It’s been almost a week since I last posted – the reason: a wicked headache that lasted nine days! Here are a few things I learned from this experience in case it can help you, such as what I did to aggravate it, what I did to finally break free from it and how I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Most people suffer from headaches on the odd occasion. I’ve always been prone to them, in fact, about a year and a half after starting this blog, while my headaches decreased dramatically from my lifestyle changes, I began experiencing what I call a “mystery illness.”

When I started Live Lighter, I was on a real health kick. Actually, to be absolutely truthful, I probably went overboard with it. I lived such a clean lifestyle, despite my close social circle living like I used to, that it was almost impossible to keep it up forever – unless I were to make drastic changes with other parts of my life, which I wasn’t ready to do.

Slowly I reintroduced the “damaging” stuff back into my body. As this was happening, not only was work extremely stressful but issues were also quickly developing in my love relationship. Suddenly one night I got a wicked headache. I refused to put painkillers into my body so I suffered through it until I felt nauseous.

Off to the bathroom I went where I vomited several times and had a normal bowel movement. Within 30 minutes to an hour, my headache was gone like it had never happened, though I felt physically drained.

The next time it happened was 6 months later. The job situation had changed and the relationship issues had been addressed. I was laid off and my then common-law husband and I decided to stay together to give it another go.

Over the last few years, this mystery illness became more frequent. At one point, I had it once a month for 3 months! I went to my family doctor who issued a bunch of tests such as an MRI and cat-scan, and everything coming back normal. At the time, I couldn’t afford a Naturopathic doctor and since my family doc didn’t seem concerned, I just let it go to deal with at a later date.

Within the last year, this mystery illness has only shown itself about 3 times. However, this last one was a doozy, with the headache lasting an abnormal 9-days. And I know why, too.

It was an extremely busy week, between extra shifts with my restaurant gig, maintaining Live Lighter as well as my freelance writing clients. I also had a close friend need my support as she was dealing with her brother’s death, a mini-trip to prepare for, income taxes to do, and a few other small but necessary items that popped up that all needed attending to before leaving town for four days.

Because I couldn’t function properly with the headache, I took Advil every day. I also had alcohol, hoping that it would numb the pain a bit. All of this I believe aggravated the mystery illness and prolonged it.

As soon as I had a day off from work, I secluded myself in my apartment, refused to take any painkillers or food and drank only water, tea and juice. I dozed on and off for most of the day and near the end, the old familiar nausea came on. Sure enough, a few bathroom visits proved fruitful, but I still went to bed with the headache.

Thankfully, the next day I awoke without pain! I was stiff, though, and it felt like the headache was waiting to pounce again but as I took it easy that day and ate very light, it stayed away. Whew.

Next time this happens, I’m calling in sick no matter what. I also decided that I couldn’t afford not to book an appointment with a Naturopathic doctor. I will be going to see one this coming Wednesday to finally get to the bottom of this mystery illness once and for all. 

What do YOU do when you have a headache? Have you ever experienced a mystery illness like mine? Please share in the comments below! 

 

Mmm… our bellies are full of good food, and of course, chocolate! If you’re feeling a little bloated like me, you might like to hear about some of my spring changes and why now’s the best time.

As I munched on my chocolate truffles yesterday, I pondered this time of year. It’s the celebration of rebirth, no matter what religion you practice. And since I’ve been bloated these days, often feeling a bit pregnant, I thought it the perfect time to take on a few changes.

Some of you may have abstained from an indulgence for Lent, and if so, you’ve already warmed up your mind with the idea of change and built up confidence more every day when you said, “No” to your kryptonite. And that’s all it really takes for any lifestyle change!

For me, it’s nigh time for a little spring cleanse for my body. I’ve got it all planned out:

1. Eat more salads (with lean protein on top), fresh fruits and soups. Cut out all white foods and processed.
2. Make and drink more smoothies and cleansing recipes. I replaced my busted blender so I’m all set. (Check out this post for 119 cleansing recipes!)
3. Choose healthy snacks and eat more regularly throughout the day.
4. Limit alcohol (2-4 glasses of wine per week) and coffee (1 per day) intake. Drink herbal teas instead.
5. Increase water consumption. Drink a warm glass with lemon every morning.
6. Half an hour walk each day and core exercises every second day.
7. Half an hour of meditation each day.
8. And just for fun: review the Holistic Spring Cleaning Series.

