Premier issue | sept 2013

Free | Sept 2013

Premier Issue!

Letter from the Editor Have you ever watched children play and laugh delightedly at even the slightest things? They run, get sweaty, fall and pick themselves up again just to keep having fun with their friends.

For some time, I wondered where that happiness went?

Then I realized that as we grow up (and leave childhood behind) we somehow forget to enjoy the simple pleasures of life. We start “learning” of adulthood, start suffering from worry or anxiety, start having money issues, relationship issues, health issues ..... we worry about our children, our parents, our careers..... shall I continue?

This magazine is meant to help all of us regain stability in six different areas of our life. Once we find balance and peace, our mental suffering subsides, and we are able to again realize that we can live happier and healthier lives!

The truth is .... Happiness is always there. Inside us.

We don’t really need to seek for it. We just have to re-learn how to tap into that for ourselves. This is why I’ve brought top experts in their fields to help you on your path. Read their articles. Visit their websites. Contact them if you feel they have something that resonates with you.

I’ll be honest - - I love laughing. Really, I do! :) If you know me personally you already know this. Many of my close friends (and even some of my coaching clients) describe me as “bubbly” and “energetic.” I love that because it means my happiness is expanding into the world.

And, it’s because of this that I’ve made it a passion to help other women love their lives again. To enjoy Life to the maximum.

Empowering them to thrive in every area of their life!

That is the main mission of Happier Healthier Women!

Table of Contents Relationships

4

The Gift of Unconditional Love

Mind-Body-Spirit

6

Is Your Energetic Glass Overflowing

10

Your Bio Electric Body and Acupuncture

11

Developing Patience by Practicing Perspective

15

Your Relationship with Money & How It Affects Your Relationships

18

The Igniting Effects of a Joy-Filled Life

20

Dreams in the Drawer: The Story of Pastarelli Got Out

23

Gluten Sensitivity: Myth or Fact

25

How to Protect Your Cubs in Two Simple Steps

9

Happiness Quotes

14

Kidz Corner - Feature Article

19

Seductively Tasteful

27

The Butterfly and The Dolphin

Money Personal Growth

Nutrition Parenting

Bonus Sections

by Angie Romero

by Kelly Fisher

by Carolyn Mendez

by Ariel Sheen

by Shagufta Khatri

by Patricia Harfield

by Kimberly Eldredge

by Varouj Kachichian

by Wendy Witt

by Valeria Salazar

The Gift of

Unconditional Love

By ANGIE ROMERO

Relationships.

They sometimes bring in as much happiness as anxiety filling our lives with emotional ups and downs. At times, it seems that our life is either more complicated because we are in a relationship, and other times because we don’t have one and we are constantly longing for it. Longing to feel the company of someone to share life with. Longing for something maybe we once had ... or longing for our Prince to finally show up so we can stop kissing the many frogs that come along the way.

And, that’s the thing.....

I wonder if we have all been brainwashed by fairy tales? I mean, most of us ladies have the princess syndrome to some degree or another. Some wait to be rescued by their prince on his white horse. You know that Prince - - - he is Mr. Perfect! Beautiful looks, perfect pearly white smile, a heart that is humble and riches till the end of the world. Then, there are those who not only want the perfect prince, but also what the prince can offer. The social status, the protection, the financial freedom, etc....

Now, there is nothing wrong in wanting an ideal partner.

But, why do we persist in only having that Love in a romantic relationship?

Why do we make it so impossible to really open our heart to Love in any other form?

It’s because we are scared. Scared of being vulnerable. Scared of being hurt again. Scared of opening up to someone and showing them the “real you” due to fear of rejection. Fear that they won’t accept you for who and how you are.

I’ll tell you a personal story of mine.

Like many of us, my heart has been stitched over and over again. I’ve suffered thanks to my own unreality of what I believed love was meant to be (or not be). I broke hearts along the way, and have also suffered the loss of seeing people walk out of my life (or me out of theirs). I cried rivers of sadness, and anguished over ever finding true love.

I used to believe (like many do) that a perfect relationship is where that other person has to give us the unconditional love we want and exactly how we want it. It is an unreal (and unfair) expectation that we place both on our partner and on the relationship. Therefore, like many I suffered greatly.

But my suffering stopped the day that I made a decision to stop fearing “fear” and really open my heart. By opening my heart I was able to start removing so many fears I once had. Fears that where hiding my real beauty within -- that Joy, Love and Laughter that I carry inside -- and now I am able to share it with everyone. I share it freely because I discovered that I am that Unconditional Love. I no longer expect it from anyone else to give it to me, because I AM it.

Relationships are partnerships meant to teach lessons to all parties involved. Because we are so open and vulnerable in a relationship, we are more open to see each others buttons. No one can call you out more on your B.S. than a partner, right? Also understand that no one serves as a better mirror of your own projections than that of a partner.

Today I live life with an open heart. Allowing relationships of all sorts (romantic, friendship, business, etc) to experience the real me. No strings attached. No hidden agenda. No fear of getting hurt. Most of all ... no expectation. I try to be more present in all my relationships, and I have to tell you that when we do this ... unconditional love shows its true form and beauty in the world around us.

Life’s greatest gift (the meaning of all there is) is Love. To live in the pleasures of life, laughter, joy, and passion in all we do (and in all relationships we have) is to touch that magnificent realm of unconditional love. To live in full grace is to live in Love. Love is attracted through joy and laughter. Call it a magnet if you will because it will attract to you more of this to your life. It is when your spirit shines brighter and grows farther for all to see and experience.

What You Can Do to Start Opening Your Heart Like I’ve said before, we’ve all had our share of relationship battles. What needs to be done is heal that heart of yours. Below are three exercises you can begin with.

Acknowledge the Lesson All relationships (be it romantic, friendship, family, etc) serve to teach us something. Look into your relationship and define what the lesson(s) there was. For example, did it help you find courage in some way? Or, did it serve as a reminder of just how valuable you really are? Maybe (and its very possible) it served as a way to mirror to you one of your own fears or projections.

When our mind catches up with our soul (meaning when we finally understand why things happen) healing begins. If we live in denial of the lesson, it will only repeat again and again until we really acknowledge it.

