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How To Cultivate A Positive Mindset Without Negative Nelly Chiming In

September 23, 2020 by Joni Leave a Comment

We have all been there. Perched on the precipice of greatness and then….BOOM! …the chatter! The seemingly endless negative chatter telling you 101 reasons whatever you’re about to do will fail.

Pish~Posh!

It’s toxic. It’s counterproductive and even if we fully grasp this intellectually, the emotional Ego has other ideas and off it goes like a snowball headed for Hell!

No worries. There are tools you can use to play a strong defense and create the change and transformation you were destined to make.

It’s About The Reset

I talk a lot about RESET. I reset every season. Let’s get brutally honest. Life is messy sometimes and it doesn’t always go as planned. A great schedule that keeps you true to you can get waffled in no time, right? Hence, the purposeful reset by season for me. I invite you to honor yourself in this way as well.

It’s when I reconnect with Me. Focus some healing and loving energy on myself and take stock of what serves me and what doesn’t any longer whether that is people, places, or things.

If during a life reset you are more interested in improving your mental and emotional health, you might want to use affirmations. These are a wonderful addition to your mental health routine, as they can help you with your mindset, both in good times and in difficult times.

Understanding Why Affirmations Work

Affirmations are positive statements or phrases that help you experience happy, uplifting, optimistic, inspiring, motivational, and positive emotions. They can be used in so many different ways, but during a reset, they help you to stay in a place of inspiration when it comes to making positive changes in your life.

Affirmations are going to help put you into a positive mindset. In the beginning, it often feels silly and like it isn’t helping, but you are using positive reinforcement. The more you say these affirmations to yourself out loud, the more you start to believe them. Telling yourself more positive things than negative things can turn everything around in ways you might not have imagined.

Ways to Use Affirmations

Not sure how to use your affirmations? Here are a few ideas:

Write a new affirmation down in your journal every day – Since every day is different, you probably need a different type of motivation each day as well. You can write an affirmation every morning while writing in your journal, that you will remember and repeat to yourself whenever you need to.

Put them on your bathroom mirror to repeat regularly – If you tend to forget to use your affirmations, put them somewhere you pass by regularly. This might be your bathroom mirror or on your refrigerator. Every time you see them, read them to yourself or out loud. It is a great reminder to use them.

Read them out loud whenever you need a boost of confidence – Bring affirmations with you that you have noticed help you the most, and say them to yourself out loud when you need that boost.

Choosing the Right Affirmations for You

Before you can get started, you need to choose the right kinds of affirmations. Remember they should be short enough to write down or remember and repeat back to yourself, be simple, and be positive. Here are some examples:

I am worthy of love and affection.

I am courageous and confident.

I can do anything I put my mind to.

I am responsible with money.

I hold the power to my own happiness.

I’d love to hear what affirmations work for you. Don’t be shy and comment below!

Filed Under: Mind Tagged With: mindset

Foods To Boost Your Mood

January 21, 2020 by Joni Leave a Comment

Food is Fuel

Food has the ability to improve your mood. If you have a fairly good diet, you can open up your pantry and come upon plenty of mood-boosting delicacies that are both healthy and delicious.

When you are dealing with any mood changes, whether it is more irritability, anger, or just mood swings, it is a good idea to take a look at your health and lifestyle first. While it might be related to a medical condition that your doctor can help treat, consider what your current lifestyle is like.

Are you drinking alcohol or caffeine more than normal? Do you get enough exercise? How is your stress level?

Another important aspect of your mood and mental health is with your diet. There are quite a few healthy and delicious foods that are not only food for your body, but can help boost your mood as well.

Here are the top 14 foods that are going to give you a nice mood boost.

1. Dark Leafy Greens 
The first type of food that can be amazing for your mood is dark, leafy greens. Greens have a variety of nutrients. These include fiber, which balances your blood sugar, B vitamins for brain health, as well as iron.

spinach

Studies show that iron deficiency is closely linked to anxiety and disrupted neurotransmitters as well, which provides even more reason to eat these nutritious veggies.

Iron also helps to produce energy, which can lead to positive feelings. While it can be great for boosting your mood, you also want to be sure not to have too much iron. Talk to your doctor to discuss the right amount.

