programs, I promise you'll get so much more out of it than you put in.
Perhaps there is a senior living in your neighborhood who could use help with grocery shopping, or gardening... there are so many ways to engage in the lives of those who need a hand. The Universe is eager to compensate us for every act of kindness.
One last pitch... Life expectancy for people who live in tightly knit communities is higher than that of others.
Give all you can.
~ Happy Mother's Day ♥
Shake It... Twice!
First Shake ingredient: One pair of hips
First Shake Recipe
If you just can't seem to get outside for a run or a walk, put on some belly shakin' dance music and MOVE!
Sometimes it helps get you in the mood to wrap a scarf around your waist. I love the jingle of coins, so I bought a couple of belly dance scarves to play with.
coin scarf
belly dance
I am going to suggest a list of 7 beat-filled songs that will make it very hard for you to sit still.
If you're not into belly dancing, then do your own thing during the 23 minutes of music. You too guys... dancing moves a lot of muscle groups, done right!
Before you start spend 5 - 10 minutes stretching.
Youtube Song list:
The first video includes dancers to get you started. Make them all into a playlist and off you go!
Second Shake Recipe
When you're on the go and need a pick-me-up, this yummy shake will do just that.
Pumpkin is incredibly rich in vital anti-oxidants and vitamins. This humble backyard vegetable is very low in calories yet good source of vitamin A, flavonoid poly-phenolic antioxidants like leutin, xanthins and carotenes. It is high in fiber so will help you feel full.
4 servings
4 c. almond milk
4 scoops Pea Protein Powder (low sugar) -about 8 Tbs.
1 c. 100% pumpkin (frozen in ice-cube trays for 2-3 hours)
1 water-soaked medjool date
4 tsp. Xylitol or 2 packets Stevia
1 tsp. pumpkin spice
Place all ingredients in blender, and process until smooth, about 1 minute. You can make half a recipe, or share with friends.
Pour and enjoy.
~ Be Well! ♥
Everybody Says . . .
closet_clutter
Exactly where are those articles, blogs, speeches, books and manuscripts that encourage us to fill every empty nook and cranny in our homes, to stack surfaces with papers and shelves with nick-knacks, to save every receipt in case we need it 5 years down the road, to stash clothing that no longer fit in a box in the corner of the closet since you're going to put that weight back on again, and to bring home every new DVD, CD, gadget, and 'As Seen on TV' money, time, or brain saving invention? (I bet you forgot this was a question. I forgot what I was getting at...)
The more you own the better you'll feel, the higher the stacks the deeper your joy, the more storage containers you fill with the things you'll need in the future, the less Insurance you'll need to buy.
And Now Reality....
One of my Mom's relatives used to save the slivers and chips of soap that were so tiny they shot out of your hands as you tried to squeeze out the last lather possible. She put them in a box and every once in a while, when she remembered, she'd take a handful out, wet them and squeeze them into multi-colored meteor shapes, as Guest Soap!
I like frugality to a point, but the problem was the boxes sat around in closets and apparently copulated, because over the months more boxes appeared, all waiting their turn to shine as soap sculptures.
Another lady in our village saved every piece of clothing that got stained, ripped, outgrown or accidentally bleached. She made pot-holders for every friend she had. Sweet, but even at 5 -7 pot-holders a week, the stack of clothes kept growing. One side of her closet looked like shelving at the Goodwill Store.
old_things
I, yes, me... the person asking you these annoying questions ... have at least two perpetual stacks of paper on a counter near the kitchen that are 1) Things I mean to do or buy very soon, and 2) Information that will be very relevant soon and 3) I need to file this somewhere since it is sure to come in handy. They don't grow above a foot deep, but they never shrink. Curious.
I have been repeating the following Mantra for a year now.. "I don't want any 'thing', if any one wants to give me a gift, then a certificate to Whole Foods, or to one of the 2 Organic restaurants I can actually eat at, is lovely." But people want to give you 'stuff'.
We've been conditioned by the media, that we are not showing our appreciation for someone if we don't BUY them something. Hogwash, I say! Flowers, a home-made treat, movie tickets, or a night on the town are just as meaningful, if not more so.
So back to the point...
Hands up if you've been bombarded by advice to surround and eventually bury yourself with 'stuff'... namely 'junk'. The Media seems to do that. They act like they don't care what we do with all the stuff. Hmm..
