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Monday, December 7, 2009
Friday, October 2, 2009
The Power of True Friendship
Do you have a friend in your life, a true friend, who loves you unconditionally, who listens when you need someone to listen and offers honest advice when you need it? Someone who does not judge you, who is always there for you and who loves you for who you are?
So far in my lifetime I have been blessed by two such Angels.
Angel No.1, I have known my whole life. We even go back 3 generations. Our grandfathers fought in World War 2 together, our mothers are family friends, and now we have been friends for 30 years.
Angel No.2, I have known since school days – 17 years of friendship.
I have just returned from a weekend spent with my Angels. You see, in the past one and a half years two of us have moved away from home. Now we live in different cities and live different lives.
But what is so wonderful about true friendship is that no matter what distance is between you, no matter how different your lives are – you always ‘connect’ when you are together again.
I was in desperate need of ‘Angel’ time and advice by the time our bonding weekend came along.
I had had a tough week and needed to share my life and thoughts with them. I realized that I have many people, acquaintances and friends in my life but there is something special and different about a True Friend.
I felt complete, I felt safe, and I felt supported. I felt like I was being looked after and I felt like I could be myself and express myself fully. Although I believe that we are already complete, safe and supported – without having to look for anything external or outside of our selves - it is sometimes wonderful to just spend time with earthly ‘Angels’. Ones that have fears, doubts, worries and heartache just like our own. Ones that bring us back to earth and make us feel human again.
Thank you to my two Angels for much needed time of bonding, love, good laughs and support.
"All my relationships are harmonious.
When we create harmony in our own minds and hearts,
we will find it in our lives. The inner creates the outer.
Always"
Louise L. Hay
So far in my lifetime I have been blessed by two such Angels.
Angel No.1, I have known my whole life. We even go back 3 generations. Our grandfathers fought in World War 2 together, our mothers are family friends, and now we have been friends for 30 years.
Angel No.2, I have known since school days – 17 years of friendship.
I have just returned from a weekend spent with my Angels. You see, in the past one and a half years two of us have moved away from home. Now we live in different cities and live different lives.
But what is so wonderful about true friendship is that no matter what distance is between you, no matter how different your lives are – you always ‘connect’ when you are together again.
I was in desperate need of ‘Angel’ time and advice by the time our bonding weekend came along.
I had had a tough week and needed to share my life and thoughts with them. I realized that I have many people, acquaintances and friends in my life but there is something special and different about a True Friend.
I felt complete, I felt safe, and I felt supported. I felt like I was being looked after and I felt like I could be myself and express myself fully. Although I believe that we are already complete, safe and supported – without having to look for anything external or outside of our selves - it is sometimes wonderful to just spend time with earthly ‘Angels’. Ones that have fears, doubts, worries and heartache just like our own. Ones that bring us back to earth and make us feel human again.
Thank you to my two Angels for much needed time of bonding, love, good laughs and support.
"All my relationships are harmonious.
When we create harmony in our own minds and hearts,
we will find it in our lives. The inner creates the outer.
Always"
Louise L. Hay
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Innocence of Yester Year Seems Out of Place
I have just seen a little girl learning to ride her bike. The scene was at once extremely familiar, and yet as I watched her, I realised how the little girl on her bike seemed totally out of context to the surroundings that she found herself in.
Let me explain further. You see, the scruffy little one must have been about 12 years old. She was decked out in a long, thick, soft pink coat that was a few sizes too big for her and reached past her knees, threatening to get caught in all those parts of the bike that seem hungry to grab a hold of just such a tempting morsel of clothing. She had a pudding bowl haircut, very unlike the styled cuts I see on youngsters these days. Barefoot and standing up on the pedals of her over sized single speed postman bike, she was struggling against the friction of the road and the large tyres, the concentration etched on her face.
Balancing on those pedals and being out of the saddle while trying to get enough momentum to keep the bike upright could not have been easy, but her natural instincts – so seldom called into play for most youngsters – had her leaning slightly forward to keep her centre of gravity. This meant carrying a lot of her weight on her arms which were splayed out wide to grab hold of the over sized handle bars of cold shiny curved steel, her small hands white-knuckled around the plastic grooved grips that were worn smooth over the many years of previous riders steering the bike all about town.
There was a slight wobble to this whole scenario, but not like you normally see with a youngster learning to ride today where they can sommer put their feet down to stop a fall. I should think this little ragamuffin had simply grabbed the only bike available to her, or as in the olden days, she had managed to get her hands on a big’ bike - so much more alluring and exciting than a children’s bicycle. No bright yellow easy-to-ride prissy little bikes for this tough nut. She was gritting it out on this old iron horse, that concentrated expression showing brief glimpses of pure joy before slipping back into the more earnest work of staying upright.
This image was one of days gone by for me and I have not seen this type of riding for a long time. It was a nostalgic surreal few seconds that was initially so calm and natural and then when I came back from my reminiscing, it looked so incredibly out of place. As if I was on a movie set or back in a small Karoo town and not the city bowl of Cape Town.
Let me explain further. You see, the scruffy little one must have been about 12 years old. She was decked out in a long, thick, soft pink coat that was a few sizes too big for her and reached past her knees, threatening to get caught in all those parts of the bike that seem hungry to grab a hold of just such a tempting morsel of clothing. She had a pudding bowl haircut, very unlike the styled cuts I see on youngsters these days. Barefoot and standing up on the pedals of her over sized single speed postman bike, she was struggling against the friction of the road and the large tyres, the concentration etched on her face.
Balancing on those pedals and being out of the saddle while trying to get enough momentum to keep the bike upright could not have been easy, but her natural instincts – so seldom called into play for most youngsters – had her leaning slightly forward to keep her centre of gravity. This meant carrying a lot of her weight on her arms which were splayed out wide to grab hold of the over sized handle bars of cold shiny curved steel, her small hands white-knuckled around the plastic grooved grips that were worn smooth over the many years of previous riders steering the bike all about town.
There was a slight wobble to this whole scenario, but not like you normally see with a youngster learning to ride today where they can sommer put their feet down to stop a fall. I should think this little ragamuffin had simply grabbed the only bike available to her, or as in the olden days, she had managed to get her hands on a big’ bike - so much more alluring and exciting than a children’s bicycle. No bright yellow easy-to-ride prissy little bikes for this tough nut. She was gritting it out on this old iron horse, that concentrated expression showing brief glimpses of pure joy before slipping back into the more earnest work of staying upright.
This image was one of days gone by for me and I have not seen this type of riding for a long time. It was a nostalgic surreal few seconds that was initially so calm and natural and then when I came back from my reminiscing, it looked so incredibly out of place. As if I was on a movie set or back in a small Karoo town and not the city bowl of Cape Town.
Monday, September 21, 2009
The story of the Clif Bar...
Imagine waking up one morning in your tiny apartment somewhere in Canada (actually you're living in your parents garage, sorry!), packing a water bottle and a few energy bars into a bag, grabbing your bicycle and heading out for a 175 mile bike ride with your best friend. After a few hours your stomach starts to rumble and you start nibbling away at those energy bars you cleverly bought with. You eat and you eat but your body just isn't satisfied - you're still hungry, still lacking nutrients to get you through the rest of the ride, and worst of all you're left with a horrible after taste in your mouth that you just can't stomach another bite. Then it dawns on you 'I could make a better bar than this'. For the rest of the ride you ponder over your quest to make the ultimate energy bar. You end up spending every free moment you have experimenting in the kitchen with your patient mother, and two years later you have it... You've finally perfected a great tasting, organic, nutrient rich, appetite-filling energy bar (did I mention it tastes delicious).
Nineteen years later, the founder and owner of Clif Bar & Company, you find your products hitting the shores of South Africa, quite an accomplishment for someone who lived in a garage!! (I'm sure you’d living much more comfortably now!)
Wellness Warehouse now has these delicious, organic bars in store just for you! Look out for these bars and other organic treats when you are next in store. It’s not everyday that you find great tasting ‘health’ bars which are genuinely healthy and certified organic. There’s a Clif Bar for everyone and for every occasion: We have the shot Blocks to provide energy to the performance athletes; the Clif Mojo for an alternative trail mix; the Luna bars and cookies especially formulated for women to provide them with energy and support them through the day; the Z bars for kids to provide them with great tasting nutrition while they play and grow; the Builder’s Bars to provide 20g of soy and nut proteins for those gym fanatics who need to rebuild and recover muscle mass; the Nectar bars for those who want to make sure they are getting their daily fruit and nut servings in each day; the Raw Revolution bars to satisfy those choosing to follow a more raw-food diet these bars are made up of raw organic live food (and they taste good); and lastly we have the Clif Bar, the original nutritious, energy bar, for everyone!