It’s amazing how life can get in the way of a healthy, consistent routine! I’m really feeling good these days, though, and I KNOW I can do this no matter how far I’ve fallen off the health wagon. All it takes is a decision and one step…

And I’m drinking chamomile tea and lemon water as I type this so I’m already on my way.

Are you planning any spring cleaning this year? Maybe a mini-cleanse like me? Tell us about it!

 

 

 

Hallelujah, I’m blogging again! My last post Rollin’ With the Punches was almost two weeks ago when I mentioned my latest life challenge: a computer breakdown. It hasn’t been smooth but I’m back with more lessons to share about health, well-being and personal development!

At the time of the last post, my computer was fixed with a new hard drive but there was a lot of work to be done, including re-installing all my security programs, email programs, configuring them as well as try to recover my lost files. Well, most of it hasn’t gone very smoothly (meaning having to call the companies for support) but at least I now have enough security to blog and email.

I do apologize if the elapsed time has negatively affected anyone, whether you’re a reader or guest blogger; yet I’m confident I’ve been doing my best considering the circumstances. I don’t feel I need to fully explain the situation because I know I successfully prioritized these last two weeks according to my personal needs.

Positive Changes

Before in a situation like this, I would have tried to explain. I would have been racked with stress, worry and guilt because I’d be more concerned with what others would think or how they’d react to my actions (or what would appear to be a lack of action; some would assume I was slacking on my responsibilities as a blogger).

Aha! Not this time. I’m amazed in how I continue to change in positive ways since my spiritual kick-in-the-ass this past summer and in overcoming all it’s subsequent challenges. This time I recognized my needs and priorities, and confidently lived my life at a comfortable pace while dealing with the issues, one at a time, in all areas of my life.

I made those decisions confidently despite what others might think or how they might react. I chose to be respected rather than liked.

I didn’t get (too) stressed that it’s taken so long to get back on my computer because I knew I’d be returning to my hobby and passion when I could manage to do so without compromising my health and well-being. This is the new Steph and it involves accessing my `inner bitch’.

The Old, Sweet Steph and the Consequences

The old Steph (whom I still love and accept) is a sweet, innocent, good-natured woman who constantly thought of others’ feelings, needs and wants before her own.

“But that’s an excellent quality that should be developed,” I can hear you call out to me. “If more people were as selfless it would make the world a better place! Don’t change that!”

But there’s a rub here – if you’re too nice, too generous (especially to those who don’t appreciate it), you often get taken advantage of; and when your giving comes at a cost to your own health and well-being, then you’re not loving yourself and therefore disrespecting yourself.

The old Steph was unsure of herself, and would half-heartedly stand up for herself, beliefs and opinions. I didn’t quite believe in myself in order to be strong to stand up against others’ opinions for what was right. I would often give up and do what was easy: go with the flow and follow the stronger ones around me, even if I knew it wasn’t healthy for me.

Being Healthy, True Self-Confidence & Inspiring Others

Now, interestingly, when I was at my peak health about 3 to 4 years ago, I automatically became stronger and more confident. I DID stand up for myself but because my belief in myself wasn’t quite fully developed, I often became emotionally charged when opposed or felt someone was trying to control or persuade me.

At this point, I came across as resistant, aggressive or pushy myself, and ended up reacting like them (even if it wasn’t their intention) so they felt I was trying to control or persuade them!

The alternative is being self-confident and believing in oneself. When you can do this, you can be less emotional, accept others’ opinions and try to understand them through questions. Hello, conversation!

This shows them you’re trying to understand them (even if you feel you already do understand them and yet still see a different perspective), which in turn usually opens them up to a willingness to try to understand you.

Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood.

After all this and you still cannot agree or even fully understand where each person is coming from, at least you have built some level of mutual respect so that you can agree to disagree and maintain (or even build) the relationship.

The New Steph: Being a `Sweet Bitch’

I’m attempting now to balance my `inner bitch’ with the old, sweet Steph to make a `Sweet Bitch.’ This new Steph makes decisions based on her own health and well-being first, and then considers how it will affect others (if it does), both positively and negatively.

This is a healthy selfishness (read Making Time for Self-Care and What is Healthy, Balanced Caring?) and I believe it comes from self-love, self-respect and trusting oneself. Doesn’t it make sense that when your personal needs are fulfilled, then you have the energy and resources to help others?

The best is that I’m developing my `Sweet Bitch’ in all areas of my life. I’m learning to say no more often and in different ways, to myself and others. I’m recognizing my boundaries and learning how to communicate them clearly and respectfully.

