Not enough time in a day… is a common mantra in our society. But what if we could change this and gain extra 3 hours in a day to do more, become more, have more energy, and achieve those goals sooner. Does all of this come for free? of course not. There is always a level of sacrifice. However the pain can be eased and turned into a benefit. Let me explain.

To have more time in a day (without reorganising where you spend your time) is to sleep less. It’s that simple.

There are many famous inventors that lived a healthy life on small amount of sleep. Some of these are Leonardo da Vinci slept only 1.5 – 2 hours a day on polyphasic sleep – taking a nap 15 – 20 minutes for every four hours that he was awake. Polyphasic sleep is not ideal for most in our current society since we cannot be napping every few hours. But Nikola Tesla slept just 2 – 3 hours a day, Thomas Edison slept less than 5 hours a night and Sir Isaac Newton 3-4 hours of sleep daily. So it must be possible to get by with a reduce sleepping pattern. Those inventors lived a long life and achieved greatness in their time. So why not you!

So how do you sleep less (5 hours per night) and have more energy to do more?

I set to find out the answer to this back in September 2009 when I published my 1st self experiments on sleeping less and having more energy. My usual habit was 8/9 hours per night of sleeping and I wanted to recoup a maximum of 3 hours per day. Basically sleep 5 hours per night without reducing the quality of my sleep and still feeling full of energy both physically and emotionally. Since then alot has changed and I use various tools to help me achieve this perfect balance of feeling great and sleeping less.

And now, for my perfected formula.

Prepare – stuff you need

• 10,000-lux Therapy light – $90 (NatureBright SunTouch Plus Light and Ion Therapy Lamp)
• Sleep monitor – 99c (I use this 99c Sleep Cycle iPhone app) to $40.
• Caffeine – I prefer tea but coffee is fine too – $10

How it’s done – step by step

Follow this consistent pattern for the next 2 weeks and I guarantee you that you will sleep less and have more energy.

Before you sleep

• Setup a consistent sleep and wake time. Going by the sleep cycle graphs your best sleep time is between 12am-3am. Therefore set your sleep time around 12am and wake time around 5am. I typically get ready to sleep around 11:40pm each night. So by the time you snooze away it will be 12am.
• Learn to still your mind (rid the monkey mind) through meditatation so that you can fall asleep faster. Meditation is all about stilling and relaxing your mind – being in the present moment. When your mind is free & relaxed your body will learn to follow, to relax. And if you are laying down while doing this you will fall asleep faster.
• Excercise throughout the day to raise your body temperature. What goes up must come down. Your body temperature always spikes with excercise and will drop at night and yield very good “deep sleep”. Remember, it’s the quality not quantity of your sleep that counts in feeling & being rested.
• Find the times your mind switches into REM state. You do not want to wake up in deep sleep. Only REM. You can manipulate your wake up time or use a number of handy sleep aid applications (like sleep cycle which I use) which monitors your sleep cycle and wakes you up in your REM state. Another way to tell is if you wake up in the morning directly from a dream. This is REM state, the dreaming phase when you mind is close to being awake.

After you wake up

• First thing you do when you open your eyes is Jump out of bed with energy. This anchors waking up with energy. It is a form of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) called anchoring and works wonders.
• Jump around for a minute or 2 spinning your arms and doing the Anthony Robbins lift. This gets the heart pumping, blood moving throughout your body quicker (you did sleep for couple of hours) and increases your breathing rate. This should definitely wake you up! Do this in intervals for the next hour if you feel tired again.
• Sit in front of the 10,000-lux Therapy light for around 1 hour. See my previous post on best practise methods of using this lamp. I like to educate myself by reading a book during this period but you can also check your emails, catchup on the news, trade shares (if you are on the west coast) or write code (hack away). Do something that is productive since the morning energy is best used on productive tasks.
• Make yourself a nice cup of tea or coffee. Make sure there is caffeine in it. Caffeine is best taken early in the morning to stimulate your nervous system and helps with waking you up & bringing alertness. You can also drink Yerba Mate to give you a morning energy kick.
• Now that you have extra 3 hours in a day – Keep yourself busy. Don’t sit around doing nothing since this is demotivating and unproductive. If you do nothing you will fall asleep again. You are waking up for a purpose so take advantage of this extra time. Read an educational book, write code, trade shares etc…
• And don’t forget a good breakfast. A healthy and energising breakfast in the morning sets your mental and phsyical body up for the day. Which is why breakfast is called the most important part of the day. Read through my perfect breakfast program if you need a refresher on what to eat or are looking for something with a good kick.

Is this a lot? Of course not. Once it becomes a habit you won’t even have to think about what to do next. It will all flow together smoothly and be part of your daily routine.

Benefits:

• Awake while the rest of the world sleeps – just knowing this is motivating since it gives you a head start to the day.
• Peace – the world is quiet and you can concentrate and gather your thoughts easier. It’s a good time to do work that requires a lot of concentration. I like to read in the morning. My mind is open to learning new things and soaks up everything like a sponge. If you have always wanted to accelerate your learning then this is a good reason – give it a shot.
• Better digestion – if you look at the chart below you will see that bowel movement occurs naturally around 8am each day. Because you are awake and your body knows, this part of your body’s cycle can advance. If you are sleeping your whole body is asleep and no bowel movements. Removing waste is an important biological process and if interrupted throws your metabolism out leading to bloated stomach and more waste in your body. I have an unproven theory here that allowing this natural cycle to work helps with weight loss because your bowel is emptied each day.

Some features of the human circadian biological clock - Wiki

• Last but not least, MORE TIME to do more stuff. You need to make sure that the extra time you have is spent wisely doing something productive. Doing something productive is encouraging and motivating. Seeing goals get ticked off makes you feel good and ultimately paints a positive picture “do more to feel good” – the reward centers in your brain secrete more serotonin and you overall feel better and better each day to wake up early and get going. Once you start waking up early a powerful association of getting stuff done and feeling good gets cemented into your nervous system.

If you are already sleeping less and doing more I would love to hear about it. Use the comments below to share how you did it and benefits you received from it.

Here’s to sleeping less and doing more!

Ernest

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There it is again. Another article about a common, slow, yet silent killer – Vitamin D deficiency. The New York Times published an article on this topic titled “What Do You Lack? Probably Vitamin D” providing further insight into Vitamin D deficiency in our society and it’s serious effects on our health. I highly recommend you read this article, it might save your or your loved one’s life!

Article: What Do You Lack? Probably Vitamin D

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/27/health/27brod.html

We are starving our bodies of Vitamin D – nature has a cure

You may recall an article I published back in 2009 talking about Vitamin D deficiency, how I was affected by it and what I started doing to correct my Vitamin D levels back into a healthy range.

