Child of the Universe Montessori Aug-Sep 2015 Issue 16

ISSUE 16*AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015*FREE DIGITAL MAG MAGAZINE

Crèche Syndrome Children Constantly Sick?

Raising Resilient Children The Ugly Truth About Smacking your Child Cholesterol The Silent Killer Official Media Partner Soulspace 2015

Catherine Grenfell 5FM Radio Personality, Environmentalist & Mother of 3

Food Garden for Spring An intro to Yoga

By Swami Yogasagar

Is Breastfeeding Best for Baby?

Tone up for Spring

Belly & Lower Body Busters with Lisa Raleigh

www.childoftheuniverse.co.za

2015 Look, feel, participate You will have the opportunity to view exhibitions, listen to fascinating talks & participate in workshops & sacred ceremonies Experience An array of spiritual, healing, therapeutic & holistic modalities

Following on the success of Soulspace 2013, we are happy to announce a continuation of this inspiring festival in Soulspace 2015 A unique spiritual festival where practitioners working with creative healing energies will converge and share this gift. A space to explore the landscape of spirituality in a new era of conscious living, wellness and inner peace

3 & 4 October 2015 Where? Cabanga, Northriding, Jhb

Interact with Psychic practitioners, healers, shamans, therapists & many more Soulspace kids An enchanting space for our little ones to explore and enjoy Soulspace welcomes and encourages any form of self-expression

Info: Jean - 082 949 9449 - jean@soulspace.co.za | Tickets: www.quicket.co.za

The Child of the Universe free online Conscious Lifestyle Magazine is proud to be the media partner for Soulspace. To subscribe email: lifestylemag@childoftheuniverse.co.za with the subject: Subscribe

PUBLISHER 2Luni Media EDITOR Linda Navon 071 346 8138 OUR “Little Boss” Carmen Che Jardim SALES & MARKETING Cj Stott Matticks 082 900 1010 FREELANCE WRITER Arizona Quinn DISTRIBUTION & RESEARCH Lee Coulter OFFICES Sonata Square Olivedale TEL: (011) 462-2900 0110 262 643 DISCLAIMER The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the editor, advertisers or endorsers. While every effort has been made to ensure that the contents of this publication are both accurate and truthful, the publisher and editor accept no responsibility for inaccurate or misleading information that may be contained herein. www.childoftheuniverse.co.za

ed’s letter Hello Everyone First and foremost we would like to say how sad we are for the loss of the legendary Clive Rice, and of course Cecil the Lion. You have both been an inspiration to so many people, bless you.

In this edition we feature one of South Africa’s Power Women, – the lovely, lively Catherine Grenfell. Read about her in the Woman of Substance section.

Lisa is also here to motivate you with an exercise program Which you can do at home.

Spring in most definitely in the air. From where I work I watch the Weaver birds making homes for their fussy partners, and the smell of Jasmine is overwhelming.

For the past month I have been testing the new Down to Earth products and give them a big ‘thumbs-up’.

We have the usual mix of articles on living a healthy lifestyle, write-ups on various healing modalities and much more.

See you again in September.

Happy days!

Linda xXx

16th EDITION – August- September 2015 IN THIS ISSUE: SUBSCRIBE & WIN! Lots of great prizes to be won – see our Competition Page COVEr Feature Catherine Grenfell – We interview this awesome woman of substance Healthy Living CHOLESTEROL – The Silent Killer Healthy Recipes by Lisa Raleigh Food Garden Prep for Spring Beat Sugar Addiction in One Week 12 Ways to Calm the Overactive Mind ADHD? – Finding the right Career for You Energetic Facelifts??

What is Theta Healing & How can it Help You? What are our Eyes Telling Us? Woman of Substance Getting to know Catherine Grenfell Finding the Feminine Goddess Within I am a Woman – Being a Woman in Today’s World Heart & Soul Catching up with Louise L. Hay Archangel Haniel & Bringing in Harmony How to Connect with Yourself Everyday Personal Power & Boundaries Why we Gravitate to Colours Ancient Hawaiian Healing Shamanic Soul Retrieval Babies & beyond Is Breast-Feeding Really Best for your Baby?

Positive Parenting 18 Ways to Raise a Resilient Child The Ugly Truth about Smacking our Kids Crèche Syndrome – Kids Always Sick?

Fitness & Health Tone Up for Spring – Belly & Lower Body Busters with Lisa Raleigh An Intro to Yoga with Swami Yogasagar Reading The Holistic Benefits of Reading Tika & Lion – a Story for the Kids Animal World Cecil the Lion Who’s to Blame? The Meat or The Grain Out & About Light the Night Blood Brothers The Vrede Foundation Montessori Method Birth to Three The Importance of Mixed Age Groups in a Motessori setting Cover Photo by Nicole of NTM Photography 083 611 0369 nmarkram@hotmail.com MEET THE TEAM CARMEN CHE JARDIM – Our Little Toddler Boss VINCENT JARDIM – Linda’s Son, Carmen’s Dad, Cj’s Brother- The Motivator LINDA JARDIM NAVON – Editor & Publisher CJ STOTT MATTICKS – Marketing & Sales Director ARIZONA QUINN – Writer, Researcher & Admin To advertise call us on +27 11 462 2900 or 011 026 26 43

16th EDITION – August/September 2015 - Contributors

Lisa Raleigh Known as the blue team trainer on SA’s The Biggest Loser and wellness consultant on SABC 3’s daily morning show, Expresso, Lisa Raleigh is fast becoming South Africa’s unofficial face of wellness and healthy living. A frequent writer and radio guest, Lisa published her best seller, No Fries on Us, with Darren Scott in 2011. Lisa is the events director for parkrun in Durban, and founder of the LIVERIGHT FOUNDATION. This NGO saw its first initiative, SUNfit, offer free exercise classes to the public from 2006 and launch its first community venue in Durban’s Lamontville in 2014. Lisa’s one-of-a-kind online challenge, well i am, has completed three successful seasons, with its fourth currently running since 15th June. Lisa’s self-produced show, ‘101 Exercises to Try Before you Die’ was the first of many launched early in 2014, all enjoying exposure in over 107 countries. Lisa’s jewelry line, NOBLE, launched in the final quarter of 2014.

Eric Richardson is CEO & instructor at Theta Healing SA. A master’s graduate in education, Eric Richardson's earlier career was spent as a teacher before lecturing at the University of the Witwatersrand. His focus was Philosophy & Sociology of Education, he introduced courses on gender & sexuality in teacher training. In 2006 he became managing director of an established section 21 company that used interactive theatre to teach about HIV, safer sex & other social issues. In 2008 he was selected by the Mail & Guardian as one of the “200 Young South Africans you must take to lunch”. In 2011, Eric left the company to focus full-time on ThetaHealing®, & completed a bachelor's degree in metaphysic science. He also became South Africa's first ThetaHealing® Master & an ordained minister. www.thetahealing.co.za or email info@thetahealing.co.za

Louis L Hay Louise is a bestselling author, speaker and inspirational teacher whose healing techniques, affirmations and positive thinking have inspired millions worldwide. She is the founder of Hay House Publishers. www.LouiseHay.com

Heather Picton Founder and CEO of ADHASA, the largest ADHD Support Group in Africa.

Heather is fiercely committed to guiding parents in the midst of the madness of ADHD family life to achieve peace and calm. She will help you find direction within the chaos of everyday challenges. Can you see your children doing better at school? Building good friendships? If you instinctively felt "yes", how would you like to also watch them thrive and be happier? And yourself? You can. With 27 years of experience working with despairing but hopeful families, who have had similar worries and concerns she can guide them to achieve remarkable success.

Her mission and commitment is to help you get back into the driving seat and make parenting enjoyable – just as you’ve always dreamed it would be. www.heather.picton.nom.za

Margie McAlpine is an experienced Spiritual Workshop Facilitator, Principal and Founder of The Angel Connection School of Africa, Master Teacher, Reiki Master, Spiritual Counsellor, Angel Card Reader, Egyptian Healing Practitioner and Past Life Regression Practitioner.

Penni du Plessis has been working with colour therapy since 1993. Colour has a language of its own, and by introducing a colour into your life, you are inviting its energetic resonance. “I love weaving my web of colour around and onto people with my beautiful products, and seeing them glow, expand and thrive.”I look forward to sharing my wisdom of colour with you.

I’ll focus on one or 2 colours per edition. www.divinespace.co.za

Paul Jacobson is a regular guest on Radio 702 and Capetalk Radio and writes for many health and animal publications on natural and holistic pet care. Paul is a pet food nutritionist, qualified chef and owner of Vondis Holistic Pet Nutrition. Vondis was a finalist in the Nedbank/Capetalk Small Business Awards for their contribution to animal welfare and care. www.vondis.co.za

Hanna Kok was born in the Netherlands and moved the Lesotho in 1984. She lived for 12 years in a remote Lesotho village. In 1989 Hanna was introduced to Brain Gym. She is now International Faculty for Brain Gym in South Africa, being the link between Brain Gym International and Brain Gym in South Africa. She is one of the directors of Brain Gym in South Africa. She is an experienced Brain Gym trainer and she teaches the complete Brain Gym learning track.

Dr Marco Knappe Dr Marco Knappe qualified as a medical doctor in 1989. As an intern and medical officer he worked at several hospitals in different provinces of South Africa. He specialised as an otolaryngologist at Tygerberg Hospital, University of Stellenbosch between 1995 and 1999. Since 2000 he has been in private practice in Cape Town at N1City Hospital and Cape Gate Mediclinic.

Kym van Straaten, (Dip. Training and Development, Mont. Dip), is an experienced lecturers with over fourteen years of active teaching experience and 10 years of lecturing experience both locally and abroad. She earned her Montessori diploma in the late nineties and has been involved in running her own successful Montessori School for the past 11 years.

Emma Derman Teitel is a practicing Psychotherapist and Coach, the cofounder of Boulder Psychotherapy Services and a leader in female empowerment. She specializes in depth and body-centered approaches to healing and has been serving women and girls in the field of holistic women’s wellness for over 10 years.

Paula Quinsee

is a Life, Health and Relationship Coach and helps to empower individuals to live with passion and purpose. Attend her Relationship Romance Workshop on 27 June from 14:00-17:00pm in Johannesburg. For more information go to www.ati2ud.com

Hilda De La Rosa Owner of Conscious Business Network, Writer, Speaker and Workshop Presenter. Anticiipated book to be released later in 2015. www.hildadelarosa.com

A ‘big’ Child of the Universe THANK YOU to all of our contributors for helping us with the most amazing content. We know that our readers agree with us! ☺

montessori method A Foundation for Life

Maria Montessori (1870-1952)

PHONE: (011) 805-3449 or MOBILE: 082 644 6965 sales@montessorisupplier.co.za www.montessorisupplier.co.za

BIRTH TO THREE from "The Joyful Child" Michael Olaf's Essential Montessori for Birth to Three Applying Montessori Philosophy as Parents Now that we are in our fifties and have over thirty years of parenting experience behind us, we would like to share the core of what we have learned: First of all each child is unique, and there can be no easy recipes for how to treat her. Intellectual recipe advice is abundant and contradictory in every area of the child's life.

The most important advice we can offer is from Dr. Montessori herself, to Follow the child. Her methods have always been based on direct observation of children, rather than from the intellect or in imitation of the philosophies of various social groups.

Our main goal at Michael Olaf is to help parents and teachers learn to observe children, to discover clues to their unique set of needs and patterns of development.

As we get to know our children at this deep level, we also get to know ourselves in a new way.

Another area of advice we would like to offer is to think of the whole family when creating a nurturing environment for growth. Balance yourself, balance your primary relationships and friendships, and the balance of the rest of the family will happen much more easily. As we learn to provide an environment, which calls forth the best in our children, we begin to discover ways to call forth the best in ourselves.

The Changing Environment As the child grows and changes, the environment will change to reflect his needs, not only the physical environment but in the intellectual, social, and emotional environments. The child constantly grows in independence and responsibility, and it is a challenge to keep up with this growth.

Parents who learn to observe their children will be able to tell if a toy is still appropriate, or if furniture is still of the correct size for the growing child. They will recognize when the child is ready for the next step in participation with the life and work of the family.

Adults who are trying to learn to be good parents are doing so because they care about others. No matter how much we all try to be perfect we must learn to be easy

on ourselves, to not waste time wishing we "had only known," but must learn to laugh, to pick up the pieces, and to begin again.

Those who know, have a responsibility to teach, and we hope that you will continue to learn, to enjoy your roles as caretakers of children, and to share your wisdom with others.

The Absorbent Mind Children in these early years literally absorb the life around them. We can never be too kind, too respectful, too wise, to be their role models. When they are not with us, we must have the highest standard of expectation for any adults with whom they spend time. The environment we create for our young children is the environment they are going to create for their children, and on, and on.

A Sense of Order In the first three years of life, children have a very strong sense of order - of both place and of time.

An infant can become very upset over things that we would not notice, for example the baby who cried the first time a man who was not her father came into the room because she had experienced many women and no other men than her father. Or the child who cried because an umbrella which he had seen many times closed was opened for the first time. A child may become disturbed because she is bathed after a meal when she had become accustomed to being bathed before a meal.

These children do not have any other motive than to try to make sense of the world, to create order. When the child figures out where everything belongs and how the day goes, he develops a feeling of security that allows him to go on to the next stage of development.

Wise parents recognize this stage and support the child's internal creation. They put thought into the arrangement of the environment, and into daily routines, being sure that something begun can continue to be done in that way.

Above all, they become good at putting themselves in the place of the child to try to understand what he is learning and to be able to respect his pace and needs.

If you would like to see more information on Montessori theory and practice from birth to age 12 and beyond, links to lectures, information on Montessori teacher training, books and other materials for the home and school, and more, go to: The Michael Olaf home page The text on this page is reprinted from several different versions of The Joyful Child, with permission of The Michael Olaf Company.

The importance of mixed age groups in a Montessori setting

By Kym van Straaten An essential part of the learning environment is the other children in it.

The Montessori classroom should provide ample opportunities for making friends and interacting with others.

Learning consideration for others and how to co-operate with others, fostering a sense of interdependence are vital life skills.

In a well-prepared environment co-operation and a sense of community are experienced. Individual differences are easily accepted and appreciated while each child is treated and taught as an individual. Children of different ages are together in the same group which provides abundant opportunities for learning and helps to create a sense of family while everyone contributes and takes responsibility for the functioning and maintenance of the environment.

Montessori said that children should enjoy learning saying that “one test of the correctness of educational procedure is the happiness of the child.” In a class that practices vertical grouping, the children see learning as a labour of discovery, exploration, play, excitement and joy. Learning does not just mean getting ready for the next grade. To become lifelong learners, children must see their work as rewarding, meaningful and absolutely enjoyable.

These mixed age classrooms should strike a heterogeneous balance of gender, race and ability within each age level. Each age group should be roughly equal in number, to avoid becoming "top" of "bottom" heavy. The following charts are based on a class of 36 children.

