Motivational Whisperers

BREAKFAST! It’s the MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY, it feeds the brain, jump starts our metabolisms and gets us ready to conquer whatever stands before us in the hours ahead, before lunch that is. Why is it then that most of us choose to skip this MOST IMPORTANT meal? Working with overweight men and women who lack self-esteem and self-confidence, the most common EXCUSE that I receive when I ask this question is, “I JUST DON’T HAVE TIME.” The reality is, WE ALL HAVE TIME. We just have to make it! YES, breakfast does take some effort in the morning but think of it this way when you start incorporating a GOOD, NUTRITIOUS BREAKFAST into your daily routine GREAT THINGS will start happening!

Here are some HEALTHY, QUICK WAYS to help YOU incorporate breakfast into your daily routine:

Start your day with a bowl of heart healthy oatmeal and an apple. Oatmeal contains heart healthy fiber and will give your brain and your body the energy it needs to start the day. Ten minute total cooking time.

3 hard-boiled eggs, 1 yolk, 1 banana and 1 piece of whole grain bread. Yolks are a source of GOOD FAT, choline which is great to boost brain health and loaded with vitamins and minerals.  Prep time five minutes.

One bowl of high fiber cereal, one orange. Prep time 5 minutes.

Keep on Keeping on

-Danny

What kind of changes are you Ready to make? If you are looking for more support Danny offers a 1 hour motivational breakthrough session! During this session we can look at what is holding you back from feeling more confident and develop a plan of action to guide you step by step to feeling your happier and healthier. Learn more about the breakthrough session here

Daniel Cohen is an Wellness Counselor, Motivational mindset coach and  body image consultant working with disabled and able bodied men, women and children breakthrough their mental mindset that stops them from pushing ahead He does this by designing specialized wellness programs that help MOTIVATE, EDUCATE and REVAMP their health and well-being. For more information or if you have any questions please contact him at the e-mail address or website below

danny@djchealthylivingnow.com

djchealthylivingnow.com

For those of you that know me and are aware that I have epilepsy, finding a safe, natural and effective treatment has been pretty much  a priority of mine for the past 22 years.  With that being said, I think I may have found it! No I am not “cured” of my seizures, YET     but I think I am slowly but surely on my way to finding one.

Coconut oil, the amazing fat that is extracted from the fruit of the coconut holds a myriad of health benefits. It helps keep our skin and hair looking healthy, it helps fight off bad bacteria that can wreak havoc on our digestive systems, helps keep our cardiovascular systems in check and boosts the immune system and benefits the thyroid.

Perhaps though, one of the most amazing properties that this oil possesses is its effects on brain health. It acts as an insulator for brain tissue and with its abundant amount of Medium Chain Triglycerides keeps the brain active and energized.

Our brains are made up of about 70% fat, it provides a source of energy and nutrients to the body that without it our bodies and our brains will become slow, and not function as they should.  For over forty years now the Ketogenic diet has been the model to accomplish the feat of getting the adequate amount of fat for the “sick” brain. This is a diet extremely high in saturated fats, I.E butter, cream, and lard but lacks the good healthy fats that keep our hearts healthy, our waistlines happy and ultimately or brains working at their peak performance levels.

Today the Ketogenic diet as we know it has gone through many transitions, starting with the Atkins diet in the seventies and then the Zone diet in the nineties. Living with a neurological disorder I have tried both but can say I have found little or no benefit to my neurological status. I can say though that with their help and with my own modifications I was able to lose 80 lbs which I have still been able to keep off today!

But wait… That is not what this story is about, it is about Fat and our brains and how consuming the right fat at the right times can help keep our brains healthy and happy.

Aside from our brains using fat as a means of fuel our brains also rely on fat as a means to keep it “insulated”, without this “insulation” our brains reaction time can slow which in turn can lead to movement difficulty, memory loss, depression and learning difficulties. The take away here is GET YOUR FAT! Don’t be afraid of it.

Below are some great sources of fat that we should be including in our diets daily.

