Eating... the Angel Way

How can the Guidelines help YOU?

2011-06-18T07:21:00.000-04:00

That depends, of course, on what kind of help you're looking for. For me, the Guidelines have helped me figure out how to answer the age-old question "What should I eat for dinner?" They've helped me relax and enjoy my food choices. They've helped me make better and healthier choices more frequently than I ever used to do. They've helped me appreciate my food, where it comes from, and the people who work to bring it to me more than I ever did before.

There's nothing especially magical about them, however. They won't make you thin. They won't necessarily make you healthy unless you decide to make healthy food choices. In fact, the one Guideline - "What you eat is up to YOU" - puts the responsibility for every choice you make regarding food squarely on YOU. (Assuming, of course, you're an adult.) The Guidelines do, however, challenge us to show ourselves love by feeding ourselves with real love. In terms of food, real love translates into healthy food.

We are generally so addicted to self-abuse and self-hatred that we tend to frame even the things we do that are supposed to be "good" for us in negative ways. Diets or other food regimens are frequently defined in terms of what we "can't" have. Whenever I've been on a "diet" I don't remember spending much time thinking about all the luscious fruits and vegetables I could have been eating - I remember focusing mostly on all the buttery, creamy, salty, crunchy things I couldn't have. I don't remember celebrating my "healthier" way of eating - I remember beating myself up mentally if I didn't "stick to" the diet.

I may not have a degree in psychology but I do know enough about my own emotional states that I can recognize these feelings are not condusive to healthy self-love. By encouraging us to nourish ourselves in the most loving ways possible, the Guidelines can help nurture a more loving approach to how we feed ourselves, and ultimately, to our relationship with all that sustains us in the wider world. It is no accident that "milk" and "kindness" have been long equated.

Tweaking the Guidelines

2011-06-17T06:19:00.000-04:00

Last night, I gave a talk at Passiflora Tea Shop in New Hartford on the Ten Guidelines. Since it's been awhile since I've spoken on them, and since I've been living the Guidelines so closely, I've had the chance to reexamine how and why and what the Guidelines really are, and what they can help a person do.

Consequently, I've "tweaked" them - added a new one, even! - and reorganized them in such a way as to - hopefully - make them more accessible and useful to others... which is really the point of it all.

So please hop over to the Guidelines page - it's not as fancy or as pretty and there's no PDF to download, but I think it captures the material in a whole new light. Please tell me what YOU think? Thanks!...Annie

Grief and Appetite

2011-06-02T08:17:00.000-04:00

Grief is a complicated process that affects everyone differently. Some people may find they want more food, some people find they can't eat at all. I offer my experience and observations here as an example because loss is a part of life. I believe that part of the reason we reject change so much is because change requires us to experience loss in some form or fashion.

Initially I found that all I wanted to eat was comfort food but not much of it. I felt hollow and empty, but without appetite. When I did want to eat, the foods I craved were all comfort foods - rich, pillowy, and buttery. The ones that weren't sweet and creamy were crispy and salty.

As you might expect, after eight weeks or so, I began to feel a bit more pillow-y myself than I'm comfortable with. I reviewed the Ten Guidelines and decided it was time to give some loving attention to the food I was eating.

I took a hard look at what I wanted to change, and what I didn't. For example, I realized I was drinking far more coffee than I wanted to drink in the course of a day. Rather than impose an arbitrary limit on myself that my Rebel Child would only delight in breaking, I decided to stop drinking coffee at nine AM every morning. After nine AM, I decided to drink mineral water (which I really enjoy in summer) or cold tea made with the herbs I grow in my gardens. (My favorite is chocolate-mint.) Because caffiene withdrawal can trigger migraine headaches, I decided that depending on how I felt every afternoon around 3 or 4 PM, I would have one or two cups of coffee in the afternoon. For me, this is a reasonable way to cut back on the amount of coffee I drink every day.

I also looked at the amounts of rainbow foods - fruits and veggies - I've been eating. Predictably, I've been eating a lot of red foods - strawberries, cherries, beets, red potatoes - which correspond to the first chakra. Grief is such a heart-chakra emotion that I immediately decided to add greens to every meal - including breakfast. ("You're eating salad for breakfast?" my husband asked. "Yep," I answered.)

I'll post more about my journey tomorrow, but please feel free to leave your comments and experiences about how grieving has affected your sense of wellness, dear Readers.

Grieving...the Angel Way

2011-06-01T15:18:00.000-04:00

Dear Readers...

It's been a long two months. My father's death was probably the most profound loss I've ever suffered to date. Consequently, I've been doing very little writing or reading, or even much of anything. What I have been doing is be-ing.

For those of you who follow this blog, you know that the Angel Way is about paying attention and listening to your Self in the kindest and most loving way possible. It's about becoming aware of what your own unique needs are, and then meeting those needs in the ways that are most kind and loving, not only to yourself, but to those around you as well.

Grieving is a complicated process. Sinking into the sadness and surrendering to the feelings, experiencing the detachment, the death and the loss, have taken up nearly all my energy these last few months. It's only been a week or so that I can feel myself emerging.

The world around me has changed, I've changed, and this blog will reflect some of the upcoming changes. Karen's journey is demanding that she devote more time and energy to other aspects of her work. Based on the feedback from the agents who were kind enough to read the manuscript last month, I will be revamping the entire manuscript. IFYOU WOULD LIKE YOUR EXPERIENCES FEATURED IN PART OF THE BOOK, PLEASE CONTACT ME.

I'll also be offering workshops in my geographical area to teach people how to use the Guidelines. I hope to have the revised manuscript ready for distribution - whether electronically or in printed form - by September. Thank you so much to all the followers of this blog and the Facebook group who have shared their experiences with me. It is so gratifying to be able to share these messages and know that others have been helped to a more holistic way of living through them. I truly appreciate your input and feedback and look forward to hearing from more of you.

The winners of March's contest will be announced briefly. Thanks again for all your support... Annie

.

.

The Angels Advise: Plan How You Will Nourish Yourself Each Day

2011-04-06T16:24:00.000-04:00

There's nothing that a human body craves more than balance-- what health professionals call "homeostasis"-- a place of biological, mental and emotional, and energetic harmony.
Unfortunately, our crazy busy lives, not to mention poor diets and insufficient exercise, pull us right out of balance.

One of the Ten Angel Way Guidelines encourages us to "plan how we will nourish ourselves." This is not new information. Anyone who has ever tried to change a bad habit or incorporate a healthy behavior into their lives, has been advised to create a plan. But, we humans have some flaw in our thought process that equates "planning" with limiting our choices.

Thing is we are overwhelmed with choices for everything from shoes to granola bars. If we don't plan for how we will nourish bodymind and spirit each day, then we are going to choose on a whim and often the choice will not be the most loving nor the most nourishing.

Before my daughters were born, I could manage a few days of slacking off on planning. My "listening skills" for my what my bodymind and spirit needed on a daily basis were almost reflexive. I didn't need reminders. Now, as a busy mom, I have two other lives I have to plan for-- from meals to after school activities, my mind is an iPhone App in attack mode. Next thing I know, I can't hear myself think and suddenly, I'm not taking the best care of myself.

Planning, then, becomes essential. I shop for the best quality foods we can afford. Planning menus a day or two out solves the last minute frenzy of "what to cook". If I don't plan, I wind-up grazing while I'm cooking and the kids, who are starving while they wait for me to throw something together, take off on a runaway train to fussyville. Planning prevents this mealtime madness.

If you don't have children, planning can be reassuring as you gently incorporate new ways / new habits into your daily life. Planning boosts your confidence and your chances for successful, long term behavior change because you see--right there on the page or the screen--what you are doing to take care of your bodymind and spirit. If you get off track, planning helps you spot where you lost your way and you can back on track more easily.

Planning with the Power of Choice

expand your choices by shopping at different grocers each week
buy at least one new food to try at one or more meals during the week
write your menu, especially dinners, on a calendar on the fridge-- If you sense your body needs Thursdays meal on Tuesday night, you can always switch.

I like to say my kids have my husband's "meat eater" gene; in reality, their cravings for everything from egg whites to steak probably has more to do with the fact that they are growing so rapidly. their bodies are building muscle and bone and new brain cells by the minute. However, I don't always want meat at dinner. I will include a high-protein vegetarian alternative in my menus a few times a week. As a woman in early mid-life, my needs are so unique from other family members, I find it necessary (and nourishing) to do this in order for me to stay in balance. Planning makes it possible.

What Angel Way Planning Tips Are Helpful To You?

Let us know-- how do you "go" The Angel Way?

2011-04-06T15:42:00.000-04:00

We'd like to know...

How do you incorporate the Angel Way Guidelines into your healthy eating habits.
For example, I've taught my children about rainbows and white-light foods-- connecting the guidelines to what they learn in school about protein, fats and carbs. My girls are 5 and 2.5 years old.

Recently, I did run into an awkward situation when my oldest decided to educate another shopper about The Angel Way:
"You know," she said, "that soda and candy bar in your cart is not rainbow food. It's not the best choice, you know. Your body loves rainbows and you should eat lots of them to be take care of your head and have a strong body and spirit!"

Karen

When life throws you lemons...

2011-04-04T19:58:00.000-04:00

Saturday evening, I received one of those calls that everyone dreads: my dad in California had been taken to the ER and was not expected to live the night. Fortunately, he did live the night - but he's not expected to survive much longer. And so, I'm flying out tomorrow morning to California to see my father probably for the last time.

I won't be posting for a few days, so please be patient.

Thank you for your understanding....Annie

We have winners!

2011-04-03T20:35:00.000-04:00

Thanks to all who helped spread the messages this month!

Our winners are... Kathy Duffy-Thomas, Rosemari Roast and Patricia Bruhn...congratulations and thanks so much!

Thought for today...and everyday

2011-03-29T17:35:00.002-04:00

I don't know who authored this beautiful sentiment, but it was sent to me by a dear friend who very seldom forwards anything. I sent it on to all the wonderful women I love. Feel free to copy and paste this into your email and keep it going!

May today there be

peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where

you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are

born of faith in yourself and others. May you use the gifts that you have

received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content with

yourself just the way you are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow

your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and

every one of us."

Eating...the Angel Way: Book Update

2011-03-27T19:50:00.001-04:00

As many of you are aware, Karen and I have completed the manuscript of the book, Eating...Angel Way and we are in the process of exploring our publishing options. As the Internet has exploded and ereaders are becoming a viable option to traditional books, we have many more choices to consider than ever before.

Over the next few weeks, we both welcome your kind thoughts of support and your prayers to help us sort through all the information and to make the wisest choices that will enable us to spread the Angels' loving messages to as many people as possible.

If you would like to be put on our list to receive publishing updates and news about when Eating...the Angel Way will be available in book form, please email me at AnnieKelleher@aol.com.

Athletes and Eating…The Angel Way

2011-03-25T07:33:00.000-04:00

Just as there are myriad books about dieting, eating and health for the average person in good health, not to mention persons with specific medical concerns, there are an equal number of books on sport nutrition and nutrition for athletes.

If you are "in training" for a specific sport or athletic event, be it playing field hockey, competitive swimming, running a marathon, trying to make an Olympic team or simply wanting to be in top shape for backpacking in the Grand Canyon (like me!), then you may wonder if The Angel Way is right for you.

Yes! Eating…The Angel Way is wonderful for athletes and athletic individuals.

The foundation of The Angel Way begins with learning to listen to your body's unique needs for nourishment, as well as rest and repair. A person, such as myself, who trains in pursuit of a goal that is something more than wanting good health, is wise to listen to her body in such a way.

If you are an athlete / athletic individual and you follow the Angel Way Guidelines you will be able to nourish yourself with the rainbows, white light foods and brown foods that are ideally suited to the demands you place on your muscles and cardiovascular system. Now, you will also find experts suggesting you eat six meals a day, certain quantities of protein and carbs and fats. When you receive such advice and ultimately try such approaches to eating "for athletes", ask yourself:

How do I really feel?
What is the result I am seeing, mentally, emotionally, physically and yes, spiritually/energetically?

Personally, I have tried the advice of many other wellness professionals about what to eat, when to eat, how much to eat, and how long to stick with the often limiting diets prescribed to get me into 'peak performance' - sometimes with less than beneficial results. I have seen young athletes begin in earnest to "eat for the event" only to perform their personal worst in the competition. What went wrong? As I look back on my own experiences, I realize that many of these approaches are overly prescriptive. They don't encourage the athlete - or want-to-be athlete - to listen - really listen - to her or his own bodymind.
According to the Angels, our understanding of the complicated dance of the body in breaking down the food we eat into nutrients and waste products is in its infancy. Many experts fall into the trap of believing that what works for them and lots of others must therefore work for everyone. The only real "expert" on any given individual is that individual herself. If we don't pay attention to our unique needs then ultimately, we are unlikely to perform at our best, whether that be in competition, in practice, or in our everyday lives where we have just as much stress and nowhere near the fun.

Whether your goal is to play your best on the soccer field, to win a medal, or to keep up with your kids, your inner athlete can benefit by listening to the Angel Way.

KMR

Body image: do you love the skin you're in?

2011-03-23T08:09:00.000-04:00

An article on alternet.org today reminded me of the reason the Angels wanted the messages about the Guidelines shared: most of us don't love our bodies the way the Angels wish we would.

The way most of us view, talk about and punish our bodies saddens the Angels very much. For the Angels, our bodies are moving miracles of form and function, and the dazzling diversity among us are the reflections of our unique aspect of the Source we all contain. The Angels are saddened to see the scars left by the suffering we inflict upon ourselves and each other.

But for many of us, it can feel like an uphill battle. I began this journey five years ago in an attempt to make peace with the fact that my body was changing, my diet was a mess and my exercise habits were nonexistent. I had done enough deep work that I understood that my habits were not simply the result of willful laziness - I was reacting to something, something that I could feel all around me and embedded in my bones.

I wanted to make changes, but I wanted to make changes for the right reasons, not because anything or anyone said I "should." The Angels gave me a reason I could embrace: to rejoice and celebrate this marvelous body with which I was blessed.

Please don't think that it's a perfect body according to current standards. No one is coming to photograph me wearing a bikini on my 52nd birthday - at least I hope they aren't. At 5-3 (and a half) and 150 lbs, I am, to say the least, a long way from the size 4 I used to be at the height (or should I say the depth) of my exercise obsession. I'm solid and strong and flexible. I weigh ten pounds less and I've adopted eating and exercise habits that keep me feeling good about how I am treating myself.

When I stopped treating my appetite like an unruly child and stopped banishing it from the room, and listened to what "it" really wanted, what it turned out I "really" wanted to eat were clean, local, organic foods. I found I preferred the taste of free-range eggs, for example, over their pale caged counterparts. When I stopped listening to the cultural messages that made "fat" a dirty word, I felt free to add what I knew to be healthy fats in healthy doses - enough to keep me satisfied for something that is as necessary to our well-being as sugar.

Feeling good about how I treat myself became my reason to make fundamental and serious changes to my diet and exercise habits. But even more importantly, it's helped me accept this new body that looks -at least to me - much different from the one I had what seems like just a few years ago.

What's the single-most important Guideline?

2011-03-19T05:47:00.002-04:00

One of the most frequently asked questions about the Ten Guidelines is "Which one is most important?" Because the Guidelines work together to create the framework upon which any individual can design their own healthy eating plan, it's difficult to say which one is the most "important."

However, the Fourth Guideline - "Eat a rainbow every day and white-light food at every meal" - is probably the Guideline that can have the most immediate affect upon most people. If you begin to eat at least one serving of a fruit or veggie in every color of the food rainbow - red, orange, yellow, green and blue/purple - every day AND to ensure you eat a complete protein food at least three times a day, you will begin to feel the beneficial effect within a relatively short period of time, sometimes as soon as three to five days.

As the body begins to attune itself to the taste of whole foods, and begins to receive adequate raw material with which to repair itself, people often find that their cravings for highly processed and/or artificially sweetened foods begins to naturally diminish. Because the color of the food stimulates, refreshes and rebalances the corresponding chakras, "eating a rainbow" ensures that the energetic body is nourished as well. People start to notice differences in things like hair and skin and nails, increase in energy level or beneficial changes to their sleeping patterns. Preferences or dislikes for certain colors can point the way to deeper work.

This year, spring begins with a super-full moon in Virgo - an excellent energy with which to embrace positive and healthy eating habits, one of the most fundamental acts of healthy self-love we can show ourselves. Loving yourself in this way not only provides the basis for a healthier lifestyle for you - it also links you to the source of the food - the plants, animals and people who provide it. All beings are manifestations of the Divine Source and the fundamental energy of that Divine Source is Love. Eating a rainbow every day and a white light food at every meal can help you, ultimately, feel more connected to that Source and aware of it in every aspect of the planet. This of course, then relates to Guideline #8 - "Eat locally and organically as possible." As you can see, all the Guidelines are intimately connected.

The Angels suggest you try "eating a rainbow every day" and "eating white-light food at every meal" for two or three days in a row,and see if it makes a difference in how you feel.

After all, They say, you deserve it.

Antidotes for Feeling Fat: Good Vibrations!

2011-03-12T09:31:00.002-05:00

I find this guidance very helpful and the wisdom behind it is clear and accurate.

Often "feeling fat" is a dumping ground for other emotions. Feeling fat can be related to the weight of the world you carry-- literally, the challenges of your busy life weighing you down. It is certainly true for me as I balance, work, family, friendships and personal aspirations.

If we are not choosing, by how we eat and how we move and how we care for ourselves, to lighten the load, then the heaviness builds around us.

All of the suggestions Annie posted are in tune with leading edge science: we know exercise can be as effective as medication for alleviating mild depression and anxiety (and has even been shown to help with more significant clinical bouts of these maladies of modern times). Movement strengthens the bodymind on a neurochemical level.

If you bring a positive attitude to exercise of any kind-- one of JOY, then exercise doesn't become another thing you HAVE to do, it becomes something you choose to do for you-- to raise your vibration.

To be sure, if you exercise for vanity sake alone-- for appearance, to drop weight, to please someone else in your life-- as many women have done and too many women (and girls) still do-- you only add to the pressure cooker feeling all around you. To move simple as a way to enJOY the experience of your bodymind and spirit is freeing....and will lift you out of the heavy feelings that can so easily lead to feeling fat, weighed down, frumpy, ugly ____ pick your term.

Remember Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. Gosh those abs on Mark Wahlberg! I digress. GOOD VIBRATIONS. What a song. Turn it on. Get a move on-- Raise your vibration!

How will you LIFT your bodymind and spirit up to a higher vibration, today?

Feeling "fat"

2011-03-11T21:57:00.002-05:00

It's the time of year when I start to think about peeling off the layers of sweaters and turtlenecks I've cocooned myself in for the last few months. Invariably, no matter how dedicated I've been, hiding somewhere in the recesses of my psyche is that awful phrase: "I feel fat!"

"I feel fat" is an uncomfortable feeling. It can strike at any time, it seems - no matter how many potato chips I've avoided, or how many rainbows I've eaten. Most of the time I find that when I stop to think about it, it would be more accurate to say "I feel bloated," or "I feel overly full," or "I feel sluggish." But the way I process the feeling, it usually comes out as "I feel fat."

