Prana Holistic Bloggity-Blog

Is your depression and anxiety caused by blood sugar imbalances?

2012-01-23T14:48:00.001-07:00

I just had a client come to me with depression and anxiety. After looking over her blood work results that she brought in from a recent doctor's visit, in combination with what I observed and her symptoms, my conclusion was that she has a blood sugar issue (in addition to the obvious mental and emotional elements involved in depression that would need to be addressed). Specifically, I suspect she has hypoglycemia. When her blood sugar plummets, due to diet and hormone issues, her adrenals are required to "step it up" and offer some support for her flagging energy, by causing surges of adrenaline. So not only does she get the lack of energy and low mood of depression, but the adrenaline causes anxiety, angry outbursts and a spinning mind (you know, the "wired but tired" feeling you get sometimes when you are trying to go to sleep?).

She is also getting dizzy spells and chest pains, as well as cold extremities and poor circulation (a result of being in the "fight or flight" state, where blood is directed away from the extremities into the large muscles of the upper legs and the heart). Waking up after about 3 hours of sleep is also an indicator of blood sugar imbalance.

So what do you do if this sounds all to familiar?

1) You need to eliminate or greatly restrict simple sugars from your diet, from obvious sources like baking, sweets and pop, as well a "non-obvious" sources of simple sugar, like fruit juice. You will also need to limit carbohydrates or starchy foods that reduce to a sugar easily in the body, like grains and root vegetables. You can find lists of where foods are on the Glycemic Index (the rate which a food turns to sugar in your system) here, or a search engine to tell you the glycemic index of any food here (low is 55 or less; high is 70 and above).

2) You may find supplementing with chromium helpful. This trace mineral is often low in people with blood sugar balance issues.

3) Reflexology and acupuncture are both modalities that help balance hormones naturally, as well as help to bring blood sugar back into balance. They will also help to heal the adrenal glands so you can relax and stop worrying. Plus, they just feel good!

If you have depression and/or anxiety, there is many possible causes - blood sugar imbalance is just one possiblity (though a common one). Talk to your doctor and have him do blood tests to check, and ask for advice from a trained health practitioner if you suspect this might be your issue.

Walnut Helps Us Transition Into 2012 & Beyond With Grace & Ease!

2012-01-02T15:38:00.001-07:00

Years ago, I was living in Scotland on a remote island called Iona. My mom came for a visit and we travelled to England and Ireland together, visiting relatives and seeing the beautiful sights. An associate of my father hosted us at the Marianella Centre in Dublin, and I fondly remember a majestic and very beautiful walnut tree on the grounds. At one point, I took my journal out to the walnut tree and spent some time with it, appreciating the sense of strength it imparted and leaning against it's sturdy trunk.

Walnut is a plant that lends itself to human conditions in many ways. As a food, perceiving the actual walnut is very telling as it relates to what it's good for. When you look at a walnut, notice how it appears as though a human brain. Sure enough, walnuts are a wonderful source of omega 3 fatty acids that nourish the brain and are very antioxidant, meaning that they scavenge disease-forming agents in the body.

As an herb, black walnut fights parasites and bacterial infections and stimulates the activity of the liver, gallbladder and digestive system, improving overall digestion.

As a flower essence, walnut is widely applicable, and I'll tell you why in a moment. First, let me briefly elaborate on what flower essences are and what they do. Flower essences are highly dilute floral infusions that work on an energetic level. This means that there are no chemical constituents in a flower essence, like root, stem or leaf. Flower essences are just that: essences of the flowering tops of plants. The philosophy of flower essences states that the energy of the flowers have been captured and preserved in a bottle. This energy works upon a person's energetic body, mostly affecting mental, emotional and spiritual components of being, affecting the physical in turn. Flower essences stimulate awareness, awareness being the key to change, movement and personal growth.


Walnut: for making healthy transitions & gaining freedom from social expectations or values of family or community, past experiences or beliefs in order to follow one's own path and destiny.

Walnut is widely applicable as a flower essence because it helps us move seamlessly through transition. As I wrote earlier today in a newsletter, transition is change, and I am often reminded by my toddler son's dislike of change just how inherently we resist it. Well, that's what walnut is for - our resistance towards change. And being that change is really the only constant, walnut, as mentioned, is widely applicable. I remember the first time I used walnut flower essence. One day during my cycle with walnut, I stood in the shower and was acutely aware of just how okay it was that everything around me seemed to be in chaos as I transitioned from one stage of life to another. Suddenly, all the beautiful lessons and personal growth were at the forefront of my mind instead of the feelings of overwhelm that often accompany change.

When it comes to using plants for healing, there is a great deal of crossover between nutrition, herbology and flower essences - something I think is very beautiful and a magnificent expression from the plants themselves. This means that a particular application for walnut in herbology, for example, often relates to it's actions as a flower essence. That being said, how amazing that walnut feeds the brain while also improving digestion. This directly translates to the fact that walnut imparts a greater capacity to process and digest change. Thank you walnut!

I am left remembering one of the more poignant things my herbology teacher, Robert Rogers, taught me: notice how walnuts have a harder shell to break and often require a nutcracker. Always think of walnut when there are difficult patterns to break.
The perfect image and so fitting for walnut's application in flower essences.

So, think of walnut as you transition from 2011 to 2012 - if you are having difficulty leaving things behind and striking out anew, walnut. If you are moving in or out of a relationship, walnut. If you are starting a new job or leaving an old one, walnut. If you are moving house, moving cities or moving countries, walnut. Or if you are working on self-improvement and looking to leave self-defeatist patterns and habits behind, walnut.

Walnut could be the key to your success as you rise up to be the person you were intended to be in 2012.

Flower essences are available at all Optimum Health locations and are taken as follows: 4 drops under the tongue 4 times per day for a 28 day period. Please contact me at Prana Holistic if you would like to set up a complete flower essences session.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

How NOT to Overeat this Holiday Season

2011-12-10T15:08:00.002-07:00

Want to avoid a massive overeat this holiday season? Read on!

I adore Christmas. I adore lights, presents, friends, family, trees, elves, and most of all, I adore food. Yes, I know - I know I am supposed to be a beacon of radiant good health and moderation. This is a health blog after all. And as important as my health is, and as important as healthy eating is to a healthy body and mind, sometimes a gal enjoys a feast.

That being said, there are ways to enjoy your cupcakes without getting a muffin top.

This is a muffin top!

1. Before you go to a party or a big feast where you know you will be tempted, drink a protein shake with added fiber. I love a product from RenewLife called FiberSmart. This will do a couple of good things. It will help fill you up a bit so you make decisions based on what you actually want, rather than random shoveling of food into your open mouth (oh, come on, I know I am not the only one!). It will also help to regulate the rush of sugar you are going to unleash on your unsuspecting system. This is critical not only to your health, but to your weight. The slower the sugar rushes through your system, the better. So fiber it up before hand!

2. Choose only your favourites. If you are going to cheat and eat from the naughty list, then at least make sure it is the very best of the naughty. If you want chocolate, have chocolate, but make it the stuff you really love. High quality food, ate with enjoyment and savoured, is instantly removed from your thighs by elves...true story! Ok, maybe not, but if you truly savour and enjoy food, a few beneficial things happen. First, you tend to eat slower and therefore eat less. Second, up to 20% of digestion happens before you ever put food in your mouth. It starts with enjoying the colour, the smell, and the anticipation. Your body, acting like a little Pavlovian dog, starts releasing anticipatory chemicals, juices and enzymes, so that the delicious treats you consume can be digested. And the better you digest, the healthier you are, the stronger your immune system and the easier your weight management will be.

3. Move away from the food! I don't know about you, but as long as I stand by the food table at a party, or as long as I sit at the dinner table with all of the leftover turkey and stuffing, I tend to keep eating. And I do it rather mindlessly. So once you ate your fill, back away from the food before it lures you back in for seconds (thirds and fourths). Simple, but effective.

I wish you a remarkably enjoyable and healthy holiday season. I know I will enjoy mine!

Kristi Shmyr

Holiday Giving

2011-12-09T18:55:00.000-07:00

Someone very close to me was homeless for 3 years, the latter part of his experience as a homeless person being on the streets of L.A. These days, I look at homeless people in a different way, acutely aware of the fact that each one of them has a story. I love stories - I love hearing them, reading them and thinking about them. Over the years, I've gotten over the need to share and re-share my own victim stories from the past, though I have a nice collection of stories that relate to challenge, creation and growth and new stories unfold in my life every single day. I believe there is lots of power and potential to heal through our stories and what we can learn from them. A story is really only a victim story if we do not find the capacity to learn and grow from that story.

As it relates to homeless people, I've just been perusing the Mustard Seed website and there's a section on "stories", which I, of course, find very fascinating. As I perceive the homeless of Edmonton, I consider that maybe one guy started out as a wealthy business owner and lost everything to an addiction, winding up on the streets. Or maybe that woman, having come from a warm and loving family, got caught in a cycle of abuse that landed her homeless, unable to see her children. Or perhaps another guy on the street tried for years to enter a monastic order in California to no avail, so decided to take a prolonged walking pilgrimage between California and Mexico, only to end up on the streets of L.A., still unable to be accepted by the monastery. All of these stories inspire and amaze me and I only wish I could collect every one.

Regardless of what each homeless person's story is, the fact is, they've given up belongings, lodging and comfort - whether consciously or unconsciously - to pursue a much more simple and challenging life where making it day by day is the name of the game. A luxury for a homeless person is somewhere semi comfortable and warm to sleep or some warm, running water or a hot meal - all things most of us surely experience every day and likely take for granted.

I still really love the idea of re-gifting at Christmastime, as I blogged about last year. I feel that re-gifting is giving back to our precious earth, not to mention propagating a spirit of reduction as opposed to consumerism. This year, I maintain my love of re-gifting, while I have other things on the brain as well. Why not consider giving back to those who are without a home this holiday season by donating items, money or time to the Mustard Seed here in Edmonton? I am struck by compassion as I consider being without home and family at Christmastime - a time that is punctuated by a warm hearth and warm hearts that are made warm by joviality amongst family and friends.

Please check out The Mustard Seed to find out ways you can help during this holiday season. Personally, I'd like to get some Winter Backpacks (see very bottom of page) together. Please contact me at roberta.a.shepherd@gmail.com if you have any of the listed items for winter backpacks that you'd like to donate.

Happy holidays everyone! I would love to hear YOUR stories through the holiday season and/or in the new year. Flower Essences is a perfect way to share your story with a great listener (me!) and embark on a healing journey through the use of these ingestibles. Please call me at Prana Holistic (780.454.5299) if you'd like to learn more about flower essences - my absolute favorite thing to facilitate as a practitioner!

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Ho-Ho-Holistic

Remembering

2011-11-09T22:19:00.000-07:00

Friday is Remembrance Day - a day to remember those who departed from this earth plane in an attempt to protect and serve the rights of you and me. Certainly Remembrance Day is punctuated by strong energies that relate to loss at the hands of war and the memories that living veterans carry in the present day. I also think that it lends itself to a more general remembering of those we've lost.

Loss is a bit of a challenging topic because there's so much emotion around it. Perhaps that's what I'd like to reflect on. I recently lost someone close to me and while it is a painful and emotionally charged experience, I am left thinking about how very human grief is. The more awakened part of me recognizes that all is well, that the person who was "lost" is not really lost, only changed in form - only his body is lost, our bodies being the most dense part of our beings. The human part of me struggles with remorse, regret, anger, sadness and longing. Surely the person who has departed is not feeling any of these challenging feelings - he's been set free of such dense and heavy emotion! So, why do I mourn? Do I mourn for the pain of the person who has departed? He no longer experiences pain. Do I mourn for the pain he experienced here on earth? But again, he's been set free of this pain. In my estimation, there's one primary reason that I'm mourning and that's for MY loss, not his. With him gone, I feel as though a part of me has been lost - that part of me that this person fulfilled - and pain sets up camp in that void, at least for now. We tend to grieve that which we perceive as being lost in our own lives, and that is very human of us. That being said, I think it's very important for us to honor our humanness and do what we need to do in order to BE human, moving these emotions through our bodies as productively as possible.

Meanwhile, our higher selves know that nothing has in fact been lost and that perhaps something has actually been gained. Those close to us that have departed have gained freedom and, down the road, we are able to gain strength, insight and empathy, which lends itself to our increased capacity to support those around us. Feelings that are associated with grief and loss are very heavy because we experience them in our bodies, which are also very heavy. Our spirits soar and are weightless. May we remember that once a person departs from this earth, their spirit is set free from the constraints of the body and everything is...probably pretty dreamy and amazing, to say the least.

Someone once told me that when love is "lost", as in the breakup of a relationship, that love lives on in other ways because, as love is energy, it can be neither created nor destroyed, only changed in form. It was comforting to me to consider that while my heart may have felt as though it was aching for love having been "lost", every love having been shared lives on and there really is nothing to mourn. Rather, I could celebrate that I had been blessed with the gift of experiencing love in that form for that period of time and celebrate how that same love shows up in my life in different ways.

This is a short reflection with a simple point: as we remember those that departed while protecting our country and those that have departed in other ways, may we also remember that their souls are not lost, but rather changed in form. Their souls are free from the weight of this earthly plane. May we find comfort in knowing that they now guide and protect us with a bird's eye view and that their peace is one that we do not yet know. May we honor who they were on this earth and remember to celebrate the freedom they have now gained. Lest we forget.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

Boundaries: A Story of Transition and Personal Growth

2011-10-18T00:20:00.000-06:00

I had a very intense and transitional experience recently that I'd like to share. My son has been in care at a day home ever since I returned to work in February 2010. While at the outset of arranging care all seemed perfect and wonderful, things have progressively gotten "bad". I've realized that there are core values that myself and my care provider don't have in common. Since that realization, it's been a slow road of first acknowledging that truth and then doing something about it.

In the summertime, my care provider suggested that we might be happier elsewhere where our needs would be better met. Amazing that it was her suggestion and not mine, even though I had thought of it many times. I started looking for alternate childcare facilities and got myself on 2 waiting lists for places that really fit what it is that I'm looking for for myself and my son. After confirming my spot on these 2 waiting lists, I felt pretty discouraged. It's a lot harder to find appropriate childcare in Edmonton than I ever imagined. I felt bound to the day home and proceeded by trying to be as positive as possible, despite feeling like my values were being compromised every time I arrived there to drop my son off.

Most recently, an incident occurred that made me feel extremely uncomfortable and as though my son's welfare was being compromised - maybe in ways that I wasn't even aware of. In anger, I wanted to pull my son out of this person's home right away, never to return, but I didn't. I went back to the drawing board with the intention of exhausting my search for alternate childcare. I first checked in on the status of the 2 waiting lists, only for God to reach down and bless us with an opening for November 1st, specifically in my son's age category, at the bilingual Montessori childcare center 5 minutes walking distance from our home! After that was settled, I had a gnawing feeling in my gut - I felt so uncomfortable bringing my son back to the day home. But I did.

On Friday, I called home to Grande Prairie to see if I had any other options, ie: if either of my parents could come spend some time in Edmonton to care for my son while I continued to go to work. My dad offered to come and yet, I was still on the fence. Why? In my head, I knew that the best thing to do was to pull my son from care at the day home, but I couldn't integrate that into my body to gain confidence around that possibility and I had immense guilt at the thought of doing so. My son has been under care at this home for a year and a half and all people are inherently good, aren't they? And people make mistakes and are allowed to make mistakes, isn't that true? On Friday night, after doing a meditation to gain clarity on which direction to take, I knew what I had to do - pull him from care for the last 2 weeks until he started at his new daycare - but the guilt was almost paralyzing! I thought I had done so much personal work around guilt in my life and yet, here it was, glaring me in the face and clubbing me on the shins.

Starting on Saturday morning, I decided to take Pink Yarrow (a flower essence) - 1-2 drops every 1-2 hours to try and speed emotional catharsis around personal boundaries. Pink Yarrow, specifically, is for those who tend towards taking responsibility for other people's feelings and experiences, thereby having a difficult time establishing emotional boundaries. I also implemented Emotional Freedom Technique and Kit Furey's methods for clearing. Late Sunday afternoon, my personal clouds started to clear and I felt more protected around my heart center. I recognized that this comes down to something as simple as the fact that parents and childcare providers absolutely ought to be on the same page, and we weren't. That, in itself, was enough reason to remove my son from care. Today's his last day.

There are a few points to this story:

1. I'm really in to gross honesty lately. As in, honesty that's potentially embarrassing. More than anything, this is regarding my being honest with my own self, something I've historically had a hard time with. As it relates to this story, let me say that I always - ALWAYS - thought that I would do ANYTHING in the moment to protect the welfare of my child. And I didn't. This points to the fact that whatever our core issues are - one of mine being poor establishment and maintenance of boundaries - no single person can change or improve those issues for us, just as we have no power to affect others' issues. While I thought that becoming a mother would resolve so many of my core issues, it's been my own decision to pursue personal work and activities that stimulate personal growth that has actually brushed the surface of rectifying any of my core issues. My son's presence in my life, alone, has done nothing to make me a better person. That being said, his presence has stimulated me to want to be a better person in order to set a positive example and, as a result, I've pursued many avenues towards change.

May we stop claiming that "when I become a parent" or "once I'm in a fulfilling relationship" or "once I earn more money" etc. we will be happier and better people. All we have is now and the only one in your life with enough power to create change is you.

2. This p0int brings a side story to the table. I've been struggling with a recurring infection for some time. Being that it's a skin infection, Kristi recently mentioned that issues with skin point to boundary issues. Of course they do, our skin is the physical boundary on our bodies that protects us from the outside world. As things escalated with the childcare situation, the infection recurred, even after having taken a round of antibiotics - something I'm strongly averse to doing. As of today, all symptoms of infection are gone. This points to the fact that physical issues are not just physical. I am always in amazement at the miracle of holism. As I addressed and attempted to heal issues as they relate to emotional b0undaries in my life, the physical ailment that energetically related to boundaries resolved itself.

May we recognize that every "issue" is a multi-layered one and may we seek to explore more than just the physical components of everything we feel challenged by. By this exploration, may we enjoy all the more personal growth and improvement.

3. Flower essences rock. They really do. They are the most subtle and yet the most profound therapeutic method I have EVER had the complete pleasure to work with. They are my favorite healing modality to facilitate for others and to experience personally. As you ingest flower essences, they open up amazing portholes of realization that you may never have dreamed were even possible. I like to refer to them as "counselors in a bottle". This comparison speaks to how a counselor's job is to diplomatically point out blind spots - parts about ourselves that are very real and that may undermine the true and highest expression of who we really are, but that we are consciously unaware of. The difference between a counselor and a flower essence is that flower essences stimulate your having these blind spots revealed to you in and of your own self - with a supporting role from God or the universe, of course. This makes the awareness process more empowering.

May we open our hearts and our minds to modalities as profound and beautiful as flower essences, that they may enrich our journeys towards discovering and thereby bettering our own selves. And, as you read this, may you allow me the honour of living out my life's passion by sharing your story with me and gifting me with the opportunity to create a flower essences blend JUST FOR YOU.

If you feel you have any blockages you'd like to explore via flower essences, I would be absolutely tickled pink to hear from you. Thank you so much for reading.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

The Insight Inspired by Henry and the Chipping Cheddar Witch

2011-10-05T22:44:00.001-06:00

Lately, my son's favorite DVD to watch is Angelina Ballerina - a young, British mouse wrapped up in her ideals of being a prima ballerina. I pretty much have all 4 stories on the borrowed DVD memorized. One of the stories is a Halloween story centered around an old, local tale about the Chipping Cheddar witch - Chipping Cheddar being the village Angelina and her family live in. Briefly, the tale states that the Chipping Cheddar witch shows up and turns the mice into stinky cheese. Angelina's father is telling the tale to Angelina, her friend Alice, and her cousin, Henry. Henry attaches to the story, later becoming convinced that he sees the witch when, in actual fact, it's Angelina's ballet teacher, Miss Lily, dressed up as a witch for Halloween. Henry becomes very worked up, enlisting the help of their friend William to track down the Chipping Cheddar witch and stop her from turning the village inhabitants to stinky cheese. William becomes convinced when at one point, they go to the village shop and when they don't see the shop keeper but instead see a big chunk of cheese on the counter, they assume the witch has done her nasty deed there, turning the shop keeper into stinky cheese. Of course, at the end of the episode, Henry and William realize that all the while, it's been Miss Lily dressed up as a witch and that the story is just that - a story.

A couple mornings ago, as I was getting ready for work, I listened to this particular episode play out in the living room and it got me to thinking. The Chipping Cheddar witch episode is very reflective of what we all do on a regular basis - make up stories in our heads and then create evidence all around us to prove our stories to be true. We are so much like Henry who, being so taken away by the story, walks out of Angelina's house, sees Miss Lily's witch hat sticking up above the fence posts and assumes that this must be none other than the Chipping Cheddar witch! From there, just like us, Henry fabricates all the more drama, visiting the village shop, seeing a chunk of cheese and no shopkeeper and building on the story all the more. Meanwhile, the shopkeeper was in the back, only to come out after Henry's departure and wonder what the noise had been all about.

