Adopting an Attitude of Gratitude, Truly...

My Trick for the Shift!

     How many times in your life have you truly been grateful for everything in your life? I mean EVERYTHING? If you start thinking about it, most of us, when put to the test, skim over all the crap we've been given, and are simply thankful for all the good stuff.  The stuff that makes us all warm & gooey inside, that's the stuff we're all grateful for.

     How many of us want to be thankful for the abuse we received as children, or for that drunk driver that just took our friend's life, or for Hitler, or for that jerk that just cut us off in traffic? Be honest. Not very many of us. I would even venture to say: almost NONE of us. Don't worry, this is normal. 

     It isn't easy for us to swallow that we are ungrateful beings. We are human, and we are ungrateful for MOST things in our lives. But, if any of us have studied energy vibration in the least, we have learned that gratitude is among the highest vibrating frequencies there is. How, then, do we TRULY adopt an attitude of gratitude when thinking of things we have labeled crappy? We move out of judgement. WHAT? 

Judgement

     Judgement: The vibrational energy space humans reside in 99.99% of the time whether or not we admit it. That's right. We ALL do it. We humans are so good at being in judgement that we have actually come up with labels for it to make ourselves feel better about doing it. We call it blame, we call it justification, we call it fault, whatever the label, we have decided that something was either good or bad. What is it in reality? Simply a vibration at a higher or lower frequency that we attracted into our lives by our own like vibrational frequency. 

     I will label that vibration a lesson, if we can allow it to be viewed as such. We eventually learn that this "lesson" will keep repeating in one form or another until we learn to be non-reactive, and eventually GRATEFUL, that this (these) circumstance(s) made us who we are, lead us to who we needed in our lives, whatever we needed to learn in order to find the joy in our lives that we are here to find.

     You see, in order to attract higher energy vibrations into our world, we MUST vibrate at a higher level. In our lives, most of us tend to walk around vibrating at a very low level. How do I know that? I simply look at how our lives run from day to day. We complain an awful lot (ADMIT IT). We are continuously grousing on and on about what we DON'T WANT in our lives, thinking that it'll change the louder and more vehemently we proclaim it. Then we sit and wonder why our lives never change, or why they've seemingly gotten worse.

Energy Vibration

     What do we think the Uni-Verse hears when we say we don't (want or) like something? I'll give you a hint; the LIKE or WANT part, it was indifferent about the DON'T part. The part we were dwelling on with anger, hatred, guilt, shame, embarrassment, prejudice... shall I go on? These are all vibrations we're spewing forth from our energetic beings every second of every day, and we wonder why our don't wants or don't likes keep showing up... Because there are about 7 billion other beings on this planet likewise vibrating, just what do you think is happening with all those vibrations being spewed?

     Well, I'd like to tell you nothing, but- if you haven't been hiding under a rock a good share of your lives, then you know that energy is recycled. You know the science behind Like attracts Like. You would be correct in your next presumption. Many beings vibrating at low frequencies, because, hey- let's face it- we all have baggage! Baggage we were born with, crap that we got from our parents, siblings, ancestors, the list goes on...

     We vibrate, and it gets recycled. Like attracts like, therefore- and I have written this one before, what we put out, we get back. Not only do we get it back, but because we were dwelling on that crap with a bucket of heaping feelings along with it, we got it back with MORE tagalongs! Those feelings just super charged your crap!!

     Okay, so this sounds bleak at best, right? Not to worry!  I have been learning that we can counteract our own judgements! The graphic at the top of the story? I made that! It is a reminder to be grateful for ALL things. It is a little trick to overwrite some of those programs we've all been running for eons. If you want to vibrate higher, you MUST rewrite your programs. 

     IN ORDER FOR THINGS TO GET BETTER, WE HAVE TO GET BETTER

     IN ORDER FOR THINGS TO BE DIFFERENT, WE HAVE TO BE DIFFERENT

     IN ORDER FOR THINGS TO CHANGE, WE HAVE TO CHANGE.