Stop Focusing on the Negative Sure! It’s easy to get caught up on what went wrong in the relationship. If you want to heal your heart, start looking at what went right. Make a list of at least 10 things that went right (either personal growth, new friends, new opportunities, etc).

I’ll be honest, if you’ve been focused on the negative side of things for so long this exercise might be difficult to begin with. But, start somewhere.

Forgive. Forgive. Forgive.

Forgiveness is crucial for healing, but its one of those things that its easier said than done. As Mahatma Gandi once said, “The weak can never forgive.

Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” When we get hurt we build up emotional walls around us. The problem with walls is that while it keeps people out, it also keeps us locked in.

Forgiveness allows us to begin breaking down these walls. Something I always use to help me is to remember that no one is perfect; we all make mistakes; we are all human. But inside each of us, we are Divine Children, and I join my spirit with theirs knowing that they weren’t acting out of a mean soul... just a confused human mind.

Today, I realize that my past lovers have become some of my biggest teachers. And, I theirs. I’ve allowed my heart to mend. I’ve allowed new and different kinds of Love to enter my life (such is the story of the Butterfly and the Dolphin). I experience and share my own Unconditional Love in ways that I never before thought possible.

A special messenger once told me, “Exploring new ways to Love is your greatest gift. Fear not. Love instead. Be free of expectations and judgements. Accept them as they are.”

Truer and more loving words could not have been said.

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

Is Your

Energetic Glass Overflowing?

By KELLY FISHER

In the glass, there’s the worry that you just got laid off. Gotta find a new job - Preferably one that you actually LIKE, and not one that sucks the life outta you. The eldest’s birthday is in two days. She wants a new iPhone, but dammit, you just got laid off! Your mom is going to call on Saturday. There’s no WAY you want to tell her that you can’t pay her car payment for her, because they’re totally broke. Then, it’s bedtime and your son trundles out and announces he has no clean clothes for school tomorrow. He couldn’t have thought of this before dinner?!? You’re either going to have to stay up for two hours to wash his clothes, or send him to school stinky. Your energetic glass overflowed, your last nerve has been trod upon, and here come the fireworks. Frustration, yelling, gnashing of teeth, you know the drill… but let’s back up for a second....

What is this ‘energetic glass’ I’m referring to?

Think of the glass as you, and the water level as representing your total energetic load. It gets filled with all the energy and emotions that are stirred up within you, plus all the energetic ‘stuff’ you’re exposed to when you’re going about your day. With each bit of energy added, the glass gets closer to overflowing. And let’s be clear, we’re mostly talking about negative energy here, after all, being exposed to calm, happy people usually doesn’t stress us out.

When you’re energetically sensitive, you tend to pick up on others’ emotions, and can start running them within your own energy system. So if you’re in an environment you’re exposed to a wide variety of negative emotions, which is pretty much anyplace there’s

a bunch of people, you can start to feel your emotions yanked all over the place. If you’re energetically sensitive and don’t know how to dissipate energetic buildup, you may be walking around with the water level in your glass almost at the top, and it may only need the tiniest bump to make it overflow.

So, what if there was a better way?

What if the glass wasn’t nearly full most of the time?

What if it was only half full, or 30% full?

Then it would take a lot more to make it overflow.

You wouldn’t be one nerve-stomping away from a volcanic eruption.

So, how do you achieve that?

You start by getting rid of the energetic buildup - the crud you’re carrying around on a daily basis: From the traffic jam two days ago, that visit to the mall last week, that argument with your spouse, to the always-present heap-load of judgment from your <insert appropriate relative here>. Carrying all that around keeps the glass filled to a higher level. A daily grounding exercise reduces that buildup. It lets you walk around with your ‘water level’ much lower, so that you’re starting from a calmer place, and can maintain that calm more easily.

A basic grounding exercise starts with sitting down in a quiet place.

Preferably it’s outside, in a place of beauty and inspiration. If that’s not feasible, you can imagine the beautiful, inspiring scene instead. Take a few deep breaths and relax. Let your shoulders drop. From any part of your body that’s in contact with the ground or floor (your feet, your sit bones, etc), imagine roots sprouting and sinking down into the Earth.

Next, imagine all the excess tension, built-up energy, and collected crud flowing down through those roots, and into the Earth. Just sit and let the stuff drain away for a few minutes. Once you’re done, thank the Earth for receiving your energy, and ask her to use it for the good of all. Then you can come back to ‘present’ and go on about your day. I recommend doing this exercise at least once per day. I find that after I get home from work is a good time. I can do a quick grounding and then feel clear and relaxed for dinner.

You can do this as often as you need to dissipate unwanted energy. If the kids are driving you batty. If you have a stressful meeting at work.

If you know you have to call <insert appropriate relative here>, wouldn’t it be better to do so AFTER you’ve lowered your stress level so they can’t push your buttons as easily? And perhaps, again, after the call so you can de-hiss?

I learned I was energetically sensitive about ten years ago. Prior to that, I didn’t understand why I felt the way I did. I knew I could sense the moods and energy of others, but I didn’t understand that I was picking up those energies and taking them on and running them myself, or reacting to them as if they were mine. If I was around angry people, I felt afraid. If I was around ‘downer’ people, it brought me down, too.

I hadn’t really thought about what people do with their energy, and how it affects others. We’re all basically swimming around in other people’s energy, and it’s kinda like the Hudson River – you just don’t know what’s in there. So by the time you get back to the sanctity of your home, who knows what you’ve encountered? It’s really important to have a way to get rid of that. That’s where grounding helps.

Before I learned to do grounding, I walked around with tons of pent-up energy. I had a hair-trigger temper. I screamed at other drivers if they

When you’re energetically sensitive, you tend to pick up on others’ emotions, and can start running them within your own energy system.

cut me off, and would still be mad two hours later. I avoided crowded places if I could. For a few years, I even avoided the mall between Thanksgiving and mid-January! It was just too overwhelming. If the story at the top had happened to me then, instead of three days ago (yes, what I described happened to me three days ago), I would have been a sobbing, freaked out basket case.

