"Positive Health Online ..."

Thrilled to share with you my first published article regarding     ♥Life with Intense Gerson Nutritional Therapy Programme:

http://www.positivehealth.com/article/cancer/life-with-intense-gerson-nutritional-therapy-programme

" Other People's Lives ... "

And the details make you shiver

But it's hard to escape

When your head is stuck in vice

Because nothing matters

In the self obsessive age

Where they dare you not to notice

But it's everywhere

In shocking color on the page ...

In the magazine

Staring out at me

Out of my TV

Other people's lives

Pixelated lives

Just like yours and mine

~ Duran Duran ~ Other People’s Lives ~

***

Do you have clarity about what you truly want and is your life exactly where you want it to be?  You may have a general sense of what you want like more money, loving relationship, fame ... but is it enough?

I recently read that without true clarity, you can fall prey to other people’s lives and agendas.  True clarity provides focus, makes things specific ... makes things happen.  So unless you are absolutely clear on what and how, it becomes much easier to get persuaded by someone else who has greater clarity than you.  And, you end of following their agenda.  Makes sense right?

You see, when you are clear, you are driven regardless of what pitfall is in your path.  When you are focused on what you want, you keep your eyes on the prize.

So now honestly ask yourself, are you achieving the results you want in life?  If not, here are some ways to help you gain clarity:

• determine you goal and why it is important to you
• list words and phrases that specifically describe what it would look like to accomplish this goal
• visualize how you feel if you did or did not achieve this goal
• prioritize this goal in your life
• write what are your first steps in accomplishing this goal
• confirm what you will sacrifice to make it happen

Most importantly, power in clarity comes from knowing what you want AND what gets in your way.  The dreaded word: Sabotage.  We have all been guilty of it so once you are clear about your self-sabotaging ways, you can address directly and put it to rest.

"Take stock of your current position and assess how happy YOU are with it.  Becoming more than you are at present means not accepting second best from yourself ... agenda setting is all about having a clear goal in mind. If your agenda is to take control over a certain part of your life, it's necessary to develop an action plan to tackle it ..."

This may seem fairly straightforward, but from my own experience, it takes time to get absolutely clear on what you want and how to get it.  Lots of things get in the way, but it is more than okay to take the time you need before you can truly own this process. 

The key is to keep trying to gain clarity and do what you need to do ... revisit, pray, meditate, and revise ... do whatever works for you.  The beauty is that soon things will become crystal clear and start manifesting quickly ... allowing you to live out YOUR agenda and not other people's lives.

" The Power ... "

I've got the power!

I've got the power!

Hey, yeah! ...

It's gettin', it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda hectic

It's gettin', it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda hectic ...

I've got the power!

I've got the power! ...

Quality, I possess

Some say I'm fresh

With my voice close to the mesh

Of the microphone that I am holdin'

Copy written lyrics so they can't be stolen

If they are: Snap!

Don't need the police

Don't try to say them, your voice'll sink

So please, stay off my back

Or I will attack, and you don't want that!

I've got the power!

~ Snap ~ The Power ~

***

Recently I read a bird analogy which made sense ... chickens peck, turkeys struct, birds fly but eagles soar.  Which one do you want to be?  Considering chickens hang out in groups, have wings but don’t fly and will eat whatever is placed before them, I’d rather be an eagle.  Eagles fly higher than any other known bird, build their nest up high and are very selective about what I eat.  

Realization: Embrace the powerful being I am

Next, seek out the company and support of other eagles.  So very important ... why?  Well if eagles stay on the ground too long and hang out with the chickens there is a possibility they will take on the behaviour of chickens ... and not only will the eagle no longer soar, but she may forget how to fly.  

Realization: Embrace the fullness of who I am

For me, when I think of an eagle I think of how powerful this bird is and it makes me think about what exactly does it mean to stand in my OWN power.  So perhaps it is about exercises our OWN gifts.  We all have gifts, it's a matter of choice ... if we choose to share with others.  Believe that operating in your gifts without fear or reservation can be the most powerful moment, considered a calling or gift from the Divine.  

Realization: Embrace the gifts of which I have

External pressures such as relationship challenges, personal failures and feelings of betrayal, can erode our internal sense of power.  Isn’t it true that the people you are always trying to please are never satisfied?  They constantly demand proof, actions, and personal favours to recognize your gifts.  

Realize that those that value your power will also value your use and protection of that power.  As we learn to stand in our power, we recognize that we must be good guardians over the gifts within us.

Surround yourself with people who inspire, motivate and value you will help you ~ they step up your game in your overall life.  Hang around people that aren’t so comfortable is the fastest way to get out of your OWN comfort zone ... because the more you fly with the eagles, the less you will be concerned about the actions of chickens.  

