Conscious Life Magazine Free Online - September 2018

Image Courtesy of Michael Gaida

Conscious Life Magazine

CONTENTS 10

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HOW GOING SUGAR FREE HAS TRANSFORMED MY HEALTH

SELF DEVELOPMENT & PERSONAL GROWTH

16

NATURAL WISDOM FOR SPRING LIVING

18

7 THINGS PEOPLE DO BEFORE BED

22

SURVIVING AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP

25

THE PARADOX OF UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

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NATURAL HEALTH & WELLNESS

34

HOW TO OVERCOME DEPRESSION NATURALLY

39

SEASONAL REJUVENATION

44

ANNUAL PAP SMEARS MIGHT BE A THING OF THE PAST FOR SOME WOMEN

47

NATURAL & ORGANIC EXPLAINED

50

THIS LYMPHATIC CLEANSE WILL DETOX YOUR BODY

54

LOOKING GOOD, FEELING GREAT! HEMPORIUM’S TRUSTED HEMP COSMETIC RANGE’S MAKEOVER

56

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM HIJACKINGS

60

THE GOOD NEWS WITH THE GOOD THINGS GUY



CONSCIOUS HEALING

65

STEP INTO SPRING WITH A NEW INTENTION

68

STAY POSITIVE

69

UNLOCKING OUR PAST LIVES

R 74 77

HEALTHY INTAKE GLUTEN FREE VEGGIE WAFFLES ARE HERE TO WIN WEEKNIGHT DINNERS THE AVOCADO MOJITO SMOOTHIE

b CONSCIOUS BODY 80

THE MUSCLE BUILDING MEAL PLAN

83

EASE INTO SPRING YOGA RETREAT

85

LISA RALEIGH’S 50-50 WORKOUT

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CONTENTS H

GREEN LIVING

90

BUILD A BAMBOO PEA TRELLIS

93

A GUIDE TO COMPOSTING

95

LAWN CARE THE ORGANIC WAY

98

DIY ROSEMARY & LAVENDAR CROCK POT CANDLES

_ ANIMAL WORLD 102 PET NUTRITION 101: ARE YOU GIVING YOUR PET THE BEST?

P WORKSHOPS, COURSES & RETREATS 110

RETREATS AT DHARMAGIRI SACRED MOUNTAIN RETREAT

112

QUANTUM HEALING COURSES

113

QUANTUM BODY-BRAIN REBOOT

115

MINDFULNESS RETREAT WITH TIBETAN MONKS AT THE FOOTHILLS OF THE HIMALAYAS

116

THE JOY OF SACRED GEOMETRY, AND CRYSTALS

117

FIND YOUR ZEN WEEKEND RETREAT

P

GETAWAYS, SHOWS & EVENTS

116 SHOWS, GETAWAYS; AND MORE

_ REACH OUT 126 REACH OUT & HELP: DESERVING

25

10

79

50

34

22

CHARITIES AND CAUSES

16

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Contributing Team & Experts

ABOUT US www.childoftheuniverse.co.za PUBLISHER 2Luni Media EDITOR/OWNER Candida “Cj“ Matticks 087 802 6102 candida@childoftheuniverse.co.za

LISA RALEIGH

Articles from the late

Fitness & Nutritional Expert

Author/Inspirational Speaker

LOUISE L. HAY

Copy Editor Linda Navon BrainGym

DR CHRISTIANE NORTHRUP

Articles written by the late

BRENT LINDEQUE

DR. WAYNE DYER

The Good Things Guy

HANNA KOK

SALES & MARKETING Sales & Marketing Manager Cj Matticks Sales Linda Navon CREATIVE TEAM Designer & Creative Director Cj Matticks

Author & Motivator

Content & Layout Assistant Linda Navon Digital Manager & Social Media Cj Matticks DISTRIBUTION & ACCOUNTS

Lee Coulter lee@childoftheuniverse.co.za

Articles written by the late

TORSTEN A. LANGE

HEATHER PICTON Founder ADHASA

Author, founder & director Reiki Academy London

LINDA NAVON Deputy Editor

CJ MATTICKS Editor

CONTACT NUMBERS TEL: 087 802 6102 011 026 2643 011 046 8737

FOLLOW US

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Contributing Team & Experts

MARGI McALPINE

PENNI DU PLESSIS

Angel Connection School

Divine Space

MICHELLE LESKE

SAMANTHA LEWIS

Egypt Tour Goddess

Access Consciousness

SIMON WING-LUN

VERONICA HAUPT

Founder:Unconditional Love Healing

Re-code Your Life

WHAT WE ARE ABOUT We believe in the ‘FIRST DO NO HARM’ principle and we select our content and advertisers accordingly. Our focus is on conscious lifestyle.

We cover topics around natural health & wellness: body, mind & spirit; conscious living for a cleaner planet, healthy recipes and fitness.

TO SUBSCRIBE Subscription to Conscious Life Digital Magazine is free of charge. Simply send an email to subscribe@childoftheuniverse.co.za with the subject line: Subscribe Conscious Life Mag and we will email your mag to you monthly.

ISSUU APP Conscious Life Magazine is published on ISSUU. Please download the ISSUU app via the Android and Apple App Stores. It is free to use. Please follow us on there. www.issuu.com/2luni-media DISCLAIMER The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the editor, advertisers or endorsers. While every effort has been made to ensure that the contents of this publication are both accurate and truthful, the publisher and editor accept no responsibility for inaccurate or misleading information that may be contained herein.

MEDIA & OTHER PARTNERS

WENDY YOUNG Life Coach and Spiritual Counsellor

DR JAMES MERCOLA

MICHAEL HOWARD Mindshare

DR AXE Doctor Of Natural Medicine, Chiropractor, Clinical Nutritionist And Author

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Dearest Conscious Life Friends Hello!!Are you well?

So… about Spring…I keep seeing this funny meme on Facebook about Winter acting like an angry person in a fight, who keeps storming out of the room and then coming back in yelling, “OH…AND ANOTHER THING!!” It has me laughing each time I see it, because it is exactly like that. I wish I knew who wrote the meme.

Those of you who follow me on Instagram, @CjVinloco, will know that I have been on the candida cleanse for the past 42 days, and it is going really well. I followed the cleanse and changed my diet to exclude sugar and high sugar carbs about 8 years back and I was in such great health after 3 months, then I made the biggest mistake… I ate a Nutella pancake at Rocking the Daisies… bad idea. My thinking at that time went something along the lines of: “I shall just eat sugar this weekend and then cut it out again on Monday”. Well Monday became the end of the holiday in Cape Town… fast forward 8 years and a subsequent change to a vegetarian diet 2 years in, and I am finally back on the sugar free way of eating.

My reasons for embarking on the diet are the same as the last time, my health was declining due to an overgrowth of candida in my system.

Leaky gut, low energy, many allergies to food and environmental substances, brain fog, poor memory, irritability, headaches and migraines, dull skin, IBS and more. Needless to say, it was no fun ride. So on the 1st of August, I simply cut sugar, a whole lot of fructose, yeast, flours and a lot of high carb veggies, out of my diet. I didn’t plan to do so the day before, I just woke up and thought: “Today is the day”

It has been an incredible journey and I am so glad that I took that 1st step. I am immensely proud of myself for sticking to it as there have been days when it hasn’t been easy.

My health has improved immensely. My mind is so much clearer, my skin is glowing, my eyes are bright, I have lots of energy, I have almost no headaches, my body is looking and feeling great and to top it all, I love my food!!

I have been recommending it to all of my friends and since I consider all of our readers to be my friends… I am recommending it to you too! See the next page for the list of foods you can eat and those you need to avoid. For the 1st 2-3 months you stick to this quite strictly. After that, you can start to reintroduce more of the high fructose fruit and sugar-free and gluten-free flours.

Share your journey with us by tagging us on Instagram @consciouslifemagazine or Facebook @ConsciousLifeMagazine and using #ConsciousLifeCandidaChallenge.

This month, we have some fabulous articles to help you life your best life: Natural Wisdom for Spring Living; 7 Things healthy People Do Before Bed; Overcoming Depression Naturally; Stepping into Spring with New Intention; Gluten Free Waffles; and much more…

So, what are you waiting for? Kick back and relax with your favourite feel good magazine.

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Candida Albicans Diet Adapted List From Dr Robin Kohler FOODS TO EAT • Nuts • Sunflower Seeds • Linseeds • Chia Seeds • Sesame Seeds • Lentils • Beans • Olive Oil • Eggs* • Plain Sugar Free Yoghurt* • Butter* • Chicken* • Pork* • Fish • Seafood • Rice – Stick to brown rice. None in the 1st 2-3 weeks. Then only 1-2x a week thereafter • Rice Cakes – same as above • Tomatoes • Peppers • Cucumber • Gem Squash • Spinach • Avocado • Onion • Broccoli • Cabbage • Carrots • Sweet Potato • Potato (same guideline as with rice) • Green Peas • Celery • Lettuce • Green beans • Brinjals *Organic, Free Range where possible

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Pineapple Apples Pears Lemons Oranges Papaya Kiwi Ginger Garlic Parsley

FOODS TO AVOID • Sugar – check ALL food labels • Honey • Fructose • Sweets • Dried Fruits • Chocolate • Bread • Pasta • Rye • Biscuits • Flour • Pizza • Starch • Grapes • Bananas • Mushrooms • Water melons • Sweet Melon • Very Soft Fruits • Fermented Foods • Vinegar • Wine • Beer • Spirits • Cider • Pickled Foods • Fizzy and Sugary Drinks

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Conscious Life Magazine

By Wendy Young of Wise-Living “Every impulse of intelligence in our awareness starts it’s journey from the source of life as love, and nothing else.”

Deepak Chopra As we welcome the unfolding wonders of Spring with warmer weather, rains that nourish the earth, the return of animals and the growth of plants from their Winter hibernation, we also undergo an internal transformation. According to Charaka, a great Ayurvedic authority, 7 days before and after the Spring Equinox is the transition time to slowly make changes necessary to effortlessly and healthily welcome in the new season on all levels. The Spring Equinox is the 22nd September.

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Nature teaches us that space contains infinite potential and is the seed of all creation. So from the space, quiet and rest of the Winter, comes the potential for rebirth and new possibilities of the Spring. I invite you to take a few moments now to reflect on what seeds you wish to plant this Spring? They could be seeds pertaining to your health, to personal transformation and growth, to birthing a new relationship or career… the possibilities are endless… the seeds of Spring are yours for the planting.

“Nature teaches us that space contains infinite potential and is the seed of all creation.”

According to Ayurveda, Spring time is Kapha dosha (earth & water constitution) predominant time, which brings the qualities that are heavy, cold, dull, liquid, dense, slimy, and oily. Although this simple list doesn’t seem to offer much information, it is actually quite informative. These qualities have accumulated through the Winter (another Kapha time) so following the Ayurvedic principle of “like increases like” we adopt the opposite qualities of hot, dry, sharp and light to treat any imbalance.

We are all familiar with Spring allergies, congestion, sinusitis and excess mucus. This is nature’s way of melting away our inner “cold”. So now is the time to melt away that which has built up in the winter and clear excess heaviness and toxicity so that we may feel light, refreshed and renewed.

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Morning routine can include: warm lemon and/or ginger water upon waking, abhyanga (self massage) with warm sesame seed oil before your shower, skin brushing (twice a week) and a brisk early morning walk!

Clean up your diet: just as we Spring clean our homes it’s time to Spring clean our inner home. Avoid heavy and dulling foods like excess dairy, wheat, oily and cold foods. Continue to eat warming and astringent foods and spice them up with cloves, ginger, cumin, mustard seeds and black pepper. Green juicing is a great way to detox the liver and cells.

Enjoy some type of dynamic daily exercise. The best way to move excess heaviness and stagnation is to move the lymph and blood that circulate throughout the body.

Slowly energize your Yoga practice with more challenging asanas which focus on the chest and stimulating breathing practices.

Meditation helps to digest the events of the day on a mental and emotional level allowing you to enjoy the precious present moment. Daily practice is a profound way to help clear the ‘clutter’ from your life.

For a nutrition and lifestyle consultation or any further information please contact me on wendy@wise-living.co.za and 072 800 4982.

