Super Heroe Powers

I was watching a marathon of my favorite tv show, Heroes, and thought... WOW.. wouldn't it be cool to have "powers' like that. I love watching movies like X-Men, Avatar (the tv series, not the crappy movie that they came out with) and my all time favorite, Harry Potter. I was obsessed with the tv show Heroes that I bought all of the seasons so I can watch from my home whenever I want. I envied the characters and their "powers" that they had. While I know its only a tv show, a large part of me believes their powers are real. One character could push a thought into someone's head and get them to believe it or act on that thought that was pushed into their head. Another character could find anyone on Earth just by thinking about them and using a map. One character could stop time and teleport to anywhere during any time period. How KOOL is that?

I had always admired the strength of the Hulk or the was in awe of the wand flicking of Harry Potter but the truth of the matter is... we all have "Super Heroe Powers". I know people who can read minds, push thoughts or predict the future. I know folks who can teleport. These "powers" aren't new. People have been doing these things for thousands of years. You may know someone who can do things that others can't or you yourself maybe the one who can do things that others can't. Many people are ashamed to admit that they can do things that seem out of the ordinary for fear of retribution. The one theme that was constant across the board in all of the movies and shows is that every character regardless of who they were, were ostracized for being different at some point. The reality of it all is that we are all different. We all were created with a unique blue print to create a difference in this world in some form or another. Some people choose to embrace their uniqueness and fulfill their destinies, while others deny theirs.

In the movies X-Men and Heroes, society deemed them "abnormal" and called them freaks for being who they were. They called them outkasts and forced them into hiding and running. Our society tends to dictate to us what is normal with how we should dress or act or be. But what is "abnormal"? Society deems normal as "conforming to the standard or the common type". What is normal to one group, may not be normal to another.

There are plenty of people around the world that can do amazing things. Probably more than we even know about because they have not made themselves known. If all of the people who had these amazing abilities and powers came out, then would be the minority then? We need to stop referring to people as "not normal" because they don't fit into our molds of what we think normal should be. Everyone is so busy trying to fit in that they are not being their true authentic selves. What is it that everyone is trying to fit in to? If you are not being your authentic self.. then who are you BEING?

There will come a time when people will start seeing each other for who they really are. Spiritual Beings with amazing abilities, living a human existence and not the other way around.

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As usual, thank you for reading and I will see you tomorrow!

A Holistic Life

Living a holistic life is a process. It is not today's fad or something people say to sound kool. It takes discipline and dedication. I've been on this path and flowing through this process for sixteen years. I haven't always walked the talk especially at the beginning. The more I learned about holistic health and preached it to others, the more my life changed.

My life started changing naturally. Never in a million years would I have thought to give up eating meat let alone give up my relaxers and going au naturel. Over time these things changed and I changed. Things I used to love, I no longer had love for. Things I that used to set my teeth on edge... no longer had me at that cliff.

When I do workshops, I often get women who say they want to be my size, shaped like me or have glowing skin like mine. Then I tell them the things that I do and don't do and they tend to shy away. Some people have said "Oh but it costs too much to live healthy." Believe me, it costs MORE if you don't live healthy. Aren't you worth the cost? I've seen women spend a paycheck on an outfit and or shoes but would not spend the same amount on a healing session that could end the negative patterns that caused the dis-ease and illness. Once a young man in his early twenties contacted me regarding a rather bad case of acne that he had on his face. I advised him through a consultation of what he should do and he said "I am not interested in doing that now. I will wait until I am old." If he waits until he is old, whenever "OLD" is, he may have irrevisible damage to the skin. Another young man, in his late twenties, athletic and in fairly good shape, said he wanted to be healthy like me. He asked me how could he be healthy like me. I told him that I did not drink, smoke or eat meat and before I could finish my statement he said "oh I don't want to be THAT healthy." LOL

Living a holistic life style is not JUST about eating healthy. Feeding and nurturing the mind and spirit is also a part of it. Many peole think because they are working out and they look good on outside, that is all they have to do. Women spend billions on facial creams yearly to get rid of wrinkles, to soften their skin or to look younger. Beauty comes from within literally. What you do on the outside does greatly affect what happens on the inside and THEN manifest itself by showing up on the outside. Funny how that works.

Through feeding the mind, you deprogram yourself from all of the negative limited beliefs that cause dis-ease and illness, that you have learned from yourself and other people. There are many ways to feed the mind. One is by challenging the mind. Read something you don't normally read. Learn a hobby that you have never done before. By nurturing the spirit, you are able to connect it all and find balance. You can nurture the spirit by being silent for a few hours or dance or something that you enjoy doing that you haven't done in awhile. There are many ways, find what works for you.

Mind, Body and Spirit. That is holistic.

As usual, thank you for reading. Visit my website at http://www.nu-bodi.com/ and I will see you tomorrow.

Waste Management

I went to the barber shop one day to get my hair cut and made a mistake and showed up early. Usually when I show up early, I walk in on some conversation about this, that and the other that usually makes my eyebrows raise. This particular time, my barber and his customer were talking about colonics. I was trapped. It was my turn in the chair so it wasn't like I could get up and walk out. So he began talking about his colonic experience in great detail. Yuck. He finds joy in engaging me in such conversations because that gives him an opportunity to ask health related questions with hopes that I would give free advice. Pretty clever he is. He asked if I had ever had a colonic before and I told him no. He was quite shocked. I had to admit that I wasn't a fan of what I had heard about regarding colonics. There had been a talk on tv a few times, and I read about it in magazines. It seemed like the new fad since Tyra Banks had her colonic done on her show. Having your gut and butt cleaned out... yeah that sounds like fun.

I had been wanting to have a colonic done for awhile. I wanted to change my eating habits and I was becoming a vegetarian so I thought what better way to kick off the new year than to have a colonic done after Christmas. So I made an appointment for my colonic. The woman who does the colonics is a nurse so I felt in good hands. I had done my research about the pros and cons of colonics a few years prior to even making that appointment. Its a very controversial subject among the medical community versus the holistic health community so I had to see what all the hooplah was about.

A colonic is "The cleansing of the colon using copious amounts of water was a common procedure in the era 1930-1950s." Today most hydrotherapist use herbal solutions that will help to eliminate waste from the colon. "Colonics administered by a trained colonic therapists, using state-of-the-art colonic hydrotherapy equipment ensures maximum efficacy and safety, and is the perfect procedure to eliminate constipation, detoxify the major organs of elimination and restore normal bowel function." Some of the down falls is that you have untrained and unskilled people performing the colonics. There is a lot of misinformation out there as to how many times you should get a colonics. I don't offer this as a service of mine but I would recommend a colonic at least once a year. Getting a colonic more than that using a solution other than water can cause more harm than good. With regular colon, kidney and liver cleansing through the use of herb and drinking the adequate amount of water daily, you can keep your system flowing nicely.

Some of the benefits of having a colonic:

• Eliminates food addictions
• Prevents illness
• Aids in weight loss
• Helps in strengthening the muscles which line the colon
• helps in relieving problems like constipation.

There are also some disadvantages to having a colonic:

• You can increase your risk of dehydration
• Increase the risk of getting an infection
• You can cause a rise in your electrolytes, which can be dangerous if you have kidney disease or heart disease

All in all, do your research. I did have my colonic done. It WAS an experience. I am not going to go into all of the gory details however I will say that it was worth it and I do recommend having a colonic done if you can find a person who is trained and skilled at it.