The Angels have suggestions on what to do the next time that overstuffed sausage feeling overtakes you.

- First, if possible, drink a cup of hot water, with the juice of half a fresh lemon or lime. Drink the water slowly, and if the juice is too sour for you, add a small amount of honey. Consider eating a slice of fresh, dried or frozen papaya. Or, the tablets sold at most health food stores can be a helpful alternative.

- Stretch and breathe. A single sun salutation, done with awareness, and attention to breath, can be very helpful in overcoming energy slumps that may be the root of the "heavy" feeling. Sometimes I realize I'm not so much feeling "fat" as feeling tired, and if so, I try to take at least a few minutes to rest. However, if you're not tired, stretching while taking slow mindful breaths is a wonderful way to refresh your entire bodymind and to get things moving in a sluggish system.

- Move your body - even for just a few minutes. Walk or jog, even a mile or for a set length of time. Lift some light weights, jump some rope, challenge your kid or someone else's to a game of hop skotch. Ride your bike, swim a lap. Dance. Crank up the volume and unleash your inner rock star.  The point is not to punish yourself or to make yourself feel bad about how you feel; the point is to create literal physical movement, so that as you feel your body burning calories, the rest of you shifts to more active state as well.

- Check in with yourself.  Take a few minutes and perhaps journal about what's going on in your life. To the extent possible, give any stresses, worries, challenges, or expectations to the page.   See that by putting it down, you aren't necessarily making it magically go away or resolve itself, but that you ARE shifting the energetic "weight" to a more stable holding place - the written word or the computer document. Allow your journal to become the place where you "carry" some of energetic burden.

- Eat something raw, fresh and green, dressed in apple cider or wine vinegar. Make a green salad the centerpiece of your next meal. Experiment with different types of lettuces, herbs and other greens to find your favorites. For example, I love watercress, spinach, dandelion and other "spring" greens. Include a source of protein, but no brown foods, sweets or fats. Drink water - hot or cold - with fresh squeezed lemon or lime, or an herbal tea that appeals to you. Avoid carbonated beverages if you can.

Teas and Tisanes...a request from a Facebook Friend

2011-03-07T07:46:00.000-05:00

According to experts, only drinks brewed from the leaves of the tea plant, Camillia sinensis, can technically be called "tea."  Tea has been considered beneficial for as long as people have been keeping records of drinking it. Chinese scholars for centuries credited tea with healing properties and as a remedy to all sorts of ailments from ulcers to skin lesions to depression. In England in the 17th century, tea was believed to cure headaches, giddiness, heaviness, colds, dropsy and scurvy among other things.  Made with boiling water, tea was free of bacteria, which made it a much healthier alternative to plain water. And tea also contains vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

According to Linda Osborne in the"All About Tea Knowledge Cards," "black tea contains more fluoride than a comparable amont of fluoridated water. Tea also contains calcium, zine, B vitamins, and folic acid. Green teas in particular contain antioxidants found nowhere else.

Tea also contains caffiene and the longer the leaves have oxidized, the more caffiene it contains. Black tea has the most. However, to give you an idea of the amounts, a five ounce cup of coffee has 80-115 milligrams of caffeine. A cup of black tea has no more than 40, and green tea prepared in the same manner only 3.  Linda Osborne suggests that tea can be decaffeinated at home by pouring off the first cup of water after 30 to 60 seconds, and adding new water to steep the leaves a second time.

A tea made from any other plant is more properly called a herbal infusion, or a tisane. Their use is even more ancient than tea's. Plants commonly used for such infusions are chamomile, ginger, peppermint, lavender and lemon verbena. Depending on the plant, all parts may be used not just the leaves, including the roots, bark, berries, and seeds.

According to the Angels, teas and tisanes can be considered part of one's daily rainbow as a green food primarily, because they're plants. However, certain teas or tisanes, such as lavender, because of the color of the part used to make the tea, can be considered a blue/purple food as well.   An infusion of golden calendula flowers would be considered yellow, and luscious hibiscus, red.  Thus, teas and herbal infusions can be another way to ensure you not only eat a rainbow every day, its a way to ensure you're getting adequate water. Herbal teas, with the exception of yerba mate, don't contain caffeine.  Check out our friend Rose of Walk In The Woods, LLC for more on making wonderful herbal infusions.

Easing through changes...the Angel Way

2011-03-06T12:16:00.000-05:00

Any time we're confronted by changes, whether they are changes of our own choosing, or changes that life presents us with, the Angels urge us to be extra gentle with ourselves. They urge us to slow down, even if only for a few minutes, and really pay attention to ourselves, to our hungers, to our wants, desires and needs on every level of our bodymind. Even changes we decide we want or need to make - adding in exercise or a meditation program or a few minutes of yoga - can be difficult to sustain. Conventional wisdom says it takes 21 days to turn a new behavior into a habit, and more recent research shows it actually takes four to six weeks. Dr. Mala Matacin at the University of Hartford spoke extensively to Karen about how hard it can be for individuals to make proactive changes.

The Angels suggest that if you wish to incorporate a new behavior - say, for example, eating more colors, or walking or meditating - that you pick one or at most two behaviors or activities to focus on per day. Allow your focus to be on something you decide to succeed at. Celebrate that success, and then the following day, try something different, and focus on that. Alternate your focus according to where your energy feels like it wants to go, or even, where it might not want to go but you know better...like, for example, to the gym. Going to the gym,every other day ultimately will result in your working out on average four days a week. Meditating and doing yoga on the days inbetween mean you also do that four days a week. In this way, you can address all the needs of your bodymind with flexibility and sensitivity and without pressure to change everything all at once.

In this way, you will build an experience of successes, and the cumulative effect, over time, will be an overall healthy one. You will also be a lot gentler and kinder to your self.

Sweetness and Cushion-- Sweet Research, Sweet Revelation

2011-03-06T11:24:00.000-05:00

"You may realize that you need to make profound changes in some aspect of your life. According to the Angels, once you begin to address the other areas where cushioning and sweetness are issues, it becomes easier to make the healthier choice."
Annie Kelleher's recent blog post on the Angel Guideline for "every body needs a little sweetness; every body needs a little cushion."

This is the Guideline that I, personally, have the most difficulty with embracing. Not that I don't appreciate the wisdom in the Guideline-- I absolutely agree all things, all flavors of the earth, belong in our diets in balance. Somedays we will indulge more than others-- life itslef is a menu of choices and experienced to be sampled, enJoyed, experienced. The foods we choose are a part of the experience.

In my life, right now, I am facing a number of choices that revolve around my children's developmental needs; family-life-work balance; medical concerns that have surfaced and getting back in synch with dreams I have for myself, independent of the roles of mother, wife, chauffer, friend, volunteer and so forth. Somethings gotta give and lately it feels like it's me. Or it's been quality time with my kids or blowing off friends or volunteer projects and feeling lousy about all of it. There's not a lot of sweetness nor cushion wrapped around my experience at this point in time. i feel my body yearning for something sweet- but not too much-- no, that would be B-A-D. Last thing I need to worry about now, in the midst of everything else, is an extra inch of cushion around my waist. And this is not for vanity's sake. When I'm a few pounds off from my "comfy range"; when I'm a few days ( or in this case weeks) out of synch with the exercise routine that helps me feel strong and healthy from the inside-out, then I don't feel like I'm supporting myself, being kind to myself.

And, here I am, on a trip to visit family, and Annie is posting about sweetness and cushion. Are the Angels talking to me through her? Seems so. Seems like someOne is reminding me about balance and kindness and reminding me to look at things through the lens of this Guideline about Sweetness and what may be lacking in my life, as a whole, not just in my diet/ nutrition habits. And in turn, I LISTEN better for what it is I really, truly need at this time and, with a little prayer, hope that I make the best choices for all.
Karen

SWEET RESEARCH

Health Benefits of Chocolate (from the website Live Science)

Cocoa and health: a decade of research

Karen A. Cooper, Jennifer L. Donovan, Andrew L. Waterhouse and Gary Williamson (2008)
British Journal of Nutrition, Volume 99, Issue 01, January 2008 pp 1-11
http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?aid=1590848

What about chocolate?

2011-03-05T07:07:00.001-05:00

Chocolate is probably the single food item most people ask about. "How do the Angels feel about chocolate" is usually one of the first three or four questions everyone wants to know. After all, chocolate is one of the things we usually "give up" or try to "cut back on." Chocolate is described as "sinful," and generally considered to be one of those foods that you're better off avoiding all together if you're serious about losing weight. Just yesterday, in the ladies' locker room in the gym, I overheard two young girls discussing the foods they were eliminating from their diets in order to lose some weight - which they definitely did not need to lose AT ALL. Sadly, at least to my way of thinking, chocolate was at the top of their lists.

According to the Angels, chocolate is wonderful food that can be categorized as a "green" food - it's part of a plant, after all. Chocolate contains anti-oxidants and other substances that are beneficial to the body, and the brain. A recent study (which I will ask Karen to look up when she returns home!) showed that chocolate can be incorporated by healthy people into a healthy diet with no unhealthy effects. Even Dr. Dean Ornish shared with Karen during a phone interview that he eats a piece of dark chocolate every day.

The "problem" with chocolate - as with all foods - is in the processing. It's what we do to it to turn into the treat that creates the imbalance. Chocolate laden with highly processed sugars and preservatives isn't any more good for you than any other kind of food would be. But an organic chocolate bar or a cup of fair trade cocoa made with just a few natural ingredients can be a wonderful indulgence that soothes your entire being... bodymind, heart and soul. Chocolate, or cocoa powder, can also be added to other types of food - Mexican and South American dishes incorporate chocolate in other things besides desserts or treats.

As with all foods, the Angels urge us to make the kindest, most loving choice as often as possible. Everybody, say the Angels, needs a little sweetness in their lives.

Feeling cushioned, feeling sweet

2011-03-01T08:19:00.002-05:00

Maybe you've added a few extra pounds over the winter, maybe you have a few extra you'd like to shed. Spring is a great time to rev up your metabolism and many of us feel the urge to begin making healthier choices. So what if it's appropriate for you to limit your fats and sweets? What are some ways to make it easier to make the healthier choices, even when every cell in your bodymind feels like it's screaming: "EAT THE ICE CREAM. WITH HOT FUDGE."

"Everybody needs a little sweetness and everybody needs a little cushion" is the guideline which addresses this issue. The Angels suggest we approach limiting intake of fats and sweets by examining all the other areas of our lives - emotional, spiritual, intellectual, and physical - to see if we are experiencing feelings of being cushioned and sweetness in all these other areas, or if there are deficits. Frequently, when we look at our lives holistically, we may see places where, for example, it's easier to eat something high in fat than to address our underlying feelings of not having enough money. If we lack a feeling of being cushioned and supported in some crucial area in our lives, we may turn to dietary fats to create the literal cushion. If we lack a feeling of sweetness in our lives - if we tend to focus too much on work, for example, and don't make time for fun - giving up our favorite candy may only make us feel even more deprived.

It is in this state of energetic imbalance and rebellion, then, that so many of us live when we decide to limit these kinds of foods. Therefore, it is very helpful, according to the Angels, that when it is appropriate to limit these foods, we examine our lives carefully and look for places where we may be feeling less than cushioned and ways to increase the amount of sweetness that don't involve the intake of food. For example, setting aside every five or ten dollar bill you receive can create a monetary cushion that can help address feelings of financial lack. Buying clothes that have soft textures, comfortable shoes or a plusher comforter for your bed are other ways to feel more "cushioned."

Or, it might even be time to look for a new job, find a new place to live, or make more time for fun. You may find you need to address toxic issues in your relationships. You may realize that you need to make profound changes in some aspect of your life. According to the Angels, once you begin to address the other areas where cushioning and sweetness are issues, it becomes easier to make the healthier choice.

Soothing tired skin...an Angel suggestion

2011-02-28T19:08:00.000-05:00

Lately, I've been enjoying a salt water bath every other day. I don't stay in the tub longer than 15 or 20 minutes, and I like to add snips of the fresh herbs I've managed to nurse through the winter...rosemary, sweet basil and aloe. This morning I was thinking about the facial I enjoyed on vacation... and was wishing I could replicate its soothing feeling on my skin.

Any suggestions, I asked, as I prepared my tub. And sure enough... this is what the Angels said to do. This mask is especially energizing for "mature" skin (like mine.)

You will need

3 regular aspirin, uncoated.
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons fresh finely grated potato

In mortar and pestle, grind aspirin to fine powder. Add honey and potato, stir well. Apply mixture to face and throat, avoiding the area around your eyes. Leave on approximately ten minutes. Rinse off with warm water, pat dry. The salicylic acid in the aspirin as well as the enzymes in the honey will act to stimulate and exfoliate the dead cells on top. The potato contains agents that help fade age spots and is also beneficial for blemishes.

Living "now"

2011-02-28T07:25:00.000-05:00

One of the hardest things for me is to remember to live in the present moment. As a single mother, I was always worrying about something. As a writer, there's always a reason to fret. I spend a lot of time wondering if I do such and such, or say such and such, what will happen next. And usually, I can think of so many bad things that might happen next, I can scare myself right under my covers.

Yet every time this happens, I "hear" the Angels, reassuring me, reminding me to breathe, to relax, to focus on the one small thing I might do to change or ameliorate my present situation. My life is changing dramatically right now. I'm standing on the threshold of a whole new phase of my life - and as exciting as that is most of the time, sometimes, it's really scary. When I feel myself starting to become overwhelmed by the fear, I slow down and stop to the extent that I can. Then, I take a few minutes and just breathe.

Mindful breathing is a wonderful way to connect to your sense of the present. According to the Angels, most of us walk around all day without giving much thought ever to the miracle of respiration that happens in our bodies every minute. Connecting to the sensation of the breath entering the lungs, filling the deep spaces, enabling the essential oxygen to enter our cells, grounds us in the moment. The breath can quite literally become a lifeline, or an anchor, stabilizing our emotions and the rest of our energy around the flow of air. This image, of our physical bodies anchored to a pulse of flowing air is a wonderful metaphor. When I remember that what flows in and through me and keeps me alive at every moment is that column of moving air, I become more aware of the other invisible aspects of my being as well as the invisible energies all around me. Then I know I am not alone.

The world can feel like a chaotic, ever-changing, sometimes frightening place. The Angels urge us to take some time every day, breathing and paying attention to the intangible elements that sustain us.

Three ways to win....

2011-02-27T18:39:00.000-05:00

In honor of March as National Nutrition Month, Karen and I are hoping YOU - our Angel followers and members of our Facebook Group will help spread the Angel's messages. As a bonus, we're going to offer some prizes - all organic or hand-made, of course! - for those of you who help the most.

There will be THREE ways to win...and THREE great prizes: each winner will receive a basket of Angel-inspired gifts that include a lovingly created mini art-journal - perfect for planning and listing and an herbal tea, chosen specially for you.

So please consider helping us...here's how to win:

1. The person who recruits the most members to our Facebook Group.
2. The person who retweets our tweets on twitter.com the most.
3. The person who recruits the most followers to our blog.

For 1 and 3, please have the person leave a comment telling us your name, and for 2, please send me a tweet (@anniekelleher) to let me know you've retweeted. Thank you so very much!!

Prizes! There will be prizes!

2011-02-26T07:11:00.000-05:00

Did you know March is National Nutrition Month? In honor of this, Karen and I are turning to YOU to help us spread the word about Eating...the Angel Way. Both of us have experienced so many positive changes since adapting the Guidelines into our own lives. Both of us know so many people who have found "peace of plate." Both of us know so many people who have experienced positive changes since embracing the "Angel Way" of eating...and all the healthiest people we know already followed the Guidelines without realizing it!

We hope you'll help us. And to give you incentive, we will offer (at least!) three wonderful prizes as well as (at least) three different ways to win. Categories will be in things like - recruiting blog followers; retweeting on Twitter, mentioning us on your blog and Facebook.

If you've followed the Ten Guidelines, you know all the wonderful changes that are possible. The Angels want the word spread because we cannot heal the public aspects of our lives on this planet until we also begin to heal our fundamental relationship with that which sustains us personally. Please help us fulfill this aspect of the Angel messages.

More details to follow....coming soon!

Ten Angel Way Guidelines NEW PAGE

2011-02-24T17:58:00.003-05:00

See our new page where you can download and print the Ten Guidelines!
Post on your fridge or shrink the size and carry in your wallet or purse!

Karen

Starting your day...the Angel Way or, Detoxing, part three

2011-02-23T07:03:00.000-05:00

How does your day begin? In quiet meditation, perhaps with some gentle yoga or stretching, a warm bath, an energizing cup of tea? For most of us, mornings are just the prelude to very busy days...perhaps you genuinely don't have time to add one more thing into your morning routine. Taking even five minutes to sit, breathe, meditate or stretch can seem like just one more chore.

The Angels suggest, however, that just as taking the time to eat something nourishing will fuel your body for the work it's about to do, takng a few minutes to focus and to pay attention to the entire state of your bodymind can help you accomplish that work more efficiently and more productively, with greater clarity and sense of purpose.

As part of your Spring detox, the Angels suggest pay attention to your daily routines and rituals. Don't necessarily try to change them, or add to them...just notice them. Try carrying a small notebook or journal - such as the beautiful ones my friend Rose makes at Walk In the Woods, LLC - and notate the order in which you habitually do things. You may find, as I did, ways to streamline, or change habitual routines to make them more satisfying, such as switching to mostly organic and green cleaning products. Small changes can make big differences over time - one grain at a time the ants move mountains.

Eating organically...the broader implications

2011-02-21T09:00:00.001-05:00

The eighth guideline, "Eat as locally and organically as possible," is at first glance as simple and straightforward as it sounds. But the reasons for it are not.

All foods contain energy. The energy in food is shaped by the experience of the food as it was raised and produced. It is affected by the energy of the people who harvest and handle it, so that by the time it reaches our tables, it can carry energetic imprints both positive and negative.

According to the Angels, these energetic imprints, whether or not we are aware of them, can affect us over time. As you follow the guidelines, you may find as I did, that you become more sensitive to the energetic imprints in foods.  It therefore becomes easier to make the organic choice more often than not, because of the "feeling" in the food.

According to the Angels, as more and more of us make the organic, humane, respectful choice more often than not, the broader world will begin to shift.   Because food production is the fundamental human activity upon which our entire culture rests, this is an area where our personal choices can have some very public impact.

Remember when you're thinking of detoxing your body that detoxing ourselves is as much about detoxing our environment, and that environment includes not only the food we put into our bodies, but where it comes from, how it's produced, who brings it to us and how all those beings are treated.   We can begin by making the kindest, healthiest, most respectful choices for ourselves, but ultimately, true detoxification can only happen when all of us extend those same loving, kind and respectful choices to the entire planet and every being on it.

Paying attention or, detoxing the Angel Way, part two

2011-02-17T21:28:00.001-05:00

Have you paid attention to yourself today? Paying attention to yourself is not quite the same thing as being nice to yourself or doing something nice for yourself. Paying attention to yourself is about being true to yourself. It's about acknowleging how you really feel and what you really want - if only to yourself - at any given point in time. For many people, especially those of us who are caregivers, paying attention to ourselves is something we very seldom really do. When my children were small, for example, I frequently found that when I did take time "for myself" I was so exhausted I felt numb. Paying attention to yourself, however, can happen at any time or place, in the middle of a hundred things.