Coconut oil

Fish oil

Flax oil

Almonds

Avacodo

Olive Oil

 

Keep on Keeping on Everyone

-Danny

 Are you ready for a change? Feeling that you have lost Hope? If you are looking for more support Danny offers a 30 Minute motivational breakthrough session! During this session we can look at what is holding you back from feeling your best and finding your happiness. Learn more about the breakthrough session here

Daniel Cohen is a Wellness Counselor and a Body Image Consultant working with overweight men and women  breakthrough their mental mindset that stops them from pushing ahead from reaching their weightloss goals. He does this by designing specialized wellness programs that help MOTIVATE, EDUCATE and REVAMP their health and well-being. For more information or if you have any questions please contact him at the e-mail address or website below:    danny@djchealthylivingnow.com

djchealthyliving.com

Related Article: The Eight Super Foods that lead to increased energy and weight loss.

I’ve been studying Reiki in various forms for the past 4 ½ years under probably the most respected Master Teacher in Southern Africa. But I’ve stayed on the sidelines. 


So, while in the shower this morning (don’t the best ideas just come to you there??), I had a revelation. I’ve decided to stop messing around on the sidelines of Reiki and step in properly.


This might come as a surprise to those who know me.  I now know I need to demystify Reiki and bring it into the everyday consciousness of everyday people. That’s not as easy as it seems. I tried to write up a post on my Facebook page last night entitled “What is Reiki?”, and hit the delete button more than any other key.


I was trying to explain Reiki to those who know nothing about it, and not make them roll their eyes and switch off in minutes. It’s very difficult to write about Reiki without saying “positive energy” and “negative energy” and “chakras” and various other phrases that had ME rolling my eyes and I’m hugely committed to Reiki.

It’s all very well having these conversations with my clients. They’ve come to me, so they are at least open to the idea of healing by Reiki. So, I took a step back and looked at it from another angle. Years ago when I was a Technical Trainer writing manuals for people learning to use various Microsoft products I used my Mum as a guide.


Which brought me closer to home, and who closer than my husband? He works in the corporate world during the week, and Batman like he dons another persona at the weekend volunteering with a paramedic service in Johannesburg.

You just don’t get a more cynical bunch of people than paramedics. Especially in a city like Johannesburg where they are exposed to more violence and death than anyone should be.

Cynical they certainly are, but they all definitely believe in a higher power. Most are quite religious and all are spiritual – all will speak openly about their God and Church. My subject audience is picked. I need to convince paramedics of the healing power of Reiki. And not only that; but to embrace it. To use Reiki everyday on themselves and on others.

That’s not to say that I believe that Reiki will be available on an ambulance any time soon – it brings to mind the hilarious tale Billy Connolly tells of a huge tanker that crashes spectacularly on a motorway – taking several cars with it. There’s broken people and tangled cars everywhere.

As a crowd gathers and the sirens of the ambulances can be heard in the distance, someone pushes themselves to the front of the carnage scene shouting “Let me through, I’m an aromatherapist”!! But I digress, I  believe elements of Reiki can be used.

 Talking to the patient, touchem, truly connecting with them. Holding their hand. Simple connections like this will allow the energies to flow where the patient needs. Any paramedic will agree that a calm patient is easier to treat.

I suspect the female paramedics are likely to be easier to convince. Women instinctively know the power of touch and the healing properties of a hug from a friend or to a child. They remember being a child and how safe they felt when their Dad held their hand, or how just putting your hands on the scraped knee of a child is better than any plaster.

The men? I suspect more difficult. I expect lots of rolled eyes, groans and looks of sympathy to my husband for having to listen to this everyday! I’ll let you know. I have four paramedics coming over for dinner next weekend, and it’s a perfect opportunity to try it out. No such thing as a free dinner!!

Note: the more astute among you will have noticed I haven’t actually given any explanation of Reiki so far. Deep breath & no eye rolling!

