Cotu conscious life new 14

ISSUE 14 – JUNE 2015 – FREE DIGITAL MAGAZINE

Carte Blanche Reports On Medical Marijuana Cover: We Interview SA Band THE MOTHERLAND The Abc’s of ADD

Just How Safe Are You? Sex & Intimacy

Colourful Harmony Why Are Our Children Angry?

How Disease Helped Me Live My Truth

Official Media Partner Soulspace 2015

2015 Look, feel, participate You will have the opportunity to view exhibitions, listen to fascinating talks & participate in workshops & sacred ceremonies Experience An array of spiritual, healing, therapeutic & holistic modalities

Following on the success of Soulspace 2013, we are happy to announce a continuation of this inspiring festival in Soulspace 2015 A unique spiritual festival where practitioners working with creative healing energies will converge and share this gift. A space to explore the landscape of spirituality in a new era of conscious living, wellness and inner peace

3 & 4 October 2015 Where? Cabanga, Northriding, Jhb

Interact with Psychic practitioners, healers, shamans, therapists & many more Soulspace kids An enchanting space for our little ones to explore and enjoy

Soulspace welcomes and encourages any form of self-expression

Info: Jean - 082 949 9449 - jean@soulspace.co.za | Tickets: www.quicket.co.za

The Child of the Universe free online Conscious Lifestyle Magazine is proud to be the media partner for Soulspace. To subscribe email: lifestylemag@childoftheuniverse.co.za with the subject: Subscribe

ED’s LETTER Hello happy readers!

We hope that winter is treating you kindly so far. While you are hopefully warm and cosy in your homes, please give some thought to the less fortunate who may not have blankets, heaters, food or homes. Reach out and touch someone’s life by donating what you can to charities and those you may cross on your path. Pay it forward!

This month, we are excited to be able to include one of Carte Blanche’s stories as reported by Derek Watts. Read the article to learn more about Medical Marijuana.

As always, we have a great mix of articles in this month’s issue. Join us as we interview The Motherland, an up and coming SA band who are making waves in the industry. We also talk to Cindy Alter, 80’s music sensation, and hear all about her exciting come back in the SA music scene.

On the mind, body and spirit side we take a look at Post Natal depression and how to deal with it, Hanna Kok explores why our children are so angry and how we can help them, we delve into and take a deeper look at ADD. And we talk about Sex & Intimacy. Look at optimum nutrition for our animals in the Animal World Section. And MUCH more, we told you that this issue is jam packed!!

Last, but certainly not least, we have some awesome Subscriber Giveaways - page through to the back to enter. Your input is appreciated; you can email us, catch us on Facebook (link below) or call us anytime. +27 11 462 2900

Like us on Facebook for more chances to win Keep shining brightly Namaste Linda and Cj

linda@childoftheuniverse.co.za candida@childoftheuniverse.co.za www.childoftheuniverse.co.za

14th EDITION – JUNE 2015 IN THIS ISSUE:

SUBSCRIBE & WIN! Lots of great prizes to be won – see our Competition Page SA music industry Motherland – Climbing the Music Ladder Cindy Alter – No Substitute Body, mind & Spirit Archangel Raphael Colouring Your Life Consciousness Made Easy Willing to be Different?

How Disease Healed My Life Look into Your Eyes Sex & Intimacy Theta Healing Natural Health Carte Blanche reports on Medical Marijuana Juicing with Cannabis Nature’s Best Immune helpers Spirulina Benefits Babies & beyond Pregnancy & Birthing Bizarre Breastfeeding Stories Natural Birthing Baby Blues: Post Natal Depression Parenting Inspired Parenting Why is my Child Angry?

Children The ABC’s of ADD Healthier eating for Concentration Positive Attributes of ADD Why Children Fidget

Safety in & out of the home Car seats for all ages Protect yourself against Hijacking Staying Warm & Safe at Home Earth Warriors Greening the Environment READING Follow Me – I’m Lost! Chapter 3 Drugs are Not the Devil ANIMAL WORLD Yummy Pet Nutrition – What to Feed & Why Instructions from a Cat

MEET THE TEAM CARMEN CHE JARDIM – Our Little Toddler Boss VINCENT JARDIM – Linda’s Son, Carmen’s Dad, Cj’s Brother- The Motivator LINDA JARDIM NAVON – Editor & Publisher CJ STOTT MATTICKS – Marketing & Sales Director ARIZONA QUINN – Writer, Researcher & Admin To advertise call us on +27 11 462 2900

14th EDITION – JUNE 2015 - Contributors Eric Richardson

Eric Richardson is CEO and instructor at Theta Healing SA. A master’s graduate in education, Eric Richardson's earlier career was spent as a teacher before lecturing at the University of the Witwatersrand. His focus was Philosophy and Sociology of Education and he introduced courses on gender and sexuality in teacher training. In 2006 he became managing director of an established section 21 company that used interactive theatre to teach about HIV, safer sex and other social issues. In 2008 he was selected by the Mail & Guardian as one of the “200 Young South Africans you must take to lunch”. In 2011, Eric left the company to focus full-time on ThetaHealing®, and he completed a bachelor's degree in metaphysic science. He also became South Africa's first ThetaHealing® Master and an ordained minister. www.thetahealing.co.za or email info@thetahealing.co.za

Louis L Hay

Louise is a bestselling author, speaker and inspirational teacher whose healing techniques, affirmations and positive thinking have inspired millions worldwide. She is the founder of Hay House Publishers. www.LouiseHay.com

Helen Hansen

Helen Hansen is a qualified journalist who is now an inspirational writer providing guidance for teachers and parents worldwide to inspire their own children to fulfil their destiny while honouring their highest values. She combines her writing expertise with her skills on children’s behaviour and development, incorporating tried and tested right brain techniques she has used with groups and individuals for nearly two decades. As founder of the Kidz Take Over Drama school (1997), Helen has worked with children on a creative level, teaching and directing, for more than a decade. Helen also taught extra-mural Creative Drama at many pre-schools and primary schools throughout Cape Town during this period. KTO has since expanded to Johannesburg, South Africa and curriculums have been purchased by teachers across the globe. media. www.helenhansen.co.za

Heather Picton

Heather is the Founder and CEO of ADHASA, the largest ADHD Support Group in Africa. Heather is fiercely committed to guiding parents in the midst of the madness of ADHD family life to achieve peace and calm. She will help you find direction within the chaos of everyday challenges. Can you see your children doing better at school? Building good friendships? If you instinctively felt "yes", how would you like to also watch them thrive and be happier? And yourself? You can. With 27 years of experience working with despairing but hopeful families, who have had similar worries and concerns she can guide them to achieve remarkable success.

Her mission and commitment is to help you get back into the driving seat and make parenting enjoyable – just as you’ve always dreamed it would be. www.heather.picton.nom.za

Wayne Visser

Wayne Visser was born in Zimbabwe and has lived most of his life in South Africa. He has a deep love for Africa, its people and its wildlife, which is given voice through this collection. Wayne is a writer, academic, social entrepreneur, professional speaker and amateur artist. He has published sixteen previous books, including I Am An African: Favourite Africa Poems. www.waynevisser.com

Margie McAlpine

Margie McAlpine is an experienced Spiritual Workshop Facilitator, Principal and Founder of The Angel Connection School of Africa, Master Teacher, Reiki Master, Spiritual Counsellor, Angel Card Reader, Egyptian Healing Practitioner and Past Life Regression Practitioner.

Paul Jacobson

Paul Jacobson is a regular guest on Radio 702 and Capetalk Radio and writes for many health and animal publications on natural and holistic pet care. Paul is a pet food nutritionist, qualified chef and owner of Vondis Holistic Pet Nutrition. Vondis was a finalist in the Nedbank/Capetalk Small Business Awards for their contribution to animal welfare and care. www.vondis.co.za

Penni du Plessis

I’ve been working with colour therapy since 1993 and am constantly amazed at the deep support you get when using colour consciously. Colour has a language of its own, and by introducing a colour into your life, you are inviting its energetic resonance. I love weaving my web of colour around and onto people with my beautiful products, and seeing them glow, expand and thrive.

The oils can be rubbed into your skin twice a day, or used as a bath oil. They are absorbed by the body and taken through the bloodstream to wherever they are needed, anchoring the support they offer for hours at a time.

I look forward to sharing my wisdom of colour with you. I’ll focus on one or 2 colours per edition. www.divinespace.co.za

Hanna Kok

Hanna was born in the Netherlands and moved the Lesotho in 1984. She lived for 12 years in a remote Lesotho village. In 1989 Hanna was introduced to Brain Gym. She is now International Faculty for Brain Gym in South Africa, being the link between Brain Gym International and Brain Gym in South Africa. She is one of the directors of Brain Gym in South Africa. She is an experienced Brain Gym trainer and she teaches the complete Brain Gym learning track.

Angela Hanscom

Angela Hanscom is an entrepreneur, author, pediatric occupational therapist, and mom to two creative children. After spending years observing and working with children with behavioral issues and sensory deprivations, Angela wondered if these issues could be treated and even prevented through more playtime in the great outdoors. Angela holds a master’s degree in occupational therapy and an undergraduate degree in Kinesiology (the study of movement) with a concentration in health fitness. She specializes in pediatric occupational therapy, especially in vestibular (balance) treatment and sensory integration.

Jacques Damhuis

Jaques is an entrepreneurial business man, with experience in business development. With a passion for teaching I have developed a self sustainable program to uplift communities, by sharing the art of growing food.

Kathy Mann

My original trade was Business Analysis in Software Development. My passion is leading a meaningful life. My greatest lesson has been to be true to myself. I have developed Graves' disease from stress and am re-evaluating my career in order to enhance the quality of my life.

To read more about Kathy’s journey, visit her blog: http://findinglifepassion.blogspot.com/

Paula Quinsee

Paula Quinsee is a Life, Health and Relationship Coach and helps to empower individuals to live with passion and purpose. Attend her Relationship Romance Workshop on 27 June from 14:0017:00pm in Johannesburg. For more information go to www.ati2ud.com

Daniel Hofinger

Daniel is very passionate about his work. In order to offer the best possible assistance to the many ailments that plaque modern man, he has qualified in modalities such NAET allergy elimination, Cranio Sacral Therapy, Postural Integration, various styles of massage, Shiatsu, Reiki and Reflexology. He has a daughter named Nimue and in his spare time loves to play instruments.

Cindy Alter No Substitute for this Thriving Super-Woman

Cindy Alter – a name that is internationally linked to Pop Music, front woman for “Clout”, the 70’s Pop Band that broke all records for South African musicians, charted at No. 1 across Europe, No.2 in the UK and entered the Billboard top 100 at No.52.

Even though Cindy Alter was born to a musical family in Johannesburg, South Africa, she claims that "music chose her". She picked up a guitar at age 10, wrote her first song at 15 then joined a heavy-rock, cover-band, playing everything from Zeppelin to Grand Funk. Her strong childhood dream to write songs and live in the U.S.A. was reinforced by listening to James Taylor & Carol King and later, Cat Stevens and other prolific songwriters.

After graduating from High School, she worked as a girl Friday for a local recording studio where she recorded her first single, "Schoolboy".

She then spent the next few years touring South Africa, opening for various big-name acts. In 1977 when she auditioned for an all-girl band and was suddenly catapulted into the world of popstardom. This involved constant touring and recording, playing huge arena’s and concert halls in Europe and Africa.

She spearheaded the band "Clout", selling over ten million albums worldwide. Clout earned gold records, Sarie Awards (South Africa's Grammy equivalent), charting at #1 across Europe and Africa, # 2 in U.K., and entering the U.S. Billboard top 100 with their cover version of “Substitute".

Cindy moved to Los Angeles in 1990 to pursue her songwriting and performing career, released 2 solo cd’s and after a tour of Nashville in 2002, she decided to move there, to be in the hub of the music industry.

In August of that year, she was diagnosed with Acute Mylogenous Leukemia, and was immediately hospitalized. For 9 months she underwent intense treatment, including chemo & radiation, and in January 2003 had an Autologeous Stem-Cell Bone-Marrow transplant.

The year in and out of hospital had not daunted her spirit or her passion for music, but, in fact, enhanced it. Her guitar was with her always, and the songs were flowing like tears…happy tears! A few shows here and there during treatment kept

her soul alive and strong, and when she felt renewed and revitalized, Cindy decided to move back to South Africa, reunite “Clout” and do the shows she was meant to do a year before. Also, going back to her roots felt like an integral part of the healing process.

When all her treatments ended in May 2003, Cindy got back onto the stage and sang like she’d never sung before.

As a survivor of an industry that eats artists for breakfast, lunch and dinner, she felt that by beating cancer she had climbed the highest mountain.

Cindy returned to South Africa in 2005, where she put “Clout” together again after 26 years, and after releasing a new CD and touring with the band, decided to move on.

The eternal gypsy, Cindy has once again used her spiritual compass to guide her into this new phase of her life. Healed and healthy, sharing her gifts with fellow musicians and audiences everywhere.

Now, in 2015, about to release her first solo album ever recorded in South Africa, as well as her autobiography, Cindy is determined to live her life with the same passion she has given to her musical career.

Today, at age 58 Cindy is still performing and is still passionate about what she does and how she does it, a formidable force in the music industry, and a cancer survivor!

Despite all the amazing things she has done in the music industry, surviving cancer has been her greatest achievement.

(Ed’s Note: Cindy, it’s been an absolute pleasure working with you, thank you my hun)

body mind & spirit

PERFECT COMBINATION TO SUPPORT CHILDREN

by Penni du Plessis of Divine Space I have been working with colour therapy since 1993 and am constantly amazed at the deep support you get when using colour consciously. Colour has a language of its own, and by introducing a colour into your life, you are inviting its energetic resonance. I love weaving my web of colour around and onto people with my beautiful products, and seeing them glow, expand and thrive. Simply rub the oils onto your body twice a day, or use them as a bath oil, and they are absorbed by the body and taken through the bloodstream to wherever they are needed, anchoring the support they offer for hours at a time.

I look forward to sharing my wisdom of colour with you, and will focus on one or 2 colours per edition.

The blue oil is invaluable in any household. It is the most calming of all the oils and brings a sense of strength and support. Use 5 - 10 pumps in the bathwater at night and it will relax and calm the child. Rub on the neck and forehead at bed time to help with sleeping too. If you get a lot of sore throats or stiff necks - there is a tendency to be a non confrontist who swallows back what needs to be said. Rubbing this oil around the neck twice daily helps with calm, easy communication and opens the throat chakra.

An added benefit is that it is a topical rescue remedy, reducing inflammation, bruising, swelling or burns and speeding up any healing process (dont ingest please).