As always, thank you for reading. Visit my website at http://www.nu-bodi.com/ and I will see you tomorrow.

The Power of Intention

Well... I am back!! I set my intention to write several blogs so that I would not be behind or have to scramble to write something, should I find myself in a predicament where I can't post to my blog.

Setting an intention is a simple thing to do, yet very powerful. Dr. Wayne Dyer, I love his work, has a book out called The Power of Intention. He says "People driven by intention are described as having a strong will that won't permit anything to interfere with achieving their inner desire." We have a lot of tools at our disposal. Some of us just forget to use them and others may not be aware of what those tools are or how to access them.

Once I was reminded of the power of setting my intentions, I began using it everyday. It became part of my daily routine. Like brushing my teeth. However, things started to get hectic. Life got crazy and I was breaking routine. I started having trouble with my staff. They weren't doing what was required of them, they started showing up late and even not at all. My programs began to suffer. It started affecting me and others in many ways. I was remind to start setting the intention for things to turn around. While I was reminded of this fabulous tool, I wasn't reminded on the process of setting the intent. I got up one morning and said "I will NOT have any drama today." And on the next day I said "Sweet Susie Lu will NOT get on my nerves today." To my dismay not only did Sweet Susie Lu get on my LAST three nerves, I had ALL kinds of drama that day. I could not imagine how or WHY I had attracted this kind of foolishness in my life. But I did.

Setting the intent sends out a command to the universe that you WANT x,y and z or that a,b, and c ARE going to happen. And it did exactly that. Ask and It is Given. The universe does not recognize the word "NOT". So I had to go back to the drawing board. Tweak my intention statement(s). So I got up the next morning and shouted "I WILL have a GREAT DAY!" And a great day I had. This was felt great! So I kept it going. I got up the following morning and said "Sweet Susie Lu and I, will work everything out today." And we did. There are far more steps to setting your intentions and making it happen than I am writing in this blog. If you focus on the lack or that in which you don't want or have... that which you don't want or have is what you will receive. The energy you put into your words of intent has the power to create the world you desire. Be careful of what you ask for.

As usual, thank you for reading. Visit my website at www.nu-bodi.com and I will see you tomorrow.

Technically challenged

I am still without my laptop but I remain hopeful. Took her in to see the Geek Squad and there is hope. I was able to retrieve all my files and save them to my flash drives. Yes I said drives... As in plural... More than one. My entire business was on that laptop. If I haven't learned by now to backup my files than I am in trouble. Even though I didn't have my own computer, I was still productive... at the library. I don't like that place. The energy there is so blah!! I hurried up and did what I had to do and ran up out of there and forgot to post to my blog. Thus this late night posting. I am racing against the clock. Cutting it close too i might add just so i can get it in. I will have it together tomorrow.

As usual, thanks for reading. Visit my website at www.nu-bodi.com and I will see you tomorrow.

Sense of loss

I am still without my laptop. I feel sad. We often feel a sense of loss when we lose something we are fond of and attached to. The Universe works in mysterious ways. Things will work out. I set the intent that business will resume as usual without interruptions.

As always thank you for reading. Visit my website at www.nu-bodi.com and I will see you tomorrow.

Technology sucks

I hate technology sometimes. I crashed my laptop again. This time I can't fix it myself so I have to take it in. We have come to rely so much on technology that we don't know how to function without it. I remember telling my daughter that I wasn't going to use the microwave anymore... She said well how are you going to heat up your food? What are you going to eat for lunch? I had to laugh.

I received the same reaction from folks when I told them I don't eat meat. We have to learn how to detach from the things we have grown accustomed to that aren't good for us. Whether it's electronics, money or food. It's the Law of Detachment.

Well I wish I could type more but my thumb is tired.

As always, thanks for reading. Visit my website at www.nu-bodi.com and I will see you tomorrow.

Good ole H2O

I've never been a fan  of water. And from the looks of my people watching... Not a lot of people fancy it either. A guy I worked with gulped down a 32 oz blue raspberry slurpee, a 20 oz Pepsi and a 12 oz fruity juice within a three hour period and no water in sight. I myself could drink tea all day and no water if it was left up to me... But since I am the holistic health conscious person that I am, I drink my water.

It baffles me that our bodies consist of 60-70 percent water and can still be dehydrated. The truth is nothing hydrates the body better than water. When the body is dehydrated all kinds of body parts can dry up and cause dis-ease and illness. "If you wait until you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated and this is affecting your cells." Water lubricates the joints. Its vital for all functioning. It will also boost your immune system and mental sharpness. "The human body needs a 7plus Ph range so that it can function properly. Drinking enough water throughout the day helps to maintain this balance. If you eat a lot of fruit and vegetables, you may be getting a lot of water in your food and may not need to drink as much as those who subsist on packaged, dry foods alone. On the flip side, too much water can be dangerous. Drinking too much water can also lead to electrolyte imbalances in non-athletes. Bottled water is more popular than ever, and for good reason. Tap water often tastes bad and, depending on where you live, it can contain unwanted contaminants. If you choose bottled water, the choices can be overwhelming. Some things you might see on the bottles include: spring water, distilled water, natural artesan water, mountain spring water, alpine spring water, and more. Confused yet? Adding to the confusion is the fact that many bottled water companies have been accused of putting misleading labels on their bottles. If you're really serious about your water, do the research on each company and find out which brand is best for you."

So cheers... to your health. Make it H2O.

As always, thank you for reading. Visit my website at www.nu-bodi.com and I will see you tomorrow.

A Foundation of Faith

Have Faith... How many times have you heard that saying? And what does that really mean any way? When I am going through stuff... I don't want to hear "Have Faith!" But in reality, that is exactly what you need to have. Faith is the belief of someone or something without having proof that is exists. I remember my mom's church ladies saying "Girl.. You've got to have Faith of a mustard seed!" I had no idea what that meant. Have you seen a mustard seed? It is the tiniest of things. So I got out my mustard seed and meditated on it. I looked at it and thought.. how could someone have Faith this size and expect miracles to happen?

To have Faith that size to move mountains, it MUST be powerful. All it takes IS a small amount of Faith for miracles to happen. I learned this the hard way.  Faith is belief. If you do not believe it could happen.. then it won't happen! Simple.

I was a single parent when I bought my first house. I lived in a one bedroom apartment with my daughter. I slept on the floor and gave her the bedroom. After all, she was a princess and needed space to grow. Anyway, my goal was to buy a house by the end of my lease at the end of the year. I had filed bankruptcy the year before, no money saved and had no idea what the future held for me. It did not look good. I told everyone who was listening that I was going to buy a house. I visited houses that I liked.. sat in them. Played in them. Walked through the halls and sat for hours visualizing myself living in one of them. The houses I was looking at, were out of my price range and doubled what I was paying in rent but I kept looking at them. I was determined to buy a house and find one for me and my daughter. 

The end of the year came and I had no house. I didn't re-sign the lease. Instead, I moved in with a friend so that I could save up more money. My living arrangement didn't work. I had moved twice before I landed somewhere that I could stay for awhile until I got it together. Well low and behold, I found my house! YEY. I put a contract on that house and claimed it MINE. A few weeks later I lost my job. A month later some terrorist bombed the World Trade buildings. Security in the U.S. had tightened up. I was a contractor with no security clearance and it wasn't looking too good for me getting into companies with out one.