I can think of so very many examples of how I've done this in my own life, and I'm sure you can relate too. Here's one: while I have only ever wanted a committed and loving primary relationship, based on some life experiences, I made up a story in my head that men only ever wanted to use me and that "all the good men are taken". What ensued was a barrage of non-committal men in my life who always left me waiting and wanting for more, when they'd never intended to pursue anything permanent with me to begin with! Because I'd established this story in my head, my being proceeded to find evidence of what I was telling myself was true and you can just guess how every single scenario played out as I met men over the years. Amidst this evidence, I also received the grandest of blessings in the form of my gorgeous son, not to mention all the personal growth that has happened as a result of my old, limiting belief. These days, I realize that there are plenty of men out there who are equally deserving of a committed, loving relationship as I am and that my trust in the success of my own life's journey will inevitably bring my belief to fruition...alongside some action, of course (see Calling In The One link below).

My own life is not the point but serves as a great example. The point is that you will always strive to prove yourself right when it comes to that which you believe to be true. If you believe that you always hit all the red lights when driving, then you will. Funny thing is, you might hit 4 out of 7 red lights, but you will be focused on those 4 red lights instead of those 3 green ones because of what you maintain in your thoughts. If you believe that the world is out to get you, then it will be. If you believe that all the good men are taken, then you will surely find a way to show that this is in fact true. If you think you are undeserving, then you will be. If you think that you're fat, then you will be. And if you think that the Chipping Cheddar witch is walking around in YOUR neighborhood, seeking to turn all your friends and family into stinky cheese, then she will be!

Thank you to author Katharine Holabird, creator of Angelina Ballerina and to her character Henry for reminding me of the power of thought and the intensity of what can happen when we so vehemently attach to something we believe to be true.

I - again - have to cite a few different sources that have helped me to start shifting and changing the stories in my head. If you find that your stories are making for a challenging reality, help is available! Might I suggest that you scope out any or all of the following:

1. Kristi's Goal Ninjas programs
2. Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) (which we offer here at Prana Holistic)
3. Flower Essences therapy (which I would be happy to facilitate for you here at Prana Holistic)
4. Kit Furey's work
5. Anything by Byron Katie
6. Calling In The One, by Katherine Woodward Thomas

Thank you for reading.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

Michael Kalmanovitch: An Inspiration For Change

2011-09-19T16:34:00.002-06:00

In April this year, I got to spend some time interviewing Michael Kalmanovitch - owner and founder of Earth's General Store here in Edmonton. While the purpose of the interview was to prepare a piece for print, it never got published, which I always thought was a shame. A shame because it's a good piece but more so because Kalmanovitch is deserving of every bit of publicity he gets. After reading Prana's most recent monthly newsletter in which Earth's General Store was mentioned, I decided that I'd very much like to share my original piece on Kalmanovitch, so here it is:

Michael Kalmanovitch displayed his usual, friendly demeanour when I met with him on an overcast Monday morning, inviting me to sit in the quiet corner of his store that is the library - an impressive collection of books and DVDs on social justice issues. I’ve long been a fan of Kalmanovitch’s establishment, Earth’s General Store, located at 9605 82^nd avenue. I first stumbled upon it at the old location, above Gordon Price Music on 108^th street and 82^nd avenue. I love visiting Earth’s General Store, so much so that in the past, I hauled my son up the many stairs to the old location in his stroller and back down again just to browse. Kalmanovitch was equally friendly back then, once offering to help me down the stairs with the stroller and often engaging in small talk. Modest and unpretentious, you’d never know he was the owner unless he told you so.

Kalmanovitch was born in Sarnia, Ontario, spent his teenage years on the Isle of Wight in England, and moved to Edmonton in 1973 for a summer job. Kalmanovitch doesn’t hesitate to tell me that from then, he worked in the oil sands in Fort MacMurray until 1977, after which he pursued work in the heavy equipment, mining and warehousing industries. His honesty is a reflection of authenticity and testament to what he stands for the most – change.
Kalmanovitch’s personal movement towards change began when he was about 12 years old and perceived that his house was "lit up like a Christmas tree" - this had a profound affect on him. In 1969, he moved back to England where he contributed to gathering coal for his and his family’s energy needs. His actual change in consciousness really began to take hold when he read Canada as a Conserver Society, a report published by the Science Council of Canada over viewing the importance of implementing more sustainable policies for the future. Throughout the 80s, Kalmanovitch got into composting and bicycling as his primary form of transportation. In 1986, he got involved with the Edmonton Bicycle Commuters. In and around that time, he was doing workshops on a well-rounded approach to a more environmental lifestyle for the Environmental Resource Centre.

This brings us to 1990, a year that Kalmanovitch calls the start of the “second wave of environmentalism”. It was the 20^th anniversary of Earth Day, which drew in record numbers of interested earthlings. Kalmanovitch reflects, “People were hungry for the shift, realizing that we are all consumers and a lot of consumers are looking for better options”. At this point, Kalmanovitch drew up a plan for Earth’s General Store, which he conceptualized as being “a tool to help create change”. Earth’s General Store opened in 1991. The store had “tough times” and Kalmanovitch worked in Nunavut as a mineworker to make ends meet. The tough times have morphed into a flourishing and effective business that has expanded over 3 times its original size.

I asked Kalmanovitch how he stays grounded in the midst of city life and within a society driven by consumerism, to which he responded, “I don’t”. He explained that, “if I let it all in – all the sadness – it will kill me”. How then does Kalmanovitch deal with “all the sadness”? Action. Kalmanovitch affirms that “the antidote to sadness is action” and he’s always taking action. These actions don’t have to be huge to have an impact. Kalmanovitch is a firm believer that little changes can collectively affect the whole. He mentions the Hundredth Monkey Effect, a phenomenon that explains the potential for shifting of the collective consciousness once a portion of the population achieves a particular awareness. According to Kalmanovitch, small things we can all do to impart big change are composting, picking up litter, avoiding idling, which he considers to be “crippling”, “pre-thinking” by always carrying your own travel mug and bringing your own plate and cutlery to events like Heritage Days, sharing, so as to reduce consumption, eating organic and buying locally. Most stirring is Kalmanovitch’s suggestion that the greatest small move of all is to, “of course, love lots more. Because with love comes caring, compassion, empathy and nurturing.”

Kalmanovitch speaks passionately on the topic of politics, throwing in a couple expletives to express how mind-boggling he finds politicians’ salaries to be when “they’re not even doing a good job!” On this note, we discuss that if he could rid the world of one thing, it would be avarice, which is defined as insatiable greed. Kalmanovitch is most offended by avarice at the expense of others. He encourages people to vote so as not to perpetuate the disenchanting status of our current political platforms and aspires to adopt a more positive approach, possibly even getting involved one day.

Considering Kalmanovitch’s ultimate sense of purpose, to inspire change, he can be proud of the impact he’s had in Edmonton. With many Edmontonians visiting Earth’s General Store and sharing how they’ve changed because of the store, Kalmanovitch will be missed if he decides to relocate to Ottawa where he believes he can influence even more change. Regardless of where he goes, based on the Hundredth Monkey phenomenon, Kalmanovitch’s efforts will be lasting and reverberate throughout the collective consciousness of Edmonton and beyond.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

Killing Crazy Candida!

2011-09-13T22:30:00.000-06:00

I've had quite a few clients recently report that they've struggled with chronic yeast infections over the years. Most recently, when I shared with a client how I eradicated chronic yeast in the past, she reflected on how my methods might be ones she'd be interested in pursuing as she gets really annoyed with taking the over-the-counter remedies, especially since they mess her system up for a few days afterwards. In deed, taking over-the-counter remedies like Canesten, Monistat, and the one-day oral remedy, Diflucan, are all solutions to riding yourself of symptoms of a yeast infection, but none of them relieve the root issue of the infection.

When you're at a point where you're getting frequent yeast infections, it means that the bacterial balance in your body is thrown off. There is an abundance of "bad" bacteria in the system and this "bad" bacteria has overthrown the "good" bacteria, creating a breeding ground for bacterial infections such as yeast. The source of the bacterial imbalance is in the digestive system and, if left untreated over time, the "bad" bacteria becomes systemic in nature, meaning that it's now traveling throughout your system and manifesting itself as a yeast infection, athlete's foot, jock itch, thrush, bladder infections and cystitis (irritation and inflammation of the bladder), skin rashes in skin folds including diaper rash, toe and fingernail fungus. Besides these more obvious manifestations, there are a plethora of symptoms related to systemic bacterial imbalance, commonly called candidiasis. Some of these symptoms include: sensitivity to smells, difficulty concentrating, intense sugar cravings, itchy skin and skin problems like acne and/or eczema, headaches, digestive problems and discomfort such as gas and bloating, chronic exhaustion, irritability, anxiety, rectal itching, depression, low sex drive, sinus problems and sore throats. The reason this bacterial imbalance happens at all is due to overuse of antibiotics and/or corticosteroids, both of which kill off the "good" bacteria in the gut and compromise the immune system, poor diet and lifestyle such as excessive consumption of alcohol, simple sugars and starches. Bacterial imbalance has also been associated with the use of birth control pills.

I'm here to tell 'ya to ditch the quick fix over-the-counter remedies! The only thing that will permanently rectify your chronic yeast problems is a candida cleanse with accompanying herbs and a lifestyle change! Yes, that's right, once again I'm the bearer of challenging news - there is no overnight solution to chronic yeast. The solution is doing some work over time. I did my first candida cleanse about 10 years ago and, knock on wood, I haven't had a single yeast infection since! When I DO get a slight twinge of one or some other symptoms that point to yeast, I alter my diet and use herbs to clear it up.

Here are the basics of a candida eradication program:

1. Only take antibiotics when absolutely necessary.
2. Use probiotics every day. Probiotics are healthy strains of bacteria in capsule format that will help to re-populate the "good" bacteria in the digestive tract.
3. Pursue a strict diet that eliminates all sugars and yeasts, including natural sugars as found in fruits and colored vegetables like carrots (basically any vegetable that's not green or white).
4. Take herbs that are anti-bacterial in nature that will work to kill off the "bad" bacteria.

Here at Prana Holistic, I do cleanse counseling, where I tailor make a cleanse just for you including herbs uniquely suited to your needs. After the cleanse is made up, I also provide guidance for you upon your cleanse program, meeting with you weekly or so in order to answer questions and offer support during your process. I would be happy to help you get rid of a build-up of "bad" bacteria in your system in order that your body function more optimally. If you suspect you have candidiasis, please give us a call today to set up your cleanse consult and/or your cleanse counseling package. 780.454.5299

*Please note - there are a lot of schools of thought on candida cleansing and you will find many on the internet. The cleanse guidelines that I offer each person are based on my own personal research, experience, my education in the field and a collection of opinions from my teachers and other trusted and reputable practitioners.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

Doing The Work

2011-09-07T15:39:00.000-06:00

I am pursuing yet another of Kristi's Goal Ninjas programs, Get More Sh-t Done. As an accompanying gift to those enrolled in the program, Kristi gave out the book Do The Work, by Steven Pressfield. I am on my second time through this awesome little ditty and am beginning to get more and more of a grasp on what it really means to do what it is that you actually want in life. Seems like it should be so simple - you want to do something that you know makes you happy, you do it, you're happy. End of story. Yeah, not so much. At least not in my world. My story goes more like this: I want to do something that I know makes me happy (let's call it "my goal"), I fantasize about it, I make up stories as to why and how I probably can't achieve my goal, I do some personal work to heal and improve myself, I start taking risks and making some moves towards my goal, I get on a roll, I'm feeling great and getting closer to my goal, I'm doing good so I tell myself that I deserve "a break", I start to slack off on doing the work, I fall completely off the wagon, I wallow in self-defeat, self-deprecation and self-loathing, I struggle for what feels like a long time to get back up, dust myself off and do more personal work to heal and improve myself, and the whole cycle starts all over again.

I am in the midst of repeating this cycle yet again in my life and am at the "struggle for what feels like a long time to get back up and dust myself off" stage, and dealing with some residual self-defeatist and self-deprecating thoughts and behaviors. I can tell that despite my repeating this redundant cycle, I've definitely progressed in the big picture because I have absolutely no desire to feed energy to the completely falling off the wagon and wallowing in my own crap stages. Previously, I would talk about my seeming failures as though they were a pervasive disease - and I suppose they can be if we spend too much time focusing on them. Of course, talking about my falls and the accompanying self-loathing only works to make those things persist. Just last night, I heard myself say: "I'm so sick of hearing myself talk!" - this was with regards to the potential of talking to anyone about what I have recently perceived to be a failure in my life. At this rate, I'd rather just do the work, which is what Pressfield's book is all about.

The stages of my cyclical story from "I'm doing good so I tell myself that I deserve "a break" to "I struggle for what feels like a long time to get back up" are all about resistance. AND, resistance is completely normal! Hurray! I'm "normal"! Pressfield notes that resistance is "most commonly elicited [in response to]...any act that rejects immediate gratification in favor of long-term growth, health, or integrity." So...perfect, right? Anything we seek to do that is "good" and that seeks to improve ourselves will be met with incredible resistance. Sounds daunting. Part of me just wants to hang up my self-improvement kit and call it a day. For good. The other part of me is finally showing a desire to rise to the challenge. At the very least I can know that based on the amount of resistance I'm currently experiencing, I'm on the right track. Pressfield's "Rule of thumb" confirms that I'm on the right track: "The more important a call or action is to our soul's evolution, the more Resistance we will feel toward pursuing it."

Pressfield does a really good job of letting readers know that failure is not only normal, but a good sign. I mindfully wiped my brow when I read the following that absolutely deserves to stand on it's own:

"A crash means we have failed. We gave it everything we had and we came up short. A crash does not mean we are losers. A crash means we have to grow. A crash means we're at the threshold of learning something, which means we're getting better, we're acquiring the wisdom of our craft. A crash compels us to figure out what works and what doesn't work - and to understand the difference."

And the final point? Do the work. And keep doing the work. Keep getting up and brushing yourself off. Keep pursuing personal work to heal and improve yourself. Don't give up.
I've often wished there was a more glamorous final point. Something more along the lines of: pass go, collect $200, sit on the beach with a margarita and your goal will fall at your feet. But oh no, pursuing your unique calling and your personal and lasting happiness is like being 21 and working 3 jobs to save up to go traveling - you never rest. But once you get to Europe, it's all the more wonderful 'cause you did the work to get there! It was hard and long and you were tired, strung out and uncomfortable, but you did it! (Well I did anyways and in deed, Europe was awesome.)

If you'd like support doing your work, I'd certainly suggest investigating any of Kristi's Goal Ninjas programs as well as Steven Pressfield's book, Do The Work. Beyond those resources, there are a wealth of things you can do to heal and support yourself as you move more and more authentically towards the life of your dreams. Give us a call at Prana Holistic today to explore your options.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

Toxins Are Making You Sick and Fat!

2011-08-29T23:02:00.000-06:00

Well well...it's that time again, autumn. It seems to have come around really quickly this year, what with a fairly wet July and an August that just whizzed by while everybody was busy tending their gardens, drinking mojitos and playing hopscotch...what? Who in the hell plays hopscotch anymore these days?!

That's not the point - that was just a random thing I threw into the mixture to keep you on your toes. Anyway, I liked rainy July and have thus far made concerted efforts to absorb the August sun while I can. Despite a less than toasty summer of 2011, good times have still been had and autumn is a perfect time to detox. The body definitely accumulates toxins from over-indulgences, but it also accumulates toxins simply from day-to-day living.

One area of toxic exposure I'd like to bring focus to is xenoestrogens. Xenoestrogens are foreign estrogens - estrogens that do not come from your body but that mimic the action of estrogen within your body. Xenoestrogens cause problems because they mess up your delicate hormonal balance. When your endocrine system is out of balance from absorbing far too many xenoestrogens, this leads to weight gain and hoarding, especially around the mid-section (belly flab!), cravings, low energy, night sweats, early onset of puberty, higher risk of female cancers, difficulty conceiving, lowered testosterone levels in men, fatigue and difficulty concentrating, lowered immunity, irregular menstruation, constipation, insomnia, lowered capacity to deal with stress...and the list goes on - !! So where are xenoestrogens found? Unfortunately, my friends, they kind of abound (I completely did not intend for that to rhyme). Here's a list of things that contain xenoestrogens:

- Plastics marked with recycling codes 3, 6 or 7. If it's a plastic container we're talking about, the recycling code is found on the bottom of the container.
-Food preservatives, pesticides and genetically modified foods.
- A great deal of commercially prepared meat. This is because the animals are often fed both antibiotics and synthetic hormones.
- Skin care products and textiles, especially cotton!

So basically you're surrounded by xenoestrogens. What can you do?

First of all, let's get rid of all the toxins that have built up in your body over time due to overexposure to nasty xenoestrogens. A detox in autumn is just what the holistic health practitioner ordered! Cleansing the system by specific, sound nutrition and in combination with herbs is the perfect way to rejuvenate and decongest all systems of the body, leading to better overall function. I have every intention of doing a detox this autumn and I'd love to tailor make a cleanse for you too. Call us at Prana Holistic to book your cleanse consultation (780.454.5299).

Secondly, make a point to be mindful with your purchases, like plastic, skin care products and clothing. There are a lot of alternatives to plastic as well as safe versions of it. There are also environmentally friendly and organic skin care products and clothing out there. They'll be pricey in comparison to their toxin laden counterparts, but supporting the manufacturing of those goods often means supporting smaller local business' too.

Finally, be very mindful of the quality of the food you put in your body. Organic is definitely pricier, and your body and health are worth every penny of what you'll pay buying organic.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

Gratitude Becomes You!

2011-08-12T13:05:00.000-06:00

I was recently blessed to participate in Kristi's Goal Ninjas program for a second time. Our group completed the program a week ago tomorrow and, once again, it was fantastic and revealing. Kristi is an insightful, knowledgeable and skilled facilitator with a brilliant ability to add perspective to all facets of life and living.
On Sunday, after the completion of the program, I had a horrible time and, as a result, felt incredibly guilty that my son may not have been enjoying a day that could have been a lot more upbeat and fun. It was sabotage Sunday - the day after incredible and profound awareness' have been had and start to try and sink in. The insights and processes that had been facilitated for me by Kristi the day before were deep and difficult to embrace. While the purpose of profound awareness is to help create positive change, there seems to be a period of fighting and struggling against what is or what could be and we resist change - this resistance being very inherent and sometimes a real source of struggle for us. I know I am not immune to this struggle and while I don't want to focus on it, I am always doing my best to learn and grow from it.

When my son, Caleb, went down for a nap on that hard day, I contemplated how everything that was causing me stress, unease and anger had absolutely nothing to do with him and how he was so undeserving of the wrath of my mood. I knew that it was up to me to turn things around as it wasn't Caleb that had changed, but ME that's TRYING to change. One of the best things to do to incite change is to take action - something one of my great mentors always reminds us of (wink, Kristi). I sat down at my computer and visited Byron Katie's website, thework.com . There are some absolutely amazing videos on there of Byron Katie facilitating the work for others and her site is a wonderful resource for anyone wanting to make it through their struggles, myself included. I did the work on myself and issues as they related to Caleb and made it through the day with much less negativity.

On Monday night I read a chapter in a stunning book I'm reading right now by Katherine Woodward Thomas called Calling In The One. The chapter was all about gratitude. Woodward Thomas tells about how once, during a really low time in her life, she made a commitment to wake up half an hour earlier than usual every day for 30 days and write 5 pages on all the things in her life she was grateful for. 5 pages! Not 3 things or 5 things or 1 page, but 5 pages! She shares on how challenging it became and how, not long into the process, she had to start digging really deep to fill up those pages. I was really inspired by this and I thought about how, in the arena of positive living, we're often encouraged to keep a gratitude journal or to consider what it is we're grateful for every day, but Woodward Thomas really took it to another level. I decided to follow suit. On Tuesday, I challenged myself to be grateful all day long. Every single thing that I saw or that occurred to me or that I perceived or thought of, I found the reason that I was grateful for it. Even and especially the things that I felt most challenged by. My day, thoughts and my overall feelings and experience were completely memorable! Suddenly, everything around me was lit up and all I could see were good things and all I could reflect upon was how absolutely blessed I am. Challenges and low times became opportunities and anger became a chance for transformation. This experience has instilled in me a belief that when it comes to gratitude, we ought to take it to a new level. One of my great mentors, mentioned previously, says that when we really want to affect change, we have to work on it every day. With gratitude, I think it needs to be absolutely constant. Especially during low times and especially if you're REALLY looking to do something differently to create a new you.

This experiment is very reflective of Byron Katie's work and how she encourages people to turn their miseries around and find what it is they are grateful for in these things. In light of my experiment - which continues by the way - I am now challenging myself to find reasons why I'm grateful for the most upsetting, disruptive and difficult experiences of my life. While I continue to struggle to find reasons for a few things in particular, so far this has been an incredibly life-altering experiment.

