We’re always talking about healthy living for the body, mind and soul here on Live Lighter, but what about  the health of our possessions? In today’s post, we learn about what makes our computer sick and how to boost its immunity!

Just as there are dangerous viruses and bacteria floating around the world looking for a host to feed on, there are computer viruses and spyware lurking on the world wide web for a host to infect. Unfortunate but a fact of life, we must protect our computers from mischievous individuals using the web for selfish, harmful agendas.

Last week (shortly after I became ill and dreamed up the perfect healthcare system), my computer was hit with a trojan horse. This is a type of malicious software (a.k.a. malware) and as the name from Greek mythology suggests, appears to be helpful but actually allows unauthorized access to your computer.

As an analogy, this would be like you welcoming a thief disguised as a friend into your home and, on the sly, he opens a door or window to your place so his buddies can get in and rob you blind.

And the trojan horse doesn’t only allow hackers to access one’s personal computer! It also can access a website you upload content to from your computer (like a blog) and also to the server hosting it (posing a risk to other websites on the same server) where the hackers can then upload other types of malware!

As you can imagine, I was upset. But I had to remind myself things happen for a reason. Perhaps the Universe was telling me it’s time I found out for myself about maintaining a healthy computer, and share this info with other technologically-challenged people like me?

#1 Lesson for a Healthy Computer

Although my computer was secured, one little oversight allowed the trojan in: the automatic updates weren’t turned on in my security software! This trojan was new and without the updated version, my security software was unable to detect the threat. Doh!

The rest of the post explains the basic security you need to maintain the health of your computer, but please don’t forget this one lesson and turn on your automatic updates (as well as automatic scanning) on all the security software you install.

Boosting your Computer’s Immunity

Here’s an excellent article written specially for laymen by Erick Simpson (VP of MSP University), “Basic Computer Safety Tips” which covers protecting your computer as well as a few things you can do to ensure your safety when using the internet. Instead of reiterating Erick’s article, please read it before proceeding!

For everyday computer users who use the internet for communicating through email and social networks, and for information browsing, paying bills and some online shopping, this is the security software you’ll need for a healthy computer:

Firewall Software

According to some sources (my computer-savvy Honey for one), a firewall is the most important piece of security you’ll need to guard against malware.

Why? Because even if spyware and other information collecting malware find their way in to your computer, the firewall prevents the hacker from sending info out from your computer to the internet and into other computers.

A good firewall will ask your permission when sending or receiving any information to and from the internet. As with every tool, the firewall works best when the user knows how it works and uses it like it was meant to be used.

You “always allow” sites you trust, and when it pops up suddenly asking you to allow or deny an activity, really look at what you’re in the middle of and ask yourself, “Is there any reason why my computer would need to receive or send information?”

Also, before you allow or deny, look at the information your Firewall is providing you: do you recognize where the data is coming from or going out to? If you don’t know whether it’s good or bad, try Googling it and see what comes up.

Anti-Malware Software (Anti-virus & Anti-spyware)

Not only do these programs help protect your computer from infection, they also scan your system for threats, as well as disable and remove them before they cause harm.

The most popular anti-virus program out there is Norton Anti-Virus, but another good one on the market is CA Anti-Virus.

#2 Lesson for a Healthy Computer

Something else important I gleaned from my experience last week was: if your computer does become infected and you use an anti-malware program to clean it up, there are program files for your operating system (typically Microsoft Windows) that viruses and other malware like to hide in – something like a closet.

To find them, you must run your malware scan in your operating system’s “safe mode.” To do this when using Microsoft Windows XP, start up your computer and in the middle of the boot-up process, press and hold the F8 key before Windows has had a chance to load. For other Windows users, check here.

Once you’re in the safe mode, it’ll look like a rougher version of your normal screen (your fonts and wallpaper image may be whacked). From here, just open your malware program(s) and run a scan here. If it fails to find a threat, you’re in the clear!

#3 Lesson for a Healthy Computer

Always question when your computer is acting funny in any way. For instance, last week I noticed something was wrong when I posted Tuesday’s post here on Live Lighter. When I signed out, my login page had a list of warning error scripts on it.

