To Fight Cancer, Start by Loving Your Breasts…and Your Body!

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With October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we’ve been inundated with information and resources “for the cure.”

Problem is, I don’t see nearly enough empowering information being shared about cancer prevention – which to my mind is the best medicine! So that’s the perspective I’d like to take in offering you some tips for self-protection: how can you stop cancer before it starts?

Let’s face it: as Busy, Professional, On The Go Women we don’t always pay attention to what is going on with our bodies, inside and out, until there is a major problem. For example, how many of us really take the time to look at our breasts in the shower, beyond a quick once-over? I’m not even referring to self-examination – just simple appreciation. Looking at our breasts and thanking them for their beauty, for their richness, for the sustenance they may have given, for the pleasure they offer ourselves and our lovers…

Of course, this goes for every part of our bodies: how many of us make bath and shower time a ritual of love and appreciation for the forms in which our spirits exist on this earth – all their curves and edges and innie-outtie bits?

To my mind, that gives a whole new perspective to self-exams. When they become a ritual of self-love and self nurturing, there isn’t the fear: I’m looking for something wrong. In fact, when you’re lavishing your body with love, appreciation, and gratitude, you’re actually boosting your immune system and your body’s ability to fight off destructive changes!

And when you’re doing this ritual every time you wash, you’re more likely to see the natural (or not) changes that your breasts undergo with your hormonal cycles. Christine Northrup advises that you make a practice of massaging the whole breast area, especially up into the armpits, to support the flow of lymph.

If you do see something unusual during this ritual, you have options! Mammograms (mashograms, as one of my friends calls them) aren’t the only option available to you. Some studies indicate that breast ultrasound and thermography are more accurate, and comprehensive (not to mention much easier, less painful and radiation-free!) than mammograms. The idea here is that if you take a baseline image of both breasts, then come back for regular updates, you can catch potential problems long before conventional screening method would find them. Options worth exploring.

But beyond loving your body and using healthy screening options, how can you keep the big C away from your girls? With all the toxins present in our environment, the best solution is to choose the cleanest possible products to put in and on our bodies. Here are just a few tips:

Personal Care Recommendations:

  • Surround yourself with love and positive connections – reducing stress, fear, and conflict and increasing the love, pleasure and laughter in our lives helps to support our emotional immune system and boost our overall health.
  • Avoid dry cleaning or use a “green” dry cleaner. Yes, they cost more, but aren’t your breasts and health worth it?
  • Many commercial bath and body products have a lot of chemicals in them that contribute to cancer. To avoid the worst of these dangerous ingredients, look for the “EWG Verified”  sign on personal care products before you buy.
  • Deodorants – these are of particular concern as they’re applied directly to the area of the lymph nodes next to your breast tissue. I actually use and recommend Herbal Magic Roll-On Deodorant, available at Vitamin Shoppe and online. You can also make your own, very effective deodorant, using this recipe.

Dietary recommendations

  • Stay away from fried starchy foods – Acrylamide is a chemical that is formed when starchy foods, such as French fries, are cooked at high temperatures. It’s also found in potatoes chips, crackers and other starchy snack foods. Worse, these foods also contain oxidized polyunsaturated fats – a known contributor to breast and colorectal cancers.
  • Avoid GMOs – There are so many reasons to avoid GMOs…and one of the biggest reasons is that there is conclusive evidence that glyphosate, the pesticide used on GMO crops, is a carcinogen …and it is being applied in massive amounts to GM crops including soy, wheat, corn, and many more.
  • Reduce your sugar intake – Aside from the fact that sweets – common sugar, chocolate, candy, cakes, biscuits, ice cream, soft drinks, and processed and packaged foods – may contain GM cane or beet sugar, the industrial byproduct called high-fructose corn syrup (now called “fructose”) or other toxins, high levels of glucose in the blood can ramp up cancer risks dramatically.
  • Eat your greens – From kale to broccoli to cabbage and Brussels sprouts, the dark green “cruciferous” leafies are rich in natural anti-cancer properties. But be sure to check the EWG’s Dirty Dozen to know which ones you should buy only from organic farms – some can be doused with pesticides!
  • Heal your gut – Naturally-fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, yogurt, kefir and kombucha help to foster healthy bacteria to support complete digestion and assimilation of nutrients, and elimination of waste. There’s also documented evidence that gut bacteria can mount an immune response against developing cancer cells.
  • Add cancer-fighting spices to your foods – Spices such as Garlic, Ginger, Turmeric, Pepper, Oregano, and Cayenne contain immune-boosting, cancer-fighting properties.

You can find more tips for living cancer-free HERE.

