Free | May 2014
Feminine Essence
Letter From the Editor What does it mean to be feminine? To be a Girl.... a Woman... a Mother.... How does it impact the business world? Our relationships... our health... and even our sex life? Since it’s May, and Mother’s Day is just around the corner, those are the topics that we will be covering in these pages. Cover Image: Divine Angel Of Light Archangel - Butterly - Saced Geometry Flower of Life
Original Painting by Alma Yamazaki Other of her paintings are shown below.
To be in our essence, to be true to ourselves. That is what this issue is about. As always, enjoy!
Visit her Etsy Online Store by Clicking Here or visit her website at www.angelwing4.com
FeminineEssence 4
Feminine Energy
7
Examining the Feminine Edge
9
A Mothers’ Day Wish
11
How Putting Yourself First Makes You a Better Wife and Mother
14
Improve Your Health and Sex Life with EFT
17
Unleash the Goddess Within
20
The Essence of a Mindful Eating Practice
22
The Food We Eat
by Angie Romero
by Denise Banks-Grasedyck
by Michelle Lee
by Gladys Diaz
by Alina Frank
by Stephanie Salameh
by Katie Jeffrey
by Varouj Kachichian
n e m o W r e i th l a e H r e i p p Ha he t l l a s e h s i W .. . d l r o W n i Mom’s re) a u t u F d n a t n (Past, Prese
Happy ! y a D s ’ r e Moth
Feminine Energ y By ANGIE ROMERO
Whether we are conscious of it or not we all have both masculine and feminine energies within us (and all around us, actually) because we live in a world of duality. You know, the famous Yin Yang theory. In simpler terms, we live in a dimension where everything has an opposite because as science has proven we can’t have one without the other. Now, does this mean one energy is good and the other bad? No, it doesn’t. But, what it does mean, however, is that we must learn to find balance in our masculine and feminine energies in order to live more balanced, happier and healthier in all areas of our life. Here, let me explain the difference between the masculine and feminine before I go further.
Masculine Energy is often described as the “doing” energy. It can be identified as: · Dominating / Leadership · Action Oriented · Logic / Thought · Connection to the Physical World · Protective / Supportive · Giving · Outspoken · Stability · Strong / Strength
Since Feminine Energy is the balancing counterpart, it is the “being” energy. It can be identified as: · Collaboration · Compassion · Intuition / Feeling · Connection to Nature · Nurturing · Receiving · Quiet · Flow · Soft · Creative
At our very core, we are dominant in either masculine or feminine. If female, you’re most likely feminine at your core. If male, you’re most likely masculine at your core. This isn’t always the case though as I know many women whose core essence by nature is more masculine (for example they are the “pants in the family” by personality), and many men who have more of feminine essence (for example, they love to cook and nurture for their kids). Yet, like I said above, what we all need is a balance of both of these energies in our life.
Whatever energy is dominant will shape you, and if you aren’t living authentically in your core essence, then you cannot be happy. And, here is the thing..... Many of us modern women have shifted more into our masculine energy traits than we may even recognize. It’s not exactly because we wanted to, it just happens with the life that we lead. Society itself tends to run on masculine energy ... constant busy schedules, tasks that need to be finished and pending responsibilities that we must uphold. Women who work in the corporate or business world tend to be more in their masculine energies. Thinking, analyzing, holding the reigns of the business, etc. All day long they are constantly running in this masculine “doing energy” and not being true to their core feminine essence of just “being”. I’ve also encounter women who don’t work a 9-5 schedule or lead a boardroom, but have the job and responsibility of their household, children and husband. Some of these women maybe are too far deep into their feminine essence (always nurturing, being soft and in collaboration). These women are being true to their core essence, yet are ignoring the masculine energy within them of “doing” for themselves, of being “active” in their beliefs and wants. This results in an unbalance of energies. And, yet .... there is another group of us women, and yes I’m including myself in this group. We are the group of women who really
have to play all roles of doing and being at once.
