Grateful for everyone who has touched my life
The goodness of God is manifested in all of creation.
Witnessing a magical sunrise and a majestic sunset give us many reasons why we should bless each day for being able to behold them.
We should be grateful for being alive and well and able to celebrate each moment as passionately and lovingly as the spirit moves us.
Each new day is a gift of life, so we should be thankful for new mornings, a gift of time borrowed to continue living, not just to make meaning of our own life but, more especially, to give meaning to others’.
For this day, I am grateful.
Every person is a work of near-perfection and everyone in our life, whether parent or sibling, husband, wife or beloved, teacher, friend or foe, has a pre-ordained purpose in our existence.
I question not who they are or were to me. They each contributed a feeling, memory or experience that brought me closer to my authentic self, that part of me that is stripped of ego and values only truth, honesty, justice and love.
For their presence that brought happiness and laughter, courage, stability and enlightenment... yes, even challenges and pain, I say thank you.
Grateful for being Pinoy
For the earth I walk on, this country I call home, which is the only one I have...
While the promise of a more exciting and sophisticated lifestyle in a foreign country may seem inviting, I am glad I am a Filipino, proud to be one.
There is no other home for me. Thanks are in order for this land brimming with beauty and warmth, music and culture, history and color. Rising above the Filipino ways that sometimes go to the extremes of politicking, pettiness and envy, Filipinos are still kind, generous and forgiving. So, thank you Philippines.
To celebrate life is not possible with a body plagued with illness, a spirit darkened by evil or a heart burdened with bitterness. Therefore, I value good health, a body responsive to a wellness lifestyle. I nurture a heart that is sustained by unconditional loving and that feeds an inquisitive mind open to the limitlessness of learning and transcendence.
Finally, I am grateful for you who are reading the musings of this soul in search of meaning. Through you, my thoughts and dreams may take root. As Deepak Chopra, MD, says in his book “Ageless Body Timeless Mind,” “From a seed is the promise of a forest.”
I know that if I am able to plant one seed in one heart today, then I will have a veritable forest of wellness in you.
It is said that gratitude should lie in the heart of all for peace to reign. A grateful heart never grows old but gets wiser. It unfolds like the thousand-petalled lotus with the passage of time.
Finally, thanks are in order for the miracles that occur after practicing the art of saying “Thank you, God.”
Truth is, for every thank you spoken, a miracle awaits.
Source: http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/lifestyle/lifestyle/view/20071231-109697/Grateful-for-everyone-who-has-touched-my-life
Saving grace
it is time to rescue yourself from the onslaught of daily living.
Staying informed is paramount to staying ahead. Saving elements in your life that are part and parcel of who you are complete you in ways you cannot even imagine.
Perhaps you are guilty of ignorance, negligence or apathy. But fear not, here is a rescue list. So let’s get started on your mission to save yourself.
Energy-robbers
Actually, the more accurate term is energy vampires. These are real people that surround us and have the uncanny ability to steal our energy.
Example: You get regular phone calls from a friend who never stops complaining about the same thing or situation. Almost instinctively, s/he calls you, unloading all the hurts and pains accumulated over a lifetime.
Your boss’ irritable/angry nature can also get you down.
Or it may be someone you see every day, exposing you to his/her never-has-nothing-nice-to-say-about-anybody character? All these negatives take away energy from you.
Energy-saving tip: Distance yourself from people and/or situations that are negative. If this cannot be avoided, lessen your exposure immediately.
Or you can turn the situation around by simply saying, “Would your life change if you adopted a more positive attitude?”
Experts in natural health claim that if a negative person touches you, the negativity can transfer to you. The result? A feeling of debilitation or exhaustion.
Sure-shot energy boosters are daily moderate exercise, 6-8 hours of sleep and a balanced diet.
Skin savers
Who says we have to age like our parents? Modern anti-aging approaches are here, so rejoice. But, before anything else, consider the view that to look good on the outside, you have to take care of the inside.
The antioxidant army is here to keep your skin and complexion young and supple. Consider these basics as part of your daily regimen:
Vitamin A - 5,000 IUs
Vitamin E - 400 IUs
Vitamin C - 1,000 mg, 2X daily
Grape seed extract - 1 tablet
Co-enzyme Q10 - 30mg
Alpha-lipoic acid - 50 mg
Note: If your protein intake is low (protein is essential to proper heart functioning), then take COQ10.
Another valuable tip is to stay away from the sun unless you are wearing a sunblock (SPF-30, minimum). When you notice that you have fine lines, wrinkles, sun-damaged and sagging skin due to loss of firmness, it is time to increase your Vitamin C supplements.
There are many forms of Vitamin C—ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate and ester-C. Always take this antioxidant after a full meal.
Remember that, while animals can produce their own Vitamin C, humans cannot. Therefore, it is important that you include this as part of your vitamin regimen. Vitamin C boosts the immune system, is essential to the health of the nervous system and provides energy to the body.
