Healthy Everytime

Can’t figure out where to start to improve the quality of your lifestyle? Here are some simple things to help get started. If you can follow the suggestions for a month, you will be well on your way to reducing belly fat AND establishing an anti-aging lifestyle.. It’s not difficult – if you really want to do it. Remember, these are baby steps, but you have to start some place.

1. Check your fridge. If you use butter, you can use less by diluting it half-and-half with olive oil. Let a bar of butter soften to room temperature. Beat it smooth and gradually beat in an equal amount of olive oil. It will be runny but will set up to a soft spread in the fridge.

2. Rethink the mayo. If you can’t live without it, make your own with olive oil. Then you will really have something worthwhile to spread on bread or to make a salad.

3. If you eat peanut butter, buy Smart Balance peanut butter for it’s omega- 3 content. If you are not taking an omega-3 supplement, you should.

4. Keep a gallon bottle of water on the kitchen counter or at work. Drink at least half of it every day. Having it in plain sight will help you drink more of it.

5. Check your pantry. Don’t restock chips, cookies, soda, toaster pastries, sugary breakfast “cereals” (a misnomer if ever there was one!) It’s just as quick and easy to scramble a couple of eggs for breakfast as it is to wait for a pastry to toast. I know how tough it is to get rid of the nutritionally bankrupt junk, so do it in small steps if you can’t do it cold turkey.

6. Substitute whole grain bread for white bread. Beware of “wheat” bread – it’s probably not whole wheat. If possible, go to a whole foods market and get some real whole wheat bread. In my area, I can buy incredibly good whole grain bread from Alvarado Street Bakery. You can buy it online, and if you do, put it in the freezer the minute it arrives. Because it’s “live” and preservative free, it will get moldy very quickly if you leave it out. I particularly enjoy the Alvarado sprouted whole grain bread.

7. Having a whole foods market nearby makes it easy to cut down on processed food. If you make a trip a couple of times a week you can get all the super-fresh veggies and fruit you will need to provide a healthier diet for your family. For protein, focus on chicken – preferably baked or roasted. I use a lot of ground turkey – you can prepare it so many ways. If you work and are pressed for time, many whole foods markets offer excellent take out.

You will notice I did not mention fish. I rarely buy fish because it’s so difficult to get good fish. If I can’t get wild salmon or other fish that hasn’t been farm raised, I don’t bother. I would never eat shrimp because it causes too many intestinal problems. There is another way to get the benefits of eating fish – in fish oil capsules. True, you run the risk of contamination there as well. But I think I’d rather opt for the capsules than supermarket fish that looks like it’s seen better days, and probably has.

8. Skip fried anything as much as possible. And you certainly won’t need your deep fat fryer anymore, so throw it away. (Well okay, give it away. But you won’t be doing anyone a favor.)

9. If you are an emotional eater, eat unbuttered popcorn or dry roasted nuts, such as almonds or cashews. You can flavor popcorn with garlic salt or any seasoning of your choice. Or try spritzing on garlic flavored olive oil. Drink green tea to wash it down. Most commercial green teas are bitter or tasteless but I have found some very tasty teas at Clipper teas.

This should be more than enough to help you start to live a healthier, anti-aging lifestyle. Start with at least one step and add others as you develop a system.

At 40 or 50, you are NOT middle aged! Remember, in the past century the lifespan has increased by 27 years. Therefore, it no longer makes sense to categorize yourself according to a model that is no longer relevant.

I found the following message on a discussion board:

“Those of us between 45 and 65 are not considered seniors - and yet many of us are not comfortable in gyms . . . We are truly a neglected group. Our local park districts have several senior exercise programs, even senior sports leagues. But we are too young to join them. At the same time, most of us simply can’t compete with the 20 and 30-somethings that populate most exercise classes.

Gyms need to go out of their way to be more welcoming to people who don’t fit the young and skinny mold. A big part of making a commitment to fitness is psychological, and when you feel you don’t belong, that the atmosphere systematically excludes and ostracizes you because you’re not 22 years old or you don’t weigh 102, then it’s extremely difficult to keep going back.

. . . we 40 and 50-somethings are not quite ready for senior citizenship. We want something more suited to our age than what’s found in the typical gym. But be very, very careful - I am NOT elderly, and I won’t be marketed to or treated that way. Can we find a middle ground for those of us of middle age?”

