10 Tips to Find the Right Doctor

You might have been raised to believe that doctors are gods and that you shouldn’t question us, but let me tell you the real truth, my loves. We docs are in the service industry — it’s our job to love, nurture, tend and care for you, and if we’re not doing that the way you deserve, you should fire our sorry asses!
If you weren’t getting what you needed from your massage therapist, hairdresser, or yoga instructor, you would find someone else, right? Why should your doctor be any different? And yet, your doctor is even more important. This is serious stuff we’re talking about here.
Plus, medicine is, after all, a spiritual practice. At least it should be, and if your doctor doesn’t believe that, do you really want to put your body and your life in his or her hands? If you didn’t like your priest, minister, guru, or shaman, you would go elsewhere, right?
I just got an email from a reader saying she was miserable with her doctor, but she was afraid to see anyone else because she didn’t want to get labeled as a troublesome “doctor shopper.”
Why Not Doctor Shop?
My response to her was “Why not doctor shop? And who cares if someone labels you ‘troublesome?’ It’s your body. Your health. Your life. Your choice.”
10 Tips to Help You Find the Right Doctor

• Interview your doctor. Let them know when you schedule the appointment that you would like to schedule a consultation to make sure your doctor is the right fit for you. If the doctor won’t submit to being interviewed, you gotta wonder what they’re afraid of. Find someone who has enough confidence in his or her awesomeness to agree to being interviewed.
• Be willing to get what you pay for. Insurance may not pay for you to doctor shop or for consultative interviews with doctors. So tell the front desk you’re willing to pay cash when you schedule the appointment. Also, doctors who do not accept insurance tend to offer more time. Find a doctor who will give you a whole hour if you can.
• Demand what you deserve (in a gentle, loving way, of course). Understand that your doctor may have 40 patients on her schedule, so be mindful of her time and ask how long you have allotted for you. Then be clear about what you expect and don’t settle for less.
• Seek someone who shares your beliefs. If you are a spiritual person counting on your relationship with the Divine to guide you on your self-healing journey, and your doctor is an atheist, it might not be the best fit.
• Check in with how your body reacts. If you feel tight, clenched, nervous, cold, shivery or closed off, your body may be telling you something. Look for feelings of openness, warmth, relaxation and calmness in your body.
• Listen to your intuition. What does your gut say? Do you trust this doctor? Do you feel safe in her hands? Trust your Inner Pilot Light (that 100% authentic, unapologetically YOU, that knowing inner healer who will always steer you in the right direction).
• Ask your doctor if they believe you can be healed. If your doctor reads you negative statistics, dismisses your self-healing superpowers, insists that there’s no hope, lacks belief in miracles, and generally considers you a hopeless case, get thee the hell outta dodge!
• Feel the love. I know I practice love, with a little medicine on the side. Science may cure, but only love heals. Go where the love is. There are plenty of loving doctors out there. Find one.
• Ensure that your doctor trusts your intuition. If you believe homeopathy is going to heal you, and your doctor thinks homeopaths are quacks, fire her. You and your inner wisdom know more than anyone else, no matter how long they went to medical school.
• Know that you deserve the best care possible. Don’t go telling yourself stories about how you’re not good enough/smart enough/young enough/rich enough/[fill in the blank] enough to get this kind of stellar medical care. If you believe you’ll only get bad care, it will be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Know you are worth it.

Are You Ready To Go Out And Get The Kind Of Care You Deserve?
This doesn’t just apply to doctors, you know. (I picked on them because my profession is notoriously bad about providing good customer service these days.) But this also goes for alternative health providers, the woman who does your pedicure, and your dentist.
I believe in you. There are so many good doctors and other health care practitioners out there. Find the ones who are right for you.
For more about me and the atypical medical services I offer, read here.
Do you feel comfortable doing these things? Have you already found awesome healers? Do you have other tips for how to find great docs? Tell us what you think!

Radical Self-Love

For much of my life, my identity was wrapped up in achieving (more accurately, overachieving) and caring for others. Though neither professional success nor the genuine desire to help others are bad, “Am I enough?” kept popping up. Just me. Not the me who cares for people or the me with a killer C.V., but rather some core part of me that exists at a deeper level than these things I do. What about when I am just being?
My journey from “I am not enough” to radical self-love took me on a solo backpacking adventure through Europe. What better way to practice trusting in my enough-ness than to spend three months exploring my inner landscape (while taking in some beautiful external landscapes)? As I prepared for this trip with intentionality, the old voices fought back: “You’re being too self-indulgent.” “You should be more dedicated to your career.” “You could be doing countless more “productive’ things.” I also feared the amount of time I would spend in solitude: “What if I am unbearably lonely?”
Challenging these voices and setting out alone took courage and an adventurous spirit, as it was no small feat for this recovering overachiever to leave North America without knowing the route she would travel or where she would hang her hat each night. It also took copious amounts of self-love.
Self-love led me to an incredible vista in Cinque Terre National Park, trusting my intuition’s suggestion to finish a hike alone, rather than with some fellow hostellers. Gazing at the Mediterranean, I realized that this moment was no less beautiful for not having someone by my side. I could celebrate and witness it for myself.
Self-love challenged my worship of doing and allowed me to rest in countless funky cafés and gorgeous parks. As I became more self-assured, the old voices needed to find new guises: “Why don’t you study a language or seek meaningful volunteer work?” “Now that you’re in (name of European city), you’ll need a highly detailed agenda.” “You’ll be returning home soon and you haven’t figured out your entire life’s path/attained spiritual enlightenment.” Acknowledging those voices as patterns that no longer served me, I smiled and wished them farewell.
Taking language classes or volunteering would have made my trip more familiar; however, the purpose of this journey was not to be at the top of my beginner Italian class. Nothing needed to be done “when in Rome,” except remain present in each moment and trust it was enough. My journey took me from actions of self-care to a rooted foundation of self-love, a belief system in which I am worthy of the same love that I extend to others. Actions of self-care are nothing but items on yet another “to do” list until prompted by a genuine belief in one’s worthiness of their pursuit.
Before leaving Canada, I wrote myself a letter for each week of travel, reminders of my intentions for solo traveller Liz. It seemed fitting to end the trip in a similar fashion, and so I spent a good part of my final day writing a love letter:
“I am writing to you from a pretentious Parisian café. Life won’t always feel this beautiful and effortless. The joy that is bubbling over within my spirit will at times seem silent. I’m writing to you to tell you about me, and remind you that the me I am today is within you. Remember me, eyes spilling with tears of joy and pride, beaming, overflowing.”
Each day since my return has not felt as effortless as that day. However, my experience of myself while travelling is equally true: empowered, intuitive, self-loving and present. Life invites us to live fully, lovingly, courageously, no matter what our surroundings. I’m inviting you into the spirit of this journey, to remain in the present wherever life leads you next. How will you live fully and with self-love today?

