One Part Zombie Apocalypse, One Part Neuroscience…

Now if you’re ever-so curious about how these could be even remotely related, have a gander at the video below.

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Balance, Schmalance

Anyone else noticing that Balance is one of the hot buzzwords?

Now y’all might disagree with me, but I think the the use of the word “balance” has been overkill.  No wonder, though.  In our chaotic world, a little bit of everything being equal and accounted for sounds quite delightful.  So what is it that we really want out of achieving balance.  And, really, what does this word even mean?

I recently had a very nice interaction with a chiropractic colleague on Facebook regarding this very topic.  His provoking question was, “Do you seek health or balance?”  I thought this was a great conversation starter and really got me thinking.  We tend to think that Health and Balance are one in the same.

Read below for the actual definition of balance, according to the online Webster Dictionary.

From the online Webster’s Dictionary

As you can see, two dominant words in the definition are “equilibrium” and “static.”

In my humble  opinion, I would have to agree:  Balance = Static

Now if you look at the–ahem–finely crafted graphic below (yes, I made them myself), this is traditionally how we view balance–

Does it look like there is any movement when you are balancing?

No momentum, no movement, no ride….

The graphics below give a more accurate representation of how “balance” truly shows up in our lives.

See…Up’s and Down’s…constant movement and momentum

When you say “Balance,” you are really seeking the ability to give appropriate time and energy to priorities in your life–NOT necessarily seeking stasis.  Of course, distribution varies depending on personal values.  You may value your spiritual practice more than career, or career more than spirituality, or value both equally.  What you truly desire is to be able to devote yourself to the things that are important to you.

Energy is constantly moving between the various areas of your life.

One area is never completely separate from another because there is always  a common denominator–YOU!

It’s those times of being off-balance that cause you to want to seek a more balanced state.  Your greatest times of growth and progress are when you have deviated from balance, and chaos has become the dominant state–even if just for a moment.  This opportunity–often disguised as an obstacle–is perfect for you to take a more accurate inventory for your life.

Am I spending the time I want with my family?  Are my finances working?  Is my relationship satisfying?  Do I feel able to take care of myself?

When you are living your life out of alignment with who you are, something will always come up to get you to pay attention and change what you’re doing.  This is to get you back into alignment with who you are.

So, I encourage you to embrace when things feel off-balance as it pushes you to reorganize your current way of living to move back to a state of “balance.”

Memoirs of a Detox Part 2 (I know, you’ve been waiting with bated breath, haven’t you?)

You’re anxiously awaiting how I did the rest of the month, aren’t you? 🙂  Especially over St. Patrick’s Day…

Did I fall off the wagon on St. Patrick’s Day?…..Yes

Did I eat everything NOT allowed on the detox?…..Yes

Did I beat myself up over it?…..No

Did I have fun and learn something about myself in the process?….Absolutely!!!

So the menu for St. Patrick’s Day included: wine, veggies and hummus, wine, pita chips and hummus, fruit and dip, Shepherd’s Pie, wine, chocolate stout cupcake with Jameson and chocolate ganache and Bailey’s buttercream icing, wine, birthday cake for my boyfriend Duncan, wine.  Pretty eventful night, don’t you think?

Wasn’t feeling too perky the next day, but lo and behold I am human.  So amidst all of the debauchery, how could I narrow down the culprit as to what actually made me feel like crap?  Hard to tell, so I got back on track.

Had a great two additional weeks on the detox, and I feel pretty fantastic!  So what did I learn?

1–Gluten is probably not such a good thing for me.  Once off the detox, I resumed eating “normal” foods, and bread = bloat.  No bueno.

2–I can survive without coffee.  I had more energy in the morning without eating all of the bad stuff that I found I really didn’t need coffee to wake up in the morning.  In fact, waking up got pretty easy given that I went to bed at a reasonable hour.

3–Clean water makes a difference.  When having to drink unpurified tap water, I could literally taste the chemicals.  I also felt a change in my body with the difference in the water.  Am I a bottled water snob now–no, but I run it through a Pur or Brita pitcher before drinking.

4–The subtleties of my body’s responses aren’t really so subtle.  All I have to do is pay attention, and I know better of what my body wants.  Do I always listen, no–sometimes I foolishly still think I know better. 🙂

So, I hope my own experience gives you more insight into what a good “spring cleaning” can do for you.

For more information regarding a detoxification/cleansing program or to begin your own program, you can reach Dr. Katie at http://www.thehealingloftmpls.com or by e-mailing her at drkathrynfahnel@gmail.com

Memoirs of a Detox Part 1

They say to be transparent with your audience, show all aspects of yourself good and bad.

I had been feeling like crap, eating like crap, and didn’t give a crap.  I was turning off my own awareness to my body’s needs because of convenience.  Limited time, limited budget–you think there aren’t that many possibilities for food and end up being resigned about it, right?

