MASTERY NEWSLETTER Dedicated to Health, Wealth and Fr~eedom

                                           
                                      New Super Bug Hits the US

                         Extremely Contagious, Easy to Get, Hard to Prevent

                    It is The “Ferrari” of Viruses: Fast Moving, Well Designed

                          Makes People Violently Ill, No One is Immune

                                   Lives for Weeks on Hard Surfaces
  
                                                 What You Can Do

Unlike the regular flu bug which is bad enough, this new form of norovirus can live on hard surfaces for weeks. That means door handles, coffee makers, escalator handrails. Regular detergents don’t work on it. Hand sanitizers don’t kill it. It has a new and unique shape.

The regular flu bug is transmitted through the air and only lives for two to eight hours on hard surfaces. This new form can linger for weeks. Once affected, the symptoms come on quickly, within hours of being exposed.

The good news? For most, it will run its course in two to three days. “A horrible two to three days” according to ABC News medical correspondent Dr. Richard Besser.

You can see the ABC News story and what Dr. Besser recommends here: http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/powerful-norovirus-spreads-america-18318770

                                             Effective Protocols for the Flu

 

1. Wash Your Hands. Regular medicine and alternative therapists agree on this one. Consider stepping it up with this new norovirus now ripping through America. (It started in Australia, so it may hit your corner of the world as well.)

 

2.Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. If possible, avoid close contact with those, who are sick and, if you are sick, avoid close contact with those who are well.

 

3. Exercise. No one disagrees that regular exercise can help the immune system to be more effective in fighting foreign pathogens. (Over exercise, though, can decrease immune functions. See Protocol #19 in The Zen of Joy for more on this:http://www.zenofjoy.com )

 

4. The Flu "Shot" Will Not Work. Not against this new bug. While there is disagreement about whether flu shots work well against other strains of the bug, there is none about this strain.

 

5. Reduce Stress. If your body is having to deal with stress, there are fewer resources left over to deal with invading bugs. Laughter is the #1 stress reducer. The trick is it takes 10-15 minutes of sustained laughter to produce enough of the "feel-good" hormones like endorphins to crowd out the stress hormones. You can search for laughing babies on the net or you can download my no-cost video to laugh along with me daily: http://joyenergyandhealth.com/

 

6. Get Plenty of Rest. Again, if your body is tired, it will be harder to fight the bugs.

 

7. Optimize Your Friendly Bacteria. Regular use of fermented foods as well as high quality probiotics can radically optimize the function of your immune response.

 

8. Reduce Sugar and Processed Foods. Fitness and health expert Jack Lalanne had a simple test for what to put in your mouth: "If man made it, don't eat it." Sugar for example, feeds the unfriendly bacteria.

 

9. Watch Your Vitamin D levels. Many "alternative' therapists believe flu "season" is nothing more or less than a lack of Vitamin D from less sunshine in the colder months. "According to the latest review by Carole Baggerly (Grassrootshealth.org), adults need about 8,000 IU's a day. Be sure to take vitamin K2 if you are taking high dose oral vitamin D as it has a powerful synergy and will help prevent any D toxicity." -Dr. Mercola. also from Dr. Mercola:

10. Take a High Quality Source of Animal-Based Omega-3 Fats. Increase your intake of healthy and essential fats like the omega-3 found in krill oil, which is crucial for maintaining health. It is also vitally important to avoid damaged omega-6 oils that are trans fats and in processed foods as it will seriously damage your immune response.

                                  

  The following tips are from an article in NaturalNews.com: http://www.naturalnews.com/038663_flu_season_treatment_elderberry.html

 

"11.Take elderberry extract. Elderberry has been shown in several clinical studies to reduce the duration and severity of flu symptoms, and it is safe for children.

 

12. Take echinacea. It will help the body defend itself against viruses.

 

13. Vitamin C in hefty doses (6,000 – 20,000 mg/day) is a good idea as well. Children's doses are usually about 1/3 that of adults.

 

14. Vitamin A is helpful for viruses at a dosage of 20,000 – 40,000 IU/day.

 

15. Start taking a Yin Chiao Chinese herbal formula at the first onset of viral symptoms. These are usually available at health food stores and through online suppliers. The two primary herbal ingredients are Lonicera and Forsythia (Jin Yin Hua and Lian Chiao). A more specific Chinese herbal formula for flu symptoms with muscle aching and sinus congestion is Gan Mao Ling. These are inexpensive and everyone would do well to stock these two formulas in your first aid kit.

 

16. Homeopathic medicines are also mainstays in the treatment of flu symptoms. Often the most important homeopathic is Gelsemium, characterized by chilliness, lack of thirst, severe aching, and severe tiredness with headache and congestion. By contrast Bryonia is a homeopathic flu remedy for flu symptoms if you feel warm and want cool drinks and cool air, you are thirsty, and have bad headaches and achiness. These medicines are also perfectly safe for children. Take a 12 or 30 strength of one of these homeopathics every few hours until you feel much better.

This holistic treatment program along with plenty of water, soups, and fresh fruits will get you feeling back to normal and assure that you avoid the complications that sometimes accompany seasonal flus.

About the author: Dr. Randall Neustaedter, OMD, has practiced and taught holistic medicine for more than thirty years in the San Francisco Bay area, specializing in child health care. He is a licensed acupuncturist and doctor of Chinese medicine, author of The Holistic Baby Guide, Child Health Guide and The Vaccine Guide. Visit his website, http://www.cure-guide.com, to register for a free newsletter with pediatric specialty articles and follow him on Facebook, at Dr. Randall Neustaedter, OMD."

