Coke Cleanse for Kidney Stones and More

Welcome to "Cleanse the Waste Wednesday!"  "What's up Wednesday" was fun...but I needed a day to focus on cleansing.  So many people are coming to me with the need to cleanse...so here is the beginning of a new series.  Yahoo!

 This is one of the most effective cleanses that I have seen, and it is relatively easy.

• 6 cans Classic Coke™ 
• 6-8 oz Asparagus (Fresh is best, but you can substitute frozen or canned)*
• 1 gallon of distilled water

Open all the cans of coke a few hours before you plan to get started, to let the fizz out (and stop eating).  You will want the Coke to be room temp (some people like to heat it up...not sure if they like the taste better warm, if they think it adheres to the stones better hot or if they think that boiling it will remove the caffeine or something, you are welcome to try it warm or hot, but room temp seems to be the best I've seen).  Drink all 6 of the cans within a 2 hour period of time.  Towards the end of your "drinking binge", prepare your asparagus* and once your coke is gone gobble up your asparagus as quickly as possible and then drink your distilled water at your own pace, throughout the day, until it is gone.  Avoid food for a few hours and plan to stay near the restroom as it begins to work almost immediately.  If you would like to see the stones you can strain and rinse your waste...This cleanse is mostly for kidney stones, but many of my clients report that it helps clear a lot more.  When we work on them before and after the cleanse I can almost always feel a difference in the signals to the liver, gall bladder and kidney...so, in my mind this is much more than  a kidney flush.

People say that it works because of the phosphoric acid in the coke...but if that was the case, then people who drink a lot of Coke should never get stones, right?  Well, that's not true.  I do agree that the phosphoric acid helps to break the stones up...but I think it needs the asparagus and distilled water to work.  My theory is that when you drink that much coke in that quick of a time frame your body treats it like a poison and traps it.  When you eat the large amount of asparagus it changes the pH in the body and sends the phosphoric acid like a magnet to the stones, breaking them up and chasing them out of the body.  The distilled water dilutes what is left and continues washing it out of the body, but the most important part is that it rehydrates the body. As a side-note, soda pop, in general dehydrates the body...creating the ideal situation to create new stones, so if you have a tendency to get stones easily...avoid carbonation (this includes energy drinks).  Also, if this cleanse doesn't work well it may be because you were dehydrated to begin with and didn't drink enough water after.

*For the asparagus,  I was originally taught that no matter how you get it down, just do it.  You can cover it in butter, lemon juice or Hollandaise sauce, whatever you need to eat it, and to eat it quickly.  Later I learned that it is best to steam or boil it and then process it in a blender until well pureed...pure liquid.  As you drink it, chew it to mix it with saliva.  If you cannot do this, then do whatever it takes to get it down.  Pureed is best, but anything is better than nothing.

** this should NOT be painful.  If the kidney stones do not fully pass you can repeat the process within 3 days. 

Waterless Baby Bath

Johnson and Johnson won't like this "Old Wives Tale Tuesday" post...it's all about taking care of babies skin naturally, with bare bones products.  Many new parents are cautious about what they put on their perfect new baby.  Some people only want to use doctor recommended products because they believe that their doctor has done the research and knows best, and others want to go all natural...well, this old wives tale has withstood the test of time. 

"Rubbing coconut or olive oil on your baby morning and night will beautify their skin and boost their immunity."  We called it the olive oil bath, growing up (we used olive oil because coconut oil wasn't as readily available, but now I use coconut oil).  Many parents have a nighttime bath routine...this is a good alternative, which saves time, laundry and water.  It does not replace baths all together, but spreads it out so that you can easily go a week between.  Let's face it, babies aren't sweating and smelly and don't play around in anything that would cause them to get dirty enough to merit a daily bath, but if that is what you use to train them for good hygiene later, or to calm them for bed...then keep doing what you are doing.

Babies are born with a natural skin protectant called vernix (I actually know people who hang out in delivery rooms and rub the vernix all over their own dry hands and elbows to heal cracks and rashes).  Society tells us that we must wash it all off immediately, but instinct tells me to keep it on as long as possible (wipe away any blood or meconium, of course).  The theory with this old wives tale is that rubbing the baby with the oil will help the body naturally absorb this coating, giving the skin a really good foundation.  Coconut oil is a natural antibiotic and helps boost the babies immunity.  I love the smell, but if the oil is a bit rancid be prepared for a baby that smells like sour milk.  I have found that as you gently massage in the oil it calms the baby and helps it to naturally bond to the caregiver giving the bath.  I haven't been as consistent as some of my siblings, but I humbly say that I am impressed with the clarity and natural glow of my children's skin.  I love it because I don't spend a lot of money on products that I can't explain all the ingredients, and my babies all love to get their clothes changed. 

So...wives tale or not, I believe that giving a quick coconut or olive oil bath as I change my children's clothes in the morning and night saves me time and creates beautiful results.

Look Before You Leap

 

Life if full of unexpected moments...take a look at this video that I ran across while visiting with my awesome sister-in-laws.  Get motivated, look before you leap, and have a GREAT WEEK!
http://us.search.yahoo.com/search?p=sail%20cat%20video&type=iplay_en&fr=ober

Something to do for Low Self Esteem

Today is my first "Thankful Thursday" post.  I'm not certain about the name yet, so I'll give it a go as long as it works. Today we are going to talk about a Thankful Journal.  Maybe you have heard of this before and maybe you haven't.  I first heard of the idea when I was in Junior High.  Teenagers are mean, and when you have a funny looking face (like I did, because of the tumor I was born with) but seem pretty normal, they can be downright ruthless.  I was having a particularly hard time with self esteem because of the teasing and a friend told me about a project he had started in Africa called a "Thankful Circle."  As a community they were suffering great depression and sadness, my friend suggested that they meet once a day and each say 3 things they were thankful for.  It was extremely effective, changing the attitude and productivity of the entire area.

I wouldn't say I was suffering from depression, but I did have low self esteem, so I decided to start my own circle with me, myself and I...and I wanted to remember the things I was thankful for, so I started writing them down.  Every night before I went to bed I would make myself write 3 things that I was thankful for (even if I didn't feel thankful for a single cotton-pickin' thing), and  I soon found that it was so effective in making life seem better that I started writing 3 things I was thankful for every morning too.  Sometimes it was silly like "I'm thankful that I have ink in my pen so I don't have to get out of bed and look for another pen."  Sometimes it was really deep, "I'm thankful for the person who made the nails that hold my bed together.  Other times it was fitting to my situation, "I'm thankful that no one made fun of me today," or "I'm thankful that ______ spoke to me, it made me feel like someone besides my family actually cared about me."

Such a simple thing.  A thankful journal, merely recognizing the blessings around me, was the first important step I took to finding happiness in the midst of those tough teenage years.  It's never too late to look around and be thankful for the things that are around you.

Motivational Monday

Today is "Motivational Monday," ...and My Birthday!!! I feel very motivated to watch this movie clip, from Disney's Tangled, and run around the house singing songs about lanterns lighting the sky.  If it's not your birthday...you might want to watch this little clip, from Alice in Wonderland, and have a very merry un-birthday!

I can't think of a better way to start the week.