The above tells me the following about the writer:

1. She finds gyms forbidding 2. She understands that part of the commitment to exercise is psychological 3. She knows 40 and 50 somethings are not seniors, however - - 4. She considers 40-50 middle aged 5. She is adamant about not being considered “elderly” 6. She has a group mindset that affects/controls her thinking and behavior

It is the last item on the list above that merits comment first:

Managing the aging process is not a group activity. It’s nice to have support, and support helps, but ultimately, it’s a do it yourself project.

I would say to the writer of the discussion board message, as well as all 40 and 50 somethings who need group support to exercise (or to perform any activity):

1. Forget about finding acceptance in a gym populated by 20-somethings who don’t have an inch of flab on their tight bodies. If you must exercise in a group environment, then toughen up. Forget about the skinny kid on the bicycle next to you. You are not there to compete; your are there to do your own thing. You are there in response to a commitment you made to yourself, not to a group

2. Part of the commitment to exercise is indeed psychological. If you have made the commitment, you will do what you have to do, regardless of what others do, or where or how they do it.

3. The key to not being treated as elderly is to change how you behave and think about yourself. It’s important to see yourself as a strong individual who doesn’t need the approbation of a group to help you be who you are or want to be.

4. We will always have “marketing to the elderly” because being elderly is a traditional outcome of the aging process, and most people as they age will fit into that category.

5. At 40 or 50, you are NOT middle aged! Remember, in the past century the lifespan has increased by 27 years. Therefore, it no longer makes sense to categorize yourself according to a model that is no longer relevant.

There is a better way to think about the stages of aging, and it is found in Dr. Helen Harkness’ groundbreaking book, “Don’t Stop the Career Clock”. On page 79 she gives her contemporary model for aging:

Young adulthood: 20-40 First midlife: 40-60 Second midlife: 60-80 Young-old: 80-90 Elderly: 90 and above Old-old: 2-3 years to live

Knowing what you know about the lengthening lifespan, isn’t the Harkness model a more rational, motivating way to see your stages of aging?

My best advice to 40 and 50 somethings is to be strong, independent and committed to managing your aging process. Don’t categorize yourself. Realize that regardless of how much group support you have, no one but you can control how you age. It is indeed the ultimate “do it yourself” project.

Kelp has been described as an “Ocean Wonder” due to kelps health benefits. There are many positive signs that highlight health benefits of kelp from it’s ability to regulate the thyroid, to it’s ability to help stave off the common cold or even the influenza virus. There are also many topical benefits of kelp when it is extracted and made available in its liquid form.

Digitata Laminaria is renowned as the most prized kelp on the planet. Growing wild in the pristine waters of Nova Scotia, this species of kelp contains the highest levels of vitamins and minerals to provide an optimal Kelp Health Benefit. The availability of kelp health products is becoming more and more common, as studies and reports emerge extolling the virtues of this amazing and abundant plant. Kelp can be eaten raw, you can find it now in pill and capsule form, however the latest technology which provides the greatest kelp health benefit due to it’s greater bio-availability, is liquid kelp.

Certification of these Kelp Health Benefits are derived from:

1- Easy to ingest - 1/2 oz for an average adult

2- Greatest Bio-availability - Liquid Kelp is assimilated far quicker than pills or capsules

Studies have shown that Breast Cancer is one of a number of maladies the health benefits of kelp therapy have proven to be successful with.  Since the 1920’s Breast Cancer death rates have barely changed.  Surgical procedures, chemotherapy, mammography, and radiotherapy haven’t changed the rate of death from Breast Cancer, only fattened the wallets of researchers, doctors and drug companies 85 percent of adult females that get breast cancer will die from causes directly interrelated to breast cancer. (Author: Doctor. David Derry)

Studies are already afoot regarding the affect of natural iodine from kelp upon cancer prevention and reduction - many are showing very promising health benefits of natural liquid kelp. As breast cancer rates nationwide continue to skyrocket, more people are interested in early intervention or prevention. Dr. Deny’s theories of kelp health benefits, based on extensive critical review of published medical literature in combination with his experience as a clinician, are not his alone.

In fact, research is already underway on the impact of iodine on cancer prevention and reduction-a VERY important kelp health benefit. Dr. Derry proposes supporting the body’s natural immune system and metabolic health with proper thyroid levels, and combining that with the intake of a small daily dose of iodine-another Kelp Health Benefit.