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Enjoy the rest of the read,
Matti

Also in this issue:

* Still believe in the flu shot??? Flu epidemic strikes millions of Americans already vaccinated against the flu.

 

* CNN's Piers Morgan receives flu vaccine injection from Dr. Oz, then gets sick

 

* 50 Life Hacks to Simplify Your Life

 

* Daily workouts can’t undo damage done from sitting all day 

 

* Russell Means: Welcome To The Reservation

 

*Plus:

►BOOKS WORTH READING

►MOVIES WORTH WATCHING

►FUN: Top 10 Ways to be Miserable in 2013

 

►FINAL WORD: The New Age Goes into Retirement …Hilarious

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Quotes:
 
"No matter how busy you think you are, you must find time for reading or surrender yourself to self chosen ignorance." -Confucius

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HEALTH

Still believe in the flu shot??? Flu epidemic strikes millions of Americans already vaccinated against the flu.

http://www.naturalnews.com/038648_flu_pandemic_vaccines_shots.html#ixzz2HhSv7Uim

 

CNN's Piers Morgan receives flu vaccine injection from Dr. Oz, then gets sick
http:// http://www.naturalnews.com/038866_Piers_Morgan_flu_vaccines_sickness.html#ixzz2JOJq8bsq

 

Daily workouts can’t undo damage done from sitting all day (NBC TV news report)
http://www.dansplan.com/blog/1783-video-daily-workouts-cant-undo-damage-done-from-sitting-all-day-rock-centerhttp://www.dansplan.com/blog/1783-video-daily-workouts-cant-undo-damage-done-from-sitting-all-day-rock-center

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WEALTH

50 Life Hacks to Simplify Your Life
http://twistedsifter.com/2013/01/50-life-hacks-to-simplify-your-world/

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FREEDOM

Russell Means: Welcome To The Reservation

Lots of new info and filling in the blanks…he knows about the Federal Reserve System. He even talks about something no one else I have talked to or heard from knew…that George Orwell's book 1984 was originally titled 1948. Means says the publishers made him change it. I read that Orwell's friend Anthony Burgess said that it was Orwell's friends who persuaded him.
The friends thought it was too much for people to take that what was going on in the book was actually happening in 1948, so they got him to make it a future world.
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LA-S64QY3o

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BOOKS WORTH READING

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. Book Review http://joyenergyandhealth.com/war-art/

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MOVIES WORTH WATCHING

Jiro Dreams of Sushi. The Greatest Sushi chef in the world. Michelin gave him 3 stars even though his restaurant has but very few seats. It is fully reserved a month or more into the future. 3 stars by Michelin means it is worth it to visit the country just to eat in this restaurant.

“Once you have found your occupation, you must immerse yourself in your work. You have to fall in love with your work. Never complain about your job. You must dedicate your life to the mastery of your skill. That’s the secret of success and is the key to being regarded honorably.” –Jiro Ono, the world’s greatest sushi chef in “Jiro Dreams of Sushi.” 

http://www.magpictures.com/jirodreamsofsushi/

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FUN

Top 10 Ways to be Miserable in 2013 From Marci Shimoff, author of Happy for No Reason and Love for No Reason:

Want a great laugh? Take a quick break — just a minute — to watch this.  We were cracking up creating it, and I'm sure you'll get a good laugh. There's also an important message in here for you about how to have a magnificent year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MotyeCafaQg
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FINAL WORD:

The New Age Goes into Retirement …Hilarious

 One example: "If you’ve been channeling Archangel Michael, the Pleiades, or Elvis, its time to cut it out. From here forward your responsibility is simply to connect the words that come out of your mouth with the thoughts and feelings that are passing inside of you. Codeword: honesty. Known to lead to: intimacy"
http://arjunaardagh.com/new-age-retires/?inf_contact_key=91eda894602328e1d706020953fdb5c49e975a1d447a59628d323dc6a5ba32a5

That’s it for now. Enjoy your month.

 

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Love and Laughter,

Matti Anttila, Certified Laughter Yoga Teacher. Author of The Zen of Joy & 108 Tips for More Joy, Energy and Health. http://joyenergyandhealth.com/

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matti1946

Twitter: http://www.Twitter.com/LaughterHealth

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/matti1946

 

☼ No matter how happy or unhappy you are, you can feel "Authentic Joy" within minutes of accessing this video: http://joyenergyandhealth.com/  Complimentary email course included: 108 Tips for More Joy, Energy and Health. 110-174 Wilson Street, Victoria, BC, Canada, V9A 7N7. 1-484-727-5230.

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The Inner Circle

You just might want to see more of these kinds of stories/anecdotes than the once a month Mastery Newsletter. The “Inner Circle” explores a whole lot more subjects than I can fit into a monthly newsletter.

It is “ad hoc,” meaning it arrives in your inbox whenever I run across something, that could be once every 2 or 3 weeks. It might also be a few times in a single day. As always, simple to unsubscribe if it gets to be too much.

TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE INNER CIRCLE: Send an email to freedombalance@shaw.ca with “SUB INNER CIRCLE” in the subject line.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Publisher Matti Anttila © Copyright Matti Anttila 2013. 110-174 Wilson Street, Victoria, B.C. Canada V9A7N7

Welcome to our new subscribers. Please recommend this E-Zine to anyone you know who is interested in Health, Wealth and Fr~eedom. Just have them email me with SUBMASNL in the subject field. freedombalance@shaw.ca

Privacy statement: I take your privacy seriously and do not distribute your information to anyone.

