The Poop on Poop

When I read that Americans spend $775 MILLION dollars a year on laxatives, I thought it was time for an honest to goodness discussion on bowel movements.  Let's face it, who else is going to write a blog about this?  Some people don't even want to discuss this with their doctors!  They'd rather run to Walgreens for laxatives to get the poop out, or to Ace Hardware for a rotor router?  Whatever.  Everyone eats, everyone poops - so let's just admit that much and get started.

More than 4 million Americans have frequent constipation - this accounts for 2.5 million doctor visits a year, according to the stats I read.  2.5 million doctor visits???  Clearly some people really need some basic information - not a doctor and not drugs - to deal with random problems like food jams in the colon.  Let's cut out unnecessary trips to the doctor - who probably should have taught you this stuff in the first place, or was health class in high school?  Who teaches this??  Your Mother?    Somebody needs to talk about pooping,  so I'll be the somebody!

First, let's define constipation.  You might think of constipation when when you aren't eliminating on a daily basis.  According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse constipation is having fewer than three bowel movements per week.  Also, the stools (or poop, my favorite technical medical word) can be hard, dry, small and difficult to eliminate - causing in some cases, straining, bloating and a sensation of full bowels. We've probably all experienced this at one time or another - my technical word for the above is Deer Poops.  They aren't worth the time it takes to get them out, truth be told.   Most constipation is not a serious thing, and only temporary,  so an understanding of its causes and prevention will help. 

Some people eliminate daily and that is their norm, while others "go" several times a day and that is their norm.  There are variations of "normal" with anything. There are things your body needs you to do in order for it to function properly and you know if you aren't cooperating with the needs of your body, your body will let you know!  Think of this as your digestive system just shutting down in a stubborn tantrum.

Common causes of constipation are:

Not enough fiber in the diet - (stop groaning, fiber is your friend. )  You can get fiber from raw, or lightly cooked fruits and veggies, high fiber grains, ground flax seeds (add them to anything), beans, lentils, almonds - try a fun google search for foods high in fiber, print it out, take it shopping, and do your body a favor by eating this stuff.    If you routinely eat processed foods and fast foods, you are not giving your body what it needs so you'll be hitting the drive-up at Walgreens for more poop pills. 
The more a food has been cooked and processed, the less fiber is left in it.  If you eat a lot of pasta, go for the whole grain - rice should be brown rice - read the labels/ingredients.  Most things that are good for you and have fiber don't even HAVE labels - like apples.  Oh wait, they do too.  Get the organic ones for heavens sake.

I might add that if you are not used to eating 30 -35 grams of fiber daily, you might experience gas, (farts) and that will go away once you get used to it.  Actually it's a good sign if you do "hear things" because the food is moving thru your bowels the way it should.  Fiber helps prevents so many things I should do a whole blog on just fiber - I will later - but namely the dreaded colon cancer!  So if you really think about this, what would you rather have - farts or colon cancer? 

Not enough Liquids in the diet -  I'm talking water here.  Several tall glasses of water each day is what your body needs - and hopefully NOT from plastic bottles that you'll get unnecessary toxins from.  Milk, for some, can be terribly constipating - so if you drink it and get constipated, don't drink it.  If you need milk for cereal or whatever, try almond milk, coconut milk or hemp milk - they are non-dairy. If you drink a lot of coffee (or alcohol) you can become dehydrated without adding the several tall glasses of water to the mix.  I'm amazed at the number of people I've talked to that think coffee and tea count for "liquids".  Granted they make you pee, but no, sorry, the body needs WATER - lots of it.  Genuine water - don't mess with it beyond a squirt of lemon, or splash of juice for flavoring.

Lack of Physical Activity - Oh yes here we go again - Exercise.  If you are doing the first two things we've talked about, add this too.  We need exercise regardless of our poop condition, but especially if you tend to have sluggish bowels (you know who you are) then a good daily walk if nothing else is mandatory.  Move it to move it I say!

Medications -  Some medications can cause constipation - pain meds, antacids that contain aluminum and calcium, blood pressure meds (they are calcium channel blockers) antidepressants, diuretics and iron supplements.  I caution my clients to watch their multi-vitamins because many contain iron and if they are having problems with regularity, sometimes just getting off of those will help.  Unless your doctor has found a major shortage of iron in your blood from a blood test and you are anemic, do not take it!   Iron is a trace element that you will get enough of if you eat a balanced diet.   I had a client who took it every time she felt tired.  It is rare indeed that your iron level is causing fatigue so don't self-medicate with iron for any reason unless you are under a doctor's supervision on this.