Suggested Spring Routine: •

Start to wake up 30 minutes before sunrise. Kapha time begins around 6am. So as not to increase Kapha qualities in the body, it’s important to be up and moving before the sun rises to help move toxins and stagnant lymph that have accumulated overnight.

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7 Things Healthy People Do Before Bed We have all read the articles on what healthy people do in the morning, but how about what they do before bed? This is just as important as it helps wrap up the day and sets the tone for a fresh start in the morning. By creating a nightly routine out of these simple steps (you might even be doing some of these already!), you will be sure to notice a change in both your health and happiness.

1. Plan For Tomorrow One of the keys to maintaining a healthy lifestyle is to always be prepared; you will feel organized and won’t need to stress in the morning. Lay out your exercise gear for the next morning (socks, underwear and shoes included), iron your uniform if needed, gather any important paperwork and most importantly, prepare your lunch for the following day. Whether you just pack up some leftovers from dinner or spend an extra 20 minutes making something else, being prepared when it comes to lunch stops you from making rash and unhealthy choices the next day. You could be so busy that you just grab some takeaway on your way back to the office or you might even skip lunch altogether. Best of all, you will even save some cash in doing so! It all adds up.

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2. Switch Off Technology One Hour Before Bed How many of you say goodnight to your loved ones and head to bed only to spend the next hour laying there checking Facebook and Instagram? Now how many of you have then realized four hours have passed, it’s now 2 a.m. and you’re on YouTube watching a dog dancing in perfect sync with its owner to 'Greased Lightning'? Yeah, we’ve all been there. By switching off the technology an hour (or two!) before bed, you have time to wind down without distractions.

Not only can the artificial light emitted from phones and computers have a serious effect on your body clock and encourage sleep disorders, but putting the phone away will give you more room for quality time with your loved ones. What could be more important than that?

3. Keep a Gratitude Journal A great way to bring further happiness into your life is by actively and regularly expressing gratitude. Studies have shown that keeping a gratitude journal not only increases happiness but reaps other benefits including better sleep and fewer symptoms of illness. What do you have to lose? By setting a small amount of time aside each night (or even every few nights if that works best for you- you don’t want it to become a job) to jot down some things from your day that you are grateful for will not only remind you what a blessed life you lead but will also get any negative thoughts out of your mind, making it less likely that you will dwell on issues that can keep you up at night. Best of all, by keeping a record you can look back over them every now and then if you are having a bad day and it will be sure to turn that frown upside down.

4. Stretch it Out How many times have leg cramps or a sore back made it difficult for you to get to sleep or woken you up throughout the night? Stretching helps lengthen tendons and muscles and can reduce the frequency and severity of cramps ensuring you get a better night's sleep. Not only does stretching the sore muscles help, but by giving your whole body a good stretch relaxes your muscles and body and releases any built-up tension. Your body will feel like it’s melting onto the bed afterwards.

5. Meditate We live in a crazy world, don’t we? We are constantly being bombarded with information via the television, social media, the internet, friends and work- it’s no wonder so many people feel overwhelmed, stressed and anxious! By meditating before bed, you are slowing down your brain activity which results in a deeper and more peaceful sleep. This is perfect if you do have issues falling asleep; before you know it you will be sleeping like a small, well-fed child. Even if you already incorporate meditation into your day, give it a go before bed and see the results yourself. My bet is you will wake up feeling well rested, energized and ready to take on the day!

6. Curl Up With a Good Book Reading before bed is good for you in so many ways. First of all, it calms the nerves by eliminating excess sound and visual stimulus (exactly the opposite of what you get from watching television!). As we discussed earlier, television has noises, flashing lights and far too many distractions for when it’s meant to be time to wind down for the night. Reading a good book before you go to sleep helps you escape to another world without the need for dramatic television shows. Aside from reading helping you to wind down and sleep better, it also improves brain function, your memory and the thinking process overall. You don’t have to get

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deep into a fantasy novel, just switching off the main lights, switching on a Himalayan salt lamp and curling up in bed with the newspaper, magazine or a short story will reap benefits far beyond a good night's sleep.

7. Get Enough Sleep I’ve gone on a lot about the benefits of aiding sleep, haven’t I? Well, it’s true. One habit you should be committing to every night is to simply make sleep a priority. Sounds pretty straightforward, right? But with stressful jobs, busy social lives and children to look after, ensuring you get enough shut-eye can be difficult and there have been many articles written on the dangers of sleep deficiency and its link to increased stress, weight gain, and productivity loss. An easy way to do this is to consistently go to bed at roughly the same time every night.

Work out when you need to wake up and count back 8 hours to ensure you get a solid night's sleep. Going to bed late, getting 5 or 6 hours sleep and snoozing your alarm three times in the morning is the worst thing you can do and sets a bad tone for your day. Incorporating the above steps into your nightly routine will help let your body know it’s time to slow down and get you in the right mindset for sleep so you won’t be laying on your back staring at the ceiling for hours.

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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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By Anna-Marie Jansen of Soulflight About 500 years ago (it feels that way anyway) I was involved with a man who thought that emotional abuse didn't matter because it left no marks. I was young and shockingly naive and put up with it for two years. Two years can do a lot of damage. The problem with it happening to me at that stage of my life was that I wasn't equipped to deal with it in a healthy way. I think I kept the alcohol companies in business for about a year after that break up.

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Then I allowed myself to become hard. I became a bitch and took great pride in that. I chewed men up and spat them out. I allowed the wounds caused by someone else to bleed all over innocent guys. Luckily that cycle also came to an end. The point of this is that one person's abuse caused a ripple effect that allowed other people who had no part in it to get hurt.

Needless to say, emotional abuse is a focus for me, possibly even more so than physical abuse. You see, physical abuse allows you the opportunity to seek help and be taken seriously. It's goddamn awful but there is help available. Emotional abuse is a silent killer. It takes away your joy, your confidence, your belief in a better world. It's insidious. Abusers deny their actions, accuse you of being oversensitive, misunderstanding them or even making things up. It's easy to deny words. We can't walk around recording all our conversations.

“Emotional abusers operate from a deep well of self hatred.�

Emotional abuse takes so many forms. We think of it in terms of name calling and overt nastiness but what about the snide remarks and the little put downs? What about the back handed compliments? What about the person who tells you that they can't live without you and threatens suicide if you try to leave?

Emotional abusers operate from a deep well of self hatred. They have a need to make other people feel as though they are worth less because they feel that they, themselves, are worth less. It doesn't make it acceptable though.

Eventually, if you don't recognise the behaviour and take action, your own self

belief is eroded to such a degree that you can't function without your abuser.

What we need to recognise is this; if someone is emotionally abusive they have unhealed wounds of their own. What we need to recognise next is that it is NOT our job to heal those. You cannot allow yourself to be broken in order to heal someone else. If they're not prepared to do the work then it is not your problem and it's time for you to get the hell out of Dodge.

If it feels like abuse, it probably is abuse. If the behaviour doesn't change when you raise it with love and an opening to communicate, then don't stick around. It's not selfish to protect yourself and it's not admirable to allow it to continue. You have the right to walk away and trust me, you will be just fine without them.

Follow Anna on her Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/soulflightwithanna About Anna: Self empowerment coach with a focus on spiritual discovery and growth, Anna-Marie likes to cover everything which is why she also does tarot and tea leaf readings, entity removals, past life regressions and all manner of witchy things. She also runs courses and workshops while showing her face at fairs in her downtime. At Soulflight we love to connect, so never be shy to comment and interact.

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By Simon Wing-Lun

Someone recently said to me something along the lines of: "You and Lora are so close and important to each other, your happiness must be conditional on your relationship.

If your relationship were to end you’d clearly be much less happy.”

There is some truth to this. For the level of unconditional love we currently embody on an emotional level is not 100%. If one of us were to instantaneously disappear in body and spirit for some reason, for sure we’d be emotionally impacted.

Yet in another way we already love ourselves unconditionally enough to have actually transcended any concern or fear of this, and as a result know deeply within our beings this simple won’t happen. We know that no part of the love we experience can actually end, for it is generated from within our own selves.

This is the paradox of unconditional love.

When you can completely love any outcome to an equal degree, it clears the space in your energy, consciousness and mechanics of your being for you to experience total certainty and clarity of what that outcome will be.

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Lora and I love each other and know this love will continue in the form of our physical connection. Yet we experience this as more of an ‘inevitability’ of the make up of who we are, rather than any choice or effort we have to make.

“Just as rock will fall from a cliff with force of gravity, so our love and connection will continue…”

Just as rock will fall from a cliff with force of gravity, so our love and connection will continue in alignment with the work and path our souls have chosen for us to live, and we have allowed to manifest.

This inevitability may not seem romantic from a certain human perspective. But it is deeply romantic from a broader spiritual sense. It is the journey of truth and resonance becoming clear amidst the broader melee of life, and the consistency of love becoming known amongst the ever changing mists of reality.

I was essentially loving the relationship more than I loved myself.

The ending of that relationship was the opportunity to heal the depths of that pattern, and find a far more unconditional love for all of who I am.

As a result when I met Lora I wasn’t trying to make a relationship happen in any particular way. And as our relationship developed, we didn’t trying figure out how to become more loving and compatible with each other. We simply loved ourselves, learned from our reflections within the relationship and let the nature of our connection reveal itself.

We didn’t think to ourselves “Awesome we’ve achieved what will be a successful long term relationship!”

It was much more like “Oh look, it seems we’re completely aligned to be together in this certain way and to play these very close and important roles in each others lives, isn’t that cool?”

There are some aspects of our story that demonstrate the difference between how our relationship came about, and how things have happened in a more ‘traditional way’.

For me personally, my previous relationship was much more an experience of a deep and conditional love. It was a beautiful experience for me, one I’m very grateful for, where I experienced a lot of love. Yet for me the flavour of the relationship was infused with an underlying fear of it ending, generated by my fundamental dependence on the relationship for certain aspects of my own self-love.

My own happiness, my sense of myself and well-being became so dependent on my relationship and the love I received in it, that I gave everything I had to keep it together, even when things didn’t feel quite right.

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When our self-love is clear, what is and isn’t deeply aligned love in our external relationships become far more evident. We really just kept doing what love made obvious.

“I’m not saying that we must love ourselves in any certain way or to any certain level to have a relationship.”

I’m not saying that we must love ourselves in any certain way or to any certain level to have a relationship. Only that the nature of unconditional love can create clarity and consistency within an ocean of infinite possibility and uncertainty.

If you can love yourself deeply in total uncertainty, then certainty of all that’s important will appear. Find unconditional love when you’re completely alone, then from that point on you’ll always be together. Love yourself unconditionally when poor, and then you’ll always be rich.

Absolutely and completely love what you fear, and you’ll find there’s nothing to be afraid of.

Love’s worked for us. I’ve seen it works every time. It will work for you too!

About Simon Wing-Lun Simon Wing-Lun is the founder of Unconditional Love Healing, and Director of The Leela Centre for Love & Freedom in Sydney Australia. Together with his partner Lora they teach and practice deep emotional healing, helping people release old emotional blocks & trauma, and open to unconditional love, joy & happiness. Helping people love themselves, and open to unconditional love in relationship is one of their specialties. For more info visit: www.unconditional-love.com

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ADVERTORIAL

Private Health Care for Emergency Treatment As South African’s, one of the biggest risks we face every day while commuting to and from work is vehicle accidents.

What many people don’t know is that in 2015, the Road Traffic Management Corporation reported 832 431 road traffic crashes. 6% of these incidents were considered to be major or fatal accidents.

This amounted to 278 620 people injured on our roads in that year. That’s almost 800 people per day!

According to report published by the Institute of Race Relations (IRR), out of South Africa’s population of over 54 million people, only 17.4% are covered by a South African medical scheme. This means that only 9.5 million South Africans have access to private medical care while more than 44 million don’t.

In the report, it was stated that “Private quality healthcare roughly refers to easy access to general practitioners (GPs), dentists and medication. Having access to adequate medical cover can drastically improve the quality of life and life expectancy of a person. The leading barrier to private healthcare in South Africa continues to be the price. The millions of South Africans living without medical cover put increasing pressure on the public health system.”

