The Real Me

Most of my growing up years, I have lived by the Pacific Ocean. So, I think it is natural for me to think of things pertaining to the ocean and water. I used to work for a company where my customer could pick out an oyster and I would cut it open and find the pearl or pearls inside. My customer would then chose a setting to have their treasure mounted in. It was a fun but smelly job. I never ceased to be amazed by the wide variety of pearls I would discover! So many different colors and sizes. They were all beautiful, and all would bring pleasure to their owners for many generations to come. I guess I can't help but see us in somewhat of the same role as the oyster.

Let's look at how a pearl is made...First there is a lovely little oyster all happy and perfect just as it came here to live. Then one day, things are not so wonderful. The oyster is presented with some sand that has worked it's way into the inside of the shell. This sand is painful. So what does the oyster do? It starts to coat the sand with laquer, or Mother of Pearl. In the end, the oyster ends up with a beautiful jewel instead of pain and irritation. But, if the oyster stays shut up in it's little shell, no-one will ever see the beauty his life has created. I see us as much the same way. We are born these precious, beautiful babies. Do you have a picture of yourself when you were a happy little one? A happy baby face radiates pure joy. It would be good for us to frame a picture of ourselves when we were such a shinning example of real happiness! That is who we really are!

Then come the ways of real life. Every circumstance we have lived through or will through, is deeply etched in our psyche. Did you have a home that was filled with love and peace or violence and uncertainty? Did you have teachers who believed in you, or do you remember the one or two that ridiculed and embarrased you? Did you have enough to eat? All of our experiences stay with us. We start believing that we are how we were feeling. Did we feel like we weren't good enough? We didn't belong? We were stupid or ugly? Unimportant? Useless? No one cares?

All these things were feelings we were having. These feelings get all mixed up, and get assigned as real worth. The feelings mistakenly take on a lie as a truth. Yes, we were feeling those things. No, those things are not who we are. We are not our childhood feelings! We are awesome, and powerful, and can now look at what we believed as a child, and put those childish thoughts to rest. We have made a movie of our life and stuffed it into our little shell. As we talked about in the first blog, Your Divine Plan, we need to get the movie out and watch it. Hard to look at, yes somewhat. It is vitally important that we know that every part of our movie has revelance. It has helped make us who we are. We can pull many wonderful lessons from really stepping back and pondering about what we have done with the grains of sand we were given in life.

What is sad and frightening is being stuck in our movie in our shell. When we are stuck only thinking about our past or dreaming about our future, we are not recognizing that we are living NOW. Are we living in - What Should have been- Could have been- or Might have been? Can you feel how heavy your movie is to carry around. It can be like an iron vault, stocked full or memories and hopes, attached to our ankle with a heavy chain. You can drop it. Open it up and look for your treasure inside. It is there.

Are you allowing your movie to keep you trapped in your shell? In what ways do you think the lies you thought were truths are playing out in your life now over, and over? What would you feel like if you turned your lies around? What would you do differently? What would you accomplish? Let's turn some around...

I am good enough! I am important! Many people care about me! I am smart and competent! I can accomplish what my heart tells me to do! I am loved! I am worthy! Turn your lie around and say it out loud. How does it feel to hear the truth? You and I have the power to change our lives and be a blessing to those we come in contact with. You can't do that if you stay in your shell and keep to yourself what a precious jewel you really are.

So, how can you tell if you are stuck in your shell? One of the ways is that your thoughts will keep echoing around in there over, and over, and over again. If that is happening, step back and watch your thoughts. You can't be stuck in your shell if you are watching what you are thinking. Just take a few minutes and look at what is going through your mind. Are those thoughts stopping you from finishing a task or talking to a loved one? Now flip the thought around. How does it feel? What could you do with this new thought? Take a class? Write a letter to a loved one? Tell a child how wonderful and special they are? Take a belly-dancing class? You have the whole world before you. Ready to support and love you with what ever you want to accomplish. Go For It!

