Pilates is more than just a workout. Any person who’s been doing it for at least
a couple of months knows that Pilates doesn’t only sculpt your body but it also clears your mind and gives you energy and inner serenity. But what is so special about Pilates? WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE PROVEN BENEFITS? CHECK OUT THE ARTICLE BELOW: 12 SCIENTIFIC PROVEN BENEFITS OF PILATES Wait-forget it-don’t bother answering that. Let me look into your eyes instead. Are they wide open, are they bright, are they interested in what’s going on? Do I detect a smile in the corners? I don’t care if you’re 30 or 90, what matters to me is that you’ve got life.
Look at all this hormone hoop-la. I don’t believe for a second that the real impetus for hormone use was health. My mouth fell open when I read how in 1966, a Dr. Robert Wilson wrote a book called Feminine Forever proclaiming that when a woman’s reproductive stage ends, so, basically, does her life. If she takes estrogen, he maintained she’ll be “much more pleasant to live with and will not become dull and unattractive.” Wilson’s son told The New York Times that the Wyeth-Ayerst drug company paid his father to write and promote the book which became a best-seller among doctors as well as women. Within a decade, Wyeth’s Premarin had become one of the leading prescription drugs in America. Take a deep breath. When I was 10 years old, I didn’t give a flip what boys thought about me. I was brazen and full of myself. All I cared about was climbing trees in the back yard, searching for tadpoles in the ponds. I was an adventurer, explorer, a fearless princess. Now I am a fearless queen. This is the most powerful time of your entire life! Maybe you’ve started to feel it already. You notice twinges in your late 30s, and by the time your 40s roll around you can not deny them. You’re not as self-conscious, not as hesitant, your priorities are clearer, you are more certain what you will fight for and are not as worried about what anyone else will think. You may even start to feel a little selfish…it’s about time. Do you realize all the life that lies ahead? Look at the butterflies. A butterfly is a woman at least 15 years older than you. Keep your eyes open for them, butterflies stand out in a crowd, they’re beautiful, they radiate life, and they attract people like magnets. We need women in our lives who have been through the metamorphosis and are flying high. Then we can say, there-that’s where I’m headed. Don’t hide in the shadows. You are entitled to spread your wings, say your truth, and do your thing! Pilates for Core Strength in the Older Woman: http://goarticles.com/article/Pilates-for-Core-Strength-in-the-Older-Woman/5273089/ Virgin Olive Oil is the healthiest, most versatile and easily available oil. Although low in essential fatty acids (EFA), olive oil is full of other virtues—it contains unique components known to aid in digestion, lower high cholesterol, and improve liver, gall bladder, pancreas, and cardiovascular functions. Because it’s rich in monounsaturates, olive oil is fairly stable. But treat this delicate oil with care—the green color comes from life-enhancing chlorophyll. I keep it in the refrigerator and refill a cruet that’s kept at room temperature.
Since olive oil comes from the soft flesh of the olive, high pressure (and resulting heat) is not needed for extraction. Virgin means the oil is unrefined and pressed rather than removed with solvents. Only high-quality, undamaged olives are used (extra virgin is made from the highest quality olives). The term pure simply means that the oil in the bottle came only from olives; it’s usually an indication that the oil is refined and solvent extracted. When olives are damaged, the oil begins to deteriorate and has to be refined, losing most of the nutritional value. I’d stay away from the olive oil blends-they’re a mix of cheap refined oils. I buy olive oil in a glass bottle (safer than plastic). When it’s on sale, I go for organic olive oil made by Spectrum or Bionature. Otherwise, I buy the best priced Italian virgin or extra virgin olive oil—Colavita, Dal Raccolto and Sassa are some standbys—just make sure they say virgin on the bottle. Use virgin for light cooking and save the extra virgin to savor on salads. Olive oil can handle low heat temperatures—high heat is not safe for any oil. (use duck fat instead). When I saute onions, garlic, or ginger, I add a little water with the oil to keep the temperature down and make sure the food doesn’t brown—that’s a sign of trouble. And I put a bottle of olive oil on the table like Mediterranean cooks do, and add it to the food after it’s cooked. To get the ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS (EFA’s) we need, I use oils made by Flora to supplement virgin olive oil. These are the purest I can find—and since we only need a little, why not go for the best? Flora oils are pressed in a unique low heat and light, oxygen-free environment, and the bottling date is stamped on the label. I use their 3-6-9 Blend—it’s a nourishing combination of organic unrefined oils with the healthiest ratio of Omega-3 and EFA: organic oil from flax, sunflower and sesame seeds and from the germ of oat, rice and bran. Every morning the whole family enjoys a tablespoon, which is all you need. On many occasions, a sleepover guest has also had the pleasure of the “morning oil” with breakfast! ”Every cell tissue, gland and organ is dependent on the presence of EFA’s. They are the main structural component of all cell membranes and are necessary for all cell growth and division.” These delicious oils have the color and delicate flavor of their source—and your health is worth every penny of their cost. The oils come in dark amber glass bottles and can be purchased at Health Food Stores, our Chiropractic office or you could order directly from Flora and have little glass bottles delivered to your doorstep—just like the old days, 800-446-2110 .
