Antidepressants and Alcohol

Mayo Clinic: antidepressants and alcohol, a toxic mix?

It seems innocent enough, a casual drinker who also suffers complications of depression or anxiety issues who continues to drink while on their medication.  Frankly I know several people who I am certain are in this category.   This Mayo Clinic article by Dr. Hall-Flavin points out this could lead to disaster of various proportions though.

For starters, alcohol IS a depressant.  Adding it to a depressed person's psyche along with medications that monkey with your brain chemistry may lead to worse depression, aggravated side-affects of the medication, intensified drowsiness and interrupted sleep patterns, monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI's) combined with certain foods and alcohol can cause dangerous spikes in blood pressure, and a higher risk of alcohol dependence (addiction).

Not so innocent, is it?  I caution you to beware if you are on medication AND drinking alcohol.  It is not such a simple equation as taking an aspirin and cough syrup.  Both drugs alter the brain.  Too much brain altering and the list of troubles could be endless, leading to more medications for more symptoms, when the source cause could be simple over-medicating at home, legally, in what seems to be a very safe way to relax at the end of the day or enjoy a meal with friends.   ~jd

On forgiveness

‎"The practice of forgiveness is our most important 

contribution to heal the world."---Marianne Williamson

I always enjoyed Stephen Levine's language: "I forgive anything you intentionally or un-intentionally did to cause me harm; I forgive myself & ask forgiveness, for anything I intentionally or un-intentionally did to cause you harm..."; and the concept in 12-Step programs that our holding someone in blame (unforgiven) separates them from God. God has a much better plan for that person than I ever could; and in Buddhist Metta meditation: May you be Free From Suffering, May You Be At Peace (if the "perpetrator of our suffering" was free from suffering and at peace they would not be causing harm to themselves and others, would they?). ~jd

Toxic food dyes in foods

Reading this article reminded me of my mother who suffered bouts of severe asthma, and eventually died at the (too young) age of 61 of an asthma-related death. She had learned about the yellow food dyes that were triggers of her asthma attacks back in the Seventies. ~jd

Toxic Treats – the Lowdown on Food Dyes
May 17, 2011

For commercial reasons, food manufacturers are adding toxic food colorings to our foods. The European Union recently placed regulations on labeling food dyes to alert consumers of health risks, but the United States has not followed suite.
Below are some of the most common toxic food dyes used today, according to the Food Freedom Network:
Citrus Red #2
Citrus Red #2 is toxic to rodents at modest levels and causes tumors of the urinary bladder and possibly other organs. Citrus Red #2 is used in: Skins of Florida oranges.
Red #3 (Erythrosine)
Red #3 (Erythrosine) was recognized in 1990 by the FDA as a thyroid carcinogen in animals and is banned in cosmetics and externally applied drugs. Red #3 is used in: Sausage casings, oral medication, maraschino cherries, baked goods, and candies.
Red # 5
Red # 5 was banned for a very long time because it was suspected that it made children hyperactive. Red # 5 belongs to a class of chemicals called “polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,” which studies suggest are carcinogens. But since these chemicals only cause cancer when injected, not ingested, the FDA keeps them legal.
Red #40 (Allura Red)
Red #40 (Allura Red) is the most-widely used and consumed dye. It may accelerate the appearance of immune-system tumors in mice. It also causes allergy-like reactions in some consumers and might trigger hyperactivity in children. Red #40 is used in: Beverages, bakery goods, dessert powders, candies, cereals, foods, drugs, and cosmetics.
Blue #1 (Brilliant Blue)
An unpublished study suggests that Blue #1 (Brilliant Blue) causes kidney tumors in mice. Blue #1 is used in: Baked goods, beverages, desert powders, candies, cereal, drugs, and other products.
Blue #2 (Indigo Carmine)
Blue #2 (Indigo Carmine) causes tumors, particularly brain gliomas, in male rats. Blue #2 is used in: Colored beverages, candies, pet food, and other foods and drugs.
Green #3 (Fast Green)
Green #3 (Fast Green) has caused significant increases in bladder and testes tumors in male rats. Green #3 is used in: Drugs, personal care products, cosmetics, candies, beverages, ice cream, sorbet, and externally applied cosmetics.
Yellow #5 (Tartrazine)
Yellow #5 (Tartrazine) causes hypersensitivity reactions and might trigger hyperactivity and other behavioral effects in children. Yellow #5 (Tartrazine)
Is used in: Pet foods, numerous bakery goods, beverages, dessert powders, candies, cereals, gelatin desserts, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.
Yellow #6 (Sunset Yellow)
Yellow #6 (Sunset Yellow) causes adrenal tumors in animals and occasionally causes severe hypersensitivity reactions. Yellow #6 (Sunset Yellow) is used in: Colored bakery goods, cereals, beverages, dessert powders, candies, gelatin deserts, sausage, cosmetics and drugs.
Avoid artificially colored foods
The Center for Science in the Public Interest recommends, "Because colorings are used almost solely in foods of low nutritional value (candy, soda pop, gelatin desserts, etc.), you should simply avoid all artificially colored foods."
You can also now purchase plant-based natural food colors that are prepared in concentrations that are easy to use. They can be used to color most foods. While they don't match the same hues as artificial colors, they may look much better, since they are actually the colors found in real foods.
Article provided by www.DrClarkStore.com on May 20, 2011

