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Greetings Clients, Colleagues and Community…
My posts have been few and far between these days, though I have been working on some exciting new projects! I just begun writing a column on holistic health for the Seattle Examiner! This is pretty much the perfect gig for me in terms of flexibility and topic of content, and I’m looking forward to who and what I can share with the Seattle community.
So Seattlites, I’d love to pick your brain a bit… I feel like the Pacific Northwest is one of the most forward-thinking and open-minded places in the country, possibly the world, so…
What does holistic health mean to you?
What types of practitioners do you have on your health care team?
What do you experience in your life that you consider a holistic approach?
What do you think we are fortunate enough to have here in Seattle that many other places around the world are lacking?
I am pretty thrilled with the opportunity to research and write a column on a topic I am so passionate about. Please feel free to contact me if you, or someone you know, has a local event or some relevant, holistic information to share! I hope you will stop by regularly to see what’s going on in Seattle’s world of holistic health!
Cheers,
Guinevere I. Amadeo, LMP. –
Seattle Holistic Health Examiner
Happy Monday, and welcome to the first full week of 2009!
If you’re anything like me (and 90% of well-intentioned Americans), you are ready to start putting into place some new, healthier habits and rid yourself of others that are no longer serving you. Where I prefer to differ from much of our “New year’s Resolution” making culture, is that I like to think of my new beginnings as setting goals rather than resolving past behaviors. The word resolution in itself suggests bringing the past into the present moment and carrying with us our failed attempts and judgments. Setting goals provides us a clean slate to work from in our new lifestyle ambitions.
As I reflect on the highs and lows of these incredible times we are living in, many highlights come to mind. From the exciting election that reinvigorated our democracy and culminates this month with the historic inauguration of President Barack Obama, to the fear felt in every home and business in the country as the economy seems to be melting down around us.
Following are a number of goals that resonate for me to set forth this new year, and inspire my loved ones and community (ie. YOU) to take a gander at as well.
Get Involved!
As appose to thinking about being the person who makes a difference, get involved and take action on the issues that matter to you. There are a number or organizations that gather monthly to breath life into community issues and seek volunteers for action items as well. Some ideas include Sustainable Wallingford, Seattle Children’s hospital, Seattle Parks and Recreation, and various art museums and public schools. Check out Volunteer Match!
Easy ways to go green- and save some while you’re at it!
The Green movement is now household language (especially if you’re a Seattlite), and our actions should begin there as well! Here are a few easy tips to save energy during your every day life and reduce the amount of waste in landfills.
-Say no to plastic water bottles!
Refilling your Klean Kanteen with fresh, filtered water is a much better way to go!
-Bring your own stainless steel, spill proof cup to get your morning latte
You can usually even purchase these at your local coffee shop.
-Unplug it!
According to Treehugger.com, switched off devices account for 40% of energy consumed by electronics in an average home. Unplug before you go! especially phone and Ipod chargers.
-Use compact fluorescent light bulbs
75% less energy lasting 10x’s as long. This is a no-brainer.
-Recycle
Get into it! Find out your local ordinances around recycling and make sure you are doing your part to recycle everything possible.
-Compost
You can now put compost in your yard waste bins if you don’t have a personal garden! These leaves food scraps etc. will be composted and used for local parks and pea patches! I love it!
-Save your rain water
Hydrate your garden with recycled water! We sure have enough of it!
-Grow a small garden
I read a fascinating article recently that said something like 65% of food eaten during the great depression was grown in small personal gardens. It’s easier than you think. I was pleasantly surprised the first year I grew lettuce in a window box how simple and fruitful my tiny garden was. I am also a firm believer in “you get out of your food the energy you put into it” so expect, energizing, delicious food in just a few minutes a day! It will also help you to cook at home more. Double bonus!
Get Real about your finances
In these challenging economic times it can be beneficial to become a bit more conscious about spending. Track your cash flow for at least 2 weeks, chances are you are spending more that you thought on at least on item.
