Transformation Coaching Magazine December 2021

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In Memory of Author Gregg Sanderson & Holiday Poem COACHING AND BUSINESS TOOLS Rising Star Coach: 5 Life Coach Trends for 2022

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HOLIDAY REFLECTIONS 10 Ways to Survive the Holidays Without Gaining Weight Santa Wants Plant Milk with Cookies this Year

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INSPIRATION & GROWTH Get Out of Your Comfort Zone Follow Your Passion Who Needs Need? The Fourth Pathway How to Love Yourself Unconditionally Breaking It Down Passing Time

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PUBLISHERS Natalie Rivera Joeel A. Rivera, M.Ed.

EDITOR Lisa Cedrone

CONTRIBUTORS Jowanna Daley, Mary Boutillier, Arielle Giordano, Gregg Sanderson, Owen Waters, Jo Mooy, Linda Commito, Rena Greenberg, Carol Randaci

© Copyright 2021 Transformation Services, Inc. All rights reserved. http://www.TransformationMag.com

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We believe that self-employment is the ultimate form of empowerment. Our mission is to bring you guests whose powerful entrepreneurship stories and real-world advice will give you the inspiration and tools to create a business and life that you love.

Listen on our website or your favorite podcast app or watch the video version on our YouTube channel.

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In Memory of Gregg Sanderson

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We are crestfallen to announce that Transformation Coaching’s longtime contributor and great friend Gregg Sanderson passed in September 2021 from Covid-19 and other complications. Gregg was an integral part of the Transformation team from its beginnings, and we have had the pleasure and honor of working with him for more than a decade.

Gregg’s spunky sense of humor, knack for poetry, and uncanny ability to describe in writing the Infinite (which he called B.O.B., the Being of Bliss) with clarity and relatability endeared him to our community and made him one of our most popular contributors. As another long-time author said: “He not only will be missed in the magazine, but his vital energy and keen insights on the human condition we all share is a light gone out.

Indeed, Gregg was a shining example of a teacher who lived his message: Gregg always exuded joy and demonstrated how to live in a state of gratitude. He had a magnetic, humble wisdom that is captured perfectly by the title of the very first article he wrote for Transformation Magazine, back in our bygone days of print: “That’s the Way It Is (Unless It’s Something Else).”

While Gregg is no longer with us in the physical, his spirit will live on though his many articles in our online archives.

Two months ago, we began publishing his series “The 12 Pathways,” based on Ken Keyes’ Handbook to Higher Consciousness, and in his honor we will continue until completion; this month is the Fourth Pathway. We also are sharing Gregg’s favorite poem, Family, as a tribute to his witty banter.

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Family

By Gregg Sanderson One thing everybody knows is Family ain’t a bed of roses.

When we all would get together, don’t ‘cha know When we differ in many ways Criticism’s trumping praise And harmony’s a tricky row to hoe.

Witness the dysfunction At the holiday luncheon.

When family assembles from afar All have their own delight And they know their way is right No matter how opposed their viewpoints are.

Grandma’s cooking up a storm At the stove at night and morn She knows a woman’s place is in the kitchen.

Mama says it’s overrated Gender roles are so outdated Grandma just says “daughter, quit yer bitchin’” Sister Susie won’t eat meat.

She calls watercress a treat.

She’s a militant crusading vegetarian.

Grandpa Henry sprinkles sugar On his bloody rare hambuger That’s how he became octogenarian.

Uncle Arty is a smarty Joined the Democratic Party And loudly he puts down the SUV That belongs to cousin Joe Who thinks that Arty is a shmoe.

So naturally he joined the GOP. Brother Georgie is athletic And he thinks it’s just pathetic That younger brother Ritchie is a nerd.

While Georgie gets the praise Little Ritchie gets straight “A”s And each one thinks the other is absurd.

Cousin Willie is successful But his life is over-stressful With his business always calling him away.

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Yet the most disturbing call Wasn’t businesslike at all It was just son Bob, announcing he was gay.

Then there’s uncle Jack Who somehow came out black While all the rest of us are lily white.

We couldn’t ask his mama Who was down in Ala bama But I’ll bet that southern belle got quite a fright.

Some folks have to criticize They think they’re very wise And that they’re on their way to self-esteem.

When judgment is their lot Sometimes that’s all they’ve got.

A happy life for them is just a dream.

Little Lucy is a looker And she became a hooker.

We all have different ways to get life’s lesson.

Putting righteousness aside And letting love instead abide We each can be ourselves without suppressin’ All that yucky “stuff” we wish’ll Go away is superficial While the love inside is aching to express.

Beneath everybody’s game We’re really just the same.

All we want is love and happiness.

We all are sisters and we’re brothers There aren’t any others To induct into the brotherhood of man.

So when somebody’s opinions Make you call out all your minions Try loving your fellow human if you can.

So now I say to you It’s all in point of view Perhaps we just might clear away the fog By thinking when we see A dog that has a flea That maybe it’s the flea that has a dog.

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Rising Star Coach:

Here at Transformation Academy we are excited to announce our first Transformation Academy Rising Star – Shingirai Makosa!

Our goal with this initiative is to recognize and celebrate group membership who demonstrate the heart and service of a coach. Each monthly recipient of this recognition will be selected for a unique reason. Some will be seasoned coaches who serve as valuable mentors within the group.

Others may be just starting their coach-training journey and exude a contagious attitude or passion. Others may be actively supporting other group members, whether by providing resources, answering common questions, or providing moral support. Regardless of each of our wonderful group members’ background or experience, we all benefit from the mutual support and varied perspectives offered within this diverse group!

The Rising Star initiative is a way to give a special THANK YOU to those who go above and beyond to share of themselves within this community.

This month we would like to recognize Shingirai Makosa for his determination and quest for continued growth, despite life challenges!

Shingirai has been a group member for 3 years. Since we met him, he has continued to inspire us and his fellow coaches by sharing about his journey, including overcoming injury and disability after a car accident. He lives the message to “turn your pain into purpose!” Shingirai never gives up and

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continues to not only learn and grow as a person, but help empower others who have been through similar challenges. His quest for knowledge has led him to complete more than a dozen of our life coach certifications, and many, many more! He has been a great example of authentic vulnerability through his willingness to share the truth of his struggles with the group, as well as practicing his videos and seeking honest feedback (which we can all agree is a brave thing to do!). Shingiria is a shining example of grace, resilience, and optimism.

About Shingirai: Shingirai operates a coaching business under the name Department of Coaching with physical offices based in Summer Greens, Cape Town province of South Africa. He started coaching 3 years ago when he was involved in motor vehicle accident and spent more than one year in hospital and came out with disability from spinal code injury.