So my Vitamin D levels back in January 2010 were 13 ng/ML. The rescue program I outlined in my January blog post consisted of taking 50,000 IU Vitamin D supplements for 8 weeks followed by regular 5,000 IU Vitamin D every 2nd day. Today I’m happy to report that my Vitamin D levels are back into the healthy range at 54 ng/ML. It has certainly made a massive difference in my well-being and resistance to flu. It’s such a cheap and simple fix to your health. Amazing that more people aren’t looking in this area. I’m sure it has something to do with pharmaceutical companies who won’t talk about it due to obvious reasons – not much money can be made from the free sun or cheap Vitamin D supplements.

If you missed that blog post on my experience click here and read it. Well worth a read so you can understand how I went about correcting my Vitamin D levels to a healthy level and how you too can do this today!

My January 2010 blog post on Vitamin D deficiency & rescue program:
http://blog.ernestsemerda.com/2010/02/09/we-are-starving-our-bodies-of-vitamin-d-nature-has-a-cure/

Take away notes from the New York Times article

Ok back to the New York Times article titled “What Do You Lack? Probably Vitamin D“. For time poor life explorers, I grabbed the most important points from this article and published them below. You will notice that the message is the same as my January blog post; Vitamin D deficiency is on the rise, most people are affected without knowing and the solution is cheap & simple. Take action now!

“Every tissue in the body, including the brain, heart, muscles and immune system, has receptors for vitamin D, meaning that this nutrient is needed at proper levels for these tissues to function well.”

“Studies indicate that the effects of a vitamin D deficiency include an elevated risk of developing (and dying from) cancers of the colon, breast and prostate; high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease; osteoarthritis; and immune-system abnormalities that can result in infections and autoimmune disorders like multiple sclerosis, Type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.”

“Throughout most of human evolution,” Dr. Giovannucci wrote, “when the vitamin D system was developing, the ‘natural’ level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D was probably around 50 nanograms per milliliter or higher. In modern societies, few people attain such high levels.”

“Dr. Michael Holick of Boston University, a leading expert on vitamin D and author of “The Vitamin D Solution” (Penguin Press, 2010), said in an interview, “We want everyone to be above 30 nanograms per milliliter, but currently in the United States, Caucasians average 18 to 22 nanograms and African-Americans average 13 to 15 nanograms.” African-American women are 10 times as likely to have levels at or below 15 nanograms as white women, the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found.”

Have you had your Vitamin D levels checked?

Ernest

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I’ve been experimenting (tweaking) my breakfast for some time now and I believe I am close to what I call the perfect breakfast. A perfect breakfast is simply one that is high with good stuff, low in bad stuff and sets me up with enough energy to keep me going throughout the day both physically and mentally.

We all know by now how important breakfast is. It’s labelled as the most important meal of the day. I believe this is because the morning sets (tunes) your body into a rhythm. If the rhythm is disrupted in the morning your day is also disrupted. Therefore, your breakfast is a setup program for this fine pice of machinery to work at optimum capacity.

Disclosure: The following list is by no means perfect and I’m sure I will refine it over the next few months. For me it works and I’m sure you can give it a shot and see it also working for you too.

My perfect breakfast

First the most important part – do not wait more than 90 minutes after waking to eat your breakfast. Since this may increase your chances of obesity by nearly 50%!

1. Replenish your fluids

As soon as you wake up the first thing you should always do is replenish your liquids with 2 glasses of water.

1st glass - standard water – filtered water is always better.
2nd glass – mix in Kyo-Green Powdered Drink Mix into the water.

Why Kyo Green?
Just one serving and you hit your daily quota of green vegetables. That’s something to get excited over. It contains Wheat grass which has a huge amount of health benefits, Barley grass, Brown rice,  Chlorella, Kelp & FOS. It is the best combination of nutrients from the Land and Sea supporting your immune and healthy intestinal conditions. But the biggest benefit we really need here is for morning digestion & detox. This will move your bowels in about 15 mins and clean them out from yesterday’s intake.

2. Get your Fibre

Eat cereal which has no more than 3g of fat per serving and around 7g or more of fibre. Make sure you do not use Cow Milk, just Soy Milk. Cow Milk is full of fat!

Don’t over eat here since this is just the beginning of your breakfast.

Why Fibre?
The fibre will help keep your belly full and your blood sugar levels stable.
The last thing you want is an energy rollercoaster ride throughout the morning. If you havent experienced the bliss of consistent energy then I highly recommend you try a lemon detox program like the one I did and lost 13 pounds in 8 days. This will change how you think about source of consistent energy levels from food.

Cereal, Raisins (sultanas) in Soy Milk

Add raisins (sultanas for Aussies) to your cereal. Raisins provide potassium which you body uses to convert sugars into energy.

3. Get your Protein

Eat scrambled eggs with 1 slice of rye bread and some avocado.

Why Protein?
Eggs are a great source of protein. Saint Louis University researches found that people who eat eggs for breakfast consume 264 fewer calories the rest of the day than those who eat bagels and cream cheese. Hmmm bagels – my old breakfast lol.

Protein also helps repair body cells, builds and repair muscles and bones (weight lifters use Protein supplements for this reason), it is also a great source of energy and helps control many of the important processes in the body related to metabolism. More here about the health benefits of protein.

4. Get your Omega 3, 6 & 9 essential fatty acids

Take 1 teaspoon of Udo’s oil blend is enough to meet your daily essential fatty acid requirements.

Why essential fatty acids (Omega 3, 6 & 9)?

Udo's Oil

No doubt you would have heard by now about Omega 3 & 6 being vital for your body to function normally, including your skin, respiratory system, circulatory system, brain and organs. Omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids are known as essential fatty acids (EFA’s).  Our bodies cannot manufacture them, and we must consume them in our diets. Omega 9 fatty acids are not as essential but Udo’s oil contains it as a bonus so why not.

There is more information about the health benefits of Omega Fatty Acids in this article here.

5. Increase your Metabolism & Energy levels

Drink 1 or 2 gourds of Yerba Mate Cruz de Malta tea.

Why Yerba Mate and not tea/coffee?
It’s refreshing and energizing and has a nice list of health benefits. Leave behind caffeine jitteriness or its addictive tendencies and kick-start your day with Yerba Mate tea.

This Argentinian plant plan contains 90% more meatabolism-boosting catechins than green tea. In fact, its meatabolism-boosting powers are so great that many weight loss pills list mate on their ingredients lists. Want to know more about Yerba mate? Click here to read my prior post on this wonder drink.

Note: Give yourself 30 minutes after you have eaten breakfast before drinking Yerba Mate tea. You don’t want to flush your stomach’s digestive juices with liquid while it’s digesting the healthy breakfast.

