Sugar. Sugar. Oh Honey, honey. You are my Candy Girl…Or How Giving up Sugar Has Made Me Happy

I love sugar. The reward centers in my brain can not get enough sugar. Sucrose, Fructose, simple carbohydrates, starches…all of it, I love to put it in my mouth. But I am allergic to sugar.

A month ago I made a deeply spiritual decision to inhabit and enjoy the potential of my body, my structure, my temple. This mission or vision quickly led me to a fundamental action step: Break up with sugar.

I come from a long line of people that suffered and eventually died from addiction ~ tobacco, alcohol and sugar, yes sugar. My mother died of emphysema at age 60, “choosing” to smoke cigarettes to control her weight. My father died in a car accident while driving drunk. Both sets of grandparents died of alcohol related illnesses, in fact my paternal grandfather, due to addiction, died from complications of TB destitute and living on the streets.

So I come by my allergy (addiction) to sugar honestly. I can not have sugar casually. I can not have just one M&M just as my relatives couldn’t have just one drink.

So I stopped, but this time (because I have stopped sugar for periods in the past) I found that by knowing what was in my heart, my deepest longings; and by making conscious my unconscious internal conclusions about life, I was better able to listen for the life the Divine was calling me to live ~ one in which I inhabit and enjoy being in my body (pain free).

What is your vision and mission for this life? You can do it ~ you can heal, deeply heal. If sugar isn’t your potential blocker… what is?

HOW DOES SUGAR AFFECT THE BRAIN?

When you eat something loaded with sugar, your taste buds, your gut and your brain all take notice. This activation of your reward system is not unlike how bodies process addictive substances such as alcohol or nicotine — an overload of sugar spikes dopamine levels and leaves you craving more. Nicole Avena explains why sweets and treats should be enjoyed in moderation.

http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-sugar-affects-the-brain-nicole-avena

A BIT ABOUT ME AND HAPPINESS
Some of you have heard a few of my stories about growing up on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The area was and is so beautiful with pristine beaches and a slow beach culture pace. The ocean there is amazing.

What I don’t often talk about are the details of my young life. My life isn’t quite as intense as a Pat Conroy novel but being raised by a single mom in the south USA who suffered from substance abuse issues certainly led to some heart breaks. She left my sisters and I alone to fend for ourselves ~ for food, for housing, for love, and for the nourishment of connection to something bigger than ourselves, the Divine.

I am so thankful that I had the ocean, something big and powerful, yet it seemed to exist effortlessly. Good modeling. It listened to my screams of despair, it held me when I was desperate for care, and it was a whole lot of fun when I was ready for a playmate. But I knew there had to be more.

I have spent my life seeking for more out of life ~ being grateful for what I have, but not settling for disconnection or despair. My search led me to college, to working for many non-profit social change organizations, to community organizing ~ and twenty years ago to the healing arts.

I was taught to only tap into my will to fuel my seeking, and I was getting depleted.

In the last couple of years my seeking for a more fulfilling life led me to Sufism, particularly the Shadhiliyya lineage. Again seeking for gnosis (knowledge) I was led to the LiveRUH process, originated by a Sufi teacher who felt called to secularize sufi principles and deep spiritual teachings.

I invite you, I challenge you, I encourage you, I beg you, I hope for you ~ come to this upcoming workshop with James Keeley.

It is a profound process, it is hard work, but the reward is a life where your heart is full and your day to day existence is built on the reality of hope and love.

Live RUH
Happiness is Possible
Spiritual Alignment
Living Your Purpose
Please join the originator of the Live RUH process, James Keeley, and Experience the Power of a Life Aligned with Spirit
These weekend workshops are designed to provide you with a personal experience of spiritual healing. With an emphasis on practical tools and personal breakthroughs, you will be guided in understanding how to apply spiritual healing in your life in a way that creates balance and fulfillment.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26TH
Free Introductory Evening:

Learn about the art and science of the RUH approach to Spiritual Healing.