You have probably spent many years of your life trying to forget what your movie has recorded. I say to you, don't forget what you have gone through! Remember and find the gifts attached to memory. Only in facing them and remembering can you take your grain of sand and turn it into a jewel! Then you can open the oyster and let go of your movie.  Get out of  the cramped little space.  Turn those thoughts around, go out, and look at the beauty around you! Remember, you are not your movie.  You are soooo much more.  What did Mother Theresa say? " Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person" Let's take our jewels and go and make the world a more beautiful place! Remember... Eat right, exercise, and think the highest thoughts of others! Namaste, Kathy
 

I want to give a special Thanks to Jill Miller of Utah.  She helped us get our products into a store that currently wasn't selling them. She printed out the form found on our Where to Buy page and took it to a local store.  They called and wanted to start selling them in their store.  I sent Jill some krackers to thank her for being a great customer.  

If you would like to receive 6 packages of FREE krackers, simply go to our Where To Buy page, print out the form, and take it to your local store.  Be sure to write your name and mailing address on the form.  

Have an awesome day!  Thanks again Jill!

Have you ever wondered why things happen in your life? Why were you raised by the parents you have- Why did you have the challenges you faced growing up- Why the pain, loss, dissapointments- Do you feel that your life is and has been just a series of random events? Well, I can promise you it has not been random. What if you could understand that at birth, you came here a very powerful being who is in possesion of many wonderful gifts. Do you realize that you have a light to give the world that no one else can give? You alone can be you. You have so much to impart to those around you and those you have not even met. Is it at all possible that there was a time in your life that you knew the truth? When did your truth change?

Think back to when you were a small child. Think of your happiest moment. Can you see yourself happy, alive and vibrant? What happened to that little one? Was there a time in your life, say before the age of six that something happened to make the world seem not so safe? That is a critical time that humans make decisions about themselves that are not really true. As a child they seem real to us, but in reality, they are just part of the theme we make up for the movie we call our earth life. This theme we start will continue all of our lives. If you look you will see your theme in many different instances.

We have a choice to stay in the drama, or step back and look at our life as a movie on a big screen. Look at the pain, and hurt. Some of our greatest gifts have come from that pain. As a child you might have felt alone. Maybe you felt that no one even wanted you. Maybe you have felt in life like you will never fit in anywhere. Because of that feeling, you are so careful in life to make sure those you love know how much you appreciate them and welcome them into your life. You are more sensitive to the feelings of those around you so that you will not contribute to anyone's pain. What a blessing and gift! Oh that all people could be so caring about others! We need to recognize and appreciate the lessons and gifts pain can give us. All of our pain has something to show us. A blessing or gift in disquise.

We all came here with a plan. A Divine Plan that we participated in. We knew what we wanted to accomplish for our spirit in this dimension. The pain, the joy, the happiness is all part of the "Plan". Our personal plan. Once we can understand we have a "Divine Plan", we can start looking for the wisdom we can extract from our wounds. We all have a wonderful purpose on this earth. Maybe you could take some time to get a beautiful journal to write your life movie in. It would be very helpful if you could find some quiet time to meditate for a few minutes before you replay your movie in your head. As you relax, draw in light from whoever is your higher power. Breathe the light in through your nose and feel it go into every part of you body until it is coming out your fingers and toes. Relax. Really pay attention to anything that brings back strong memories. When you are ready take some deep breaths and write things down that stand out to you.

Remember, you are a wise and loving being who made a plan before coming here. Your life is full of gifts for you to uncover. My love goes out to you in your endevor to discover who you are and why you are here. I will blog some more on this subject. In the meantime, think your highest good thoughts about yourself and others, exercise, and eat healthy! Namaste, Kathy

 Eating Right

These tips will help you learn the basic principles of maintaining a nutritious and healthy diet.