If you have been diagnosed with cancer, remember – you are not alone! There are more resources today than ever to support you in navigating this difficult journey. Here are just a few tips that can help:

  • Get support, whether it’s a therapist, coach, doctor, or support group.
  • Meditate and visualize your breast being healed.
  • Decrease stress – stress causes inflammation and weakens your immune system.
  • Acupuncture can both reduce pain and help to speed the healing process.
  • Follow the dietary advice above: no GMOs; reduce or eliminate sweets; increase greens, anti-inflammatory foods, naturally fermented foods, and cancer-fighting spices.

Above all – whether you are cancer-free or on a cancer journey, remember – love your body! The more love, acceptance, compassion, and positive energy you lavish on your body, the more your immune system will be strengthened and the greater your chances of healing will be.

How to Save a Life: Create an Emergency Pack against Emotional Storms

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As the darker hours grew longer, people of a long ago past would gather, light candles and bonfires, and call on spiritual guides and guardians to protect them against the forces of darkness.

Not a bad idea…whether you are looking to the Light for spiritual protection…or turning on full-spectrum lights to guard you against more organic threats such as the black depressions of Seasonal Affective Disorder …or calling on the light and support of community to help you through the overwhelm that can begin around this time, as projects pick up and the holiday crunch begins to loom.

Let’s be honest: too many of us On the Go Professional Women are facing workloads that seem crushing – taking care of responsibilities with jobs, children, lovers, parents, and civic organizations. When we’re feeling overworked and underappreciated….feeling we don’t have time to take care of ourselves…sometimes even our most basic needs, such as sleep or nutritious meals, get neglected…and the downward spiral begins. Feelings of martyrdom and victimhood may build into storms of hopelessness and desperation, or self-judgment at not being the perfect, ultra-capable Superwoman…

Or sometimes, it can take something that seems ridiculously small and trivial to start a meltdown…a broken dish, a lost contact, a misinterpreted email, a bounced check…

I was blessed – for me this spiral never led to thoughts of suicide. But for too many women, it does: according to Suicide Awareness Voices of Education , women are three times likelier than men to attempt to end their lives…and suicide rates for females are highest among those aged 45-54.

Even one human being choosing to end his or her life is too many…so what can we do to protect ourselves?

One of the most common reasons for suicidal desperation is going without for too long…without human love and support, without healthy nutrition, without sleep, without medical care, without mind/body/spirit support, without connection to Nature. So – make the time to take care of yourself in all these areas. If the inner judge’s voice tells you that you’re being selfish, remind yourself: you are saving your own life, so that you can be of service to others. You’re no use to the world when you’re gone.

But when the slide into suicidal depression can be so gradual that you’re at the bottom without realizing you’ve slid, how can you catch yourself? A friend who has fought her way back from suicidal depression describes some of the thoughts and feelings this way:

I know I have more than most people, but it doesn’t matter.

I am grateful I don’t live in Darfur, or Syria or Iraq, but it doesn’t matter.

I know I am smarter than the average person, then why am I struggling so hard?…

I know I am reasonably attractive and a nice person, then why is it that no man can love me?

Many times I feel like I just don’t belong in this time. I feel out of place, even with my own family.

If you feel yourself sliding toward emotional storms of deep depression and suicidal thoughts, prepare yourself against them, just as you would if you live in an area prone to hurricanes or tornadoes. Put together an Emergency Pack of all the things that help and support you before the crash comes…and just doing so may prevent its arrival.

Here are some suggestions:

  • Set up a safety net – people you can call and who will be there for you at a moment’s notice. Sure, 911 is the worst-case answer, but also consider creating an ongoing connection with support networks like these:
  • A psychologist or therapist can give you a listening ear and tools to fight your way out of the darkness.
  • Emotions Anonymous , Workaholics Anonymous , CoDependents Anonymous , AlAnon  or any of the other Recovery networks give ongoing support and a proven pathway to healthier living.
  • Local therapists and hospitals often host support groups for people suffering from depression.
  • Churches and spiritual groups can provide support and prayers at critical moments.
  • Bodywork, such as massage, Reiki, and other modalities, can release pent-up stress and bottled emotions, besides providing crucial human touch.
  • Some hospices offer ongoing bereavement support if you’re suffering after a loss.
  • Prepare your pantry – just as you keep canned goods and nonperishables on hand in case the power goes out, keep some easy-to-prepare, high-energy, nutritious foods on hand against those times when you’re too tired or depressed to eat properly.
  • Sleep – Rest is critical to fighting depression! From setting up your bedroom for sleep, to adjusting your evening routine, to taking nutritional supplements to support rest, there’s a host of tools and suggestions in my ebook  you can use to help your body/mind replenish and heal in dreamtime. But be aware – too much sleep, sleep used as an escape, is a big sign of trouble.
  • Make mind/body/spirit replenishment a priority – Whether you hike, do yoga, meditate, or attend religious ceremonies to connect to Spirit, block this into your calendar as an unbreakable appointment.
  • Sweat out the stress – A good, strenuous workout activates endorphins, helping to stabilize your mood and making it easier to deal with daily frustrations. Do as much as your mind/body is capable of handling; if you have a trainer pushing to do more, it is OK to set your own boundaries!
  • Create! –Studies indicate that creative activities, from poetry and art to dance and gardening, can be a significant help in preventing and healing depression by releasing energy through expression. If you’re feeling creatively blocked, try journaling, grown-up coloring books, singing along with the radio, dancing in your bedroom – all of these can be helpful.
  • Keep a careful eye on the responsibilities you take on – It’s so easy to take on crushing amounts of work, whether out of Superwoman compulsions, the desire to be a good partner/mother/friend/coworker/volunteer/etc., or a need to numb out deeper issues. Before you take on yet another project, ask why? Are you the only person who can do this job? Where are you going to fit it in your schedule? If fitting it in demands that you sacrifice self-care (doing it late at night, or over mealtimes, for example), just say no.
  • Marshal defenses against the inner judge – Your inner judge may try to convince you that you’re bad/unworthy/(fill in the blank) – that doesn’t mean you should surrender and agree! Put together lists of people who believe in you, achievements you’re proud of, affirmations that speak to your soul…all the things that fill your heart and lift your spirit. Keep them in your Emergency Pack.

