Detoxify Your Body Today

by

Michelle Schoffro Cook

Every now and then I read or hear someone say that the body doesn’t need to detoxify.  This is an appalling statement since the body cannot live without effective and efficient detoxification, which needs to occur in the lungs, liver, skin, intestines, kidneys, lymphatic system, and other areas of the body every minute of every day.

Our bodies are surprisingly good at detoxification but these processes can easily become overwhelmed due to the volume of toxins to which we’re exposed from our air, water, food, pharmaceutical and over-the-counter drugs, and many other sources.

These detoxification processes also rely on many critical nutrients (you’ll discover which ones below) to function properly.  Fortunately, there are many easy things you can do to help your body eliminate harmful toxins.  Here are 15 easy ways to detoxify today based on my book, The 4-Week Ultimate Body Detox Plan:

1. Eat pectin-rich organic apples.  Pectin binds to toxins in the intestines to escort them out of the body.

2. Drink a freshly-made veggie juice daily.  This can be as easy as throwing a couple of handfuls of leafy greens into a blender with some frozen berries and water.

3. Drink a large glass of purified water with the juice of one fresh lemon in the morning.  Lemons have over 20 proven anti-cancer compounds.

4. Eat blueberries daily.  They are rich in anthocyanins that reduce inflammation in the body and brain, as well as help reduce allergies and excess weight.

5. Remember to breathe properly.  Oxygen kills bacteria, viruses, and helps us to feel more energized.  Breathe deeply as much as possible.

6. Eat at least a half cup of legumes daily.  If they cause you gas, build up slowly and add a digestive enzyme with cellulase (breaks down the fiber in beans).  Fiber in beans helps keep the bowels eliminating properly.

7. Find the positive in every day.  Smile and laugh.  A positive attitude reduces the number of stress chemicals in the body.  And, as the adage says, “laughter is the best medicine.”

8. Take turmeric daily (a teaspoon in a small glass of water), added to soups or stews, or in capsule form.  It contains the phytonutrient curcumin that is one of the most powerful liver protectors and healers.  The liver is largely respositponsible for detoxification.

9. Eat more raw fruits and vegetables.  They contain enzymes that aid digestion and improve nutrient absorption.  Many nutrients are needed for efficient detoxification, including:  beta carotene, folic acid, niacin, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, thiamin, vitamin B12, pyridoxine, vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium, copper, germanium, iron, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, sulphur, and zinc, among others.

10. Switch from chemical cleaning products to natural ones.  Chemical cleaning products contain toxins like formaldehyde, chlorine, petroleum products, ammonia, perchloroethylene (“perc”), and many other harmful chemicals that research links to cancer, skin conditions, asthma, and other serious health conditions.  Baking soda, vinegar, or orange oil work well.  No chemical cleaner removes stains as well as orange oil.

11. Eat at least three of the best detoxifying foods daily: broccoli, garlic, spinach, cabbage, sprouts, blueberries, and ginger.

12. Drink plenty of pure water to help flush toxins from your body.  Almost every process in your body depends on proper hydration to function smoothly.

13. Help remove toxins in your intestines by using aloe vera juice (about a quarter cup) or drinking a few cups of slippery elm bark, marshmallow root, or rhubarb root tea (about one teaspoon of the dried herb per cup of  water).

14. Take a probiotic supplement with live cultures on an empty stomach daily (morning or evening works well).  The beneficial bacteria kill harmful bacteria and yeasts and help to heal the lining of the intestines.

15. Get at least 30 minutes of vigorous physical activity daily.  Sweating is one of the best ways of removing harmful toxins, including heavy metals, from the body.


Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/15-easy-ways-to-detoxify-your-body-today.html#ixzz2M6sj1ReJ

Be Happy!

How To Make Your Life Happy Fast

by

Simona Rich

There is a reason why in most religions there is some sort of a set of rules telling how to live life. It’s not so that all people would be the same, but to make their lives easier. For example, in Buddhism there are the Four Noble truths:

(There are many translations of these truths in English, here’s my best bet…)

1. Many things in life bring suffering.

2. The origin of suffering is craving which leads to more attachments.

3. It’s possible to end suffering by ending cravings.

4. You can end cravings by following this eight-fold way: right view, right intention, right action, right speech, right effort, right livelihood, right concentration and right mindfulness.

And in Christianity, there are seven virtues:

1. Prudence (the ability to discipline yourself by the use of reason — thank you Wikipedia)

2. Justice

3. Temperance (not drinking alcohol)

4. Courage

5. Faith

6. Hope

7. Love

If you don’t follow such rules, your life will be ruled by fear, guilt and regret. If you follow these rules, your life will be much happier.

Now together with these religious laws or virtues, take note of the guidelines below. Try living according to such guidelines for one or two days. When you notice an immediate difference in how you feel and a better quality of your life, you may decide to continue living this way.