It’s never done anything like that before and while I noticed it, I just assumed it was a minor glitch. At that very moment, I could have called my techie or my hosting provider to ask them their opinion. Either one would have told me to scan my ‘puter for malware immediately.

It wasn’t until the next day when I experienced the same thing, that I off-handedly mentioned it to my techie. By then, it was tough to find and remove from my computer, it had accessed my blog AND the server. My hosting provider had to quarantine the file and after cleaning everything up, it was password changin’ time!

Putting it together for Computer Health

Like Erick Simpson pointed out in his article, for the less computer-savvy, it’s easier to install and manage a bundled version of these software applications that include firewall, anti-virus and anti-spyware software.

HOWEVER, you should be aware that vendors tend to specialize in one type of software, leaving security gaps in the other software programs they offer in their packaged deal.

For the best overall security, you might want to complicate your life a bit by purchasing separate software from different companies. But, when you do this, you run into compatibility issues! (I’m betting hackers count on these challenges for their success.)

My computer technician, who believes a firewall is the most important aspect of security, suggested ZoneAlarm – the best company he knows for firewall protection. At one time I had Norton running with ZoneAlarm, then I tried CA with ZoneAlarm, but alas, they don’t play nice with one another.

ZoneAlarm Extreme is what I’m using now which includes the all-important firewall, anti-virus and anti-spyware, browser security, email and identity protections AND parental controls!

While ZoneAlarm doesn’t have the best anti-virus and anti-spyware software out there, I’ll have the best firewall out there to prevent malware from reporting back to hackers. If it fails to wipe the offenders clean from my computer, I’ll download trial versions of either Norton or CA to finish the job.

Hopefully this post helps you keep your computer healthy, and saves you time, hassle and stress of removing malware after it’s attacked your computer.

Have you had a computer infection? How did you handle it and what malware programs are you using?

The health benefits of being an early bird are numerous. I’ve experienced them myself and, unfortunately, I’ve fallen off the wagon. Life’s not as easy as it once was so I’m taking the Stepcase Lifehack Challenge to become an early riser in 5 days!

We’ve all experienced sleeping in late and rushing out the door. How do those days usually turn out for you? If you’re like me, horrid. Nothing seems to go smoothly and life’s demands seem incessant. I’m stressed almost the entire day.

The greatest advantage to rising early is starting the day off right: taking the time for personal care and performing activities which fulfill you. This way you’ve taken care of the most important person in your world: YOU.

Once you’ve taken care of your needs, you’ll have way more energy and willingness to fulfill your responsibilities and take care of others.

Stepcase Lifehack’s Early Riser Challenge

Seth Simonds over at Lifehack has shared 5 tips for being an early riser and has asked participants to share theirs in the comments and/or on their blogs. If you’re thinking about taking this challenge with me, I invite you to read up on everyone’s tips, including Seth’s latest post, Do You Have a Morning Ritual?

The challenge officially began Monday but I’m starting tomorrow and will carry on past the suggested 5 days. I figure with all the tips prior to starting, it should be a cinch!

Oh! And this is a Stepcase Lifehack 6-part series so I hope you’ll follow along with me as Seth posts more helpful content during the week.

Steph’s Tips for Early Bird Wannabes

You CAN train your body to jump up out of bed with bountiful energy to greet the day! Here are some of my early bird hacks:

1. Mind Power. This is the most exciting tip I have to share because it reveals just how powerful we really are! As you’re lying in bed preparing to fall to sleep, tell yourself what time you’ll get up. The trick to working this tip is deep breathing and relaxation. Basically, you’re using the power of self-hypnosis – and it really works! I created a nighttime mantra for myself, “I will sleep deeply and wake at 7am refreshed, energetic and connected.” I can now wake up without an alarm, which is absolutely amazing if you knew me when I was younger!
2. Make it Easy. It’s difficult to make huge changes. Our bodies strive for consistency so it’s helpful to work with nature (it’s how I made healthy living easy). Try slowly adjusting your body to your new wake up time. For instance, if you want to wake up at 6am but you normally wake up at 8am, aim for 7:30am for the first morning or two. Then aim for 7am for the next few mornings and so on until you reach your desired wake up time.
3. Avoid Caffeine After 3pm. If you can do it, also avoid sugar (including alcohol) and other stimulants (including cigarettes) late in the afternoon. They jack up your central nervous system and although you may be so used to the substance that you don’t even notice it, they do affect a good night’s sleep. Which in turn affects your ability to wake up naturally and easily at your desired wake up time.
4. Resist Eating Past 7pm. Digestion requires an incredible amount of energy; some say even more than running, swimming or cycling! Sleep is the time for your body to repair and regenerate but if your body’s energy is diverted to digestion, you’ll fail to get optimum sleep or the full health benefits sleep offers. Plus, your body will be more willing to wake up in the morning, craving the sustenance of breakfast.
5. Unplug & Disconnect Before Bed. For at least one hour before hitting the sack, try to avoid stimulating activities like TV, computers, work, movies, games and even socializing. Much like stimulating substances, these types of activities stimulate the central nervous system and it’s often difficult to calm down enough to fall sleep. If you usually toss and turn before falling asleep, this tip might be exactly what you need!
6. Sleep for 7-9 Hours. Everyone is different so you’ll have to discover your optimal sleep time. If you can wake without an alarm and feel rested, you’re getting the appropriate amount of sleep for you. The point to this tip is that if you’re aiming to wake earlier than your usual time, you’ll find going to bed earlier imperative to achieving your goal.
7. Additional Sleep Tips. Dr. Natasha Turner devotes an entire chapter to sleep in her book The Hormone Diet (click here for my book review). This chapter alone is worth the price of the book! To read a little on the importance of sleep and for more of my personal sleep tips, read Sweet Dreams for a Healthier You.

Many of the above tips have to do with getting a better night’s rest. Makes sense, doesn’t it? If we give our bodies the right quality and amount of sleep, we won’t have to do a thing because our body will simply and naturally wake up when it’s time.

Do you have any sleep tips we haven’t covered here? Will you be taking the Stepcase Lifehack challenge with us? Let us know in the comments below!

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

This is a very simple system that anyone can follow. It does not mean you have to make crazy, dramatic life changes all at once, either. It’s about working towards conscious living and making healthy decisions every moment you can.

Here are the basics to prepare your body, mind and soul for 2012:

1. Feel good now. This is THE most important step. If you choose to wolf down an entire bag of chips or smoke a pack of cigarettes, relish it. Guilt is a toxic feeling and will eat you up from the inside-out. But do not ignore it, either. Guilt can be a useful feeling, providing you a clue that you’re probably doing something harmful. Enjoy your current decision and make a better choice next time.
2. Everything in moderation. Healthy living isn’t about sacrifice. It’s about really enjoying life! Instead of eating 4 pieces of fried chicken, which will make you feel horrible later, eat 2 and savour every bite!
3. Exercise. Our bodies were designed to move. Like all living things, we were also built to enjoy fresh air and sunshine. Go for walks, play sports, run, jump, play and pump that iron at least 3 to 5 times a week. It can be as little as 15 minutes at a time, but aim for at least 30 minutes a day.
4. Eat fresh, whole foods. Our bodies function best with primo fuel made by old fashioned nature. Fresh fruits, veggies, clean protein sources and whole grains are the staples. Aim for 80% of the time, leaving 1 day a week to indulge in your favourite man-made foods.
5. Get supreme sleep. Regular, restful sleep does wonders for managing stress. Stress, as we all know, weakens our immune system, overrides step 1 (feel good now), causes us to overeat, and not to mention makes us irritable and difficult to be around.
6. Enjoy regular sex. What could be a better way to achieve feeling good now? Sex, with yourself or a partner, is another super stress buster and actually takes care of exercise requirements at the same time!
7. Be social. This is another excellent way of achieving step 1. You nourish your social needs when you surround yourself with friends and family who make you feel good. Healthy relationships will provide you love, support and fun to really enjoy life now, despite whatever challenges you’re facing at the moment.
8. Meditation. This is mind and soul exercise! It helps you achieve step 1, to feel good now, because you can train your mind to focus on the positives in any situation. It also allows you to access your inner strength, the part of you that’s connected to the Universe and that which helps you create the life of your dreams through positive intention.
9. Detoxify your life. Do you have things or relationships in your life that no longer serve you? Perhaps you have a build up of food and junk in your body that is weighing you down. Cleaning up your external and internal environments will help you feel lighter and give you the ability to cope with life’s downs.
10. Take high quality nutritional supplements. Unfortunately, in today’s toxic world, our food supply isn’t what it used to be. Even if we’re eating a well-balanced, nutritious diet, managing our stress and controlling our addictions, chances are we are deficient in nutrients. Your body and mind will function better if you give it the nutrients it needs.