With MBA and Psychology training, prior to pivoting in coaching he accumulated wide ranging training experience working with leadership in articulating organizational strategies, visions, missions, and values and helping to identify and crafting strategic initiatives to assist in attainment of short, medium, and long-term objectives of organisations. He is an expert in recruitment and selection and organization development. With certifications from Transformation Academy, he focuses on goals, transformation, and mindset. He has a passion for working with clients regarding their careers and business.

Apart from the coaching business, he also runs a consulting company called Shimak Consultants which specialises in Organisation and Content Development.

Below is an interview we conducted with Shingirai.

WHAT IS YOUR NICHE (COACHING FOCUS) HOW HAS YOUR COACHING JOURNEY AND HOW DID YOU CHOOSE IT? CHANGED YOUR LIFE?

I use goal success, mindsets and transformation coaching tools to help individuals build true confidence, identifying best options and creating strategy for thriving under challenging circumstances. I have practical tools readily adaptable for people in aspects of careers and businesses which, when properly implemented, a person can rely on in creating hope for success and independence. I work mainly with people living with acquired disabilities from motor vehicle accidents. I believe the best option is entrepreneurship.

WHO IS YOUR IDEAL CLIENT?

Individuals with acquired disability from motor vehicle accidents, job seekers, small business owners. Because I had stayed with many people who had gone through similar circumstances i thought it would be good to transition into coaching for people same background as mine so i studied and became certified as life coach in this area.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME A LIFE COACH?

The story of Joeel and Natalie of Transformation Academy inspired me. How they started and grew their coaching business, how they continued chasing dreams in spite of obstacles, their way of teaching and quality of their courses all inspired me. I started believing that I can still achieve my goals even though I had encountered some setbacks. I also got inspired by other coaches I met through Transformation Academy. I found the tools I was looking for at Transformation Academy at the right time and I was transformed. Their magic worked at a time I had lost hope and confidence.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN COACHING? 3 years..

HOW DID YOU GET YOUR FIRST CLIENT? Advertising on Facebook and WhatsApp groups.

• Resuscitation of dying and forgotten dreams and hope for life in general.

• Self-discovery and rejuvenation with true confidence and resilience • Understanding of life meaning, the role obstacles and adversity in strength building • Becoming able to starting and growing my own businesses.

WHAT IS THE MOST FULFILLING PART OF BEING A LIFE COACH?

Becoming a life coach gave me a chance to pivot in life with new tools for hope and success at a time when I was giving up. It is also fulfilling to realise that I can also use the tools to transfer knowledge helping others who also encountered negative life situations like mine.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR MOST INSPIRATIONAL COACHING MOMENT, WITH A CLIENT?

I get inspired when a client starts to understand the real issues at stake, how they are impacting on them and shows that they believe I can assist in in solving the problem. I always refer to my personal life story and experiences. It is inspiring to have clients reaching the stage at which they also start opening, telling their own unique experiences and how they can relate. At first most clients are reluctant to disclose some aspects of their lives and experiences, but when you tell them your own authentic story with empathy, they feel comfortable to open up and narrate theirs in return.

Feedback from non-verbal cues such as eye contact, facial expressions, body posture and tone of voice can also guide in your assessment of whether your message and story is getting through, clear, and impacting on the client. The client has opened up, you are now at flow, you have succeeded in securing marriage of the minds, and it will now be easy to set goals and parameters together, knowing that you are talking of the same thing.

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WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COACHING ACTIVITY OR EXERCISE TO DO WITH CLIENTS?

Self-awareness coaching tools to help clients understand their personal uniqueness, and that things that apply to themselves may not necessarily apply to others. An understanding of themselves in terms of unique strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats around the wheel of life will make clients understand aspects of their life which needs attention and what to prioritise when setting goals to address identified issues/problems. The mindsets tools will address how the client will navigate from current to desired end. How the client will anticipate and overcome roadblocks through management of emotions, attitudes, and events along the journey. The ABCD model is one of my favourite mindset’s tools.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST EFFECTIVE STRATEGY FOR FINDING CLIENTS AND/OR GROWING YOUR BUSINESS?

Storytelling and public speaking. Advertising on social media, email campaigns and opt-in recruitment technology which makes it clear that your audience is the correct one composed of individuals willing to pay attention to what you have to offer rather than from a random and untargeted process. An audience that understands your value proposition and how they can benefit from it. The message must be communicated in such a way which is readily comprehensible by the clients and this includes with respect to the language jargon and relevance.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOURSELF BACK WHEN YOU FIRST DREAMED OF BECOMING A COACH? • • • • • • • •

Continue learning.

Some things you can control, but not all.

Connect with like-minded coaches and consultants.

Speak at every opportunity.

Attend events, virtualize, go live on Facebook Your mind will either make or break you Work persistently towards building powerful mindsets Live in the moment, let go of the past, don’t wait until something happens.

• Obstacles will make you grow. They provide a chance to pivot in life.

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WHAT IS THE IMPACT YOU WANT TO MAKE IN THIS WORLD?

My vision is to see a world where all individuals can live with true confidence and happiness. I would like to contribute to creation of a society in which everyone live happily, independently, with hope, faith and self-fulfillment.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH TRANSFORMATION COACHING MAGAZINE READERS?

“When you find a writer who really is saying something to you, read everything that writer has written and you will get more education and depth of understanding out of that than reading a scrap here and a scrap there and elsewhere. Then go to people who influenced that writer, or those who were related to him, and your world builds together in an organic way that is really marvelous.”

Joseph Campbell

Since the year 2000, having studied psychology and business, I worked as a human resources specialist in performance management, recruitment, selection and training. In 2018, I took a pivot into life coaching after going through some negative life situations including relocating from my country of origin due to unforeseen economic downturn, unexpected loss of employment, the untimely passing on of my mother and involvement in motor vehicle accident resulting in disability from spinal code injury. I was feeling out of control and experiencing deep negative emotions, thinking that my world had come to an end.

As I searched for solutions, I came across coaching tools from Transformation Academy and I was healed. I got insights on how to deal with adversity and build resilience for dealing with mental stress. The tools helped me with my personal healing and emotional restoration. Because I had stayed with many people who had gone through similar circumstances, I thought it would help to transition into coaching for people with similar background to mine. So, I studied and became certified as life coach. I completed more than 40 courses for my personal development and to get certifications in business, transformation, goal success and mindsets.

My passion, training and work experience in human resources management led to my focus on careers and businesses.

I believe learning without mindsets training component will be inadequate. People also need to work diligently on building proper perspectives and mindsets. Setting goals, transformation, emotional intelligence, visualisation, and meditation are my key focus areas when coaching.

Photo Credit: Unsplash/Fran Jacquier

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10 Ways to Survive the Holidays Without Gaining

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Tips for maintaining a healthy relationship with food.

