Friday, March 20, 2015

The Four Agreements; Its Okay to Disagree

One of the 1st lessons I learned was 'never assume'. There are so few things I know of anyone - just what is in front of me - which makes me a naturally curious person. I like to ask questions... a lot of questions. And I don't like to assume - I feel ignorant and disconnected if I assume - good or bad. I used to assume when I was younger, which I think was learned. This is why I know not to look at someone's facebook page or social media presence or anything online and think I know a person. I cannot ever take anything personally that they post personally either - not unless they are specifically mentioning my name...but even then I know its part of their 'stuff' and their experience. I don't use facebook as a way to send out subliminal messages to others because I don't have the courage to say it myself. I don't cruise the pages and watch others without participating because I am afraid what others would think of what I post or say....that's because I just don't judge others I guess. No - I was a participator - bantering back and forth with like-minds and keeping it real. What I do know is that somewhere a long the way in my facebook life - I got a little sick. And I gained a lot of attention - that I did not ask for. However it served its purpose for the friends and family who were genuinely wanting to know and cared to know. What I went through I never wish on anyone. It wasn't just cancer - and it never is just cancer. Everyone is different and every type is different. Stage 4 is pretty up there and a 7 inch tumour is not tiny either. So ya - of course there would be many many problems for surgery and such. My body went through absolute torture and somehow I got through that torture. When its over at the hospital though - that is just the beginning for many. The future world is very very different and again if its one of those cancers where it affects many organs - it can be a long haul. A very private one at that involving lotsa.....privacy! But either way - its a long journey that can really weigh very heavy on you. Its hard to explain to many because I think many only know about and why should they - its rare and the chances for survival are also rare. I have no idea- I can't assume! I did a tonne of research for my condition and there was not a lot to go on - to this day haven't found anyone with a similar situation. Before I get off topic, YES, I am on facebook expressing iron will all the time ...that is who I am - if you know me - you see I am consistent. And I cannot tell you how many emails and messages I get from people telling me how much I have inspired or changed their life positively. And that is wonderful. I didn't have the intention quite honestly but was just simply expressing what I needed to in order to heal properly and be okay with everything. Its a VERY scary and lonely world most of the time people don't want to ask you about you. Or you don't get to see people as much maybe because they think cancer is contagious? Who knows. I do know I am working it all through in balance. I would never expect someone to only be happy 24/7 - that is NUTS and highly repressive I would say. I am good with my BALANCE in my life and have decided that perhaps FB is not the place to be anymore. As an expressive person working down and up my emotional scale - I believe I am ready for the next step...I do not know what that may be - it may be BLOGS or NOT? I have no idea. Expressive people do not keep quiet for long - that is for sure.

My health right now is my priority and I believe it has to be private now. I discovered that some people can only take so much of reality sometimes - which is probably why there is so much editing going on. I cannot edit my life to appease others. I can only function the way I like to function - as a creative thinker and 'be-er'. I like to express. I like authenticity and creativity. I can't do status quo or follow like a sheep. I will continue to attract the amazing, brilliant, generous, loving, honest people that we have been attracting all along. I realize if someone is not in my life - it is because we are on different spinning discs - never going to meet up.
I cannot be sunshine and flowers all the time - that's FAKE to me. We should all be accepting of our RAIN showers - aka tear drops. We all need to release the bad stuff and support one another. NOT assume or judge or take things personally. Funny thing - I see these 4 agreements being posted all the time by people on facebook who assume and take things personally. So you see - it doesn't matter the message - the individual perspective will always be the same - different/unique.

Why not all learn from each other and absorb each other's experience or knowledge. If you are going to do any ASSUMING. Assume we are all in this together. Assume we all just want one thing - and that is LOVE. Assume that when someone you love and know is reaching out and asking for help - they really really need it. Assume that if you are having a bad day - that possibly nobody else is or that someone else is. Either way - don't take any of it personally. Feel with your heart - don't think. Just feel with your heart and its okay to <3 each other and accept each other. Its also liberating being nice instead of judgemental. It feels good to reach out to people in need and be able to fulfill something for them. I <3 you and everyone I come across. I always will. And if you are having a bad day you will not see it that way. We all have them. So lets just be there for each instead of removed or leave the room on them. Nobody in the world is perfect. But if we changed the perspective and thought through our heart centre - everyone would seem perfect wouldn't they?

Sunday, April 20, 2014

How to Make Non-Toxic Long Lasting Organic Deodorant

Below is a favorite deodorant recipe. I am putting it on here because I want to make it one day soon. You don't realize how simple it is to make your own cosmetics from the food you have already in your pantry. And you can add essential oils for a “pretty smell”, if you want or make it scentless!
Deodorant Recipe
Ingredients:
6-8 Tbsp Coconut oil (solid state)
1/4 cup baking soda (aluminum-free)
1/4 cup arrowroot powder or cornstarch (arrowroot is preferred)
Few drops lemongrass /  lavender pure essential oils

Directions:
Combine equal portions of baking soda & arrowroot powder.
Slowly add coconut oil and work it in with a spoon or hand blender until it maintains a firm but pliable texture. It should be about the same texture as commercial deodorant, solid but able to be applied easily. If it is too wet, add further arrowroot powder/cornstarch to thicken.
You can either scoop this recipe into your old deodorant dispensers or place in a small container with lid and apply with fingers with each use. Makes about 1 cup. This recipe lasts about 3 months for two people with regular daily use.