Heart lift
That is right. Your heart needs a lift. Basic to your health is a physical heart that is cared for and an emotional heart that is nurtured.
Here is how to give your heart a lift. The mineral supplement magnesium and the antioxidant co-enzyme Q10 are two musts on your heart checklist.
Next, exercise via power walking daily for 30-45 minutes. Stay calm. Studies have shown that people with bad tempers and are constantly irritable put a heavy stress on the heart.
Practice the art of slow breathing anywhere you are and any chance you get. Whenever you feel the burden of stress bearing down on you, do this:
Calming affirmation and visualization:
Listen to relaxing music or just embrace your silence. Sometimes, tuning in to nature sounds (birds chirping, water running, etc.) can easily put you in a state of calm.
Repeat to yourself, “I am centered, focused and grounded. Nothing and no one can shake me.”
Now imagine you are a mighty and graceful narra tree. Your roots firmly settled in the Earth.
Love and light!
Reference: “The Wrinkle Cure” by Nicholas Perricone, MD
http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/lifestyle/lifestyle/view/20071224-108671/Saving-grace
Take charge of your health
It is time for us all to exercise better control of our wellness. Here are a few nuggets of information to guide us.
Individual needs
When the food pyramid was designed to give people an idea of what good nutrition is, the advice was rather innovative―design your own.
Each person has different requirements depending on his/her lifestyle. Example: A stay-at-home mom would have her own unique needs different from that of an athlete, just as a student’s requirements will not be like a corporate executive’s.
Most people eat too little of the right kind of foods and too much of the wrong kind. While you may be at a loss about what to eat or drink, always remember anything that is overcooked has less nutrients. On the other hand, if it is green, leafy and raw, then it is packed with goodness.
People on the go are often guilty of the following:
1. Drinking less water.
2. Eating too much fatty foods.
3. Snacking on junk.
4. Skipping meals.
5. Overloading on sweets.
No-nonsense
If you are experiencing chronic fatigue, headaches, emotional ups and downs, these are signs that clearly point to a lifestyle not supportive of health.
Why not make no-nonsense part of your daily vocabulary? Each time you succumb to the temptation of excess, mentally insert the term into your subconscious and conscious mind. Your internal programming will then command your external reality.
Why wait?
Disease is defined as a gross imbalance of one’s normal body functions. The result of the imbalance will be expressed in symptoms. It is a sign that something has gone and is going wrong.
But is there a pre-disease stage? The answer is yes. Through a simple blood test one can already read the signs. Example: Heart disease begins many years before its onset. But why wait to get sick?
Here are a few preventive tips:
1. Be choosy with your food. Insist on your own food preference. Do not just eat what is in front of you.
2. Crash diets are out. Carbohydrates, animal fats, sugar, alcohol in moderation are best.
3. Just move it. Exercise is paramount in health management.
Tasty treats
While a low-fat diet is popularly followed by the health-conscious, there is some good news. Fat makes food tasty. Thus, people on low-fat diets may find their food tasteless.
Fat is good in that it can satisfy physical hunger. Without fat, the brain continues to send signals to the body―“you’re not full, therefore, eat more.” Balance your fat. You can indulge without overeating.
Shine
You shine with a whole variety of vegetable juices. Instead of carbonated drink, try to get into the habit of requesting for vegetable juice.
Power scrub
Mix ½ tbsp of virgin coco oil and ½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil. Mix with 1 tbsp of pulverized raw rice grains. Rub gently all over your body (except eye area). Massage the oils into your skin. Leave on for five minutes. Your skin will become smooth as satin.
Affirm serenity
Inner peace begins with you. “I am serene now and forever.”
Source: http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/lifestyle/lifestyle/view/20071217-107392/Take-charge-of-your-health
Take charge of your health
A new era is upon us. It puts you on center stage in caring for your own health.
There was a time when people would not take an active role in a plan to keep themselves healthy, leaving all the major decisions to their physicians.
The day of taking charge has arrived. And you are in control.
Change is good
Because a new season of change is upon you, there are changes to be made. Taking charge means the following:
1. Be clear about your health goals.
Do you want to have a stronger body, prolong and sustain your energy levels, boost your resilience against stress, or just simply refuse to catch a cold every three months? Whatever your goal is, assess, decide and act.
2. Seek advice/guidance from experts―your physician/nutritionist/gym trainer. Sometimes even your pastor/parish priest or best friend may have a recommendation or two.
3. No matter what the occasion, you should not be deterred or derailed from your goal.
4. Give yourself a workable timetable, something that is not an impossible dream, one that will not stress you out.
5. Listen to your body language. If your body talks to you in ways you cannot ignore, listen. Pretending that your symptoms will go away by ignoring them will not eliminate them. In fact, the next time around they will become more serious.
Human performance
In a casual, random survey, people were asked what they really wanted from their bodies. The answer was unanimous from the men―to be in tip-top performance level. Women, on the other hand, said they wished for strength and beauty.
