WellnessCoach.com

What’s a picture of a skull and crossbones doing on a Wellness blog?

Well, I hope you know me well enough by now to know I’m not big on scare tactics, and tend instead to focus on the things we CAN do to increase our wellness quotients…but today, I’d like to opt for providing a useful warning. It comes from a situation I faced this morning.

Today, I asked my new assistant to be sure to choose the organic produce when she did our grocery shopping. She had only been on the job an hour, wasn’t used to our shopping M.O. and had a question for me as I handed her the list of things I wanted her to get. “What if they don’t have organics for every item on the list?” she asked. “Should I get the conventionally grown instead, or skip the item all together?”

It just so happened I had two lists tucked into a cookbook that I’d put there a while back — lists of pesticide-ladened foods and those less likely to be as dangerous if not organic. They were given to me by a nutrition colleague, Gerry Tribble. I’ve pretty much committed them to memory, but it dawned on me that my assistant wasn’t the only one who could benefit from seeing the lists. I handed her the paper copies and made this one for you:

Researchers from a variety of backgrounds agree that these are the 12 most pesticide laden foods:

The Dangerous Dozen
Apples, Celery, Grapes (imported),
Peaches, Potatoes, Spinach,
Bell Peppers, Cherries, Nectarines,
Pears, Red Raspberries, Strawberries.

Avoid these foods when you cannot get them as Certified Organic*. I also avoid non-organic root veggies such as carrots and onions because the commercial pesticides leach into the soil and stick around for a long time.

Commercial pesticides are linked to disrupting nervous, mental and hormone functions. Chemical Pesticides can also increase the risk for developing leukemia, brain and soft tissue cancers.

Here’s a list of foods that are OK not to buy organic as few chemicals are
used during the growing process:

Few Chemicals Used During Growing Process
Asparagus, Bananas, Broccoli,
Citrus, Kiwi, Melons,
Papaya, Peas (sweet), Avocados,
Blueberries, Cauliflower, Grapes (Calif),
Mangos, Pineapples

by Gerri Tribble, N.D.

*As long as I’ve wandered on over to the “Certified Organic” territory, I thought I’d pass along a small tip. Organic.org has a useful article to help you make sense of organic labeling. Hope it, along with my lists, to make your grocery selection a bit easier this week.

Now off to eat some Organic pears and walnuts. How about you…what’s your healthy snack of choice today?

Tags: Wellness Coaching, General Wellness Tips, Nutrition by Erica Ross-Krieger
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Welcome back for the next installment in my Wellness Product Review Series. Last week, I reported from the Fitness Front with a review of the Yoga to the Rescue DVD. Today, I’m reporting in with a short snippet from the Healthy Food and Beverage Front. (Just a moment while I take a sip of tea here…. Ahh.)

Okay, here’s a reminder of the rating system I use in this series:

Rating key:
☺ ☺ ☺ = Great product. I’m using it and love it.
☺ ☺ = Good product. I’m using it. For now.
☺ = It has merit, but I’m not personally using it. Use with caution.
☹ = Don’t bother.

REVIEW FROM THE FOOD & BEVERAGE FRONT:
If you’re a green tea lover, and also keen on getting an extra share of super antioxidants from acai (ah-sigh-ee), this just might be your new favorite tea.

Acai Green Tea by The Republic of Tea®

Product Description: “Acai berry is one of the most nutritious fruits in the world. For centuries, inhabitants of the amazon rainforest have gathered these berries from the acaizeiro palm tree for their powerful health benefits. This deep purple fruit has the rich flavors of concord grape and ripe blueberries…Green tea has been revered for centuries in the Far East for its health-enhancing properties.” Republic of Tea®

Price: $9.50 U.S. for 50 Tea Bags

WellnessCoach Assessment:
Acai, a “superfruit”, is rich in the antioxidants known as polyphenols. So is green tea. Putting the two together was brilliant on the part of the Republic of Tea (and no, I’m not paid to endorse them:) You’ll find tons of research that shows these polyphenols will help guard the body against the harmful molecules known as free radicals (which can cause heart disease, premature aging, and certain forms of cancer.)

