Energetic Eating

Do some foods make you feel good by just being there, all senses aside; are you comforted by their very presence?  I felt wholly satisfied yesterday as I sat in one of my favorite places, Five Points Bakery and Toast Cafe here in Buffalo, drinking coffee while a frozen loaf of sharp cheddar cheese bread sat wrapped in plastic on the table.  I had bought the loaf to bring to a picnic, and I am not certain I'll even have a piece, but it completed my morning to have made the purchase and sip coffee with my pre-sliced companion.  There is something emotionally fulfilling to me about baked goods; oftentimes I feel better having seen and smelled an item than I would have after having eaten it.  In simple terms,  Cheese Bread = Emotional Boost for me.  At times, this kind of emotional lift can benefit our metabolisms as a whole.  We hear and read that eating for emotional reasons can cause serious weight and health issues, and I agree that it can.  I can't depend on a loaf of bread nourish all of my emotional needs.  If I did, I'd feel like crap physically and psychologically, as well as accumulate extra weight.
So how do we feed our emotional metabolisms so that we feel and look good without tipping the scales toward food dependency or even addiction?

We can begin to tune in to our dietary needs (which change from day to day) by first paying attention to a single food item.  Simply sit quietly for a moment (or do this at the end of a non-meditation) and bring your awareness to your chest or heart center.  Think of a food item that you can't stand or that you've been eating way too much of lately while maintaining attention in your heart area.  You'll notice a hollowed-out sensation in your chest and maybe a bit of a pushing backward.  Release the thought and then concentrate on something you know is good for you or that you would really enjoy right in this moment.  You'll feel a fullness in your chest and perhaps a pulling forward.

As you continue to practice this exercise with a variety of foods (and at different times but with the same food), you'll observe various degrees of attraction toward or repulsion from them.  Allow this practice to guide your awareness of what you're eating, when, and why, and note how your culinary decisions are made and how they change.

Energetic Eating, as I'm calling it, is asking your mind, body, and energetic field what they holistically need in that moment.  A "Yes, m'am!" answer is expressed by your being pulled forward, or toward the energetic signature of that item, while a "No way, man!" is shown be a repulsion from that food's energy.

You might learn that you don't need grains as often as you'd thought, or, if you're exercising heavily, that you need more protein than predicted.  If you're a strict dieter, a cupcake could be a perfect ten for you when you least expect it.  After a couple of weeks, gauge how you're feeling (the number on your scale is irrelevant, especially if you've upped your protein and built muscle) and see if you can intuit your food desires even more precisely and quickly.

Note:  If you have been told that you have any food allergy or intolerance, consult your doctor before consuming anything that has been contraindicated in the past or that your physician has advised you to avoid.  I am not a doctor, and this post is not medical advice.

Just Relax, Man

Summer is short here in the Northeast.  It seems every year I have all weekends from June through August booked well before we even hit the solstice.  This means that summer can be relaxing, but it can also be rushed and overwhelming. On a really hot and sticky day (like today in Buffalo), just to eat your vegetables can be daunting (oh, the chopping, slicing, and chewing!).

If you are lucky enough to have air conditioning or not, being alone can not only make you feel cooler, but also calm the fires of the mind during a hectic work (or play) day.  We always talk and hear about the "little voice" inside our heads, but our heads (more specifically, our brains) can talk us into anything, whether is it positive or negative for us.  Our bodies, on the other hand, use their voice to warn us. They speak to us every day through aches and pains, rashes, and even broken bones.  Our bodies are the physical messengers for what is going on emotionally, energetically, and psychologically.  In solitude, a "non-meditation" such as the following will center you and bring awareness to possible causes of any negative feelings.

Quick, Calming Non-Meditation (Nonitation?)
Sit for ten minutes and do absolutely nothing. Look at your phone or watch periodically if you need to mark the minutes, but just hang out with yourself, in your body.  Sit inside your body, as opposed to in your head, that customized PC that keeps going and going.
Notice any part of you that feels off, different, sore, or is in some way asking for attention.  Try and make connections between it and other body parts, emotions, or behaviors.   If you want to keep going beyond ten minutes, be my guest.
Do this for a few days to discover which sensations recur, then use your brain to think about possible origins of the most bothersome.

Anything your discover can be useful in your healing and will definitely be positive for taking charge of how you feel.

One Leap at a Time

For a really, really long time, I was a huge fan of doing the very least amount of work to yield a result. It was like my life was a microwave and as long as I pressed the Easy Pop button, something fragrant, buttery, and vaguely satisfying came out of it.  And like when eating microwave popcorn, I was always left wanting more - never satisfied with life or the too easily obtained fruits of my efforts.  I tried an antidepressant to lift me out of my blues, and after a couple years of that not doing it for me (the operative word being for),  I ventured into alternative wellness in search of a "cure" for life's challenges. 

When I first began my personal wellness journey, I spent a couple thousand dollars on classical homeopathy over the course of five years.  In that time, I learned that the body is capable of healing itself (I was able to stop taking antidepressants), but I still had anxiety, fatigue, and a generally negative outlook on life.  I felt like a huge piece of my life puzzle was still missing, and when I was introduced to Total Body Analysis and Energy Healing, I knew that becoming a practitioner would help to fit the components of my life together.

