Good Fat Life Magazine - April 2020

GOOD FAT L I F E

Q2 ISSUE APRIL 2020

MODERN HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

FINDING HAPPINESS & PURPOSE IN

ARE YOU CARB SENSITIVE?

2020

GIVING = RECEIVING

SINGER SONGWRITER RAGAN RAE

KAREN CALNICIEN

TIME TO ALIGN

Be Happy. Forgive More.

Transforming Children’s Lives Impacting & Building Communities

Join our community at www.ProjectForgive.org

2 | Good Fat Life

POWERED BY: SUE JOHNSTON • THEINFERTILITYADVOCATE.COM • BRIGHTON, MI AND LEANDREA FISHER • HOPEINFERTILITY.ORG • DETROIT, MI Sue Johnston, author, advocate and support group leader from Brighton, MI is linking arms with LeAndrea Fisher founder of the faith-based support group Hope InFertility from Detroit, MI, to bring you the second annual Detroit, MI Walk of Hope (WOH). Due to the Coronavirus, Johnston and Fisher have had to postpone their walk, originally scheduled for April 25, 2020, during National Infertility Awareness Week (NAIW). The new time for the Walk of Hope has been rescheduled for September 2020. Please watch for more information.

Johnston and Fisher created the Detroit, MI Walk of Hope to provide a community of support for those who struggle to build their families and to raise awareness for the 1 in 8 couples who are affected by infertility. The WOH is also a fundraiser for RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, a 501(c)(3). Infertility is an overwhelming disease that takes its toll, emotionally, physically and financially. Most infertility treatments are not covered by insurance, causing people to pay out of pocket for their treatments. Often fertility patients feel isolated and alone.

Due to Coronavirus, many people have had to cancel their treatments, including high tech interventions like IVF. In these chaotic times when the infertility community needs more support than ever, Johnston and Fisher are working to provide a Virtual Walk of Hope in the Detroit, MI Walk of Hope Facebook Group, which will coincide with NIAW, April 19 - 25th. For updates and more information about the “Virtual Walk” and the upcoming September walk, please “like and follow” the Detroit, MI Walk of Hope Facebook Group. If you know of anyone who needs support, please have them reach out to us. And if you would like to support our mission, we invite you to visit our website: give.classy.org/detroitwoh and make a donation today. Nothing is as important as family and no one should have to walk this journey alone.

April 2020 | 3

The Energy of Alignment

W “And one day she woke up and decided to live her life based on alignment, passion and possibility.” @ElyseSantilli

here to start? Nothing in our lives has prepared us for what we are living and navigating right now. Our world, or what is normal for each of us, is changing by the minute, and yet we are literally stopped in our tracks as we monitor the spread of COVID-19 and continually adjusting to our new reality. It is surreal. While, on the one hand, extremely unsettling, it has also been fascinating to experience, especially as the intense routine rush of our lives has come to a screeching stop.

For many of us, a schedule once full of work/school, life events, and travel is now wiped clean.

While some of the pressure of our typical day is off, new demands have taken its place. We now have to navigate the kids’ being home from school and their schoolwork while we now work from home. Not to mention how to stay calm in the face of so much financial uncertainty, and the fear of getting deathly sick. And what to do if we run out of toilet paper? Sorry, I couldn’t resist. It’s out of stock around where I live!

The other side of this, now that our lives have become so much more housebound is we have the unprecedented opportunity to take a walk, try new recipes, and learn to play chess. Because of a mandatory shutdown, we can reflect and spend time doing those things that we keep saying we want to do when our crazy lives slow down.

The focus on this issue is on the idea of Alignment. Why? Because a life lived in Alignment is joyful, healthy, and abundant regardless of the circumstances. I am a massive fan of being in Alignment.

Let’s look at the definition: Arrangement in a straight line, or in correct or appropriate relative positions.

Appropriate relative positions.

There is a high vibrational energy when in Alignment, It is visceral. You can feel the flow of it.

Think of a beautifully executed football game, well-written movie, or an exquisite meal. It just feels right, and you feel good. In this issue, you will read many thought-provoking articles from a variety of different life perspectives that present inspiring and informative ways to consider aligning your own life. From the clothes you wear and how you wash them, to the food you eat, even how to manage the energy centers of your own body! All deserve to be in Alignment to live your best life.

So while in this crazy world where we all live right now, grab your favorite beverage, get comfortable, and spend a few minutes reading some great articles and reflecting on your dance with Alignment, passion, and possibility.

Much love,

Sherri Richards

Publisher sherri@goodfatlife.com

4 | Good Fat Life

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Contents 10 Whatever I’m in the Mood For

16 You Don’t Have to Live in Pain

12 Sherri’s Favorites

18 Microfibers The Real Cost

13 Lighten Up 2020 Transform Your Year 14 Not So New Age Therapy

20 Time to Align 24 Integration Finding Happiness and Purpose in 2020!

15 The Reading Room 25 Healthy Keto Recipes 6 | Good Fat Life

26 Feeling Frumpy, Fatigued, and Forlorn?

Are You Carb Sensitive?

30 Giving = Receiving 32 Why You Can’t Just Eat One Chip 34 What If

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GOOD FAT L I F E

Publisher Marketing Consultant Art Director Copy Editor Ongoing Contributor Creative Director Creative Consultant Cover Photographer Contributing Writers

• • • • • • • • •

Sherri Richards Megan Bachand Jennifer Knutson Jennifer Hoelscher Dr. S. A. Thiringer, D.O. Maria Rea Joey Leslie Linda Michele-Dobel Jim Gilligan Lori Burns

Pat Mrozek Sherri Richards Gramos Pallaska Kristi Hunt Karen Calnicean Tina Heusel Kristin Grayce McGary Dr. Darren Schmidt

Contact Us Sherri Richards

440.289.8321 sherri@goodfatlife.com Visit us on the web at goodfatlife.com

Advertising Inquires sherri@goodfatlife.com 440.289.8321

Find Us

Visit us on the web at goodfatlife.com to view our online digital edition, or subscribe to have Good Fat Life magazine delivered directly to your home.

Good Fat Life

Good Fat Life magazine makes every effort to provide accurate information in advertising, editorial content, and placement; however, we cannot make any claims as to the accuracy of information provided by advertisers or editorial contributors and will accept no responsibility or liability for inaccurate information or placement. No content can be duplicated without the permission of Good Fat Life.

8 | Good Fat Life

I know this name can be confusing. The name Good Fat Life originated from our Good Fat Bars and Good Fat Company.

We found that people who understand how important it is to incorporate good fat into their diet, also care about taking other positive and proactive actions in their lives. Thus we created a lifestyle magazine as a way to connect and inspire people who care about the world they live in, including their health and well being. Our readers want to be educated in a non-biased and evidence-based way by people who are doing amazing proactive things! Living a Good Fat Life represents intentional, focused living, knowing how to make a difference in both our bodies and the world we live in.

Contributing Jim Gilligan is at his core an environmental evangelist. He owns Snedicor’s GreenEarth Cleaners in Brighton and Howell, Mich., which uses environmentally safe methods to keep clothing clean and looking good. Gilligan became Michigan’s first certified AcroYoga instructor in 2014. An outdoor enthusiast, Gilligan is an avid bicycle tourist, mountain biker, cross country and telemark skier, kayaker, Stand Up paddler, and motorcyclist. Father and step-father to five, Gilligan lives in Livingston County, Mich., with his wife, Sherryl.

