Lillian Muller: Raw Beauty

Please see this interview at:

http://www.thefruitdoctor.com/lillian-muller-raw-beauty/

Tonya Zavasta on Anti-Aging

Please visit my new website to see this interview:

http://www.thefruitdoctor.com/tonya-zavasta-50-year-old-raw-vegan-author-on-anti-aging/

Appreciation

As I've been looking into the whole concept of how the magnetic field of the heart can influence our health, happiness, and indeed the feelings of those around us, I chose to read the book put out by Heart Math Institute by it's same name.

In the book, it mentions that care, appreciation, forgiveness, and love all create a harmony within our sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems that preserve precious nerve energy which leads to more energy in day to day transactions.

When we feel "drained" at the end of the day it's because we have allowed our heart's rhythm to get out of sync.

One powerful way to get it back into sync is to get into Gratitude or Appreciation about yourself, other people and what you have in life.

Criticalness, judgmentalness, hate, anger and fear all create acidic environments in our bodies which set up the stage for disease.

If we set a time out each day, or preferably several times a day to feel grateful for our lives and to appreciate ourselves and to appreciate those around us, it has an enormously energizing effect.

It's a simple, profound and yet challenging thing to do since we live in such a judgmental society.

One way of getting back into gratitude is comparing ourselves with someone less fortunate than us. Can we see what life would be like if we didn't have what we have? We tend to always compare ourselves with those doing better than us. Never with those worse off.

Be grateful. Someday it may be gone.

Be grateful. Appreciation is a highly motivating force to change. When we lose our health, we appreciate it so much more and are willing to work hard to get it back. That appreciation becomes a driving force until we see the positive changes that can add to that appreciation.

Be careful, though, to not "adapt" as the book says, and lose our appreciation and let our new good health become the new norm and WE TAKE IT FOR GRANTED.

TAKING THINGS FOR GRANTED and COMPARING OURSELVES TO OTHERS are two of the quickest ways to unhappiness.

My appreciation journal started when I lost something very precious to me: my dearly beloved 18 year old cat whom I appreciated yet still somehow managed to take for granted that he'd always be there.

I now stop and smell the roses more. When at work I consciously try to mentally appreciate each person that steps in front of me that I interact with. It's hard sometimes, especially when they are grumpy, but it works. They sense it and it calms them and it calms me too.

Give other's the benefit of the doubt. They are carrying a heavy unseen load. Appreciate them for all they've gone through and what they're dealing with today.

Go light on yourself and appreciate your uniqueness in all the universe. There never has been nor ever will be another you ever in the history of mankind.

Appreciate each sunny day, each raindrop, each flower, each tree, each traffic jam to be used to deep breath and meditate, each opportunity  given to affect another person's live for the better which is in every single transaction you have.

In appreciation, don't be afraid to hold other's accountable which is tantamount to saying "I know you are capable of doing better. This is beneath you."

In appreciation, praise good intentions and efforts even if the outcomes are not as expected.

In appreciation, say thank you for kind gestures and deeds done to you and hug your children, spouses, sisters, brothers and parents and let them know the difference they make in your life.

EACH DAY. APPRECIATE.

And watch your life change.

The Power of Touch--We do in fact transmit energy to eachother

http://www.heartmath.org/research/science-of-the-heart/head-heart-interactions.html

The Electricity of Touch: Detection and Measurement of Cardiac Energy Exchange Between People

Rollin McCraty, MA, Mike Atkinson, Dana Tomasino, BA and William A. Tiller, Ph.D.

Key findings: When people touch or are in proximity, one person’s heartbeat signal is registered in the other person’s brainwaves.