Disclaimer: Please make your own decisions about everything. That includes investment, taxation, health and/or any other area. Seek professional assistance before attempting any of the ideas, tools and/or techniques discussed in any of these MASTERY NEWSLETTERS.
                                                
Any and all information provided here is not a substitute for the advice of a licensed medical practitioner. Individuals are advised not to self-medicate in the presence of significant illness. Always consult with your licensed medical practitioner first before undertaking anything…be it supplements, exercise programs or other protocols. The information on this website is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Do not construe the information provided here as authoritative health advice…or authoritative advice of any sort. All information provided or referred-to on this website is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be health, medical, financial, accounting or tax advice, nor should it be relied upon as such. Matti Anttila is not a licensed financial planner, doctor or health practitioner. If you're not inclined to Do-It-Yourself then please, before you Do-It-To-Yourself, obtain professional advice.

 

These great needs are self–evident once we reflect on them. These two great needs also appear to be implanted into other sentient beings and all of life.
 

 

                          The first great need is growth.

"If we don't change, we don't grow. If we don't grow, we aren't really living." ~ Gail Sheehy

Everything in nature grows. Plants, animals, humans. This growth is continuous throughout the entire life span of the plant, animal or human.

The only creature in all of nature that wants to tinker with this process is the human. With the myth of the un-natural state of “retirement,” we have attempted a massive social experiment to stop our natural growth.

Under the guise of “taking it easy,” we have persuaded a few generations now to try to alter our natural inclination and built in impulse to continue to grow all of our lives…until our last breath. For that is how we are built: to continue to grow and learn until we are no longer able. It is part of what makes for a fulfilling life.

Instead, persuasive programming has many believing that their learning or “education” is finished when their years at school are done. As anyone who has entered a profession, calling, trade or career knows, the real learning starts on entering that profession, calling, trade or career. Often times, we must unlearn much of what we have been taught in school to succeed in our life’s choice of occupation. And as masters of their craft know, the learning never stops. There is always more to be learned, even after attaining “mastery.”

 

                              The Three Most Dangerous Words to Our Growth

We would do well to adopt the Zen attitude of “beginner’s mind.” This attitude is what most readily allows more new learning to enter. The opposite of beginner’s mind is the attitude that we know it all. Motivational speaker and author T. Harv Eker warns us that the three most dangerous words in the language are: “I know that.”

Upon coming on new information, if we allow ourselves to respond with those words, even internally, we risk shutting off learning anything new. “I know that” shunts the new information into a pigeon hole in our minds without ever opening up the envelope to see what is inside.

This is the way many operate. We can hardly blame them for it. The programming we receive when young is persuasive and it takes great effort to undo it. That we must undo this programming is critical to our continuous learning and therefore fulfillment in life.

“If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts; but if he will be content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties.” –Francis Bacon

 

                           The second great need is contribution.

Again, the myth of retirement cuts off this need at the knees. When we give into the persuasive programming to “take it easy” at a certain arbitrary age, we again cut off an avenue to leading fulfilling lives.

Great sages like Mother Teresa, Michelangelo, Ramana Maharshi, Jesus, Peace Pilgrim, Ghandi and many others show us by the example of their lives how contribution enhances the riches that are available to us.

This life is not about getting, it is about giving. The great paradox for us to discover in this life is that whenever we give love we are not diminished by the giving. On the contrary, we always receive much more than we give.

Making a contribution enriches us. Whether we comfort a hurt child or give a present from the heart, we feel good. This feeling good is nature’s “feedback loop.” It tells us this is right, do more of this. Yet, what do many of us do? We revert right back to the “Gimme” philosophy or attitude. “What’s in it for me?”

“Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened.” -Sir Winston Churchill

 

     What riches might await us if we nurtured our giving nature?

I contend that giving is our true nature, that the act of continuously making contributions, small, large or in between, is what gives meaning to life. This is where the “juice” of life is.

 

Your mission, should you decide to accept, is to reflect on how can you continue to learn thereby keeping the grey cells active and slowing down the aging process and then doing it.

 

Your mission also is to opening up to the awareness of how to make contributions in your life. Consider that even paying a compliment to a friend or anyone near you is a contribution. Sending a note or email of thanks or appreciation is a contribution. The more we do it, the easier it becomes to continue.

Warning: you may find yourself getting addicted to both continuous learning and to contribution. These addictions may be hard to break.

Any and all information provided here is not a substitute for the advice of a licensed medical practitioner. Individuals are advised not to self-medicate in the presence of significant illness. Always consult with your licensed medical practitioner first before undertaking anything…be it supplements, exercise programs or other protocols. The information on this website is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Do not construe the information provided here as authoritative health advice…or authoritative advice of any sort. All information provided or referred-to on this website is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be health, medical, financial, accounting or tax advice, nor should it be relied upon as such. Matti Anttila is not a licensed financial planner, doctor or health practitioner. If you're not inclined to Do-It-Yourself then please, before you Do-It-To-Yourself, obtain professional advice.

