Saturday, January 26, 2013

Life Lessons: The Stranger Part 4

For those of you that have been keeping up, we've been writing about "The Stranger" for a while now. He had so many lessons to share and it is not over yet! If you have missed, here is Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. Here is the continuation of The Stranger.

You can't change anyone but yourself.  You can only change yourself. The Stranger would always leave his dirty clothes in the bathroom. His wife finally learned that nagging him won't change anything. She put the laundry basket in the bathroom. Everyone is happy.

Pick and choose what you want to believe. We hear things everyday but we should question and not always believe that people are right or speaking the truth. Research before you believe what someone says.

Just because you listen, does not mean that you are not participating.  The Stranger told us a story about this man he knew in Hawaii. The Stranger always talked to... well, strangers while waiting for his wife shopping. He made conversation with other people that we waiting too. There was always this man that listened for years. Finally, over time, this man opened up to the Stranger. Even though he did not speak up in the earlier years, he was still participating because he was listening to conversation. In this story (which was a rather long story), we also learned that you can make something out of what you have and love to do.

There are Four Agreements:
  1. written (contracts, etc)
  2.  oral (things you talk about with others)
  3. knowledgeable (for example, you know that mom will get mad if you aren't at the dinner table at 5:30)
  4. nature (you can't go through walls, can't jump off building with out dying: we are limited by nature)
 ***if you break the agreement, someone will get mad. Learn to talk about changing the agreement.


Make wishes and change your stories. Wish for things to happen and make them true. Even if it seems simple do it. This works! You just need to believe it will. Picture it in your head, what happens, how it feels, visualize and feel. I once told Michael when pulling into a parking lot to go close to the building because someone will be leaving their spot. Believe it or not, someone did.


The biggest lesson: Be honest, open, and kind.
We all make mistakes, but we have to realize that we made those mistakes and forgive ourselves. 

This is the last of the Life Lessons with the Stranger.  It was an amazing random encounter. His main ideas were based on Enlightenment and how to find it. He says that we are now on our journey and can never go back. Thank you for keeping up with the long series of The Stranger. Keep coming back for more Life Lessons with LTL! (:


This post is written by Karel and Michel.
Adapted from: a random encounter with The Stranger 

Wish Picture 
Question Everything Picture

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Oriental Medicine: Introduction to the Five Element Theory

The five element theory is used in traditional chinese medicine as a way to diagnose and treat illness. The premise behind it is that every being is created from five elements. Wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. Each of these elements relates to each other and can control one another. When we become out of balanced emotionally or physically, it can be detrimental to our health and show up as aches in certain parts of our bodies, or even aversions to certain tastes or smells. Our bodies are very intricate and this is definitely a specialized type of medicine used for diagnosis.

Each element feeds the other and if one is out of balance it can affect your health adversely. Below is a nice diagram that shows how the elements feed off of each other, and the cycles are also explained.

There are four main cycles in which the elements work together or against each other
The first cycle is called sheng and is the "generating cycle." With this cycle, each element acts as a mother to the next one. An example of this would be that fire provides nourishment for earth.

The second cycle is called ke and is the "controlling cycle." With this cycle, each element checks up on elements across from each other. Each element is controlled and controls another element.

The third cycle is called cheng and is the "overactive cycle." With this cycle, if an element is overactive. An example of this would be water suppressing fire.

The fourth cycle is called wu and is the "insulting cycle." With this cycle, the forces of the elements become reversed. An example of this would be fire burning up water.



FIVE ELEMENTSWoodFireEarthMetalWater
SeasonsSpringSummerLate SummerAutumnWinter
Zang /Yin organsLiverHeartSpleenLungKidney
Fu /Yang organsGallbladderSmall IntestineStomachLarge IntestineBladder
DirectionsEastSouthMiddleWestNorth
TastesSourBitterSweetPungentSalty
TissuesTendonsVesselsMusclesSkin/hairBones
ColorsGreenRedYellowWhiteBlue/Black
Sense organsEyeTongueMouthNoseEar

Above is a nice list of how each element relates to many parts of mother natures cycle, and our own bodies. If we are having issues in any of these organs, or have issues in certain seasons, it can be a sign that one or more of our elements are out of balance. Health issues occur when our bodies aren't in perfect harmony, and more than one of our elements can be pointing to something that is wrong.

