Research shows this about happiness... Article by Dr Robert Anthony

Researchers have found that there is not just a correlation between
low self-esteem and materialism, but also a causal relationship
where low self-esteem INCREASES materialism and materialism can
CREATE low self-esteem. They also found that as an individual's
self-esteem increases, their interest in materialism decreases.
In a study primarily focused on how this relationship effects
children and adolescents, Lan Nguyen Chaplin (University of
Illinois Urbana-Champaign) and Deborah Roedder John (University of
Minnesota) found that even a simple gesture to raise self-esteem
dramatically decreased materialism.

"By the time children reach early adolescence and experience a
decline in self-esteem, the stage is set for the use of material
possessions as a coping strategy for feelings of low self-worth".
The paradox that findings such as these bring up, is that
consumerism is good for the economy in the short run, but bad for
the individual in the long run, especially for young people.

Most of us want more income so we can consume more stuff. However,
several separate studies show that as societies become richer,
they do not become happier. Statistically people have more
material possessions and money than they did fifty years ago, but
they are actually less happy. In fact, the wealthiest countries
have more depression, alcoholism and more crime than they did fifty
years ago and yet we have more material goods to purchase than ever
before. This paradox is true of Britain, the United States,
Australia, continental Europe and Japan.

The real reason people want whatever is currently "hot" or "in
style" is because they believe it will contribute towards their
satisfaction and happiness in life. The word "believe" is the key
here. People believe that buying more and more things, especially
name brand clothes and cars, will make them happy, when in fact
research has shown time and time again that this simply isn't the
case.

The point here is if you believe that when you get enough "stuff"
you will be happy, you are setting yourself up to be very
disappointed. So instead why not be happy NOW? That's right! Cut
out the middleman (all that stuff you think will make you happy when
you get it) and just be happy NOW. A radical idea, wouldn't you say?

Today will bring you a new awareness, a lesson or a manifestation
that you are making progress - IF YOU LOOK FOR IT! No matter how
large or small, please record it in your Evidence Journal. It will
only take a few moments and will AUTOMATICALLY put you in the Flow.

Truly Caring for Your Success!

Dr. Robert Anthony

Insight for Today 1/30/12

"Your real purpose in life is to develop yourself. To successfully do this you must always be working toward a goal."

Bob Proctor
Author and Speaker

The untold reason you don't have what you want... Article by Dr Robert Anthony

What do all of the following statements have in common? *Ever notice as soon as you get in the Express Line at the grocery store the line slows down? *When I was growing up my mother was very distant and since then I have had a hard time relating to women. *Just when I was getting ahead my ex-wife's lawyer came after me for the unpaid child support. *I'd like to have more money, but I have so many financial problems I will never get out of debt. *I enjoy personal growth, but my husband thinks all that stuff is nonsense and doesn't like me to participate in it. *I'd like to open a business of my own, but my wife thinks it is too risky, so I guess I had better stay at this secure and boring job I dislike going to every day. What all these statements have in common is the nature of the person making the statement. As diverse as all of these statements are and as diverse as the people who make them appear to be, each statement reflects the same type of individual - a person with low self-worth and a predisposition toward negative expectations. The biggest common denominator all these people share is that they are desperately holding onto being a victim. They live at the Victim Level of Awareness. They almost celebrate the fact that they are victimized. Their "stories" are always about their past and the latest problems and tragedies that have befallen them. Of course they are not really victims, but volunteers. They have made a choice - usually unconscious- to remain a victim. You can't be a victim and be a success in life. You can be one or the other, but not both at the same time. If you want to feel like a victim and that's what you affirm to the people around you, you will continue to create a self-fulfilling prophecy. You will repel love, defer happiness, attract illness or injuries and sabotage any financial or business success. The problem is you tell your story so well to everyone around you that you end up following your own script. The good news is REMAINING a victim is a choice. If the above describes you then ask yourself this question. "Is remaining a victim moving me TOWARDS or AWAY from what I want?" If it is moving you away, then you are paying a very high price to hold onto your victim hood. Now is the time to release it and move up to a higher Level of Awareness. Today will bring you a new awareness, a lesson or a manifestation that you are making progress - IF YOU LOOK FOR IT! No matter how large or small, please record it in your Evidence Journal. It will only take a few moments and will AUTOMATICALLY put you in the Flow. Truly Caring for Your Success! Dr. Robert Anthony

The Menopause Diet

Adding certain foods to your diet can help protect your bones, heart, and the rest of your body. Learn about the best foods to eat after menopause.