The same principle applies to injuries sustained from road accidents in S.A. While it’s generally not something that we like to dwell on, the truth of the matter is that being treated in a private hospital following a motor vehicle accident has significant benefits which could save your life. Patients admitted following a motor vehicle accident have little or no delay in being treated and benefit from personalised care and treatment. Better facilities also generally mean that the recovery time is quicker.

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AccidentANGELS™ was established in 2010, with the view of providing affordable access to private healthcare, following a motor vehicle accident. A main member pays just R149 per month and he or she receives guaranteed access to private medical care.

Included in this membership is the transport cost in an ER24 emergency ambulance to the nearest private hospital.

When our members join us they receive an accidentANGELS™ MasterCard® which is activated on notification of an incident.

Members are given access of up to R10 000 for out-patient care, which is treatment in the emergency room at the private hospital.

This benefit is immediate because our member simply swipes the MasterCard® at the hospital to pay for treatment.

If the car accident injuries are serious enough to require in-patient admittance into hospital, accidentANGELS™ provide up to R200 000 paid to the hospital for treatment. A R1 million benefit is also available at a main member fee of R259 per month.

Members are also protected if they are travelling in public transport or even while walking as pedestrians on our roads. This means that the accidentANGELS™ benefit is not limited to people that drive a car.

One of our members was involved in an early morning accident where a car drove into the side of her car. This is what she had to say: “It was just another weekday morning, when out of nowhere a car drove into mine.

Thanks to accidentANGELS™, I was able to go to a private hospital straight away.

It was 8am and I was driving to work on a road close to my home. Suddenly, another driver who had skipped a stop street crashed into the side of my car. I injured my right shoulder quite badly and I had a concussion, but I was still able to phone for an ambulance.

When I first bought my car, the accidentANGELS™ benefit was offered to me and I’m relieved that I decided to join. The accessibility and availability of their staff and services are great and they helped me tremendously.

I really got the sense that the accidentANGELS™ staff truly cared about my well-being. All their interactions with me had a personal touch and they treated me with genuine empathy, and this is one of the reasons why I would recommend this benefit to all my friends.”

If you’d like to know more about us and what we do, click here or visit our website. www.accidentangels.co.za

accidentANGELS™ also assist our members with the submission and management of any valid claims against the Road Accident Fund (RAF). Claims made against the RAF can take as long as 3 years to be resolved, so this service ensures that the claim receives the right focus and attention. Funds that are paid out are paid back to the member, less any medical expenses incurred as a result of the accident. There are no fees deducted from the proceeds before funds are paid to our member.

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Ask about our courses for Teenagers

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By Laurentine Ten Bosch Millions of Americans suffer from clinical depression each year, many undiagnosed or too embarrassed to take positive action. A report from the World Health Organization shows an 18% increase in worldwide depression rates between 2005 and 2015, with the prediction that this number would continue to rise.

Yet, most people with depression seek treatment from their health care providers or GPs first, which generally results in being treated with drug therapy alone.

What many health providers fail to realize is that there is a range of ways in which you can naturally boost your mood and help to prevent and overcome depression; many of which are just as effective as the drugs given, but are much safer and without side-effects. Here are 13 ways to get you started: 1. Take Vitamin B-3 Niacin is vitamin B-3, one of the watersoluble B-complex vitamins. Niacin's feature is its ability to greatly reduce anxiety and depression. Dr. Andrew Saul uses it on his patients and calls the effect the ‘niacin flush’.

Read more here, including dosage amounts.

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2. Detoxify Your body is exposed to hundreds, if not thousands of chemicals each day. You can imagine then how many unwanted chemicals are lurking in your body on a daily basis many of which have trouble getting out of your system. Sherry Rogers M.D. says "There are 12 common chemicals often trapped inside the average person's body - all that have been found to cause depression or damage the nervous system, in addition to causing many other problems." Find out what they are here and how to start the detox process. We've created a beautiful 3day detox program if you're not sure where to start, and are looking for something to ease into the world of detoxification - no starvation and no extreme measures.

Click here to find out more.

3. Enjoy a Digital Detox Smartphones can be incredibly useful and we don’t think you should, or expect you to, give them up completely. However, maintaining a healthy relationship with technology can help you live with more peace and less anxiety. Studies demonstrate how classic addiction symptomology is intrinsically linked to smartphone overuse, which includes loss of control (e.g. distortion of time spent on the phone), preoccupation with the smartphone, and withdrawal symptoms. These addictive tendencies can wreak havoc on our productivity, brain function, wellbeing, work-life balance, and even our personal lives, with quantifiable evidence suggesting social anxiety and loneliness is also intrinsically linked to smartphone use. Learn how you can take control of your smartphone addiction, here.

taken in as part of the diet. That is why tryptophan is known as an "essential" amino acid. Without an adequate amount from our diet, our body is unable to produce enough of this happy hormone. The highest sources of tryptophan are from animal products including turkey and chicken, but bananas also contain a significant amount. Among other functions, serotonin promotes feelings of calm, relaxation, and sleepiness. Many of today's powerful antidepressant drugs actually work to increase the level of available serotonin in the brain.

5. Enjoy A Handful Of Nuts And Seeds Regularly Tryptophan can also be found as a supplement and in other foods, particularly in nuts and seeds. Just like banana, nuts and seeds are chock full of tryptophan, so simply by eating them regularly you can help your brain produce more serotonin. For best results and health benefits, however, nuts and seeds should be raw, unprocessed and activated minimising their acidity and improving digestibility. See more here.

6. Up Your Omega-3 Intake People with diets high in omega-3 essential fatty acids have lower rates of depression.

Eat salmon, trout, herring, sardines, anchovies, mackerel, flaxseed, and walnuts.

Unfortunately, vegan sources of omega-3 are in ALA form, which our body struggles to convert to the powerful EHA and DHA required for healthy brain function. So in order to get enough to improve your mental health, it may be time to up your intake of seafood to at least 2-3 servings a week.

Many doctors also recommend high-quality fish oil supplements.

4. Eat Bananas Tryptophan is the key ingredient in making serotonin (the happy hormone); without it, serotonin won't be produced and therefore, leads to a lowered mood. Because the body can't make its own tryptophan, it must be

7. Supplement With St. John's Wort In a study published by the Cochrane Library, the researchers compiled the results of 29 prior trials, involving a total of 5,489 participants who were randomly assigned

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either St. John's wort, a placebo, tricylclic antidepressants, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) to treat mild to moderately severe depression. St. John's wort was found to be more effective than a placebo and at least as effective as both tricylics and SSRIs, but with fewer side effects.

8. Use Lavender Essential Oils

And

Bergamot

One essential oil that stands out for depression is bergamot (Citrus aurantium (L.) var. bergamia). Many citruses are acknowledged for their uplifting effects, but bergamot is particularly powerful. Rub some bergamont or lavender essential oil on your temples, neck, and wrists for a boost to your mood and a reduction in stress/anxiety.

Other great ways to benefit is to have a warm bath with a few drops of lavender and bergamot oil, or spritz the blend on your pillow. Placing a small, fragrant lavender plant on a windowsill you walk by regularly will also give you a gorgeous, calming scent that travels with the breeze. Opt for natural bergamot or citrus scented house cleaners too, to keep benefitting from the mood and energy boosting effects.

9. Supplement With L-Theanine L-Theanine is a water-soluble amino acid.

It’s found mainly in green tea and black tea and is also available as a supplement. Studies have found that it acts directly on the brain, helping to reduce stress and anxiety— without causing drowsiness. Dosage: A typical cup of black tea contains only about 25 mg of l-theanine and green tea only about 8 mg. While a cup of tea may be calming, if you want more potent effects, try a supplement, about 200 mg a day.

10. Enjoy Lemon Balm Tea Research published in 2004, for instance, gave participants a single dose of lemon

balm extract (300 mg or 600 mg) or a placebo, then measured their mood after one hour. The higher dose resulted in reduced stress and improved calmness and alertness. Even the lower dose helped participants do math problems more quickly.

Dosage: Use in aromatherapy, try 300-500 mg of dried lemon balm three times daily, 60 drops daily, or 1/4 to 1 teaspoon of dried lemon balm herb in hot water for a tea four times daily.

11. Exercise Regularly Moderate exercise can actually prevent episodes of depression in the long term.

Data regarding the positive mood effects of exercise involvement, independent of fitness gains, suggest that the focus should be on the frequency of exercise rather than duration or intensity until the behavior has been well established. Even low levels of physical activity (walking and gardening for 20-30 minutes a day) can ward off depression in people of all age groups. It’s fascinatingly powerful stuff!

12. Spend More Time Outdoors With Friends When you seem stressed or down, many people tend to suggest you: Take a breath of fresh air. Walk it off. Get out and see people.

Turns out all those things combined may, in fact, make you feel better—a lot better—a new large-scale study suggests. Group nature walks are linked with significantly lower depression, less perceived stress, and enhanced mental health and well-being, according to the study conducted by the University of Michigan, with partners from De Montfort University, James Hutton Institute, and Edge Hill University in the United Kingdom.

But you don’t always need to be outdoors with others. In another study, participants

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who walked in a natural area for 90 minutes showed less activity in a brain region associated with depression than those who walked through a city or other urban area.

Just by being outside you're helping to reduce your risk of vitamin D deficiency, which is also linked to depression. Low serum levels of vitamin D are associated with clinically significant symptoms of depression in otherwise healthy individuals, so if you need to relax, unwind, and boost your mood - exercise or simply enjoy being outdoors more regularly. An average adult only needs 10 minutes a day of sun exposure to help maintain healthy vitamin D levels. If your schedule doesn't allow for being outdoors in the daylight, there are also vitamin D supplements available.

13. Make Sure You’re Getting Enough Vitamin B12 Low levels of B12 can be a risk factor for depression, and it’s common in vegans and alcoholics. There are very few vegan-friendly foods that contain B12, so if you suspect you’re low, make sure to supplement with high-quality B12 to boost your levels. Signs include fatigue, shortness of breath, tingling and numbness in the extremities, headache, dementia, disorientation, and loss of concentration and memory.

Also, watch how much you drink. Alcohol naturally reduces your levels of B12 as it damages the cells in your stomach lining, reducing absorption of the B12 you ingest.

So if you enjoy a regular glass of wine or beer, but you’re feeling flat, you may want to reduce how often you’re drinking. The daily recommended intake of vitamin B12 for healthy adults is 2.4 micrograms.

Good sources of B12 are often animal-based foods and include snapper, prawns, algaes, sea plants, and miso. However, you can also

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get B12 from vegan nutritional yeast or a good quality supplement.

Depression and anxiety affect so many of us, yet it still remains such a taboo topic.

Despite what the medical profession may say, you don’t need to jump straight to medication with a range of nasty side effects (some even include depression as a side effect!). Instead, try these 13 tips to help manage depression naturally, and seek the help of a health professional who is willing to work with you with a holistic view.

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Are you feeling sluggish after all those comforting wintry stews and cheese toasties?

Have the scales crept up a kilo or two, or three? Has your exercise plan fallen by the wayside? I’ll bet the words ‘Time for a detox’ just popped into your head. Before you give up everything, let’s look closely at detox plans. Do they do what they promise?

Detoxing – we prefer to call this process seasonal rejuvenation, or a seasonal cleanse – is a contentious topic. Does limiting your diet help jumpstart your system and give you a glow of vitality? Frankly, the jury is unconvinced. Detox diets may be popular, and there certainly are loads of products on the market designed to help you get rid of toxins. But, according to George Dresser, professor at Western’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, ‘Detox diets are promoted as a healthy thing to do, but there

is no evidence that they actually eliminate toxins from your system.’

So how can you revive yourself after your winter ‘hibernation’?

Well, here’s the good news. Your body is magnificently designed. It’s an expert at getting rid of toxins, no matter what you eat.

If it weren’t, the toxic build-up in your organs would have killed you a long time ago.

That doesn’t let you off the hook though.

You can play a part in a springtime cleanse by following a healthy, alkaline diet and eating the correct foods every day. As Dresser says, ‘The ultimate healthy diet is one you can live with day in, day out. I would rather see people make very small changes to what they eat, and do it constantly.’ Cut out

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processed and high-fat foods, reduce your intake of sugary foods, and eat more whole foods like fruits and vegetables – you’ll definitely feel the difference.

Our top six tips to help you revitalise your body this spring 1. Change your diet.

