The top of the pops of super-food: Goji berries

I have just discovered them recently, and totally fell in love with them instantly: Goji berries. These little, red berries from the Himalayan mountains have been eaten since centuries in Tibet and China. They are said to be among the most healty what nature has to offer us, containing the carotenoids- beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, lutein, β-crytoxanthin, and lycopene, at least 6 vitamins (C, B1,B2,B3,B6,E), over 30 essential and trace elements, polyphenolic antioxidants and 19 amino acids. Little wonder that their benefits are a promising list of superlatives (see below).

I bought my Gojis in an Asian supermarket, where they are much cheaper than in a health-store. You might check eBay as well. Make sure that you wash them before you eat them in any case. I eat a small hand full every morning on an empty stomach. This is supposed to make the best out of it for your body. I chew them many times and have my regular breakfast right after.

What I have recognised so far (after eating them for a month every day) is that my skin got better and I really have a very good focus, my concentration got to really high levels. My goal is to continue for at least six months eating Gojis every morning. Will make me wonder-woman in the end. ;)

• Protects the liver — less fatigue
• Helps eyesight – supports kidney function
• Increases metabolic activity — burns fat and aids digestion
• Boosts immune function – Lymphocytes, Interleukin 2, Immunoglobulin
• Improves circulation — supports distribution of nutrients and quality energy levels
• Improves sexual function and fertility — boosts libido and energy
• Promotes longevity — brings life support to the blood and all internal organs
• Rich in phytonutrients, antioxidants, particularly carotenoids such as beta-carotene and zeaxanthin.
• Test studies are showing that Goji berries may prevent the growth of cancer cells, reduce blood glucose, and lower cholesterol levels.
• Goji has unique bioactive polysaccharides (LBP) — key markers for building immune response

Acupuncture – finding your center

I have had my first acupuncture session the other day, it was amazing. Now I understand from own experience what they mean when they say to live life out of your equilibrium.

My acupuncturist went through several situations with me. He made me imagine myself in a situation that made me feel good and then another one that made me feel bad. Each time he would ask where I feel a sensation or blockage in my body and treat that point with a needle. Once we've had addressed all blocked points my body awareness was very strong. I felt very centered and in tune with myself. This is where he made me feel how I can snap myself back into this point of harmony with myself. He made me think of something that caused my blocking again. At this point I was able to feel where in my body my energy goes if I leave my center, which is in my stomach. I could actually feel a shift out of my hips to the left hand side. We've repeated this exercise and it was the same shift out of the hip again. He snapped my energy back, physically pushing my hip.

This is a very powerful knowledge to know my point of de-centralization. Now I started practicing in my mind snapping my energy back into my hip whenever I feel weak or distracted. I know now which part of my body triggers the loss of being centered or a drain of energy. Thus I can approach this specific point whereas before I had a much harder time to regain my center.

I highly recommend to take an acupuncture session in order to find and maintain your center.

Spiritual approach: being born into a family

I'm currently reading James Redfield's “The Celestine Prophecy”. The books describes a very interesting approach about family dynamics. It says that being born into a family implies a spiritual purpose, a mission - for the child. We should ask ourselves why we've been born into this family, what is it that we were supposed to teach or show our parents? What did our parents stand for? What have our parents not been able to accomplish? Discovering and living a synthesis between what our parents believed from a higher perspective is the spiritual aim of our life. A child should aspire to take the vibrational level of his or her parents and raise it even higher. This assures that evolution continues. Once put into action we will live our real, meaningful life, led by our higher self and build up an inner connection with God / the Universe or how you prefer to call it.

This will help you to handle symptoms of stress

Here are some very effective ways by which you can keep stress symptoms away from you.

• Your diet is crucial. Eat stress releasing foods like plenty of vegetables and fruits.
• Draw a limit to your potential ability and don't cross the line.
• Exercise. This is one of the best ways to stay away from stress. Try to do some 30 min outdoor activities a day.
• Avoid alcohol and drugs. They weaken your power to cope with stress and even make the symptoms worse.
• Do yoga. It is one of the best stress releaving activities.
• Breathe correctly. Breathe deep into your belly for about 5 seconds and push it out, breath out while pushing your belly in again. Exercise until it becomes your habitual way of breathing, however even some 5 rounds in between will have a significant effect on your stress handling ability.

Tip how not to let someone make you angry

This mind-trick works really well for me: If I am confronted with someone who is making me angry and I feel that I am just about about to loose my temper, I remind myself to do the following: I just focus on a part of his or her face that I like. This can be the ear, the chin or the hairstyle. I will try to send my sympathy to this feature of my counterpart, or even my love if this is possible. My anger will become instantly much softer, sometimes it even disappears.  

No more travel-sickness thanks to Yoga Asana

This is something that made my life so much easier and therefore I want to share it with you. For years I was heavily suffering from travel-sickness, no sitting on the back seat in cars, bumpy plane landings were my personal nightmare, boats: outch. – you see what I mean.

Then I started doing a set of 5 yoga exercises called the Five Tibetans for their supposed general health benefits. And it’s the first exercise that rocks from a travel-sickness point of view as I found out. Just stand looking forward, spread your arms in a 90° angle to your body and then – start turning clockwise, round after round. One trick at the beginning is not to look straight forward but at your middle right finger. If you look forward then choose a point which you aim at in each round, kinda like ballet dancers doing their pirouettes.

Sounds easy, the first attempt will make you feel like on a small boat in a stormy ocean after 3 turns probably… at least it made me feel that way. The trick is to continue, something happens to your body that you’ll get used to it after a while. It took me maybe a month of two of daily practice to get to the recommended 21 turns – this is when you’ll be cured! It’s so so worth the effort. Since my cure I can read a book on the backseat of a car and feel perfectly good. Wish you all the best.

How to handle stress – so powerful!

If you are stressed about something, the first step is to make up your mind about all possibilities, make notes. The next thing to do is: make a clear, concise decision. Just making this decision alone will relieve about 50% of the anxiety, tension and worry! What's even better: when you start taking action according to you decision, another 40% of the stress will go away. By then you've dealt with 90% of your stress, how great is this? Try it out and you will see.