Reiki is an ancient art of healing, and can be traced back to Japan and Tibet. It works through touch and looks at healing in its truest form – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. It is completely complimentary to Western medicine, and seeks to rebalance the patient bringing them back to true alignment with themselves body, mind and soul. www.facebook.com/thehealingroom

The best natural remedies for anxiety relief is what every person deserves.   "Can't Take Anxiety Anymore? Anxiety is only good for you when it drives you into a positive action, like when it helps solve a pressing problem.



However, if worst-case scenarios and “what if” thinking preoccupies your mind persistently, then it is right to guess that you are dealing with a much more difficult situation. If you cannot take it anymore, you need to learn some strategies to relieve the symptoms before they become worse. Your level of anxiety might turn into a psychological concern that would warrant urgent management.

 

Anxiety without relief can be agonizing and paralyzing. It saps you emotionally, physically and mentally. Your doubts and fears will eat you up and interfere with your work, your life and your relationships. However, you need not worry for too long.  Anxiety is a habit you can unlearn. To help you manage this disorder, try these three quick and effective methods for when you need anxiety relief immediately.

 

All Natural Anxiety Relief Methods

 

 

1. Deep Breathing

When anxiety strikes, it causes trouble with your breathing. It makes breathing faster, blowing of too much carbon dioxide in the process. With too little carbon dioxide left, hyperventilation happens. This causes symptoms of dizziness, lightheadedness, and breathlessness. These frightening symptoms further escalate the brewing panic. To ease these fear-provoking symptoms and calm yourself down, breathing a lungful of air from your diaphragm is the solution.

 

2. Mindfulness Meditation

Many counselors and therapists to help anxious patients reduce their fears and calm their raging panic have advocated meditation. A particular type of meditation exercise named mindfulness meditation has grown particularly popular over the years in deal with anxiety relief. This involves the art of focusing the mind on the present, from your thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and surroundings and with an attitude of acceptance and peace. This relaxation technique is best practiced together with deep breathing exercises.

 

3. Progressive Muscle Relaxation

With all muscles rigidly tensed in time of anxiety, progressive muscle relaxation can help release them from this tension. This is done by consciously tensing certain muscle groups and then releasing this tension and minding the muscles’ relaxation.

 

Repetitive practice of  anxiety relief in this exercise can help you distinguish between sensations of tense muscle and a relaxed one. With this recognition, you can help stimulate feelings of muscular relaxation when you feel the first signs of tension creeping up. In addition to this physical easiness, mental calmness will also be induced.

 

 

 

Ryan Rivera is the author of this guest blog on anxiety relief.  Ron speaks from his own experience in having had have anxiety attacks of his own. However, he has conquered them with the use of these self-help strategies. To learn more ways to help with  anxiety relief, visit www.calmclinic.com.

 

 Related Article: Transition from Hassled to Happy in six easu steps. 

Do you know the real meaning behind the saying "listen to your gut"?  This saying can mean a lot of things but what it intentionally is saying to you is that your digestive system and all the organs that make up the digestive system; the colon, the intestines, the liver, the kidneys etc (the gut) determines how healthy you really are. 

Digestion can take up nearly 70% of the body's energy, however when you are on a mostly raw and living foods diet that energy is being extracted from the enzymes that are still intact in the food as opposed to taking that energy from the body.  Even though our body has a reserve of enzymes in the pancrease, those enzymes deplete themselves with age, toxicity, and stress factors.  

Detoxing and cleansing the body are essential tools for your health, the quality of your life, and your longetivity.  How well you digest your food, how many times you eliminate, how toxic your digestive organs are all major factors in the status of your health.  Constipation is said to be the only real disease that exists out here.  In Chinese medicine, constipation is loosely translated as stagnant or blocked energy, so implementing detoxing and cleansing into your own personal healthcare plan is extremely essential to one's health and quality of life.  

Nwenna Kai is an award winning world-renowed author and raw foods expert. She founded one of Los Angeles's pioneering raw vegan restaurants and catering companies called Taste of the Goddess Cafe.  She is the author of the book, The Goddess of Raw Foods.  