The growing inclusion of spirituality in therapeutic counseling

"Does religion belong in therapy? A growing number of counselors and patients think it does. Faith-based therapy is growing in popularity, reports Psychology Today, as more patients look for counselors who can discuss their problems and goals from a religious frame of reference."


"Nearly three-fourths of Americans say their whole approach to life is based on religion. But only 32 percent of psychiatrists, 33 percent of clinical psychologists and 46 percent of clinical social workers feel the same. The majority of traditional counselor training programs have no courses dealing with spiritual matters."
See:
When God is part of Therapy, a NY Times article by Tara Parker-Hope
With God as my Shrink, Psychology Today


Our culture has come full circle in many ways, through the industrial and technology eras, to realize the value of spiritual principles, understanding, and core belief  systems to enhance our ability to thrive in the modern world.  Our spiritual (or religious) beliefs influence our physical and mental health, and are sometimes the brush of a feather that can roll us toward being a survivor during impossible odds or the person who is lost on the operating table without major risks or clear cause.   


Bruce Lipton describes in The Biology of Belief, how our cells are listening and responding to every thought and emotion.  Our DNA is informed by both the internal and external environments in which we live.  Spiritually-based principles such as gratitude and forgiveness have been studied and shown to take pressure off the heart, decrease depressive symptoms, and slow aging.  Faith in a "power greater than myself" creates trust in a world that supports me.  Altruistic, faith-based systems guide us to live better lives, to treat others and the world more kindly, to seek the good in the world and to feel safe in the world, regardless of the evidence of harm and drama super-sized by the media.


Spiritual and religious systems also ask us to be in relationship with a "Universal Wisdom, God, prophet, or other Divine Source of Life and Knowledge."  By practicing this relationship through meditation, contemplation, prayer and study we can each better listen to, hear and connect with the inner voice of this Higher Power, allowing it to guide us to our greater good instead of allowing the masses, the media, our family or friends to make our choices and lead the direction of our lives.


It is so easy to be driven off-track, to lose the inner voice, or forget what we knew as children;  to have our Guidance be drowned out by the voices around us;  to be overwhelmed by the negative voices within us.  Spiritual counseling and coaching listens to and speaks with the heart; it seeks to shore up values, self-esteem and integrity, and create Sacred Space where unneeded beliefs, suffering and heartache are restored to order according to the true (and holy) needs of the client.


Whole Health Educators always include Spirituality as one of the five critical aspects of health and wellness.   As a trans-denominational pastor, I provide spiritual coaching focused on universal spiritual principles grounded in New Thought teachings and the mindfulness and compassion teachings of Buddhism.

