Cultivating An Attitude Of Gratitude

My Thanksgiving with some wonderful friends

There is so much to be sad about these days, just turn on the news.  (My thoughts and prayers go out to the victims in the Phillipines and Illinois.)  The fortunate thing is that most of us are not living through tragedy all the time.  Most of us can be grateful for the good that does come our way.  Instead of lamenting what is lacking in our lives, learning to be thankful for what we have been blessed with can go so far in regards to our health.  It really can make or break the process of healing.  I have heard several interviews of naturopaths in the field of healing cancer naturally and one of the crucial ingredients of success is having a positive mental attitude.  Gratitude, therefore is an attribute we should strive to cultivate. 

Here are some articles that I have come across that state this very important truth.  The Huffington Post also has this article worth reading.

Just as a side note.  More than 50% of the world's population lives on  less than a dollar a day.  Here in the United States we do not live hand to mouth.  Even in a down economy I do see abundance on a regular basis.  I believe in taking every moment to savor the blessings.  I love to feel sunlight on my face when I walk my dog.  I love to be with my family and friends and enjoying something as simple as laughter.  Another idea we should always remember is that life is never a snapshot.  Things do change and we never know when we finally have our dreams realized.  Until then, we can always count our blessings!

I hope you and your loved ones had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

The End Of Antibiotics?

I have mentioned my concern for the increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistant superbugs on this blog.  I saw this very important article which include an excellent PBS documentary and had to share it.  Not only are there virulent strains of bugs that have become stronger than the antibiotics we have on the market, but pharmaceutical companies no longer plan to invest in making any new ones.  Not enough profit to make it worth it to them.  The implications are serious to say the least.  It is for this reason I have been emphatic that we become familiar with "antibiotics" we can find in nature.  Two I have mentioned are garlic and oregano (used in conjunction with hydrotherapy. ) Please take the time to read this article and strongly consider self-educating in regards to natural remedies.  I believe it very well may be what we need to fall back on in the future.

Coming up soon:  Natural Remedy- Bentonite Clay

Finding Health Food in Europe and a Gluten Free Summit

I loved this bike I saw in Winterswijk, Holland

I have returned home and as I much as I love to travel, I love coming home.  Nothing like the coziness of my own house and bed.  When I left on this trip I wondered what I would encounter food-wise.  I knew that Europeans are more conscious of gmo's and having more healthful ingredients but sourcing food that is both gluten-free and vegan can be a challenge.  To be honest, I did fall off the vegan wagon. (I tend to fall off when I travel.)

 I was invited for a meal a few times and when someone offers me hospitality and makes the effort of preparing a meal that is gluten-free, vegetarian but not vegan, I would rather err on the side of kindness and eat what they offer.  Sure my stomach was resentful but I popped a few charcoal pills and all was good.  Here are some grocery stores that carry healthful alternatives in Europe.

Reformhaus is a high quality healthfood store I found to be most prevalent in Europe.  I was able to locate this grocery store in Germany, Switzerland and The Netherlands.  I wanted to take a shot of the interior but a lady scolded me, "nein! nein!"  Fine, I won't take a picture!

Edeka is also a German company which isn't exclusively a health food store but carries a lot of health food selections.

Italy was a bit of a challenge.  My husband and I joined a group of his colleagues for a continuing educational tour on the reformation so with such a tight schedule, we did not have the freedom to search for health food stores.  There was a grocery store walking distance from our Hotel and we had no trouble finding dairy free milk.  As for gluten free, the Italians prepare vegetables very deliciously.  In Italy I ate potatoes, rice and vegetables and all manner of variations using these three types of foods.

In Prague, Czech Republic, we ran into Adventist owned Country Life Restaurant and Health Food Store.

There is no way I can provide a complete list of health food stores but if you are traveling to Europe, you could always search Yelp.

Just a note to let you know that there is a gluten-free summit going on now.  Check out their facebook page to tune in.

Have a great day!