  If you've gone through menopause or will shortly go through this change of life (on average, it occurs around age 51), it's a good idea to start thinking about making some changes to your diet, too. Certain health issues are of particular concern for women around the time they go through menopause, including osteoporosis and heart disease. One way you can help keep yourself strong during the next phase of your life is to eat a healthy diet. Here are some great foods you should include in your daily diet.

 

 

 

 

 

Make It Non-Fat Milk

Maintaining your bone health becomes especially important once you reach menopause. In addition to helping you maintain strong bones, research has shown that dairy foods may also help you lose body fat or prevent weight gain. Drinking skim milk, or low- and non-fat yogurt and other dairy products, is a good way to get the calcium and vitamin D you need for healthy bones without the saturated fat of whole milk that you don't

Add Whole Grains to Your Diet
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women, and your level of risk for developing it goes up with age. As a result, if you haven't yet made it a priority to eat foods that will help reduce your heart health risks, the time to do so is at hand. One specific diet recommendation that the American Heart Association makes is to eat high-fiber, whole grain foods. At least half (if not more) of the foods you eat that contain grains should be whole grain, such as whole wheat breads, whole grain cereals, and brown rice.

 

 

 Serve Up and Savor Fatty Fish

For additional heart protection, the American Heart Association recommends that women eat oily fish at least twice a week. The omega-3 fatty acids they contain may help reduce your risk of death from heart disease. Types of fish that are particularly high in omega-3s include mackerel, salmon, albacore tuna, and herring. Some evidence also shows that eating more omega-3s may help protect against bone loss
after menopause.

Boost Your Fruit and Vegetable Intake

Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can also help protect your heart after menopause. These foods are low in calories and fat, which means they're a valuable part of an overall healthy diet and can help you stay at a healthy weight. In addition, the potassium found in some fruits and vegetables can help you keep your blood pressure at a healthy level. Depending on how many calories you need each day, your diet should consist of about four half-cup servings of both fruits and vegetables daily.

Go Moderately Nuts for Nuts

The percentage of women who have diabetes increases along with age, so diabetes may be a growing concern for you at menopause. The Nurses Health Study, an eight-year long study of nearly 49,000 postmenopausal women, found that women who eat more nuts may reduce their risk of diabetes and heart disease. Eating nuts along with a meal may also help limit the subsequent rise in blood sugar that nuts can cause. In addition, walnuts in particular contain a substance that your body can convert to omega-3 fatty acid, an important nutrient for women during menopause.

Baby Your Heart With Beans

While you're filling your diet with fiber-rich foods to protect your heart, don't forget about the benefits of beans. You need at least 25 grams of fiber each day, according to the American Heart Association, and a half-cup of kidney beans contains nearly seven grams. As a bonus, research has also shown that a bean-rich diet may also help improve blood sugar control

  

11 Ways to Rev Your Weight-Loss Engine

You can burn more calories, and lose more weight, just by tweaking your habits. Here are 11 tricks to rev up your metabolism and maximize your weight-loss progress.

 Eat protein at every meal
When it comes to food, think protein. Because your body uses energy to digest food, eating any type of food at all gives your metabolism a slight uptick — but the consumption of protein contributes the greatest metabolic boost when compared with carbohydrates and fat. In addition, protein can increase your metabolism by helping to maintain and build muscle mass. So be sure to include protein with every meal and snack. If you're tired of the usual suspects — egg whites, chicken, fish — try some of the more unexpected protein choices to help liven up your menus and surprise your taste buds, such as lentils, chia seeds, tempeh, or quinoa. 

