Essential oils like anything are not a one size fits all kind of process...the nutrients we need come from our foods & not all SNP's require supplementation. Supporting genetic defects w/ EO's is simple in the sense, less is more & it's not advisable to select them based on the plant. Certain constituents assist the metabolism of amino acids, carbohydrates & fats by stimulating cell communication. When we're talking about CBS & NOS, a more important factor is eliminating ammonia from the body that tends to build w/ a defect here. Walnuts are a super, more efficient way because they are a complete food & the body uses all the nutrients. To feed it incrementally w/ supplements creates challenges due to additives, etc. Because of this, bolstering the digestive system is imperative. The purpose for mentioning ammonia is because BH4 is used to scavenge ammonia. BH4 is also required for NOS. BH4 is produced via the transfer of hydrogen in the fermentation process. This can be assisted by including cinnamon into the diet. There is not a lot of oil in the powder; however, there is enough because less is more. As for including essential oils, it's not appropriate to say which ones to suggest because there are constituents that affect these cycles & understanding the individual genome is crucial. It's fair to say, some people see benefits, & some do not only because we're all different due to our diets, lifestyle, supplement choices, medications & genome. It is important to note, some constituents stimulate certain chemical reactions & some inhibit reactions. Two good examples are dopamine & BH4 ....There again, some SNP's are quiet, only to cause adverse reactions to certain chemicals & meds; therein, leading to yet another symptom or the feeling that something isn't working.. What I've found with my own disturbing health / SNP's as well as with my clients, is less is more. Genuine & authentic is the best way to go ... that & taking care of the digestive system along w/ 1 supplement. I happen to have well over 100 SNP's & with the assistance of a PhD in nutritional science who has been involved w/ genetic defects & the human genome for over 20 years & now a colleague of mine, I eat intentionally, use bio-individual oils & take my supplement, I am golden. I will say, I am confident in his abilities as he has developed a line of neutraceuticals & after reviewing my genome, he confirmed my approach. The effects do vary ... we see successes that last & we see some that appear to go backwards. This is when having someone to adjust the approach is beneficial. The body is a walking chemistry lab which means things change. There is a lot of information out there & having an outside professional perspective is a good idea. Essential oils are the reason we have medications. They are currently not regulated by the FDA because, for the most part, they are considered bath & body. What I can say is they do not heal the body. The body is the only thing that can heal itself. To make claims stating anything else is unfounded. Plant DNA repairs itself much like the human DNA; therefore, essential oils have the potential to modify gene expression that's all. Including them into your wellness plan assists the body to get the nutrition into the cells where it belongs & the more wholesome the nutrient source, the better the body responds.
Earlier today I was tagged in a discussion on a Facebook MTHFR page. It happened to be about the use of essential oils with specific defects, namely CBS and NOS. The following was my response. I'm sharing it here because I feel it is an important component to my position regarding the use of essential oils and how we've lost touch with their valuable nature....
Essential oils like anything are not a one size fits all kind of process...the nutrients we need come from our foods & not all SNP's require supplementation. Supporting genetic defects w/ EO's is simple in the sense, less is more & it's not advisable to select them based on the plant. Certain constituents assist the metabolism of amino acids, carbohydrates & fats by stimulating cell communication. When we're talking about CBS & NOS, a more important factor is eliminating ammonia from the body that tends to build w/ a defect here. Walnuts are a super, more efficient way because they are a complete food & the body uses all the nutrients. To feed it incrementally w/ supplements creates challenges due to additives, etc. Because of this, bolstering the digestive system is imperative. The purpose for mentioning ammonia is because BH4 is used to scavenge ammonia. BH4 is also required for NOS. BH4 is produced via the transfer of hydrogen in the fermentation process. This can be assisted by including cinnamon into the diet. There is not a lot of oil in the powder; however, there is enough because less is more. As for including essential oils, it's not appropriate to say which ones to suggest because there are constituents that affect these cycles & understanding the individual genome is crucial. It's fair to say, some people see benefits, & some do not only because we're all different due to our diets, lifestyle, supplement choices, medications & genome. It is important to note, some constituents stimulate certain chemical reactions & some inhibit reactions. Two good examples are dopamine & BH4 ....There again, some SNP's are quiet, only to cause adverse reactions to certain chemicals & meds; therein, leading to yet another symptom or the feeling that something isn't working.. What I've found with my own disturbing health / SNP's as well as with my clients, is less is more. Genuine & authentic is the best way to go ... that & taking care of the digestive system along w/ 1 supplement. I happen to have well over 100 SNP's & with the assistance of a PhD in nutritional science who has been involved w/ genetic defects & the human genome for over 20 years & now a colleague of mine, I eat intentionally, use bio-individual oils & take my supplement, I am golden. I will say, I am confident in his abilities as he has developed a line of neutraceuticals & after reviewing my genome, he confirmed my approach. The effects do vary ... we see successes that last & we see some that appear to go backwards. This is when having someone to adjust the approach is beneficial. The body is a walking chemistry lab which means things change. There is a lot of information out there & having an outside professional perspective is a good idea. Essential oils are the reason we have medications. They are currently not regulated by the FDA because, for the most part, they are considered bath & body. What I can say is they do not heal the body. The body is the only thing that can heal itself. To make claims stating anything else is unfounded. Plant DNA repairs itself much like the human DNA; therefore, essential oils have the potential to modify gene expression that's all. Including them into your wellness plan assists the body to get the nutrition into the cells where it belongs & the more wholesome the nutrient source, the better the body responds.
