Here is an extract from the Blog of Michael Oliver - a generic Sales Trainer in the network marketing industry. He has THE KEY to building a successful business which will not suffer from the usually high attrition rates that most do these days. I have referred to him before now and no doubt will in the future. He has fantastic advice for anyone who is open to learning, especially how to improve communication between people in any situations eg in relationships, work and anywhere you want to make an impression or want to persuade someone to change their mind/behaviour. I recommend reading his book which you will see if you visit his blog on the link below.
" . . . If you want a successful business, then having an enthusiastic
and motivated team is essential. Ideally, your team would be
made up self-starters.
Unfortunately, many network marketers find themselves spending a
lot of time working with their team to keep them on track. That
means building your business can be more stressful and time
consuming than it needs to be.
However, there's a simple, yet very profound, thing you can do
when you first talk with a potential partner. It will pay big
dividends for both in that you won't have to continually
encourage them or follow up with them to make sure they're doing
what they said they would.
As a result, you'll save time and have a more productive team.
To discover the key to an enthusiastic, self-motivated and
productive team, read this week's newsletter. Simply click on the
following link...
http://naturalsellingblog.com/productive-team/ . . . . ."
Welcome To My Blog
Friday, December 16, 2011
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
Helping Families In Our Community
I'm a person who is naturally attracted to ways of helping others. I've done lots of studies on various modalities, one in particluar I really like is NVC or Non-violent communication, developed by Marshall Rosenberg. I have put some of the tools into practice in a classroom where I was a relieving teacher a little while ago. It worked well. There was an altercation in a sewing class involving 2 children about 14 yrs of age. One of them lashed out at the other. It ended up in tears, as you would expect. I took them both aside in the room and dug a bit deeper into what may have caused the problem. The outcome was that the offending student had lost her brother earlier in the year from an accident and the other, a boy from another culture, had lost a young brother several years ago. Obviously there was underlying incompleted sadness on both sides and through the process I was able to demonstrate the opportunity for greater understanding and empathy for each of them.
I found this exercise very satisfying and was able to use it with a whole class again at a later date when there was another incident between 2 boys.
Whenever I see young children suffering or not being treated in a way that supports and enriches them, I feel great pain for them. They are so vulnerable and trusting of adults around them. After all, children are not small adults - they are fragile, young souls craving love, acknowledgement and nourishment, both the nutritional type and importantly, the emotional type. They need training on how to cope with life and if parents do not do this at an appropriate level they will grow up with difficulties in being effective adults. In observing how children and adults relate in my community, I see that very often they are not given suitable explanations about why things are as they are, for example. If you explain to children, simply and in language they can understand, they will be able to understand better and perhaps work things out for themselves at a later time.
Suffice to say then that if anything crosses my path that provides a way for people to relate and communicate better I am interested in learning about it.
I have studied The Spalding Method (www.spalding.org) when I was living in Australia recently and that is a wonderful way to teach children how to read, write and spell in a way that empowers them to help themselves. I now teach 2 students using this approach.
More recently I have come across something else which I know will have huge repercussions on families in general.
The mission of FamilyIQ is to empower individuals and parents to improve their personal, partnering, and parenting skills in order to build stronger and more effective families. Their Vision is to change the world one family at a time. FamilyIQ is a values-driven company. They believe that values which are nurtured, promoted and upheld can motivate positive behavior and foster unity. They aim to promote and protect the culture of values within the context of entrepreneurialism. Our core values are multi-faceted: meaning that they apply to us as individuals, families and as an organization.
The Values of the Company are simply:
1. Family
They believe that the Family is the foundation of all great societies. Families come in various sizes and styles and each one has the capacity for love, respect and appreciation. The organization is a family and every member is needed and important. We aim to sponsor a culture of unity with our employees, members, and customers.
2. Trust
Trust is the foundation of all healthy relationships. In families and in business, we strive to foster relationships based on earning trust with each other. This is done in part by keeping commitments, respecting one another and living with integrity. FamilyIQ will work tirelessly to not only earn but always keep the trust of our families, business partners, members, employees and customers.
3. Loyalty.
They believe that trust leads to loyalty. They believe that loyalty is the key to profitability and growth in a business and in relationships. Our goal is to foster loyalty with our families, business partners, members, employees and customers.
4. Growth.
Growth is a by-product of treating others like family, earning and keeping their trust and nurturing lifelong loyal relationships. Growth is inevitable as we live our values. We believe that FamilyIQ will grow to be a world-wide organization as we live our values and provide our products to those like minded individuals who share our values.
It's a programme that, amongst other things, has developed a revolutionary assessment test designed to produce awareness, knowledge and skills in nine critical areas of healthy family functioning.
I think you'll agree with me here that this company will be seriously contributing to the health of our communities in the near and distant future.
If you'd like more information on the products and the business model please first visit the website then contact me on nzglobalsolutions@gmail.com
I found this exercise very satisfying and was able to use it with a whole class again at a later date when there was another incident between 2 boys.
Whenever I see young children suffering or not being treated in a way that supports and enriches them, I feel great pain for them. They are so vulnerable and trusting of adults around them. After all, children are not small adults - they are fragile, young souls craving love, acknowledgement and nourishment, both the nutritional type and importantly, the emotional type. They need training on how to cope with life and if parents do not do this at an appropriate level they will grow up with difficulties in being effective adults. In observing how children and adults relate in my community, I see that very often they are not given suitable explanations about why things are as they are, for example. If you explain to children, simply and in language they can understand, they will be able to understand better and perhaps work things out for themselves at a later time.
Suffice to say then that if anything crosses my path that provides a way for people to relate and communicate better I am interested in learning about it.
I have studied The Spalding Method (www.spalding.org) when I was living in Australia recently and that is a wonderful way to teach children how to read, write and spell in a way that empowers them to help themselves. I now teach 2 students using this approach.
More recently I have come across something else which I know will have huge repercussions on families in general.
The mission of FamilyIQ is to empower individuals and parents to improve their personal, partnering, and parenting skills in order to build stronger and more effective families. Their Vision is to change the world one family at a time. FamilyIQ is a values-driven company. They believe that values which are nurtured, promoted and upheld can motivate positive behavior and foster unity. They aim to promote and protect the culture of values within the context of entrepreneurialism. Our core values are multi-faceted: meaning that they apply to us as individuals, families and as an organization.
The Values of the Company are simply:
1. Family
They believe that the Family is the foundation of all great societies. Families come in various sizes and styles and each one has the capacity for love, respect and appreciation. The organization is a family and every member is needed and important. We aim to sponsor a culture of unity with our employees, members, and customers.
2. Trust
Trust is the foundation of all healthy relationships. In families and in business, we strive to foster relationships based on earning trust with each other. This is done in part by keeping commitments, respecting one another and living with integrity. FamilyIQ will work tirelessly to not only earn but always keep the trust of our families, business partners, members, employees and customers.
3. Loyalty.
They believe that trust leads to loyalty. They believe that loyalty is the key to profitability and growth in a business and in relationships. Our goal is to foster loyalty with our families, business partners, members, employees and customers.
4. Growth.
Growth is a by-product of treating others like family, earning and keeping their trust and nurturing lifelong loyal relationships. Growth is inevitable as we live our values. We believe that FamilyIQ will grow to be a world-wide organization as we live our values and provide our products to those like minded individuals who share our values.
It's a programme that, amongst other things, has developed a revolutionary assessment test designed to produce awareness, knowledge and skills in nine critical areas of healthy family functioning.
I think you'll agree with me here that this company will be seriously contributing to the health of our communities in the near and distant future.
If you'd like more information on the products and the business model please first visit the website then contact me on nzglobalsolutions@gmail.com
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Take Action - Create Miracles
Some bold suggestions to get some action happening in your business this week.
These steps must be done first every day before everything else!