All of my choices and experiences have led me to where I am now, and they've helped me realize deeper issues and identify how they were influencing my life. However, if I could have had a guide to owning my health, I would have snatched it up and followed it step by step because I knew I wanted to heal mind, body and "spirit,"  I just didn't know how to navigate that path.  I have always been food-centric, so to know that my approach to what I put into my body can positively influence my entire life is hugely empowering.  Food is the common denominator for living things, and it's a great place to start a guide on owning our health and our healing.  Today's post begins a series of steps toward building a commitment to holistic health, and you are ready to leap forward!

Giant Leap #1:  Leverage Your Veg

Since we all have to eat, and all food contains energy (not just calories, but frequencies that can be highly positive or negative for our bodies), put only what you know is good for you into your gas tank.

How do we know what the best foods are for our individual bodies and metabolisms?  Without a TBA consult, most people have trouble pinpointing exactly what will be most beneficial (or harmful) as far as diet, but two things we know for sure are that (most) fruits and vegetables are good and pesticides are BAD.

So for this first month of summer, your mission is not only to eat as many fresh (or freshly juiced) vegetables as possible, but also to select only organic incarnations of the produce on the following list from www.ewg.org.  You can buy all other produce conventionally grown.

The Dirty Dozen Plus

Apples

Celery

Cherry Tomatoes

Cucumbers

Grapes

Nectarines (Imported)

Peaches

Potatoes

Snap Peas (Imported)

Spinach

Strawberries

Sweet Bell Peppers

Plus:

Hot peppers

Kale and collard greens

Time investment:  Minimal (assuming you go grocery shopping anyway) - just wash and chop, add some organic, first cold pressed extra virgin olive oil and you're all set.

Monetary investment:  $5-$10 increase per week (per person).

Hold the phone, Hann!!! You expect me to spend FORTY dollars more a MONTH on groceries?  Next you'll be telling me to give up Netflix to cover it.

Please, don't cancel Netflix!  What grocery items are you regularly buying that aren't clean fuel for your engine?  Orange juice or any other pasteurized juice is a great junk-food-in-disguise to omit from your shopping budget.  Try suspending the purchase of just one of those items if you're looking to save some dough.

 

Where will you be one month from now if you haven't tried this?  By avoiding the toxins stored in conventional versions of the above produce, you can actually allow your body to start getting rid of any from past consumption on its own.  Who knows what benefits you'll already start to feel when neurotoxic pesticides are no longer splashing around in your bloodstream?

Where will you be one year from now if you don't make the leap?  You will continue to fight a battle with the negative energy of chemicals having full run of your body (on top of anything else that might be overtly bothering you). You might have $500 more in your checking account.  Or you might not.

What will you have accomplished by buying and eating only produce that will give you nutrients and not pesticides?  A sense of completing a small challenge.  You'll feel those good neurochemicals that bust out when you've taken on something positive.  Most importantly, you'll have a strengthened commitment to your health, and you'll be ready to take our next action leap.

If you already abide by the Dirty Dozen list, incorporate a fruit into one meal a day and different vegetables raw into the other two.  You'll get a wide variety of nutritional benefits by doing this every day!

 

Writing Process Blog Tour Post!

This post is part of #mywritingprocessblogtour.  Thank you to Jennifer Winarski for linking me through her creative and inspiring blog:  mindfulcanvas.blogspot.com.

What am I working on now?

A weekly post to take action toward holistic health.  It might be creating and using an affirmation, listening to an injured body part, or baking your own sprouted-grain muffins.

How does my work differ from others in my genre?

I offer guidance and suggestions for nurturing our bodies and minds through holistic approach; I don't decry that everything I say should hold true for all readers, and I want my audience to be inspired and empowered to make healthy choices that will work for them, in their unique life situations.

Why do I write what I do?

I often write about food because it is the most concrete, recognizable energetic medium for us humans.  We all eat, we can all choose what we eat, and food alters our energy just as much as our thoughts and our environment do.  Also, I love to eat and to cook and bake for myself and the people I love.

How does my writing process work?

To write I need an idea that really grabs me; then it is a pleasure to attempt to verbalize my thoughts and feelings.  I believe that with the momentum of a weekly action post, I will be inspired by your needs and experiences to drive each next step.

Edit
Now I am passing the torch to another talented blogger:

Karin De La Rosa is an accountant by trade and a farmer by choice. She sources the majority of her family’s larder locally, supplementing what she is able to produce on her family’s acre through direct sales from other local farmers. With an eye toward economy (preserving $10/bushels of colored peppers in season for example), Karin believes what we put into our body has a direct impact on our health and mental well being. Karin shares her farming and culinary escapades at PatchesAcre.com.