My Personal Experience:
I’ve been drinking this tea fairly consistently since I got it last month — say an average of 2-3 cups a day. I like the flavor – a bit tart and a bit sweet. I don’t use a sweetener in it, but I don’t use one in any tea. It tastes heartier than straight green tea, and if you’ve ever had straight acai juice, you know what I mean. (If not, you can buy straight acai juice at the health food store and test it out…and let me know what you think.)

Anyway, since I’m a plain-green-tea lover by nature and don’t always want the addition of the acai flavor, I stick to straight green tea in the morning and sip this tea throughout the day. I like that this Acai Green Tea gives me a double dose of antioxidants, so I plan on keeping it in my weekly tea regime for now.

Overall Rating: ☺ ☺

Stay tuned: next in the series, I’ll review an environmentally-friendly cleaning product your carpet and spills shouldn’t be without. I know I said I’d do it this time, but cold weather blew in and a mug of the tea was calling my name…you know how it is:)

Got Wellness Products You Recommend? Add a comment and share!

Tags: Product Reviews, General Wellness Tips, Nutrition by Erica Ross-Krieger
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This is the first in a series of four posts where I’ll give you my review of a Wellness product, book or approach that’s recently come my way. I’ve tested, tried or read and reviewed each one thoroughly, and I’ll give you my professional and/or personal experience with one product per post.
Rating key:
☺ ☺ ☺ = Great product. I’m using it and love it. Go get it.
☺ ☺ = Good product. I’m using it/own it. You might want to try it.
☺ = It has merit, but I’m not personally using it. Use with caution.
☹ = Don’t bother.

1. Review From the Nutrition Front:

Detox Diet & Book: The Fast Track Detox Diet
by Ann Louise Gittleman, PH.d., C.N.S.

Book & Detox Diet Description: “Gittleman’s easy-to-follow program includes seven days of adding healing foods to your diet to prepare for the detox process; a one-day fast featuring her spiced Miracle Juice, designed to stave off hunger and flush out toxins; and three days of eating healthy foods to seal in the result of the fast…” (From the book’s back cover.)

Price: $12.95 U.S.

WellnessCoach Special Note: My clients know my stance on fasting, diets for weight loss, and toxins in food and the environment, but I haven’t really come out with my opinion here on the blog before…so here it is:

Eating organic and using personal and home-care products that are toxin-free is critical; nutrition education and exercise are critical components of the weight-loss story; but weight loss is a much bigger conversation than just diet and exercise; a Blood-Type approach to nutrition is important; fasting is such a loaded topic that I don’t keep it in my Nutrition Educator or personal vocabulary; and the real key to weight loss is getting to and dealing with the issues that are at the heart of the matter for each individual.

But…
That said, I agreed to review this book for a number of reasons. First, it appears its main focus is detoxification, not just weight loss. Next, in nutrition school I was a big fan of Ann Louise Gittleman’s 1997 book, Your Body Knows Best. I liked the introduction to her blood type-based approach to nutrition and individual metabolic considerations. So I wanted to see if the same thread of her nutritional expertise was apparent in this new book.

Also, several new clients asked my opinion on the Fast Track Detox Diet book, and I like to keep up with current nutritional literature in the mass market, so I bought a copy. Then in early January, in her Slim People in Progress blog, Denise Wakeman asked if anyone had experience with the Detox Diet or the book. I commented back and said I’d get to reviewing it. So Denise, this one’s also for you and your readers☺

WellnessCoach Assessment:
Nutrition expert Ann Louise Gittleman does a phenomenal job spelling out the harm that pesticides, fertilizers, synthetic additives, and pollution in the environment bring to our health. She makes a strong case for the need to internally cleanse ourselves regularly with an age-old tradition of a detox fast, but one that is also based on sound nutritional principles.

In all the years I’ve assessed detox diets, I can say I haven’t seen one so thoroughly presented, nor one that covers the myriad of issues (body/mind/spirit) that are involved in the world of detoxification diets. The plan even includes: a plan for journal entries for the emotional level along with breathing exercises; recommended pro-biotics; different approaches for those with different goals; supplements for each approach; cosmetics to avoid; recipes; resources and contact info for detox diet supplies; visualization tools to use; and Bach Flower remedies to include.