1. Choose one dedicated hour first thing in your day
2. Choose only 3 actions that will move you forward... write them down on a piece of paper, eg 1/4 A4 page.
3. Choose only actions that advance your dream
4. Each action must easily be accomplished in 5-30 minutes maximum
5. Eliminate ALL distractions during this hour
6. Choose bold actions and be bold!
This action has the power to shift our life and create miracles!
So choose different actions x 5 days per week, = 15 actions, x 4 wks/mnth = 60 actions x 12 months = 780 actions per year.
'If I knew I'd get a YES to my question, what would my bold step BE?
All it takes is to re-arrange your priorities so that you put your business first in your day!
I would love to hear if you undertake this programme and what kind of results you get. I am starting this on Thursday this week Sept 1, 2011. Let's keep ourselves accountable.
www.FollowYourStar.co.nz
These steps must be done first every day before everything else!
1. Choose one dedicated hour first thing in your day
2. Choose only 3 actions that will move you forward... write them down on a piece of paper, eg 1/4 A4 page.
3. Choose only actions that advance your dream
4. Each action must easily be accomplished in 5-30 minutes maximum
5. Eliminate ALL distractions during this hour
6. Choose bold actions and be bold!
This action has the power to shift our life and create miracles!
So choose different actions x 5 days per week, = 15 actions, x 4 wks/mnth = 60 actions x 12 months = 780 actions per year.
'If I knew I'd get a YES to my question, what would my bold step BE?
All it takes is to re-arrange your priorities so that you put your business first in your day!
I would love to hear if you undertake this programme and what kind of results you get. I am starting this on Thursday this week Sept 1, 2011. Let's keep ourselves accountable.
www.FollowYourStar.co.nz
Friday, July 22, 2011
How to Make a Decision - Easily
Do you find it difficult to make a decision - any decision ?
How do you make a choice when you’re stuck at a fork in the road?
www.followyourstar.co.nz
How can you decide when two or more possibilities seem equally good?
I’ve been learning (but haven’t mastered) the principles of Effortless Decision-Making. It’s a way of making decisions where you can flow through the constant stream of decisions we must make every day of our lives, without getting stuck, without being paralyzed by fear. We choose, and flow, and we let go of worry.
What follows is a very brief guide to making effortless decisions.
Let go of perfection. We’ll never make perfect decisions, and wanting to make the perfect choice keeps us paralyzed.
Get more information. Don’t let this hold you up, but if you’re stuck it’s often because you don’t have the necessary info. What info do you need? Can you easily get it? Get it now if you can, but don’t be held up by the lack of info. www.followyourstar.co.nz
Try and err. If you don’t have enough info — and that’s usually the case — just choose. It doesn’t really matter what you choose, just make a choice and let go of the idea of making the right choice. Now live with that choice for a bit, and see what happens. This is called trial and error, and it’s often the best way to get information. We try something, and see how it works out — and then we have more information to make better decisions in the future. When you look at it this way, decisions are just a series of trial and error experiments, and it doesn’t matter what the outcomes are, because any outcome is good information.
Try intuition. If you’re stuck and don’t have enough info, let go of worry and just make a choice. How do you make a choice? You could flip a coin, but you could also just go with your gut reaction. What does your intuition say? Start listening to it — often it’s an unconscious decision based on lots of factors that we can’t consciously process, so a part of our unconscious brain processes it and comes up with a split-second decision. Intuition can be wrong, but that’s still OK: we’re going to learn from the results no matter what. So just learn to hear your intuition, and go with it.
Let go of worry. If you learn the above principles, it’s easy to see that there’s nothing to worry about. You don’t need to be perfect, and a decision is very rarely the end of the world (at least, no decision has led to the end of the world yet). Sure, history is littered with the corpses of those who made bad decisions, but there are a million times more decisions that were made without any really bad consequences. You won’t die, you’ll just learn. So don’t worry — just choose.
Practice, and flow. You’ll get better at this with practice, as you learn to let go of perfection and worry and see decisions as experiments. You’ll learn to do it better, faster, with more intuition. Soon you’ll flow through your daily decisions with ease. Do it consciously at first, keeping in mind all of the above principles, but it gets easier as you go.
Making decisions is something we do all day long, and it doesn’t have to be difficult. We build certain decisions up in our minds because we think they’re incredibly important, but in truth they’re rarely that big a deal. This isn’t the Cuban Missile Crisis — we’re not deciding the fate of a nation. See choice as an opportunity to learn, and you’ll be happy for every single effortless decision that comes your way.
Thanks to Leo Babauta at http://zenhabits.net/ A really good Blog :)
Monday, June 27, 2011
Which is Better - Yoga or Exercise ?
There is no shortage of evidence that yoga is good for you. The evidence is there in the scientific and medical journals as well as the myriad yoga classes that are available somewhere on most streets these days. Certainly the “West” has embraced parts of the Eastern yogic practice with enthusiasm but is it just another way to keep fit that could equally be accomplished by regular walks and gym sessions? A new study has provided the answer to that question.
The study surveyed participants aged 18 to 65 years from yoga classes and fitness clubs across the Washington D.C. area in the United States. The people surveyed were assessed for general health, psychological wellbeing, anxiety, depression, coping abilities, mindfulness, and perceived stress.
The findings showed that regular yoga practitioners and habitual exercisers were similar when it came to self-reported anxiety and depression.
However, the yoga practitioners were ahead in many other regards. They reported less joint pain and less headaches than those who engaged in aerobic exercise and weight training. The yoga folk also had higher scores for mindfulness and coping skills but lower scores for perceived stress than those who were regular exercisers.
The researchers emphasised that mindfulness and a consequent stress reduction was central to the greater benefit offered by yoga. So it seems there’s nothing wrong with exercise but yoga does give that little bit more.
I remember one of the first yoga classes I went to. I walked to the location and afterwards felt so light that I could have floated home. I like to walk early in the morning as it warms me up for the day and I feel alert and ready for work. If I climbed out of bed and went straight to work I wouldn't feel nearly so good - still bleary eyed and my mental state not so awake. After a short yoga 'stretch' my body feels painless and flexible so in that way it is good. I work at home and sit down at the computer/desk for several hours at a time and my lower back does hurt most days, except when I do my stretches first. So in summary I like both as they do different things for my body and mind. A combination of both would be ideal on a daily basis.
I seem to be able to concentrate better earlier in the day and of course, as I said above, my mind is way more alert, so like to do my work as soon as possible in the morning after my exercise then I have the rest of the afternoon to do the other things I need to.
How about you - what sets you up best for the day - Yoga or exercise?
If you are interested in what I do you can get a taste at the website here www.retireearly.co.nz
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
What is YOUR North Star ?
As you journey toward your inner compass you will be faced with a multitude of life choices along the way - choices that will either draw you nearer to finding your True North or pull you further away from this amazing inner light.
When you acknowledge and honour your True North you are saying that you believe that within you lie the answers that will give you greater happiness and higher potential, ignite your passions and allow you to live your dreams - in short, the answers to living the life you were born to live, a life in which you 'Compromise Up' and stop selling yourself short.
There may be times when you feel utterly alone - lost and even without hope. But when you discover your True North you will soon locate and then unleash a powerful life tool to call upon when you need it most - a dependable and accurate compass that you can count on to always bring you back to that fixed point of who you really are; your authentic self, among the ever evolving constellations of your life. If you are to discover your True North, you must 'Compromise Up' and willingly accept into your life the best that life has to offer.
By 'Compromising Up' I mean that you need to raise your standards to a higher level so that you can create the healthiest emotional and physical environment in which you can thrive, be your best self and live your best life. You need to know that standing up for yourself and wanting better, not settling for less, but expecting the magnificent rather than the mediocre, the greater rather than the good - is not selfish by any means. Rather, expecting the best for yourself is an extension of your self-worth and the level of esteem in which you hold yourself.