Change Your Kitchen, Change Your Diet

Our diet generally stems from our eating patterns that have been in place for most of our lives. It takes more than desire or intention to change lifelong patterns. While we must approach change from the inside through our thoughts and intentions, we must also make changes from the outside. Making changes to our environment is one of the best ways to do this.
As a feng shui consultant, I’ve seen a lot of kitchens. Your kitchen says everything about your health. Our home, generally speaking, reflects our mind, body and spirit. The kitchen is that part that represents our nurturing or ‘nutritioning’ ourselves. Each time I step into a client’s kitchen who is trying to lose weight or change her diet, it is apparent. Often, the paint color is undesirable, there is kitty litter lurking, the counters are stacked up with clutter and there is no place to sit down to eat. It is an unpleasant room to be in, let alone properly digest food in.
One of the big culprits of losing weight or changing diet is transitioning from eating out (for example, fast food) to eating in. Spending too much time in the kitchen is not the problem… It’s not spending enough time in the kitchen. It is so much easier to just pick up a quick meal or heat up a meal of processed food than it is to spend time in your kitchen and cook a wholesome meal. That is, unless, you have a kitchen you enjoy being in. To successfully change your diet, you must make changes to your kitchen. In fact, you must love your kitchen. Here are some ways to do just that:
1. Add a fresh coat of paint – Nothing affects the energy in a room quite like a coat of paint. Not to mention, color can greatly affect our energy, metabolism, mood and digestion. Take an objective look at the color of your kitchen walls. Do you like the color? Could the color be improved? Does it stimulate you, calm you or make you want to leave the room? Generally speaking, greens and reds are good colors for kitchens and dining rooms. Bright yellow, gold, brown, or muddy colors can leave an ick feeling with our digestion. But, most importantly, it needs to be color that you love!
2. Reduce clutter – Clutter is stagnant energy, and extra weight on our body is stagnant energy. There is a direct correlation. The kitchen often ends up being a major clutter zone for mail and stacks of paper. This can quickly lead to a desire to not even go into the kitchen. Notice what your body does and where your body wants to go. If you notice it averting the kitchen, then there is probably clutter lurking somewhere. Even if the clutter is not sitting out in the open, your subconscious mind knows there’s clutter lurking in the cabinets. I find a lot of people have a hard time letting go of Tupperware containers or other kitchen oddities. While these items seem so benign, they can weigh on our subconscious mind, preventing us from spending time in the kitchen.
3. Clean out refrigerator and pantry – This is a no-brainer, but had to be mentioned. Start with a clean food slate. Remove all food items that are not consistent with your new diet, your new life. Easy. Done.
4. Spice it up – I’m actually not talking about cardamom and ginger, but that’s not a bad idea, either. I’m talking about the overall feel of the kitchen. Once you’ve cleared out all things that don’t resonate with the new you, then it’s time to add a few items that do. For example, add a piece of kitchen art. Art is like subliminal messages. You could have art of healthy foods or art that includes positive affirmations, like “Live, Love, Laugh.” Add a candle, a healthy cookbook, a juicer or a spice rack. Fresh fruit and flowers are always a nice touch, too.
And, under no circumstances are you to have the kitty litter in the kitchen. This is a completely different stage of digestion. Don’t confuse the body

Why Girlfriends = Health

It’s been said that “one of the best things a man could do for his health is to be married to a woman, whereas for a woman, one of the best things she could do for her health was to nurture her relationships with her girlfriends.” Women’s need for connection with other women is built in to our DNA – it’s part of our biological makeup. Expert Louann Brizendine wrote about how women find biological comfort in one another’s company in her book “The Female Brain.” Our brains just work differently than men’s, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
We get energized by our own “happy” hormones when we respond to stress with nurturing, fun activities and the creation and maintenance of protective social networks. (That’s why women are the most active users on Facebook and Twitter!) That means we actually feel better and become healthier when we connect with supportive girlfriends. Quality “girl time” physically and mentally helps us create more dopamine, a neurotransmitter that controls and kicks on the brain’s reward and pleasure centers. Bonding between babes and mamas, as well as between trusting girlfriends, is cemented with the attachment hormone, oxytocin. Yeah, we actually bond with our girlfriends as we do with our offspring, creating a chemical love cocktail between us when we share and support.
What’s strange is that, as a society, we’re experiencing a decline in girl time and connection. A major national survey jointly-conducted by Duke University and University of Arizona in 2006 found a big dip in friendships. More people are feeling more isolated, and this lack of social ties creates mental and physical health problems, on a big scale. It’s basically the same as the risks we see from being overweight or smoking cigarettes—that’s how bad it is. See, most women need connection to maintain their health like they need sunlight to create vitamin D.
When us girls get together, start sharing worries and experiences, talking about our feelings, and unveil our souls with our sisters, our bodies feel as rejuvenated as if we had gone to the gym, and our brains are filled with those happy, anti-depressant neurotransmitters that make life so juicy. Rather than feeling guilty for hanging out with our friends, we should give ourselves a squeeze and a “yeehaw!” for doing something that is so good for our health, hormones and outlook. We women are very lucky – when we indulge our true desires for connection and girl time, we actually promote within ourselves the ability to heal.
For more by this author, visit deliciousvitality.com

