Discovering Your Life Purpose

Discovering Your Life Purpose
HEALTH AND WELLNESS Discovering your Life Purpose You Were
Born To Live

Never before has there been a time when healing and
personal growth has been in the forefront of Consciousness
in the Human race.

The state of the world and the changing climates has
brought consciousness to an all time high! People around
the planet are asking the questions of their mortality.

The Baby Boomers are almost at retirement age and are
asking the questions of Who they are, how they can heal
Body, Mind and Soul. Coming from a life or a school of
hard knocks I have had to learn how to survive, why to
survive, and what in the Bleep %^&@* I am on this planet
earth for anyway!

Fortunately I did not have to be a baby boomer to start
asking these questions. I have spent a life time asking
these thought provoking questions. Sometimes, standing on
a cliff screaming on the top of my lungs to the universe.
It was not until I was over 40 that I was finally heard. I
had lost my first child of 13 years to suicide that I
screamed so loud inside my head for meaning and purpose for
staying here.

I would like to back up a bit. My life of Trauma consisted
of everything you could imagine and I am not ready to write
a book of the details. Only that I was on the brink of
jumping off the cliff into the abyss if someone or
something did not hear me and give me some answers pronto.
It was at that point that I began to find answers and
miracles began to happen. I say that because doors opened,
books fell into my hands, people I would never have met all
came into my life. I began to channel spirit entities,
angels and receive books that expanded my consciousness to
work with energy, and was shown many ways to heal myself
and my inner wounds.

I was on an upward climb when I was knocked down with a
sledge hammer when I found my 13 year old son that fateful
April day in 95'. My journey started all over again right
from the beginning it seemed. I had to find the strength
to climb up out of the hole again. I repeated the whole
process of healing and had to search even deeper within.
My communication with my guides stopped. They refused to
come through me anymore until I practiced what they taught
me instead of making a parlor game out of them. I fell
apart once more. Eventually, when I felt I was on even
ground again my guides began communicating verbally through
me once again. My life seemed to gain some momentum. What
I needed was always provided when I asked.

Then 5 years later I got another panic and grief stricken
phone call. My second son who was 18 was found missing (
he just moved 2000 miles away from me). I had just dropped
him off at the airport from a short visit he had with me.
24 hours later he was found cold, he took his own life
also. Again, my life took a huge plunge into despair.

Only this time, with the tools and spiritual help from my
angels and guides I was shown meaning and a greater
understanding about our world, our purpose and why we are
here and what it is all about. Through all this my
children have found a way to communicate through me and
they drop in to say hi or to wish me a happy birthday or to
just say they love me.

Healing is a life time process. I now know why I am here
and what my purpose is. Through my experiences and all my
traumas I am a true healer because I have been there and
bought the shirt and own the tools for healing.

Last week, my third son who is 21 and my baby was in a car
accident and lost all four fingers on his left hand. We
are both very strong and together we know we are survivors
and I can teach him what I know because I have been there
and have been shown the way home.

The various forms of healing come in many different ways.
These are just a few that I have personally used to heal
myself. Hypnosis, Self Awareness, Healthy Diet, Reiki
(healing with energy) meditation, yoga, inner child work,
channeling, meditation, mind control, exercise only to
mention a few. Each one may focus on one aspect of self
but inevitability heals the body as a whole.

I know I am not finished my journey. I have been told it
has just begun. But I will smile more and be a beacon for
others. So, I will just accept and go with that!

----------------------------------------------------
About the Author
Patsy Gagnon is an inspirational writer, A wellness
practitioner, a Registered Certified Counseling
Hypnotherapist, Usui Reiki Master, a channeler, and a
healer. Connect with Patsy at
http://www.nourishbodyandsoul.com

Balancing Work and Caregiving

Balancing Work and Caregiving
Many cancer caregivers have full-time, or even part-time
jobs...and feel stressed and torn between their job and
caregiving. Here are some tips to help acknowledge and
reduce that stress.

Be Up Front With Your Employer

Be honest with both your supervisor and the human resources
department (if you have one) about your caregiving
situation. Don't apologize or offer excuses. Be ready to
discuss any changes they may note in your availability or
schedule. Be honest about the needs of your family, and
discuss why you may need to not take on any additional
responsibilities or even travel. Ask about the company's
policy for caregiver support (even if you don't need time
off now, it's good to know ahead of time). And be sure to
check out your state's Family Leave Act to see if you
qualify.

