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Give Yourself the Gift of Mindfulness –

December 2, 2019 By Alex Gellman

Whether acknowledged or not, we’ve all experienced at least a few gratifying “living in the moment” moments that were impromptu and remarkable for their impact. Think of a nature vista you may have stumbled upon – say, in the course of a hike – an awesome waterfall, or a sunset that took your breath away. Or think of the magic of the first fall of giant snowflakes in winter – that always makes me pause. Such happy moments that take us outside of ourselves and yet connect us to the universe are what we seek in the pursuit of “mindfulness”.

Mindfulness has the power to enrich even the most mundane task with meaningfulness. Mindful experiences are stress free and bring inner peace, and ultimately greater productivity. I know this yet I still catch myself busy at multi-tasking, and goal oriented endeavours. I am a member of modern society, after all.

But I remember to pause sometimes in my activities. I have had the good fortune to study with the masters so I take a deep breath, and I revisit their teachings. I also take heed of my own lessons – lessons that I’ve had the privilege to share formally as a presenter and motivational speaker.

At a recent leadership coaching session I lead for one of my corporate clients, I had included a lesson on mindfulness which prompted much discussion and thanks from the participants. One of them said:

“ I learned from you that when I focus all my energy on the task at hand I am filled with joy, inner peace and the stress disappears.”

Such genuine, hearfelt praise really lit up the moment for me.

That is the gift of mindfulness. Learn how to give yourself the gift of inner peace and joy – watch for my schedule of upcoming workshops or counselling sessions or ask for personal guidance. Achieving mindfulness to enhance all aspects of your life–will affect your health and wellness (and what you find you can achieve!) in many ways. Stay tuned for dates of workshops/webinars and follow my twitter account.

I am also available for corporate engagements.

Namaste

Filed Under: Motivational Speaking

Overcome Candida Once and For All – Join Us Once a Month! Free!

September 13, 2012 By Alex Gellman

INTRODUCTION TO CANDIDA & THE KEY FOODS TO AVOID

Tuesday, September 18, 2012, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

An introduction to what Candida is and how we contract it. We will review the significant symptoms, illnesses and     conditions caused by fungi in the body, and the key foods to avoid. Learn the 5 keys that will heal Candida.

IRIDOLOGY WILL REVEAL WHY THE BODY GOT CANDIDA

Tuesday October 30, 2012, 7:00 –  8:30 p.m.

This fascinating evening will feature a presentation on what the eyes reveal – “The Mirrors of the Soul”. Learn how to identify your personality type, your key physical issues and much more. Discover how emotional and physical iridology can reveal how the Candida condition developed and can be rectified. This modality has the ability to reveal the key to eliminating Candida completely through finding the emotional spiritual hole that allowed the condition to develop.

THE ROLE OF GRAINS & FRUITS:

THE PANCREAS CONNECTION

Tuesday, December 4, 2012, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

We will discuss the role of the “alternative” grains & fruits and how they affect Candida and your health.  De-mystify the myths surrounding these foods.  We will also discuss the role the pancreas plays in the body and its connection to your    glycemic index.

Coming February 2013, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

THE ROLE OF THE EMOTIONS & CANDIDA

The role of emotions  and stress play a large role in having contracted Candida. Learn how to eliminate Candida through removing and working through emotional blocks.  Discover how to release these blocks completely and thus eliminate Candida completely. This evening will also look at how to use California Flower Essences and Bach Flower remedies to help emotional and physical symptoms.

Coming March 2013, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT BY CONQUERING CANDIDA

Permanent weight loss eluding you? Lose a few pounds, only to gain them back the minute you eat a few carbs? Are you drinking lots of water but still feeling swollen and bloated?

Get the skinny on how to lose the puffiness. I’ll show you how to eliminate the yeast from your body (an aggravating condition called “Candida”) that will facilitate your weight loss and lead to an overall improvement in health.

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Motivational Speaking, Recipes for Wellness

Tips for Guilt Free Vacations

August 15, 2012 By Alex Gellman

Recently I had the distinction of being cited as a life-coach expert, in a magazine article on managing work-life pressures, written by Julie Beun, North American Correspondent for Canadian Living and Postmedia, GoodHealth and FirstWord. We always need reminders and tips on how to cope with daily life, but we also need to be reminded of ways to ensure leisure time is the true R & R it’s supposed to be.