Anything and Everything

Welcome to our first "Smart Sayings Saturday." This is meant to be a day where I share quotes that have changed my life for the better.  I can't think of a better way to start things off than with today's message.

"How you do anything is how you do everything."
-T. Harv Eker

This is my one of my all time FAVORITE quotes.  It's been 8 years since I attended "The Millionaire Mind Intensive," presented by the one and only T. Harv Eker and heard him give this quote in regards to becoming a millionaire.  This quote changed my life by changing the way that I looked at everything.  When I took a moment to fully absorb the meaning of these words a lightbulb was eternally lit within me.  How you handle, manage and approach any situation, challenge or experience in your life is how you most likely handle all of them.

For example, think about the way that you approach relationships, perform at work or react to a challenge.  You will start to see patterns of behavior and characteristics in all aspects of your life.  You will see similarities in the way that you behave, react, or get through everything.  If you are like Shirley Temple and always smile when you meet new people then you will be most likely to smile in the face of a challenge (can you tell what movies I've been checking out at the local library, wink wink).  If you are always trying to do that "one more thing" before you leave home and find yourself constantly late for appointments you can probably see that you are always trying to cram just "one more thing" into other aspects of your life too. How many things are you missing out on (or showing up late to) because you crammed that one more thing, etc.? Conflicts at work can be seen in conflicts at home, or within your mind (conflicting thoughts, aka indecisiveness).  If you are a hoarder with your stuff then you probably hang on to your relationships, work assignments, thoughts (grudges) and money (or dwell on the lack of money).

So, when you find that you are struggling with something in your life look at other areas to see how it is showing up there.  Sometimes the key will lie in fixing the struggle in a minor area.

Scheduling a Zone

How often should I schedule a zone?  That is the one question everyone seems to have...and my answer is different for every person but always starts with a return question.  Why did you come for a zone, or what are you wanting to work on with return visits?  Here are my cookie cutter answers (what I would do if I were in the particular situation):

Intense Health Issue 
(such as cancer, kidney failure etc. where the person has literally given up on everything else and is coming to me as an absolute last resort).
Every 3 days for 7 treatments (covering every day of the week in the order you start) and then every 8 days until we start to see results.*

Chronic Concerns or Annoyances
(such as Arthritis, Plantar faciitis, depression, infertility etc.).
Pick a series program to "reset" your system (see last weeks post about series choices here) This includes 8 treatments over a 2-3 month period, on specific days.*

Simply Feeling Out of Balance
Every 2 weeks for 3-5 months or until things start to feel right again. Consistency is the key to this one.*

Generally Healthy But Want a Body "Tune Up"
Tune up series is 5 treatments over a two month period, 2-3 times per year.*

Charlie Withdrawals
Some people come to see me once every 2 -3 weeks because they want to see and hold Charlie.  I call him my "Brewers Yeast Baby,"  because I consistently took brewers yeast throughout the tail end of my pregnancy and while nursing him.  The "B" vitamins seem to have given him a very mellow, yet alert personality, even through teething!  We always know if I have started slacking off on taking the brewers yeast for a week or more because he starts to get a little fussy.  Charlie is so sweet and cuddly that it is hard to resist wanting to hold him.

What I actually like to do for myself
Honestly...My favorite option is to be worked on as often as I can (I would love to do the one for the intense health issue, but haven't been able to tie anyone down long enough for it, haha).  When I first learned about zoning I traded my mom every 8 days for about 7 months and I have never felt better in my life.  So, if I could choose for people...that is what I would tell them to do, because it worked so well for me.  I currently signed myself and my husband up for a "Master Reset" series.  We are only 2 treatments in on the series and the other night, while driving, I noticed that for the first time in two years I was able to see clearly, with my contacts at night (TWO YEARS!!!).   I've had this nasty astigmatism (that the prescription didn't help with) and I only noticed it at night when it blurred all the lights.  It's too early to tell if it is long lasting or not, but that made me pretty happy...I've been working at improving my eyesight for years, and although I have seen other people heal I had not yet found something to work for me. When this series is done, I am going to keep us on an 8 day routine as long as I have students and graduates around to work on us.  I think that anyone who has the resources available (money and/or people to work on them) should get a foot zone every 8 days until they feel on top of the world then they should ease back to every other week and eventually to 2-3 times per year (5 treatments in 2 months).  If this sounds like something you want to do, long term, you might want to look into taking the classes...or sending a loved one through the classes so they can work on you.*

*I am not a doctor, so I cannot diagnose or prescribe.  I am not God, so I cannot promise healing, but I can tell you that I have worked on hundreds of people and I can share with you some experiences that I have personally witnessed (names removed).  I am not you, so I cannot decide what you should do for your health.  Since the body has its own agenda for healing, results may vary depending on the individual, their health, willpower and needs.

Aid for Morning Sickness

Welcome to "Old Wives Tale Tuesday!"  I've got quite a few friends battling morning sickness lately, and I thought I would share a few things that I have learned and/or used over the years to help with that special time of pregnancy.

Let's start with WATER... being dehydrated is, in my experience, the number one reason for morning sickness, followed closely by constipation.  My mom always told me that pregnancy is a natural part of life and as such, it shouldn't stop us from living a mostly normal life (of course you should listen to what your doctor or midwife tells you first).  She would go on to say that if it did then we should look at what we were doing on a consistent basis that could be causing the discomfort. When ever I started to feel nauseous I would think about how much water I had been drinking and then reflect on how long it had been since I had a good bowel movement. 100% of the time I was not doing well in either area.

Pregnancy and Peppermint.  I love using peppermint (or spearmint if you have high blood pressure) for so many things during pregnancy.  It eases morning sickness by relaxing headaches and relieving gas.  One cup of peppermint tea in the morning and after meals can drastically reduce nausea.  It does this by naturally stimulating the digestive system to move things along and hydrating both mommy and baby.  Putting a drop of essential oil on the wrists, ear lobes, back of the neck, or rubbing into the palms of the hands and cupping over the mouth and nose while breathing in brings alertness to sleepy mommies to be.

Dr. Christopher's Lower Bowel formula.  Let's face it, most pregnant women battle constipation during pregnancy.  This is due to the higher levels of hormones which slow the digestive process and leads to constipation.  Some people recommend Psyllium, but there are so many mixed beliefs about this product that I just don't go there.  Lower Bowel is designed to give you a temporary boost until your body can start taking care of things on its own again.  Dr. Christopher designed all of his products so that your body would not become dependent on them, that's part of what I love about his stuff.

Ginger.  This is my last resort aid for anything.  For some reason, I just really don't like Ginger, in any form...but a lot of people really swear by it for pregnancy.  they say that it is a good replacement for peppermint if you can't use it for any reason, and does so many amazing things...but I dislike it so much that I have blocked all of the good things from my memory.  Just know that if you are pregnant and you like Ginger (as a spice), then you should eat a lot of it, as often as you can.

One day when I am on a computer that is a little faster than a toddler walking to the mail box, I will come back through and add fun pictures and a link to find lower bowel.  If you have heard of any other traditions to ease morning sickness that are not included here please add it to the comments.  We'd love to know.  You never know when something that you say might be the only thing that can help someone reading this.

You're Awesome!