Most important – don’t believe everything you think! No matter how rational the arguments may seem for choosing the darkness, they are not: they indicate that something needs healing, and that help is needed. Reach out. You are worthy, you are loved, and most important – you are not alone.

Sautéed eggplant on a bed of spinach

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You must try this delicious, easy-to-make meal. With lots of veggies to fuel you, your body (and your taste buds) will thank you! 

Eggplant

 

Ingredients:
  • 4 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper (about 1)
  • 1 large eggplant peeled and diced
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 medium sized tomatoes diced
  • dried or fresh Italian Seasoning to taste
  • dash of cayenne pepper
  • Kalamata olives
  • 2 cups of spinach
  • 1 TBS of purslane (optional)

Directions:

In a bowl place eggplant, sea salt and 2 TBS of coconut. Massage coconut oil and salt into eggplant. Heat oil in a large nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add eggplant and tomatoes sauté for 3 minutes. Add the seasoning; and about ¼ -1/2 cup of water. stir to combine. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for about 10-15 minutes.  Add peppers 2-5 minutes before done cooking.

Place spinach on  plates top with eggplant, kalamata olives and purslane.

Enjoy!

 

Dance with the Big Mama – Planting a Garden in Your Home Ecosystem

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We’ve talked about the wonders of just-picked food, fresh from the farmers’ market, and we’ve talked about Earthing (grounding yourself by standing or walking barefoot on the ground)…but we haven’t yet talked about the best of both worlds – growing your own food within your own micro-ecosystem!

 

You can’t get much closer to Mama Earth than planting a seed, transplanting a seedling, or tending a growing plant till you see its fruit appear, then ripen – and finally shine out in its full ripe glory, ready for picking…

 

“But I don’t have any land,” you might object, or “But my property has the poorest soil under the sun!” No worries! There are so many alternatives – container gardens,  raised-bed gardens, straw-bale gardens, – even lasagna gardens (which have nothing to do with pasta, and everything to do with rich black soil!)

 

And you know, the best thing about gardening is the way you learn with every year’s planting.

They say Mama Earth is the best teacher, and I can definitely say that’s true!

 

The first vegetables I ever planted were tomatoes in a container garden. Oh, how happy I was when the first tomato came! I felt like a new mama. There is nothing like the thrill of picking your first harvest and serving it up with pride!

 

So, full of pride in my achievement, I decided to build on it, with an organic raised-bed garden. Picturing fresh-picked veggies on our dinner table every night, my husband built three 4×4 raised gardens. I was so excited and planted several vegetables. I knew we had a lot of trees and there would be a lot of shade, but I just knew the veggies would grow…you know?

 

Well, to my disappointment they really did require more sun than we had…so our harvest was limited to the herbs I planted that year. I learned my lesson: for the next couple of years I did tomatoes in a container on our sunny porch.

 

We moved last year and now have a yard with lots of sunshine! My husband put down a single 4X4 garden (starting small this time) and I planted eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, cucumbers and parsley, and everything started growing beautifully. I was thrilled! I harvested two zucchini, an eggplant and a yellow squash.

 

And then the word apparently got out! More veggies were coming in, but one day there was a deer munching on the squash leaves, another day a rabbit and then what really took everything out was the gopher. I sprayed a natural mix of cayenne pepper, garlic and black pepper essential oil on it. That deterred the rabbit and deer, but the gopher was determined and then I went out of town to visit family, leaving the field wide open for munching!

 

Long story short: most of the veggies are now gone. And I’ve learned another lesson: when you’re planting in wildlife territory, buy a wire fence or chicken wire to cover your crop; those animals surely believed I planted it all just for them. After all, they were here first, right?