6. Vitamin D supplements

Every 2nd day take 1 x Vitamin D-3 (5000IU) pill with your breakfast.

Why Vitamin D supplements?
It’s no secret that Vitamin D deficiency is a part of our life. It’s mainly due to our social habits working & living indoors and spending limited time in the sun. Unless you spend at least 1 hour per day in the sun in shorts every day.

Vitamin D inexpensively promotes health and keeps those pills and cold flu injections away from you. I started off with dangerously low 13 ng/ML (January 2010) levels and now am at 54 ng/ML (June 2010) by following a Vitamin D supplement program.

You made it!

So there you have it. This is the my ultimate breakfast program that kepts me full of energy and feeling great. I havent included any fruit in this program since I believe fruit should be a part of your diet throughout the day especially during those “snack times”.

A lot of the cool information I learnt here is from self experimentation and a fantastic book called Eat This Not That!. You can pick it up from Amazon by clicking here.

I would love to hear from you what your breakfast diet consists of and why. I believe that we cannot all have the same breakfast since every body calls for different amount of nutrients to sustain a healthy lifestyle. I say it’s best to always listen to your body and supply it with what it needs.

And no that isn’t bagels with cream cheese!!

Happy breakfasting!

Ernest

Products mentioned in this blog post

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I love food. Eating it and enjoying its flavours and texture. So how could I ever give up solid food for whole 8 days and survive mentally. Did I mention I love food.

So I did it. It was easier than I thought.

I dedicated myself to a lemon detox for 8 days and lost 13 pounds. The results were amazing! Most people around me complemented how “I look thinner on the face” and “have a smaller belly”. Awesome, just awesome! Many have asked me to give them the full details on this detox program since they too are willing to try it out. So, as promised here is the program to follow and what to expect day by day based on my own accounts over the 8 days of not eating solid food, just drinking a liquid formula known as the lemon detox.

Lemon detox – what is it?

The Neera Super Cleanse from Amazon

• It’s a body and mind detoxification program that aids in the removal of allegedly harmful, nonspecific toxins from within the body, as well as a reducing diet for loss of weight.
• The cleanse involves drinking only a concoction made from fresh lemons, grade C maple syrup and cayenne pepper, as well as a laxative tea. No solid food is eaten for the entire cleanse.
• There are many variations of the Cleanse program but I used The Neera Super Cleanse. It is supposedly a better version of the famous Stanley Burroughs Master Cleanser diet.
• A Convenient kit from Amazon includes everything needed to do the diet except lemon juice: Madal Bal Syrup (a special blend of grade C Canadian maple syrup and palm syrups from South Asia), 1 x Neera instruction book, Neera organic laxative tea, and organic cayenne pepper.
• You will also need to purchase fresh lemons and squeeze them into the Neera drink blend. This helps with the cleansing process since lemons are alkaline.
• This is the diet made famous by Beyoncé and other celebrities in LA. And it works – see results below.

Don't forget to buy Fresh lemons

Why I did it

• I love to experiment and try out new things. This type of change requires a lot of persistance and determination to stick with it and go all the way. I wanted to prove to myself that I can do this. 8 days was what I could spare but I recommend you do it for at least 10-15 days. That’s going to be my next detox, 15 days.
• We all have some weight we all want to get rid of. So did I; and this was one quick way to get rid of it. My wife lost nearly 20 pounds in 15 days just over a year ago so this had to work. It also inspired me to give it a shot. Nothing speaks louder than prior results on people close to you.
• Health benefits of detoxifying your body. There are plenty of articles online about this topic.
• I wanted to stop being a slave to food for energy. This lemon detox diet switches your body’s source of energy from food to fats. Food as an energy source has a downside by taking us for a daily ride up and down (like a sine wave). As we eat the sugars and fats in our food we experience a high (up) and then after consumption, the body redirects all it’s energy into burning it. So the gut receives a lot of energy and this robs our cognitive processes (down). This continues throughout the day, up and down, up and down like a rollercoaster. So we relay on caffeine (tea / coffee / energy drinks) to drag us out of the slumps only to be dragged back down with a larger force when the caffeine wears. This trashes our nervous system by delivering jitters and an addiction as the body becomes immune to caffeine so we fuel more and more into it. A vicious never-ending cycle. Of course we can always drink Yerba Mate which is a lot better in energy delivery but is sure doesn’t beat the body’s natural energy source, fats.

How to make the blend (lemon detox drink)

How the final lemon detox blend looks

Batch Amount Syrup Lemon Juice Cayenne Water 1 glass (12 oz) 2 Tablespoons 2 Tablespoons Pinch 10 oz. 1 quart 2.5 oz. 2.5 oz. Large pinch 27 oz. 1 liter 80 ml. 80 ml. Large pinch 840 ml. 2 quarts 5 oz. 5 oz. 1 teaspoon 54 oz.

My experience on the lemon detox – day by day

The following day by day analysis are snippets of my experience as I recorded them each day.

Day 1

• The lemon detox drink (maple mix) tastes all right. The lemons help balance the sweetness of the maple syrup. Make sure you do not add too much cayenne pepper’s unless you like your drink spicy. I learnt this tip in my 1st batch.
• It’s amazing how much the conscious mind thinks about food when the body is forbidden of it. Every few minutes.
• It was ironic that I also started on this day. I come into work and in the kitchen were free sweets, I couldn’t have these since I’m on this detox. Then in my 1st meeting for the day, breakfast muffins – which I couldn’t have. Then an afternoon meeting a work colleague brought in designer cup capes – I couldn’t have. Man… how hard!! But I stayed strong. Was my mind more receptive to lack of food?
• Experiencing a small headache with pain on each side of my head.
• I am a bit unsettled due to lack of food. Extended periods without food typically drive my mood in the negative direction.
• Feeling tired so I took a nap on the couch at 8pm and woke up at 1am. Went to bed and slept till 5:25am. Sleeping pattern disrupted. Lack of energy or maybe catching up on lost sleep from night before?
• My weight – 196 pounds.

Day 2

• Woke up full of energy at 5:25am. Read a book. My mind took in a lot of content which was awesome! Is this energy stabilisation day?
• What do you know… it’s National Donut Day (4th of June). It’s hard celebrating National Donut Day.. while being on a lemon detox diet – D’oh! A work colleague brought in Krispy Kreme donuts and offered it to me, I had to decline. Gotta stay strong. I love Krispy Kreme donuts.
• Napped for 1.5 hours, 5-6:30pm. Lack of energy or just my body needing to remove toxins hence the nap?
• I think my mental capacity has dropped. Maybe it’s the tiredness doing this. I’m not as sharp or quick on the ball with cognitive processes. Weird. But I know this won’t last long.
• My weight – 190 pounds. Lost 6 pounds in 1 day? Hmm… this looks good! Although this was most likely the food which has now officially left my body.