There will be plenty of time in the evening for questions and healing demonstrations. This is the perfect opportunity to experience this approach and discover if it is a fit for your needs and intentions.

SATURDAY – SUNDAY
SEPTEMBER 27TH – 28TH
Two Day Workshop: $165

Over the two day weekend, you will experience the foundational teachings that form the basis of a RUH life. A truly fulfilling life is about establishing a Spiritual Lifestyle and not a one-time breakthrough or magic bullet. These tools apply to each of us regardless of spiritual background or time of life. You will see firsthand how life changing this approach can be.

REGISTER NOW ~ DON’T WAIT!

http://liveruh.com/calendar/

HOMEOPATHY FOR SUMMER TRAVELS AND FUN

If your symptoms are more of a chronic nature, I recommend that you not take these, but instead give me a call and schedule a constitutional homeopathic session.

Homeopathy can work to heal your symptoms and balance your entire body. In doing so, you will begin to feel calmer, more confident and stronger on all levels to deal with life stresses as they arise.

Aconitum napellus: Take at the onset of a cold if symptoms appear from exposure to strong fans or air conditioning (worse strong breeze).

Apis mellifica: For the burning, stinging, redness and swelling of bee stings. Also a great remedy for hives.

Arsenicum album: Symptoms of food poisoning such as vomiting or diarrhea. Person usually has the chills and feels restless.

Arnica Montana: First remedy to consider for trauma and injuries, falls, bruises, sprains.

Belladonna: Sudden, intense symptoms from overheating. including fever, red face, hot skin, and extreme sensitivity to light and jarring — suggest a need for this remedy.

Calendula: Made from Marygold flowers, Calendula can be taken topically in a gel or creme form for abrasions, sunburns, chapped and dry skin. It promotes healing helps to fight infection.

Cantharis: Relieves the severe pain following a burn, and sunburn and promotes healing.

Cocculus: The best motion sickness remedy for your long car and boat rides.

Nux vomica: This is the remedy for over indulgence. Too much food and alcohol. Symptoms from pushing your body just a bit too far including nausea, vomiting, headaches and hangovers.

Rhus toxicodendron: Best remedy for all symptoms of Poison Ivy

There are also no side affects from Homeopathy. Homeopathic remedies are effective for children and adults. They are FDA approved since 1938 and are used by millions of people around the world.

Dosage Suggestions:

These remedies are available at your local Co-op or Whole Foods. I recommend a 30c potency.

1. In acute illnesses, if you are already on a constitutional remedy, contact me right away. You would always dose first with your Constitutional Remedy.

2 Match the symptoms carefully to the best homeopathic medicine you can find. (use above list)

3. Take one pellet of 30c every hour under the tongue as needed.

4. If no improvement within a 1 day, try the next indicated remedy.

5. If symptoms improve discontinue dosing. Only redose if symptoms reoccur.

6. If no improvement, as always, contact me immediately or your Primary Health Care Provider.

Here are some local fitness and wellness companies that I believe are smart and on target.

Alotapilates

http://www.alotapilates.com/

6418 West Lake Street
St. Louis Park, MN 55426

Founded in 1997, Alotapilates is the leading Pilates studio in the Twin Cities. The studio is owned and operated by instructors Jenny Jennings, Caryn Coopmans, and Tia Fink-Hartzell.

We offer private and duet sessions as well as reformer, tower/spring, chair, and mat classes in our fully equipped studio. All our instructors have completed rigorous and demanding classical Pilates certification programs. And we have supplemental training in a range of specialties to accommodate everyone from high-performance athletes to students with physical limitations.

At Alotapilates, we offer only classical Pilates, using apparatus built from the original design specifications of Joseph Pilates’ own equipment. We are committed to teaching the original, classic Pilates Method because we believe the Method withstands the test of time and delivers lasting, life-changing results.

Our mission is to encourage and inspire you on your path to optimal health so that after each session, you feel refreshed, alert, and vital in body, mind, and spirit.
What is Pilates?

