Why Even Non-celiacs May Need To Skip Gluten.

The Great Challenge of Life by Jim Rohn

"Here's the great challenge of life - You can have more than you've got because you can become more than you are.
I have found that income seldom will exceed your own personal development. Once in a while income takes a lucky jump, but unless you grow out to where it is, it will go back to where you are.
Somebody once said if you took all the money in the world and divided it among everyone equally; it would soon be back in the same pockets. However, you can have more because you can become more. You see, here is how the other side of the coin reads - unless you change how you are, you will always have what you've got.
The marketing plan won't do it. It's a good plan but it won't work without you. You've got to work it. It is the human effort that counts. If you could send a sales manual out to recruit - wouldn't that be lovely? The major thing that makes the difference is what YOU do.
In order to have more, you need to become more. The guy says "If I had a good job I would really pour it on, but I have this lousy job so I just goof off." If that is your philosophy, you are destined to stay there.
Some people say if I had a lot of money I would be really generous, but I don't have much so I'm not generous. See, you've got to change that philosophy or you will never have "the lots of money." Unless YOU change, IT won't change.
Amazingly, however, when we throw out our blame list and start becoming more ourselves - the difference is everything else will begin to change around us."

Jim Rohn
1930-2009, Author and Speaker

Only the lonely has self-confidence.

Believe in yourself! You can do it! You are powerful! You and you alone can do everything!  Just set your mind to it.

Or not.

Alone you are nothing but a weakling; you alone are nothing. And deep inside you know it. That's why it makes you angry. That's why you continue to need other human beings' approving nod of your existence - and we do this in so many different ways, that we don't even realize how much we are draining other people by asking them to fill the void within us. Please love me, please tell me I'm pretty, please tell me I'm good enough, please tell me you love me. 

The real question is: do YOU love anyone...?

I know that this is not politically correct to say; and you may disagree, which is fine; I often disagree with myself as time goes by. After all, that is why we have a mind, isn't it? So we can CHANGE it as new stuff comes to light.

We are raised in a culture that currently promotes and rewards those that claim to know-it-all - to have found their inner power; that they are second to none. That they alone have everything they need, just by being them. Alone they believe they are immortal, or as close as it comes, anyway.

While it's always difficult to explain the absolute crucial need to believe in that you, in fact, can do anything and everything; the fallacy lies in believing that you ALONE can do it.

Alone you are nothing. 

And I'm not talking about being alone as in no one else physically around you; I'm talking about where your confidence is derived from.
Anyone who has ever gone even partway down the path of Hubris, knows how fragile the human mind is and that humans are, in fact, incredibly weak hedonistic beings when they rely on themselves (what we like to call "great self-confidence").

There is nothing great about self-confidence. 

Self-confidence is a defense mechanism that you put up - thick as a brick-wall - to protect your fragile little self from the outside. Meaning, no one will see your debilitating weaknesses, and no one will be able to see you - who you really are - due to the shield you have built, and what others will call "great self-confidence".

Kim Kardashion & Paris Hilton: Sex, drugs, and exhibitionism... 

No, this is not confidence. 

This is a brick-wall thick as steel covering up weakness. 

And with all eyes on you, 

it's no easy task to tear down your self-built brick-wall.

You come off as being tough as steel.

You're unbreakable and your friends will praise you for it; yet you will also constantly get challenged in order to be proven wrong. Your strength will constantly be challenged by the outside, because that is human nature: to challenge what seems unbreakable. But deep inside you know, that you are so fragile... so broken.... that you dare not let anyone in, lest they step on your shattered, broken pieces, and you fear the pain of the splinters penetrating into your core soul. You simply don't believe that you are able to deal with the pain at any level. You are living in constant fear of pain. There is really nothing confident nor attractive about that.

Emotions are terrifying to you and you don't have the confidence to believe that you are actually able to deal with them, so you suppress them; ignore them... you choose numbness. A pause button of sorts; unfortunately the time is still ticking.

Now there are different levels to this; not all of us will build brick-walls; some of us manage to just build a tree fence; so we deal with a bit of feelings now and then, and we can let people slightly in; and  ironically as the pain and the numbness is not totally life debilitating; many of those of us who have built simple tree fences go through our entire life like this - only partly alive; always half asleep; never hot but never ice cold either. We have adjusted to perfect fitness for a sick society. We have mastered the art of fitting into a lukewarm society contaminated with mediocricy; we avoid swimming against the stream - we simply float with it, and hope for the best (...).

The key is to find confidence in what it is that gives you strength; because you can do ANYTHING through what it is that gives you power. It's just like a lamp; the lamp must rely on an electrical output otherwise it may look pretty, but it is worth nothing and it is good for nothing.