If you're looking for ways to move and transform your misery, might I make a few recommendations:

1. The Gratitude Experiment (as described)
2. Kristi's Goal Ninjas program
3. The Work, by Byron Katie
4. Calling In The One, by Katherine Woodward Thomas

All of these pursuits, if done with intent and a genuine desire for change are REAL platforms for just that: positive change. I encourage you to BE the person of your wildest dreams. Today.

I am grateful for having written this blog post because it has helped me to reflect on my own journey towards greater awareness and personal change. Thank you for reading.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

Josh Ritter Inspires You to Do What You Love and Love What You Do

2011-07-06T16:43:00.000-06:00


Josh Ritter singing "for the love of it" - !

I love Josh Ritter. I've often played around with the thought of asking him to be my mentor. Why? Because I'm taken away by music like nothing else I know and Ritter's a musical genius who's passion is obvious and contagious! Last fall, Kristi and I attended a Josh Ritter concert at McDougall United church here in Edmonton and it remains one of the most inspirational live shows I've ever seen - and I've seen A LOT of live shows. Inspirational because no matter where you're sitting, you can feel the passion that Ritter has for his music. And, if you're sitting close enough, you can see the passion. Often singing with eyes closed and a giddy grin on his face, Ritter gives an impression of a kid in a candy shop as he delivers a most splendid and awesome performance.

A few days ago, I was listening to some of his music in my car and became very aware of these lyrics from his song Snow Is Gone: "But I'm singing for the love of it, have mercy on the man who sings to be adored..." It really struck me. What a message - are we doing what we're doing because we really love it and it really lights our fire or are we doing it because we think it may please others or position us in the spotlight? I invite you to ask yourself that very question about what it is that you do. Some of you may well know that you're not exactly passionate about what you do. First of all, why are you not doing something you love? Are you unsure as to what it is you'd really like to do in your life that lights your fire? If that's the case, ask yourself what your ultimate sense of purpose is here on earth - that may help. Also ask yourself what - in life - really makes you feel alive and gives you a sense of fulfillment. If you're feeling challenged around those questions, consider taking Wild Oat flower essence that addresses uncertainty about life direction.

Secondly, if you're not exactly fired up about what you're currently doing, why not try loving what you do and considering it a pit stop on your journey towards doing what you love. Chances are your "pit stop" has something very valuable and self-revealing to offer. We don't do anything for no reason and if you dig deep, you're sure to find many ways you could be grateful for the position you're currently in. And while you're digging deep and exploring the reasons to be grateful for your pit stop, challenge yourself to do one thing TODAY that will bring you closer to doing what you love. If, for example, you want to sing in front of people "for the love of it" - like Josh Ritter - maybe you could plan to attend and participate in one open stage down the road or make plans to record one song.

Finally, as if Ritter hasn't said enough in that one lyric, I reflect upon the following from the same song: "But I'd rather be the one who loves than to be loved and never even know..." This - in my estimation - is a melodic way of saying: risk. It takes risking to gain success, passion and love. It takes taking the risk to jump off the cliffs of life, trusting that the universe will catch you in order that you eventually gain what it is you truly desire and that which truly lights your fire. So Josh Ritter and I encourage you to risk loving what you do right now and moving towards doing what you love today. You deserve it.

I leave you with a beautiful and energetic version of Snow Is Gone by Josh Ritter and the Royal City Band. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I do.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

Past Indulgence Leads to Current Woes, ie: No More Beer for Roberta!

2011-06-16T16:40:00.000-06:00

I recently completed an intensive and progressive nutritional cleanse program that I capped off with 3 consecutive colon hydrotherapy sessions. After completing the whole process, I felt pretty "clean", but also pretty sensitive. In the weeks following my cleanse process, every time I ate wheat, corn, sugar or anything refined (as in, not having come directly from the ground), even in moderation, I experienced uncomfortable gastrointestinal symptoms like gas, major bloating and bowel irregularity. I thought about how, having cleansed, my body "should" be digesting things better and more efficiently. I also considered the particular items that my body was clearly NOT digesting well - wheat, corn, sugar and refined foods.

So - here's the thing...well, there's 2 things actually:

1. Wheat, corn, sugar and refined foods are high offenders. Wheat and corn, in particular, rank pretty high on a list of the most common allergens, enticing allergic symptoms in a large population. Sugar and refined foods have a pretty "bad" reputation in the field of holistic health, having a tendency to wreak havoc in the internal system if not moderated over time and especially contributing to metabolic disorders like obesity, blood sugar irregularities, chronic problems with low energy and diabetes.

Considering this point, it seems clear that my body is sending me a message that it doesn't want these items. Fair enough - I can choose to heed this message or ignore it, ignoring it setting the stage for poor health. But I never had such strong adverse reactions to these items before, and I used to consume them frequently before having made concerted efforts to improve my nutrition and overall health in the last 5 years or so. In theory, if my body is balanced, I should be able to periodically indulge in some birthday cake, a beer or a warm plate of spaghetti and not suffer.

2. The second part of my first point IS my second point: "I used to consume [wheat, corn, sugar and refined foods] frequently" - that is the problem. My theory in the last sentence of my first point is based on balance. My body - as a result of overindulgence in the past - is no longer balanced. When a person repeatedly consumes offending foods, or any food for that matter, thereby throwing the concept of balance out the window (how can you be balanced if you eat the same things everyday?), the body begins to react to those foods.

When I first became a vegetarian about 11 years ago, I didn't research vegetarianism enough, nor did I make a point to include enough protein in my diet. My staple item was toast with margarine (barf! I cringe!). And let's not forget booze! Beer beer beer...wine wine wine...spirits, shooters, cocktails...you name it - if it had alcohol in it, I wanted it. I was loading up on simple carbohydrates at the expense of protein, and a good balance of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Gross!

I wrote a column on this topic back in April after taking a general interest in allergies and Dr. Carolee Bateson-Koch's book, Allergies: Disease In Disguise. Succinctly put by Bateson-Koch, “When you eat a food frequently, you are calling on specific enzymes to digest that food. When this eating pattern continues over days, weeks and years, you may create an enzyme deficiency for that food.” I have done precisely this thing and, as a result, my body is overly sensitive to wheat and corn, while refined foods, including sugary treats only add insult to injury since I also overindulged in these things - many refined, sugary foods containing high fructose corn syrup, derived from corn.

Here's my conclusion - if you haven't already developed food sensitivities, do yourself a favor and bring awareness into how balanced your diet is. If you're a vegetarian, make sure you're getting enough protein that is essential to all physiological processes. I've been craving chicken more and more since my last cleanse and have decided to eat organic, free-range poultry when my body asks for it. I guess that makes me a flexatarian? Further, make sure you're not relying on any one food as a staple - especially not refined and processed foods! Relying on broccoli, for example, is a far cry from relying on toast and beer! Even so, eat a variety of fresh fruits and fresh or lightly steamed vegetables. Focus on consuming grains in their most natural form - here's a good rule of thumb: if it hasn't come straight from the ground before you cook it and/or eat it (as in quinoa, rice, couscous, oats, amaranth, millet, etc.) then don't eat it, or keep it to an absolute dull roar in your diet. Integrate good fats into your regime by eating fish and oils. Avoid or moderate sugar and if and when you do eat sugar, make sure it comes from sugar cane, not high fructose corn syrup.

If, like me, you've already developed food sensitivities, eliminating the offending foods is your best bet for a period of time to give your body a chance to heal. You can also consider using digestive enzymes (available at any health food store) to give your digestion a boost. Eat pineapple and papaya, both of which contain natural enzymes. Probiotics help to re-establish bacterial balance and intestinal integrity, improving overall digestion. Finally, make a point to eat foods rich in vitamin C (or periodically use supplemental vitamin C) to help bolster the immune system.

If you would like help establishing whether or not you have food sensitivities or allergies and direction on how to best change your diet to improve your health, please contact us to set up your nutritional consult today.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

Mother's Day & Father's Day Entice Thoughts on Resolving Old "Issues"

2011-06-01T15:55:00.000-06:00

With Mother's Day behind us and Father's Day just around the corner, I'm left thinking about mother and father "issues". Surely we ALL probably have mother or father issues to some degree and these are vastly discussed in the practice of flower essences, my favorite modality to practice.

Flower essences are highly dilute floral infusions that work on an energetic level. This means that there are no chemical constituents in a flower essence, like root, stem or leaf. Flower essences are just that: essences of the flowering tops of plants. The philosophy of flower essences states that the energy of the flowers have been captured and preserved in a bottle. This energy - of any given flower - works upon a person's energetic body, mostly affecting mental, emotional and spiritual components of being, affecting the physical in turn. Flower essences stimulate awareness' around any one issue being addressed - awareness being the key to change, movement and personal growth.

My focus on the topic of mother and father issues is not to place blame on any one mother or father, but rather to draw awareness into wounds we may perceive or have experienced with relation to our parents. Children are sensitive beings and can easily perceive pain from any given event, comment or something they may have observed their parents doing or saying. I'll give you an example: I'm a bit impatient, especially if I'm pressed for time. With a 2-year-old in tow who always wants to do everything for himself without the awareness that his doing things like fastening his own seat belt takes 2-3 times longer than if I were to do it, I frequently struggle to stay calm and patient. If I loose my cool with him on a particular day under a particular set of circumstances, it may stick with him and he may formulate belief systems as a result, such as "there's no time for me" or "there's not enough time" or "I can't do anything right", etc. This is not because I'm a bad person, but because I'm a human being who makes mistakes. Another example is the myriad of people out there who struggle with an ongoing sense of abandonment due to the end of their parents' relationship by separation and/or divorce. There's a really good chance that separation or divorce may have been in the best interests of all involved, including the children, but the fact remains that most children of divorce are left with a feeling of abandonment and/or self-blame.

Everyone has varying degrees of mother and/or father issues, some being more intense than others, as in the case of abuse. Unfortunately, individuals who had great struggles in their relationships with their mothers may end up feeling quite empty inside. Meanwhile, individuals who were challenged in their relationships with their fathers may have difficulty with trust in adult life.

There are specific flower essences that can be applied to mother and father issues. Mariposa Lily is the flower essence most typically applied to "mother issues" while Baby Blue Eyes is the flower essence most typically applied to "father issues". These essences are considered to be "root" essences as they endeavor to touch the root of all issues as they relate to deficient or wounded relationships to the mother and/or father. It is my opinion that every single person, regardless of their childhood, could benefit from taking both Mariposa Lily and Baby Blue Eyes, but especially those who have had glaringly painful experiences related to their parents.

Other flower essences that address mother and father issues include Evening Primrose and Sunflower.

If you're interested in exploring any issues you have in your current life as they may relate to your relationships with your parents, I'd LOVE to facilitate a flower essences experience for you. As we heal our core wounds, we become truly healed and more effective in all aspects of our lives overall. Meanwhile, let's not forget to celebrate the parts our mothers and fathers have played in making us who we are today and all the enriching experiences they've played part in.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

Sugar - is it making your kids fat?

2011-05-20T10:52:00.000-06:00

If you're up for it, watch this fascinating - albeit long - video on the bitter truth about Sugar. If you want to know the REAL way to stop the obesity epidemic, hypertension and diabetes, check out this thorough explanation on why fructose (and if you read between the lines, also all sugar replacements) are POISON.

Holistically Pregnant: What the World of Alternative Medicine has to Offer “Moms-To-Be”

2011-05-11T18:35:00.000-06:00

Pregnancy, though well documented and medically “understood”, is still largely a subjective and unique experience. Ask one woman for her experience, and her face will light up as she breathily reports, eyes glazed with starry wonder, how mystical and wonderful the experience was. And yet her neighbor will pipe up, the memory still alive in her every inch of her battle-scarred loins, that labor was the most horrific and life-threatening ordeal she has ever experienced. Variance of personal experience aside, there are some concrete ways the holistic health can benefit your pregnancy.

Massage

Massage, whether from your partner or from a professional, has been found to lower stress hormones in pregnant mothers, and thereby positively affecting birth weights. Massage, specifically in the second trimester, was also found to reduce pain and swelling, reduce depression, and encourage sleep for the expectant mothers. Beyond massage’s proven ability to help both mother and baby, it simply feels good and allows the opportunity for relaxation.

Some precautions and information for a wonderful pregnancy massage experience:

· Elevate right hip 10-12cm when lying on your back to take weight off of major cardiovascular vessels (it is also typically comfortable to elevate knees as well)

· Make sure the therapist has had additional training in prenatal massage

· There should only be superficial, if any, massage of the stomach, unless under the supervision of your primary care practitioner

· If pregnancy cushions are not available to provide for face-down massage, the practitioner should put you in a comfortable side-lying position, supported by cushions and pillows.

Acupuncture

Pregnancy, by its very nature, should be a joyous and life-affirming event. However, for some expectant mothers, the extreme hormone fluctuations, pre-existing conditions or other health concerns can lead to depression and depressive symptoms. Acupuncture has been found to significantly reduce the symptoms of depression in expectant mothers. Reducing depression symptoms in the mother not only makes for a more enjoyable pregnancy, but a healthier environment for a sensitive young baby. Depressed mothers have higher levels of cortisol and norepinephrine and lower levels of dopamine, and the babies’ hormone levels are correspondingly affected. These stress hormones are related to reduced neurological development in the baby, which may lead to learning problems, psychiatric issues and developmental delays as the child ages.Acupuncture helps reduce these hormones in both the mothers’, and consequently, the babies’ systems.

Herbology

As nature’s incubators, pregnant women have to realize that what they eat, to a large extent, “Junior” eats. Every mother wants to make the best possible choices for their offspring possible, but imagine if your diet were to be restricted to what you can keep down? Nausea and vomiting, commonly referred to as “morning sickness” (despite its frequent ubiquitous nature), is especially common in the first trimester of pregnancy. The use of herbs has been found to significantly reduce nausea and vomiting in clients without any unwanted side effects.Ginger has been found particularly helpful and is safe to take while pregnant. It can be easily administered as a tea to help curb nausea.

There are many modalities of alternative medicine that help promote a healthy pregnancy and a healthy child; these are but a few. An exploration into the world of holistic health, especially during such an important transitional time, is very rewarding, and well worth the efforts.

The blues are anything but colourful.

2011-04-14T12:14:00.002-06:00

Van Gogh may have made it look beautiful, but depression is anything but. That feeling of despair, apathy, and lethargy weighs on your soul, and your shoulders, like a stone.

There are many theories on depression. One researcher once guessed that the problem could be a brain chemistry imbalance, but this has NEVER BEEN PROVEN. Even if you look on the labels of psycho-pharmaceuticals (drugs meant to change mood or mental state), they readily state the mechanism of action (how the drug affects your body) is "unknown". Yet drug prescriptions and psychiatry are now inextricably bound.

The problem is, these drugs have no proven efficacy - raw data, even from studies commissioned by drug companies, almost always show a success rate no better than the Placebo Effect (i.e. Prozac is as effective as a sugar pill, or a tic tac, essentially, at relieving depression). Moreover, they have powerfully destructive side effects, including increased DEPRESSION and suicidal ideation! While the general population has a suicide rate that is less than your chance of being struck by lightening, those taking anti-depressants may be at a HIGHER risk. In the US army, for instance, there was a 76% increase in spending on psycho-pharmaceuticals from 2001-2009, and a corresponding 150% increase in the suicide rate.

One of the most interesting cases was the State of New York v. GlaxoSmithKline. By subpoenaing the raw data the drug manufacturer had manipulated to get FDA approval, the courts learned that, in the study where the manufacturer claimed that Paxil was safe and effective to use on kids, the kids on Paxil were actually
6x more likely to have suicidal thoughts. In addition, the raw data also showed that Paxil actually is no more effective at treating depression than placebo. 11 of the 93 kids in the study had serious side effects; 7 experienced such severe side effects they were hospitalized. Yet this information was omitted from the study submitted to the FDA for approval. The head psychiatrist who "authored" this study pocketed nearly $1 million dollars from various drug companies for lending his name to their marketing cause.

I say "marketing cause" because that is what the field of psychiatry has largely become - a drug marketing machine. They are using "suicide screenings" in schools on our kids now - 9/10 of the survey takers in one school were put on medications after this completely arbitrary and subjective checklist. There has even been the invention of new mental "diseases" that were actually created by drug companies (remember the ads about Social Anxiety Disorder that were everywhere a few years ago? That "diagnoses" was the brain child of a drug company, GlaxoSmithKline.) They have become so arrogant that they are actually just creating new diseases for us to be afraid of, and for them to profit from. And profit they do - the drug companies profit more than all of the other companies on Forbes 500 COMBINED! But I digress...

You have probably also seen in the news lately the possible connection of anti-depressants to cancer rates. The devastating array of problems these drugs cause long-term is only now beginning to be seen.

So, my point is this: drugs do not help depression generally, and where they do, the side effects and ensuing dependency negates any positive.

However, there is much evidence that underlying nutrition, digestive and hormonal imbalances, imbalances that can be actually objectively measured, are actually the root of depression. Emotional traumas are also involved, but these traumas are only masked by the taking of these dangerous and toxic drugs, not resolved.

If you want to resolve depression naturally, without the dangerous side effects and the total lack of effectiveness, we are happy to help. We have a package of services that WILL help to balance underlying physiological problems and help to relieve mental and emotional stress that are causing depression, WITHOUT the cancer, diabetes, or onset of suicidal thoughts. If you are interested, please email info@pranaholistic.ca for more information.

Awesome, Amazing Acupuncture & What It Can Do For You!

2011-03-30T14:58:00.000-06:00

Over the past 3 weeks, one of my dear friends and favorite acupuncture practitioners (besides the beloved Adam Salzman) has been facilitating acupuncture/reiki combo sessions for me. At our first session, I expressed that I wanted to cleanse and strengthen my liver. I'd been having intuitive feelings that my liver was in need of support, as well as physical symptoms to indicate that it was congested. I'd become incredibly sensitive to alcohol, feeling hung-over after even one drink and experiencing a great deal of heat - sweating and hot flashes in the aftermath of having a social drink. I was also having difficulty sleeping, experiencing a lot of anger, frustration and outbursts (anger, as an emotion, is associated with the liver) and suffering from intense right shoulder blade pain, also associated with liver problems. At our second meeting, I was highly emotional and confidently let my friend pick the focus of the session - later I would find out that she placed some focus upon the liver in that session as well. Yesterday, at our third session, when my friend asked me what I'd like to focus upon, I automatically started to respond "liver", only to evaluate if that was really necessary. Upon reviewing what's been happening since we started this trio of sessions and what kind of results I've experienced, I realized that all of my liver-associated symptoms had disappeared! I had recently been able to enjoy a few social drinks without any adverse repurcussions, I was sleeping like a baby, not even waking in the night to use the bathroom as I frequently had in the past, I wasn't angry anymore and the right shoulder blade pain was gone!

I have two points to make in connection to this story.

1) Acupuncture is awesome! An ancient method rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture seeks to clear energetic meridians - paths through which life-energy, also called "qi" (pronounced "chi") is said to flow. When qi gets congested, organs, systems and glands that lie along the congested meridians can start to function less optimally. Insertion of acupuncture needles into specific points that lie along meridians helps to release congested energy, allowing it to flow freely, thereby nourishing organs, systems and glands.

2) Consistency and follow-up is incredibly important! When I do health coaching or ongoing cleanse counseling with clients, it almost always happens that the client is not entirely aware of the positive benefits they've gleaned from their healing journey under my guidance until we review together - touching on their original goals and the status of what was originally ailing them. My recent experience with acupuncture is a perfect illustration of how I overlooked the healing that had occurred for me through the application of acupuncture, while exemplifying the value of follow-up. Yesterday, when I realized that all my symptoms had disappeared, I ignorantly started to say "Wow - I haven't even really done anything specific to cleanse my liver...wait a minute...that's precisely what we've been doing here!" I had been so content to just chalk the sessions up to an opportunity to relax and take care of myself, that I lost sight of what it was actually doing for me. Pursuing consistent sessions and following up with your therapist clarifies progress, letting you know that what you're doing is worthwhile and effective.

Adam is our acupuncturist here at Prana Holistic. He's an amazingly skilled and sensitive therapist. Working largely from a place of intuition and with an immense amount of knowledge, Adam easily makes each person he sees feel comfortable and valued. If you feel like your body is not working quite as well as it could be, give us a call to set up an acupuncture appointment. Especially with my most recent acupuncture experience under my belt, I am not the least bit hesitant when I say that I know it will do you good and free up the energy needed to make you feel tip top!

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

Tapping In To A Better Experience (Literally)

2011-03-18T13:50:00.001-06:00

As we enter the melting period, ie: the end of winter, I reflect on how long and grueling it felt for me. Just this morning I mentioned to someone that January felt like at least 2 months to me, if not 3. I know I've experienced seasonal depression before and am left confused about how much of that may have been the cause of my low winter feelings. Either way, I intend to build up and be aware of a plethora of personal, stress-relieving resources for next winter, including the application of self-care and the willingness to ask for support when it's needed.