" Safe ... "

You make me feel safe 

Someday 

My darkest fears will find their way 

After all 

Somebody loves me (loves me, loves me) 

All day 

My heart tells strangers how I feel 

And it's hard not to feel this way 

When you thought your future was on prescription 

You make me feel safe 

You make me feel safe

~ George Michael ~ Safe ~

***

How do you protect yourself?  How do you live, open hearted and free, if you don’t feel safe?  Are you safe?  Can you trust your world?  These days, sneaking up inside of me, I quietly ponder these questions ...

The world is your oyster ... isn’t that the popular saying ... but what happens when a variety of pressures feel like your world is closing in.  You feel like you are grasping for air, barely above water and unsure of what is next and anxious. 

So isn’t the real question ... where is this coming from?

Well, from an early age, we often seek another to keep us safe, free from harm.  We learn to expect this from our parents and loved ones.  And as we grow older, we look to our siblings, our friends, our spouse ... and possibly beyond ... anyone?

Truthfully, as a conscious adult, there are times I want to go back to that early age and have someone else “just take care of it”.  I want no part in the responsibility of making my life, creating my life.   

Why?  ... because I don’t want to be responsible for the consequences of my decisions 

Why? ... because, it scares the hell out of me.

Yep, hide my head in the sand and hope it will all just go away ... 

Sometimes it feels easier for someone else to decide ... but then I ask myself, are you truly a creator of your life?  And even though I write a great deal about empowerment and taking responsibility of my own needs, I still struggle with this because I have no guarantee of being safe.  But then I ask myself, who really is safe?

Living your life with an open heart and open arms requires you to take risks.  Yet with that comes setting good boundaries.  Which in my past, I haven't done a good job of ... take for example how I have allowed others to come into my world that perhaps didn’t deserve to.  Resulting in disrespectful and hurtful behaviours.  Upon reflection, I can only blame myself because I allowed it to happen *sigh ... dealing with consequences of inaction?

So how do you prevent pitfalls but still take risks?  Hmmm, not sure if that is even possible in complex human experiences.  But since the world is a mirror, the real process begins with working on yourself first.  

Say what you mean and mean what you say ...  if something doesn’t feel right, speak up, because the only reason for not communicating is because of fear.  And if they don’t understand and walk away, as painful as it is, they did you a massive favour.

So my mission ...

• to create a nurturing environment in my heart by listening, paying attention, and honoring my needs 
• to believe we are always protected
• to practice compassion towards myself 
• and to create a safe and open doorway so trustworthy people can enter my life

I have realized that no matter how much I try to dart it, safety and trust in my life is my responsibility.  So I need to let it scare me if it does, try to enjoy it if I can and then live my life by it which I intend to ...

" Breaking The Rules ... "

Black sheep and a renegade

Hot feet in the cool of the shade

The street jungle and the tough childhoods

Examinations done no good

Got crow bars and hot wired cars

Sneak thieves and cheap cigars

No rebellion not today

I get my kicks in my own way

Right ok

Just keep on breakin' the rules

C'mon get ready to rule ...

Tough breaks

Ready to rule

I'm gonna do things my own way

Everyday, everyday,

In everyway

I ain't gonna pay no attention to your rules

~ AC/DC ~ Breaking The Rules ~
***

I have read that if you don’t break any rules you will continue to do the same things every day.  Many believe, well that’s how we have always done it, which is the cornerstone for most answers ... 

Yet if we think about it, our rules have consequences.  They cause us to be victims to them.  You see we all have certain rules that run our lives ... dictate whether or not we can feel happiness and success, dictate whether we even feel loved.  And we may not even be aware but some of these rules are designed for us to fail ... subconsciously making us feel bad.

Honestly ask yourself the following questions:

• do your rules contribute to a feeling of not being good enough?  
• what are some of your primary rules for success?  
• do they make sense and are they within your control?  
• are they making you feel good?  
• do you truly feel loved?
• how do you shake the expectations and believes?

Yet we can reach a moment when we get tired of living by all the rules set up by everyone else and decide to do our own thing.  

• we stop being restrained by some man-made code
• we stop becoming rule and code overloaded 

Life is unpredictable, so the opportunity is now to define it how you want it.  Take care of your health. Get rid of friends that bring you down or hold you back.  Surround yourself with real people.  Go against the grain if you wish and enjoy every moment of it.

Sometimes we just need to break our rules, make them easier or adopt new ones.  Instead of relying on other’s rules for meeting our needs, we recreate our own so that we meet our needs the way we want them met.  This way we can ensure that we are not a victim to our own rules or anyone elses ...

