The food police may find this hard to take, but chocolate has gotten a bad rap. People say it causes acne, that you should eat carob instead, that it’s junk food. But these accusations are not only undeserved and inaccurate, they falsely incriminate a delicious food that turns out to have profoundly important healing powers.

There is in fact a growing body of credible scientific evidence that chocolate contains a host of heart-healthy and mood-enhancing phytochemicals, with benefits to both body and mind.

For one, chocolate is a plentiful source of antioxidants. These are substances that reduce the ongoing cellular and arterial damage caused by oxidative reactions.

You may have heard of a type of antioxidants called polyphenols. These are protective chemicals found in plant foods such as red wine and green tea. Chocolate, it turns out, is particularly rich in polyphenols. According to researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, the same antioxidant properties found in red wine that protect against heart disease are also found in comparable quantities in chocolate.

How does chocolate help to prevent heart disease? The oxidation of LDL cholesterol is considered a major factor in the promotion of coronary disease. When this waxy substance oxidizes, it tends to stick to artery walls, increasing the risk of a heart attack or stroke. But chocolate to the rescue! The polyphenols in chocolate inhibit oxidation of LDL cholesterol.

And there’s more. One of the causes of atherosclerosis is blood platelets clumping together, a process called aggregation. The polyphenols in chocolate inhibit this clumping, reducing the risks of atherosclerosis.

High blood pressure is a well known risk factor for heart disease. It is also one of the most common causes of kidney failure, and a significant contributor to many kinds of dementia and cognitive impairment. Studies have shown that consuming a small bar of dark chocolate daily can reduce blood pressure in people with mild hypertension.

Why are people with risk factors for heart disease sometimes told to take a baby aspirin every day? The reason is that aspirin thins the blood and reduces the likelihood of clots forming (clots play a key role in many heart attacks and strokes). Research performed at the department of nutrition at the University of California, Davis, found that chocolate thins the blood and performs the same anti-clotting activity as aspirin. “Our work supports the concept that the chronic consumption of cocoa may be associated with improved cardiovascular health,” said UC Davis researcher Carl Keen.

How much chocolate would you have to eat to obtain these benefits? Less than you might think. According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, adding only half an ounce of dark chocolate to an average American diet is enough to increase total antioxidant capacity 4 percent, and lessen oxidation of LDL cholesterol.

Why, then, has chocolate gotten such a bum reputation? It’s the ingredients we add to it. Nearly all of the calories in a typical chocolate bar are sugar and fat.

As far as fats go, it’s the added fats that are the difficulty, not the natural fat (called cocoa butter) found in chocolate. Cocoa butter is high in saturated fat, so many people assume that it’s not good for your cardiovascular system. But most of the saturated fat content in cocoa butter is stearic acid, which numerous studies have shown does not raise blood cholesterol levels. In the human body, it acts much like the monounsaturated fat in olive oil.

Milk chocolate, on the other hand, contains added butterfat which can raise blood cholesterol levels. And it has less antioxidants and other beneficial phytochemicals than dark chocolate.

Does chocolate contribute to acne? Milk chocolate has been shown to do so, but I’ve never heard of any evidence incriminating dark chocolate.

Dark chocolate is also healthier because it has less added sugar. I’m sure you don’t need another lecture on the dangers of excess sugar consumption. But if you want to become obese and dramatically raise your odds of developing diabetes, heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, foods high in sugar (including high fructose corn syrup) are just the ticket.

Are chocolate’s benefits limited to the health of the body? Hardly. Chocolate has long been renown for its remarkable effects on human mood. We are now beginning to understand why.

Chocolate is the richest known source of a little-known substance called theobromine, a close chemical relative of caffeine. Theobromine, like caffeine, and also like the asthma drug theophylline, belong to the chemical group known as xanthine alkaloids. Chocolate products contain small amounts of caffeine, but not nearly enough to explain the attractions, fascinations, addictions, and effects of chocolate. The mood enhancement produced by chocolate may be primarily due to theobromine.