Drink green tea daily.
A recent study published in the Nutrition Journal found that green tea may be more effective at suppressing appetite than plain water. (Beverages in general help expand your belly with liquid volume so you fill up on less food.) In addition, research shows that green tea gives your metabolism a slight lift. Just don't add sugar — it'll counteract that calorie-burning advantage. Enjoy a cup of hot or iced green tea with breakfast, lunch, and dinner — three cups (or glasses) a day — to maximize your weight-loss efforts. 

 Don't sit still.
The "fidget factor" — activities such as cleaning the house, playing an instrument, even wiggling your toes — has a cumulative effect on body weight, which some experts believe may be even more important than formal exercise in determining whether you are thin or fat. I encourage you to scrub your tub, take the stairs, and dance to your favorite tunes while you cook dinner; play with your kids, put your wastebasket at the far end of your office, and wander around when you're talking on the phone; and just plain FIDGET whenever and wherever you can, to keep your metabolism revved up throughout the day.

Shock your tongue.
Be liberal with spicy ingredients like cayenne pepper, hot sauce, jalapeños, chipotle, and hot salsa, and incorporate them into more meals: Consider adding chopped hot peppers to scrambled eggs, chicken or tuna salad, and tossed salads, or make a spicy sandwich spread by mixing a generous shot of hot sauce into hummus or low-fat mayo. Why? New research has found that adding spicy ingredients to your food can help suppress your appetite and even stoke your metabolic fire a bit. In one study, dieters who didn't normally eat spicy foods ate a soup seasoned with cayenne pepper for lunch, resulting in them consuming 60 fewer calories at their next meal and burning an extra ten calories. Sure, it's a small amount, but over time it adds up!

 Get keen on cardio.
You probably already know that aerobic exercise (like running, brisk walking, swimming, and bike riding) increases many different metabolic processes (like your heart rate), all of which burn through extra calories. But did you know that aerobic activities also keep your metabolism humming at a higher speed for hours after exercising? I recommend doing some form of aerobic activity for 30-plus minutes at least four or five days each week. And if you can find a way to squeeze in cardio every day, even better!

 Build more muscle.
It's true what they say about muscle burning more calories than fat: Muscle is about three times more metabolically active than fat tissue, so by increasing lean muscle, you'll burn more calories 24/7 (even when you're sitting still!). Strength-training exercises, like lifting weights or doing crunches, lunges, squats, or planks will build up your muscle mass, so aim to do about 15 minutes of strength-training two to three times a week, in addition to plenty of cardio.

 Keep eating.
Even when you're cutting calories to lose weight, it's important to feed your fire and keep your metabolism at its optimal level by eating at least 1,000 calories a day. Your body and metabolism thrive on food, so when you fast, crash diet, or restrict your intake to below 1,000 calories, your metabolism will respond by sloooowing down to conserve energy. Imagine your metabolism as a blazing fire: Feed the fire continually with wood and it will keep burning at a good rate, but if you run out of wood, the fire goes out. I recommend eating a meal or snack every four to five hours to properly fuel your metabolism and keep it burning all day long.

 Change your routine.
If you've been working out for a while and the numbers on the scale won't budge, it's probably time to switch up your routine — perhaps you and your body are simply becoming bored with the same old program. Vary your food choices, browse for healthy recipes online, try a new restaurant, or modify your exercise program. Sometimes little changes are just enough to recharge your body and propel you out of a rut.