It is important to also provide a blend of cultures where possible for example: • Race • Language • Socio-Economic standing • Religion

MONTESSORI The Discovery of the Child “Our method has the advantage of being able to draw together children of very different backgrounds. In our first Children's Houses there were children of 2 ½, still too young for the simplest exercises of the senses, and children over five who, because of their attainments, could have passed after a few months into the third grade. In our schools each child advances and perfects himself according to his own individual ability. …Our experiences have shown that a single teacher can supervise children ranging from the ages of three to seven. ... As far as the teacher is concerned, she can remain a whole day with children of such different stages of development without exhausting herself, just as a mother at home passes the entire day from morning to night with her children without growing tired.”

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This environment provides opportunities for a variety of safe, lasting and meaningful friendships. Both social and intellectual development is enhanced by this method.

Each year holds a special significance for the child as the roles they fill change. Because of the mixed age group the classroom has a heritage. In the ideal multi - age classroom the same group of children stay together for at least three years with the same directress. This three year span offers a greater opportunity for establishing the group as a "family" and provides each child with a three year time frame for development.

Grouping in a Montessori environment is based on the developmental planes and is designed to allow development at the individual’s pace. Because of this we can cater for a wide range of developmental needs for each child. It makes sense that every child will advance more quickly in some areas than others. For example; if a child is mastering material quickly the teacher will simply give a lesson on more complex materials which will already be in the classroom for the older children. If a child is having difficulty grasping a particular concept, the child is allowed to focus on that area until he is ready to move on.

It is imperative that Montessorians are trained in child development in the given age range they work with. The toddler environment is not a watered down 3 – 6 class. The needs and style of learning of the primary children are not the same as those of the plane before.

Appropriate Montessori training enables the adult to present the curriculum in a manner that best fits the child, rather than making the child fit the curriculum.

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The Montessori curriculum is a sequential programme designed for independent learning. From the moment a child enters a Montessori environment, we are concerned with the on-going development of the "whole child": intellectual, physical, emotional, spiritual and social.

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In the final year of the Montessori pre - primary classroom, the five year old blossoms. There is an explosion of learning and intense working knowledge of the advanced materials. The five year old leads the class with dignity, self-esteem and selfconfidence; three qualities which enable a child to approach new social challenges in life.

Parents need to be made aware that the cycle is completed in the third year and not the second. If the child leaves before he has not received the full benefit of our programme nor has he had time to complete his learning in our curriculum. To deprive the five year old of this experience is to deprive him of his year of leadership.

Because of the three year period the adult does not have to dissect the child's learning into curricular pieces, but rather is able to support each child's natural learning rate with the gift of time. This time together makes the adult aware of each child's academic, social, physical and emotional strengths and they are therefore able to offer the child greater support because they know how to work best with each child and are better able to guide the child’s learning and provide appropriate challenges. In return the child grows more comfortable and secure with the guidance of the adult. This stresses the importance of the commitment of the adult to remain with a group of children for a minimum of three years.

Throughout the extended life of a mixed - age classroom, the adults (Guide and parent) have more time to get to know one another and can become true partners in the child's education.

Another phenomenon in the vertically grouped Montessori environment is that the children have to coordinate the use of the materials with each other, they learn to co - operate and negotiate with each other.

The benefits for the older child include the opportunity to provide guidance and act as mentors for the younger children. They reinforce their skills and knowledge as well as benefiting from the satisfaction of helping others when they help those younger or less capable than themselves. This heritage of responsibility and helping others is passed down in the class.

It is not only the older children who benefit from this type grouping. Vygotsky (1976) envisioned a "zone of proximal development". This zone is the distance between the actual development that can be enhanced by adults or more capable peers.

Meltzer (1991) uses the term "scaffolding" to describe the process when adults or more capable peers can encourage younger children to use more sophisticated approaches to tasks. Meltzer suggests that adults or more capable peers can give children temporary support to help them accomplish tasks beyond their current independent capabilities. (I.e. Journal writing, the presence of an older child might prompt a younger child to use words, spelling or concepts that the younger child would not ordinarily use on his own.

Younger children usually want to do what the older children are doing. A vertically grouped Montessori classroom offers an inherent motivator for children to constantly challenge themselves.

The younger child learns through observation of the older child. He receives indirect preparation for later work as he watches and begins to absorb the activities of the older child. The younger child need not wait for the Adult for assistance as he is able to consult a more experienced peer.

The mixed - age classroom naturally entails different levels of ability and therefore offers diversity, stimulation and a path for growth integral to the success of the Montessori philosophy.

CREATIVE garden

SPACE

healthy living

Cholesterol The silent killer

By Lisa Raleigh

Cholesterol. Infamously labeled as a “silent killer”, High cholesterol causes no symptoms and could easily go undetected until serious damage occurs. As with most things that are out of sight and out of mind, many of us forego the self-discipline it requires to protect our hearts in favour of more immediate gratification. Understanding the risk factors involved in cholesterol and what we can change in our lifestyles to prevent it are the first steps towards overcoming it.

What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is an insoluble, white and waxy substance that is carried around the body through the blood by two transporting systems: Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol This is referred to as ‘bad’ cholesterol, because it can clog up your arteries when there is too much of it in the bloodstream.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol This is referred to as ‘good’ cholesterol, as it helps remove excess cholesterol out of the cells, including cells in the arteries.

Cholesterol is almost directly relative to what you put into your body, it is a lifestyle disease – so take control of your life, starting today!

Some major contributing factors include: • • • • • •

Being overweight or obese A general lack of exercise Unhealthy eating patterns Alcohol abuse Smoking, which destroys good HDL cholesterol Diseases like Diabetes, Hypothyroidism, Polycystic ovaries, and kidney disease • Certain medications, including birth control pills and some antidepressants Cholesterol and Fat Our cholesterol has a very close relationship to the levels of fat we consume.

Dangerous Fats The fats we need to be avoiding in excess are saturated fat and trans fat. These fats raise your cholesterol and increase your chances of heart disease and type-2 diabetes.

Healthy Fats Don’t worry though; it’s not all bad news, since having small amounts of fat is a crucial element to a healthy diet. Not only will it improve your skin, nails and hair, it will especially benefit your heart. Never eliminate healthy fats from your diet, as you will be losing out on precious minerals and nutrients.

Foods to Avoid • • • • • • • • • •

Palm / palm kernel oil Whole-milk dairy products Processed meats and animal skin Butter Cream Ice cream Cheese – Gouda, cream cheese and cheddar Fast Foods Shellfish – shrimps, oysters, clams, and mussels Refined foods – baked goods and sweets

Foods to Include • Raw olive and flax seed oil • Oatmeal, oat bran and high-fibre foods • Fish and omega-3 fatty acids – mackerel, herrings, sardines, tuna, salmon • Walnuts, almonds and other nuts • Plant sterols or stanols – these are substances found in plants that help block the absorption of cholesterol, and certain foods are now available that have been fortified with these substances.

Foods under Debate The public often receives very mixed messages about foods that are both good for you, but can also raise cholesterol levels. Here, it helps to remember that balance is the most important element of any diet.

Fruit, for example, is a healthy sugar which would add vital nutrients to a balanced diet, but could compound excess sugar issues when added into a diet already high in sugar.

Nutrient-dense saturated fats or foods containing cholesterol are much the same. Coconut oil and egg yolks, for example, are both incredibly nutritious foods – egg yolks are packed with protein and an impressive supply of vitamins and minerals, and coconut oil holds its nutritional offerings of lauric acid (only found in breast milk) and other minerals once heated, unlike most cooking oils.

Daily Recommendations The key, then, is to keep daily recommendations in check. Nutritious foods containing cholesterol would be counter-productive when eaten in excess. The American Heart Association suggests a daily dietary cholesterol intake of 300mg a day if you are healthy, and 200mg a day if you are trying to lower your cholesterol. Transfats and saturated fats are where most cholesterol is typically found in foods, so monitoring your intake is vital. Transfats are considered non-nutritional, so avoid those at all costs. According to the American Heart Association, saturated fat intake should take up no more than 5 to 6 percent of your total daily calories. For someone eating 2,000 calories a day that’s about 11 to 13 grams of saturated fat.

Making these important lifestyle changes may be all it takes to reduce and even reverse the effects of unhealthy cholesterol. Since the primary symptoms of cholesterol can be almost impossible to detect, it is important to have regular screenings and follow-up testing to keep up-to-date on your state of health and what you can do to improve it. Keep in mind that cholesterol and other readings often depend on certain variables – like time of day and what you’ve just eaten – so make sure you have a practitioner who is keeping this in mind.

Lisa’s Healthy Recipes

By Lisa Raleigh French Toast Roll-Ups Ingredients: 8 slices bread 2 eggs 3 T fat-free milk 1/3 cup xylitol 1 heaped t cinnamon Coconut oil Maple syrup Sugar-free peanut butter Method: Trim the crust from the bread and flatten it out with a rolling pin.

Place about a teaspoon or 2 of your chosen filling (peanut butter and maple syrup) an inch from one end of the bread spread out in a strip. Roll the bread up and repeat until they're all filled.

In a shallow bowl whisk the eggs and milk until well combined.

In a separate bowl mix the xylitol with the cinnamon.

In a skillet set over medium heat melt a tablespoon of coconut oil.

Add the rolls to the egg turning to coat on all sides then place them in the pan seam side down.

Cook in batches until golden brown, turning them to cook and brown on all sides. Add oil to the pan as needed.

Add the hot rolls from the pan to the cinnamon xylitol mix and roll until completely covered.

Serve with additional maple syrup for dunking – optional.

Vanilla Chia Protein Pudding Ingredients: 1 T chia seeds 1 scoop vanilla protein powder 1 cup unsweetened almond milk 1 t stevia ¼ cup goji berries / fresh berries of your choice Method: Mix all ingredients together in glass mugs.

Refrigerate as long as possible (minimum 20 mins)

Food Garden Prep for Spring While many standard garden vegetables can not be planted outside or started from seed until the soil is fully warmed and the threat of frost is past, a variety of other cool season spring crops can be started right now, giving you a jump start on the gardening season and putting food on your plate long before the summer vegetables come in.

These spring vegetables, all of which can be easily planted from seed, are all great choices for an early garden, and are usually foolproof enough to grow so that even the most beginning gardeners can reap a good harvest.

1. Spinach Fresh baby spinach, which is one of my favorite greens to eat, is also fairly quick to sprout and grow in a spring garden, and can be remarkably frost-resistant, especially when grown under cover. There are a lot of varieties of spinach, most of which can be categorized by being either savoy and semi-savoy (which tend to have crinkled or curly crisp leaves), or smooth-leaf (with flatter leaves and a softer texture), and I recommend growing several varieties to see which ones work best for your soil and location, as well as which ones you prefer the taste of.

For early spring greens, I like to grow them close together and harvest the leaves when they're still small, which can be as short as three weeks from planting, depending on the variety and the weather. Spinach is also a great plant for the fall garden, as it can be covered with mulch and will often overwinter that way for early spring harvest.

2. Chard This beet relative is another excellent spring vegetable that is easy to grow from seed, and can be eaten fresh or cooked (or tossed into a smoothie for a drinkable salad). I plant my chard closer than the seed packet instructions recommend, and then harvest the crowded ones as baby greens when I thin the beds. Chard comes in a variety of colors and sizes and textures, although most of the color tends to be in the thick stems, with the leaves being mostly green. Growing some red and white and yellow chard along with the traditional green chard can add some color to spring salads while also livening up the look of the garden. Some varieties of chard can be harvested as baby greens in about 25 days, with the leaves taking about twice that long to get to full size.

3. Lettuce While lettuce can be grown into the full sized heads that most of us are used to from the grocery store, I've found that growing it just for baby greens is not only quicker and easier, but will provide a near-constant supply of salad greens from spring until well into summer. I like to use mixed lettuce seed (sometimes called mesclun mix), and instead of sowing the seeds farther apart, as is recommended for head lettuce, I sow them very close together in each row, which will yield a solid row of lettuce leaves that is easy to harvest, and which can be cut repeatedly throughout the season. Lettuce comes in a number of colors and leaf shapes, not just the standard green romaine, red and green leaf lettuce, and butterhead varieties, so growing mixed baby greens gives you a wide variety of textures and colors for salads. Baby greens can be harvested in a couple of weeks, and by planting successions of seeds every week or two, you can have a constant supply of greens for the kitchen.

4. Radishes Radishes are one of the fastest vegetables you can grow, aside from the various greens, as many varieties are ready to be harvested in as little as three weeks. Radishes are great for interplanting with lettuce or other spring greens, and can help to naturally thin those crops as the radishes get harvested. Many of us are only familiar with the round red or pink and white radishes often sold in grocery stores, but they come in a lot of different colors, shapes, and sizes, and can be spicy or sweet, depending on the variety. Radishes are a great crop for kids to help grow, as the seeds are large enough for small children to help plant, and because they're quick to mature and easy to pull from the ground, can be perfect for impatient gardeners as well.

5. Kale Kale, while quite possibly being the veggie people most love to hate, is another excellent spring vegetable that is easy to grow from seed, and because it can be harvested as a baby green and as full-sized leaves, can provide a lot of food from a little effort. Whether you like to eat it raw as part of your salad or in your smoothies, or you prefer it steamed or stir-fried in a main dish, kale can be a great green addition to any diet. Kale can be dense and crinkly, such as "dinosaur" kale, or flatter and more ruffle-y, such as the red Russian varieties, and is often sweeter as a baby green in the spring, and then again late in fall after the first frost. I've been able to harvest baby kale leaves in as little as three weeks, with full-sized leaves maturing in anywhere from 40 to 60 days, depending on the variety.

6. Peas Snow peas, and other pod peas, are another great spring vegetable that kids tend to love. The seeds are big enough for children to plant, and I haven't met a kid yet who didn't love to go searching in the garden for peas to harvest and eat right there. Shelling peas and snap peas tend to take a bit longer, but they're also a big hit with kids, many of whom will scarf them down fresh from the pod and yet never eat a cooked pea (and to be honest, I don't care for cooked peas either). Peas take anywhere from 50 to 65 days to mature, depending on the variety, and can grow either as vines or as 'bushes', so they lend themselves equally well to both trellising and growing in regular garden beds. For best germination rates, pea seeds should be soaked in water overnight before planting them.

http://www.treehugger.com/living/

Refined sugar is unbelievably addictive. Professor Hoebel of Princeton University found that “sugar stimulates receptors to activate the same pathways t hat are stimulated directly by drugs such as heroin or morphine.” The Journal of Psychoactive Drugs stated in a study published in 2010 that ‘Sugar addiction” follows the same pathways in the brain that a habit -forming drug does.

Sugar addiction is a difficult habit to break for many people, especially when the body and digestive tract become so overrun with yeast, candida, parasites and other sugar -loving bacteria that not eating su gar triggers intense withdrawal symptoms.

Fortunately, you can beat sugar addiction using natural tools such as peppermint essential oil.