 2. Salmon 
Salmon acts as a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are exceptional for helping to boost your mood. Omega-3 fatty acids act as crucial elements in the development of your nervous system and brain. In geographical areas where the residents eat more fatty fish, they become less likely to get anxious or depressed, so it makes sense that it would be good for your mood! 

salmon

There are also high amounts of protein as well as vitamins B12 and D in omega-3 fatty foods like salmon. If you haven’t had much salmon before, try adding it into your diet slowly. And please do not buy farm raised salmon. Definitely not your healthy choice!

You can just have a little bit of salmon on your salad with lots of veggies (and leafy greens!), or make a small serving of blackened salmon with brown rice and steamed veggies. Super simple. 

3. Turkey 
Full of tryptophan, turkey produces a neurotransmitter called serotonin. When you have lower levels of tryptophan in your body, that can lead to less serotonin development as well as an increase in depression and anxiety. Turkey also has tyrosine, an amino acid that is related to neurotransmitters.

turkey

Turkey is a healthy, low-fat protein option, so it is great for most people’s diets. Whether you are on a general healthy diet, low-carb or low-fat diet, it is going to work great for you. Start adding turkey to your sandwiches, have roasted turkey for dinner, or use ground turkey in place of ground beef in different recipes.

Some other mood-boosting elements of turkey include vitamins B6 and B12, as well as zinc. Zinc deficiencies often lead to increased occurrences of depression and anxiety. 

Other high tryptophan foods include nuts, seeds, tofu, cheese, red meat, chicken, turkey, fish, oats, beans, lentils, and eggs.

4. Chia Seeds 
Chia seeds act as another rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, as well as nutrients such as iron, calcium, fiber, and protein. These powerful seeds also contains magnesium, which increases feelings of well-being. 

chia pudding

There are so many benefits to chia seeds, that they will not only help aid in boosting your mood along with these other nutritious foods, but they provide overall health and wellness for your body and mind.

The easiest way to incorporate more chai seeds into your diet is by adding them to your smoothie or protein shake. This chia seed pudding is an easy make-ahead treat.

5. Eggs 
Eggs were previously thought to be a slightly unhealthy options because of the higher fat content, but many studies have shown that they don’t have the effect on your cholesterol than was once predicted. Of course, if your doctor advises against them, they might still be something to pass up.

However, if you like eggs, definitely add them to your diet to help boost your mood. They are high in vitamins B12 and D, as well as protein. Eggs have choline, which helps with your nervous system, mood, and makes neurotransmitters and selenium, an antioxidant. When you eat antioxidant-rich foods, it helps with your brain health and boosts your mood. 

6. Lentils 
Next up is lentil, which supply folate, a vitamin that helps your nervous system develop. Those who are deficient in folate experience higher rates of depression. They also contain fiber, which helps with blood sugar, protein, vitamin B6, and iron. Vitamin B6 makes neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin. 

lentils

If you are not accustomed to eating lentils, just start small by adding some to salads or having soup with lentils in them.

7. Avocados 
The good thing about avocados is that not only do they help boost your mood, but they are delicious! Many people love eating avocados but had no idea they could actually be good for you.

avocado

It is true that avocados are higher in fat, but it is the healthy type of fat. They contain fiber and vitamins B6, E and C. Another valuable vitamin you can get from avocados is B5, which helps your neurotransmitters develop. 

8. Fermented Foods 
In the past few years, research has shown a definite link between your brain and gut. Over 90 percent of serotonin gets produced in your digestive system. So, to get your moods back on track, you will need to prioritize your gut health.

These days, researchers have looked at the link between mood and gut bacteria. Some meta-analyses even say that probiotics can help with depression. 

Whether your fermented food item of choice is sauerkraut, kombucha, or even dairy-free yogurt, all of these foods are excellent sources of probiotics. 

9. Chocolate 
There is a reason you tend to feel better and happier after eating chocolate, and it is not just from the sugar. Chocolate, particularly dark chocolate, is amazing for health and wellness. It contains compounds such as phenylethylamine (for endorphins) and anandamide, which researchers call the “bliss” chemical. Not only is chocolate a good source of antioxidants, but it can also improve cognition and mood. 

chocolate

For a healthier option, try to go for the darkest chocolate you are able to enjoy, looking for lower amounts of sugar in the chocolate.