Paying attention to yourself can mean you stick to your guns in an argument, or you screw your courage to the sticking place (to borrow from one of my favorite writers) and ask for the schedule change at work you've been wishing you could have.   Paying attention to yourself might mean saying "no" politely, as well as indulging in a treat. Paying attention to yourself is about finding ways to validate your own emotions - both positive and negative - for yourself. According to the Angels, an important aspect of detoxification doesn't mean getting rid of negative feelings or thoughts. It's about acknowledging those emotions, and paying attention to them, rather than repressing or denying them.

The Angels urge us all to pay attention to ourselves every day, even if only for a minute or two. The Angels urge us to recognize all states of our being without judgement. The Angels understand that for many of us, food becomes the means by which we express some of our deepest and most critical beliefs about ourselves.

For example, I had a friend who was so uncomfortable expressing her negative emotions - most especially anger - that the way she dealt with conflict was to simply shut whoever she had a conflict with out of her life. What was extremely interesting about this woman was that she denied herself all red meat, dairy, wheat gluten, soy, caffiene and alchohol. This was all without any medical or other alternative diagnosis of any kind of food allergies or any other condition that might indicate the need to embrace such an ascetic regimen.   She didn't have any particularly spiritual or political reason either - she was neither vegan nor vegetarian, since she would eat poultry, fish and eggs, and found many vegan or vegetarian dishes unacceptable because of the inclusion of wheat or soy.  The last I heard she was considering giving up eggs. According to the Angels, her food choices (or in her case, food eliminations) reflected her emotional state of denial.  The way she treated food reflected how she treated people...and most importantly of all, how she treated HERSELF.

Taking time therefore, every day, to acknowledge what it is we might want or feel or need at any given point in time is an important step in accepting every aspect of ourselves - even those we might prefer not to acknowledge. The Angels see nothing negative about the emotions we often label negative - our emotions evolved to keep us alive.  Fear, grief and anger are part of our human experience. The Angels urge us to begin to embrace these aspects of ourselves by paying attention the next time we feel afraid, angry or sad, not repressing or denying them.

Chobani...The Angel Way Recipe-- Guacamole Alternative

2011-02-15T16:45:00.000-05:00

I have to say I had never heard of Greek style yogurt until Annie introduced me to Chobani Yogurt. Being a yogurt lover, I can't believe I did not discover Chobani sooner. Perhaps the Angels intervened on my behalf and I am so glad they did because I have so many ways to love Chobani:

Chunky Chobani Chicamole

I don't like guacamole that much but I love my Chicamole!

1 large can of chick peas (the really big can of Goya is one I use)
1 small cup of plain chobani yogurt (six oz)
seasonings of your choice-- examples:
artichoke hearts--diced very well; sundried tomato; grated parmesean or romano cheese, chopped pitted olives; diced green or red pepper; etc

alternative: raisins, 1 tbsp honey, cranberries (these items are spooned in after the chicamole is blended)

I use a Magic Bullet blender.
I place the yogurt in first, then the chick peas, blend and tap down any chick peas that aren't going through the blending process. I'll add a teaspoon of water if the mixture is too thick and pasty. Olive oil can also be used. Blend again. Spoon through mixture. if there are too many unblended chick peas, spoon and mash, then blend again. Continue until you reach the consistency you like. I like mine a bit lumpy because I like this mixture:

on bread instead of cream cheese
for dipping chopped veggies or crackers for a snack
to keep my pita sandwhiches closed I will put a light layer on the pita and fill with veggies, falafel or turkey

If you make the variety with dried fruit, use Chobani with honey, instead of plain.

The Angels just love Chobani-- high in protein, low in fat, great source of calcium! And it tastes sooo good how can your spirit not dance with delight!

"Doing a detox" the Angel Way...should you or shouldn't you?

2011-02-14T18:15:00.000-05:00

The light's more golden, the air is a balmy 52 degrees and the days are perceptibly longer.  Even though several feet of snow still blanket the New England ground, I can feel spring coming. This is the time of year many people start to think about "doing a detox."

As I'm sure all the readers of this blog know, a"detox" diet or cleanse is a food or supplement regimen designed to help your body release toxins or accumlulated wastes that may have built up in the tissues or organs.  However, according to the Angels, for most adults who are otherwise healthy, a detox may be unnecessary, and even potentially harmful.

It can be very easy to overdo a detox, to the point of depleting the body's own reserves. Beneficial bacteria can be wiped out, or imbalances created which can leave you feeling weak.   Commerical detox regimens can be expensive. So here it is... spring is coming...what can you do to bolster your energy in the next few months and help yourself feel as vibrant as a spring sunbeam?

According to the Angels, if you give your body the nutrients and water it needs to perform its many functions, and limit the amount of man-made chemical substances you ingest, your system is perfectly capable of detoxifying itself.  The liver and kidneys are miraculous organs that science can only attempt to replicate...consider how clumsy the dialysis process is.   A healthy detoxification won't occur overnight, and the differences at first may seem subtle.

The Angels urge you to allow four to six weeks and to follow these gentle suggestions:

- Increase your water intake to 6-8 ounces at every meal or snack. Herbal teas and coffee without sweetener counts.
- Eliminate to the extent possible all manmade chemical addivities or presevatives. Choose processed foods made only of natural ingredients.
- Consider adding herbs such as astragulus root, dandelion, chickweed, dulse or ginseng to your diet. Investigate ayurvedic, Chinese or American herbal systems and see what resonates for you.  Consult an herbalist or ayurvedic nutritionist if you feel you need more direction.
- Eat a serving of fresh leafy greens at least three times a day. Watercress, parsley and "spring mixes" in the grocery store are all great choices. Dress lightly with olive oil and lemon, or other fresh herbs.
- Salt only to taste and avoid adding salt during cooking (unless it's to water to make it boil faster.)
- Make the organic, free-range, cage-free, no hormone added choice as often as possible. This is especially important when considering dairy products or meats.
- Consider drinking a cup of warm water with the juice of half a fresh lemon every morning.
- Add fresh papaya or papaya enzymes to your diet. The enzymes in papaya can be as effective as prescription drugs at minimizing heartburn or "acid reflux."
- Try to eat at least one full rainbow every day, or one serving each of a fruit or vegetable in all five colors: red, orange, yellow, green and blue/purple.
- Move your body. Dance. Do yogo. Run up and down steps.  Walk. Go the gym. Whatever it is you love to do, do it.  For at least twenty or thirty minutes a day. You deserve it and your body craves it.
- Follow the Guidelines - especially Four, Five and Six - at least two days out of every three.
- Practice deep breathing with awareness for three to five minutes a day. Simply sit wherever you happen to be. Take several deep breaths all the way into your belly, hold for three or four counts, and then fully expell it. Allow yourself to connect fully with your breathing.

As with any behavior changes, go slowly.  Perhaps incorporate one change at a time, or make a committment to allow yourself to skip one of the tips every day. Moderate your behavior by giving yourself breaks - try to be consistent two or three days in a row and then give yourself a day or at least a meal "off."    The Angels urge you to be aware of your body as the miraculous creation that it is - a living manifestation of the Divine and to trust that it is capable of bringing itself into holistic balance.

What feeds YOUR soul?

2011-02-09T14:30:00.000-05:00

For the last ten days, I've been spending a large portion of my day doing what feels to me like one of the most nourishing things I can do for myself: staring at the ocean. I'm not a very energetic vacationer, because watching the ocean is what feeds my soul.

One of the most important aspects of Eating...the Angel Way is to take some time learn not just what your body is hungry for, but also what the rest of you craves. Your mind, for example, may enjoy the mental stimulation of doing crossword puzzles or playing along with television quiz shows. Your emotions and creativity need expression and validation. Your soul has deeply rooted needs and desires as well.

Spending even a few minutes a day engaged in something that feeds your particular soul may be a different as doing a random kind deed, meditating or praying, attending a religious service, or spending time in nature. As you begin to apply the Guidelines to your own life, you may find it easier to identify what it is that makes you feel spiritually refreshed and whole. You may even see ways in which cravings or desires for certain foods are related to spiritual or emotional needs.

The more aware you become of the root of these cravings, and what fuels the need, the more likely it is you will find additional ways to feed your soul that engage all your senses - and not just taste. Slowing down to savor your food like Angelina, will help you practice savoring all forms of nourishment ...and not just those you eat.

Eating Like a Child: Slowly, Gently, Loving Every Bite

2011-02-07T07:09:00.000-05:00

A few nights ago, I turned from the sink where I had been washing dishes after a family dinner, to observe The Angel Way in action--right at my kitchen table. My almost five year old daughter was eating a mini-ice cream sandwich. After every bite she said "mmm". She closed her eyes. She licked her fingers between bites. She took small bites, as if to make this special treat last even longer. When the ice cream dripped over the edge of the soft chocolate cookie, she'd try to catch it with her tongue--giggling when she made a mess on her face (or hands or the table I had just cleaned :))

"This is sooo good Mommy. Thank you for this special treat. I love it!" she said.

Hmm. Isn't that something. This ice cream treat was about the size of a deck of cards--not even quite as long or thick, hence the term mini. My husband would have been on his third serving had he been sitting here with us. I would surely have been finished in just three bites. And my daughter could have done the same, but she didn't.

Instead, she ate The Angel Way-- without knowing anything more about the Guidelines than the rainbow and white-light foods. She had a little sweetness and never asked for seconds because, as she said, "It was just the yummiest to my whole body!"

Wouldn't it be wonderful if every one of us ate everything on our plate as a child often does: slowly, gently, loving every bite.

Karen

P.S. A few nights later, my little girl ate an Andes mint the exact same way. Now, you know how small those mints are. It was truly inspirational!

Always hungry...always tired?

2011-02-05T14:51:00.002-05:00

One of the more surprising correlations I've been reading about lately are the recent studies that show how inadequate sleep can affect our appetites. Not enough sleep causes a chemical cascade in the brain that literally triggers our appetites. Thus, many people who find their appetites difficult to "control" may be not so much hungry as sleepy and not so much undisciplined as over-scheduled.

Sleep is frequently the first thing we cross off our lists. Many people I know sound as if they pride themselves on how few hours of sleep they can "get by on." And yet, by denying themselves time to rest, recuperate and refresh, these people are actually sabotaging themselves.

Adequate sleep is crucial for good health. Making sure you get enough sleep for you should be a top priority and possibly the perfect place to begin any wellness regimen. Naps count -if you can't get as much as you need at night, schedule time for a nap. Don't apologize to anyone for your need to nap, either - a fifteen or twenty minute power nap and you'll be far more productive if you give in to your need for sleep than if you rely on food, caffiene or other substitutes to make up for the deficit.

Entering Mid-life...the Angel Way

2011-02-02T15:17:00.001-05:00

Human females are unlike any other animal - we menstruate, and then, with at least a third of our lives before us, we stop. This "change of life" is much like the one that turned our bodies from children into adult women; this new change is just as sweeping and just as fundamental.
According to the Angels, the key to managing these sweeping changes is to acknowledge, first of all, is that physically, your body IS changing. You are NOT going to look like the woman you were at 20, any more than you can look like the child you were at 10.  Menopause is truly a time of initiation into a woman's new life as the Wise Crone. Most of us aren't aware of how profound these changes are and try to hold on to what is perceived to be "lost." I actually had a "friend" tell me I was going to feel "like shit" if I didn't take something called BioIdentical Hormones.

However, having survived the midlife years with equanimity, no health challenges, very few hot flashes, I can attest it is perfectly possible to go through these years without resorting hormones or artificial supplements of any kind. The key, according to the Angels, is to be truly present to the state of your bodymind as it undergoes these changes.

In Susun Weed's wonderful book, Menopause the Wise Woman Way, the initial step of your initiation is isolation. As menopausal changes intensify during the premenopausal years many women find themselves desperate to be alone. This is a bona fide need of your entire bodymind. If you don't honor this need, you may well find yourself snapping at the people you love the most - even if they are only preschoolers.   Even a few hours retreat at a quiet park, a meditation center, or a place like Wisdom House in Litchfield, CT, can be extremely helpful to the emerging Crone.

Susun Weed offers these other tips to help nurture your body through this transition:

-Nourish and tonify your entire hormonal system. Menopausal changes occur not only in the ovaries, but also in the adrenal, thyroid, pancreas, pineal, and pituitary glands. Herbal allies are remarkably safe and effective glandular nourishers.

-Increase the number and amount of calcium-rich foods you consume. No single effort will repay you more richly. High levels of calcium in the diet protect you from osteoporosis, heart disease, and emotional swings. Green leafy vegetables (herbs and weeds) are exceptional sources of calcium - as well as the other critical minerals.

-Find some regular physical activity to fall in love with. Even gentle exercise, done regularly, helps maintain peak bone mass, strengthens the cardiovascular system, and insures deep sleep.

- Gain up to a pound a year for ten years. Thin women have more hot flashes and an altogether more difficult menopause than women who weigh more.  Fat cells produce estrone, a kind of estrogen.   This is the reason that your body tries to gain weight during this time. If you don't listen to this innate wisdom, and won't let yourself gain some weight, at least stop trying to lose weight. Remember that dieting decreases bone mass and weakens the heart.

Entering MidLife...The Angel Way

2011-01-30T19:53:00.000-05:00

Last Summer I celebrated my 40th birthday. Most people say I don't look my age and most of the time I don't feel my age, either. At least not the way I remember my own mother telling me the way she felt at age 40 (story for another time and place, but it wasn't anything good). So, I find it interesting that lately, I hear myself saying things like "I feel 40" or "oh, this is what 40 feels like." Most of the time I'm making these declarations, I noticed, happens to be around the time of the month Mother Nature pays me a visit.

I've observed Mother's Nature's Monthly has changed quite a bit for me in the past year, but especially in the last six months. Without going into detail, I have more physical aches, including headaches, that I never experienced in the past--even though, my cycle is fewer days than in the past. (one would think, less menstrual days, less problems!) I often want to retreat for at least day, if not two or three, into a cave. I don't mean a few minutes of quiet or solitude. I actually don't want anyone around me or even near me. Strange indeed for an extraverted person! Of course, with two preschoolers, that's impossible so I wind-up biting my tongue in an effort to not blow my top over the smallest mishap or someone lingering on my leg for a second too long. Not always a success at this endeavor. You get the picture.

I'm listening, as the Angels, and most other healthy eating guidelines, suggest. And what I hear my body tell me is craving mass-confusion! I'm hungry for something chocolate and crunchy and carbs and oh a turkey and cheese sandwhich would help with the blood sugar bottoming out and I need milk and I feel dehydrated all at the same time!

So, I post this question: How do we enter midlife The Angel Way?

Listening. Being gentle with myself. Eating small, nourishing quantities of the things my body craves, treating myself with kindness.

Mother Nature is pretty powerful when she makes her monthly trip down Karen Lane.
What do the Angels suggest we do to enter and navigate midlife changes that leave us ransacked and depleted?

Annie... the floor is all yours (and the Angels, of course).

Why am I eating at 2 AM?

2011-01-26T21:48:00.001-05:00

I came across this question several times in the last couple weeks - a friend's status on Facebook; a recent article on the physiological reasons that prompt these midnight foragings for food, someone else who mentioned he was getting up at all hours to eat.

When I asked the Angels for guidance on this, They reminded me (as I was fairly sure They would) "eat like a baby."

The need to eat at 2 AM - an hour when most of us prefer to sleep - may be linked to many things, but one place an otherwise healthy individual might start is to look at is if their inner infant may be in need of some attention. Babies need nourishment consistently and around the clock. According to the Angels, a part of us never outgrows this need. Getting up at 2 AM to eat may be an expression of that need, one that with patient self-monitoring and gentle redirection might be met in some other, less sleep-disruptive or calorie-laden way.

At the very least, if this is an issue for you and you wish to address it, remember to plan what you will eat. Don't leave yourself to the mercy of a hungry baby at 2 AM. If you have a good idea you might wake up hungry, decide what you will eat ahead of time and perhaps even prepare some or part of it. Peanut or almond butter on crackers with a glass of milk or a hot cup of tea, warm milk, or cereal are examples of ways to meet the need without eating high-calorie or highly processed foods that leave you feeling bad about yourself. While you may not be able to prevent yourself from waking up hungry in the middle of the night, remember that you are in control of what you choose to eat.

Karen's Angel Way Reading

2011-01-22T12:04:00.003-05:00

It's not Sunday, but I couldn't wait to share my recent Angel Way reading that Annie did for me a few days ago. Being a good eater (and exerciser) I don't often need a reading... but I was perplexed by how I was feeling lately and could not pinpoint anything specific that would attribute to what I was experiencing.

Annie asked me to describe how I felt. I told her:

I'm feeling tired but not the kind of tired that comes from feeling overwhelmed or from lack of sleep. I've been attributing how I feel to the weather -- who wouldn't feel lethargic with all this snow! But this usually lasts me a few days and then I get over it. I'm not feeling depressed, either. I'm eating well but feel like something is missing.

Annie responded:

"Magnesium. Minerals. I'm seeing minerals. Do you take a multimineral? What about your B-vitamins, are you getting as much as you think you are? Can you take smaller doses of your vitamins throughout the day so you have a sustained level to work with the foods you eat?"

As soon as she said minerals, a lightbulb went off in my mind. I don't take a multimineral.

Sustained level also resonated with me because I often start the day with plenty of get-up but I run out of steam faster.

I went to a few of my favorite nutrition sources and looked-up foods rich in magnesium. I wanted to identify if I had these foods in my diet in sufficient amounts for my activity level. I also wanted to identify if I craving any of these? Sure enough, both were true for me. here's what I learned:

Nuts and pumpkin seeds are magnesium rich, as are garbonzo beans (chick peas) and yogurt. I had been eating a lot of these foods through the first of the year, but got sick of the same ole stuff so had reduced them in my diet in recent weeks so I wasn't eating much of these, lately. I also had a longing for bananas but the selection in the store was so poor, I stopped buying. I was eating lots of things with tomato or tomato sauce-- even though it's not tomato season around here. I cross-referenced potassium and sodium in foods and saw that I was in need of these minerals in my diet, too. I realized I wanted the salt in the seasonings used with the tomatoes (and everything else, like crackers and pretzles) that I was nibbling on. Bananas, nuts, beans and meats -- all things I either typically eat alot of and/or was recently craving (so not eating much of lately) all made the list. Annie's reading was accurate-- I needed minerals.

I won't go into the nutritonal science, but minerals, especially these three, are critical to the function of the nerves (conduction of signals across the nervous system), regulation of heart rate and blood pressure, and have roles in other aspects of brain function. Potassium, in fact, is critical to the function of every cell in the body. To ME, that = energy conduction.

Sometimes, life with kids and writing and family obligations gets so busy, I don't pay attention to what's going on with me and my nutritional needs. The Angel Reading pointed me in the right direction. I'm aware of the source of the cravings-- a need for these minerals during this 'dark time of the year' and a need to compliment my healthy diet with a good mineral supplement. It'll be a few weeks before the changes I make in my diet and taking a new supplement can manifest in my energy level getting back up to par. Good things come to those who wait :)

Thanks Annie!