Offer Suggestions

Once your employer understands your situation, they'll be
much more likely to work with you. Come prepared to your
meeting with suggestions that will help you....for example
working from home a portion of the time, developing flex
time (coming in early or staying late on days you need
flexibility), or taking longer lunch hours to help your
loved one with appointments or follow up on outstanding
issues. Your employer may have additional options for you.
They often offer resources in terms of sick days, vacation
days, comp time, and in cases of crisis, your colleagues
may be allowed to donate accrued time to you. It's worth a
discussion!

Ask for Support

Don't be afraid to ask for help. Colleagures, friends,
family, and church groups are often eager to assist -- they
often just don't know how to help or what you need.

Ask someone to help you look into respite care so you have
support if you need it while at work to have time for
yourself. There are many community, local, and national
resources to support you in this. You can start with the
National Family Caregiver Association is an excellent place
to start. If you need to, you may be able to utilize The
Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), a national policy that
guarantees covered employees 12 weeks of unpaid leave each
year to care for a seriously ill family member while
ensuring job security.

Self-Care

Caregivers often become depressed and depleted of energy.
In order to give your best, to yourself and others, you
must take time daily to take care physically, mentally, and
spiritually.

Physically: Eat healthy and well-balanced meals regularly.
Exercise every day, even if it's just taking a short walk.
Use relaxation or stress management techniques, such as
meditation, visualization, journaling and yoga. Schedule
time for this every day or it probably won't happen.

Mentally: Acknowledge your own feelings around the cancer
journey. Vent to family members, a counselor, or friends,
not coworkers. Stay actively involved with friends and
hobbies. Create a support network and/or join a support
group.

Spiritually: Take time, even as little as 15 minutes per
day, for prayer or meditation. Read or subscribe to
inspirational magazines, newsletters or books to keep
yourself inspired and uplifted. Consider seeking the
counsel of a minister in your community. Following these
tips will help you take care of your job, your loved one,
and yourself -- all of which are important.

----------------------------------------------------
Jayne Hutchinson was immersed into a new world after her
husband was diagnosed with cancer. She found there was
little information and support available for spouses and
partners. She created the My Loved One Has Cancer web site
to fill that gap.This web site features comprehensive
resources and tools to make the cancer journey easier for
the spouse or partner of a loved one with cancer.

http://www.mylovedonehascancer.com

Why are you addicted to chocolate?

Why are you addicted to chocolate?
Many find chocolate irresistible - including myself. We
crave chocolate, we savor it, and we enjoy it. There comes
the passion for chocolate - or rather the chocolate
addiction.

What is the chemistry inherent in this passion or
addiction? How does it make so many of us become addicted
to chocolate?

The reason is simple: chocolate is an addicting drug.
Scientists have found that naloxone, an opiate blocker,
reduces chocolate addiction. This is strong evidence that
chocolate is addictive, just like any other drug. However,
chocolate is only a mild version of addicting drug - but
enough to have the brain effect that creates the real,
compulsive attraction.

In addition to caffeine (although not nearly as much as
coffee), chocolate contains other chemicals, such as
theobromine, phenylethylamine, that create marijuana-like
effect on the brain. Such chemical effect of chocolate on
the brain is significant and substantial, especially when
the chocolate seduction is reinforced by the smell, taste,
and texture of chocolate.

But the chocolate industry would like us to believe that
chocolate is good for our health.

Chocolate is good for you because it comes from a fruit
tree, which contains antioxidants with beneficial heart
benefits, especially dark chocolate. According to the
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, chocolate reduces
your body's absorption of fat. In addition, chocolate
contains flavonoids more potent than vitamin C in reducing
your bad cholesterol.

But, is chocolate really healthy for you?

The truth of the matter is that if you absolutely love
chocolate, you would like to believe anything - especially
what you want to believe.

Firstly, most scientific studies on the health of chocolate
are funded by the industry - a valid reason to take every
positive finding with a grain of salt.

