Interview with Paula

Paula from Happysnappy had some wonderful questions for me to answer all the way from South America! Hola Paula! We definitely share a love of children, a happy life and Dora!

THE INTERVIEW RULES

* leave me a comment with your email address saying: “interview me”
* I will e-mail you five questions of my choice
* you can then answer the questions on your blog {with a link back to my blog}
* you should also post these rules, along with an offer to interview anyone else who emails you, wanting to be interviewed
* anyone who asks to be interviewed should be sent 5 questions to answer on their blog
* it would be nice if the questions were individualized for each blogger
 

1) As all couching books say, let´s start where you are. Exactly where you are: your computer. What do you have as a desktop image? Why did you choose that one? Do you change it often? (I know this is a multiple questions question *wink* )

I have a world clock showing me the time of different countries  in the world with which I am in some way  connected. I love having a connection to the world when I open my computer and knowing which part of the day it is  in different countries around the world. It certainly helps my vision of one day helping people all over the world!
2)       You are typing with your hands. How do your hands react when there is an animal near? Do they go forward to caress? Do they go up in protection?

I witnessed an ugly incident as a child in Uganda with a police dog and since then I am not too fond of dogs but I am also not as terrified as I used to be.  My hand will reach out for other animals.

3)       What makes your heart go faster? What tickles you?

Living Life makes my heart go faster. I am so grateful for this gift and drink deeply from it everyday. There is so much to delight in. Bright Sunshine, colorful rainbows, lush greenery, beautiful flowers galore, kind people, singing birds, an abundance of delicious food, heart soaring music, transcending books, magical synchronicites, uplifting art, never ending discoveries………..

My 9 year daughter tickles me. She is the clown in my life and makes me laugh with her silly jokes and antics.

4)       Talking about tickles and tummies, who taught you how to cook? Which are your cooking influences?

I taught myself! Really! I cooked my first meal when I was 12. My parents were late coming home and I thought of making lunch for the family. I made Roesti and eggs, a typical Swiss specialty as we had just moved to Switzerland. I then fell in love with cooking books and made dishes from all over the world. My favorite dishes were from the Meditteranean region and India. Till to this day they remain my favorite influences. I will take an idea from a recipe and make it my own by tweaking it.

5)       We´ve arrived all the way down to your toes.  “Walk the talk” What do you teach with your example?

I would love to think that I live by example that happiness is a choice we make. No matter what is going on I choose to see the bright side of Life and always remain grateful for this gift. There is a spiritual solution to every problem. I also take good care of myself and teach others to put themselves first. Whatever we do for ourselves ultimately benefits the greater good! I am totally into Natural Health and empower people with the knowledge of how to take care of ourselves and our loved ones naturally.  I like to live my Divine Magnificence and help others live theirs.

Grazias Paula for putting together this interview. I loved answering the questions.

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Strawberry Feast

Strawberry Pictures, Images and Photos
It is late spring and it is Strawberry Season. I went out with my daughter  to our favorite neighborhood park and took a bowl of juicy, vibrantly red, so very sweet strawberries with us. Sitting in the sun, under a gorgeous blue sky we ate our strawberries and felt sheer heavenly bliss.

Strawberries are at their most delicious from now to July. They are truly best eaten just as they are. Here are some berrylicious tips to bring some sunshine to your eating:

Add them to your smoothies. Try an avocado strawberry or a mango strawberry smoothie. Yum!

Strawberries add gorgeous color to any fruit salad.

They add vibrancy and a touch of sweetness to a green salad.

Slice them, sprinkle with some lemon or orange juice and dig in.

Blend them and use as a fruit couli.    

For my birthday last year I made a raw pie topped with strawberry couli and strawberry slices. Delish!

Make the most of Strawberry Season. It is such a delicious part of spring and summer.

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Happy Mother’s Day!

Mothers Day Pictures, Images and Photos

My Mom leaves far away in Africa and  I do miss her. This is for my Mom and all the Moms in the world.