For the Fun of Fat

It's fun to try new foods, especially when you're getting into different uses for a healthy and satisfying ingredient.  To help clarify options when avoiding food "aggravators" when necessary while using a Total Body Analysis remedy, I blogged about wheat and flour alternatives.  I highlighted coconut flour as being excellent in baked goods without the potential consequences of gluten and as having healthy fat as its energy source.   I regularly enjoy "good" fats, not only because they diversify my diet so that I'm not relying too much on grains and other carbohydrates all day, but also because they taste awesome, keep me feeling full (I have a mind that's constantly looking for an excuse to eat again), and are fun.  Fun, like dark chocolate topped with goat cheese for breakfast fun.  And as with most forms of "fun," sometimes I just don't know when to draw the line.

I was hungry after the kids went to bed last night and wanted something simple and guilt-free.  So I made a "baby cereal" out of plain coconut flour, water, and cinnamon.  With enough water, it went down like Gerber rice and filled me up 'til morning...noon...afternoon.  Something had gone wrong in the digestion-elimination process.  Nothing was moving out and wicked, painful gas bubbles erupted up my back and through my chest like in an unburped baby.  I then decided to research eating uncooked coconut flour (when I'd eaten the "cereal" I had no idea if it was digestible in that form or even safe to eat), and I found that coco flo is used "raw" to thicken smoothies and puddings.  One or two tablespoons are usually mixed in to create a more viscous concoction, but I straight up ate about 1/3 cup of flour.  So, as I sit waiting for some sign of eliminatory life in my gut (mercifully, the gas bubbles have ceased), I can only fantasize that the umpteen grams of insoluble fiber I so cavalierly consumed are slowly sweeping out all the rotting remnants of high school chicken finger subs and raw cookie dough from my intestinal tract.

On that note, I will not provide you with a recipe for coconut flour, but rather one using another favorite form of plant-derived fat:  Coconut cream.  No one in my house had the opportunity to overindulge in this creation since I had (a little selfishly) rationed it out for the kids and myself (breakfast and snack!) and left the rest for my husband.  I didn't expect Mike to more than tolerate the cheesecake because of his picky nature, but I will quote him here:  "That cheesecake was awesome.  Incredible, Mojo."

"Awesome & Incredible" No Bake Cheesecake

  (grain and gluten free)

Recipe by Maureen Hann

For the crust:
2 1/4 cups almond meal

1/2 cup sugar (or ground sucanat or honey)
1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons melted coconut oil or butter

Pulse dry ingredients in food processor until combined.  Add oil and pulse until well mixed. 
Press mixture into a 9-inch tart or springform pan.  Chill or freeze until set.

For the filling:

8 oz. cultured organic cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup honey (raw, if you have it)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup coconut cream

   (Refrigerate a can of full fat coconut milk to separate cream from water.  Flip can over and remove bottom.  Pour off water and reserve for another use. What you have left is the coconut cream.)

Beat cream cheese, honey and vanilla.  Set aside.  In a separate bowl, whip cold coconut cream until light and whipped cream-y.  Fold coconut cream into cream cheese mixture.  Pour filling into crust and refrigerate at least three hours. Done!

Do You Do Dairy?

When my daughter was 14 months old, she had her first milkshake.  It wasn't actually her own, but her fair share of her father's "home-made," double-thick chocolate peanut butter  shake at little soda shop in Cape Cod.  While some of you might be appalled that a nutrition-conscious mom would feed her barely-toddling little one a commercial dairy and white sugar frappe, others ask, "Why'd she wait so long?  Milkshakes are a God-given American right!"  Still others will identify when I say that I felt both ways about my first child's initial exposure to the joys (and potential consequences) of going out for shakes. 

When we enjoy a conventional milkshake we experience the guilty pleasure of instant gratification, a Zen-like rush of creamy flavor and thick, satisfying sweetness.  However, just as with all other junk food, when we slurp on that straw we're putting lots of calories carrying very little nutrition into our bodies.  For me, the occasional dietary digression prevents me from feeling deprived and actually helps motivate my healthy eating.  But we have to be selective about splurging; since you're reading this post, you probably don't use a milkshake as a daily source of calories - why would you since you're privy to multiple, more nutritious options?

Do you use milk (or milk products) as a source of nutrition? What kind? (Don't say chocolate) Why?

We've been taught to expect that cow's milk and its products can deliver us three important nutritional components:  Calcium, vitamin D3, and protein.  These nutrients, along with any antibiotics, hormones, and/or pesticides the cows were exposed to, are present in fresh, raw milk.  The milk we buy in stores has been pasteurized and homogenized.  This processing keeps the calories, but alters the milk so that the very nutrients we need (the reason we're drinking it) become indigestible and unusable in our bodies. Pasteurization also kills all of the good bacteria and enzymes that would help us digest the milk.  Many people who have been diagnosed as lactose intolerant can consume raw milk and its products without problems.  Products like yogurt and cottage cheese (anything made from pasteurized milk) suffer as well.  Due to pasteurization's corruption of milk's nutrients, commercial milk is fortified with vitamins A and D2.  However, vitamin D3 (the nutrient we get from sunlight) is what we need in order to absorb calcium.  We've also been conditioned to avoid milk fat, but the fat is the vehicle for milk's vitamins and minerals.