By Rena Greenberg With the holidays approaching, you may be anticipating, with a bit of trepidation, all the food temptation that you are likely to experience. It’s no doubt the time of year when boxes of chocolate and cookies inevitably appear on your doorstep or in the office, and you find yourself at parties where endless spreads of sweets and highcalorie dishes abound. Cheery faces thrust rich food and drinks into your hands—and it may feel like you are clinging to every ounce of willpower you have, but only by a thread.

Relax, and cast your worries aside. With the following 10 tips, you’ll be able to survive the holiday onslaught with a smile, while still fitting into your clothes easily.

Tip #1: Avoid excess hunger.

Do not let yourself become ravenously hungry. Make sure that you plan regular, healthy meals for yourself so that your stomach is comfortably full.

You’ll be less tempted to binge if your blood sugar isn’t plummeting, so also make sure to include enough protein in your diet.

Tip #2: Take time for physical exercise. Exercise will keep your blood sugar stable, reduce stress, increase your metabolism, and improve your overall sense of well-being. Find an activity that’s fun for you that you can really enjoy and look forward to doing it—perhaps a long walk while pumping to the beat of your favorite music, racquetball, or in-line skating.

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Tip #3: Have foresight. Plan a strategy for those situations where you know your willpower will be tested. If you know that you will be at a party where sinful treats are likely to be plentiful, plan your course of action in advance. Keep in mind that if you totally deprive yourself, you’re very likely to binge later. Make your strategy one that you are happy with and can accept. Perhaps you’ll allow yourself to indulge in a certain number of hors d’oeuvres, but steer clear of the dessert table.

Tip #4: Be assertive: Mentally rehearse challenging situations that are likely to occur before they happen. Create mental movies where you are the heroine or hero—overcoming any temptation to sabotage yourself by overeating in social situations or giving in to outside pressure to eat foods that you know are harmful to your goals and your health.

Practice using phrases of assertiveness such as “No thanks, I’m not hungry,” or “Everything was delicious, but I’ve had enough.”

Tip #5: Be prepared: Carry around healthy snacks such as celery, cucumber, or carrot sticks to munch on during the day. The fiber in the vegetables will help you to have a full feeling in your belly, and make it easier to walk away from the junk.

Tip #6: Keep your eye on the goal. Even the most difficult situation is transitory so keep your focus on your ultimate desire for yourself to get through any challenges.

Don’t forget your goal! Maybe it’s achieving and maintaining your ideal weight, fitting into your clothes comfortably, or feeling happy and confident in your relationship with food.

Frequently visualize yourself at your ideal weight, wearing your favorite outfit, and engaging in an activity that you really enjoy.

Tip #7: Reward your successes. You got through the entire evening by focusing on and enjoying the people you were with, drinking bubbling water with lemon or lime, and only nibbling on some cheese, crackers and veggies, followed by a healthy dinner.

Congratulate yourself! Treat yourself to a full body massage and revel in how good it feels to truly honor and care for yourself.

Tip #8: Be gentle with yourself. So you couldn’t resist, and before you even realized what you were doing you gobbled down three homemade cookies. Now the old self-talk starts creeping in, encouraging you to just throw in the towel and eat more (since you already blew your “diet”).

Resist the temptation to agree with that negative voice, give yourself a moment to recover, and make a new choice. Remind yourself that if you were carrying two plates and one fell you wouldn’t just drop the other one, too. Walk away from those cookies… take a deep breath, and find a more healthful activity.

Tip #9: Stress busters are essential. The holidays can be a time of added frenzy. Prepare for that by

Photo Credit: Unsplash/ Ronise Daluz

engaging in stress-busting behaviors.

Take some time everyday to center yourself with self-hypnosis or meditation. Become aware of your breathing throughout the day, and make sure that you are taking full, deep, life-affirming breaths. Drink lots of water and make sure to stretch throughout the day to

help release some of the tension that’s accumulated in your muscles.

Tip #10: Use positive selftalk. When you become aware of inner voices that sabotage you, choose to not listen to them. Practice giving yourself positive suggestions instead. Speak to yourself the

way you would imagine that the most loving, caring friend would talk to you. Praise the progress you’ve already made such as avoiding hanging around by the food table at parties, and give yourself gentle encouragement to help yourself avoid any pitfalls you may encounter.

Love Life, Live Happy, Live Healthy with Rena Greenberg Rena Greenberg, a Hay House author, can be reached at http://www.EasyWillpower.com. Her weight loss and gastric bypass hypnosis success has been featured in 150-plus news stories including USA Today, Woman’s World, The Doctor’s, CNN, Good Morning America and Nightline. PBS stations nationally aired Rena’s show, “Easy Willpower,” in August 2015. Her wellness program is sponsored in 75 hospitals and 100-plus corporations.

She conducts hypnotherapy sessions with people all over the world on Skype.

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5 Life Coach Trends for 2022

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Make the coming year your best by focusing on practical solutions that meet your clients’ evolving needs for more online services and authentic, empathetic support.

By Jowanna Daley

You can increase revenue by helping people learn essential digital skills such as navigating the Internet, signing The coaching industry remains strong, and, despite up on a social media platform, or joining a Zoom meeting. the economic downturn due to COVID-19, the industry will reach $20 billion by 2022. With this growth comes healthy What This Life Coach Trend Means for Your Practice Even if you do not aspire to be a “technology” competition and choices for the market, and as a life coach coach, hold free mini-sessions to help people through you have to keep abreast of the coaching trends that can their digital woes.

It’s also can serve as a gateway for new affect your business in 2022. Let’s go through the “Top 5”: leads. Think outside the box to find opportunities. People want to do business with business owners who care (and 1. VIRTUAL COACHING IS HERE TO STAY solve their problems).

Offering virtual coaching is not just expected—it’s what clients are demanding. Not everyone is comfortable 3. AUTHENTICITY IS A NECESSITY FOR with face-to-face sessions. As we all know, some people are at a higher risk for COVID-19 complications if they con- YOUR LIFE COACH BUSINESS tract the virus with certain preexisting conditions. Thus, Knowing how to foster genuine connections is anoffering virtual services makes coaching accessible to other critical element. Yet, it is sometimes hard to know those who remain homebound. what it means to be authentic, and it can be a struggle to Additionally, clients are demanding personalized demonstrate that authenticity. Consumers care more about solutions, flexible schedules, and multi-channel communication options. While you can’t offer an infinite number of the person behind the company than the company itself. customer benefits, becoming a virtual coach allows you to Demonstrate authenticity by being the professional you communicate that you are. offer more options to your client base.

What This Life Coach Trend Means for Your Practice What This Life Coach Trend Means for Your Practice Sometimes it’s hard to know if your brand comes • As you expand your offerings, evaluate your current off inauthentically.

Here are some tips to keep you true to pricing structure as well. who you are: • Don’t undersell yourself, or you may find that you • Don’t claim to have solutions for everything—telling have plenty of clients but not enough revenue the truth leads to trust. to stay afloat.

