Health and Happiness

Sep 032011
 
Proud Tibetan Mother

The Secret to happiness

Health and Happiness

Discovering happiness through health

Developing health through happiness

Happiness comes in many different ways; frequently I find myself smiling inwardly with gratitude for the simple things in life, such as clothes on my back and food in my mouth, from having the necessities of life, to being able to work a zipper or scratch an itch.  Another way happiness presents it’s self is through nature; sometimes human nature, sometimes animal nature, being able to laugh at your own circumstances brings light to any situation. Health on the other hand, is manifested in different degrees; mild, moderate, acute or chronic. If one was to consider both ‘happiness and health’; I present the question, “What degree of health are you happy with?” Happiness is often diminished when health is diminished and vise versa, therefore if you improve one, you improve the other.  After having suffered physical and emotional pain that had no apparent medical explanation, I started analyzing both my diet and environmental surroundings. The thoughts provoked suggested getting back to nature and keep things simple , with the belief that everything we need to maintain a healthy body, mind and spirit is provided naturally.  The last 18 months I have made various changes that have directly or indirectly had effects on my ‘health and happiness‘. The key to making changes is to progressively alter current behavior. I decided to eliminate additives, preservatives, highly processed foods/ drinks and toxins; at the  same time as establishing a daily exercise regime. BIG MISTAKE as I went into toxic shock, my intuition told me I should gradually change and now as a result I continue to remind myself ‘listen to your gut’.

At the beginning of the year I embarked on a new journey, studying an Adv.Dip. of Nutritional Medicine, as Hippocrates said, “Let thy food be thy medicine”. Generally I don’t like quoting other people, because I think we should get to know (discover) our own true self and beliefs, however when it has already been said in such simple terms that reflect what I have discovered as my own belief, let it be said. Although this enlightening journey had selfish beginnings, I wish to encourage others that have a desire to better ones self. The best way to learn and serve others at the same time is to teach; therefore I hope to be of service to you as I post knowledge new to me. Please remember I am a student with good intention; any information posted on this website is NOT a substitute for medical advice. Nutritional information is made available here as a guide only to be used to support the systems of the body to achieve optimal health and SHOULD BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH MEDICAL ADVICE AND SUPERVISION. I welcome any helpful comments and if you have any questions I will do my best to address them with sound knowledge with supportive evidence.

Glorious Rain

Jan 252012
 

Glorious Rain

?why do people avoid the rain?

Yesterday I was focused on finally attacking the task of relocating plants in order to relocate the raised veggie garden bed, away from the fence and under a new trellis. Having already started this massive project, the rain came; at first I thought “I’ll see if it’s going to ease up”, alas it got heavier and before I knew it, I was drenched. It’s quiet where I live, sure a little bit of distant traffic noise, in the heavy rain thou, the air is fresh and an array of birds are singing; as I focus my awareness, nature heightens the sensors. I put my hands out to feel the oversized rain drop fall on the pads of my hands. I’m following a detox diet at the moment and as I’ve been shovelling, working up a sweat, the fresh rain water and large drops hit my body, I feel the power of mother natures natural shower wash away the toxins, refreshing is an under statement. Invigorating and awakening at the same time. Why do people avoid the rain? The benefits are abundant. And one of the most liberating feelings is the warm shower at the end. Or you could simply dry off and warm up with some lite exercise or yoga pranayama breathing.

Enjoying a Variety of Foods

Jan 202012
 

A balanced diet must include a wide variety of foods to ensure all essential and non-essential nutrients required to maintain a healthy body, mind and spirit are obtained. The essential and non-essential nutrients comprise of; vitamins, minerals, proteins (amino acids), fatty acids, complex carbohydrates, fibre and water. All of which need to be met daily to ward off aging and disease. So do yourself a favour by affording time to explore the vast variety of the worlds cuisines, experiencing the natural colours. flavours and tastes food has on offer.

A few indications that your body’s requirements are met, is to see how much variety of colour, tastes and food groups are on your plate. A variety of colour gives you a variety of antioxidants (bioflavonoids) to fight free radicals. Taste, however, indicates foods ability to support different functions; acidic foods alkaline your body regulating your body’s pH level and therefore preventing unwanted microbial growth, while bitter foods stimulate the production of bile, assisting with the elimination of waste, making for a healthy gallbladder and liver.

Alkalizing Foods (fresh- preferably organic)

  • Apple cider vinegar (ACV)

    Colour_Flavour_Crunch

    Diversity counts, as does presentation

  • Artichokes
  • Asparagus
  • Beetroot
  • Broccoli
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Cabbage
  • Cauliflower
  • Carrots
  • Celery
  • Cucumber
  • Green Leafy vegetables like kale, lettuce, spinach and seaweed.
  • Pungent lilies such as garlic, chives leeks and onions
  • Zucchini
  •  Avocado
  • Citrus; grapefruit, orange, lemon, lime
  • Mango
  • Papaya
  • Pears
  • Pineapple
  • Pomegranate
  • Rhubarb
  • Tomato
  • Watermelon (neutral pH)
Foods that alkaline the body also assists the body in it’s process of elimination,  you can find a few examples of these in the list of bile producing foods (bitter foods) below.

Bitter foods

  • Artichokes
  • Asparagus
  • Broccoli
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Bitter leafy greens – rocket
  • Cabbage
  • Chard
  • Dandelion leaf
  • Lettuce
  • Ginger root

These are only a few benefits of ensuring diversity of colours, flavours, tastes. I believe the real benefit comes to the abundance of energy, ease of mobility, and simply the social aspect when you invite friends and family(occasionally new acquaintances) to enjoy good food and good company.