Welcome to Motivational Monday!  I am still getting settled in Utah, so here is a quick little post specifically for you. I hope that this fun picture helps you to feel happy and remember that no matter what anyone says, YOU ARE AWESOME!!!

Life Lessons To Be Remembered By

I haven't settled on a good name for this day of the week, but "What's up Wednesday," is where it is leaning this week.  "What's up" can cover any current event in my life or the community.  Last night we hit 1000 views since beginning this blog in April and I almost wrote an entire article about that, but this morning I got some news that changed all my plans.

This post is dedicated to my sweet and spunky Grandma Liston, who passed away peacefully in her sleep this morning.  What a GREAT example of how to live life.  Here are a few of the hundreds of lessons that she taught me over the years:

• My grandma taught me that no matter what happens, you should always finish what you start.
• You should clean up after yourself immediately, don't ever let the grass grow or the dust settle.
• You should get dressed and comb your hair before leaving your bedroom in the morning, because if you don't someone will inevitable come to your door and see you in your undies.
• Never give up on the people you love.  She was an amazing example of this!
• When people come to visit, STOP everything you are doing and sit down to spend quality time talking with them.  Just like this picture, from our recent trip to Utah...you never know when it is going to by your last time together.
• Stay active in your community.  I remember her going to fashion shows and meetings for the "Orem Women's Club" for years.  I really think a big part of why she lived to be nearly 99, in such great physical condition is because she never stopped being active in the things around her...besides, you have to stay in shape if all the other ladies are going to critique you at every meeting, right?
• Take time to "Visit the Old People."  She called everyone with gray hair and wrinkles old.  She would visit ailing friends strangers in the care center my grandpa was in and say she was going to visit the "old people"...even though some of them were 20 years younger than her.
• Good things are worth waiting for, and when the time is right you will know...or she would tell you.  I remember the day that Linda and I were visiting her (we used to go every Monday night, grandma night, when we worked together at Nu Skin) and I told her and Joyce about this young guy I was dating and they both said that if I didn't snatch him up the next time he came calling that they would cut my head open and look for loose screws.  He was WELL worth the wait, and I'm glad that they helped steer me to him.  I wouldn't be where I am today, with these cute kids and this happy marriage, if I hadn't had that visit with my Grandma Liston.
• Last, but not least...people die in bed.  Fitting that she was able to go the way she always wanted to, peacefully, in her sleep...in bed, just like she always said people do.  So, jump out of bed every morning, prance across the floor (to show that you've still got a spring in your step, like Grandma Liston), and thank God that you are alive and have one more day to experience life on this earth.  

These are only a few of the lessons and habits I will remember my grandma for.  I could sit here for hours typing about all the amazing and silly things I learned from her, but as it is, we have decided to travel to Utah... tomorrow.  AJ will stay behind for school and I will take the kids for the funeral and to help the family take care of things until mid August.  The internet isn't so fantastic there, so...don't be surprised if my blog starts to slack a little.  I will do my best to get 5 days a week in, but I make no promises.  

Thank you for all your support and...

Thank you for over 1000 page views!!!

Miracle Cure For Blisters

Welcome to "Old Wives Tale Tuesday."

With a husband  in the military who loves to work out I have had a lot of experience with treating blisters.  You can find a lot of pretty cool products in the band-aid section of the store...but I bet you didn't know about this AMAZING trick...a cotton ball, soaked in Castor Oil on the blister overnight will soften and practically erase blisters.  It has NEVER failed me.  Whenever AJ comes home with blisters we cover the blister with castor oil on a cotton ball and a band-aid when he is getting ready for bed and the next morning it is significantly better or even gone without a trace.  It works by drying up the blister so if you notice a strange coating over the top resist the temptation to peel it off.  This is the castor oil doing its job.  Allow it to heal completely or another blister may reform.

Happy? It's Time...for some motivation!

It's "Motivational Monday!"  Sometimes it's a little tough to get going Monday morning, so I decided that it would be fun to share a motivational moment, thought or video to kick start your week. Today is the beginning of "Motivational Monday."

Here is a really fun song that brings a smile to my soul and motivates me to get out of my chair and start moving.  I have recently discovered that when my kids are crying it magically makes them stop crying, forget their worries and smile (this version, specifically).  The message is also pretty awesome:  "It's time to build from the bottom of the pit, right to the top.  Don't hold back. Don't look back. It's time to begin." When someone pushes you to be something that you aren't (in my mind this relates to peer pressure), give them a rain check, accept the amazing person that you already are.  Look at their confident faces as they sing the message, collect your inner strength and never change who you are.

For motivation, click the link below. Turn it up, sing along and dance like no one is looking!

Peter Holens and Tyler Ward: It's Time

and here is a bonus song because these guys are all so AMAZING...

"Happy"

Scheduling a Series

I like to nickname everything.  For instance (as a total tangent), starting today, Fridays will now be known (on this blog) as "Foot Zone Friday". Back to the point at hand; when I learned about the series that the Academy teaches and the things that it does, I renamed it "The Master Reset Series."  It is based on a theory that every day is governed by an organ (or gland).  If the person receives treatment on the same day each week the organ in charge can be damaged by the extra burden created by the zone.  When you rotate days you allow the body to process and heal more thoroughly.

According to Kathy Duvall and Christine Christensen of The Academy of Foot Zone Therapy (training manuals) here is a breakdown of the days and the governing entities:

• Sunday: pituitary gland, cerebellum, eyes and ears (third eye chakra: indigo)
• Monday: thymus, heart, diaphragm, lungs, shoulders (heart chakra: green)
• Tuesday: thyroid, parathyroids, spine throat, bronchial tubes, larynx, tongue, salivary glands, and vocal cords (throat chakra: Blue)
• Wednesday: pineal gland. cerebrum, hypothalamus, brain stem (crown chakra: violet)
• Thursday: solar plexus, pancreas, stomach, gallbladder, kidneys, liver and spleen (solar plexus chakra: yellow)
• Friday: uterus, prostate, testes, ovaries, bladder, rectum, small intestine, colon, appendix, illeocecal valve, sciatica, hips and duodenum (sacral chakra: orange)
• Saturday: adrenals, circulatory system, arms, legs, feet, bones (general), immune system and torso (base chakra: red)

From this the following schedule was designed for people with chronic disease (8 zones in 11 weeks):

Master Reset Series

1. Friday (The series beginends on a Friday)
2. Saturday (8 days later)
3. Thursday (12 days later)
4. Monday (11 days later)
5. Tuesday (8 days later)
6. Wednesday (8 days later)
7. Sunday (11 days later)
8. Friday (12 days later)

It is very particular and needs to be done on the exact day, beginning and ending with Friday...but a few variations can be made if ABSOLUTELY necessary.  The less you stray, the better...but what I have found is that as long as you never go more than 14 days between treatments and hit every day of the week it is still good.  (good, better, best).  It is good to "try" to follow the schedule, it is better to mostly follow the schedule, and it is best to follow the schedule exactly.

I have seen enough evidence that I believe in this theory.  I cannot say for sure if each of these items governs on this particular day (Tuesday: Thyroid, etc.) but I do believe that they go in this exact order (thyroid one day, pineal gland the next, solar plexus the next etc.) So, based on that belief, I offer a second series called:

The Body Balance Series

It is simply 1 zone every 8 days starting on whatever day you feel like starting.  8 zones in 8 weeks and no matter what governing each day...we get it all.