Here are the guidelines:

If you are always tuned in to your common sense and refuse to do what feels bad to your inner self, your life will become happy.

If you are good to everyone no matter how they behave towards you, your life will become even happier.

If you infuse all the actions you take with love and attention, and take time to accomplish them in a perfect way, you will experience an unbelievable quality of life.

If you let the money easily flow in and out your life without congesting the flow with fear of not having enough or regretting over “lost” money, even more abundance will flow to you.

If every day you remember to thank God that you are alive and for all the good things that come into your life, God will also not forget to reward you with more goodness.

And instead of complaining if you try to understand the lessons behind every misfortune, your mood will get uplifted instead of depressed.

If you stay present more than lost in your mind, you will start being happy about even the smallest positive things in your life.

If, instead of getting angry at someone, you try to understand where they are coming from, your life will become much easier.

And if instead of letting the fear cage you in, you would allow your heart to lead you, it will show you the life full of love and adventure.

If you are an observer of life rather than an unaware participator, your life will be filled with spiritual awakenings and depth.

And even if you are an active participator of life, don’t forget to be always the observer of yourself also, and thus you will still not lose the depth of life.

If you make the most of the situations that life gives you, God will reward you with a better life after some time.

If you conserve your energy by not talking for the sake of talking, or doing something for the sake of doing it, your life will be filled with youth and beauty.

If you don’t try to gain anything at the expense of another, you will never see lack of any sort.

You can start living like that for a few days – that will be enough for you to see some results which will encourage you to continue living according to these principles. These guidelines will surely make your life easier and happier.

Ways to Power Up Love

8 potions to power up love and reduce stress!

by

Vanda North

It is the month of Love, so Mind Chi has researched 8 useful and practical love potions.

Love does wonderful things for your state of mind and it also offers natural stress relief. In healthy relationships, the power of love is strong enough to keep your heart happy and your mind and body healthy.

 

Loving potion 1: How Love Helps

Sharing in life’s joys and challenges is one of the great benefits of being in a relationship.  ”When you are in a loving marriage or a good relationship, you have somebody there to share your worries, to talk through problems and to enjoy free time with,” says Sally R. Connolly, a social worker and therapist with the Couples Clinic of Louisville in Louisville, Ky. Relationships can provide stress relief by simply not leaving you to shoulder every burden completely on your own, Connelly explains.  You also have someone “to visualize the future with. Somebody who is there for you and witnesses your life,” adds Connolly. A number of studies have found that people in healthy marriages live longer and have fewer health problems than people who are unhappily married or not in a relationship, according to Connolly. Such is the power of love. What’s more, people who are happily married not only benefit from stress relief, they suffer less often from depression, too. A loving partner can share the responsibility of stressful situations, offer support, a listening ear and advice when you need it. And when you need to remember happier, easier times, a loving partner can help with that as well.

 

Love potion 2: Remember the power of play

Any relationship is enhanced by some ‘play-time’. When did you last play? Look at how much fun children have when they play and how boundless their energy! How can you make aspects of your work into ‘play’? You can still be as careful and precise, but you will have enjoyed yourself (and the others as well) and the day will fly by – go on, give it a go!

 

Love potion 3: Little things mean a lot

Love and friendship do require an input of effort and energy, however, that is rewarded 100 time over. Send a text, give an unsolicited hug, give a flower – just that you have thought and shared will be so appreciated by the other and make your relationship stronger.

 

Love  potion 4: Mending Relationships

If you have a relationship with a spouse, partner, or loved one that is a little rocky, focus on fixing it. An unhealthy relationship is just one more stressor that you don’t need and repairing it can provide stress relief and improve your health — and you’ll just feel better about it. Getting started can be tough, but Connolly suggests just reaching out to your loved one. Was there was a problem or issue that divided the relationship that needs to be addressed before you can move on? Or, if you just grew apart, consider rebuilding that relationship.

 

Love  potion 5: Learning to Show Affection

Not everyone is comfortable with affection — perhaps it’s just your personality or the influence of family when you were growing up. If being affectionate is difficult for you, consider trying to start expressing your feelings to those in your life who you love, to strengthen these relationships. Start with small steps, reaching out physically (hugging or a gentle touch) or with affectionate words or actions. From there, you can slowly build on your relationship and your physical affection. “Congratulate yourself each time that you stretch out of your comfort zone and notice the effect that it has on your partner,” says Connolly.

 

Love medicine 6: Laugh together!

Share a funny film or TV show, recall funny incidences, look for moments when you can laugh. Laughter and love are two very powerful healing agents and your life feels so much richer as well. Vanda adds, ‘Look for opportunities to laugh at yourself as well, I often cause myself to chuckle and then I share it with my husband and friends and we all have a laugh.