Day 3

• No headaches today. Feeling better.
• It’s amazing how much the conscious mind ticks over on the topic of food especially when the senses pickup a faint smell of it. It’s as though food drives our conscious thoughts for at least 30% of the day… well for me anyway lol
• I’m staying away from all visual & scent of food.
• Feels like there is now extra time available since the physical and cognitive no longer have to accommodate for the preparation & consumption of food. Seems like there is an extra free hour or 2 available per day! Wow.
• My tongue feels funny and has strange layer of unknown deposit on it. Lack of water or toxins surfacing? Need to brush tongue to get rid of it.
• Energy levels are out the door. Up and down. Needed power nap. This one lasted few minutes and then I’m back into full swing. Hmmm… things are getting better?
• Since I cannot eat or drink anything else it becomes awkward being out at the cinema. The typical ritual is dinner before cinema. Now it’s just cinema. No dinner so no socializing over dinner. Feels awkward.
• My weight – 189.4 pounds. Lost 0.6 pounds.

Day 4

• Didnt really think about the fact I had no food today. Kept myself busy all day and night.
• No headaches or any energy issues. I think the worst part is over. Was this the beginning of the good?
• My weight – 186.8 pounds. Lost 2.6 pounds.

Day 5

• I had good feedback from work colleagues that my face looks thinner. Awesome news! Detox must be working.
• Good day today with plenty of energy. Fells great.
• No more tension around my waist line. The custom fit tailor pants feel like a great fit.
• Rethinking the last few days on the lemon detox diet:
  • So I can see we are sugar addicts. Always waiting for that hit from solid food. Changing your source of energy from sugars to fat is an ideal way to get a steady source of energy.
  • Downside – my stomach started grumbles every morning (and afternoons) since there is no food to burn. I need to drink more of the detox mixture as a replacement.
  • Helps if your partner is also doing it with you. The smell of food can be a strong driver. Good that Ula was doing this detox with me.
  • First 2 days small headaches but it goes away on day 3. Friends & family who did this lemon detox experienced major headaches. I may be lucky here since mine were moderate and manageable by keeping myself busy.
  • Energy levels for first 3 days are bad. My cognitive functions (speed) also appeared to have dropped but not dramatically to affect my everyday requirements.
• Now every day is an even energy curve. No sugar / caffeine spikes or crashes. It feels very strange to have this level of consistent energy. It’s bliss in one way. In total control. I feel like I’m no longer a slave to whatever I eat. The body is definitely a finely tuned machine when its inputs are improved. Spoken like a true software engineer. lol
• My weight – 186.4 pounds. Lost 0.2 pounds.

Day 6

• Belly grumbles too much in the morning from 5:40am to 7am. Great alarm clock! Time to fill it with my daily liquid breakfast – lemon detox.
• Day went splendidly well. No issues with energy or any urges to eat food.
• I could do this for a long time. But I think next time I need to have protein shakes to stop any muscle deterioration from lack of protein in the lemon detox diet.
• My weight – 185.6 pounds. Lost 0.8 pounds.

Day 7

• When we isolate some of our senses for an extended period of time they seem to get forget but at the thought of food they light up with vibrancy and energy ready for it.
• Not hungry these days at all. I can go on like this for a lot longer but I know that it’s going to be hard to get back into society lol not really thinking about food. It definitely helps when food isn’t seen or smelled.
• Good energy levels throughout the day. Loving the consistent energy.
• Work colleagues are asking me about this program, will blog about it – time to spread the good news!
• My weight – 184.2 pounds. Lost 1.4 pounds.

Day 8

• Last day of the detox. Feeling like I’m ready to eat! Also the taste of the syrup drink is no longer as pleasing – like overeating on food I think I over drank this stuff and need change. I have this weird sweet maple syrup taste on my tongue which is making me feel a bit sick. Again, over drank this stuff so I’m ready to go back to solid food.
• My weight – 183.8 pounds. Lost 0.4 pounds.

Final weight - lost 13 pounds on lemon detox diet

Day 9 – 1st day off the lemon detox

• Back on Food! Before I ate I weight in at 183 pounds. Lost 0.8 pounds overnight.
• Had nice lunch with Ula, a jumbo orange & carrot juice from Jamba Juice. Just fruit juices all day today.

Day 10 – 2nd day off the lemon detox

• 1^st hard food for lunch – chicken caesar in San Francisco. Felt heavy on the belly but without any bad side effects. Building my stomach back up to solids.
• Already missing the lemon detox but I know I will return to it later.

Day 11 – 3rd day off the lemon detox – back to solid food

• Belly is back to normal. Solid food is now accepted 80% of the time.
• Feels like my belly cannot hold as much food as it used to. It may have shrunk; which is great news! Now I need to retain it this way by eating smaller portions.

Questions & Answers on the lemon detox

Q1. Is this starvation?
A1. No. You actually stop feeling hungry since the lemon detox formula is filling up your empty stomach. It is a “very low-calorie” diet so expect to lose weight.

Q2. Is this all water weight you lost?
A2. Nope. I drank 2.5 Litre (2.64 quarts) of water enriched with natural lemon juice & maple syrup each day. Enough nutrients to keep me going each day.

Q3. Can I go to the gym while on this program?
A3. Probably not since you do not have enough Protein in this diet to stop muscle deterioration.

Q4. Ok I want to do this too! Where do I get the goods from?
A4. Directly from Amazon, click here to get a good deal from Amazon. There are 5, 10 and 15 day packs. Try the 10 day pack 1st since it’s a reasonable price or if you are doing this with your partner grab the 15 day pack and split it.

Q5. So what’s the go with the toilet business on this detox?
A5. Yes. This is always a tough topic to get into without getting into unwanted detail. Let’s just say things change temporarily during your detox and you do spend more time on the toilet since it’s easier for your body to process liquids then solids. Let’s just say no.2 transforms into no.1. lol

In America, get it here:

In Australia, get it here:
Lemon Detox Diet – Australian home of the Madal Bal Natural Tree Syrup Cleansing Diet

Final thoughts

You really get to realise how eating consumes your day, how food is a part of your thoughts and it’s affect on your body. Especially heavy foods which have a tendency to drag energy levels to a crawl. On this diet you experience consistent flow of energy throughout the day; no spikes or drops. It’s bliss and peaceful to have this level of consistency and energy to keep moving. The downside is socializing over dinner is next to non-existant unless you have a strong will to watch your friends eat. It’s ok, this is only temporary.

