5 Ways to Keep Your Brain in Top Shape

Exercise
 Exercise supports your brain health the same way it supports your heart health. It improves your blood flow throughout the body, lowers your blood pressure and controls your weight. Increased blood flow means more oxygen and nutrients flooding brain cells to support optimal function.
* Try:
Activities like running, walking, cycling, strength training, dancing, yoga, or Pilates.

Eat for Your Heart… And Your Mind
A heart-healthy diet rich in colorful fruits and vegetables, omega-3 fats, and whole grains also support improved cognition. Fruits and veggies are rich in vitamins and minerals, which support healthy brain chemistry. Omega-3 fats also support brain cell structure and function.
* Try: Deep colored fruits and vegetables (fresh or frozen), walnuts, flax seeds, salmon, flax seed oil, and walnut oil.


New Activity
The key word is "new." Learn a new language, take a class or pick up a new instrument. When it comes to brain fitness, it's really a "use it or lose it" approach. Activities that make you think help support new brain cell growth. Whether you’re at home with a DVD or in a classroom setting, novel challenges to your brain help keep you sharp.
* Try: Sudoku, crossword puzzles, word search puzzles, language DVDs, or shopping without a list.


Take a Break
De-stressing yourself can boost brain fitness in several ways. Stress hormones are released in response to mental or biological stress, which can have a negative impact on brain functions, like memory. Sleep deprivation also can affect brain fitness, so get at least 6 to 7 hours nightly. Give your brain a daily rest for 30 to 60 minutes from all the multitasking. Put away the phone, computer, and TV remote and enjoy a little "alone" time. Exercise is also a great stress reliever. In fact, think of "alone” time and exercise time as double-duty brain boosters.
* Try: A daily 30-minute walk without cell phone; at least 6 hours of nightly sleep; counting to 10 and breathing deeply before responding to any stressful situation, or meditating.


Be Social
Join a group with an activity you enjoy, whether you’re meeting up with a book club, cooking, or walking together. Social interaction, online or in person, has been shown to boost brain fitness. And have fun while you’re at it! Playing games like Scrabble or bridge also boosts interactive skills and stimulates your brain.
* Try: Social groups and networks, chess club, join a sports team, or go dancing

About Self-Esteem

Self-esteem is a person's sense of personal value or self-worth.  It also involves how people define themselves, which in turn influences their motivaions, attitudes and behaviors throughout life.

Healthy self-esteem is important for emotional well-being, and it is helpful in realizing life.

A Healthy Self-Esteem Involves:. People that believe in themselves and have a positive outlook in life are also more likely to have healthy self-esteem and generally tend be happier.
* Trust. Confidence and faith in oneself as well as others.
* Self Nurturing. Learning how to take care of others as well as oneself.
* Autonomy. Self-determination and independence.
* Identity. An individual’s sense of self.
* Intimacy. The ability to relate closely to others.If an individual is unable to develop these or loses sight of them, low self-esteem can result. How people feel about themselves can be related to various factors, including the environment, body image, personal and social expectations and experiences.

Low self-esteem can be damaging because it can affect a person’s body, mind and spirit.

Self-acceptance is crucial for developing a healthy self-esteem
Tips for Boosting Self-Esteem:

* Identify your positive attributes

* Recognize areas in which you excel

* Do not measure yourself using other people’s standards
* Take risks in order to succeed
* Learn to set realistic goals
* Develop a support system of friends and relatives
* Focus on accomplishments and don’t dwell on failures

Life Balancing

Achieving life balance is about getting the right mix of career, family time, rest and relaxation.  Too often the pressures of managing a career and making money dominate our lives - so take some time out and think about how you can achieve your own personal life balance.  Incorporate these ideals into your life for balance.
1. Figure Out What Really Matters to You in Life.
The important point here is to figure out what you want your priorities to be, not what you think they should be.  Don't let what others influence your decisions about YOUR priorities.  This is your life.

2. Drop Any and All Unnecessary Activities.
If at all possible, drop any commitments and pursuits that don't make your top-five list of priorities.  Unnecessary activities and projects keep you away from the things that matter the most to you.