If you want to vibrate higher, you must learn how to be grateful for the worst parts and the best parts of your life. It will take time, but as I am learning, it took me 38 years to get to the not so great vibrational frequency I am putting out, therefore, (and sadly enough to me), it will not happen over night. 

     Nowadays, I spend a great deal of time thinking about how to see things in a different light. I start by saying to myself: "I honor my feelings of ______, and I am grateful for them."  It took me 38 years to learn that I had the best parents in the world. Through their certain type of child rearing, I learned patience. 

     No- it did NOT happen over night, and sometimes I am STILL the most impatient person I know. I am choosing to see the "abuse" my parents taught me with as the building blocks for who I am now becoming. I used the word "choosing" not lightly. I HAD been choosing to see how they raised me as abusive. I was looking at a situation, and judging it as bad.

     How many of us can do this? How can we look at something decidedly BAD and flip it over? Choice. We see bad or good in life because we have judged it as such. The way I looked at my childhood up until now simply was not serving me. 

     I was certainly not raising my vibrational frequency by labeling, nay, JUDGING it as bad. My hatred was beginning to consume me. Why? My vibrational frequency was being lowered because I had so long chosen to be a victim, that I had forgotten that I was CHOOSING. I bought the lie. I found that I was the only one who could get me out of the crap I had put myself into. 

     The first time I heard that I had the perfect parents for me, the best teachers for the lessons I was to learn in my life, I wanted to punch the guy that said it. Honestly- what the Hell did he know? Didn't he understand all the years of pain I had endured because of my parents??? Tell me if this sounds familiar to anyone in ANY way. That way of thinking has such tactile feelings attached to it. For 38 years, this is what I had been vibrating out from within.

     I will tell you what those vibrations did for me: it started with constant headaches every day since I was 15, back pain that increased with frequency at night at about 19 on, let's see, I was in and out of therapy for "depression", I've been on many different depression meds, I had used OTC allergy meds since the age of 20 because I was allergic (probably to myself...) to life, I self-medicated for over a decade, only to have my kidneys & liver revolt, that's just a few memories.

     Memories? Lovely, gorgeous lessons in vibrational energies! In the past five months, I know my tune has changed, I have been finding different modalities of healing. Coincidence? Hardly. I was just sick and tired of being sick and tired, and started to dwell on how to become well, whole, and in perfect health. Little by little, I was taking the higher vibrational parts of me, the parts that LOVE to learn & cannot get enough, and choosing to have those vibrations direct me to anything, and everything that I had not done previously in order to achieve the feelings I desired. Like attracts Like.

     My past taught me that I was on a path that was not serving me, nor anyone else around me. I chose to listen, pay attention, and find a path that served me, and hopefully others. I can see and feel the difference it has made in my life. It is sometimes difficult to think of some of my nephews and say, "I honor my feelings of hatred, and I am grateful for them!" But I do it until I feel a shift. Feel a shift? I physically feel something change within me when I state the assertion. 

MomMomMomMom...!!

     

     It's like letting a child know you see them when they're desperately trying to get your attention, "I see you, and I love you!" The child feels better. You see the child's countenance change. He may go off skipping. That's the shift I'm talking about. Only, it happens within you! You may want to start skipping too! Hell, I would. Skipping raises your endorphin levels, which in turn raises your vibrational frequency!

Skip your blues away!

     Does anyone feel better after learning this little trick (honoring your feelings & dousing them with gratitude)? Let me know.  I feel better having written about it. I have been putting this article off for a while now for no good (or bad) reason. I feel like a weight has been lifted off my chest. It's much like the way I feel when I douse my hatred with gratitude. My hope is that it will work for you as well. Choose to adopt a TRUE attitude of gratitude!

Namaste!

    

This Book... Get on Board!