" Fly Like An Eagle ... "

Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin' 

Into the future 

Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin' 

Into the future 

I want to fly like an eagle 

To the sea 

Fly like an eagle 

Let my spirit carry me 

I want to fly like an eagle 

Till I'm free 

Fly through the revolution 

Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin' 

Into the future 

Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin' 

Into the future 

~ Steve Miller ~ Fly Like An Eagle ~

***

Here we are ... Month 19 of the Gerson Therapy.  Sounds unreal doesn’t it?  Yeah, to me as well ... looking back, I vividly remember my first day at the Clinica Nutricion Y Vida in Tijuana.  It is a day in my life, a pivotal moment, I am forever grateful for and will never forget ...

Those who continue to ask “are still doing that thing” ... yes I am.  I have another 5 months to go till I reach the two year mark and then, we reassess.  In the meantime, I will continue to have my lab work monitored.  So far so good ... and if I am truly honest, I am tired and bored of my therapy schedule.  I cannot wait for the variety of healthy foods I will be able to add ... I cannot wait for the flexibility of time I will be able to experience.  Yes I tell myself, this too shall come, be patient, as you are on the home stretch (I believe you Jolene!!).

As well, this is a time of a great deal of unknowns for me as I don’t know what my career will look like going forward.  Mainly because life is different since pre-diagnosis.  I want so much more out of my life, I want to travel, I want to make a profound difference regarding humanity ... and I am trying to find my purpose.  

In the past 19 months I continue to discover that ... 

• letting go of self-interest opens the door to recognizing your true self
• knowing who you are inside ... your true values, secret desires, imagination, your capacity for love, empathy, generosity ... all relate to and inform your life purpose
• using my mental and creative energies to serve something larger than myself will help me find my life purpose
• and learning from my choices and way of life can give me important feedback about the path I’ve been on, in relation to my deeper life purpose
  

So, instead of fine tuning or tweaking what I’ve been doing in my work, maybe looking at what it tells me about my longings and inner vision that I might be trying to express through my outer life?

Being open to the feedback my actions have provided during this leg of my journey is a good start.  There are times when I felt a pull towards some purpose, activity or goal.  It is what reflects my inner self ... I just need the courage to pursue it fully and with great intent.

 Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. 

There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe that your critics are right. 

To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires courage 

♥ Ralph Waldo Emerson

" Rise Up ... "

(Rise up rise up) Oh rise and show your power
(Rise up rise up) Were dancing into the sun
(Rise up rise up) It's time for celebration
(Rise up rise up) Spirits time has come ...

We want lovin' we want laughter again
We want heartbeat
We want madness to end
We want dancin'
We wanna run in the streets
We want freedom to live in this peace
We want power
We want to make it ok
Want to be singin' at the end of the day
Children to breathe a new life
We want freedom to love who we please
It's time for a celebration ...

(Rise up rise up) Everbody's time has come
Spirits time has come
Spirits time has come
(Rise up rise up) Oh rise and show your power.

~ The Parachute Club ~ Rise Up ~

***

The definition of “get a rise out of” is to make very angry, to bother, to egg on, to enrage, to fire up, to get under one’s skin, to inflame, and/or to infuriate.  Either we have been the one reacting or the one looking for the reaction.  Not our proudest moments, but perhaps familiar ...

So how do you know if you have a button pusher (B pusher) in your life?  

B pushers drape their tone with sarcasm so that they can get their point across with intent to convince you ... and make you feel as if you are wrong or your opinion isn’t worthwhile. 

B pushers taunt you into debating on silly, petty topics.  They lure you into an argument with the intent to offend.  An argument they have already won in their minds.

B pushers feel their opinion is the only right one.  They insert their voice into every conversation because they feel everyone else is off in left field somewhere.  They choose to dominate all interactions.

B pushers hog up the whole conversation talking about themselves or what they think, like, dislike or feel.  They don’t let you get a word in edgewise.  They think you are their sounding board and they must be in control, always.

So how do you deal with the B pusher in your life?

First, you have to acknowledge that you are tired of having your buttons pushed.  This intention will allow you to feel better and help you get in touch with your personal power.  Being honest about the fact you don’t like having your buttons pushed will help motivate you to look for solutions.

Second, take this empowerment and do something about it.  Confront you B pusher, politely.  You could give them the benefit of the doubt, assuming they are unaware of their behaviour.  Explain your reasoning and offer a solution.

Third, if the behavior doesn’t stop, take matters into your own hands.  You choose who is in your life and you allow people to treat you in the manner you wish to be treated.

