OneHealthyGirl.com - Carla Golden's Get Healthier! Blog

PM31: THE CARLA OF TOMORROW!

FINALLY! I am relieved to be here. Maaaan, this 31 installment project was just about as difficult as the 10 day Master Cleanse. But I'm here. And you are with me. Thank you.

So....who could top:

Oprah

Marianne Williamson

Roger Doiron

Sera Beak

Jennifer Graftdyk North

Alissa White

Donna Gates

R. Thomas

Kris Carr

Matt Monarch & Angela Stokes

Michelle Schoffro

Christiane Northrup

Tom Woloshyn

Jordan Rubin

Louise Hay

Stephanie Keach

Jeanne Ohm

Diana Schwarzbein

Debbie Rosas & Carlos Rosas

Byron Katie

Andrew Weil

Caroline Myss

Dave Klein

Gary Young

Peggy O'Mara

Jen Denslow

Sharon Gannon & David Life

Donna Karan 

Mike Adams

Joseph Mercola??

Me. #31.

Not necessarily the me of today, but the me of tomorrow. You see, I'm going places and I have big work to do (and so are and do you). I have found my passionate path - it feeds me, brings me to amazing people, phenomenal experiences and it's healthy. All signs indicate it's the right path for me.

Since I started my journey called OneHealthyGirl.com, I have changed my eating habits - not drastically, but significantly. I have changed my emotional habits - remember Emotional McDonald's? Not driving through there! More recently and deeply, I have been focusing on changing my spiritual habits because, really, that's where it all starts.

I realize that this precious life given to me is the greatest gift and one for which I will never take for granted. The best way to express my gratitude for my life is through joy and service. It brings me nothing but joy to know that my passion for sharing wellness helps others. 

So I'm cranking it up a notch. I'll be enrolling in nutrition school as soon as I upload this blog post, and I have simultaneous plans to draft a book that marries raw food and essential oils. The topic may shift while I'm in school, but this is the plan today.

And more importantly, I believe that because I am listening to my soul and will be going out on a limb in several areas of my life to achieve my goal, then I will be supported by God because I will be doing His work.

So this is what I want to say to the Carla of Tomorrow:

"Dear Carla~ You are an intelligent and generous woman. A wellness spreading, love sharing, compassionate leader in the community, you have inspired others to change their habits and their lives simply by the encouragement of your enthusiasm and passion. You have shown others how to keep the heart open, how to find freedom in better health and how to see the ever present silver lining in even the most challenging of situations. As a woman in this community you have demonstrated independence, fortitude, holistic happiness and the importance of collaboration.  

Remember this day, Carla, as you sit alone on a Thursday afternoon at your desk how it feels to have dreams bigger than life itself and how you've crafted your path from the inner wilderness to share that dream with the world. The fear, the doubt, the loneliness, the expense....all conspiring to snuff your passion. Remember how it feels when someone sends you an unexpected note expressing gratitude for your work, how it feels when someone realizes that that ad in that magazine is yours, and how it feels when someone you admire from afar actually writes you back with encouragement. 

Remember how it feels to feel small in the world and the elation that comes when someone further along the path compliments your work. Remember, Carla, how it feels to stand on the shoulders and giants and taste your future. Remember this so that when some little entrepreneur writes to you and asks you to take a look at their new project, that you will take the time to do so. We are all in this together. On the path, look ahead to where you want to go, but don't forget to look behind and encourage others along."

I am stepping into a new world after this post. Fundamental shifts will be made. "Walking the talk" is mandatory if true alignment, integrity and reward are to be discovered. My real work has just begun.

The Universe really does have this all worked out better than we could have ever imagined for ourselves. I had aimed to complete this 31 installment project during the month of December. Well, here it is near the end of February, but I did uphold my commitment. Many of you will be reading this post on Friday once it has been broadcasted from my blog. On Saturday I will be traveling to Charleston, SC, with two companions to attend back-to-back yoga classes taught by Sharon Gannon and David Life. I will begin again as a student of yoga (and probably not be able to walk Sunday!!) and deliver to them, in person, my blog post featuring their work. Perhaps the Universe is lining up, now that I'm done with this project, for me to start meeting each of the 31 people. 

Guess who I'm most excited to meet??

Live Light, xo-C.

PS - Don't forget to make your daily vote for me on StartUp Nation's Leading Moms in Business Compeition here!

PM30: LITTLE MISS MIDAS

OK. This is a long shot, but I'm one installment away from being finished with my 31 person profile pledge and I'm going deep. This woman has the midas touch. Everything she touches turns to gold. Wouldn't it be great if she touched WellnessDestinationsCentral.com (WDC)?

