Posts Tagged ‘lifestyle’

Nutrition and the Bible

Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010

Many would have you believe that nutrition is something new and improved. Companies would have you believe that their controlled studies are the basis for how you should lose weight and live. If we were to actually believe that we would be making the same mistakes that have been made over centuries.

You are your best study and you are different than everyone else in the world.  Studies are just facts about the people that were in them and seeing how you were not in them they really do not apply to you unless you want them to.

Here is an example of from Daniel Chapter 1 of the bible:

King James Version:

3And the king spoke unto Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel and of the king’s seed and of the princes,
4youths in whom was no blemish, but well favored, and skillful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.
5And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king’s meat and of the wine which he drank, so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.
6Now among these of the children of Judah were: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
7unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, Shadrach; and to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.
8But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank. Therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
9Now God had brought Daniel into favor and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.
10And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink. For why should he see your faces sadder than the youths who are of your sort? Then shall ye make me endanger my head before the king.”
11Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
12“Test thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days, and let them give us pulse to eat and water to drink.
13Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the youths who eat of the portion of the king’s meat. And as thou seest, deal with thy servants.”
14So he consented to them in this matter, and tested them ten days.
15And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the portion of the king’s meat.
16Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat and the wine that they should drink, and gave them pulse.

We can all take a lesson from this. Food is good for us and instead of reading some report or some fad diet, your test is simple. Do you feel better with your changes? Simple question really now, isn’t it. Diet is not a punishment for our bodies.  It is the ability to eat healthy, to maintain our life, energy, and mental focus, so we can enjoy more things.  A diet should be empowering and fulfilling, not restrictive and punishing.

Remember that vitamins are actually real food, and not supplements in real life. I remember someone telling me that herballife was for life, which I found quite honest in fact. If we choose to embrace a supplement or fad in order to maintain our health, then we are saying we need it for life? Just a thought here; if you do chose this type of health, then who really benefits; you or the company that provided you the belief in the end.

I hope you chose to embrace the belief that you can take control of your health by experimenting, and making choices that lead you to more happiness than restriction.  Don’t worry about the companies that are preying on the weak by niche marketing and pretending to be an authority on your health. You are the the real authority, and isn’t it time you admit it. Time to take charge again. We don’t need the rich foods of a King to be Kingly now do we.  Sometimes the appearance is just that; and it is what is inside that really matters.

Mystically yours,

Michael Holt

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6 TIPS FOR SLOWING DOWN THE ADD BRAIN

Wednesday, April 7th, 2010

If you are an adult with ADD, then you may be familiar that at times, slowing down is a very difficult thing to do. There are a lot of jobs to get done and so little time to get them completed. So your mind starts working in a high speed, trying to achieve it all and more, or getting upset about the actuality that it look as if it is not viable to get it all completed. As a result, you use up a lot of time constantly worrying, and very little time getting pleasure from life.

While slowing down is a complex ability to accomplish at times, it can be done. Here are 6 established methods to slow down the adult ADD brain:

1. Put Down Work

Fix up your business hours and stand by them. Even though at times it is essential to work overtime, do not do it unless you are directed to. You will work more competently during the day when the time you have to complete your job is fixed. And take a break on weekends – or at least 2 days a week. You should have time away from work.

2. Arrange for a Night out with Others

Nothing is more enjoyable than having a night out with people you like. This may well be with colleagues, friends, family, or members of a group you are a part of. Have a good time.

3. Make a Weekly Obligation (Like Taking a Class or Involving Yourself in a Group)

Find a reason to go out of the house and out of the office each week. Attend a class, if possible to learn something you for all time wanted to know how to do. Make certain that you *pay* for the class beforehand so you will not be coaxed to miss it out. Learn a new skill or volunteer for a service organization like the Optimist or a non-profit that shares your values.

4. Diary

Maintaining a diary compels you to stop, think over and act out. It aids you to deal with nervous tension and achieve clearness. Formulate the resolution to do it every day – even if it is merely for 10 minutes! Do not be bothered about sentence structure, syntax, punctuation, or flow since no one else ever has to see it. Keep your diary next to your bed as well to write any thoughts that might come during the night. This allows you to get back to sleep quickly so you feel refreshed the next day.

5. Meditate

There are a lot of diverse methods of meditation, but I have a preference for mindfulness meditation. This is merely the action of being there in the present instant – whether you are working, walking, or washing the dishes. Make an effort to keep your mind in the instant, and do not tag on worrying or troublesome feelings when they come up. It is all right to start on little by little, with 5 minutes spent in mindful meditation daily, and after that building on your performance as you happen to be more at ease. You can use our meditation timer to track your daily meditation. Remember also that we have hundreds of downloads for you to listen to as well and lots of great books you can download on our website.

