English Tea!

One of my favorite things is to have tea English style. Below I have added a recipe.


1 cup boiled water
Any flavored tea bag
Honey or 1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 cup milk or half-n-half


Steep tea bag in boiled water for seven minutes.
Remove bag and place in spoon.
Wrap the string around the bag and press out the water. Unwrap and place the bag aside on a tea-bag-rest.
Stir in honey or sugar.
Pour in cream.

Drink with a scone, tea cake, tea sandwich or cookie. Enjoy!

Perspective!

One of the most beautiful houses in the world is in Barcelona, Spain owned by the famous footballer, Ronaldhino.

One of the most beautiful castles in the world is Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic.

One of the most beautiful fountains in the world is in Moscow's Square of Europe.

One of the most beautiful train stations in the world  is Central Station, Antwerp, Belgium

One of the most beautiful cities in the world is Santorini, Greece.

One of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world is Niagara Falls in the U.S. and Canada.

One of the most beautiful bars in the world is the Aiola Island, located right in the center of the Mur River in Graz, Austria.

One of the most beautiful bridges int he world is Gateshead Millennium Bridge (Gateshead to Newcastle, UK)

One of the most beautiful trees in the world is the Acer Palmatum, Japanese Maple.

One of the most beautiful little girls in the world is this little girl from Afghanistan.

Two of the most beautiful eyes in the world belong to Sharbat Gula, who is Pashtun, a warlike  Afghan tribe.

One of the most beautiful flowers in the world is the Fuchsia.

One of the most beautiful plants in the world is the Persian Shield.

 One of the most beautiful fish in the world is the Mandarin Dragonet.

One of the most beautiful gardens in the world is Trebah Gardens in Cornwall.

One of the most beautiful virtual aquariums in the world is in Beijing.

One of the most beautiful living aquariums in the world is in Dubai.

One of the most beautiful birds in the world is the Rainbow Lorikeet.

One of the most beautiful snakes in the world is the Blue Green Tree Python.

One the most beautiful poisonous animals in the world is the Dart Frog.

One of the most beautiful poisonous flowers in the world is the Rhododendron.

One of the most beautiful hoax’s in the world is a plant shaped like a water bubble.

 

One of the most beautiful prisons in the world is in Leoban, Austria.

One of the most beautiful ruins in the world is Melrose Abbey in Scotland.

One of the most beautiful things made from trash in the world was designed by Gary Harvey.

One of the most beautiful demolitions in the world  was the Berlin Wall.

One of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world is High Gate in London, England.

One of the most beautiful celebrations in the world is the Day of the Dead in Oaxaca, Mexico.

 

Each day when you awake you make a decision, will you choose to see all the beauty in the world or will you allow obstacles to blur your vision of the divinity in life and affect you negatively.

I submit that if at the beginning of each day you make the choice to see challenges as an opportunity to learn and grow that you will begin to notice that, not only have negative situations become few and far between, but, your life as well as others around you have begun to change.

Negativity cannot enter the mind that is set to only receive positive input.

See life from a different perspective and it will follow your lead. What you see is what you sow, what you sow is what you reap, what you reap is what you eat, what you eat is who you become.

Choose to only feed yourself with the beauty of life and it will show you its wonders.

The Diligent Reed People of the Floating Titicaca Islands!

In Peru you can find the floating islands of Titicaca Lake. The Islands are made completely from reeds that are harvested by the Uros tribe. Generation after generation has kept up the tradition of adding the totora reeds.

The dense root system of the reeds, called Killie, are anchored to the bottom of the lake by sticks. The bottom layers of the totora deteriorate in the water over time and must be completely replenished every three months. The Uros must add reeds to the top layer in order to keep up with the reeds that have rotted away. If they neglect too long from this duty a foot has been known to break through to the icy waters beneath the island.

They have been doing this since the time of the Incas and have outlasted their stone temples.

The Uros use the reeds for everything including:

Medicine:

Goiter- The white root contains iodine and is eaten to prevent goiter.

Pain releif- The reed is wrapped around areas of pain for relief.

Hang overs

Reed Flower Tea

Hunger- is eaten as a supplement to meals.

Heat-For relief from hot days the reed is split open and the cool white part is spread over the forehead.

Transportation:

Housing:

Churches:

Baskets:

Art:

Demonstration of how the islands are made.

Happy People

A great lesson is to be learned by the example of the Uros. Be diligent! Choose a goal and continue toward it. It may be difficult, it may be tedious, it may seem that you are forever working at it, people may call you crazy, but a long lasting reward comes to those who keep to the task and perservere through obstacles and strive for their dreams.

I hope you have a goal that you can be passionate about. Remember that your dreams are not dependant upon others expectations and only you can make them happen. So stay steady and be diligent towards your goal and you will achieve it!

Sunday:Just Move!

Today our home teachers shared a story with us. I am going to relate that story to best of my recollection.

