Cathy Recommends:

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Healthy Alternative to Pasta

I used to be crazy about pasta. I just couldn't get enough of it. At the time, trying to find easy vegetarian options, pasta seemed to be an excellent choice. I eventually realized that I would benefit from significantly reducing sugars and processed grains from my diet.

Dr. Mercola explains in his Total Health Cookbook & Program:

“There are good carbohydrates that should compose most of your carbohydrate intake, and they are found mostly in high fiber vegetables that grow above the ground. Your body prefers these complex carbohydrates because they slow the release of simple carbohydrates like glucose and decrease your insulin levels. Insulin is the fat-building hormone in the body; therefore, increases in insulin cause weight gain. On the other hand, there are ‘troublesome’ carbohydrates that you need to reduce or eliminate from your diet, and they are found in grains, sugars and sugary foods, as well as starchy vegetables like potatoes. These carbohydrates will increase your insulin levels and tend to promote weight gain and illness.”
The good news is that I’ve learned from ‘Raw Foodies’ that I could make my own spaghetti-style zucchini noodles and it is easy to make. Wow! I also realized that I wasn’t really craving for the pasta but for the sauce that we serve with pasta.

To make my own spaghetti-style zucchini noodles, I needed the necessary kitchen equipment. I first experienced with the ‘Saladacco’ brand but was disappointed with its poor constitution and my noodles were also too mushy. I since discovered the ‘Spirooli’ and I love it! The brand name is now ‘World Cuisine.’ It used to be called ‘Spirooli.’ It is the exact same machine.

CATHY’S ACTION HEALTH TIPS:

1) You’ll need a Vegetable Slicer to make your own spaghetti-style zucchini noodles. I suggest that you order the World Cuisine Tri-Blade Plastic Spiral Vegetable Slicer:





2) Try my new recipe. I am telling you. You won’t be missing the highly processed pasta. So tasty, easy and fast to prepare!


SPAGHETTI-STYLE ZUCCHINI NOODLES WITH ASPARAGUS AND TOMATOES

1 bunch asparagus, cut in 3 pieces
1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered
3 large garlic cloves, fimely chopped
Fresh basil pesto (Pesto Genovese is, without a doubt, a wonderful tasting pesto)
Fresh pepper
6 zucchini, peeled and cut with your ‘Spirooli’

Trim and steam the asparagus until cooked but still firm about 5 minutes. Combine all of the ingredients, mix well and serve.

3) This is a great tip I’ve learned from Matt Amsden in his book ‘RAWvolution.’ Take the time to prepare your noodles in advance and leave them at room temperature in an open container for 6 to 8 hours. This great tip will improve the texture of the vegetable noodles.

4) Prepare your favorite pasta sauce and serve it on spaghetti-style zucchini noodles instead of regular pasta. After your meal, notice how you feel. Do you notice any difference to your digestion?

5) Have fun! Experiment with your new ‘Spirooli’ with different high fiber vegetables such as: Onion, Carrot, Turnip, Sweet Potato, Daikon Radish and Butternut Squash.

Stay tuned! I’ll be sharing more recipes you can use with your new ‘Spirooli.’

Until next time,
Lots of Fun, Joy and Peace for you!

Cathy


To receive your FREE subscription to Cathy’s newsletter offering tips, articles, recipes and resources to help you have an energetic and productive life with more purpose, go to www.CathysHealthTips.com.

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

When A Brain Scientist Suffers A Stroke

Here’s a link to a fascinating speech about Dr. Taylor’s stroke and the amazing insight she gained from it. She explained how, after the stroke, she was totally disconnected from her brain chatter and felt deeply at peace. Her experience taught her the difference between the left and right sides of the brain at a visceral level. It took her 8 years to recover and, during this time, she was motivated to recover in order to be able to share her new knowledge, particularly her increased awareness of the right side of the brain.

I encourage you to take the time to watch the whole 18 minutes. Please click here.