Abuse of Laxatives- Laxative use can become habit-forming.  It is the lazy way out - eat processed foods and no fiber, no water, no exercise, but these little pills will help you "go".  Each time you take them you will have to increase the amount you take.  Your body will become used to them.  This is not in any one's best interest.  If you are caught in this trap currently, don't get all worried or depressed.  Follow the suggestions mentioned above and break that cycle of dependency on laxatives.

Ignoring the Urge to Poop - I know there are times when it is not convenient to head to the bathroom, but do not make a habit of suppressing the urge to go.  This can lead to constipation.  You try so hard to ignore the fact that you need to go, then suddenly you don't feel you need to go anymore.  Well aren't you smart!  However, when you WANT to go, your body may have taken your "No, not now" so seriously it just won't cooperate with your change of mind.  Occasionally playing this mind over matter game is ok, but don't make it a daily one.

Food Allergies/Intolerance's - We are all so different there is just no way we should be all lumped together in medical categories.  This topic is worth several blogs actually but - if you body doesn't tolerate that new protein shake you're drinking, you just might have a problem with constipation.  Diary, cheese or too much meat clog up some people (me included).  If you add something to your diet, like say you are working out now and started protein shakes but you are noticing it is slowing down the bowels, then you may have an intolerance to one of the ingredients - or even the excess in protein.  Stop consuming it and look for alternatives. 

This may seem like a no-brainer, yet I worked recently with a gal at my gym who said she'd been constipated for months and she "thinks" it's the protein drink but her trainer insists she drink it.  Some people will continue to do what others tell them to do no matter what.  We found alternative sources of protein that were fiber rich as well.  Everyone is happy now and no poop problems!

It pays to be suspicious really, and listen your body.  If all of a sudden you are "off", then look at what has gone into your mouth (including pills of any kind, even Advil or Excedrin).  Your body won't normally just seize up on it's own and simply refuse to pass the poop out.  There is a reason.

I know there are some folks out there that have the opposite problem of diarrhea rather than constipation.  Let me say briefly, the three main causes of diarrhea are: undesirable microorganisms, food intolerances (like lactose intolerance for instance) or stress.  I had 20 years of this, in and out of hospital, diagnosed with several different things, it seemed endless.  It was stress and food intolerance's which I figured out myself over the years of research and experimenting,  and I have eliminated this issue from my life, thankfully.

I started this blog with saying constipation is so prevalent in our society that it really isn't a medical problem as much as it is a Eat Right, Drink Water, Exercise thing.  I should by all legal schmegal cautions say that there ARE diseases and disorders that constipation is a symptom of - so first do the basics.  Usually 30-35 grams of fiber per day is really going to alleviate (along with water and exercise) most constipation.  If you are doing EVERYthing I mentioned and you still have an issue, then do see your health care provider for tests.

If you cannot wait for my blog on fiber, just google foods with fiber and you'll get lists to use.  If you are taking any of the medications I listed, it will be critical that you eat more fiber, drink more water and get more exercise than you "thought" you needed.  If you have any questions,  send me an email. And of course, please share this blog!  It is a topic a lot of people don't want to talk about so they suffer in silence.  No need - spread this around!  This is Basic Poop 101.

Changing Behavior 2012 Style - The Easy Button!

Here we are a few weeks into a New Year, supposedly a significant one, filled with AWAKENINGS and I've heard a lot of people saying they were going to start new things, do things better, or more often, or change it up altogether.  Just wondering if anyone has taken on new things, changed it up or....?

There is a neat principal for changing I thought I would share called the Start/Stop principal.  I read about this in The Road to Optimism by Dr. J. Mitchell Perry.

As Perry says most people are dissatisfied with certain behavior patterns they have.  When they want to change, they concentrate on trying to STOP and existing behavior, which, of course, makes them concentrate on that very thing.

What you say (even to yourself) affects how you feel, which affects how you think.  Perry calls this the Behavior Triangle.  Having been there a lot myself I'd like it to the Bermuda Triangle - somehow things disappear - like my intentions! 

Say you want to quit worrying.  One reason it's so hard to change from worrying to something else is because you are focused on stopping the behavior, most likely with no substitute in mind.  Which will be easier for you - to stop worrying or to learn how to relax? 

Write down Behavior A (the on-going issue) that you want to Stop.

Then write down Behavior B that you want to Start (this is the replacement action).