Detox to Divinity

Fasting has been prescribed in most ancient traditions as a tool to cleanse and purify one’s mind and body in order to achieve inner purity and find the path to divinity. It was believed that when thoughts of preparing food and feeding were out of one’s mental schemata, one could focus without hindrance on mantra, prayer or devotion. Fasting was considered a tool in aiding devotees to disconnect from the physical realm as they turned deeply inward.
Spiritual awakening is awareness of a higher source. And it means looking at life as not just a constant unfolding of events, but stepping back and out of the box of our lives, to look at all of creation as part and parcel of a grand plan, a great mystery. It beckons us to develop trust in ourselves, to cultivate faith so that we can accept with grace and dignity the many things that happen in our lives, especially when they are beyond our understanding and not according to our own “plans.”
You don’t have to be religious or even spiritual to know that when you accept certain unpleasant events as they are, then they appear less threatening. When you create that distance between yourself and events in life, you gain a totally different perspective. You begin to understand that challenging circumstances are just that: challenges. And you start developing strategies to handle those situations, instead of reacting and creating an emotional web of discontent around your life. You start thinking with clarity and make better decisions as you plan to work through the challenges. You arm yourself with objective knowledge of the situation and are then able to handle it with less interference from conflicting emotions.
It’s akin to becoming a spectator, watching a sport in the stadium that is your life. That distance allows you to look at things objectively instead of reacting to circumstances.
What is the connection between this clarity and fasting or detoxing? The first time I heard the saying, “God is in your gut,” it was during my first yoga teacher training. Since then, I have encountered this saying in books I have read on both spirituality and physical health. And what it means is that when your physical body is cleansed, it then becomes a breeding ground for positive thoughts, higher aspirations and an overall lighter sense of being. Once the cobwebs are cleaned out, light can shine more brightly within. Processed and fatty foods clog not just our arteries, but our colons, our guts and our faculty to think clearly. Small wonder that these days with the world being so sick of falling sick with inexplicable diseases, many doctors and health practitioners have turned their attention away from traditional Western medicine and have begun imbibing the ancient wisdoms of the East.
One such wisdom is that of fasting. Modern medicine has proven that it is only in rest that our body begins a deep detoxification process, a process which is beyond just the daily elimination of waste matter. When we rest our bodies from the effort of digesting and breaking down food, our bodies then begin the real work of pulling waste matter from the organs, where it has been accumulating over the years, made worse as a result of modern industrial living. It is this accumulation of waste products and stress on the organs that ultimately results in disease. And allowing the body to fast occasionally creates an environment of less taxation on the digestive process, which then enables the body the space and time to begin the deeper cleaning of the guts and all the other organs.
This cleansing through fasting makes for a balanced body that fuels a balanced mind. In a balanced mind, divinity can exist. In a stressed and toxic environment, divinity will look for a quick escape. Only negativity and darkness will breed.
There are different kinds of fasts out there in the organic world now. Religious fasting generally cuts out all solid foods and, in some cases, devotees eat or drink nothing at all for a set number of hours a day. Western doctors often prescribe a juice fast or a smoothie fast in which you drink teas, juices and smoothies, as they are much lighter on the body since the breaking-down process of the food has already occurred in your blender. This taxes the digestive system far less and speeds up the process of absorbing nutrients into the body, thus resulting in giving the body freedom to begin the deep detoxification process.
I personally like Dr. Alejandro Junger’s “Clean” detoxification diet, or Kris Carr’s green-juice fasting suggestions found in “Crazy Sexy Diet” and her digital book, “Crazy Sexy Juices & Succulent Smoothies.” Both have carefully weighed in on the value of the greens and fruits they recommend and have experimented on themselves with glorious results.

Libra Full Moon: Love, Balance and Appreciation

Friday, April 6, 2012—Turn on your love light! Friday’s full moon in romantic Libra has us giddy with the flush of spring fever. Partnerships are Libra’s forte, and this full moon sounds the call for commitment. Relationships that have been budding since the Libra new moon six months ago, could blossom full-force. Hello engagements, co-signed contracts, joint business ventures and other two-person efforts of the long-term variety.
Where has life become a bit, er, lopsided? Libra is the zodiac’s great equalizer, helping us bring back the balance. Represented by the scales, Libra is the “peace, love and harmony” sign. With a gracious charm, this full moon makes a plea for greater equality, restoring the flow of give-and-take in our closest relationships. Here are a few ways you can maximize the lunar light of Libra’s full moon.
Attract An Opposite. How can you make your duos even more dynamic? While common ground is great, Libra loves the principle of “opposites attract.” Branch out and work the buddy system with someone who knows how to pick up where you leave off. Complementary skill sets make for a total dream team, even if the match-up seems bizarre on paper. In truth, these unlikely pairings can be the greatest win-win combinations. If you’re stuck in a rut, don’t autopilot into dialing a BFF who can commiserate. It would be far more productive to reach out to someone new … someone who has conquered the very dragon you’re trying to slay. Creatives, call upon the gearheads; engineers, reach out to an artiste.
Acknowledge The Positives In People. Relationship harmony is a major focus of this Libra full moon. Feeding the “emotional bank account,” as “7 Habits” author Stephen Covey calls it, doesn’t require a huge deposit. This week, acknowledging and appreciating the little things that people do can be the glue that seals your bonds. Here are a few magic phrases to try:
-“I love the way you X (insert action or trait).”
- “I really appreciate the way you X.”
- “Thank you for doing X.”
It’s so easy to overlook the wonderful gifts people bring us on a daily basis, but being taken for granted can be a huge buzzkill to romance and friendship. Get the love-fest going by showering people with compliments this week. Do you need to be acknowledged too? There’s nothing wrong with asking for it, but be a giver first. The reciprocal remarks may come “automagically” once you start doling them out to others.
Join The Justice League. The scales of justice are the Libra motif, and this full moon shines a bright beam on bias, discrimination, or anything that’s just plain unfair. Appoint yourself a member of the Justice League, and bring things back to a level playing field. Is someone being bullied in your neighborhood, school, or within your family? Would you like to see your office culture be more inclusive? Are animals being mistreated in your area? Do something to help right the wrong. This is especially potent if you are on the winning team. It’s not really a victory, after all, if someone else has to suffer for your gain. Remember that Libra is the peaceful warrior. In the famous words of Libra pacifist Mahatma Gandhi, “Whenever you are confronted by an opponent, conquer him with love.”
Consult A Stylist. Luxe-loving Libra is ruled by Venus, planet of beauty, fashion, and the arts. Personal style is a rich form of self-expression and a powerful way to wear your soul on your sleeve. This full moon helps you identify a signature look; your tribal markings, if you will.  Are you feeling like a fashion victim, riding the roller coaster of trends? A session with a stylist might seem extravagant, but could actually save you big bucks in the long run. Working with a pro can help you develop a customized look, and save you from all those costly wardrobing missteps. Image may not be everything, but Libra knows the powerful impact great style can have. Let this full moon teach you how to speak a strong visual language. Opt for a touch of luxury too and splurge on something that stands the test of time.
Regain Your Balance. When in balance, we feel surefooted and stable, as if we are standing on solid ground. Libra’s equalizing energy can be incorporated into our physicality this week. One of the simplest exercises for improving balance is to stand with feet hips with apart; bend a knee and alternatively lift one leg off the ground, holding it there for 30 seconds. More advanced balancers could try this on a BOSU ball. Yogis and yoginis, Tree Pose (Vrksasana) is an excellent way to improve stability. Hold your abdominal muscles tight while doing these exercises. This protects and strengthens the lower back, which is the part of the body that Libra rules.