When someone finishes the Master Reset Series I like to keep them on the body balance series until they get the results they were looking for.  We have seen big things happen in peoples lives while following this program.

I usually offer pretty rock bottom prices for people who commit to a series, so be sure to ask me about series pricing.

P.s. did you notice our new favicon (favorite icon) at the top of your screen?  We went back and forth between blue and orange.  Maybe we will randomly switch to see if anyone notices besides us.  

Thyroid oil blends

I have had several requests for me to post my friend Debbie's oil blends for the Thyroid.

Here they are:

Protocol #1 for Hypothyroidism

A-40 drops each of Balance and Geranium (Combine in a roller bottle, and label)
B-40 drops each of Lemongrass and Myrrh (Combine in a roller bottle, and label)
Alternate these blends by week.  Use 3-4 times a day on lower neck and ball of/under big toe)

Protocol #2 for Hypothyroidism

25 drops lemongrass
25 drops clove
10 drops frankincense
Combine ingredients in a roller bottle and add
Fractionated Coconut Oil (FCO) to top
Roll on lower neck (thyroid) and ball of/under big toe

For more information, protocols, symptoms and other information, visit everythingessential.me It is an awesome website that Debbie taught me about.  This link specifically tells you more about oils and the thyroid.  Search around that site while you are there.  It also gives protocols for Hyperthyroidism and more! I think you should bookmark it because it's a fun place to search for whatever ails you.

Special Thank you to Debbie Wescott and doTERRA.

Foot Zoning Conference!!!

Photo courtesy of footzoneconference.com

Yahoo! For the first time, EVER, all of the big foot zone therapy schools across the U.S. are combining for one big educational event.  It is rumored that the son of Dr. Ersdale will be coming to teach along with several other key people in the industry.  This year marks the 25th anniversary of Foot Zone Therapy in the United States.  This will be a monumental event.  It just happens to fall on the same dates that AJ and I have planned a family vacation to Hawaii (Actually the Military picked the dates for us, he is scheduled for a training in Hawaii, so I can't actually come to the conference).  I HIGHLY recommend that anyone interested in foot zone therapy be there.  It is only $59 and dinner Friday is included! (I didn't see anything about being associated with any school, so as far as I can tell, you don't even have to be a student...so, if you have been looking into foot zone therapy you could study all the schools and pick one!)

November 14-15, 2014 Lehi, UT (Thanksgiving Point)

To register, or find out more information go to:

 footzoneconference.com (hosted by the Utah Foot Zone Association)

How to stop a nose bleed

Introducing "Old Wives Tale Tuesday." I love to hear old wives tales, so I thought I would pick a day and post one weekly.  My favorite part is that because this is a searchable blog, I can send people to it or look myself for a quick refresher! Yahoo!!!

Here is a random thing that I learned as a kid to stop a nose bleed:

Wad up a square of toilet paper, dip it in white vinegar and place it gently in your nose.  The burning sensation is the cauterizing action sealing up the tear.  If it isn't working fast enough, twist or twirl it and breath in ever so slightly.  This will make you sneeze and somehow this is a magical combination.

I was hit in the face with a sled, by accident, at the end of a blistery cold recess in elementary school and had daily nose bleeds for months afterward.  The school nurse couldn't figure it out and would just send me home if it lasted more than an hour.  They would come from 1 side or both and last "for-e-ver.".  My moms traditional remedy was to swallow 1/4 tsp of loose cayenne pepper on the end of a spoon. It worked, but took much longer.  When we figured out this little genius (white vinegar on the tip of toilet paper), I never had a problem again, nose bleeds were now a 1-2 minute nuisance, no longer a 1 hour life stopper.

When people ask me what I recommend to stop excessive nose bleeds I first try to figure out why they are happening by asking them about the time of day, frequency, life circumstances etc. then I remind them that I am not a doctor and cannot recommend anything but I can tell them that I would start with drinking more water.  Turns out that the number one cause for spontaneous nose bleeds is dehydration.  Then I tell them my "old wives tales suggestions, above. So, the next time you have a spontaneous nose bleed, or "pick a winner" (as my family used to say), remember this tale and tell us how it worked for you.

Cherries Have Pits...a parable, of sorts.

As a young child I picked cherries.  We were paid 1 penny a pound if we picked 10 pounds or less, 2 cents a pound if we picked at least 20 pounds and the ultimate...5 cents a pound (for every pound) if we picked 30 pounds or more.  Five cents a pound may not sound like much, but to a six year old who has no other income and wants to buy a new bike (so they can start a paper route) WOOOOIE...What an incentive!

You might be thinking, "Ummmm, that's neat Jeanne, but what has it got to do with foot zoning?"  Well, I learned a very important life lesson up on those trees that I want you to know, and never forget...Cherries have pits.  They are tempting, delicious (depending on the variety, haha), juicy morsels of delight...but if you bite directly on the center of them with all your might, you may brake a tooth, and even worse, if you don't notice it during the momentary celebration in your mouth, you might swallow the pit and...DIE (thank you Grandma Liston, who always ended fun stories with extreme lessons in life, like the dad on "Meet the Croods.")

One of the simplest lessons you can learn and teach your children, but often we think that rather than teach someone about simple things it will be easier, or faster to protect them from it.  I thought I needed to hide the cherries or remove the pits to protect my sweet daughter (who just turned 3...TODAY).  You know what?  That smart little whippersnapper found the bowl of cherries and figured it out all on her own. "Hey Mom, look...there is something inside.  I don't want to eat it, will you bring me the garbage?"

Moral: Life is full of tempting circumstances that look, see, and feel amazing.  Some people may try to protect us from harm or disappointment by hiding or removing the unpleasant parts but remember that self esteem and independence are developed from the lessons learned by knowing about and taking responsibility when the unpleasant things arise (aka, removing the pits ourselves).

For Students:
How to translate what we find in the foot: When I am giving a foot zone and come to a "pit in the foot" I contemplate the area that corresponds with the exact location on the foot and ask my client what they know about that organ, bone, muscle or tissue.  When we have discussed what they know I educate them on what I have learned about the function/purpose of the same thing, including symptoms that can arise if it is not working properly.  Then we discuss what a "pit" means to them and we apply it (emotionally) to life.  The word "pit" can mean a hole, crater, bump, rock, obstacle, inconvenience or a whole lot of other things to different people, so it important that we coach them through, but let them choose their own definition.  Now that you have discussed what the area is important for, and what a pit is to them, weave them together to discover why it is showing up in the signals of their feet at this particular time.

When life gives you cherries...You just gotta spit out the seeds!

Feeling like you're at "The END of your rope?"

As a teacher and a perpetual student, the most important thing I have learned is that everything in life has a lesson to give...if we are ready or open to learn it.  One thing that I have noticed is that often I will have multiple chances to learn a particular lesson.  It will show up in trends through my own life experiences or in the things I find in my clients.  Sometimes 9 out of 10 of my clients will show a particular weakness in the same area (lungs, knee, pancreas etc.) When I study up on it and figure out how to help them (or myself), it disappears and no one seems to have it anymore.  The recent trend that I have been noticing is extreme stress.  Sure, everyone has stress, and that's easy to pick up on...but lately when I work on people I am noticing a lack of reaction to the solar plexus (nerve center of the body), thyroid, AND the adrenals.   That tells me that A LOT of people are at "the end of their rope."

