Live Love and Eat Magazine by Bernadine

LIVE LOVE AND EAT Heal t h | Wellbeing| Nutrition

A DAILY PRACTICE FOR THANKING MOTHER EARTH

ISSUE 73|APRIL 2022/ ISSN 2689-7741

Evolving your Relationship

APRIL POEMS PLANT-BASED DIETS. WHAT DO WE MEAN BY A PLANT-BASED DIET?

Do Detox Cleanses Actually Work? APRIL-GOOD VIBRATIONS AND YOUR SOLAR ECLIPSE HOROSCOPE

The Stages of Body Love Health and Wellness Tips for the Whole Family

HEART CENTERED

Hip Ache Tips and stretches that will help you

5 Hacks for building confidence

LIVE LOVE AND EAT

WHAT IS INSIDE ISSUE 73

MEET OUR SPOTLIGHT Heidi Sharman Founder of Holistic Health & Wellness

RECIPES Looking for a healthy recipe? We have you covered. Enjoy these simple recipes.

62 MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS

All articles are written by health coaches and professionals whom have all overcome their own personal life and health challenges.

LIVE LOVE AND EAT

ARTICLES 11 A Daily Practice for Thanking Mother Earth 13 The Stages of Body Love 20 April - Good Vibrations and your Solar Eclipse Horoscope

ARTICLES 31 5 Hacks for Building Confidence 38 Plant-Based Diets. What do we mean by a Plant-Based Diet? 49 Evolving your Relationship

ARTICLES 54 Do Detox Cleanses actually work? 57 Hip Ache. Tips and Stretches that may help you 68 April Poems 75 Heart-Centered

New Stories, New writers

NOTE FROM EDITOR

513 2758081 bernadine@liveloveandeatmagazine.com www.liveloveandeatmagazine.com

It is the month of April. This month we have National Autism month where we focus on autism awareness and inclusion for all. "Light it Up Blue" on April 2 by wearing blue and taking a selfie. Post your selfie on our Facebook page. Time just flew by for me this month. Last month was a super busy month with the magazine. We are working hard to bring you amazing content from amazing health coaches and professionals. This month I really want to focus on slowing down. By this I mean, taking time for yourself. Spending some time with your families and loved ones. Life moves at such a fast pace that it seems to pass us by before we can really enjoy it. Slowing down means taking time to eat breakfast in the morning, or read your favorite book with no distractions. Slowing down means going for long walks and enjoying the outdoors. Slowing down is a conscious choice, and not always an easy one, but it leads to a greater appreciation for life and a greater level of happiness. Keep safe and well. In this issue, we have amazing articles on how you can celebrate Spring. if it is your health, fitness, or goals we have you covered. We partnered with Energy Bits, Get a 20% discount by using the code: LiveLoveEat. https://www.energybits.com/ Be sure to check out our Recipe section for healthy Spring recipes. Meet our Spotlight for the April issue Heidi Sharman and read all about the wonderful work she is doing in the world. Be sure to look out for our Podcast, The Live Love and Eat Show. We have amazing speakers lined up. Kick back, relax and soak up some quality time with Live Love and Eat

We hope that you enjoy this issue. BERNADINE OTTO Editor-In-Chief

EDITORIAL BERNADINE OTTO Editor-In-Chief

SUBSCRIPTIONS SUBSCRIBE ONLINE https://www.liveloveandeatmagazine.co m/order-your-copy

MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS 4497 Wyndtree Drive , West Chester 45069 513 275 8081 | bernadine@liveloveandeatmagazine.com

Managing Editor Bernadine Otto Contributor Jace Jacobs Contributor Judy Brown

Judy Brown

Victoria Kleinsman

Linda Watson

Sharon Clare

Sherry Parks

Dr. Danielle Litoff

Mark Semple

Heidi Sharman

Bernadine Otto

Jace Jacobs

Tracy Markley

Skylar Snow Poetry

Contributor Victoria Kleinsman Contributor Tracy Markley Contributor Linda Watson Contributor Sharon Clare Contributor Sherry Parks Contributor Skylar Snow Poetry Contributor Dr. Danielle Litoff Contributor Mark Semple Spotlight Heidi Sharman Book Feature Brian Gryn

4497 WYNDTREE DRIVE, WEST CHESTER, OHIO, 45069 513 2758081 BERNADINE@LIVELOVEANDEATMAGAZINE.COM

Recipes Bernadine Otto Brian Gryn

WWW.LIVELOVEANDEATMAGAZINE.COM

APRIL

APRIL'S FOOLS DAY April Fool's Day is on the 1st of April and it is an opportunity for playing jokes or tricks on one another.

WORLD EARTH DAY Earth Day is an annual event celebrated around the world n April 22nd to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First celebrated in 1970, it now includes events coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network in more than 193 countries.

EASTER Easter begins on Sunday, April 17. Good Friday is therefore April 15th, and the Easter Monday bank holiday is on April 18th.

HEIDI SHARMAN

Founder of Holistic Health & Wellness

''I am passionate about helping others live healthier, happier lives. I know firsthand what a difference healthy lifestyles and nutrition can make and strive to empower my clients with the knowledge and belief that they can achieve their goals"

Heidi lives in Rolling Hills Estates, California, USA, she is a Married Mother of two grown children

You can learn more about Heidi here: E-mail: Heidi@heidisharman.com Website: www.heidisharman.com Business Phone: 424-396-0206

How did you get started in your career? In What Year? My jump into the Wellness Industry came after a climbing accident left me with a shattered heal, excruciating pain, and a facing long road to recovery ahead of me. The year that followed consisted of foot reconstruction, excruciating pain, addictive pain pills, months of bed rest, missed work, physical therapy, and complete reliance on my family for every detail of my life, unable to do even simple tasks on my own. As time went on, my bone healed, and I slowly began to regain the strength in my leg. Little did I know however that the ordeal was far from over. The frustrations would continue nearly a year following the accident when after just a few weeks of brief freedom, and the ability to walk without a walker, I collapsed in pain after stepping out of bed. Once again, I found myself unable to walk. A visit to my surgeon would confirm what they had anticipated would occur, Arthritis had begun attacking my destroyed joint. I was now facing a second surgery, with the possibility of a third in my future. Refusing to accept the thought of additional surgeries, pain, pills, shots, and further loss of mobility I was determined to get my life back and immersed myself into countless hours of research looking for a different solution. I knew there had to be another way. What I discovered, was that not only were some of the foods I was eating causing harm to my body, accelerating arthritis in my injured joint but the nutrients I wasn't getting was slowly causing my bones to thin making me vulnerable to a break. I dug in, made massive changes to my diet, and haven’t looked back. 5 years later, I am happy to say that I have yet to have any further surgeries. I can now walk again, hike again, do not take pain pills of any kind, and have even gone back to climbing! After seeing how Nutrition and Lifestyle changes helped me get my life back, and avoid additional surgeries, I decided to change careers in the hope to help others find a healthier version of themselves.

Who or what has been your greatest professional inspiration and why? I don’t have anyone specifically in terms of professional inspiration, but I deeply appreciate any and all health professionals that dedicate their lives to help others live a healthier life, true care goes beyond certifications, it lies in the passion to help. What advice would you offer to someone starting out in your industry? Be true to who you are and speak from the heart. Your ability to serve and be there for your clients will come from a place of authenticity. There is only one you, so be you proudly. What professional challenges have you faced that have contributed to your overall success? Starting a new business is challenging, starting one in a restricted environment is even tougher.Covid-19 offered new complexities I could not have anticipated when I first began my research. With every challenge lies an opportunity, however, so while I began to build my business, I was honored to also volunteer -with TheMedbridge.com offering to coach to the underprivileged, those experiences allowed me to reach and help people that I may not otherwise have been able to work with.

Are there any specific contributions, you have made in your field which contributed to your success? (i.e. inventions/patents. Books authored or coauthored, etc.) Creating healthy habits is the foundation of living a healthy life. To help set those habits I’ve published a variety of 30 and 90-day Wellness Journals that are available on Barnes & Noble. What do you do in your free time? (volunteer, work, hobbies, etc.) Learn, continue my studies into Nutrition, Fitness, and Kinesiology and take walks with my family in the hills or at the beach, volunteer with The Medbridge, as well as with a local non-profit to help feed the homeless.

What would you like readers to know about you and why? I am passionate about helping others live healthier, happier lives. I know firsthand what a difference healthy lifestyles and nutrition can make and strive to empower my clients with the knowledge and belief that they can achieve their goals. What is your favorite quote and why? "Our truest life is when we are in our dreams awake."- Henry David Thoreau When we work towards our own dreams and not the dreams of others, anything is possible, you just have to believe that it's within you. What 3 tips will you give someone who is struggling to live healthy? Start small and allow yourself the time to change. You took years to get where you are today, it will take some time to create a new you. Keep it simple, Counting calories is stressful and unnecessary, instead focus on incorporating more whole, organic and unprocessed foods, you’ll be surprised at how much that alone will make a difference. Treat yourself, as you embark on healthier eating, plan ahead for sweet tooths as they are bound to come. Explore healthier alternatives, you may surprise yourself. My favorite go to’s are organic dates, organic dark chocolate, and GoMacro Macro bars.

What kind of legacy would you like to leave the world? My dream is to leave behind a community of people that dared believed in themselves, created healthier lives and became an inspiration for their friends and family.

A DAILY PRA C TI C E FOR THANKING MOTHER EARTH By Judy Brown

Gather all your attention. Sit quietly and comfortably in a favorite spot outdoors. Close your eyes. Place your hands in your lap, palms up to gather inspiration. Intentionally place each foot on the ground. Breathe in and out slowly.

lace your hand on your heart and thank yourself for taking this time. Thank Mother Earth for all her gifts. Feel the sunshine and air around you. Breathe in the smell of the earth. Listen to the birds and imagine all of the wildlife. Tap into the rhythm of the planet. Imagine the clouds playing in the sky. Bring to mind something specific you appreciate about our beautiful planet. Breathe in this beauty and breathe out gratitude.