3. Protect Your Private Time.
Protecting your private time often leads to greater satisfaction in both work life and personal life, greater productivity, and more creativity.  Set time for work and set time for aside for leisure.  Do not let your work spill into leisure time.  Family and fun are equally as important as your paycheck.

4. Accept Help to Balance Your Life.
Allow yourself to rely on your partner, family members, or friends - anyone who can take on some of your responsibilities while you focus on other top priorities.  When someone offers to lend a hand, accept it.  They shouldn't offer if they truly don't want to help.

5. Plan Fun and Relaxation.
Fun and relaxation are an essential part of living a well-balanced life. Plan what you're going to do and make necessary arrangements to ensure you'll be able to keep your commitment.  Even if you don't know what you are going to do, plan free time anyway.  Something you enjoy will come up and fill that time.

Now that you have the basics, fill it in with the specifics that will make your life more meaningful to you.  Finding the right balance is what life is all about.  It's time to start living yours today.

Three Steps to Weight Gain

Just how do we gain weight without even trying? Dr. Joseph Mercola offers this simple explanation in his book “Raising Fit Kids in a Fat World”.
1.
When you eat carbohydrates, your blood-sugar level increases as the carbohydrates are digested. Your body then releases insulin to lower the amount of sugar (glucose) in your blood. Insulin helps convert carbohydrates into fat. Insulin also inhibits your body’s ability to burn fat. This is the insulin response.
2.
High insulin levels suppress glucagons and growth hormone. Glucagons promote the burning of fat and sugar in the body. Growth hormone is needed to increase the growth of muscle tissue. A steady diet of grains, starches and sugars signal your body to block the release of these two key fat-releasing hormones.
3.
Increased levels of insulin cause hunger. Typically the craving will be for sweets and more grains. The grains and sugars you eat simply drive you to eat more of the wrong foods. This is the reason as to why many starchy vegetables, grains, and sugars can be addictive.
By changing your eating habits, you can break this vicious cycle that attributes to weight gain.

Simply stated, stay away from added sugars, simple carbohydrates and all processed foods that contains these ingredients.  When you do, the binge eating of "sweet and salty" will come to an end and your blood sugar will remain stable.

Fitness Programs - Getting Started

As with all new things, to be successful, you need to begin your new fitness program slowly.  Here are some tips to help keep you on track.

• Start Slowly and Build up Gradually:  Give yourself plenty of time to warm up and cool down with easy walking or gentle stretching.  Then speed up to a pace you can continue with for five to 10 minutes without getting overly tired.  As your stamina improves, gradually increase the amount of time you exercise.  Work your way up to 30 to 60 minutes of exercise most day of the week. 
• Break Things Up if You Need to:  You don't have to do all of your exercise at one time.  Shorter but more frequent sessions have aerobic benefits, too.  Fifteen minutes of exercise a couple of times a day may fit into your schedule better than a single 30-minute session. 
• Be Creative:  Maybe your workout routine includes various activities, such as walking, bicycling, or rowing.  But don't stop there.  Take a weekend hike with the family or spend an evening dancing.   
• Listen to Your Body:  If you feel pain, shortness of breath, dizziness or nausea, take a break.  You may be pushing yourself too hard. 
• Be Flexible:  If you're not feeling good, give yourself permission to take a day or two off.

Above all, the most important thing is to get up and get moving.  Say good-by to that lazy lifestyle that is keeping you from becoming fit.  The more you move, the better you will feel.  Get started today!

How Full is Your Bucket?

Tom Rath’s book, “How Full is Your Bucket,” gives insight as to how every-day interactions affect your health, relationships, productivity and longevity. Emotional health contributes to your physical health by helping to determine how a person responds to illness. Your bucket is all about your emotional health.

The Theory:
Everyone has an invisible bucket.  It is constantly being filled or emptied depending on your interactions with others.  You love when your friends, co-workers, family member or strangers fill up your bucket.  But when your bucket is emptied, it hurts.

