Tuesday's Change Week 34 - Roam Free

You might have seen a discussion that started on my Facebook page recently over the difference between battery farmed/caged chickens and free range, organic chickens and the subsequent eggs they produce. I hope you all learned something new and if you missed it let me elaborate here.

Animal rights aside (I won't get into that discussion here!) the health benefits of eating properly reared animals and their by-products are vast. Take eggs for example.

Organic, Free Range eggs have been proven to contain:

• Twice as much omega-3 fatty acids.
• Three times more vitamin E.
• Seven times more pro-vitamin A beta-carotene.
• A quarter less saturated fat.
• A third less cholesterol

than caged or indoor chickens. (Source can be found here)

Now if that's not enough of a reason to buy Organic, Free Range eggs I don't know what is! - Oh yes that's right it's also kinder to the animals!

Female chicks are grown in extremely cramped and dark conditions and fed a processed diet full of hormones, pesticides and antibiotics. Once they reach laying age, they are put into cages less than half the size of an A4 sheet of paper, their feet often become deformed as a result.

Not only is this cruel and harmful it is not healthy for the chickens, their eggs and as a result, for you.

Unfortunately, some large-scale egg farmers have exploited lax definitions of free range chicken and have been able to use this label, even when they only allow their confined chicken out occasionally to concreted areas. See above. 

These are not true free range eggs. For this reason I always buy Free Range AND Organic. 

So your Tuesday's Change for this week is to switch to Organic, Free Range eggs. Eat as many as you like. I often eat up to 6 eggs a day. I have healthy hair, skin, nails, strong muscles and bones and NO my cholesterol is not through the roof. That is an absolute MYTH!

And you don't have to stop here. I urge you to start looking at where all your produce comes from. How are the animals treated? Are there unnecessary and dangerous chemicals being passed on through the food chain to you? 

For my followers in Ireland I know Dunnes Stores do 6 Organic Free Range eggs for €1.99 (just 10c more than their non Organic ones!). For my German followers Rewe do Organic and Free Range eggs again 6 for €1.99.

I know the English Market in Cork has a Chicken stand where the animals are all antibiotic free, free range and live happy lives. They have really competitive prices too! Wherever you live try and find a place where you're sure the chickens are healthy and happy!

My biggest advice is start to looking at where your food comes from. Get to know your suppliers and farmers. Question everything. For your health and those of the animals!

Tuesday's Change Week 23 - Meditation

When was the last time you just took 5 minutes and stopped and did absolutely nothing? I bet you can't even remember. In the age of technology where we constantly have something to do and distract us it is becoming less and less frequent that people take time out. 

Sleeping doesn't count as you are not consciously doing nothing. You are unconscious doing nothing.

How can doing nothing be good for you? Well read on and I'll explain.

Some of the most successful, healthy and happy people partake in regular meditation. Just ask them and they attribute their success to this regular and easy practise.  They say the most important time to meditate is the time when you don't have time to meditate!  This seems silly I know but when you think about it it's the time when your body and mind are in most need of a break.

This is probably one of the toughest challenges I have set you so far. Trust me I find this hard, as do many other 'regular meditators' I know. But like anything it takes practise and commitment to work. 

Physical Benefits of Meditation

With meditation, the physiology undergoes a change and every cell in the body is filled with more prana (energy). This results in joy, peace, enthusiasm as the level of prana in the body increases.

On a physical level, meditation:

• Lowers high blood pressure
• Lowers the levels of blood lactate, reducing anxiety attacks
• Decreases any tension-related pain, such as, tension headaches, ulcers, insomnia, muscle and joint problems
• Increases serotonin production that improves mood and behavior
• Improves the immune system
• Increases the energy level, as you gain an inner source of energy

Mental Benefits of Meditation

Meditation brings the brainwave pattern into an Alpha state that promotes healing. The mind becomes fresh, delicate and beautiful. With regular practice of meditation:

• Anxiety decreases
• Emotional stability improves
• Creativity increases
• Happiness increases
• Intuition develops
• Gain clarity and peace of mind
• Problems become smaller
• Meditation sharpens the mind by gaining focus and expands through relaxation
• A sharp mind without expansion causes tension, anger and frustration
• An expanded consciousness without sharpness can lead to lack of action/progress
• The balance of a sharp mind and an expanded consciousness brings perfection

Meditation makes you aware - that your inner attitude determines your happiness.

Other Benefits of Meditation

Emotional steadiness and harmony

It cleanses and nourishes you from within and calms you, whenever you feel overwhelmed, unstable, or emotionally shut down.

Meditation brings harmony in creation

When you meditate, you are in the space of vastness, calmness and joy and this is what you emit into the environment, bringing harmony to the Creation/planet.

Personal Transformation

Meditation can bring about a true personal transformation. As you learn more about yourself, you’ll naturally start discovering more about yourself.

Check out this link here for more information and where I got the list of benefits above.

So how do you start meditating? 

There are no 'rules' when meditating, each person has to find what best works for them. There is also no 'destination' or 'end game' with meditation. People often say to me 'I tried meditating but I got distracted or thought of other things so I just can't do it'. 

Please remember this is ok! Very few people can sit for longer than a few minutes and not have any thoughts. As you become more and more au fait with meditation the spaces of 'nothingness' will become longer and longer. Just the mere act of trying to meditate is beneficial so please don't become disheartened. 

For me I feel one of the biggest reasons people don't meditate is they are afraid to be alone with themselves. It sounds strange but rarely people are faced with just being them, no front or distraction or anything to hide behind. But remember this is ok and this is the biggest hurdle to overcome and begin to transform your life.

I find guided meditations work best for me. I need someone telling me what to do otherwise I get too distracted. There is a wealth of good meditations on you-tube you just need to find one for you that you like. Certain ones I don't like the person's voice or it's too long or too short, too much talking or not enough talking.

Try searching 'Guided Meditation' in your search engine or video search, select one for the time length of 5-10 minutes to begin with. Sit or lie comfortably and see how you get on.

The challenge is to try and do 5-10 minutes of meditation a day for the next 7 days!

My Top Tips are:
1) Set aside a time each day to do it. A time where you won't be disturbed or distracted.
2) Set an Alarm on your phone or clock so you won't be tempted to check the time.
3) Sit comfortably. Ideally with back straight and upright.
4) Focus on your breath and keep coming back to that when you are distracted
5) Just be. Sit there, breath and just exist for a few minutes. No judgement, no pressure to be anyone. Just be you.

As always any questions or tips needed just contact me I'll be happy to help!

Namaste Jeanies!