Coming Soon to The Angel Way Blog

2011-01-19T15:17:00.004-05:00

In addition to our new post schedule (Annie on Wed., Karen on Sun.), we will be adding Pages to the ETAW Blog:

1. Annie's Page

2. Karen's Page both will feature bios and little known facts about each of us (or something to that effect!)

3. Angel Way Recipes -- ours and yours, so be sure to send your favorite dishes to Annie

In the mean time, if you would like to learn more about Annie-- she has a Facebook page. Karen has a FB page as well as a new website featuring visionary interviews with Caroline Myss, Wayne Dyer, Donna Eden and many others. Other topics include natural health, holistic parenting and metaphysical fiction/suspense.

What should I eat when I'm sick? (a repeat and an update of one of our most popular posts!)

2011-01-19T09:03:00.000-05:00

What to eat when you are sick depends on what kind of illness you have, obviously, but the Angels offer these simple ideas as a general guideline:

Fluids, in almost any form - teas, juices, clear broths, and plain water - are usually beneficial no matter what kind of bug you've got. Chicken soup contains antibacterial agents that make it nature's antibiotic. My neurologist recommends chicken soup to patients recovering from migraines as well because of its restorative properties. Teas with lemon, lemonade, and orange juice are all good for colds. Honey is another natural anti-bacterial agent that can soothe a sore throat.

Ginger or peppermint teas are a good way to ease an ailing digestive tract. Also, don't forget your basic BRAT diet - bananas, rice, applesauce and toast - when recuperating from a stomach bug.

Avoid heavy dairy foods - even yogurt can be too much when you are fighting a cold. A scrambled or boiled egg might be a good white-light food choice, for example. Gelatin is another white-light food that's slips down a sore throat and sits easy in a queasy tummy. The idea is not to tax your system when it is already under stress. Instead, try to stay as hydrated as possible, and take in as many vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in their natural state as possible.

The reason for this is explained by Dr. Andrew Weil - a botanist turned medical doctor - who explains that whole plants contain the compounds we recognize as beneficial in a delicate relationship with the other components of the plant. We don't yet completely understand how these chemicals and compounds interact with each other, but it's clear that our bodies process and derive more benefit from nutrients ingested as a plant than from those in isolation. In other words, it's better to get your vitamin A from carrots, than from a vitamin pill.
For this reason, the Angels remain neutral on the use of supplements. For many women, for example, additional supplements of B vitamins - which are water soluble - can be beneficial when you feel stressed or under assault from cold germs. Also, it's important to get some sunlight this time of year - 20 minutes between 10 and 2 with appropriate sunscreen depending on how fair you are is a good idea as often as you can - or as weather permits!

Chinese herbs such as astragulus root can be added to stews, soups, casseroles or teas. One good rule of thumb the Angels suggest we might all remember is that to strengthen the body's energetic system, strengthen the intensity of the colors you eat. Cranberries, squashes, lemons, spinach and elderberries are examples of intensely colored foods in their chakra categories...and if all you ate were these five through the winter you'd be nourishing yourself quite well.

What's in YOUR (winter) rainbow?

2011-01-18T06:45:00.002-05:00

It's snowing yet again as I write this and the past several days have been the kind of frigid that makes the hairs in your nose freeze the minute you take a breath. This is also the kind of weather that makes me want to stay inside, curled up on the couch with a good book, or hunkered over a stove, stirring up something warm and wonderful. Because we're mammals, there are biological reasons so many of us can pack on extra pounds this time of year, or in general become sluggish or sleepy. It can be easy as the temperatures drop to retreat into our nests of sweaters and down coats and reach for the chips or the chocolate.

But winter - as well as our modern lifestyles - can also demand intense - if infrequent - levels of physical fitness. Snowy sidewalks need shoveling, ice makes keeping one's balance a matter of survival. Slowing down all together, allowing too many extra pounds to creep on, or hiding under the covers until spring is neither healthy nor feasible - for most of us.

Winter is a time to retreat, to go within, to take time to nurture and nourish yourself. Spend time to consider what it is you choose to nurture, spend time considering what it is you need. Good food, fresh water and exercise are all things your body needs no matter what the season or time of year.

The Angels urge all of us to consider how we might nurture our winter needs in the most loving way possible for ourselves. Someone with a strong urge to hibernate might create a cocoon of flannel or fleece. Those who find themselves drawn to comfort foods might explore how to create those foods themselves, using the healthiest ingredients.

The Angels urge us to pay attention to our "winter" rainbows. They say that we may confuse cravings for brown, sweet or fat foods for cravings for red, orange and yellow foods - foods that we may find less readily available or more expensive during the winter. They urge us to spend some time thinking about what we're really craving, and then to embrace our need for sweetness or cushioning or grounding in ALL its forms - and not limit our sensory experiences of these sensations to taste. They also urge us to consider that our bodyminds thrive not just on food and water - they also thrive on air.

Air, or oxygen, is a critical element for our optimum functioning. Aerobic exercise, even gentle walking, helps bathe our cells in oxygen. Joining a gym or a yoga studio is one solution, but a program done at home - even for ten or fifteen minutes a day - can make a difference in how well we navigate treacherous winter walkways or how sore we are after shoveling.

Gingerbread, split pea soup and chicken pot pie are some of my favorite cold-weather comfort foods. Please share, if you would like...what are some of yours?

Overcoming Resistance

2011-01-10T01:02:00.004-05:00

I hate the Winter. There is nothing more that I would like to do than hibernate in New England from November through February, and maybe some of March, too. Since I'm not a grizzly and I can't fly south, I'm stuck here. And I fight with myself on an almost daily basis to get myself motivated to do anything. Granted, my kids will get me outside for sledding, but its only because of them that I overcome my own resistance to being outdoors in sub-freezing temps to, of all things, PLAY!

But there's something my bodymind seems to want more than anything at this time of year... rest, recuperation, and really comforting foods. As I overcome my resistance to the cold and get out there to move my body and carry on with the rhythms of life, I hear my body whisper its cravings to my soul.

When I overcome resistance to Jack Frost's nasty cold spells, and I'm out there making snow angels, I'm doing something good for my bodymind. And when the kids and I return indoors, we seek the comforts of the soul: hearty soups, grilled cheese on fresh baked whole grain breads, earthy foods like carrots, sweet potato skins, and refreshing orange slices (to remind me that the sun is shining, hot and bright, someplace on Earth!). We cozy into the blankets with our warm dark chocolate milk and spend the afternoon with books and games and movies.

If you are feeling resistant to something in your life-- and in the case of ETAW, what you do or do not choose to eat-- ask yourself this question: IF I choose to overcome resistance to a change I know is good/healthy for me to make, what comforts for the soul might I find on the other side of overcoming resistance?

After all, shouldn't more of life be about comfort and joy?

Stay warm!

KMR

On Resistance

2010-12-28T06:27:00.000-05:00

It's taken me over two years to finish the book. As I printed out the final draft, proud as any new mother, I held the short stack of pristine white pages and wondered why it had taken me so long.

Within 48 hours, I had my answer. In retrospect, it's not so strange that I resisted finishing the manuscript. My life is about to become very different than it was. If changes to our own behaviors are scary to contemplate, external life changes can be even more difficult.

And that's what can happen when you decide to become more loving to yourself. Health is not something you can compartmentalize. You can't take care of yourself physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually and not see a ripple affect through every aspect of your entire life. If there's an especially unhealthy area in your life - let's say a dysfunctional relationship - those ripples can feel like shock waves.

According to the Angels, this is what keeps many of us in the same unhealthy place. For me, the intuition that finishing the manuscript was somehow going to force me to confront issues in my life I'd been preferring to not look at, kept me from finishing the manuscript.

The odd thing about all this is that I have no doubt that things will be better - healthier - in the end. But just like a newborn who wants to eat every two hours round the clock, fundamental changes - especially in the beginning can be unpleasant, exhausting and downright messy.

the manuscript is in the mail!

2010-12-21T07:05:00.000-05:00

Thank you to all who have participated on Facebook, and thanks for your patience while we finished up the final edits. I'll start posting more from the Angels later today!

Gentle thoughts about holiday indulgences

2010-12-04T12:31:00.000-05:00

A few minutes ago, I just read a blog about a woman who's trying to lose weight and felt that by ordering a pizza, she was "sabotaging" her diet. How sad, I thought. Pizza's not a bad food at all - especially if you make it yourself with home-made tomato sauce and reasonable amounts of cheese. Surely there should be a way for this poor soul to have her pizza without guilt.

And of course, there is.

Oh, the holidays. For so many people, the mid-winter holiday season might be more aptly called the hell-idays, so fraught with stress, tight budgets, demanding relatives and cranky kids. Just as our mammalian bodies are telling us to quiet down and hunker in, just as the world around us is settling in for a long winters' nap, our calendars are telling us it's time to go, go, go.

No wonder so many of us are tempted to reach for the sweets and the treats.

After all, don't we deserve them?

Yes, say the Angels. You do.

The key is to understand what you really want and how much of what you really want is food.

Personally, my Thanksgiving isn't complete without a serving of buttery mashed potatoes slathered with my own fabulous gravy. I definitely have a roll (or two) and you can bet its smeared with butter - real butter, of course. And after everything is cleaned up and the guests are gone, I sit down with a slice of apple or pumpkin pie and a hot cup of my favorite coffee or tea.

And no, I don't worry about gaining weight or overeating. In fact, I've actually learned I can lose weight over the holidays, simply by following the Angel Guidelines and being aware of what I eat and how I feel. A portion the size of my fist or my palm is most often as much as I need OR want. I've learned other ways than scarfing down a tray of cookies to cope with the stress and to manage the extra work the holidays bring. I've learned other ways to nourish and nurture my inner child, but I NEVER deny that child a cookie or a treat. After a reasonably sized portion, however, if I find myself reaching for more, I've learned to gently put my hand down and consider whether I really want more food, or if I need more nourishment.

Nourishment comes in many forms. The Angels urge us to stop when we find ourselves reaching for the second or third helping and think about what it is we're really hungry for. Chances are, it's not that last piece of pie itself - it's what the pie means to our inner children or how the pie makes us feel.

The Angels urge us to consider what foods we REALLY enjoy, and which foods we might eat out of stress. If a slice or two of your favorite pizza is what you need to get you through, by all means, eat the slice or two of pizza. If Thanksgiving dinner means buttery carbs, eat them in reasonable measure with awareness. Focus on the enjoyment of the food - don't just shovel it down. Allow yourself to really wallow in the tastes and the textures of your favorite foods. Make sure you use the best quality ingredients possible and wherever and whenever possible, make your favorite treats for yourself with love.

The holidays don't have to be the hell-idays when it comes to eating well. The holidays don't have to mean instant weight gain or deprivation. Most of us CAN have a slice of cake and eat it with enjoyment. The Angels urge us to nourish our inner children with love and understanding...and that includes holiday treats.

Feed Your Tummy, Nourish Your Spirit during the holidays

2010-11-30T08:38:00.003-05:00

Greetings Angel Way fans!

I'm still swimming in a see of manuscript pages in preparation for submission to the publisher; I just wanted those of you who are new to ETAW to know that I, Karen, am not a figment of Annie's imagination and I do exist in the flesh.

Speaking of flesh... how did Thanksgiving go for everyone?

I began my celebration by honoring my inner snowflake: I asked myself what does my bodymind most want to enjoy this day? Surprisingly, I filled my plate with the amazing array of veggies, wonderfully prepared turkey and roasted chestnuts that my in-laws prepared. We also had many vegan dishes and asian dishes since part of the in-law side is from China. So, a multicultural celebration and experience for my taste buds. Having followed ETAW for quite a while, it's more or less second nature and I find my body doesn't really desire the buttery high carb foods. I was more interested in the taro root (purple potato like veggie) than the mashed potatos; loved the roasted chestnuts and the veggie-cranberry based stuffing. When desserts came round, I tried an apple-pear crumb pie. One bite was too sweet for me so I set it aside; but the homemade cranberry tart was just right. I wrapped up my day sipping green tea.

I didn't feel deprived or over-stuffed. I felt satisfied and nourished; energized not lethargic.

We all should feel this way after any and every meal.

the Angel Way can help you feed your tummy and your Spirit.

Now, isn't that a great way to celebrate the holidays!

Karen

Where in the world...

2010-11-16T07:32:00.000-05:00

is Karen, you all might be wondering?

Karen and I met on Sunday to discuss our progress on the manuscript. It is coming along a bit more slowly than we had anticipated, but we are both very happy with the way it reads. We are blending two voices and a lot of information, and we are feeling very blessed and grateful for the Angelic inspiration. Hopefully, Karen will begin posting some of her experiences and some of the research and information she's found that supports the Angel Guidelines as soon as we get the manuscript tweaked! She appreciates your participation and is delighted to read about your experiences here and through our Facebook Group.

"Tell everyone I'm thinking of them!" she said, as we said good-bye.

And so, I did.

2010-11-15T10:50:00.000-05:00

Here's the rainbow part of my chart....remember, these are just my favorites!

red: strawberries, cherries, red plums, red potatoes, red onions, beets, cranberries, red wine vinegar

orange: peaches, squash, sweet potatoes and yams carrots, pink grapefruit, cinnamon

yellow: yellow grapefruit, bananas, lemons, yellow onions, yellow squash, parsnips, fresh corn on the cob in season, ginger

green: limes, grapes, baby spinach, spring greens, asparagus, peas, green beans, sweet basil, rosemary, oregano, chives, sage

blue/purple: elderberries, blueberries, blackberries, black currants, purple cabbage, purple onions, lavendar

How about you all? What's in YOUR rainbow? :)

what's in YOUR rainbow?

2010-11-14T09:41:00.000-05:00

Now that you've been paying attention to what and when you are eating - let's talk a little bit about what you might want to be eating, as well.

Notice I didn't say "what you SHOULD be eating."

With the Angels, there are no "shoulds."

However, if your goal is to feel healthier and more energetic, for example, the Angels suggest you begin by creating a chart that includes these categories*:
Red
Orange
Yellow
Green
Blue/Purple
White-Light
Brown
Fats
Sweets

The next step is to list all YOUR favorite foods under these categories. I found it easiest to work with just a couple categories at a time. Under Red, for example, my list included strawberries, red potatoes, watermelon, cherries, beets and cranberries. You can also include spices or herbs that fit the colors - paprika is one I included on my "red" list.

White-light foods are complete protein foods. My list included eggs, yogurt - I could live on yogurt - and prime rib. However, if you are a vegan or vegetarian, rice-and-beans is an example of plant-based complete-proteins.

Brown foods are cereals and grains. Remember as you create your list, that these are YOUR favorite foods. If you have a bowl of oatmeal every morning because that's what the kids eat, but you're not really a fan, don't list it.

In the "Fats" category, I put down foods like french fries and potato chips, because they ARE and I really love them. My list also included things like whipped cream, half n' half, olive oil and butter. Cheese is an example of a food that could be considered a white-light food, but could also be considered a Fat. So put the foods where YOU feel they belong.

Under "Sweets," I listed any treat that was sweet - ice cream (even though you could put that under Fats if you wanted or even white-light food ...it's a stretch, perhaps, but the Angels encourage us to give ourselves a lot of leeway.) My list included chocolate chip cookies, anything caramel and hot chocolate. I also listed foods like maple syrup and honey.

Once you have your chart, take a look to see how many of your favorite foods you are already consuming. See if you ARE "eating a rainbow" every day. You may surprise yourself. Or, you may realize that whole colors could be woefully under-represented. You may see a seasonal pattern in your eating - at this time of year, right before Thanksgiving, I tend to eat more red and orange vegetables and fruits. However, by making sure that I include a serving of at least one yellow, green and blue/purple food, I'm ensuring that all my chakras are nourished every day.

The Angels, Karen and I invite you to try this next step. We would be thrilled to know your reactions.

*In our book, Eating...the Angel Way, both sample and blank charts will be included.

Fourth guideline - Eat a rainbow every day and a white-light* food at every meal

2010-11-10T07:12:00.000-05:00

The fourth guideline – so deceptively simple - is the foundation of the Angel Guidelines and if there is one guideline only you incorporate into your daily routine, I recommend you choose this one.

According to the Angels, the bright colors of fruits and vegetables don’t just captivate our senses and offer promise of delightful tastes. Just as the vitamins, minerals, etc contained in the fruits or vegetables nourish our bodies, the colors recharge, balance and cleanse our energy bodies. The colors of food – red, orange, yellow, green, and blue/purples – all correspond to the centers of our energy bodies - also called chakras. Color has an energetic rate at which it “vibrates.” Thus, eating a rainbow colored salad doesn’t just fill you with good stuff; the energy vibration rates of the food colors themselves also recharges the energy centers – or chakras – of your body.

In the West, we are finally beginning to accept the understanding that “dis”ease occurs in our energy bodies before it manifests in our physical bodies. Recognizing that the energy body needs to be nourished as well as the physical body, and choosing to eat that which will only not fill your body but feed your soul is an act of healthy self love.

The reason the Angels urge us to “eat a rainbow every day” is that this way the first five (or six) energy centers that are most intimately connected to the physical body are also replenished every day. The more rainbows you eat, the better you feel.

In my case, I also experienced greater clarity in my intuitive senses as well. My accuracy when doing professional intuitive readings for clients soared exponentially. My ability to comprehend the “bigger picture” and withstand the vicissitudes of life with equanimity increased. I became more and more sure of my ability to make healthy food choices because I finally knew what “healthy” felt like. I could feel my body cringing in the grocery store when we passed the overly-processed, additive-laden foods. As I became more and more used to making healthy food choices, I was also able to make healthier life choices in general. I was able to see areas where situations or relationships were unhealthy. I was thus able to make adjustments in those areas of my life. I was able to trust that the decisions I was making were ultimately going to be just as the healthy as the food with which I was feeding my body.

If all you do is make sure you include one serving of a red, orange, yellow, green and blue/purple fruit or vegetable across the day, you will be well on your way to nourishing your body – your whole body - in a loving way.

Guideline #3 and why it might be okay if you're a "picky" eater

2010-11-07T12:08:00.000-05:00

One of the great puzzles confronting every woman I have ever discussed food or dieting with is the fact that every diet, every food plan, every philosophy or style or even cuisine, seems to affect every woman differently. It seems natural and logical to turn to those closest to you of the same sex – in age, blood relationship, or socio-economic status – in order to discern what will keep you feeling energized and well-nourished while maintaining a healthy weight.

But it’s not.

I can’t tell you the number of diets, food plans and lifestyle approaches I’ve tried, let alone the advice and recommendations of friends and family. Some approaches and some of the advice have “worked” – sort of. On some diets, I’ve definitely lost weight. But what if you don’t necessarily want or need to lose weight? What if you just want to make peace with the skin you’re in?

That’s the place I reached when I turned to Divine Guidance for help in figuring it out. And when I asked the Angels why it seemed especially difficult for women to figure out what to eat, They responded with one of my favorite answers: “Men are like raindrops; women are like snowflakes.”

In other words, men and women don’t just vary from each other metabolically – the range of what is normal varies across a much broader of spectrum for women than it does for men. Thus, it can be harder for women to discern what helps them feel best.