And that is why self-confident people are, in  fact, the most vulnerable and weakest of all - they are not dealing with one single emotion, not one single feeling dare they feel as they fear it will break them. And they are constantly torn between society's praise of them being awesome and unbreakable (just namedrop any celebrity here you like..) and their own inner knowledge of that they alone are nothing (why they rely on drugs/sex/alcohol/rage outbursts/gambling/shopping/stealing etc. to numbify them).

That is weakness.

True strength is only available once you surrender every single part of you; accepting your vulnerabilities... and have faith in what gives you strength. Know what is your electrical output. Certain behaviors may grant you instant relief --- but relying on getting your power from "batteries" only lasts for so long. You will break sooner or later if you rely on running solely on batteries. It is only a matter of time; and whether you chose Duracell or some cheaper version...

"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength" Phil 4:13

According to New DSM-5 Criteria: YOU're An Addict!

Well, more likely than not the new criteria will open up for future inclusion of disorders that were previously diagnosed as impulse control disorders rather than actual addictions. However, fact remains that a lot of those behaviors, prescription meds and chemicals added to foods these days directly stimulate our dopaminergic neurotransmitter system which is one of the key pathways in your reward system activated by drugs such as coke, speed, meth etc.

And another interesting aspect is that internet, texting etc. stimulate dopamine boosts as well - making for a generation that is used to instant gratification and has a super vulnerable brain chemistry for hard-core drugs; or simply a chronic need for stimulation that goes hand in hand with a low tolerance to pain (emotionally and physically). This makes for the perfect "binge" generation that constantly seek out distractions they can numb out in to avoid feelings (sex, cutting, shopping, drugs, food, gambling, texting, online stimuli, stealing, lying, gaming, hysteria and rage tantrums etc. etc.). And because everyone these days are doing something to manage the everyday pain of life, when you are not content in the skin you are in and the life that YOU ultimately have chosen to live... we have indeed become a nation of addicts - as I see it.

Because everyone's an addict does not make it right - it's a problem, and it's growing as both our environment, food and norms are supporting various addictions that overlap.

Look, I know what you're thinking "Oh come on now! Give me a break! No one's perfect!" That's not the point. The point is, there is a very...very... fine line before something, that we trick ourselves into thinking that we are in control of, gets in control of us. And if you can't go even a week without your drug/behavior of choice, without throwing fits of rage or crying over everything and nothing, there is a problem that is not going to disappear on its own.

Once you stop engaging in your distractions, you'll realize how you really feel about your life... and that is not always pretty.

When you are not happy in the skin you are in without numbing yourself out; it's only a matter of time before you will find yourself controlled by behaviors or substances... where every decision you make depends on whether you will be able to ultimately get your fix... so you only see your friends during "happy hour"... cos if it's not happy hour, you're not happy. Don't get me wrong: I love my Amarone too! But there's a huge difference between "nice to have" and "need to have". And "need to have" is never nice.

And on a side note - Sylvester Stallone's son, Sage, has just been found dead in his LA apartment. Make no mistake: Addiction will kill you - it is a slow suicide. And sometimes, not so slow. You can get the latest details on this on TMZ.



"The fact that binge drinking is so pervasive among college students and other young people indicates not that it is the norm, and therefore OK (not a problem), but that it is a very big problem indeed. Arguing otherwise is like saying that since so many Americans are obese, it needn’t be addressed because it is a cultural norm."

- The Fix

Read more about the controversy about the new diagnosing criteria to be included in the DSM 5 here.

Settling for the picture perfect life.

I love this music video by Kimbra - everything we THINK we need in this life, only adds to misery as we spin our slippery webs, luring others in by the shimmery shallowness, only to trap them in an attempt to fill the void that is within us; that only we ourselves can fill... or rather through our faith in Him. Yes, I'll be quite frank here... I have yet to meet an atheist who is wholesome... where there is not a sense of despair in the air; not to say that believers are saved people of any sorts - there are bad seeds everywhere.

Still, it is puzzling to me how humans will believe in anything and everything but God. And even more discombobulating that some people will get downright angry if you admit to being a follower of Him. And there is something deeply disturbing in that it seems more "trendy" to speak about God as the divine in the treetops or celebrate some holy stones as a divine being of sorts. Or believe in scientology, horoscopes, stars, aliens, mars men.... christalmighty, the list goes on of what people find more acceptable and "trendy" to believe in rather than God of which there is so much evidence both in writing and actual parts from buildings and ships that goes to confirm what is written in the Bible.