The Bucket:
There are two ways to fill a bucket.  One is to say and do positive things and fill up someone else's bucket.  The beauty of this is that when you fill up someone else's bucket, you also fill your own bucket.  It's a two-for-one deal.  Positve emotions make you stronger and more optimistic.

The same rules apply for emptying a bucket.  When you empty someone else's bucket, you empty your own at the same time.  Or, you can empty your bucket all by yourself.  Negative self-talk, having a poor body image, and un-healthy habits steal your energy, and can leave you cynical.

Stay Healthy:
Keep your bucket full.  Surround yourself with people who fill up buckets.  Make someone else's day by filling up their bucket.  Filling up an emotional bucket - what a simple way to be healthier.

Think of how good life can be if the only "extra load" you need to carry is a full bucket.  Your full bucket will not only lighten your emotional overload, but produce a healthy and stress free body as well.  What a great tool to use to bring balance to your life and the lives of others. 

Start today.  Start right now.  Make the next interation with the very first person that you see a positive one that will fill their bucket and yours.

5 Steps in Reclaiming Your Goals

Your intentions have been good. Deciding to change yourself, really committing to be a better person in some way, is not a decision arrived at easily. The fact that you’ve decided to make a change means that you’ve taken stock in yourself. You’ve reflected. What if you haven’t met your goals? You are not perfect and all-powerful. Self-change is hard, so it’s not surprising if you don’t get it right the first time. Stop feeling bad and follow these steps:

1. Tell yourself, "it's okay".  But don't given in and think "it's okay, I don't need to be better."  If changing wasn't so important, why did you decide to do it in the first place?
2. Congratulate yourself on wanting to be better.  Your decision to be better takes moral courage.
3. Figure out what went wrong.  Were you too ambitious?  Was your plan to vague?
4. Form a new plan that is informed by your failure.  For example, if you are the wrong foods because preparing healthy one took too long, find ways to make it less time consuming.
5. Finally, GET GOING!

Making changes in your lifestyle is difficult.  Learning to forgive yourself is equally as difficult.  Pick yourself up, set your mind on the goals you set out to achieve.  And get your motivation back.  Set backs will happen, but keep focused on the bigger and brighter future you have planned for yourself!

Stay Healthy, Stay Strong

Good nutrition is the foundation of good health. What you put inside is what you get outside. Better nutrition directly contributes to stronger immune systems, less illness and better health. Good nutrition is a way of life. It is a habit that is established over the years and it needs to be followed carefully. Once you develop good eating patterns, they will be with you for life. Your body needs the right kinds of lean proteins, carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables and whole grains, good fats, plenty of fiber, minerals, nutrients, and vitamins. Clean and pure water is equally important. The three most important factors to healthy food and good nutrition are:

• Eat whole, fresh food
• Eat a wide variety of food
• Only eat in moderation

It can be that simple. Three key phrases that can help you change your eating patterns for good. The food you eat determines the kind of balance your body will enjoy. When you follow proper food habits, you can start living a disease-free, healthy, and happy life. Do yourself a favor, memorize the concepts of good nutrition. Implement them. Enjoy a good life. Your mind and body will thank you!!!

Simple Ways to Live a Less Stressful Life

Stress is a major problem for many people. It can run you down, cause you to lose sleep, and even bring on illness. Relieving stress is one of the best feelings as it lifts your spirits and your heart. If your life is full of stress, here are some simple things you can do to get your life to a more manageable level.

Try doing only one thing at a time
This is the simplest and best way to start reducing your stress, and you can start today.  Right now actually.  Focus as much as you can on doing one thing at a time.  This is referred to as being mindful  It is a very satisfying way to live.  You will find that you are getting more enjoyment out of life when you focus on what you are doing at the moment.

Develop one healthy habit this month
Pick one aspect of your life that you would like to see a positive change in. Try some of these on for size.  Eat fruits ad vegetables for snack.  Floss every day.  Quit smoking.  Cook something healthy for dinner.  Drink water instead of soda.  Just pick something that is personal for you and develop one new habit at a time.