My Opinion in a Nutshell
So, how do I put this together with the Special Note I wrote in the block quote above, where I say I’m not a proponent of fasts? This way:

- Above all else, if you choose to fast, engage a licensed health practitioner to supervise any fast you undertake. In my view, this goes for everyone, not just those who have health challenges, are elderly, or have compromised immune systems.

- If you think you want to use the plan in this book, give your health practitioner a copy of the book to read thoroughly so both of you are familiar with the approach. Be sure you have read it thoroughly as well.

- If the decision you make together is for you to follow the plan, schedule regular sessions with your practitioner during the entire process. Stay in touch throughout.

- If you do go forward, don’t skip any of the steps outlined in the book, unless your practitioner specifies that you do. The prequel to the fast is a critical component and so are the recommended protocols for supplements, fiber, pro-biotics and recommended amounts of water to drink.

- Consider having a Detox Diet buddy that is going through the same process, so you have additional support. This person also needs to get health supervision.

- Go Organic for as much of this approach as is possible if you are going to do this.

- Skip Path A – the Fastest Track – and Opt for Path B, The Cheater’s Path, (I wouldn’t have called it that…I’d have called it the we’re-all-human Path…but hey, it’ not my book). Again, your practitioner’s advice is vital. I just don’t see a need for the “fastest” anything.

- If you review the whole book and decide to skip the whole Detox Diet (my vote), there is strong merit in doing the Emotional Detox component (chapter 7) on its own.

Overall Rating: ☺
Note: The book itself is thorough, well presented, and comprehensive. As I said though, I’m not a fan of fasting or diets and this didn’t change my mind. Does contain other useful information though.

My Personal Experience:
Well, as you now know, I’m not a proponent of fasting, so you won’t see a personal report of my own fasting experience here, because I don’t do fasts. But you do have my assessment of the book’s approach from a Nutrition Educator’s view, and that’s what I can offer.

I will also say that I’m a strong proponent of doing what we can to keep harmful toxins at bay, whenever possible. I live by my own advice to clients and yes, I: Take a Blood-Type approach to my own eating plan and approach to supplements; drink lots of pure water; eat all organic at home and as often as possible when eating out; avoid toxic cleaning and personal-care products; and engage in regular “Emotional Detox” work by using the Gremlin-Taming® method (designed by Rick Carson, author of Taming Your Gremlin®).

A Bloggy Note:
This review was initially going to be a short list of Wellness Tools for you to try, without my own bias. My thanks goes to blog guru, Chris Garrett, for the advice he gave in his January 21st post that bloggers should marry their expertise with personal experience. As you can see, I’ve taken his advice to heart…and I had fun doing so. I’ll be doing 3 more of these reviews i this series, and I’m bound to do more over time. Stay tuned.

Tags: Wellness Coaching, General Wellness Tips, Nutrition by Erica Ross-Krieger
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Contributor Glenn Townes wrote a juicy article on November 2 in the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) business toolbox. He starts with this appetizer:

“Entrepreneurs are used to working long hours and occasionally ignoring their health, all for the sake of making their small business a success.

“With the holiday season quickly approaching and leftover Halloween candy, Thanksgiving pies and Christmas goodies all racing through our heads, now is the time to establish healthy holiday habits that will make your New Year’s resolutions last well beyond the first slice of pumpkin pie.” For the rest of the banquet, read Glenn’s full article.

Take Action:

Choose one of the following tips and habits (some from Glenn, some from me) and take action:

- buy a pedometer, learn how to use it, and get moving
- bring fresh fruit to the pot luck
- go for a brisk after-the-holiday-dinner family walk
- drink plenty of water
- opt for soup as an appetizer to curb your appetite
- hire a certified nutritionist or wellness coach before New Year’s Day
- select some energizing music (rock, jazz, oldies, you call it), and take an late afternoon office break to get up and move around for 15 minutes.
- enjoy the gathering of friends, family and colleagues in abundance and the food in moderation.
- count your blessings instead of a total focus on counting calories.
- take an information and technology break for 24 hours — no email, texting, cell phones, blogging, Twitter, newspapers, and all electronic games and computers. [Get past the first go-round of this, (where you’re likely to be worrying if you’re missing out on something) and next month you’ll look forward to repeating this one.]
- practice Dr. Andrew Weil’s Relaxing Breathing Exercises

My plan’s to outsource some more of my work to my VA starting this week — a gift for me and a gift for her.