I believe that because of the overwhelming number of opportunities available to us today, it is easier for all of us to get to that point and we all go in and out of high amounts of stress.  We have SO MANY things easier than our ancestors (disposable diapers, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, cars, higher wages, credit, government handouts, haha) and yet it seems like we can handle less stress in similar situations.  This shows up the most, for me, in the "mundane" tasks of life.  Part of the pressure comes when we commit to so many things outside of the home (and family) that we don't have time left to do the things that used to be the center of life (cooking meals, cleaning the house, talking with our loved ones).

I've come to a conclusion that life is never going to get less stressful.  I've watched my parents (in their 70's) get bogged down with stress...becoming empty nesters and retiring does not take stress away.  It only changes it.  Money does not take stress away (although I would find the money to pay someone to potty train my children for me, and I'm pretty sure that could lighten my stress load, haha).  Now that this depressing news is out on the table, what can we do to lighten the load, or to change our perception of stress?

Here are a few things that have helped me reduce excessive stress, and that I talk about with my clients:   

Write yourself a permission slip.  Do you need to relax or let go?  Sometimes I need a permission slip to un-commit to something unrealistic.  Sometimes I think I am superwoman (of course I can raise a family, clean my house, teach classes, work on several clients a week, write a blog, volunteer in the community, serve in my church and maintain good relationships with all my loved ones) that is obviously unrealistic.  When I get "in over my head" and feel ready to tear someones head off (usually poor AJ, sorry honey) because I can't handle another thing it is helpful for me to give myself permission to back off.  I don't do this one very often, but every once in a while it is okay.

Ask for help.  Let's face it, if there is a lot to be done you will not be able to relax until it is done.  It may be possible for you to ask for help from family, friends, or church members.  If you don't attend church and are looking for a good one, let me know, I'd be happy to tell you more about the one I go to, wink wink.

Breathe.  Stop everything that you are doing and take some nice, slow, relaxing deep breaths (in through the nose and out through the mouth).  For added benefit put a drop or 2 of your favorite essential oil into the palm of your hand, rub both hands together and cup them over your mouth while you inhale.

Make a list of priorities and say no to the non priorities and consider revising your priorities with the intention of reducing them (giving something non-critical up, or moving it to the bottom of your list, if possible).  Remember that when you say yes to one thing you are always saying no to something else.

Make eating healthy food choices a priority (what you eat today will literally become the person you are tomorrow).  If you are having a tough time making good food choices and want help you should check out my friends over at Envifit.com they help with meal planning.  AJ is starting a program with them right now and has been very impressed so far.

Find something to laugh about.  I just checked out a funny book from the local library (THANK YOU ARI and ELI for introducing us to the library, we are hooked!).  There are also many silly videos and cd's that you can check out or purchase.  Maybe you have some particular friends that always make you smile, give them a call.

There are so many things that you can do to reduce stress, if you have some good ideas to add, please add it to the comments.  And, if all else fails, remember this famous advice, "when you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on." --Thomas Jefferson (and Franklin D. Roosevelt, sort of)

Vinegar and Honey

One of my most requested recipes for health is "Vinegar and Honey."  It is so beneficial and so easy that it is no surprise.

Here are a few of the reasons that you would drink it:

• Sore Throat and/or cough (drink warm or cold, add a dash of cayenne pepper to cut mucous)
• Sore muscles (especially great after a tough workout or intense foot zone, drink hot for faster results)
• Weight loss
• Digestive issues
• Overall health
• I've also read that it can help with joint pain/arthritis, constipation, acne, heartburn, bad breath and more, but the 5 above are the ones that I will highlight today).

Vinegar and Honey

1 heaping tbsp of honey*
3 scant tbsp's Apple Cider Vinegar (Bragg's is my favorite brand)
6 to 8 oz water

I put the honey into the glass I'm going to drink from and use the same spoon to measure the vinegar (because the vinegar helps dissolve the honey still on the spoon and that is how I get a "scant Tbsp").  If I am making it for sore muscles I turn the tap water on hot while I measure the honey and vinegar then I add 6-8 oz (about 1 cup, whatever fits comfortably in the glass I have chosen to drink out of) of the hottest tap water I can muster and stir until the honey is completely dissolved.  I like to sip is slowly, especially if it is for a sore throat because it provides so much relief.  If you chug it when you have a sore throat it misses the throat and just aids with digestion, providing very little relief for the throat.  My husband used to drink the whole glass in about 2 swallows and then he would complain that it wasn't helping when he was sick.  Once I explained "why" we drink it slowly he has seen tremendous results and often requests it when he feels any kind of illness coming on.

For weight loss or digestive issues, I would make a large concentrated batch of the vinegar and honey to store in the fridge, then I would add it to water and drink 1/2 to 1 diluted cup 15 minutes before each meal. 

As for General good health.  I once heard of a very elderly woman who was interviewed about what she thought she did that made her live for so long and her response was "I drink my vinegar every day."  By drinking apple cider vinegar every day it has been said to aid with blood pressure (I assume because it cleans out your veins and arteries similar to the way it cleans hard mineral deposits off any surface you use it for cleaning, etc.) and aid with digestion (something about kick starting your metabolism).  I would offer a word of warning if you are prone to ulcers because I'm not sure what daily doses of vinegar would do to the stomach over time.  It's probably good for it, but I don't have any experience with it, so do your research before trying it out.

*Make sure the only ingredient listed in the ingredient section of the label is 100% honey, there has been a recent trend of companies claiming on the front of the label that it is 100% pure, and the tiny part that they use is...but if you look at the ingredients you will see that the first ingredient listed is actually corn syrup and honey is just added for color and flavor.  FYI...Otter Pops are another classic illustration of this deceptive claim.  If you read the fine print you will see that they only use a small percentage of actual juice, but because the small percentage is "100% juice" they are able to make the misleading claim on the front of the package.

***Note***This is not a prescription of any type, these are only the things that I do or would do in a particular situation.  You should always do your own research before jumping in.

p.s. If you do a quick Google search you will find many variations on this recipe.  Many people add things like lemon, garlic, jalapenos or onion to the mix to boost the results.  I have used many of these variations over time, but I love the basics, and no matter how much I wander away, I always seem to come back to this recipe.  It's the one my mom used on me growing up and that I use in my family today.

Do you have a chip on your shoulder?

Tonight as I sat reading my emails I managed to get a giant chip on my shoulder.  It was a figurative and literal "Chip."  The saying "a chip on your shoulder means that you are angry or upset about something and holding a grudge. It is derived long before the 1800's but became popular when people actually placed chips of wood on their shoulder to show that they were angry about something and looking for a fight.  By putting the chip of wood on their shoulder they were challenging anyone who would dare knock it off to a fight.