6. Switch off Your Computer 2 Hours before Bed

Computers are rather interesting, in particular for ADDers. Frequently at times, you will find yourself sitting at your computer at 3 o’clock in the morning completely occupied in exploring something totally arbitrary. You just cannot move away from the pc and go to bed, and that is for the reason that the computer stimulates your brain. Switch the pc off at least two hours prior to going to sleep so as to suitably relax, and slow down, at night.

Mystically yours,

Michael Holt, Ph.D.
Magi Institute of Natural Medicine

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Life is About Choices and the Decisions We Make

Tuesday, March 30th, 2010

Life is like a road. There are long and short roads; smooth and rocky roads; crooked and straight roads that connect to paths and trails . We will experience many roads as we journey through life. There are roads that lead to a life of single blessedness, marriage, and religious vocation. There are also roads that lead to fame and fortune on one hand, or isolation and poverty on the other. There are roads to happiness as there are roads to sadness, roads towards victory and jubilation, and roads leading to defeat and disappointment.

Just like any road, there are corners, detours, and crossroads in life. Perhaps the most perplexing road that you would encounter is a crossroad. With four roads to choose from and with limited knowledge on where they would go, which road will you take? What is the guarantee that we would choose the right one along the way? Would you take any road, or just stay where you are: in front of a crossroad?

There are no guarantees.

You do not really know where a road will lead you until you take it. There are no guarantees. This is one of the most important things you need to realize about life. Nobody said that choosing to do the right thing all the time would always lead you to happiness. Loving someone with all your heart does not guarantee that it would be returned. Gaining fame and fortune does not guarantee happiness. Accepting a good word from an influential superior to cut your trip short up the career ladder is not always bad, especially if you are highly qualified and competent.  There are too many possible outcomes, which you really cannot control. The only thing you have power over is the decisions that you will make, and how you would act and react to different situations.

Wrong decisions are always at hindsight.

Had you known that you were making a wrong decision, would you have gone along with it? Perhaps not, why would you choose a certain path when you know it would get you lost? Why make a certain decision if you knew from the very beginning that it is not the right one. It is only after you have made a decision and reflected on it that you realize its soundness. If the consequences or outcomes are good for you, then you have decided correctly. Otherwise, your decision was wrong.

Take the risk: decide.

Since life offers no guarantee and you would never know that your decision would be wrong until you have made it, then you might as well take the risk and decide. It is definitely better than keeping yourself in limbo. Although it is true that one wrong turn could get you lost, it could also be that such a turn could be an opportunity for an adventure, moreover open more roads. It is all a matter of perspective. You have the choice between being a lost traveller or an accidental tourist of life.  But take caution that you do not make decisions haphazardly. Taking risks is not about being careless and stupid. Here are some pointers that could help you choose the best option in the face of life’s crossroads:
·    Get as many information as you can about your situation.

You cannot find the confidence to decide when you know so little about what you are faced with. Just like any news reporter, ask the 5 W’s: what, who, when, where, and why. What is the situation? Who are the people involved? When did this happen? Where is this leading? Why are you in this situation? These are just some of the possible questions to ask to know more about your situation. This is important. Oftentimes, the reason for indecision is the lack of information about a situation.

·   Identify and create options.

What options do the situation give you? Sometimes the options are few, but sometimes they are numerous. But what do you do when you think that the situation offers no options? This is the time that you create your own. Make your creative mind work. From the most simplistic to the most complicated, entertain all ideas. Do not shoot anything down when an idea comes to your head. Sometimes the most outrageous idea could prove to be the right one in the end. You can ask a friend to help you identify options and even make more options if you encounter some difficulty, but make sure that you make the decision yourself in the end.

·    Weigh the pros and cons of every option.

Assess each option by looking at the advantages and disadvantages it offers you. In this way, you get more insights about the consequences of such an option. Many people understand pros and cons but they do not take the time to completely understand them.  I like to use a simple format when looking at pros and cons:

1) What will happen if I take this road ?    2) What will happen if I do not take this road?
3) What will not happen if I take this road?  4) What will not happen if I do not take this road?

If you ask yourself these 4 questions when making a decision you will better understand the decision and outcome.

·    Trust yourself and make that decision.

Now that you have assessed all your options, it is now time to trust yourself. Remember that there are no guarantees and wrong decisions always lead to right ones later.  So choose… decide… believe that you are choosing the best option at this point in time.

Now that you have made a decision, be ready to face its consequences: good and bad. It may take you to a place of promise or to a land of problems and growth. The important thing is that you have chosen to live your life instead of remaining a bystander or a passive audience to your own journey. Whether it is the right decision or not, you will grow and learn from it. Embrace whatever the outcome. Learn from it and remember that you always have the chance to make better decisions in the future from the decisions you are making today.

Mystically your,

Michael Holt, Ph.D.
Magi Institute of Natural Medicine

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