Healthy Living DIY

Are you part of the generation whose parents are moving into a life stage that requires extra care? Or perhaps you've got a child heading off to school for the first time... a loved one who works far from home... a teenager who just began dating... a friend or relative transitioning into another state, whether through birth or death... a close one whose relationship status is changing (perhaps your own ex- significant other)... or even a buddy heading out on a road trip?

The key feature is this: your loved one is moving out of his or her familiar environment and into the vast unknown. While you have complete confidence in their ability to handle whatever might arise in the situation you're all used to, given these new circumstances, there's some cause for concern. How will they handle the changes? Will they be ok?

Let's face it. You care. And yet...

You are aware enough to realize that you're not privvy to the agreement between your loved one and his or her Creator. You are not in control of their journey. You are, however, responsible for your own well-being, and it could easily be compromised by excessive worry. Furthermore you may recognize that, worry being a form of prayer, continual fear-based thoughts directed toward your loved one could actually make things worse.

Despite the challenging circumstances, you're motivated to maintain a peaceful and positive state of mind.

But how?

Continue reading "Watching Over Mom" »

Average. I've been thinking about it a lot lately. How about you?

Where in your life ARE you "set" on average (statistically speaking)? Where are you not?

Where in your life would you LIKE to be average (statistically speaking)? Where would you not?

It's this last category that fascinates me the most. The parts of my life in which I would most definitely not prefer to be addicted to "average." For instance...

Continue reading "Are You Average?" »

Imagine you are lost in the desert. I'm hopeful that you must imagine this, as I do, because I am hopeful that you have never actually been lost in the desert. Yet from time to time in life you may have felt as though you were.

I have visited the desert, though. Perhaps you have also. Can you think of a time when you were hot, tired, and thirsty, as a person might be while they wandered the desert? For me, the occasion that stands out is a 2-1/2 hour hike straight up and out of the Grand Canyon one memorable August afternoon. I emerged hot, thirsty, and ravenously hungry. See if you can find a similar experience in your own memory.

I have been lost outdoors. Perhaps you have also. It can be a little scary, especially under adverse weather conditions. In my case, it was nighttime, a steady light rain was falling, I had no rain gear, the temperature was quite cool, and my clothing was wet. I was completely disoriented in a large grove of pine trees and, due to the cloud cover, unable to even gather my bearings from the sky. Can you find a similar experience in your memory?

Now put them together. You are very thirsty, tired, disoriented, and slightly scared. You're not sure where to go next, and yet you do know one thing. You must find water.

You may have felt the same way from time to time in your life. Of course "desert" is a metaphor and the thing you so urgently seek in life may be something other than water. Money to pay the bills, perhaps. Companionship. A safe place to live. Love.

Let's get you out of the desert.

Continue reading "Abundance in the Desert" »

Exhaustion, tiredness, fatigue, lethargy. Whatever name you give it in your own mind, a chronic lack of energy is way too common these days. In fact, as a holistic health practitioner, "Why am I so tired" is one of the most frequent questions people ask!

With that in mind, let's explore some surprisingly obvious yet frequently overlooked reasons for that zapped-out feeling. We'll also consider some "natural cures" to get you back to feeling your best!

Today, we'll start with awareness. How does a person recognize that their energy is low?

Continue reading "Why Am I So Exhausted?" »

"Why even offer Wellness Coaching? After all, isn't it less challenging work to simply treat people's symptoms?" Seriously, this is a question people ask.

The answer is "yes." It's actually much less challenging work for me to simply treat a symptom and send the person home.

Yet treating and retreating symptoms that have the possibility of being resolved presents its own challenge -- to my value system. That is why, a number of years ago, I shifted gears in my personal study to gain a better understanding of how and why unconscious limiting beliefs affect body structure (and a whole lot of other health-related symptoms).

Here is the story:

Continue reading "Limiting Beliefs of the most Insidious Kind (The ones you don't know about.)" »

Creative problem-solvers are rarely stressed for very long.

What is their secret? It's simple. When something puzzling tugs their tail, creative problem-solvers are pretty well sure that they will be able to come up with a satisfactory solution. They don't waste a lot of energy worrying. Instead, they set out on a two-step process that virtually guarantees success and a good night's sleep.

Not all "creative personalities" have the process worked out so smoothly, of course. Sometimes a great solution will "pop" into their head, yet on other occasions it eludes them. Like anything else, creative problem-solving works best when you engage it consciously and practice often.

Want to give it a try? Here's how:

Continue reading "Engage Creativity -- Resolve Stress!" »

Avoiding Higher Guidance. I think that from time to time we must all do it.

You know the drill: your plea goes out to those Higher Powered Beings who surely must be able, from their lofty and objective vantage points, to see the solutions that elude you:

* Should I move or stay put?
* Is there a better job out there for me?
* Am I headed in the right direction with my life?
* I'm exhausted all the time. Where's all my energy going?
* How can I get my health in order?
* Where should I look to find that special someone?
* What is the very next thing I should do to move forward with my life?

You ask the question and then patiently wait for an answer. It comes, in the form of repeated thoughts, ideas, and conversations. But it wasn't what you wanted to hear. Perhaps the proposed next step is a bit intimidating. Maybe you don't see how the answer you got relates back to your initial question.

So you avoid it.

Simple enough.

Continue reading "Avoiding Higher Guidance" »

Fresh local produce in season. Don't you just love it? Mmmm. I don't know about you, but I just can hardly wait for that first tomato of the season!

Fresh produce tastes great and it's good for you. In fact, it's National Farmer's Market Week! Hoo boy! To help you plan your shopping, the good folks at Rodale have just put together an informative article on tips for the farmer's market.

Once you've done your shopping, if you're interested in some cool veggie information (this might even get the kids interested) and fresh serving suggestions, check out the Fresh Garden Energy website. Creative collaborator Judy and I are just tweaking the finishing touches...

Commitment to healing (or its lack) is a perpetuating factor that sometimes trips people up. When I say "sometimes," what I really mean is that it's one of the most frequent conflicts I observe in people from day to day.

Of course that does not mean that people don't want to be healthy. Most people do! What it means is that there's something else that they also want, the two desires conflict, and the health-building process effectively "stalls in the water."

Before we get into that list of possible conflicting desires (it's coming), let's look at this a little differently. What would it look like if someone with very few conflicting desires were to step through the door? How would the engagement go? What would be the results?

I had the pleasure of meeting such a person about two weeks ago. He phoned on a Monday morning to inquire about an appointment. When I asked about his availability, he responded "I'm really tired of this pain." Already, I suspected that things were going to go well. He was focused and flexible!

Continue reading "Healing Intent and Commitment" »

In their landmark reference book on Trigger Points, Drs. Janet Travell and David Simons devote an entire chapter to perpetuating factors. (Volume one, chapter four). Why?

Easy. Because without addressing the factors that perpetuate a health condition, the condition is sure to persist. They are really important!

People sometimes are disappointed to hear this. "Poor nutrition didn't cause my neck pain," they'll say. "So what does it matter how I eat now? I just want to get rid of the pain. I'm just not ready for an entire healthy lifestyle makeover."

However...

Continue reading "Perpetuating Factors that Affect Your Health" »