Clean Out The Old, Brush In The New!

As I sit here on the afternoon of New Years Eve, I’m reflecting on the year that was 2014.  I’ve just finished a big clean out of the clinic area, and have created a new energy for the new year!  I’m very excited about it all, as I now look out my window, instead of having my back to it – I’ll get to enjoy the views of nature so much more in 2015.

In order to celebrate the new energies that the clinic is creating for 2015, I’ve also decided to burn a cleansing set of oils to remove any old stagnant energy and to create new space for the uplifting energy that this clinic is creating!

The recipe of the essential oils that have been burning, while I’ve been cleaning, clearing and dusting are:

Sage

Salvia officinalis

Sage was used because of it’s ability to clear catarrh, or mucous. This leads me to believe that it will clear the stuck or gunky energy from within the clinical space.  Sage is used traditionally for inflammations, especially of the throat. A good place to clear stuck energy from, as it allows us to speak freely. Something that is required when you’re in the clinic.

Sandalwood

Santalum album

Sandalwood was used as it keeps your individual space strong, so once it is clear from the Sage, the Sandalwood will allow that space to stay open and free of negative energies, allowing more free flowing positive energy within the clinic.  It also allows for those within this space to operate efficiently and with joy of life. This is something I often see emerging within my clients in the clinic.

Frankincense

Boswellia carterii

Frankincense was used to protect the open and free space that has been created, allowing those within it to be free from worry, overwhelm and anything else that may be draining of your own energy.  I enjoy seeing clients be free from their worries, with increased energy emerging from within them once they begin their Life Journey in the clinic.  Frankincense provides this protection to be free.

I feel that these oils are beneficial for myself as well as the clinic.  We have both been on a journey this year, with highs and lows, and learnings from all of these experiences.  This year the focus has been soundly on change, and with change comes challenges, but also growth.  This growth is important for both the clinic and myself as we cannot stagnate in the world we’re in, our Life’s Journey is too short to sit and wait for things to happen.

I want to thank all my clients for taking the step to begin their Life Journey in good health, to my students for allowing me to learn and grow alongside them, and to the Universe for putting trials in my path to test my strength of conviction for my Life Journey too.

Have a very Happy and Healthy New Year, may your year bring you all you have dreamt of, and more, and remember to visit the clinic to begin, or continue, your Life Journey in 2015.

According to numerology, the keywords for this year include “good health”, “progress”, “privilege”, “karma”, “success”, “profit” and “competence”. Your personal keywords will vary from this, but this is what we can expect from 2015 in general.

Everyday, Be Gentle

Does Sugar Age You?

According to this great article from Isagenix, reproduced here, it DOES!  I’ve been using these products for over a year now and am always pleasantly surprised when people mention there has been a change to my skin and my appearance (obviously for the better!!).  I believe this is a benefit of not ageing as quickly as I was with my seemingly ‘healthy’ diet.

 

Enjoy this wonderful article.

 

Almost half of all Americans have blood sugar concentrations that are considered too high, with those over 60 being especially at risk (1). Uncontrolled, it could mean a higher risk of metabolic syndrome and eventual chronic disease.

The reason is that too much sugar in the blood causes damage to various body systems. Especially concerning, high blood sugar stimulates production of compounds called advanced glycation end products (AGE). Because AGEs are reactive, they can directly damage important cells and tissues in the body and have long been associated with accelerated aging.

AGEs are formed inside and outside of the body causing cells to become stiff, less pliable, and subject to damage. They can affect multiple tissues and organs and have been closely linked to reduced cardiovascular and brain function.

To avoid the damaging effects of high blood glucose and generation of AGEs, it’s essential to both maintain a healthy body weight and to avoid excessive intake of sugar-rich foods. One way of controlling blood sugar concentrations for weight management and healthy aging is to choose foods with a low glycemic index (GI) value (2-4). This value gives the consumer a “snap-shot” of the type and amount of carbohydrates in food and how that food can affect blood sugar levels.

The glycemic index is a scale from 0 to 100, with 100 being the equivalent amount of pure glucose. A food with a low GI score will have a less severe impact on a person’s blood sugar levels. Many factors can influence GI including the quantity of fat and protein of the food, which can slow digestion of sugars. Low-glycemic foods include beans, complex carbs like oats, most vegetables, and some fruits. White bread, on the other hand, is considered high-glycemic.

A system that can help support blood sugar management is the Isagenix 30-day Cleansing and Fat Burning System™. As shown in independent clinical studies at two separate universities, subjects on the program were able to better control their blood sugar in comparison to traditional dieters.

