Reflexology For The Spirit

Reiki: When Your Diet Changes Your Destiny – a Reader Request Article

January 20, 2021 at 9:20 pm Comments disabled

A Reiki  moment surfaced several years ago when a co-worker embarked on a diet.  100+ pounds overweight,  when she told her husband her plans, he didn’t hesitate :

“NO. I WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU IF YOU GO ON A DIET. ”

My co-worker was rewriting her destiny and he simply didn’t  want to share her experience.

It was time for Reiki.

Diets are all about  weight loss and spiritual offloading.

As your diet progresses,  you first become more conscious of yourself and others.

Second, you become responsible for your own healing.

Third,  you make changes to support  your wellbeing.

Many times, when you release your past, you understand how it connects with   your present  situation.

Do you want to make necessary changes in your life?  This moment offers three paths.

First, this  moment sometimes stops the diet completely.  Second, your weight loss may pause for several days.  Or, third, the weight loss continues on.

Whatever happens, this is a good time to add regular Reiki sessions to your schedule.

When it comes to Reiki therapy, most of us never give it a second thought  – until we need it.

Why do you need Reiki?  What can it do for you?  Again, the situation offers three options:

Do you know  about Reiki?  Have you received Reiki in the past?  Do you receive sessions now?

Jump right in!  Take a Reiki 1 class.  Then a Reiki 2 class.

That’s how I learned Reiki.  I knew I needed it but didn’t even really know what it was.  I looked around for a teacher and scheduled an introductory (Reiki 1) class from Mary Ruth Van Landingham at Terra Christa in Vienna, Virginia.

For starters,  Reiki offered me a spiritual support system when I needed it.  Neither religion nor cult, Reiki is a destiny tool  giving  me much when I was open to its light touch.

Second, I found Reiki when it was time to change my old patterns and declare freedom from some baggage I’d been dragging around for years.  I wanted to  see beyond a limited reality.

It worked.  I saw  an expanded one, filled with light.

When I became a  Reiki practitioner, I sent the light.

Third, you won’t read much about Reiki in diet books, but it’s there for you.  It works well and smooths the transition to your new life when you rewrite your destiny.

What more can you ask for?

Thank you for reading this article.

Please forward it to your preferred social media network.

Please share this blog post with your friends.

Thurman Greco

P.S. This post was a special request.  If you have a reader request, please contact me at thurmangreco@gmail.com.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

December 30, 2020 at 12:41 am Comments disabled

What are the most important meals of your day?  Breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

Why?

When you eat something every three-to-four hours, you provide energy to your body.  You’ll be less likely to overeat.

I begin each day with a 5-ounce serving of nonfat plain yogurt which has about 90 calories.  I mix the yogurt with  a 1/4 cup serving of Trader Joe’s Muesli which has about 125 calories.  This mixture is delicious, nutritious, and a good breakfast because it prevents hunger until noon.

Meals don’t all have to be large.  The goal is to give yourself nourishment so you’ll be less likely to overeat.

When you plan your meals so that you schedule something every 4 hours, you can choose what you’ll eat in advance.  This scheduling  not only prevents overeating, it  minimizes your chances of grabbing a candy bar.

For lunch, I may have a nourishing smoothie or 1/2 an avocado, or sliced tomatoes.

When you plan your meals, you’ll also be able to avoid pizza, Chinese food or other fast foods.

Another choice is a  meal replacement shake with a protein powder base.

This shake will ideally have 20-30 grams of protein powder and a maximum of 5 grams of carbohydrate.  There are several brands and flavors on the market.  Try them out  until you find one with the flavor and texture you prefer.

Sample both pre-made shakes and the protein powder mix.  Use unsweetened almond milk or water to make your own shake.

Thank you for reading this article.  Please refer it to your preferred social media network.  Share it with your friends.

Thurman Greco

Winter Solstice – 2020

December 21, 2020 at 11:05 am Comments disabled

December 21st is the Winter Solstice – the first day of winter.  The Winter Solstice is the shortest day and the longest night of the year.

Today, we celebrate the annual rebirth of the sun.

People throughout our planet are falling ill with coronavirus.  The numbers of sick and dying are so large and changing so quickly that it’s hard to keep up.

Find a few moments sometime today to reflect on our planetary need for rebirth, regeneration and renewal.   Reflect for a few moments on how it will feel to live on a healthy planet where all beings experience wellness and coexist to honor and support one another.

What will it mean for wellness and healing to become real in the coming year.  Expand your vision to include every living thing on earth.

Take a moment to release those things which no longer serve you.  When you do this, you create space in your heart for healing, acceptance, and positivity  in the new year.

Thank you for reading this meditation.

Please share this meditation with your preferred social media network.  Forward it to your friends.

Thanks again

Thurman

 

What’re the best foods to eat on a diet?

December 8, 2020 at 9:23 pm Comments disabled

What foods work well with losing weight?

Vegetables, that’s what! – the more the merrier.

When you finally get going on your diet, you’ll probably have a list of foods specific to your personal diet needs.  However, that may not happen in your case.

This article is not about choosing your diet.  Everyone has to make that decision.  As soon as you decide to go on a diet, you have to decide:  which diet?

That’s a personal choice that I’m not discussing now.  What I’m discussing is  foods that will work well for losing weight – generic diet foods.

Whatever diet you are on, a good guideline is this:  Eat vegetables throughout your day.

When you first begin your diet, choose three non-starchy vegetables each day.  Later on, work yourself up to five.  Finally, make seven vegetables each day your new habit.

Begin with some vegetables at breakfast.  A good example is scrambling veggies in your eggs:  peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, for example.

At lunch, enjoy a large salad or vegetable soup.