1.  Stay away from sweetened drinks. Sodas, fruit drinks and even juices aren’t doing you any favors. Cut back on the sugar-laden beverages if you want to cut out a major calorie source.
2.  Aim for a balance. Despite what some diets might say, eating all of one thing or another isn’t good for your overall nutrition. Try to maintain a balance of proteins and carbs and vitamins and minerals.
3.  Eat less meat. While lean meats are a great addition to the diet, try to eat less meat and have at least one veggie meal a week to cut back on fat and cholesterol.
4.  Go for whole grains. Eating whole grain breads and pastas can give your body the nutrition it needs and keep you fuller for longer.
5.  Limit the salt you eat. There is no doubt that salt is tasty, but it can have some pretty negative effects on the body if not eaten in moderation.
6.  Cook with care. Just because you’re not frying foods doesn’t mean you’re cooking them in a healthy way. Stick to steaming or sauteing in olive oil.
7.  Carry water with you. Often people eat when they are thirsty, not hungry, so carry a bottle of water with you everywhere to stay hydrated and on track.
8.  Try something new. You may have been a veggie hater your whole life, but the reality is that tastes change and evolve over time and some healthy foods you think you hate might taste different to you now. Try something new to expand your palate.
9.  Make eating right fun. Eating right doesn’t have to be a chore. Make it fun and get your family and friends involved as well.
10.  If you must, hide healthy foods. If you can’t bear to eat a piece of broccoli or a carrot, you can always chop it up super fine and hide it in a sauce so you’re getting your nutrition without the taste.
11. Eat the rainbow. When you want to eat healthy, it’s best to eat a wide variety of colors of foods, from leafy greens to bright red tomatoes.
12.  Go lean. If you do want to indulge in some beef, choose the most lean and healthy cuts available.

 Losing Weight

While having a little extra weight might not kill you, having a lot greatly increases your chances of developing chronic and potentially fatal diseases. These tips are designed to help you shed those pounds and live healthier.

Drink water before you eat. Having a full glass of water before you eat can help you feel more full when you sit down to eat your meal.
Consider smaller, more frequent meals. Because your body doesn’t have a chance to get super hungry, eating smaller meals may help you eat less over the course of a day.
Don’t eat out of boredom. At work or at home, eating because you don’t have anything else to do isn’t uncommon. Remind yourself that eating isn’t a pastime.
Limit snacks. While having snacks in between meals can be good, try to limit it to one or two a day or eating super healthy snacks so you’re not sneaking in loads of extra calories between meals.
Take a hard look at your beverages. Many beverages are packed with calories, sugar and other substances that can contribute to weight gain. Try to stick with water or, if you must, diet or low-cal options.
Keep track of what you’re eating. It can be a big help in weight loss to know just how much you’re taking in on a daily basis. Use an online tracker to monitor your daily intake and track it over time.
Avoid crash diets. There are few things less helpful to long term weight loss than crash diets. Make a real change in your lifestyle if you want to see sustainable change.
Enjoy your meals. When you sit down to eat, it shouldn’t be a race to see how fast you can polish off your food. Give yourself time to slow down and really enjoy what you’re eating. You’ll eat less and have more fun while doing it.
Eat appropriate portions. Many people eat far more than they really should when it comes to portion size. Check with nutritional guidelines to see how much you should be eating of each part of your meal.
Plan your meals. One thing that can be a big help in keeping you on track is planning out your meals for the week. It will help you balance your nutrition and ensure you have a set plan for eating right.
Bring healthy food with you. If you have to run errands or are just stuck at your desk all day, make sure you have at least one healthy snack with you so you won’t be tempted to consume the less healthy options from a vending machine.

 Eating out

It’s easy to know what goes into your food at home but it becomes much more complicated when you go out. Here are some tips to help you eat healthy no matter where you’re at.

1.  Choose healthy establishments. Usually you know going into a restaurant what kind of foods they offer. If you don’t want to eat fried chicken, don’t head into a place where you know that’s the main offering. Instead, choose a location you know has healthy options.
2.  Eat half. Restaurant portions are notorious for being too large for one person to consume. Solve this problem by halving your food and only eating that one part and having the rest boxed up to take home.
3.  Research ahead of time. The vast majority of restaurants have online menus and nutrition facts available, and if not, you can usually get a close approximation. Use this information to educate yourself on the healthiest choices at each establishment before you go. It can also help you choose a restaurant that will offer you the most choices for your healthy eating.
4.  Share. If you don’t want to bring restaurant food home with you, you can always share with a friend, and that way you can eat what you’d like without having to worry about overdoing it.
5.  Look at the nutrition facts. It’s not hard to find out the nutritional information for most restaurant offerings these days, letting you know if your choices are truly healthy or if they just appear to be that way.
6.  Get sauces and dressings on the side. Many times it can be better to control just how much of those calorie- and fat-laden dressings and sauces you get on your dish. Simply ask if you can get yours on the side instead.
7.  Ask for healthier sides. While french fries might come with your meal, many places are more than happy to accommodate a request for a side salad or grilled veggies instead. Don’t be afraid to ask.
8.  Limit fried foods and sweets. It might seem obvious, but it’s much easier to fall into the trap of eating unhealthy foods when they are readily available in a restaurant. Avoid them or share them if you must indulge.
9.  Ask about healthy options. Not everything a restaurant offers is always on the menu. You may be able to have your food prepared in a healthier manner or get it with different ingredients. It never hurts to ask.
10.  Investigate the menu. Many menus offer a wealth of health advice if you’re willing to look for it. Most chain restaurants label what dishes are on the lighter side helping you narrow down your choices.

