Joy Blog

I was watching the TV series The 4400 yesterday, and one of the episodes contained several quotes from Benjamin Franklin.  So, I decided to Google good ol’ Benny.  I found a stack of great quotes, but these are my favorites:

• “He who falls in love with himself will have no rivals.”
• “If you would be loved, love and be lovable.”
• “Many people die at twenty five and aren’t buried until they are seventy five.”
• “Observe all men, thyself most.”

Of these four, the one that struck me the most was “Many people die at twenty five and aren’t buried until they are seventy five.”  In another seemingly unrelated event this morning, I was reading Cracking the Metabolic Code, and one statement struck me:  “Cancer cells are those cells that have lost the ability to differentiate….”  Wow, the cells that can no longer express their unique individuality are the ones that are cancerous. 

When I read these quotes I begin to ponder how we are all conditioned by society to become homogenized (to make uniform or similar, as in composition or function).  We’re conditioned to grow up, go to college, get married, buy a house, make babies…and then, and then…what?  Most of these things can be accomplished by the age of 25.  How many of us then shut down and stop growing once we realize that these things have not brought us true happiness?  Some people deal by having a mid-life crisis where they ditch their first attempt to find the “ideal” that society formulated and go looking for it again in another person.  We all know how that ends.  Who came up with this system? 

One thing I know for sure - following society’s recipe for happiness is a sure path to misery.  The only path to joy is to live from your true differentiation, which is the authentic individual expression that only you can have.  When you live authentically, the people, places and things that are meant for you come to you.  Maybe that’s marriage…maybe it’s not.  Maybe that’s children…maybe it’s not.  Whatever it is, it is joy. 

Neither path is easy - the standard, homogenized path, nor the individual, authentic path.  However, one is worth it and one is not.  One is joyful and one is not.  One is full of life and the other is simply death at the age of 25.  Which one do you choose?

Tags: Deep Thoughts // Add Comment »

Today was a much anticipated day for me.  63 days ago I had my first visit to a local iridologist, Brenda Star.  I am an avid proponent of alternative health, and have been very careful about my health for many years.  So, as you may imagine, I waltzed in there thinking - this is going to be a breeze and she is going to tell me how healthy I am!  Ha!  Not so much.  She explained to me, based on the picture she took of my eyes, that my system was infested with mucus, fungus and parasites (nasty, I know.)  She also said that my nervous system was tweaked and that my adrenals were exhausted. 

The good news?  She said my body is the genetic equivalent of a Mercedes…it just needed a serious tune up and oil change.  So, she prescribed several herbs to address the issues. She also told me that I needed to radically change my diet and eliminate sugars and a whole stack of other things.  I was a little depressed when I left that day, but she promised I would lose weight and feel more energy, so I thought it was worth a shot.  The first two weeks were the hardest, but somehow, I made it through 60 days. 

So, today I visited Brenda to view the post-60 day photos, and WOW!  What a difference.  The first set of pictures I had taken showed my eyes looking an interesting combination of green and brown.  My eyes are supposed to be blue.  The yellow of the mucus in my body was combining with the blue in my eyes to make green.  The new set of pictures?  My eyes are blue again!!  The difference was striking.  There is still some yellow and brown in there, but I see that the sacrifices I made have certainly paid off. 

Here are the things she said are still going on in my body -

• My nervous system is still tweaked
• My adrenals are still exhausted
• I still have a bit of mucus, fungus and parasite
• My kidneys are overwhelmed with trying to filter all of the toxins out of my body and are creating dark circles under my eyes
• My liver is overwhelmed with processing all the toxins
• My Ph balance is still too acidic
• The fatty tissues of my brain are holding toxins

Ok, so to you, it may seem this is still an overwhelming list.  However, I feel like so much progress has been made, and I am ready to keep working on my health because I know it’s worth it and I’m seeing results.  Consequently, I have also lost 31 pounds, and as I continue to cleanse the mucus out of my body, I will only lose more weight.  I’m also excited about getting rid of those darn circles that have been under my eyes for years. 

So, what’s next?  I will still be on a restricted diet for another 60 days, but I am allowed to add more fruits and wild rice back into my diet.  She also changed up and added some herbs.  She added chromium for my adrenals and regulation of blood sugar.  I’ll be taking black walnut for the parasites; pau d’arco for fungus and blood purification; and a kidney detox blend.  All of these are in addition to the B vitamins, Pantothenic Acid, Licorice Root, EFAs and digestive enzymes I am taking. 

I’m excited.  Being well feels good.  Taking care of yourself gives you a great feeling of accomplishment and empowerment.  I look forward to observing my own continuing progress. 

