1. Eat good food. I really like the guides laid out in the Fat Flush books and the products sold at UNIKEY. Mercola.com has some great products and information too. I try my best to eat whole foods that bring vibrant, raw nutrients into my body. And I’m a stickler for clean water. [p.s. This book will help you shift your relationship with food if it's being used as a substitute for other unmet needs.]

2. Sleep. I need nine hours to process everything that happens to me in a day. And to process all the processing I did in a day. I know. It’s a lot of time but I feel great when I give it to myself.

3. Hot baths and clean sheets. I give myself the joy of a hot bath around 5 times per week. Excessive? I think not.

4. Write. Three pages (8 1/2 x 11) of freewriting every morning (“Morning Pages” in Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way). When I wake up, I have all this stuff spinning around in my brain. Get a notebook like this one or this one and write three pages of blah, blah, blah, nothing, whining, happy, blissful, possibilities, shallow-ness. Get it all out. Then you can talk to God with a clear head. And only then you can interact with God’s children. This is different than writing in my journal, which I consider more of a conscious act. These pages are meant to be messy and only I will ever read them. I use them to acknowledge myself and my own experiences and feelings, as they are and not as they “should” be. When it’s time, I will burn them (after taking note of any of the good ideas that might have trickled down in there).

5. Prayer, meditation, slow breathing, peaceful music. Though again, I’m not really in the mood until I’ve written my peace in the Morning Pages. Some people dig yoga for this.

6. Scriptures. Read whatever holy writing you believe represents truth and light. Feed it to yourself. Even just opening the books help. Have them close to you. I read these.

7. Slow walks. Brisk walks. Speed walks. Thoughtful walks. Just walk. At least 20 minutes of every day that I can fit it in. Bike rides are a bonus. Walks are essential. Even better if you break a gentle sweat. This helps the body detox. Also, I recently discovered and am having a blast with T-Tapp!

8. Create and Play. Write a song. Learn how to sing! Paint a picture. Write a thoughtful entry in my journal. Write a book. Write a screenplay. Contemplate something. Draw something. Hang up something. Take a picture. Care for plants. Work in a garden. Doodle something. Clean up something. All activities that help me learn and express myself better.

9. Work with my energy systems. All of the activities on this list actually help clean up your energy without you knowing it, but there are also ways of more directly cleaning up the energy that flows through your physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental bodies. My favorite guides in this respect: Louise Hay (for positive language), Donna Eden (for balancing hormones), therapeutic gemstones (for cleaning up unhealthy patterns), Carol Tuttle (for my spiritual journey, turning on chakras, human experience, and adorning the feminine expression). Regular massages and healthy monogamous sex are excellent for this as well.

10. Explore and learn something new. Go places you haven’t gone before. Watch good movies, talks, or documentaries. Read good books, explore new neighborhoods and parks, countries. Learn about your ancestors. Visit a bookstore or library. Create lots of small adventures for yourself and throw in a big one when you can.

I’d love to hear what my friends and readers would add to this list!

Inspired by Carol Tuttle’s energy profiling system.

This afternoon, I was talking with one of my sisters who has struggled to feel loved in our family. It’s not that anything was wrong with her or with my family; it was just that the way that love was/is generally expressed didn’t/doesn’t translate to feeling loved for her. I think all of us can relate to this scenario on some level.

As we were talking, we discovered five strategies that we can use to receive a greater amount of love in our lives.

1. Learn to love yourself. No matter what.
Whenever you are caught in an uncomfortable situation of any kind, immediately reaffirm to yourself how much you appreciate yourself for being alive and learning what you came here to learn. Life learning is messy. Love yourself anyway.

2. Learn to receive the gifts of others in the spirit of love.
Assume that people around you love you.
Whatever people do to you, around you, or say to your face, consider how it might be an expression of their love for you. This may open your eyes to other ways of expressing love that are not natural for you. For example, some people show their love by making you laugh; others by making you comfortable; others by helping you do something or improve how you do something; and others by helping you make something better. Rejoice in the gifts that others are giving. Feel gratitude for them and show your gratitude by joyfully receiving their gifts. As a modern-day apostle has reminded us, we should “assume the good and doubt the bad” when it comes to our relationships with others.

3. Love others in a way that makes sense to them.
What goes around, comes around. We all know that. But sometimes we have to be the ones to express love in a way that is not natural to us. Reach others with a love language that they understand, even if it’s not as self-gratifying. Many people have read The Five Love Languages. Practice different ways of communicating Words of Affirmation, spending Quality Time, Giving Gifts, performing Acts of Service, and extending loving Physical Touch until you find ways that really send the message, “I love you.”

4. Help others to understand what speaks love to you.
When others give you love in a way that really makes sense to you, tell them. Let them know with words that you appreciate their trying their best to communicate love to you. Also, make opportunities to share with your friends and family what love looks like to you.