Source: Heal Thyself

Monday, July 1, 2013

Glutathione: Ultimate Free Radical Fighter



If biochemistry were the stuff of comic books, antioxidants would be the superheroes — with glutathione (gloota-thigh-own) being no less than a cross between Superman and Underdog. As the most powerful antioxidant in the body, glutathione works around the clock to fend off nefarious characters. And yet, few people recognize its importance.
Glutathione is likely to get more attention in the near future, as experts begin to connect the dots between depleted stores of the antioxidant and the likelihood of chronic disease. “If you haven’t heard of glutathione yet, you will,” says Mark Hyman, MD, founder of The UltraWellness Center in Lenox, Mass., and a pioneer in the field of functional medicine. “In terms of staying healthy, it is one of the most important molecules in the body
Glutathione is a triple threat to toxins. It neutralizes free radicals, enhances the immune system and detoxifies the liver. But some worry that it has met its match. The trappings of modern life — everything from refined foods to over-the-counter painkillers to stress — rob the body of this vital antioxidant. And, even if you’re doing everything right, aging takes a bite. Around age 45, our glutathione levels start to slip. Ultimately, those levels can dip as much as 50 percent below optimal as we age.
Some scientists are now wondering if low glutathione levels aren’t partly to blame for the free-radical-induced illnesses so common in middle age and later, such as Alzheimer’s, cancer and heart disease. Indeed, research published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that, among people with heart disease, those with the least amount of glutathione in their blood were 30 percent more likely to have a heart attack than those with the most glutathione.
Hyman didn’t understand the full ramifications of a glutathione deficiency until his own health was in peril. In the mid-1990s, he was besieged by muscle pain, brain fog and “bone-numbing” exhaustion. “I went from feeling really healthy one day to really sick the next,” he says.
After months of medical sleuthing, he discovered he had mercury poisoning —  probably due to eating contaminated fish and breathing tainted air while working in China. He suspects that the burden of detoxifying the mercury depleted his glutathione levels, leading his body to break down under the strain. “As you detoxify, your body uses up more and more of your glutathione stores until it’s gone,” he says. “That’s when you end up with toxic overload.”
In exploring what went wrong, Hyman discovered he lacked a gene, called GSTM1, crucial to making and recycling glutathione. He estimates that roughly half of Americans are missing one or more of the genes necessary to produce enough of the antioxidant. The percentage climbs even higher among his critically ill patients, the vast majority of whom have rock-bottom glutathione levels. “At first I thought it was just a coincidence,” he says, “but I’ve come to realize that making and keeping a high level of glutathione is critical to preventing disease.”

Gloota-what?

Found in every cell in the body, glutathione protects the cell’s engine, called the mitochondria, from bacteria and viruses as well as toxins. It’s considered “the mother of all antioxidants,” as Hyman calls it, because all other antioxidants, including vitamin C and vitamin E, rely on it to give them a second life.
The average antioxidant has a short life span, sacrificing itself whenever it wipes out a free radical. But glutathione carries enough extra zip to not only bring spent antioxidants back from the dead but also to recharge itself, explains Leslie Fuller, ND, an educator at the National College of Natural Medicine and practitioner at the Nature Cures Clinic, both in Portland, Ore.
Most glutathione is made inside the body from three amino acids: glutamic acid, cysteine and glycine. In addition, some foods, particularly asparagus, spinach, avocado and squash, are high in a plant version of glutathione that the body converts to replenish its supply.
Under healthy conditions, and in a healthy environment, our bodies would be able to churn out plenty of glutathione to meet our daily needs. But cigarettes, alcohol, caffeine, processed foods and certain medications deplete the body’s stash. So does stress. And as Hyman discovered, toxic surroundings may pose an even bigger threat to our body’s glutathione supply.

Radical Riff-Raff

To fully appreciate glutathione, it helps to know a little more about its nemesis: free radicals. Free radicals are unstable oxygen molecules created by our metabolism. The instability stems from a missing electron. In a mad attempt to find balance, the misfit molecules rip electrons from their neighbors. As a result, those molecules also turn into free radicals. This damage can eventually snowball and disrupt a cell’s integrity, causing it to behave abnormally.
“Almost every chronic illness known to humankind has been linked in some measure to free-radical-induced tissue damage,” says Lise Alschuler, ND, FABNO, coauthor of The Definitive Guide to Cancer: An Integrative Approach to Prevention, Treatment, and Healing, Third Edition (Celestial Arts, 2010).
That’s not to say the goal is zero emissions. Indeed, some free-radical damage is natural. Every breath inhaled, every calorie burned, every muscle contracted leaves a wisp of free radicals in its wake. “Even if we lived in a pristine environment, our bodies would make free radicals,” says Alschuler. And, as she explains, some free-radical damage is a good thing because a damaged cell is triggered to be either repaired or destroyed. By sparking either a renovation or a demolition, free-radical damage gets the body’s attention, and, if the body is healthy enough and the free-radical damage is not overly extensive, free radicals may play a role in preventing diseases like heart disease and cancer.
Unfortunately, our bodies must contend with an ever-growing onslaught of free radicals in the environment. Free radicals hitchhike into the body on the backs of chemicals in the air, the water supply and the food chain. The cumulative load is called oxidative stress. Corrosion caused by oxidative stress (or oxidation) inside the body is often compared to the slow rusting of metal when it’s exposed to the elements.
Protecting cells from oxidation is where antioxidants, particularly glutathione, come into play. All antioxidants retard oxidative stress, but because glutathione recharges its allies, it plays a particularly important role in helping the body keep up with our accelerated modern-day demands.
“We are in a situation where our manufacturing and our recycling of glutathione is maxed out,” says David Perlmutter, MD, FACN, ABIHM, author of Power Up Your Brain: The Neuroscience of Enlightenment (Hay House, 2011). “We just can’t detoxify fast enough.”

Cleanup Crew

Found throughout the body, glutathione is concentrated in the liver. The body’s primary detox organ, the liver is charged with giving nutrients the nod to be absorbed and giving toxins the boot. But expelling a toxin isn’t easy. In phase one, liver enzymes must convert the toxin into a compound that can be flushed. In phase two, glutathione is used to grab hold of the toxin and escort it out of the body via urine or bile. If there isn’t enough glutathione on hand, the toxins stack up like so many cars in a traffic jam.
Glutathione owes much of its detoxifying prowess to cysteine. A sulfur-rich amino acid, cysteine is abundant in eggs, garlic and whey protein. “Sulfur is a sticky, smelly molecule that acts like flypaper trapping toxins in the body,” explains Hyman. This is why vegetables high in sulfur, including garlic and onions, have been at the heart of detoxification diets for years.
Another plant substance, called cyanohydroxybutene (found in broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage) helps restock the body’s glutathione supply. “We’ve always been taught that broccoli and other cruciferous veggies are important to the detox protocol, but we didn’t fully understand why,” says Perlmutter. “Now we know that it’s because they enhance glutathione production.”
Green tea, fish oil and resveratrol also house substances that switch on genes responsible for making glutathione, Perlmutter notes. Aerobic exercise and yoga are thought to goose glutathione levels as well.
Although glutathione doesn’t come in a simple pill form, Perlmutter says, “You can take and do things that turn on your body’s genes to make more glutathione, and that’s pretty powerful stuff. You are modifying your own genetic expression.”
Logically, if more glutathione means better detoxification, people with the highest levels of the stuff should live the longest. That was the theory that drove Danish researchers to enroll 41 centenarians in a study of glutathione levels. Their results, published in the journal Age and Ageing, found that glutathione levels were highest in the healthiest seniors. Additionally, they discovered that the centenarians had higher levels of glutathione than people 20 to 40 years younger, hinting that glutathione may be one reason why their subjects had lived to such a ripe age.