Combine the elements of your life into a harmonious whole: Integration

I enjoyed these tips from Jeff Klein, author of Working For Good, about recognizing the value in integration of all aspects of our lives.  Though it is easy to mentally compartmentalize work, family, entertainment, hobbies, and friends... all the areas of our life still make up just ONE LIFE.  We can't hide one from the other, nor prevent one area from influencing other areas.  Klein suggests recognizing integration as a way to creatively improve our life.  Here is one set of tips he recently sent out in his March 2011 Reflections Newsletter:

Making Space for Integration
Tune in: recognize where you feel integrated and where you don't.

Change channels: if you find your self stuck - whether in your mind, body, emotions etc - then shift to another "channel." Thinking stagnant? Move your body. Too tired to work out? Listen to some music or meditate or address an emotional block. Can't come up with a good solution to a business challenge? Look at art books. Since our thoughts, feelings and emotions are all part of one process, if we are stuck in one channel, we can move our whole being via another channel of experience, and return to where we were stuck, to find it too has shifted. 

Tune in again: and continue the process as necessary.

Bromide Dominance Theory, blocking Iodine, causing disease?

In the 1960's, a single slice of bread in the USA contained the full RDA of 0.15 mg iodine. The risk for breast cancer was then 1 in 20. Over the last several decades, iodine was largely replaced by bromine in the form of potassium bromate in the bread making process.

Bromine blocks thyroid function and interferes with the anticancer effect of iodine. Today, the risk for breast cancer is 1 in 8 and increasing by one percent each year.

Bromide in Bread Banned in UK and Canada

In 1990 the UK banned bromate in bread. Canada followed suite in 1994. The United States has yet to take a similar action in this important matter.

Bromide Dominance – A National Health Crisis Part 1 of 2

Recent research clearly demonstrates that big pharma “science” has misled doctors and the public at large about iodine. Big pharma spin-doctors have in fact named Iodine as the underlying factor for numerous diseases, and have even assigned an “ism” to this naturally-occurring substance that our bodies very much need.
Iodism is now defined as “poisoning caused by sensitivity to or overuse of iodine or its compounds,” consumers are being encouraged to avoid iodine.
But the truth is that if you avoid consuming iodine you do so at your own peril.

Bromide Dominance Theory

The situation is more complex, and bromide is the culprit, not iodine. In recent years, increased exposure to bromide has caused dangerous levels of iodine depletion. Many people are so depleted that they have no tolerance for taking iodine supplements any longer without taking appropriate precautions.
Bromide is an insidious additive used in many consumer products, and as a pesticide. Because of the sheer number of bromide-supplemented products, exposure to this man-made additive has caused a depletion of iodine in human populations. Studies in lab animals provide alarming evidence that even small amounts of bromide exposure can be toxic.
A bromide dominance condition may develop when bromide, acquired through environmental, occupational or dietary exposure, causes bromide levels in the body to rise high enough to inhibit iodine enzyme metabolism.
Where does bromide come from? Bromide comes from the food we eat—especially bread—from drinking water, and from toothpaste, mouthwash, flame-retardants, hair dye and other sources.
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Bromide Dominance, Part 2 of 2, continues this article in more detail.

The mindful mind

“Many forms of spirituality try to get rid of thoughts, feelings, and memories - to make the mind blank, as if that were a desirable or spiritual state. But to have the mind blank is not necessarily wise. Instead, it is more helpful to see through thoughts and to recognize that a thought is just a thought, a belief, a memory. Then we can stop binding consciousness of spirit to our thoughts and mental states.”

From: Emptiness Dancing
By Adyashanti

Wake up!

Waking up means being able to observe our life as if it were happening to someone else. It means thinking and speaking consciously, knowing that what we think and say on Tuesday becomes the life we live on Thursday.  Waking up means we don't see the other as better or less than ourselves. We see the other as our self.

