The Paleo Mama

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Jackie Ritz

The Amazing Benefits of Himalayan Pink Salt

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Have you heard about the amazing Himalayan crystal salt that comes directly from the Himalayan Mountains? It is packed with some pretty amazing benefits and is an amazing new staple to add to your pantry. It is an absolutely wonderful alternative to table salt, and soon I’ll explain why.

The History

First of all, what makes Himalayan crystal salt so amazing? About 200 million years ago, there were crystallized sea salt beds that were covered with lava. Being kept in this untouched, pristine environment that has been surrounded with snow and ice for so many years means that the salt has been protected from modern day pollution. Many people believe that this pink salt from the Himalayas is the purest salt that can be found on the planet.

Minerals & Energy

Himalayan Salt contains the same 84 trace minerals and elements that are found in the human body, that alone is quite impressive! A few of these minerals include: sodium chloride, sulphate, calcium, potassium and magnesium. When using this salt, you are actually getting less sodium intake per serving than regular table salt because it is less refined and the pieces are larger. Therefore Himalayan salt has less sodium per serving because the crystals or flakes take up less room than the highly processed table salt variety. Another cool thing about this salt is that because of its cellular structure it stores vibrational energy. The minerals in this salt exist in colloidal form, which means that they are small enough for our cells to easily absorb.

What Exactly Are The Benefits?

Some of the benefits that you can expect by consuming this salt in place of regular table salt include:

  • Aiding in vascular health
  • Supporting healthy lungs and respiratory function
  • Promoting a stable pH balance within the cells
  • Reducing the signs of aging
  • Promoting healthy sleep patterns
  • Increasing libido
  • Prevents muscle cramps
  • Increases hydration
  • Strengthen bones
  • Lowers blood pressure
  • Improves circulation
  • Detoxifying the body of heavy metals

Comparing Himalayan Salt To Other Salts 

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Sea Salt

While still a better choice than table salt, sea salt is becoming increasingly over processed; and, let’s face it, our oceans are becoming more and more polluted each year, just think about the massive oils spills that have occurred. Because of the pristine conditions that the pink salt is kept in, it is said to be the purest salt available today. 

Table SaltRegular, commercial table salt is completely stripped of the majority of its minerals with the exception of sodium and chloride. It is then bleached, cleaned with chemicals and then heated at extremely high temperatures. The iodine that is added to table salt is almost always synthetic which is difficult for our bodies to properly take in. It is treated with anti-caking agents, which prevents the salt from dissolving in water and in the salt container. These agents then prevent the salt from absorbing in our own bodies, which leads to a build up and deposit within the organs. This can cause severe health problems. Studies have shown that for each gram of table salt that is consumed that the body cannot process, your body will use 20 TIMES the amount of cellular water to neutralize the amount of sodium chloride that is present in this chemically treated salt.

This is large in part of how salt has gotten such a bad name. It is not necessarily salt that is unhealthy for us, it is refined table salt that is inferior for our health. Aside from that, many of us are consuming way too much processed food. These foods contain astronomical amounts of salt, and it isn’t the good kind. It’s not about limiting our amount of salt; it’s about consuming more natural, homemade whole foods. This way we can add salt while cooking or sprinkle some on our meals without having to worry about high blood pressure and so on.You should be able to find this amazing Himalayan Crystal Salt at your local health food store, or easily online!

Sources:

 

*Article reposted from Natural Blaze*

A Paleo Diet Meal Plan and Menu That Can Save Your Life

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[box]This is a detailed meal plan for the paleo diet. What to eat, what to avoid and a sample paleo menu for one week.[/box]  

The paleo diet is based on emulating the diet of our hunter-gatherer ancestors. It includes whole, unprocessed foods that resemble what they look like in nature.

Our ancestors were genetically the same as modern humans. They thrived eating such foods and were free of diseases like obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

Several studies suggest that this diet can lead to significant weight loss (without calorie counting) and major improvements in health.

Eat Plants and Animals

Photo by Fit Bomb.

A Paleo Diet Meal Plan

There is no one “right” way to eat for everyone and paleolithic humans thrived on a variety of diets, depending on what was available at the time.

Some ate a low-carb diet high in animal foods, others a high-carb diet with lots of plants.

Consider this as a general guideline, not something written in stone. You can adapt all of this to your own personal needs and preferences.

The Basics

Eat: Meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, herbs, spices, healthy fats and oils.