10. Ghee 
If you don’t like butter or can’t eat it due to a dairy allergy, you’re in luck! You can instead use ghee, which is made from butter, but doesn’t have the same effect on your body. It also happens to be another great food for improving your mood.

Also known as clarified butter, ghee has a lot of nutritious fats as well as vitamin D. It also helps to heal the digestive tract, which allows your gut bacteria to develop. 

11. Sunflower Seeds 
A great source of vitamins B6, E, and magnesium, sunflower seeds are a good mood booster for those with allergies to nuts. You can easily switch any type of nut called for in a recipe for sunflower seeds. 

sunflower seeds

Try adding sunflower seeds to your salads, or just having a handful of the seeds as a snack with a piece of fruit or cheese.

12. Almonds 
Almonds act as an amazing source of protein, vitamin E, fiber, and magnesium. Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant, which helps fight damage caused by free radicals. This food item also improves your cognition and memory. 

Not only can they help improve your mood and your overall health, but they are really easy to add to your diet. There are so many ways to incorporate more almonds into your diet, from dipping apple slices in almond butter, to switching to almond flour in your baked goods when you want a healthier option.

13. Bell Peppers 
Before finishing off this list, we can’t forget about bell peppers. All colors of bell peppers are great for you, low in fat, low in carbohydrates, and have lots of vitamins and minerals.

pepper

Bell peppers have the antioxidant vitamin C, which helps the functioning of your nervous system and the improvement of your cognition. Studies show that vitamin C reduces your stress and helps with mood. 

14. Sardines
Last, but not least, are sardines. These are an acquired taste and not mandatory, but a good option if you enjoy the salty fish. Sardines come with a bunch of mood-boosting elements. In addition to high levels of vitamin B12, sardines have choline, vitamin D, protein, selenium, and omega-3 fatty acids. 

Simple Changes = Big Rewards!

Boosting your mood with food is one of the easiest ways to improve your well-being over time. You can see results even if you don’t overhaul your diet right away. Just making one or two changes to your diet to include more mood-friendly foods can be just the thing to change your life for the better.

Whether that change involves getting acquainted with kombucha or keeping a dark chocolate bar in your drawer “in case of emergency”, making tweaks to your diet now can pay dividends in the future.

Filed Under: Body, Health, Healthy Eats, Mind, Science Tagged With: antioxidants, anxiety, avocado, beans, chocolate, depression, fermented, food-mood connection, ghee, gut, mood, omegas, peppers

Tips to Change to a Mindful Mindset

December 31, 2019 by Joni Leave a Comment

mindful mindset

You have your mindfulness notes, your devotional book, and your guided meditations. You are ready to get started, but now you are wondering if this is even going to work for you or how to make it work. If this sounds like you, and your current place with mindfulness, you may need to start with your mindful mindset. Getting your mindset engaged is the first step, and here are some tips to get you there.

Remove Negative Words and Phrases

One of the first ways to get yourself in a mindful mindset is to remove negative words and phrases from your daily life. If you write down your goals, remove words like won’t or may. These are words that suggest failure and that can have an effect on your mindset. Work to remove negative thoughts in your daily conversation and in how you handle speaking to others. This doesn’t have to be a happy about everything mindset. This simply means you aren’t setting yourself up for depression, stress, and worry with your own words.

Failure Isn’t a Given

Unfortunately, many people feel like failure is a given. You will likely fail in some way on your path to your goal. The truth is, your whole intention is to not fail. You set out to reach your goal regardless of the obstacles in your life. This means that failure should not be something you automatically assume will be there. Make sure you are focused on your goals, the path you are going to use to get there, and that you are removing any thoughts that failure is imminent.

Happiness Everyday

Find happiness every day. This may sound very rose colored glasses happy talk, but the truth is there is something to the process. Everyone has horrible days, but the problem is when you have several in a row and you can’t find anything good about any of them. It sets you up for saying your life is horrible and there is no light at the end of the tunnel. Instead make it a point to find one bright point a day. Just one bright point that could be anything from a good cup of coffee to being thankful for your soft blankets to end the day.

