Keeping the message of Nutrition and Balanced Health Simple.

Sometimes I feel health coaches promote the fast food industry more than the actual industry does. I'm throwing myself under a bus as I say this. Just the other day I decided to have, *GASP*, a diet soda, and I posted it onto a popular social media page. Now I was having a little bit of fun, but when I saw that the full blown ad came up with my admission, I realized that, not only did I just give a bit of free advertising to this company, but they didn't have to pay me a commission or royalties, two ideas I definitely need to get in on before I decide to advertise again. Meanwhile, with all our hatred towards these companies who slowly try to denigrate the efforts of the healthy, it cannot be denied that they've perfected their junk food heaven to status updates and hashtags, readying themselves to tell the tale of the bun...hamburger bun, that is. It also can't be overlooked that sometimes it all becomes rather tempting to blow that diet of all its good intentions and send the body into poor quality hell, momentarily. What's a health coach to do?

The goal is to try one's very best to always be promoting the quality and value of foods which contain the most healthful components necessary for the proper care and feeding of the whole person. There must be a better way than just to say, "hey, how many servings of fruit and vegetables have you had today?" Teaching people to eat fruit and vegetables is surely a worthwhile, veritable and necessary function of our job, but it is not by far the only option. The most important element of today's food is, what is your food saying to you?" If you were to ask a room filled with people if they talked to their food today, how many would raise their hands? If they were asked, "Can you feel your food? Hear it? Sense it? Know its origin by feel? Tell if it just came off the truck or had been in the store for weeks? Is being kept alive in a petrie dish? Is the food low on vibrational energy and you can tell when you hold it?"

Even though there is more to the healthy nutrition story, the message is still as simple as it can be: You can tell the difference between foods that are worth eating,  and those that may cost you your  health. Eat what grows from the ground, real food. Thank the Universe for what has been provided to us in abundance, and feel your food...sense it with your five senses. Use your sixth sense and beyond, to find the vibrational quality of your food and ask it if you need it. You may find that sometimes there are food choices you make that your body doesn't need, or can benefit from.

Program Constancy.

I want to take a moment to point out the difference between two very important ideas when approaching a goal. The two ideas are constancy and consistency. The first is dear to my heart because it is the very nature of my name.

1

a :  steadfastness of mind under duress :  fortitude

b :  fidelity, loyalty

2

:  a state of being constant or unchanging

 See constancy defined for English-language learners »

See constancy defined for kids »

1. the constancy of the Earth's rotation
2. <the mistaken notion that there is constancy in language—words do indeed change their meanings over time>

Now here's what I found on consistency.

con·sist·en·cy

  [kuhn-sis-tuhn-see]  Show IPA

noun, plural con·sist·en·cies.

1.

a degree of density, firmness, viscosity, etc.: The liquid has the consistency of cream.

2.

steadfast adherence to the same principles, course, form, etc.: There is consistency in his pattern ofbehavior.

3.

agreement, harmony, or compatibility, especially correspondence or uniformity among the parts of acomplex thing: consistency of colors throughout the house.

4.

the condition of cohering or holding together and retaining form; solidity or firmness.

...get it??

So what it all boils down to, is that the two concepts are slightly different in nature, but intensely similar on theme. The goal is to bring the two of these ideas distinctively into the environment of the goal, and to assure this measure of constancy takes persistence and understanding of what constancy will bring to the goal.

Constancy makes one important consideration that intrigues me when approaching a goal that transforms the very way one chooses to live one's life: adherence under DURESS.

Duress is sometimes the very push button reaction we get to quitting on a goal. Duress can speak to us in funny ways, and we might decide to end a relationship with whatever it is, when it gets too difficult, challenging, suppressive in our eyes, which is related to our point of view. We can change our point of view to meet the next level of requirements related to that goal. We have to. We must practice....otherwise not even consistency can help us do more than maintain the same even level of pressure we've applied to the goal, which obviously won't change it, but keep it exactly the same. This process leads to stagnation, when you jump in the hamster of (no) change. No progress, no duress, no peace...

Another element that constancy brings into the conversation is loyalty. Consistency mentions nothing of loyalty. It merely taps into an even, firm principle applied. Does that mean it, or you, are loyal to your program, job, weight loss goal, just because you keep showing up to the work site or the table? 

Ultimately, your degree of consistency leads to constancy in your goals. So, be consistent AND constant. 

Produce Cravers.

