IN THE CENTER OF SERENITY
So, I am back in New York after spending three months in “quietude” in Paris.
I have enclosed the word, quietude, in quotation marks because the intention of my trip was to finish writing Fit for Joy.
When I remove the quotation marks, I clearly see that, although my mind was highly active with thoughts about the next chapter, or story, or paragraph (and of course, the next raw cheese croissant meal), I was at peace with “myself.”
At peace with a body that loves carbs and sweets, and a mind that manifests thoughts that can then be expressed as sadness, anger, lust, and separation, among others.
I realized that by recognizing the nature of mind and body, we can rest in the space in-between.
Isn’t it amazing?
We can become the space for action without losing serenity.
Although I was still loaded with thoughts about my book, and I was physically active, the feeling of peace remained. I was not lost in being “Valeria,” as I knew it.
This might sound complicated at first, but I will try to explain it better…
It became clear to me that, in the past, I was trapped in feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression because my mind could only see and be “Valeria,” the person and personality. It could not yet recognize through experience, the serene space (I am), which “Valeria” simply manifests in form through her body, thoughts, actions, ideas, past events, and so…
The “Valeria” in New York was concerned about being the personal trainer working with clients who didn’t understand the true meaning of health. The disappointed winning fitness competitor who abused her body for months preparing for the show. The twice-divorced woman with a traumatic past who was struggling to forget the pain. The person and professional who lived to teach others that exercising and eating clean should be a top priority in life, although her heart lived for compassion and peace.
The “Valeria” in France was mentally and physically busy, too, but she was like a tree that remains calm and still throughout every season.
Even though the leaves of a tree change colors and fall, the tree’s essence always remains the same. The same is true for humans when we recognize ourselves as the center of serenity, which is who we really are.
It amazed me to realize that I could live my life from that day on just like that. I could simply be the essence of my human life.
I am not suggesting that you should disassociate yourself from your physical body and your psychological reality; rather, you should recognize them as manifestations of your human life in this moment in time, which doesn’t affect the essence of who you are.
If this is making sense to you, you are clearly on the path to freeing yourself from unnecessary suffering.☺
It’s also important to understand that the question about how it all came to be and what will happen when we die doesn’t need an answer if you recognize your true essence.
It’s something like this: you don’t know that you know, but you do!
Once you have established yourself in the center of serenity, you will be surprised to see yourself living as a joyful and mysterious being that is having an experience in a body without any attachment.
What a joy it must be!
I do think that meditation and being alone somewhere close to nature can help you experience this feeling, but I strongly believe that in order to strengthen your faith about who you are, you need open-heartedness, compassion, and the pure intention to stay on the path by deepening your spiritual knowledge.
While I was in Paris, in addition to spending hours writing about the connection between fitness and spirituality, I meditated a few hours every day, and I visited the Tibetan Kagyu-Dzong Temple.
I spent most of my time alone in a small cottage by a river, in contemplation. Although the idea of visiting touristy places, making new friends, and savoring fancy French foods excited me, I felt much more joy in practicing spirituality through these experiences, than in delighting in pleasure itself.
In conclusion, the goal of my trip to Paris was to finish writing the book, which I did; but, it seems to me now that my unconscious mind brought me there to start the progress of "ending Valeria”—which I believe also happened.
To end my journey as “Valeria,” as I know it, means to live consciously in the center of serenity. I can feel the transformation taking place every day.
So, the manuscript was completed. It is now being prepared for private fulfillment in May. Then, it will be presented to publishers.
As you can see, this could become another trap where I believe I am the author of Fit for Joy, when the truth is: I am the blank page before and after the words. :)
Namaste!
STILL BEAUTIFUL...
I WANT TO LOSE BELLY FAT ONLY
I was waiting for one of my clients. She was almost twenty minutes late when my phone rang.
“It’s Destiny. I am very late. I’m sorry, Valeria. Will be there soon. Bye,” she said in a few seconds and hung up the phone.
I stared at the street of Astoria from the small studio I rented close to my house. Destiny would come rushing in any time. It was cold and windy outside. The fitness studio also offered massage therapy. There was a massage session going on in one of the rooms close to where I stood in the reception.
Destiny was one of the most cheerful clients I had. She always came straight to me with a big smile. She gave me a tight hug and a kiss before we started training.
She was a mother of two kids, taught school, and was overweight. Destiny was a high-energy woman with a very unusual fitness goal: to lose belly fat only. She trained with me three times a week.
When we met two months ago and I asked her about her fitness goals, she said to me, “My husband would love to see me with a smaller belly wearing the new pink swimsuit I bought for this summer.” She shook a colorful water bottle and took a sip. “I know I am a bit overweight but I do like my voluptuous body—except for my belly. My husband says all I need to do to look great is to lose belly fat.”
It was not the first time I heard that kind of fitness request from a client—I was used to it. So I said to her, “Let me see if I understand you, Destiny. You want to lose weight but mostly in the belly area. I can definitely help you lose weight which will reduce belly fat, too. Spot reduction is something that doesn’t really exist. Working with me you will learn what to do to lose fat.”
“Let’s get started!” she said with a big smile.
We started training right way from that day on. She was doing great. Destiny had lost almost twenty pounds so far.
Moments after we hung up the phone, she came rushing in. She looked serious and worried. It was the first time she didn’t give me a hug and kiss. I was sure something was wrong. I hoped nobody had died.
We sat down on the small sofa in the reception. I faced her but she looked down.