Alan Hirsch MD studied peppermint’s ability to directly affect the brain’s satiety center, which triggers a sensation of fullness after meals. He found that inhaling peppermint can directly affect your brain’s satiety center, the ventro-medial nucleus of the hypothalamus.

How to Use Peppermint Essential Oil You can also use a diffuser and inhale deeply as cravings come on. Applying peppermint essential oil to the feet also helps.

•

Apply several drops (2-4) with a carrier on location, abdomen and temples

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Mix 2 drops of coconut oil with 2 drops of peppermint essential oil. Apply the mixture down the inside center of your wrists. Do it every morning and evening.

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Directly inhale, or

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Diffuse

Article sourced from http://livingtraditionally.com/beat-sugar-addiction-one-week-peppermint

by Gregg Prescott, M.S. Editor, BodyMindSoulSpirit.com Have you ever laid in bed trying to sleep while a constant stream of thoughts flow through your mind? Do you perpetually think about random thoughts throughout the day.

The following are 12 ways to calm the overactive mind. The related articles will help you along the way!

1. Eliminate the clutter 2. Stop watching TV 3. Meditate 4. Remove the ego 5. Your body is your temple 6. Exercise 7. Escape Time 8. Have fun 9. Release the need to control everything 10. Start a journal and/or dream diary 11. Live in the NOW 12. Connect with nature

Follow the link below to read the full article: http://www.bodymindsoulspirit.com/ 12-ways-to-calm-the-overactive-mind/

Finding the Career that is right for you… you

By Heather Picton

Having the right job can have you looking forward to going to work every day, and meeting each challenge with excitement and determination Unfortunately that’s often not the case especially for people with ADHD and for many its “same old…but different!’

It’s the same challenges, the same struggles, just different people, and different places. The problem often starts in childhood.

Very often it’s the on-going criticism and rejection that causes most of the damage, rather than the symptoms of ADHD.

Too much criticism

Genuine Difficulties or Elaborate Excuses

ADHD difficulties are often first recognised when children start their formal education and struggle to fit in. School can make or break a child with ADHD, and for many its twelve (or thirteen) long years during which they struggle to keep up with their class and are constantly under attack.

ADHD is characterized by a pattern of behaviour, present in multiple settings (e.g. work and home), that can affect performance in social, educational or work areas.

People with ADHD often have poor organisation skills which makes life even more difficult. They are criticised by the teacher, their classmates, siblings and parents. Later on it’s their employers, their managers, their partners. To make it even more frustrating, they often know that they are brighter than most of those around them – as least they had once thought so!

The on-going degradation is devastating! Too many students with ADHD eventually leave school, crushed and with very low self-confidence; then they go into their career with glass ceilings and into unsatisfying lives of under-achievement.

Symptoms such as failure to pay close attention to details, difficulty organising tasks and activities, excessive talking, fidgeting, or an inability to remain seated in appropriate situations, all fall under the categories of inattention, impulsivity and/or hyperactivity. It is a diagnosable condition.

Unwrap your Biggest Problem to find your Greatest Gift Not understanding why you struggle so much, makes life far more difficult. Thankfully we learnt a lot about ADHD and, with help and determination, many of the difficulties can be overcome.

Ironically the same symptoms that caused a whole lot of problems when you were young, might well become your greatest gifts in your adult years… …even if you haven’t yet recognised them.

For example, if you’ve always been very talkative maybe you should investigate becoming a speaker, a trainer, a mediator etc. Just stop to think about our talk show hosts and how many of them may have ADHD? How might the ADHD be helping them? Could it be that they’re able to talk about anything and everything and make it sound interesting. It also means they have to be on their toes and up to date on what’s going on in many different topics – perfect for the ADHD if they’re going to be bored with focusing on just one thing. In addition they usually love the excitement of the challenge.

People with ADHD often struggle with inattention and find it difficult to concentrate. However if they are doing something they really enjoy, they are often able to hyper-focus and stay involved in a project for hours without seeming to need any kind of break at all. Long after everyone else has crashed out, they’re still on top of it and making good progress.

People with ADHD are usually distractible – the flipside of this ‘difficulty’ is that they can be highly aware of anything and everything in their environment. These are the same people who would probably be excellent at scouting or detecting faults in any system. They’re also the people who could be very capable detectives – in their own small business, or on the international scene.

Bear in mind that not all people with ADHD are the same, nor do they have exactly the same set of symptoms. In addition, the symptoms affect some people more than others. This means that two people diagnosed with ADHD could be so different that you struggle to see any similarities.

If you are an adult with ADHD, it’s important for you to have a career that is built on your strengths and that you are doing things that both interest and excite you.

This can go a long way to providing job satisfaction and success.

In addition, it’s really worth your while to get rid of childhood emotional-related baggage which could be holding you up. Also have a good look at your current lifestyle and ensure you’re eating real food. It’s also a good idea to spend some time working on weaknesses that are impeding your progress.

Taking us into the future People with ADHD often have phenomenal thought patterns – they think differently, spark innovation and have often changed the path of nations, sometimes the world. These amazing talents can be vital when companies seek new ways to handle the many challenges of the 21st century.

Do you feel that you’re you re a failure as a mother? mother?

Do you dread waking up to another morning of arguing and fighting with your ADHD child? child Here’s how you put yourself back in the driver’s driver s seat and help your ADHD children deal with challenges that often cause lifelong heartache for them.

Heather Picton’s Picton s unique book helps you to understand your ADHD children’s difficulties, as well as gives answers and tools which help the whole family. It will also help your children grow up with their self-esteem intact.

Everyone benefits.

Get started immediately – order your book now by clicking the link www.amzn.com/B00CX89HBA You’d be most welcome to leave a review explaining how this Amazon Kindle book has helped you.

Such as what you should look like, how you should act for your age? That our bodies are designed to fall apart?

Does each approaching birthday excite you or scare you? What are some of the lies that you have bought into about how we age, grow older and how we degenerate through the passage of time?

Your thoughts, perceptions, judgements, projections, feelings, emotions, fears, and programming are some of the areas where you create your life, your body and how you live. What if, all of these were not yours to start with?

99.999999999% are not yours? Then, what points of view are you creating to age, degenerate and diminish your body?

Access Consciousness™ is often described as a set of tools and processes that can change anything in your life that isn’t working.

The Access Energetic Facelift system and philosophy & technique helps to address the very issues associated with aging.

Once you recognize that your point of view creates your reality, and you stop judging your body, you can make the choice to change. Access Consciousness™ includes many processes to guide you in this transformation. In addition, Access verbal processing actually shifts your point of view about aging. IMAGINE YOUR LIFE WITHOUT ANY JUDGMENT OF YOU AND YOUR BODY? The Access Energetic Facelift is an amazing process that can smooth, tighten and rejuvenate your face and your body—without surgery, injections, peels or drugs! It is a wonderful way to rejuvenate the face and reverse the appearance of aging.

The technique can create similar effects throughout the body. How does it get any better than that?

Having received and given many Energetic Facelifts since learning this process 3 years ago, I have experienced first-hand the benefits of this gifting process. Immediately following a session the face appears to have received hours of massage to plump, invigorate and energise the skin. I often see the faces of the clients change during the session!

You can see the difference from one session, just imagine what if would be like if you had 10, 15 or 20 sessions……… You would have nothing to lose but your points of view on aging.

This is as a result, not only from running energy, BUT it’s also a session in which you will release thoughts, feelings, considerations, fears, patterning and programming that are related to aging. While the process itself is a face lift – imagine having a BODY LIFT as well!!

People who have received this process have reported it is like having a face lift, more energy, stability and clarity. What great side effects!

• Using castor oil which is a natural source of Omega-6 fats, proteins and vitamins that helps encourage hair growth – use for thinning eyebrows.

A typical session is a hands-on session that lasts between 60 minutes and 90 minutes. In a session it is not unusual for the client to experience energetic sensations throughout the body. The Access Energetic Facelift consists of at least 25 different body processes. On their own, the body processes are run for issues such as immune system, scar tissue regeneration, and trauma etc. These and more processes are run on the body in a single session.

• Vitamins and minerals are needed for health and beauty, but more is not always better. Too much Vitamin A or Selenium can cause hair loss.

The Access Energetic Facelift™ has been provided professionally in spas, massage practices, antiaging and wellness centres worldwide. And is quickly catching on in South Africa! It is a brilliant addition for any beauty therapists business, and/or massage therapists wishing to extend to their clientele.

Why not learn the Access Energetic Face Lift™ with a friend or two so you can gift and receive the benefits of this dynamic process on a weekly basis?

I run a few classes a year with wonderful results

Tips to keep you looking great

• Make a facial mask more effective by applying it in the shower, where steam opens pores so ingredients can penetrate

• For sparkling teeth, rub them with a dry bay leaf. Do this twice a week.

• The hair oiling ritual is probably one that almost every Indian woman follows. Try and do it once a week. I use a mix of coconut and argan oils but you can also add almond, and olive oils.

Connect with Fazila: fazila@soulfulness.co.za or go to www.soulfulness.co.za for more on her services.

FREE DELIVERY COUNTRY WIDE:

‌ and much more!

Visit us at Shop 138, Balfour Mall, Highlands North Shop Online @ www.feelhealthy.co.za Tel & Fax: +27 11 786 9539 Cell: +27 76 225 2993 Email: info@feelhealthy.co.za

What are our eyes telling us?

By Hanna Kok

For many of us, our eyes are the most important sense, so if they don’t function properly we are immediately affected by it. People often look for solutions to take the symptoms away (e.g. wearing glasses if we can’t see clearly or using eye drops for dry eyes), but if we take some time to find out what they are telling us, many of the symptoms will correct themselves.

We might need to add eye exercises and make sure we feed our eyes properly, to ensure optimal eye health.

Our state of mind affects our muscles and much of our eye function is controlled by muscles. We use muscles to focus and to enable us to move our eyes smoothly across a page or look in all directions. So let’s look at some of the symptoms people experience and what they are telling us.

If we have eye trouble, our eyes are telling us that we don’t like what we are seeing in our life. The following information is inspired by Louise L. Hay’s book, Heal your Body. I also have added knowledge I have learnt as a Brain Gym® practitioner and trainer.

In this article I am just mentioning some of the most common eye conditions.

Short sightedness.

This means that we can see close, but not far. It is as if our eyes don’t want to look at our future. I remember when my son was 7 years old, I was going to change his school, because the current school wasn’t working for him. Within a few days after having discussed this decision with him, I noticed that he was holding his book very close to his face. He had become short-sighted. We talked about the changes that were lying ahead and within a few days his eyes normalised. More than 10 years later and his vision is still excellent.

Farsightedness Many people in their forties start to wear reading glasses, because they struggle to see up close. We accept this as a fact of getting older. But this is also the time where we “We re-evaluate our are half-way our life, lives and we might not we re-evaluate our lives and we might like what we see.” not like what we see.

It is very important that we address this and make the necessary changes, so that our eye-sight can improve again.

Doing eye exercises, eating a healthy diet which includes the vitamins and minerals our eyes need, and ADDRESSING the emotional issues, all aid in eye health and reversing much of the deterioration. I personally work hard on keeping my eyes healthy, because I don’t want to deal with the hassles for constantly looking for reading glasses.

Dry Eyes According to Louis L. Hay, dry eyes are angry eyes.

What is going on in our life that we are angry about?

It is so important that we address these issues. At this stage our anger affect our eyes, but if we don’t deal with the issue, the symptoms will escalate over time.

Being angry robs us from our happiness in this present moment, so if we want to be happy, we will benefit from taking a little bit of time to identify the issue and deal with it.

Dyslexia and other problems with reading When people struggle with reading, it is often linked to the inability of the eyes to smoothly track from side to side with both eyes working as a team. It could indicate that we don’t know how to deal with things that are moving or forever changing. We rather stop the world, so that we can analyse it.

Doing eye exercises and also balancing the eyes in Brain Gym consultations or Theta Healing TM can reverse many of the symptoms.

What can you do to listen to your eyes?

Our eyes are valuable, so why not spend some time to communicate with them to find out what they are telling us? Let’s start with asking ourselves “What is going on in my life, that I don’t want to see?”

If we cannot see what is causing the imbalance in our eyes, there is a lovely writing exercise we can use. It can be used for any area of our life that we want to function better. It is the technique we use to write with both hands.

We start with getting quiet and we can ask the Creator of All That Is to guide us. Then we take our pen in our normal writing hand and ask the Creator “What is going on what are our eyes are in my life, that I telling us.

don’t want to see?”

Then we put our pen in our other hand and write down whatever comes to mind. If the answer is not clear, we put the pen in our writing hand again and ask the next question. We continue writing with both hands, until we have some clear and practical answers.

Hanna is available for sessions to help you work through issues that may be affecting your eye-sight and much more. Contact her via her website or using the details below www.makealife.co.za Address: Phone: Fax: Email:

14 Austin Road 082 856 6655.

086 5188 225 info@makealife.co.za

women of substance

Celebrity Interview:

Catherine Grenfell 5FM Radio Personality, Mother, Advocate for Local Music, Environmentalist & more…

By Cj Matticks Images by Nicole – NTM Photography

Interview by Cj Matticks.

Photography courtesy of Photographer Nicole from NTM Photography

In celebration of Women’s month we caught up with the with the lovely Catherine Grenfell, well known 5FM Radio personality, ambassador for the environment & the youth, & single mom to 3 beautiful children.

Catherine, who is a former 5FM co-presenter on the Fresh Show, now produces 5FM’s 5th Element show 710pm weekdays and is a presenter for a music and lifestyle show called “This is Therapy” on online tv platform: OpenroomTv. In addition to this Catherine somehow finds the time to do the following: Lecture Radio 2nd Year at Boston Media House; Work with VOICESClub – A Club for women in business to collaborate, inspire and connect; work with “Blood Brothers” a supergroup of rock musicians who are doing a show for the Vrede Foundation and freelance at a PR Company!!

It amazes and inspires me as to how she finds the time to do all of this and then what inspires me even more and has really increased my respect for her is the fact that she is a strong advocate for environmental sustainability and development of the communities and youth. Catherine is an ambassador for a project called “Change our World for Good”, SASSI and supports local charities such as The Children’s Radio Foundation and The Organ Donor Foundation. Join us as we get to know her a little better and hear more about her views on the environment and the projects that she is involved in.

Celebrity Interview

You studied lighting & sound at Pretoria Tech, what inspired you to follow this path?

What challenges did you face along the way and how did you overcome them?

When I was in matric I was chosen to go to the Grahamstown Festival as part of a school tour. When we were there, we were able to do a couple of courses and I did set design and make-up. I remember clearly doing the courses and realising that this is exactly what I wanted to do. So when I came home, I did some research and found that they offered those courses at Tshwane Technikon. I was too late to apply for that year, so I took a year off and travelled around the country and then started studying the course – Theatre technology the following year. The first 6 months of the course, we had to do all the subjects, which were: make-up, props, costumes, lighting, sound and décor. Subsequently after the 6 months, I had to specialise in 2 of the subjects, and decided to choose Lighting and Sound.