Take me for example. Although my core essence is feminine, I have had to learn to live more in my masculine energy in order to be the financial support for my daughter and myself. I put myself through school while working a 9-5 job (masculine traits) all while being a single mom (feminine traits) of trying to be caring, soft and quiet (lol!) with my daughter. I run this magazine and my coaching practice (masculine doing traits) while dealing playing with intuition, creativity and empathy with my clients (feminine traits). I thought I was managing it well. However, a girlfriend brought to my attention that I had fallen into a trap I hadn’t noticed. I was much more in my masculine energy than I thought! See, being a single mom has taught me much more than just parenting. It’s also taught me to work a nail and hammer, unclog a bathroom and even drive my own moving truck half way across the country with my then 9 year old next to me! Don’t ask me to change a tire though... that I still haven’t wanted to succeed in! lol. While I feel very accomplished that I can do all these things we usually leave for the men in our life to do, I discovered that I do have more of a masculine energy in my personality than I want. Truth be told, I’ve gotten so used to being the independent woman that I am, that I have slightly alienated that part of me that just needs to be soft and receptive.
How to Re-Align With Our Feminine Side 1. All energy is ignited the fastest by movement. And, while this can include walking or jogging, I personally feel that dancing is the number one choice (and if you know me personally you really know this about me!) for a woman to tap into her radiance.
To allow the music to flow through your body and experience the moment in full awareness. To be swept off your feet by the rhythm of the music surrounding you, and just enjoy in the “being” of that moment. 2. Enjoy things that make you feel feminine. As cliche as it sounds, women should do anything and everything that makes them feel sexy, happy, and loved. For example, baths, massage, skirts, heels, dress up, laugh. Since we are so busy in our “day-to-day” activities, we sometimes forget to take time for us to just “be” and “receive” and to “allow” us to feel girly! My ebook Be Sexy, Confident and Stress Free (which you can find on my website) details a lot more on this and gives great tips on all three subjects. 3. Open up to allow yourself to be vulnerable. Vulnerability is not a weakness, its an invitation to the Universe to allow for us to seek help and assistance when needed. A heartfelt desire to be “take care of” so that we can fully experience all those other qualities of life that we modern women have so passively ignored. Remember, all of us have both masculine and feminine energies. Yes, we modern women can have masculine leadership and go-getter attitudes, but our core feminine essence
is one that brings us pure joy, happiness and a meaningful life !
Angie Romero is
a Life and Wellness Coach for Women, a Holistic Practitioner, Editor/Publisher of HappierHealthierWomen.com, and Recipient of VIP Woman of the Year by The National Association of Women for 2013 for her service to women worldwide to live Happier and Healthier in all areas of their life. For more information on courses, seminars and transformational packages visit www.AngieRomero.com
Examining The
Feminine Edge By DENISE BANKS-GRASEDYCK
So what do you get when you put a Belgian born Jewish fashion designer, a Greek born media mogul, an African-American television celebrity, producer and network owner and an Italian-American author and rock star life and business coach in a room?
Aside from a quartet that symbolizes American diversity, if the last names are von Fürstenberg, Huffington, Winfrey and Forleo, you get a great guest list for a party and some of the most admired, powerful, smartest and wealthiest women in business today. Beyond the obvious, that they are all the same gender, what else do Diane von Fürstenberg, Arianne Huffington, Oprah Winfrey and Marie Forleo have in common? They are highly successful business women who exude and display what many people would label as decidedly feminine qualities.
They look feminine; perfectly arched brows, soft, manicured hands and draped in elegant wrap-dresses, Vera Wang couture and the latest too-die-for footwear. They sound feminine; advocating and modelling communication and community as a higher path on the journey toward incredible success.
They work feminine; building empires
on intelligence, collaboration and the foundation principles of “how can I make a difference” and “give and you will receive”.
Together with like-minded women around the globe, these women have turned the too often undervalued feminine edge into the competitive edge.
For too many years women have been receiving and sending mixed messages about what is means to be a woman, to be feminine and to be successful.
They have torn volumes from the manifesto of the “Old Boys Club” and created new rules and in fact, are leaders in what may well be an evolving new world order.
We have been told to embrace who we are, love ourselves and our sisters, yet we have not been bold enough in allowing ourselves to want what we want and to know that we are divinely equipped to achieve just that.
