Vibrant Living Newsletter

Hello Everyone,

Here in Oregon, we don't have much snow, there are not many storms, few extremes of weather, but what we do have is a perpetual cloud cover and soaking, steady rain, with temps hovering between 40-45--all day AND night. By this time of year, something like a sunny day is literally cause for celebration: neighbors seem to leap out of their houses with dogs on leashes and kids in tow to soak up the precious rays of sunlight.

The Oregon winter weather is good cause for us to look inward, evaluate our thinking and intentions, and make changes. We looked around the office and the house, and applied a few feng shui principles. One of the most obvious situations we had was with our wind chimes. I had purchased a new wind chime for the front of the house to replace the old broken one, and took down the broken one hanging over the breezeway in the back of the house.

From the feng shui perspective, wind chimes in the back of the house work to activate the energies of the past, and with our broken wind chime clanging away, we were tending to activate discordant energies of the past. Then, with the broken chime in the front of the house, we were symbolizing a broken welcome--a tentative, or even unwelcoming energy. Now things feel much more forward-looking.

The winter also encourages most people to stay indoors and be more than a little sedentary, and in the soggy Cascadia Bioregion, the thought of venturing out into the chilly rain is a potent deterrent. So, I've been concentrating on using Carrot Top Tea and Protease (PureZyme) to keep a good detox energy going in my body. Over the past few days I've gone through about two gallons of the tea--brewing up one of the 4 oz. tea bags--and shortly, my skin, especially in the face, cleared up a few minor blemishes, and took on a healthier glow. The tea supports the kidneys and helps clean the blood, so the skin really responds to that.

With the addition of the protease supplement, the cleansing action of the tea is really enhanced. Protease breaks down protein deposits that can build up in the joints, arterial walls, digestive tract, and the lymph system. It is also an excellent defense against harmful bacteria and viruses because the body uses the extra protease to breakdown the cell walls of these invaders, and then eliminate them. The Carrot Top Tea stimulates the elimination and clearing of these waste products, and so helps the body to reduce its toxic load.

Winter can be a transformative time of year, and a time of reevaluation and spiritual and emotional renewal. Let us hear about your wintertime experiences!

In vibrant health,

Shay Shay signature
Shay Arave
President
Pure Energy Rx

Featured Article

Fear: Friend or Foe?...

Fear can run your life, or you can use fear to as a valuable tool. Our resident Life Coach and Synergy Specialist, Charly Emery, tells the story of her phantom shark attack, and what it taught her about harnessing the energy of fear to discover more about self, and to help navigate the sometimes treacherous waters of life. "When you delve deeper, swimming underneath the initially murky realm of fears' first physical or emotional pinches," says Charly, "you'll be amazed to discover a dry sun-soaked treasure trove of information just waiting for you to uncover, process and utilize for your greatest good." >>>> MORE

F.Y.I. - Interesting Health News Tidbits

99% of diets that worked are...

Enough with the dieting advice. Here is what actually worked for 99 percent of 5,000 people who lost weight and kept off at least 30 pounds of it. Count calories.

Yep, the successful dieters had various methods for counting and controlling their intake of calorie and fat grams, such as restricting their intake of certain foods and eating smaller portions. More than 90 percent of the participants exercised regularly, mostly walking or doing something else to sweat out the equivalent of a one-hour brisk walk. And forget about skipping breakfast--bad plan if you want to succeed. Nearly 80 percent of the losers ate breakfast daily, usually cereal and fruit. Frequent visits to the scale helped, too-75 percent weighed in at least weekly.

Keeping it off once the weight was lost amounted to maintaining these behavior changes and responding quickly when the pants started to feel tight again. Those who noticed and addressed it quickly when weight crept ever-so-slightly back on again were most likely to stop or reverse the gain. The dieters who managed to keep off the weight for at least two years halved their risk of putting it all back on again.