Follow a Mediterranean diet – fruit, vegetables, ‘good’ fats, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and smaller amounts of meat and dairy. So many fabulous foods feature in the Med diet that you never feel like you’re missing out on any flavours. Cut down on alcohol – a glass or two of red is fine; a bottle is not.

2. Drink water, and then some more…

Water is your body’s natural cleanser. It flushes out your system, plumps up your skin and rehydrates you top to tail. Aim for two litres a day.

3. Step up your exercise programme.

Exercising for just a short while a day helps tone your body (always a plus!). Your heart rate rises and your blood starts pumping.

Your immune system gets a wake up and your risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and some cancers is reduced. You’ll feel more mentally alert, and even less depressed, if that’s a problem. How? When we exercise, our muscles act a bit like the liver – they produce an enzyme that gets rid of chemicals that accumulate during stress and can be harmful to the brain.

4. Check your beauty products.

Many everyday products including makeup, fragrance, hair products, soaps and sunscreens contain chemicals that can interfere with hormones and potentially increase the risk of disease. Toss the baddies, and head over to our health-focus buddy https://www.faithful-tonature.co.za/beauty/ to stock up on healthy looking-good products.

5. Get some sleep.

Sleep really is at the foundation of a healthier lifestyle. Not enough and you could damage your liver, which is bad news when you need to get rid of toxins. While you’re sleeping, your body is hard at work. You may be touring dreamland, but your body is busy regenerating and repairing tissues and cells, balancing your immune system, and even removing harmful toxins from your brain.

6.

Support your system with natural, whole-herb products FLORA FORCE does not advocate “fad” detox diets. Their whole-herb products may help rejuvenate your body naturally – in conjunction with a healthy diet, exercise and the recommendations listed above.

Try Liver Flush™ capsules to support your body in eliminating waste products (so you don’t feel sluggish, bloated or constipated), and to supports your liver, kidneys and digestion. Try Lymph Cleanse™ drops to knock fatigue on its head by powering up your lymphatic system. Try Turmerynne™ capsules to support your body’s functions with antioxidants. It stimulates metabolism, helps get rid of toxins and improves your energy levels. Dandelion assist the liver and kidneys with the elimination of toxins and Ginger improves digestion and boosts blood flow.

Get these products online at Faithful To Nature and Takealot.com or at Dis-Chem, Clicks or most leading pharmacies and health ships.

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THE SUNFLOWER FUND CALLING OUT THE HERO IN ALL OF US FOR SUNFLOWER DAY 2018

Bone Marrow Stem Cell Donation and Leukaemia Awareness Month is commemorated annually from 15 August to 15 October. With very little focus and fanfare around this very important topic, The Sunflower Fund is calling out the hero in all South Africans. The fight against leukaemia and other blood diseases is all about you, your family, friends, peers and the community. You can do something to make a difference to patients needing a blood stem cell transplant. The action is simple: Purchase your TOPE (Tube of Hope) and celebrate Sunflower Day. A TOPE is an appealing, trendy and multi-purpose accessory which can be worn as a headband, mask, scarf, cap or arm band. TOPES will be available for R30 each at Pick n Pay stores across the country, selected independent pharmacies or online at Zando during August and September 2018. “We are very excited about this year’s design, which comes in six vibrant colours, with an introduction of a grey option and inspired by a message of hope” says Alana James, CEO at The Sunflower Fund. “We hope to see everyone wearing their TOPE on Sunflower Day in support of our patients and survivors and to raise awareness about the very important and urgent topic of blood stem cell donation.”

The theme of this year’s campaign is ‘There is a hero is all of us’. The campaign aims to draw people out of slacktivism and get them mobilised and engaged around a simple action. Just choosing to do something for someone else and expecting nothing in return brings out the hero in all of us!

“To see our TOPES being worn with pride is not just an honour for us, but a salute to our survivors, our fighters and our memories of loved ones; it is a show of support, a statement of HOPE.” James continued.

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The Sunflower Fund will again be running their school’s competition. “Youngsters across SA are able to play their part by helping us to raise funds and awareness about the need to recruit donors for stem cell donation” added James. “I love our Sunflower Day campaign; the social media engagement and the support from our partners, patients and communities is truly inspiring but most importantly, it also serves as a reminder to the nation of one of our very critical goals: to ensure that South Africa has an ethnically diverse source of potential blood stem cell donors, who are committed to help save lives”, she added.

Blood diseases are no respector of age, gender or race and the patients impacted cover a broad age spectrum and all race groups. Funds raised will offer the hope of life to patients in need of a life-saving blood stem cell transplant. All monies raised goes towards recruiting donors to The Sunflower Fund’s blood stem cell registry. “We once again, aim to sell 200 000 TOPES and encourage both our loyal and new supporters to rally together and get on board to help us reach our goal,” James concluded.

You can further support the campaign, by downloading collateral for posters and social media from The Sunflower Fund’s website.

You can also help The Fund with financial contributions to assist the fundraising efforts for the tissue-typing test costs and the patient support fund. Visit www.sunflowerfund.org.za to make a quick and easy cash donation. For more information or to register please contact The Sunflower Fund on toll-free number: 0800 12 10 82.

About The Sunflower Fund: The Sunflower Fund is a donor recruitment centre and stem cell registry that is part of a global network, dedicated to creating awareness about blood diseases and stem cell donation, recruiting blood stem cell donors and maintaining a registry of committed donors.

The Sunflower Fund pays for the cost of the tissue-type testing. This is fundamental to saving the lives of South Africans who need a stem cell transplant. The chance of finding a matching donor is 1 in 100,000 – and as ethnic origin plays a significant role in the search for a donor, South Africa’s rainbow nation is at a distinct disadvantage, requiring a large pool of prospective donors.

Should you wish to become a donor, support one of the fundraising projects or make a financial contribution, please contact The Sunflower Fund on toll-free number: 0800 12 10 82. Visit www.sunflowerfund.org.za to learn more or look out for the DONATE button to make a cash donation via the website.

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Annual Pap Smears Might Be A Thing Of The Past For Some Women

By Kelly Gonsalves

Many women have never known a world without Pap smears. The annual cervical cancer test has been an integral part of women's routine health checkups since roughly the mid-1900s. But that might change very soon: A federal health agency just released new guidelines saying the human papillomavirus test can officially replace Pap smears for many women.

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Women between ages 30 and 65 can now exclusively rely on an HPV test every five years for effective cervical cancer screening, according to the new recommendations released Tuesday by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Alternatively, they can still continue to get a Pap smear every three years or a combination of the two tests every five years. The agency recommends women ages 21 to 29 still get the Pap every three years, while women under 21 and over 65 can probably forgo screening completely.

Research has been slowly mounting against the annual Pap, which some experts say can cause more harm than good due to the frequency of false positives that trigger unnecessary stress and medical procedures for the misdiagnosed women. HPV causes over 70 percent of all cervical cancer, which means checking for the virus can be a strong means of preventing a woman's risk of developing the disease. Some studies in recent years have even found the HPV test to be more sensitive, and thus more accurate, about assessing cancer risk than the Pap smear. In 2014, the Food and Drug Administration approved the first HPV test that could be used as a primary cancer screening tool for women 25 and older.

That isn't to say the HPV test is without its flaws: HPV is the most commonly sexually transmitted infection and typically clears itself from a woman's body without ever showing symptoms or requiring any treatment, and some research suggests testing for the virus too often can also lead to overtreatment.

Pap tests are cytology-based, which means doctors put your cells under a microscope to check for abnormalities that could indicate or lead to cancer and involves more costly lab equipment.

The HPV test, on the other hand, involves checking the cells for any of the more than 100 strains of the virus and tends to be easier for physicians' offices to perform—though not all offices offer them, considering the dominance of the Pap test for the past half-century.

So what difference will this all make in your routine OB/GYN appointment? Physically, not much—both the Pap and HPV tests require a swab of cells from the surface of your cervix, meaning you'll still need to have a doctor insert a speculum to get the required specimens. But you could potentially see a price difference, depending on your health care plan and provider.

Each test typically has its own separate cost, which can range from $30 a pop to over $200 without insurance.

At the end of the day, every woman should make an informed decision with her own doctor about which testing plan makes the most sense for her body based on her own conditions.

Have more questions? Here's everything you need to know about HPV and cervical cancer.

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By Down To Earth

Many customers who discover our products are not always familiar with the ethos behind Down to Earth products. We are often asked about what natural means to us and why we choose to include organic ingredients in our products. What are our values? How do we combine the natural world with science? After-all, science has made such vast and important inroads into advancing human health.

What does the phrase “natural products� mean?

Natural products are made up ingredients from a natural or nature derived source, where synthetic and potentially harmful ingredients are avoided.

At Down to Earth we really do have an unwavering trust in nature. The natural world has produced plants that deliver concentrated and potent healing abilities. With millennia of plant evolution and centuries of human usage, plants have supported the survival of ancient cultures and have allowed them to flourish. We have chosen to harness the healing goodness of plant extracts in our topical products.

This does not mean that we have left science out of the equation. In fact, we rely heavily on science to assist us in producing safe, effective and reliable products. From the formulation

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phase where our expert chemist calculates the best synergistic complex of herbal extracts for maximum effectiveness and safely preserves our products. To the production phase where advanced machinery and manufacturing processes are used to maintain ingredient purity.

Down to Earth really does take the “back to basics approach” in harnessing tried, trusted and safe plant extracts, but with the help of the latest knowledge in producing high-performing topical products.

How to I know which natural product is best?

The usage of the word “natural” is not regulated. Companies are able to use it when marketing their product, even if there is a miniscule quantity of natural ingredients present in the product.

This makes it difficult to navigate and select products available in the market today. We have chosen to be transparent and act with integrity in our declaration of ingredients. We will always tell you what percentage of natural ingredients is in each product. Just look underneath the ingredients list of the label. Other natural product companies with similar ethical values will do the same.

There are certifying bodies such as Ecocert-Cosmos and Natrue, which prescribe a minimum value of natural ingredient required in a product for it to be deemed “natural”. This value is set at around 95% of ingredients that should be natural or nature derived. We strictly adhere to these principles – in fact, our products are in excess of 99.5% natural.

This will help you steer clear of “green-washed” products. This where you are led to believe that the product is natural and that the company follows green practices, but in reality they do not.

It is a hard pill to swallow when you know you money has gone to a company that is not honest and probably does not care about you or the environment.

Are processed natural ingredients still natural?

It makes sense that pure ingredients harvested from nature can’t always be used in all products.

That is why the industry has laid down the following classifications of natural ingredients: • Natural ingredients; obtained only by physical processes like cold pressing.

• Derived natural ingredients; permitted chemical reaction processes on only natural ingredients to extract certain qualities of the ingredient.

• Nature-identical ingredients; they are reproduced synthetically in a lab, but exist in nature.

These ingredients are allowed when strictly necessary in order to ensure consumer safety (preservatives) or for purity (minerals/pigments) or for sustainability reasons.

Why should I use natural products?

As a natural product producer we hope that our customers buy into our ethos as much as they do into our practical and effective products. Here is a summary of what our values entail: • We promote the use of natural ingredients and ingredients from organic farming.

• We maintain appropriate manufacturing processes to maintain ingredient purity.

• We avoid the use of GMO ingredients and potentially harmful synthetics such as parabens, petroleum compounds and synthetic fragrances.

• We use no animal testing in our product development and source ingredients that have not been tested on animals.

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• • •

We use biodegradable ingredients.

We use environmentally sensitive packaging.

We are transparent and fully disclose ingredients accurately and truthfully, leaving you with peace of mind.

You can rest assured that Down to Earth products are cruelty-free and are produced using sustainable and environmentally conscious practices.

Why choose organic products?

Organic ingredients in skincare products are plants grown from non-GMO seeds, grown with fertilisers and pesticides considered to be non-synthetic and safe, and are certified organic by an authority body.

Organic farming eliminates the use of synthetic and potentially harmful chemicals.

This is not only better for the environment, but it is of course also better for your health.

Your skin absorbs much of what you put on it and by using organic products, you decrease the toxic load on your body.

Are Down to Earth’s products certified natural or organic?

Natural and organic product certifications can be costly and we have chosen not to go through the expense. In the end, these costs are always passed onto the customer. We have chosen to keep our products affordable.