Spend several minutes in this place of awe and praise, remembering with wonder all of Mother Earth’s bounty. Find magic in the moment. Place your right hand on your left shoulder and your left hand on your right shoulder.

Give yourself a loving hug for several seconds. Extend this hug out to Mother Earth. Thank her for all her treasures and make a promise to be a better and more responsible steward of this planet. Now slowly and gently open your eyes. Breathe in love. Breathe out peace.

Judy Brown has a BA in Biology from Connecticut College and is a Certified Holistic Health Coach trained by the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She coaches women in their midlife years who want to reclaim their health and discover a more balanced and vibrant lifestyle. Judy provides individual and group coaching, workshops, smoothie demos, guided meditations for groups, and is an active blogger. She has two grown children. Judy loves to read, write, walk in the woods, sail, have afternoon tea, and explore the world with her husband. www.judyswellnesscafe.com https://www.facebook.com/judyswellnesscafe/ https://www.instagram.com/judyswellnesscafe/

The stages to body love

By Victoria Kleinsman

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed writing this episode for you my loves! I share my personal experience of my journey to body love. My clients often go through these stages in this order too and it brings them comfort knowing they’re not alone and it helps them to trust the process. Always trust the process… It’s worth noting throughout this episode that when I say the word diet, I mean any way of manipulating your food with the goal of weight loss. Ok, let’s dive in! Sadness that you’re in the body you have You’ve committed to this process of food freedom and body love because you’re sick and tired of starting again every Monday. You’ve realized that you want your life to be about more than what you’ve eaten or how flat your stomach is. You want all of that but at the same time, you’re deeply saddened and disappointed by the body you currently have. You feel hopeless. Long for your previous body or fantasize about your goal body You are constantly thinking about your previous smaller body. You see old photos pop up and you think something like; “Oh, how I wish I was as fat now as I thought I was in that photo!” “I’ve done it before so I can do it again, I just need to muster up the same amount of willpower that I had back then!” “If I could just look like that again, I’d be happy and then I would maintain it this time.”

Or… you constantly fantasize about your goal body, maybe it’s on your vision board. Maybe you’ve gone the extra mile and photoshopped your face onto some fitness model's body…ya know so you can really trick your unconscious mind into believing that it’s possible for you. Maybe you’re telling yourself that you’ll be soooo much happier in every area of your life when you lose weight. You fully believe that your relationships will improve, people in your workplace will respect you more, you’ll have the confidence to be intimate again without hiding away, you’ll book that holiday, you’ll start that new hobby… Sound familiar? But here’s the thing… it is a fantasy… you’re literally putting your life and happiness on hold for a fantasy… because the feeling you get when you cling to that fantasy coming true brings you so much comfort and excitement that you just can’t stop yourself. At least if you’re trying to reach your previous weight or your future fantasy weight, you’ll feel better about yourself… or so you tell yourself. Why is that? Because what you’re doing is refusing to be here now in the body you have today. You’re resisting reality because you think you can’t experience all of those things (feelings) unless your body changes first. But I’m here to prove you wrong about that!

Anger because you don’t like your body but you know you can’t change it (diets don’t work long term) It’s common to feel angry towards diet culture when you first start this journey. You’ve believed for so long that all you need to do to feel good in your body is to diet! “If you can’t stick to the diet then it’s your problem and you just need to try harder. Your home base is dieting and controlling your food. It’s your comfort zone. It’s how you deal with life. It’s just what you do. Being born = spending a lifetime of dieting… …right?! You’ve also been a “successful” dieter. It’s what got you hooked all those years ago when you lost that weight and people were complimenting you asking “Wow, what’s your secret?!” If only I could have a little automatic voice record that’s tapped into people’s phones that responds to such questions with; “There really is no secret, it takes constantly ignoring your body's hunger signals and depriving yourself until your body has no choice but to burn fat and muscle for its fuel to survive. But don’t get too excited because it fucking sucks AND your body will continuously drive you to eat and when you eventually succumb to your own biology, you’ll store extra fat as a safety measure in case it happens again. The more you force your body to lose weight under its natural set point, the more it will overcompensate. Dieting is the best way to GAIN weight over time.” (Countless research has been done on this, here are just a few articles to explore for yourself) When you’ve given up fighting that fact – trust me, I refused to believe it for years… I would commit to recovery (food and body freedom) but then when my body started to change, I wouldn’t know how to cope and so I’d run back to dieting again… convincing myself that diets DO work, all I needed was more discipline… And then after several more attempts of failed dieting, binging and more weight rebounding, I’d go back to recovery with my tail in between my legs ready to do the work! You don’t need to do that, I’ve done that enough times for the both of us “just to make sure” that diets really don’t work… and they don’t, no matter how much I desperately wanted to be wrong. Then comes the anger! I’d say things such as; “I’d be naturally slimmer than I am now if I’d never dieted before! (fact) How dare diet culture brainwashes me into thinking that dieting worked?! I’m so angry because I’ve spent most of my entire life trying to get smaller and stay small, only in reality to be doing the complete opposite!” And breathe…

Long for your previous body or fantasize about your goal body

Frustration because you just wish you could diet successfully

Yup, this still happens even after finally realizing the truth… and there’s a reason we’re still doing this. Society DOES celebrate thinness, leanness, whatever body shape is in fashion this century-ness! And it’s fucked up! It’s like me asking you if you’d like a million pounds for free, would you say yes? Of course, you would! That’s the same as me asking if you’d like to have the perfect body… of course, you’d say YES! Sadly, the old me would have chosen the perfect body over the million pounds… any maybe you would too.

Even though you intellectually know that diets don’t work unless you are willing and actually able to restrict for the rest of your life, you’re still frustrated because you just wish that you could happily restrict for the rest of your life! You want to so desperately believe the lie (diets do work) that you’ve believed your whole life until now. Dieting was your coping mechanism, it made you feel that you were working toward something and that you would eventually find that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow if only you kept trying hard enough and not giving up. Then you realize (again) that you’ve been doing that for X amount of years, you’re still not at your goal weight (at least you can’t maintain it for any longer than a few months, maybe a few years) and if you’re not careful before you know it you’ll be 80 years old and still counting your fucking almonds and worrying about what size jeans you wear… Allow the frustration to be there. It’s bound to be there. Meet it with love and express it. Journal about it. Dance it out. Go to a boxing class. Go on a run. Know that this is all part of the process. Trust the process.

We don’t all want to be thin in a vacuum, we want to be thin because of what we make thinness “mean“. So when you notice that you’re longing for your precious body or secretly hoping you’ll still somehow lose weight, don’t be hard on yourself… you’re only human. Hold space for yourself, meet yourself with compassion, and remind yourself that dieting doesn’t work and that you’re perfectly imperfect exactly as you are. You’re learning how to love yourself and for that, you acknowledge yourself for that.

Long for your previous body or fantasize about your goal body Are you even surprised that this is number 6…? 😉 What helped me was to write a letter grieving my previous lean body. I wrote all the things that it gave me, the external validation, the confidence, the superiority, the proudness that I had the discipline to get there… and then I wrote down all the things I had to do to get it and to maintain it… the restriction, the crazy binges and then the purging, the over-exercising, the abandonment of self, the obsession, the self-centredness, the anxiety, the pressure, the tiredness, the fear of losing it, etc. And then I read it out loud to myself and burnt it as I was listening to some self-love music. The next thing I did was to write down everything I was gaining from being on this food freedom and body love journey. Such as no longer dieting, no longer shaming myself for what I ate, no longer over-exercising, no more binging and purging, no more food obsession, body acceptance, relief, feeling energized, sleeping well, having got my menstrual cycle back, etc. I encourage you to do the same, my love. Acceptance – my body is what it is even though I don’t like it Acceptance is no longer fighting reality. It’s dropping the rope from the tug of war that you’re in with yourself and noticing the stillness and surrender. It’s metaphorically shrugging your shoulders and being like “It is what it is!” It’s acceptance of the whole god damn shit show… that diets don’t work, that you’ve been sold a lie your whole life and you have X many years of personal evidence to back it all up. Your body is like this right now. There’s no changing it. There’s no way to avoid the uncomfortable emotions that you’re feeling about that fact, there’s nowhere to run to. This is how it is. Life on life’s terms. Your body on its terms. *CUE DEEP SIGH…* You know that not accepting how your body looks is like frowning at the weather and cursing at it with all your might in an attempt to change the rainy day into a summer sun-filled one… You don’t LIKE it, god no, but you accept. Because what other choice do you have..?

Long for your previous body or fantasize about your goal body You’re only human my love, living in the world we live in… Remind yourself that dieting is a false sense of control – it’s like building, dismantling, and then rebuilding a piece of Ikea furniture over and over again but each time you dismantle it, you lose a screw! Appreciation – my body is pretty awesome At this stage, as you’ve stopped fighting yourself and your body, you’re open to being in a place where you can appreciate your body. You start to appreciate and feel grateful for what your body does for you and what it allows you to experience. Such as hugging loved ones, tasting food, digesting the food you choose to eat, having orgasms, experiencing the feeling of the sun on your skin, your eyes so you can see, your ears so you can hear, etc. It’s more about being IN your body, not looking AT your body. It’s living in and through your miraculous body and seeing your body as a vessel to experience life… instead of through the lens of what your body might look like during life experiences or what you or others might think about your body’s appearance. It starts feeling more easeful after this stage because this is your natural state of being… gratitude for life. (It’s a pretty big miracle that you’re alive tbh)

Long for your previous body or fantasize about your goal body These moments do come less frequently now but I still like to keep it real… I’ve been on this journey and I’m still on it with you. Contentment – My body makes me, me You start to be able to view the parts of your body that you used to hate with a vengeance from a different perspective…Actually, my big legs make me, me. It’s part of who I am. It’s what makes me unique. It doesn’t mean I love them but I’m kinda (weirdly) happy to accept them! My tummy roll is kinda cute… I see the size of my arms in a photo and instead of wishing I’d covered them up, I shrug and smile and accept them as part of me… They’re my arms… how comforting. I love having a body. Thank you body, I’m starting to feel content in you… Long for your previous body or fantasize about your goal body Triggers happen my love… at this stage, it’s more of a passing thought. Kind of like a “wouldn’t it be nice if…” or “I remember feeling so validated back then…” and then you get on with your day without it having any kind of negative effect on you.