A fire was raging out of control in a basin surrounded by mountains. Smoke jumpers (firemen who are sent in by airplane as back-up) were called in to help the firefighters that were already on the ground. The area they were going to was so volatile that the captain told the leader that once his team landed on the bluff to wait for instructions via walkie talkie and he would guide him down the mountain.

The smoke jumpers arrived at the point and their leader dialed to the correct frequency and requested instructions from the dispatcher, but received no response. The leader thought that perhaps the dispatcher was too busy to answer so he decided that his team would wait ten minutes and try again.

Still the dispatcher did not answer. Fifteen more minutes went by without word from the dispatcher. The team was getting anxious and assessed the several paths to the main location of the fire and determined that there were a few which could put them at a good vantage point. However, not knowing the terrain or what truly lay ahead on these paths they were afraid to continue down one for fear that they might end up in the wrong position. So, they decided to wait.

Another half hour went by and the leader tried the dispatcher again only static came back. Frustrated the team took off their back packs, stood around and waited.

An hour later they decided to eat lunch. Two hours later they reclined on their packs and took a nap. Several hours had gone by with no instruction from the dispatcher when the team saw the firefighters from the ground coming up the mountain to their position. The Chief of the fire department was flabbergasted at what he saw and asked, "What are you doing up here lying around on the mountain? We could have really used your help. The fire nearly got away from us!"

The smoke jumpers  leader replied that the dispatcher refused to give them directions. The fire chief took the leaders walkie- talkie and walked 50 yards down the path and called the dispatcher, whose voice came back clear. The chief went back to the leader and said, " You are in a dead zone up here. All you had to do is start to move and you would have received instructions. Just 50 yards. We were counting on you as reinforcements. Instead you stayed up here and were useless to everyone."

The lesson is that you cant just wait around for life to meet you and show you which way to go. You have to start to move toward your goals. God does not send you guidance and inspiration while you are sitting still. His instructions come when your back is bent to the task and you feet are set on the journey.

So, stop sitting around and waiting for things to get better and begin to work towards your goals and the path will become clear and inspiration will light your way.

Wishing you the best in your journey. Enjoy!

The Gift of Pain...

The human body is a miraculous synergistic system. It can build, repair, monitor and communicate. Pain is one of the many tools the body uses to communicate with the mind.

Pain is your body's way of saying "Hey, stop what you are doing and pay attention. Something is wrong!"

Pain is often a preemptive strike to prevent further more severe damage.


As a MT people come to me when their body has screamed so loud and hard at them that they can no longer ignore it. So, it is clear to me that people ignore their body's warnings and neglect to read the desperate signs it uses to get the point across, and that point is that if something isn't changed severe consequences are on their way.

Studies have shown that the body is psychosomatic. Which means your emotional state is directly linked to your physical well being.  It has been found that there are correlations between physical ailments and specific emotional stimuli.

From experience I can say that these correlations are extremely accurate and I have seen conditions reverse and disappear just by acknowledging the root of the problem and tackling it head on. For example, I had a client who suffered from debilitating migraines and a recurring pain in her left shoulder. She was a physical trainer, in excellent physical health and well practiced in the care of her body. Yet these pains still persisted no matter how diligent she was at stretching and relaxation techniques.

I presented to her that she was carrying someone else's emotional baggage and that she was suffering from a loss of control over the situation. I submitted to her that f she trusted in the process of life and allowed this person the opportunity to learn from their difficulties then her migraines and shoulder pain would cease.

She confided that her daughter was having troubles in her marriage and she just couldn't stand to sit by and watch her make mistakes. She wanted to go in and take over the situation, but she knew this wasn't feasible and she felt helpless.

~Here is another truth about pain, it is not just emotional and physical it is spiritual. In order to refine our spirit and be given the opportunity to learn, grow and become stronger, obstacles, difficulties, tragedies and pain is necessary  You cannot know what you are capable of if you a never given the chance.  In this way pain is a gift to help us along our journey to know when we are off the path of our greater joy and purpose.~

I had her recite a mantra and almost instantly she began to feel relief. I don't know if she kept up with it after our session, but I do know that it works.


I have listed some of the most common ailments that I see with my clients along with the cause and mantra or action to alleviate.

Migraines- Loss of Control ( I trust in the process of life.)

Fever- Holding on to Anger ( I release all anger and bring in only joy and love.)

Lower Back- Personal Financial Worries (I have all that I need. All that I need will be provided.)

Right Shoulder- Carrying Someone Else's Financial Worries (I trust in the process of life.All things have a purpose.)

Left Shoulder- Carrying Someone Else's Emotional Burdens (I trust in the process of life.All things have a purpose. I allow others the gift of the opportunity to grow.)

Upper Back- Lacking in Self- Confidence ( I am a divine being, loved by my creator. I absorb strength, beauty and kindness. I am safe.~ Each morning look at yourself in the mirror and list three good qualities about yourself. Project only positive feedback. You are amazing, beautiful and unique!)

