Your Best Teachers

Your enemies are your best teachers and they are the servants of the Divine. Through their actions of opposition they force you forward and deeper into your mission and divine calling.  Strive today to see yourself as a "kite" because kites rise "against" the wind not with it, so the more the winds of opposition rage the higher you will go.

Reflections of…The way life used to be…

The past few weeks have been an adventure of sorts for me.  Bluntly, I didn’t want to take any nutrition classes…at all…no not one….To put this in context I must take you to my not so distant past.  I have several degrees, two of which directly relate to food—Restaurant Management and Culinary Arts.  I enjoyed the theory of working in culinary, not the fact.  When I started in the kitchens of some of the top restaurants in the country I was the only, and I do mean only FEMALE in kitchens with 48 men at times.  In a word…it was AWFUL!!  I hated going to work, I hated the fact that sexual harassment was like breathing for some of those guys—gifted but wrapped in mentality in my opinion but that’s a blog for another day.

My hate of restaurants and cooking in large amounts transferred to learning anything about food other than reading a recipe to cook something.  So when I enrolled at SWIHA and found out that I had to take nutrition, I was a little less than happy shall we say.  But I can honestly say now looking back over the past 12 weeks that my view has changed, and in truth in my book that is the biggest change of all.

I have always eating healthy per se, ok, I clearly have a sugar addition but did you read the part where I was a chef…uh baking and pastry—classically trained….The addiction aside, my diet has been healthy—by a skewed standard I have come to learn.  I was one of those people who trusted that when it said USDA certified organic that it really was before I took this class.  I now know to read labels not on the fly in the store but to really read a label, to think through my dinners before I cook them and to budget to purchase the best available organic when I can.

I’d like to profess some magical over night transformation but alas that would be a lie and you are truth filled people so I must be truthful—“I’m not a role model” is how Charles Barkley put it. I am a real person, a wife, a mom, a business owner, a student, a friend and all that and then some.  In the end my children will have more varieties of foods in their diets and healthier snacking options than the children at their schools.  They will know to choose fruit over candy and whole oats over instant oats and when they say “Thank you Mommy” when I hand them sugar free organic pop tarts then I know I learned something and that in the end is truly the most important thing of all.   Thanks Dr. H.

The Highway to Mineralville...Deserted and littered with Junkfood

 Changes in transportation methods have impacted our lives on more levels than the obvious.  The advent of the transcontinental highway through the United States has lead to the movement and settlement of the western half of the US, but it has also allowed for the shipping of goods such as meats and vegetables to be transported thousands of miles from their point of actual origination.  As a result the demand for goods has gone up leading to the shortened growing season and the year round confinement of some animals.  In the end, it is the “microwave generations” need for perpetual instant gratification that has forced the artificial speed up in the growing cycle resulting in an un-natural growing and harvesting seasonal dynamic to perpetuate.  When things are not allowed to follow their natural growing cycle then they are “stunted” in the process and therefore do not develop the level of nutritional content they are designed to have. 

One of the main health problems due to a lack of proper mineral content in food is the rise in obesity levels, in particular, among school age children.  While it is good to applaud what the current occupants of the White House want to do with respect to improvements for school lunches, the reality is that unless we have a complete cultural identity change from a nation of consume it now ask questions later,  then a single meal will not have the level of impact that it needs to when the message is not reinforced at home or via the airwaves.

Feeling Less then Inspired?

Feeling less than inspired means that you are working to hard to "make" things happen and nothings happening as a result.  Sometimes as nerve racking and annoying as it sounds, you really do have to let go and let the process work.

Journaling about food....

I've been monitoring my food intake for the past 10 weeks, some weeks more closely than others, but hey who's perfect.... At any rate the portrait of my food habits that has emerged is that I am a stress eater...I didn't have a doctor diagnose me....but I can see the days/weeks where I was very stressed and the effects on my eating habits.  This week at work we experiecned a full system failure--that's a crash for the non-technical but capable....and if you are not either, basically it was a full scale "f"-up beyond all reason and recognition.  So day one it was some low-fat pretzels by day three of this spiral into techno-hell it was a Three Musketeer by day 5 it was a Dr Pepper, a Three Musketeer and some Baked Lays potato chips (had to pretend I was being healthy).

