Check Your Posture

I did a post recently called “Mom Was Right” talking about the importance of being aware of your physical posture.    It’s definitely something we must be aware of.  The way you carry yourself physically says a lot about you.  Good posture – standing up straight, head up, shoulders relaxed and back, chest up – makes you look confident and younger!  If, however, you slouch and walk with your head down – no matter how confident you may be inside – you look defeated, weak and old on the outside.  It’s the difference between looking like a victim and a victor.  Studies prove that people who carry themselves in that victim posture are more likely to be bullied.

I got to thinking about the importance of posture spiritually, mentally and emotionally. Part of the definition of “posture” is carriage; bearing; attitude or frame of mind; the way things stand.  How you  carry yourself on the inside, becomes clearly visible on the outside.

You can have very different spiritual, mental and emotional postures and they will greatly affect the quality of your relationships, decisions and life.  

Spiritually you may believe you are in control of your life and that everything depends on you – essentially that you are your own ‘god.’ That particular spiritual posture will color the way you approach people and decisions and how you perceive and deal with circumstances and problems as well.  If, however, you have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and look to Him for direction and wisdom, your experience will be very different.

If your mental posture is negative – always expecting something bad to happen, thinking the worst consistently, seeing the glass always half empty – then it will affect your entire demeanor as well as all your relationships.  It will also cause physical stress in your body because those negative thoughts cause release of specific chemicals in your body.

If your emotional posture is one of anger, guilt, shame, defeat or fear instead of faith, love, joy and peace, life will be a constant battle for you.  You can’t physically look in a mirror and “see” your spiritual, mental or emotional postures.  They are interior, but they are clearly visible to everyone around you.  They not only affect your physical posture, but the words of your mouth are a dead give-away.

Pay attention to what you say on a daily basis for the next week.  Keep track and then honestly assess what you find.  Where do you stand on the inside?  Does it match your physical posture?  If it doesn’t, start standing up straight on the inside!

Are You Eating Beef from Happy Cows?

I just read an excellent article in Natural News, which asserts that grass-fed red meat is more nutrient dense than poultry, depending on the cow’s diet!   Cows are meant to eat grass and greens, not grains. The more grass and green foods they eat, the higher the anti-inflammatory omega 3 content in their meat and dairy.  This  is not only healthier for the cow, but produces food that is healthier for us. Conventionally raised cattle are fed grains like corn and soy and their flesh and by-products are higher in inflammatory omega 6 fats.  Most people eat too many processed, packaged foods, so they already get too much omega 6 fats.

Besides the high omega 3 levels these animals provide, they are also high in CLA, conjugated linoleic acid, which is a potent anti-cancer compound as well as a powerful metabolism booster.  And that’s not all!  There are also higher levels of carnitine, carnosine, branched chain amino acids  and zinc.

So why is beef higher in these nutrients than poultry?  It’s simply a matter of diet! Chickens and turkeys cannot live on grass alone because their digestive systems are not created for that diet.  Their feed is usually supplemented with anywhere from 25-50% of grain from corn or soy.

So then, the cleaner and more natural a diet the cattle are fed and the more humanely they are treated, the healthier the end product is for us.  There are some animals that are not just grass fed, but they are actually GreenFed and Green Finished, which goes a step beyond.  I am privileged to say that there are such products and they can be delivered directly from the farm to your door.

The benefits are numerous.  Compared with grain-fed beef, green-fed/green finished beef is:

1. Lower in total fat
2. Higher in beta-carotene and vitamin E
3. Higher in carnitine and branched chain amino acids
4. Higher in the B vitamins thiamin and riboflavin
5. Higher in the minerals calcium, magnesium, zinc and potassium
6. Higher levels of total omega-3s
7. A healthier ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids
8. Higher in conjugated linolenic acid (CLA), a potential cancer fighter
9. Higher carnosine, a potent antioxidant
10. Lower in the saturated fats linked with heart disease

The great thing is that you can get these benefits from the beef as well as the raw cheese and cultured dairy products, which are not available anywhere else.

Beef is not the dietary villain it’s been made out to be, IF you choose beef from cows that have been allowed to feed on their natural diet and have been raised properly.  In fact it can be a foundational food in a healthy diet.

So, the bottom line is this:   healthy cows produce healthy beef, milk and cheese. It’s up to you to make the best possible choice.

Side Effects –vs- Side Benefits – You Choose!

We’ve all seen the commercial for the current drug of choice on TV – some person in pain or looking sad and unable to enjoy life to the full.  Enter this “wonderful” drug; now they are smiling and doing all the things their hearts desire!  If you pay attention, the next thing you hear is a laundry list of possible side effects!  From every commercial I’ve seen – the side effects sound worse than the original ailment!