Wow... I felt like I was a rock caught in a hard place. (Whatever that means... that's what I was feeling.) My closing date was coming up and I had nothing. I cried most days and I wanted to give up. Take my little bit of dollars that I had saved, get another apartment and start over, but I could not do it. That little voice in my head kept telling me to "Have Faith". I think if I didn't believe that something would change, I probably would have given up and moved to an apartment. There was just this small part of me that believed that something was going to change for me and I had to hold on to that.

A very LONG month after... I got a job and was able to provide the documents I needed for closing. I drove to closing with as much stuff in my car as I could fit. I had so much in my car that it was spilling over and I could barely shift gears. I was excited. I was happy. I was grateful that I did not give up. 

If miracles can happen with just a little bit of Faith... imagine what could happen with a whole lot of Faith?

As always, thank you for reading. Visit my website at www.nu-bodi.com and I will see you tomorrow.

The Stress Factor

I've had a headache for four days now. I know what it is. It's STRESS. Worried about this, that and the other. I can tell when I'm stressed. My whole face hurts. From the middle of my forehead, (the third eye chakra) all the way down through the bridge of my nose and then to the right side of my face. If I let it get real bad, then my hair starts to fall out. Not a pretty sight. Occasionally I will get out some lavender essential oil and rub a dot of it on my third eye. Other times I will get an Amethyst crystal and lay it on my forehead. Yes, I look ridiculous but it works!!

"Stress is a normal physical response to events that make you feel threatened or upset your balance in some way. When you sense danger – whether it’s real or imagined – the body's defenses kick into high gear in a rapid, automatic process known as the “fight-or-flight” reaction, or the stress response. Chronic stress can significantly affect many of the body's immune systems, as can an individual's perceptions of, and reactions to, stress. "

"When we are stressed the following can happen:

• Blood pressure rises
• Breathing becomes more rapid
• Digestive system slows down
• Heart rate (pulse) rises
• Immune system goes down
• Muscles become tense"

For someone to be a holistic health practitioner, with all of the skills and know how that I have.. You would think I would know better. And I do know better. I had to refocus myself and find my center. I find that a walking meditation helps. Just being out doors, fresh air, trees and the birds can uplift my spirit. The meditation part gives me clarity and perspective on whatever situation I was dwelling on so hard.

There are other ways of relieving stress. "Manage Your Time.... One of the greatest sources of stress is over-commitment or poor time management. Plan ahead. Make a reasonable schedule for yourself and include time for stress reduction as a regular part of your schedule. Get Physical... Physical activity plays a key role in both reducing and preventing the effects of stress. Take Care of Your Body... Healthy eating and adequate sleep fuel your mind as well as your body. Avoid consuming too much caffeine and sugar." 

Recognizing when you are stressed is the key to taking control.

As always, thank you for reading. Visit my website at www.nu-bodi.com and I will see you tomorrow.

Green in my tea

I was standing in the tea isle at the grocery store for what seemed like an hour. I was trying to decide what green tea I wanted. Not only are there a variety of manufactures of green tea, now there are a variety of green teas. Green tea with acai berries, green tea with pomegranates, green tea with peach... Green tea, green tea, green tea.  I saw one box for NINE dollars!! I don't know when it started or why it started but I remembered everyone talking about green tea. I had heard about all of the benefits that green tea has and wanted to try it. To be honest with you, I don't fancy the taste unless it has honey and lemon. I would imagine that people agree since there are so many flavors now.

While there are many flavored green tea, the best green tea is fresh leaves. With all of the insecticides, nothing is ever really fresh anymore. Getting your herbs from a reliable company that grows their own and doesn't spray with harmful insecticides is best. Herbal teas are always better than the flavored teas they have on the market now. The flavored teas have caffeine, sugar and extra ingredients that aren't good for you.

I was writing this article about the benefits of green tea when I came across this forum. This woman was talking about green tea and said it wasn't worth drinking green tea because you had to drink like twenty cups to get the benefits. I started to write in that if you have a well balanced diet, with herbs, fresh fruits and vegetables, you would not need twenty cups of green tea in the first place. Most people drink green tea for its antioxidants, however you can get those same antioxidants from fruits and vegetables. 

The great benefits from green tea however are:

• Green tea's EGCG regulates and inhibits cancer growth and kills cells that are growing inappropriately.
• Eases the pain of rheumatoid arthritis.
• Stabilizes your cholesterol levels.
• Boosts your immune system.  
• Fights the cause of allergies in your body. 
• Slows the onset of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
• Promotes weight loss.  

And so much more!! I enjoy a hot cup of tea all times of the year but occasionally I make ice tea as well and enjoy that just the same.


As always, thank you for reading. Visit my website at www.nu-bodi.com and I will see you tomorrow.

Keeping Balance

I was watching Eat, Love, Pray... again (yes I love that movie. I see something different every time I watch it.) and towards the end Julia Roberts' character goes to her guru and says that she dumped this guy she fell in love with. He said well why did you do that? She said because I have lost my balance. He then says to her, knowing how much to give is the key to being balance. He said "don't give too much God and don't give too much selfish." It got me to thinking about my own relationships that I have had. 

In the past I had been attracting men that were "broken" or that I thought I needed to fix or heal. Not on purpose, unconsciously. I remember being in an on again, off again relationship when this guy said to me "why is it that you always look so good and alive when we are not together?" It was then that I realized that when we weren't together, I was doing things for me. Spending extra time on my hair or whatever those things were that were for me. When he and I were together, I spent more time on him then I did myself.

Often time we get caught up in everything and everyone else that we neglect ourselves. Whether it's the eighty hour a week job, the family soccer games, dance recitals or being at every church function during the week, we must remember to nurture ourselves. When you find that your life is out of balance, that is a time to re-evaluate the things that you are juggling in your life. Make a list of everything you are giving your attention to and how much attention you are giving to each. You will find that it is YOU that you are not giving enough attention to. When the mind, body and spirit feels neglected, generally one tends to act out and in some unexpected ways.

I didn't meditate for three days and ended up with a  headache for TWO days! One time I was working at this site and we were on some serious deadlines. I felt uneasy and contacted my supervisor that I would be going home as I didn't feel well. The next day, I felt about the same but had on my mind all of the things that I needed to get done. I knew when I got up that morning that I should have stayed in bed but I went on in anyway. I was sick that same day and I was out of work for the week. I had given that job a lot of my attention to the point that I neglected my health.

It doesn't take much to get into balance. I think people make it harder than it really has to be. At some point something has got to give. It's up to you to decide what that is before it is decided for you. I am doing much better at being balanced. I say no to those people and those things that tip my scale way too far to the left or to the right. I rest when I need to and I do those things that are enjoyable to me.

Find your balance and what that means to you.

As always, thank you for reading. Visit my website at www.nu-bodi.com and I will see you tomorrow.

Conscious Eating

So I am sitting in this lovely cafe over looking the water... HA!! I am sitting in Panera Bread and the ONLY water I see is this big puddle, from it raining forty days and forty nights, that everyone keeps splashing as they drive by. I'm people watching. There's ALWAYS good material to blog about when you people watch. O_o

So... I'm sitting here watching this guy shovel his lunch down without breathing. He took an enormous bite out of his sandwich, chewed once and washed it down with soda. He continued this shoveling and in three bites, his sandwich was gone! I thought he was going to eat his fingers off.