Your focus should then become centered on Behavior B and nothing else - forget about A!

I tried this with a few minor things over the last few weeks and it really works well.  It is so positive and thinking or even talking to yourself in positive tones makes you feel good!  When you feel good you have more success, more self-confidence and things flow so nicely, don't they?  Seems like an Easy Button to me - how about you?

The Quack Attack - Pt. 2 of Cancer Summit

 This may not seem like a connection to the last blog, but in fact there was much discussion about all this.  I'd read a book before this conference which spoke about the situation brilliantly so I thought I'd share  "The Assault on Medical Freedom" by P. Joseph Lisa.  I did a google search to see if the author was still alive or if he'd been "accidentally eliminated" from this earth for his expose. Glad to say as of this writing I believe him to be alive. The phenomenal progress happening OUTside of conventional medicine is happening despite our government trying to make it all just go away. 

As I wrote last week, there are many alternatives but you have to hunt them out.  There are no research grants from the government, no fund raising "for the cure" for any of these people.  Doesn't that just seem wrong?  Well here's some background for you.  I think it's important to know about this and it will surely explain a lot - like why you never hear about the cures that are going on everywhere.


The author of this book investigated the AMA - which led to a revealing association between that supposedly revered association and the government, and Big Pharma - all being hell bent on eliminating ANY and ALL "competition". Their thinly disguised measures (thinly because he did find the connections right there in the AMA files) on the surface appear to be working for the public good by eliminating "Quacks" but when you read thru this book you quickly see that their interpretation of "Quacks" include chiropractors, naturopaths, holistic practitioners and any and all "alternative" medicine practitioners. That's their "A" list. Nutritionists (gulp, like me) are heading up the "B" list. Swell.


A review from Health Freedom says: "The AMA first launched a campaign to rid the country of quack remedies at the turn of the century. At that time there were no controls for fraudulent labeling and deceptive ads. We need to know, however, that since the early 60's organized groups have worked overtly and covertly to unfairly destroy beneficial alternative practices. This has been documented by P. Joseph Lisa in his book, The Assault on Medical Freedom (1994). He describes the pervasiveness of an ongoing campaign which began in 1963, when the AMA's Board of Trustees established the Committee on Quackery, headed by Doyle Taylor. He details the formation and functions of the Coordinating Conference on Health Information which paralleled the AMA group.


Now this part gets REALLY interesting. The participants in this group were the AMA, American Cancer Society, American Pharmaceutical Association, Arthritis Foundation, Council of Better Business Bureaus, National Health Council, FDA, Federal Trade Commission, US Postal Service, and Office of Consumer Affairs. "


When you hear on the news "independent studies done on such and such" they are more than likely done by the "independent" set ups the AMA has scattered across the country. They are all being funded. By whom, you ask? Guess.

Enormous funds from Big Pharma keep this whole witch hunt going. And not surprisingly it was revealed that none other than the American Cancer Society itself contributes millions, if not billions, trying to wipe out any and all competition. Kind of sick?  They SHOULD be contributing millions to the alternative folks who are actually helping people!


There are always on-going, world wide fund raisers continually to raise funds by the ACS to supposedly fight cancer, walk for cure, ad nauseum, when, in fact, so much of this money is being secretly funneled to the REAL cause, wiping out competition. This is so wrong. People participate in raising funds supposedly for a darn cure. Where is a huge chunk of money going? To wipe out the cancer industry's competition!


Cancer is a big business. Think for a minute if natural cures, with no side effects and little expense, were made mainstream available what a terrible blow this would be to the overall economy affecting Big Pharma and the ACS and the entire medical community. There is a huge, huge, campaign going on by all of these "members" rather secretly to make damn sure this never happens. There are natural cures for cancers but the network working to eliminate or suppress this from being accepted and getting out to the people who need it is extremely powerful and well rooted. Not to mention the billions they control to do it!


They did such a terrific job in Tennessee to eliminate naturopaths, actually targeting them, discrediting them, and intimidating the patients who went to them that few even exist in the state anymore. The author writes: "There isn't one single aspect of the alternative health-care system this is not currently under attack from this massive campaign to eliminate competition from the health-care marketplace. Some targets are receiving high priority than others, but in the end they are all being targeted by this complex web of vested interests.


The modalities, treatments, products, services, practitioners, and manufacturers being used in the practice of health alternatives are in fact slated for extinction by the very nature of this campaign. The many lists of alternatives that are in circulation are being used to direct attacks upon them by government agencies. These lists have been put together for the sole purpose of targeting those listed for elimination."