 

Thankfully, I have my container garden, and a lovely crop of tomatoes, orange peppers, chili peppers, and herbs. This fall I am going to plant some broccoli, cauliflower and greens, and will cover them.

 

So what insights can I offer you from my gardening experience? Well, the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that we live in an ecosystem: we can try our hardest, but our results depend on how well we interact with the sun, the water (rain and groundwater), the soil, the pollinators, and the wildlife. It’s a good idea to have backup systems in place – if the raised-bed garden doesn’t work out, have a container garden as your backup. Start small, and don’t put all your seeds in one garden (so to speak)!

 

And the second lesson I’ve learned is to do it for the experience…as a dynamic relationship with the Earth. If you go in with an attitude of “I’ve Got to Win!” and something goes wrong, you’re setting yourself up for stress and frustration. But if you go in with curiosity and creativity, seeing how you can interact with your ecosystem so that you get food while recognizing that the critters around you also need to eat, you’ll get more enjoyment out of watching the visitors that come to your yard.

 

I’ve found some good tips for creating a backyard habitat comes to our gardens HERE.

 

Enjoy your ecosystem!

Berries, Berries, Oh My – The Summer Time Treat!

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Summertime, goes the song, and the livin’ is easy….I can certainly say that the eating is! The Farmers’ Markets are irresistible this time of year, full to bursting with the foods of the season…cucumbers, summer squash,  tomatoes, green beans, lettuce, okra, new potatoes…and then those magical treats that are only available for a brief time each year, like garlic scapes  –ah, bliss!

But the fruit displays are the ones that lure me most powerfully – the melons, avocados, peaches, apricots, kiwi, plums, and figs – juicy jewels bursting with the sweet essence of summer. Bite in and taste the explosion of flavor in your mouth…catch the juice before it dribbles down your chin… it’s pure sensual pleasure.

And then there are the berries – those juicy little superfood powerhouses that add mega-nutrients to their tart-sweet piquancy. So many varieties, so many benefits! Let’s just focus for right now on three of the most popular: blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. Thanks to Melissa Breyer’s article “Superfoods: 11 Berries to Improve Your Health” on Mother Nature News Network for the nutrient details here.

Blueberries

It seems blueberries are popping up everywhere…muffins, cereals, chocolate bars, you name it… but nothing, nothing compares with the real thing! These sugar-sweet little morsels are loaded with nutrients – vitamins C and K, manganese and fiber – and studies indicate that they may help to keep you young by reducing memory decline and heart attack risk, as well as helping to ease problems with arthritis, cataracts, and reduced eyesight.

Energetically, blueberries support the throat chakra, helping us On-the-Go Women to speak our truth and say No to the things that no longer serve us.

But while ready-made blueberry muffins, cereal, and chocolate may sound tempting, those “blueberries” more often than not are actually“blueberry crunchlets” that contain no actual berries. Who in their right mind would want these, compared to a dew-kissed pint of sweet blue goodness fresh from the farm?

Blackberries

Like blueberries, blackberries can help to keep you looking and feeling young, tightening skin tissue and supporting memory and clear thinking. Their high tannin count makes them a potent anti-inflammatory, as well as helping to reduce intestinal inflammation, diarrhea, and menstrual or labor pain. Their leaves can help bad breath and oral inflammation.

Both blackberries and blueberries support the third eye chakra, improving intuition, sensory input, and overall brain function.

Raspberries

Raspberries are another North American native, good for us On-The-Go Women in so many ways! Like blueberries they’re packed with nutrients – vitamin C, manganese, B vitamins 1–3, folic acid, magnesium, copper and iron, not to mention loads of antioxidants, including the pain-killing salicylic acid. For those of us watching our weight, they’re loaded with a compound called “raspberry ketone,” which some studies indicate is a powerful aid to weight loss.

Red raspberries nourish the root chakra, keeping us grounded and strong in our connection to the Earth. With up to 20% of each berry’s weight as fiber, they support regular elimination, and the salicylic acid in their leaves helps to relieve menstrual pain.

As with blueberries, stay away from “dried raspberry bits” in ready-made foods – that luscious-tasting artificial raspberry flavor actually comes from a substance called Castoreum, which is extracted from beavers’ anal glands. With these miraculous little superfoods supporting our health in so many ways, why compromise?

To Your Best Health!

With any produce, it’s important to look for organic suppliers – and it’s especially important with berries. With their high sugar level, they’re a magnet for bugs, and so they’re extra-heavily doused with pesticides in the field. The Environmental Working Group has identified up to 42 different pesticide residues found on conventionally-grown berries!

Treat yourself, mind, body, and spirit, to the magic of organic berries at your local farmers’ market. In a salad or smoothie, over sorbet or coconut yogurt, they’re the perfect cooling, healing food for midsummer.

Bon Appetit!