The Pilates Method, historically known as Contrology, is a unique approach to physical conditioning developed by Joseph Pilates in the early 1900s. Pilates involves the disciplined use of custom apparatus and mat work. Students learn to practice a system of exercises designed for each apparatus as well as on the mat. Each exercise is to be executed with precision, focus, and control to achieve its specific goal.
“Physical fitness can neither be achieved by wishful thinking nor outright purchase.”
– Joseph Pilates

Balance Fitness Studio

http://www.balancempls.com/about/

2902 Garfield Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55408

Founded in 2002, by Morgan Luzier and Craig Helmer. Back then there weren’t no such thing as “fitness studios,” except the few trailblazers like The Firm in downtown Minneapolis, Uppercut Gym in St Paul, and Lonna Mosow in Edina.

We didn’t intend to be on the forefront of the “locally-owned studio” wave that has since flooded the city with training, yoga, cycling, acrobatics, barre, Pilates, coaching, bootcamps, in-home training and everything in between… but we were. And there we’ve remained for over a decade. Consistent. Reliable. Wholly dedicated to providing the highest quality fitness and wellness in the area.

Don’t get us wrong. Just because we were one of the first, doesn’t mean we’re outdated. In fact, Balance has evolved with the times… adopting new exercise modalities like TRX, Kettlebells, indoor cycling, corrective exercise and CrossFit to name a few. We change as our understanding of wellness changes and as our clients’ needs change.

Clearly, we know who we are. And we know who we are not. We aren’t the cookie cutter, big-box gym with cookie cutter coaches. We are a cooperative of independent professionals. Our independence keeps us hungry and sharp. We are responsive and innovative because our survival depends on it. We thrive because of it! The team of trainers at Balance are diverse in their passions, personalities, specialties and services. We cooperate (vs compete) with one another to find the right professional to help you navigate your fitness/wellness needs and goals. We think it’s the best business model ever.

Oh and our facility? Spectacular. You’ll feel good working out here.

And our awesomeness doesn’t stop and start at our front door. After 20 years of promoting health in the Twin Cities, Balance has a vast network of healers, doctors, therapists, trainers, and coaches in our Rolodex. We are not afraid to refer someone outside of our walls if it is in the client’s best interest. Frankly, our greatest strength is bringing people together in the interest of optimal health.

All this being said, we are also a good ol’ fashioned gym. A place to workout, get your sweat on, and feel better about the cupcakes you pounded in the breakroom during your lunch break. We have a killer cycling club, a robust Nordic ski club, a CrossFit gym on 34th & Lyndale, and a state-of-the-art indoor cycling studio, The Cycling Lab.

FOUR GATES

http://www.fourgatesmpls.com/

4238 Nicollet Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55409

Feel how you were born to move.
Access your life force.
Love your strength.
Experience the physical and energetic shifts.

Our sacred space combines structured physical movement with the free flow of energy. We honor the sacred marriage of the divine feminine and divine masculine, the yin and the yang, the two halves of the whole. Through experience of movement, we learn to internally validate our strength and physical health, access our life force energy, and build our community. We believe in the brilliance of the physical body, the abundance of energetic life force and the power of collective movement to invoke change.

Four Gates Physical and Energetic Culture studio is a space for holistic fitness and bodywork. All of our classes and training sessions incorporate a focused, meditative approach that helps us tap into the flow of energy in our bodies.

We seek Self-realization by way of the pleasure principle. By enjoying movement we facilitate our ability to fulfill our highest potential. When exercise feels good we make more progress (it’s true!) and a fun, supportive, compassionate environment makes challenging exercise feel good.

Fitness must be fun and functional to maximize its benefits and get quicker results. With positive reinforcement we focus on breath, proper body mechanics, and steady progression to create a safe and inspiring environment for all ages, levels and abilities.

Kettlebells, Yoga, Qoya (really cool stuff!), Qi Gong, Personal Training.

ARNICA ~ Yes Arnica!

