Inside HBC

WLC Spring 2010 Starts Monday!

Your beautiful, amazing body works hard for you.  Don’t divert its amazing power by carrying around more weight than it was built to carry.  Join us this spring to grow stronger, slimmer and even more sensational.

Here are the rules of engagement for the Spring 2010 Weight Loss Program at the Heavenly Bodies Clinic in Arlington VA:

• All are welcome to join with the Doctor’s consent
• Weigh-in starts 1 February–we highly recommend you weigh in as soon as possible
• Each participant will pay $5 each week towards the prize*
• After weighing in, please make a note of your weight loss in the journal
• Final weigh-in will be the week of 17 May–the week before Memorial Day

There will be space in the journal for you to write notes, or you can bring your notes in with you and we will add them to the book (if you love to journal about your process and success, we’d be thrilled if you would contribute a copy.  The better we understand your challenges, the more we can help you conquer them.  And we all secretly aspired to be cheerleaders, so please don’t deny us an opportunity to jump up and down with glee when something great happens!

*And speaking of jumping up and down, the PRIZE will go to the person who loses the most weight over the next 17 weeks.

What you think about you bring about.

Perhaps you’ve heard that saying before, or something similar referring to how your thoughts manifest reality.  If that’s true, then all we need to do is think ourselves thin, right?  Well, I’m going to say “yes!” “sure!” “why not?”.  Belief in your ability to be successful has a lot to do with why you do certain things every day, wouldn’t you agree?

“If you think you can, you can.  If you think you can’t, you’re right.” If you think your thoughts might be the only thing standing between you and a healthier you, consider the following:

1. Sauna, sauna, sauna: if you are struggling in any area of your life, get in the sauna!  Yes, we love the needles, but that sauna is out of this world for real, substantial results in not just physical, but also emotional healing.  And fast!  Come to First Friday Ladies Only Sauna Night and hear some amazing stories about healing and “AHA” moments that have allowed our amazing clients to push through to the next level.  Next event: 5 February at 6pm.
2. No fillers, no fakers: There’s no reason to eat “filler” food (Bread?  “Bread is dead!”).  There’s no reason to eat fake food (I could have said junk, I suppose).  Put only beautiful, enriching, delicious food into your amazing body.  Look through the recipes on this blog, in the HBC Recipe Book and coming soon, our menu guide for ideas.
3. MOVE:  Yes, its hard in the wintertime to get outside (unless you love those winter sports), and you may not need the same intense, exercise you get in the summertime, but don’t stop completely.  Find creative ways to get 30 minutes in a couple of times a day.  Take the stairs; park in the furthest spot; get on Tiffany’s calendar for Meridian Exercise; do crunches or leg lifts during the commercials; clean the house (yuk).
4. Be accountable to someone:  This is what helped me lose 40 pounds.  And that’s why I am going to keep running the Weight Loss Club this year.  It works.
5. Focus: Look for the things that sabotage your health and make some gentle changes. I have about 20 passwords for all of my email, Facebook, Twitter, etc. accounts, so I changed a couple of them to reflect my weight loss goal so I am reminded each time I log in.  Oh, and get rid of the candy dish!  Can you believe I had a candy dish on my desk?  It had beautiful dark chocolates in it, but still.  I now have a jar full of pistachios in that spot.
   

We will start the new iteration of the WLC on 1 February.  I hope you’ll join us.  Please make a comment here on the blog or talk to the doctor next time you are in the clinic.

Essential Oil inhaler for travel

I just finished making up a travel blend for two of my reflexology clients who will be traveling soon.  Inhalers are perfect for travel.  They are easy to use and can provide an aromatic escape when sitting in an airport filled with people.  I chose four essential oils for this blend:    Fragonia for its respiratory support, immune strengthening qualities, and emotional balancing properties;  Ravintsara is highly anti-viral and raises your energy;  Lemon to keep those germs in check.  It’s also a calming and uplifting scent;  Lavender to reduce tension and keep you emotionally balanced.

“Drink your vegetables!”

Not what you remember hearing at the dinner table, is it?  Why does it seem so hard for us to get enough green stuff into our bodies every day?  Personally, if I don’t have something green everyday I start to crave spinach and broccoli, but I know its not like that for everyone.  So here’s something Tiffany, our Meridian Exercise Expert, taught me not that long ago that helps green our diets AND can help those in the Weight Loss Club survive a day of “liquids”:

• 1 bunch of spinach, cleaned well (I use a small bag of prewashed baby spinach) (sweet, bitter)
• The juice of 1 lime (or lemon) (sour)
• 1/2 to a whole bag of frozen blueberries (or any frozen berries–I like strawberries) (sweet, sour)
• 1 ripe avocado (sweet)
• 1 squirt of liquid stevia (optional, but do add if you have a sweet craving) (sweet)
• 1 cup (plus more if needed) of water

1. Blend all ingredients in your blender
2. Drink it up!

This is a great cooling drink that will last for about 2 days, refrigerated.  If you make it in the morning, you can sip on it all day long.  Its delicious, really, and perfect for increasing your energy levels.

WLC Contestants: you have two whole weeks to go!

Just a reminder that we have two whoooole weeks to go on this weight loss goal of ours.  How are you doing?  How about a couple of days of just liquids?  Home made chicken broth is our preferred liquid, since it is so nutritious and lovingly made.  Protein shakes are also great–make sure to pick up some of our high quality protein powder at the clinic and find some recipes in the recipe book.

Final weigh in will be on or before 18 January.  I have no idea who has lost the most weight, so even if you think there’s no way it could be you, be serious these last few weeks, then come in to see us!  Remember the winner takes the cash…

Crazy for Coconut Oil

Our latest treatment method with Valentino is coconut oil, coconut oil and more coconut oil.

Coconut oil is said to benefit the lung function and help with weight gain and digestive issues. I’m not sure yet how coconut oil can benefit lung function. I have read some information that says it is ant-viral and anti-fungal. So I’m thinking the coconut oil helps fight infection. I will continue to research and post links as I find substantive research. If anybody already has links to reputable informational sites, please let me know.

We have been adding coconut oil to Val’s food, rubbing it onto his body, and in particular massaging it into his belly before bed. I have used the extra oil on my hands to rub into my hair, my face and body. The side effect of Valentino’s new treatment therapy is that my hair looks extremely healthy and shiny and my skin is nice and soft. My chapped lips have also been cured.

As for Valentino, we have been able to stop using the Miralax as his constipation has been eased. We have also stopped using the chemical laden Pediasure and have instead opted for homemade baby food with coconut oil and vitamins added to the food. I’m thrilled to have him off of the Pediasure since the ingredient list is pretty terrifying.

For now we’ll stick to coconut oil, coconut oil and MORE coconut oil.

This morning’s family breakfast:

pureed carrots with coconut oil (Valentino)

scrambled eggs with cheese (cooked in coconut oil) and sour cream on top