Our Farmhouse Kitchen for under $3K!! Before and After DIY Makeover

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If you’re like me, then you spend a lot of time in your kitchen. Chopping, grating, slicing, juicing, fermenting, harvesting, cleaning….the list goes on and on! The kitchen should be a room you love, otherwise you won’t want to spend any time there at all. If you can’t find the knife or cutting board you need, it becomes a hassle. Organized cupboards, dried foods and easy access to appliances make a whole world of difference. A nice vibe and a personal touch in the decor always give a good positive energy flow to the space. Changes to your diet and lifestyle have to start in the kitchen!

We recently did a DIY kitchen makeover, from a bad 80’s sitcom feel to a cool and funky farmhouse kitchen…and now our kitchen is a space I love! It’s a fun and organic feel. And for those of you on a budget, you’ll be excited to know that we did everything for under $3000! Now that IS amazing. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to put a new spin and fresh look on your old dark and dated kitchen. Trust me! Here I’m going to share the results!

Farm Kitchen DIY – Before and After pics

The 80’s Kitchen Before

We definitely did not choose our house for the kitchen, to say the least. It’s small and a bit strange in its layout, with the sink by itself against a wall and not under the windows facing outside. The dark oak cabinets were screaming 1981 and my dreams of having a fresh clean modern kitchen were not reflecting reality at all. But, we fell in love with the land (for starting an organic farm) and the area (an all farming area in the mountains of North Carolina) and the rest of the house was nice too so it’s all good.

Farmhouse Kitchen Makeover BEFORE

The Farmhouse Kitchen After

Since we may rehab the entire kitchen in a few years, we didn’t want to waste money on new cabinets or counter-tops or even a new layout yet. Our goal was to give the kitchen we have a decent enough facelift to actually enjoy the space and start having fun preparing lots of healthy food, straight from our veggie garden. Because I was working with existing cabinets and counter-tops, I decided to go for a farmhouse look because a modern design wasn’t possible with what we had. Initially I figured the rehab would take 2 months. In the end, it took 6 months to complete. Well, everyone says these DIY’s take longer than you expect (without a full crew working on it like in those 30-minute HGTV shows that make everything look far, far too easy!).

Farmhouse Kitchen Makeover AFTER

Farmhouse DIY Makeover List of What we Did

1. Popcorn ceiling removal – we did this ourselves and it all crumbled off with wet rags, no scraping or spraying at all. Took 2 days in total to complete. (Then we went to Vegas for the weekend, true!)

2. Painted old light fixtures. No idea why but the previous owners had painted the discs red/orange so I painted them white. 1 day.

3. Walls and trim sanded, primed and painted. The old kitchen had a strange greenish paint that had a slight texture which has to be sanded and the trim was a bright orange/red. Yes, time to GO! This was a BIG job. We moved everything to one side and painted 1/2 the kitchen then moved everything to the other side and painted the other half. The paint we used for the walls is Pratt & Lambert “Winchester” in semi-gloss and for the trim, a semi-gloss white.  I also added beadboard wallpaper to the kitchen peninsula and painted it too. Beadboard wallpaper is amazing! 1 week.

Bye bye green walls! What a difference a coat of paint makes.

4. Cabinets primed and painted white, with beadboard wallpaper added and painted, then installed oil rubbed bronze hardware. I got the cabinet pulls/knobs and cabinet handles from amazon and drilled all the holes myself. Definitely buy the cabinet hardware drilling template if you are going to do this step yourself. This was a huge job that I hope to never have to do again! 1 week.

Kitchen Oak Cabinets BEFORE painting – Kitchen Makeover

 

Painted Kitchen Cabinets – AFTER with new hardware – Kitchen Makeover

5. Also painted a pull out cart next to the stove which was originally purple (yes purple). I painted it gray to match the counter tops. Later we realized that the shelf on this cart was too high for the magnetic knife strips on the wall, so my husband cut off one shelf. I then put wood filler in the gaps, then sand prime and paint again. 2 days.

Note the purple pull out cart next to the oven (it holds baking trays and drying racks inside)

 

The pull out cart next to the oven now painted in grey (and notice the new barn house style pocket door)

6. Finally we were ready to put up the farmhouse shelves! I forgot to mention that my husband pulled down the wall cabinets before we painted the walls. It was a bit of a spontaneous decision. We were both working in the kitchen preparing the walls one day and all of a sudden he said, “I’m taking these down!” And that was that. We had looked at photos or farmhouse wood shelves before that but hadn’t decided to do it or not. Well, in that moment we pretty much decided to go for it! After painting the walls, we measured the space and went to Lowes to buy wood. I had done A LOT of research checking blogs for farm style kitchen shelves, and wasn’t able to find exactly what I wanted which was a thick wood floating shelf without having to make a hollow wood shelf and without spending a lot of money on expensive wood. In the end, we bought simple pine 2 -inch thick shelves (that’s 2x12x12) and here’s a tip: Lowes will even cut the wood for you, just bring the measurements!

7. Farmhouse shelves phase 1: Sanding and staining. We decided on 3 shelves on one wall and 2 on the wall with the stove. Also we took out the old cabinet above the fridge and measure out space for shelves there too. I sanded and stained everything myself (phew!). The stain we used was Minwax Early American, left on the wood for 10 minutes. But, I used a pre-stain wood conditioner first which I think is an important step! Then I left to dry overnight and applied butcher block oil. I didn’t want to use any varnish because of the nasty chemical smells. This took 3 long days.

Sanding and staining the farm house style shelves

8. Farmhouse shelves Phase 2: Hanging the shelves. Prepare yourself for lots of measuring, and checking the level many times. We marked all the studs before painting because I knew with shelves like this, we had to hang them in the studs. Almost all the brackets got in studs with the exception of one, so I’d say we did ok! For the brackets, I found nice 8″L x 6″ H hand-made steel metal brackets on amazon. It comes in different sizes for different widths of shelves. We chose wood for a 12-inch width shelf after I measured our dinner plates and largest bowls. 2 days.

Measuring and installing the brackets for farmhouse kitchen shelves

The wood farm style shelves are up – yay!!

9. Hanging new lights – We installed a new ceiling light above the kitchen table and also put up a few battery-operated under the cabinet lights which went under the bottom kitchen shelf. We have very dated and 80’s style track lighting as well, but we weren’t up to the task of changing that just yet, so instead just installed Edison style LED light bulbs. 1 day.

10. Farmhouse doors – how could I forget my favorite part of the kitchen – our farmhouse style doors! We installed one to the pantry (where previously there was a bright red/orange door). Then we installed a new pocket door from the kitchen to the wood stove room, so we could close the kitchen if need be (if a guest is sleeping in the other room for example). The doors were a special order from Home Depot, then were stained in the same way as the shelves. I love these doors! 1 week (it took time for our carpenter to make the pocket door frame and we had to drywall, prime paint, etc after).

DIY Kitchen Makeover BEFORE – the old red/orange pantry door

DIY Kitchen Makeover AFTER – the new barn style pantry door LOVE!

11. New oven – By this point of the makeover it was the end of December (we had started in September), and I said to my husband, “Would it be great if we could get a new oven..like a Viking industrial oven?”  We started reading reviews and were going “wow” then looking at the price and saying “hmmm..” Literally a few days later we went to Habitat for Humanity and found a Dacor brand convection bake oven, already set for propane gas, for $500. It was unreal. And it fit into the space like a glove. Totally manifested it! This oven new sells for over $5K!! We were over the moon. 1 day.

12. Oven installation – had to get an electrician to install the 240V line for the oven, cost about $200. As you can see all of this was almost 1/3 of the $3000 we spent…and in that budget we still landed a $5K oven! This was over xmas/new year and it took some time to book the electrician.  2 weeks.

