Wellness Wednesdays

Living life Passionately

     When I started my Treat Yo Self Cleanse I sought inspiration. Wednesdays became Wii Fit Wednesdays and most recently they transformed into Wellness Wednesdays.  
     Starting the morning off - I do my Wii Fit check in. Which this week's number made my heart skip a beat - I've transformed 35 pounds away from this beautiful body and turned it into light and love! Woot! Woot! And those pants hiding on the top shelf are now getting to go out on the town!
     And my afternoons (here's where so many things happen) are spent in a healing and supportive presence with my favorite holistic chiropractor, Dr. Margaret at Traditional Healing Arts. Her gentleness of spirit and love focus on my wholeness. Together, we've not only created the Treat Yo Self Cleanse (I'm now on day 93), she helped unveil the connections between my physical symptoms and feelings or experiences that needed healing. Why so many headaches? Why don't I sleep well? Why does my stomach hurt after most, if not all, meals? Why does my lower back hurt? How do I use food when it's beyond nutritional value? All these symptoms were messages - so with my willingness to continue exploring my heart; I've found guidance and support.
     For several years I've lived with migraines and in the last 2 years I couldn't go a week without light and sound sensitivity, a throbbing head and nausea forcing me to bed and requiring 1, 2 or sometimes 3 of my prescription medicine to find relief. 
     Even before the Treat Yo Self Cleanse a part of me knew I was sensitive to milk and yet I'd still eat ice cream, just suffering with the after affects. I knew after eating pasta and bread I didn't feel quite right - bloated and gurglely and yet I still eat them. I coped with these things, not by changing what I was eating, but by developing my own way finding map to the nearest restroom.  Consuming caffeine and refined sugar also ensured me a bedtime spent frustrated with thoughts racing through my mind. It's been over 4 years now since my body started sending me these High Priority Messages, one after the other and yet I didn't pay attention. 
     And now, that I've started paying attention and began transforming what I eat - it's amazing what I no longer have to live with.  It's been over 8 weeks since I've had a migraine. I no longer need to frantically search for a restroom after each meal. I've also been transforming weight away (I don't say lost - because usually "lost" means it can be "found" again). While this wasn't the primary reason I started the Treat Yo Self Cleanse, I must admit it's been the sugar-free icing on the gluten-free, dairy-free cake.  
     Amongst all these beautiful physical transformations - my heart, my soul and my mind have come together to find beauty in life. To let each emotion: love, joy, sadness and anger live. Through the embrace and support, I've found gratitude and forgiveness. I am facing myself. I am facing the fearful heart afraid to release food as my comfort. And the part of myself that closed off my empathy towards others because it became so painful to know what others were feeling. Remember my Care Bear Belly Badge? My heart, that continues to dream of having children. And the part of me that is letting myself take root into the soil before I blossom into a relationship my mom.
     With Dr. Margaret I've been able to unfold patterns and reveal walls that blocked me from creating the life I want. It's not always easy to acknowledge their presence and it can be rather messy (trust me, anytime that I've done this before I've come away from the experience feeling worse about myself and the situation.) Not with Dr. Margaret! We work together to create healing so that I can incorporate this into creating the life I want to lead; to continue to connect deeply and passionately with this beautiful life.

 I encourage you to listen, ask questions, seek answer and be willing. 

Know that this life can be lived passionately.

T is for Transformation - Day 84

 Give Me A "T"

    While I don't miss fast food (or how I felt after eating this food ~ugh!) I do miss the experience of going out to dinner. Enjoying heart delighted conversations; savory bites and the biggest plus - not having to do the dishes. 
     With the dietary restrictions of Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Refined Sugar-Free, Corn-Free and Yeast-Free the idea of dining out is concerning. At the beginning of the Treat Yo Self Cleanse I needed time to live without. It was almost a mourning period of letting the way I used to eat transform into the way I'm eating now. I needed to build confidence with choosing other foods and gain comfort got asking for what I need.
     My inner cheerleader jumped up and down and is cheering for me as I recognized that I can really have fun transforming with the Treat Yo Self Cleanse. As I now celebrate day 84, I realize how great I feel with the dietary changes and know that my commitment to this transformation is alive and well.
    So I was ready - ready to finally discover restaurants that could cater to my list of specifics. In my search for the perfect restaurant my frustration grew and I knew I needed help. I reached out to a coworker - who by her delightful (and informative response) was the perfect resource. I started with asking for recommendations for Vegan Twin Cities restaurants. Here are the ones I'm most excited to try:

