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HOMEOPATHY AND WHY IT WORKS

June 20, 2022 By Alex Gellman

Homeopathy is an incredible system that has the ability to heal and help all who call upon it. While deciding on my path there was a great debate whether to go the Naturopathic College or Homeopathic College.

My own years of personal healing made that decision for me. I experienced both protocols growing up and decided to pursue a career as a Homeopathic practitioner.

My principal reasons for embracing this path are simple:

1.         Homeopathic medicine has the ability to deal with the skeletons in the closets, fears, obsessions and negative beliefs and thoughts that humans are plagued by.

2.         This wondrous line of remedies has the ability to address the root cause of the problem and heal symptoms the individual is experiencing.

3.         A well trained homeopath administering a remedy can expect a shift in the condition of the individual within a couple of  hours or sometimes even less. Depending on the severity of the symptoms the condition can often take longer to respond.

4.         Herbs, vitamins and other products of this type take days, weeks and often months for the individual to experience a shift in their condition.

5.         Homeopathic medicines cost less than $10.00 each, so it can be accessible to all, even those with limited budgets.

Most, physicians believe over 90% of all healing takes place “between the ears”. Homeopathy helps with the necessary shift at that level. In a nutshell, that is why I believe homeopathy is one of the most effective and most reliable natural cures we have available to the human race.

Origins of Homeopathy 

The Greek physician Hippocrates is the principal father of homeopathy. He introduced the principle that “like cures like”. This concept means that a person suffering from violent vomitting, would be given a remedy that would produce that effect in a healthy person. The medical beliefs of the time embraced The Law of Contraries, which is the treatment of a condition with a substance that will create the opposite reaction.

Homeopathy and the principles of healing of Hippocrates are also based onthe belief of the vital force, Chi or Tao in the Oriental systems or the Kundalini in the Tibetan/India yoga systems. What this means is – that within every living creature there is an energy force that drives it and keeps it alive. As we proceed through life that vital force is disturbed by traumas, disappointments, and unmet expectations.

Think of an electrical cord and over the years a mouse has chewed little holes into the wires – after some time the light would no longer come on due to the electrical current being unable to flow through the slightly broken wires.

The homeopathic remedy has the ability to go in and repair the many wires at many levels to bring the individual back to their original force they were born to embrace.

The Father of Homeopathy who in 1790 documented the great works we use today is Samuel Christian Hahnemann. Hahnemann was a medical Doctor discouraged by the practices of the time so he began to explore new ways to treat patients. He discovered an article by Dr. William Cullen on the miracles of the Cinchona Peruvian bark, useful in treating malaria. He chose to experiment on himself and found to his astonishment that taking the Cinchona Peruvian bark in a diluted substance produced all the symptoms of malaria. He spent years testing his theories. The responses and reactions varied in individuals, but in everyone, the Cinchona Peruvian bark produced symptoms of malaria to different degrees.

He continued this process of multiple dilutions, and discovered that themore diluted the product the less reactions his patients experienced. In addition he introduced a concept called “succusion”. This process is achieved by vigorously shaking the remedy. There is research being done in the UK to support and show scientific evidence how the succusion process releases molecules of the original substance to increase the healing effect of the remedy. He believed that the homeopathic remedy has the ability to stimulate the vital force of the body and regain the body’s’ natural innate ability to heal itself. As the vital force becomes stronger, the body has the ability to fight illness and infection.

Hahnemann devoted his life to the investigation and development of remedies. He discovered that the greater the dilution the more potent the remedy became. This is a brief overview of the dilution process and effect of the remedies:

.           Remedies that have an X after the number have been diluted in 10 ml of water

.           Remedies with a CH after the number have been diluted in a 100 ml of water

.           Remedies in number less than 29 have the ability to address the physical aspect of the condition

.           Remedies that have been diluted 30 times address the physical and emotional symptoms

.           For a physical ailment like a broken bone use a very low number like4 or 6

.           Remedies diluted 200 times address the emotional and spiritual aspects of the person

.           Remedies diluted 1,000 times and higher address the spirits and the hereditary code we received from our ancestors, both physical and emotional predispositions

After Hahnemann came Kent and Hering, who put together our Materia Medicas. This is an encyclopedia of every symptom a person could experience, and the remedies that will shift those conditions. Remedies are made from the minerals of the earth, animal and plant sources.