~Jan Phillips 

Dec. 1: Pay It Forward Day!

Today, December first, is quickly becoming the new Pay It Forward Day....
 For my local friends and clients...

Shop at Good Vibrations in Chester and receive a 

Half-Off Coupon for any of my services!!!  

 ...then... Pay It Forward!  :)

Practice random acts of kindness

Buy an overseas soldier a cup of coffee through the Cup of Joe program 

Pay for the gas, coffee, groceries, toll-fee of the person behind you in line...

Pay an unexpected compliment

Watch the neighbor's children for an hour

Wash a window

Make a cake

Be Unexpected!

Be Unafraid!

Be Stealthy!

Enjoy the good feeling vibes of helping another struggling person on the planet...

... & have fun...!

Which Thought Feels Better?

I enjoy many sources of spiritual nourishment, some unusual, some "ordinary".  This comes from the teachings of "Abraham" as they speak through Esther Hicks, from the book Ask and it is Given.

1. Every Topic or Subject has two aspects to it:  what is desired and the lack of it (ie, think money and health).  

-we can spend lots of time paying attention to our money or our health, [setting good intentions, looking for positive results], without realizing most of our subconscious thoughts on the topic are in fact negatively oriented.  This is where our hidden limitations and resistance to growth live.

2. Take time to connect with and identify your feelings right now, leaving aside everyone else's desires, ideas, opinions and beliefs (easier said than done, esp. for people pleasers and co-dependents).

   a. state how you feel.

   b. amplify it with more thoughts on "a."

   c. now reach for some thoughts that feel a little better...   evaluating as you go, Better, Same or Worse?

3. Move in the direction of the Better Feeling Thoughts.  Make it a practice to identify your (negative) feelings, identify some better feeling thoughts about the first feeling (even only slightly better is good!).  Dwell in that space a while...

"Your thoughts change the behavior of everyone and everything around you.  The better you feel, the more things and people around you improve.  Conditions and circumstances change to match your feeling [state]."

Be careful about adding detailed timelines to your wishes and desires [better feeling thoughts] in this process, Abraham says: "When you put yourself on a schedule where there is a deadline, then very often the shortage of time or money looms up and contradicts the [better feeling] energy, making you miserable [worse feeling]."  

Have fun with this.  There are many roads to Rome as they say...

Posted on Facebook

Got enough Vitamin P & Vitamin R?

"Our brain and digestive system are constantly scanning every eating experience to see if we have reached the requisite level of pleasure. Once we hit this sweet spot, so to speak, the brain sends out a simple signal: 'Full, satisfied, pleasured and thus it's time to stop eating. Mission accomplished.'" -Marc David, Institute for the Psychology of Eating

Marc clarifies that stress (cortisol) blocks our ability to experience pleasure (Vitamin P), so relaxation (Vitamin R) while eating and digesting promotes satiety, the feeling of being full and satisfied.  In other words, the more you argue at the dinner table, or balance your checkbook during lunch, or review the kids homework, or berate yourself for being overweight during meals... the more you have to eat to satisfy the brain's idea of "Enough!"

Wholeness = Wellness

"The part can never be well unless the whole is well."

- Plato

Grace

Stop, notice your body is breathing and your 

heart is beating without your conscious effort. 

Now open yourself to the possibility that every area of 

your life can operate with the same grace. 

This is the byproduct of your spiritual endeavor to evolve. 

Peace

Michael Bernard Beckwith 

Einstein-type DVDs like "crack for babies"

Face it, no matter how much we digitize our communication world, one thing is for certain, our mostly ancient human brains were made for human-to-human contact as the go-to form of learning.  Our brain's learning systems are LIT UP by other humans - and there is likely more than meets the eye when this happens.  Sub-conscious attention to 3-dimensional body language, pheromones, and subtle facial expression go a long way to contribute to the waking up of neurons in developing brains. Learning is not just "words & pictures."  -jd

DVDs poor at teaching toddlers
Science News, 09-25-2010

A study performed by psychologist Judy DeLoache of the University of Virgina demonstrated that parents verbal interaction with their young children far out-performed "baby education DVDs."  Her study "indicated the importance of having a social partner in learning," Michael Robb of St. Vincent College in PA.  Kids under age three don't grasp the relation between what they see on a screen and the physical world (SN: 4/10/10, p.9).