Try them, your body will thank you!
Nineteen years later, the founder and owner of Clif Bar & Company, you find your products hitting the shores of South Africa, quite an accomplishment for someone who lived in a garage!! (I'm sure you’d living much more comfortably now!)
Wellness Warehouse now has these delicious, organic bars in store just for you! Look out for these bars and other organic treats when you are next in store. It’s not everyday that you find great tasting ‘health’ bars which are genuinely healthy and certified organic. There’s a Clif Bar for everyone and for every occasion: We have the shot Blocks to provide energy to the performance athletes; the Clif Mojo for an alternative trail mix; the Luna bars and cookies especially formulated for women to provide them with energy and support them through the day; the Z bars for kids to provide them with great tasting nutrition while they play and grow; the Builder’s Bars to provide 20g of soy and nut proteins for those gym fanatics who need to rebuild and recover muscle mass; the Nectar bars for those who want to make sure they are getting their daily fruit and nut servings in each day; the Raw Revolution bars to satisfy those choosing to follow a more raw-food diet these bars are made up of raw organic live food (and they taste good); and lastly we have the Clif Bar, the original nutritious, energy bar, for everyone!
Try them, your body will thank you!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Wellness warehouse caters for food intolerances and other dietary needs!
More and more people are finding themselves intolerant to one if not two or more foods. The first trick is finding out which foods are causing a reactions, as most of us suffer from delayed food allergies (affecting a whopping 45% of the population), and not immediate food allergies (only 1.5% of the population suffers from this type of reaction!).
How do we know if we are reacting to certain foods? Symptoms usually show between 2 hours to 2 days after eating that particular food, and range from bloating, gas, constipation or diarrhoea, inability to loose or put on weight, skin disorders, chronic headaches, wheezing, sinusitis, asthma, and ulcerative colitis, among others. One usually finds that the food one craves are the exact foods that one is intolerant too. Keeping a food diary, writing down what you ate and when as well as what symptoms you experience and when, is one way to help you identify problematic foods as one will often begin to see a pattern after a week or so.
How do we know if we are reacting to certain foods? Symptoms usually show between 2 hours to 2 days after eating that particular food, and range from bloating, gas, constipation or diarrhoea, inability to loose or put on weight, skin disorders, chronic headaches, wheezing, sinusitis, asthma, and ulcerative colitis, among others. One usually finds that the food one craves are the exact foods that one is intolerant too. Keeping a food diary, writing down what you ate and when as well as what symptoms you experience and when, is one way to help you identify problematic foods as one will often begin to see a pattern after a week or so.
If you think you are intolerant to a food, try avoiding it for 3 months, and at the same time rotating the other foods in your diet. If you are unsure of what foods to avoid, start with wheat, oats, rye, barley (all gluten containing grains), as well as milk, cheese, yoghurt, cream and other dairy products. Most reactions after hearing this is 'what is there left to eat?'. The Wellness Warehouse has made food intolerances and other special dietary needs easy as we stock a wide range of wheat, gluten, dairy, soy, sugar, nut and even yeast free foods and flour mixes. From cereals, breads, muffins, biscuits, crackers, rusks to pasta's, pizza bases, cake/pancake/waffle and other mixes. For the lactose intolerant we have a variety of soy milk, oat milk, lactose-free dairy milk and milk-alternative powders (rice, soy, quinoa, oat), and goats cheese. Soon we will be adding fresh goats milk and yoghurt to our list.
Feel free to come chat to me or any of the food market staff for more assistance with your dietary needs and intolerances.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
10 Rituals of Radiant Living
Happy Spring time!
This is always my favourite time of year...the feeling that summer is around the corner and that there is a full season of sunshine to look forward to.
At this time of year I start to feel super-alive again and ready for new beginnings. It is also a wonderful time to reflect and Spring clean my life.
My special way of ‘Spring cleaning’ my own life is to follow my 10 Rituals of Radiant Living.
I was inspired by Robin S. Sharma’s book – ‘The monk who sold his Ferrari’.
In this wonderful story the main character says “Once you get yourself together, your world will be ok. Once you master your mind, body and character, happiness and abundance will flow into your life almost magically. But you must spend some time daily working on yourself... by incorporating the techniques into your routine such that they become habits; you are bound to reach a state of perfect health, limitless energy, lasting happiness and peace of mind.”
The 10 rituals of Radiant living that I follow are:
Ritual of early awakening
Rise with the sun! It is so much easier now that Cape Town weather is changing and that it is getting lighter so much earlier. By waking up early and getting enough sleep I start my day well. It is important to have good quality sleep and feel refreshed and alive as soon as I open my eyes.
Ritual of solitude
Explore the healing power of silence in a peaceful environment. This is my meditation time and my time to connect with myself, and create inner harmony. I love doing this in nature if I can.
Ritual of physicality
Taking time everyday to nourish the temple of my body through exercise is extremely important for me. I choose Yoga… any style of Yoga. I love Yoga! I also love being in nature so any exercise I can do outdoors I enjoy – walking, hiking, learning to surf, cycling…as long as I am outside.
Ritual of proper breathing
Breathing is something that is supposed to come naturally but it is amazing how deep, full breathing is something that I have to focus on constantly. I enjoy doing my ritual of ‘proper’ breathing when I am doing my Yoga sessions. The classes I do often include Pranayama (breathing techniques) which clear my mind and bring me back to balance and calmness.
Ritual of live nourishment
Eat live foods. Not food that is ‘alive’ but food that is rich in nutrients and vital energy. Food that is as natural as possible and that has had the natural interaction of sun, air, soil and water. Being a vegetarian is important to me not only from an animal side of things and because it is the best thing for the environment but mainly because it is healthy for me.
Ritual of abundant knowledge
Reading and learning something inspiring everyday is a great pick-me-up. I don’t read just anything. I choose to stay away from newspapers, TV and media. I fill my mind with knowledge that will improve the quality of my life. Books are a wonderful way to keep me in a beautiful space and learn more about who I am and the world around me.
Ritual of living my life purpose with passion
Listening to my heart and acting from that space of integrity, love and compassion in all that I do is what brings me inner peace and harmony. I love what I do. I live my life purpose and I am passionate about my work…even if it was not my job I would still be radiating enthusiasm.
Ritual of simplicity & 'being'
Aiming to make my life as simple as possible… taking out all of life’s complications, not wasting my time or somebody else’s and spending my time ‘being’ and experiencing, rather than doing.
Ritual of time out & having some fun
Taking some time out of the day for myself – having a bath by candle light, going off for a massage, or even going on a shopping spree. Just spending some quality time with me and taking time out from the world. Also not being so hard on myself and taking life so seriously is very important to remember. Having fun and being passionate about life is an important part of keeping radiant.
Ritual of personal reflection & gratitude
At the end of the day it is wonderful to reflect on my day. Stopping and acknowledging the moments when somebody paid me a compliment, gave me a gift or pearls of their wisdom. Reflecting on my thoughts during the day and noticing if they were mainly positive?
The only way to improve tomorrow is to reflect and be grateful for today.
It is a lovely feeling drifting off to sleep and going through the list of why I feel grateful.
So these are my 10 Rituals for Radiant living.
If you would like to live a radiant life why don’t you do a bit of a 'Spring clean' and come up with 10 rituals for yourself to implement into your day.
You never know, you may inspire yourself and the world around you.
“I trust the process of life.
There is a rhythm and flow to Life, and I am part of it.
Life supports me and brings to me only good and positive experiences.
I trust the process of Life to bring me my highest good.”
Louise L. Hay
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Favourite wellness things...
There are always certain Wellness products I find that quickly become favourites. Every now and then I will share some of the things making my "favourites list" -*Fit Flops: Now I will be the first to admit when I first saw Fit Flops I didnt think they looked like my type of shoe - But that all changed when I got a pair for christmas 2 years ago. They are the most comfortable flip flops I have ever worn in my life (try them!). I have worn them so much that I am going to have to go and buy another pair for this summer.