How are Homeopathic Remedies Prescribed? 

A homeopath prescribes a remedy based on a thorough fact finding process. The patient tells their story from their conception to the present.  After hearing the personal history, the homeopath will ask questions that will begin to create a picture of the individual, including:

.           Their personality e.g. extrovert or introvert.

.           Their fears.

.           Their goals, desires and wishes.

.           What makes them feel better/what makes them feel worse.

.           How they react to external stimuli like weather and stress.

.           Food preferences and dislikes and/or reactions.

.           Circadian rhythm – what is their best and worst time of day or night

.           Whether discomforts in the body  focus on the right or left

side, or travel from one side of the body to the other.

.           Individual sleep positions.

.           Temperature preferences.

.           Particular habits and/or idiosyncrasies.

These are the external clothes of the body.

The homeopath also delves into an individual’s spirit realm with questions such as:

.           What do they dream about.

.           Childhood and present dreams.

.           Aspirations.

.           Emotions.

.           Phantasmal perceptions –  like a feeling somebody is standing behind you,

or the childs’ fear that somebody is hiding under the bed.

When all this information is compiled a remedy is identified that will support all the criteria, and also address the physical manifestations of the life force imbalance. To recap, if a person was totally healthy and they took a certain remedy, it would produce those mental, physical and emotional symptoms that the remedy would address in an unhealthy person.

Healing is incredibly fast. Often patients leave the office and phone when they get home to report that their acid digestion or depression feels better. It will come back perhaps the next day, and we will need to administer the remedy again, but eventually the old symptoms will dwindle away.

HOMEOPATHIC CASE HISTORY #1:  Ryan 

Homeopathy is prescribed based on as individual’s total life experiences. For example, Ryan (name changed) came to see me recently suffering from partial facial paralysis, excruciating hip and leg pains, colitis and depression.

I used Iridology first to read Ryan’s eye and get a clear picture of what was going on inside him physically, mentally and emotionally, without being clouded by anything I might hear from him later. I next took a comprehensive homeopathic history. I then put all the pieces together, much like solving a puzzle, to identify the precise homeopathic remedy Ryan needed.

Ryan’s eye structure revealed he was a Humanitarian (see Emotional Iridology), a person who under stress can withdraw and keep his emotions and feelings locked inside. These stored negative feelings had been eating away at Ryan for over fifty years, and in his case that lead to bowel problems.

Ryan’s eye structure also revealed tremendous emotional pain after the loss of first his father and then his mother. Ryan confirmed this finding.

Sometimes people can become so disconnected from their feelings that they might not themselves be able to articulate the feeling. That is when my eye reading can help me fully understand what is going on with a person.

Ryan’s father died seven years ago. His mother died two years before the paralysis on the left side of his face showed itself; and the left side of the body rules nurturing and other issues related to one’s relationship and interaction with mother. The grief experienced after the loss of a loved one is a very deep pain that will often bring other uncomfortable feelings to the surface that may include anger, guilt, or any unresolved past emotional issue. The good news is that it is always possible to resolve these emotional issues at any time with the help of homeopathic remedies.

I then took a comprehensive historical timeline of when each of Ryan’s physical symptoms first appeared, and when key mental and emotional traumas in his life occurred.

I treated Ryan with a specific customized homeopathic remedy that would help him change at a very deep emotional level and release layers of grief, guilt and anger.

The outcome was a healthier bowel and the face paralysis was completely corrected.

NOTE: Because everyone’s life experiences differ, the specific homeopathic remedy will differ, even though people may share similar physical symptoms. For this reason I never disclose personalized remedies because they are arrived at only after a thorough personalized consultation.

HOMEOPATHY AND EMERGENCIES

Homeopathic remedies are wonderful to have in the medicine cabinet for emergencies. As already mentioned it is best to put yourself in the care of a qualified practitioner, however, the basic potencies noted here are safe for home use.

A key remedy to have on hand is Arnica. This remedy is made from the leopard’s bane plant.  Legend has it that mountain climbers in Switzerland nibbled on the bark of leopard’s bane to help ease aching muscles. This remedy can help heal all physical ailments after an accident such as: bone fracture, sprains, nosebleeds, eye injuries, and concussions.

