The following articles appeared on Heal With Hope in July 2009.

The Power of Positive Intention
Not Everything That Is Healthy Is Good For YOU!
A Beginner's Guide to the Gym

 The Power of Positive Intention

by Andrea Chervenak

There are many treatments and techniques that were instrumental to my healing, but absolutely nothing  - no treatment, no technique, no supplement, and no medication – proved to be more powerful than redirecting my focus from a place of negative anticipation,  to one of positive expectation.This shift in mindset transformed my life and has enabled me to be healthier and happier than ever before... 

For many years I seemed to be struggling with one minor health issue after another, but as a strong-willed, determined person I never allowed illness, or any struggle for that matter, to interfere with living life.  That is until about 12 year ago, when I was struck with a more serious and debilitating condition that  dramatically changed my life.  I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, which had essentially robbed me of all quality of life. I was weak and exhausted beyond description – even rolling over in bed required more effort than I was often able to muster. I became sensitive to everything, from supplements and foods to noises and smells. I developed migraine headaches, an irregular heartbeat…and then an almost intolerable vertigo condition.

I went from doctor to doctor, and met with every alternative medicine practitioner I heard about. I tried every treatment, supplement, and program suggested to me. And although I would sometimes see some minor improvement, I had basically become a victim of my physical symptoms. After many long years of suffering and struggle I eventually found my way to an alternative healer who shared his philosophy that healing was as much a function of the spirit as it was the physical body and mind. The path I took after being guided to living a more spiritual existence led me to recognize the innate power that I, and that each of us, has. The power refoucus our thoughts and feelings from the negative to the positive.  We can choose how we react to the circumstances of our lives - we may not always be able to control what happens, but we do have the ability to choose how we react to it.  I also learned that while traditional medicine and alternative medicine have their place, true peace and healing always begins from within.

As I began to shift my focus from the things in my life that I wanted to let go of, and began to align my thoughts, actions, and attitude with the energy I wanted to attract into my life, rather than focusing on what was wrong, and what I didn’t want, things began to change in the most wonderful ways. I found that living in positive expectation, instead of negative anticipation, allowed me to find become a more positive person, and I began to attract more positive energy…from the people who came into my life, to the doors that opened for me both spiritually and emotionally, are examples of how just a shift in perspective changed EVERYTHING!

So What Is Positive Intention & How Can It Improve Your Life?

The Oxford Dictionary definition of intention: "what you intend to do." 
Synonyms for intention: purpose, objective, goal, intent, aspiration, wish, ambition.

You have probably either read or heard about The Secret, a book about The Law of Attraction, that had skyrocketed to the top of the bestseller list a few years ago. This book outlined the relationship between the thoughts we think, and the energy and events we attract into our lives. As a fan of the visionary work of Dr. Wayne Dyer, I had already been introduced to this philosophy and wisdom regarding the mind/body connection, and the powerful relationship that exists between our physical health and well-being, and the thoughts we think, the words we speak, and even those we wear. 

As I discovered how powerful our thoughts and intentions are, I began to recognize that I had become too focused on my “problems” and without realizing it, I was setting myself up to continually attract this negative, self-defeating energy into my life. Even though I thought of myself as a positive person, my thinking was more on "not wanting to be sick" instead of  "wanting to be healthy."  As I became more aware of the impact this negative self-talk was having on my life, I began a journey of finding ways to refocus my thinking and attitude to one of positive expecation. I worked very hard to shift my focus from my symptoms, frustration, and disappointment created by the illness I was dealing with, and  began to live in gratitude for the blessings I did have. I stopped the negative self-talk that had me identifying with illness instead of allowing me to remain connected to the healthy me that I wanted to be aligned with.
 
As I opened myself to this powerful process my health and life began to improve dramatically. I read about the work of Dr. Masuro Emoto, a Japanese researcher whose experiments confirmed the power of our thoughts and intentions. I expanded my efforts and began using positive affirmations, which can be a useful tool for reinforcing what it is we want to attract, and an effective way to "declare your intention." Louise Hay is a metaphysical lecturer and teacher, and author of several wonderful books and other products that use positive affirmations to align yourself with what it is you want to attract. Using positive affirmations like Louise's have been very useful in helping me to create a more positive mindset. I discovered the work of Eckhart Tolle, whose message that true peace and healing begins by learning to live in the present moment, completely transformed my life. His teachings about the destructive and weakening energy of pain-bodies and ego-actions, helped me to dilute the power that these emotions and patterns had in my life.

I now know that we have each been blessed with the power to reject negative thinking and expectation, and instead can make a conscious effort to shift our thoughts to more positive ones, thereby creating alignment with positive energy, and attracting more of this type of energy into our lives. The use of positive affirmations can further strengthen your focus and greatly enhance the results you can achieve. Remember that "seeing is believing" so don't just work at shifting your thoughts, but also create images in your mind, picture what it is you want for your life!
 