If you really want to stay on the lemon detox wagon I highly recommend if your partner is also doing it with you. The smell of food can be a strong driver to fall off the wagon. Also try to stay away from food so you do not smell it or see it. Years of “programming” for food consumption is hard to change so adjust your environment.

1st time every I can do this! belt clip was on the last setting.

What’s next?

The meat detox, crab detox followed by donut detox. No seriously this lemon detox is great to do seasonal. I have committed myself to a seasonal detox program. To get rid of the old and welcome the new.

So there you have it. How I lost 13 pounds in 8 days on a lemon detox diet!

This is something which you can do too. Of course it’s not going to be easy for everyone. I know people who had a far worse reaction to the lemon detox then I. Massive headaches and huge energy drops in the first 3 days have been the common symptoms. But don’t let this scare you away. Your body reacts in this way because it’s flushing out the toxins. This is a good thing. Just persist and when the storm passes a massive shift in both your energy and well-being will shine thru.

It’s worth a shot, after all you only have 1 body and your health should always be a priority in your life. Without health you cannot exist and thus cannot take care of your loved ones and experience life the way it should be experienced.

Happy detoxing!
Ernest

1st July 2010 Update (3 weeks update)

So it’s now been 3 weeks since I finished my detox program and I have only gained 2.2 pounds. Awesome! The 2.2 gain is the solid food digesting inside.

I hope this demonstrates to conspiracy theorists that this diet does work.

Of course I didn’t hit pizza and burgers straight after I finished the program. I now have an appreciation for eating the right type of food and feel my body’s response to what I put in. I listen to my body what it needs and feed it what it needs instead of eating what I see from all the marketing.

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This tea rocks! If you had enough of caffeine jitteriness or its addictive tendencies, want to quit adding sugar to your tea or not a big fan of green tea but would love something that has both the power of black tea and the health benefits of green tea then look no further then Yerba Mate. It’s refreshing and energizing and has a nice list of health benefits.

“I reached the place of our vibouac by sunset and drinking much mate, soon made up my bed for the night. The wind was very strong and cold, but I never slept more comfortably.” – Charles Darwin, Voyage of the Beagle, 1936

What is Yerba Mate

Yerba Mate is a green leafed shrub, original of subtropical South America. It’s popularity is due not only to it’s exotic taste, but to it’s potent health benefits. It has been the drink of choice of the Guarani Indians in early colonial periods. More on Wikipedia here.

Health Benefits of Yerba Mate Tea

Here are a good bunch of great reasons you should be drinking this tea:

• It’s rich in vitamins, minerals and full of antioxidants – yerba mate offers a higher concentration of polyphenols to pack a punch in the fight against free radicals,
• Works as an appetite suppressant,
• Due to its thermogenic compounds it helps you burn more fat by elevating your metabolism,
• 100% of the caffeine in a cup of coffee but no side effects like the jitters or yellow teeth stains &
• Promotes cell survival better than red wine or green tea. - Hard science sources

How does it look

Pictures speak louder then words. Here are some of the pictures I took of the tea.

Where to get it?

Yerba Mate is a lot harder to acquire in store due to lower awareness of this great tea. However there are few places online which sell Yerba Mate for basically next to pennies. Amazon as always has a good selection – notice the special Yerba Mate tea gourd for drinking this tea:

If you are in Australia, “Natures Green Gold” proudly introduces South America’s secret of well being and vitality to Australian homes. Visit their website for Australian locations to pickup Yerba Mate: http://www.naturesgreengold.com/. Thanks to Nathan Hesse for sending me this link to help our Australian readers in acquiring this fantastic drink locally.

Tim Ferriss

Timothy Ferriss, an American author and public speaker speaks highly of Yerba Mate and it’s benefits in how it had helped him write his 1st NY Times Best Seller book called The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich.

“2. Biochemically Fine-Tune. I found by accident that my best sessions all followed a specific ratio: 3 cups of yerba mate tea for each glass of wine consumed.” – Tim’s blog

Further reading

If you would like to learn more about Yerba Mate Tea then I highly recommend you read the links below. There is a wealth of information there. Alternatively send me a message and I will happily respond to your questions.

I love questions, so ask away!

Ernest

Links mentioned in this post

• Stories submitted by Yerba Mate loyal customers:
  http://www.yerbamatetea.com/yerbamatetestimonial.htm
• Yerba mate contains 24 vitamins and minerals, 15 amino acids, and 11 polyphenols, a group of phytochemicals which act as powerful antioxidants. Find out more about this here:
  http://www.mymateworld.com/yerba_mate_health_benefits.htm
• Yerba Mate Cruz de Malta x 500 g Argentina Tea 1.1 lb:
  http://ernestblog.com/yerba-mate-cruz-de-malta-500g-argentina-wonder-tea
• Natures Green Gold proudly introduces South America’s secret of well being and vitality to Australian homes:
  http://www.naturesgreengold.com/

Stories submitted by Yerba Mate loyal customers:

“I drink Yerba Mate every morning. It is my way of waking up and greeting the day. It gives me an energy that is not a ‘hyped up’ feeling but rather like a natural energy that comes from a healthy lifestyle.”

Nancy Smith, Registered Nurse, Reno, Nevada More…

“When I sit down to paint yerba seems to give me the mental clarity and focus that I need in order to create to my fullest potential.”

Scott Cranmer, Artist, Audubon, New Jersey More…

“When my doctor suggested I give up black tea and coffee a year ago, I switched to drinking Green Tea for the perceived health benefits. However, I found it somewhat unsatisfying as a morning beverage. Luckily, I discovered Yerba Mate and I’ve never looked back. I began ordering my yerba mate from Nativa for their great services and prices (just one third of what I was paying here in BC). Since switching to yerba mate, I experience none of the jittery side effects of coffee, sleep very well and just generally feel great!”

Jim Sutton, Family Therapist, Vancouver, British Columbia More…

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This post is going to make you uncomfortable and hopefully enlighten you about a free natural source of health. In order to be free from the constraints of the modern world you need to look outside the box and question every bit of information and how it applies to you, just like Sherlock Holmes would have.

Vitamin D deficiency

Most of us are suffering from Vitamin D deficiency and we don’t even know it.

• Current research has implicated Vitamin D deficiency as a major reason in the pathology of at least 17 varieties of cancer as well as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, depression, chronic pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, muscle wasting, birth defects, periodontal disease, and more.
• Kevin Rose & Dr. Weil M.D. covered Vitamin D deficiency as a major cause of disease in detail here, and
• The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey a group of researchers concluded that having low levels of vitamin D (<17.8 ng/ml) was independently associated with an increase in all-cause mortality in the general population. If you want to read more about Vitamin D click here.