Her experience goes hand in hand with the powerful message of A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle. The talk as well as the book will transform your view of yourself, your view of life and your view of the world.

Until next time,
Lots of Fun, Joy and Peace for you!

Cathy


To receive your FREE subscription to Cathy’s newsletter offering tips, articles, recipes and resources to help you have an energetic and productive life with more purpose, go to www.CathysHealthTips.com.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Comprehensive Book on Nutrition

Hey everyone!

I highly recommend this book by Joshua Rosenthal, founder and director of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (also one of my teacher):



Integrative Nutrition brilliantly blends the art and science of nutrition with the personal growth aspects of love, relationship, fitness, career, and spiritual practice to help people find their path toward health and happiness.

~ Deepak Chopra, author of Buddha: A Story of Enlightenment

You will:

• Learn the pros and con of the most popular dietary theories out there—including the Zone, the Atkins Diet, raw foods, the Master Cleanser and more.

• Discover why one person’s food is another person’s poison.

• Try eating and preparing seasonal, organic and eco-friendly foods.

• Understand the connection between eating habits, relationships, career and spirituality.

• Get the truth about food corporations, pharmaceutical companies, media messages and government dietary advice.

To Your Long, Healthy, and Passionate Life !

Until next time,
Lots of Fun, Joy and Peace for you!

Cathy


To receive your FREE subscription to Cathy’s newsletter offering tips, articles, recipes and resources to help you have an energetic and productive life with more purpose, go to www.CathysHealthTips.com.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

What Is An Internal Cleansing?

What Is An Internal Cleansing And Why You Should Think About Planning One Now?

An internal cleansing is a great tool for disease prevention, diseases such as cancer, heart disease, allergies or PMS. Any disease that you can think of! Per example, it is one of the best ways of clearing a cold and revitalizing a tired body. It is also a great way to lose weight by boosting a sluggish metabolism.

An internal cleansing is a natural way to eliminate the toxins in your body and by removing the toxins you remove the cause of diseases before you can even become sick.

Your body does it every day naturally. It has the capacity, or the power, to remove the toxins. But the problem we have today is that we have to deal with so much pollution and different chemicals that our bodies become overwhelmed and cannot eliminate everything. So an internal cleansing is a special detoxifying diet that will help your body doing what it does naturally everyday.

But why should you cleanse your body at all?

Like I just said, we are living in a polluted world, what I call a “chemicalized” world. We find toxins everywhere. Toxins are poisonous compounds that promote diseases. Examples of toxins are heavy metals, environmental pollution, gas and diesel exhaust, tobacco smoke, drugs of all kinds (prescribed or not), pesticides, herbicides, additives in food such as preservatives, artificial colors and flavors, and hormone residues in food. We can find undesirable chemicals in everything: household products, carpets, cosmetics, toothpaste, tap water, paint and plastic containers.

There is not only the external pollution; there is also what we do to our body. We live in a society of too much of everything. We eat too much animal protein, too much processed food and too much sugar. We drink too much coffee, too much soda and too much alcohol. In fact, we simply eat too much! Above all that, we experience too much stress.

What happens is that our bodies that were once capable of clearing daily exposure to toxins and exposure to too much food are now completely overloaded and when the toxic load reaches this point there is damage to the body. Toxicity can damage the immune system, the neurological system or the hormonal system.

Just to give you a better idea, here is a study from a university made on ten umbilical cords. The scientists were looking at the impact of our modern lives on newborns. They found 287 industrial chemicals in those umbilical cords. On average, 200 different industrial chemicals per baby at birth. On those 287 chemicals detected, there were 180 chemicals that are known to cause cancer, 217 known to be toxic to the brain and nervous system and 208 known to cause birth defects or abnormal development in animal tests. I am certain that this gives you a clear idea of the impact of chemicals on our lives and our future generations.

That is why one of the best gifts you can do for yourself is to keep to a minimum those pollutants, those chemicals by internally cleansing your body on a regular basis.

