Have you ever been stressed and not realised it? Caught in a constant cycle of doing more, wanting more, achieving more? If you’re not sure, take a minute to focus on your body. Are your shoulders tense? Is your breath shallow? Is your stomach in knots?
Just as eating a healthy vegan diet is important, so too is looking after your mental and emotional state. The two go hand-in-hand to create a balance that will serve you well into old age. One without the other creates ailments, illness and dis-ease.
There’s something magical about just stopping and doing absolutely nothing. The “nothingness” might be reading a book, watching a funny movie, or simply sitting in silence and meditating. The key to doing nothing is to release any guilt that might arise from not sticking to your usual routine. The Tao Te Ching is a 2,500 year old book, written by Lao Tzu, that speaks of just this. Do nothing and you’ll actually achieve more. One of my favourite translations of this ancient text is by Dr Wayne Dyer: Change Your Thoughts – Change Your Life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao
Simply looking to nature shows by doing nothing, so much is accomplished. An animal, regardless of its species, doesn’t have a to-do list. It just does. It follows the flow with trust and without question, knowing that everything is in perfect order—and it is.
Neurophysiologist and owner of Jubb’s Longevity, David Jubb, says rest is integral to achieving and maintaining complete cellular health.
“Rest allows one to regain nervous system energy potential,” he says in Jubb’s Cell Rejuvenation: Colloidal Biology: A Symbiosis
In the fast pace world we live in, it’s often difficult to find the time to just stop and take a check of our emotional and mental state. But getting in the practise can not only bring greater joy to your life, but also prevent the onset of illness and dis-ease. Doing nothing at some point every single day can bring you closer to your true self and closer to source, or God.
Here are my top 5 ways to relax…
1. The morning is the perfect time to meditate. The day is fresh and so are our minds. When sitting in silence to meditate is challenging, I reach for my iPod and select a guided meditation by Kelly Howell
2. Walking in nature. Getting away from the concrete jungle if you live and work in a city environment is crucial. Putting your feet into the sand or grass not only feels great, it also connects us to the living, breathing earth and is literally very grounding.
3. Spending time in the kitchen. Food is much more than something to stop hunger. While the art of at-home food preparation has been greatly lost with food-to-go and frozen meals in a box, taking the time to connect to our food, through conscious preparation can do wonders for mental, emotional and physical health. It’s also a great way to forget about everything and focus on creating works of vegan food art.
4. Having a Reiki session. Reiki connects us directly to life force energy, through the hands of the practitioner who shares it. Reiki not only puts us in a relaxed, meditative state, but it also allows the receiver to work through particular issues they may have to restore physical and emotional wellbeing. A qualified Reiki Master can also teach and attune you to this energetic healing modality, so you can give yourself the gift of Reiki energy whenever you need it.
5. Taking a candle-lit bath. Breaking out the lavender oil, soy candles and playing some chilled tunes is a great way to de-stress. To clear your mind while you’re soaking, concentrate on your breathing. Be sure not to load your tub up with toxic bubbles, instead, pop in a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin coconut oil to give your skin a moisture infusion. Be sure not to slip when getting out! Also, as many city municipal water supplies are polluted with flouride, chlorine and the like, it’s best to have your home plumbing fitted with a reverse osmosis filtration system.
Photo courtesy of Richard Stowey
There are so many good reasons to read the label on any cosmetic product you intend to buy. I used to think, albeit naively, that if a product was for sale then it must have been put through rigorous testing and deemed safe for human use. But alas, that wishful thought was just that—wishful.
Amongst the thousands of cosmetics brands on the market today, a good number contain chemicals toxic to our health. Just like food in the supermarket, if you can’t pronounce a word on a label, chances are it was brewed in a lab not in nature. Many of these ingredients are used as fillers; cheap additions that give the illusion of more product, without hurting the manufacturer’s bottom line.
Just because a lipstick, face cream or the like is expensive also doesn’t mean it’s any safer than the alternative $2 bottle in your local drug store or chemist. In fact, that cheap bottle may be a hundred times safer than the cream that comes in the fancy packaging.
With cosmetic safety regulations lacking in many countries, it’s up to ourselves to be our own judge and jury when it comes to what we’re willing to buy and then put on our skin—our body’s largest organ. Anything you slap on the outside ends up on the inside. If you’ve read this blog before today you’ll be familiar with the phrase: “if you can’t eat it, don’t wear it”.
If you’re starting to wonder exactly what chemicals are lurking in your bathroom cabinet, be sure to check out The Cosmetics Database.