Philip Maffetone, in “In Fitness and in Health,” said when health and fitness were balanced, the result was optimal human performance.
You do not have to win an Olympic gold medal to be fit and healthy. You just need to perform well in all aspects of life―personal, family, work and social.
So let us define the terms clearly:
Fitness―to perform a physical activity well
Health―the optimal balance of all the body systems, muscular, skeletal, nervous, digestive, lymphatic, hormonal, mental, emotional, and other systems
Dr. Maffetone does simple math: fitness + health = human performance.
Limitless energy
Your body requires energy to fulfill its physical needs. So we have to feed it energy. Nourish your body with the basic food requirements: carbohydrates (bread, pasta, fruits, rice), fats (oil, butter, cheese eggs), proteins (meat, fish, poultry).
If balance is the key, then eating moderate amounts from the different food groups mentioned should give you what you need.
Good nutrition also means good hydration―10-12 glasses of water daily, and vegetables. With these, you can only do the right thing.
Finally, balance includes enough time for work and play. When work takes the bulk of your time, sooner or later your health will suffer―both mentally and physically.
People who are naturally driven will not give importance to this. They are so focused on their work/money ambition to the detriment of their health.
But it is never too late to make adjustments. More on this next week.
Meanwhile, your affirmation today is: “Today I take charge of me.”
Love and light!
http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/lifestyle/lifestyle/view_article.php?article_id=106104
Glow this Christmas
Unlock your true potential today. Release the radiant you that lies within.
Begin by adopting a new way of living. Its foundation should be a new way of seeing.
A second look
People habitually look at themselves in the mirror. It cannot be helped. If there is a mirror, you instinctively look.
The first time you look, the tendency is to simply check out the physical appearance—hair in place, necktie straight, makeup not over done, clothes well-pressed, etc.
When the first look is done and after going through a whole how-do-I-look checklist, you make a general sweep, right?
What if the second look has more depth, more intent than just looking at the physical?
Studies show that external changes only happen when you make internal changes. You have to do some internal housekeeping if you want the façade of your house to look good.
Keeping house
Weight loss, trimmed waistline, better complexion, etc. are all wonderful side effects of a healthy lifestyle.
Among the steps you can take to achieve these include inner cleansing, exercise, nutritious eating regimen, vitamin-mineral supplementation and a positive loving attitude.
Habits that are in direct conflict with your new health plan should be addressed.
If you have cravings you cannot seem to ignore, the objects of these cravings may need replacing, removing or managing.
They may be chocolates/sugar, salt, fatty meats, snack items like popcorn, chips and chicharon and other munchies, creamy/cheesy foods or alcohol.
Moderation is good. Bingeing is bad.
To-do list
Eat less of everything except vegetables. The answer is not starvation or deprivation but moderation. You will soon feel the effects of cutting back on quantities because quality is what you will get.
Start an exercise program. Brisk walking, spinning/biking or dancing, take your pick. But start today.
Change your “there’s always tomorrow attitude” to “there’s only today.” And, with this, you are well on your way.
Replace the old with the new. By adopting a philosophy of newness, you will soon erase the old you, including old lifestyles, old views, old fears, old problems.
Think young. When you see yourself as someone young, your outlook will become young as well.
Never more will you say to yourself “I’m too old for that.” Deepak Chopra, M.D., repeatedly says in “Ageless Body Timeless Mind” that your mind’s paradigm shifts once you say you will be young always. The attitude directly affects your body’s mechanism, making it operate as it once did in your youth. So, think young to become young.
Go light
Here is a nutritious meal plan guaranteed to keep the waistline trim, according to Michael Perricone, M.D., in “The Wrinkle Cure.”
Breakfast: two scrambled egg whites, 2-oz serving non-instant oatmeal, fresh strawberries
Lunch: 4-oz fish, fresh green salad with tomatoes, red bell pepper, onions, olive oil dressing, grilled salmon
Dinner: broiled chicken, fresh brocolli/cabbage, garbanzos beans
Snack: low-fat cottage cheese, one apple
Avoid if you can, for now, white rice/flour, pancakes, popcorn, potatoes (especially French fries), corn, peas and carrots as they elevate the blood pressure.
If you cannot avoid these, combine with complex carbohydrates like squash, green beans, eggplant, cauliflower and fruits such as apples, honeydew melon, berries (strawberries, blueberry, raspberry), kiwi.
Other meats you can have are turkey, chicken, lean beef/ham/pork.
For fish, alternates are tuna, salmon, snapper (lapu-lapu), cod, etc.
When in doubt, use olive oil or rice bran oil. Studies have shown that coconut oil and virgin coco oil have health benefits.
Holiday scrub
Use one capsule or tablet of Vitamin C, one capsule of Vitamin E and mix with freshly mashed apples (red or green). Rub throughout your body and face, avoiding the eye area.
Affirm: “I deserve the best therefore, I claim a new me.”
Love and light!
http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/lifestyle/lifestyle/view_article.php?article_id=104631