I don't know if any of this bothers you at all, but it makes my blood boil! I am sure there are a few likely "quacks" out there --- just as there are bad doctors --- that we may need a bit of protection from. Silly things being sold as "cures" are rampant on the Internet as well. Common sense (which admittedly is not a common denominator in all humans) should be enough protection for those in possession of it. I don't want the government "protection" shutting down alternative doctors or yanking away my supplements, both of which they are currently working on doing!


The further absurdity of this -

"We have the federal government involved in co-funding a campaign against alternatives with the very industry that SHOULD be policing, the pharmaceutical industry. We have the federal government working with people who are avowed enemies of the alternative movement. We see these spokespersons presenting training seminars and lectures at insurance industry conferences, joint government conferences, and health-care professional conferences (AMA attendees of course) influencing their audiences against the alternatives.


We see massive computer systems set up to link private groups with government and insurance industry outlets to spread their propaganda against the alternative movement.


We see practitioners, clinics, health food stores, multi-level sales companies, product manufacturers and distributors all being targeted by this campaign. The result has been raids, seizures, embargoes, bad publicity, de-licensing, the destruction of businesses and the disruption of lives - all in the name of "public service".


Who is really being served here, the public interest.........or the VESTED interests?


The Quack Attack. It is not what they want you to believe it is! I have lost many precious people in my life to cancer. A few I encouraged with all that was in me to seek alternatives rather than let the chemo kill them, but to no avail.


I respect any one's right to contribute to the fight against cancer by buying pink ribbon things, do walks,races or whatever. If you are one of those people please realize that most of the money raised is going to fight the cancer industries competitors and less for their "cure". I know this is an ugly fact and I hate it, really I do, but perhaps a good wake up call is called for? In fifty years they have no cure? If you listen to the AMA there is no cure - but medication - for diabetes, heart disease and other diseases.

Really?  These diseases are are being eliminated in the alternative world. Heck, watch Biggest Loser! The contestants there get off of their drug arsenals as soon as they learn to eat right and exercise!  Cures without pharmaceuticals right there on prime time tv!  Is anyone really paying attention? These folks arrive with a shoe box of meds.  They learn about nutrition and exercise,  and leave The Ranch without pills and without obesity - changing their lives to healthy all-around forever. 

So when you hear attacks on the media about alternatives, or have your doctor just roll his eyes at you when you bring up the subject of supplements/diet instead of drugs, just remember this article. 

As for me, I will leave the quacks to the ducks.

Global Cancer Summit - Curing Cancer - Doctors You Should Know Pt. 1

In fall I attended the Global Cancer Summit and heard talks from doctors and experts from all over the world that are making significant progress in curing cancer - far more than the pathetic advancements we have had in our "research" and "war on cancer" with conventional therapies.  I have literally notebooks of notes. So many of the presenters shared their beliefs and strategies to deal with cancer and I was overwhelmed by the commonality.  Because of this, I decided to give you an overview, rather than quote each of the doctors/practitioners.

A brief background of the group of doctors/practitioners presenting lets everyone know they have ALL been researching for 20-30 years.   Highly credentialed, and quite a few "crossing over" from the conventional medical world into the alternative/holistic due to utter frustration with the systems in place - i.e. "the industry".


First of all, almost without exception, all said the causes of cancer are being ignored by the government and doctors don't inform people either, whether they are aware of prevention or not.  The agencies that are supposed to protect US are protecting the INDUSTRY, the cancer industry.  Many of the speakers shared their incredulity  that out of the trillions of dollars spent in 50 years, the best the cancer industry can say is they have had success treating testicular and childhood leukemia.  My comment on that would be these doctors should get a share in all the millions/billions of contributions for their OWN research - what do you think?  Give everyone a shot at the cure(s)?

It is so very wrong that in conventional therapies, they totally ignore nutrients and supplements.  Integrative medicine uses both!  It is the best of both worlds.

In Germany there is a blood test to determine exactly what therapy works.  It is very specific targeting.  There was a story about a man from the U.S. going there for the blood tests - the test results said that to treat (cure!) his prostate cancer, he actually needed the chemo that is used for ovarian cancer treatments.  The doctors here in the U.S. would NOT do this because it doesn't follow their "protocol" which is like a cookbook, I guess.  God forbid anyone think outside the box!  Needless to say this man went back to Germany for treatments - and was cured of his cancer.