Excuse Me, Your Life Is Waiting: The Astonishing Power of Feelings by Lynn Grabhorn

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I started reading this book because I got it from the library. I read a story to my husband about a tiny baseball player (spoilers) that Lynn writes about, then I didn't have time to finish it. I wanted my husband to get on board with me because I could already tell that this wasn't like any other self-help book out there within the first chapter!
My husband didn't seem too interested...  A little while later (and I'm not sure how long, or who he listened to, cuz it wasn't me!), we were sitting in his car and he turns on his mp3 player. It was a book, but not just any book- this book!
Of course I had to have it on mp3! I drive everywhere! Since I got it on mp3, I have listened to it all the way through once, and am on my second go. I have started applying the principles in tiny ways, let me tell you, you get what you focus on! The Uni-verse doesn't hear the DON'T to your wants! You have always gotten exactly what you have wanted in your life, but didn't realize it. We were taught BACKWARDS!
I urge EVERYONE to read this book. It is life changing.



View all my reviews



I wanted to make a quick review of this life changing book in my blog before I let it slip by another day. The application of the principles outlined in "Excuse Me, your Life is Waiting" has already changed my life! I am not joking.  I don't joke when I speak of books...
I hope that you all will find it within you to find a copy of this book, in the library, book store, online, or download and LISTEN to it as I did.  Waste no more time. Every single time I talk about the changes that have already taken place because I tested and tried out this method of the Law of Attraction laid out on the line by the author, I get EXCITED! Excited is where I want to be. When you read this book, you will definitely understand why! 


Namaste!

It's All About Health & Wellbeing

Health & Wellbeing

When I Started my website/blog about wellbeing and health, it led me to ask the question, “What exactly is wellbeing, and how does one translate the correct meaning to the reader?” Dictionaries are often great places to start for general definitions:

Well-be·ing [wel-bee-ing] noun -a good or satisfactory condition of existence; a state characterized by health, happiness, and prosperity; welfare: to influence the well-being of the nation and its people.

Health [helth] noun -1. the general condition of the body or mind with reference to soundness and vigor: good health; poor health.  2. soundness of body or mind; freedom from disease or ailment: to have one's health; to lose one's health.  3. a polite or complimentary wish for a person's health, happiness, etc., especially as a toast: We drank a health to our guest of honor.  4. vigor; vitality: economic health.

These definitions are simple, easy, and to the point, yet not quite the definition we have come to recognize in today’s alternative health circles. But, when browsing the Internet; we need to remember to take a lot of what’s out there with a grain of salt. Amazingly enough, a definition was found that captured the very essence of today’s holistic culture:

Health and Wellbeing - more than just good health, wellbeing describes a state of wellness of body, mind and soul, where all are in a state of health, the individual is happy and prospering. Wellbeing is not available by prescription, there is no one path and many different roads can be taken to arrive there.¹
     It is true, health and wellbeing when put together become one entire picture, and seems to better capture today’s view of alternative health. When separate, the aforementioned dictionary definitions seem to keep that picture in pieces.

One may further ask: “What is wellness?” Yet another good question!  Here are some ideas on the subject-
According to Wikipedia², wellness can take two paths, the Alternative Medicine (this topic will be covered in a later article), and the scientific, Western medicine outlook. Science states that wellness is defined as: health, freedom from disease.  Not a bad description. In alternative or holistic practice, the meaning expands: generally used to mean a healthy balance of the mind, body and spirit that results in an overall feeling of well-being.
Both meanings are correct, but we mustn’t leave out the dictionary definition:
well·ness [wel-nis] noun -1. the quality or state of being healthy in body and mind, especially as the result of deliberate effort.  2. an approach to healthcare that emphasizes preventing illness and prolonging life, as opposed to emphasizing treating diseases.

When speaking of total health and wellbeing, one must consider the inside as well as the outside. You may well have a totally sculpted, organically-fed package with which to look upon, but your inside; your spirit, or soul, and/or mental capacity, could be found wanting.