 

Here is how Julie reported our conversation in her article entitled “Turn Off Work, Turn on Vacation Time” published in the June/July issue of FreshJuice Magazine:

De-stress before you go

“People go on holiday and they’re thinking of that one file they didn’t finish,” says Toronto-based life coach Alex Gellman. “Twenty-five to 30 percent of the population can walk out the door. The rest will be haunted by work.” She recommends visualizing a filing cabinet of unfinished work that remains locked until you return.

Don’t be intimidated by your inbox

A mountain of mail and endless emails may trigger post-vacation blues, but don’t let them get you down, says Gellman. “Say to yourself, ‘I’ll tackle 200 a day.’ If you see it as 800 or 1,000 emails, you’ll start producing more cortisol — the stress hormone — again. You don’t renovate a house all at once; you do one room at a time.”

Ease back in

You’re back and refreshed. Your adrenal glands, which govern your stress reactions, are in top form. And according to a Dutch study, if your holiday was “very relaxed,” you’ll feel the benefits for up to two weeks. “Take a day or a weekend to transition,” says Gellman. “You need it to ease back into your busy life.”

Here is a link to the complete article.

Filed Under: Motivational Speaking

REDUCE YOUR STRESS! – with a Stress on Nutrition

July 17, 2012 By Alex Gellman

“Eat your vegetables!”

“Have fruit, not cookies!”

We all heard a version of these phrases from a parent or guardian when we were kids, and though we may have protested, even our child-size brain knew they had a point. Your mother’s main concern was that you thrive and grow into a healthy adult. And somehow, despite ignoring her advice whenever you could, you’re now a well rounded adult. Or are you just, well – a little too round? Are you nostalgic for childish things, now you’re an adult and facing real life stressors? Are you longing for the simple days when your big decision was an apple vs. cookies?

The fact is, that simple choice is still important and can impact all aspects of your life. Indeed, now we need the phyto nutrients and antioxidants found in fruits and veggies more than ever, to help fight adult-size stress and the free radical damage on our aging bodies.

Making the right food choices will give your body a fighting chance against premature aging and illness; The right food can contribute to a good night’s sleep and keep your intellect sharp all day by staving off low sugar “blues”; Identifying food sensitivities and avoiding those foods can aid weight loss and alleviate digestive problems. Proper food choices can help women sail through menopause, can help prevent chronic illness and cancer, stave off depression and obesity and even improve your sex life.

What Healthy Eating Can Do For You:

  • Increase energy and performance
  • promote a greater ability to concentrate
  • strengthen your immune system
  • enhance your libido
  • help reachyour ideal body weight
  • reverse signs of aging
  • improve self-esteem and confidence
  • create a more positive attitude about your liffe

Stress can contribute to wrong choices and generally wreak havoc, so it’s important to manage your stress. The first step towards management is to recognize there are different types of stress and different stress responses, and for every type of stress there are specific foods that can help you manage.  By following the food suggestions for different types of stress, you’ll find it easier to ignore the stress impulse to reach for ice cream and cookies or wine or whatever. That route hasn’t really worked for you in the past, so now it’s time to learn about food choices that do work.  (Please note that before making any changes in nutritional intake or life style choices you should mention it to your Doctor or Health Practitioner.)

What is stress? ABOUT.COM ON GOOGLE STATES: Definition: Stress is the body’s reaction to a change that requires a physical, mental or emotional adjustment or response. Stress can come from any situation or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, nervous, or anxious.  Stress is caused by an existing stress-causing factor or “stressor”. Therefore stress is multifaceted and can lead to frustration, or anger, or nervousness, or sadness, or anxiety or all of the above.

Different Types of Stressors and Foods that Fight Back:

Stress that threatens safety• Threats on your life, losing your home, losing your job, losing your partner or parents, a serious car accident, a court sentence, etc.

Unfortunately, we have all been touched by one, or several of these episodes. Some folks go through life unaffected. How do they do it ? You may have noticed that some days you handle everything thrown your way with ease and good nature, and other times the smallest incident can send you over the edge. Yes, certain foods rich in B vitamins can help you maintain equilibrium. Swiss chard is one such power house. It’s full of minerals and B vitamins that help handle stress, and a one cup serving has only 35 calories. This wonder product from nature has the potential to reduce blood pressure, and cholesterol. It also delivers antioxidants that help fight free radical damage that leads to premature aging and illness.