Now, if I go to the mall, it really doesn’t bother me. I look at it as a fun exercise in people-watching and energy reading. I

can identify the types of energy I’ve encountered, but I don’t internalize it anymore. I view driving as time to myself where I can listen to my music in peace, instead of a stressful encounter with pissed-off people in two ton chariots. I still get cut off, I still occasionally mutter at them, but then I release it. I knew there was a high probability that I’d get

laid off at work. Instead of freaking out, I’m viewing it as an opportunity for the Universe to bring in some new goodies.

Starting and maintaining a consistent grounding practice can vastly improve your mood and quality of life. You can walk into potentially crappy situations knowing that they don’t have to stick with you. You can have clearer, calmer relationships with others because you’re approaching them as YOU, not you plus whatever that was you picked up at lunch. Please, give it a try, and see what a difference it can make in your life. I know it’s made a big difference in mine.

Kelly Fisher is the founder of Bright Energetics, and she is

dedicated to improvement of energy, intuition, and consciousness through individual and group coaching, seminars, and monthly energetic tune-up calls. Kelly has trained in Shamanism, Matrix Energetics, Yuen Method, and Consciousness, among others, during her own ten-year journey to understand her energetic sensitivity and put it to good use. She is very down to earth and no-BS, giving you energetic tools without the “woowoo.”

To receive a free five minute quiz to see if you’re energetically sensitive please visit http://brightenergetics.com/free-gift/

the purpose

of our lives is to be

happy The Dalai Lama

Happiness Quotes

Your Bio Electric Body &

Acupuncture

By CAROLYN MENDEZ

Acupuncture is an ancient form of

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) that has been working with great results for more than 5000 years, and it involves the insertion of solid filiform acupuncture needles into the skin at specific points on the body to achieve perfect balance of the inner energy (QI) to obtain perfect health. No drug is injected.

The needles alone create the beneficial effects of acupuncture.

level, therefore, giving you back vitality locations on these meridians/channels in the body to balance the flow of Qi and good health. or energy so it can flow properly, and Acupuncture is used to encourage natural then the problem/illness can stop and healing, improve mood and energy, the individual can regain their natural reduce or relieve pain and improve state of good health. According to function of affected areas of the body. It is TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) safe and effective and is often successfully and the five element theory our used as an alternative to medications or bodies are supposed to be born in even surgery. Relief is often obtained with perfect health (yin yang theory). acupuncture when traditional medical However, with the years and the stress therapy has failed. of life our bodies can become distress Acupuncture points (also referred to as or ill and the energy becomes blocked ‘acupoints’) are locations on the skin that within our bodies and thats when the have a lower resistance to the passage of problem begins. electricity than the surrounding skin, and are part of a network of points that were So acupuncture’s purpose it’s to give mapped centuries ago by the Chinese. Most you back that perfect balanced state of are found along ‘meridians’ or ‘channels’ health that you were born with it’s you that are believed to be the pathways by right, claim it today! Try Acupuncture which energy or Qi (pronounced ‘Chee’) today if you haven’t yet! flows through the body.

Acupuncture is Energy Medicine because you and I are made of pure energy. Body, mind, and spirit. Humans are bio electric individuals. Physiologically we are constantly vibrating energetically at the cellular level.

Each cell of your body its pure vibrational So depending on the condition of energy. So Acupuncture balances that the patient, the licensed acupuncture energy from the cellular level to the external physician will put needles in specific

Carolyn Mendez, MS, AP

received her Masters in Oriental Medicine and specializes in Traditional Chinese Medicine, as well as being a wellness coach and a licensed facilitator of You Can Heal Your Life®. She offers Acupuncture appointments, transformational workshops and organizes healing retreats worldwide.

Visit www.WellnessHealingRetreats.com for more information.

Developing Patience By Practicing Perspective

By ARIEL SHEEN

Creatively Applying Nietzschean Insights to the Self The increased capacity of technology, such as smart phones, to immediately get us to information we wish to know or to distract us when we are waiting also has the effect of lowering our patience. A number of social commentators, informed by quantitative surveys, call this quality of development part of a culture of impatience and instant gratification and connect it with increases in levels of stress.

Stress, like technology, is neutral.

It has uses at times, but when it is generalized it causes people to show it by their exhibition of impatience, anxiety, impolite social interactions and even physical illness. Such a technology that has been so widely adopted is unlikely to go away, however the negative qualities that it evokes in users that do not resist it need not be there. With practice the technology can come under the control of the user, as it should be, rather than the other way around.

19th century German philosopher and psychologist Friedrich Nietzsche would have classified this dynamic as akrasia, or weakness of will. This does not mean a lack of desire and capacity to fulfill them, but that many people unwittingly come to embody an inconsistency that stems from desires which conflict.

In the case of smart phones and patience, the net effect of accelerating our expectations for the quick fulfillment of our desires is often evident despite the fact that we may admit upon reflection that many times such expectations are unreasonable!

Manners, meant to smooth and pacify interactions with people, can be put aside and displays of upset given so as to accelerate the fulfillment of services we need accomplished. However when the situation is reversed, those same people will balk at such same treatment.

One of the ways in which one can work towards mastering patience and increasing the unity of their expectations with reality is through specific forms of journaling practice. By writing down the experiences we have wherein we lose patience or peace of mind and then including, if applicable, the perspective of others that were in that specific context we can gain better control of ourselves.

Practice One: Creative Journaling

1 2

Write out the scene or scenes wherein you lost patience, using as many details as possible and including pertinent information that informed your state of mind prior to the event. What about the situation did you find stressing or unpleasant.

.

.

Write out from the perspective of the person or persons with whom a stressful exchange occurred, making sure to write with the same level of detail into their account and using your imagination to fill in the backstory if you don’t know it.

3 .

With these two short pieces of writing finished and an increased awareness of the situation gained, then re-write how the scene could have transpired such that you would not have lost your peace of mind. If it’s possible, make sure to write out all the possible attitudes and actions that you could have taken in order to maintained your peace in the situation.

While this practice of journaling doesn’t specifically address the symptoms of impatience exacerbated by personal technologies, it does seek to unify the self such that it does not have conflicting character traits and habits. The next practice I present does address these issues specifically and does it by adapting a practice formed to develop mindfulness within spiritual communities thousands of years ago.