Mid Back- Not Feeling Supported in Life By Those Around You (I am loved, beloved and cared for. I have the strength and support of a divine heavenly father/ mother who loves me. I am watched over with pride in my accomplishments. I am safe.)

Right Hip-Not Having Balance in Life, ie too much work (begin adding more personal time. Do something to activate your creative, inspirational side. Begin to spend more quality time with family- no drama-share positive memories. See the blog: Family Home Evening.)

Left Hip- Not Having Balance in Life, ie too much play ( Tackle a project around the house. Help someone else with their project. Volunteer or visit a retirement home. Be the initiator of productiveness.)

Neck-Does Not Want to See the Present, Too Much Going On. Also, Over Focusing On One Goal or Problem. ( I trust in the process of life. I can handle all that comes my way with grace. I am strength. I am safe.)

I hope that you will begin to listen to what your body is saying to you and heed its warnings. I wish for you much health and happiness! Hope you enjoyed!

Small Town Stories: Uncredited!

So, I worked with a guy who had been on a soap opera you may have heard of called Melrose Place. He played the part of Alan Ross. By the time I met him he had decided shifting to the role of director.

He had this idea for a horror movie based on a true event. History tells of an Island in Illinois. The island was kept safe from being flooded by the Mississippi river by a dam. In the late 1800's or early 1900's  ( this is where my recollection gets a bit fuzzy) either a hurricane threatened to take out the town, or a torrent of rain storms threatened to flood the surrounding cities. Whatever the reason, it was determined that there was no other choice but to let loose the dam and flood the town.

Here is where the movie diverts from history. In reality the town was evacuated before it was flooded. In the directors vision there was no time to warn anyone and hundreds were sacrificed to save the surrounding cities.

In his story, he fast forwarded to the present where a journalist (and descendant of one of the drowned towns people) decided to take a film crew to do a documentary on the tragedy. They stayed in a cabin where they found several articles dating back a hundred years reporting disappearances--some quite unusual with supernatural undertones--in the cities surrounding the island.

This is where I come in. I wrote over 81 newspaper articles, complete with pictures as props, for the film. I got rather creative. Once I was done with those, I helped by cooking meals, doing make-up for the extras, and cleaning.

Now let's talk about the cleaning because this is where my experience all started.

So, one Saturday I was in a meeting with other crew members; volunteers were asked to go and clean the cabin where the actors would be staying and some of the filming would take place. There were about three of us that agreed to show up at 9 am the next morning.

Here is what was expected...

1. The cabin was to be empty because the movie producer/grandson of the owners was on vacation in Paris.
2. The cabin was so filthy that the professional cleaning crew that was hired took one look and said, "No way. We don't handle this kind of mess."
3. Two other people were to be there to help
4. The only way to enter was through the window off the deck into the living room.

So I had some idea of what I was getting into.

Here is where things went wrong...

I am a detailed-speed-cleaning-freak. I like to get it done fast and right. Anyone who is "helping" is just in my way and is likely to get run over and sprayed with cleaner. So, knowing this about myself I thought I'd get there early, and by the time the other two showed up all that would need to be done is some vacuuming and fridge cleaning-- I was doing everyone a favor...right?

I arrived at the cabin at 7 am in cleaning clothes and with my own tools in hand. I saw a car in the drive and thought, "Right. I bet the guy who went on vacation left his car here and got a ride to the airport."

I then went up onto the deck and began to enter the window off the living room. I was having trouble with the window when a dog came up to it; I thought, "Huh, he left his dog here. That's strange."

I had just got the window open and one leg ready to breach it when I noticed a man staring at me through the sliding glass door. I about had a heart attack! I had awoken him and he was less than dressed for company. He looked at me and said what anyone might say upon finding someone entering through their window, "Uh, what are you doing?"

"Um, well I was told there wasn't a key and to use the window. Who are you?"

He gave me a rather undignified look, "I live here.This is MY house. Who are you?"

"Lisa," I answered and quickly added, cause I was really confused as to why he was here. "I was told you were on vacation."

"So, you thought you'd break in when I'm not home?"

"Yes, I mean, No. I came to clean your house."

Another disbelieving look, "We have a cleaning crew for that."

"Yeah, well they came and said its too filthy. They wouldn't do it. So I'm here and there are two others coming around nine."

"Nine? Its 7am you're a bit early aren't you?"

"I like to work alone. I get more done that way."

Now, during this whole exchange he is still practically naked and I'm still outside with the door closed.

Finally, he lets me in and thanks me for coming. I proceed to clean his house, while he does... I don't know ... breakfast?

Nine hours later I'm exhausted and no one else showed.  So, I was done. We got to talking about how he didn't have a TV or radio for the actors. I happened to have a T.V./ radio/ record player combo--you know one of those cool seventies deals. I said he could have it if he wanted to come get it. I live an hour away and he said he knew a short-cut and to follow him. He also offered to buy me lunch as a thank you. I thought that was appropriate, and I said, "That would be great. I haven't eaten at all today, but I need to get some gas first. I'm on empty" He said he'd follow me.