By incorporating these tips at the start of your mindfulness journey, you can refocus your mindset and get it on track. Overtime you may find the need to revisit these tips to reset your mindset when you get off track. Just keep in mind, mindfulness is ever growing and a journey instead of a last stop.

Filed Under: Mind, Spirit Tagged With: mindfulness

The Process to Purify Your Life, Mind, and Soul

December 28, 2019 by Joni Leave a Comment

Detox

Detox is needed by the human body. Today’s environment, as well as highly processed foods, contain toxins that are destructive to the immune system. These toxins are any substances which creates harmful and irritating effects to the human body. It can undermine our health by stressing our organs or biochemical functions.

Such alarming results are due to the side effects of taking any forms of drugs (prescription or over-the-counter) or changes in the physiology patterns that are normally different from the usual functioning. These free radicals usually irritate, inflame, age, and degenerate body tissues. Negative ethers, spiritual and psychic influences, negative emotions, and thought patterns are also considered as toxins. All of it stresses the body causing changes in normal physiology that produces specific symptoms.

Your Body Needs Balance

Keep in mind that the body needs to function in balance. However, it can be disturbed when the body takes in more than what it can eliminate or utilize. Toxicity then occurs. It’s dependent on the frequency, potency, or dosage of the present toxins. It can produce rapid or immediate occurrences of symptoms as been displayed by some drugs and several pesticides.

The imbalance being caused by these toxins can be distressful to your life which disrupts you of a sound mind and a good soul. Detoxing is very helpful so that you can purify your body from these harmful toxins regaining your beautiful outlook in life.

Detox Your Entire Being

Detox, also called detoxification, occurs on various levels. Physically, it’s a process that can help in clearing illnesses, congestion, and potential diseases improving the body’s energy. Many detoxification processes are helpful in rejuvenating the body and preventing degeneration.

Detoxification of the mind is important. Cleansing the minds from negative patterns can improve the health of a person. Physical detoxification can also alleviate mental stress. It also helps in terms of emotional aspects of the person where he or she can express and uncover feelings particularly hidden anger, frustrations, fear, or resentments, and later on replace it with love, forgiveness, hope, and joy.

Cleansing processes can also enhance the purpose of a person about how they view life on a more spiritual level. Light detoxification within a few days can help us feel better while a longer detox process can allow a deeper commitment on eating better diets and eliminating abusive habits.

Body detox is a portion of the transformational medicine which instills changes in various levels. Evolution and change are the keys to a person’s healing. Enhancing elimination can help in dealing with and clearing problems from the past, childhood as well as parental patterns, relationship or job stress. Toxic build-up elimination can make a person feel lighter and experience a new horizon of the future.

Daily Detox Habits

Supporting your body’s detoxification can be done in simple ways.

  • Drinking extra quarts of water each day is good in eliminating more toxins.
  • Eating more cleansing foods, vegetables and fruits with higher contents of water, and less protein foods are helpful in reducing congestion problems.

There are other levels of progressive detox diets ranging from simple diets to total fasting. However, don’t over detoxify yourself. Extreme fasting, enemas, diuretics, colonics, laxatives, and exercise can start losing the body’s essential nutrients. This also results to a negative balance where mineral-vitamin deficiencies occur which can cause problems in the future. Never forget to maintain the balance to have a better life.

Filed Under: Body, Health Tagged With: detox, detoxification, emotions, immunity, spiritual

Detox Herbs Can Do Wonder in Your Lives

December 27, 2019 by Joni Leave a Comment

Detox Herbs

It is a fact that some pesticides, chemicals, and certain fumes are present in the environment that are affecting your immune system and jeopardizing your health. Moreover, the foods that you eat can lead to a toxic atmosphere lowering your overall immunity. Toxic load is the condition of tissues and cells where internal terrain is developed after food consumption of highly processed foods. Your body needs to be cleansed from these unwanted toxins. The process is called detoxification.

Don’t we detox naturally?

Although you have the kidney and liver which are organs considered as natural detoxifiers filtering out the impurities of the bodies, you need to consider other ways to detoxify your body from toxins. Some of the methods can be extreme like long fasting from juice drinks or dialysis.