Get out there and have a blast!
Have fun each and every single day, even if it's just for a few minutes.  Play - it takes your mind off of everythink.  Remember the fun play was when you were a child.  It consumed you.  Let go of adult inhibitions and enjoy the moment.  Whatever you choose to do, be sure to laugh.

Tap into your creative self
Throwing yourself into a creative activity is another great way to de-stress and to prevent stress.  Try artwork - even watercolors and crayons, write a poem or a short story, cook something new that just comes to mind using the food in your pantry.  Challenge yourself to create something new and different that reflects who you really are!
　
　
　
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9 Principles for Positive Change

Everyone is always looking for the positive side of life and in daily events.  If you're having diffuculty focusing in on where to look or what to change to bring in more positive interactions, here are some simple guidelines to follow. 

1. Love Yourself - Don’t make limitations. If you can truly love yourself then your life experience has no limits, no boundaries.
2. Forgive Everyone and Release the Past - When we hold something inside for any amount of time it starts to eat away at our soul. These bits of anger drain us of our life’s energy and creates sickness.
3. Awareness - Start living consciously. Become aware of our actions, thoughts and words.
4. Gratitude, Prosperity and Abundance - Be open to and grateful for the natural abundance that you can see everyday.
5. Honesty - Be honest with yourself and others. With the ability to be honest with oneself and with others you will make changes in your life for the good of yourself growing.
6. Being Positive - Start seeing the positive side of things. By thinking positive we raise our performance in everything we do.
7. Take Responsibility for Yourself - By doing so you are better placed to start leading the life that you want and making the choices that will lead you to your own destiny.
8. Be Open and Trusting - Let go of all fear. Trust in the process of Life. Be open to all opportunities around you. Know that the Universe is yours for the taking.
9. Self-Care - Start looking after of yourself. Acts of self-care are acts of self-love.

You can begin by making one positive change at a time.  Choose it, implement it, and live it.  Focus on it as if it were the only change that you have an opportunity to make.  Once you are successful with this positive change, it becomes habit.  Move on to another one to implement.  In no time at all, you will be attracting more and more positive aspects into your life.

What is Your Style of Meditation?

A large part of the reason people don't meditate is the misconception of what it is. Many people believe that you must set aside long periods of time in order for it to be beneficial. Many have visions  of a person sitting in a sparse monk like room, in the lotus position with empty minds. 

Effective meditation is, and will be different for each person.
And since everyone is different, whatever works for you, is what works for you! Don't compare yourself to others in regards to meditation. Some people need quiet to meditate; some people need the room to be dark. Others like the sun, still others need music

If prayer is talking to God, then meditation is listening to God.

Some people have trouble visualizing, others have trouble with the intruding thoughts. If your not visual, that is okay, hearing someone else's voice in a guided meditation

Keep in mind that walking and other activities that are rhythmic and healthful can create a meditative place within you. Swimming, dancing, running. Yoga is also meditative for people.

So you see, it simply is a matter of finding what works for you. Throw away the false assumptions.
Explore your style of meditation and start listening.

Commit to Working with a Wellness Coach

A wellness coach will help you determine the areas of your lifestyle, attitudes and behaviors that you are most motivated to change, help you create a wellness action plan to create the necessary change, and then motivate you and keep you accountable for reaching your goals of increased health and well-being.

Working with a wellness coach might very well be your first big step toward becoming healthier and feeling better. This may very well help you build the confidence that you need to make the changes in your lifestyle that you know need to happen in order to regain and maintain good health.

Wellness coaching has made great strides in the past few years and appears to be poised to play a prominent role in the new culture of wellness. Sometimes wellness coaching is referred to as life coaching or personal coaching as well.

After you have worked with a coach for a while and feel a level of comfort and compatibility, explore the idea of setting up a long-term coaching program.

The program may call for more intensive work to begin with, perhaps two coaching sessions per month. After that time you may choose to have one session a month or one every six weeks.   The idea is to create the framework that enables you to receive ongoing coaching.