As I continued my people watch, I found mostly everyone eating in this fashion. Chewing and talking. One lady had a full course meal surrounding her laptop. In between the click clacking of the keys, she would take a bite and then a sip. Across from me sat a group of teens, who were texting each other while they were eating. Over to my left was a man on his cell phone conducting a meeting while eating his lunch. I even saw a man on the highway once, eating a rather large sandwich. Not only is that particularly dangerous for the rest of us on the road, its also dangerous for him. The bod is in a fight or flight mode while driving. It is not prepared for the consumption of food and the assimilation of the digestion process.

In this country, we have gotten away from family gatherings at the dinner table. Family meals together have been replaced with late soccer games, dance class or meals on the road. In other countries, meals are eaten in silence. The family sits together in silence or has conversation after the meal is complete. Some have called this Conscious Eating.

Conscious eating is the practice of... well eating consciously. Being fully aware of what you eat and how you eat is important. When you eat your food in silence, your awareness of the food becomes stronger. Your focus becomes on the act of eating. You notice the taste of the food and the smell of everything around you such as the variety of the herbs and spices. By becoming a Conscious Eater, you are able to listen to your body. The body will tell you when it is full, and when it does not agree with something you just ate or even when you are truly hungry. Conscious Eating prevents over eating and helps you get control of your eating patterns. Food should be used as medicine to heal and fuel the body and not to be used a pass time.  

As always, thank you for reading. Visit my website at www.nu-bodi.com and book a holistic health consultation today. See you tomorrow!

Harnessing Energy

Its quite late. I usually have my blog out by now. I had other intentions for today's blog but due to unforeseen circumstances, this short blog will do. I promised myself that I would blog everyday so here it is.

Today I got up at the crack of dawn to be at the food pantries. I wasn't prepared for the day or even thought that I would be out as long as I was, but I was. I was out for at least five hours. I had not eaten or had anything to drink. For where I was going, I should have known better. Whenever I leave the house, I power up on energy. People will steal your energy if you are not prepared and or are protected and that was the case today.

Energy vampirism is everywhere. People who steal your energy whether knowingly or unknowingly. Energy vampires could be your co-workers, family or just people who are around you in the store or a mall. I was zapped today. I was around over a hundred people within a five hour period. Normally for something like that I would have had my protective gear on. Made sure I had a solid breakfast, some crystals in my pocket and put on some essential oils of protection. I did none of that. Yes, I was caught slipping. I had a headache from the time I entered my protective fortress til now. Like as soon as I walked in, I felt my angels at work clearing the energy that surrounded me and healing me. Learning to spot the energy vampire in your life can be easy if you are paying attention. Ever spend hours on the phone with someone, wanting to hang up but don't and felt drained and tired when you finally got off the phone? That could very well be your energy vampire. Are you in a relationship where all you do is fight and the arguments feel like they drain the life right out of you? Perhaps that is your energy vampire. Maybe you are at a job that as soon as you get there, you feel drained. As unfortunate as it may be to hear, you may have a family member who is your energy vampire. Someone who is always harassing you about YOUR life... draining the very life that you have. At any rate, I had to come home and refuel. 

Your spirit can be really good at warning you about your vampires. Staying alert to how you feel around certain people is a sure tell all. Cutting down conversations with certain people, avoiding confrontations and spending less time with them, can assure you to keep as much of your energy as you can. Sealing your aura with protective essential oils such as frankincense also helps to keep you from attacks. I have mixed several blends for this purpose as to not wear the same oils and keep vampires confused and at bay. Your diet can also play a role in keeping your alert and protected. Having a light diet, which consists of no meat, junk-food, and caffeine, can help you to stay on your toes. Lots of rest and meditation also helps. Powering up on the most positive energy is your best defensive against energy vampires.

Well, I must retire for the evening to get my beauty and energy rest.

As always, thank you for reading. Visit my website at www.nu-bodi.com and I will see you tomorrow.

Got Juice?

Juicing vs. Blending... what is the difference I am often asked. If you juice correctly, you can reap all of the wonderful benefits that juicing has to offer. Juicing provides the body with many nutrients and vitamins. You can also get your full day's serving of fruits and vegetables. "Freshly made juice gives you all the nutrients without any of the associated digestion. A freshly made juice bypasses your need to digest through the fibers before you get all the nutrients of the fruits and vegetables." A juicing machine is going to extract all of the juice from the pulp and skin so that you get the entire fruit or vegetable.

One of the pioneers of juicing, Jack LaLanne, put juicing on the map. His infomercials with that five hundred dollar juicer kept me mesmerized at nights. I wanted one. Now you can find a juicer everywhere. I scooped one up at Tarjay for about sixty dollars a few years back. I was juicing everything I could find just to see the food go through the machine and make that SWOOSH noise.

A blender... well... BLENDS. It mixes the fruits and vegetables together making for a good smoothie. "Smoothies have a cleansing effect on the bowel. Since smoothies still contain all of the fiber from the fruits and vegetables, you get a chimney sweeping effect."

Whichever you choose should be determined by the goal. I have two juicers and two blenders. I bought the blenders because the stupid sales description SAID one was a processor and one was a blender. They look identical. So don't be fooled. Research your juicers online. My other two, are actual juicers. One is a citrus juicer. I can use only lemons, oranges, grapefruits and limes. The other is a bigger juicer that I use like in the picture seen above.

I use my blender for smoothies. I sometimes add protein powder, or wheat grass or additional fiber when the time calls for it. When I am juicing, I am generally looking to create something that is going to have the health benefits but also taste good to me. If not, well, I can't see me drinking it. Pineapples, for example, are high in enzymes and contains vitamin C and A. One apple provides up to 5 grams of fiber. Juicing a few grapes can provide a good source of vitamin-C, vitamin A, vitamin K, carotenes, B-complex vitamins such as pyridoxine, riboflavin and thiamin. There are plenty of recipes out there but I tend to look for and make those juices that are going to clean, boost my immune system, give me energy and get me on the go quickly. While juicing can seem expensive now, in the long run it pays off. Give up that cup of coffee for a glass of fresh juice to start your day. If you live in the DMV area, look for my workshops on Fasting, Juicing and Detoxing.

As always, thank you for reading. Visit my website at www.nu-bodi.com and I will see you tomorrow.

The FAST in fasting

In 2009 I conducted a company wide fast. I told everyone of the goal and benefits of fasting. Many had questions such as "Will I have to stop eating? Or can I just give up chocolate and meat?" I had a few takers. It was enough to support each other and get things started. I was excited. I myself decided on the Daniel Fast and had excellent results. My goal was to become a vegetarian. The Daniel Fast consists of no meat, junkfood and bread. JUNKFOOD? Wait... who put that in there?? Yes junkfood. I was a junkfood junky and doing this fast was going to rid me of this awful habit. Or so I thought.

There are many ways to fast. The Daniel Fast is just one way. The few stragglers that I had doing the fast with me, all had some interesting approaches to their fast. Prior to doing the fast with them, I had offered a handout of information to ensure that people were doing things correctly. I chose to do the Daniel Fast for 38 days. In researching, I found where one herbalist had suggested doing the fast for the number of days you were born. I was 38 at the time, so I did my fast for 38 days. Since this was the first time they had ever done a fast, I did not suggest doing the fast for that long. Anywhere from 3-5 was good for them.