How To Do It All This Summer and Not Sacrifice Your Health and Happiness

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Ah, Summer – the time to do it all! You know – the family picnics and vacations, the fairs and festivals, and of course, the clients, networking events, and projects at work. From brilliant sunrise to late sunset, you’re on the run…and even when you’re tanning at the beach, your cell phone or pager is tuned in, waiting for the next person who must get hold of you right away – am I right?

Let’s face it – most of us Busy Professional, On The Go Women love this time of year because we can connect with more people and get more done, but are we sacrificing our own health and happiness as a result? While many ancient wisdom traditions describe summer as the “season of rapid growth,” looking at the way flowers and crops shoot up from seed to flower to fruit, it’s important to take the wisdom of tropical regions into account also:

Move gently. Drink frequently. Take siestas in the heat of the day. Simplify. And engage with passion – whether it’s in romance or in your work.

The first four are probably no surprise – and who hasn’t relished a summer romance? But engaging with passion in your work –?

Actually, yes! How many of us do our work as a “should” – you “should” take on this project, this priority, this client. You “should” go to this networking mixer, that opening, this conference. You “should” make yourself endlessly, endlessly available to all who need you, and meet all of their expectations.

Take it from me – I’ve been there, and that’s the road to collapse!

So I challenge you to make your wellness a priority and savor this season as a time to do what you love, not letting your life be ruled by what other people expect you to do.

First, decide how you want to feel this summer. I was listening to a call by Tiffany Peterson of Tiffany Speaks and she was discussing how to create a summer success plan in your life and business. In this call she had us write down what we wanted to create in our lives and businesses.

She asked us: what do you want to create more of in your life? Is it overwhelm, more things to do, stress, fatigue? Or is it joy, vitality, abundance, connection and ease? If it is the second group, then look at how you can create those experiences. You might need to do one or more of the following:

  1. Examine your schedule and let go of the obligations that don’t make your heart sing. Where are you saying “yes” because you believe you’re the only one who can do the job? How can you empower others by delegating the job to them?
  2. Identify the things about your work that do make your heart sing, and ask: how can I build on these? What are they trying to tell me – how can I shape my work to include more of them?
  3. Find a way to reframe the “musts” of your life so that they do bring you joy. For example, “This gas and electric bill gives my home light, delicious meals, hot baths, clean clothes, and an internet connection to the world!”
  4. Make a list of things and experiences that bring you joy and add them to your calendar. Make a bucket list of 99 things to do before you’re 99, and start living it!
  5. Take time to have fun each day! Schedule a Game Night with your besties, have Super Soaker battles with your kids, or play strip poker with your lover.
  6. Shop farmers’ markets and eat whole foods that are in season – this will boost your mood and energy. Fresh tomatoes, just hours off the vine, from a farmer who greets you by name – perfection!
  7. Get moving, with activities that fill your body with delight. Bellydance? Yoga? Gardening? Horseback riding? Rollerblading? Bring ‘em on!
  8. Connect with people who make you smile and bring you joy. How long has it been since you had a Girls’ Night Out with your best friend?
  9. Start the day by writing down five things you love about yourself, and five things that fill you with gratitude about your life.
  10. Set your intentions each day on how you want to feel, then affirm it throughout the day. For example, “This is a day of joy, wonder, and laughter!”

Make each day a wonderful day – and you’ll have a spectacular summer!

Are you A Busy Professional, On The Go Woman who wants to do it all this summer, but not have to sacrifice your health and happiness ? Schedule your 60 minute Look and Feel Fabulous Discovery Session. Click here to schedule.

Green is The New Black

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Back in my addicted to stress and overwhelm days, I practically lived on what I called the Four Basic Food Groups: sugar, caffeine, processed foods, and chocolate. Together, they functioned as a food-based system of uppers and downers, keeping me running for brief periods of time, crashing, then chugging another Mountain Dew and eating a four pack of Reese Peanut Butter Cups to pick up the energy again. No wonder I felt depleted and fatigue!

I’ve learned my lesson now, and built my life around teaching it: As Busy Professionals and On the Go Women it is essential we are mindful of what we eat. Sure, it’s easy to turn to foods that give us a quick pick me up such as caffeinated beverages and sugar. But they also wreak havoc on our mood and energy…not to mention our overall health!

So what’s the answer for building energy that just won’t quit? Truth is – your Grandma knew best: Eat Your Greens!

There are so many benefits to eating greens. They’re alkaline, balancing out the acids generated by sugars and processed foods. Eating greens with your meals provides fiber that aids in digestion.