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Food: The Most Popular Pharmaceutical
Introduction I just read an article on ‘retiring the phrase ‘real women’’ which reminded me of a thought I have had for the last several weeks with regards to food. Every time I watch television (which is not all that often) I see grocery store commercials referring to food and natural food. Driving through cities I often see similar references letting the public know they actually have natural foods in addition to the artificial products on the shelf. My goodness, when did food become a synthesized habit rather than a natural requirement for sustaining our existence? When I was a child, we blessed our food; acknowledging the love that brought it to our table and the purpose it fueled. And for all I know, many people still do offer grace before eating; however, I cannot help but wonder if that has become just as much of a synthesized habit as the food being consumed because we are actually hoping and praying for ‘real food’. McChemicals Most of what we buy today is riddled with chemicals; additives, preservatives, artificial colors and flavorings, fillers, and the incremental secret ingredients NOT listed on the label because the FDA says it is okay. Oddly enough, there is a war on drugs; yet, we eat the most unnatural foods ever known to man. It used to be that food was simple; combining various ingredients to create different flavor experiences as well as compliment other dishes. Sadly due to difficult times, food needed to be ‘stretched’ so we developed ways to do just that in order to feed our hungry families. It did not take long for ‘man’ to discover the money making benefits to this thought process; hence, the birth of processed foods. While the intention was to be able to assure we did not go hungry, the result was the exact opposite. Today, we are a society of malnourished addicts fighting the wrong drug war. Drugs I believe it is time we start telling it like it is. We crave a lot of the junk foods because we are hooked on the chemicals used to fabricate them. I learned this first hand with Diet Coke. Many people claim to be addicted to sugar and / or caffeine. In fact, some have gone so far as to say this is why I ‘have to have a Diet Coke’; I need my caffeine fix. I beg to differ. My diet consists of some of the cleanest foods around with the exception of the occasional soft drink; so, why do I drink it? Because I am no different than any other human; I enjoy life and will intermittently partake in some things that taste good but are not exactly healthy. That being said, I am aware that when I go without a Diet Coke for a certain amount of time, I begin to feel ‘off’. I believe this has a lot to do with having such a healthy diet. So not soon after I enjoy a sip or two, I begin to sense a relief. I know for a fact when I drink a cup of coffee or caffeinated tea, I do NOT have the same result which is why I say I am hooked on the chemicals in Diet Coke and not the caffeine. And what is even stranger is the aspartame in Diet Coke depletes my body of the mineral magnesium which would make a person question why the body would desire more of something that is essentially causing it harm ….. hmmmm? My best educated guess is drugs! Defeating the Fog Drinks are not the only consumables laden with chemicals. However, until we have an appropriately equipped lab for identifying ALL of the harmful ingredients in the items we eat and drink, we will never truly know what we are ingesting that continues to ‘call our name’ when we are without it for any great length of time. In spite of this, there are things we can do to break the compulsions and ‘cleanup’; the first thing being to eliminate the phrases ‘organic, natural and / or real food’ and demand that junk food no longer be called food at all. Take a look at the following definitions: Food [ food ]
Now here is the word pharmakeia: Pharmakeia is the Greek word for pharmacy which literally means ‘to drug or poison’. Ancient Greeks used this word for their sorcerers who used drugs to produce altered states. When food is watered down with additives and chemicals, it is no longer nourishing the body; causing it to go into altered states which then craves more of the same stimulants and / or depressants. The more we allow this to go on, the hungrier we become. The best way to overcome what is happening to our food supply is to revert back to the ways of our ancestors and eat simply. It is time to delight in the cleansing and healing benefits of food and choose to occasionally consume foodstuff because it is fun or the ‘thing to do’; not the other way around. Natural, organic and real food is not a luxury; FOOD is a necessity. Junk is junk and I dream of the day when companies will have the courage to debunk the junk and restore spiritual wellness to our society by telling the truth. Conclusion We have reached the time in our society to rethink what we consume. Sadly this is challenging due to the poisons filling our bodies; however it is possible. Awareness of what is, is the first step; the second one is to make conscious choices that encourage our bodies and minds to heal. In doing so, we will rediscover our voices and continue making wiser choices. Life is our right and we have plenty of all that we need. By eating whole food we are sustaining the body, reducing the need to consume large amounts. Foodstuff manufacturers are no different than street drug dealers. They are cutting our food sources with additives which cause harmful addictions that perpetuate the hunger and buying cycle. We must not only wake up to what we want, we must wake up and call crap what it is. We are junkies with a narrow focus. It is time to start a drug war on the foodstuff companies and demand our lives back! Clean up your act .... well, I don't mean to say this in harsh way YET changing our habits is necessary for any degree of healing to take place! So if that’s the case then why are there so many of us waiting UNTIL we're sick and dying to even consider this concept?
