BIOELECTRIC SHIELD
HEALTHY LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

In This Issue

$$MoneyWise: Shop Smart & Eat for the Season

Biochemistry of Emotions, Happiness and Weight Loss

It it Hype or Is It Reality?

Eating for Optimum Health

RECHARGE YOUR SHIELD

$$MoneyWise: Shop Smart & Eat for the Season

As economic times tighten, there are many ways to eat well, shop smart and be in tune with the seasons of nature. Recently our food coop sent out a new year's letter with many wonderful suggestions. I've added a few of my own, and invite you to write us with moneywise ideas we can share in subsequent newsletters.

1. Make a basic shopping list for yourself making sure you include your staples as well as items for the next week. This will save you from wasting time and gas running out to get something, or the emotional bummer of doing without.

2. Go online to get ideas for leftovers. www.allrecipies.com has great ideas. I've made several of their curries, and so far the recipes are excellent.

3. Make your own vegetable stock for free! Next time you cut up a carrot, celery, onion or parsley, put them in a covered container in your refrigerator. When you have about a cup worth of material, place this in a 2 quart pan, add 3 or more cups of water and simmer this for several hours. If you have a wood stove, just place it on the top. What emerges is a fantastic vegetable stock that you can add to any soup. I've added it to lentil, split pea, and squash soups. I've also added this to a jar of curry sauce to stretch the portion and it was so good, it's part of the recipe now.

3.  It's very easy to grow herbs on a window sill or out in your yard. They generally prefer crummy soil, and simply need to be watered. I've added those to the above soup stock as well as using fresh or drying them. Last fall I had 1 oregano plant - about 15" in diameter (started from 1 tiny plant from a nursery a year ago). When I cut the plant down to about 3' in height and dried bunches of it, I ended up with 12 bunches of herbs. I've been giving them as gifts and people seem to love them. Plan ahead and grow just a few common herbs - and next year you can turn them into gifts, add them to olive oil to make great flavored oil, as well as use them yourself.

4. Eat for the Season: it's better for the body and it's cheaper. It's great to eat salads, but in the middle of winter, lettuce and raw greens can be expensive, and not necessarily what your body requires for warmth and health. In the Aruyvedic tradition, while it's still cold where you live, to stay warm, eat more foods that are sweet, sour, salty/heavy oily, moist and hot such as:  soups, stews, steamed veggies and warm herbal teas.

5.  You can add avocado, sesame oil or olive oil to your grains and soups. And start the day with hot water and lemon to cleanse your lymph system. They recommend that you eat less foods such as salads, smoothies, cold foods and beverages, chips and salsa. As we said above, these foods are in season and will cost less as well as nourish your body more.

6. More cost savings can be found in buying bulk, and then cooking ethnic dishes, like curries and stews. There are plenty of recipes online. Check for Indian food recipes that include lentils, chickpeas, and other grains. They can make a great curry when coconut milk is added. Mexican food with cooked black beans, cornbread and veggies is a wonderful, warm, inexpensive, filling winter meal.

7. Enjoy an egg dish for dinner. Take your left over veggies and make a frittata or omelet. If you have made cornbread for a stew and have some left over, whoosh, you'll have dinner made in no time! Finally, fill your day with gratitude that you have food to eat and to share with others.

8. You could even start a dinner group where once a month you all go over to one person's home for a meal. Or you potluck once a month, or once a week. It's a way of going out without paying for a restaurant bill. You get to enjoy other people's cooking creativity, and usually the food is fantastic, not to mention how important it is to socialize with others on a regular basis.

Let's enjoy the creativity that comes with spending less $$, but using more brains as we choose how we spend money. We get to examine what we "want" vs. what we "need" and then make our choices. This year maybe you will be purchasing garden seed instead of an item of clothing you really didn't need. Conscious spending results in deep satisfaction with your purchases. Let's celebrate what we invest in - including great food!

Virginia

Image credits: carrots www.agr.state.nc.us; beans and rice: www.foodreference.com; frittata: www.kraftfoods.com; herbs: www105.sakura.ne.jp

Biochemistry of Emotions, Happiness and Weight Loss

For the past several years we have had a distributor who is an internationally famous Nutritionist and Naturopath, Dr. David Getoff. You may have seen his video presentation about the Shield on our web site. What we didn't know until recently, is that he has created a series of DVD's and CD's for ordinary folks like us on key health issues, with an emphasis on prevention.

Dr. Getoff has researched each and every topic area in his videos and is not afraid to speak out, even if it means pressure and hassling from authorities. Getting the real facts out to people is more important to him than playing it safe. We are proud to offer his excellent audio and video series. It is highly likely you will learn things that you won't hear elsewhere, and that will greatly improve your health.