In Conclusion
I know it isn’t always easy to keep your focus on what you want to achieve, rather than on the obstacles that are standing in your way. But I do know that it is worth the time and effort to break negative thought patterns and to live with positive intention. There is no better time than this moment to begin to make new choices and to stop focusing on what is wrong in your life, on what you don’t have, on your disappointments and hurts.  Begin to let go of those self-defeating patterns and make the choice to align yourself with all that you want to think, feel, and be. Let go of negative expectation because it will only attract more of the same. When you set an intention to think, feel and be more positive, this is the energy you will attract into your life!

• Dr. Masuro Emoto's books include Messages from Water,
and The True Power of Water.
For more information about his work: http://www.hado.net/
• Dr. Wayne Dyer: www.drwaynedyer.com
• Dr. Weissman’s website: www.infiniteloveandgratitude.com
• Louise Hay's inspirational product website: www.hayhouse.com

For more about my teachers, mentors, and spirtual guides:
www.healwithhope.com/myteachers 
 

To help you live in positive intention check out my line of 100% Organic Cotton Inspirational T-shirts (Wear Your Intention). And to learn more about the philosphies and techniques that changed my life read my book,  Heal With Hope: A Healing Handbook & Journal. If you are unable to purchase this book due to illness or other financial limitations, please contact me as you may be eligible for a free copy:  Andrea@HealWithHope.com. Proceeds from all products are used to support this advertising-free website.

Not Everything That Is Healthy Is Good For YOU!

by Andrea Chervenak

I have researched and reported on many foods and supplements that offer tremendous health benefits, things like whole grains, fish oil, Vitamin D, and Co-Q10.  All of which, for some unknown reason, are not compatible with my body.  Several years ago I discovered I am gluten intolerant, which finally explained why every time I ate wheat and other gluten grains I would get extremely tired or bloated.  I have tried to take fish oil because I know how important it is to heart health, and I actually developed an irregular heartbeat from it! 

And it is not just foods and supplements.  There are a number of natural/organic skin care and personal grooming products that contain wonderful ingredients, but I find are incompatible with my body.  How do I know this?  Because after years of suffering with symtoms that seemed to have no known cause,  I have learned to pay attention to the signs and signals my body offers me.  I also find techniques like Muscle Testing* helpful for confirming, or refuting, my suspicions.

Although it is frustrating to not be able to use products, eat foods, and take supplements that I know are beneficial to my health, I also realize that taxing my body by continually exposing it to things that weaken me will weaken my immune system – and that is certainly not good for anyone’s health!

If you suffer from unexplained illness, or have symptoms with unknown causes such as headaches or migraines, digestive disorders, fatigue, a stuffy/runny nose, even anxiety or depression, pay attention to the foods and supplements you ingest, as well as anything else that you are exposed to on a regular basis.  Maybe your symptoms began after using a new brand of toothpaste or shampoo?  Or perhaps after purchasing new furniture? After painting your home?  Or perhaps when wearing a new article of clothing? It is entirely possible that by simply eliminating or avoiding certain things that are weakening and incompatible to your body, you will also eliminate the symptoms!

If you suspect food is the culprit, try keeping a food diary to see if you can narrow it down to what food(s) you may be sensitive to.  Then try eliminating that food(s) from your diet for at least one week.  Then re-introduce it gradually and see if your symptoms return. If you think something in your home or office is causing your symptoms, try removing it for a week or two, and see if you feel any better.

As I mentioned, Muscle Testing* can be a very useful tool in identifying substances that are, or are not, compatible withyour body.  Obviously avoiding things that weaken you is important to your general health and well-being, particularly if you are already challenged by illness or under stress.

*Muscle Testing, also known as Applied Kinesilolgy, measures muscle strength when one is exposed to the object in question.  The theory is that when your energy field is exposed to something that is not compatible with your body, your muscle strength will weaken, and those things that are compatible will allow you to maintain muscle strength.  Read more about Muscle Testing.  Other articles you may find to be of interest: Allergies/Sensitivities,  Eat Right For Your Body, Chemical Sensitivities, Gluten Intolerance.

A Beginner's Guide to the Gym

by Ernest Smith, CPT

Are you ready to start working out, maybe lose some weight? If you've been ill, or are trying to get into better shape, the gym can be a great place to start.  
 
As a personal trainer, the number one question I am asked is:  “What can I do to get some of this belly fat off?”  Well, just so you are not disillusioned, the belly is the last place you will lose your fat.  It will come off your limbs first, then work its way down to your center.  Sorry, it’s just our physiology.  That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t start losing belly fat, it just means it will take a while.

I know you don't want to waste time in the gym, so let’s talk results.  If Joe goes to the gym 3 days a week and trains, and Jane decides to really pay attention to her nutrition and does not go to a gym, Jane will usually loose more fat.  Now, if Joe starts to get his nutrition under control, AND starts hitting the gym and jogging, then he is going to see the most impressive results!!  Your nutrition will be roughly 2/3 of your results.