"THE SIMPLIFICATION OF LIFE is one of the steps to inner peace. A persistent simplification will create an inner and outer well-being that places harmony in one's life. For me this began with a discovery of the meaninglessness of possessions beyond my actual and immediate needs. As soon as I had brought myself down to need level, I began to feel a wonderful harmony in my life between inner and outer well-being, between spiritual and material well-being.

Some people seem to think that my life dedicated to simplicity and service is austere and joyless, but they do not know the freedom of simplicity. I am thankful to God every moment of my life for the great riches that have been showered upon me. My life is full and good but never overcrowded. If life is overcrowded then you are doing more than is required for you to do.

My life had been bogged down; I felt greedy before I took my vow of simplicity: I shall not accept more than I need while others in the world have less than they need.

You may also have come out of a life where you had too many things. When you have simplified your life, I'm sure you will feel as free as I feel. If your motive is one of giving then you will be given whatever you need.

In my life, what I want and what I need are exactly the same. Anything in excess of needs is burdensome to me. You couldn't give me anything I don't need. I am penniless, but have difficulty remaining so. Several of my well meaning, well-to-do friends have offered me large sums of money, which I of course refused.

I talked to one person who thought I was being deprived of some of the "pleasures" of life. But none of the things I do not use or do not do were taken away from me. I just did not include them when I was choosing a harmonious life. I just had no interest whatsoever in them.

I am not a slave to comfort and convenience. I wouldn't be a pilgrim if I were. We can allow false beliefs to govern our lives and be enslaved by them. Most people do not wish to be free. They would prefer to moan and chafe about how impossible it is to give up their various enslavements to possessions, food, drink, smoking, and so forth. It is not that they can't give them up–they don't really want to give them up. " -Peace Pilgrim. Her Life and Work in Her Own Words

Humans are designed more for spurts than the slogging long haul. Yet, life is a "long haul."

How to reconcile these two factors?

 

"Multi-tasking" does not work most of the time

Another factor to throw more confusion into the mix: "Multi-tasking" is more or less a misnomer. We can't do it very well. There are obvious exceptions: waiting on hold on the phone is a good one. Waiting is so passive that we might as well be doing something else with the time. But for the most part when we try we end up doing neither task well and often having to do one or both of them again. Time wasted.
 

Focus on one task at a time and group similar tasks together

Instead, what makes more sense given the way humans are wired is to focus on one task at a time and to group similar tasks together. The challenge is that keeping a laser like focus all through the day is impossible for most of us.

 

Power Blocks focus the energy

What is possible is for us to keep a sharp focus for a limited period. Here is a suggestion: Break your day up into blocks of 45-50 minutes of focus, followed by a short 10-15 minute break. 55 and 5 minutes can work as well. Experiment to see what works best for you. Some days it might be 50 minutes and some days 55 minutes.

 

If you get on a roll and feeling the energy moving you along on and you are enjoying the feeling of accomplishment, try jutting two Power Blocks together to make 90 minutes before taking a break. This is all very flexible.

 

High Energy = Getting more done

The goal is to keep your energy up. Having high energy usually means we are able to accomplish more than low energy. This is a way to energize yourself even on what can at first feel like a low energy day.

 

Keep track of your time

You may choose to note down your beginning and ending times for the Power Blocks. I am a great believer in accountability. Keeping track of start and stop times goes a long way to making this work. You are being accountable to yourself.

 

Hydrate, snack

The quick break does not have to be a "coffee" break. As we know coffee can be a quick "pick-me-up" and it can also be a "let-me-down" a short time after. You could choose to drink a glass or two of water at the breaks. This helps to keep the body hydrated. Snacks of nuts and/or fruit can be helpful as well.

 

My personal experience with this is that it has helped to get me focused and get more done in a shorter amount of time. Knowing that there is a break coming up allows me to keep my "nose to the grindstone" as it were until the break.

 

Rewards work

The break is kind of a reward and you know what? We humans love rewards. A little reward every hour or so goes a long way. It creates a little burst of positive feeling. There are actually lots of studies now showing that when we are happier, we can accomplish more. Why they needed studies to show that just shows how far off the track we have gone. We all have had times when we were energized, on a roll, getting things done and felt great. The Power Block concept is a way to get on a roll…every day.

 

 

 

 

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Any and all information provided here is not a substitute for the advice of a licensed medical practitioner. Individuals are advised not to self-medicate in the presence of significant illness. Always consult with your licensed medical practitioner first before undertaking anything…be it supplements, exercise programs or other protocols. The information on this website is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Do not construe the information provided here as authoritative health advice…or authoritative advice of any sort. All information provided or referred-to on this website is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be health, medical, financial, accounting or tax advice, nor should it be relied upon as such. Matti Anttila is not a licensed financial planner, doctor or health practitioner. If you're not inclined to Do-It-Yourself then please, before you Do-It-To-Yourself, obtain professional advice.

                                   How a Warrior Deals with the Flu

I have friends who think I’m crazy. You see, I am a “health nut.” At least, that’s the way many of my friends see me.

F.J. says he can see that I have a passion for it. When I start talking about I get on a roll and can’t seem to stop. Maybe, F.J. says, you will have the last laugh and outlive us all.

When I showed off my cupboard with three shelves full of vitamins and supplements, I was quick to add that those may not be the secret to health and longevity at all. There are lots of examples nowadays of elders who are living vibrant lives in their 90s and even past 100 who don’t take supplements and seem to do just fine.

                                          

                              So, What is Their Secret to a Long and Health Life?

But before we get into that, let’s address the reasons why you may want to consider becoming a student of health.