The yellow oil is perfect for this time of the year. Did you know that yellow is the colour of the intellect? Did you know that the sense more linked to memory is the olfactory system? The colour, together with its perfect balance of 7 essential oils assists with organising the mind while doing homework, information retention while studying, and calming the stress and fear, while refreshing the memory when writing exams. Rub it around the solar plexus area as well as onto the face regularly and watch the magic happen .For more information on colour, the products or training offered please go to www.divinespace.co.za

ARCHANGEL RAPHAEL Archangel Raphael is charged with the task of healing and abundance for those living on Planet Earth

By Margi McAlpine

He is responsible for healing you and the planet using the green ray of healing.

Raphael is the Patron of healers and those in need of healing. He works very closely with all medical personnel be they allopathic or alternative healers. Ask him to put his green cloak of healing around you or any of your loved ones who are ill. We cannot go against the dictates of the soul, but the pain, symptoms and indignities can be relieved. Ask for healing of the spirit as well so that it is a holistic happening.

When you have to visit a doctor or dentist, ask him to guide the hands and minds of those who are going to work with you, so that you receive the very best treatment that you can get. Send him into hospitals and clinics to assist with healing and to accident scenes where he will assist those involved and those that are treating the injured and dying. He will also comfort the family and friends of the victims.

Many live in poverty consciousness never understanding that by thinking they will not have enough or that they do not deserve they are blocking the wonderful abundance that is every one’s birthright.

Raphael assists your ability to create through concentration and focus. He is the Angel to call on to assist you in bringing abundance into your life. He is in charge of the third eye Chakra helping to keep it balanced and aligned. Then by bringing both sides of your brain into balance and focusing on what you desire, you are able to manifest a holistic abundance that is physical, emotional and spiritual.

Archangel Raphael is also the patron Saint of the blind. He is the Angel that enables us to “see”. The opening of the third eye is exceptionally important at this moment in time. Often when you ask for your third eye to be opened, you experience third eye headaches. This is often very uncomfortable but it does mean that the third eye is developing and opening.

This is where your “psychic” abilities are opened and allowed to develop. Psychically you do not “see” through your eyes but “see” through the third eye. Each and every one has psychic abilities but many have “closed” it down either through fear, ridicule or persecution in this lifetime and previous life times.

Living in fear you can never be completely whole or healed and in this state, you will never be able to open your “psychic” abilities the way they should be.

Some expect to “see” as they would through their worldly eyes and yet that is not always the case. Just “knowing” enables us to “see” far more. In doing so, you have to utilise your intuition, which with vision, focus, concentration and truth are all qualities of this chakra.

Each morning request Archangel Raphael to stand powerfully behind you enveloping you in his wonderful emerald green aura. Ask him to continue working on the development of your third eye so that you are able to access your Divine knowledge and wisdom, which you are then able to pass onto others in unconditional love and light.

You need to embrace and acknowledge all your gifts and talents for they will assist you on what can sometimes be a difficult path. By sharing your wisdom and knowledge, you are able to enlighten and empower others thereby assisting them on their life paths as well. In this way, we are all able to assist in the enlightening and empowerment of the Planet.

Angel Readings with Margi Done with Angel Cards, Angel Readings give you an Angelic perspective of what is happening in your life.

If you have problems, need guidance, confirmation, or want to get onto your Spiritual Path, an Angel Reading will inspire you and point you in the right direction.

It will give you positive insights into making decisions and give you a positive outlook on your future.

Readings can be done face to face, telephonically or by Skype.

Margi is a very experienced Angel Card Reader and is a qualified Spiritual Counselor Margi - Mobile 082-563-7422 Email: margi@angelconnection.co.za

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The New Mainstream: Consciousness (made Easy) Dr. Dain Heer includes South Africa on his current World Tour of “Being You, Changing the World” 19 – 22 June 2015

Dr. Dain Heer is an internationally recognized thought leader in transforming lives and creating different choices – willing to empower people to see different possibilities and to recognize what is truly possible for them. In his talks, classes and books, Dain uses the stories of his personal transformation to inspire people to know that the change they’ve been seeking is possible.

For Dr. Dain, judgment is the biggest killer on the planet. “What if it is our differences embraced rather than judged and made wrong, that will bring about a greater world?” ~ Dain Heer The overwhelming response to Dain’s #1 Best-selling book, Being You, Changing the World, has been the inspiration for Dain travelling across the globe facilitating Being You events that are designed to take you from having a life, run on autopilot – into becoming FULLY ALIVE and totally present, creating your life. Somehow he is able to lead people out of their self-criticism and innate feeling of never being enough into a sense of question and wonder and gratitude for being alive. He will facilitate a Being You class in Johannesburg from the 19th until the 22nd of June 2015.

1. The BEING YOU classes are about empowering people to know that they know, and they give people an energetic experience of being that they won’t find anywhere else.

2. The classes provide participants with tools that can assist them in changing any area of their lives: relationships, body, money situation and … future!

3. People will get to experience Dain’s Energetic Synthesis of Being work live.

Dain is a Doctor of Chiropractic, born and raised in California, USA. He comes from a broken family, growing up with his mother in a ghetto area of Los Angeles. During these years, he was exposed to mental, physical, emotional, sexual and monetary abuse. Yet, Dain never chose to be a victim.

Instead he discovered the power of total allowance, courage, and resilience. He learned to transform life’s challenges into a gift of strength, awareness and continuous questions. Along the way, what came forward in him was a true kindness of being, and a phenomenal knowing that has made him an agent of change rarely seen in this world.

Today he is acknowledged worldwide for his unique perspectives on consciousness and personal transformation that are unlike anything else out there. He hosts a regular radio show entitled Conversations in Consciousness. He appears regularly on hundreds of nationally syndicated radio and TV shows, including Fox News, Good Morning Shows in New Zealand, Australia and Canada and on Gaiam TV. Dain is the author of nine books on the topics of embodiment, healing, money and relationships. His latest book, ‘Being You, Changing the World’ became an international best seller on Amazon.com and has been translated into Swedish, German, Spanish, Italian and Estonian.

Dr. Dain Heer is available for interviews and can be contacted here.

Are You Willing to be Different Enough to Have a Great Relationship?

On this planet, we spend a lot—A LOT—of time and energy on love and relationships. We have so many judgments, conclusions and points of view about what relationship is supposed to be. Almost all of us are searching for the perfect relationship, even if we pretend we are not. Unfortunately, most of us are having very little success in this area without ever acknowledging it. I’d like that to change.

How much of your life have you spent searching for the perfect relationship? Here’s a question. Please answer it very honestly: “How well has that worked for you?” If you’re like most people, it has not worked out very well; no matter how hard you’ve tried.

What I’d like to do in the course of this article is to give you some different tools and different ways of looking at things that might actually allow you to begin to create a great relationship rather than trying to create the same old relationship you’ve created in the past.

Do You Know Anyone That Has a Truly Caring and Great Relationship? Truth? Think of it for a second. Do you? If so, you are lucky. Did you know that 90 percent of people would rather have a bad relationship than no relationship? (If you are part of that very small percentage of the population that has a great relationship, this doesn’t apply to you.)That is because people fit when they have a relationship.

And one of the worst things in this reality is not fitting. In this reality, almost everyone is looking to fit, looking to try to benefit, looking to win, and looking not to lose.

In this reality, you fit when you have a relationship. You benefit by people not thinking you’re a loser.

When you have someone to have sex with, you win. You are a winner! Now, funny enough, it is irrelevant whether you are actually having sex or not . . .

My point of view is: if you want to have a relationship, you should have a great and phenomenal one!

Why settle for someone who is going to fulfill some strange need to fit with the rest of the limited world other people find so valuable? Why settle for something that doesn’t truly make your heart sing. Go for what you know that should be possible, and create it! It is possible!

What if we could change the whole paradigm of relationship?! What if we could change it to something that really works for all of us? What if it no longer had to be about control and jealousy and envy and rightness and wrongness and fitting in with everyone else? What if it relationship could be about the gift we can be to—and for—each other? Here areTHREE TIPS TO START WITH: (I know, this may seem weird at first, but if you try it, I think you’ll thank me later.)

1. STOP DIVORCING YOU AND BECOME A LEADER IN YOUR OWN LIFE! Let me ask you a question: “How much of YOU did you divorce to be in your current or most recent relationship?” More than 10%? More than 50%? More than 100%? When I ask this question in the relationship classes I have delivered around the world, most people answer “more than 100%.” Some people say as high as 100,000%. How does it get to more than 100%? I have no idea. But that is what people tell me.

What does divorcing you look like? It looks like not going jogging when you’re in relationship, even though it’s something you love, because your partner doesn’t do it. It also looks like cutting yourself off from your friends and the other sources of contribution in your life when you get into a relationship.

What if you didn’t have to do that anymore? What if it’s not that you’re wrong? What if it’s just that you haven’t been given the right tools to create things differently?

So, would you be willing to undo everything you’ve done to divorce you in your current or most recent relationship, please? And reclaim all of you so that you can be more present in your relationship?

Thank you.

From my point of view, a true leader knows where they are going, is willing to go where they need to go whether anyone else goes or not, and does not require that anyone else follow–ever. When somebody truly doesn’t divorce himself or herself, they can become a leader in the world. At the very least, they become a leader in their own life, rather than a follower. And this is the place where they truly become a contribution to their relationships as well.

If you have two people who are leaders in a relationship, it works out really well. This is because they are both willing to allow the other person to be exactly as they are. They don’t require their partner to change for them. They both desire the other person to grow, to be more, and to expand, because they are not threatened or intimidated by it. Rather, they are inspired by it!

If you’d like to be inspired again in your relationships, stop divorcing you, stop requiring your partner to change, and be willing to have gratitude for them and you for being exactly as you both are now.

2. ADMIT THAT YOU’RE WAY MORE AWARE THAN YOU THINK, AND YOUR LIFE WILL GET EASIER. Let’s say you were going to give your partner a call—did you know before they answered the phone when they were angry? Or when they were sad? Or when they needed you to call? Or when they needed to have a “talk”?

You knew every single time. (Whether you are willing to admit it or not yet.) In fact, I would wager that the reason you called them in the first place is because you knew they were in a funk or needed something from you. Don’t take my word for it. Just check it out in your own life and see.

How do you know these things? Because you’re psychic, which is a simple and fun way of saying you’re aware of those kinds of energies. You’ve been aware of the energies around you (for example, the thoughts, feelings, and emotions of those you care about) your whole life. 98% of all the thoughts, feelings, emotions, judgments, traumas and dramas that you think are yours, actually don’t belong to you. I know it feels like they do, your heart aches and you have a big black hole in your stomach, and yet, 98% of the time, it isn’t yours! You’re just aware of it!

So, because you are that aware, in order to get more clarity in your life and in your relationships, start asking this question: “Who does this belong to?” for every thought, feeling, emotion, judgment, trauma, drama, and intrigue you perceive. You may just find out that all that stuff in your head isn’t yours.

When you ask “Who does this belong to?”, and the emotion lightens up at all, it isn’t yours! Just return it to sender (even when you don’t know who that is) and ask: “What is true for ME here?” and start finding out what’s true for you. How much easier would that make your relationships? How many times have the points of view in your head actually belonged to your partner? Or someone else?

And, are you aware that most people break up because of that constant self-talk going on in their heads? If that weren’t there, how much easier would your relationship get? And the rest of your life? So if I were you, I would definitely not do this.

3. BE INTIMATE WITH YOU. There is this little thing called INTIMACY—where you are in Oneness.

Where everything exists and nothing is judged. In Oneness, I can be you, you can be me. Oneness is very similar to that space you get when you go into the deep woods, where nothing is ever wrong, where you’re willing to receive and gift everything, openly, with nothing to hide. Imagine if you could have that in your relationships. Intimacy is the key, which unlocks the door.

True intimacy has five elements: Honoring, Trust, Allowance, Vulnerability and Gratitude. Notice that you don’t see sex in there? Surprised? Intimacy is something that you can have with everybody, if you’re willing to. It doesn’t require the sex part at all. It’s a way of being where nothing is excluded, everything is included, and nothing is judged. What would it be like if your whole life could be like that? Would it change your relationships? Would it change your relationship with you?

Strangely enough, there is one person who makes the whole difference here. If you were willing to be intimate with this one person—it would give you the choice to have it with anyone else in your life, as it worked for you and as you desired it… By being intimate with YOU. Please know, just because you are intimate with you, it doesn’t mean you wouldn’t choose to have someone else in your life. It doesn’t mean that you have to go off and be alone . . .

On the contrary, what it does mean is that you can have truly caring people in your life that honour you and trust you, that are willing to be vulnerable (no barriers) with you, and have gratitude and allowance for you. When you’re intimate with you, instead of choosing some person who wants to diminish and limit you, you will actually choose someone who is a contribution to your life.

Some questions to get you started on this road toward intimacy with you: 1.

If I were totally honoring of my partner, and me what would I choose differently today?

2.

If I had total trust in my partner and me how would I be differently today?

3. If I were in total allowance, where everything is just an interesting point of view, what choices would I have available today in my relationship?

4. How much more vulnerable can I be with my partner and myself today, and what would it take for that to show up now?

5. What would total gratitude, for my partner, and myself every moment of every day, look like, feel like, taste like, and be like in my life and in my relationship? And what would it take for that to start today?

So there you have it: 3 tips for creating a greater relationship. If you embrace these concepts, you may find that you are more able to create the relationship of your dreams, rather than the one of your nightmares you’ve been creating over and over again with the same person just in a different body.

Thank you for being willing to consider something completely different.

- An article written by Dr. Dain Heer -

‘ Look into your eyes in the

mirror, and love you and the little child within’ Louise Hay Hello Dear Friends I wrote my first book in 1976—which I self-published—it would go on to become Heal Your Body. And then in 1984, at 57 years old, I wrote my second book You Can Heal Your Life (no, it’s not too late for you to start your writing career!). And now at 88, I have just published my latest book, Life Loves You, (releasing May 5) with my good friend, Dr. Robert Holden.

Since I opened Hay House in 1987, I have learned a great deal about writing and publishing books. The one person who has been with me through almost this entire journey is Reid Tracy, CEO of Hay House. Reid joined me in 1988, and for the past 27 years, he has helped me to run the company and has also worked intimately with all of our Hay House authors to help them succeed in publishing.

For those of you who would like to join the ranks of published authors, you are all in luck as Reid has just produced a FREE 4-part video series to help you all learn more about the publishing and the writing world. I sure wish I had these videos available to me when I started back in 1976.

