The Mayan calendar ends on December 21st (or 23rd), 2012. This ancient prophesy is over 5,000 years old and predicts that the world as we know it will end. In celebration for tomorrow’s opening release of the new blockbuster movie, 2012, this post is about how you can physically prepare for Armageddon.

Let’s clear up a few things first. This is a movie. While there may be some truth to it (never say never, right?), the worst thing we can do is play into the doom and gloom that Hollywood likes to create for our entertainment!

If you haven’t seen the trailer, here it is:

Many who believe in the 2012 phenomenon look at the Mayan prophesies as an earthly cleansing. Much like a birth, there may be violence, death and destruction as this era ends and we enter into a new beginning.

The cataclysmic events portrayed in the 2012 movie will most likely not happen on a single day. Some people, like Drunvalo Malchizedek, believe that the end of days predicted by the Mayans happen in a window of time and that we’re already experiencing it.

There may be a kernel of truth here, considering the recent swine flu pandemic, Hurricane Katrina, the deadly 2004 tsunami, out-of-control HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa and global warming, to name a few.

Some argue that there has been no significant change in the incidence of natural disasters, disease and illness. Others maintain that the world is going to hell in a hand basket. And fast.

Whatever you choose to believe, here at Live Lighter, we’re preparing for 2012 in any case. We’re taking a proactive, positive approach, though. Not out of fear but out of faith, reason and logic.

Since we cannot control natural disasters, we choose not to worry about these what ifs. We trust that whatever will be, will be.

As for disease and illness, we know our bodies are magnificent machines. Nature made us perfect and as long as we take good care of our bodies, our natural defenses (a.k.a. immune system) will fight off any foreign invader that attempts to wage war with us internally.

Live Lighter’s Simple Guide to Preparing for 2012 Read the rest of this entry

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In this fantastic Healthygirl.ca article, “A Nation of Addicts,” Natalia suggests that the cause and cure for addiction is consciousness. And she’s not the only one. Many people today believe that we use our addictions to silence our bodies and emotions.

Spiritual leaders like Eckhart Tolle teach us the benefits of mastering the art of creating peace and how to activate the power of Now. For quick reference, straight from the Live Lighter vaults, here are 27 tips to bring you into the present moment so you can break the cycle of addiction:

1. Drink water.
2. Breathe! Most of us breathe from the tops of our lungs. Try filling up your lower lungs with longer inhales/exhales.
3. Run up and down a few stairs.
4. Get on the floor and do some core exercises.
5. Ask yourself: “Right now, do I really want this insert addiction here?”
6. Call a buddy who’s overcome the same addiction or who’s also trying to raise their consciousness level.
7. Yoga.
8. Stretch.
9. Make some tea.
10. Ask yourself: “Why am I better off without insert addiction here?”
11. Do some dishes.
12. Organize papers.
13. Brush your teeth. Read the rest of this entry

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If you have digestive troubles you know it can affect every aspect of life. This post outlines the reintroduction phase of an elimination diet so that you can find what foods, if any, are causing your intestinal issues.

So you’ve embarked upon an elimination diet adventure and have been eating only hypo-allergenic foods (here are some elimination diet recipes) to cleanse your system of possibly offending foods. Some of you may have even tried a safe, enlightening 3 day fast to speed up the process like Live Lighter Reader, Jamie.

Now you’re ready to discover the culprits (a.k.a. food sensitivities or intolerances) behind your digestive woes.

Here are steps & a few tips for food reintroduction:

Note: it is highly recommended that you do an elimination diet with a Naturopathic Doctor. They will work with you (based on your individual circumstances) to determine what foods you’ll avoid and how long you’ll need to avoid them. More importantly, they are there for emotional support, guidance and medical supervision.

The big idea behind the reintroduction phase

Pretend you’re a scientist. No, really, we should have as much fun with this as possible! It’s a simple process of elimination. You reintroduce each possible offending food, one-by-one, noting any symptoms so you can determine which foods your body dislikes.

STEP 1: Plan

Read the rest of this entry

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What makes you get out of bed in the morning? Health and well-being is more than just a healthy mind and body, your soul needs nourishment, too.

Part of this process is delving deep within yourself to discover your truly unique talents. Once you find them, your mission is to share them with others through contribution only you can provide. Because there is only one you.

