FAMILY & FRIENDSMAY/JUN 2014

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Clearing the Clutter The Psychology of Place Inside and OutShirley Vanderbilt

Clearing space--inside and out--can help us get in touch with our core selves.

"Any fool cancriticize,condemn, andcomplain, andmost fools do."-Benjamin Franklin

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In this Issue

Clearing the Clutter Be Smart About SunscreenSalt Story

What's cluttering your life? Is it the stuffin the corner of the bedroom, or thestuff in the corner of your mind? Whatare you tolerating that keeps you fromexpressing your true self? Authors Bruceand Lou Stewart say that clutter--bothin our environment and our mind--isstagnating, blocking the free-flow ofenergy, or chi, in our homes and lives.Whether we're detouring around a boxin the living room or repeating anegative pattern in our head, it's time toclear the path.

In their new book, "Your WayHome--The Psychology of Place Insideand Out," the Stewarts present a uniqueapproach to clutter-clearing bycombining Lou's expertise in feng shui

with Bruce's mastery of neurolinguisticprogramming (NLP). While feng shuihas to do with external placement andstructure, NLP is a psychologicalapproach that addresses our internalstructure of mind, body, emotion, andspirit. With feng shui, we can freeenergy flow by rearranging the room;with NLP tools, we can do the samething with our mind. The goal is to

bring balance between the inner andouter sanctums by clarifying our core,or essential self, and allowing ourenvironment to reflect and support ourcore values.

Making the ConnectionWhen the Stewarts first blended theirfeng shui and NLP skills together inworkshop presentations, they noticed itwas easier for people to clear theirenvironment when they were connectedto their core.

"It really is a cycle," Lou says. "Theenvironment and our core arereflections of one another. When weknow our core, it's much easier to

understand our environment." But it's achicken and egg thing, actually. Eitherone can work as a start.

Also a bodyworker, Lou says, "What fengshui and NLP do for the body'senvironment is so similar to what amassage will do for the body, flushing

Using feng shui in your home can facilitate a tranquil environment and a calm mind.

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the system of blockages. When I gothrough a person's home or office, whatI'm doing is very similar to when I firstput my hands on a client." In theprocess of combing through to findblockages in the environment, she willask the client about particular objects."Nine out of 10 times it is incongruentwith who they want to be right now.They've gotten numb to it, and it sticksout just like a knot in a muscle. Theenergy is different."

NLP recognizes that each of us hasdeveloped our own individual style ofcommunicating and processinginformation which results in thepatterning in our brain and the ways inwhich we express ourselves throughlanguage and body movement.Sometimes our set patterns do notsupport who we are at our essential core,but we can change that. Through thecore work of NLP exercises, Bruce says,you can discover what you truly identifywith and have a better understanding ofyourself. At that point, you may findthat your goals for your life havechanged. It's this clarity of sense of selfthat is essential to creating anenvironment that supports andnourishes who you are and what youvalue in life.

You don't have to be trained in fengshui or have a personal consultant toimplement the concepts of this ancientart, nor is an NLP practitioner requiredto help you find your core. Throughouttheir book, the Stewarts offer practicalexercises for applying the principles ofNLP and feng shui to begin the clearingprocess. "In feng shui, when the chi ofan environment is balanced, it allows themovement of the occupant to be wellsupported, just like when circulation ispumping well and is unclogged," Lousays. "With NLP, it's the same thing --running through patterns in the mind,flushing out old phobias and patternsthat are either negative or destructive."

Ready to Start?If you're ready to start clearing out theclutter, there are some simple ways tobegin. The Stewarts define clutter as"anything you no longer use, love, orneed." So if you don't use it, but stilllove it, keep it. Keep your target areassmall, and limit the time you spend atthe task to avoid feeling overwhelmed.And as you examine your "stuff,"

consider how it fits with your core, youressential self. Does it support who youare at this moment, or is it a reflectionof something in the past you're ready torelease? Is the item pleasing to yoursenses? What fits with your individualway of experiencing the world?

"If you're particularly visual and like artsand crafts, you feel more comfortablewith that around," Bruce says."Someone who is very kinesthetic maynot care how it looks but will want thechair to be comfortable."

Once the path is cleared, you can use theprinciples of feng shui to furtherenhance harmony and positive flow inyour life. But the process involves morethan hanging a mirror or installing awater fountain. As with NLP, it has todo with our core self and our intention."Where attention goes, the energy flows.That's what it boils down to," Lou says.