While having good physical health is certainly not a crime, it is only part of the whole picture we are trying to paint. When you add good mental health practices, maybe some deep breathing exercises, relaxation techniques, anger management, to name a few, along with a stable spiritual awareness, delve into meditation, research healing prayer perhaps, and please remember proper nutrition, it is vital to the operation of your entire system; mind, body, and spirit- all of this is what defines the essence of contemporary alternative wellness, or a state of wellbeing.

1. http://www.wellbeingspot.com/
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wellness_%28alternative_medicine%29

All About Healthy Food!

A simple dictionary definition probably won’t give the answer to this question enough merit, though- we can give it a whirl and see what Old Webster has to say:

Examples of Healthy Foods

Health·y [hel-thee] adjective, health·i·er, health·i·est.  -1. possessing or enjoying good health or a sound and vigorous mentality: a healthy body; a healthy mind. 2. pertaining to or characteristic of good health,  or a sound and vigorous mind: a healthy appearance; healthy attitudes. 3. conducive to good health;  healthful: healthy recreations. 4. prosperous or sound: a healthy business. 5. Informal . fairly large: I bought a healthy number of books.

Food [food] noun  -1. any nourishing substance that is eaten, drunk, or otherwise taken into the body to sustain life, provide energy, promote growth, etc. 2. more or less solid nourishment, as distinguished from liquids. 3. a particular kind of solid nourishment: a breakfast food; dog food. 4. whatever supplies nourishment to organisms: plant food. 5. anything serving for consumption or use: food for thought.
Defining healthy seems about right, though there could be a disagreement with the Semantics of the definition of food, but- for the most part, it is correct.  What are the Semantics in the definition of food that cause a problem? That food is still nourishing and sustains life, not all of it does- these days especially.
In just a few words, to sum up healthy foods for contemporary times, it would read:

Fruits (preferably organic), vegetables (again, organic), non-packaged, non-processed, chemical free, meat; intake at less meals per day than vegetables, oils; high in essential fatty acids as opposed to hydrogenated, or partially-hydrogenated. No Genetically Modified Organisms¹ or Engineering. -This topic will be covered in a later article, and there is plenty of information to be had on the subject if one is looking.  Are you following so far? Good.

In this day and age of people actually not knowing what healthy food is, the question begs to be asked: “Why do we not know this?” In short, because labels have become very deceiving. It can be difficult to know whether we are in fact eating something that will sustain our lives, or land us in the hospital. But, guaranteed, if your food is pre-mixed, and in a package that touts itself as being “healthy” or “natural,” the food inside that package is more than likely neither. It has been processed to DEATH. No nutritional value left. Hence an epidemic of obese, UNDER-NOURISHED humans.

Becoming a conscientious label reader is paramount. The rule of thumb for reading labels (that works for my healthy lifestyle) goes as such: If there is more than five or six ingredients listed, and if you cannot pronounce one or more (or any) of them- should this be consumed? The answer should be a resounding no, but often, gets swept under the carpet. While it seems logical enough to ME, the logic often times falls short on the general public.

We want to believe all food is healthy, or good for us. We want to give companies the benefit of the doubt, and there is no crime in that. One question to consider while trying to give the benefit of the doubt: Why are there so many sick people around me?  The word "sick" is a very broad subject as well, sick encompasses physical, mental, and emotional; believe it or not. While taking all of that into consideration, as you read the label of your tater tots, question why there are so many different chemicals in them. After asking this question, if you still are concerned, further ask: "Whose interests are being served by these companies who are selling chemicals and passing them off as healthy?" If you are not outraged, you are not paying attention!

Question everything. If it does not sit well with you, or does not make sense, it is more than likely not healthy food, and at that point, you have the choice whether to consume it or not.

1. http://www.organicconsumers.org/

Links of Interest on this subject:
http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/
http://organicconsumers.org/
http://www.fooduciary.com/issues/2013/06-06-2013.html

Healthy Urban Kitchen Cookbook- Click Here!

To Exercise or Not? Just DO IT!