Chocolate also contains other substances with mood elevating effects. One is phenethylamine, which triggers the release of pleasurable endorphins and potentates the action of dopamine, a neurochemical associated with sexual arousal and pleasure. Phenethylamine is released in the brain when people become infatuated or fall in love.

Another substance found in chocolate is anandamide (from the Sanskrit word “ananda,” which means peaceful bliss). A fatty substance that is naturally produced in the brain, anandamide has been isolated from chocolate by pharmacologists at the Neurosciences Institute in San Diego. It binds to the same receptor sites in the brain as cannabinoids — the psychoactive constituents in marijuana — and produces feelings of elation and exhilaration. (If this becomes more widely known, will they make chocolate illegal?)

If that weren’t enough, chocolate also boosts brain levels of serotonin. Women typically have lower serotonin levels during PMS and menstruation, which may be one reason women typically experience stronger cravings for chocolate at these times in their cycles. People suffering from depression so characteristically have lower serotonin levels that an entire class of anti-depressive medications called serotonin uptake inhibitors (including Prozac, Paxil, and Zooloft) have been developed that raise brain levels of serotonin.

Since I am known as an advocate of healthy eating, I’m often asked about my food indulgences. One of my favorite desserts is a piece of dark organic chocolate, along with a glass of a fine red wine.

I do have a policy, though, to eat only organic and/or fair trade chocolate. This is because of what I have learned about child slavery in the cocoa trade.

May your life be full of healthy pleasures.

This article can be found @ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-robbins/chocolates-startling-heal_b_825978.html

Author, The New Good Life: Living Better Than Ever in an Age of Less

John Robbins is the author of many bestsellers including “The Food Revolution: How Your Diet Can Help Save Your Life and Our World,” the classic “Diet For A New America,” and “The New Good Life: Living Better Than Ever in an Age of Less.” He is the recipient of the Rachel Carson Award, the Albert Schweitzer Humanitarian Award, the Peace Abbey’s Courage of Conscience Award, and Green America’s Lifetime Achievement Award. To learn more about his work, visit www.johnrobbins.info

We are open regular hours today (10:00 am – Midnight Est.). Give us a call and find out what specials we have available. Our psychics are ready and waiting! Hope you have a fantastic Monday.

Love and Light,
Michelle

This article is written by Kate Kelly and can be found on The Huffington Post website:

Yesterday I wrote about Jacquelyn A. Ottman’s just-published book, The New Rules of Green Marketing. Ottman also provided some myth-debunking information about green products that I felt merited its own space. She also lists five products to watch in the future:

Myth #1 Green products don’t work as well.
Fact: Products such as Method, Tide Coldwater, and Clorox Greenworks brands have been developed specifically to work as well or better than regular products.

Myth #2 Consumers don’t want to buy green products.
Fact: Green purchases represented $290 billion in sales in 2008, up from $219 billion in 2005 (Source: NMI, 2009).

Myth #3 Green products are more expensive.
Fact: Thanks to economies of scale due to high volumes, many green products today are competitively priced versus “brown” counterparts; and often can make up for premium pricing many times over during their lifetimes, due to savings on energy and water.

Myth #4 Only specialty stores sell green products.
Fact: Major supermarkets now carry their own brand of organic products (e.g., Safeway’s 300- item USDA certified “O Organics” line), and Wal-Mart is quickly making “green” a priority for vendor selection.

Myth #5 Green products aren’t really “green”.
Fact: No product can be truly “green” since all products use resources and create waste, but products can be “greener,” denoting a continuum toward sustainability.

Myth #6 Natural products are more healthful.
Fact: Arsenic is a natural substance, yet deadly.

Myth #7 Plant based products will degrade in landfills.
Fact: No product, even those labeled “compostable,” will degrade in a landfill. Compostables will only degrade in industrial composting facilities or in backyard composters at high temperatures.

Myth #8 100% recycled products are better for the environment than 10% recycled products.
Fact: Depending upon how far most recyclables must travel to recycling centers for processing (creating greenhouse gases in the process), products with 10% recycled content could actually be environmentally preferable to more recycled counterparts.