If you have a book inside of you that you would like to get out into the world click this link and sign up for the FREE video series. I have been to many of the Writer's Workshops that Reid presents around the world and I promise you all that you will learn a great deal from him about writing−he really knows his stuff! So take the first step to getting that book inside of you out into the world so that it can start helping others just like I did.

Life Loves You

How disease helped me learn the importance of being true to myself

By Kathy Mann

My Journey of Recovery from Graves’ Disease I was diagnosed with a stress-induced condition called Graves’ disease in January this year. I suppose it should not be a surprise that I was under strain, being a mother of two, the Managing Director of a business and an ultra-marathon runner. Being so fit, it was a huge shock to receive a diagnosis for a condition that would be with me for life.

Graves’ disease is an auto-immune attack on the thyroid gland, causing it to over-produce hormones responsible for many of the body’s important functions. It increases metabolism, creates heart palpitations and causes severe fatigue.

Why Me? I spent a lot of time analysing what happened and why this happened to me. I even went so far as to draw a diagram to understand the causes. The many reasons I came up with include unfulfilled strategy in my business, not being true to myself in the kind of work I was doing, as well as being hugely burdened by obligation to others.

Over years I had also dramatically neglected my self-care. As mothers of small children know, we often put our own needs last. If this happens for an extended period, we begin to feel run down, with potential impacts on the immune system. My body literally attacked itself because I failed to listen to the signals it had been giving me for years.

Readers who are familiar with Louise Hay’s work will know that a thyroid malfunction is a result of thoughts around ‘when will it be my turn?’ and ‘I never get to do what I want to do’. I had been persevering in an unhappy job and neglecting my needs for too long. If this sounds familiar to you, perhaps it’s time to make some changes before developing a life-long illness.

Incapacitated by Fatigue The result was that I could not even run at all which was a great disappointment to me. I found joy in connecting with my friends on our morning runs and the endorphin rush was a great stress reliever. I found myself being overwhelmed with fatigue and increasingly irritable. Towards the end of last year, I had to withdraw from work and eventually I realised that I needed to take at least four months of medical leave in order to recover. I had difficulty being the kind of mother I like to be since I was not able to care for my children without significant help.

Fortune Smiled on Me at my Worst Serendipitously, I made a new friend around the time of feeling my worst. Claire is a psychologist by trade who specialises in brain profiling to help people find their optimum career path. In the many discussions I had with her, we realised that I was completely in the wrong role. I was doing a lot of administrative and sales work, while being a creative introvert. This ‘falsification’ as it is called, was creating continued strain on me as I was working outside my strengths. If you feel that you are not in the correct job, I’d recommend going for some independent vocational guidance to align your talents with your work.

Taking Action Towards Recovery Of course I am taking medication as prescribed by my specialist. But I realised that it was not enough: I had to address the root cause and I had to do everything I could do in order to recover. I consulted my homeopath and she provided me with complementary medication to support my recovery.

I also began to explore many healing methods which I have found fascinating. So far, I have experienced Reiki, ThetaHealing ®, Applied Kinesiology, Reflexology and Chinese Meridians, Body Stress Release, Tapping (or Emotional Freedom Technique) and psychotherapy to manage the stress.

While at home on medical leave, I researched foods that would aggravate my condition and those which would boost my health. I eradicated alcohol, caffeine and carbonated drinks entirely and have reduced gluten and sugar. We now shop for foods that are good for me and we have been including these beneficial foods into our diet. I also take a range of vitamins and supplements suitable for building, and calming my immune system.

Fatigue has been the most dramatic of my symptoms so it made sense to stop exercise, especially considering that I was at risk for cardiac arrest. This was a difficult decision but necessary, given my energy levels. I also created a new rule for myself to limit outings to five per week, excluding school trips. I established a self-care roster for myself in order to plan my activities carefully. I included a section on personal grooming and health check-ups such as mammogram and dental appointments. This helps me to ensure I’m still being responsible, but I plan well enough to keep my outings to a minimum.

Due to the fact that my energy reserves are low, I make sure that I sleep daily and include meditation in order to improve mindfulness. I have found that my sleep at night is greatly improved by including meditation into my daily schedule.

Since I have started feeling a lot better and have obtained the all-clear from my doctor, I’ve started doing some exercise. I’m walking a few times a week, which I truly find inspiring as it is like walking meditation: time to think, fresh air and admiration of nature. I have tried restorative (Yin) yoga, which I also found to be healing and calming.

Research and Introspection Learning about activities that are optimal for my personality and my talents, helped me to realise that I could not continue on my career path. I have restructured my business and planned a new career path for when my medical leave is over. I have arranged for greatly reduced hours in order to ensure that I do not relapse. This will be of great use to me so that I can include time in my day for activities that make me happy and allow me to restore peace.

The Recovery Revelation A great epiphany has emerged for me in all the reading and reflection of the past few months. I have come to realise that creativity is a great tool for recovery. I would encourage anyone recovering from a stress-related illness to introduce creativity into their lives. This is particularly relevant for me since the throat chakra and the thyroid are closely linked with being true to yourself. I have found that self-expression through art is a wonderful way to recover from a thyroid malfunction.

My Self-Improvement Journey Continues I have learned a great deal about myself and I feel that this diagnosis has been a gift in a way. I have been presented with an opportunity to know myself better and to make necessary changes in my life. After developing a stress-induced illness, it would be foolish of me to merely take medication and keep my life the same. I am changing relationships, am redefining myself and am altering my work to suit my needs better. After a few months of focussed recovery, I am edging towards being in remission and I have the gift of a better life.

To read more about Kathy’s journey, visit her blog: http://findinglifepassion.blogspot.com/

ThetaHealing® Certification training Learn more than just a technique. Learn a new and empowered way of living that will bring you a greater sense of freedom, joy and love.

The heart of the basic 3 day seminar is the practice of techniques that allow you to change life patterns held in place by core, genetic, historic and soul beliefs, either self-inflicted or externally imposed. The student will learn to identify his/her own beliefs as well as to practice pulling them for others in the seminar. This practice can quickly reveal systems of belief, showing the body how to replace limiting beliefs or feelings with positive ones. The processes of ThetaHealing are not specific to any age, sex, race, colour, creed or religion.

Other topics and exercises include:

Learn why we create things in our life and what we learn from it      

Introduction to manifesting in your life Tuning into feelings Balancing your moods Soul mates, waywards and hooks The Seven Planes of Existence The Power of Connecting to the Creator of All the Is

By the end of the seminar, the student is prepared to become a practitioner of ThetaHealing® as a ThetaHealer®. Many people come on the course just for their own development and healing.

Full details from www.thetahealing.co.za or email Eric Richardson at info@thetahealing.co.za

Endorsement by Celebrity Singer – Nianell "I have never experienced such intense healing on a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual level as I did while I was doing the Theta Healing courses. Old anger and hurt that was stored in my body, of which I wasn’t even aware of, was released. As I was releasing feelings and beliefs that did not serve me or my body, I experienced deep healing and I even started to lose weight.

I witnessed miracles happening every day, in myself and in others.

I feel like a new person and I want to invite and encourage everybody to go for a Theta Healing session, or even better yet, take a course in Theta Healing and learn how to facilitate a healing on yourself or others and just witness the Creator of All heal “~ Nianell, seen here with Eric Richardson, Theta Healing Master instructor and practitioner.

(Eric is a former lecturer in Educational Studies at Wits University.)

Visit www.thetahealing.co.za for your free gift and details of courses and practitioners.

Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetahealingsouthafrica.

natural heath

Carte Blanche Derek Watts looks into

Medical Marijuana The healing properties Could a single plant-based substance have enough significant therapeutic properties to offer relief to people with multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, cancers, asthma, migraines, post-traumatic stress disorders and more? Top American scientists and people cured of cancers bring controversial claims to the fore as Carte Blanche investigates the medicinal use of Marijuana.

Watch the video clip from Sunday 17th May 2015

http://carteblanche.dstv.com/player/861234 www.carteblanche/dstv.com

Cannabis Juicing: The Reality of Whole Plant Therapy

By Gooey Rabinski

Juicing vegetables is nothing new for health-conscious consumers seeking to gain the benefits of phytonutrients and vitamins. Some patients, however, have gained significant benefit from juicing the fan leaves and flowers of raw, undried cannabis.

This is obviously a very different approach than traditional smoking or vaporizing, both of which employ heat to cause chemical changes in the cannabinoids found in the plant. Cannabinoids are stored in the plant in the form of acids and denoted as THC-A, CBD-A, CBG-A, etc. It is only during the application of heat (a process called decarboxylation) that these acids are converted to the cannabinoids with which many cannabis consumers are familiar: THC, CBD, CBG, etc.

When juicing raw plant material, no psychoactive THC is consumed because the molecule simply is not present in the plant. Thus, patients who juice experience no euphoria.

Exemplary Patient Recovery Dr. William Courtney, a physician in Mendocino County, California, is one of the foremost advocates for cannabis juicing.

Courtney gained notoriety after helping his wife, Kristen, overcome a collection of debilitating ailments, including systemic lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, endometriosis, and autoimmune disease — using only cannabis juice. After many weeks of drinking the juice of THC-A-dominant plants, Courtney was able to wean herself off more than 40 different pharmaceutical drugs, many of which delivered negative side effects.

Dr. Courtney focuses on the possible therapeutic value that is lost when cannabinoids are decarboxylated. He claims that 99% of the value of cannabis is lost when it is burned or vaporized. In the documentary Leaf, he explains that a given amount of cannabis leaf will, when juiced, provide 500-600 mg of THC-A (the non-psychoactive precursor to THC).

Courtney considers this to be a good daily dose. If smoked, this same amount of cannabis would deliver only 10 mg of THC (a standard dose). Based on his work with his patients in Mendocino County, Courtney believes that 500-1000 mg of THC-A is necessary to provide proper efficacy.

Thus, the question becomes one of the medical efficacies of the raw, acidic form of cannabinoids versus their heated, non-acidic siblings. Unfortunately, not enough is known about phytocannabinoids (those derived from plants like cannabis) and their interaction with the endocannabinoid system of the human body.

While completely anecdotal, the story of Kristen Courtney’s miraculous recovery using only raw cannabis juice is both unusual and inspiring. Her case should be taken seriously by the medical establishment in an effort to deliver similar results for other patients. I

Is Cannabis Juicing Practical?

The biggest disadvantage of juicing is the inability of patients to find enough raw plant material to juice on a daily basis.

Those living in states that have legalized medical marijuana and allow commercial or home cultivation will find it easiest to obtain enough fresh trim to experiment with juicing. Also, because plant material must be fresh, leaves that have dried or been stored for extended periods are not recommended.

Unfortunately, the volume of plant matter that is recommended by Dr. Courtney — 15-20 large fan leaves and a couple of buds per day — will be difficult or impossible for most patients to obtain on a regular basis. Even in states with legal medical marijuana that permit home cultivation, a garden of three to six plants simply can’t provide this amount of leaf material. Typically, only patients that are able to purchase large quantities of trim from commercial growers or community gardens will be capable of juicing on a daily basis.

Many have questioned the validity of Courtney’s approach. To obtain more credible numbers, one patient sent 30 fan leaves for analysis to a lab in Los Angeles. The lab found the leaves to contain 11.5 mg of cannabinoid acids. However, to satisfy the goal of 600 mg of cannabinoid acids, a patient would have to obtain and juice 1,500 leaves per day.

Even for the few patients who can obtain enough fresh, raw plant material, will they be willing to forego the euphoria associated with smoking, vaping, or consuming edibles? With so much medical benefit delivered by the plant when smoked or vaped, is juicing really practical or even recommended for the average patient (especially those who live in states where cannabis is illegal)? This imperative question may only be answered after scientists have more access to the plant for research. Perhaps it will depend on the specific medical condition being treated.

Instructions for Cannabis Juicing Dr. Courtney recommends the following guidelines for obtaining and juicing raw cannabis.      

Harvest leaves prior to the trichomes turning cloudy, or amber. Trichomes should be clear when leaves or buds are used for juicing.

Use a juicer or blender. A blender is preferred because it is easier to clean.

Store a single batch of raw cannabis juice, refrigerated, for up to three days.

Mix raw cannabis leaves with another vegetable to decrease the bitterness. Many patients who juice recommend a 10:1 ratio of carrots to cannabis.

Consume cannabis juice with each meal, roughly three times per day.

A typical batch (three servings) requires 15-20 large fan leaves.

http://www.cannabisinternational.org/index.php Origins of Cannabis International Foundation

By Dr. William Courtney My childhood fascination with the microbiologic world was latter supported by my studies of organic and biochemistries which came together in my undergraduate degree in microbiology. With the 2004 Scientific American article on the “Brains Own Marijuana”, my scientific interests of a lifetime joined forces. I have been immersed in the experiences of thousands of my patients who use raw cannabis daily. First introduced to dry green leaf, then fresh green leaf and now with the addition of raw fully mature flowers, the whole plant is restored.

Understanding Medical Marijuana Cannabis, or marijuana, has been used by humanity for medical purposes for thousands of years. This short book describes the history of the medical use of marijuana, how it became illegal in the United States, and reviews medical studies conducted over the past 30 years to reveal the true pros and cons of cannabis. In addition, this book reviews the current (2015) state-level medical and recreational marijuana laws in the United States. Anyone who desires to understand the medical qualities of cannabis -- whether to place an educated vote in a municipal or state election or for personal use - will gain benefit from "Understanding Medical Marijuana." This book takes an objective, rational stance, allowing readers to make their own decision regarding the medical efficacy of this natural plant.

This is the most current book of its type on the market, having been updated in December 2014 (it is updated every six months to ensure currentness).

Gooey Rabinski Gooey Rabinski is a freelance writer and author who has contributed to magazines such as High Times, Cannabis Culture, and the Cannabis Health Journal. Rabinski, a 25-year veteran journalist, in the early 1990s began documenting the efficacy of cannabis in the treatment of severe medical conditions such as Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, cancer, AIDS, and dystonia. His goal is to remove the stigma and ignorance surrounding cannabis that has pervaded American culture for the past 80 years—with the goal of helping society to objectively gauge its value and utilize its significant medicinal benefits. He is the author of Understanding Medical Marijuana (2015 Edition), available on Amazon Kindle. He Tweets from @GooeyRabinski. www.whaxy.com

SPIRULINA THE PURE NUTRITION FROM NATURE A healthy diet with enough fluids may help provide the energy needed for daily performance. Fatigue and poor performance may be a result of not getting the right nutrition, water, vitamins and from being sleep deprived.