Oven envy! LOVE our Dacor convection oven, bought used

13. New farmhouse wood kitchen table from IKEA – and yes this is a big deal because it’s a 2-hour drive to IKEA where we live and I had been looking at this table for months. Then when we were ready to go to IKEA, the table was suddenly on sale for $80 less. Total score!! I wanted this particular table with the drop leaf on either side because our kitchen is so small, however we could have guests with this if need be and also, it’s not easy to find a thick farm style kitchen table with a drop leaf on either side. 1 day.

14. Chalkboard wall painted – Up until now, I thought we were going to have a small section of the wall painted in black chalkboard paint, mostly for my husband because it was his request. (He’s a graphic designer and wanted some room to draw.) Actually he wanted an entire wall for a chalkboard, and I kept saying, “No way. You can have this small space here!” I thought the black color would make the room look too small. Fast forward a few months into the project and all of a sudden I said, “Ok let’s do the whole wall.” He was like, “Really?!” I have no idea what happened, but now that the wall is done, I love it. It actually adds depth to the room and it’s so much fun to have guests over and let them draw whatever they want on the walls. Yes, a lot of our guests will ask if they can draw something! It’s really a lot of fun. I love having a real, genuine feel to the kitchen and the ever-changing chalkboard wall adds that for sure. 2 days.

The chalkboard wall and the farmhouse kitchen drop leaf table

15. Kitchen sink backsplash using grey wood-like floor tiles. Yes, we used floor tiles for our backsplash around the sink! I wanted something to go with the grey formica counter tops and not too much white because the cabinets above and below were now white. The grey colored wood tile was a perfect match to go with the counters and add something nice on all that white. We bought the tiles at Lowes and my husband did the tiles himself, first time ever doing tiling and what a great job! 3 days.

Kitchen sink backsplash with grey wood tile

16. Stove and farmhouse shelf backsplash – for this wall, we chose a large subway tile, much larger than normal because 1) it was less work to use bigger tiles 2) the price was actually better than buying small subway tiles and 3) the classic subway look is getting a bit old and we wanted to put a bit of a spin on it. We chose the 16″ x 4″ white tiles from Lowes. 3 days.

Large white subway tile backsplash – DIY kitchen makeover

17. Cutting board wall – this is one of my favorite changes to the kitchen! I bought a few hanging racks and S hooks and hung them on the wall to make the perfect cutting board station. I have to say that this cutting board rack is the most convenient things ever especially for someone who is often chopping up fruits and veggies several times a day!

Cutting boards hanging on S hooks – LOVE this!

18. Finally, the last touches! I added hooks for towels on either side of the sink, hung pictures on the walls, another 2 shelves on the chalkboard wall, two walnut wood magnetic knife holders that look amazing (one knife strip is never enough if you do a lot of food prep like me!), also shelves for spices and supplements which I installed over the tile after staining the shelves to match everything else, and a few bars and hooks from IKEA for a bit of organizing towels and hanging stuff. 2 weeks.

Magnetic knife holders wood farmhouse style kitchen

I hope you like the end result as much as we do, and if not…well maybe you got a few good ideas for your own DIY kitchen makeover. Looking back at all the steps, I have no idea how we did all of that! Now the fun part…is using the new kitchen!

Farm Kitchen DIY – Before and After pics

 

Find out where I moved to….! HINT: It’s a healing place

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If you’ve been following my travels and adventures around the world for the last 15+ years, then you know I’ve been to a lot of places! I lived in Thailand for 6 years, traveled all over SE Asia, explored Central and South America for almost a year and most recently, lived in Tel Aviv Israel for the last 2 years. So where do you think I would have moved to next…and how/why did I choose it?

First I have to say that I am sorry for not updating my blog in such a long time! I was super busy in 2015, working at new detox retreats, traveling for work, and being blessed with many new coaching & Iridology clients over Skype. Did I mention that I also left Israel, got married, moved to a new country AND found a house?! Yep, we were beyond busy. And, truth be told, I’m really not a fan of announcing things until they’re a done deal. Luckily, my husband is the same way on this one. We cherish our privacy in making important life decisions, and wanted to stay focused on what was best for us, not getting distracted by other people’s goals or opinions.

More time in nature is cleansing for the soul

More time in nature is cleansing for the soul

Where we ended up

Drumroll please….ok here it is: we are now living near Asheville, NC in the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina, USA. We have divinely clean well water to drink, fresh mountain air to breathe and are surrounded by mountains, trees and creeks. It’s the most quiet and peaceful place you can imagine.

The best part is that we plan to have cabins and invite people (like you!) here to do detox programs & retreats. Yes, a real chance to unwind, de-stress and get back to basics with 100% organic smoothies, juices and food. Literally, this is the place to feed your soul. We are so excited and have a lot of work to do, but finally I can offer the best detox and fasting programs that I know work with a focus on spiritual growth and health too.

For the summer of 2016, we may just be open for “glamping” …that’s “glamorous camping” in case you didn’t know! Imagine sleeping in a tent right on the edge of a mountain creek with the sounds of water and birds, and open campfires at night under the stars to discuss healing and health topics, or just to play music and get back to living in the moment. We are waiting for you!

We're about 20 miles outside of Asheville in the mountains, real country living!

We’re about 20 miles outside of Asheville in the mountains, real country living!

Why we chose North Carolina

Lots of people want to know – what’s so special about North Carolina?? It all goes back to 16 years ago when I thru-hiked the entire Appalachian Trail, yep…just like the movie A Walk in the Woods. Except I actually finished the whole 2168-mile trail, but that’s another story! Anyway the trail goes through North Carolina and Tennessee through the Great Smoky Mountains, a beautiful area of lush green mountains and wilderness. While on the trail I had heard about the nearby town of Asheville and what a cool place it was. In fact, a lot of people got off the trail to visit Asheville and wound up staying there for good! I didn’t want to stop hiking so I never visited the town, but it stayed with me as a place I would like to check out someday…

Secret pocket of natural beauty - Blue Ridge Mountains in Western North Carolina

Secret pocket of natural beauty – Blue Ridge Mountains in Western North Carolina

Fast forward 15 years later and I was living in Tel Aviv with my partner. We decided that we wanted to leave Israel for a few years and started thinking about where to go. Out first thoughts were to stay in the Mediterranean region since we both love the climate and the food (mmm…pomegranates and fresh oranges!). We considered Cyprus and even Spain or Portugal; however things seemed to be getting more tense in Europe with migrants, instability, etc and we decided that maybe now is not the best time to move there.

We've got gorgeous fresh local organic fruit and veggies galore in Asheville

We’ve got gorgeous fresh local organic fruit and veggies galore in Asheville

From there, we did the whole “well, where else can we go?” and it just organically, magically and serendipitously fell into place. We had already traveled a lot, in SE Asia, Central America and even South America…and we were pretty sure we knew what we wanted and what we didn’t want. We were ready to grow our own food so we needed clean farmable land and a good source of water. We wanted to be in nature, in the peace and tranquility of mountains and trees. We wanted to be in a safe place where I could feel comfortable walking or hiking alone. We wanted to be closer to my parents, who live in USA and are in good health but are getting older and may need my help more in the next several years. We wanted good internet since we both work online. And we wanted a nice vibe of a place with some type of interesting art and music scene, good farmer’s markets and nice people.

Fresh local (and organic) food - that's my kind of place!

Fresh local (and organic) food – that’s my kind of place!

After scratching our heads for awhile over that long list, I finally said, “Hey I know this place in North Carolina that I always wanted to check out. Why don’t we go there, rent a house for a month and have a look around?” So that’s what we did. Found a place on airbnb and after 2 weeks in Asheville, we both said YES, we really love it here. From there we started looking at property, and as they say, the rest is history.

How can you know it’s right?

Because it feels right. I’ve followed my instincts my whole life, and they haven’t steered me wrong yet. That’s pretty much how I live. I’ve never been one to talk about doing things; I just do them. And I’m not afraid of trying or making a mistake. How will you ever know what you want if you never get out there and give something new a try?