There you have it folks, everything you need to do in order to adequately prepare yourself for any (controllable) catastrophe that we may encounter when the end of 2012 arrives.

Do you have any tips to share that may help us prepare for 2012? Please share them with us!

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.
14. Exercise.
15. Dance.
16. Sing.
17. Write.
18. Ask yourself: “Do I really appreciate my life?”
19. Simply stop and listen for 2 minutes.
20. Smile.
21. Doodle.
22. Ask yourself: “How’s my posture?”
23. Wash or splash your face with water.
24. Give yourself a manicure or pedicure.
25. Play with those fun musical Chinese meditation balls.
26. Put together an old school picture puzzle.
27. Ask yourself: “What am I feeling right now?”

Since everyone’s an individual, some of the above tips may not appeal to you. Many of them work because they require you to attend to your physical body and it’s needs. This helps get you out of your head and into the present moment.

You can make your own list by thinking of activities that you lose all sense of time when you perform. Hint: they bring you joy!

What are some of your consciousness tips? Please share them with us below!

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

Get out your calendar, a piece of paper and plan your food reintroduction. The next few steps help you do this.

STEP 2: List & Prioritize

List the foods you’re testing and prioritize them. The first day should be something fairly easy to digest (in general) and that you’re pretty sure is ok with you, like plain organic yogurt. The next food will be the next ‘least likely’ to be causing you problems. Leave the `most likey’ foods until the last.

Tip: Since wheat, corn, red meat and eggs are fairly hard to digest (in general) schedule these for last.

STEP 3: Timing

Determine how long you’ll test the food for. Some docs, like Dr. Natasha Turner from The Hormone Diet, suggest to introduce 1 new food each day. Others, like my ND from the CCNM, suggest introducing 1 new food for 3 consecutive days.

Tip: I suggest doing a couple of different elimination diets. You may avoid my elimination diet woes by starting with Dr. Turner’s anti-inflammatory detox. It was very simple and I discovered 3 food insensitivites on it! This is compared to the lack of results on my 1st (more strict) elimination diet.

Stay tuned for an upcoming post, “The Hormone Diet Review“!

STEP 4: Mark it down

On your calendar, write down the individual food or food group that you’ll reintroduce and on what days.

Tip: Use a pencil! Why? You’ll find out in Step 7.

STEP 5: Introduce foods

Start reintroducing foods! Continue eating hypo-allergenic foods but on your first day, introduce the food you’ve scheduled for that day. Eat it 2 to 3 times throughout the day with allergy-friendly foods.

Tip: Try choosing elimination diet recipes around the food that you’ll be introducing. For instance, when reintroducing dairy, try adding grated low-fat cheese or feta to this Fresh Basil & Black Bean Quinoa Salad.

STEP 6: Keep a record

Note your reactions to each food. If you don’t have a reaction, skip to step 8.

Tip: There are a list of symptoms to be on the watch for: gas, bloating, headaches, water retention (puffy fingers or face), constipation, diarrhea, postnasal drip, fatigue immediately after eating the food or the next day, acne, dark circles under the eyes the next morning, constant need to clear the throat, joint pain or stiffness, indigestion, upset stomach.