Spirulina is a superfood and research shows that it boosts energy, improves stamina and prolongs endurance naturally. Spirulina has been identified by the UN to potentially help fight malnutrition and according to NASA scientists, "one gram of [Spirulina] algae has the nutritional equivalent of 1000 grams of fruits and vegetables" http://www.prweb.com/releases/bitsofhealth/olympics/prweb9773257.htm According to research, Spirulina has, gram for gram, 300% more calcium than whole milk, 2300% more iron than spinach, 3900% more beta-carotene than carrots and 375% more protein than tofu. In addition, three grams of Spirulina has more antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity than five servings of vegetables (Moorhead K, Capelli B, Cysewski Dr GR: Spirulina, Nature's Superfood, Cyanotech Corporation 2006).

Studies have shown that poor nutrition and fitness may not only causes obesity but also affects academic performance in children http://www.californiahealthykids.org/articles/NPA _3.pdf

Try this easy to make Spirulina energy shake at home: A Coconut Spirulina Energy Drink Coconut water is Potassium-rich and nature's best isotonic drink.

Spirulina is a protein-rich algae that contains 8 essential and 10 nonessential amino acids, potassium, energy giving B vitamins such as B1, B2, and B6, and magnesium, a mineral essential for energy.

Ingredients: Coconut water and ½-teaspoon Spirulina powder.

Directions: Pour coconut water into sports bottle and mix in the Spirulina powder. Tightly secure bottle cap and shake well. If you cannot stand the taste of Spirulina, just take 500mg tablets and down them with the coconut water in between training or workouts.

This can also be consumed as a pre-workout drink.

Source: Yahoo

Flu FARMacy Nature's best Immune helpers

By Jacques Damhuis We're seeing it everywhere: Coughs, colds, sinus, bronchitis... Change of seasons can be an especially miserable time for some people.

All medical professionals agree that when it comes to illness prevention is better than cure.

And if you add these foods to your diet, you could prevent yourself from getting sick, and if you do get sick, to lesson the duration and severity of some illnesses. Either way a pleasure!

Staying hydrated is very important. Water filtered through a terracotta urn is probably the best water you can drink. It's very important to add drinking lots of water to any get better routine. Making herbal teas part of your hydration routine is a fun way to add more germ killing and decongestion for health. The steam of the tea, and adding a combination of healing helpers such as lemon, ginger, thyme, honey, cayenne pepper (seriously) or chilli's, garlic, and cinnamon is a potent and surprisingly yummy super germ fighter tea! Use fresh whole foods where possible, throw in ingredients according to your personal taste, and sip slowly breathing in the steam as you do.

And rest. Rest gives your body the chance to heal. Rest and stay warm.

See you in the garden! Growing with Smiles

https://sites.google.com/site/growyofood/

babies & beyond

Picture courtesy of Cassie from Heal Your Life (Nathan is now almost 2 years old)

PREGNANCY AND BIRTHING

By Daniel Hofinger There is a certain amount of fear and confusion around childbirth, and the ability for a woman to have a natural labour, that its important to understand a little bit more about the process, why women are so afraid, and educate ourselves around this delicate topic.

There are over 5000 different species of mammals on the planet, all of which give birth naturally. Why is it then that the human doubts in their own bodies ability to give birth? The problem often is that so much fear has been instilled into women, mostly by what they are fed through the main stream media, books, movies and the medical profession.

Believing that we are going the safest route we hand over our birthing process to doctors, and what should be a natural process and a rite of passage for both the woman and the baby, now becomes a ‘medical condition’.

This article serves to inform birthing mothers about common medical birthing practices and their potentially devastating effects. It is not meant to instill fear, but rather to empower women to take charge of their own labour, to make informed choices and to provide what is best for both her and her baby

The Cascade of Intervention Many maternity care interventions have unintended side effects during labour, and often these effects are then the new problems that are ‘solved’ with further intervention, which in turn create even more problems.

This chain of events is known as the ‘Cascade of Intervention’, and can change the course of a woman’s labour in important ways. Let’s explore this a little further.

Doctors routinely put the mother on a drip to hydrate her and to give her nutrients. This is mostly not necessary. By inserting a needle into her hand hampers her when she wants to clasp her hands or move about freely during contractions.

This small intervention interferes with her ability to labour properly as it can lead to the production of extra adrenaline which in turn slows down labour. The freedom to walk around with a drip in tow is another frustration. In fact, doctors prefer you to lie down anyway, the most unnatural position to give birth as she has to push the baby out against gravity as opposed to letting gravity help her in a squatting position.

1. Slowing of maternal respiration and circulation 2. Reduced Oxygen supply to baby, requiring resuscitation at birth, also due to the stunting of the gag reflex which my cause the baby to breathe fluid into the lungs.

3. Has been shown to delay initiation of bonding and breastfeeding more than any other single drug.

Epidural

Inducing Labour The next scare could arise if you are not dilating by 1 cm every hour which is when the doctor may strap the laboring woman to a fetal monitor and tell her not to move… how on earth does she do this while she has these contractions happening?

The most likely next step for the obstetrician to undertake is to induce the mother by means of artificial hormone stimulation, mainly synthetic Oxytocin and Amniotomy, the breaking of the waters. This brings on the contractions so powerfully and with such small gaps between contractions, that the labouring woman is not able to cope with the pain as her natural endorphins that her body produces as a pain buffer isn’t strong enough anymore. It doesn’t give mom and baby any time to rest. The other factor that we need to consider is that the cervix is at that stage of labour not ready yet to give birth, namely 10cm dilation.

Pain Management Pethidine The effect of this intervention inevitably leads to the very controversial usage of pain killers, Pethidine being the drug of choice. The catch is that Pethidine has not been approved by the FDA and is not safe for pregnant women.

Pethidine may have the following consequences:

The other option is the epidural, inserting a needle and then catheter into the spinal column. This in itself can cause a multitude of complications including a drop in maternal and fetal blood pressure

Episiotomy and Instrument delivery The mother has lost sensation and is unable to push which often results in the next intervention, episiotomy. After the episiotomy, it is common practice to use extraction instruments, either forceps or vacuum extraction to force the infant through the birth canal. The impact of that is often severely traumatic damage to the infant’s head, eyes, nerves that lead to the face, eyes neck and arms. It will most likely cause the mother to tear more also. Suction may affect the membranes surrounding the brain of the infant if the vacuum cup is mistakenly applied over fontanelle of infant. Vacuum extraction is a strong predictor of early cessation of breastfeeding.

C-Section If all else fails.

The final resort is a Caesarian section. The first thing to understand about a C-section is that it is a major surgical procedure and recovery time often takes months.

C-section rates are climbing at an alarming rate in South Africa with over 90% in the private sector, amongst the highest in the world. I believe the reason for this astronomically high C-section rate is for the doctor’s convenience so that he can schedule it in his diary and not get called out during a dinner party of game of golf. This procedure is a lot more expensive and the private sector mostly has medical aid to cover these fees. The doctor and the hospital and the pharmaceutical industry make more money in less time. That’s better business than waiting for a natural labour to commence without intervention.

A disempowered labour can often lead to post natal depression and the feeling of having been robbed of a truly magnificent process called birth. Possible after-effects of Caesarean section include the interruption of bonding between mother and infant.

Natural Birthing Many of these interventions could be avoided in most births if we were able to allow the labour to progress in a safe environment where both baby and mother are supported and

allowed their time. A natural labour makes the woman feel empowered and bonded with her child knowing that she did it and no one can take that away from her.

I believe that if we are to change our condition as humanity, our physical, emotional and psychological wellbeing, we have to begin with our babies and how we birth them into the world. Following natural birthing processes will lead to a more healthy untraumatized, happy society.

One reason why the natural birthing process is so important has to do with the foundational experiences. The first thing that happens to people is usually the most formative - simply because they are the first, birth is foundational because it is the first experiences where the fully developed body and primitive ego are challenged.

Birth, like any foundation of a house, provides a structure on which everything else is built.

Without a foundation there can be no structure. Birth and life are intimately connected. When people discover their birth patterns, it is common to hear them say ’Why that’s the way I live my life. How I live my life is a direct reflection of what happened during my birth.’”—Dr William Emmerson, PhD. To support the mother and baby pre and post natally, I suggest Cranio Sacral therapy, a sublimely gentle yet deep and nurturing modality that can resolve trauma to both mother and infant alike in a gently guided fashion.

The Birthing Journey How do you want to experience this beautiful process?

South Africa has a shockingly high C-section rate in the private sector because, according to our doctors, we are unable to give natural birth safely. Some of the excuses are ridiculous, such as allowing your shoe size to dictate that you can't birth naturally. Or at 9 weeks of pregnancy your doctor says your baby is going to be too big for natural birth?? Or your pelvis is not suitable for natural birth. You see it is much easier to simply schedule a C-section as it fits in so nicely with everyone’s lives… but does it really? What about yours and your baby’s birthing journey?

It is time for us women in general but especially in South Africa to stand up and show that we have a voice. We were made to birth naturally and therefore only require a midwife and a doula by our sides. Doctors are awesome and are needed, but only for high risk mums to be.

Oageng Baby Link is a sanctuary, a home away from where expectant mothers who don't want to give birth in a hospital, can enjoy the birthing process in a private, tender, calm, supportive and understanding environment.

An environment where you, the mother, can experience the wonders of natural birth and allow your body to guide you in what is best for you and your baby in the birthing process. What position and environment feels most natural to you, the type of involvement and support you would like your partner to give you. We understand that the giving birth is an intimate and beautiful process and thus it is treated as such by us.

The sanctuary is described as a home-like facility where healthy pregnant woman can give birth without medical intervention unless required.

Stand up mums and choose where and how YOU want to birth, don't simply listen to your doctor and don't allow your medical aid to decide your birthing place, they will always have restrictions and limitations.

If you wish to feel treated like a queen during pregnancy, labour and birth book your bed now or call us on 011-6407170 or 083-3108162 or visit www.oagengbabylink.co.za Find us at: 134 17th Street, Linksfield. Like us on: www.facebook.com/oagengbabylink

Overcoming postnatal depression PND does not mean you’re a bad mother Unlike mothers who experience strong emotions of love, joy and fulfilment at childbirth, a significant number of new moms suffer from ‘baby blues’ which, in some cases, may persist and result in a more severe, long-lasting form of depression commonly known as postpartum or postnatal depression (PND).

“Having a baby, whether it’s your first child or not, is often a particularly stressful time for the mother and the family. The hormonal changes that a mother’s body undergoes, as well as the physical discomfort from the birthing process, contribute to an emotional response that can feel very overwhelming. Having feelings of sadness, tearfulness or just feeling ‘down’, irritability and mood swings shortly after birth affects up to 80% of new moms and is considered very normal as your body and lifestyle adjust to the new baby. These are termed the’ baby blues’. However, when these feelings persist for longer than 3 to 4 weeks, a diagnosis of post-natal depression can be considered,” explains Tamryn Coats, counselling psychologist and researcher at Akeso Specialised Psychiatric Clinics.

She cautions that timeous treatment is most important. “PND is a very serious and concerning condition, for both mom and baby. Research suggests that the baby’s development in the first 1001 days from conception to approximately 2 years of age is incredibly important in laying the foundation for attachment and how they will relate to others in their life ahead. Their brain development is so rapid that their brains are establishing neural pathways at a rate of one million connections per second between birth and 18 months! Therefore mothers experiencing difficultly during this phase should get support immediately so they better able to facilitate the needs of their baby during this time.”

Symptoms According to Coats, PND has the same symptoms as a depressive episode, namely sadness, tearfulness, constant fatigue, lack of concentration and energy, feeling overwhelmed, loss of pleasure and interest, sleeping and eating difficulties, excessive worry, problems bonding with the baby, feelings of worthlessness, even thoughts of suicide and harm.

“A lot of moms go through the first year with some or all of these symptoms thinking that it’s normal to feel this way. Once you are better informed of what to look out for, you are in a better position to judge your own mental health. Sometimes friends and family members will pick up signs and symptoms that worry them and mention this to you, but often these are the feelings that people don’t talk about regarding childbirth and rearing, which contribute to the stifling sense of loneliness that moms who are going through PND experience,” says Coats.

She dismisses the perpetuated idea in society that all women have a strong maternal instinct that immediately bonds them with a baby and that moms who don’t experience this are non- maternal, lacking in femininity or simply are bad mothers. “This is not true and a very harmful stereotype for motherhood.

Mothers with postnatal depression struggle to feel attached or bonded with their babies and then experience the added societal burden of feeling guilty for having those feelings or thoughts. Several mothers may go on to resent their babies, feeling frustrated and blaming their baby for the emotional difficulty they experiencing. With the necessary professional help, these feelings can be overcome.”

Time span According to Coats, postnatal depression is generally limited to being diagnosed within the first year after childbirth. “It’s important to know that many mothers can also be diagnosed with antenatal depression which is depression prior to the birth of the child, often diagnosed in the third trimester. Equally important for mothers to understand is that postnatal depression can affect them with the birth of a second or third child, even if they didn’t experience any symptoms with earlier children.”

Statistics International statistics suggest that approximately 13% of moms will suffer from PND. Within middle- low income countries that statistic increases, according to Coats.

“Research from the Perinatal Mental Health Project in the Western Cape suggests PND can reach levels of between 30 and 50% in specific populations within South Africa”1. The prevalence of PND is therefore quite high in a South African context.

According to Health24.com, between 10% and 40% of women develop Postnatal Depression (PND). “If one takes the lowest figure of 10%, there are at least 50 000 new cases of PND per year in South Africa. A recent study in Khayelitsha showed that more than 30% of new mothers in that community are suffering from PND. This is according to the Post Natal Depression Support Association (PNDSA).”

The American Psychological Association (APA) http://www.apa.org/pi/women/programs/depression/postpartum.aspx says an estimated 9-16% of postpartum women will experience PPD. Among women who have already experienced PPD following a previous pregnancy, some prevalence estimates increase to 41 percent, according to APA. “Contributing factors include social stressors such as unemployment, domestic violence, low social support systems, unplanned or unwanted pregnancy, and pregnancy during adolescence, single parenting, stressful lifestyles, as well as experiencing a traumatic birthing process, previous episodes of depression, or a history of anxiety disorders or substance abuse,” says Coats.

“Interestingly, career driven women and those who hold high powered positions may struggle more with the adjustment of a baby, resulting in feelings of ‘being out of control’ which then resonate for the mother as a sense of failure. Furthermore, mothers who approach child birth with a sense of denial regarding the life style changes that are bound to occur, will also struggle more with the adjustment post- delivery.