We adhere as far as possible to the standards of natural and organic certification and we empower our customers to make informed decisions by making as much information as possible available about our processes and products. We encourage our customers to contact us with questions and to give us feedback.

Note: The individual organic ingredients we use in our products are certified.

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This Lymphatic Cleanse Will Detox Your Whole Body

By Dr. Jennifer Weinberg

The lymphatic system is one of the most overlooked yet significant systems in the body. This expansive system travels throughout the body to remove waste from every cell while helping to regulate the immune system. It includes a complex network of vessels, ducts, lymph nodes, the spleen, the thymus, the adenoids, and the tonsils.

Lymph fluid is propelled by breathing and other muscle movement as it is transported through many filtration points known as lymph nodes. The lymph nodes contain collections of white blood cells (lymphocytes) that identify and help destroy harmful pathogens or toxins. The lymph must flow freely to ensure that waste products and fluids do not build up in the tissues.

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The lymphatic vessels act like a giant drainage system for the body that needs to stay clear for it to work properly. Just like in your home if the drains are clogged in your toilet or sink, you can’t get rid of waste effectively—the same is true for your body. Stagnant lymph flow leads to waste and toxin buildup, weakening immunity and leading to a wide variety of health issues.

How do you know if you're suffering from lymphatic congestion?

Almost every part of the body can be affected by poor waste removal in the lymphatic system.

When your lymph drains become congested you may notice: • Stiffness, especially in the morning • Fatigue • Itchy and dry skin • Bloating • Breast swelling with each cycle • Holding on to water • Brain fog • Swollen glands • Stubborn weight gain • Chronic sinusitis, sore throats, colds, or ear issues • Cellulite • Cold hands and feet If you are experiencing symptoms of lymphatic congestion, it may be time to decongest your lymph system. Opening up your lymphatic channels is also crucial before you jump into any other type of cleansing program. As with any cleansing or detoxification program, be sure to check with your physician before making changes that are appropriate for you.

1. Detox your environment.

The lymph must deal with the body's "waste products" that are produced internally like dead cells as well as toxins that are introduced from the external environment. Systemic inflammation creates congestion and swelling in the tissues, which impairs lymphatic flow.

Oxidative stress damages the lymph vessels and breaks down their ability to effectively transport lymph fluid and wastes.

Therefore, it is important to reduce your exposure to chemicals in food, air, personal care products, and water while increasing your intake of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients to prevent damage. Opt for an organic, anti-inflammatory diet filled with green leafy vegetables, cruciferous veggies, omega-3 fatty acids, and herbs and spices like ginger, turmeric, and garlic. Avoid processed additives, chemicals, and artificial ingredients.

2. Stay hydrated.

Lymph fluid is about 95 percent water and becomes thicker and less fluid when you are dehydrated. In fact, one of the most common causes of lymph congestion is dehydration. Stay well-hydrated by sipping warm purified water throughout the day to help keep your lymph flowing well. Avoid sugar-laden soft drinks, processed juices, sports drinks, and alcohol, which add an additional metabolic burden on the body as well as too much caffeine, which dehydrates the body.

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3. Incorporate red and raw foods.

A sluggish digestive tract also congests the lymphatic system. Ayurvedic medicine teaches that naturally red foods like berries, pomegranates, cherries, cranberries, and beets keep the lymph moving freely. Beets are particularly valuable as they help thin the bile for healthy fat digestion, scrub the intestinal villi where the lymphatic vessels originate, and help keep the lymph flowing.

Incorporating raw foods into your diet is another way to keep the lymphatic system healthy. The naturally occurring enzymes and bioflavonoids in raw fruits and vegetables help to break down toxic buildup and free radicals while fiber promotes regular elimination and cleansing of the intestinal villi to keep the intestinal lymphatic system healthy.

4. Move your lymph naturally.

The lymphatic system does not have a built-in pump like the heart, which propels blood through the circulatory system, where it gets oxygenated, filtered, and circulated. Therefore, the lymphatic system relies on the contraction and relaxation of the muscles and joints to move the lymph. The rhythmic tensing and relaxing of the muscles during physical movement wring out the tissues and propel fluid through the lymphatic channels.

Laughter and deep breathing involve movement of the diaphragm and abdominal muscles that help push lymph through the vessels. Dry brushing and lymphatic massage also help to support healthy lymphatic flow in the skin-associated lymphatic tissue. The coarse bristles of a dry brush encourage movement of the lymph and blood in the underlying tissues, which helps move out built-up toxins. Brush or massage your body gently, working toward the heart and paying special attention to the head, neck, feet, breasts, and abdomen, where lymphatics are concentrated.

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5. Cope with stress through mindfulness.

Oxidation and lymph congestion increase when you are physically and/or emotionally stressed, so having an effective routine for coping with daily stress is key. There are many mindfulness practices to help you cope with the inevitable stress of life and minimize its effects on your lymphatic system, digestion, and overall health including meditation and spending time in nature. Having the ability to slow down, pause, and remain calm in the present moment can allow you to decrease stress. Practices like tai chi and yoga that coordinate the breath with movement can be especially effective at reducing the state of constant hyperarousal, which is detrimental to digestion and lymphatic health. When you learn to understand your emotions and responses to stress and adopt healthy ways to manage stress like those presented in my book The Whole Cure, your lymph and life will flow more smoothly.

When your lymph is flowing well, it will support natural revitalization and cleansing of your body. Follow these daily habits and exercises to naturally decongest your lymphatic system for vibrant skin, digestion, and health!

Want more? Here are 9 more ways to reset lymph flow and beat the bloat, as well as a DIY rosemary oil to decrease the appearance of cellulite and increase your memory.

Dr. Jennifer Weinberg Dr. Jennifer Weinberg, M.D., MPH, MBE, is a preventive and lifestyle medicine physician, author, corporate wellness specialist, blogger, and the founder of the Simple | Pure | Whole...

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Looking Good, Feeling Great! ’s Trusted Hemp Cosmetic Range Gets A Makeover.

Hemporium has been a leader in the hemp industry since 1996 when they first launched with the lofty goal of showcasing everything that the wonderful hemp plant can do.

One of the ways they did this is by developing a cosmetic/ body-care range called Hemporium Cosmetology, using hemp seed oil as a base. The range was developed in Cape Town and is locally produced.

These products have proven to be very popular for a number of reasons, which we I will get into shortly, but recently the range itself was given a cosmetic overhaul to bring its branding and labelling up to date and in line with current labelling regulations.

Inside the contents are still the same tried and tested products that Hemporium’s customers have known and loved for 15 years, while outside they have a new look to further compliment your bathroom’s appearance - as well as making awesome gifts for loved ones. They will also fit beautifully into any eco-aware hospitality establishments amenity range.

The Benefits of Hemp Seed Oil in Body-Care Products The essential fatty acids in hemp oil have been clinically proven to be of therapeutic value in a wide range of cosmetic products. The hemp seed is one of the few seeds in the world that contain Omega 3,6 and 9, with the ratio of 3:6 being perfect for the human body.

Hemp oil is also known to have an anti-inflammatory effect, so using it in creams and lotions have the added effect of some deeper healing that can happen for irritated and inflamed skin.

The gentle natural ingredients used in the range also make the products perfect for sensitive or problem skin.

Hemp oil makes an excellent emollient and gets absorbed deep into the derma where it mimics the effects of the skins natural oils. This makes it the perfect choice as a base product for creams and lotions, shampoo, conditioner and soaps.

What’s more, it’s good for your planet too as it can be grown organically with ease. Even when grown conventionally, hemp does not need the use of pesticides and herbicides so there are no residues of these chemicals in the oil. Most people are not aware of the amount of synthetic chemicals they are putting on their skin daily when they use regular body-care products. They

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may seem like small amounts, but over years these chemicals get absorbed by the skin and can cause major issues in our bodies. Using natural plant-oil based products help minimize this as our bodies know how to digest any unwanted byproducts and eliminate them.

Hemporium’s range is also free from preservatives, petro-chemicals, laurel sulphates and parabens making them almost good enough to eat, although I would not suggest this as your taste buds may not agree…

The range is also fully bio-degradable which makes it a perfect choice for camping, the outdoors and also as a product to use in our water-scarce country, especially as more people are now reusing their shower and bath water in the garden. We would not want to be putting unwanted chemicals onto our precious plants.

It has always been a good idea to use Hemporium’s products on your skin, but now with the new look, they have added another element to the Cosmetology range turning it into an even better idea. Plus, if you return the bottles for recycling they offer a discount on your next purchase!

Hemporium really have it all covered. You can find their products on www.hemporium.co.za or at their store in Westlake in Cape Town, and while you are shopping make sure to browse the rest of their awesome products all made from the fantastic hemp plant.

And remember when it comes to chemicals, if you wouldn’t put it on your skin on its own, don’t accept it in your cosmetics.

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Shared with Love…. By Brent Lindeque ABSA, Capitec and Nedbank fire back at the Nando’s Advert.

Ashton Kutcher’s anti-human trafficking software has helped find 6000 victims.

Farmer hands over R30 million village to his 150 workers.

Name and Shame: WhatsApp number set up to whistle-blow on parking offenders.

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STEP INTO SPRING WITH A NEW INTENTION

By Penni from Divine Space Did you feel the intense energy during the eclipse last month? This together with everyone hibernating over the winter months, made everything and everyone become more introspective, exhausted, irritable and explosive all rolled into one, and then as the weather warms up and our gardens come back to life you can literally feel your body and emotions sigh with relief as it breathes in the spring energy.

As we play more in the 5th dimension we begin to realise that even though there will always be highs and lows (just like the seasons), we don’t allow the lows to stick us as much, being willing to sit back and watch the interplays, like a movie on a screen, without them devastating us as they may have done in the past... and then really and truly enjoying the highs to the fullest. And the best thing is - that as you change your attitude to life - so you invite others to do the same, pulling them into your vortex of higher energy so that their lives can also become easier. do a reading

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And those that don’t get you - and may think you are smoking something really strong just know that just by them being in your space will impact their lives too - without you having to say anything to convince them.

If they are ready on a subconscious level to make that shift - it will happen anyway almost by osmosis.

And when things are not working, check your head to see if there is something missing, then check your heart to see if there is something blocked or a fear you have not noticed or addressed, and finally check the higher self to see what the bigger picture is.... and THEN step back and follow your knowing.

I know that when I started my spiritual journey in 1993, people for many years did not get me. I could visibly see their eyes rolling when I tried to explain the path I had chosen using colour to heal, and now... today... it has become acceptable and the shift for many is easy, effortless and instantaneous. As with anything new - the first wave of people have to literally hack their way through the dense bush to create a path that others can easily follow - and that too is the soul's choice. And some people will get you, and others will still resist and question everything - but you are planting the seeds anyway - for a time in the future when they can hear it.

Remember however that if your family or friends are in chaos - they need to do this for themselves. You cannot fix it or put it in order for others. You can only hold the light so that they can pick up on the harmony of your energy, and if they ask for guidance then gently share what works for you - this gives them the opportunity to choose for themselves.

Spend time focusing on what you are passionate about, and remember that whatever you give attention to.. will grow.

Love and fear both originate from the heart center, and we often create our greatest fear, because we dwell on it.

Change the vibration of the fear by turning it into a cartoon that you can laugh at - this will dissipate it… and remember that in the 5th dimension this can be done in a heartbeat especially if you align your head, your heart and your higher self in the process.

In the 5th dimension the time-line of creation is much quicker. Focus on what you would like to create so that you entrain the particles to actualize the reality. The more you believe this, the more you can do it and you will become a walking master on the earth.

Hold no judgement, no matter how dark someone else is behaving, as you don’t want to give this any energy - simply notice, see chaos as an opportunity for creation, breath through it and walk away. No matter how dense we think things are.. when we are in touch with our own sensitivities, and are in harmony - our perceptions shift and things don’t bother us in the same way.

Dare to dream, let your mind run wild and this will open you up to aligning with a new potential, and this will affect what and how you create in the future.

Play lightly and easily in this energy and invite the magic of colour into your life during this month. Connect with any of the therapists on my website and allow them to support you and your body with colour, light and sound in the divine Antaneea treatment, see where you are at with a colour reading or have your Bars run regularly to empty your busy mind. By being willing to ask and receive support this will help you to align to the miraculous new YOU.