Love – deep level of acceptance and unconditional love for your body This is my goal for each and every one of you and I believe you can and will get here without a doubt. You love your body the way you’d love a child or a pet. You wouldn’t say to a child or to your pet; “You must lose weight or change this about your body before I can love you” And you wouldn’t say that to yourself now either. You can love your body (and yourself) regardless of it meeting any “conditions” such as the way it looks or behaves. The foundational feeling you have for your body is love, acceptance, and gratitude. When you see photos of yourself you might have a judgment about your appearance but there’s an underlying feeling of ‘ah but that’s me and my body, that makes me, me. I love me.’ You find it uncomfortable to be mean to yourself and your body (notice how self-love and body love are intertwined) You might notice a fatphobic self-judgment but then you quickly choose to send love to yourself and your body anyway because you know love isn’t conditional. You know to believe that you are more than the appearance of your body. You’ve separated your selfworth from your body’s appearance or weight. You know that although miraculous, your body is the least interesting thing about you. You’re besties with your body. You’re a team. You want to take care of her and nourish her in all ways. You have the capacity to love yourself and your body through life as you and it changes. Long for your previous body or fantasize about your goal body It’s like a distant memory to you now and you can meet these thoughts with love and compassion. You’re able to give your inner child who still has some healing to do, a big energetic hug. You love her. You love you. You’re SO grateful that you had the courage to go on this journey to food freedom and body love. Body positivity – I like the way my body looks Body positivity is not necessary to experience body love but it is absolutely possible to experience it. Body positivity is celebrating the way your body and other bodies look, including their uniqueness. It’s choosing to see everybody – especially your own- as beautifully imperfect. Lumps, bumps, rolls, blemishes, stretch marks, cellulite, and all. Embracing and admiring them. This is of course objectifying your body but as long as you know that your body and the way you perceive your body can and will change at any moment, any day, any month and you’re not relying on liking the way your body looks to make you feel ok, then it can be a very liberating place to be. Body positivity can cultivate a deeper sense of body confidence, and who doesn’t want that..?! It’s worth noting that feeling confident in your body does not need to come from body positivity, it comes from simply choosing to fully accept and love who you are… including your body. You are you – warts n all – and that’s your superpower!

Victoria Kleinsman is a food freedom and body love health coach who has beaten anorexia - bulimia - binge eating disorder and domestic abuse. Victoria helps you to make peace with food, become besties with your body & fall madly in love with yourself! Free access to the first modules of my paid Food & Body Freedom Queen Program: https://victoriakleinsman.com/free-access-to-first-few.../ Website: https://www.victoriakleinsman.com/ Email: info@victoriakleinsman.com https://www.facebook.com/victoriakleinsman https://www.instagram.com/victoriakleinsman/ Podcast: https://anchor.fm/victoria-kleinsman “The Body Love Binge” on any podcast platform. Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1g1H40rbSQ6Trmcha59kDg

APRIL – GOOD VIBRATIONS AND YOUR SOLAR ECLIPSE HOROSCOPE By Linda Watson What better way to start the month off than with a New Moon in Aries? This is the perfect time to incorporate the passionate and motivating energies of Aries to jump-start your goals for the coming year. This New Moon is urging you to begin again. It represents a fresh start somewhere in your life. With the Aries energy supporting you, there should be no trouble tapping into your confidence and ambitions. It gives them courage to perhaps enter unfamiliar territory and accept whatever challenges may await you. With the Sun forming a conjunction with Mercury the next day on April 2nd, it also brings focus to your thinking and communications. This provides quicker thinking and an enhanced ability to interact with others and to be able to get your ideas out there. However, make sure you take a break in concentration at least once a day to allow new thought patterns to emerge.

On April 4th Mars and Saturn meet up in the sign of Aquarius forming a conjunction aspect. Mars in Aquarius can be very unpredictable energy, and when combined with Saturn, this can sometimes not be the most harmonious connection. Because Mars is impulsive and wants to take action, when it connects with the planet of boundaries and limitations, it can create some feelings of frustration. If you can recognize this, you may be able to work it to your benefit by realizing where you need to become more responsible, to learn lessons, and to grow, before making any decisions. Luckily on April 6th, the Moon steps up to the plate to make a trine aspect to both Mars and Saturn, lightening the mood. The connection to these planets offers better emotional control and an ability to better balance extremes in behavior. It helps provide more patience and strength to handle sensitive issues and to rely on strong instincts to make important decisions. This would be a great time to set your long-term goals because anything started during this time period will have a greater impact on your future. April 12th brings powerful conjunction between Jupiter and Neptune in Pisces. We will not see this particular conjunction happen again until March of 2035. These 2 planets are directly linked to each other since both are considered the rulers of Pisces. Jupiter being the traditional ruler, Neptune being the modern ruler that most current astrologers associate with that sign. Either way, expect to feel especially loving, compassionate, and peaceful during this transit. This is very idealistic and interesting conjunction signaling a major magnification of the Pisces energy. Jupiter is the planet of abundance and expansion. Neptune is the planet of spirituality, idealism, dreams, and illusions. It provides you with the capabilities to have faith in the unknown, to be more of a visionary, and have trust in your creativity and imagination. We get so caught up in our daily living, placing a higher emphasis on our ego’s wants and needs, that we sometimes forget the role that spirituality or living up to our spiritual purpose means. This is the most opportune time to honestly ask yourself where you have been lacking in this area and how you can bring that part of yourself back into alignment.

When you have faith and allow the light of your inner self to guide you, the rest comes naturally. Allow yourself to see where you are on your life’s path and what spiritual work needs to be done to further your mission forward. Whatever a spiritual practice means to you, this is a great time to make it a regular routine. Although the world has been grim and the unrest abroad becomes more intensified, we can do our part in our portion of the world to bring in light and optimism, to create ideals based upon love, creativity, and spirituality. If we combine that New Moon energy, with that of this conjunction, there is no stopping what we can do to make our dreams a reality. On April 16th, we get a Libra Full Moon. This Full Moon is centered around the area of relationships, and it is also bringing the messages of the last New Moon in Aries to a kind of completion. Aries is an independent and ego-driven sign, and this Libra Moon is reminding us that we are not alone in this world. It sometimes takes a partnership to bring ideas and plans to fruition. If we come together, we strengthen each other. This Full Moon is here to balance our need for independence with our need for companionship. We need to consider others in our actions so that it’s not just our desires being met, but those important others in our lives are having their needs met as well. Take the time to reflect on what needs to be released during this Full Moon that is creating a sense of unrest and imbalance. Allow yourself to become empowered by recognizing your individual needs in relation to the needs of others.

Mercury is being given a boost when it lines up in a conjunction aspect with Uranus on April 18th. This connection can provide insights into some unique realizations and opportunities that create those “a-ha” moments that we all love. You may find your thoughts racing around with new and original ideas, wanting to communicate all these things to your associates and friends. Just remember to take a minute to slow down and focus and let these new things sink in before jumping off the deep end. There seems to be so much happening, that when the Sun enters Taurus on April 19th, we can almost breathe a sigh of relief. Taurus brings in that grounded and stable energy that is much needed. Taurus is an earth sign. Its job is to turn the spark of Aries inspiration into physical form. It finds real ways to turn ideas into tangible products and make something real out of what Aries has started. Taurus is not an initiator. It doesn’t inspire. Taurus is about the longterm, sticking to the plan, building something of value, and seeing it through to the end. So, take advantage of this energy for the next month and turn those new ideas into something solid. If Aries can birth it, Taurus can grow it. This energy will enable you to do whatever it takes to build your dream. On April 29th, Mercury enters Gemini, the sign that it rules. You are definitely going to need somewhere to channel your creative thoughts or begin studying something new. This combination has your mind running at full throttle. Mercury in Gemini is a placement that is endlessly curious, endlessly sociable, and endlessly communicative.

Depending on your sign, this will affect you in different ways. For instance, if you are a Taurus, this energy could cause feelings of irritation and stress since Taurus people are used to being able to take time with processing their thoughts. They have a slower and more deliberate means of translating ideas and information. This could create disagreements if you don’t choose your words carefully. Be cautious that small differences of opinion don’t turn into major conflicts. During this transit, try to steer clear of highly controversial topics and keep everything neutral.

I f y o u a r e a L i br a, i t actually revives your m i n d a n d s pi r i t . Mercury, Gemini, and Libra are all air signs making this is a very comfortable transit for Libra. Use this energy to discover new things. If you are able, travel to new places to revitalize the soul. Libra naturally loves to build bridges, so think of new ways to develop your negotiating and mediating skills to cultivate harmony both at work and personally. This would be the perfect time to heal wounds caused by previous misunderstandings. April 30th brings not only the exact conjunction between Jupiter and Venus but also the first Solar Eclipse of the year in Taurus. This will be the second eclipse on the Taurus/Scorpio axis. The first eclipse in this series occurred as a Lunar Eclipse on November 19, 2021. Situations from that time may return so that you can come to terms with those issues and let them go to make way for the new.