5. Attract more people who speak your language.
Not everyone can meet your needs. Attract people into your life who can effortlessly give you what you need to thrive. That is a win-win situation that can shore you up, even when life is at its craziest. Remember that those who are close to you cannot fulfill 100% of your physical, emotional, or spiritual needs. Reach out to create a strong network of support (big or small) that will be meaningful to you. Choose to be around people who see the best in you, who encourage you, and accept you just the way you are.

Good enough is my new mantra and I’m even asking people to tell it to my face. Hey you! Tell me that what I have done here is “good enough.” Hey you! Tell me that *I* am good enough. Might sound silly to those of you who don’t have this issue, but for my fellow Type 4s out there – you know who you are (you edit the cereal box) – let’s celebrate this week by declaring:

We’re not perfect. But we are more than good enough.

Dressing Your Truth™

Over the past summer, I have been reading and studying a new system of self care that I like better each and every day that I use it. It’s called Dressing Your Truth™ and I think it has something to offer every woman.

I’ve always taken a very practical and low-key approach to my clothing and makeup, mostly because it was so hard to find things that I felt really great in. “Whatever,” I’d say to myself, “it’s just my clothes. People will have to look beyond my outer experience to get the real me.”

But with this system of Dressing Your Truth™, I’ve learned a profound truth: people see the real me much, much better when I am presenting them with a consistent message about who that is. That’s what DYT is all about. It’s about aligning your outer appearance with your inner experience. And it feels so good.

The results after just a few months of moving myself in this direction have been remarkable. I don’t have to explain myself to people. I can relax and feel understood. People respect me. I am much more comfortable in my clothes. I know EXACTLY what type of apparel to attract into my life. No more guesswork when I’m shopping. And most exciting and unusual of all, I’m actually enjoying putting myself together in the morning! Instead of viewing dressing as a kind of barrier between me and my goals for the day, Dressing Your Truth™ feels more like I am honoring all that is most beautiful and good about me. I’m setting the stage so that I can be truly available for the people in my life.

I would highly recommend this to any woman. Think of both Energy Profiling and Dressing Your Truth™ as a special gift to yourself. Show that gentle kindness toward your body, mind, and spirit that you deserve by dressing it in the textures, colors, design lines, fabrication, and patterns that honor the real you.

Check it out! Visit Dressing Your Truth™ to discover what your dominant energy is and then watch the three hour training module for that type. You will be thrilled with the results!

You can read more about Energy Profiling in Carol Tuttle’s book, It’s Just My Nature!

It’s really simple. And I like simple things, so I decided to try it. I’m on Day 6 and feeling good. It’s been a gentle detox and I’m rarely hungry. The drink really does satisfy your body’s basic nutritional needs, though you might not guess it from the recipe.

Here’s what I’m doing. I bought 3 glass bottles 30 oz. each (artisan yogurt) with good lids. If I had to start it over again, I’d buy four and use one for the salt water cleanse (below). To make one 30 oz bottle of lemonade:

Fill the rest of the bottle with good pure (filtered) water

Shake, chill, and serve!

So for my daily regimen, I’m making 3 bottles every night and putting them in the fridge to chill. I usually take two to work with me and drink the third when I get home. You can drink peppermint tea to break the monotony. I’ve added a little Maple Syrup to the tea as a sweetener sometimes.

And then last, but not least: the sea salt cleansing drink. You need to do this at least once a day, preferably in the morning, but a lot of people like to do it first thing in the morning and last thing at night. I’ve started using my empty Maple Syrup jar for this drink because it is exactly 32 ounces or 1 quart. I warm up the pure water on my stove while I put two flat teaspoons of unrefined sea salt into the bottle. Pour the warmed-up water into the bottle and then let sit until the salt is totally dissolved. This stuff is not fun to drink (I have to take small sips to get the whole thing down) but it is a really important part of the program because it forces the body to flush toxins out from the digestive system that it wouldn’t otherwise (since there’s no food in you to stimulate regular bowel movements).

Some people do the Herbal laxative tea instead of the sea salt cleanse, but others complain that the sea salt cleanse works quicker and more efficiently. You do it 90 minutes before you go to work and you’re done. You don’t have to be running to the bathroom all day long!

So that’s it. Pretty darn simple. The first three days, I had a little detox headache, but I found myself sleeping really well. Now, I’m doing great. Energy is up and I can feel that my body is in deep-cleaning mode. I’ll let you know after the 10th day how I feel.

p.s. Consult your doctor and your inner wisdom before doing a cleanse like this.