Tags: Health and Wellness // Add Comment »

For a few months now, my husband and I have been carpooling to work in the Honda Insight, my little red hybrid.  We work across the street from each other, so it makes it very convenient.  He used to work 11 miles in the opposite direction, and as a result was filling up his car every two weeks.  He drives a BMW 530i with an 18 or 20 gallon tank.  He just went to the gas station to fill his car this morning and informed me it was $75!  He is only filling it up roughly once per month now because of the carpooling.

Comparitively, we fill up the hybrid roughly every 10 days, and it has a 10 gallon tank.  The car gets an average of 60 miles to the gallon.  That means we spend about $120 per month on gas as a result of our carpooling.  So, we are saving about $75 a month just on the gas from his car.  You could also factor that we are saving another $120 a month just by driving the hybrid, since any other vehicle would get about half the gas mileage.

This little car was well worth the investment!  Going green is money! 

Tags: The Environment // 1 Comment »

I am observing, with the aid of Human Design, that there are three types of possible energetic relationships or interactions we can have with others. Human Design labels the energies harmony, resonance and dissonance.  When you are in harmony with another person, your energies and styles are different, but your interaction still feels good and constructive.  You tend to make a good partnership as each person brings something different to the table that somehow accentuates the other person.  This is the type of relationship I have with my husband.  People see us as being completely different, but as being a good fit together since we complement each other.

In a dissonant relationship, the energy just feels all wrong.  These are the kind of people that make me grit my teeth when I am around them.  These types of relationships come from what Human Design terms the “not self,” which essentially means you entered into the relationship incorrectly.  When you follow your Human Design strategy and authority, these relationships are easily avoided. 

Finally is my favorite type of relationship - the resonant energy.  In a relationship that has resonance, you amplify each other when you are together.  It’s as if you have met another you.  When you are together, you energize each other.  You get each other at a fundamental level because your energies are alike.  Some people might describe you as “two peas in a pod” or a “dynamic duo.”  It’s also a very comfortable feeling - as if the other person accepts who you are.  Of course, it’s easy for the other to accept you because you have the same energetic frequency.  Resonant energy can be summed up in a word - YUMMY!  

I’m blessed to have both harmonic and resonant relationships in my life and both suit their purposes of supporting me or amplifying my joy.  How about you?

Tags: Human Design // 2 Comments »

So, for the last 52 days, I have not eaten any sugar.  This cleansing diet that I am on does not allow it.  The first two weeks were really rough…I mean rough.  I would usually have a sweets craving after a meal and get the munchies at all times of the day.  Not having something sweet to curb the craving was difficult. 

Since then, I have been learning how to manage my life without sugar, and honestly - it’s really great.  I have been doing a lot more now with fruits and stevia.  One of the new things I discovered at Whole Foods is fresh ground almond butter.  They take simple roasted almonds and put them through the grinder.  The result is this amazing almond butter that is rich and delectable.  I am now addicted to cherries with almond butter.  It’s the shiz.  :o)

Did you know that you should have no more than 1 teaspoon of sugar in your blood at any one given time.  Yet, just a single soda contains at least 12 teaspoons of sugar.  If we drink multiple sodas or sweet drinks each day, we are literally assaulting our pancreas and eventually our cells become resistant to insulin (which is the energy for the cell.)  It’s a bit of a shocker. Something to keep in mind.  It’s a tough habit to kick, but one that’s well worth the boot. 

Yay for cherries!  All hail the almond butter.  It’s the next big thing.  :o)

Tags: Health and Wellness // 2 Comments »

Dead Doctors Don’t Lie Radio Show - Registration is required.  Archived podcasts for previous shows are available. 

I heard about Dr. Joel Wallach when I started shopping for my vitamins at Youngevity.  I bought 4 of his books - Dead Doctors Don’t Lie; Let’s Play Doctor; Let’s Play Herbal Doctor; and Rare Earth’s Forbidden Cures.  Dead Doctors Don’t Lie is a fascinating book about the importance minerals play in body chemistry and health function.  The funny thing about traditional medical doctors is that they live fewer years than the average American, and yet we go to them for health advice.  He also discusses how minerals are overlooked by traditional medicine as the source of optimal health and how mineral deficiency causes many ailments. 

The Dead Doctors Don’t Lie radio show is chock full of health tips, and ideas on how to take better care of yourself.  I highly recommend it.  :o)

Today’s topic is about keeping your blood sugar low as the best way to stay healthy.  Pharmacist Ben Fuchs talks about we shouldn’t have more than 1 tsp of sugar in our blood at any one given time.  (One soda is about 12 teaspoons of sugar.)  The second key is EFAs & Vitamin A, E, D & K.