“Vitamin D” isn’t even a nutrient! It comes from the sun, not from nutrition. – GRC

Vitamin D isn’t really a Vitamin like Vitamin C rather more like a powerful steroid hormone in our body which lays an important role in the maintenance of several organ systems. Critically important for the development, growth, and maintenance of a healthy body, from birth until death. Your primary source of Vitamin D is sun exposure followed (to a lesser extend) from food.

Vitamin D inexpensively promotes health.- GRC

Why the deficiency?

Ever since we started spending more time indoors we have been inadvertently starving our bodies of Vitamin D. We spend less time outside in the sun and more indoors working, driving to work instead of walking in the sun with the few exceptions on the weekends out and about. During the typical work week you will be hard pressed to get more than 45 minutes of good sunlight on your skin. But still then only your face and hands are exposed to the sun and possibly covered with sunscreen because as you may have heard… the sun is dangerous and you need to “slip slop & slap” – Aussie health slogan to cover up from the sun.

Vitamin D isn’t the only benefit we are missing out on by being indoors. In January 2010 I covered the issue of low LUX and it’s connection to depression and what to do about getting this corrected today without denting your wallet. This revealing post is located here – it goes hand in hand with this post and is highly recommended.

Setting people up to die

Vitamin D Science has a problem: Vitamin D is very inexpensive and cannot be patented.- GRC

Just go outside in the sun and get adequate amount of skin exposure or cheap (about 2.4 cents per day) supplements and you are ready to kick on. No pharmaceutical company wants to even think about investing any sort of money into trials or marketing of Vitamin D because it’s not financially rewarding. Instead when the flu season breaks, you will smell the fear created by these conglomerates to the tune of N1H1 and all its cousins and a need for immunization. Did you know that N1H1 flu shot had limited testing in Australian labs (6 weeks to approve) before hitting the shelfs. Yet so many people jumped to get the injection of something only few know what it contains. The message is simple,  pharmaceutical companies want to “keep you by” and NEVER to cure you or prevent any form of illness. Because there is no money in that.

Curiously absent from all the health advice being handed out on the swine flu by the White House, the CDC, the WHO and even the FDA is any mention of Vitamin D or other natural remedies that offer enormous protections from influenza infections. It is a well-known medical fact, of course, that influenza always gets worse during the winter months North of the equator and the summer months South of the equator (which are really called their “winter” months). This is because as sunlight hours lessen during the winter, the people living there become vitamin D deficient and are susceptible to influenza infections of all kinds. Read more about this in literature here.

But the prevention is so simple. All it takes is good daily exposure to the sun and some Vitamin D supplements to protected you and your family from the common flu and other degenerative diseases. Sounds easy, cheap and feels alright, right? Nature has all the answers but we sometimes fail to see past the smoke.

If you want to read more about Vitamin D uncovered and some great videos visit this site: http://www.grc.com/health/vitamin-d.htm

Vitamin D levels – getting yourself tested

Vitamin D is measured in ng/mL. You can find out your levels by getting blood work for 25-hydroxyvitamin D from your local doctor. Make sure you specifically ask for Vitamin D check when getting full blood work.

Your Vitamin D levels should be 50-80 ng/mL year-round. If they are not you need to act quickly and get them up.

Here is a good chart from Office of Dietary Supplements National Institutes of Health on Adequate Intakes (AIs) for Vitamin D:

When I got my levels checked in January 2010 they were dangerous low at 13 ng/ML!

Sure I spend a lot of time indoors but I also walk in the morning sun for 15 mins and during my lunch break for 30 mins. Still this isn’t enough. Therefore fast action to get this corrected was required.

Best ways to ensure adequate levels of Vitamin D

1. If you are low, start with 50,000 IU tablets for 8 weeks. Your local doctor should give you a prescription for these if you are in the dangerously low zone.
2. Regularly receive midday sun exposure in the late spring, summer, and early fall, exposing as much of the skin as possible (being careful to never burn). Beware of the times you can do this safely when UV index is less than 3. Especially if you are in Australia / NZ where the the hole in the ozone layer has spread.
3. Take Vitamin D-3 (5000IU) per day for 2–3 months, then get a 25-hydroxyvitamin D test. Adjust your dosage so that blood levels are between 50–80 ng/mL (or 125–200 nM/L) year-round.
4. Get blood work done regularly to make sure your levels of Vitamin D are in the safe zone.

So there you have it. Simple strategy to get your body back on track naturally fighting the common flu and protecting itself from other common diseases.
I am currently supplementing my lack of Vitamin D with 50,000 IU tables and will follow through with the Vitamin D-3 (5000IU) post the 8 week supply.

I’ll leave you with some interesting notes I found online about Vitamin D – a conspiracy you say:

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Further reading material:

“Vitamin D” Research – What and how the world is beginning to learn about the importance of “Vitamin D”
http://www.grc.com/health/vitamin-d.htm

Dr. Weil Interview: Geek Health Issues
http://kevinrose.com/post/354908516/drweil

If you ever wondered why people feel grumpy, low on energy and depressed during winter season, long hours in the office or why 1 in 5 people in the UK suffer from Depression then read on.

Back in September last year (2009) I covered light therapy as one of the methods used in controlling your sleeping cycle and having more energy. Since we are now officially in winter (USA timezone) I have switched on an alternative source of 10,000 lux – the NatureBright SunTouch Plus Light and Ion Therapy Lamp. Every morning for 1 hour I sit in front of a 10,000-lux lamp (as shown below) educating myself while receiving the required daily intake of light to help lift my mood, stabilize my rhythms and invigorate my body. By the time the 1 hour is up I feel refreshed, full of energy and fully awake.

Me (Ernest) getting my daily 1 hour of 10,000-lux of Light. The only source of light in this picture is the 10,000 lux lamp - very bright!

Benefits of light therapy

Light therapy is a replacement for those of us who do not get at least 1 hour of sun light (10,000-lux of light) everyday. And that is just about everyone who works in an office, drives to work and works though lunch. Most indoor office light only gives out 300-lux of light. A candle in a dim room gives out 3-lux of light; for comparison. Outdoors on a sunny day is 500- 1,000 times brighter than office or room lighting. Not forgetting that during winter the amount of available natural light is reduced due to shorter days and more cloud cover.

10,000-lux of light has the power to:

• help Lift your spirits,
• balance your body clock,
• lift your mood,
• stabilize your internal rhythms,
• invigorate your body systems leaving you feeling rested, refreshed, and nourished all over and
• it can reduce the nagging symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). If you want to know whether you are suffering from SAD click here for a quick free test.

How the lamp works

The Sun Touch Plus emits energizing, healing rays, using 10,000-lux Sky Effect light while simultaneously releasing streams of negative ions. It creates the same fresh air you feel by a waterfall or from an ocean breeze.