We got to the gas station. I only had 25 dollars to my name at that time and I still needed food for the week. So, I was going to put in ten bucks for half a tank (Wow! That makes me feel old. It really wasn't that long ago when I could fill my tank for 20 dollars!) So, I'm getting ready to go in and pay the cashier 10 dollars when Jon- as he introduced himself- swiped his credit card and said, "Fill it up. I'm buying. Its the least I can do."  Awesome!

So, I filled up my tank and he pressed the no receipt button. I followed him to the first stop light and it turned red just as he had passed through it. I sat there waiting for it to turn green, then I noticed lights flashing behind me. A cop car. I remember thinking that as soon as the light changed I'd move out of his way so he could get past. The light turned green and I pulled over onto the side of the bridge so he could get by.

Only he pulled in behind me. Now I was totally confused. I turned off my car, rolled down my window, and the cop came over and asked, "Did you just come from that gas station?" as he pointed to where I'd just came from,  I answered, "Yes.'"

He then said curtly, "Did you forget to pay for your gas?"

I know I had to have turned red. "Um, no. I didn't pay for it. The guy--whose name had just inconveniently escaped my mind-- paid for it?"

The officer looked around and his brows furrowed, "What guy?"

"The guy that was in front of me." I pointed futility to where I had last seen the guy who presumably hadn't yet realized that I was no longer following him and still continuing on his way to my house.

"Right... Can you give me your license?" So, I'm rummaging through my purse when it hits me; I just bought this purse yesterday and I hadn't emptied out my other one into it yet, which meant... "Um, I don't have it."
"Of course."

At this point you may be thinking,, Why didn't you just explain that? Well, I knew a cop once and he said when a officer asks you a question do not try to explain away or they will think that you are hiding something. Innocent people have no need to explain themselves. So, my heart was pounding, and I was doing my best to remain calm and not seem like a criminal by following his advice.


Next thing I know, he jumps back from my door and puts his hand on his pistol, "Maam, I need you to exit the vehicle."
Okay, so I had, at this point,  no idea what I'd done to freak him out. I get out and there are THREE other cop cars and FIVE other officers standing outside their vehicles!!! Now I'm in handcuffs and doing my best not to show how hysterical I'm becoming. He turns me around and asks, "Is this your vehicle?"

Now this is where things REALLY start to unravel for me.

I was in my brothers car. He borrowed mine to go to Florida because mine was tagged at the time, his was not and he had a job waiting for him if only he'd arrived that Monday. So he took my car and I kept his and had been getting rides with people until he could send me his tags. I put on the tag and it went missing. I reported it stolen, but within a week they found it and mailed it back to meI'm sure this only supported his suspicions that I was a thief!

"Is this your car?" I swallowed hard, "No, its' my brothers."

"Really? Does he know you have it?"

"Yes."

"Then why is it reported stolen?" his tone was accusatory.

"Um, well I reported it stolen." (I did a lot of Um's back then when I was nervous.)

He laughed once and seemed amused, "Okay, explain then."

 I was impressed that he kept level headed enough to continue to give me the benefit of the doubt.

"Well, you see my brother took my car and I have his and about a month ago the tags on his car went missing and I thought maybe someone took them because they are from Florida and I'm sure Illinoisans think Florida tags are cool. So I reported them stolen and then about a week ago someone had found them and sent them to my brothers address in Florida and he then shipped them to me. I didn't think that it would still be reported stolen since they were found."

He listened and then a officer came over and said something in his ear. His blue eyes glared at me, "Is your name Link?"

"Um, no." again following the rule of non-explanation,'cause its worked great for me so far...

"Because Link reported these stolen."

Okay now I was starting to lose my cool. "No seriously I reported them! You can ask the person who I talked to!" Miraculously I remembered the persons name!

So, he calls up there and of course that guy is not on duty that day, but there was a lady there who remembered taking the call and so she was going to get a hold of the guy on his cell

In the meantime, while we're waiting, he searched my purse....... Now, back then I carried some rather...... interesting things in my tent-of-a-purse. I wish I could adequately describe the look on his face as he pulled out each item and then looked at me; sometimes coyly, sometimes on the verge of laughter, but I'm certain he was completely unprepared, baffled, and amused by what he found.

I just kept thinking of how worse it could have been, because just that week my counselor had prescribed that I carry a pack of needles around with me in my purse as a treatment to my phobia of them. How the heck would I have explained not being diabetic and needing all those needles?

K so, then he asked again, "Did you steal the gas?"

"No."

"Did you steal the car?"

"No."

"Did you steal the tags?"

"No."

"Did you just forget to pay?"

"No."

"Then you stole the gas?"

"No, the guy paid for it."

"What guy?"

"The guy that was in front of me."

"And why would he buy your gas?"