What healthy habits will you start?

Keep us posted.

Tags: Wellness Coaching, Wellness of Your Business, General Wellness Tips, Nutrition, Body by Erica Ross-Krieger
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What do “Halloween”, “Wellness”, and being an “Entrepreneur” all have in common? Simple. You. (That is if you live in the U.S., Italy, the U.K., Ireland, France and anywhere else that celebrates Halloween. If you don’t, perhaps you know someone who does and can pass along this post.)

Let me start by saying that I’m indulging a bit today. I’m climbing up onto my soapbox and ranting a bit about a subject that gets me fired up: Childhood Obesity. At the outset and launch of this blog, I promised to limit my rants to only once in a blue moon, and Halloween’s role in Childhood Obesity is a subject that counts as a blue moon as far as I’m concerned.

So, here’s the rant. Yes, Halloween brings out the kid in us. No matter our age, it can be fun to get dressed up in costumes and go to parties or take our costumed kids and parade around the neighborhood. And yes, treats can be part of the fun. However, treats don’t have to be sticky, gooey white-sugar-based candy, and treats don’t have to be food. So when it comes to Halloween (or anytime) “treats” for the children in our world, the usual commercial fare is just not the way to go.

You know the statistics. You see evidence all around you. Childhood obesity has reached such epidemic proportions that world health officials have decided they need to take a more aggressive approach if they are to head off a global explosion of fat-related diseases.

But I refuse to wear a colored ribbon signifying an end to the socially caused problem of Childhood Obesity. Why? I just don’t like the whole idea of colored ribbons. I don’t like saying that I am against things. I’d rather jump on the bandwagon to support the things I do believe in — like health, wellness and the freedom to engage in entrepreneurial ventures. It just seems to me that teaching and modeling health and wellness to our children is the only thing that makes sense, and in doing so…we will end childhood obesity.

That said, I’ll contradict myself for a minute and talk briefly about what I’m against. Childhood obesity is no laughing matter. In fact it’s worth crying about or at least ranting about and risking your blog readers’ disapproval. On the other hand, healthy and fit kids will contribute to a healthier future and give all of us something to smile about.

Are you thinking, as I admit I was at one point, that since your own kids, nieces, nephews or friend’s kids don’t suffer from childhood obesity that you’re off the hook? Please think again.

We are all very much on the hook. And handing out sugary treats on Halloween because it’s easier than finding creative alternatives is no excuse in my book for contributing to the epidemic.

So what can you do?

Whether from your office checkbook or from your front door on Halloween, give “Hallowed Treats” that support wellness in our children.

Here are 31 ideas (in 4 venues) for doing so:

Venue #1: Your Front Door

Instead of refined white sugar or refined flour treats this Halloween, (when sealed treats are important) give out:

- colored pencils
- gel pens in bright colors
- crayons
- whistles (be mindful that they’re not choking hazards to little goblins)
- erasers in animal shapes
- coins
- stickers
- decorated hair clips or ponytail holders
- toothbrushes
- sealed fruit cups (applesauce, etc.)
- organic juice boxes (100% juice)
- string cheese
- herbal tea bags (individually wrapped)
- protein or granola bar (without sugar)
- boxes of raisins
- individual whole grain Fig cookie packs
- individual 2oz almond packs
- All Natural dark chocolate squares by Endangered Species (at Trader Joe’s)

Venue #2: Your Own Healthy Halloween Party

Host a Halloween party at your home (when sealed treats aren’t required) and serve:

- spiced apple cider
- spiced apple cake made with applesauce and spelt flour
- popcorn sprinkled with parmesan cheese or brewer’s yeast
- fresh apple slices or do the “bob for apples” bit
- fresh veggies and spiced hummus dip
- pumpkin seeds (sprinkle with Tamari and let the kids help bake)
- whole grain cookies such as Fig Newman’s
- whole grain crackers with organic almond or peanut butter
- healthy mini-pizza’s: broil whole grain English muffins with tomato sauce, raw cheese, olives, and other veggies
- pumpkin soup
- non-food treats such as those on the above list

***Notice I included NO sugar-free Splenda-containing items on these lists. With good reason, but that’s a rant for another blue moon. I promise. But if you don’t want to wait til then, check out what Dr. Mercola has to say about the hazards of Splenda by clicking on the link above.

Venue #3: Your Entrepreneurial Office and/or Nearby Walking and Jogging Trail

Get Running and Take Out Your Checkbook. “Treat” the planet’s children and:

- make a donation to the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC)
- sponsor your own Halloween Fun Run, the weekend prior to or following Halloween. Gather neighborhood parents and kids, ask others to chip in for each few blocks you and the kids run/walk, and raise money for KidsPeace charity to help support healthy children.

Venue #4: A Salad Creations® Restaurant near you

“Treat” your kids to a “Create Your Own” healthy salad and show them what fun it is to choose from the 28+ fresh ingredients.

Let me indulge a bit more and do a little shameless self-promotion. Not sure if you know or not but my husband and I are the Area Developers in the SF Bay Area for the Salad Creations® franchise. We’re downright proud of the fact that Salad Creations® is committed to helping kids eat healthier and to helping put an end to childhood obesity.

So click here to locate a Salad Creations® near you and take your goblins for a crunchy Halloween treat! (And if there isn’t a Salad Creations store near you just yet, call a friend or family member with kids who does live near one, and pass along the idea for this healthier Halloween “treat”.)

———

So there you have it. Healthy tips “masked” this Halloween as my once-in-a-blue-moon rant (of course I may post it again the day before Halloween as a reminder:) Thanks for tuning in.

• Got “treat” tips? Love to hear them. Post your ideas about promoting wellness this Halloween!

• Feel strongly about Childhood Obesity? Send your comments!

Tags: Wellness of Your Business, Nutrition, Matters of the Heart, Body, Announcements by Erica Ross-Krieger
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Entrepreneurs know a thing or two about stress. In fact, most of us accept the fact that managing stress and our energy is a regular part of living. We manage a gazillion facets of our own businesses, juggle schedules, and do our best to keep our stress levels down and our energy levels up. Without realizing it, you have probably put together your own tool kit to help manage your energy levels throughout the day. Browse through this list and see if there are a few more tools for you to add to your kit:

- Learn to calm your mind and body through meditation.
- Eat your meals in a relaxed environment.
- Take frequent breaks for stretching and walking throughout the day.
- Eliminate refined carbohydrates from your diet.
- Eliminate or restrict your intake of caffeine and alcohol.
- Eat smaller meals and healthy snacks throughout the day.
- Support your adrenal glands with vitamin C, Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), vitamin B6, zinc and magnesium - do so with the addition of broccoli, whole grains, salmon, sweet potatoes and legumes to your diet, or see a nutritionist for the supplement levels that will serve you best.
- Consider adding a high quality ginseng supplement to your regime, either Chinese or Siberian, to support your adrenal function and help your body’s resistance to stress. One valid approach is to take ginseng in a cycle of 2-3 weeks on and 2 weeks off, to give the adrenal glands a rest from the ginseng. Educational literature tells us to be alert for signs of possible ginseng toxicity, including nervousness, restlessness, and insomnia. Each person responds to ginseng in a unique way so starting with a low dose is the rule of thumb listed in most supplement manuals. As always, consult a health practitioner for the appropriate levels for you.
- Decrease stress and increase energy by learning to breathe with the diaphragm. Take breaks throughout the day and do so purposefully. Sit comfortably, both feet flat on the ground, eyes gently closed. Inhaling though the nose and exhaling through the mouth, place one hand on your belly and the other on your chest. Pay attention to the breath and focus on the hand on your belly. Inhale for a count of 4 or 5, filling the belly and expanding it so your hand rises about an inch. Pause for a count of 1 or 2. Exhale to a count of 4 or 5. Keep focused on the breath and repeat the process. Do so until you have reached a level of both relaxation and refreshment. Aim for 5-20 minutes a few times a day.
- Go for a brisk walk - with or without your ipod or mp3 player.
- Organize your office and life with the zen-like wisdom and help of David Allen’s book, Getting Things Done.