 Skip processed, go whole.
Whole foods — think vegetables, fruits, and whole grains — require your body to work harder during digestion than processed foods like sugary snacks and refined "white" starch. That means your metabolism gets a significant boost when you eat meals containing foods in their natural state. When researchers gave participants either a "whole-foods meal" (whole-grain bread with cheddar cheese) or a "processed-food meal" (white bread with processed cheese slices) containing the same number of calories, those who ate the whole-foods meal burned about 50% more calories digesting their sandwich. To cash in on this metabolic advantage, eat a clean diet that focuses on fresh produce, lean proteins, and whole grains, while minimizing the refined junk like sugary cereals, white breads and pasta, white rice, chips, and cookies. You'll accelerate your weight loss simply by changing the foods that you eat, even if your total number of daily calories remains the same.

 Stay hydrated.
Water is necessary to maintain a healthy metabolism. In fact, about 60% of your body is water; so you must stay hydrated to function efficiently. How much water is enough? According to the Institute of Medicine, the requirement for the average woman is nine cups of fluids per day. For men, it bumps up to 13 cups. Very athletic individuals and people who live in super-hot climates require even more. Sounds like a lot, but rest assured, it adds up quickly — and although water is your best bet, all fluids count (including the milk in your cereal, as well as coffee and tea).

 Go to bed earlier.
Research has shown that sleep deprivation can have a significant impact on your ability to lose weight. The major players in this snooze-lose link are two hormones: leptin and ghrelin. Lack of z's results in lower levels of the appetite-suppressing leptin and higher levels of the appetite-boosting ghrelin. Compounding this hormonal glitch is the simple fact that when we sleep less, we have more opportunities to eat. Also, when we're tired from lack of sleep, we have less resolve to fight cravings and mindless munching. The obvious solution to this problem is to get more sleep — aim for at least seven hours a night. And before you say "impossible," think about this: One study showed that the difference in the amount of shut-eye between obese subjects and slim ones was about two hours a week — that's only 17 minutes more sleep per night!

Hey guys!

Insight for the Day 1/26/12

"The best years of your life are the ones in which you decide your problems are your own. You do not blame them on your mother, the ecology, or the president. You realize that you control your own destiny." Albert Ellis 1913-2007, Psychologist

Life doesn't come with a moneyback guarantee (the truth)

Life doesn't come with a money back guarantee and yet many of us
live like it does. People are certain that they will keep their
jobs. They are certain of living a long healthy life. Others might
be certain that they will lose their jobs or get sick and die
young. Certainty comes in many forms but it rarely corresponds to
the truth.

The truth is nothing is certain. The need for certainty is the need
for safety. It is the basis of all religion. Since we do not like
uncertainty, we choose to believe in something that we feel we
can be certain about, even though we have no logical proof that it
is true. 

Some might argue that if nothing can be counted on then why bother
trying. In order to move forward in life many people need to have a
sense of certainty about the outcome. But this kind of certainty is
an illusion.

Certainty is a form of disconnection - from the truth and from
ourselves. When we feel certain about something, we are
disconnected from the natural flow of life.

Certainty is the perpetual elusive dream of most people. 

What in life is certain? There is a part of you - your Authentic
Self - that is unchanging. This pure consciousness is certain while
everything else is uncertain, impermanent and an illusion. But how
do you discover or experience this pure unchanging consciousness?
Through Inquiry. 

If you are certain about something - anything for that matter - you
immediately place a lid on that thing. It cannot change. You won't
let it change because if you do, you will be wrong in your
certainty. But all things, except one thing, do change.

The only thing that doesn't change is WHO YOU ARE - your Authentic
Self or what is commonly called consciousness. Consciousness is
what remains when all concepts, beliefs, values, habits and ways of
thinking are stripped away. In other words, all of your ideas,
concepts, beliefs and so on will change over time. If this is true
then why waste time on trying to be certain?

By inquiring how and why you get certain results in your life you
learn about your beliefs and patterns that create those results.
Then through the power of your mind, you can consciously form new
patterns. The need for certainty is replaced by a relaxed "learning"
pattern. 

Can you imagine a world in which nothing changes? It would be
absolutely miserable. Inquiry is the habit that leads us out of
that misery.

Through uncertainty you move from being an expert to being a
student. All of life, all experiences, everyone and everything
become our teachers. 

