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Saturday, July 24, 2010

  For The Love of Books
I am of the firm opinion that we should have days dedicated each year to books, reading and authors.  In fact, perhaps an entire holiday should be named to celebrate authors and their writings!

Books, books, books had found the secret of a garret-room
piled high with cases in my father's name;
Piled high, packed large, --where, creeping in and out
among the giant fossils of my past, like some small nimble mouse
between the ribs of a mastodon, I nibbled here and there
at this or that box, pulling through the gap, in heats
of terror, haste, victorious joy, the first book first.
And how I felt it beat under my pillow, in the morning's dark.
An hour before the sun would let me read!
My books!
~ Elizabeth Barrett Browning
 
MUSIC: A DEEP-SEATED PART OF MY EXISTENCE 

Okay, I admit it... Music has always been a deep-seated part of my existence.  I suppose being raised by an opera conductor father, and a mother who was a violinist/music professor, etc. played a part in my relationship to melody.  In truth, I cannot understand anyone who doesn't love music at some level.  I have known a few who were not overly impressed.  In fact, my ex mother-in-law did not like any music of any kind.  She said it made her nervous.  Odd.

Shakespeare said:

The man that hath no music within himself
nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds,
is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils;
the notions of his spirit are as dull as night
and his affections dark as Erebus:
let no such man be trusted.

...and Saint-Saƫns said:

There is nothing more difficult than talking about music.

...and finally, Hunter S. Thompson said:

The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side.

Well, thankfully, I am not in the music business, although my son is, and he can testify to the above Thompson quot
e.

At any rate, I am having a moment, somewhere between Mozart and Diana Krall...I am lost in the rapture of melody!

Thursday, July 22, 2010

BACK ON THE ALKALINE TRAIL

This is a continuum in my life... back on the Alkaline trail.  This is an excellent article by a guy that understands the blood.

OUR BODIES WERE DESIGNED TO BE HEALTHY, slender and energetic. We were intended to have smooth, supple skin and a quick, alert mind. Instead we are overweight - tired and sluggish. WHY?

The New Biology™

Dr. Robert O. Young's New Biology™, most simply stated, is that the over-acidification of the body is the single underlying cause of all disease.

In contrast, the old biology, based on the work of Louis Pasteur in the late 1800s, stems from the idea that disease comes from germs which invade the body from the outside. Dr. Young has found that when the body is in healthy alkaline balance, germs are unable to get a foothold.

Think of your body as a fish tank.
Think of the importance of maintaining the integrity of the internal fluids of the body that we "swim" in daily.

Imagine the fish in this tank are your cells and organ systems bathed in fluids, which transport food and remove wastes. Now imagine we back up a car and put the tailpipe up against the air intake filter that supplies the oxygen for the water in the tank. The water becomes filled with carbon monoxide, lowering the alkaline pH, creating and acidic pH environment, and threatening the health of the "fish," your cells and organs.

What if we throw in too much food or the wrong kind of food (acid-producing food like dairy, sugar, and animal protein) and the fish are unable to consume or digest it all, and it starts to decompose and putrefy? Toxic acid waste and chemicals build up as the food breaks down, creating more acidic byproducts, altering the optimum alkaline pH.

Basically, this is a small example of what we may be doing to our internal fluids every day. We are fouling them with pollution, smoking, drugs, excessive intake of food, over-consumption of acid-forming foods, and any number of transgressions which compromise the delicate balance of our internal alkaline fluids.

Some of us have fish tanks (bodies) that are barely able to support life, yet we somehow manage to struggle from day to day, building more sever imbalances until there is the inevitable crash and debilitating chronic, disturbing and disorganizing symptoms to deal with.