STEP 7: Stop!

If you react to a food, stop eating it. Wait until the reaction passes before proceeding to step 8. As you can tell by the list above, some of these symptoms may not show up until the next day. This is why some docs suggest to try each possibly offending food for three days before moving to the next one.

Tip: Make any adjustments necessary to your calendar to account for your reactions.

STEP 8: Next food

Reintroduce the next food on the next scheduled day. Repeat steps 6 – 8 until you’ve reintroduced all of your potential food gremlins.

STEP 9: Review

Check out your record and list the foods you reacted to.

STEP 10: Retest potentials

Using this new, reduced list of suspects from step 9, repeat steps 2 – 8.

Tip: This step may seem redundant but other factors can have an effect on digestion and interfere with your test results. Stress, which is hard to control, is one of those factors. Here are some tips to improve digestion.

Congrats! You are done the reintroduction phase! You should definitely celebrate.

Now that you know what foods your body reacts negatively to, you can decide whether you need to avoid that food or food group altogether or eat it sparingly. Sometimes, it’s just worth it, you know?

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.
4. Can be used as social time. Walk with a friend, life partner, family or meet the neighbours during your daily walks. The health benefits of social activity are well known and why not take advantage of getting in some exercise at the same time?
5. Great for minor pain management. Increase your endorphins and the pain just melts away into oblivion.
6. Man’s best medicine. Check out this excellent article by the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety for an overview on the health benefits of walking.
7. Increases stamina and energy. In this study of health benefits of walking, 60% of participants reported increased stamina and 55% reported increased energy. Not to mention 25% reported reduced stress levels and 10% reported decreased levels of illness.
8. Helps you live longer. From lowering the chances of several cancers, heart disease and maintaining a healthy weight, check out this About.com article for study citations. This About.com article reveals that walking just 30 minutes a day adds an extra 1.3 healthy years to your life!
9. Helps prevent depression, other illnesses and a whole host of preventable diseases. Here’s a great article from AARP.org and another published by the Mayo Clinic.
10. Improves sleep and overall quality of life. From HowStuffWorks.com, this intensive article covers a wide array of health benefits including how walking will help you get more zzz’s and gain a more positive self-image and outlook on life.

With all these positive effects from such an easy, cost-effective activity, why would anyone choose NOT to walk? Really, I’d like to know! Please share your excuses, or ones you’ve heard others use, in the comments below.

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:

• 5 day supply of USANA’s HealthPak 100™
• 15 meal replacement shakes (chocolate, vanilla and strawberry)
• 10 snack bars (oatmeal raisin and chocolate peanut butter)
• checklist, daily motivation, food suggestions for daily bonus snacks and helpful hints
• recommended next phases that work for you

The reasoning behind USANA’s RESET program lies in the fact that most people today have become insulin resistant due to poor diet and lifestyle choices. Some foods spike our blood sugar which causes an equally opposite reaction. Our blood sugar drops like a rock and when it does, we crave more food (usually junk) as the body strives for a balanced blood sugar level.

Leading nutrition expert, Dr. Ray Strand, suggests that much of what we assume to be emotional eating is actually a natural response to consuming high-glycemic foods. After a short time of assaulting our bodies with spikes and dips in blood sugar (called glycemic stess), we become insulin resistant. At this stage, the body starts storing sugar as fat (particularly in the belly).

The solution? A low-glycemic, balanced diet can reset the body at a cellular level. It stops the vicious glycemic stress cycle and eliminates unhealthy food cravings. Plus, you’ll store less fat. USANA says that most people can make this change in 5 days.