What benefit can you expect?

The benefits are incredible! You just need to do it once to realize how true that statement is. Every time I cleanse, I feel so energized in my body. During an internal cleansing, I have so much energy that I often wake up around six in the morning without an alarm and I am usually not an early person. During your internal cleansing, your body will rebalance itself. Remember, we talk about too many chemicals, too much food. Your body will eliminate the overload of chemicals and food waste. As a result, you will have much more energy.

You will also get more mental clarity. Your brain works better. You will also feel more connected. Your creativity will expand. Your mental attitude will also improve.

On a physical level, you will get rid of tremendous excess of mucous. Some of us carry around as much as ten to fifteen pounds of excess mucous. You can expect to lose weight, easily up to one pound a week. If you have been having problem loosing weight, your problem is probably linked to poor digestion and internal toxicity. This is nothing new. A 1926 book called ‘Toxemia explained’ suggest that accumulated waste create internal pollution disturbing metabolic rate and slowing down calorie burning. An internal cleansing is your answer.

On a more personal level, you will also get rid of old fecal matter. I know, I know. This is not an easy subject to talk about but that is a fact. That is why you will feel so light after your internal cleanse physically, mentally and emotionally.

You will get rid of inorganic mineral deposits that are contributing to your actual or potential arthritis.

You will experience less colds and infections.

You will certainly notice shinier hair, stronger nails and clearer skin. You will have a better sleep and an improved digestion.

Another benefit, and I think it is such an important one, is that you will become more in tune with what your body really needs. You will notice how your body is telling you exactly what food it needs and what food is right for you. Instead of going for any kind of food, you will crave healthy food. It will help you to kick out the sugar habit.

In conclusion, you will achieve a thinner, younger and more beautiful version of your actual self. Isn’t it a great thing to do? I think it is the best gift you can give to yourself.

Cathy’s Action Health Tips:

1) My suggestion is to plan two to four internal cleansings every year with the change of season. Start by planning one this coming spring.

2) Continue your education about internal cleansing and detoxification. Here are some great books that sill serve you as resources for years.

If you want to know more about juice cleansing:


If you want to know more about fasting:


If you want to get a comprehensive manual on the subject:


3) Decide what kind of internal cleansing works for you. Know that you can start slow. Per example, your first cleanse could be to eliminate some foods from your diet such as meat, dairy, sugar and/or white flour for two weeks without any other changes.

4) Learn to transition to a healthier lifestyle after your internal cleansing and to integrate new habit in your daily life.

5) Email me your experience – I always love to hear from you! Don't let another day go by without the support you need and if you need coaching, let me know.

To Your Long, Healthy, and Passionate Life !

Until next time,
Lots of Fun, Joy and Peace for you!

Cathy


To receive your FREE subscription to Cathy’s newsletter offering tips, articles, recipes and resources to help you have an energetic and productive life with more purpose, go to www.CathysHealthTips.com.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

When Really Sad Events Occur…

I learned the sad news about the death of one of my high school classmate last Thursday. She was 39 years old and the mother of 3 young daughters. She was also a girlfriend and partner in life with the father of her children (not married but it means the same thing in Quebec), a daughter, a sister, a friend, a niece, and a co-worker. For me, she was a friend from high school. Her name was Geneviève Marsot.

After high school, I moved from my hometown to the big city, Montreal, and I didn’t see Geneviève for probably a decade. I met her in a boutique while shopping. She was the same as I remember: warm, endearing, beautiful (both inside and out), sweet and full of life. Irresistible in a way. As vibrant as she used to be on a soccer or volleyball field where we had so much fun. Unfortunately, our roads didn’t cross again after that short encounter but I always had nice thoughts of Geneviève. In 2005, 20 years after our graduation, I couldn’t make the high school reunion due to a family obligation. There are few people I would have liked to meet there and Geneviève was among those people. I am sorry I didn’t have the chance to see her then. She was in my thoughts and in my heart despite the distance Rimouski- Montreal, and later Montreal- New York and despite the fact that our roads barely crossed since the end of high school. The last journey she’s just started won’t change that and she’ll always be in my thoughts and my heart.