Shop Local
Or put your money where your home is. Support local farmers markets (Ballard is year round) and co-ops like PCC rather than large national chains. This can mean everything from clothing to pet supplies. Let’s keep our local economy strong lest the charm of our small business communities may not be around when the economy bounces back.
Get organized and educated
-Learn something new- knitting, sign language, yoga
-Clean out a closet
-Get a new wallet
-Get a haircut
-Make your bed
-Read a book- in fact go to the library and peruse a new subject you’ve never checked out before
-Have a “naked lady” party and swap clothes with your friends
Keep Your health
I suppose I couldn’t engage in a new year’s post without the mention of healthy lifestyle changes on a physical level. Mine include drinking even more water, cooking at home at least 5 days a week, and come spring eating at least 60% of my food out of my garden! Others for you (otherwise known as a few of the top 10 new years resolutions) may include quitting smoking or drinking, starting a work out regiment, loosing weight etc.
Well, there it is! Goal setting for 2009! More in part 2!
To Health and Happiness,
Guinevere Amadeo, LMP.
I am a big fan of celebrating the cycles of life, and these first couple of days of a brand new year have found me in a wonderful time of reflection. 2008- The memories, the lessons, the great times and the challenging. So here is my 2008 wrap-up! Some of my favorite quotes, some things I have discovered about myself and the world around me, and some photos for those experiences that simply can not be put into words!
1) I still like my french press morning brew better than the fancy coffee house latte.
2) I am a writer. I am not ‘going to be a writer when I grow up.’ I am a writer right now!
3) A candle looses nothing by lighting another candle.
4) One of the most valuable things we can do to heal one another is to listen to each other’s sroies.
5) In order to experience everyday spirituality, we need to remember that we are spiritual beings spending time in a human body.
6) The universe will always reward you for taking a risk on her behalf.
7) My very favorite thing is to laugh so hard I go into silent laugh mode and almost fall out of my chair, but don’t.
Even as a native Californian, snow does lose it’s nostalgia after 15 inches and 9 days of missing work!
9) “When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.” Hunter S. Thompson- true story!
10) Sitting in a place where you have never sat before can be inspiring.
11) THANKSGIVING IS MY FAVORITE HOLIDAY!!!!
12) Even when it involves gutting a turkey!
13) Especially when it involves gutting a turkey! Damn that was goooood!
14) It is always the simple that produces that marvelous.
15) In order to get anything meaningful out of your life, you have to be ruthless about what you let into it.
16) Dancing on the edge, you can see with clarity many things that you cannot from the center.
17) “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to succeeding before they gave up.” Thomas Edison.
18) Be nice to people on the way up because you meet them again on your way down.
19) We do not stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.
20) If you think you’re too small to make an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito!
21) There was never a night that had no morning.
22) The purpose of life is to discover your gift. The meaning of life is to give it away.
23) I get up, I walk, I fall down. Meanwhile, I keep dancing.
24) Serenity is not freedom from the storm, but peace within it.
25) People are just sexier covered in dust!
26) I heart FIRE!!
27) Sunrise in the desert is on of the most beautiful places on earth!
28) There’s nothing like a fantastic group of random people working towards a common goal.
29) Don’t try to manage anyone else’s expectations until you’ve got a firm grip on your own.
30) Three things cannot be hidden. The sun, the moon and the truth.
31) Random acts of kindness happen far more often than you have your eyes open to see them.
32) Time engraves our faces with all the tears we have not shed.
33) Just when you think your dreams are shattered, new, beautiful, unexpected ones appear.
34) Do not do what you would undo if caught.
35) “The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty.” Winston Churchill
36) Blessed are the flexible, for we shall not get bent out of shape.
37) Your greatness is not what you have, but what you give.
38) The shortest distance between you and regular exercise is a youngish dog.
39) I like me some guns!
40) There are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going
41) Your greatness is not measured by what you have, but what you give.
42) Working is easy, focusing is hard.
43) Have a plan, but make it a loose one.
44) It’ sbetter to be a lion for one day than a sheep all your life.
45) Let’s dare to be ourselves, for we do that better than anyone else can!
46) Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.
47) No matter where I run, I meet myself there.
48) Who we are never changes, who we think we are does.
49) You don’t need endless time and perfect conditions. Do it now. Do it today. Do it for 20 minutes and watch your heart start beating.
50) It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end.
So, farewell 2008!!! Cheers, adios, bon voyage, Ciao, peace, so long, tata, hasta la vista!!
Well, it has been awhile since my last post, and these past few weeks have been a true test of staying balanced during trying times. A man very dear to my heart has been in the hospital for the past three weeks, and it has been a challenge on every level to stay positive. When faced with these helpless circumstances, I have really learned to focus on self care. In an earlier post entitled Stress Management: How to Prevent, Reduce and Cope with Stress, I listed ways to manage stress and remain balanced in challenging times. Here is a list of further ideas to be good to yourself!
1) Soak in a bathtub.
2) Ride a motorcycle.
3) Go to the mountains.
4) Exercise/do yoga.
5) Meditate.
6) Eat a good meal.
7) Recycle old items.
Go to a movie in the middle of the week.
9) Paint.
10) PLay a game.
11) Dress up and look nice.
12) LAUGH- just because (just start laughing, really… it works!)
13) light candles
14) Get a massage
15) Go horseback riding
16) Wander around a bookstore for an entire afternoon.
17) Write a letter.
18) Go to a museum.
19) Sing around the house.
20) Go bowling.
21) Dance!
22) play with your pet.
23) Go to a play or concert.
24) Take photographs.
25) Go for a bike ride.
26) Rearrange your furniture.
27) Visit a national park.
28) Listen to music- Pandora.com is great for this one.
29) Watch children play.
30) Day dream.
31) Write in a journal.
32) Eat chocolate (this may be the only one you need!)
33) Play a musical instrument.
34) Send a card to someone you care about.
35) Garden- or plan your garden!
36) Plan a party.
37) Take a nap.
38) Go on a date.
39) buy flowers.
40) Talk to your plants- seriously. You should see my jungle of an apartment. They love it!
41) Meet new people.
42) Read a humor book.
43) Go swimming.
44) Doodle.
45) Fly a kite.
46) Remember the words and deeds of good people.
47) Repair things.
48) Walk or jog.
49) Remember beautiful scenery.
50) Collect shells.
51) Plan your career.
What are some of the things you do that you do to take care of yourself? What makes your body a spirit lift from trying times? I’d love to hear your suggestions!
Yours in health,
Guinevere Amadeo, LMP.
“You and you alone are responsible for the imbalance between what you dream your life is meant to be and the daily habits that drain the life from what you dream.” – DANE
I recently read this on a friend’s personal blog and was inspired to share it. As I am rounding day 10 of my ‘30 day habit-forming salute,’ I’m starting to feel a good flow with my daily writing practice. And having begun the path to a new habit, it really magnifies the other daily activities that rule my world; those things I do on auto pilot that make up the greater whole. I have my little vices like everyone else, but what may be the ones that drain the life from what I dream of? Sometimes the caffeine seems like it adds a little boost to my drive, but the negative long term effects are well documented. And what about staying up late to work on deadlines? Seems again, like fueling the dream, yet disassociating from our body’s best interest to pursue career or education goals is a clearly out of balance, and will certainly catch up sooner or later. It seems that so many goals come at the cost of our health and well-being. It is regarded as great work ethic if you are at the office way past working hours, taking meetings through lunch, and scheduling weekend conference calls to ‘close the deal.’ All of this stress and imbalance has hugely negative effects on our body before we even become aware of any physical discomfort or mental fatigue.
And then there is taking responsibility. I work with many people who seem bewildered when their bodies let them down after years of this treatment. They don’t understand why a skillful practitioner can not simply “fix” them and send them back to the rat race. Unfortunately, our culture doesn’t help matters either. If you are not willing to extend to whatever lengths necessary, they is some younger, more resilient person waiting to step in and show that it can be done. We are given 2 weeks of vacation a year (if we’re lucky), a handful of sick days (maybe), and impossible ideals to live up to. It’s exhausting just to think about! No wonder we are among the most unhealthy in the world!