5 Green Products to Watch in 2011-2012

Nissan Leaf Electric Car
Driven in part by clean air/greenhouse gas emissions laws in the states, and the predicted growth of electric charging stations such as GE’s new WattStation, expect Nissan’s LEAF all-electric car to become to this decade what Toyota Prius (with its combination combustion engine and electric motor) was to the last.

Wattson Energy Monitoring Device
With energy prices on the rise, consumers will be watching their watts more than ever. DIY Kyoto’s Wattson is one of many such devices that help to monitor a household’s electricity use. When the dishwasher revs up, Wattson glows red. Turn off the AC, and Wattson turns green.

“G” Diapers
Cloth diapers may not have posed a threat to disposable diapers, but G Diapers just might. An innovative two-part construction allows the inner lining to be flushed, and the attractively designed outerpants to be reused over and over; the result: stylish, colorful, practical, and convenient while traveling. With 20 billion disposable diapers dumped in U.S. landfills each year (along with their toxic content), expect Pampers and Huggies to respond with a flushable overhaul of their own.

SmartGrid Appliances
Seizing opportunities to help consumers save money, SmartGrid-enabled appliances can be controlled from afar by the power company who can lower thermostats, switch into energy-saver mode, or shut them down entirely during times of peak demand. Whirlpool predicts it will put one million smart clothes dryers on the market during 2011.

Biobased Products
The USDA launches its new “USDA Certified Biobased Product” label in early 2011, heralding a new era in consumer products and packages. Indeed, with energy independence a growing imperative in the U.S., it may signal the dawn of a new “biobased” economy. Expect Coke to capitalize upon its new recyclable “Plant Bottle” (made of 30% sugar cane), and Frito-Lay to launch a second generation compostable (and less noisy) SunChips package made from corn.

For more information on green marketing, visit Ottman’s site: www.greenmarketing.com

And for more stories about ways to make America a better place, please visit: www.americacomesalive.com.

Follow Kate Kelly on Twitter: www.twitter.com/AboutAmerica

Direct Link to this article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kate-kelly/8-green-myths-debunked-5_b_823918.htm

Start early.

Habits I learned when I was a kid led to the heart problems I’ve experienced as an adult. Don’t wait to change your lifestyle. It’s never too early to get more exercise, eat smarter, and set a good example for kids in your community.

Get more physical activity.

When I was President, I gave the Secret Service a good work out by running the mall. After I was persuaded to stop that for security reasons, I revamped worked in the gym. If none of these are options for you, try volunteering in your community — engage in something physical such as planting gardens or walking dogs at a local shelter. Giving can keep you moving.

Change your diet.

I’ve changed my eating habits to respond to my heart problems, with more beans, vegetables, whole grains and fruit and without meat and dairy products. I’ve lost weight and kept my energy up. If you’re not at a healthy weight, my diet may not work for you, so check with your doctor about what diet and lifestyle changes you should make.

Try new, heart healthy recipes.

If you’re looking for something healthy to cook, here’s a great recipe for Grilled Chicken with Strawberry and Pineapple Salsa from the American Heart Association, our partner in fighting childhood obesity. Try the recipe today.

Up your potassium and lower sodium.

Potassium-rich fruits and vegetables support healthy blood pressure — and every purchase from a local farmers market helps to sustain local livelihoods and reduce carbon emissions from transportation.

Change your environment.

One of the best ways to change your lifestyle is to change the environments where you spend the most time — whether it&squo;s where you live, where you work, or where you relax. Learn more about how the Alliance is working with schools to improve the health of students and staff.

Eat more fish.

Although I’ve taken on more of a vegan lifestyle, I still eat fish on occasion because they are rich in omega 3 fatty acids which are good for a healthy heart and other essential functions.
Reduce intake of high-calorie beverages.

Switch to water, 100 percent fruit juices, lowfat and fat free milk and portion controlled sports drinks. 98% of schools in America are now in compliance with the Alliance’s beverage guide — are you?

Keep stress low by doing what you love.

Working keeps me calm and whole really because it gives me something to look forward to everyday when I get up. I’d be more stressed out if all I had to look forward to was my tee time.

Fight climate change.