Well, this was all a side note - I won't bore you guys with more of my personal faith, although it has been a saving grace for me - as for all humanity, I'm tempted to say. And thank god that He does not lower his standards to a pop culture. So no - I won't be "getting with the times" and the evergrowing newage faith tribes promoting tolerance, love and whatnot; yet ever so judgmental if you do not follow their manmade rules on vegan dieting and whatnot (...). Quite the hypocrisy. These manmade rules do not match the circle of life nor nature's path. Going to one extreme does not outweigh the other end... the solution to the abuse occurring everywhere today - whether it be towards factory farmed animals or domestic violence is not found in going to the other end of the specter -- you still tip the balance; resulting in a fundamentally flawed one-dimensional way of thinking aka black/white addictive thinking pattern that we are prone to lean on. Because it is easy - we get to put people in our beloved boxes; tricking ourselves into thinking that we have evolved into accepting beings; yet ever so busy making up rules as we go... always adjusting depending on the flavor of the day... and our comfort (...)

One might say, that the Bible is judgmental; well, thing is we all know what is right and what is wrong at any given time deep within our core. Yes, we do - otherwise we wouldn't feel "bad" when we do certain things in life... and where did this conscience come from I ask? If there is no higher power, a conscience actually makes no sense at all. Only the one who created us is able to ever judge us - so if you ever go to a faith based society and find that you are judged by man... keep in mind, that this has nothing to do with faith or believing in God - it is power abused by man - and that occurs everywhere. That's life. This life, anyway.

But getting back to settling. I don't believe in settling... with anything or anyone. Nono I'm not commitment phobic - I am all for commitment, when it is natural and it flows. The point being, settling; as in losing yourself, your values and abusing other people to fill a void that you choose to ignore rather than step up to the plate and fix it. That is actually a very egocentric and not very caring approach to enter a relationship - we enter out of need and compromise.

I don't believe any one of us should settle down with anyone before we have our own lives straight... because two wrongs don't make a right, it only makes for postponing sorting your own messiness out; a distraction of sorts. And as humans, we sure do love our distractions, don't we. 

Unfortunately, you can only suppress symptoms temporarily - as with all things in life... so the pace we move at depends on how much pain we experience in the current situation... the more pain, the quicker we typically choose to develop and move on... the sweet lure lies in the pain that we can override via other distractions - Rx meds, addictions and whatnot. 

You self-medicate on these behaviors when you disconnect from your core being. 

You no longer need to self-medicate when you heal the disconnected ends within you. 

Simple.

You Are Not Special.

In case you missed it, here's an excerpt from the going-viral commencement address by high school teacher David McCullough, Jr. Already deemed the "You Are Not Special" speech.

"Resist the easy comforts of complacency, the specious glitter of materialism, the narcotic paralysis of self-satisfaction. Be worthy of your advantages…Like accolades ought to be, the fulfilled life is a consequence, a gratifying byproduct. It’s what happens when you’re thinking about more important things."

Lil' Kim... the lifestyle of the rich and the famous: sex, drugs 'n rock'n roll.
Does she exude happiness? How many drugs are needed to keep up this act.

The speech, basically, being a reaction to a vertically challenged generation drowning in options and narcissism - quite literally. Too many options, too little hierarchy and no common values does not make for a happy generation. It makes for a shallow, self-absorbed and compulsive generation where the drive for instant gratification and numbing behaviors is penetrating; never before in history have we seen this complete rejection of values, hierarchy and "anything goes" mentality, yet no one really wants to take responsibility for their actions - thus they numb themselves with (self)destructive behaviors.

Our current generation is categorized by spending hours on end discussing, analyzing what is right and what is wrong - and everything is supposed to be tolerated in the name of freedom. Even breaking down other people's chosen belief systems and values. That, unfortunately, is not freedom - quite the contrary.

The rise in addictions in this generation can be clearly linked to this confusion of self, no clear parental direction and that "everything goes...." sex, drugs, alcohol etc. etc.... a complete moral breakdown. Yes, yes I know I sound old-fashioned, the issue, however, is that with it, we are seeing a growing tendency towards chronic need for meds to manage our mood  - now more than ever. People are depressed; and you become depressed when you are disconnected. And you become disconnected, when what you do, goes against your core nature.
This is not about living up to some type of Mother Teresa here, it's about doing what makes you truly happy in the skin you are in.

Only you know when you do things that you need to follow up with a numbing act because you feel disgusted by what you have just done. Maybe you are not even conscious about it. Maybe it's something you have learned yourself to do on autopilot to deal with "life". Always following your work day with hanging out at the bars or binging on tubs of ice cream, or the steady flow of escorts. These are all drowning behaviors that numb you from temporarily feeling pain.

