Life feels scary...

May 1st is right around the corner. Time is passing very quickly. There are metaphysical reasons for this, but that's a whole different blog! In the 'quickness' of time passing, its easy to feel overwhelmed by all that there is to "Do"; afraid that you're falling behind; less than someone else who seems "ahead" of you. A friend sent me this quote this morning: "In life you can only ever be scared, when you believe in limits. You can only ever become bored, when you no longer follow your heart. And you can only ever get overwhelmed, when you think the illusions are real. Thoughts become things...choose the best ones." Limits & limiting beliefs are the 'old' story that we repeat to others and ourselves every chance we get..."I can't seem to get ahead", "My parents screwed me up so badly", "If only I had ____, THEN I'd be ____!" Sound familiar? Feels scary, right? STOP. BREATHE. SHIFT INTO HEART ENERGY & SELF-LOVE. REFRAME. Choose differently. Choose to follow your heart. Choose to create the life of your dreams! Think BIG and watch the magic manifest in your life. Be well~

What goes ON your body is as important as what goes IN your body...

Corwellness often blogs about what we choose to put into our bodies for our health & well-being, choosing organic when possible and eating plant foods often. Do you know that it is AS important to pay attention to what you put ON your body as well? Our skin, or epidermis, is our largest organ. Although it does not actually breathe (no lungs or gills), it does absorb what we choose to put on it. Time to rethink that fragrance filled-body lotion? Just like the foods you choose to purchase, read the labels of products that you purchase as well!

Here is a way to make it easier.

The Environmental Working Group is an organization working for us. Their mission is to use the power of information to protect human health and the environment. EWG's Skin Deep database http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ gives you practical solutions to protect yourself and your family from everyday exposures to chemicals. They launched Skin Deep in 2004 to create online safety profiles for cosmetics and personal care products. Their aim is to fill in where industry and government leave off. Companies are allowed to use almost any ingredient they wish. The U.S. government doesn't review the safety of products before they're sold.

Their staff scientists compare the ingredients on personal care product labels and websites to information in nearly 60 toxicity and regulatory databases. Now in its eighth year, EWG's Skin Deep database provides you with easy-to-navigate safety ratings for a wide range of products and ingredients on the market. At about one million page views per month, EWG's Skin Deep is the world's largest personal care product safety guide.

http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/

Caffeine Withdrawal...

The mere thought of having to eliminate my morning Starbucks French Roast mug of deliciousness---made in a french press no less---immediately has me shaking my head from side to side, saying "NO." Simple. No drama. "No."

Does this mean I am addicted to caffeine? Does this mean I am dependent on caffeine to get me moving in the morning? Does this mean---like most women I know---that I am sleep deprived? Yes, yes and yes. Have I weaned myself off of caffeine successfully in the past and supported many others in doing the same? Yes again.

Rather than condemn myself with self-loathing for this indiscretion, I choose to be mindful and observe my 'habit' this week. I want to become more aware of why I choose to imbibe each & every morning...blissfully. Am I sleep deprived? Would that be aided by my getting into bed a little bit earlier at night? Or is it the ritual of doing something that is just for me every morning? Could that be replaced with a healthier habit? All good questions...

I will observe.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness: dis-ambiguous; paying attention on purpose; in the present moment non-judgmentally

I recently attended a 'sustainability' workshop and was reminded of this word, mindfulness. This is a word that I have always found intriguing. Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn is a master in this arena: the art of non-doing; the art of BE-ing.

We live in a multi-dimensional Universe; We are multi-dimensional beings. To live fully---with purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally---we must 'tune our instrument'.

Meditation allows us to 'tune' our instrument (your body, mind & spirit) before we begin our day. Awareness. Intuition. Creativity. Innovation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nwwKbM_vJc&feature=relmfu

Namaste.

Stop Cheating...