AUTHORS Karen Calnicean (cover story) is the wife of a United States Air Force (USAF) retired veteran and mother of two creative, kind teenagers. She has done many things, including but not limited to: Teaching autistic children, working with special needs adults, interior/fashion styling, and customer service in highend resale shops. Karen is firm in her love and has gratitude for herself, loved ones, and community. Much like a hummingbird, she spreads sweet, creative nectar helping people grow their ideas.

Linda Michele-Dobel is a portrait artist and the founder of Linda Michele-Dobel Photography.

My name is Lori Burns. I am a wife, mother, She operates LMD Photography in her residential and student working towards my master’s studio located in Brighton, Michigan as well as degree in professional counseling. I live in offsite locations throughout the country. Linda’s Franklin, Tennessee, love watching football, the love of photography began early in life with Oregon coast, and French-pressed coffee. I’m a inspiration coming from her parents, high school self-proclaimed homebody. These days, most of photography teacher and having been surrounded as a child with beautiful my time spent in front of the computer in my publications like National Geographic and Vogue. The curiosity of people sweatpants, trying not to mangle my words, sometimes forgetting to eat. and culture drove Linda’s passion to explore personalities thru her lens.

Life is good. www.lmd-photography.com Pat Mrozek, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother earned a Bachelor’s in www.lmdboudoir.com/ Pat Mrozek, owner of Healing Souls LLC., education and taught over 25 years in the Flint Community Schools.

She was also the www.facebook.com/lmdphotographyboudoir/ mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother

director of a high school completion program as a joint venture between the Flint earned a Bachelor’s in education and taught over 25 Tina Heusel has Community andSchools.

General Motors. During which time, she received hervolunteered Master with WXW for years in the FlintSchools Community Following more than 7 years and her philosophy of lifelong learning, she became a of Science degree in Administration. She has worked as an adjunct instructor for has enjoyed every second!

WXW is an amazing 100% volunteer-driven reflexologist, certified through Branch Reflexology Spring Arbor University in the field of Organizational Development Management as organization focused on supporting women in Institute, and is the owner of Healing Souls LLC.s well.

Following herby philosophy lifelong learning, she becamebusiness. a reflexologist, My favorite part is it’s a cheerleading This pursuit was sparked her personalof success crowd This that empowers women by the thousand. with reflexology, and her deep desire to help people improveand the is quality of certified through Branch Reflexology Institute, the owner of Healing Souls LLC.s pursuit was Outside of WXW, Tina works for LoanSense, a their lives spiritually, emotionally, and physically. sparked by her personal success with reflexology, and her deep desire to help people improve the Michigan based company, working with employers to help retain and quality of their lives spiritually, emotionally, and physically. She recruit uses her skills in and her in student debt employees by reflexology reducing the 1.7 Trillion Gramos Pallaska, PT, DPT, FAFS has been past training to help clients find a healthier and more fulfilled life. with Plymouth Physical Therapy Specialists since 2011, and joined the PPTS team as a physical Kristin Grayce McGary LAc., MAc., CFMP®, therapist in 2017. His primary areas of expertise CST-T, CLP; Is a Health and lifestyle expert and include orthopedics and sports medicine, an internationally recognized author and speaker. with a special interest in shoulder, knee, and She is an authority on autoimmunity, functional ankle pathologies. He has advanced training in blood chemistry analysis, thyroid & gut health, working with athletes of all ages and levels of experience. His goal is to alleviating pain, family wellness, extreme help patients enhance their performance and safely continue or return exhaustion, resolving blocks to healing and using to doing what they love by helping patients achieve their functional food as medicine. Kristin Grayce specializes in integrating mind, body goals through education and treatment. and spirit in healthcare through a uniquely individualized approach. She is the author of Holistic Keto for Gut Health: A Program for Resetting Your Metabolism and Know Your Blood, Know Your Health: Prevent Disease and Kristi Hunt graduated with a bachelor in Enjoy Vibrant Health Through Functional Blood Chemistry Analysis. Learn Marketing and International Business, Kristi more at GutHappyKeto.com moved to Chicago and pursued a career in business. Falling in love with the food scene, she enrolled in a traditional French Culinary program. Soon after, she began working in the culinary industry. Now, as the Nutritionist at the Good Fat Company we provide clean, sustainable fuel for the body. Kristi’s approach with product development is to create simple yet pleasurable products that our bodies can trust and rely upon.

Dr. Darren Schmidt is a chiropractor and has spent the great majority of his career devoted to clinical nutrition to determine the root causes of health problems because nutrition is the foundation of all health. Further, Dr. Schmidt’s approach to healthcare has always been holistic. thenutritionalhealingcenter.com April 2020 | 9

WHATEVER I’M IN THE MOOD FOR

by Lori Burns

I

n 2016, Ragan Rae checked an essential item off the bucket list when she performed for the first time at the famous Bluebird Café in Nashville in front of a sold-out crowd. Since that night, Ragan has had the privilege to perform there more times, a stage that has hosted artists like Carrie Underwood, LeAnn Rimes, Garth Brooks and, other singer/songwriters who still “pop-up” there from time to time. At 23 years of age, Ragan, a native Tennessean, melds 10 | Good Fat Life

her sultry, Motown sounds giving listeners her genuine emotions, vulnerability, and a reality that we can all relate to. I sat down to talk about her music-making process, her influences, and things that are coming up for her.

Ragan, Have you always wanted to be in the music business?

Yeah, since I was six years old. My dad was always on the road with the artists and, I would go and see him,

and if it weren’t for him having that job, I would not be who I am or do what I am doing today because that so influenced me.

If you could collaborate with any musician, who would it be and why?

Who inspired you to make music?

Other than my dad, I would have to say, Springsteen, James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, people like that because that is who my dad listened to.

How would you describe the type of music that you typically create?

It’s all over the place, its literally on whatever I’m feeling that day. We can go super- Americana country on a song, or we can go Motown with a brass band, it’s whatever I’m in the mood for.

What is your creative process like?

So, sometimes it’s me at a piano or guitar by myself, or if I have a heavy heart, I’ll write what I can get out in 30 minutes if that’s what I feel I need to do. Or if I know I have a co-write the day before, I’ll just come up with the first chorus.

When the songs are done, I bring them to my producer Jake, and we collaborate to make the final track. Sometimes we bring additional instruments in, like horns or whatever to add to the tracks.

If you could open a show for any artist, who would it be?

Let’s see, that’s a hard one. There are so many. Probably Fleetwood Mac. Yup. That’s it.

How do you feel the internet has impacted the music business?

Well, it has helped in a lot of ways because now artists can have direct communication with their fan base, and you can see more of them. There was always an element of mystery back in the day when you had to go to a store and buy an album. You didn’t know everything about their personal life. I think the mystery is an endearing thing, and we’ve lost that in our industry. I feel like with social media, now everybody knows everything, and it’s just different.

If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be?

People would pay for records again!

Tell me about your new album?

So, the album is very throw-back, very hint to Motown era, because I love the old school sounds, live Marvin Gaye, Tina Turner sounds. So, this specific project is going to be that vibe.