Women like von Fürstenberg, Huffington and Winfrey have walked their talk and created successful careers and designed their own lives while embracing their own femininity rather than simply donning a dark pantsuit, imitating successful male role-models and hoping for the best.
Now, at long last, we are entering an age in which power belongs not only to the one who withstands force or learns to harness it but also to the one who understands that yielding and redirecting energy into the paths she creates has the potential to generate and illicit sustainable, perhaps even inexhaustible power.
They have nurtured, encouraged and pushed themselves and women around the world to get out and create the life they want not despite being a woman, but because women have special gifts to bring to the world.
This is clearly not the world that James Brown sang about in his old soul hit, “This is a Man’s World,” it is something so much better – a world of happier, healthier women - and men.
With platforms such as Rich, Hot and Happy, Marie Forleo and her generation have brought a new level of freshness and boldness to the feminine edge in the arena of women’s success and achievement. Does it get any better?
Denise Banks-Grasedyck
is a certified professional coach, specializing in personal and professional development. An entrepreneur known as the Freedom Fighter for the overcommitted professional helping them regain control of their lives, avoid burnout or recover from it. Visit her website at www.banks-grasedyck.com
A
Mothers’ Day Wish
By MICHELLE LEE
Don’t Forget to
Pamper Yourself On Your Special Day
Mothers around the globe are taught to put their family’s needs first and to place their own needs last. While this attribute may be noble in theory, the constant sacrifices of their time, energy and sleep can wreak havoc on their health.
Mothers must remember to take care of themselves first before they can care for others. This may seem like a daunting task, but they can be there for their family and still remain healthy and vibrant by not neglecting their own health. For example, for some mothers, it may seem as though there are never enough hours in a day, especially when it comes to juggling their family needs and other work, but by using work life balance skills they can avoid becoming overstressed.
Mothers are sometimes compelled to lose sleep in order to care for family members for whatever reason, but it is helpful for them to remember to rest about seven to nine hours, which may include naps so they will have the energy to tackle another day’s responsibilities. Furthermore, mothers can also help themselves by remembering to take their own advice regarding maintaining healthy eating habits. Instead of simply telling this advice to their children and stopping there, they can adopt healthier habits themselves and have a better opportunity to remain healthy and vibrant. Finally, mothers can make sure to pamper themselves for at least a day. For instance, they can have their hair or nails done; get a massage; or they can do something special they’ve been putting off for a future date. And pampering also includes tending to their inner selves, learning to cherish who they are and acknowledging all the great things they do for others.
So to all you mother’s out there, remember that
Mother’s Day
is your special day. Enjoy it, and know you deserve it!
Michelle Lee, Life Coach BS, MA,
Life Coach, Certified with Coach Training Alliance, M.Ed-Health Promotion. Coaching individuals to reduce stress, create a better work/life balance and shed unwanted pounds without having to diet, so they can start relishing their life now. Visit her at www.relishyourlifenow.com
How Putting
Yourself FIRST
Makes You a Better Wife & Mother! By GLADYS DIAZ In May, many of us celebrate the blessing and gift it is to be a mother – to have been entrusted with another life to love, cherish, and nurture. Often, something happens the moment we become mothers. We forget that before there were feedings to schedule, diapers that needed changing, and boo-boos that needed kissing, we were women and lovers who took care of ourselves and our relationships! I’m not sure why this happens. I’ve heard stories similar to mine from the women I work with around the world, so I know my story is that unique, but I’ll share it anyway in the hopes that it will make a difference for you!
The moment I became a mother was the first time in years that I felt like I couldn’t do something well. For years as an adult I had been a good student, then a great employee, as well as a sensual, flirtatious creature who embraced her beauty and femininity and shared it with the world, especially with the man with whom I’d chosen to share my life. However, when I became pregnant, all of a sudden, there was someone bigger than me (as small as he was) who needed and depended completely on me for life! During pregnancy, I still had my moments of feeling desirable, lovable, and deserving of my own time, attention, and affection, as well as my husband’s. But, for some reason, when they placed that crying little boy on my chest, I forgot all about that, and my world became all about him.