In the book Natural Organic Hair and Skin Care, cosmetic chemist and herbalist Aubrey Hampton is quoted as saying: “Buyers in department, drug, discount and supermarkets don’t know anything about the chemicals that go into cosmetics, and assume their customers don’t know much either.”
These chemicals have only been proven safe with animal testing. If you put them in your product you rely on or accept those tests. Also, many of these chemicals pollute our environment because they aren’t biodegradable. This affects all species. You won’t know this if you don’t read the label.
Besides the cocktail of chemicals that make up many beauty products on the market today, there’s also the very real issue of animal testing. Just because a manufacturer didn’t test on an innocent being, doesn’t mean the manufacturer they bought their chemical ingredients from wasn’t tested on an unsuspecting monkey or rat. What it boils down to? Labels also lie.
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Today I’m starting an eight week course in Ayurveda, the ancient Indian science of life.
The teachings of Ayurveda explain (basically) that humans are a mirror of the universe, with our bodies made up of the five elements: air, space, fire, water and earth, as well as the soul. A microcosm of the universe within itself.
It then applies healing principles to the body types—Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Vata is made of air and space, Pitta of fire and water and Kapha of earth and water. Certain foods are then suited to certain body types. As part Pitta, I should steer away from spicy foods for a start. No problem there.
For people who know about Ayurveda, they’ll likely wonder how the science can possibly fit in with the vegan lifestyle, considering some of the treatments include giving patients raw dairy products. Well, I’m of the mind that we can take something such as Ayurveda and apply it to a vegan lifestyle (just leave out the dairy bits, basically).
There are so many valuable lessons to be learned from other cultures and their holistic approaches to mind body medicine. Knowing that Ayurveda recommends dairy isn’t enough for me to not inquire at all. It may not be 100 percent vegan, but I am.
One of my fave raw food, vegan people, Dr Gabriel Cousens is guided by many of Ayurveda’s principles, as are others. It’s all about bringing the body back into balance and that, in today’s world, is a very good thing.
Some great (vegan) ways to introduce Ayurveda into your own life, according to a recent article, include:
1. Start your day slowly and quietly.
2. Eat properly. Only eat when you’re hungry.
3. Make time for some self-massage. Give attention to your head, neck, shoulders, face, temples and feet.
4. Laugh regularly. Adding regular laughter to your life can put you on the path to success and well-being.
5. Rest. Take time out to rest emotionally, mentally and physically. Resting is one of the best ways to recharge your mind, body and soul.
6. Don’t judge. Work on accepting things as they are. Not judgment is a great way to cultivate inner peace.
7. Stay active. Exercise, whether for fitness or fun, is a great way to get the blood flowing and rid toxins from the body.
8. Get up close and personal with nature. Walk on the beach or even in your own backyard. Spending time outdoors helps to balance the emotions and bring inner peace.
9. Get into a sleep pattern. Going to bed early and sleeping for seven to eight hours will help to recharge and give energy to burn.
10. Unwind at night. Night is for complete relaxation. Avoid stimulating your mind by watching television or spending hours on the computer.
Forget fancy packaging and golden promises of eternal youth. If your bathroom cabinet is full of half-empty creams and potions that profess to be the fountain of youth, it could be time to give those (usually poisonous) potions the ol’ heave ho.
Skin is really a portrait for what’s going on inside your bod, so no matter how much gloop we slather over ourselves in the hope for a quick fix, nothing will change unless what we’re putting in our mouth is healthy. Once the diet is under control, the oil aisle of your local supermarket may become your best beauty pal. It’s definitely mine!
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…they sell it on supermarket shelves.
Check out this video below from StoptheRobbery.com if you’ve ever thought cancer (and many other dis-eases such as alzheimers) were a mysteries to be cured by a man in a white coat.
It’s just another example of how important it is to be your own doctor—and that starts with what we put in our shopping carts. Much of what’s offered on supermarket shelves these days are poisons disguised as foods and personal care products (think toothpaste, deodorant, sunscreens etc). It’s little wonder one in three people are diagnosed with some form of cancer in the US alone. In 1908, that number was one in 8,000.
Once these poisons have taken hold, the people in white coats proceed to offer greater doses of poisons in the form of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
It’s time to stop looking for a “cure” and funding societies that masquerade as our would-be saviours, yet do nothing but line their own pockets. While governments may never conform to the side of what’s right and moral, in the best interests of the populations they “serve”, it ultimately doesn’t matter. We all have the choice of what we willingly put into our bodies. We have the power to prevent diseases from manifesting. It’s just a matter of waking up to what’s going on. Oh, and getting really good at reading product labels.
