Conscious Life Magazine Free - May - June 2019 ed 56

*FREE ONLINE MAG *ISSUE 56 *MAY 2019

5 Steps to Worrying Less

Men Have A Biological Clock Too!

What is KENDO & How Can It Benefit You

3 FOODS

TO AVOID

WINTER IS COMING BEAT THE FLU WITH THIS

Cover Photo by Daniel Xavier from Pexels This Photo by Emre Kuzu from Pexels

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CONTENTS [

SELF DEVELOPMENT & PERSONAL GROWTH THE SURPRISING RISK OF BELIEVING THAT MONEY MAKES YOU SUCCESSFUL

R

NATURAL HEALTH & WELLNESS WINTER IS COMING!! BEAT THE FLU WITH THIS… WHAT TYPE OF COUGH DO YOU HAVE MEN HAVE A BIOLOGICAL CLOCK, TOO – HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ASPARTAME: 11 DANGERS OF THIS ALL-TOO-COMMON FOOD ADDITIVE

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CONSCIOUS HEALING FIVE STEPS TO WORRYING LESS SCIENCE AND SPIRITUALITY 12 SIGNS YOU’VE MET SOMEONE FROM YOUR SOUL GROUP

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HEALTHY INTAKE 3 FOODS TO AVOID AND 5 TO CHOW DOWN ON IF YOU WANT TO EAT HEALTHY TOP 22 INTERMITTMENT FASTING BENEFITS SPICY FOODS OFFER MUCH MORE THAN HEAT

b CONSCIOUS BODY WHAT IS KENDO AND HOW WILL IT BENEFIT YOU? 4 PRANAYAMA BENEFITS (ANXIETY AND MORE), PLUS HOW TO PRACTICE IT

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CONTENTS H

GREEN LIVING

_ ANIMAL WORLD TOP 5 BENEFITS OF TURMERIC FOR DOGS

P WORKSHOPS, COURSES & RETREATS UPCOMING COURSES AND RETREATS

P

GETAWAYS, SHOWS & EVENTS

SUNFLOWER FUND FUNDRAISING RUN, SKY HIKE, GARDENER ANNUAL BREAKFAST, STAIR CHALLENGE & CHARITY BALL GREENPOP FESTIVALS THIS YEAR TRANQUIL GETAWAYS

_ REACH OUT REACH OUT & HELP: DESERVING CHARITIES AND CAUSES

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The Surprising Risk Of Believing That Money Makes You Successful

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By Emma Loewembg Sustainability Editor mindbodygreen

I've spent the last few months interviewing wellness leaders about their relationships with money for mindbodygreen's Well Spent series. Regardless of whether it's a functional medicine doctor, a nutritionist, or a spiritual healer on the other side of the phone, it seems there are some things everyone can agree on: High-quality food is worth the steep price tag, kids need to be taught financial skills earlier, and everyone—everyone!—gets stressed about money at one point or another.

But this financial stress affects everyone differently. For some, it serves as motivation to take on more work or get better about saving. On the other hand, it can spiral into full-blown financial anxiety that leaves others feeling panicked, paralyzed, and unsure whether they have what it takes to get back in the green. One of the key drivers of the stress response seems to be whether you let your bank account define other areas of your life.

In other words, if you tie your self-worth to your net worth, chances are they'll both suffer.

A 2017 study in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin backs up this observation with some initial research. In it, hundreds of participants from different backgrounds journaled about their financial stressors. In the end, those who connected finances to self-worth wrote in a way Conscious Life Magazine

that hinted at negative psychological consequences, such as "feeling less autonomy and control over one's life, and experiencing more financial hassles, stress, and anxiety.”

"They also showed more disengagement from their financial problems—they gave up searching for solutions," a lead researcher wrote. So according to these findings, defining yourself by your bank account not only dampens your mindset; it might keep you from making the right financial decision.

Untangling the web between net worth and self-worth can be messy—especially when you consider that so many of us were raised to equate money with success. Mainstream media only reinforces this idea, touting celebrities and influencers dressed in expensive clothes, driving expensive cars, and having expensive experiences as something to aspire to. However, the tide could finally be starting to turn on that one.

"This whole minimalist movement helped a little, I feel," said Megan McCoy, a financial therapist, of people's changing view of what money can buy. "The housing regression and student loans scared young people from buying a house, so that became one less status symbol to tie to your self-worth. And we're moving more into urban environments where cars are less important. So it might actually be getting better—minus social media's negative impact."

How to stop attaching your success to your bank account.

When I asked McCoy for strategies that have helped her patients stop giving money so much power, she said that identifying your financial "script" is the first step.

She's referring to the four money scripts formulated by Brad Klontz, Psy.D., CFP, a clinical psychologist turned financial planner who spent years studying patients' relationships with money looking for similarities. He came up with four money camps—money avoidance, money status, money vigilance, and money worship—that everyone seems to fall into.

"Each of the money scripts hints at the different reasons people equate net worth to selfworth," McCoy said. For example, money worshippers think money is going to fix everything, so they feel like they're lacking no matter how much of it they have. Money-vigilant people, on the other hand, are hyper-focused on saving money for a rainy day and can be workaholics whose net worth becomes "like a drug.”

Once you figure out your script (you can take the quiz here), you're on your way to at least being aware of how you tend to tie money to self-esteem. From there, you can start to do something about it using self-worth building exercises.

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One that McCoy recommends is journaling on what you love about a friend or family member.

Get all of your favorite qualities about them down on the page. From there, think about the points from that list that you also possess. This quick exercise can help you overcome some of the cognitive distortions—aka tiny white lies that our brains tell us—keeping you from knowing that you are so much more than your bank account.

"Very rarely do people like other people because of status. You may think other people are judging you because of money, but you yourself don't do that to others. Why do you love your best friend? Is it because of how much she makes and what she has? Or is it because she's funny and kind and caring? It's about recognizing this thought process and making it more overt.”

Financial worries will always come and go. The knowledge that the best things about you have nothing to do with your wallet? That lasts forever.

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WINTER IS COMING!!!

Beat The Flu With This‌

By Dr. Shavit Sachs

With winter coming, I know we all want to keep the winter colds and flus at bay.

Ideally, the best way to keep healthy is to equip your body with the ability to fight off any infection incoming and, thereby, preventing colds and flus all together (versus constantly trying to treat the cold/flu), but that isn’t always so possible.

There are various factors that play a role in us getting sick (or not getting sick!)

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How we handle periods of intense stress.

How we keep ourselves warm enough in cold weather.

How we nourish our bodies with nutrients from foods.

Our emotional state.

How well we sleep.

What we drink.

The types of people we surround ourselves with.

Some of these may seem a bit more esoteric, but these factors (and many many more) can help or hinder our immune systems from functioning optimally.

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Sometimes, getting sick is inevitable, but I’m going to give you my favourite BEAT THAT FLU concoction. It is perfect for when you start to feel the “sniffles” coming along or even when you’ve got full blown flu, this will help your body fight off the infection! So a great immunestrengthening concoction, as well as great at fighting off the nasty flu or cold.

It contains turmeric, a potent anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral to give the immune system a nice little kick for it to function optimally! NB: please use with caution if you are taking any blood-thinning medication!

Ingredients:

Method:

• Turmeric root or powder (the root is better, but not as easily found) • Onion • Garlic* • Ginger • Raw honey • Lemon • Black pepper OR coconut oil (these will help the body to absorb as much turmeric as possible)

• In a pot, put half a teaspoon of turmeric powder (if you use the root, cut up about a 3cm piece).

• A quarter of an onion, cut as you desire, I prefer long pieces.

• 3 small to medium cubes of ginger.

• Juice of half a squeezed lemon (you can put lemon slices if you prefer).

• Add water (measure by how much you want to drink) and switch the stove on.

• Wait for the water to start heating up and stir.

• Once it is boiling, add a teaspoon of raw honey. (If you are using coconut oil, you can add a teaspoon here.)

• Continue stirring!

• Once the turmeric has fully dissolved, bring down to a low heat • Continue stirring • Five to ten minutes later, your concoction should be ready. (If you are using black pepper, add a quarter to half a tablespoon here.)

• Pour it into a mug, drink, and enjoy!

*I put garlic in the ingredients but you shouldn’t actually put it in the mix. Rather, place a single clove of garlic in your mouth, bite down and swallow like a pill. The reason for this is that crushing the garlic releases its potent antimicrobial constituent - allicin!

Please note that allicin releases quickly so best is to bite it and swallow straight away!

This, coupled with my BEAT THAT FLU concoction, should have you up and running in no time.

I must admit, it doesn’t have a great taste but it works absolute wonders! You can also double or triple the recipe and keep a big batch in the fridge for a week at a time. Just remember to heat it up before you drink it. It’s sort of like a potent turmeric soup!

I would recommend drinking the concoction at least twice a day for 5-7 days and swallowing two garlic cloves daily, one in the morning and one in the evening.

Always remember to consult your local naturopath or healthcare practitioner with any health ailments to ensure the best personalised treatment plan and care for your body!

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Finding out what type of cough you have can help you to get better quicker. It may be annoying to have an irritating cough, but coughing is an important part of your body’s lung-cleansing mechanism.

You’re coughing to keep your airways clear of unwanted phlegm and inhaled foreign matter. However, there are so many different types of cough that it can be difficult to interpret if they are a symptom of a bigger problem.

A simple cold may cause dry barking or wet, productive (phlegm-producing) hacking, but bronchitis, pneumonia or even GERD (Gastro Oesophageal Reflux Disease) could do the same.

However, the cause of most coughs can be identified by the length of time they persist. A cough that lasts longer than eight weeks is considered chronic – it will probably not go away without some remedial action. A cough that lasts fewer than 10 days will probably go away on its own.

Don’t head for the pharmacy for over-the-counter remedies, though. Cough suppressants do what they say – suppress the mucus that needs to be expectorated. That’s not what you want to do. That’s why our all-natural Herbal Cough Mix™ is recommended to ease any type of cough.

Beware if you have these symptoms If your cough is accompanied by fever, blood, green or yellow phlegm, chest pain or breathing difficulties, head off to your healthcare provider immediately.

Let’s find out what type of cough you have Most coughs indicate any of the following conditions: 1. Colds & Flu If you’ve caught a cold and it has brought with it a cough, both will probably disappear naturally within 10 days. If the cough is interfering with your daily activities, make sure you drink lots of fluids, especially hot ones, to keep your respiratory system hydrated. Inhaling steam can provide temporary relief – place your head over a basin of steaming water (drape a towel over your head to prevent the steam escaping) and breathe deeply to fill your lungs. Flora Force Herbal Cough Mix™ will help ease your cough and allow you to get on with your day.

2. Asthma Asthma is probably the second-most common cause of a cough. So says Margaret Lewin, M.D., assistant professor of Medicine at Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York City and medical director of Cinergy Health in Florida. ‘Some asthma sufferers, instead of loud wheezing, get only a dry cough.’ Asthma is a chronic bronchial condition that causes the air passages to tighten. An attack can be triggered by an upper respiratory infection or an allergic reaction to irritants like perfume, paints, fur and dust mites. If you are prone to asthma and are sensitive to changes in temperature, humidity and air pollution, an energetic workout at the gym can also set off an attack.

3. Post Nasal Drip Your cough may be caused by post-nasal drip, triggered by sinusitis, rhinitis (inflammation of the lining of the nose), allergies, fumes or an upper respiratory infection, says Dr Lewin. ‘The sinuses produce fluid that drips down the throat and that produces a cough, because your body won’t let you drown in your own secretions,’ she says. The cough can be dry or wet, accompanied by a tickling or sore throat. Avoid using decongestant sprays, which are used to dry up mucus, for longer than five consecutive days – overuse can lead to nasal passage damage and the inability to respond to the decongestant.

4. Acute bronchitis or pneumonia If you’ve been coughing for more than 10 days, it may be advisable to consult your healthcare professional to check for bronchitis or pneumonia, both bacterial and viral infections.

5. Smoker’s cough If you’re a smoker, the chances are that you greet every day with a throaty cough. To you, it may just be a ‘morning cough’, but that regular hack could be a sign of a more serious disease like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or lung cancer. COPD is an umbrella term for emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Emphysema occurs when the lungs’ air sacs are damaged, which leads to shortness of breath. Chronic, or long-lasting, bronchitis is an inflammation of the airways that comes with a deep, phlegmy cough that is nearly always associated with smoking.

We urge you to quit! Lung cancer generally only produces a cough when the air passages are affected.

6. Whooping cough Caused by bacteria and initially showing the symptoms of a cold, the comically named whooping cough is in fact a highly contagious condition. The cough is dry, hacking and typically high-pitched, and can be so persistent that people can become short of breath.

Coughing in babies or toddlers may be caused by bronchiolitis (a viral infection of the small air passages in the lungs). Spasms of coughing followed by a distinctive whooping sound are characteristic of whooping cough. Children with whooping cough also tend not to want to eat or drink, and need immediate medical attention.

Place a humidifier in the child’s bedroom. It will loosen the phlegm and soothe irritated lungs.

7. Reflux (GERD) In some people suffering with acid or non-acid reflux (the back-up of stomach fluids into your oesophagus), the only symptom may be a cough, not heartburn.

8. Croup A child suffering with croup will have a harsh, barking cough and find it difficult to breathe because his voice box and windpipe have become inflamed. Croup is often worse at night or in winter. Caused by a viral or bacterial infection, croup may be distressing but is rarely dangerous.

Steam is the best home remedy. Create a steamy atmosphere by boiling a kettle safely in the bedroom, running a shower of a hot bath, or using an electric vaporiser.

What’s Your Take Away?

Were you able to figure out what type of cough you or your child has? Do you know when to go see a health professional to get a cough seen to? Have you found natural cough mix to be of help? We’d love to know your experience – it’ll be great of you share with us on Facebook .This article was adapted in part from ‘Types of Coughs and What They Mean’ by Dorothy Foltz-Gray, published in Lifescript>, a US online health magazine for women.

