The "Dirty Dozen" Fruits and Vegetables

I try to buy organic, and sometimes there isn't a choice. I also try to keep track of which commercial vegetables and fruits to steer clear from and which are the safest. The list has changed since the last list came out in 2003.

There have been some ratings revisions since the last Guide came out in October 2003.
For instance, carrots are off the "bad" list now but lettuce is on it. Cauliflower has fallen from grace but cabbage has made the cut and is now on the "good list."

The "Dirty Dozen" (starting with the worst)

* peaches
* apples
* sweet bell peppers
* celery
* nectarines
* strawberries
* cherries
* pears
* grapes (imported)
* spinach
* lettuce
* potatoes


The "Cleanest 12" (starting with the best)

* onions
* avocados
* sweet corn (frozen)
* pineapples
* mangoes
* asparagus
* sweet peas (frozen)
* kiwi fruit
* bananas
* cabbage
* broccoli
* papaya

For more information check out:
http://www.epicurious.com/features/news/dailydish/110606

Dismantling Procrastination—3 Action Steps

My friend, Catherine Beham, wrote this article about breaking down procrastination. You might want to try it next time you find that you are spinning your wheels.

“I feel so lazy.”

“I lose so much time.”

“I feel so bad about myself.”

“I’m stuck.”

Procrastination eats away at our sense of Well Being more than any other self defeating habit.

By time many of us are ready to face procrastination and begin dealing with it, we are so buried with negative emotion and uncompleted projects we don’t know where to start.

There really is a way out of procrastination’s iron grip

Dealing with the negative thinking that goes with procrastination is a great way to turn this ship around. Dissolving frustration and anger we hold about our stacks of undone tasks creates momentum to create permanent change.

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is ideal for this purpose. It allows you to acknowledge the current state of affairs and to build a foundation for joyful productivity.

Once emotional intensity around the shame, guilt and frustration is weakened, creative problem solving springs to life. There really is a way out of procrastination’s iron grip.

What To Put In The Tool Box

Here are three action steps you can put into practice immediately. It is a wonderful feeling to sense movement and to have a plan. Be your own best friend here, gently encourage and praise yourself for every baby step you take.

Action Step #1

Notice.

Become aware of how you feel when you look at the list of what has to be done. How quickly you identify your negative thought (frustration, guilt, shame, impatience, whatever is there) will give you a clue as to how soon you will notice progress.

You may notice that in the past, you felt lousy for the whole day thinking about that Grand Daddy of a project. A slight waste of your precious time and energy, don’t you think?

Now, when you notice your inner reaction, STOP. Say this:

“Even though I don’t know how I will ever get this done…I choose to believe my Inner Being will equip me.”

You have nothing to lose to try this technique, I can tell you…be prepared to be amazed.

Action Step #2

Own the Plan.

Rewrite your To Do List and rank the order of tasks by when you want them done. Put your most procrastinated item on the top of your list.

Good work. Now go to the third one down on the list. That’s right, the third one. Break that third task into bite sized chunks and attack the first step with gusto.

Why the third one down? It has far less emotional weight to it than your Grand Daddy project. You will be amazed how easy it is to accomplish a less emotionally loaded task.

Once you have begun work on this “easier” but still procrastinated task, the inspiration and encouragement you will gain will manifest itself in motivation.

As you attend to this lower priority task, you may have doubt or disbelief that this will work. I can almost hear you say….but this is not the task I need to focus on.

If this is you, say the following: “Even though I don’t see how working on this unrelated task has anything to do with the project that is critically neglected….I choose to allow ANY ACCOMPLISHMENT to inspire and motivate me.”

For extra oomph, say this while looking at yourself in the mirror.

Action Step #3

Whistle While You Work.

The Seven Dwarves had a great technique for achievement.

Music.

The more important the task is facing you, the more crucial it is to play music in the background. There are countless wonderful CDs available with inspiring music.

Itunes makes it possible to download your faverites right from your desk. Music changes the atmosphere. Music inspires. Music empowers.

It is widely known that the Baroque music style is particularly effective in creating an atmosphere of efficient mental processing.

For extra empowerment, add a couple of candles.

Now break down your Grand Daddy Task into bite sized pieces while listening to your choice of music. After the task has been broken down, find a mirror and say:

“Even though I am still feeling a bit overwhelmed by this task….I choose to see these steps as doable and I choose to feel hopeful and inspired.”

Getting Unstuck

For all you sharpies out there, you might have noticed that the three action steps are more than meet the eye. The first letters of each form the final tool.

N O W. The key to dismantling your procrastination lifestyle is to use one of these tools NOW. NOW is the moment of power. NOW is the moment of freedom.

Even if all you do is notice your negative thoughts and choose to transform them through the “Even though…” technique, that is plenty.

That action step alone will change your life.