All around the world, there are motivational speakers and writers encouraging us to be deliberate; to live with intent and live our purpose. Sounds great; yet I ask, what difference does manifesting your dream life or living a purpose driven life make if you're physically and mentally challenged with sickness? I must take into consideration that we each have our path and our lessons are ours to learn AND there is no mistaking we are meant to gain inner wisdom and grow through sickness and dis-ease. Notice I didn't say suffer? Suffering is where some people stop because ..... it's in the cards. And then, there are many who gain a perspective they wouldn't have gained otherwise. Some are able to apply it to their life now; others are gifted with the opportunity to impart their wisdom onto others, inspiring them to walk a different path, in essence, passing the torch. Needless to say, healing involves as much of a physical rebound as it does mental, emotional and spiritual. In fact, it's a good part of the reason we're here......to integrate our humanity with our divinity! Or, as I like to call it, Divine Alchemy. Healing is alchemy .... It's a process of improving our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing, embracing our humanity, allowing our Divinity and feeling consistently better with time! Sadly we live during a time where we've been trained to expedite as much as possible and move at rapid speeds. This way of living is destroying us and sabotaging our dreams; why? Because it runs in the family? Restoring health requires patience and compassion, especially when dealing with physical dis-eases & dis-orders. Physical manifestations of unexpressed feelings and emotions, sickness and pain, didn't happen overnight, no matter how it appears. They crept in over time, slowly getting louder and more painful. Which means, they are not going to go away 'in the blink of an eye' ... even though the symptoms may lessen with the help of medications, the underlying cause remains. Nonetheless, many of us opt for the bandage approach by choosing to cover up the root of the problem in order to relieve the symptoms and nothing more. I currently have two clients with MS because that is the how the Universe rolls. Both women came into my life without a clue about what I do; yet, each lady insists on a much deeper relief than just killing the immediate pain, anxiety and fatigue. They're tired of being on cocktails of medications and seek to restore their wellness through a combination of nutrition and other whole body modalities. In other words, they are allowing Divine Alchemy. These women began their journey years ago with a 'diagnosis' of chronic fatigue. When speaking with them, it became painfully clear, they're both facing systemic reactions and breakdowns due to the multitude of food additives, artificial colors, synthetic fragrances, and, and, and environmental toxins throughout the course of their lives. Mind you, the chemicals of our world do not just cause MS. They affect all of us in a variety of ways. It just so happens, my clients developed MS because of their physiology. Someone else's may become cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, or a combination of unrelated symptoms ..... how it manifests depends on the predisposition of the individual. The KEY? Pay attention to the body. Be aware of the signals it's sending! What are you feeding it ..... emotionally, spiritually as well as physically? Your path is as unique as the person sitting next to you. Each of us is here to experience the intricate nuances of life. We're here to honor and love our inner and outer worlds. These women have lived out of balance long enough and are choosing to do just that! They know it's possible to restore and rejuvenate the mind and body because their spirit inspires them to open their hearts and not to give up .... for as long as the body took to get to this point, it will take some time to turn 'things' around. The secret is deliberate, purposeful steps; just like you would do to create a dream outside of yourself, you must give equal intention to your inside world. One final note; as I sat in a coffee shop earlier today working on this piece, the woman sitting next to me engaged me in a conversation. Well, it was more of a, 'Hi how do you do, let me tell you about how I've managed my pain for the last 12 years.' I won't go into all the details of her story; however, I will bottom-line it. Remove as many toxins as possible from your body and surroundings, and clean up your act! You'll understand soon enough. Let’s face it, we’re trained! We are about as trained as Pavlov’s dogs; probably even more so.