Babies can watch these videos with such intensity, DeLoache describes them "like crack for babies," and notes, "parents may think that attention equals learning, when it clearly does not."

Click here for full article

THE MANIFESTO OF ENCOURAGEMENT

Just reading this brings a sense of relief... I am struggling with a recent terrible diagnosis on one of our beloved dogs, who seems to have a disease akin to ALS and MS in humans.  The desired care can be daunting.  But I do believe in so many possibilities in this world, the practical, as well as the spiritual and magical...  -jd




THE MANIFESTO OF ENCOURAGEMENTBy Rob Brezsny
Right now:
There are Tibetan Buddhist monks in a temple in the Himalayas endlessly reciting mantras for the cessation of your suffering and for the flourishing of your happiness.
Someone you haven't met yet is already dreaming of adoring you.
Someone is writing a book that you will read in the next two years that will change how you look at life. 
Nuns in the Alps are in endless vigil, praying for the Holy Spirit to alight the hearts of all of God's children.
A farmer is looking at his organic crops and whispering, "nourish them." 
Someone wants to kiss you, to hold you, to make tea for you. Someone is willing to lend you money, wants to know what your favourite food is, and treat you to a movie. Someone in your orbit has something immensely valuable to give you -- for free.
Something is being invented this year that will change how your generation lives, communicates, heals and passes on.
The next great song is being rehearsed.
Thousands of people are in yoga classes right now intentionally sending light out from their heart chakras and wrapping it around the earth. 
Millions of children are assuming that everything is amazing and will always be that way.
Someone is in profound pain, and a few months from now, they'll be thriving like never before. They just can't see it from where they're at.
Someone who is craving to be partnered, to be acknowledged, to ARRIVE, will get precisely what they want -- and even more. And because that gift will be so fantastical in it's reach and sweetness, it will quite magically alter their memory of angsty longing and render it all "So worth the wait."
Someone has recently cracked open their joyous, genuine nature because they did the hard work of hauling years of oppression off of their psyche -- this luminous juju is floating in the ether, and is accessible to you. 
Someone just this second wished for world peace, in earnest.
Someone is fighting the fight so that you don't have to.
Some civil servant is making sure that you get your mail, and your garbage is picked up, that the trains are running on time, and that you are generally safe. Someone is dedicating their days to protecting your civil liberties and clean drinking water.
Someone is regaining their sanity. Someone is coming back from the dead. Someone is genuinely forgiving the seemingly unforgivable. Someone is curing the incurable.
You. Me. Some. One. Now.  
                   
From PRONOIA IS THE ANTIDOTE TO PARANOIA 
{copied from an email sent out by Lea Walters of the AIM program}

Great Service

I found this article uplifting, it shares the story of a cab driver who took some of Wayne Dyer's teachings to heart and changed his business and his life profoundly. It is my goal to provide great service to my clients and students.  Am I hitting the mark?  Or missing it in some ways?  I would love the feedback.  -jd

From the Facebook page called Daily Inspiration:

Marcia Kearl Johnson September 30 at 8:10am Reply • Report

No one can make you serve customers well.....that's because
great service is a choice.

Harvey Mackay, tells a wonderful story about a cab driver who
proved this point.

He was waiting in line for a ride at the airport. When a cab
pulled up, the first thing Harvey noticed was that the taxi was polished
to a bright shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, black tie, and
freshly pressed black slacks, the cab driver jumped out and rounded the
car to open the back passenger door for Harvey ..

He handed my friend a laminated card and said: 'I'm Wally, your
driver. While I'm loading your bags in the trunk I'd like you to read my
mission statement.'