Practice Two: Technology Fasting Another practice that you can do to build patience is social network fasting. These communities, so recent in the long history of human existence, are increasingly being shown by scientists to have drastic effects on the way in which people think and act. To see how these patterns become normalized in our behaviors even when not in front of a screen of some sort – make the effort to remind yourself what it is like when you are not within that online nexus.

Do not just make the decision to stop using them for a while, delete the shortcuts on your web browser, suspend your accounts and even delete the applications on your smartphone. You can almost always un-suspend them by logging back in and you can re-download the software that you once had once your period of technological sabbatical from it is over.

If you want to really test your capacity to see how your personal habits of thought and action are affected by technology around you, cease watching television and stop non-purposive viewing of internet content as well.

The day after you decide to take a week or a month off your social networking sites you will immediately notice a shift in your thinking. Having foreclosed an avenue for distraction, you’ll find your thinking reoriented into the here-and-now concerns. Projects that you had thought of as less than imperative can now be completed. Having done them and removed them from your internal “to-do list”, you will feel more at east.

However, it is not enough simply to reflect at the moment on your experiences. You should write out how it feels to

not have these constant flows of information coming into your mind and thus be able to better understand how it affects you.

3. Did information that I deem very important still find its way to me in an appropriate time such that I did not miss out on anything?

Do you have a service or product that would improve the lives of women worldwide ?

4. What was the quality of the information that I missed in that period?

If you do, we would love to

Here are several example questions that I have come up with which you can use.

1. Do I find myself more attuned to the emotional states of the people around me?

2. How do I feel now when people look at their social media connections when they are in my company?

5. Am I in any way a worse person for not being informed of that data?

By practicing these and other habits you will be able to develop greater control over the way technology affects your patience and stress.

hear from you!

Email us your name, company and website address, and we will look it over and reach out to you if we feel itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good fit.

Ariel Sheen

is a history and political science professor whose research focuses on how people individually and collectively maximize their capabilities. In his free time he likes to travel, practice yoga, write fiction and read world literature. To find out more about what heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s doing, visit www.arielsheen.com

KCiodrnzer

rent e ff i D A View Point of

Illustrated and Written By VALERIA SALAZAR Hi! Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m here to talk with you about happiness.

For me, singing makes me happy.

I moved to Texas this summer (2013).

This year there is a popular toy called Rainbow Loom.

And you get to enjoy wearing them. You can make bracelets, necklaces, rings and more.

So be happy in life! Enjoy being a kid. And be helpful.

Valeria Salazar is nine-years-old and is

entering fourth grade. In her spare time she enjoys to sign, dance, make Rainbow Looms and watch Shake It Up Chicago from Disney.

Kids.

They have no filter, do they? But they have such valuable lessons.

Lessons that we adults sometimes should take the time to learn.

This section of our magazine is just for that purpose. To remind us of the innocence of childhood, the purity of simplicity and the joy of life from a perspective we have so long ago left behind.

Ask an adult what gives them happiness, and they draw a blank. But ask a child what gives them happiness, and their list is usually endless!

To live a happier life, we must re-connect with those things that give us joy. If you are drawing a blank, think back to your own childhood and see what comes up.

hip Your Relations with

MoAnffeectsyYour

& How it Relationships

times where we want everything instantly).

“The way you do one thing in life is the way you do most things in your life”. Does that ring any bells?

Let me give a couple of examples here:

By SHAGUFTA KHATRI Over the last year, I surveyed several hundred people from

all walks of life between the ages of 18 to 80, within U.S.A and around the world. The questions were around the top 5 concerns in their life. For lack of space and relevance, I cannot go into the detailed survey results here. (I will post it very soon on my website ShiftThatMatter.com). But what is relevant is that the top 2 areas of concern for people (especially women) were Money first and Relationship second, and Health and Safety followed.

This made me sit down a full day and think about it and I had to come to the conclusion that not only that these 2 areas of life are indeed very important but that at a deeper level they are inter-connected. What do I mean by that? Well, in just a little bit we will dig deeper into it but for those who want to know right now, and in one sentence (Ya, we are living in

- If you take good care of your health, chances are you will take good care of your car too.

- If you have always loved pets and taken good care of them, chances are that you will make a caring parent.

- If you have grown up in a stressful environment at home, chances are you easily get stressed at work too.

Now, what does this have to do with Money and Relationships?

A lot!

In fact, there is a third but crucial factor here: Your relationship with You. This is the glue that brings it all together for You. Now let’s delve deeper, one step at a time.

Your Relationship with You How do you talk to yourself every day?

What is the chatter inside your head telling you?

If it is anything like….

You are not good enough. You are fat, short, and not pretty, not smart enough.

Stop! The first thing that needs to go is this negative voice in your head which is your constant enemy putting you down, eating away at your self-confidence and making you doubt in your own capabilities. I am not asking anyone to be arrogant or egoistic.

In fact I dare you to be over-confident, for once and see how you slice through life’s challenges.

3 Things You can do right away to Improve your relationship with You.

1 2

Tip

Prepare a 3 to 5 line pep talk and read it out loud to yourself, every morning, in front of the mirror preferably.

For starters repeat after me “I am worthy, I am capable, I am Successful” Sounds cheesy but it works. Create your own pep talk and say it out loud with conviction.

.

Tip

.

Be good to yourself.

Eat healthy, exercise regularly and get enough sleep. These are basics, everyone knows, but we all looking for complex solutions instead of taking these simple steps. Just start somewhere. Pamper yourself with “Me Time” once in a while even if it’s only 15 minutes. Get your nails done, take a long soaking bath, a massage or even a spa-day.

Tip

3 .

Invest a little of your time and money on yourself. Could be in learning a new tool or technique that will give you an edge in your job or business, attending a seminar or workshop that builds your skills and helps build new connections Remember you are your best investment. No one can take that away from you, ever. So take good care of yourself. You should come first for You.

Bonus Tip! Happiness is not a destination. Happiness is a journey. Find your moments of happiness in fleeting moments, in

the here and the Now. Yesterday is gone, it is your past, do not live in your past. Tomorrow has not come yet. All you have is Now.

Your Relationship with Money If you are anything like I was, 15 years ago…continue reading, this could change your perspective and your life!