I’ll admit that there were many moments when I felt completely incompetent of caring for this little boy. - Why wouldn’t he stop crying? - How was I supposed to know what to do to make him comfortable? - Why in the world had I chosen to breastfeed a child who took 45 minutes to eat and would be hungry again in less than 2 hours?
A lot of my confidence in myself, my abilities, and my femininity seemed to gradually disappear. Needless to say, all of this also affected the relationship with my husband.
. . . . .
There came a point right after I became pregnant for the second time that I knew something had to change. I felt depleted and frazzled, unattractive and lonely (even though I was married). I missed the intimacy and romance my husband and I used to share. I wanted to feel beautiful, desirable (for something other than milk!), loved, and appreciated. I wanted to feel and receive some of the love I was giving non-stop! I knew I couldn’t make my husband solely responsible for making me feel that way.
I was no longer willing (or able) to stay up all night or in bed all day, making love. I had a few 60-minute windows of sleep throughout the night, and that was all I cared about! (Never in my life had sleep seemed so important!)
The truth is that, in trying to be super mom and do everything myself, I wasn’t giving him much of an opportunity to do that, anyway. I finally realized that I needed to give some love to myself!
I was spending every waking moment caring for and loving my baby, and forgetting, not only about how much my husband needed my love and attention, but how I needed to give some of that care and attention to myself!
So, as “guilty” as I felt at first, I began focusing on me.
Slowly, but surely, I began neglecting my selfcare and stopped doing many of the things that made me happy before having a baby – getting my hair and nails done, working out, spending “non-baby” time with my girlfriends, and going out on dates alone with my husband. It was a while before I realized just how much this was impacting my relationship with myself and the one with my husband. The romance began to fade, passion was rare, and I felt like any request for love and attention from him was one more thing on my ever-growing to-do list!
I began asking for help so that I could take a nap or go get my nails done. I began meeting my friends for coffee and taking courses I wanted to take. I began saying “No” when I felt I couldn’t do something, and making time to do the things that I had enjoyed prior to motherhood.
What I discovered was that, rather than making me a “bad mom” or wife, by practicing self-care, I became a much happier, peaceful, and patient wife and mother.
And, I began flirting with and dating my husband again. Because I felt rested, small things no longer sent me over the edge. I discovered that self-care translates into self-love, and the more love I gave to myself, the better I was able to love those around me! The more time I took for myself, the more patient, happy, and energetic I felt. My husband loved seeing me feeling happy and like myself again. He became my partner in helping me find ways to make time for self-care because I began allowing him to help me!
As a busy woman, the only way to make yourself a priority is to put yourself at the top of your to-do-and-care-for list. 1.
Begin by making a list of the things that you enjoy doing – things that make you happy and help replenish your mind, body, and spirit.
2.
Choose at least 1-2 things you will do every single day. They don’t have to take a lot of time, but they do need to be things you enjoy and are just for you!
3.
Schedule your self-care time and activities and keep those appointments with yourself, just as you would your child’s wellness check-ups!
While you will be taking a little time each day away from your husband and children to care for yourself, they will appreciate the happy, re-energized, and patient wife and mother that returns to them after you’ve given yourself some of the TLC they’ve come to appreciate! And, believe me, they will thank you for it!
Gladys Diaz
is sought-after a dating and relationship coach, author, and speaker who believes that it is every woman’s birthright to experience the joy of being loved, cherished, and adored by the man who is perfect for her. Co-founder of Heart’s Desire International with Michelle Roza, her business partner and the other half of “The Love Twins,” she provides women around the globe with coaching, webinars, programs, and services that help empower them to create the life and love their hearts desire! To learn more and to schedule a Ready for Love Breakthrough Session, visit http://www.heartsdesireintl.com
Improve Your
Health & Sex Life with EFT
By ALINA FRANK
It’s been estimated that over 40% of women have some sort of sexual dysfunction. This is a problem of epidemic proportions. Unrealistic images of women’s ideal body types are featured constantly in all media formats. Are the two be connected? I believe that they are.