Avoid: Processed foods, sugar, soft drinks, grains, most dairy products, legumes, artificial sweeteners, vegetable oils, margarine and trans fats.

This is a simplified paleo food pyramid:

Paleo Food Pyramid

Photo by Mark Sisson.

Avoid These Foods

Avoid these foods and ingredients:

  • Sugar and High Fructose Corn Syrup: Soft drinks, fruit juices, table sugar, agave nectar, candy, pastries, ice cream and many others.
  • Grains: Includes breads and pastas, wheat, spelt, rye, barley, etc.
  • Legumes: Beans, lentils and many more.
  • Dairy: Avoid most dairy, especially low-fat (some “versions” of paleo do include full-fat dairy like butter and cheese).
  • Vegetable Oils: Soybean oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil, grapeseed oil, safflower oil and others.
  • Trans Fats: Found in margarine and various processed foods. Usually referred to as “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” oils.
  • Artificial Sweeteners: Aspartame, Sucralose, Cyclamates, Saccharin, Acesulfame Potassium. Use natural sweeteners instead.
  • Highly Processed Foods: Everything labelled “diet” or “low-fat” or has many weird ingredients. Includes artificial meal replacements.

A simple guideline: If it looks like it was made in a factory, don’t eat it!

If you want to avoid these ingredients, then you MUST read ingredients lists, even on foods that are labelled as “health foods.”

Foods to Eat on The Paleo Diet

Base your diet on these real, unprocessed paleo foods.

  • Meats: Beef, lamb, chicken, turkey, pork and others.
  • Fish and Seafood: Salmon, trout, haddock, shrimp, shellfish, etc. Choose wild-caught if you can.
  • Vegetables: Broccoli, kale, peppers, onions, carrots, tomatoes, etc.
  • Fruits: Apples, oranges, pears, avocados, strawberries, blueberries and more.
  • Tubers: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, turnips, etc.
  • Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, macadamia nuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and more
  • Healthy Fats and Oils: Lard, tallow, coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil and others.
  • Salt and Spices: Sea salt, himalayan salt, garlic, turmeric, rosemary, etc.

Try to choose grass-fed, pasture raised and organic if you can afford it. If not, then just make sure to always go for the least processed option.

There are some things you can do to minimize cost while still eating high quality foods. Read a great article on this here.

Maybe Eat

Butter

In the past few years, the paleo community has evolved quite a bit.

There are now several different “versions” of the paleo diet. Many of them allow some modern foods that science has shown to be healthy.

This includes quality bacon from pasture raised pigs, grass-fed butter and even some non-gluten grains like rice.

Many people now think of paleo as a template to base your diet on, not necessarily as a strict set of rules that you must follow.

Sensible Indulgences

These are perfectly healthy in small amounts:

  • Wine: Quality red wine is high in antioxidants and beneficial nutrients.
  • Dark Chocolate: Choose one that has 70% or higher cocoa content. Quality dark chocolate is very nutritious and extremely healthy.

What to Drink When You’re Thirsty

When it comes to hydration, water should be your go-to beverage.

These aren’t exactly paleo, but most people drink them anyway:

  • Tea is very healthy and loaded with antioxidants and various beneficial compounds. Green tea is best.
  • Coffee is actually very high in antioxidants as well. Studies show that it has many health benefits.

You Should Watch This Video

This short video is a must-watch, it will teach you everything you need to know about the basics of paleo.

A Sample Paleo Menu For One Week

This sample menu contains a balanced amount of all the paleo foods.

Feel free to adjust this based on your own preferences.

Monday

  • Breakfast: Eggs and vegetables, fried in coconut oil. One piece of fruit.
  • Lunch: Chicken salad, with olive oil. Handful of nuts.
  • Dinner: Burgers (no bun), fried in butter, with vegetables and some salsa.

Tuesday

  • Breakfast: Bacon and eggs, with a piece of fruit.
  • Lunch: Leftover burgers from the night before.
  • Dinner: Salmon, fried in butter, with vegetables.

Wednesday

  • Breakfast: Meat with vegetables (leftovers from night before).
  • Lunch: Sandwich in a lettuce leaf, with meat and fresh vegetables.
  • Dinner: Ground beef stir fry, with vegetables. Some berries.

Thursday

  • Breakfast: Eggs and a fruit.
  • Lunch: Leftover stir fry from the night before. A handful of nuts.
  • Dinner: Fried pork, with vegetables.