She said, “I came here today to say this in person; I didn’t want to send an email.”
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“I can’t do this anymore. You helped me reduce belly size and feel better, but I’ve noticed that my thighs and glutes are shrinking, too. I didn’t sign up for this,” she said. She looked down, about to cry.
I listened to her quietly.
“I told you I liked my voluptuous body and my husband does, too. Thank you anyway.” She stood up and left.
" A flower doesn't know anything about beauty, but it is still beautiful."
Much love!
Valeria
THE MOTHER AND HER SON
One day, a mother is taking a walk around her neighborhood with a friend. They are engaged in an interesting conversation. The mother’s four-year-old son is inside of the stroller she is pushing.
The two women are gossiping about TV stars and their friends’ private lives.
It’s early in the morning. The neighborhood they live in is in the center of a big city. There are many intersections and cars driving on the roads nearby. They constantly have to stand and wait to cross at stop signs and stoplights.
At one point in their walk, their conversation gets so interesting that they don’t realize the stoplight is red. They cross the street when they shouldn’t and don’t look at the traffic. When they reach the other side of the street, the mother’s son starts to cry and move about uncomfortably in the stroller.
It takes the mother a few minutes to give him her attention. The conversation between the women has reached the best part: the TV star they’re talking about has taken a lover and his wife found out about it.
When the mother finally asks her son what is wrong and why he is fussing so loudly and unhappily, he says, “The light was red and you didn’t see it. You don’t love me?”
He questions whether his safety or her gossip is more important to her. Horrified, the mother realizes in that moment why he asked her that question.
************
Have you noticed that sometimes we are so engaged with our thoughts that we forget we have a body?
Most of the time, we don’t smell the scent of our shower soap; we don’t feel the texture of the toothpaste in our mouths; we don’t see or hear the bird singing in our window. We have no idea what our breakfast tasted like. This is because we are living in our thoughts most of the time. We forget that our bodies are much more interested in the present moment.
To illustrate the disconnect between the mother and her son in the story, I portrayed the mother as the talkative mind, and the body as the son in the stroller. The body is innocent and does not seem as rational as the mind, but it knows more about what makes us happy, healthy, and safe than the mind does.
When the body is uncomfortable, it constantly tries to call the attention of the mind to what is happening to it; when the mind keeps ignoring the body, diseases or even death are inevitable. The body has a holistic awareness for its needs. It knows how to thrive in happiness, and how to survive. It doesn’t need the mind as much as we “think” it does. The mind has no clue about holistic awareness, and to make things worse, it doesn’t know that it doesn’t know.
The nature of the mind in thoughts and possibilities is of constant, endless noise. The nature of the body is interconnectedness. It connects our physical and spiritual states harmoniously, given that we train our minds to allow it to do its job. That is the reason we see many people whose bodies don’t match their mental state. For example, people who talk on and on, and even write about health, but have an unhealthy body, people who say they believe in love and kindness, but live life dueling in hatred and selfishness, and those who say they are happy when they can’t smile. They seem to be living different lives, like joint twins who want to do different things but they can’t detach from each other. There is a clear disconnection.
When you listen to the body, you will notice that it will also direct you to what thoughts you give attention to. Those who desire to find harmony between body and mind, start by practicing a gentle and compassionate relationship with their bodies.
Next time you don’t remember if the sign was red or green when you crossed the street, it is time to revise your relationship with your body!
Much love!
Valeria
WHAT DOES MY WEIGHT HAVE TO DO WITH IT?
TO BE HEALTHY... IS TO BE WHOLE... IS TO BE HOLY!
Karen is an obese woman I train twice a week.
She is 30 years old, weighs 250 lbs and is 5’2”.
These numbers don’t say anything about her as a person. She is a painter who owns her own gallery.
The serenity in her eyes, and how she smiles for no reason, introduce her to me before she says her name.
She has been married for more than five years to a musician who is of normal weight. Her husband would come to pick her up after the sessions; that’s how I know he was in shape.
The conversation we had the first day we met left me pondering about life for days.
The question I ask all my clients before we begin is: What are your three main fitness goals?
This is how Karen answered my question:
“I only have one goal: to enjoy our workouts.”
I look at her as if she didn’t understand my question, and ask a more specific one:
“I understand, Karen. I will make sure the exercises are fun, but what I mean is, how many pounds to do want to lose?”
“Valeria, I don't care about the weight,” she says, smiling. “I just want to feel good during and after the workouts. It doesn’t matter if I don't lose any weight, really.” She ends her sentences looking at me with her big peaceful eyes and joyful smile.
I can’t believe this woman and how out of reality she is.
- Look at her size; she is obese, for God’s sake. She could die of a heart attack any moment. I talk to myself as my mind refuses to believe that no one can be peaceful or joyful with that body. It can’t be possible.
So I keep insisting. This time I try to force her to make a deal:
“Can we agree on losing 1- 2 lbs a week? How about that?”
She says to me with the same serene and happy look on her face:
“Valeria, dear, I think you don’t understand. I am fine with my weight. I do what I enjoy for work. I love my family and my friends and I am loved by them. I am so grateful that my weight doesn’t bother me at all. These workouts with you are just to get my body moving while I have fun.”
I still couldn’t understand her.
Then, I go home thinking about this and I remember one thought I had when I was a teenager. A thought that kept coming back throughout my life—that I would die young. I believed I would not reach the age of 30, despite being physically healthy.