Chocolate is made from cocoa beans from a fruit tree.
Almost all plants contain antioxidants. If you really love
antioxidants, then go for vegetables and fruits, not
necessarily chocolate. The problem with chocolate is that
coca beans are so bitter that loads of fat and sugar are
added to make chocolate taste good and sweet. As a result,
chocolate is loaded with calories, sixty percent of which
come from fat, which contributes to cholesterol increase
and weight gain. One ounce of chocolate contains as much as
one-hundred-fifty calories with forty to fifty percent fat.
M&M semisweet baking chocolate contains a whopping almost
four hundred calories, over ten grams of saturated fat and
more than forty grams of sugar! Do you honestly think these
ingredients are healthy for you?

In addition, chocolate, which contains caffeine, not only
irritates your kidneys and thins your blood, but also
changes your mood.

Chocolate is unhealthy due to its unhealthy ingredients,
which may cause headaches, obesity, heartburn, and
emotional problems. If you must eat chocolate occasionally,
go for quality ones, not the cheap ones which are mostly
sugar, trans fats, artificial colorings, flavorings, and
preservatives. Read the label! Watch out for additives and
added fats! Or simply resist the chocolate temptation, if
you can!

Eat chocolate just because you like it, and not because it
is healthy!

If chocolate does not make you any healthier, does it make
you happier?

A study of self-confessed chocolate addicts found that
chocolate could give them a sense of contentment. However,
the pleasure was accompanied by a sense of guilt, which
could trigger an eating disorder. Worse, chocolate cravings
were not driven by hunger: they binged on chocolate even
when they were full.

If you crave chocolate only occasionally, you need not be
overtly concerned. However, if you binge on chocolate, it
could spell trouble down the road. Chocolate can do a lot
more than just packing on the pounds if the addiction
intensifies. The addictive effects differ from one person
to the next. So it is of paramount importance that you pay
attention to how chocolate affects your mood.

----------------------------------------------------
Stephen Lau is a researcher, writing medical research for
doctors and scientists. His publications include "NO
MIRACLE CURES" a book on healing and wellness. He has also
created several websites on health and healing, including
the following:
http://www.longevityforyou.com
http://www.rethinkyourdepression.com

Symptoms of Acid Reflux

Symptoms of Acid Reflux
The symptoms of GERD or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease are
heartburn, regurgitation or acid reflux, and nausea. Other
symptoms may also present if the situation is not corrected.

Acid reflux or Gerd are not diseases like the
pharmaceutical companies would like us to believe. They are
only conditions which makes them very easy to correct, and
they should be before the problem causes even more damage
to your digestive organs.

When your acidic stomach gases reflux on a constant basis
they can cause the delicate cells of the esophagus to
become inflamed and if the condition is not corrected it
can lead to erosion of your esophagus. This can make
swallowing extremely difficult.

In the majority of cases people experience reflux because
the valve that separates the esophagus from the stomach is
being forced open from too much stomach pressure being
exerted against the Lower Esophageal Sphincter valve (LES).
Once the valve is forced open the acidic gases, and
sometimes the stomach acid itself, will reflux into your
esophagus

When reflux takes place the gases can effect your larynx
and cause hoarseness, and they can even aspirate into your
lungs and cause asthma-like symptoms. Imagine if you were
diagnosed with asthma and put on asthma medication, when
the real cause of your problem was only reflux. It happens
all of the time.

The Lower Esophageal Sphincter and the esophagus do not
have a protective coating to protect them like the stomach
does, and over time the acid will cause problems. Continued
acid exposure to these unprotected digestive organs will
increase the probability of more damage and your heartburn
or acid reflux will increase in severity

Continued acid exposure to your esophagus can lead to
Barrett's Esophagus which is where the stomach cells start
growing in your esophagus. This is natures way of
protecting your esophagus from any further damage. However
in a small number of cases, Barrett's Esophagus can lead to
esophageal cancer. Which is one of the fastest growing
cancers we have today.

It is the Lower Esophageal Sphincter or LES that is
responsible for keeping the stomach acid in your stomach.
However if your stomach pressure is increased and you find
that you are experiencing stomach bloating, burping or
flatulence more than normal you are more than likely in an
acidic condition, which is causing the problems.

What Causes Increased Stomach Pressure?

Stomach pressure can be increased from a number of
different things such as gastritis, H.pylori bacterium,
IBS, ulcers, being too acidic, consuming a large meal,
swallowing air, carbonated drinks, anger, frustration or
stress.