Summary: The concept of an energy exchange between individuals is central to many healing techniques. This concept has often been disputed by Western science due to the lack of a plausible mechanism to explain the nature of this energy or how it could affect or facilitate the healing process. The fact that the heart generates the strongest electromagnetic field produced by the body, coupled with our findings that this field becomes measurably more coherent as the individual shifts to a sincerely loving or caring state, prompted us to investigate the possibility that the field generated by the heart may significantly contribute to this energy exchange. This study presents a sampling of results which provide intriguing evidence that an exchange of electromagnetic energy produced by the heart occurs when people touch or are in proximity. Signal averaging techniques are used to show that one person’s electrocardiogram (ECG) signal is registered in another’s electroencephalogram (EEG) and elsewhere on the other person’s body (See Figure 18 for an example). While this signal is strongest when people are in contact, it is still detectable when subjects are in proximity without contact.

This study represents one of the first successful attempts to directly measure an energy exchange between people, and provides a solid, testable theory to explain the observed effects of many healing modalities that are based upon the assumption that an energy exchange takes place. Nonlinear stochastic resonance is a mechanism by which weak, coherent electromagnetic fields, such as those generated by the heart of an individual in a caring state, may be detected and amplified by biological tissue, and potentially produce measurable effects in living systems. Evidence that the cardiac field changes as different emotions are experienced, combined with this study’s finding that this field is registered physiologically by those around us, provides the foundation of one possible mechanism to describe the impact of our emotions on others at a basic physiological level. One implication is that the effects of therapeutic techniques involving contact or proximity between practitioner and patient could be amplified by practitioners consciously adopting a sincere, caring attitude, and thus increasing coherence in their cardiac field.

The Role of Physiological Coherence in the Detection and Measurement of Cardiac Energy Exchange Between People

Rollin McCraty, Ph.D., Mike Atkinson and William A. Tiller, Ph.D.

In: Proceedings of the Tenth International Montreux Congress on Stress, Montreux, Switzerland, 1999.

Key findings: When two people are at a conversational distance, the electromagnetic signal generated by one person’s heart can influence the other person’s brain rhythms. When an individual is generating a coherent heart rhythm, synchronization between that individual’s brainwaves and another person’s heartbeat is more likely to occur.

Summary: This investigation was designed to determine whether cardioelectromagnetic communication between individuals is affected by the degree of subjects’ cardiac coherence. In this experiment we looked at heart-brain interaction effects across larger distances in subject pairs who were not in physical contact. As in the previous study, subjects’ ECGs and EEGs were simultaneously monitored, and signal averaging techniques were employed to discern heart-brain interaction effects. In addition, heart rate variability patterns were analyzed to determine the degree of heart rhythm coherence for each subject.

Data showed that in subjects separated by several feet, synchronization can occur between the alpha waves in one person’s EEG and the other’s ECG signal. However, in this experiment, whether the "receiving" subject’s brainwaves synchronized to the "source" subject’s heart signal was determined by the degree of coherence in the receiving subject’s heart rhythms. Subjects who demonstrated high heart rhythm coherence were more likely to show alpha wave synchronization to the other subject’s ECG. This effect was not apparent in subjects with low heart rhythm coherence.

Figure 19 shows the results for one set of subjects who were seated four feet apart, facing each other. Note the change in Subject 2’s brainwave patterns (onset of alpha rhythms) that is synchronized to the R-wave of Subject 1’s ECG. The bottom-most trace displays Subject 2’s heart rhythm patterns, which were highly coherent during this experiment.

This study’s findings have intriguing implications, suggesting that individuals in a physiologically coherent state become more sensitive to the subtle electromagnetic information encoded in the heart signals of others around them. Interestingly, this also supports extensive behavioral data and experience with a HeartMath communication technique called Intuitive Listening. This technique involves focusing on the heart and maintaining a neutral or appreciative attitude while listening to another person. When individuals apply this tool, they often not only report hearing the speaker’s words with more clarity and focus because of a reduction in their own internal dialogue, but also acknowledge becoming more aware of deeper and more subtle aspects of the communication that are not contained in the words alone. This is often described as an increased sensitivity and intuitive awareness of the other person’s underlying feelings and the ’essence’ of their communication. The results shown above support the concept that this deeper, more sensitive form of communication, which establishes a heartfelt connection between people, may occur based on the increased heart rhythm coherence generated by the listener (receiver) when using the Intuitive Listening technique.