• Leave the buzzwords behind.

• Ensure that your practice is organized for digital • Skip the gimmicky marketing. service and that you have multiple support chan• Continually train. nels between sessions.

• Say when you don’t know something.

• Follow through on your brand promise.

Even though we are in a digital world, clients require • Be vulnerable. human interaction. You can fill this need virtually by giving your clients multiple ways to engage.

4. EMPATHY IS VITAL FOR A SUCCESSFUL 2. PEOPLE NEED HELP ADJUSTING TO THE BUSINESS MODEL DIGITAL WORLD It’s one thing to know the definition of empathy, and The pandemic has forced our parents, peers, and the computer-resistant population to embrace technology. It also opens an opportunity for you to use your special powers combined with your life coaching skills to empower people.

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it’s another thing to know how to practice it. I’ve found that it’s harder for professionals to practice empathy as business owners. The challenges are not as much in actual coaching—but applying empathy in their business operations.

What This Life Coach Trend Means for Your Practice Listen intently to your clients. Know their needs (from their perspective) and solve those needs. You may share a common story, but that does not mean a client needs the solution that worked for you. Empathy requires listening, humility, and applying the proper tools to a situation. Continually challenge your empathy skills by practicing them every chance you get.

about expressing their needs and demanding measurable outcomes. The good news is that quantifying these outcomes will garner more interest in your service.

What This Life Coach Trend Means for Your Practice Map your clients’ goals to performance outcomes. Your intake process must include your client’s definition of success. Implement a way to baseline where they are at and track progress with each session. Don’t be afraid to implement corrective measures when some5. QUANTIFIABLE AND MEASURABLE thing is not working.

PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES FOR CLIENTS The coming year—2022—will be an exciting time for the coaching profession. As it continues to become mainARE A MUST stream, life coach trends will demand more customer foClients want results and outcomes they can see. Life cus, skilled business owners, and practical solutions. Assess coaching services are now mainstreamed and are no longer where you stand on these trends and make adjustments to this mysterious profession. People have also gotten savvier make 2022 your best coaching year yet!

The Daley Word with Jowanna Daley Jowanna is a business and personal coach, consultant, freelance blogger, and personal brand photographer. ­Jowanna uses her 20-plus years of business, information technology, business analysis, and project management experience to serve solopreneurs, microbusinesses, and professionals through consulting, coaching, training, and workshops. She is also a freelance blogger who serves corporate and non-corporate clients. Visit her website at https://www.jowannadaley.com/about/.

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GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE! Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

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Being uncomfortable in small, controlled situations can enable us to better handle the big events in life.

By Mary Boutieller Here we are, celebrating this wonderful community, as we approach the coming winter months. For some of you, winter is a welcome time of year.

There is a magic to it that isn’t experienced at any other time. There’s cold weather, crisp blue skies, skiing, etc. And while I don’t mind being outside in the chilly frost of winter, it’s not my ideal. A day...maybe a week...but month after month, no thank you! Needless to say, I’m more comfortable living in temperate weather.

The idea of being comfortable vs. uncomfortable has been coming up for me a lot lately. Recently, I watched a podcast on the “amazing” benefits of taking a cold shower each day and how it could change your whole life! I lasted three days and did not like it one bit; yet, I haven’t given up on the idea and often think about it...when I’m not in the shower. I also went on a bike ride a few weeks ago, cycling 264 miles in seven days without a lot of training beforehand. And yes, I was uncomfortable...uncomfortable and yet oddly exhilarated, all at the same time! And, I have a friend and fellow yogi, who, upon retiring, has been trying all kinds of new things— ikebana, weaving, painting, just to name a few. She sent me an email and told me how happy she was, and she also said this: “I grew up as a perfectionist, too.

So I’m trying to expand in the field of feeling a little uncomfortable in order to face my inner fears and grow and be free!!!”

As a fellow former perfectionist, I could relate to her, oh so well. Growing up, my fear of failing—of not being enough—

often outweighed my desire to put myself out there, try new things and move outside my comfort zone. I stuck with what I knew I could do well, and left the rest behind. I played it safe, stuck to the rules, and didn’t move too far from center. I’m not sure at what point that shifted, but thank goodness it did. The spark inside ignited, and I haven’t looked back. And sometimes, it’s really uncomfortable!

Katie Couric said, “Be fearless.

Have the courage to take risks. Go where there are no guarantees. Get out of your comfort zone even if it means being uncomfortable. The road less traveled is sometimes fraught with barricades, bumps and uncharted terrain. But it is on that road where your character is truly tested. And have the courage to accept that you’re not perfect, nothing is and nobody is—and that’s OK.” The podcast about cold showers suggested that being uncomfortable in small, controlled situations would enable us to better handle the big events in life, and that the more we put ourselves in uncomfortable situations, the easier it would be to handle all that life throws our way. And, if we are being honest, life isn’t comfortable or easy all the time, and I’m not sure it should be. There are taxes and death, injury and illness, hard conversations and numerous let-downs of all manner and size. And, weirdly, that’s not all bad news. These events help us grow, teach us vital lessons, push our boundaries and buttons, and let us know that we are alive and have something to learn. We learn that we will survive, intact, and be able to move forward. We learn that growing older is not

the awful thing advertisers would have us believe. We give ourselves permission to get into the nitty-gritty, surprising beauty of a life lived. When we push just a little bit, we get rewards that are ten-fold the effort put into it. When we say “Yes, sure, I’ll try it”—even hesitantly, we will discover a resilience and strength that we didn’t know existed. And we will find that, with all our warts and wrinkles, we are pretty awesome human beings.

Olympic Gold Medalist Kristin Armstrong said, “I want to get more comfortable being uncomfortable. I want to get more confident being uncertain.

I don’t want to shrink back just because something isn’t easy. I want to push back, and make more room in the area between I can’t and I can.”

Where that area is for you is as unique as you are. Maybe it’s speaking your truth even if you feel nervous about it.

Maybe it’s walking a extra few blocks, even if it is too warm or too cold outside. Maybe it is trying something new, even if you think you might fail. What if we simply were to try “it” on for size and give it a good, long look. If it doesn’t fit who you are, smile at the attempt and move on to something else. One step, one day, one uncomfortable, exhilarating moment at a time.

There are many things I don’t quite have the nerve to try, at least not yet. But when I’m considering what to do next, I’m reminded of this question: “At the end of our lives, will we most regret the things we did or didn’t try to do?”

In gratitude to all of you for traveling this road with me. Be well, be happy, be you!