Just Start

Two people told me recently that they really want to start skiing, but they can’t. Not yet. They’re not ready to start.
Not because they’re missing a limb.
Not because they don’t have the money.
They’re simply waiting to start because they think they weigh too much. They’re waiting to start until they lose some weight. They think the weight will cause them to get exhausted.
They’re worried they’ll have to call “uncle” and head in early.
They’re scared their weight might cause their knees to hurt.
The truth is, these aren’t good reasons not to start something.
You will get tired. You might have to quit early. You might fail. There’s a risk that you will hurt yourself.
It doesn’t matter how much you weigh.
Skinny people get tired. Professional athletes get hurt. People quit early every day.
That is life.
Here’s what I say.
Stop waiting. Go skiing.
There’s nothing I believe in more than starting.
In my book, it’s way more important than finishing.
And it isn’t always easy.
Before you start, you see all the obstacles in front of you.
You see all the possible barriers and potential failures.
All the reasons not to try.
Before you start you lack momentum.
You lack the early wins and inspired feelings that can keep you going when going gets hard.
You lack experience and confidence.
But starting is where the magic is.
It’s where the dream is fresh.
It’s where the vision is unscathed.
It’s where you get the joy of discovering you can.
There are no risk-free days.
But when you live life avoiding risks, you also avoid pleasure.
You don’t experience the exhilaration of the single run because you’re afraid you might not make it for the full day. Afraid you might look like a wuss.
Afraid people will judge you.
And they will.
But you’re already doing it to yourself.
When you choose not to go out and do what you love because you fear what might happen, you are judging yourself to be weak.
And you’re not.
You can handle whatever happens.
You can manage the pain. You can face the disappointment.
You are strong.
I asked one of my friends what she would do in a hypothetical world where she could never lose the weight.
If she had to accept her current body. As it is today. No possibility of changing it. Would she give up on skiing forever?
She said no.
She’d go out there and ski anyway. Face those fears. Head on.
Well, life is short.
You might not lose the weight.
You might not save enough money to quit your day job.
You might not meet the man of your dreams.
You might not be able to have kids.
Stop waiting.
Accept your reality. Today.
It’s here.
It can’t stop you from starting your dreams.
Unless you choose to let it.
Life’s too short. You are too valuable. You dreams are too powerful.
So tell your fears to kiss your ass.
Go out and cross the starting line, regardless of what you weigh.
Don’t worry about the finish until you get there.
Just start.

The Face of Diabetes; The Importance of Role Models

When I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 1985 at 14 years old, I had just moved away from home for the first time. My hometown in Vermont was so small that we didn’t have enough kids for a high school, so my parents sent me to a private boarding school in New Hampshire. I loved my new school, Proctor Academy. I loved the green fields, white dorm houses and red brick buildings where we called our teachers by their first names. I couldn’t wait to shed my small-town skin and become a sophisticated young woman. So when I started feeling tired and thirsty and kept waking up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, I ignored the symptoms. But when I lost 15 pounds in five days, I knew something wasn’t right.
That afternoon I reluctantly walked to the school infirmary. The nurse weighed me and asked why I’d lost so much weight, and I shrugged; I didn’t have an answer. She put me to bed in the sick room and went to call my parents. I could hear her on the phone telling my mom she needed to come right away, “Your daughter’s anorexic,” she said. I wasn’t anorexic. Mom took me out of school, drove me to our local hospital, and I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.
Twenty-six years have passed since that day, and I am still struck by the irony of my initial misdiagnosis. Lillian, the nurse who told my mother I was anorexic, had Type 1 diabetes herself. She was the only other person at my school with diabetes and was not an inspiring role model for a 14-year-old girl.
Personal philosophy
That’s why I wrote my book, “The Smart Woman’s Guide to Diabetes, Authentic Advice on Everything from Eating to Dating and Motherhood.” I knew the real faces of diabetes were out there somewhere. I knew there were women who were living away from home, training for marathons, traveling to different countries, looking for love, getting married, having babies and growing old with diabetes, and I wanted to find them.
Writing this book helped me create a personal philosophy to living well with diabetes that is made up of five basic components.
1. Role models
Having positive role models is a key component to living well with diabetes. In the course of writing my book, I had the opportunity to speak with women such as Mari Ruddy, founder of the nonprofit organization Team WILD, We Inspire Life with Diabetes, who “empowers people with diabetes to take charge of their health by teaching how to be an athlete first, then a person, then an athlete with diabetes.” Women like Ann Albright, Ph.D., R.D., who gave me the idea of having a personal philosophy for living with illness. Dr. Albright, the Director of the Division of Diabetes Translation at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has had Type 1 diabetes for more than 40 years and says her philosophy was influenced by her mother, a nurse, who encouraged Ann to experience life to the fullest. These are just a couple of the women whose lives inspire me on a daily basis. Knowing they are out there, struggling with their blood sugars and diabetes care, helps me to keep going, even on the worst days.
2. Translating the language of illness
Accepting illness has a lot to do with being able to communicate. I’ve often asked myself why I have to learn to speak like a medical professional to talk about my disease. If we don’t know how to communicate about diabetes, how can we accept it fully into our lives? The language of illness is often negative and scientific, and as a writer and a woman who searches for the right words every day, I choose to translate negative, ugly words into words that speak my truth. For example:
Instead of following a Diabetes Diet, I call it Healthy Eating.
Instead of using the word Seizure, I say my blood sugar was Low.
Instead of a life filled with Restrictions, I call it a life of Moderation.
Instead of Complications, I take care of myself to avoid future Challenges.
3. Asking for help
I can’t do this alone. For years I kept my illness in the metaphorical closet because I didn’t want to appear weak, needy or different, and I didn’t want to ask for help. Maybe it is my puritanical background or my introverted tendencies; but regardless of the source, I have always struggled to ask for and accept help, especially with diabetes. Being a mother has changed that, and I’ve realized an important lesson for my sons to learn is to know that asking for help is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of knowing your own limitations. I don’t want to do this alone. I want to have my husband, children, friends and extended family there when I need them, so that I can help others in return.
4. I’m no expert
After 26 years of living with diabetes, I’ve realized that I am not an expert, and I’m never going to be. When I was writing my book, one piece of advice almost every woman told me was, “Don’t beat yourself up. Don’t try to be the perfect patient because you’ll just get frustrated.” Diabetes is a very demanding disease with daily opportunities for making mistakes. Perfection is not all it’s cracked up to be, and there is more to life than living in fear of “failure.” Sometimes the biggest mistakes have taught me the most, and accepting that I am not an expert has helped me to embrace the dark side of living with illness.
5. Putting myself first
As a mother to three fabulous boys, this one is the hardest for me to maintain; but it’s also the most important. If I don’t put myself first, I won’t be around to watch my boys grow up. Taking care of me first doesn’t mean I am ignoring the needs of my family but that I am placing value on my health and well-being. As women living with illness, we need to say no We need to tell our children that we will get their glass of milk after we test our blood sugar, we will take them to the park after we’ve done our daily run/walk/swim/yoga, and they will just have to be patient while we chat for a few extra minutes with our doctor. When we ask our children/husbands/jobs/parents/boyfriends, etc. to wait while we attend to our needs, they will be reminded of how much we value ourselves, and they will value us, too.
Create a philosophy to living well with illness, and find role models who will inspire you to keep going, even on the hardest days.