This eclipse is at the North Node of the Moon, which represents the beginning of major life issues, usually focused on our identity and ego. It initiates issues related to the self, and because of its close connection to Uranus, it also includes matters of freedom, progressiveness, and inspired insight. This is very enterprising energy and impacts by delivering something new. If one of these two signs is prominent in your chart, you will feel these eclipses most directly and intensely. Major developments will occur in different areas of the chart depending on your sign. I will share where those developments will occur in the horoscopes I’ve provided at the end of this article for this time period. The Jupiter/Venus conjunction in Pisces brings ease and harmony to this eclipse. Venus is the ruler of Taurus, making Venus the ruler of this eclipse. This is very significant especially since Venus is also exalted in the sign of Pisces. This means that the energy of Venus is even stronger in that it can achieve its highest expression and potential. Her best qualities are enhanced. Combine the fact that Jupiter is the traditional ruler of Pisces, so apply these same principles and energies, and understand that it creates a powerful influence. This is the most beneficial and favorable of all signs for this conjunction to occur. This is a blessed transit for setting intentions during this Solar Eclipse. The key to utilizing this energy during the eclipse is to commune directly with the spirit through your spiritual practice and ask for help and guidance in setting and manifesting your intentions. Believe it with your whole heart and soul and have faith in the process.

Lind a W a t son is the owner and creator o f S o u l G u i d e A s t r o l o g y . S h e i s a m e m b e r o f t h e A m e r i c a n Fede r a t i o n of Astrologers. She provides b i r t h c h a r t r e a d i n g s a n d s o l a r r e t u r n ( y e a r l y ) c h a r t r e a d i n g s , offe r i n g s u pport, ins ight and guidance to b e t t e r h e l p o t h e r s f i n d t h e i r f o c u s a n d m o v e f o r w a r d w i t h t h e i r drea m s . Y ou can schedule a consultation b y v i s i t i n g h e r w e b s i t e , www. s o u lguideastr ology.com. Fi n d h e r on F a c e b o ok at Face b o o k.com/lind a.watsonastrolog or o n I n s t agram at inst a g r a m .com/soulguideastrology

MARCH 2022 SOLAR ECLIPSE HOROSCOPES

ARIES – March 21 – April 19 The solar eclipse is transiting through the 2nd house ruled by Taurus. This eclipse will impact your finances and resources, where you find self-worth and value, and what is most important for you to feel secure. With Uranus in conjunction aspect with this eclipse, you could see some unexpected changes in the way you manage your affairs. Take a good look at your unique talents and natural skills to invest in what you truly value and believe in and allow that to create a solid financial foundation for yourself.

TAURUS – April 20 – May 20 This eclipse will affect you most intensely and directly in how you identify with all aspects of yourself on a personal level. Be prepared to express yourself in a brand-new way and to grow beyond your current identity. Allow this to be a time of selfrecognition, self-knowledge, and selfconfidence on the road to personal development. This is going to be a huge time for spiritual growth where you learn to recognize your strengths and become confident in knowing what your true potential is. This is a great time for putting yourself out there in a new way, developing your brand and identity, and allowing yourself to be in the spotlight.

MARCH 2022 SOLAR ECLIPSE HOROSCOPES

GEMINI – May 21 – June 20 During this time, it will be important to reconnect with yourself in a deeply spiritual way. If you are feeling insecure or confused about your life direction, this is the time to clear your mind through inner reflection and exploring your subconscious. Focus on initiating new ways to incorporate your spiritual journey with creative artistic expression. Pay attention to your dreams and remember to journal them upon waking. They may be able to provide some illusive information you have been looking for.

CANCER – JUNE 21 – JULY 22 The light is shining on your friendships and those you are connected to through groups and associations. You are feeling pulled toward new horizons and this may involve changes in your friendships or group affiliations. This solar eclipse could bring you new alliances that will enhance a fresh sense of belonging and help you to manifest or grow your dreams and visions. The focus is on making new contacts and networking with those who share your like-minded goals.

MARCH 2022 SOLAR ECLIPSE HOROSCOPES

LEO – July 23 – August 22 You want recognition and this eclipse is shining on your career, public image, and your destiny. The eclipse in this 10th house brings a new chapter to your life’s journey and direction. You are compelled to move forward to gain the acknowledgment and respect that you desire regarding your talents and skills. Carefully plan the direction you really want to go and think about what you really want for yourself. Focus on how you are projecting yourself as a professional and how you want to be seen.

VIRGO – August 23 – September 22 This eclipse is planting the seed for new ideas and beliefs and to expand your knowledge beyond the ordinary. This is a time to be taught something new. You are being shown that you have outgrown narrowminded and restrictive thoughts and are ready to develop your mind and spirit. You may start a new course of study teaching you about different philosophies, religions, cultural expansion, or spiritual ideas. This is a chance for you to grow, to develop your understanding of the world, and open yourself to new ideas beyond your immediate environment.

MARCH 2022 SOLAR ECLIPSE HOROSCOPES

LIBRA – September 23 – October 22 As the eclipse transits through your 8th house, be ready for the power of transformation. This will be a time of deep introspection when you plumb the depths of awareness that you have around your intimate relationships. Eclipses here are intense and force you to do some deep soul-searching and face your darkest fears. Working on your shadow side during this time brings about the highest growth and change for your greater good. It’s a time that can bring those “light-bulb” moments where you suddenly see the white light of truth.

SCORPIO – October 23 – November 21 The eclipse is moving through your house of relationships and partnerships. A new story in this area is getting ready to develop. With Uranus in the mix, you may find yourself attracted to unconventional relationships or you may need more space in an already existing one. Use this time to consider what is truly important to you in this part of your life. This could be a great opportunity to inject some new concepts into the area of partnerships and provide new energy to enliven and revitalize your partner. This eclipse has the ability to bring passion and intensity into an otherwise stagnant relationship.

MARCH 2022 SOLAR ECLIPSE HOROSCOPES

SAGITTARIUS – November 22 – December 21 Take advantage of these next few months to plant the seeds to improve all aspects of your daily life. This eclipse makes you more sensitively aware of your body and what it needs to maintain optimal health and wellbeing. There is definitely an emphasis on mind/body connection. Plan to establish a new lifestyle routine that includes stress management and an easy-to-follow practice that would include a refresh on your dietary and exercise schedule. This eclipse can help shake you out of old predictable behaviors and infuse new energy into your perspectives on life. Strive to incorporate more soulful joy into your day-to-day activities and take new steps to connect with your spiritual purpose.

CAPRICORN – December 22 – January 19 What makes you unique? What are your creative talents and hobbies? This eclipse shines a light on your personal selfexpression and the beginning of a new creation, whether it is a new love interest, a new project or work of art, or the conception of a child. This is a time to allow yourself to be inspired and let love and fun be a guiding force in your life. With the Moon in sextile to Mars, it provides an adventurous and passionate enthusiasm for almost anything that strikes your fancy.

MARCH 2022 SOLAR ECLIPSE HOROSCOPES

AQUARIUS – January 20 – February 18 The focus of this solar eclipse is around your home life and family. It can signal a renewal taking place in the home and improving your family life and living situation. It brings a heightened awareness of your roots and your private emotions and what it takes for you to feel foundational love, safety, security. This is a wonderful time to re-organize, make home improvements or renovations, or even move to a new house altogether. You are driven to initiate innovative ways to incorporate new emotional support in your home sector.

PISCES – February 19 – March 20 The eclipse will take place in your 3rd house of communication, emphasizing a time where you are learning something of importance and making space to initiate some type of personal study or mentorship. It is a great time for taking classes in new areas of interest, developing new skill sets, working on improving your communication skills, or even becoming involved in your community through teaching a subject of interest to you. Use your imagination and creativity to find your voice in a new way.

*Want to go deeper and understand your purposes and opportunities? Visit www.soulguideastrology.com and schedule a one-on-one reading with Linda. When you sign up for her newsletter, you will receive a complimentary Moon Phase Guide to help you plan your monthly activities.

Five Hacks for Building Confidence By Sherry Parks

Everyday Confidence Builders

Confidence is one of the things that a lot of women struggle with. Lack of confidence in ourselves can lead us to stay in a job we hate, make poor decisions for our health, and even postpone our dreams.

Then my world got shaken and I had no confidence even in my work. My work, my trustworthiness, and even my management style were being called into question. This was my rock bottom. I was unhealthy, unhappy, and miserable.

I have been there and experienced all of those things. There was a time when my confidence was linked to my work. In fact, that was the only area of my life where I did feel confident. I was an accountant getting a promotion every couple of years. I found myself in positions where I was the “go-to” person for problem-solving and troubleshooting. Before I knew it, I was making a six-figure salary and feeling like a rock star!

I knew that something had to change, so I began to rebuild my confidence one slow step at a time. Even though it took me several years to find confidence in my life again, it doesn’t have to be that way. There are simple things you can do every day to feel more confident. These are my top five favorites!

Posture. One of my favorite ways to feel more confident is to practice good posture. If you are slouching around in your chair or while standing, that brings automatic feelings of smallness and exudes a lack of confidence. However, if you are standing tall and practicing good posture, you will feel more confident in the world. You will definitely feel better about yourself.

In Pilates, we teach about posture and alignment. You learn to stand with your shoulders back and chest open while focusing on keeping your shoulder blades dropped down the back. One cue is to put your shoulder blades in your back pocket. Impossible, right? But think about it. If you are focused on getting those shoulder blades into your back pockets, you have no choice but to keep your shoulders back and your chest open! I have been practicing Pilates and the posture that they teach for over six years and I have found a tremendous boost in my confidence just by utilizing this trick!

Power Pose. You may have heard of this already, but let me tell you the power pose does work on building confidence! All it takes is two minutes and you will find a drop in stress hormone cortisol and an increase in the power hormone testosterone. Basically, all you do is adopt a pose of power, think Wonder Woman. Feet apart, hands-on hips, shoulders back. Hold the pose for two minutes and voila! You feel more confident and even better you project more confidence! I use this tool whenever I am about to teach an essential oil class and I find myself going in more confident and capable.