Rest in peace beautiful Geneviève.

For me, a sad event like the death of Geneviève is an opportunity to re-commit to my own life, to make sure I am fully living and appreciating every moment of my life. I understand that life is not always easy but I also understand that everything is impermanent: emotions, thoughts, and physical matter. The only thing that exists is now. The book ‘A New Earth’ by Tolle teaches that. It is an amazing book that helps me to make peace with sad event like this one. I wrote a post about the book few weeks ago. Click here if you want more information.

Until next week,
Lots of Fun, Joy and Peace for you!

Cathy

PS: It is not necessarily easy to wish fun and joy when our heart feels sadness but I still wish it for everyone reading this post including myself.


To receive your FREE subscription to Cathy’s bi-weekly newsletter offering tips, articles and resources to help you have an energetic and productive life with more purpose, go to www.CathysHealthTips.com.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Is Your Home Making You and Your Family Sick? (Part 2)

Are you aware that you might be bringing toxins into your home? Many of the products you buy to improve the look and smell of your home can actually harm you and your family. Many ingredients used in personal care products such as soaps, creams and deodorants are also toxic.

Here’s part 2 of a true or false quiz to test your knowledge about toxins in your home. The answers are at the end of the post. Have fun!

1. Household products manufactures are not required to list all of the ingredients on the label, only the active ingredients. The “inert” (inactive) ingredients, which happen to be the majority of the ingredients, do not have to be listed on the label. Here is a list of the commonly used inert ingredients, which are considered toxic: Acetone, Phenol, Formaldehyde, Asbestos, Xylene, Tetrachloride, Benzene, and Dioxin.

2. Formaldehyde should be handled with caution. It is a human carcinogen suspected of causing birth defects and genetic damage. It also causes headaches, joint pain, chest pains, depression, ear infections, chronic fatigue, dizziness, and loss of sleep. Formaldehyde is in almost everything you use in your home, from toothpaste to laundry soap. (Source: National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health)

3. The following chemicals, which are deadly poisons, are found in most laundry detergents: Phosphorus, Ammonia, Naphthalene, Phenol, and Sodium Aluminosilicate (also used as a pesticide).

4. Many ingredients used in personal care products are also toxic and can be easily absorbed through the skin into the bloodstream. These include some ingredients in soaps, lotions, creams, cosmetics, shampoos, deodorants, etc. Of the chemicals found in personal care products: 884 are toxic, 146 cause tumors, 218 cause reproductive complications, 314 cause biological mutation, 376 cause skin and eye irritations. (Source: United States House of Representatives report, 1989)

5. Toothpaste can contain a whole array of harmful ingredients that are classified as carcinogens or suspected carcinogens such as formaldehyde, mineral oil, PVP, and saccharin. Read the label on toothpaste, it sometimes instructs us not to swallow the paste!

6. The government cannot mandate safety studies of cosmetics, and only 11% of the 10,500 ingredients FDA has documented in products have been assessed for safety by the cosmetic industry's review panel.

Answers of the quiz: The answer is true for all these 6 questions!

The good news is that you can do something about it!

Here are the website links of two non toxic household companies that are committed to make a difference:

Biokleen
Biokleen manufactures natural, non-toxic cleaning products for your home and business without negative effects to you or the environment.

Seventh Generation
Seventh Generation produces and distributes environmentally safe household products.

Another useful website is http://www.cosmeticdatabase.org. Because the FDA doesn’t require companies to test their own cosmetic products for safety, go on this website and search for your favorite brand’s toxicity level. Are they safe or not? This organization will inform you on this question.

I personally order my shampoo, toothpaste, cream and other personal care products from Wholefood Farmacy. They are totally safe and really efficient. My husband always makes sure that I order Sublime (body care) for him. He loves it!