BioChemistry of Emotions, Happiness and Weight Loss

This A - Z talk on health and nutrition is different from all the rest. If you have seen or heard of David Getoff, Naturopath, Board Certified Clinical Nutritionist, Vice-President of Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation, you know of his passion, knowledge, and experience in helping people get well.

What's unique about this 3 CD set is David does an excellent job tying all the A - Z information in with emotions, happiness and weight loss. After all, the bottom line is we all want to lose weight and be happy. David teaches you in a simple and entertaining way how you really can obtain both.

To read more about this CD set, visit Biochemistry of Emotions, Happiness, and Weight Loss - CD set

For DVD sets from Dr. Getoff
Image credit: red/grey image http://chemistry.asu.edu/graduate/Physical.asp

Eating for Optimum Health

We want to feel our best, and have you feel that way too! Wouldn't it be better to visit a health care provider because you want to feel even better than you do now instead of because you feel poorly?

Dis-ease never happens over night. We all know that if one day we wake up and feel poorly, and it turns out to be diabetes, or some disease condition, that condition did not develop between the time you went to bed and the time you woke up! Your eating habits, your emotional habits, exercise - what you do most of the time - will determine your health as you age. Would you like to age gracefully?

What about feeling wonderful as you age? Would you like some secrets for having great health this year, and years to come? Dr. Getoff has taken decades of training in both nutrition and naturopathy, and distilled the most important points in a DVD called Eating for Optimum Health.

Most of what you will learn while viewing this DVD is NOT being taught by medical doctors, registered dietitians, or most nutritionists. Have you ever wondered why so many people are eating "healthier" but still dying of the same diseases? It's because the "healthier" diets they are eating are not healthy.

Learn the facts  and save yourself from medical bills down the road! Learn more

Is it Hype or Is It Reality?

You can't turn on the radio or TV or pick up a newspaper without having the news blaring at you, "the economy is terrible, it's really bad and you should be really scared". But is this reality or just hype?

I'm not saying we're not in a depression. I certainly can't deny that people are out of work. My husband happens to be one of them. So I'm not writing this from a perspective of someone who hasn't been impacted by the current situation. I am writing it because I firmly believe that we all need to do a reality check and to stay out of fear.

I was at a health show in Minneapolis recently. I can't tell you how many times I talked to someone and they really wanted to buy a Shield or one of my necklaces and knew it was going to  help them in a lot of ways. But they didn't buy because...well just because. I heard over and over again "I shouldn't spend the money. What if something happens?" I can understand when people are making decisions based on their actual reality, but that doesn't seem to be the case. People are making decisions based on fear. They've bought into the news hype that it's really bad out there. I've been incensed for months about the proliferation of news coverage telling us how bad it is, how much we should be afraid. As we all know, at least I hope we all do by now, thoughts are things. If a negative thought is projected enough times, it becomes reality. The depression has become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

So what can we do to change it? Yes, I believe we can change it.

First do a reality check.

Has your situation really changed? If it hasn't great, stay positive and go on about your life and refuse to participate in the "isn't it awful" discussions. Change the channel, even turn the TV off. Change how you chose to react to the current circumstances.

What if it has changed? You've lost your job, been down-graded, lost hours (fill in the blanks).....

Reread the previous paragraph - don't buy into the hype.

Here's an example of someone making choices based on what everyone else is doing. Dan's (not his real name) business is going great, better than ever in fact. His 300 employees are just barely keeping up with all the work. But Dan is thinking about laying off 10 people, because "everyone else is". This would have the effect of reducing his force so he wouldn't be able to fulfill deadlines, and, yes, his business would go down. Wow, talk about a self-fulfilling prophecy. The best way to assure a drop in business is to make decisions based on a projected drop. What if you were to just keep doing what you'd been doing, but even more so? I'm all for making decisions based on reality, and also based on a positive "what if".

Second  - Do an assessment. What can you do?

Do you need to cut expenses? Not a bad thing, it's probably something we all need to do from time to time.

Do something - don't just sit back and say "oh, but things are so bad". Make some calls, send some emails, maybe even come up with a different business idea. Can you market your skills on your own? You may not make your full salary, okay. But is that a reason to not do what you can? If you pick up some work or contract jobs, you might find that one thing leads to another. Just one contact can be the one that you need to take you to your next thing. You might even have fun in the process.

Third:  Spend money consciously.

Before make buying decisions - ask yourself - do I want this or do I need this? For example, you could want your landscaping to be the pride of the neighborhood, and think you need to buy a rare flowering plant? What if you reconsidered the purpose of the land around you? Do you have a lawn? What if you turn it into a garden? You probably need vegetables more than compliments from the neighbors about a flowering bush or your lush green grass. Or better still, get a smaller version of that bush, and spend the rest on garden seeds!  Not only will you enjoy your yard, but there is nothing quite so satisfying as eating your own tomatoes this summer.

