Read this book, feel bettah

If I had to recommend one book to someone interested in taking charge of their health, this is the one.

"How to Eat, Move, and Be Healthy" by one of my wellness heroes, Paul Chek.

I followed a Facebook thread on a friend's page and stumbled upon this interview with Paul Chek. Halfway through the article, I thought to myself, "this man is insane!" --and I knew I needed to study with him as soon as possible.

I registered for a Holistic Lifestyle Coach training at the Chek Institute and participated in March of 2012. At that point I had been teaching yoga for two years, ate an entirely plant based diet (except those moments when I couldn't fool my body any longer and caved in for a nice juicy steak), exercised almost daily, and took a variety of supplements and vitamins. I considered myself "healthy," an example of great health, even.

Wrong! My skin was erupting near daily and none of my pants fit anymore. I walked through the doors  into the training and was blown away by the other participants: glowing skin; fit, toned bodies; white and bright teeth; clear and shining eyes; smiles for days. It didn't take long to realize I was missing something. 

Our first challenge was to go gluten, dairy, and soy free for the duration of the course. Within 36 hours I began to notice a difference in my skin: I was still breaking out, but the painful cystic acne didn't seem as angry. I was so bolstered by the results I kept going, and within 90 days I was zit free for the first time EVER. Praise the lord! I still feel giddy just thinking about it. If any of you out there have struggled with acne, you know what I mean.

Could it really be that easy to heal with whole foods? I began following the practices of Metabolic Typing and devoured Paul Chek's book, which gave me tools to really take on my own health and healing into my own hands. Here are the steps the book takes you through:

• Step 1 Complete the questionnaires to determine YOUR metabolic needs. 
• Step 2 Develop an eating plan that’s right for YOU. 
• Step 3 Build a personalized exercise program that fits YOUR needs. 
• Step 4 Fine-tune a healthier lifestyle that fits YOUR routine.

It is all developed and designed to fit who YOU ACTUALLY ARE, not some idea of what you are "supposed" to be. Just because one diet/way of being works for one person does not mean it will work for you! (just like vegetarianism, no matter how "noble" it seemed to me, simply did not work and actually threw me and my hormones out of balance-that's for another post).This book will help you take on an entirely new lifestyle that is long term sustainable, rather than trying to fit yourself into the parameters of a diet. We learn to relish and savor our lives, rather than restricting them.

Don't take my word for it--check the book out for yourself! And see what opens up for you. 

Election results 2012

If it isn't obvious considering I am a yoga teacher/health nut/spiritualish person living in San Francisco, CA, I will share here that I was QUITE PLEASED with the results of the presidential election. Obama is still part of the machine; however I am a stand for civil rights for all humans and who wants to be on the wrong side of history when it comes to stuff like that!???

Moving on--Prop 37, which would have required the labeling of foods containing GMO's (Genetically Modified Organisms) did not pass, which was the BUMMER of the election. I've included a handy chart for you to get a good visual on where a lot of these so-called "natural" "healthy" foods actually stand when it comes to not only the health of their customers, but their stance on protecting the environment (e tu, Ben & Jerry's!?).

It's incredibly difficult for me to wrap my head around the fact that people would actually vote against this measure; I'll take solace knowing that the campaign against GMO's isn't going anywhere. Moreover, we can still fight GMO's by choosing mindfully where we spend our money.

The following list comes from Paul Chek, outlining why it would best serve all of us (mother earth included) if we eliminate all processed foods from our diets, all of which contain GMO's. Enjoy~

CHEK Points on Processed Foods

• If you can’t pronounce a word on the label, don’t eat it! Chances are very good it is a chemical that your liver will have to work to detoxify.

• If it’s a non-food, don’t eat it! The more non- foods you eat, the more likely your body is to go bankrupt!

• The longer it lasts on the shelf, the worse it is for you! Unlike the natural foods that nature provides us with, many of the processed foods you eat today are so full of chemicals you can leave them sitting on the kitchen counter for days and the ants won’t even touch them! The bugs are smarter than we are!

• Never eat anything with “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated oils/fats” in it! These are cooked fats that have been altered in a way that make them very hard to digest, as well as being damaging to the body.

• Never eat any food product that has been “enriched”! The only reason food manufacturers “enrich” foods is because they have completely killed and stripped them in processing, leaving the foods so void of nutrition that they must add things back to them.

• Currently, almost ALL processed foods contain genetically modified organisms! Eating any genetically modified food is a risk that you may want to seriously consider if you value your health.