* Dark chocolate Goji Berries: Yum yum yum - and since Goji berries are packed with antioxidants, its a wonderful guilt-free indulgence. (Click HERE to read more about Goji berries)
* Method dishwashing liquid: I absolutely love this dishwashing liquid and find it works much better than most. The packaging and smell are amazing - Its also enviromentally friendly and kind to your hands. Plus it comes in Pink and purple ;)
* Wildebraam "Ring of Fire" chilli relish: This is by far one of the best relishes i have ever tried. Its amazing on nachos or on chips. Its definitely got a kick, but its not so hot that it has almost no taste. A bottle of this does not last very long.
* Tia's Granola fruit and nut muesli : Im a very fussy breakfast cereal person. So I was very happy when i tried Tia's muesli. Its delicious. It wheat free. It also has lots of yummy cashews, peanuts and sunflower seeds in it. (its also available in sugar-free)
* All the above products can be bought online HERE or at a Wellness Warehouse store.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Detoxing... Body, Mind and Soul
I committed myself to a month of detoxing.
My focus was originally on the physical side – wanting to slim down, tone up and feel less toxic.
What ended up happening is that I came out of it cleansing my emotional, mental and spiritual well being as well!
What a surprise... a revisit of the wonderful connection with myself!
The first 2 weeks I started transforming physically. I was eating my Sattvic diet; I was increasing my Yoga intensity and enjoying my daily practice. I even added in a few extra walks with my puppy and visits to the gym. I felt great – really energized and ready for life.
Then my next 2 weeks kicked in…….
This more intense detox, aimed at cleaning out my emotional and mental toxins, caught me by surprise.
I had forgotten how life changing a full-on detox can be and was not expecting it at all!
I went through my normal cycles of not feeling good enough, bad self-talk, feeling angry and frustrated (the liver is linked to the anger emotion, so it is pretty normal to feel angry when detoxing) and came out the other side literally feeling cleansed.
What changed? What transformed me back to my confident, self-loving, radiant self?
…It was going back to my basics.
Lately I had been so busy; being busy. So busy occupying my mind with worry. So busy knowing what would make me feel better but never getting to it because other things and other people seemed too important.
Then the Universe opened up and gave me a month to detox. I had time, I had energy, I had the resources, and I actually did it.
So going back to my basics meant that I was not rushing, not adding too much into my day and so I had time to focus and ‘spring clean’ me.
I spent a lot of quiet time on my own.
I took walks to my favourite bench overlooking Cape Town.
I stopped and absorbed the beautiful smells of Jasmine in my garden.
I spent more time connecting to myself and doing my own version of meditating.
And I chose to spend a lot of time asking myself questions. I realized lately I was looking externally for answers. So I started listening to my own Inner Wisdom again and found myself internalizing rather that seeking answers and approval from others.
These exercises are no revelation for me.
I know exactly what makes me feel good and how to do it. I have all the tools.
It is just that life got too much, and for a moment, I forgot that I actually have all the answers!
Every now and then I suppose one just needs a break and some time to get to back on track and to connect to Self again.
I now have regular chats to my Self and feel my way through my day rather than think my way though it.
Thank you to my body for taking me through a beautiful process and thank you Soul for reminding me that you are always there for me!
X
"I Trust my Inner Wisdom.
As I go about my daily affairs, I listen to my own guidance.
My Intuition is always on my side.
I trust it to be there at all times.
I am safe."
Louise L Hay
My focus was originally on the physical side – wanting to slim down, tone up and feel less toxic.
What ended up happening is that I came out of it cleansing my emotional, mental and spiritual well being as well!
What a surprise... a revisit of the wonderful connection with myself!
The first 2 weeks I started transforming physically. I was eating my Sattvic diet; I was increasing my Yoga intensity and enjoying my daily practice. I even added in a few extra walks with my puppy and visits to the gym. I felt great – really energized and ready for life.
Then my next 2 weeks kicked in…….
This more intense detox, aimed at cleaning out my emotional and mental toxins, caught me by surprise.
I had forgotten how life changing a full-on detox can be and was not expecting it at all!
I went through my normal cycles of not feeling good enough, bad self-talk, feeling angry and frustrated (the liver is linked to the anger emotion, so it is pretty normal to feel angry when detoxing) and came out the other side literally feeling cleansed.
What changed? What transformed me back to my confident, self-loving, radiant self?
…It was going back to my basics.
Lately I had been so busy; being busy. So busy occupying my mind with worry. So busy knowing what would make me feel better but never getting to it because other things and other people seemed too important.
Then the Universe opened up and gave me a month to detox. I had time, I had energy, I had the resources, and I actually did it.
So going back to my basics meant that I was not rushing, not adding too much into my day and so I had time to focus and ‘spring clean’ me.
I spent a lot of quiet time on my own.
I took walks to my favourite bench overlooking Cape Town.
I stopped and absorbed the beautiful smells of Jasmine in my garden.
I spent more time connecting to myself and doing my own version of meditating.
And I chose to spend a lot of time asking myself questions. I realized lately I was looking externally for answers. So I started listening to my own Inner Wisdom again and found myself internalizing rather that seeking answers and approval from others.
These exercises are no revelation for me.
I know exactly what makes me feel good and how to do it. I have all the tools.
It is just that life got too much, and for a moment, I forgot that I actually have all the answers!
Every now and then I suppose one just needs a break and some time to get to back on track and to connect to Self again.
I now have regular chats to my Self and feel my way through my day rather than think my way though it.
Thank you to my body for taking me through a beautiful process and thank you Soul for reminding me that you are always there for me!
X
"I Trust my Inner Wisdom.
As I go about my daily affairs, I listen to my own guidance.
My Intuition is always on my side.
I trust it to be there at all times.
I am safe."
Louise L Hay
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Illness on Your Agenda?
Do you live in the city? Would that be the city of Cape Town?
Good decision, its a fantastic place to be. For a large city it has some of the cleanest air in the world. As a local you know that is because of the prevailing summer South Easter and some Stormy conditions in the winter that come through and blast all the gunk away, keeping our skies blue and helping us stay healthy.
What's that you say? You are not feeling very healthy at all, and in fact you are reading this from your laptop while sitting in bed sipping on some form of meds, to wash down some other form of pills, to battle that flu or cold that has been taking you down over the last few days. Well then read on as that's what this blog is all about.
Although the special city of Cape Town has super advantages due to the natural weather conditions (as mentioned above), the fact remains that it is a hugely populated megalopolis (that is not something you can eat, nor an extinct dinosaur or even teenage speak, but rather a cool word bestowed upon an urban place like ours once it reaches a certain amount of inhabitants) with over 4 million people calling it home.
With so many people about, there are bound to be more than your fare share of opportunities to catch some of those freely available germs and viruses that hop so efficiently from elevator button, to door handle to key board and then fingers and nose (or a myriad of other combinations your colourful mind may conjure up).
Add to this the relatively new found and ever growing popularity of Cape Town and the consequent influx of foreign tourists, and you can also add a whole new bunch of 'getting sick' opportunities.
This is certainly not a negative point of view with regards to tourism nor peoples hygiene habits, but rather a reminder that a reality of living in a place such as Cape Town comes with, what should be seen as somewhat of an expectation, that you will be exposed to the chance of getting sick.
It's not rocket science, although we do tend to fall into a comfort zone pretty quickly as our minds get lazy about these sorts of bothersome facts.
I am sure this is something many people can accept, the fact that living in a city you are exposed to sickness. What I find strange is our expectations of being able to shake these very sicknesses on our own agenda. Don't get me wrong, I am a huge fan of positive thinking and general mindset and its' role in helping heal as well as helping to keep us healthy. However when I see how many people are so impatient about getting well I do feel we are loosing touch with what is real as apposed to what we have concocted in our own minds to be the-way-we-want-it.
Lets say you get ill on a Tuesday. Well it started with perhaps a tickley throat on Monday, but the sun was still out so you knew it could not be a cold so you put your concern on the shelf for another time.
Then Tuesday welcomed you with grey skies and blustery winds and you knew you were sick. Perhaps flu. So now you are thinking about the Doctor and what you are going to do to get well as you just don't have time to be ill and whats more you have a function to go to on Friday after work and another on Sat morning that you are dead keen to attend.