• French Meadow Café (Lyndale and 26^th)"is a great sitdown restaurant (in the evening) with several vegan options for each meal. They make amazing food and it’s a perfect fancy date place, or a very un-fancy breakfast place."
• Ecopolitan (Lyndale and 24^th) "is the only all-vegan restaurant in the Twin Cities. They have an entirely raw menu, which can be a turn-off for some or it can be a huge selling point. I’ve found that some of their food is just too rich for me, while their juices/smoothies and desserts are amazing."
• Namaste (25^th and Hennepin), Gandhi Mahal (Minnehaha at Lake), and Himalayan (Franklin and 25^th-ish) "all offer amazing Indian food that has clearly labeled vegan options. Namaste and Himalayan do more north Indian food and Gandhi Mahal is more southern Indian. Namaste has amazing chai tea and the best chole I’ve ever had, Himalayan has great values for their prices and Gandhi Mahal is a great place to bring a date - nice atmosphere and a great range of dishes for everyone."
• Sen Yai Sen Lek (Central and Lowry) "has delicious, amazing, fantastic Thai food. They are very knowledgeable about what’s vegan and what’s not, they have a good beer/wine selection, and they also have gluten-free options. They always have one vegetarian/vegan curry each day."

    She also provided me this resource: http://www.vegguide.org/. So thank you my friend for helping support this transformation! As I continue on with this journey - I realize that I will always need to ask "what was that made with?" or "does this include X?" But starting with these places with a conscientious approach to food is a great start.

Holiday Traditions: F*R*I*E*N*D*S and Christmas Movies

      I love this time of year and am grateful that I am filled with love and excitement. While, I know I am a little late in posting my favorites for Thanksgiving - I still want to share. The day before Thanksgiving always gets me excited, typically we host and I love planning this meal. As I whip up delicious dishes the evening before I watch my favorite episodes of F*R*I*E*N*D*S.

• Season 1: The One Where Underdog Gets Away 
• Season 3: The One with the Football 
• Season 4: The One with Chandler in a Box 
• Season 5: The One with the Thanksgiving Flashbacks
• Season 6: The One Where Ross Got High (this is by far my favorite of them all!)  
• Season 7: The One Where Chandler Doesn't Like Dogs
• Season 8: The One with the Rumor
• Season 9: The One with Rachel's Other Sister 
• Season 10: The One with the Late Thanksgiving

      Then the day after Thanksgiving is always (always) decorating for Christmas. I love putting up the tree as early as I can. I love the golden lights, my favorite ornaments and my electronic Santa stuck in the chimney always makes me smile. 
      The Christmas movie viewing begins at this time too. When my husband and I started dating we created a tradition of purchasing a Christmas movie each year. This year I was impassioned to find the made-for-tv movie from 1986 staring Dolly Parton: A Smoky Mountain Christmas. And as if Santa came early, the movie came in the mail on Friday (what luck). 
      Here's a list of my favorite Christmas movies - enjoy!