"As we focus our intentions, then ourconscious and subconscious mind canconnect, and when they connect withour body and our emotions and ourspiritual core, then the intention isstrengthened significantly." Think of itas a vinyl record with no grooves."There's no music," she adds. "Whatour intentions do is they create thatpathway on the record. So then we havethe choice: Are we going to make it asmooth groove or a bumpy groove?Intention is our tool."

Bodywork is the perfect complement forthis process, helping to center, ground,and clear the body and mind. Clearingthe clutter helps you excavate your trueself and the person you want to become.

For more information on clearing theclutter, contact Lou and Bruce Stewartat info@louandbruce.com or visit theirwebsite at www.louandbruce.com.

Make sure you are protected from UV rays.

Be Smart About SunscreenJason Barbaria

Salt StoryGood for your skin, but limit your intakeShelley Burns

According to the American CancerSociety, more than 2 million people arediagnosed with skin cancer in the UnitedStates each year. There are more than2,000 over-the-counter sunscreenformulas on the market today. How canyou tell which sunscreens are the safest,most effective, and represent the bestvalue for your money? In most cases, theanswer comes down to the differencebetween the two types of filteringingredients. Here's what you need toknow.

Chemical or Physical?The UV radiation in sunlight consists ofUV-A, UV-B, and UV-C rays. UV-Aand UV-B are both responsible forphotoaging, skin cancer, sunburn,tanning, and wrinkling. UV-C is not afactor in skin health, as it is absorbed bythe Earth's atmosphere and does notreach us in significantamounts.Broad-spectrum sunscreenprotects against both UV-A and UV-B.This protection can work in one of twoways: chemical or physical.

Chemical UV Filters-Work by absorbing UV radiation.-Require application 30 minutes beforesun exposure.-Provide partial protection from UVspectrum.-May irritate the skin and eyes.-Not regulated for safety by the US Foodand Drug Administration (FDA); somemay even be carcinogenic.-Not photostable (exposure to sunlightdegrades effectiveness).-Avobenzone is the most commonlyused chemical filter ingredient.

Physical UV Filters-Work by reflecting UV radiation.-Start protecting immediately upon use.-Provide full broad-spectrumprotection.-Non-irritating to skin and eyes.-Safe, as particles do not penetrate theskin.-Highly photostable (exposure tosunlight does not change effectiveness).

Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are the

most commonly used physical filteringredients. Clothing and shadestructures also count as physical filters.

Jason Barbaria is director of marketing atDermagenics, a skin care line that includessunscreen, cleansers, and moisturizers.

With all we hear these days aboutreducing salt (sodium) in our diets, it'seasy to lose sight of the fact that salt is anessential element for human life.

It's true we need to be cognizant of howmuch sodium we ingest in our diets.Excess salt can cause high bloodpressure, heart disease, and kidneyproblems. These are serious conditions.A less serious, but still important, resultof excess sodium is water retention.Water retention leads to puffy eyes anddry skin--two effects we don't want toencounter as we strive for healthy skin.

We usually get enough salt from ourdiets naturally, but we start to run intotrouble when we reach for processedfoods. Fast food and ready-made mealscontain excessive amounts of salt. Out ofhabit, we may then reach for the salt

shaker to further enhance flavor. Themore we salt our food, the more salt wewant, creating something of anaddiction. We would be better off usingfresh herbs, spices, and lemon to flavorour foods.

The recommended daily intake of salt is1,500-2,400 milligrams. Those withhigh blood pressure may need to reducesalt intake to less than 1,500 milligrams,or use a salt substitute.

Is there anything good to say about salt?Of course. Salt therapy, or halotherapy,has been used since the early 19thcentury to treat respiratory anddermatological issues. Salt therapyincreases circulation to the skin, whichelicits healing. As it does its magic,itching will begin to subside and smallcracks will vanish from the skin. Salt also

kills bacteria and fungus and, when usedexternally, has anti-inflammatoryproperties.

So put away the salt shaker and treatyourself instead to a halotherapyexperience--both steps will improveyour health.

Shelley Burns, a doctor of naturopathic medicine,completed studies at the Canadian College ofNaturopathic Medicine, and has certification incomplementary and integrative medicine fromHarvard University.

Know thedifferencebetween instinctand habit. Trustyour instincts -question yourhabits.-Author Unknown

WISHING HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY & HAPPY FATHER'SDAY TO YOU, YOUR FAMILY & FRIENDS ALIKE!

Enjoy the wonderful weather, time with family and friends,outdoor activities, and all that matters most to YOU. BestAlways, Julia

Julia's Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork, Inc.

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