Who? Oprah, of course.

I haven't watched an Oprah show in...um, four years (because we no longer have TV)...but I was once a devoted regular viewer, so I know the power of Oprah to inspire and educate. And, of course, I always see her smiling, vibrant self on the magazine rack while paying for my groceries. What an amazing, self-made woman! Truly an inspiration. She's part of the reason I love to give away books!

There is a vast amount of information and entertainment on Oprah's website, but what immediately drew in my attention was the section on Wellness & Prevention. The site taps into alternative medicine with the mention of ayurveda and homeopathy. 

Wouldn't it be awesome if Oprah linked to WDC from her site to help her readers find alternative healthcare practitioners? I think so!!! If you feel so compelled (and I wish, wish, wish you would) you may send an email to Oprah (rather, "her people") here. And to make it uber easy, I've written some text that you may copy and paste into the comment box on the Oprah Mail Form.

"Dear Oprah~ I have discovered an excellent wellness tool that helps people find alternative practitioners around the country - from aromatherapists to yoga instructors. It's called WellnessDestinationsCentral.com and it's so easy to use. You just chose your state, the nearest city and the therapy you wish to find and then all the choices are listed. The owner tells me the site is brand new - something like less than 5 months - so the lists are not long yet, but I know this directory is much needed and will grow quickly. From what I gather, the mission of the site is to help move the alternative healthcare movement further into the mainstream. I think you should check it out as it would be a great resource to mention on the Wellness & Prevention section of your website. And, I believe, that Carla, the owner of the directory site, would be available at any time to be on your show. She's OneHealthyGirl.com and ready to change the world of wellness!"

Edit however you wish. ;o) I just copies, pasted and sent - soooo easy! 

Like I said, it's a long shot, but I'm believing in miracles and one just never knows, right? If Oprah acknowledges WDC in any way, she can have any listing she wants or can choose to give her listing to an alternative healthcare practitioner (Dr. Oz?) of her choice - a free NationalTag FOR LIFE.

So that about wraps it up. I can't wait to reveal the last installment of this project tomorrow. Thank you for hanging in with me. I hope you've learned about some interesting people along the way.

Live Light, xo-C.

PS - Don't forget to make your daily vote for me on StartUp Nation's Leading Moms in Business Compeition here!

PM29: CELEBRATING MARIANNE WILLIAMSON BY GIVING YOU A BOOK OF LOVE!

Wow! Big one right? Why am I not saving Amazing Marianne for the finalé installment?? Ohhhh, do I have goodies in store for you! The count-down is ON. Only two more installments after this one to meet my 31-day self initiated challenge slash goal slash contract with the Universe. 

By the prompt of a dear friend I went to the bookstore to purchase Marianne's Illuminata. I have already read much by Marianne over the years - a particular favorite is A Woman's Worth (which, in my humble opinion, should be required reading for all females AND males - dang, wouldn't THAT be sexy to catch a man reading A Woman's Worth??....I digress.)

At the bookstore, walking to the shelf with the kind clerk where Illuminata majestically stood...down low, on the bottom shelf, there with two other Marianne friends, I scooped up all three of them. I thought, what the heck, if Illuminata is so good, then I'll just have a Marianne feast of words as a Valentine's Day gift to myself.

Oh, and what a gift it was! A downright miracle.

In my possession now are Illuminata, The Gift of Change, and......Everyday Grace. Oh, wow. Go out and buy this third book now (the others are good too, but this one is extra special). Or order it. Or wait until I can give you one (details below). Everyday Grace has reminded me of all the good stuff I already know, but in such a way that I'm convinced more than ever that we are the co-creators of our destiny and the only agents of change we need. We just need to stop forgetting this!!!!

     

Let me give you a short synopsis of my religious/spiritual upbringing: 

1. A few Sunday School classes here and there (I think it was free Sunday daycare!) 

2. A smattering of Christmas and Easter services when the mood was right

There you have it! So I was really left wide open to discover what naturally attracted me (like an undeniable magnet) rather than have it laid out for me - a blessing and a challenge. Over the years I avoided most things religious (seemed too harsh for me...all that guilt and regiment) and leaned toward the mystical. I avoided using the term/name "God" as I didn't want anyone to think that by speaking of God (sorry, my Jewish friends...I think you prefer G!d) that I partook in a certain religion.