THAT I am afraid, is where we get it wrong.
By all means spend some energy on giving it a good go to get well, but how in the world do you really expect to let outside events and happenings on your social calendar dictate whether you are going to get over an illness? It really is bizarre behaviour by us human lot. Behaviour that I have little doubt many a species would shake their heads at if they could comprehend the self contrived supposed realities in our selfish heads.
The fact that you have a 5km run on the weekend or a soccer match to play in does not decide when you should expect to feel better.
Surely a better option is to do what you can to help yourself recover from the sickness as far as medication is concerned and to feel okay about feeling like %^*&, but to have a positive mindset to fight it like anything to get better as effectively as possible.
Let go of the stress of being sick, its bound to happen and you don't own it so don't expect to disown it. Catch yourself in the moment of trying to dictate your getting well clock and relax a little about being ill. It will be a far less excruciating experience.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Holiday 'heavies' & how to detox them away
If you have just been on holiday and over indulged a little you will know exactly what I mean…
I came back from holiday feeling horrid! Bloated, puffy, all clogged up and even feeling uncomfortable in my ‘fat’ jeans.
This was my own doing of course. I left for holiday consciously deciding to have a ‘full-on’ proper holiday… to let go, to let my hair down and to have a real break from my normal routine.
That is the great thing about letting your hair down and having a good holiday - you do it for a time, you have fun and then when you are finished all you want to do is get back into your routine and be healthy again. Letting go for a short time is a great motivation for living life well because after a while your poor body is shouting at you to get back on track.
So for the past two weeks I have been detoxing and getting myself healthy again and I am feeling amazing!
For me, being healthy is about feeling good!
It is about waking up in the morning in good spirits and wanting to jump out of bed and begin your day.
It is about feeling happy and light and wanting to share your joy with the world.
It is about catching yourself smiling… just because
It is about having the strength and stamina to exercise and loving the exercise that you are doing.
It is about putting goodness into your body and getting returns on your investment.
It is about loving life and more importantly loving and respecting your own body.
There are so many ways to get healthy and countless numbers of detoxes out there. I think the biggest challenge is finding one that works for you and of course to actually start it.
I have been doing a Sattvic Detox – similar to the one that I did when I did my Yoga teachers training, but not as intense. Sattvic means ‘Pure’ so with a Sattvic detox I am cutting out anything that is not pure for my body… no alcohol, no meat, chicken or fish, no caffeine, no sugar, no preservatives colourants or additives.
The biggest lesson I learned when doing this detox years ago was to read the ingredient labels on what I was buying. It is amazing how almost every item of food has sugar or salt and some kind of preservative in it!
I was horrified!
My favourite food item that says ‘low fat’ on the label, when actually reading the ingredient list, was not good for me at all. I learned not to just be suckered into listening to the advertising but to actually go for the facts and see what was in the food that I was eating.
Do your own test:
Diet cool drinks seem healthy right – the advertising on the can says no sugar and no caffeine. Well look at the ingredient list! I don’t even understand half of them but they do not sound good for you. Compare that ingredient list with say Appletiser or Just Juice and see the difference.
Anyway I digress…back to my detox
So what can I eat then – that is what everyone keeps on asking me – well whole foods are the answer!
Salads, vegetables, soups, as much organic produce as possible, rooibos tea, honey, organic peanut butter… there is actually a long list and so many delicious recipes to try.
Most of it is what I eat anyway so I didn’t think it would be too difficult but what I am craving is sugar – especially being that time of the month. So when shopping at Wellness Warehouse on the weekend I was very excited to find carob bars that had no sugar, rusks with no sugar and lots of little treats that I thought I couldn’t have.
Of course included in a good detox is drinking lots of water, doing exercise (or in my case my daily Yoga practice), having a good night sleep and not carrying any emotional baggage (otherwise I just tend to want to comfort eat).
I have decided to do my detox for 32 days… I am on day 16.
So far what I feel has changed for me is:
• I feel more myself and alive again
• I have loads of energy
• I can feel my body changing and getting more toned and slimmer (even though I have not lost weight on the scale yet)
• My mind is clear
• My skin is clear and glowing
• I feel happier
• I feel lighter and stronger during my Yoga practice
and I am excited to continue so that I can carry on feeling better and better
See if you can set yourself some time to do a good detox.
Research, find one that works for you, get inspired and start!
It is so worth it – I wish everyone could feel the way I am feeling right now!
"I love my body.
I create peacefullness in my mind,
and my body reflects this peacefulness as perfect health."
Power Thought by Louise L. Hay
I came back from holiday feeling horrid! Bloated, puffy, all clogged up and even feeling uncomfortable in my ‘fat’ jeans.
This was my own doing of course. I left for holiday consciously deciding to have a ‘full-on’ proper holiday… to let go, to let my hair down and to have a real break from my normal routine.
That is the great thing about letting your hair down and having a good holiday - you do it for a time, you have fun and then when you are finished all you want to do is get back into your routine and be healthy again. Letting go for a short time is a great motivation for living life well because after a while your poor body is shouting at you to get back on track.
So for the past two weeks I have been detoxing and getting myself healthy again and I am feeling amazing!
For me, being healthy is about feeling good!
It is about waking up in the morning in good spirits and wanting to jump out of bed and begin your day.
It is about feeling happy and light and wanting to share your joy with the world.
It is about catching yourself smiling… just because
It is about having the strength and stamina to exercise and loving the exercise that you are doing.
It is about putting goodness into your body and getting returns on your investment.
It is about loving life and more importantly loving and respecting your own body.
There are so many ways to get healthy and countless numbers of detoxes out there. I think the biggest challenge is finding one that works for you and of course to actually start it.
I have been doing a Sattvic Detox – similar to the one that I did when I did my Yoga teachers training, but not as intense. Sattvic means ‘Pure’ so with a Sattvic detox I am cutting out anything that is not pure for my body… no alcohol, no meat, chicken or fish, no caffeine, no sugar, no preservatives colourants or additives.
The biggest lesson I learned when doing this detox years ago was to read the ingredient labels on what I was buying. It is amazing how almost every item of food has sugar or salt and some kind of preservative in it!
I was horrified!
My favourite food item that says ‘low fat’ on the label, when actually reading the ingredient list, was not good for me at all. I learned not to just be suckered into listening to the advertising but to actually go for the facts and see what was in the food that I was eating.
Do your own test:
Diet cool drinks seem healthy right – the advertising on the can says no sugar and no caffeine. Well look at the ingredient list! I don’t even understand half of them but they do not sound good for you. Compare that ingredient list with say Appletiser or Just Juice and see the difference.
Anyway I digress…back to my detox
So what can I eat then – that is what everyone keeps on asking me – well whole foods are the answer!
Salads, vegetables, soups, as much organic produce as possible, rooibos tea, honey, organic peanut butter… there is actually a long list and so many delicious recipes to try.
Most of it is what I eat anyway so I didn’t think it would be too difficult but what I am craving is sugar – especially being that time of the month. So when shopping at Wellness Warehouse on the weekend I was very excited to find carob bars that had no sugar, rusks with no sugar and lots of little treats that I thought I couldn’t have.
Of course included in a good detox is drinking lots of water, doing exercise (or in my case my daily Yoga practice), having a good night sleep and not carrying any emotional baggage (otherwise I just tend to want to comfort eat).
I have decided to do my detox for 32 days… I am on day 16.
So far what I feel has changed for me is:
• I feel more myself and alive again
• I have loads of energy
• I can feel my body changing and getting more toned and slimmer (even though I have not lost weight on the scale yet)
• My mind is clear
• My skin is clear and glowing
• I feel happier
• I feel lighter and stronger during my Yoga practice
and I am excited to continue so that I can carry on feeling better and better
See if you can set yourself some time to do a good detox.
Research, find one that works for you, get inspired and start!
It is so worth it – I wish everyone could feel the way I am feeling right now!
"I love my body.
I create peacefullness in my mind,
and my body reflects this peacefulness as perfect health."
Power Thought by Louise L. Hay
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
A change would do you good...