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As of late I have been observing my tendency to always be in a hurry.  The hurry to see how something will turn out, in a hurry to know the answer, in a hurry to have a sense of completion, in a hurry to be sure.  My conscious mind wants to be in control and know everything for sure.  Human Design is helping me to slow down and teach my mind to just be an observer.  I am learning to not have an attachment to one particular outcome or another, and to just be curious to see how it all turns out - in the natural timing of things and not in the forced timing my conscious mind tries to create, just so it can be sure about something.

Things have turned out “okay” by using my conscious mind to control the outcome.  But only when I let go of the outcome and timing have things turned out truly “great.”  It’s a matter of training my mind - do you want to have an “okay” outcome that you know for sure…right this second?  Or would you rather have a great outcome that surprises you and over which you have absolutely no control?  I’m slowly learning that the latter is the choice I want to make - it’s the choice that’s right for me.  It’s the choice that leverages the energy of the universe to do the work instead of my own limited energy.  When I slow down and enjoy the “movie,” I seem to experience more peace and happiness. 

It’s so easy to get caught up in the hurry, hurry, hurry of our culture.  I write this note to myself as a reminder of the payoff in slowing down and trusting in the wisdom and timing of my own subtle energy.

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So, my Iridologist recommended I start taking Licorice Root and Pantothenic Acid to start supporting my adrenals.  I started taking them last night, and I can already notice a difference.  It’s funny - yesterday before I started taking it, I had trouble motivating myself.  In the morning, I made a decision to stop pushing myself to do things and allow myself to do things in my body’s own timing.  I was surprised how my body just didn’t want to move or be motivated at all that day.  How fortuitous that I then visit the Iridologist and she puts me on adrenal support?  Then, today, I have a lot more energy.  It’s 9pm at night, and I don’t feel total and utter exhaustion.  It’s already a marked improvement.  God bless my body and how wondrous its systems are.

Also, a friend of mind told me that since I have been on this cleansing diet for 41 days now, that he has noticed my energy is “cleaner.”  I told my husband of this analysis and he said that it really resonated for him, too.  What a great affirmation of what I have been doing.  It’s also right in alignment with my ”deconditioning” as a projector with a lot of openness.  I am cleaning out the excess baggage that does not belong to me from those open centers.  It’s good to be recognized.

Peace out my people!  Have a great night.  :o)

Tags: Health and Wellness // 2 Comments »

I love how music has the power to elevate your mood.  I was watching Lost this evening and the song “Shambala” by Three Dog Night was playing.  That song brings me a lot of joy when I hear it.  Another one as of late that has been elevating my mood is “Could You Be Loved” by Bob Marley.  I take the good vibes and hold on to them as long as I can.  Good stuff.

So, if your mood needs a lift, then click to listen:  Shambala - Three Dog Night.

G’night everybody!

Tags: Random Thoughts // Add Comment »

I am a health nut for sure.  I am constantly trying to optimize my wellness, and to the point that I have a very restrictive diet.  Recently, I’ve been seeing an iridologist in Green Hills who has me on a 60 day cleansing diet.  I’ve lost an additional 15 pounds so far after 30 days.  Anyway, as if I’m not healthy enough, I’ve been reading even more books on diet and health conditions - The Yeast Connection, Cracking the Metabolic Code, and Superfoods Rx. 

The more I research on ways to stay healthy, the more the term “oxidative stress” keeps making an appearance.  Oxidative stress is the result of not getting enough anti-oxidants to counteract the damaging free radicals that are created in our bodies.  In other words, if we don’t get enough anti-oxidants in our diets, we essentially begin to rust on the inside.  This causes premature aging and disease - ack!  One of the few fruits I’m still allowed to eat are any type of berries, which are very high in anti-oxidants. 

I’ve also discovered several products that Youngevity carries that have a high ORAC value.  ORAC value is an independent measure of the levels of antioxidants in a supplement.  Youngevity is the company where I buy all my nutritional supplements.  They are a great company, and in case you don’t know - I am extremely fussy about the quality of the products I put on and in my body.  It has to be the best.  The two products that I’ve been testing are Cocogevity and Phenomenal Balance. 

Cocogevity is a combination of Cocoa, Mangosteen, Acai and Wolfberry and has an ORAC value of over 100,000.  It has a rich chocolatey flavor and my husband is actually drinking it without me nagging him.  Trust me, that is an accomplishment.  Phenomenal Balance extracts the phenols (the anti-oxidants) and concentrates them in a drink.  Both are a great way to pack in some extra anti-oxidants to help us stay younger and healthier longer.  Don’t forget to drink lots of water as well. 

If you’d like to try these products, they’re available at the Youngevity website. 

Here’s to your health!

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