When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child.  Sophia Loren

Mother – that was the bank where we deposited all our hurts and worries. T. DeWitt Talmage

Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs… since the payment is pure love. Mildred B. Vermont

If you bungle raising your children, I don’t think whatever else you do well matters very much. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

By and large, mothers and housewives are the only workers who do not have regular time off. They are the great vacationless class.  Anne Morrow Lindbergh, author

Here is last year’s post on Mother’s Day.

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Tropical Paradise Smoothie

papaya Pictures, Images and Photos

I have fond memories of my Dad making Papaya smoothies while growing up in Uganda. This is a smoothie I would have for breakfast on my holiday in Zanzibar last year. I was staying at my brother’s hotel and having a fantastic time. It has only two ingredients and is so easy to make if you do not have to make the coconut milk yourself. Check here on  how to make your own coconut milk as well as it’s nutritional benefits.

1 glass coconut milk

1/2 small papaya

Blend and savor this fluffy and delicious smoothie.

If you are not inclined to make your own coconut milk you can use  organic coconut milk or coconut powder by Wilderness Family Naturals.

Papaya papaya was reputably called the “fruit of the angels” by Christopher Columbus. It’s beautiful color is reminescent of the tropics and it’s taste really luscious. It is a rich source of antioxidant nutrients such as carotenes, vitamin C and flavonoids; the B vitamins, folate and pantothenic acid as well as  minerals, potassium and magnesium and fiber. Choose papayas that are slightly soft to the touch.

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Live Your Dream

 dream Pictures, Images and Photos

Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. — Goethe

Do you have a Dream or many Dreams? I come from a culture that did not encourage women to have dreams, let alone BIG dreams.  Somewhere along the way my inner voice told me that my soul had a bigger purpose and my purpose was not about me. It is then that I realized that to live my dream I had to be willing to dig deep and I am digging deep. It is only when we can deal with the not so sweet stuff that we can move towards and live our Dream and in the process help others live theirs. It is only when I can transform myself from a caterpillar to a butterfly that I can lend a helping hand to others in their transformation.

Do you have a Dream that follows you around day and night? Is it your Soul talking to you?

Young Living’s beautiful blend Dream Catcher™ is an exotic formula designed to enhance the process of dreaming and visualization. The ability to hold onto your dreams – positive dreams that move you forward emotionally and spiritually – can lead to a greater ability to realize your desires and stay on the path of fulfillment. Dream Catcher also protects against negative dreams that may cloud your vision. Here is some more inspiration for living your Dream.

Martin Luther King’s I have a Dream Speech 

Susan Boyle’s I dreamed a Dream

Finish Strong

You are unique and you are here to live your Dream.

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Green Living Show

Green Living Background Picture Pictures, Images and Photos
Green Living Show is amongst one of my favorite shows and it is in town this weekend, April 24-26 at the Direct Energy Center in Toronto.

I love to see how many people are actively working on making our planet healthier. So many companies are offering green alternatives to just about everything from building homes to clothes and food.  What I also love is the quality of air at show. There is plenty of fresh greenery to oxygenate the air. Electricity is provided by Bullfrog which uses wind and hydropowered facilites. Bullfrog is Canada’s 100% leading green electricity provider. The vibe is pleasantly  different at this show compared to all  other shows. It is also a great place to see that Living Green has come far from  the Birkenstock Era. Check out the Show website for more information.

Humankind has not woven the web of life.  We are but one thread within it.  Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.  All things are bound together.  All things connect.  ~Chief Seattle, 1855

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Spirulina

 Spirulina Pictures, Images and Photos

One of the top supplements I like recommending are green food supplements. Green food supplements fall under the whole food supplement category. Klamath Blue Green Algae, Chorella, Spirulina, Wheatgrass and Barley grass all belong to this group.

This post is about the benefits of Spirulina. Spirulina is considered a Superfood and is highly recommended as Nature’s protein powder. It is very beneficial for those on a raw food or vegan diet.