Amy Cuddy explains it best, check out her Ted Talk here https://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_la nguage_shapes_who_you_are. Keep it Small. That may sound counterintuitive but stick with me here. I am a firm believer in taking small steps. Look at a big goal, break it down into small chunks and do one small chunk at a time. When you do one small chunk at a time, you can complete that small chunk and that makes you feel more confident and accomplished. On the other hand, if you are looking to complete the whole ginormous project and don’t complete it, you feel less confident and possibly you will want to quit. I’ve used this personally and with clients and it always works! When I was working on losing 60 pounds, I did it not by looking at the 60-pound goal but looking at the 2-pound goal! Give Back. Be generous with your time, yourself, or your money. There is nothing like helping others in some small way to increase your confidence. You could volunteer at the local food kitchen. Or buy some bread and cheese and make a few sandwiches and hand them out to the homeless in your town. Being generous with your time and giving yourself to others doesn’t always have to mean spending money.

A couple of years ago, I had the opportunity to volunteer at a flood-ravaged area of WV. Connecting with people in that way gave me more confidence in myself and my abilities to build the business of my dreams. The world becomes a better place when we help those in need. We feel better about ourselves and those we are helping feel better too. Smile. All you have to do is smile. Smile at your family, smile as you walk down the street, smile at your coworkers. A smile releases tension. It makes you feel better and it makes those around you feel better. What could bring more confidence than that? I remember when I was first trying to rebuild confidence in myself. I participated in a group program that gave weekly assignments. One was to smile at a stranger and say hello. I found that so impactful on my confidence that I still do it regularly! Smile today. Share some positive energy, love, and acceptance with others through your smile and you will feel awesome!

Sherry Parks, CPA, is a Life & Money Mindset Coach who helps women escape feeling trapped by their finances. She is passionate about helping women change mindset, emotions, and actions regarding money so that they learn to keep what they have and generate more. Check out her 5 Steps to a Better Money Story workbook or join her women-only Facebook group More Than Enough Money Sisterhood.

Health & wellness tips Health & Nutrition & Wellbeing

T O

Y O U R

H E A L T H

and Wellness From eating the right food to the perfect exercise routine, find the best path to a healthier and happier you.

Food Tip: Eat your fruits instead of drinking them Fruits are very healthy. They are loaded with water, fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. Because fruits contain fiber and various plant compounds, their sugars are generally digested very slowly and do not cause major spikes in blood sugar levels. However, the same does not apply to fruit juices. Many fruit juices aren’t even made from real fruit, but rather concentrate and sugar. Even real fruit juices lack the fiber and chewing resistance provided by whole fruits. This makes fruit juice much more likely to spike your blood sugar levels.

Wellness Tip: Stimulate your brain

Along with your body, make efforts to stimulate and strengthen your brain as you age.

''When you Look in the mirror smile as if you just ran into the most beautiful person in the world

Plant-based diets BY SHARON CLARE

What do we mean by a plant-based diet? Plant-based diets are dietary patterns that have a greater emphasis on foods derived from plants (such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, and oils). Although you may think of plant-based diets as being vegetarian or vegan, they do not have to be plant-only. Such diets do not have to completely exclude animal foods such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products, but proportionally more foods are chosen from plant sources. Other examples of plant-based dietary patterns include the Mediterranean Diet, the Nordic Diet, and the Eatwell Guide (the UK’s Healthy eating model). What are the main characteristics of a healthy plant-based diet? Plant-based diets are characterized by a high intake of plantbased foods. The exact composition of healthy, balanced plantbased diets can differ, but commonly include: High consumption of vegetables, fruit, and whole grains. Some low-fat dairy products (or dairy alternatives), seafood, nuts, seeds, legumes. Some unsaturated fat. Lower intakes of fatty/processed meats, refined grains, sugarsweetened foods, and beverages. Lower salt and lower saturated fat content than typical Western-style diets.

Vegetarian and vegan diets A vegetarian is usually described as someone who does not eat meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, or any by-products of slaughter. Lacto-ovo-vegetarians, who include dairy products and eggs in their diets, are probably the most common type. However, there is no single, accepted definition of ‘vegetarian’. People may define themselves as vegetarians because they largely choose plant-based diets, but will include some fish (pescatarian), or are what has been popularly described as ‘flexitarian’ or ‘semi-vegetarian’ - someone who is mostly vegetarian, but occasionally eats meat or poultry. A vegan does not eat any products of animal origin so does not eat any dairy products, eggs, or honey, as well as avoiding animal-derived materials such as gelatine or vitamin D3 supplements if they are derived from an animal source such as sheep's wool.

Why the interest in plant-based diets? Interest in plant-based diets has grown significantly in recent years, with vegan, vegetarian, and flexitarian diets becoming more popular. It has been estimated that 2-3% of the UK population follow a vegetarian or vegan diet. In market research conducted in 2018, a third (34%) of British meat-eaters reported having reduced their meat consumption over the last year (compared to 28% in 2017)1. Alongside the increased popularity of plant-based eating, there has also been an increase in the ready availability of alternatives to meat and dairy foods such as plant-based dairy alternatives (including soya, oat, almond, and coconut plant-based drinks) and plant-based oils and spreads made from them. There has been a growth in foods suitable for vegetarians and vegans, which can also be included in a plantbased dietary approach. These include snacks made from nuts, pulses, and seeds, ready-meals suitable for vegetarians and vegans, and plantbased offerings in restaurants. Sales of alternative proteins, such as soya, have increased in recent years – but what is driving this demand for plantbased products?

The move towards plant-based diets has been influenced both by health and environmental concerns. For example, the link between high intakes of red and processed meat and increased risk of colorectal cancer has been emphasized in a number of well-publicized recent international reports. Moreover, there has been increasing interest in plant-based diets for animal welfare, ethical and environmental/sustainability reasons. By changing the types of foods we eat and how often we eat them, it is possible to ease the pressures on the global food system. It is generally agreed that meat and dairy products are associated with more greenhouse gas emissions than other foods, although the amounts can vary with the type of farming practices used. Adopting more plant-based diets, as depicted in dietary guidelines around the world, is therefore encouraged to protect the environment. It has been estimated that the adoption of plant-based dietary patterns, could on average lead to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions ranging from 17% to 29%, in addition to decreasing land, water, and fertilizer use.

" I didn't choose the vegan life; the vegan life chose me." Do plant-based diets have any of the health benefits? Studies that have explored the relationship between plantbased dietary patterns with an emphasis on plant foods, such as vegetarian, vegan or Mediterranean-style diets, have shown them to be linked with reduced risk of heart disease, strokes and type 2 diabetes when compared to less healthy dietary patterns. Scientific research also indicates that healthy plant-based diets can have beneficial effects on risk of disease by, for example, lowering blood pressure, reducing blood cholesterol and promoting a healthy bodyweight.

Plant-based diets tend to be higher in many foods that are important in our diets, such as fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, nuts, seeds and pulses. As a result, these diets tend to provide higher amounts of dietary fibre, whilst being lower in saturated fat and free sugars, than other dietary patterns. This may underlie many of the health benefits observed. But we also know that people who adopt such diets are often more health conscious and adopt other healthier lifestyle factors. For instance, they are likely to be more physically active, less likely to smoke, consume less alcohol and are more likely to have a higher income and education. This may also help to explain some of the observed health benefits.

Are all plant-based diets healthy? Food-based dietary guidelines recommend that plant foods (for example fruit and vegetables and wholegrains such as oats, wholemeal bread, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta) should make up a large part of what we eat. We should also include sources of healthy fats in our diets – such as nuts, seeds, oily fish, unsaturated oils and spreads made from them, as well as including good choices of protein – for example, beans, peas and lentils. Nutritional adequacy in any dietary pattern is important, and can be provided by a plant-based diet. Plant foods provide important nutrients including fibre, vitamins and minerals, protein and unsaturated fats.

However, it is important to note that animal food sources make an important contribution to some nutrients in the UK diet. For example, vitamin B12 and vitamin D are naturally absent from most plant foods, although they may be present in fortified foods such as breakfast cereals, fat spreads, and alternative dairy products; long-chain omega-3 fats are found in the highest amounts in oily fish (vegetarian supplements made from algae are available) and iodine is found in highest amounts in seafood, dairy foods, and eggs. Dairy foods are also important contributors to most people’s calcium intake, particularly in children. Furthermore, iron and zinc are more easily absorbed from animals than plant foods. For example, phytates found in plant foods, such as whole grains and beans, reduce zinc absorption. For more information about the nutrients mentioned importantly, we should bear in mind that the exclusion of animal products per se does not necessarily equate to a healthy diet. Poor choices, with a large inclusion of foods high in saturated fat, salt, and free sugars (for example savory snacks, deep-fried foods, cakes, biscuits, confectionery, and sweet spreads) can be made within any dietary pattern. In addition, very restrictive plant-based diets can lack balance and variety. A healthy, balanced plant-based diet would typically include whole grains, fruits and vegetables, nuts, legumes, and unsaturated oils, whereas less healthy plant-based diets may include more sugarsweetened beverages, refined grains, fried potato crisps or chips, and sweets. In addition, despite their health halos, some plant foods may not be healthy if consumed in high amounts such as coconut oil (high in saturated fats) and agave or maple syrups (high in free sugars).