In conducting research on the scientific reasons why this could be so, Karen found that there is no standard recipe for each of us to follow when it comes to the relationship between food and your body—its many physiological processes and mental-emotional states (moods). In her book, Energy Medicine for Women, Donna Eden explains that the same food combinations that cause one woman lose weight, or otherwise feel her best can easily cause another woman to feel sluggish, moody or to gain weight.

For many of women, the media, and even testimony from trusted friends and family members, creates an expectation about how their bodies should respond to a particular way of eating or exercise. Wellness expert Kathy Freston, in her book Quantum Wellness, points out that many women blindly accept that certain foods are supposed to affect them in a certain way: “Eating consciously means not blindly accepting that certain foods are good for you simply because they are marketed that way.”

The Angels wish all of us to appreciate ourselves as the unique manifestations of the Divine and to our individual bodies – whatever its quirks - as expressions of that Divine Source in the world. The place to begin showing this Divine Spirit that you love or venerate it is by showing love to yourself. One of the most primal – and obvious – expression of that love is in how we choose to feed ourselves.

If you are a woman, accept that your body may be far more different even from your closest blood relatives. Your body may react to certain types or groups of foods in different and possibly unexpected ways. Or, you may find certain prescriptive eating plans only effective to a limited degree. Generally, however, the harder you make it for yourself to eat in a healthy way, the less likely it is you will find it easy to succeed.

The Angels urge us to accept ourselves for who we are – and that begins with our physical bodies. Within certain broad parameters, everyone is different. Women will find that it can require more time and care and attention to figure out what is best for them. The next few Guidelines lay out in broadest terms what to include.

Feeling Full... the Silver Spoon Meditation

2010-11-06T19:09:00.002-04:00

The following is a meditation that took me a while to feel ready to try.  The reason for this was that I intuitively understood that this meditation would bring me face to face with old and very personal food issues. It took me a while and many false starts to complete the meditation all the way through.  However, after completing it just once, I found it so powerfully beneficial and insightful, I have come to enjoy this mediation very much.

The power of the meditation lies in its ability to help you make connections between feelings and food. When, in the course of the meditation, I see myself reaching for the bowl of buttery mashed potatoes covered in turkey gravy - served by my mother wearing a ruffled apron - I know it's not time to grab the peeler and the turkey roaster; it's time to offer myself some heavy-duty mothering.  As an adult, I know there are many ways to meet my need to be mothered - and actually eating all those potatoes isn't one of them. This mediation has become a vehicle for me to understand how to feel truly "fed."

Do not attempt this meditation until YOU feel ready to embrace the full spectrum of thoughts, emotions and images that your subconscious mind can conjure when it comes to eating and body. The purpose of the meditation is to create a link of understanding between you, your feelings and the foods you love.

Be patient and gentle with yourself.

For people who have food-related physical or emotional issues , I recommend you show this meditation to your health practitioner to help you assess if it is appropriate for you.

- Choose a time and place where you will have a few minutes to yourself. Make sure you are not hungry. Have a journal or notepad handy.

Bring your attention to your breathing, and focus on each body part in turn, from the tips of your toes to the top of your head, relaxing, then tensing, then relaxing, until you are completely aware of any tension you may have been carrying in your body. Take a few minutes to pay some extra attention to these places…some of them may surprise you.

- When you are ready,imagine if you will, a large table on which are placed all of your favorite foods, no matter what they are or how “bad” they are for you. Allow yourself to envision everything you really like spread out before you, perfectly prepared just the way YOU like it, at the perfect temperature. Give yourself permission to imagine how wonderful each food smells, how good each food looks as it steams or glistens in its serving dish. Wallow in the images of all of these foods, and then, if you so desire, choose one, or allow one to choose you.

As you look around the table, you notice a single dish and a single silver spoon. The silver spoon is bright and shining. When you pick it up, it feels good in your hand. Take a moment or two and see if there's something special about this spoon that makes it uniquely yours.  Then, when you are ready, take as much of your chosen food as you would like. Allow whatever memories, associations or images your mind may show you to flow freely in and out as you envision yourself enjoying and savoring this food. Feel free to imagine yourself eating your fill. Understand there is something about this food that meets a deeply rooted need.

When you are full, put down the spoon. Notice that the serving dish is as full as it ever was. Notice that you are comfortably full. Notice the spoon is bright and shiny and clean. Realize that you may return here whenever you wish to feast as often and as completely on any of your favorite foods. The ability to come to this place is yours.

When you are ready, allow yourself to come back to the present moment. Note any impressions you received during the meditation, such as the food you chose to eat (or which chose you), who served the food to you, how much of it you ate, how you felt as you ate it, or any memories or other sensations that came to you. If possible, indulge in a serving of your chosen food at some point in the next several days. Again, note your response to any images or associations that come if and when you actually eat the food. Pay attention to your dreams or journaling.

WHY what you eat is up to you

2010-11-06T08:09:00.004-04:00

A few days ago, I happened to read an Internet article authored by a well-known expert on nutrition in his well-circulated newsletter that made the assertion that fructose – or the kind of sugar contained in fruit - is “bad” for you. Unfortunately, just a few paragraphs later, the very same article by the very same "expert" recommended the consumption of high quantities of berries for their antioxidant qualities.

Just this afternoon, I was sipping tea in Passiflora when I happened to overhear a lady asking the owner, an ayurvedic consultant, for advice about what she should be eating. Unfortunately, this customer had an excuse why every suggestion Karen - the owner - made was wrong for her. “I have to do everything the opposite of what I’m told to do,” she announced. Clearly, this was an individual suffering from, among other things, authority-overload.

One of the most important aspects of the Angel Way Guidelines is the Angels’ insistence that for adults without serious physical, emotional or financial challenges, the power to decide where, what, when and how to eat is theirs alone. However, as simple and as self-evident as this may sound, our choices about food are often a complex mix of our body’s needs, our minds’ beliefs, our emotions and our spiritual cravings…not to mention environmental and cultural influences!

Sorting through all this is not easy.

We are not generally encouraged to turn inward to seek information about ourselves. From a very early age, we are taught that the authority to make decisions about what's best for us lies outside of us somewhere: in our parents, in a Diety that stands apart from His creation, in documents written hundreds or thousands of years ago, or in the pronouncements, conclusions, hypotheses, and theories only a small number of very highly educated scientists can understand. For most of us, this sets us on a life-long course of relying on someone else to tell us what we "should" or "should not" do - or, in this case, eat.

This is not to say there's anything "wrong" with seeking knowledge outside of one's self. When it comes to you as a unique manifestation of the Divine, it is not a complete approach. Nor does it always reinforce or nurture the understanding that the ultimate authority on you - is YOU.

The Angels assure us that the Answers are as much within as without, that we are all manifestations of the Divine and we are all connected, almost like a great internet. As more and more human beings awaken and embrace their sixth senses, as well as experience their connectedness to Source and to each other, it feel more and more natural to seek the answers within. However, it took me some major readjustments in my thinking to be able to do that. The Angel Way Guidelines are meant to help all of us develop more confidence in trusting this innate wisdom.

Physical and emotional conditions can affect the choices we need to make in order to truly show ourselves how much we love ourselves. This is why it is important to understand that the Angel Way Guidelines are meant to serve as a framework upon which to build your unique and ideal food plan.

As you proceed with Eating… the Angel Way, keep the following in mind: Your body provides you with a great deal of information about what nourishment it needs. According to Donna Eden and Michael Feinstein, in their book Energy Medicine, “Your body will cause you to crave the nutrients it needs, when it needs them.” The key for so many of us is learning how to trust and correctly interpret the body’s signals so that we can respond appropriately.

The Angels understand that none of us set out to become unhealthy. None of us intend to make less than optimal food choices. Most of us, however, become confused when the outside authorities contradict not only themselves but sometimes their own information, AND when the source to the ultimate authority on you – YOU – is cut off. No wonder we don’t know what to eat.

The Angels never told me what I was “supposed” to eat. The Angels encouraged me to discover what it was I WANTED to eat. No one was more surprised than I to discover that what I really WANT to eat is very fresh, very organic, very local and mostly very good for me.

When I tell people that eight or nine times out of ten, I make the choice to eat the healthiest food possible, because I want to, not because anyone has ever told me I have to, many look at me in disbelief. “I could never trust myself like that,” they say.

I didn't think I could, either.

It has taken me years of patient practise to come to the point where I know I can "trust" myself like this. It is not a place of denial, and it is not a place of self-doubt. It is a place of power and a place where I meet any expert on equal ground. I, as my five year old daughter once declared - when it comes to food, at least - am the expert on ME.

This second Angel Guideline,therefore, isn't meant to be understood that we are all unique. This one says that the intuitive understanding of what’s good for us and what tastes good to us is something we all come into this body to experience. Food – from farm to table – forms a central part of our humanity. It is not intended to be the experience of deprivation, guilt and anxiety it has become for so many of us.

Thus "what you eat is up to you" is an invitation to reclaim the power inherent in accepting full and total responsibility for what you feed yourself.

Over the next two or three days, continue to keep track of what you eat. If you choose, consider adopting one of the other guidelines into your diet. You might choose to “eat like a baby,” – ie every two - three hours. You might choose to “eat a complete protein at every meal.” Try whichever one feels most natural and easiest to you, and don’t worry about doing anything “right.”

Now that you've got your lists...

2010-11-04T15:17:00.000-04:00

Now that you’ve got your lists, you can begin to make some observations about your eating patterns. Chose a time when you can really focus. Have a notebook or journal ready to jot down any ideas or images that occur to you, no matter how random they may appear. Consider not just what you ate, but when and where you ate and how you felt about it.
You may notice, as I did, how infrequently you eat. You may notice just how sweet your sweet tooth really is. You may find you have a real aversion to certain types of foods or just don’t eat whole food groups. You may realize that much of what you eat is determined by the needs or tastes of other people, your social surroundings or environmental cues like the clock.
In my case, from my lists, I discovered that I tended to not eat healthy foods I love – like asparagus – because other people in my house – like my kids – objected to it. I discovered I could run on coffee (with a lot of cream) between five AM and noon, when the reality of being hungry would start to dawn on me. Then I would make up for all the day’s “lost” calories by over-eating after dinner. I spent quite a few hours meditating on what it said about me that I denied myself nourishment while I spent the major part of my day taking care of others’ needs. Believe it or not, it’s still hard for me to remember to eat before noon. Lately, though, I’ve started to get hungry around 8 AM. My personal trainer and I consider that a huge step forward, because in her universe it means my metabolism is burning a little more quickly.
However, according to the Angels, this represents spiritual growth as well. By embracing and acknowledging my own needs, I am thus better fortified to meet the needs of those around me. When I take the time to enjoy – even for five minutes – the wonderful blessing that good food really is, I do far more than nourish my body. When I choose to eat the healthiest choices possible with total self-love and self-acceptance of my body’s own legitimate needs, every meal becomes an opportunity to connect with the divine.
Healthy foods don’t just fill your belly – they balance your chakras – your energy centers – and they sustain your soul.
Take your time. Don’t rush and most importantly, don’t judge. If you’ve enjoyed a few extra pieces of candy because it’s Halloween, don’t be hard on yourself. Forgive yourself for missing meals, fast-food stops, and too many cookies. Forget about how you think you “should” eat, and allow yourself to focus on what you did eat.
Once you’ve done this step, feel free to take a day off from the process if you like. On the other hand, for you folks who like it all NOW – or for those of you familiar with the concepts – to begin to categorize your lists into complete protein foods, brown foods (which are grains) and the rainbow foods – which are fruits, vegetables , herbs and spices.
If you’re not sure what “color” the food is, don’t worry about it. If it’s a plant and grows, you can always call it green. If it had fur feather or scales, it’s a complete protein. You might want to create a checklist and see how many “rainbows” you managed to eat in one day.
As always, Karen and I invite your comments.

Why Begin Slowly

2010-11-03T07:02:00.001-04:00

If you are anything like me, you probably look forward to starting something new that you hope will be good for you with a lot of enthusiasm. When I decide I'm going to do something or learn something or change a habit, I always begin with a lot of energy and determination. I know I throw my whole self into the process, focusing with everything I've got in order to succeed. Even as I tell myself that Rome wasn't built in a day, I'm still determined to get a lot of it built as quickly as possible.

How long that enthusiasm, energy and determination lasts is another story.

And the Angels know this.

When I first asked for Divine Guidance around food, the initial Answer was just a very small piece of what has become the Ten Guidelines. Eventually, when I had received most of the information, I asked these loving Guides and Guardians why it had taken Them so long to give me the information when it was really so very simple.

The answer was that They "fed" me the information in the same way a baby is ideally fed: slowly and with small bites. The seeming randomness of the information was not indicative of disordered thinking - to the Angels, it was a result of my explorations into my own relationship with food. as a baby might decide to try mashed potatoes on an orange, for example, or peas in ice cream, the Angels had given me answers in the way I could most easily receive them and at the time I was ready for them. Just as you don't offer an infant a steak dinner, no matter how delicious you know it is, the Angels didn't feed me information until I was ready to ingest it.

This process is not meant to be a quick fix. It is not meant to tell you what or how or when to eat. The purpose of this process is to bring you into closer alignment with a sense of your own needs, and how to fulfill those needs in the healthiest and most loving ways available to you. When we feel loved and fulfilled and nurtured and nourished, it is much easier to turn that love and kindness on to the world around us.

We are not all just loved, we ARE love. the energy of the universe is Love. All of us - no matter the color of our skins or the conditions of our bodies - are emanations and manifestations of the Divine Source that is the ultimate basis for everything there is.

The Angels see how cut off from joy the experience of eating has become for so many of us. This sense of hunger that pervades so many of our souls is a symptom and a manifestation of our need to reconnect and rekindle that relationship with what was intended to be every being's birthright - that sense of connectedness to the Divine Source of all, that constant awareness that the Divine is not just around us or with us, but within us, and within every being we meet.

Or, as the Angels put it, it is easier to recognize God in another when you can see Her in yourself.

opening meditation

2010-11-02T09:04:00.002-04:00

When we were very small, our caregivers made food choices for us; most of us were fed breast milk or infant formula. You got hungry, the food you were fed satisfied your appetite, you ate what you wanted and stopped when you were full. For most people early infancy is the stage where our desire for food and our intake of it is as perfectly balanced as it ever gets.

The first thing the Angels encourage us to do, as we begin the more practical steps, is to spend time (maybe just a couple minutes a few times a day) imagining what it was like as an infant, when our appetite was perfectly in harmony with our physical, emotional and spiritual needs.

Most of us are so out of touch with the mechanism that signals when we've had enough to eat, we’ve forgotten this deep body wisdom is our birthright as human beings. We’ve become so separated from this primal sense of who we really are, it’s like we've fallen out of love with some essential part of our human nature. This exercise helps you to remember and reconnect with this primal body wisdom—and to know it not just in conscious memory but deep, in your cells.

Mindful breathing is an excellent way to help you visualize that long-forgotten harmony between body, mind and appetite.

· Find a quiet place to sit. (examples: in the bath, a comfy chair, a quiet corner in a park, if you are a busy parent your only quiet time might be when you are on the toilet!)

· Close your eyes. Breathe in and out. Don’t try change your breathing in any way. Simply, become aware of the flow of the air over your tongue, down the back of your throat, into your lungs. Become aware of the press of your diaphragm, how your ribs so effortlessly expand and contract. Appreciate the miracle of your own breathing.

· In your mind’s eye, picture yourself as a baby. Imagine what it may have felt like when you were a baby and you knew exactly how much you needed to eat and exactly how it felt to feel full nourished—a peaceful fullness in your baby belly. Don't force anything, just relax and allow.

· Spend a few minutes (or more if you like) with this imagery and the sensations that arise.

· If you feel uncomfortable, stop. Try again another time.

· You might want to jot down your responses in your journal.

The Angels want us to take joy in our physical bodies, to appreciate the goodness of the food with which we nourish ourselves, and to understand that we really do have the ability to recognize the best ways to nourish our bodymind and spirit.

Your comments about your experiences are welcomed and appreciated! Please feel free to share. Thank you....Annie & Karen

Welcome!

2010-11-01T11:19:00.005-04:00

1. Begin slowly.

2. What you eat is up to you.

3. Men are like raindrops, women are like snowflakes.

4. Eat a Rainbow every day and White-light food at every meal.

5. Eat Brown foods with awareness and respect.

6. Every body needs a little sweetness in their lives and every body needs a little cushion.

7. Eat like a baby.

8. Eat as organically and locally as possible.

9. Keep a diary and a plan

10.Be gentle with yourself

Light on Brown Foods, Sweets, Comfort and Cushion

2010-03-09T11:37:00.000-05:00

Having not had recent experience with brown foods as foods one turns to for comfort and for grounding, I understood Annie and The Angels words in theory more than practice. The past few weeks, however, there has not been much sweetness nor much grounding in my life. Emotionally, I've been all over the map. I paid attention, as The Angels encourage, to my moods, my cravings and my actual choices for what I would eat at any given moment of the day.

Where I lacked sweetness in my life--due to a few hardship events that left me feeling black and my outlook bleak-- I noticed cravings for chocolate or some kind of sweet treat. I put it off and put it off-- choosing hot chocolate, carob coated raisins and all natural pudding to quench that craving. Didn't do much go. So, when we ordered my daughter's birthday cake, we ordered the healthiest version of the Tinkerbell Cake. For three days (we had a lot of cake), I had a small piece of cake each day. Sometimes just a bite or two was all it took. After EnJOYing my cake, I observed feelings and thoughts. I looked at my recent troubles through a new lens by writing in my journal.

Also, through this time, I noticed I wanted more protein and more grains-- bread or crackers, in particular. The protein need was mostly physical, tied to changes I'm experiencing in the cycles of womanhood. The grains-- that was something different. I always seemed to want more rice, or more bread or an extra handful of crackers and peanuts than is usual for me. Again, I looked at what was missing in my life or where I was struggling with something.. The LIGHT went on... my energetic body needed grounding. Grains tend to have the physical effect of soothing frayed nerves and slowing us down.... exactly what my body needed.

Knowing all of this... I was able to choose the best foods for those energetic needs to be met AND to choose activities that would help me -- in healthier ways than I might have chosen had I stayed unconscious through this process-- to reign in my energy, focus it, and ground myself for actions that may be required.... Yoga, deep breathing, Reiki.... all were part of this process. BodyMind communication...BodyMind healing.