So:

Fresh (raw) milk = Milk fat - good fat calories, calcium, vitamin D3 (to absorb calcium)

                            Protein - casein and whey

                            Sugar - lactose

                            Enzymes like lactase to break down lactose                           
                            Good bacteria to aid digestion

We need to unlock energy from our food to survive, but we might not give much thought to how our bodies access that energy.  We eat, we poop, we move on.  Most of us are happy just to poop once a day, and we only fret when our morning potty routine is put off by stress, illness, or indigestion.

Digestion: A substance goes into our mouth, is broken down in our stomach and intestines, and comes out as poop without causing us distress.

Assimilation or absorption:  A substance's nutrients (made available through digestion) are carried to and used by our organs. 

Now ask yourself again if you use milk as a source of nutrition, keeping in mind:

1) If you can't digest it, you can't absorb it. 

2) Just because you can chew, swallow, and poop out the remains of a substance (digest), doesn't mean you've absorbed any nutrients (I am debating printing this post as a word-find activity for my four and five year old to see who can count all the times I've written "poop").

My children and husband, like many westerners, love cow's milk by the glass and in cereal.  We're lucky enough to have a raw milk cooperative program at a farm in the vicinity where we get fresh organic milk each week.  If raw milk is not a choice for your family, the next best dairy option for nutrition and digestibility is organic vat pasteurized milk (available at select establishments like Five Points Bakery in Buffalo). 

If you mainly use milk as a vehicle for your smoothie, then coconut milk is a great choice.  It contains little phytic acid (i.e. it doesn't prevent you from assimilating nutrients) and has some good calories from the fat.  Steer clear of those with carrageenan, which can cause problems in your gut after a while.  Almond milk is a second choice because it is mostly water and contains phytic acid (unless it's made from sprouted almonds), and many almond milks contain additives like carrageenan.  A coconut or almond milk smoothie with kale or spinach and a drop of cod liver oil will give you calcium and the D3 you need to absorb it.

I know that many of us rely on Greek yogurt for an easy, protein rich breakfast or snack, but it carries the same inabsorbability problems as pasteurized milk.  Yogurt does contain live cultures (probiotics) to aid in digestion, but we still can't break down the protein that has been compromised in pasteurization.  Greek yogurt can be really satisfying (it takes a long time to get through your system), and some brands taste so creamy, they're reminiscent of a milkshake, but we're sacrificing the very nutrition for which we thought we were choosing the yogurt to begin with.  There are various raw, sprouted-grain protein powders on the market that are highly absorbable, and mix easily into your liquid of choice (for about $1 a serving).  I mix up what I think I'll need for the week and leave it in the fridge to have handy after a run.

Just as those who have problems with wheat, individuals who have negative symptoms from dairy can use Total Body Analysis to pinpoint and antidote the cause of the intolerance or allergy, rather than eliminating the aggravating food group and the inconveniences that arise with such avoidance.

Please leave a comment if I've left anything out or you'd like further explanation.  I've struggled with all of the research and data to make this post as straightforward and unconfusing as possible. Let me know if I've done my job!

Easy Sprouted Flour Pancakes!

This morning, March 30, my kids and I woke up to a wintry wonderland at my parents' lake house. Outside, instead of calm water with a backdrop of upstate New York hills, there was a blanket of white as far as the eye could see.  In response to the dismally unseasonal environment my son said, "I need pancakes for breakfast."  And so this recipe was born from the last of my bag of sprouted wheat flour (yes, I travel with baking supplies).

Click here for my post about wheat and a sprouted flour chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Sprouted Wheat Pancakes

     Recipe by Maureen Hann

Makes about 12 pancakes

1 cup sprouted wheat flour

1/3 cup sucanat, ground (or sugar of choice)

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. baking powder

3/4 cup milk of choice plus 1/2 tbls. vinegar

1 egg

1 1/2 tbls. melted butter or coconut oil

  

Preheat griddle.  Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl.  In a small bowl, whisk milk mixture, egg, and melted butter or oil.  Pour wet mix into dry ingredients and stir until combined (add a bit of water to thin, if necessary). Cook on a greased griddle until golden on both sides.  

The Talk

This is another post about food.

I was eleven and in the bathroom, doing whatever eleven-year-old girls in the late '80s did (probably something involving a curling iron).  I know I wasn't texting or socializing via media. Maybe I was stealing a few private moments on the cordless phone, but what I did not want to hear was an innocent knock on the door followed by my mother's voice asking:  "Can we talk?"  I'll skip the awkward details of my "coming of age" conversation, but I will tell you it was a chat I did not want to have.  I did not want to think about why my body was changing or how my life would be different as a result, and I certainly couldn't process that everything was evolving, and that I had to evolve and adapt as well.

So, knock knock!  Can we talk?  Don't lock the door and turn on the shower - this is about food, remember?

As we go through life, we need nourishment to grow and maintain our bodily functions.  Our diet is a source of energy and nutrients necessary for daily life, but it can also be a cause physical and emotional complaints.  Total Body Analysis is all about shedding toxic layers to allow healing.  Some toxins we're born with and some we acquire over time from stressful situations, germs, the environment, and (you guessed it) food.   Processed, hybridized and pesticide-ridden items bring energetic frequencies into our systems that are not compatible with healthy human life.  Food can play another role in the hurting-versus-healing dichotomy:  Highly nutritive "healthy" whole foods can often be what I call "aggravators" - catalysts for disagreeable and sometimes life-threatening symptoms we experience and often try to treat with medication and/or elimination or "special" diets.  If a client is allergic to soy, for example, soy is an aggravator for her.  TBA allows us to antidote why she gets hives when she eats tofu, to address the root cause of her reaction to the soy, and when her body is ready, to detoxify (get rid of) the real problem.

