Healthy Belly Checklist....
(Foods that Hurt us Part 1)

Foods that Hurt our Guts

(thank you to Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo for this information)

 

 

1.  Gluten - wheat, rye, barley, etc damage the gut lining and make it difficult to break down and digest and cause inflammation

 

2.  Dairy products - cheese, ice cream, sour cream and most commercially baked goods-create mucous and inflammation which interferes with absorption

 

3.  Caffeine- coffee, black teas and soft drinks - thin the digestive lining

 

4.  Alcohol

- causes intestinal permeability by suppressing the production of anti-inflammatory properties

 

5.  Sweets - High fructose, corn syrup, sugar, and all forms of sugar, feed yeast and undesirable bugs

 

6.  Processed meats - Cold cuts, commercially raised animal product and farmed fish - disrupt the gut flora

 

7.  Refined foods - White flour, white rice, processed packaged foods, crackers, cookies - all are deficient in vitamins and minerals, imbalance blood sugar and feed unfriendly gut microbes

 

8.  Unstable oils - Hydrogenated trans fats, all oils (except olive, coconut, flax and hemp) and all headed polyunsaturated oils - disrupt omega 3 to 6 fat balance, leading to inflammation that disrupts the gut lining

 

9.  Artificial - Colorings, flavorings and sweeteners ie aspartame (**Please note that aspartame in our yogurts, gums, etc is banned in Hawaii because of its cancer connection) damages the gut lining

 

10. Allergens - All known and suspected ones- create inflammation and contribute to leaky gut

 

 

 

This information is for all health levels and hope that it helps to get us on track with eating better!

 

 

Healthy eating,
Colleen :-)

Tender Warriors...

"We need to be tender with one another to be strong"

Lady Lamb of the Tender Warriors Club (www.ladylambjams.com) 

STRIVE TO

find the courage to be sensitive

 be emotionally vulnerable

connect

create 

grow

be comfortable with & embrace solitude

never compromise their integrity

explore

 be true 

be kind

practice self-acceptance & self-love

give an honest effort

forgive 

be present

be patient 

be transparent

Sending tender hugs your way,

Colleen :-)

Further Essential Oil uses...

Previously I had posted about essential oils and wanted to share these additional options with you:

• Use a cold water or cold air diffuser to fill the air with the oil’s beneficial scent
• Place the open bottle under your nose and breathe in for a quick shot of the oil’s fragrance
• Mix with water and mist your bed sheets or pillow for health support while you sleep
• Put a few drops in a cotton ball and place in your air conditioning vents in your house or car
• Add to all-natural household cleaning liquids
• Heat the essential oil over a candle or light bulb
• Put a few drops on a warm, damp washcloth and rest it beside the tub while you shower or take a bath

Enjoy the calming and healing effects of essential oils!

Colleen :-)

Beauty everywhere...

     



















I was blessed to have a long walk on the beach last night.

No matter where you live, don't forget to take the time to take a walk and take all the beauty around you into your heart!

Breathe.  Breathe deeper.   Smile at the joy of it all.

Wishing you a special day.....every day!

Colleen :-)

Unsinkable...

Just a few days ago I took the time to listen to Sonia Ricotti's webinar on being "Unsinkable and Bouncing Back Big" from life's challenges.

Here is some of the information I wanted to share with you all:



Start with:   **Create your own intention and declaration statement**

Sonia shared hers and said that you are more than welcome to use it and I feel it is quite powerful:

"I don't know why this is happening, but something huge is going to happen because I am not working this hard for nothing!!"

1.  **Reprogram your conscious mind**

Doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results is insanity.  You need to shift how you feel as your thoughts are causing the plan of the circumstances you are in.

Stop staring at a closed door "It is the way it is and you can not change something until you accept it."

What is the story you are telling yourself?

2.  **Reprogram your subconscious mind**

You may want something, but if you don't believe you can achieve it....you will never manifest or get it in your life.  You don't manifest what you want, you manifest what you believe!!

So upgrade your mental software!

3  ** Be Unsinkable**

Choose your friends carefully.  Hang out with people who elevate you.
Create your own "Circle of Light"

Forgive and let things go.  The only person you are hurting is yourself.
You are creating unnecessary negative energy.

Bring yourself back to this very moment.  Not the past. Not the future.

Let go of the past. Carrying a ball and chain with you 24 hours a day is exhausting and emotionally draining.

Connect with your higher self daily through meditation, high vibration and let go of resistance.

4.  **Dramatically increase your energy vibration**

The Law of Attraction works with this as well. Like attracts like energy we release to the world and it is the same energy we attract to our lives.

For further information, please go to Sonia Ricotti's website at:  www.leadoutloud.ca

Now is the time to Be Unsinkable!!

Wishing you the best,

Colleen :-)

Don't ever give up...

Wishing you the lightness of wings and the hope of everything wonderful!

Colleen :-)

Grateful and content...

 

 

Not only fill your heart with gratitude, but also give the gifts of thankfulness to each person you encounter each day.  Imagine all the people, living life in peace.....and gratitude.

 

Blessings,

Colleen :-)

 

 

 



What the world needs now...

....is love sweet love.  

It's the only thing that there's just too little of.

Please let each of us, take time today (and every day ahead of us) to let others know how important they are to not only us, but to others in this world.

The impact you have with your smiles, hugs, joyful & supportive words and gifts of gratitude have an immense power in your family, community and beyond.

Please put your positive energy and love into the Universe and one by one, we will heal together.