Working with a wellness coach can keep you motivated and accountable for your agreements to reach your personal wellness goals.

The Key to Affordable Health Care

There is a new cutting edge therapy that lowers the risk of developing the most common and deadly chronic diseases (obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease) by up to 80 percent.

This innovative therapy is called “taking care of yourself.“ It involves things such as not smoking, exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet of whole foods, sleeping enough, getting sun exposure, reducing stress, and maintaining a healthy weight.

These items are all things that can fit into your normal daily routine. The key to affordable healthcare is disease PREVENTION, not treatment.

What is needed is personal involvement -- YOUR personal involvement -- in the form of commitment to your own health.

With the misconception that healthcare is something people must go out and get by relying on others to make decisions for them, many people claim they can’t afford preventive care. But actually, the question should be: Can you really afford NOT to?

Do not accept disease as part of the aging process. It is not and does not need to be present. If you carefully follow some basic health principles,

• Do not smoke
• Exercise on a regular basis
• Eat whole foods in their natural state
• Get enough restful sleep
• Increase your exposure to the sun to ensure adequate amounts of vitamin D3
• Reduce your stressors
• Maintain a healthy weight

By committing to a healthy lifestyle, you are building a healthy mind and body, and thereby safeguarding yourself against a multitude of health problems and serious diseases.you will drastically reduce your need for conventional medical care. Here are the basics (again):

Starting Off the New Year with You in Mind

“It is never too late to become the person you might have been.”
- George Eliot, English Victorian Novelist

A new year, a fresh start. You have lots of ideals in mind. You are going to do better this year than ever before. You are determined to set goals for yourself and achieve them. But how? What will make this year different from any year in the past?

Here are a few guidelines to make 2011 your year:

1. Commit to Thirty Days - Four weeks is all the time you need to make a habit automatic. When you make it through the initial phase, it becomes much easier. A month is a good block of time to commit to a change since it easily fits in your calendar. 
2. Stay Consistent - The more consistent you are, the easier it will be. If you want to start exercising, try going at the same time, to the same place for your thirty days. When cues like time of day, place and circumstances are the same in each case it is easier to stick.
3. Associate With Role Models - Spend more time with people who model the habits you want to mirror. You become what you spend time around.
4. Use “But” - A great technique for clearing negative thought patterns. When you start to think a negative thought, use the word “but” to interrupt it. “I’m no good at this, but, if I work at it I will get better.”
5. Do it For Yourself - Don’t worry about all the things you “should” have as habits. Instead tool your habits towards your goals and the things that motivate you. Weak guilt and empty resolutions don‘t work.

Whatever changes you implement, do so with your heart. Place your intentions on the person that you want to be and the changes you want to make. Plan your actions, then take that first step. Once you get your momentum going, the rest becomes easier and easier.

Health Benefits of Relaxation and Techniques to Try

Everyone has a different way to relax that works best for them. There are many forms of relaxation. There is no right or wrong way to do it. The most important part of relaxation is that you practice it each and every day.
By regularly practicing relaxation, you can reduce stress symptoms such as:

• Slowing your heart rate
• Lowering blood pressure
• Slowing your breathing rate
• Increasing blood flow to major muscles
• Reducing muscle tension and chronic pain
• Improving concentration
• Reducing anger and frustration
• Boosting confidence to handle problems
　　

Here are some relaxation techniques that you might want to try:

1. Progressive Relaxation. Alternating tensing and then relaxing muscle groups - one muscle group after another. Begin with the feet and progress upward through the body.
2. Exercise. Activities such as stretching, yoga, tai chi, pilates and other physical techniques.
3. Visualization. Visualizing something for relaxation or making positive changes, such as picturing in your mind a relaxing scene.
4. Guided Imagery or Meditation. This is the process of being guided through calming scenes and environments, the healing process, or a scenario with a positive outcome.
5. Autogenics. This is done by imagining that your limbs are warm and heavy, your heart rate is slow and steady, and your forehead is cool.
6. Meditation. Focusing the mind on a word, phrase, or idea and letting go of other thoughts with an attitude of passive acceptance for relaxation or making positive changes.
7. Sensory. Being able to experience or imagine the sensations of sight, sound, smell, taste, and/or touch.
8. Deep breathing. Done slowly and regularly and taking sufficiently deep breaths.
9. Other Methods. Almost anything repetitive can be relaxing. Activities such as exercise, massage, hypnosis, self-hypnosis, crafts, hobbies, dance, music, conscious mental rest, artwork, and walking are good examples.