In conclusion, this study represents a further step in uncovering the physiological underpinnings of subtle, ongoing energetic forms of communication between people. Results have countless implications, and invite continued scientific exploration of the relationship between emotions, physiology and human interactions.
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The Fruit Doctor's orders: 10 hugs a day and call me in the morning!

Mysteries of the Heart

A lot of deep soul-searching has been taking place in me lately. Grieving will do that to you. You assess everything in new eyes.

What Pepperoni's passing did to both me and my husband was hit us in a very vulnerable and personal space. We've had Pepperoni almost our entire married lives. Our 20 year anniversary will be the end of next month and we got Peps 2 years into our marriage....he symbolizes that early special time when we were newly weds and has been with us through-out all of our ups and downs. Having him gone means anything can be taken from us even each other and that's scary. It's like losing your innocence and sense of safety in the world.

So whenever I'm in deep pain I search deeper and look for the lessons and the gifts. The video above shows us that the heart has an electro-magnetic field from what I understand of up to 6 feet. And it's stronger than the electrical currents that are sent by the brain.

Pepperoni used to lay on my chest...it's been said when newborns are first born, laying them on a mother's chest helps strengthen their own electrical heart beat current since their hearts are close to their mother's hearts.

I am reading a very interesting book called Positive Addictions. Basically, it's saying that we are strengthened by positive addictions like running and meditation and weakened by negative additions like drug, alcohol, food and smoking which dull our senses and creativity.

The reason these positive additions strengthen us is because they put us in an altered state of consciousness where we lose sense of self and that takes us out of the here and now and brings us in alignment with our creativity and "flow". Self-criticism is the opposite of this state and constricts us. We get plenty of that in our environments and it can tear us down and weaken us.

The reason I find this book so fascinating is because Pepperoni had that affect on me. It's been said that pets calm us down and lower our blood pressure. I had a daily "meditation" with Peps, in fact, it was like he insisted on it and he was probably put in my life to teach me this....to slow down, relax, get back into the moment...and, most importantly, he accepted and loved me unconditionally even more than I love myself. Whatever had happened, whomever had rejected me, there was this loyal friend that reminded me that I was okay no matter what and everything would turn out.

Now that that's gone, I realize that I need substitutes. Sure, my other cats are stepping up to the plate; Pesto and Rigatoni have been way more lovey lately, but the book says it's important that these positive addictions be something that we can do ALONE such as running or meditating. We need to learn to self soothe and create pathways in our brains of how to calm down, quiet the inner critic and relax.

All of this not only affects our health, but dramatically affects our happiness and success in life. So, this was the gift that Pepperoni brought into my life. It is a great one and I am deeply grateful.

I am starting on a new journey of self-discovery and endeavoring to eliminate self-criticalness. I intend to incorporate at the minimum of one hour a day to myself in the form of either running or meditation that is completely NON-COMPETITIVE and just free based. No goals or aims, just being.

I realize I have way too much structured time in my life and am way too rigid and focused sometimes. We all need time to just "be" with no expectations or goals, but allow our minds to go with the flow and decompress.

In that state is acceptance and replenishment. And we get back in touch with the truth of who we are outside of the chatter. We find creative solutions to life's challenges and we find out what we are capable of. New ideas come to us and we let go of other's negative judgments of us and find the joy of being part of a bigger purpose.

I feel animals help role model for us this way of being if we only listen and learn from them. They are forever in the moment and hardly ever exhibit any kind of self-consciousness.

I'm constantly amazed at the growth that emerges in my life and the new directions I take. It's forever fascinating, challenging, frequently scary and often amazing.

I will keep you posted as all of this unfolds......as always, it promises to be interesting. :)

And with that, I leave you a very insightful story regarding the heart and tone of voice:

"Why We Shout In Anger"
A Hindu saint who was visiting river Ganges to take bath found a group of family members on the banks, shouting in anger at each other. He turned to his disciples smiled 'n asked.

