Why I do what I do

             I was recently asked "Why" I do what I do.  That really got me thinking. Not many people ask me why I do what I do, most people ask me "How" I do most things. Or they ask how I can help them to do the things that they need to do.
The people that know me best realize that I am passionate about good health. I know that my first priority is my personal health, so that is my passion. But "Why"?
I think when I was a little kid stuck in bed at home with chickenpox or the mumps I felt so isolated and confined, which I was. I wasn't allowed to come out of my bedroom unless I had to go to the toilet. I was one of five children. I remember my mother putting socks on our hands so we wouldn't pick our pox!
Being a triple Sagittarius and a free spirited dancer, I think I nearly went insane from the confinement. I love my freedom, and that is something I am passionate about.

When I was older and any time I became ill with a flu I remembered those days as a kid. Being ill confines us, it limits us. It prevents us from doing what we really want to be doing. We can't go to work, it's hard to look after our family and we have to cancel our social life. In those times I often thought about people with serious illnesses, life threatening and long term. I thought about disabled persons and how they cope with these limitations.
   Now I come back to my childhood again, I immigrated from Scotland  with my parents in the early 60's. Generally the Scot's  had a terribly unhealthy diet, but my mother was for her time, pretty health conscious. She didn't keep sweets in the house but always had a big bag of apples and oranges available for us to eat. She didn't keep soda in the fridge, ginger ale was for birthdays and Christmas but there was always lots of milk and of course water.
She gave us cod liver oil in malt every day and she used to buy herself a stash of fresh raw almonds and eat a few everyday. She was always telling us to get outside and play.
My mother was practicing yoga and I became very interested and I'd copy her. As I got older I borrowed her book called "Yoga, Youth and Reincarnation" by Jess Stern and I started to realize that there was much more to yoga than physical exercise. This was the beginning of  "Why" I do what I do.

   I am not my body, my body is a biodegradable vehicle that gets me around while I'm here in this lifetime.
I am not my mind, my mind is just a bundle of thoughts which are wrapped around a feeling of "I" wrongly associated with my body.  Yes I know that is a hard one to swallow, but when you start to study the science of yoga and the vedanta philosophy it all starts to make sense.
My body is the first temple of the creator, I am aware of that and I can not ignore this fact. It gives me a sense of great respect for this creation my body, as well as all else that is part of creation.
So if I can figure out the basics of how this bio vehicle works then I can take better care of it and it will serve me well until it is time to give it up. I will have a better quality of life with limited restrictions. Remember I love to be free, and along with good health comes happiness. Happiness is only present when we are not feeling pain. Unless of course you have reached Nirvikalpa samadhi and are living with  knowing the Absolute Self and then you can override the physical discomfort.
Happiness is what all humans seek. Of course many of us think we are going to find it outside of ourselves and that is what big business is all about. Many people truly believe they are happy with their "Stuff", but would be in agony if they had to give it up.  There is a point to where money and stuff can present us with a temporary "Fix" but it most certainly will not bring us into real and lasting happiness.
        When I was a young adult I started to take a great interest in other systems of natural health and healthing, I discovered that the secret to good health was prevention. You learn this in all eastern philosophies. Even in martial arts, one can be a great fighter, but it is wisest to avoid confrontation and maintain harmony. That is the goal, that is the true secret for a happy life as a human. Harmony, balance, integration of all that makes us what and who we are.
When we  establish a good  balance, we can live in peace and be happy, physically, mentally and spiritually. We can remove restrictions and enjoy all that life has to offer us if we choose.
I often say that most people take better care of their cars than their own bodies. Seriously, it's true.
I was taught through yoga that we start with the body, exercise, breathing and then diet. Then gradually the mind starts to become more clear. We feed the mind with right knowledge, and we start to see things differently, we start to understand what this whole journey is all about. We don't take anything at face value, we ask questions that have to satisfy our intellect, therefore the practice goes deeper than the body. We start to understand who and what we are with unshakable "Knowing".
Balance is the key. Moderation in any aspect of living, whether it is exercise, diet, work or relaxation. Self education is important, not blind following.
I believe in learning how to become responsible for our health, learning preventative measures as well as curative. It can be done one step at a time, we just need to have the desire to know ourselves as a complete human being and to respect that knowledge.
 I'm not discounting the medical field at all, it has it's place in our lives, but it sure would take a load off our healthcare system if more of us made this effort to improve our personal wellness.
It's very liberating to be able to help oneself and to have some control in our lives. There are so many ways in which we can help ourselves.
Good health is a blessing and I feel that it is important to honor that and express gratitude in ways that feel right to us as individuals. We also need a good dose of compassion for ourselves in order to accept our shortcomings and develop self love. This will splash over and outward to others that come into our field of awareness and they will benefit from our examples.
I like to believe that I am setting a good example by living what I teach. I also believe that I am blessed and guided by a force that is greater than my individual mind and personal desires.
I could keep on going here, but I think I've given you a little bit of  "Why" I do what I do.
Big smiley face here!

Yours in Love, Light and Good Health
Brenda Bell

THE GOODNESS OF GRAINS

         If you are one of the many who are trying to cut back on eating bread then I suggest that you start focusing on eating cooked whole grains.
 Including a side of whole grain with each meal is a great way to help cut back on bread consumption. Grains are delicious, nutritious, high in fiber and filling, you only need up to 1/2 cup per serving with the rest of your meal to feel full.

It is best to rotate your grains, for example oats at breakfast, millet at lunch and brown rice for dinner.

You could do that for a  few days or a week and then change it up by having quinoa at breakfast, whole buckwheat at lunch and teff for dinner.

By rotating grains on a regular basis you get lots of nutrients and fiber. You won't get bored and you'll start expanding your awareness of eating in new ways and from other cultures.

Whole grains are easy to cook, you can even put them in a small rice cooker and walk away! 

There are so many interesting ways to eat grain. There are many recipes on the internet or in the many new cookbooks available.

I love the taste of plain whole grains and I can often satisfy a sweet craving with a small bowl of short grain brown rice and some soy or almond milk. I often throw a small handful of raw sunflower seeds in there if I'm 

feeling more hungry.
Yes, I know I'm not your average person, having grown up in the days of granola and granny skirts! I have been eating whole and healthy all my life. I realize for many people that this needs to become an acquired taste and texture. But it is very much worth the effort if you want to become more healthy.

I have to honestly say that I don't keep bread at home ( nor sugar)  My gut doesn't seem to like that combination of wheat and yeast. I never eat bread unless it's a sourdough wheat alternative such as whole black rye.

So this grain story works well for me. My father passed away at a young age from heart disease and I never saw him eating anything but white flour, potatoes and meat. He drank instant coffee too!

He was very overweight and sedentary. Hmmmmmmm..............................

Good incentive to eat healthy.

Look at these facts presented by The Whole Grains Council

THE MAIN BENEFITS OF WHOLE GRAINS

The benefits of whole grains most documented by repeated studies include:

• stroke risk reduced 30-36%
• type 2 diabetes risk reduced 21-30%
• heart disease risk reduced 25-28%
• better weight maintenance

Other benefits indicated by recent studies include:

• reduced risk of asthma
• healthier carotid arteries
• reduction of inflammatory disease risk
• lower risk of colorectal cancer
• healthier blood pressure levels
• less gum disease and tooth loss

Please visit the website for lots of good information about grain.

http://wholegrainscouncil.org

Contact me if you have any questions or want to share ideas or a favorite recipe.

Yours in health and happiness
Brenda Bell