 

Love potion 7: ‘Get over it!’ GOI

Many of the issues that can easily derail a relationship are REALLY not that big of a deal. You can choose to make it so, or equally, if you value the person and the relationship, you can just ‘Get over it!’ and get on with the pleasurable parts!
 

Steps 3 and 4 of the Mind Chi Basic 8 minute routine, help you to look at the past 24 hours. What might you want to do differently, should the issue happen again? Learn the lessons and then wrap it up and let it go. You also look for all the little successes you had in building your relationships and hold on to those.
 

The full Mind Chi 8 steps may be seen here.

 

Love  potion 8: Give it some time

Keeping a loving relationship alive and thriving, does require an infusion of time. When you think ‘Oh, I must call so-and-so!’ DO it! You don’t need to make it a marathon (unless you want) but just to say, ‘I had a moment while the kettle was boiling and wanted to say Hi!’ Putting aside an evening or some of the week end to enjoy each other, or having a ‘date’ or as Vanda’s American friends say ‘Let’s visit’! Talking, sharing, listening, laughing, being there for each other is the greatest gift you both can receive.

Life presents many challenges and stressors and you need someone there to support you through the difficult times — whether it’s a good friend, family member, spouse, or partner. And it’s equally important to have someone to share in happy times and celebrations. Take time to focus on the relationships in your life and reap the benefits. Just knowing that you have love, support, and help from a loved one can give you positive stress relief.

The ONLY Resilient Woman Warrior, Vanda North conducts ‘How to be a MORE Resilient Woman’ sessions, why not enjoy one for your Valentine gift?

Points 1, 4 & 5 were adapted from the original article by: Diana Rodriguez  and medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MP    http://www.everydayhealth.com/healthy-living/love-reduces-stress.aspx

How to Get Anything You Want in Life

Would you like the secret of how to get anything you want in life?

Watch this short video by the amazing personal development coach, Katie Freiling, and that secret will be yours!

Including, appropriately enough for Valentine's Day, how to get more love in your life!

Change Your Mind About Your Body

by

Tahlee Rouillon

“Enjoy your body, use it every way you can…don’t be afraid of it, or what other people think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own..” – Baz Luhrmann

For many years I believed the only way to get my ideal body was to whip it into shape with lashings of shame and hate. For some bizarre reason that I couldn’t fathom at the time, this strategy was unsuccessful.

It resulted in fluctuating weight loss / gain, injury, pain, and a whole lotta misery.

If I lost weight, I always needed to lose more. If I felt overwhelmed, I ate my emotions and put the weight back on. No matter what I did, I never felt good enough.

Fortunately, I was blessed to receive the assistance of a gifted therapist to overcome my disordered relationship to food, exercise and my body. And whilst I still sometimes struggle, I have found when I consistently practice these 5 tips, my body and life are so much happier!

1. Acceptance

“Once we accept our limits, we go beyond them.” – Albert Einstein

Acceptance does not mean that you never want to change. It doesn’t mean that you’ll give up all desire to be fit and healthy and turn into a gluttonous slob.

It means that you wholeheartedly recognise where you are in your health journey with kindness and compassion, rather than piling on guilt and shame about where you “should be”.

Acceptance gives you permission to acknowledge where you are and also where you’d like to go. It’s far more motivating and sustainable than the self loathing that accompanies the “shoulds”.

Thinking about how much you should weigh, how faster you should be able to run, how stronger / fit / toned you should be is dejecting and usually leads to resentment.

Whenever I resented or felt ashamed about the way I looked, I was more likely to skip workouts or conversely, workout too much and end up injuring myself. Accepting where I was at on my health and fitness journey allowed me to approach workouts with much more kindness and joy.

2. Stop Comparing!

Stop comparing yourself to others, yourself to how you were yesterday or even how you were 5 years ago. Comparison truly is the thief of joy as it either leads to smug superiority or feelings of shameful inferiority. And as you already know, shame is not a sustainable motivator.

Recognise that you have unique abilities in this present moment. Honour the journey that has brought you to this place and renew your commitment to living your life of awesomeness.

A great first step is to go on a media diet.

Get rid of the magazines that uphold such ludicrous ideals of beauty. Even though you’re an intelligent person and you KNOW those models are digitally altered (making their beauty even more unrealistic) your primal brain doesn’t.

Your primitive brain, deep below your neocortex, is hardwired to accept reality as, well, real. It has no way of knowing that the images it sees in magazines are illogical and deceptive. It’s why movies and books are so powerfully entertaining and immersive.

The less material you have to fuel self-comparison, the better off your mental health will be.

I’ve even given up reading health and fitness magazines because I find that I end up focusing too much on the women’s bodies and how I stack up, instead of focusing on the fitness information.