Life, however, does not need to be "dealt with". Life is a state of flow; it happens when you are connected and stand up for yourself. You still make "bad" choices, but you view them as learning experiences that enable you to move forward instead of repeating them and needing to numb yourself with destructive behaviors because what you call "life" is just breaking you in.

That is not life. Life builds you up. Makes you strong. But only when you choose to live life with open eyes and take off your blindfolds. 

I don't know your truth. I can't tell you how to live your life, because no one, except you, knows that. You can trick yourself into thinking that everything is fine, everyone else is doing it. Make no mistake: everyone else is not happy. Giving in to peer pressure does not bring happiness - it's the easy way out in that moment, but it makes you spiral downward.... disconnecting from who you are, what you truly want to be.

"Everything is possible" is the positive trait of this generation's mindset, but with it comes a responsibility for those consequences that follow whatever path you choose. Every action has a consequence. The larger your goal, the greater the risk - you must prepare for the consequences. And as of now, we are a generation characterized by kids told the sky is the limit, unfortunately no one has taught us that there are consequences we must face whether now or later. And as with all things - there are fees when we "buy" on credit.

If you're not willing to pay for the candy at the cashier - then don't eat it; it doesn't belong to you. And taking things that don't belong to you tends to make you sick.... one way or the other.

Does your doctor walk the talk?

He also owns 150,000 shares of a vaccine corporation AND sits on their board of directors.

In spite of some of Dr. Oz's advice being quite solid, make no mistake: he's not your doctor, 

but big pharma's doctor. KaChing! The sound of selling your soul for cool cash.

Nothing is more ugly than people who don't walk the talk.
You don't have to be perfect and run it - we all stumble, fall and crawl;
but if you're not moving in the right direction,
you are living the lie.

Does your doctor walk the talk?

Calcium Supplements Increase Heart Risk (and NO you're not getting stronger bones either!)

Kate Moss  may be making milk addiction look sexy, but don't be fooled.
And did you know that milk products produce opiates and thereby qualify as narcotics?
May explain why many a drug addict like their cafe latte when not engaging in drugs;
unfortunately it keeps the pathways for addictive behaviors alive.
How's that for milk addiction.

Calcium supplements, usually taken to improve bone health, may increase risk of heart attack by as much as 30% according to the findings of the Women's Health initiative, a 15 year research project by the National Institute of Health.

Now how can this be? Well, what happens is that when your body is too acidic it takes calcium from your bones and puts it into your blood stream in an attempt to alkaline your body; and THAT is the reason why  most people get a decline in bone density as they age - it's NOT lack of calcium, rather it is a diet that does not match their unique genotype and thus favors a more acidic body pH!

If you take calcium supplements without addressing your body's pH balance and metabolic type, you build up excess calcium in your system that, coupled with mineral deficiencies and imbalances, can cause plaque built up in arteries, kidney stones, gall stones etc.

Does that mean you should never take calcium? No, but it does mean that you should be sure that you address all your mineral deficiencies simultaneously, otherwise yes: you will increase your risk of a stroke and the calcium will not go to your bones but only add further damage to your body!

What I recommend is taking a trace mineral supplement in ionic form to push your body pH more to the alkaline side and thus prevent calcium leakage from your bones. Also something like taking a green smoothie, containing collard greens, spirulina and add to that some apple or pear to sweeten it, in the AM is one of the best things you can do to change your body pH and build strong bones in a zap!

So, put down that pasteurized milk carton, cos it's got nothing to do with your bones, and it aint nothing but puss, hormones and dead bacteria.
And yes, that's pretty darn gross.

Reference:
M. J. Bolland, A. Grey, A. Avenell, G. D. Gamble, I. R. Reid. Calcium supplements with or without vitamin D and risk of cardiovascular events: reanalysis of the Women's Health Initiative limited access dataset and meta-analysis. BMJ, 2011; 342 (apr19 1)

Move on.

“You can spend minutes, hours, days, weeks, or even months over-analyzing a situation; trying to put the pieces together, justifying what could've, would've happened... or you can just leave the pieces on the floor and move the fuck on.” 

― Tupac Shakur

I love this quote by Tupac - too much time is spent thinking about what to do and what could have been if we had done so and so instead of just letting go and moving on. 

We will all make a bunch of mistakes in this lifetime, so the key is not to get paralyzed by fear like a dear caught in headlights (which in itself can prove to be very difficult for anyone dealing with a perfectionistic personality), but rather accept whatever happened, forgive whatever needs to be - and then MOVE IT! And yes, I know what you're thinking - sometimes you feel sorry for yourself; you are hurting; sometimes you're the sorry victim. Victimmictimnictim.... remember that the act of forgiving simply means letting go; it does not mean that something is OK. I.e. abuse is never OK, it just means that whenever you forgive, you let go of emotional resentment; you need not hate or take revenge in order for destiny to be fulfilled; everyone has their reasons to act the way they do, and you can choose to participate in their game or not - that is YOUR choice! However, you are not god, and in no position to judge anyone, so letting go is the only way to find inner peace.