Until next week,
Lots of Fun, Joy and Peace for you!


To receive your FREE subscription to Cathy’s bi-weekly newsletter offering tips, articles and resources to help you have an energetic and productive life with more purpose, go to www.CathysHealthTips.com.

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

Is Your Home Making You and Your Family Sick?

Are you aware that you might be bringing toxins into your home? Many of the products you buy to improve the look and smell of your home can actually harm you and your family.

Here’s a true or false quiz to test your knowledge about toxins in your home. The answers are at the end of the post. Have fun!

1. The average home contains approximately 26 different chemicals. (Source: National Pollution Control Center)

2. Among chemicals commonly found in homes, 150 have been linked to allergies, birth defects, cancer, and psychological abnormalities. (Source: Consumer Product Safety Commission)

3. North America's worst air pollution is found inside our homes. Many homes have chemical levels that are 70 times higher than that of the air outside. In fact, cleaning and personal care products, commonly found in every home are three times more likely to cause cancer than air-born pollutants. 6,000 cancer deaths are caused every year by indoor air pollutants. (Source: Environmental Protection Agency)

4. Every year, five to ten million household poisonings are reported. Many are fatal, and most of the victims are children. Liquid Dish Soap, which contains formaldehyde and ammonia in most brands, is the leading cause of poisonings of children under the age of six (over 100, 000 poisoned kids per year). (Source: Center for Science in the Public Interest)

5. Most dishwashing detergents include NAPHTA, which is a central nervous system depressant, DIETHANOLAMINE, a liver poison, and CHLOROPHENYLPHENOL, a toxic metabolic stimulant. When washing your dishes, these chemicals are being released into your breathing space.

6. In one decade, a 42% increase in asthma was observed (29% for men; 82% for women). The higher rate for women is believed to be due to women's longer exposure times to household chemicals. (Source: Center for Disease Control)

7. There has been a 7% increase in childhood cancer since the addition of pesticides into household products. (Source: National Cancer Institute)

The good news is that you can do something about it!

Here are the website links of two non toxic household companies that are committed to make a difference:

Biokleen
Biokleen manufactures natural, non-toxic cleaning products for your home and business without negative effects to you or the environment.

Seventh Generation

Seventh Generation produces and distributes environmentally safe household products.

Answers of the quiz: 1- False, the answer is 62, not 26; 2- True; 3- True; 4- False, it is 2.1 million kids who are poisoned by liquid dish soap per year, not 100,000; 5- True; 6- True; 7- False, there has been a 28% increase, not 7%.

Next week, I’ll post part 2 of the quiz.

Until then,
Lots of Fun, Joy and Peace for you!


To receive your FREE subscription to Cathy’s bi-weekly newsletter offering tips, articles and resources to help you have an energetic and productive life with more purpose, go to www.CathysHealthTips.com.

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

All Jacked Up: A Documentary the Food Corporations Hope You Never Watch

‘All Jacked Up’ is the ‘Super Size Me’ of 2008. It is a mind-boggling documentary underlining the catastrophic consequences of processed foods, junk foods and sodas on teenagers

After watching this must-see film, you’ll know the whole story on the manipulative food corporations and the meat industry. It’s a great movie to watch with your children, whom will be totally spooked by what they’ve just learned. After the movie, your kids will immediately make some changes to their diet. You won’t need to say a word and feel like you are nagging. The movie will do it for you!

Want a sneak peak?

Click here to see a 2-minute clip.

Want more info?

Click here to read a full review.
(and order the movie directly from the studio if you want).

To Buy "All Jacked Up - Hungry for the Truth" Right Away Click Here



Like they say, ‘Knowledge is power’. So take the time to investigate. My tip for you today is to continue your education regarding health and vitality. Be smart, well-informed and prepared to make healthy decisions for yourself and your family, decisions that will make a huge difference in your life. This should be a life-long priority. Don't you think? Just imagine if every week you learned something new…

Until next week,
Lots of Fun, Joy and Peace for you!