First, there is this: if you do what everyone else is doing, you will likely get the same kinds of results. What is everyone else doing? Not studying health, for one thing.

And what are they getting? Let’s just look around and see.

Cancer, despite the billions thrown into research, has been and is increasing.

Heart disease, despite the billions thrown into research, is increasing.

Type 2 Diabetes is increasing. This used to be called “adult on set” diabetes because it differed from the Type 1 that a person is born with, usually only occurring in adults and not in children.

Despite the fortune thrown into research, Type 2 diabetes is increasing and has afflicted children as young as eight years old!

So…if you do as everyone else is doing, being in reactive mode to your health, maybe you can expect the same results as everyone else.

What do I mean by “reactive mode?” Well, it means waiting until there is a health condition and then going to the doctor (or naturopath, herbalist, physiotherapist, acupuncturist or other alternative therapist) and asking to get fixed.

We are certainly supported in this reactive mode. In recent decades, for example, we have seen an explosion of the number of TV ads for many different drugs. The drug companies are now targeting the consumer directly.

Ask yourself this: Would they be doing it if it was not working? TV ads are expensive as we hear every year about how many millions it costs for one single Super Bowl ad during the final game of the American Football season.

          Would Drug Companies Spend Millions on TV Ads if They Didn't Work?

So if drug companies are spending the millions, they must be getting a return on their investment. In other word, every time an ad for erectile dysfunction appears on TV, a certain number of men troop down to their doctor and ask for that drug or something like it.

TV is a great advertising medium because it tends to work. With the advent of MTV and their quick cuts, attention spans have shortened dramatically in the last decades. Now, with the internet and smart phones and Twitter, we see even more of a shrinkage of attention spans.

So, we are being trained more and more to go for the quick fix. Few are looking for the root cause of any condition. If I have itchy skin, just give me the pill or the salve to solve it.

The problem with attacking symptoms is that we may get relief from the condition for awhile, but if we root out the cause, it can reappear.

                                Are We Being Loaded Down with Toxins?

My friend, the Master Herbalist Dr. Terry Willard, puts it this way. Our bodies are designed to cleanse themselves of toxins. It’s a natural process that tends to occur at change of season time. And guess what coincides with change of season time? Colds and flus. Colds and flus are the symptoms of the body flushing out toxins. If we take medication to stop the process, that drives the toxins deeper into the cells and they come out again another time, only with more severe symptoms. And what do we do? We take stronger medication to drive the toxins back down into the cells, even deeper this time. According to Terry, eventually the symptoms can get so severe as to create cancer.

Instead of attacking the symptoms of the flu, a natural healing approach is to encourage the flushing out of the toxins. And in fact, natural healing approach would have us be proactive and do a cleanse prior to change of season time so that we don’t have to suffer from the effects of cold and flus as much.

This brings us to the other approach to health: being proactive.

Being proactive to me means the active study of health.

 

                                          Socrates said: "Know Thyself." 

This may be the greatest reason for undertaking a life-long study of health. Instead of being reactive and waiting for the dis-eases, minor and/or major, to show up in our lives, we can choose to be proactive and study how our bodies, minds, emotions and spiritual selves operate and fine tune those operations to minimize health problems.

Yes, yes, I know. I seem obsessed with it. And it is easy to throw up our hands in the air when we hear the conflicting news reports. Vitamin E is good for you. Whoops, latest research shows taking Vitamin is now bad for you. “Oh, what the heck. I give up. How’s a guy supposed to make any sense of it? I’m just going to live my life. Forget all this health stuff.”

Is there any possibility that the “powers-that-be” designed it all so you would do exactly that? (Oh dear, now he’s sounding like a Conspiracy Theorist.)

 

                                Are You Putting "50 Octane Fuel" in Your Body?

Let me ask you this? Would you put 50 octane gasoline in your car? “Are you crazy? Everyone knows that would ruin the engine in no time. Why would I do that?”

Well, 50 octane fuel might be half the price. “Yeah, but the savings are not worth it because it will cost me more to replace the engine than I save in gasoline.”

All right then, why would you put 50 octane or more closely 20 octane fuel into your body? Your car engine you can replace, but you only have one body. And while you can get your heart replaced, why do though that if you don’t have to.

My friends sometimes wonder why I bother with organic food. What’s the difference, really?

Here are the reasons.

 

“The warrior is never available. Never is he standing on the street waiting to be clobbered.” –Robert S. deRopp in The Warrior’s Way

Food is not what it was in our grandparents’ day. Meat and dairy are two food categories I only use in organic form. Both have had hormones and antibiotics added to their feed in recent decades. I don’t want those in my body, thankyouverymuch.

In the 1950s, there were a handful of food additives allowed in food. (“Food additive” is Newspeak for chemicals.) Now, I am told, there are 60,000 different food additives. Dr. Willard estimates that the average North American is taking in 10% of their bodyweight in food additives (read pure chemicals) in their diet annually. Our bodies are not designed to handle that overload of chemicals.

Might this be a reason why there is such an increase in diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes, et al?

 

                                          The Modern "Minefield"

The modern world has become a minefield. We have numbers of toxins in our homes from air fresheners to flame retardants to shampoos to toothpaste and the list goes on.

Again, the average person hearing all this reacts by mentally throwing up their hands, giving up and saying: “It’s all too much. I am just going to live my life. You have to die of something. I might as well not become a worry-wart. Who’s got time to spend their lives being scared about every doggone little thing they say causes cancer? Get a life!”