Known for its remarkable healing properties, Arnica montana has been used for centuries to treat the effects of accidents and injuries. The name refers to the genus and species of the yellow flowering plant, which is endemic to the mountains of Central Europe. This plant is sometimes referred to as Leopard’s Bane and is popularly known as the Mountain Daisy in homeopathic usage. Thousands of physicians and millions of patients around the globe have successfully used Arnica to treat the bruising, soreness, inflammation and swelling that results from all types of physical trauma. Savvy consumers are demanding safe, non-toxic treatments and homeopathic Arnica may represent one of the best options available due to its reputation for safety, effectiveness, ease of use and broad applicability.

Clearing Up Some Misconceptions:

A bit of an odd situation has arisen because although homeopathic medicines are FDA approved and regulated, they have not been widely embraced by mainstream medicine and, as a result, there is a lack of information and many misconceptions regarding the nature and use of homeopathic products. With recent media attention (1) (2) focused on the use of Arnica for healing injuries, it is important to clarify those misconceptions and set the record straight as to how it can be properly used to maximize its benefits. In addition, there has always been a good bit of confusion in the media about herbal and homeopathic preparations in general — and this identity problem applies to Arnica as well as many other homeopathic products.

Most of the general public is pretty well acquainted with herbal products. Also called botanicals or phytomedicines, herbal medicines are prepared from plant materials and administered in their natural form for a wide variety of ailments. Arnica has been historically used as an herbal preparation, however, the most common over-the-counter and only FDA approved and regulated form available is homeopathic Arnica montana. Sold in most natural food stores, it is important to understand that homeopathic Arnica is not an herbal product nor is it a nutritional supplement.

Homeopathic medicines are made from plant, mineral and animal substances, but it is the manner in which they are prepared that makes them unique. Homeopathic medicines are diluted to such a degree that skeptics claim the small doses are merely placebos. They argue that, in theory, it is impossible for them to have any therapeutic effect because it cannot be explained how they work. Experienced homeopathic practitioners and patients make the counter-claim that they actually work in practice. While the controversy rages on, the popularity of homeopathic medicine continues to grow.

Indications for Homeopathic Arnica:

Since homeopathic medicines have very specific indications for their usage it is important to understand what circumstances are best suited for Arnica (3). It is a perfect fit for all kinds of childhood bumps, bruises and contusions, and many occupational and sports injuries. As a general rule, homeopathic Arnica is a prime candidate for any accident or injury that results in physical trauma consisting of bruising, tissue damage, broken blood vessels, black and blue skin discoloration and swelling. It is most specific to blunt forms of trauma, especially to soft tissues. Arnica can also be of benefit in strains, sprains and muscle injuries.

In fact, most homeopathic practitioners believe that the administration of Arnica is the one best course of action to take in the early stages of all cases of physical trauma, and that homeopathic Arnica should be stocked in all clinics, ambulances, emergency departments, school nurse’s offices, first-aid kits and home medicine cabinets.

When administered in a timely fashion, Arnica montana can prevent a great deal of suffering in both the short and longer term. I have personally witnessed remarkable results in my own medical practice with bruises and hematomas resolving in short order, much more quickly than would be expected if left untreated. (It should be noted that bruising unrelated to physical trauma can be caused by a wide range of medical conditions. This type of bruising is not likely to respond to Arnica and should warrant further medical investigation.)

The legendary efficacy of homeopathic Arnica has made it the choice of many professional athletes and sports teams. There has been a great deal of attention given to sports-related head injuries in the media lately and, in my opinion, Arnica should be the first line of defense in cases of head trauma (4). Even surgeons and especially plastic surgeons are turning to Arnica for pre and post-operative use to help speed recovery from surgery. I suspect this may have something to do with a research study published in the Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery that noted less bruising in face-lift patients treated with Arnica (5). Research studies investigating the effects of Arnica have generally yielded mixed results. A sampling of studies that have concluded that Arnica can assist in the healing process are listed at the end of this article (6) (7) (8).

Most homeopathic physicians would concur that homeopathic Arnica can significantly reduce morbidity in trauma patients and can reduce complications and help speed recovery even in cases of internal bleeding. My own clinical experience has me convinced that the proper use of Arnica would revolutionize emergency trauma treatment protocols.