To receive your FREE subscription to Cathy’s bi-weekly newsletter offering tips, articles and resources to help you have an energetic and productive life with more purpose, go to www.CathysHealthTips.com.

Thursday, February 21, 2008

My Super Tasty & Healthy Hot Chocolate


Yes, chocolate is healthy! I am not talking about the chocolate bars full of sugar and partially hydrogenated oils but about pure raw cacao full of minerals and antioxidants. This hot chocolate also contains healthy plant-based proteins, healthy fats, natural sweeteners and a great source of fiber. Plus: It doesn’t include mucus-forming dairy and energy-robbing refined sugar. Enjoy without guilt!


3 tablespoons of raw organic cacao powder
3 Medjool dates, pitted
2 tablespoons raw hemps seeds
1 tablespoon raw organic coconut oil
1 teaspoon raw agave nectar
8 oz boiling water

Let the boiling water cool a bit in order to keep intact the integrity of the nutrients. Then, in your high-speed blender (I love Vita-Mix), place all ingredients and blend until smooth.

Don’t know where to find raw organic ingredients? Don’t have a Vita-Mix yet? Here’s the link to Sunfood, a great online store of raw foods, superfoods, books, appliances…




To receive your FREE subscription to Cathy’s bi-weekly newsletter offering tips, articles and resources to help you have an energetic and productive life with more purpose, go to www.CathysHealthTips.com.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

A New Earth by Tolle: A Must Read

A few years ago, I read Eckhart Tolle’s big hit ‘The Power of Now’ and was really impressed. I thought: “This is the way I want to live my life.” I also realized pretty fast that it requires serious dedication and effort to break free from habits and mental conditioning that all make us repeat the old same patterns and prevent us to really live in the moment. That is why I seriously committed to my meditation practice, which definitely makes me more aware of the present moment.

Tolle has a new book called ‘A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose’ and Oprah is raving about it. She even made it her new book club pick this month and she will be teaching the content of the book in a free 10-week web event in collaboration with Tolle himself starting March 3rd.

I bought the book and my reaction while reading the first chapter was: “Oprah rocks!” She really does. The content of this book is so necessary not only, in a more personal view, to break our old habits and conditioning but also, in a more global view, to break the direction we are actually going as a species.

Here’s what Carrie, one of the Oprah’s Book Club readers, said on Oprah’s website about her impression, "This explains everything that baffles me about the world, from wars to relationship struggles to bad parenting to addictions and compulsive behaviors, and so on." Powerful, isn’t?

This book will change your view of life, your view of the world. It is truly a must read!

To make it easy on you, here is the direct link to order A New Earth from Amazon:





Then, you can reserve your seat for the exclusive online class with Oprah and Eckhart Tolle at www.oprah.com.


Until next week,
Lots of Fun, Joy and Peace for you!


To receive your FREE subscription to Cathy’s bi-weekly newsletter offering tips, articles and resources to help you have an energetic and productive life with more purpose, go to www.CathysHealthTips.com.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Back from my 10-day Silent Meditation Retreat


I want to share about my experience at the Vipassana Meditation Center but I have been wondering what exactly I can share that will best translate what I experienced during my 10 days of retreat and am still experiencing now. I feel there are no words (or maybe it is my perfectionist side that stops me!) I feel I have a responsibility to make sure you understand the impact of this 10-day silent meditation retreat so you will be inspired to embark on such a path for yourself …

Something happened Sunday evening that made me understand the benefit of such an experience: meditating 10 days, 10 hours a day, in silence, alone with myself and this very special technique called Vipassana, a practice discovered by Buddha to achieve enlightenment more than 2600 years ago. What happened made me realized how my awareness had become so acute and how sensitive I had also become. I realized that my practice had made me so much more conscious of the present moment, not in a nonspecific way but rather in a very detailed way.