We wanted nice people and good vibes and a chance to live in nature

We wanted nice people and good vibes and a chance to live in nature

You have to take chances in life if you want to really live. I thought about how I wanted to feel in my next home, and I kept that vision strong. Suddenly the idea of Asheville, NC came to my mind and it felt right. Going there confirmed the feeling. Most people think we are pretty crazy for making such a dramatic move, but it seemed perfectly natural and logical to us.

The Law of Attraction really works if you stay focused on what you want (not on what you don’t want). I even got a book deal just from using the Law of Attraction!

What’s better about North Carolina

I get a lot of emails from people who want to move to Thailand, Ecuador or even Costa Rica, and they ask me questions like “how do you compare this country to that one?” or “where should I move?” These are really impossible questions for me to answer because what’s best for me is probably not what’s most important to you (and that’s perfectly ok!). Thailand was an amazing experience and I cherish the 6 years that I lived there. Having walks on the beach and access to tropical fruits was a dream. Eventually I wanted more challenge with my work and I was also seeking a more balanced life (since my whole life was work!). That led me to my (now) husband and moving to Israel which, in my opinion, is one of the most amazing places on earth. To float in the Dead Sea or to wander through the ancient streets of Jerusalem…it’s just pure magic. We lived 300m from the sea in Tel Aviv and I loved having weekends off, like a normal person finally!

We eventually decided that we were craving more time in nature, and a chance to grow our own food. Even though we had access to a weekly CSA delivery in Tel Aviv, it just wasn’t enough. We wanted to know exactly what was in the soil and we wanted the very best water for our vegetables too.

We have a different Tailgate market (aka farmer's market) every day of the week!

We have a different Tailgate market (aka farmer’s market) every day of the week!

The only solution was to move to a place where we could grow our own. In the meantime, we wanted to be able to buy directly from the farmers. Asheville is literally buzzing with farm-to-table restaurants and there is a different organic farmer’s market every day of the week. I was very impressed to see raw goat’s milk for sale, raw sauerkraut and fresh organic wheatgrass shots in addition to the most amazing organic grapes you will ever taste in your life, truly. Quality of food is a huge priority for us and it was at the top of our list in deciding where to go. Next to that, we wanted to be around genuinely nice people, and we definitely found that in Asheville. It’s a sheer pleasure to meet people who are friendly and actually seem happy!

Our neighbors :)

Our neighbors 🙂

We knew we needed a place with good water and we wanted to be able to afford to buy some land too, not a small lot. Again, Asheville ticked all those things for us. And it still has an urban music scene and enough culture to feed our creative souls. I can own land in NC (unlike Thailand); it’s safe to walk around alone as a woman (unlike Ecuador) and the roads are excellent and it’s a safe area to live (unlike Costa Rica). Not to say that you can’t be happy, healthy and successful living in any of those other places, but North Carolina has more of what we need for where we’re at. Since life is impermanent, all of this can and will change!

By the way, did you know that Obama wants to move to Asheville? We had no idea! It would have never been the reason for us to consider this place as a home, but his interest in the area has definitely put Western North Carolina on the map. Now the New York Times, Washington Post and lots of other national newspapers are writing article on Asheville as the newest, coolest place to visit. Interesting!

We're really excited to explore the area - there are a lot of hidden gems (including us!!)

We’re really excited to explore the area – there are a lot of hidden gems (including us!!)

This is truly a healing place. It’s in my vision to have juice fasting, water fasting and spiritual fasting here for the right guests who are interested in genuine healing. I’ll be offering Iridology, Crystal Healing, workshops and detox retreats in addition to fermentation classes, raw food cooking classes and clean food eating. Stay tuned!

5 Things You can do to Start Your New Year RIGHT!

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It’s that time again! The new year is a GREAT opportunity to take advantage of the collective consciousness or universal wave of energy in making change. Think of “riding the mental wave” with the millions of other people in the world who have decided to improve their health. It’s a powerful and exciting time for a real reboot. What are your resolutions for the year? Do you want to get healthy, give up sugar or alcohol, lose weight, exercise more, travel, start a new relationship, change jobs, drink a green smoothie every day, do a detox (finally), eat a more alkaline diet or even start eating more vegan or raw foods? Any of those is achievable. Isn’t it time to live the life you really want? I say YES!

Your Mental Focus is Key to Your Success

Your Mental Focus is Key to Your Success

How to achieve Your Goals

I’ve created the following tips based on working with thousands of clients over the new year holiday and observing which ones succeeded and which ones didn’t. I want you to be on the success side this year. My goal is to see you reach your highest potential, because life is SO much better when you feel good on the inside, knowing that you are achieving your goals!

1. Let yourself be 100% Human!

What that means is: It’s OKAY to make mistakes; It’s OKAY to get angry; It’s OKAY to feel frustrated; It’s OKAY to make mistakes; It’s OKAY to get scared; It’s OKAY to feel nervous; It’s OKAY to not know everything and once again It’s OKAY to make mistakes!! 

The biggest reason WHY people fail is because they put too much pressure on themselves to be 100% perfect.

Look around you. Do you see ANYONE who is 100% PERFECT? Here’s a major secret for you: 100% perfect doesn’t exist! Ok, now that we got that out of the way, you can take a nice big inhale and then a huge exhale, and breathe a sigh of relief.

Now, turn your attention on being 100% HUMAN. In the human world, there’s this special thing called “good enough.” Running 1K a day, for example, is good enough if that’s all the time you have. Having one raw food meal per day is good enough if that’s where you feel comfortable. Bringing one new food into your diet per week is good enough if you feel too overwhelmed to change all of your diet at once. You are NOT a raw food failure if you are eating 99.9% raw food diet and you eat 0.01% cooked food. Same for vegan, paleo, helio or otherwise. Do you get it? Do you see where trying to be 100% perfect can stop you dead in your tracks before you even get on the field? Let go of that! When you love and accept yourself, life already feels better!

You have to start somewhere! The sooner you get comfortable with good enough, the sooner you’ll start.

It’s all about self-value, self-worth, self-love! All of your motivation and inspiration blossoms from there.

On the issue of anger, frustration and fear: Feeling a negative emotion is normal. The more you get in touch with your feelings, the more you can release negative emotions and make more room for forgiveness, acceptance, and unconditional love.

2. Every day, do a minimum of ONE thing

Loving yourself is just one part of success. You still have to do the work if you want to start seeing real change. Every day, you’ve gotta do something. If you think you don’t have time, you have to make the time.

What’s your list of goals? Is exercise on the list? Don’t trick yourself into thinking you need 2 hours at the gym on high cardio and anything less is a waste of time. (If you’re still thinking that, please re-read Step #1!) Are weekdays completely packed for you schedule-wise? Look deeper. Take the stairs to your Monday meeting. Make your Tuesday lunch date a one-hour walking session.On Wednesday, get up 15 minutes earlier and roll out the yoga mat for a quick stretch. On Thursday, bring a green smoothie and go for a 30-minute walk at lunch instead of eating out. Think of something new and different to do on Friday. Doing something is always better than doing nothing! 10 minutes is always better than 0 minutes, every single time!

A journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step. – Confucius

Once you make even a small amount of time for preparing food at home, exercising, taking a new class or starting a new project, you’ll be surprised how much easier it becomes to continue. Doing one small task every day is the key!

3. Stop comparing yourself to the person next to you

Watch out for the comparison danger zone! It’s all too easy to scroll through social media pics of everyone else’s awesome, picture-perfect life and start feeling less and less capable, motivated or courageous. Realize that what see will merely be a reflection of where you feel less confident in your own life, whether it’s your weight, your hair, your house, your partner or something else.  Remember this: what you see and what someone else sees are two different things. So in reality, it’s all an illusion and just a thought or opinion that you’ve created in your mind. That means you can change this thought to a better thought, one that is loving and supportive of YOU!