Need More? Make More

Recognizing when the body is running low on glutathione takes some detective work. Because it oxidizes quickly outside the body, the antioxidant does not lend itself to a blood test. So some healthcare practitioners, like Hyman, look for missing genes. Others consult indirect biochemical markers, such as short telomeres (the caps of DNA on either end of a chromosome, like handles on a jump rope) or high levels of oxidation in the blood. A history of chronic illness is also a clue.
But don’t wait until you’re sick to think about glutathione. High stress levels, certain medications, past infections and a poor diet can all nibble away at the body’s glutathione stash. The average American consumes only 35 milligrams of glutathione per day, says Alschuler, far short of the optimal daily intake of 250 milligrams. “This, coupled with decreasing glutathione production as we age, leaves most of us deficient.”
The good news: Protecting your glutathione levels is fairly simple, says Perlmutter, and “the health implications can be profound.”

Easy Ways to Maximize Glutathione Production and Activity

Eat lots of glutathione-rich foods, such as asparagus, spinach, avocado, squash, melons, grapefruit and peaches. Whenever possible, eat these foods raw or minimally heated, since heat — and microwaving — tends to destroy antioxidants.
Eat more colorful, antioxidant-packed produce, such as strawberries, bell peppers and mangoes, all of which are particularly high in vitamin C. The more one-shot antioxidants you’ve got on board, the less your body needs to lean on its glutathione reserves.
Eat more foods high in cysteine. The sulfur-rich amino acid is a key building block for glutathione. The best sources are eggs, garlic and whey protein. If you buy whey protein, make sure it is bioactive and made from undenatured (or nondenatured) proteins, meaning the bond between the amino acids is preserved, and the cysteine is more bioavailable.
Limit exposure to toxins by buying organic produce, filtering your water, cutting down on refined foods, and avoiding chemical-packed personal-care  and cleaning products. Minimizing your toxic burden will help preserve your body’s ability to produce glutathione, and also reduce excess demands on your body’s glutathione supplies.
Catherine Guthrie is a health writer in Bloomington, Ind., and a contributing editor to Experience Life.

The Next-Best Things: Glutathione Precursors

One reason that glutathione wallows in relative obscurity is that, unlike vitamin C or E, it isn’t easily shoehorned into a supplement you can swallow. “With glutathione it’s not that easy,” says David Perlmutter, MD, FACN, ABIHM, author of Power Up Your Brain: The Neuroscience of Enlightenment (Hay House, 2011).
That’s because to succeed as an oral supplement, a nutrient must be able to wiggle through the intestinal wall and into the bloodstream, he explains. Otherwise it’s doomed to be destroyed in the gut. Here is where glutathione’s size works against it. A large molecule, called a tripeptide, glutathione cannot sneak through the intestinal wall intact. Instead, its three amino acids are broken apart during digestion and reassembled in the blood. (To get around this problem, many practitioners give therapeutic doses of glutathione intravenously.)
Experts disagree on exactly how much oral glutathione reaches its final destination, but all agree the best bet is to deliver plenty of building blocks (a.k.a. precursors) the body needs to make glutathione on its own.
In addition to eating glutathione-rich foods (see above) here are four more ways to get the raw materials you need:
N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC): NAC supplements are made synthetically from the amino acid l-cysteine. The small molecule slips seamlessly into the blood where it combines with glutamic acid and glycine to restock the liver’s supply of glutathione. A potent liver detoxifier, NAC is approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a tool to limit liver damage caused by acetaminophen overdose.
Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA): A key antioxidant, alpha-lipoic acid (not to be confused with alpha-linolenic acid) is both water- and fat-soluble, meaning it can vanquish free radicals throughout the body, including in the brain. That’s no small matter, since oxidative damage is tied to many brain diseases, including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. The best dietary sources of ALA are organ meats (such as liver) and brewer’s yeast.
Selenium: A mineral found in Brazil nuts, meat and seafood, selenium boosts the body’s ability to recycle glutathione. “Eating just one to two Brazil nuts daily supplies enough selenium for most people,” says Lise Alschuler, ND, FABNO, coauthor of The Definitive Guide to Cancer: An Integrative Approach to Prevention, Treatment, and Healing, Third Edition (Celestial Arts, 2010).
Vitamin C: One of the most well-known antioxidants, vitamin C is glutathione’s crime-fighting cohort. In studies, people with high levels of vitamin C typically have high glutathione levels, as well. The two antioxidants work in tandem to rid the body of water-soluble toxins.




For more information on how you can get more Glutathione from a proven source, visit: www.cleansewithlittleorganic.isagenix.com
http://www.isagenixhealth.net/the-whey-to-glutathione/
http://www.isagenixhealth.net/what-shake-helps-restore-glutathione-to-youthful-levels/

Article by Catherine Guthrie April 2011 “Experience Life” magazine.

 

Monday, January 16, 2012

Top Organic Foods to choose to EAT and How

It seems there is still a question of price when choosing food for many. And until we begin to put nutrition instead and ahead of today's modern medicine as the way to go, here is a list of foods that if you HAVE to buy organic - these be the ones. At the bottom of this list is a list that are OK by standards to eat, that, even though they are NOT organic, they are least likely to be treated with pesticides/herbicides and other chemical sprays/additives that are proven harmful to our bodies and our soils:

Environmental Working Groups' Organic List

Here's a reliable sources review of what to buy organic. Of course, it would be optimal if we could buy everything organic, but with soaring produce and food prices this list can help you pick and choose the organic produce that you should buy.
  1. (worst: highest pesticide load) Peaches
  2. Apples
  3. Sweet Bell Peppers
  4. Celery
  5. Nectarines
  6. Strawberries
  7. Cherries
  8. Lettuce
  9. Grapes-imported
  10. Pears
  11. Spinach
  12. Potatoes
  13. Carrots
  14. Green Beans
  15. Hot Peppers
  16. Cucumbers
  17. Raspberries
  18. Plums
  19. Oranges
  20. Grapes-Domestic
  21. Cauliflower
  22. Tangerine
  23. Mushrooms
  24. Cantaloupe
  25. Lemon
  26. Honeydew Melon
  27. Grapefruit
  28. Winter Squash
  29. Tomatoes
  30. Sweet Potatoes
  31. Watermelon
  32. Blueberries
  33. Papaya
  34. Eggplant
  35. Broccoli
  36. Cabbage
  37. Bananas
  38. Kiwi
  39. Asparagus
  40. Sweet Peas-Frozen
  41. Mango
  42. Pineapples
  43. Sweet Corn-Frozen
  44. Avocado
  45. (best: lowest pesticide load) Onions