Exercise Benefit Cycle

In order to best explain exercise and the benefits thereof, there are copious amounts of information on the
web to explain in better detail the point being made. Comparing four articles on the web (yes only four so far), we can see that though they may be worded differently, they all agree that exercise may be the key to a longer, more happy, definitely healthier life.

It seems that exercise may be able to ward off different kinds of diseases, such as Osteoporosis, Type II Diabetes, Depression (yes, that is a dis-ease), and High Blood Pressure among others. When sitting on the couch flipping through channels on the old television day in and day out, one would hope that the thought of getting up, getting out, and getting moving would occur.  The sad realization, when we read statistics on this subject is: the majority of Americans are not moving.

Doesn’t it seem like a simple fix to keep from being in the hospital? Eating right, getting off the couch and getting outside?  While it may seem like a simple fix to me, there are plenty of people, apparently, who don’t see it that way. A really good question to ask would be, Why? Many answers could be conjectured, but, the bottom line is, people have their reasons for doing what they do (or NOT doing). While most might call them reasons, could those reasons not be seen as excuses? And as I always say: "When you run out of excuses why NOT to do something, the reasons to just DO IT will show up."

“What if someone told you that a thinner, healthier, and longer life was within your grasp? Sound too good to be true? According to a wealth of research, exercise is the silver bullet for a better quality of life.
Not only does regular exercise aid in weight loss, it reduces your risk for several chronic diseases and conditions. Finding activities that you enjoy and that become part of your daily routine is the key to a long and healthy life. The list of health benefits is impressive, and the requirements are relatively simple -- just do it.”   http://www.medicinenet.com/benefits_of_exercise/article.htm

“How Physical Activity Impacts Health
Regular physical activity that is performed on most days of the week reduces the risk of developing or dying from some of the leading causes of illness and death in the United States.
• Reduces the risk of dying prematurely.
• Reduces the risk of dying prematurely from heart disease.
• Reduces the risk of developing diabetes.
• Reduces the risk of developing high blood pressure.
• Helps reduce blood pressure in people who already have high blood pressure.
• Reduces the risk of developing colon cancer.
• Reduces feelings of depression and anxiety.
• Helps control weight.
• Helps build and maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints.
• Helps older adults become stronger and better able to move about without falling.
• Promotes psychological well-being.”       http://www.nutristrategy.com/health.htm

“When we talk about exercise, we nearly always refer to physical exercise. Exercise is the physical exertion of the body - making the body do a physical activity which results in a healthy or healthier level of physical fitness and both physical and mental health. In other words, exercise aims to maintain or enhance our physical fitness and general health.”            http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/153390.php
"Health Benefits of Exercise and Physical Activity:

• Reduce the risk of premature death
• Reduce the risk of developing and/or dying from heart disease
• Reduce high blood pressure or the risk of developing high blood pressure
• Reduce high cholesterol or the risk of developing high cholesterol
• Reduce the risk of developing colon cancer and breast cancer
• Reduce the risk of developing diabetes
• Reduce or maintain body weight or body fat
• Build and maintain healthy muscles, bones, and joints
• Reduce depression and anxiety
• Improve psychological well-being
• Enhanced work, recreation, and sport performance"         http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwfit/benefits.html

These excerpts from the websites I have linked for you may entice you to look further into each article, I hope they do- then ask yourself this: “Why am I not exercising?” Just do it. Would you rather continue to be power-less, consumed with your excuses? How about power-full, full of reasons why you have gotten up and moved! Again, the choice is yours, make it a good one, one you can live better with!

YES! You Can Lose Weight With Yoga! Click Here!

It's All Good, and Getting Better!

I am Enough!

I have been feeding you an informational overload from my old website over the past few weeks, and that's all well and good- but I feel the need to post some updates on my Foot Zone therapy practice, and other good things that I have been learning!