It’s a massive project. We have a full strings section in all the songs, brass section, very Motown. Its five songs, all correlated in style. I wrote them all at different times in my life, so some are five years old and some five months old.

Let’s talk about one of your songs, titled “Twenty-Two”.

So, this song is a snapshot of a part of my life that was difficult and the only way I could process it was to write about it. One of my parents recently had cancer, and I had to be the sole caretaker because they are divorced.

It was just one of those things that I never pictured myself doing at such a young age or without my own family to lean on like a husband, or kids, or whatever that looks like. I think it was just something that caught me off guard because I am so young (I know there are a lot of young people that go through it), but it is an incredibly lonely place, and I was scared, and my inner child was threatened because my parent was ill. I had to really grow up, even though I wasn’t really ready for that, it was a learning curve. I was happy to do it, and I was honored to take care of my parent, it took me off guard though.

The song Twenty-Two was written as a result of this time in my life.

What’s next for you, friend?

I have writer’s rounds in Nashville quite often, and there’s going to be a single coming out every other month until October when the album is released. I imagine that on the days the singles come out, I’ll have a performance.

When the album comes out, I’ll have a full band performance in Nashville and New York City!

Where can readers find out more about you?

Instagram, Spotify, apple iTunes, and Facebook Thanks, you so much Ragan, I am so encouraged that at your tender age of 23 you have defined who you want to be, you have direction, purpose, and an extraordinary commitment to your family. I can’t wait to hear your next song!

Follow Ragan Rae at: Instagram :@ragan_raemusic Facebook: Ragan Rae Spotify Apple iTunes April 2020 | 11

Sherri's Favorites

Healing Souls, LLC 11460 W. Highland Rd. | Hartland, MI 48353 810.599.3169 There is nothing like a reflexology treatment. While it is incredibly relaxing, it is also energizing and gets things moving. Pat has a very calming way about her and is a wealth of knowledge! Based on the positive way my body is responding, I have added this service as a regular part of my routine self-care. It is something I really look forward too!

Beautycounter 517.404.4850 | bnk.beautycounter@gmail.com Never in my life have I looked forward to washing my face until I started using the BeautyCounter line. The skincare products are off the Flippin charts! The smell is divine, and my skin has never felt or looked so clean and smooth.

When it’s time to wash my face, I’m tired. Now, I enjoy my nightly routine because I get to use these heavenly products. Products, I know are intentionally good for my skin, and not made of even one single harmful ingredient.

Plus, Bethany is a joy to work with. I feel good supporting someone who genuinely cares about the products she represents that also gives back so much to our community.

Stateside Deli 4140 E. Grand River Ave. | Howell, MI 48843 517.545.2333 | www.statesidedelimi.com I am fussy about the quality of the ingredients that goes into the food I eat, and the cleanliness of the kitchen it is prepared in. Stateside Deli owned by two delightful, energetic entrepreneurs is where I choose to go. The food is delicious, the service is quick and engaging, and their prices are affordable.

These two young ladies are doing great things in our community!

They make it a better place. Take-Out Service Available.

12 | Good Fat Life

lighten up 2020 Transform Your Year

Many events have been canceled due to the Corona-19 Virus mandates, and the calendar is changing by the minute. We will post any event changes on our Facebook page, Good Fat Life Magazine.

APRIL S.P.E.A.K.

Monday, April 6, 2020, Blair Lincoln A-Authority Brewer Becker, 500 W. Main St., Brighton, MI Doors Open 6:30 pm

Spring Ladies Night Out

Wednesday, April 8th • 5-9pm Brighton Coffee House & Theater 306 W Main St, Brighton, MI www.beautycounter.com

Plymouth Physical Therapy

WHY YOU NEED IT. Wednesday, April 8th, 5-9pm Join Bethany Klein at the Brighton Coffee House & Theater to find out what this Clean Beauty Buzz is all about, and why you need it.

Beautycounter is the Leader in Clean Beauty. Learn how we are building a safer future for all.

SPRING LADIES NIGHT OUT Thursday, May 7th • 5-10pm Wednesday, June 24th • 5-9pm Bethany Klein Beautycounter Consultant 517.404.4850 bnk.beautycounter@gmail.com www.beautycounter.com

bethanyklein

Saturday, April 4, 2020 • 10am Howell Center • 4128 E Grand River Shoulder Workshops

MAY Although I am not a doctor nor a professional counselor, I have walked for a decade in the infertility shoes.

I lead a monthly RESOLVE Peer Led Support Group and enjoy connecting with the infertility community either virtually or in person. I’d love to “see” you at one of my upcoming virtual events or... better yet... let’s discuss the possibility of speaking at your event.

Please email me at: sjohnstonadvocate@gmail.com.

I look forward to working with you.

S.P.E.A.K. Thursday, May 7, 2020, Samantha Gardner K-Knowing Brewer Becker, 500 W. Main St., Brighton, MI Doors Open 6:30 pm

Spring Ladies Night Out

Thursday, May 7th • 5-10pm Brighton Coffee House & Theater 306 W Main St, Brighton, MI www.beautycounter.com

Plymouth Physical Therapy

Tuesday, May 12, 2020 • 6pm Howell Center • 4128 E Grand River Shoulder Workshops

JUNE S.P.E.A.K.

S.P.E.A.K. WE HAVE A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO REAL ESTATE. Declutter your life to live in the home of your dreams Karen Gill with Town & Country Realtors and Sharon McRill with The Betty Brigade have teamed up to help you declutter and find/create the home you dream of.

BRIGHTON • HOWELL FOWLERVILLE • MILFORD PINCKNEY • 810.227.1111 WWW.CBTCHOMES.COM

Each storyteller will feature an intimate story around strength, purpose, endurance, authenticity, or knowing, the words of SPEAK, with the hopes of helping others find their way. Join us for food, drink, live music and courageous connection, a raw, unedited evening amongst brave, like-minded people.

Call 810-227-1111 to register Brewer Becker, 500 W. Main Street, Brighton, Mi 48116

Thursday, TBD

Declutter your Life to live in the home of your dreams

Karen Gill with Town & Country Realtors and Sharon McRill with The Betty Brigade have teamed up to help you declutter and find/create the home you dream of.

June 13, 2020 • 1:00 - 3:00 pm Call 810.227.1111 to register

Spring Ladies Night Out

Wednesday, June 24th • 5-9pm Brighton Coffee House & Theater 306 W Main St, Brighton, MI www.beautycounter.com

Plymouth Physical Therapy

Tuesday, June 9, 2020 • 6pm Howell Center • 4128 E Grand River Shoulder Workshops

April 2020 | 13

NOT SO NEW AGE THERAPY

by Pat Mrozek By eating healthy and utilizing many of the healing arts regularly, we can help our bodies stay in excellent health as we travel through this journey of life. When we think about the areas that we need to support ourselves in, we are talking about mind, body, and spirit. Many of us are aware of the benefits of chiropractic services, massage therapy, Yoga, etc. In this article, I would like to explain another of the many ancient healing arts.

This would be Reflexology.

What is Reflexology?

“Reflexology is the science which deals with the principle that there are reflex areas in the feet and hands relative to every organ, gland, and part of the body.”