]]> http://blog.allisonweiss.com/2008/09/16/the-master-cleanse/feed/ 1 allisonweiss http://blog.allisonweiss.com/2008/07/12/yay-for-louise-hay/ http://blog.allisonweiss.com/2008/07/12/yay-for-louise-hay/#comments Sun, 13 Jul 2008 00:02:45 +0000 allisonweiss http://allisonweiss.wordpress.com/?p=83 ]]> I love this woman. She brings a lot of light and grace to the world. I’ve been using her affirmations for the past year on and off. I just went to her site and watched her online movie about the journey of changing your thoughts, practicing gratitude, forgiving, and reaching total love and acceptance for yourself. Inspiring and motivating. I would encourage all my friends to set aside some time, focus in on what you are creating with your life, and watch this movie.

Get Carol Tuttle’s book, Remembering Wholeness, while you’re at it!

]]> http://blog.allisonweiss.com/2008/07/12/yay-for-louise-hay/feed/ 0 allisonweiss http://blog.allisonweiss.com/2008/07/05/the-beauty-of-ear-plugs/ http://blog.allisonweiss.com/2008/07/05/the-beauty-of-ear-plugs/#comments Sat, 05 Jul 2008 20:52:49 +0000 allisonweiss http://allisonweiss.wordpress.com/?p=82 ]]> Earlier this week, I started wearing ear plugs to bed and I have slept SO much better. It’s amazing the difference. I recommend to all city dwellers and/or companions of snorers. There’s just too much ambient sound where I live, including a constantly clanging gate, and it is simply blissful to sleep without a sound to disturb my nightly subconscious goings-on. I’m going to get a sleeping mask as well. I remember wondering why my cousin always wore those goofy things to bed, but I bet it’ll do marvelous things for my clarity of thought, not having to wake up when the sun does ‘n all.

]]> http://blog.allisonweiss.com/2008/07/05/the-beauty-of-ear-plugs/feed/ 0 allisonweiss http://blog.allisonweiss.com/2007/10/25/juice-plus-and-metabolic-typing/ http://blog.allisonweiss.com/2007/10/25/juice-plus-and-metabolic-typing/#comments Thu, 25 Oct 2007 23:03:43 +0000 allisonweiss http://allisonweiss.wordpress.com/2007/10/25/ ]]> I think Dr. Mercola is on to something here. It’s so important that each individual listen to his or her body and honor what it’s saying. If you feel groggy thirty minutes after a high-protein meal, chances are your body is asking for more of a hi-carb diet. And vice versa, if you get tired after a hi-carb meal, you may need to lean more toward a high-protein diet or mix the two in every meal.

]]> http://blog.allisonweiss.com/2007/10/25/juice-plus-and-metabolic-typing/feed/ 0 allisonweiss http://blog.allisonweiss.com/2007/10/12/have-you-had-your-whole-food-nutrition-today/ http://blog.allisonweiss.com/2007/10/12/have-you-had-your-whole-food-nutrition-today/#comments Fri, 12 Oct 2007 03:53:49 +0000 allisonweiss http://allisonweiss.wordpress.com/2007/10/12/have-you-had-your-whole-food-nutrition-today/ ]]> It’s been about four years since I started looking for ways to optimize my health. I am one of the many women out there dealing with what I call “light chronic symptoms”. These are like uneven hormones, cold hands & feet, fatigue, problems with the thyroid, digestion. Part of me has wanted to believe that it is only stress, and these symptoms are definitely triggered by stress, but it’s more than that.

I’ve looked at amalgam removal, environmental toxins, and parasites as possible sources of “mis problemas”. It’s been an interesting journey. I have no conclusive answers, but I have found some great products that I can tell are really helping.

1. FrequenSea marine phytoplankton whole food beverage. The first swig I took of this stuff, it was like my body went, aaahh, thank you. It’s clean-feeling and calm-inducing. It helps me to feel balanced.
2. JuicePLUS+ whole food supplements. I started taking these two years ago and I really like them. I felt like the “greens” were more valuable to my body than the “fruits”. I really enjoyed the fruit & veggie gummies for kids and the whole food shake they make is better than any I have found anywhere.
3. StemEnhance phytoceutical. I’ve only been taking this for a month and I can really feel a difference. My energy has gone up, up, up. I have the desire to actually exercise again (like my body won’t collapse in the effort). I have the desire to eat food (my metabolism is starting to work better) and I’m attracted to more healthy foods, something I noticed with the JuicePLUS+ as well. Best of all, my body temperature has gone up. No more cold hands and cold feet. I have had a few “detox”-like symptoms: headaches and temporary indigestion, but they all went aways after a few days. I’m really excited to see how I feel after one more month on this stuff. I’ll be sure to let you know.

I am an independent distributor for all three of these products, so if you have any questions, would like to try a sample, or learn about becoming a distributor yourself, shoot me an email.

]]> http://blog.allisonweiss.com/2007/10/12/have-you-had-your-whole-food-nutrition-today/feed/ 0 allisonweiss