Initially when I was still working in lighting and sound, it was a very male dominated industry and so it was hard to get in there and show that you could get the job done. But that experience definitely taught me to work as hard as possible to prove that I was capable of doing all the work, specifically the physical work. When I started in radio, I actually just fitted in. Obviously there were challenges of being able to do crazy stunts, but I would just try every possible angle until we could get what we wanted. I wouldn’t take no for an answer. I was lucky in the fact that I wasn’t competing with anyone on air in terms of who I was and what I stood for, as I created quite an exclusive niche for myself in supporting local artists and that is what I became known for.

“Obviously there were the challenges of being able to do crazy stunts…”

In 2001, as a 24yr old mom to be, you joined Mark Gilman’s show on 5FM, as a friend of yours leaving 5FM suggested that you interview for the flexibility it would give you in terms of time.

Shortly afterwards you were asked to join the allallmale team on air, launching your career as a radio personality. Your promotion of local music led to your own show giving local SA bands a platform to perform live on air. Later you joined DJ Fresh as coco-presenter on the Fresh Drive. Was this where you envisioned your path leading?

I had worked in the live arena and then moved into Production and Event management for a few years.

When I had my son, I realised that I wanted a change in career. I had no idea about radio, but I knew how to organise and make things happen. I used those skills when I started in radio. As for being on air, that was something I completely didn’t expect. But I think that was what made it work, because I was just this single mom, and I came across on air as a normal person, so people related. I was always a huge fan of South African music and had supported it in my own personal capacity. Mark Gillman used to ask me about South African bands on air, so I realised that there was a gap at the station to have a support platform for the local artists. That eventually became my huge passion and I have never looked back.

We’re itching to know, how do you fit it all in? What does a typical day in the life of Catherine Grenfell look like?

I wake up at 6 and get my children ready for school. After dropping them at school, I will either do some work (I freelance doing production management, voice-overs) or I will try and get a swim or yoga session in at gym. I lecture Radio Theory at Boston Media House from 10h20 – 12h00 on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Wednesday I record my “This is Therapy” show on OpenroomTv and then lecture from 12:30 – 14h00. I fetch my children in the afternoon from school and spend as much time as possible with them in the afternoon, in between whatever work I need to get done. I also prep for the night time show on 5FM during the day, looking for content and arranging any interviews. I make dinner at about 5pm and I go to work at 6pm. I get home just after 10pm and try to get to sleep as fast as possible.

Celebrity Interview

“I have a vegetable garden that I have tried to make as water efficient as possible. I recycle everything that I can.”

Please tell us more about your interest in protecting the environment. When did this become a concern for you – what was your tipping point?

I am not sure when the exact moment was that the environment became an issue. I remember wanting to do a vegetable garden and wanting to try and be eco-friendly in general. I think at a stage there was a lot of awareness being created and I realised that I could change my lifestyle at home and make a difference.

We understand that you have adjusted your lifestyle accordingly – tell us more and what tips do you have for our readers to do the same?

I have a vegetable garden that I have tried to make as water efficient as possible. I have 2 litre plastic bottles planted in the different vegetable sections, which have pin holes at the bottom.

This helps with a slow watering from under the soil. I also have water catchment containers connected to all my gutters. I recycle everything that I can. I think it is also really important to teach our children to do all of these, so that it becomes second nature to them.

What projects are you involved in and what do they aim to achieve? How can one get involved?

I am involved with a project called – Change our World For Good.

You get a little yellow money box ark and fill it with any coins or money. When it is full, you can give it to anyone that you think needs it. (you can have a look at their facebook page about what they are doing and how you can get an ark). I am also involved with WWF, I try and promote water conservation as well as informing people about a sustainable seafood industry, and what fish to eat. The water situation in South Africa as well as the world is actually more serious than we realise, and people need to start realising that water is an extremely precious resource and we need to start conserving our water. It is also important to understand that there are certain fish that are endangered and to not eat those, and make sure that you eat fish on the green SASSI list http://wwfsassi.co.za. I am also involved in The Voices Club, where professional women work and network together, to inspire, and connect. (www.voicesclub.com) You are a strong advocate for SA Music, which we can completely agree with as we have huge amounts of local talent. What are your dreams for our local industry and how can we all help to uplift this industry?

I think the most important thing about supporting local music, is to buy their music and buy tickets to their gigs. The more we support our artists, the more they will be able to survive and have the money to record amazing albums.

Getting to know Catherine…

Catherine…

What are your guilty pleasures?

Dark chocolate, massages and pedicures.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time? Do you have any hobbies?

I love going on walks of Johannesburg and finding out more about this amazing city that I live in. I do a few different walks – check them out on facebook – ancient secrets and past experiences and dlala nje.

Lesser known talents of yours?

I can sew and make super delicious cinnamon buns.

“The water situation in South Africa as well as the world is actually more serious that we realise, and people need to start realising that water is an extremely precious resource and we need to start conserving our water”

Celebrity Interview

Celebrity Interview

“A lot of my tattoos have meanings, a dorado fish for my Dad when he passed away, my children's names and their drawings…”

Tell us a little about your tattoos and what inspired them?

A lot of my tattoos have meanings, a dorado fish for my Dad when he passed away, my children's names and their drawings, Buddhist symbols and mantras and a lot of them are just beautiful drawings.

I love the stories they tell and the art work that is created. It is a growing story of different phases in and events in my life and I look forward to carrying on the stories.

List 4 of your favourite things in life and why they are your favourites.

Spending time with my kids just relaxing. There is something extremely special about taking a blanket, lying on the grass and just being together staring at the sky and talking about whatever.

Sunrises and sunsets. I know it sounds cheesy, but it can really change your mood and give you a completely new outlook on your day, If you take a minute to just breathe in that sunrise or sunset.

Going to the sea. That feeling when you have the sand in your toes and you run into the sea, and then you're engulfed in that water. It is probably the most cleansing thing for mind, spirit and body.

Listening to music. If it's something you love or something new, music that really moves you. It can definitely change your life.

4 items on your bucket list and why To travel to The Congo. My mom was born there and I have always wanted to go and see her birth place.

Travel to the Kalinga village of Buscalan in The Philippines, to be tattooed by the last Kalinga tattoo artist. She is 90 years old...

To go to Glastonbury Festival Take my children to other countries to experience the wonder of other cultures and places.

What are you currently reading and what are your 4 favourite books?

I am currently reading the book "The Goldfinch" by Donna Tartt My 4 favourite books 1. Charlotte's Web - E.B White 2. The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini 3. Anne of Green Gables - L.M Montgomery 4. Just Kids - Patti Smith

Top 10 Favourite SA Artists (at the moment) aKing, BCUC, Desmond & the Tutus, Kwesta, Gangs of Ballet, Black Motion, PHFat, Okmalumkoolkat, Nonku Phiri, Francois Van Coke.

Plans for the future – where do you see yourself 5 years from now?

Definitely still in the music industry. I will possibly be running a huge festival, or promoting up and coming bands. Or maybe working for Apple Music.

“I think that you should always be open to the universe guiding you into what you should be doing.”

In closing, what advice do you have for others striving to follow their dreams and become successful business people and entrepreneurs? What advice do you have for women and mothers specifically in this regard?

I think that you should always be open to the universe guiding you into what you should be doing. The right doors will open if you are aware of them and some doors sometimes need to be closed to move onto something else. Don't take no for an answer, try and find a way to make things work. As a women and mother - make sure that you have a balanced life, with enough quality time for your children, as well as yourself. I think as women we often tend to forget to look after ourselves, while looking after those around us. The reality is women are extremely strong, and we have the strength to do anything. Do what you do well and don't be so hard on yourself.

“Do what you do well and don’t be so hard on yourself.”

Photography by Nicole: NTM Photography, 083 611 0369, nmarkram@hotmail.com

Find Findi nding the Feminine Goddess Within "Wh "What!? What are you looking at?"

I yell elled at the top of my voi voice in the mid middle of a busy street eet. "I'm looking at a mad woman, yell elling in the street, eet," the man responded.

By Hilda de la Rosa I had lost it - completely! I am normally quite impatient - but this? There I was, in the middle of the road, yelling like a banshee. I had jumped out of my car, slammed the door shut and was yelling furiously at a colleague who was blissfully unaware of the intense rage that she had unleashed in me, simply by turning left instead of right. I sheepishly got back into my car and drove off. Those were the days before cell phones. Remember those?

I met up with my colleague later that morning and embarrassed myself even more - this time in front of a client! Eventually, exasperated, she asked me if I was all right. "All right? All right - are you mad? I'm furious!" The whole day turned to mud and there was no saving it. In my rage I had lost at least thirty IQ points and it was completely hopeless to even try to reason with me. I climbed into my car and drove home sobbing. I knew something was wrong.

Whispers from the Womb I made an appointment with my doctor. When I got to see her, I simply fell apart and told her that I thought I was going completely mad. I related the story to her - and she laughed! I was devastated.

This was not the appropriate time for her to bring out her wicked sense of humour! I was thirty five, but I reminded her that I had had a hysterectomy at age 26.

Ever since menstruation started, I had had difficulties with irregular and very painful periods. My parents decided to put me on the pill to regulate menstruation. Some years later, I became pregnant (whilst on the pill) and had an uncomplicated pregnancy but an extremely difficult and long delivery. After Clinton was born, I fell pregnant several times but lost the baby every time.

By age 26, I could barely stand the pain. I had, by now, developed extreme endometriosis, and my periods could arrive as often as every two weeks, or not for two months, and when it did arrive - it arrived with a vengeance! It could stay for ten days or in some instances, two weeks. I was constantly taking pain medication. When I approached my own gynaecologist, he refused to do anything about it - least of all a hysterectomy for a woman of my age! I just had to live with the pain.

Eventually I found a doctor who understood and a partial hysterectomy (my ovaries were left intact), was performed. I have never regretted this decision. I know that it was radical, but the relief from pain was like a gift from the gods. Painful sex was also a thing of the past! What a bonus.

Mood Swings from Hell My doctor suggested that we perform complete hormone level checks. She took what felt like a litre of blood from me. Several days later my doctor phoned. She asked, "Have you murdered anyone in the last few months?" I replied that I hadn't, but certainly had wanted to - on several occasions. She said that my ovaries had stopped functioning, which, she said, was quite normal for someone who had had a hysterectomy so young. She said that my oestrogen levels were so low that had I killed anyone - I may have been acquitted due to medical reasons! She prescribed Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)! Dreaded words for most women!

After a week or two on the medication I could feel a significant difference. My sense of humour returned and I no longer felt like killing people. Weeks, months and years went by, and life went on. I was happy in my corporate job, doing what I really liked. At this stage, I was smoking about 30 a day and lived mostly on coffee. I am, what is known as, an A-type personality - fiery, quick to temper, high energy, etc.

Quest for the Meaning of Life I have always questioned belief systems and challenged authority. But my quest for the meaning of life started in earnest in my thirties. In 1996, my son Clinton had a very serious motor car accident.

He was in a coma due to a brain injury, for eight days. His accident and subsequent recovery, acted as a catalyst for me to change my life radically.

After his recovery, I opened a centre for spiritual learning in Cape Town. Still living on cigarettes and coffee, but was thriving! I loved this new way of life. I loved what I was learning and in teaching what I was learning - learning even more!

I soon realised that I would have to give up my old lifestyle. That lifestyle, and personality was what was required in my life up to that point. I realised that I no longer needed that persona. She could be retired. What I had done while I was a career woman in the corporate industry, was imitate the males. Even my body reflected this. No feminine shape, no soft curves! My clothes too - double breasted, power business suits.

I was tough, skinny, businesslike, unemotional, masculine, and subconsciously, a man-hater. I was the first one to degrade men and relate gender jokes to my friends. Deep down, I resented being a woman. I disliked that they cried, that they were emotional - which I thought meant that they were ineffective and weak. I hated the fact that I was not strong enough to pick up the heavy things. I hated being a woman so much that and this hatred of the feminine contributed towards making my "feminine bits" ill.

At age thirty, I had a bilateral mastectomy. At the onset of menstruation, my breasts were extremely tender and sore - all the time. At fifteen, I had the first lump removed from my breast.

By age 29 I had had about nine surgical procedures to remove lumps from my breasts. My doctor informed me that the cell structure in my breasts was changing and that he was very concerned.

He recommended a mastectomy. There was no immediate danger but there were definite signs that we were moving toward the danger zone. This was performed before my thirtieth birthday.

I hated the fact that women were treated like second-class citizens. But, I treated them like second-class citizens as well! When I made phone calls to companies, I noticed that I automatically

assumed that a man would be more senior than a woman, I began to watch myself. This came as a complete shock to me. I realised that I had a major role to play in the world's perception of women. And I wanted to change that!

Awakening the true feminine beauty Whilst working at the centre, I decided that it was time to embrace the feminine. To find out what made them so strong and resourceful. I went to see a herbalist and asked her to give me a herbal remedy for my low oestrogen levels. I decided to forgo normal allopathic Hormone Replacement Therapy in favour of a more holistic alternative. I gave up smoking - the second hardest thing I have ever done (the hardest being raising a child).

I worked for more than a year on just being a female and celebrating all that it entailed. In meditation, in day dreams, in fully aware, awake states. I was constantly reminding my self about being a woman and what that meant! I started wearing dresses, bright and flowery ones. I revelled in my emotions and began to understand them. I loved the new feelings that were emanating from me. I allowed my self to ask for help when moving heavy furniture, and stopped berating myself when I could not open the top of the mayonnaise bottle. I acknowledged the feminine in me for the first time in my life - it was very powerful and liberating.

Even my body responded to this new me. I developed curves! Most of the curves were probably because I stopped smoking and ate a more balanced diet, but I didn't care what the cause was!

Men started looking at me differently. Strangers were coming up to me telling me that I was beautiful and sexy. This had never happened before and if anyone had dared, I would have annihilated him or her! I loved it!

All Woman All the Time The best was yet to come! A belly-dancing teacher started teaching at my centre. I immediately joined the class. I had seen other belly dancers at a fair I had attended and I couldn't believe what these women did with their bodies. It was sensual and beautiful and completely entrancing. This is the ultimate in femininity! What a celebration.

Our class was fabulous and our teacher even better. The whole experience was of divine feminine grace. For the very first time in my life, I became completely happy about being a woman. Soft, feminine, gentle, emotional, sensual, sexy, funny, strong, resourceful, tenacious, aggressive - all of it is the woman in me!

Back to the doctor I recently went for another run of tests. Just to be sure of the hormone levels. I have not taken any HRT for more than seven years. My hormone levels were fine! The ovaries were functioning perfectly and everything was in balance. I can't really tell how this happened. I simply know that on some level my body reacted to my mind. In both instances! We truly are what we think. We truly are powerful beings!

Now I am at peace with the feminine in me. The tough, masculine, business-woman is still there, she just has softer edges. I have integrated both aspects of my personality, since both are required for balance. I no longer tell gender jokes, simply because I like men now. And I really do not want to contribute to the subjugation of any individual, whether male or female.

