Factors that affect pH include stress, diet and lifestyle.

If the body is too acidic, you can start to experience feelings of imbalance including gas, constipation, bloating, acne, heartburn, acid reflux, indigestion, mild headaches, gastritis, candida and frequent flus. Advanced symptoms of over-acidity include Crohn’s disease and even cancer (all forms).

If your diet is largely composed of meats, fish, cheeses, breads, white flour foods, greasy take-aways, chocolate, coffee, wine, beer and cigarettes (all acid-forming), you may be suffering from an over-acidic body.

The body needs an alkaline pH to maintain clean blood, good enzyme reserve and healthy immune function.

Did you know that antacid pills are the highest selling product in pharmacies around the world? Imagine how many people could reclaim their health, simply by choosing a better combinations of food!

With Iridology, I can easily assess if my client is suffering from acidosis. It is one of the first things that needs to be changed for the body to get well.

Remember the 80/20 rule!

The general recommendation to maintain a healthy pH is: Eat 80% alkaline-forming foods and 20% acid-forming foods.

When we talk about ‘acid-forming’ and ‘alkaline-forming,’ we are looking at how much acid the stomach has to produce in order to digest the food. An orange, even though it is acidic outside the body, when we eat it, the stomach has to produce almost no acid. Therefore, oranges are ‘alkaline-forming’. Conversely, something like bread requires a lot of acid to digest, so it is considered to be ‘acid-forming’.

Put it into practice:

1. Eat more fruits and vegetables! Greens are the Great Alkalizer. Another reason to have your Green Smoothie every day!
2. If you eat meat, bread or cheese, try to add more vegetables. Get creative with your side salads!
3. Add fresh lemon, lime or raw apple cider vinegar to soups, salads and juices. Mother Nature’s alkalizers!
4. Take probiotics! A healthy gut is alkaline.
5. Rest and sleep! Engage in positive conversations. Laugh. Practice unconditional love. All alkaline-forming activites.
6. Create peaceful mealtimes. Be conscious while you are eating your food.
7. Give thanks for the gift of food, an offering to your temple of a healthy body, mind and spirit!

Close your eyes, absorb the magic! Say a prayer for compassion.

Quan Yin, Bodhisattva, Goddess of Compassion

The practice of chanting to Kwan Yin is important in Chinese Buddhism because they believe that in calling her name, you become focused, sincere, less greedy and calm. When you recite ‘Namo Guanshiyin Bodhisattva,’ she becomes mindful of you. The Chinese believe that she will then lovingly answer all of your prayers.

Guan Yin Temple, Kuala Lumpur

The chanting takes place daily from 12:30pm – 1:45pm. It is free and the public is welcome.

The monastery also has books on Quan Yin and Buddhism available in English for free to help spread the teachings of the Bodhisattva.

It is well worth it to experience the magical power of this ancient form of chanting and to feel the presence of Kuan Yin’s loving kindness within yourself.

Your Health is Your Most Important Asset!

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 some things that work for me:

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. 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 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 pf fresh 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!

Love is the best thing in the world, and it's free!

EXPECTED RESULTS: A personal sense of peace.

INSTRUCTIONS: This exercise can be done anywhere that people congregate (airports, malls, parks, beaches, etc.). It should be done on strangers, unobtrusively, from some distance. Try to do all five steps on the same person.

Step 1: With attention on the person, repeat to yourself:
“Just like me, this person is seeking some happiness for his/her life.”

Step 2: With attention on the person, repeat to yourself:
“Just like me, this person is trying to avoid suffering in his/her life.”

Step 3: With attention on the person, repeat to yourself:
“Just like me, this person has known sadness, loneliness and despair.”

Step 4: With attention on the person, repeat to yourself:
“Just like me, this person is seeking to fulfill his/her needs.”

Step 5: With attention on the person, repeat to yourself:
“Just like me, this person is learning about life.”

Variations: 
To be done by family members to increase understanding.
To be done on old enemies still present in your memory.

Try it today We will all benefit from more compassion in the world!

To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I’ve ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

Life teaches us many lessons

1. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.

8. It’s OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

Serenity

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.

12. It’s OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don’t worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.

Enjoy the simple moments!

19. It’s never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words ‘In five years, will this matter?’

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

Learn to let go...

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do.

35. Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative — dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come.