One of the resources that I used this time, which I believe was a big part of helping me to pick myself up and keep going, was EFT: Emotional Freedom Technique. EFT is a branch of energy psychology. Energy psychology is a field that considers the relationship of energy systems to mental and emotional health, as well as behaviour. Founded by Gary Craig, an American engineering graduate and ordained minister, now retired, EFT’s guiding principle is that negative emotions disrupt the body’s energy. EFT manipulates the body’s energy field, with the goal of creating harmony and balance.

EFT combines tapping on particular points, as recognized in traditional acupuncture, focusing on an emotionally debilitating issue and repeating affirming statements that promote acceptance of oneself despite challenges and shortcomings. The idea is that negative thoughts and feelings get stuck in the energetic system just as toxins periodically get "stuck" in the body, calling for a nutritional detoxification process. Consider EFT to be an emotional detoxification process. Quite simply, where a high emotional charge exists in association with a dysfunctional belief system ("I'm not good enough"), event or trauma, EFT, in application, works to diminish this emotional charge in order that you cope more effectively with life and your own personal healing.

Me Tapping In To A Better Life!

For example, during the winter, I got caught up in feeling responsible for others' feelings - probably as a way of avoiding my own. For a while, I was consumed with what a few people in particular were thinking and feeling, especially in relation to me, and this became draining and defeatist. I was not able to properly function because I was allowing my obsessive thoughts to pervade every part of my life. Daily application of EFT helped to bring the emotional charge around my obsessiveness down so that I could objectively look at my situation and logically compute that hey, this is this person's journey and here's mine - I am only responsible for myself and obsessing about others who may or may not even have issues with me is a waste of precious energy that I need to heal myself and care for my son. This moved me to take care of things that needed to be taken care of inside my relationships in a matter-of-fact way, which brought healing and renewal.

EFT can also be applied to old, traumatic events that have never fully been healed such as death and loss, accidents and abuse. It's difficult to move forward when we haven't shed light into and healed the wounds of the past. This is not to encourage you to stew in past wounds but rather to shed light upon them, heal them and move forward. EFT is a phenomenal way of healing wounds both from the past and the present. It also helps to eliminate jitters around public speaking, difficult conversations, traveling or anything where fear seems to be taking over.

One of the most beautiful things about EFT is that once you've learned it, you can add it to your personal tool box forever! I recommend having a session with a skilled EFT practitioner to start so that you can talk the process through and gain the skills necessary to use it on your own. Further, it's helpful to be with someone who can offer fresh perspectives to something that may be old and festering in your life.

Sharon is our skilled EFT practitioner here at Prana Holistic. Please call us today if you'd like to learn how to apply EFT in order to rid yourself of possibly debilitating emotions that may be blocking you from thriving in your life.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

Value of a Life

2011-02-27T18:35:00.000-07:00

What would you do to save your own life?

Let me answer that question - you would do almost anything.

You would walk across coals, swim through sharks, lift cars, wrestle alligators, and do all number of other terrifying feats to reach the other side, where you heart still beats and your brain still lives.

And yet ask someone to do ANYTHING to live the life they actually WANT to live, and you will be met with more resistance than ... um ... well, you will meet a great deal of resistance, the kind for which no metaphor can possibly convey.

Why are we so desperate to save our life if we don't even enjoy LIVING it?

So I ask you - what are you doing today to make your life not just continue, but passionate and LIVED?

Live, damn you, before my head explodes!

Kristi Shmyr

Be your own Hero

2011-02-01T16:21:00.003-07:00

I just got back from a retreat in Scottsdale, Arizona. I jumped BIG the last quarter of 2010 and landed in a year-long mastermind/mentorship program, investing MANY thousands of dollars in ME and my big dreams. This retreat was the first of a year of pushing my expectations of myself and the number of people I can serve beyond what is comfortable into the realm of transformational, where I love to be.

While there, I was discussing my program, Goal Ninjas, in a small mastermind within the larger group. The group began to discuss the name: Goal Ninjas. Because I primarily work with women, it was suggested that I should change the name as

"women do not identify with being the warrior; they long, instead, to be the princess, and to be rescued".

I was shocked and, to be honest, offended by this idea. Is this really what women deeply, at their essence, want?

I sure hope not.

My whole life I have prided myself on being tough, resilient, motivated, and independent. I am fiercely passionate about creating the life I want. Yes, I have had issues with being rescued by my family, as the "baby", but there is nothing I long for more than to be successful, on my own terms and in my own right and by my own definitions. The thought of waiting for someone to bring me my dreams is foreign to me. I ... well, I just Do Not Compute.

Women, are you waiting to be rescued, or are you ready to be your own hero?

Does your life depend on whether or not your prince arrives, or are you tackling the dragon all on your own?

I sure hope you are with me on this, ladies (gents too of course). Be your own hero - be the creator of your OWN kick-ass life.

Climb down your own damn hair, Rapunzel.

Kristi Shmyr,

Goal Ninja!

p.s. if you want help, not rescue, in creating the Kick Ass Life you Crave, join me for a free talk on how to do that, either this Thursday, Friday, or next Tuesday. Check out www.goalninjas.com/free-talks for more information.

Why are we dying?

2011-01-21T17:37:00.000-07:00

Do you want to hear something amazing?

In Canada, chronic diseases account for 89% of all death in Canada!

Doesn't that astound you? And given that doctors, scientists, politicians and pretty much EVERYONE agrees that most chronic illness is 100% preventable, what the heck are we doing? Yes, of the illnesses that are killing us, it is estimated that 80% of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes is preventable through diet, exercise and lifestyle changes, and about 40% of cancer.

Beyond the obvious cost to us on a social level, amazingly, this also costs us financially, as a society. It is estimated that we lost 500 million dollars in 2005 alone in national income just from premature deaths.

Does this disturb anyone else?

So, here at Prana, we are starting a movement. The World Health Organization estimates that if we reduced chronic illness by just 2%, over 10 years Canada would save 1 BILLION DOLLARS!

So what if we, as Edmontonians (interestingly, Edmonton is about 2% of the national population) did our part and reduced chronic illness here by 2%?

Join Prana Holistic's 2% Initiative. Do your part to reduce the incidence of chronic illness in Canada TODAY (it is about PREVENTION, emphasis on the "pre").

Here is what you can do:

exercise for 3.5 hours a week, which reduces your incidence of all chronic disease by about 50%!!!!
eat more vegetables. I know some of you out there are saying "they change what's healthy every week". Let me tell you - no one has ever said broccoli isn't healthy. Eating just 2 servings more of veggies a day, especially leafy greens, will reduce your incidence of chronic illness by about 15-40%!
STOP SMOKING!!!! The National Cancer Institute predicts that even at the age of 50, stopping smoking reduces your risk of dying prematurely by 50%.
cut down on sugar. New research shows what natural health practitioners always suspected: high intake of sugar raises your risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and liver disease (not to mention diabetes, which we already knew). Those are major factors in your risk for developing a chronic illness.
keep your BMI below 30. Research shows this has the greatest influence on your risk for developing a chronic illness. To calculate your BMI, take your weight in pounds and multiply it by 703 and divide that number by your height, in inches, squared.

So Edmonton, let's embrace good health and turn our noses up at chronic diseases. The changes I suggested are simple, and really - What do we have to lose?

Kristi Shmyr

Prana Holistic

Becoming A Ninja At Life

2011-01-07T16:21:00.001-07:00

I had the complete pleasure of being a participant in Kristi's fall Goal Ninjas program here at Prana, and I say with complete confidence and excitement that it changed my life! Let me tell you how.

First of all, I discovered that I'm not exactly in line with my true passion. In fact, I had even convinced myself that I "don't really identify with the word passion" - what a bunch of bollocks! I certainly DO identify with the word passion, I just hadn't aligned myself with something that makes me feel more passionate than anything else! By Kristi's skilled facilitation and questioning, as well as the processes that are presented through the Goal Ninjas program, I was able to discover where my true passion lies. Now, knowing what really entices passion within me, I can actively pursue that.

Secondly, I've been pursuing ongoing activities to change mental programs that I have that are no longer conducive to my personal success and advancement. These activities are designed to establish new mental programs that are positive and that contribute to my creating the life that I really desire instead of that which I formerly believed I deserved - far less than the best! One of these activities is called evidence journaling and here's how it works: every day for 90-days (new habits, including habitual thinking, should be established by practice over a 90-day period), I am recording evidence to prove the following new beliefs: 1) I am abundant, 2) I am attractive, 3) I am valuable, 4) I am worthwhile, and 5) I am complete (whole, perfect and complete just the way that I am). Amazing things are happening. I am pulling away from undermining thoughts and behaviors and finding all the more evidence to illustrate that leading an enriched and fulfilling life is my divine birth right! Moreover, I am actually beginning to embody the fact that I deserve the absolute best that IS available to me in this universe.

As far as I'm concerned, these are amazing and incredibly impactful paradigm shifts that may not have happened (or at least not as soon) had I not participated in the Goal Ninjas program. I believe that everyone deserves to know that they are worthy of the very best the world has to offer. I also strongly believe that each and every person who thinks otherwise of themselves or who isn't seeming to achieve what they really want or who's just plain unhappy can't afford NOT to pursue the Goal Ninjas program. And...I really don't care if I come across as being biased since Kristi is my friend and colleague - that's how fired up I am about what Goal Ninjas has to offer!

If you want to read more about the concepts of Goal Ninjas, check out my recent column in SEE Magazine: Un-Google Your Mind, or, if you want to know more about the program, check out goalninjas.com. If you'd like to sign up for the program, which I, obviously, highly encourage you to do, please contact Kristi at: kristi@pranaholistic.ca, or give us a call on 780.454.5299.

Happy 2011 everyone! Here's to your becoming a ninja at life!

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

Snow Piles ... of opportunity!

2010-12-19T12:05:00.000-07:00

Ok, cheesy title. And if you know me at all, you know that I am not a "cheerleader"; I think telling people to "think positive" is trite and condescending. Yet I cannot help but see the opportunity, the "positive", in all this snow. For instance:

1. What other time of year is it common to see perfect strangers helping each other by pushing a car out of snow? I love that! I honestly, with every degree of sincerity, enjoy helping to push vehicles out of the snow. To me, it's fun.

2. Free, productive exercise! Want an amazing full body workout? Well, get your shovel out. There is pounds of free weights out there to lift and push and throw! Just be careful to lift with your legs, not your back! Even just walking in the snow is a much bigger workout than regular walking.

3. Rosy Glow. Everyone looks better with a rosy glow from the cold. Make sure you spend time outside every day, enjoying the sunshine and the cold air. And yes, we do have sunshine still.

4. Lastly, snow is pretty. It is. And it is here, so you best enjoy it! Whether or not you love all of the amazing snow sports out there, take advantage of the fact that we have this unique gift. Don't think it's a gift?

I spent one Christmas in Texas, minutes from the Mexican border. On Christmas Eve, it snowed, for the first time in 100 years. People were beside themselves. At midnight, children were running out onto the street to see the wonder of the snow falling. It was amazing. Even all of the Canadians were giddy, so happy to see their familiar fluffy, white friend in such an unexpected place. Try to view snow like it is the first time and the last time you will see it; view it with the awe and amazement that nature deserves.

And stop complaining about it!

Kristi Shmyr

Epsom Salt - One of Nature's Answers to Sore Muscles & Magnesium Deficiency

2010-12-06T16:17:00.000-07:00

Here's an interesting tidbit about Epsom salt: it's called Epsom salt because it was initially discovered back in Shakespeare's time in a town called Epsom in England...who knew?! Well, the Epsom Salt Council, that's who. Who knew there was an Epsom Salt Council? I sure didn't. This is an American council that formed in 1993 because they were "eager to let everyone know the benefits of our product".

And now, here I am ALSO letting you know about the benefits of Epsom salt. The main components of Epsom salt are magnesium and sulfates. I am most familiar with the fact that these components of Epsom salt, in combination, relieve muscle pain, especially following any body work session. However, upon further reading about Epsom salt, I discovered that it can also help to relieve stress, improve digestion (especially the absorption of nutrients in the intestines), sleep and the function of insulin, reduce inflammation and detoxify the body. Epsom salt is commonly used in bath water - dissolve 1-2 cups in your warm bath and soak for at least 20 minutes to experience optimal results. It's once the bath water starts to cool that detoxification starts happening, which is why it's crucial to stay in the bath for at least 20 minutes.

It may be a little known fact that a great many people are nutritionally deficient in magnesium. Magnesium deficiency can lead to irregular heart rhythm, muscle spasms, mood disturbances such as depression, anxiety and irritability, fatigue, weakness and confusion, memory loss, hallucinations, numbness and tingling. Using Epsom salt is a great way to increase your body's reserves of magnesium. The reason for this is because magnesium can be readily absorbed through the skin by using Epsom salt, as opposed to relying on the digestive system, which may already be under stress. For the purpose of detoxification, Epsom salt is a great way to detoxify. It works by creating a type of osmosis, the toxins moving from within the body, through the skin and into the bath water. Epsom salt is a great adjunct to any detox program you may be pursuing or just on its own.

At Prana Holistic, we recommend that everyone pursue an Epsom salt soak after any body work session such as massage or reflexology. This will continue the process of excavating anything that was released during the session, prevent soreness from any tough knots that were worked on and entice relaxation.

Epsom salt is available at most drug stores or grocery stores. We also sell it here at Prana Holistic, so next time you're here for a body work session, make sure to pick up some Epsom salt to take home and continue the process of relaxation and movement towards better health.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

The Answers Are In Your Irises!

2010-11-15T17:57:00.004-07:00

I was first introduced to the practice of iridology while in college studying to be a holistic health practitioner. What an amazing and phenomenal method! I was immediately drawn in by iridology as soon as it was presented to us in class.

Iridology is the fascinating practice of examining markings within the irises of the eyes to discover inherent or developed weaknesses in particular systems, organs and/or glands. By knowing where your weaknesses lie, you can then apply specific recommendations that will work to strengthen and improve overall function of those systems, organs and/or glands.

The story of the discovery of iridology goes like this: in the early 1800s, a young lad called Ignatz Von Peczely caught an owl in his garden. As boy and owl struggled, Von Peczely accidentally broke the owl's leg. He noticed a black marking rise in the iris of the owl in response to the break. Von Peczely nursed the owl back to health and the owl kept returning to Von Peczely's garden for some time after the incident. Over this time, Von Peczely noticed the progression of the marking in the owl's iris from black line, to white, crooked lines, and then to a small black spot surrounded by white lines and shading. Von Peczely was intrigued by the progression of this marking and so was born the notion of iridology. Von Peczely pursued a career as a physician and was thus able to further pursue his idea that the irises reflect the condition of tissues within the internal system. Throughout his career, he observed numerous cases that proved a considerable basis for the practice of iridology.

The iris is the part of the eye that carries colour, a very complex combination of tissues and an extension of the brain. The irises are able to reflect all organs, glands and systems of the body by their connections to them via the brain and nervous system. By these connections, nerve fibres in the irises respond to alterations in body tissues and reveal these changes, whether acute or chronic, as different markings upon the irises.

By iridology, a practitioner is able to detect whether a person has a strong or weak constitution, under or over-acidity of the stomach, stress, acute, sub acute, chronic or degenerative stages of dysfunction, poor circulation, congested lymphatics and predispositions to different types of diseases.

Iridology does not seek to diagnose but rather to read the condition of tissues. In this way, iridology presents as a wonderful tool for practitioners to discover how to best address an individual's health and wellness. For example, if a person had dark markings on the area of the irises that correspond to the kidneys and urinary system, the practitioner could make recommendations for strengthening this system. By strengthening the body where it's weaknesses lie, overall function is drastically improved because all systems work together to impart optimal wellness.

If, as the old proverb goes, the eyes are the windows of the soul, then the practice of iridology presents the idea that the eyes are also a mirror of the internal system.

At Prana Holistic, iridology is used in application during an assessment. If you're confused about which direction to take with improving your health, call us to book an assessment - a very thorough investigation of your well-being and a presentation of how we think you ought to best proceed.

Check out SEE Magazine this coming Thursday for my column on iridology.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

Shh… We don’t want the men to hear! Or do we?

2010-11-08T12:09:00.001-07:00

Women’s issues have sat in the limelight for ages. Specialists and General Practitioners alike have developed thriving businesses focused solely on research and treatment of the female system. Somehow, this has allowed for men to take a backseat in their well being and transfer the focus to the opposite gender. With this has developed the taboo around the male anatomy and the all-too-common disorders from which men can also suffer.

With the dawning of the “Little Blue Pill”, Viagra has shined a much needed spotlight back on men and the issues that they too can experience. Viagra was to bring forth revolution in the caring for prostate disorders, erectile disorders and men’s health in general. There was one thing that the medical field forgot about though: a man’s stubborn ability to avoid discussion. Without the initial discussion with a doctor, the issue will still go untreated. Men will suffer the embarrassment and discomfort of erectile difficulty simply to avoid facing the issue. What is with us?

No one is a fan of discussing their personal problems in a public format, unless you allow your disorder to define you, and that’s a whole other set of issues! This taboo has muzzled men and somehow this has become ok. Our stigma around male virility and the supposed “drive” every man has to hump anything in sight has lead us to stereotype and suppress men into sexual silence.

Is male sexual silence a socially imposed issue, or is it self-imposed?

The younger generation, or “Generation Next”, has started to mature into adulthood, but are we really any better than our forefathers, the “Baby Boomers”? Research has shown that 1 in 9 or 10 to 15 million American men live with impotence. 1 IN 9! That’s an insane rate of prevalence and one that we hear very little about. “Why is that?”, you might ask. Well, out of that 1 in 9 ratio, only 10% of those men will acknowledge the issue and seek treatment. It’s common for men to psych themselves out of an erection, and the vast majority of men will lose an erection 20% of the time. Those suffering with erectile dysfunction can experience a loss of erection prior to ejaculation or inability to become erect 50% of the time. 80% of the time, the issues regarding impotence are pre-existing physiological conditions, while the remaining 20% are due to psychological causes.

Men need to start allocating a neuron or two to their own well being. Silence has benefitted no one, and in more severe cases such as testicular cancer or prostate cancer, silence can be severe and devastating. Diabetes, kidney disease, chronic alcoholism, multiple sclerosis, atherosclerosis, vascular diseases and psychological interferences can all be dangerous root causes for impotence and, without medical diagnosis, may go unnoticed until too late.

Whether it’s socially or individually propagated, the strong, silent warrior that men seem to be striving for is helping no one. Whether it’s talking to a loved one, a family doctor or a trusted health care practitioner, men need to step up and take responsibility for their own health. Encouraging those close to you to get regular check-ups, being aware of the signs of sexual withdrawal or creating a safe haven to discuss touchy or taboo topics are ways to break down this sexual barrier.

Alternative healthcare practitioners can encourage and support those suffering with impotence. Whether it’s supporting essence through acupuncture, encouraging whole body blood flow and mental relaxation through visceral massage, tonifying natural reflex arcs with reflexology, clearing psychological issues with counseling or even strengthening organ systems with the help of a nutritionist or herbalist; your everyday practitioners can be a pillar of strength. Men may wish to clam up and avoid giving true and exact details surrounding their sexual health when honesty and frankness is the only solution.

Specifically, the goal of an acupuncture treatment would be to balance and regulate physiological responses. By choosing a series of points, we can support a man’s kidney yin, yang and essence. Essence by definition is the crucial source from which we draw the vast majority of our energy and strength. It is important to realize that if one part of our physical self is out of balance, we will have adverse physical effects as a result of our body compensating. Supporting all of our organs will encourage an overall healthy state. Heart, liver, spleen and gall bladder can have specific effects on sexual performance. Tonifying these organs will minimize the effects of impotence and treat possible underlying causes. Using acupuncture with the purpose of relaxation will have a soothing effect on the psyche helping those with root causes in depression, fear, stress, fatigue or even the ever troublesome “performance anxiety.”

Intercourse is not supposed to be scary and uncomfortable. My suggestion to men is, since you can’t seem to stop bragging about it, grow a pair and do something! Instead of gloating about the size of it, maybe talk about how healthy you are; after all, your sex-life should be anything but silent.

Adam Salzman is a gentle and intuitive acupuncturist at Prana Holistic. Working with the breath of each client, Adam makes acupuncture both healing and relaxing.

haunted by your health?

2010-10-28T20:29:00.000-06:00

haunted by your health?

does the future of your health scare you?

Thinking about how your current lifestyle is going to come back to haunt you?

Stop worrying. There are so many little things you can do to make a BIG difference to your health. Pick ONE per week and within 6 weeks you won't believe the difference.