In doing a fast it is important to get clear about the goals. Its also important to let others know for support and encouragement. Once you are clear on the goal, you can then decide which Fast will best suit that goal. With the many Fasts that there are, there are as many benefits. Fasting enhances mental clarity. It takes a lot of muscles to chew food and to run the whole digesting process. When you are fasting from foods, you are giving the body a rest and allowing the body to heal. "The body undergoes a tearing down and rebuilding of damaged materials. Fasting dissolves diseased cells in a systematic manner, leaving healthy tissue."


So I finished my 38 day fast. I felt great and lost weight. I had gained such clarity that my decision making was instantaneous. I enjoyed the Daniel Fast so much so that I incorporate it at the beginning of every year. I also teach and coach people on the many ways and benefits of fasting, detoxing and cleansing.


As always, thank you for reading. Visit my website at www.nu-bodi.com and I will see you tomorrow.

The Being.. in being Silent

I was watching the movie, Eat Pray Love with Julia Roberts, the other day and one of the characters was practicing being silent for a period of time when she encountered Julia's character. I thought.. could I do that? Just be silent for a long period of time? Could I be silent while doing an outside activity, or while in the grocery store or at the Post Office? I think not. I could go a whole day not talking on the phone, or not singing to myself all off key but just NOT talking at all?? Occasionally I talk to myself and I think myself would be pretty upset if we didn't carry on our usual conversations about nothing... like the bills or the idiot who just cut me off. Those are some good conversations I have with myself.

I was, however, wondering what it would be like to not talk for a certain amount of time. To just look at people when they say something stupid as opposed to saying... "Did you REALLY just say that?" Or when someone asks a really dumb question, I can just point to a button that says "I am practicing being silent", like the woman did in the movie. Somehow I don't think that was the point of the excercise.

When the woman was done with her practice of being silent, she again ran into Julia Robert's character and ran her mouth at ninety miles an hour. She was so happy to finally speak she didn't even realize Julia now had on a button that said "practicing silence." The woman spoke on experience. She stated that it was refreshing to NOT talk and said that her throat felt great. I was wondering if there was any truth to that so I researched a few things.

I teach workshops on the chakras. Chakra is a sanskirt word for wheel. There are wheels of energy that flow through the body and govern different areas of the body. Looking at my chakra chart, the throat is governed by the THROAT CHAKRA. The the location of the throat chakra is around the nape of the neck and over the thyroid glands. The physical associations that the throat chakra governs are the thyroid, parathyroid, hypothalamus, throat and the mouth. Some of the functions that the throat chakra are related to are speech, sound, vibration, communication, truth and expression. When the throat chakra is damaged or imbalanced, this could effect how you communicate with people both verbally or through written communication. Smoking can greatly damage the throat chakra.

Silence gives the throat a rest. Entering your inner silence gives you deep rest and healing. When you are silent, your mouth and jaw is not moving. "Taking time to be still and quiet gets your body’s rhythms back in sync… you’ll feel more calm, centered and strong."  "Create a silence retreat at home. Set aside an evening at home when you will not talk. Turn the ringer off the phone and don’t answer it; turn off the TV. Practice silent exercise. Silence helps you listen to the healthy signals your body is giving you—to slow down, to go faster, to straighten up."


"Silence allows listening. Most people in our world long to be truly heard. Those who enter a period of silence each day learn to hear what is being said and what is not being said."  If you are doing the talking while others are talking or are just listening through the conversation just to get to to your turn to speak, you are not doing the listening. 


Try being silent for one full day. Write down all that you have experienced within your "silent retreat". You will be amazed at what you have discovered.


As always, thank you for reading. Visit my website at www.nu-bodi.com and I will see you tomorrow.

A smoothie just a SMOOTHIE?

Everyone is getting into this smoothie craze. Even McDonald's and Pizza Hut Express sell smoothies. Is it because they think its fashionable or that the word "smoothie" alone will draw crowds because it sounds healthy? Not all smoothies are created equal. Aside from the variety of smoothies, there are also a variety of creating them.

I had experimented with the smoothie making. Let me tell you, my first smoothie was terrible. It was so thick that I could not even get it through the straw. Kind of like how McDonald's shakes used to be back in the day and NOT as tasty. I added bananas and strawberries to my blender, and turned it on. I looked inside the blender and the mixture let out this big ole bubble. Well that wasn't cute. It didn't even look right. I tried to pour the mixture in my nice new, smoothie cup but I had to scoop it out!! So instead of drinking it, I tasted it with a spoon. Hmmmm... it tasted like bananas and strawberries. Not the smooth smoothie I thought I was making. I had gotten much better with my smoothie making. I added apple juice to my smoothies or freshly squeezed orange juice. I've seen recipes for yogurt added to smoothies or protein powders for that added fiber and protein. I used to drink Odwalla, Green Machine Smoothie, almost everyday. I thought about how much money I was giving them, and knew I could make a similar green smoothie and keep my money. I am now The Green Smoothie Queen.

There are many benefits to making  your own smoothies. For one, you cut down on the amount of sugar.
"Consuming Raw Fruits and Vegetables in a smoothie every day will do several things for you":

• Ensure you are properly hydrated at the beginning of the day
• Provide you with the full spectrum of nature's bioavailable vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants
• Give you plenty of natural fiber to ensure excellent digestion
• Provide you with the scientifically proven best "brain fuel" in the form of fructose
• Help empower your immune system to protect you from illness

"Make a routine out of it. Set apart 10-20 minutes every morning. When you do it like a pro and add the daily recommended fruits, you'll get the majority of your daily nutrition all before lunch. Further, the high water and nutrient content will keep you hydrated and provide you with a feeling of well being all day."

To your health!

As always, thanks for reading. Visit my website at www.nu-bodi.com and I will see you tomorrow.

With Every Breath

The beauty of haven taken so many holistic health courses, is that I get free health information from the instructors. During of my courses, we did some techniques that helped to identify imbalances within the body. The techniques are from Traditional Chinese Medicine  (TCM)

When it was my turn, I got on the massage table and took a deep breath. I couldn't imagine what she would imbalances she would say that I had. I am thinking I am good. Being the holistic health practitioner that I am. She started poking around and says "Do you smoke?" I had to sit up and see who she was talking to. Surely she could NOT be talking to me. Perhaps while she was poking around she was talking to another student. Yeah that's it. So, I said... WHO ME? She said yes. I then looked at her with such confusion and said NO.  She said well your lungs are weak. You are not getting enough air in  your lungs, do you have Asthma? No lady, I don't smoke and I don't have Asthma. I couldn't figure out why I wasn't getting enough air in my lungs and I was too cheap to pay her for a more detailed analysis after I just paid a large sum for the course. O_o So I went about my life as usual with the lack of oxygen I was getting.

One day I was driving to work, putt putting along when I realized I was holding my breath and gripping the wheel like I was choking the very life out of it. Surely if that was a person, I would have killed it. When I looked at my hands, I still had the marks from my nails still in them. This had been my driving to work pattern for a long time. It wasn't until I started studying meditation and became a personal trainer that I learned of breathing techniques and became aware of my own breathing patterns. That was it!! I was breathing incorrectly and therefore I was not getting enough air in my lungs. All my life I had been breathing incorrectly and now everyone wants to talk about how to breathe. Like that was something new. Who knew?