The pressure from your stomach is being exerted against
your LES valve and once the pressure becomes too great it
will override the valve, forcing it open and allowing the
gases to reflux into your esophagus.

----------------------------------------------------
William Lagadyn, medical researcher and author unravelled
the mysteries of heartburn and acid reflux over 20 years
ago. For more information on how to protect your health and
solve your digestive problems without the use of
potentially dangerous drugs, visit
http://www.cureyourheartburn.com
Copyright 2007 William Lagadyn

Quick Weight Loss Diets How Do You Know If They are Working?

Quick Weight Loss Diets How Do You Know If They are Working?
I come across individuals all the time that tell me they
have followed a quick weight loss diet, but don't know if
it worked or not.

What do you mean you don't know if it worked or not?

Did you lose weight? Did your body fat percentage
decrease? You have to know if it worked or not.

I then ask them if they took any measurements and body fat
calculations at the beginning of the quick weight loss diet.

Usually the answer is no.

So I guess they are really telling the truth about not
knowing if they lost any weight or not. Generally they say
they got on the scale in the beginning and then weighed
themselves at the end.

The scale can give you some answers, but it won't tell you
the whole story on whether or not your quick weight loss
diet is successful. It can also give you plenty of false
numbers along the way that will discourage your efforts.

To be successful at fast weight loss you need to be
obviously eating properly, but also strength training.
Strength training produces lean body mass which is weight
on the scale, but looks great on your body and is key to
keeping the fat off once you have lost it.

If I only used the scale as my measuring tool and I lost 10
pounds of fat and gained 5 pounds of lean muscle the scale
would tell me that I only lost 5 pounds.

I would think that I failed.

If I took before measurements, pictures and body fat
calculations I would know that I lost 8% body fat, 4 inches
off my waist and gained 5 pounds of lean body mass.

I now know that my quick weight loss diet was successful.
The scale didn't tell me those numbers.

Before you start any exercise or quick weight loss diet
program make sure that you not only take before pictures,
but you also find out what your body fat percentage is and
your circumference measurements.

This way you have all the evaluative tools to tell you if a
program is successful or not. It will also tell you if you
need to modify that program so that you see better and
quicker results.

I advise those looking to follow a quick weight loss diet
program to start with all these baseline measurements and
re-take them every 2-3 weeks to re-evaluate your progress.
This will ensure that you know quickly if you need to
modify anything with your exercise or diet program so that
you can garner more successful weight loss.

Don't just assume a quick weight loss diet program is going
to work. You have to measure the results and make
modifications to suit you individually. This is the way to
guarantee successful weight loss.

----------------------------------------------------
If you're interested in taking your fat-loss efforts to an
entirely new level, grab this free fat loss report which
details 36 potent foods for boosting your metabolism and
how to lose weight fast- http://thecarbrotationdiet.com

Does Increasing Lifespan Also Increase Brainspan?

Does Increasing Lifespan Also Increase Brainspan?
We have are fortunate enough today to expect to live about
20 years longer than our grandparents did. Since the 1950s,
we have enjoyed a two-decade increase in lifespan. The
downside is there is a big difference between lifespan and
healthspan, which is the number of years that you remain
healthy.

A new editorial in Archives of Internal Medicine looks at
the health of people reaching 100 years of age. Today there
are 55,000 centenarians in the US. The people that make it
that far today generally fare pretty well. That's because
it's still difficult to reach that status without some
strong genes and a healthy lifestyle.

But modern medicine is pushing more and more people to a
ripe old age. In fact, conservative estimates predict
800,000 centenarians by 2050. That's a lot of people
reaching 100 so the issue of healthspan becomes a very
important consideration. A specific component of
healthspan that most people care deeply about is their
brainspan, or the number of years you maintain a healthy
brain. Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia are
probably the most feared diseases we have. The vast
majority of people rate brain health at the top of their
list for quality of life indicators. The more fit your
brain, the better you feel.

Unfortunately, increases in brainspan have not yet
paralleled increases in lifespan. Over the age of 65, there
is still a 5% chance of having Alzheimer's disease. Over
the age of 85, those odds jump to 50%. But frankly, those
statistics are much scarier than they need to be. When
people hear statistics like that, they tend to feel
helpless, as if they are rolling the dice. However, when it
comes to your brainspan you can weight the dice in your
favor.