In the end, if I ate a vitamin or mineral last week it was a complete accident....bummer.....

So this could all be bad news but it's really not. Why?  Because I now know conclusively that I am a stress eater and I know that if I do other things to control/deal with my stress I will overcome this "dis-ease" within. And that is a really good thing....oh...the system...it's fixed--lots of tape, band-aides and crazy glue but everyone will log on on Monday and be glad and not thank the techies that worked ridiculous hours and ate horrible food...but they will be happy and that's what's important....right?

Fiber—The Real Fabric of Our Lives

Fiber is extremely important to the daily diet and is highly valued due to its promotion of overall health and the prevention of chronic diseases.

There are two types of fiber-soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber works to bind with fatty acids and regulates the blood sugar for people with diabetes.   Soluble fiber in proper amounts within the diet has been proven to prevent some chronic diseases most notably breast cancer.  Insoluble fiber acts as the bulk in the intestinal tract and facilitates the elimination of waste through the bowel system.  Insoluble fiber is the key factor in the control and balance of the body’s ph levels in the bowels.  Basically, fiber helps prevent constipation.  Constipation occurs as a result of a lack of proper fluid intake and less than desirable levels of fiber in the diet.  From a metaphysical point of view the causes of constipation are depressions, stress and the lack of or the disruption of a person’s normal routine.  What is most interesting is that there is a direct correspondence between  fiber and the science of physics. Fiber as both mass and energy works within the body to unify the energies of the body—which is the core function of physics.  

 The basic core of physics is that the “unification of mass and energy …has very important ramifications… Since matter and energy combines together to form this material world, what it means is that all things are unified, that there is a single commonality behind this world, which is expressed as matter on one side and energy on the other, which is the root of all the phenomena in this world.” (Mazumdar, P.)

For the purposes of this writing we will view fiber as both “mass” and “energy” in the terminology of physics.  The Unification of the energy of action (waste disposal) and the unused or unassigned energy of potential occurrences.  Energy is the life force that animates the body.  If the energy in the body does not flow then the spirit becomes constipated first and then this spiritual constipation eventually causes physical constipation.  So fiber in the body is taken in through bread, leafy green vegetables, whole grains, legumes and some fruits.  The processing of food removes fiber (fast foods and prepackaged meals or snacks) resulting in the psychological pathology that the use of fiber drinks such as Metamucil reverse this effect in a “natural way” i.e. restores the bodies natural balance.  The real truth is that Just as nothing artificial can bring true life to the spirit, nothing artificial introduced into the body can promote health.

Fiber on the spiritual level is the life animating principle of unification with the source of existence.  The further away from source you get the more your energy slows and eventually stops creating spiritual constipation.  This spiritual constipation blocks the energy of potential occurrence from flowing resulting in feelings of discontent, stress, anxiety and depression.  The feeling of discontent, stress, anxiety and depression ultimately lead to chronic diseases.  From a physiological stand point the lack of fiber creates both a physical and a spiritual dis-ease.

In conclusion, while it is easy to look deeply into nutrition and see only the facts and figures of it as a hard physical science it is important to look at food from both the physical and spiritual view points in order to truly diagnose and overcome the causes of all forms of sickness and dis-ease.

Additioanl Source Material:

Mazumdar, P, http://ezinearticles.com/?Mass-Energy-Equivalence---Mass-and-Energy-Correlation-in-Physics-and-Its-Spiritual-Relevance&id=4831253 accessed October 19, 2010

Protein—The Stuff Were Made Of….

Protein is an interesting subject from both a physical and metaphysical standpoint.  I’ll tackle the physical first.