Studies have linked the consequences of climate change — changing weather patterns, harmful ozone gasses, more air pollution — with cardiovascular disease and other health problems. The more we do to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the more we are doing for our heart — and the health of our children and grandchildren.

This article can be found @: http://clintonfoundation.org/decade/decade_02_hearthealthytips.php

It’s easy to pack on pounds if you work behind a computer all day (blame it on the fat bomb combo of barely moving and mindless munching). You could accept the extra lbs., skip lunch to hit the gym, or start using these five sneaky little deflating tricks, all doable while you peck at your keyboard.

B.Y.O.S. (Bring Your Own Snack)

As you probably know from all those mid-afternoon vending machine runs you end up going on, it’s almost impossible to make it through the afternoon on lunch alone. So pack a healthy, cravings-killing option, two part-skim string cheeses or a low fat yogurt. They’re low in calories but loaded with filling protein.

But Keep Treats Hidden

Outta sight, outta your mouth. That’s the conclusion of some recent Cornell University research, which found that study subjects ate 70 percent more candy if the sweets were stored in a clear jar vs. an opaque one. So instead of keeping your afternoon nosh out on your desk (where—let’s be honest—it probably won’t last till 3 pm, leaving you trolling that damn vending machine again), put it away in your filing cabinet or the office fridge.

Squeeze Your Butt With Every Email

Just because you’re literally sitting on your ass all day doesn’t mean you can’t work your glutes. When you hit the send button, contract the muscles in your rear and hold for five seconds, then relax for five seconds. Do this four times. Soon, it’ll bec second nature to tense your tush as you fire off messages. And thanks to your email-crazy boss, you’ll have a tight bum in a few weeks.

Tone Your Abs Deskside

Adjust your chair so that your hips are an inch or two above your knees. Then lean forward so that your chest is above your hips and clench your shoulder blades, so your chest pushes forward. This simple move engages your core muscles, so you’re on your way to building a sixpack.

Do Leg Lifts on the DL

Few bosses are gonna let you take a break so you can do squats or laps around the office. So try this undercover—or rather, under-desk—move: Sit up tall and place both feet flat on the floor. Straighten one leg so it’s parallel with the floor, flex that foot, and hold for five seconds. Lower it slowly (taking five seconds to get back to resting position) and repeat with the other leg. A dozen lifts throughout the course of the day is enough to give you tighter, more toned legs.

This article is written by Zoe Ruderman and can be found at http://www.cosmopolitan.com/advice/tips/weight-loss-exercise-tips-for-work?click=cos_new

Sources: The Cornell Food and Brand Lab; Louis Coraggio, personal trainer in New York City and founder of bodyarch.com

Valentine Superstitions:

If an apple is cut in half, the number of seeds found inside the fruit will indicate the number of children that individual will have.

To be awakened by a kiss on Valentine’s Day is considered lucky.

On Valentine’s Day, the first guy’s name you read in the paper or hear on the TV or radio will be the name of the man you will marry.

If you see a squirrel on Valentine’s Day, you will marry a cheapskate who will hoard all your money.

If you see a goldfinch on Valentine’s Day, you will marry a millionaire.

If you see a robin on Valentine’s Day, you will marry a crime fighter – maybe they mean Batman!

If you see a flock of doves on Valentine’s Day, you will have a happy, peaceful marriage.

If you find a glove on the road on Valentine’s Day, your future beloved will have the other missing glove.

(These are of course just for fun).

Hope everyone has a Happy Valantine’s Day!

These were found in an email from Central Florida Dermatology @ http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001789228289

From wanting to get back to work to never starting the baby book (let alone finishing it), here’s how to let go of mom guilt. Written by the editors of BabyTalk magazine

We could probably come up with about two hundred things to not feel guilty about, but then we would just feel guilty about never feeling guilty at all. This list will give you the general idea of what kinds of not-exactly-maternal feelings are within limits, and what childcare chores you can cheat on now and then.

1. Wanting to stay home with your baby.

2. Loving your job.

3. Hating your husband now and then.

4. Still not wanting sex way, way, way after your six-week checkup.

5. Not reading to your baby as much as all the experts say you should.

6. Introducing a bottle as soon as you get home from the hospital (even though you’re not sure your milk supply is established yet) so you can get some sleep.