Perhaps it is time to evaluate how much damage we really do to our bodies, not by what we eat, drink or smoke, but what we think and believe!

In today’s modern world, what exactly does it mean to be a woman?

Our role has evolved so much that no longer can there be a standard description for us other than perhaps that of: human being and of female gender.

On a daily basis, we juggle many roles to give ourselves (and society) a sense of purpose and identity – wife, lover, mother, sister, girlfriend, niece, cousin, careerwoman the list is endless.

This silent juggling of hats finds us being so ‘busy’ 24/7 leaving us feeling frazzled and out of touch with our own true purpose and identity.

Often as a result thereof, there is also the possibility of a sense of low self worth, low self-esteem and a yearning for something more to life. The impact on our lives can be taxing not to mention our relationships with others.

I see this in many of the couples and individuals I work with, where the woman has lost touch with self and who they really are, a bit like a ship sailing unchartered waters without a compass or map.

So what are some solutions to help manage this?

Take time out for self – there is no need to feel guilty about this, it is not selfish but rather a much needed necessity to recharge yourself, and you deserve it.

Communication is key in all relationships – majority of problems experienced in relationships is due to the lack of communication, either what is not being said or what is not being heard. Consistent and clear communication leaves little room for misunderstandings and assumptions. Download the free “Conflict is our Friend” ebook here.

Know thyself – if you do not know what you like, don’t like, need or want then it is very hard to express your needs to others.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help – it takes a brave and courageous person to admit they need a little help. You don’t have to struggle with things alone, reach out to others for the support you need.

Learn to say no – the more we take on to keep the more we create our own mountains to surpass. It’s ok to say no every now and then, the world is not going to stop turning or come to an end. And you’re allowed to.

Never has there been a time like now for a woman to step into her own power and create anything her heart desires.

Opportunities are everywhere for you to pluck out the sky and carve your own path irrespective of which role you are stepping into.

Paula Quinsee is a Life, Health, and Relationship Coach who is passionate about being a catalyst for change and touching people’s lives. You can find more info on her and her work at www.ati2ud.com, Facebook, and Twitter.

heart & soul

Dear Readers As you know, I just love gardening. There is something so wonderful about planting a tiny seed and watching it, over time, become a magnificent plant that bears nurturing goodness for our bodies.

Think for a moment of a tomato plant. A healthy plant can have over a hundred tomatoes on it. In order to get this tomato plant with all these tomatoes on it, we need to start with a small dried seed. That seed doesn’t look like a tomato plant. If you didn’t know for sure, you would not even believe it could be a tomato plant.

However, let’s say you plant this seed in fertile soil, and you water it and let the sun shine on it.

When the first little tiny shoot comes up, you don’t stomp on it and say, “That’s not a tomato plant.” Rather, you look at it and say, “Oh boy! Here it comes,” and you watch it grow with delight. In time, if you continue to water it and give it lots of sunshine and pull away any weeds, you might have a tomato plant with more than a hundred luscious tomatoes. It all began with that one tiny seed.

It is the same with creating a new experience for yourself. The soil you plant in is your subconscious mind. The seed is the new affirmation. The whole new experience is in this tiny seed. You water it with affirmations. You let the sunshine of positive thoughts beam on it.

You weed the garden by pulling out the negative thoughts that come up. And when you first see the tiniest little evidence, you don’t stomp on it and say, “That’s not enough!” Instead, you look at this first breakthrough and exclaim with glee, “Oh boy! Here it comes! It’s working!” Then you watch it grow and become your desire in manifestation.

As we continue to enjoy these bountiful gardens of love and nurturing sustenance, let’s affirm together, I am in harmony with nature.

Here’s a wonderful heart thought to take with you wherever you go. You can take one affirmation like, I love and approve of myself, from this heart thought and use it like that tiny dried seed and plant it in your subconscious.

Water that tender thought, let the warmth of those feelings tend to that affirmation and over time, this affirmation will become a positive belief that bears fruit of more good things to come to you.

If you continue to feel scared or alone, try finding an image of something that you really love: flowers, a rainbow, a special song, a sport that you love. Let that be the image that you use every time you start to scare yourself or feel unsafe.

I love and approve of myself. All is well in my world. I inhale the precious yet abundant breath of life and I allow my body, my mind and my emotions to relax. I am in harmony with all of Life – the sun, the moon, the winds, the rain, the earth, and the movement of the earth.

The power that resettles the earth is my friend. I am at peace with the elements. Nature’s elements are my friends. I am flexible and flowing. I am always safe and secure. I know no harm can befall me.

I sleep and wake and move in complete safety. Not only am I safe, my friends, family and loved ones are also safe. I trust in the power that created me to protect me at all times and under all circumstances.

We create our own reality, and I create a reality for myself of oneness and security. Where I am there is always an island of safety.

I am safe, it’s only change. I love and approve of myself. I trust myself.

All is well in my world.

Love,

ARCHANGEL HANIEL AND BRINGING IN HARMONY So many live and work in an environment that is discordant and noisy and so are completely out of balance. Not only does this impinge on their work and home environment but also spills over into their personal and individual dealings with themselves and those that they love. Most will not even realise the imbalance in their lives, as humans adapt and change to the environment around them as a coping mechanism. However what is happening within us has to come out somewhere, and so will manifest itself as disease in the body causing all sorts of dreadful and often life threatening conditions.

It is therefore extremely important that your chakras need to be balanced and aligned; there needs to be balance between the left and right brain; there also needs to be balance between the male and female energies that every human being carries. When you are out of balance you are unable to work and live at your full potential and therefore you are at a huge disadvantage. To achieve and maintain this desired state you need to bring harmony and peace into your life.

Surround yourself with people who are peaceful and loving so that you are able to live in a harmonious environment. Remember that if you wish to live in harmony you have to have harmony within yourself. Lead by example and show others how to live in balance and unconditional love. By having this wonderful energy you will be able to spread it to others enabling them to change their energy to a more positive and happier way of life.

Archangel Haniel will bring wisdom into your heart and mind in a quiet and humble way.

You can invoke her and she will bring wonderful harmony and peace into your life. She is a planetary Archangel with strong connections to Venus and she may be invoked to bring love and compassion into your life.

She is especially involved in teaching you how to utilise various crystals, herbs, tinctures and powders as well as bringing in the Moon energy into potions that are necessary for your physical, emotional and spiritual healing. When you need to speak or perform in public, or are nervous about an interview or any other public event, she will give you poise, confidence and the ability to carry it through perfectly.

She also gives you the confidence to discover and develop your psychic abilities, especially clairvoyance. Many have wonderful gifts that they are too scared to utilise because of the implications and the way it will change their lives. She helps you to overcome these fears.

She reminds you that you need to take your ego out of every situation so that you elevate yourself to the God level of unconditional love and integrity.

Ideally you need to find a happy medium and balance but this is not always so easy to do.

By calling on Archangel Haniel, she will give you the poise, confidence and ability to carry it through perfectly. She will allow you to open up to new visions and ideas and enable you to bring your dreams into reality in a quiet and humble way that acknowledges your Divinity.

by Margi McAlpine

How to connect with yourself everyday When you use this meditation you will experience: • • • • •

Internal calm and peace An immediate reduction of stress A sense of hope and possibility Deep connection with your heart An appreciation for your unique brilliance

I recommend listening to this meditation once a day, either in the morning before you get going for the day, or in the evening as a way to wind down.

Access your meditation by clicking the link below: Awakening Brilliance Meditation With love and gratitude to:

Emma Teitel

OWNING YOUR OWN PERSONAL POWER One of the most important tools to owning your own personal power is the ability to unconditionally love both self and others. This forms two halves of one whole and is vitally important in completing who and what you actually are.

Your personal power is something that is inherent only to you and is your inner essence which belongs only to you. This is not something that you should ever give away to anyone else and yet so many give their personal power to others. It is of no consequence what your relationship to the other person is. It might be family, personal or business yet you never give your inner essence to them. When you are in any sort of relationship and you realise that the other person needs your personal power to make them feel powerful, you know that there is a problem and you then need to step back and assess the situation.

Things should always be in balance and relationships should also be equal no matter what the situation is. However there are many who feel that they matter more than others and so they will take whatever power they can so that their power is enhanced.

Do not be afraid of your power.

You need to remember that it is safe for you to be powerful. This does not mean having power over others but owning your own personal power and being very comfortable with that.

It is also very important that you set boundaries. Once you have done so subconsciously others pick up that they can only go that far and no further.

From the time we enter this world, we are conditioned by others belief systems.

You are raised in the tradition of the negative ego, faulty belief systems, imparting these impressions during the earliest and most vulnerable times of your life.

This conditioning was carried on at school, within your group of friends, and into your job or career choices.

You are also continuously bombarded with impressions from magazines, television, films etc. influencing you into a less than spiritual way of thinking.

It is therefore imperative that once you become conscious of the glorious being that you are you learn how to claim the personal power of your own free will and retrain yourself to think with the higher mind. This enables you to remain calm and serene in all circumstances that come your way.

You are able to view life’s challenges as lessons to be learned and mastered.

You are reprogramming the subconscious mind, so that you are master of it, rather than the other way around.

You need to affirm that your personal power lies within you.

It is part of your Divine makeup and heritage.

You need to claim that power and claim it now.

You need to consciously claim it throughout the day and before you go to bed at night.

Whenever a particularly challenging situation arises, reclaim that you are master of your domain and have total access to your personal power.

It is entirely up to you, what you choose to let into your conscious mind.

Only take in that which is for your highest good.

Your progress will be speeded up a thousand fold and your thinking will be changed forever.

Stand in your power and always remember that you are a truly amazing being!

Why we Gravitate to Colours Choosing the Colour that will make a difference

By Penni du Plessis of Divine Space

Have you noticed how you seem to choose the same colours over and over?

Odd isn’t it? These are the colours that either coincide with your strengths or more interestingly, colours that we actually need to introduce into our lives to create balance, harmony and personal power.

If you have been entrenched in the scientific greyness of Western culture you may find it uncomfortable at first to trust that instant pull you get when you look at the colour wheel.

Let the voices in your head worry about the conversation you had with your mother in law yesterday and while they are busy, hop onto divine space (www.divinespace.co.za) and do a quick colour reading. What colour popped out for you (there is always one)? What colour did you avoid?

This is the part where you need to practice courage - did that colour talk to your strengths or did it touch that place inside you that isn’t so stable and pleasant?

If you find yourself being drawn to a colour that you don’t ‘like’ or wear then you are probably being drawn to it because you need its vibrational energy to bring back balance and healing into your space or life.

The next step is the fun part.

For a week surround yourself with that colour. Wear it, see it, use one of the divine oils on your body or in your bath and allow it to support to your physical being….and see what happens.

This is what it means to live in colour. It is about healing your life, creating balance and most importantly bringing joy and abundance into every moment of every day.

Go on, put some colour back into your life, and live in colour!!

FOCUS ON THE COLOUR VIOLET The colour violet is all about change and transformation….

Are you ready to step into a new space? Is life pushing you in directions you never thought possible? This could be a comfortable journey or most often when pushed out of our comfort zones lots of fear, grief and depression emerge.

As you let go of the old, it often feels like you have lost your own identity, and unless you have a deeper spiritual knowing and understanding that all things are perfect, and happen exactly as it should – you could fall into the depression trap, and that puts everything on hold.

So if you need support through this phase in your life, please use the Violet Oil of Transformation – it helps to lift your spirit, and connect you with your higher essence, which knows the gift in every situation and can see the potential in the way forward.

COLOUR THERAPY TRAINING ACADEMY : Courses and Workshops Discover the healing properties of colour . and how you can integrate them into your life, living and any other therapy : Products Manufacture and l distribution of Divine coloured oi s . and Angel Sprays

ACCESS CON5CIOU5NES5 Certified Access Bars and Body Process Practitioner and Trainer. l .

Simp e and effective tools to changeyour i life, thoughts, emotions and beliefs . brain Re-boot ng and calibration of your and the cells in the body Contact Penni:

082

900

8024" JHB"

www.divinespace.co.za

Ho’oponopono Healing 2-Day Ho’oponopono Retreat Healing with Love and Aloha with Julie Gertenbach Holistic Therapist/Healer & Ho'oponopono Specialist A powerful 2 day Healing retreat with Julie ‘Ha’ealaulani’ Gertenbach where you will learn the healing and cleansing techniques of the Ancient Hawaiian process of Ho’oponopono. Julie studied in Hawaii, with an Indigenous Kahuna and is certified by a Hawaiian Healing Clinic. She is the only person in SA to have studied with a Kahuna in Hawaii and to be Certified to heal and teach this program. She has been guided by Spirit to share this healing…

The retreat includes very powerful meditations that she received in Hawaii…..using the main principle of Ho’oponopono…that being FORGIVENESS…using creative visualisation through meditation to create an inner reality of peace and forgiveness….that will then manifest in the outer reality.

Reclaim your Divine Birthright of Abundance, Peace and Joy. Friday evening campfire braai, welcome and story sharing.

Day 1 •You will learn the history and origins of the incredibly effective Hawaiian Healing Technique and the modified version that one uses for self healing.

•The process is essentially about freedom, complete freedom from the past.

•A powerful guided meditation channelled through Archangel Michael, cutting the ‘aka cords’.

Day 2 •Morning meditation….Forgiveness…..truly release any unforgiveness you hold towards others and yourself….set yourself free. We cut all 'Aka cords' that drain your energy.

•Learn about the 12 Ancient Hawaiian Key Scrolls….re claiming your divine birthright of peace, love and joy.

•The Legacy of Aloha…how to raise your vibration, live from a place of pure love.

•Chakra cleansing •Healing emotions and the inner child….

•The ancestral wisdom of Hawaii…the heart chakra of the World…..how to align to this vibration and carry it with you even in difficult times.

We will end the session with a powerful Group healing using Ho’oponopono.

Date: 28th-30th August 2015 Time: Arrival 4 - 5pm on 28th Aug Depart 4pm on 30th Aug 2015 Place: Eco Estate, Mokoya Lodge , Hekpoort, Magaliesburg (1 hr from Fourways) Price: R2 250 pp (includes accommodation and meals)

Rsvp: Julie Gertenbach Cell 083 701 5695 Email: healingwithloveandaloha@gmail.com Website: healingwithloveandaloha.wordpress.com Facebook www.facebook.com/healingwithloveandaloha

Ancient Hawaiian Healing Ho’oponopono is a profound gift which allows one to develop a working relationship with the Divinity within and learn to ask that in each moment our errors in thought, words, deeds or actions be cleansed.

In the early 80’s Mornnah Simeona updated the Ancient Hawaiian form of Ho’oponopono. A student of hers Dr Ihaleakala Hew Len went on to cure and entire ward of criminally insane patients, without ever seeing one of them personally. This is featured in the book he wrote with Joe Vitale called ‘Zero Limits’.

Using this Healing technique helps one to work towards an enlightened and positive path in life.

You will learn how to heal any pain, anger, hurt, resentment, betrayal, fear, relationship and financial problems, and any other problems that present themselves in your life.