For more tips, you can also check out the article, “Your Guide to Never Feeling Tired Again” posted today on the WebMD site. Author Nancy Rones gives you 22 more ideas for enhancing your energy.

Post a comment and let us know what you do throughout your entrepreneurial day to stay energized and stress-free.

Tags: Meditation, Wellness Coaching, Wellness of Your Business, General Wellness Tips, Spirit, Nutrition, Body by Erica Ross-Krieger
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It’s autumn, and apple season is upon us! With so many varieties to choose from, it’s easy to try a type that’s new to you and good for you. But healthy eater beware. While grabbing a fresh, crisp apple (along with a handful of almonds) makes for a great snack for busy entrepreneurs, eating organic is a must. In his post today, Dr. Andrew Weil discusses not just the benefits of an apple-a-day habit, but the risks associated with non-organic apples…especially the skin. So before you crunch into that delicious-looking apple, be sure it’s organic. And while you’re munching, check out Dr. Weil’s post and let us know what you think.

Tags: General Wellness Tips, Nutrition, Body by Erica Ross-Krieger
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You had the courage to start your own business. You took a risk, you ventured out. But I’ll bet, if you’re like most of us, when it comes to the nutrition arena, you haven’t gone on any new adventures lately. This week, I invite you to break out of your usual nutrition routine and try something new and different. Being mindful of any dietary constraints and medical supervision, expand your nutritional repertoire.

If you have little time, try one of these options:

- a small handful of raw almonds and a few fresh figs
- an Organic Food Bar (try Organic Greens flavor; at health food stores)
- goat cheese on a slice of Ezekiel bread
- organic turkey jerky and a piece of fresh fruit
- a small glass of multi-veggie juice (Knudsen’s Very Veggie is great!)
- Nut Thins® crackers spread with hummus or almond butter
- leftover veggies sprinkled with olive oil and a splash of vinegar - makes a great, quick cold salad.

If you have more time, try:

- Quinoa (pronounced Keen-wah); this high protein grain has a nutty flavor and also absorbs the flavors that are used along with it. Prepare as you do rice with 2:1 ratio (liquid:grain); use vegetable broth or organic chicken broth for half of the liquid. Serve as a side dish or toss in shredded chicken, peas, onions, and/or chopped tomatoes for a hearty meal.

- Broccoli Soup: steam 2 cups of fresh or frozen organic broccoli. Place the hot broccoli into a blender. Add a Tablespoon of olive oil or butter, ½ cup almond or rice milk, a splash of chicken stock or vegetable broth and blend on high. Stop when the mixture reaches the desired consistency. More time for thinner soup, less time for thicker soup.

- Arugula and Asian Pear Salad; (arugula will be near the lettuces in your health food store; tender green leaves are somewhat like an oak leaf in shape; flavor is both spicy and nutty. Asian pears are a poplar fall fruit; crisp and juicy and often referred to as “apple pears.”) To make the salad: Slice Asian Pears and place over arugula; toss with grapefruit or lemon juice and a splash of olive oil; garnish with some montrachet goat cheese.

Need a time out? Try this:
Take a refreshing break in your entrepreneurial day. Take a half-hour mid-afternoon visit to the produce section of your local Whole Foods Market or other health food store. Your “something new” this week will be simply to go to the store without a shopping list and without buying anything. Your “something new” will be to go with the intention of simply visiting the produce section and browsing around with new and curious eyes.

When you arrive, notice something you haven’t noticed before – perhaps the way the fruit is stacked, the way the greens are watered every so often, or the way the potatoes are kept in bins away from the light (or if they are not.)