Stimulating these reflex areas properly can help us naturally maintain health. In “The Body Talks” method, there is an acknowledgment that emotions are stressed in organs, glands, and other parts of the body.

What are the benefits of Reflexology?

The benefits of Reflexology are three-fold: Increases circulation and releases stress and tension; Improves nerve and blood supply, and

The bottoms of the feet contain over 7000 nerve endings. These nerve pathways connect with the 31 pairs of spinal nerves that support all functions within the body. Because of the feet and hands being so far from the heart, congestion can build up in these areas.

When we do Reflexology on the feet, the impact can be felt viscerally up in the body a long distance from the feet.

after the King of Saqqara. The tomb is known as the Physicians Tomb. The translation in the tomb read, “Don’t Hurt Me.” The Practitioner replies, “I SHALL ACT SO YOU PRAISE ME.” It is also believed that it has ties back to ancient Chinese healing that includes work with the meridians of the body. Chinese acupuncture recognizes 12 meridians, and Reflexology recognizes ten zones.

What is the history of Reflexology?

The use of reflexology dates to about 2330 BC in Egypt. Wall paintings in the tomb of Ankhmahor, early 6th Dynasty, were found of people performing Reflexology.

Ankhmahor was the highest official

How does Reflexology differ from massage therapy?

Reflexology is NOT massage. They are two standalone practices. Massage therapy works with muscles. Reflexology works with reflexes in the hands and feet.

14 | Good Fat Life

Helps to normalize or balance body functions.

It is interesting to note that some clients experience changes in their bodies during their sessions and then experience additional or continued benefits following their reflexology sessions.

Have there been any studies done offering evidence that Reflexology can be a complementary therapy to conventional treatments?

Michigan State University, partnering with the National Institution of Health and the Branch Reflexology Institute, conducted one of the largest studies done with breast cancer patients. For more information, go to BranchReflexology.com.

THE READING ROOM Books You Won’t Want to Put Down

Holistic Keto for Gut Health

Ancient Secret of the Fountain of Youth

The Power of Receiving

By Kristin Grayce McGary

By Peter Kelder

By Amanda Owen

Do you feel exhausted? Experience foggy thinking and mysterious symptoms that come and go? Symptoms your doctors can’t figure out, and yet they keep prescribing more and more medications?

Do you have headaches, congestion, or allergies? Do you suffer from joint pain, sleep challenges, hormone imbalances, skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis, thyroid dysfunction, or any other autoimmune disorders? Holistic healthcare expert Kristin Grayce McGary reveals that the answer to resolving your health challenges may lie in comprehensive gut repair.

Offering practical instruction on how to perform the Tibetan Rites of Rejuvenation, which will take only minutes a day, many practitioners have experienced benefits, including increased energy, weight loss, better memory, new hair growth, pain relief, better digestion, and feeling overall more youthful. These Rites of Rejuvenation refer to the bodies seven energy vortexes, otherwise known as chakras.

Once in a blue moon, an idea comes along that once heard seems so obvious that you wonder why somebody hasn’t written about it before. Amanda Owen’s The Power of Receiving: A Revolutionary Approach to Giving Yourself the Life You Want and Deserve presents a new paradigm for the 21st century. A philosophy that values receiving as much as giving and demonstrates that giving is enhanced when receiving is embraced. The Power of Receiving presents a wholly original yet easily accessible road map for people to follow, showing readers how to restore balance to their over-extended lives and attract the life they desire and deserve.

Note from Sherri: I started the Tibetan Rites Practice. LOVE IT!

April 2020 | 15

YOU DON’T HAVE TO LIVE IN PAIN

by Gramos Pallaska, PT, DPT, FAFS

F

or many of us, physical therapy is something we will need at some point in our life. Maybe you or someone you are close to has already required physical therapy after an injury or after surgery. Perhaps you are suffering from everyday aches and pains due to the physical demands of daily tasks and work. Whatever the case may be, physical therapy is an excellent option for regaining strength, flexibility, and improving your overall quality of life. Luckily, there are locations near you in Brighton, Howell, and South Lyon, Michigan!

16 | Good Fat Life

Plymouth Physical Therapy Specialists was founded in 1994 by Jeff Sirabian, who has over twenty-five years of experience in orthopedics and sports medicine and has gone on to establish nineteen physical therapy practices, including the Brighton, Howell, and South Lyon locations.

Each location is committed to the highest level of patient care, current treatment approaches, advanced equipment, as well as same-day appointments.

All of our locations work hard to return patients to their previous level of function and beyond.

Our therapists have the experience and knowledge to offer treatments that specialize in the following: •

orthopedic injuries,

•

sport-related injuries,

•

repetitive strain disorders,

•

arthritis,

•

low back and neck pain,

•

workmans compensation related injuries,

•

balance and vestibular training,

•

post-surgical care.

have completed a 40-week post-doctorate fellowship that gives them the unique ability to find the body part that hurts, evaluate how it has affected the rest of the body, and successfully create a plan to fix it correctly. Traditional medicine focuses on treating isolated body parts. Our AFS trained clinicians treat the person as a whole.

All 19 convenient Plymouth Physical Therapist Specialists locations are open and accepting new patients today! We offer same-day appointments and are open from 6 am to 7 pm, Monday through Friday and Saturdays by appointment. Contact Plymouth Physical Therapy Specialists today to schedule your appointment or visit our website www.plymouthpts.com.

Our Howell and South Lyon locations also offer occupational therapy, specializing in hand rehabilitation.

What makes Plymouth Physical Therapy Specialists unique from other clinics is our advanced training in Applied Functional Science (AFS).

AFS is a convergence of physical, biologic, and behavioral sciences that allows for purposeful movement. This integrated approach to rehabilitation focuses on the individual and their body as a chain reaction, as opposed to an isolated body part.

Our therapists will find and treat the root causes of issues, instead of merely the symptoms. Our AFS trained therapists

April 2020 | 17

MICROFIBERS

The Real Costs

by Jim Gilliand

S

ynthetic fabrics make our lives so much more comfortable. If you shudder thinking about downward-facing dogging it without yoga pants, I totally understand. And if you shudder when you think about working out in a sweatshirt that doesn’t wick away all your hard-earned sweat, I get that, too.

But that comfort and convenience come with a price, one that is far too high to pay.

We need to understand what makes those yoga pants so stretchy and those sweatshirts so drying is microfiber, a synthetic thread that is finer than a strand of silk, which, in turn, is finer than a human hair. Microfiber is made from either polyesters or polyamides like Kevlar (which is used in bulletproof vests), or a mixture of the two with polypropylene. Microfiber’s various characteristics — softness and toughness, absorption and water repellency — and its electrostatic and filtering capabilities make it suitable for a variety of purposes.

Microfiber is used to make mats, knits, and weaves, which are then made into 18 | Good Fat Life

various items of clothing, upholstery for furniture and car interiors, household goods like tablecloths, industrial filters, and cleaning products.

Microfiber has weaved its way into our lives — quite literally: we are drinking and ingesting it.

The Microfiber Pollution & The Apparel Industry project found that “microfibers are prevalent in both aquatic and terrestrial habitats, from the bottom of the Indian Ocean to farmland in the United States.” The project also found that “when synthetic jackets are washed, on average, 1,174 milligrams of microfibers are released from the washing machine. These microfibers then travel to local wastewater treatment plants, where up to 40 percent of them can enter into rivers, lakes, and oceans (depending on local wastewater treatment conditions).”