Men Have A Biological Clock, Too — Here's What You Need To Know

By Georgina Berbari of mindbodygreen

"Your biological clock is ticking" is a phrase that's been historically— usually abrasively—toggled to women. However, recent research is suggesting that's not the full picture. A new study conducted at Rutgers University adds to this, revealing that men who delay starting a family have a ticking biological clock just like women, and waiting too long to have kids might be putting their partner's health at risk.

The study, published in the journal Maturitas, reviewed the effect of parental age on fertility, pregnancy, and children's health by carefully inspecting 40 years of research on this subject.

There's no globally definitive definition for "advanced age" when it comes to paternity, but it typically averages between 35 and 45. That said, over the past 40 years, infants born to fathers over the age of 45 have risen 10 percent in the United States, likely as a result of evolving reproductive technology.

"While it is widely accepted that physiological changes that occur in women after 35 can affect conception, pregnancy, and the health of the child, most men do not realize their advanced age can have a similar impact," said Gloria Bachmann, one of the study's authors and director of the Women's Health Institute at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, in a news release.

How men's age can affect fertility and pregnancy health.

This particular Rutgers study is crucial in informing both men and women of their equal part in fertility and childbearing—and not only to diminish double standards but also to protect women and fetuses from severe pregnancy-related complications. According to the study, men ages 45 and older can experience decreased fertility, which, in turn, can put their partners at risk for pregnancy-related complications such as pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, and preterm birth.

Further, children born to advanced-aged fathers were more likely to be late stillbirths, have low Apgar scores, low birth weights, and higher incidences of newborn seizures and birth defects such as cleft palate and congenital heart disease. As the children matured, they were more likely to have psychiatric and cognitive disorders, childhood cancers, and autism.

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According to Bachmann, a natural decline in testosterone that occurs with aging can be the cause of these outcomes, along with poorer semen quality and sperm degradation, though the correlations need more research. "Just as people lose muscle strength, flexibility, and endurance with age, in men, sperm also tend to lose 'fitness' over the life cycle," she said. "[And] in addition to decreasing fertilization potential, this can also influence the pregnancy itself, as is noted by increased pregnancy risks when conception is successful." Considerably, the study also found that advanced-aged males struggled with fertility issues even if their partner was under 25.

Double standards when it comes to biological clocks.

The inaugural Modern State of Fertility—another report released last month by Glamour and women's health care company Modern Fertility that polled hundreds of women on what they know, what they wish they knew, and how their outlook on fertility is shifting—suggests there's a pretty big lack of awareness around how men's age affects fertility. The survey showed women too often feel they're the only ones bearing the burden of the infamous biological clock. While 86 percent of women understand that female fertility significantly declines between the ages of 35 and 39, only 28 percent are aware that a man's age is also an important factor in a couple's chances of becoming pregnant. More than one in four women didn't know there's a "significant decline" in a man's ability to impregnate someone after he reaches age 45.

These studies emphasize the importance of raising awareness of advanced age and biological clocks in men and for the protection and knowledge of their partner during pregnancy. It's important to instill a greater sense of bodily autonomy for both parties who want to take these risk factors into consideration–and, of course, to stop dumping all the weight of the biological clock burden on women. As journalist Nicole Spector wrote on NBC, "As a woman of a certain age (35) who is hoping to have children, I'm flooded with information, suggestions and unsolicited advice about what motherhood (in the biological sense) might look like for me. My fiancé, Patrick is pushing 40 and just as eager to raise kids as me, but the subject doesn't much come up for him. He may be asked if he wants to be a dad, but never does his 'yes' lead to a bombardment of follow-up questions and a recitation of scientific tidbits."

What men can do.

This new information isn't meant to be a scare tactic toward men, of course, but rather evidence that they should take it upon themselves to start consulting their physicians regarding their reproductive health if they do hope to have kids. Physicians, too, should begin counseling older men as they do older women on the effect aging will have on conception, pregnancy, and their child's health. If men plan on delaying fatherhood, Bachmann suggests they consider banking sperm before their 35th (and no later than their 45th birthday) to stunt the increased risks to the health of both mother and child.

There are also plenty of ways to increase male fertility, according to Alisa Vitti, female biohacking pioneer and founder of The FLO Living Hormone Center: Taking supplements and probiotics can help, as can losing weight and avoiding pesticides. "We often get caught up in the importance of female fertility and forget to acknowledge the profound role men play in the baby-making game," Vitti tells mbg. "But there are plenty of things that can potentially stand in the way of a man's successful fertility and (thankfully) also plenty of things a man can do to increase his odds of becoming a dad."

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Aspartame: 11 Dangers of This All-TooCommon Food Additive

By Rebekah Edwards of www.draxe.com Few food additives have been studied with such scrutiny — or with more controversy — than that of aspartame.

Proponents of diet drinks claim that no adverse effects have been proven and that aspartame-laced products contribute to weight loss.

On the other side of the coin, a large community of health-conscious, anti-aspartame health practitioners and consumers are convinced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has turned a blind eye to one of the most dangerous food additives ever discovered.

This may be obvious, but when it comes to natural medicine and consuming only foods that nourish and heal the body, aspartame does not make the cut. In fact, aspartame is one of the worst artificial sweeteners you can ingest and has been associated with dozens of potential health risks.

The sweetener industry received a blow when a major study, released in July 2017, connected aspartame to an increased risk of heart disease and increased body mass index. Far from the small studies that are sometimes dismissed, this review included a total of almost 407,000 individuals with a median 10-year follow-up.

Researchers discovered that there were not only zero benefits from consuming “diet” foods and

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drinks containing these artificial sweeteners (known as “non-nutritive sweeteners,” since they offer no calories), but they were associated with “increases in weight and waist circumference, and higher incidence of obesity, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular events.”

Of course, a few smaller cohort studies did find weight loss to be a benefit — but, as is the norm for aspartame research, those were sponsored by industries benefiting from positive outcomes.

Do aspartame-sweetened products help you lose weight? No. Is aspartame safe? No. Is aspartame harmful to the body? Yes, absolutely.

Let’s explore more about this dangerous food additive, how it came about and why you should stay away from it.

What Is Aspartame?

To understand why aspartame causes side effects, it’s important to first explain what it is and how it metabolizes when you drink or eat it.

Aspartame is an artificial sweetener, also referred to as Acesulfame potassium (K), AminoSweet®, Neotame®, Equal®, NutraSweet®, Blue Zero Calorie Sweetener Packets™, Advantame®, NutraSweet New Pink, Canderel®, Pal Sweet Diet® and AminoSweet®. It’s used in a variety of food and wellness products like diet soda, gum, candy and vitamins.

Almost immediately upon consuming aspartame, it breaks down into three chemical compounds: phenylalanine, aspartic acid and methanol.

Those first two components are amino acids. Methanol is known as “wood alcohol” and toxic in large doses, but the amount of methanol in one can of diet soda is about the same that naturally occurs in, say, a glass of grape juice. Sounds safe, right? After all, don’t we need amino acids to survive? And methanol can’t be that bad if it’s in grape juice, too, can it? Sadly, these arguments, used widely by companies that profit from the sale of aspartame, do not hold up. Methanol has no health benefits, and it’s particularly dangerous when consumed in aspartame.

Phenylalanine is an amino acid that can be toxic in high doses but is generally recognized as safe in whole food products. However, when chemically bound to other compounds, like in aspartame, phenylalanine is absorbed almost immediately into the bloodstream rather than slowly via digestion.

Since this amino acid can cross the blood/brain barrier and functions as an excitotoxin when absorbed too quickly, it may potentially conflict with various neuronal processes. Just one diet soda raises the level of phenylalanine in the brain, causing serotonin levels to decrease. In at least one study, phenylalanine concentrations were higher in people with HIV, sepsis, cancer and those undergoing trauma.

Aspartic acid is a non-essential amino acid. That means your body makes it without having to ingest it. Normally, aspartic acid (aspartate) is important in the function of the nervous and neuroendocrine systems.

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How Safe Is Aspartame? Does Aspartame Cause Cancer?

There is some concern about the way the body metabolizes the two amino acids from aspartame. Because of the way diet soda and other aspartame products are created, the amino acids they contain do not go through the normal process of enzyme breakdown and liberation.

Instead they absorb immediately into the bloodstream.

However, the more pressing concern comes from the methanol content in aspartame. Now, it is true that methanol is present in other food products, but in those cases, it is bound to pectin, a fiber commonly found in fruits. Generally, these bound pectin/methanol compounds are excreted safely through the normal digestive process.

In aspartame, however, methanol is bound (weakly, at that) to the phenylalanine molecule. One or two processes easily break that bond and create what is known as “free methanol.” In cases where the aspartame product has been kept in a hot environment over 85 degrees Fahrenheit (like a warehouse or hot truck), the bonds decompose before ever entering the body.

Free methanol then converts to formaldehyde, more commonly known as embalming fluid. Both methanol and formaldehyde are carcinogens in and of themselves. Formaldehyde has the unfortunate ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, one reason it is so detrimental to the body.

Eventually, the formaldehyde can also turn into diketopiperazine, another known carcinogen.

Every animal other than humans converts formaldehyde to formic acid, a harmless substance.

Humans don’t have the necessary enzyme for that change, which is one possible reason why animal studies don’t always represent the extent to which methanol impacts the body. This process in humans is called methyl alcohol syndrome.

Is Aspartme Regulated?

As you probably know, aspartame in diet soda and over 6,000 other products is still approved by the FDA after decades of research and adverse reactions.

One estimate created in 1996 for sufferers of aspartame symptoms calculated approximately 1.9 million recognized toxic reactions between 1982 and 1995. This number is complicated by the fact that many doctors do not recognize aspartame toxicity as a legitimate cause of health problems since it is supposedly a safe product for all people.

As of 1995, the list of reported symptoms submitted to the FDA included headaches, dizziness, mood problems, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea, seizures, memory loss, breathing problems, and various others.

Aspartame is now marketed under new names in order to further mislead consumers. This has occurred even after aspartame poisoning has been implicated in the development of Gulf War syndrome, a number of neurological and physical symptoms of veterans in the U.K. and U.S. Gulf War. Troops were given large quantities of diet soft drinks that had often been in hightemperature conditions, suggesting they had already broken down into free methanol and formaldehyde compounds before they were consumed.

Still, we are told by agencies designed to protect us that aspartame is safe for people of all ages.

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The only exception to this is those suffering from the rare disease phenylketonuria, a birth defect that disrupts the body’s ability to process phenylalanine.

The Timeline of Aspartame’s Approval by the FDA In December 1965, chemist Jim Schlatter at G.D. Searle stumbled upon aspartame while working on the formulation of new treatments for gastric ulcers. Aspartame, developed by G.D. Searle, was refused approval in 1973 due to inadequate evidence of its safety. Over the next 12 months, the FDA decided to approve it for use in dry foods, a decision overturned in subsequent months.

This decision was immediately opposed by attorney Jim Turner, a consumer advocate who already was working to have dangerous artificial sweeteners removed from the market, and Dr. John Olney, a scientist who discovered in 1971 that aspartame caused brain damage in infant mice. Turner and Olney’s petition gave the FDA reason to investigate G.D. Searle, who had submitted 113 studies on aspartame as part of the approval process. The then FDA commissioner, Dr. Alexander Schmidt, assigned an FDA task force to studies regarding aspartame.

Schmidt, after reviewing the task force’s findings of many manipulations, shortcuts and outright deception, stated on Congressional Record that, “[Searle’s studies were] incredibly sloppy science. What we discovered was reprehensible.”

In 1977, the FDA made a formal request for the U.S. Attorney’s Office to investigate G.D. Searle on criminal charges, the first time in history it had ever made such a request. The grand jury began deliberations, and the law firm representing the accused began negotiating job terms with Samuel Skinner, the U.S. attorney in charge of this particular case.

Enter Donald Rumsfeld. Searle hired Rumsfeld as CEO in March of that year (who brought a few Washington cronies along). In July, Skinner left the U.S. Attorney’s Office and began working for the law firm representing Searle. The following month, FDA investigators released the Bressler Report, finding that over half of the animals in one of the Searle studies died in the midst of research without autopsies until much later, as well as multiple other discrepancies in the Searle research.

In December, the statute of limitations ran out on the grand jury investigation due to the stall by Skinner’s resignation.

A year and a half later, a Public Board of Inquiry (PBOI) was appointed by the FDA to investigate NutraSweet’s safety and potential risk. This board included three doctors and voted in 1980 to reject aspartame in additional products. The board members were still concerned about brain tumor risks.

January 1981 welcomed a sales meeting with Searle where Rumsfeld said this was the year to push for approval. Sources say he stated he would use political connections, rather than science, to make sure it happened before the end of ’81.

Ronald Reagan was sworn in as president later than month and included Rumsfeld on his transition team. Rumsfeld reportedly handpicked the new FDA commissioner, Dr. Arthur Hull Hayes Jr. After appointing a five-person panel to review the PBOI concerns, Hayes added a sixth

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scientist after realizing the panel was prepared to vote against aspartame’s approval. The decision ended up in a 3-3 tie, broken with a “yes” vote from Hayes in July 1981 to approve its use again for dry foods.

In October 1982, Searle filed for aspartame approval in carbonated beverages (and additional liquids). The National Soft Drink Association actually requested the petition be denied because of the breakdown of compounds in storage above 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Around the same time, Hayes resigned from the FDA after concerns about his acceptance of corporate gifts.

Amid the chaos, aspartame was officially approved for use in beverages, which were released beginning in fall 1983. Additional safety concerns were raised in 1984, 1985 and 1986, but the FDA denied issues existed each time. NutraSweet was able to get aspartame approved for general bulk use in 1992.