Realizing that a diet rich in kelp might lessen the danger of estrogen-dependent diseases like Breast Cancer, health researchers at UCLA Berkeley, demanded a significant increase in scientific research into kelp health benefits

Prior to describing just exactly what Plantar Fasciitis is, we first need to know which part of the foot it affects. And before we do that we need to have a clear understanding of the anatomy of the foot.

There are a total of 26 bones in the foot. The toes contain 14 of these bones with three per toe, except the big toe, which only has two bones. These bones are arranged into three different arches which assist the foot in negotiating alterations in terrain. These arches are labeled as the transverse arch, the medial and lateral longitudinal arches.

The main arch associated with plantar fasciitis is the medial longitudinal arch located along the inside of the foot. The plantar fascia is a thick, wide ligament which attaches to the calcaneus (heel bone) and travels to the metatarsal heads (balls of the feet) and into the toes. If the plantar fascia is placed under an increased amount of strain, the ligament begins to over-stretch and tear. If the foot is not weight-bearing for a prolonged period of time, such as while sleeping, the body begins to lay down scar tissue in order to try healing the tear. When the person stands up again, the plantar fascia begins to stretch and the newly formed scar tissue tears. This results in the notion that the first step out of bed in the morning is when the pain is at its worst.
There are two main methods for the plantar fascia to undergo an increase in tension. One situation that increases tension is weight gain. This may be due to inactivity, an increase in caloric intake, or pregnancy. The weight gain puts more strain on the bottom of the foot causing a stretch of the medial longitudinal arch. This results in over-stretching of the plantar fascia, leading to plantar fasciitis.

The second situation which could cause Plantar Fasciitis is having an improper walking gait or foot biomechanics. Normally when we walk, the majority of the weight is transferred from the outside of the heel to the outside of the foot. However with improper mechanics, the weight is transferred to the inside of the foot causing the plantar fascia to overstretch and tear once again.
The main problem that has been found with foot biomechanics is what is called an overpronation syndrome. Overpronation is when walking, we roll over too much on the inside of the foot. Doing so puts excessive strain on the above mentioned medial longitudinal arch and the tearing of the plantar fascia begins.

The treatment of Plantar Fasciitis can be accomplished in a few ways. The first of course of to lose the extra pounds which are adding to the problem. If this is not the case then paying a visit to your chiropractic professional to have your foot adjusted could well be in order. Don’t be surprised if you are advised to roll a golf ball or similar object under your foot to help strip away the scar tissue. But be careful not to roll too hard and bruise your foot in the process.
Our heels can move in two directions - diagonally forward and diagonally backward. As we walk the heel moves backwards from the weight-bearing pressure and tension from the Achilles tendon. A visit to your chiropractic professional could result in an adjustment which moves your heel forward to relieve plantar fascia tension and help alleviate your symptoms. If this is not effective, a pair of custom-fit insoles may be required to help straighten your walking gait.

I was overjoyed by a recent article describing how the Department of Veteran Affairs health system is now virtually paperless. An electronic patient database is something I’ve spoken of before, and I am always shocked when I hear of medical offices where computerization is not a fact of life. This technology saves lives:

“Electronic medical records make confusing and physically unwieldy masses of data instantly available, portable and searchable—altogether more useful than when the information was stored on paper. Computer-accessible records have the potential to save the cost-strangled American medical system billions of dollars in waste, repetition and error. They may also prove to be essential tools of research, allowing scientists to examine patterns of medical practice, drug use, complication rates and health outcomes.”

The article mentioned how after Hurricane Katrina, many veterans whose physical medical records were scattered to the winds, were able to get their prescriptions thanks to electronically stored information.

Given the Bush administration’s secrecy and surveillance on people’s privacy, I can understand the qualms some people might have over a national health network. However, the article makes the far more compelling point that electronic records “could enable clinicians to reduce the level of preventable deaths by 50 percent by 2013.”

That’s because the variety of ways records are currently kept are so complicated that communication between doctors and patients can be tragically short-circuited. I think all of us on the administrative side of this question have experienced the problems which can arise when trying to coordinate care with another doctor’s office.

My current place of employment is online and current, and I can speak from personal experience that it is the best way to deliver service to the patient. I think it’s the way of the future. It’s progress.

One of the practical benefits as far as I’m concerned is how it helps eliminate the possible problems caused by bad handwriting! We all know that doctors aren’t the most graceful people in terms of penmanship, and I welcome a medical record that is neat and cleanly typed.
Now, electronic medical records can mean many things to many people. We use a system that takes our dictations and places them in an online medical records system. This way, the doctors never had to change anything about the way they did things, but from one day to the next we found we’d entered the digital age. The EMR was actually free, we only pay for the transcription. It has actually proven to be one of those rare experiences where the company under-promised and over-delivered.