So are we just trapped in this catch-22:  We can improve a physical condition but the price we pay is the side effects that come along with the medication?  Let’s take one of the most common and popularly prescribed types of drug as an example:  antidepressants.

At least half of all Americans take at least one prescription drug, with one in six taking three or more medications and the number of Americans using antidepressants has doubled in only a decade.  Keep those statistics in mind.

I heard about a study reported in JAMA on a video from Longevity Now Conference by Dr. Hyla Cass – using 6 placebo controlled, double blind studies of 718 patients over at least 6 weeks on either an antidepressant or a placebo revealed that although those with the most severe depression had some benefit from the drugs, all others, those with mild, moderate and some suffering with severe depression had the same beneficial results with the placebo, except without side effects!

And those side effects are pretty nasty!  They include:

Fatigue, nausea, weight gain, brain fog, impaired judgment, blood sugar imbalances, sexual dysfunction, heart problems, increased suicide risk.

That last one is extremely alarming.  Actually over 700 published studies concluded that people on these drugs are twice as likely to attempt suicide as those on a placebo or natural nutrients to nourish their brains and balance them out.  However, it’s a lucrative business and doctors are writing more and more prescriptions for these moneymakers.

Your brain only weighs about 3 lbs but it uses about 20% of the nutrients you take in because without proper nutrition it cannot make neurotransmitters, the messenger brain chemicals.

The choice is always yours – you can take a drug, which is a “quick fix” to mask symptoms and deal with the resulting side effects or you can get to the root of the issue, find out what nutrients you are lacking or deficient in and work toward balancing your system.  It takes a bit longer – but you reap side benefits instead of dealing with side effects.

Here’s a great quote that sums it up nicely:  “Never take a pill that has more side effects than you have symptoms.”  Very wise advice!

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Mom Was Right!

One of my favorite strength training workouts is kettle bells.  I use a particular DVD program and the trainer is constantly telling us to stand tall, shoulders back, stomach sucked in.  Any time you exercise, using correct form makes all the difference.  If you try to do certain strength training exercises in particular with improper form, not only can you injure yourself, but you will not activate the right muscles – so the exercise will be ineffective.

This particular trainer encourages these form tips because he says “your body shapes the way you move it.”  That got me to thinking.  I know that if you do crunches for your abs improperly, you build those muscles out instead of flat and in. You can do thousands of crunches and if you don’t concentrate on intentionally keeping those abdominal muscles pulled in while you do them – they will permanently form “pooched” out!  Exactly what you DON’T want!

It also made me think about my dad.  Close to 30 years ago when he was in his mid-50’s he began walking with his shoulders curved forward slightly.  I remember his doctor telling him to do a set of posture exercises each morning that would’ve taken under 10 minutes a day in order to correct that.

Well, he ignored that, and now in his 80’s he is extremely bent over.  Not only does that posture make him look older, it has affected his breathing.  You try it – hunch over from the shoulders and then try and take a nice, deep breath.  It’s darned near impossible.  Then I remember my grandmother, my Giagia.  At close to 90, I remember looking at her sitting by her window and marveling at her beautiful posture.  She always reminded me to stand up straight and I am glad I listened. Recently as I walked through Walmart a woman stopped me and commented on my perfect posture.  All the reminders must have paid off.

Not only do you look slimmer and younger, but you just feel better and more confident when you hold yourself tall.

Make it a point for the next few days to intentionally be aware of your posture, when you stand, walk and sit.  And let me remind you right now:  stand tall, pull your abs in, relax your shoulders and walk like you’re someone special – because you are!

 

Are You Wearing A Designer outfit or Rags

The basis of the 3D Living Program is that we are tri-part beings:  we are spirits, we have a soul (mind, will and emotions) and we live in this physical body.  I usually call our physical body our “earth suit” since we can’t live on this planet without one.  I was listening to a teaching by Gloria Copeland called Live Long, Live Strong (It’s really good.  If you haven’t heard it, I highly recommend it.)  In one part she called our physical bodies our “clothes” that we wear on this earth.

It’s a good analogy and it got me thinking.  I know quite a few women who are extremely fashion conscious (including my daughter) and very knowledgeable about good clothing brands.  I happen to not be one of those so when they mention certain high end brand names – I have no idea what they are talking about.

However, I know when you spend a lot of money on an expensive designer outfit, you tend to treat it differently than you would rags, or your sister’s (or brother’s) old hand-me-downs.  You are careful not to drip pizza sauce on it and if it requires dry cleaning you wouldn’t think of throwing it in the wash.