Spending your time comparing yourself to someone else is only going to do 2 things: 1) it wastes energy that you could be using on yourself right now and 2) it’s an never-ending road of not feeling good enough that will never make you feel good. Choose healthy role models for inspiration and motivation but steer clear of the comparison game.

4. Stop trying to please everyone

You want the quickest, fastest, surest way to have absolutely zero energy left for yourself? Just give all your time and energy freely to everyone and anyone! Word will get out fast, and before you know it, you’ll have a line around the corner and more on the way. I guarantee that in no time, you’ll feel completely overwhelmed and exhausted. You may even start to feel resentful. After all, with all that pleasing, you didn’t have 5 minutes for yourself all year! How dare they! Wait…… they? or you?

Here’s an example: Imagine driving to see your friends. You stop to pick up a hitch-hiker, then another one, and then another one (in reality, you don’t need to pick up strangers, this is just an example!). The first one wants to go left, and the other one wants to go right. It’s not that far and you feel bad so you go over there and then back again and over there and you take everyone exactly where they want to go. They are thrilled of course! But, you lost track of time and now you’re late for dinner. Not only are your friends disappointed because you missed the meal, but all the food is gone and you’re left feeling hungry. Perhaps you could have helped one person and made it on time, and that would have been totally OKAY and not selfish in any way! Or, you could have simply said NO.

Learning How to Say No is probably one of the hardest things for a lot of people to do (and not feel guilty about it either!). You can help people of course, but you cannot help everyone all the time; otherwise there’s no time left for you. This is all about honoring yourself!

5. Stay Focused on YOUR goals

Remember, if you do 10 things halfway, you’ve still done nothing! Whatever your goal, stay focused on it. Don’t fall into the trap of doing this and that and then jumping over there to give that a go too. If you’ve got limited time in your day (which everyone I know does), then you don’t have time to waste. Discipline and time management are the keys to success in any realm.

Write your goals for the year on a piece of paper and put it in a place where you see it every day. Check in with yourself every week – are you still on track or did you start to veer into an entirely different place? You entered your goals into your virtual GPS, now you’ve gotta drive the route to get there and it’s up to you to stay on course!

For more on how to achieve your health goals and actually start feeling great, book a private health consult with me via Skype.

Self-value, self-worth & self-love

Self-value, self-worth & self-love

How to Book Your Health & Nutritional Coaching Session:

1. Take photos of your eyes with a digital camera.
2. Email the photos to me for approval.
3. We schedule a time to meet via phone or Skype!

More on Manifestation and Motivation:

More on Spiritual Health:

Why you shouldn’t weigh yourself during a detox

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Have you started your detox, finally (hooray!)…but find yourself checking the scale twice or more daily? Are you feeling disappointed that the numbers are not dropping as fast as you expected? Read on to find out why you should NOT weight yourself during your detox. And don’t worry, you’ll still get the results you want by the end!

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.
It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.
If you're checking the scale too much during your detox, it's time to get yourself in check!

If you’re checking the scale too much during your detox,
it’s time to get yourself in check!

I’ve literally worked with thousands of men and woman doing different types of detox programs over the years – from juice fasting to boot camp style detox to raw food cleanses to vegan cooked food to smoothie & superfood detox programs. And I can tell you the biggest mistake that nearly every first-time (and sometimes second and third-time too) faster does: they weight themselves constantly during their detox. After a bowel movement? Check the scale. Morning enema? Weight check. Afternoon yoga class? Better see if those downward dogs dropped any extra kilo, just in case! Evening meditation? Maybe quantum physics works for weight loss too…? Do you find yourself constantly weighing yourself, hoping for a certain number to reveal itself as the days advance on your program?

Why you shouldn’t weigh yourself during a detox

It’s totally normal to want to see how much weight you’ve lost while you’re fasting or cleansing, so don’t feel bad! But actually, that’s exactly the problem that you set yourself up for if you do start weighing yourself too much and that is that you can really feel bad IF you are not losing as much weight as you think you should, and especially if you find yourself comparing to what other fasters are losing. “Man, that guy in Room 8 lost 10 KILOS already and I only lost 3 – what is wrong with me?!” Sounds familiar?

What happens during a detox

You should lose weight on your program if you follow the instructions. See more on that below. But, here’s the deal: when you detox, you might retain water for a day or two as your body creates inflammation during a healing crisis or cleansing reaction. During that time, the scale might “appear” to not move, but suddenly on the 4th day, you will see that you lost 3 or 4 pounds in one day as the water is released. There are also times when you simply retain water from an enema so you can actually “appear” to gain weight, but the following day (or later that night) your kidneys will pee all the excess fluid out. From Day 1 to Day 7 or Day 14 or Day Beautiful (however long you fast), you will see that you’ve lost weight, even if the scale goes up and down in between.

The danger of weighing yourself too much

What number you see on the scale should never define you and it should definitely not distract you from enjoying the wonderful experience of feeling your body get cleaner during a detox. If you focus too much on the scales, you can start to feel bad. Really bad. You might start to doubt your intentions, or feel guilty that you aren’t losing as much as someone else, or feel overwhelmed with disappointment that you won’t hit the number you want by the end. Feeling bad can make you lose focus, and even become tempted to cheat or give up. It also splits your energy. Instead of focusing your mind of the fantastic pure and perfect person that you are, you start thinking less-than-perfect thoughts of yourself. Remember, your thoughts create an energy that your physical body will follow. Can you imagine what will happen if you are stuck on a thought like, “I’m too fat,” or “I’m not losing weight?”

More than ever, detox time is a time to think only loving and positive thoughts of yourself. Spend your time visualizing yourself in the perfect weight and health that you want. Can you see how much more power you give yourself to make long-lasting change with thoughts like, “I am beautiful” and “I feel good with my body”?

When to weigh yourself

If you want to check the scales, weigh yourself on Day 1 and on the last day of your program (so that means 2 times total) and that’s it! What happens in between is as much of an emotional and spiritual journey as it is physical. Open yourself to the process and experience your program to the fullest. Doing a detox is the best gift you can give yourself! Congratulate yourself of taking the time out and for putting yourself as a priority in your life. You will benefit from the experience for the rest of your life!

Stick to the program

If your main goal is to lose weight, then it’s really important to follow the instructions for your detox program. That means if your detox says “1 carrot juice per day,” you can have 1 carrot juice per day, not 3 carrot juices per day. If it says, “last meal or drink at 8pm,” you shouldn’t be having your last meal or drink at 11pm. This sounds pretty logical but you would be surprised how many times someone came to me and said, “This program doesn’t work,” only to find that they were not actually following the instructions and adding a few extras in on their own. I’ve even had people tell me that they added a bit of food to their program, because they like it or feel better that way. Well that’s okay with me really. Just remember, don’t blame the scale!

Detox Tip: If you find yourself feeling really hungry on your detox, then drink water with fresh-squeezed lemon juice or a bit of raw apple cider vinegar. It helps to cut the hunger, keeps your pH alkaline and is low in calories too – a win for your detox goals and for you weight loss goals too!

Inhale, exhale …look up to the sky and FEEL the love and gratitude for your detox time!

Inhale, exhale …look up to the sky and FEEL the love and gratitude for your detox time!

Stay focused!

I work a lot with my clients and fasters during all types of detox programs to use the power of their mind to stay focused during their cleanse. Why? If you can control your thoughts, stay focused and feel positive during your detox, you are much more likely to continue your success and keep the weight off after your detox. If your mind is scattered and you’re thinking negative thoughts, then you set yourself up for going back to all your bad habits when you start eating again. Take advantage of your detox time, and make a mental “reset or reboot.” Visualize yourself making the very best foods choices and feeling healthy and beautiful. Set your intentions and use the power of affirmations to create the reality you want in life. Combining a physical cleanse with mental focus gives you amazing results. Here’s to a healthy, gorgeous you!

For more on how to start a raw food diet, how to do a detox at home or what minerals you may specifically be deficient in, book a private health consult with me via Skype.