Friday

  • Breakfast: Eggs and vegetables, fried in coconut oil.
  • Lunch: Chicken salad with olive oil. Handful of nuts.
  • Dinner: Steak with vegetables and sweet potatoes.

Saturday

  • Breakfast: Bacon and eggs, with a piece of fruit.
  • Lunch: Leftover steak and vegetables from the night before.
  • Dinner: Baked salmon with vegetables and avocado.

Sunday

  • Breakfast: Meat with vegetables (leftovers from night before).
  • Lunch: Sandwich in a lettuce leaf, with meat and fresh vegetables.
  • Dinner: Grilled chicken wings, with vegetables and salsa.

There is usually no need to track calories or macronutrients (protein, carbs or fat) on the paleo diet, at least not in the beginning.

However, if you need to lose a lot of weight then it is a good idea to cut carbs somewhat and limit your intake of nuts and potatoes.

If you’re a vegetarian, then read this article for some tips on how to do paleo without meat.

How to Make Your Restaurant Meals Paleo

It is not very difficult to make most restaurant meals paleo friendly.

  1. Order a meat or fish-based main dish.
  2. Get extra vegetables instead of bread or rice.
  3. Ask them to cook your food in coconut oil, lard, olive oil or butter.

There’s an excellent article on eating paleo at restaurants here.

Simple Paleo Snacks

There really is no need to eat more than 3 meals per day, but if you get hungry then here are some paleo snacks that are simple and easily portable:

  • Baby carrots.
  • Hard boiled eggs.
  • A piece of fruit.
  • A handful of nuts.
  • Leftovers from the night before.
  • Apple slices with some almond butter.
  • A bowl of berries with some coconut cream.
  • Homemade beef jerky.

Simple Paleo Shopping List

There is an incredible variety of foods you can eat on the paleo diet.

This simple shopping list should give you an idea of how to get started.

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  • Meat (beef, lamb, pork).
  • Poultry (chicken, turkey, etc).
  • Fish (salmon, trout, mackarel).
  • Eggs.
  • Fresh vegetables: greens, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, onions, etc.
  • Frozen vegetables: broccoli, spinach, various mixes, etc.
  • Fruits: Apples, bananas, pears, oranges, avocado.
  • Berries: Strawberries, blueberries.
  • Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts.
  • Almond butter.
  • Coconut oil.
  • Olive oil.
  • Grass-fed butter.
  • Olives.
  • Sweet potatoes.
  • Condiments: Sea salt, pepper, turmeric, garlic, parsley, etc.

If you want a more advanced shopping guide, read this.

It is a good idea to clear all unhealthy temptations from your home, including sodas, pastries, cookies, crackers, bread, ice cream and cereals.

How to Find More Info

If you’re interested in more articles like this one, make sure to subscribe to free updates.

There is an entire world of information out there on paleo eating. Just google something like “paleo recipes” or “primal recipes” and you will find a ton of stuff.

These are some really excellent paleo recipe blogs:

 

*A Paleo Diet Menu Plan originally posted by Kris Gunnar and is republished with permission.*

 

 

Keep Yourself, Your Pets and Your Home Healthier with Apple Cider Vinegar

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Apple cider vinegar is an age-old remedy that has a surprising number of uses, and while whole books have been written on this amazing remedy, many of us are still unaware of just how usful apple cider vinegar (ACV) can be. The following are just a few of the ways that we can use ACV to add to our health and our lives:

1. Tummy troubles, indigestion and bloating

Mix one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar into a glass of water and drink before meals to improve digestion. This will also help prevent indigestion and bloating, and a little ACV taken in water at the first sign of heartburn will usually stop it in its tracks.

Because ACV is antibacterial, it can also help prevent the bacterial infections that may cause food poisoning.

2. Healthy hair

Rinse hair after washing with a mixture made of two tablespoons of ACV and 500 ml of water. It will balance the pH of the hair, leaving it thicker, smoother and healthier. The vinegar smell will dissipate once the hair dries.

3. Alkaline body

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ACV is commonly used as a health tonic mixed in water with honey, as it promotes alkalinity. This means that it can be of benefit for many of the diseases caused by an overly acidic body such as arthritis, gout and even cancer.

4. Cure hiccups

A teaspoon of undiluted ACV is said to sometimes stop hiccups immediately!

5. Post-exercise drink

ACV mixed with water has been used as an antidote for lactic acid and fatigue after working out, as it provides potassium and other nutrients as well as valuable enzymes that assist with recovery.