Serving Suggestion: steam Swiss chard lightly and serve drizzled with cold pressed olive oil and pressed garlic. A sprig of parsley after will clear the garlic breath. Parlsey also supports kidneys and helps release built up acids and fluids. When we are under stress we often hold on to more water and experience edema type symptoms.  Drinking a brew of parsley tea boiled in water will help relieve these symptoms. Other benefits of parsley:• neutralizes carcinogens in cigarette smoke and and BBQ’d food• boosts energy in spite of stress because it has magnesium and calcium • helps sleep because it has tryptophan,  an amino acid well know for its role in inducing relaxation and sleep (think: turkey dinner).

Stress that brings us self-doubt

• Criticism about your work or not feeling accepted by others.

However this only applies if the person already has self-doubt about their abilities. If the foundation is strong the criticism will be like water off a duck’s back.

Fennel builds inner confidence through its aromatic constituents. Where there is stress and self-doubt, the stomach and digestive process will be affected. Fennel will calm that down. If your stomach is stable you will find the strength within your abdominal core muscles to eliminate the self-doubt and take a stand. Fennel is a great appetite suppressant due to its high content of anethol volatile oil. This substance tells the brain you are full and you may find yourself feeling satisfied with less food. In addition, fennel boosts the immune system to help overcome infections and help reduce inflammatory conditions. Serving Suggestion: Make yourself a raw fennel, beets, apple and kale salad. Sliver all thinly by hand or in a food processor. Dress with a generous dressing of lemon juice, flax oil and a dash of cumin.  Apples also have a multitude of health benefits – eating just two apples a day can help lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Beets support the liver and skin cleansing.

Stress that registers as disappointment and unmet expectations

• When we feel our loved one or loved ones shun us or turn their back on us, or our romantic partner leaves us.

We need to look within and examine our expectations. Most of the time the romantic and emotional expectations are unrealistic and the disappointment can only happen if your expectations are not realistic.

Example: I deal with a woman who dreams of her husband coming home for dinner.I ask her if he has ever come home for dinner in 15 years. She says, “No”. But she continues to live in her delusion dream that things will change and he will show up for dinner. Every night she sits at the dinner table until he rolls in around 1 to 3 in the morning. She leads with her unhappiness by living in a world of delusion.

You are aghast at this ridiculous example. You would be surprised how many people continue to believe the lies they tell themselves to keep themselves safe in dead end jobs and relationships. I often see the other side of the coin too; There are people who only anticipate struggle, disappointment and problems. When good fortune comes to these people they are astonished and are waiting for the good thing to go sour and/or they begin to sabotage the situation to fulfill their belief that life is a struggle and wishes do not come true.

Emotional disappointments trigger a response that lowers immunity and often result in respiratory sysmtoms such as the flu, colds or other bronchial problems. Therefore, if your stressors are focused around emotional disappointments, it’s necessary to support the respiratory system. If you are experiencing this, eliminate all dairy products until the illness phase passes and add ginger and turmeric to your diet.  Ginger acts a stimulant to improve circulation, it supports the inner lining of the digestive track, and helps overcome respiratory problems. Ginger is also a potent anti-inflammtory that helps reduce the symptoms of arthritis.

Serving Suggestions: • Use shredded or diced in stir fries• boil in water to make a tea• add to your juicer when making juice• remove core and seed of an apple, stuff it with ginger and bake• add to salad dressing with sesame oil• use in marinades and sauces

Stress that irritates and feels like conflict

• When you are in a situation where another person is pushing you to change or go in a  direction that is not familiar to you or is distasteful, or you find yourself in an argument or direct conflict.

Often conflict can be an internal argument. You find yourself endlessly mulling over things, weighing the pros and cons of a situation –  such as whether to stay in a marriage or leave the marriage.

If your stress response is to express irritation or anger, then you need liver support. For this, look to artichokes and fresh lemons and limes.

Cooking an artichoke is simple, even thought I meet many people who are intimidated at the thought and don’t know where to begin.

It’s easy – just steam for 45 minutes with a couple of sprigs of fresh rosemary. (Reserve the cooking water! This important step will be explained further on). To serve the steamed artichoke, remove the leaves on by one and dip the bottom of the leaf in hummus or a light mixture of cold pressed virgin olive oil, fresh rosemary  and fresh lemon juice, pressed garlic and dry mustard.  When you  get to the center there is a round area with thistles in the middle. Cut out the thistle area and you have now reached the heart of the artichoke. This part is regarded as a culinary delicacy – fill with your favorite dressing and enjoy.  While this is a pleasurable experience for the palate that helps the liver, to amp up the detox, drink 2 cups of the water reserved from steaming the artichoke. You may find it bitter but it, along with rosemary, an aromatic herb, cleanses and supports phase 1 and phase 2 of the liver detoxification process. You can add lemon to the mixture.