Taken aback, Harvey read the card.. It said: Wally's Mission
Statement: To get my customers to their destination in the quickest,
safest and cheapest way possible in a friendly environment...

This blew Harvey away. Especially when he noticed that the
inside of the cab matched the outside. Spotlessly clean!

As he slid behind the wheel, Wally said, 'Would you like a cup
of coffee? I have a thermos of regular and one of decaf.' My friend said
jokingly, 'No, I'd prefer a soft drink.' Wally smiled and said, 'No
problem I have a cooler up front with regular and Diet Coke, water and
orange juice..' Almost stuttering, Harvey said, 'I'll take a Diet Coke.'

Handing him his drink, Wally said, 'If you'd like something to
read, I have The Wall Street Journal, Time, Sports Illustrated and USA
Today.'

As they were pulling away, Wally handed my friend another
laminated card, 'These are the stations I get and the music they play,
if you'd like to listen to the radio.'

And as if that weren't enough, Wally told Harvey that he had the
air conditioning on and asked if the temperature was comfortable for
him. Then he advised Harvey of the best route to his destination for
that time of day. He also let him know that he'd be happy to chat and
tell him about some of the sights or, if Harvey preferred, to leave him
with his own thoughts.

'Tell me, Wally,' my amazed friend asked the driver, 'have you
always served customers like this?'

Wally smiled into the rear view mirror. 'No, not always.. In
fact, it's only been in the last two years. My first five years driving,
I spent most of my time complaining like all the rest of the cabbies do.
Then I heard the personal growth guru, Wayne Dyer, on the radio one day.

He had just written a book called You'll See It When You Believe
It. Dyer said that if you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad
day, you'll rarely disappoint yourself. He said, 'Stop complaining!
Differentiate yourself from your competition. Don't be a duck. Be an
eagle. Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd..'

'That hit me right between the eyes,' said Wally. 'Dyer was
really talking about me. I was always quacking and complaining, so I
decided to change my attitude and become an eagle. I looked around at
the other cabs and their drivers. The cabs were dirty, the drivers were
unfriendly, and the customers were unhappy. So I decided to make some
changes. I put in a few at a time. When my customers responded well, I
did more.'

'I take it that has paid off for you,' Harvey said.

'It sure has,' Wally replied. 'My first year as an eagle, I
doubled my income from the previous year. This year I'll probably
quadruple it. You were lucky to get me today. I don't sit at cabstands
anymore. My customers call me for appointments on my cell phone or leave
a message on my answering machine. If I can't pick them up myself, I get
a reliable cabbie friend to do it and I take a piece of the action.'

Wally was phenomenal. He was running a limo service out of a
Yellow Cab. I've probably told that story to more than fifty cab drivers
over the years, and only two took the idea and ran with it. Whenever I
go to their cities, I give them a call. The rest of the drivers quacked
like ducks and told me all the reasons they couldn't do any of what I
was suggesting..

Wally the Cab Driver made a different choice. He decided to stop
quacking like ducks and start soaring like eagles.

How about us? Smile, and the whole world smiles with you... The
ball is in our hands!
We reap what we sow. Let us not become weary in doing good, for
at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up... let us
do good to all people.

Ducks Quack, Eagles Soar.

Have a nice day, unless you already have other plans.
SORROW looks back, WORRY looks around, and FAITH looks UP...

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about
learning to dance in the rain."

Author Unknown

Creativity and Confidence

When you understand that ideas 

often seem crazy at first,

that failure is just a learning experience, 

and that nothing is impossible, 

you are on your way to becoming 

more confident and more creative. 

 Dean Rieck

http://www.copyblogger.com/creativity-killers/

Obesity additives... the bane of processed foods

Many of the chemicals all too commonly found in today's foods can be just as addictive as alcohol, cigarettes, and even various street drugs.