A 2016 article in The Guardian said “Studies indicate that the microfiber in our clothes could be poisoning our waterways and food chain on a massive scale. Microfiber — tiny threads

shed from fabric — have been found in abundance on shorelines where wastewater is released.” A recent study in that article found that microfiber makes up 85 percent of human-made debris on shorelines worldwide.

I predict that microfiber will go the way of microbeads, those little bits of plastic that were used in face scrubs and shampoos that were found to be so hazardous that Congress outlawed them in 2015. If you think you can’t do without your microfiber stuff, remember that we are doing just fine without those microbeads, which were once hailed as essential to personal hygiene.

Until that time, though, we’ve read

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up on what many experts recommend can be done today to ensure that less microfiber finds its way into our water systems tomorrow, and we share some of these common-sense, simple tips below.

1. Consider using microfiber catchers. Some products help trap and eliminate microfiber that gets shedded into the washing machine water. You should check into these, buy one or all, and get them working to help eliminate microfiber. The Filtrol (filtrol.net/) is a filter that captures microfibers as they leave the washing machine, and makes it easy to put them into the trash. There are inside-thedrum items like the Cora Ball or

Guppyfriend bag that help trap and eliminate shedded microfiber.

2. Wash your clothes only when you HAVE to. You can treat small stains without washing the entire garment. And just think: in addition to releasing less microfiber into the water system, you’ll reduce energy consumption and extend the life of the garment.

3. Consider a front-loading washing machine. Front-loaders cause less microfiber shedding that does toploaders.

4. Be vigilant about lint traps. Clean lint traps after every single load, and

be sure to put the lint into the trash can, NOT down the drain.

5. Swear off small loads of wash. Larger loads in the washing machine mean a lower water-to-fabric ratio, which means less water released.

6. Purchase the best-made clothing you can afford. You get what you pay for: better construction means less microfiber release.

7. Swear off fast fashion. Don’t buy cheap, crappy clothing for just a wear, or two. The market has been flooded with fast fashion, which frays more easily and sheds synthetic fibers more readily.

April 2020 | 19

TIME TO ALIGN

by Karen Calnicean

20 | Good Fat Life

A

s I was laying in savasana at the end of a yoga class five years ago, I listened to the instructor’s final words. She said, “Make sure your chakras are aligned.” Like a new, eager student of yoga, I thought, ‘Yes! I want and need that!’. But before I could say “Namaste,” I couldn’t wrap my head around what the hell she was talking about. I decided to turn to Guru Google and this is what came back to me in the internet’s infinite wisdom, “Chakras are circular vortexes’ of energy that are placed in seven different points of the spinal column. And all chakras are connected to vital organs and glands within the body. Whenever a chakra is disrupted or blocked, it can cause physical and mental ailments”.

I still did not understand it. Then, the infinite wisdom of Pinterest led me to this chart.

Suddenly, it made sense. I began a journey to align my chakras, having no direction or knowledge on how to go about it. I decided to start from the bottom, root chakra, and work my way up to the crown chakra.

The red or root chakra is located at tail bone. It is said it represents survival and grounding. Was I grounded in survival? Or,

Maybe the journey isn’t so much about BECOMING anything.

Maybe it’s about un-BECOMING everything that isn’t really you so you can BECOME who you were meant to BE in the first place. was I barely surviving and not grounded in the truth? Yes, I was showing up to yoga, but I was also showing up to the Wendy’s drive-thru and liquor store regularly. The truth was that I wasn’t taking care of myself. I was not

showing up in my body, head, or heart.

I thought sleep was for the dead. When really, I was sleepwalking through life. I placed very little value on what I ate or drank. I set out to make tiny changes.

First, it was, get the healthiest thing at the drive-thru. Then it was, go to fast food and the bar less. I started thinking outside of the box on what I can do to stay active every day. I starting walking, then I started running. Next, I set a goal for myself. I have always thought free diving is amazing, so I set a goal to train.

Looking around me, some so many other people are not just surviving but thriving in their bodies and life. I copied their behavior. I made sleep a priority.

Very slowly, I started to feel planted on the earth again. I began to feel alive and beautiful.

I looked better naked, too!

Next, it was time for the orange or sacral chakra. Located in the pelvis, it represents sexuality and passion. With fewer garbage foods and booze in my system, I began to be in touch more with my sensual side and my body. I was less numb to any desires I may have had sexual or otherwise. My lovely friends bought me a boudoir photoshoot, and I felt empowered.

April 2020 | 21

22 | Good Fat Life

Going through this experience left me with a sense of strength and beauty. I felt as if I was getting more comfortable with myself being uncomfortable in the presence of the camera lens. Unlike handedness, perhaps the chosen lens we look through is not always permanent.

Sights and sounds have become more real. I looked at beautiful things, read amazing books, and started dressing as my best self. Instead of seeing the negative, I could see my beauty and the gifts I could share with being a beautiful person inside and out. I followed anything that made me feel passionate about my environment. I was now genuinely confident.

The yellow or solar plexus chakra is in the lower abdomen. It represents confidence and intuition. The day I was being photographed for this article at the Howell Opera House, I felt so blessed and wonderful. A tear started to stream down my face. I concluded with confidence to pitch my idea to Good Fat Life and my intuition that Sherri Richards would get it. I was living the dream I had as a child. I always hoped my life would be filled with pretty dresses, wearing them in amazing places and people being interested in me. I thought, “You did it, 4-year-old Karen!!!”

My heart was full.

Green heart chakra is associated with love and compassion, and it is located in the heart. With exercise, healthy eating, and getting back to my passion and lust for life, I began working on showing more love and compassion to myself and others. I wanted to share myself in everything I did. In the way, I loved and cooked and decorated and dressed. I want to show up true and unencumbered, so I could share all my joy in little and big ways. I wanted to create a safe, beautiful place for my loved ones to feel compassion from me.

The blue chakra of the throat represents expression and creativity. My home became very important to me, and I wanted everything to reflect the expression of myself and my family’s creativity. I sought everywhere to find those details to reflect that goal. I created my own style; dying my hair green and taking many fashion risks. I wanted the world to see me and my heart for who I truly am. They say the devil is in the details. I say the soul is in the details.

I followed my intuition to be drawn to physical objects.

THEY SAY THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS. I SAY THE SOUL IS IN THE DETAILS.

Indigo represents the third eye and is located on the forehead. This is the psychics’ ability.

With having my head, heart, and home in place, I was able to relax more and tap into the nonphysical things. How are the people feeling around me, and how can I help?

Having two teenagers, I want to make sure they and their friends always had a safe place to land. Without all the unnecessary clutter in my heart and head, I can now be present for others and connect.

Lastly, the violet or crown chakra is above the head. It signifies connection and wisdom. Every day, I pick a topic to learn about spiritual or physical alignment. My task is to stay so aligned that no one can mess with my vibe.