Then a miracle happened. In April of 1999 I was in Washington, DC for my cousin's 40th birthday party and didn't know a soul (besides my cousin, of course) and I was at a period in my life where things were shifting at an alarming rate. I was "in the flow" and was considering all possibilities. 

Then, at the bar, in the restaurant where the party was held, sat a man. I think he had on a navy blue blazer, middle-aged maybe, perhaps a scruffy face, sitting alone nursing a cocktail. I stood nearby for lack of anywhere else to be and just watched the party people. Then man turned to me squarely and said clearly...."It's OK to use the word God" and went back to his drink. Of course, I stood there like a goof-ball wondering if that man really said to me what I thought I heard. Was I delusional? Was he insane? Did someone slip the date drug into my drink?

So I carried around his message with me for a while (months and years) quietly, not wanting to throw away a message from maybe an angel.

(I'm realizing this is going to be a lengthy post. Stick with me. There's a goodie for you at the end.)

I tried using the word "God" in conversation, seeing how it felt. Finally now, after all this time, I am comfortable because I know what it means to me and how I practice and understand my reverence. But it's a direct relationship that I have...no sons, no ghosts, no virgins, no churches...and that throws off some people. But when I've been open and clear and kept God in my heart as I go about the world, I've seen miracles unfold like I'm in an amazing scripted movie. Sometimes it seems too good to be true. 

OK...back to the book. I like Marianne so much because she helps me feel at home with my beliefs. Her writings are deeply spiritual and non-denominational. Surely they lean to the more Christian American nation (from which she writes and works) but her writings are not dogmatic. Marianne is a voice for A Course in Miracles.

According to Marianne, it's all about looooooooovvvvveeeee and miracles! It doesn't get any better than that! But it also doesn't get any harder than that. Loving those we like is easy. Creating miracles lies in loving those we don't like and loving ourselves through situations we detest. Here's an excerpt:

"Until we have met the monsters in ourselves, we keep trying to slay them in the outer world. And we find that we cannot. For all darkness in the world stems from darkness in the heart. And it is there that we must do our work. The universe is holographic, which means the whole is present in every piece. Therefore, as we address the shadow within us, we are addressing the shadow of the world. The mystic does not deny the darkness, in ourselves or in the world, but affirms a light that lies beyond it. And we have faith the light will prevail because we have faith that light is our true identity. Our task is to remember that."

Oh, I could go deeper, but I'll stop here. Marianne Williamson is a beacon, a goddess and a mystic of enormous proportions. I am so grateful for the gifts of her writings. I wish for Marianne to see my new alternative healthcare directory - WellnessDestinationsCentral.com - and to list herself as a NationalTag under the Spiritual Healing therapy free FOR LIFE. In turn I would hope that she would see the value in my wellness movement clearly enough to want to share the directory with her network which would help me meet my goal.

Ok...the part you've been waiting for....the goodie for you! Because I believe in the power of God, love and miracles, I wish to give away 100 copies of Marianne's Everyday Grace. I believe that my integral and sincere approach to sharing my work with the world will bring reward enough so that I may expand my realm of goodness. When the time comes (months? years?) where I can afford from the profits of my work to purchase 100 copies, I will send them to the first 100 people who leave a message in the comment section on my blog. (Gee, there's something about God that makes me want to give away books....remember The Shack?)

OK...that's going to need some instruction for some of you. 1. If you are reading this post on my blog itself, then down below there is a comment section. Fill it out and you're on the list. 2. If you're reading this post by email or LinkedIn, click on the blue headline ("PM29: CELEBRATING MARIANNE WILLIAMSON BY GIVING YOU A BOOK OF LOVE!") at the top and it will link you directly into my blog where you can follow the first set of instructions. 3. If you are reading this post on Facebook, at the bottom click " View Original Post" and that will transfer you directly on to my blog. Then follow the first set of instructions. 

By leaving a comment, your email address will automatically AND SECRETLY be recorded in my blog files. I will use your address only for the purpose - when the time arrives - to contact you directly for your mailing address. Do not leave your email address and/or mailing address in the comment box for the whole world to see and snatch. That wouldn't be smart. You can, however, leave me a lovely little note and let me know what you think of this post, my blog or just a reflection of the day. 

Two more days and I'm enrolling in school...Wooooo Hoooooo! (Kinda wish I had been this excited about mandatory schooling!)

Live Light, xo-C.

PS - If you're in or near Charleston, SC, Marianne will be at the Sophia Institute April 24-25th. I hope to see you there! What a place - that's where Sera Beak will be too!