"Because I cleaned his house?"

"You live in Illinois?"

"Yes."

"That's an hour away. Do you clean houses for a living?"

 "No."

"Then why were you cleaning his house?"

"Because I was working on a film and they needed someone to do it because it was too disgusting for a cleaning crew to do it."

"Uh, huh. Why isn't this guy here now?"

"I don't know. I was following him. So, I guess he doesn't realize that I'm not still behind him?"

"Okay, What kind of vehicle was he in?"

"I don't know... a green one?"

"Where were you following him too?"

"My house."

"You don't know him, but you're following him to your house."

"He said he knew a shortcut."

His right brow lifted. "What is his name?"

I bit my lip, "I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"I can't remember. I only met him this once."

He rolled his eyes. "And how do you know him?'

"I'm working for a guy on a film and I said I'd clean his house and--, blah, blah, blah. insert reiteration here.

Then I remembered the guys name was Jon!, but not his last name. Then I remembered the guy I was working for Lonnie Schuyler. The cops face brightened and his ears perked up.

I said, "I can call him and he can tell you."

 So, we called Lonnie and he confirmed everything I'd said at about the same time that the officer who I had reported the tags to confirmed that I had been the one to report the tags stolen, not my brother, but he had to put it under Link's name because it was his car.

The cop just so happened to be friends with Lonnie. By the end of it, he was laughing his head off. He gave me his card and said if I ever had any trouble to give him a call.

Then he said that if I wanted to pay for the gas I could go with no charges, even though the attendant at the station still wanted too, even after he explained everything.


It turned out that Jon had seen the whole thing! He was parked only a few blocks away, watching from up the street. He said he thought I was busted for drugs and wanted to stay out of it. I said, "You know, this two hour ordeal would have been over in about two minutes if you'd just came over and explained that you hit the cancel button instead of the no receipt button on accident." He explained that his tags were expired, he had no insurance, and his license might have been suspended.

Well, I never got lunch and he never paid for my $20 dollars worth of gas, which left me practically broke, but he did get the TV from me. He apologized later and thanked me publicly, but the IMBD credits a different Lisa Masters as Art Director--granted that she has a vastly more impressive resume and profile picture... at least I've got my crazy story out of it! :)

The movie is called Beneath The Mississippi. If I can find the articles I wrote, I'll post them here later. Hope you enjoyed.

Small Town Stories: Cemetery Surprise!

Years ago when I lived in Colchester, after work, I would walk around town—there isn’t much else to do in a town with a pop of 752.


One night, as I was enjoying my evening stroll, I realized that I'd seen the same big truck on each street, and had the creeping suspicion that it was following me.

To test my theory, I ducked behind a bush and waited for the truck to pass, instead it slowed down as though the driver were looking for something or rather someone. I then cut through someone’s yard, then another yard, and came out on another street. A few moments later the truck sped up to where I was--now I had no doubts that I was being stalked.


I employed my awesome stealth skills, weaving in and out of yards and behind buildings until I was sure that I’d lost him. I then decided that maybe I should stick with the place I typically did my walk, the safest place in the town, a place where no one ever goes at night-- the cemetery.

I had just made it along the path inside the gates when I heard a sound that made my stomach curl and every muscle in my body tense. It was a low growl, not the normal growl you’d expect from a dog,  but one that seemed to imply hell hounds twice the size of a human and perhaps with three heads, each of which that had agreed that teenage girls were what’s for dinner—it’s possible, I was in a cemetery after all, it could happen.

So I did the only thing I could to save my skin—I jumped up onto the highest tombstone I could find and perched there. Waiting silently for the hounds of hell and all things nasty to give me a sign they were gone. I searched the darkness and my eyes accustomed to the pitch of the night. Note that there is not the typical glow of lights like there is in the big city— the stars are the only source of light in a small town, and if it had been overcast that day and clouds still hovered above then not even the twilight twinkles could be seen, as was the case this night.

So, I’m sitting up there, feeling somewhat like a chicken, when I see the truck pull in! A few moments later it parks, and a guy gets out. He began to walk along the same path I had a few minutes, or an hour ago—who’s keeping track really? Well, it was obvious with how he kept falling off the trail that his eyes could not yet see what was around him, but he was definitely headed my way.


I sat perfectly still. I imagined that I was part of the tombstone. I imagined that he believed that I was part of the tombstone. Perhaps he thought I was just one of the few stone angels which topped the graves. I held my breath and watched him come closer and closer until he was right next to me; and I thought, “Well it won’t be long before he can see me.”

So, I decided I’d just get it over with. In the most sinister, wicked, and graveyard-creepy voice I could muster I said, “Looking for someone?”

Now, I can surmise from his reaction, that in his mind a stone effigy on a gravestone had just come to life and spoke to him at the midnight hour, because I’ve never seen anyone before or since bolt so fast in my life! In fact, I think for a moment he forgot how he got there, because he completely passed his truck before coming back round and speeding off like the devil was going to get him!