On any given day, if someone looks at us the ‘wrong’ way, BAM! it’s on. What ‘on’ is depends on how we are raised. Some of us yell; some shut down and walk away; others become obnoxiously arrogant and many times bitchy all because we are reacting to circumstances. However, it really isn’t that simple because the situation perceived as prompting our reaction is not exactly what triggered it. On any given day, many of us not only have this moment to think about, we are streaming thoughts from days gone by as well as projecting those experiences onto times to come. In other words, our heads are consumed with chatter, reducing our ability to clearly be here, right now. We’ve accepted this as normal, and for all intents and purposes it is normal since nearly all of us have a monkey mind running our lives. This is how we get through our days! Our parents did it / do it, as did their parents. We’re breeding generations of worriers and multi-taskers; however, we’ve upped the game when it comes to mental multi-tasking. Unfortunately, this particular skill isn’t highly marketable and most definitely interferes with our ability to interact with other human beings on a heart level. Each of us is engaged in our own private (his)story, feeding the monkeys with more and more of our what if’s, should’s, doubts, resentments, and fears completely negating any experience with the person in front of us. And be that as it may, there’s no reason to feel bad because he or she is more than likely doing something similar with you! (Keep in mind, nine out of ten times, we aren’t even responding to the situation at hand, we are lost in the zoo, grooming the monkeys of the past as well as the future.) Now, just for a moment, let’s visit another zoo; the one contained within the mind of the person in front of you. They, as are you, are accustomed to being treated a certain way, albeit good and bad. You see, each of us is trained in our attention getting skills. If we had to work it good with some people in order to get any attention, we will repeat what we know until we get what we want. Over time, these habits become so familiar we don’t even realize we’re doing it. Sometimes the reaction is good and sometimes not so good; however, we are in the limelight AND it also gives us great reasons for why some people are good to have around and why others suck and need to be eightysixed from our life altogether. With this said, in order to actually change our experience of people and life, it’s necessary to release the monkey. Unconditional love is a gift AND it does not have to be reciprocated (expecting it in return is not unconditional). Bring peace to your heart and mind; give people the opportunity to be themselves and love him or her for ‘where they are’, anyway. Let me ask you, what would it be like if instead of raging at you because you spent too much money, your partner simply held a safe place, discussing why this expenditure didn’t work and what he or she would like to see differently? If you’re not following me, allow me to expand. What if you were used to being yelled at for certain choices throughout most of your life and now you’re being treated in an entirely different way; a loving way? How would that strike you? My guess is it would potentially stupify you or worse because it is a very unfamiliar response to receive. Yet, THIS is what I propose will fundamentally shift our lives; when we actually interact with one another in the moment rather than nurture the monkeys of yesteryear AND days to come! So, without further delay, here are my five recommendations for practicing unconditional love. I’ve applied them and frequently encourage my clients to do the same: 1) Respond rather than react Reactions stem from prior experiences. We are re-acting out old times. Put another way, in a split second something sparks our memory whether we know it or not and in a blink of an eye, our behavior is very reminiscent of another time and possibly another place. In other words, we find ourselves re-performing a familiar act because it’s what worked then so why not now? Responding, on the other hand, is a disengagement from the monkey, long enough to become centered in order to generate warmth and understanding from the heart. It’s these heartfelt moments that create new ways of being for all involved. So the next question begs: same soup, different bowl, sir; otherwise known as insanity?. Or, follow the beat of your heart and learn a new dance? 2) One great way to accomplish giving a heartfelt response is by NOT taking things personally. Remember, 90% of the time, people are not talking with you or to you; they are reacting to something else going on in their head! The sooner we begin to see this AND get out of our own head, the sooner we will be spreading the love. 3) Acknowledge and verbalize your feelings when appropriate. In times of upset, many of us feel like raging, crying, jumping up and down, etc. However, what I typically hear is a fear of the emotion lasting for longer than desired. So, we hold it in doing more harm than good OR we let loose the hounds, wreaking havoc on everyone in it’s wake. Neither is a beneficial option because they are reactions bringing us to an acknowledgment of the feelings. This response is a kind way of honoring both you and everyone else involved. It’s you stating your discomfort which in turn lets the other person know exactly what’s going on without harm to either one. Greater things are possible from this point. 4) Along the same lines as number three, take a moment or two to acknowledge your perception of how the other person is feeling as well. This keeps the heart interaction flowing and opening the door up for tremendous connection and healing. 5) Once you’ve reached this point, you’ll be able to determine the best way to proceed. Often times, the situation warrants waiting a little while before engaging any further and by letting the other person know you are open to talking just not now, demonstrates a desire for a peaceful interaction as well as a genuine interest in them. This is a BIG DEAL because there are so many people walking around this planet feeling like they aren’t worth the time or good enough to be loved, and your request to carry on at another time will give them something extraordinary to work with in lieu of feeding those darn monkeys. Alzheimer’s is on the rise. Go ahead, Google it, and you’ll find the numbers are astounding!