Quantum Biology

During the last few months I have taken individual threads that have been hanging around in my mind for years and began to weave them into a book that I expect to finish by 2014. After four decades of working on the front lines of disease reversal and life prolonging with pure organic and plant-based methods, a vivid pattern of cause and effect has emerged. For so long, my mind labored in the arena that caged me from going beyond the concept of flesh and blood anatomy. It often reminded me of beginning school at a first grade level and wanting to read Socrates without the ability to do so. Like a bolt of lightning, many revelations came together and began to expose the cycle of life, which is the true engine that runs our bodies and the total universe that we reside with, on and in.
Painting a picture to describe this fruitful exploration begins with yourself. Beyond the protein that holds your body together, the vitamin and mineral sheathing that covers it, the essential fats that fuel it and the water and oxygen that shape it, the underlying purpose for your body?s existence is the electricity that it takes in and creates. There is a continual and perfect communication from cell to cell and from gathering of cells to gathering of cells. This communication also reaches beyond your body to all other life outside.
This rhythmic and energetic process is strong yet fragile. It can be thrown off by a weakening of the anatomical integrity of the cells or their central electrical frequencies. This weakening can occur via poor nutrition, dehydration and / or polluted hydration, lack of oxygen, intake of heavy metals or chemicals or renegade electromagnetic fields such as cell phones, Wi-Fi, etc.
All abnormalities that have been labeled as diseases stem from the negative energies that are endured from the poor lifestyle choices and unsustainable environment we’ve created on planet Earth today.
Our core vulnerability stems from the reduction of bio-frequency that occurs in the cell, which heightens its fragility to make it ineffective in communication and contribution. When these disturbances are critical, they can even cause a cell to mutate.
When you ingest ionized, rich, raw plant-based foods, it provides foundational energy. You then have to consider avoiding negative energy fields or at least protecting yourself from them with electromagnetic-field-interrupting devices or tools.
What is more difficult to avoid and personally restrain from is the negative energy that we absorb or spew from discontented emotional states. Most of you have seen this and experienced it. Certain people, places or environments can make you feel uncomfortable, on edge and drained.
With a discombobulated sense of self, most people are sponges rather than water hoses, stealing energy from all other forms of life. All bad effects of these encounters can be minimized if you maintain a strong electrical current in your cells, manifesting a powerful anatomy and persona. Just as an electric fence rejects the unwanted invaders of a terrain, an electrically charged person can ward off disease and fallibility of thought.
Picture all that you see, understand, touch, and feel as little dots of electricity. Some may be flowers, some steel, some rock, some cats, and some locomotives and jet planes. The shapes, forms, and lives are created by energy. This energy comes in the form of these electric dots.
When a light bulb fades, susceptibility to disorder rises. In the case of steel, it is oxygen that erodes it into rust. In the case of humans, it is negative thought and sustenance as well as environmental toxins that contribute to disorder.
In this 21st century, we must go well beyond this façade and realize that the less seriously we take structure, and the more we accept the invisible and unknown energies of life, the healthier we and the earth we reside on will be.
This all begins with microscopic cells that need to be respected and cared for in a thorough and proper way. As our minds free us from the constraints of matter, we will surge forward in our understanding that our endless search must be for the “Fountain of Electric,” not the Fountain of Youth.
In years past, my book, “Lifeforce,” expressed that there is no such thing as a calorie, only a measurement of energy. We have gathered together enough experience that we can express to you which foods and noninvasive therapies will fortify your fields of bio-frequency.
Leading pioneers in this field of science, such as Dr. Valerie Hunt, have been writing about and teaching this for more than 60 years. Dr. Hunt has demolished the walls between science and esoteric thought. As she expresses — and we concur — all is the same.
True relaxation occurs with the acceptance that everything is exactly as it should be. Once you are ready to embrace the reality that you have total control and no control, the manifestation of pure and solid health will occur.
When using advanced medical technologies as we do here at Hippocrates Health Institute, like Ondamed, we can now measure a person’s deficiency or adequacy of energy. With a refined understanding of different organs’ cellular systems, the real reasons for illness can be determined.
We hope that each of you is struck — hit with a bolt of enlightenment that exhumes your blockages and provokes your limitless potential. If we could all stop thinking of ourselves as victims of circumstance and begin thinking of ourselves as light itself, we would eradicate the physical, emotional, and spiritual problems that prevail in ourselves and here on this globe.
In “Quantum Nutrition”, the book that I am beginning to piece together, I will show you that magnets in the cell connect you with all other life and that phosphorous sheathings make up the majority of your DNA.
This provides the ultimate evidence that you are vessels of electromagnetic energy that transmutes the physical appearance you are so familiar with.
In the not-so-distant future, there is no doubt that sound, light, and energy will be harnessed in medical technology at such a level that it will penetrate your electric body and eradicate the core culprit of physical disease.
Let?s tune ourselves with proper nutrients, positive thoughts, rewarding relationships, healthy living and work environments, and fulfilling activities. When our cells are vibrating at the level that they are meant to, the negative schemers that are out to make us sick will be abolished.
When we listen to a fine Mozart concerto, witness the crashing waves or gaze up at the endless stars, harmony will once again prevail.