Today will bring you a new awareness, a lesson or a manifestation
that you are making progress - IF YOU LOOK FOR IT!  No matter how
large or small, please record it in your Evidence Journal. It will
only take a few moments and will AUTOMATICALLY put you in the Flow.

Truly Caring for Your Success!

Dr. Robert Anthony

Insight of the Day 1/25/12

"At the end of each day, you should play back the tapes of your performance. The results should either applaud you or prod you."

Jim Rohn
1930-2009, Author and Speaker

Daddy's Home 1/25/12

Heart-Healthy Habits for Seniors

Many seniors believe that heart disease risks are inevitable in old age. In truth, there are plenty of ways to keep your heart in great shape — start with these seven.

 

Heart disease is a major threat to senior health — in fact, 84 percent of people age 65 years and older die from heart disease. Though heart disease risks increase with age, it doesn’t have to be an inevitable part of getting older. The right lifestyle habits and a heart-healthy diet can help protect you.

What exactly is heart disease? It’s the term given to a group of different health conditions that affect the heart. In the United States, the most common form of heart disease is called coronary artery disease (CAD). CAD is often responsible for serious cardiovascular events like a heart attack, heart failure, chest pain, and irregular heartbeat, also called arrhythmia.

Know the Symptoms of Heart Disease
 
The warning signs of heart disease often don’t appear until you're having a heart attack. Symptoms of an emergency or impending heart attack may include:

• Feeling faint
• Weakness or a sensation of light-headedness
• Having a hard time catching your breath
• Feeling nauseous or vomiting
• Feeling very full or having indigestion
• Pain in the chest or an uncomfortable pressure in the chest
• Unusual pains in the back, shoulders, or neck
• Sweating
• An irregular heartbeat 

To read on more regarding Heart-Healthy Habits for Seniors please click here:

 

"We need to find the courage to say 'NO' to the things and people that are not serving us if we want to rediscover ourselves and live our lives with authenticity."

Barbara De Angelis
Relationship Consultant, Author and Speaker

Fennel Tea Benefits

Fennel Tea Benefits

The Fennel herb is a traditional element of Chinese, Arab, Indian and Western pharmacopoeias. It had been such due to the observed health benefits that it had imparted over the centuries.

Fennel Tea Benefits

Meanwhile, fennel seeds are a common cooking spice worldwide, popular with fish and curries. Fennel is an element of Chinese five spice powder, and is part of innumerable traditional Mediterranean, Arabic, Iranian, Indian and European recipes. Fennel's sweet earthy taste enhances meat dishes, fish, breads, pickles and vinegar. The main active constituents of fennel, which include the terpenoid anethole, are found in its volatile oil.

Anethole and other terpenoids may have mild estrogen-like activity, which inhibit spasms in smooth muscles, such as those in the intestinal tract. In fact, fennel was formerly an official drug in the United States and was listed as being used for indigestion. Fennel seeds are usually ground or crushed and steeped in boiling water to produce tea for internal use. To read on further please click here:

How to Fire Your Boss Within 10 Years

Do you love your job? I mean really love your job -- so much so that if money weren't an object, you would be doing exactly what you're doing for a living right now at exactly the same place? Not many people can answer "yes" to that question. In fact, less than a third of Americans admit to being very satisfied with working for their employer. But imagine what an empowering feeling it would be to wake up in the morning, head to the office, and spend a large chunk of your waking hours doing work that truly invigorates your mind, body and soul. After all, the more you enjoy what you do during the huge chunk of your life (40-plus years) you have to earn a living, the easier it is to enjoy your life in general. But to get there, you may very well need to be willing to fire your boss. To continue to read this article please click here:

Solar Storm Now Hitting Earth, Called Strongest Since 2005, Could Affect Astronauts

WASHINGTON -- The sun is bombarding Earth with radiation from the biggest solar storm in more than six years with more to come from the fast-moving eruption.