6. Night cramps

One or two tablespoons of ACV mixed with water and honey to taste can be sipped prior to sleep to prevent night cramps.

7. Diabetes

ACV may be of benefit to diabetics, as it has been shown to reduce blood glucose.

8. Candida

Regular consumption of ACV can assist with improving gut flora and reversing the overgrowth of Candida and other unwanted bacteria or yeasts.

9. Weight management

ACV has a history of being used as an aid for weight loss and weight management. It has been shown to not only have beneficial effects on blood glucose and insulin levels but also appetite control.

10. Pet health

ACV can also be used to keep your dog healthy. Add a little to drinking water or food as a general health tonic, to help digestion, reduce allergies and prevent parasites. Spray a water/ACV mixture on skin conditions, ear infections and thinning fur and use as a rinse after bathing.

11. Nontoxic cleaning

Make a nontoxic cleaning spray using a 50/50 mixture of water and ACV in a spray bottle. Use this to clean hard surfaces. It absorbs odors and has antibacterial properties.

12. Spider and insect bites and stings

Make a simple poultice using Slippery Elm Bark powder, a couple of drops of lavender oil and ACV to mix into a paste. Spread thickly on bites, stings or splinters and cover with a dressing. Repeat as often as necessary until heat, pain and swelling has gone.

Of course, don’t forget to use apple cider vinegar in salad dressings and always ensure that you buy raw, unpasteurised ACV with the mother, which can be identified by cloudiness or floaties in the vinegar.

Sources for this article include:

(Original Source: Natural News)

Three Weeks to Vitality: A Food Based Liver Detox

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If you follow me on my Facebook page, you saw that I announced I was starting a 21 day liver detox on Monday, February 17. For the past five years, I have been eating healthy, whole foods and every year I have done some sort of “detox”. I’ve done a few Whole 30’s and a 21 Day Sugar Detox before. And while those have been great for kicking my weight loss in gear and getting me to focus on eating 100% Paleo, I really felt like I needed something that really cleansed my liver and got rid of, any and all, toxic build-up.

Why Do I Need a Detox? 

  • I’ve gained 5 lbs since Christmas
  • I have a really hard time going to bed at night. And when I do fall asleep, I wake up every hour.
  • I have been getting a lot of headaches lately
  • I’ve had a lot of stress in my life
  • I have become too dependent on coffee and I drink too much.
  • I have 3pm energy crashes and usually make more coffee or grab chocolate
  • My cravings are out of my control
  • I need mental clarity to process a few life events

Why Everyone Needs a Detox

Mary Vance, certified nutrition consultant, and author of the book, Three Weeks to Vitality: The Ultimate Cleanse writes:

We are exposed to thousands of toxic chemicals, heavy metals and other poisons from our air, water and food supply. A recent study showed that 100 percent of human fat cell biopsies show elevated levels of known toxins. These include toxins in your home, fumes from your car, cleaners you use around the house. Add to this the ever-growing list of toxins we consume, including artificial sweeteners, MSG, caffeine, medications, alcohol, corn syrup, hydrogenated fats, and nicotine. Fast food consumption is at an all-time high, and we abuse our bodies with Venti-sized stimulants in the mornings and sedatives (from wine to sleeping pills) at night.

Your liver is charged with detoxifying every single thing you breathe, eat, drink and apply to your skin. It has a total threshold for the amount of toxins they can effectively process and excrete. When this threshold is exceeded due to stress, poor diet, alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and exposure to household and environmental chemicals, toxins build up in our body and cause symptoms such as weight gain, fatigue, headaches, irritability, anxiety, constipation, heartburn, PMS, infertility, and insomnia. This is called toxic overload.

Toxic overload creates an acidic environment and has been implicated in a number of diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic fatigue, allergies, skin conditions, asthma, mental illness, hypertension, gastritis, kidney disease and obesity.

Studies are beginning to reveal that toxic overload contributes to more serious conditions such as autoimmune diseases, inflammatory/rheumatoid arthritis, and neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Positive Benefits of Cleansing (Detoxing):

The good news is that we can help our body unload the toxins that are built-up by doing a holistic cleanse or detoxification program. By eliminating our expose to processed foods and chemicals, along with liver-supportive herbs and foods that support our body’s detox pathways, we can lower our total toxic load, reduce unpleasant symptoms that we have day-to-day, and experience renewed clarity, vitality, and longevity!