Arnica works best if administered as soon as possible after the injury occurs. Use a basic potency of Arnica 30 CH,  and take 3 pills every two hours until the pain eases.  Continue taking Arnica as needed every two hours, reducing it to 3-4 times a day, for up to seven days depending upon the severity of the symptoms.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Stress, Your Health, and Nutrition

June 1, 2022 By Alex Gellman

“Have 5 vegetables a day!”

“Eat fresh fruit, not cookies!”

 

 

Many of us heard a version of these phrases from a parent or guardian when we were kids. Though we may have protested, even our child-size brains knew they had a point. Your parent’s main concern was that you thrive and grow into a healthy adult. Somehow, despite ignoring their advice whenever you could, you’re now a well-rounded adult. Or are you simply, 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 apple vs. cookies? Do you seek comfort from comfort foods?

We all do this sometimes. But we know, as adults, that the food choices we make affect more than our waistlines. Our choices impact all aspects of life. We know that we need the phyto-nutrients and antioxidants found in fruits and veggies more than ever to help fight adult-sized stress and free radical damage on our aging bodies.

Making the right food choices will give you 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. It can help all of us prevent chronic illness and cancers, stave off depression, 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 reach your 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, cookies, 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? “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, anger, nervousness, 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. At 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, “Not yet.”  But she continues to 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, yet 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). 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, 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, along with rosemary, an aromatic herb, it 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

Healthy Food Tips—Wellness from the Inside Out

• 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.

This articles is extracted from a blog post originally printed in the The Catholic Principals’ Council of Ontario Newsletter:  “Connections.”

Please contact Alex Gellman to arrange a remote or in-person consultation appointment.

 

Filed Under: Diabetes, Goal Setting, Iridology, Recipes for Wellness, Uncategorized, Wellness / Lifestyle Coaching

10 GOOD REASONS TO USE HOMEOPATHY

October 13, 2020 By Alex Gellman

Here are 10 good reasons to try Homeopathy:

1.  NATURAL ACTION

Homeopathy works by stimulating the body’s own natural defence mechanism to promote health and to resist infection and susceptibility to disease.  Although gentle, the results can be powerful and long lasting.

2.  HEALTH & WELL-BEING

Homeopathy improves health generally, rather than merely alleviating localized symptoms.  It treats the whole individual, acting on the mental and emotional levels as well as the physical level, providing a balance in overall health and an increased sense of well-being and quality of life.

3.  EFFECTIVE MEDICINE

When used correctly, homeopathy can be an extremely effective system of medicine, providing long-lasting relief from many acute and chronic conditions and illnesses.

4.  NO HARMFUL SIDE EFFECTS

Homeopathic treatment offers a gentle and non-invasive approach to health, producing no toxic side effects, no dependency or addiction, and no withdrawal.

5.  COST EFFECTIVE

Homeopathic medicines are surprisingly inexpensive to purchase, especially when compared to over-the-counter and prescription drugs.

6.  FAST-ACTING FIRST-AID RELIEF

Homeopathy can be safely used at home or on the road to provide rapid relief for minor problems such as bruises, simple burns, sprains, insect bites, gastric upsets, etc.  However more serious or long-lasting complaints should be treated by a qualified homeopath.

7.  NOT TESTED ON ANIMALS

Homeopathic medicines are tested only on healthy humans in order to determine the range of action of each remedy.

8.  COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE

Homeopathic medicines can be used independently or along with conventional drugs and other therapies (with the full knowledge of your other healthcare providers).  It can often alleviate unpleasant side effects of conventional treatments (e.g., chemotherapy).

9.  ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY

Homeopathy has a low carbon footprint.  The manufacturing process follows environmentally sound procedures to minimize energy use, conserve natural resources and not contribute to air and water pollution. Packaging is minimal and it can generally by recycled. Homeopathy is truly a Green Medicine!

10.  MEDICINE OF THE FUTURE

Homeopathy is the second most widely used system of medicine in the world.  It is available in most countries and is gaining in popularity as an alternative to conventional medicine.