Perhaps, intuitively, I knew that my heart could fail at any moment because of my lack of understanding of what life was really about—love and kindness.
My physical health without love never meant much.
Next week I will have another trainer / client story for you!
Much love!
Valeria
FITNESS AND JOY
A personal trainer in New York has a different way of conducting her training sessions.
She starts by asking each one of her clients a unique question.
They always answer it, but not the way she expects them to…
- Good morning, James!
- Are you fit for joy? – she says
James rushes to the floor and performs 40 push-ups… with a clap.
The trainer is impressed, but she wonders why the answer is push-ups.
- Good afternoon, Rose!
- Are you fit for joy?
Rose jumps on the treadmill and runs as fast as she can… for 30 minutes.
Wow. The trainer is very impressed, but she wonders why the answer is running.
- Good evening, Mr. Sanchez!
- Are you fit for joy?
Mr. Sanchez quickly performs 20 bodyweight squats and a squat hold for two minutes.
He is a 77-year-old man. This is stunning to the trainer.
She is making good money.
Her job is easier this way.
Her clients are losing weight and getting in shape… but she is becoming more and more intrigued.
She keeps asking them the FIT FOR JOY question, but they answer it by moving their bodies.
One day when she gets home, she goes straight to her room and in front of the mirror she asks herself:
- Am I fit for joy?
Before she even finishes the question, she is on the floor doing burpees, nonstop.
After that she is exhausted, but also very reflective.
She goes to sleep.
The next day, she wakes up questioning the situation:
WHAT DOES JOY HAVE TO DO WITH FITNESS?
To find out the answer to her question, she starts an experiment…
Much love!
Valeria
PARISIAN MACARON
Paris is renowned for its delicious cuisine, with world famous specialties such as Foie Gras, Duck Confit, Cheese or pastries.
Parisians love few things more than champagne, but one of those things is the Ladurée macaron.
I visited the legendary Ladurée last week. I was impressed by the tea rooms, which I heard is intimately tied to the history of the Ladurée family. It all began in 1862, when Louis Ernest Ladurée, a miller from the southwest of France, founded a bakery in Paris at 16 rue Royale.
The decoration of the pastry shop was entrusted to Jules Cheret, a famous turn-of-the-century
painter and poster artist.
Paris is truly the city of love, art, and delicacies.
One thing I know, writing and macarons don't match. I couldn't write anything the day after I ate all that sugar!
THE BEAUTY OF BEING YOURSELF
It’s a sunny afternoon.
I am watching swans and ducks swim in the lake.
A wonderful feeling of peace and joy fills my heart.
My breathing deepens. My body relaxes.
“I could stay here all day,” I say to myself.
Then, a question comes to mind:
“Why does watching these birds swim make me feel so peaceful and happy?”
I have no answer for a few minutes. I keep watching the birds move around.
Then comes a thought with an answer:
“It’s because they are free. It’s a sunny day and they are swimming in an open lake in whatever direction they choose to go.”
A mother with her child passes by me. The child laughs, pointing at the birds. They distracted me for moment.
My body is leaning against a wooden fence. I am at the top of a bridge looking down at the water.
The swimming birds have all my attention again.
It feels great!
It doesn’t take long for another thought to come up again. This time, as gracefully as the birds swimming in the water.
It says:
“Oh, I know. It’s the beautiful pattern they leave in the water as they move with freedom while being themselves.”
I step away from the fence, and walk with a smile on my face.
Did you leave a beautiful pattern somewhere today? :)
Much love!
Valeria
Hold on to the Roots
The Lucid Dream
I am climbing a high mountain.
Halfway to the top, it becomes slippery.
I can’t go farther.
The dust falls all over and around me. I can’t see anything.
I am the only witness to my struggle.
My hands desperately try to find something to hold on to.
The mountain is falling apart. So am I.
In the midst of the end, I hear a song:
“You won’t die – Don’t worry. Don’t worry. You won’t die.”
I doubt the song. “But I am about to.”
The song becomes louder and louder,
“You won’t die – Don’t worry. Don’t worry. You won’t die.”
Then, the song stops.
When I am about to fall, my hands find the roots of a tree.
I hold on to it.
I am safe. Just in time.
The piece of land uncovers the roots.
There is a tree above me.
A beautiful tree called LIFE.
The land disintegrates, so the dust falls on me.
The struggle blinds my eyes. I can only hear the song.
The doubt and the fear make me wonder.
I wonder about hope and love so I can understand life.
In the end, it was all meant to be.
To climb the mountain…
To struggle…
To doubt…
To fear…
To hear the song…
To hold on to the roots…
To hope…
To love…
To find the life which is always there, inside and outside the dream.
By Valeria Teles
Much love!
BENEFITS OF BUTTER
‘Good Fats’ and Their Health Benefits
Butter is delicious; it’s used in tons of baked and cooked goods, but it has also developed a bad reputation with nutritionists. Yes, butter is a saturated fat, but it contains a myriad of properties which are great for our health. According to certain research, it’s the overconsumption of carbohydrates, sugar, and sweeteners that are chiefly responsible for the epidemics of obesity and Type 2 diabetes. This is due to people cutting fat out of their diets (thinking that’s what they should be doing) and replacing it with excess carbohydrates and sugars that their bodies crave.
Butter contains a substance called Butyric Acid, which is a component of milk fat from animals. Butyrate, a form of Butyric acid, is linked to reducing the symptoms of inflammation in the digestive system and is used as a treatment for Crohn’s disease.