It contains the most powerful combination of nutrients ever known in any grain, herb or food.

  • World’s highest beta carotene food reduces long term health risks.
    Spirulina beta carotene is ten times more concentrated than carrots. So even if you don’t eat the recommended 4 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables every day (most people eat only 1-2, including french fries), get your natural beta carotene insurance from spirulina to help support your body’s defenses.
  • 60% easy-to-digest vegetable protein without the fat and cholesterol of meat.
    People are eating less meat and dairy protein because they want to lower fat, cholesterol, and chemicals in their diet. Spirulina is the highest protein food with all the essential amino acids and has only a few calories to keep your waistline where you want it.
  • A rare essential fatty acid is a key to health.
    Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) in mother’s milk helps develop healthy babies. Studies show nutritional deficiencies can block GLA production in your body, so a good dietary source of GLA can be important. Spirulina is the only other whole food with GLA.
  • Iron for women and children’s health.
    Iron is essential to build a strong system, yet is the most common mineral deficiency. Spirulina is rich in iron, magnesium and trace minerals, and is easier to absorb than iron supplements.
  • Unusual phytonutrients for health and cleansing.
    Scientists are discovering the benefits of polysaccharides, sulfolipids & glycolipids, and the rainbow of natural pigments that give spirulina a deep green color. Green (chlorophyll), blue (phycocyanin) and orange (carotenoids) colors collect the sun’s energy and power growth. Chlorophyll is a natural cleanser and is often referred to as nature’s green magic.

Spirulina is a water-grown, 100% vegetable plankton. It is a blue-green algae that grows in fresh water lakes throughout the world. The ancient Aztecs thrived on Spirulina from Lake Texcoco in Mexico. For the people who live around the lake in Chad, Africa, Spirulina has been a mainstay in their diet for generations. Nowadays Spirulina is grown in large vats for commercial use.

 

It comes in powder and tablet form. I personally prefer the powder form although I am not too fond of its taste but love its benefits.  Clients usually prefer it in tablet form.

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Nightshade family

 tomatoes Pictures, Images and Photos

I was teaching a class about Superfoods at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition yesterday. The students were  inquisitive and eager to learn much. They loved the session. I promised  to post some articles on the blog about topics that they were interested in. Today’s post is from the question: Why is the nightshade family called nightshade? Nutritional Consultants will counsel clients with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout to avoid the nightshade family which consists of capsicum (paprika, chili pepper), potato, tobacco, tomato, and eggplant. Potatoes, tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, eggplant, tomatillos, tamarios, pepinos, pimentos, paprika, cayenne, and Tabasco sauce are classified as nightshade foods.The family further consists of Datura (Jimson weed), mandrake, deadly nightshade (belladonna).   “Nightshade” is actually the common name used to describe over 2,800 species of plants, many with very different properties and constituents. Its derivation is from Old English – nihtscada (meaning: unrecorded night) perhaps because of its narcotic/poisoning effects.

The Solanaceae is a family of flowering plants, that contains a number of important agricultural plants as well as many toxic plants. The name of the family comes from the Latin Solanum“the nightshade plant”, but the further etymology of that word is unclear. Most likely, the name comes from the perceived resemblance that some of the flowers bear to the sun and its rays, and in fact a species of Solanum (Solanum nigrum) is known as the sunberry. Alternatively, it has been suggested the name originates from the Latin verb solari, meaning “to soothe”. This presumably refers to alleged soothing pharmacologica properties of some of the psychoactive species of the family.

A particular group of substances in these foods, called alkaloids, can impact nerve-muscle function and digestive function in animals and humans, and may also be able to compromise joint function. Because the amount of alkaloids is very low in nightshade foods when compared with other nightshade plants, health problems from nightshade foods may only occur in individuals who are especially sensitive to these alkaloid substances. Since cooking only lowers alkaloid content of nightshade foods by about 40-50%, highly sensitive individuals may want to avoid this category of food altogether, while non-sensitive individuals may be able to eat these foods, especially in cooked form, without problem. Green and sprouted spots on potatoes usually reflect high alkaloid content, even though the green itself involves the presence of chlorophyll, not alkaloids. For this reason, sprouted areas should always be thoroughly removed before potato cooking, or the potatoes should be discarded altogether.