What LIGHT has Eating... The Angel Way turned on for you?
KMR

refresh, restore, renew... part three

2010-02-06T06:02:00.003-05:00

what color do you start your day with?

the Angels urge us to "eat a rainbow every day" because the vibrations of the colors of fruits and vegetables resonate with the vibrations of the various chakras throughout our bodies. paying attention to the colors we eat, and making sure we get at least one serving a day of red, orange, yellow, green and blue or purple foods ensures not just good nutrition, but that our energetic centers are balanced and nourished as well.

it doesn't matter what order we eat the colors in, and there's no limit - other than your own appetite - to how many rainbows you can eat in a day. i feel best when im getting two to three every day.

however, as we turn toward spring, it might be interesting to pay attention to what colors you reach for first in the morning. in my case, i reliably reach for the coffee my husband is kind enough to make me every day. coffee is a green food - it comes from a plant, and i spike it with whole milk - a white-light food. i drink two cups of coffee before im hungry for much of anything else, but when i do, it's usually a banana, a yellow food.

the solar plexus - which corresponds to the color yellow - is the seat of one's personal power. green foods correspond to the heart chakra. i usually hit the ground running and my mornings are busy attending to the needs of others. when i made the connection between what im doing, what im eating, and what's going on inside me at an energetic level, it made a lot of sense and i understood why i felt drawn to certain foods.

however, eating fresh papaya every morning in hawaii reminded me how good it makes me feel. based on my experience there, ive decided to incorporate papaya juice for either my breakfast or first morning snack. papaya is orange. the color orange corresponds to the second chakra. among other things, creative work is supported by the second chakra, and since morning is my preferred writing time, it makes sense to me to add orange-colored food to my breakfast menu.

this coming week, the Angels invite all of us to turn our attention to our first meal of the day. consider not just what you feed yourself, but also what tasks you need to accomplish or what your activities are during that time. if you are so inclined, consider how what you choose to eat can support what you need or want to do.

for further information, feel free to contact either myself or karen.

refresh, restore, renew - part two

2010-02-04T08:43:00.000-05:00

how many hours did you sleep last night?

sleep needs are as individual as we are and vary across our lifetimes. by now, im sure most people are aware that the recommendation to get 8 hours of sleep out of every 24 is a rule of thumb that may or may not apply. however, its also true that many of us are seriously sleep-deprived, meaning that most of us are running dangerously close to an energetic empty almost all of the time.

for the Angels, sleep counts as a necessary nutrient to the body. during sleep, the body repairs and renews itself. children grow when they sleep, and not getting enough sleep can literally stunt their growth.

during the latter part of fall through the early part of spring, the longer nights invite us to indulge in our need to sleep. many people report feeling more sluggish and tired during these seasons, and turn to artifical energy-enhancers in order to feel "normal." for the Angels, our need to sleep is a biological imperative critical for good health.

this week, as you keep track of your protein or "white-light food" intake, the Angels suggest you also pay attention to the amount and quality of your sleep. in your journal, note how many hours of sleep you got each night, or within each 24 hour period. note if you took any naps. if anything woke you up or kept you awake, jot those down too.

depending upon the issue, there are many resources available to deal with any problems you identify. there may be more than one issue, and there may be underlying issues you may not be aware of. for example, the quality of my sleep can be affected by something as easily rectifed as my pillow but i have to be aware that that's the issue before i can fix it.

our next blog will be about the importance of Green Energy in our early spring diets, and hopefully tips from some Special Guest Bloggers!

for more about Eating...the Angel Way, karen and i invite you to check our new regular feature column in New England's Inner Tapestry Journal.

refresh, restore, renew - part one

2010-02-03T08:09:00.004-05:00

the light is coming back. here in the northern hemisphere, the days are perceptibly longer. this morning, in fact, i noticed that despite the slight coating of snow, and the frost in the air, i didn't need to turn the porchlights on to walk the puppies.

i love this time of year. february is a short month, and spring seems not too far away. the worst of winter's cold lies behind me, and the warm days aren't too far ahead. this year i was fortunate enough to spend two weeks in hawaii, and when i got off the plane, i could literally feel the cells of my body expand in the light, turning like a plant toward the sun. needless to say, it's easy to follow the Angel Guidelines in hawaii!

but what if you havent been lucky enough to spend the worst part of winter soaking up the sun?

the food that corresponds to white light and its effect on the body is protein. begin by examining if you're getting sufficient protein for your specific needs. an easy way to check to see if you're getting enough protein is to look at your fingernails. when im not getting enough protein, my nails tend to be much more prone to chips and breaks. your skin can also reflect a lack of protein. protein forms the building blocks of every structure of the body, so it is critical to ensure you're getting enough.

this is why it's important to "eat a white-light food at every meal."

protein doesn't have to mean a meat or dairy product, of course. vegetarian combinations such as rice and beans or pasta and peas, form the complete proteins which are the basis of your physical body. nuts and seeds are other sources of complete proteins.

if you are already following the Guidelines, i encourage you to take this week to take a close look at the amount and sources of protein you're feeding yourself. if you're keeping a food journal, take some time to review how you've been eating in the last month. are there any patterns you'd like to change or tweak in the weeks ahead?

if you're not following the Guidelines yet, i encourage you to begin by noticing how much protein and what kind you eat. if you feel so inspired, keep track in a small notebook or other type of journal. what you may see at the end of a week may not just surprise, but offer a definite place to make a small change that can have a lot of impact on how you feel.

in the next few days, i will offer more ideas for ways to step into spring feeling refreshed, restored and renewed.

The Angel Way... Results

2010-01-23T14:58:00.000-05:00

Usually, I am a very, very active person. Since having had knee surgery in late August I've had to modify my workout routine in a number of ways-- from # of days per week to level of intensity of exercise and the types of activities that I do. I'm still having lingering problems with the muscles of the lower legs. I'm far from being a couch potato, but I'm definitely not in the gym or on the hiking trail with a baby in the backcarrier 10 hours a week, either. During this time, with few exceptions, I've followed The Angel Way Guidelines religiously - pardon the pun (Annie says the Angels have a sense of humor so they must be with me as I write this).

What results have I noticed by following the Guidelines despite changes in activity level:

I've maintained my weight and my clothing size within my personal comfort zone (120's size 8)
My hair grows more quickly
My skin has less flareups around my womyn's cycle
I don't get as bloated during that time of the month
I'm less irritable because my blood sugar is more stable throughout the day
I don't get dizzy as often (a good thing because I have ridiculously low blood pressure)
I feel energetic despite the change in my exercise routine
I feel more nourished, less deprived
I'm spending less time thinking about meal planning because it is so darn easy to plan meals and to eat this way
My kids enjoy their meals more and there is less fuss at the dinner table
Mykids ask what color foods give energy to different parts of their body AND mind-- they're connecting nourishment with health and vitality; they are less fussy between meals, too.
I'm more in tune with mySelf, from an esoteric or spiritual perspective

How do you feel? We'd love to hear from you!
Karen

We're still here!

2010-01-21T12:47:00.001-05:00

Annie is away for a while.... lounging on a beach someplace, finishing the MS for the ETAW Book... I'm digging up resources and waiting for the final word from the publisher who has the proposal.

Winter is a tough time to incorporate complete rainbows, especially where I live in New England. Still I am trying to buy as locally and organically as my family can afford. Hope you are, too!
KMR

Food Chart Helpful Resources

2009-12-26T21:11:00.000-05:00

When I sat down to make my Rainbow Food Charts, I suddenly could not think of all the foods that I enjoy and that fit into each color category... I kept asking myself, "What else is bluish that I eat?" "Surely there is more to orange than oranges and peaches!"

Here are a few resources to help you include all your favorites in your Rainbow Food Chart:
Foods in Color Categories from PBH Foundation
Phytonutrients,Foods and Colors

Don't forget... YOUR chart may look different from anyone else's. Where one person puts cheese for protein, I put it as a fat. If I think of cheese as anything other than a dairy fat, I'm likely to consume way more than I need bec/ I really enjoy cheese. I choose the lower fat/lower salt varieties and save the creamy sharp cheddar or the decadent Havarti or the smooth munster cheese for my most delectable recipees or to have with crackers for a snack that satisfies. You might have garlic on your green foods list but it isn't even on my chart--I'm allergic. Annie has chocolate as both a sweet and a green food, from the earth. My organic dark chocolate is a decadent sweet in my chart. That's sweetness I can live with (a little) every day!
I love soy nuts and certain soy based meatless products by Quorn foods company (chicken nuggets to die for) but as much as one of my doctors wants me to drink soy milk for the phytoestrogens-- there's no way... I have tried and it tastes worse than that stuff my mom gave me as a kid to make my tummy aches go away.. milk omagnesia was it?
KMR

the Science Behind Why the Angels emphasize Color--

2009-12-26T20:37:00.001-05:00

Annie and I are going into the final innings of getting this book to come together. the researcher that I am, I just went through all of the blog posts from earlier this year to date-- lots of powerful stuff here, as you all know. One query from an ETAW follower caught my eye... this person asked why the Angels are so keen on colors of foods. Annie already discussed the association of colors of foods with the chakras and balancing the energy of the bodymind.

Here are two more "reasons" the Angels may be so "big" on the color of the foods we eat:
1. Science is beginning to show us that the chemistry that naturally exists in plants, namely the COLORS, are necessary for good health. The chemical that makes grapes PURPLE is natural plant chemical that helps keep cholesterol from building in our arteries. BLUEberries contain a natural chemical they may proect against memory loss and loss of occirdination as our bodies age. The GREEN in broccoli has agents that may protect from cancer. ORANGE in carrots can maintain good eye health.

You might here the term "phytonutrients" or "phytochemicals" when reading about the naturally occuring chemical properties of fruits and veggies. Also, notice I keep saying NATURALLY OCCURING. There is no evidence (or none that I've come across) that genetically altering a fruit or veggie to have more of a phytonutrient, or creating hybrind fruits or veggies, or fortifying the soil with these nutrient will yield more 'powerful' plant chemistry that has a more powerful effect on our health.

Nutritional supplements are an insurance policy for your body. In a day and age when you can't always get the foods you most want or need, or are unsure of the source/growing methods/method of harvesting, a nutritional supplement is like a back-up plan to help your body get key vitamins and minerals. All of the integrative physicians I have interviewed have assured me that there is NOTHING as good as real, wholesome food and the natural symmetry and integration that occurs between foods groups and between food and the body.

2. Two years ago the PRoduce for beteer health foundation ran a campaign called "Five a Day the Color Way"... emphasizing, you guessed it, "Eat a Rainbow of Colors everyday" they also encouraged eah of us to make our plates and our kids plates as colorful as possible (I no longer feed my kids on those busy cartoon character plates--they can't see what they're eating and how beautiful it is!). to quote "Treat yourself to the colorful variety of ffurits and vegetaables. You deserve this special treatment because you are a special person." I think the Angels would agree!

One last point... in regards to the question about why emphasize color... it seems to me that so few of the thousands of diets and dietary advise on this planet has actually really worked for most people for any meaningful length of time.. so why NOT plan your meals and quench your palate with the colors of nature... of divine creation? YOu have nothing to lose, and everything to gain (in a healthy way).... is that an Angel pun that I just channeled, Annie? -- KMR

Resources: PBH Foundation - Five a Day the Color Way
A more recent campaign: More Matters: Fruits and Veggies
The Power of Color (in your fruits and veggies): The Power of Color
5 a Day -- for Kids Phytonutrients in KidSpeake from the USDA
Quick Guide to Colorful Foods -- this will help you with your food diaries

Dr. OZ -- Tips that Support the Angel Way

2009-12-26T15:10:00.000-05:00

Dr. Oz has the following tips listed in O Magazine January 2010.... page 95 -- The Angels are smiling....

Spoil Your Dinner (eat snacks between meals)
Why? the hormone that gets your tummy growling is called ghrelin. Once you start to eat it takes about 30 minutes for ghrelin levels to drop and for your tummy to begin to feel satisfied or "full"... A 100 calorie snack 30 minutes or so before your main meal will temper those ghrelin levels (I likes say "gremlins"-- KMR). By the time you sit down to eat your main meal, you won't feel famished. What does Dr. Oz suggest for a snack: a handful of nuts like almonds, an apple, walnuts... wise choices!

Reduce or eliminate soda at meal time
Why? Leptin is the hormone that tells your brain "I've had enough. I have stored enough energy from food." Sugary soft drinks interrupt the feedback loop so your brain does not get the message (another brain imaging study, unrelated to this article, shows that sugar substitutes like those found in diet soft drinks also disrupt the message but the mechanism of action is different). So, in all likelihood you could be overeating because the soda you consume with your meal has saturated the area of the brain where the the message needs to get through and you realize "I've eaten enough." Opt for water or, as Dr. Dean Ornish suggests, tea (green oolong white, etc)

Eat with Awareness
Eat at the table, sitting down; not reading, not hypnotized by TV or a magazine or your iphone, or web surfing. Mindful eating increases the satisfaction you get from each bite of food-- the flavor, the texture, the temperature and allows extra time for your gremlins (ghrelin) to subside.

Move Your Body
10,000 steps a day the good Dr. OZ suggest. The Angels love walking, too. Muscle burns a dozen more claories than fat... strengthen your body with weight bearing exercise for both upper and lower extremeties

As always, consult your healthcare providers before embarking on any changes to your physical activity routine or dietary habits.
Happy New Year! KMR

a Christmas message from the Angels

2009-12-24T06:07:00.003-05:00

"Living against your body clock — as so many of us do — can affect your health and well-being in myriad ways." Olivia Judson, The New York Times - Dec 24, 2009

What gift will you give yourself?

It's the season of Frazzled Women, a friend of mine observed yesterday. And men, too, if my husband is any measure - he's been running around coordinating a Christmas dinner at a Hartford soup kitchen among a myriad of other things, all while fighting a cold.

And yet, in this darkest part of the year, our mammalian bodies are telling us to sleep, to rest, to slow down and dream. It's this living out of synchrony with our bodies and our environment - our real environment, not the ones we attempt to create for ourselves - that leads to so much chronic sickness, to fatigue, and even to weight gain.

science is only now catching up to what everyone's body instinctively and intuitively knows: living out of harmony with our own intrinsic physical rhythms not only makes us tired and stressed, it makes us fat and sick in the long run.

The gift the Angels urge all of us to give ourselves is love...the kind of Love that gives us the strength to say "no" when pushed to the limit of what we can reasonably accomplish or achieve in one day, one hour or even five minutes; the kind of Love that gives us the ability to close the doors, turn off the phones, the lights and the alarms and allows us time to rest, to sleep, to simply do nothing, even as the silent trees outside my window aren't really doing anything in particular, except Being; the kind of Love that enables us to choose what we put into our bodies with the same tender care or sense of responsibility so many of us shower on those around us.

The point, the Angels say, is that without the experience of true Self-Love, a person will have a very difficult time being truly loving to anyone else. how can you know how to treat your neighbor like yourself, after all, if you've become so used to denying, to denigrating, to punishing your own Self, you've become innured to your own pain? if you don't accept your own needs, it can become difficult to understand anyone else's.

it is in this way that we inflict the numerous thoughtless hurts all of us do. we're so used to treating ourselves badly (or allowing ourselves to be treated badly in the name of whatever virtue we think we're serving) that for the most part, we don't recognize when we're being unkind to others. i have seen time and time again that most people i know don't set out intentionally to do harm or to cause pain - it's that so innured are we all by our own pain, our own calluses and scars and missing pieces, we cannot recognize the suffering we inadvertently cause.

if we want peace for the world, say the Angels, we can begin by making peace with every aspect of our Selves - including our appetites, our hungers and all our physical needs. if we would be healers in the world, begin by loving the individual wounds each of us possess. the more we work to accept - not necessarily to heal - our own woundings, the more aware we become to how our actions and our words affect others.

some people - like mother theresa and nelson mandela - are called to work for peace on a global scale. right now, many people i admire and a few i know personally are preparing to go to one of the most historically war-torn and wounded areas of the world and march for peace. however, peace is not something that can really be imposed from outside. real peace, true peace, the peace that leads to not wanting to harm one's neighbor in the first place, comes in some measure from a deep sense of self-acceptance....of one's WHOLE self, not just the socially acceptable or more readily controllable parts.

the Angels urge all of us to take some time in the midst of the lights and the caroling and the gifting and the gratitude and the chaos to do something kind for yourself that no one else knows to do as well as you. sink and relish and revel in that experience ... give to your Self some of the energy you are doubtlessly expending on everyone and everything else on your lists. throughout the days ahead, be kind and gentle to your Self. listen to the Child who lives in you, and allow her or him to have her holiday, too.

the Angels are all around us and we truly are Loved.

More holiday tips

2009-12-23T07:05:00.001-05:00

We all have times where we nibble while we prepare. When I realized what I was doing I was appalled. This had never been a problem for me. I examined (using my journal) why I was famished/ stressed/ nervous/rushed). To curtail this UnAngelic eating habit, I started chewing gum during meal preparation, focusing on my breathing or humming. if I want to nibble, its on crunchy veggies rather than startches (which I was "tasting" bec/ I was so darn hungry from not following the guidelines in the first place). When I follow the Angel Way as it is intended to be followed, I don't feel so famished by supper time that I am eating standing up as the meal is being prepared.

This is important around the holidays because it is so easy to nibble while you prep, then sit down to the big meal and find your pants have popped a button or two!

When I've followed the guidelines, I don't feel the urge to do these things. bodyandmind are satisfied.

So, if you do have a day or two where you don't follow the Angel Way... try to plan for it so you can be mindful about it. Enjoy each bite. Express gratitude for the flavors of the season and the celebration with friends and family. And if you have too many slices of apple pie, forgive yourself and get back on the wagon as soon as it is right for you.
KMR

Honoring All Family Members Unique Needs

2009-12-23T06:56:00.001-05:00

A while back I posted a query about Moms/careproviders of the family balancing their own nutritional needs while feeding the rest of the family. Like Annie says, sometimes you will find yourself preparing differen things for different family members. And as Annie also admitted, when our lives get busy, its easy to lose track and slip into old habits or just not pay attention. The next thing I know I five hours have passed and I'm just noticing the screaming coming from my gut: "feed me properly!"

Annie also makes a good point about the importance of honoring each family members unique needs. The way I approach this is to have choices available around 2 base food items. I'm now using higher protein grains, like wheat berries and barley. Combine these with veggies, beans/nuts / dry fruit for complete protein. I don't worry, then if my kids don't eat the meat my spouse has to have with his supper (we do require they try everything, though).

As a mother, I have to identify when my kids are just being picky and when they really don't like something. If I plan ahead for their plates to be filled with things they like, many colors, and the "new food" to try then I don't hear "make me something else." There is plenty to choose from and that's what's for dinner.
This is why we try to get them to taste two bites. The first bite of a new food still has the mental imprint of "it looks funny and I don't like it." I can tell by my daughter's reaction if she really finds a food unpalatable. I honor that and don't force feed. I know there will be another opportunity for her to try that food. Still, You'd be surprised how many times that second bite is taken with vim and vigor!
(Taste buds change as children grow so what she did not like three months ago she may like at later time. come to think of it... so do our tastes, due to medications we might be taking, hormonal shifts related to pregnancy and life changes, stress).