Guidelines for Administering Homeopathic Arnica:

There also tends to be a lot of confusion regarding the dosing of homeopathic medicines. They should not be used on a prolonged daily basis without professional supervision because, unlike conventional pharmaceuticals, homeopathics act according to a stimulus-response principle. While regular drugs are usually employed to suppress or prevent symptoms from occurring and are sometimes taken indefinitely, homeopathic prescriptions are designed to stimulate a healing response. Thus, a few doses are often sufficient to rouse the body’s own innate healing mechanism into action.

In more practical terms, the frequency of the stimulus applied is much more important than the quantity of the homeopathic medicine taken at any one time. The mildest of bruises and injuries will often respond quite nicely to a few applications of a low strength topical form of Arnica, which is available in a variety of creams, gels and ointments. Be advised that topical Arnica should not be applied to broken skin or open wounds. A more appropriate option for cuts and scrapes is topical homeopathic Calendula, which is a preparation made from marigolds.

Moderate to more severe injuries will respond better to oral Arnica, which is commonly available in a few potencies of increasing strength ranging from 3x, 6x, 6c, 12x, up to 30x, and 30c. For example, a moderate bruise from a fall can be handled with two or three doses per day of a lower-strength Arnica for a couple days. A more serious injury, in addition to necessitating a thorough medical evaluation at an appropriate facility, is better handled with more frequent doses of a higher strength of Arnica, like a 30x or 30c. One could administer a dose every hour or even every 10 minutes during the first hour depending upon the severity of the condition. Again, serious injuries should always be given proper medical attention.

Homeopathic Arnica is safe, easy to use, and its power to rapidly heal is often a revelation to the newcomer. Everyone should have a vial of those little white pills nearby in the unfortunate event of a mishap.
~ Larry Malerba, D.O.

SNEEZING ISN’T ALWAYS PLEEZING…seems gregorian to me

The custom of saying “God bless you” after a sneeze was begun literally as a blessing. Pope Gregory the Great (540-604 AD) ascended to the Papacy just in time for the start of the plague (his successor succumbed to it). Gregory (who also invented the ever-popular Gregorian chant) called for litanies, processions and unceasing prayer for God’s help and intercession. Columns marched through the streets chanting, “Kyrie Eleison” (Greek for “Lord have mercy”). When someone sneezed, they were immediately blessed (“God bless you!”) in the hope that they would not subsequently develop the plague.

But in fact, the custom is much older than that. Pre-Christian writers mentioned a Roman tradition of extending good wishes to sneezers. Pliny the Elder wrote that even the gloomy Tiberius Caesar insisted on this ritual. Typical Latin expressions were Salve (Be healthy!) or Tibi Jupiter adsit (May Jupiter preserve you!).

Meanwhile, the Greeks had the same custom. A Greek rhyme from the 1st century B.C. pokes fun at a long-nosed man who failed to recite the usual Zeu soson (May Zeus save me!) after sneezing. (Apparently, he couldn’t hear the sneeze because his nostrils were so far away from his ears.) And hundreds of years before that, the Persian prophet Zoroaster recommended reciting a short prayer when someone sneezed.

As you can see, the practice of safeguarding sneezers was common even in ancient times. The most likely origin for this custom lies in the connection early peoples made between breath, life and spirit. Interestingly, many ancient languages have the same word for both breath and spirit (for example, atman in Sanskrit, ruach in Hebrew, pneuma in Greek and spiritus in Latin). To “breathe one’s last” at death was equated with breathing out one’s spirit or life force. No doubt it seemed to early peoples that the spirit could also be expelled suddenly and violently through a sneeze. Calling upon divine protection would have been a tactic to preserve the spirit from harm and ensure its rapid return to the body.

Today we keep up the ancient custom of blessing sneezers out of tradition rather than superstition. For those who feel uncomfortable with a benediction, the German or Yiddish expression Gesundheit (Good health!) or the French À tes souhaits (May your wishes come true!) are possible alternatives to Bless you! But whether you offer wishes for health, blessings or divine protection, keep one thing in mind: this time-honoured custom is nothing to sneeze at!