The stuff they are putting in our food to keep it artificially "fresh" for years and even decades, can actually make changes in our brain chemistry...causing us to become addicted to gaining body fat. 

Furthermore, in order to make you crave what they have, the industry spikes your food with: Trans fats, caffeine, MSG, high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, flavoring, extra salt, and sugar. What you get is a food time bomb disguised as a healthy treat. 

No wonder we all struggle so much... 

With all of this in mind, here are three ways obesity additives work to make our bellies bulge: 

1. Two of these obesity additives interfere with a hormone called leptin that tells the brain we are full while eating. 

2. Other obesity additives add fat by changing how our bodies use the calories we eat. They do this by increasing a fat-storing hormone called insulin. When this happens, calories are converted to fat instead of being stored as "muscle energy." This leads to fat deposits in all of our trouble areas—like under the chin, the backs of the arms, the belly, and the lower body. 

3. Still other obesity additives actually make us addicted to them and cause us to eat uncontrollably. They do this by altering brain chemicals called neurotransmitters—just like a highly addictive drug does. 

A Short List of Obesity Additives to Stay Away From... 

Stripped Carbohydrates (listed as sugar, flour, enriched white flour, white flour, enriched bleached flour, enriched wheat flour, wheat flour, semolina flour, white rice, maltodextrin, glucose, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), fructose, sucrose, dextrose, and levulose)

Artificial Sweeteners (listed as Splenda (sucralose), NutraSweet (aspartame), Sunette (acesulfame K), and Sweet ‘N Low (saccharin). The scientists believe that artificial sweeteners may “short-circuit” the body’s natural ability to sense how much it has eaten.)

Added Caffeine in soft drinks and energy drinks (a few cups of green tea or coffee each day are fine)

High Saturated Fats (also listed as partially hydrogenated oils and trans fats)

MSG (also labeled as monosodium glutamate)

Excess Alcohol (if you must, one to two drinks per week)

Excess Salt/Sodium (in chips, crackers, canned food items, pickles, various cheeses, pretzels, condiments, and salted nuts.)


This note came from Michael Lovitch, Co-founder of The Hypnosis Network, describing information povided by Josh Bezoni in a new class he is offering. 09-30-10

Opportunity or Suffering

I deeply enjoyed this wisdom teaching offered by Richard Rudis, an expert Tibetan Singing Bowl healer, in his recent newsletter, Dharma Tapestry.  -jd An old beggar has been sitting by the side of the same road for thirty years asking for hand outs - for he had nothing. A stranger walked by: "Spare some change?" the beggar asked. "Sorry, I have nothing to give you," said the stranger, “ but what's that you're sitting on?" "Just an old box,” replied the beggar, “I've been sitting on it for as long as I can remember.” “It appears to me to be a curious thing - have you ever look inside?," asked the stranger. "No," said the beggar, "What's the point, there's nothing in there." "How can you be so certain," insisted the stranger. So the beggar, reluctantly, managed to pry open the lid and find, to his astonishment, it filled with gold. (based on a parable told by Eckhart Tolle) In my life, from time to time, I have been both the stranger and the beggar - I imagine we all have been. I sometimes find myself rooted in place, certain of my surroundings, my lot-in-life, my past - present & future, disregarding (or even worst un-recognizing) the many opportunities that are naturally presented to me daily. Recently I was confronted with a change that was unexpected, unwanted and undesirable. Fixed in my position I mentally ranted at the situation while physically accepting and halfheartedly moving forward. Life is a funny old place - isn’t it? I know better yet lost in the unwanted I attached myself to the apparent suffering of change and failed to ask myself; what treasure am I ignoring? How can I pry open this lid? I am still looking for the gift but hopefully now I’ll see it as it presents itself. Namaste, Richard Rudis (Karma Sonam Dorje)

Problem-solving, Norman Vincent Peale

"Believe that problems do have answers. 

Believe that they can be overcome. 

Believe that they can be handled. 

And finally, believe that you can solve them."

- Norman Vincent Peale