The pH level (the acid-alkaline measurement) of our internal fluids affects every cell in our bodies. Extended acid imbalances of any kind are not well tolerated by the body. Indeed, the entire metabolic process depends on a balanced internal alkaline environment. A chronically over-acidic pH corrodes body tissue, slowly eating into the 60,000 miles of veins and arteries like acid eating into marble. If left unchecked, it will interrupt all cellular activities and functions, from the beating of your heart to the neural firing of your brain. In summary, over-acidification interferes with life itself leading to all sickness and disease!

How do you know if you're overly acidic?

Fat is an Acid Problem!

Perhaps one of Dr. Young's most well known discoveries is his theory of the cause of overweight. He has shown that fat is actually an over-acidification problem. What does that mean? The body creates fat cells to carry acids away from your vital organs, so these acids literally don't choke your organs to death. Fat is saving your life! Fat is actually a response from the body to an alarming over-acidic condition.The solution? Alkalize and Exercise™ beginning with organic greens products that are loaded with chlorophyll like Doc Broc Power Plants and purified, Ionized Water from one of the systems we sell such as our Jupiter Melody Water Ionizer.

What about Underweight?

At the other end of the health spectrum, the yeast and fungus produced within an overly acidic body can feed on your nutrients and reduce the chemical and mechanical absorption of everything you eat by as much as 50%. This causes many people to become excessively thin, which is no healthier than becoming overweight. Without protein, your body cannot rebuild new tissues or produce enzymes, hormones, or hundreds of other chemical components necessary for cell energy and organ activity. Fatigue, illness, and body weight changes are the results. An underweight person may loose a little more weight as their body chemistry stabilizes. As their body normalizes, they will begin to gain towards their ideal weight. Healthy bodies are not overweight or underweight. A healthy body naturally maintains its own ideal weight. You can begin to restore health, balance, and harmony to your body with ... Brand products (Dr. Young's Balance Pack). As alkalizing and oxygenation begins to take place, the body naturally begins to seek its own ideal weight.

Allergies

The toxins produced within an overly acidic, oxygen deprived body may contribute significantly to what are often called the symptoms of allergy. In addition, the absorption of undigested proteins is a major cause of allergy conditions. The digestive system is weakened, which prevents the total breakdown of amino acids - often causing food allergies. This alone may produce a wide spectrum of severe allergic reactions. Alkalize and Exercise™ beginning with organic greens products that are loaded with chlorophyll like Doc Broc Power Plants and purified, Ionized Water from one of the systems we sell such as our Jupiter Melody Water Ionizer. These products introduce oxygenating and alkalizing elements into your body - helping to balance the conditions that may lead to hypersensitivities.

Fatigue

Fatigue is probably the major symptom or complaint of an overly acidic body. The toxins produced in an acidic body environment reduce the absorption of protein and minerals, which in turn weakens the body's ability to produce enzymes and hormones. This also interferes with the reconstruction of cells and other necessary components of energy production. The result is fatigue, poor endurance, an inability to add muscle tone, and general weakness. Alkalize and Exercise™ beginning with organic greens products that are loaded with chlorophyll like Doc Broc Power Plants and purified, Ionized Water from one of the systems we sell such as our Jupiter Melody Water Ionizer.

Doc Broc Power Plants is formulated to bring you vital nutrient elements and easily digested protein. This alkalizing, energizing, and nourishing formula begins oxygenating your body.
Alkaline Water
The most important thing you must learn is to hydrate the body with alkalizing water. Like the earth on which we live, our bodies are 70% water. Food cravings are often the body's cry for water. A thirst for water will begin as one begins to hydrate with water.

A diet high in acid foods such as meat, dairy grains, high sugar fruits and bread, causes acid wastes to build up in the body. When acid wastes enter our blood stream, the blood system will attempt to dispose of these wastes in liquid form through the lungs or the kidneys. If there are too many wastes to handle, they are deposited in various organ systems like the heart, pancreas, liver, colon, and other locations.