In the modern world there are a variety of foods that can be aggravating as well as toxic to our systems. Over time, human beings have evolved and adapted to our environment, but more recently, we have been changing the food we grow and how it's propagated to feed our explosive population.  The result is crops that are easier to grow, harvest, and distribute, but are vastly different from what the human body has come to recognize as nourishment.  Although this hybridization and modification applies to myriad modern day crops, I am going to focus on the one most prevalent in many of our lives:  Wheat. 

Before we get into it about the glutenous grain, let it be known that I loooove baked goods.  Bakeries are one of the first (if not the first) things I check out in a new city, and our local cooperative bakery/café is one of my favorite places in the world.  I love the radiant heat of the ovens, the comfort of a cup of coffee and a soft, handmade breakfast treat, and the unmistakably appealing scent of toasty, powdery wheat alchemizing into... anything, really.

Wheat can be the culprit for a variety of ailments from digestive gas to "brain cloud" to muscle soreness. It may also not be simply that you eat wheat, but the kind of wheat, how it's been processed, and the amount in your diet.  Even if you are not having problems with wheat (or simply haven't noticed), for nutritional reasons alone, it is a good idea to consider replacing it (even whole grain sandwich bread for the kids) with a variety I've listed below.

Spelt!  Spelt is one of my favorite baking grains.  Its flour looks, feels, and smells like wheat, except it retains its ancient grain form - it hasn't yet been hybridized, its gluten is weak and can be much more easily digested, and many gluten sensitive individuals can easily tolerate it.  When baking bread, spelt can be hard to work with because its gluten won't give the structure of that of wheat flour.  But in muffins, cakes, and some cookies, spelt will fool even the most wheat-centric eater.  The only drawback is that in order to "unlock" all of its nutrients, spelt, like wheat flour and other grains, needs to be soaked or soured. Don't worry if you're not ready to climb down the rabbit hole of soaking and using sourdough starters, we can get to those in later posts.

As far as convenience and nutritional back for your buck, sprouted flour wins.  Sprouts=Vegetables.  Sprouted wheat or spelt = vegetable to your digestive system.  Sprouting the grains before grinding them into flour also reduces gluten and causes nutritive changes in the grain that produce digestive aids. No soaking or souring required here. You can purchase sprouted grain bread (and other sprouted goods) frozen in most large grocery stores.

If you use a lot of sprouted flour, buy it in bulk online (it is shelf stable for six months).  Or consider buying freshly milled spelt flour from a local farm or bakery and storing it in the fridge or freezer to preserve precious nutrients and prohibit rancidity.  Sprouted flour absorbs more moisture than unsprouted, so be careful in substituting in in recipes.  There are many great sprouted flour recipes in the internet.  I've included my own chocolate chip cookie recipe below. 

Coconut flour is a gluten-free "flour" made simply from the fruit of the coconut.  It's main source of calories is medium-chain fatty acids, which give quick and lasting energy without triggering insulin reaction like carbohydrate calories do. That means you won't crash after a couple of coconut flour scones for brekkie.  It's also high in fiber for that fully satisfied feeling after a meal.  Coco-flo can be found at most supermarkets, but cannot be directly substituted for regular flour; it needs lots of liquid and egg or a flax slurry to hold it together for baking.  Coconut flour does not have to soak or sour to get its nutritional benefits.  Like sprouted wheat or sprouted spelt flour, it can be used right out of the bag.  Don't be concerned about its price, because it absorbs so much liquid, you'll use at most one-third of the amount of wheat flour you'd normally need.

I employ all of the aforementioned flours and techniques, but, as I said, I loooove baked goods and this lends variety to my repertoire.

Here is a recap list of options for making a slow shift away from everyday "junk food" wheat toward a "cleaner" burning fuel for your metabolic fire:

Spelt Flour = Easiest to sub for wheat pastry flour (whole spelt for whole wheat, "white" spelt for all purpose or white pastry flour).

Can be soaked our soured for optimal digestion and nutrient assimilation.

Sprouted wheat or sprouted spelt flour = Digestible and nutritious right out of the bag.  Be careful subbing for regular flour as sprouted absorbs more moisture.

Coconut Flour = Gluten free.  Great (fat) energy source and can be used right out of the bag as well.

Enjoy these easy, sprouted flour muffins as a guilt-free and highly nutritious breakfast, snack, or dessert.

Sprouted Flour Muffins

  Adapted from Arrowhead Mills recipe

1 3/4 cup sprouted wheat or spelt flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup melted butter or coconut oil

1 cup milk of choice with 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar

1/2 cup maple syrup or sugar of choice

2 eggs

1-2 cups chocolate chips, nuts, or other addition

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 12-cup muffin tin.  Whisk dry ingredients in a large bowl.  In a small bowl, whisk wet ingredients.  Stir wet into dry until combined and then add chips.  Bake 15 minutes and let cool until just warm.