PPS - These books are recommended and linked to Barnes & Noble with no affiliate benefit. They are recommended free & clear. Purchase them wherever you wish....even through Marianne's website directly. Sign up for her free newsletter while you're there!

PPPS - If you've made it this far - thank you! While on BN.com I noticed that Kriss Carr's Crazy Sexy Cancer Survivor book was forwarded by Marianne Williamson. Maaaan, I beginning to think that all good things are interconnected through Kris Carr - awesome! Move over Kevin Bacon, the new six degrees now belongs to Miss Carr!

PM28: ROGER DOIRON and KITCHEN GARDENERS INTERNATIONAL

This is OneHealthyGirl.com's 28th Project Manifestation installment - only three more to go! 

I developed a quick, green crush Roger Doiron after seeing this video:

Roger is the founder of Kitchen Gardeners International, an organization created " to empower individuals, families, and communities to achieve greater levels of food self-reliance through the promotion of kitchen gardening, home-cooking, and sustainable local food systems. In doing so, Kitchen Gardeners International (KGI) seeks to connect, serve, and expand the global community of people who grow some of their own food."

In this day and age, WHAT A SIMPLY BRILLIANT IDEA! I love it! It makes a Michael Pollan adoring fan proud. (That would be me!)

On Roger's KGI website you can find all sorts of resources for a free newsletter, discussion forums, videos, a store, and much more. He is also the originator of Eat the View - a grassroots (arr, arr) effort to convince the new administration to use part of the White House lawn as a kitchen garden in order to set a good example. (You've got to see the great image heading the site!) If you haven't signed the petition yet and believe in the cause, go sign it now here.

As someone who is in the process of beginning a first time garden with my friend, I am thrilled to have Roger's resources in my garden apron. Our desire to garden has come to surface precisely for the reasons Roger founded KGI: we wish to participate in and facilitate the food process from seed to plate as a means of increasing our food quantity and to revive some of the ancient survival skills that have been buried by convenience. 

Mind you, I have not a green thumb. But I'm aiming to acquire one! With the help of some dear friends and garden mates (and as many plant pixies that we can attract!), we hope to enjoy our own tomatoes, mint, marigolds, sunflowers, basil, and parsley this Summer. It's a modest start, but we wish to find success and acquire the Do It Yourself bug!

Thank you, Roger, for your gift. I will hope that you will view my alternative healthcare directory (remember, good food is good medicine!) titled WellnessDestinationsCentral.com and list your website as a free NationalTag FOR LIFE under the health food therapy. This will help me meet my goal. I would also hope that you would share WDC with your KGI network so that your good work could rub off some entrepreneurial magic onto my earnest work. Together we can change the world of wellness!

I am so excited. I figured out my last three profiles today. Aren't you excited to learn who I will save for the last - #31?! The one who will complete my goal?! The one who will send me off into the land of Nutrition School?! Are you feeling a cliff-hanger here?

Live Light, xo-C.

PS - Please don't forget to vote for me here in the Leading Moms in Business Contest. Winning this contest could create miracles for WDC!! I will be mentioning this every day through March 31st because you can vote every day to help me. Thank you in advance!!

PM27: HAPPY BIRTHDAY SERA BEAK AKA SPIRITUAL COWGIRL!

Yeee Haw, I love this girl! Sera Beck's writings inspire me on a level that speaks to my red boot wearing, mermaid hair flowing, amazing and powerful inner goddess. Sometimes I forget she's there, but Sera reminds her to come out and rock my destiny! And today is Sera's birthday so it's a perfect day to feature her as my Project Manifestation installment #27.

From Sera's website:

"I’m Sera Beak, a Harvard-trained scholar of world religions and intrepid spiritual cowgirl who spent the last 12 years traveling the world exploring spirituality  -- from whirling with Sufi dervishes to meeting the Dalai Lama on my 21st birthday; from taking the host from a Croatian Catholic mystic who had the stigmata (truly) to having life-altering visions with a shaman (and everything in between). I’ve synthesized my experience and research into a new book and have come to one conclusion (it’s not what you think) - the Universe is bored."

Sera's blog is a delight. And she's on Facebook (that's how I knew it was her birthday!) And, and, and Sera collaborates with Kriss Carr (of CrazySexyCancer fame aka PM installment #22) in her Blog Posse. There are so many fascinating and talented, interconnected women...people...out there. I'm brimming with elation!

Check out Sera Beak. You will not be disappointed! If you're near to Charleston, SC know that she'll be at the Sophia Institute this year. Check out the dates!