The Yoga of Life with Mary Boutieller Mary Boutieller is a Registered Yoga Teacher through Yoga Alliance. She has been teaching yoga since 2005. Her work experience includes 22 years as a firefighter/paramedic and 10 years as a Licensed Massage Therapist. Mary’s knowledge and experience give her a well-rounded understanding of anatomy, alignment, health and movement in the body. She is passionate about the benefits of yoga and the ability to heal at all levels through awareness, compassion, and a willingness to explore. She can be reached at: SimplyogaOm@gmail.com.

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Follow Your Passion

Photo Credit: Unsplash/Javier Allegue Barros

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When we learn to dance with our fears— rather than block them—they will no longer hold us back.

By Arielle Giordano Following our heart leads us to our passion and truest desires in both career and personal relationships. When we question, “Is this right for me?” or “Is this true for me?” and then listen quietly to our deepest knowing, we hear the answer from our voice of true understanding and choice. It moves us with the insight to know, the courage to push forward, and the confidence to take action and trust in the process.

It’s time to listen to what we know in our heart, follow our passion, and dance like there is nobody watching!

Several years ago, I resigned from my position as chairperson for an international university. This was a huge step for me to take both personally and professionally. For many years, my fears, patterns, emotions, thoughts, beliefs, perceptions, selfcriticisms, judgments, shame, and survival issues surfaced when I needed to make choices. When offered this job, I knew it did not feel right, but I listened to the voice of my survival instincts and signed the contract anyway. Although, the “free spirit” inside of me said to let the job go and move forward, my own insecurity, conditioning, and “old” ways of being motivated me to accept the position.

Prior to letting the job go, I was drawn to a woman at a networking event. We connected immediately, as if we already knew each other! I

hired her as my life coach, and at our first meeting I shared my thoughts and feelings regarding this position. I was squeezing myself into a tiny “job box,” like a genie in a bottle, consumed by trying to fit in for minimal financial rewards. There was little passion, energy, or opportunity to express my true Self.

Her answer was, “Quit your job!”

A big red flag went up inside me: “I can’t quit my job!” I can’t lose integrity and breach my contract, I told her. She said, “If you are not being true to yourself, then you are out of integrity with yourself.” I knew what she was saying was true; it tingled in my body, and the body knows before the mind.

I recognized that my creative flow was blocked by this job. I was not connecting to my inner flow and dancing my own dance. I realized I was dancing in someone else’s shoes and doing someone else’s job! Where was my selfworth and value? During the coaching, I participated in an abandonment recovery program, and it helped me realize that I had abandoned myself!

I knew it was time for me to quit the job. After sending the resignation email, I felt mentally and emotionally drained and physically ill. However, during this process I learned to dance with my fears rather than block them and let them hold me back.

Just after sending the email there was a knock at the door. It was the lawn man, handing me a tiny white rubber dog that he found. Immediately, I was reminded of my Native American animal medicine cards; the dog is a symbol for loyalty with the question, “Are you being true to yourself and your goals?” The following day, I connected with an empowerment center and was asked by one of the owners to teach dance and facilitate expressive arts and transformational workshops.

The same day, I completed writing a textbook project, and I was invited to coauthor a chapter for Transform your Life. Later at the post office, I ran into the owner of a local bookstore and discussed the possibility of a book signing. Serendipity?

LEARNING LESSONS

From this experience, I learned that my choices and decisions were based upon fears, inherited patterns, values, beliefs, and social conditions. I was living in a continuous state of anxiety, operating in survival mode, with adrenaline on high volume. I was afraid to live and “just be.” I was like a doll, tightly wound and bound, afraid to unravel and be true to my career passions and allow loving relationships in my life.

Real desires, talents, and abilities were buried underneath my tender but painful childhood experiences.

As soon as my survival patterns came up, I danced the sidestep into a more traditional job rather than dancing with my passions. At the same time, these deep-rooted patterns were hurting my love relationship. So, in addition to changing my career path, I gradually opened my heart to my fiancé and let love happen—and now we are married and dancing together on many new levels. The healing of my past is about me reconnecting, rediscovering, and uncovering parts of me that I had forgotten.

What matters the most to me is dancing down to the bare bones, into the soles and rawness of my feet!

I have released old patterns, feelings, and emotions, and bought new awareness to light. I am now living life dancing to the rhythm of my own heart, being present and in my body, and in the flow!

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Photo Credit: Unsplash/Allef Vinicius

Awareness brings light to the surface, so let your heart dance in the light and express your true Self.

My advice to you: Dance like there is no one watching in a loving gentle space with openness and softness, without judgment, criticism, or ridicule. Dance with your passion, courage, fearlessness, confidence, and trust to gracefully become a new you!

Here are some ways to make powerful choices: • Follow your passion with courage, confidence, and trust.

• Let the knowing in your heart guide you to your passions, which requires real honesty.

• Discern the repetition of conditioned patterns from the “real you.” (Are you dancing in your own shoes or in someone else’s?)

• Know that it is okay to become unstuck and move forward.

• Stretch and move out of the old, normal way of being, and let yourself be different.

• Know that goodness moves in many ways and we are never given more than we can handle; enjoy being new and fresh every day.

• When thoughts, feelings, beliefs patterns, perspectives or issues come up, make a conscious, powerful choice to move forward through the fears.

• Begin to move in the “awesomeness” of a child; be childlike and playful, do what you love, and have fun!

Dancing from the Inside Out with Arielle Giordano Transformational Life Coach Award-Winning Author & Speaker, Professional Dancer. Arielle’s Award-Winning book for Best Self-Help Award: Dancing With Your Story From The Inside is available on http://www.Amazon.com. Her professional career includes the Lead Faculty Area Chairperson and Professor for the College of Humanities, History and the Arts at the University of Phoenix. She is a published co-author of Transform Your Life Books 1 & 2 and author for Tampa Bay Wellness, Conscious Shift & Transformation magazine. She has published her 4th book, an Instructor’s Manual for Barlow Abnormal Psychology 4th ed. and authored Psychology, A Journey 3rd.ed. Study Guide published

by Nelson Education, Toronto, ON. She has also studied philosophy at the College of Integrated Philosophy with John DeRuiter for twenty years. Arielle has been a featured guest on radio and television, in newspapers, and the media across the US and Canada. She is a certified Essentrics Stretch and Dance Instructor. Arielle offers coaching sessions, classes and workshops and a free 30-minute Consultation. Websites: http://www.dancingfromtheinsideout.com, http://www.ariellegiordano.com. Email: agbeautifuldance@gmail.com

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Who Needs Need? The Fourth Pathway

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By Gregg Sanderson Gurus from time immemorial tell us to “Be Here Now.” What the heck does that mean? It reminds me of the advice columnist who tells the guy with pimples, “Develop your personality.”

By itself, it’s pretty useless advice. Let’s approach “Be Here Now” from a different angle. Let’s practice being “here now” by getting rid of the stuff that puts us “there then.”