     A very simple concept has infiltrated my life and the way I handle my nutritional day. I take my Juice Plus supplements and I begin to crave more fresh produce.

     Now at first I thought, "how silly is it, that a whole food pill can give you the nutrients of a supplement and the fruits and vegetables included in the supplement, but make you crave more?" Studies have shown that the more of that particular element shows in your cell tissue and bloodstream, the more the body asks for that element, be it a positive or negative additive, sugar for example. But again, a very hard concept to grasp.

     Instead of doubting that it was happening, I instead just began taking my Juice Plus supplements regularly, and I began to notice that, as I was making my cucumber drink, I'd be pulling out vegetables to stirfry and I thought, "Connie, isn't that going to be too much? Will you actually consume both?" Truth is, whether I would or would not, made nearly the difference that just acting on the vegetables did. Now I use my vegetables as my side dishes, instead of one side dish. Wow...while talking about fresh veggies, I got the inkling to slice and cook some carrots cooked in grass fed butter and seasoned with cumin, pepper and fennel for dinner tonight!

     Some people believe in trying to consume all food whole. I agree with this thinking. I also realize that it will not always be the thing we are able to do, to get all nutrition from our food, knowing how much our soil needs. With Juice Plus, I bypass any fears I may have of getting my nutritional needs met, and I commence to partake in a supplement that provides me with so much more.

Essential oils in the weight room.

When I first purchased my kit of oils, I knew that they would be spectacular. However, I wasn't so sure how far it would go. Now that I know how intensely important it is for people to change their medicine cabinets to one filled with essential oils, I will never look back again.

There have been so many uses for these plant oils in my life, that in order for me to afford this habit, I have to find Less ways to use them! That being said, I'm just providing a bit of humor to myself. I'm secretly proud that I can both cook and clean with my oils, in addition to providing health benefits and relief from physical illness and ailments, and no one will question me! So imagine me finding out how to use these oils in the weight room.

I was having a crazy day, and felt a little bit tapped out. I knew that I needed a quick way to restore my senses, as I did not have a chance to shower or do a quick yoga session before heading to the gym to clear myself. I also wanted to do a very tough work out, without getting derailed by my low carbohydrate intake that day. So I applied for drops of an oil blend called Balance to my feet. I placed one on my wellspring of life point, which is right at my third toe, and one on each heel.

I proceeded to do a workout that was at least 2 to 3 times as tough as the Workouts I had completed in the last week. I performed some pretty hard-core intervals, and I was so pleased with my success that I attributed it to the oils. Part of why I get tapped out during the workout is not because of my inability to sustain the work effort, but because of so many energy demands during the day, and I don't get to restore my system properly. With essential oil, I could easily put a few drops of this blend into a spray bottle, and proceed to spritz my entire body with the combination.

Thinking of my oil kit, I have just created the perfect pre-and post gym spritzer! You can start with 8 oz. of a flower water, such as Jasmine or Rose. Purified water will work just as well. Next, place five drops of balance oil into the water. This oil is for grounding and stabilizing the body. You can add more if you would like. Next, add two drops of Elevation oil for upliftment, or maybe try three drops, because it smells great! Next, place a couple of drops of purify blend, Which is antibacterial and antimicrobial, And one of frankincense, clearing your energy field of any draining disturbances, and producing a meditative stillness, in addition to a Myriad host of other benefits.

Living in Serenity While Lavishing in Bulletproof, Primal Luxury.

     The hearth is just a melting pot of pleasurable experiences, that it is very important to make the environment just as inviting as it is comfortable and inviting to be in. That space you call your home is so important that it matters what you make of it, and create from it, much like your own nutritional needs.

    I have been deeply enjoying the simple life by cooking at home and enjoying beef, nutribullet drinks and really, whatever I choose. The biggest problem is knowing what to cook in each stewing pot of goodness in my 3 pot slow cooker set. You see? Breaking my last slow cooker did have a metaphysical reference to the expansion of greatness in the hearth, and maybe the addition of a body with the looking into a larger space, as my heart has been thinking about purchasing a home. I keep in mind that this would not be the time to get involved in an actual purchase, but the investment must be investigated. It seems that everytime I put a request out to the universe, it responds to me in kind.

     Part of my primal luxury is having natural ingredients recreate my beauty cabinet. A few days ago I made lotion bars repurposed from another bar, and tonight, a baking soda paste with Dr. bronner's soap mixed in. Made an excellent facial rub down.