With integrative treatments, the tendency is to use very low dose chemo and high dose nutrients.  (This was also addressed in Suzanne Somers book "Knockout" which is a MUST read for anyone with cancer!)  Food is very critical.  Starving the cancer of acid, which aids your own immune system to save you.

Almost without exception the presenters at this conference believe that the use of chemo only is medieval and very destructive.  The test in Germany shows that sometimes chemo can be used beneficially but only - repeat only - in low doses and with the emphasis on nutrition, pumping the body with nutrients that substantially eliminate the horrific side effects of high dose chemo only.

Burton Goldberg  mentioned that cancer centers are built by nuclear plants.  Known as the Tooth Fairy Project, babies teeth were tested for radiation - there is a lot of info on the net about this.  I'm not sure this is relevant to my blog, but it is interesting if you care to research this on your own.  I'm sure we are exposed to far more icky stuff than we think we are and it is all around us, and in our homes, not to mention our diets, eh?

There was total confirmation of what I've read so much about already, that is, by the time you have a diagnosis of cancer you have already had it for 10 years. 

Diseases can be reversed with alternative medicine.  Drugs and conventional medicine ignore what caused the disease.  The lymph system is our garbage removal system which drains the poisons and helps us to detox.  The liver is the main organ responsible for detoxification and to detox the liver, nothing works better than coffee enemas.  (Wow, I love coffee but never thought about THIS!  It is a common thread with all the doctors I heard speak, many integrating coffee enemas into there therapies.  Detoxing the liver is very important, with or without cancer.)

I learned about "electrodermal screening" devices to diagnose where the disease is and it tells what nutrients to take, or vitamins.  This is used more in homeopathic and Chinese medicine.  You can find videos on YouTube that show how this test uses acupuncture meridians to assess what organs or areas of the body are not functioning, and then the doctor will give you the remedy to help this.  Often this is used for cancer patients to help with their recovery, but not as the only "cure".  It's more of an additional boost for healing.

We have cancer cells in us all the time and normally our immune system will go after it.  What sets it off and out of control is poor nutrition or exposure to toxins which weakens the immune system so it cannot do battle with the cancer cells.  So that made the entire group huge advocates for PREVENTION.  The use of good water, no plastic bottles, sauna's for detoxing, eating organic foods, no fluoride and all the other "stuff" you read about here on Today's Path.

Interestingly,  the genetic element regarding cancer makes only a 5% contribution - not nearly enough to explain the outrageous "epidemic level" we are experiencing today.  It's clearly about the food we are eating; it's about the chemicals in our environment.  It's the environmental toxicity - we've been exposed to thousands of chemicals that haven't been on this planet before a hundred years ago.  The body has a twenty-five-thousand-year-old genetics and doesn't really have a mechanism for getting rid of a lot of these chemicals - toxins, plastics, hydrocarbons and pesticides - that we have in our bodies.  As a result, there develops an accumulation of these toxins - including that we have styrene and phthalates from Styrofoam and plastic bottles.  Plasticizers are in the food wraps, plastic water bottles, new car smell, all that's phthalates.

Cancer is an epidemic and it boils down to a mixture of poisons in the environment and poisons in our food, coupled with genetics.  But how do you explain that many, many women are getting breast cancer with no family history of breast cancer?  It's obviously toxicity from pharmaceuticals, technology and the environment.

There are many, many causes of cancer and it's a multifaceted activity that goes through years and years of changes in the body.  We are not eating properly, nor are we aware of the damage caused by eating chemically-laden foods, plus we have a tremendous amount of stress in our lives.  But know this --- many of these things you can regulate yourself.

Ahhh, there it is - prevention!  We can wake up and start eliminating our risks right now!  I try to give you info here all the time - do you pass it along?  Do you do your own health research?

In the end, I was very encouraged at the success rates of these doctors - which they openly compared to the conventional treatment.  Very little, if any, side effects from any of their treatments, even the low-dose chemo - and cure rates that should make people stop already with the pink ribbon contributions and fund these people!!!

Here is a short video of Burton Goldberg talking about his film, which I intend to get for my library.  His research into alternatives is quite substantial.  He has also published "Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide", which has become the bible for alternative medicine laypeople and practitioners everywhere. 

To highlight each person I heard would be two dozen blogs - I'll spare you that.
But if you, or someone you know could benefit from my list of names/websites for more information, just pop me an email.  I'm always happy to share.