I wish for Sera to check out my WellnessDestinationsCentral.com alternative healthcare directory and list herself with a Spiritual Healing NationalTag listing - free FOR LIFE, my compliments. In exchange I hope that Sera would share my WDC directory with her network to help me further the alternative healthcare movement. Together we can change the world of wellness! 

WDC is almost 5 months young and pushing 450 listings. My goal for 2009 is to reach 10,000 listings. I need to tap into some serious networked alternative healthcare veins, rivers and streams to spread my word and by reaching out to 31 established masters in the field, such as Sera, my goal will be that closer to realized. You know I'm working my vision board (now a vision book) and my manifestation skills overtime! Anything is possible!

Live Light, xo-C.

PM26: JENNIFER GRAFTDYK NORTH AND SYNGERGY CARD READINGS

I am really quite scrunched up at the moment while I am typing this because I lost my first completed draft of this blog post. But I take yet another deep breath and remember that I believe everything happens for a reason and now I recreate my Project Manifestation # 26 from memory. The Universe obviously saw that some editing and refinement were needed. Deeeeep breath and one arrrrrrrrgh!

I have a dear and close friend who happens to be a brilliant colon hydrotherapist at her Oasis Life Spa. But since that therapy is undoubtedly site specific (arr,arr) I wish to let you in on another one of Jenn's abundant talents. She is a gifted synergy card reader. 

What the heck is a synergy card reading? First off, synergy describes a situation where different entities cooperate advantageously for a final outcome. Jenn can sit down with you in person or on the phone and connect with you, in time and space with your energetic "stuff" and help guide you using the spontaneous messages she intuitively receives from the cards. You will think that the Universe has given her x-ray vision into your life!

Why would anyone want to do this? Well, most people on the planet wouldn't. It's too scary in their mind to confront one's "stuff." But if you are making proactive, assertive steps to become a more conscious person, then seeking help from the Universe is generally a good idea. Jenn does not tell you exactly what to do or how to do it. She simply receives messages that you (or I) wouldn't or couldn't receive directly ourselves. Her gift is a tool to help others and she is not attached to what you do with the information which arises during a card reading session. This is not tarot nor fortune telling and it certainly isn't psychotherapy.

There are many metaphysical guides and tools to help us along our journeys to become more conscious and live more consciously. Conscious? If I'm awake, aren't I conscious? Well, physically, yes. But not necessarily spiritually or emotionally. People walk through their entire lives spiritually asleep. Are they bad people? No, not necessarily. And conscious people fill the spectrum and it matters less where others are on their journeys and more where you are.

Many people believe that disease (physical and psychological) stems from spiritual discord. An unquiet spirit cultivates unbalanced emotions. For example, if I don't view my life as a gift then I'm less inclined to feel that your life is an amazing gift to you. I may feel mad at you for being so content, happy or inspired because I can't understand or appreciate it spiritually. It may lead to feelings of resentment, then an ulcer and then a little alcohol to numb the confusion. It's not always that simple, but sometime it is. If we are spiritually at peace with ourselves we tend to be kinder, healthier and happier people. 

We all have the right and the ability to change our lives in an instant by changing our thoughts and feelings. Our perspective is our reality. One person can look at a cloudy sky and complain about the pending rain and another person can be joyous for the free watering of the landscape. The sky has not changed. When it comes to our internal, personal stuff, it gets a little more complicated than a stormy sky, but the process is the same. If you don't like where and how you are in your life, get MAD. Make A Different....choice, sentence, action, thought, word, pattern, feeling,etc. Choosing to not make a choice is still a choice. And what you don't change, you choose. Of course, choosing the same choice over and over and expecting different results is some people's definition of insanity. You may not be able to change a situation, but you can certainly change your mind about that situation.

Religious or spiritual guides, mentors, and gifted metaphysical healers can help us along our spiritual paths. The more we can learn about ourselves, the best chance we have to align ourselves where we want to be in the web of life. It's not necessarily easy for anyone, but the rewards are unsurpassed. Jenn is one such person who can help you. She is clear, precise and walks the talk. She is an excellent role model for manifesting a beautiful and spiritually rewarding life. 

I thank you, Jenn, for being a wonderful friend, mentor, coach and cheerleader. I am honored to be a part of your journey and to share mine with you. Watch out world...here we come! My projects are no news to Jenn and she has been with me since they began and has helped promote them, but this project would be incomplete to not include her in my list of 31 holistic therapists whom I admire and give her free advertising FOR LIFE on my alternative healthcare directory. 