My recent life event and all the subsequent challenges have taught me the most prized self-realization: I know what’s good for me. I intend to never doubt myself again, and to continue believing and trusting myself. I will continue to be open-minded and listen to others’ opinions, following when they seem right to me and staying strong to my own truth if it should be different.

And my biggest lesson of all: forming a strong relationship with yourself is of utmost importance. It must be full of love, trust and respect. How can you expect others to love, trust and respect you if you don’t love, trust and respect yourself?

Do you find yourself making decisions (doing or saying things) because you’d rather be liked rather than respected, so you never know what YOU really want/need? Or perhaps the opposite: where you’d rather be respected than liked so you become obstinate and close-minded?

Photo taken on Halloween (I was an 18th century bar wench – my new job is at a local Portuguese restaurant and bar, Parada) by Rudy Ens of ENspace Photography.

“You, me or nobody, is gonna hit as hard as life. But ain’t about how hard you hit… It’s about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward… how much you can take, and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done. Now, if you know what you worth, go out and get what you worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hits.” Rocky Balboa.

If you subscribe to Live Lighter, you’ll know I haven’t posted in over a week. That’s highly unusual for me but it was unavoidable; life hit me with another punch: my computer blew up last week! I’ve been managing my feelings of frustration of being unable to blog, check email and the general upheaval of my life on my computer, taking it in to be fixed while also facing the loss of many important files.

It’s actually funny timing because I was finally starting to feel settled in my fabulous new apartment (and new life following my breakup – read How to Overcome Adversity and Attract What You Want) and after conquering many obstacles (more on this in my upcoming review on a new energy healing technique). I was preparing to get back into my healthy routine since I lost it in the move (along with my favourite appliance, my Oster blender) on October 1st.

The Universe definitely has a sense of humour. The week prior to my hard drive breakdown, even though life’s been really good, I found myself focusing on the past and lamenting on what I’ve lost. I know most of these negative thoughts and feelings are because I’ve been neglecting self-care again… “I just need to unpack a few more boxes and then I’ll feel settled enough to regain my healthy routine,” I’ve been telling myself.

Immediately following the breakup while I was in shock, it was clear to me that what I needed most was self-care to manage the life event, my stress surrounding all the necessary and subsequent changes, and to create a life solely focused on my own happiness (read My Spiritual-Kick-In-the-Ass Saved My Life). And it was easy!

For the rest of the summer (2 months) while I worked and saved money to fund my new life, search for a decent apartment within my budget and pack, my healthy routine gave me a more positive outlook as well as the energy and clarity to do what I needed and wanted to do. It was actually an amazing, happy time (for the most part), because I was taking care of all of my needs first before thinking of what others needed/wanted from me.

It’s going on 5 weeks now where getting settled into my new pad and a new part-time serving gig has taken priority over my physical wellness. Unfortunately, this neglect is beginning to wear on my mental and emotional well-being. I believe that since I’ve been allowing sadness and loss to permeate my thoughts and feelings, the Universe stepped in once again to smarten me up.

Yes, that’s right, I believe I helped manifest this computer breakdown because I haven’t been focusing on all the blessings that have come along with this new life! I’ve gained SO much to be thankful for during this life transition. The people around me recognize this and they’ve not only been pointing out all this goodness to me but also feel it necessary to remind me that I achieved it because of who I really am.

(It’s interesting how people can sense when your self-esteem has taken a beating or when you don’t recognize your own value. Thank you to all the wonderful angels in my life right now who take the time to share with me what you see when you look at me, the real me, both my current strengths as well as my potential!)

Actually, I’m quite proud of how I’ve handled this latest bump in the road and I continue to surprise myself with my mental fortitude (even though I know with a healthier routine NOTHING can ruffle my feathers – I’ve experienced firsthand this superhuman emotional and mental strength). Bring it on!

Although I struggled a bit when it first happened, I quickly managed my thoughts and emotions. I accepted the situation and potential loss, and accessed the knowledge within me that I have what it takes to deal with whatever the consequences turned out to be. And, that dear Readers, is the positive thinking/knowing which I believe helped create a more positive outcome: my Techno Hero gave me hope I could retrieve all my files!