You will be given a brief history of the origins of Ho’oponopono and how it was used as well as how the updated version has been adapted to fit our lifestyle in modern society. Using this simple technique has the most profound results in self development and self empowerment by cleansing the memories that no longer serve us.

The process is essentially about freedom, complete freedom from the past.

"Hoʻoponopono" is defined in the Hawaiian Dic_onary[11] as "mental cleansing: family conferences in which relationships were set right through prayer, discussion, confession, repentance, and mutual res_tu_on and forgiveness." Literally, hoʻo is a par_cle used to make an actualizing verb from the following noun, as would "to" before a noun in English. Here, it creates a verb from the noun pono, which is defined as

...goodness, uprightness, morality, moral qualities, correct or proper procedure, excellence, wellbeing, prosperity, welfare, benefit, true condition or nature, duty; moral, fitting, proper, righteous, right, upright, just, virtuous, fair, beneficial, successful, in perfect order, accurate, correct, eased, relieved; should, ought, must, necessary.

Ponopono is defined as "to put to rights; to put in order or shape, correct, revise, adjust, amend, regulate, arrange, rectify, tidy up, make orderly or neat".

SHAMANIC SOUL RETRIEVAL PRACTITIONER & SOUL HEALING COURSE

A Registered Training Program in SA

(A REGISTERED TRAINING PROGRAM IN SA)

A UNIQUE BLEND OF ANCIENT & MODERN HEALING TECHNOLOGY & NEW WAYS OF WORKING WITH UNIVERSAL LIFE FORCE ENERGY. COURSE DESCRIPTION During this experiential course, participants are introduced to core shamanism, the universal and near-universal basic methods of the shaman to enter no ordinary reality for creative ideas, problem solving, healing and awakening.

Participants are initiated into various shamanic initiations, aided by drumming, sound, guided imaging and also ancient healing techniques and other shamanic awakening techniques for experiencing the shamanic state of consciousness and for awakening dormant spiritual abilities, including connections with Nature, one’s own healing gifts and creativity and learning to awakening the Enlightened Master within.

Shamanism also brings a fresh approach to Westerners for cultivating their creative potential. During this course, participants will have the opportunity to enhance their creativity through the practice of shamanic methods, various healing methods (Eastern and Western) and also working with the Andean Tradition, the Ascended Masters and Luminous beings.

Students are also provided with methods to discover, and study with, their own individual power animals and spiritual teachers. Participants learn how the journey is utilized for divination and to restore spiritual power and health, and how shamanism can be applied in modern daily life to help heal oneself, others, and the planet and fulfill one’s contracts with humanity.

24 MONTHS OF INTENSIVE TRAINING

CLASS WILL TAKE PLACE ONE SATURDAY PER MONTH STARTING 12 TH OF SEPTEMBER 2015 RIVONIA JOHANNESBURG Contact JOSHUA MAREE 071 603 3230 Email: info@joshmaree.com See website for full information, dates, rates and to book your space now. www.joshuamaree.com

babies & beyond

‘Breastfeed exclusively for the first six months of your baby’s life,’ advises the South African Department of Health. Yet just eight percent of South African mothers follow that guideline

IS BREASTFEEDING REALLY BEST FOR YOUR BABY? Many moms combine breast and bottle feeds or focus on formula alone Despite the Department of Health’s recommendation, most South African moms combine breastfeeding with formula and solids. But mixed feeding is known to be responsible for high rates of diarrhoea and contributes significantly to infant malnutrition and deaths.

So is breastfeeding best? Or is bottle-feeding the way to go? It’s easy to be confused by the amount of information out there and there are plenty of people keen to win you over with both points of view.

Breastfeeding pros for baby •

•

•

Breast milk is free, hygienic and provides everything babies need for a healthy, nutritious and balanced diet. A mother’s milk initially contains colostrum, which gives a baby the perfect amount of protein, minerals and antibodies needed to build up its immune system.

Mother’s milk contains antibodies that fight the germs that your baby encounters, making him or her less likely to experience ear, breathing or urinary infections and gastro-enteritis.

You don’t have to sterilise bottles or mix formula.

* Bottles are easy to fill and transport, helping new moms to adapt to their schedules. * Almost anybody can bottle-feed your baby, especially partners and family.

,and cons * Milk formulas do not offer the same health benefits that breast milk does. * They are can be quite costly. * Sterilising bottles and equipment is time-consuming. * There’s a chance the mom may not develop that special bond with her baby that breastfeeding offers.

It’s clear that breast milk is best for your baby. But being stressed about it doesn’t help. If, however hard you try, you cannot breastfeed or your baby shows no interest, do not feel a sense of failure. Breast might be best but it’s not the only way.

Header photograph with gratitude to Estee Seegers Badenhorst There’s more information about breastfeeding at www.floraforce.co.za/breastfeeding-abcs/

positive parenting

18 ways to raise a resilient child

Setbacks are an inevitable part of growing up, but there are ways to ensure your child will have the strength it needs to bounce back. Dr Justin Coulson shares his best resilience building techniques.

In 2014, Andrew Fuller, one of Australia’s well-known child and adolescent psychologists, ran a study about resilience with approximately 16000 Aussie youth. The children who were most resilient almost universally agreed with two statements that children with the lowest resilience disagreed with. They were: I have a parent who cares about me I have a parent who listens to me Take a moment and ask yourself, “Would my children say ‘yes’ to those two statements?” Perhaps you might even ask your child. “Do you feel like I care about you? Do you feel like I listen to you?

”What made you feel cared about as a child? When did you feel listened to? And most important, how did feeling cared about and heard make you feel?

If you are like me, it is not the big holidays or major events that built your sense of worth and resilience. Instead, it was the consistent, small interactions that added layer upon layer upon layer to your feelings that you were valued for who you were.

Here is a list of 18 things you might be able to do, starting today, to help your children feel cared for and heard.

There is one for each year that they are a child – although they apply to all years, from day one.

1. Stop saying “I’m busy”.

There is an old quote that “To a child, LOVE is spelled T-I-M-E.” If that is the case, I can’t help but wonder what “Hurry up” might mean to a child. Or “I’m too busy right now”.

When we are too busy for our children, or when we are rushing them, they suffer. They withdraw. They miss out on opportunities to connect with us. And when they are older, our relationship with them will suffer.

2. Turn off your smartphone.

There may be no greater sign that you care, and that you will listen, than to power down your phone when your children want your attention. Studies show that the mere presence of a phone detracts from the quality of conversations.

3. Turn off screens.

Make certain parts of the day screen-free. No TV. No tablets. No phones. Just a focus on the people in front of you. That means no texting, reading, swiping or playing games. It means no beeps, pings, whistles or reminders.

It’s just you and your kids, and conversation. Perhaps it might be at meal time. Maybe it could be while you travel.

4. Make eye contact.

When your children want to connect and communicate with you, pause what you are doing and look them in the eyes. Physically turn towards them and pay attention to them in a way that makes it clear to them you really are right there.

5. Listen.

Sometimes our children come to us with problems. When they do, put down your tools and listen! When they tell you about a friendship drama, a challenge on the netball team, a teacher making them feel rotten or another difficulty, ask them to tell you all about it. Listen carefully. When they are finished, ask, “What do you think you should do?” and listen again. Usually that’s enough. You don’t have to solve their problems. The answers are inside them.

6. Bed time is best.

I have written previously about how to make the last 10 minutes of the day a precious bonding time with your children. Try it. Our children need to go to sleep feeling secure, loved, and hopeful about the day to come.

7. Give hugs, and touch them.

In our home, we have a habit of always touching one another as we move past one another. It might be a squeeze on the arm, a stroke of the hair, a caress on the cheek, or an arm across the shoulder. The touch is an acknowledgement that you are passing a real person. It is a recognition that you have seen and noticed your child (or spouse). And it feels nice to be noticed. Plus, research shows it can boost wellbeing.

I also find that if a child is struggling, one of the best things we can do is hug them. In fact, the times our children deserve our hugs the least are the times they need them most.

8. Stay calm.

I once heard Steve Biddulph say that a parents’ main job is to stay calmer than their child. When we stay calm, our children learn to regulate their behaviour. They learn we are stable, secure, predictable and safe. They learn that they can come to us no matter what, and we will respond calmly and kindly.

9. One on one time is crucial.

I have six children (and one wife!) who all want time with me. Our children feel important, heard, and worthy when they have our undivided attention.

Outings, walks and other forms of one-on-one time may be the most important way we can show our children we care about them and want to listen to them. These ‘dates’ can be crucial relationship builders, and we will see our relationships strengthen as we make them a priority.

10. Smile.

Let’s face it: most parents are so busy and so stressed that we do not smile as much as we might. But a smile says we can feel safe, and welcome. Our children need to see us smiling, especially at them.

11. Make time to do nothing.

When was the last time you simply sat in your lounge room with no agenda except to be there? Our children are most likely to talk to us when they feel conversation is welcome. If our schedule is packed so tightly we cannot even find time for a conversation with our children, we cannot make them feel cared for or listened to.

Sometimes simply sitting and being available can be enough to help our children know we will listen.

12. Respond to challenging behaviour with maturity.

It is common to respond to our children’s challenging behaviour with anger. This will invariably leave a child feeling uncared for and unheard. Sometimes we ignore our children. This has similar results when we remember that challenging behaviour comes from unmet needs, and we see that challenging behaviour as a chance to get close to our children and problem-solve with them, we build our relationships rather than tear them down. Remember that discipline means teach or instruct, not hurt or punish.

13. Leave love notes.

You might shoot your child a text or Facebook message. Perhaps you could drop a note into his or her lunch box or pop a quick letter under his pillow. Children love getting notes from mum or dad. They feel noticed, important, acknowledged, valued.

14. Offer autonomy.

Our children feel unloved when we control them. They chafe and resist our stifling demands. While we do need to have rules and limits, our children will thrive, feeling heard and cared for, when we give them choices and allow them to decide for themselves wherever possible.

15. Get down on the floor with them and play.

Children love it when a parent lets the agenda go and flops down on the floor for some playtime. They flourish downtime with their parents where they can play, laugh and be together. Older children love wrestling too! But they respond just as well to those old-school games like Uno, Phase 10, or Skip-Bo. And they love it when we jump on the trampoline, have Nerf-gun wars or play handball or skipping.

16. Save their presents.

There is something precious and heart warming about going back through all of the handmade mothers or fathers day cards, birthday cards and Christmas cards our children give us. Show them that you treasure their thoughtfulness and kind gifts. My great-grandmother kept a pottery ‘thing’ I made on her shelf for over a decade until she passed away. I saw it every time I visited and marvelled that she kept it on display. I felt like she loved me because she loved the gift.

17. Tell them you love them.

They need to hear those three words often.

18. Show them you love them.

More than the words, they need to feel you love them. Show them as much as you can. They will grow up resilient, because they will grow up feeling cared for and listened to.

What do you do to show your child you care?

Dr Justin Coulson is a positive psychology researcher, author, and speaker. He is the founder of The Real Men Project, an Honorary Fellow at the University of Wollongong, and a Senior Associate at the Positive Psychology Institute.

Justin works with individuals, families, schools, and organizations to improve relationships, boost motivation and performance, and inspire happiness and wellbeing.

Most importantly, Justin is an expert in wrestling children, reading Dr Suess, sliding down steep hills on cardboard boxes, and teaching his children to ride bikes. He and his wife Kylie are the parents of six children and live on the South Coast of NSW. You can get parenting advice from Justin Coulson by emailing your questions to drjustin@kidspot.com.au.

The ugly truth about smacking our kids In this two-part series, Dr Justin Coulson explores the issues behind why parents smack kids, how kids feel about being smacked and what we can do to find more long-term discipline solutions.

In my parenting classes and coaching sessions I am regularly confronted with people who become incredulous when I suggest that we need to stop hitting our kids if we want to discipline them effectively. Perhaps I shouldn’t be so surprised – research tells us that ][ upwards of 70 percent of Aussie parents think that smacking kids is OK. I generally ask parents why they would want to hit their kids. Most parents correct me, and tell me that they don’t want to hit their kids. But immediately and invariably, they add: “But it’s how you discipline them.”

Let’s get the definitions clear In my book, What Your Child Needs From You: Creating a Connected Family, I suggest that discipline is “teaching our children good ways to act”. This is in direct contrast with physical discipline, which is “an act carried out with the intention of causing physical pain or injury to another person.

So while the purpose of discipline is to teach, the purpose of physical discipline is to hurt someone. By hurting that person, we anticipate that he or she will be ‘taught a lesson’ – or disciplined.

While many parents may claim that a smack is just a gentle tap to nudge their kids in the right direction, research by Australian academics tells us that the children do not perceive the taps as ‘gentle’. Instead, they consistently define it as a ‘hard hit’ or a ‘very hard hit’.

This may be because it hurts. Or because neurological evidence emphasizes that physical pain creates brain activity in the same brain regions as emotional pain. So the smack not only hurts physically, but it really does hurt emotionally.

Besides, if it were really gentle, it would lose its effectiveness. After all, the purpose of a physical punishment is to hurt!

Why do we hit our kids?

There are loads of reasons the kids cop it physically. I often hear the following kneejerk responses: “Because they deserve it.”

“To teach them a lesson – it’s the only way to get through to them sometimes.”

“I give them a few warnings, but if they won’t listen, that’s the consequence.”

“It keeps them in line. They’d go crazy if they weren’t scared of me.”

Some more thoughtful parents sometimes acknowledge that they hit their kids out of frustration, due to stress, or exhaustion. In other words, it’s not so much because of the kids, but because they – as parents – struggle to cope sometimes. There are less obvious reasons for smacking. Research shows that parents who are fighting with one another (or using controlling techniques or being critical or insulting one another) have children who are at twice the risk of being hit.

Does smacking kids actually work?

The response to this question is: work to do what? Let’s be frank. If you give your kid a whack, it’s pretty certain to change her behaviour. We certainly get a short-term fix. But beyond that, smacking kids also works to do a few other things really well. This recent study in the journal Pediatrics indicated that children who are spanked are at a greater likelihood of developing aggressive behaviours themselves.

And this research article found that smacking kids is positively related to what psychologists refer to as ‘externalizing’ behaviour – that is, behaviour related to acting out, being aggressive or oppositional, or even being hyperactive. The same study showed spanking was associated with increased levels of anxiety, depressive characteristics, and withdrawal.

Research has shown that spanking has a negative relationship with cognitive development.

Hitting kids can make them dumb … that’s bad for learning! And smacking our kids affects the security of their attachment relationship with us as parents. Spanking affects their relationships and behaviours with peers as well (increased risk of bullying).

In sum (and in addition to the research above) smacking kids works to do the following things: • • • • • • •

Stop the behaviour in the short term.

Model and promote the use of violence to solve problems.

Increase stress, anxiety, depression, and withdrawal.

Harm social relationships and relationships/attachment with parents.

Promotes externalizing behaviours like aggression, delinquency and hyperactivity.

Encourage children to become more secretive so they don’t get caught.