Many acupuncturists use the five element theory along with the needles in order to help heal illnesses. It is an ancient type of medicine, but can still be extremely effective if practiced properly  It may seem more complicated than it is, but nourishing elements that are out of balance, or the controlling elements, can actually cure disease.

The most important thing is to always listen to signs that your body gives you. It is extremely smart and will detect and warn you of imbalances before anything goes adversely wrong. If you ignore the signs, disease can manifest. If you are in tune, you can take caution and exercise prevention.

This post is written by Michael
Adapted from: 

Five Elements
Image 

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Living Towards Love Updates

Happy Wednesday to our lovely readers!
First of all, we would like to wish you all a very happy new year. Remember to keep your thoughts positive this new year! Second, thank you for reading and checking on LTL every Wednesday and Saturday. We really appreciate all of your support and love.

We wanted to take this Wednesday to update all of you.

First, we are now going to be updating once a week. Check us out every Saturday for a new post!



Second, please fill out this survey. We want to hear from you to make our blog bigger and better! It is only one page and will take no more than three minutes. 



Last, some stats for all of you:
Since our opening, we have had over 3,000 page views!
Our top four most viewed posts are: Chakras, Running Form, Sweaty Bands, and 2012 Transition! Check them out by clicking the links.
We have even gone international. Some of our readers are from Israel, United Kingdom, China, Germany, Russia, India, Canada, France, and Malaysia.

Thank you so much for supporting us!
Love, Karel and Michael

This post is written by Karel and Michael.
Adapted from: blogger webstats 

Surveymonkey
pic
Saturday Winnie the Pooh

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Iron Explained for Vegetarians

Your body needs iron for your blood and your brains. Iron helps make hemoglobin, which assists the transportation of oxygen through your blood into the cells in your body. If you do not get enough iron in your system, your red blood cells becomes pale and weak. This means that your blood is not receiving enough oxygen. 

Cues That You May Need More Iron

  • fatigue & weakness
  • inability to concentrate
  • increased susceptibility to infections
  • hair loss
  • dizziness 
  • headaches
  • brittle nails
  • apathy
  • depression




The Food and Nutrition Board at the Institute of Medicine recommends the following:

Infants and Children
• Younger than 6 months: 0.27 milligrams per day (mg/day)
• 7 months to 1 year: 11 mg/day
• 1 to 3 years: 7 mg/day
• 4 to 8 years: 10 mg/day


Men
• 9 to 13 years: 8 mg/day
• 14 to 18 years: 11 mg/day
• Age 19 and older: 8 mg/day


Women
• 9 to 13 years: 8 mg/day
• 14 to 18 years: 15 mg/day
• 19 to 50 years: 18 mg/day
• 51 and older: 8 mg/day





Sources of Iron

1 cup of cooked soybeans (8.8 mg)
1 cup of cooked lentils (6.6 mg)
1 cup of cooked spinach (6.4 mg)
1 teaspoon of Spirulina (5 mg)
1 cup of cooked chickpeas (4.7 mg)
4 ounces of quinoa (4 mg)
1 cup of cooked oatmeal (1.6 mg)



This post is written by Karel.
Adapted from:

Why Do You Need Iron
Iron Requirements
Iron Sources 1
Iron Sources 2
Cues for more iron
Iron
Leafy Greens Picture
Iron Greens

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

6 Cleansing Methods to Get Clean

With the start of the new year, it is a great time to start a cleanse. Our bodies are consistently enduring many toxins and attempting to clear themselves. Cleansing detox diets are short term methods to help clear the system from toxins from processed foods and the environment. Also, cleanses are a great way to beat addictions such as caffeine, alcohol, and sugar. These cleanses can bring mental clarity, spiritual uplifting, and help you feel better.