Take note, your immune system is the defense mechanism of your body. The idea is disease and infections should be prevented before it affects your whole body through toxin removal. I’ve observed a correlation between the illness frequency of a person and their immune system strength which is composed of complex networks of nodes and lymph channels.

There are detox herbs that are beneficial in making your immune system strong. These herbs are the perfect and natural way of removing toxins from your immune systems to minimize acquired illnesses and to develop your general well-being. Think of it as supporting your body’s natural detoxification processes.

Several herbs for detoxifying are much better for improving your immune systems than others. However, there are specific considerations for the detoxification program that you choose. But the following detox herbs can be used according to your needs.

  • Psyllium seeds promote healthy bowel movement generally maintaining its good condition. It could be used in helping bowel related problems like diarrhea. This herb is good because it has an absorption property similar to a sponge where it helps in removing the toxins inside your body.
  • Cascara Sagrada is generally a good natural laxative flushing the toxins out of your system. It also helps in strengthening your colon and other related muscles. This herb is used together with psyllium seeds.
  • Milk thistle is also a very valuable substance used often to simulate the protein synthesis in the liver. It’s used effectively in soaking up different types of toxins found in drugs and alcohols that can damage your body.
  • Nettles are used as a portion of the detox herb mixture in cleansing the urinary systems as well as any part of the body.
  • Burdock roots are also perfect for stronger cleansing needs. It’s helpful in reducing the heavy metals build-up within your body which causes immune system problems.
  • Dandelion roots are detox herbs having strong cleansing properties appropriate for your liver. It is good for removing the gall bladder wastes and also works well for kidneys if used with other compatible detox herbs.

People really need to consider supporting their detoxification systems due to the presence of toxins in processed foods and in polluted air. Using herbs is not new in detoxification programs because its cleansing and healing properties have been known for so many years.

These herbs can effectively flush out unwanted toxins from your immune system allowing you to look and feel great. It can save you from acquiring severe illnesses. Brilliant detox herbs can really do wonders in a person’s life!

Filed Under: Body, Health Tagged With: detox, herbs, immunity, kidney, liver

Avoiding Colds and Flu Naturally

December 26, 2019 by Joni Leave a Comment

Cold and Flu Prevention

This time of the year it’s of utmost importance that we pay attention to strengthening our immune systems naturally. Using certain herbs, foods, supplements and homeopathic remedies can help you avoid catching a cold or flu and build your immune system. If you do catch a virus, they can help
relieve the symptoms and shorten the duration and severity of the illness.

What most people don’t realize is how much your daily diet has an impact on the strength of your immune system. If you or your child are eating sweets daily, processed foods, junk food, drinking soda or other sweetened beverages regularly, you are weakening your immunity and will be more likely to catch viruses. One teaspoon of sugar (soda has about 9-
11 tbsp.) can weaken your immune system for 4 hours. I believe that this is why so many people are now having an extreme difficulty fighting illnesses. (Besides repeated antibiotic use)

Try eating more vegetables, at least 4-5 servings a day!

Along with eggs for breakfast, how about a few pieces of steamed asparagus, some spinach, squash or a few tomato slices. Have a salad with lunch, and at least two vegetables with dinner. Fresh fruit can also bolster vitamin C and help build resistance.

Eat berries daily! Especially frozen – freezing berries breaks the cell wall and releases more color pigments containing the beneficial bioflavanoids.

Avoid all white flour (eat only WHOLE grains), baked goods, sugary cereals, cookies, cakes, candy, and sweets. You’ll feel so much stronger than you realize!

Good Natural Vitamins a MUST!

It’s very important to take a good quality, plant-based not synthetic, multi-vitamin/mineral supplement daily which supplies you with vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, amino acids, essential fatty acids, proanthocyanadines, bioflavanoids, green foods, enzymes and more. Taking 2000-4000 mg. of Vitamin C every day will help you fight infections.

Eating garlic regularly or taking odorless garlic capsules helps fight viral, bacterial, and yeast infections. Bee propolis is known as Russian penicillin and is often found in natural vitamin supplements. It is collected by bees to protect the hives from infection.