So, what now? I’m working on regaining my healthy routine once again because I know that’s what gives me strength and a limitless perspective. At the same time I’ve got several options to retrieve my lost files and there’s a ton of work to be done on my computer to get it back to the way it was with all my necessary programs and preferred configurations. Of course, this is on top of work, fun and other responsibilities…

I hope you’ll have patience and understanding (posting will probably be sporadic) while I overcome this latest obstacle. I have a whack of guest posts (they were among the lost files but I may still be able to hunt them down in email saved on my server) and I’m still working on Live Lighter’s redesign.

Have you ever realized that you helped create a not-so-fun event in your life?

In today’s post we have a special announcement for those who missed it in our Thanksgiving Day 2011 post, Live Lighter has been nominated for SHAPE magazine’s Best Blogger Awards! Check out the details below and if you have a second or two, please place your vote.

SHAPE magazine has begun what they hope to be a long-standing tradition, a Best Blogger Awards. They’ve found blogs to be helpful resources in assisting their achievement with their health and weight-loss goals and so they decided to pay tribute to the best ones on the Internet.

They’ve created 6 categories and nominated 20 blogs in each:

1. Healthy Eating Blogs That Make Us Go Mmm…
2. Beauty Blogs for Active Chicks
3. Top Blogs for Fitness Junkies
4. Awesome Blogs for Sports Nuts
5. Inspiring Weight-Loss Blogs
6. Blogs That Keep Us Happy and Sane

I’m tickled pink to share with you that Live Lighter has been nominated for the overall healthy living category, “Blogs that keep us happy and sane.” Yay!

To vote on a blog, and you only get one vote, go to the specific blog’s SHAPE page and in the right-hand column, click on “vote for this blog.” Just to help you out and if you think we deserve the award in this category, you can vote for Live Lighter here.

A BIG thank you to everyone who nominated Live Lighter and all who decide to support us for this prestigious blogger award!

Life sometimes throws us curve balls; and some of those balls land hard, right in your face. But it’s not what happens to you that matters, it’s how you respond to it. In today’s post I’d like to tell you more about my recent spiritual kick-in-the-ass, the challenges following it and how I attracted exactly what I wanted and needed into my life!

Earlier this year I slipped into a depression. Actually, to be honest, it probably started before that. Ever since moving into my first house over a year and a half ago, I’ve been neglecting my self-care. I kept making excuses, like we were in the middle of renovations, as to why I was unable to get back into my healthy routine.

My lack of self-care ended up affecting all areas of my life. When I was only half-heartedly and inconsistently taking care of my needs for my body, mind and soul, life became hard. I wasn’t really enjoying my freelance writing business anymore, and I felt like a fake blogging about health when I wasn’t walking my talk.

Overtime, my self-confidence deteriorated, I see now that I isolated myself, and hello depression!

My Wake-Up Call

This all really only dawned on me when my spiritual kick-in-the-ass hit (even though I knew better because I’ve been there before and got out myself out of it – that’s when and why I started this blog!). As my depression grew, I began using outside sources to lift me back up; not only substances but also a specific person and my role as a partner in my intimate relationship of almost seven years.

My spiritual-kick-in-the-ass came in the form of a breakup. (By the way, it was a good breakup – it was very mature and loving, actually, and resembled the type of relationship we had overall.) I realize now that I lost myself, reached for something to define `me’ and became attached to my relationship, making it and him more important than myself.

Things happen for a reason. I needed the breakup because I needed a wake-up call, a spiritual kick-in-the-ass. As Dr. Rubin says in The Art of Flourishing:

“Although no one courts misfortune, collective and personal crisis always affords opportunities for profound transformation. Calamity threatens the status quo and is often stressful and exhausting, but it is also the ripest time for change – potentially leading one to breaking through. When the existing coping strategies of either a person or an organization are not working they are more amenable to change.”

I read this a few short weeks after the breakup and it was a big AH-HA for me. The intense emotional pain I experienced during the breakup and the week following it was similar to the physical shock I experienced when I had my hot bath accident. It was almost spiritual – everything became very clear to me, especially my priorities.

It snapped me out of my depression and instantaneously I found myself again! I naturally reached out for what I knew would help me deal with this life event: my healthy routine. The first thing I did after the breakup talk was go for a walk.

Post-Breakup Challenges

I had 3 months to save up for rent, find a place and pack. Plenty of time, right?

So I focused on doing what made me happy: my healthy routine, going out with friends, blogging and freelance writing (yes, once my depression lifted and I found myself again, it came to me easily and I enjoyed it), working part-time as a waitress which I love because I get to be social, active AND make money, and I even started taking martial arts – something I’ve been talking about doing for over three years!