And that brings us to the fourth pathway: “I always remember that I have everything I need to enjoy my here and now, unless I am letting my consciousness be dominated by demands and expectations based on the dead past or the imagined future.”

Start where you are...At this place (here) at this time (now). At this moment, what can keep you from enjoying it? Perhaps you’re enjoying it too much (guilt from past) or concerned about punishment (worry over the future).

Maybe you miss somebody who left (past) or wishing they’d come back (future). Either way, they’re not here.

Woosh! There goes the moment. Look around while you have all that mental chatter going on. What are you missing right here and right now?

Living in the here and now is like going to Disney World. The whole world is Disney... UNLESS you focus on what you left behind, or on what’s yet to come.

Disney World itself is called “The Happiest Place on Earth” because it’s a here and now experience. It’s a world of here and now wonder—from the meticulously detailed rides and attractions to the spontaneous interactions with characters, other visitors, and cast. They make it easy to focus on each moment as it happens.

Nobody ever worries about their rent coming due while riding the coaster on Space Mountain, and when that thought does come up at the ticket office—it’s a signal to apply the fourth pathway.

Of course, planning for the future, near or far, is a perfectly valid activity. The problem comes when being happy is part of the plan. Beware if it includes a “justassoonas,” such as, “I’ll enjoy Disney World justassoonas the fireworks start.”

Or in life: “I’ll be happy justassoonas...(choose one or more) • …I make enough money.

• …I get married.

• …I dump this loser.

• …I retire.

• …I reincarnate into a better life.

Well, you get the idea.

We get a lot of encouragement to escape the moment, and it takes vigilance to guard against the subtle input.

I remember a conversation with a fellow who joined an organization because they had a great retirement plan. He was 26.

TV commercials and insurance companies assure us that disaster is inevitable, and churches tell us it’s hopeless anyhow because somebody we don’t know is reported to have eaten an apple a long, long time ago. Happily, there’s an easy way to neutralize all that input: Look around and find something to appreciate or be grateful for.

SHAZAM, you’re in the moment. Guilt and worry can’t coexist with appreciation and gratitude.

And if all else fails, go back to step 1: “I always remember that I have everything I need to enjoy my here and now, unless...”

Happiness is BS with Gregg Sanderson

Gregg Sanderson, one of our long-time contributors, passed to spirit in September 2021, and we are continuing the 12 Pathways Series in his honor. He also authored Spirit with a Smile and The World According to BOB. During his life, he was a licensed practitioner in the Centers for Spiritual Living and a Certified Trainer for Infinite Possibilities. His earlier books include What Ever Happened to Happily Ever After? and Split Happens—Easing the Pain of Divorce.

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NOT JUST A GAME! Each custom-designed deck of Just Ask 1 2 3 cards offers 53 thought-inspiring questions and a Directions card. A lovely organza gift bag is included to hold the cards for selecting.

Just Ask 1 2 3 is a fun pathway to conversation, kindness and connection!

Only $15.95 There are different pathways to connecting: Deck 1 Easing In – easy, playful questions to break the ice and have fun!

Deck 2 Getting Closer – thought-provoking questions to get to know each other better . . . including ourselves.

Deck 3 Deepening Conversation – Insightful questions that invite sharing experiences and reflections on life and relationships.

JustAsk123.com & LoveIstheNewCurrency.com 27

How to Love Yourself Unconditionally

HOW TO LOVE YOURSELF UNCONDITIONALLY

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The power of “Love” can transform and heal limiting beliefs.

By Owen Waters If there is anything that you dislike about yourself—your body, your mind or your feelings—it is time to clear away that old baggage once and for all.

Tell yourself a totally positive thought, such as: “I love everything about my body.”

Then, listen for the inner voice of self-criticism to step in and say things like, “except for my weight,” “except for my unmanageable hair,” and so on.

The point of the exercise is to identify opinions and beliefs that you hold at an unconscious level.

Bring them up into your conscious mind where you can see them and, then, they can be addressed and healed using the power of Love. That’s Love with a big “L,” as in Unconditional Love.

Here’s how it’s done, using Unconditional Love: First, you add a phrase onto the end of the criticism. That phrase is, “and I Love myself anyway.” So, if you hear your inner voice say, “except for my weight,” you add, “and I Love myself anyway” right on the end.

In the example of weight being the issue, here is the sequence of events: 1) You stated, “I love everything about my body.”

2) The thought, “except for my weight” came up, thereby revealing its existence.

3) You then respond, “and I Love myself anyway.”

Now, here’s where we come to the magic bit.

By the power of Love you can transform and heal the limiting belief, “except for my weight.”

Imagine the thought, “and I Love myself anyway” as a small ball of mental energy and direct it into the energy center of your heart, which is outside of your body, just in front of your breastbone. Feel your heart energy bathing the phrase, “and I Love myself anyway” in its warmth as you mentally repeat it while focused on that energy center.

Then, repeat the positive statement, “I love everything about my body,” and, again, wait for the voice

of the inner critic. You may find that the old belief has been dissolved on the first attempt. More likely, however, you will find that it has simply been lessened—that it comes with a less intense negative feeling.

Here’s the key to dissolving negative feelings: Repeat the process a few times and notice how the power of the negative feeling dissipates with each performance of this healing technique. Repeat until it becomes a non-issue.

Now, use this technique to heal other negative ideas. Use another totally positive statement, such as: “I feel wonderful about myself.”

This will reveal negative emotions and selfcriticisms of a nonphysical nature. Use unconditional love again: Add, “and I Love myself anyway” onto the end of the first criticism that comes up.

Imagine that thought as a small ball of mental energy and direct it into the energy center of your heart, just in front of your breastbone. Feel your heart energy bathing the phrase, “and I Love myself anyway,” in its warmth.

Repeat this positive statement and keep repeating the technique until the criticism has faded into either silence or a non-active emotional state.

Fears are another kind of barrier to higher consciousness. Fear is the opposite of love. Love dissolves fear, just as fear can drive out love.

There is no fear that cannot be dissolved by the application of love energy.

To reveal hidden, inner fears, use the statement: “I feel safe at all times and in all places.”

You may discover, or remember, that you have fears of water, of heights, of flying, all of which can be released with unconditional love.

Once you clear emotional blockages to unconditional love, you are ready to move ahead and glimpse the next adventure in higher consciousness: The deep, intuitive inspiration of soul consciousness.

Spiritual Dynamics with Owen K. Waters Owen Water is a cofounder of the Spiritual Dynamics Academy and InfiniteBeing.com, where a where a free spiritual growth newsletter awaits you at https://www.InfiniteBeing.com. He is an international spiritual teacher who has helped hundreds of thousands of spiritual seekers to understand better the nature of their spiritual potential.