Nurturing Your Feminine Side With Food

I’ve had to have a lot of va-va-voom in the last couple of years. I’ve re-trained, moved countries, started speaking a new language, started a new job and created my own business.
It hit me earlier this year that among all this drive and determination, I’d somehow left my femininity behind. I’d had to be strong, focused, determined and reliable — for all the right reasons. So much was going on; all good, but I’d lost the part of me that was playful, delicate, sassy, nurturing, soft, patient and kind. I’d lost my femininity.
Even without challenges like this, the demands modern society makes on women mean it’s all too easy for us to lose touch with the soft and gentle side of ourselves.
I’ve always loved being in the kitchen and I’ve learned, over the last six months, that we can bring our womanliness back into the world through our food. I call it nurturing the feminine. Here’s how:
Choose the Right Food
Femininity is balanced, well and happy. Our food should be the same: Hand-pick your produce to feed and nurture your body and your life. Often, with all the shrink-wrap and marketing, we forget that food comes from the ground. Take a moment to remember where it all starts and select produce that feels positive to you; its wellness will be imparted to your being. Better still, try growing something yourself; even if it’s just herbs, you’ll deepen your respect for and connection with your food.
Femininity flowers with moments spent caring for itself. Think about the food you really love and include it in your diet. Your own energy needs to be bright -– that way you’ll make a positive impact without even trying, so make sure you love what you put in your mouth!
Prepare Food with Love
Femininity is delicate and light and nothing brings that out like fresh, unprocessed food. Eating a cared-for fruit or vegetable in its natural, raw state will flood your system with a host of life-giving nutrients.
Femininity adds joy and love to the world. Think about food preparation, in particular cooking, as adding to your food, not taking away. It can add nutrient-wise -– fermenting, sprouting, natural bread making. It can add to the experience taste-wise — choose your food combinations to bring a smile. Finally, it can add with the wellness that’s imparted to the plate through the love that goes into the preparation. Enjoy preparing your foods; the sheer power of the love that you show in the process will transmit to all who partake.
Femininity likes variety, and is joyful and playful. Spend the right amount of time in the kitchen for YOU. Find a balance by varying how you prepare and eat. Don’t forget to experiment and have fun! Let your eating reflect the different sides of your womanhood: sometimes simple, fresh and natural at its best; sometimes sassy with dishes that sparkle with attitude; sometimes pleasing, with carefully crafted combinations to raise smiles all around; and sometimes soft and gentle, showing your caring nature to those you love (including yourself). Think about whether and how you want to spend time in the kitchen each day –- the love you put in through a conscious choice means whatever comes through your hands will nourish the receiver.
Eat Food with Care
Femininity is soft and patient. Take time over and be grateful for your food. Stop for a moment before you raise your hand to your mouth to think about the food’s journey to your plate. If you’re sharing a meal, enjoy the company and drink in any compliments.
Femininity is consciously delicious and sensual. Make your favorite foods a regular part of your life, and savor them. Share the joy of gorgeous food with your loved ones. Every now and then, eat with your hands. Have that treat -– conscious, celebrated luxuries will feed a part of you so well that you’ll still be revelling in the satisfaction long after!
Looking at femininity through the lens that is my kitchen has helped me feel whole again. I’m no longer in femininity rehab. I’ve claimed the power of the womanhood I’d lost by creating beautiful, loved, satisfying and life-giving food.
I feel softer, more playful, sexier and more like a woman than ever.
Enjoy nurturing your femininity and love your food!

Are You Getting Enough Vitamin P?

Even small doses of pleasure can raise our levels of immune-boosting chemicals.
Recently, at a healthy-living conference, I had one of those quickie checkups. In five minutes, you get a blood-pressure reading; a finger-stick blood draw; a computerized printout of your triglyceride, cholesterol and blood sugar levels; and a mini-analysis of your results from the attending health pro. Amazing!
If you can access these kinds of tests at your fitness club or a local health fair, do–it’s a great snapshot of your overall health, and a solid motivator to make positive lifestyle adjustments if you don’t like what you see.
In my case, the numbers were all good. So I’m going to keep on doing what seems to be working for me–namely, eating mostly whole foods, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep and managing my stress. And, being an inveterate self-improver, I’m going to continue experimenting and fine-tuning my approach.
One adjustment I’ve been working on over the past few years involves upping my daily intake of what nutritional psychologist Marc David, MA, has dubbed “vitamin P,” which stands for Pleasure.
To date, there’s no blood test that can directly assess your baseline level of this nutrient, and no official recommended daily intake. But as a key factor in both our physical and mental vitality, pleasure counts for far more than most of us realize.
That’s why, ever since we did a feature on the relationship between pleasure, satisfaction and optimal health (“A Real Pleasure,”), I’ve had a clipped-out pull quote from the story posted on my kitchen bulletin board. It reads:
“What’s clear is that our levels of pleasure and satisfaction are directly related to our biochemical balance.”
Seeing this little clipping reminds me that, just like our nutrition and fitness regimens, a steady supply of feel-good satisfaction is important to our physiological well-being.
Posted right next to our household calendar, the snippet nudges me to look ahead at my upcoming schedule with a view to what’s fun, exciting, novel or relaxing. If drab deadlines are ruling my weeks, I know it’s time to get something a little less obligatory (and a little more joyful) on the books.
On many days, the clipping also entices me to stop and appreciate what’s going on right in the moment: Look, there’s our dog curled up on the dining room rug, snoring in that grunty little way that makes my heart melt. Oh, there’s a vine in bloom just outside the window, with a big ol’ bee buzzing around it. And my, what a delightful caramelizing-cauliflower aroma that is, coming from the oven. Simple stuff like that.
Science suggests that training ourselves to be aware of such blips of pleasure, happiness and appreciation is the best way to begin experiencing more of them. And such small “noticings” of what’s right and good can have a surprisingly large effect on our overall mindset–and, by extension, on our biochemistry.
Even small doses of pleasure can raise immune-boosting chemicals like proenkephalin, for example, as well as feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. Pleasure- and satisfaction-triggering experiences also help reduce and offset the pro-inflammatory effects of stress hormones like cortisol, which plays a significant role in many chronic health conditions like heart disease, obesity and diabetes.
Of course, unchecked hedonism can also have its downsides. Overindulging in any pleasure–or becoming dependent on certain “fixes” as a way of coping with an otherwise joy-deficient existence–is a sure recipe for eventual misery.
The key, I think, is expanding our sense of what brings us pleasure, and taking stock of the full range of healthy satisfactions that are available to us.
For me, there is always pleasure available in slowing down, for example. I also love getting regular bodywork (for fascinating specifics on the healing power of massage, see “Mmm… Massage“). And I have learned to appreciate the visceral satisfactions that come from simply treating my body with care and sensory respect.
Many of my daily practices–stepping outside every morning, doing a little yoga, drinking really great herbal tea, using plant-based stuff on my skin–these are healthy little individual choices that, taken together, vastly amplify my pleasure in living. But that’s just me. What nourishes you may be entirely different.
What’s true of most of us, I suspect, is that regardless of what our lab results say, we could all use a daily infusion of vitamin P.