Let me ask you this; "Will you wither away to nothing without all those 'things'? Will your eyes twitch, your limbs go soggy and your brain melt into butter and broth? Will you be fired from work for being primitive and behind the times, shunned by your friends who think you must not make enough money, or turned down for Credit since you don't consume enough?" Umm, maybe... :)
extreme
There's a lot to be said for 'space' and 'simplicity'. Mystics believe that the state of our immediate environment reflects the state of our mind. Frightening thought, yes? The more we accumulate, the more we're ruled by our 'stuff'. The attachments bind us to matter, to the most transient aspect of life.
Ask yourself why you are buying a certain item, or why you are hanging on to something that you never use or see.
home_interiors_1
The Quakers have a leg up on 99% of us. How wonderful to walk into a room simply furnished, with full natural light, and clean surfaces except for one of two items that celebrate a memory or evoke a feeling of peace.
The great Sufi master Inayat Khan said, "In the East you will find fakirs who ...possess nothing. They are wandering mendicants who own nothing. And there are others who live in palaces in great opulence but are completely detached from the wealth, ready to release it at any moment.
They are playing a role in the world. That is the essence of what is meant by not possessing and not being possessed. Possessing means grasping, being addicted, being unable to part from something.
So one finds that the less one possesses, psychically possesses, the less one is possessed. Because all the things of life, as one collects them, just weigh one down."
It's not just a 'concept' that the less you own the freer you'll feel. It's a concrete reality (if concrete is real...). The more you give away, the lighter your being, and the happier you'll feel. There is a reason one can honestly he/she has heard such advice from tens if not hundreds of sources.
Our eyes and our mind play a huge role in our overall health. The more pleasant our environment, the happier our being, the more positive our outlook, which contributes to the power to heal.
Pledge to fill a box or two in the next 24 hours, and donate them to families who really do 'need' them. Lighten your load, lighten your world. I'm working to do just that.
~ In Light. ♥
Appealing to the Eye
"Appealing" is defined as: Attractive, inviting, or pleasing. Since sight is the first sense that experiences food we are served, the presentation should attract, invite and please the eye, and promise the palate that it too shall be delighted.
Before I was old enough to understand this concept, I used to watch as Mom spent hours decorating the dozen or more dishes that would garland the dining room table whenever we had company.
A dinner for 30 - 40 guests was a common occurrence in our house, since cooking was Mom's passion, and Dad's work necessitated socializing.
Between 1969 and 1974 Mom re-created every dish she knew how to make and invented over three dozen of her own, to include in the cookbook her friends pushed her to write "Dishes and Flavors of the East". It was the first compendium of its type, capturing many recipes from around the Middle East and North Africa, which she collected and improved upon over the years.
Since Mom never measured, it was a 5-year-long effort to capture and record the correct amount of each ingredient. It sometimes took 2 - 3 tries to get a recipe right.
dinner party Aley 1970's
A dinner for 25 guests - 1972
She would literally spend an hour on the plate of Spice Rice Pudding, creating a mandala with pistachios, almonds, walnuts and pine nuts. Her friends would hesitate to disturb these works of art to serve themselves.
I don't have actual photos unfortunately, since most of our possessions were victims of the unrest in Lebanon...I took photos of pictures in her cookbook as an example.
spice pudding decorated by Sittou
Yaqout's Spice Rice Pudding with Nuts
Another example of her work and one of my favorite rice puddings, flavored with Orange Blossom water, is below.
Rice pudding_ Sittou
Middle Eastern Rice Pudding with Glazed Apricots, Pistachios and Pine Nuts
Putting conscious care into what ever it is we do, is bound to elevate the benefit of the service that 'thing' offers its recipient, whether it's food, a project, a handcrafted item, etc..
It's impossible not to feel the effect of someone's sincere and best effort. Anything done with love carries love's vibration, one of the highest energy vibrations on Earth.
Mom sitting with us when we were sick, was enough to make us feel better. She would silently repeat God's name for the better part of each day. How could we not heal around her? They say God’s presence is contained in His name.
Well, it's the same with work we do...what we pour into it, others will get out of it. In my own catering service I saw this principal at work. The simplest appetizers or meals would elicit the type of acclaim one would expect for exotic creations. People were reacting to the mindfulness and love I pour into my cooking.
This approach applied to whatever we do becomes a Meditation. It lifts us and our companions...it expresses and generates love...and it demonstrates that we are grateful for the skills we've been given and want to use them to serve others.
Cheers! ♥
Science of Self - 7 - Positive Identity Shaping Techniques*
I love this site and found this post very interesting. I thought you might too. Anything that helps us understand how our attitudes and beliefs shape our thinking and lives, will enable us to overcome 'programming' that is less than healthy. Cheers!