Get 6,000 IU of Vitamin D a day, 20 minutes in direct sunlight, or some fatty fish like salmon, trout or mackerel. It lowers your risk of diabetes, cancer and weight gain. Vitamin D goes very well with your Omega 3's, so take both for amazing brain, body and beauty benefits.
Drink 2 glasses of warm water in the morning upon rising and sit on the pot regardless whether you feel "the need". This will train your digestion to work efficiently. Help things along by gently rubbing your belly (from rib-cage to below your belly button) in a clock-wise way.
Sleep 7-9 hours a night. It is critical to your health, especially your immune system and your waist line. When you even have one night of less-than-optimal sleep, your hunger goes up, your ability to burn fat goes down, you store calories, and your immune system depresses. If just one night can compromise your health, what do you suppose a lifestyle of this can do?
Cut your sugar (NOT your fat) consumption in half. Stop eating low-fat, because that simply means "we replaced the fat with sugar". Sugar lowers your immune system, depletes your body of important nutrients, messes with your ability to burn fat and lose weight, and causes you to CRAVE MORE SUGAR!
Breath deeply, down to your belly, 10 times each day. This will increase your digestion, your energy and your beauty, not to mention it will help to alkalize your system so disease simply cannot thrive in your body! And, it is FREEEEEE (which means most of you won't do it ;)
Replace your long cardio program with 10-20 minute sessions of All-Outs. This lowers your stress hormones, increases your ability to handle stress, increases your sexy, anti-aging Human Growth Hormone, and allows you to lose fat easier. To do this interval-type of exercise: Choose whatever form of cardio you like best (stairs, running, jump rope, biking, etc) and do it AS HARD AS YOU CAN (or go All Out) for 30-60 seconds. Recover at a slower pace for 60-120 minutes, then repeat. Do enough All-Outs to add up to 2-8 minutes (with the recovery stage, warm up and cool down, this cycle will take 10-30 minutes).
Add 1 serving of raw vegetables to your diet. Vegetables like cauliflower and broccoli are especially amazing at fighting everything from cancer to obesity. Stick to low-glycemic veggies for the best result.s Start thinking of potatoes and corn as non-vegetables. Corn is a GRAIN (and a common allergen, as well as a heavily genetically-modified crop) and potatoes are just about as quick to turn into sugar as white bread. Limit them to 1 time a week, in a small serving.

The health industry can be a pretty intimidating place to watch from the outside. It often seems like the very same food we revered as a health food is vilified the following week. If this seems overwhelming to you, stick to the basics. The truth is, the best advice is often the free advice - drink water, breath deeply, chew your food, and exercise. And eat your vegetables!

Kristi Shmyr,

Prana Holistic

High Carbohydrate Consumption Acceptable For Type II Diabetics? Since When?

2010-10-24T22:37:00.005-06:00

First thing's first: know that this blog is NOT intended to discourage you from following your physician's advice.

I just finished writing a follow-up column to my most recent column for SEE Magazine: A Diabetes Diet. Together, my columns are a mild reflection of how shocked I am, having discovered that conventional recommendations for diabetics include an astronomically high consumption of carbohydrates. I've obviously had my head in the sand up until this point because I had no idea that this was the case. In my investigations, I thoroughly perused the Canadian Diabetic Association's website. One of their printable documents, Just the Basics, Healthy Eating for Diabetes Management and Prevention, suggests eating more high fibre foods, their first two listed examples of high fibre foods being whole grain breads and cereals. What? This is a joke, right? Both bread and cereal are refined carbohydrates, meaning that the bran and hull of the grains have been removed. The bran and the hull are what provide fibre that contributes to keeping blood sugar levels lower. Moreover, both of these items convert to glucose in the body and, as a result, they function to raise blood sugar levels.

There's more! Here's an exact quote from the same document: "Choose starchy foods such as whole grain breads and cereals, rice, noodles, or potatoes at every meal. Starchy foods are broken down into glucose, which your body needs for energy." If that's not a direct contradiction, then I don't know what is. I am beyond flabbergasted that the point of this recommendation is that glucose is an energy source. Ok, sure, glucose is an energy source, but excessive consumption of glucose is the PRECISE problem with type II diabetes in the first place! Those with type II diabetes are not storing and using glucose properly. In my opinion, it's absolutely irresponsible to suggest that type II diabetics should be including starchy foods at EVERY MEAL!! This is like telling someone with cirrhosis of the liver to drink a glass of wine or a pint of beer with every meal!

To add insult to injury, it is suggested that coffee is permissible at EVERY meal - 3 times a day! What's next, cake as a midnight snack? Caffeine entices a stress response in the body that throws the endocrine system out of balance. The endocrine system needs to be as balanced as possible for anyone to experience optimal health, never mind those with type II diabetes whose hormones are already unbalanced. It seems impossible for it to get any worse, but it's also suggested on the Canadian Diabetes Association's website to use artificial sweeteners in the place of sugar. Artificial sweeteners, being lab-produced and chemical based, are absolutely toxic to the human body.

As if that wasn't enough, the Canadian Diabetes Association also recommends pursuing a low-fat diet to maintain healthy body weight, avoid clogged arteries (atherosclerosis) and heart disease. But fat is a necessary component of a healthy and well-rounded diet. Fat is an excellent source of energy, especially for endurance activity that all diabetics ought to be participating in. Fats nourish the brain and connective tissues, cushion and protect organs and glands, are the building blocks of hormones and are integral to the formation and rebuilding of bones, cells, enzymes, hair, muscles, nails and neurotransmitters. Furthermore, insulin is needed to deposit fat in the body, and insulin is only released with the ingestion of glucose. Therefore, eating fat does not mean that your body is going to deposit fat - fat is deposited in the presence of insulin. When the body's sugar stores are all full, it's extra glucose floating around in the blood that deposits itself as adipose tissue, NOT dietary fats. Finally, high insulin levels in the body have been shown to increase the incidence of plaque formation in the arteries. This means that it's quite possible that excessive glucose intake - NOT excessive fat intake - is more causative of atherosclerosis and heart disease.

The body is designed to assimilate and efficiently use fats AND glucose, so long as everything is eaten in balance. It's when we throw our systems out of balance by poor diet including excessive intakes of any one thing, ingestion of processed and refined foods, high stress that is not being properly dealt with and poor lifestyle that our bodies begin being unable to effectively deal with their tasks.

If you are a type II diabetic interested in pursuing an alternative nutritional regime, please contact us. I would be happy to facilitate a nutritional consult for you.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

Jump THEN Learn to Fly

2010-10-14T15:47:00.001-06:00

I met a new friend recently who gave such a wonderful example of my goal getting philosophy of "Jump, THEN learn to fly". She went down to South America and found a health product that amazed her. She asked if they had it in North America - they didn't, but wanted a distributor. She offered to be the North American distributor, but they told her she needed to be an importer. She wasn't. Now here's the great part. Most people would have backed off and walked away. Not my new Goal Ninja Friend. She said she was, and then came back and Googled "How to Become an Importer"! She incorporated a name and voila! She was an importer with distributor rights to a product she believed in.

Now THAT'S how it's done!

Kristi Shmyr
Goal Ninja and owner of Prana Holistic

Are we Investors or Fund-raisers?

2010-10-14T15:13:00.001-06:00

Did you know that world wide, we have raised about $4 TRILLION dollars in money to fund cancer research?

Does that scare anyone else?

We all know someone who has cancer, who has survived cancer, or tragically died from this terrible disease. I have lost all four of my grandparents to cancer, and many dear friends. I know the draw to do ANYTHING to help prevent cancer is strong. And we are constantly inundated with opportunities to fund raise for cancer research. Yet...what are we accomplishing besides the creation of a multi-billion dollar pharma industry?

The pharmaceutical industry has 625 lobbyists maintaining their economic interest in the States (where we, like it or not, are heavily influenced by). That means that drug lobbyists outnumber the actual number of members of Congress! In 2007, the U.S's pharmaceutical industry raked in $315 BILLION. In Fortune 500 surveys, the Pharmaceutical industry is THE most profitable industry - period. Research and development was over $65 billion of that cost - 26% of the drugs currently being researched are cancer drugs, more than any other category of drug. We are running, walking, biking and frantically raising money for pharmaceutical companies to turn around and charge us for drugs they used OUR money to develop! Where is our cure? Not to be over cynical, but the cure is not the goal. Your cash is.

In 2007, a study found that vitamin D and calcium supplementation seems to reduce incidence of cancer rates by 77% (no drug does this). The World Health Organization says that 70% of cancer is preventable through diet and lifestyle changes. Why aren't we saving our money and investing it in prevention, that is PROVEN to work? Easy answer - not as glamorous. There are no TV crews around when you go to the gym, or eat broccoli, or see your natural health practitioner. There is no story there. But we have been brainwashed to believe that raising funds for research is the answer to our cancer woes.

Lately in the news I have been hearing about the WONDERFUL news that survivor rates are up 6% over the past 18 years. I wondered if this was due to more cancers with a higher survivability rate - and I was right. Thyroid cancer rates have been growing by 10% a year. Melanoma and prostate cancer rates are also rising. These three cancers have the highest survivability rates. So does an increase in the average 5 year survival rate MEAN anything? Or is it we are just getting more of the cancers that we are more likely to survive?

My plea to you is to think twice about where your donations are going - is your money better spent on prevention and good health? I think so.

Kristi Shmyr

Prana Holistic

Annoying Leaf Blowers Doing Away With Man Power One Leaf at a Time

2010-10-05T00:56:00.001-06:00

So it's fall: a very aesthetically pleasing time of year. Let me describe an experience for you: you're walking along appreciating the fall colours. Leaves are falling...red, orange, brown, yellow...there's a soft breeze. You hear the gentle crunching of the leaves underfoot, the air is warm and...what's that other sound? A motor of sorts...oh, leaves are blowing around more than they should be considering the soft nature of this breeze. What the?!?!! What is that motorized, tube-like contraption pumping even more emissions into our precious atmosphere?! I've discovered that these things are called "leaf blowers". And, in case you didn't detect my tone, I find them supremely irritating. Here's a hilarious description of leaf blowers from an online site providing ratings and simple information for those interested in buying a leaf blower:

"Faith may move mountains, but to move a huge pile of leaves, you need a big rake and dollops of help (if you are lucky). However, if you are tired of using a rake and help is not forthcoming (it happens so often), you do not have to sit staring at piles of leaves! Just buy leaf blower!"

What the hell? What happened to good old fashioned elbow grease? So, if you can't find someone to help you rake the lawn, the alternative is to sit there staring at piles of leaves unless you buy a leaf blower? In my estimation, this is the epitome of laziness! Not to mention the fact that these things are commonly being used on commercial properties and, as noted in the online literature that I perused, gas powered versions are superior for larger areas. That means that more emissions are being pumped out into our atmosphere because we've become so lazy that we're beyond using a rake. Don't even get me started on noise pollution. I'm not one to go on and on about things being too loud - I'm a heavy sleeper and in previous years when I had roommates, I never would've dreamed of shutting down a party on the other side of the wall from me - but superfluous motors that are being used to replace man power that is really not that much man power to be spoken of to begin with?! COME ON PEOPLE. Pick up the damn rake and exert some energy! Sweat - it's good for you!

I was most recently irritated by one of these confounded things while at the bank: they were leaf blowing the parking lot. Let me say that again: they were leaf blowing the PARKING LOT. Because apparently leaves on pavement is problematic? In retrospect, I reflect on the number of times I've noticed home owners leaf blowing the sidewalk out front of their houses. Ummm...someone please tell me why it's necessary to remove leaves from the sidewalk and in doing so, spew emissions into the air while making lots of noise.

Seriously. I think I've made my point. This is one of the great reasons that I love blogs: I have license to rant about leaf blowers and get away with it.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

I Love Woody Harrelson

2010-09-27T17:50:00.000-06:00

Woody Harrelson wrote a beautiful poem called "Thoughts from Within" and it has been made into a video. It is beautiful and I recommend watching it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj0GZQdCct8&feature=player_embedded

Agrimony: An Famously Underrated Herb!

2010-09-18T16:49:00.002-06:00

I just came up with what I deem to be the perfect herbal combination for a client and it happens to contain Agrimony: an herb that you may not even have ever heard of! That's because, as far as I'm concerned, it's grossly underrated. As my thirsty brain thirsts for ever more knowledge and information, I happily continue to drink in Matthew Wood`s wisdom from his book The Book of Herbal Wisdom. He features Agrimony in the book and rightly so!

Agrimonia eupatoria (the Latin name) is very well-rounded in it's applications though suited to a particular type, as are most herbs. According to the doctrine of signatures (a philosophy that states that as plants resemble certain parts or presentations of the body, so are they applicable to address ailments of those parts or presentations of the body), Agrimony is considered to be a tense looking plant and thereby is suited, as Wood clarifies, to a "characteristic mental state that revolves around tension, frustration, anger, and inner torment". This typical personality has a tendency to want to hide their mental state behind a facade of cheerfulness - a perfectly suited character for the application of Dr. Edward Bach's Agrimony in flower essences. Agrimony facilitates mental relaxation and sound sleep.

Agrimony is an astringent tonic, typically strengthening and toning tissues of the intestinal and urinary tracts. It has been used with success in instances of bed wetting and the fascinating thing about that is that it is best applied to children who are wetting the bed due to anxiety about toilet training. Would this therefore be a case of imparting relaxation to the anxious state or tonicity to the tissues of the urinary system? Wood points out that: "As we so often see in our herbal studies, a single plant unites opposite properties together under one roof."

As we also so often perceive in holistic practice, those that are challenged by, as Wood states, "anger, frustration, and fighting against the flow or a lack of confidence in the natural progression of events" typically have congestion in the liver. The liver is commonly related to issues of anger in alternative medicine. Agrimony clears stagnation in the liver and has historically been applied to cirrhosis and recuperation from alcohol and drug abuse. Naturally, Agrimony also addresses issues of the gallbladder, which is paired with the liver in physiology. In this sense, Agrimony is great for what Traditional Chinese practitioners refer to as "gallbladder headaches", where the pain travels from the liver and gallbladder, up over the shoulder blades, via the neck and into the head.

Agrimony also clears the kidneys of congestion and associated pain, as well as inflammation of both the kidneys and bladder. At this rate, it's no surprise that Agrimony is applied in instances of both gallbladder and kidney stones. Further, Agrimony is helpful for issues of the respiratory system, ameliorating tightness in the chest and even improving asthma. Agrimony has been used in cases of sinusitis, nagging cough, fluid in the lungs, excessive mucus production from the respiratory system and allergies.

Agrimony is a blessed herb for the intestinal tract, improving enteritis (inflammation of the small intestine), ulceration, colitis and bloody stools and, as a result, clearing eruptions of the skin, which are usually an indication of intestinal disorder. In addition, Agrimony has effect upon the cardiovascular and female reproductive systems. Agrimony lowers blood pressure, increases fertility, relieves painful menstruation and excessive menstrual bleeding. Finally, Agrimony has also been applied to eclampsia (toxemia of the body during pregnancy), poor peripheral circulation, brittle nails and hair, dripping urine, alopecia, intermittent fever, flu, rheumatism, bleeding cuts, joint injuries and burns.

Be aware that all of the issues and conditions mentioned that Agrimony addresses are also attached to a specific person. Know that herbal medicines are best applied as a "perfect match" to each type, personality and/or character. Though in using Agrimony, many will likely experience relief from ailments to which the herb applies, it's always best to consult a licensed herbal practitioner who is more versed in the application of particular herbs to particular conditions and those that experience them.

For an herbology consult with myself, please contact Prana Holistic.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

Is there a success formula?

2010-09-13T13:31:00.001-06:00

Learning the secrets and the "rules" of success is a passion of mine. I have spent the past 7 years studying, reading, listening and attending seminars on this topic, and hundreds of thousands of dollars and countless hours later, here are some of the things I have figured out:

1. You need a big "why" for any goal. This is your reason for doing what you do, and this reason has to be big enough to get you out of bed, and keep you working when you "don't feel like it". Without this, you get temporarily motivated, excited and passionate, but it will never last. You will set goals, New Years' Resolutions, and make promises to yourself, but you won't have the will to keep going when that initial burst of conviction wears off.

2. You need to understand your reasons for NOT wanting to achieve.
Sounds strange, but our mind does not keep us from success to be mean; there is always a benefit your subconscious mind sees to stay exactly as you are, without your goal. Finding out what that is and resolving it is critical to your success.

3. The best way to tell your future is to create it.

I see no reason to leave the content of you future up to chance. If you really want to achieve success, you need a very clear image of how you define that success. What does it look like, feel like, and sound like? Don’t limit yourself, because there are possibilities you could not even imagine from where you currently are, but get an idea. Since energy cannot be created nor destroyed, everything you want already exists; it simply needs to change form. Hold that image long enough and it will be drawn to you as you move towards it.

4. Act.

Notice I said it will be drawn to you as you move towards it. I truly believe the universe can only do for you what it can do through you; waiting for your dreams to rain down from the sky will leave you waiting a great deal. Get clear and focused and then take inspired action, huge action, that makes your dreams inevitable.

5. Never stop readjusting and realigning.

Success, like life, is never static. It will require you to be dynamic and changeable. Our knowledge doubles every 3 years, so you CANNOT keep doing what you have always done and expect to even stay the same; if you refuse to evolve, you are not only refusing to grow, you are actually DE-volving. Realign your goals and your actions with your purpose constantly. And embrace change; it is, ironically, the only constant.

6. Practice, and then simply let go and trust.

Success requires practice. Just as working out for 5 days for 1 minute will not transform your body, inconsistent action and focus on your goals will not transform your life. You need to bring structure and order to any area that you want to be successful in. After that, comes the easiest and yet most difficult task – letting go and trusting that what you desire is already coming.

This work is my passion. If you resonate with this Success Formula and want to learn more, I invite you to join Goal Ninjas: 6 Steps to the Kick Ass Life you Crave, starting November 6, 2010. If you want to learn more, check out www.goalninjas.com, or call Kristi at 780.454.5299

Fall: The Times They Are A Changin'. Need Stress Relief?

2010-09-09T22:36:00.003-06:00

It's officially fall. The weather is changing. I've experienced reconciliation with old friends previously estranged and have terminated other relationships that were no longer serving me. I weaned my son off breastfeeding, put some weight back on and am feeling highly motivated and very optimistic.


Me: incredibly cool & good-looking due to my stress-busting skills!

Some might say there's a "shift" going on: I would agree. Things feel different. One thing that is refreshingly different for me is the way in which I seem to be choosing to deal with life's challenges. I always say that the definition of insanity is waking up in the morning, doing the same thing, and expecting different results. Well, when it comes to parenthood, it's sometimes hard to practice constant restraint - of fiery emotions that is - and choose to do things differently: with patience and understanding. Not that I wasn't a patient and understanding parent before now, but it sometimes felt that my patience was non-existent for prolonged periods of time, and this is only the tip of the iceberg - Caleb's barely just over a year and a half! The awesome thing is that the things I've chosen to do differently are very slight, and yet incredibly effectual at keeping angry outbursts at bay.

So here's what I've been doing: breathing more deeply and mindfully more often, especially in response to what I commonly perceive to be stress-inducing events, and doing 15 minutes of guided meditation about 3-4 times a week. Frickin' easy and so impactful!

Here's an example of how awesome it's been working in my life: I hate whining. Hate it, hate it, HATE IT! Caleb's at a challenging age where he's on the brink of communicating verbally, but not quite there yet, so lots of whining happens. Often. I've started to take note of what my triggers are that entice a stress-response - anger and anxiety being my most common stress-responses that I notice right away. Of course, whining is a huge trigger. It's like nails on a chalkboard to me. So when Caleb starts to whine, instead of shouting at him, I take deep abdominal breaths. Perfect: I can focus through his choice to whine without blowing a wing nut.

Another great example: I've always had road rage. Lately I've been breathing deeply into my abdomen while I drive - awesome! No more road rage. I've been letting people in to lanes in front of me with pleasure and have noticed the reciprocal action of the universe in that respect: people are letting me in front of them equally as often. It definitely feels good.

What a difference I feel, going through my days with a sense of calm relaxation and acceptance of the world - just as it is - instead of being tense, angry, unreasonable and irrational. The meditation is where I've gotten the mantra: "I accept the world just as it is" from and damn, it works! Meditation always functions to give me a lasting sense of serene acceptance and optimism throughout my days. With this lasting sense of cool, I'm more productive at work and home, more organized and motivated, more sociable, articulate and direct in my communication and, my intuition is like a river: ever-flowing.

These two coping and self-care techniques are some of the more effective ones - FOR ME. Everyone has different estimations of what is stressful, and everyone copes differently with the stresses of their lives. If you are looking to cope better with the stress in YOUR life and very much like the sound of having a lasting sense of calm relaxation and acceptance of the world - just as it is, I strongly encourage you to join us for our Ultimate Stress Seminar, starting on Wednesday September 15th and running for 5 consecutive Wednesdays, from 6-7:30p.m. Within these sessions, we will help you discover YOUR triggers that activate a stress-reaction and find the best coping techniques for YOU. I very much look forward to seeing the calm and relaxed faces in the room and out on the streets of Edmonton once all is said and done.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

Yarrow: "Much More Than A Weed Found In Ditches"

2010-08-30T16:38:00.001-06:00

I've been spending time periodically reading Matthew Wood's book: "The Book Of Herbal Wisdom". Matthew Wood is a renowned American herbalist, author and lecturer, offering much wisdom to the world on traditional western herbalism. Over the past couple of days, I've been learning about Yarrow, and I'd like to share some of that with you here.