The bad news is the average person is right! Worry and fear by themselves will make you life a misery. So worry and fear are no answer to the modern challenges we face.

But neither is sticking your head in the sand, I would contend.

 

 

 

                             You can be a "Warrior" or a "Victim." Your choice.

I contend that not studying health and following Socrates’ advice to “know thyself” is being a victim.

And studying how we humans operate and not stepping on all the landmines that now exist (that did not in our parents’ and grandparents’ time) is being a warrior.

The good news? I have done much of the study for you. My 108 Tips for More Joy, Energy and Health covers many of the mine fields that exist, how to sidestep those mines. It is not a lot of work as the 108 Tips are broken down into easy steps you can take weekly, each step adding something positive to your life or taking away something negative. The cumulative effect over the 108 steps can be dramatic. It can be huge and make a major difference to you quality of life and to your enjoyment and fulfillment in life.

Even if each step only improves your life by 1%, the cumulative effect can be, that at the end of the 108 weeks of this free course, you may have improved your life by over 100%! That’s a doubling in the quality of your life.

Listen, two years is going to go by anyway. Are you taking steps to double the quality of your life by then? Why not consider it. Here is how: Read how 108 Tip for More Joy, Energy and Health can improve many aspects of your life…all for free in this email course: 

                          http:// http://joyenergyandhealth.com/add-ten-healthy-years-life/

Love and Laughter,

 

 

Matti Anttila

P.S. #1: Socrates said: “Know Thyself.” That instruction is not much different than  the car mechanic being told to know the engine they are working with and what kind of fuel and upkeep it needs. Yet many of us know how to take care of our cars better than we know how to take care of our bodies. The car is replaceable. Our bodies are not. Does it not make sense to learn at least as much about how our bodies operate as we know about the maintenance schedule on our cars. I’ll bet you have a rough idea when your next oil change should be. Do you know when your next “body cleanse” should be?

P.S. #2: A “Warrior” is proactive. While being proactive with your health is no guarantee of perfect health, it can give you an edge in sidestepping some of the worst afflictions the “Victim” is afflicted with. Fewer down days with the flu may just be the least of the benefits. When “Warriors” take responsibility for their own health, they may find fewer dis-eases of all kinds…possibly even helping to sidestep the major afflictions such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

P.S. #3: The “Victim” relies on outside authorities be they doctors, naturopaths or other experts. “Warriors” take advice from outside authorities and also do their own research and work on being proactive. “108 Tips for more Joy, Energy and Health” is a great way to cut through the confusion caused by the modern day “information overload.” You can have this free email course here: http://joyenergyandhealth.com/
 

 

 

Any and all information provided here is not a substitute for the advice of a licensed medical practitioner. Individuals are advised not to self-medicate in the presence of significant illness. Always consult with your licensed medical practitioner first before undertaking anything…be it supplements, exercise programs or other protocols. The information on this website is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Do not construe the information provided here as authoritative health advice…or authoritative advice of any sort. All information provided or referred-to on this website is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be health, medical, financial, accounting or tax advice, nor should it be relied upon as such. Matti Anttila is not a licensed financial planner, doctor or health practitioner. If you're not inclined to Do-It-Yourself then please, before you Do-It-To-Yourself, obtain professional advice.

 

A Specific Technique That Also Normalizes Blood Pressure, Boosts the Immune System, Improves Circulation, Stimulates Digestion, Improves Your Breathing and Fights Cancer.

The comedic commentator Stephen Colbert said I dare anyone to be afraid when they are laughing. It can’t be done. Or words to that effect.

That’s the shortest story possible:

 

                             Laughter and fear are mutually exclusive.

 

If you can find a way to laugh you lose the fears immediately. Laughter also relieves any lingering anxiety and releases frustrations. I don’t mean to say that fears, anxieties and/or frustrations won’t come back. They can and do. And there is a way to address that as well.

The first trick is how to find a way to laugh if you caught in the grip of a paralyzing fear, or anxiety or frustration.

The good news is that it can be done. It is a skill which can be learned. If we have created neural pathways that support these negative emotions, we can also create different pathways that release them.

My skill in releasing these emotions was developed with the help of Laughter Yoga. This is the brainchild of a medical doctor in India, Dr. Madan Kataria. While doing research on the concept that “Laughter is the best medicine,” he decided to start a laughter club for himself and other to self-administer this “best medicine.” It became so successful that there are now over 7,000 Laughter Yoga clubs in over 70 countries around the world.

The idea is super simple. We can laugh for no reason. We can just laugh for its own sake. One easy way to approach it is to think of laughter as exercise and just move our diaphragm up and down faking laughter. You might be surprised to learn that your body does not know the difference between fake laughter and real laughter. You will get the same health benefits either way!

I had a good example last night. I was shaking the water off my partial denture when is slipped from my hand into the sink and broke into two pieces. Aaargh! Now, in the past, losing a tooth has created a great deal of anxiety and an overwhelming cascade of negative emotion. This event started out the same way. I could “see” the pathway to those emotions opening up.