Monsanto acquired G.D. Searle in 1985, earning Rumsfeld a $12 million bonus. 1995 marks the year that Thomas Wilcox, the FDA epidemiology branch chief, said the FDA would no longer accept adverse reaction reports or monitor the period research on aspartame.

Continuing Research Industry-funded studies have, so far, discovered positive results about aspartame 100 percent of the time in their final reports, while 92 percent of independently funded research finds potential dangers of aspartame. A 13-doctor panel petitioned the FDA, yet again, to re-examine the safety issues around aspartame, specifically the risk of tumors and various cancers (citing the Ramazzani study released in 2005, noted above). The request was denied.

Aspartame received a bit of media attention again when the Podesta Emails were released on WikiLeaks. Wendy Abrams, an environmental activist, forwarded information to John Podesta regarding the sketchy process by which NutraSweet was approved.

Until regulatory programs work to protect our health, we need to do our own due diligence by staying knowledgeable about what synthetic and artificial foods are harmful to us. Opting for natural sweeteners instead not only sends a message to companies that profit from aspartame products, but also benefits our overall health.

Products that Contain Aspartame Aspartame is found in over 6,000 individual products, making it virtually impossible to list them all here. However, I hope that understanding the impact of nutrition on your health makes you an avid label-reader. If you consider purchasing any of the following types of items, check the label — you’re likely to find aspartame listed.

The following foods, beverages and medications commonly contain aspartame: • Diet soda • Sugar-free breath mints • Sugar-free (or “no sugar added”) cereals • Sugar-free (or “no sugar added”) condiments • Flavored coffee syrups • Flavored water

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Sugar-free ice cream and/or toppings Diet iced tea products Low-sugar or sugar-free fruit juices Meal replacement shakes/snacks “Nutrition” bars Sports drinks (especially “sugar-free” varieties) Soft candy chews Yogurt (sugar-free, fatfree and some drinkable brands) Vegetable juice drinks Natural fiber laxative Fiber oral powder supplements Appetite control supplements

11 Aspartame Side Effects and Dangers In 2002, anti-aspartame activist Mark Gold reviewed aspartame toxicity results and reported them to the FDA for consideration.

Individual complaints included some 49 symptoms, including headaches (reported by 45 percent of people), severe depression (25 percent), grand mal seizures (15 percent) and confusion/memory loss (29 percent). Gold also referred to dozens of studies reflecting the negative impacts of aspartame, including the many warnings in piloting material to discourage pilots from consuming it due to the seizures and vertigo it can induce.

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It seems that the dangers studied occur very differently in participants depending on who completes the study. For example, one review claims there to be “no unresolved questions regarding [aspartame’s] safety.� Of course, that particular report was released by NutraSweet. Turns out, however, 100 percent of industry-funded research finds the same result: that aspartame is totally safe.

However, 92 percent of studies funded independently discover adverse effects.

The Ramazzini Institute, a longtime cancer research center, has studied aspartame at length.

It claimed again in 2014 in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine: On the basis of the evidence of the potential carcinogenic effects of [aspartame] herein reported, a re-evaluation of the current position of international regulatory agencies must be considered an urgent matter of public health.

So, what are the most serious dangers of aspartame?

1. Potentially Increases Risk of Cancer For decades, studies have shown the potential carcinogenic qualities of aspartame. The Ramazzini Institute continues to stand behind the results of its multiple studies finding that aspartame is associated with a 300 percent increase in

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lymphoma/leukemia incidence, even after being dismissed by the European Food Safety Authority. A Ramazzini animal study shows a correlation between aspartame and various cancers to the degree that the organization refers to it as a “multipotential carcinogenic agent,” even in doses well below the legal “acceptable” amounts.

One reason this 20-year study is so significant is because the rats involved in the research were allowed to die naturally rather than being sacrificed earlier in the experiment. This was to investigate the last twothirds of the animal life span, often unaccounted for, because cancer occurs in humans most often during this portion of life.

Overall, studies have discovered links between aspartame and the following: •Liver cancer in mice •Lung cancer •Brain cancer •Breast cancer •Prostate cancer •Central nervous system cancers (gliomas, medulloblastomas and meningiomas) The discovery of the central nervous system cancers seems to be associated with the behaviors of the two amino acids found in aspartame. They are consumed in such large amounts and not broken down in the same fashion as when ingested in other foods, and they have ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. This allows their “excitotoxicity” to take full effect. Cancer incidence seems to increase when animals are exposed to aspartame in the womb, underlining the importance for pregnant mothers never to consume aspartame. And formaldehyde — a metabolite of free methanol — is associated with the development of breast, stomach, intestinal, lymphoma and leukemia cancers.

2. Might Induce or Worsen Diabetes Although doctors often recommend replacing sugary drinks with diet versions for diabetics, aspartame seems to have the opposite effect than hoped. Diet soda consumption is associated

with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes as well as metabolic syndrome, a cluster of symptoms indicative of heart disease. In fact, in this study of over 6,800 individualsof varying ethnicity between 45–84 years old, the risk of diabetes was 67 percent higher for people who consumed diet soda daily versus those who did not. It seems, in many cases, that aspartame intake can also aggravate diabetes symptoms, such as diabetic retinopathy and diabetic neuropathy.

Research shows that aspartame conflicts with insulin/glucose tolerance, a marker of prediabetes, especially for those who are already obese. One reason this happens may be the way that aspartame alters gut microbiota (healthy bacteria). These changes can induce glucose intolerance in otherwise healthy people. An animal study in December 2016 suggests a connection between an interaction between aspartic acid found in aspartame and glucose management. This, again, is exacerbated by the way this amino acid passes the blood-brain barrier. Researchers also discovered behavioral deficits in the subjects.

3. Could Increase Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke Aspartame intake is associated with metabolic syndrome. This cluster of conditions includes high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess belly fat and high cholesterol/triglyceride levels. It marks a dramatic increase in the risk for heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Research from Purdue University in 2013 found that frequent consumption of artificial sweeteners, including aspartame, sucralose (Splenda®) and saccharin, was associated with weight gain, metabolic syndrome, diabetes and heart disease because of the “metabolic derangements” it seems to cause.

The Northern Manhattan Study focused on the study of stroke and pertinent risk factors. It found a significant increased risk of heart events — even when controlling the study for those with various related diseases — in people who drink diet soft drinks each day. The same link was not discovered for those drinking regular soda. Like the carcinogenic risks of aspartame, the heart disease risks also seem to rise when animals are exposed to it in the womb.

Animals exposed prenatally to aspartame eat more sweet foods in adulthood, are at risk for obesity, and more often have high blood sugar, high LDL cholesterol and high triglycerides.

4. May Cause Nervous System and Brain Disorders Since many of the major complaints about aspartame are neurologic in nature, particular attention has been given to the way it affects the brain and neurological system. Neurosurgeon Russell L. Blaylock released a book in 1998 called “Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills,” detailing his research on aspartame and its relation to brain tumors, cell damage, and conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. He attributes these effects to the way the compounds in aspartame overstimulate neurons.

Research at the University of North Dakota’s Department of Nursing found an increase in irritation, more depressive behavior and a decline in spatial orientation in people consuming a “high-aspartame diet.” These “high” aspartame levels were actually about half of what the maximum acceptable daily intake (ADI) values are, according to the FDA. This correlates with a 2014 animal study that found chronic aspartame consumption to be related to a distortion of neuronal function and an uptick in brain cell death in certain regions of the brain. This study was conducted using the FDA-approved ADI value.

For those who also consume MSG (monosodium glutamate, another controversial food additive), these cognitive problems may be even more pronounced. MSG and aspartame exposure drastically drops dopamine and serotonin levels in the brain of mice and cause oxidative stress that can damage brain cells. That’s not the only time it’s been found that aspartame induces oxidative stress and interrupts the body’s ability to fight it with antioxidants. This impact is most significant in cases of long-term aspartame consumption and is associated with memory loss and more in animal studies.

One of the first studies on the subject of aspartame in the brain was conducted by John Olney, the founder of the field of neuroscience known as excitotoxicity, in 1970. He was a longtime opposer to aspartame’s legalization because of his extensive research on the subject. His 1970 publication found that infant mice exposed to aspartame developed brain damage, even when given relatively low doses. If this holds true in humans at some level, it could help explain why aspartame is linked to an increased risk of stroke and dementia, according to the Framingham Heart Study. There has also been at least one finding published in Neurology that aspartame intake exacerbated the number of EEG spike waves in children suffering absence seizures.

5. Could Worsen or Trigger Mood Disorders Closely related to its impact on neurological decline, aspartame may also be closely tied to the development of certain mental disorders, especially depression. Ingesting aspartame could potentially lead to a decline in learning and emotional function. Drinking diet beverages has been linked to depression more than once, including in one study of almost 264,000 participants over 10 years. Researchers found that those who drink more than four cans or cups of diet soda each day were between 30 percent and 38 percent more likely to develop depression, while coffee drinkers were 10 percent less likely to be diagnosed with depression.

A famous study was conducted in 1993 to discover a correlation between mood disorders and aspartame in those with or without depression diagnoses. Before it could be completed, the Institutional Review Board had to halt the study because the participants who had a history of depression experienced such severe negative reactions that it led the department to discourage anyone with history of mood problems from ingesting aspartame because of their suggested high sensitivity to it.

6. Possibly Contributes to Fibromyalgia Over 6 million people in the U.S. suffer from the chronic pain disorder known as fibromyalgia.

The causes and cure are still unknown, but one small study examined fibromyalgia patients who had been struggling for years to find effective treatments.

The study found that eliminating aspartame and MSG (two of the most common dietary excitotoxins) resulted in a complete or nearly complete resolution of all symptoms within a few months. The symptoms returned upon ingestion of either substance.

7. Associated with Weight Gain Aspartame studies have found the non-nutritive sweetener was actually linked with weight gain rather than the weight loss it promises. (After all, drinks containing aspartame literally carry the label “diet.”) Drinking and eating aspartame products is associated with metabolic syndrome in mice, one feature of which is excess belly fat. It’s pretty clear that

aspartame does not help you lose weight. Now the question is: Why? There are a few suggested reasons aspartame does not lead to weight loss. For one, consuming non-nutritive sweeteners (sweet substances that do not have calories) does nothing for the more sweet foods. While eating sugar has that same effect, actual sugar has the benefit of providing caloric feedback, the “food reward” your body understands to mean it should stop eating. Aspartame, however, does the opposite — it encourages cravings and sweets dependence, all without the caloric feedback you need to control your intake. This, in turn, results in eating more non-nutritious foods and drinks.

A 2014 experiment actually postulated that drinking diet beverages influences psychological processes that might cause a person to increase overall caloric intake. In addition to this interruption of normal biofeedback, a study published in late 2016 conducted on mice found that the phenylalanine in aspartame is an inhibitor of a digestive enzyme that protects against developing metabolic syndrome called “intestinal alkaline phosphatase.” Thus, not only do diet drinks lead to higher calorie consumption overall, but one of their compounds may actually stop your body’s normal responses that are meant to protect against obesity and other disease risk factors.

8. Might Cause Premature Menstruation In a newer side of aspartame research, three U.S. universities studied young girls for 10 years to track growth and hormonal changes as well as lifestyle and diet. They found that drinking caffeinated soft drinks, particularly diet drinks, was associated with early development of menstrual cycles.

Why does this matter? Because the long-term risks of early pubertyinclude breast cancer, HPV, heart disease, diabetes and all-cause mortality.

9. Linked to Development of Autism Another reason to avoid this sweetener is because it has been linked to the development of autism in children. In the journal Medical Hypotheses, researchers discussed a study in which women who had been exposed to dietary methanol (found in aspartame) were significantly more likely to give birth to children who developed autism.

10. Increased Risk of Kidney Disease In people with initially healthy kidney function, drinking diet sodas laden with aspartame may be associated with a 30 percent greater drop in kidney function than those who do not drink diet sodas. This researchwas conducted over 20 years and included over 3,000 women.

11. Could Cause “Aspartame Disease” This term, though not an officially recognized medical condition, was coined by a doctor named H.J. Roberts. He released an extensive set of research in his book, “Aspartame Disease,” in 2001 and advocated its ban by governing bodies until his death in 2013. He considers this an epidemic in Western civilization that is ignored and actually sanctioned by the FDA and other governmental bodies. He claims the symptoms of aspartame disease include the following (not an exhaustive list): • Diabetes

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Low blood sugar Convulsions (seizures) Headache Depression and other mental disorders Hyperthyroidism High blood pressure Arthritis Multiple sclerosis Alzheimer’s disease Lupus Brain tumors Carpal tunnel

Roberts and others, including Betty Martini of Mission Possible: World Health International (another anti-aspartame organization), encourage patients with these symptoms to consider that they may be suffering from aspartame disease and to abstain from it for a period of time before attempting any other treatment methods.

Who Should Avoid Aspartame?

There’s really a simple answer to this question — everyone should avoid aspartame.

Diabetics, people trying to lose weight, children, pregnant women, you name it. As the research (that isn’t funded by insider corporations) proves, aspartame is not a health food. In fact, it’s detrimental to your health.

Here are things to remember when it comes to why we should all avoid consuming aspartame: • • • • • • • •

increases the risk of metabolic syndrome increases the risk of heart disease and stroke disrupts appetite control may lead to weight gain may have toxic effects, causing headaches, depression, vertigo and confusion may increase the risk of cancer negatively affects the brain and neurological system may negatively affect unborn children

Natural Alternatives What is the safest artificial sweetener to use?

In reality, any synthetic, artificial food isn’t the best choice for your body and health.