The Latin name for Yarrow (Latin names commonly being used in the practice of herbology) is Achillea millefolium. Yarrow is anything but a weed found in ditches: it has a myriad of physiological applications as well as being a part of most flower essence repertoires, including the one that I work with both personally and professionally. One of Yarrow's most important applications is as a styptic, meaning that it stops bleeding, even bleeding from severe, deep cuts and internal hemorrhaging. Yarrow certainly has an affinity for the blood. Matthew Wood says that "Yarrow is suited to deep cuts which penetrate to the arteries, resulting in profuse hemorrhage of bright red blood. The idea also applies to fevers. The Yarrow fever cuts deeply, past the superficial level of defense, penetrating to the deep vasculature." This is invaluable in the application of herbal medicine.

As an wilderness herb, think of Yarrow when you're camping and you or any of your companions manage to cut themselves deeply, either with an axe or utensil - not that I want this to happen to you, but in the instance that it does, Yarrow may be your saving grace! Chew the leaves and/or roots of Yarrow and apply it to the wound, changing the dressing every few minutes. According to Matthew Wood's accounts, this will effectively staunch the bleeding and result in a very slight mark the following day. Further, Yarrow has been called the "nosebleed plant". Those who suffer from persistent nosebleeds can chew the root of Yarrow or take dosages of tincture every few minutes to stop the bleeding.

Studying Yarrow has made me think of a client I worked with at Prana who initially came in having had a less than pleasant experience at the hospital where she lost a great deal of blood from her colon. Medical practitioners were stumped. At this rate, I really wish I had been so versed on Yarrow and near to her in the acute stages of her experience! Surely, consistent dosages of Yarrow tincture would have done the job. Having said that, and like all herbs, Yarrow seems to have a "type" that it most effectively applies to. Matthew Wood describes this Yarrow "type" as having "a ruddy, robust, sanguine complexion even in health." Further, Yarrow is best applied when the pulse is "full, rapid and nonresistant, the tongue is red, drier towards the center, wetter towards the outside, seldom coated [and] the face is often flushed."

Finally, Yarrow is also helpful as a digestive tonic, meaning that it tones the whole of the digestive tract. Yarrow has been successfully applied in cases of dysentry, diarrhea, diverticulitis and colitis. It has been found useful in cases of adult onset diabetes, angina, absent menstrual periods, heavy periods, uterine fibroids, prolapsed uterus, menopausal transition and blood blisters.

Energetically, Yarrow is applied as a flower essence to impart healthy boundaries. It it excellent for those that have a tendency of being overly-absorbent of other's energies. For example, in the past, I had somewhat of an incapacity to go home from an intensely emotional session with a client and feel "normal" - like myself. I would typically take on the client's feelings as described to me in session and then be really confused as to why I felt that way - I had absorbed the client's energy.

If you are interested in pursuing the application of herbs and/or flower essences to what ails you or if you have further questions about how either or both of these modalities work, please contact me. I would be happy to offer more information and especially to facilitate an experience for you towards better health and wellness through the use of herbs and/or flower essences.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic
roberta@pranaholistic.ca
780.454.5299

Flu Season

2010-08-21T15:55:00.001-06:00

Not to rush the seasons, but the flu season is approaching again. Before that happens, I would like to get an early jump on helping my followers make the best decisions about their health.

I have been watching an amazing interview with Dr. Mercola and Barbara Loe Fisher, founder of the National Vaccine Information Center.

The most shocking and enlightening comment in this fantastic interview, was this.

Products containing mercury, like any vaccine containing Thirmesol, CANNOT BE DISPOSED OF in a regular manner as they are considered HAZARDOUS WASTE! And yet we are encouraged to have them injected into our bodies?

Please watch the video at http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/08/21/barbara-loe-fisher-on-flu-vaccine-changes.aspx

I also wanted to point out this comment from Dr. Mercola on the vaccines effectiveness on the elderly, one of the main targets for these vaccines:

Flu Vaccine Does Not Prevent Death in Elderly, CDC Director Admits

Clearly, what the pharmaceutical industry would love for you to believe is that the flu vaccine is going to somehow magically protect you from dying from the flu, when in fact the evidence couldn't be more clear -- It doesn't work at all in the elderly! And the data is flimsy at best when it comes to children and adults.
In fact, in April, Michael Osterholm, director of the national Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), publicly admitted that flu shots don't work in the elderly.
We also know the flu vaccine is fraught with side effects and health complications, so many people are literally receiving zero benefit and all risk when getting this vaccine! ~ Dr. Mercola, MD

Educate you and your family before making your flu vaccine decisions this fall. I trust you to make the best decision for you, but I just want to make sure you see all sides of this story.

To a healthy season, now and in the future!

Kristi Shmyr

Prana Holistic

Fleeting Summer Days

2010-08-17T11:05:00.000-06:00

I love Edmonton in the summer.

There. I said it.

It seems to me that's not a particularly popular opinion - to actually enjoy where you currently live. But I have always been a bit of a rebel.

The Fringe Festival is on right now, it's still sunny and warm, but the nights have cooled significantly. You can eat outside or in, and ice cream still feels like a totally reasonable "I need to cool down" purchase. I love it.

I have been happily enjoying our short summer season, blissfully unaware that fall has been silently slipping in and touching the trees already. Yes, saw my first yellow leaves on the trees. Blerg.

So today's post isn't particularly relevant to my business, but simply a Happiness Call to Action. Enjoy the last days of summer. I truly believe how you do anything is how you do everything, so if you are waiting for the kids to be out of the house, or retirement, or whatever, to actually get out there and enjoy summer, know that you will ALWAYS be in a state of waiting. Seize the day and enjoy the sun. It doesn't last forever.

Do you get that I am not just talking about summer here?

Kristi Shmyr

Prana Holistic

Stress: Your Mental Perceptions. So How Can You Cope?

2010-08-11T18:02:00.000-06:00

Stress: BLAH! For the most part, not many of us can claim to be non-stressed. Perhaps in a single moment, your perception of the world and yourself does not include an overpowering feeling of stress, but surely, as your day proceeds, you can notice at least some experience of stress. Some people proceed through their days in a constant state of feeling "stressed out". Even "good" things can create an experience of stress that perhaps we consider to be "good" stress. I don't suppose "good" stress is something worth trying to change. Rather, it's our experience of "bad" stress that we all need help coping with. Stress inevitably leads to ill-health that can manifest as minor aches and pains, colds and flu (since stress depletes the immune system), chronic conditions and even degenerative illnesses. It is estimated that 90 per cent of illnesses and disease are related to stress - no kidding!

So where does stress start? Stress is a mental perception, so I do believe that it starts within our mental faculties of being. For example, when Caleb (my son) throws his food on the floor, I perceive stress, which I feel physically and that sometimes gives me a feeling as though I'm going to explode in anger (as embarrassing as that is for me to admit, let's be honest here). Meanwhile, I see how Caleb's dad interacts with him, and he is very laid back and non-reactive while Caleb throws his food around and makes a mess: he simply lets Caleb know that that's not okay, and proceeds with life. In reality, nothing is being altered to the point of negatively affecting my life nor is anyone being hurt when Caleb throws his food on the floor, so why do I perceive stress? Well, my mom keeps a very clean house and has always spent lots of time and energy maintaining that and clearly perceiving stress when it's not that way. Now, before proceeding, let me clarify that I adored my childhood, I love my mother dearly and I know damn well that we, as parents, do the very best that we can with the resources that are available to us in each passing moment. I say all that in order that it doesn't seem that I'm placing blame when I say that surely, that's where my mental perception of: messy house = stress, is coming from.

Now, I realize that changing the mental belief that a messy house is stressful is what is really necessary in order that this not ride me like it does. I mean, Caleb's a toddler and I best be getting used to messes if I want to proceed through his childhood with ease and minimal stress. In the meantime, I need to focus on how I can cope with my perception of stress in response to Caleb's creating messes. There are many ways of coping with stress to the best of your ability. At the end of the day, the fact that stress is a part of daily living is not going to change, it's OUR way of coping, thinking and behaving that is subject to change. I'm going to encourage you to start with deep abdominal breathing. For a more in depth explanation, please check out my most recent column: Take A Deep Breath... for SEE Magazine. For a video on how to do deep abdominal breathing and for more tips and ideas on how to reduce your stress, please check out The Ultimate Stress Seminar: this also offers you the opportunity to sign up for Kristi and I's upcoming FREE teleseminar dedicated to helping you live an easy and stress-free life. Finally, for help with changing your thoughts and beliefs that are keeping you stressed out (ie: messy house = stress), please check out Goal Ninjas: Kristi's passionate pursuit to lead you on a journey towards the life you crave!

What are your most regular perceptions of stress? What are your best ways of coping with perceived stress? Your comments are really important to us, so do us a favour and leave one...or two...or more! We want to hear from you!

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

Constipated? Just poop!

2010-08-05T17:13:00.001-06:00

When we talk about letting go, in terms of health, often it can mean letting go of more than just emotions. Constipation is one of the most common chronic conditions in the western world, and as funny as this baby makes it look, anyone who knows the heaviness, bloating and lethargy that accompanies constipation knows it ain't no joke!

So what do you do to relieve constipation? I have some ideas!

Ask a reflexologist to show you where you colon is on your feet, or check online (or even better, get a session - it's very therapeutic, and worse case scenario - you get a fantastic foot rub!). Reflexology is AMAZING for relieving a "back up in your back end". Babies and young children especially respond quickly. My 2 year old niece's feet were congested in the colon area, so I rubbed them for 5 minutes. Within 10 minutes she had a bowel movement so large it could pass for an adult's. Too much information, you say? Get over it - it's natural!
Avoid harsh herbs like cascara sagrada and senna, as well as laxatives. They can intensify the very symptoms they are meant to treat, cause cramping, and with overuse can even cause liver problems. Instead, opt for peppermint and ginger teas to gently promote digestion and ease tension.
Eat more raw, living foods, and take digestive enzymes. Raw fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts and even meat have enzymes that are critical to your digestion; without them, especially as you age, you won't be able to process your meals as easily and constipation (as well as fatigue, weight gain and headaches, just to name a few symptoms) will result. After age 35, it is also recommended that you supplement with Betaine (from beet root) that mimics your stomachs hydrochloric acid, which lowers significantly as you age.
In the morning, as soon as you wake up, drink 1-2 glasses of tepid to warm water, pace around while rubbing your entire abdomen area in a clockwise fashion, paying special attention to any tender or tight areas. Then, regardless of the need or not, sit on the toilet for a minute with your knees elevated (use a low stool or stack of magazines). Do this everyday for a week and you will train your body to have a morning bowel movement.
Get a massage therapist trained in abdominal massages (we have Leila for this!) to work out tension in your abdomen and help your system restore its natural elimination. Often, organs can become "stuck" and releasing them will also help you release your poop!

If you're constipated, its time to let go. Start with these 5 tips and you are well on your way to a happier tummy!

Some Au Natural Solutions for Skeeter Season

2010-08-01T23:17:00.002-06:00

For a little while there, I thought we might get away with NOT being bombarded with mosquitoes this year. I suppose I was being silly: it was a little bit of wishful thinking on my part. Alas, I got bit more than four times on my way from my car to my front door yesterday! I'm not a big fan of air conditioning, but I used it yesterday because there was no way I was opening my car windows since every time I did, anywhere from 3 - 5 buzzy bestits would get in!

Anyway, there's really no use moaning about it as that certainly won't make the annoying problem go away. Rather, I have looked up a few natural mosquito repellents and bite remedies that I hope will be helpful for everyone.

Let's start with a few ideas for natural repellents. First of all, I'd like to say that I really like the Rocky Mountain Soap Company's insect repellent cream. It's safe for kids and actually smells quite good. You can get their products at Planet Organic market or, alternatively, there's a Rocky Mountain Soap Company store in Southgate Mall. Here are some other suggestions:

- lemon, geranium, clove, fennel, tea tree, rosemary and/or eucalyptus oils
- citronella that can be obtained in oil or many different repellent lotions
- garlic: it is suggested that ingesting garlic will repel insects by coming out the pores of the skin. I imagine raw garlic would have to be ingested quite regularly for this to be effective. I'd say about 2-3 cloves per day, cut up into small enough pieces to be swallowed with water.
- SMOKE! You can get citronella candles or, if you have a fire pit, have a fire if you're going to be outside at night - that'll definitely keep them off you.
- during the day, avoid wearing dark clothing as that attracts the buggers

It's pretty much inevitable that you'll get some bites considering how massive the mosquito population seems to be at this rate. One of our excellent massage therapists, Ryan, has about 15 bites all in one area below the knee on the back of his calf. It's like a big ol' cluster of itchy. At work this past Saturday, he applied peppermint oil to the bites, which he said, and I can imagine, was helpful. I'm sure tea tree oil or any other oil with a similar bite to it would be effective, like rosemary or spearmint oils. Here are some other suggestions of what to apply to the bites to help kill the insatiable itchy-ness:

- vinegar - apparently white or apple cider vinegar are effective. You could also put about 1/2 a cup of vinegar in your bath water.
- rub a bar of soap on the bites
- a hot compress or ice cubes
- a mixture of baking soda and water
- toothpaste or underarm deodorant

I imagine and hope that at least one - and probably more - of these suggestions will be helpful to you. God knows the damn itchy bites can be a bit of a distraction - I HATE the ones just below the ankle bone!

Happy August everyone and here's to hoping we'll be successful in our pursuits to dodge the skeeters for the rest of mosquito season.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

Lactose Intolerance: When Did Ignoring Messages From Our Bodies Become A Good Idea?

2010-07-28T14:31:00.001-06:00

Today I read an article in the Globe & Mail about lactose intolerance. The author sounded very knowledgeable, from a scientific perspective, about the workings of the human body and how lactose is digested. In order to digest lactose, found in dairy products such as milk, cheese, yogurt, cream, etc., our bodies use an enzyme called lactase. As mentioned by the author who wrote this article, our bodies produce less lactase as we get older - it is thought that we stop producing lactase at about the age of 4. This would be why symptoms of "lactose intolerance", as we've come to know it, show up, such as cramps, bloating, gas and diarrhea. The body is trying desperately to digest something that it is unable to digest due to lack of enzymes, and, as a result, lactose is being fermented in the large intestine by bacteria, who's activity is causing the above mentioned symptoms.

Anyway, the final point that the author was making in this article that I read, was that we don't have to make the sacrifice of avoiding dairy products: there are alternatives, such as consuming products where the lactose content has been reduced, such as lactose-free milk and where lactase, the enzyme, has been added to assist our bodies in digesting lactose. Further, she discussed the possibility of supplementing the enzyme lactase before consuming dairy with such well-known products as "Lactaid". Finally, a person could introduce small amounts of dairy frequently, in the hope that the body would adjust and allow for periodic consumption of dairy products without adverse symptoms.

I guess I was a bit amazed by this article. The amazement is because I'm misunderstanding how we, as a North American society (and perhaps other societies too, but I'm most familiar with North American society), seem to think it's totally cool and okay to ignore glaring messages from our physical bodies. Is the thought really lost on us that there's a very specific reason as to why our bodies stop producing as much lactase in an early stage of life? Is there really such a small population of people who are understanding of the methods of the human body? Children, in their development, tend to need more fat, vitamins, nutrients, minerals and protein than adults do, as adult's bodies are more sophisticated. This would be why children's bodies have the capacity to digest foods that contain lactose. Having said that, I would like to mention the fact that infants and children are more susceptible to developing allergies and cow's dairy is highly allergenic. I feed my infant goat's milk and cheese, which still contains lactose, but is more easily assimilated by the human body and far less allergenic.

The body is a finely tuned and miraculous machine that typically doesn't do anything by accident, so how is it okay to just soldier through symptoms that arise as a result of consuming dairy products? Yeah I get it, cheese tastes good: doesn't mean our body is designed to have cheese on a daily basis. Here we go again with our strong desire for instant gratification: it feels or tastes good, so who cares about the fact that it doesn't exactly produce positive health results. MY point, and perhaps a redundant one, is moderation. If you choose to consume milk, cheese, cream, yogurt, ice cream, etc., for God's sake, do it in moderation because your body is not designed to have it! And in the event that you do make these choices and experience uncomfortable symptoms of intolerance as a result, listen to your body! It's only trying to tell you: "hey, I don't like this and am not sure what to do with it because I don't have the resources to break it down". The appropriate response is: "okay body, thank you. I really value the amazing job you do each day: I'll take it easy on dairy because you deserve the very best and I only have one of you".

Make sense? It makes A LOT of sense to me. Let me know what YOU think.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

Calorie Wise or Otherwise?

2010-07-23T11:55:00.001-06:00

I don't think I need to draw additional attention to the idea of a "low-fat" diet. Low-fat products are all around us and following a low-fat diet is recommended by many physicians, especially to those who are overweight or with high blood pressure or cholesterol levels. Under these circumstances, I bet no one ever considered the possibility that a calorie-wise dietary regime might not be so wise!

Fat is a healthy component of each person's diet. But ALL FATS ARE NOT EQUAL. For lack of better words, there are "good" fats and "bad" fats. "Good" fats such as unsaturated oils like olive, sunflower, safflower, evening primrose, borage, nuts and seeds and their oils and fatty fish and their oils make many positive contributions to our health. "Good" fats function to generate energy, create and maintain cell membranes, insulate and protect, improve nerve and organ function, discourage fat storage and create prostaglandins. As already reviewed in my recent blog about evening primrose oil, prostaglandins mimic the action of hormones in the body to such positive effect as reducing inflammation. Consuming "good" fats can help mental and nervous system disorders, diabetes, PMS, heart disease, skin and joint disorders. Moreover, "good" fats help improve digestion, prostate and breast health and contribute to a healthy pregnancy and post-pregnancy, especially improving the quality of breast milk.

Saturated fats, in excess, are "bad" fats that cause health problems over time. Saturated fats are found primarily in animal protein, butter and coconut oil and are solid at room temperature. This is not to say that saturates ought to be 100% cut out from the diet, but rather that moderation is key.

Low-fat products aren't doing anyone any favours. Depending on the nature of the "low-fat", "diet" or "calorie-wise" product, there may be artificial sweeteners in the ingredients list and artificial sweeteners are absolutely toxic to the human body. Furthermore, low-fat products have been more processed than products that are left with fat in tact. And, just to be redundant, chances are that the fat that was otherwise in that product was healthful in nature.

Our society is one of excessive consumption. Those who are recommended to avoid fats would do better to avoid low-fat products and moderate their intake of dietary fats, putting focus upon the "good" fats and being mindful of "bad" fats. Again, the fats that are considered "bad" are only classified as so when they are consumed excessively. So slow down, enjoy your food - even food with fat included - and be moderate!

For more information on just how atrocious the ingredients in low-fat products can be, check out my recent column for SEE Magazine: Low-Fat May Be Highly Bad For You

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

Summer Food, healthified

2010-07-16T18:11:00.000-06:00

Summer is the time for fun food, right? Barbecues and patios, slushy drinks and finger food. But the problem is, most of that isn't all that good for you.

"Shut up, Kristi".

That's what you're thinking, right? "Who cares, and stop ruining my summer fun"!

I think you SHOULD enjoy some fun food and drink, guilt-free this summer. But why not make some minor changes to make your barbecue and your beach body friends!

Idea #1: Fish tacos:

This is a fresh, fun treat in the summer. Make a spicy rub with cayenne (revs the metabolism for a leaner body, easier), paprika, garlic and onion powder, and salt, rub it into some fresh halibut (healthy, healthy fish), and throw it on the BBQ. Then cook up a little rice (remember, rice is a SIDE DISH, so small amount, and use brown or a nice wild blend), add some beans (kidney or black or whatever you have), and make some fresh guacamole with avocado, diced peppers and onions, garlic, lemon juice and a dash of sea salt. Add fresh salsa (diced tomatos, onions, cilantro, garlic, lemon juice), put it all in nice big lettuce leaves (healthier than taco shells, and much fresher in taste) and you have an incredible, easy and healthy meal!

Idea #2: Fun Slushy drink:

Add coconut milk, pineapple and ice in a blender and make a fun, healthier drink. Coconut milk is great for hormone health, full of healthy fats, and tasty, and pineapple is not only fresh and flavourful, but has natural enzymes that help you digest better, as well as decrease inflammation. Add some rum if you are feeling especially crazy, but don't overdo it or you'll undo all of your healthy work!

Add a fresh salad (I love watermelon, mint, feta, red onion and a splash of vinegar - sounds like a weird salad, but so good!) and you have a healthy BBQ. Then get the gang playing Frisbee or football and being active and you have a healthy weekend of fun and food!