Since April, I have been meeting with a couple of BEST Practitioners. B.E.S.T. stands for Bio-Energetic Synchronization Technique. It is a form of energy healing that I had previously not heard about. It has been quite the journey from the first session to now. I have been watching my little practice grow every day, and people who are like-minded are just coming to me as I remove the emotional blocks that have been keeping me from succeeding.
I have been finding out what works, and what doesn't work to get my dear clients to return, and I have learned my worth! It is a great feeling when you believe in yourself, and know that your time and energy are valuable. When you do not realize your value, people sense that and walk all over you. I have been certified now for a year as of May 25th. Only within the past few months have I seen more than one client per month (or less).  And though I have not yet reached my goal of 20 clients per week, that goal is getting closer!
I have been invited into a dear comrade's home to practice my healing art, and in turn, she is showing me more than I ever could have bargained for, in addition to Kundalini Yoga!

One of my favorite places: Benja Yoga

She has opened her doors, and her heart, and is allowing a healing transformation come into her home, and her life. I have a room in her home, as do my friends who do BEST.

The beginnings of My Little Healing Space!

View from the Foot Zoning chair

My new Zoning Chair! My clients are so spoiled!

Sharing the room, for now!

Smallest BEST client!

I love to share my experiences with you, my dear readers! I have come so far since I hit rock bottom in February, when I didn't even want to get out of bed. But that experience, along with the whole assault charge debacle from last year, taught me that I needed to listen to myself, there was something going on, and I needed to find the silence within, and from the silence would come healing.
Through EMDR with my therapist (thanks to a dear friend who helped me to realize I needed to fight to get my VA benefits, so worth it now that I have them!), to finding a place to work out that fits ME; I guess I didn't realize that I could enjoy exercise... I really didn't like what was being offered in my own town, it mattered not that it was free, and just down the street from where I live- it did not fit ME. All of these stepping stones have been transformational.
Each of these things on their own would not have worked were it not for my willingness to move forward. Inside, at one point, I felt as if it didn't matter whether I were dead or alive- those thoughts frightened me. I often find my head, and all the thoughts running within, too much to endure. My head has been so loud and over-occupied for so many years. I wanted that to end. I had had ENOUGH!
In the past four months I have been led to where I am now, I am accepting the change which I am allowing myself to make. I am accepting that I need to be silent at times, in order to heal. I am finding modalities of healing that work for me. In short: I am practicing what I have been preaching!
This journey that I am on won't end tomorrow. I have always considered myself a lifelong learner. I am always reaching out to embrace things that will help me reach my highest potential. I am learning that the Beatles knew what they were talking about when they wrote the tune: "All You Need is Love."  Replacing the anger in my heart with love is helping me become the best Foot Zone Therapist I can be! My hope is that my clients feel that when I give them the gift of an hour of my time an energy to help them in their quest for health and wellbeing.
I have also been planting seeds for my business, promoting myself in ways I had up til now only thought I would do at some "future time." That future must be now, because I did it! My doTERRA Oils are being sold in my Healing Space, I was invited to the What Women Want Expo to promote my business, and I have that sticker on my car that I swear I dreamt to life while working at the mall last year!

From computer to my car! It's about time!

Promoting Foot Zone Therapy at What Women Want, 2013

For now, I have come to the end of my rant, but I know I will further rant upon the subject of healing and the subsequent journeys that seem to accompany it in upcoming blog posts. I want everyone in the world to be as excited as I am to know that our body's ability to heal is far greater than ANYONE has led us to believe! Thank you for sharing this journey with me. I hope it has touched someone in a positive, spiritual way.

Namaste!

This Is Alternative Healing

What is Alternative Healing (also known as Complementary and Alternative Medicine [CAM], Holistic Healing, and Homeopathic Healing/Medicine)?