“However, it’s also important to note that PND is not limited only to mothers: very often it can affect fathers as well. The statistics in South Africa for paternal PND are not known, but international statistics suggest PND affects approximately 5% - 10% of fathers. The most significant determinant of paternal postnatal depression is having a depressed partner. Research suggests that fathers whose partners are depressed are 2.5 times more at risk for developing depression themselves,” says Coats. (Ref: NHCM Foundation Issue brief, June 2010)

Treatment Three treatment modalities are available, namely psychotherapy, medication and individual or group support, says Dr Feroza Arbee, a psychiatrist at Akeso Psychiatric Clinic (Parktown).

“Depending on the severity of PND, treatment will most likely be a combination of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy. Medication that has been medically approved for breastfeeding mothers, is normally rescribed by the attending psychiatrist. Moreover, an anti-depressant or anxiolytic takes a few weeks to have full effect, but a difference should be felt within a few days.

“The doctor may also prescribe a short-term medication that would help with sleep and episodic anxiety.

Generally, just the act of seeking help and having someone supportive to listen to you, makes most women feel better even after their first consultation,” Dr Arbee advises.

Coats agrees, but cautions that a mother who considers hurting herself or her baby, should immediately contact an emergency help line immediately, such as Akeso’ s Psychiatric Intervention Unit with emergency response vehicles and phone counselling on 0861 435 787.

She reiterates: “Suffering from PND does not mean you are a bad mother; it just means you need help from professional health practitioner, such as individual or group support, which are readily available.” *Nursing and Health Care Management (article courtesy of Akeso)

"What is the most bizarre place you ever breast fed your baby?"

by Orit Gilad On a carousel in an amusement park. I stayed on it for multiple rides.

In my baby’s stroller. Instead of walking Around, I sat in my baby’s stroller and had someone push me around while I fed. Not so hard on my back.

Orit Gilad asked nursing mothers from all over the world to share their funny breast-feeding situations.

The result is "Breast Side Stories�

Orit (38, married and mother of 2 boys) has lived in New York where her sons were born. Breast-feeding in Manhattan was a bit of a challenge especially when walking on the benchless Avenues looking for a place to nurse. After finding herself nursing her baby in a massage chair at "Bed Bath and Beyond" she turned to her fellow breast-feeding community and asked to share the craziest nursing stories women have experienced. Every nursing mother will truly enjoy this fun book.

Illustrated by Julia Filipone Erez Available from: http://www.amazon.com/Breast-Side-Stories-OritGilad/dp/1452805164/ref=pd_rhf_ee_p_dnr_1 Face Book Page: https://www.facebook.com/breastsidestories Email: Ohgilad@gmail.com Tel: 972-54804 5494 (Tel Aviv, Israel)

parenting

What is Brain Gym ®?

In a nutshell, Brain Gym® is a series of quick, fun and energizing activities used in a balance to make all types of learning in life easier and eliminate barriers. The student is facilitated through their unique process by a facilitator. No special equipment needed. Brain Gym ® is used to activate highest performance potential and increased self-esteem that will fit into even the busiest of schedules.

Brain Gym® is recognized in more than thirty eight countries around the world and has changed many people’s lives in a positive way over the last few decades, and in South Africa for over twenty years.

Using specialized techniques to diffuse the barriers. Brain Gym ® creates a bridge for new learning or action.

Phone: Email: Website:

082 856 6655 info@makealife.co.za www.makealife.co.za

Find a Brain Gym practitioner nears you on www.braingymsa.co.za

Why is my child so angry?

There are a number of children who are really angry. They easily get upset with peers, teachers and/or parents. Why?

By Hanna Kok

When I work with a child with anger issues, I look at their history and guaranteed there is unresolved trauma. The trauma was often already experienced while in utero. Much trauma is registered in the subconscious of the child as rejection and/or abandonment.

Trauma in Utero  One of the parents didn’t want a child and was not excited when they found out they were pregnant. Even if this feeling was there for a short time, it is still registered in the child’s subconscious as rejection and/or abandonment.  The mother is afraid to bond with the child (during the first trimester) because she is afraid she might have a miscarriage (again) or they are waiting for test results to see if the baby is healthy  If the father leaves the mother during the pregnancy  If the mother is stressed or worried during the pregnancy.  If the child is not the sex the parent(s) is/are hoping for  Etc.

Trauma during and shortly after the birth  If there was a planned Caesarean, the child was denied the opportunity to come in his or her own time.  If the child was separated from the mother after birth, because it was put in an incubator or even in the baby ward.  If the mother struggled with postnatal depression or has other health issues and couldn’t take care of the baby  Child is given up for adoption

Later trauma This trauma can be anything e.g.  Death of a loved one  Being left behind somewhere (by accident)  Hospitalisation  Divorce

Everything our children experience today, they subconsciously link back to their past. If they have experienced rejection and/or abandonment in their early life, they tend to be very sensitive to criticism, rejection, and abandonment, not getting their way, or anything else that reminds them of that early childhood trauma. The stress the child carries has an effect on their brain. Stress prepares the body for fight or flight and all non-essential brain functioning switches off. This makes it difficult for them to access higher brain functions like, problem solving, putting things into perspective, being compassionate, learning, concentration, etc.

We as their mothers and fathers have our own issues as well that we are carry from our past. We might be aware of the mistakes we have made and feel guilt. The strong emotions of the child then often trigger our own insecurities.

Why do I have an angry child?

I like to work with the assumption that the parent and child come together because we are to learn from

each other. The difficult behaviour in our child gets us searching. We have the opportunity to both grow and overcome the challenges we are facing. We as parents need to accept we are part of the problem and need to become part of the solution.

What is the solution?

I get great results when I do the following:  Work with the child to resolve the trauma.  Work with the child to integrate and activate the brain for difficulties they experience in their life currently  Work with the parent(s) to release their guilt  Work with the parent to deal with their own trauma and insecurities

You can use a wide range of modalities to address the issues. It is important that the subconscious memories and subsequent subconscious beliefs we formed after the trauma are changed, so that we can step into our bright future.

For more info and help to overcome any of these issues, please contact Hanna Kok on Mobile: 082 85 666 55 Email: hanna@makealife.co.za www.makealife.co.za

21 March 2015 – Making Relationships Work - 1 Day workshop for individuals and couples 28 March 2015 – My Journey Personal Transformation – 1 day workshop. Normal price R1200 pp, early bird booking fee R950 pp Book online - http://www.ati2ud.com/shop/

INTIMACY AND SEX Understanding the difference!

By Paula Quinsee As humans, the same things do not always motivate us when it comes to relationships (or sex). We jump into relationships because we feel lonely, are infatuated with someone, for sex, for companionship, for love and much more.

Our need for intimacy is paramount to our sense of self-worth, safety and security. The biggest error we make is confusing sex and intimacy as one and the same thing. It’s not. They are two very different elements of a relationship.

Intimacy

is the bond or connection we have with our partner. It is the way we

treat each other, how we communicate with each other, the language we use (tone of voice and words), they way we show affection (physical touch), how we validate and acknowledge each other, how we spend quality time together and how we manage conflict.

Sex

is the actual deed that occurs between a couple linked to our reproductive

drivers and as a result of the intimacy in the relationship.

If there is no intimacy in a relationship, chances are the relationship won’t survive the test of time and there will be very little lovemaking taking place.

All couples experience issues when they are disconnected and not on the same page with each other. This is usually as a result of a breakdown in communication over time, resulting in a lack of effort, energy and intention.

Many of us get caught up in the day-to-day routine of life that often carries over into our relationships and the bedroom. Before we know it, months have gone by and we have not shared many intimate moments connecting with our partner let alone in the bedroom.

Couples who have healthy relationships and sexual interactions have learnt what it takes to maintain their relationships on all levels.

They’ve learnt that with time the passion fades and it takes work on both sides to maintain the romance in the relationship. It’s the small things like looking and smelling good for each other. Spending quality time with each other outside of the bedroom and appreciating each other despite the rough patches you experience.

They are honest about their sexual needs and desires and can express themselves openly. They understand that there are no hard and fast rules as to how many times a week they do the deed but rather that they are having regular sex as this reinforces and deepens closeness. Making time to have quality sex is important but there are there times when quickies are appropriate.

And they know how to have fun together.

Making an effort at bringing romantic gestures into the mix of things helps to spice things up. Whether it's booking a B&B, sexy new pyjamas, lingerie or new cologne.

This sends a crucial message to your partner that you still care, and that they and your relationship is important to you.

Just as there are ways to bring the romance back, so too are there showstoppers of note. Things like wearing too many clothes to bed, sharing your bathroom business, not giving each other bathroom space and privacy, asking your partner whether they would like to make love (it’s a bit like asking for a slice of pizza) and paying too much attention to the TV, your phone, computer or Facebook.

Important is the realisation and acceptance that affection does not necessarily mean sex but rather that a kiss, a cuddle or a back rub is a sign of caring for one another deeply. By connecting in small ways throughout the day, you build the closeness between you, which can lead to satisfaction later. And you'll still feel close on those days when you're tired, stressed or just not on the same page with each other.

Equally important is not withholding nooky as a means of punishment. This will definitely doom your sex life as it turns what should be a loving and caring act into a service. Once sex becomes part of the power struggle, resentment builds and soon neither of you wants to participate. So next time you have something on your chest, don’t find excuses or avoid dealing with the issue, speak up and clear the air without using sex as a weapon. Communication is the winning formula to successful relationships.

Intimacy defines the bond and success of a couple. It has to be developed, maintained and cultivated on a relational level. And it is each person’s individual responsibility to create and nourish the intimacy in his or her relationship. The more connection there is in a relationship, the stronger and healthier the relationship will be and the more nooky you will be having!

Inspired Parenting Shaping behaviour patterns that work

by Helen Hansen Pic of Caleb Weingartz THE LIMBIC IMPRINT Within every cell of our body, we carry an imprint from our formative years. Researchers have found that when the emotional body is overwhelmed during the formative years, then behavioural patterns follow that include the inability to cope with stress, addictions and learning disabilities.

During gestation and early childhood, the cortex thinking mind is not fully developed thus it is the limbic system, which registers all of our sensations and feelings. The memories of this early formative stage lives in the body the rest of our life whether we know it or not.

We come into this world wide-open to take in what every comes our way.

When we receive love, we accept it as the norm and when we receive anger or fear we accept that as the norm too. Whatever is given to an unborn, newborn or young child is imprinted into their nervous system as the way of being. If a first impression is anything less than loving, such as painful, frightening, lonely, then that is what transfers into cells as a “comfort zone�. Regardless of how painful, frustrating and undesirable a sensation is, if this is what is imprinted during the formative years, this is what becomes the surrogate for love.

Automatically, the conditions that were imprinted at birth and through our early childhood, repeat themselves throughout the experience of life, all the way through into adulthood.

Researchers in the field of prenatal psychology, namely, Dr. Thomas Verny, Dr. David Chamberlain and Dr. William Emerson show that an overwhelming amount of physical conditions and behavioural disorders, are the direct result of traumatic gestation time and complications during delivery, including unnecessary mechanical interventions and an overdose of anaesthesia.

The good news is that the limbic can be reset through the Birth into Being method. This gentle process of reworking the birth memory cognitively, emotionally and physically, allows the whole being to accept new information on all levels. The Birth Into Being method directly transforms your Limbic Imprint so you can access your ultimate potentiality.

DO YOU WANT TO: 

Re-Code your Limbic Imprint of inhibiting emotional patterns by creating a new memory of being conceived, gestated, born, and breastfed in blissful and safe circumstances?



Create new reference points of emotional comfort aligned with your conscious intentions?



Fearlessly birth a new project, new baby, and/or new You? This safe and effective method brilliantly interweaves epigenetics and neuroplasticity with the richness of storytelling, visualization, gentle touch and movement.

Experience the opportunity to recode your Limbic Imprint …in the comfort of your own home.

The Limbic Imprint Experiential Exercise is available on audio for R110.

To place your order email: info@helenhansen.co www.helenhansen.co

Absolute Soul in Mnandi. Stunning new venue.

Join us 14 June for The Love Workshop at this tranquil place. http://nianell.co.za/the-love-workshop

children of the universe

It might look as if ADD is nothing but trouble, but consider some of the positive traits associated with people, including children, who suffer ADD or ADHD: 

Creativity - Children who have ADD/ADHD can be marvellously creative and imaginative. The child who daydreams or has ten different thoughts at once can become a master at problem-solving or creative expression. Someone with ADD can be a fountain of ideas, an invaluable asset in brainstorming sessions. In a creative or problem-solving situation, divergent thinking can be very useful in coming up with multiple possible solutions and allows for rare insights in such fields as art, music, business, and science. Children with ADD may be easily distracted, but sometimes they notice what others don't see.



Flexibility - Because children with ADD consider a lot of options at once, they don't become set on one alternative early on and are more open to different ideas.



Enthusiasm, spontaneity, liveliness - Children with ADD are rarely boring!

They're interested in a lot of different things and have lively personalities. In short, if they're not exasperating you (and sometimes when they are), they're a lot of fun to be with.

Energy, drive, and tenacity - When youngsters with ADD/ADHD are motivated, they work or play hard and strive to succeed. It actually may be difficult to distract them from a task that interests them, especially if the activity is interactive or hands-on.

Keep in mind, that ADD/ADHD has nothing to do with intelligence or talent but many children with ADD/ADHD are intellectually or artistically gifted.www.highonlife.co.za

By Penni du Plessis Let me share with you how a combination of Access Bars and Colour therapy could enhance the lives of ADD or ADHD children or adults.

Many people contact me and ask which colour remedy they should use for a specific imbalance or ailment.

This is asking for a quick fix and hoping that I can wave a magic wand for them. However, I am always amazed at what unfolds when they choose their own – simply by being drawn to a specific colour at the time.

They choose from my vast array of coloured oils and sprays – which each have their own unique balancing properties. The personal choice taps into their own emotional issues which they are now ready to address – and when using it regularly as a bath or body oil, it eases the physical symptoms too.

A case in point is an ADD child who chose a red oil. Everything in me screamed NOOO!!! I knew the blue oil would help him focus and relax or the yellow for increased concentration and self-confidence. My thinking was that the red would make him really overactive and bounce off the walls. I have learned however to trust and allow, and the only cautionary advise I gave his mom was not to use it at night as he would not sleep. We were both amazed at the results. The child who usually zoned out and lived in his own inner world, became more grounded, more active and was more interested in interacting with others.

How does it get better than that?

Added to that we began to run his Bars regularly, and the results were simply amazing.

So what is running the Bars? During this simple and highly effective treatment I cradle the client’s head in my hands for about an hour. During that time my finger positions change in order to touch 32 different points on the head – which each relate to a different issue, emotion and belief that is stored in the brain.