So there is my small town story. Note that ALL small town stories tend to be elaborated on and slightly embellished, it’s just good manners to be entertain’in.

Happy Chickens Give Healthier Eggs! Egg Chile' Cheese Pouf Recipe!

It is so important to have protein at the start of your day. Your body functions better and your metabolism gets a good jump start and therefore works to burn more calories throughout the day, just by giving it protein at the start of it!

At 6 grams of protein and 9 essential amino acids each, eggs are a great source for protein.

Also, here are some other benefits of eggs.

• May help prevent blood clots
• Has 300 grams of Choline which is essential for regulation of the brain, nervous system and cardiovascular system- - So there goes the myth that eggs can cause problems with the heart!
• Strengthens bones-- 1 egg contains 41IU of Vitamin D, that’s 10% of the daily recommended value! Vitamin D plays an important role in calcium absorption.
• Faster growing hair thanks to the Sulphur and Vitamin B12 found in eggs.
• May prevent breast cancer-- 44% of women were found to have lowered their risk by consuming 6 eggs a day!
• Eating just 2 eggs a day can improve your lipid profile as in eggs can be good for your cholesterol—another myth debunked!
• Prevents Macular degeneration of the eye, Luetin, Viatmin A, Beta Carotene.
• Great for skin—Vitamin E.
• Can help you LOSE WEIGHT!

An important note to know is that happy chickens lay healthier eggs. You don’t want stress hormones laid in your eggs. So buy eggs that are from Happy Chickens fed diets low in omega 6 ie. Grain, wheat, barley, milo, grass, bugs—not corn or soy.

By having eggs from happy chickens here are the benefits you get in comparison to an egg produced from a non-happy chicken:

1/3 less cholesterol
¼ less saturated fat

2/3 more vitamin A

2-20 times more omega-3 fatty acids

7 times more bet carotene

4-6 times more vitamin D

Now you may be asking, “How can I tell if I’m getting eggs from a happy chicken?”

Simple! Only buy eggs that are “Pastured” or that say chickens have daily access to outdoors or are raised outdoors. Here is why:

Bad! Conventional eggs come from chickens that are confined to a cage large enough for them to sit in and that’s it, no moving around and they are packed tight next to other like cages.

Bad! Cage-Free is when the chickens are confined to barn rather than a cage. Many places will burn their beaks down so that they cannot peck!

Bad! Free-Range means that the space the chicken is in- like a barn- must have an opening where the chickens can exit—not that they will or even recognize there is a door to exit. This is pretty much the same as cage-free.

Bad! Organic can mean that chickens are kept in a controlled environment inside.

Great! Pastured chickens are out in a pasture running free, eating healthy!

For more information go Here to Tests reveal Healthier Eggs or Here to Pastured Eggs

For in depth details on the truth about organic and other eggs in your grocery store, including pictures and a breakdown of why eggs cost what they do go Here to How to Buy Organic Eggs: Pastured v/s Free-Range

 Want to find eggs from happy chickens? Go to your local Farmers Market and ask how they raise their chickens. Out of season? These websites are a good source.

Eat wild

local harvest

Weston a price

This is fun, easy and delicious for breakfast or brunch. Enjoy!

Egg Chile' Cheese Pouf!

Serves 4

1 small can  or 1/4 cup Jalapeno Peppers, diced

10 eggs separated

1 cup Sweet Sorghum and 1Tbsp. Xanthan and 1 tsp baking powder or 1 Cup Bisquick or I cup flour with 1 tsp. baking powder

½ Cup Half-n-Half
1 Cup Cottage Cheese
1 ½ Cup Monterey Jack Cheese shredded
1/s tsp. Salt (Himalayan)
I can’t believe it’s not butter spray
Salsa, Sour Cream or Tomato Preserves

1. Preheat over to 350F.

2. Butter a 9 x 9 glass baking pan.
3. In a medium mixing bowl whip eggs whites until peaked and set aside. (Optional- if short on time, it will turn out well by skipping this part and adding un-beat whites in next step.)
4. In a medium bowl mix together all other ingredients until thoroughly combined.
5. Fold in egg whites.
6. Pour mixture into glass pan.
7. Bake for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown and toothpick come clean from center.

8. Cut into fourths and serve with Salsa and Sour Cream or Tomato Preserves.

Happy Birthday!!!

I don't care how old you are, it is healthy and important to recognize and celebrate your birthday! It is the one day that can truly be all about you!

This is the card that was waiting for me at work and I think it says it pretty well:

A birthday doesn't last very long

Its cake and candles then --poof!--its gone
What's left behind is what matters most...
All the genuine affection that made all of us
Want to celebrate you in the first place!

You are awesome and extraordinary take at least this one day to celebrate it!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

Washing Away Negativity!

When I worked at Heartstrings, a community foundation that assists and trains adults with developmental challenges, I learned a very valuable lesson about clearing negativity.