I was having so much fun living life again that I didn’t start looking for a place until about 6 weeks before the move date. To be honest, I believe a big part of me hoped that because I found myself again, my ex and I would fall in love again and start working things out.

Plan A was this awesome apartment in renovated old army barracks on the Lakeshore. Funny thing, I ended becoming attached to this apartment! I stopped looking for other apartments and focused on applying to this one while I packed.

Weeks went by and although the superintendent wanted to rent to me, and she fought to get me in there, the property management group rejected my application because my income was too low (I’ve been working solely on my freelance business for the past few years).

Dealing with feelings of rejection all over the board, I worked through the emotional baggage and held my chin up. Whenever I began feeling scared or negative thoughts entered my head, I caught myself and repeated, “I have many perfect apartments to choose from and fantastic landlords are clamouring over renting to me.”

The Move Day Countdown

With 3 weeks left before the move date, I began to search for apartments owned by private landlords. Because I had been rejected for my low income, I knew I had to focus on my strengths. I bought my credit report online and asked a long-time client to write me a glowing character reference letter. I made copies of my credit score and letter from my client, and hit the streets.

Are you aware of just how many indecent apartments there are in the Toronto area? I didn’t until I went looking for apartments within my budget. I must admit, I placed restrictions on my search as I wanted to live alone (I’ve never done so in my 34 years!) and didn’t want to pay any more than what I’ve been paying with shared housing.

With 2 weeks to go before my move date, every day for 4 days I got a big, bad piece of news. First, the restaurant where I worked during the summer no longer needed me. The next day I found out that my co-signer (yes, that’s right, I didn’t give up on Plan A) failed to meet the property manager’s strict standards while the third day had to do with a health issue that I thought was resolved.

With only 9 days left to find a place, my biggest monthly writing contract client broke the news to me that in her merger with an American company, she would no longer need my services. So here I was suddenly with (practically) no income and trying to find a roof over my head. I took it all fairly well that day, actually laughed at it all, but I needed a Plan C to fall back on.

The week before some friends had offered a room in their house as a temporary solution. I felt safe and comfortable with them and knew it would be a good place where I could heal and get back on my feet. I asked if their offer was still open and they said, “Of course!” Whew.

Attracting What I Wanted & Needed

Although these friends made a very generous offer, the next day I crashed with the full realization of my situation. I felt like a frightened child and just wanted to run away or curl up in a ball and cry like a baby (which I did for a bit). You see, it was very important to me to stand on my own two feet and find my own place – plus, I really didn’t want to move twice!

I slapped myself in the face and told myself I could do this. I repeated my `perfect apartments/landlords’ affirmation again, really felt it, and continued my search, making calls and set up 2 viewings for the next day.

The first was a bust but the second, well… my friend and I drove up to the house and my jaw dropped. It was in a gorgeous neighbourhood and the house was just as beautiful. The place was a busy spot, with a construction and cleaning crew running around. I was led into the living room to meet the home owner.

We spoke for over an hour, he showed me one apartment that was nearly completed (it had a stone fireplace!) and another one with an ultra cool layout that was just being started. Not only did I fall in love with the landlord and his crew, he told me the plans for the apartments and I just knew the Universe was sending me the “perfect apartments” for me to choose from.

Since the landlord is in business with his wife, he said he was going to discuss renting to me with her and he’d call me the next day. He didn’t and so I continued my apartment search online. The following day with only 5 days left before my move date, I took initiative and followed up with him. Unfortunately, he gave me disappointing news.

I was having a “good” day and really felt that the Universe was on my side, though. Seeing those apartments was a sign to me that it was possible to find something unbelievably breathtaking in my price range. So when the potential landlord told me his wife wanted to keep the one apartment that was almost done being renovated for their daughter, I was absolutely cool with it.

He told me how disappointed he was and shared with me that in 23 years of renting apartments, no one had ever printed out their credit score for him and that I really impressed him between this and my sparkling personality (ok, this last part is in my words ). He wanted to rent to me!

I told him how much of a pleasure it was meeting him, that it was too bad because I would love to rent from him and asked him that if something else should open up before October 1st, to please give me a call.

Can you guess what happened? Later that day, he called me up to discuss a plan for me to move in! He had spoken to his wife again and although the bachelor wasn’t livable yet and the one bedroom already had a tenant living there, he had come up with several options in which we could make it work and still make my move date!