'Why do people shout in anger shout at each other?'

Disciples thought for a while, one of them said, 'Because we lose our calm, we shout.'

'But, why should you shout when the other person is just next to you? You can as well tell him what you have to say in a soft manner.' asked the saint

Disciples gave some other answers but none satisfied the other disciples.

Finally the saint explained, .

'When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance a lot. To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other. The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other to cover that great distance.

What happens when two people fall in love? They don't shout at each other but talk softly, Because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is either nonexistent or very small...'

The saint continued, 'When they love each other even more, what happens? They do not speak, only whisper and they get even closer to each other in their love. Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each other 'n that's all. That is how close two people are when they love each other.'

He looked at his disciples and said.

'So when you argue do not let your hearts get distant, Do not say words that distance each other more, Or else there will come a day when the distance is so great that you will not find the path to return.

Being Transparent and Vulnerable

I guess the reason we all have such a hard time with transparency is fear of criticism and rejection.

We all have such a hard time with showing our under bellies and being real with who we really are. I learned this the hard way when I went to a 12-step group and saw how the well-put together on the outside people were struggling as much as I was but just didn't look like it on the outside. Boy, was I off on my initial judgements of them. They were suffering just as much as I was but had the added burden of putting on a happy face to hide it.

And just what does that look like on the outside? A bum living on the street? Someone in a body cast?

Really? We can often cry tears on the inside and on the outside look perfectly "normal". And yet, this really serves no one. When we have the courage to be vulnerable, we give others the courage to be vulnerable too. And vulnerability builds trust and safety. Love is safety. We feels most loved with those we can trust our vulnerable feelings with knowing we won't be betrayed or judged.

For example, I am still grieving the loss of my cat. I'm not really talking about it very much for fear of being made fun of because people might say "it was just a cat".

But it wasn't just a cat. My cat was more loyal and loving towards me than 99% of most humans I've interacted with and that's pretty sad. I can honestly say that if all humans had the same disposition of my late cat, the world would be a drastically different place. I felt totally accepted and wanted by this cat. If I was home, that cat wanted to be on my lap or chest, not in the other room or somewhere else. Up to his last day when he could walk, he walked right up to me and even though he couldn't jump, he waited patiently until I picked him up onto my lap so he could curl up there. Totally vulnerability was what he showed. Almost too much. I often worried that if he were an outdoor cat he wouldn't make it because he was so gentle. He didn't even like to hunt.

So I go to work and I smile and I pretend that things are okay when things are not okay. My other cats are still grieving too and so is my husband. Sure, we all go through the motions. My husband at least. But we were talking tonight how we really aren't over it....and the cats are more transparent than we are but at least they don't have to go to work and live up to societal expectations.

What's happened to us as a society were grieving is something that needs to be done in 3 days or a week and then we are supposed to move on and "get over it"?

Some cultures have the grieving widow or mother wear black for a full year while they bring them meals and comfort them.

I have made a committment to live courageously and this means honestly and transparently because I've had to face my dishonesty in this area and how I don't show my vulnerable side out of fear.

And I know I'm not the only one.....I see the same fear in my workmates, my neighbors, my friends, my family, my online friends....it's a disease that we as a society have passed on to eachother.

This excerpt from Brene really spoke to me:

Want to be happy ? Stop trying to be perfect

 By Brene Brown ( Shame Researcher)

The quest for perfection is exhausting and unrelenting, but as hard as we try, we can't turn off the tapes that fill our heads with messages like "Never good enough" and "What will people think?"

Why, when we know that there's no such thing as perfect, do most of us spend an incredible amount of time and energy trying to be everything to everyone? Is it that we really admire perfection? No -- the truth is that we are actually drawn to people who are real and down-to-earth. We love authenticity and we know that life is messy and imperfect.