The link between what a woman feels about her body, and her sexual expression, is becoming clearer with each research study. If you are constantly focused on what your body looks like, as well as what you think others are seeing and judging, then you can’t really let go and surrender into unbridled, lost-in-the-moment kind of sex.
Great sex
is created from a recipe that includes not just passion, but also feeling safe, connected, and present in the moment. When it’s off, it can be both disappointing and orgasm-less. Worse than that, it can be painful or nearly impossible. One common causative thread in all these scenarios is the lack of feeling true appreciation for your body. It is nearly impossible to avoid the images from the media’s pre-occupation with female body perfection. Even if you do not subscribe to cable TV and avoid titillating popular movies, you still are nearly forced to see photo-shopped images of perfect bodies on magazine covers at the grocery checkout line and online commercials.
Even when we consciously reject the promotion of these body perfection templates, parts of our brain become hardwired with the repetitive projection of these images as being the way we are supposed to look. Besides the visual images of skinny-beauty, if you happen to have been raised in a family that was judgmental about your appearance, this is also gets hard-wired into your subconscious at a deep emotional-limbic system part of the brain. A mother that would only pack you half-asandwich, or told you that perhaps it would be better if you wore only one piece bathing suits. These critical voices in your head from your past and the voices of a distorted view of what a woman’s body should look like, make it challenging for acceptance of what your body is in real life. Many of us long for those moments of uninhibited physical play, absent the notso-quiet inner voices of judgment and selfcritique. That wild, carefree joy of one’s body, is still intact for small children. How freeing it is to see them happy and comfortable walking around in the nude any chance they get. If only we could restore that feeling and live our lives with a lack of concern for how others see us. The loss of that freedom is painful. There is one tool that I have found that works magically to change the focus from selfreproach and scorn to profound self-love. That tool is the Emotional Freedom Techniques, (aka EFT or Tapping). EFT was founded in the 1990’s by Gary Craig as a way to discharge and release negative emotions. EFT, also referred to as Tapping, is based upon the concept that all negative emotions involve a simultaneous disruption
in the subtle energy system of the body. Feelings like anger, sadness, fear, grief, and guilt are able to be reduced and even removed by tapping with one’s fingertips on various acupoints on the face and upper body. This is the same energy system used in acupuncture – the meridian system. Powerfully charged memories create a blockage in the flow of this subtle energy and the end result is that we feel bad. When the system is cleared, it allows the mind to reframe the events, resulting in feelings of greater calm, peace and self-resourcefulness. The most fundamental statement that is utilized in the process of EFT is the “Even though” phrase. For example, “Even though I feel ashamed about the size of my thighs, I deeply and completely love and accept myself.” Imagine how profound it would be if you really made that shift to loving and accepting your body just the way it is? One EFT practitioner I know actually works in a plastic surgeon’s office. This doctor is insightful enough to realize that his repeat patients were, as he described “fundamentally flawed” in how they saw themselves. He understood that their personal reality of their bodies was often blatantly different from the perspective of how the external world viewed them. He felt that doing yet one more surgery on another body part in those patients was merely placing a band-aid on a festering wound.
He was wise enough to realize that what needed real repair was their emotional inner state, not their external flesh. To be able to marvel at your body and all that it does for you in spite of some perceived imperfections, is liberating at the very least.
That wonder of self and inner happiness is a key ingredient to being able to expose your nude body in front of your partner, or even yourself. If you have trepidations about “leaving the lights on” when having sexual contact, you are restricting your ability to delight in your partner’s body as well as your own. One of the ways that I determine where someone has issues with their body is to ask them to view themselves naked in front of a mirror. Listening to the negative thoughts that arise, helps to identify where your blocks are, what specifically you hate most, and possibly where they came from. If you hate your booty, you might remember being teased about it’s size in elementary school. If you have a problem with your breasts, it could be that the boy you had a crush on in high school made a remark to his friends that you overheard and felt overwhelmingly self-conscious and embarrassed where you never had before. All these associations and connections could be affecting you on a conscious or subconscious level. The result of these emotional body assaults in the distant past may just be the cause of inhibiting your full sexual expression now. By applying EFT to your specific memories, as well as the way you feel about your body, you are more likely to be able to reach those transcendent states you’ve always craved, which will include a new found love and appreciation for yourself and your body, exactly the way you are.