•  Elf (2003)
• When I saw this movie in 2003, I was grateful. There had been several years where I didn't enjoy the holidays and felt they were more work than joyous. This movie helped me fall back in-love with Christmas and the holiday spirit. 
• A Smoky Mountain Christmas (TV 1986)
• A heartfelt and lovely holiday tale staring Dolly Parton. Music memories and a family of orphans finding love and a home with Dolly - love it! 
•  Santa Claus (1985)
• This was one of the treasures we found a few years ago. I remember watching it on a VHS tape we borrowed from a family friend. When we were searching for it, I could only remember the little orphan boy drinking a Coke-Cola and the reindeer eating the sparkly hay that made them fly. 
• Home Alone (1990) 
• A light hearted and humorous classic with great lines, like "When I grow up and get married, I'm living alone!"
• White Christmas (1954) 
• Dancing, singing - it's a musical holiday! Oh and when the general walks in the hall - it gets me every time.
• It's a Wonderful Life (1946) 
• Probably one of my all-time favorites. The tears flow every time and sets my heart a light. 
• Christmas Vacation (1989) 
•  When you need a good laugh, pop in this movie and enjoy great lines like "You couldn't hear a dump truck driving through a nitroglycerin plant."
• Mixed Nuts (1994)
• It's quirky and makes me laugh. 
• A Christmas Story (1983) 
• This was always on the television growing up, but I didn't get it or even like it. Plus, I always seemed to catch the movie in the middle. In July of 2003 a friend and I were looking for movies to watch and we ran across this movie. I rolled me eyes and she convinced me to give it a try. It made all the difference watching it with someone who loved it and now it lives as on my favorites. We even have a mini-leg lamp in the front window!
• Love Actually (2003)
• Another movie my friend and I watched in July 2003 - I fell in love with it. I always love movies where the characters end up crossing paths. 
• Surviving Christmas (2004)
• I love Ben Affleck in this movie. 
• Disney's A Christmas Carol (2009)  
• By far, my favorite version of A Christmas Carol.
• The Polar Express (2004) 
• The first time we saw this was in the IMAX theature in 3D - it was amazing and continues to be a favorite.
• Original Television Christmas Classics (1969) 
• Includes: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer / Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town / Frosty the Snowman / Frosty Returns / The Little Drummer Boy. Who doesn't remember watching these clay-mations on TV?  
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)
• The original and cartoon version - timeless. 
• A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa (2008) 
• After last year's The Muppets (2011) came out, we just needed to add a Christmas Muppet movie!
• Noel (2004)
• Another movie about connections. Where you meet characters and by the end of the movie, they have crossed paths and found miracles. This one makes the tears fall, but well worth it.
• Bad Santa (2003)
• This one falls under the "I'm not sure why I like this movie" category. Maybe it's the hope that even when your life doesn't seem like it will ever turn around (ever!) - it will.  
• Miracle on 34th Street (1994) 
• Sweet version of the classic - I love this Santa.
• Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
• While the entire movie is not all about Christmas, it reaches to the heart of family. Plus Judy Garland's performance of 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas' is lovely.

The Well of Strength

      This last week has been a celebration of connection. After 21 days of daily blogging with the O.M.I. Life; I was ready to connect with myself, friends, family and choose to disconnect from electronics. Packing up the laptop was refreshing and I appreciated the change. 
      Hosting a Thanksgiving Brunch was a great start. I made as many good food choices as I could to create food that was gluten-free, dairy-free, corn-free and sugar-free. While not every delicious food I made fit into these guidelines (pumpkin cheesecake, mini-pecan pies and stuffing); the waffles, mini-donuts, potatoes and turkey did. I felt powerful and proud; thankful that I found my way; supporting what my body needs. 
      And yet, (as with any journey worthy of change) there are times when the little voice of negative self-talk comes in or I find myself struggling with the social aspect these choices. 
      My diet is very specific and I know there are others out there making similar dietary choices. We share a journey that isn't paved and can sometimes feel limiting and overwhelming.
      There are others in my circle that support me - they just "get it". Even if they aren't on the same dietary guidelines, they see that what I'm doing - I'm all in and they notice the beauty this is creating in my life - I'm grateful!
      And then there are others who question what I'm doing and these choices. No, it's not the typical choices and no it's not always easy to understand how these foody-food choices affected my headaches, back pain or weight. With gentle support, I remind myself that not even 3 months ago I was in the darkness and that when the questions, judgments and doubts sneak in; it's my reminder to reconnect to my well of strength. To take time to walk to my empty pail and dip into the waters of compassion; replenishing myself as I continue to be a trailblazing leader and shining my light for the world to see. Reminding myself that we all awaken to ideas, hopes and dreams on at our own pace and that through having compassionate support the questions are doors waiting to be opened.