Well, do you give as much thought to how you treat your physical body?  Most of us do not.  We put any old junk in them and expect them to not only run well, but to last us 80 or 90 years!  Most of us tend to treat these earth outfits like cheap hand-me-downs, rather than the exquisitely fashioned, unique, one-of-a-kind designer originals they truly are.

If you are guilty of that – take a few minutes to thank God for the beautiful job He did in creating your body and then make a sincere effort to take better care of it.  It’s the only one you get!

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100% Natural Foods – What Does That REALLY Mean?

Foods labeled “100% natural” can legally contain genetically modified (GM) ingredients? Bet you didn’t know that!  I didn’t. There really is no specific definition for what constitutes “natural food” on a processed food label.  It basically means nothing beyond being a marketing trick to make unsuspecting people think what they are purchasing is healthy.  Only USDA certified organic processed foods must be GM-free.

Regardless of where you’re shopping – whether it’s at a grocery store, large chain like Walmart or a farmer’s market, if you are buying processed packaged food and want to make the healthiest choice possible, there are some guidelines you can follow.

The foundational, basic principle is this:  educate yourself and carefully read labels!

Here are 5 specific things to consider:

1. Be sure it’s grown without pesticides and chemical fertilizers.  This can actually be true of organic as well as some non-organic foods.
2. Especially true of meat and poultry, it should be clearly marked that it contains no added growth hormones, antibiotics, or vaccines and is raised humanely, in accordance with the laws of nature.  Animals are fed their native diets (that means no GMO feed or plants) and have free-range access to the outdoors.
3. If it lists artificial anything – pass on it.
4. Sticking with whole foods is your best bet. In a processed food, like a nut butter for instance, it will not have a long list of ingredients – simply the nuts, possibly sea salt – and that’s it.  Always go for foods with the shortest list of ingredients you can actually pronounce and recognize!
5. For produce – choose what looks fresh.  Sometimes fresh local produce looks better than organic.

My overall recommendation is to look for the freshest foods in the least processed form.  That’s why I encourage you to focus your diet on nutrient-dense, fresh, whole foods as much as you can.  It’s also why I am proud to be an independent mission marketer for Beyond Organic.  I look for the highest quality I can afford for myself, my family and my clients.

Created for Health – Part Two

So here’s the “catch” I mentioned in the previous post, your part to play in this process.  You must provide your body with the raw materials it needs to perform this function.  The raw materials are the building blocks your body uses to nourish, strengthen and heal itself.  They come from your food, drinks, thoughts and habits!

Nutrition is the foundation and for good reason.  The old saying, “you are what you eat” is very true!  So the first step in cooperating with the beautiful process of healing and renewal going on in your body is to feed yourself the best quality real food you can.  I emphasize “real” food because much of what people fill up on isn’t real food, much less nutritious.  It’s loaded with artificial chemicals, colors, additives, sugar and empty calories that fill your belly and expand your waistline but starve your cells.  That’s a recipe for disaster!

Next, because much of the food sold in your supermarket is grown in mineral depleted soils, it is not nearly as nutritious as it could or should be.  So supplementing with good quality supplements becomes vital.

Your thoughts can either be toxic or healthy.  Personally, renewing your mind to God’s Word is the best way I know to get control of run-away, negative thinking that creates anxiety, fear and depression.  Everything begins in your thought life and that is why it is so important to be aware of it and consciously take control of it.

Finally, habits like exercising daily, spending time outside in God’s creation as often as possible, getting adequate sleep and rest and taking time to just enjoy your blessings are critical.  Make it a point to take time for yourself daily – even if it’s just 10 minutes.  Listen to music you love or read a few pages of a good book, take a short walk outside or work in your garden.

I believe you will find this link to an article I read in the Crusador newsletter, while advertising several of their products, informative, as it has common sense information taken from the Bible about real health.  You’ll notice many of the things he recommends agree with the 3D Living Plan included in Today’s the Day.

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Created for Health – Part 1

Your body is beautifully and elegantly created by God to repair and renew itself. It’s intelligently designed with an innate ability and power to heal itself.  Every system constantly works toward keeping you healthy and remaining in balance.  It’s truly amazing.

Unfortunately most people consider their body a machine – almost like their car.  It slowly deteriorates as it ages, especially if you don’t take very good care of it, and it constantly needs “maintenance” from doctors and drugs to repair the parts that age or are damaged.  I don’t see it that way.  Don’t get me wrong – I have no problem going to a doctor if I need to.  Thank God for them!  However, I believe your body is created to heal itself.  In fact your body performs this function continually, day in and day out whether you are aware of it or not!