Only lucky-number-5 posts left in my 31 day Project Manifestation self-contract until I enroll in nutrition school. Through this exercise of growing my new business - WellnessDestinationsCentral.com - I have also continued to grow as a person and will soon launch into a whole new chapter where formal schooling (not just hobbiest learning) secures space in my life. I am excited to share my journey and learnings with you as I proactively assert myself into becoming a more authentic expression of my true self.

Satisfied, Universe? Is this post better now? I hope so!

Live Light, xo-C.

PM25: ALISSA WHITE AND MATCHASOURCE

Do you know this about me by now? I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE matcha green tea. I drink it by the pitcher...all day long. Methinks my blood may be green by now. Green is the color of nature (in my mind, anyway) and the color of the 4th heart chakra wherein lies the potential for abundant love and forgiveness. I like drinking green. 

As installment 25 of my 31 day Project Manifestation, I am featuring Alissa White and her company, MatchaSource. Six more installments until I meet my goal and then I'm enrolling in nutrition school! Woo Hoo!

I discovered MatchaSource.com one day after reading an article about the benefits of drinking matcha tea. Having been a "regular" green tea drinker, I was interested in kicking it up a notch...or ten! 

Ordinary green tea - the dried stuff in tea bags - is nice. Fine. Some brands are better than others. But it simply flavors the water as the bag seeps. There are still many health benefits to derive from drinking green tea this way as it's been done for centuries. Oh, but once you try matcha, you'll never go back!

Matcha green tea is a powder comprised of the ground green tea leaves. So rather than just flavoring the water, the actual leaves are mixed into the water and flow with all their goodness into you! One glass of matcha is the equivalent of 10 glasses of green tea in terms of its nutritional value and antioxidant content. Ohhh, and it tastes SO GOOD.

Matcha is higher in antioxidants than blueberries and spinach, rich in cleansing chlorophyll and catechins, and is the tea which inspired the centuries-old Japanese tea ceremonies. Matcha is also particularly high in EGCG, the antioxidant which helps prevent the body's cells from becoming damaged and prematurely aged. In fact, Dr. Mercola states that by drinking matcha you could receive over 100 times the EGCG than by drinking regular brewed green tea. 

Here's a pretty good video of the matcha preparation, but the sifting step was skipped. You'll see how the whisking makes the tea frothy - which is key.

There are many matcha recipes to keep you busy: matcha green tea ice-cream, matcha truffles, matcha latte, and matcha butter to name several. The possibilities are limitless!

And matcha drinkers rival coffee and wine drinkers with their paraphernalia and specifics. You can choose your grade of matcha, your bowl, a kit, and different spoons, whisks and canisters. It's quite the ritual that becomes a healthy habit that you'll want to share with everyone you know.

The owner of MatchaSource.com is Alissa White whom I've had the pleasure of meeting over the phone. She lives in Los Angeles and runs the whole MatchaSource show! Now if that isn't testimony to the power of matcha, I don't know what is. A super-green, one-woman-show, MatchaSource machine!

Alissa has already listed MatchaSource on WellnessDestinationsCentral.com but I want to upgrade her to give her national coverage FOR LIFE because I believe that many people would enjoy improving their health by learning about and using matcha. I am honored to support Alissa and I hope that she will share WDC with others in her network.

This weekend I was daydreaming about opening up a matcha tearoom slash juice bar slash massage studio slash nutrition library. Come in, have a cup of matcha and a glass of juice, read some fantastic books and magazines on whole and raw food diets and then treat yourself to a raw medicine Raindrop Massage Therapy session at OneHealthyGirl's one-stop wellness shop. If you happen to have some unused start-up cash lying around.......

Back to matcha...want to get started? As a newbie, I ordered the Matcha Starter Kit and now am a regular drinker of the organic Morning Matcha. MatchaSource fans can find each other on Facebook. Seeya there!

Live Light, xo-C.

PM23 & PM24: DONNA GATES AND R.THOMAS

This Project Manifestation installment is a double-hitter! Not only am I hungry (ar, ar...pun intended) to enroll in nutrition school as soon as my 31 installment Project Manifestation self-contract is fulfilled, but these two lovely people actually collaborate.

I learned about the R. Thomas' Deluxe Grill when I was a very bad (as in crappy grades) student in Atlanta my first year of college in 1987. R. Thomas was and still is a 24 hour eatery, but unlike most all night places, R. Thomas actually served decent, wholesome food and now offers organic whole foods and juices on the menu. It was love at first bite for me. Here's an excellent FoodNetwork movie about R. Thomas' restaurant.