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The most helpful thing that you can do in the face of hardship is to keep a positive attitude.

There's always some blessing within all circumstance, even if you can't immediately identify it. By holding on to faith, you can elevate everyone around you, along with the situation itself...

A positive mind-set keeps the body relaxed, which in turn helps you think clearly and creatively during intense situation. Your bright outlook inspires others and may avert a cycle of downward spiraling energy.........

Vow to stay optimistic today no matte what. Always be honest about your thoughts and feelings, yet do call upon us angels and your higher self to gain the best perspective on every situation. In this way, you work through any upsetting emotions very quickly, keeping a high level of energy and a positive attitude.

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By Dylan Harper

Unlocking Our Past Lives The concept of reincarnation reminds us that we have led lives in our past. From our Birth we cannot remember our past lives that we have led, for simple reason if we are born with past lives memories, we would have been born with emotions, misery and traumas of our past lives and so our memories of past lives are locked in deep levels of our consciousness.

Our past lives also have a way of affecting our present selves. Sometimes, we carry old patterns from our past without even knowing it.

Unlocking our past lives will not only heighten our level of consciousness but it will allow us to understand ourselves better. We will be able to address to our weaknesses most especially if they are an effect of our past lives. It will also be a big help if we seek healing. Knowing who we were can allow us to be at peace and harmony with our both our past and true selves.

Based on the writings of Patanjali, The compiler of the Yoga SĹŤtras,, our souls are burdened with an accumulation of impressions as we go through several lifetimes.

For our souls to be free of these burdens and for us to also address to our current problems, we should go through a process which he described as reverse birthing. This process involves uncovering our past lives through hypnosis or commonly known as past life regression.

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To perform self-hypnosis, you must find a place that is free from any form of distraction. You should also conduct your self-hypnosis at a time of the day when both your mind and body are awake and alert. Begin this process the same way you would when you are meditating.

You have to start by relaxing your mind and body through calm, proper breathing and freeing yourself from unnecessary or negative thoughts. Take note, self-hypnosis can be done better when you are lying down.

You may uncover negative energies or impressions as you unlock your past life so it is important to start the process first by ensuring your protection. First, visualize that you are surrounded by a white light. This white light will protect you from any negativity that you will encounter along the way.

It will keep you strong when you will feel weak. Let it envelop you with love, warmth and enlightenment. Now calmly say, “White light, you are my protector. Keep me safe.” You can create your own similar mantra.

When you feel safe enough, you are now ready to start your self-hypnosis. Visualize yourself walking down a hall. It doesn’t matter how the hall looks like. You decide. It can have white walls, large windows, antique ornaments or whatever you prefer. Imagine that at the end of the wall, there is a big door.

This door opens up to your past life. The moment you open it, memories of who you were will be revealed to you. Think of this as you walk towards the door. As you approach the doorstep, be sure to prepare yourself first. It is normal to feel afraid but before you open the knob, you should deal with this fear first.

You should make yourself realize that whatever you will see on the other side of the door will be for your own betterment; that if you want to attain happiness in the future, you have to face your past. Keep yourself relaxed and your mindset on the right track. This will allow you to uncover your memories more effectively.

As you open the door, you will be filled with impressions and memories from your past.

Sometimes they could be abstract and all you could see are colors or they could be vivid images.

Either way, take note and be observant of what you see. You will also encounter negative impressions or memories.

Oftentimes, they will break your hypnosis and you will find yourself back to your awareness.

When this happens, do not try again. Instead, get your journal and record everything that you have experienced during your self-hypnosis. You should also do this even if you are successful in performing self-hypnosis.

Remember, do not perform self-hypnosis for consecutive days or too often. Doing so will lead to inaccurate results. Each time you undergo hypnosis, be sure to record everything and indicate the time and date. Reviewing your notes after several sessions will allow you to further understand your past life. You will be able to identify and connect impressions and memories through them.

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In unlocking our past lives, the most important key is to believe. If we do not believe, no matter how hard we try or no matter how precise we are at following each step, we will not be able to get any results. Skepticism will not get you anywhere but your belief will take you through lifetimes.

Dylan Harper Dylan is a 32-year-old surfer from California. He traveled the world, rode the waves and learned the universal concept of oneness. He is a vegan for over a decade and, literally, wouldn't hurt a fly. He was reunited with his twin soul in Greece, where they got married and settled... for now. Dylan is a staff writer for DreamcatcherReality.com and teaches surfing to children.

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Gluten Free Veggie Waffles Are Here To Win Weeknight Dinners

By Liz Moody Our new Well Fed series is all about simplifying healthy food—and adding in a hefty serving of fun. Come hang out with me every Monday night on our Instagram stories, where I’ll be making this recipe, answering your questions, and, this week, showing you the secret to getting a crispy result in the waffle iron, every time.

Do you remember those old "Will It Blend?" infomercials, where a man in a lab jacket (so much gravitas!) would attempt to add everything from glow sticks to an iPad to a high-powered blender?

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I've been playing my own version of this game at home, except instead of demolishing expensive electronics, I'm asking: Will it waffle? I often find myself eyeing my leftovers, wondering if they, too, are destined for the crispy-edged abyss that is my waffle iron. And surprisingly, most things waffle pretty damn nicely. Mashed potatoes? Crispy, latke-like heaven.

Spaghetti? A carb-y delight. Falafel? I'm not saying I've improved on the centuries-old snack...but if the Egyptians had waffle irons in the 1600s, I know they would've preferred it this way.

A waffle iron (and if you don't have one, get one! They're shockingly cheap!) offers the opportunity for instant crispy edges, a texture game-changer. Because it cooks all of those nooks and crannies, you also get a higher amount of what's called the Maillard reaction, a sciencey term for the caramelization of sugars that makes vegetables go from boring to totally cravable (Brussels sprouts, I'm looking at you).

This recipe uses basically any vegetables you have on hand—it's a great way to do a fridge clean-out. Just don't skip the onion, since it really gets on board with the whole Maillard thing and is responsible for the awesome flavor of everything else in the waffle. Arrowroot, a powder made from tubers, is a gluten-free binding flour alternative that adds extra-crispifying (is that a word? It needs to be) starch. Once you make the waffles, top 'em with an egg, serve 'em on a bed of greens, or just eat 'em plain.

Bonus: This recipe is a great way to use that nut milk bag that's been sitting in the back of your pantry since you bought it with the best of intentions three years ago (if you don't have one, no worries; a thin cotton dish towel will work wonderfully as well).

Gluten-Free Veggie Waffles Serves 2 Ingredients • 4 cups shredded vegetables of choice (carrots, Brussels sprouts, zucchini, red pepper, sweet potato, etc.)

• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped • 2 eggs, preferably pastured • ¼ cup arrowroot powder • Fine-grain sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste • Optional: greens, a fried egg, or hot sauce, to serve Method • Heat up your waffle iron. In a large bowl, sprinkle a generous amount of salt on veggies and toss to coat.

• Let sit for 10 minutes, then transfer to a nut milk bag or thin tea towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.

• Wipe out bowl and return wrung-out shredded veggies to it. Mix in onion, eggs, and arrowroot.

• Scoop a few heaping spoonfuls of mixture into waffle iron and let cook over medium until outside is golden brown. Transfer waffle to plate and repeat with second waffle. Serve optional add-ins and enjoy!

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The Avocado Mojito Smoothie This rich and creamy avocado smoothie makes good use of those phenomenally delicious detoxifying ingredients, ginger and turmeric.

It’s also full of good fats and is high in antioxidants and antiinflammatories.

INGREDIENTS • • • • • • • • •

1 avocado 1 cup coconut milk 1 handful of mint leaves, plus extra to garnish 3 tbsp filtered water, plus extra if needed ½ tsp ground turmeric or 5 mm of turmeric, finely grated 1 tsp ground ginger or 1 cm piece of fresh ginger, finely grated ¼ tsp stevia Zest and juice of 1 lime 1 cup crushed ice

METHOD Place all the ingredients in a food processor or high-speed blender and whiz everything together until smooth (if it’s a bit thick for your liking, loosen it up with a little extra water).

Pour into glasses, garnish with extra mint leaves and serve.

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The Muscle Building Meal Plan

By Shannon Clark

If you want to build muscle quickly, nutrition is 80% of the game.

Knowing what to eat and when is critical for success. Let’s go over what you need to know.

If you are attempting to build lean muscle mass, you must remember that it will take more than just training hard in the gym. You need to eat to grow as the saying goes. Your body is trying to generate new body tissue so this means you need to eat more than what it takes to just maintain your body weight. If you are training hard and not growing, chances are it’s because of one thing: you aren’t eating enough.

Therefore, let’s go over what you do need to eat to see success.

Calories Count Of everything you do, the most important is going to be ensuring that you get sufficient calories in. If you don’t eat enough calories, you aren’t giving your body the resources it needs to grow, thus you will falter.

Most people need to consume between 16-18 calories per pound of bodyweight in order to start seeing weight gain.

If you are exceptionally active or have a fast metabolism naturally (aka, you’re a "skinny guy"), expect to take that up to the 20-22 calories/lb. range.

Start counting out what you are eating now so you have a good idea where you stand.

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Protein Is Important, But Not As Important As You Might Think Also note that while protein is definitely important to give your body the raw materials it needs to build muscle, protein alone is not enough. Protein cannot provide your body with the energy it needs to generate that new lean muscle mass.

Too many bodybuilders think it’s all about sucking back protein shake after protein shake.

Because you are in a calorie surplus, you need a minimum amount of protein. 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight is actually sufficient. You need more protein if you are actively trying to diet.

Don’t Neglect Those Carbs This means you must get in those carbs. Carbohydrates are a bodybuilders friend, not the enemy. Too many people fear them thinking they’ll cause them to gain weight, but this isn’t the case. Eating too many calories is what causes weight gain. It doesn’t matter if this comes from carbs, proteins, or fats.

Carbohydrates are what provides the energy to complete those intense weightlifting sessions and are what helps to restore muscle glycogen levels. So don’t be afraid to get them in.

Especially load up around your workout as this is when you need them the most.

Plan Fats Wisely Finally, do remember to get in some fats. Your fat intake will heavily dictate your testosterone levels, so you want to be sure you don’t drop this too low. Choose healthy fats like olive oil, coconut oil, nuts, nut butters, avocados, and fatty varieties of fish. Eat these away from the workout period if possible as fats can weight you down and cause you to feel more sluggish.

So now that you’re all set with your macro profiles, let’s show you a sample muscle building meal plan.

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Breakfast: ½ cup (raw measure) oatmeal mixed with 1 scoop whey protein powder, topped with 1 banana and 1 tbsp. natural peanut butter. 1 whole egg mixed with 1 cup egg whites, scrambled and served with some salsa.

Mid-Morning Snack: 2 slices Ezekiel break with 3 oz. grilled chicken breast, lettuce, tomato, and mustard.

Lunch: 1 can of tuna mixed with ½ cup kernel corn, 1 diced tomato, and ½ cup salsa served over 1 cup brown rice. Have half an avocado alongside the meal.

Pre-Workout: 1.3kg. grilled chicken breast served with 200 grams of baked sweet potatoes.

Post-Workout: 1 banana mixed with 1 scoop whey protein powder

Dinner (30 minutes later): 2 cups whole wheat pasta, tomato sauce, and 4 oz. grilled cooked salmon. Served with 1 cup steamed broccoli.

Before-Bed: 1 cup cottage cheese with 1 tbsp. natural almond butter

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Ease into Spring Yoga Retreat

21-24 September 2018 / Groot Marico Join Steven Heyman and Lucy Draper-Clarke for a long weekend of yoga, mindfulness and outdoor adventure in the Groot Marico District, 250km from Johannesburg.

We will stay at the Tara Rokpa Centre, a retreat centre known for its pristine environment, unpolluted air and fantastic night sky. It lies in a wooded valley, bounded by perennial streams and surrounded by rolling hills. (www.tararokpacentre.co.za) Activities: Yoga (3-4 sessions daily), trip to die Oog, hike to the waterfall, campfire. The yoga is accessible for all levels, and there will the choice of two workshops – inversions or compassion practices, to suit all participants.