It also is a reflection of the standards by which you live your life and the things in life that you feel you are worthy of receiving. 'Compromising Up' is simply treating yourself with greater respect and living by higher standards to show the world that you respect yourself and that you deserve more, not less, in your life. It also speaks to the value that you place on your time and energy.
Two of the most valuable resources we possess as human beings are our time and our energy. How you honour these two precious resources is a direct reflection on the kind of people and circumstances that you allow into your life or the choices you make.
When you 'Compromise Up' you gain the respect and admiration of others and you attract the best that life can offer because you think enough of yourself not to just accept the mediocre that life dishes out.
To find out if you are settling for less, think about what you hear yourself saying or doing in didfferent situations in life, for example: "I don't like to make a scene", "I stayed in a job I hated because I didn't have enough faith in myself to go look for something where I was using my talents", "I prefer not to rock the boat", "I never send food back in a restaurant, no matter how badly it is served up" Why do we say these things ? Maybe it's becuase we are taught to put the needs of others ahead of our own. Why do we allow certain people to treat us badly or with no respect? Whenever we do, and accept what is, instead of what could be, we are making choices that further distance us from our True North and the life we deserve.
So, clearly, the lesson here is to choose Abundance over Self Deprivation. When you speak up for yourself, demonstrate your confidence, ask for what you deserve, act with conviction, expect more rather than less and take a stand for something, you will automatically be choosing a life of greater abundance. You will be compromisng up and moving on a path that gravitates closer to your internal True North.
Extracted from "Discover True North" by Anne Bruce
Buy a copy here: http://www.thenile.co.nz/books/Anne-Burce/Discover-True-North-A-Program-to-Ignite-Your-Passion-and/9780071403009/
If you liked this article I would greatly appreciate your popping over to my Biz page and 'liking' it here: www.facebook.com/Followyourstar thanks so much.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Are You Leading With Passion ?
An excerpt from Leading With Passion -by John Murphy
Are you a disciple of action? When it comes to walking your talk, do you walk with responsibility and accountability? Do you execute your intentions with attention?
Leading with discipline requires motivation and effort. It is easy to say we are going to do something. It is quite another to let our actions speak for themselves. It is common to dream. It is less common to turn those dreams into something beneficial, something truly inspiring.
Leading with discipline requires initiative, action and stewardship. This means taking the required steps, doing the homework, working with others, committing to service and following through. It means accepting a certain degree of risk and sacrifice to challenge oneself and raise the bar.
Discipline means showing up early, staying late and doing whatever is ethically necessary to get the job done well and on time. Discipline means saying "no" to negative thinking and disempowering actions and saying "yes" to getting involved and being part of the solution. Discipline means going the extra mile, where there is typically less traffic.
When we act with discipline, we demonstrate care, concern and dependability. We account for ourselves, our teammates and our results.
Leading with discipline requires setting goals and establishing measurement. With effective goals and metrics, we set expectations, assess performance and make adjustments as needed. Without access to the score, we lose the means to accurately measure performance against standards and evaluate progress.
Setting goals and keeping score is motivating. Consider any sport as an example. Without clear goals and score-keeping, the sport can quickly lose momentum and enthusiasm. Often, it becomes boring. However, when a scoreboard lights up and the clock is ticking, the same physical requirements take on new meaning. Something within us lights up. We want to perform well. We want to set a new record. We want to do better than we did before. The simple act of setting goals and measuring performance is a powerful strategy for leading with passion and discipline. It triggers the heart as well as the mind.
Within every passionate leader is a deep sense of conviction. Goals are set to drive focus and accountability. Metrics are in place to assess balance and performance. Heartfelt commitment is embodied to fuel courage, initiative and action. There is a keen sense of discernment, responsibility and decisiveness. Work gets done on time. Good habits are formed. Bad habits are broken. Balance is maintained within and among tasks, activities and relationships, resulting in a sense of harmony and oneness. Think of this like conducting an orchestra. Without discipline, each functional unit could play at will, resulting in a great deal of noise. The passionate leader teaches the value of discipline, timing, practice, participation, patience, teamwork, measurement, and balance. Together, we can make beautiful music, but it does require discipline as an essential habit.
Take a moment now - a moment of discipline - to evaluate your own habits and tendencies. What do they tell you about your sense of passion and leadership? Are you actions inspiring? Do you finish what you start? Do you set clear, specific, measurable goals? Do you keep score, and if so what specifically do you track? Are you holding yourself and your team accountable for performance? Are you stretching yourself and your team to rise to new heights? Are you identifying obstacles to peak performance and removing them? Are you pulling the weeds?
Are you a disciple of action? When it comes to walking your talk, do you walk with responsibility and accountability? Do you execute your intentions with attention?
Leading with discipline requires motivation and effort. It is easy to say we are going to do something. It is quite another to let our actions speak for themselves. It is common to dream. It is less common to turn those dreams into something beneficial, something truly inspiring.
Leading with discipline requires initiative, action and stewardship. This means taking the required steps, doing the homework, working with others, committing to service and following through. It means accepting a certain degree of risk and sacrifice to challenge oneself and raise the bar.
Discipline means showing up early, staying late and doing whatever is ethically necessary to get the job done well and on time. Discipline means saying "no" to negative thinking and disempowering actions and saying "yes" to getting involved and being part of the solution. Discipline means going the extra mile, where there is typically less traffic.
When we act with discipline, we demonstrate care, concern and dependability. We account for ourselves, our teammates and our results.
Leading with discipline requires setting goals and establishing measurement. With effective goals and metrics, we set expectations, assess performance and make adjustments as needed. Without access to the score, we lose the means to accurately measure performance against standards and evaluate progress.
Setting goals and keeping score is motivating. Consider any sport as an example. Without clear goals and score-keeping, the sport can quickly lose momentum and enthusiasm. Often, it becomes boring. However, when a scoreboard lights up and the clock is ticking, the same physical requirements take on new meaning. Something within us lights up. We want to perform well. We want to set a new record. We want to do better than we did before. The simple act of setting goals and measuring performance is a powerful strategy for leading with passion and discipline. It triggers the heart as well as the mind.
Within every passionate leader is a deep sense of conviction. Goals are set to drive focus and accountability. Metrics are in place to assess balance and performance. Heartfelt commitment is embodied to fuel courage, initiative and action. There is a keen sense of discernment, responsibility and decisiveness. Work gets done on time. Good habits are formed. Bad habits are broken. Balance is maintained within and among tasks, activities and relationships, resulting in a sense of harmony and oneness. Think of this like conducting an orchestra. Without discipline, each functional unit could play at will, resulting in a great deal of noise. The passionate leader teaches the value of discipline, timing, practice, participation, patience, teamwork, measurement, and balance. Together, we can make beautiful music, but it does require discipline as an essential habit.
Take a moment now - a moment of discipline - to evaluate your own habits and tendencies. What do they tell you about your sense of passion and leadership? Are you actions inspiring? Do you finish what you start? Do you set clear, specific, measurable goals? Do you keep score, and if so what specifically do you track? Are you holding yourself and your team accountable for performance? Are you stretching yourself and your team to rise to new heights? Are you identifying obstacles to peak performance and removing them? Are you pulling the weeds?
Monday, May 2, 2011
The Journey to RAW
Here you will find a great article from the well known guru of raw food in the UK, Karen Knowler. It's mostly for people who have already begun the RAW journey but will help anyone in their search for more vitality, energy, clarity of mind and many other benefits.
Take it to a TEN!
Fed up with salads but don't want to become a raw food snack bar junkie either? Just a few key tweaks in your diet is all you need to take "OK" to great - I promise - and in this week's article I'm going to show you how!
One of the potential risks of going raw is that you buy into someone else's philosophy rather than evolving your own. Of course, it's oh-so-easy to do, especially when you're new to the subject and don't know where on earth to start, but beyond the short term it's like anything in life - if what you're doing is someone else's story, then you're simply not living and enjoying your own.