Owen’s life has been focused upon gaining spiritual insights through extensive research and the development of his inner vision. He has written a spiritual metaphysics newsletter since 2004 which empowers people to discover their own new vistas of inspiration, love and creativity. Spiritual seekers enjoy his writings for their clarity and deep insights. Contact Owen via email News@InfiniteBeing.com.

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Breaking It Down

When the next negative news headline scrolls across your computer screen, you have the choice whether to engage or not.

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By Jo Mooy In December, Christmas, Hanukkah and the Winter Solstice are celebrated. Parties are happening everywhere. During this season of celebrations, unpleasantness usually takes a back seat. There’s little interest in continuing the daily arguments or drama as most people are preparing for the upcoming season.

Nonetheless, headline news will show up on your radar screen whether or not you want it to. But, there’s a way to ignore it or get past it. Here’s what happened.

The headline, January 6th Assault on Democracy Worse Than Previously Thought, floated unsolicited across the top of the computer screen. Like a magnet that attracts a piece of metal, it pulled me from the sweet article I was reading about a little girl and her dog. I’m instantly thrown into another place that I’d rather not inhabit.

My emotional reaction to the sweet article was warm, calm, joyful, happy, and pleasant. My emotional reaction to the headline is anger, sadness, confusion, anxiety, and fear. I’m facing a decision point on the headline that darkened my peaceful realm. So, I go to a technique I developed for dealing with negative emotions where I pose a bunch of questions to myself.

This technique that I developed is called What Can I Do About This? It can be used for any headline or any situation encountered. It came about spontaneously during my studies of a Zen practice known as Wu Wei, which is known as the art of nonengagement! It’s not only catalytic but also it’s my personal Wu Wei Action in Non-Action practice.

I begin with the series of questions, ...

I ask: Should I read the rest of the news article? Yes or no?

I ask: If I read and learn more about January 6th, (or any headline or event) how will it change my emotional state? Think about this or write it down.

I ask: Will I like that emotional state? Yes or no?

I ask: At this point in my life, does January 6th (or any headline) apply to me? Yes or no?

I ask: If I read more, can I personally do anything about what happened on January 6th? Yes or no?

I ask: Who out there can do something about the January 6th situation? (I think about who they might be.)

I ask: Do I have any role with them in resolving it? Yes or no?

I ask: Can I let this headline go, along with all the emotions around it? Yes or no?

I ask: Can I return to my peaceful and happy place after this? Yes or no?

I conclude with this realization. Somewhere in the billions of souls currently living on the planet are groups of souls, vibrating on the same frequency. Some of them who came on Earth to do certain jobs care deeply about that particular news headline. I’m convinced they are much better equipped to work on a solution for it than I am. And whatever the solution is, it will be ok.

Knowing that and feeling this knowing deep in my gut, the anger, sadness, confusion, grief, anxiousness, and fear (yes, all those emotions created by one headline) slowly dissolve. I’m not quite where I was with the sweet article, but I do feel better. I then go to what I do know to do, which is work in the invisible etheric.

I have no expectation that others will join me. They may or may not be on that frequency. But, I do believe that what is imagined in the etheric will come into formation. So that’s what I focus on.

I then feel immense gratitude for the lineages of teachers who taught me how to do that.

I close the headline and return to the ease of the sweet article about the girl and her dog. I’m in a state of gratefulness knowing that I’m really ok. Maybe until the next headline appears.

Or, another distraction drags me from the state of peace. When either occurs, I repeat the steps in this practice! And, if the practice falters or fails (so far it hasn’t) I can always resort to an old stand-by mantra that’s often said with a sigh, This too shall pass!

Conscious Living with Jo Mooy

Jo Mooy has studied with many spiritual traditions over the past 40 years. The wide diversity of this ­training allows her to develop spiritual seminars and retreats that explore inspirational concepts, give purpose and guidance to students, and present esoteric teachings in an understandable manner. Along with Patricia ­Cockerill, she has guided the Women’s Meditation Circle since January 2006 where it has been honored for five years in a row as the “Favorite Meditation” group in Sarasota, FL, by Natural Awakenings Magazine. Teaching and using Sound as a retreat healing practice, Jo was certified as a Sound Healer through Jonathan Goldman’s Sound Healing Association. She writes and publishes a monthly internationally distributed e-newsletter called Spiritual Connections and is a staff writer for Spirit of Maat magazine in Sedona. For more information go to http://www.starsoundings.com or email jomooy@gmail.com.

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Passing Time

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Make every moment count by living it fully.

By Linda Commito Listening to Paul Simon’s song “Slip Sliding Away” deeply resonates with an awareness of all that is passing by too quickly in my life.

It has been especially poignant this past month I visited my mom to celebrate her 93rd birthday. Each moment was precious as I spent time talking with her about her growing up years (and mine), trying to capture her stories with my phone’s video camera and by writing them down. My mom has always taught me how important it is to be happy in the present moment and to not dwell on the past nor what may or may not be. She reminded me of a popular song she used to sing when I was a child: “Que Será, Será, what will be will be, the future’s not ours to see…” I was grateful for this opportunity to let her know how much she is always loved and appreciated, still, it deeply saddened me when it was time to leave, not knowing when and if we would be together again.

Time is passing whether we’re paying attention or not. Lately, I’ve been poignantly aware as I look at my overflowing bookshelves, that I’ll likely not have the time to read all of these wellchosen books. Sometimes, I’m totally surprised when it’s time to flip the calendar to a new week or month, especially when I didn’t do nearly the things that I had planned on, nor see the people

I wanted to be with. Sunsets remind me that this day is done and I can never get it back. I’ve stopped saying nonchalantly, “Oh, I’ll do it tomorrow,” while I wonder, “Where did the time go?” or “Will there even be a tomorrow?”

I’m not sure if it’s this “covid consciousness” that we’re all experiencing, or my previous dealing with a cancer diagnosis, or simply just aging that has made me aware how short life can be and how important it is to make every moment count by living it fully. Recently, I was deeply touched by a young woman on “America’s Got Talent” with stage-four cancer, a poet/singer named Nightbirde. I hope that I never forget her message: “You can’t wait until life isn’t hard anymore before you decide to be happy.”

This present moment awareness can fill us with a greater appreciation of the joy in the small things and the everyday happenings. What we can choose is to make the most of the precious time we do have, to take those walks in nature, listen to the birds, enjoy beautiful sunsets, follow our passions, share and connect with those we love. In each day, we can be the best of who we are with compassion and kindness.

Let’s not watch our lives “slip, sliding away” until it’s too late. How can we live as consciously, creatively, gratefully, and lovingly as possible? Let’s remember: Every moment is a gift.