The breakdown of this disposal process of acid waste could also be called "the aging process". To slow down and reverse this process, one must begin by removing this over-acidification of the blood and tissues by including liberal amounts of alkaline water in the diet. Alkaline water has a pH between 9 and 11, and will neutralize harmful stored acid wastes and gently remove them from the tissues.

Are You Getting Enough Alkaline Foods in Your Diet?


'Your health depends on an alkaline environment, created by eating foods such as tomatoes, avocados and green vegetables...striking the optimum 80/20 balance and regulating your body's acid/alkaline chemistry through simple changes in diet can result in weight loss, increased stamina and strength,a stronger immune system and a greater sense of wellbeing.' Dr. Robert and Shelley Young

How did we become so out of balance?


After years of societal changes, millions of dollars of marketing spend and technological advances we, as a race, are now facing more dietary based health challenges than ever before. It is no coincidence that the rapidly growing numbers of cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes correlate almost exactly with the rise in consumption of acid forming foods such as sugars, saturated fats, and white breads. At the same time our consumption of fresh vegetables and essential fatty acids has decreased dramatically, making way for convenience and a generation hooked on sugary treats.

Becoming Alkaline

This is not as difficult or as technical as it sounds. When we talk about eating alkaline foods or starting an alkaline diet we are referring to consuming those foods and drink which have an alkaline effect on the body. This effect is based upon the ash residue that remains after our foods are consumed. Some foods leave an acid ash, whereas others leave an alkaline ash. Conveniently for us, our bodies have been designed to categorize which foods leave which kind of ash into neat and easy to remember groups.

Of course, everybody is different - but most of us should aim to eat 75-80% alkaline foods and a maximum of 20-25% acid forming foods.

Today's Thoughts

Just when we "think" things could not get any worse in our lives, a suddenly moment happens, and we are confronted with another persons life sorrow that changes our perspective. Perhaps the old Jewish proverb holds true: "I ask not for a lighter burden, but for broader shoulders."


Monday, July 05, 2010


Organizing Your Day

No matter what profession you're in, if you work from home it is imperative that you organize and prioritize every day for optimum and rewarding performance.  Here are a few hints that have helped me along the way. 

1. Start the night before: It’s a great idea to make a list of the things you need to accomplish the night before. Prioritizing your list is always a great idea, and when you wake up in the morning, you'll have a clear-cut guide detailing everything that must be done.

2. Beware of diversions: Distractions are a huge issue.  Anything from phone calls, to someone suddenly stopping by, or those sudden urges to Twit or Facebook your way into a social frenzy. Truthfully, unless you are “truly” using those networks to drive advertising, you should leave them alone during your workday.  You would be amazed at how much time is wasted away.  If you find that you constantly get off track, get a watch with a timer and set it so it goes off every 30 minutes. Every time it sounds, be sure you're working on what you originally said you would. If you're not, stop what you're doing and get back on schedule. Most distractions are not emergency situations.

3. Check it off. After finishing a project, cross it off your list.  It will give you a  sense of accomplishment, and help to keep you on track throughout the day.

4.  Schedule breaks:  There are reasons that mandatory lunch breaks and intermittent 10-15 minute breaks are a part of labor law.  Taking a lunch break and a couple of shorter breaks during the course of the day helps the mind to replenish itself.  Most of us have discovered that thinking can be tiring, even exhausting. As the primary source of energy in the human brain, glucose can be rapidly used up during mental activity, so making sure you take a couple of needed breaks is paramount.  Incidentally, research has shown that mental concentration actually drains glucose from a key part of the brain associated with memory and learning – underscoring just how crucial this blood sugar is for proper brain function.  So make sure you EAT!

5. Do a final check. At the end of the day, take a look at your list. If you were not able to finish everything, then move it to the beginning of your list for tomorrow. In the event that there were far too many things left undone, then either you got distracted and didn’t stay on track, or you had way too many things on your list to begin with, so you might want to re-think your list, and really focus on prioritizing.

REMEMBER, you only have 24 hours, and you should be using a third of those hours to sleep!