Expect the Following Things to Disappear:

  • Weight loss resistance
  • Digestive problems
  • Bad Breath
  • Fatigue
  • Irritability
  • General Malaise
  • Constipation
  • Headaches
  • Itchy Skin
  • Skin Rashes
  • Joint Pain
  • Poor Concentration
  • Insomnia

I have chosen to go with a whole foods based diet. I’ve seen some crazy detox diets going around and nothing feels right about these. Mary Vance’s Three Weeks to Vitality is one of the BEST detox programs I have seen. I have chosen her program because it allows clean proteins, healthy fats, lots of vegetables, and limited fruit.

Three Weeks to Vitality Includes the Basic Detox Diet + Any Combo of the Below Therapies:

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What to Expect from Three Weeks to Vitality:

Phase One “Pre-Cleanse Week” (Days 1-7) – This is when you begin cleaning up your diet, cutting down on coffee and getting rid of booze, refined sugar, and nicotine. You will want to use the program guide to help you plan out your meals and start increasing your vegetable intake. Vance recommends you start using a liver tonic (where to buy) that you can buy from your health food store, however, this is optional.

Phase Two (Days 8-21) – You continue with the detox diet throughout this phase. Your consumption of coffee should be down to none if you followed the program guide on how to wean off coffee in the first phase. Replacing your coffee with green tea (like this one) or a herbal coffee (where to buy) is fine. In this phase you can now start adding a cleansing smoothie for 1-2 meals. Vance recommends that you add a clean vegan protein powder (I choose a hemp powder), a super foods green powder (I got this one) and other optional things for therapeutic benefits (maca powder, chia seeds, flaxseeds, coconut milk, organic turmeric, bee pollen, almond butter, cocoa powder)

Conclusion and Call to Detox:

I’m not going to go farther in depth with the diet, because you need to buy the program guide to get the full benefit of what this cleanse is all about. Three Weeks to Vitality, also, includes sample menus and lots of recipes to help you with this detox.

Personally, I do good with something like this that tells me exactly what to eat. I plan on planning EVERY meal out and keeping a food journal and writing down my feelings and emotions. I am going to be doing yoga a few times a week and walking several times a week. My goal is to get some mental clarity through this detox and look internally and not be scared of my feelings and emotions. I’ll be doing some guided meditation each morning before I start my day.

I will, also, be turning EVERY electronic device off an hour before I go to bed. I will use the hour before I want to sleep to do a hobby or to read a book.

I really want to encourage you to do this with me. Three weeks of your entire year is not that much and this detox will reset your body completely. You will be able to notice things about your body that you couldn’t see before because it was masked. So, don’t wait any longer!

Mary Vance has offered my readers a 20% discount on Three Weeks to Vitality!

Use coupon code: DTOX14 when you order (exp 3/14/14)! 

Click here to order and start your detox!

detoxxxx

 

 

 

 

How Not to Hurry: 9 Tips for a Slower Paced Life

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“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” ~ Lao Tzu

Consider the above quote from Lao Tzu, (perhaps mythical) father of Taoism: how can it be true?

Is it possible to never hurry, but to get everything done?

It seems contradictory to our modern world, where everything is a rush, where we try to cram as much into every minute of the day as possible, where if we are not busy, we feel unproductive and lazy.

In fact, often we compete by trying to show how busy we are. I have a thousand projects to do! Oh yeah? I have 10,000! The winner is the person who has the most insane schedule, who rushes from one thing to the next with the energy of a hummingbird, because obviously that means he’s the most successful and important.

Right?

Maybe not. Maybe we’re playing the wrong game — we’ve been conditioned to believe that busier is better, but actually the speed of doing is not as important as what we focus on doing.

Maybe we’re going at the wrong speed. Maybe if we are constantly rushing, we will miss out on life itself. Let’s let go of the obsession with speed, and instead slow down, stop rushing, and enjoy life.

And still get everything done.

Let’s look at how.

A Change of Mindset
The most important step is a realization that life is better when you move at a slower, more relaxed pace, instead of hurrying and rushing and trying to cram too much into every day. Instead, get the most out of every moment.

Is a book better if you speed read it, or if you take your time and get lost in it?

Is a song better if you skim through it, or if you take the time to really listen?

Is food better if you cram it down your throat, or if you savor every bite and really appreciate the flavor?

Is your work better if you’re trying to do 10 things at once, or if you really pour yourself into one important task?