About a month ago I found myself feeling a bit dull, anxious and generally unenthusiastic about my life. I decided the only way I was going to feel better was to make a few changes, So I sat down and made a list…Here are some of the changes I have set out to make in my life (and how I am trying to keep them up):
1. Make better food choices- If I can’t make my own food, I try make healthier choices when I eat out (note: Wellness Warehouse in Kloof street has a fabulous buffet). When I crave chocolates I rather buy a yogurt or some fruit to get a sugar fix. I try to eat smaller portions. I try to stay away from anything deep fried, frequent caffeine drinking and processed food.
2. Do more exercise – I found that I was starting to get into a life routine that didn’t make any time for exercise. Now, I have started trying to do some form of exercise nearly everyday (yup, I said everyday). I have started jogging and walking in the evening when the weather allows - I try to go out for at least 15 to 20 minutes (its great thinking and music listening time). I try to head to the gym at least twice a week (for a change). When I feel too unmotivated to get out and exercise, I do my own home exercises (like: stretching, ball exercises, squats and lunges)
3. Drink more water - I now take a bottle with me to work everyday and try to drink at least 1 litre of water during my work day. Having a bottle on my desk reminds me drink water at work. Click HERE to read tips on how to drink more water everyday.
4. Pop good pills - I have started taking vitamins daily. As much as I try to eat healthy I don’t always get all the nutrition I need from my diet. I also find that taking Salmon Oil (Omega 3)has been making a huge difference to my hair and nails.
5. Clear all the clutter –When my environment is cluttered I find myself less productive and more anxious. Its amazing how good it feels to walk into a organised space. I have resolved to keep my work and home spaces as free from clutter as I can (notes: I have found its best to set out a whole day to just focus on cleaning and sorting out a cluttered space. Start with one room at a time. Dont be afraid to throw away things. Donate things that others can use).
6. Stop sweating the small stuff- It seems so easy to say but so hard to do. The way I have started to help myself stress less about silly, little things is by changing my attitude. Now I am starting to see if it’s something little and not actually a crisis its best to just remain calm and let it go. Life is too short to sweat the small stuff.......which leads me to my next change....
7. Think positive things - Its so easy to let the world get you down and make you negative. I dont want to be negative anymore... I dont want to hold onto negative thoughts and feelings. I have resolved to speak more positively, think happy thoughts and let go of things that make me think negatively. Like Budda says: "We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.”
4. Pop good pills - I have started taking vitamins daily. As much as I try to eat healthy I don’t always get all the nutrition I need from my diet. I also find that taking Salmon Oil (Omega 3)has been making a huge difference to my hair and nails.
5. Clear all the clutter –When my environment is cluttered I find myself less productive and more anxious. Its amazing how good it feels to walk into a organised space. I have resolved to keep my work and home spaces as free from clutter as I can (notes: I have found its best to set out a whole day to just focus on cleaning and sorting out a cluttered space. Start with one room at a time. Dont be afraid to throw away things. Donate things that others can use).
6. Stop sweating the small stuff- It seems so easy to say but so hard to do. The way I have started to help myself stress less about silly, little things is by changing my attitude. Now I am starting to see if it’s something little and not actually a crisis its best to just remain calm and let it go. Life is too short to sweat the small stuff.......which leads me to my next change....
7. Think positive things - Its so easy to let the world get you down and make you negative. I dont want to be negative anymore... I dont want to hold onto negative thoughts and feelings. I have resolved to speak more positively, think happy thoughts and let go of things that make me think negatively. Like Budda says: "We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.”
Some people say a change is as good as a holiday and I am finally starting to believe that is true…..
What positive changes do you want to make in your life?
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Going Wild
Every now and then it is a good idea to go wild!
Going wild in a sense of disappearing into nature – into the middle of nowhere, into the wild.
I have just come back from the Lebombo Eco trail in the Kruger Park.
Being in the bush and being in nature was so refreshing for me. Even though it was the dirtiest I have been, there was dust everywhere, I felt totally cleansed.
Five Landies covering 500km, one ranger, no campsites, no tourist roads, no water, no flushing toilets and a shower only twice out of the 5 days – what an experience!
I learned so much and saw so much. I have been to the Kruger Park so many times before but always as a tourist looking for the big 5. This trip we were learning more about the environment, the geology, biology, historical and cultural information of the park.
We saw the reality of the national park – we experienced helicopters following poachers, we saw 3 illegal immigrants crossing the boarder from Mozambique into SA, we heard about the issue that the Kruger has with too many elephants and the effect it is having on the rest of the park. It wasn’t the Disney version that I have always seen… this was the behind the scenes, this was the reality.
By seeing the Kruger Park in this new light it made me realise how far removed we are from nature and what effect we are having on nature.
I know everyone is going on about being “green” - and I do my bit as much as I can - but when you are surrounded by nature, seeing your affect on nature directly and actually EXPERIENCING your carbon foot print, it really does hit home and open up your eyes.
In our society we are so used to convenience so we are not directly affected by the effect that we are having on nature. We buy our meat beautifully packaged rather than going through the process of having to slaughter it ourselves. We have water on tap whenever we want it rather than having to walk for kilometres to the closest river. We can just switch on a light whenever it is dark rather than having to find firewood to make a fire.
This week of ‘going wild’ and being in ‘full-on’ nature really made me think. When you are transporting your own water in your own vehicle and only have so much of it for 5 day you are soon aware of how much you use and how much you waste. When you are brushing your teeth outside your tent and spitting in onto the ground leaving a white toothpaste mark, you are quickly aware of if you tooth paste is bio-degradable or not.
When you have to take all your rubbish with you in your car and only dispose of it when you get back into civilization you quickly realize how much we throw away and how much rubbish we have… and how much it smells.
When you are actually experiencing nature rather than going through the motions of city life you soon realize what your part in the world is and how you can make a difference.
Going wild was an inspiring and thoroughly enjoyable experience for me. I had fun, lived life well and felt myself again.
I am so glad I set the time aside to connect to nature and go wild!
"I love Life.
It is my birthright to live fully and freely.
I give to Life exactly what I want Life to give to me.
I am glad to be alive.
I love Life!"
Louise L. Hay
Going wild in a sense of disappearing into nature – into the middle of nowhere, into the wild.
I have just come back from the Lebombo Eco trail in the Kruger Park.
Being in the bush and being in nature was so refreshing for me. Even though it was the dirtiest I have been, there was dust everywhere, I felt totally cleansed.
Five Landies covering 500km, one ranger, no campsites, no tourist roads, no water, no flushing toilets and a shower only twice out of the 5 days – what an experience!
I learned so much and saw so much. I have been to the Kruger Park so many times before but always as a tourist looking for the big 5. This trip we were learning more about the environment, the geology, biology, historical and cultural information of the park.
We saw the reality of the national park – we experienced helicopters following poachers, we saw 3 illegal immigrants crossing the boarder from Mozambique into SA, we heard about the issue that the Kruger has with too many elephants and the effect it is having on the rest of the park. It wasn’t the Disney version that I have always seen… this was the behind the scenes, this was the reality.
By seeing the Kruger Park in this new light it made me realise how far removed we are from nature and what effect we are having on nature.
I know everyone is going on about being “green” - and I do my bit as much as I can - but when you are surrounded by nature, seeing your affect on nature directly and actually EXPERIENCING your carbon foot print, it really does hit home and open up your eyes.
In our society we are so used to convenience so we are not directly affected by the effect that we are having on nature. We buy our meat beautifully packaged rather than going through the process of having to slaughter it ourselves. We have water on tap whenever we want it rather than having to walk for kilometres to the closest river. We can just switch on a light whenever it is dark rather than having to find firewood to make a fire.
This week of ‘going wild’ and being in ‘full-on’ nature really made me think. When you are transporting your own water in your own vehicle and only have so much of it for 5 day you are soon aware of how much you use and how much you waste. When you are brushing your teeth outside your tent and spitting in onto the ground leaving a white toothpaste mark, you are quickly aware of if you tooth paste is bio-degradable or not.
When you have to take all your rubbish with you in your car and only dispose of it when you get back into civilization you quickly realize how much we throw away and how much rubbish we have… and how much it smells.
When you are actually experiencing nature rather than going through the motions of city life you soon realize what your part in the world is and how you can make a difference.
Going wild was an inspiring and thoroughly enjoyable experience for me. I had fun, lived life well and felt myself again.
I am so glad I set the time aside to connect to nature and go wild!