While kissing my hubby, I suddenly felt pain on my upper lip, like it was on fire, after feeling one of my husband’s two-day beard hairs entering my skin (I am not joking!). The experience was so vivid. I am very serious. I felt one specific hair entering my skin like it was a needle. Then, the moment right after, what was an unintentional (I think) touch on my thigh felt like bliss, the kind of bliss we feel when we are discovering touch with our first boyfriend as a teenager. I felt a tingle all over my body.

That is the result of practicing Vipassana. Becoming aware, conscious of each single moment, one after one, and ultimately making the most of them. In order to make the most of each moment, it is so crucial to be conscious of that moment. Make sense?

The course taught me the importance of equanimity in front of whatever is in front of me: pain or bliss. While sitting 10 hours a day in meditation, I sometimes experienced a subtle flow through my body. At other times, I felt painful blocks. Through a 75-minute discourse during the evening, I learned intellectually that everything (really EVERYTHING) is impermanent. Through my practice (my 10-hour sitting), I learned it viscerally. Everything being impermanent anyway, the idea of keeping serenity under any circumstance makes total sense. I know! Easier said than done. That’s why I commit myself to practicing on a daily basis.

At this point, I will let you do your own research and reading. I really recommend you take the time to do this. A good first step is to go on the international website of Vipassana at http://www.dhamma.org. You can also go to http://www.pariyatti.com, a nonprofit resource for books and other materials about Vipassana meditation. Through your reading, remember that the beauty of this gift is the visceral experience of the truth, the law of nature, the impermanence of things. My advice to you is not only read about the experience but experience it yourself.

By the way, this invaluable teaching is FREE. Yes, free! To maintain the integrity of Buddha, who believed that everyone should be able to have access to the technique to understand the origin of suffering and to learn a path leading to the cessation of suffering.

Until next week,
Lots of Fun, Joy and Peace for you!

Cathy


To receive your FREE subscription to Cathy’s newsletter offering tips, articles, recipes and resources to help you have an energetic and productive life with more purpose, go to www.CathysHealthTips.com.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

10-day Silent Meditation Retreat

I am so excited (and a little bit scared too)! I am getting ready for my second 10-day silent meditation retreat. I am leaving tomorrow and will be returning on February 10.

The meditation technique is called Vipassana, which means to see things as they really are, and is one of India’s most ancient techniques.

I am not going to India though. There are centers all over the world now and I chose the one in Texas because of the perfect timing with my husband’s ski trip with the guys in Europe (the warmer weather in Texas is a big plus too!).

The first time I was initiated to Vipassana was 4 years ago and I remember being amazed by the experience. It wasn’t easy. Like you can imagine, it requires hard and serious work.

During my stay, there will be no reading, journaling, or talking, not even connecting with the eyes. I will be essentially alone with myself. So, there won’t be any new post to my blog next week and the next one will be on February 12. Stay tuned! I’ll be telling you everything about my 10-day silent meditation.

Until then,
Lots of Fun and Joy for you!

Cathy


To receive your FREE subscription to Cathy’s newsletter offering tips, articles, recipes and resources to help you have an energetic and productive life with more purpose, go to www.CathysHealthTips.com.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Emotional Healing using EFT

Synchronicity is the experience of two or more events occurring in a meaningful manner but causally unrelated. I believe in synchronicities and I look at the synchronicities in my life as a gift from the Universe, to support me and guide me through life.

Synchronicity is why I chose EFT as my blog subject for today.

Let me explain: I usually never take cabs between the two destinations involved. I also never (or let’s say, rarely) talk to cab drivers because they are usually too busy talking on their cell phone. But yesterday, I was late, so I took a cab and exceptionally, I talked to the cab driver. I even had an awesome conversation with him for 20 minutes. Among other things, he explained how EFT, which stands for Emotional Freedom Technique, helped him to resolve issues in his life. After 21 years of therapy, he told me that his shrink must have thought that he made enough money with him and finally suggested EFT as a tool for emotional healing. (He also made clear that he was only kidding about his psychiatrist making enough money with him and that his therapy was the best gift of his life.)