Food? Food!

I love food:  Talking about recipes, dreaming up party menus, prepping the night before for warm biscuits after a morning run.   One thing I can't stand is feeling limited in what I can eat.  I research nutrition and the various dietary and culinary approaches to healthy eating, and I have found a balance that fits my family, our needs, and our busy schedule.  We eat all kinds of foods, and I make every effort to ensure that the ingredients are high quality and nutrient dense.  

However, eating a variety of foods (meats, grains, dairy, sweets) sometimes equates to overeating certain items for me. I love to go out for coffee in the morning, and we hit a café for breakfast as a family every Saturday.  It is during those times that I am reminded of how delicious a well-made white flour and sugar scone can taste with dark roast coffee, or the savory satisfaction of a buttered artisanal English muffin.  Those pleasures can often lead to allowing a slice or two of take out pizza for dinner, a weekday coffee shop rendezvous with a toasted pumpkin muffin, and a veritable snowball effect of processed wheat occurring in my gut.  Then I feel tired, bloated, sore, and generally unhappy while I stick to quinoa, beans, and nuts trying to rid myself of the junk my body is working overtime to digest and eliminate.  I don't have an intolerance to wheat, but too much of anything will eventually put a smackdown on your physical operating system.  However, I do love the W. Somerset Maugham quote:  Excess on occasion is exhilarating.  It prevents moderation from acquiring the deadening effect of a habit - a perfect reason to overindulge.

On Saturday I diverged from the familial café breakfast and had a lovely brunch with my running gals.  We all brought a dish and gathered at the warm and welcoming home of our self-appointed social organizer (thanks, Amy!).  That the company was fabulous was a given, and the food covered all bases:  Savory, fruity, sweet, and hearty.  For us, eating food leads to talking about food, and that morning our culinary chatter was linked to healing.  We spoke about eliminating digestive issues with TBA remedies and the occasional need to avoid (not eat) a food for a short time while on a remedy to allow the body to heal.  Food itself is not the source of a digestive problem, but rather a trigger of symptoms.  So, until the body is ready to detoxify the cause of the issue, it is sometimes necessary to stay away from the aggravating food.  This is different from an elimination diet because in TBA we know (through advanced kineseology) which food(s) is not jiving with our frequencies, and to allow the remedy to do its job of supporting and detoxifying the body, we avoid the problem food so as not to disrupt the healing harmony occurring between the body's frequencies and those of the remedy.  Digestive problems are not the only symptoms that can be set off by foods.  Asthma, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, inflammation, sinus conditions, and multiple other complaints can mitigated or eliminated by a TBA remedy and avoiding aggravating items or food groups until the body is through uncovering and detoxifying the cause of the problem.  One friend was so happy to know that although her gas problems ceased while avoiding wheat when taking her remedy, she'll be able to enjoy the ubiquitous grain again soon with no issues.

We live in a world full of drive-thru lattes, "healthy" cereal bars, and other convenience items that, once in a while, can save the day for even the most well-intended and informed eater.  Should we limit our consumption of these "day-savers"?  Absolutely (I'll give you a list of awesome versus acceptable options for your pantry soon), but we don't need to live in the restrictive and isolating realm of food allergies and intolerances when we have TBA to figure out what's behind it all. 

Click here for details on TBA sessions and a free consultation.

New You Tube Video

Check out Well Vibrations on You Tube!  Thank so much for your help.

In It Together

A good winter's evening to you all.  Thank you for reading and for your interest in alternative medicine.  In order to reach more like-minded wellness seekers, I will be producing a You Tube video highlighting how Well Vibrations can address the needs of those of us searching for the right path to health and wellness.  To make this clip as poignant as possible, I'd like to enlist your assistance:

What are your biggest obstacles when you are searching for an alternative wellness provider?
Are you a health-minded individual just trying to do the right thing for yourself and your family?
Is lack of insurance coverage for alternative therapies preventing your from pursuing them?
Is alternative medicine confusing and/or intimidating?
Are you a runner looking to escape chronic injury and/or pain?

Leave a comment or pop me an e-mail at wellvibrations@gmail.com at your convenience.  I look forward to posting about your thoughts and creating a short but helpful video piece in their spirit.

Whaddya Expect?

I'm good at a few things:  Baking scones, taking tests, packing for trips.  I find success in those activities without much effort, and I have come to expect good results with each attempt.  Running, however, does not have an "easy" button for me.  I am decent at it, but I have to work really, really hard not to suck.  If nothing else, for my training efforts this winter I'm going to have the strongest ankle muscles in running history (doesn't that just scream sexy?). 