How to Book Your Health & Nutritional Coaching Session:

1. Take photos of your eyes with a digital camera.
2. Email the photos to me for approval.
3. We schedule a time to meet via phone or Skype!

More on Manifestation and Weight Loss:

How to Handle Negative or Jealous People and Still Stay Positive!

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Did you ever come home after doing a detox, cleanse or juice fast, feeling on top of the world and in your healthy glow, only to have one of your friends or co-workers kill your joy ride with a negative remark? Did you ever post a picture on Facebook after losing weight or healing yourself in some way, feeling so proud of the work you’ve done, just to have a friend leave a comment that was less than complimentary? Did you recently achieve something special, like writing a book (a-hem) or getting a promotion at work and you noticed a particular person in your life made a sideways comment that was actually somewhat derogatory?

Even if you receive 99 genuine and praising compliments for your efforts, you can hang on to that 1 nasty comment and just feel terrible for days. And feeling bad is NOT good for your health! Could that person actually be jealous of you? Or are they just perpetually caught in the negative, and never actually happy for you in the way you are happy for their success?

One of the sad parts about changing your diet and your lifestyle for the better is that some people around you may not be so supportive or happy to see you change. Jealousy is, without a doubt, an ugly beast, and once it rears its ugly head, it can be hard for it to go away. What can you do if you suspect that your friend, co-worker or family member is actually jealous of you? How do you deal with negativity when you feel so positive, happy and healthy? If you want the best for everyone around you, why don’t they also want the best for you?

Remember: What other people think of you is none of YOUR business!

How can you respond to a jealous or negative comment?

1. Do NOT take things personally! Usually when someone is actively negative, it has absolutely everything to do with them and nothing to do with you. You might actually notice that the person in question makes comments about everyone in a bad way, so no matter what you do or don’t do, you will be a topic of conversation for them.

2. Remember: What other people think about you is none of your business! You rocked this world with your successes and you should own that success. Be proud of yourself and stand tall! No one knows how hard you worked and no one has the right to judge you.

3. You cannot and never will please everyone. It’s just not possible, so let go of having to make everyone happy! Do your best to be compassionate, loving, genuine and honest but know that sometimes people will still not like you, even if you are a good person, and that’s okay! People even find reasons to not like the Dalai Lama, so come on!

4. Choose not to comment. Take the higher ground with negativity and simply do not acknowledge it. Look at it as a spiritual challenge and an opportunity to grow emotionally. Letting go of the need to reply is truly a remarkable release and you will find so much freedom there! Plus, it stops the energy of negativity dead in its tracks. Remember, you cannot have an argument with only one person. Think of yourself as bamboo, strong in your form but flexible to move in the wind. You can withstand any storm as long as you stay focused in your strength!

5. Be kind but practice safe distancing. If you see a pattern in one person who is continuously jabbing you with snide comments, then you should think about whether or not you want to have that person in your life. You are precious and your time is precious, so choose who you give your time to wisely. I often think the best thing to do is to be as compassionate and kind as you can but slowly distance yourself from the person, making it clear that you are not available. They will either change their tune and start getting more positive on their own, or they will set their sights to something or someone else.

When in doubt, send them love!

If you are absolutely unsure what to do with the negative Nelly in your life, then simply send them love! Especially if you catch yourself caught in the midst of “What?” “Why?” “How could they?” “Don’t they know that….” then it’s time to stop, close your eyes, and take a long deep breath. Visualize a huge white ray of love and light wrapping itself around Nelly filling him or her with Divine unconditional love. Watch and wait what happens. You will be amazed to see the change. Sometimes it’s even instant!

What if you feel envious of someone else?

Don’t beat yourself for being human if you have the occasional feeling of envy. It’s normal to feel a slight pang of envy when you see someone enjoying success. But, if you feel yourself being spiteful or speaking untruths about someone just to better your own position, then you need to get yourself in check. You will never reach your full healing potential if you stay stuck in the gutter of negativity, and the only person who continues to suffer is you! Jealousy is a monster of a negative emotion. It can literally make your liver run hot, stress your adrenal glands, deplete your body of minerals and make you more acidic just from the buildup of negative emotions. On the flip side, feeling mof compassion, love, acceptance, happiness and joy are all extremely alkalizing for the body and good for your health.

If you want success, then do not compare yourself to the person sitting next to you. You are not competing against anyone in this life but you. Focus on your own path and stay in tune with your goals. Remember: No one even achieved anything when they stopped trying, and no one is ever born an expert. Read success stories for motivation and know that if that one person achieved their goal, then you can too!

Take some added inspiration from these successful “failures”!

Often times, right behind a person’s biggest fear is their greatest success!

Now go out there and show the world a healthy, beautiful, positive and successful YOU!

What’s your favorite success quote that helps to keep you focused? Share it in the comments below!

Staying positive and steering clear of negativity is just one part of living a happy, healthy life. For more on how to start your Health Coaching for Success, book a private health consult with me via Skype.

More Motivation:

How I got a Book Deal using the Law of Attraction

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Have you seen the movie The Secret? By now, everyone has watched it, it’s old news and the “Law of Attraction” has already come and gone as a passing fad. But wait! It actually does work and I’m going to share an amazing story which will hopefully lift your spirits and keep you thinking about setting your goals and intentions for this life.

Power of Positive Thinking, Affirmations, Manifestation – that’s The Secret!

The Law of Attraction works like this: Focus your mind on what you want instead of what you don’t want, and watch the universe actually start to fill your mental orders. Suddenly it’s easier to meet the people you need to meet and to be at the right place at the right time to find what you were looking for and on and on it goes…creating the life that you want with the very power of your thoughts. Manifesting, setting goals and intentions, visualization and guided meditation all are ways to use the Law of Attraction. Since most people are too busy thinking about what they don’t want in life, they simply attract more of what they don’t want: bad relationships, money problems, dead-end jobs, and daily struggles. As Esther Hicks says in the film, “what you put your mind to becomes a reality.” Change the way you think, and your life will change.

The Secret DVD

How did it work for me? I first watched The Secret 7 years ago when I was living in a bungalow on the beach in Thailand. Someone brought me the original movie from the USA before it become mainstream and said, “Jennifer, you have to watch this…it’s amazing!” I looked at the cover with this special writing and I was excited to find out what was the secret! I watched the stories of creating vision boards and seeing years later as things came true, and I thought, “Wow, I want to try that!” It sounded so cool, and after all, I had nothing to lose!

The next step was to decide, well what do I want? That can be a hard question actually! Do you focus on small things, big things…where do you begin? And I remembered the story from the Chicken Soup for the Soul guy and he dreamed of getting his first big paycheck. I think he even wrote a fake check to himself just to hang on the wall. So I thought ok, I can do something like that. And this is what I did:

After watching The Secret, I created this Best Seller List for my vision board

Yes, this New York Times Bestseller list is FAKE. I made it for my vision board! I decided to put myself at the #1 spot on the chart as a way to motivate myself to write a book, and of course become a successful author too! I simply went online and found a current bestseller list, and with a quick print screen and change in photoshop, I instantly got to the top of the book charts. Well, in my mind! I have to laugh at myself because I even put a fake date on it – I decided to hit the bestseller list on the day before my birthday as a gift to myself…I gave myself a few years to complete the project and picked the year 2011.

Remember: According to The Secret, you don’t have to know how you are going to do something or when you are going to get something, you just have to know that it will happen.

So here’s the amazing thing. I printed this bestseller jpg and I hung it on my wall in my office/bungalow/house. Every day when I sat at my desk I would see my name and my book with the red circle around it and take a minute to visualize my success. Clients and friends who came to my house would sometimes notice it and say, “Wow, Jennifer I didn’t know you wrote a book!” I used to laugh and say, “Well…not yet. That’s part of my vision board.”