Wander over to the celery; inhale the fragrance of a stalk of a celery – did you even know it has one? Then look around and find a fruit or vegetable that is unfamiliar to you. Pick it up in your hand. Notice its texture, size, shape, and smell. Read anything posted about it such as nutritional value or ways to prepare it – or ask the produce person more about it. Do so simply for the sake of curiosity. Next, ask for a sample slice of a fruit you haven’t tried before. Taste it. Simply notice the way the fruit tastes.

Take a final look around, inhaling the smells, sights and the produce that is there for you when you want it. Give silent gratitude for this place and head back to work refreshed. I do this on occasion to remind myself to slow down and remember just how lucky I am to live amid plenty.

Tags: General Wellness Tips, Nutrition by Erica Ross-Krieger
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The Digestion Metaphor for Entrepreneurs Revisited
The last two posts have focused on the following wellness affirmation and have provided tips for applying it to your entrepreneurial body and business:

“My intake, assimilation and elimination are in Divine Order.”

So…moving right along with this three-part article, let’s turn our attention to the third part of the metaphor – the process of “moving right along” (a.k.a. elimination) and the roll it plays in our bodies and our businesses.

Spotlight on Elimination
for Body Wellness
Regular exercise, meditation, relaxation, and healthy diets that include lots of fiber and water all help our bodies eliminate what is no longer needed. This process of elimination is no more and no less important in our digestive health than intake or assimilation. And just like the other pieces of the equation, it is critical to our wellbeing.

Dr. Andrew Weil wrote a fabulous article on the subject, with tips, actions, and supplements to help keep your body “moving right along.” Check it out here:

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART00677/digestive-health

Try This:

Fill a clear glass pitcher with at least eight 8-oz glasses of fresh water. Add lemon or cucumber slices. Notice the simple beauty and make a mental note that this water will aid in your digestive wellness. Stop throughout your day and with gratitude, drink to your health.

Spotlight on Elimination for Business Wellness
As it does with our bodies, the process of elimination in our businesses needs to be a regular activity. We can sometimes forget that in order to make room for new ideas, new things, new relationships, and new clients, we may have to let go of some of our old things, relationships and clients. Taking time to prune and eliminate weeds that have grown in our businesses is just as important as planting new seeds.

A daily or weekly practice of eliminating junk mail, old email that has stacked up in that in-box, and magazine stacks may already be a part of your regular routine. Do you do the same with outdated ideas, processes, methods, or systems? Do you review them and toss those that no longer serve you?

Try This:
Taking time to identify what can be eliminated is an invaluable activity. Slow down enough this week to do so. Over a tall, cool glass of that water you poured for yourself, take note of your:

Things
- what has served me well but is no longer useful here?
- what nine items from my office can I toss out this week? (this is a feng shui practice and great to do routinely)
- what can I give away?

Procedures
- how do I deal with proposals, phone calls, marketing, invoices, accounting? Are my methods and procedures serving me? Does any method or procedure need to be tossed out and a new one developed?

Relationships
- what needs to be eliminated when it comes to my relationships with vendors, clients, or staff?
- what do I need to stop doing I these relationships? (there is always a “stop doing” on the other side of a “start doing” – what is it? Stop procrastinating? Stop pretending? Stop tolerating?)

I think entrepreneurs can get so busy deciding what we need to start doing, we can forget about the process of elimination. Yet just like the other components of the Digestion metaphor, elimination plays a critical role in entrepreneurial wellness:

“My intake, assimilation and elimination are in Divine Order.”

May your body and business be in Divine Order.

Tags: Wellness of Your Business, General Wellness Tips, Nutrition, Body by Erica Ross-Krieger
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What does digestion have to do with running a small business? Plenty! In the next three posts, I’ll explain how your individual wellness and the wellness of your entrepreneurial venture are linked more closely than you may realize. Today, I’ll share the metaphor and tips for working with the first of the metaphor’s three components.

The Digestion Metaphor
During nutrition school, I overheard a colleague discuss her protocol for clients dealing with digestive challenges. In addition to dietary changes and supplements, she recommended her clients use this affirmation to help keep their focus on a healthy digestive tract:

“My intake, assimilation and elimination are in Divine Order.”