I promise.

Want to use this article in your e-zine or website?

You're welcome to, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Specialist and Peak Performance Coach Catherine Behan is an author, teacher, coach and master motivator. Catherine empowers people in transition to remove the obstacles blocking success and to find the inspiration and personal strength that attracts abundance and prosperity into their lives. Catherine creates innovative teleclass programs, workshops and seminars that bring together the Law of Attraction and EFT. To learn more about her work and sign up for more FREE tips like these, visit her site at http://www.catherinebehan.com

One Way of Installing Love

My friend, Sue, sent this to me, and I thought that you might enjoy it.

Customer Service (CS) Rep.: "Yes, Ma'am, how may I help you today?"

Customer: "Well, after much consideration, I've decided to install LOVE.
Can you guide me through the process?"

CS Rep.: "Yes, I can help you. Are you ready to proceed?"

Customer: "Well, I'm not very technical, but I think I'm ready to install
now. What do I do first?"

CS Rep.: "The first step is to open your HEART. Have you located your HEART
ma'am?"

Customer: "Yes I have, but there are several other programs running right
now. Is it okay to install while they are running?"

CS Rep.: "What programs are running ma'am?"

Customer: "Let's see, I have PAST-HURT.EXE, LOW ESTEEM.EXE, GRUDGE.EXE, and
RESENTMENT.COM running right now."

CS Rep. : "No problem. LOVE will gradually erase PAST-HURT.EXE from your
current operating system. It may remain in your permanent memory, but it
will no longer disrupt other programs. LOVE will eventually overwrite
LOW-ESTEEM.EXE with a module of its own called HIGH-ESTEEM.EXE. However,
you have to completely turn off GRUDGE.EXE and RESENTMENT.COM. Those
programs prevent LOVE from being properly installed. Can you turn those off
ma'am?"

Customer: "I don't know how to turn them off. Can you tell me how?"

CS Rep.: "My pleasure. Go to your Start menu and invoke FORGIVENESS.EXE. Do
this as many times as necessary until GRUDGE.EXE and RESENTMENT.COM have
been completely erased."

Customer: "Okay, done. LOVE has started installing itself automatically. Is
that normal?"

Cs Rep.: "Yes. You should receive a message that says it will reinstall for
the life of your HEART. Do you see that message?"

Customer: "Yes I do. Is it completely installed?"

Cs Rep.: "Yes, but remember that you have only the base program. You need
to begin connecting to other HEARTS in order to get the upgrades."

Customer: "Oops. I have an error message already. What should I do?"

Cs Rep.: "What does the message say?"

Customer: "It says "ERROR 412 - PROGRAM NOT RUN ON INTERNAL COMPONENTS.
What does that mean?"

Cs Rep.: "Don't worry ma'am, that's a common problem. It means that the
LOVE program is set up to run on external HEARTS but has not yet been run
on your HEART. It is one of those complicated programming things, but in
non-technical terms it means you have to "LOVE" your own machine before it
can "LOVE" others."

Customer: "So what should I do?"

Cs Rep.: "Can you pull down the directory called "SELFACCEPTANCE"?"

Customer: "Yes, I have it."

Cs Rep.: "Excellent. You're getting good at this."

Customer: "Thank you."

Cs Rep.: "You're welcome. Click on the following files and then copy them
to the "MYHEART" directory: FORGIVE-SELF.DOC, REALIZE-WORTH.TXT, and
ACKNOWLEDGE-LIMITATIONS.DOC. The system will overwrite any conflicting
files and begin patching any faulty programming. Also, you need to delete
VERBOSE-SELF-CRITIC.EXE from all directories, and then empty your recycle
bin afterwards to make sure it is completely and permanently gone erased."

Customer: "Got it. Hey! My HEART is filling up with new files. SMILE.MPG is
playing on my monitor right now and it shows that PEACE.EXE, and
CONTENTMENT.COM are copying themselves all over my HEART. Is this normal?"

Cs Rep.: "Sometimes. For others it takes a while, but eventually everything
gets downloaded at the proper time. So, LOVE is installed and running. You
should be able to handle it from here. One more thing before I go."

Customer: "Yes?"

Cs Rep.: "LOVE is freeware. Be sure to give it and its various modules to
everybody you meet. They will share it with other people and then return
some similarly sacred modules back to you."

Customer: "I will. Thanks for your help. By the way, what's your name?"

Cs Rep.: " You may call me the Divine Cardiologist, also known as The Great
Physician, but most call me God. Many people feel all they need is an
annual checkup to stay heart-healthy, but the Manufacturer suggests a
schedule of daily maintenance for maximum efficiency. Put another way, keep
in touch.

Cheers!

Releasing my Shame

This is an email that I sent to my friend and colleague, Catherine Behan, I have taken three of the four teleclasses, Being Diet Free. I certainly have curbed my cravings since taking her classes.