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift.

Donita E. Wagler
Keppel Sarawak School
Owen Sound, Canada

Simplicity in Life...

(1) BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORDS.

Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

(2) DON’T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY.

Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.

(3) DON’T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS.

Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

(4) ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST.

Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstances, simply do your best and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.

Enjoy the Green Smoothie Love

A chance to re-calibrate your body and mind, get re-focused on your goals, and pull yourself back into balance.

You can start on Monday. Just do 3 days, from there you may want to continue to 5 or 7 and realize how much good you are doing for your body just by having these fabulous green smoothies!

Someone asked me where I get my green smoothie info from. Look for Victoria Boutenko’s book called Green for Life. She is amazing.

It’s important not to let excuses get the best of you. It is so easy to blame work, or stress, or a bad relationship, or cold weather, or bad living conditions on why you haven’t started to make change in your diet and lifestyle, but really the only thing that is stopping you is YOU. We can all think of excuses for our situations, that is not going to help bring about change, so instead look at all the good reasons to start now and realize that the sooner you start, the sooner you will start to FEEL better.

Health is waiting for you. Your body NEEDS it! So does your spirit!! Now is the time

A new journey awaits you!

Forgive, love and let go!! What are you waiting for????

Much love to you all. Next entry will be about sprouting. I’ve got fantastic sprout bags available for sale finally

You can be healthy & successful at work!

What I want to say is you have to find a way to integrate your healthy mission with your work life NOW…because in another 6 months or one year you may just very well crash and burn and not have a chance for change at all! The goal here is to stay on the preventative side of healing and de-stress in natural, healthy ways.

Invest in your health now so you will enjoy your life in the future!!

Balance is the Key to Life

And don’t forget to start making your Green Smoothies every day too!

Think about your true path, and embark on a journey to follow it. Laugh more. Enjoy life. Live as if this is all there is! All of this is completely in alignment with the Law of Attraction theory, but you don’t have to be a follower of The Secret in order for this stuff to work. When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change – remember that!

Health, Balance, Love, Bliss

As I always say, one can never have an ego with the whole cleansing thing – no matter how many times you have done it, there will always be a new challenge or issue uncovered, whether it be physical, emotional or spiritual.

There is always more to learn about yourself through cleansing.

Feeling Good is Healthy!

Make yourself and your health a priority!!

Exercise every day, meditate every day, send love and positive energy to everyone, be patient and understanding and just imagine how much more enjoyable your life will be!

It is so easy…you can start right here, right now in this very moment.

Focus on Long-Term Goals!

Keep your mind focused on the best possible outcome in every circumstance and remember that positive energy works more effectively than negative energy in each and every situation.

Still working on getting my Healthy Habits Newsletter going…it’s in the works.

Until then, my message to you is enjoy every single moment you have – live in gratitude and appreciation…feed your body well and keep your mind and spirit clean!

Often I find if I am in a ‘normal’ group of people, they immediately begin to defend and preach about why they think eating meat is essential or why eating cooked foods is necessary, and I find it, well to be honest, exhausting sometimes. I am never judging others for what they eat or don’t eat, and in that respect I find it quite harsh when I feel people judging me. What’s da dilly guys?? Can’t you just accept me for who I am where I am on my life’s journey? I accept you unconditionally, regardless… so why all the fuss???

What a wonderful world it would be if we all had more love and compassion for each other. Friendship should be about support and acceptance, yes?

Where's the Love??

The whole ‘healthier than thou’ tactic to me is quite elitist, condescending, and ultimately self-defeating.

These are some of the obstacles you may face when transitioning to a better diet and lifestyle.

Celebrate your differences!

True friends will love and support you no matter what you eat or don’t eat, but they are rare gems in this world today, and when you find them, keep them!

Anyway, my 2 raw food friends had recommended some books for me to read and I am so grateful that I asked because I am now reading them and have learned so much new information already!

Based on the one, I am going to try more green vegetable smoothies and see if I can feel a difference…up to this point I was having my ‘standard’ smoothie but with more fruit mainly and just spirulina as a green…now I see that I must add the whole green veggie as well – spinach, kale, bok choy, etc….today I made my first one and it was great!

Today’s Green Smoothie:

Fresh Kale
Fresh pineapple, banana, & papaya
Ground Flax Seed
Probiotics
Water