FAT
Once you start getting into the “fitness” mindset, what do you do? Let’s start with FAT.  If your complaint is; My belly is too big.  I want to work on arms because they’re flabby. I’ve got cottage cheese on my thighs.  I need to loose some weight.  I want to get in better shape - the answer is, LOSE FAT. 

Step one is to get on the bike.  I choose the bike because it is not hard on the joints and is relatively low impact.  Start slowly, get used to the motion of the bike. Then focus on which program to choose. Try riding the bike at a medium pace for as long as you can go without over-taxing yourself.  Each week, try to make that long, slow ride just a little longer.  If you increase your time by just a little bit each week, it will add up!  Do this at least once per week. 

A few days later, it is time to start work on Interval Training, at least once per week.  So, you’ll have at least 1 long, slow ride a week, and 1 Interval session in that same week, separated by a couple days in between. Here’s how to do intervals: 

Start off warming up at a slow to medium pace for 2 or 3 minutes.  Then, watch the timer on the bike.  At the top of the minute, when the seconds read :00, start peddling as fast as you can for 15 seconds. Then, spend the rest of the minute (45 seconds) back down at your medium pace.  You have completed 1 interval of intensity.  Do 15 to 20 of them just like that: 15 seconds fast, 45 seconds medium.  Then spend 3 more minutes or more at a slow cooling down rate.  You are done.

Once you’ve got that down and it’s not too demanding anymore, try to bump it to the next level with 30 seconds fast and 30 seconds medium.   This will burn the fat quicker than almost anything else in the gym.  You can do this 3 times a week.  Then, once it’s easier, 4 or even 5 times a week isn’t too much. You can use this template for things other than a bike.  If you would like to jog around your neighborhood, or try the Elliptical machine, or swim…it all works in this template.

As you can probably see, there is a progression.  Each workout session needs to be just a bit tougher than the last.  This is “Progressive Resistance” and it works!  If your body gets used to a demand, it will no longer need to adapt, therefore no more change.  So, always challenge it just a bit more. 
       
ORCHESTRA
Now, let’s move onto the other part of the gym, weight training.  You are just starting (or coming back) so remember this Orchestra analogy.  Your body (central nervous system, muscle fibers, balance, skeletal support) is learning how to move in an orchestrated effort.  So use your whole body as an entire orchestra.  Don’t waste your time by sitting down and doing arm curls for 15 minutes.  That would be like having only the trumpet section practice while the rest of the orchestra sits there doing nothing.  You will not end up with a quality performance in the end.

I am talking about full body moves.  Multi-joint compound movements should be the bulk of your program.  Learn how to use your core for balance and stability while moving your body.  Challenge yourself to try new movements like deep squats (with or without weight), moves from a stability ball, work your way up to trying a pull-up eventually.  Since each of you have a different starting point, I can’t say what’s appropriate for each of you in a blanket statement, but my point is to try something new and different that you didn’t think you’d be able to do.  Eventually, if you become coordinated and able to push yourself harder, slowly get into thrusters, push presses, deadlifts, pull-ups (or negatives if you can’t do one yet), and derivatives of these.  They should be what you focus on.  You want to get the biggest bang for your time spent in the gym, so don’t waste your time doing single joint, isolated moves like leg extensions.

NO LONGER A BEGINNER
Get those two above under your belt for a couple months.  Once your body has had a 3 to 5 month dose of the fat burning and weight movements, you can now start to turn on some intensity and specialize a bit.  Now is the right time to start incorporating new moves and schemes.

CLASSES
Regardless of your goal, you can enhance the efficiency of your movements and speed-up your results by attending classes offered by your gym.  There is a benefit to the added peer pressure of others training with you.  They may keep you motivated and make you push yourself further than you may have pushed if you were on your own.  You get feedback on your form and progress, and it is safer to have others around you in case a medical issue arises.

ON YOUR OWN
If you prefer to work out on your own, that’s fine.  Just make sure you get some good advice, and knowledgeable guidance.  Your biggest obstacle will likely be consistency.  I guarantee you that once you let a workout or two slip by, then something like a holiday will come up, or a meeting here, or family thing there…and soon you will drop out all together.  You will give up and quit.  Consistency is paramount.

So, welcome to the gym.  Enjoy your time.  Get an inexpensive MP3 player and download your favorite albums on it so you can be in your happy place when you workout.  Don’t turn it up too loud though.  The headphones can lead to hearing loss if you blast your ears with too much Kenny G!

Ernest Smith is a certified personal trainer and is a physical trainer with the Orlando Police Department.  If you have any questions you can reach him at 407-246-3931
 

Sign Up to receive email updates, newsletters, and more!
Send questions or comments to:  Andrea@HealWithHope.com