And then in a seemingly separate lifetime of mine, I discovered a few years ago Donna Gates who dishes up her Body Ecology Diet. I believe I was surfing the web seeking solutions for my then lazy and unhappy bowels and I've subscribed to her newsletter ever since. I've learned a tremendous amount from Donna. 

"Body Ecology offers a back-to-basics approach to restoring health and vitality. The straightforward necessities provided are all geared to one fundamental law of nature: the fact that our digestive systems are intimately linked to our immune, endocrine, circulatory and central nervous systems. Profoundly affecting all these interlocking systems is an amazing world of benevolent bacteria: the microscopic "good guys" that must be present in your intestines for you to be healthy. The diet promotes the addition of cultured foods, changing the quality of fats and oils you consume and drastically reducing your intake of carbohydrates and sugars."

And then, one day recently, I discovered that brilliant Donna Gates writes and creates all the way from Bogart, GA. While I have no idea where Bogart is located, I do know that Georgia is awfully close to South Carolina (where I live) and I was thrilled to learn that not every single health conscious guru lives in California!

So I was at R. Thomas Deluxe Grill twice over this New Year's holiday. The first time, for dinner, I had the Sloppy Veggie Joe with sweet potatoes and cole slaw. The second time, for brunch, I had Dr. Joe's Mango Salad (mango, avocado & tomato) and again the awesome Sloppy Veggie Joe and a juice made from apples, lemons and ginger heated by a cappuccino steamer. YUM! Both times I took away....AH, the CONNECTION FINALLY...a jar of Coconut Water Kefir á la Donna Gates and the Body Ecology Diet. 

I was tickled pink to know that R. Thomas and Donna Gates had been collaborating down in Georgia with spreading the word of delicious wellness. And I was like the love child sitting there in the uber-eclectic environment just soaking up all the goodness of knowing that healthy and happy tidbit. 

And then along came R. Thomas himself. He did the pull-the-coin-out-of-the-ear magic trick on my daughter as I was all gushing that "It's him. It's him. It's R. Thomas. Oh, Mr. Thomas, I'm such a big fan. Gush, gush, blah, blah." Lord only knows what silly thing I said.

Once outside, upon our departure, we got to talk more with Mr. Thomas and meet his vast collection of exotic birds. He has quite the collection lining the exterior of the restaurant (no where near the food...no worries) as well as herbs growing and rain water collection bins. 

Here's Bella with R. Thomas and a beloved bird:

And here's me resisting the urge to ask Mr. Thomas to autograph my take-out sack (I didn't):

R. Thomas' Deluxe Grill is my kind of place. Colorful, crazy, healthful and fun serving up wholesome, unique plates of food, juices using many principles and recipes from Donna Gates' Book, The Body Ecology Diet. It's as though Willy Wonka heeded the advice of the Oompa Loompas and started serving life-supporting treats instead of candy and sweets in his wacky wonderland! 

Oompa Loompa doompadee do,

I've got a perfect puzzle for you,

 Oompa Loompa doompadee dee,

If you are wise you will listen me,

What do you get when you guzzle down sweets,                                 

Eating as much as an elephant eats,                                 

What are you at getting terribly fat,                               

What do you think will come of that,                                     

I don't like the look of it,                                   

Oompa Loompa doompadee dah,                                 

If you're not greedy you will go far,                                   

You will live in happiness too,                               

Like the Oompa Loompa doompadee do, Doompadee do! 

I will contact R. Thomas and Donna Gates and ask them to see my alternative healthcare website WellnessDestinationsCentral.com, invite them to list for free FOR LIFE and encourage them to share the directory with their audience and network. Together we can change the world of wellness. 

Live Light, xo-C.

PM22: CRAZY, SEXY HEALTHY KRIS CARR!

This is my Project Manifestation installment #22. Only nine more installments until I have completed my goal and then can enroll in the online course of study at the University of Natural Health to pursue my degree in Natural Hygiene - gawd, I love win-win situations!! 

While this movie documentary about/by Kris Carr covers her four year journey from the diagnosis of a rare, "incurable" cancer on Valentine's Day to arresting the development of the cancer through alternative healing modalities, it is also a movie for anyone wanting to make healthy lifestyle changes to prevent illnesses and premature death. 

Kris' website reads: "Kris Carr is a best-selling author, filmmaker and cancer survivor.  She is the subject of the inspirational documentary, Crazy Sexy Cancer, which she wrote and directed for TLC and Discovery Health.  Her awarding-winning books, Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips (foreword by Sheryl Crow), and Crazy Sexy Cancer Survivor (foreword by Marianne Williamson) are sassy, in-the-trench guides to triumphing over disease.  