One other comment about conscious spending. If we had been able to speak openly with people who were considering buying a Shield or a necklace, we would have asked them to think about the benefits of these two items. Both the Shield and the Energy Necklaces promote healthier, stronger energy. Isn't that exactly what a person needs in times like this? We would ask them to weigh the ultimate benefits of whatever they choose to buy at a much deeper level. Will you feel more satisfaction when you can walk outside this summer and pick a tomato instead of look at that rare bush? Or if you get a Shield and Energy Necklace, having the energetic balance to handle a stressful situation verses getting a new sweater. Conscious spending will keep your inner "economy" going while supporting the "outer" US economy. Oh, and did we mention - buy products made in this country?

Reread the article about Questers in the January Newsletter.

Become a Quester. Dare to Make Changes. You might just find a new way of life. Amazing things can happen when you let yourself explore the possibilities.

Here's a short version of my story. Maybe you'll find it inspirational. In June I went to a huge bead show-
The Bead & Button Show in Milwaukee. Overwhelmed by the energy and beauty of all those gemstones, I walked out with an entire suitcase of beads. I didn't even know how to make jewelry! For a brief period I entertained the thought that maybe I was just nuts, but I was so thrilled with all my purchases and the energy of the stones I decided to do something about it. I wanted to make beautiful, wearable jewelry.

I took classes, read books and magazines and watched videos. I made jewelry, and practiced the techniques almost night and day. I discovered a natural talent and passion and have been "beading like crazy" ever since. When I say like crazy, I mean, I've made over 200 necklace and earring sets. When friends and strangers started asking if they could buy my creations, I realized that maybe I was meant to make jewelry.

I was working a day job as an accountant and working for the BioElectric Shield part time evenings and weekends. I was tired, exhausted and depressed. In one week my doctor, massage therapist and chiropractor all told me I needed a change. My doctor pointed out that when I talked about work at the CPA firm my energy was really down, but when I talked about jewelry or the Shield I was excited and glowing. Although my job wasn't terrible, it wasn't fulfilling and the atmosphere wasn't supportive. I did a reality check and did the unthinkable. I quit my day job. Yes, I was aware the economy was bad....but I just couldn't let that make the decision for me.
I printed up business cards, created a website and booked a few shows where I could sell my creations.

I won't kid you and say there haven't been challenges, or times I've seriously wondered what I was thinking. I'm not making tons of money, but somehow everything is working out okay. I'm working many more hours in total, but I'm happy, excited and fully engaged in the process. I also refuse to talk to other artists or people who are telling me that you just can't sell in this economy. That I should be scared and pull my energy in and just sit back and wait it out. Nope, that's not the answer. I believe that by being positive and continuing to believe in my choices that my reality will continue to be one of abundance and joy.

What's your passion? What's your joy? If you can't turn it into a job, can you at least find a way to bring it into your life a little more? For each thing in your life that you turn into a positive, another negative will fall away.

Let's change our lives and our worlds one thought, one action at a time.

Carolyn

Image credits
Horrible News www.LAtimes.com
Economic Depression www.yourdictionary.com
Reality Check By sujathafan on Flickr
Money on the Mind http://www.myspace.com/118443192
Bead & Button from Val Ubel

Recharge Your Shield Monthly

The first weekend of the month is coming up, so it's a great time to hang your Shield in natural light either in a window, or preferably, outside. We usually just keep it on the cord or chain, and loop it over a lawn chair. This allows it to hang freely and absorb the energy from the sun.

IT DOES NOT NEED TO BE A SUNNY DAY for you to recharge your Shield. It's not the light that the shield needs; it's the energy vibration from the sun that recharges the crystals. However, bright sunlight does make it charge faster. So, if it's sunny, leave it out for 3 continuous hours; if cloudy, for 6 continuous hours. If you are hanging it in a window that blocks certain parts of the light spectrum, leave it for 8 hours.

DO NOT LEAVE YOUR SHIELD OUT IN THE MOONLIGHT! The moon is reflected energy from the sun, thus it pulls energy away from your Shield. If you ever forget, hang your Shield out for twice as many hours as it was left in the moonlight. To insure it is functioning at 100%, you can send it in for recharging and repolishing. Our consultant examines each Shield that is sent in to make sure it has received a full charge from our crystal room.

Suggestion for worry-free recharging: Recharge your Shield during the New Moon (dark) phase. That way if you do forget and leave it out overnight, there's no harm done, as there is no moonlight shining on it to drain it.

Have a joyful, abundant and positive month

Sincerely,

Virginia and Carolyn

Virginia 541-535-2214
Carolyn 571-572-3114

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