7. Supplementing with formula at any time.

8. Lying to the other women in your mommy group about how long your baby sleeps at night (but you will get more sympathy if you tell the truth).

9. Not keeping up with all the milestones you’re supposed to be recording in your baby book.

10. Never even starting the baby book.

11. Saying, “Great idea—I’ll try it!” to your mother-in-law’s advice when you have absolutely no intention of giving it an iota of thought once she walks out the door.

12. Telling your partner you’re going to the doctor for a checkup when you’re actually going for a massage, pedicure, or to have your hair highlighted (it’s not like he’s going to notice anyway).

13. Paying cash for your massage/pedicure/highlights so he won’t discover the credit card charge.

14. Refusing another mom’s invitation to a playdate because you can’t stand it that she can leave crystal on her coffee table and toilet paper on the rollers and her baby doesn’t bother any of it.

15. Feeling a twinge of delight when the above mom’s baby still isn’t saying any words and yours has a vocabulary of six!

16. Putting on the Baby Einstein DVD for the third time before lunch so you can apply some makeup because that cute landscaping guy is due to come by and cut your grass sometime this afternoon (just because you don’t want to have sex doesn’t mean you’re dead).

17. Wanting to spend Mother’s Day alone instead of with your family.

18. Going to visit your parents for the weekend because you know they will insist on doing everything for the baby and your mother will cook all your favorite foods for you. (Grandmothers can spoil their own children as well as their grandchildren.)

19. Napping when the baby naps even though he’s nine months old.

20. Driving your baby home from the mall with poop in his diaper because the bathroom is all the way at the other end and you know he couldn’t care less anyway.

This is an excerpt from THE BABYTALK INSIDER’S GUIDE TO YOUR BABY’S FIRST YEAR by the Editors of Babytalk Magazine. Copyright © 2008 by The Parenting Group, Inc. Published by Grand Central Publishing, New York, NY. All rights reserved.

This article was found on the www.parenting.com website @ http://www.parenting.com/article/mom-guilt?page=0,0

With the holidays and all those hearty “Happy New Year!” greetings behind us, this is around the time that depression typically sets in. It’s a season of rampant colds, flus, fatigue, weight gain, credit card bills, work pressures and general malaise. If you are among the many for whom the New Year has already lost its sheen of hope and rejuvenation, this post’s for you. Chances are, you’ve already slipped back into your old patterns and are throwing far too much of your energy and resources into the mad cycles of modern living. Here are ten proven steps to help guide you back to your center, your sanity, and your joie de vivre — come rain, snow or shine!self doubt,

1. Figure out your personal mantra.

A very wise friend of mine likes to say, “Keep the main thing the main thing.” In other words, what’s the most important theme in your life? What set of core beliefs and values keeps you going? It’s different for everyone, and for you it might evolve over time. Whatever it is, it should have restorative power for you whenever you say it to yourself. And you should say it often. For me, it’s honesty, harmony and life-generating progress.

2. Hold your center.

Once you have your personal mantra, let it center you. Then do everything necessary to hold your center. This might mean carving out time in your schedule to meditate or exercise every day, or to do something creative — again, it’s different for everyone. Only you know what it takes to keep yourself centered day to day, and only you know what will throw you off. Don’t be a slave to time; bend time to your needs. Don’t try to align yourself with someone else’s center; align the elements of your life with your own.

3. Know when and when not to question yourself.

We live in a world of seemingly infinite choice. Our popular culture is glutted with talking heads vying to tell us what we’re doing wrong and what we should be doing instead. All too often, family members, friends and colleagues say things that plant in us a worm of self-doubt. It’s wise to be receptive to constructive criticism, but if you always question yourself when the world demands it of you, you’ll never know which foot to lead with. You’ll be paralyzed with self-doubt. You know what’s most important to you. Own your choices with confidence.