Key messages Well-planned vegetarian and vegan diets can be nutritious and healthy. The UK government suggests a vegetarian diet should be based on the Eatwell Guide. Have at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Base your meals on starchy carbohydrates– especially whole grains and high-fiber versions. Include some dairy or dairy alternatives (for example calcium-fortified soy, rice, and oat drinks), choose lower fat and lower sugar products where possible. Choose a variety of protein sources, for example, pulses (lentils, beans, and peas), eggs, Quorn (mycoprotein), and soya products like soya mince or textured vegetable protein (TVP). Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and eat in small amounts. Unsaturated fats are monounsaturated fats (found, for example, in olive and rapeseed oil) and polyunsaturated fats (found in example sunflower and corn oil). Drink plenty of fluids – the government recommends 6-8 cups/glasses a day. Remember that food high in fats, salts, and sugars like cakes, biscuits, fried savory snacks, pies, pastries, and sugar-sweetened soft drinks are not needed in the diet so if you include these, eat them less often and in small amounts. When eating a meal with plant sources of iron like pulses (such as kidney beans, chickpeas, or lentils), dark green veg or an iron-fortified breakfast cereal try to include some vitamin C to increase iron absorption (by adding some vegetables such as peppers or broccoli to your meal or berries to your cereal). For vegans who strictly avoid all animal products, other sources of vitamin B12 such as vitamin B12-fortified foods or supplements should be included.

What is a vegetarian diet? A vegetarian is usually described as someone who does not eat meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, or any by-products of slaughter. However, there is no single, accepted definition of ‘vegetarian’. People may define themselves as vegetarians because they largely choose plant-based diets, will include some fish (pescetarian), or are what has been popularly described as flexitarian or ‘semi-vegetarian’ (someone who is mostly vegetarian but occasionally eats meat or poultry). Some of the common types of vegetarians are: Lacto-ovo-vegetarians (the most common type) – eats dairy products and eggs Lacto-vegetarian – eats dairy products but not eggs Ovo-vegetarian – eats eggs but not dairy products Vegan – does not eat any products of animal origin so does not eat any dairy products, eggs, or honey

A HEALTHY AND BALANCED VEGETARIAN DIET

Appropriately planned vegetarian diets are nutritionally adequate across all life stages of the life cycle and can provide the nutrients we need. Choosing a healthy, balanced diet Do remember that vegetarian options can also be high in saturated fat, salt, and sugar. Eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, reducing your salt and free sugars intake, keeping your alcohol consumption within government guidelines, maintaining a healthy body weight, and leading an active lifestyle are all important. The Eatwell Guide is the UK dietary recommendation and applies to vegetarians and vegans; you can use it to help you make good choices for a balanced and varied diet.

Suitable choices for vegetarians and vegans Potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and other starchy carbohydrates Fruit and vegetables Dairy and alternatives Beans, pulses, eggs and other proteins* Oils and spreads

Tips Try to avoid adding too much fat (such as butter or cream in mashed potatoes or cream-based pasta sauces) as these can considerably increase the calories and saturated fat content of the dish. Remember to check the labels and choose products low in fat, salt and sugars. If you are thinking of having chips, why not try baking wedges using a small amount of unsaturated oil or choose oven chips lower in fat and salt. You can mix white and wholegrain versions to increase fibre content – like mixing white and wild rice or baking with half wholemeal and half white flour. Fruit and vegetables Eat at least five portions of a variety of different types of fruit and vegetables every day. All fruit and vegetables including fresh, frozen, canned (not in brine or syrups) and dried (with no added sugars) count! Fruit/vegetable juices and smoothies can count as one portion but this should be limited to a maximum of 150ml a day. Tips Be careful when choosing canned fruit like lychee, pineapple and mango that they are not canned in syrup. Add more vegetables to your main meals, for example, add grated carrot, mushrooms or peppers to your bean chilli or veggie bolognese. Try and keep fruit in your bag (and your fridge) ready to eat as a healthy, convenient snack. Keeping vegetables in your freezer is a good way to ensure you do not run out. Avoid adding salt to cooking water or adding sugars to fruit (like honey). Seasonal vegetables are delicious as they are – why not steam them? If you want to add dressings to vegetables or salads why not try lemon juice, chilli and olive oil, some of the less used unsaturated oils like walnut or sesame oil or dressings made from avocado or tahini?

Dairy and alternatives Include some dairy or dairy alternatives. Choose lower fat and lower sugar options where possible. Many vegetarians consume dairy foods like milk, cheese, and yogurt. Calcium-fortified dairy alternatives like soy, oat, and nut drinks are suitable for vegans and others who do not consume dairy. Check the labels to ensure they are fortified. Cheese can be high in saturated fat and salt so try to use reduced-fat varieties, a smaller amount of stronger varieties, or lower-fat cheeses like quark or cottage cheese. Free from cheese alternatives are available in some retailers but these are typically not fortified with calcium.

Tips Grating cheese instead of freely slicing it is a good method to avoid using more than you need! Try to use low-fat plain yogurt or fromage frais instead of cream, crème Fraiche, or mayonnaise. Beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat, and other proteins·Eat some beans, pulses, eggs, and other proteins There are many options for vegetarians including Quorn (mycoprotein), tofu, soy products, textured vegetable protein (TVP), pulses (like lentils, kidney beans, and peas), as well as eggs (if you eat them). An 80g portion of pulses (lentils, beans, and peas) can count as one of your 5 A DAY! Tip Why not try a spicy dal or a chickpea curry served with brown rice or flatbreads like a chapatti or a roti? Oils and spreads Choose oils high in unsaturated fat and low in saturated fat. Do not forget all oils are high in fat so use sparingly. Choose lower-fat spreads where possible– check the labels. Most of the oils sold as a standard vegetable oil in supermarkets are rapeseed oil, an oil high in monounsaturated fats.

Tips When heated, oils expand so heating oil in the pan before you use it will make it go further so you do not need to use as much. You could also use spray oils to reduce the amount of oil you use for cooking. Remember fats like coconut oil, palm oil, and ghee are high in saturated fat. Foods to eat less often and in small amounts Foods such as cakes, biscuits, chocolates, pastries, ice cream, fried crisps, cream, and sugarsweetened beverages are not required as part of a healthy, balanced diet. If you want to include these in your diet, have them infrequently or in small amounts. Tip If you add sugar to your food or drinks, such as tea, gradually reduce the amount you add until you may be able to cut it out completely. Composite dishes The Eatwell Guide puts foods into distinct groups. However, we mostly eat dishes and meals like curries, stews, and sandwiches which are made of foods from multiple groups - these are called ‘composite dishes’. Here is an example of a vegan and vegetarian composite dish showing how the main ingredients fit with the food groups of the Eatwell Guide. Spinach, chickpea, and aubergine curry with brown rice (vegan) You could also add raita made with plain soy yogurt (dairy and alternative group), just add some finely chopped cucumber and a good pinch of cumin. Association of vegetarian diets and health It is important to remember that removing meat from your diet alone is no guarantee of a healthier diet. However, there is some evidence that shows vegetarian dietary patterns may have a health benefit when compared to more traditional dietary patterns. Vegetarian or more plant-based diets are typically higher in fruit and vegetables, whole grains, and dietary fiber while being lower in saturated fat, sweets, and nonwater beverages (such as sugar-sweetened beverages and alcohol). However, we also know that people who adopt vegetarian diets are often more health-conscious overall and also adopt other healthier lifestyle factors. For instance, vegetarians are likely to be more physically active, less likely to smoke, consume less alcohol, and are more likely to have a higher income and education. This may explain some of the observed health benefits. Health conditions Systematic reviews have found associations between the consumption of vegetarian diets and a reduced incidence of obesity and coronary heart disease, as well as reduced blood pressure and blood cholesterol, and a lower energy intake. Vegetarian diets and cancer Studies looking at the association between vegetarian diets and the risk of cancer are somewhat inconsistent. Cancer is a complex disease and the risk of developing cancer depends on a combination of factors, some of which you cannot change like your genes.

Cancer Research UK has said 4 in 10 cancers can be prevented by adopting healthy lifestyle behaviors such as not smoking, eating a healthy, varied diet, keeping active, maintaining healthy body weight, and not drinking alcohol or reducing alcohol consumption to within government recommendations Plant-based eating We also know that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ healthy diet, but that certain characteristics of dietary patterns are linked with better health. Such dietary patterns include higher consumption of fruit and vegetables, whole grains, pulses, nuts, and seeds as well as lower intakes of fatty/processed meat, refined grains, sugar-sweetened foods and beverages, salt, and saturated fat.

Sharon can help you achieve your fitness goals in the gym, at home & also outdoors. Personal training is available 1-2-1, in couples & also small groups. Body coach fitness has a holistic approach to health & wellness, fitness, nutrition & sports performance & is dedicated to educating people on the benefits of a healthy lifestyle! Whatever your goals Sharon will help you achieve them. When not training others to achieve their goals Sharon works towards her own, training hard to compete at an international level as a natural physique competitor. www.bodycoachfitness.com www.bodycoachfitness.org www.bodycoachfitnesseducation.com www.businessvault.net 07875086760

EVOLVING YOUR RELATIONSHIP By Mark Semple

Have you found yourself wondering what happened to your relationship? Is this all there is to it? That another 20 years of ‘this’ is not exciting? At some point in your relationship journey, you will probably find yourself having such thoughts and that you would like things to be better somehow. You may have clarity on what you desire, or you may just know that you want something better or different than this. If you’re not able to articulate exactly what you want to happen, that’s okay. The intention of wanting things to shift is a perfect starting point. My journey as a conscious relationships coach is devoted to supporting you in gaining clarity on what is truly fulfilling for you and charting the course to help you fully live into it. I must state that, if you’re dealing with any kind of abuse (physical, mental, emotional), active addiction or major trauma, it’s imperative that you get these issues resolved and take care of your own healing, prior to evolving your relationship. From my perspective, one of the greatest gifts in life is to be fulfilled. This is especially true in in the realm of relationships. This doesn’t mean that every aspect of your interaction is fulfilling, rather that the experience of your relationship overall is fulfilling.