Non-Organic Foods

These foods are safe to buy non-organic:
  1. Cabbage
  2. Kiwi
  3. Mangoes
  4. Papaya
  5. Pineapple
  6. Asparagus
  7. Avocado
  8. Sweet Potatoes
  9. Cantaloupe
  10. Sweet Corn
  11. Onions
  12. Sweet Peas
  13. Eggplant
  14. Grapefruit
  15. Mushrooms
HOW to Make it EASY when shopping for ORGANIC and eating more UNPROCESSED foods:
  1. If you are lucky enough, like us, to live in an area loaded with environmentally-conscious farmers, health food stores and organic foods delivery services, it will be easy to purchase locally in the spring/summer/fall season. Asking your produce manager at your local grocery store is good and otherwise, look for online organic food delivery services in your area.
  2. If you are thinking about this time of year, considering canning or investing in a dehydrator and preparing ahead of time. There are WAY too many opportunities now to prepare and buy organic cheaper so you can provide the best for you and your family these days. Online stores have all sorts of good deals happening along with FREE shipping to anywhere in Canada.
  3. Eat more RAW & organic where you can, including NUTS & Seeds. Local health food stores all stock these items and if not, look online. These days in Canada, you can find RAW organic SEED Butters in every national grocery store chain. These are alkalizing foods compared to most available NUT butters that use acidic processes or nuts as well as adding processed salt.
  4. EAT more satiating FOODS. This doesn't mean cooked foods, this means nutrient-rich foods and drinks. Once you break the habit of reaching for 'dead foods', you will naturally crave the better foods for your body. Turn off the TV if you have to for a month and watch how different you think.
  5. Use more unrefined sea salt so you can absorb more nutrients and are getting those trace minerals. 
  6. Eat more and take regular seaweed baths. Seaweeds are indigenous to Canada and 99% of us do not take advantage of the most abundant plant on this planet. 
  7. LOVE your Food. Regardless of your food choices. always eat when you are feeling good and always feel good about the food you eat. If you are vibrationally happy with what you put in your body, chances are your body will get the most from it and will digest it easier then if you didn't.
ONLINE Stores in Canada:
http://www.upayanaturals.com - located in Ontario
http://www.rawnutrition.ca - located in Ontario
http://www.realrawfood.com - located in British Columbia
http://www.totallyrawdogfood.com/ - organic/Raw DOG food - located in Atlantic Canada
www.veg.ca - directory of vegan/raw foods and communities in the Toronto area

DIRECTORY: http://www.cog.ca/about_organics/buy_organics/

Friday, December 30, 2011

Set Yourself Up in 2012: Top 10 PREP Tips to Accomplish Anything

Aaaah yes, tis the inevitable time of year when we choose to make changes in our lives for the better. Some do, some don't and some do, but don't follow through. Either way, we have the good intention to make change for obvious reasons....to better one's experience. So if you are looking back at any changes you wanted to make previously, maybe make a list of things that perhaps helped or hindered your progress. Sometimes it helps to just lay it out with 'What will help' and 'What will hinder'. Either way, set yourself up to win with a master plan to your approach


Top 10 Tips - What Will Help
1/  Meditate - Reconnect - Quiet your Mind >
Quiet the chatter in the brain to help you relax and reconnect with yourself. As little as 15 minutes a day is required. Meditation is in so many forms and may be easiest when you first wake up. Just choose a quiet area (use ear plugs if you have to) and concentrate on removing any thoughts/sounds in your head/mind. If challenging at first - start by softening the thoughts - eventually you will develop the habit of stopping all thought and you wake up looking forward to this time to yourself. It's quite liberating.
2/ Self-Care - Take Care of You >
Many adults get into a routine of caring for their partner, children/family, before they would consider taking care of themselves. Probably one of the most unfulfilling habit is living your life for someone else, if you don't take care of your own personal desires and needs and are PEACE with this, quite simply, it won't work. You cannot take care of anyone 'well' when you have left #1 behind. This could be anything from taking a healing bath every night to reading books you never get to read or building that 'dream board' you never get to do. Either way, do what you like to do at least once a day - so you can give back!
3/ Love Your 'Self' >
Practice daily affirmations for you. This may seem a little 'Stuart Smalley' to some, but it is probably the #1 issue in many relationships because when you are not practicing self-love, you seem to find the things you don't like about yourself through your partner or worse - your children! Whatever you do, do your work. There is no reason to spread self-hate when you simply have to turn your finger around to yourself and take responsibility for loving yourself. It will make it that much easier for those around to love you also.
4/ Be Consistent >
You know intention is everything but habits die hard - so make it your intention to keep consistency to reach your goal and have a contingency plan if you miss a day or two. This is where the self-love and meditation comes in most.
5/ Be Happy >
We all have this choice. There is not one thing that can make us happy but us. Not material, not people, not music, not even raw, healthy food living (tongue in cheek). We know what it feels like to feel happy and all we need to do is close our eyes and feel that positive vibration within us. The more you choose this emotion, the less you will think you need to feel happy. And through this positive vibration comes many many more happy situations and people. You will find eventually the negative stuff becomes less and less.
6/ Be You >
Who cares what others think?! At the end of the day, did you honour your own intentions? Did you fulfill your wants and needs? Were you your higher self for others? Because that is you. You are love and if you continue to care about what others think, you will lose your connection to yourself and start to blame or whatever you do. In other words, when you are in touch with you more often, you will feel happier, balanced.
7/ Live Now >
Living in the past is what's holding you back from moving forward. Learn from your past, but don't relish in it and by all means, enjoy each moment. Don't wait for the pictures or videos or FB comments to realize you already live a pretty happy, good life - so might as well enjoy it now.
8/ Learn NEW good habits and SHAKE bad habits >
Start with one new good habit and grow from there. Sometimes we don't realize where we learn our habits from and once you do, its absolutely liberating to understand that 'that' isn't you. So why do something you don't like that was someone else's to begin with. Give yourself 3 weeks to feel the positive change take place. Once you do one, the next will be easier. Keep it simple - don't overfill your plate.
9/ Spread the good stuff - fix the bad stuff on your own >
You ever have a bad day and nobody seems to be around to hear about it? Well chances are, they were having a good day and that is why you are in different 'zones'. We all have our days, so do yourself and everyone else a favour and take time to do the above steps until you can choose to feel good. Than tackle whatever problem there was, if there was to begin with.
10/ Be OPEN >
If you are putting things out there to the universe / 'God' or where ever you express you desires, you can't expect to do it all on your own. That's unless you like paddle the boat upstream as opposed to letting the paddles out of the water and trusting the flow to go your way. In other words, no longer try to control situations with your emotions or thoughts, instead just feel good and know that all the good stuff you like and want is coming, you just have to get out of the way and trust.