"I love Life.
It is my birthright to live fully and freely.
I give to Life exactly what I want Life to give to me.
I am glad to be alive.
I love Life!"
Louise L. Hay
Monday, June 29, 2009
Anti oxidants at the finish line
I really enjoyed this past weekend which started for me at 7am on Saturday morning. I heard just a few days before that there was to be what sounded like a fun trail running event taking place on the Groot Constantia Wine Estate so I decided to take part. Now I have run around that area before a few times with a relaxed Sunday running group made up mostly of over 50's who enjoy the social side of things as much as the run. This time it was a 12km race which was made up of completing two laps in and around the vineyards of Groot Constantia. Upon arrival, just after 8am to register, I was surprised to note just how many Capetonians were getting out on the chilly but bright sunny morning to come and take part. By the 9am start there must have been at least 200 people there which was fantastic. And it was a friendly light hearted atmosphere with quite a few of those entered doing so just to complete the exercise at a comfortable pace - no problem if that meant walking. I am however, one to put myself at the other end of the 'comfortable pace' spectrum when it comes to running, and I burst out of the starting gate as fast as I could. It was a really good race which provided a huge challenge to keep racing even when those hills framing the famous vineyards took their toll which was as early as just 2km into the race. As it was two laps I always knew I had to come around to the very same long steep hills and run them all over again in a few minutes time. As I mentioned, a decent challenge. I must point out that it was a self imposed challenge however and many people were just taking part in a much more chilled fashion which was enjoyable in a different way. I suppose a lot of people think racing as hard as the top guys do is not enjoyable however that is not the case. Its a different sort of enjoyment no doubt, but still really fun. Besides those of us that speed around the course got to finish first and have first dibs on the wine tasting that was set-up right there on the finish line to treat us for our early mornings merits. I was more than happy to drink down some red wine with all its anti oxidants to do some mopping up of those free radicals created by the heavy exertion. What a brilliant way to begin the the Saturday morning.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Letting Go
Letting go
Letting go is always so much more difficult than what you might expect.
I suppose that is why so many people are out there hanging on to their ‘stuff’. It almost feels more comfortable to hang on and carry on with life as we know it rather than step our of our comfort zone and deal with our fear, anger, emotions or anything that we are hanging on to.
Last Sunday, the 21st of June, was our Winter Solstice – the longest night and shortest day on our calendar. It is a time to let go and release, a time to start creating new experiences in our lives and move toward light and warmth… and was a big breakthrough day for me.
I have been going through a crisis situation for 1 year and 1 week… or so I thought. Yesterday I realised that I had still been hanging on to emotions of anger, frustration, fear and blame even though the crisis situation has not been a crisis for a while now.
It somehow is so much easier to blame others and point fingers in other directions but all this did was stunt my own growth and my happiness.
I realised that even though I have been dealing with my emotions through my own means I still had not totally let go.
What are you hanging onto in your life at the moment? It might be an unhealthy relationship, extra weight, feelings of anger or resentment, or even something as simple as too many items of clothing in your wardrobe.
How can we make space for new, happier experiences if we are not willing to let go?
When I was sitting in the hairdresser the other day a customer started screaming and shouting at the hairdresser for cutting her daughters hair skew. She was almost frothing at the mouth and was directing all of her years of pent up anger at the poor hairdresser.
Surely this is not the best way to get rid of your emotional baggage. If you have emotional stuff that you need to let go of then rather do it in a constructive and positive way that does not hurt others.
Think of how you would release and let go?
It might be through seeing a therapist and talking it through, it might be taking up boxing lessons, it might be doing Yoga, breathing and meditation techniques. Think of what would work for you.
My ‘therapy’ was doing my daily practice of Yoga – shifting to a more gentle practice when I did not have the energy to even walk up the stairs – and teaching Yoga every day. Somehow being in that beautiful, nurturing space that I was creating for my students brought me to a more centred place and helped me deal with my emotional turmoil that I was going through.
Letting go is scary, moving forward into the future is scary, but once you have done it the freedom, lightness and happiness that you feel is liberating!
So go on....Let Go!
"I can release the past and forgive everyone.
I free myself and everyone in my life from old past hurts.
They are free and I am free to move into new, glorious experiences!"
Louise L. Hay.
Letting go is always so much more difficult than what you might expect.
I suppose that is why so many people are out there hanging on to their ‘stuff’. It almost feels more comfortable to hang on and carry on with life as we know it rather than step our of our comfort zone and deal with our fear, anger, emotions or anything that we are hanging on to.
Last Sunday, the 21st of June, was our Winter Solstice – the longest night and shortest day on our calendar. It is a time to let go and release, a time to start creating new experiences in our lives and move toward light and warmth… and was a big breakthrough day for me.
I have been going through a crisis situation for 1 year and 1 week… or so I thought. Yesterday I realised that I had still been hanging on to emotions of anger, frustration, fear and blame even though the crisis situation has not been a crisis for a while now.
It somehow is so much easier to blame others and point fingers in other directions but all this did was stunt my own growth and my happiness.
I realised that even though I have been dealing with my emotions through my own means I still had not totally let go.
What are you hanging onto in your life at the moment? It might be an unhealthy relationship, extra weight, feelings of anger or resentment, or even something as simple as too many items of clothing in your wardrobe.
How can we make space for new, happier experiences if we are not willing to let go?
When I was sitting in the hairdresser the other day a customer started screaming and shouting at the hairdresser for cutting her daughters hair skew. She was almost frothing at the mouth and was directing all of her years of pent up anger at the poor hairdresser.
Surely this is not the best way to get rid of your emotional baggage. If you have emotional stuff that you need to let go of then rather do it in a constructive and positive way that does not hurt others.
Think of how you would release and let go?
It might be through seeing a therapist and talking it through, it might be taking up boxing lessons, it might be doing Yoga, breathing and meditation techniques. Think of what would work for you.
My ‘therapy’ was doing my daily practice of Yoga – shifting to a more gentle practice when I did not have the energy to even walk up the stairs – and teaching Yoga every day. Somehow being in that beautiful, nurturing space that I was creating for my students brought me to a more centred place and helped me deal with my emotional turmoil that I was going through.
Letting go is scary, moving forward into the future is scary, but once you have done it the freedom, lightness and happiness that you feel is liberating!
So go on....Let Go!
"I can release the past and forgive everyone.
I free myself and everyone in my life from old past hurts.
They are free and I am free to move into new, glorious experiences!"
Louise L. Hay.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Caffeine free
Hi, my name is Brazen and Im a recovering caffeine addict (among other things) *grins*I’m currently on a major mission to free myself of my caffeine addiction. So far I have managed a full month of being caffeine-free. I won’t lie to you, it has not been easy…..
The cons (for me) -
*For the first week after I stopped having my usual daily coffees I experienced the worst headaches I’ve ever had.
*I have always been the type of person who truly believes that coke goes well with most types of meals (especially burgers and chips) – Finding caffeine free alternatives to drink was a bit annoying at first.
*Checking labels to see what drinks have caffeine in can be a pain.
*I miss the caffeine energy boost I used to get and vanilla lattes
The pros (for me) –
*I have been sleeping better since I quit.
*I also find that I really don’t miss the low effects of a caffeine “come down”. I personally found that caffeine didn’t have the best effects on my mood.
*When I “overdosed” on caffeine I found it hard to concentrate and even felt a bit shaky at times.
My goal is to give up all caffeine for a few months and then very occasionally allow myself normal tea or a cup of coffee in the future – but for now I’m learning to enjoy herbal teas, water and all things caffeine free.
People may choose to quit or not quit caffeine for different reasons; here are the 3 main reasons why I decided to quit:
1. Caffeine Sensitivity: I seem to be sensitive to caffeine and show a number of reactions to caffeine such as jitters and sleeplessness.
2. Health Reasons: I seem to experience headaches and increased levels of stress resulted from caffeine consumption.
3. Ageing: There are some studies which show that caffeine consumption may speed up the ageing process – So, just in case those studies are true I thought I better cut down ;)
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Sleep longer this winter.
Hi there. I am Ryan and will be writing about things that happen to me, or that I think about or experience ... I live a 'Wellness' type of life so I loosely attach that to the Wellness Warehouse blog and perhaps you can get some useful information from my words and if not there is even a chance you will be entertained. A chance I say ... no promises.