As always, the first place to look for changes is within. If you’re desiring a more vibrant sex life yet can’t keep your eyes open past 8:30, there’s an opportunity there. How are you feeling about yourself? Are you feeling the way you want your partner to see you? How are you taking care of yourself on all levels – physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually? Are there past hurts & wounds that persist in your awareness that deter from the feelings you’re wanting to have? Many of these can be legitimate and your feelings are completely justified. If they are able to be healed and lovingly released, how long are you willing to allow them to hold your relationship in the space you don’t want?

It has been said that all work is inner work. Also, that relationships help us find out things about ourselves that we couldn’t discover on our own. If you have any emotional buttons or triggers, an intimate partner will probably be the one that helps you realize it. When I’m starting out with my clients, the first step is to determine what needs to be healed or cleared in order for you to show up fully as yourself. As a relationship is the union of two individuals, it’s obvious how important taking care of you is to maintain your relationship, at the bare minimum. Self-care is an ongoing process that will require discipline & commitment with amazing returns.

Life is a journey that is to be lived in the moment. Yes, it may benefit to have some intentions of where you want it to go, just don’t be too attached to a specific outcome, life can unfold in unpredictable & amazing ways, as you have probably experienced. One of the best tools to allow yourself to be more present at the moment is letting go. Essentially releasing anything that will impede you from being present. (It’s easier than you think.) This process will help to free you from old energetic junk and opens you up to more of life’s opportunities. Thus, YOU are evolving on your journey, which will have a ripple effect on your relationship. You may have a self-care practice (and that’s wonderful) albeit many energetic issues & blocks are subliminal, existing in your ‘blind spot’. In my practice, I’ve supported many of my clients and resolved energetic issues that have impeded them for way too long. It is, of course, a two-party thing, and your partner will need to their part take care of their stuff and pursue their own personal development. I love the concept of ‘the better I understand me, the better I understand you.’ There is some validity to this albeit your partner is not a clone of you and thus your understanding can only go so far. One of the most powerful tools I have discovered is a Human Design reading, which provides concise details & understanding of each other’s modalities and how you show up in life, manage energy, make decisions, etc. An understanding of such concepts truly helps you to understand each other and, more importantly, how to flow with each other. The differences I have observed after performing a Human Design reading or my clients are truly phenomenal and life-changing.

As your personal journeys are taking you to the space that feels most right for you, and you’re showing up more optimally with your partner, the opportunity on what to actually shift in your relationship becomes more prevalent. Communication is absolutely vital to allow each of you to express what you want more of (or less of) in your shared journey. If you have open, flowing communication, you are blessed. If you do not, it is a skill that can be learned, like any other. This is true intimacy – to be able to share freely & openly, especially your deepest thoughts or fears. Ensure you give this the appropriate reverence it deserves. When you open up, you allow yourself to become vulnerable and susceptible to being hurt by the wrong responses. The coaching & energy clearing tools I share with my clients have had a profound impact in resolving difficulties in this arena. As you both open up to sharing your desires, you’ll gain clarity on shifts that you can make together to evolve your relationship toward the ideal state that you desire. I say ‘toward’ as this is transient, and your desires may evolve also. Why delimit yourself to something that felt good based on the space you were previously in. There may be a difference in the ideal relationship state for you and your partner. This provides an opportunity for you both to co-create a solution that is mutually fulfilling. This can actually open up new horizons for you, beyond what you thought you wanted. As I support you in your relationship journey, you’ll determine what shifts you can make right now to improve your intimacy & connection. Remember always that it is a process and evolution to your ideal state may take some time to achieve. You may also find that your desires & intentions shift as the changes in your relationship manifest. Lao Tzu said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Let’s take that step together.

Mark Semple is a Certified Comprehensive Coach, Energy Healer, Retreat Leader, Yoga Teacher, Author, and Speaker. His passion is supporting couples in bringing back their passion & intimacy and co-creating the mutually fulfilling relationship they both desire. Mark utilizes a variety of intuitive coaching & energy clearing techniques to identify & resolve the root causes of his clients’ opportunities. He works with his clients via individual sessions, powerful workshops, and transformational retreats. Mark@rekindlingintimacy.com https://rekindlingintimacy.com

DO DETOX CLEANSES ACTUALLY WORK?

BY DR DANIELLE LITOFF

Do detox cleanses work? I get this question a lot and it seems there is a new fad cleanse every week. The point of a detox is to clean out the junk in your body, but they only work if you don’t bring it back in. A detox works as a kick-start to clear toxins, but if you go back to old habits, you will go right back to where you were, or possibly be worse off. Detoxes should be the start of new behavior and lifestyle change. In the Functional Medicine program at Battle Born Health, we focus on giving women’s bodies the tools to be continuingly detoxing. This means good food that gives your body something to process and turns into energy. If a patient is fairly healthy and has a reasonably good liver and digestive system, they are a candidate to do a healthy detox program as part of a larger lifestyle change. You should feel strong and motivated to start. If you feel sick on a detox it may be too much too fast.

It is not advised to do a detox when autoimmune issues are in place, the patient is super stressed, or doing heavy training. In these cases, detoxes can make the person much sicker. Also just doing a detox as a “quick fix” for things like trying to lose weight before a reunion or “cleanse” before starting a new intense exercise program are all recipes for disaster.

There is so much misinformation about the detox fads. That’s why you need to work with a professional health coach to determine what is right for your body and your long-term goals. With functional medicine, the “detox” phase of our program needs to supply the person with the right nutrients for phase one and phase two of detoxification. The patient needs to know detoxification is a challenging metabolic process. With an intense detox, the body needs rest to focus on not adding more toxins to the body. If you are interested in learning more about detox programs, how to do it safely, and how it can be the start to positive lifestyle changes, get in touch to see if you are a candidate for our 16-week functional medicine program. We look forward to helping you feel healthy, happy, and strong!

Dr. Danielle Litoff DPT is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Health Coach at Battle Born Health in Reno, NV. Her practice focuses on the principles of modern, proven medicine, delivered with an old-fashioned commitment to patient care and one-on-one relationships. For more wellness tips, visit her blog where she writes about various topics of nutrition, health, and physical therapy." https://www.battlebornhealth.com/ https://www.facebook.com/battlebornhealth/ https://www.instagram.com/battlebornhealth/

Hip Ache HERE ARE SOME TIPS AND STRETCHES THAT MAY HELP YOU!

By Tracy Markley

Hip ache or pain is a common complaint in many women after the age of forty. Although it can happen to teens and women of all ages, it becomes more common as we age. When there is no diagnosis or injury, it can be frustrating because you don’t know what may be causing the aches and pain you feel in the hip area. This can lead to not knowing how to help it. I wanted to share some tips that may help. Remember to always check with your physician or physical therapist if you have been diagnosed with a condition, waiting for a hip replacement, or have had a hip replacement, before trying any stretches or tips that may not fit your body’s ability.

Shoes The support your feet and ankle have in your shoes can play a role in hip pain. In the pictures below the first picture shows the food in proper alignment. The second picture illustrates my left foot rolled out towards the left. My inner foot is lifted. It is hard to see in the pictures, but it shifts the hip position and the leg bone positions. Try it on your own in the mirror. Look very closely at your hips and pelvic area when you roll your foot out. Many people wear shoes that do not give proper support and their feet are not positioned in proper alignment. If you wear a pair of shoes often and or daily, they may still look good on the outside, but after a few months, all the inner support is broken down and is not supplying the feet and body the support it needs. Also, watch how you stand with your feet. When your foot turns in or out, on an angle, or a foot rolls in or out to the sides it changes the hip placement. It also affects the fascia in the body.

I knew all of this for years and I tell my clients all the time, but a few years ago my hips were achy. I went to the chiropractor for an adjustment. The first thing he said to me was that I was slightly rolling my feet out to sides. I did not know I was doing it. Once I got new shoes that did not allow my feet to roll out, I felt better. Spine, neck, and pelvic positions while sleeping Women are curvy and when we lay on our sides it causes the pelvic to shift and one hip drops down into the bed. This can be just a slight misplacement, but this leaves the hips and spine being in a somewhat misalignment position all night long. Some women say their hips ache and keep them up at night. While laying on your side place a small thin pillow or a towel under your waist. I have a specific pillow made just for this that I got on Amazon a few years ago.

Watch your neck position as well. This will affect the hips. It affects the fascia in the body. If you study the fascial lines you can see how poor posture while sleeping can cause negative effects on the body. The first picture shows a neck position that can kink the neck, irritate the spine, and affect the hips. In the second picture, you can see the neck area of the spine is straight and aligned with the rest of the spine. This position also helps keep the neck and upper back muscles from getting spasms and tightness.

In the first picture, you can see how the waist drops down. This causes the spine to lay in a curve and the hips to be uneven. In the second picture, you can see how the spine is aligned from the tail bone through the skull. Having the right size head pillow and the small pillow under the waist helps keep the spine aligned better. Also, having a pillow between the knees helps the low back not to maintain a small twist as you sleep as well as it helps keep the hips aligned. Your spine and hips will thank you for making these small pillow adjustments. If you have an old mattress that has lost its support or a very soft mattress this will also cause hip and backaches.

Stretches Here are a few stretches that you can do before going to bed. You can also do them any time of day. Stretching muscles that are tight especially in the back and hips before going to bed can help these muscles be more relaxed and calmer before sleep. This helps them to not be so tight throughout the night. This also helps calm and stretch out the daily stress their body has been caring throughout the day and evening.

Sit tall and lean forward with a flat back. The last two pictures, perform it with pointed toes and then flexed feet.

I hope if you try one, a few, or all these tips your hips ache should start to feel better. Take nice breaths as you stretch. Feel your self-inhaling and exhaling. Remember to also stay hydrated and eat a healthy diet each day. Some foods and being partially dehydrated can also cause aches and pains in the body.