Did you grow up being told that money is not everything, money is not important but yet everyday someone in the house was stressed about money. “Cannot afford this”, “Do not have enough money”, “Cannot buy that” It was a feeling of playing catch with money all the time. Also, the indication as if Money was a Monster and to be rich was bad.

Will thinking like that help in being comfortable around money? I knew something had to change. It became my area of interest and I tried to learn as much about it as possible in the last 15 years.

I suggest that one keep a healthy balance of practical as well as holistic approach towards your finances.

Meaning, do read a book or two like Rhonda Byrne’s “Secret”, read about the Universal Laws: Law of Attraction, Law of Abundance. This will help you look at things in a new and powerful perspective. It opens up a world of possibilities, and almost eliminates the word impossible out of one’s vocabulary. But just thinking positive and talking positive will not be enough if your actions are not in alignment with your thoughts. Magic happens when your Thoughts, Feelings and Actions are in Alignment.

Get real about your financial situation. If you have debt (credit card specially), learn how to manage your finances. Also you will need to create a budget for your expenses and curb down impulsive buys. Even if you do not have a fixed income as in a job, you still have to work around your average income.

3 Tips on how you can change your Relationship with Money:

1

Tip

Tip

2

3

Tip

Next time you see something and you want to buy it, but cannot don’t say “I cannot afford it”.

Instead say, “It is not my priority now, maybe I will buy it If you want something, like a beautiful house or car, do not say “Oh, I cannot have that, it’s only for the rich”. Instead, take a picture of it and put it where you can see it every day. Send a message to the universe that you want it and take practical action steps to make it a reality. We are brought up in a world where we look for instead gratification. We want it and we want it all now. Pre-chewed and ready. Without having to lift a finger for it.

Do not envy people who have what you want. Because that is negative energy. What you transmit to the Universe will only return back to you multiplied. What you sow is what you reap.

Karma. Instead, bless the person with more of what they have and it will return to you many-fold. Your words that you speak have immense power. If it is money and a successful business that your friend has and you want that for yourself, bless them with more. The universe has enough for everyone.

Bonus Tip! If you have credit card debt, understand that your debt is just a number and not your whole life. Learn the difference between good debt and bad debt.

Bonus Tip! If you have credit card debt, understand that your debt

is just a number and not your whole life. Learn the difference between good debt and bad debt.

If you like this article, you will also enjoy my weekly money tips. I am rebranding my website and once ready, you will get an update on the FB page about your free gift, so do remember to hit “LIKE” http://Facebook.com/ShitThatMatters

Shagufta Khatri

is a Mentor/Coach to Entrepreneurs who struggle with Consistent Cash-flow and want to “Keep more of the Money they Make and Make as much Money as they Want.” She works with clients in 3 strategic areas that impact their business’s bottom-line achieving a 40% increase in their net profits, within 3 months of taking her 5 week signature program “Make your Biz Your A.T.M”.

A Slight Shift, A Big Impact! http://Facebook.com/ShitThatMatters www.ShiftThatMatters.com

The Igniting Effects of a

Joy-Filled Life

By PATRICIA HARTFIELD

Have you ever noticed that when you smile at a stranger, they often look surprised,

and then smile themselves? We live in a culture where a lot of communication occurs via technology. In this time, it is more important than ever to acknowledge the value of acknowledging each person’s human presence. Just as a simple smile is contagious, so are the effects of a joy-filled life.

People who are content and full of happiness are not those who necessarily have an easier life than other people. More likely, they are the people who are aware of

the good in their lives. Often times, your perspective is more to do with your lens, or slant, than it is about actual circumstances. As an experiment, start recording happy thoughts and events in your life. Knowing that you will be recording them just might make you more aware of them as they happen. It could be as minor as getting a good parking spot, or observing an act of kindness at the grocery store. It could also be a big event, such as finding out that you are pregnant.

Next, start sharing these recordings. If you are sending a note to someone, include a thanks that you recorded about them. You could also invite a friend to share in your joy recording practice, and share a few of your recordings each week. Hearing what fills your friends and family with joy can make you even more joy filled as you become increasingly aware of all of the good in the world. Often media bombards us with bad news and gloom, but just remember that when a light is turned on in a dark room, it is visible, and when others see that light, they just might turn on one of their own.

Now that you’ve taken some time and have a new perspective on things, let’s let it sink in from the inside out! Gather your friends and get together for a girls’ night and enjoy some of our Lemongrass Spa products together!

Patricia Hartfield is a Social Wellness and Empowerment Expert, and

Founder of Be Social…Be Healthy, LLC., an organization that supports, encourages and gives women from every walk of life an opportunity to step forward to reach their dreams and goals. As an Honored Member of Convington Who’s Who for Executives and Professionals, Patricia comes to us from a background of administration, medical office management and the fitness industry.

Visit www.besocialbehealthy.com to learn more.

y l e v i t c u d e S l u f e t Tas As women, we want to feel more seductive. To feel sexier and more confident in our own bodies.

Every month, this column will bring you articles, tips or facts that will help you with just that.

To learn more of this month’s author visit www.AngieRomero.com

I want to ask you to think back for a moment to the last time you felt desired. Yes, desired and full of passion!

It doesn’t matter if it was last night or even 10 years ago. Just allow that memory to come to your thoughts. Was it a look maybe between you and your lover? Or maybe even the slightest murmur of sweet provocation whispered in darkness?

Take a breath and close your eyes to relive that memory right here, right now. On your next breath, check in with your body. Sense what it is your body is feeling right now.

How does that moment in time make you feel? Can you feel the energy running through your body? Is your heart beating faster? Is it possible that maybe even your skin races rushes excitement through your body?

Ohhhh. Isn’t that a wonderful feeling?

Now, want to know the best part? Not only is this exercise fun, but its a great mood changer! Understand that you have the control to feel like this anytime you want. See, you didn’t exactly do anything right now except bring up a thought (a memory) and your body responds.

This happens because our brain doesn’t know the difference between real (physically happening right now) and imagined (a thought). Any thought you bring to your mind, such as this pleasurable memory of yours, and your brain goes off to the races sending the automatic command to the body . . . which is the release of oxytocin . . . you know, the happy hormone for us ladies!).