In March of this year, the Connecticut Post reported that the costs of caring for those living with this horrific condition was expected to reach $200 billion dollars! However, I do not share this dollar amount with you because I’m concerned about the money. Not even close; I’m passionate about the quality of our lives and when something like Alzheimer’s is increasing,, that tells me something is very ‘wrong’ and with awareness, can be reduced and quite possibly prevented. My grandmother left this planet in 2006 with the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. Her last lucid words to me were: ‘I refuse to live this way’; even though she couldn’t quite grasp what ‘this way’ was. She was angry, frightened, trapped, removed, and most importantly hungry for love which was rapidly slipping from her grasp. Oddly enough, her death certificate reflected the starvation factor claiming she died from complications due to anorexia. Hmmmmm…. Yet, my passion began revealing itself many years prior to the onset of her condition because she was not the first in her family. She was one of 13 faced with living in this manner. Some opted to stick it out; and some, like her, chose not too. Regardless of the road he or she took, I was, and remain, determined to reduce my chances, substantially! 1) I stopped using antiperspirants and started using essential oils as a deodorant. Jasmine, patchouli and sandalwood to be exact. It smells differently on every body; AND apparently pretty good on me because to this day, I am approached by perfect strangers and asked what perfume I’m wearing. The reason for this step is due to the aluminum in antiperspirants which is absorbed directly into the blood stream and has been linked to Alzheimer’s 2) I eat intentionally. I don’t eat so much of this and so much of that on a daily basis. I simply eat what my body is asking for; paying attention to how I feel and what’s driving my hunger. With that said, there are some basic guidelines: greens, whole grains, low glycemic, lean protein from vegetable sources, unprocessed, simple clean foods. To put it another way, I follow an anti-inflammatory, alkaline forming lifestyle. Studying holistic nutrition and FOLLOWING my own recommendations has proven to be truly effective. Not only is my mind as sharp as ever, I’m physically strong, I have no gray hair (confirmed by my hair dresser), few time lines, and my hormones are in check. PLUS, no signs of gum disease, cavities OR any indicators of early onset! 3) Identify your craving for sugar. My guess is you don’t really need or want the sugar; you’re actually craving a sweeter life and using sugar as a substitute. I digress … So yes, excess sugar intake (which is also on the rise due to all the Fat Free products out there and the subsequent flavor enhancers put in it’s place) leads to Type 2 Diabetes. What does this have to do with Alzheimer’s? Plenty, they’re linked. Those living with Type 2 Diabetes are at high risk for developing this difficult condition. So, whether you are predisposed to Diabetes or already have it, there are ways to not be a statistic, reverse those numbers, get it under control and reduce the chance of being another statistic. 4) Include quality fats into your diet. Studies have identified benefits of using coconut oil in place of canola, vegetable or safflower oil. I also recommend raw hemp seeds added to breakfast cereal, included into baked goods and so on. Hemp seed is considered a complete protein supplying fiber, omega 3′s and 6′s, vitamins B, A, D and E along with calcium and other nutrients. Making hemp seed a part of your regular diet not only offers optimal brain health, it protects your heart, reduces the risk of diabetes (isn’t nature fabulous?), cancer, enhances skin tone, promotes weight loss due to it’s anti-inflammatory effects (gotta love momma nature) and it keeps your digestive track clean! Not to be excluded is olive oil. A good friend recently pointed this out and she is correct; olive oil has a naturally occurring compound, oleocanthal, which has been found to alter the structure of neurotoxic proteins possibly linked to the progression of Alzheimer's. As it is with anything, information is subjective and no one has any definitive answers. What I do know, is prevention far outweighs reaction and a wholesome, intentional eating plan does wonders for our wellbeing. 