Ignore the reasons as to why kids are behaving the way they are.

So yes, smacking kids works to do a lot of things … And while it may stop unwanted behaviour in the short-term, it seems to come at a great cost – the cost of relationships, cognitive development, aggression modeling, anxiety, depression and so much more.

The ugly truth I think that the ugly truth is that parents spank for one of two reasons: 1.

It’s simply the easiest option, requiring limited perspective, consideration, effort, or time.

2.

They honestly don’t know what else to do.

If it’s the first option, then some perspective may be helpful. A quick fix now almost assures us that the long-term consequences will require far more of us later. With parenting, what is fast now becomes slow later, and what is slow now becomes fast later.

If it’s the second option, let me assure you, there are far better alternatives than smacking your kids. In the second part of this article I’ll describe just a handful of effective teaching strategies that will help us discipline our kids for the long-term, with positive discipline strategies designed to make life easier for you, and happier for your kids.

NEXT MONTH: Part 2 of The ugly truth about smacking our kids.

Dr Justin Coulson is a positive psychology researcher, author, and speaker. He is the founder of The Real Men Project, an Honorary Fellow at the University of Wollongong, and a Senior Associate at the Positive Psychology Institute.

Justin works with individuals, families, schools, and organizations to improve relationships, boost motivation and performance, and inspire happiness and wellbeing.

Most importantly, Justin is an expert in wrestling children, reading Dr Suess, sliding down steep hills on cardboard boxes, and teaching his children to ride bikes. He and his wife Kylie are the parents of six children and live on the South Coast of NSW. You can get parenting advice from Justin Coulson by emailing your questions to drjustin@kidspot.com.au.

Crèche… A lot of time and effort goes into the selection and enrolment of your child in the right crèche. Not only is this first step away from parents and home associated with an extra financial burden for the parents but often also with unexpected health problems for the little one.

The initial excitement often gives way to the reality of a chronically sick child.

This is only made worse by different advices from everybody around you mixed with a degree of criticism of your parenting skills if not interference by the grandparents.

It is important for you as parent to understand as much as possible about the reasons behind crèche acquired infections, their possible prevention as well as reasonable treatment in order to make the right decisions that will affect your child’s and your own wellbeing.

Background on Crèches Although first day care centres appeared in the middle of the 19th century it is only for the last 30 years that creches have become an almost integral part especially of urban and suburban societies throughout the world.

The reasons are many and include increased urbanisation, double income or single parents, lack of space for caretakers at home, financial consideration, geographical distance from grandparents, stimulation for the child and others.

Therefore for the first time in human history do we pool children, as young as three months or younger, into large groups often in confined spaces. They are entrusted to caregivers, who are often overburdened and sometimes lack adequate training for this task.

What is Crèche Syndrome?

Large numbers of kids in a small confined space allow organisms such as viruses, bacteria but also fungi and even lice or fleas to spread easily from child to child.

Sharing of dummies, bottles, eating utensils and toys help spread disease but so do staff members, who fail to wash their hands or flit back and forth between different age groups of children thereby making the arbitrary separation between them futile.

In addition little children have an immature immune system. They are relatively new “earthlings” and as such have not been exposed to all the bugs and germs that an adult has already dealt with and built up immunity against. Hence every virus introduced into the day care centre is most likely unknown to your baby’s immune system and therefore results in a fullblown cold or flu (see Immune System).

Remember also that many children in day care have older siblings in pre-school or school, who are a further outside source for infections brought into the crèche.

Another important point is the ability of viruses to change their appearance (mutate). This allows them to re-infect a child that has already build up immunity to the virus before the mutation. Despite the fascinating abilities of our immune system we have to acknowledge that viruses are in fact two steps ahead of us.

Finally several anatomical features in small children render them more susceptible to infections. This can be simply due to smaller diameters of air pipes in the lungs or length of e.g. the Eustachian tube resulting in bronchiolitis or middle ear infections (see ABC).

Considering the above conditions, the stage is set for frequently recurring and more often chronic infections in the crèche-going child.

“…the stage is set for frequently recurring and more often chronic infections…”

Therefore crèche syndrome is not a disease as such but continuous infections and illnesses that often go over into one another without healthy periods in between.

The Maelstrom of Crèche Syndrome The chronically runny or blocked nose, coughs, raised temperature, lack of appetite, frequent waking at night, fidgeting with the ears, skin rashes, bouts of diarrhoea, sore throats and vomiting become part of your daily life.

Feedback from the caretaker that your child is feverish or refuses to eat worsens the already gnawing feeling of guilt. Medical or specialist help often fails to make a difference. Hospitalisation is frequently necessary.

This in turn puts more pressure on the parent trying to balance between work, household, family and partner.

The resulting stress is further aggravated by confusing and contrarian advice from media, family, friends, colleagues and medical personnel.

The effect of all this on the parents is often not even considered as the focus is on the child. However the negative feedback that a stressed-out parent has in turn on the wellbeing of the child is another important factor.

More often than not there is no quality time to spend with your child and the early years of development are at best captured in photos but lack in your memories.

The Good Beside all the social advantages of a crèche, there are medical benefits for the child as well. Every sniffle and cold in the end translates into immunity for that specific organism. You might regard this almost as an immunisation.

Little kids are amazingly tough and resilient. Although they might have a snotty nose or a rather persistent cough they often continue with their daily activities as though nothing is wrong.

Rather than further compromising the child, play, laughter and activities boost the child’s immune system.

At some stage of our lives we have to confront all the common viruses and bacteria and build up immunity (see Immune System). If this only happens once the child goes to school it will automatically translate into school days lost, which is less desirable than a few days out of crèche.

Crèche syndrome does not last forever. Your child’s immune system strengthens and becomes better and better at identifying and dealing with bugs surrounding us. After the first two to four years you will notice that infections become fewer and often less severe.

Eventually your child has basically the same number of colds or flus as you have as an adult.

The number of kids in a crèche is directly linked to the frequency of infections. The smaller the number the smaller the pool of organisms. Although children in a small play-group will still share viruses it is often a distinct episode followed by weeks or even months of no health issues rather than permanent infections that become indistinguishable from one another. Ideally groups of not more than five to six children should be sought out.

If at all possible delay the entry into the crèche until the child is two-and-a-half to three years old. Firstly many of the anatomical shortcomings of very young kids will have been overcome (see Anatomy) and hence the child will almost have “outgrown” specific “size-related” health problems. Secondly the older child can communicate much better and is able to e.g. localize pain or cooperate better towards obtaining a diagnosis or during administering treatment.

…majority of children will have regular upper and lower airway infections…

The Bad Often however it is not possible to delay your child’s entry into kindergarten until it is “old enough” nor is it easy to find small groups conveniently close to home or work. In this scenario your kid will most likely become ill frequently. Some children seem to go through crèche without any significant medical problems and others have to be taken out of crèche because of uncontrollable health issues. The vast majority of children however will have regular upper and lower airway infections and to a lesser extent tummy and skin diseases i.e. crèche syndrome. And crèche syndrome cannot be cured.

More important than anything else: make peace with the fact that your child’s health is not going to be the same as before it went to crèche. Often the children are less perturbed by their runny nose, cough or temperature than their parents. It is therefore paramount to approach the ensuing medical consequences of crèche-going with reason, empathy (for the child and yourself as parent) and above all knowledge. This is equally important for the medical staff that is being consulted.

“Antibiotics are often given liberally for infections caused by viruses, for which they do not work.”

The Ugly The maelstrom scenario (see above) leads the desperate parent to frequently seek medical or other help in order to escape the repeated or chronic nature of the child’s symptoms. However parent’s expectations of a completely healthy child can simply not be met.

Remember crèche syndrome is “incurable” and you have to accept some symptoms showing that your child’s immune system is working.

Instead parents put pressure on themselves and health professionals to” cure the incurable”. Both parties are at fault when this results in unnecessary, sometimes harmful and often expensive tests, investigations and therapies.

Due to the ongoing nature of the child’s symptoms chronic medication is often initiated, which fails to improve the condition. All medication has side effects, which might even cause worsening of your kid’s condition.

Antihistamines or drying-up medication will reduce the runny nose but at the same time thicken mucus in nose, sinuses and lungs. Thick secretions cannot be cleared so easily by the membranes and can clog passages in nose or lungs leading to worse infections.

Antibiotics are often given liberally for infections caused by viruses, for which they do not work. They will however kill good bacteria in our body. This in turn negatively affects our immune system. Wrong use of antibiotics will also lead to the development of resistance and when it really becomes mandatory to use them they may not be able to eradicate the offending bacteria.

Investigations must have a definite goal and should, depending on the findings, influence further treatment. If regardless of the test result, the treatment will be the same, the test might not be warranted.

Blood tests are always associated with a painful needle prick. X-ray and especially CT investigations subject your child to radiation. Especially when such investigations are performed repeatedly it can lead to harmful doses of radiation on the growing child.

Again sound knowledge on your part as parent and mutual trust between you and the doctor will prevent these unfavourable scenarios.

Treatment Since there is no cure for crèche syndrome, the treatment must be symptomatic and supportive. Bear in mind that the vast majority of infections acquired in crèche are viral and will be dealt with by the immune system of your child. Antibiotics cannot kill viruses but are only effective against bacteria.

…increase temperature is a response of the body towards and infection and can help the immune system…

Classically viral respiratory infections are highly contagious and will therefore affect many children simultaneously or shortly after one another. This is already a good measure for parents and medical practitioners to gauge whether a condition is viral or bacterial. If half the crèche is sick with similar symptoms then it is most likely “a virus doing the rounds”. The expected symptoms are: Fever: increased temperature is a response of the body towards an infection and can help the immune system to fight the infectious agent. At the same time increased temperatures can slow the growth of offending microorganisms. Slightly raised temperatures can be monitored safely and especially if the child is playful, eating, drinking and sleeping normally medication should be withheld. Temperatures above 38 to 38.5 degrees will often be associated with malaise, loss of playfulness and a poor appetite. The response of a child to fever is very individual and treatment should not necessarily be guided by a specific temperature value but rather by the symptoms of the child. The standard medications comprise Paracetamol (Panado), Ibuprofen ( Brufen), Mefenamic acid (Ponstan) and Diclofenac (Voltaren).

Many viral infections are characterised by fluctuating temperatures. Fevers can reach 41 degrees and more and will be associated with a lethargic, miserable child with glassy eyes, a child who does not want to play, feed or sleep.

With or often even without treatment this temperature can come down to normal values (below 37) and your child is acting normally again only to be struck by increasing fever again some hours later. In certain viral infections this pattern can repeat itself for several days.

Concern should be raised by higher temperatures (above 38.5) that do not respond to fever medication.

“Attempts to dry up the secretions are counter-productive...”

Runny nose: the membranes lining the nose and sinuses will produce mucus as a response to any irritation. This can be dust, smoke, pollen or in the case of the crèchegoing child most commonly viruses. The mucus is a defence mechanism and helps clean the nasal passages from irritants or infectious agents. A runny nose is therefore a sign of the local immune system at work and beneficial in restoring healthy clean membranes.

Attempts to dry up the secretions are counter-productive and should be avoided; the motto should rather be ‘the wetter the better”.

Application of topical hypertonic saline-bicarbonate solutions (Kuraflo) is recommended. This will further help the nose at self-cleansing. Crusting is prevented or at least limited, swelling of membranes is reduced and thereby nasal breathing and general comfort for the child improved.

The nose will always be more blocked at night and if saline applications are not effective enough at opening the passages and allowing the child to breathe comfortably, topical decongestants such as Oxymetazoline or Xylometazoline (Iliadin, Otrivin) may be used. This should be limited to use at night for the sole purpose of maintaining an open nose for a good night’s rest. During the day the use of hypertonic saline should be continued.

Any medication aimed at drying up the nose should be used with caution. Although it will look a lot better if the nose stops running, what actually happens inside nose, sinuses and chest is that secretions are still being produced but become thicker and more viscous. This can lead to clogging of nasal passages, sinus canals, obstruction of Eustachian tube or clogging of small air pipes (bronchioli) in the lungs. The membranes will find it more difficult to get rid of these thicker secretions and often the fine hair (cilia) on the membranes will cease working. Thick mucus is full of protein, warm and wet and therefore the perfect breeding ground for bacteria.

The chance for bacterial infections taking place on top of the original viral infection (superinfection) is thereby increased.

Chestiness: Hypertonic saline-bicarbonate solutions (Kuraflo) can be applied as a direct nasal spray or nebulised to reach lungs and bronchi. It is completely safe and devoid of side effects and may be used frequently (up to hourly intervals) depending on the severity of symptoms.

Physiotherapy for the chest in combination with the hypertonic saline nebulisations helps the child to cough up the secretions. Especially very small children are naturally “lazy coughers”. Despite having a phlegmy chest they would not initiate a cough trying to rid themselves of the sputum as older children or adults would do.

“Cough suppressants should be avoided...”

Cough suppressants should be avoided for this reason.

Cough is a natural reflex to forcefully clean the lungs from loose phlegm and secretions or even foreign material. Sneezing is another powerful method of the body to propel out sputum and mucus. Moist membranes allow the lungs to clean themselves, transporting secretions upward toward the throat where they are coughed out or swallowed.

Nebulisation of hypertonic saline-bicarbonate solution directly dilutes secretions in the airways. Added bicarbonate further thins very thick, viscous phlegm. In addition the hypertonic solution triggers the production of more clear mucus in the bronchi, which “washes out” more unwanted infectious or foreign material and similar to its use in the nose reduces swelling of the lining membranes.

Medical or specialist advice must be sought when the condition of your child becomes worse despite your efforts at alleviating the symptoms.

Summary Respiratory infections in crèche are very common and must be managed reasonably. The vast majority of these cases can be treated conservatively with symptomatic support for the child and do not require antibiotics.

First line treatment should consist of hypertonic salinebicarbonate nebulisations for chest problems and hypertonic saline-bicarbonate sprays for nasal and sinus conditions in order to support the membrane function in the airways. Fever medication is used if increased temperature affects the child’s wellbeing or fever increases above 38 to 38.5 degrees.

The world is changing. Our children are catalysts for this change.

They have come to usher in new world consciousness.

They have come to show us a new way.

Business, relationships, education and health care will never be the same.

Are you feeling challenged, taking strain, wish you had a way to cope?

You are not alone! It’s time to shift – if you don’t it’s going to get tougher.

Yoga is MEDICINE FOR MIND, BODY HEART & SOUL At Beaming Kids we teach an integrated style of Play Yoga.

Play Yoga is a way of life and should become an organic part of everyday.

You can learn to share play yoga online, at home, at workshops, or in class.

Beaming Kids School of Yoga offers…

• • • • • • •

Teacher Training and Home Study DVD Online Play Yoga Practices Parent Child Yoga Inner Child Play Yoga Workshops Children’s Books with Play Yoga Meditation CDs Positive Thinking Cards for Kids.

For more information on how to get started: Email: tamar@beamingkids.co.za Tamar +27(0)83 307 7011 www.beamingkids.co.za

fitness & heatlh

Tone Up For Spring!