I recently got to thinking how much this affirmation applies not just to our physiological digestion but, as entrepreneurs, to our businesses.

Just think about that affirmation for a minute: “My intake, assimilation and elimination are in Divine Order.” What a grand intention for a small business owner to hold! What a difference it could make in our business lives if we kept our “intake”, “assimilation” and “elimination” in Divine Order!

Application to Business
Breaking the affirmation down into bite-sized pieces will help make it useful. Take a look at the three components individually:

Intake: in the world of physiological digestion, intake refers literally to what we take into our bodies. As a business metaphor, it refers to all the things we take in as small business owners: new clients, email, snail mail, ideas, information from the internet and this blog☺, handwritten messages, marketing material from others, invoices, books, phone calls, text messages, new supplies, new equipment, audio and DVD material, and customer feedback (positive and/or negative).

Assimilation: in the world of physiology, assimilation refers to how our bodies break down food and liquid into the components it will use for fuel. As a business metaphor, it also refers to our ability to extract the business fuel from what is before us and put it to good use. Assimilation requires our attention. Our time. It requires sorting, extracting useful information, and making small or large shifts based on new information. This can be a challenge when we try to take it all in – to take in all the email, all the new blog posts we see, all the phone calls, all the new communication that comes our way. Assimilating means making sense of information and ideas, putting them to good use, and getting the most from each thing we attend to - (i.e. assimilating the new tax laws that my CPA just told me about.)

Elimination: in both the physiological and business worlds, this means getting rid of what no longer serves us after we have taken all that has been useful. Perhaps you clipped an article from a journal. Now you toss the journal. Maybe you implemented a new marketing technique and joined a networking group. It served you well last year. This year, it’s no longer the right vehicle. You stop your membership. As a business owner, you can eliminate: antiquated systems, books and materials, equipment, clients, staff members, procedures, and even attitudes that no longer move your business forward.

As entrepreneurs, we took a big bite out of life when we set up our own businesses. We need to be sure to manage that bite well. We need to be sure that the intake, assimilation and elimination of our businesses are in Divine Order. We need to be sure our bodies are in that same Divine Order. Over the next three days, I’ll give you some tips for all three components involved in both body and business wellness. It all starts with intake.

Intake - Focus on Your Business
Today, spend some time thinking about all you take in as an entrepreneur. By taking in, I mean all the things you fold into your business life each day. This can be an overwhelming task, so go slow. Chances are, many things are coming in to your business at high volume and a fast pace. Simply notice your intake. Take time out to list or just notice the things you take in each day. Glance at all you take in – a message on a scrap of paper, a business card, or your email in-box. Breathe. Glance at something else you take in – papers in your in-box, notes by your phone, or books on your book shelf. Breathe. And notice something else. This simple act of noticing is a practice in mindfulness for your business.

Now, it wouldn’t surprise me if you told me that your physiological intake (eating) matches the pace of your business intake. If that is a hurry-up-and-eat pace, perhaps it’s also time to take a respite on the physiological front.

Intake – Focus on Your Body
Sometime during the next 24 hours, make time for this juicy dining experience. The experience will be most effective if you can eat alone…preferably in a peaceful setting.

Place the meal in front of you and take a few deep breaths before you pick up your utensils. Take a moment to simply notice the colors of the food on your plate. Take another moment to breathe in the aroma.

Now pick up your fork and arrange your first bite. Take that bite of food into your mouth and immediately place your fork back down on the table. Chew your bite of food completely. Notice the textures and flavors. Savor the bite. When you have swallowed, then go ahead and lift your fork to arrange another bite. As you did before, take in that bite and place the fork back on the table while you chew and savor. Continue in this manner until you are full and satisfied. Take a final moment to just allow the experience to settle in to your bones.

Eating this way is a practice in mindfulness. It can remind us of the many flavors and textures that surround us each day that we let go unnoticed. Intake is the first component of the affirmation for digestive wellness of business and body.

“My intake, assimilation and elimination are in Divine Order.”

Tags: Wellness of Your Business, General Wellness Tips, Nutrition, Body, Mind by Erica Ross-Krieger
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