Meditation

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This year has been one of my busiest ever; baby number 2 arrived, I went back to work, we're renovating, a quick trip overseas, breastfeeding, raising two children and of course all the daily tasks and chores that need to be addressed to maintain our lives - shopping, cleaning, cooking, washing, breathing! 
My blog has suffered and I have been lucky to write a post a month! But in the back of my mind I've kept hearing myself telling me to MEDITATE. In fact some days it was screaming at me - just MEDITATE. I just kept thinking for me to achieve all of this and calm the chaos in my mind, if only I took the time to meditate.  But of course ask any busy mum, working woman or living soul - they often reply 'but I don't have time'. And of course we all know that this is the time that we really need to break away from the pack and do that, that we don't have time for.
So with thanks and gratitude to Mel from Soul Wellness and of course Deepak Chopra, I am halfway through the 21 Day Meditation Challenge. It is great - thank you thank you thank you.

First of all;

• It's the beginnings of a new habit
• It's making me take well needed time for myself
• And it's only 15 minutes a day

And of course, there are studies and trials that endorse the daily act of meditating. Trials have even demonstrated physical changes in peoples blood pressure and stress levels, improving cardiovascular health! Reducing anxiety, improving concentration, improving ones sense of self love, and improving depression.

Once upon a time, along time ago, I use to meditate, daily, everymorning. It was bliss, to sit and let my thoughts wash over me or through me and let things go. It was peaceful. It was beautiful, and I felt like a better person for it. I was able to turn off what I called the 'junk mail' and begin my days fresh and clear. So hopefully through the challenge that I have begun, I will be able to restore and old welcomed habit.

Do you mediate? And what form do you use?

Magnesium an elemental mineral - what's it good for?

Magnesium in our community is an underrated mineral. I have just had a client tell me that she thinks it has changed her life! I also love Magnesium. And seemingly everyone else should – I remember one of my university lecturers saying the food with the most amount of magnesium in our trolley is usually in the block of chocolate!

Most of us know that magnesium is specific for our Musclo-skeletal system, it helps our muscles relax, and restores and repairs them after we work out, it helps ease our aches and pains. We use magnesium to prevent muscle spasms, twitches, convulsions and tremors.

The secondary action of Magnesium and I feel it’s most important – it works on our nervous system. It helps maintain healthy nerve function; aids nerve transmission, and ultimately helps our brain function properly. It helps us deal with stress and is involved in aiding cellular energy production.

It is very difficult to get the recommended daily intake of magnesium from our foods, various reasons being - the content of magnesium in our soil is often low, processing and milling removes 60% of magnesium stores and cooking in water also causes leaching.

Food sources that include Magnesium are:

• Leafy greens; Spinach
• Nuts: Almonds, cashews
• Soyabeans: non GM is best
• Whole grains, oatmeal, bran
• Milk and dairy; Natural yoghurt

Symptoms magnesium can treat:

• Muscle cramps, aches and pains
• Fibromyalgia
• Chronic Fatigue
• Depression
• Anxiety
•  Irritability
• Sleep disturbances and Insomnia
• Stress
• PMS and period pain
• Pregnancy; prematurity and prevent intrauterine growth retardation
• Cardio-vascular health

One third of Australians over 18 years do not get their recommended daily intake of magnesium and a deficiency may be exacerbated by stress, strenuous exercise and poor absorption. It is best to use a practitioner range of magnesium because it is formulated properly and will prevent you from having gastro-intestinal cramps and loose stools.