6 Cleanses to Get Clean
1. Master Cleanse: This cleanse involves consuming a mixture of lemon juice, maple syrup, water, and cayenne pepper. This mix is consumed multiple times per day over a span of about ten days. Also salt water flushes in the morning and laxative teas are used at night to further cleanse the system.
pro: better sleep, improved complexion, more energy, weight loss, increased strength, reduced swelling and pain
cons: can lead to muscle breakdown, vitamin deficiencies, headaches
*read book The Complete Master Cleanse by Tom Woloshyn or research online for more info

2. Green Smoothie Detox Diet: This cleanse involves drinking fruits and vegetables through smoothies. You want to shoot for about fifteen servings of fruit and vegetables per day. Additional foods besides fruit and veggies allowed are: bee pollen, chia seeds, herbs, raw cacao, coconut, flaxseed oil, goji berries, maple syrup, stevia, honey, and avocado.
pro: good source of fiber to get things moving
cons: can experience headaches and fatigue because of toxin elimination

3. Fresh Fruit Cleanse: This cleanse was created by Leanne Hall who is a yoga instructor and nutrition enthusiast. It lasts between one to seven days. The fruit works to restore metabolism and strengthen digestive action of the intestines. Recommended foods are: mangos, pears, bananas, raspberries, plantains, dates, figs, lemons, tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, eggplants, zucchinis, avocados, coconut milk, spirulina, raw cacao, hemp seeds, flaxseeds, olive oil, balsamic vinegar herbs, and spices. It is called the fresh fruit cleanse, but can include some veggies too as listed above
pro: affordable, encourages fruit an veggie intake
con: food needs to be prepped and can be time consuming
*read book Fresh Fruit Cleanse by Leanne Hall for more information

4. Raw Food Cleanse: The idea behind this cleanse is that when we eat too many cooked foods, our bodies use energy that normally goes towards detoxification to assimilate these foods. This cleanse will help to get rid of waste without gaining more junk along the way. Eating habits include organic raw vegetables, fruits, seeds, and sprouts. Avocados, nuts and coconuts aren't allowed for this cleanse because they reduce the efficacy of cleansing and can tax the liver if consumed in large quantities. You must eat at least one pound of leafy greens per day as well. This cleanse normally lasts about 7-10 days. This cleanse also recommends a 24 hour water faster prior to starting.
pro: rejuvenation, energy, weight loss, mental clarity
con: may experience discomfort as toxins leave the body

5. Juice Cleanse: This cleanse requires that you have a juicer, which can be costly. Juice cleanses last at least three days normally and require fruit and vegetable juices. Prior to this type of cleanse you want to eliminate caffeine, processed foods, and sugar from your diet. This is to help avert negative cravings and headaches. You want to drink around 32-96 ounces of juice each day. Half of the juice should come from greens. Warm water is drank between the juices too to help elimination.
pro: increased energy, heal without drugs, maintain stamina
con: costly to buy massive amounts of fruits and veggies, juicers range from $60-1000, need to consume juice immediately after it is made since phytochemicals break down.

6. PH Cleanse: With this cleanse, you consume fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains. It prohibits meats, dairy sweets, alcohol, condiments, and artifical sweeteners. The idea behind this cleanse is that you eat foods that have a more alkaline pH. When we eat too many acidic foods such as meat and dairy, it disrupts the homeostasis within our bodies and can cause disease and illness. Balancing our pH with more alkaline foods increases our energy and helps us to recover faster and fight infections. You should do frequent saliva pH tests daily and try and shoot for a pH between 7.35-7.45. This cleanse also calls for two enemas daily
pro: alkaline foods are plant based and nourishing, can resolve pain, increase energy and sense of well being
con: two enemas daily can lead to electrolyte imbalance, negative feelings from toxins leaving body

----
Karel and I tried the master cleanse about a year ago and it was great to clear out the system, but it got a bit repetitive and the drinks did not taste very good at all. With all of these cleanses feel out your body and remember that these cleanses are meant to be used for the short term. Note that you don't have to follow these cleanses directly as they are stated, but adapt them as you wish and listen to your body. Also, please consult a doctor before choosing to make any drastic dietary changes, and research each cleanse further independently so you know what to expect.

One more thing... It is BEST to start a cleanse during the spring and summer seasons.

This post is written by Michael.
Adapted from: 

Style Magazine 
Image 1

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