That said, have a healthful weekend!
I love the idea and practice of being your own doctor … listening to your body to understand what works—or doesn’t—to bring you to your personal, ultimate state of well-being.
Looking to a general practitioner for health advice has never felt right. Why, I often wondered, did doctors generally look so unhealthy, yet were offering me pills and prescriptions that were apparently guaranteed to make me healthy?
I started questioning doctors as an eight year old, wondering how they (supposedly) knew my body better than me. My trusted family doc told my parents I didn’t have a broken leg. Not being able to walk should have been a clue that I did. Or so you would think.
So now, if I’m looking outside of myself for health and diet advice, I want to know straight away if the person is living by their own book. Ultimately, I believe there’s not a soul on God’s green earth that knows my body better than me. It’s just a matter of listening to what it’s saying.
“The first thing is to realise one’s limitations. It should be obvious that the moment one transgresses those limits, one falls ill. Thus a balanced diet, eaten in accordance with needs, gives one freedom from disease. How is one to know what is the proper diet for one? The purpose of all this is that everyone should be his own doctor and find out his limitations.” —Mahatma Gandhi
“If you are not your own doctor, you are a fool.”—Hippocrates
“Medicine is the most distinguished of all the arts, but through the ignorance of those who practice it, and of those who casually judge such practitioners, it is now of all the arts by far the least esteemed.”—Hippocrates
Today is day three of my planned 7-day nutritional fast, which means loads of fresh fruit and veges smoothies (and water). It’s a great way to introduce yourself to fasting, because you’re still getting the fibre of the fruit and vegetables, which can be a lot more satisfying that just water or juice. I’m also a big believer of needing the whole fruit or vegetable to reap all of the nutritional benefits.
Fasting (or juice feasting) is a great way to give your digestion a break, while giving your body an opportunity to dump all built-up those toxins from your organs, including your skin. Plus it’s a fabulous way to ring in the new year—physically rejuvenated and mentally clear.
While I’m going with instinct and my own knowledge to put together a plan, there are plenty of books and websites that can help guide you on a fast/feast that suits you.
Here are some of my faves:
The Blending Book
JuiceFeasting.com
GreenSmoothieRevolution.com
Green For Life
GreenSmoothieGirl.com
GreenSmoothieBlog.com
How Green Smoothies Saved My Life
If you’re tempted to get blending and need a recipe, here’s my organic breakfast smoothie:
• 1 banana
• 3-4 silverbeet leaves
• Big handful of spinach
• 1 apple
• 1/2 small cucumber
• 2 teaspoons Kal’s Nutritional Yeast
• 1 teaspoon of Nutrex Hawaiian Spirulina
• Fresh parsley to taste
• Add water for desired consistency
Also check out Rhonda Lee’s 7 Ways to Make Green Smoothies on The Green Dove.
Hot tip: Be sure to “chew” each mouthful of your green smoothie, to ensure the digestive juices do their work. This allows the body to absorb all of the nutrients.
I overheard a mother telling her son yesterday to “eat that apple or you’re not going anywhere”. It made me think about the relationship with food that we develop from an early age.
Being told to sit at the table until there isn’t a pea left on the plate. Gagging as gluey strings of pumpkin tormented the back of your throat. Thinking defiantly how you’d rather sit there forever than eat those brussel sprouts.
It prompted me to turn to Dr Gabriel Cousens and one of my favourite books written by him, Conscious Eating. How, I wondered, is the body affected when you’re eating something you’re having a physical aversion to, regardless whether it’s nutritious or not?
Dr Cousens says avoid eating when you’re sad, angry or under stress, as those emotions are assimilated into your food. “Eating when you’re calm and able to focus on your food is a way to love yourself,” he says. “Remember, food is love and life is love.” I wish someone had mentioned that little golden nugget of information to my well-meaning mother.
I also wonder if being forced to eat certain foods as a child means you’re less likely to try those foods as an adult, or at least take longer to develop a liking for those peas. While I’ve mended my relationship with pumpkin, the prior is still a point of contention.
While I continue to ponder, I’ll leave you with an excerpt from Conscious Eating.
A primary, ongoing way that we all consciously or unconsciously relate to nature is through our food. Eating is an intimate way to extract life-sustaining energy from Mother Nature. In the process of digestive assimilation, the food, as part of Mother Nature, gives up its identity and takes on the identity of the one who has ingested it. We are actually assimilating the forces of nature—stored in our food—whenever we eat. Each bite we take brings us the experience of our loving connection with Mother Nature.