What Would Your Life Be Like If You Did Only What Was Easy?

This is an exclusive sneak peak from THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS by Danielle LaPorte. Prepare for some soul sizzle…

What would your life be like if you did only what was easy? 
Let me repeat the question:
What would your life be like if you only did what was easy? 
It’s almost unsettling to go there, isn’t it? When I try to answer that question for myself I squirm a bit. Lazy dilettante. As IF. What would I do with all that extra time I’d have if I just did the easy stuff? Hmmm . . . maybe I’d have more time to enjoy what I’ve got and get more of what I want. Maybe things would be . . . easier.
Ease. The concept confounds most of us. Here’s why: 

Pay your dues. Put in your time. Prove yourself. Check the right box. Stay the course. Meet expectations. Soldier on. Nothing worthwhile comes easy. Good things come to those who wait. Blue collar,  white collar, hard work pays off. No pain, no gain. Thomas Edison put it this way: There is no substitute for hard work. 
We’ll call these, collectively, the Myth of Endurance: a concept that you can choose to believe in, in varying degrees, or not. “Easy” is also a concept that can be just as useful to you. The easy way is a direction that leads to spacious places.
Choosing easy is smart, efficient, elegant; a fantastic form of self-compassion; giving yourself a break and getting out of your own way. Choosing easy is letting inspiration be your compass. Choosing easy is allowing for the things that you’ve been asking for to enter your life. Now, let’s be clear, there are two types of easy. Quality easy and cheap easy. We’re aiming for Quality, with a capital Q.

THE QUALITY KIND OF EASY 
Quality easy has a sense of fluidity to it. There’s a gravitational pull forward. Quality easy relies on his inner strength. Quality easy has an abiding respect for herself. Quality easy has fewer things on the to-do list and is a brilliant delegator. Quality easy trusts the timing of things. He knows it’s better to hold out for what’s right than to deal with the mess of extracting himself from a bad compromise. The minute resentment and irritation set in to a task, Quality easy goes on red alert. She steers clear of aggravation, annoyance, and repetitive misery. Over time,
Quality easy gets comfortable saying no, thank you, to things that are just too complicated and too distant from what she really wants. She is willing to let it go, get over it, and walk  away— because she
has better things to do with her life energy. It’s that simple, most of the time. Quality easy brings a sense of expansion to things. Quality easy is
compelling—because when you say yes to grace, you’re saying yes to the natural flow of life. You lift your face toward the divine, like flowers lean into the light.

THE CHEAP KIND OF EASY 
Cheap is a sucker for a discount. Cheap easy can’t see that some losses are gains. Cheap easy stays in a stifling relationship because it seems easier than facing the heartbreak and dividing up the furniture. Cheap easy is frequently in a rush, a smidge desperate, and usually scrambling for options. Cheap easy tells little white lies to get things done. The path of least resistance isn’t about shortcuts, cutting corners, or being clever. And it’s certainly not about making mediocrity acceptable. It’s about optimizing the truth. It’s about casting your seeds on the most fertile soil for your best chances for success.

START WITH THE EASY STUFF 
Easy is sublimely logical. Consider all of the things you want to create, produce, accomplish, put out in the world, and  experience—so many roads that could lead to satisfaction. Start with the project or the aspect of the project that is the easiest. What do you already know the most about? Where are there already ambassadorship and alliances? What are people already asking you for?
The same goes for creating satisfying relationships. What’s already going well that you can lean in to? What do you adore about the other person that you can focus on? The easy stuff is right in front of you and totally doable: simple kindnesses freely given day to day. Start there and you can approach the big hairy issues with some lightness.
Instant gratification has gotten a bad rap. I’m all for it. Why would you want to delay gratification? Within the constraints of morality and maturity, you should do whatever you need to do to feel gratified in the moment. It may be as subtle as choosing a more positive thought or reminding yourself to smile. Maybe it’s taking two minutes in your car or at your desk to do nothing but just feel into the day. Maybe instant gratification is fifty sit-ups for an adrenaline rush, ordering dessert first, giving an unexpected hug, signing the lease, or telling your boss to shove it. You can be responsible to those around you while creating immediate pleasure for yourself.