Natural Alternatives - Housekeeping Like Grandma

I had the pleasure (and work!) of setting up a new kitchen at the lake house last summer and an opportunity presented itself to make some changes.  I had a large box filled with all the cleaning supplies I used to have under my old kitchen sink to unpack.  It weighed a ton for one thing, so schlepping it up from the basement I got to wondering just what all was IN this box and did I really need it all?

Since I've been making changes in eating, cooking, and shopping, this was another area, cleaning supplies, to "clean up".  How did all these cans of sprays and things become so necessary?  I don't even want to get into what's IN them - chemicals I can't pronounce!  So I did a little re-visiting the past - it really IS useful to have memories and experiences that go back to the day before all this crap was invented!

How did grandma clean the bathtub without Scrubbing Bubbles?  Poor grandma!  It's not as if we lived in filth before all these convenient cleaning supplies were created in some science lab.  The house was spotless, there were no odors that required Fabreez or carpet freshners.  Getting back to those simpler days, there weren't aisles full of this new "modern" stuff in the grocery stores either.

So I did a little research and found that baking soda has a huge range of cleaning possibilities - so does vinegar, lemon and corn starch.  Amazingly, no other chemical additives necessary!    My NEW under the sink cabinet is practically empty now - gone is the myriad of plastic bottles of spray this and that, and spray cans of more stuff!

What I remember from childhood -

We used Ivory Soap - bar soap - to wash our hair.  The "creme rinse" was vinegar diluted in a pitcher of water.  My hair was so shiny - and no, it did not smell like salad dressing!  The vinegar got rid of the soap and left you with a good pH.  Not having "products" in your hair, you didn't need to wash it that often either.  Oh the money I can save on hair products alone.  When I think of what I have probably spent over the years on all this "stuff", I seriously wonder just how necessary any of it is.  I'm not quite ready to pitch my favorite organic lavender shampoo but I sure can eliminate some products.  Ching ching!

Baking soda cleaned sinks, polished pots and pans.

Lemon can clean bread boards, cutting boards and freshen up stinky garbage disposal drains.

Fels Naptha bar soap (you can still buy this today!) is THE most excellent  pre-laundering stain remover.  It works great on grass stains, baby formula, grease, blood, you name it.  I've been using this for 40 years - never falling for the Spray N Wash or similar stain treatment products.  I swear if Fels Naptha can't get the stain out, nothing can!

When I was on-line looking for more at eartheasy.com or greenlivingideas.com
I also looked up what I might use to kill off huge piles of ants that make sand circles in my lake house yard the size of cow piles!  And guess what is non-toxic (for my dog and the lake's sake) that does it?  Are you ready for this?  GRITS.  The instant variety.  I usually leave nature to do its thing but if you walk into one of these piles, well, it's most unpleasant!  Ants eat the grits and sort of explode.  Ok, not pleasant if you are an ant, but it was a non-toxic of dealing with piles of them and the only thing that worked.

And you may think I'm nuts but I am making my own laundry detergent - and it works great!  You can find the recipes on eartheasy.com - it is worth it to me just to know what is IN the darn stuff I use anymore.  It's not a big deal since I make five gallons at a time.  I add drops of lavender essential oil - it's very subtle but quite nice.

I absolutely love those micro cloths for dusting.  Wet one, wring it out til it is barely damp and go at it.  No more dusting sprays like Pledge or whatever.

Not sure in terms of dollars and cents what I am saving - it's not really about the money although since switching to all organic everything, I'd like to think I've made up the difference.  My food bills are not higher so in my non-accountant-type mind, it's a wash.  Needless to say, my house is clean without chemicals.

Are you doing anything like this in your house?  Will you try to cut down on the chemicals you use?  Maybe starting the year off with trying some non-chemical experiments would be a great way to embrace 2012? 

(I've had technical difficulties with my blog on magnesium totally disappearing so I'm running this for the week rather than stressing out about what the heck happened here!)

2012 - Embrace the Light!

It doesn't matter if you don't believe in astrology.  I'm not out to convert anyone but rather share some very interesting interpretations on today's chaos in the hope that you might find something in this helpful or comforting.

Recently I listened to a fascinating talk by Elizabeth Jones on Healing With The Masters.  Twice.  It was that good.  I thought I'd share how an astrologer is looking at 2012.  I've read/heard so many "takes" on the whole 2012 issue, from doom and gloom, to the end as we know it --- thought it was time for a little more positive look at what Jones says this is all about. 