4. Remember that what you don’t do is as important as what you do do.

I’ll let you in on a little secret: I sometimes tell people I’m so busy and overwhelmed that I can’t take on another project. While technically this is not always the case, it’s my way of saying, “If I do this, it will mean sacrificing other commitments that I’ve made to my family and to myself, and it will throw me off my center.” People tend to assume that if you’re not losing your mind trying to juggle too many projects at once, you’re not really busy. A key to maintaining sanity and harmony in your life is to know when piling on yet another commitment simply won’t serve your greatest good — or that of anyone else around you!

5. Remember that simply feeling alive in the moment is okay.

This goes for both adults and children. At a young age we are forced to adapt to a world of intense competition and performance pressure, and the stresses only build from there. While it’s important to learn how to survive in the modern world, there can be no quality of life without the ability to tap into our inner child. Let’s not rob ourselves — or our children — of the ability to live, breathe and play in the moment.

6. Recast the stories you tell about yourself so they empower rather than inhibit you.

We all tell ourselves stories about our lives that direct our choices and set the tone of our days, for better or for worse. For example, I often feel trapped by the frustrations of living in New York City. Since it’s not realistic — or even ideal — for me to live elsewhere right now, I’ve decided to change the story that I tell myself. Instead of “Life in New York is impossible,” I now say, “I live in the most dynamic city in the world, and I’m here for a reason.”

7. In any challenging situation, ask yourself, “What is the gift?”

There is always a message, a wake-up call or a golden opportunity that can arise from conflict. Whatever the situation, look for what it can teach you. Do you need to change something externally about your life? Or is it something within you? Rather than bemoaning your fate, think, “At least now it’s clear that something isn’t right. Something isn’t working for me. This situation is causing me pain, but at least it means I’m alive and sensitized to my surroundings. This new awareness is a gift.”

8. Protect yourself from the negativity of others.

Don’t let the projected anger and disappointment of others flatten you. For example, over the holidays, a dear friend of mine said some things to me that were really unkind. A part of me was so hurt that I wanted to cry, but I found my center and stood there for a moment to discern what was really going on. I knew that this person’s life wasn’t working for her, and it was obviously easier for her to unleash her negativity on me than to confront the real source of her pain. When I understood this, rather than absorbing her negativity as my own, I gently redirected her focus. Exercise compassion, but protect yourself as well.

9. Stand strong in the face of peer pressure.

When it seems everyone around you is tugging at your sleeve to engage in certain activities, it can be tempting to set your own judgment aside and just go with the flow — even when you know it will only end up making you feel worse. Whether it’s gossiping, consuming products that are loaded with harmful chemicals or watching TV programs that clutter your head with images of violence, you always have a choice. Some people may act surprised or offended when you opt out of the group activity, but those who truly know and love you will respect you for it.

10. Think about what you would like to experience and communicate before you die.

The idea of mortality can be a powerful agent of change. No matter who you are, facing your mortality requires courage, but it can be a highly effective way to reorder your priorities. It can also be extremely liberating. If you know your time here is limited, will you continue to let the small stuff bother you? Will you keep putting off all those things you’ve been meaning to do and say for later? Of course not. You’ll want to live all the more passionately and make every moment count!

These exercises have saved me again and again from the brink of much chaos and confusion in my life. By now they’ve become almost second nature, a kind of inner compass that keeps me oriented in a world of misdirection. So I urge you to make them your own. Stop letting the winter push you around and drag you down. It’s time to reclaim your sanity and live your life!

This article was written by Natalia Rose: Natalia Rose is an author and certified clinical nutritionist, well known for her highly effective personalized diets. Visit her website: www.detoxtheworld.com

This article was found @ The Huffington Post Website: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/natalia-rose/find-your-center_b_815778.html

This article is written by Joan Borysenko on January 18th, 2011 and can be found online at The Huffington Post…

Life really does have an uncanny way of imitating art.

It was Labor Day of 2010. I’d just finished penning the final revisions to my latest book “Fried: Why You Burn Out and How to Revive.” My husband Gordon and I returned from an early-morning hike and spotted smoke in the gulch below the house. Within minutes there were flames. Hastily packing what we could, we loaded the dogs into our cars and prepared to flee.