Are you old enough to remember Cher? If so, do you remember what her teeth looked like when she first started out? I am probably the only person on earth with the same crooked teeth.

The good news: she got hers fixed, and so did I.

The bad news. I don’t know what her teeth look like now but I am having a problem with mine. In my case, it seems Mother Nature doesn’t like being shoved around and is trying to put my teeth back where she originally placed them.

My unattractive teeth have been the bane of my existence all of my life. As a child I remember looking in the mirror trying to decide how to smile so no one would notice my crooked upper teeth. My lower teeth are straight so I figured out how to smile showing my lower teeth while keeping the upper teeth covered. What a talented kid I was!

As a teenager, I was so bummed out by my teeth that I was convinced I would never find a husband. Of course, I did. While in pharmacy school, I picked off one of the choicest bachelors on the faculty. Dr. Morris knew a good thing when he saw it. (He claims he never noticed my teeth. Love is blind.)

As the years passed by, a procedure called “bonding” came into use that was effective in improving the appearance of crooked teeth. The only problem with bonding is that after a while, it wears off and you are back to square one.

At age 69 I decided to bite the bullet and had braces put on my teeth. Metal braces are ugly on kids and they were especially unattractive on me. (I could have believably played the role of “Ugly Betty.“) But it was okay. I knew that eventually, I would look fabulous. And indeed, the anticipated miracle finally took place.

Here I am at 78 and noticing that my two front teeth are “heading back home.” It’s pretty obvious so I decided that rather than wait for them to shift completely to their original position, I’d go to an orthodontist and try to stop what was happening.

But I’m thinking, “At 78, am I am crazy?” Imagine, I was thinking that even though I preach that you shouldn’t allow awareness of your age affect decisions you make about how you live your life. So I gave myself a mental smack on the side of the head and made an appointment with the orthodontist recommended by my regular dentist. (He knows my age and thought it was a great idea.)

Here’s where it gets cute. The young girl who answered the phone in the orthodontist’s office was very nice. She asked me some inoffensive questions and then proceeded to ask my age. I thought, “I’ll be damned if I’m going to tell her. What does my age have to do with straightening my teeth?”

I told her, “I’m ageless.”

“Excuse me?” she chirped.

Trying to be equally chirpy, I repeated, “I’m ageless. My chronological age is meaningless. I live my perceived age.”

She paused, probably never having heard that line before and with a little less chirpiness in her voice, countered with, “But when I mail the information you will need, I need to know how to address you. Should I say “Dear Parent”?

I laughed and assured her, “That’ll work!”

She laughed too, and reverting to full cheerful chirpiness, she chirped, “Well, okay!”

And okay it is.

My point in telling you all this is that I’m tired of being asked for information that is not necessary. If you pay cash or with a credit card, much of the information on a “new patient” form is not needed. So in addition to not divulging my age, I did not give up my social security number or driver’s license number.

Be fearless. Know when it is appropriate to provide requested personal information, and when you know it’s not necessary, don’t cave in. Sure, anyone can find anything they want to know about you in an instant. Privacy laws are a joke. But why make it easy?

And above all, never reveal your chronological age. If you are pressed to do so, tell your perceived age.

I don’t know about you, but I’m forty. On good days, I’m thirty. How old are you? I don’t need to know, but you should be ready with an answer when someone with a “need to know” asks, but doesn’t really need to know.

Welcome to my Holistic (the three) Medicine Tips! This online article has information, ideas, tips, and inspiration on how to heal from chronic disease. From time to time, look for a new article.
Please remember that these tips are only for educational purposes. They are not intended to substitute for or provide you with personalized medical advice. Consult your own doctor or health care individuals for specific personal advice.

The concept of the whole person parlays into understanding that when most people talk about “holistic health,” they usually mean that body, mind, and spirit are involved in health and healing. Caring for yourself at all of those levels will insure a healthful life and develop an immune system which will assist you in your healthful pursuits.

That’s a good basic idea. But unfortunately most people lapse into Western medical thinking - not true holistic thinking - in applying the mind-body-spirit idea. Western medical thinking is that when ill you are like a wagon with a broken wheel. Fix the broken wheel, and your wagon pulls along nicely.