Carr teaches Boot Camp wellness workshops at retreat centers across the country.  She is a faculty member in the nutrition program of The Urban Zen Integrative Therapist Training, a 500-hour certification program created by Donna Karan’s Urban Zen Foundation.  As an irreverent foot soldier in the fight against disease, Carr inspires countless individuals and their families to make the link between personal and planetary health by adopting a plant-based diet and improving lifestyle choices.  

Her witty anecdotes, and tips for tackling adversity motivate people to become empowered participants for change."

I am THRILLED beyond words for several reasons: 1. the DVD comes in Gaiam's ECOconscious packaging, 2. I learned while doing research for this post that Kris is a teacher in Donna Karan's program which I wrote about in Project Manifestation installment number three and 3. Kris has moved into a preventive campaign with her Crazy Sexy Life blog and forum.

I am so in LOVE LOVE LOVE with Kris' slogan: "Make Juice, Not War." As you know I purchased a Jack LaLanne juicer last week and have enjoyed every single concoction that this miracle machine has created for me. I can't recommend the art and joy of juicing enough. It will change your world by improving your health.

As I scroll through Kris' blog, I'm feeling like hers is my almost parallel life. I see mentions of fasting, Louise Hay, and Jivamukti to name a few. Speaking of which, I am SO VERY excited to finally meet David Life and Sharon Gannon in Charleston on February 21st when I travel up to take their two classes and receive a copy of Sharon's newly released Yoga and Vegetarianism book. I hope I don't look too star-struck and can muster something appropriate to say. 

Check out everything Kris has to offer each and every one of us to improve our health with joy and laughter. I will invite Kris to check out my WellnessDestinationsCentral.com alternative healthcare directory and gift her with free national advertising FOR LIFE. I hope that she, in turn, will share my budding directory (now 4 months young with 400 listings) with her audience and network. 

I'm nearly busting at my seams with gratitude and excitement for finding yet another WONDERFUL and AMAZING pioneer in the field of natural health and disease prevention. I have so much hope for the human race and Mother Earth. Together we can change the world of wellness. Save the Humans! Study your Food!!

Namasté, Kris. 

Live Light, xo-C.

PS: Yes, MPS, I will be sending you the DVD. 

PM21: Matt Monarch and Angela Stokes

I've recently "met" (online, of course) two amazing young people who shine so much joy and promise that I'm choosing to feature them as my Project Manifestation installment #21.

I'm not sure exactly when or how I found Matt Monarch, but I know it was in pursuit of raw food information. He is 33 and has been eating 100% raw food for nine years and is the author of two best-selling raw food books Raw Spirit and Raw Success. I was really sold when I saw his video for raw chocolate pudding:

I've not made it yet, but I ordered the raw cacao and carob from Matt's store and have it here ready to go this weekend. These items may be available at your health food store, but I didn't want to take any chances with mine (though I now know they are there). 

But what really enamored me to Matt and his mission was the note in my order package. Along with the receipt was a handwritten, albeit photocopied, note personally from Matt. Who does that? The letter spoke about how I was not just a customer, but a desired life-long partner in health. I was so touched to receive such a thoughtful personal touch in my package along with free samples. This extra human touch is so rare in commerce these days.

And I learned about Angela Stokes separately, also through raw food research. She is 29 and has been eating raw for six years which has helped her to release 160 pounds of excess weight and recover from morbid obesity. She is the author of five raw food books, including the best-seller Raw Emotions. Her story is a much needed inspiration in this country of ours which is suffering from an increasing rate of obesity and related diseases such as diabetes type 2, high blood pressure and body degeneration.

And it was only very recently that I learned that these two lovely people are engaged to one another and have grand plans to relocate to Ecuador. The Ecuadorian constitution protects nature and protects the right of every citizen to have open access to natural medicine. I completely understand and support Matt and Angela's choice to move to the South American paradise. I wish them much wellness and happiness!

I wish to extend to Matt and Angela an invitation to view my new online alternative healthcare directory, WellnessDestinationsCentral.com, to list themselves on a national level ("NationalTag") for free FOR LIFE and to share the site with their network and colleagues. If I can help spread Matt and Angela's message through the directory, I would be so honored. If Matt and Angela can help WDC grow, I would be immensely appreciative. 

Live Light, xo-C.

PS - 10 April 2009: I submitted this post to Food Renegade in the Fight Back Friday Carnival!