RECOMMENDED LINKS:
SOURCE ARTICLE
Herbal Accelerator (decreases appetite, increases energy--2 for 1 SALE!)
Body Type Survey (Using Body Type enzymes can speed up weight loss)

Beyond diets...

beyond diets As if you needed more excuses as to why those extra pounds seem to leap onto your body with the least provocation, researchers at Yale, Cornell and Johns Hopkins have pinpointed ten (count 'em: 10) other reasons for obesity besides your diet. The upside to this is that here are ten more ways to support your weight loss regimen, or at least understand it...

MORE REASONS FOR WEIGHT GAIN

Too little sleep: Inadequate sleep (less than 7-9 hours) increases hunger and appetite and interferes with the hormonal regulation of fat metabolism.
Pollutants: Endocrine disruptors--synthetic chemicals found in pesticides and some plastics--can enter the body through the food chain, and interfere with the work of hormones.
Comfortable temperatures: Homes are on average warmer than they were 30 years ago. Comfy temps means the body doesn't need to use energy to keep warm or cool, meaning that calories are not used up.
Not smoking: Research indicates that smokers tend to weigh less than non-smokers and that they put on weight when they give up. Nicotine works as an appetite-suppressant.
Use of medicines: Antidepressants, anti-convulsants, anti-diabetics, anti-hypertensives, contraceptives and antihistamines have all been linked to weight gain.
Getting older: As men and women age, weight increases. Women tend to put on weight after 35 and after menopause because of hormonal and metabolic changes.
The age of your mother: Studies of children in Britain have found that the risk of obesity increases with the age of mother. One theory is that as women age, their offspring get lower levels of the proteins they need to regulate fat.
Low birth weight: Research suggests that low birth weight, and the rapid catch-up in growth that often follows, may increase the risk of obesity.
Your genes: Research with animals and human beings suggests that body-mass index (BMI) may be inherited.
Your parents' choice of mating partner: Men and women with a predisposition to a greater BMI are more likely to pair with each other. This phenomenon is known as "assortative mating," and because the number of very thin people has stayed about the same, assortative mating seems to increase the average population weight.

RECOMMENDED LINKS:
SOURCE ARTICLE
Herbal Accelerator (decreases appetite, increases energy--2 for 1 SALE!)
Body Type Survey (Using Body Type enzymes can speed up weight loss)

8 Steps to New Year's Resolutions...

About now is the time where we can see the first progress toward keeping those resolutions for the new year (or, if you're observing the Chinese New Year, it's time to start!). If things are going well, or not so well, life coach and stress expert, Kathryn Watson offers eight things to look for in your achievement strategies:

1. Make sure this is your goal.
Whatever your goal, whether it be to lose weight, exercise, go back to school or start a new business venture take some time to discover why you want this. Are you doing this for yourself or for someone else?

2. Quantify
Most people are too vague about their goals. "I want to lose weight," "I want to start a new business." "I want to quit smoking." "I want to become healthier." "I want to exercise more," etc. Be specific.

3. Pace Yourself
Chances are you have many years left to come. You don't have to do everything this year. Pick one or two goals to focus on-- any more and you may become overwhelmed. Wouldn't it be better to achieve only one or two goals than to abandon ten?

4. Enlist help.
Nobody ever said you had to do everything alone. If you want to get in better physical shape maybe you need to enlist the help of a personal trainer. Wanting to double your business revenues this year? Get a Business Coach.

5. Buddy up
The buddy system really does work. The key is to find someone who has the same goals in mind as you do and the same level of commitment and work at your goals together.

6. Set Realistic Goals
Sometimes it is easier to take small steps instead of one giant leap.

7. Visualize your Success
Spend a few minutes each morning visualizing or just imagining how you will feel when you achieve your goal. Get as detailed as possible. Where will you be, what will you be doing, how will you look and feel. Visualize or imagine how other people will react to you. This only takes a few minutes and can be done while you are in the shower, shaving, brushing your teeth, etc.

8. Celebrate each and every success!
Don't wait until you have reached "The goal" to celebrate. Give yourself a pat on the back all along the way. Praise yourself for every accomplishment.

RECOMMENDED LINKS:
Visualizations for Self-Hypnosis (audio tape)
Topaz Gem Elixir (positive reinforcement)
ARTICLE SOURCE

Grape juice as effective as wine...