Kseniya Simonova is an amazing visual artist who has found what sets her apart. Through her dynamic sand art and an incredible accompanying sound track, she spins tales like no one I’ve seen before.

Here is this year’s Ukraine’s Got Talent winner depicting the German occupation of Ukraine during World War II (8:33 min):

Are you into psychology, plants and handy with tools and building things? Maybe you’re meant to built plant boxes for psychologists who use the healing power of plants to help patients!?

What’s your purpose? If you think you know, please share it with us!

Add in an apple a day and you’ve got a sure-fire way to avoid the doctor’s office and live a longer, happier life. But why walk when you can run?

While this post will be especially useful for those just joining the healthy living bandwagon, walking is for EVERYBODY. Here’s why:

1. The easiest way to make activity a habit. We all know diets don’t work. Or if they do, the results don’t last long after the diet ends. What does work is healthy living which includes (mostly) exercise and good nutrition. Walking is a low impact, enjoyable activity that you can do everyday as part of your commitment to taking better care of your body.
2. Helps you lose weight. Many people at the beginning of their health journey (including myself!) make the mistake that going harder will give you faster and better results. This is a false belief that will actually do you more harm than good! Your fat burning zone is 50-60% of your maximum heart rate which translates into a walk that you’re just about to break a sweat and can still comfortably carry a conversation.
3. Will help you stay sane. Walking is a meditation exercise, if you choose. Walking outdoors, whether it’s your tree-lined neighbourhood or nearby park, is even better because it provides the added benefit of nature. Nature is known to having a calming effect on the nervous system, reducing stress. Read the rest of this entry

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Negative emotions are toxic. Although they are an important part in the human experience, if we neglect to fully process them, they fester within our bodies and create dis-ease. Eventually, they manifest as illness.

Ever wonder the secret of those who seem untouched by negative circumstances? You know who I’m talking about. They are usually healthy, exude an almost unwavering positive attitude and rarely allow others to affect them.

If they are not among the emotionally detached (those who display apathy rather than understanding and acceptance), then I would bet my bottom dollar that they view the world with a spiritual perspective.

Spiritually-inclined individuals have mastered the art of non-attachment, which is very different from detachment. From Transcending the Levels of Consciousness by Dr. David Hawkins:

`Detachment’ is an ongoing process that, unfortunately, can lead to apathy and emotional flatness, noninvolvement, and indifference.  It can also result in passivity and loss of interest in life. There are misunderstandings of spirituality that teach that even love is an attachment, which is a misconception, for love is an aspect of God; possessiveness is an aspect of ego.

Rather than cutting themselves totally off from emotion, the spiritually-minded simply do not get upset over anything for very long. They feel but do not wallow. They know negative emotions (pity, shame, guilt, hatred, grief, fear, desire, anger or pride) cause them harm in the form of stress.

And not the good stress that helps us grow.

Non-attachment means less personal suffering because emotions are simply emotions and earthly pleasures are fleeting. A spiritual individual does not attach their feelings to any internal or external aspects of life, whether it is personal identity, an object, relationship, social quality, or any other aspect of physical life.

The spiritual person allows themselves to feel but knows that true healing comes from working through their negative emotions in order to replace them with positive emotions (courage, trust, optimism, forgiveness, understanding, love, joy, reverence and peace). It’s like eradicating the dark with an infusion of light.

But how many of us, with good intentions, have been fueled into action by negative emotions? If the end result is positive, are the self-damaging effects worth it? What do you think? Please let us know in the comments below!

Yesterday’s post was a teaser and illustrated some amazing health results I’ve achieved in just a few weeks. This post is the second half of my first USANA products review and reveals exactly what I did to regain control of my life.

At the end of June, I started a supplementation regimen:

USANA’s HealthPak 100™ – More than a multivitamin

The HealthPak 100 delivers a full-body approach to supplementation, designed to provide a comprehensive balance of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals to support the function of various tissues and organ systems in the body.

One box contains a 4 week supply of 56 individually wrapped packets, 6 tablets in the morning and 6 at night:

• the full daily dose of the USANA Essentials™ (Mega Antioxidant plus Chelated Mineral)
• Active Calcium™, a core USANA Optimizer
• USANA’s unique AO Booster™ for added antioxidant protection (contains, among other bioflavinoids, a full daily dose of the grape-seed extract found in Proflavanol® 90).