However, there are a few natural alternatives to aspartame that won’t have the same devastating health effects. One of the best natural sweeteners stevia. The rule for sweeteners is always in moderation. While the following three can even provide health benefits, it’s best to limit your intake of sweets overall and tend more toward whole foods like vegetables, fruits and organic meat: Stevia: The stevia plant has been around for a millennia and a half in parts of South America and is about 200 times sweeter than sugar, gram for gram. There are several benefits to stevia, including some laboratory evidence that stevia kills lyme disease. When using stevia, make sure to avoid dangerous altered stevia blends (which often contain very little stevia) and stick to pure, organic stevia.

Raw Honey: Raw, organic honey has been known to help counter the effects of certain allergies as well as help manage weight, promote sleep and fight oxidative stress.

Monk Fruit: This fruit-based sweetener has no calories but is between 300–400 times sweeter than sugar. There is evidence that it may help to lower risk of diabetes and cancer as well as combat infection.

Image: emmacodd on Pixabay

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Photo by Dani Costelo on Unsplash

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A Meditation on Observing Thoughts, Five Steps to Worrying Non-Judgmentally

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BY ELISHA GOLDSTEIN

There's no way to cure worry, says Elisha Goldstein. But we can learn to get better at recognizing it, and gently guide ourselves back to what matters.

We’ve all heard the saying that in life there are ups and down and there is the classic eastern saying that life is filled with 10,000 joys and 10,000 sorrows. With this there’s the wisdom that all things come and go, but the brain has a funny way of amplifying the sorrows and minimizing the joys for good evolutionary reasons. Whenever the brain perceived something as “bad” it starts to worry about it. But often times there is no real utility to the worry, it only serves to dig us into a deeper hole and blinds us to the joys that might be waiting around the corner.

Here is one of the best cartoons I’ve found that says it like it is:

Illustration by Charles Schulz

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5 Steps to Worrying Less There really is no way to cure worrying, but we can learn to get better and better at recognizing it and gently guiding ourselves back to a sense of perspective and what matters.

1. Soften your understanding of worry The utility of worry is to try and anticipate and avoid any potential dangers and to keep us safe.

It’s the brain trying to protect us and so worrying certainly has its place and time. But often times worrying only serves to ramp up our nervous system and kick us into an imbalanced place that only leads to more worrying. The brain has good intentions, but it leads us down a destructive vicious cycle.

2. Allow and accept the feeling of fear Worrying usually arouses the feeling of fear or anxiety. In this mindful step, we’re simply acknowledging that this feeling is here. Calling it out. We want to do the opposite of resist it, because what we resist persists. So instead we practice allowing it to be as it is. Here you are just saying to yourself, “allowing, allowing, allowing.”

3. Feel into worry with kindness Now we have the opportunity to deepen our awareness and investigate the feeling. Here you may choose to put your hand on your heart or wherever you feel the sensation in your body.

This is one way of signaling to the brain a sense of love or kindness to the feeling, which may shift it all by itself. The brain also has to map the sensation of the touch with is inversely correlated with mental rumination, turning the volume down on negative thinking.

Try this simple practice: As you feel into worry you might ask, “What does this feeling believe?” Does it believe you are unlovable, unworthy, or perhaps that if you allow it to be, it will consume you?

Ask the question, what does this feeling need right now? Does it need to feel cared for, to feel secure, to feel a sense of belonging?

Whatever the answer, see if you can plant these as seeds in yourself. For example, you can plant the seeds of intention saying, “May I feel safe and secure, may I be free from this fear, may I feel a sense of belonging.”Make this personal to whatever your needs are.

4. Expand your awareness out to include all people Whatever the worrying is about, it’s important you know you’re not alone. Feeling vulnerable is part of the human condition and millions of people struggle with the same source of vulnerability that you experience. But when we’re feeling vulnerable with anxiety it often times is all about us, we need to also impersonalize the experience and get outside of ourselves.

You can do this by imagining all the other people who struggle worrying and wish them all the same intentions that you just wished yourself.

For example, May we all feel a sense of safety and security, May we all be free from the fear that keeps us stick in a perpetual cycle of worry, May we all feel that sense of belonging, etc…

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5. Repeat steps one through four as often as necessary If you notice, steps one through four spell the acronym SAFE so you can easily remember what it is and what it’s for. As you intentionally practice this over and again, in time you will notice that you start to become less reactive to the worried mind, more compassionate with yourself as it arises, and even have perspective that this worrying is part of the human condition and you are not alone.

When we’re able to turn the volume down on worrying in our lives, what will be there instead?

For many people, it’s a sense of spaciousness, ease, and joy.

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BY MICHAEL HOWARD

Science and spirituality are often seen as opposites. But are they?

Dogmatic extremists shout that the two are incompatible. Usually they make their noise with no understanding of science or spirituality. Indeed, religion is far removed from science. But not spirituality, properly understood.

There are two extremes. One is the Non-Scientific Theist (NST) and the other the Non-Theistic Scientist (NTS).

The NSTs The NSTs are sure of a god that looks and feels and acts exactly like they believe. Their understanding of reality rests on a whole doctrinal construction, usually dating back to the Dark Ages. There’s just blind faith here – no need for scientific method to prove anything, nor even any reasoning on the probability of truth or falsity of claims.

The NTSs The NTSs, on the other hand, make science their god. Science is omniscient. It is the boundless truth of all that is. The scientific method is the only route to truth, or relatively less chance of falsity. It is the way, the truth and the light. There’s just empirical fact here – no need for wondering about the gaps and the unknowns, nor for allowing the imagination to conjure up worlds and beauty that may exist outside of the science god’s limits… for that is just not possible.

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Enlightened or ignorant?

Both cling to their views with absolute certainty. They must be more enlightened than the rest of us, the vast majority who just don’t know. Or are they ignorant? Is certainty in a world of such majestic complexity and yet simple balance, not ignorance?

The vast majority of us are not so sure what god is. And an even bigger majority are prepared to admit we don’t know much about the glory nor the limitations of science. Both are pretty broad fields after all.

So if the extremists are enlightened, we must be missing something. But equally, if they’re ignorant, maybe we’re onto something with our uncertainty.

I think it’s us uncertain majority that are on the right track. We are not attached to an opinion.

We’re not constrained in our thoughts… not closed. On the contrary, we’re open to a range of possibilities. That is enlightenment.

Mysterious consciousness You open ones, consider this: humans have a mysterious consciousness that takes us beyond our physical bodies.

If you don’t agree consider the voyeur peeping through a keyhole at two lovers in a room. He is so absorbed in the events in the room that he leaves his body. Anatomically he is outside, but every iota of his awareness is on the other side of the door. He is unaware of the uncomfortable position in which he stands. Then someone may tap him on the shoulder and immediately he beams back into his body on the outside of the door (like Doctor Spock and company on the Starship Enterprise). He is body-conscious again.

The same applies to the artist who is absorbed in her singing, dancing or acting, or the strokes of her brush. It applies to the scientist engrossed in his microscopic or telescopic view, or his quest for correlations between equations and empirically-measured reality. And it applies to the mystic who loses time meditating. It may apply equally to the street sweeper who is totally engaged in his work. He too loses time. He is unaware of the blister on his hand or his hunger pangs… at least for a short, blissful time.

Whether we talk about this expansion of consciousness beyond our bodies in scientific or spiritual terms or not, it is real.

What are we conscious of?

When we are so totally absorbed in something or someone outside of ourselves, what are we actually conscious of? Surely the answer is we are conscious of the other. Is this an experience of connectedness, or oneness?

Our bodies are separate from other bodies and objects. All our bodily senses tell us this fact.

When we are body-conscious we are aware of where our body ends and where the rest of the world begins. We have transducers that tell the brain about these physical boundaries… five senses that make it very clear.

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But when we beam out through the proverbial keyhole, like the voyeur, we leave our bodies. So we no longer feel the constraints of separate entities, disconnected from other objects. Instead we are totally absorbed in the other.

I believe this experience is one of connectedness or oneness – the experience named and described by mystics the world over. And it is a universal human experience.

Names, names, names We humans have an intellect that wants to name and characterise everything.

We have developed languages because of a symbolic brain algorithm. So, we seek to name everything. Once we’ve named a thing we reduce it to that linguistic symbol. Forever after, we identify an object or experience with its name. It becomes a unit in a sub-set of a set, limited to the closed constraints of that name in its set of discrete, disconnected parts.

Even the experience of connectedness or oneness had to be given a name. It had to be described and categorised so we could translate it in our language to others and pass it down to our children. And therein the experience is corrupted – no, butchered.

Different cultures built whole systems to account for and describe the universally common experience of our mysterious consciousness. And that’s where dogmatic extremism started. The religious extremists started earlier in our evolution. Then, in the last few hundred years, the scientific extremists rose too. Later rise, but no more enlightened.

NTS and NST names In a nutshell, the NTS developed brilliant theories of series firing of neurons, or quantum coherence within neurons, to describe our experience of broader consciousness in terms of the brain’s physical functioning. And the NST uncritically accepted some explanation of consciousness that, in most cases, they happened to have had passed down to them by their particular culture.

Arguably the latter is less advanced in his personal quest. But the former is no less dogmatic.

Both attached to a set of symbols and threw out the experiential truth. Both identify with their particular host of names and frown up any other.

Integration is possible I believe there is a total integration between science and spirituality… or at least there can be for those who find the motivating source of both in the fundamental experience of connectedness or oneness.

All we must do to realise this integration is let go of the language, the theories and the doctrines. Let go of the attachment to what we are deluded into thinking approximates reality.

Nothing we say can come close to approximating reality. This truth one can experience in an instant of connection to a new-born baby, for example, or in the moments when lovers melt into one another.

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These are mystical moments Mysticism is the name of the subset that unites science and spirituality. A mystical scientist experiences oneness with the object of his inquiry. The mystical spiritual person seeks oneness and no other description of belief is of any importance. Both look at the world around them, and journey toward self-knowledge, with the same inquiring mind sets, in awe of everything, in love with the universe.

Mystics from all fields act similarly too. They manifest kindness, fairness and generosity. They sense a reciprocal benevolence around them and so are free of paranoia and neuroses. This makes them typically the healthiest of people in mind and body. In this regard, they are most clearly distinguished from their extremist colleagues and brethren. ______________________________________________________________

Click on the cover below to buy my novel: Death is a delusion. See for yourself. Greta, Anne and Mark make an unusual love triangle. Greta is the late wife who died of Huntington’s disease. And Anne, the volatile second wife, sees dead people.

Husband Mark is a consulting engineer with no inclination toward flights of fancy, until Anne’s shocking death. He’s convinced he spent hours in conversation with her, but she was already lying lifeless in a coroner’s office miles away. The doctor tells him his experience is typical of psychotic episodes induced by trauma.

So begins Mark’s journey into the paranormal. He worries his experiences are symptoms of his cracked mind, but the enlightening presence of Anne, and a spiritual teacher’s wisdom, begin to convince him otherwise.

Then indisputable proof. Mangled metal and dismembered bodies fade from his sight as he enters the eternal sea of consciousness. It is time to know that the good doctor’s diagnosis was wrong. Time to look and see for himself that the line between this world and the next is blurred, and death is a delusion.

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3 Foods to Avoid and 5 to Chow Down on if You Want to Eat Healthy Br Dr Mercola It needn’t be difficult or expensive to eat healthy.

Ease into it by eliminating three bad foods and adding a few good foods to your diet. This will help maintain your weight while lowering your risk of developing a number of chronic diseases, according to the Harvard School of Public Health.

Eating the right amount of certain foods may help cut your risk of dying from heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes by almost half.

Don’t know where to begin? Let’s start with what to ditch; here are three things to get rid of: 1.

2.

3.

Sugar-sweetened beverages such as soda, fruit drinks and sports drinks Refined grains: Think “white” as in flour, bread, rice and pasta, as well as pastries and similar sweets Highly processed foods including fast food and meats such as salami, ham, bacon and sausage

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Sugary beverages are Bad with a capital B. Most are sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup, which studies show can increase risk factors for heart disease within two weeks! There is also a strong link between processed foods and depression.

Consuming high-carb, refined grains also can lead to allergies, asthma, gluten intolerance, celiac disease, heart disease, vitamin deficiencies, diabetes and obesity.

Now that you’ve dumped some unhealthy foods, what’s to eat? Plenty! Try these simple food changes: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Three pieces of fruit per day Two cups of cooked or four cups of raw veggies per day Five 1-ounce servings (about 20 nuts) of nuts or seeds per week Healthy oils such as coconut, extra-virgin olive, aka EVOO, and avocado One serving (5-to 8-ounces) of red meat or 8-ounces of seafood per week

Eating plenty of organic, raw vegetables and whole fruits daily can lower your blood pressure and cut your prescription costs in half. And no, fruit juices are not a substitute for whole fruits.

Regarding fruits, they offer many vitamins, enzymes and minerals, but limit how much fruit you eat as the fructose content can upset your metabolism. It’s best to limit fructose to 25 grams per day from all sources, and as little as 15 grams a day if you're diabetic or have chronic health issues (including the fructose from whole fruits).

A handful of raw nuts or seeds is a satisfying — and tasty! — snack that contains healthy fats, fiber, protein, antioxidants and minerals, all the while helping to maintain your weight, boost your immune system and benefit your heart. Pumpkin and sunflower seeds, as well as pecans, macadamia nuts and walnuts are excellent choices.

Photo by Daria Shevtsova from Pexels

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Avoid grain-fed meats and go for organic, pastured beef — not beef from animals raised in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs).

The same applies to other animal meats and animal products such as pork, poultry, dairy and eggs.

Choose wild-caught seafood that is good for you and the planet. Smaller fish like sardines, anchovies and herring tend to be low in contaminants and high in heart-healthy omega-3 fats. Salmon is also an excellent source of omega-3; just make sure it’s wildcaught Alaskan salmon (either fresh or canned) to reap the benefits.

And yes, there are ways to adopt a keto-style diet to eat healthy and not break the bank.