When I was running Wednesday evening, my lower legs (for what felt like the 100th time) were straining to trod over the still uneven street and sidewalk surfaces that through the preceding weeks had been doused in snow and scraped, shoveled, semi-salted, and otherwise razed to create a potentially dangerous sort of race track.  In instances of physical challenge such as this, my inclination had usually been to fixate on the pain, worry about possible injury, and complain and fret until my next run when the pain would return, migrate, or lay dormant, waiting to strike (ahem, give me an excuse to bonk) during a race.  All this led to constant worry about any activity becoming the culprit of my next injury.  I had not only accepted running in pain (something always hurt when I exercised), but I came to expect it.  I had actually, without consciously trying, lowered my expectations to meet my injuries.  I had let the injuries become part of who I was, and they shaped my running identity.  I felt like I just wasn't put together for running, like I was a runner in a non-runner's body.  But I kept running. 

Back to Wednesday night:  The muscles around and above my ankles were burning with the effort of propelling my lower body over footprints, ice chunks, and garbage, but when my brain started down its old path of "this is bad"-ness, I got indignant and stopped in my tracks.  It was there, on Niagara Street, that I decided enough was enough:  I gave my bossy brain an energetic bitch-slap.  This winter running was going to STRENGTHEN my legs, CONDITION my heart and lungs and PROPEL my fitness to a new level.  No more hurting, no more fretting, and no more feeling sorry for myself, like a misfit toy, over how I was put together (and of course, I couldn't help but clear my chakras, too).

I had kept running through the pain because of what running could give me - stress release, calorie burning, a feeling of accomplishment, but I wasn't giving to the running.  I'm not talking training intensity or fidelity, I mean attitude and appreciation.  I needed to expect more from myself, rather than relying on running to provide me with an escape and a size 2 butt.  To put a spin on JFK's words:  Ask not what your running (or teaching/parenting/basket weaving) can do for you, really examine what you can do to improve your efforts holistically.  We can raise our own vibrational frequencies to meet our high expectations, and then we will feel more accomplished and be prone to continuing the cycle.  For me it was like stepping out of a snow bank and onto a sunny boardwalk.  And, it inspired me to write this post. Expect more like this one out of me - I do.

 

Well Vibe, in a Nutshell

For those of you who appreciate brevity, here is what Well Vibrations offers in a nutshell.  I will paste segments of this post into my info pages as well. 

Total Body Analysis (TBA) focuses on supporting our anatomy and physiology while detoxifying Disease Causing Agents such as chemicals, heavy metals, bacteria, emotional stress, food allergies, and genetic mutations.  The remedies initiate and facilitate physical, psychological, and emotional healing. 

Energy Coaching sessions aim to bring our energetic vibrational frequencies to their highest (healthiest) point through eliminating limiting subconscious beliefs trapped in our chakras (energy centers).  My technique is based on Dr. David R. Hawkins' research in his book Power Vs. Force.  Click here for a cool chart:  http://www.dharanipitaka.net/2011/2008/teachings/DavidHawkins-PowerVsForce.pdf   This is not a talk therapy session and the client does not need to divulge personal information or share painful emotional memories.  Energy Coaching facilitates setting achievable goals (in running and in life) and taking steps toward realizing our greatest potential.  In addition, we can support injured tissue to allow healing while continuing to run happily! 

These two approaches work harmoniously and together provide the most complete (and speedy) path to eliminating the issues that hold us back as athletes, professionals, partners, and parents.

Why Can't I?

Can't is a strong and overused word.  I've said and thought it a trillion times, but in only a handful of those instances has it been true:  I can't make it at 3:30 on Wednesday because I have to work, yes.  I can't start my own business because I don't have the time, clearly no.  

When I was wrestling with the notion of running my sixth marathon this spring, knowing the time and energy commitment, and my husband said, "Maybe you should wait and train over summer vacation.  You like to do a lot of other things on top of teaching and running," I snapped back:  "You like to do a lot, too!" (he is training for his eleventh marathon, swimming, teaching, and fathering).  His response resonated like a Medieval church bell:  "I can handle training and teaching; when I get tired, I don't get mad or take it out on other people."  

True, I haven't trained for a marathon during the school year since 2002, before children, and have avoided it since - until that conversation.  "Well why can't I, then?" was my retort, more a statement than a question in that moment.  Ever the husband, Mike either evaded or was alluded by the rhetorical nature of my reply and shot back:  "Yes, why CAN'T you?  You're the one making the remedies, doing all the energy healing stuff."  It was his emphasis on can't that struck me. 

I had been so focused on helping others to heal and release their energy blockages that I had overlooked practicing what I preach:  Pick a goal, right your chakras, dissolve your negative beliefs, detox your bod, and just DO it (Nike pun intended).  I had also, as usual, targeted problems preventing me from doing and having it all:  What if I get too tired?  What if my kids are cranky and I have to get them dinner before an evening run?  What if my butt gets vacuumed to the toilet seat at 5 am and I miss my 400 meter interval session?   I was living excuses in my mind instead of finding solutions.  I began to use my own protocol for clearing negative beliefs and chakral densities until I could clearly see what I needed to and COULD do:  Not only run the Buffalo Marathon on May 25 (along with Mike, although he will be running much more swiftly), but also start a blog about my busy spring adventure while declaring that I am trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon.  To put it all out there is very motivating (and a bit stressful), but I am excited to bring you www.runvibrations.blogspot.com. Best of all I can handle it, knowing that the doubts and excuses that may arise are simply manifestations of dark energy and can be conquered through the energetic healing mechanisms of the universe.  I have found the dragon slayer and uncovered the "can" in myself, and I bring it to the world for anyone who wants to shed the shroud of self doubt and step (or run) up to a better life.