Super Antioxidants

I HIGHLY recommend using Super Antioxidants daily! Not only because they help reduce the signs of aging, along with aches and pains, but they can greatly increase your immune system, being 20 – 50 times more potent than Vitamin C and E!

Using Echinacea (purple coneflower) herbal extract regularly can help you avoid or reduce the severity and duration of viral illnesses. 40 drops for an adult taken 4-6 times a day at the first sign of a cold can help you avoid it completely.

Olive Leaf extract is proven more powerful than penicillin in fighting upper respiratory infections, sinus, strep and throat infections! Those with autoimmune diseases should consider using Astragalus instead of Echinacea to strengthen the spleen and immune system. It is a safe, long term immune system tonic.

I know you’ve heard of elderberry syrup by now and for good reason. This natural remedy is packed with antiviral properties, especially against different strains of influenza virus. As a matter of fact, research has shown a standardized black elderberry extract to be effective in vitro against 10 strains of influenza. Check out my recipe here…

Oil of Oregano

My favorite is a high-quality, full-strength Oil of Oregano. It is a very powerful agent against bacterial, viral, parasitic, and fungal infections. I recommend keeping some on hand! It’s an excellent general tonic and immune stimulant. This can be your best defense against the flu!

It can be applied to the skin or taken by mouth, depending on the condition being treated. However, the oil must always be diluted.

There is no documented standard effective dose of oregano oil, but here is a guide for how to use it:

  • On the skin: For skin conditions or infections, dilute with olive oil at a concentration of 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of olive oil per drop of oregano oil, then apply to the affected area.
  • Under the tongue: Dilute with olive oil at a ratio of one drop of oregano oil to one drop of olive oil. Place 1–3 drops of this dilution under the tongue, hold it there for a few minutes, then flush with water.
  • Swallowed: If you’re taking the oregano oil orally, you can put a few drops of it into a cup (237 ml) of water, gargle and then swallow.

If you’re interested in taking oregano oil, but you’re currently taking prescription medications, make sure to consult your doctor before you start.

In addition, oregano oil is not generally recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Therapeutic value of Colloidal Silver

Also consider using Colloidal Silver for excellent anti-viral protection! It works great to help avoid or reduce symptoms of colds and flu. The body has an innate ability to rejuvenate and restore itself to optimum health. When taken daily, Colloidal Silver acts as an optimal immune system supporter by helping the body fight invaders. Medical tests indicate no known adverse effects from the use of properly prepared Colloidal Silver, and there has never been a recorded case of drug interaction with any other medication. The body does not develop a tolerance to Colloidal Silver and no allergic reaction has ever been recorded.

How Colloidal Silver Works

The presence of Colloidal Silver near an invader disables its oxygen-metabolism enzyme, its chemical lung, so to say. Within a few minutes, the invader suffocates and dies, and is cleared out of our bodies by the immune, lymphatic and elimination systems. Unlike pharmaceutical antibiotics, which destroy beneficial enzymes, Colloidal Silver leaves these tissue-cell enzymes intact, as they are radically different than those enzymes of primitive single-celled life. Thus, Colloidal Silver is absolutely safe for humans, reptiles, plants, and all multi-celled living matter.

Not to be underestimated is the value of maintaining good colon health.

The Chinese have long equated respiratory problems with poor bowel function. If waste product is not being removed in a timely fashion then toxins build up in the body, and particularly the respiratory system. Be sure to take herbs which perform a good bowel detox, as well as keep the intestines in fighting shape with friendly bacteria, such as acidophilus or bifidophilus. Enzymes are a must. Take a broad spectrum enzyme combination, both with meals and between meals.

Regular daily exercise and fresh air will also keep your lymph moving and your immune system strong. Try rebounding (jumping on a mini-trampoline) everyday, even if it’s just 2-5 minutes, several times a day.
Be sure to wear a hat when out in the cold. Getting plenty of sleep and daily relaxation to reduce stress will also help. Keeping your self strong and healthy not only protects you from the flu, but many other ills as well.

Filed Under: Body, Health, Science Tagged With: anti-bacterial, cold, collodial silver, flu, immunity, intestinal cleaning, lymphatics, natural prevention, oil of oregano, viral

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