Some of the health  issues non-conscious breathing habits can cause:

• Headache
• Chronic fatigue
• Sleeping problems
• Concentration problems
• Anxiety and phobia
• Panic disorder
• Depression
• Heart disease

"Practicing regular, mindful breathing can be calming and energizing and can even help with stress-related health problems ranging from panic attacks to digestive disorders." says Andrew Weil, M.D.

By being conscious of the way that I breathe, I am able to get more air in my lungs and combat some of life's stressors. I am focusing on the now. The present. Just my breath.

As always, thank you for reading. Visit my website at www.nu-bodi.com and I will see you tomorrow!

The Secret... To Manifesting Abundance!

Want to know The Secret? Come close. No.. CLOSER!! I'll tell you The Secret. There is no secret. LOL. I don't know how many times I have heard that line. Rhonda Byrne wrote a book called "The Secret" and the world went crazy. The book sold millions of copies. That aint no SECRET if everyone knows it. Just kidding.

Seriously though, everyone has manifested something in their lives at one point or another and may not even have known it. Perhaps you made a wish and it came true or said a prayer that came true when you least expected it. Thats manifesting. Having Abundance is like success,it means something different to everyone. Find the way that works best for you and improve upon that process by consciously practicing manifesting often. Each time you work that process, the easier it gets, the quicker your results.

I have several books on the subject of manifesting. I, by all means, am not an expert on the subject however, I have manifested several things... and quite successfully too I might add. Lately, I have been having some issues to where it just seemed foreign to me as to how to manifest the new things I wanted and some opportunities I was seeking. It was as if I had never done it before. Like I lost my MOJO. So I consulted a few friends about their manifestation process and what that was like for them. It was interesting that each of them had a different spin on manifesting. As I listened to one young lady speak on manifesting, I could not help but think that there was a disconnect between her desire to manifest and her ability to accept what she had manifested. Through listening to her and others, I had realized what my issue was and what was holding up my Mojo.

All of the books, workshops and inspirational quotes are pretty consistent about three things. Ask, Believe and Receive. Period. In the book "Creating Money" by Sanaya Roman, the author states; "If you can't believe that something is possible, then you aren't going to have it." Well that was pretty simple. In the book "Ask and It Is Given" by Esther and Jerry Hicks, they promote your vibration being in alignment with that in which you are asking for. Well that sounds a little harder to do than what the first book said but it is in essence saying the same thing. You can't say you want to win the lottery but you don't play or believe that you will win. Ok, so let's talk about something a little more realistic. You can say that you want more clients but you don't do the leg work to attract more clients. You can't say you want to have a relationship but don't go anywhere to meet people. You can't say that you hate your job and want a new one but aren't putting out resumes to acquire one. There IS a certain amount of effort that you have to put into manifesting in order for it to work.

Manifesting can be easy but we humans make it harder than it has to be. Ask, Believe and Receive. Needless to say, I have gotten my MOJO back and I am going to keep it this time.

"I am linked with the unlimited abundance of the universe."

As always, visit my website at www.nu-bodi.com and I will see you tomorrow.

A Body That Heals

Several years ago my daughter fell off her bike and cut her thumb something awful. I was a contractor with no health insurance, so naturally I panicked. That cut was pretty deep and looked scary. Rather than take her to the doctor's office or the hospital, I did what I knew. I cleaned it up with some Tea Tree Oil, for its fine antiseptic, anti-bacterial and anti-fungus (among many other properties) properties. Patched it up with some Lavender Oil for its skin healing properties and tightened her up with a band aid and sent her on her way. I told her to go to the nurse of Monday because of course it was the weekend that she would crack open her thumb, and see if she would need stitches.

Monday came and I anxiously awaited my daughter's call from school. The whole day went by and I didn't hear from her. When she got home, I yelled "Why didn't you call me from the nurse's office about your thumb?" She said "mommy the nurse said my thumb had closed up and I didn't need any stitches." I looked at her thumb, it had healed up quite nicely if I do say so myself. Patting myself on the back.

I am writing this blog not to say that medical attention is not necessary but to say that the body has a tremendous capacity to heal itself. The body is going to do whatever it needs to, to maintain Homeostasis. Basically to keep normal functioning. The body is full of systems. These systems run regardless of whats going on until the specific system shuts down. For example, if you are not getting enough calcium, your body will take it from somewhere else like the bones then possibly causing Osteoporosis or other bone related diseases or illnesses. If the body cannot rid itself of waste, it will dump the waste somewhere else in the body causing disease or illness. When you drink a lot of cold liquids, the body is heats itself up to maintain that  98.6 degrees. If you break a bone, it is not the doctor that heals that broken bone, its your body. The doctor only resets the bone in place so that it can heal and grow back together nicely. If for whatever reason you do not go to the doctor to have the bone reset, the bone will try to grow as it is in whatever position it is in.

We tend to treat the body for granted. Not being mindful of what we put into it or on it for that matter. I have hear people say that your body starts to fall apart as you grow older. Thats true to a certain extent. If you haven't taken care of your body when you were younger and are not taking care of it now, then chances are, your parts could start falling apart. O_o   A coworker of mine said that he knew someone who ate well, didn't drink or smoked and worked out and died of a heart attack. There could be many reasons for this. One being that the person's mind was not in alignment with the person's actions. To maintain balance, the mind, body and spirit all must be in alignment. For example, you can't be a beauty pageant contestant but think that you are ugly. The actions are contradicting the thoughts. You can't say that diets don't work if you have cheat days on your diet because you have been good all week. The actions contradict the thoughts.

The body is a temple and should be treated as such. Some people treat their homes and cars better than they treat their bodies. You don't just invite anyone into your home so why would you invite anything into your body? The same goes for the mind. If you continue to let negative thoughts into your mind, eventually, you will start reacting to those thoughts.

As always, visit my website at www.nu-bodi.com and I will see you tomorrow.

The Keys 2 The Soul

They say the eyes are the keys to the Soul. Well, I have a GREAT pair of sunglasses for that!! I can't have just any ole body looking into my Soul all Willy Nilly.. now can I?  O_o   Serioulsy though, many holistic health professionals have studied the eye and can tell much about a person's personality and health just by looking at certain areas of the eye. For example; in Traditional Chinese Medicine, wrinkles under the eye can indicate issues with the kidneys. One theory says that people who have grey eyes, have a rich imagination. Some have even said that people who look away while speaking are said to be lying or are called shifty. Who really knows if any of the stories are true?

There has also been much controversy over the holistic practice of eye analysis called Iridology. Iridology studies the part of the eye that has color. "This method of eye analysis is said to reveal information regarding a person's relative state health. It is said that Iridology can point out areas of the body where there are weakness/strengths, inflammation, toxicity, stress and conditions that could possibly lead to disease or illness." The reason for the controversy is that many physicians don't believe this is an accurate way of diagnosing disease and illness.

