Hello, Vibrant Reader!

This past week, we attended Gwynne Warner's interesting and informative feng shui workshop at a local antique gallery. It was catered lovingly with Thai food, with about 40 gentle people there for the event. With her theatrical background, Gwynne really has a way of drawing you in to what she is saying, and her obviously magnanimous personality is infectious. Great fun was had by all. Gwynne sent all the attendees her feng shui holiday tips via email, and we have reproduced it for our newsletter. It's some great stuff, so check it out below!

One point we took home from Gwynne's information is to start using our Mouth of Chi. That is, the front door to the house! We haven't been using the front door because the garage is attached to the house, and it is simply more convenient to drive the car into the garage, and enter the house through the laundry room. Gwynne says this is bad feng shui. "Make a point," she says, "to enter your house through the front door, and enter with good intention and joyous energy. It will make a big difference. Try it for two weeks and see!" So, we are, and I like it. Before, I felt like I was kind of sneaking into the house, and the laundry room doesn't feel all that welcoming!

We're big fans of Dr. Mercola, and have been very interested lately in his coverage of insulin resistance. The body's cells can become resistant to (or stop listening to) the insulin hormone released from the pancreas. This happens over time as the result of a carbo-heavy diet, too little protein and/or too little fat. Insulin is released to create glucose for the muscles to use. When the cells of the muscles become insulin resistant, glucose can not easily get to them, and they starve. This leads to all manner of symptoms, all of which are related to what we call "aging." Check out our Vibrant Living Tip below for more info, and I highly recommend reading Mercola's article (see link).

Also, a reminder to check out our lovely Chi Necklaces by Rosemary Beam. They are a great gift idea, and really help stablize and amplify your chi!

Until next week...

In vibrant health,

Shay Arave
President
Pure Energy Rx

 

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Do you have insulin resistance?

Lately, scientific observations have noted that high insulin resistance creates symptoms of aging. In many species, insulin levels determine lifespan. Dr. Mercola says, "As we now know, insulin has many functions. While it can't get glucose into the cells efficiently when they're in a state of insulin resistance, insulin still performs its other tasks, including converting carbohydrates to fat and inhibiting stored fat from being burned. In a normal person, 40% of the carbohydrates eaten is converted to fat. In the IR person, that number may be much higher. Many people with IR have a family history of diabetes."

Insulin resistance can be reversed in the diet. If you have the following symptoms, it may be due to insulin resistance:

1. Fatigue. Some are tired just in the morning or afternoon; others are exhausted all day.
2. Brain fogginess. nability to concentrate, loss of creativity, poor memory, various forms of "learning disabilities."
3. Low blood sugar. Feeling jittery agitated and moody, with an almost immediate relief once food is eaten. Dizziness is also common, as is the craving for sweets, chocolate or caffeine.
4. Intestinal bloating. IR sufferers who eat carbohydrates suffer from gas, lots of it sometime resulting in a diagnosis of "colitis" or "ileitis."
5. Sleepiness. Many people with IR get sleepy immediately after meals containing more than 20% or 30% carbohydrates.
6. Increased fat storage and weight. In males, a large abdomen is the more evident; in females, it's prominent buttocks, frequently accompanied by "chipmunk cheeks."
7. Increased triglycerides. Fasting triglyceride levels over 100 may be an indication of a carbohydrate problem.
8. Increased blood pressure. It is well known that most people with hypertension have too much insulin.
9. Depression. Because carbohydrates are a natural "downer," depressing the brain, it is not uncommon to see many depressed persons also having IR.
10. Addictions to alcohol, caffeine, cigarettes or other drugs. Often, the drug is the secondary problem, with IR being the primary one.

IR sufferers may have other symptoms as well. However, when a person with this problem finally lowers carbohydrate intake to tolerable levels, many if not most of the other symptoms may disappear. Here's what to do:

1. Proteins. Know how much protein your body needs. Never consume more protein than your body requires. And never consume less. [PROTEIN CALCULATOR]
2. Carbohydrates. Make them 20-30% of your total eating. If you find yourself hungry and craving sugar or sweets two to three hours after a meal, you probably consumed too many carbohydrates that last meal. (Note: because vegetables have a good percentage of fiber, they are acceptable in moderation, fruits are out.)
3. Fat. A good balance of Omega-3 and Omega-6, as well as saturated and unsaturated fats. (See Mercola's "Good Fats" and Udo Erasmus' "Fats that Kill").
4. Water. Try to drink at least 64 ounces of pure water per day. If you are a heavy caffeine user, gradually reduce caffeine intake to zero whenever possible as the breakdown products of caffeine will tend to increase insulin levels.
5. Exercise. Try to get 30 to 60 minutes of walking in four to five days a week.

No matter how consistently you follow this dietary strategy, you are bound to make mistakes. This is especially true at parties or when traveling. Remember, if you're only unbalanced for a short period of time, you're only one meal away from rebalancing. It's like falling off a bike-you just get back up and continue your journey. >>> MORE

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Time Out for Holiday Thanks
Our resident Life Coach and Synergy Specialist, Charly Emery, explores what happens psychologically during the holidays, and how taking a break to give thanks can be a daily activity, as we sit down to any meal: "I hope you will create time to put yourself on standby, perhaps at the dining table while you enjoy your meal. In the process of manifesting the life you dream of, your every day actions affect what you attract to yourself. If you are visualizing an abundant life, yet you cannot make time to appreciate and get pleasure from what you already have, it may be harder to attract what you want." ... >>>> MORE

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Feng Shui Holiday Tips...
Feng Shui expert, Gwynne Warner, gives some useful tips for revving up and polishing your holiday "chi." This can be a stressful time of the year for many reasons, so it doesn't help to have a home working against you energetically. Says Gwynne: "During the Holy Days, the amplifying of the physical light is a shining metaphor of welcoming spiritual light. It's a perfect time to wash windows, shine mirrors, light candles and fires, and hang brilliant crystals, colored lights and shiny ornaments everywhere to raise your chi and spirits." >>>> MORE

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Chi Necklaces!

By customer demand, we are now offering our Chi Necklace with special gemstones corresponding to each chakra all together in one necklace. Just perfect for the gem lover, metaphysician, or energy medicine practitioner in your life! Makes a great romantic gift, too for men or women...

Each gem is carefully hand-selected and lovingly hung on a pure silver finding, by our talented craftsman gemstone expert, Rosemary Beam. Each necklace is strung with a thin black leather cord with a fine, sturdy, silver clip-style fastener. $110.00. >>>> MORE INFO

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FREE DOWNLOAD: WOMEN'S HEALTH
By Dr. DicQie Fuller-Looney, Women's Health is a definitive look at the relationship between digestive enzymes and hormones, and how hormonal imbalances in women can be traced back to enzyme deficiencies. This book is a logical, no-nonsense evaluation of the current medical approaches that overlook digestive enzymes as an ultimate solution. Dr. Fuller-Looney makes her case by showing that the symptoms of protein malabsorption are the same as the symptoms of menopause. DOWNLOAD HERE

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