And the less you resort to judging others, the softer you will also be towards yourself, the more you will accept your own flaws. And accepting your flaws enables you to become whole. Your flaws lose their power over you.

They're just not that significant once you accept them. And therein lies the paradox:
Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.

It's a choice whether we are conscious about it or not. Whether we choose to take responsibility for it or not. Once we choose to take responsibility, we can mold our destiny the way we want it. We are no longer the victim.

And that brings bliss.


Let go, move on and... press play. 
Because life is too short not to play.
Remember pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.

Awakenings.

Living the lie. 

I believe it's human nature to be an addict. 
And I also believe that the temptation to give in to instant gratification makes for an outcome where we tend to gravitate towards ultimately (self)destructive behaviors that we become addicted to by repeating them again and again; reinforcing the reward mechanism and mapping out new paths for pleasure in our brain.

A brain that gets addicted to misery, unnatural highs and extreme lows. Insanity becomes our new sanity. We feel comfortable when we engage in patterns that our brain is used to recognizing and rewarding with a cascade of pleasure chemicals such as endorphins, serotonin, glutamate and dopamine. Every high, every instant gratification, outburst of rage... whatever our shadow is... is followed predictably with a crash. And so we must do it again - and often times in a more extreme manner, as we adapt to drugs and behaviors; dopamine is only stimulated by novelty. We get used to this way of being, and our brain responds with pain whenever we try to change our ingrained behaviors. Because it has no reward system attached to the new (healthier) habits we are trying to develop. Yet, that is.

Addiction is not limited to drugs - it's everything and anything.
Shopping, sex, drugs, alcohol, food, cutting, gambling, Internet and... even something like being a drama queen. You become addicted to the highs and lows, and your constant fits of rage and hysteria... you are actually turned on (unconsciously) by the emotional pornography and manipulative spiel you participate in. When you engage in a fight with someone, your body releases beta-endorphins - our natural painkillers - which are highly addicting. So yes, even "personalities" can be addictive.

Destructive behaviors are tempting for our basic instincts, when we have not become conscious yet. They tap into our shallow desires on a very primitive level. Now I am all for following basic instincts, but you need to be able to be driven on a much deeper level than what feels like s prickling sensation on your skin. Sensations come and go - passion (with reason) remains. But much worse is that when you give into the prickling, tingling sensation on your skin, it typically slits your veins when you least expect it, and leaves scars that often run soul deep.

So how do you know when you are following a shallow temptation?
When you are not selling your soul, you need no legislation or permission from anyone. Because it feels right. When you try to manipulate yourself and others by giving a thousand reasons why something is OK. It's not. It goes against your core beliefs. You can play mind-games with yourself. Distract yourself. Tell yourself you are fine. Everything is fine. Everybody else is doing it.

Wait. What. When did something become right, just because everyone else is doing it? 

Everybody's doing it... is how the worst scenarios in history unfolded.
Your life being no exception to this excuse.

Look yourself in the mirror. Do you recognize yourself? Self-loathing is tied to selling yourself short.
Why is this message so important for me to repeat over and over again - because I know this is the key to unlock every human being's bright light and endless potential. I know how painful it is to be a sleepwalker. And once you wake up, you can't go back to sleep.
All the pain and misery we feel is tied to a longing to connect with ourselves on a soul level. Follow your calling and become you. Become whole. And suddenly life is not that hard anymore.

Life, in fact, is very easy. 

Don't follow the herd as they run off the cliff, because that is essentially what we are doing - look around you - how many are not struggling with some type of destructive behavior to deal with life. AND LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL. It's not that tough, it really isn't - it's all in our minds. And whether we choose to numb ourselves and ignore who we really are.


It is living the lie that is killing us and leads us down a road towards lifestyle diseases due to the suicidal lifestyles we choose to "cope" with the lies we tell ourselves - and others.
I don't have to tell you what's right - you know it. I don't know your truth. I don't know the lies you tell. But anyone who is not a sleepwalker can recognize the pain and suffering in others that are still lost in a haze.
If something makes you smile - just makes you radiate from within - do it, and do it again. Because then it's right. Everything else is tied to lies. You always get that slight metallic aftertaste that you need to wash down with a couple drinks if not. Just a little Anesthesia to take the edge off of your contradicting choices in life.