Cost: Twin/double rooms with shared bathroom: R3500 For more info and to book, contact Steven at info@yogaworks.co.za Conscious Life Magazine

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When the sun starts shining, those seedlings will soon be reaching up to meet it.

Some plants have nice strong stalks to hold them up, but others need our help. Peas, beans, and other vining vegetables need some sort of trellis to support their growth towards the sky.

This project shows you how to easily build a bamboo trellis with only one material.

Yep, you guessed it‌bamboo!

Pea plants grasp onto netting, twine, or thin bamboo poles with their curly tendrils. This pea trellis made with twine is a perfect solution to fit a lot of peas into a small space, but it can also be as successful and a bit more sturdy to use a woven bamboo trellis (plus it’s better for those less gentle pea pickers, AKA kids and the dog).

As the only material is bamboo, the importance is in what size poles you choose.

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Pole beans wind themselves around poles so they will need a bit more support than a twine trellis can handle. They love to grow up high in the sky, so make sure that you get really long bamboo stakes for a pole bean trellis.

Cucumbers and squash can also do very will climbing up a trellis, but there needs to be enough strength to hold the thick vine and then the heavy fruit as it ripens. Depending on the size and weight of the fruit, you can choose a thicker and stronger bamboo pole to weave.

Now that you have your bamboo poles, you can start to build. Place poles about 6″-12″ apart (depending on the size of what you are working with) by firmly staking the end into the ground.

This smaller pea trellis is spaced 4″ apart with fairly thin bamboo that measures 5′ high.

Cut the bamboo that you will be weaving to 6″-12″ longer than the distance between the two end poles. Weave the length of bamboo through the stakes by passing it alternatively behind and in front of each stake.

Slide the pole down through the stakes to about 6″ from the bottom of the stakes.

Repeat this step with another pole but alternate how the pole weaves front to back with the first pole.

Continue this process until you have a sturdy trellis that has the spacing you were hoping for.

You will be surprised at the strength of this trellis and how easy it is to make. If you have access to a lot of sturdy and straight branches, you could also make this structure from branches.

It will look beautifully rustic and will also be totally free! You can’t beat that.

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Now all that is left is to wind the plants through the first few poles and let it grow.

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A Guide to Composting

By Robyn at Holistica, Courtesy of From Greenpop

Composting is a brilliant way to give back to the earth. If you consider the huge volume of landfills in the world it should be a primary concern for all of us to dispose of our waste responsibility.

Week after week we mindlessly put our rubbish bags on the pavement when we could so easily reduce the amount of waste to almost nothing. Here’s what you can compost, and a few pointers on how easy it can be.

LIST OF COMPOSTABLES Cardboard, newspaper and clean paper Coffee grounds Crumbs, eggshells and nutshells Cotton and wool rags Dryer and vacuum lint Flowers, leaves, plants and pine needles Fruits and vegetables Hair and fur Sawdust and wood chips Tea bags Grass and trimmings Hay and straw Conscious Life Magazine

WHAT IS COMPOST? Compost is organic matter that’s broken down into material used as plant fertiliser. It’s also called Gardener’s Gold or Black Gold. When you put a whole lot of organic matter together it attracts bacteria that create carbon dioxide and heat. This transforms waste into nutrient rich soil. Creepies and crawlies like worms, slugs and insects also digest the decomposing matter, turning it into compost as they eat and poop it out. Secretions from the worms and insects bind the small particles into bigger bits. This improves the texture of the compost.

HOW TO COMPOST: 1.You can compost on the open ground or you can compost in a big plastic, wooden or metal bin or container. If you’re doing it on the open ground, find an empty piece of ground in your garden.

This will give access to the organisms so they can start their job.

2.Start throwing all your organic waste onto the pile. Make sure you have a good mixture of old food and leaves. If you shred your leaves you will get a much faster result. This will aerate the pile and allow for quicker decomposition.

3.Add some nitrogen. Hay and kitchen scraps are good sources of nitrogen and manure is the best. If you layer your nitrogen source with your leaves and garden waste you will get a great result.

4.Turn your compost every three days to give it more air.

Plastic is a huge global problem at the moment – check out this related article on plastic waste solutions.

WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE… DO YOU???

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WE COLLECT YOUR RECYCLING & CREATE EMPLOYMENT: We collect & deliver the materials to various, community recycling projects we support, the materials are sorted & the income goes directly to the community members involved.

WHO DO WE SERVICE? Households, flats, townhouse complexes, estates, office complexes, industrial companies & shopping centres. Ensuring recyclables are processed correctly & don’t end up on unsightly, dirty & negatively impacting land fill sites.

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Lawn Care The Organic Way

EXTRACT FROM BOOK: ESSENTIAL ORGANICS the legacy of Irmela Reichardt

The green carpet in your garden is formed by 100’s & 100’s of little plants, growing close together and all competing for the same nutrients in the soil.

It is a common belief that a lush, green lawn is said to set the tone of a garden, which is not untrue. Many gardeners are prepared to spend a lot of money on fertilizer, herbicides and water to achieve this. I maintain that it is possible to have a lovely green lawn, but without an expensive maintenance program.

SOIL fertility is the Key to Success 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Your initial mind-shift is to think of lawn as a living creature Realize that lawn is a very heavy feeder Create a living Soil to provide the lawn plants with a wide range of nutrients Allow their root system to grow deep into a rich soil Ensure dense leaf growth to, shade the soil surface and roots, to reduce loss of moisture, prevent germination of weed seeds, and soil erosion.

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Some LAWN types are: BUFFALO: An indigenous grass which grows easily. Tolerates shade, salt water spray and will grow in sandy soil. It does not require frequent cutting, is water-wise, but does not tolerate frost and is dormant in winter.

KIKUYU: A popular grass as it is a fast grower, stays green in winter in frost free areas, requires little attention besides good soil conditioning. Can be very invasive in high rainfall areas.

COMMON COUCH (KWEEK): A popular lawn grass, is a fine bladed indigenous grass, which is hardy and takes wear. It needs to grow in full sun, and easily grown in most soil types. It is brown and dormant in winter. It can become invasive.

FLORIDA, SKAAPPLAAS & ROYAL CAPE: These are varieties of couch grass indigenous to parts of the country. They are fine bladed, drought tolerant and some are frost tolerant. Often used on bowling greens.

SWAZI: Indigenous, coarse leaf blade. Grows well in poor soil, requires little maintenance. It will brown off in dry summer months, but recovers quickly with rain. It is sensitive to frost and dormant through winter.

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Easy DIY Crockpot Candles Supplies needed: – Glass jars – Soy wax flakes – Weighted candle wicks, large – Rosemary oil – Lavender oil OR dried lavender – Crockpot – Scissors – Chopstick or stirring stick

Directions: 1. Place the wick in the jar. If you need help getting it to stay centered, add a tad of glue to the weight and press into place.

2. Fill to the top with the soy flakes. Keep the wick centered as you fill.

3. Add 7-10 drops of rosemary oil to the jar. Place the jar in the crock pot set on high.

4. As the wax melts down, you will add more. Just sprinkle it in evenly around the wick.

5. Allow the jar to sit for about 60-90 minutes in the crock pot until the wax has liquefied. Add additional flakes as needed.

6. When the wax nears the top, sprinkle in the dried lavender buds. Or, you can add some of the lavender oil at this time.

7. Give the candle a last good stir, and remove from the pot.

Allow to cool and harden.

8. Snip off any extra wick before burning. Never burn any candles unattended or do crafts with hot wax around children.

DIY Crockpot Candles with Essential Oils are super easy and do not take a lot of time. You can do other things while they melt down. Have you tried making candles? If so please leave a comment letting me know how you make yours.

By Stephanie

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Pet Nutrition 101: Are You Giving Your Pet the Best?

By Dr. Axe Most of us love our furry friends as members of our own family.

These innocent, unconditionally loving animals bring much to our lives. They are there for us, always happy to see us (no matter how tattered and torn we may be,) and full of love and devotion. This comes in the form of cats, dogs, bunnies, horses, and many more adorable creatures God has given us.

Pet Nutrition 101 Usually at your local grocery store there’s at least one aisle entirely devoted to pets. You’ll find treats, litter, toys, and of course foods. The food selection in the grocery stores range from store brand super cheap to more expensive, recognizable names. But are any of these the best choice to promote your pet’s health?

Many of these pet foods are loaded with fillers, additives, preservatives, and more nasty ingredients you simply don’t want to put into your beloved pet’s body. Most of these foods are similar to the foods we find at the grocery store for ourselves; laden with ingredients bound to make us sick and far from being healthy for us.

Let’s take a look at the most common ingredients in pet foods you find at the local grocery store according to veterinarian Dr. Jan Becker’s website, PetNutritionInfo.com.

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8 Common Pet Food Ingredients and What They Really Are • •

Lamb and Lamb Meal Poultry Meal and Poultry By-products Meal • Soybean • Meat and Bone • Animal Fat • Poultry Tallow • BHA, BHT • Fillers Let’s look at what each of these ingredients really is and how it impacts the animal you’re feeding.

Lamb and Lamb Meal We all know what lamb is but did you know that lamb meal is fresh, dehydrated lamb that when found in this form is really up to seven times more lamb meat than you may think?

Poultry Meal and Poultry By-products If you see poultry by products listed on the ingredients of your pet’s food you should know what it really means. Poultry byproducts include beaks, heads, necks, bones, feet, innards and feathers of poultry. This is meat not fit for human consumption. Poultry meal is the better of the two choices.

Poultry Tallow Another name for poultry fat. This is more expensive and better for the animals you’re taking care of.

BHA, BHT Chemical preservatives that are abundant in pet foods. These toxins accumulate in the animals system and unlike humans who eat a diverse diet the animals eat them on a daily basis.

Fillers The most common fillers for pet foods are corn and wheat. Carnivorous animals are not meant to chow down on either of these grains. They enable the pet food manufacturers to produce cheaper pet foods and the animals don’t fill up so they have to consume more.

So now you know a bit more about what not to feed your pet, then what should you feed your pet?

Soybean Soybean is a common ingredient in many pet foods. This is something that causes gas in most animals that are carnivorous.

Meat and Bone This is really just a nice way of saying bone.

There is very little meat in the meat and bone combination. But that’s not all the bone you’ll be feeding your precious pet is from an unknown source and that source can change at any time without notification to consumers.

Animal Fat Usually the cheapest and therefore lowest quality fat on the market. Also from an unknown source and is inconsistent.

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Giving Your Pet the Right Nutrition When it comes to your pet’s diet and health it’s important to know that their diets have evolved the same way as humans have.

Although our bodies were built for and need certain nutrition, today’s typical diets are devoid of many of the nutrients we need.

Therefore, it’s important to make an effort to not just feed your pet the right foods but to also supplement your pet when needed.

Let’s begin with Omega-3’s and DHA.

2 Nutrients Your Pet Must Have Omega-3’s and DHA Back in the days when dogs ran wild they were able to obtain their own omega-3’s and thus DHA from the foods they ate and were meant to eat – naturally. These wild canines would eat reptiles, organ meats, bone marrow and fish and get their needed supply.

Of course today with the processed dog foods, this doesn’t happen. For that reason you should consider the best ways to get your pet, particularly dog, a regular dose of omega-3’s.

The DHA in omega-3’s are found to be very important in the following for dogs: • Skin • Hair • Retina support • Arthritis • Learning • Behavior You can supplement with one to two tablespoons of cod liver oil or fish oil or serve them fresh, wild salmon a few times per week.

humans we need to have the good bacteria outweigh the bad or the body will suffer.

Probiotics are essential for a number of health concerns, here are just a few: • Help to manufacture B vitamins especially biotin and folic acid • Help balance blood cholesterol levels • Improve anti-oxidant activity • Increase energy levels • Remove toxins • Reduce inflammation • Increase digestion Consider live bacteria supplementation for your pet to give them the needed probiotics.

There are also freeze dried supplements and liquid supplements but the live is the very best.

Probiotic supplements can help to overcome the following in pets: • Diarrhea • Digestion problems • Skin problems • Food intolerances • Chronic health problems It’s vital to remember when it comes to your pets that they too need to have certain nutrients in order to live long, vibrant lives – just like humans. Providing them with real foods instead of fake foods and supplementing what they need is one of the best ways to love your pet.