A Day To Celebrate 21/60

Sparkle Cleanse Day 21 - Treat Yo Self Day 60

6 Steps to Sparkle

Inspired by Kris Carr., (2011) Crazy Sexy Diet. CT: Globe Pequot Press

1. Inspiration: You did it! Yeah! I'm giving you another standing ovation - really - and jumping up and down, too. As you go forward, remember that the Crazy Sexy Diet doesn't have to be all or nothing. Do what you can to stick with an alkaline plant-based diet, feed your soul as well as your body, and pay attention to your inner needs. Write a personal mission statement and let it be your guide. No matter where you are, it will always bring you home. Keep it short and powerful so you remember so you remember it always. Place it on your altar. See it, feel it, be it.
   Kris' Mission Statement:
   I commit my life to the pursuit of peace. Peace beings with my physical and mental well-being, it extends to my plate, guides all my relationships, personal and business transactions, and decisions. People can't give me happiness; they can only share in my already present happiness stemming from peace.  
2. Focus: Live in the present, expect the future.
3. Prayer: Knowing I am glorious just as I am, help me face the future with intention, integrity, instinct, and excitement.
4. Affirmation: I am the embodiment of success today! I am a champion.
5. Body Movin': Ninety-minute deep tissue massage. You deserve it.
6. Tip: You've changed your diet, moved you patootie, unclogged your body, prayed Crazy Sexy style, affirmed like a warrior, acknowledged what you love, tapped into the hot spring of gratitude, and possibly even added a pinch of witchcraft "just in case". But what if for some stinking reason you still don't believe in your fabulosity? Well, I got one more trick for ya, act as if. Fake it till you make it. Attitude Olympians have used this training method for generations. Before long you will acknowledge and accept your royalty, without apology. Remember, we successfully manifest our dreams when the feelings behind our intentions are in alignment. Acting as if teaches us to believe in ourselves and never settle for less. When negative, nihilistic thoughts  come up, we immediately correct and replace them with positive visualizations and affirmations. "I am sick, weak, and ugly," becomes "I love my body, I am healthy and strong and absolutely stunning." Try on your new confidence until it fits - and go forward. 
   I love you! Thanks for taking the ride with me, I'm really honored you did it! 

My Reflection:

      Today’s a celebration! 60 days with the Treat Yo Self Cleanse and 21 days with the added Sparkle. The amount of joy, anxiety and contemplation that went into this cleanse was a fine tuning fork. I knew things would come up and I knew I’d deal with them to the best of my ability. I didn’t however know exactly how it would turn out or how I’d make it through. I followed my heart and danced with my intuition. And when I danced, I floated in the clouds and when I stumbled I crawled through the mud. I did it all and have come out of it with this renewed purpose: To feed myself and my family better! This was one of my favorite phrases from my Vision Board (although to be honest they are all pretty fantastic).

      When I started this cleanse, I had a deadline in place. I’m not sure if I thought, “Oh and at the end of it, I’ll get to have everything that I couldn’t eat, back into my life.” But I also didn’t prepare myself for “What if I like this so much, feel so much better and choose to continue making these choices around food?”

      So I sat with the unknown, because that is all it truly was, something intangible, unexplainable and looming. I want to be bold and willing - to anything to say yes to transformation and healing. To say no to the negative self talk that tries to override this feeling. So none the less I felt as if I was grieving this weekend. I spent so much time with my Vision Board and letter to myself. While they were beautiful, I now see what I was avoiding making peace with the end of this cleanse. I was sad to see a daily inspiration, motivation and purpose fade.  

      I was also wondering if all the changes I've made would stick after the cleanse; concerned that I'd lose this connection with my ability to choose. It was as if a long-lost friend with amazing strength and beauty and I had reconnected. We hung out for several weeks and now that I reached the end of the cleanse was packing up to move on only to leave me alone; without guidance and intention of the added Sparkle I had during the last 21 days.
       And now I know, that I will keep finding more ways to support myself and that I will never lose the connection I've found. And that I will eagerly embrace the new things I will create.