Tracy Markley is the owner of Tracy's Personal Training, Pilates & Yoga Studio. She is the author of 9 books. Her work is known for training stroke survivors. She also created the CEC course "Stroke Recovery Training" for the fitness industry. Tracy was one of the IDEA 2020 Personal Trainer of the Year Finalists. She is recognized for her work, books, and helping stroke survivors worldwide. She is an NFHOF Pro (National Fitness Hall of Fame) Recognized as one of "Today's Top Trainers" in 2019. She believes “Knowledge is Power” and has earned many certifications in the fitness industry. She was awarded the 2021 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year Award www.tracymarkley.com www.tracyspersonaltraining.com www.amazon.com/author/tracymarkley www.instagram.com/motivate_healthyfit www.facebook.com/tracyfitt www.twitter.com/tracysfitnesshb www.tracys-healthy-365.blogspot.com www.linkedin.com/in/tracymarkleyfit

WHAT'S COOKING

Hot Cross Buns By Bernadine Otto The Ingredients 3 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast 1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar (superfine sugar) 1 1/2 cups (375ml) milk 4 1/4 cups (640g) bread flour or all-purpose) 2 tsp cinnamon powder 2 tsp All Spice 1/2 tsp salt 1 1/2 cups sultanas 1 - 2 oranges, zest only 3.5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted 1 egg

The Method CROSSES: 1/2 cup flour 5 tbsp water GLAZE: 1 tbsp apricot jam 2 tsp water Place flour, yeast, sugar, allspice, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Mix together with a fork. Add butter, milk, egg, sultanas, and zest. Mix until a smooth dough forms by hand for 10 minutes. Leave the dough in the bowl, cover with cling wrap, and place in a warm, place to rise until doubled in size. Roll the dough into a ball. Place the ball with the smooth side up on the tray. Return tray to warm place and leave 30 - 45 minutes Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F CROSSES: Mix flour and water until a thick runny paste form - see video for thickness required. Spoon into a piping bag or small ziplock bag then snip the corner. Remove the cling wrap and pipe crosses onto the buns. Go slow so it hugs the curves. Bake for 22 minutes, or until the surface is a deep golden brown. Place jam and water in a bowl, microwave for 30 seconds. Mix to combine. Remove buns from the oven. Brush with jam mixture while warm. Allow cooling to warm before serving.

Grilled Shrimp & Veggies On A Stick By Bernadine Otto

The Ingredients 3/4 lb shrimp, peeled and de-veined Juice of 1 lime 2 tsp minced garlic Freshly ground black pepper 1 medium zucchini, sliced into 1" pieces 2 cups button mushrooms 1 red bell pepper, sliced into 2" pieces 1 green bell pepper, sliced into 2" pieces 1 red onion, cut into eighths 4 cloves garlic, minced 3 tbsp olive oil Wooden skewers (soaked in cold water for 15 minutes to prevent burning)

The Method Soak wooden skewers (at least 15 minutes). Peel shrimp and put in a medium bowl and toss with minced garlic. Add lime juice and season with pepper. Set aside for five minutes. Wash and chop vegetables. Prepare grill. Add vegetables and garlic to the shrimp, and add olive oil. Toss. Stack veggies and shrimp onto skewers and grill until fully cooked.

APRIL POEMS BY SKYLAR SNOW POETRY

1st April: April fools Day A morning of jokes and tricks. If you do it afternoon you are the fool. 9th April: Unicorn day A celebration of the most popular mythical creature ever. Unicorns are a symbol of Scotland. 10th April: Siblings day A day of honoring the relationships of siblings. Based on the traditional Indian festival of Rakshabandhan. A tradition that is hundreds of years old. 22nd April: Earth Day A day of awareness for the environmental issues our planet has faced. 23rd April: World book night World book night aims to inspire others to read more.

Skylar Snow Poetry is a Poetry and blog writer. Aspirations to study Forensic Psychology as a degree. https://linktr.ee/writerskysnow https://writerskysnow.wordpress.com/ https://www.instagram.com/writerskysnow/

-April fools dayBy Skylar Snow Poetry

Jokes and tricks in the morning, A whole lot of fun to be had, Another trick without warning, And jokes that won't leave you sad,

It's always great to have a jolly good laugh, Enjoying this day of trickery, That is led up this path, The wrong trick can make people bickery,

Never ever trick afternoon, Or the fool will certainly be you, I know the fun goes so soon, Morning only, the jokes and tricks will do.

-UnicornBy Skylar Snow Poetry

Unicorns are a symbol of Scotland, Elegant and righteousness, Unicorns shine as they will stand, Colors that change to mindfulness,

Watching the graceful unicorn, Such free spirit, you can tell, The magic of their horn, Is enough to never dwell,

A unicorn won't ever surrender to the storm, Calm and patient with a mystical vibe, Good thoughts within you will swarm, To be humble the magic is alive.

-Siblings DayBy Skylar Snow Poetry Take today to love your sibling, Sister's and brothers, Together they are winning, It helps to be there for others,

Of course, siblings do bicker, A bond that can't be faked, Another annoying time ticker, For the cookies that are baked,

Just one day and siblings will get along, All difference's set aside, From all good and all wrong, A day to be tried.

-We love our planetBy Skylar Snow Poetry

We love our planet, The Earth is magic, Rubbish, we just bin it, Hazard's are tragic,

Recycling can save it all, No more toxins to suffer, Another tree will fall, Making our environment rougher,

Weather's will begin to change, Plans will be structurally made, Cleaning the air of strange, For the path of chemicals to be made.

-Reading togetherBy Skylar Snow Poetry

People from all different backgrounds, People with a humble yet mighty heart, Hearing the voice that reads all the sounds, Reading together even though we're worlds apart,

Books bring us all together, Words that are on a page, Something that'll last forever, The power to engage,

A warmth yet curiosity to the story, How it unfolds and how it is told, Whether it's fame, gore, or glory, To read, you are never too old.

Heart-Centered By Jace Jacobs Politics, religion, relationships; sometimes things don't go your way, and you are left with a bad taste in your mouth. By experiencing what you don't like, you end up discovering what you prefer. Life has a funny way of helping you find your clarity. Heart-Centered YouTube link: https://bit.ly/HeartCenteredYouTube

Much appreciation, love, and light. Namaste Jace Jacobs Appreciate Everything ~ Love Fully ~ Need Nothing

Heart-Centered I put a whole lot of something Into a whole lot of nothing Investing my time in things That just won't change I put my pointer down No more fingers turned around Got my eyes on the prize That will set me free So with each laid plan Just become the better man Get your focus tuned in Time to chisel that stone I'll make a work of me I'll be the best that I can be It's no longer about the nothing This time my heart is creating something Life is a beautiful journey of lessons. If you turn your focus within, you just might find your heart will help guide you in the best direction for you.

Meet Jace Jacobs! Jace Jacobs is a Happy Mindset Poet, Performer, and Creator @ jacejacobs.com. Jace is an author and spoken word poetry performer. His Happy Mindset Poetry books are available on Amazon or via jacejacobs.com. Jace enjoys helping cool souls raise their vibrational state so they can experience more confidence and clarity in their life.Appreciate Everything ~ Love Fully ~ Need Nothing#HappyMindsetPoetryVisit the social media links below for video performances of spoken word rhyming happy mindset poetry. https://www.facebook.com/jacewjacobs/ https://www.youtube.com/jacejacobs https://www.instagram.com/jacejacobs https://twitter.com/jacejacobs

Brian Gryn is an intermittent fasting expert, wellness coach, author, human movement specialist, and host of the Get Lean Eat Clean Podcast (35K+ downloads). He is leading the way in the Intermittent Fasting

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fasting mistakes. 21 Days of reminder emails sent directly to your inbox with motivation, & tips.

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You can learn more about the journal and program here:

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bgryn Website: http://briangryn.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bdgryn/

Or ga ni c , e ne r gy - i nf us e d Ay ur v e da i ns pi r e d s k i n & hai r c ar e

KAIA SKIN

Kalpana Vasu Semple/ Founder and Creator ht t ps : / / www. kai a. s ki n/

This herbal and botanical face oil keeps your skin nourished, soothed, and moisturized Formulated using organic cold-pressed Apricot Kernel, Jojoba, Rosehip, Red Raspberry seed oil Botanical extracts of Chamomile, Calendula, lavender, Rose pomegranate, buckthorn, Marshmallow Root, Elderflower, hibiscus Helps improve skin tone, maintain softness and radiance of the skin. Rich in vitamin C and E lowers the appearance of fine lines and blemishes. Raspberry seed oil helps block UV rays, combats sun damage, and boosts collagen. Lightweight Rosehip oil is full of fatty acids, a natural form of vitamin A, C, and E helping to brighten hyperpigmentation, calm inflammatory skin conditions, and improve skin barrier Essential oils that help strengthen skin and improve its tone, elasticity, and defense mechanisms against bacteria or blemishes Apply to clean damp skin. Use 2-3 drops on clean fingertips and gently massage onto face, neck, and chest. Best when used in combination with Hydrate Face mist https://www.kaia.skin/

Balance your skin with this ancient Ayurvedic remedy. Steam Distilled Rose and Tulsi. Due to its medicinal properties, Tulsi has been worshipped in India for many years. Its anti-fungal and antibacterial properties make it a wonderful product in skincare. Rose is Tridoshic but especially effective in balancing pitta. Soothes redness in the skin, skin irritations, and burns. Balances the pH of the skin Hydrated the skin Tightens pores and reduces wrinkles Enhances mood Relieves stress Balances the heart chakra Reduces dark circles Promotes deep and restful sleep DIRECTIONS: Apply to face as needed to hydrate, energize and refresh. TIPS: Apply a few spritzes on your face to naturally set makeup. HOW TO CARE FOR MY PRODUCTS: Keep the product away from sunlight, heat, and moisture. Close tightly after each use, and always use clean, dry hands if coming in contact with the formula. SHELF LIFE: Since there are no preservatives, please use within 4-5 months

"April is the kindest month. April gets you out of your head and out working in the garden." - Marty Rubin.