Uranus is squaring Pluto now.  This is chaos alright but it is intended to help us.  Uranus is the Great Awakener.  It's energy stirs up and challenges "the norm".  This is not fun or comfortable.  But according to Jones this breakdown is meant to be a breakTHRU, both societal and individual.  This light is getting stronger and accelerating so we need to be open to seeing what is being revealed to us, like it or not. 

This planetary energy brings about a crumbling in things we believed in - like stuff from 20 or 30 years ago just isn't true for us anymore.  This is a confusing time because the way we've doing things is getting so shook up.  She said the whole "Occupy Wall Street" issue is a prime example of this. (Reminds me of how food isn't the same as it used to be either - sorry, couldn't resist!)

Pluto is also challenging the norms - telling us the "system" isn't working, the premise we operate from isn't working and this also stirs up the unconsciousness in us.   Time to wake up!   We must face what we have been doing and how it is NOT working for us and Pluto helps with this transparency.  We are seeing this in banking, government and etc.  and we do not like it!  (No kidding, huh?)  (Oh yes, here again, how about we need some transparency in labeling?)

So this squaring of the two planets is bringing us light to see, whether we like it or not.  She compared this to taking a flash light into your basement and finding yuck there, or mice, or critters that shouldn't be there.  We see them, don't like them, and almost wish we hadn't gone down there at all!  We see stuff there that is not "normal" but we cannot fight with what this light is showing us.  Denial sure won't help, will it?  (Ok, I know I'm not the most popular blogger out there cuz I say stuff you really don't want to hear but hey, somebody (ME) is trying her best to shove some light on your food, drinks, pills etc)

If you are feeling turmoil, be it internal or external turmoil, this is being accelerated for a purpose.  That purpose is to awaken us.  It's very much like the collective awakening in history when it was "discovered" that the world was not flat.  This light is coming to take us to our next evolutionary level in much the same way the no longer flat earth theory did.  It had to be mind-blowing, but there was a purpose to learning the truth.

Maybe we don't understand things but we can feel them.  We are getting a chance to see the light and how it can assist with changes.  The light is also there to tell is whatever is occurring in our lives right now is not ALL that we are!  We are more.

The light is with us to take away negatives and closemindedness.  It is clearing and it is healing.  With embracing this, rather than digging in our heals to fight the changes coming, we will have a greater understanding and more AHA moments.  Our hearts are being ignited.  This light will bring us more compassion the more it accelerates.

Having said that, bringing the light doesn't necessarily bring you what you think you want so it was advised that we be open.   Just as the cautions about not praying for a specific outcome, or being careful what you wish for,  ask for light for the best possible outcome.  Being a co-creator with our own light will help us.

So will Neptune, which is providing us with help for surrendering to the process as it's energy opens understanding in the spiritual realm.  This trio then, the Uranus squaring Pluto, and Neptune in Pisces is creating great light for our awakening.  We can see what has been going on all along because this is raising our frequency, according to Jones.   It is NOW the time to let go of our expectations that the "systems" in place will save us from anything.  This is our wake up call - light provided from a divine source.   Jones says we should make a mantra of asking for light as it will help us on all levels, physical, mental and emotional. She said we will do well to look forward to this, run along side of our challenges. It is a dance!  It's challenging but in a good way.

Jones suggested we do meditations asking for the light - or at least ask for it whenever we have a problem, and as a last thought at night before we go to bed.  In the program I listened to, she did a meditation for everyone about it and it was awesome.  I cannot begin to tell you the peace that came over me.

For all the 2012 stuff I've heard about, I really liked this astrological approach by Jones.  It was filled, for me at least, with hope.  Hey if that light is here to help things, I'm glad of it!  Bring it on!  We already know that change makes most people uncomfortable.  Maybe we need to get over that - it sounds self-involved rather than changing for the collective good, doesn't it?

Well I can testify that this light has hit me, challenged me,  personally, and has been for some time as I "discover" the faith I had in "systems" (like government, Big Pharma and the money trails, the FDA, the food supply, on and on ad nauseum) has crumbled to bits.  Nothing is as it seems and it is time to let go of  previous beliefs and blind faith in the systems.   I seem to be hooked  on broadcasting all the untruths, trying to help people see that we are in deep do-do if we continue to blindly accept what we are being told about so many things.  I am encouraging people to wake up and boy that doesn't always go so well.  I've made my positions so obvious to people I know who are resistant to changes or even hearing about how they should make them.  It is more often resisted than accepted - I get a lot of excuses and but.......but....and the subject gets changed, not the thinking or behavior.  I guess it is what it is.  I've learned to put the duct tape on for friends and family.  That's why YOU get it all right here! 