It’s not always easy, but it’s worth it. I start the day saying, “If it’s not good for my vibe or does not fit my intentions, I should not do it.”. That can be challenging. And yes, some days I completely blow it. However, I know it’s okay to leave the path as long as I hop back on. I stopped hustling, shucking, and jiving and gave up the idea of the

grind. I embraced the concept of rest, recovery, and reflection. I joined a wonderful Super Soul Sunday group to study A Course In Miracles. I now meditate every day. I know my life is so much better not because of luck but because of alignment.

Here are my five tips to alignment •

Be honest with yourself;

•

Kill your ego;

•

Meditate; get quiet or pray;

•

Embrace your fears;

•

Follow your heart;

•

Love yourself first, and everything falls in line.

Or should I say everything will align?

Photography: LMD Photography & LMD Boudoir & Women’s Fine Portraiture Gowns: The White Dress, Brighton, MI Hair: Natasha Gee Make-up: Carly Schuett Shoot location: Howell Opera House Snedicor’s Cleaners for great care of the gowns.

April 2020 | 23

INTEGRATION Finding Happiness and Purpose in 2020!

by Tina Heusel

I

found happiness when I stopped competing with my identities and instead worked on combining them.

My identities as a mom, wife, friend, employee, volunteer, and mentor, all while keeping personal well-being and health top of mind.

Tina’s Tips: First and most importantly, understand your purpose in life is to live a happy, fulfilling life, and integration is critical. At the start of my purpose journey, I asked myself these questions: am I leading with passion, does this make me happy, am I doing my best work? My mantra became: whoever I am, whatever I’m doing, do, and be my best.

This question can focus on work, family time, working out, or merely driving in my car. If I answer no, then I ask myself, why, what’s missing, and what’s the solution?

Is it me, you, or them? Is it the space or the energy? Am I tired? Am I hungry?

Am I getting friends and family time?

Have I been listening to my body and fueling it with the proper nutrition, rest, stretching, and physical activity and BIG for me: quiet time? Getting 24 | Good Fat Life

meditation in, even two minutes in the morning is so impactful in every facet of my life. Make time for YOU. Remember, you can’t pour from an empty cup!

Work culture is vital to integration too. We spend 90,000 hours of our life working so you can assure work culture impacts each part of our lives, infinitely. So, please ask yourself: do your values align with your company or prospective company? Do you prefer to work from home, or do you need to be around people? Do you want an office, or is space not as important? Do you require a mom’s room? Do you need a flexible work schedule? Do you need a supportive work culture, or do you want to go to work head down for 8 hours and leave? If you’re not feeling great at work, check-in with yourself, especially when you feel anxious.

Learning what you don’t like can lead you to discover what you want. If you are looking for a new employer, checkout their website, Glassdoor reviews, and ask your network about work-life integration.

Look for ways to blend responsibilities, instead of separate. Invite your friends and family to community events and to volunteer with you. This way, it can be family/friend time while supporting a passion project.

Another integration tip is to use one calendar for work, family, and friends, preferably the calendar at your fingertips.

Using the calendar on my phone ensures I schedule everything in one place and can immediately schedule, say no, or amend the date. This is one way to use technology to your advantage and relieve the stress of one more thing to do or double-booking yourself. Be sure to schedule meditation, workout, stretch, and friend time into your phone calendar as well.

My last tip is to find a supportive group of people. WXW, Women’s Exchange of Washtenaw, is that for me and probably the most significant slice of my integration pie because it allows me to combine nearly all the slices of my life.

The workshops help me flex my personal and professional development muscle.

The camaraderie and support I feel from each event, improve my mental health both from the praise I receive and the praise I give! Equally important, I get to engage with old friends and meet new friends. “The Courage to be Disliked” states the key to happiness is the feeling of contributing and community, so find a community, like WXW, to support your passions!

I hope these tips are helpful to you for a happy, integrated life.

HEALTHY KETO RECIPES

by Kristi Hunt

Bacon Gruyere Egg Bites

Creamy Southwest Chicken Soup

Serves 4 Per serving: 284 Cal, 23 F, 2 C, 0 Fib, 2 Sug, 19 P

Serves 4 Per serving: 385 Cal, 26 F, 13 C, 6 Fib, 4 Sug, 27 P Ingredients

Ingredients 6 slices of bacon 8 eggs 2 oz heavy cream 1 oz gruyere, shredded ¼ tsp salt

1.5 lb chicken thigh 12 oz pico de gallo salsa, or freshly diced onion, tomato, jalapeno with lime and cilantro 32 oz chicken stock

4 oz fresh baby spinach 4 oz heavy cream Salt 2 medium avocados, sliced

Directions Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and the bacon. Bake approximately 10 minutes, or until crispy (longer for thicker cut bacon). Whisk eggs together in a medium bowl with cream and salt. Pour egg mixture into 12 silicone muffin molds. Top each with a half slice of bacon, and sprinkle cheese over the top. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until firm in the center. **When I’m on-the-go my car loves to take me to my favorite well-known coffeehouse chain, or maybe it’s me who takes the car there. Either way, I find myself enjoying a hot coffee paired with a scrumptious snack of Bacon and Gruyere Sous Vide Egg Bites. For a drive-thru option when in a pinch, it for me is a suitable option. When I’m really on my game however, I’ll whip up my own homemade egg bites to travel with as I make an effort to prepare the majority of my meals at home. I’m not huge on kitchen gadgets, so instead of sous vide egg bites, I bake them in muffin cups instead! This recipe is a simple, no fuss way to recreate the egg bites at home.

Directions Place chicken thighs, pico de gallo and chicken stock together in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and then let simmer for 30 minutes. Remove chicken thighs, shred the meat and return to the soup. Stir in spinach and cream and season to taste with salt. Serve topped with avocado.

Need to create lunch or dinner on the fly? This one pot soup has you covered! Pico de gallo and baby spinach add fresh flavor to this soup while cream and avocado help to richen it up. If you enjoy spice, you can garnish it with a dash of hot sauce to add an extra spark.

April 2020 | 25

FEELING FRUMPY, FATIGUED, AND FORLORN?

Are You Carb Sensitive?

by Kristin Grayce McGary

A

re you carrying extra weight, especially around your middle?

Do you crave carbohydrates and rarely feel satiated after you eat? Well, you’re not alone, and yet, I’d love for you to feel connected and juicy in a healthy and vibrant body again. I understand the struggles around food. I was a competitive bodybuilder, eating 600 calories a day, training for hours, and then rebounding and gaining 35 extra pounds during a serious illness. I began studying Western medicine and switched to Asian and Functional medicine because I intuitively understood that food was medicine, but it could also be like a poison. Western medicine never mentioned food while Asian medicine dove deeply into the micronutrients as well as the energetic qualities. I began to find ways to feed my body differently as well as my soul.

Carbohydrates could be like a poison for you. Something called Carbohydrate Sensitivity can possibly explain why you have cravings for sugar, starches, 26 | Good Fat Life

chocolate, alcohol, cookies, and ice cream; as well as never really feeling full, even though your belly may be extending. Here’s how it works: Your body makes insulin in response to rising blood sugar levels due to the foods you’ve eaten. The more sugar and starches you eat, the more insulin is needed to shuttle the sugar from your blood into your cells. Sugar floating around in your blood is very toxic and causes organ and nerve damage so your body wants to usher it into your cells to be used as fuel.