All of the above steps are just some things I learned in the past year and prior that really helped me to be happier and healthier in my mind and with my body. I continue with my self-care and making my happiness the priority by doing things I like to do. I appreciate my journey more and more everyday and the people and things that come into my life because of it. Enjoy your new thoughts in 2012.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

SENSITIVE SKIN PRODUCT PROFILE: CETAPHIL CLEANSER

Rosacea
Recommended by Dermatologists across the nation, Cetaphil is a cleanser marketed to the industry for sensitive and very dry skin types. What is most fascinating about this cleanser is that all of the ingredients are either alcohol, alcohol derivatives or sulfates and added in for fun; three different types of parabens
The full ingredients list for Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser: Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Stearyl Alcohol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben.
Now since the best way to take your vitamins is trans-dermally, this means all of this ingredients is going directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the GI tract altogether, so now not only is your skin going to have to figure out what to do with all of this synthetic and drying ingredients, now its in your bloodstream!  It is hard to believe that Canada has some of the lowest cosmetics and food standards in the world. When I found out, it took awhile, but you travel around the world and get sick in a few countries and you figure it out very quickly about the difference; like night and day. I also found out the 'European' brands are now making a version for the North American market and one for the global market. Why? Because a) North America is the largest consumers of cosmetics in the world and b) it is cheaper so their profits go through the roof! And c) they can! 
And how easy is it to get Canadians to pay attention to your brand? Not with ingredients - by marketing it really well. This was figured out a long time ago by the big Pharmaceutical brands and people are still putting PETROLEUM JELLY on their newborns?! What goes through a mother's head when she is putting the same based ingredients that we fuel our cars with and later on wondering why their child has a skin condition or allergy?!
It's all a matter of paying attention to your inner self. Your instinct has always been right and you know if you cannot eat it, why are you putting it directly onto your skin and into your bloodstream over and over again? Think everything from skincare to the lipstick that has LEAD in it that you lick off every time you talk or eat something and then try to figure out why your skin is just not like it used to be.

One of the most common things I have noticed and learned is the relationship between mercury fillings and Rosacea. 10 times out of 10, anyone I have ever asked that has Rosacea if they have mercury fillings does. The only one that didn't, had them removed 2 years prior. There is a connection between problems in our body and chemicals we are exposed to. We know this innately - which is why we purposely do not eat chemicals if they are marked this way - however, just because it is in a bottle or a tube or a box on a shelf in a familiar branded store, it doesn't make it safe either. Use your brain and trust your own judgement - and if your doctor or Dermatologist is not listening, keep looking for someone who shares the same philosophy as yours - to be healed!
Want to learn or know more?
http://www.cosmeticsdesign-europe.com/On-your-radar/Naturals-and-organics


What to keep away from:
Products that start with any of the above ingredients or contain any of the above ingredients especially the parabens. If the alcohol (depending on the derivative) is low on the list - take concern with the top ingredients first and go from there.
PEG's - AKA - Polyethylene Glycol
UREA/formaldehyde - which Canada has banned in its insulation materials because of the known toxicity levels that leech
Mineral Oil - same as petrolatum ingredients
Parfum/Parfume/Natural Fragrance - http://www.davidsuzuki.org/blogs/queen-of-green/2011/06/companies-wont-disclose-parfum-ingredients/


This is a short list - but all in all - keep it simple - look at the label of ingredients - if it sounds good - then use it - if there is doubt - DON'T! Because guess what - you are a great judge and you are the one that has to use it or put it on your family's skin.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Vitamin Good? or Vitamin Bad?

So a blog by Dr. Andrew Weil caught my interest on FB newsfeed today. Dr Weil mentioned a study done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), showing an increase in supplement consumption from about 40 to more than 50 percent. The report noted that "most adults and teenagers (with the exception of girls between the ages of nine and 18) likely receive enough calcium through their diets and from supplements."

Dr. Weil gave his take on this study, "a well balanced diet should supply most of your nutritional needs, but many people, for a variety of reasons, don't eat optimally on a regular basis." Read the rest of the Article here

So at the bottom of his blog, there is a link taking you to see 'Dr. Weil's Personal Vitamin Routine' - whaaaat???? So here is his list of what he takes on a daily basis: See Dr. Andrew Weil's list of vitamins Well, I did my research on what vitamins Dr. Weil takes and sure enough, they are substandard and if not anything that would meet a whole food or raw form of anything, adding in several unneeded fillers and preservatives, of which, we have no idea in what amount they are in each tablet. Not to mention he completely contradicts his statement(s) about fulfilling your diet through your food intake. C'mon Dr.Weil, what's going on??

I can see why people get confused?! There are so many misleading articles and misconceptions out there let alone cheap vitamin brands that don't do 'bupkis' for you, that cause people to doubt their own instincts. It's easy for everyone to understand getting whole food is better than processed food, what makes them think you can do this with vitamins?  Most vitamins in Canada and the U.S. are from a synthetic source, missing all of the co-factors required for absorption that are found in nature and in a whole food form.   Vitamins are supposed to be micro nutrients for our body, but without the co-factors, required for absorption, it is like pouring a can of orange juice over your head; useless.  It is no wonder so many people are sick even when taking vitamin supplements, since they have now introduced something that is an 'incomplete' form of the nutrient they are wanting - can you imagine what this does for your body's cellular activity let alone functionality?  Our body's health is analogous to keeping a healthy garden, you know by adding nutrient rich soil that you will have a garden/lawn that is incredibly healthy and sustainable for that year; meaning it won't require much maintenance because it has all of the building blocks to give back healthy vegetables & plants, but next year there needs to be a replenishment of nutrients, we are no different.  In some parts of the Mari-times even today, gardeners will harvest seaweed to add to their garden, so the soil is rich in minerals & vitamins.  We need whole, rich nutrients from the ocean, just like the garden. So wherever you can get it and however you can prepare it - do it. Your body needs it and you will discover a whole world of healthy food that you didn't realize tasted SO good. It's just not commercially advertised (YET) or available in the big chain grocery stores (YET). Variety is key but so is good health and longevity is so much more fun than regular hospital visits and prescriptions!