Visit farmers markets or connect with local, organic farmers when shopping for meat, eggs, vegetables and fruits. Grow your own vegetables, sprouts and fruits and try fermenting any excess raw veggies.

Fermented vegetables are easy to make and supply your body with essential enzymes and beneficial bacteria needed for good gut health and digestion.

So, go ahead, hit the Healthy Road: Throw out the junk foods, consume real food and, in the long run, you’ll feel great and could save thousands of dollars on chronic disease-related medical expenses.

You’ve got nothing to lose but weight, depression and illness.

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By Dr Mercola Intermittent fasting is a powerful approach that facilitates weight loss and helps reduce your risk of chronic diseases like Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Research overwhelmingly supports the notion that ditching the "three square meals a day" approach in favor of intermittent fasting can do wonders for your health, as your body simply isn't designed to be continuously fed.

Research by Dr. Satchidananda Panda suggests 90 percent of people eat across a span of 12 hours a day, and many across even longer timespans. Sadly, this is a prescription for metabolic disaster and will clearly wreak havoc with your metabolism over time.

Intermittent fasting typically refers to not eating for at least 14 consecutive hours a day.

However, not eating for 16 to 18 hours is likely closer to metabolic ideal. This means you are only eating your food within a six to eight-hour window.

Why Intermittently Fast?

The cycling of feasting (feeding) and famine (fasting) mimics the eating habits of our ancestors and restores your body to a more natural state that allows a whole host of biochemical benefits to occur. In recent years, it's become increasingly clear that your body cannot run optimally when there's a continuous supply of calories coming in.

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For starters, when you eat throughout the day and never skip a meal, your body adapts to burning sugar as its primary fuel, which downregulates enzymes that utilize and burn stored fat.

As a result, you start becoming progressively more insulin resistant and start gaining weight, and most efforts to lose weight become ineffective.

It's important to realize that in order to lose body fat, your body must first be able to actually burn fat. Two powerful ways of shifting your body from carb-burning to fat-burning are fasting and/or eating a cyclical ketogenic diet. For optimal results, you'd want to do both,1,2 as these strategies support each other, allowing for speedier results. To learn more about this, see "Why Intermittent Fasting Is More Effective Combined With Ketogenic Diet.�

Importantly, many biological repair and rejuvenation processes also take place while you're fasting, and this is a primary reason why all-day grazing triggers disease while fasting prevents them.

The Many Health Benefits of Intermittent Fasting A large and growing body of medical research supports the use of intermittent fasting, showing it has a wide range of biological benefits. For example, intermittent fasting has been shown to:3,4,5 1.

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Promote insulin sensitivity, which is crucial for your health, as insulin resistance or poor insulin sensitivity contributes to nearly all chronic diseases Promote leptin sensitivity Normalize ghrelin levels, also known as the "hunger hormone," resulting in lowered hunger Improve blood sugar management by increasing insulin-mediated glucose uptake rates6 Lower triglyceride levels Increase human growth hormone production (HGH) — Commonly referred to as "the fitness hormone," HGH plays an important role in maintaining health, fitness and longevity, including promotion of muscle growth, and boosting fat loss by revving up your metabolism.

Research7shows fasting can raise HGH by as much as 1,300 percent in women and 2,000 percent in men. The fact that it helps build muscle while simultaneously promoting fat loss explains why HGH helps you lose weight without sacrificing muscle mass, and why even athletes can benefit from intermittent fasting Suppress inflammation and reduce oxidative damage8 Upregulate autophagy and mitophagy, natural cleansing processes necessary for optimal cellular renewal and function Boost fat burning and improve metabolic efficiency and body composition, including significant reductions in visceral fat and body weight in obese individuals Prevent or reverse Type 2 diabetes, as well as slow its progression Improve immune function9 Lower blood pressure Reduce your risk of heart disease10 — One study11 found those who fasted regularly had a 58 percent lower risk of coronary disease compared to those who never fasted Reproduce some of the cardiovascular benefits associated with physical exercise Boost mitochondrial energy efficiency and biosynthesis Shift stem cells from a dormant state to a state of self-renewal Reduce your risk of cancer

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18. Increase longevity — There are a number of mechanisms contributing to this effect.

Normalizing insulin sensitivity is a major one, but fasting also inhibits the mTOR pathway, which plays an important part in driving the aging process 19. Regenerate the pancreas12 and improve pancreatic function 20. Improve cognitive function, thanks to rising ketone levels 21. Protect against neurological diseases such as dementia, Alzheimer's 13 14,15 disease and Parkinson's disease, thanks to the production of ketone bodies (byproducts of fatty acid breakdown, which are a healthy and preferred fuel for your brain) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF, which activates brain stem cells to convert into new neurons, and triggers numerous other chemicals that promote neural health) 22. Eliminate sugar cravings as your body adapts to burning fat instead of sugar Note: These benefits are not listed in order of importance.

Intermittent Fasting Considerations While intermittent fasting is likely to be beneficial for most people, here are some points to consider: • •

•

Intermittent fasting does not have to be a form of calorie restriction — It's a practice that should make you feel good. If your fasting strategy is making you feel weak and lethargic, you need to reevaluate your approach.

Sugar cravings are temporary — Your hunger and craving for sugar will slowly dissipate as your body starts burning fat as its primary fuel. Once your body has successfully shifted into fat burning mode, it will be easier for you to fast for as long as 18 hours and still feel satiated.

It is not advisable to practice intermittent fasting if your daily diet is filled with processed foods — While intermittent fasting may sound like a panacea against ill health and excess weight, it alone may not provide you with all of these benefits. The quality of your diet plays an important role if you're looking for more than mere weight loss.

It's critical to avoid refined carbohydrates, sugar/fructose and grains. Focus your diet on vegetable carbohydrates, healthy protein in moderate amounts, and healthy fats such as butter, eggs, avocado, coconut oil, olive oil and raw nuts.

Considerations to Take Into Account Before Embarking on Longer Fasts One of the reasons I've reverted back to advising caution with water-only fasting is because multiday water fasting is very effective at liberating stored toxins from your fat, which can cause problems if your detoxification system isn't properly supported.

While I've done several five-day water-only fasts in the past, I've now switched to a partial fast that supplies many of the nutrients your body needs to support your detox pathways instead. It involves a base of intermittent fasting for 16 to 18 hours, and once or twice a week you have a 300- to 800-calorie meal loaded with detox supporting nutrients, followed by a 24-hour fast. So, in essence, you're then only eating one 300- to 800-calorie meal in 42 hours.

Using an infrared sauna and taking effective binders, like chlorella, modified citrus pectin, cilantro and even activated charcoal can help eliminate liberated toxins from your body and

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prevent their reabsorption.

Gradually easing into longer fasts will also help minimize most side effects associated with fasting, as will transitioning over to a highfat, low-carb diet, to help your body to adjust to using fat as a primary fuel.

The so-called "keto flu" is often related to sodium deficiency, so it's recommended to take a highquality unprocessed salt each day. This will also help reduce the likelihood of headaches and/or intractable muscle cramps at night. Another important mineral is magnesium. It's particularly important if you are diabetic, as magnesium deficiency is very common among Type 2 diabetics.

If you are taking medication, especially for your blood sugar, you have to make sure you talk to your doctor, because there's a risk your blood sugar may end up dipping too low. If you're taking insulin, and keep taking insulin while fasting, you could also get yourself into trouble.

If your doctor is adverse toward or unfamiliar with fasting, you'd be wise to find one that has some experience in this area so they can guide you on how to do this safely.

There are also several absolute contraindications to

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water-only fasting. If any of the following apply to you, you should not do extended types of fasting: • • •

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Underweight, defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 18.5 or less.

Malnourished (in which case you need to eat healthier, more nutritious food).

Children should not fast for longer than 24 hours, as they need nutrients for continued growth. If your child needs to lose weight, a far safer and more appropriate approach is to cut out refined sugars and grains. Fasting is risky for children as it cuts out ALL nutrients, including those they need a steady supply of.

Pregnant and/or breastfeeding women. The mother needs a steady supply of nutrients in order to assure the baby's healthy growth and development, so fasting during pregnancy or while breastfeeding is simply too risky for the child.

Take Control of Your Health With Intermittent Fasting Historically, generous amounts of food were not accessible throughout the entire year, let alone 24/7, and evidence shows you will radically increase your risk for chronic degenerative disease if you're keeping your body continuously fed. As noted in the paper "A Time to Fast," published in the November 2018 issue of Science:16 "Adjustment of meal size and frequency have emerged as powerful tools to ameliorate and postpone the onset of disease and delay aging, whereas periods of fasting, with or without energy intake, can have profound health benefits.

The underlying physiological processes involve periodic shifts of metabolic fuel sources, promotion of repair mechanisms, and the optimization of energy utilization for cellular and organismal health.

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Future research endeavors should be directed to the integration of a balanced nutritious diet with controlled meal size and patterns and periods of fasting to develop better strategies to prevent, postpone and treat the socioeconomical burden of chronic diseases associated with aging …

In general, both prolonged reduction in daily caloric intake and periodic fasting cycles have the power to delay the onset of disease and increase longevity.”

If you're new to the concept of intermittent fasting, consider starting by skipping breakfast; eat lunch and dinner within an eight-hour timeframe, and make sure you stop eating three hours before you go to sleep.

The latter is important, as it helps protect your mitochondrial function. Recent research17 shows men who eat supper at least two hours before bedtime have a 26 percent lower risk of prostate cancer, and women have a 16 percent lower risk of breast cancer than those who eat dinner closer to bedtime. For more details on why this is so, see "Eating Early Dinner Aids Weight Loss and Lowers Cancer Risk.”

When you do eat, focus on healthy protein in moderate amounts, minimize net carbs like pasta and bread, exchanging them for healthy fats like butter, eggs, avocado, coconut oil, olive oil and raw nuts.

This will help shift you into fat burning mode. Remember, it may take a few weeks, but once you succeed, you may be easily able to fast for 18 hours and not feel hungry, making it that much easier to achieve your ideal weight. Virtually every aspect of your health will also begin to improve.

Sources and References: 1 Nutrition and Healthy Aging June 15, 2018; 4(4): 345-353 2 Medical News Today June 20, 2018 3, 16 Science November 16, 2018; 362(6416): 770-775 4 Journals of Gerontology, Series A July 17, 2015 [Epub ahead of print] 5 Fight Aging September 2015 6 Journal of Applied Physiology July 28, 2005: 99(6); 2128-2136 7 Eurekalert, Study finds routine periodic fasting is good for your health, and your heart, April 3, 2011 8 IUMB Life 2017; 69.5 DOI: 10.1002/iub.1627 9 Cell Stem Cell June 5, 2014; 14(6): 810-823 10 American Journal of Cardiology 2008 Oct 1;102(7):814-819 11 American Journal of Cardiology 2012 Jun 1;109(11):1558-62 12 Cell February 23, 2017; 168(5): 775-788 13 Neurobiology of Disease April 2007; 26(1): 212-220 14 Aging Research Reviews August 2006; 5(3): 332-353 15 Washington Post December 31, 2012 17 Science Daily November 3, 2016

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By Dr Mercola Spices are a wonderful addition to foods and beverages because they can add just the right flair. Nutmeg, for instance, lends quiet warmth and complexity, in desserts like apple crisp and in vegetables like spinach, as in the savory Indian dish, saag paneer. And paprika lends mild sweetness to meat dishes and goulash.

But flavor is just one trait that makes spices such an integral part of cooking and eating. They can also be incredibly good for your health and help you reach your weight goals. One of the great things about adding spices of any kind to your meals is that the flavor can help you feel more satisfied, so you don't feel so deprived when you eat foods with fewer calories, says Jaclyn London, senior clinical dietician at Mount Sinai Hospital.1 London adds that in regard to spices, "The key is that all the ones we talk about for weight loss or maintenance have anti-inflammatory properties and a flavor profile that may help limit overall calorie intake." With that, here are several examples of spices to try in your quest to lose weight.

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Warming Spices to Narrow Your Waistline Cinnamon While cinnamon is delicious and warming, it also kicks in your metabolism. Studies also show it helps reduce blood glucose levels and improve insulin resistance for people with type 2 diabetes. In fact, in one study published in Diabetes Care concluded that it: "Reduced serum glucose [and] triglyceride ‌ levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Because [it] would not contribute to caloric intake, [people with] type 2 diabetes or elevated glucose [or] triglyceride ‌ levels may benefit from the regular inclusion of cinnamon in their daily diet."2 Nutritionist and author Marilyn Glenville, Ph.D., the former president of the Food and Health Forum at the UK Royal Society of Medicine, warns that people with bleeding disorders or anyone taking blood thinners such as warfarin or heparin should avoid cinnamon, as it contains the blood-thinning compound coumarin.3 Ginger There's a popular legend that Confucius ate ginger at every meal. One reason why may be explained in a study reported by the European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hematology, which explored the effects of ginger on "gastric motility," aka how quickly food moved through the colon instead of sticking around and causing problems.4 The study involved 11 patients, some of whom were given placebos, and concluded with the statement that ginger encouraged more antral contractions in comparison between the two, which conceivably promoted more rapid gastric emptying.5 It also boosts insulin sensitivity, which London explains is due to ginger's anti-inflammatory properties, reducing fatty acids and promoting weight stability.

Cardamom Referred to as the "queen of spices" in India and Nepal, cardamom is one of the most expensive spices but still a very popular ingredient in tea and coffee. It's related to cinnamon and is shown in studies to help lower blood glucose levels and regulate your insulin, as well as optimize your cholesterol levels.6 Studies say this little-known spice, a thermogenic herb, has dozens of other valuable health benefits and uses, besides being antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory, which can sooth your gastrointestinal system and enhance your metabolic function.7 Cardamom is regarded as a diuretic in Ayurvedic tradition. One study also compared it favorably with8 commercial products designed to relieve weight retention, colic, diarrhea and constipation.9 It's also been noted for balancing gut flora to optimize digestion.10

Spicy Foods Offer Much More Than Heat Chili powder You've heard the term "active ingredient." Well, the active ingredient in chili powder is capsaicin.