Now that you know, the next time you are feeling down (or just plain blah!) do this exercise again! It’s a great mood changer, don’t you think ?

Dreams in the Drawer

The Story of Pastarelli Got Out

I had a scary conversation with my mom yesterday.

Mom has been an elementary school teacher for 33-years. She’s in her mid-sixties and approaching retirement. That’s seems pretty reasonable and normal, right?

Mom is looking forward to retiring but one of the real reasons why she’s retiring is because she’s sick and tired of people coming up and asking her, “Rosie, when are you going to retire?”

By KIMBERLY ELDREDGE

She’s too polite and too much the consummate professional to just snap back, “It’s really none of your business!” But she shared with me that she is sick to death of people assuming she should retire or that she even wants to. The conversation naturally flowed from retirement to what is she going to do when she no longer is teaching a room full of 4th graders? What’s her plan?

Now, here’s the REALLY scary part: Somewhere along the line, Mom realized she’s lost her passion. She is an amazing teacher and was passionate about it for a long, long time. And after 33 years, its okay if old interests wane and new ones develop. Except they didn’t. Mom didn’t take any time away from being a teacher and wife and mother to continue to pursue her passions, to nurture what she loves to do outside of the classroom and home.

Let’s look at me for a moment. When I was a sophomore in High School I learned I could get a degree in Creative Writing.

Holy crow! I could make a living from telling stories; something I’d wanted to do since I was six.

Excited, I told everybody and their brother that I was going to go to the University of Arizona and major in Creative Writing.

And guess what everybody and their brother asked me? “What’s your backup plan?”

Now here’s where the similarities between my mother and I really diverge: I had no problem snapping at anybody who questioned my decision, “Backup plan? Backup plan! I don’t need a backup plan?

I’m going to be an author.”

And in December of 2002, I did just that: I graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in Creative Writing. I also graduated with shattered dreams I think a lot of college graduates experience. I had my shiny degree in hand, excellent training in writing, and hard-won knowledge of how to dissect literary texts.

But I hadn’t the slightest clue as how to go beyond the writing and get into the PUBLISHING. I spent a lot of time and money trying to figure out traditional publishing. Let me be candid: It sucks. Plain and simple, I think I’ve got a better chance of getting hit by lightning than landing a book contract. Especially since I don’t write novels.

Unwilling to abandon the dream, I just altered it a bit. Became a blogger. And finally, FINALLY, learned about self-publishing eBooks. Whew! What a game changer to see my name in print on a major retailer’s website. And to actually make money from writing!

(I may have danced a bit when the first money came in. And I may have shook my fist and yelled “Told you so!” at everybody who was so concerned about my backup plan.)

Even with that success under my belt, there were still stories in the drawer. The ones I knew were good and funny and I loved but somehow, I wasn’t willing to take a chance on. It’s one thing to have success publishing how-to books, or books of campfire stories, but for those projects that are held close to the heart, filled with passion… I was still hesitant.

There was a story in my portfolio that just refused to lie there quietly.

Back in 2007, I got a wild hair and decided to take an Italian class at my local community college. I’m already fluent in Spanish as well as my native English and thought, what the heck! I’ll learn Italian too.

The class was a lot of fun. There was a great mix of for-enrichment

students and 18 year old college kids.

All was fun and games until one day, our professor, Mario, announced that he’d be missing a class. We could either make it up or do a writing project.

It could be about ANYTHING. It had to be two pages, written in your best Italian. (Which, at the time, consisted of very limited vocabulary and verbs in the present tense only.)

From that writing assignment was born: Pastarelli What better use of beginning language than to write a children’s story, geared toward beginning readers. With my background in Spanish, the grammar wasn’t scary and I knew my way around a dictionary and a 501 Italian Verb book like riding the Madrid Metro.

For the oral presentation, I sat on the desk with a HUGE picture book I’d illustrated myself and “published” by turning brown paper grocery sacks

inside out.

It was a hoot! A great story.

Everybody was laughing. The pictures were engaging. I took home an A+.

And then he sat. Poor, poor Pastarelli. He had his ten minutes of glory in a college Italian class and then sat in his picture book in my closet. I’d always told myself that I’d brush him off someday and get him published.

But if I thought getting a children’s book (or any book) published was a headache, imagine the daunting task of convincing an editor to take on a children’s story in Italian. That wasn’t a bi-lingual story.

So Pastarelli sat some more.

Then, I realized what a hypocrite I was being. Come on, Kim! If you’ll independently self-publish all your other stories and your cookbooks and your how-tos, why,

WHY would you sell out and try “traditional” for Pastarelli?!

iting Do I have all the tools to draw and scan in the illustrations? Yes. a w l l i t s s a Iw Can I find somebody to help me edit the Italian?

Thank you Facebook for introducing me to Simona Wright, a friend’s grandma y d o b who’s a native Italian speaker AND an Italian professor. e for som So what was I waiting for? s i er th v It was tax season. I work in my family’s tax practice 60+ hours a week. And I o c s i d to discovered that I really enjoyed kicking back each evening with my oil pastels and my chamomile tea to draw Pastarelli. It took all tax season, working on it y r o t just an hour an evening, three nights a week. Pastarelli has over 20 all original s e illustrations plus a few that were “composites” that I drew the pieces and then neat littl layered it together in Photoshop. g f goin I also translated Pastarelli from the original Italian and into English and o d a e t s in Spanish. I figured, why not? Then, in early May, I fulfilled a life-long publishing dream: I had published Pastarelli. t i g n i k ma So, what does this have to do with Mom? out and Because at the end of the conversation, as the cell phone was beeping its low . f battery song, I reminded her about Pastarelli. I explained that even though l e ys m n e I’ve sold exactly two copies (one to my aunt and one to myself) that the p p ha fulfilling of that dream was worth every hour spent.

Is the story cute? Yes.

And I asked her, “Wouldn’t it be terrible if I had died and you had discovered Pastarelli in a drawer?” She answered, “Yep, I would have just thrown it away.”