Is your time spent with a friend or loved one better if you have a rushed meeting interrupted by your emails and text messages, or if you can relax and really focus on the person?

Life as a whole is better if you go slowly, and take the time to savor it, appreciate every moment. That’s the simplest reason to slow down.

And so, you’ll need to change your mindset (if you’ve been stuck in a rushed mindset until now). To do this, make the simple admission that life is better when savored, that work is better with focus. Then make the commitment to give that a try, to take some of the steps below.

But I Can’t Change!
There will be some among you who will admit that it would be nice to slow down, but you just can’t do it … your job won’t allow it, or you’ll lose income if you don’t do as many projects, or living in the city makes it too difficult to go slowly. It’s a nice ideal if you’re living on a tropical island, or out in the country, or if you have a job that allows control of your schedule … but it’s not realistic for your life.

I say NOT TRUE.

Take responsibility for your life. If your job forces you to rush, take control of it. Make changes in what you do, in how you work. Work with your boss to make changes if necessary. And if really necessary, you can eventually change jobs. You are responsible for your life.

If you live in a city where everyone rushes, realize that you don’t have to be like everyone else. You can be different. You can walk instead of driving in rush hour traffic. You can have fewer meetings. You can work on fewer but more important things. You can be on your iPhone or Blackberry less, and be disconnected sometimes. Your environment doesn’t control your life — you do.

I’m not going to tell you how to take responsibility for your life, but once you make the decision, the how will become apparent over time.

Tips for a Slower-Paced Life

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I can’t give you a step-by-step guide to moving slower, but here are some things to consider and perhaps adopt, if they work for your life. Some things might require you to change some major things, but they can be done over time.

  1. Do less. Cut back on your projects, on your task list, on how much you try to do each day. Focus not on quantity but quality. Pick 2-3 important things — or even just one important thing — and work on those first. Save smaller, routine tasks for later in the day, but give yourself time to focus. Read more.
  2. Have fewer meetings. Meetings are usually a big waste of time. And they eat into your day, forcing you to squeeze the things you really need to do into small windows, and making you rush. Try to have blocks of time with no interruptions, so you don’t have to rush from one meeting to another.
  3. Practice disconnecting. Have times when you turn off your devices and your email notifications and whatnot. Time with no phone calls, when you’re just creating, or when you’re just spending time with someone, or just reading a book, or just taking a walk, or just eating mindfully. You can even disconnect for (gasp!) an entire day, and you won’t be hurt. I promise.
  4. Give yourself time to get ready and get there. If you’re constantly rushing to appointments or other places you have to be, it’s because you don’t allot enough time in your schedule for preparing and for traveling. Pad your schedule to allow time for this stuff. If you think it only takes you 10 minutes to get ready for work or a date, perhaps give yourself 30-45 minutes so you don’t have to shave in a rush or put on makeup in the car. If you think you can get there in 10 minutes, perhaps give yourself 2-3 times that amount so you can go at a leisurely pace and maybe even get there early.
  5. Practice being comfortable with sitting, doing nothing. One thing I’ve noticed is that when people have to wait, they become impatient or uncomfortable. They want their mobile device or at least a magazine, because standing and waiting is either a waste of time or something they’re not used to doing without feeling self-conscious. Instead, try just sitting there, looking around, soaking in your surroundings. Try standing in line and just watching and listening to people around you. It takes practice, but after awhile, you’ll do it with a smile.
  6. Realize that if it doesn’t get done, that’s OK. There’s always tomorrow. And yes, I know that’s a frustrating attitude for some of you who don’t like laziness or procrastination or living without firm deadlines, but it’s also reality. The world likely won’t end if you don’t get that task done today. Your boss might get mad, but the company won’t collapse and the life will inevitably go on. And the things that need to get done will.
  7. Start to eliminate the unnecessary. When you do the important things with focus, without rush, there will be things that get pushed back, that don’t get done. And you need to ask yourself: how necessary are these things? What would happen if I stopped doing them? How can I eliminate them, delegate them, automate them?
  8. Practice mindfulness. Simply learn to live in the present, rather than thinking so much about the future or the past. When you eat, fully appreciate your food. When you’re with someone, be with them fully. When you’re walking, appreciate your surroundings, no matter where you are. Read this for more, and also try The Mindfulist.
  9. Slowly eliminate commitments. We’re overcommitted, which is why we’re rushing around so much. I don’t just mean with work — projects and meetings and the like. Parents have tons of things to do with and for their kids, and we overcommit our kids as well. Many of us have busy social lives, or civic commitments, or are coaching or playing on sports teams. We have classes and groups and hobbies. But in trying to cram so much into our lives, we’re actually deteriorating the quality of those lives. Slowly eliminate commitments — pick 4-5 essential ones, and realize that the rest, while nice or important, just don’t fit right now. Politely inform people, over time, that you don’t have time to stick to those commitments.