Saying that people over 85 have a 50% chance of having
Alzheimer's disease is a little misleading. The real
statement is that by the age of 85, 50% of people have
Alzheimer's disease. That may seem like the same thing, but
it's really a very different statement. Putting it the
first way, it seems that everyone has a 50-50 chance of
getting the disease, but that's not really true. Some folks
have a very high chance, while others are completely safe.
Your chance of developing Alzheimer's by the age of 85 is
not necessarily 50% - so what is it?

The new editorial cites a 2004 study that looked at
correlations between metabolic syndrome and cognitive
decline. Metabolic syndrome is a collection of problems,
including abdominal obesity, high cholesterol, high blood
pressure and difficulty controlling blood sugar (usually
insulin resistance).

About 1 in 5 (23%) adults have metabolic syndrome in the US
today, but almost 1 in 2 (43%) of folks over 75 find
themselves in this state, curiously similar to the number
of people with Alzheimer's disease at that age.

In fact, researchers found that those with metabolic
syndrome had a much greater chance of experiencing
cognitive decline. The good news is that metabolic syndrome
is highly preventable by simply eating better and
exercising. It just takes a little investment of effort to
dramatically shift the odds in your favor.

Now, this study was only observational, meaning researchers
can't conclude that metabolic syndrome causes Alzheimer's.
However, many other studies show that similar risk factors
are involved in both diseases and it's not a stretch to
think that if you take care of your body you will also be
taking care of your brain.

We understand perfectly well the relationship between
saving and investing money throughout your career to enable
a comfortable retirement. If you choose not to save
anything, you aren't surprised when you retire broke.

Yet, this association of investing in the health of your
body and brain doesn't seem to be as obvious to many folks.
Perhaps it's because we don't get monthly balance
statements to watch our 'health accounts' grow or shrink.
Yet, the relationship between lifestyle and late-life brain
health is clear.

This is more important today than ever. Since modern
medicine will likely help you stretch your lifespan by many
years, wouldn't it be nice to do the same for your
brainspan?

----------------------------------------------------
Learn to control stress, improve your metabolism and boost
your intelligence with the four cornerstones of Brain
Fitness. Visit http://www.BrainFitForLife.com for FREE
Brain Fitness resources.

How Not To Lose 23 Pounds In A Month

How Not To Lose 23 Pounds In A Month
Would you like to lose over 20 pounds in a month? OK,
that's actually pretty easy. You can go on a crazy diet and
drop over 20 pounds. But do you know what's going to happen
next month?

Next month you will gain 10 pounds back, and the month
after you will gain 10 more. Now you are back where you
started. But of course you will gain some more pounds in
the third month and now you are heavier than when you were
before the diet.

I call this the diet disaster cycle. Go through this cycle
a couple of times a year for a few years and you are really
in trouble. Yo-yoing like this is very common and very
unhealthy.

Many of the women that hire me as their fitness coach yo-yo
like this for years, getting heavier every year, before
they come to me for help. It's a self-destructive cycle,
but there is a solution.

It takes a mindset shift to break the cycle and I am about
to reveal to you how it helped my client Jen and how it can
help you.

Most people - when they start a weight loss plan (if they
have one) - are rather short-sighted, and Jen was no
exception. When Jen started, her mindset was 'let me take a
month or two to lose the weight, so I can get back to my
normal life.' This is the destructive dieting mentality.

The problem is her normal life is what caused her to put on
the pounds to begin with. So going back to 'normal life' is
not an option. Ever.

Jen needed a new 'normal life.' She had to understand that
this isn't a short-term project, but rather a change of
habits and lifestyle. She had to learn that she can never
go back to eating crap every day and not exercising.

The good news is that there is room for desert every once
in a while.

Even if you don't realize it, you are probably a lot like
Jen subconsciously. Take a moment to decide - do you want
to lose weight and look good for a month, or do you want to
lose weight and be hot and healthy forever.

The second option is more difficult, but far more
fulfilling and rewarding.

Seek a permanent solution.

"Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless
it means effort, pain, difficulty... I have never in my
life envied a human being who led an easy life. I have
envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led
them well.'