In 2012, the University of Illinois at Chicago evaluated the effects of the Isagenix system compared to a “heart-healthy” dietary plan in obese women. Researchers found that the subjects on the Isagenix system had significantly better blood glucose control—a particularly striking finding considering that the subjects had normal blood glucose levels at the beginning of the study (4). Additionally, the results suggested their bodies were better using insulin to manage the sugar received in their diets.

The Isagenix system employs IsaLean® Shakes and Bars that are formulated to be low-glycemic. These have balanced combination of dairy proteins including whey protein, healthy fats, low-glycemic carbohydrates including fructose (fruit sugar), and finally, a good source of fiber. Isagenix tests to ensure that these meal replacement products are indeed low-glycemic by partnering with academic testing institutions nationwide.

To find out more about this wonderful system of ageing gracefully, contact me directly!

References

1. Brown AF, Mangione CM, Sarkisian CA, et al. California Healthcare Foundation/American Geriatrics Society Panel on Improving Care for Elders with Diabetes. Guidelines for improving the care of the older person with diabetes mellitus. J Am Geriatr Soc, 2003;(Suppl Guidelines):S265-S280.
2. Juanola-Falgarona M et al. Effect of the glycemic index of the diet on weight loss, modulation of satiety, inflammation, and other metabolic risk factors: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr 100:27-35, 2014.
3. Kahlhofer J et al. Carbohydrate intake and glycemic index affect substrate oxidation during a controlled weight cycle in healthy men. Eur J Clin Nutr 68:1060-6, 2014.
4. Lagerpusch M et al. Carbohydrate quality and quantity affect glucose and lipid metabolism during weight regain in healthy men. J Nutr 143:1593-601.

 

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Stress Secrets

Stress Less

Love Life More

 

Quite often I take the time to create a blend for the clinic, usually focusing on what I am looking for most within my day too.  Usually the blending process is done intuitively.  Today was no different.  I went to my ‘toolbox’ of essential oils and randomly chose three oils

 

Today’s Blend

Lime

Patchouli

Melissa

These three are burning gently now as I write this blog, the aroma is very relaxing and I understand that the effects of these will be to uplift my heart and joy of life, along with easing me through the changes I’m making to my work and personal life, knowing that my strength is contained within me!

Lime:

• eases stress
• uplifting
• help to ease you through changes
• keeps you alert
• nutures the solar plexus chakra

 

Patchouli:

• creates unity, focusing  your heart and head together
• to aid you in rising above your self imposed barriers
• to aid you in sticking to your plan
• grounding, yet linked to your spirituality, the unity of both
• aids you in realising that your strength is always within you
• nutures the sacral chakra

 

Melissa:

• unconditional love, love of life, joy of life
• aids you in following  your dreams with passion
• lets you live  your life from your heart, encompassing all that you are passionate about
• gives joy and happiness in large quanitites
• nutures the solar and heart chakras

 

Enjoy today’s blend and live life to it’s fullest, with joy, happiness & passion, striving for your dreams that are attainable by following your heart and using the strength within you.

 

Stress Less, Live Life More

Want a Digestive?

Question:  How do you support your body when it’s been struggling to digest food?

Answer: a cup of peppermint tea. The essential oils aid digestion and are a calmative too!

Enjoy a soothing cuppa today

Reiki Week

To celebrate Reiki Awareness Week in Australia, I wanted to bring you some information on what Reiki is and my first experience of Reiki.

 

Reiki is a form of energy healing that has been practised worldwide since the early 1900’s. It was first developed as a healing system in Japan, by Mikao Usui, and has been further developed over the years.

 

I enjoyed finding out the literal translation of Reiki.

 

Rei = “God’s Wisdom” or “the Higher Power”

Ki = “Life Force Energy”

 

Reiki is considered to be both a spiritual practice and a healing art, working on enhancing the body’s innate healing abilities.  I like this as it relates to my underlining philosophy of using nature to promote self-healing. It’s the body’s own ability to heal that is being stimulated, much like when I use homeopathy or aromatherapy as a stimulant to support the body in what it aims to do best, which is to return to homeostasis, or balance.

 

My first experience with Reiki occurred on a whim.  I was in London and had spare time so was wandering about some streets, wondering what I could do with my time.  I walked into a wonderful feeling shop, lots of crystals, essential oils and the like giving a great experience.  There was a Reiki Master working from this shop and he just happened to have a free one hour space – I quickly grabbed the opportunity to try something that I’d never experienced before.