Instead, here is what happened: I immediately remembered to laugh. The laughter released most of the negative emotion and also many of the negative thoughts. It would have been easy to beat myself up and go into some thought loops about what a stupid guy I was and why can’t I be more careful and what an idiot and what is this going to cost me? $1800 is the replacement cost on a denture like that one…and on and on and on…

Instead I could “see” and “feel” all those thoughts come up and just as quickly as they came up, I let them go. I laughed some more at how easy it was to liberate myself from the thought and the associated feelings. I easily fell asleep without any thought “loops” running around and just trusted that the morning would provide solutions and even if the worst happened, it was just money and I would live and I would have my dentures back fairly soon.

After a good night’s sleep, I phoned my denturist, who is a friend, and he said he can fix it in no more than two hours. Whew. At noon, I will drive the one hour to his office and get it done.

Interestingly enough, one of the things on my TO DO LIST is to listen to some hours of a “clearing” program I have purchased. I wondered when I might have time to do it. Now, I have two hours of travel time and two hours of waiting time to dive into those audios. Interesting how the Universe works. Obviously, these clearing audios are important and I am meant to do them. That is why the Universe created time for me to dive into them. 

There are a couple of ways to learn this empowering skill of laughing at so-called misfortunes. “So-called” because we never know what seeds of benefits are contained in any “bad” luck we may experience. The Buddha said if you really understood life, you would throw your head back and laugh uproariously…or words to that effect.

So your mission should you decide to accept: Develop the skill of laughing when something goes awry. It will serve you well by keeping you in a good mood to tackle the many challenges of life more effectively and support your health in many ways also.

One way is to attend Laughter Yoga classes. Here in Victoria, we have 5 different clubs going at the moment: http://victorialaughteryogaclub.wordpress.com/laughter-schedule/

Elsewhere, you can search for a Laughter Yoga club near you.

The second way is to access the 15 minute laughter video on my site and laugh along with me as often as you like. I found that daily laughter develops neural pathways so I can let go of any “negative” reactions to all kinds of events: drivers cutting me off, people yelling at me, anxieties about money (that’s a biggie), even anger at neighbours who wake me up at 1 in the morning. (I admit that one is tougher, but I am working on it.)

Here is my laugher video and you will note it comes with an email course focusing on health tips: http://joyenergyandhealth.com/ You will see it on the right side of the page as the “Authentic Joy” video. Let me know how it goes.

-Matti

P.S. Laughter also benefits your health in many other ways: Normalizes Blood Pressure, Boosts the Immune System, Improves Circulation, Stimulates Digestion, Improves Your Breathing and Fights Cancer.

So, as well as releasing fear, anxiety and frustrations, you get a whole cocktail of good hormones. Here is what Stephen Colbert says about laughter:

“I would say laughter is the best medicine. But it’s more than that. It’s an entire regime of antibiotics and steroids. Laughter brings the swelling down on our national psyche, and then applies an antibiotic cream… Obviously, it’s a challenge to make light of the darkness but, um, it’s better than crying about it.”

Click here now: http://joyenergyandhealth.com/
 

Your Savings May Not Be As Much…But Hey, Even Half of That is a Nice Vacation!

We can agree that saving money is a good thing. At the same time, it can be carried to extremes. As author Robert Kiyosaki notes, it is more important to grow our income than reduce expenses. We can only reduce expenses so far, but we can grow income to the moon, if we choose.

So, it is important to keep this in perspective. Nevertheless, hundreds of dollars a year saved for a small amount of time and effort can be worthwhile.

I live in British Columbia, Canada so the companies you deal with may have different names, but the same principles apply. It is a competitive world now in the "connected" world and we can take advantage of that by negotiating a better deal.

I have had my phone with Telus forever, going back to the 70s with a few breaks for travel. So I was and am reluctant to change. Having said that, a friend said if I called them and said I was considering changing my phone over to Shaw, my cable provider, that they may reduce my bill. So I did and the bill went down from $27 a month to $17 a month. (These are all approximate figures and include taxes.)

After one year of that, the bill went up again, so I phoned them and they explained that it was a one year special from the "Loyalty Department." Aah, says I, I do remember that now. Can I please have that special for another year? Oh no sir, that was just one year.

OK, so at this time the Shaw bill for cable and internet had crept up to $92 from somewhere around the $70 range. So I called them and politely asked if there was anything that could be done. Very nice young lady explained about the new world of cable and how I could buy a "digibox" and with just the very basic number of channels, it would come down to $67. I forget how much the digibox charge was to be as I ended up with a free one! Here's how.

Shaw lady upsells me on their phone service. Only $15 a month and if I get it, I will also get a free digibox. Great, says I, sign me up. I then phone Telus back and explain this offer. They quickly connect me to their "Loyalty Department" who are now more than willing to reduce my monthly bill to $17. Ok, that sounds fine. So I stay with Telus and cancel the Shaw phone.

Savings so far (All approximate and including taxes) $25 a month on cable and $10 a month on the phone. Plus the digibox is free. Maybe $50-70 one time saving.

You might be thinking: Yes, but you now have fewer TV channels. Au contraire, mes amis.

The old analog signals are still being pumped through but the digibox does not pick them up. So…I looked up in Used Victoria online and notice many folks just giving away 27inch TVs as they are upgrading to flat screen. So I picked one up. I now have the analog signal on one TV and the digital signal on another one. So no loss of channels. No big deal really. Most of my TV watching is from DVDs I loan out from the library for free…another saving by the way. If you can stand to wait for the movies, almost all the popular ones come to the library when they are released on DVD. Free. Depending on how many movies you watch, that can translate into over a $100 or more in a year.