The best way to find out which relaxation methods work best for you is to try them. You may not feel any different at first, but by doing a relaxation technique you experience all the health benefits of relaxation!

Relaxation is a skill. This means that relaxation is something that can be learned, practiced and eventually mastered. Everyone has the ability to learn how to relax, but not everyone will relax the same manner.

What Has Happened to Our Health?

Have you ever stopped to take a look around you and wonder why so many people in this country are sick? There is an overwhelming number of adults - young and old - stricken with diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, obesity, heart disease, and high cholesterol. Even more alarming is the number of children who are also showing signs of these diseases.

So many people walking around are feeling lousy, tired, irritable and just plain worn out. They are exhibiting what is referred to as “vertical illness.” They function day to day, completing their work tasks and plugging along. But these people are not healthy and vibrant. They are just surviving life - and some are barely making it.

What has happened to our health? With all the doctors and specialists, prescription medications, medical procedures and surgeries, and the amount of money spent on health care, shouldn’t everyone be active, feel great and exhibit signs of vitality?

How can we take a stance and make a change in the health of our society? Why not start by taking a look in the mirror. How do you look? How do you feel? Do you have disease and illness? Are you carrying extra weight? Do you have enough energy to make it through each day? Or are you living a compromised lifestyle because of compromised health? Take a good close look in that mirror. Are you happy with the person looking back at you?

If you are unhappy with what you see and how you feel? What can you do? Start by taking a look at the food you are eating. It all begins with what you place in your mouth. Do the foods you eat on a regular basis serve your body well? Do they provide you with the proper minerals, nutrients and vitamins necessary for health, energy, and fitness to carry you throughout your day? Or do they bog you down with fat, sugar and empty calories?

After taking a critical look at yourself and your current diet, determine if you want to continue on your path of decline, disability, premature aging and pain. If not, then the answer is simple. Choose to eat wholesome fresh foods. There is no question that these foods are best suited for optimal support of health, fitness and the prevention of disease. Again, foods that are whole, fresh and in their natural state. Raw fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meat, the right kind of fats and plenty of water.

Stay far away from foods that rob you of your vitality, your health, and your life - man made (synthetic) food-like products, processed oils, trans fats, processed and refined products, sweet and salty foods, and other junk foods and drinks.

What is the result of making these changes in your diet and lifestyle? A healthier society one person at a time. Stop now, take that look in the mirror and decide if you can make a difference.

Finding Time for Yourself

Quiet moments during the day soothes the soul, settles the inner being, brings out your integrity. Having a time for solitude can be an amazing thing. Here are some ways to find your quiet time and see how getting away from it all can allow your true self to emerge.

Alter your sleeping habits. Try getting up a few minutes earlier than normal to watch the sun rise. If your day is too busy to find time to be alone to have stillness and silence, getting up a bit earlier can be a good solution. If you’re not an early riser, then nighttime can be just as peaceful when everyone else has gone to sleep. Stay up a bit later at night and enjoy the mysteries of the dark.

Get back to nature. Our work stations can be filled with noise, conflict and chaos. To get away from this, get out into nature as much as possible. Perhaps a walk in the park or on the beach, a nature trail hike, or sitting on the banks of a river is just what you need. Pay close attention to everything around you - the sights, the sounds the feeling of the breeze and sun.

Begin to practice mindful meditation. An easy way to start is to close your eyes and pay attention to your breathing. Notice your breath as it enters your body, and again as it goes out. Focus on the sounds around you. Listen carefully to whatever is going on - the ticking of a clock the sound of traffic or the humming of the refrigerator. Do this for at least one minute and increase over time.