Grapes REUTERS LONDON - Grape juice seems to have the same protective effect against heart disease as red wine, French scientists said last week. Researchers at the Universite Louis Pasteur de Strasbourg were examining the effect on the heart of Concord grape juice. "Grape juice can have a similar effect (against heart disease) as red wine but without the alcohol. That is a very important message," said Dr Valerie Schini-Kerth, lead author of the study published in the journal Cardiovascular Research.

Red wine and certain types of grape juice have high levels of polyphenols, which block the production of a protein linked to cardiovascular disease--the No. 1 killer in many Western countries. Heart and vascular problems develop when endothelial cells that make up blood vessels do not work properly. The team found that polyphenols in Concord grape juice activate endothelial cells to produce nitric oxide which helps to protect against cardiovascular disease and to maintain healthy blood vessels and blood pressure. Polyphenols work the same way in red wine and in grape juice. "But not every grape juice has the beneficial effect. It has to have a high level of polyphenols," Schini-Kerth said.

Look for Concord grape juice, or the grapes themselves. They are usually touted as having the highest polyphenol content. Because the most beneficial elements of the grape are in the skin and seeds, look for the darkest fruit. Although seedless grapes are popular, they are not as high in polyphenols and antioxidants as their seeded relatives. So, go ahead...eat the seeds. It's good for you!

RECOMMENDED LINKS:
Yerba Mate for more polyphenols
ARTICLE SOURCE

The power of power naps...

When billionaire adventurer Steve Fossett broke the record around-the-world solo jet flight last March, he slept just 60 minutes in 67 hours of flight time--60 minutes broken into two- and three-minute naps. "I slept when I needed it and awoke refreshed," he says. Fossett, who holds world records in ballooning, sailing, and flying, adds that none of his feats could have been done without these micro-variety "power naps."

The power nap is defined as any nap no more than 20 minutes long. Any longer than that, and the body goes into a deep sleep pattern that requires 90-120 minutes to complete. But under 20 minutes, the nap allows the body to refresh itself and actually has been shown to improve memory and athletic performance.

Napping in general benefits heart functioning, hormonal maintenance, and cell repair, says Dr. Sara Mednick, a scientist at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies who is at the forefront of napping research. A power nap, says Mednick, simply maximizes these benefits by getting the sleeper into and out of rejuvenative sleep as fast as possible. No surprise that Lance Armstrong's coach, Chris Carmichael, says that "naps were critical in his overall training plan." In Manhattan, napping has become a lucrative business: MetroNaps in the Empire State Building provides darkened cot-like redoubts that attract Broadway actors between shows as well as investment bankers who otherwise would fall asleep at their desks. And in Iraq, U.S. Marine commanders have mandated a power nap before patrols. >>> MORE

RECOMMENDED LINKS:
E-1 Stress Relief (promotes sleep)
Aquamarine Gem Elixir (calms and quiets the mind)

More Vitamin D against C...

Sunshine Two new vitamin D studies using a sophisticated form of analysis called meta-analysis, in which data from multiple reports is combined, have revealed new prescriptions for possibly preventing up to half of the cases of breast cancer and two-thirds of the cases of colorectal cancer in the United States. The work was conducted by a core team of cancer prevention specialists at the Moores Cancer Center at University of California, Quemado (UCSD), and colleagues from both coasts.

The breast cancer study, published online in the current issue of the Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, pooled dose-response data from two earlier studies--the Harvard Nurses Health Study and the St. George's Hospital Study--and found that individuals with the highest blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, or 25(OH)D, had the lowest risk of breast cancer.

"Through this meta-analysis we found that raising the serum level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D to 34 ng/ml would reduce the incidence rates of colorectal cancer by half," said co-author Edward D. Gorham, Ph.D. "We project a two-thirds reduction in incidence with serum levels of 46ng/ml, which corresponds to a daily intake of 2,000 IU of vitamin D3. This would be best achieved with a combination of diet, supplements and 10 to 15 minutes per day in the sun." >>> MORE