Your Free Consult

Total Body Analysis and Energy Healing are concepts which are more easily researched than stumbled upon in daily life.  That is to say, we all may not be familiar and/or entirely comfortable with the thought of eliminating illness or reaching a goal simply through the support and manipulation of our energetic selves.  For this reason, please see my Your Session page to make an appointment for a consultation at no charge to determine if Well Vibrations can meet your needs regarding wellness and contentment.  If you know where you want to go in health, wealth, and happiness, but you don't know how to get there, let the universe supply your vehicle and Well Vibrations be your guide; together we will travel to your dream destination.

Mindfulness Is Only the Half of It

This post is a follow up to my previous installment entitled New Year, So What?  In that post I discussed the value of choosing change and how Well Vibrations helps your body allow the transformation by identifying energy blockages and negative beliefs.  Today I am writing to stress the importance of clearing the energy in which lay our negative subconscious beliefs in order to enable change in our attitudes, health, and overall abilities to act positively.  Only then can we experience the follow through of positive change:  Our true selves reaching toward and achieving our goals and dreams.
I recently read Susan Albers' "Mindful Eating Pledge."  It caught my attention because of my own desire to think more about what, when, why, and how I am eating to facilitate nutritional balance and overall digestion and assimilation.
Albers advises (source):

1. Eat mindfully: I will be more aware of each bite.
2. Pace, not race: I will eat slowly and with intention.
3. When I eat, just eat: I will eat without distraction.
4. Calm without calories: I will find true comfort and soothing without food.
5. Eat less, nourish more: I will eat foods that nurture my body.

These recommendations make perfect sense; they are practical and each is simple enough to parse out and attempt to master systematically rather than simultaneously.  The only hitch is actually living them, day after day, bite after bite, and not worrying when we might give in to the next marshmallow craving or sweet potato chip binge.  That worry and temptation don't come from mental weakness or a desire to be unhealthy. They stem from inner, unconscious beliefs that we have assimilated over time from our families and schools, the media, and our own choices.  We don't and can't choose what negative energy our unconscious allows to form any belief, be it positive: "I am a fit and active individual" or negative:  "I will never enjoy exercise or healthy foods."
Those of us who have difficulty taking this pledge and following through on it (or any other positive life change) need to rid ourselves of the energetic blocks that are the root cause of our, in this case, inability to separate food from emotion and eat for the purpose of nourishing our bodies.
At Well Vibrations, I have created a protocol for clearing negative beliefs in the order of which our bodies and minds are ready so that positive changes occur with almost no effort from the client and results appear in all aspects of life.  Stop worrying and start achieving; it's all within you.

New Year, So What?

"New year, new you!" How many times have we seen that declared on a magazine cover or postered on the gym wall?  A brand new calendar year seems like an opportune time to get in shape, kick a bad habit, or plot a course toward any life goal.  But how many of us have made that resolution, broken out of the gate like gangbusters in January, and either given up before Valentine's Day or renegotiated with ourselves a simpler, more digestible attack because we hadn't really been ready for the change to begin with?

Anytime can be the perfect opportunity for change.  However, time itself is simply a modern, human regulatory constant - not the healer of all wounds popularized through greeting cards.  Since we can move forward any day, month, or season, and we really want to lose 10 pounds, ditch the antidepressants, or find a new career, what in the heck is stopping us?  We might not be aware of the impediments to our success.  If we want to finish a marathon, but on a deep level believe:  "I am not a long-distance runner" or "I am not a winner" then we won't even make it to the starting line. Can we simply create a mantra like:  "I can run 26.2 miles," repeat it when we're tempted to sleep in, or the weather's nasty, or we see the short cut home, and four months later have a marathon finisher's medal draped over our heads?   For most of us, the answer is no, because the question is not "What should I tell myself?" but "Why do I keeping telling myself I'm not good enough?"  We hold ourselves back because of an emotional blockage in our energy flow, a dense spot (or spots) in our chakras which harbors negative beliefs.
To use energy work to clear these "ill vibrations" in our energetic fields is even easier than muttering a mantra again and again.  We use kineseology to test where the negative belief is and if we are ready to release it (similarly to how we create a Total Body Analysis remedy), then direct healing energy to the identified chakra and the emotional blockage is cleared.  This technique complements TBA remedies by relieving emotional stress and allowing the body to shed toxic layers more quickly.  To quit smoking, we energetically locate the dense energy that causes you to smoke, dissolve it, and move on to any other issues you may want to eliminate or improve.  A TBA remedy helps our body detoxify what it can internally, and the energy clearing resolves the emotional ties to the internal problems - it's like we are excavating a mine field and deactivating the mines at the same time.
To realize you are holding yourself back and take the first step toward wellness and prosperity is resolution enough.  Well Vibrations is here when you are ready to train for, and finish, your marathon (read:  Put yourself into positive physical and psychological motion).  New moment, new you.