So while it's definitely important to make sure you know what raw food is and isn't about and how to get a well-rounded nutritionally sound raw diet, I would argue that it's just as important that you know what you like, nay LOVE, and bring as much of that into your diet as you'll allow yourself to.
Over the years I have come into contact with thousands of people at all stages of the raw food journey. One of the most common issues that everyone seems to encounter at one stage or another is boredom, especially when salads don't seem to hit the spot ALL the time. Sure, most of the time a good decent multi-dimensional salad with a great dressing can feel and taste perfect, and it's these that are one of the everyday keys to looking and feeling great, but what about those times where you just want something to get your teeth into, or something that feels really naughty or something that just tastes DIFFERENT? It's at these times that "know thyself" and "honour thyself" absolutely has to come into play. What follows is not a how-to article as usual, but a series of questions. Each of these will help you start the journey towards creating the perfect raw diet for you. There are certainly more questions to be asked, but these will help you get started in figuring out what's been missing for you and what you can begin to do about it.
So if you're ready, grab a pen and paper and prepare to excavate your foodie soul!
1) On a scale of 1 to 10, how satisfying do you currently find your raw food diet?
2) If your score is less than 10, what would need to be true for you to bring it up to a 10? (TIP: Take some time with this, really get what it is for you).
3) What do you typically eat and drink in a day right now?
4) Next to each food or drink on your list, give it a score of 1 to 10, and highlight those items that you truly LOVE, noting down next to them exactly why. Next to those that scored really low, do the same thing, answering why.
5) Prior to the way you eat today, what did you used to eat or drink that you LOVED and sometimes/often miss?
6) What can you bring into your current menu that brings back or even improves on what you loved from the past, but in a more or all-raw form? (TIP: Don't just go on what you know is possible but also what you hope is possible - it probably is!)
7) What is your food personality or style? (e.g. fast or slow, does it have to look beautiful on the plate or does it just have to be good to go? Do you like some meals super quick and others much more fancy? Are you a sensual eater or a "just fill me up" eater?)
8) What elements do you think are missing from your menu? (TIP: Listen out for the first few words that spring to mind. They might be things like "warmth", "spice", "texture", "excitement", "crunch" etc.)
9) Anything else that is coming up for you as you work your way through these questions?
Finally - the fun bit - when you know what exactly it is you're missing, you can go looking for it! This means finding recipes or ingredients that you may never have tried before that fit your criteria perfectly, and the good news is, chances are you only need 5-10 new things in your life to make this true for you and they'll be so easy to find now that you know what they look like!
This step really is as simple as taking your raw food recipe book and/or your favourite online recipe resources and then selecting the recipes that meet your criteria. What fun you are going to have now, rather than flicking admiringly through a book never actually making anything! (Yes, I know who you are!)
Once you have your missing pieces of the puzzle, print them off and file them in a ring binder, ideally slipping them into a clear plastic file before doing so to protect them from spills. Give your binder a groovy name or cover it with mouth-watering pictures and you're all set for a whole new raw food reality!
The final step is, of course, trying the recipes...
I recommend you make a pact with yourself to try at least one new recipe per week, depending on your schedule. Literally block the time needed into your diary so you're committed and make sure you add the required ingredients to your shopping list.
Follow this formula and in no time at all you'll have a fully-rounded, whole-person-happy raw food diet that you LOVE. Just make sure you're 100% honest about what you enjoy and don't and how can this not be true for you?
This is how you take it to a ten.
© 2011 Karen Knowler WOULD YOU LIKE TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR ON YOUR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Karen Knowler, The Raw Food Coach publishes "Successfully Raw" - a free weekly eZine for raw food lovers everywhere. If you're ready to look good, feel great and create a raw life you love get your FREE tips, tools and recipes now at www.TheRawFoodCoach.com.
Watch Karen Here: http://youtu.be/K23EPBAmSYo Watch Karen show you how to make a delicious raw chocolate smoothie
Take it to a TEN!
Fed up with salads but don't want to become a raw food snack bar junkie either? Just a few key tweaks in your diet is all you need to take "OK" to great - I promise - and in this week's article I'm going to show you how!
One of the potential risks of going raw is that you buy into someone else's philosophy rather than evolving your own. Of course, it's oh-so-easy to do, especially when you're new to the subject and don't know where on earth to start, but beyond the short term it's like anything in life - if what you're doing is someone else's story, then you're simply not living and enjoying your own.
So while it's definitely important to make sure you know what raw food is and isn't about and how to get a well-rounded nutritionally sound raw diet, I would argue that it's just as important that you know what you like, nay LOVE, and bring as much of that into your diet as you'll allow yourself to.
Over the years I have come into contact with thousands of people at all stages of the raw food journey. One of the most common issues that everyone seems to encounter at one stage or another is boredom, especially when salads don't seem to hit the spot ALL the time. Sure, most of the time a good decent multi-dimensional salad with a great dressing can feel and taste perfect, and it's these that are one of the everyday keys to looking and feeling great, but what about those times where you just want something to get your teeth into, or something that feels really naughty or something that just tastes DIFFERENT? It's at these times that "know thyself" and "honour thyself" absolutely has to come into play. What follows is not a how-to article as usual, but a series of questions. Each of these will help you start the journey towards creating the perfect raw diet for you. There are certainly more questions to be asked, but these will help you get started in figuring out what's been missing for you and what you can begin to do about it.
So if you're ready, grab a pen and paper and prepare to excavate your foodie soul!
1) On a scale of 1 to 10, how satisfying do you currently find your raw food diet?
2) If your score is less than 10, what would need to be true for you to bring it up to a 10? (TIP: Take some time with this, really get what it is for you).
3) What do you typically eat and drink in a day right now?
4) Next to each food or drink on your list, give it a score of 1 to 10, and highlight those items that you truly LOVE, noting down next to them exactly why. Next to those that scored really low, do the same thing, answering why.
5) Prior to the way you eat today, what did you used to eat or drink that you LOVED and sometimes/often miss?
6) What can you bring into your current menu that brings back or even improves on what you loved from the past, but in a more or all-raw form? (TIP: Don't just go on what you know is possible but also what you hope is possible - it probably is!)
7) What is your food personality or style? (e.g. fast or slow, does it have to look beautiful on the plate or does it just have to be good to go? Do you like some meals super quick and others much more fancy? Are you a sensual eater or a "just fill me up" eater?)
8) What elements do you think are missing from your menu? (TIP: Listen out for the first few words that spring to mind. They might be things like "warmth", "spice", "texture", "excitement", "crunch" etc.)
9) Anything else that is coming up for you as you work your way through these questions?
Finally - the fun bit - when you know what exactly it is you're missing, you can go looking for it! This means finding recipes or ingredients that you may never have tried before that fit your criteria perfectly, and the good news is, chances are you only need 5-10 new things in your life to make this true for you and they'll be so easy to find now that you know what they look like!
This step really is as simple as taking your raw food recipe book and/or your favourite online recipe resources and then selecting the recipes that meet your criteria. What fun you are going to have now, rather than flicking admiringly through a book never actually making anything! (Yes, I know who you are!)
Once you have your missing pieces of the puzzle, print them off and file them in a ring binder, ideally slipping them into a clear plastic file before doing so to protect them from spills. Give your binder a groovy name or cover it with mouth-watering pictures and you're all set for a whole new raw food reality!
The final step is, of course, trying the recipes...
I recommend you make a pact with yourself to try at least one new recipe per week, depending on your schedule. Literally block the time needed into your diary so you're committed and make sure you add the required ingredients to your shopping list.
Follow this formula and in no time at all you'll have a fully-rounded, whole-person-happy raw food diet that you LOVE. Just make sure you're 100% honest about what you enjoy and don't and how can this not be true for you?