London calls chili powder a "triple threat" because as it boosts your energy, it can help you eat slower.

Additionally, a sprinkle of chili powder on your food may inspire you to eat more healthy plantbased offerings rather than an extra helping of bread or rice. All three advantages relate to

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eating less, which may be what you're hoping for. Capsaicin also stimulates brown fat, a type of fat that generates heat by helping you burn calories, which is why it's being explored as a tool for weight loss, healthy metabolism and more.11 Black pepper Recent animal studies note that piperine's ability to inhibit new fat cells from forming, known as adipogenesis, helps reduce waist size and body fat and optimizes cholesterol levels.12 With similar effects to capsaicin, Europeans have used black pepper for thousands of years in traditional medicine to treat inflammation and digestive problems. Its effectiveness is due in part to a compound known as piperine. Daily Mail notes: "Piperine has similar effects to capsaicin in chilies and is what gives black pepper its heat. It's the heat which helps prevent the formation of new fat cells, especially if you decide to indulge in a mouth-searing meal featuring pepper and chili."13 Cumin Known for jazzing up Southwestern fare, cumin is also capable of suppressing your appetite and keeping fat cells from showing up again after weight loss.

Ginseng Ginseng, particularly the Siberian variety, is known for speeding up your metabolism and giving you a "second wind" of energy, which may be why tea with ginseng has been a "thing" all over Asia and Europe for centuries. Siberian ginseng is known as an adaptogen, which Daily Mail

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describes as something that "works according to what your body needs." Glenville says it provides energy when required, and helps combat stress and fatigue when you are under pressure.14 Cayenne pepper Cayenne pepper is noted for a phenomenon known as thermogenesis, which consumes oxygen in your body and can result in weight loss. It contains capsaicin, which gives it its heat, but also promotes fat oxidation15 and increases fat burning by as much as 16 percent.

Capsaicin has been shown to have potential for promoting metabolic and vascular health.

Further, the same study shows it has "favorable effects" on atherosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver, cardiac hypertrophy and stroke risk.16 But while spice is good, Eat This observes there's such a thing as too much: "Too much spicy food can send you to Toilet Town, but a little hit of capsaicin, the compound that gives chili pepper its powerful kick, has proven to reduce belly fat, suppress appetite and boost thermogenesis."17

Spices Further Your Weight Loss Goals in Surprising Ways Garlic powder Practically speaking, one reason garlic powder can help you lose weight is because its strong flavor may make you take smaller bites and also eat slower, which may prevent you from eating too much. Studies also indicate that when you eat garlic, your body temperature can increase, a sure sign of a revved up metabolism. Spry Living says: "Garlic is thermogenic. It makes your body generate heat, which burns calories [and] revs up an enzyme called AMP-activated protein kinase that regulates metabolism. This enzyme targets many areas of the body, including muscles and a form of fat called brown fat, which produces heat and burns off calories."18

Photo by Mareefe from Pexels

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Turmeric Practically a prerequisite for any kind of Indian curry, turmeric is a huge star in the constellation of beneficial spices. London notes that when it comes to weight loss, turmeric can differentiate fat cells by halting their formation and ability to reduce in size.19 Detailing why this is important, Glenville notes: "Its active ingredient is curcumin and although the research has not shown that curcumin can actually help with weight loss, it is thought to stop the regrowth of fat after someone has lost weight. This could be helpful as many people end up putting back the weight they have lost after a diet."20 Turmeric also helps reduce inflammation, which can be a significant contributor to obesity and the inability to lose weight. One study notes: "Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric. Evidence suggests curcumin may regulate lipid metabolism, which plays a central role in the development of obesity and its complications. The present review addresses the evidence and mechanisms by which curcumin may play a role in downregulating obesity and reducing the impact of associated problems."21

Mustard seed It's probably no surprise that the compound in mustard seed that's responsible for burning fat and enhancing your metabolism is, once again, capsaicin. Glenville explains: "Mustard is part of the cruciferous family of vegetables which are thought to have many health benefits. Other cruciferous vegetables include cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels sprouts. If you are buying ready-made mustard make sure that it does not contain sugar as this is going to be counter-productive for your weight."22 Another study at Oxford Polytechnic University in England found that 1 teaspoon of mustard seed can elevate your metabolism by 25 percent, a benefit that persists for several hours after consumption. This may be due to the phytochemical allyl isothiocyanates, which also deliver the flavor.23 Be careful, though: when mustard is neon yellow or loaded with sugar, health benefits go out the window.

How Diet 'Tricks' Can Masquerade as Lasting Weight Loss Nutritionist Monica Reinagel explored a new diet designed to help people lose weight by "flushing impurities from your body and super-charging your metabolism."24 The secret of these weight loss benefits were said to be spices like coriander, cumin, pepper, cinnamon and black pepper.

While noting the anti-inflammatory and blood thinning ability of turmeric, garlic and ginger, and that cinnamon can stabilize blood sugar, Reinagel asserted that losing 7 to 12 pounds the first week is often more about losing water rather than fat, a trajectory that can't be sustained longer than a few weeks.

Limiting your intake of net carbs (total carbs minus fiber) to under 40 to 50 grams per day and replacing them with healthy fats is necessary for lasting weight loss, as this will transition your

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body into primarily burning fat for fuel. Unless you continue limiting your net carbs going forward, the downward momentum generally dwindles, as does your metabolism. Further, unless exercise is a priority, muscle tissue may also begin to diminish, lowering your metabolism even more.

Regardless of how quickly weight is shed, if the same old eating habits climb back in the saddle, lost pounds are notorious for returning, and then some.

Ways to Keep Weight Off Once You've Lost It The biggest hurdle people face when they double down on a diet plan that's drastically different from what future habits can sustain is that, too often, the weight comes right back. Here are some ways to help you lose weight and also keep it off once you've reached your goal: •

Intermittent fasting helps reset your body to burn fat for fuel and helps optimize insulin sensitivity and mitochondrial health and energy production. It involves cutting calories in whole or in part, either a couple of days a week, every other day or even daily.

For instance, you may restrict your eating to a window of six to eight hours, choosing between having breakfast and lunch, or lunch and dinner, but avoid having both breakfast and dinner. It's one of the most effective interventions for normalizing your weight.

•

The amount of fiber in your diet is crucial for weight loss, as it is for general health. Eat foods known for keeping food moving smoothly through your colon, such as veggies, nuts and seeds such as chia.

•

Vitamin D, or lack thereof, derived to some extent from foods you eat and primarily via the sunshine you bask in on any given day, can have an impact on your ability to lose and maintain weight. One study25 showed that for more than 4,600 women 65 years old and older, low vitamin D levels contributed to mild weight gain.26

•

Reversing insulin/leptin resistance plays a key role in preventing obesity, metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes and inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.

Trading refined sugar and processed fructose for healthy fats will help optimize your insulin and leptin levels. For more detailed dietary guidance, please see my nutrition plan.

•

Exercise is extremely important in the quest for weight loss, as well as shoring up sagging muscles and keeping them firm and strong. Exercise also benefits your glucose, insulin and leptin levels by optimizing insulin/leptin receptor sensitivity, subsequently helping to prevent chronic disease.

7 Endocrine Society April 3, 2016 8, 9

Quick and Dirty Tips November 8, 2016 Daily Mail June 2, 2015 Women’s Health July 21, 2014 Daily Health Post May 6, 2013 Eat This 2017 1 Women’s Health July 21, 2014 2 Diabetes Care 2003 December;26(12):3215-3218 3, 12, 14, 20, 22 Daily Mail June 2, 2015 4 Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2008 May;20(5):436-40 5 World J Gastroenterol. 2011 January; 17(1):105-110 6 Journal of Medicinal Food December 27, 2005

J Ethnopharmacol 2008 February 12; 115(3):463-72 Indian J Pharm Sci. 2010 September; 72(5):657-9 11 Open Heart. 2015 Jun 17;2(1):e000262.

13, 17, 23 Eat This 2017 15 PLoS One. 2013;8(7):e67786 16 Open Heart. 2015;2(1):e000262 18 Spry Living January 11, 2012 19 Annu Rev Nutr. 2010 August 21;30:173-199 21 Nutr Rev. 2010 December; 68(12):729-38 24 Quick and Dirty Tips November 8, 2016 25 Medicine Net June 25, 2012 26 J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2012 Oct;21(10):1066-73.

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THE NUMEROUS GIFTS OF THE KENDO JOURNEY:

4 Pranayama Benefits (Anxiety and More), Plus How to Practice It

By Jillian Levy, CHHC,, courtesy of www.draxe.com If you’ve ever taken a yoga or meditation class, you may have heard of the ancient technique called pranayama. What is pranayama breathing and its benefits?

In Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language in which many Hindu scriptures and classical Indian epic poems are written, prana means energy while, yama means control. In Ayurvedic medicine, a natural healing practice that has been in existence for at least 5,000 years, pranayama breathing is one tool for promoting physical and mental health — along with other practices like meditation, yoga, herbal treatments and repeating inspirational mantras.

In yoga and meditation, the breath is considered the major flow of life-force that both energizes and relaxes the body. According to the Yoga Sutras, a collection of Indian stories on the theory and practice of yoga that is thousands of years old, pranayama (breath work) is one way to advance towards spiritual enlightenment.

Much more recently, studies tell us that breath control has many of the same benefits that are associated with meditation, including relieving anxiety, increasing energy, improving focus and fighting insomnia, just to name a few.

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What Is Pranayama?

Pranayama is the ancient Sanskrit term that describes the regulation of the breath through certain techniques and exercises.

Other ways that people refer to pranayama are as “yoga breathing” or sometimes “meditation breathing.”

focus your attention mostly on the body (such as the belly, chest or nostrils) as it breaths, on the timing of the inhalation and exhalation (for example, if you’re trying to breath rapidly or slowly), or on the number of counts in each inflow and outflow.

Pranayama consists of four stages:

What does pranayama mean? While most people relate pranayama with control of the breath, the word pranayama can also be divided into prana and ayama, where yama means to ‘restrain’ or ‘control’, but ayama means the opposite: to not do that. In this way, pranayama can be thought of as both a controlling and freeing practice that helps improve one’s energy and well-being.

Breath control and awareness — including through pranayama, yoga and meditation— is said to positively affect energetic nerve channels that run along the spine.The idea behind pranayama is that by controlling the breath, we can move past emotional blocks that hinder the flow of our prana, or our life energy. According to the Ananda Yoga Encyclopedia, “through pranayama techniques a person can redirect energy through the deep spine … there are various ways of controlling breathing, with the goal being to withdraw one’s senses from the outside world. ”

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What are the different types of pranayama?

While there are dozen of different variations in existence, some of the main pranayama types include: •

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• Pranayama is a mind-body practice that is all about controlling the speed and depth of breath. Because breath control helps with both the rhythm/flow of performing yoga poses, and also relaxes the mind for meditation, pranayama is considered to be an integral part of yoga.

•

Pranayama Types There are many different forms of pranayama breathing, some which focus more on inhalation, on exhalation, or on moments of stillness between breath. Depending on the type of pranayama you practice, you may

Inhalation The mindful pause after inhalation Exhalation The mindful pause after exhalation

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Ujjayi pranayama, which is a common type of breathing technique to practice during yoga classes. Ujjayi is translated as “victorious” breathing, according to Yoga Journal. It involves taking long, smooth breaths that are both energizing and relaxing.

Alternate nostril breathing (also called Nadi Shodhana or Anuloma – Viloma), which is a calming, balancing breath practice.

Basic Abdominal breathing (see below for instructions on how to do this).

“Shining skull cleansing breath” (also called Kapalabhati breathing), which is a stimulating, energizing technique.

“Cooling breath” (also called Sitali Pranayama), which is used to quiet the mind and calm the body. It is said to “add moisture to the system” and to soothe a Pitta dosha imbalance. Performing this technique involves curling the sides of your tongue and breathing in through your mouth.

Kriya yoga breathing, in which you sit in a relaxed position with your hands on your hips, breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, then breath for 4 seconds.

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•

•

“Humming Bee Breath” (Bhramari), in which you inhale slowly and deeply through the nose and on exhalation make the sound of ‘m’. This is a smooth, even and controlled breath in which the exhalation is longer than the inhalation, making it beneficial for dealing with tension, anxiety, anger and stress.

“Bellow’s Breath” (Bhastrika), in which you take deep breaths in and breathe out forcefully and quickly through the nose. As you inhale your abdomen moves outward as your diaphragm descends. This technique is used to warm the body, clear the nasal passageways and improve circulation.

4 Pranayama Benefits 1. Serves As a Form of Meditation Pranayama breathing can prepare the mind for deep meditation because it enhances physical awareness, calms the body, and enforces introspection. Steady, slow, focused breathing is said to help quiet a restless mind and to draw attention inwards, which prevents overstimulation.

2. Helps Relieve Anxiety Through Deep Breathing Happy breathing is described as being rhythmic, while stressed breathing is irregular and interrupted. Pranayama techniques can help to strengthen the whole range of the respiratory organs and to deepen/lengthen the breath. Deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system which has natural calming effects. Slow, deep breathing is one way to counter overstimulation, turn off the “fight or flight response,” and handle stress more effectively.

Studies have found that breathing techniques (that can be considered pranayama) can help with the physical and mental symptoms of stress, including anxiety and depression. Breath control practices are now being included in “mindfulness-based psychotherapy” and yoga interventions — referred to as Integrative Breathwork Therapy (IBT) — that studies suggest offers support for those seeking treatment for anxiety and depression.