Over time, the paper started to get dirty and worn. I lived right on the beach so it was hard to keep things looking clean. About 2 years later I took the picture down, but I kept it in my files. And honestly, I totally and completely forgot about it.

Fast-forward to present day, another 5 years later, and my best friend is now totally into The Secret, watching it all the time. She’s putting signs in her house that say “We got another check!” and “We made another sale!” and her online sales have been going through the roof (she sells stuff on ebay and amazon). Every few days, she tells me another success story from her positive affirmations. And I laugh.. It’s fun! But still, I had totally forgotten my little vision board that I created years before.

Then, the unexpected happened. Or the expected…depending on which camp you are in! I arrived to Israel after many months of traveling through Central and South America with no real plan for work besides my Skype consultations and eBook sales, moving to one of the most expensive cities in the world – Tel Aviv – thinking “what am I going to do here?” Yeah, I know…I am an existential stream-of-consciousness type of being. Not many people can live like me!

Within 5 days of arriving to Israel, I received an email from a publisher in New York, USA. Out of the blue! The email said: “We want to talk to you about writing a book on Green Smoothies. Let’s meet ASAP.” Well, Ok! We had a phone meeting and several emails went back and forth, then I proposed a Table of Contents and a Partial Sample Chapter, and 3 months later I received the contracts in the mail to sign with Wiley Publishers for my first book deal ever, with an advance!

A book on the same exact subject I entered in that New Your Times Bestseller list: Green Smoothies!!!!

What you focus your mind on becomes reality…that’s the power of the Secret!

Even at that point, I still had forgotten about my old vision board. It wasn’t until I was in the middle of a conversation with my friend about all of her manifested ebay sales when I thought, “WAIT!” I think I made something about writing a book! I had to dig through my old computer backup files since the computer I used had long since passed away, but sure enough, I found the New York Times jpg! What you see is exactly what I made 7 years ago.

I hadn’t seen that jpg in years, but there it was….and I really had to say “Thank You!” to myself for creating such a clear and strong vision and for having the faith to take a leap and put the power of creating in my mind. Wow!

So, do I fail if I do not make it to #1 on the NYT bestseller list? I don’t think so and I hope you don’t think so either! It’s like the Chicken Soup guy…I think his first check was a few thousand below what he visualized, but was he upset? No way! He was over the moon to see his dreams realized! And I am too! The only way to explain what and why this happened is from that original seed that I planted in my mind. And if not, well, it’s a good story to tell and share!

I’ve now gotta write a 288 page book and I’m nervous and excited but I know that my mind is the key to get this job completed on time and to write something that will help others in their journey to enjoying Green Smoothies and better health and well-being as a result.

And yes, I am now working on a new vision board to create some new and exciting manifestations ahead!!

You can create your own vision board at home. First, think about what you want to achieve or how you want to feel. Really allow yourself to feel that you have already achieved that goal. Start by cutting out pictures or printing out sayings and add them to your board. Put the board in a place that you can see it for at least a few minutes every day. When you look at your board, align your thoughts with the images or words and allow yourself to feel the feeling of accomplishment. Soon, you will be celebrating your success too!

And here’s the book: Green Smoothie for Dummies

Literally, I "wrote the book" on Green Smoothies!

I “wrote the book” on Green Smoothies, literally!

Sip your way to ultimate nutrition and feel better than ever!

Whether you’re looking to detox, lose weight, or just add more veggies to your diet, green smoothies are the way to go. Easy to prepare, portable, and endlessly customizable, green smoothies are the trendy new beverage in everyone’s cup. Green smoothies are the easiest, most painless way to add more nutrients to your diet, so you can feel better than ever before.

Green Smoothies For Dummies is your beginner’s guide to the world of drinkable greens. Author and international smoothie guru Jennifer Thompson explains the benefits of green smoothies, and provides over 100 recipes that will make you start craving your vegetables. You’ll get to know the flavors and properties of each ingredient, and how to combine ingredients for complete nutrition. Available on amazon.com or the iTunes store.

Other good books on the Law of Attraction are by Napoleon Hill, Wallace Wattles and Esther Hicks:

Do you have a good Law of Attraction success story? I look forward to reading your comments below!

More on Manifestation:

Motivational Health Quotes from Paul Bragg

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Paul Bragg in Hawaii (photo from bragg.com)

Paul Bragg is known as the “Father of the Health Movement in America.” Born in 1895, he was crippled as a teenager with Tuberculosis (TB) and managed to cure himself through eating organic foods, water fasting and juice fasting, exercising and practicing breathing techniques. From there, he went on to spread the word about nutrition and health, and become a health advisor to Hollywood Stars and Olympics athletes.

He is known for opening the first Health Food Store in America, being the first person to introduce pineapple juice and tomato juice to America, and the first to introduce and distribute honey and date sugar nationwide. His books Miracle of Fasting, Bragg’s Healthy Lifestyle and Apple Cider Vinegar Miracle Health System have all been inspirational books for me in my health journey. The Bragg’s Raw Apple Cider Vinegar and Nutritional Yeast are 2 items I always have in my kitchen, and I use the Bragg’s Liquid Amino Acids occasionally (although it is high in salt and should be used sparingly).

One thing I love about Paul Bragg’s books is that they are full of great motivational health quotes. These quotes are all from his book Awaken Health and Happiness published in 1937, and yes, you can see how all of it still applies perfectly today!

Motivational Health Quotes from Paul Bragg

Quotes from Paul Bragg, the Father of the Health Movement in America

“I have the power to know what my body will do, of what my mind is capa­ble, the gen­eros­ity of my heart, and the great­ness of my soul. I will make this known in its true light to all the world.”

“I care not what oth­ers may think, except in so far as I can help them to make their thoughts beautiful.”

“I seek my true self. I know that within me lie dor­mant pow­ers that I have never before real­ized.”

“I know not the mean­ing of sick­ness or ill feel­ing. The life force within me has healed me and made me whole.”

“I feel this clean blood of youth cours­ing through my veins. It is more joy­ous than any glad­ness of youth I have ever before expe­ri­enced.”

“The life force within me is feed­ing my strength- strength of body, soul, and mind.”

“My enthu­si­asm cre­ates new vis­tas, new thoughts, new ideals. It is reawak­en­ing my entire body and mind.”

“I feel that true hap­pi­ness of spirit that radi­ates from the pure soul.”

“My soul is express­ing itself in the cre­ation of new beauty and of hap­pi­ness for oth­ers.”

“I am intent upon the progress of my soul and will go for­ward.”

“I would no more adul­ter­ate my soul with mean­ness that I would my body with poi­so­nous foods. I strive for ulti­mate purity.”

“I purge my soul of weak­ness, for in strength only can I find peace and unity with the Divine Mind.”

“I will not yield to anx­i­ety, because my strength of char­ac­ter pre­cludes doubt and worry. I am in har­mony with the Divine law.”

“I feel a kind­li­ness toward my fellow-man that is all-embracing. It com­pletes the har­mony of my being.”

“Jeal­ousy shall be put away. It is incom­pat­i­ble with any part of my being.”

“Beau­ti­ful life is revealed to me, because I have gained strength through beauty of moral pur­pose.”

“This day I purge myself of anger. I will acknowl­edge no weak­ness. My body is strong enough to sus­tain my poise in any crisis.”

“No accom­plish­ment is too great for me to mas­ter, for I am com­pletely bal­anced and at one with all things.”

“I will think right. A malig­nant thought has the same rela­tion to the char­ac­ter as does as does a malig­nant growth to the body.”

“I will use my suc­cess for the great good of myself and all mankind.”

“I know the power of peace. I have achieved deep contentment.”

“My body is free from the shack­les of pain and illness.”

“I do not have to wait for inspi­ra­tion to accom­plish my plans. Inspi­ra­tion is within me and I have the power to bring it forth.”

“My under­stand­ing brings me knowl­edge of things ignored by other men. I will use them for my ben­e­fit and for the ben­e­fit of all mankind.”

