Back to basics

2009-06-21 22:17:26 -0400

It’s all about getting back to the basics. Connecting with what’s real in your life. This can run the gamut from what you eat, what you wear, what you put on your skin, brush your teeth with, what you read, what you watch on tv (or if you even watch tv), to whom you have relationships with. For me it’s all about living with integrity. There is so much to think about, at times it can all seem a little overwhelming. With our hectic lives it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle & forget to be true to ourselves, to our friends, family & the earth that we inhabit.

Personally I feel that it is important that we take inventory of our lives and reflect on ways to live healthier more meaningful lives. Over the last couple of years I have been trying to reduce the toxins in our family’s life. Our first step was to eat healthier & cut out processed food. This wasn’t a big change as I have always been health conscious and had converted to vegetarianism at a young age. At this point in our lives I became a little obsessed with reading every label in the supermarket. I was constantly being blown away by what was permissible as a food ingredient. I nearly blew my top one day when a friend of mine told me certain brands of cream cheese had propylene glycol, imagine a known carcinogen being placed in food intentionally. Well, from there it went on to being obsessed with all labels, shampoos, creams, toothpastes, you name it I had to read it. I was constantly being astounded at what I had been introducing into my family’s life. The toxins came in all shapes & sizes, the never ending lists of how to slowly, over a lifetime of course, poison your family. We have made changes but there is always room for improvement. Here are some of the things that matter to us.

Eating to nourish

Eating is fundamental to our very existence. We try to eat nourishing foods that feed our body. It is so easy to grab a quick fix, but it is really worth it to try and consume real foods, those that come from the earth. But even this can be tricky as the state of agriculture has lead to extremely poor soil quality across North America. Years of over farming with an over reliance on synthetic fertilizers has lead to soil that is severely depleted & lacking in nutrients. What this means is that a tomato grown 50 years ago would have had a greater amount of vitamins & nutrients in it. So even if we are eating fruits & vegetables we may not be getting all the nutrients that we think (consult canada’s food tables for shocking statistics). Needless to say pesticide use is another thing to factor in. The reasons for buying organic are numerous. I try to limit the amount of sugar that we consume, there is definitely room for improvement here. But I believe moderation is the key. I don’t want to ban it in our household as I fear it would become “glorified” and heavily sought after by my children. We limit the amount of processed food in our home. There is so much uncertainty as to the cumulative effects of the chemicals. We just don’t know what a lifetime of consuming the toxins found in our food, water, cleaning supplies and personal hygiene products can do. I feel that our bodies are constantly being bombarded, how much can our livers/kidneys handle? What will be the straw that breaks the camels back? Again, it’s tricky to navigate these things. I do my best and try to be aware of what is being purchased. It is from these concerns that my desire to make natural skin care products sprang. I wanted to know exactly what I was putting onto my skin. So commenced my journey, it will be an interesting ride as I plan on developing many products in the future. We are also growing & distilling our own essential oils, again this goes back to treating & medicating ourselves with non-harmful products. This is why I feel so strongly about oregano, it is such a potent oil.

Connecting with nature
We really enjoy being outside. Playing with your kids outside is highly underrated. I love strolling through the gardens and yard w/ the kids. I never come in empty handed as the kids know I love daisies, dandelions, & buttercups.

Connecting with people
It’s important to develop real connections with people. Nothing beats a cup of tea/coffee with a good friend / family member.

These are but a few of the things that I hold dear. I will share more in the future.

Cyndi

August 2009

Breathing

Little focus seems to be placed on the importance of breathing, yet it is what sustains us. It is our life force. When in tune with it and making full use of it, we are calm, energized, balanced and focused.

Short, shallow breaths keep us tight and contracted, not open to the world around us. Breathing from the chest keeps us from processing emotional trauma, we are unable to let go & we become “stuck”.

Proper breathing involves the use of your abdomen. To get that deep belly breath, breathe in through your nose. Picture the air filling your trunk like a balloon, expanding your ribcage and pushing your belly out. Keep your shoulders and chest relaxed. As you exhale through your mouth, your belly “sucks in”, as if the balloon is deflating. Let your mind begin to focus on your breath as you draw your air in and out slowly. Breathe in through the nose to a count of 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6, pausing for a count of 1 – 2 – 3 , and then slowly releasing the breath through the mouth to a count of 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 -9, followed by pausing for a count of 1 – 2 – 3.

At first this may not feel natural and it will feel forced. The process will feel foreign at first because most people never think of controlling their breath. Breathing is breathing and we tend to take it for granted. But when you focus on the breath, you will find your rhythm if you just relax and try not to force it.

With your attention, follow the in breath, pause slightly and lightly, and then release the breath. All of your breath control should be coming from the abdomen, not the chest. Let your abdominals pull the breath in deeply (as well as quietly and without strain) and then use the abdominal muscles to push the air gently back out.

Glengarry Gardens - Essential Oils / Living With Integrity

Back to basics