Scientific researchers have discovered a new light receptor in the eye’s retina that interprets signals from light rays, and sends the information to sections of our brain that stimulate hormone secretion and body rhythms. The Sun Touch Plus’ Sky Effect lamps emit the optimal blue light (white light is made up of colours – think of a rainbow) that best stimulates these receptors, which send signals to neurological receptors, energizing important centers in the body. (Amazon)

The trick is to make sure that the light enters your eyes from the top– just like the sun light would on a sunny day. I achieve this by lifting the device on some books to raise it higher and then proceed to read a book which is laying flat on the table in front of the device. Time goes by very quick, and by the time the auto timer on the device turns off the light I feel amazing and ready to tackle another amazing day. Who would have thought that a $100 device could make such a huge difference!

Where to get the lamp

I use the NatureBright SunTouch Plus Light and Ion Therapy Lamp from Amazon. For those that know me well will know that I do a lot of research before committing to any investment. In future posts I will explain how this therapy has played a major role in reshaping my everyday life. For now if you are interested grab it from Amazon here.

If you found this post useful and / or have or are using light therapy then share your experiences with everyone by posting a comment below.

Sources / mentions in article:

Still not convinved? Here are some comments from users of NatureBright SunTouch Plus Light and Ion Therapy Lamp from Amazon

I wouldnt’ have believed it if I hadn’t tried it, February 28, 2008

By Super Happy Gal

I’m a 34 year old woman. I’ve used this light faithfully for about a month. Until about day #12 I would have told you it was a hoax. But the light said it could take up to two weeks before you could see results. So I stuck with it and I will tell you that it really works. It’s a subtle but big difference (i.e. it doesn’t change your personality, just your energy and mood) in my mood and energy level. I will use this at the beginning of every winter, into spring. I get really tired with low energy in winter. My energy level has gradually increased until I am my regular, energetic self. I’ve told all my sisters to get one. I work as a nail technician and have told my clients to get one. Everyone is wondering if I get some kind of kickback from Naturebright. I tell them that I should be, but I’m not. I use my husband as the real critic and he swears it has made me a lot more energetic with a more even mood. So there you have it. Also, I looked at the Mayo-clinic websight and their research seems to support the light therapy. My dad is a psychologist and all the research he’s read supports light therapy. Just make sure you get a 10,000 lux lamp. I really like this one, though because of the optional ion thing. Even though I have no feedback on that because I haven’t used that yet. I wanted to try one thing at a time so I would know the difference. This is getting long. Anywho, I would definitely recommend this lamp for its effectiveness and reasonable price. See ya! Read more.

Bye Bye Winter Blues!, January 7, 2008

By J. Bowley “J B” (Westerly, RI)

I have had winter SAD for a long time and if I knew the enormous difference this thing would have made I could have saved myself many seasons of suffering. Within a few days my mood has done a complete 180! I feel like “my old self” again! Thanks Naturebright your product has changed my life and I dont ever want to go without it again. Read more.

A miracle!, December 4, 2009

By J. Davies (Chicago, IL USA)

I cannot believe how wonderful this product is. If I knew, I would have bought it years ago! I have suffered from SAD for years, since college, getting progressively worse each year. Last winter was the longest, grayest and coldest in memory in the Chicagoland area. We followed with a cool gray summer and long, cool gray fall. I was at my wits end. Amazon had a price on lamps that was reasonable compared to any lamps sold in years past. In just a few short days I feel amazing! I use the lamp for 30 minutes in the morning while checking emails, and again for 10 minutes in the late afternoon. It is dark here around 4:30pm with the worst yet to come. It has been gray 9 out of 10 days on average. I usually NEED a nap around 3pm and the length was increasing from 30 minutes to over an hour. I have not taken or felt the need to take a nap since using the lamp. Also, I would usually be crashing by 8pm, struggling to keep my eyes open until 10:30, not any longer. I wake up refreshed at 4:30am-my usual summer time-I am a morning person ; ) I have had more energy and enthusiasm and feel much more like myself. I am getting a lamp for my mother and recommending it to anyone who asks about my improved mood and energy level. I can’t say enough positive things about this product and I never write reviews. I can only say try this lamp. Oh…I do not mind the negative ion therapy. It doesn’t smell bad, as others wrote, kind of like the smell after a good rain. The unit is the perfect size to sit on a desk and seems quite sturdy. I terrific value for my mental well being!!! Read more.

I Wish I Would Have Bought This Years Ago, November 16, 2009

By M. Unruh “Missouri girl” (Kansas City, MO USA)

I have suffered from Seasonal Affective Disorder for over seven years. It is usually a fairly insidious onset until by January or February I am not getting out of bed and sleeping for over 12 hours a day. I have literally tried everything: medication, behavioral therapy, and multiple lifestyle changes. I wish I would have purchased this years ago.

I have had this for five days and there is a huge difference in my energy, mood, and circadian rhythm. I use it for thirty minutes when I first wake up. Since waking up with SAD is very difficult, I will place it on my coffee table and will watch the morning news while using the lamp (my biggest battle is getting out of bed to the couch, which isn’t too bad). Then I will use it between 5-6 p.m.

As for some of the prior reviews, I can agree that there is a smell associated when the ion therapy is in use. However, it does not bother me that much. It smells much like a new plastic item does, but I think that scent decreases with use. Read more.

Wide awake, November 11, 2009

By N in maine (maine)

It is 6am in the (soon to be) frozen north and pitch black outside but I am wide awake and full of energy. I love my light box. It is light and easy to use. I understand the bulbs get very hot but you would never know it because they are behind the frosted screen so it is also safe. The product is excellent and my biggest concern before buying it was whether light therapy works or not. I can tell you it works great with me. I have never used the ion-function so I can’t tell you about that. Before using it make sure you read the instructions and check out websites that can tell you how light therapy works. If the light is not close enough to you or if you use it the wrong time of day then it will not work.  Read more.

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This is your mind – the monkey mind

Monkey Mind

I’m sure we can all relate to this. You lay down in bed wanting to relax / sleep but you mind is so busy you can’t stop thinking about a hundred things at the same time. An hour passes by and you still can’t sleep. Living in a busy world has its toll on our mental state. This toll is what the Monk’s call “The monkey mind”.

How to still your mind – Meditate

The single most effective way to still your mind (rid the monkey mind) is Meditation. Of course you can disconnect from society and go on a holiday but this doesn’t teach you how to manage the monkey mind rather temporarily escape from it.

Meditation is a great way to relieve anxiety, manage stress, and focus your mind.