Well I shall leave an introduction about myself for later. For now I just felt I wanted to write about something that I have been doing for about a year now and find worthwhile. I read in a very clever book, that it benefits the body and the way it functions, when a rhythm is set. Now you may well think right away of a strict rhythm that goes up and down or slides side to side or moves in and out in a uniform manner, with the same strength and all very regimented parameters.
That is not necessarily the case though. Think of the natural movement and position you hold your baby in when rocking the little thing to sleep. I even find a rhythm when running up a mountain with rocks strewn all over the trail. There is a pattern in that chaos and if you relax and settle into it, things become smoother.
With this in mind and from what I read in the a fore mentioned book, I decided to try and get a more natural rhythm back to my sleeping pattern. I think from a young age I worked myself into a mindset of when it is I should be sleeping and when I should be getting out of bed. I think Magnum P.I and the likes of McGyver had a lot to do with this when I was a youngster. As soon as the episode was over I knew the treat was up and I had to hit the sack. Then later on in life I knew that if I did not wake up and catch the 07H08 tube from Barnes Bridge via Clapham Junction to Waterloo station in London, I would not make it to JP Morgan in time (I suppose that has its irony, what with old man JP Morgan being a railway tycoon first and starting a bank with all his prophets second) to start my honest days work.
Well both those times are behind me now. In fact I am totally free to choose what time I wish to go to bed and what time I wish to jump up. The fact is I always was free to choose, but put these restraints upon myself by choice. So the experiment this year so far has been to go to sleep generally a lot earlier than 11pm. Hopefully by 10pm I will be in bed, and then to let myself wake up naturally. When I wake up I then get out of bed. It takes a while to adjust to of course and I needed some patience. What was then revealed was that in summer I woke upon the sunrise and in winter the very same thing. That is a rather huge difference in time. About two hours. I would naturally adjust the going to sleep times in the evening.
The result? My body felt stronger and more alert all through the day. I never felt exhausted when going to sleep and fell asleep really quickly. I also felt rested when I awoke and wanted to get up right away. I am certain the sleep was also much more worthwhile. I developed a fantastic trust that I would wake up at the right time even if perhaps I needed to get up earlier than normal for some reason.
I am really enjoying this new found way of sleeping ...and not sleeping as the case my be. Winter is more of a hibernation and summer a lot more active. The rhythm of my sleep is now a lot more in line with the sun. It does make sense in the bigger picture though and that's how I live. Living life IN the bigger picture as opposed to squashed into the contrived narrow alternative. Why wouldn't I be right? Now to bed.
Well I shall leave an introduction about myself for later. For now I just felt I wanted to write about something that I have been doing for about a year now and find worthwhile. I read in a very clever book, that it benefits the body and the way it functions, when a rhythm is set. Now you may well think right away of a strict rhythm that goes up and down or slides side to side or moves in and out in a uniform manner, with the same strength and all very regimented parameters.
That is not necessarily the case though. Think of the natural movement and position you hold your baby in when rocking the little thing to sleep. I even find a rhythm when running up a mountain with rocks strewn all over the trail. There is a pattern in that chaos and if you relax and settle into it, things become smoother.
With this in mind and from what I read in the a fore mentioned book, I decided to try and get a more natural rhythm back to my sleeping pattern. I think from a young age I worked myself into a mindset of when it is I should be sleeping and when I should be getting out of bed. I think Magnum P.I and the likes of McGyver had a lot to do with this when I was a youngster. As soon as the episode was over I knew the treat was up and I had to hit the sack. Then later on in life I knew that if I did not wake up and catch the 07H08 tube from Barnes Bridge via Clapham Junction to Waterloo station in London, I would not make it to JP Morgan in time (I suppose that has its irony, what with old man JP Morgan being a railway tycoon first and starting a bank with all his prophets second) to start my honest days work.
Well both those times are behind me now. In fact I am totally free to choose what time I wish to go to bed and what time I wish to jump up. The fact is I always was free to choose, but put these restraints upon myself by choice. So the experiment this year so far has been to go to sleep generally a lot earlier than 11pm. Hopefully by 10pm I will be in bed, and then to let myself wake up naturally. When I wake up I then get out of bed. It takes a while to adjust to of course and I needed some patience. What was then revealed was that in summer I woke upon the sunrise and in winter the very same thing. That is a rather huge difference in time. About two hours. I would naturally adjust the going to sleep times in the evening.
The result? My body felt stronger and more alert all through the day. I never felt exhausted when going to sleep and fell asleep really quickly. I also felt rested when I awoke and wanted to get up right away. I am certain the sleep was also much more worthwhile. I developed a fantastic trust that I would wake up at the right time even if perhaps I needed to get up earlier than normal for some reason.
I am really enjoying this new found way of sleeping ...and not sleeping as the case my be. Winter is more of a hibernation and summer a lot more active. The rhythm of my sleep is now a lot more in line with the sun. It does make sense in the bigger picture though and that's how I live. Living life IN the bigger picture as opposed to squashed into the contrived narrow alternative. Why wouldn't I be right? Now to bed.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Recycling
Let me introduce you to William, our recycling assistant. You'll find him at our Recycling Centre at Jan van Riebeek School, helping recyclers sort there waste into plastic, paper, cardboard, glass and tin. This is William with our newly resurrected worm farm, tapping off our first bottle of "worm tea".
Don't worry, we don't serve this at our WellCafe.
Worm tea is a nutrient rich liquid, that's harvested from a worm farm.
This is how it works:
The worm farm allows worms to move upwards through the working trays toward the food in the upper tray, leaving behind a rich organic compost as they go. Kitchen scraps are placed into the top tray until it reaches a level where the next tray on top will contact the layer of food scraps beneath. The rich compost that has developed in the bottom tray can then be tipped out and the emptied bottom tray will now become the new top tray.
Pop into one of the Wellness Warehouse stores, where you can get either a Can-O-Worms
or the Bokashi Kitchen Composter:
And if you can't make it in, there's always the online shop which you can visit at http://www.wellnesswarehouse.com/shop/index.php?list=1&subID=22
Don't worry, we don't serve this at our WellCafe.
Worm tea is a nutrient rich liquid, that's harvested from a worm farm.
This is how it works:
The worm farm allows worms to move upwards through the working trays toward the food in the upper tray, leaving behind a rich organic compost as they go. Kitchen scraps are placed into the top tray until it reaches a level where the next tray on top will contact the layer of food scraps beneath. The rich compost that has developed in the bottom tray can then be tipped out and the emptied bottom tray will now become the new top tray.
A conveniently positioned tap allows nutrient-rich liquid fertiliser to be harvested for use as a plant tonic. The recommended dilution is 1 part worm tea in 10 parts water."
Obviously, you can't forget the key ingredients, worms and organic waste. The worms needed are not just any old worms. They need to be the following species: Eisenia fetida/E.andrei. As for food waste, that's where the WellCafe left overs go.
The worm tea is potent stuff: "Its said to be able to out-perform chemical fertilizers. This is due to the interaction of Worm Tea microbes with the soil microbes and protozoa, soil particles and the roots of the plant itself." Read more about its potent qualities here: http://worms.blat.co.za/2008/01/29/earthworm-tea-as-seen-on-carte-blanche-benefits/
Pop into one of the Wellness Warehouse stores, where you can get either a Can-O-Worms
or the Bokashi Kitchen Composter:
And if you can't make it in, there's always the online shop which you can visit at http://www.wellnesswarehouse.com/shop/index.php?list=1&subID=22
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Help the Rural Child
Wellness Warehouse supports the charity Help the Rural Child. The charity raises funds to help improve the lives of disadvantaged children in rural communities. This is an initiative with a strong emphasis on education and health. Some of their key areas include:
At both our Kloof and Cavendish stores you will find collection bins where you can drop off used clothes, books and toys. These used items are sold in their charity shops and the money raised is donated to rural programs (such as http://www.goedgedacht.org.za). Their original store is located at 6 Victoria Road, Mowbray 7700, Tel. 021 6898392. They have also recently opened in Fish Hoek and Retreat. You can deliver donations directly to these stores or deposit them at the Wellness collection bins. You can also support them by shopping at their stores. For items like clothes and books, you can alsways try used before you buy new!