3. Turn Down the Inner Bully

We all have a harsh inner monologue that criticises and blames us for when things go wrong, or that arcs up when things are about to get risky.

You know – the voice that is overly concerned with things being perfect, safe and secure. The voice that says things about you that you would NEVER say to anyone else.

Mine is particularly nasty if I’ve put on weight, if I’m trying something new, or if I’ve stuffed something up.

But just because you have one, doesn’t mean you have to listen to the horrible things they say.

Recognise the harsh, repetitive, adrenaline fuelled messages for what they are. Anxiety. They are not true statements about you, your personality or your potential.

4. Turn Up Your Inner Bestie

Transforming your critical monologue is as simple as treating yourself as you would your best friend.

Not always easy if your Inner Bully has been running rampant for a while – but simple.

The next time you begin to feel the dead-weight dread of your Inner Bully – imagine the situation that is causing the anxiety is happening to your Best Friend. What do you say to them when they are sick, scared or suffering? What do you do for them to soothe them? How do you treat your loved ones when they need your compassion?

Whenever I imagine how I would treat my bestie, there is often a large gap between how I would treat them and how I treat myself. Giving myself permission to be kind to myself has been a big step towards loving myself and my body more.

5. Mindfulness

Staying aware and focused in the present moment is at once grounding and liberating.

In an age of hyperconnected 24-7 lifestyles, the ancient wisdom of mindfulness is more vital than ever. Slowing down and appreciating the present moment gives you the opportunity to be grateful for all you have.

I’ve found mindfulness to be excellent at reducing my anxiety, which helps prevent emotional eating. It helps my pay more attention to hunger and satiety clues, helping to prevent overeating. And it gives me focus, which vastly improves the quality of my workout.

Practicing mindfulness can be as simple as taking 10 minutes per day just to sit quietly and breathe. The intention is not to stop thinking, or to avoid thinking negative thoughts. The goal is to quietly witness the thoughts without attaching judgment or criticism. Whenever you get distracted, just gently guide your attention back to the physical sensation of breathing.

Mindfulness is definitely a practice. The more I do it, the more familiar it becomes and the benefits flow into all areas of my life.

Do you struggle with body image? How do you motivate yourself to stay fit and healthy? What other tips would you suggest for positive body love?

About Tahlee Rouillon

Tahlee Rouillon is the Major Instigator of The Attitude Revolution (http://attituderevolution.net/about/). She helps body haters + binge eaters (herself included) do a 180 degree turn toward loving who they are and the bodies they’re in. She has a degree in music, is a certified Personal Trainer, and has a really loud laugh.

How To Find Romance

by

Gregg Hall

Are you searching for that special someone but still coming up empty? Are you tired of spending your nights alone, watching that same old movie with only a Coke and a bowl of popcorn to keep you company? Experience tells me that when you move from one end of the pendulum to the other, you will eventually swing back to the center and find your match there. Let me explain.

Two options stare you in the face: you can start looking in a new place for romance, or you can quit looking altogether.

Choose the first option. Start looking somewhere new if romance continues to run from you. Consider alternative forms of dating, like online dating if you've not already gone there. If you've exhausted your online options, then take off those slippers and put on your dress shoes, because you need to get out in the real world more. Involve yourself in the world around you by taking more classes, going to more parties, and involving yourself in something community oriented that piques your interest. Engage accomplices by asking your friends to keep their eyes open for good matches.

Consider changing your approach to relating and finding romance. If you've hogged the conversation in the past, try opening your ears to listen more. If you avoid eye contact, focus on keeping those peepers up during the date. If your wardrobe looks like a spinster's, then consult a good fashion magazine and update your closet.

Someone wise once said that if you keep doing what you're doing, you're going to keep getting what you're getting. So test the boundaries! Move from one end of the edge to the other and you might just find new and fun experiences as well as dates in your path.

You say you've tried all that? You've tried online dating and community classes and you've spiced up your wardrobe and sought out extremes, but still you find yourself alone with that ever staling popcorn. You're tired of looking, and you're tired of waiting.

Then take a break. Don't just quit, but take a break. The best things happen when you're not trying to find them, right? Isn't that what people say? It's true, you know.

"That's too easy," you say. "You say it, but can you do it? How can I stop looking for something that I want so badly."

Trust me. You can do it. Give yourself time. Do it by jumping into activities that you feel passionate about. Basically, do what you love. Focus on having fun.

And as you do this, you will find yourself finding meaning in life. While you're not trying to forget about the possibility of romance, you're making the best of the life you've got. Pour yourself into doing the things you enjoy. Just because you do this doesn't mean you've given up on romance. But instead, you've given up on the powerful need for a relationship. Do what you love, and what you want will follow.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as romantic gifts at http://www.romanceandlovegifts.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gregg_Hall