Take time to read. Choose your favorite novel, poetry, inspirational quotes or whatever inspires you for the day. Fill your mind with beautiful and encouraging words to carry with you to keep you focused on greatness and thankfulness for all the world has given you.

Finding time for yourself is not a luxury, it is a necessity. Begin with 10 to 15 minutes daily and try to work up to a couple of hours each week. You will be pleasantly surprised to find your true self emerging and the amazing thoughts, feelings and actions you posses and can share with the world around you.

Your Chakra Colors and What They Do

Chakras are the energy centers in your body that basically align with your spine. There are seven main chakras in the body. Our chakras affect us physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Colors have been long associated to these energy centers in the body. Wearing or surrounding yourself with these colors is one way to balance the body and bring inner healing.

• The Root Chakra (Muladhara) is associated with the color red. It is located at the base of the spine. This is our life force energy. This chakra brings us groundedness, trust, and belonging. Enhancing this chakra with red lessens feelings of mistrust.
• Located just below the navel is the Sacral Chakra (Swadhisthana). This chakra’s color is orange. Our sensitivity and feelings come from this energy center. We experience sensuality, emotion, and creativity. Increasing exposure to orange lessens feelings of inferiority.
• Yellow is the color associated with the chakra located just above the naval. This is the Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura). This energy center is associated with knowledge and mental intelligence. It gives us our will, sense of identity, and clarity. Ensuring adequate amounts of yellow lessens feelings of confusion.
• The Heart Chakra (Anahata) is located in the center of the chest and associated with the color green. It is here that we receive our emotional energy and balance in life. Feelings of compassion, forgiveness, and intimacy are connected to this energy center. Using plenty of green lessens feelings of isolation.
• Blue is the color for the Throat Chakra (Visuddha). This energy center is located at the base of the throat. It is here that we gain our communication energy. Self-expression, communication, and the power to manifest are provided with this chakra. Good amounts of blue lessen feelings of stagnation.
• Located in the center of the forehead between the eyes and is the energy center associated with the color indigo. This is the Third Eye Chakra (Ajna). Attributes such as empathy, intuition, and integrity; are governed by this energy center. Exposing ourselves to indigo lessens feelings of despair.
• The color violet is related to the Crown Chakra (Sahasrara). This energy center is located at the top of the head. It is here that we get our inspiration and Spiritual energy. It gives us our sense of peace and inspiration. Enhancing our lives with violet lessons our feelings of distraction.

To read more about chakras and color balancing, please read http://www.suite101.com/content/color-therapy-and-your-chakras-a186904

Changing Eating Habits for Good

Changing the from the way you eat now to a positive eating pattern is a gradual process. To be effective and lasting, changes must be made slowly. Begin changing your eating habits by adding good foods - fresh vegetables, fresh fruits and lean proteins. Slowly remove bad foods - white grains, starches and sugars.

By adding healthy foods first, you become well-fed and well-nourished. Whole foods are packed with nutrients and you become fuller faster and they take longer to digest. This prevents you from becoming hungry soon after you have eaten.

Also, by adding good foods, you create a much more positive attitude toward changing your eating habits. The idea of eliminating foods leaves negative thoughts in our minds. With this change in mindset, over time, the body will react more positively to the healthier foods.

After the adding and eliminating process, it is time to begin to replace the unhealthy foods in your diet with healthier alternatives. Our cravings for food literally become addictions. To help deal with these cravings (or addictions), begin simple replacement techniques.

Ideas include choosing fresh fruits over sugary desserts, whole grain crackers over potato chips, or a homemade all beef or turkey burger over a fast food burger. You can also supply these (and similar) replacements to assist in the level of a craving. Say you want chocolate chip cookies, you could have homemade banana muffins made with wheat flour. It may not be as satisfying, but the level of craving should be reduced.