-Theodore Roosevelt

----------------------------------------------------
George Grigoryan is a fitness coach who has helped dozens
of women sculpt the body of their dreams. To get his latest
FREE e-book '46 Must Have Toning Tips For A Body That Will
Turn Heads,' please visit: =>
http://www.SlimGirlSecrets.com

Reduce the risk of Cancer by drinking Green Tea

Reduce the risk of Cancer by drinking Green Tea
Weight Loss And Many Other Health Benefits

Today's Baby Boomers are at the age where health concerns
are at an all time high. People are more conscious about
health issues and maintaining good health than ever before.

One great substance I have found to help me with depression
and very low energy in the winter time is Green Tea. By
drinking green tea my energy levels have increased
dramatically. When I drink green tea on a regular basis I
find I lose weight as a bonus.

In my studies I have found that Green tea has many health
benefits one such as: reduces the risk of cancer by
keeping the cells healthy. Drinking Green tea every day
has antioxidants that help lose weight, reduces stress,
stops depression, calms nerves, lowers cholesterol, lowers
blood pressure and increases metabolism.

If you find that you do not like the blah flavor of
traditional Chinese Green tea you will be happy to know
that it comes in many different flavors.

Green Tea has been around for 4000 to 5000 years and was
always known for its healing properties. It has just come
to light in recent years. Next to water Green Tea is one
of the three major non-alcoholic beverages in the world.

Traditional medicine has used Green tea in areas such as
India, China, Japan and Thailand to help everything from
controlling bleeding and helping heal wounds to regulating
body temperature, blood sugar and promoting digestion.

What is the Secret to Green Tea you may ask? Well, Green
Tea is charged with active natural ingredients called
polyshenols, which are powerful antioxidants. These
antioxidants in Green Tea fight your body's free radicals.

These chemicals are believed to be linked to destroying the
cell DNA which leads to cancer. Green tea and extracts,
have been used to prevent and treat a variety of cancers,
including breast, skin and stomach cancers. The
antioxidants in Green Tea help block cancer by keeping the
DNA to the cells safe. Green tea is usually brewed and
drank as a beverage. Green tea extracts can be taken in
capsules and are sometimes used in skin products.

Tooth decay! is even prevented by drinking green tea.
Just as its bacteria-destroying abilities can help prevent
food poisoning, it can also kill the bacteria that causes
dental plaque. Green tea and green tea extracts have also
been used for improving mental alertness, aiding in weight
loss, lowering cholesterol levels, and protecting skin from
sun damage. To my knowledge the only negative side effect
reported from drinking green tea is insomnia due to the
fact that it contains caffeine and can cause anxiety,
irritability, upset stomach, nausea, diarrhea, or frequent
urination some people. Coffee contains more caffeine than
green tea and as in anything when using moderation and
common sense it is safe for most adults.

----------------------------------------------------
About the Author
Patsy Gagnon is an inspirational writer, A wellness
practitioner a Registered Certified Counseling
Hypnotherapist, Usui Reiki Master, a channeler, and a
healer. Connect with Patsy at
http://www.nourishbodyandsoul.com

What Is Holistic Psychotherapy?

What Is Holistic Psychotherapy?
The word holistic has been used to describe health care
practices that include acupuncture, massage therapy, Reiki,
naturopathy, and homeopathy. These practices attempt to
bring harmony to the physical, energetic, and/or
nutritional states of individuals.

Holistic Psychotherapy also seeks to bring balance between
these systems. However, as with all psychotherapy, its
primary focus is the treatment of psychological and
emotional pain that manifests in depression, anxiety,
trauma and related disorders. It is the way in which
holistic psychotherapy treats these disorders that marks
its departure from conventional psychotherapy and denotes
its singular effectiveness.

Generally speaking traditional psychotherapy focuses on
problematic thoughts and behavior, interprets the
underlining meaning of these thoughts and behavior, and
then provides solutions that are practiced by clients and
adjusted as circumstances warrant.

Unlike traditional psychotherapy, Holistic Psychotherapy
optimally fosters growth and healing by noting the
synergistic relationship between all the ways we experience
ourselves and the world—thinking, feeling, doing, and
sensing. Holistic practitioners then channel this
knowledge through methods that support the healthy
interaction between the processes of the thinking mind, the
feeling body, and the emotionally enfused spirit to bring
growth and healing.

Holistic Psychotherapy engages methods that encourage us to
talk, feel, act and sense in ways that make our experiences
manageable, safe, and empowering. Holistic Psychotherapy
helps us make sense out of anxious and depressed states,
manage overpowering feelings, bring solutions to our
problems, and teaches us how to effectively plan for our
future.