My first day there I was informed by another staff member about one of our clients, we will call him Vince, “If Vince says he needs to go to the bathroom, do not ask him if he can wait, just let him go. He doesn’t actually need to use the rest room. He just needs to wash his hands. If you don’t let him he will have an accident.”



Vince had a condition called Fragile X Syndrome, it causes hypersensitivity to external stimuli. To get an idea of what it is like for Vince imagine if you could hear EVERY conversation within a 20 foot radius, the humming of the lights in the room, the buzz of the batteries in cell phones, the ticks of watches, the zooming and exhaust of the cars outside, and the whir of the air-conditioning. Then add that the lights around you are too bright and every movement in the room, hand gestures, the turn of heads, etc all seems to be right in your face. Now try to carry on a conversation at the same time—that is a rudimentary idea of what it is like to have Fragile XS.



Needless to say it can be extremely overwhelming for the senses, but Vince had figured out a way to calm all that down to a manageable level. He would simply wash his hands with cold water.



While I was at Heartstrings I was also in school for massage therapy. One day we went over residual negative energy accumulated from the stresses of life and how to clear that negativity from ourselves.



Can you guess what it was? Wash your hands! That’s right by running cold water from your elbows down to your hands the water acts as a conduit for the molecules of negative or technically positive ions and also resets your psyche.



Once as an LMT I worked on a client and did not follow through with this ritual cleansing. That week I wrote my friend an extremely accusatory letter about how she had just been using me and now that I wasn’t available she no longer had any use for me. Needless to say she was shocked and dismayed to receive something so out of character from me.



It took her patient letter addressing my crazy-talk and another week of flying off the handle at any little thing, being constantly angry and paranoid of others, impatient, frustrated, indignant, intolerant, judgmental of how people treated me, and having panic attacks before I realized exactly who I was emulating-- the client I had worked on and neglected to clear myself afterward.



This client worked with people all day long at a Charity for the less fortunate and all day she picked up and absorbed their negativity. She truly required clearing several times throughout the day, yet still by the time she would come to me she had taken on pretty much all the problems of everyone she’d met that week. Because I had removed it, it came to me. Because I didn’t clear it I was affected by it.

This client is a very strong woman to be able to exist with this kind of pressure on a constant basis. I did not have the years of experience to handle all this at once as she did.



I immediately cleansed my arms with cold water and re-grounded myself through meditation. I don’t recall how long it took me to get back to my old self, whether it was instant or took time. What I do remember is that I had to do a LOT of apologizing and explaining that week. Let me tell you it is NOT easy to explain away bad behavior spurred by the collection and influence of energy without sounding either like a lame cop-out or completely spaced.



Now, I’m not saying that it was all caused by this client. I had to have issues of my own to draw from and one of them is obviously a fear of being used and dropped by my friends. From then on anytime I have an encounter with any negative or stressful situation as immediately as is appropriate I clear myself by literally washing it away with water.



Thanks to Vince I was able to see first hand the power of cleansing and witness his silent testimony that, without anyone telling him, he discovered on his own what it took me to two years of college to learn—stick with what works and when around stressful people or situations don’t allow it to cling to you like a dirty monkey--just wash it away.

Sunday: Does Sex Make You Dumber?

Well it certainly can make you feel that way. It clouds your judgment and makes all the warning signs seem like adorable dust-bunnies in the road that you can easily step over and by the time you realize that your vision has been sabotaged by hormones you've just fell off the cliff and broken your heart!

In church today they talked about the adolescent mind and how it was thought that children learned everything they were going to by the age of 10.

We learned that while it my be true that the foundation and tools of learning are set in these years the next important stint of brain growth is between the ages of 10 and 20.

In the second decade of life the human mind begins to form organization skills based off of examples.
From 10-12 these example come from family, teachers and other adult contact. At 13 the adolescent mind begins to put aside family and seek their peers examples.

This is why it is of extreme importance that the adults at home be an anchor for the adolescent.

The speaker talked about a friend who she used to work with at a Teen Center. Her friend taught computer skills and she found out an interesting correlation in young girls. Girls who had been sexually active with many partners were also the girls who did not follow through with the program.

Another correlation was found that girls who did not have a positive parental male relationship would seek the love and acceptance from other males.

This is why it is of the utmost importance that an adolescent girl has a good foundation of intimacy with her parents. The power of parental touch can instill a foundation of belonging, love and intimacy.

The body and soul craves acceptance and touch. Children who have a positive model for and receive appropriate parental intimacy grow to be healthy, confident and strong in the knowledge of self-worth, self-respect and are less apt to seek intimacy elsewhere in a possible unhealthy relationship.

A question was asked of 48 male pedophiles from 4 institutions in the state of Missouri,

 "What kind of child would you not go after?"

All 48 pedophiles gave the same answer,

They would not go after a child who's parents were involved with them. The ratio of children without parent involvement is astounding. The amount of children that run in the streets unattended is rampant. There is no reason for a pedophile to go after a child who has the support of protectors when there are hundreds of children without such support to choose from.