NOTE: This is a reprint. Reprints are approved provided there is acknowledgement and links to Canadian Society of Homeopaths at www.csoh.ca

Diane Louie, RCSHom, is the Coordinator of the CSH Homeopathy Awareness Team.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Consumer Health Seminar

May 2, 2019 By Alex Gellman Leave a Comment

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The Good Morning Goddess

April 10, 2013 By Alex Gellman

It is morning.

 

I know for many it can be tough to muster that “get up and go” feeling. Maybe your sleep was poor and your usual energy level just isn’t there. When you face the mirror, you do not like what you see. It seems as if the weight is just piling on and your love handles are more present than ever before. If only there were a way to bring a little more love into your life, then maybe you wouldn’t feel so down.

 

The wardrobe is the same old, same old – boring. Is it going to be brown or black today? Perhaps you will get wild and combine the two.

 

Now for breakfast, what to eat? You have about 30 seconds to spare, considering you should have left for work a half hour ago. While weighing your options you remember that, “to lose weight – 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking up”. Eggs are a decent option, but simply take too long. Instead, start your morning off right with the Mercurial Green Goddess Smoothie.

 

This healthy morning beverage will help to:

 

  • Get the energy flowing
  • Remove negativity
  • Open up the liver detoxification pathway
  • Improve brain clarity and focus

 

Mercurial Green Goddess Smoothie Recipe:

1cup organic spinach

¼ cup fresh organic dill

1 cup almond breeze or homemade almond milk

2 tablespoons of Metagenics ultra-clear Inflamax

3 tablespoons of lecithin (liquid or tablets)

1 pear (organic, cored)

Avocado and 1 strawberry for garnish

 

1.) Combine all ingredients in Vitamix or blender. Mix for 2 minutes.

2.) Pour into an exotic glass and garnish with a sliver of avocado and the strawberry on
a skewer stick.

3.) Inhale and breathe in the dill as you prepare to drink. Focus on your
intention and what you wish to manifest today.

4.) Drink and experience your day unfold as you manifest your heart’s desires.

 

 

What are the key ingredients good for?

– Spinach is a great antioxidant with a high content of vitamin A, C and beta-carotene.

– Antioxidants reduce free radicals that age the body and predispose us to potential cancer.
– Spinach also contains free scavenging manganese, copper, zinc, vitamin E, selenium; and energy boosting B1, B2, niacin, calcium, phosphorous, and fiber to cleanse the body and lower your triglycerides and cholesterol.
– Spinach lowers homocycteine levels. Next time you go to the doctor ask your doctor to check your homocystiene levels.
– Spinach promotes heart health, great vision, and brain health.

– Dill promotes liver detoxification and promotes production of glutathione.

– Pears, in keeping with the theme, will give you more antioxidant bang for your buck.
– Pear’s high fiber will help eliminate constipation. It will also bind to cancer causing chemicals in the colon and help to prevent colon cancer.
– Pears are considered the number one food to introduce to babies, due to their low hypoallergenic factors.

Almonds are amazing! They are an oxymoron. They are a high fat food that lowers LDL (bad cholesterol).

  • Almonds are a great evening snack to promote sleep and calmness, due to their high tryptophan content.
  • Almonds can help lower predisposition and prevent gallstones.
  • Research has shown women who eat one ounce of almonds per day experienced 25% less gallstones. 3- Lecithin is a fat that will help support liver health

 

 

The collections of smoothies I will present over the next couple of months are designed to enhance different aspects of life.

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How to Process Emotional Pain – The Wrong Way and The Right Way