 

The treatment room was soothing and relaxing. I was asked to take my shoes off and lie on the towel on the floor, to relax and close my eyes. Gentle music was playing in the background. This was a great beginning after wandering the busy streets of London.

 

From there, I felt an energy pass into my body, it was sometimes moving and sometimes it was stopped in a particular area, all the time, I could feel this amazing strong energy flowing freely from my big toe. This was it, for a period of one hour, I lay on a floor, listening to the music, noone touched me, nor did I move.  It was exhilarating!

 

After the treatment, I discussed the bumpy energy flow in spots over my body. It was explained that the practitioner had not stopped and concentrated in any one particular area, it was my body that needed particular healing in those areas so the energy had remained over those spots until the healing had occurred and it could move on.  The energy flow from my big toe was explained as the exit of the energy from my body once it had targeted what was required.

 

The experience is one that I have never forgotten, it occurred over 14 years ago.   I was attuned to Reiki some years ago, and regularly practice self-healing with Reiki.  A truly wonderful treatment that anyone can be attuned to and can utilise in their daily lives.

 

The purpose of Reiki, from the Reiki Australia website:

 

“The true purpose of the Reiki method is to correct the heart-mind, keep the body fit, and lead a happy life using the spiritual capabilities humans are endowed with since birth.”

Here is a great video on how we all practice Reiki on a daily basis, and have not maybe realised it previously

Enjoy learning more about Reiki and ask me about how it will complement your treatment plan.

Are Mistakes Failures?

In today’s society there seems to be a strong pressure for us to all perform, to perform well (in fact perfectly) and to achieve the top of anything we attempt.

 

We make mistakes!!

 

How many of us admit that we’ve made a mistake, and what does it mean to admit to this mistake?

 

This week, I had a day where I made a mistake.  Instead of following my routine that I had set aside for the month of November, I didn’t follow my plan. Yes, this was a mistake.

 

What it catastrophic?

 

NO!!

 

Did I Learn From This?

 

YES!!

 

What did I learn I hear you ask?

 

Well, I learnt a couple of things – okay, I’ve listed 7.

 

1. To be kind to myself
2. To improve on the me I was yesterday
3. To be the best me I can be
4. To make a mistake is to learn
5. To learn is to grow
6. To grow is LIVING!
7. Once a mistake is made, to learn from it and move back is powerful

 

I’ve been following the teachings of Don Miguel Ruiz and his wonderfully quoted book, The Four Agreements.  These four agreements are:

 

1. Be impeccable with your word
2. Don’t take anything personally
3. Don’t make assumptions
4. Always do your best.

 

These agreements came to mind for me strongly when I admitted to myself that it had been a mistake to not follow my program for a day.  However, the tempered my response to this mistake, and supported my growth from that mistake.

 

Within these, I was gentle to myself for slipping off the rails (being impeccable with my word), telling myself how easy it will be to step back onto these rails and be a better person performing the task than I was the day before (always doing my best) and not blaming myself (not taking it personally that I slipped).  I have stepped back onto the rails, with determination and gratitude for where I have developed to as a person.

 

A year ago, it would have been so easy to tell myself off for slipping off a planned strategy, to have felt bad for doing the ‘wrong’ thing, to then continue being off the rails. Now, life is much gentler.

 

Remember: be gentle to yourself, so you can be gentle to others

 

Responsibility for your mistakes, results in growth

Gluten Free Brownies

Processed Sugar Free, Flour Free Brownies

 

This week I have been bombarded with food recipes, so I thought it was time I shared!

 

This recipe came to me via Facebook, and I wanted to try it out over the weekend.  My first trip was to the health food store for the raw cacao as I had the rest of the ingredients in my cupboard.

 

The hype was that it was Processed Sugar Free, Flour Free and made from Sweet Potato.

 

I wanted to see if the recipes we are sharing are actually reproducible.

 

This is the recipe as it was posted – I’ve put in my additions in RED and included step by step photos.  Enjoy!

 

2 Medium sweet potatoes peeled and chopped about 700g of sweet potato, chopped into small pieces

Sweet Potato chopped

1/4 cup of raw cacao powder
1 and a 1/4 cups ground almonds
1/4 cup raw honey
1/2 cup dates
Pinch of sea salt I used Himalayan Rock Salt

Preheat oven to 180c, line an 8 x 8 tin with baking paper I used a greased muffin tin

Boil sweet potatoes for 5 mins, then blend, I used a hand blender

Blending the cooked sweet potatoes

add everything else

Adding the remaining ingredients

and blend till smooth.

All the ingredients blended together

I was very pleasantly surprised at this stage, as it now looks like any cake mix – wow!!