But that’s not all…organic greens have a pharmacy’s worth of vitamins and minerals packed into each leaf:

  • Magnesium – relieves muscle and joint pain, improves brain function, and helps you to relax (and what On the Go Woman doesn’t need to relax?)
  • Calcium – crucial for keeping your bones strong
  • Iron – rebuilds red blood cells (especially important if you’re experiencing the menstrual irregularities of peri-menopause)
  • Vitamin C – the old immune-boosting standby
  • Vitamin K – great for building strong bones and a healthy heart
  • Antioxidants – help to prevent cancer

And the flavors! Rich and dark, sharp and spicy, savory or sweet…the variations are endless, and so are the uses! Here are just a few simple ways to get greens into your diet:

  1. Green smoothies – great for a quick breakfast, lunch, or afternoon pick-me-up
  2. Herbal infusions – My favorite is a mix of nettle, oat straw and peppermint leaves; wonderful for a mid-day pick-me-up.
  3. (Of course) salads. Eating a salad of bitter greens such as arugula or dandelion greens, before your meal, can aid in digestion.
  4. Kale Salad which can be made as a one-dish meal if you add protein to it like brazil nuts or pumpkin seeds
  5. Wraps! – seriously, Instead of grain-based wraps of wheat, corn or rice, make one with collards or swiss chard. My favorite wrap is a  Falafel collard wrap I buy at the Baltimore Farmers Market.
  6. Sauteed greens – lovely by themselves or with nuts and seeds for a protein-spiked side dish
  7. Stir-fry with greens
  8. Blended green soup

And so many more….what are your favorites?

Find a Whole New Level of Health and Happiness at Your Local Farmers’ Market!

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Have you seen them yet – the tents and trucks of farmers’ markets and CSAs popping up all over, in cities, towns and rural communities? They’re one of my favorite signs of summer, promising local produce from local farmers in weekly festivals of food, fun and connection!

If you haven’t discovered farmers’ markets for yourself yet, you may be wondering what this has to do with health and happiness…after all, why does it matter whether you get your veggies or meat direct from a local farmer or from a grocery stand marked “Local?” After all, being an On-the-Go Woman, you’re constantly looking for ways to save time!

I hear you! But as an On-The-Go Woman you especially need nourishment – not just basic nutrients, but nourishment of body, soul, and mind – and there are few better places for nourishing all three levels than at a farmer’s market or CSA.

For one thing – the anonymous farmers supplying those big-box grocery stands won’t answer your questions about how the veggies and cows, pigs, chickens, etc., were raised. They won’t be greeting you by name week after week, learning your favorites, and suggesting new taste experiences fresh out of the fields. They won’t share stories of the challenges and joys of farming, so you can come to know the life of your food before it ever hits your plate.

For me, that’s the best thing about buying direct from the farmers: connection. Food ceases to be a generic shrink-wrapped product and becomes part of a story and a human relationship. Being a part of this connection brings me happiness.

And from a health perspective, of course, there’s a huge difference between just-picked fresh food that grew on a small farm less than 100 miles from your home, and mass-produced food shipped from an agribusiness halfway across the continent, or in another country entirely!

Because the farmers at a market or CSA are likely to have organic , beyond-organic or integrative , or biodynamic operations, their products are loaded with genuine flavor…far from the bland, chemically-edged taste of Big Agriculture’s gassed, irradiated, pesticided, or genetically-modified produce.

But not only that. With a farmer’s market or CSA, you’re eating seasonally – foods that are at their peak here and now, in your area! Because of this, they supply vitamins and minerals that can’t be matched by out-of-season hothouse veggies that were picked before their prime, waxed, sprayed with preservatives, and transported for hundreds or thousands of miles.

In fact, if you tune in and really pay attention, you’ll find that the whole energetic field of this local food is different, brighter, more vibrant!

Speaking from my own experience as an On-The-Go Woman, if you buy food from these local, eco-conscious farmers for a month – or a summer! – you’ll find yourself reaching a new level of wellness. You’ll be connecting in mind, body, and spirit to an earlier, healthier time in our evolution, a time of connection to the earth, to the plants and animals that become our food, and to each other.

This is the way life should be!

You can learn more about the benefits of eating seasonal, locally-grown produce here . And to find the farmers’ markets closest to you, check out Local Harvest .

Please share where your favorite farmer’s market is located and your recent local purchases.

Bon appetit!

 

 

Experience Mind/Body/Spirit Enlightenment through the Crown Chakra

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Over the past year or so, we’ve journeyed through the chakras, from exploring the tribal connections and survival concerns at our root through discovering the intuitive inner wisdom accessed through the “seat of the soul” or third eye.

And now, it’s time to take the final step, uniting our physical, intellectual, emotional,, and spiritual being with the Source of All That Is, at the crown chakra.

Called Sahasrara, or “the thousand-petaled” in Sanskrit, the crown chakra is located at the top of the head, at the powerful acupuncture meridian point called “Baek-Hwe,” which can activate the entire body and chakra system with one precisely-placed needle. It’s associated with the colors of white and violet, and the sacred syllable OM.

The crown chakra is the one that brings everything together at every level. Physically, it’s the place of muscular coordination, nervous system vitality, and immune health. Emotionally, it’s the place where we experience trust, devotion, inspiration, happiness, and positivity. Intellectually, it’s the place of vision and clarity regarding our life’s purpose. And spiritually, it’s the point at which we connect with both deep self awareness and cosmic consciousness.

