Quote of the Day, March 18, 2010

“You see, it’s never the environment; it’s never the events of our lives, but the meaning we attach to the events how we interpret them that shapes who we are today and who we’ll become tomorrow.” ~ Tony Robbins

The Creation Ground of Experience: Thoughts

Our thoughts are powerful forces in the creation of our experience of life. You may be able to recall a time when frustration that was based on a misunderstanding completely evaporated when your understanding changed. This is because our interpretation defines our experience, and it can change in an instant. Our only true reality is the present moment, so rather than merely accepting that life is happening to us, we can harness the power of our thoughts to actively create a positive reality. For example, we can choose to appreciate beauty around us rather than focusing on traffic or look for admirable qualities in the people we deal with rather than focusing on the negative. By choosing how to interpret and define each moment with your thoughts, you truly create your reality.

Throughout the day, we can monitor our thoughts to catch ourselves in the middle of investing our energy elsewhere – such as into belief in limitations – and instead pull our focus back to the infinite possibilities of the present. Taking a deep breath will help us center our thoughts on being in our bodies right now. Regular meditation allows us to gain mastery over our minds so that we can still our thoughts to focus on the pureness of being. If we mentally dwell on the past or the future, we may miss the experience of living in the present moment. Setting and visualizing goals is wonderful, but we can bring our thoughts into our current experience by taking steps to create them now.

Our minds are powerful tools that we can harness to create our reality. Through them we move the unformed energy of the universe into form, which gives us direction for our words and actions. Each thought is like a stone dropped into a lake, sending ripples out into our world to affect all they touch. We can choose our focus and how we invest our energy, which gives us the power to design our lives to be whatever we choose in each and every moment.

~Reprinted with permission from DailyOM

Garlic Lime Chicken Fajitas

This recipe is full of different herbs and spices which are full of anti-oxidants among having other health benefits. For example cumin is a good source of iron, which the body needs to make hemoglobin as well as being a good digestive enzyme. It has been said that cilantro has been used to remove metals and other toxins from the body. It is also a great anti-inflammatory, helps with cholesterol, is a great anti-septic and helps promote healthy liver function among many other things. Oregano also has anti-bacterial properties as well as being a great digestive aid. Garlic helps prevent heart disease and stroke as well as being good for your cholesterol levels and is also a great anti-inflammatory. Onions help lower your glucose levels as well as aid in strengthening your bones. Pepper is another spice that helps with your digestion as well as being full of magnesium and iron. It also helps promote urination and sweating, both help eliminate toxins from your body.

Ingredients:

• 1tsp. minced garlic
• 1tsp. minced onion
• ¾ tsp. ground cumin
• ¾ tsp. oregano leaves
• ½ tsp. cilantro leaves
• ½ tsp. coarse ground black pepper
• ¼ cup each lime and orange juices
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 ½ lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast cut into thin strips
• 1 medium green or red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1 medium onion thinly sliced
• 8 Ezekiel or organic whole wheat tortillas
• Optional: Hard cheese shreds such as Romano or parmesan and sour cream ( Friendship sour cream is made without cornstarch).

Directions:
1. Mix juices, oil, all of the spices and salt in small bowl. Reserve ¼ cup of marinade. Place chicken in large resealable plastic bag or glass dish. Add remaining marinade; turn to coast well. Refrigerate 30 minutes or longer for extra flavor.
2. Cook and stir chicken in large heated skillet on medium-high heats 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from skillet. Add bell pepper, onion and reserved marinade; cook and stir 5 minutes or until tender. Return chicken to skillet. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through.
3. Spoon chicken mixture into warmed tortillas. Serve with assorted topping, if desired.

~~
By Ann Moon

Quotes of the Day, March 17, 2010

“Accept and love, for we are all perfect as we are.” ~ Dr. Rob

“There are no slights, there is only light. This is what I see, which is the beauty of thee. Only light, given in darkness, now I see thee, Namaste.” ~Dr. Rob

An Inner Choice: Peace

Often we look at the outside world and find it in a state of seeming chaos or disorder. We feel compelled to transform the situation from one of turmoil into one of peace, yet we are often disappointed in our best attempts to do so. One reason for this is that we cannot bring to the world what we do not have to offer. Peace starts in our own minds and hearts, not outside of ourselves, and until its roots are firmly entrenched in our own selves, we cannot manifest it externally. Once we have found it within, we can share it with our family, our community, and the whole wide world. Some of us may already be doing just that, but for most of us, the first step is looking within and honestly evaluating the state of our own relationship to peacefulness.

Interestingly, people who manifest peace internally are not different from us; they have chattering thoughts and troubled emotions like we all do. The difference is that they do not lend their energy to them, so those thoughts and feelings can simply rise and fall like the waves of the ocean without disturbing the deeper waters of peacefulness within. We all have this ability to choose how we distribute our energy, and practice enables us to grow increasingly more serene as we choose the vibration of peace over the vibration of conflict. We begin to see our thoughts and feelings as tiny objects on the surface of our being that pose no threat to the deep interior stillness that is the source of peacefulness.

When we find that we are able to locate ourselves more and more in the deeper waters and less on the tumultuous surface of our being, we have discovered a lasting relationship with peace that will enable us to inspire peace beyond ourselves. Until then, we help the world most by practicing the art of choosing peace within.