I answered, “It could have been worse than that, Mom. You could have looked at the story and realized that I had died still singing the shouldacoulda-woulda song. That I was still waiting for somebody to discover this neat little story instead of going out and making it happen myself.” And she was silent on the line for a moment. Then she said, “Yes, that would have been worse. I guess I need to figure out what I don’t want you to find in the “drawer” after I die.”

Pastarelli was a dream of mine. I’m in love with the story; I’m in love with Pastarelli; I’m in love with doing an Amazon search for Kimberly Eldredge and seeing the book’s cover appear. Book sales are always wonderful, and I sell a lot of my other titles, but Pastarelli holds a special place in my heart.

It’s a place where I refused to let a dream die on the vine. It’s a place where I not only ignored my critics, but I found a way to thumb my nose at them. But most of all, it’s a place where I’m proud. I didn’t let a dream die, I sought it out and made it a reality. Because at the end of the day, it’s not about the book sales. It’s about being able to face the dawn knowing that if I were to die today, no one would go through my desk drawer and find a dream named Pastarelli gathering dust.

Pastarelli & His Princess is available from Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CMR800Q (English version)

Kimberly Eldredge is an author, illustrator, and entrepreneur. Her

business, On The Beach Publishing, helps authors and entrepreneurs publish their book. She offers assisted self-publishing options as well DIY solutions.

Find out more at http://OnTheBeachPublishing.com

Gluten Sensitivity Myth or Fact?

By VAROUJ KACHICHIAN

For a couple of years now, everyone has been talking about gluten. Gluten free

foods being featured on restaurant menus all over the county; movie stars and television personalities talking about gluten free diets and some have even started their own product lines. Almost all supermarkets have been dedicating more and more shelf space to gluten free foods too. Many doctors are suggesting a gluten free diet as a cure for a variety of ailments, while there are many who see it as nonsense. They claim that a gluten free diet has no benefits to the body. They see it as the latest craze, a fad, or just another diet that might help you lose a few pounds.

So what is gluten?

Is there any ground to the claims?

What role does today’s “grain” play in the rise of gluten sensitivity and celiac disease? Or is it really just a fad?

Gluten is a protein found in most grains, and is composed of two peptides: glutenin and gliadin. Wheat, rye, and barley are the primary grains most people react to. Gliadin is the cause of allergic reaction in individuals that are genetically predisposed to the protein peptide.

Gluten is also a baker’s best friend. It is the protein that provides elasticity, pliability, structure, and helps capture the gases released by the yeast during fermentation and throughout the initial phase of baking. And, as demand for baked goods increased, as bakers, pastry and savory chefs learned more about the role and benefits of gluten in baked goods, we became more creative. Plain, simple breads and pastries of fifty years ago became a thing of the past and the demand for wheat with higher protein increased.

In response, the agricultural industry developed strains of grains with much higher protein content. These new grains seemed too much for our body to adapt to in such a short period of time. In fact, the human system is unable to completely break down the new wheat grains.

The effects of the modifications and over-consumption of such highly modified grains can be directly linked to the increase of gluten sensitivity cases, celiac and other diseases.

Celiac disease is the result of gluten sensitivity when it affects the GI system and damages the intestinal lining or the villis.

Unfortunately, to have a positive diagnosis as a celiac, there is complete villous- atrophy. In other words, the intestinal shags must be completely damaged. And studies show that the majority of celiac patients had visited 5 or more doctors prior to

diagnosis, and it had taken an average of 5 to 10 years, after initial presentation (partially damaged), for celiac disease to be diagnosed (complete villous-atrophy).

One study evaluating endomysial antibodies showed that the sensitivity of this marker was 100% in patients with total villous atrophy, but the value plummeted to 31% in patients with celiac disease who had partial villous atrophy. That means the tests can be wrong (false negatives) up to 7 out of 10 times!

The buzz about gluten in the last few years is partially due to thousands of studies and research conducted about gluten sensitivity and the development of more accurate tests.

The results are very clear. “Gluten sensitivity is a systemic autoimmune disease with diverse manifestations”. And, “Every time the disease is clinically diagnosed in an adult, that person has for decades had disease in a latent or silent stage”.

Symptoms of gluten sensitivity vary, it can manifest in the intestines with bloating, diarrhea, constipation and abdominal pain, or they can be extra-intestinal such as, brain fog, fatigue, delayed puberty and short stature in kids, depression, infertility, osteoporosis, mineral and vitamin deficiency, inflammation, sores, rashes, seizures, neurological diseases, cardiovascular and various autoimmune diseases to mention just a few.

A permanent gluten-free diet and a complete elimination of gluten products from the diet is a must. Yet, it is just one of the first steps towards better health. It is important noting, that an occasional bite of gluten containing foods even with the smallest amounts will prevent your body from healing properly and completely. In fact, it will restart the inflammatory cascade happening in your body.

Eliminating other foods such as dairy and other inflammatory foods may be required in most, if not, all cases. It is also extremely critical to take steps to repair and heal the gut and the brain. Gluten affects the brain just as much as it does the gut. According to the largest study published in the American Medical Journal of Gastroenterology, those with gluten sensitivity had 72% increased rate of mortality”. “Mortality rates are twice as high in untreated gluten sensitive individuals compared to those with celiac disease, even on a gluten free diet”.

While it is fairly easy avoiding foods that are clear to contain wheat gluten such as wheat products, one must be aware of spelt, rye, barley, matzo, couscous, kamut, triticale, farina, graham flour and bulgur too. Oats, though naturally gluten

free, can easily be contaminated during transportation and production. Look for clearly labeled GF oats.

Others are hidden under other names and not clearly stated on the labels. Ingredients, such as modified food starch, can be found in ice creams, sour creams, candies, readymade frozen meals, sauces, soups, dressings and many other foods. Malt (barley) may be found in unexpected foods like chocolates, truffles, bonbons and in some protein shakes. Wheat is also used in the fermentation process of most all soy sauces. Some beverage mixes, such as Bloody Mary, other alcoholic beverages, non dairy creamer, smoke flavoring, candy or supplement coating mixes, artificial flavorings, emulsifiers, food coloring, processed luncheon meats, some dried fruits, potato chips, tortillas (even corn), premixed spices, pharmaceuticals, herbal supplements, toothpaste, make-up and other cosmetics and skin care products may all have gluten. This is just a short list of possible sources for gluten contamination and cross contamination.