“I know that my under­stand­ing of love can sus­tain me in all my rela­tions with my fellow-man.”

“I will not be sat­is­fied to rise one step only. My life will become a con­stant pro­gression of power.”

There is some controversy over Bragg’s claim of being 95 years old at the time of his death in 1976 because his birth records indicate he was actually 81 at the time. This, in my opinion, does not take away all the beauty and value of what he created and how he transformed the lives of so many with his wisdom and knowledge about health. I mean, come on, how many people still lie about their age? It’s not for me to judge, and I know that I have benefited from understanding the healing power of Raw Apple Cider Vinegar thanks to Paul Bragg, so I thank him for all of his great work!

More on Manifestation and Motivation:

How to Improve Your Detox: Top 5 Detox Tips

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All information in this article is for educational purposes only.
It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

Taking the time to do a detox is a commitment to health. The money spent is an investment in your future. Energies used to travel are well worth the effort.

Finally, you have the opportunity to recharge, rebuild, cleanse and heal.

With a ‘reboot,’ moving forward, you can continue with positive change in all areas of your life. With all things considered, don’t you want to get the most out of your detox?

A few simple tips can help you maximize your results.

Eliminate Salt for 1-week before

Don’t forget to do your work at home. It doesn’t matter how mant fasts you’ve done; everyone needs to prepare correctly for a detox just the same.

For at least 7 days before the start of your program, eliminate all salt from the diet. Keep in mind that most salt is hidden in foods and not actually added. Look out for restaurant food, airplane food, sauces, salad dressings, curries, pickled foods and packaged snacks.

Having no salt in the diet allows the body to start loosening built-up plaque and toxins in the colon. A no-salt diet for 14 days as a pre-cleanse is ideal, but at a minimum, try to commit to 7 days. By doing so, you will maximize your results during the detox.

Bring Herbal Teas

Most detox programs offer various fresh juices in addition to herbs and detox drinks. They also allow for herbal teas using fresh or dried herbs, but often charge more for tea or may not mention that organic herbal teas are permitted. Herbal teas support the organs during the cleansing process, and even better, they provide a nice flavor to enjoy while fasting!

Be sure to buy organic and bring a variety of flavors to choose from. Peppermint or ginger tea are great for nausea. Turmeric tea is very cleansing for the liver and tastes delicious! Parsley or uva ursi tea help to support the kidneys. Juniper berry tea is excellent for the heart and circulation. Coriander tea supports heavy metal detoxification. All can be bought as dried tea bags at any local health food store.

Avoid Gossip, Drama & Violence

Many people successfully achieve the physical act of detox, but leave behind the emotional and spiritual sides. I can’t even count how many nights over the years that I’ve seen a tv room packed with fasters, all eyes fixed on a horror flick or violent drama. How can the body let go and heal when the mind is being distracted with such images?

Be careful, especially when doing a detox, to avoid negative talk, images, news and events. The body is so sensitive while cleansing. The more you surround yourself with positive energy, motivational stories, happy people and inspiring thoughts, the more your body, mind and spirit will benefit.

Negative energies can attach to toxins in the body. The more you let go of those thoughts, the deeper you can go in your cleansing. It’s true! For more information on the science of this, I recommend Bruce Lipton’s Biology of Belief of Louise Hay’s You Can Heal Your Life.

Get Adequate Rest

Most detox programs offer a full day of activities to choose from, including meditation, yoga, group walks, tai chi, chi gung, pilates, water therapy, massage, colonics, nutrition talks and more. It’s easy to get quickly overwhelmed with all the choices, and you may actually find yourself feeling stressed, trying to run from one program to the next.

Be sure to listen to your body and make time for yourself, even if that means skipping a few activities. The more you rest during your detox, the more the body can internalize its energy and go deeper into healing. As Daniel Reid says in the book Tao of Detox, ‘Save you breath.’

Try to spend at least one hour a day on your own, reading a book or listening to music, without talking to or engaging with others. Getting back in touch with yourself is one of the great benefits of doing a cleanse.

Powerful Affirmations

You can easily optimize your cleanse with your choice of thoughts and words. Be sure to spend a few minutes each day focusing on what you want to achieve as a result of doing the detox. Visualize yourself at home in a continued state of excellent health, high energy and balanced spirit.

Affirmations really help in training the mind to think positive thoughts. On the first day of your retreat, write 10 affirmations of things, people or feelings that you would like to have in your life. You can write them in the form, “I am…” or “I have…” Every day, spend 5-10 minutes alone, repeating your affirmations to yourself. You are creating an energy of success that the physical body will have to follow!

Some examples include: “I am healthy, balanced and strong.” “I attract positive, loving people and relationships into my life.” “I make the best choices for my health and my body every day in every way.” “I love myself and others love and support me too.”

‘Fasting helps reverse the ageing process
for a healthier and longer life.’
-James Balch, M.D., Co-Author

More on Liver Cleansing:

True Story of Faith & Healing with John of God in Brazil

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An inspiring read!

If you’re looking for an uplifting, inspiring story about spiritual healing, Divine connection and the power of believing, then I’ve got the book for you. Newly released by Cash Peters, ‘A Little Book About Believing: The Transformative Healing Power of Faith, Love and Surrender,’ is a personal account of the author’s visit to the Casa de Dom Inacio in Brazil, where the extraordinary faith healer John of God freely offers his healing services to thousands of visitors every year. Even Oprah did a show on this guy!

The book is quite funny because initially, Cash is a non-believing, cake-eating, over-worked, unhappy-with-his-job kind-of regular guy who happens to be open for adventure and new experiences. So he goes into this Brazilian village full of people from all over the world with an open mind, and when he leaves…well, you will see for yourself when you read the book!

This book resonated with me on many levels, especially thanks to references from Bruce Lipton, Carolyn Myss, Esther Hicks and T. Colin Campbell. It brought a lot of ideas together which reinforce the power of positive thinking and the importance of detox and a plant-based diet for long-term health and healing.

Some great quotes include:

‘How was I to know, as a mere layman, that, for many surgeons, whipping out gallbladders is their bread and butter?? Half a million gallbladders are removed every year, oftentimes unnecessarily, when really all that may have been required was a change of diet perhaps, or a thinning of the bile, or a simple flush of the system. No mention, however, was ever made to me about viable alternatives.’

‘Trust yourself. Trust life. Embrace uncertainty. Dive fearlessly in, holding nothing back. Expect a positive outcome always, and marvel at how things turn out. Remember: the unknown is where all the fun happens.’

‘All the success, wealth, power, influence, status, stockholdings, wives and homes in the world aren’t worth a red cent if you’re too sick to enjoy them.’

‘It’s not what happen to you that’s important; it’s what you do with it. Just because something seems bad, or because people tell you it’s bad – or incurable or unstoppable – doesn’t mean it is. We can, if we choose, be the architects of our own destiny.’

‘There was no cancer in ancient Egyptian times – did you know that? Scientists have run tests on mummies. Cancer is a modern plague. A sign of our times. It’s something we’re doing to ourselves. It’s environmental, it’s a lifestyle thing, it’s what we’re putting into our mouths.’

‘Life is not a competition. If you really must compete, compete with yourself. Work at being better, kinder, more loving, more grateful, more mindful, more forgiving and more generous.’

‘Your body is like an exquisite temple. It will stand firm and strong for the longest time if you look after it. Neglect it, though, and the roof caves in.’

‘Healthcare companies are in the profit business, not the people-helping business, the way their name suggests.’

‘For years I thought, ‘If only I could change him, make him understand…,’ when really it was I who needed to change and understand.’

‘Even when drug companies and medical practice do come under scrutiny, it’s always done in a deftly political way in the name of ‘balance,’ when really they’re just dodging the issues. To that end, an ‘expert’ doctor will usually be hauled in, paid to attack anything remotely alternative or groundbreaking.’