Until you wake up one day and just don’t have the energy to do anything and your brain feels like it’s full of mashed potatoes, which may actually be true.

Then steps in a friend who wants to make some changes and needs a buddy to help her.  That’s where I come in and decide for myself that I need to make some changes before my health is too far out of reach and I’m still young enough to make a difference.

I was ready…

So Day One:  I was used to eating two eggs every morning like clockwork.  Eggs being a big culprit of food sensitivies they were the first to go.  This also includes wheat, corn, dairy, red meat, processed sugar, oranges, and refined fats.  Initially doesn’t sound very fun, does it?  But I made do and enjoyed a lovely lunch of hummus, vegetables, blueberries, and cashews with my detox buddy.  I didn’t even miss the sugar and was already feeling empowered and enlivened.

Fast forward two weeks and I feel pretty darn great!  No cheating even!  I had a couple days where I felt “detox symptoms.”

For those of you new to detoxification, the body has two phases of the detox process.  The first phase mobilizes toxins out of fat.  (Did you know that most toxins aren’t water soluble and thus store in your fat?)  The second adds some fun chemistry to the toxin that makes it water soluble, which allows us to sweat or pee it out.  If the body doesn’t have enough resources–through nutrition– to make the toxins water soluble, then the toxins recirculate throughout the body and will move back into the fat.  It’s the circulation piece where we are re-exposed to the toxins and feel like crap all over again.  That’s why ample support and nutrition are crucial to the detox process.

I’m still going strong with cookies and breads before me.  I can feel myself losing some weight, whether it’s bloating, fat, or both.  However, I’m choosing not to step on the scale and using the fit of my clothes as the measure.

The biggest thing I’m aware of is how much I had been blocking what I was feeling with food.  Emotions can be scary, so we humans go to great lengths to avoid feeling them.  My way of distraction is with food.  Now without any method of distraction (except for an episode of Modern Family here and there), I’m feeling EVERYTHING!  What a great practice in allowing whatever I’m feeling knowing I can’t find something to stuff it down.

I still have two more weeks to go… Stay tuned on how the rest of it goes.

Sometimes Ya Just Gotta Wiggle

I recently posted an article on Facebook about worms (ew!) and their navigational ability when many obstacles were present.  The findings suggested that the worms could navigate through any space when there were more obstacles present because there were more surfaces for them to bounce off of and use that velocity to propel them through the space.  All they had to do was wiggle more!

I thought this a great analogy to what we humans do when faced with an obstacle.  Do we stay stuck in one place?  Or do we find a way to bounce our own momentum off of it to propel us to a new place?

This was also a great reminder to wiggle–both literally wiggle your body and “wiggle” metaphorically to get your momentum grooving again.  When you feel stuck in life, chances are you feel stuck in some part of your body.  Find that place of stuckness and really FEEL it!  Connect with your stuck.  Make it fun like you’re walking around in this globby, mucky mud.  Then wiggle…

To learn more about Dr. Katie Fahnel, visit www.thehealingloftmpls.com

October’s Focus: Accept What Is

In one sense, accepting what is, is a given.  What is–the reality of the moment–can’t be otherwise, so why fight it?  But acceptance doesn’t mean resignation.  It’s also an invitation to dig deeper.  That’s where we strike gold.  Beneath appearances lies a more nuanced level of reality.  It’s like looking at someone’s face and seeing the story behind it.  Everything is precious once we know how to look.

Practice: Open Your Mind

The suggested practice for September from the One Spirit Book of Days:

Were you allergic to math or science in school?  Are you a computer geek who hates to read?  Deliberately push your brain out of its cozy nest.  Enroll in a math-for-poets course, or Shakespeare for engineers.  Read something by an expert who writes accessibly on the subject you sidestepped in school.  Seek out conversations with knowledgeable people and hang on their words.  Let yourself be transported by others’ passions.

Trails of Discovery

From any new field of knowledge, there are by-ways branching out in all directions, leading to thrilling discoveries.  If you’re pursuing an interest in, say, local history, you might get sidetracked by events on the national scale; if you’re intrigued by astronomy, you might enlarge your perspective on the topic by learning about the mythic figures who lend their names to the constellations or planets, such as Pegasus or Jupiter.  All knowledge, ultimately, is interconnected.  Illuminate your life by tracing some of the threads.

Set Your Intention for September

Latest words of wisdom from the One Spirit Book of Days:

I’m committed to lifelong learning.  I continually open myself to new ideas.  I make a point of informing myself on all sides of an issue.

Octupus’s Garden

Sea creatures include some of the strangest species in nature:  think of the seahorse, the octopus, the starfish.  Face to face encounters with such animals give us food for thought about life itself.  An aquarium usually has subdued lighting, making it a perfect setting for meditation as you contemplate unfamiliar life-forms.  As a brave next step, consider the idea of learning to snorkel or dive–in a realm far from everyday routines.