Butter is also super rich in conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) which have been found to support weight loss.
Here is an incredible helpful tip from David Brown:
TIP: CLA-rich food have many health benefits, while taking CLA supplements can be risky for your health. Choose natural sources of CLA instead of taking CLA supplements. If you want to get rid of some extra body fat, click here and try the science-proved fat burning inexpensive foods and ingredients you can buy at your local store.
Vitamins Found in Butter
Vitamin A:– the most abundant vitamin found in butter. Healthy levels of vitamin A can help reduce the chances of measles, cancers and Age-related macular degeneration(9).
Vitamin D:– helps absorb calcium in the body for strong bone maintenance (10).
Vitamin E: -Helps prevent cancer and coronary heart disease as well as eye problems and cognitive decline (11).
Vitamin B12:– ‘is required for proper red blood cell formation, neurological function, and DNA synthesis’(12)
Vitamin K2:– can help with osteoporosis and coronary heart disease (13).
Which Butter Is Best?
Grass- Fed Cow Butter
The type of feed dairy cows has had a huge effect on the butter that is produced. Grass fed butter comes from cows that have fed on, you guessed it; grass! It is ‘higher in many nutrients than butter from cows that are fed processed, grain-based feeds or conserved grass’(15). Some fat-soluble vitamins and antioxidants are also higher in grass-fed butter. This means your body will be supplied with many significant health benefits just from using grass fed butter rather than standard processed fed cow butter.
Omega-3 Enriched Butter
This omega-3 enhanced butter binds to cells which help regulate genetic functions. Providing proof that ‘omega-3 fats have been shown to help prevent heart disease and stroke, may help control lupus, eczema, and rheumatoid arthritis, and may play protective roles in cancer and other conditions’(16).
CLA Enriched Butter
Many studies have shown the benefits CLA enhanced butter has on animals (17, 18, 19). And a few studies conducted on humans have demonstrated that ‘CLA has been shown to exert various potent physiological functions such as anticarcinogenic, antiobesity, antidiabetic and antihypertensive properties’ (20). However, there are yet to be many specific studies that look at the human benefits of CLA-enriched butter on people’s health. But it is undeniably clear that CLA has a myriad of health benefits we sure could use!
Source: Healthy Holistic Living
COMFORT
You Are Holding My Hand
By V. Teles
We arrive in a small town after a long car trip. The door opens. We step out, but I stay close to the car.
It’s night.
My heart is racing. There are a lot of people around.
Everyone is anxious. They seem worried about something.
It must be something scary. I am afraid, although I don’t know what is happening.
I stay still.
Standing in a dusty street, I lean back against the car. It is the only place around here that feels safe to me.
“What is going on over there?” I ask myself.
I can barely see anything.
Then I realize people are looking up in the direction of a house where smoke is coming out.
“We heard an explosion earlier,” someone says in a timid, shaky voice.
I have never smelled something like this before. The air is heavy. The house doesn’t look like a house anymore.
“What will happen me?” I ask myself in fear.
Can someone hold my hand? Please.
I can’t see my mother anymore.
My father is distancing himself from the car, from me too. But I can still see him from here.
My sister is close to me, shaking with fear. She looks lost and sad.
The fear doesn’t make my body shake like it does my little sister’s.
I wonder what is going to happen to us.
All I want is a warm hand to hold on to. I want to feel safe.
In silent despair, I stand by the car waiting for our parents to come back.
I don’t want to stay here and I can’t go anywhere.
I can only hold my sister’s hand to ease her fear.
By doing so, I feel a warm hand holding mine.
Much love!
The Meaning of Life Question
The Meaning of Life Question
By Valeria Teles
When I met James for our first assessment session, he said to me, “Are you Valeria? You look so much taller in the pictures.”
“Yes, I confess, I am short,” I replied with a smile.
James was a tall businessman, suntanned and in his late forties, with rounded shoulders, and an ample belly. He used glasses and seemed distracted by the people training around the studio. He was clearly uncomfortable. James was very concerned about his health, but his main reason for hiring me was because he had just broken up with his girlfriend. His goal was to become physically fit to boost his self-esteem and confidence before joining a dating website.
He needed to lose approximately 20 pounds and reduce his belly fat, strengthen his muscles, increase his flexibility, improve his cardiovascular health, and enhance his mental and emotional well-being. People’s misconception that exercise is not fun evaporates after they start training with me, I use music. The assessment went well, and we scheduled his first 20 sessions.
We had our first session in a private, artsy fitness studio in Soho. “How are you feeling today, James?”
“I am very well,” he replied.
“Great, let’s get started.” I continued enthusiastically. I gave him some warm-up exercises to do as we continued our conversation.
“What is the meaning of life for you?” I asked him.
He looked at me and smiled. “What a big question coming from a small, young trainer on an ordinary Monday morning,” he said, as he tried to concentrate on his plank hold.
“I think the meaning of life is to be happy,” he replied.
“Are you happy now?” I asked.
“I would like to have my girlfriend back,” he said.
“Was it your girlfriend who gave your life meaning?” I asked.
He paused for a moment to consider my question. We moved on to the squat rack.
“Perhaps she only needed to change a few things about her personality, and she would be my main source of happiness, meaning, yes. She needed to understand me more and love me for who I am. This was the challenge in our relationship.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“I mean, this way she would complete me,” James said.
I had to ask, “Is it possible to feel complete being on your own, too?”