According to research published in the International Journal of Preventive Medicine, yoga and pranayama together are a proven and effective method for improving health, helping to prevent and manage disease, reducing stress and anxiety, and improving autonomic functions by triggering neurohormonal mechanisms by the suppression of sympathetic activity. Evidence also supports the belief that breathing and yoga techniques can improve health through downregulation of the hypothalamo pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic nervous system.

3. Improves Your Mood (Boosting Happiness, Excitement, etc.)

Certain pranayama techniques we can help to alter your physical and emotional state, for example by helping you calm down if you’re feeling angry or nervous, or by getting you more focused, present and excited. The emotions that different pranayama techniques amplify depends on how you change the depth, rate and pattern of your breathing.

Research shows that combining breathing techniques and yoga can help to reduce depressive symptoms in people with major depressive disorder (MDD). For example, a 2017 study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine found that three months of yoga and coherent breathing significantly reduced depressive symptoms in individuals who’d been diagnosed with MDD.

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4. Supports Cardiovascular Health Because pranayama is useful for dealing with the effects of stress, such as by normalizing blood pressure levels/reducing hypertension, studies have shown that slow pranayama practice is beneficial for cardiovascular functions. Both fast and slow pranayama practices have been found to produce different physiological responses; slow, deep breathing seems to be most beneficial for heart health and improving perceived stress.

One study carried out by the Departments of Physiology and Advanced Centre for Yoga Therapy Education and Research found that when participants underwent slow pranayama training for 30 min, three times a week for the duration of 12 weeks they experienced significant improvements in perceived stress, heart rate, respiratory rate, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure.

Studies also show that yoga and pranayama together can decrease levels of salivary cortisol and blood glucose, offering protection against metabolic conditions including insulin resistence/type 2 diabetes.

How to Practice Pranayama What type of pranayama techniques are best for beginners? Practicing ujjayi pranayam and alternate nostril breathing is a great place to start. Before beginning these pranayamas, it helps to practice “Basic Abdominal Breathing.” This type of breathing moves the belly, but not the chest. If the chest is moving then this is a sign that you are taking shallow breaths, without using your diaphragm.

Place one hand on your belly and the other on your chest. Inhale deeply, using the diaphragm, which will mean that as you inhale your diaphragm will move downward, pushing your abdomen (belly) down and out. When you exhale your diaphragm will move upward and your abdomen/belly will deflate like a balloon.

Here’s how to do Ujjayi pranayama if you’re new to breath control: • • • •

The key to Ujjayi breathing is relaxation, focus and lengthening the breath.

Ujjayi works by gently constricting the opening of the throat as you breath through the nostrils and avoid mouth breathing, which creates a sound as you breath that is similar to ocean waves.

Gently pull the breath in on inhalations and gently push the breath out on exhalations, with little pause in between. Try matching the length of your inhales and exhales.

It may be easiest to start working on Ujjayi breathing while seated, relaxed in a cross-legged position, before moving on to practicing while doing yoga poses (also called asanas). The goal is to work towards maintaining your quality of breath and focus on the breath throughout your yoga practice.

Here’s how to do alternate nostril breathing (Nadi shodhana): •

Sitting comfortably with a straight spine and the crown of your head lifted, bring your right hand towards you nose and use your right thumb to softly close the right nostril.

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•

• • •

Inhale slowly through your left nostril, then close it with your ring finger. Pause for several seconds as you hold your breath.

Open your right nostril and exhale slowly. Keep your left nostril covered so you only breath out fully through the right.

With the right nostril open, inhale slowly, then close it with the thumb. Pause again.

Exhale through the left nostril. Continue this cycle, pausing between inhales and exhales before switching sides. Repeat this pattern five to ten times or more.

How long should you do pranayama breathing for?

Start with about three to five minutes and gradually build up to 10–20 minutes or more, ideally most days of the week to build a steady habit. If you take a yoga class, you may be practicing pranayama for upwards of 60 to 75 minutes, although you might find it difficult to stay concentrated on the breath this whole time.

Which is the best time to do pranayama?

There is no wrong time; any time that you find pranayama helpful, whether it’s to help you start your day with a clear head, to calm you down when you’re feeling stressed, or to help you fall asleep at night, is a good time.

Pranayama Precautions While pranayama is generally very safe, certain techniques might cause you to feel overheated or dizzy, such as those that require fast belly breaths and strong exhales, especially while doing yoga. If you begin to not feel well while practicing, lay down comfortably and return to your normal breath for several minutes.

Photo by theformfitness from Pexels

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*2018-2019 COMPASSIONATE NO ANIMAL-TESTING PRODUCT GUIDE*

2018-2019

COMPASSIONATE NO ANIMAL-TESTING

PRODUCT GUIDE South Africa

Intro edition

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How to Use Baking Soda to Make Homemade Shampoo, Toothpaste & More!

Did you know that Baking soda could be used for other purposes other than baking?

Well, scientists have long known its health and healing benefits. In fact, there are some great ways to use baking soda at home with hair treatment and personal care being some good examples. The beauty is that it is cheap to acquire and when used, it takes a shorter time to achieve the desired results.

Using baking soda as hair shampoo.

It can be used to improve hair quality. You can use it to clean hair instead of shampoo or conditioner. As a matter of fact, after a couple of treatments, the hair will shine! Furthermore, baking soda prevents the use of harmful chemicals on hair that can damage it. It can prove to be hard to wash hair without the shampoo foam at first but with a little patience the final results will be good.

Recipe and instructions  Mix one part of baking soda with three parts of water in a small squeeze bottleThis is good for shoulder length hair.  Apply the mixture of homemade shampoo to your hair when it is either dry or wet.

Leave for 2-3 minutes, and then rinse it well with warm water since it removes all the remains.  After rinsing the hair well, you can apply vinegar.  Mix 1 part of Apple Cider Vinegar with 4 parts of water  Just in case you don’t fancy the smell of vinegar you can add lavender or peppermint to the mixture. Tilt the head back to avoid chances of vinegar dripping into your eyes.

Personal care  You can make your own toothpaste out of it, which is an alternative to fluoride-based toothpaste. By putting one teaspoonful in a half full of water and gargling, any bad mouth odor will be neutralized.  Soaking oral appliances in baking soda loosens food particles and neutralizes odors that keep appliances fresh. Warm water should be used and use baking soda to brush appliances clean.  For body cleaning use it on your underarms. Do an invigorating body and facial scrub. Use daily to exfoliate skin.  It can relieve heartburn, sour stomach and indigestion and itchy skin-just rub baking soda solution the affected part and all will be well.

Baking soda is the cheapest alternative to other chemicals and the good thing is that it works pretty well!

By Egline J.

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Top 5 Turmeric Benefits for Dogs

By Annie Price, CHHC of www.draxe.com Have you ever thought about what you can do naturally to boost your dog’s health? Something you may want to strongly consider is turmeric for dogs. Is turmeric good for dogs? Generally speaking, it can be very good for dogs. Turmeric benefits are extremely impressive for humans so it’s not really that surprising that this golden-colored root could also be quite magical for pets as well.

In general, the active component of turmeric known as curcumin displays powerful antiinflammatory, antioxidant and chemopreventive abilities. If you’re wondering, can I give my dog turmeric for pain? Yes, pain is actually one of the top reasons why pet owners supplement with turmeric. It’s not hard at all to incorporate it into your dog’s diet. You can mix a turmeric paste for dogs into their food, give it to them in homemade turmeric dog treats, or buy pre-made treats or supplements.

In general, the active component of turmeric known as curcumin displays powerful antiinflammatory, antioxidant and chemopreventive abilities. If you’re wondering, can I give my dog turmeric for pain? Yes, pain is actually one of the top reasons why pet owners supplement with turmeric. It’s not hard at all to incorporate it into your dog’s diet. You can mix a turmeric paste for dogs into their food, give it to them in homemade turmeric dog treats, or buy pre-made treats or supplements.

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Is turmeric safe for dogs? It is generally considered safe for dogs in small amounts. You may even find it as an ingredient in your dog’s current food, but it’s likely only used to enhance color and flavor so there is not enough to provide any medicinal effects. This is why you may want to consider supplementing your dog’s diet with this incredible health-promoting spice.

Wondering how much turmeric is safe to give my dog? Get ready to learn dosage recommendations and much more!

Top 5 Turmeric Benefits for Dogs What does turmeric cure? It can help naturally treat and improve a wide arrange of health concerns, especially ones related to inflammation. Turmeric benefits for dogs include: 1. Turmeric for Dogs With Cancer Holistic vets often recommend using turmeric as a form of natural cancer treatment for dogs.

According to Dogs Naturally Magazine, half of adult dogs today will get cancer, and turmeric is “a great way to protect your dog from inflammation and cancer.” The main active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin, which research studies have shown can kill cancer cells and prevent more from growing.

2. Turmeric for Dogs Arthritis You can also try using turmeric for arthritis in dogs. As with human arthritis, dog arthritis is a chronic condition with inflammation at its root. As a potent anti-inflammatory agent, turmeric is a top natural remedy for arthritis to consider. A study published in 2014 looked at the effects of turmeric on human osteoarthritis patients. The study results reveal that supplementing with turmeric extract was just as effective as ibuprofen but with less unwanted gastrointestinal effects.

3. Turmeric for Dogs Cysts Later in this article, there is a recipe for turmeric paste for internal use, but you can also use turmeric paste for dog cysts topically. Check with your vet first, but internal and/or external use of turmeric may likely help reduce the inflammation associated with a cysts. It’s also a great natural antiseptic. Dogs can experience sebaceous cysts, which are small, slow-growing, noncancerous bumps beneath the skin. A mix of turmeric powder, coconut oil and witch hazel can be applied topically to naturally treat sebaceous cysts.

4. Turmeric for Dog Wounds You can apply turmeric paste topically for minor wounds like cuts and scrapes. Turmeric has antimicrobial properties so it can help kill bacteria and disinfect a wound. It’s also great for reducing inflammation. Research shows that turmeric’s active component, curcumin, is a natural analgesic, so applying it topically can help decrease pain too. Just beware that turmeric’s vibrant coloring can stain your dog’s coat/skin with a yellowish tint temporarily.

5. Turmeric for Dogs UTI In dogs, urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the result of an invasion of bacteria. They can occur in the lower urinary tract (below the bladder), in the bladder or above the bladder (in the kidneys).

Some pet owners are concerned about antibiotic resistance for themselves as well as their four-

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legged friends and are looking for natural remedies for canine UTIs. Turmeric’s combined abilities to kill bacteria, lower inflammation and reduce pain make it one of several options dog owners often consider as a natural UTI remedy.

Turmeric for Dogs Dosage Whether you choose turmeric capsules for dogs or some other form of this incredible natural remedy, you’re probably wondering, how much turmeric can I give my dog?

Dr. Karen Becker recommends that small to medium-sized dogs take 250 milligrams twice a day, while large to giant breeds should be given 500 milligrams two to three times a day. She suggests that cats can take about 100 milligrams twice a day.

According to Dogs Naturally Magazine, “The recommended dose for dogs is 15mg–20mg per pound of body weight per day, or more simply put, 1/8 to 1/4 tsp per day for every 10lbs in weight.”

The proper turmeric dosage for dogs definitely varies by size and health status. Make sure to discuss the use of turmeric, including ideal dosage, with your veterinarian. Typically, you should increase turmeric doses for dogs gradually to be on the safe side, and make sure to purchase high-quality, organic turmeric products for your pet.

Turmeric Recipes for Dogs It’s important to note that just like with human consumption, a dog’s body absorbs and utilizes turmeric best when it’s mixed with a healthy fat and black pepper. This is why it’s not uncommon to see a turmeric recipe for dogs that includes coconut oil or another good fat source.

You can use turmeric powder for dogs (or a pure turmeric powder for humans can be used

too) in any of the following recipes: Turmeric Golden Paste for Dogs Recipe Turmeric Gravy Recipe Turmeric Oil Recipe If you would prefer a turmeric supplement for dogs, look for one that is high-quality and ideally organic. You can also buy turmeric chews for dogs that are pre-made.

Precautions Is turmeric safe for dogs? It can be as long as you know how much turmeric for dogs is safe vs. too much. Too much turmeric may cause unwanted side effects.

What are the side effects of turmeric?

Possible unwanted side effectsinclude upset stomach, nausea, gallbladder issues, dizziness, bruising and iron deficiency. However, these are not common side effects when dogs (or humans) take turmeric in appropriate amounts. Side effects are more likely when turmeric is taken in excess.

Using turmeric topically can result in yellow staining of clothes,Photo skin and hair so use with

by Alice Castro from Pexels caution.

Is turmeric bad for dogs in certain situations?

Just like with humans, it’s very important that you speak with your vet before giving your pet turmeric if it has had liver issues or other ongoing health problems — or is currently talking other medications/supplements to ensure there will be no unwanted interactions.

In addition, turmeric is considered to be a warming spice so if your canine is frequently hot or overheats easily, turmeric may not be an ideal choice.

If you’re considering turmeric for your dog, talk with your veterinarian about an ideal dosage and any recommendations he or she may have for the best turmeric supplement for dogs.

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Dear Reader, Because of animal lovers like you, Humane Society International is working around the clock to fight the gruesome dog meat industry – to end it for good.

We’ve slammed the doors permanently on nine dog meat farms in South Korea and rescued more than 900 dogs. Not only that, but we’re lobbying hard for better laws throughout Asia to fight the cruelty, transition farmers out of the business of cruelty, and so much more.

Here is one transformation that we can't stop smiling about. Sophie was rescued just this year from a horrible life on a dog meat farm. Now, she is running free and playing in the grass, surrounded by the love of her forever family:

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This kind of ending never gets old, but so many other dogs still need you.

You can make a difference for dogs caught up in this brutal industry: Sign the dog meat pledge today.