Karen

menu planning the Angel Way

2009-12-01T14:12:00.002-05:00

one of the most important aspects of following the Guidelines is planning. not only does menu and meal planning help you to keep track of what you and your family might be eating, you also have a better idea of what you need when you shop - no matter how you shop, even if its via internet and you have your groceries delivered.

planning also helps you see where challenges might lie - an eating extravaganza like thanksgiving is more easily managed if you know in advance you're eating a bigger meal than normal at an unusual time of day.

it's important to plan for all your meals and all your snacks. i can run on empty almost all day, and if i don't have nutritious options available, i'll devour every edible calorie in sight. knowing ahead of time that i have grapes, celery sticks, carrots, almonds and yogurt available, for example, means that i don't find myself staring into an empty fruit bowl when the four oclock munchies hit.

you may find yourself forced to plan different kinds of meals for different family members. people who put too much focus on the needs of the other people they're making meals for, can sometimes find themselves in a state of energetic imbalance for no other reason than that they're not addressing their own nuitritional (or possibly other) needs.

so if you're cooking for someone with a food allergy or a condition that necessitates a special diet, don't always force yourself - or other family members - to conform to those special needs. try, as much as possible, to offer options on occasion that honor and recognize we ALL have unique nutritional requirements.

approaching the holidays... the Angel Way

2009-12-01T09:03:00.000-05:00

as some of you may have noticed, this blog has been conspicuously silent for a few weeks. that's because whenever i stop following the guidelines, the writing flow dries up. i find i can still answer questions for others regarding this approach to eating, but i can't write.

so. here i am, back on the Angel Wagon, as a dear friend and Angel-Way practitioner likes to call it. but how did i fall off in the first place?

like everyone else, i got busy. where should i begin on my list of reasons? thanksgiving, extended visits from family, a new novel with compelling characters who keep wanting me to write about them, home improvement projects, my youngest daughter's 16th birthday. for me, it doesn't happen overnight. i don't wake up one morning and decide not to pay attention or to stop eating with awareness. for me... it just sort of... happens.

what's interesting for me is that i can come back to this blog and see where exactly i stopped Listening... just about two weeks before thanksgiving - when my schedule and the demands on my time started to implode.

this has happened before.

the first thing i did was forgive myself. i spent this past weekend being very quiet. i didn't shop, i didn't even go to stores. i ate what i "felt" like eating, paid attention to what it was, and began to keep track. several patterns emerged. i sat and examined what kind of food i'd been drawn to, and what i might be telling myself.

yesterday i asked the Angels for some guidance on menu-planning before i went to the store. today, with plenty of fresh fruits and veggies, almond milk and yogurt at my disposal, as well as karen's new Journal charts she's developing for our book, i feel very hopeful and very focused.

if you've been less than mindful of your eating, Gentle Readers, today might be a good day to pay close attention. don't judge, don't require anything of yourself. just write down what you eat... and Pay Attention.

what should i eat when im sick?

2009-11-09T07:03:00.002-05:00

there's a lot of talk this winter about how to stay healthy. here's what the Angels suggest for if or when you do succumb:

what to eat when you are sick depends on what kind of illness you have. fluids, such as teas and clear broths, like chicken soup, are usually beneficial no matter what kind of bug you've got. for common colds and flus, to prevent them from becoming worse, nourish yourself with teas, juices, and chicken soup. chicken soup contains antibacterial agents that make it nature's antibiotic. additionally, teas with lemon, lemonade, and orange juice are all good for colds.

avoid heavy dairy foods - even yogurt can be too much when you are fighting a cold. a scrambled egg might be a good white-light food choice, for example. you don't want to tax your system, you want to stay hydrated and you want to ingest as many naturally derived vitamins, minerals and antioxidants as possible.

the Angels remain neutral on the use of supplements. however, for women especially, additional B vitamins - water soluble so they can't be o'd'd on... can be beneficial when you feel stressed or under assault from cold germs. sunlight is extremely important this time of year - 20 minutes between 10 and 2 with appropriate sunscreen depending on how fair you are is a good idea as often as you can.

chinese herbs such as astragulus root can be added to stews, soups, casseroles or teas. one good rule of thumb the Angels suggest we might all remember is that to strengthen the body's energetic system, strengthen the intensity of the colors you eat. cranberries, squashes, lemons, spinach and elderberries are examples of intensely colored foods in their chakra categories...and if all you ate were these five through the winter you'd be nourishing yourself quite well.

ninth guideline - eat as locally and organically as possible

2009-10-29T05:59:00.002-04:00

The Angels understand how difficult it can be to make healthy food choices. As Karen's post so eloquently pointed out, we're a world of people on the go. As much as so many of us WANT to slow down and take time for ourselves, it's not always that easy.

However, food - like anything organic - has an energy vibration, and the higher that vibration, the more holistically nourishing that food is going to be. thus, fruits, grains and vegetables grown and harvested in a manner that respects the land, the water and the air, as well as the people who do the work, and animals who are raised humanely and slaughtered with respect for the process have a much higher vibration inherently than mass-produced, mass-engineered and mass-packaged meat and produce.

Everyone needs to decide for themselves how locally they wish to eat - here in New England as winter closes in, I'm indulging in the last of our local harvests, but I am planning on continuing to eat bananas. On the other hand, Barbara Kingsolver's book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, is an inspiring account of her family's decision to eat only locally raised foods for a year.

Whatever decisions we end up making, the Angels wish us to be mindful of the effect our choices have on the wider world around us all.

eighth guideline - eat like a baby

2009-10-24T07:01:00.003-04:00

... nourish your Self every three hours.

babies come with remarkable sound alarm systems that let everyone know when they need to be fed. in the process of learning more socially acceptable ways to signal others when we need to eat, we lose the fundamental connection between feeling hungry and knowing its time to eat.

frequently, in our busy lives, we feel hungry but suppress the urge, because it's not "time", it's not convenient, or it's not congruent with fitting into our skinny jeans. for me, as for many women, NOT eating was more of a problem than overeating. i can literally "forget" to eat for hours.

when i finally stopped to take a look at what i was doing to myself, i realized i was treating myself in a very mean way. i was literally putting my own needs so far at the bottom of my daily list of what was important, i was forgetting them. of course i needed to eat, i realized, i had just got really good at ignoring my body's own signals.

consequently, when i asked the Angels how often i should eat, or when i should eat, They gently suggested to "eat like a baby." as They explained it, all the needs of the baby i once was still exist. feeding myself on an "infant schedule" or every three hours reminds me to take care of myself. it provides opportunities throughout the day for me to stop and do something kind, something nourishing and necessary for myself. it also helps me stay mindful, not simply of the state of my body-mind, but of those of the beings and circumstances around me.

on the other hand, for those of us for whom not knowing when to stop is an issue, eating every three hours allows for more opportunities to pay attention to the signals your body sends when it has had enough. for some people, just knowing that they "are allowed" to eat again in less than three hours helps. One friend decided she didn't need to spend more than 20 minutes eating out of every three hours. Soon she was paying attention to the kind of food she was eating in those 20 minutes. Eventually, she began to make the choice, more often than not to eat a healthier alternative. Now, she's feeling better, eating less in total volume and making much kinder, gentler choices.

The Angel Way for Moms (in a hurry!)

2009-10-23T14:28:00.001-04:00

I've really been struggling with the balancing act these past few weeks. My girls are at two different developmental stages and my mind is persistently split in two directions.

We always seem to be on the go, even on the days that I don't plan to go anywhere or to take a trip to the library. We're eating on the road, in between activities, and I'm not enjoying, not even tasting, most of what passes my lips. I'm not use to this and I don't like it. Even when I choose healthy foods, I'm totally out of synch with the process of honoring and enjoying-- and I rarely feel satisfied by anything. (Thank heavens I can stay away from sweets with ease or I'm sure i'd have packed on the pounds). I miss the colors of summer, the fruits of the season; i am struggling to get a daily rainbow in my diet, when I was eating 3 a day! As a result, I'm gettting run down, sick and tired more often.

The other day, my three year old says to me "Mommy you need to eat more rainbows so you can have a healthy body and not be so fussy."

So, how do we Mom's eat the Angel Way-- even in a hurry? I'd love to hear from you and I'll be back with some ideas of my own, as well as Annie.

KMR

seventh guideline - everyone needs a little cushion

2009-10-16T17:50:00.006-04:00

the Angels want us to understand this literally as well as figuratively. everyone needs a little cushion, in terms of resources - of all kinds.

according to the Angels, fat is not bad. fat serves important functions within the body. it helps regulate our temperature by keeping us warm, it helps provide cushioning in between our joints. the intake of fat signals our bodies that we are full. this is one reason low-fat foods can make us eat more calories.

just as with sweets, its not the fact we want to eat fatty foods that's the problem - it's the kind of fat we eat. fats like those found in olive oil, dairy products, and nuts are preferable to the artifical kind like margarine.

the Angels urge us to take the time to understand why we crave the foods we do. if you find yourself craving foods that are high in unhealthy fats, perhaps you may wish to examine if there are areas in your life where you might feel the need for a bit of "cushioning." (you can read about how food cravings can be a signal of other energetic issues or needs in the post entitled Here's An Example...)

there may be other ways to "feed" this need than with food. for example, creating a rainy day fund by putting aside every five dollar bill you get, might be one way to create another kind of "cushion" in an area where most people would like to have extra padding. or, another area where many people can feel squeezed is time - so scheduling more time between activities may be another way to create a "cushion."

as we begin to make these kinds of connections and observations about our lives, we may become more aware of why we make the choices we do about food. by becoming more aware, we can learn to make the healthier, nourishing choice more often than not.

sixth guideline - everyone needs a little sweetness in their lives

2009-10-12T06:33:00.002-04:00

frequently we crave sweets because we crave sweetness in our lives, and the taste of sweet is the easiest way to get it. each person's individual health needs have to be taken into consideration - diabetics, for example, need to monitor their blood sugar very carefully - but very few people can or should eliminate sweets altogether. and considering that most people enjoy sweets, why should we?

another point to consider is that advertisers who want to turn "sugar" into the enemy ignore the fact that sugar is what our bodies turn all our food into, in order to use the energy from it. to constantly claim that "sugar" is bad for us runs counter to the wisdom of the body.

that said, it's important to be aware of the kinds of sweets and sugars we choose. the more natural the sweetener, such as honey or maple syrup, the better. however, even simple white cane sugar is preferable to artificial sweeteners of all kinds. your body knows what's real and what isn't.

the Angels on empaths (and brown foods, too)

2009-10-06T09:37:00.007-04:00

Empaths are getting a lot of press lately. Lately everyone I know is claiming to be one, or know one, and one even showed up on this season's Ghost Whisperer. (I used to love that show - used to being the operative phrase.)

An empath is someone who is extraordinarily sensitive to the feelings of others AND is able to transmute those feelings into something better. you leave the presence of an empath feeling better about yourself or your life, often for some reason you can't quite name. Empaths - at least evolved ones - don't spend a lot of time being afraid of anything. The reason for this is that their natures are like deep sea sponges saturated with so much divine love and grace it spills over to everyone.

Such evolved empaths are still relatively rare. However, ALL people have the ability to develop their empathy skills - empathy, after all, is a fundamental part of our human nature. children who fail to develop empathy turn into serial killers, narcissists, and sociopaths. part of the Big Waking Up as the Angels sometimes call the process we are all going through is that more and more of us are aware of our empathic abilities.

Newly aware empaths will sometimes turn to foods - specifically brown foods* full of cushioning fats and softening sweets - to create a natural buffer between themselves and a world they feel too intensely. This is why many lightworkers, especially as they begin to develop their abilities, develop some extra cushioning. Women at menopause typically put on a few extra pounds for many reasons, and among them is that psychically, a woman is entering her most sensitive time of life.

The energy of brown foods is grounding. There are many indigenous cultures that believe that infants, until they're weaned or turn a certain age, aren't fully "human" and may not even give them names. What this reflects is that until a child eats "brown" food, his energy body is not fully anchored into his flesh.

Just as under our skins, we have a kind of spider-man suit called the fascia which holds us all together, there's a similiar layer of energy that connects the energy body into the physical body. This layer is directly nourished by brown foods energetically, so eating brown foods literally grounds us into our own flesh. (No wonder eating too many of them will make us fat faster than any other kind of food!)

Thus, all evolving empaths must learn to fill themselves not with brown foods or other people's emotions but with an awareness of the Divine Love that emanates from the spark of Spirit within all of us. When a sponge becomes saturated with clean water, it can't pick up much of anything else from anywhere else. That's how evolved empaths are meant to move in the world - as sponges, but so saturated with awareness of love that their very presence affects any negative people around them.

An evolved empath is able to shift and lift the energy all around her, and is not brought down by the presence of negative or sad or depressing people. Such a person might never ENJOY such people's company, but she is not affected personally.

Therefore, it's especially important for empathic people to pay close attention to the brown foods they eat and to eat brown foods with awareness of the kind of energy they contain. Wholesome grains and starches provide not just fuel for what we do in the world, but also energy to nourish the connection between our physical bodies and soul-bodies as well.

another example.. of nourishing the chakras

2009-10-05T19:44:00.001-04:00

this afternoon, i hosted a dear friend for lunch. although i'd made plans with her a while ago, on saturday, my friend's mom died. although the lady in question was in her 90's, and my friend was as well-prepared as anyone could be, my friend's entire energy system was reeling under the hit. so, mindful that her root and heart chakras were experiencing the brunt of the loss, i prepared this meal for us to share. a few tweaks here and there and it could easily become vegetarian or even vegan:

butternut squash-apple soup:
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp butter
6 cups cubed peeled butternut squash
2 apples, peeled and chopped
1 box (32 oz) vegetable broth
2 tsp fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
1 cup light cream

in a large saucepan coated with cooking spray or rubbed with olive oil, saute the onion and garlic in butter until tender. add the squash, apple, broth and thyme. bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 45 - 50 minutes until squash is tender. using a potato masher, mash the squash and apple. add a tablespoon or so to the cream. heat the cream in the microwave for 30 - 45 second. add to soup slowly. once you add the cream, do not allow to boil.

grilled bacon, tomato and sweet basil sandwiches:
lightly toast four slices of bread. layer broad whole basil leaves, tomato slices and one and a half strips of oscar mayer prepared bacon. brush outside of bread with olive oil and grill in 2 -3 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat until the outside is brown and crispy and the basil is wilted.

apple-almond crisp:
peel and slice four granny smith apples. arrange in buttered pie pan. top with a crumb mixture of 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup oats, 1 stick softened butter, 1/2 brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon. sprinkle 1/4 cup slivered almonds over all and bake at 375 for 25- 30 minutes. serve warm with whipped cream, creme fraiche, or clotted cream.

to complete the rainbow, and soothe the entire soul, i served lavender tea.

fifth guideline - eat brown foods with Awareness

2009-10-05T05:33:00.002-04:00

brown foods include grains and starchy vegetables like corn and potatoes. these foods have an earthy, grounding vibration, and these are the foods many of us turn to when we are feeling lost, ungrounded, or in need of comfort. these are also the foods that turn up disguised in other foods in different ways and some where you might least expect it.

the Angels repeatedly emphasize that no food that comes from the Mother - as They refer to our earth - is bad food. however, brown foods are frequently abused foods in that they are broken down into chemical components, and then added to other foods in ways they were never intended to be added. it's estimated that over 70% of the foods in the center of the supermarket aisles contain either high fructose corn syrup or msg disguised as "natural flavor." gluten, derived from wheat, is added to so many foods that many people are developing sensitivies to it.

thus, the Angels encourage everyone to eat a healthy amount of "brown foods" every day - we all need their stabilizing, grounding, boundary-building energy, as well as the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients they offer. however, the Angels urge us all to be aware of how many places those brown foods can be found, and thus, how easy it is to eat far more than we may think we are.

do the Angels want us to be vegetarian?

2009-10-04T18:05:00.003-04:00

this question came in via google, and it's a good one. it doesn't have a simple answer.

in my meditations, the most important thing that comes through is that the Angels want us to love our bodies, to treat ourselves with compassion and kindness and gentleness, and then, from that place, treat others with the same kindness, gentleness, compassion and respect.

it's much easier to love your neighbors as yourself when you understand what it truly means to love yourself.

the short answer to the question is no - the Angels recognize that just as there are cultures where vegetarian or vegan cuisine may be more the cultural norm, there are also those where meat is the preferred or most common source of protein and other nutrients. the Angels also recognize that some people, for example, young girls and young women, may crave red meat and the nutrients it contains. for these people, it's hard to be a vegetarian.

on the other hand, just as the Angels would like us to treat ourselves with compassion and love, They would also like to see us at some point extend the same respect to ALL natural forms, including animals, plants, and the planet itself on which we all live.

as you follow the Guidelines, you may find, as i did, and as many others who have incorporated them into their lives, that you are naturally drawn to eating more vegetarian meals. for one thing, you become more sensitive to the energies contained within the food itself. it is dismaying and possibly even painful for sensitive people to ingest foods that contains the vibrations of fear and pain. it is no secret that the "food industry" treats livestock like widgets, and that many of the animals we eat spend their lives in pain and horrible distress. on the other hand, plant foods that've been genetically modified and otherwise manipulated, don't feel so great either.

so what's a sensitive, spiritually minded person to do? eat with awareness. at the very least, make a ritual before each meal to silently thank the people who worked to raise, bring and prepare the food, and, if applicable, the animals who gave their lives so that you may eat. then, if you really want to honor the Angels and all creation, do something to make the world a better place, no matter how small or insignificant your action may seem.

one grain at a time, say the Angels, ants move mountains.

here's an example...

2009-10-03T17:03:00.004-04:00

of how food and cravings can be connected energetically to something else.

just yesterday i was having lunch with my friend ruth. in the course of our conversation, she described a situation in which she Listened to Guidance, and made a business decision based on what she felt she was being Told to do. unfortunately, the other people involved weren't up for the Challenge (not unlike my own former business associate) and backed out, leaving my friend holding the proverbial bag containing merchandise worth over $700. as a result, she was questioning herself, questioning her relationship with her Guides and Angels, and questioning her ability to pay her bills for the next month.

then she asked me why she might be craving fresh yellow corn, right off the stalk.

last night i ate six ears, annie, she confided. why in the world might i do that?

the answer is in the situation she described. my friend works hard to cultivate her relationship with Spirit, and tries to Listen as best she can. her solar plexus chakra - the seat of identity and boundaries and personal power - suffered quite a hit. when i pointed out the connection, ruth immediately saw how her sudden craving for fresh yellow corn is linked to this sudden blow to her energetic center. by doing other things to help balance and heal this essential part of her energetic body, ruth felt confident she would be able to alleviate - or at least control - this sudden craving.

not all cravings have such clear connections, but on reflection, many of us might find we crave things that can be traced to needs that are more metaphorical than physical.

fourth guideline (part two) - and "white-light" food at every meal

2009-10-02T09:15:00.000-04:00

"white light" food, i wondered, when this message first came to me. what is white light food?

the Angels explained that white-light foods are complete protein foods. just as white light contains all the colors of the spectrum, white-light foods contain all the basic building blocks of all the body's structures. the analogy They showed me was that to neglect to put enough complete-protein foods into your body while feeding it every thing else, was like putting gasoline into a leaky gas tank in a car. yes, you can make the engine run but you're making an awful mess and wasting a lot of gas. better to fix the tank first.

in order to make more of itself, in order to repair and heal the tissues of the body, the body needs its raw materials. these are found in complete protein foods, which include meats, eggs, and dairy products. however, combinations of grains and legumes and nuts, such as rice-and-beans, create complete-proteins out of plant proteins. it is perfectly possible to use the Angel Guidelines to create a vegetarian or vegan diet.

one of my health issues this summer uncovered the fact that my gall bladder meridian was inflamed, and one of my challenges this fall has been to incorporate more vegetarian proteins into my diet and to eat less meat. however, i continue to eat a white-light food at every meal, such as yogurt, eggs or a combination of plant proteins.

fourth guideline: eat a rainbow every day and a white-light food at every meal

2009-10-01T07:59:00.002-04:00

this guideline is probably the single most important to help us understand exactly what it is we "should" be eating. if you do nothing else good for yourself in a day, the Angels urge you to consider eating at least one "rainbow" - ie, a food in one of each of five colors - a day.

the reason is because colorful foods - fruits, veggies, herbs and spices - all nourish and restore not just our physical bodies - they also help to balance and refresh each of our seven chakras. (the Angels are talking about the natural colors of foods... not those artificially added! rainbow skittles don't count!)

examples of red foods include raspberries and tomatoes, orange foods include peaches and carrots. yellow foods include things like bananas and parsnips and yellow onions; green foods include broccoli, spinach and limes. blue/black/purple foods are harder to find and include eggplant or aubergines, purple onions and lavendar. try to include one of each color at least once a day. if you are feeding small children, it can be fun to encourage them to "eat a rainbow."

i find it rewarding to see how many complete rainbows i can fit into my daily diet. the most i've ever been able to do was four - and that was on vacation in hawaii. the more i eat, however, the better i feel, and most days' menus include at least two full "rainbows" for me. even when im not as careful about sweets, fats or brown foods, i find that the more "rainbows" i eat, the better i feel in general.