Last night I had the privilege of moderating a 'Women's Empowerment' workshop with two wonderful women from the Morris County Women's Center. I was asked to participate as the Corwellness curriculum provides 'tools' for wellness empowerment. Here are a few examples of the 'tools' shared last night. These 'tools' may feel strange at first but with some practice, you master these and find some of your own for true empowerment:

1. Food Choices: Your food is your most intimate relationship as it creates your cellular structure. What you choose to put into your body IS what creates your body. Hmm...a packaged bar or an organic apple? Choose wisely because you are worth it!
2. Breathe: When you feel threatened and dis-empowered, you move into fear. Stop, breathe deeply & slowly, focus on your heart---move into love, speak from a place of empowerment.
3. Re-frame: Your words create your reality. When you say 'should' you dis-empower yourself. "I should be thinner; I should volunteer for that school function; I should be more successful." I want to be healthier. I do not want to volunteer this time. I am successful"
4. Stop Cheating YOU: Make the better food choice for you. Leave the sugar in the sugar bowl for you. Do the last 5 minutes on the Stair-master for you.
5. Gratitude: Make it a practice to write a quick gratuity list every morning: 10 things I'm grateful for; 10 things I want to attract today. Ex: I am grateful for fresh food; I want to attract laughter.

Empowerment is a feeling and feelings start in your heart and brain. The mind rules the body. Think Empowerment. Be Empowerment.

Until nest time,

Be well~

'Tools' for kicking the sugar habit

In my quest to build an awareness about my sugar addiction, I have become 'aware' of my daily habits, starting at the beginning of my day with omitting breakfast which IS the most important meal of the day because it 'set up' your day. As stated in the name, this is breaking the fast, which signals to the body to re-stoke the metabolic fire. If breakfast is omitted, the body is messaged "Starvation". It stores the fat rather than burns it for fuel.

Great choices for breaking that fast? Complex carbs plus protein: Try low sugar (less than 4grams/serving) whole grain bread with low sugar almond butter or scrambled egg whites. You will be amazed at how well fueled you are for your morning with energy, mental clarity, focus and concentration and an even mood. And you won't NEED the 10A Starbucks run!

Its a start. At some point I will need to address the mug of Starbucks French Roast... Be well~

My Addiction...

So, guess what happened when I walked my talk and ate more veggies and drank more water? Yes! I lost some weight! Yes! I felt less bloated. Yes! I craved sugar 24/7. It may as well have been heroine I was quitting! I needed a 'fix'! (And truth be told, if you put that white stuff in a little baggie, its hard to tell the difference...)

We are all 'addicted' to sugar because its hidden everywhere! Even in foods where you'd least expect it! And the food companies like it that way because the more we eat it, the more we want it---need it!

Why do we care? Well, these foods raise our Glycemic Index or our sugar levels. That plays havoc with your hormones and makes you store more fat. In addition, this provides the perfect acidic environment in our bodies, which is the perfect host for cancer and a myriad of other illnesses!

If I can teach you one thing, and one thing alone, it is to READ FOOD LABELS. Did you know that there are 50+ 'names' for sugar? http://commonsensehealth.com/Diet-and-Nutrition/List_of_Sugar_Names_and_Sugar_Facts.shtml Especially the 'low-fat' version of foods---they take the fat out and add sugars. When you read a food label and begin to add up the multiple names of sugars in the product and the total grams of sugar per serving, it is no surprise that we are FAT. Our bodies can only utilize 2-4 grams of sugar at one time. The remainder is stored sugar. Our muscle & liver store some for when we need it, but the rest becomes FAT---adipose fat which settles around our middles, and around our vital organs. This IS the most dangerous fat as well. And guess where I have been gaining weight?

This week in posts and in blogs, I will be addressing 'Sugar' and how to get the excess sugar out of our diets, for good. There's no time like the present!

There is a great book with the simple facts called just that by Ann Lousie Gittleman, MS, CNS. http://www.annlouise.com/

Lets get the sugar out and work together towards a Spring Cleanse for a healthy and happy (oh and did I say thinner?) Y O U!

Be well!

http://www.highvibrations.org/archive3/water.htm

W A T E R.

Did you know that your body is 80% water?

Did you know that your body cannot messenger you when your dehydrated to drink water so it may messenger "FEED ME! FEED ME!"

Did you know your best you is hydrated with half of your body weight daily in ounces? (150 lbs/2 = 75 Drink 75 ounces)

W A T E R. A Privilege.

Enjoy!