Over the years, I’ve won the numbers game with germs by using borax and tea tree oil for their natural antibacterial properties. But I have a new favorite—an extract made from grapefruit seeds and pulp. The more I read about it, the more impressed I am. Grapefruit seed extract is a natural-source potent germ killer that’s versatile, nontoxic, broad spectrum, biodegradable, and effective at very low levels of concentration. It’s not new, but it hasn’t yet reached mainstream proportions. The seeds remarkable properties were recognized in 1964, when Florida physician Jacob Harich, MD—an Einstein Laureate physicist and immunologist specializing in the investigation of natural remedies—became interested in the fact that the grapefruit seeds in his compost weren’t rotting. (It’s well known to organic gardeners that citrus fruits are not suitable for composting because of their inherent ability to withstand the decaying process.) Dr. Harich took a closer look and discovered that the grapefruit seed contains quaternary compounds that are very potent anti-microbials yet are non-toxic to animal life when used appropriately. Since then, a wide range of laboratory tests have been conducted with impressive results—grapefruit seed extract (GSE) appears to be effective against approximately 800 bacteria and virus strains, 100 strains of fungi, and a great number of single-cell parasites. Europe’s leading AIDS research center, the Pasteur Institute in France, is in the process of researching the potential of GSE; European farmers use a powdered form of GSE in fish and poultry feed to fight the lethal bacteria salmonella and E. Coli; GSE is used in Canada, Australia, Mexico, and South America for sterilizing operating rooms and medical equipment, and in lieu of chlorine in some public swimming pools.
I’ve used GSE n a pump hand soap for years, and now use it for all my cleaning. I buy GSE concentrate and add one drop per ounce to dish soap and to a squirt-bottle mixture of all-purpose soap and water. (Three good natural soap brands are BI-o-Kleen, Lifetree, and Ecover. I still use Citrasolv when I need a degreaser (I love the orange-y scent, but it’s not a disinfectant.) The GSE concentrate lasts for months; 2 oz is about $10, 4 oz. is $18, quarts and gallons are available by order from Nutribiotic. Some health practitioners are recommending GSE for a number of internal applications, including bacterial and viral intestinal problems, gingivitis, dandruff, nail and foot fungi, and sinus and ear infections. There are quite a few companies making GSE products: here are the ones I know best: Nutribiotics makes GSE concentrate and a line of products for beauty and health-care made from organically-grown grapefruit. Available at health food stores (ask them to order larger sizes for cleaning) or from the Vitamin Shoppe at 800-223-1216. Proseed offers a GSE concentrate and a line of personal care products. Ask your health food store or call 800-677-8577 for their catalog, orwww.imhotepinc.com . Bi-o-Kleen cleaning products are still my favorites. They’re safe, effective, biodegradable, and already include grapefruit seed extract in their laundry powder and liquid, dish soap, degreaser soap (I tend to use this as my base soap for all cleaning, including hands), and spray cleaners. Ask your health food store, or call 503-557-0216, orwww.biokleenhome.com It’s not the big bad germs that are going to get us in the end, it’s the big bad cleaning products. Yesterday, I saw a television commercial showing a mother spraying a household chemical cleaner on her baby’s high chair with him in it. The poor kid is sitting there waiting for lunch, inhaling toxic chemicals. The mom has a satisfied look on her face, sure she’s doing her job to protect him from germs. Are we nuts? Advertisements from companies who make cleaning products have succeeded in making us so paranoid about germs that we’re ignoring our common sense.