Try these things out. Life is better when unrushed. And given the fleeting nature of this life, why waste even a moment by rushing through it?

Remember the quote above: if nature can get everything done without rushing, so can you.

 

Source: ZenHabits

Three Major Signs You Have Mercury Poisoning

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Heavy metals are becoming more pervasive in our food, water, and air supply to the point they are turning up in products that we have previously deemed completely safe. Mercury is one heavy metal in particular that has ended up in our physiology in a variety of ways, and as a result, is causing the slow poisoning of our bodies to the point of acute illness. Here are some of the common signs.

Digestive problems

There are no shortage of reasons why people have digestive problems, but one common factor that many do not consider is mercury poisoning.

This starts for many in their mouth as the chewing of their food releases salivary enzymes, as it simultaneously stimulates the release of mercury from their fillings. This mercury mixes with your food and travels down to the digestive tract with it.

In the stomach this mercury combines with hydrochloric acid and produces mercuric chloride, which can damage the stomach lining and create ulcers. Not only that, but once this mercury comes into contact with our friendly bacteria in our intestinal system, it can kill them instantly by touching them. Unfortunately, this does not harm the mercury and it continues to destroy other friendly bacteria in its path.

This ultimately leads to imbalanced gut flora which creates a multitude of conditions and symptoms, most notably Candida Albicans and other digestive related disorders.

Brain disorders

Three Major Signs You Have Mercury Poisoning | www.thepaleomama.com .001

Mercury is lipophilic, meaning it concentrates in fatty tissues, mostly the brain as it is comprised mostly of fat. For this reason alone, it makes sense that any level of mercury poisoning is going to negatively affect the proper functioning of the brain due to mercury binding to it.

Unfortunately, it appears that the neurological development of fetuses, infants, and children are much more susceptible to mercury poisoning than adults, which may explain rising rates of brain related disorders like autism in infants exposed to vigorous vaccination schedules that contain mercury.

Brain related symptoms from mercury poisoning include late development of walking and talking for infants, and poor memory, attention, language, and fine motor and visual spatial skills. This is often labeled as dementia, autism, ADHD, Parkinson’s, depression, migraines, and more.

Muscle and joint pain

Since mercury has an affinity for concentrating in fatty tissues, and tends to accumulate over time, it should come as no surprise that it can cause severe muscle and joint pain, including stiffness and swelling.

Signs of mercury toxicity in the musculoskeletal system include tender muscles, rapid muscle fatigue, joint stiffness, muscle cramps, muscle weakness, and TMJ dysfunction. This is often labeled as arthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and multiple sclerosis.

Where mercury is found and what you can do to remove it

Mercury is found in the air, drinking water, fish, dental amalgams, vaccines, occupational and home exposures, batteries, red tattoo dye, and more. Be careful to avoid highly polluted environments and the food and water near them, as well as medical procedures that subject you to mercury.

Detoxing from heavy metals is one of the most important, yet most difficult things to do for your health. It typically takes a long period of time to remove them safely and effectively, so starting right away and using sound medical counsel is vitally important.

First of all, consider a holistic dentist who specializes in the removal of mercury amalgams. Secondly, work with a holistic practitioner who understands the proper food, supplementation, and digestive and liver/kidney support required to safely and effectively remove mercury from your body.

Ensure you are properly detoxified in other areas, and have been properly nourished before you consider starting the process.

Sources for this article include:

 

Original Source: Natural News
About the author:
Motivated by his own story of being sick and crippled at age 30 to healthy and pain free 5 years later, Derek is an expert in helping people get on track in a fraction of the time it took him on his own journey. Actively engaged in the research of natural healing for over 6 years, Derek has spent over 3000 hours studying and collaborating with top minds in nutrition and utilizes that extensive knowledge to deliver protocols that help people overcome their own health challenges. 

Derek is the owner and Master Health Coach at Healing the Body, and writer of over 200 natural health articles, many of which are featured at his Healing the Body Facebook Fan Page. 

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