You numb yourself into unconsciousness.
And with no consciousness we don't think about the long-term consequences. All that matters is here and now. Typically because our choices cause chronic pain we get stuck in a drive for release this very moment, right now... want it now, need it now... nowNOWnow!
Or we will simply go insane. Or so we feel.

Posing for the cameras.
How many drugs does this lie take to sustain.

Feelings.
Of pain, rejection, discomfort in the skin you are in.
And wherever you look, there is a giant billboard screaming with a commercial for whatever "drug" or behavior you engage in; that you are fine. Everything is fine. This is normal. You are normal.
Paris Hilton does it. JLO is doing it. Heck, even your neighbor is doing it.
Do they seem like happy people to you? Why do you think they need all that makeup, botox and designer clothes... to cover up their hollowness inside... this is not rocket science.

Have you looked at how normal people are feeling and living lately?
All the silent screams. All the tears that never dry. All the pretension; the constant legalization of whatever we are doing, it's OK. Distracting yourself. Pretending it's not happening.

Go ahead dive in. Be part of the misery. Sell your soul.

Because that is essentially what you are doing, when you switch off the lights. Drowning in the darkness. 

And yet, if you can recognize any of these thought-patterns, it's too late to turn around, to go back to sleep, because you have seen the cuts... the blood stains on the floor. The vividly red streams cutting into the deep bottomless black that is within every human being.

Once you have awoken from your sleep, there is no escape. All EXITS are locked. You can either swim or drown, but you can't tread water anymore. Knowledge is power, but it comes with responsibility to take action.
You can't know and NOT do: If you've chosen to pull the curtain, you must stand up to whatever sight comes with it. There is no sneak-peaking once the curtain falls.

The first step is to wake up and stop pretending.

However painful that may be.

Obese during pregnancy increase risk 67% of having child with autism.

You may not be aiming for the cover of a magazine, but if you decide to pack on the pounds excessively during pregnancy, this could have devastating consequences for your offspring - far beyond any vanity concerns for your waistline.

Now here's one good reason to stay in shape for more than vanity reasons; especially if you're even thinking of multiplying yourself and giving your offspring a better future:

New study on women who were obese during pregnancy were about 67 percent more likely than normal-weight women to have autistic children.

They also faced double the risk of having children with other developmental delays.

On average, women face a 1 in 88 chance of having a child with autism; the results suggest that obesity during pregnancy would increase that to a 1 in 53 chance, the authors said.

The study was released online Monday in Pediatrics.

Reference:

J American Academy of Pediatrics. Maternal Metabolic Conditions and Risk for Autism and Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Krakowiak P. et al.

A Model Conversation: Cindy Crawford on Getting Paid To Stay Skinny

The original supermodels (Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Chanel Iman, Lauren Hutton and Naomi Campbell) discuss style, substance and getting paid to starve to fit into a size 6 (...mind you, size 6 is what we call fat nowadays, with size double 0 - 2 only hitting the catwalk).

This clip is from a time when models still had brains, beauty and at least somewhat booty. Coincidence? I think not. After all, your brain is primarily made out of fat.

That feeling.

At any given time there is only one thing that really matters; one thing that makes your heart beat a bit faster, that makes you jump out of bed in your quest to get that thing or be (with) that person.
Find out what truly motivates you in life.

This is what motivates me and what I'll be doing in 21 days and counting...

It's that feeling of... immortality... no boundaries... the world is yours.

The legend of Andy Irons lives on.

In memory of Steve Jobs...

"Your time is limited so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."
~ Steve Jobs

Deepak Chopra on What Makes YOU Attractive!

"If trying to be attractive is futile, what is the secret to drawing romance and love into our lives? The answer is remarkably simple, and is perfectly summarized in an aphorism from the Latin poet Ovid, who said, “To be loved, be lovable.” Lovable people are natural and at ease with themselves. They radiate an authenticity that makes anyone attractive. However, the simplest solution is sometimes the most difficult to achieve. People desperately seek love precisely because they don’t feel lovable. Sadly, many of us have never felt lovable, even as children when we had the fewest conditioned defenses against love and could experience it with the most spontaneous innocence.
If you don’t feel inherently lovable, remember that being lovable isn’t a superficial quality that only some people possess; it is a quality of spirit. Even if your experiences conditioned you to see yourself as worthless or ugly, remember that you are completely lovable because spirit is love. No matter how many negative messages you received as you were growing up, your pure spirit is shining with a love that nothing can tarnish. If being lovable really is the secret to attraction, there’s no need for anxious searching – for that which can never be lost doesn’t need to be found. You can end the whole futile process of trying to be attractive to others, desperately seeking approval, and constantly comparing yourself to an ideal image. The only requirement is a shift in perception. This happens not by changing who you are, but by seeing who you are and letting it radiate forth.