As I was sitting in front of the computer I noticed an email from someone I was very excited to hear from and the news they gave me was very disheartening.  They had decided against allowing me to participate in something I was really looking forward to being a part of. The news broke my heart and I began eating to numb the pain.  As I stuffed a rather large hand full of chips into my mouth to avoid the sad feelings weighing me down a single chip escaped the group and landed on my shoulder.  I looked and looked for it but couldn't see it, so I figured that it must not be there and I forgot about it.  With the kids and husband asleep I was free to work off the extra energy (from my newly forming grudge) undisturbed, so I cleaned the fridge, did the dishes and straightened the house...you know, normal things at 11:00 at night, right?  Well, I finally sat down and leaned oven to pick something up off the floor.  As I did, this foreign object raced past my hand to the floor, startling me as it went...it was the chip (the chip of sorrow, as my late night self has nicknamed it), part of a subconscious plot to help me escape the reality of that loathsome email.

Earlier, when it fell from my mouth and I couldn't find it I assumed that I was unaffected by it and went on with my chores.  Just as I assumed that I was unaffected by the chip because I couldn't see or feel it, I also assumed that dwelling on and replaying the words of that email over and over in my mind in different scenarios would somehow make things better and leave me unaffected...but throughout the night I carried both chips on my shoulders, the figurative and the literal.

How often do we do this with life...Carry the weight of things we can't control?  How often do we go about our daily business dwelling on past memories with the idea that we can solve the problem by replaying it?  I have clients come to me all the time with a figurative chip on their shoulder similar to the one I had tonight and as we zone their feet we discover trapped pain and emotions because of it.  It's funny to me that somehow we think that if we hang onto things that upset us that they didn't happen, or that if we hold onto a grudge because someone else hurt us, that they will see our agony and give us what we want.  That is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die...Futile.  It's a human thing to do, so it's no surprise that is is coming up for me tonight.

I'm glad that the literal chip fell on my shoulder because when it fell off it gave me a moment to reflect and realize that I was carrying a grudge, and just like my body let go of the chip when I forgot about it and the timing was right (for me to lean over and let gravity do it's job), it is time for me to forgive the person who sent me the email that brought out the "Scarlet O'Hara attitude" in me tonight .

This is my advice for my clients and those who find that they have figurative chips on their shoulder, no matter how long they have been carrying it around.  We need to forgive so that we can become more than we are today.  Forgiving doesn't change the facts.  As I forgive the author of that email, it will not change the fact they made a choice that puts certain things in motion that have the potential to greatly affect my future business in a negative way.  It does not change things that have happened or the raw emotions that surfaced in the moment, but forgiveness can change the entire game from this moment on.  Forgiving makes it possible for me let go of this grudge and focus on what I can do to build my business so that their choice does not destroy it.  Forgiveness is the most powerful tool in our emotional toolbelt. Take control of your life.  Look in the mirror and brush that chip off your shoulder so that you can create a stronger, happier, chip free future.  A future where you will have more brain capacity to focus on the things that you love, because you have let go of the grudges that were binding you down.

Rescue Remedy Pastilles (for stress and anxiety relief)

Let me just say A..MA...ZING!!!  I just had a torturous hour long phone call settling some financial confusion and as I sat numb in my chair, head swirling, jaw clenching, neck tightening, shoulders aching, spine tensing, my eyes glided randomly to a yellow tin stuffed on a shelf (hidden from a sweet little girl who thinks it is candy).  "Hmmmmm, I wonder..." I say to myself as I pop a lozenge into my mouth.  BAMMMM!  Instant relief!!! I feel focused, less tense, and happier.

It's called "Rescue Remedy," and that's just what this lipstick flavored, button looking thing did for me, it was the remedy that rescued me from the anguish and despair that phone call had brought me to.  I feel like I can be a better mom in this moment because I don't have to turn the frustration of that phone call around onto my sweet, innocent children.

It comes in a yellow tin (as shown above) and you can buy it at just about any health food store (sprouts included).  It is a homeopathic remedy, part of the "Bach Flower" family, so it works on a frequency level.  Click here to see the actual Bach website and description (They even have it in a gum form, I need to go shopping! haha).  A good rule of thumb...store it away from electronic devices and it will remain more potent.  Another thing to know about it is that more is not necessarily better.  You could eat 1 or 10 and it would have the same effect, but if you dissolve 1 in a bottle of water and sip it throughout the day you will get more benefit from it than you would if you just took 1 once, because it is like having a drip tube and you get continued doses.

Although you can buy it from any health food store, the online price is usually better so here are 2 sites that I found in my 2-second Google search:
 Swanson vitamins (this is where I usually go to buy it because they have so many good products and you can almost always find additional coupons to use at checkout and Vitacost.com

Buy a few tins of these and put them in convenient locations around your house or office and the next time your life gets extra emotional or stressful pop one in and see if you enjoy the same instant relief that I did!

P.S. Happy Birthday to my sister Ilene!!!  I forget my own birthday, and even my kids birthdays (although I was definitely there for them)...but I have never forgotten Ilene's, haha.

Something new in the works..

As you know, oh loyal followers, (hee hee) I have been doing a little challenge that I like to call..."The Water Challenge."  Well, it's been 2 weeks now, and I'm not seeing what I would like to see...or really anything at all, so I am going to end the official "challenge" a week early and focus on a new plan, wah... ha... ha... ha (insert evil laugh).  I am going to continue trying to drink a gallon a day but I am not going to report on it, unless something phenomenal happens.

Watch along the top tabs.  I am going to be making an addition in the next week or two (when I can tie down my awesome husband, or figure it out on my own).  I really hope you like it because my posts will be based on in for a while.  In the meantime, I am going to throw in a few things that people have been requesting that I write about, so keep checking in because you never know what I will write about when I am not bound by a challenge...

Distilled Water

I was planning to write about the different types of water and just before getting started I thought I would do a quick search to see what else was out there. Lo and behold, who should pop up but one of my hero's, Dr. Christopher and this article: Click here to follow the link to his herbal legacy.  So now I will expound on his favorite type of water.

Distilled Water

Distilled water is the process extracting the water from minerals and contaminants through the process of boiling it and collecting it "in its purest form" by cooling the steam drip by drip into a clean container.  Think of evaporation, and you've got the idea (except that when the water comes back to earth, as rain it collects pollutants etc.). When I decide to go on a "Distilled Water Kick" I usually buy it from the local grocery store for 0.99 cents to $1.50/gal.  If you decide that you want it a little more often you can opt to have it delivered (like several of my friends), or you can buy a distiller.  If you pick that route, do a lot of research first because there is quite a wide range of quality available for purchase.  My mom had a gigantic thing that took up a large part of the hallway to the mud room, and it took forever.  I hated the empty taste, so I avoided it for years, but after speaking with some of Dr. Christopher's family members I decided to give it another chance and I didn't taste that stark empty taste anymore (must have been my picky, young taste buds).  My husband will tell you stories of how much better he feels when he is drinking it regularly.

Click here to view an article FOR Distilled Water
This is a great article highlighting the benefits of Distilled Water.  The author counters a few common reasons people avoid this type of water AND he even gives you a link to buy a good one for around $400 (if it is still on sale when you read this).

Be aware that there are many views against distilled water, so before you go thinking that distilled water will solve all your life problems I offer you one more article.  Click here to view an article AGAINST Distilled Water. This is a slightly chilling article on the extreme other side of the coin.  I always say "moderation in all things.  It is easier to have moderation when you know the pro's and cons.