Stress that frustrates

• Sitting in traffic that is going nowhere for hours

• Waiting to resolve a court case that is taking years.

• You feel helpless waiting for things to resolve themselves

The common component that leads to stress in all the above examples is the self-talk that results after the event. That self-talk will become our reality.

For instance, when we feel criticized at work we may tell ourselves, “Yep, I am an idiot, just like mom always said.” And then it’s all down hill from there.

The solution to the slippery slope is to become aware of the TRIGGER that sets off the negative and destructive and usually untrue, internal message. Recognizing the trigger will help you pause for an honest moment and hopefully reassess that knee-jerk reaction and substitute it for a more reasoned outlook, such as “everyone makes mistakes” and/or “what different/better approach will help avoid a repeat?”

The food to help stress that frustrates is romaine lettuce – often overlooked as old hat but a great contributor to your well being.

Romaine lettuce is another good energy booster on stressful days – a salad a day will keep the stress bugs away!

Romaine lettuce delivers, since it has high doses of chromium. This mineral helps keep blood sugar stable. If you are experiencing a blood sugar roller coaster you will be significantly more affected by the slightest stressors. Romains also contains B1, B2 and tryptophan which help the nervous system deal with stress. Include hemp hearts, raw sunflower seeds and sesame seeds in a salad to boost healthy essential fatty acids. (Remember, toasted or sugared nuts hinder the benefit of the nuts.)

Stress over uncertainty of the future

• Results in fear

The food for fear is celery.

Plain old garden variety celery is often over-stepped for more glamourous and trendy vegetables, but celery is a real star. Check out what celery offers:

  • High roughage, low calories
  • Helps process carbohydrates
  • Alkaline, so protects against high acid and purifies blood
  • greener stalks contain more vitamin A and celery helps stabilize blood sugar and aids with diabetes
  • Contains B vitamins plus sodium, potassium and magnesium
  • regarded as a fountain of youth product
  • helps keep body limber and muscles from stiffness and aching
  • arteries, muscles and joints harden with too much calcium – sodium keeps calcium levels in check
  • eat the leaves! – they are high in potassium sodium and sulphur

Food Tips in General

• Eat five small meals a day, each consisting of a protein, healthy carbohydrate and healthy fat

• Plenty of fruits and vegetables• 30 minutes of exercise or movement each day

• Healthy nuts and seeds such as almonds, walnuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds

• Fish three times a week

• Lemon and warm water at wake up

• Filtered water – 12 to 14 glasses per day

Now is the time to start taking preventative steps that will lead to reversing the biological clock of life.

It’s never too late! Find out how stress is affecting you. Take the stress test at http://www.wellnessguru.com/stress_questionnaire.html

This blog post originally was printed in the The Catholic Principals’ Council of Ontario Newsletter:  “Connections”, Summer 2012,  Volume 15, Issue 4

 

Filed Under: Motivational Speaking, Recipes for Wellness

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alex-gellman Alex Gellman HOM, PHD

HOM, PhD, Homeopath, Holistic Nutritionist, and Iridologist with a PhD in Integrative Medicine, Alex has effectively facilitated the health and wellness of patients since 1981.

She is a certified facilitator of MBTi (Myers Briggs Type Indicator) that she uses in coaching to improve lines of communication.

She has presented at conferences and at the University of Toronto Research Symposium on the results of a successful 6-month study on the effects of those suffering from Fibromyalgia.

The author of three lifestyle wellness manuals, Alex also created the stress age biological assessment featured in the Wall Street Journal. She has appeared on a variety of health and wellness television shows and has hosted wellness retreats in Sedona and Niagara


 David Gellman Rabbi - DAVID GELLMAN

Over 30 years of experience in transforming the lives of individuals, families, and corporations, as a spiritual leader, Rabbi, Accountant and a Registered Behavioral Coach.

Rabbi Gellman holds ongoing workshops to offer guidance in achieving a life balance and in making spirituality a principle part of life.

His teaching style combines a wealth of knowledge with coaching skills to ignite people to achieve their dreams.

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Call 416-456 HELP (4357) or email your Toronto Life Coach Alex Gellman for more information about Life Coaching Toronto. Urgent matters requiring immediate attention email to [email protected]

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