     What really caught my soul was how my beauty and domestic ritual in that moment made me one of the happiest people on the planet.

Crazy Venus.

     The Venetian gods have both smiled on and screamed at planet earth. She is currently haywire with these customs of retrograded planets, and this one, Venus, is no exception.

     Venus is in her once every 1.5 yearly retrograde phase, and she means business quite literally when traipsing languidly and luxuriously through Capricorn, one such sign obsessed with image and reputation. Capricorn also stands for entrepreneurial feats of magnificence, and debuts. It has been quite the enlightening year, with its snake-like brother, 2013. 2013 brought out the witches, ghosts, goblins and the skeletons in this girl's closet. And now in the ever-loving year of the horse, Venus comes galloping in on this horse, a time-honored symbol of freedom, to not so much as change the luck of a few, but to at least count your blessings...and value them.

     However you must be warned, that those eager to make big, lavish and luxurious purchases as depicted by the symbol of love and beauty, one must be cautious to hold tight to their pocketbooks, as Venus cares not about ripping your purse and wallet open and throwing money to the wind in a most haphazard way. The good news is, if your chart is not affected so heavily by such matters, then it would quite frankly, matter not...

      And now, a personal soliloquy on that above mentioned problem. I am one such participant of the unlucky realm whose chart is befuddled by such astrological tomfoolery! I am bewitched by five planets in libra, and to top it off, two asteroids whose influence is of a marriage nature. So basically everyone ignores my relationship status, loves me and wants to marry me. Immediately. Lucky for me, this harmonious sign allows me to see the greater nature of each of these cads and sends them away with a loving message that does not crush their very soul...though natal scorpio will do as much, if the suitor creates occasion to strike.

     The suitor must make the terrible mistake of being loud and vengeful. This is a most magnificent breeding ground for Scorpio's ire. Suitor beware.

     Additionally beware the ides of January, as January 14 and 15 is when lovely Venus squares Mars. If I don't speak nor see Michael my love on that day, I will probably be okay...his Venus Virgo would square his Mars Libra in a fiery yet uneventful way, the way earth and air affect each other...hm...maybe it won't do a thing...

     Now, the real reason I began this post had to do with many people coming to me with questions of their deeper nature, or their partner. This moment lasting from December 21 until January's end on the 31st, is a great reveal of our inner selves and our mirrors showing us who we are and what we value. The capricorn influence brings a gust of earthbound wisdom and practicality to our whims, in the sense that, if you have something to build, and  you stand to make money from doing it, do it now. I'm not saying that the window of opportunity won't pass, but it often does, and it is important to see this distinction, especially in horse year. Even though this would not be an incredible time for purchases and big investments, it's a great time to plan them.

     So let's put these influences together. Who am I? Who do I serve? What do I value? Who do I emulate who is like myself? Who do I favor least and how do I mirror them when it may lead to less self love, momentarily? How do I make the best of these reflections work for me in my life? How much luxury and traveling fun can I afford? How much temptation can I resist? How can I see and feel my Blessings?

Aligning Heart with Truth

     In the presence of the Spirit within us and in the Universe, aligning heart with truth becomes a very simple practice in connecting with our Divinity. Whether we embrace the omnipotence of a conscious and ever-loving God, the messianic teachings of Jesus and his compassion, or the embodiment of Spirit within, aligning with a Universal and intergalactic intelligence, as we practice these concepts and speak them into existence in our lives, is an example of truth manifesting. And with this, truth can only be expressed if it comes from the heart.

Looking from the standpoint of the chakras, we search through our mini spindles of energy and we check in to see if all is in alignment with its next. If we are standing firmly rooted in our first chakra, and we feel the waters of living life and receiving love into our 2nd chakra, as we discipline and focus ourselves into our 3rd, we will feel our heart, the 4th chakra, resonate from the solidarity of what came before. If we feel secure, we can feel that joy of expression emanate from our 5th chakra, our truth center, using the vision of our 6th chakra and the vibration of our 7th to disentangle, realign and reintegrate into the world.

     And on a much simpler note, aligning heart to truth is when you believe in something that you also live in, everyday. You practice what you preach. You attend to revisions on the original theme. You pay attention to moments of awakening. You challenge yourself to feel something and share it. You aren't afraid to be wrong and are a willing participant of correction. You are both a student and a teacher of earth school, and it suits you well...because it does.

Namaste.