So yes, our system is messed up, which leaves the ball in your court. It is up to you to take responsibility for yourself, your life and your dreams. Set comfortable boundaries and live the way you would hope your children will. Give yourself ample leisure time, take a vacation, TURN OFF YOUR TELEVISION, in fact, get rid of your television, play a game, go outside, read, get a massage, tell a story, walk your dog (or cat), be silly and ENJOY this precious life that you’ve been given.
Easier said than done sometimes, but if we create the expectation that this is what we need to continue thriving in a happy and healthy life, perhaps it will give others the permission to do the same. What a better place this would be! It is all part of creating the habits that breath life into your dreams!
In good Health,
Guinevere Amadeo, LMP.
In a previously posted article entitled “Stress and Massage Therapy,” I explained that stress is the body’s non-specific response to any demand made upon it. This definition includes physiological stress, such as our heart beating and organs functioning, “good” stress, the kind of short-term stimulation that comes from a burst of hormones, and “bad” stress, more accurately referred to as distress, long-tern excess stress such as toxic relationships and unhealthy eating habits. In this article, I’d like to offer suggestions in addition to massage therapy, on how to manage stress and adopt a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
Let’s begin with preventing stress. Time management is a vital tool in avoiding unnecessary stress. Operating in your nervous system’s fight or flight mode is detrimental to your health, vitality, and peace of mind:
♦Keep a day planner, breaking down large projects and setting short term goals.
♦Prioritize your time by urgency and importance of commitments.
♦Delegate, delegate, delegate.
♦Concentrate and stay focused on the task at hand, avoid procrastination.
Reducing stress is all about taking control- control of your thoughts, your schedule, your environment and the way you deal with challenges:
♦Avoid people that stress you out.
♦Learn to say “no.”
♦Be willing to compromise and learn to forgive.
♦ Don’t try to control the uncontrollable.
There are a number of ways to think about coping with stress. Some general ideas for looking at the big picture include:
♦Keeping perspective- will this stressful situation matter tomorrow, next month, next year??
♦Focus on the positive- stay optimistic and keep your sense of humor.
♦Build a strong support system- connect with other positive people.
♦Adopt a healthy life style- Exercise regularly: preventing and reducing the effects of stress; Eat a healthy diet: nourish your mind and body; Get enough sleep: This is when your body recovers from the stresses of the day; Reduce caffeine, sugar and other toxins: Give your adrenal glands a break! Express your feelings: Seek out a professional to talk with and work through your internal struggles. Avoid keeping difficult situations bottled up.
And finally: do something you love to do every day!!!- work in your garden, spend time in nature, get a massage, watch a comedy, write in a journal, take a yoga class, a walk, a bath, listen to music, meditate, curl up with a good book, play with your pet, cook a great meal, laugh!
Please visit my links for resources on great yoga classes, meditation, and healthcare professionals.
Although maintaining my daily writing practice is of upmost priority, today I seem far from being able to conjure up any sort of cohesive idea and complete it into a useful or compelling post. So, I’ll share with you where my mind is.
That’s Odis there. He’s just about 10 years old and the best companion you could be so lucky to spend any amount of time with. Yeah, he spent his day in surgery for his right ear. A burst blood vessel, plus minor infection, now a knarly little piece of flesh being held together by sewing buttons that look just like the one’s my mother used to use. He’s not thrilled. Though he’s been exercising his sad whimper voice, and moving from spot to spot in a helpless little saunter, he is a trouper through and through; and plastic cones on his head, stiches in his body and the bright lights and smells of the animal hospital are no new experiences for him. An active and full life he’s had, always pushing his boundaries and testing limitations, always up for a great adventure, or simply laying in front of a warm cozy fire. He has certainly been one of the greatest inspiration in my life! So today, I am giving Odis a little love. Some doggie massage, reiki and general snuggles go a long way for this lovey dog. Perhaps you will keep him in your thoughts today, too.
happy Saturday,
guinevere