We get sucked into perfection for one very simple reason: We believe perfection will protect us. Perfectionism is the belief that if we live perfect, look perfect, and act perfect, we can minimize or avoid the pain of blame, judgment, and shame.

We all need to feel worthy of love and belonging, and our worthiness is on the line when we feel like we are never ___ enough (you can fill in the blank: thin, beautiful, smart, extraordinary, talented, popular, promoted, admired, accomplished).

Perfectionism is not the same thing as striving to be our best. Perfectionism is not about healthy achievement and growth; it's a shield. Perfectionism is a 20-ton shield that we lug around thinking it will protect us when, in fact, it's the thing that's really preventing us from being seen and taking flight.

Living in a society that floods us with unattainable expectations around every topic imaginable, from how much we should weigh to how many times a week we should be having sex, putting down the perfection shield is scary. Finding the courage, compassion and connection to move from "What will people think?" to "I am enough," is not easy. But however afraid we are of change, the question that we must ultimately answer is this:

What's the greater risk? Letting go of what people think -- or letting go of how I feel, what I believe, and who I am?

So, how do we cultivate the courage, compassion, and connection that we need to embrace our imperfections and to recognize that we are enough -- that we are worthy of love, belonging, and joy? Why we're all so afraid to let our true selves be seen and known. Why are we so paralyzed by what other people think? After studying vulnerability, shame, and authenticity for the past decade, here's what I've learned.

A deep sense of love and belonging is an irreducible need of all people. We are biologically, cognitively, physically, and spiritually wired to love, to be loved, and to belong. When those needs are not met, we don't function as we were meant to. We break. We fall apart. We numb. We ache. We hurt others. We get sick.

There are certainly other causes of illness, numbing, and hurt, but the absence of love and belonging will always lead to suffering.

As I conducted my research interviews, I realized that only one thing separated the men and women who felt a deep sense of love and belonging from the people who seem to be struggling for it. That one thing is the belief in their worthiness. It's as simple and complicated as this:

If we want to fully experience love and belonging, we must believe that we are worthy of love and belonging.

The greatest challenge for most of us is believing that we are worthy now, right this minute. Worthiness doesn't have prerequisites.

So many of us have created a long list of worthiness prerequisites:

• I'll be worthy when I lose 20 pounds
• I'll be worthy if I can get pregnant
• I'll be worthy if I get/stay sober
• I'll be worthy if everyone thinks I'm a good parent
• I'll be worthy if I can hold my marriage together
• I'll be worthy when I make partner
• I'll be worthy when my parents finally approve
• I'll be worthy when I can do it all and look like I'm not even trying

Here's what is truly at the heart of whole-heartedness: Worthy now. Not if. Not when. We are worthy of love and belonging now. Right this minute. As is.

Letting go of our prerequisites for worthiness means making the long walk from "What will people think?" to "I am enough." But, like all great journeys, this walk starts with one step, and the first step in the Wholehearted journey is practicing courage.

The root of the word courage is cor -- the Latin word for heart. In one of its earliest forms, the word courage had a very different definition than it does today. Courage originally meant to speak one's mind by telling all one's heart.

Over time, this definition has changed, and, today, courage is more synonymous with being heroic. Heroics are important and we certainly need heroes, but I think we've lost touch with the idea that speaking honestly and openly about who we are, about what we're feeling, and about our experiences (good and bad) is the definition of courage.

Heroics are often about putting our life on the line. Courage is about putting our vulnerability on the line. If we want to live and love with our whole hearts and engage in the world from a place of worthiness, our first step is practicing the courage it takes to own our stories and tell the truth about who we are. It doesn't get braver than that.

So as I continue on my journey of being courageous and honest, I think of this beautiful image of how we all are coming out of our cacoons and transforming into beautiful butterflies:

Day 65: Still Think You Need Gobs of Protein to Build Muscle?

Please go to my new website to view this interview:

http://www.thefruitdoctor.com/gina-matthews-raw-vegan-still-think-you-need-gobs-of-protein-to-build-muscle/