Accepting Ambiguity

When you are lovable, you are authentic, natural, and comfortable with your own ambiguity. Instead of rejecting or denying your weaknesses or “negative” qualities, you embrace the opposites within yourself. You realize that everyone contains light and shadow. Inside each one of us lies both the divine and the diabolical, the sinner and the saint, the sacred and the profane, forbidden lust and unconditional love, the beatitude of paradise and the dark night of the soul. The play of these opposites is what allows evolutionary growth to occur.
When you're comfortable with your own ambiguity, your inner dialogue won't lead you to act in ways that push love away. You won't be driven by your ego's fears of rejection, isolation, and abandonment – or its desires for control, approval, and security. Knowing that your essential nature is pure love, you will instead feel free to be lavish in your expression of love. You will enthusiastically respond to the gestures of love that come your way. These gestures can take many forms, a smile from a stranger or a child, a twinkle in the eyes of a friend, a warm hand shake, a gentle squeeze, a hug, or a compliment. As you begin to exhibit the full grandeur of your being, your whole life will be a romance and a long love story dedicated to bliss and joy."

- Deepak Chopra, MD

He's a man. Of character.

Life and age has been good to Clooney,
as he continues to top the charts
of most desirable males decade after decade..

I was looking through old family photos the other day. And it struck me how some people look better as they age; they age with grace. While others just age.

My father, in my opinion, looked much more handsome in his older days than when he was babyfaced in his twenties - because his personality was literally drawn on his face. There is something very appealing about people who adhere to the laws of nature instead of fighting them and hanging on to the end of the curtains like a desperate cat.

Cindy in her late forties 

embodies the concept of 

a strong mind in a strong body.

The same goes for a lot of celebrities: George Clooney, Sean Connery, Cindy Crawford and Sophia Loren, to mention a few, that have managed to grow older gracefully. The wisdom of their choices in life show in the lines on their face. I am convinced this has to do with the fact, that when people grow old, you can see immediately what they are about. It is as if they wear their personality on their sleeve, so to speak. All their traits and values show as lines on their face; if they have lived pessimistic, bitter and envious lives; those lines will be deeply ingrained in their aging face - ultimately pushing people away from them before they even utter a word, because it is obvious now for the eye that these are not values one wants to be around.

When they were young, they could hide them with make-up and gel in their hair; barely knowing who they themselves were underneath it all.

In stark contrast to those who have lived lives driven by (com)passion, a certain amount of healthy ambition, drive to excel and, yes, some tears and pain will show too, but it is a sense of real life - that there is a genuine human being who has lived a life that is rich and colorful.

I find that incredibly attractive - there is so much wisdom and unpretentiousness. Everything old people have been through show up on their face. I think every human being is drawn to that visible honesty about life. I think it is a primitive, basic instinct, whether we a conscious about its appeal or not. We can pretend that beauty can be bought for money; and every ugly trace can be erased. But it is not that easy. The most valuable - and ultimately beautiful - things in life are, indeed, priceless.

And hiding something is never attractive.

Sophia Loren - class is timeless.

But one can only grow old with grace if one chooses to live a life that is rich and based on clean-cut values. So, the choice is yours.  And it is now.

Life.

It is every breath you take.

Every step you make.

It is now.

It is one thing you cannot control.

So very fragile.

Grab it while it is there.

Sean Connery's values in life now show as lines on his face.
Imagine the disgrace, had he been another victim of botox.
His timeless attraction lies in his personality now showing on his face. 
And that, makes him ageless.

Starting over with Don Draper

This clip from Mad Men illustrates the importance of forgiveness vs. holding on to the past and allowing it to turn into bitterness. Pete Campbell illustrating the ugliness of a person being eaten up by envy and bitterness and basking in others' missteps - desperately hoping to look better by exploiting others weaknesses.

But alas - karma is a tricky mistress, and actions driven by bitterness rarely work out in your favor. It is completely incompatible with integrity, and thus reflects badly upon the attacker rather than the victim, disregard of how dirty his past may be.

Remember: Every day is a clean slate to start over. To be that person you want to be.

Whether your last name is Draper or not; leave your baggage at the door, and you will find that new doors open.

Forgive. Accept. Move on.

You can't reach what is in front of you, if you don't let go of the past: Forgive and you will be able to forget the pain of your past. Forgiving does not make it OK, but it does enable YOU to move on, instead of allowing someone to hold you prisoner in bitterness; inhibiting you from finding happiness in life.

What would Don Draper do?

So, what's your coping mechanism in life?
This sketch is just priceless - it is pure brilliant in portraying how many of us go about our daily life in some way or another, whether we are conscious about it or not, and whatever our "drug" of choice is.