There is a problem with the broken wheel analogy. Or at least, there’s something missing from it.

That is, you are actually an integrated whole being; today we understand that the function of DNA is based on communication and not just independent action of isolated genes. Your parts cannot be “fixed” in isolation, separate from the rest of you. In fact, the traditional, older systems of complementary and alternative medicine all believe, in one way or another, that your parts are all together in an interrelated, inter-dependent single being (you).

If you are out of harmony within yourself then you have the disease within your environment. Your environment is your interaction with social relationships and the rest of your surroundings. You are your own network of communication and healing.

Most all symptoms can be traced to a specific area of your system

What that means is that trying to force a body part to work or to stop malfunctioning (as with western medicine) is going to have effects on all of the rest of your body parts, your mind, and your spirit. There is a price to pay for ignoring the inter-dependence of your parts. That is, the “disease” needs to go somewhere else within you - block it from showing up in one place, and it will show up in another. Most likely, the new place will be one that is more closely inter-connected at a functional level with the one that Western medicine blocked from misbehaving.
How does the holistic healing or the interacting of wholes work differently? When a therapy is used holistically, it should re-balance you as an intact being, a whole network or system at once. Then the parts that seemed to be misbehaving, that is to be “diseased”, will start functioning more normally in their proper role within your being as a whole.

On a grand scale, it means that you should judge the long-term value of a treatment not simply in terms of short-term relief. You must also consider whether or not you will have residual side-effects or malfunction in other parts of your body - or will you feel better as a whole, overall as a person, in your well-being, your energy levels, and all of your inter-connected parts. That is the gold standard that you as an active participant need to consider when you choose to have or not have a particular treatment, be it mainstream Western medical or an alternative method in origin.

Take some time to ponder these thoughts with a touch of soothing comfort, a cup of tea to start your holistic healing

Take a sip:
21st Century Tea There are so many ways that our immune systems can be overwhelmed ... it’s in our air, our water, our food, our workplace, our stress. This blend of organic and wild herbs is not only helpful but comforting, strengthening and tasty. 1 part red clover blossoms 1 part nettle leaves 1 part pau d’Arco 1 part alfalfa & sage leaves 1 part St.Johns wort tops 1 part ginger root Place all herbs in a tea ball or bag, put in your nicest or most favorite cup or mug, and cover with boiling water. Steep for 10 minutes. Remove tea ball or bag, and add sugar, honey, sweetener, milk, cream or whatever, to taste.

“Give thanks for a little and you will find a lot.”

Genital warts (also known as ano-genital warts, Condyloma, Condylomata acuminate, or venereal warts) are highly contagious. They are transmitted during sexual intercourse and caused by some strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) affecting both men and women. Genital warts do not appear until two to four weeks after contact and sometimes months may elapse before the warts become visible. They are usually painless but may itch or produce a burning sensation. Genital warts are not life-threatening, but they can have an emotional effect, causing people to feel uncomfortable in existing or new relationships.

They often occur in clusters appearing as soft, moist, pink, or flesh-coloured swellings that can spread into large masses in the genital area. They can be flat. In the early stage of development, they are not visible so that at this time transmission may occur without a partner being aware of the potential for transmission. Genital warts can develop in the mouth or throat of a person who has had oral sex.

Genital warts are the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection seen at genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics in the UK. It is estimated that as many as 6 million new cases of genital warts are diagnosed in the United States each year. The condition is becoming more prevalent.
They can occur at any age but the prevalence peaks at 20-24 years. If a child develops genital warts, sexual abuse could be a possibility although it is possible that the virus may have been acquired during childbirth.

Until the 19th century, genital warts were believed to be a form of syphilis or gonorrhoea but we now know that certain strains of HPV prove to be the culprits. Genital warts are highly contagious. You have a 60% chance of getting the infection with a single sexual contact. Other common types of HPV that cause warts on the hands and the soles of the feet do not cause genital warts. Rarely, the virus is transmitted from a mother to her baby during childbirth (vertical transmission). It is a popular myth that you can catch genital warts from a towel, doorknob, a toilet seat or the swimming pool. They can be caused by strains 6, 11, 30, 42, 43, 44, 45, 51, 52 and 54 of HPV; types 6 and 11 are responsible for 90% of genital warts cases. HPV types that tend to cause genital warts are not the same ones as those that cause cervical cancer (types 16 and 18). Genital warts are only rarely passed on from warts affecting other parts of the body.