5) Neurobics (my word) ~ keep your mind busy! Yes, physical activity is important, so, by all means keep moving; just change up the routine. We get bored with the same old thing, day in and day out. Even our bodies plateau with the same workouts; the same holds true for our minds. Avoid driving the same route to work, school or the store; mix it up. Try out different yoga practices; do puzzles, play board games, card games, the game of Twister; anything to keep the mind stimulated and creating new connections. And one more for good measure …..PLEASE touch people. The magic of our touch triggers so many good things in the body, keeping the mind active, in addition to keeping the heart happy! What better way to reduce the risk feeling poorly? In honor of good health and wellness ….here’s to you and your family! A few days ago, I received an email newsletter. Now, this isn't anything new; I get them all the time. This one, however, was about marketing and truly defining why I do what I do. You know, it's been years since I first ventured out into the world of entrepreneurship, and I've spent plenty of time at networking events being asked to give my '30 second elevator speech' as well as an idea for 'who my best referral would be'. AND, every time, I struggled with that question. I can coach anybody! I mean, seriously, I can coach anybody. People need to eat; many want to shed a few pounds, some want to change their diets altogether, etc; so how could I ask to meet just one type of person. What I do supports ALL these situations. I fought this one for so long; occasionally breaking down and getting specific and then quickly retracting out of fear because if I became so precise on who I wanted to work with, I surely wouldn't see any business. The funny part is, not being specific seemed to provide the results I most feared. So, when I started reading this particular newsletter, for some reason, the wheels started turning from a much different angle ... an angle that finally clicked.
The first question posed was, 'What am I passionate about?' and the second was, 'What value does my passion bring to the world?' I read it; reread it and then proceeded to take the next couple of days to let it roll around trying to determine the value. Ha, you thought I was struggling with all of it! No, I've known for a very long time why I get up in the morning; I just never considered the gift in it. I realize if someone wants to lose weight, then the value is weight loss; however, the encouragement was to explore a deeper value from my perspective. You see, I'm passionate about men and women rediscovering and owning their power. Oddly enough, this doesn't do much for most people. They simply look at me with this puzzled expression as if to say, 'You want me to feel powerful. Why?' As I look back on this, my only response is, 'Why indeed!'; they're already feeling strong in their own right. No wonder I didn't see much business coming my way. Just because I'm passionate about something doesn't make someone else passionate about it (yet) or for that matter understand what I'm talking about .Most of us feel powerful from time to time; yet, the power we tend to exert fluctuates between ego and heart therefore, the service I'm 'selling' falls flat and why reading this article proved to REALLY put me in the consumer /client's position and identify the value to living and asserting our power from a place of love rather than ego. 'What happens when.......? How does me owning my power benefit the world?' When I feel empowered, I light up. I"m excited by life. I feel inspired to live without fear. I enjoy every moment and find myself celebrating every moment with the people around me and they in turn, favorably interact with me. In other words, I feel it and the world reflects it back to me! This is what I offer my clients; the opportunity to infect the world with love and light! Now, how cool is that? AND, what does this have to do with nutrition? Plenty ..... Discovering your power includes being in touch with your body. being connected to it and knowing what it needs to support you in the world. It's developing that relationship and feeding your body, mind and spirit with foods that energize. Food is energy; although, all food is not created equally. Interacting with the environment requires energy. Being connected to source takes high vibrational energy. Learning how to optimally nourish yourself to support these energies is vital to living with clarity and intent. So, I ask, what is your compelling 'why' for being on the planet? What does that 'why' offer your world? How long do you want to be here and what would you like to experience while here? Does quality of life entice you? What do you want to be doing through the years? Skiing at 85? These are the things I invite you to consider because your love and light is exactly the type of pandemic this world needs! How many times have you heard someone say, ‘That’s not what I wanted!’. And, how many times have you either said or heard, ‘You can’t always get what you want.’ Or, ‘Want to make God laugh? Tell him your plans!’. You are in good company because somebody has to get the short end of the stick, right?