I tend to write about  things you probably don't want to know about  a lot (sorry if you think this has been negative) and I realize - hearing Jones talk about this -  after hearing this talk I think I will start believing that I am sharing my light, which really makes ME feel better, I don't know about you all. 

 May the Light be embraced and lead us all to a healthier, happier 2012!  Thank you ALL for being loyal readers.  I hope to see you all back for more in the New Year!

Cheetos and a 30-Day Challenge

I'm watching 60 Minutes and the segment is about flavoring - the artificial kind.  They create memorability in taste.  They admitted that "addiction" is a good word to describe how they formulate these artificial flavors.  They want the taste to hook you, but then the taste has to disappear so you want more, another drink, another cookie, just for that first "buzz" of flavor.  It is their job to make fools of us and profits for them.  Of course I'm talking about them being all the food companies out there that hire these "taste" experts and fabulous chemists.  Food thru chemistry.  Somehow we are leaving God out of this.  Perhaps this time of year, when everyone is clamoring to put Jesus in the Season, this is also a good time to think about what we are eating.  Would HE eat it? Hmmm.  Ponder it.

The interviewer said that Europeans look at Americans, and the obesity that is so outrageous  here today and the Europeans really don't want to become like us.  Europeans have also united to ban genetically modified foods (GMO's) from their countries.  Seems to me if you want to eat healthy, you move to Europe?  Or we can stay here but read labels for a hobby?  It's a shame it has come to this.  Land of Plenty, it is.  Land of Plenty of fake Phudes!

So you add up our falling for artificial ingredients and you watch what people put in their shopping carts, and you see how the Europeans have a real case.  The sad truth about it most of the weight problem in this country is because of the these phenomenal chemists who create flavors.  These flavors are created.  They aren't real.  Unless you think in some delusional way that artificial means natural or real.  Artificial means created in a lab with chemicals. 

What are Cheetos?  Just what ARE they?  People who love them, really, really love them.  There is an addictive quality to artificial food (phude) that most people are so involved with, they probably could care less that they are eating chemically designed nothing.  And they cannot seem to stop.  They want that flavor, come hell or high water they want that taste.

I work with clients who confess these addictions.  The very thought of them not being able to ever eat Cheetos again sends them into depression.  Seriously.  It may not be Cheetos, it could be any processed snack phude.  The very nature of being addicted to something and then having to quit it is tough.

I battled with nicotine addiction for years - quit annually, several times.  I DO understand addiction.  It wasn't lectures, it wasn't doctors warnings, it wasn't a family begging me to stop.  It was education.  It was understanding what the chemicals were doing on a cellular level in my body.  I wasn't any different than the folks out there that KNOW they shouldn't be eating this crap - but they just keep doing it.  So I do understand.

But there comes a time for everyone - you must be told there is no Santa Claus.  Bummer.  Pretty devastating for a little kid.  And now here I come telling you most of what is on the market in the name of food is phude - not real and definitely destructive.  Bummer. 

Think back to being told the truth about Santa.  You eventually got over it.  You knew it was too good to be true, right?  I mean gee it'd have been NICE to keep the Santa showering you with whatever you wanted.  But hey, we are adults.  There is no Santa.  And there is no nutrition in fake food.  Cheetos are not cheese puffs.  Cheese does not puff!  Cheese does not crunch!  Doritos are not flavored with cheese but some powdery stuff they made in a lab to taste like cheese.  How can we be so addictive to stuff that isn't even real? 

I have a dear friend who's neighbor used to be a high mucky muck with Kraft.  He took an early retirement because he was suffering from the stress of guilt.  He KNEW what they put in the foods.  He KNEW the games they were playing, dangerously, with unsuspecting people's health.  The stories he told at a gathering recently made everyone positively ILL.   He actually is looking for a new job but not in the food industry.  He knows it isn't just the chemists at Kraft.  They are everywhere.

Boy do we ever need to wake up!

It's the holidays and parties and lots of food time.  Can you do it?  Can you eat only REAL stuff?  I know this is the most temptation most people have all year long, isn't it?  Well then, how about we start a challenge.  Beginning on January 1st - can you pledge to eat nothing with artificial flavoring for 30 days?  It will mean you have to read labels.  Let's see how many of you will sign up - leave a comment and let me know if you are willing to join in this challenge. 

In the meantime, just know............somebody is watching you eat those Cheetos at the party.   Would He/She eat it?   (Choose your own guilt giver)

Take the 30-Day Challenge!