Herbs, Meditation, Massage Therapy

This is a broad subject, much broader than I had realized. This term basically encompasses any practice of healing performed outside of a mainstream (or Western) hospital, without the use of chemical drugs to produce healing effects.
While researching, I found an entire A-Z list of alternative healing modalities! Sometimes, even if it’s not the best resource, Wikipedia can be amazing. A link to the A-Z list will be found at the bottom of this article (No. 5 on list). Unfortunately, Foot Zone Therapy (another form of alternative healing, the form that I practice), was not on this list. I have written up an article all about Foot Zone Therapy, explained in its fullness, not to worry.
These days, more Western medical practices are incorporating the practices long used by Eastern Countries, “Patients in Western countries are becoming more receptive to trying alternative techniques, and have been asking for them. As a result, many Western medical schools are starting to teach these medicine techniques and theories. Some hospitals and doctors are supplementing their regular medical care with alternative techniques.”¹.
Alternative health is coming to the forefront of our medical radars, albeit slowly. Most major insurance providers are ill-at-ease to cover procedures done outside of modern medicine facilities. Some have come to accept CAM, but very few, if any; and most people end up paying out of pocket².
The subject of whether or not CAM works, or is safe; has been a topic of regular discussion. Some say to bring up using CAM along with main-stream treatments, with your doctor.  Some doctors these days are more open-minded on that end, others are not.  For a decision, it is solely based on what your stance is on the subject³. I personally am finding out that there is not ONE magic bullet to cure all that ails us. What works for one, may not work for another. These alternative modes of healing are here for us to use. I have provided the information for you to discover what will work for YOUR body.
What are the benefits of CAM? It really depends on what your specific need is. What are you looking for? Are you looking to get away from potentially harmful chemicals? Want to lessen side-effects from prescriptions given to you? Would you like peace of mind knowing you did all you could conventionally, and you're now willing to try something natural? These questions can only be answered by you, and what you feel is right for your body. 4

1. Teaching our children young
2. Paying for CAM Treatment
3. Alternative Medicine PDF
4. Benefits of Alternative Medicine
5. A-Z list of Alternative Medicine

Self-healing Expressions ~ Holistic Healing Courses- Click Here!

All About the Importance of Water

The Importance of Water in Digestion-

Water is Life

Experiments have documented that when we drink a glass of water (8 oz.), it  passes directly into the intestines and is absorbed. Approximately one-half hour later, almost the same amount of water that was ingested is secreted into the stomach.
Water serves two purposes:

1. Together with acid and activated enzymes it breaks down the food into a homogenized fluid state that can pass into the duodenum for the next phase of digestion.
2. It protects the stomach lining from strong acids.

The water we drink is secreted through the glandular layer in the mucosa. The mucosa swells from underneath and the water gets into the stomach, plus, the mucus layer maintains its function as a buffer system containing sodium bicarbonate. As the acid from the stomach tries to go through this protective layer, the sodium bicarbonate neutralizes it. Without the correct amount of water, the mucus layer is less homogenous and sticky, allowing the acid to come through, causing pain.
The pyloric valve (or sphincter) is in control of emptying the stomach into the duodenum. The stomach sends a signal to the pyloric valve to open. When the highly corrosive and acidic load from the stomach is properly neutralized, the duodenum also sends signals for the pyloric valve to open. The pyloric valve will not open unless it receives messages from the stomach and the duodenum.
It is the responsibility of the pancreas to produce insulin and some digestive enzymes, but most importantly, it must create an alkaline environment before the acidic content can reach the intestine. In order to manufacture this watery bicarbonate solution, the pancreas must have water from the circulatory system. If enough water is not provided (sodas and teas do not count toward water consumption) this process will not be efficient. The “intelligent” coordination will not be there.

If this process is not completed correctly, the body will not allow the food to continue on its journey- the damage would be too severe to the intestine. The walls of the intestine do not have the same protective layer against acid that is available to the stomach. The pyloric valve will receive a message to tighten up. At the same time, the cardia valve (cardiac valve, or sphincter) will become more relaxed. When the valves reverse their mode of operation, the food cannot stay in the stomach forever, and the body actually prepares itself to eject the contents of the stomach (vomiting).
Mild cases of dehydration are often called heartburn, while severe cases are labeled bulimia. The bulimic’s sensation of hunger is, in fact, an indicator of acute thirst. The bulimic’s urge to throw up is only the body’s natural mechanism to protect their sensitive intestine.