Genital warts are transmitted primarily by sexual intimacy, and the probability of infection increases in relation to the number of sexual partners. Smoking, oral contraceptives, multiple sex partners, and early coital age are risk factors for acquiring genital warts. Growth may be more rapid during pregnancy or when a person’s immune system is weakened by diabetes, HIV/AIDS, chemotherapy, Hodgkin’s disease or taking anti-rejection drugs following an organ transplant. Smokers are more likely to develop genital warts than non-smokers.
Genital warts per se do not cause any serious long-term health problems. They are associated with cervical carcinoma as a woman can acquire multiple strains of HPV. Medical providers consider any case of genital warts to be a warning of potentially pre-malignant and malignant conditions. Genital warts are a sexually transmitted disease and may, therefore, be accompanied by other sexually transmitted diseases.

No single treatment regimen for genital warts is better than another and no one treatment regimen is ideal for all cases. Two or more professional treatments are often required. Do not use over the counter cures for warts around the genitalia as severe irritation can occur. Genital warts can be treated by swabbing with the cell poison called podophyllotoxin. Before treatment commences, pregnancy should be excluded. The area should be washed and dried before application. Warticon is applied at home twice daily for three days each week for four weeks. The skin should be washed no more than four hours after application to reduce the possibility of local irritation occuring. Cryotherapy (freeze treatment), diathermy (heat) and laser are effective. Once an individual has been infected, the virus will be carried for life, even when the warts have been completely eradicated.

Most pregnant women, who have previously had genital warts, would be unlikely to have any complications or problems during pregnancy or childbirth. Unlike herpes, transmission of HPV to the baby occurs very rarely during childbirth so that genital warts are not an indication for caesarean-section unless they are so extensive that they restrict the birth canal. Some of the medications used to treat genital warts cannot be used during pregnancy, so it is important to tell your doctor if you could be pregnant.

If you have signs of genital warts, you should avoid sexual activity until the warts have been successfully treated. Condoms offer some protection against the virus, but they cannot completely prevent infection because the warts can be outside of the area protected by the condom. Spermicidal foams, creams, and jellies have not been proven to be protective. Women and men with more than one sexual partner, or if their partner has had more than one partner, should have regular examinations for sexually transmitted diseases, including genital warts. As with other sexually transmitted diseases, your partner must be treated as well, since an infected partner could easily transfer the virus back to you. Anyone with whom you’ve had sex should also be checked for genital warts.

The HPV vaccine, Gardasil, provides immunisation against the two strains of HPV that cause 70% of cervical cancer cases, and two strains of HPV that cause 90% of genital warts.

Did you ever resist a friend’s offer to treat you for an event, movie, meal, etc.? I did. Many years ago, my girlfriend and I were sitting at the table and reading the menu of a fine restaurant. When Denise mentioned that she was treating. I smiled and said, “No you are not.” The persevering accountant smiled back and replied, “Are you going to deprive me of the gift of giving?” I was speechless for a few seconds. I had never thought about it that way. “That is brilliant!” I exclaimed.

From then on, I never again declined an offer for being treated, as long as there were no expectations. The giving I am referring to is unconditional. Denise enjoyed the good feelings that came with giving to others. I knew and felt that there were no conditions attached.

Some people won’t allow themselves to receive because they do not feel worthy. The truth is that we are all worthy to receive no matter what we did or said in the past. I suggest that you graciously accept other people’s unconditional offerings by expressing your gratitude. Then you give them the gift of giving and yourself the gift of receiving.

Do you enjoy giving to others? Are you resisting this pleasurable act because you are concerned that if you give they will feel obligated to you? I suggest that you offer unconditionally and if they resist you can smile and say, “Are you going to deprive me of the gift of giving?”

Balancing giving and receiving are ways to nurture yourself and reduce your level of stress. It is also a sign of higher self-esteem. You may give to someone and receive from another. Look for ways to give unconditionally, with no expectations, and it will come back to you. Allow yourself to receive and “fill up your basket” so that you can keep giving. Then you can be happier and healthier, and improve your relationships with everyone, including friends, relatives, and your children and loving partner.

The following are 34 suggestions of how to nurture yourself by giving and receiving.
Put a check next to the things you want to do.