As anyone who has watched an episode of Mad Men knows, Don Draper is the epitome of a civilized addict. His narcissistic behavior and need for control is a direct result of an unstable biochemistry, if he is not engaging in his drugs of choice (cigarettes, alcohol or sex), he is being emotionally abusive.

His inability to handle emotions is why he is succumbing to self-destructive coping mechanisms that temporarily numb him out.

First step in treating someone like Don Draper is to rebalance his biochemistry so that he no longer deals with those ongoing struggles that cause him to be a ticking time-bomb. He is constantly experiencing peaks and dips in his dopaminergic and seratonergic neurotransmitter system based on what he is doing (or temporarily abstaining from doing). And those drastic brain chemical fluctuations would drive anyone up the wall. You can have all the knowledge in the world on how to deal with emotions etc., but if you are fighting against your biology, you stand to lose.


Treating an imbalanced biochemistry should always come first - that enables people to feel comfortable in the skin they're in effortlessly and without needing to spend countless hours at the shrink's going over semi-invented or not childhood traumas that just are not relevant to keep dwelling on when focus should be on letting go of the past and moving forward.

Balance your brain and everything else in life suddenly seems a lot less dramatic.
Addicts create drama because they are about to crawl out of their skin - that is how uncomfortable it feels to be them, and thus creating some outside triggering dramatic event gives them a temporary relief from focusing on their own inner discomfort.

Once inner balance is restored there is no need to create outer chaos.

Get your brain chemistry evaluated here.

Amy Winehouse: Another one bites the dust.

Only 27 and today she was found dead in her London apartment.

Amy Winehouse has been struggling with drug, alcohol and food addiction for years; a deadly combination that sooner or later will lead to cardiac arrest. Ultimately, a lot of eating disorders and addictions cause heart attacks - which is then noted down as the primary death cause. But whenever someone below 50 years of age dies from a sudden heart attack, you have to look into their lifestyle more thoroughly - few young people have a weak heart, if not abusing some sort of substance or suffering from eating disorders; so many deaths are being misinterpreted and thus the statistics of how many young people actually die from their addictive behaviors are still in the gray zone.
Amy Winehouse is scheduled for autopsy tomorrow.

Amy Winehouse dead by 27. Killed by addiction.

If only she had known that the reason why she could not cut the chains of addiction by sheer willpower is due to severe brain chemical imbalances; and if those are not addressed via nutrient and amino acid therapy, every stint in rehab is doomed to fail, as she will constantly have the urge to self-medicate on drugs/alcohol to stabilize her mood temporarily.

For more info on how to rebalance brain chemical imbalances and how we can help you if you are struggling with an addiction contact us.

Source:

http://www.newser.com/story/124136/amy-winehouse-dead-at-27-found-in-her-apartment.html

Thirst. is. EvErYtHiNG.

Image is nothing.
That was the tagline for Sprite when I was a kid. That just stuck to my brain like glue. I loved that commercial. So simple, yet it is so powerful in the way it taps right into our basic human instincts - and it is everything I believe in, and aspire to be in life. Well, not that I aspire to be a can of soda exactly. It is the simplicity, the unpretentiousness, I find appealing in this "stripped-to-the-core-skip-the-emotional-pornography-BS" ad.

It just illustrates everything that matters: Humans are hedonistic beings, and when all is said and done, we are going to do what makes us FEEL GOOD.
There comes a point, when we have binged one time too many on the lies from a society that is driven by sick standards and ruthless motives that we feel sick to the core with all the shallow glossy ads telling us that happiness comes from a Botox injection, Agent Provocateur lingerie and a bright yellow Gallardo. Well, not that there is anything wrong with a Gallardo per se, I mean... if it is good enough for batman, who am I to complain. Afterall, we do need something for driving our surfboards down to the shore in, don't we... Bare essential really. Ok so I'm a sucker for fast cars. Anyway.
Back to the point. I am always amazed by the amount of insecurity and pretentiousness that contaminates the bare presence of people who supposedly have "made it". And God only knows they grow like weed in the city that never sleeps. Where everyone hungers for their 5 minutes of fame. And they will inject their lips with the fat taken out of their ass in their narcissistic vanity to win the fame game.

I just hope they understand, that somehow the clothes do not make the man.
And that for every Armani suit and fake bleached smile, and Manolo stiletto there are 40,000 children starving.
So, ask yourself - what drives you in life?
No, really ask yourself: What DRIVES you in life?
Do you know it, or are you being driven by others' motives and agenda perhaps.

Don't hate the player - hate the game, and refrain (from being part).