So, here I am, writing this blog post in my new office in my snazzy, decked out (SO ME) digs, the fireplace is keeping me cozy and I LOVE my fascinating, funny and caring landlord and housemates. And can you imagine that this is only part of the story? There were other challenges leading up to my move date and other instances of manifesting what I wanted using the same attitude of abundance and graciousness!

What’s the moral of this story? First: focus on the positives and be grateful for them. Second: to actually feel the abundance of the Universe and trust It will deliver exactly what I need. Third: catch myself when negativity threatens my well-being and replace it with affirmations of what I want to co-create in my life. And fourth: do what I need to do to help make it all happen in this reality.

Note: I’ll update this post with pictures of the house and my apartment in the morning, when there’s daylight.

If you’ve been reading Live Lighter on a regular basis, you’ll know I’ve been dealing with a Spiritual Kick-in-the-Ass and it’s consequences. This courtesy post is to let you know a little bit about what’s going on in my life right now and to give you a head’s up about how it’ll affect the blog.

While thus far I’ve taken responsibility for my part in my Spiritual Kick-in-the-Ass (and still do), I’ve since realized that it wasn’t only my actions that precipitated the current circumstances. (Yay! Self-blame sucks.) There were lots of factors precipitating the event and I understand now how this needed to happen for the greater good of everyone involved.

Truthfully, I feel a little manic-depressive right now. On my “good” days, I feel enlightened and confident that this painful life event is necessary for all those concerned, that everything is as it should be and it will all work out in the end.

Even though everyday I believe this to be true, on my “bad” days I still find myself lamenting the past and resisting the moment. I’m fully aware that most of it’s simply ghost tentacles of the attachment; nevertheless, I’m experiencing feelings of hurt, anger and frustration, and I struggle between the fear and excitement of the upcoming changes.

I’ve intentionally left out details of this life event to protect my privacy and yet still try to share with you the lessons I’m learning during this trying time. However, I must reveal another clue because it affects you, specifically regarding the time needed to maintain Live Lighter.

As part of the repercussions of this life event, I’ve been apartment hunting and preparing to pack up all my belongings. (As a side note, I’ve also been working with a team to redesign Live Lighter!) Yes, I’m moving, and besides moving, I’m also looking for part-time work while maintaining my freelance writing business.

Whew. It’s a big load and I’m doing my best to deal with it all, including the emotional aspects of this major life event. On a daily basis, I do what I must to maintain my healthy living routine in order to handle the stress – and I’m doing it!

The above picture is recent – I’ve shed almost 20 pounds since July and I’ve gotten even leaner and meaner since this picture was taken! A big thank you to Rudy Ens of ENspace Photography for not only being a good friend and lending his emotional support but also in contributing his skills and talents in capturing a new, stronger and emotionally mature Stephanie!

Meditating, exercise, eating well, taking vitamin supplements (especially vitamin B complex), having fun time, avoiding drugs and alcohol (for the most part) and getting incredible social and emotional support have all helped me keep it together and avoid self-destruction.

(The only thing I haven’t successfully been able to incorporate in my stress-management health routine is sleep – I’m doing my best but for the most part deep and restful sleep alludes me.)

So, things have come to a culmination this month. I’m finding it increasingly difficult to maintain a regular posting schedule here on Live Lighter. Since a big part of what I teach is healthy selfishness and balance, I’m notifying you now that I’m prioritizing my personal life. Please expect that posting will be irregular for at least a month.

I hope you understand. I’ll post when I can to the best of my ability in each moment. (We’ve got a bunch of great guest bloggers lined up, by the way.) I’m excited to return to you completely refreshed, enlightened and, if all goes as planned, with a brand new look for Live Lighter!

Have you ever fallen off the wagon with any of your goals? If you’re human, you probably answered yes. Well, I’m human, too, and in today’s post I bare my soul as a fallen health nut. Hopefully you can relate to me as I share some of my current health struggles and revelations.

It didn’t happen overnight. It was a slow process so I didn’t quite fall, I slid. To give you a better idea of the story, let’s start from the beginning.

As I mention in my bio, I’ve had multiple experiences with getting healthy over the years. Mainly, it’s been a struggle. But I started Live Lighter on November 29, 2007, and was inspired to do so because earlier that year for the first time in my life it was EASY to adopt a healthy lifestyle and lose weight!