While doing this I either silently or verbally begin to clear the stored memories – almost like wiping the blackboard, or de-fragging the brain. This is a highly relaxing treatment and most people fall into a deep sleep. At the end of the session they feel more aware, more creative and more relaxed, and … best of all, they begin to respond to life in a very different way.

Here is a testimonial from Louise Derksen, a Bars practitioner in the USA, and how she uses the tool with her ADD child: Early in the school year I was called into the school, one call of the many I get. My son was sitting at a desk in the hallway with the teacher, assistant teacher and the principal standing over him explaining and setting out step by step how to write a paragraph on a topic (Grade 6 level). I got the low down of what was going on, he wasn’t able to start or keep going with his writing. He had only written two sentences in over 30 minutes. My son looked bewildered and like a deer in the headlights with 3 adults talking at him. I asked him what’s going on and he said simply, “they are asking too much, I can’t do it, I suck”.

“Can I run your Bars?” I asked. “Ok.” I run his Bars and his body relaxes, his head comes up off the desk, and all the heaviness of not being able to meet all those expectations began to blow off. He sighs, his mood lightens up, I don’t say anything, just hold his Bars. I don’t try to tell him what he has to do, I don’t ask him why he can’t or isn’t doing the work, I don’t console him or make it right or better, I don’t speculate on his ability to do the work or not, I don’t pep talk him into ‘you can do it’, or what to do next time. I just run his Bars. And he starts talking about his writing topic. And then he starts writing …

Running Bars isn’t a cure for Learning Disabilities, ADHD, OCD and all the rest. Running Bars relaxes the body, relaxes the mind, dissipates the ‘I suck’, ‘I can’t do it’, ‘I’m useless’, ‘I’m letting everyone down’ emotions and thoughts that prevent children from starting or continuing with the task they are doing.

Running Bars creates the ease and space for them to put pieces of the puzzle together without being overwhelmed by all the information at once. It lifts the cloud they are trying to think through and allows them to access the information, other possibilities, choices and awareness they know is there, somewhere.

My son used to take an hour to start his homework with a tsunami of anger, hopelessness, despair, anxiety and self-hatred, with the Bars this changed to starting homework in 10 to 15 minutes with minimal frustration and keeping on track with what he is doing. Each time I ran his Bars while he’s in the “mood” or stressed and under pressure the less intense these behaviours would show up next time. And yes, this works on husbands and partners too.

I’ve had tutors, teachers and friends comment about how much my son has changed, how much older than his years he is, what an amazing sense of self he has, and man, is he funny!!

I’m not looking for grades or work production, I’m running his Bars, and asking him questions to create self-awareness without self-immolation; if you choose this or that, what will create more for you? What does work for you? How do you make this fun for you? What do you require right now to complete this?

What information are you missing or looking for that will get this moving forward again? My target is to continue to generate and create self-awareness for myself and my children about what does work for them and how wonderfully talented they truly are, even if there is no grading system for that …

Would you like to give this combination I try? You don’t have to be ADD either…. It works for anyone, of any age or disposition. All you would need is a willingness to change and to allow new possibilities. I also run regular workshops and could teach you how to do this for your own family, friends or even as a new career choice….

Please don’t hesitate to contact me for more information. Penni@divinespace.co.za Divine Space Colour Therapy and Consciousness Training Academy

Healthier Eating Habits for ADD/ADHD families People with ADHD are often bright and capable, but underachieve because they are totally stretched, stressed and disorganized. They struggle to prioritize and or to plan ahead.

By Heather Picton Things are usually done at the last moment, and at great speed to meet deadlines. This usually affects all areas of their lives, including what they eat.

They can be very creative cooks but many believe they don’t have time to prepare meals and so rely on the nearest fast-food outlet. Usually this fills their tummy but does nothing to raise nutrition levels … in fact junk and highly processed foods invariably lower nutritional status and make things worse.

Fresh, natural and healthy foods contribute to raising overall function of body and mind, and people with ADHD (both adults and children) often seem to benefit the most. However, these adults are usually the last to improve their diet simply because they are ‘too busy.’

Recognizing that you might not be ready to make dramatic changes in your diet, here are a few ideas to move you slowly into healthier eating habits, and you’ll be able to do it without too much fuss. Each one of the following points will help, but I don’t expect you to rush out and try them all at the same time – that would just be too much. Take just one idea at a time, and when you have taken 2 - 4 weeks to master it, and it’s basically a new habit in your life, then go onto the next.

A few tips to help you get started:

☺

Each meal should contain protein such as meat, fish, chicken, eggs, or vegetable protein. Add to that a small helping of starchy veg (such as a baked potato, sweet potato or brown rice), and also your regular veggies. Try to introduce natural colour into your meals - a red/purple, a yellow and a green veg to every lunch and supper. The different colours in the fruit/veggies provide important nutrients that we need.

☺

Avoid complicated recipes – and go for the simple, easy to follow. Try grilling rather than frying.

Because winter is on our doorstep when people prefer warming foods rather than salads, it’s a good idea to keep a stock of veggies in the freezer for when you’re in a hurry.

☺

Experiment with unprocessed and unrefined foods. Have a meal at a health restaurant - taste their different combinations and repeat what you liked the most at home.

☺

A small snack between meals – whole-wheat sandwich, an apple, plain popcorn (not from a packet), plain unflavoured biltong (preferably game), a few nuts or cheese – will help maintain concentration and stabilize emotions and mood. Fresh veggies, such as carrot sticks, cucumber, tomatoes can be very useful to have available when your children are nibblers.

☺

Drink 6 – 8 glasses of water a day to keep your body well hydrated. Dr Daniel Amen has in his SPECT scans shown that dehydration (even if very slight) can affect brain function and undermine both concentration and behaviour.

☺

Cut down on the amount of coffee that you drink. You think coffee is helping you, but the caffeine in it causes the blood vessels to constrict. So drinking something that contains caffeine means that your brain isn’t getting the oxygen and nutrients it needs to work at your best levels. Also reduce your intake of tea, fizzy drinks and alcohol as they also interfere with concentration.

☺

Keep sugar to a minimum and never eat sweets or sugary biscuits on an empty tummy. They make

you feel comfortable for a very short while before you start craving the next sugary treat.

When it comes to eating habits, changing one’s mindset can initially be very difficult. Some people can do it overnight, but others take longer. Whichever way you choose is fine – as long as you do it. Your body will ultimately thank you with improved health, mood and all over functioning. Life can become so much easier.

Spoil yourself – go out and find those healthier and tastier foods to replace the junk. When you weigh out the total cost of eating junk and compare it to the price of real food, it’s cheaper to eat real food.

WHY CHILDREN FIDGET ...and what we can do about it

By Angela Hanscom

A perfect stranger pours her heart out to me over the phone. She complains that her six-year-old son is unable to sit still in the classroom. The school wants to test him for ADHD (attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder). This sounds familiar, I think to myself. As a pediatric occupational therapist, I’ve noticed that this is a fairly common problem today.

The mother goes on to explain how her son comes home every day with a yellow smiley face. The rest of his class goes home with green smiley faces for good behavior. Every day this child is reminded that his behavior is unacceptable, simply because he can’t sit still for long periods of time.

The mother starts crying. “He is starting to say things like, ‘I hate myself’ and ‘I’m no good at anything.’” This young boy’s self-esteem is plummeting all because he needs to move more often.

Over the past decade, more and more children are being coded as having attention issues and possibly ADHD. A local elementary teacher tells me that at least eight of her twenty-two students have trouble paying attention on a good day. At the same time, children are expected to sit for longer periods of time. In fact, even kindergarteners are being asked to sit for thirty minutes during circle time at some schools.

The problem: children are constantly in an upright position these days. It is rare to find children rolling down hills, climbing trees, and spinning in circles just for fun. Merry-go-rounds and teeter-totters are a thing of the past. Recess times have shortened due to increasing educational demands, and children rarely play outdoors due to parental fears, liability issues, and the hectic schedules of modern-day society. Let’s face it: Children are not nearly moving enough, and it is really starting to become a problem.

I recently observed a fifth grade classroom as a favor to a teacher. I quietly went in and took a seat towards the back of the classroom. The teacher was reading a book to the children and it was towards the end of the day. I’ve never seen anything like it. Kids were tilting back their chairs back at extreme angles, others were rocking their bodies back and forth, a few were chewing on the ends of their pencils, and one child was hitting a water bottle against her forehead in a rhythmic pattern.

This was not a special needs classroom, but a typical classroom at a popular art-integrated charter school. My first thought was that the children might have been fidgeting because it was the end of the day and they were simply tired. Even though this may have been part of the problem, there was certainly another underlying reason.

We quickly learned after further testing, that most of the children in the classroom had poor core strength and balance. In fact, we tested a few other classrooms and found that when compared to children from the early 1980s, only one out of twelve children had normal strength and balance. Only one! Oh my goodness, I thought to myself. These children need to move!

Ironically, many children are walking around with an underdeveloped vestibular (balance) system today - due to restricted movement. In order to develop a strong balance system, children need to move their body in all directions, for hours at a time. Just like with exercising, they need to do this more than just once-a-week in order to reap the benefits. Therefore, having soccer practice once or twice a week is likely not enough movement for the child to develop a strong sensory system.

In order for children to learn, they need to be able to pay attention. In order to pay attention, we need to let them move.

Children are going to class with bodies that are less prepared to learn than ever before. With sensory systems not quite working right, they are asked to sit and pay attention. Children naturally start fidgeting in order to get the movement their body so desperately needs and is not getting enough of to “turn their brain on.” What happens when the children start fidgeting? We ask them to sit still and pay attention; therefore, their brain goes back to “sleep.”

Fidgeting is a real problem. It is a strong indicator that children are not getting enough movement throughout the day. We need to fix the underlying issue. Recess times need to be extended and kids should be playing outside as soon as they get home from school. Twenty minutes of movement a day is not enough! They need hours of play outdoors in order to establish a healthy sensory system and to support higher-level attention and learning in the classroom.

www.timbernook.com

Positives of ADHD We always notice the parts that hurt - in the same way we concentrate upon the challenges and pain of ADHD, but fail to see the gifts it brings.

ADHASA encourages recognising and building on the strengths of ADHD - and so secure a happier and more fulfilling future for all

curious - quick witted - thinkers - aware of surroundings

independent - assertive - energetic - mediator comic-timing - intuitive - bright - brave enthusiastic - impulsive - strong willed - fearless

determined - sharp - intelligent - sensitive achieving - doing many things at once - inspiring

creative - opinionated - fascinating - critical challenging - flexible - imaginative - inquisitive funny - questioning - cute - bright - laid back

loads of energy - original thinkers - spokesperson getting results - single minded - self reliant great leaders - courageous

Understand and work on improving areas of difficulty but build your career on your strengths and SUCCEED!!!

“Look Nanna, this tree loves me” – Carmen Ché Jardim

safety in and around home

our children are the most precious gifts entrusted to us

Protecting Child Passengers in the Vehicle the Importance of Car Seats for Kids Different Ages Groups and Child Restraints Child restraints are designed to match a child’s height and weight. When you buy a restraint you need to consider:  

The size and weight of your child.

If the restraint will fit in your vehicle.

The child should be kept in the most appropriate restraint suitable for his or her size and age and only be moved to the next category of restraint when he or she no longer physically fits.

Infant: Birth-1 Year Never carry your child in your arms or share your seat belt with your child. In a crash you won't be able to hold on to your child. He or she may be thrown around the vehicle or thrown out of the vehicle. The safest way for an infant to travel in a vehicle is in the rear facing position. A rear-facing child restraint system (sometimes called an “infant car seat”) provides the best protection for infants until they are 1 year of age. Keep them in this position for as long as possible and only move them to a forward facing child seat when they no longer fit in the rear facing position.

Children aged 1–4 years The bone-forming process is not complete until the age of 6 or 7 years, and throughout childhood a child’s skull remains less strong than that of an adult. A restraint system needs to limit forward head movement in a frontal impact and provide protection from intrusion in a side impact. A child restraint should therefore distribute the crash forces over as wide an area

as possible. Belts and harnesses need to fit well and be properly positioned as designed by the manufacturer.

The restraint system should also provide protection from contact with the vehicle interior in both front and side impacts. The best type of child restraint for young children is the child safety seat. The integral harness secures the child and spreads the crash forces over a wide area. This seat will last them until either their weight exceeds 18 kg or they grow too tall for the height of the adjustable harness.

Children aged 4–6 years Booster seats are best used only when a child has outgrown a safety seat. They are designed for weights from 15 kg to 25 kg. Children should continue to ride in a booster seat until the lap and diagonal belts in the car fit properly, typically when they are approximately 145 centimeters (cm) tall. Booster seats raise the seating position of the child so that the adult seat-belt lies properly across the chest, crossing diagonally at the child's shoulder rather than the neck, and low across the pelvis. If the adult belt is too high across the stomach, in a crash serious internal injury could result, or the child could submarine under the seat-belt. The booster seat has a back and can provide some protection in a side impact.

Children aged 6–11 years A booster seat can improve the seat belt fit when your child is too big for a forward facing child seat and too small for an adult belt. As a general guide, buy a rigid booster seat with a back, side wings and a sash guide to keep the seat belt in place.

Booster cushions without backs are designed for weights from 22 kg to 36 kg, but manufacturers are now producing booster cushions with backs that cover the full 15 kg to 36 kg range. Shield booster seats, which have a plastic shield in front of the child, offer less protection and should not be used.

It should also be noted that although children are best protected when secured in age appropriate child restraints, if such restraints are not available, it is still better to use an adult seat-belt on the child than leave the child unrestrained on the back seat.

Once your child’s eyes are level with the top of the back seat of the car or the child is approximately 26kg or over, they may use a seat belt. The seat belt, however, must fit your child correctly; i.e. the lap belt is low over the bony part of the hips (not the stomach) and the sash does not touch their face or neck when all slack is removed.

https://www.arrivealive.co.za/Child-Restraints-and-Road-Safety

How to stay Warm and Safe at Home this Winter Winter is upon us, with load shedding taking its toll; many households are dependent on alternative sources of power and warmth.

Use this checklist to ensure that you stay warm and safe during winter Get clued up on gas • Have your gas appliances fitted and fixed by a professional, and have them checked annually.

• Watch appliances for signs that they are faulty e.g. lazy yellow flames instead of crisp blue ones.

• Check that there’s enough proper ventilation and only use products for their intended purpose.

• Carbon monoxide can leak from appliances, so buy an audible carbon monoxide alarm for your home.

• Know the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning: headaches, dizziness, nausea, breathlessness, and loss of consciousness.