“Well, I like having someone to share my life with, the special moments, to travel with, to talk with, to sleep with, to go out for dinner and maybe to have a child with. You know, a partner. This is the only thing that’s missing in my life now, besides having a fit body like yours. My girlfriend and I were together for more than six years. I loved having someone around, even though our relationship wasn’t the best. I realize now that even having someone around to fight with is better than not having anyone. I hired you so I can get in shape to feel confident enough again to go out there on the dating scene or to try to convince my girlfriend to come back to me.”
“I see,” I said, thinking about everything he just said. I continued, “James, wouldn’t you agree that life is worth living the healthiest way possible? First, by understanding ourselves, knowing why we choose to do what we do, the habits we have, the friendships we cultivate, the food we eat, the anger we feel, the love we crave, and beliefs we hold.
“I believe our sufferings come from a repetition of unhealthy behaviors and habits that go unquestioned out of fear of learning the truth. The secret to fulfillment is how we embrace the truths each moment presents to us in a variety of ways every day. If happiness is what we are looking for, rather than chasing it, why not focus on how to make each moment complete and joyful, by being grateful in the here and now doing whatever we are doing––or learning a lesson about whatever we are going through. Don’t you think we should strive to give a healthy meaning to each moment we choose to live, granting ourselves a chance to learn from one another and from our experience?”
By the time I finished sharing my thoughts, James had squatted for 10 minutes. He had burned quite a lot of calories, and he had his chin in his hand in the Thinker’s pose.
Much love to you!
THE REASONS YOU NEED BEETS!
Include Beets in your diet
1- Beets contain polyphenols and betalains which reverse the effect of free radical damage and oxidative stress in people.
2- Beets contain various vitamins: B complex vitamins, PP which strengthen capillary walls.
3- Beets contain a lot of minerals – potassium and folate, which aid in healthy heart; magnesium, which aids in bone health; iron and phosphorus which produce energy; copper, which destroys free radicals; iodine which is involved in the biosynthesis of thyroid hormones, and magnesium.
4- Beets contain cobalt which promotes the formation of vitamin B12 (which is synthesized by intestinal microflora. Without this vitamin and folic acid the formation of red blood cells would be impossible.
5- Beets rejuvenate our bodies due to folic acid, which contributes to the creation of new cells.
6- Beets remove toxins from our bodies due to betalin pigments.
7- Beets contain betacyanins, which inhibits the growth of cancer cells.
8- Beets improve digestion due to the dietary fiber.
9- Beets stimulate metabolism.
10- Beets help digest Vitamin D in our bodies.
11- Beets help prevent dementia due to high concentration of nitrates which transform in the mouth into nitrites. Researched have showed that nitrites open up the blood vessels in the body which increases blood flow and helps oxygen to get to oxygen lacking areas.
12- Beets contain pectin which is in greater numbers than in carrots or apples. Pectin deals with the excretion of radioactive and heavy metals from the body. In addition, pectin also inhibits the spread of harmful intestinal bacteria and prevents the development of a whole range of diseases.
As you can see beets possess a plethora of medicinal and healing properties which also include lowering cholesterol, lowering blood pressure, strengthening capillary vessels, providing an anti-sclerotic effect, and improving brain and liver function. They also help improve fat metabolism.
I need to start eating them too!!! :)))
Source: Healthy Holistic Living
EAT THE PEELS!
10 Fruits And Vegetable Peels You Should Eat
It’s no secret that eating a generous helping of colorful fruits and vegetables every day is vital to good health. Not only does fresh produce provide essential vitamins and nutrients that keep the body running optimally, but it is also a proactive way to prevent a slew of chronic diseases.
That said, if you are looking for a way to boost your nutrient content for free while reducing waste in the kitchen, you might want to set aside the peeler. Many fruit and veggie peels are loaded with extra nutrition and different antioxidants. But preparing these foods in the traditional way often means the skins end up in the compost.
Instead of peeling away your nutrients, read on to discover the amazing health benefits of eating these fruits and vegetables – peel and all!
1- Potatoes
2- Carrots
3- Cucumbers
4- Apples
5- Eggplant
6- Kiwi
7- Mango
8- Citrus fruits: lemon, orange, grapefruit...
9- Bananas
10- Watermelon
Source: healthy-holistic-living.com
Only the Heart Can Empower Your Life!
TOP SIX ALKALINE FOODS!
The foods you eat have a direct impact on the PH levels in your body. Some foods are more alkaline than others, which helps your body maintain an alkaline state. This promotes energy, aids digestion, prevents diseases, and also gives you clearer skin.
1. Root vegetables
Due to the healing "yang" nature of these foods in traditional Chinese medicine, and their tendency to be more rich in minerals than many other vegetables, it may be safe to say that you can't get enough of them. Look for radishes especially (black, red or white), as well as beets, carrots, turnips, horseradish and rutabaga. Ready to eat after steaming for just 15-20 minutes, root vegetables will help you feel both satiated and better grounded.
2. Cruciferous vegetables
These are the veggies we all know and love, made even more delicious with just a small amount of healthy, homemade sauce like pesto. Choose from broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and the like.
3. Leafy greens
These include kale, Swiss chard, turnip greens and spinach - of which spinach may in fact be the best pick. Known especially for its rich vitamin K and folate content, spinach is also packed with vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, antioxidants and fiber, helping to improve digestion and even vision.
4. Garlic
A true miracle food, garlic appears at the top of innumerable lists of foods that encourage overall health, and alkaline-forming food is no exception. Among its other benefits are its ability to promote cardiovascular and immune health by lowering blood pressure, cleansing the liver and fighting off disease.