A healthy functioning crown chakra will manifest as the ability to be confident in your faith in a Higher Power, higher self, or in a force that is highly intelligent and creative. Usually, this person will appear as a devout religious or spiritual person who is truly committed to his faith and allows God to guide all decisions in his life. This person may also appear as someone who has strong overarching spiritual principles by which she lives her life. These principles would be founded in a belief in a Higher Power. Examples of people who lived this message would be Mother Teresa and Gandhi

Likewise, if the crown chakra is unbalanced, deep problems can surface: autoimmune issues, lack of physical  coordination,  MS, pineal and pituitary problems, headaches (particularly migraines), depression, even schizophrenia and multiple personality disorder.

On the psychological level, there may be a pattern of shutting out new ideas, feelings, or experiences, and an overall sense of meaninglessness in life  and disconnection from oneself, others, and the Divine….or, if the chakra is overactive, there may be sensory or psychic hypersensitivity and overwhelm, a need to be right and to proselytize, and a sense of ungroundedness.

How can you regain the radiant health and sense of magic in life that come with an open and balanced crown chakra? Here are just a few tips:

Nutrition: because the crown chakra addresses the nervous system and energy body, it requires nourishment on a different level from the other chakras.  Dr. Oz suggests purple foods along with sunlight, fresh air, and being out in nature. I would go further and also suggest both purple and white foods such as eggplant, cabbage, grapes, onions, edible violet blossoms, garlic, fish, and cauliflower. Not only pure air but also pure water is important, and foods high in the B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6, and B12) to help support the immune and nervous systems.

Essential Oils:  According to Starchaser Aromatics and Energy Work, some of the oils that can support the crown chakra are:

  • Basil (stimulating spiritual connection, including the call to service, and helping with indecision and feelings of vulnerability or lack of control)
  • Frankincense (helping to awaken the spiritual or soul purpose, as well as relieving anxiety, restlessness, nervous tension and stress-related conditions)
  • Ginger (expandng and aligning the crown with other chakras)
  • Spikenard (inspiring spiritual commitment and devotion, assisting with animal communication and relieving fear of death)
  • Angelica (addressing nervous tension and weakness, fatigue, and feelings of hopelessness and indecision)
  • Rosewood (balancing, calming and uplifting, particularly for those who feel overwhelmed or exhausted by life burdens)

Crystals: While a large number of purple and white crystals can be used to open and balance the crown chakra, the most popular are these:

  • Amethyst (relieving stress, aiding meditation, supporting past-life recall, relieving insomnia and nightmares and heightening intuition)
  • Sugilite(relieving headaches, supporting deep spiritual connection, and protecting against negative energetic influences)
  • Clear quartz crystal (revealing inner negativity and replacing it with positive thought; increasing awareness and clarity, and enhancing energy and patience)
  • Herkimer diamond (clearing the chakras, opening channels for spiritual energy to flow, and activating and opening the crown and )
  • Selenite (accessing connection with the Divine and angelic realms, delivering clarity of mind, and cleansing negative energy build-up for personal transformation)

Yoga: The yoga asanas best suited to balancing the crown chakra are the Corpse Pose, the Half Lotus, and the Headstand. The goal here is to ground yourself with connection to the Earth; to go inward and connect to your deep wisdom and inner divinity; and then to open the crown chakra by drawing the blood to your head through inversion.

Sacred Space: To create a sacred environment that helps you to balance the crown chakra, turn off all outside distractions (radio, TV, Internet, phone…) and bring in as much violet and white light as you can. Candles, crystals, tapestries – especially bearing the sacred symbol of OM, or the symbol of the Thousand-Petaled Lotus – will all help to focus your attention. Meditate on opening to the divine Love radiating throughout the universe. Watch your dreams and daydreams…often Spirit speaks through these when you have set the intent of  opening your crown chakra.

Now that you have experienced the energies of each of the chakras, you may feel their energy rising as you do the crown chakra meditation. This is kundalini, which can be a powerful, transformative force! While kundalini really deserves a post of its own, this beginning meditation can help you to experience it on a simple, beginning level: http://www.onlinemeditation.org/meditation-class-3/guided-meditation/

[1]http://www.changeyourenergy.com/wellness-guide/721/20131111-go-cosmic-with-crown-chakra-consciousness
[2] http://blog.doctoroz.com/oz-experts/find-chakra-balance-through-your-diet
[3] http://www.starchaser-healingarts.com/essential-oils-for-the-seventh-or-crown-chakra-sahasrara/
[4] http://www.sandrabolognia.com/SandraBolognia/Amethyst.html
[5] http://www.healing-crystals-for-you.com/sugilite.html
[6] http://www.crystalvaults.com/crystal-encyclopedia/quartz
[7] http://www.crystalvaults.com/crystal-encyclopedia/herkimer-diamond
[8] http://www.healing-crystals-for-you.com/selenite-crystals.html
[9] http://www.chakra-anatomy.com/crown-chakra-yoga-poses.html

Memoirs of An On-The-Go Superwoman

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Last week was Women’s Health Week and it got me thinking what are we doing to create the life we want, as wonderful High-Achieving, High-Performing, On-the-Go Superwomen?