"white-light" foods are how the Angels describe complete protein foods. i'll share more about this, and why the Angels feel these foods are so important, in the next post.

guideline three: begin slowly

2009-09-30T06:40:00.003-04:00

a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, and ants move mountains one grain of sand at a time. undoing lifetimes of conditioning and beliefs is not easy, and doesn't happen overnight. we are amazingly resistant to change - including, and perhaps especially, beneficial changes.

initially, the Angels cautioned me to eat with the kind of mindful awareness the guidelines encourage no more than one or two meals at a time. the next step was to do it for no more two days at a time.

why only two days, i wondered.

because, replied the Angels, infinitely kind and patient, eventually you will want to eat this way on the third day of your own volition, not because We ask it of you.

the first practical step therefore, to incorporating the guidelines into your life is to simply begin to pay attention to the food you eat right now. begin to keep a journal of not just when and what you eat, but how you feel - before, during and after each meal. don't try to be "good" - the more honest you are in your assessment of yourself, the easier it will be to make the changes eventually. to some extent, the food journal is a kind of self-portrait. don't be afraid of it - no one else ever has to see it. you may be surprised by what you see - i know i was.

one of my favorite...

2009-09-29T14:31:00.000-04:00

substitutions for meat as a white-light food is an egg. i love eggs - and one of my favorite ways to serve them for dinner is as a frittata. i like to add potatoes, onions and spinach as a base, but i know a lot of people who are way more creative than that. served with a root-veggie roast like i had the other night, and i can complete my rainbow by adding either black olives, or drinking lavendar or blackberry tea.

what are some of yours?

guideline two: men are like raindrops, women are like snowflakes.

2009-09-29T09:41:00.002-04:00

no, this doesn't mean men are all wet :). what it means, in terms of figuring out how to nourish ourselves, we need to keep in mind that men vary across a much narrower range of what's considered normal than women do. it's easier for men to get the correct amounts of nutrients because their bodies remain far more static than women's bodies do across their lifetimes.

one of the most frustrating things for me personally that i experienced on my journey was how different i seemed to be from everyone else i knew. i understood why i'd be different from my husband, but i didn't understand why my mother, my sister, my friends all seemed to have such differing physiologies. why do we all react so differently to things that are supposed to be good for us, i asked the Angels one day.

because you ARE different, They replied. you and every woman differ across a much broader spectrum in terms of dietary needs. and no two women are exactly alike. in fact, karen found in some of her research that what makes one woman peppy and energetic, can make another feel sluggish.

this is why the Angels urge us all to go slowly, to pay attention to the signals from our wise body-minds, but most importantly, to recognize how uniquely special each of us truly are, and therefore, how deserving of loving nurturance.

Days without Rainbows

2009-09-28T21:48:00.000-04:00

Recently, I found out just how lousy it feels to not follow this divine and loving way of eating. Last week I went out for Girl's Night at PF Chang's. My first night out with the WomYn Folk in a long, long, long time. We decided to order and share appetizers... there were 9 of us. We ordered a nice wine, too. The lettuce wraps were wonderful, the steamed shrimp and veggie dumplings, too. I didn't overindulge but the small amounts of other things I ate-- like the spring rolls the egg rolls and what i thought would be green bean veggie chips (green beans wrapped in tempura batter--translation frided)-- by the end of the meal I felt well, yucky. Kind of oily and sluggish (and I did not even finish the wine.) Despite having eaten fairly well throughout the day, prior to our night out, this one meal left me feeling hungover the entire following day. I craved fruits, water, and healthy grains. In fact I ate fruit and yogurt for breakfast, three pieces of fruit and tea with crackers for lunch, and a large salad with egg whites for supper. And more tea. By mid afternoon I felt clearer, cleaner and more energetic. By bedtime, I felt like "me" again.

You see... as your bodymind comes to love The Angel Way... you realize you can't go back to your old ways .... even visiting those less than loving and healthy ways for a special night out will affect your energy, mentally and physically. WE all have these days without Rainbows .... but let them be few and far between. Your bodymind and spirit will thank you for it. Peace -- KMR

first guideline - what you eat, is up to YOU

2009-09-28T08:38:00.002-04:00

the first guideline sets the tone for all the others, and puts the responsiblity for nurturing your Self - your whole Self - squarely into your hands. one of the most remarkable aspects of the whole process was the way in which the Angels never said i "had" to do or eat anything. They made it abundantly clear that the foods i ate, the manner in which i chose to eat it, and the method of preparation was completely up to me. as perfect emanations of the Divine Source of All Things, the Angels bow to our free will.

however, what the Angels wish everyone would understand is that the choices we make about what and how we nourish ourselves, reflect key attitudes, beliefs and needs. if we are not aware of the full spectrum of what we're seeking nourishment for, we may make choices that not only reflect this lack of awareness, but may also be less than beneficial in the long run. we can learn to nourish our entire energy body, so that we feel nurtured, supported, balanced and whole in every aspect of our beings.

as the Angels see it, every time we eat, we have an opportunity to show our Selves how much we love, honor and value our Selves.

root-veggie roast

2009-09-27T18:45:00.002-04:00

there's nothing i love more on a rainy autumn sunday than something hot and nourishing from the oven. tonight's dinner included this root-veggie roast which includes red, orange and yellow chakra foods:

1 red apple, cut into chunks
1 small yellow onion, sliced
4 carrots, sliced into thin rounds
4 parsnips, sliced into thin rounds
1 cup butternut squash, cut into chunks
3 tbs olive oil
3 tbs maple syrup

toss veggies with olive oil and maple syrup. cover and roast for 30 minutes at 425. remove cover, stir veggies, and roast an additional 15-20 minutes.

how many rainbows did YOU eat today? :)

the ten guidelines - revisited

2009-09-27T05:50:00.002-04:00

Over the next ten days, I will post a guideline a day and talk a bit about each one. here they all are - not in the order I received them, but in the order Karen and I (with some angelic guidance) decided they made the most sense:

1. What you eat is up to you.

2. Men are like raindrops, women are like snowflakes.

3. Begin slowly and be gentle with yourself.

4. Eat a Rainbow every day and White-light food at every meal.

5. Eat Brown foods with awareness.

6. Every body needs a little sweetness (in their lives.)

7. Every body needs a little cushion.

8. Eat as organically and locally as possible.

9. Eat like a baby – nourish your body every three hours.

10. Keep a diary and plan how you will nourish yourself.

adventures in veggie-land

2009-09-25T08:50:00.000-04:00

as i mentioned in my previous post, health issues of my own forced me to take a closer look at my diet this past summer. i've always been a meat-and-potatoes kind of girl - my favorite dinner is prime rib and baked potato with extra butter. i dont eat my favorite dinner very often, but i WAS eating a lot of meat - nearly every night for dinner and at least six or seven other times a week for lunch or breakfast.

when my chiropractor told me, during an accpuncture treatment, that my gall bladder meridian was inflamed (that's the meridian that runs through the nerve involved in morton's neuroma), i decided it was time to change my diet.

for a long time now, i've been feeling the tug toward a more meatless diet. i've resisted because i really like meat. however, the more i follow the Angel Guidelines, the more sensitive i've noticed myself becoming to the vibrational energy in the food i eat. in meat that's been commercially - corporately - processed, there's a lot of residual pain. i prefer to eat meat that's been humanely raised and slaughtered, but that kind of meat is more expensive. so by cutting back on the amount, i can more readily afford the kind of meat i prefer to eat - meat that has a much clearer vibration.

the challenge for vegetarians and vegans, according to the Angels is to include a "white-light" food - ie a complete protein food at every meal. in the last few weeks, i've been experimenting with various vegetarian alternatives to the complete proteins found in meat. here's one of my favorites:

pasta n' peas rainbow primavera

2-3 tbs olive oil
1 small green onion, sliced thin
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 small green squash
1 small yellow squash
2 carrots, sliced in thin circles
3 cups fresh spinach
3 tbs fresh chopped sweet basil
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup of pinenuts
1 small bag frozen baby peas
1 box small shell pasta

in a skillet, preferably seasoned cast-iron, saute the onion and garlic until transparent. add the carrots and the squashs, saute a few minutes more, then layer in the spinach and the basil. allow the bottom layer of spinach to wilt, stir to combine, and add the peas. when the spinach is thoroughly wilted, add tomatoes and pine nuts. saute briefly until tomatoes are heated through and peas defrosted. meanwhile, prepare pasta according to directions on box. when pasta is ready, combine with the vegetables. garnish with black olives if desired for a true rainbow... or enjoy with lavender or blackberry tea. i've also substituted forbidden rice and french lentils for an alternative "white-light" combination.

Updates n' Angels

2009-09-24T06:58:00.000-04:00

happy fall, angel-readers! it's been a very hectic summer but karen and i are THRILLED to report that the proposal for our book Eating... the Angel Way is in the hands of a publisher! all happy thoughts are MUCH appreciated... this is giving us a chance to finish the manuscript, hopefully in time for some GOOD NEWS!

in other news, i've struggled with my own health issues this summer - i was diagnosed morton's neuroma in both feet in late july. i write about my healing journey on my other blog, but i will summarize in another post the steps i've taken (haha - there's another Angel pun) to ease the pain in my feet. needless to say, Eating... the Angel Way has played a major part in my recovery, and interestingly enough, there seemed to be a dietary component to the problem, that i would never have uncovered had i simply stuck to a traditionally western allopathic approach.

the upshot has been that i am finding i am eating a LOT less meat than i was - from ten - twelve times a week to three. since i don't eat cheese and i don't like beans, it's been a challenge to find acceptable combinations to make complete "white-light" foods, but i've also discovered and rediscovered some interesting alternatives, such as quinoa, french lentils, forbidden rice and yellow peas.

yesterday on blogtalkradio, karen and i made our first "appearance" together. you can hear the archived show at www.blogtalkradio.com. i will also be appearing at the NEW ENGLAND ATHLETIC CLUB in Cromwell CT on OCTOBER THIRD from 8:00 to 1:00 - i hope you will stop by if you are in the neighborhood and say hello!

Clouds covering my Rainbow

2009-09-11T22:09:00.000-04:00

Sometimes you will get stuck, as has happened to me, and your Rainbow Path will be engulfed in clouds. You won't know what to eat, won't understand your cravings for a particular food or foods, won't feel clear and centered.... it is at these times that deep breathing, a walk around the corner (or even down the driveway) can help you regain clarity. There may not always be time to write in your journal about triggers or emotions or anything else... but dep down, you DO know... the wisdom and understanding is there... it is only clouded by the "happenings" in your life ... let go of your connection to what is outside of your bodymind and reconnect to the breath and the spirit within you... Guidance will come, sooner than you think, and you will understand and be able to choose more wisely, more healthfully... should you get stuck in the clouds for a day or two or even a week... don't begrudge yourself... find some time to journal, reach out to a Rainbow buddy or send a note to the blog ...

There's a balance that we all have to find for ourselves... in eating... in life... if only we listen to the Wisdom within.

Peace, Karen

Rainbow Challenge!!!

2009-07-01T09:32:00.001-04:00

today is the day... count 'em up... let me know... how many rainbows did you eat in june?

the person with the most rainbows... wins an Angel-Approved prize!

rainbow anomaly... from karen

2009-06-28T18:11:00.003-04:00

about a week ago, i posted about the rainbow karen and i saw on the day we got together to work on our book proposal. i suspected that what we were seeing was a very rare occurence, but one that was almost impossible to manifest given the conditions. the great thing about having a research assistant is that she checks out my hunches. here's what she sent me regarding our noon-time rainbow:

Annie:

You were on the right track about conditions for and time of day for a
rainbow...See the link below. An excerpt is below.... Not only did we not
have local,morning rain to create refraction, we saw this rainbow between
12:15 and 1pm, when the sun is highest in the sky. No rainbows are seen
at noon when the sun is directly overhead. Quite the anomaly we witnessed! There is more info at the weather channel website, too.
Earth Science-Rainbow

A rainbow lasts only about a half-hour because the conditions that create it
rarely stay steady much longer than this. In many locations, spring is the
prime rainbow-viewing month. Rainfall is usually more localized in the
spring, and brief showers over limited areas are a regular feature of
atmospheric behavior. This change is a result of the higher springtime sun
warming the ground more effectively than it did throughout the previous
winter months. This process produces local convection. These brief,
irregular periods of pre cipitation followed by sunshine are ideal rainbow
conditions. Also, the Sun is low enough for much of the day to allow a
rainbow to appear above the horizon—the lower the sun, the higher the top of a rainbow.

The "purity" or brightness of the colors of the rainbow depends on the size
of the raindrops. Large drops or those with diameters of a few millimeters
create bright rainbows with well-defined colors; small droplets with
diameters of about 0.01 mm produce rainbows of overlapping colors that
appear nearly white.

For refraction to occur, the light must intersect the raindrops at an angle.
Therefore no rainbows are seen at noon when the sun is directly overhead.
Rainbows are more frequently seen in the afternoon because most showers
occur in midday rather than morning. Because the horizon blocks the other
half of a rainbow, a full 360° rainbow can only be viewed from an airplane.

my rainbow weekend

2009-06-22T08:15:00.005-04:00

i kept very close track all weekend. these amounts cover two days.. here's how i did:

RED: red grapes, tomatoes, apples
ORANGE: carrots, sweet potatoes, peaches
YELLOW: bananas, lemonade, corn
GREEN: lettuce, cucumbers, green grapes, sweet basil, coffee, tea
BLUE: blueberries, blackberries, purple onion, blueberry tea

BROWN: whole wheat bread cubes, french fries, coffee cake, baklava, bread crumbs on the chicken breast, vodka (1).

WHITE-LIGHT: yogurt (4), egg, pork chop (2), chicken breast, nuts in baklava

SWEET: baklava (dessert sat night) coffee cake (dessert sun night)

FAT: light cream in coffee, vinagrette dressing on salad, coffee cake, baklava, french fries, olive oil cooking chicken, butter on corn.

keeping track of my food in this way helps me visualize the full range of what i need to satisfy myself and enables me to set reasonable limits on the amounts of fat and sweets i choose to eat. also, i don't have any health conditions that might necessitate me including more perameters.

so... how about YOU?! :)

rainbow challenge check-in

2009-06-20T08:04:00.003-04:00

how's it going? are you managing at least one rainbow a day? i've noticed my daughter becoming addicted to frozen blueberries...that's an addiction i can encourage! how about you? anyone notice any healthier changes in your eating habits, or notice any differences in how food tastes?

im so excited!

2009-06-18T18:34:00.003-04:00

now that karen's back and operational - she has a great space to write! - she's chugging away at our proposal. it's just about DONE... and now... on to the manuscript itself! our hope is to have it in the mail to my agent by JUNE 30!!

Angels and Rainbows

2009-06-17T16:01:00.002-04:00

this morning, karen and i got together to put the finishing touches on our proposal. it's so exciting for both of us to see this come together, and its so amazing for me to see how much research karen has been able to find that support and confirm the guidelines.

and today we got another kind of confirmation...the sort only an Angel could send. karen was changing her baby, and i was standing at her front door, looking out over her quiet street and immaculate front lawn. i happened to look up, into the bright blue, cloud-feathered sky.

in the sky, almost directly overhead, was a rainbow. it stretched across the feathery white clouds, shifting color upon color. i called karen and she ran with the baby, fresh diaper barely plastered into place. for easily ten minutes, we gazed wondering, at what we saw.

you think the Angels are pleased with us? i asked karen, as we stood side by side, taking turns staring at the rainbow and cooing to her baby.

it even looks like an Angel, she marvelled.

it was high noon. the sun was overhead, the clouds were barely visible, the light a blinding intense white. a rainbow that time of day, under those conditions, is a rare sight, im certain.

so maybe it wasn't a rainbow at all...

the Angels on fear

2009-06-11T21:10:00.003-04:00

an old chinese curse begins "may you live in interesting times." the times are certainly interesting, and change is in the wind.

for many people, the prospect of change brings fear, uncertainty, and gnawing anxieties of what-ifs and maybes and should-such-and-such-ever-come-to-pass. it is not an easy state of mind to endure, and the constant stress will literally eat away at your body.

for many people, states of anxiety and fear trigger old patterns, whether they are functional patterns or not. many of us slide back into these patterns not because we like how we behave or what happens when we engage in these patterns, but because they feel familiar and therefore, somehow, safe.

in such times, we may typically turn to grounding foods - those which are converted most readily into stored fat - to provide a sense of stabilizing energy, or a literal bulwark against the world. extremely sensitive people may build a visible boundary of extra fat around themselves to protect themselves from a world they feel all too keenly, and even the less sensitive will most likely be tempted to indulge.

when that happens, forgive yourself. the times ARE a'changing - major shifts are happening, planetary awareness is rising. if you feel buffeted by the events all around you, first of all, take heart - we are all in this together. i personally know no one in my immediate circle who is not feeling some direct effect of all the chaos that's happening all around us.

the Angels urge us to be gentle with ourselves. when we feel the urge to go faster, they suggest we slow down. when we feel the panic beginning to rise, they urge us to take deep breaths. they urge us to try to see the positive in every situation, to find the lesson and the grace. they know how difficult this is to do.

this is why they suggest we begin with nourishing ourselves. it was the first act of love we experienced as tiny infants - it is the most fundamental way we have of taking care of ourselves. when we hold ourselves in a vibration of true love - even true self-love (which is very different from selfishness) - it is impossible to be truly afraid. the antidote to fear is love.

red, orange and yellow foods - those that nourish, strengthen, balance and cleanse the first,second and third chakras - are all important to include in your diet when you feel fearful of outside events. it is also important to eat healthy grains in order to feel a sense of grounding and balance. fats in reasonable quantities are necessary to provide that "little cushion" without which life can feel quite hard, indeed. be kind to yourself - don't forget to add at least one daily treat for yourself. remember, chocolate is a green food! green foods nourish the heart chakra, and the heart chakra is the seat of love and self-acceptance.