With you by our side, we're committed to this huge fight against the dog meat trade. We’re closing farms and rescuing the animals; we’re raising public and political awareness of the cruelty involved; and we’re growing substantial support for a phase out and ban of South Korea’s dog meat farms. Become a part of the global campaign to end the dog meat trade—sign your name right now.

Thank you, for protecting animals from cruelty all across the globe.

Sincerely, Kitty Block President Humane Society International

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Welcome To The Angel Connection School of Africa The Angel Connection School of Africa, established as a non-profit organisation, for the highest good of all, will incorporate all forms of Spirituality continuing with the basic teachings of Angels, Ascension, Atlantis etc. which we all know to be Universal.

The teachings of various modalities will however, be enhanced by adding the specific requirements of our culture and ethnicity, whilst retaining flexibility.

The mission statement of the school is:“To Light up Africa so that Africa can Light up the World”

A Letter From The School Principal – Margi McAlpine

Angel Connection Day

Meditations

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The Buddhist Retreat Centre, where people of all religions, and none, come to experience peace and tranquility.

How to Retreat The Buddhist Retreat Centre offers various types of retreats, ranging from those investigating Buddhist thought and philosophy, through to practice retreats where the emphasis is on meditation; as well as retreats featuring bird watching, cookery, drumming, pottery and photography. At first glance the latter might appear to be unrelated to Buddhism but even these retreats will contain some element of meditation, of mindful awareness, refracting the chosen subject matter through a Buddhist lens.

People from all walks of life come to these retreats with a variety of motivations and expectations. Perhaps they want to deepen their meditation practice, to take some time out from a hectic working life; to reflect on a tense domestic situation; to consider the trajectory of their lives; to make a decision about a way forward. Maybe they just want to learn how to take a good photograph. Each person will have a different reason for going on a retreat. Different paths will have led them to this place.

We all need to make an appointment with ourselves from time to time. To re-connect with who we are; to maintain balance; to recharge exhausted batteries. To make time to go on a retreat is a necessary and healthy step for anyone.

General Information The Centre has been established on an exquisite 125-hectare country estate near the village of Ixopo, KwaZuluNatal 90 kilometers south of Pietermaritzburg, one and a half hours’ drive from Durban.

Set in hilly grasslands amongst dams, indigenous bush and forests, it overlooks one of the great valleys in the Umkomaas river system. CNN featured the BRC as one of the ten finest retreat centres in the world. It was awarded Natural Heritage status by President Nelson Mandela in recognition of its success in establishing indigenous vegetation on the property and providing habitats for wildlife to return, including the endangered Blue Swallow. It is a birder’s paradise with more 160 species recorded.

Walks lead to many interesting sites and viewpoints on the property, including evidence that Bushman lived there and Voortrekkers and Settlers passed through. In 2000, the BRC facilitated the founding of Woza Moya, the community-based NGO, located in Ufafa valley. It continues to support the organisation in a variety of ways.

MAR-APR 2017

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Accommodation Fifty retreatants can be accommodated in single and twin-bedded rooms, en-suite cottages and thatched chalets overlooking the secluded valleys on the property – a short distance away from the dining room, office, library, studio and meditation hall.

The Centre is justly famous for its fine lacto-ovo vegetarian cuisine which is featured in its own bestselling recipe books, Quiet Food, The Cake the Buddha Ate and Plentiful: The Big Book Of Buddha Food. The BRC menu includes organically grown vegetables and farm-baked bread.

Observances The Retreat Centre offers a tranquil environment for the study and practice of philosophy, psychology, meditation and the arts associated with Buddhist culture. The Centre therefore encourages adherence to traditional Buddhist moral principles during retreats, such as respect for all forms of life and abstinence from alcoholic drinks and hallucinogenic drugs. Noble Silence is maintained from the last meditation at night until the first session after breakfast in the morning.

During some retreats, Noble Silence is maintained throughout. Pets are not allowed at the Centre. Only some retreats are suitable for children: please check with the Administrator.

Forthcoming Retreats: For full details of each retreat please go to the website page: http://www.brcixopo.co.za/retreats/detailed-list-ofretreats.html

Email: brcixopo@futurenet.co.za Tel: +27(0)39 834 1863 or 0878091687 Mobile: 082 579 3037 www.brcixopo.co.za

MAR-APR 2017

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Reconnect with Spirit

Rediscover your Life Force Restore Balance

PSYCHIC MEDIUM As a Psychic Medium, I am able to connect with spirit guides, where I receive messages about a clients past, present and future. These messages may be beneficial to help bring clarity

on their lives and where be leading.

Many of the messages have received for my have been healing on levels.

it may that I clients many

REIKI A quantity that is almost impossible to define! Energy can never be created or destroyed, only converted from one form to another. Among the familiar forms are heat energy, energy of motion, electrical energy, and sound energy.

Reiki is a form of energy healing. This form of healing helps to maintain balance within, mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Reiki is a form or spiritual or energy healing. It helps open up and remove blockages

within the system. Each system within our bodies is intimately connected to the seven major charkas.

Reiki will help remove these blockages and restore balance.

Contact Damian Wood Email: damian@woodswellness.co.za Mobile: 082 863 8842 www.woodswellness.co.za Conscious Life Magazine

FIND & BOOK ECO-FRIENDLY ACCOMMODATION IN SOUTH AFRICA lovetostay.co.za is your green heart guide to eco-friendly accommodation throughout beautiful South Africa. We partner with all kinds of accommodation establishments that operate in an eco-friendly, sustainable and responsible way. So whether you opt for a luxury boutique hotel or rustic tree house, you can feel good knowing your holiday supports a place that serves the environment and community in a positive way. To help you make these good choices, we are committed to growing a wonderful selection of urban and country, luxury and rustic green accommodation options where you will love to stay!

Search for your next green getaway on www.lovetostay.co.za by location or type; the Check Availability & Book Online green button will enable you to check real-time availability, make a booking & secure online payment through the Nightsbridge booking system at no extra charge.

WHAT IS ECO-FRIENDLY ACCOMMODATION? Eco-friendly accommodation is defined as a lodging establishment with structural features that minimize the impact and footprint on the environment; as well as well as those that follow green living, sustainability and eco-friendly practices.

WHAT ARE GREEN HEARTS? Look out for the Green Hearts Seal of each establishment. We are proud to showcase all of our members and love to highlight their specific efforts to protect and conserve the environment. Seals display between 1-5 Green Hearts as awarded to them for their positive Green Acts. Here`s more info!

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The Beautiful Hopi Indian Labyrinth at Thirsty Falls Guest Farm

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The Antbear Drakensberg Lodge is a thatched, whitewashed lodge built high on a natural platform overlooking the Bushman's River and Giants Castle.

Antbear Drakensberg Lodge offers various Drakensberg accommodation options in en suite double rooms, luxury suites, family units and also boasts a luxury cave too.

Antbear Drakensberg Lodge is one of those smaller intimate kind places which has been lovingly put together. The natural setting of the accommodation is stunning and we have managed to encase all this beauty with an atmosphere of comfort and ease.

The cottages are smartly appointed and individually designed and the fact that we are a small place makes for an intimate and personal accommodation experience. Each of the accommodation units are different and are decorated with uniquely eccentric and artistic wooden furniture.

It is a bit off the beaten track and is more of an insider tip than just another bed and breakfast. We cater for small intimate groups and never have more than 45 guests at a time. It's a laid back, lovingly cared for kind of place where you feel a sense of happiness and peace. Honeymoon stays turn into anniversary commemorations just as guests become friends. Even foreign tourists return for a second and third taste.

Attractions Drakensburg Hiking Trails Bushman Rock Art Giant’s Castle Kamberg Weenen Game Reserve Royal Natal National Park Drakensburg Boys Choir

Horse Trails Injasuti Nature Reserve Monks Cowl Natal Midlands Tugela Falls Sani Pass Fly Fishing

Retreats The Antbear Drakensberg Lodge is the ideal retreat venue where we can provide all the services and accommodation for your retreat. Situated 4 hours from Johannesburg and 2 hours from Durban with easy access from the N3 Antbear Lodge is easy to get to but has the feeling of being far from the madding crowd. This wonderful place for group retreats offers spectacular views, vast spaces, wild winds, rain, sunshine, clouds and rainbows and in all of this – silence and peace.

Retreat groups can book the whole lodge for their exclusive use.

The Lodge can accommodate 44 persons in 15 separate accommodation units Antbear Drakensberg Lodge has a spacious dining room with a wood-burning fireplace, a comfortable lounge with a fireplace and spectacular views, a breakaway meeting room, a large veranda and a large meeting room for retreat, team building or training activities. We provide excellent meals and will fit our menu to your expectations.

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Because food is an important part of your stay Meals are part of the real surprises that the Antbear Lodge has to offer where home grown cooking is part of the deal. We like to use our own home grown organic vegetables and if we haven’t got, then we lean heavily on those local providers with similar attitudes to our own. Conny and Andrew both like cooking and are up to changing just about anything to suit tastes or philosophies. Our cooking experience is in part a journal, a record of events and memories expressed in recipes. In the course of our travels we have filed away many recipes and with them images of people and places and their lives. How food tastes has much to do with the associations we make and if you would like to hear the tales of our meals we would love to tell them.

Sustainable & responsible tourism is our social responsibility and what we do to give something back to our community and environment We believe in sustainable tourism and social responsibility. We live is a spectacularly beautiful place called the Drakensberg and our standard of living here is exceptional.

But around us lie contrasts of poverty and lack of development. If we are to keep our way of life then it surely follows that we must do everything in our power to contribute to the upliftment and prosperity of this rural area. We believe that the future of South Africa is linked to the prosperity of the people, and that upliftment is linked to education. And as such we have chosen to support our local primary school called Vulakani Primary School.

Pet friendly accommodation Drakensberg One of the few pet-friendly places in the Drakensberg. Beautiful, vast views of the Drakensberg with plenty of ground for my dogs to roam. Walk for hours.

Your dogs will be happy with lots of dams to swim in and horses to discover. One of the accommodation units at Antbear Lodge is fenced in so its really easy to leave your dog behind if you would like to explore some of the sights where pets are not that welcome. If country life is for you and you would love to take your pet with you then Antbear Lodge is a great accommodation choice. Your hosts will advise you on all the activities available. Antbear Lodge prides itself on being both family-friendly and petfriendly.

CONTACT Mobile 076 441 2362 Email: reservations@antbear.co.za Web: www.antbear.co.za

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EVERY HOME NEEDS A LOVING PET! THERE ARE SO MANY BEAUTIFUL ANIMALS WAITING TO BE ADOPTED – PLEASE REACH OUT! WE ALSO ENCOCURAGE YOU TO REACH INTO YOUR HEARTS FOR THOSE WHO ARE LESS FORTUNATE AND REALLY NEED OUR HELP.

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At Operation Smile we believe every child suffering from cleft lip or cleft palate deserves exceptional surgical care.

For too many families around the world, safe surgery is not an option.

At Operation Smile we believe every child deserves exceptional surgical care. We believe all children deserve to be treated as if they were our own.

EVERY 3 MINUTES, a child is born with a cleft lip or cleft palate and may suffer from torments, malnourishment and difficulty with speech.

We dream of a world where no child suffers from lack of access to safe surgery. Learn why we do what we do in the video below.

That’s what drives each and every one of us: our global network of medical professionals, who donate hundreds of thousands of hours toward the care of children around the world each year, and our supporters who are moved every day to make a difference in the lives of children they’ve never met.

How you can help Operation Smile South Africa Building 17, 103/104, Waverley Office Park 5 Wyecroft Rd, Observatory 7925 (+27) 021 447 3608 infosa@operationsmile.org NPO number 083-117 NPO

A child’s cleft lip or cleft palate can be repaired for as little as R5500 and in as few as 45 minutes, but your gift is more than a surgery. All of our supporters give renewed hope to children and families around the world.

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Help us bring hope to girls without and choices to those with none.

Founded in 2000 by Khanyisile Motsa, and run under her diligent care ever, Home of Hope for Girls is an autonomous, self-started initiative to provide real care for exploited, trafficked and abused children in the city of Johannesburg.

It is more than just a residential shelter; it is a loving home where dignity is restored, the past is healed and the girls are given the tools to take control of their futures. Home of Hope also reaches out to the community offering the most vulnerable members support, practical help and a lifeline.

The Background to Home of Hope An estimated 10,000 children are prostitutes in Johannesburg and this figure is increasing.

When Khanyisile Motsa relocated to Hillbrow she was shocked to observe girls as young as nine working as prostitutes and selling drugs on the streets at night. The truth about these forgotten children is: • • • • • •

Child Prostitute. Photo by Tseliso Monaheng

Criminals pay agents to recruit children They usually target often orphans or/and those from very disadvantaged rural communities Victims are trafficked or seduced to leave with lies about a life in the city Their IDs are frequently taken from them to make escape and identification difficult Their IDs are often sold on the black market ‘Owned’ by their exploiters they are prostituted, abused, made to sell drugs

Email: info@hopehome.org.za Mam Khanyi: 073 250 2086 Telephone: 011 614 0861 Conscious Life Magazine

Call 012 430 7775 Lines open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday

Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In South Africa and around the world, we work every day to give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. When crisis strikes, and children are most vulnerable, we are always among the first to respond and the last to leave. We ensure children’s unique needs are met and their voices are heard. We deliver lasting results for millions of children, including those hardest to reach. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future we share.

We need your help to ensure that no child is left behind.

In a tough funding environment, we have ensured we have multiple avenues of funding and are proud to have 11,000 generous individual donors contributing monthly. We will continue to be innovative in securing funding to enable us to reach more children and will work on increasing unrestricted and consistent funding streams.

You can help us make a difference. Even just by becoming aware of our work by reading our annual report.

To download and read the full annual report, click here.

Help us do whatever it takes to save the children.

Thank You Gugulethu Ndebele CEO

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With much appreciation to our advertisers, contributors, endorsers and of course, our readers Namaste

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