Children who have the support of parents do not run the streets-- their parents know where they are at all times.

It is not a loving statement to say, "I trust my child."  A child is still experiencing life and making decisions on what their peers and family show them is right. To leave a child to the mercy and influence of their confusing hormonal urges is a form of neglect.

An adolescent is moving from a life of instant gratification to one of rules and delayed gratification. They can no longer cry and instantly have a bottle to appease their need. Now they must learn to gain a respect for themselves and a sense of self-worth by weighing what is best for their future and making a choice on how to go about working to have a lasting/ long-term outcome.

A child who gets instant gratification becomes an adult who cannot be satisfied with their life. They will forever be looking for something to fill the vacuum in their soul. Time and care must be taken to fill the heart and life of a child with positive long-reaching goals and rewards. A child who does not have the benefit of a loving parent to help them fill their lives with the anchors of commitment, determination, and personal growth through overcoming obstacles with loving support creates an empty soul--the result is a vacuum.

Nature abhors a vacuum and it must be filled. A starved soul will suck in the first things that bring a moment of gratification. A child will find themselves satisfied for a substitute that is of significant lesser value because settling is better than being empty.

This is the time to instill in them lessons that will affect their self-esteem and create a pattern of healthy relationships that will last into adulthood.

It is not too late to model a sexually healthy relationship.This does not include a string of live ins or arguments without respect, healthy communication, compromise, resolution and commitment. It does require openness, honesty, teamwork, worthiness of trust, and lasting love.

To be an anchor is simple. Live the life you would wish for your children when they are adults and though your child will continue to listen to their peers when they come home they will always have an example of what the right choices in life are.

Decide now to stick to the rules of a Home:


1. Home is where confidences are kept and respected.
2. Home has no room for judgement.
3. Home is a haven from the stresses, worries and tragedies of life.
4. Home is where you can find a solid anchor of what is right.
5. Home is where you will always find people who love you unconditionally and who are determined to help you have a fulfilling life. 

The Best Sugar-Free & Gluten-Free Brownies You've Never Ate!

In case you didn't know my regular diet excludes both sugar and gluten. If I go off of this even once I immediately can tell the difference with how I feel; lathargic, toxic, forgetfull, unfocused, achy and even ill.


To understand what gluten is and how it affects your body and why, there are hundreds of websites that talk about it, but. here is a link to one. For a quick basic break-down of the highlights of this article I've quoted the major reasons why eating foods with gluten should be limited if not excluded from everyone's diet.


"Your “gut brain” thinks gluten is a foreign substance. It doesn’t know that it’s meant to be a source of nutrition. So, when gluten reaches your gut, it panics.

Your gut reacts by sending antibodies to attack the unknown substance. This causes your immune system to become hyper alert with auto-immune components. And it can cause your body to attack its own tissue."

If left untreated, gluten intolerance can cause:

• Cancer
• Reduced blood flow to the brain (cerebral hypo perfusion)
• Vitamin D deficiency
• Miscarriage
• Low birth weight
• E.D. (Erectile Dysfunction)
• And thyroid disease
  
• Common Symptoms of
  Gluten Intolerance
  • Abdominal pain
  • Bloating
  • Cramping
  • Weight Gain or Loss
  • Constipation
  • Diarrhea
  • Alternating Constipation and Diarrhea

The only issue I really have is that I LOVE CHOCOLATE and have not found a pre-made substitute in the store.


The problem I run into is that I HATE substitutes for sugar and flour!  I have fine-tuned taste buds and they do not tolerate anything that remotely alludes to not being  the real deal.


Pretty much all sugar-free desserts contain one of the following:

• Splenda which is unhealthy 
• Aspartime which affects neurotransmitters and can cause memory loss
• Stevia which has an unpleasant aftertaste or 
• Xylitol, whichis a fairly decent substitute and can prevent cavities as well, but I don't always care for the texture or taste.

So, I had to come up with my own recipe to get my Brownie fix. I have added it below. Hope you enjoy!


1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup Agave Nectar ( Tastes just like sugar!)
1 cup Raw Cacao Powder ( I use Navitas Mayan super food)
1 tsp. Salt ( I use Himalayan-- 84 minerals, including iron and calcium and tastes significantly better than table salt!)
1/2 cup Sweet Sorghum (gluten-free flour found in Whole Foods or Hy-vee in the Health food/ Organic section)
2 Tblsp. Xanthan gum (acts to bind like a gluten.)
1 egg yolk

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Grease a 8x8 brownie pan and set aside.
3. In a medium sauce pan add butter, Agave and Cacao. Whisk until completely melted and all Cacao is mixed in. Add egg yolk, it will thicken. Removed from heat and add salt, vanilla, sorghum and xanthan.
4. Pour into greased baking pan and bake for 30 minutes.
5. Cool and enjoy!