There are many sites describing different methods (some overcomplicated) on how to meditate. The complexities scare the masses and they try to deal with it another way. The truth is that it’s very simple. Forget about those 300 page books and just do this:

	1. Find a quiet place away from all distractions. 2. Get into a Lotus sitting position. As shown to the picture to the left. This is the statue in Bangalore depicting Shiva meditating in a Lotus position. 3. Close your eyes and start “deep breathing“. In through your nose and out through your mouth. It dosent matter to what count you do it as long as you are breathing properly – using your diaphragm. If you aren’t not sure how to breath deeply read my post on breathing here.
4. Focus on each breath. Imagine the air coming in as pure white energy which gives you life. Imagine the exhaled air as black posison leaving your body. Did you know that the respiratory system is actually responsible of getting rid of 70% of the body’s waste.
5. Keep on doing this over and over. Your monkey mind will soon cease the wilderness and come to a standstill. When you reach this stop, you will experience “inner peace”. A feeling that cannot be explained, only felt and experienced. Enjoy this state for you have found yourself.

At first, start with a 15 minute meditation session and increase this up to an hour or more only when you are comfortable meditating for longer periods of time.

Why this works?

In a previous post I said “conscious mind creates the belief and the subconscious mind then executes the belief”. If your concious mind is too busy with thoughts rushing in and out on s daily basis then how are you to send a consistent message to your subconscious mind on where you want to be in life and / or the level of success you are pursuing. Simple answer is you cannot. Your brain will filter all the noise and miss the key points.

Stilling your mind is the key here. So that you can conciously make clear and concise decisions and to tell your subconscious what you really want out of life.

Extra benefits – Bigger Brain!

The experts at UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) have found that meditation helps build a bigger brain. Click here to read the article on this scientific finding. They used high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to scan the brains of people who meditate and people who don’t and found that certain brain areas – specifically “the hippocampus and areas within the orbito-frontal cortex, the thalamus and the inferior temporal gyrus” – were significantly larger in people who meditate.

“We know that people who consistently meditate have a singular ability to cultivate positive emotions, retain emotional stability and engage in mindful behavior,” said Eileen Luders, lead author and a postdoctoral research fellow at the UCLA Laboratory of Neuro Imaging. “The observed differences in brain anatomy might give us a clue why meditators have these exceptional abilities.”

Because these areas of the brain are closely linked to emotion, Luders said, “these might be the neuronal underpinnings that give meditators’ the outstanding ability to regulate their emotions and allow for well-adjusted responses to whatever life throws their way.”

This alone is a good reason to meditate. Gain a competitive edge today! … for free.

Let’s speed this up – how to make it work quicker

If you are impatient, like me, then you may be asking “Ernest, how do I speed this meditation process up?”. I too had this question and finally found the answer – Isolation Tank. After 20-40 minutes of floating in an Isolation Tank your conscious mind will come to a stand still and you will get to see and hear your subconscious mind. What does this all mean? – I explain in detail this natural wonder here:

• Floatation (isolation) Tank – fringe science?
• Floatation (isolation) Tank – indepth and upclose

There are also other methods like using the Silva Method to help with switching mental states. I will cover this in future posts and share with you free special audio to get you started instantly.

Here are other audio resources I use to get the extra edge

The Secret Universal Mind Meditation - This one is great to fall asleep to. As you sleep your subconscious mind will absord the positive messages. This is my favorite.

Brainwave Meditation – The easiest way to meditate during the day.

Awakening Kundalini – Kundalini is the name for the extraordinary powerhouse of cosmic energy that resides within you.

Until then, silence your monkey mind and enjoy the inner peace.

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Ernest

Take a deep breath and relax is so common a mantra that most of us miss its core message.

Focused, controlled breathing has the power to defuse anxiety & stress and to boost energy. In fact, the notion of breathing as therapy has ancient roots in Pranayama, an aspect of yoga that means “expansion and control of cosmic power.”

It’s no secret that breathing is essential for:

• Sustaining Life – the oxygen you take in is picked up by the hemoglobin in the blood and distributed to all of the body’s trillions of cells where it is then used to fuel the cells and release energy.
• Cleansing inner body systems – balancing levels of Ph, CO2 & O2 for normal body functioning.

During stressful situations we rarely notice how the pressures of the moment keeps our mind occupied on almost everything but our physiological function – breathing. Consequently leading to irregular and short breaths leaving us in an unhealthy state of being. When we are in this state our mental and physical state diminishes leading to unsound decisions, behaviour and heightened anxiety states.

By becoming aware of this and practicing correct breath technique, stressful situations may be handled better and your overall mental and physical health will be improved.

“If I had to limit my advice on healthier living to just one tip, it would be simply to learn how to breathe correctly.” – Andrew Weil, M.D.

Breathe through your belly not your chest!

Breathing properly starts at your belly. Not your chest. Alveoli, where gas exchange occurs between oxygen & your blood supply, are more densly packed at the bottom of your lungs. Chest breathing is shallow breathing and mobalises the top part of your lungs leading to less oxygen consumed by your body. Using your belly helps move the diaphragm (helpful for breathing and respiration) like a pump pulling & squizzing the lungs. This gets more oxygen into your blood supply and ultimately into your body.

The Breathing Technique – the 1-4-2 ratio

There are many different techniques which aim to teach you this art of breathing properly. In my opinion, the simplest and easiest to implement is the 1-4-2 ratio. Here’s how it’s done:

1. Inhale in through your nose all the way down to the bottom of the belly for 4 seconds (ratio 1-4-2). Let the belly rise. You may hold your hand on your belly to make sure you are breathing properly letting your belly rise.
2. Hold for 16 seconds (ratio 1-4-2).
3. Exhale out through parted lips (ratio 1-4-2) for 8 seconds. Your belly should fall back down.
4. Repeat steps 1-3, 10 times, 3 times a day.

This technique of breathing through your belly is often refered to as Diaphragmatic breathing and used to treat hyperventilation and high levels of anxiety.

Walking – your lymphatic system & breathing

We should all aim to walk at least 30 minutes per day. Walking stimulates your lymphatic system to move toxins out of your body and is also a great way to burn those unwanted calories. Add a correct breathing technique to this and you are on your way to a healthier you.

While walking you can vary your breathing pattern so that you inhale using short breaths 4 times in a row for each step you take and exhale 4 times for each step. Do this for around 15 minutes and it will change your current mental state.
There is a University research article which described these 4×4 technique – I’ll try to locate it and update this post soon.

Forming this new habit

You may be thinking, but Ernest do I have to always conentrate on my breathing. I already have a busy schedule… Like most things in life, there is a solution.

Research has shown that it takes 21 days to form a new habit. So if you practise this breathing technique “daily” for around 30 minutes, after 21 days this new habit will became an automatic routine. Just like learning to drive a car required effort at first before it too became an automatic routine.

So, change your life today and start feeling better and full of energy – Breath.

Happy Breathing!

Recommended further reading

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