This is how you take it to a ten.
© 2011 Karen Knowler WOULD YOU LIKE TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR ON YOUR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Karen Knowler, The Raw Food Coach publishes "Successfully Raw" - a free weekly eZine for raw food lovers everywhere. If you're ready to look good, feel great and create a raw life you love get your FREE tips, tools and recipes now at www.TheRawFoodCoach.com.
Watch Karen Here: http://youtu.be/K23EPBAmSYo Watch Karen show you how to make a delicious raw chocolate smoothie
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Dare To Be Happy
I have kept this article in my files for several years now and came across it recently while cleaning out. Thought I would share it as it has some great advice.
Success is not measured merely by money, possessions or worldly advancement. Most of us will know this already so it is not a new idea. Here's another definition:
"True success means effectively living with others to the height of one's powers, complete fulfilment of one's own nature and personality intelligence, energy and ability"
Here are some tips to help you to be a truly successful human being, to get more out of life on every level:
1. Always think positively - if you keep thinking negative thoughts (" I'll never be able to ... That's not for me ... I'm no good at ...") you'll inevitably reduce all chances of success. If you think you'll lose, you've already lost. Success always begins in the will, ...so at least have a go, enter into things hopefully, cultivate optimism as a way of living.
2. Learn to concentrate - Master the art of detachment, of narrowing down your steady attention to the thing in hand, whether it is for minutes or years. Try to finish one thing at a time. Concentrate can also mean listen, watch, observe, delve, study, go deeply into things that attract you.
3.Allocate time - Time is everyone's enemy, but it has one distinct advantage: it can be measured. Therefore split up and allocate time to the things you want to achieve.
4.Be true to yourself always - There is only one you - so be it to the best extent possible. Respect yourself, go along with your given nature, don't expect to make too many basic changes.
5. Don't waste strength on the unimportant - The unimportant? - fussing, fretting, arguing, bickering, quarrelling, perfectionism, blame fixing, getting even with others, recrimination, etc etc. No one keen to make the best of themselves has time for any of these and to give them your precious strength at the expense of what really matters is folly indeed.
6. Don't be too hard on yourself - you're better, nicer, kinder, more effective than you often think. Raise your self-esteem and keep it up there, nicely high but well short of egotism. Give yourself the occasional pat on the back. Offer yourself the occasional reward. Everything is truly in the mind, so if you keep downing yourself, down you'll go.
7. Make money work for you - money is only a tool or a means, not an end. So whatever money comes your way make it work for you. In other words use it: to improve your education, outlook or knowledge, to expand, beautify, improve, deepen or uplift whatever means most to you. Money spread around a bit is money put to its proper use. Always remember that.
8. Dare to be happy - so many folk are too afraid to claim the happiness that is the birthright of us all. Our lives always move in the direction of our thoughts.
And here's something to put into practice for the week. "I will speak ill of no man ... and speak all the good I know of everybody"
When you catch yourself going to say something that is not 'good' stop yourself, remember this quote and rephrase your words into more positive ones. The person you are speaking about or to will feel much better and of course so will you.
Success is not measured merely by money, possessions or worldly advancement. Most of us will know this already so it is not a new idea. Here's another definition:
"True success means effectively living with others to the height of one's powers, complete fulfilment of one's own nature and personality intelligence, energy and ability"
Here are some tips to help you to be a truly successful human being, to get more out of life on every level:
1. Always think positively - if you keep thinking negative thoughts (" I'll never be able to ... That's not for me ... I'm no good at ...") you'll inevitably reduce all chances of success. If you think you'll lose, you've already lost. Success always begins in the will, ...so at least have a go, enter into things hopefully, cultivate optimism as a way of living.
2. Learn to concentrate - Master the art of detachment, of narrowing down your steady attention to the thing in hand, whether it is for minutes or years. Try to finish one thing at a time. Concentrate can also mean listen, watch, observe, delve, study, go deeply into things that attract you.
3.Allocate time - Time is everyone's enemy, but it has one distinct advantage: it can be measured. Therefore split up and allocate time to the things you want to achieve.
4.Be true to yourself always - There is only one you - so be it to the best extent possible. Respect yourself, go along with your given nature, don't expect to make too many basic changes.
5. Don't waste strength on the unimportant - The unimportant? - fussing, fretting, arguing, bickering, quarrelling, perfectionism, blame fixing, getting even with others, recrimination, etc etc. No one keen to make the best of themselves has time for any of these and to give them your precious strength at the expense of what really matters is folly indeed.
6. Don't be too hard on yourself - you're better, nicer, kinder, more effective than you often think. Raise your self-esteem and keep it up there, nicely high but well short of egotism. Give yourself the occasional pat on the back. Offer yourself the occasional reward. Everything is truly in the mind, so if you keep downing yourself, down you'll go.
7. Make money work for you - money is only a tool or a means, not an end. So whatever money comes your way make it work for you. In other words use it: to improve your education, outlook or knowledge, to expand, beautify, improve, deepen or uplift whatever means most to you. Money spread around a bit is money put to its proper use. Always remember that.
8. Dare to be happy - so many folk are too afraid to claim the happiness that is the birthright of us all. Our lives always move in the direction of our thoughts.
And here's something to put into practice for the week. "I will speak ill of no man ... and speak all the good I know of everybody"
When you catch yourself going to say something that is not 'good' stop yourself, remember this quote and rephrase your words into more positive ones. The person you are speaking about or to will feel much better and of course so will you.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Saving Bones . . . . Saving Lives
I have recently had a bone density scan as in the last 4 mths I have broken 2 bones, upper arm and wrist. They happened as a result of force which meant that they were not caused by having osteoporosis. However, it was recommended by my Doctor that I have a scan to check on the readings. I was surprised to see that the density had in fact decreased - well I am in that age range classified as post-menopausal so guess it is not really that surprising.
When I hear people tell me I need to take drugs for any condition I see red. I am the sort of person who likes to take responsibilty for my own health and wellbeing so I immediately go looking for information on the subject. My research this morning turned up this article so am sharing it with others in the hope that it will encourage them to get a whole broad picture of their circumstances and the possible ways of helping yourself before swallowing harmful drugs.
Saving Bones… Saving Lives
Jacob Teitelbaum M.D.
Nobody wants to break a bone. We don’t want the pain and casts and crutches and limits on what we can do. In fact, you may have firsthand experience with a broken bone—most of us do. But now step back and imagine: what if your broken bone never healed? What if it was broken for the rest of your life? What if you could not get out of bed because of your bones? Further, what if your inability to move resulted in a lethal pneumonia? These are some of the very real risks of osteoporosis. And this is why we have to aggressively protect and strengthen our bones. Our bone health is as crucial to our lives as our heart, lung or kidney health—yet we often fail to consider our bones until they are already starting to weaken.
In this week’s Terry Talks Nutrition, we are honored to have as our guest Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum as the author of an in-depth two part series on bones. Dr. Teitelbaum is a board certified internist and Medical Director of the national Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers of America. He is the author of the perennial best-seller From Fatigued to Fantastic! which has sold over half a million copies. His most recent book, Beat Sugar Addiction Now! is rapidly becoming one of the most important references on addressing the blood sugar epidemic. Dr. Teitelbaum lectures to patient, physician and research groups internationally on a wide variety of health concerns, and we are happy to have him share with us his thoughts on how to keep bones healthy and help bones that are not. ~ Terry Lemerond
Osteoporosis and Osteopenia = Loss of Bone Density
Loss of bone density means loss of bone thickness, density and strength. When it is mild, it is called osteopenia, and when it is severe, it is called osteoporosis. However, these are merely different spots on the same spectrum. Problems with bones are increasing and are more common as our population ages and becomes more sedentary. It is also even often seen in young people with chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia or pain issues. Loss of bone density tends to continue in only one direction—downward—unless something is done to stop it. Although drug companies mostly promote expensive (and sometimes toxic) medications to both patients and physicians, the good news is that simple, safe and cheap natural remedies are even MORE effective than medications! It is easy to treat osteoporosis safely, effectively, and naturally—and without toxic side effects.