This wasn’t my first encounter with EFT. Before my conversation with the cab driver, two different health practitioners had highly recommended the technique for emotional relief. That is why I seriously started to listen yesterday. I mean, not only listening to my cab driver, listening to the universe and the synchronicities.

So I went on Gary Craig’s website, the EFT Founder. The endorsements of Deepak Chopra, MD and mind-body expert, and Candace Perth, PhD and author of Molecules of Emotions, among others, convinced me that there was really something there for me to look at. So, I watched a short video and read everything about the techniques.

EFT is based on the theory that negative emotions are caused by a disruption in the body's energy field and that stimulating the energy meridian points by tapping on them with your fingertips will alter the body's energy field, restoring balance.

This healing tool has been used for an impressive long list of issues such as addictions, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, shame, vision, chronic fatigue, fear from flying, cravings, diabetes, weight loss, insomnia and many more. The testimonials are awesome!

That’s about all I can say for now... I will test the technique and keep you posted.

I also invite you to do your own research. Like they say, ‘Knowledge is power’. So take the time to watch this short video:
http://emofree.com/splash/video_popup.asp

You can also get a free manual at:
http://emofree.com/downloadeftmanual.asp

To your Long, Healthy, and Passionate Life!


To receive your FREE subscription to Cathy’s bi-weekly newsletter offering tips, articles and resources to help you have an energetic and productive life with more purpose, go to www.CathysHealthTips.com.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

New Year… New Look!

2008!

Big, big year for me! I was born in 1968. I am changing a decade this year. I will be 40 years young (!) in May.

The good news is that I believe that it is possible to age in reverse. I believe that we can gain more energy, become more beautiful (both inside and out), gather more confidence and have more fun through the years.

To celebrate this New Year (and new decade!), I thought about a new look. At first, I thought about a BIG change. Then I decided that simply adding a bang to my look would fit with one of my 2008 intentions to create more fun into my life.

Does it sound superficial to you? Not to me. Feeling good on the outside helps me big time to feel good on the inside.

Life is about changing, moving, growing and expanding. So what about doing the same thing regarding your physical appearance? I encourage you to take the time to re-evaluate your look. Have you been in a rut? Look at magazines and tear out the pages that inspire you. Then, set up an appointment with a reputable hair stylist. Most importantly, have fun with the whole process.

Here’s to a great New Year… and New Look!


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Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Start 2008 by Getting Things Done!

It's the beginning of the month, beginning of the New Year - the perfect time to start creating the life of your dreams and enjoy it.

On my side, it is going to be a big year. In fact, my intention is that 2008 will be the best year of my life. I meditate every day on this. At the end of 2007, I started to work on my NEW branding for my business (due to completion this spring). I’ve finally got in touch with my BIG vision. A new logo, tagline, website, programs… to help you have an energetic and productive life with more purpose. Stay tuned… :)

With Cathy’s Health Tips, you will improve your health, raise your energy and be more beautiful (both inside and out) by:
  • Making some internal shifts about nutrition that will empower you to take responsibility regarding your health and beauty.
  • Properly detoxifying your body from harmful chemicals that threaten your well-being, and creating a toxin-free life.
  • Drastically improving your eating habits without strain and discomfort.
  • Losing weight and keeping it off.
  • Alleviating digestive disorders, allergies, PMS and (so many!) others health concerns.
  • Getting rid of brain fog, which will make your brain sharp.
  • Learning what to feed the inside that will produce greater beauty on the outside (skin, hair, nails, you name it!)
  • And Much, Much More!
Don't let another day go by without the support you need.

I invite you to log in to www.CathysHealthTips.com to receive your FREE subscription to the bi-weekly newsletter offering tips, articles and resources to help you have an energetic and productive life with more purpose now.

Happy, Healthy 2008!