She is the creator of  The 7 Day Raw Foods Cleanse and a much sought out expert in the media.  She has been interviewed on E-Entertainment, NBC's The Ten Show, WURD AM Radio in Philadelphia, Pacifica Radio, and The Travel Channel.    To Get Your FREE weekly health & wellness tips, recipes, and a FREE Raw Foods Holiday Recipe Book!  Yummy!!!  Sign up here www.nwennakai.com. 

To register for The 7 Day Raw Foods Cleanse, visit www.nwennakai.com/detox-program.  It is 25% OFF!

Many people are affected by the changes in seasons.  Some are especially affected by lack of sunshine which can bring on winter depression. 

 

Light Therapy is one of the treatments for winter depression and Season Affective Disorder.  In this article I will show you a way to treat yourself to the light you need without using a lamp.

 

In order to understand how you can deal with S.A.D. without a lamp, we need to look at why this method works.  Studies have been done that indicate that when an athlete imagines the routine he/she is going to perform, the body reacts in the same way it would if the athlete were actually going through the routine.  In other words, the body reacts to what the athlete is picturing.  Visualization is a powerful tool to make changes in your thoughts and in your reality.

 

When you crave sunlight or when you feel down because there have been too many dark days, here’s a simple way to change what your body experiences and what you feel.  This will also help those who would consider using Light Therapy to treat S.A.D.

 

1. Imagine the brightest, sunniest day you have ever experienced.
2. Notice the sun’s brightness.  Feel its warmth.
3. Imagine taking that sun into your solar plexus (the area just below the rib cage and above the waist).  Adjust the brightness through your imagination so it is just right for you.
4. Ask this bright sun to feed your body with the light and warmth it needs.
5. Notice how your body responds.  Sometimes you will experience tears of relief and other times you may feel yourself expand like a great sun of your own.
6. Now, feel gratitude for the sun and for this hologram of the sun that gives you what you need to stay healthy.

 

You have a great ability to affect your daily experience by the thoughts you think and the pictures you create in your mind’s eye.  Working with color in this way is easy and very effective.

 

For more colorful tips to stay healthy and happy check out the topics on my Motivational Whisperers Group called Easy, Everyday Ways to Stay Healthy Using Color

 

Arlene Arnold, CCT

ThePowerofColor.com

 

 

 

Most of our food is better for us nutritionally when it is left as it in its natural state.  Many people ask me what percentage cooked vs. raw is good for the body.

It all varies according to a person's desires, lifestyle, budget, and committment to their health.  Eating a mostly raw foods diet does not have to be expensive, but it can but that is only because of the influx of commercialzed labeled raw food products that provide a high nutrient density to the body, but they can take your whole check as well.  Products like nut butters,  kelp noodles, packaged dried fruits and other items, you can actually make for yourself at home if you have the time.  

Plain and simple, cooking foods will reduce the effectiveness of the benefits of micronutrients especially vitamins like vitamin A, B, C, D, and E.

However cooking for some food does have its benefits as cooking some food
will actually release the nutrient instead of destroying it.

For example, a white potato tastes much better cooked than raw.   And no matter how it is cooked, it will retain its vitamin B and C content.

However boiling, sauteeing, baking, steaming will reduce the antioxidant content in spinach and broccoli.  

Cooking involves fire and when you put fire to anything, it destoys the matter at hand.  

Overall keep your cooking to a minimum.  Raw foods are easier to prepare, safer because it doesn't involve fire or heat, and they taste better too in their natural state.  

Nwenna Kai is an award winning world-renowed author and raw foods expert. She founded one of Los Angeles's pioneering raw vegan restaurants and catering companies called Taste of the Goddess Cafe.  She is the author of the book, The Goddess of Raw Foods.  
She is the creator of  The 7 Day Raw Foods Cleanse and a much sought out expert in the media.  She has been interviewed on E-Entertainment, NBC's The Ten Show, WURD AM Radio in Philadelphia, Pacifica Radio, and The Travel Channel.    To Get Your FREE weekly health & wellness tips, recipes, and a FREE Raw Foods Holiday Recipe Book!  Yummy!!!  Sign up here www.nwennakai.com. 