Osteoporosis can worsen with age, inactivity, and hormonal deficiencies (estrogen, testosterone, and DHEA). Currently, the rate of osteoporosis among post-menopausal women is estimated to be about 29 percent. Yet only 13 percent of these women have been diagnosed with the disease. Osteoporosis can be easily diagnosed by performing a simple test called a DEXA scan. Fortunately, many treatments can be effective at restoring bone strength and even at eliminating osteoporosis pain.
Although using calcium to increase bone density has received most of the media attention, it is actually a rather small player when it comes to improving bone strength—and taken by itself is associated with an increased risk of heart attack. In addition to weight-bearing exercise, many other nutrients and treatments can dramatically improve bone density and decrease bone pain, while keeping your heart healthy. Sadly, except for calcium, most doctors only hear about expensive biphosphonate prescription medications such as Fosamax®. Although these drugs can increase bone density in the short run in people with established osteoporosis, I would certainly start first by adding the nutrients that your body needs to make strong bones. These expensive bone drugs lose effectiveness after 5 years, and ironically, they increase bone fractures from brittle bones at that point. There are also certain necrotic bone and jaw problems (death of bone tissue) that can occur with their use. The good news is that nutritional support can be taken with the medication or instead of the medication, if approved by your doctor. I always start with nutritional interventions!
Nutrients Critical for Bone Health
There are many nutrients that are critical for bone production. Choose an excellent multi that gives you good forms of the B vitamins and vitamin C. (I prefer energy revitalizing-types of powders that can be blended into a morning drink. For more information on multivitamins, feel free to visit my website, www.endfatigue.com under the “nutrition overview” tab in Health A-Z). In addition, it is very important to add a bone formula, strontium, and omega 3 fatty acids. In part one, let’s review the bone formula nutrients needed and why.
Calcium, 400 to 650 mg daily. I like calcium citrate and malate in a blend, for both absorption and utilization. If you are taking thyroid hormone supplements, do not take the calcium within 2-4 hours of the thyroid hormone or you will not absorb the thyroid hormone. In addition, make sure that your Free T4 thyroid blood test (not the TSH test) is not above the upper limit of normal because too high a thyroid dose can also cause osteoporosis. You may choose to take your calcium at meals and/or bedtime, because it is better absorbed with food, and calcium taken at night can help you to sleep. Do not take calcium unless also taking magnesium and Vitamin D, as calcium by itself is associated with an increased risk of heart attacks!
Vitamin D-3 (cholecalciferol) 4,000 IU. The research on vitamin D is exploding. In a few short years, this meek vitamin we thought we understood has turned out to be a superhero with powerful abilities we never expected. Studies have shown that vitamin D plays a role in cancer prevention and treatment; in development of neurological diseases, especially multiple sclerosis; in immune function and cold and flu prevention; and for preventing osteoporosis. While it was always known that vitamin D played a starring role in healthy bone development, the amounts in supplementation were too minimal to have full effects. In recent research, it has been found that combining vitamin D with calcium reduced falls by 60% when compared to calcium alone. Why would it prevent falls? Well, in osteoporosis, you don’t often fall and break a bone. Your bone breaks, and you fall. By giving the bones the strength they need to prevent breaking while walking, you greatly decrease falls. Even the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) which can be quite slow to embrace natural interventions, states: "Adequate calcium and vitamin D intake is crucial to develop optimal peak bone mass and to preserve bone mass throughout life."
Vitamin K2, also called menaquinone, 45 mcg. Vitamin K2 is crucial to bone development, primarily in its role as a “guide” for calcium. In simple terms, it helps calcium get into the bone, but directs calcium away from building up on the inside of arteries. That means this form of vitamin K, extracted from the fermented soy food Natto, is good for both building bone AND preventing heart disease. Menaquinone is a very effective part of the vitamin K family.
Professors Cees Vermeer and Leon Schurgers, of VitaK, at Maastricht University, the Netherlands, a leading research institute specializing in the role of vitamin K in the field of bone and cardiovascular health, provided the statement "There are two vitamins known to be involved in calcium metabolism: vitamin D and vitamin K. Increased calcium intake, especially if combined with vitamin D, results in increased absorption of calcium."
Magnesium (as a chelate for absorption) 200 mgs. For starters, magnesium is simply critical for life. It is involved in hundreds of different body functions, but is routinely low in the American diet as a result of food processing. The average American diet supplies less than 300 milligrams of magnesium per day, while the average Asian diet supplies over 600 milligrams per day. The second highest concentration of minerals in the bone is magnesium, and it is necessary for maintaining bone strength and bone rebuilding.
A challenge with magnesium is that if it is not fully absorbed, it can cause loose stools. That is why I like chelated (“chelate” means “bound to” and in this case, it is bound to amino acids) forms of magnesium.
Boron (Fructo-borate) 12.5 mgs. Fructo-borate is a complex of boron and a tiny amount of fruit sugar, a carbohydrate that occurs naturally in many fruits and vegetables that is highly stable, non-toxic, and bioavailable. It is a micro nutrient that is thought to aid in vitamin D metabolism, prostate health and regulation of steroid hormones. In a recent study, conducted by Dr. Hector De Luca, Department of Biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, it was determined that bone ash measurements showed a significant trend toward elevations when boron was administered to vitamin D deficient animals. Using this model and 8-week treatments with fructo-borate, bone mineral content was increased by 5.8%. This result suggests that fructo-borate may increase bone density and strength. In another study, supplementing the diet with fructo-borate increased vitamin D-3 levels in the blood an average of 24% after 60 days and also exhibited an increased serum level of DHEA—both of which are conducive to good bone health. Boron (Fructo-borate) can affect the strength of bones and joints most likely by cross linking the inorganic and organic bone/joint matrix and/or through different biochemical mechanisms that modulate activity of bone cells such as chondrocytes, osteoclasts and osteoblasts.
Other nutrients that are important for a strong bone formula are Zinc 20 mgs, Copper 2 mgs, Manganese 2 mgs, Lactobacillus Sporogenes (bacillus coagulans, lactic acid bacteria) 1 billion (enhances mineral uptake), Silicon (as sodium metasilicate) 50 mgs. Make sure the zinc, copper and manganese are in chelate form for proper absorption.
Your Bones Are Either Strengthening Or Weakening
Forgive the pun, but your bones never sit still. They are either getting stronger as they assimilate nutrient building blocks and respond to healthy exercise, or they are weakening, as they lose minerals and become thinner due to inactivity. They are always in flux. No matter where you are on the bone spectrum, these natural interventions can make a difference and get you moving in the right direction.
In Part TWO of this series on bone health, I will let you in on a few of my “secret weapons” for building better bones. One is a mineral that must stand alone (strontium), and one swims in the ocean. Stay tuned for the conclusion of “Saving Bones . . . Saving Lives!”
Dr. Teitelbaum and Terry recommend a formula with these ingredients. Look for it at your local health food store.
Vitamin D-3 (Cholecalciferol) 4,000 IU, Vitamin K-1 (as phytonadione) 300 mcgs, Calcium (as citrate and malate) 450 mgs, Magnesium (as chelate) 200 mgs, Zinc (as chelate) 20 mgs, Copper (as chelate) 2 mgs, Manganese (as chelate) 2 mgs, Boron (Fructo-borate) 12.5 mgs, Vitamin K-2 (Natto Extract MenaQ7™ menaquinone-7) 45 mcgs, Lactobacillus Sporogenes (bacillus coagulans, lactic acid bacteria) 1 billion, Silicon (as sodium metasilicate) 50 mgs
For More Information:
* Inflammation and Aging. Ronald E. Hunninghake, M.D. (Tape) The Center For the Improvement of Human Functioning International (run by the late and wonderful Hugh Riorden, M.D.).