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Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender field in Provence, France Pictures, Images and Photos

I first tried and fell in love with Lavender when I was living in a village in Switzerland. I had just started my first job in Zurich and was so excited about the Big City and my job there. Lavender helped calm me in the evening and gave me a good night’s sleep. While commuting 1 hour every morning to Zurich I would be the only one wide awake while everyone else was nodding off.

Lavender reminds me of the beautiful landscape in Provence,  South of France. I consider it a blessing to hold the energy of lavender fields or for that matter any essential oil in the palm of my hand and benefit from its many healing benefits.

Lavender oil  restores balance to the mind and body so that healing can take place. It soothes and supports the Qi energy of the heart and is helpful for nervous tension and high blood pressure. It is prized since antiquity for its fresh, soft fragrance.

Lavender has pain relieving properties and will help with headaches, menstrual pain and aching muscles. A lavender compress on the forehead and eyes is deeply relaxing.

It is great for fevers, sore throats and  coughs.

Lavender can be used for infants for colic and irritability and a drop in a bath will calm down a cranky baby.    Children love the fragrance of lavender oil.

It is valuable for skin conditions because of it’s soothing properites. It is excellent for regenerating skin . It can be used in creams, oils and facial masks. It is also really nice as  facial steam or used with a wash cloth to wash the face. It is also helpful with hairloss. I usually combine with other essential oils for that purpose. My clients have had excellent results on healing surgery wounds with lavender oil. Please see below for the only oil I recommend.   It is also absolutely miraculous for healing burns. I have been thankful so many times for its effectiveness.

Lavender is great for an over-active brain at night helping to calm strong emotions.

It is also great for allowing self expression by soothing underlying trauma.

It is exactly because of the multi dimensional effect that I was attracted to Aromatherapy. Essential oils have enriched my life and helped me help so many.

I highly recommend the therapeutic grade oils by Young Living. Check out the stunning pictures of their Lavender farms here.

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12 Secrets – Secret 12

Flowers Pictures, Images and Photos

Yeah! We are at the last Chapter of the 12 Secrets. I would like to thank Jamie for her contribution in making this happen. Hey Jamie, I so appreciate your creative ideas and totally look forward to what you are up to next!

I also want to thank all the participants for being part of this Circle. Your unique contributions is what makes this so much fun.

Chapter 12 is about planning to achieve your Goals.

I always used to aim  low when setting my Goals. Learning about the Law of Attraction helped me to understand that I just need to know what and why I want something. The HOW is upto the Universe. This truly helps open up to the possibilities within us. We are inspired to do what we have never done and so grow into this delicious expansion that is our Journey of Life. For myself it is my deepest joy to help people on this Journey and help them step into their Magnificence.  I love people to connect with the Joy that is inherent within each one of us. This is my Personal Creativity Creed.

I find it very helpful to have written goals.  I love doing so many things and can get scattered with my focus. Putting my goals in writing helps me to align my focus with what I really want to bring forth. I also love Jack Canfield’s Rule of 5. What 5 things can I do everyday to advance towards my goals? These can be small things as each one takes you closer to your goals. I also love Raymond Aaron’s statement: When you write down your goals, they happen “automagically“. Bob Proctor recommends carrying a goal card in your pocket and looking at it frequently. During my workshops I teach that setting goals is not about the goals. It is about who we become while achieving our goals. Gotta love this.

There is a great “Plan for today” sheet in this chapter. It is a great tool to help keep in touch daily and keeping in focus where you want to go.

Wishing you all a wonderful Journey of growing more of who you really are!

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