Beware of open flames • Keep anything that can burn at least one metre away from open flames.

• Use a sturdy screen in front of the fireplace to stop sparks flying into the room.

• Cool ashes before putting them in a metal container, and store container away from your home.

• Have a one-metre, “kid-free zone” around open fires.

“Accidents happen so quickly, especially in households that regularly have open flames, such as those from a fireplace or wood stove. Remember to insure your building, not just your personal belongings,” advises Olyott.

Be cautious with candles • Always keep a burning candle within sight and extinguish it when leaving a room and going to bed.

• Keep burning candles out of the reach of children and pets, and away from air currents.

• Burn candles in a well-ventilated room, and don’t light too many in a small space.

• Never burn a candle on or near anything that can catch fire e.g. curtains and flammable decorations.

“Appliances that use gas and open flames can be dangerous,” says Peter Olyott, CEO at Indwe Risk Services. “So make sure your personal insurance policy includes cover for household

contents,” continues Olyott.

“Part of being safe is being adequately insured. That’s why it’s essential to speak to your broker for expert advice and assistance in analysing your needs, to check that your insurance is sufficient and up to date,” concludes Olyott.

How to protect yourself from hijackings…

Arrive Alive says drivers can do a number of things to avoid a hijack situation Amidst the increase in hijackings in South Africa, it is very important to know some of the following aspects:    

How do the hijackers operate?

When am I most at risk?

How do I avoid being hijacked?

What do I do when confronted?

HOW TO AVOID A HIJACK SITUATION Sterling work has been done by specialists such as Richard and Melinda Rossouw of the National Hijack Prevention Academy (NHPA). They have a vast experience in avoidance measures and also present driver training modules such as (a) collision avoidance/skidpan and (b) defensive driving. They have made available to the public via the website www.hijack.co.za the following information on how to avoid a hijack situation. It is recommended to contact them via this website should you require further info on these and other courses.

Approaching and entering your driveway: 



 

2km from your house strategy. Be extra alert. Switch off the car radio and concentrate on your surroundings. If you have noticed any vehicle behind you, use the techniques you have learned during the hijack prevention and survival course to determine whether you are being followed.

Remember to stop your vehicle just on the inside of the gate and select reverse whilst waiting for the gate to close. This creates confusion and may buy you a few seconds for the gate to close completely behind you.

Check your driveway and street before you leave or enter your premises.

Make sure your driveway is well lit and clear from shrubbery where perpetrators can hide.

     

 



Be aware of unknown pedestrians close to your residential address – do not turn into your driveway – pass and go back later.

Liaise with your neighbours – know them.

Be aware of vehicles parked close to your address with occupants inside. It might be perpetrators observing the area.

Be alert if your animals do not greet you at the gate as usual. It might be that the perpetrators over-powered them.

Phone your home and ask for someone to make sure your driveway is safe and to open and close the gate for you.

When returning home after dark, ensure that an outside light is on, or have someone meet you at the gate. Check with your armed response company if they are rendering rendezvous services.

If at any time you have to open the gate yourself, switch off the vehicle, leave the key in the ignition and close the door. Then open the gate.

If you have small children in the vehicle, take the key with you (this is the only exception). You then need the key as a ‘negotiating tool’. The perpetrators want your vehicle and you want your children.

If your children are older, it is advised that they exit the vehicle with you when opening the gate so that you are all separated from the vehicle should a hijack occur.

Parking your vehicle:    

Check rear-view mirror to ensure you are not being followed.

When exiting your vehicle, be cautious and aware of surrounding obstructions and shrubbery that may be concealing a hijacker.

Never sit in your parked vehicle without being conscious of your surroundings. Sleeping in a stationary vehicle is particularly dangerous.

When approaching your driveway, be on the lookout for suspicious vehicles/persons. This is very important as the majority of hijackers approach their victims in home driveways.

Whilst entering your vehicle and while driving, the following should be considered:             

Have your key ready, but not visible.

Inspect the outside and inside of the vehicle before unlocking. (Tyres, number plate, other side of the vehicle – as explained during the hijack prevention and survival course).

Know your destination and directions to it; and be alert should you get lost.

Always drive with your windows closed and doors locked.

Make a mental note of any police stations in the vicinity.

When stopping behind another vehicle, leave half a vehicle length in front of your vehicle to make an emergency escape if necessary.

When dropping off a passenger, make sure they are safely in their own vehicle before departing.

Avoid driving through high crime or unfamiliar areas.

Avoid driving late at night/early hours of the morning when the roads are quiet.

Drive in the centre lane away from pedestrians where possible.

If possible, never drive alone.

NEVER, EVER pick up hitchhikers or strangers (VERY IMPORTANT).

Never follow routine routes when driving; change on a regular basis.

Other situations:   

   





 



   

If approached by a stranger while in your vehicle, drive off if possible or use your hooter to attract attention.

Lock your doors, close your windows and do not have bags or briefcases visible in the vehicle. Use the boot for this. Cellphone should also not be visible.

There are times and days that these items are visible in the vehicle. Try and open the window they might “smash and grab” about 3cm, so the window can absorb the sudden impact. If you’ve left your stopping distance you may be able to escape.

Be constantly on the lookout for suspicious looking characters or vehicles and do not hesitate to report them to the SAPS. Always be on the alert for potential danger, and be on the lookout for possible escape routes and safe refuge along the way.

When approaching a red traffic light at night, slow down so that you only reach it when it turns green.

Do not take anything from people standing at traffic lights or places where they gather (job seekers on gathering points). Perpetrators are usually standing among these people.

Make sure you are not followed. If you suspect you are being followed, drive to the nearest police station or any busy public area.

If any person or vehicle in a high-risk area arouses your suspicions, treat it as hostile and take appropriate action, e.g. when approaching a red traffic light, slow down, check for oncoming traffic and if clear, drive through the intersection. A fine will be preferable to an attack. Treat stop streets in the same way. Thereafter call for assistance if necessary. Always report these incidents to the SAPS. But remember, this is not an excuse to ignore the rules of the road. The onus will be on you to prove in a court of law that you had justifiable reason to act the way you did and this is only in the case of a real, life-threatening emergency.

Always have your identity document and driver’s license in your possession as well as a pen and notebook to take necessary notes.

If possible, avoid driving in the dark. Hijackers may stage a minor accident, for e.g. If your vehicle is bumped from behind and you do not feel comfortable with the individual involved in the situation, indicate he/she must follow you and drive to the nearest police station or any busy public area for help.

Never open your vehicle window or door for any stranger. If a suspicious person is near your unoccupied vehicle, do not approach the vehicle. Walk to the nearest public area and ask for assistance.

If you encounter obstacles in the road, e.g. rocks, tyres, do not get out of your vehicle to remove them.

Reverse and drive away in the opposite direction.

Do not stop to eat or rest on deserted roads.

Do not leave your vehicle unattended at a filling station.

Cellphones should be carried on the body. Perpetrators will not allow you to remove your cell phone and valuables from the vehicle.

Information you should know: 

 

  

If your vehicle is hijacked or stolen, promptly report it to the SAPS. Make sure you have the vehicle details: model, color, vehicle identification and registration numbers available to assist with the recovery of the vehicle.

When forced to drive with a hijacker, be observant without making direct eye contact and try to memorise as many details as possible.

It is important to describe the hijacker as accurately as possible. When observing a hijacker, take note of his head and face – the shape of the eyes, mouth, nose and ears. Take note of possible irregularities.

Look at the hair, skin color, complexion and possible scars and tattoos. Observe the build, sex, body movement, clothing and any conversation that may take place.

Remember the direction from which they came and fled, as well as the time and place the incident happened.

Remember to make mental and physical notes immediately after the incident to ensure accurate and detailed information for the police investigation.

Taken hostage - It can be helpful to have a survival plan in the back of your mind should such an incident occur. It is difficult not to become paranoid about being taken hostage. However, it is just as easy to become complacent.

One very important fact to remember if you are ever hijacked: Should the conclusion of the drama be by way of armed intervention, and escape is not possible, immediately drop to the ground, remain still and obey the orders of the leader.

If confronted:          

Do not lose your temper, threaten or challenge the hijacker.

DO EXACTLY AS TOLD BY THE HIJACKERS! Do not resist, especially if the hijacker has a weapon. Surrender your vehicle and move away. Try to put as much distance between yourself and the hijacker(s) as speedily as possible.

Do not reach for your purse or valuables. Leave everything in the vehicle.

Try to remain calm at all times and do not show signs of aggression.

Be compliant to all demands set by the perpetrator.

Do not make eye contact with the hijacker. He may perceive this behavior as a threat and retaliate aggressively.

Keep your hands still and visible to the hijacker, so as to give him assurance of your passive content.

Do not speak too fast (if you are able to talk) and do not make sudden movements.

Gather as much information as possible without posing a threat.

- How many people?

- How many firearms and description thereof?

- What were the perpetrators wearing (clothing)?

- To which direction did they drive off?

- Take note of the language they use (the accent).

First phone the SA Police Service on 08600 10111. They will dispatch the medical services if needed. Other emergency numbers you could phone are 112 ANY Network (Vodacom+MTN+Cell C) or 147 Vodacom ONLY. Activate the vehicle tracking device if the vehicle is fitted with one.

Republished with the permission of Arrive Alive.

earth warriors

7 SIMPLE WAYS TO SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT, AND MONEY, TODAY! Many people feel that going green is simply too expensive to achieve overnight.

Or, they feel that the process is simply too overwhelming, and don't know where to start. And while I completely understand that buying an electric car, harvesting rain water and retrofitting your home with solar panels isn't feasible for many of us - there are ways that you can start living green today. A lot of these tips take minimal effort, but have a huge impact on the environment, your health and your wallet, read on.

1. Unplug If your home is like ours, you have several electronics that aren't used on a consistent basis. When you aren't using those electronics, unplug them. Even if they are turned off, they are still using energy, until you actually unplug them - that's why they call them "energy vampires."

2. Look for Local and Seasonal Farmer's markets are going strong. When you hit the grocery store, look for local and seasonal foods. For example, make sure to purchase produce that was grown locally, instead of those grown across the country or internationally.

3. Meatless Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday....

We all know that meat has a huge impact on the environment, so when possible skip it. On taco night, instead of filling your tortilla (or lettuce cup!) with meat and cheese top it with organic beans and vegetables. This idea isn't only good for the environment, your wallet and body will feel the impact too!

4. Plan Ahead I can't stress this tip enough and it is one that I live by, get organized and plan ahead. When we do our grocery shopping, we plan out the meals that we will be eating that week and make a list of any toiletries or household items that we need. This saves us from those last minute trips to the grocery store all week long.

5. Walk More Walk to the shop, the markets or take a stroll on the beach if you are lucky to live at the coast.

6. Ditch the Plastic Bottles This is an easy one - simply do not buy drinks in plastic water bottles. Invest a few bucks in a great reusable one that you will be happy to use every day.

Be ‘glass-friendly’ – not only do your cool drinks taste better, the bottles can all be recycled at your closest recycling bins.

7. Do You Need It? There is a series of questions I ask myself every time I am considering making a purchase: 

Do I really need it?



Do I have something like it at home that I can use instead?



Can I find it at the thrift shop?

Then, based on those answers I make my choice, many times I skip it, figure out something that I already own that I can use instead or I hit the thrift shop to see what I can find. Not only does this help the environment, it saves our family a lot of money and keeps me creative.

P.S. To go along with number 7, here are 8 eco-friendly living questions to ask yourself.

reading

Follow Me - I’m Lost The tale of an unexpected leader

A parable by Wayne Visser Chapter 3

Follow Me! (I’m Lost) 12 Unconventional Lessons in Leadership from Gulliver’s Travel’s A Parable by Wayne Visser

Unconventional Leadership Lesson 3:

To have a vision, you must close your eyes Gulliver took off heading due south, which quickly took him away from the shoreline, heading inland. Although he didn’t know it yet, he was flying across the horn of Africa and into Ethiopia. The landscape below him rose steadily, then pushed up dramatically into a range of snow-capped peaks. It was higher than Gulliver had ever flown in his life and he was exhilarated.

As he flew, he pondered his strange encounter with the gentle Dugongs of Djibouti – such fabulous creatures, why would humans want to destroy them, or take away their home? Could they not see their beauty? Could they not sense their great wisdom? Could they not respect their peaceful ways?

Of course, it was not the first time he had heard stories of Man’s destructiveness. His mother had taught him early on that humans are cruel and insensitive creatures – predators, like foxes and owls, only worse. His great grandfather had been killed by a human. He was shot down from the sky when the Great Flock had just started its migration north. Gulliver didn’t really understand how guns worked, but he knew they were deadly. Worse still, wherever there are humans, there are those great menaces – dogs and cats, both of which seemed to think that ‘goose’ was just another word for ‘lunch’. So he knew humans were to be avoided at all costs. But what did they have against the beautiful Dugongs?

Gulliver’s head began to hurt. Maybe it was an overdose of pondering, or maybe it was the altitude. The air was thin, crisp and cool. Just then, he was cresting the mountain tops. He landed on a rock, stopping for a rest and puffing his feathers out against the icy wind. His head started to clear and he marvelled at the spectacular view across the plains, stretching out below him all the way to the horizon. At that moment, he wished his family and friends were with him. What would they say about such grandeur? It was nothing like home. And it was exquisite.

Gulliver set off again and for the next few hours, flying was easy as he glided down from the mountains to the vast open plains. By the time the sun began to set, the landscape had changed from the rocky, green, forested highlands to tufted, brown, sandy lowlands. Gulliver spotted a little clump of bushes, landed and nestled down. Exhaustion quickly overtook him and he drifted off to sleep.

Some hours later, Gulliver was woken up by a scratching sound. He blinked open his eyes and cast about for the source of disturbance. The moon was nearly full, so it was easy to see, but he didn’t spot anything suspicious. Even so, the dull scratching sound continued. He cocked his head and tried to locate which direction it was coming from. ‘That’s strange,’ he thought. ‘It seems to be coming from below me.’

Gulliver was wide-awake now, so he decided to investigate. It didn’t take him long to discover that he was surrounded by a vast network of holes that burrowed into the earth. His mother had warned him that sometimes foxes or snakes can live in holes, so he wasn’t about to stick his head in one to find out more.

Luckily, he didn’t have to, because just then a head popped out of one of the burrows nearby. Or at least, he assumed it was a head. In fact, it was the strangest thing he had ever seen in his life – and that’s saying a lot, given his recent encounters with stranger-than-strange Cuthbert, Daphne and Dodger! Its face – Gulliver had decided it must be a face – consisted almost entirely of two massive teeth. Behind these, on either side, he could just make out a twitching nose and two small screwed up eyes, almost closed. More strangely still, its skin was pinky-grey and wrinkled, with no trace of hair or fur or feathers.