The solar flare occurred at about 11 p.m. EST Sunday and will hit Earth with three different effects at three different times. The biggest issue is radiation, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center in Colorado.

The radiation is mostly a concern for satellite disruptions and astronauts in space. It can cause communication problems for polar-traveling airplanes, said space weather center physicist Doug Biesecker.

Radiation from Sunday's flare arrived at Earth an hour later and will likely continue through Wednesday. Levels are considered strong but other storms have been more severe. There are two higher levels of radiation on NOAA's storm scale – severe and extreme – Biesecker said. Still, this storm is the strongest for radiation since May 2005.

The radiation – in the form of protons – came flying out of the sun at 93 million miles per hour.

To read further on this article please click here:

Insight for Today 1/23/12 - Betty White

"Friendship takes time and energy if it's going to work. You can luck into something great, but it doesn't last if you don't give it proper appreciation. Friendship can be so comfortable, but nurture it - don't take it for granted." Betty White Actress and Comedian

12 Skinny Foods for 2012

12 Skinny Foods for 2012 Here are 12 delicious, diet-friendly foods that offer phenomenal calorie bargains. If you're looking for creative ways to enhance your weight loss efforts this year, give these tasty bites a try!

Shrimp At just 8 calories a pop, shrimp are a top-notch source of lean protein, which helps rev your metabolism and suppress your appetite. Start your next restaurant meal with a shrimp cocktail app to fill up quickly, so you don't overdo it when the main entrée arrives. Or, sauté shrimp with a medley of veggies, like onions, mushrooms, peppers, and broccoli, to create the ultimate diet-friendly dinner.

Grape tomatoes One cup of grape tomatoes clocks in at only 30 calories. These bite-sized nibbles are sweet, colorful, and ideal for snacking since you can pop 'em in your mouth one at a time. And, because they're so low in calories, you can munch to your heart's content!

Egg whites Egg whites are pure, high-quality protein and just 17 calories apiece, which makes them the ideal ingredient for a low-cal breakfast with real staying power. For a slimming morning meal, scramble 4 to 5 whites with any sautéed veggies (I like a combo of spinach, tomatoes, and onions) and top with a dollop of salsa (another food on my skinny list!).

Naturally flavored seltzer If you're bored with plain old water, try naturally-flavored seltzer — carbonated water with a shot of fruit flavor. It's completely calorie-free, fizzes like soda, and comes in fun flavors like green apple, cherry, pomegranate… even vanilla and white chocolate! And it's one of the "cleanest" drinks around — it doesn't contain sugar, artificial sweeteners, food dyes, or anything else. For sweetness and pizzazz, float a few fruit slices or frozen fruit cubes made with 100% juice in your glass.

Whole-grain sandwich thins Sandwich thins and flats are the best thing since… well, sliced bread! That's because you get TWO halves for the same calorie count as ONE slice of regular bread (100 calories). Use these versatile, whole grain buns to build turkey or chicken sandwiches, or lightly spread them with nut butter or reduced-fat cream cheese for a smart bagel substitute.

Cucumber Cucumbers are one of the all-time best foods for fighting uncomfortable bloat because they're loaded with water and naturally low in sodium (taking in extra water while halting salt reduces water retention). Plus, they're a terrific calorie bargain; you can gobble up an entire cuke for just 45 calories. When you get the urge to munch between meals, slice one up into "chips" to squelch your appetite in a hurry.

Salsa With less than 20 calories per ¼ cup, salsa is a dieter's best friend. Bottled or fresh, salsa makes a zesty, low-cal dip for crunchy veggies like baby carrots and celery sticks. It's also the ultimate slimming condiment for sandwiches, burgers, and baked potatoes. Use it as a flavorful replacement for mayo, sour cream, butter, and other fattening toppers.