My theory is... its an alternative method in holistic health care. As with ANY procedure, get more than one opinion and at least three results if possible. That way, two out of the three results might agree or three out of three but at least you will be safe in knowing that you did not trust your health to just ONE opinion or result. Modern medicine is always bashing alternative medicine like that medicine is so much better. Where one procedure or method works for one, it may not work for the other. To be honest, it really depends on the individual's own Soul and healing process as to whether or not that person will heal with whatever method is chosen.

As always, visit my website at www.nu-bodi.com and I will see you tomorrow.

Body work therapies

Back in the day, my mom's church friends would say "Oh she needs some laying of the hands." I have always thought that to mean, someone was about to get a serious spanking or how it is said today... THE BEAT DOWN. However I have learned that saying to mean a non-invasive hands on healing. Although some would also consider a serious spanking, a laying of the hands, a healing. O_o

The mind, body and spirit can hold negative energy that would often times cause dis-ease and illness. There are many methods used to release that energy through body work therapies such as "laying of the hands."

I had been studying energy work for awhile before I even had a session on me done. A colleague of mine was starting her healing practice and had just finished her training in this hands on healing modality called Reiki, pronounced RAY-KEY. I was all for supporting her in this journey so I signed up. I had no idea what I was in store for.

I laid on this massage table (fully clothed) but covered with a light sheet or blanket. I was to lye relaxed. My eyes closed was my choice. I had them closed but every now and again, I opened them to see what she was doing. Candles were lit, and very soft meditative music played in the background. As she hovered her hands over my body from head to toe, she identified the areas of negative energy that she was sensing. She was surprisingly accurate. I could feel the energy from her hands as she moved up and down my body without even touching me. I was impressed. Where do I sign up. (if you have been reading my blogs, by now you know that I almost always sign up for a class after I have had a particular experienced it myself.)

What is REIKI? - "Reiki is a Japanese word meaning universal life force. It is a method of hands-on healing that taps into the energy referred to as KI in Japan, CHI in China and Prana in India. Reiki is not a massage or a tool for diagnosing illness." From experience I can tell you the effects from Reiki can sometimes be subtle, and I have experienced the effects of a session where the change was NOT so subtle. It is possible that you can experience a variety of emotions during a session. Reiki can alleviate stress, chronic and acute conditions and can work in conjunction with any medical procedure and medicine without interference.

In addition to the other hands on healing modalities that I had been studying, I managed to get certified as a master in Usui and Karuna Reiki. Body work therapies have changed my life, emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually. I know that it could change yours.

As always, visit my website at www.nu-bodi.com and I will see you tomorrow.

An attitude of gratitude

I've gone through a lot in the past 18 years. I've made some good choices and then some not so good choices but all in all, I think that I have learned from them.

I remember one time when I was unemployed, that I would pray for money for food. I would get calls from friends and neighbors that said "hey, I have an extra turkey, you want it?" Or why don't you and your daughter come on over for dinner. I wasn't at all grateful. Or at least to ME, I wasn't because it was NOT what I had asked for.

Another time I found myself in a situation and being ungrateful was when I worked as a contractor for this company who paid me far less than I asked for and even less than I was worth. (Don't even get me started on that story) I often complained about not being able to make ends meet. Those two ends never seemed to get along long enough to stay together. I complained about little things like not being able to go shopping or going shopping but not being able to buy all that I wanted or how I wanted a bigger house. I know it sounds superficial but that's where I was at then.

One of my friends told me about this Nature and Healing Expo they have once a year in Bethesda, Maryland. I went. There were many vendors there, some of which were psychics. I thought, why not. I could use a reading and some direction. The first thing this woman said to me was "You need to change your attitude." Excuse me?? Who WAS this lady talking to? She don't know me like that. Since I was paying her, I let her continue.

She proceeded the reading with telling me how blessed I was despite my situation and that I was not utilizing my gifts and that I was blocking my blessings by speaking negatively on everything. She said should change my negative attitude to a positive one. OKAY.. WOW!! Like that was a mouthful and she wasn't even done. She continued with when you speak negatively about whatever your situation is, you magnify the negativity and prolong receiving your blessings. She said you speak things into existence and dwell on things that may or may not even happen. This lady DOES know me.

I thought about everything she said all the way home. How can I change my words and my thoughts? Your thoughts become your words and your words become your actions. It was hard at first but I did it. I began to see immediate changes. In fact, I started noticing how everyone else speaks negatively about their situations and how the energy made me feel. I didn't like it. I know if I didn't like it when folks did it to me, imagine how they felt when I was doing it? I started showing gratitude for the things that I had rather than what I did not have. We tend to want to live beyond our means for things we don't even need. Did I really need another handbag when I had a fifty of them? Did I really need a bigger townhouse when I didn't show gratitude for the one that I had? When I showed up with an attitude of gratitude for all the things I had, more came into my life. There is nothing wrong with wanting something better but showing appreciation for what you already have goes a long way in the eyes of the Universe.

As always, visit my website www.nu-bodi.com and I will see you tomorrow.

Do you supplement?

To supplement or not to supplement... that is the question. When I tell people that I am a vegetarian, someone always ask how do I get my vitamins. Simple. Fresh fruits, fresh live vegetables and herbs. So their next question is well how do you get your protein? Simple. Fresh leafy green veggies,  beans, and other protein sources such as vegan chicken or crumbles and such.

Vitamins are necessary. Most people need a multivitamin and or are deficient in specific vitamins where they need more of an individual. Its not meant for one to stay on vitamins for forever. The purpose is to supplement what you are not getting in your diet until your body reaches levels that are sufficient and balanced to where you ARE getting the vitamins and minerals through your diet then you stop. Many people aren't told that some vitamins need other vitamins to be properly absorbed in the body. So you end up taking more than you anticipated.

When used in the right proportions and correctly, food can act as a medicine. Now a days, people don't eat to heal. They eat to feed an emotion or just because. When food is eaten as a medicine, healing can begin. Lemons, oranges, grapefruits and limes all contain vitamin C. Wild rice contains vitamin A, calcium, zinc and a few others. Almonds can be a very beneficial snack instead of chips or junk. They are a source of protein and also contain vitamin, A, E, calcium, iron, potassium and zinc just to name a few. Herbs also contain vitamins. Alfalfa, a blood purifier; reduces and prevents symptoms caused by arthritis contains vitamins A,B-1, B-6, B-12, C, D, E, and K, along with some trace minerals.

Knowing what foods to eat, when to eat them and other food combinations can help you boost your immune system and combat illness. With a few diet changes you can tremendously change the way you feel and look. By making healthier food choices, you become less dependent on vitamins and minerals through supplements become reliant upon food to provide what you need.

As always, visit my website at www.nu-bodi.com and I will see you tomorrow.

The Present is a Gift

Where does all the time go? If you are anything like I was, a Worry Wart, then you spend most of your time worrying about things that may or may not even happen. Most of us don't live in the present moment. Myself included. We either live in the past hurts, the "could have done this or could have done that, or the regrets. Then you have the others who live in the future. "By the time I am 35, I will have a husband, a house, 2.5 kids and a dog." Or "in five years I am going to make partner of this firm if it kills me!"

While its fine to make plans for the future or visit the past, it is not fine to live there forever. You can't bring the past back and the future is very unpredictable. Understanding why you live in the future or the past could perhaps be a key to staying in the present. Many of us have heard the saying "Stop and Smell the Roses." Roses don't last forever. Neither does those moments you miss when you are not living in the present. Have you ever smelled a rose? Its fragrance? Have you ever noticed its texture? Its color? Have you ever seen an eclipse? Most of us are running here or going there that we have never seen one. The rest of us are too busy scheduling this meeting or in another where before they know it, the day is over with and they start it up all over again.