‘Could you please keep it down up here!’

Gulliver was startled by the small, high pitched voice, sounding distinctly irritated. ‘I beg your pardon?’ Gulliver retorted.

‘You’re making a heck of a racket, and some of us are trying to sleep; others are working the night shift.’

‘A heck of a racket? I was asleep!’

‘Well, in that case, you were honking in your sleep.’

Gulliver’s indignation dissolved in an instant. ‘Was I really?’

‘Yes, you were. Bad dream?’ Gulliver noted a hint of sympathy in its voice.

‘Yes, I suppose it was’ said Gulliver, as the misty shape of his dream drifted in front of his mind’s eye. ‘I dreamt that I was trying to convince the Elders of the Great Flock to change their migration path, to fly south instead of north, so that they could see the wonders of Africa, like I’ve seen. But they would have none of it. They told me to shut my beak. Can you believe it?

They told me it was blasphemy to even suggest changing the ancient ways of the Great Goose in the Sky.’ Gulliver was shaking his head vigorously, still swept up in the emotional storm of his dream. The toothy creature, on the other hand, was impassive: gazing at him, chewing on some invisible delicacy, not saying anything. ‘He must think I’m terribly rude,’ thought Gulliver.

‘I’m sorry,’ Gulliver continued. ‘I didn’t properly introduce myself. I’m Gulliver, of the Great Flock of Geese in Scoraig, Scotland. I’m on an unexpected adventure, and I’ve never been to this beautiful land before. To be honest, I’ve never seen some ... thing as ...’. Gulliver coughed involuntarily.

‘Something as special as yourself.’

The creature seemed unphased. ‘Well, Sir Gulliver, my name is Roody, of the Snuggly Nest of Naked Mole Rats in Ginir, Ethiopia. And I don’t know much about migration paths. Unless, by some chance, they are like tunnels. I know all about tunnels: long tunnels, short tunnels, curvy tunnels, squiggly tunnels, tunnels that go up and tunnels that go down, tunnels that never end and tunnels that are a dead end. Yes sir, Mister Gulliver, I know tunnels!’

Gulliver couldn’t help but show a beaky smile. ‘As it happens, Roody, migrant paths are a bit like tunnels, except they’re up in the sky, not down in the earth.’

‘Well then, in that case, I know what your problem is.’

‘My problem?’

‘Yes, what you did wrong in your dream.’

‘Oh, that problem. What did I do wrong?’

‘Well, it so happens – I don’t know if I mentioned this – it so happens that I am an expert on tunnels. Not just an expert, mind you. I am the Master Tunnel Builder for my nest of 80 mole rats. But I wasn’t always the Master Builder. Do you know what I was before I was the Master Builder?’

‘Umm, no, I don’t’. Gulliver thought it best not to interrupt Roody’s flow.

‘Before I was a Master Builder, I was an Apprentice. That’s because my father was the Master Tunnel Builder, and you can’t have more than one Master at a time. Are you following me?’

Gulliver nodded.

‘Now, what is the first lesson you learn as an Apprentice?’

Gulliver couldn’t even begin to guess. But he did anyway. ‘How to dig?’

‘How to dig? How to dig!? No, no, no! Where did you get such a feather-brained idea from? How to dig, well I never! No, the first lesson you learn as an Apprentice is what to dig for. It’s no good just digging for the sake of digging now is it? There’s no point in building beautiful tunnels that just go round in circles now is it?’

Gulliver felt that ‘stupid’ feeling creeping over him again. He shook his head timidly.

‘No’, he squeaked, almost inaudibly.

‘And what do we dig for?’

Gulliver wasn’t going to fall for that trick again. ‘I really don’t know’.

Roody seemed pleased with Gulliver’s ignorance, and took great pride in enlightening him. ‘We dig for the grand prize, don’t we? Not the little prize. Not the teeny weenie prize. Not the insignificant prize. Not the prize that the other mole rats wouldn’t even consider a prize. The grand prize. Do you catch my drift?’

Gulliver wasn’t sure he did, but he nodded anyway. Then Roody changed tack, confusing him even further.

‘Do you think mole rats enjoy munching their way through dirt every day and every night?’

Gulliver tried to imagine himself eating sand 24 hours a day and the answer seemed obvious. Even so, his confidence was battered and shaky, so he made sure to include a question mark in his reply, just in case it was wrong. ‘No?’

‘No!’ squealed Roody, his voice rising in pitch. ‘Of course they don’t!’

And yet, they do it. Why? I’m asking your straight, Sir Gulliver, why do they do it?’

There was no wriggling out of this one. Sensing that there must be some logic to Roody’s convoluted rant, he ventured: ‘Because of the big prize?’

‘Exactly! Bravo! Hey presto! Jolly good show! Because of the big prize, precisely!’ Roody’s anaemic fleshy head seemed about to pop with joy.

Gulliver still wasn’t sure he understood, but he was relieved not to have gotten another answer wrong. Fortunately, Roody didn’t ask another question right then. He had obviously decided that Gulliver had earned the right to be trusted with their great secret.

‘Mole rats eat dirt because they believe in the Holy Tuber!’ He paused, looking expectant. Seeing Gulliver’s nonplussed expression, Roody continued. ‘What we live for, you see, is tubers. Tubers are succulent, delicious, crunchy, delectable, juicy roots. They are what we eat. Don’t get me wrong. We can stay alive eating small bulbs and thin stringy roots. But what we live for are fat, fabulous tubers. That’s what keeps us all digging in the dirt. And do you know what we do when we find the Holy Tuber – that fattest, most fabulous tuber in all the earth?’

Oh dear, more questions. Gulliver sighed, but he was genuinely interested to know. He decided to stick with the obvious. ‘You eat it?’

‘Yes, of course we eat it. Well, naturally we eat it. Tubers are for eating after all. But that’s not what we do with it. There’s a secret I’m going to tell you. Can you keep a secret?’

Finally, a question Gulliver knew the answer to. ‘Absolutely, I am the best keeper of secrets in the whole Great Flock. Once, my friend Grantham told me ...’

Roody interrupted him, impatient to share his great hidden truth. ‘We don’t eat all of it!’

Roody was beaming with a smile, his teeth completely hiding his face, as if he had just found the Sacred Writing Quill of the Great Goose herself. But Gulliver didn’t get it. So they didn’t eat all of it, so what? In the flock, they didn’t eat all of the weeds or grass or algae either. So what?

Roody came to the rescue. ‘When we find the Holy Tuber, which, I’ll have you know, can weigh as much as a thousand times what we weigh, we only eat the inside. Do you get it? We leave the outside, so it keeps growing. The Holy Tuber regenerates. This way, it might even feed us for years!’

Now Gulliver understood. ‘That’s amazing!’ he honked with genuine enthusiasm.

Roody beamed his toothy grin again. ‘So your mistake in the dream was ... ?’ Roody was cleverly bringing the conversation back full circle.

Oh dear. In his moment of tuber enlightenment, Gulliver had forgotten how the whole thing got started with Roody. He plutzed and puzzled. He preened and pecked. Roody waited patiently and in silence. Finally, the answer dawned on Gulliver: ‘I didn’t show the Elders of the Great Flock the grand prize!’

Roody beamed so that all Gulliver could see was his brilliant white teeth flashing in the moonlight. ‘Exactly, Sir Gulliver. As my father used to tell me when I was still his Apprentice: “The mole rat masses will only dig for you if you tell them the story of the Quest for the Holy Tuber. To be a Master Builder, my son – to be a true leader – you must create a vision. And to have a vision, you must close your eyes”.’

Next Issue Unconventional Leadership Lesson 4:

To have a following, you must walk away

Drugs are NOT the Devil’s Tools By: David Bearman, M.D. Blue Point Books, 2014

David Bearman, M.D. is one of the most prominent leaders in the field of cannabinoid medicine, and the first volume of his amazing new book is now available. This insightful examination into the origin of the United States drug laws, Drugs are NOT the Tools of the Devil: How Discrimination and Greed Created a Dysfunctional Drug Policy and How It Can Be Fixed, is an engaging and beautifully illustrated 304-page book. It shows how, through the intertwining motives of discrimination and greed, often under the guise of morality, the government has created a drug policy that is completely dysfunctional.

Volume 1 covers the period from 2537BC thought 1969 and is available in both full color and black and white paperback editions. Volume 2 will follow in a few months.

If you are interested in purchasing Drugs are NOT the Tools of the Devil in quantity, please contact Blue Point Books by email bpbooks@west.net/ www.davidbearmanmd.com

animal world

HOW WE ARE GOING WRONG WITH OUR PETS NUTRITION? EASY STEPS TO CHANGE THIS

by Paul Jacobson

Despite dogs being classified taxonomically as carnivores, evolution can do funny things with animals and in the case of our dogs they have adapted to an omnivorous lifestyle.

The same applies to bears and raccoons. Giant pandas are also classified as carnivores, despite the fact that they have a diet consisting of bamboo.

Therefore, almost every vet and researcher classifies our dogs as omnivorous. Even the legendary Veterinarian, Dr. Ian Billinghurst from Australia, who promotes raw meat diets, acknowledges that our dogs are omnivores.

Leading on from this and for whatever reason, some people choose to debate whether dogs are derivatives from Wolves or Jackals and Dingo’s. I, personally, cannot see value in this debate. In 1868 Darwin wrote "We shall probably never be able to ascertain their origin with certainty."

Therefore, this debate is of little consequence as we know that our companion animals have been domesticated for 100000 years and thus their digestive and glandular systems have evolved. Research has shown that domesticated dogs have been eating cooked food for thousands of years. They can metabolize vegetable and wholesome carbs PERFECTLY. Being domesticated and knowing the dangers that raw meat carries, it is not advised to feed raw meat at all. One need not overcook meat but certainly change the colour from red to pink. Veggies on the other hand, hold exceptional nutritional value for ALL beings, especially in their natural wholesome state. Thus I recommend, if possible, feed your green veggies raw (blended).

What we also have noticed is that our pets are suffering from an array of sickness and almost every dog is struggling with skin ailments and allergies. Besides that our pets are struggling with cancer, diabetes, obesity, renal complications, arthritis, epilepsy, etc.

While the manufacturers claim that our pets can thrive on a diet consisting of nothing but commercial pet food, research and an increasing number of veterinarians implicate processed pet food as the source of disease.

SOMETHING IS GOING WRONG!!!!

Each day I am inundated with pet owners looking for solutions to their pet’s itchy skin and other health issues. Having done the research and having strong alliances with reputable nutritionists, I am convinced where the problem lies and I am confident that I have the solution.

Our stance is very clear and it concurs with the latest veterinary studies and that is that the same principles of healthy living that apply to humans should apply to our companion animals. In other words what is deemed to be healthy, safe and nutritional for humans must apply for our pets. It is just common sense, nutritional sense and fair.

This sense does not differ between breed, age, gender or circumstance. It is common sense, nutritional sense.

Successful diets for both human and animal are based on getting the ph balance correct, with a leaning towards alkalinity. We know as a matter of fact that acidity causes inflammation and that inflammation causes an array of skin ailments, arthritic problems and renal complications.

Dr. Yesheen Singh says: “I believe that inflammation is the lowest common denominator for most chronic diseases plaguing humans and other mammals today. I think people should pay as much attention to what goes into the bodies of their pet children and their human children! I think any opportunity to increase the awareness of the role diet plays on the body of both human and pet should be grasped with both hands!”

We also know as a mater of fact that refined carbs are rated as acidic. We also, know as a mater of fact that too much meat is classified as “extremely acidic”. Therefore, one should be wearier about diets that contain too much meat, raw meat and refined carbs rather than wholesome grains (a subject that has lately come under discussion).

Thus, the debate should be about refined carbs vs. healthy carbs. The pet industry often uses inferior refined grains and carbs like soya meal, potato pea, brewer’s rice, wheat and corn gluten, etc. All these are classified as "extremely acidic". One the other hand, one gets grains/ carbs that are very nutritious and classified as "alkaline". These include whole grains, sprouted grains, brown rice, peas, quinoa, etc. Add other carbs to the list like spinach, carrots, broccoli and most veggies and you have a great meal.

You will note three things when you stop feeding kibble/pellets and change to home cooked meals for your dog: 1. Bright eyes- you will notice a change in your dog’s demeanor and particularly his "sparkling eyes".

2. Coat and skin - he will develop a soft glossy coat and get rid of itchiness.

3. Stool - he will produce a stool that is firm but not abnormally dry. It won’t have a putrid smell and interestingly, it will biodegrade quickly into the ground.

Veggies that are very beneficial for skin disorders and improve alkalinity in diet are raw carrots, celery, parsley, and spinach - all the green veggies. The important herbs for skin that are cooling in nature are mints, sage, lemon verbena and lemon balm. Flax oils are ineffective. The only Omega 3's to use are quality fish oils that are natural and pure. I would recommend a good pro biotic and/or spirulina.

Our companion animals are our children, members of our family. They are no more a wolf than we humans are apes. They sleep on our beds, we cuddle and love them. They deserve the respect and protection that we afford our fellow human beings. The same principles of healthy living and nutritional science apply to our companion animals, as to our human friends

Call Vondis on (021) 439 1784 www.vondis.co.za

Instructions for Cat Lovers

THERE IS NO ANXIETY IN LIFE THAT CUDDLING A CAT WON’T CURE  Cats are very deep, they think about food, sleep and nothing.  When you call a dog, he comes to you instantly. When you call a cat, he’ll take a message and get back to you.  Cats eat cheese so they can blow down mouse-holes with baited breath.  If cats could talk, they would still ignore you.  Don’t bother wit an alarm clock – thee is nothing more regular than a cat who wants his breakfast.  Cats know how to claw their way to the top.  Cats are very intelligent: they think first and act second, which means about sleeping first and lie down second.  Cats are believed to be magical animals, which explains why they disappear sp quickly when you want to know who stole the fish dinner.  How to tell the sex of your cat: if it stays out all night and doesn’t give a word of explanation in the morning, it’s a male.  It’s not possible to keep a cat – a cat keeps you.  Having a relationship with a cat is very fulfilling: the more you put into it, the more she gets out of it.  When sleeping with you, the average cat expands to over two thirds of the size of your bed.  Cats are very polite, when they come in they wipe their paws all over your furniture.  Cats are not social climbers, they usually climb the curtains alone.  Cats have only one real toy – their owners.

A HOME IS NOT A HOME WITHOUT A CAT!