Think about it – if you cut yourself, what happens?  Your body takes over and begins healing that cut.  If you break a bone, the same process kicks in.  It was thought that brain cells could not regenerate and once they were injured that was the end of that.  But research has proven that this is wrong!  Heart cells damaged by a heart attack were thought to be dead forever.  That’s been proven wrong as well – that heart tissue can repair and regenerate itself.

Your body continues repairing, renewing, regenerating and healing itself as long as you live – regardless of your age!  There is a “catch” however.  You do have a part to play in this process.  You must provide your body with the raw materials it needs to perform this function.  We’ll get into that in the next post!

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Dangerous Emotions and Negative Energy

Everything in this universe God created is composed of energy.  Every thought, emotion and word is energy in action and affects your physical body at a chemical and bioenergetic level.  Your body is affected by something physical like falling or being involved in an accident.  It is affected just as much by angry words, the shock of bad news or conversely a happy surprise phone call or expression of love or gratitude.

Those negative energetic hits we all experience can many times result in illness.  Your immune system, and ultimately your overall health and well-being, is profoundly influenced by your emotions.  Very basically, positive emotions, like gratitude, care, love and joy, can help strengthen your immune system, while negative emotions like anger, shame, guilt and fear, can deplete it.

A study done in the 1990’s measured the release of IgA, a substance your body produces when your immune system is kicked into high gear.  They found that when the study participants spent five minutes remembering something that evoked feelings of care and compassion, those levels not only increased, but remained higher for six hours.  Conversely, when asked to think about a situation that made them angry, their levels increased initially, but over the next 6 hours they dropped well below where they were before that experiment, proving that negative emotions can suppress your immune system for up to six hours!

In fact, it is not uncommon for devastating life events to trigger illness.  For example, a car accident could precipitate panic attacks or asthma; extreme shock or stress has been known to result in development of diabetes; the sudden loss of your job could result in asthma; skin problems like eczema or acne could erupt after the death of a loved one.  Even watching a scary movie not only affects you emotionally, but physically as well.  Same is true if you see graphic pictures of an accident.  You may feel nauseated.  Being in an angry environment can bring on a tension headache or upset stomach.

Could this be why  sometimes even when an illness is treated only with the conventional drugs most doctors prescribe, the problem may not be resolved?  It’s been well documented that 90% or more of all illness has an emotional root.

Three Dimensional Vitality  refers to health in all three dimensions, spirit, soul and body simply because all three are so closely interconnected and what affects one, affects all! Since energy connects spirit, soul and body, we would be wise to always stop and consider whether there is something that might have triggered a symptom or illness.  Symptoms are simply your body’s way of communicating.

All illness has an emotional/energetic component or is the result of energetic influences, whether energy that is stuck and can no longer flow freely, or is trapped in a negative feedback loop that you keep repeating over and over.  It becomes easy to see why a surgical or chemical approach alone may not be effective. We are created to be emotional, feeling beings.  Our God is a compassionate, feeling God and He intelligently created these bodies we live in here on this earth.  They speak volumes if we only listen.

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Same Time, Same Place?

Mindless, habitual eating becomes a pattern that is then set in the brain and very difficult to change unless you become aware of it and take conscious steps to interrupt it.  You know the kind of eating I’m talking about – the snack you have trained your body to expect each night when you watch your favorite TV show.  It could be a healthy snack or an unhealthy one – it doesn’t really matter.  It has been repeated in the same way, at the same time and in the same place so often that it has now become a habit.  It’s automatic. You do it without even thinking about it.  You don’t even have to be hungry!  – you are simply on cruise control doing what you always do at 8 pm or 3:30 or whenever –doing what you always do in that particular place at the usual time.

Once you begin a pattern of feeding your body a particular food every day, it not only expects it, it begins to demand it!  Your physical body can be quite the tyrant.  The interesting thing is, a study found that the quality of the food doesn’t matter much because you don’t really even taste it.

They gave people going into a movie theater popcorn.  Some got freshly popped and others were given week-old, stale popcorn.  The ones who habitually ate popcorn at the movies ate the same amount whether they got fresh or stale!  People who didn’t usually have popcorn at the movies, however, ate much less of the stale popcorn. When they conducted the same experiment, only this time in a meeting room and not a theater, all the study participants ate less of the stale snack because they were not in the usual place where they  expected to eat popcorn – no matter how it tasted!   They were aware of what they were eating as opposed to just eating out of habit.

The researchers concluded that environment has the most powerful impact on habitual eating.  In order to break a mindless eating habit, you first have to be aware of it.  Once you realize that you have formed an eating habit, you must do something to break or interrupt that pattern.  Sit in a different place; do that activity in a different room; eat with your other hand (if you’re right handed, eat with your left hand); change the timing.

Being mindful, especially when you are eating, is very important in order to eat for the right reason – to nourish and fuel your body.