5. Cayenne peppers (capsicum)
As part of a family of potent, tropical peppers which contain enzymes essential to endocrine function, cayenne is among the most alkalizing foods. It is known for its antibacterial properties and is a rich supply of vitamin A, making it a helpful agent in fighting off the harmful free radicals that lead to stress and illness.
6. Lemons
Lemons may be the most alkalizing food of all. As a natural disinfectant, it can heal wounds while also providing potent and immediate relief for hyperacidity and virus-related conditions, as well as coughs, colds, flu and heartburn. Lemon also works to energize the liver and promote detoxification.
SOURCE: Natural News .com
OUR CONNECTION WITH TREES
Trees communicate with each other and have social circles
In France - Lac De Créteil.
If trees could talk, what would they say? Emerging research suggests that if they had mouths, they might just say a whole lot because, believe it or not, trees have brains and intelligence, and are able to communicate with other trees much like humans do with other humans when in social situations.
Not only can they talk to each other, but trees also care for each other and feel pain, says forester Peter Wohlleben, who tells all of his experiences with trees in a recent piece for the Daily Mail Online. Far from just inanimate plants, trees do many of the things animals and humans do, though for many this is not necessarily obvious.
When Wohlleben began his career as a forester back in the 1980s, he wasn’t privy to what he now says is a hidden civilization living inside every forest. He knew how to look at various tree species and assess their value on the lumber market, but he didn’t actually know these trees as the living beings they truly are.
He writes about his experiences observing the unique ways in which trees grew, especially at their root systems. From the vast intertwining root webs to the robust trunks and unique branches and leaf growth patterns he observed, Wohlleben came to realize that there’s a whole lot more to trees than just their potential to be turned into furniture.
The first signs of what he describes as “tree friendships” were evident in the strange growths around dead tree stumps that Wohlleben came to realize were being kept alive by nearby trees. Nearby trees of the same species, astonishingly, actually care for each other, and they do this by feeding one another when they can’t do so on their own as a way of collective survival.
Source: Healthy Holistic Living
CARRIED BY THE MOMENT
CARRYING WATER IN BRAVO
by Valeria Teles
Our bedroom is very small, with no door and no lights; we use an improvised kerosene lamp. It’s very hot in the summer and very cold in winter because the roof is made of ancient tiles with lots of gaps.
The nightly ritual before going to bed is always the same. We smash a bunch of mosquitoes trapped in our old net and let some lucky ones escape by lifting it. I stitch over new holes to prevent them from coming in to bite us during the night. Even if they don’t get inside the net, their noise and my sister’s unsolicited hugs keep me from sleeping without interruption. I know she needs me; I could also use a warm hug from my mother to help me fall asleep. Besides the mosquitoes and my sister’s hugs, there’s another challenge to sleeping. Nightmares haunt me. I just hope that they are not as bad tonight, not bad enough to wake me up.
Painter: Ann Procacci
Carried by the Moment
After a rough night struggling to sleep between my sister’s unwanted hugs and the nightmares, the morning brings just enough light to chase the darkness of my fears away. The thoughts of my next chore keep me safe.
It’s early, and chilly. I can hardly see anything on the foggy path leading to the river. But the silence makes me smile with gratitude, to be alone with nature in the light of day. I like seeing the dust lift around every step I make, dragging my worn-out sandals in the soil as I swing my old grey bucket. Walking along the path on my way to the river is such a gift to me. My body is moving somewhere with so much space around; I love this sensation. I hear no human noises besides my own giggling when I suddenly see an animal crossing the road.
Then I reach the river. Nature has become my main source of love, acceptance, and understanding. My true family. It doesn’t hurt me if I get too close, and I don’t have to wish for its acceptance today or tomorrow. Being in the moment with nature gives me all I need; its unconditional love is right here and now.
Before I start filling my bucket with water, I play with it by swiping my hands from side to side. I see lots of small fish – they are close to the edge and not scared of me. I wonder if they are asking for help. Are they trapped like me at home?
The river is drying up. It will soon have no life or love to give to the fish, to us, and it isn’t the mother river’s fault – just like it is not my family’s fault that they don't love me. The river and the fish simply happened; they’ve spent some time together, and they will eventually disappear from each other. This is what nature is and what it does: a sublime, fleeting moment of dance for the partners in a miracle.
But the time is up for this feeling. I need to push the fish and the algae out of the way with my pink, scratched plastic cup, fetching clear water to fill my thirsty grey bucket. Then I place my pre-rolled towel, made into a rounded cushion to fit the bucket, upon my head. I carry the full bucket to the nearest large rock, where I can squat down in a level position and carefully place the bucket on top of the towel on my head. At first, it’s like being pressed down to the ground by the finger of a giant; but as I stand, everything feels normal. It is a workout, no doubt. I learned the technique of water carrying from some old, experienced ladies. It was a lesson they were proud to teach whenever they had a chance, as if they had a degree in water carrying that they hardly ever made use of. They were very excited to be instructors.
Walking back home, balancing the bucket, is fun. It’s a routine that keeps me here and now because all I can think of is not spilling the water. My body and mind become a transport for fresh water. How I love to be just a water carrier, and not the helpless fish in a drying river. I feel good, content. It’s refreshing. It can hear the song my heart sings, the most wonderful melody I ever heard. I don’t know what the lyrics are saying as they keep changing, but the melody is all I need to live this moment with peace, love, and joy.