Great whole/raw food vitamin sources:
  • Isagenix - whole food, based on certified organic ingredients with over 72 trace minerals in a bio-available form. Available online or through Isagenix Associates, Chiropractors, Nutritionists, Health Spas, etc.
  • Garden of Life - whole food, raw food, supplements based on micro nutrients and certified organic growing methods.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Women & Self-Care; Changing the Script of Prevention'

Since launching my 'little organic day spa' this past February, besides being thrilled with the notion I am doing something I love to do every day, it has also turned out to be an experience to show me how many women express a 'want' to take care of themselves, and struggle to. Myself included. There are many excuses that come up - and they sound so genuine and so not like an excuse, that we, as women, actually convince ourselves to be true and use to prevent ourselves from our own self-care. I am becoming familiar more and more with my own behaviour.
Now that we have the spa going, my 'script' is 'I don't want to do more laundry' OR 'it takes too long' OR 'it's too late now'...just so many things come out of my mouth or into my head when all I have to do is 'LET GO'. I know that all I would need to do is ask my partner, to do the laundry for me or help with the timing of my day so I can squeeze it in. And I am slowly getting back into my own world of self-care, simply by being aware of those around me as I hear them sound a lot like me. I notice many new mothers that have this 'script' and even worse they can actually drag the grandmothers into this script of prevention..."I have no time, I'm a new mother" OR "I will once we get into a routine" - and new mothers are the ones that require it more than anyone I would think.

I am grateful for those that have shown me what 'self-care' can do for my health and most importantly, my spirit. In the coming months and year, I know that in order for myself to move forward with a healthy and happy journey, that my attention to self-care will allow that to happen much faster and much easier. I can make it as easy as I want or as hard as I want...I choose easy.

Saturday, April 2, 2011

How does seaweed & Thalassotherapy detoxify?

It has become more than apparent that detoxification is important, but what about replenishment? Our bodies need nourishment and the best way to take your vitamins is actually through your skin. Thalassotherapy is the layering of raw ocean components onto the skin, so the over 60 trace minerals, plus vitamins, essential amino acids, proteins, omegas, can be absorbed directly into your bloodstream. This gives the body balance; called 'Homeostasis', practiced for over 5000 years and recognized as a treatment of every human ailment at one time. Regular thalassotherapy treatments are essential to us in our modern lifestyles and processed living because of so many reasons. All of us, even those on raw-organic-only diets, are exposed to halogens and synthetic ingredients/materials/waters by simply living in North America, that push important minerals out of our bodies and permanently blocking the re-absorption. Much of our auto immune diseases in Ontario today are related back to the 1920's when there was a huge outbreak of Goitre. Many studies were done and iodine with seaweeds were the common and known treatment for Goitre and Thyroidism for centuries prior to this. In the ocean, seaweeds job is to filter and can convert heavy metal poisoning including cadmium, mercury and Stronium 90 and convert back into the water as a harmless salt. In our bodies it stimulates the lymphatic system to help remove toxins from the body that otherwise have been dormant. But, just like upgrading your nutrition plan, you need to have regular seaweed treatments to gain the important benefits, especially if you need them most. Since seaweeds literally contain everything we need to survive, even the most challenging vitamins and minerals we can find to eat, are easily drawn into the body, including iodine, that is hard to find in regular and even organic raw food. The nutritional benefits anything by 10-100 times in terms of potency. The cosmetic effects alone include soft, vibrant, youthful looking, elastic skin. Any inflammation is calmed or healed. Overall analgesic effects are reduced aches and pains, followed by an overall sense of well-being that can last up to 72 hours.

Thalassotherapy treatments are highly recommended and globally practiced in treating autoimmune conditions including arthritis, colitis, fibromyalgia, thyroidism, eczema, psoriasis and chronic skin conditions like rosacea, acute/hormonal acne and sun damage. 
In the Mediterranean & some parts of Russia today, doctors regularly prescribe to their patients with cancer, arthritis or bronchial issues to walk along the ocean shore so they can breathe in the trace minerals for 2-4 weeks everyday. Why do you think Canadians flock to the ocean during the winter months? We need it more than ever these days as it is apparent with everyone getting so sick. Since there is no program in place to address this, it's time to take back your health and start taking care of your body.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

advertising, done the old way

Opening up a new urban day spa retreat here in Picton, ON, was a new venture in several ways.
One was the realization that this town is not as small as you think when you go door to door, yet small enough that going door to door to introduce your new business is still an effective way of advertising. little organic day spa opened its doors the first week of February. It has been a dream of ours to open our own spa/treatment/learning center for years, since we started to work together and realized we shared so many similar philosophies. Coming to Picton from Vancouver, B.C., we weren't sure what to expect quite honestly. We followed our instincts when moving back. As we walked Main street of Picton, going door to door, handing out our flyer/spa menu, you could see it was a surprise to see the face attached to the business so soon. Yet, everyone was so welcoming and seemed pleased to have a personal invitation directly from the therapists. I thought it was important to make the connection with everyone. There are specific people, we know, that will be drawn to our location for treatment. Whether it's for a therapy to heal a chronic condition or just a place to truly relax and feel quiet inside or talk about science and the ocean and, of course, Canadian seaweeds.
We look forward to the growth and getting to know our clientele. For anyone from the PEC area, please visit our site to check it out: www.littleorganicdayspa.com
If you cannot make it, but want to purchase some truly unique, Canadian, whole, organic skin & hair care online: www.cansospagroup.com

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Leave Me Alone

I am sure everyone remembers 9/11/2001. I remember it for a different reason. It was the last day I spoke to my mother when she was my mother. We all did in fact and if 9/11 didn't happen - it probably would have been a few weeks before I talked to her again and a less meaningful conversation.
My mother smoked for 40 years and drank coffee for 40 years and didn't eat healthy for 15 years before suffering from a burst brain aneurysm the day after 9/11. She had been diagnosed wrong a few times before the doctor finally discovered it was her thyroid that was the issue and started treating her with radioactive iodine. It was and still is very challenging to know she will remain in a special care facility in a wheel chair and in a different space in her head, sometimes not recognizing her kids/friends/family. Hard to write about it. I myself used to be very overweight, eating unhealthy. smoking and bitter also, for many reasons before I woke up one day and listened to my sister and read a book she gave me. It's not about the book, it was just time. I eventually discovered great ways to become healthy and wanted my parents to be healthy too. I would listen to my mother cough and see her weight go up and up and we all tried to assist our parents to gain more perspective about their health without relying on the meds they were prescribed and adopting a North American diet. My mother used to say all the time "Leave me alone!" She would get annoyed and one day I told her I didn't want her to die. It was hard. Especially since my Dad used to stick up for her and allowed her to smoke and shake and cough as they sat there night after night in front of the TV watching their shows like their neighbours. As daughters we all knew it was not good. Today, I have no choice but to leave them alone so I try to help others who are open and wanting to live life happily and healthfully. I feel as though I have the key to a good life and if I could help people for FREE I would - OM goodness I would!
Cheers to all of those that have a zest for good living and good energy. Listen to your friends and family if they have health advice that worked for them - they are doing it because they care. I know that is my muse. Life doesn't have to be in a pill and as long as you are relying on a glass of wine or beer at the end of the day to help you feel better, something is definitely wrong, BUT you are free to be whatever you are as long as you are happy. This is what life is truly about. Get your groove on and dance baby dance!