With love,

Colleen :-)

Your destiny...

“Each person comes into this world with a specific destiny--he has something to fulfill, some message has to be delivered, some work has to be completed. You are not here accidentally--you are here meaningfully. There is a purpose behind you. The whole intends to do something through you.” 


You are important to this world and others are waiting for your helping hand.  May you find that warm grasp and relation to those who are here to connect with you on your journey.

Hugs,
Colleen :-)

Making a difference...

We may sometimes feel or think "what difference can I make in this world?" when there are billions of people.  Yet, there are so many wonderful efforts that can be made on a small scale....today and everyday....that will have an impact on one, or many.

What will you do today that will allow you to share this beautiful day with someone else?

You don't need to look far to find something and may it become a routine of love and participation with others in your every day life.

Living a life of giving and gratitude,

Colleen :-)

Qigong vs Tai Chi...

Qigong is an ancient practice that literally means cultivating your vital energy, or gi. This is done by a combination of exercises or movements, self massage, and meditation and breathing exercises. Tai Chi is the very well known and popular practice of Qigong, but it is performed with movement. All practices like yoga, Tai Chi and Qigong are a form of meditation which allows the system to align with its energy, and all are practiced with moving exercises. The difference between Qigong and Tai Chi is the way these exercises are practiced, and how the energy is manipulated in the body.

Traditionally, Tai Chi is practiced in a very specific form. With Qigong, you can take simple exercises and learn them quickly, by repeating them again and again. Some of these exercises are taken from Tai Chi postures, and then they are called Tai Chi Qigong.

While practicing Tai Chi, you focus on your energy. This is the same for those practicing Qigong. However, Tai Chi is more focused on posture and alignment while doing the exercises, which is something you need to remember while you are practicing Qigong as well.

In Qigong, you are asked to do a series of exercises over and over again. However, with Tai Chi, you can do a set of exercises a few times and then move on to the next set. Repetition is not as common in Tai Chi as it is in Qigong.

Tai Chi is based on martial arts, and is trying to work with the internal energies of the body. Qigong is an ancient, traditional Chinese practice, that allows the individual to maintain a healthy balance of energies to get the proper stability, and it also counteracts the energy blockages in the system.

Hope this gives you a little more information and interest in taking a look at these further!

Colleen :-)

What is Qigong (continued info)...

 

 

                              

 

 

 

By Elizabeth Palmero, Associate Editor/Live Science

Qigong (pronounced chee-gong) is an ancient Chinese exercise and healing technique that involves meditation, controlled breathing and movement exercises.

The character "Qi" that makes up the first part of qigong is a difficult word to translate, according to Peter Wayne, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and the research director at Harvard's Osher Center for Integrative Medicine. Qi is a concept from traditional Chinese culture that roughly means vital energy, information, breath or spirit. The second character in qigong, "gong," means cultivation or mastery, Wayne said. Qigong is therefore sometimes translated as "vital energy cultivation" or "mastery of your energy."

There are many forms of qigong practiced throughout the world. Some of these forms involve breathing and meditation to promote spirituality and health while others are more vigorous and include martial arts exercises. Tai chi, a widely practiced mind-body exercise, is sometimes referred to as a form of qigong because it "cultivates, moves and helps manage Qi," according to Wayne.

Comparison of Qigong and Tai Chi will be in my next post.

Hope you get to try this calm and self loving exercise soon!

Colleen :-)

Helen Keller...

As a child learning about Helen Keller, I was intensely impressed with her strength, courage and determination.  Her story and the beautiful sign language she used even had a personal impact on me years later.

Today, while browsing through some art shops, I was captivated once again by quotes of Helen Keller and thought I would share them with you.  I hope they may nudge you to take time from your day to look within yourself as well.

Wishing you the best,

Colleen :-)

Release your natural powers for healing...

Release your natural powers for healing, endurance and longevity!

Written by Roger Jahnke, an internationally known doctor of traditional Chinese medicine, with this guide, you will learn four simple and remarkably effective techniques to release your natural powers for healing.  The methods-gentle movement, self-applied massage, breathing exercises and meditation-are drawn from the ancient Chinese healing system of Qigong (Chi Kung) and are easily adaptable to every lifestyle.

You can practice them almost anywhere....in the car, in line at the bank, at your desk, while walking, etc. Using these methods for as little as ten minutes a day can dramatically increase your endurance, vitality, and longevity.

This is another way of taking care of yourself and bringing peace and calm into your life!

Enjoy,

Colleen :-)

Finding Calm Moments...

Exploring venues of meditation and releasing stress are ways towards healing and happiness.

You may not have thought about trying Qigong or Tai Chi before, but these ancient Chinese exercises promote physical and psychological health.  Slow, dance like movements, coordinated with the breath, improve balance and focus, reduce stress and support inner peace.

We practice Qigong (energy work) to heal our body, mind and emotions, to keep them healthy. Breath work, self applied massage, stretching and meditation exercises are typically practiced in each session.  Exercises may be done seated or standing.  Qigong is fun and helps us to be happy and peaceful in modern day life.

Tai Chi is choreographed Qigong movements that improve overall balance and harmony in one's body and life.  Both Qigong and Tai Chi lower stress and bring us peace of mind.

(thank you to Jessica Kolbe online for this information)

More info to come next time, but you may want to research classes that may be happening in your area now!

Peace and calm to you,

Colleen :-)

Summer is moving along...

Happy August to you all!

Colleen :-)