March 25, 2013 By Alex Gellman

I am undertaking the chore of blogging regularly. I’ve put it off for years and I’m nervous because success is important to me and I need to be in control.
But like my teacher (my husband) says: “Face the fear. If it’s not death, go for it!”
I’m taking a deep breath and publicizing my goal: to blog once a week on either grief or the candida self-help group. Easy to say it, now it’s time for action.
I’ll start with the subject of grief.
I’m well acquainted with grief in my personal history. I lost all my family by the age of 35. I also suffered a loss of physical health; I developed chronic fatigue, fibro myalgia, Epstein Barr, herpes, mono and IBS. Like all FMS patients, I couldn’t sleep at night, I was exhausted during the day and it became a continuous cycle of suffering. When I did manage to sleep I would be haunted by ghastly dreams of walking through grave yards looking for my parents .
I sought a therapist who sent me to a grief facilitator who had organized a grief group. I attended that group for five years.
YES, five years it took me, but I’m a very slow processor of emotions and it takes many people much less time. Nobody heals overnight though so be prepared to be patient with yourself.
Besides therapy and the grief group, I consulted a Naturopath, Sandy Wood. She taught me about the blood type-diet connection. Because I am blood type O, the vegan diet I had been following that consisted of mostly nuts and seeds and vegetables was unsuitable for me. Sandy told me t-bone steaks are highly beneficial for me! Within 3 months of following the diet prescribed for type O blood, my health had bounced back, I could work again and had minimal symptoms.

During that difficult time in my life I discovered three things that only serve to increase emotional pain after a significant loss:

1. Consume alcohol

2. Blame yourself and indulge in “if only’s” such as “if only we had gotten another medical opinion” or, for marital breakups “if only we had done couples
counselling ”

3. Push yourself harder and fill your day with activity to the point
of exhaustion

Eventually I switched tactics (or I wouldn’t be here) and found three things to do that help during difficult times:

1. Increase your intake of multi coloured fruit and vegetables to
benefit from increased antioxidant consumption.

2. Seek out a support group that understands and has compassion for
what you are going through.

3. Light a candle every night, pray and ask for forgiveness for all
the wrongs, real or imagined, that you blame yourself for

If you know someone who has experienced a loss, please forward this to them as sharing in my experience might be helpful to him or her. Also, I welcome your feedback, good and bad. However, since I am overly sensitive to criticism please cushion your criticism with a compliment or positive remark.

Remember grief results from many things: including divorce, illness, bankruptcy,
loss of health, loss of the dream to have children, loss of a job, loss of
self or a loved one to addictions. Even the loss of a pet, can provoke
profound grief.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Unrealistic Goal Setting Leads to Feeling Disheartened with Life

March 14, 2013 By Alex Gellman

Check in and listen and believe in yourself. Do you need balancing, fine turning or a full transformation?


Once again I became perturbed in yoga class, found my focus on movement and flow disrupted because the instructor made comments such as:

“May this day be the first day of your new life” and

“May you walk away from all regrets and move forward with only success”.

These comments are meant to inspire, but they are generalizations

Take each day one by one, be patient with yourself. Remember the old saying: Rome was not built in a day. Examine if you are creating blocks that keep you from achieving your dreams.

directed at a small number of depressed people – people who even on a sunny day are discouraged, feel like failures and see the glass half empty, and aren’t likely to show up to yoga class anyway.
Yet we all have goals we haven’t met, but we shouldn’t view unmet goals as failures. The fault lies more with the goal itself being unrealistic, perhaps because the timeline for accomplishing it was too short, or no action steps for achieving the goal were outlined, let alone followed.

Here are 5 “SMART” tips for setting realistic, achievable goals. They’re just as significant as the first time you heard them but they bear repeating because we get distracted, forget and maybe dwell too much on perceived failures that are no such thing.

Make your goals:

1.     S – Specific and Significant to you (not what your mother or your partner wants for you).

2.     M – Measurable with Meaningful steps. (Small steps are fine – and probably realistic!)

3.     A – Attainable by Actions for which you are ACCOUNTABLE. (Be realistic!)

4.     R  – Rewarding – because the outcome is Relevant to you (- again, not necessarily to your mother).

5.     T – Time-bound – ie “by X date next Tuesday at 2:30p.m…”

Another smart tip for goal setting is to share your goal with someone else and enlist their help to keep you “honest”. If you’re really serious, consider hiring a life coach.  I have had tremendous success  building self esteem in young and older women who had a history of abuse both in childhood and in past romantic relationships. It is wonderful to start to see them stand up for themselves and make healthier choices regarding relationships and food, and making self care a priority.

Take our Stress Age Assessment and find out how old you really are based on contributing factors such as healthy lifestyle habits, life stressors and family genetics.

Filed Under: Heart Felt Emotions, Uncategorized

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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)

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 alex@alexgellman.com

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