This fuel source isn’t very economical or efficient (more on this below). If you are sensitive to carbs, then you’re likely insulin resistant, which means your body isn’t able to move the sugar from your blood into your cells, so it begins to accumulate. And this accumulation causes more insulin to be released. The insulin isn’t able to do its important job and your body becomes tired. High levels of insulin lead to weight gain, fatigue, foggy thinking, liver issues, food cravings, inflammation, and unstable moods. It can make releasing excess

weight very difficult because most people don’t address the underlying cause: Carb Sensitivity aka Insulin resistance.

At this point your likely thinking about what foods you may have to cut out, what you love to taste, what you reach for when you’re stressed, how will you be able to go out to eat with friends, what will your family say, and how impossible it all seems. I understand because I’ve been working with patients for the past 22 years who’ve struggled with stuffing their feelings with food, had body image issues, and became addicted to high sugar/starch foods in an attempt to soothe deeper pain. My dear mom is an emotional eater so I was raised watching her use food as medicine, but not in a healthy way. She used it for comfort because many other aspects of her life, especially her relationship with my father, caused her great pain. I love my dysfunctional family and I left home at age 17 to stabilize and grow beyond the patterns I was taught. I now teach others how to ask the tough questions, heighten

Photo by Gabriela Pereira

April 2020 | 27

their self-awareness and shine their brightest selves. My sweet mom has paid the price for her self-soothing habits with Type 3 diabetes, which is diabetic Alzheimer’s due to the white matter of her brain shrinking (dementia), resulting from many decades of high insulin, high blood sugar, and carbohydrate sensitivity, a fate, of which, I’d love to spare you.

Your body is designed to thrive. I remember sitting in Biology class, learning how the brain requires glucose (sugar) to function, but this is not really true. Your brain functions 25% more optimally on fats than it does on glucose. Carbohydrates turn into glucose and get stored as glycogen in your muscles. Carbohydrates get stored as fat in your body, so eating them does not support releasing weight. This form of energy is very quick burning, it’s great for survival but not great for thriving. Healthy fats, along with abstaining from starchy carbohydrate intake, become long lasting energy. Fats, aka ketone bodies, are a much more efficient form of energy that stabilizes your blood sugar while decreasing insulin, inflammation, and cravings. When your body switches to using fats for fuel, you become a metabolic superhero, burning fats all day long, even when you sleep.

In my practice, Carbohydrate Sensitivity also means emotional sensitivity that hasn’t been fully accepted and honored. This means that you likely feel things deeply, and it may not always feel comfortable. There are often older feelings/emotions buried under the surface that have yet to be expressed. Many people will gain extra tissue as a buffer from the busy, crazy world because they weren’t taught more balanced and healthier strategies for integrating into the world. I love to teach women how to step into their higher selves and live a vibrant life. It’s true that what you eat and how you digest and absorb it are important, but that’s only part of the picture, there’s more. I’ve discovered that most people who are reaching for sweets and carbohydrates are missing a certain kind of “sweetness” in their life, so they turn to food to satisfy a deeper emotional and spiritual craving for sweet connection and love.

Have you ever eaten a meal and then instantly began planning your next meal or your next week of meals? You may be strategizing how to get, what you perceive to be, important needs and desires met. You likely don’t often feel satisfied or even full.

There may be a sense of “scarcity” around food, sustenance, and getting or having enough. It’s almost like a food obsession or anxiety. Don’t worry, you’re not crazy, it’s happening to others as well. It’s your brain, sweetie. You have structures in your brain and receptor sites that get very excited when you eat sugar, just like they do when a heroin addict shoots up or smokes. Yes, it may seem like a dramatic comparison, but it’s chemically quite similar.

28 | Good Fat Life

The reward processing circuitry of your brain gets lit up when you eat sugar and carbohydrates, driving your mind to order your body to repeat the behavior that created the perceived “pleasure.”

And cravings and addiction ensue. This cycle can feel maddening!

The good news is that you don’t have to be a slave to those cravings. In my first book Holistic Keto for Gut Health; A Program for Resetting Your Metabolism, I dedicate an entire chapter to sugar and how to work with those pesky cravings, followed by another chapter on contemplative journaling exercises that upgrade your self-awareness around food, habits, and cultural influences. I believe that you have the ability to thrive, it’s your birthright, so where to begin?

The first step is to catch yourself in an old pattern or behavior. It may be around food (reaching for snacks when

you’re stressed, or ice cream after a break-up) or something more benign like taking the elevator instead of the stairs or avoiding a social situation. Once you’ve caught yourself in an old pattern, that may no longer be serving you, press the Pause button. Stop, take 5 deep breaths, expanding your diaphragm and low belly on the inhale and relaxing them on the exhale. Then ask these questions: Which part of me created this habit? How old is she/he/it? What need was she/he/ it trying to get met? Does it serve my adult self, and how or how not? What would my highest self say and do in this moment? Can you help the younger version of yourself get that need met in a healthier way? Can you now shift your physical body, turn around, jump up and down, walk in the opposite direction; with the intention of doing something differently. When you move your body in a new way, you are shaking up the

old pattern and integrating something new. When I work with people doing deep transformation (which can be done with ease and joy), I often have them physically change their environment and their habits such as moving furniture and brushing their teeth with their non-dominant hand. When these things are done with a strong intention, then you begin to integrate beautiful change and growth into your life and you find a sense of freedom and joy that you’ve never felt before.

Fueling your body, mind, and spirit with real nourishment requires your care and attention. I call these “acts of self-love”.

Rather than playing the reward/punish or guilt/shame games, heighten your awareness and begin to celebrate life with healthy choices that truly feed your body, mind, and soul. I believe in you, keep shining your brightest!

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8:00 am – 5:00 pm • Workshops, Networking & More!

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April 2020 | 29

GIVING = RECEIVING

by Sherri Richards “Gracious acceptance is an art - an art which most never bother to cultivate. We think that we have to learn how to give, but we forget about accepting things, which can be much harder than giving....”

– Alexander McCall Smith, Love Over Scotland

W

e have all heard the phrase, “It is better to give vs. receive.” For many people, this is a deeply seated core belief.

What if that statement is not entirely true? AND what if that belief is keeping you from having the money and abundance you want?

Consider this, part of giving means that someone has to receive.

If everyone were on the giving end, who would be doing all of the receiving that allows everyone to feel so darn good?

This belief earned a dear friend of mine the title of being a “Blessing Suck”! She was devastated. She is a very kind and giving person. She never thought about the receiving end of the exchange.

My friend (call her Sue) was going through cancer treatment. When people came to help her and her family get through this challenging time, she was 30 | Good Fat Life

dismissive. Even though she was not in a position to care for herself, let alone her family.

Sue believed that it was better to give than to receive. This deeply rooted belief prevented Sue from showing her gratitude for the support, which in turn blocked the giver the opportunity to feel good about their gift! Deep down, Sue was NOT comfortable with her ability to receive. Thus, she was a blessing, suck!

Sue is not alone.

Many people, especially women, are brilliant at giving and giving and fall apart when someone wants to give back.

They will find some way NOT to receive the gifts people want to give them, be it a compliment, material item, even a hug!

Think about how you would respond in the following scenarios: Someone pays you a compliment. Do you say, “Thank you,” and mean it, or

do you lower your eyes and mumble something like “this dress is so old.” In essence, you are telling the person giving the compliment that they don’t know what they are talking about, because they obviously got it wrong when they said something complimentary to you.