Sources: http://www.petnutritioninfo.com/pet_food_i ngredients.htm http://www.petnutritioninfo.com/dha.htm http://www.thewholedog.org/id24.html

Probiotics Probiotics or ‘for life’ products are the best way to increase the good bacteria in the body while decreasing the bad bacteria. This is particularly important if your pet has been on medications especially antibiotics. Just like Conscious Life Magazine

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Date: Title: Teachers:

September 25 - October 2, 2018 Awakening the Heart of Compassion Sue Cooper

Held in a contained and nurturing atmosphere of contemplative silence, this 7 night silent retreat is offered to those who have previously attended one of my Open the Heart and Still the Mind retreats and can be attended separately or as a continuation of the 4 night retreat at the BRC from 20-24 September. Drawing on the inspiring wisdom teachings of the archetypal good-enough Mother Kuan Yin, Bodhisattva of Compassion who "Listens to the Cries of the World at Ease," we will explore what it means to embrace ourselves, and life, with a compassionate heart. As we learn to move beyond the curse of perfectionism, we can learn to trust our authenticity and courageously express who we really are, free from the constraints of our fear-based and shaming conditioning. We will discover that when we rest in the embrace of Kuan Yin, so powerfully felt on this exquisite sacred mountain, we can find joy in our human experience and solace in the strength of our vulnerability.

This retreat ends after breakfast on Tuesday 2nd October, after which there will be an optional hike into the Garden Castle Nature Reserve. Those flying home will need to book flights from Durban after midday on Wed 3rd October.

Date: Title: Teachers:

October 26 - 28, 2018 Doodling, Dreaming, Describing, and Discovering: A Meditative Approach to Drawing John Roome

During the retreat we will explore the meditative side of drawing. Drawing is not usually thought of as a form of meditation, yet drawing and meditation practice have a surprising number of commonalities. Drawing is often done in silence. The best results are achieved when there are no distractions, when one is able to focus intensely and be present in the moment. Drawing requires mindfulness. Drawing requires you to lose yourself, drop your ego, and immerse yourself in the subject of your drawing. A Zen master once said, "To draw bamboo you must become bamboo".

Dharmagiri is introducing Ashram style retreats for those who would like to spend some quiet time in a supportive & nurturing space

December 15th to Jan 20th Ashram Retreat with Chandasara and the Dharmagiri team Conscious Life Magazine

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QUANTUM BODY-BRAIN REBOOT As human beings, our individual history (story) ultimately becomes our Biology.

Doctors and scientists say that stress causes 85% of all disease. When we are constantly stressed out, our adrenal glands run the show and override and suppress all of our other endocrine glands, together with their important hormonal secretions. Over time our immune system becomes compromised and thus we become more susceptible to disease.

Traumatic events, illness and injury, causes the physical body to become contracted, causing body cells become de-polarized, and lose their natural innate ability to absorb nutrients and get rid of cellular waste products. Blood and lymph is not able to flow freely through contracted systems, which ultimately results in energy blockages, within muscles, organs and body systems within the physical body, which, if left unresolved, over time, may develop into dis-ease.

The physical Body and Brain, just like a personal computer, benefit greatly by being rebooted, defragged and restarted.

Body-Brain Reboot Treatment is a comprehensive healing modality, designed to address and clear underlying causes and issues which lie at the root of disease symptoms, shock, traumatic events, allergies, etc. and rebooting helps to restore body systems back to optimal function.

When the body is relaxed and in a state harmony and balance, it is able to access an infinite amount of universal energy, which flows freely within all space, in the vast field of intelligence that surrounds us, which assists the body to heal easily and quickly, especially when deeply relaxed, or asleep.

During times of injury, shock, trauma, or stress, emotional stress pathways and neural pain pathways are formed, sending pain and stress messages back and forth, linking the sites of injury and the brain. These links reinforces painful symptoms and conditions.

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During a Quantum Body-Brain Reboot Session, stress and pain pathways are cleared, balanced, and rebooted, and negative beliefs, which may also lie at the root of any specific illness, is addressed, cleared and replaced with more supporting and positive beliefs.

Because the process clears energetic pathways, the Reboot process is able to treat chronic conditions and painful symptoms, which despite our very best efforts, have not shifted at all. This often produces miraculous results on areas of chronic pain, such as Sciatica, or even Post Traumatic Stress, which can be effectively, and completely cleared within minutes.

The best way to describe a Body-Brain Reboot Session, is like experiencing a powerful combination of Theta, EFT and Body Talk, but on SPEED DIAL. At the start of a session, a discussion is held with the client, to find out what their symptoms and personal challenges are. We also ensure that the client is well hydrated, because muscle testing works more effectively on a well hydrated system.

Kinesiology (muscle testing) is used to test body systems, organs and functions, according to each person’s individual health and other related challenges.

During a relaxed, blissful and happy state, the brain is able to oscillate easily between alpha, theta, and gamma - whichever brainwave is most beneficial for optimal healing, clearing and rebooting.

To induce the optimal brainwave for healing, the client is encouraged to recall a happy memory, any truly blissful day or moment, such as how we felt when we were holding a baby or puppy, etc. When the client is relaxed and in an optimal brainwave state for healing, we induce a linkup between the hypothalamus, nervous system and meridian circuits, while doing the Body-Brain Reboot Process, to ensure effective clearing, integration and

reboot.

During a clearing, the client will hold one hand on their heart and the other hand on an area which needs to be cleared, while the practitioner places one hand at the base of the brain, while tapping on the cerebral cortex.

During the entire process the practitioner maintains a powerful, personal connection to the Creator / Source, while focusing on feelings of joy and gratitude. As soon as the clearing of a specific area is completed, the client’s body will usually either relax, or sway backward.

After a certain amount of clearing, an entire body-brain Integration process is facilitated to enable maximum clearing, balancing, integration, and rebooting of key areas within the brain, (cerebral cortex, hypothalamus and cerebellum - areas involving information processing, emotional storage & recall, decision making, integration, coordination and also balance).

TESTING INCLUDES: Water Utilization – body hydration; PTSD / Shock and Trauma: Adrenal fatigue and Sympathetic nervous system overdrive; Chronic pain - Injuries, failed surgeries, Body trauma & scars; Resetting physical & emotional levels; Body Systems (Neurological, Immune, Skeletal, Cardiovascular, Respiratory, Endocrine, Lymphatic, etc.); Autoimmune Illnesses; Allergies; Candida, Fungi, Viruses; Bacteria, Parasites; Heavy Metals; DNA Restructure; Geopathic / Electromagnetic Stress; Optimum utilization of Sugar & Carbohydrates; Foreign implants (tooth fillings, breast implants); System Disruptors; Brain / Body integration – Receptor Site Dynamics; Energetic Attachments; Spinal cord and Nerves; Immune System (B & T Cells); Circadian Body Rhythm: Holographic Repatterning: Resetting of the Body’s Blueprint of Perfection & more. www.quaqntumhealing.co.za

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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

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 aim of Safe-Train Consulting (PTY) Ltd is to provide quality training and educational programmes to the individual as well as corporate institutions.

This training institution is committed and dedicated to render a comprehensive, effective and professional quality educational service with trained, competent staff and relevant equipment to facilitate learners to be part of health care and minimize loss of life as far as humanly possible. We offer both in class training as well as onsite training depending on the client’s specific requirements.

Safe-Train Consulting (PTY) ltd instructors are registered with the Resus Council of South-Africa to offer training and education which falls under the American Heart Association recognised by the Health Professions Counsel of South Africa.

COURSES OFFERED 1. First aid course for parents 2. First aid course for Au Pairs For more courses please see our website.

We also design first aid courses on request, if there is a group op people that want to learn something in a particular setting. We then offer attendance first aid courses (almost like a workshop).

Contact: :082 926 5585 safetrainconsulting@gmail.com www.safetrain.co.za

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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COMIC CON COMES TO AFRICA 14 -16 September 2018 at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit & International Convention Centre Reed Exhibitions Africa and, ReedPOP have partnered with VS Gaming on a South African first and will be bringing Comic Con to South Africa.

Comic Con Africa will showcase comic books and science fiction/fantasy related film, series and similar popular arts.

The exhibition will also feature a large range of pop culture and entertainment jkhbbbbbbkjhkjh elements in animation, toys, gadgets, clothing, anime, manga, collectible card games, video games, webcomics, and fantasy novels and an Artists' Alley, where comic artists can sign autographs and sell or do free sketches.

Superhero or sidekick – there will be exciting activations to enjoy that include professional gaming tournaments and activations, cosplay competitions, and new movie and series promotions. Comic Con Africa visitors can also enjoy international and local celebrity panel discussions, seminars, workshops and autograph sessions.

“ReedPOP has always stayed true to its core beliefs of always putting the fans first, creating killer events and being as transparent and authentic as possible. We try our hardest to bring massive amounts of fun and excitement to the lives of our audience by creating content and experiences that are original, exciting, memorable and exceptionally awesome. So, we are very excited for this new launch into Africa.”

“We are also very excited to be partnering with VS Gaming to bring this world-renowned convention to South Africa. Comic Con Africa is a fantastic opportunity to promote this growing industry on the continent,” says Carol Weaving, MD of Reed Exhibitions Africa.

On the strategic alignment with Comic Con Africa, Lenushka Parannath, spokesperson of VS Gaming shared, “VS Gaming has been at the forefront of a couple of firsts, last year we successfully hosted the largest e-football Festival in Africa and now we’re the first to be involved in Comic Con to Africa.”

Parannath continues, “We always aspire to bring gaming to life in a way that has never been experienced before and what better way to do that in 2018 than to align with Comic Con Africa. We are looking forward to hosting this incredible global brand for a 3-day out-of-this-world experience.”

ReedPOP has many global entertainment brands in its stable, including Comic Con New York, Star Wars Celebration (Lucas film), TwitchCon (Twitch) and PAX (Penny Arcade), and in collaboration with Reed Exhibitions Africa, will set the stage for Comic Con Africa - a first of its kind - to join the international league of epic comic book and industry enthusiast conventions.

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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 Fight the Dog Meat Trade URGENT: Our Animal Rescue Team has identified a dog meat farm in South Korea where more than 170 dogs are in desperate need of help. Please make an urgent donation to help us rescue these dogs and save them from a brutal death.

Stolen from the streets, shoved into trucks, locked in cages. Then slaughtered and sold to be eaten. This is the horrifying fate of the millions of dogs caught up in Asia’s dog meat trade.

Please join the fight to shut down this brutal industry for good. With your help, we’ll shut down farms in South Korea, assist farmers as they transition to more humane livelihoods, support our local Chinese partners in intercepting dog meat traders’ trucks, fund the care of confiscated and rescued animals and lobby for better laws throughout Asia.

You can help stop this cruelty. Please give today.

Act Now Please fill out the form (link) to add your name to the petition calling for vital legal protection for cats and dogs in South Korea.

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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

PAWS R US (SA) is looking for INVESTORS – help us BUILD THE DREAM of our “HAPPY PLACE”!

After 6 years in animal welfare/rescue, PAWS R US (SA) has moved into the LINBER KENNELS facility out in the Tarlton area, JHB. It is time to spread our wings, create a permanent home, and contribute more effectively to both the cause and effects linked to animal welfare/rescue in SA. Our dream is to build the LINBER KENNELS facility into a top-notch rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming haven for rescue dogs. We also want to establish a home-base for our EDUCATION campaigns, so that we can work with the youth in returning to the core value of COMPASSION and RESPECT for Self and All Life.

To make this dream a reality, we need to BUY the LINBER KENNELS site. And to get that done, we need to find INVESTORS and PARTNERS who want to contribute to something greater than themselves, and help make a real, immediate and practical difference in a world that has lost its way.

The PAWS R US (SA) TRUST has been created as a legal entity – and we now look to spread the net open wide and “go on the hunt” for kindred spirits who want to help build something GOOD. We need INVESTORS of the HEART and MIND – those who want to protect the vulnerable, educate the youth of tomorrow, and know that their investment has directly uplifted lives and communities.

CONTACT: For all enquiries and details related to this search for INVESTORS, and the implications for each INVESTOR within the Trust, please email us on woof@pawsrus.co.za

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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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