Alina Frank, is an author and
internationally certified trainer of EFT. Her specialty is working with women who are deprived of full acceptance of their bodies and resulting sexual dissatisfaction and sexual dysfunction. More information about Alina’s work can be found at www.tapyourpower.net and class/workshop information can be found at www.EFTtappingTraining.com
Unleash the
Goddess Within By STEPHANIE SALAMEH
How I Wanted To Be Seen Through the Eyes of My Children
As mothers we live to teach our children about life and prepare them for the world that lies ahead. One day, usually before we are ready, they will spread their wings and leave the comfortable nest we’ve sheltered them in. Our hopes are that they will fly off and be responsible, compassionate, respectful and most of all happy adults.
When I went through my dark season of divorce, I knew there had to be a hidden lesson that I needed to teach my son and daughter. They were so little and confused about what was happening.
After all, they only knew the fairy tales they had seen a thousand times where the prince and princess lived happily ever after. Divorce? They knew nothing about this “D” word! One day while I was journaling it hit me. Although I believe in marriage and trying everything possible to make a marriage work sometimes it’s beyond your control. Or maybe you try and try without success and finally find the courage to leave a toxic situation. Either way… divorce is excruciatingly painful for both parties involved.
Here is what I wanted my children to know after rising from this pit we were in.
1 . I wanted my daughter to see me as a strong,
Sometimes divorce happens and not every marriage will last forever.
powerful, confident woman while keeping my tenderness intact.
. I wanted her to see that I could do it on my own. . I could rebuild a house for them, work a full-
time job, take care of them and take care of us as family. Providing not just financially but emotionally for all of our needs.
Why was this so important to me? Should she ever find herself in my situation,
I wanted her to be able to look back and know that she has the power within her to survive.
2
The other thing I wanted was for both of them to understand was that our marriage being over was between their father and me. IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THEM… so I had to learn to separate the two.
. There was no name calling or trash talking. (That was done with my girlfriends when I needed to vent!)
I had to remember that my soon to be ex was their father, and anything I said about him was in their minds a reflection of them. So I made a CONSCIOUS decision to always keep their best interest in each and every one of my decisions.
. Asco-parenting. hard as it was, I had to learn the art of I became their CEO and all of a sudden I was in business. I created a calendar that I shared with their father and everything was put on that calendar. Dentist appointments, soccer games, cheer practice, etc. We found that email was the best way for us to communicate. There’s something about putting your words in writing and knowing that they can be saved and used against you later that makes you stick to the agenda. It has worked very well for us and seven years later we are still in business!
. I taught my kids to express their emotions and talk about their feelings.
It is so hard to listen while resisting the urge to run and fix everything for them. I learned that listening was usually all they wanted. Just the opportunity to get their feelings out without a reaction from me. Of course I always had plenty of hugs on hand!
Recently I overheard my daughter on the phone with one of her girlfriends. Her friend was very upset because her parents had recently told her they were getting a divorce. When you hear your 14 year old comforting a friend that is in the same situation she was in seven years ago…you know you’ve done something right. My heart was full!
It’s known that divorce is one of the most devastating life changing experience. However, your life through the transition and after do not have to fall to the horrible statistics of divorce.
Stephanie Salameh
is a Divorce Recovery Life Coach. She specializes in working with women to help heal their heart and recover their life after a divorce. Stephanie’s intuitive ability allows her to connect with her clients and focus on the area’s that are holding them back from moving forward. Life after divorce can be amazing, sometimes we just need a little inspiration along the way. Visit her at www.simplyyoulivingforward.com
What I’ve learned while trying to change the face of divorce for my home…when you take control of your life and unleash the Goddess within, you will not only SURVIVE but THRIVE.
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The
Essence of a
Mindful Eating Practice
By KATIE JEFFREY
What is the essence of a mindful eating practice? First, let’s explore what a practice truly is. A practice is an activity, behavior or attitude that a person returns to again and again for the intrinsic benefit that it brings them.