Look, germs are everywhere. We live them, breathe them, touch them, eat them. But they’re not all bad. There are good germs, too-they’re the ones that keep the bad ones in control. It’s a numbers game. Using chemical disinfectants may kill some of the germs, but in the process they seriously compromise our immune systems and our environment. Many are literally weapons—take a look at some of the ingredients on the containers: quaternary ammonium compounds (such as benzalkonium chloride and naphtha sodium hypochlorite), ortho-phenyphenol, cresol, butyl cellosolve, sodium nitrate and sodium sulfate. These are big-time toxins. Some attack the nervous system and are easily absorbed into the blood stream through the skin, some are corrosive, some are sever respiratory irritants, some are carcinogenic. Several are considered hazardous waste. Aside from the damage they’re doing to our health, consider what they’re doing to our septic systems, landfills, and aquatic life. Imagine, not only are companies using these chemicals in new “anti-bacterial” sponges, but there’s talk of putting them in plastic baby toys and diapers. Several years ago only a few dozen products containg antibacterial agents were marketed for the home, now more than 700 products are available even though an added health benefit has not been demonstrated . It’s insane. "They (antibacterial agents) are now being added to products used in healthy households, even though an added health benefit has not been demonstrated. Scientists are concerned that the antibacterial agents will select bacteria resistant to them and cross-resistant to antibiotics. Moreover, if they alter a person’s microflora, they may negatively affect the normal maturation of the T helper cell response of the immune system to commensal flora antigens; this change could lead to a greater chance of allergies in children." -Stuart B. Levy, Tufts, CDC Even hopsitals don’t allow the use of some of these toxic chemicals disinfectants around the elderly and pediatric patients. I haven’t used a chemical disinfectant in over tens years and we rarely get sick. There is absolutely no need to use poisons to kill germs in your home. GENERAL DISINFECTING: Germs love dirt. You won’t kill all the germs no matter what you do. So if you don’t get all the dirt up, the survivors will just get breeding again. Good cleaning is the key to keeping the bad guys at bay. I’m not suggesting you spend your days scrubbing. Just take time every now and then to get the dirt out of nooks and crannies, then just rinse well and wipe dry. Finish off by applying a safe, natural disinfectant and leave a residue so it can do its job. By the way, don’t even bother trying to disinfect the air. It’s not really possible anyway, and aerosol disinfectant sprays are especially dangerous since they are easily inhaled (that’s why the can usually states they’re meant for use on surfaces only). Just open a window for a blast of good fresh air or spray a mist of natural disinfectant and water. What are great natural disinfectants? more tomorrow! BREATHE WELL! "Four of the most widely consumed crops in the United States are commonly grown from genetically modified seeds:
21% of rapeseed 49% of cotton 77% of soybeans 85% of U.S.-grown corn Critics of GMO farming claim that these “transgenic crops” may cause a host of environmental and health problems, including the use of more pesticides than non-GMO crops. If you prefer to limit your intake of these foods, consider these tips:
LOOK FOR THE PLU CODES ON PRODUCE STICKERS:
Good Morning!
Now that you have your natural bristle brush, let’s recap the benefits of dry brushing:
How to Dry Brush:
Did you know that Joseph H. Pilates recommended this technique in 1934? This process only takes 2-3 minutes a day and the benefits are huge! I love this and do this every day, here is why:
Dry brushing cleans the lymphatic system. Lymph is considered part of our immune system bringing our cells nutrients and removing their waste.. Our bodies contain more lymph than blood, so you can see how important this might be. Dry brushing removes dead skin layers. Dry skin is a sign of detoxification. Dry brushing opens pores to allow them to “breath” and absorb nutrients. If this does not occur, a person may end up with eczema, psoriasis, and dandruff. Dry brushing strengthens the immune system. Dry skin brushing may reduce duration of infection and accelerate the clearing of toxins. It helps support the immune system during cancer and other chronic illness treatment. By stimulating the lymph vessels to drain toxic mucoid matter into organs of detoxification we can purify the entire system. Dry Brushing tightens the skin by increasing the flow of blood and reduces the appearance of cellulite by breaking down the toxins that cause cellulite. Dry Brushing tones the muscles. Dry skin brushing helps muscle tone by stimulating the nerve endings which causes the individual muscle fibers to activate and move. It also helps mobilize fat and even the distribution of fat deposits. Dry brushing stimulates circulation. Our skin is the largest detox organ and it breathes! In most people this vital detoxification is operating below capacity. By activating the circulation you can also prevent varicose veins. Here’s what you will need: A natural bristle brush or loofa - my favourite is a short handled one. (it forces you twist and turn!) Synthetic brushes or exfoliation cloths are harsh and create minute scratches on the surface which may result in drier, irritated skin. SO: Want to start off your day on a positive note? A few really deep breaths at an open window, a dry brushing session followed by alternating warm and cool showers and your defense system will be boosted within a week. And there are other side effects to this quick morning routine – a clearer mind and boosted spirit. What a wonderful way to start the day! Tomorrow: "How to “Dry Brush"” |
THE PILATES LIFESTYLE
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