Food is a love note from God. Its letters are written by the rays of the sun. It says I love you and I shall take care of you and sustain you with the offerings of my earth. If we take time to read the love letter, by chewing carefully and feeling the messages that are stored in food by the sun, earth, wind, water, and even by those who have grown, harvested and prepared the food, its assimilation takes on a whole new meaning. This is a specific way of receiving God’s grace, a holy sacrament to be experienced slowly, carefully and consciously.
"The physical and energetic forces of food interact with us on physical, emotional, mental and spiritual levels."—Dr Gabriel Cousens
“What happens almost universally when one stops eating flesh foods is that one drops excess weight. The loss of superfluous, unneeded weight continues when one stops eating dairy products. One’s true, ideal weight is often easily discovered after one adopts a live-food diet. A body built on high-quality, whole, organic, nature-developed foods is also of higher quality than body weight built on poor-quality commercial foods.” — Dr Gabriel Cousens, Conscious Eating
Remember the food pyramid we were taught to memorise to ensure we got the right amounts of the right foods for good health? Well, as you may or may not know, that popular pin-up was influenced heavily by the dairy and meat industries. The goal of the chart was to generate big business, not optimal health.
But it’s not all bad news. Health Ranger Mike Adams has developed a guide that’s free from food industry corruption. It lists all the foods that will do a body good, and all those that will cause disease. It’s simple to navigate and it’s free to download.
One point worth mentioning is that the chart does list soy as a “good food”, which it’s not unless it’s fermented. You heard it right, tofu isn’t good for you, nor is soy milk. Most soy is genetically modified and, according to Dr Mercola, it stops the body from digesting protein. It also impairs thyroid function. Find out more about the evils of soy in the video below:
The best time to do a cleanse, according to many holistic health experts, is between the full and new moons. So this month, that’s exactly what I’m doing — cleaning house.
Armed with Andreas Moritz’s The Amazing Liver and Gallbladder Flush, I’m on day two of drinking the required six litres of organic apple juice. That’s one litre a day before the seventh day of the actual flush. According to Moritz, cleansing the liver and gallbladder from gallstones is one of the most “important and powerful approaches to improve your health”.
Thanks to toxins and cholesterol from animal foods, pesticide and chemical-laden water, and deadly pharmaceuticals, the gallbladder can be packed with stones of all sizes, colours and shapes. Some, says Andreas, are even as big as 3cm wide and are literally as hard as rocks. It’s not uncommon for some people to release hundreds of stones with one cleanse—and that usually means there are more where they came from (which means keep on cleansing).
While I’ve been vegan for a couple of years, and have done juice cleanses and undergone colonic hydrotherapy, I have 30-odd years of bad eating and lifestyle habits to clean up after. The liver and gallbladder flush is just the next step in my natural health journey.
So what does the prescribed six litres of apple juice do? The malic acid in the juice softens the stones to enable them to pass easily through the bile ducts. It also has a strong cleansing effect.
Speaking of the apple, this amazing fruit that I’ve often taken for granted is really one of nature’s superfoods (as all wholefoods are in my opinion). Cut an apple in half to reveal a star, which is a mirror of the body’s star formation (think Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man – see below). This wholefood signature suggests that the humble apple benefits every part of the human body. Hence the saying, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”.
Some of the known benefits from eating (raw) apples include: improved lung capacity, blocking diarrhea, prevention of constipation, cushioning the body’s joints and even slowing the aging process. Bite that, botox!
So this week, to prepare for the actual day of flushing (which will fall on the day of the new moon), I’m not eating any foods or drinks that are cold or chilled because they chill the liver and stop the cleanse from being effective. Andreas also suggests giving animal products the ol’ heave ho. No problem there. Also no overeating.
Rather than bore you all with a day-by-day account of drinking truckloads of apple juice, if you’re curious, check back later in the month to get the lowdown on how the cleanse went.
One of nature's incredible superfoods, the humble apple
Glowingly-gorgeous Alicia Silverstone is sharing her beauty and health secrets, with the release of her book The Kind Diet, with a forward by fellow-veg Sir Paul McCartney.
The actress writes about the benefits of adopting a plant-based diet, from effortless weight loss to clear skin. She also spills the beans on how her vegan diet has given her boundless energy and a digestion that works how it’s supposed to.
While her name may be associated with Clueless, the health-happy celeb is anything but. While the vegan diet she recommends will be kind to your bod, Silverstone also explains why chowing down on meat, fish, milk and cheese causes permanent damage to the planet—so deleting it from the diet is a sure fire way to keep people and the planet healthy.
May The Kind Diet hit the bestseller lists everywhere!