Start cooking your own meals at home and stay away from boxed, microwavable and frozen meals. Making meals with whole foods may take a bit longer to begin with. But once you have been eating healthier and feeling better, you will realize that the additional time is well worth your efforts.

By changing what you put into your body - adding wholesome, fresh, nutrient dense foods, your body will begin to produce healthier cells and eliminate the toxin-ridden ones that you are currently functioning on. You will begin to build a strong body and mind which will positively effect all areas of your life.

Natural Remedies for the Common Cold

While there are no known cures for the common cold, many plants and healing herbs can be used to soothe symptoms of the cold or flu. The use of natural alternatives can lessen the duration and severity of a cold. Here are just a few to choose from.

To Boost Your Immunities:

• Vitamin D3. During the fall and winter months, it is best to increase your intake of vitamin D3. This vitamin not only boosts your immune system, it also helps your body absorb much needed calcium. Vitamin D3 can be taken in amounts up to 3000 mg. It is sometimes recommended that you have your D3 levels checked before increasing your intake.
• Echinacea. Is a flowering herb that is widely used to improve the body’s natural immune system and prevent colds and flu or at least lessen their duration. Recommended dosages are up to 1200 mg. daily. Do not use for more than 10 days straight.

If You Have Already Caught a Cold:

• Vitamin C. Immediately increase your intake of vitamin C. Start with 1000 milligrams and adjust accordingly. You can do a vitamin C flush where you increase your intake until you begin to experience loose stools, then begin to decrease the amount you are taking.
• Olive Leaf Extract. This herb has been shown to be a good antibacterial. It is a good supplement for fighting bacterial and viral infections. Safe doses are up to 750 mg. daily.
• Goldenseal. Has a long history in treating cold and upper respiratory tract infections. This can safely be taken is dosages up to 750 mg. each day. To increase the effectiveness of goldenseal, it can be taken with Echinacea.
• Peppermint or Chamomile Tea. For congestion and sore throats, sip on either of these hot teas. For additional relief from sore throats, try adding a teaspoon of honey.
• Aromatherapy. Essential oils are an excellent way to combat the effects of the common cold. Bring a pan of water to a boil, remove from the heat source. Place in several drops of tea tree, eucalyptus, rosemary and / or lavender essential oils. Drape a towel over the pan and your head and breathe in the steam for several minutes. Keep your eyes closed.

As a safety precaution, it is always recommended that you check for any contraindications with current medications (prescription and over-the-counter) and supplements that you may already be taking. In addition, if you have any health conditions, please check the safety of taking any natural supplements.

The Power of Postive Attitude and Thinking

Positive thinking is a mental attitude that sees the bright side of life.  It takes you from your ordinary daily life to a whole new and fantastic life.  It can change everything for you.

Positive thinking is a mental attitude and state of mind, which focuses on the full half of the glass and not on the empty half. It sees a clear picture of upbeat and satifying experiences.

It is a mental attitude that expects positive results.  It is a mindset to hold onto.

People with a positive frame of mind think about possibilities, growth, expansion and success. They expect happiness, health, love and good relationships. They think in terms of 'I can', 'I am able' and 'I will succeed'.  They live a life of peace, happiness, harmony, laughter and love.

Positive thinking people are not daunted by failures and obstacles. If things don't turn out well or as expected, they will try again. They only find setbacks as an opportunity to analyze, make changes and grow.

True positive thinking is not just saying that everything will be okay, as a lip service, and at the same time think about failure. In order to bring beneficial changes and improvement into your life, positive thinking has to become your predominant mental attitude throughout the day. It has to turn into a way of life.  Keep your mind focused on positive things and this new life will become second nature.

Real and effective positive thinking requires that you focus on positive thoughts and positive emotions, and also take positive action.  You will think yourself into a different person and open yourself up to new, exciting and rewarding experiences.

How can you develop this state of mind? You can do so by reading inspiring and motivating literature, and through visualization, affirmations and meditation. You can tell yourself every morning that it is going to be a great day and only great things will happen on this day.  The law of attraction works in mysterious ways and for you to manifest good things, your attitude must be positive!