 

 

Our green superfoods are those dark leafy greens like kale, collards, spinach, and wheatgrass along with wild algae, cholorella, and spirulina which were the first forms of food known to humankind on this planet.  Spirulina is a cultivated algae that has a 70% complete protein profile.  


Wheatgrass may be hard to get down the throat because of its strong and robust grassy flavor, but wheatgrass is gluten-free, super alkalizing for the blood and helps people who want to lose weight because it stimulates the thyroid gland and your body’s metabolism. 

 

In our fruit, nut, and seed category we have coconuts which is one of those cure-all foods, the noni fruit, goji berries, acai berries, Brazil’s gift to the American food system via Oprah and Dr. Oz, and maca root, a sexual energizer and natural libido booster.


Then there is the infamous cacao where real natural chocolate comes from that world-renowned raw foods expert David Wolf put on the map for the world to enjoy.  Coconuts is one of those superfoods that the human body recognizes immediately because it resembles the molecular structure of human blood plasma.  During World War II, soldiers drink coconut water to help heal wounds and to stop bleeding from gun wounds.

Cacao contains a high amount of magnesium, a mineral that is severely deficient in the Standard American Diet (SAD).  Magnesium is one of those elements that nourishes our nervous system. And only 28 grams of a serving of cacao will give your body 3 times the amounts it needs for daily iron intake for both men and women.  Cacao also has more antioxidants than green tea and red wine alone. 
 

Other fruit, nut, and seed categories that contain easily digestible complete proteins are hemp seeds, chia seeds, and flax seeds. 

Our herb superfood that is a household name is ginseng.  Ginseng is one of those herbs that you can drink in tea form and/or consume in capsules.   It is also a sexual energizing tonic and a restorative herb that helps people to recover from stress-related diseases.

Aloe vera has wonderful anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties to it and its also wonderful for the digestion system along with being a great source for healthy hair and skin.    
 

Then there is the plant life on the bottom of the ocean which is my favorite.  Why?  Because these different types of seaweed like kombu, nori, arame, and wakame, are full of natural iodine that feeds your body’s thyroid gland which is the second most important gland in your body behind your master gland: The Pineal Gland. 

The thyroid gland regulates your mood, appetite, hormones, and your metabolism.  If it is imbalanced it can affect everything from your hair, skin, and nails, to women’s ability to ovulate.

Not only do the seaweeds contain natural iodine in them, but they have the molecular structure of human blood plasma as well and they are full of all the nutrients that come out of the ocean. 

There is a plethora of other superfoods to consider when shopping at Weaver’s Way but choose the superfoods that fit your budget, your palette, and your nutritional needs. 

Nwenna Kai is an award winning world-renowed author and raw foods expert. She founded one of Los Angeles's pioneering raw vegan restaurants and catering companies called Taste of the Goddess Cafe.  She is the author of the book, The Goddess of Raw Foods.  


She is the creator of  The 7 Day Raw Foods Cleanse and a much sought out expert in the media.  She has been interviewed on E-Entertainment, NBC's The Ten Show, WURD AM Radio in Philadelphia, Pacifica Radio, and The Travel Channel.    To Get Your FREE weekly health & wellness tips, recipes, and a FREE Raw Foods Holiday Recipe Book!  Yummy!!!  Sign up here www.nwennakai.com. 

  

 

 

Realated Article:  7 Tips on transforming your body from Blah   to Wa La 

Changing eating habits means you have to have a different perception around food that what you had before.  First of all food, and I mean real food is what comes out of the ground, off a vine, or out of the ocean in the form of seaweed.  Food is substance.  Anything opposite of that is junk.  Changing eating habits takes work, time, practice, and diligence.  Its difficult to stop eating what you are used to eating out of comfort, boredom, or just ignorance, so here are some tips that will help you to make that transition.