‘Fear tears down the spirit. Anger chews away at the body. You could eat all the organic fruits and vegetables in the world, and do everything else right, but if you’re anxious, angry, resentful, fearful or bitter the whole time, you are still paving a road to disease.’

‘Refuse to give (your disease) a label. Starve it of attention. Instead, refocus. Align yourself with divine consciousness, which knows only of perfect health. Let your reaction to your condition be only high-vibration thoughts.’

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The Happiness Factor: Eat well but don’t forget to have fun & enjoy life too!

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Being healthy is fun. Having energy to enjoy life is what it’s all about. Yes, being healthy is the best part of being alive!

Joy is also Bliss!

So what exactly does being healthy mean? I spend a lot of time working with people to get their physical body back into alignment – strengthening organs, detoxing, rebuilding mineral and vitamin reserve and teaching clean and natural living.

But, there is another very important element in the overall health equation, and that is The Happiness Factor.

Everything in life is always about balance. Yes, we need to respect our body as the physical temple to our soul and give it only the best foods from Mother Earth. And we also need to give it the best thoughts too!

What I would like to say to everyone is this: Have some fun on your healing journey!

How you have fun is up to you, but I can tell you that being sober and healthy is actually more enjoyable than the alternative. It’s a wonderful feeling to be confident in your natural self, to engage deeply with others on a soul-spirit level, to laugh from the center of your core, and to wake up feeling clear, fresh and alive, ready to start another day!

Having fun is essential for good health!

‘Fun’ does not always have to be centered around drugs or alcohol. You can have amazing fun playing in nature, going hiking, camping, or skiing, swimming, reading a great book, watching a funny movie or just having a laugh with friends. Think about trying something new for yourself this year – find a way to have fun that is healthy for your body, mind and spirit!

Can you imagine how wonderful it would feel to be happy in your heart and also in your stomach, when you are giving yourself the best thoughts, feelings and foods?

Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Especially if you are over-worked, too stressed, suffering from depression or anxiety or just generally not feeling joyous in your life anymore, it’s time to look at making some lifestyle change. Fun, love and laughter are all healing energies for the body!

Plan a day for yourself this month, a day just for you, a healthy day on every level of consciousness, where you also do something you have never done before, something challenging, new and fun!! You may get interested in a new hobby for life and make new friends along the way too!

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Jerry Hicks Has Cancer? Will Leukemia & Chemotherapy affect the future of Abraham-Hicks?

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This week it’s been reported that Jerry Hicks, the husband of Esther Hicks, is currently undergoing ‘massive chemotherapy’ for leukemia. Esther Hicks is widely known as the Teacher of Abraham who channels his message and spreads the idea of Law of Attraction around the world. She teaches her followers to ‘get in alignment’ with what they want by the power of their thoughts. Esther explains that if they are not experiencing the life that they want, it is because they are thinking about what they don’t want and therefore attracting more of it.

The story was first reported in a blog called Kyra Speaks. Many of the Hicks-Abraham followers are up in arms over this news. For one, they can’t understand how, if everything Esther teaches is true, did Jerry get cancer in the first place. If you think about a positive healthy life then you should never attract something like cancer into your vibration, according to Esther. Second, her fans are upset that they went straight to chemotherapy and did not use this opportunity to stand up to the power of their teachings and actually put it to the test. People are also upset that the Hicks camp seem to be hiding the truth having mentioned a ‘spider bite’ as the reason for ‘massive chemotherapy.’

Personally, I love Esther Hicks and her ability to teach how our thoughts can create a reality. I often quote her in my Twitter and Facebook feeds. She has a way of telling stories which is so genuine and always seems to be the exact teaching that I need. Whether or not she is actually getting her information from Abraham doesn’t worry me so much; I still value her message and I think it can help a lot of people.

Does the Law of Attraction work?

As for Jerry, we don’t know what he was in vibrational alignment with and what his ‘vibrational escrow’ was. Perhaps he had an underlying fear of cancer or dying his whole life. Perhaps he felt tired of being in the shadow of his wife and was building negative energies around that. Certainly having cancer has given him attention – maybe he was lacking that in his life too. What we do know is that he is human and he could have any or all of those energies, even with a great teacher by his side.

What I do know about Esther Hicks is that she never talks about diet and the importance of food for one’s health. I have never heard her mention the need to do a physical detox or cleanse to clean toxins out of the body. She herself doesn’t have the ‘glow’ of health and vitality. Imagine if Esther Hicks ate a raw food diet and did regular colon cleansing – how powerful her vibrational alignment would be!

The lesson here is not to disregard the teachings of Abraham or to question the authenticity of Esther Hicks, but to understand how truly necessary it is to treat the mind, body and spirit.

We cannot heal just the mind alone and we cannot heal just the physical body alone.

Wayne Dyer, another well-known self-help advocate, announced in 2009 that he has chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

There is a lesson here for us folks! Do the work, yes…but also eat the right foods too!!

It would be a shame for someone to give up on the power of conscious thought just because of this. So stay in alignment with what you want – focus on it every day! And take care of your body too. Eat foods which are natural, whole and pure. Clean out the old built-up toxins and make way for a new healthy you!

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10 Easy Ways to Make Time for Your Health

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Your Health is Your Most Important Asset!

Your Health is Your Most Important Asset!

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.
It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

It’s a very fine balance trying to succeed in today’s busy, crazy world while also making time for good food, nutrition, exercise and fun. It’s all about the balance, right? But how do you draw the line? Where do you make the time?

I myself even struggle with this issue. I get so busy with clients and writing and everything else that I can go for ten hours without a break. I can be busier with my work now than I was even in Corporate America. Everyone feels the pressure today. So what do we do?

Here are 10 Easy Ways to Make Time for Your Health:

1. Take forced breaks.

Every time I get up for the toilet, I force myself to do one other task while I’m up. It might be making my salad for lunch so that when lunchtime comes I have it already prepared, or it could be using a dry skin brush for a few minutes to get my circulation going. I might do some stretching, anything so that I have gotten something out of the break besides a toilet run.

2. Plan ahead.

I give myself mini-goals throughout the day so I now where I should be with my schedule. I plan my day to include a walk or a massage or something that is just for me, so I know when that time comes I will stop, no matter how intent I am on my work.

3. Seek out help.

If I feel too overwhelmed, I look for help and try to delegate as much as possible. At first this seems like it will take even longer because of the time to explain, but in the long run it will save a lot of time.

4. Stop for a Meditation break.

Even for 5 minutes every day I stop, reflect and give myself a few minutes of just being, breathing and focusing on the now.

5. Look for healthy take-away.

Let’s be real – you might not have the time to make lunch or dinner even. But you can find healthy options for take-out or delivery. Don’t worry about the cost – if the $10 salad will stop you from eating the $5 hamburger, it is well worth the added cost. The healthier you are, the more productive you will be.

6. Always have healthy snacks on hand.

There are times where you might have to work a 14-hour day and those are the days where we don’t want you to lose your health in the process. Keep dried fruit, raw nuts, or fresh fruit around so when you start to get the shakes you can grab a healthy bite and keep going.

7. Try not to eat late at night.

Late night eating is the danger zone for most people. That is when emotional eating occurs and even more so when you are under stress. Be aware of that time for yourself; make a cup of fresh mint or ginger tea instead.

8. Don’t eat to please others.

Often we get caught into family and friends telling us what to eat. Listen to your body; eat what you want when you want. They will get used to it. You will feel better.

9. Plan a holiday.

It’s important to give your body time to recharge, rest, relax and rebuild. Be sure to make that time for yourself and eat healthy foods during your break so you return to work feeling restored and ready for the next onslaught.

10. Have fun!

Go out with friends, watch a funny movie, have a laugh – it’s the best stress-reducer there is!

Keep in mind that you are creating the health of your future with everything you do today. So make the time, even one thing every day, to invest in yourself. Realize that health is the biggest wealth there is…as long as you do a little bit every day you can stay on the preventative side and still have balance in your world!

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