Creating a mindfulness practice allows you to observe – without judgment – your thoughts, emotions, and internal cues. It is observing what is happening in the present moment and taking note of it. It is listening and truly hearing the information She realizes that some days her workout may not that your body gives you. feel that great while other days it feels fabulous. For instance, Sally makes time to be physically active at least four days each week because she knows that it gives her energy, increases her confidence, elevates her mood and optimizes her health.
Sally, like many others, has made being physically active a part of her lifestyle because she appreciates and realizes the intrinsic benefits it brings her. Now that you have a better understanding of what a practice is let’s look at it in terms of mindful eating.
Mindfulness is non judgmental.
Mindfulness enables you to honor yourself and your internal wisdom which many individuals have a difficult time doing when it comes to determining how much to eat to reach comfortable fullness or satisfied. A mindfulness practice can also be described as taking a curiosity stance. Curiosity reduces judgment which can easily lead to negative
feelings and, in turn, stop you from continuing the practice. Staying curious allows you to observe what is happening in the present moment without judgment so that you can respond to the messages you are receiving rather than react to them. Eating mindfully allows you to listen and honor both your hunger and fullness cues and puts you in charge of when you will eat, the types of foods you choose to enjoy, the amount of the food that is right for you, and how you will eat the food you have selected (mindfully vs. mindlessly). It puts you in the driver’s seat giving you choices since there is no right or wrong way to nourish your body. A mindfulness practice enables you to remain curious and experiment to determine the best way to nourish your body.
If you are interested in beginning or sharpening your mindful eating practice it may help to ask yourself the following questions:
1.
How will a mindful eating practice benefit me? Here are a few examples of how individuals I have worked with answered this question: “It enables me to eat until I am comfortably full rather than stuffed which is an uncomfortable feeling.” “When I eat mindfully I decide when, what and how much to eat based on what I feel like, my health goals, and the foods I have available rather than listening to an outside source such as, a diet. I feel in charge of my decisions when I eat mindfully.” “I enjoy all types of foods when I eat mindfully and listen to my body. I find that when I eat mindfully I naturally gravitate towards healthier foods because these are the foods that make me feel my best.”
2. 3. 4.
When was the last time I truly tasted the food I was eating? When was the last time I left the meal feeling both physically satisfied and satiated (i.e. emotionally satisfied with the overall experience of eating and how my food tasted)? Am I eating in a way that allows me to be in the present moment?
5.
When I eat do I judge myself or others?
6.
What can I do to be more mindful when I eat?
Establishing a mindful eating practice is rewarding and puts you in charge of your food choices. It allows you to decide what is best for you so that you can live your life to your fullest. I have also found that it helps individuals build self-confidence because they learn to honor and trust their innate wisdom. Start a mindfulness practice today or sharpen the one you have to enjoy its many benefits.
Katie Jeffrey, MS, RD, CSSD,
LDN, CDN is a licensed dietitian, a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD), a columnist, and a licensed Facilitator of the Am I Hungry? ® mindful eating program. She owns her own business, FitNutrition, LLC providing individual nutrition counseling, sports performance nutrition counseling for athletes and educational nutrition presentations on various topics for all age groups. Visit her website www.fitnutrition.net
The Food We Eat By VAROUJ KACHICHIAN
The Quality of the food we eat . . . comes from the quality
our food eats!