Did you know that next to water protein is the most plentiful substance in your body?  Put it this way, if the body is 75% water then its 25% protein.  Alternately, there is no life without protein. Interestingly enough, while most people think “meat” as soon as you say the word protein, it can actually be derived form both animals and plants.  With over 50, 000 different proteins in our bodies derived from 20 or so amino acids the need to have a balanced supply of protein in the body is critical.  A lack of protein or a protein deficiency is know as Kwashiorkor and results from malnutrition.  The classic signs of malnutrition as a result of protein deficiency are “protruding stomach, edema, thin hair, overall weight loss, slowed growth, and discolored hair & skin.  Kwashiorkor, if left untreated, can cause stunted growth, mental impairments, and death.” (http://www.myfooddiary.com/)

While most medical and health definitions focus on the extremes of protein deficiency there are more subtle signs that occur in the body before Kwashiorkor sets in.  For example, puffy eyes in the morning and premature aging (looking haggard and worn) are also signs of protein deficiency.  Protein provides the body with essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, but it is a mistake to think or believe the only source of protein is meat.

Again, protein is found in vegetables like cabbage, beans and legumes, broccoli and even onions.  The advantage to deriving you protein intake from non-meat sources is that when you have a balanced vegetarian diet you are able to maintain a proper vitamin and mineral intake which in the end assists the body in its daily functions and prevents illness—which is nothing more than the breakdown of the bodies internal systems as a result of the introduction of a contrary organism or bio-chemical compound that the body rejects and we call the rejection sickness.

From a metaphysical standpoint, using fruits and vegetables as your primary or exclusive source of food brings with it a metaphysical reward that is often overlooked.  When you eat food that is in submission and not in revolt to the divine laws of the universe you take that submission into your “spirit.”  This is a critical point because if you believe that you are what you eat, then when you eat animals that are wild or have been keep in a hostile environment, which causes them to be under stress at all times, then when you eat the flesh of these animals you are eating the “condition” of these animals spiritually before their deaths.  The prolonged issue associated with the continuous intake of hostility, stress, depression and anxiety is that the person/society eating this meat becomes what it eats—hostile, stressed out, depressed and filled with anxiety.

One important factor to remember when you think about protein in body is that “the development of factory farms and modern meat processing plants, aided by refrigeration, along with economic rail and truck shipping, made meat and dairy products widely available and affordable.”  Prior to the development  and application of mass transit and assembly line thinking to the processing of meat, people did not eat much meat and when they did it was on a special occasions, not at every meal.  “Before the late 1800's most of the world didn't eat a lot of meat, or dairy, as there just wasn't that much available for ordinary people. “  (http://www.jucing-for-health.com/)

In conclusion, the drive to become a vegetarian can be easily adopted by some but for others it may take a longer time.  In the end, its better for your health and energy levels in the long run to become a vegetarian.  Most importantly, to make true and lasting strides towards world peace we must alter our food intake so that our spirits will return to a state of perpetual peace and happiness.

Chronos and Chiros

Timing is everything. When you make the decision to move out on your dreams and visions, if you are not willing to devote the time it will take to ensure your success, then you are wasting time. Always remember their are two types of time--chronos time and chiros time. 

Chronos time is man-made time--it is the clock on the wall, the outlook calender, the blackberry ping.  It is what we are anxious over and always fretting about.  Chiros time is theological in nature and refers to divine time.  In the context of divine time you are never early and you are never late--you are always on time.

Chronos time can be a burden when you allow it to be.  When you allow chronos time to make you think you are late for your divinely arranged appointment with your preordained destiny then you will be depressed and immobilized as a result.  When you live by chiros time you understand that where you are in life, is where you are supposed to be.  Chiros time reminds us that the journey is more important than the destination sometimes. 

A life lived in balance will allow you to see chronos time (physical time) as an indicator only of how long the operational vehicle that your soul is currently traveling in called a body  has been in operation.  A life lived in balance will always remember that the real time keeper is chiros time and in that time space reality; where you are is always perfectly perpendicular (at a right angle) to your ultimate desire (s).

Food, Inc. --A Commentary

Food, Inc. --A Commentary

Capitalism is defined loosely as free enterprise, which can be further defined as the unrestricted activities of individuals or groups of individuals (corporations) as they relate to the acquisition and maintenance of wealth.   Unrestrained free enterprise is what some would argue creates a socio-economic condition conducive to the stratification of society into the “haves and have not’s”, “upper class” and”lower class.”  While the principle motivator behind capitalism is the acquisition of wealth in terms of finical gains, wealth as a term can be broadly extrapolated out to include power and choice.