Popcorn One cup of "naked" air-popped popcorn (without any added butter or oil) has only 30 calories! If you don't own an air popper, you can make plain popcorn right in your microwave. Add 4 tablespoons popcorn kernels to a brown paper lunch bag, fold over the edge of the bag twice to close it, and microwave the bag on high for 1.5 to 2 minutes. (Microwave times will vary; it will take a few trial runs to figure out the perfect amount of time required to pop the kernels without burning them.) To kick up the flavor, sprinkle your popcorn with Parmesan cheese, spices (chili powder and cumin, yum!), or even hot sauce.

Hot sauce Research shows that including spicy foods at meals suppresses your appetite and slightly revs your metabolism, so hot sauce is doubly deserving of the "skinny food" title. Add this fiery condiment anywhere you can — sprinkle it on eggs, add a few dashes to soups and stews, or mix it into hummus to kick up the heat.

Water chestnuts These under-the-radar veggies offer super satisfying crunch — a texture a lot of dieters crave after giving up potato chips and other snack foods. You can munch your way through a whole can for just 50 calories. They're also super low in sodium, unlike most canned foods, so they won't make you bloated. Quite the contrary, their high water content will actually help minimize puffiness. Water chestnuts are a classic addition to stir fries and a crisp, refreshing mix-in for low-fat chicken or tuna salad.

Grapefruit Grapefruit are refreshing, hydrating, and sweet, and one of the few seasonal winter fruits. One large grapefruit runs you just 120 calories and, since you eat the flesh one segment at a time, it automatically helps pace your eating.

Frozen cherries Frozen cherries are a skinny solution to sugar cravings. Snack on these deliciously sweet gems right out of the freezer bag — they're like a healthy version of cherry Italian ices. You can enjoy ¾ cup of these icy treats for just 110 cals, and because they're frozen and take awhile to eat, you'll stretch out your snack time.

Christy Whitman Magnetic Monday's

Did you know that one of the powerful tools that you have to create what you want is your natural ability to imagine? Everyone has this ability. Some have practiced with this tool, while others were told not to imagine. We have that ability within us to imagine what we want to create in our future.

When you imagine, you are connecting with higher and finer energies. Imagination is not bound by time, space, or our physical environment. When we are imagining, we do it with a sense of joy and excitement. This relaxes us and makes us even more magnetic to what we desire.

Be aware that you can also use your imagination to create fear or what you don’t want. Be aware that you are always imagining. The question is, where are you spending your time? When you catch yourself imagining or projecting into a future that you do not want, stop and start thinking about what you do want.

Try this:

1. Sit quietly just for a few moments and pretend you are living what you want. The subconscious does not know the difference between pretending and what is actually happening. It accepts whatever you pretend as real and will create it in your reality.

2. Magnetize your goal to you. Just pretend you know how to do this, and you will soon see your goals manifesting. Connect with the vibration of this goal, and you will soon be experiencing it.

Have a great week and have fun magnetizing.

Much love,
Christy Whitman

Sip Green Tea for a Daily Boost of Antioxidants 10 Life-Sustaining Reasons to Drink Green Tea

Whether hot, iced, or with honey, brewed green tea is chockfull of health benefits. (One exception: Avoid bottled green tea, which is often filled with added sugar.) Made from leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, green tea has a high concentration of powerful antioxidants called polyphenols and tea flavonoids known as catechins. These antioxidants help combat free radicals — substances that can alter and even kill cells in your body, causing premature aging, cancer, and other diseases — by neutralizing them. And fighting free radicals with green tea can have all kinds of benefits: Here are 10 scientifically supported reasons to add green tea to your diet.

Green Tea Lowers Cholesterol A number of studies show that green tea seems to help lower cholesterol. One report published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that drinking green tea daily can slightly lower cholesterol levels. Another study done with male smokers who took daily 375-milligram green tea capsules for 12 weeks found that green tea significantly reduced the level of harmful LDL cholesterol in their blood when paired with a diet low in saturated fat. Researchers believe green tea’s catechins help prevent the absorption of cholesterol in the organs while simultaneously increasing the absorption of high-density HDL (good) cholesterol.