Well maybe; however, the number of people talking and writing about how to get what you want in life, albeit relationships, jobs, money, career, or you name it, is increasing. There are scores of seminars, movies, books and more on what it takes to achieve our hearts desire. Some call it abundance and prosperity coaching, others call it the laws of attraction and no matter how you look at it, they’re all saying the same thing ….. accept life as it is, love yourself for exactly who you are and let go of what no longer serves you in order to see your dreams come true! So why write about it anymore? Because …… because through my own experiences, there was something NOT being communicated in all the work I’ve followed and practiced. That something has to do with why it seemed SO damned difficult to achieve what I wanted! I accepted; I loved; I let go; I surrendered; I accepted, I loved; I cried; I released; I even followed Sheryl Crow’s words, ‘it’s not getting what you want, it’s wanting what you’ve got’ and somehow nothing seemed to change. Why? What was I doing wrong? What did I need to do differently?Or, was I destined to live a life of loss. Sounds dismal, I know; yet, I’m human and felt like no one really knew what he or she was talking about. In fact, it’s quite possible they’re guessing at it all just like the rest of us?! And then ….. it hit me; Differently! Maybe it was time to do it differently. But what does ‘doing it differently’ entail? I could make different choices in any given situation, or I could do the opposite of what I predictably do. Let’s face it, what did I have to lose? Nothing; so off I went to star in my very own version of ‘Yes Man” saying ‘yes’ when I really didn’t want to do something and smiling when I felt like crying. This probably sounds just as dismal as the last frustration AND it’s not because something inside of me was shifting. In fact, I had a HUGE epiphany through it all. In order to know what you really want, you have to know what you don’t want and since I’d been living life according to someone else’s (i.e. my parents) ideals and rules, I wasn’t very clear about any of it. So, in essence, everything I’d heard, read, watched and intuited ALL led me to this defining moment. THE moment when I realized that in order to fully achieve what we want, we must begin with accepting what we need clearing out ALL the junk, making room for the magic. Hmmmmm… this is interesting. What we need. What do we need? Do we need divorce? Do we need to lose a job? Do we need to go broke? Well, if we didn’t need it, then it wouldn’t be a part of our experience! However, the simple fact that you and I are going through less than favorable circumstances indicates a need to learn something more AND that something lies within; it does not exist outside of us! This is the part I feel is left out of ALL the Laws of Attraction materials. We must cleanse and detoxify our emotional and spiritual bodies. We can attempt to be positive and happy; yet, when we insist on doubting that inner wisdom, trying to force things to happen or take control of a situation; when we lose patience and disbelieve what we know; when we blame and judge others for things that have gone wrong, we are avoiding, ignoring and even stuffing the juicy part of life. INSTEAD of realizing we NEED these circumstances to learn patience, trust, and ease, we get pissed and pretend like we’re not. Is it any wonder why our health is failing; why the economy is down and so on? We are perpetuating it because we’re not accepting the fact that we actually need these circumstances in order to expand into all that we are BECAUSE the moment we accept our Divinity and Power, that’s the moment when manifestation happens! I am walking proof AND there is a HUGE difference between saying you ‘know’ something i.e. ‘I know I’ll have the money’ and actually KNOWING beyond a shadow of a doubt that you’ll have it. I’ve had these types of experiences happen sporadically over the years indicating that anything is possible and then I find myself mired in the chaos of life forgetting about the power that lies within. That knowing I speak about exists within my heart. I feel it. It’s solid and when I don’t understand the how, what, when, where, or why of it all, I have learned to let it go and surrender the questions. I don’t need to know the answers, I just need to trust my inner knowing because when I allow the questions to bubble up, that’s when I’m inundated with absolutely crazy experiences that ultimately point me back to what my heart was originally ‘saying’. If I continue to ignore it, breakdowns and other less than pleasant situations arise UNTIL I give in and let nature take it’s course. Sadly, many people honor their inner voice; yet, struggle with what the people in their life will think or say! It doesn’t matter what anyone thinks or says about how you move through life. You are being Divinely guided. Who are they to question your path? Who are they to doubt the Divine? This is called projection. They have they’re own inner calling that they’re ignoring and to allow you the space to do what you need to do in order to receive what you’re here to receive means they have to pay attention to their own guidance and THAT is one scary thing to do. Therefore, they attempt to keep you in their comfort zone so that all remains the same …. breakdown after breakdown, circumstance after circumstance denying their heart’s desire. We are here to live a Divinely guided life. We are also here to have these experiences as a reminder of who we truly are AND that love is generous. Being loving towards ourselves …..opening our hearts and trusting, practicing patience and being easy on ourselves as well as others is the most profound form of generosity that closes the gap once and for all, fulfilling a heart’s desire! You know what's interesting? I used to think saying, it is what it is, made sense and that everyone believed as I did. Oddly enough, to some degree, it absolutely hits the mark! It is what it is. Think about it; allow it to sizzle and you'll find there's very little room for argument with this statement; life is life and circumstances are what they are.