I have friends who have never had any other type of water, but distilled...their entire life! And they are some of the healthiest people I know, so sometimes it's hard to believe what you read when someone sits in front of you living the exact opposite.

After hours of research, looking into various types of water and using my husband as a sounding board, he finally stopped me and said, "Let me tell you my opinion on water.  I believe that the best type of water is the one that inspires you to drink more."  So I guess that goes along with the eat more diet, haha. So, drink more of whatever type of water tastes good enough to tempt you to drink more, and bottoms up!

Water...the Dessert of the Desert

Laptops are amazing.  Tonight I am sitting on the back porch enjoying the heat of Arizona while the kids play.  It is 7:00pm and 103 degrees and I am LOVING it!  How on earth is that possible, what has happened to this Utah girl? Shade and water seem to make all the difference in the dessert.  Water can be taken internally (like the water challenge, hint hint), or used externally to cool the body.  We are doing both.  We don't have a pool but we do have misters and they are AMAZING! Doing the water challenge I feel more hydrated than I used to be.  The challenge has not had the obvious effects that I anticipated. I have studied the benefits and sort of expected to experience more of them by now.  I really thought that I would have daily updates, similar to the wake up with the sun challenge, but the 

changes I am noticing are a little more subtle.  

Does being hydrated help you acclimatize more quickly to extreme temperatures?

Honestly, my research doesn't come up with any evidence supporting or deflating this idea, but based on my personal experience's in Utah, Alaska and in Arizona, I suspect that it helps in both heat and cold.  Everything that I found was about heat... that seems to be what is consuming my life right now...it's hard to imagine anything cold when a popsicle melts faster than you can inhale it...and there was no proof, only opinion articles. So, let me add my opinion.  I adjust more quickly when I am hydrated so I vote that you should drink more water.  Out here in the heat of the desert the warmer it gets the more a glass of cool water tastes like dessert!

The "Eat More" Diet Theory

Being the youngest of eight (including 4 big sisters and 3 sister in-laws before I was out of high school) I have seen my fair of diets and diet fads over the years.  I have watched many beautiful and skinny women destroy their metabolism by putting themselves on strict diets that get them quick but temporary results.  The thing I've noticed about losing weight is that unlike your keys or wallet that get lost but you eventually find, weight always seems to have extra pounds when you "find" it again.  Even when people realize that the weight they "lose" always seems to return with friends, they keep trying to lose it.  So, because of this observation, my

#1 Rule for Healthy Weight is NEVER Do Anything (on purpose) To "Lose" It.

It might sound silly, but wording is important especially when dealing with our subconscious selves.  If your body gets out of hand you can do realistic things to tighten and tone it, or to balance it out but I guarantee you that if you try to lose weight, you will find it again...eventually.

#2 Rule for Healthy Weight is AVOID Putting Strict Restrictions on Yourself.

Another thing that I have observed with people who diet to lose weight is that they often put some sort of strict restriction on themselves.  "No Sugar," "No Carbs," "No Meat" " Only Meat,"Only vegetables that are grown on the north side of a farm that is planted by people wearing purple hats and rain boots." I think you catch my drift.  Why stop restricting yourself? Because what is the first thing that you want when you say "No Chocolate"?  ...Chocolate.  So mentally you begin beating yourself down in a process something like this:  "No! You are wrong to want that chocolate.  It is bad for you.  It made you fat.  It is not healthy.  Look at all the other people eating chocolate.  Oh I hope they get old and fat.  It smells so good.  Maybe I could just smell it.  I've been SO GOOD on this new diet (or lifestyle change, as the new trend is calling it).  I think I deserve something good (so you eat 5 vanilla cupcakes and pat yourself on the back for not eating the chocolate one...but you're still not satisfied).  It seems that every where you turn healthy looking people are eating that horrible thing that you are avoiding and they look so happy, so you begin justifying why it will be okay for you to eat similar things.  If you are avoiding sugar you start to engorge yourself in everything else with a sweetener in it (stevia, agava, honey, xylitol...which is good for your teeth, right?) or you can't have chocolate, but you can have carob...what about white chocolate, or dark chocolate?  Eventually we justify a reason to cave in and then we feel so guilty that we throw the entire diet out the window.

My point is that severe restrictions lead to severe justifications.  This is where my "Eat More" Theory comes into play:  I learned early on in life that I am healthiest when I never tell myself that I cannot have something.  I eat what i want, when I want it.  I study healthy eating habits and allow educated freedom to my diet.  When I know what foods do for or against my body I naturally desire healthier foods.  I take responsibility for what I do to my body and I enact self control.  I am amazed at how easy self control is when I give myself educated freedom.  I can have that fresh baked brownie or that ice cold soda...after I eat more of the things that are good for or respond well with my body.  If my desire for it is so overwhelming that I cannot wait, then I let myself have one bite (mind you that my bites are pretty small, and I take a long time to enjoy and swallow it).  I eat wise portion sizes and I eat slowly.  Dr. Christopher taught that you should "Drink your food and chew your liquid," meaning that you should chew your food until it has been crushed, broken down and mixed with saliva so well that it is a liquid state before you swallow and that you should chew the liquid that you drink before you swallow it to combine it with saliva to begin the digestion process.  When I finish eating I wait 10-15 minutes and check in with my body to see if I am still hungry. It takes our bodies a little time to register that we are full and often we over fill our tanks because we fail to wait for the early warnings.

Taking responsibility for our own health is key to good health.  When we take matters entirely into our own hands it makes it easier to live within natural limitations without feeling restricted.  I avoid telling myself that I can't have something, and I often tell my self that I "Would Rather" have something else.  With my children I have found that one of the best parenting styles is to offer choices. Tonight Amelia wanted to stay at her friends house because it was fun and she was happy, but it wasn't a good thing for her to do so I offered her 2 choices.  She could allow her friend to help her get fastened into her car seat and we could come back another day soon or mom could put her in her car seat (kicking and screaming) and she would lose the chance to come back soon.  I did not tell her "No, you can never come back!" I redirected the option to come back.  Staying wasn't a good choice for the time being, just like eating the entire bag of chips isn't a good choice but when I desire that bag of chips I give myself unspoken choices "I can eat more of the things that I know are good for me and then I can have a hand full or small sandwich baggie of chips or I can have one chip and give the bag away.  Often when I am eating good combinations of things that are good for my body before I indulge in the "desire of my heart," I am absolutely satisfied before I get to it and I decide that I don't want it as much as I thought I did.

#3 Rule for Healthy Weight is to PLAN AHEAD.

When you know what your next meal (or snack) is and you know what you are going to eat you are less likely to cave into temptations.  It goes right along with Abe Lincolns theory of sharpening the axe where he said, "Give me six hours to cut down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening my axe."  Meal planning is worth every moment that it takes.  Making the time to sit down and lay everything out will pay out exponentially when you see the healthy results on your body later.  

Final Rule for Healthy Weight is START NOW.

When we sit back and say "I'll start this new way of life on Monday (etc.),"  what do we tend to do until then? We eat, Eat, EAT!  I watched my husband do this the last few weeks.  He has a tendency to give himself permission to overindulge when he is not "in training," or in some kind of competition to be healthy, then when he realizes that things have gotten out of control he makes a tentative plan to remedy the situation and then goes into hyper speed to overindulge as much as humanly possible before he begins a new program because he knows he will be restricted for the next several months.  I wish that he would listen and incorporate my Eat More theory...at some point I hope that he learns to take responsibility for his own actions. 