When capitalism functions in such a manner as to control the individuals in society to such an extent that their thoughts are pre-programmed to benefit the “corporation or individuals” in power then a society of mis-informed and purposely under-educated individuals can be held captive to the desires of the corporations or individuals in a position of power.

I recently watched the eerily unnerving documentary Food, Inc.  The documentary clearly and succinctly places the contextual background around the mass production of food and demonstrates that the right to pure food is a commodity to be bartered and traded on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, NASDAQ, and Wall Street and even on Middle America’s kitchen table.  In short, corporations such and McDonalds and Tyson Brands absolutely controls everything from the GNP (gross national product) of the US and foreign trade agreements and the average citizen’s pocket book.

According to the documentary, McDonalds and Tyson Brands, for example, dictate the way chickens are raised and control the farmers who raise them.  Food is a weapon, a weapon that can cause the collapse of a whole society—economically and financially.  What the documentary Food, Inc exposes is the dirty secret behind the mass production of food for a society engulfed in consumerism.

The mass production of food requires that farmers who have contracts with Tyson and McDonalds corporation force the artificial maturation of chickens to make them market ready early in order to garner every dollar from the unsuspecting consumer.  When farmers speak out against the tactics involved by these corporations, like Carole Morison a farmer who raised chickens for the Perdue processing plant she and those like her suffer dire consequences.

Ms.  Morison cooperated with the making of the documentary Food, Inc. and subsequently lost her contract with Perdue.  What she exposed during the filming of the documentary is that the average debt of a farmer is approximately 500K but the average pay received is only 18K. The corporations then demand that the farmers make expensive upgrades to farming equipment and as a result the relationship of the formerly independent farmer and the corporation becomes one of a “company town” like arrangement.

The rampant use of antibiotics and growth hormones, the living conditions of the animals and the unnatural physiological changes that occur in the animals are deemed “necessary” by corporate spokes persons whose only job is to protect the corporation’s ability to turn a profit.  Theoretically, if society knew how food appeared in its neighborhood grocery stores they would reject this form of mass produced death and seek a healthier alternative, theoretically.

In the end, it will be the consumer that will determine if the corporations go a different direction. When the consumer releases misguided ideas about perfection and accepts that not all fruit is perfectly round and un-bruised; or that it all does not come from the friendly farmer down the street but by overnight flight from Chile then and only then will the production of food in the United States change.

Your vision is your reality...and yours only....

Don't be surprised if you tell your vision to someone and they don't "get it."  Remember it's your vision, but to them it's only a story--no matter how excited you are when you tell them.  So, next time you want to poor your heart out to someone and express all the great things you see and feel are coming your way, remember you are explaining a reality that they can only comprehend as a concept. 

OK, now that we have that straight shout out loud:  MY VISION DOES NOT REQUIRE YOUR ACCEPTANCE TO BE MY REALITY!!! 

Feel better...yeah, I knew you would. 

Open Heart

Open your heart and listen to the song it sings and be amazed at the beauty within your own soul.  When you can do this, you are truly free.  Free from other peoples thoughts, suggestions, limitations and stipulations.  Never be ashamed or afraid to take loving care of yourself...after all if you don't love you who will?

Gloryify the New in You!

Glorify all the new in you, even when others only see the old.  Remember, in the end, the road less traveled always provides the best memories.  Best Wishes and Safe Travels.

What I'm Eating--Pictures

If you really believe...

If you really believe that you are healthy, happy, wealthy and wise...then you are.  My question is: Do you believe? 

Hope

What I have learned so far: 

Hope is essential to wellness.  The lack of hope opens the mind to depressing thoughts which work against the natural energy flow of the mind and body.  When this occurs, the body is left in a dis-eased state which is the welcome mat for disease.  Take care in your choice of foods that you eat--physically, mentally and spiritually because this is where dis-ease starts.

Mind Body Wellness

“The mind cannot be well if the body is not well and the body cannot be well if the mind is not well.”—Traci C.