Holistic Psychotherapy recognizes, for instance, that
depression is a symptom. Depression might feel like the
problem but it is really the messenger that tells us we are
suffering an imbalance somewhere in self. Depression is
the red light that signals us to stop. Just as you would
not continue driving a car with the engine light blinking
without risking breakdown so ignoring depression risks a
physical and emotional breakdown.

Holistic Psychotherapy is the equivalent of preventive
medicine. A holistic practitioner will assess what area or
areas of self are causing distress--the mind, the body, or
the emotions--and how each area is effecting the other. A
holistic psychotherapist has state of the art tools and
methods honed by years of practice and ongoing training to
help individuals, couples, and families identify the source
of depressed and anxious experiences while helping to
alleviate them, and then provides guidance to develop
preventive skills to protect against reoccurrence.

Holistic Psychotherapy is not eclectic psychotherapy or a
bag of techniques learned once in a workshop. It is a
conscious, skillful, organic blending of eastern methods of
healing with western healing psychotherapies that safely
support you to engage all your ways of
experiencing—thinking, feeling, sensing,
doing—so that you relate to yourself with
understanding, respect, appreciation, and joy.

Holistic Psychotherapy recognizes that you have all the
answers and its function is to help you access those
answers with competence, responsible action, and a felt
sensation of healthy control.

----------------------------------------------------
Ms Desert is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in
Baltimore, MD with a holistic private practice and
specializes in the treatment of depression, anxiety, and
trauma. For more information please visit her web site at
http://www.singular-pathways.com or email in confidence at
http://www.singularpathways@msn.com

The Spectrum by Dean Ornish: How to Reverse Heart Disease

The Spectrum by Dean Ornish: How to Reverse Heart Disease
Can chronic disease be reversed?

Absolutely.

Today, I'm going to introduce you to my friend and
colleague, Dr. Dean Ornish. Thirty years ago, he bravely
made the radical suggestion that heart disease, cancer, and
other chronic illnesses can be reversed with diet and
lifestyle changes.

That's reversed -- not just prevented or treated.

In his breakthrough book, Reversing Heart Disease, Dr.
Ornish explained just how this is possible: Eat a
high-quality diet, get regular exercise, manage stress, and
connect to a community -- and you can actually unclog your
arteries.

In fact, he proved that his program works better than
conventional approaches like drugs or surgery -- and
without dangerous side effects.

Now Dr. Ornish has published a new, even more compelling
book, The Spectrum -- and it's filled with scientific
details about why the program works and how to make it your
own.

What's the secret?

Nutrigenomics.

That's the name for the way that food talks to your genes
and controls your health. When your genes are expressed
well, you're healthy. Disease occurs when your genes are
expressed poorly.

And the quality of the food you eat has huge effects on
your health.

It matters whether you eat whole, real food, or processed,
high-sugar, and high-fat food, for example.

In The Spectrum, Dr. Ornish tells you how and why choices
like these can make a difference in whether we're healthy
or sick.

But it isn't a one-size-fits-all approach.

Dr. Ornish believes -- as I do -- that the future of
medicine is personalized medicine. And in The Spectrum, he
explains how to match your genes and your health needs by
customizing your diet and lifestyle.

If you were a 25-year-old athlete with no family history of
heart disease, your approach would be different from a
65-year-old man who has type-2 diabetes and has had two
heart attacks.

He also shows us that there's a spectrum of choices for
being healthy and feeling great. There are no "good" or
"bad" foods -- it's the overall way that we eat and live
that matters.

Dr. Ornish gets past all of the nutrition confusion out
there and tells you the truth: that our genes were meant to
be fed a diet of whole, unprocessed foods.

A Groundbreaking Pioneer

He didn't know it, but Dr. Ornish was the first researcher
and practitioner of functional medicine, more than 30 years
ago.

He was the first person to suggest that addressing the
roots of illness not only helps prevent disease, but
reverses it -- and more effectively than conventional
treatment.

That's just what functional medicine is. It's a system that
addresses the underlying causes of illness by understanding
the interaction between your genes and your environment.

And it's what Dr. Ornish talks about in The Spectrum.

His roadmap for good health shows us how to increase
energy, lose weight, improve mood, feel more connected to
your own life's purpose and meaning, and even have better
sex.