Since I had found my “healthy living groove” I was certain this was it. I had successfully stopped smoking and overindulging in alcohol, food and other addictions. I was finally living my life at a high level of performance and health. I had realized a potential in myself that was previously unknown to me. Bliss!

Then in the summer of 2008, I began experiencing challenges in both my love relationship and work. The idea of the relationship ending and the pressure I placed on myself to excel at work was too great. Unfortunately, the healthy ways I had been using to deal with my stress just wasn’t doing it for me anymore.

In response, I chose to cope by using what had worked in the past: addictions to cover up my pain. I confessed to this slip up for the first time in “How to Climb Back on the Wagon (when you’re hanging on by a finger)“. I recognize this was the beginning of the end, but I still hung on for dear life for awhile:

• What David Duchovny & Lindsay Lohan Have in Common
• What’s the Cure for Addiction?
• What is Conscious Living?

At this point, even though I was smoking and sporadically partaking in a little too much alcohol, the other parts of my healthy lifestyle stayed intact. For the most part, I was still enjoying a fairly balanced life through regular nutrition, exercise, meditation, blogging, family and friends.

By the beginning of this year (2010), with my love relationship healed and solidified, we chose to take it to the next level. In May we purchased our first home and moved from a large apartment to a small house with lots of needed renovations that we both looked forward to doing ourselves. About the same time, I was preparing for my first ever speaking engagement at Magazine Canada’s conference!

My life was overabundant with exciting new life changes and challenges. I was handling it all pretty well but the remnants of my once healthy routine quickly dissipated as home renovations continued and my freelance writing career took off. I mentioned this disappointing turn in health events in several posts:

• Overweight: What Kids Say Book Review
• Making Time for Self-Care
• Staying Healthy in Winter: Part 1

I am happy to report that since writing “Making Time for Self-Care” I’ve been doing my best to make healthy living a habit once again. And actually I’m doing very well considering it’s the holiday season!

And as for the positive side to falling off the health wagon, not only do I have full breasts again (I lost them when I had more lean muscle mass than fat), but I had forgotten what it was like to struggle with adopting a healthy routine and all the emotional/social issues that accompany weight gain.

What am I planning to do about all this?

First of all, I forgive myself. I am human and subject to weakness. It’s so easy to handle our stress with destructive means! And rather than look at the above as excuses, I see them as reasons.

However, that said, I also choose to accept responsibility for my actions and decisions over the last two years, all of which have brought me to this current point in time. I also see that the destructive means of handling my stress is a short-term relief and they are not helping me in the long run.

I remember what it was like to live a healthier life: abundant energy, positive moods, clarity, self-confidence, comfortable fitting clothes… I want that once again! And so with 2011 right around the corner, I plan on creating another health plan.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post where I’ll share that health plan with you. Have you fallen off the health wagon? If so, I’d love to hear about it!

Two weeks ago we announced the Sokenbicha Giveaway Contest where we were giving away a total of five prizes to five lucky winners. Today we find out who won!

If you haven’t heard about Sokenbicha yet, it’s this incredibly refreshing, natural-tasting iced tea made from botanical blends based on the Japanese Five Elements Theory and Kampo, the traditional herbal approach to health and wellness. Coca-Cola just brought Sokenbicha to the U.S. last month.

For more info on Sokenbicha, check out my review post, Ancient Wisdom in a Bottle: Sokenbicha Tea, and learn more about the company’s sustainability efforts in the Sokenbicha Giveaway Contest post.

If you’re on Facebook, like Sokenbicha’s page, and if Twitter is your thang, follow them @SokenbichaTea.

Sokenbicha Contest Winners

Before we announce the winners, let’s recap what Sokenbicha had up for grabs. The five winners will choose one of these options:

• Sokenbicha Tea sample pack in a reusable shopping bag.
• Sokenbicha ladies fitted t-shirt.
• Sokenbicha-embossed, leather-bound wellness journal.

Without further adieu, I’d like to congratulate the following Live Lighter readers:

1. Lori
2. Grace Cherian
3. Henria O.
4. Caitlynn
5. Heather

Thank you all for participating in the contest. Subscribe to Live Lighter’s RSS Feed so you can stay abreast on all our future contest giveaways!

Have you had a chance to try Sokenbicha yet? Which one out of the five flavours is your favourite?

If there’s a quality difference found between foods based on source and processing, it’s safe to assume the same holds true for water. Jessica Ryan tells us what type of water is the healthiest for us in today’s guest post!