Much love!
Boost Your Memory With Diet and More...
Modern research has found a number of different risk factors that may play a role in general memory loss and Alzheimer's, and most of them are directly related to unhealthy lifestyle choices.
These include:
Processed food diet. Mounting research suggests our modern diet is playing a significant role in the skyrocketing prevalence of Alzheimer's. Processed foods tend to be nearly devoid of healthy fat, necessary for healthy brain function, while being excessively high in sugar. This combination appears to be at the very heart of the problem. Fortunately, the solution is quite simple:
- Eat REAL food, and avoid processed food like the plague. Insulin resistance and diabetes are involved, as well. According to neurologist Dr. David Perlmutter, anything that promotes insulin resistance will ultimately also raise your risk of Alzheimer's.
- Lack of exercise. Exercise encourages your brain to work at optimum capacity by causing your nerve cells to multiply, strengthening their interconnections and protecting them from damage. John J. Ratey, a psychiatrist who wrote the book Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, says there is overwhelming evidence that exercise produces large cognitive gains and helps fight dementia.
He claims you can easily "push back cognitive decline by anywhere from 10 to 15 years" by incorporating an exercise regimen three to four times a week – even if you begin during middle age and exercise at a moderate rate.
- Sleep disturbances (such as sleep apnea, insomnia, or chronically insufficient amounts of sleep).
Prevention:
Diets rich in carbohydrates are associated with an 89 percent increased risk for dementia, while high-fat diets are associated with a 44 percent reduced risk. This combination of very little sugar and carbs, along with higher amounts of healthy fat, is essential not only to address Alzheimer's, but diabetes and heart disease as well, since all of these conditions are rooted in insulin and leptin resistance.
Understanding this can make your life a whole lot easier. You don't need to memorize the dos and don'ts for each and every disease you seek to avoid; all you need to do is shift over to a mindset that is focused on optimizing health. Disease prevention then becomes a beneficial "side effect."
In summary, the following four dietary instructions are key for maintaining brain health and staving off Alzheimer's:
- Eat REAL FOOD, ideally organic. Avoid processed foods of all kinds, as they contain a number of ingredients harmful to your brain, including refined sugar, processed fructose, grains (particularly gluten), genetically engineered (GE) ingredients, and pesticides like glyphosate (an herbicide thought to be worse than DDT, and DDT has already been linked to the development of Alzheimer's).
Ideally, you'll want to keep your added sugar levels to a minimum and your total fructose below 25 grams per day, or as low as 15 grams per day if you already have insulin/leptin resistance or any related disorders. Opting for organic produce will help you avoid synthetic pesticides and herbicides, many of which are associated with neurological dysfunction.
Be sure to choose organic grass-fed meats and animal products, as animals raised in confined animal operations (CAFOs) are routinely fed GE grains contaminated with pesticides, along with a variety of drugs. Some researchers have even suggested Alzheimer's may be a slow-acting form of mad cow disease, acquired by eating contaminated meats; and mad cow disease originated in the CAFO system, which forces herbivores to eat animal parts.
Research has also shown that vegetables in particular are beneficial for slowing down age-related cognitive decline. Nutritional intervention with vegetables may even play an important role in reversing such conditions, courtesy of the antioxidants they contain.
- Replace refined carbohydrates with healthy fats. Your brain does not need carbs and sugars; healthy fats such as saturated animal fats and animal-based omega-3 are FAR more critical for optimal brain function. Healthy fats to add to your diet include:
Avocados, butter made from raw, grass-fed organic milk, raw dairy, organic pastured egg yolks, coconuts and coconut oil (coconut oil actually shows promise as an effective Alzheimer's treatment in and of itself), unheated organic nut oils, raw nuts, such as pecans and macadamia, which are low in protein and high in healthy fats, grass-fed meats or pasture-raised poultry.
- Avoid all trans fats or hydrogenated fats that have been modified in such a way to extend their longevity on the grocery store shelf. This includes margarine, vegetable oils, and various butter-like spreads.
- Avoid gluten and casein (primarily wheat and pasteurized dairy, but not dairy fat, such as butter). Research shows that your blood-brain barrier is negatively affected by gluten. Gluten also makes your gut more permeable, which allows proteins to get into your bloodstream where they sensitize your immune system and promote inflammation and autoimmunity, both of which play a role in the development of Alzheimer's.
- Optimize your gut flora by avoiding processed foods (sugar, GE ingredients, pesticides, and various food additives all discourage healthy bacteria in your gut), antibiotics and antibacterial products, fluoridated and chlorinated water, and by regularly eating traditionally fermented and cultured foods, along with a high quality probiotic if needed.
Source: The Alzheimer's Diet Book and Dr. Mercola.
Happy Thoughts and Healthy Eating
A series of fascinating studies by Cornell University's Food and Brand Lab (run by Dr. Wansink) were designed to explain the mechanisms by which negative and positive moods influence your food choices.
Researchers found that individuals select healthy or "indulgent" foods depending on whether they're in a good or a bad mood, respectively. They discovered that if you think about what you're grateful for, you'll eat up to 77 percent healthier.
Why would this be?
Individuals in positive moods who make healthier food choices are often thinking more about future health benefits than those in negative moods, who focus more on immediate taste and sensory experience. Researchers wrote:
"When people are in a good mood, things seem okay and they can take a big picture perspective. This kind of thinking allows people to focus on the more abstract aspects of food, including how healthy it is....