Be honest with yourself. If you sat down to calculate the time you spend during the day... how much of that time is actually spent on being present? Do you schedule in your Crackberry time to stop and smell the roses or do you just do it? I spend time with people who are dying and all they want is more time. Time to just BE.   Today is a gift. What you do with that gift is up to you. Open your gift and use it wisely, for tomorrow you may not be given the same gift or a gift at all.

As always, visit my website www.nu-bodi.com and I will see you tomorrow.

Stones that heal

In 2002 I had a squatter who had boxes of pretty stones. She didn't stay long enough for me to engage her in a conversation about  them. I wish that I had. The stones were so beautiful in all of their shapes, colors and textures. Oh well, everything happens for a reason in its own season.

Several months later I found myself unemployed. The threat of me not being able to pay my mortgage loomed over my head so hard that I had migraines. It was suggested that I go to this Holistic Nature and Healing Expo in Bethesda, Maryland. I'm like how is this going to help me!??! I heard there would be a variety of speakers there doing mini workshops and the topics were fascinating. I also heard there would be vendors there and that I should go to see how I can get NUBODI there as a vendor in the future, as it was a huge process. I got excited about going. So I went. When I got there, I saw a lot of the stones my squatter had in her collection. I wanted to know what they were for and why she had so many. I picked up this pretty purple stone and asked the vendor about it. He said oh that's an Amethyst. A what?? It's an Amethyst quartz crystal, part of the crystal family. It has healing abilities. Uh huh... tell me more sir. The Amethyst has the ability to relieve one of headaches and assist with insomnia. SHUT YOUR MOUTH!! I couldn't imagine this stone doing anything but since I was suffering from both, the migraines and loss of sleep. I bought one. Hell, I bought a few of them and some other stones since they were around a dollar or two. I went home, cleaned my Amethyst and plopped it on my forehead. Pleasantly surprised my headache was gone and I was sleeping pretty well now after I put a few under my pillow. I was hooked. I started researching stones and crystals and buying them every chance I got. Here is some of the information that I found.

"Crystals and gemstones are all around us from the sand and pebbles on the beach to the finely polished slabs decorating the facades of the government buildings. The mineral kingdom and the crystals it contains are the foundation of all physical matter and of life itself. Crystals have been revered and given spiritual significance through the ages because it has been recognized that they can created profound shifts in awareness, extending normal human perceptions into the mysteries and powerful worlds of the spirits and ancestors.
Our ancestors used gemstones and crystals as tools and also as healing tools. For example, Smokey Quartz is used for change and of new beginnings and creativity. Why Jade has long be seen to prolong life, strengthen the heart, lungs, voice, bones and blood. Placed on or near the heart, Rose Quartz can assist with releasing stress and trauma.

Over the years I spent so much time studying and talking about the properties of these beauties that I ended up teaching workshops on them. Crystals and gemstones can be used in many ways to access their healing and spiritual properties. Some people carry them in their pocket or in a little pouch, while others place them sporadically through out there home. I have crystals everywhere. I have them in my office, my car on my person and in my home. If you don't believe our ancestors that crystals and gemstone work, than believe me... as I am a witness that these wonderful stones do work.

As always, visit my website www.nu-bodi.com and I will see you tomorrow.

The Aroma and the Therapy

I love making stuff. Especially the smell good stuff. I got into aromatherapy because I wanted to make my own products. You know... shampoo, conditioner and of course bath and body type goods. Why pay someone else $20 for shampoo when I can make it myself... right?? Well I thought I had been doing well with my knowledge of aromatherapy. One day for my birthday, I wanted to be SPICY. So I hopped out of the shower and put on some Cinnamon essential oil straight on my body. Oh I was HOT and SPICY alright. My ass was on FIRE!! I hopped BACK in the shower to wash off and felt like I was burning even more. My  poor little body was completely red. It was then that I remembered that oil and water didn't mix. I needed to drown myself in a carrier oil such as olive or almond. I brushed up on my knowledge of the oils and had been making my own products for awhile and doing quite well, until my co-worker, a retired nurse, told me about this spiritual aromatherapy certification program. She was ranting and raving about it and how she was going to take it and that we should take it together. Spiritual huh? I wasn't buying it. I researched the site, reviewed the information and I was hooked. My one eyebrow went up like the Rock and I had this stupid grin on my face like OH YEAH. After I researched the program, I signed up for the next available date near me. What fascinated me about this program was the fact that the founder of it was a former nun and nurse. I was like WHOA... what a combination. This wasn't your average one day course. Its a clinical aromatherapy certification. This aint your granny's whip out some Castor oil and put it on your a cut type of learning. This program was phenomenal!! It took about six to eight intense months to complete but the knowledge I gained was invaluable. I learned how aromatherapy can assist the mind, body and spirit with a variety of methods of applications using pure essential oils. I learned that each oil has properties that could heal mental and emotional issues or that the same oil can heal something physical like a cut or a burn.

“Aromatherapy” is a word that is often loosely applied to a number of different practices.  It can mean different things to different people – which is why there is often a lot of confusion and “controversy” surrounding the practice of aromatherapy. By definition it means "the method by which the natural oils taken from aromatic plants are used to enhance health."

So I have completed my certification and I am now a Certified Clinical Aromatherapist. Well what does that mean LaTreviette?? It means that I can create the most powerful SYNERGISTIC oils known to man using pure essential plant oils for whatever ails you. I can safely combine five or more essential oils to assist the body, mind and spirit in healing. 

From experience, I can tell you the essential oils do work. Coming from someone who was diagnosed with depression almost some sixteen years ago, I can tell you the oils (among other alternative methods that I practice) saved me from a life of loopyness and drugs. If you want to know more, visit my website at www.nu-bodi.com or send me an email.

As always, see you tomorrow.

Hard as nails

They say you can tell a lot about a person by looking at their hands. Like whether they do work or not. Looking at my hands, you would have thought I had been working since birth. Some say you can tell if a person has had a hard life by the lines in them. The fingernails also tell a story about one's life.

My nails grow quite long and are very strong. Not because I don't do any work but because of my diet and life style. I'm not a fan of nail polish only because I am quite lazy to keep them up and coordinate with my outfits. I do that with my handbags and shoes. I also went to school for hair and nails and am aware of the chemicals that go into nail products. The process that the nail goes through for acrylic nails and tips is brutal to the nails. While you have a perfect set now, the long term damage takes a long time to heal. Even the stripping away of the nail polish with the remover can cause some damage.

Lately though, I have been noticing some changes in the appearance and texture of my nails. So I researched my nails and what it says about nail health and found some interesting things. For example: Pitting or ripplings in the nails can be associated with Psoriasis or inflammatory arthritis. Or if you have nails that are half-white, half-pink nails that could signify a kidney disease or imbalance in your kidneys. Your fingernails can even tell a story about your personality. Bitten Nails indicate that you have a nervous temperament.While short nails may indicate you are analytical, with a tendency toward perfectionism.

What are your nails saying about you?

As always, visit my website at www.nu-bodi.com and see you tomorrow!!