I’ve researched USANA and trust they produce quality nutritional supplements. They are up-to-date in all the latest clinical studies on nutrition and take into account the bioavailability of their supplements. With a well-balanced, healthy diet, USANA’s HealthPak 100™ can help deliver essential nutrients missing  in even the most nutrition-conscious individuals.

After a week, I implemented USANA’s health program:

USANA’s RESET™

This 5-day, high-fiber cleanse program is designed to reset your metabolism and stabilize your blood sugar. It helps you kick your carb cravings, lose weight and guides you on a path to healthy eating. The kit includes: Read the rest of this entry

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This first USANA Health Sciences product review required me to step back and really evaluate how I’ve been feeling lately. I got a great bird’s eye view and what a surprise!

I’ve been rocking my world over the past 6 weeks and to give credit where credit is due, I’m convinced USANA has been a major contribution to this enhanced, effective state. This post will explain what lead me to try USANA and the positive results showing up in my life.

Background

We’ve been questioning the quality of our current food supply and wondering just how damaging our hectic lifestyles are in these Live Lighter posts:

• Are Nutritional Supplements Necessary?
• Processed O.J. v.s. Fresh-Squeezed
• I Vote For Nutritious Food!

Although I lead a healthy lifestyle (as much as I can at any given time) and am generally very healthy, since September of last year, life’s been harder than it was when I started Live Lighter. I’m imbalanced again. *sigh*

If you’ve been following Live Lighter, you’ll know that my imbalance has been showing up as health issues, including digestive trouble and addiction. Both of which negatively affect nutrition (further complicating the imbalance) and therefore hormones and mood.

A general list of health complaints

Although I still enjoyed good days, by the time June rolled around the not-so-good days were becoming more frequent. To give you an idea of how I was feeling at the time, here is a general list of my symptoms varying in severity and time: Read the rest of this entry

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This past long weekend I took the opportunity to make a trip up North to visit my Mom in my hometown of Renfrew. It was fantastic, like always. On the return trip home to Toronto, I revelled in these splendid feelings and pondered why I felt this way.

Although your circumstances may be different, here are a few possible benefits of revisiting your roots:

1. Support the community. Mom and I had a blast shopping. We picked up food for our weekend feasts, gifts for friends and family and even went on a mini-shopping spree at a clothing and accessories store just opened by my Mom’s new client (Mom is a part-time accountant extraordinaire!). This store owner in particular was extremely surprised and appreciative of my business. But how could I not splurge? She priced her merchandise according to the town’s economy and compared to what I spend in the city, they were unbeatable deals – so we both won!
2. Get reacquainted with old friends. Returning to the home roost after a long day of shopping, there was a note in the door. An old friend (of 28 years) happened to also be in town visiting her parents for a night before she and her family headed to a nearby cottage they’re renting for a week. She saw my car in my Mom’s driveway and scribbled a note asking me to call her cell. They invited us for a visit and Mom and I jumped at the opportunity to see her, her husband and 11 month old baby.  Read the rest of this entry

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Sex is a natural instinct. Sure, we can live without it, just like we can also technically survive without much exercise or whole foods. But when you start fulfilling these basic needs for your body, you quickly discover why healthy living is worth the effort.

Whether you are flying solo or with a partner, here are a few of the health benefits of regular sex from The Hormone Diet by Dr. Natasha Turner:

Note: most of the following arise from increasing and/or balancing sex hormones (testosterone and estrogen) or from the general benefits of exercise. To reduce repetition, benefits without further explanation are attributed to these factors.

1. Enhances libido. Our sex drive naturally lowers as we age. But if we keep using it, like lean muscle mass, we won’t lose it!
2. Adds fire to sexual desire.
   
3. Gives us more sex appeal.
4. Improves mood, motivation and memory.
5. Increases fat burning, bone density, muscle mass and strength.
6. Indirectly supports fat loss and can prevent abdominal fat.
7. Depending on your effort in the session, improves the fitness of the heart.
8. Curbs appetite and food cravings. “Apparently, the dopamine pathways in the brain involved in stimulating desire for both sex and food are shut down by the hormones released immediately after we have an orgasm.”
   Read the rest of this entry

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