* Vitamin D plus calcium reduced fall risk by 60% in: Bischoff-Ferrari HA, Conzelmann M, Stähelin HB, Dick W, Carpenter MG, Adkin AL, Theiler R, Pfeifer M, Allum JH. Is fall prevention by vitamin D mediated by a change in postural or dynamic balance? Osteoporos Int. 2006;17(5):656-63. Epub 2006 Mar 1. PubMed PMID: 16508700.
* Adequate calcium and vitamin D intake is crucial to develop optimal peak bone mass and to preserve bone mass throughout life in: NIH Consensus Development Panel on Osteoporosis Prevention, Diagnosis, and Therapy. Osteoporosis prevention, diagnosis, and therapy. JAMA. 2001 Feb 14;285(6):785-95. Review. PubMed PMID: 11176917.
* Dr. Hector De Luca, Department of Biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin. Information at: http://www.biochem.wisc.edu/faculty/deluca/default.aspx
* M.S. Seelig, “The Requirement of Magnesium by the Normal Adult,” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 14 (June 1964): 342–390.
* F.L. Lakshmanad, et al., “Magnesium Intakes and Balances,” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 60 (6 Supplement) (December 1984): 1380–1389.
©2011 Terry Talks Nutrition | Privacy | Legal Disclaimer
When I hear people tell me I need to take drugs for any condition I see red. I am the sort of person who likes to take responsibilty for my own health and wellbeing so I immediately go looking for information on the subject. My research this morning turned up this article so am sharing it with others in the hope that it will encourage them to get a whole broad picture of their circumstances and the possible ways of helping yourself before swallowing harmful drugs.
Saving Bones… Saving Lives
Jacob Teitelbaum M.D.
Nobody wants to break a bone. We don’t want the pain and casts and crutches and limits on what we can do. In fact, you may have firsthand experience with a broken bone—most of us do. But now step back and imagine: what if your broken bone never healed? What if it was broken for the rest of your life? What if you could not get out of bed because of your bones? Further, what if your inability to move resulted in a lethal pneumonia? These are some of the very real risks of osteoporosis. And this is why we have to aggressively protect and strengthen our bones. Our bone health is as crucial to our lives as our heart, lung or kidney health—yet we often fail to consider our bones until they are already starting to weaken.
In this week’s Terry Talks Nutrition, we are honored to have as our guest Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum as the author of an in-depth two part series on bones. Dr. Teitelbaum is a board certified internist and Medical Director of the national Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers of America. He is the author of the perennial best-seller From Fatigued to Fantastic! which has sold over half a million copies. His most recent book, Beat Sugar Addiction Now! is rapidly becoming one of the most important references on addressing the blood sugar epidemic. Dr. Teitelbaum lectures to patient, physician and research groups internationally on a wide variety of health concerns, and we are happy to have him share with us his thoughts on how to keep bones healthy and help bones that are not. ~ Terry Lemerond
Osteoporosis and Osteopenia = Loss of Bone Density
Loss of bone density means loss of bone thickness, density and strength. When it is mild, it is called osteopenia, and when it is severe, it is called osteoporosis. However, these are merely different spots on the same spectrum. Problems with bones are increasing and are more common as our population ages and becomes more sedentary. It is also even often seen in young people with chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia or pain issues. Loss of bone density tends to continue in only one direction—downward—unless something is done to stop it. Although drug companies mostly promote expensive (and sometimes toxic) medications to both patients and physicians, the good news is that simple, safe and cheap natural remedies are even MORE effective than medications! It is easy to treat osteoporosis safely, effectively, and naturally—and without toxic side effects.
Osteoporosis can worsen with age, inactivity, and hormonal deficiencies (estrogen, testosterone, and DHEA). Currently, the rate of osteoporosis among post-menopausal women is estimated to be about 29 percent. Yet only 13 percent of these women have been diagnosed with the disease. Osteoporosis can be easily diagnosed by performing a simple test called a DEXA scan. Fortunately, many treatments can be effective at restoring bone strength and even at eliminating osteoporosis pain.
Although using calcium to increase bone density has received most of the media attention, it is actually a rather small player when it comes to improving bone strength—and taken by itself is associated with an increased risk of heart attack. In addition to weight-bearing exercise, many other nutrients and treatments can dramatically improve bone density and decrease bone pain, while keeping your heart healthy. Sadly, except for calcium, most doctors only hear about expensive biphosphonate prescription medications such as Fosamax®. Although these drugs can increase bone density in the short run in people with established osteoporosis, I would certainly start first by adding the nutrients that your body needs to make strong bones. These expensive bone drugs lose effectiveness after 5 years, and ironically, they increase bone fractures from brittle bones at that point. There are also certain necrotic bone and jaw problems (death of bone tissue) that can occur with their use. The good news is that nutritional support can be taken with the medication or instead of the medication, if approved by your doctor. I always start with nutritional interventions!
Nutrients Critical for Bone Health
There are many nutrients that are critical for bone production. Choose an excellent multi that gives you good forms of the B vitamins and vitamin C. (I prefer energy revitalizing-types of powders that can be blended into a morning drink. For more information on multivitamins, feel free to visit my website, www.endfatigue.com under the “nutrition overview” tab in Health A-Z). In addition, it is very important to add a bone formula, strontium, and omega 3 fatty acids. In part one, let’s review the bone formula nutrients needed and why.
Calcium, 400 to 650 mg daily. I like calcium citrate and malate in a blend, for both absorption and utilization. If you are taking thyroid hormone supplements, do not take the calcium within 2-4 hours of the thyroid hormone or you will not absorb the thyroid hormone. In addition, make sure that your Free T4 thyroid blood test (not the TSH test) is not above the upper limit of normal because too high a thyroid dose can also cause osteoporosis. You may choose to take your calcium at meals and/or bedtime, because it is better absorbed with food, and calcium taken at night can help you to sleep. Do not take calcium unless also taking magnesium and Vitamin D, as calcium by itself is associated with an increased risk of heart attacks!
Vitamin D-3 (cholecalciferol) 4,000 IU. The research on vitamin D is exploding. In a few short years, this meek vitamin we thought we understood has turned out to be a superhero with powerful abilities we never expected. Studies have shown that vitamin D plays a role in cancer prevention and treatment; in development of neurological diseases, especially multiple sclerosis; in immune function and cold and flu prevention; and for preventing osteoporosis. While it was always known that vitamin D played a starring role in healthy bone development, the amounts in supplementation were too minimal to have full effects. In recent research, it has been found that combining vitamin D with calcium reduced falls by 60% when compared to calcium alone. Why would it prevent falls? Well, in osteoporosis, you don’t often fall and break a bone. Your bone breaks, and you fall. By giving the bones the strength they need to prevent breaking while walking, you greatly decrease falls. Even the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) which can be quite slow to embrace natural interventions, states: "Adequate calcium and vitamin D intake is crucial to develop optimal peak bone mass and to preserve bone mass throughout life."
Vitamin K2, also called menaquinone, 45 mcg. Vitamin K2 is crucial to bone development, primarily in its role as a “guide” for calcium. In simple terms, it helps calcium get into the bone, but directs calcium away from building up on the inside of arteries. That means this form of vitamin K, extracted from the fermented soy food Natto, is good for both building bone AND preventing heart disease. Menaquinone is a very effective part of the vitamin K family.
Professors Cees Vermeer and Leon Schurgers, of VitaK, at Maastricht University, the Netherlands, a leading research institute specializing in the role of vitamin K in the field of bone and cardiovascular health, provided the statement "There are two vitamins known to be involved in calcium metabolism: vitamin D and vitamin K. Increased calcium intake, especially if combined with vitamin D, results in increased absorption of calcium."