I am unconditionally receiving by asking someone to:

___1. serve me breakfast in bed.
___2. give me a massage.
___3. be my chauffeur for a period of time.
___4. work with me on a project (hobby, chore, etc.).
___5. make all the plans for a date and surprise me.
___6. take pictures of me as I pose.
___7. feed me.
___ 8. wash my hair or back.
___ 9. call me and say something nice on my answering machine.
___ 10. sing or dance with me.
___ 11. take me away for a day or a weekend.
___ 12. tell me what they like about me.
___ 13. help me find something that I need or want.
___ 14. listen to my problem and offer me suggestions.
___ 15. take a walk, hike, or bike ride with me.
___ 16. pick up a DVD or video and watch it with me.
___ 17. help me cook something special.

I am giving unconditionally by:
___ 1. sending a nice card or letter to someone.
___ 2. telling people what I appreciate about them.
___ 3. giving a present (for no specific reason).
___ 4. bringing or sending flowers to someone.
___ 5. treating someone to a meal and/or a show.
___ 6. paying the toll for the car behind me.
___ 7. sending money to charity.
___ 8. volunteering my time.
___ 9. becoming a Big Sister or Big Brother.
___ 10. being friendly to someone who is lonely.
___ 11. inviting a lonely person to my party.
___ 12. calling someone from my past.
___ 13. giving a massage.
___ 14. serving someone breakfast in bed.
___ 15. doing a good deed.
___ 16. leaving a kind message on my answering machine.
___ 17. calling someone and leaving a complimentary message on their machine.

Now that you have some ideas of how you can give and receive unconditionally, include them in your daily schedule. Congratulate yourself for being open to nurturing yourself by giving and receiving!

Use writing to reveal what's keeping the law of attraction from working in your life. Be ready to receive, not just ask for better health, more wealth, and greater joy.
By Marilyn Schwader

I’m the queen of “Shelf-Help”, those bookcases full of material from seminars, workshops, and the Internet that guarantee your success if you just do ________ [fill in the blank]. Oh, I’ve benefited from most of what I’ve read and listened to. However, I wouldn’t have bought the next best thing if I had found the magic cure in what I’d already purchased. Despite my years of listening to and reading all that wisdom, there has still been something that has held me back in truly having the life those books and CDs lead you to believe you can have.

Recent events in my life have finally begun to reveal what’s been missing. The fact is, the answer to why the law of attraction hadn’t been working for me was so basic, I can’t believe I didn’t see it years ago. It’s not the idea of asking for what you want, or trusting that the universe will always provide—-because it does. What has been the missing ingredient is to be prepared to RECEIVE what it is I’m asking for. In the past, I had not created the container to hold what it is I’d been asking for.

I’ll give you an example. About a year ago, I recommended the DVD movie “The Secret” to a friend. A few weeks later, we met for lunch. I had started dating again and she asked what it was I was asking for in a new relationship. “Physically attractive, intellectually stimulating, emotionally available, and spiritually expanding,” I replied. Then I added, “But I just don’t believe that there’s anyone out there who has all of those things.”

“How can you possibly attract what you want when you don’t believe it exists?” she exclaimed. Busted. I was neutralizing all my good thoughts with one statement of disbelief.
How does this look in other areas of life? How many instant millionaires are back to their previous debt level within two years? What about the relationship that seems perfect in the first six months, then slowly deteriorates in the next three? Have you ever asked for an increase in your income revenue, then something or someone seemed to sabotage your results? In each of these cases, it’s because the person receiving what they asked for wasn’t ready for what they got!

How many times have you blocked something from coming into your life because you weren’t ready at that point, even though it was really what you desired? If you are struggling in life, it’s because some fear is keeping you from receiving what you truly deserve and desire. I can guarantee it. You have to be ready to receive what you are asking for.

So, how can you know what’s blocking you? In my experience with my writing clients, one of the most effective ways of uncovering these obstacles is through the writing process. I have seen remarkable, almost miraculous changes in their businesses and personal lives once they were able to identify those blocks.

The writing method I encourage is very simple, yet remarkably effective. It’s journaling with soul. Anyone can do it, and if done with regularity, within two to three months you’ll see shifts in your own business and life. Here’s how to start… just pick up a paper and pen (better than a computer to tap into your creative juices) and start writing in stream of consciousness. Write until you can’t write anymore, and DON’T STOP TO THINK! Just write everything that comes to you.

You’ll be amazed at the jewels that spring up when you write like this. The next step is to take each jewel and write again in stream of consciousness about that idea. Each time you do this, you refine your idea into a theme with critical beliefs. There’s more to the process, but for now, just get started, and Write On!