Kristi Shmyr

Prana Holistic

Evening Primrose Oil Could Be The Answer To Your Painful Menstruation!

2010-07-15T11:50:00.002-06:00

I have been using evening primrose oil (EPO) for premenstrual symptoms for years. When I was pregnant, I stopped using it as I - of course - wasn't getting my period during that time. However, nearing the end of my term and once I was overdue and gagging to get my baby out, I started inserting EPO vaginally to get things going. This was at the recommendation of my midwives and something that I hadn't thought of, but that actually makes perfect sense. EPO, along with many other healthy oils and fats, contain prostaglandins: a component of lipid molecules that mimic the action of hormones and help to regulate the contraction and relaxation of smooth muscles in the body. And let me tell you: IT WORKS!! I started using EPO for the purpose of inducing labour a few days before I actually went into labour. I have to say, I woke up every single night wondering if using it again the next night would be worth it, considering the fact that it certainly caused contractions that were anything but comfortable.

Previous to being pregnant, I had a history of experiencing every single pre-menstrual symptom in the book: breast tenderness, cravings, emotional highs and lows, irritability, sore back, and then during my flow: cramps, bloating, gas, diarrhea, exhaustion, muscle aches and pains...I'm sure there are others! At some point, I stumbled upon the idea of taking EPO to relieve pre-menstrual and menstrual symptoms, was - and continue to be - astonished by the efficacy with which EPO eliminates all pre-menstrual and menstrual discomfort. I mean, ALL of my symptoms were, and continue to be relieved! The ticket is that you have to take EPO every single day throughout the month as opposed to just acutely during your period. The recommended dosage for EPO is as follows: 2 500mg capsules per day. I take EPO as follows: 1 capsule in the morning and 1 capsule at night before bed.

Other conditions and symptoms that can be improved and addressed by taking EPO are as follows: any inflammatory condition, skin problems such as eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, acne and skin rashes, allergies, asthma, chronic fatigue, cancer, rheumatism, hormonal imbalances, menopause, colitis, heart disease, hypertension, atherosclerosis and diabetes. It is, of course, recommended that EPO be avoided during pregnancy.

An interesting fact about the pretty, yellow flower, as pictured here, from which EPO is derived: it only blooms at night, hence the name "evening" primrose. Considering that the cycles of the moon relate most strongly to women and menstruation in both folklore and astrology, it is very fitting and a blatant representation of evening primrose's plant signature that it's oil addresses female issues. If you or someone you know suffers from pre-menstrual and/or menstrual symptoms, I strongly recommend that you try EPO. Surely, you won't regret it.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

Heat For Healing

2010-07-02T14:50:00.004-06:00

I was just having a conversation with a client of ours here at Prana, and she was describing how when she uses effective, healing visuals in meditation, she can feel heat in her body. Likewise, when I share reiki healing with clients, I always feel heat. A couple of days ago, I was sharing reiki with a client who was having a lot of pain in her legs. While my hands were over her legs, I became SO HOT that I almost had to take my hands away. It's made me reflect on how brilliant the field of energetic healing is and also how brilliant the human body is.

Our body often responds to sickness by elevating it's internal temperature, what we know to be a fever. The elevated temperature hinders the activity of pathogens while creating an environment conducive to the proliferation and activity of white blood cells within the immune system. When internal temperature is elevated enough to cause sweating, our body releases toxins via sweat. Inducing sweating by way of an infrared sauna for example, or a very hot bath, is a great way of detoxifying the body with heat.

In cases of energy healing, energy shared by the practitioner creates heat, which is healing and cleansing in nature. Energy released by the client is experienced as heat by the practitioner, which indicates that healing is occurring.

Further, we can use herbs and foods that create heat such as cayenne, jalapenos, black pepper and other peppers as stimulants to create heat in the body. Those with poor peripheral circulation and/or who are chronically cold would likely benefit from eating stimulating foods.

Of course, it's always important to consider balance. For example, it's likely not a good idea to apply heat therapeutically to the person that already experiences an excess of heat in the body. In the practice of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), too much heat in the body can be indicative of liver imbalances, inflammation, anger and irritation. Those with an over-abundance of internal heat may sweat profusely, have spells of dizziness, be uncomfortable, experience rapid pulse and continual thirst. Having said that and in consideration of the fact that every single person's body functions every so slightly differently, perhaps those with lots of internal heat are that way to maintain balance within their unique systems. Still, they may not exactly appreciate using additional heat as a method of healing. Acupuncture is a great application that can help to bring more comfort for those with excessive internal heat. Further, applying plants such as peppermint or aloe vera would be helpful to overly-hot individuals.

If you are not a person with excessive internal heat, try using a sauna, noticing the heat imparted by energy healing, eating stimulating foods or even just appreciating the healing qualities of spending a moderate amount of time in the sun. Try this Summer Heat Meditation For Healing and Relaxing in the Sun and experience the healing qualities of heat.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

Listen Up: Opportunities For Music Therapy Abound!

2010-06-25T15:58:00.003-06:00

Hot time, summer in the city! I LOVE Edmonton summers. There's always so much to do - always another event right around the corner, buskers, lovely merchandise to be seen and bought from street vendors and so much opportunity to hear live music.

Music therapy is actually a field all on it's own, being applied frequently for cognitive and behavioral problems, to develop motor skills, to enhance the well-being of those with long term illnesses and the elderly, to enhance relaxation and in recovery work for those that have experienced strokes. Besides it's official therapeutic applications, we've surely all applied music as an antidote to the myriad of life's challenges. In the past, Rage Against the Machine was my angry music, while Sarah MacLachlan spoke to my - perhaps overly dramatic - emotional life and the Lemonheads tended to my happy-go-lucky outlook. Things have changed and new music is always on the horizon, though my appreciation for all music runs deep.

I know you know what I mean. When the beat or the artistic combination of each instrument in a piece of music just takes you away. Music is, always has been and will continue to be enchanting and transformational for the human spirit. It gives our hearts, minds and souls a voice, not to mention brings life and being to our creative inclinations. And as if that wasn't enough, it moves us to heights that, at times, remain inexplicable. It entices profound emotion and facilitates experiences where entire rooms or fields-full of strangers suddenly become one.

Take advantage of The City Of Champions' summer events, many of which include great, live music. Here's a little glimpse of what you could take in to create your very own, local music therapy:

Edmonton International Jazz Festival
Canada Day - Celebrate Canada 2010 Events
Edmonton International Street Performers Festival
Capital Ex
Blueberry Bluegrass and Country Music Festival
Cariwest: Edmonton's Caribbean Arts Festival
Edmonton's Labatt Blues Festival

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

Alfalfa the Wonder Herb!!

2010-06-19T13:36:00.001-06:00

I've recently been doing some research on alfalfa as I have been recommending it for clients, have recently written a column about it and have been taking it in tea format myself.

Alfalfa means "the father of all foods", which, surely, is a hefty name to live up to. Considering the myriad of ways in which alfalfa lends itself therapeutically, I'm convinced that it easily lives up to its name.

Alfalfa has historically been used as a feed for horses and cows. Alfalfa is a legume, believe it or not, and currently the most cultivated legume in the whole world! Alfalfa grows very deeply in the soil, it's roots therefore able to access many nutrients which are available to us when we take alfalfa therapeutically. Alfalfa has a full spectrum of nutrients, minerals and vitamins. According to Robert Rogers' (my herbology guru), alfalfa has 3 times the calcium of milk, 5 times the magnesium and 40 times the iron!! Further, the vitamin C content is 4 times that of citrus juice (when consumed fresh), and a valuable source of vitamin K, necessary for blood clotting and essential to a healthy digestive system. Alfalfa also has an incredibly high protein content, which is the primary reason that it's fed to dairy cows. Alfalfa is a resilient plant and an excellent tonic, meaning that it tones and strengthens all the systems of the body. Alfalfa is a wonderful strengthening herb for those that are weak, underweight or recovering from an illness. Alfalfa is wonderful for the digestive system, especially considering the fact that it contains a wide range of digestive enzymes and is known to create bacterial balance in the lower digestive tract. Alfalfa is excellent for the cardiovascular system in that it dissolves cholesterol. It also inhibits fungus, reduces blood sugar levels, balances hormones and alkalizes the blood, making for a more alkaline internal environment that is so conducive to optimal health. Alfalfa also improves the flow and quality of breast milk, boosts the immune system, decreases the incidence of female cancers and binds to carcinogens in the bowel, speeding their elimination from the body. I'm pretty sure those are enough reasons to justify everyone ingesting alfalfa daily!

It is always my recommendation that when possible, herbs be taken in tincture format as there is more fresh herb readily available for the body's use and tinctures are also easier for the body to assimilate. However, alfalfa is pretty tough to find in tincture format here in Edmonton - I've tried! The second best way to ingest herbs is by drinking them as tea. I recommend Chickadee Farm, a local company that produces dried alfalfa leaves. Chickadee Farm brand is available at Planet Organic markets. Put 1-2 teaspoons of dried herb in a tea ball, allow to steep for about 10 minutes and drink! I like the taste, but some people find alfalfa to be quite grassy, so feel free to mix it with any other herbal tea such as ginger or peppermint to mask the grassy taste. Enjoy!

Alfalfa seeds, in particular, ought to be avoided by those suffering from any autoimmune condition while alfalfa supplementation in general ought to be avoided by those with lupus, specifically.

For more thorough recommendations on what herbs would be best for YOU, YOUR body and YOUR unique set of circumstances, please book an herbology consult with myself. I would be happy to recommend the perfect herb or herbs particular to you.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

My Friend John Asaraf, chilling with me!

2010-06-16T15:27:00.001-06:00

Here I am, chilling with my new friend John Asaraf, of The Secret fame, in San Diego.

That's just how I roll!

Kristi Shmyr

"Boo Hoo, I'm Sick!" : The Difference Between An Infant & An Adult Experiencing the Same Sickness

2010-06-11T13:11:00.003-06:00

I had a very interesting and introspective experience recently when myself and my son were sick at the same time, presumably with the same illness. Caleb (my little guy) got sick first as he's teething, which compromises little people's immune systems. He got a cold accompanied by a persistent cough that got worse at night. Soon after, I found myself similarly sick with a very sore throat, swollen glands, fatigue, muscle aches and periodic headaches. I'm not entirely sure whether or not Caleb shared my symptoms as he's currently unable to tell me, but I suspect he had an easier time with our sickness than I did. How do I know? Well, despite the fact that Caleb's nose was constantly leaking and he spent more than one night coughing frequently (this was before I invested in some awesome homeopathic cough medicine), he always woke up fresh, energized and on-the-go the moment his feet touched the ground. I, on the contraty, found myself slow-moving, groggy, somewhat debilitated and in need of much herbal, infrared sauna, manual lymphatic drainage, massage and hot baths support. I was moaning to myself and forever mentally confirming that I didn't feel good. The fact that this was the case really made me reflect on the difference between a child and an adult being under the weather. Two things seemed glaringly obvious to me:

1. As adults, we typically have more accumulated toxins in our bodies from years of lifestyle choices and years of having been exposed to chemicals. I grew up amidst a very conventional mind-set where taking pain medications and pursuing prescriptions, including lots of antibiotics, for ails was common. Not to mention the fact that as the years progressed, I participated in surely too much alcohol consumption. More stored toxins equals a more adverse experience of health, especially when one falls ill. This is a perfect supportive truth for the value of periodic cleansing. And trust me, I am CHOMPING AT THE BIT to do a cleanse, as soon as Caleb's done with breastfeeding.

2. Our perception of illness surely exacerbates our experience of illness. Notice that above, I mentioned the fact that during our sickness, I was "forever mentally confirming that I didn't feel good". Well, as we know, what we believe to be true more often than not manifests itself into our reality. I'm positive that Caleb didn't spend his days thinking to himself: "Waaa, waaa...I don't feel good!" I'm sure he wasn't thinking much at all, but rather just going with the flow of life, moving from one toy to the next, one experience to the next, always fully present in each passing moment, never painfully aware of the fact that he had a runny nose and whatever other symptoms he may have been experiencing.

This is reflective of Kristi's recent blog "Happy Like a Dog", where she makes the point that animals and children are perfect teachers to us about being present in each passing moment. This recent experience of mine is another beautiful reminder not only of present-moment living, but of the importance of cleansing our bodily temples. Here's a simple analogy: think of a fish tank. If you never clean your fish tank, how can you expect the ecosystem within to thrive? Chances are the water will become mucky and the fish may even die. Likewise, we need to clean our bodies out every now and then so that we can have a more optimal experience of life and not be so run down when common colds hit.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

Your Ego is Your Amigo!

2010-06-07T16:24:00.001-06:00

Most self-help books, programs and experts will tell you that in order to achieve a truly happy life, you need to forgo the evil "ego".

Unless you intend to live your days on a mountain top in the lotus position
DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS GARBAGE!

If you want to live a life integrated into society, ANY society, you need to appreciate and respect your ego and work WITH it, not against it.

Working against it will only force your ego to work against you and sabotage your efforts, something I think we are all familiar with (has your head ever convinced you, mid-diet, that it doesn't matter if you eat a whole bag of cookies? That's your ego sabotaging you!)

So how do you avoid this? You have to respect the ego, and the survival brain, and enroll it in your goal.

We will go into this in much greater detail in our September Goal Ninja Bootcamp, including exercises on enrolling your ego, but in the meantime, here's something to keep in mind:

Get clear on what you fear would happen if you pursue or achieve a goal. Those fears are your ego's way of keeping you safe and are there for your safety and protection. Once you start listening to your fears with respect and acknowledging the important role they play in your life, you will have a better chance of your ego allowing you to proceed with your dreams.

If you are interested in achieving your goals and dreams, please go to www.goalninjas.com for more information on our upcoming Goal Ninjas Bootcamp.

Kristi Shmyr
Prana Holistic

Going Into the "Eye of The Storm" - A Practice in Decreasing Emotional Charge

2010-05-28T15:13:00.001-06:00

Here's something potentially out of the ordinary: when you're feeling strong emotions around a particular event or just in general, how about delving RIGHT into them instead of trying to alleviate them? I think we have a tendency to want to make our feelings "better" when we're upset, angry, resistant or afraid. In the long run, does it really help to try and make those feelings go away? Won't they just come back again, possibly in different format and maybe even stronger than ever? The next time you find yourself wrapped up in intense emotion, try the following:

Contemplate the specific feeling you are experiencing and explore it in these ways (in other words, ask yourself these questions):

1. Where in your body does this feeling live? Try to pinpoint an exact physical place where your feelings reside, such as in the pit of your stomach, in your heart, etc.
2. At what proximity does this feeling reside? How shallow or deep inside is it?
3. What colour is the feeling?
4. What shape is the feeling?
5. What's the texture?
6. What temperature is the feeling?
7. Does it move or change?
8. How big is it?

Now...once you've established the answers to all those questions, try sitting right in "the eye" of that feeling...right in the very center...and just stay there...observing. Stay as long as you can and notice as much as you can. Maybe try to get even more clear about the details of the feeling. See what happens when you just stay there, without judgment. Does the physicality of the feeling change? Does it get bigger or smaller? Try asking the physical form of the feeling some questions such as: why are you here? What is your purpose? What would you like to show/teach me? Upon asking such questions, it's important to be open to the answers by listening to your gut reaction, the first thing that comes into your head...your intuition. Remember to always offer gratitude such as: I know you're here for a very good reason, so thank you for being here. Try this exercise until you notice some change in the feeling.

Everything is with us for a very good reason. Everything (especially the more intense things) occurs in order to impart some level of learning and growth. I don't suppose we can really enlighten ourselves as to the lessons that lie within each feeling and event if we don't explore them fully. I encourage you to do so. Further, it would be helpful to write your experiences down for the purpose of logging change and thereby imparting more learning and growth. So put on your emotional helmet and dive right in to the eye of the storm! Chances are there's something valuable in there just waiting to be uncovered.

If you would like help or guidance with this exercise, please call us or send us a message. We are eager to help you uncover anything that will lend itself to your growing and becoming a more fulfilled and healthy person.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

Out with the Old!

2010-05-26T18:49:00.000-06:00

Do you ever feel like you can't attract anything new or exciting into your life?

As an avid goal getter, let me ask a revealing question:

Is there any room in your life, your closet, or your head for new and exciting things?

If you really want to create space for new and wonderful things in your life, you need to make room for them. Start eliminating draining tasks, memories and even clothes and other items to create a vacuum for which brand new joys can fill.

A great place to start? Go through your closet, purge the clothes that are in great shape but that just don't inspire you anymore, and trade them in for "new to you" clothes this Saturday at the "Over the Top Fashion Swap" at the Winspear (go the the Over the Top Fashion Swap website here). There will be fashion shows, spa samples, photographers, and a lot of fun, including us (yes, we will be there!). Come. Get a relaxing spa session (you get a free sample with your entry fee). Clear a closet. Make way for new things. Don't buy into the idea that there isn't enough, make room for the abundance that wants to enter. Start with your clothes, and who knows what will happen.

This was a very weak blog post.

Sorry. I'll do better next time!

Kristi Shmyr

So...Why Can't I Eat Cake? : The Problems With Refined Sugar and White Flour

2010-05-17T21:57:00.002-06:00

Perhaps I'm a little late with this post considering our 30-day sugar cleanse is long past. Nevertheless, it's a great reminder as ever lingering, poor diet inclinations creep back up...

Yeah yeah, cake's delicious. I'm in total agreement. But here are a few facts about why refined sugar and white flour (both of which are abundant in cake and sugary treats) cause health complications over time:

- there's no nutritional value in either refined sugar or white flour
- they both add empty calories to the diet where more healthful foods could be such as protein, mineral-rich and vitamin-rich foods
- the milling of white flour removes iron, B vitamins and minerals
- it has been said that bleach is used to whiten white flour (yikes!)
- refining flour (thereby removing fibre, wheat germ and bran) causes the body to treat it like sugar, converting it to glucose and storing it as fat
- refined carbohydrates cause congestion and reduced immune function
- eating fatty foods at the same time as sugar and/or refined flour (as in cake) causes the body to store more fat than usual
- eating too much sugar and refined flour causes blood sugar imbalances and frequent 'crash' experiences

Now, I'm going to take this opportunity to repeat something that surely you've heard me say before: MODERATION IS KEY. The purpose of this post is not to say that you can't even eat cake! For God's sake, cake is awesome! Rather, the point is that cake on a daily basis or even every other day causes ill health over time. So, if you're going to eat cake, eat it once a week and enjoy it thoroughly!

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

Happy Like a Dog

2010-05-14T18:07:00.001-06:00

“Be alert as you watch a dog at play or at rest. Let the animal teach you to feel at home in the now, to celebrate life by being completely present. You just watch the tail...with some dogs you just look at them -- just a little look is enough -- and their tail goes...‘Life is good! Life is good!’ And they are not telling themselves a story of why life is good. It’s a direct realization.” ~ Eckhart Tolle

The beauty of dogs and small children is their ability to let go and be in the moment. They rarely hang onto the past. If they are upset, they don't wait for an "appropriate" amount of time to hang onto that upset - they go with what they feel in the moment. If that means they are crying one minute, and laughing the next (or cowering and then wagging, as the case may be), then so be it!

We could take a cue from our little friends. Change IS going to happen in all of our lives; the more we roll with it, the better. Read the quote from Eckhard Tolle again. Experiment with that kind of happiness and see what happens. Sure, you might get some odd looks trying to wag your "tail", but living in the pure joy of the moment, regardless of the events and stories that are present in that moment, is worth it!

Kristi Shmyr

Prana Holistic

Hilarious Hippie Names

2010-05-11T11:08:00.004-06:00

Ok, don't get me wrong - there are a lot of "Hippie" ideals I embrace. I even refer to myself as the Corporate Hippie sometimes. But I care about the environment and embrace the spiritual and natural world, well... quietly. It's important to me because it's important, not because I want to prove something to others.

I find it amusing when people in my field change their name to gloriously hippie, flower-child names. I feel it often comes across as forced, manipulative and kind of phony. These seem to be the same people saying things like "she's just not ready yet" or something equally condescending (it implies that they know where the person should be, or that they are more fully evolved).

So in the spirit of irreverence and light, Roberta and I have taken it upon ourselves to change our names, and the names of our fellow teammates at Prana.

Introducing...

Kristi as Rose Quartz Patchouli Rainwater.

Roberta as Crystal Heaven MorningGlory.

Adam as Sweetgrass Apache Tears Macrame (imagine a haughty accent aigu on that last e).

Elizabeth as Citrine Angel's Trumpet MoonShimmer.

Jordan as Jade Shimmering Waters Chokurei.

Leila as Juniper Aura Sunbeam Alive.

Ryan as Opal Tiger Lily Sagebrush.

Sharon as Aquamarine Lavender Earth Mother.

And just like that, we are better healers.

Kristi Shmyr, AKA
Rose Quartz Patchouli Rainwater
Prana Holistic

Kristi's No Sugar Experience

2010-05-05T15:33:00.002-06:00

Heyo!