Dear Catherine,
While I was lying in bed this morning I decided to work on self-sabotage.

I used some Young Living essential oils:

• I put Valor on the meaty parts of my thumbs (it helps me be courageous)
  
• I put Three Wise Men on my crown chakra (to help it open)
  
• I put Release on the meaty parts of my thumbs and on my sore spot (to help me release the tail-enders that no longer serve me

I wish that I would have had some kind of recording device going so that I could remember everything, but I will do my best to let you know what came up. It was
way beyond my craving for food and eating rapidly.

I sometimes rubbed on my sore spot and sometimes I tapped on my karate chop point--whatever I felt like in the moment.

• Even though there is a part of me that knows my magnificence there isalso another part of me that is very shameful
  
• Even though I know that I am a limitless being there is a part of me that gets in the way of my vastness
  
• Even though I know that I am God/Goddess in form there is a part of me that is comfortable playing the victim role

I would rotate tapping:

• I am a limitless being
  
• And yet at times I am shamed filled
  
• I am a light for others
  
• And yet at times I feel shame for things that were done to me and that I have done
  
• I am as vast as the universe
  
• And I feel shame for things that my family members and ancestors have done
  
• I am light filled and light is pouring out of me
  
• And I have experienced my shadow deeply
  
• I am whole and complete
  
• And yet I have stagnated in self-pity
  
• I am a limitless being
  
• I am filled with light

I would use TAT (my thumb and ring resting close to my tear ducts, and
middle fingers resting on my third eye) to effortlessly come up with
other limiting beliefs to tap on.

Other limiting beliefs that came up:

• Even though I know that I am filled with light I also know that I have been indoctrinated as a sinner
  
• Even though I no longer participate in the religion that made me so wrong I still feel the sting of shame
  
• Even though I no longer accept the teachings of that church I know that the scars of shame are deep

Then I alternated tapping:

• I forgive myself for feeling shame
  
• I forgive the church and its leaders for condemning me
  
• I forgive myself for believing them
  
• I know that I am a light
  
• Even though I still feel shame
  
• I am a limitless being
  
• Even though I was taught that I was a sinner and that I was supposed to suffer
  
• I am God/Goddess in form
  
• I am a sinner
  
• I am the light
  
• I am the darkness
  
• I am both the light and the dark
  
• I am it All
  
• And I know that I am at choice
  
• To focus on the light
  
• Or the darkness
  
• I choose the Light
  
• And let the darkness be
  
• I am one with the Light
  
• And I know it is so

Something else that came up for me when I did TAT:

• Even though I don't have the time to do what needs to be done
  
• Even though I am not good enough to do what I envision

Here is some of how I tapped:

• Even though I come up with a lot of good ideas
  
• I sometimes feel overwhelmed that I can't follow through with them
  
• It is OK whatever I do
  
• I am not wrong even though I sometimes feel wrong
  
• Even though I say that I want to do more
  
• It is OK to do what I do
  
• I remember to be of love
  
• And then the actions will follow
  
• I am OK
  
• Even though I feel not good enough
  
• I am more than OK
  
• I am a limitless being
  
• I am a light that shines bright for others
  
• I come back to this moment of perfection
  
• I am One with the Light
  
• I am One with All

This is part of what I remember.

Gratefully yours,

JoAnn

OBLIGATORY DISCLAIMER: All information provided on this site is for educational and inspirational purposes only, and is not intended as diagnosis, treatment or prescription for any disease. The decision to use, or not to use, any of this information is the sole responsibility of the reader. We recommend that you consult your licensed health care practitioner if you are dealing with an illness.

No More Visits Needed

Steve, my sweet husband, went in to the dentist for a scheduled cleaning on Monday, October 16. To his surprise, the dentist said that one of his wisdom teeth was cracked and that it needed to be extracted immediately. Maybe it wasn’t too much of a surprise to Steve because that tooth had become quite sensitive to heat and cold.

Steve was referred to a dentist who specializes in dental surgery. He had his tooth pulled the next day. That evening the area was still bleeding. It was then I remembered I had used Young Living’s Helichrysum Essential Oil to stop bleeding. Steve was willing to give it a try. It helped the bleeding slow down tremendously and eased the pain.

Steve mentioned that his mouth recovered much faster than he expected. Today, Steve went into the dentist for a follow-up visit. The dentist expressed surprise that it had already healed thoroughly, and that no more visits would be needed.

OBLIGATORY DISCLAIMER: All information provided on this site is for educational and inspirational purposes only, and is not intended as diagnosis, treatment or prescription for any disease. The decision to use, or not to use, any of this information is the sole responsibility of the reader. We recommend that you consult your licensed health care practitioner if you are dealing with an illness.