But wait, there's more. 🙂

Many folks call long distance these days. I call to Finland and the UK a lot and some US and Canada. Telus has long distance packages, but they are all more expensive than what is available elsewhere. My long distance carrier is Yak and their per minute charges are less across the board. But I hardly ever use them!

Skype to Skype calling is free. And Skype also has Skype to landline rates that are cheaper yet than Yak. The challenge is that calls to European cell phones are outrageous. Yak charges 35 cents a minute to Finland and 29 cents to the UK. Skype is a little better at 20.8 cents and 25.9 cents respectively.

BUT…Google voice is more realistic. You may know that a gmail account is free. When you have one, you can download a free app called Google Voice that then provides a dialpad inside gmail.

Google voice to European landlines is competitive, but their calls to cell phones are only 10 cents a minute instead of 20.8 to 35 cents.

 

AND

 Google voice calls to US and Canada are FREE.

 

Ok, so now you can throw away all those long distance plans and depending how many calls you make, save a few dollars a month to maybe as much as $20 -$30 a month.

 

There's a postcript of even more savings. I am loving this now.

 

My Telus bill comes in during the summer and it has increased from $17. So I phone them and they explain that all customers have had their bill raised during one of those periodic increases they have been granted by the authorities.

 

But, but but, I protest. I have a one year deal for a reduced rate. ….sputter, sputter. Let me put you through to the "Loyalty Department." Very nice young lady tells me that I have been a good customer for a very long time so she can restart a one year special deal for me again. The only hitch is they only can bill in $10 increments, so would it be alright if she made it $10 a month for me ($12 with taxes). I graciously accept.

 

I expect that at the end of that one year, I will once again spend a few minutes to renegotiate all this.

 

Hey listen. It's called capitalism. They are actually competing somewhat, so we are allowed to negotiate. Just takes a few moments.

 

Have fun with this.

 

My savings?

 

$15 a month on the phone bill

 

$25 a month on the cable/internet.

 

Long distance savings are probably about $20 a month.

 

(and I save $30 a month by not having a cell phone. That may not be realistic for some.)

 

$60 a month is $720 a year. Over a decade, that is $7200 for very little time and effort expended.

 

If you ditch your cell phone too (you probably won't miss it), add another $3600 over a decade.

 

I just saved you over $10,000. You're welcome. 🙂

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. Book Review

 

The author tells us that we are not truly happy unless we are doing what we are meant to do.

And what stops us is Resistance with a capital “R.”

“Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands Resistance.”

Resistance is invisible. It comes from within us. It is insidious. It is Universal. It never sleeps. It plays for keeps. It is fueled by fear.

Procrastination is the Most Common Manifestation of Resistance.

The answer to procrastination is to start now, in this moment, to do our work.

Resistance shows up in trouble. It is easy for us to get into trouble….of all sorts. Trouble can show up as illness, addictions, being accident prone, screwing up, chronic lateness, cruelty to others. In fact, anything that calls attention to ourselves is a form of Resistance showing up in the guise of trouble.

Being a “Drama Queen” or being a victim are also Resistance showing up.

Resistance Feels Like Unhappiness.

Left unattended, unhappiness can build to become unendurable. We seek escape through dope, alcohol, tobacco, sex, drugs and rock and roll. Depression, aggression, dysfunction. These are not inevitable parts of life. They are Resistance manifesting in many different disguises.

Pressfield says that freedom is not easy. He points to what Socrates said: “…the truly free individual is free only to the extent of his own self-mastery. While those who will not govern themselves are condemned to find masters to govern over them.”

Fear is a Good Thing

Pressfield also says that fear is a good thing. “The more scared we are of a work or calling, the more sure we can be that we have to do it.”

Wanting to be a star is a sure sign of Resistance. “The professional concentrates on the work and allows rewards to come or not come, whatever they like.”

Combat Resistance by Turning Pro.

A professional works. A professional commits. Full-time. A professional dedicates his life to his work.

Being a professional is not for sissies. Pressfield says a critical part of being pro is learning how to love being miserable. (!)

A pro works at his craft…every day…even and especially when he doesn’t feel like it. A pro is a craftsman, not a prima donna.

A pro loves what he does, but also knows how to keep a sense of distance or proportion. Not being addicted to an outcome, but committed to work, to mastering technique.

A pro does not take failure personally. He knows things change…every day. He endures.

Beyond Resistance: The Higher Realm.

The opposite of Resistance is “…those invisible psychic forces that support and sustain us in our journey toward ourselves.”

Pressfield calls these forces our muses and angels.

Goethe said: “Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, magic, and power in it. Begin it now.”

Our angels want to help us. But they can only do so if we are helping ourselves by doing our work.

Pressfield talks about how cancers go into remission when people start on what they were meant to do. “Is it possible…that the disease itself evolved as a consequence of actions taken (or not taken) in our lives? Could our unlived lives have exacted their vengeance upon us in the form of cancer? And if they did, can we cure ourselves, now, by living these lives out?”

So, could it be that life keeps pushing us into living the life we were meant to live, not just for the sake of our own fulfillment and health, but also for the greater good, for the contribution we can make?

Pressfield: “Creative work is not a selfish act or a bid for attention on the part of the actor. It’s a gift to the world and every being in it. Don’t cheat us of your contribution. Give us what you’ve got.”

 

The War of Art is a short work. In can be a quick read. It is not necessarily a comfortable read as it throws light in areas we may have preferred to keep dark. It is a powerful work. Recommended.