Green Tea Helps Manages Weight If you’re watching your weight, green tea could be among the superfoods you want to include in your diet. Although research has not found that green tea can produce immediate weight loss, numerous studies have concluded that the properties of green tea can help you lose weight when consumed as part of a healthy diet because green tea increases energy expenditure and fat oxidation.

Green Tea Improves Bone Health Osteoporosis, a disease in which bones become brittle and fragile, is a serious health threat for both men and women as they age. Although more research still needs to be done on the benefits of green tea for bone health, there is growing evidence that green tea can help. For example, a study in the journal Nutrition Research found tea drinkers between the ages of 65 and 75 had 5-percent higher bone density than non-tea drinkers, prompting researchers to conclude that drinking green tea can improve bone mineral density and thus lower your fracture risk. Researchers in Hong Kong also found that green tea contains a group of chemicals that stimulates the formation of bone and helps slow their breakdown. However, Atlanta-based nutritionist Marisa Moore, RD, LD, says more conclusive studies on green tea benefits as a healing food for bone health are needed.

Green Tea Boosts Oral Health A number of studies, including one of 940 men in Japan, show that drinking green tea regularly can lead to a healthy mouth because tea’s catechins can actually help kill mouth bacteria. Mouth bacteria can turn the sugar in foods into plaque, and plaque produces acids that can cause tooth decay. Catechins may also help kill the bacteria that can cause bad breath.

Green Tea Helps Prevent Parkinson's and Alzheimer's According to a 2012 study published in the Journal of Phytotherapy and Phytopharacology, there is significant evidence that free radicals play a role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease and that the polyphenols in green tea can help fight these free radicals. Researchers found that polyphenols can help prevent the buildup of brain-damaging proteins, as well as help prevent memory loss. A study published in the Natural Medicine Journal found that participants who took daily 360-mg capsules of green tea extract along with 60-mg of I-theanine (an amino acid also found in tea) had improved memory and attention spans, even if they had started to lose both.

Green Tea Protects Skin Research shows that drinking green tea or placing green tea bags over your skin may help protect it from the sun’s ultraviolet rays, Moore says. In a controlled study recently published in the Journal of Nutrition, researchers in Germany found that women who drank about six cups of green tea per day had less reddening of their skin when exposed to a solar simulator than those who did not. Unfortunately, preventing wrinkles is not among the tea’s benefits.

Green Tea Fights Some Cancers A number of studies show that green tea benefits include protection against certain cancers. “The data are the strongest for ovarian, bladder, and esophageal cancers,” Moore says. Green tea and green tea extracts also have been shown to lower the risk of breast cancer spread and decrease the risk of breast cancer recurrence, but only in certain circumstances. Research shows that green tea doesn’t seem to prevent breast cancer in Asian women, but it might help reduce the risk for breast cancer among Asian-American women. The jury is still out, though, on the likelihood of green tea reducing breast cancer incidence in Western populations.

Green Tea Protects Against Diabetes There is some evidence that drinking this super drinkcan help prevent diabetes. One study found that Japanese adults who drank more than six6 cups of green tea a day had a much lower risk (33 percent) of developing type 2 diabetes than those who drank a cup or less a day. A number of smaller studies found that green tea extract lowered blood sugar levels in people who were borderline diabetic.

Green Tea Helps Prevent Heart Attack Several population-based studies show that green tea consumption can lower the risk of a heart attack by up to 11 percent. According to an analysis by the University of Maryland Medical Center, scientists also believe that green tea can help prevent coronary artery disease and atherosclerosis, which is the buildup of fatty material along the inner walls of arteries. However, at this time, the FDA does not believe that the evidence that green tea helps prevent heart disease is strong enough to allow tea makers to make this health claim on tea labels.

Green Tea Boosts Energy Some studies have found that green tea can boost your energy levels, most likely thanks to the caffeine. In fact, Japanese researchers found that when endurance athletes drank four cups of green tea a day for about 12 weeks, their overall endurance increased between 8 to 24 percent almost across the board.