Every living organism on this planet Earth is a complex creation that even after thousands of years, the scientific community is still learning about their complexity and discovering new properties. One thing we are sure about is that they all thrive in healthy environments and suffer when adequate fuel and nutrition is lacking. The human body is no different. We can safely say that it is designed
to be self sufficient. As long as we maintain it properly, keeping it balanced and nourished, and listen to warning signs, it will do its job. We cannot address food and nutrition without understanding agriculture. It is sad that the agricultural industry has neglected the fact that crops are grown for human consumption and nutrients are important. It would appear that food magically appears on the supermarket shelves. But the food we eat actually comes from somewhere. Where and how it’s grown or raised has a lot to do with its quality. The nutrient and chemical composition of fruits and vegetables vary from one section of the country to the other. It may even be completely different from two neighboring farms. The correlation between soil nutrients, flavor and the final product is most evident in wine. The same grape varietal will yield a
completely different aroma, characteristics and taste from two different regions. The richness of the soil, climate, environmental factors, growing and cultivation methods will yield completely different products. Nutrient dense soil renders nutrient dense, flavorful foods that do not require additional “flavoring” in the kitchen. According to experts, to grow a crop you only need 16 elements. However, that is significantly different than growing nutritionally dense foods for human consumption. If fruits and vegetables are grown in soil depleted of minerals, those fruits and vegetables are going to be less nutritious than the ones grown in nutrient rich soil. In general, the higher tech the farming operation is, the faster the nutrient depletion.
Let’s not forget the fact that we are using crops bred to make money for the shareholders rather than to nourish people. This is nothing new. According to the USDA’s own analysis, there was a 15-76% decline in nutrients in our food source since the 1940s. As soil nutrition is depleted, the balance is compromised. This creates an ideal environment for weeds and pests to thrive, forcing farmers to rely on pesticides, fungicides, herbicides and other synthetic chemicals to save their investments and “supplement” the crops’ nutritional deficiencies. Necessary? Perhaps! Harmless? Not so! Despite what the chemical industry wants us to believe, the chemicals, pesticides and herbicides enter the soil through its roots and linger for years. It also stays in the plants and, of course, the fruits. It enters the animal food chain causing the same imbalances in animals which require farmers to use antibiotics to save the animals. Ultimately, these chemicals makes their way into the human food chain through meats, fruits and vegetables causing all kinds of diseases and altering our genetic makeup.
Because our soils no longer contain the elements and life needed to grow nutrient dense food, our food does not contain the essential nutrition that our body needs to function normally. Similar to the soil, when the balance of good bacteria and bad is compromised, our health suffers tremendously, not to mention the side effects from the chemicals entering our system. According to a first ever Pilot Study, testing for glyphosate herbicide in the breast milk of American women, Moms Across America and Sustainable Pulse have found ‘high’ levels in 3 out of the 10 samples tested. The levels found in the breast milk testing are 760 to 1,600 times higher than the European Drinking Water Directive allows for individual pesticides. The shocking results point to glyphosate (the active ingredient in Monsanto’s “Roundup.”) Levels are building up in women’s bodies over a period of time, which has until now been refuted by both global regulatory authorities and the biotech industry.
So, these chemicals are intended to kill organisms by disrupting their neurological or intestinal systems. I understand that pests are far smaller than humans, but wouldn’t higher doses, accumulated over time, cause serious damage to humans?
According to epigenomics, your future health is determined by the interaction between your genetics and your environment, including, and not limited to, your nutrition and your medications. Therefore, every bite you eat, every sip you take, and every pill you swallow communicates directly to your genes. Feeling hopeless? Don’t! You can have a voice with your dollars. Here are 10 simple things you can do that will help you live healthier, nourishing yourself and your family without making major changes. 1.
Eat consciously
2.
Choose wisely
3.
Eat seasonally
4.
Eat organically grown and wild raised as much as possible,
5.
Be aware of where your food is coming from
6.
Shop locally
7.
Get to know your farmers and their philosophy.
8.
Eliminate foods that are genetically modified (GMO)
9.
Eat clean, additive and preservative free.
10. Listen to your body. Thomas Edison was right when he said…“The doctor of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs, but rather will cure and prevent disease with nutrition.” The future is now! Take action and gain control of your life and the life of your family. You can prevent and reverse many diseases with nutrition. It’s never too late!
Chef Varouj Kachichian (chefV)
has more than 20 years of culinary experience and is a certified gluten practitioner. His mission is to help gluten sensitive individuals transition and live a gluten free lifestyle, inspire them to cook and eat healthy and delicious gluten-free meals in 30 minutes or less, so they have more energy, eliminate toxins and manage their weight, all without feeling deprived. For free recipes, meal plans and weekly informative articles and new recipes sign up at www.culinarycreator.com