For other great ways you can use your spare time to help those in need, have a look at this great resource I found http://www.capeetc.com/a-list/how-to-help/
Yours in Wellness
- Informing women about healthy pregnancy and parenting
- Education on alcohol abuse
- Introducing sport and rural bursary schemes
- Acquiring library and computer equipment
- Teaching social skills required for small business creation
At both our Kloof and Cavendish stores you will find collection bins where you can drop off used clothes, books and toys. These used items are sold in their charity shops and the money raised is donated to rural programs (such as http://www.goedgedacht.org.za). Their original store is located at 6 Victoria Road, Mowbray 7700, Tel. 021 6898392. They have also recently opened in Fish Hoek and Retreat. You can deliver donations directly to these stores or deposit them at the Wellness collection bins. You can also support them by shopping at their stores. For items like clothes and books, you can alsways try used before you buy new!
For other great ways you can use your spare time to help those in need, have a look at this great resource I found http://www.capeetc.com/a-list/how-to-help/
Yours in Wellness
Monday, April 6, 2009
New Services at the WellClinic
The WellClinic has extended its services and now offers consultation with a Chiropractor, Homeopath, Ayurvedic Practitioner, Nurse Practitioner and Biokineticist. The services will be extended further to offer nutritional and dietetic advice from a Nutritionist and Dietician. The Practioners Profiles will be featured on the WellClinic mini-site soon.
Appointments can be made through the NaturalMed Dispensary by calling 021 487 5425 or emailing healthkloof@wellnesswarehouse.com
Don't forget to use the touchscreen computers to access an A-Z of health information and advice. You can even print out the information on the in-store printer. They're located at the NaturalMed Dispensary and at the Wellness Tree in the WellCafe.
Your in Wellness
Don't forget to use the touchscreen computers to access an A-Z of health information and advice. You can even print out the information on the in-store printer. They're located at the NaturalMed Dispensary and at the Wellness Tree in the WellCafe.
Your in Wellness
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Does your home have a chemical dependency?
- Question 1: Would you eat off your floor?
- Question 2: Can you safely wash out your mouth with your soap?
- Question 3: Do any of the bottles under your sink contain anything that's drinkable without having to go immediately to the emergency room afterwards?
- Question 4: Is there anything under your sink you could water your plants with? (not the plastic plants, silly. The real live ones.)
- Question 5: Do you like to inhale while you clean?
If you answered "no" to any of these questions, your home has a chemical dependency.
Dirty little secret: no. 1
Traditional cleaning products contain chemicals that can be found in the bloodstreams of newborn babies. Many of those chemicals have been connected to all sorts of health related problems.
Find out how to detoxify your home with Squeaky Green, the Method guide to detoxifying your home.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
New Buffet Breakfast at WellCafe Kloof
WellCafe at Kloof has just launched its new buffet breakfast. Available between 9am and 12pm.
Here's what's available:
Winter Wellness tip: Make citrus fruits part of your daily diet to help avoid colds and flu's. Citrus fruits are high in vitamin C, which will help boost your immune system and fend off any nasties.
Here's what's available:
- Blushed tomatoes
- Rosemary roast mushrooms
- Moroccan orange and pomegranate salad with cinnamon
- Fresh fruit skewers
- Pizza pasta
- Traditional Spanish frittata with lean smoked ham, new potatoes and peas
- Tomato and zucchini tart with caper berries
- Spinach ricotta and pine nut tart
- Melon cucumber fennel and chilli salad
- Muesli & Granola
- Flavoured yoghurt: Amoretti Biscuits with Grilled Peaches, Passion Fruit and Mint, Plum and Ginger, Vanilla Bean and Strawberry, Banana and Maple Syrup
- Fresh breads & Selection of cheese
Winter Wellness tip: Make citrus fruits part of your daily diet to help avoid colds and flu's. Citrus fruits are high in vitamin C, which will help boost your immune system and fend off any nasties.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Home Brewed Cosmetics
Robyn experiments with home brewed cosmetics despite knowing she might end up with egg on her face…
Here goes, my thinking is – when it comes to food we all know that fresher is better, nothing beats organic and removing traces of pesticides and chemicals guarantees better health.
But when it comes to body washes and cosmetics no one seems too concerned about the chemicals and preservatives hidden in jars of cream. But, skin is highly absorbent and whatever is applied to the body will be absorbed into the blood stream. What’s more, it can do just as much damage as the chemicals ingested through eating. So my new dictum is: if it’s not safe to eat it’s not safe to put on my body.
Exchanging chemical options for home brewed fresh cosmetics isn’t that difficult. All it requires is a shopping list of natural ingredients, a few mixing bowls and time to test the results. That means a few different oils and then edibles like yoghurt, paw paw, oats, almonds, apple juice, honey, avocado and then some. My favourite tip is using the grains from your filter coffee as a scrub for areas with cellulite. Apparently the diuretic effect of coffee works really well to smooth these areas.
To get the highest potency from your chosen ingredient mix up your portions as you need them. Try some of these recipes for starters and let me know if you have any great recipes to add.
Night cream and body lotion (from NewYork based skin care specialist Lia Schorr)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon corn oil
- 1 teaspoons almond oil
- 2 teaspoons distilled water
Warm the oils in a double boiler. Add water. Use a mixer to blend until creamy. Decant into a suitable hygienic jar and store in the fridge. This will last for about a month.
Body Exfoliating Cream (from Zia Wesley-Hesford of Zia Cosmetics)
- ¼ cup plain yoghurt
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ cup fresh pineapple or paw paw
- 1/8 cup almonds
- 1/8 cup cornmeal
- ¼ cup oats
Blend the almonds finely. Add oats and cornmeal, blend for 5 seconds. Add all remaining ingredients and blend for 5 more seconds. Store in a glass jar and use liberally
Add any of the following ingredients for extra benefits.
Almond Oil:
Used as an emollient, emulsifier or fragrance in soap, creams, lotions, lip balm and massage oil. Crushed almond meal can be used as a scrub and eliminates blackheads and enlarged pores.
Aloe:
Effective as an anti-irritant, treatment for minor burns, skin irritations and as a hair conditioner. Use in shampoo, hand and body lotion, facial moisturizer and suntan lotion.
Apple Juice:
Use as a basis for facials, hand creams, hair rinses, tonics and masks.
Apricot:
Contains vitamin A, the oil helps erase stretch marks and wrinkles.
Avocado:
Containing vitamin A and B, protein and lecithin, avocado adds nourishment to creams and masks.
Balsam:
Oil extracted from resin, bark, roots and needles of evergreen trees can be used as fragrance, conditioner, emollient in shampoo, soap, body lotion and bath oil.
Banana:
Rich in vitamin A and potassium and great for hair treatments and masks.
Chamomile:
Flowers and oil can be used to highlight blond hair and in shampoo and bath oil.
Bran:
For deep penetration in face and body scrubs to remove dead skin cells and dirt.
Coconut:
Oil is used as a base for fragrance and derivatives of coconut are used as a foaming agent in soap, shampoo, cleansing cream, moisturizer and shaving cream.
Cucumber:
Use as an astringent, emollient, skin freshener and toner in shampoo, masks and soap. Good for minimizing pores and soothing sunburn.
Egg:
Yolks are rich in protein and can be used to moisturize dry skin. Whole eggs feed hair follicles and add shine to hair.
Henna:
Use as a hair rinse, dye and shampoo.
Honey:
Anti-bacterial, soothing, softening and nourishing, can be used as a basis for all body treatments.
Jojoba Oil:
Moisturizing and conditioning in shampoo, conditioner or facial cleanser
Lavender:
Calming and balancing, an all purpose bathing additive.
Milk:
Absorbed quickly by the skin and filled with protein and vitamins, add neat to baths or skin.
Oats:
Ground oats absorb oil and work as an exfoliating agent in soap, masks and facial scrubs.
Peppermint:
A fragrant oil for shampoo, bath bags, facial scrub and mask.
Seaweed:
Can be used as a thickener and emulsifier in body and face lotion, cream, shampoo and mask.
Witch Hazel:
Leaves, twigs, bark and trees are used as an astringent, in aftershave preparations, face lotion, friction lotion.
Yoghurt:
Kills harmful bacteria and works well with blemishes. Use in face masks and as a hair conditioner to treat dry scalp.
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