What I loved about the RESET™

• The meal replacement shakes tasted especially yummy with a serving of fruit (a bonus snack) blended with them (cherries, strawberries, plums, peaches, etc.).
• With less time in the kitchen preparing meals and cleaning, I was able to successfully handle an extremely stressful week. Not only did I meet expectations, I exceeded them!
• The snack bars are truly scumptious. The oatmeal raisin bar is especially tasty.
• Lost 2 pounds in 5 days.
• I never went hungry. Since my main goal was to reset my metabolism rather than lose weight, I helped myself to as many of the bonus snacks (fruit & veggies) and I wanted.
• By the end of the 5 days, my digestion was spectacular! My belly was flat again rather than bloated, my carb cravings dwindled to light, periodic twinges of desire and my stress was under control!

Cleansing side-effects

The second day into the 5-day RESET was probably the worst with a dull, throbbing headache that lasted the entire day. I was slightly irritable but it was controllable. I experienced gas throughout the week and frequent trips to the restroom (although they were healthy trips, if you know what I mean!). I’ve also noticed my first urine or two after taking the supplements is a bright, fluorescent yellow. All-in-all, these negatives far out-weigh the positives!

What I’m not so hot on about USANA products

Looking at the ingredients listed on the products in the RESET kit, there are quite a few that I cannot pronounce. If you read Live Lighter on a regular basis, you’ll know we advocate natural products for healthy living.

USANA Health Sciences is a company which produces high quality products created in a lab based on the latest clinical studies in nutrition. However, good nutrition comes at a cost – most of us lead busy lives with packed schedules that rarely leave us time to prepare healthy meals.

Who benefits most from USANA?

USANA is perfect for those who want to take good care of their bodies but lack the time to do it the old-fashioned way. Even for those of you who do not need to lose weight or reset your metabolism, who invest in organic food and prepare tasty, healthy meals, I’d still suggest USANA’s supplementation in order to combat the effects of today’s typical lifestyle.

Other factors

The USANA 5-day RESET program helped prepare me for the anti-inflammatory detox in The Hormone Diet. With food cravings under control, it’s been a successful 3 weeks maintaining the restrictions in the anti-inflammatory detox and reintroducing foods that may have been causing some of my digestive discomfort.

So far I’ve discovered my body dislikes beef, corn and eggs. Yay! Now I know.

I’ve also been doing regular PSYCH-K with myself, which may have also contributed to my amazing changes!

So what do you think, Readers? Are you ready to try USANA out for yourself? If you are, please contact me: stephanie [at] livelighter [dot] org and I can hook you up with a trusted associate.

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:

Lack of energy, motivation and enthusiasm; loss of optimism (negative thoughts reigned); cravings for sweets, carbs and junk food; increased appetite and addictive eating; mild anxiety and depression; difficulty waking in the morning; mild congestion; weight gain (10 lbs since February); moodiness; PMS; acne; digestive issues (including constipation); joint stiffness/soreness; water retention in hands, face & feet; cold hands & feet; poor memory and concentration; low self-esteem and difficulty making decisions; and irregular menses.

USANA: a gift from an angel

A friend of mine, Tiffany Strobel, called to see how I was doing in early June – it was one of those days. She said she’s been trying some health products that I might be interested in investigating.

She invited me to a Healthy For Life seminar where I learned about USANA’s basic 3-prong approach to health:

• Nutrition
• Exercise
• Supplementation

Eureka! The only missing piece in my healthy living pursuits so far has been supplementation! Considering what I had just learned about the quality of our food supply and my health issues that actually suck the nutrients from my body, I decided to give it a try.

Amazing Changes!

Within 2 weeks I could feel a noticeable difference in my mood. My optimism and motivation returned on a more frequent basis and it was easier to get up in the morning. It’s been 6 weeks since I started using USANA products and all my symptoms have reduced in severity and length.

I feel so much lighter! I’ve lost 5 pounds, have twice the energy, my mood has stabilized, food addictions have been severed, my face has cleared up, and the best part of it all, no more PMS!

But how did I do it?

That’s for tomorrow’s post where I reveal what USANA products and advice I’ve been taking, what I like and dislike about the products, how I reacted on them and who may benefit the most from USANA.

If you’re ready to try USANA out for yourself, contact stephanie [at] livelighter [dot] org and I can hook you up with a trusted associate.