At this point you may be asking yourself, what’s left that is safe for me to eat? The answer is, plenty! Wild caught fish, and seafood (avoid farm raised as they may be fed grains) grass fed and if possible organic meats and poultry, eggs, amaranth, rice, flax, tapioca, millet, nuts and nut flours, corn, beans, teff, potato, buckwheat (it belongs to the rhubarb family) sorghum, fruits and vegetables, and of course all gluten free alternatives to the classic foods.

It is very important to note, that some individuals may have cross-reactivity and sensitivities to the above gluten free foods.

In conclusion, while there may be those who chose to go gluten free for the added health benefits, the outcome of research and studies are very clear: Gluten sensitivity is a permanent autoimmune disease.

I can speak from personal experience and the experiences of my clients. After following a strict gluten-free diet for a short few weeks, I no longer suffer from brain fog, back pain, joint and knee pain, constant heart burn (inflammation) and headaches.. Interestingly, most all symptoms will return within hours of ingesting even the smallest amounts of gluten.

For delicious and nutritious easy to make recipes visit www.theglutenfreechefv.com. Share your thoughts and comments and, if you have any questions, feel free to email me direct at chefv@culinarycreator.com.

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.

How to Protect Your Cubs in 2 Simple Steps

By WENDY WITT

The Mama Bear’s Protection Plan As a mom to 3 children, I know you don’t want to be thinking about bad stuff and what ifs. Me neither.

However, as the Mama Bear of 3, I bet you do absolutely everything you can to protect your children – your cubs.

I know I do. It seems protecting my children is what I do all day, every day. It’s what I care about most and why I’m on this planet.

Can you relate to my “Mama Bear” analogy? No one messes with my cubs – and, likely, no one messes with yours either.

As Moms, we are Innately Gifted with the Ability to Detect Danger and Protect Our Children.

After all, we scan constantly to determine whether there are cars or strangers nearby, whether the babysitter is properly trained, and whether our cubs have brushed their teeth at night. It’s like we’re on high alert 24/7.

As Moms, Our Anxiety is Reduced When We Know Our Cubs Are Safe

Doesn’t it make sense to decide (and document) who will raise our babies if we can’t? Most parents leave more instructions for a babysitter, when they’re going out for a few hours, than they do when they will be gone permanently and can’t call to check in.

No one will be able to care for your children like you would and it is more than painful to imagine anything other than growing old, watching our babies become parents themselves. I get it. I really do.

Do You Want to Have a Say in Who Raises Your Children?

But, if you want to have any say in who raises and makes decisions for your children, you must select a Guardian and put your wishes in writing. A chat or an agreement won’t cut it in court. And, without a Will, it is the Court which will decide who raises your children – not you.

If you don’t name guardians, a judge, who’s never met you, doesn’t know your children, and has 100 other cases to get through that week, will decide something as important as who tucks your child in at night and who makes health care, educational, religious, and lifestyle decisions for your child.

This may mean family members and friends fight in court over who raises the children, especially if you leave them financially secure.

This may mean that no one steps up and your children are placed into protective custody, foster care.

Both scenarios happen way more than you’d ever imagine.

As The Mama Bear Attorney, I’m Here to Show You How to Protect Your Cubs in Just 2 Simple Steps.

My mission is to show you how to protect your children.

This is what to do: Step 1: Name the Guardians in your Will.

Step 2: Name Temporary Trusted Helpers and Lifetime

Guardians in a Lifetime Guardian Authorization.

The Biggest Hole in Mom’s Estate Plans: No Lifetime Guardian Authorization

You likely know you need a Will, but most moms don’t know that they need to name Temporary Trusted Helpers and Lifetime Guardians, in case they are incapacitated and cannot care for their children.

If tragedy strikes, the police will show up at your door. Without the Lifetime Guardian Authorization, naming Temporary Trusted Helpers to stay with your children, they may be removed from your home and taken into protective custody, foster care.

Protect Your Cubs, Even if it Feels Hard and You’d Rather Get a Root Canal

Even if it’s hard, even if you and your child’s other parent can’t agree on Guardians, consult with a qualified Estate Planning Attorney, make a decision, and get it in writing. Your decision is revocable, meaning that you can change it or amend it at any time. Just get it done as best you can NOW.

BONUS 4 Tips to Best Ensure that Your Mama Bear’s Cub Protection Plan Works If you want your Will and Lifetime Guardian Authorization to actually work: 1. Be sure to ask permission before naming loved ones as Guardians. It’s a huge responsibility.

2. Be sure to name a backup Guardian in case your first choice is unable or unwilling to serve when the time comes.

3. Life changes, loved ones get divorced, become ill, move away, go bankrupt, and suffer hard times.

4. Document who will serve as Guardian if a couple gets divorced.

Be sure that your Will and a Lifetime Guardian Authorization are readily available, so the Temporary Trusted Helpers and named Guardians know where to find them immediately.

Wendy Witt (The Mama Bear Attorney) has been a mama for

19 years and has been helping moms protect their cubs with good estate planning for 14 years. If you’re a Mama Bear and you want to protect your cubs and feel less anxious, you are invited to download FREE Mama Bear Guides at www.MamaBearAttorney.com.

The

Butterfly and The

Dolphin

By ANGIE ROMERO

A beautiful lesson learned from two unexpected fictional characters.

The butterfly lives in the air.

The Dolphin lives in the water.

She is light hearted and enjoys talking with other winged friends.

He swims in the current of life, being noble and kind.

She helps him remember to be just who he is.

He protects her from a far off land.

The butterfly accepts the dolphin exactly as he is.

The dolphin opens his heart in new and creative ways.

She teases him for his Freudian ways of thinking.

He replies the emails, and trades honey for green tea.

She finds healing in the mountains of South America.

He is confused at this revelation and silently backs away.

She admires him in many ways, and is eternally thankful that she went for coffee that day long ago.

He turns red, and smiles happily but shyly.

Moral: You never know who you will meet, where they are from or what is their past.

When the right people are to enter your life, they will. Be open to allow people into your life ... into your heart. You never know what chapters you will create.

Happy Birthday Dear Dolphin :)