Love is the New Currency with Linda Commito Linda Commito, author, speaker, entrepreneur, consultant and teacher, is passionate about her vision to leave this world a kinder, more loving, and interconnected place. Linda’s award-winning book of inspirational stories, Love Is the New Currency, demonstrates how we can each make an extraordinary difference in the lives of others through simple acts of love and kindness. Her latest project, the card game Just Ask 1 2 3, was inspired by a desire to ­connect people of all different ages, beliefs and lifestyles to share our individuality and find commonality. Linda also created “Kindness Starts with Me,” a program, book and website for children. For more information visit http://www.LoveistheNewCurrency.com or visit the Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/Justask123game.

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Santa Wants Plant Milk with Cookies this Year

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Clean up your diet for the coming year by eliminating dairy products.

By Dr. Carol Randaci When Santa comes around this year, let’s surprise him with a healthy snack. Milk and cookies are still on the menu, but let’s skip the cow or goat milk and replace it with one of the many plant milks: oat, hemp, macadamia, hazel nut, pistachio, walnut, flax, cashew, soy, almond or coconut.

Animal milk is a biological fluid used to nurture a baby into an adult of the same species. When the baby is grown and able to find food for itself, the gene for the mother’s milk is turned off; it isn’t needed any more.

One of the many myths in old, outdated nutrition circles is that dairy consumption is needed for bone health. Not much is further from the truth. In one study, 70,000 women were followed for 18 years to track how milk helped with bone health—and the research found there was no protective effect of dairy for fracture risks or bone loss. In another population study, “Milk Intake and Risk of Mortality and Fractures in Women and Men,” researchers following more than 100,000 men and women in Sweden for about 20 years found significantly higher rates of bone and hip fractures, heart disease, cancer, and premature death in general for women who drank more milk. Three glasses per day was associated with nearly twice the risk of dying early. Men with higher milk consumption were also recorded as having a higher risk of premature death.

Moreover, findings of a 2015 meta-analysis found men with high intakes of dairy products did appear to increase total prostate cancer risk. Dairy consumption may also play a role in increased risk of asthma, Parkinson’s disease, and elevated blood pressure, among other health concerns such as recurring canker sores, gastrointestinal problems and phlegm problems. The galactose in milk may explain why milk consumption is associated with significantly higher risk of hip fractures, cancer, and premature death.

Cows’ milk contains two main types of protein, whey and casein. Over 80 percent of the total protein in milk is from casein, which gives milk its white color. Casein proteins are soluble in milk but form insoluble curds once they reach the human stomach, making it hard for digestive enzymes to break them apart. Slower digestion also is associated

with delayed release of the protein’s amino acids into the bloodstream. Casein can be in different forms in milk, and beta-casein is the second most common form. Cow’s milk is the usual cause of milk allergy, but milk from sheep, goats, buffalo and other mammals also can cause a reaction.

Beta-casein itself has many variants, and among the most common are the A1 beta-casein and A2 beta-casein variants. The amount of each variant present depends on the breed of cow. Some cows such as Red, Holstein-Friesian and Ayrshire produce high levels of the A1 variant of beta-casein, whereas Guernsey and Jersey produce the A2 variant of betacasein. The A1 variant of beta-casein has been shown to be digested and release the bioactive peptide betacasomorphin 7 (BCM-7)4. Casomorphins act like opiates in the body and can target opiate receptors in the brain. Some people feel “addicted” to dairy, such as cheese, because of casomorphins.

Casomorphins also have been shown to directly raise histamine, which is involved in the inflammatory response to allergens. The A1 variant of betacasein also is involved in several conditions and has been linked to: • Increased mucus production associated with respiratory conditions such as asthma.

• Increased risk of developing insulin-­ dependent diabetes.

• Oxidative damage of LDL cholesterol, which is a factor in the development of arterial plaques.

• Coronary heart disease.

• Increase in sleep apnea and a link to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

• Autism spectrum disorders.

• Low levels of neurotoxic chemicals in cheese may explain the connection between dairy product consumption and Parkinson’s disease.

TIME TO GET HEALTHY!

Want to clean up your diet, then along with meat, dairy is one of the first things you want to eliminate, according to nutritional research scientists and nutrition-based doctors of the Cleveland Clinic. All animal-based foods contain sex steroid hormones, such as estrogen, and these hormones—which are naturally found in cow’s milk—may play a role in the 37

various associations identified between dairy products and hormone-related conditions, including acne, diminished male reproductive potential, cancer, obesity, heart disease, dementia and premature puberty.

The hormone content may explain why women who drink milk appear to have five times the rate of twin births compared with women who do not drink milk.

When it comes to cancer, leading experts have expressed concern that the hormones in dairy and other growth factors could potentially stimulate the growth of hormone-sensitive tumors. Casein, for example, may be one of the leading causes of cancer according to Dr. T. Colin Campbell’s bestseller, The China Study, which states that “casein is a known carcinogen.” Experimental evidence also suggests that dairy may promote the conversion of precancerous lesions or mutated cells into invasive cancers in vitro—and 32 studies show that even low fat milk still increase possible cancer risks.

The recommended daily intake (RDI) of calcium is 1,000 mg per day for most adults, while women over 50 and everyone over 70 should get 1,200 mg per day, while children aged 4–18 are advised to consume 1,300 mg. Many plant-based milks will fortify with extra calcium and vitamin D, while some will also add nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin B12, and the omega-3 fatty acid DHA. How can you get 1,000 mg of calcium per day with a plant-based diets? Let’s begin

with breakfast. Here’s a recipe used as an example of how easy it is to get 1000 mg in one meal:

BREAKFAST BOWL

1 cup oats —> 150 mg 1 cup almond milk —> 472 mg 1/4 cup chopped almonds —> 97 mg 3 dried figs —> 54 mg 1 tbsp ground flax —> 12 mg 1 tbsp blackstrap molasses —>179 mg 3 Brazil nuts chopped —> 22 mg 7 walnuts chopped —> 27 mg 10 pecans, chopped —> 10 mg 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds —> 15 mg In one breakfast bowl, you can get 1,038 mg of calcium! See how easy it is. Then there’s the beans and seeds, greens and nuts, fruit and the veggies, and nonGMO tofu and grains you can eat during the day that also have plenty of calcium. Plus, none of these foods destroy your bones or clog your arteries. Remember along with the above analysis of calcium you also benefit from protein, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, potassium, copper, B vitamins, trace minerals and fiber.

So this year let’s give Santa a healthy treat and send him on his way to live long and prosper as dairy free. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Dr. Carol Wentz Randaci is the director of the Vegan Culinary Institute in Sarasota, FL, a board certified Oriental Medicine Doctor and Acupuncture Physician, Energy Therapist, Naturopath and Hopeful Human. Dr. Carol has trained with alternative medicine’s finest physicians and has practiced Raja Yoga meditation under the guidance of Ram Chanrda, Babuji Maharaja for 36 years. You can reach Dr. Carol at AiZen Healing Center by emailing aizenhealing@gmail.com or calling 941.284.8894.

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