Wow – how’s that for a stress-inducing question? We’re all conditioned to want big, measurable results now – to get past all our obstacles and move on to super-efficiency and super-effectiveness. We’re told to “Just Do It” and “Lean In.”

But the truth is – creating a life of wellness, success, ease and flow involves lessons that mesh your mind, body and spirit; they can’t be learned overnight!

I can tell you personally – it is a lifelong journey! Just recently, I integrated what I’ve learned at a whole new level: I’m doing as much as I ever did, but with less struggle and more time for myself. I’m fully focused and aligned with what I want in life, I’m letting go of what doesn’t serve me, I’ve said a great big YES to my goals….and the Universe is supporting my focus and intention as never before!

So I’d like to invite you to de-stress, not di-stress, with a few of the lessons I’ve learned along the way….

Trust in the Universe/the Divine –

I grew up in a religious household, but I didn’t really start tapping into my spiritual life at any deep level until I connected with my deep feminine, receiving side. Learning to get out of my own way, to stop struggling and striving, and instead to allow connections, synchronicities, and other miracles to happen – for a high-achieving, high-performing Superwoman with control issues, that’s been a major lesson!

Ask, Believing You Will Receive –

A client once told me, “If I don’t demand and insist on getting what I need, nothing will happen.” Oh, did I know how she felt! And as I’ve evolved along this path, simply asking and letting go of the demands and insistence, I’ve started to see…well, things I could only call miracles happening! For example, the first time my husband surprised me by sending flowers to my office rather than the house. There was also the time I entered a Share Your Dream video contest and won over $1000 to pay for one of my nutritional courses…what a thrill!

Stop Trying to Fix the World –

Letting go has been another huge lesson: learning to trust that clients – and friends and family – are on their own journeys and they will make the decisions they need to make. This has changed my Discovery consultations profoundly: I start now from the understanding that I can’t singlehandedly “fix” the women who come to me. I don’t have to prove that they need me; I need to listen, learn what they need and offer what I have to give. If they choose to accept what I offer – wonderful, we’ll work together in partnership! If not – that’s fine, too; they know what they need.

Balance Knowledge with Intuition –

Like many high-achieving, high-performing Superwomen, I was ferociously well-trained to use my intellect and left-brain knowledge on all problems. The trouble was – intellect alone didn’t always come up with the appropriate answer! When I learned to balance my intellectual knowledge with intuition, I gained access to a level of wisdom I’d never known was available to me.

Let Go of the Addiction to Overwhelm –

If someone had told me, years ago, that I was addicted to overwhelm, I would have been outraged. I didn’t ask to be saddled with so many responsibilities, keeping so many balls in the air – and good heavens, if I dropped one, what would people think? And despite this, as fast as I’d finish with one ball, I’d pick up another. I couldn’t stop myself. It wasn’t until a coach asked me what I wanted in life, and I answered, “Peace and Joy” that I realized that I was creating the exact opposite of my deepest desire.

So I started looking: what part of my chronic overwhelm did bring me pleasure? The answer: productivity. And did I need to be overwhelmed to be productive? No! I could fill my time with the work that juices me up, excites me, and then consciously identify the payoff in other projects. The outcome: I’ve freed myself from the addiction to overwhelm. I choose my projects consciously, and I now have guilt-free time for myself!

Let Go of the Need to Please

Where I used to turn myself into a pretzel, surrendering my own knowledge, judgment, and sense of integrity to please others, I finally realized – people are actually OK with my being in alignment with my highest values! And if they’re not – I need to re-examine why they’re in my life. I could be myself, and people would still like and respect me…perhaps even more than they would otherwise. The sense of release and self-validation was mind-boggling!

There is so much more that I could share, so many more “ahas” and deep shifts. They didn’t come all at once, but in steps along the way, over more than 10 years.

The deepest realization that I had just recently, was that in this culture health is not looked at in terms of Being but rather Doing. Problem is – Doing is not transformational, where Being is. For example, when I was at the rock bottom, I had the realization: I no longer want to Be this way! Instead, I want to Be happy, healthy, whole. And out of that vision of Being, I built a plan of Doing that has guided me ever since.

A vision of Being. That’s what can sustain you through all your lifelong journey, step by step, toward total wellness and effortless ease, flow, and grace.

Are you an On The Go Woman who wants to balance your Doing with Being ? Schedule your 60 minute Ditch the worry and stress and get happy AND healthy Discovery Session. Click here to schedule.