Magnesium (as a chelate for absorption) 200 mgs. For starters, magnesium is simply critical for life. It is involved in hundreds of different body functions, but is routinely low in the American diet as a result of food processing. The average American diet supplies less than 300 milligrams of magnesium per day, while the average Asian diet supplies over 600 milligrams per day. The second highest concentration of minerals in the bone is magnesium, and it is necessary for maintaining bone strength and bone rebuilding.
A challenge with magnesium is that if it is not fully absorbed, it can cause loose stools. That is why I like chelated (“chelate” means “bound to” and in this case, it is bound to amino acids) forms of magnesium.
Boron (Fructo-borate) 12.5 mgs. Fructo-borate is a complex of boron and a tiny amount of fruit sugar, a carbohydrate that occurs naturally in many fruits and vegetables that is highly stable, non-toxic, and bioavailable. It is a micro nutrient that is thought to aid in vitamin D metabolism, prostate health and regulation of steroid hormones. In a recent study, conducted by Dr. Hector De Luca, Department of Biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, it was determined that bone ash measurements showed a significant trend toward elevations when boron was administered to vitamin D deficient animals. Using this model and 8-week treatments with fructo-borate, bone mineral content was increased by 5.8%. This result suggests that fructo-borate may increase bone density and strength. In another study, supplementing the diet with fructo-borate increased vitamin D-3 levels in the blood an average of 24% after 60 days and also exhibited an increased serum level of DHEA—both of which are conducive to good bone health. Boron (Fructo-borate) can affect the strength of bones and joints most likely by cross linking the inorganic and organic bone/joint matrix and/or through different biochemical mechanisms that modulate activity of bone cells such as chondrocytes, osteoclasts and osteoblasts.
Other nutrients that are important for a strong bone formula are Zinc 20 mgs, Copper 2 mgs, Manganese 2 mgs, Lactobacillus Sporogenes (bacillus coagulans, lactic acid bacteria) 1 billion (enhances mineral uptake), Silicon (as sodium metasilicate) 50 mgs. Make sure the zinc, copper and manganese are in chelate form for proper absorption.
Your Bones Are Either Strengthening Or Weakening
Forgive the pun, but your bones never sit still. They are either getting stronger as they assimilate nutrient building blocks and respond to healthy exercise, or they are weakening, as they lose minerals and become thinner due to inactivity. They are always in flux. No matter where you are on the bone spectrum, these natural interventions can make a difference and get you moving in the right direction.
In Part TWO of this series on bone health, I will let you in on a few of my “secret weapons” for building better bones. One is a mineral that must stand alone (strontium), and one swims in the ocean. Stay tuned for the conclusion of “Saving Bones . . . Saving Lives!”
Dr. Teitelbaum and Terry recommend a formula with these ingredients. Look for it at your local health food store.
Vitamin D-3 (Cholecalciferol) 4,000 IU, Vitamin K-1 (as phytonadione) 300 mcgs, Calcium (as citrate and malate) 450 mgs, Magnesium (as chelate) 200 mgs, Zinc (as chelate) 20 mgs, Copper (as chelate) 2 mgs, Manganese (as chelate) 2 mgs, Boron (Fructo-borate) 12.5 mgs, Vitamin K-2 (Natto Extract MenaQ7™ menaquinone-7) 45 mcgs, Lactobacillus Sporogenes (bacillus coagulans, lactic acid bacteria) 1 billion, Silicon (as sodium metasilicate) 50 mgs
For More Information:
* Inflammation and Aging. Ronald E. Hunninghake, M.D. (Tape) The Center For the Improvement of Human Functioning International (run by the late and wonderful Hugh Riorden, M.D.).
* Vitamin D plus calcium reduced fall risk by 60% in: Bischoff-Ferrari HA, Conzelmann M, Stähelin HB, Dick W, Carpenter MG, Adkin AL, Theiler R, Pfeifer M, Allum JH. Is fall prevention by vitamin D mediated by a change in postural or dynamic balance? Osteoporos Int. 2006;17(5):656-63. Epub 2006 Mar 1. PubMed PMID: 16508700.
* Adequate calcium and vitamin D intake is crucial to develop optimal peak bone mass and to preserve bone mass throughout life in: NIH Consensus Development Panel on Osteoporosis Prevention, Diagnosis, and Therapy. Osteoporosis prevention, diagnosis, and therapy. JAMA. 2001 Feb 14;285(6):785-95. Review. PubMed PMID: 11176917.
* Dr. Hector De Luca, Department of Biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin. Information at: http://www.biochem.wisc.edu/faculty/deluca/default.aspx
* M.S. Seelig, “The Requirement of Magnesium by the Normal Adult,” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 14 (June 1964): 342–390.
* F.L. Lakshmanad, et al., “Magnesium Intakes and Balances,” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 60 (6 Supplement) (December 1984): 1380–1389.
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Grow Your Own Sprouts
As some of my readers will know I am into eating as healthy as possible to give myself as much energy as I can and to feel as good as possible at any time and at any age. I love to eat as much of my food as possible in its RAW state or as close to it as I can get it. Since I was a child growing up on 5 acres I and my family have eaten well, often making our own bread, growing our own vegetables, making compost and recycling as much as possible in all areas. It probably came from the era that my parents grew up in (post war) not so much as an effort to reduce our carbon footprint on the planet. We often went through bouts of growing sprouts and making our own muesli etc etc. I've heard various people say they don't have much luck with growing sprouts so here is the fullest, most detailed article and step by step instructions to growing them successfully. Karen Knowler is a leader in UK in the raw network and is a person I have learnt heaps from over the years.
Here is the address for the info.
http://fresh-network.typepad.com/fresh_network_blog/2011/04/sprouting-made-simple-by-karen-knowler.html
Here is the address for the info.
http://fresh-network.typepad.com/fresh_network_blog/2011/04/sprouting-made-simple-by-karen-knowler.html
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Tell a story to involve your potential customers
" . . . . We left without a deal. He said he’d think about it. Only later did I realize the story I could have told him. Not the facts and figures, and not even a story about baseball — but a story about Las Vegas, a city I knew well because I owned its hockey team. . . . ."
On our training call yesterday morning the value of telling your story, or that of a colleague, relating to a product or experience will have your potential customer involved and participating and will increase the chance that they will either buy from or join you.
Here is a great article I found in Linkedin which illustrates the point beautifully.
http://www.linkedin.com/share?viewLink=&sid=s320035679&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2Fi5Vbqf&urlhash=rGKN&pk=nprofile-view-success&pp=1&poster=17131370&uid=5458120408442081280&trk=NUS_UNIU_SHARE-title
So the lesson is this - On a regular basis ie weekly if necessary, rewrite your story; listen and take notes on your colleagues' stories also then learn to relate them when in conversation with potential customers/clients. Your story may be about how you started your business; your latest success; about how a customer has found your product so useful or helped him/her in a certain way . . . Precis the essence of it so that you can repeat it when necessary.
On our training call yesterday morning the value of telling your story, or that of a colleague, relating to a product or experience will have your potential customer involved and participating and will increase the chance that they will either buy from or join you.
Here is a great article I found in Linkedin which illustrates the point beautifully.
http://www.linkedin.com/share?viewLink=&sid=s320035679&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2Fi5Vbqf&urlhash=rGKN&pk=nprofile-view-success&pp=1&poster=17131370&uid=5458120408442081280&trk=NUS_UNIU_SHARE-title
So the lesson is this - On a regular basis ie weekly if necessary, rewrite your story; listen and take notes on your colleagues' stories also then learn to relate them when in conversation with potential customers/clients. Your story may be about how you started your business; your latest success; about how a customer has found your product so useful or helped him/her in a certain way . . . Precis the essence of it so that you can repeat it when necessary.
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