So what possessed me to embrace this philosophy? Because it completely removes the contexts of right / wrong and good / bad from life. It smooths the waters and implies that all is as it should be. In fact, it makes it incredibly easy to identify what works and what doesn't work when you're able to look at things for what they are and eliminate all judgment and blame. However, there was / is a gap. Even though things are as they should be, that doesn't mean circumstances can't be different or improved upon. It takes an ability to accept what's so along with a strong desire and commitment to expand beyond our perceived limitations, remove all desperation and need and generate our actions from a place of pure inspiration. Unfortunately, this is not a common approach. Many people can wrap their heads around, it is what it is, and then stop there because instead of looking up, they look down ... right down the rabbit hole where apathy resides and nothing can possibly make a difference, because ...... 'I have no money, my family is fat, cancer runs in my family, both my parents lost their teeth, my dad was a factory worker, women aren't supposed to .......; so why bother?' Why bother indeed...... here's what I know about apathy ...it's a killer AND it's reached epidemic proportions! It destroys inspiration, motivation, creativity, desire, vision, and passion leading to breakdowns, train wrecks, disasters, dis-eases and dis-orders of body, mind, and spirit as well as the world around us. Is it possible to break free of apathy's grip? Of course; however, and that is a big however, it takes a commitment to being committed to doing life differently. It means retraining yourself to think, speak and act in ways you are unaccustomed too. It requires support structures and accountability to powerfully generate yourself in new ways of being. And like any new workout, it takes effort that gets easier with practice. Are you done suffering from 'it is what it is' syndrome or are you committed to suffering? You see the choice is yours. Weight, medical conditions, dental conditions, sleep issues, aging, financial success (or lack there of) are results of living life a certain way AND with structured, intentional love and support, you can recover your energy, stamina, and passion; leading a life that consistently lights you up in ways you've always dreamed of! More than a buzzword, Aromatherapy is the ancient practice of using botanical extracts for health and wellbeing.
The story of Aromatherapy begins nearly 6000 years ago in a time when all 'we' had were the natural resources around us to rely upon for nourishment and healing. Over the centuries, many practiced as well as researched the properties and applications turning what appeared to be primitive rituals into modern day practices. Unfortunately with the dominating nature of the Church along with the need for higher levels of Science and Technology, society lost touch with the healing potential available through the use of plants until the 20th century when a French chemist by the name of René-Maurice Gattefossé became interested in the medicinal properties of essential oils following an accident in his lab formulating perfumes. He experienced a severe burn on his arm and quickly reacted by lunging his arm into the closest vat of liquid which happened to be lavender. Not only did his arm heal quickly, there wasn't even a scar. In 1928 he wrote an article supporting the use of the essential oils as a complete molecule rather than breaking them down into their constituents and ultimatley coined the term Aromatherapy . In 1937 he wrote a book called Aromathérapie: Les Huiles essentielles hormones végétales which was later translated into english called Gattefossé's Aromatherapy. Fast forward 40 years and we're hearing from the highly respected Robert Tisserand who is introducing and illuminating the field of Aromatherapy to the English speaking world through articles and books like The Art of Aromatherapy. The premise of his work, to this day, is to bring integrity, clarity and understanding to the planet on what Aromatherapy truly is beginning with addressing the misleading nature of the word Aromatherapy as well as the neglectful references made by manufacturers, retailers and journalists regarding 'new' discoveries. Obviously, the word alludes to smelling and as much as smelling a fragrance may help, smelling synethetics or perfume grade oils is of no use to anyone other than possibly assisting with creating memories. Aromatherapy, or Holistic Aromatherapy, is the use of volatile plant essences for psychological and physical wellbeing. Depending on the reason for treatment, a practitioner will make the appropriate application recommendations. As an example, let's take a look at lavender. Lavender is widely known for its relaxing properties. It's also highly beneficial for burns as we discovered with Gattefossé. Knowing this, do you think simply smelling lavender will assist with healing a burn? That would be a 'no'. Additionally, lavender has demonstrated estrogen producing properties and is NOT recommended for anyone with breast cancer or the potential for developing it. Another dilemma with Aromatherapy is the lack of acceptance which appears to be due to comprehending the holistic properties of essential oils. It has been determined by such geniuses as Bruce Tainio that essential oils have energy ranging from 52 MHz to 320 MHz.. The cells in our body, when healthy, have a frequency between 62 and 68 MHz. Essential oils assist us with maintaining our energy body as we're inundated with stress, chemicals, poor quality food AND negative thoughts. Do they cure our ailments? You'd be kidding yourself if you thought they did. They do however, work in sync with other practices to raise our ability to heal. So, what in the world is Aromatherapy? It's an ancient practice of using plant extracts to supplement our bodies on a cellular level....working holistically to connect body, mind and spirit |