A hundred-foot wall of flames raced up the gulch as we said goodbye to our home. The roar of the conflagration was terrifying as we witnessed the worst wildfire in Colorado history. It burned for almost a week and incinerated 169 homes and more than 7,500 acres of pristine beauty.

“Fried” was suddenly more than a book title. Five days into the evacuation we were told that our home had, against all odds, survived. Twelve neighboring homes were reduced to ash. The once-magnificent view had been replaced by a charred, lunar landscape. Clouds of soot and toxic dust settled over everything inside and out.

Staying on top of the insurance claim, hiring and overseeing contractors to clean and repair the house, canceling checking accounts and credit cards that might have been compromised — all the while traveling, working and living in a hotel — started to burn me out.

Berkeley psychologist Christina Maslach created a scale that measures the three basic components of the syndrome: emotional exhaustion and physical depletion; loss of empathy; and decrease in self-confidence and competence. Burnout starts innocently enough with working harder but slowly and surely culminates in physical and mental collapse.

As work expands and threatens to eat life whole, values get turned upside down. Exercise, play and time with loved ones may get short shrift. The result is snarkiness and impatience, a tendency to feel edgy and judgmental — a closing of the heart. In an attempt to feel better you might overeat, drink to excess, turn to prescription or illicit drugs, get lost in porn or find yourself staring mindlessly at the television. It’s like a film of plastic wrap has been stretched over the world, and you can’t connect with life.

Motivation gets replaced by a “why bother?” attitude. Headaches, trouble sleeping, stomach problems, muscle aches, high blood pressure and the whole panoply of stress-related ills increase. The end result looks a lot like depression. The cure is not in a pill but in making choices that allow you to make a living while having a life.

Tips for Revival:

1. Unplug and take stock. Go away for a few days to a quiet place where you can get some perspective. What’s burning you out? Are you a square peg in a round hole? Customer service, for example, is a bad choice for the conflict-averse. Are you a caregiver who needs respite? Are you a people-pleaser who needs to say “no” to others and “yes” to yourself? Is your lifestyle so expensive that working enough to fund it is killing you?

2. Purge what’s not necessary. Pareto’s Law states that 20 percent of one’s actions result in 80 percent of hoped-for results. Identify leverage points and energy drains. What serves you, and what wastes your time? When I cut down on radio interviews, reviewing people’s manuscripts and doing favors for just about anyone who asked, I had much more time for what really matters. The fire gave me permission to say “no” without feeling guilty. But you don’t need to wait for an excuse to live your own life.

3. Play both for the sake of fun itself and because play changes your brain state and supports creative thinking. Work smarter by exercising or playing when you feel stale.

4. Pay yourself first. Schedule time for self-care, family and friends before filling up your calendar with work demands. Waiting for free time to materialize is the same as deciding to save the money that’s left at the end of the month.

5. Take a weekly Sabbath. Do absolutely nothing related to work on that day. This is a time-honored strategy for staying sane and enjoying life.

6. Cultivate beginner’s mind. The late Zen teacher Suzuki Roshi wrote, “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities; in the expert’s mind there are few.”

As a result of the fire I’ve had to give up expert status. After months spent grieving the destruction of the land, I’m constantly surprised by new life revealing itself. Charred trees are host to flocks of magpies and woodpeckers. Some of the browned-out trees are showing signs of life. The pleasure of seeing the landscape with fresh eyes is not in the end-product of what all the cutting, pruning and planting might create, but in the act of creativity itself.

Pay yourself first. We humans are born artists, and when burnout wipes the canvas clean, it is an invitation to pick through the ashes and make life new again.

Here is the direct link to the article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joan-borysenko/unplug-and-recharge-burnout-motivation_b_809964.html

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to make it clear that Paramount Solutions is open regular business hours today for Martin Luther King Day. Since you have some time off (hopefully) feel free to give us a call for a reading!

Mention MLK Blog post and receive 5 minutes free with a purchase of 15 minutes or more. Can’t be combined with any other offers, one time only. Offer only good on Monday, 1/17/2011.

Hope you have a fantastic day,

Michelle