There are many superstitions regarding sneezing, some of which you’ve already listed. But here are some of my favorites.

Sneeze on Monday for health,
Sneeze on Tuesday for wealth,
Sneeze on Wednesday for a letter,
Sneeze on Thursday for something better,
Sneeze on Friday for sorrow,
Sneeze on Saturday, see your sweetheart tomorrow,
Sneeze on Sunday, safety seek.

One for sorrow
Two for joy
Three for a letter
Four for a boy.
Five for silver
Six for gold
Seven for a secret, never to be told.

And lastly, a sneeze before breakfast is a sign that you will hear exciting news before the end of the day.

~The Straight Dope

Craniosacral Therapy ~ The First Wave

Craniosacral Therapy is probably as old as humanity: as old as the laying on of hands, as old as the urge to rub a sore spot. We rub, in part, to get the cranial wave moving again. The earliest written reference to the “movement of the spinal nerves” and its importance in life, clarity and “bringing quiet to the heart,” is found in the I-Ching, the Chinese Book of Changes, which is 4,000 years old. The ancient Chinese called craniosacral work “the art of listening.”

In the Middle Ages, bonesetters sensed the fine movements of the body to assist resetting fractures and dislocations, and to treat headaches.

In the early 1900′s, William Garner Sutherland, DO (1873-1954), discovered a previously-unidentified, very subtle movement in the body. This movement was perceived to have a tide-like quality (welling up and receding) that is polyrhythmic (various pacings embedded in one another). It seems to exist in all levels (bones, soft tissue, fluid) of the system. Despite repeated measurement and extensive study, the cause of the movement has not been definitively determined.

Sutherland and his colleagues experimented with palpating and interacting with this movement, and found remarkable benefits for their clients. As a student of Dr. Andrew Still, he had an inspiration that the bony cranium was capable of respiratory motion.

“Beveled… like the gills of a fish… indicating articular mobility… for a respiratory mechanism.”

The Primary Respiratory Mechanism (PRM), the mechanism originally proposed by Sutherland, has been summarized in five ideas:

Inherent motility of the central nervous system
Fluctuation of the cerebrospinal fluid
Mobility of the intracranial and intraspinal dural membranes
Mobility of the cranial bones
Involuntary motion of the sacrum between the ilia

Subsequent osteopaths particularly Rollin Becker, DO (1918-1994), expanded the applications, and in the early 1970′s John Upledger, DO, introduced the concepts outside the osteopathic world. Today, Craniosacral Therapy has been called the fastest-growing touch therapy modality (Massage Magazine).

“Biodynamic” refers to a branch of craniosacral therapy that is less manipulative than other forms. Instead of trying to figure out the client’s problem and move tissues around, the practitioner’s intention is to create a supportive environment so that the client’s system generates therapeutic change from within, using its own wisdom, known as “the inherent treatment plan.”

A skilled craniosacral practitioner listens to the subtle pulsations of the system as the body tells its story. The body speaks through its rhythms, micro-movements and especially through its experience-managing patterns of physical shaping. With deep listening the practitioner encourages revitalization of the inherent healing potential of the system, and facilitates the release of resistance patterns. This approach emphasizes hearing the health of the system and encouraging its expression.
Craniosacral Therapy involves gentle hands-on work that honors the client’s own self-healing process. The intention is not to “fix” problems, but rather to encourage the emergence of new levels of order in mind and body. Practitioners know how to recognize the presence of the Breath of Life in many levels and locations of the body, and use appropriate methods to support and nurture its natural expression.

William Sutherland DO (1873-1954) graduated from the American School of Osteopathy (ASO) the first osteopathic school in the USA. It was founded in 1891 by the man who coined the term ‘Osteopathy,’ Andrew Taylor Still. Sutherland, after witnessing Still at work recounts ~ Still was like the X-ray: He could look right through you and see things, and tell you things, without putting his hands on the body.