Rise and Shine: It’s Risk Time

When was the last time you took a risk? I’m talking crazy-town nerves, a tribe of tummy butterflies and sweaty palms. Taking a risk can be exuberating and frightening all at the same time, but it may be just what you need to get your sexy back. Maybe you’ve been debating about relocating for a promotion or starting your dream business. Whatever the risk you’ve been holding back on, listen up, because I’m going to break down how taking a risk will wake you up and cause you to feel more sexy, productive and passionate.
Truly wake up
Taking risks is exhilarating. It will wake you up out of your everyday routine and slap you in the face with a glass of proactive make-t-happen juice. It will show you that you can (and just did!) conquer your fear. When I put my two weeks in at my day job to come home and start my business full- time I was all kinds of scared. I was leaving security, insurance, retirement and paid holidays. But that is one risk I would take every single day because it woke me up when I conquered my fears.
Get your sexy back
When you face your fears and rediscover your buried skills and strengths, you suddenly come to the realization that you’ve got it goin’ on! You enter into self-discovery mode, causing new insight to arise about what kind of person you really are when the going gets tough. I think you can agree when all this positive self-love energy is flowing, the sexy waters are no longer stagnant.
Amp up your productivity
When taking risks, you must have the desired outcome in the forefront of your mind causing you to amp up your productivity. When your focus is heavily weighed on such an important next step, goals are necessary, and following through on them is even more imperative. I’m not anywhere near perfect; I certainly haven’t always been queen of following through, but with every big risk I have taken, my priorities and productivity have had to line up in order for my desired outcome to come to fruition.
Rouse your passion
When you decide to put your big girl panties on and take that risk, you remind yourself of what you stand for and what you are born to do. Thus, passion is presented to you once again, after who knows how long. Your passion is roused, and you suddenly find yourself talking for hours, brainstorming, and daydreaming.
I encourage you to look at the risk you’ve been pondering long and hard. I admit, risks are frightening, mainly because you are exposing yourself to the chance of a bad result of your decision. Heavily weigh your options, and hush the fear. Perhaps you’re reading this and you know without a doubt that this is a step you are ready to take. You want to be awakened, sexy, productive and passionate again. I am here to tell you I have done it, and although I don’t know what will come next, the awakening I have experienced is worth doing it 100 times over.
Share the risk you’re contemplating (or have taken recently) with me in the comments below! I’m all ears.

5 Tips to Jumpstart Your Spring Detox

Happy Spring, Crazy Sexy Lifers!
All over the country, even in the Northeast, it’s come extra early this year (which is a whole other topic –climate change anyone?). But for now, let’s focus on the positive aspects: sunshine, getting outside and shedding extra layers of clothing. And while we’re at it, let’s shed some toxins too! They’ve most likely built up over the winter. Richer foods, fewer fresh vegetables and fruits, lowered immunity, and lack of sunshine — all contribute to a general feeling of stagnant and heavy energy. Toxins get stuck in any extra insulation we may have accumulated over the colder months. So now seems to be the perfect time to transition, not only to warmer weather, but to a lighter and brighter you!
Spring is a wonderful time for a deep cleanse, something like my 21-Day Clean Program. But if you’re looking for some simple tips to get started with right now, here are my top spring detox steps.
1. Move. Yoga, running, walking, swimming, biking, playing with your kids, having a dance party for one (or more), deep cleaning the house — do whatever you can to move your body in as many ways as possible. Lift heavy things (being sensible and taking care of your back of course); go for long, unplugged rambles (without your phone or iPod); push your kids on the swings; lift your body weight with pushups (no fancy equipment required); leap over driftwood on the beach (even walking in the sand is a great workout) or fallen trees in the woods; rake the lawn; push a mower; sweep the floors; scrub the shower. Seriously, anything you can do to vary the way your body moves and stretches is going to get your lymph flowing and literally wring out your internal organs. Toxins are released through body fluid, and that includes sweat. So go ahead and sprint, climb, jump, have sex, whatever makes you use your muscles and heart and produces some cleansing sweat. Exercise also boosts your mood, which makes you want to move even more; so exercise in any form is definitely at the top of the list!
2. Breathe. While it’s important to move around, it’s also important to be still. Cleansing the body also involves cleansing the mind. So take some deep belly breaths. Feel the breath travel down into your belly and maybe even down into your pelvis, your knees and your toes. Then feel it travel all the way back up through the body, using a count of 4-8, if that helps even and steady it out. Inhale fresh oxygen and exhale acidity in the blood (carbon dioxide). If someone were next to you, imagine that they couldn’t tell when you were breathing in and breathing out — that’s how steady and even you want to make each inhale and exhale.
3. Eat fermented foods. Every culture (pun intended) all over the world has always included a form of fermented foods in their diets as a way to help digestion, immunity and vitality. Unpasteurized, fermented foods are full of beneficial bacteria (probiotics), enzymes and lactic acid, which our bodies need for optimal food assimilation. So eat fermented veggies (sauerkraut, kimchee), miso, wheat-free tamari or nama shoyu, raw pickles, and if you can tolerate dairy, you can incorporate raw yogurt into your spring diet (ideally a little bit with every meal, but definitely try for at least once daily) for increased longevity, extra detoxification and lots of alkalizing action. We have a great (and easy) recipe here.
4. Get some spirulina. And put it in/on everything. Seriously. It goes with both savory and sweet things (salads, soups, smoothies, puddings, raw treats, chocolate, ice cream, superfood blends, juices, spice mixes or even by the spoonful for adventurous types who don’t mind green teeth). Why should you be eating lots of spirulina? This powdered algae is one of the highest sources of protein (in both the plant and animal kingdoms). Spirulina contains all eight essential amino acids; is rich in many antioxidants, vitamins and minerals; contains as much iron as red meat; has tons of enzymes and essential fatty GLAs that fight inflammation; helps fight allergies; gives you glowing skin and hair; and is an overall detoxifier and superfood that your body will thank you for consuming in large quantities!
5. Drink one of your meals. And I don’t mean alcohol. Have a shake, smoothie, juice or soup for one of your meals. Ideally it would be breakfast or dinner when your digestion is least strongest. A shake for breakfast eases your body into the day with tons of nutrition (especially if you add spirulina!) and energy, since your body won’t have to immediately start digesting a heavy meal and can be free to power you through your busy day, hydrated and energized. Add healthy fats like coconut butter or manna, almond butter, or a handful of nuts or seeds. You’ll be satiated for hours until lunch, which is ideal for optimal digestion. If you have a liquid meal at night, you’re freeing your body up while you sleep to boost your immune system, cleanse toxins and repair systems in your body rather than spend that time digesting a heavy evening meal. So drink up and clean out!
Bonus Tip: Lighten your load overall by adopting some sort of elimination diet for a few weeks. My recommendation is to eliminate processed dairy, gluten, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, processed foods, red meat, soy, peanuts and corn. Eat mostly fresh vegetables, whole non-gluten grains, moderate amounts of seasonal low- sugar fruits, nuts, seeds, seaweeds, and of course drink plenty of good-quality purified or spring water.
With all the moving, breathing, drinking water and eating amazing foods, make sure you find time to listen to the happy sounds of spring and thank your body for carrying you through another winter by lightening up and peeling back some layers!