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Jack Canfield; Stories Inspired By Nutritional Cleansing

Jack Canfield's Story on Nutritional Cleansing:
Jack Canfield of 'Chicken Soup for the Soul'


"Every day more and more people are discovering the astounding power of nutritional cleansing.  Some are looking for weight loss, others for improved health and yet others for a common-sense solution to maintain long-term wellness.  Many will tell you that in nutritional cleansing they have found the missing link for achieving their health goals. 

In October of 2002, John Gray, the author of Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus, told me he had discovered Isagenix®, an innovative company that had recently introduced its revolutionary nutritional cleansing systems to the world. He said Isagenix's nutritional cleansing systems have helped him and his clients better manage their weight, their moods, and their overall health. Needing to lose weight myself, I decided to check it out.

I had been struggling for seven years to lose 30 pounds, and no matter what I did - Jenny Craig, Slimfast, Body for Life, the Zone Diet, the Atkins diet, and Eat for Your Type combined with a lot of exercise - nothing seemed to work for more than a short while.  I just couldn't seem to maintain the diet or control my urge to eat.
Lean and Healthy team members Kim and Jen with Jack Canfield image
Aug. '08 with daughters Jen/Kim
When my Isagenix® products arrived, I started to use them immediately.  I was amazed at how easy it was to do and how quickly I started losing weight.  All my cravings for sugar, chocolate, carbohydrates and alcohol completely disappeared, and the weight came pouring off.  I lost 12 pounds in a relatively short amount of time, and continued on until I had lost 33 pounds*  My waist went from 43 inches to 37 inches* I had more energy and I felt great.
Within weeks all of my family, friends and staff were asking me what I was doing.  When I told them, they all wanted to try Isagenix®, too. Everyone saw immediate weight loss and health benefits ranging from better sleep, more energy, improved health and an elevated sense of overall well-being.
As we began to realize that everyone using Isagenix® was experiencing similar amazing results, we felt that this was a story that needed to be told to the world. And so we began to gather people's stories...

Personally, I have used Isagenix®   products every day since I learned about them last year. I have lost weight, improved the appearance of my skin, and feel healthier overall. In addition to the cleansing systems, I really like Ionix Supreme® , an incredible nutrition drink, and their skin care line. The products are natural, very affordable, and extremely effective."

It took Rod and I, two years from the time we were introduced to Isagenix to finally jump in and see what it's all about. We cannot say enough about the CLEANSING/HEALTH products and how they have literally transformed our lives in so many ways. The company is incredible, the people have such good energy and motivation - the fact you can help others and everyone benefits. It's a perfect model for success. You just have to be open and believe. We would love to coach you through a 30 day program and help others achieve too.

Call us for recipes, information, inspiration and more: 1.877.523.3334 or email: info@cansospagroup.com

 

Thursday, December 30, 2010

DETOXIFICATION STEPS to START

What is Detoxification and how does it work?
Essentially detoxification means cleaning your blood. It does this mainly by removing impurities from the blood in the liver, where toxins are supposed to be processed for elimination. The body also has the ability to eliminate toxins through the kidneys, intestines, lungs, lymph and skin. However, when this system is compromised, impurities aren't properly filtered and every cell in the adversely affected, leaving you with a weak immune system and inability to process nutrients and minerals that are needed to survive and live a healthy life.
Who Needs to Detoxify?
Everyone in North America or on a western diet should detox at least once a year and otherwise quarterly. Scientific studies show that to detoxify is beneficial for health.
A Regular Detox Program helps with:
·       Fatigue
·       Irregular bowel movements/IBS
·       Achy muscles or joints
·       Poor appetite
·       Bloating
·       Infections
·       Low-blood iron – dark circles or puffy eyes
·       Thin and unhealthy skin
·       Menstrual difficulties
·       Regulates thyroid
·       Allergies
·       Cellulite
·       Building a healthy immune system to prevent/ heal disease
·       Edema
·       Lack of concentration
·       Yeast Infections/Endometreosis or Endo Cysts
·       Improve memory and brain functionality


Choosing a Detox Program that is Right for You
Again it is highly recommended to seek professional advice as far as diet plans, exercise and other practices. With the right amount of effort and regular follow up, the body will start to function properly with an increase in energy, better skin, higher immunity to sickness, your sex-drive, and proper digestion.

What is colon cleansing and liver cleansing? Though integral in every detox program, it doesn't have to be about spending a lot of money on supplements that do not do what they say they will do. Why are not all vitamins the same and how can I tell the difference? To learn more about recommended POST DETOX and REPLENISHING programs on the market you can download a complete program here: HEALTHY DETOX

Either way, make sure you follow a program that includes replenishment, as many only supply supplements or suggestions for cleansing. What you need is a combination of both. The best part about a proper DETOX program is that you lose weight, only if you need to lose it. With regular cleanse programs, you lose weight, however going back to your regular routine and no program, you gain your weight back and in many cases gain more.
I have done at least a dozen detox / cleanse programs and most of them do not meet the standards of what I have discovered about the manufacturing process of herbs and supplements. Think of it as getting your vitamin C; you know the best way is by eating a whole piece of fruit that is high in these vitamins that also contains all of the co factors. Simply put, when your body is fed with foods that are complete, you notice you are satisfied and for a longer period of time. When you start a program you may have issues with the first couple of days, simply from habit of putting hand to mouth or chewing, however when you are on a cleanse program, if it contains everything you require including, healthy fats, healthy proteins, healthy sugars, healthy salts, amino acids, etc - you lose your cravings for unhealthy foods and the best part is, your conversion program after the cleanse will be that much easier. Why choose the rotten apple off the cart when you can choose the best one in the bin? Some of us just need guidance until we discover our own journey that is right for us. After all, you truly are what you eat.