How do we know if we're getting "enough water"?
Rule of thumb for water intake: We need to be drinking at least one half of our body weight in ounces per day in order for our systems to run at maximum efficiency. When we get services such as massages, or foot zones, where our bodies go into detox mode, we need to double that water intake. Everything just runs more smoothly with water!

• Foot Zone Therapy Advanced Training, The Endocrine and Digestive Systems; 2009; K. Duvall and C. Christensen, pp.93-94, Academy of Foot Zone Therapy©   (some re-wording at Admin’s discretion)

Natural Drinks & Beverages- Click Here!

Inner Peace: Can we find it? We'd Better!

Inner Peace

The pathway to enlightenment, what some call, “Inner Peace,” is not something that is relatively easy to find. is no one single way to achieve it. I have done my level best to give some good information on this subject!
 Many people would welcome an easy fix to finding all that could make us happy, if such a thing existed in reality.  A Fix It, or Happy Pill?  If those do exist, and if we stop taking them, does the joy disappear?? I believe there is no "One Magic Bullet" or Panacea. Everybody's body is different. Dear readers, the quest to find Inner Peace is likened to The Quest for The Holy Grail. Many an article has been written on it, and there
     A good definition of Inner Peace was found, once again, on Wikipedia.  You can challenge this definition if you like, but I think it’s the most simple, and clear cut.  People like simple, it keeps us out of trouble, right?
In truth, finding Inner Peace is akin to having an every day job: we only get money when we work, for the most part; and if we’re not working, we don’t get paid. Working at Inner Peace is only as easy as we make it. We need to strive daily to achieve it. It is not something we can simply put an effort to for one day and have lasting effects.  We’d like it to, wouldn’t we? One fact of reality that is continually overlooked is that happiness and peace will come from something external. This simply is not so, and it is why Inner Peace seems to elude us, if we keep allowing it.
Finding Inner Peace can be achieved in different ways, and there are many resources made available to us, especially in this age of technology.  The Internet is a veritable Cash Cow on this subject!
Why choose Inner Peace? Because stress robs the body of energy and nutrition! There are way too many stressors in this world, here is a list of the types of stress looming and waiting to make us ill:
Physical Stress

• Trauma- tissue damage
• Lack of Exercise- decreased oxygen and nutrition to the cells- decreased detoxification
• Lack of Rest- decreased healing and rejuvenation time, decreased detoxification
• Lack of Sunshine
• Lack of Hydration

Emotional/Mental Stress

• Negative mental attitude
• Anger, bitterness, hate, resentment
• Worry, anxiety (my biggest issues that cause the most problems are in this area here, emotions!)

Chemical/Environmental Stress

• Uncleanliness
• Drugs, medications, chemicals, pollution
• Improper nutrition, toxins

We need to eliminate, as much as we can, these stressful living habits! Stop looking for a quick fix (like I do…) and start asking, “What have I been doing that has made me sick (or stressed)?” Then stop doing that! Look at your daily habits and trade energy robbing habits for more supportive activities. Create an environment that is conducive to healing and health.
It seems that some people, such as Dr. Wayne Dyer, and Louise Hay, have found their path to enlightenment; how their inner light shines forth!  It probably goes without saying, however, that they still have their struggles occasionally, bad days happen, they happen to all of us.  But what we do (and what we learn) with those bad days is part of the work to achieving the freedom and happiness we so desperately desire.
If we are willing to put forth effort each day, maybe even several times a day, in keeping negativity at bay, we will feel the results. Seek knowledge, learn about healthy living! Truth eliminates Ignorance. It will not happen overnight, but it will happen. Upkeep is vitally important! Lasting effects will only be as potent as the work we are willing to put into achieving them.

• Foot Zone Therapy: Total Body Balance; 2009;  K. Duvall and C. Christensen, pp. 50-51 Academy of Foot Zone Therapy©  (some re-wording at Admin’s discretion)

Get The Ultimate Meditation Kit- Click Here!