~Reprinted with permission from DailyOM

Quote of the Day, March 16, 2010

“Welcome those big, sticky, complicated problems. In them are the most powerful opportunities.”
~ Ralph Marston (The daily motivator)

Quotes of the Day, March 15, 2010

“When you find peace within yourself, you become the kind of person who can live at peace with others.”

“If you realized how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought.”

~ Peace Pilgrim

Cleansing the Heart of Your Existence: Nine Ways to Have a Healthier Home

Our homes serve as sanctuaries in which we are protected from what is potentially harmful. If we are not careful, however, we can inadvertently surround ourselves with substances that can be toxic to our bodies. It is precisely because we rely on our private spaces to serve as refuges from the world that we must exercise great care when choosing how we build, furnish, cleanse, and decorate our homes. Here are some suggestions for creating a healthier home:

1. Be a conscious consumer. If you buy products that contain wholesome, organic, and inert components, you will avoid most common household toxins. Read labels.

2. Your spaces will be as healthy as they are clean when you use natural cleansers and detergents. Almost everything in the home can be cleaned and disinfected using varying combinations of baking soda, vinegar, salt, tea tree oil, herbs, and gentle castile soap. Organic cotton slipcovers can be washed regularly to keep dust mites at bay and to keep us from close contact with furniture that may be off-gassing toxins.

3. Plants clean and add oxygen to the air you breathe when you place them in your personal spaces. Two plants in each room of your dwelling will rid the air of toxins and pollutants while balancing indoor humidity levels. Air purifiers are an easy way to have clean air and are especially useful in a bedroom. Try and clean your air ducts and furnace and change filters regularly.

4. Natural decor that incorporates pesticide-free wood and fibers, organically grown materials, and nontoxic paints and varnishes adds beauty to your house or apartment while lowering your exposure to unsafe chemicals.

5. Scents can help you maintain a hazard-free home. As you enter your home after an absence, pay close attention to the dominant fragrance you perceive. You may discover toxins that might otherwise have gone unrecognized.

6. Be aware of the water you drink and bathe in and consider adding a whole-house filter system.

7. Getting a good night’s rest is easier when your bedding is comprised of natural materials. Organic cotton sheets, down comforters, and wool fiber mattresses offer a wonderful alternative to standard bedclothes.

8. Negative ions are invisible molecules that promote whole-self wellness found in the clean air atop mountains and near rushing water. Equipping your home with a negative-ion generator or salt lamp will ensure that you feel alert and refreshed whenever you are at home.

9. If building a new home, consider carefully the materials you choose and research how much they off-gas toxins. You may not be aware of many glues and hidden substances. Choosing sustainable wood floors over wall-to-wall carpeting can be very beneficial to those with allergies and sensitivities.

Making a few easy changes in your home can provide years of healthy living for you, your family, and pets. A healthy home is a good foundation for living. And whether you use these suggestions or others, the best thing you can do is be aware.

~Reprinted with permission from DailyOM

Quote of the Day, March 12, 2010

“We dance for laughter, we dance for tears, we dance for madness, we dance of fears, we dance for hopes, we dance for screams, we are the dancers, we create the dreams. “ ~ by Anonymous

Tasty Salad Recipe

Enjoy this delicious and nutritious Jicama Red Apple Mint Salad.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Jicama, peeled and sliced into thin strips ( place in lemon water along with prepared apple to prevent discoloration)
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1 red apple, cut into thin strips
• 1 tsp. fresh mint, chopped
• 1 lemon
• olive oil
• pinch of a salt (real salt or your choice of natural sea salt)

Directions:
Mix drained and dried jicama, spinach, apple and mint in a bowl. Toss gently with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Enjoy!

Nutrition:
Jicama is high in potassium which helps prevent muscle cramping, low blood sugar, stroke, heart attack, muscle disorders, high blood pressure as well as normal brain functioning. This vegetable/root is high in carbs, so be careful if you are watching your carb intake.

Spinach his high in folic acid which helps prevent birth defects, high blood pressure, colon caner and heart attacks. It’s also very high in Vitamin K which helps the blood clot normally, helps prevent bones from fractures, helps prevent liver and prostate cancer, lower’s your risk of kidney stones and Alzheimer’s. Spinach also contains high amounts of Vitamin A which helps maintain and repair your skin cells, it’s good for your eyes, helps fights bacteria and virus ( we all know that cranberry juice is a good treatment for urinary tract infections). People who have strokes and high levels of Vitamin A are less likely to die or suffer from disabilities caused by strokes. Spinach is also high in Manganese a mineral that helps with bone formation, thyroid function, calcium absorption, immune function, etc. It’s also very high in iron which helps transport oxygen to our cells. Surprisingly spinach contains high amount of calcium which is good are bones, teeth and is good for our heart and metabolism.

Apples are low glycemic fruit. They contain Vitamin A ( see benefits above), potassium which helps prevent muscle cramping , low blood sugar, stroke, heart attack, muscle disorders, high blood pressure as well as normal brain functioning. Cranberries also contain a little bit of calcium which is good for your bones and teeth as well as your heart and metabolism. As well as many other vitamins and minerals.

~~~
Ann Moon

Next Page »