Ultimately, we all make our own decisions.  We choose what goes into our bodies.  No one force feeds us.  We allow ourselves to get out of control or to become what we desire to be.  It is through small, mundane choices.  When we realize that everything that goes into our bodies becomes the person that we are the next day or days, and we decide that we want to be something more than we are today, we will naturally start to make better choices and eat more of the things that are good for us so that we desire less of the things that are not.

P.S. as a side note, When I lived in Europe I noticed that there were not many overweight people.  In Paris I discovered that not many people actually own scales and have no idea how much they weigh.  When asked why not the very matter of fact answer was "Why do I need to know how much I weigh?  If I change size, my clothes will tell me all that I need to know."  Weight does not matter to them, size does.  Try that thinking on for "size."

The Water Filter that Saved My Life

Over the past week we have had many people at our house for various reasons and everyone inevitably seems to ask what the big silver, space age looking thing in our kitchen is... and how appropriate that I get bombarded with this question when I am in the middle of a Water Challenge because it is our water filter.  A quick story...when I was 10 my family moved from the city to the country where we switched from chlorinated city water to mineral rich well water...and to a high spirited young whippersnapper, like me, the water had the flavor of blood, so what did I naturally do?  I stopped drinking water all together.  My mom, knowing the importance of water did all she could to entice me to drink water.  She spent thousands upon thousands of dollars of water filters to take the iron out of the water, not only for me but so that she didn't have to spend hours scrubbing orange bathtubs and toilets.  We have had several units installed from salted soft water units to magnetic reverse osmosis units. Currently I think they have an entire well house full of 7 or 8-6 foot tall units and the reverse osmosis units and other options (Kangen Filter and Berkey Filters).

In the process of trying to figure all of this out, someone in my family discovered the Berkey water filter company and I believe that my sister Maryann signed up so sell the units as a distributor  or something for a while.  Remember, I was a kid/teen through this process, and the world revolved around me, haha.  So, I'm sure that my family bought one to help me find the perfect water and not to support my sister... but that is beside the point.  When I tasted the water it was quite possibly the most glorious moment of my teenage years.  For the first time since we had moved to the country the water did not taste like blood...and for the first time in about 6 years I started drinking water again.  I seriously have no idea how I am still alive today.  For about 6 years, the only water that went into my body had to come entirely through my food.  Knowing what I know now about the importance of water...I should be dead; but again that is beside the point, I'm pretty sure I said this was going to be a "quick story."

Well, everyone in the family started talking about how cool these water filters were and how we would all need them one day, so I saved up my pennies and bought one for my future family, then stowed it away in my parents attic until that "blessed day" arrived.  Fast forward to today.  Have you ever tasted Arizona water?  Not fantastic...especially depending on your location and the age of your house, so without the filter I had purchased all those years ago, I could have fallen into my old water boycotting ways again.

Since everyone has been asking me about our filter and people are becoming severely interested in getting one for themselves, especially after tasting our delicious water, I have decided to put a link on my blog to it, so now I can just say "It's on my blog.  Go search it."  Haha, that is so fun to say.  Thanks for humoring me :-)  So...before I just post a link, I decided to do a little research on what I actually have.  Up until now, I just knew that it was "awesome" because my family thought it was awesome.  Boy was I wrong...It is INCREDIBLE!!!  Top of the market, biggest size, fastest filter "Crown Berkey".  I was thoroughly impressed with their website and the spunky little housewife who does their informative videos.  Amelia even watched them with me and cheered after each one ended and asked to watch another and another.  I think we found about 12 videos with the same fun lady.  I am SO PROUD to be the owner of a Crown Berkey water filter system and think I should go drink a big glass of water in celebration of my youthful decision to follow the peer pressure of my family all those years ago.

I sure wish I could get royalties off this, but I don't.  If you are interested in learning more about my super duper amazing water filter...follow this link: Berkeywaterfilter.com I highly, HIGHLY recommend it!

Foot Zoning and Home Made Ranch Dressing

Another successful class just finished.  I am so excited for new foot zoners in the area!  Everyone did such a good job working on their first clients at the end of the class.  It was fun to see how each student seemed to be going at the same pace as all the other students.  I'm not sure I have ever had another class so in sync with each other.
We had a group dinner and I brought salad with my mom's homemade ranch dressing and everyone wanted the recipe so here it is: (Baker is my maiden name, and the reason I went to culinary school)

Homemade Baker Ranch Dressing with Buttermilk

1 cup Mayonnaise

1 cup Buttermilk

1 tsp Onion Powder

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1 Tbsp Parsley, dried

1/4 tsp Dill Weed, dried

1/8 to 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt

Combine all ingredients and enjoy.  I make the mix in my Tupperware shaker bottle and measure the buttermilk in to the 1 cup mark then plop mayonnaise in until the buttermilk reaches the 2 cup mark.  That way I don't have to dirty any measuring cups.  My mom never actually measures anything and it turns out a little different every time, but these are the measurements that I have tried and tested and like the most.

Mastering the Mundane

This water challenge really is just that...a challenge!  I did pretty good for a few days and then life got busier and as my routine changed so did my success with the challenge.  I love that other people are doing this challenge with me.  Each of you have been a motivation for me to keep trying.  Waking up with the sun was tough (for a night owl like me)...but it was easy in the fact that I only had to add 1 thing to my day.  Drinking a gallon of water a day changes things because I can't just drink the entire gallon in one sitting (maybe some of you can, but I need to pace myself).  It involves adding several things to my day.  I tell you, drinking water for me, normally, used to happen only when I first woke up in the morning or if I was thirsty throughout the day (which wasn't very often), and even then I only swallowed enough to quench the thirst...so drinking a gallon is a really big step up.

On a recent trip to Utah, AJ and I listened to a book on tape (CD, haha) called "The Slight Edge."  It talks about how really successful people are those people who can "Master the mundane things in life." They are talking about everyday things that have to be done all the time...the really boring things that seem endless, like washing the dishes, sweeping the floor, washing the laundry, etc,.  Even before we heard this CD we were attempting to do this by creating a chart of things to do before bed and first thing in the morning.  Many of you were probably raised with a similar chore chart.  How many of us are constantly striving to survive the mundane tasks of life?

After being forced to watch the classic movie "Gone With the Wind," AJ compared me to Scarlet O'Hara, saying that I am similar to her with my passion for life and undying determination to succeed at whatever I undertake.  I hope I'm not too much like her, because she wasn't very nice to people when she wanted something and they stood in the way.  The good news is that I married for love the first time and won't have to go through 3 men to figure out that what I have wanted all along is right in front of me, haha.  The take home lesson is that when he said that it made me think about what I can do to be more successful with this challenge.  I have to master the mundane parts of it.  I believe that if I can master it, or make it second nature I will be successful, and it will give me the keys that I need to be successful at the next challenges that come my way.

If you have any ideas on how I can "Master the Mundane" of this water challenge, please leave your comments below.  If you are doing the challenge with me I would love to hear how you are doing!