Check me out - this is my uber-professional picture, slightly distorted by this blog's image importing system. I had my hair and make-up done for my YWCA Women of Distinction nominee photo (in the category of entrepreneur) and am using it all overs the interweb so y'all can see me in my professional glory!

But I digress.

So, my 30-day Sugar-free month is over. (See Sugar is to Health what Tiger Woods is to Commitment for more on our Sugar-free month).

What did I learn?

I eat more sugar than I thought.
My subconscious is adamant I maintain a certain sugar quota and barrages me with dreams of sugary sweets as punishment for not giving in to my cravings during the day, and yet;
During the day, I didn't find it nearly as hard as I thought I would to resist the sweet temptations.
Finally, when I resumed my sugar-eating, I broke out, got a yeast infection, and got a headache.

Lesson - I will now cut my sugar consumption to 2 treats a week, a fair trade for a brain that doesn't throb and clear skin, me thinks.

Now it's your turn to rock the sugar-free month. Try it and see - the Oreos and doughnuts will still exist in 30 days, and you get a chance to see what life would be like without sugar.

Kristi Shmyr

Prana Holistic

Post 30-Day Sugar Cleanse Success!

2010-05-03T13:37:00.002-06:00

So...the 30-day sugar cleanse that Kristi and I embarked upon was completed a couple days ago. Results? I can only speak for myself, and this was my experience:

Cravings were pretty strong at times, though at other times, I found myself perfectly content avoiding baked goods like scones and muffins and heading to the produce department for some fresh fruit.

Previous to our 30 sugar-free days starting, I was quite aware that I wasn't eating very much. My appetite had become - sometimes alarmingly - small. I am a strong-bodied, active woman who has always had a hearty appetite, so this not being the case is something that stands out for me. One of the most noticeable and perhaps enjoyable results that I experienced while on the sugar cleanse was my increase in appetite. I found myself hungry quite regularly, surely due to the fact that I wasn't, at any time in my days, filling up on the empty calories typical of refined goods like baked things, breads and sugary treats. I craved protein more than anything, and being that protein nourishes my brain quite nicely while refined goods make me feel foggy, I was nicely focused and able to proceed with my days more efficiently and with a lighter physical feeling.

Kristi & I had spoken quite early on in the process about my having a day of grace seeing as my birthday fell right at the end of our 30 days, but before we were finished. I thought I might not need or want that day of grace, but birthday cake is, after all, not something to be missed out on, specifically when it's your own birthday cake. So I ate the birthday cake: a delicious triple chocolate layer cake. Surely based on the fact that I hadn't had processed sugar or white flour like that in quite some time, any piece of said cake might have been too big of a piece. Let me tell you: if you didn't know me, you might have thought I was pregnant!

I was pregnant with a cake baby!

My belly was SO bloated, and there was nothing I could do to hold it in! Further, after my guests left, I felt strange and was unable to sleep for a while. When I did get to sleep, it was restless and anything but rejuvenating. In the morning I felt dull and was incredibly gassy. Yikes! Was it worth it? Hmmm...good question. A momentary sense of taste pleasure in exchange for an ongoing feeling of discomfort. In the big scheme of things, I'd say that no, it wasn't worth it.

My hope for the post 30-day sugar cleanse is that I will avoid 'falling off the wagon' and habitually indulging myself in refined goods only to forget the clear-headed, light feeling that accompanies eliminating these things from the diet. Eating something that contains sugar once a week is a fine and acceptable indulgence in my mind, and it doesn't always have to be cake or cookies. What about fruit flavoured yogurt instead of plain or a piece of whole grain toast with almond butter and apricot jam? Sounds like a much more sensible indulgence in my world.

I want to maintain the healthy feeling imparted to me by cutting out sugar - if you haven't ever tried it, I encourage you to do so.

You won't regret it and I challenge you not to notice positive results.

Roberta Shepherd,
Prana Holistic

Rescue Remedy: An Acute Saviour in Times of Need

2010-04-30T12:16:00.006-06:00

Rescue Remedy is Edward Bach’s answer to acute times of trauma and stress. Edward Bach was the founder of the practice of flower essences. He spent lots of time with nature, figuring out what each flower and their ‘essences’ (ie: energetic contributions) lend to the human spirit and it’s many ails. Rescue Remedy, in particular, is something you may have noticed on the shelf at a health food store and maybe, you wondered what it was all about. Well, it’s a combination of 5 flower essences, each lending supportive qualities to moments of acute stress and trauma. Without delving into the components of each flower within the combo, let me just list times when the use of Rescue Remedy would be most appropriate:

- when experiencing intense nerves before a public speaking engagement, heavy exam or difficult conversation

- before attending a funeral or other emotional event

- in the wake of a traumatic accident or a loss

- to help adjust when moving, changing jobs or shifting a primary relationship

- to put in your plant’s soil or in your pet’s water when moving or integrating change (to help them adjust)

- as a parent, when losing patience or finding yourself ‘on edge’

- in the midst of an intense emotional reaction due to specific events or that seems to have no rhyme or reason

Rescue Remedy should be taken as follows for any of the above noted reasons: put 6 drops under your tongue and allow the drops to linger there while closing your eyes and taking 3 deep breaths in order that the essence integrates effectively into your being. The Flower Essence Society also produces an equivalent to Rescue Remedy called 5-Flower-Formula. Both are formidable to have on hand in times of acute need. I suggest carrying one of either of these around with you in your bag or car as well as keeping one at home. Try it…and let me know what you think.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

Can you Boil Water on my Body?

2010-04-24T14:17:00.000-06:00

Did you know your body gives off enough heat in 30 minutes to bring half a gallon of water to a boil?

Tell that to my feet!

If you have circulation issues, here are some suggestions:

1. Take cayenne pepper capsules, or eat actual hot peppers. It helps with your circulation.

2. Exercise. The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism (your internal furnace) and better your circulation.

3. Eat some fat! Believe it or not, you NEED healthy fat in your diet. Eat some so your hormones are nice and balanced and metabolism is revving.

4. Take deep breaths. Oxygenated blood circulates better and will help eliminate cold spots.

5. Infrared Sauna - the best heat on a cold, dreary day, like today! Get unlimited sauna sessions for a month for only $69 at Prana Holistic (call 780.454.5299 if your interested!)

6. Get your thyroid checked - cold hands and feet are a common indicator of a problem. Ask your doctor to check your levels of thyroid hormone regularly, and even if they are "within the normal range" but low, take a supplement to boost them. I love Lorna VandeHaeghe's Thyrosense.

No more cold feet!

Sugar is to nutrition as Tiger Woods is to commitment

2010-04-15T15:22:00.001-06:00

(Hmmm...I am not entirely sure that analogy is sound, but you get the idea!)

Sugar. It holds such a key spot in our hearts and our society. Chocolates at Valentine's Day, candy at Halloween, and that striped emblem of Christmas, the candy cane - sugar is everywhere. It's in your salad dressings, on your fries, and (chances are) its in most of what you will eat.

We KNOW sugar is all but a biohazard when it comes to our health. It depresses our immune system. It raises tryglycerides and increases weight gain, diabetes and metabolic disorders. It aggravates asthma, arthritis and gallstones. It can destroy your kidneys and increase your risk of infection. Yet we are eating eat at a record rate - in the last 20 years, our consumption in North America has risen from 26 to 135 pounds of sugar per person per year!!!!

That's like eating a whole human made of sugar!

Not shockingly, the rate of heart disease and cancer seems to be somewhat correlated with the rise in dietary sugar.

So my intrepid friend and colleague, Roberta, and I are setting out on a little experiment.

How would 30 day sugar free days feel?

What do I expect? Well, its only 3 days in - cravings are strong. But after 30 days, I expect energy and focus to be more sustainable, and my mood to be more stable. I suspect everyone would embrace those changes for me!

So what are our rules?

No baked goods
No juice of any kind, fresh or not
maximum 3 servings fruit a day, focusing on berries and apples.
No sauces or dressings with sugar
no chocolate or candy (obviously)
No yogurt, except plain.
Just no sugar!

I'll let you know how it goes!

Kristi Shmyr

Prana Holistic

The Healing Crisis: Don’t Fret; You Get Worse Before You Get Infinitely Better!

2010-03-31T17:49:00.001-06:00

Lately I’ve been writing a lot about spring cleansing being that it’s a seasonally appropriate topic. The component of cleansing that I’d like to highlight here is the healing crisis. A healing crisis occurs when there are more toxins making their way out of the body than the body can deal with all at one time. The result is a compilation of adverse symptoms, the most common ones being: headaches, body odour, joint and/or muscle aches and pains as well as general aches and pains, digestive disturbances such as diarrhea, constipation, indigestion, bloating and heartburn, nausea, skin eruptions including boils, rashes, acne and hives, fatigue, lack of energy, difficulty concentrating, irritability and intensity of emotions.

I’ve always thought it really important to mention the possibility of any or all of these symptoms that may or may not accompany a cleansing process (though more often than not at least some symptoms will go along with cleansing). The reason this is so important is because people often get discouraged when embarking upon a cleanse only to come head-to-head with nasty symptoms, sometimes right from the get-go. More important than being aware of the healing crisis is knowing that, as crappy as it feels in the moment, it’s an indicator of progress.

We store toxins primarily in our liver and our fat cells. When we cleanse, all of the organs and systems of the body work together to clear toxins out from storage via the systems of elimination. The end result is a replacement of tissues with healthier, more effective ones. Part of this process involves toxins getting dumped into the bloodstream, causing adverse symptoms known as ‘cleansing reactions’ or a ‘healing crisis’. Also, be aware that a detox will often bring about repeats of former conditions and their symptoms. For example, if you formerly got strep throat frequently, when you cleanse, you may experience the same symptoms of strep throat from before.

Healing crises usually occur quite quickly at the onset of a cleanse, though sometimes will set-in after 1-3 days of cleansing, and typically last anywhere from 1-5 days and sometimes more. To help ease you through a healing crisis be sure to apply the following tips:

- Drink plenty of water! Water is essential to flush toxins out of the system and moreover, removing toxins also means removing some water from the body.

- Rest as much as possible and as much as your body indicates that you need it if you are getting fatigued.

- Soak in a hot tub with Epsom salts, which will work to further remove toxins from the body.

- Be aware of the frequency of your bowel movements. Yucky symptoms of a healing crisis are almost always relieved by having a good bowel movement. If your bowels are not moving regularly, try using supplemental fibre such as products from RenewLife, or consult an herbal practitioner (such as myself) who can recommend herbs to help move the bowels. Also, consider pursuing colon hydrotherapy (I can provide recommendations for colon hydrotherapists within Edmonton).

- JOURNAL! Part of toxic upbringing includes thoughts and emotions stored in our cells over time. When cleansing, a person could find themselves feeling unusually angry, grievous, sad, depressed or restless. Journaling provides an avenue by which these seemingly unproductive emotions can be excavated as well as insight for later review.

- Call Prana Holistic to book massage, reflexology, infrared sauna, emotional freedom technique, flower essences, reiki, manual lymphatic drainage, acupuncture or NLP, all of which would be conducive to helping you process toxins more quickly and effectively, including emotions and self-defeatist thoughts.

As I wrote in my recent column on spring cleansing: cleansing reactions are temporary experiences that mean movement towards better health. On the other hand, accumulated toxins in the body lead to diseases that can be permanent and devastating. With that in consideration, surely some temporary, uncomfortable symptoms are worth the improved experience of health that internal cleansing imparts. Check out the full column at the following link: http://www.seemagazine.com/article/city-life/lifestyle/holistic-0318/

If you are interested in pursuing a cleanse and would like guidance or are already cleansing and looking for more guidance, please call me at Prana Holistic and I will be happy to set up an appointment with you to offer help in any way I can.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

Water: A Scarce Resource

2010-03-24T15:50:00.018-06:00

March 22nd was the United Nation's World Water Day. World Water Day started in 1993 and occurs annually to recognize the UN's initiatives towards meeting basic human and ecological needs for potable water by the year 2015. You can find more information about World Water Day and the UN's initiatives at the following website: http://www.worldwaterday.org/page/107

In the wake of World Water Day, I've gotten to thinking a lot about the increasing value of water...something that's just always been there for me, running freely out of a tap in my own home no less. Have I been taking advantage of the fact that I've always had access to safe water? Running out of water is definitely not something I imagined would ever be an issue in my lifetime...and maybe it won't be, but I have an infant who I strongly hope will always have access to the basics of personal hygiene and nutrition. Having said that, thousands, if not millions of people, including children, struggle and suffer daily as a result of a lack of potable water.

Closer to home, the Alberta government is supportive of a water regulation system that is far from prioritizing basic human rights. Believe it or not, industries and municipalities actually own water licenses, something I was completely unaware of. Currently, environmental groups have expressed concern about the possibility of WATER - yes, WATER - being 'up for sale' in a provincial, deregulated, private market. What? Making profit off water? A basic necessity to human survival? How is this possible? I stumbled across this shocking information in a recent edition of Vue Weekly, a local, free publication here in Edmonton. Check out the full article at the following link: http://www.vueweekly.com/article.php?id=14560

Despite the seemingly crooked nature of provincial legislation regarding water allocation, this is further indication that the threat of running short on safe water is very real. I certainly encourage everyone to pursue any ways in which they can support provincial movement towards fair sharing of water: the elixir of life I always say! But in the meantime, I believe that many small movements in any one positive direction surely makes for one big, impactful change. So, what kind of small things can YOU (and I) do to make one big difference that ultimately saves water? I have a few suggestions that I've been exercising:

- You know how when you're camping and you have about 5 cups of water for that whole load of dirty dishes? And you know how it always works out just fine anyways? Well, pretend like you're camping every day when you wash dishes.

- "If it's yellow, let it mellow, if it's brown, flush it down." The water-saving motto for toilet flushing.

- Furthermore, you can save several gallons of water per day if you put a plastic bottle filled with pebbles and water in the back of your toilet tank.

- If you have dinner guests and not everyone finishes their water, put the extra water in a jug for watering plants. Same goes for any source of extra water that would otherwise get dumped down the drain.

- Another camping take on water conservation: pretend you're camping whilst brushing your teeth. Use a small cup full of water, which surely conserves more than running the tap. And if you insist on running the tap, at the very least, turn it off whilst brushing!

- Use lesser amounts of water for boiling vegetables, pasta, quinoa, etc. and bring to a slower boil. Water otherwise discarded from vegetable boiling can be used as a broth rich with valuable nutrients, minerals and vitamins.

Please comment below with any further suggestions. And let me thank you in advance for your efforts towards what I hope will be a sweeping global movement towards water conservation. Years from now, I know my son and his counterparts will thank you too.

Roberta Shepherd for Prana Holistic

5 Things We Can Learn from the Olympics to Have a Fuller Life

2010-03-03T13:53:00.002-07:00

The Olympics are over. The last giant, inflatable beaver has left the building. Plushenko and his "platinum" medal are back in Russia. And Canada goes back to work, moose antler hat put away for another time. This Olympics, for me and many others, will go down as the BEST Olympics, and for many will remain just that - a fond memory. Yet there are lessons to be learned from these games and these athletes that we can all apply to our own lives to make them brighter and juicier and more fully lived.

You have to risk big to win big! This was the first lesson that really struck me from the Olympics. Watching Charles Hamelin win gold and seeing the supreme elation on his face (and, even more adorable, the face of his girlfriend, fellow speed-skater Marianne St-Gelais - watch this video to see what I mean), I realized that I will most likely never feel that kind of relief, joy and intense emotion. However, I will also not likely feel the intense disappointment that we saw on Melissa Hollingsworth's face as she tearily apologized to Canada for "letting us down". The lesson? If you want to experience the joys, the highs and the passion of life, you need to be willing to risk the falls and the disappointments. There's no way around it.
You can't please everybody so STOP TRYING! Say what you will about the closing ceremonies - they definitely went for it! They had an idea and an inspiration and they ran with it. Some hated it, some loved it, but it was hard to feel nothing about it. I have always said - "I would rather have 10 people hate me and 10 people love me than 20 people forget me". Don't dumb yourself or your life down to try to please the masses. You will fail at pleasing everyone, and at the same time you will dilute what makes you special so that no one really gets a chance to feel PASSIONATELY about you!
The Good and the Bad will always be there, but you can choose what you focus on. The opening ceremonies were bar-none the most amazing I have yet to see. Yet a major point of focus was the failure of the mechanical arm to the cauldron to raise. KD Lang nearly broke my heart with her soulful rendition of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah. The northern lights, polar bear, dancing through fields of wheat to Joni Mitchell, and the fiddlers were all amazing. But if you were the person ranting about the mechanical failure instead of the beauty all around you, I ask you this - where else in your life are you seeing the dirt and not the diamonds?
Have a sense of humor about yourself! Speaking of the mechanical problem - in the closing ceremonies they made a joke about the 4th arm of the cauldron. You are going to make mistakes. How can I be so sure? You're human. Just embrace it and have a sense of humor about it. And the thing is, the more joy and passion you want to feel for life, the more chances you will have to take. The more you put yourself out there, the more you are going to make a fool of yourself. So you may as well be laughing along with the rest of us!
All things End. The loss of Nodar Kumaritashvili at the Olympics was heartbreaking. Joannie Rochette's mothers passing was also very saddening. This too is life. Everything ends. This is not meant to be bleak or dark, but instead a cycle we must enter into with less fear. Neither your joy nor your sorrow is permanent. Ernest Hemingway said, "The world breaks all of us; some of us are stronger in the broken places." It is not the losses or wins that will define you. It is how you come out of them.

Wishing you a magical life, from opening ceremony to your closing!

Kristi Shmyr

Prana Holistic Healing Center

Weight Loss Roulette

2010-02-27T12:30:00.000-07:00

Eating late at night is a NO NO! First, your liver's natural rhythm requires it be free to clean itself at night. It can't do that if it's processing your food. Second, a study at Northwestern University finds that our body's natural cycles of sleep and wakefulness, the circadian rhythms, also influence metabolism - our metabolism gets slower at night. If you eat late at night, even if you are making healthy food choices, it is harder for your body to burn it off, more likely that it will be stored as fat and toxins, and more likely to disturb digestion. So quit the late night snacking! If you are eating right at your meals, you shouldn't be hungry anyways!

Fear of the scary, holistic unknown

2010-02-26T17:14:00.001-07:00

"Holistic Health and Alternative Medicine are dangerous and irresponsible!"

One of our Prana Holistic Practitioners has recently started writing for See Magazine, an Edmonoton-based free newspaper (click here for Roberta's latest article on "Lymphatics"). Her first article was a simple introduction to her philosophy on health - click here to read her introductory article. This article, seemingly non-inflammatory as it is, provoked an angry letter.

Although I won't share the exact contents of the letter, the gist was this: holistic health is dangerous. It has no value. There are no double-blind studies proving its efficacy. It cannot claim to save lives, like conventional medicine. Any effects seen by holistic health or alternative health are purely placebo.

It is wonderful to start a conversation about this, so let's do that.

First, I would like to address the argument that all resulting improvements from Holistic health modalities are the result of the placebo effect. The argument that there are "no double-blind, placebo-controlled studies being done" in this area, is simply untrue. Yes, studies are limited, but this is primarily due to lack of funding and corporate interest. Drug companies and large corporations often fund studies; the motivation to fund in an area of low profitability is correspondingly low.

I will 100% concede that the placebo effect accounts for much of the results observed in any healing practice. But 30% of all conventional treatments is proven to be placebo as well. Drugs like Sertraline (including Zoloft), a popular anti-depressant, is criticized for being almost exclusively placebo effect, meaning the drug does no more to help depression than a sugar pill would. This effect is not limited just to conventional medicine; surgery also appears to be affected by the placebo effect. A study on arthroscopic knee surgery divided individuals into a group who underwent knee surgery and a group, who unbeknownst to them, had a "sham" surgery (were put under, had incisions and were then promptly sewn up without treatment). Both groups reported no pain one year after the surgery, regardless of whether it was real or fake.

The author of the letter to SEE dismisses acupuncture because one study showed similar effects - a "sham" acupuncture session resulted, for this one specific problem, to be just as effective as "real" acupuncture. Shall we dismiss surgery as a whole as well because it is seemingly wholly placebic (just made that word up!) in its affect for this one surgery?

Conventional medicine lays on a foundation of placebo to the SAME degree alternative medicine does.

I also think it is remarkable that this individual, and so many like him, unquestioningly reference the Placebo Effect as fact, yet refuse to acknowledge energy healing. The very nature of the Placebo Effect is that thought (non-matter) effects things (matter/your body). It is proof that Quantum Physics, not old, matter-based Newtonian Physics, are where answers to better health lie. And it is an acknowledgment that energy (thought) can affect physiology.

There are many reasons why I think this is a wonderful debate to bring out into the open. Unfortunately, this particular effort to debate this topic, like so many I have seen in this field, seems profoundly based in fear of the unknown and ignorance.

Something to chew on!

Yours in good health,

Kristi Shmyr
Prana Holistic
10138 121st Edmonton
www.pranaholistic.ca