Everyone knows that water is essential to the human body. It hydrates us, protects our organs and provides our nutrients with a road to travel. These days just about everyone realizes the necessity of ample water intake.

With so many people reaching for healthier options, there are more choices than ever when choosing our H2O. Here is the lowdown on all the basic options available and their varied affects on our health:

Sparkling

While favored heavily in most of Europe and used throughout the bottling industry, this type of water is the least healthy. Sparkling water is still water but with a high concentration of carbon dioxide. The fizz and carbonation in sparkling water is the same acidic mixture used in sodas.

Long term use of sparkling water can present a health risk, particularly for dental health.

Distilled and Reverse Osmosis

This is 100% H2O, making distilled water (or deionized water) the purest option.

The drawback here is that there is no nutritional value. The extra minerals that come as part of the regular H2O package are not present due to the evaporation of the water which completely removes everything `heavy’ to become a gaseous state.

Water processed through reverse osmosis is also purified as minerals cannot escape through the processing. In addition to no nutritional value, water processed with these methods is also high on the acidic scale.

The consensus here is that distilled water is the least healthy of all water options due to the lack of mineral nutrition. That’s the only consensus in the water debate.

The battle between tap and bottled water rages on. The basic argument is that tap water can contain unwelcome contaminants. Bottled water on the other hand has been known to contain the same contaminants and some tests have shown higher levels of toxins like arsenic and excessive fluoride.

Tap

Natural tap water comes from many sources. Wells, surface water and deep water aquifers are all sources for tap water.

In the USA, tap water is under strict guidelines by the government and despite the occasional discoloring or funny taste, tap water here is very safe. Many larger cities have begun using advanced filtering techniques and the process of ozonation. This increased the filtering capabilities by further reducing the percentage of chemicals in the water.

Tap water is also rich in minerals which help many experts to argue that this reason alone makes tap water the healthiest choice. Many people also choose to filter their tap water in their home. This process maintains the mineral content but can help decrease everyday contaminants like lead or e. coli.

Filtered

There are many filters on the market. Some are better than others but the actual quality depends on the original quality of the drinking water.

A more contaminated water source calls for a heavier duty filtration system to remove the various toxins. Your basic decent tap water with just a hint of metal contamination from the pipes will be just fine with a cheap filtration system (on the faucet or water pitcher).

One negative hitch with filtration systems is that they get dirty. Maintenance is important if the filter is to continue working. Without the appropriate maintenance, bacteria and other collective gunk will start making its way into your water.

Bottled

Bottled water has the benefit of manufacturing. Some companies infuse the water with bonus minerals which actually enhances the health benefit of water.

Bottled water is increasingly being held to the same standards of control as tap water, but regulation still lags behind. Many tests have shown bottled water to possess more contaminants than tap water.

The trick here is that it all depends on where you get your water supply from and what brand of bottled water is used. Some tap water is extraordinary while others barely make a passing grade. The same distinctions apply with bottled varieties. This is why it’s impossible to determine one as healthier over the other.

Structured

Natural water from glaciers and deep artesian wells are typically known to be more “structured”. The actual molecular structure of the water reacts to the human body in the most natural way.

Water from many bottled waters and even distilled water are structured differently and may cause the body to process it differently; sometimes even treat it as a foreign body!

Structured water can be created at home through special systems. It is also beginning to carve a luxury niche in the bottled water market. Almost all experts agree that the molecular structure of this type of water is the most beneficial to the human body.

And the Winner Is?

The clear winner here is structured water. The science behind how its molecular structure boosts the human body’s performance is growing with every study.

Water is essential to the human body for hydration and the transportation of nutrients. With structured water this process is done cleanly and more efficiently. It is important to remember that most water is good water. Even water types with a potential to cause health risks are helpful and healthful to our bodies.

Sparkling water still has a large edge on soda when it comes to acidic quality. Even dodgy tap water can be filtered to healthy drinking levels. Bottled water is fabulous for an on-the-go healthy choice and choosing the right brand can provide extra health benefits.

So turn on the faucet, pour yourself a cold one and enjoy the incredible power of H2O.

About the Author

Jessica Ryan is a writer for Medical Assistant Schools where you can browse the top medical assistant programs.

What do you think, Readers? What water do you drink regularly and why?

If you’re looking for another great article about the healthiest water, as well as another one arguing that tap water is healthy, check out, “The healthiest water to drink” from CanadianLiving.com.