 Avoiding the Bad Stuff

Those empty calories may taste good but they could be clogging your arteries and setting you up for health problems down the road. Try out these tips to keep the indulgences to a minimum.

Eat fruit rather than fruit drinks. While you might think you’re being healthy by consuming fruit drinks, these concoctions usually have more sugar and less nutrients than the real deal.
Don’t avoid things you crave. If you totally banish those sweet and fatty foods from your life you may be doing more harm than good and end up binging on them in the end. Having a little bit won’t kill you.
Try dark chocolate. Those who have a serious chocolate addiction can have a sweet treat and still be (semi) healthy by having dark chocolate full of antioxidants.
Don’t buy it. One way to keep those pesky unhealthy foods out of mind is to keep them out of sight. Don’t buy them when you’re at the store. If it’s a pain to get them, you’re much less likely to eat them.
Keep treats a luxury, not a routine. Having a piece of cake or some french fries now and again won’t doom you to an unhealthy life. Just make sure these treats are occasional instead of regular.
Eat good fats. Not all fats are bad fats, so choose yours carefully. Avocados are chock full of fats–the unsaturated variety–giving you the fats you need to be healthy without the unhealthy side effects.
Turn off the TV. Ads are designed to get you to buy products, which very often are unhealthy fast foods, sweets and processed, salty, pre-packaged concoctions. Turn off the TV and cut out the chance to get those foods in your mind.
Fill up on good food first. If you’re craving unhealthy foods, try eating something healthy like veggies or fruit first. If you’re still hungry after the healthy snack then consider those other foods.
Be honest. Many times we crave bad foods not because we need them but because we had a bad day, are lonely, bored or some other emotional issue. Learn to recognize when you’re using food to fill a void rather than satisfy a nutritional need.
Find healthy alternatives. Just because you’re eating healthier doesn’t mean you have to give up desserts. Fruit with yogurt can be a satisfying alternative to more calorie-laden and unhealthy options.

This is a great article found on Online Nursing Programs.Net.  Following are the first 10 Nutrition tips.

Scientific and technological advances have made it so that people are living longer than ever. Unfortunately, advancements have also made it much easier to eat unhealthy foods that can have a pretty negative impact on your overall health and well being. Here are some tips to help you embrace good nutrition and eating habits so you can live longer and look good well into old age.

General

Check out these basic tips to get started on improving your diet and your overall well-being.

Use common sense. You know what’s good to eat and what’s not, so use your common sense when it comes to nutrition. You might enjoy eating fast food every day, but you know when enough is enough.
Listen to your body. If you’re feeling run down and less than healthy, take a look at what you’re eating. It may be that you’re not getting the foods you need to feel your best.
Get enough water. Getting enough water can help ensure you stay hydrated and healthy as well as helping you feel fuller faster.
Eat fresh. While you don’t need to avoid all processed foods (we all have our lazy days) you’ll get a lot more out of fresh, unprocessed foods.
Think before you eat. Don’t just eat blindly. Take time to consider whether or not you’re really hungry or are just eating because you’re bored.
Fix meal times. One way to help yourself eat healthier is to have set meal times and stick to them so your body will have a schedule and you’ll know when you’ll be getting hungry.
Don’t skip meals. Skipping meals can cause your blood sugar to drop and cause you to get extremely hungry and willing to eat anything, however unhealthy, in sight.
Learn the food pyramid. If you want a guide for your food choices, check out the guidelines set out by the government.
Eat for your needs. Not everyone has the same nutritional needs. Those who are more active need more calories, those less active need fewer. Find out where you fall.
Work together. Eating well shouldn’t be an individual effort. Involve your whole household in your healthy food choices. It’ll be beneficial and help you all stay on track.