Last, focus more on what you do like about the person than what you don’t like.  Put their behaviour in perspective.  Is it intentional?  What is the logic behind their actions?  Try to understand their motives instead of jumping to conclusions.  

Remember you might just be pushing their buttons as well ... 

" Go On ... "

Just go on

There are still so many things

I wanna to say to you

But go on, Just go on

The moment that we start ...

What is the purpose of my life

If it doesn't ever do

With learning to let it go ...

You can do the same

It's the least you can do ...

So go on, Just go on ...

The moment that we start

~ Jack Johnson ~ Go On ~

When faced with life’s painful challenges, we often wonder if there is an end in sight.  Coping requires emotional endurance ... “the ability to keep an ordeal of indefinite length from sapping your emotional health”.  And sometimes you need someone to help you when saying “this too shall pass?” isn’t enough.  Thankfully, that help is present in my life from my friend Ally.

Our loving walks and talks cover a wide range of topics.  And recently we discussed the significance of emotional endurance ... how sometimes you lose the ability to take life's ups and downs in stride emotionally.  Staying strong for a long journey takes work and some days it is far from easy.  We talked about how it was important to focus on the positive, but it was okay to not always feel positive ...

Many can relate to emotional spectrum aka mood swings, ranging from curiosity to exhaustion, excitement to fear, light heartiness to sadness.  We all have “something” going on in our lives.  Every day is different, requires adjustments and quick thinking.  

So how do you cope and keep going on?  Here are some things I am now practicing ...

• write down every concern you have, sort them and focus your attention on those that matter most and those you can do something about
• give yourself credit for your efforts, especially when the ultimate goal is far away
• seek the good wherever you can find it and cultivate a habit of gratitude
• practice a sense of humor and focus on a positive future and the willingness to grow

You don’t have to pretend that you never have a bad day and you don’t have to be judged for having one.  Solutions are rarely immediate and perfect and sometimes we need to slog along in the swamp ... and just keep going on ...

We can do anything we want to do if we stick to it long enough ~ Helen Keller 

" Soak ... "

Like the sea

You're always pushing, for change

All that I can see is a pool of rain

Wish I thought of this much sooner

It felt so right

All the secrets soaked, can't put out the flames

After all you were right

So beautiful

Held the wrongs, from the rights

So beautiful

Open mind show me your details, and more ...

So beautiful

So beautiful

~ One Side Zero ~ Soak ~

***

No matter how “clean” our diets are, most of us realize that our bodies are filled with many toxins.  And these toxins can make you tired, fatigued, and sometimes very sick.  

There are many products available to help draw toxins out of your body ... in pill form, liquid form and even in patch forms.  But they aren't the only ways you can rid your body of toxins.

Using baths to detoxify the body is a practice that has been used since ancient times.  Bath therapy, also called “balneotherapy” was used by Hippocrates for healing because he believed detoxification was a primary means of healing the body.  The technique involves immersing the body in a bath containing ingredients that pull toxins out through the skin. 

Since the skin is the body’s largest elimination organ, it is a huge bi-directional “sponge” that can be used to absorb nutrients and to expel toxins.

So why is it important to detoxify?  Well toxins are pollution in our bodies and polluted cells don’t work well.  The more toxic our cells become, illness and dis-ease result.  Pretty straightforward.  And, many people testify that when they eliminate toxic lifestyle habits and detox, they eliminate illness and their health improves.

The beauty of a detox bath is that it improves circulation, stimulates internal heat to help eliminate excesses fat and toxins, improves sleep quality, improves dermatological conditions, improves digestion and elimination, and calms the mind.  

Also a hot water soak is enough for a gentle detox, as the act of bath therapy induces the body to sweat.  Sweat is one of he body’s best forms of detox.  Yet, I like to add ingredients that enhance the experience.  And I also make sure the water I use does not have extra toxins within it ... we use a filter on our taps to ensure chlorine and other toxins are removed.  And thankfully, our city water does not contain fluoride.  

There are many detoxing supplements you can add to help your body rid itself of toxins.  Here are some of the options you can try:

• Bentonite Clay (therapeutic-grade) * my favorite
• Ginger 
• Raw Honey 
• Activated Charcoal
• Coconut Oil
• Organic, Raw, Apple Cider Vinegar

With a vast amount of information available on the benefits of detox baths and how to prepare them, I highly recommend doing your own research and finding the one that is right for you.  Always remember to be safe and smart, if something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t right for you, regardless of the literature provided ... and check with your health care practitioner first if you have high blood pressure and/or heart conditions.

As one of the easiest, most deeply nourishing detox therapies you can do at home, sometimes all it takes is a hot bath to cleanse your body, mind and soul ... just simple, pure water is a magic elixir and a powerful healer ...