It's a recipe for feeling your best.

I have a lot of respect for Dr. Ornish. He wanted to make
his program accessible for everyone, but for that to
happen, it has to be reimbursed by insurance.

So he asked Medicare to fund a demonstration project based
on the research in major medical he'd already published in
major medical journals.

But it wasn't so easy.

They told him that, before they'd find the project, he
needed approval that it was safe.

Of course, Dr. Ornish's lifestyle plan is much safer than
heart surgery or angioplasty or medications with severe,
damaging side effects -- and much less expensive.

Still, he needed a letter from the National Heart, Lung and
Blood Institute saying it was safe to eat fruits and
vegetables, walk, meditate, and quit smoking!

But he persevered and his program is now approved. Dr.
Ornish is also creating an international research
collaboration to grain even more understanding about why
food is the best medicine.

And his book isn't just helpful, it's enjoyable.

He shares his story with wit and humor, keen intelligence,
and lots of tools for successfully implementing his ideas.

These tools include clear nutrition guidance, guided
meditations by his wife Anne (with an additional DVD
included), an exercise prescription, and more than 100
wonderful, delicious life-giving recipes by a master chef.

So I urge you to get your hands on The Spectrum now and see
what you think. It truly is life-changing.

----------------------------------------------------
Mark Hyman, MD is a pioneer in functional medicine,
practicing physician and best-selling author. A sneak
preview of his book "The UltraSimple Diet" is available.
See The UltraWellness Blog for more on Heart Disease:
http://ultrawellness.com/blog/

Cardio Threshold Training - Medium Intensity Days

Cardio Threshold Training - Medium Intensity Days
The Plan: The threshold workout or medium intensity
workout is the #1 workout that most cardio athletes and
enthusiasts miss in their programs. The goal of the
threshold workouts is to work at the max at which your
aerobic metabolism produces energy. Because you have
another energy source called your anaerobic metabolism, you
have the ability to train harder or faster than a proper
threshold workout. Most people thinking that they need to
be killing themselves to be getting a good workout never
slow down enough to train their body effectively.

Your aerobic metabolism is the way your body burns fat and
carbs as energy with the use of oxygen. The only way to
optimally perform in cardio or endurance races, as well as,
achieve your weight loss goals is to train your aerobic
metabolism to be as fast as it can. The perfect workout
for weight loss, 5k training, and running a marathon.

How do we find the proper intensity to train at? The only
way to know for sure that you are training at the right
intensity is through having your own personal heart rate
profile. With Live Lean Today's online fitness plans, you
receive your own heart rate zones to optimize each workout.
Most people not watching their heart rate are way off to
what they think their heart rate is to what it actually is.

Threshold workouts range from 15-30 min. in total session
time. With Live Lean Today, your online personal trainer
will work with you to create the right program and
progression for your threshold workouts. If you can go
longer than 30 min than we need to go faster. What is
important is highest rate of energy and heart rate that you
can sustain for the entire threshold workout.

The Results: Threshold hold workouts train your body to
burn more fat and carbohydrates as energy. This is another
way of saying you have a faster metabolism. As it relates
to performance, with threshold training you create a faster
pace. Especially, if you have found that you can't seem to
increase your running pace, threshold workouts are needed
in your program.

After effective threshold workouts, the biggest difference
you will instantly feel is how much faster you perform at
lower heart rates. Your heart rate profile will change as
you progress and improve. This is why it is so important
for a cardio expert to be monitoring your progress and
making adjustments. You now have the ability to run faster
for the same distances and times that were once a struggle.

Your weight loss results occur while you are resting. If
you have ever said you wanted a faster metabolism than
threshold workout are for you. Your body will burn more
calories of fat 24 hours a day 7 days a week after your
body improves from threshold workouts.

The Difference: Live Lean Today is the only online
personal trainer program to have precise heart rate
training programs to optimize your results. Training in
the right heart rate zone makes each workout as effective
as it can be. The fastest way to your results is through
proper heart rate training and progression.

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About The Author: Charles Carter, BS in Exercise Science is
President of LIVE, llc of http://www.liveleantoday.com -
visit the website for more information on weight loss, core
fitness programs, optimal diets, and online personal
trainer and dietician services. For more information on
products go to http://shop.liveleantoday.com .