Serving others

Sep 282010
 

To be selfless

without thought……
Friday, May 22nd, 2009

Today, after breakfast with my nieghbours, I went in search for a swami #13, on my search I met another swami whom has very little experience in speaking English, however, through broken conversation I learn that the Indian police have arrested the swami #13 and demolished his living arrangements. This swami I’ve just met has a small dwelling that the ashram owns, he is clearing a tree that has fallen on a shrine and asks for my help, happy to oblige. On reflection,  he should not have had to ask. Continue reading »

Dreaming

Sep 282010
 

Dream interpretation

Know thy self

Friday, May 22, 2009.

Dreaming….

I’m in a room where I discover a door not previously realized. When I opened the door; there was a man, appeared to have been living in here without food, water or nourishment. “What are you doing in here?” I ask, there is no verbal reply, however there is a knowing, I hear the reply in silence as this is me, I step forward from a corner, still slightly in a shadow as not to be seen properly. “You can’t stay in here” I say to myself, the self in the room replies “I don’t want to come out, shut the door”. Leaving the door open the self outside says to the self inside, “there is no nourishment in here you must come out”, the self inside feels very confronted and now feels that he wants to come out but is afraid. The door is left open and the self outside leaves, with both selves knowing that the self inside will come out soon, just given a little time. I wake up feeling happy the door has been open.

Ayervedic Doctor

Sep 282010
 

 

Ayervedic Doctor

Friday, May 15, 2009.

You never know what the day will bring when you wake, not being morbid, just curious, I think maybe some thing exciting happens or maybe I die, who knows. So I live another day, I’ve had a cough and flem for about ten days now and my friend said he was going to see his Ayer Vedic doctor for a massage treatment as the last of three visits, so I think, “o.k. I should  see if she can help me”. Continue reading »

Yoga in Rishikesh

Sep 112010
 

Yoga in Rishikesh

Ganga river
Ganges River – Sacred waters

Thursday, May 14, 2009.                    This morning my neighbor invited me for yoga, Raymond (Austria, the Austrian man I mentioned earlier), he has been doing yoga on the beach of the river Ganga with a Shadu. “Sounds great why not?” I reply. Raymond and I have a twenty minute to half hour walk to get there. The Shadu has a shelter built using rock walls (there is no shortage of rocks by the river Ganga) , branches for support beams, vines, leaves, sticks and a sheet of black plastic for the roof covering. As I entered the Shadu was sitting on a rock ledge Continue reading »

India experiance

Jul 082010
 

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

monkey in India

Tried my element again, woo hoo, it’s not burnt out. Cool that’s 75-/rp’s well spent. I just seem to attract ‘em yep that’s two days in a row a lame cow just wouldn’t leave me. I went for a walk today (again) that’s just what I do, walk and talk to the animals, ha ha. Not just the animals, hey a monkey gave me a nasty grimes, I thought he was going to pick a fight with me, lucky he didn’t, I would have gone BIFF BAM SLAM, you know just like in the comic books (o.k. the olden day comic books, that’s enough of that cheeky). What happened was. . .  Continue reading »

Soaking up the Scenary

Jul 082010
 

There are quiet a few monkeys roamming where they please, hanging out along side the highway, in the streets, around the temples (I’m trying to boil water so I can have a cuppa, however I may have burnt out the element, luckily its only 110/120 volt in India, otherwise I probably would have been electrocuted, ha ha ha).

Suspension bridge

Crossing holy water

People bathing in the mighty river Ganga, I take a photo for some Russians on holidays on the famous suspension bridge, which replaces the rope one taken down in 1959. There’s a temple the other side of this mighty river, many people, including Indian nationals, use as the back drop for their photos. (Yes it’s official, I burnt out the element, there’s 75-/rp’s gone up in smoke, figuratively speaking,(no smoke) just a few zaps ha ha ha) Walking around there are endless posters on the power poles and on bill boards advertising Vedic yoga, paranic yoga, Ayer Vedic remedies, massage, yoga teacher courses, all claim to be authentic, I came here for some yoga or meditation, how to find a teacher, when learning meditation I learnt for free and was able to give a donation when completed, this is how it should be, that way it isn’t kept for the wealthy, anyone can achieve spiritual enlightenment. No yoga teacher yet, perhaps I can find an ashram, at this point I’ve walked around experiencing within, and on the outside I’ve burnt out an element dear Watson. Ha ha ha. I here it’s cooler in Dhamasala so I’ll head that way soon. Well, to be in the moment within, is a special place to be and I am forever grateful that I have the knowledge and the now to experience it. For now, good morning or good night, bye for now and see or write you another now. I’ll get some pictures that will give a nice indication of the landscape surrounds.

Choices? Living in the moment

Jul 072010
 

Sacred Cow eats plastic

Sacred Cow eats plastic - Choices?

Today got stifling hot, so basically I had a sleep and ended up doing stuff all. Well that’s not entirely true. I went for a wonder a few times which is a good way to experience life within within. I’m in India. One of the project team members, Travis, and I were talking about choice, Travis isn’t here, this particular talk took place at another now to now, an earlier now, now I just woke up and it’s about one a.m. so if I go off on different tangents just bare with me, where was I going with that, ah yes, choice… Continue reading »

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