Someone gives you a gift you really want. Do you light up and say, “OH MY GOSH, I can’t believe you just gave me what I have wanted forever?” Or do you close down and say, “OH NO, I couldn’t possibly accept this’? It’s too much! Take it back! While slamming the door to the joy of the giver?

how good are you at receiving other “blessings,” including money? The evidence of this belief can show up in many ways. Are you charging your clients your worth for your goods and services? Are you receiving the value you provide? If you work for someone else, are you paid what you’re worth?

Even though I have a master’s in finance, I used to think I didn’t need to pay personal attention to my retirement funds or the stock market, and I certainly did not need a financial advisor. Why? Because my belief was, I wasn’t worthy of receiving those extra funds to invest.

In retrospect, I too was a “blessing suck”! I was the first to give. I loved giving! But I would run and hide to avoid having to receive. I am not kidding. The examples I could give.

Some of them still bring tears to my eyes. Even a simple compliment could send me spinning. This change in belief has not been easy. I continue to work on it every day. I had to realign my core beliefs. Since shifting from, “it is better to give than receive,” to “receiving = giving,” I feel and appreciate the joy and abundance that are in my life in a much deeper way.

Before you answer, remember this: Taking and receiving are NOT the same thing. There is a HUGE difference between the two. A “taker” takes with no sense of gratitude. They often have a sense of entitlement, i.e., the giver owes them that which they are taking.

Self-Worth is the difference between a taker and a healthy receiver. A taker takes because she has an agenda and does not have the confidence that there will be enough for her. She comes from a place of scarcity. The receiver joyfully accepts the gift, understanding that she is worthy

of receiving and is abundantly confident that there is plenty for everyone! She also knows that giving is not a transaction that requires her to reciprocate. It may however, inspire her to share the joyful experience she had with others in many different ways.

What does this have to do with money? Everything. Money is a form of receiving. It has been said, “How we do anything is how we do Everything.”

While there is some confusion over where this quote originated, the message is crystal clear. If you have trouble accepting a simple compliment,

Try this practice for the next week; Every time someone gives you something, a compliment, meal, gift, referral, even a smile, notice how you feel.

Do you step into the gift and graciously say thank you, feeling the joy, or do you duck to avoid it in some way?

Notice where and when you feel the pleasure or discomfort in your body with no judgment.

Be curious.

I promise when you align your beliefs as I am, your life will change.

April 2020 | 31

WHY YOU CAN’T JUST EAT ONE CHIP

by Dr. Darren Schmidt A hyper-palatable food is one where the synergy between components of the food — such as fat, sodium (salt), sugar, and carbohydrates — makes it tastier than it would otherwise be.

H

yper-palatable foods can activate our brain reward neurocircuitry, which can create a highly rewarding experience that can make these foods difficult to stop eating, even when we feel full.

Have you ever started eating Doritos and couldn’t stop?? Think about candy bars, salty chip snacks, and cookies, and how pleasurable it is to eat them and how fast one can accrue lots of calories by eating them!

In this book called The Dorito Effect, Mark Schatzker, the author, has done extensive research on hyper palatability and has written this book to explain the missing piece of the food puzzle: flavor. Drawing on advances ranging from the brain science of food addiction to how plants communicate with insects, The Dorito Effect shows how we have interfered with a highly sophisticated chemical language that evolved to guide our nutrition.

32 | Good Fat Life

Evolution did not program us to get fat— we’ve simply tricked ourselves into craving the wrong foods.

Jello and Yogurt are Hyper Palatable “Flavor technology has gotten incredibly potent with their chemicals and it’s not with just potato chips and soda,” he states, “we’re putting flavorings in soymilk, in yogurt, and frozen pizzas. If you look at the ingredients for any of the fast-food restaurants that care to share them…

You see artificial and natural flavorings everywhere. Americans consume about 600 million pounds per year.” He states in his interview with Robb Wolf …

“This stuff does measure in parts per billion. So, 600 million pounds is just a staggering amount.”

Basically, the food industry has wellestablished food formulas based on combinations of fat, sugar, sodium,

and carbohydrates that are designed to maximize palatability and consumption.

In a Medscape article called, ‘Hyperpalatable’ Defined as Foods Driving the Obesity Epidemic,” Researchers defined hyperpalatable foods as those that contain: • Fat and sodium (> 25% kcal from fat, ≥ 0.30% sodium by weight), for example, bacon, and pizza; or • Fat and simple sugars (> 20% kcal from fat, > 20% kcal from sugar), for example, cake and ice cream; or • Carbohydrates and sodium (> 40% kcal from carbohydrates, ≥ 0.20% sodium by weight), for example, bread and chips.

They determined that 4795 of 7757 foods (62%) in the US Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS), which is representative of the US food system, met these criteria.

A good solution to replace these hyper-palatable foods with is protein.

Getting sufficient protein in your diet – both in overall grams and in proper doses throughout the eating day – can make a tremendous difference in your level of food cravings.

Why Protein is Important: 1. It makes you feel full. Protein takes longer to digest, which means feeling fuller longer and enjoying a more stable blood sugar, and hence reduced cravings.

2. Protein is an important component of every cell in the body. Your body uses protein to build and repair tissues. You also use protein to make enzymes, hormones, and other body chemicals. Protein is an important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood.

3. In conjunction with resistance training, getting sufficient protein in your diet will give your body the building blocks to prioritize building (and keeping) lean muscle, which translates into a stronger, fitter body with a higher resting metabolism.

April 2020 | 33

What If Gurpreet Gill, Breathwork Practitioner Intuitive Energy Healer | Integration Coach

There is so much fear, and perhaps rightfully so, about COVID-19.

The working poor. The lack of healthcare access for over 30 million in the US. The need for paid sick leave.

And, what if…

How hard does one need to work to be able to live, to have a life outside of work?

If we subscribe to the philosophy that life is always working out for us, that there is an intelligence far greater than humans at work…

That all is interconnected.

What if… the virus is here to help us?

To reset.

To remember.

What is truly important.

Reconnecting with family and community.

Reducing travel so that the environment, the skies, the air, our lungs all get a break.

Parts of China are seeing blue sky and clouds for the first time in forever with the factories being shut down.

To face our mortality — check back into “living” life rather than simply working, working, working.

To reconnect with our elders, who are so susceptible to this virus.

And, washing our hands — how did that become a “new” thing that we needed to remember. But, yes, we did.

The presence of Grace for all.

There is a shift underway in our society — what if it is one that is favorable for us?

What if this virus is an ally in our evolution?

In our remembrance of what it means to be connected, humane, living a simpler life, to be less impactful/ more kind to our environment.

Working from home rather than commuting to work (less pollution, more personal time).

An offering from my heart this morning. Offered as another perspective. Another way of relating to this virus, this unfolding, this evolution.

Reconnecting with family as there is more time at home.

It was time for a change, we all knew that.

An invitation to turn inwards — a deep meditation — rather than the usual extroverted going out to self-soothe.

And, change has arrived.

To reconnect with self — what is really important to me?

A reset economically.

34 | Good Fat Life

What if…

Facebook: www.facebook.com/breathworkforhealing/ Website: gurpreetkgill.com

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