Friday, December 24, 2010

Why dreamers should celebrate...'ode to the doers'

As a business owner of 5+ years now, I have come to a new appreciation of my parents' who were also business owners. My mother worked alongside my father when they moved to King street in Brockville and opened up their 1st store together. In between all of this, they had 4 girls in 5 years time. They even managed to take us on vacation to their countries', where they grew up; Belgium and Trinidad as well as a trip to Vancouver, Florida and Scandinavia. Wow. I remember when I got older during Christmas they worked up to the last hour - anticipating someone would buy or order something big enough so they could fill our tree with gifts for the next morning. We lived on top of our father's store and so we had access down and up whenever we liked; unless it was Christmas Eve when they would tape the door shut (yes scotch tape) and tell us we were not allowed down there (we always knew they were wrapping gifts). For years as a child I wished my dad didn't work as hard as he did and later on, I wished my mother didn't, but I now know why they did. My dad even told me that they were that close to moving to a larger city because business would be better there, but they didn't want to disrupt our growing up and lifestyle - can you believe? Wow. These sacrifices were not known unfortunately at the time and I really didn't get to appreciate who they were until I grew up much later and now it's changed. In the 1990's, after 3 out of 4 of us moved away to other cities and in my case to another province, their environment changed and they fell into the world of watching TV and poor eating habits, that they used to preach against when we were young; which helped to contribute to their developing chronic illnesses. Dad had a stroke in the early 90's and he later developed Angina for which he was instructed to take a few prescribed pills a day. My mum suffered with hypothyroidism & then later hyperthyroidism, she developed a  brain aneurysm that burst the day after 9/11/2001.  After much struggle for years with my father not dealing well with it, he later died from a heart attack. My mother is now in a special extended-care home and is pretty despondent at times and lonely, but maintains her brilliance and her shine when faced with good energy, like visitors - it's quite fascinating actually. I have called her up for advice and though she is still in a different state, gives me a comprehensive answer that I would only expect from such a grounded person.  Unfortunately, as business owners, they didn't take care of their finances/life insurance and this had a toll on everything afterward.
Years later, I didn't know I would also have my own business, but after working with some of the greatest people and companies that are the 'best of the best', I discovered my own talents and abilities.  Reading about successful people and how they started in business inspired me to dive in! I had the opportunity to travel around the world, visiting and backpacking in over 30 countries world-wide. Being a naturally inquisitive mind, I soaked up culture, history and relished every moment I had writing in my journal(s). I discovered the world of health and wellness outside of North America and was enamored immediately with the lack of dependency that Europeans, Asians and Kiwis had on TV and a medical system. I was especially impressed by the Asian cultures; so down to earth and connected to the common-sensibility we all have and was able to adopt this. I had spent 10 months traveling at that time and impressed with the realm of knowledge locals had about their own natural resources, never discussing illnesses nor noticing any. They also seemed, quite happy at just 'being', at least this was my experience.
When I returned, I found my voice and calling & got into the spa/health industry in Vancouver working behind the scenes for an 'organic' skincare distributor where I learned 'a little too much' about the industry, if you get my drift. I then began consulting on the side; helping business owners with their small spas and wellness clinics, sharing my new found understanding of how the North American market is attracted to marketing and commercialization, teaching them simple solutions of bringing in more traffic, increasing profits and cutting costs. I seemed to have a niche for recognizing good marketing or so I've been told.  I supported spas with consistency and care and it reflected back in my work. After my decision to leave my 'job', I approached my life partner Rod about starting up my own consulting business.  With his approval & support we launched CANSO out of our home office condo in Vancouver. We discovered the world of seaweeds while working on a consulting contract with a company that harvested off the coast of Vancouver Island. What we discovered on our own, was a world of untapped resources that nobody in Canada seemed to know about; iodine and the many forgotten elements that are key to our life and longevity of life. After a year working on my own, with Rod helping out when he could spare the time, he left his job and joined me full-time.  His background is chemistry, physics, massage therapy and the hospitality industry; the science was his draw of course. For me, it was the discovery of all of the health conditions, including my families, that seemed to dominate the news and TV. Together we embarked and discovered many more 'gaps' in the industry that catapulted our knowledge base from 0 to 60 around health, wellness & spa and along with our consulting, started sharing the research Rod uncovered about the components of iodine and the undiscovered resources here in Canada. It was the fall of 2006, when my father passed away and this had a profound affect on me living so far away from my sisters and my mother, so we made the decision to move back to Ontario &  arrived in July of 2007. We sold most of our furniture & possessions and gave away what we could to make our drive across the country to Ontario less expensive and less harrowing. When we got here, we hadn't worked with many spas/health care professionals here yet, so it took us a few years to discover the industry in Ontario was much different from the industry we were used to working with on the west coast. We were not only dealing in the Ontario market, but we were working with all of eastern Canada to the coast of Nfld. We traveled down to the U.S. as well as this was part of some of our contracts. Our life was no different from many small business owners, sacrificing weekends and long hours, giving up any type of social life; it has its ups and downs for sure. Unfortunately, because of my experience growing up and watching my parents struggle as much as they did, it eventually got to me. Keeping up with bills and keeping our credit good; these became the focus and all of a sudden, our love for what we did, seemed to get left behind. We didn't want our dreams to get left behind and soon realized that it wasn't about making ends meet and paying bills and having steady income, it was about what we loved to do. Many of the greats struggled and depending on their upbringing or mindset, all persevered because they had a few things in common; passion & focus.
We have had a wonderful past year, reflecting and growing more and more, both as a couple and individually. I am so appreciative to know what I know today and sticking with it. Our business has evolved as well; we have a strong philosophy on health and wellness training and tying it into the consulting side of things to help others realize their own personal health and business goals. It's both rewarding and delicious knowing we are into this and love what we do. We get up every AM and meditate for at least 20 minutes and have done so for over a year now. We love and support each other every day to reach our own personal goals and assisting others to do the same. This has become a true calling. It took 5 years and more to realize that what some refer to as risks, are simply just stepping stones to your dreams and look forward to sharing many stories to help others achieve theirs also.
My parents were my inspiration, though years ago I wouldn't say so. They taught me invaluable lessons of never giving up, staying focused and dedication. Enjoy every aspect you can of what you, yourself have achieved and the people that work alongside and with you, following your heart. Even if it takes a few times to get there, it's worth it! Happy Holidays everyone!