Belly and Lower Body Busters

With Lisa Raleigh

We have less than a month of Winter left! If you want to tighten up that tricky tummy area before spring has fullly sprung, try these exercises from the comfort of your own home. They target the all-important Transverse Abdominus – your deepest core muscle – which compresses the abdominal wall like a corset, draws the belly button closer to the spine and is the body’s most important core stabilizer. At the same time, you’ll firm up your lower body and work your upper body. Working large muscle groups at once is a great way to guarantee higher calorie burns.

The Flat-Belly Fly Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Lift your feet until your calves are parallel to the ground and legs bent at 90 degrees. With one hand on the ground and the other pressed against your stomach, slowly open your legs as far as you can. Hold for a moment, working to keep your stomach pulled in towards your spine, then slowly draw your legs together again. Aim for 3 sets of 1015 reps, depending on your fitness levels.

Plank with Leg Lift: Drop down to your forearms, rise onto your toes and keep your head in line with your spine. Slowly lift one leg up into the air, hold for a moment then lower it back down to the ground. Aim for 3 sets of 1015 reps, alternating legs as you go.

Side Plank: Lie on your side with your upper body propped on one arm, and your legs straight – one on top of the other. Keeping your arm strong, slowly lift your torso up into the air. Hold for a moment then lower yourself back down to the ground. Aim for 2 sets of 10-15 reps on either side. *If this is a little too challenging, bend your bottom knee to 90 degrees for a firmer support.

Reverse Plank with Leg Lift Raise yourself up off the ground, holding your body in a straight line with your hands and feet. Keeping your torso, butt and thighs tight, lift one leg up into the air. Hold for a moment then return to your starting position. Aim for 3 sets of 10-15 reps, alternating legs.

Ab Lever: Keeping your core muscles pulled tight, bring your legs up until they are at a right angle to your chest.

Slowly lower both legs towards the floor, going as far as you can without arching your back. Hold for a moment then return to your starting position. Aim for 3 sets of 10-15 reps.

Lisa Raleigh TV Personality, Author, Lifestyle and Wellness Expert www.lisaraleigh.co.za lisa@lisaraleigh.co.za www.facebook.com/LisaRaleighSA- Facebook @LisaRaleighSA – Twitter LisaRaleighTV – Youtube

reading

THE HOLISTIC BENEFITS OF READING

By Tamar Dakes Botha At some point in our history, long before pen and paper, the great sages living in Asia knew it was time to share their knowledge so it wouldn't be lost with their passing. They formed guru disciple relationships where dedicated students would sit at the foot of the teacher, listen and engage in conversations. Lessons were learnt, teachings were taught and through this interaction, knowledge grew and evolved. At the invention of pen and paper, dedicated sages and students captured these important teachings into volumes of work and so their teachings were preserved.

Since then authors, poets, writers and teachers have used books as a way of capturing, preserving and sharing their knowledge, ideas and stories.

Reading stories out loud to children is similar to the guru disciple relationship. It is in the verbal interaction that takes place alongside the reading out aloud where children develop the most literary skills. Engaging in conversation during story time encourages children to ask questions. Questions are like keys that unlock the doors in our mind and in the universe, doors that open and lead us to places of deep thought and consciousness. When children are encouraged to talk about the story, they become more involved and understand more of what is being read.

Reading is a holistic therapy; it benefits the body, mind and spirit. By listening to or reading stories, children engage in the present moment and disengage from the hectic nature of our modern day lives.

They forget about their worries and stresses and lose themselves in the depths of their imaginations.

Their bodies relax, releasing muscular tension, boosting immunity.

Just like us, children also experience the "monkey mind" - thinking hundreds of thoughts every minute.

Reading before bed helps children focus their thoughts and calm the mind so they sleep more soundly.

Our brains are designed like muscles; the more we exercise them the better they work. Reading, learning new concepts and using our imaginations helps keep our brains healthy and fit.

Learning to recognize letters and eventually to read builds children’s self esteem and increases their self worth. It also fosters a sense of accomplishment and independence which helps them achieve healthy personal growth. On a spiritual level, reading helps children connect with their inner knowing.

In light of all these benefits, our children spend too much time "plugged" into technological devices and unplugged from the magnificent source of power that comes from a quiet mind and deep concentration. Go to the library, spend time reading to your child, try different kinds of books and encourage conversation through questions. Help develop your child's literary skills and in turn hopefully you will foster a deep love of reading.

If you want to deeply connect with the children in your life and ground the positive cognitive experience of reading into their physical bodies, then try the Beaming Kids series. The author has incorporated positive affirmations, breathing, relaxation and even physical postures into her stories.

TIKA and LION By Arizona Quinn

One icy cold morn morni rning a soft fluffy ffy lion lion was was foun ound in a park in a far away coun country called lled Eng England. and. Lion had dro dropped out of a lit little tle boy boy’s backp ckpack an and had crawle rawled led under the me merry rry go-roun ound in the night for shelt elter. The park ark-keeper took the lion down to the local cal cha charity ity store to see if he could find a new home for him. Lion was placed in the window of the alon ith shop alo ng wit h a whole lot of other soft fluffy animals of diffferent types. He sat there for a cco ayss, just many di ouple of day chatti hattin animals and watching people go by by, and tting to all the an ay,, he would have his own litt littlle ‘hu human man’’ hoping that one day man agaain. to love him ag One af aftern terno rnoon, on, just as it was about to ge get dark ark, a lady saw Lion in the cha charity ity stor store win window and and immediately tely thought that he coul couldn’t n’t possibly be hap happ appy in suc such co cold weather. She came from Afr Africa and knew that lions did didn’t n’t like the co c o ld much very muc h. She also knew of someon meone who would love Lion ho very much so she went in and bought him, took him h ome and and gave him a warm warm soapy bath, dried his beautiful hair and and told him that he was was goin oing ba back to .... the cou oun bellonged in.

Africa.. ntry that he be

Lion was so excit xcited, he love oved the so sound of sun sunny Sout outh waas told that there w waas a vveery special b baaby girl Africa and he w who he was was goin oing to live with. He had a coup couple of wee weeks to wai wait unt until his new ‘aunty’ came to fetch etch him.

The trip from England and to Sout South Africa was so much fun, Lion wen went on a big aeroplane ane for the first time. time. He was comfortable and and warm, warm, tucke ucked into a bag with ith lo lots of snug snugg uggly soft glove oves and jer jerseys and hats.

The first time time he met his new littl ittle gir girl Lion fell in love, this wass his new ‘hum wa human’ an’ and her name is Tika. The minute her Momm Mommy unp unpacke cked Lion she grabbed him, kisse ssed him hel hello, tuck ucked him un under her arm arm and love oved him wit with all her heart art.

She was was only a tin tiny gir girl when she first made frien iends with ith Lion and she took him everywhere rywhere wi with her. Eve Every night when she wen went to be bed she ha had her bot bottle tle in one hand and and Lion very closely ely hugge hugged to her heart art. He made her feel safe and and she ma made him very happy ppy.

Tika has just turn urned 7 year years old and Lion mus must be about 9 year years ars old old, he is not as fluffy ffy as he used to be. Over the years ars of camping and goi going to school wit with Tika Tika he has had a couple stitc itches and bum bumped his hea head a few times, but Tika cud tterr. Lion is happ ppy just cu ddles him aan nd makes it all bette y.

animal world

CECIL THE LION Cecil was an adult male lion in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe. And exceptionally beautiful lion. He was killed by a hunter in July, 2015.

Cecil was an adult male lion who was run off his territory by a younger male rival who took over his pride. Proving that you are never too old to go home, Cecil teamed with another older male lion, Jericho, and went back into his territory to reclaim his pride.

Having vanquished the rival, Cecil and Jericho lived in the safety and protection of the private concession in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe along with their females and their cubs.

Cecil was a magnificent and elegant male, full dark mane - he proudly wore his battle scars and sired cubs with the females of his pride.

Cecil became like a friend to all who encountered him, proud, playful - a true success story for anyone who has had to get back on their feet.

The perfect example for all of us how teamwork can help us achieve our goals when we work together.

R.I.P. CECIL

WHO’S TO BLAME? THE MEAT OR THE GRAIN

By Paul Jacobson – VONDIS www.vondis.co.za

It would be insane and a shame, to claim that every grain is the same, when, the main aim of this campaign is enlightenment, not fame.

The skin is the largest eliminatory organ in the body, which is why skin and coat problems are often the first indicators of poor health and care. Yet, almost every pet suffers from some sort of skin condition.

Often, the only reasonable explanation given is that our pets are “allergic”.

Yes, but why? What are they actually allergic to? Why have they little immunity against these allergens?

The answer lies as to whether the body’s pH is acidic or alkaline. It is that simple.

Acidosis is mainly as a result of a poor eating plan and diet, which leads to inflammation.

In turn, inflamed cells seriously affect your body’s immune system as it becomes depleted from key minerals – magnesium, potassium and calcium. This state of inflammation is the cause of skin ailments, arthritis and bladder disorders, as well as the more serious sicknesses we find nowadays.

An anti-inflammatory diet does not mean that you must eliminate sources of protein, carbohydrates and fats as they are essential for alkaline minerals to establish themselves properly in the tissues. But the diet plan should contain 60 – 80 percent alkalinizing foods to restore and maintain your body’s pH balance.

Many professionals and lay person simply claim that our pets are allergic, without understanding the origin of the problem. So, without applying their minds, they often “blame the grain”. What a shame.

But there is a massive difference between a whole grain or sprouted grain and refined processed grain. A whole grain is generally only slightly acidic or slightly alkaline based.

Yet, animal products like meat and dairy are classified as “extremely” acidic. Without the correct balancing of a majority alkaline forming foods (like veggies) you will always derive at an “acidic state of being”. Thus the inflammation and therefore the allergies..

Note that a food's acid or alkaline forming tendency in the body has nothing to do with the actual pH of the food itself. For example, lemons are very acidic; however the end products they produce after digestion and assimilation are very alkaline so, lemons are alkaline forming in the body. Likewise, meat will test alkaline before digestion, but it leaves very acidic residue in the body so, like nearly all animal products, meat is very acid forming.

Generally, alkaline forming foods include: most fruits, green vegetables, peas, beans, lentils, spices, herbs and seasonings, and seeds and nuts.

Generally, acid forming foods include: meat, fish, poultry, refined grains, egg whites, oats, potatoes, etc. But meat is classified as “extremely acidic�.

Whole grains (the bran, germ and endosperm) contain all the essential parts and naturally-occurring nutrients of the entire grain seed in their original proportions: Barley, Buckwheat, Millet, Oats, Quinoa, Rice (brown and colored), Wheat, Rye, etc.).

Studies show that eating whole grains instead of refined grains, is very beneficial and lowers the risk of many chronic diseases.

Did you also know that: sprouted grains are more alkaline in nature and that grains chewed well or are slow cooked for a long period of time, become more alkaline. Even unrefined wheat is more alkaline and in every case consuming vegetable raises alkalinity.

Therefore, it is obvious to claim that eating whole grains with the proportionate quantity of veggies will support an alkaline environment in the gut. Conversely, eating a diet containing mainly meat will create an acidic and unstable environment. The result is inflammation in the cells and thus, allergies and other ailments.

A whole grain and refined grain is not the same.

It is the acidity that is to blame.

So, if you want to complain, about your pets skins allergies and pain, we can now ascertain, that it IS too much meat and refined carbs that are to blame

out & about

LIGHT THE NIGHT 27th OF AUGUST 2015 6pm ROSEBANK R150.00 per person The ‘Light the Night’ inaugural walk will take place in aid of SHOUT and Breadline Africa for a Safer South Africa. Funds raised will be used to build a container library in Alexandra Township.

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The Walk will start at 6pm in Bath Avenue outside the Rosebank Mall in Johannesburg. (see map).

Equipped with torches to light up the night, walkers will wind their way through the surrounding suburb to end in Craddock Avenue before moving onto the well-known Rosebank Rooftop for a celebration with several SHOUT Ambassadors, local opinion leaders and the community.

Entry is via a web portal at https://in2events.canbook.me/ltnwalkjhb

Our aim is to generate awareness amongst Young South Africans (aged 15-29) regarding Cancer and at the same time raise funds to provide financial aid to Young South Africans with Cancer.

Young people don’t usually think about Cancer! There is often a preconceived idea that Cancer only affects Older People. Young people don’t want to think about “dreaded diseases” - or about the impact that Cancer can have on their lives or their finances. Often they are just not prepared to deal with the financial aspects that arise if they do require treatment! This puts an unimaginable strain on both them and their families at a time when they are already dealing with a lot.

Recent studies show cancer has become more prevalent in the younger generation over the years; with certain cancers, like testicular cancer and breast cancer, affecting more and more young men and women as early as in their 20’s.

CANCER DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A DEATH SENTENCE. If caught early, it can be treated and beaten. It’s a tough subject to broach – people often whisper “The Big C” and this creates fear and loathing around the topic.

To break this taboo and align our Foundation with a positive and uplifting message, The Vrede Foundation aims to raise cancer awareness amongst the South African youth through music. Music is the cornerstone of The Vrede Foundation’s process and the live music arena in South Africa is providing the stage from which this new message of hope and action can be delivered. At these live music events young South Africans can get information, learn how to be prepared, seek counseling, contribute funds to the Foundation’s trust to help their peers and simultaneously HAVE A REALLY GOOD TIME!

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MY T CHAI ASSORTED TEA HAMPER VALUED AT R500 My T Chai is authentic masala chai, made simple. Based on ancient Indian and African traditions, the teas are a blend of natural flavour, health and enjoyment, free from additives and synthetic compounds.

A delicate balance of sweet and hot flavours in every cup are certain to tantalize your palette, stimulate your metabolism, soothe and relax, leaving you feeling at peace with yourself and the world. www.mytchai.com Available at leading stores throughout SA. To enter email 5 friend’s email addresses and your phone number to: chai@childoftheuniverse.co.za Subject line: Subscribe

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EASY LIVING FOOD – OVER 200 DELICIOUS RAW FOOD RECIPES Natalie Reid and Noel Marten founded and run earthshine from Cape Town, South Africa. After discovering the amazing benefits of eating a diet high in raw foods they were inspired to make this as easy and simple as possible for others too. www.earthshine.co.za To enter email 5 friend’s email addresses and your phone number to: competitons@childoftheuniverse.co.za Subject: Earth Shine

BEAUTIFUL HAY HOUSE BOOK HAMPER Louise L. Hay – Cancer - Discovering Your Healing Power Dena Mendes – Kicking Cancer’s Ass Stephanie Butland – How I said Bah! To Cancer Stephanie Butland – Thrive - the Bah! Guide to Wellness after Cancer Jodi Buckman Weinstein – Tell Me What to Eat before, during and after cancer treatment To enter email 5 friend’s email addresses and your phone number to: hayhouse@childoftheuniverse.co.za Subject line: Subscribe

WINNER FROM JULY: Rehana Seedat: My T Chai

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