Place in tin and bake for 25 mins. This took about 50 minutes, not sure if it was where I had the tray in the oven, lower shelf, or if it was because I used a muffin tin, or if this is just how long it takes!!

Cooked brownies cooling

Cool before attacking them. They were yummy – still have some left, and shared some too

Brownies are now ready to eat

 

I cooked them until a skewer came out clean when testing them.  The brownies are moist in the centre and have a firm outer.  The taste is like that of a standard brownie, with a slight hint of something else (I suppose that’s the sweet potato).

 

I have approximated the calories (this recipe made 10 muffin sized cakes) as 200 calories per brownie. So, as a treat for me, I am having half of a brownie with a cuppa (I usually have chai or green tea) when I feel like something special.  I’m storing them in an airtight container in the fridge too.

 

Enjoy!!

Cleaning Up For Christmas

 

Oh my gosh, yes, it’s that dreaded word!!! Christmas! Halloween is now officially over, and the next big holiday a lot of people are expecting is Christmas (though I know for my northern American friends, it’s Thanksgiving!).

 

I’ve been reflecting on where I was last Christmas, and where I’m heading to this Christmas.  Last Christmas I was in the middle of my new Life Journey.

At that time I had just recently completed a 10 week challenge at the gym, was sitting around 67kg (147lbs), looking towards achieving my goal weight of 60kg (132lb) sometime in the New Year.  My goal over Christmas was to not gain weight – and, yep, I achieved that goal. In fact, I lost weight over Christmas!!

 

Jul – Dec 2013

 

So, for this end of year celebration, as we head rapidly towards the end of 2014, I was looking at where I’ve come from and where I’m heading too.

 

Over the last few months, I’ve been feeling a little bit on the sluggish side, so I knew in my heart it was time to complete a 30 day nutritional cleansing program again.  It kicks off today!!

 

As it was day 1, I decided to do my weights and measures (as I’ve not measured myself since I hit my goal weight of 60kg in March this year.  I was very surprised at the results!

• Firstly, I am now the same weight – 59kg (130lb)
• Secondly, most of my measurements are the same – EXCEPT FOR:

THE BUTTOCKS!!!!

Surprisingly this measurement has decreased by a full 9cm since March

WOW!!!!!

THE UPPER ARM (BICEP)

Not surprisingly, this measurement has increased by 2cm since March

How happy was I with these results? A toned butt and biceps?  Awesome!!!!

Anyway, that was the most surprising element of the measurements that were taken.

My goal for this 30 day cleanse is to improve my energy, clean up my insides, possibly release another 3 – 4kg (6 – 8lb) and increase my motivation as we head into the silly season.

In the way of accountability, here is my ‘before’ shot:

Day 1 – 1 Nov 2014

 

During my cleanse days, I will be actively recording how they progress on my Facebook page.

I will be undertaking some deep cleanse days, and these involved two days, yes two days, of fasting.  These are supported by nutritional snacks, cleansing herbal drinks, lots of water and my special treat – a green tea infused dark chocolate!

 

So, enjoy my journey and I’m excited about seeing the final toned information after 30 November!

Contact me to begin your Life Journey now

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Easy Date, Ginger and Walnut Cake Recipe

Why is it when you’re cleansing, that all you read about is food?? Enjoy this delicious sounding, and looking cake. The ginger in it makes it special to me, ginger being a beautiful healing food from nature.

Ginger has been used in healing in Asia since the earliest of times, it brings great relief in times of nausea and is also very important in regards to the circulatory system. It’s also great for warming up the system when you have a cold.

Enjoy the cake

Cauldrons and Cupcakes

“Variety’s the very spice of life, that gives it all its flavour.”
~ William Cowper

What am I doing this morning? Well, as soon as this blog is done I’ll be making a nice cup of tea, cutting myself a slice of this cake and sitting down with my journal for an hour or so. Today is a powerful time for dreaming, planning, birthing and manifesting our heart’s desires into the world, riding on the back of this incredible new moon and solar eclipse energy. If you can find some time today, I highly encourage you to take a little time too to envision your dream life, and what you most want to be, do and create in the world over the coming years.

But I digress. Back to cake!

This cake is a firm favourite in our household. It’s easy to whip up, using just one saucepan and a wooden…

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The Beauty Of Nature

Sometimes we need to stop and breathe in the beauty of nature. Today is that day. Enjoy the beauty you see around you today, take a moment to capture it, breathe it in and share here so we can all enjoy your moment today

Looking up into the world, in wonderment

A second beautiful shot presented itself to me, and I had to share