Conceptually, when people feel uncomfortable or are in a bad mood, they know something is wrong and focus on what is close in the here and now.
We hypothesized and demonstrated that this kind of thinking gets us to focus on the sensory qualities of our foods – not things that are more abstract like how nutritious the food is."
The research team suggests that if you're in a bad mood and you want to reduce your temptation to overeat, or not eat the wrong thing, try focusing on something other than the present. If you want to change your eating, change your thoughts—think of something you're grateful for.
Comfort Foods May Not Be So Comforting After All
The healing power of comfort food may be overrated. Researchers at the University of Minnesota found that indulging in comfort food has little effect on how quickly you recover from a bad mood.
The study was funded by NASA in hopes of finding a way to improve the mood of astronauts on space missions. Astronauts tend to lose weight in space, where work demands are high and the food is generally bleak and uninspiring.
Individuals who didn't soothe themselves with food found their moods bouncing back just as quickly as those who indulged in "comfort food." Even when comfort food helped with mood, the effects were short-lived.
In a previous study, Dr. Wansink's research team found that, contrary to popular belief, people tend to eat "comfort foods" as a reward, rather than in response to sadness or stress.
About 86 percent of those surveyed reported seeking out comfort foods when they were in a happy mood, as opposed to 36 percent reporting eating comfort foods when feeling down.
Tips and Strategies to Prevent Overeating
1- Being mindful of your eating is important, but sometimes mindfulness alone isn't enough. Many human behaviors are driven by unconscious emotions, and eating patterns are no exception.
2- Smaller Plates Equal Smaller Portions
Although calorie counting is not an effective approach to weight loss, portion control can be important, particularly if you are inactive or have a sluggish metabolism. Westerners typically consume much larger portions than they need. One way to control portions with minimal effort is by using smaller plates. This seems to work by way of an optical illusion—food portions appear larger on a smaller plate, which tricks your brain into serving and eating smaller portions.
3- Slow Down Your Eating by Chewing Thoroughly
When it comes to eating, you might want to put on the brakes a bit. A recent study shows that eating more slowly can decrease your food consumption and prevent overeating. When you eat too quickly, your body doesn't have time to go through its natural appetite signaling process or proper digestion.
4- Vigorous Exercise Suppress Your Appetite
A common assumption about exercise is that it will cause you to eat more, but science now suggests the opposite may be true. Studies shows that exercise, particularly 45 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise in the morning, seems to reduce food cravings both immediately and throughout the day, leading to suppression of appetite and decreased food intake—even lingering into the next day.
Happy thoughts = Happy Body, Mind and Soul!
Alcohol - How many calories are YOU drinking?
How many calories are YOU drinking? The ways alcohol contributes to weight gain are shocking.
People who consider themselves average wine drinkers consume an excess of 2,000 calories per month - the equivalent of 141 ice creams a year.
In fact, for adults who drink, alcohol alone accounts for a whopping ten percent of the calories they consume.
Here are some more facts:
A spirit and coke is similar in calories to a blueberry muffin.
A pina colada = doughnut
A glass of wine = slice of cake
A 50ml of liqueur = two sausages
A pint of lager = slice of pizza
A frozen margarita = cheeseburger
- The juices and sodas that many alcoholic beverages are mixed with are loaded with sugar, which can be stored as fat.
- Drinking alcohol often increases your appetite and decreases your mindfulness, leading to poor food choices and overeating. Might as well binge on junk food; it's easy to convince yourself that alcohol isn't that fattening, but the facts show that this is far from true.
- Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram - that's almost the same as PURE FAT!
- When is comes to weight loss (or gain) it ultimately comes down to calories-in VS calories-out, and empty calories in alcohol (no nutritional value) can easily add up.
- Metabolism: Alcohol is ingested - Alcohol is metabolized - Fat oxidization stops = weight gain or/and slowed metabolism.
Once alcohol is in your system, your body makes metabolizing it a priority. That means that it will stop metabolizing anything else in order to first get the alcohol metabolized. The reason for this is because unlike protein, carbohydrates, and fat, there is nowhere for alcohol to be stored in our body, so it has be metabolized first.
- A 100-calorie shot of tequila turns into a 500-calorie margarita once it's swirled into the margarita mix.
- Alcohol can wreak havoc on a system that is in place for your health and well-being. Excessively low or high blood sugar levels have long-term consequences. If you choose to consume alcohol, here are some tips to help avoid this problem:
- Never drink on an empty stomach.
- Start with nonalcoholic beverages to satisfy your thirst and continue to have one available while you consume alcohol.
- Limit the amount that you drink.
- You can make a drink last longer and lower the impact that it will have on your blood sugars by having a wine spritzer.
- Consume beverages without alcohol during and after exercise.
- Eat a healthy meal before going out to keep you feeling full.
- Drink water between alcoholic beverages to help you consume less alcohol.
- Prepare healthy snacks before going out to prevent post-drinking noshing.
Best drinks to order:
- Vodka with lemon
- Light Beer
- Gin and tonic with lime
- Red Wine
Avoid having fancy cocktails.
Alcohol is considered a poison by your body, and all efforts are made to excrete it, including the cessation of maintaining healthy blood glucose levels.
Those who choose to drink alcoholic beverages should do so sensibly and in moderation. The damage is not limited to alcoholics, so everyone who consumes alcohol needs to pay attention to how much they are drinking, what they are drinking, and when they are doing so.
Source: Dailymail and Medicine Net