Good snacks include hummus with your cucumber slices and bell pepper slices.

Carrots sticks and celery slices are easy at snacks and meals.

Fresh veggies are best, but you may use frozen if that’s what’s available.

Vegetables listed below should be good on most any weight-loss diet.  You may find a few on this list that won’t work for you.   Veggies to avoid are those served creamed, or with a cheese sauce.  Breaded vegetables are not a good option.  Anything in a creamy dressing is a bad choice.  This also includes fried vegetables.

Overall, this list should be adaptable to your needs:

alfalfa sprouts, artichokes, asparagus, arugula

beets, bok choy, broccoli, butternut squash

cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, celery root, collard greens, corn, cucumbers

edamame, eggplant, green beans

Italian beans

kale

lettuce of all varieties, lima beans

mushrooms, mustard greens

okra, onion

parsnips, peas, peppers (all varieties), potatoes

radishes (all varieties), rhubarb

sauerkraut, snow peas, soy beans, spaghetti squash, spinach, split peas, summer squash, sweet potatoes, Swiss chard

tomato, turnips,

wax beans, winter squash

yams, yellow squash

zucchini

Fruits are not quite as easy.  Some diets don’t include many fruits.  Also, diabetics need to talk to a medical professional or dietitian before eating much fruit.  Skip the canned fruits, even in their own natural juices.  Dried fruits and fruit chips are not a good option.  Fruits that have been processed are not a good option.

apples, apricots

bananas, blackberries, blueberries

cantaloupe, cherries, clementines

grapefruit, grapes

honeydew melon

kiwi

mango

nectarines

orange

papaya, peach, pear, pineapple, plum, pomegranate

raspberries

strawberries

tangerine

watermelon

Whatever your diet, if you eat more fresh fruit and vegetables and fewer processed foods, you’ll lose weight, clean out your arteries, balance your blood pressure, and reduce your health care costs.

Whatever diet you finally choose, I hope you’ll join this blog on your journey.  I’ll be sending  you tips, information, and tactics to help make your weight control easier.

I’m hoping you’ll find that eating well is not difficult but IS delicious.  I’m also hoping that you’ll find your diet will be easier.

Thanks,

Thurman Greco

If you find this article interesting, please forward it to your preferred social media network.

Stress Busting Starts Here!

December 5, 2020 at 10:14 pm Comments disabled

Let’s face this right now.  Diets are stressful.

So is everything else when you’re dieting.

Even before you settle on the diet you’re going to adopt, find your stress busters.  .

The bottom line is this:  choose activities to do when you feel stressed.  You don’t want to eat to combat stress.

Choose your healthy coping mechanism from dancing, gardening, journaling, meditating, puzzles, reading, singing, volunteering.

If you are a member of the right gym, you’ll be able to take advantage of stress busting activities offered.  These may include yoga, zumba, spinning, and dozens of other activities.

Cultivate simple things you can do at home and at work to lift your spirits.  These can include midday walks and  playing relaxing music.

The idea is to have activities which don’t include munching on nuts and candies.

Walking 10,000 steps daily is a good stress reducing goal.

A weekly bodywork session can only be good for you and your diet success.  Of course, I recommend reflexology, reiki therapy, or mindfulness meditation.

Your options are in the hundreds.  Choose the most relaxing options for you and your lifestyle.

Two effective stress-reducing habits which can help you include keeping an appointment calendar and an ongoing to-do list.

Life is filled with small stressors which can be avoided with a calendar and a list.

For example, with a to-do list at the grocery store, you won’t leave out a key ingredient for a meal.  This seems like a small enough thing but if you’re stressed already, that missing item can be the one that complicates your life.

A calendar will make sure you don’t miss an appointment.   Your life can be streamlined and easier if you use it to help you shop, keep up with friends and relatives, make appointments.

In reality, you’ll lose less time because you forgot something or someone.

When you include a gym membership in the mix with the calendar and the to-do list, you’ll be much more organized.    You’ll be more physically fit.  Your new diet will be an easier experience.

Thanks for reading this blog post.  Please refer it to your preferred social media network.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thurman Greco

thurmangreco@gmail.com

 

 

Losing Weight – a secret you need to know about weight loss

November 27, 2020 at 4:24 pm Comments disabled

Losing weight can be stressful and challenging for even the best of us.  Whoever said that our spiritual journeys would all be a piece of cake?

But, it doesn’t have to be as hard as you thought it would be.

For many of us, the first few pounds are a lot like a miracle!  Where did they go?

They disappear  – just like the guy in the diet book said they would.

Then…the pounds stop disappearing even though there’s no cheating going on.  What happened?

You hit a weight-loss plateau, that’s what. It’s like your body hit the pause button.

Well, whatever it feels like, this weight loss slow-down isn’t  as bad as you think.

While your body doesn’t seem to be losing weight for the moment,  keep on dieting.

Why?

Things are happening!  Good things!

Your body is adjusting to its new journey.

Take your wins where you can!  Celebrate them.

You may experience symptoms of better health.   It doesn’t take all that many missing pounds to feel different.

You may have   less discomfort after a meal, for starters.

Are your knees working better?  Maybe  you don’t have much knee pain anymore.  This is good.  This is what happens when you lose a few pounds.

What about your blood pressure?  You may notice that you’ve lowered some numbers.  Your BP scores may be lower now.

Are you Prediabetic?  Diabetic?   Shedding a few pounds helps those scores, too.

Are you sleeping better?  When you lose a few pounds, your sleep generally becomes more restorative.

What about your energy?  You should have more energy for the things you like to do.  And, admit it, you’re feeling younger, too.

But, however you feel after losing a few pounds,  stay the course!  Everyone’s body is different.  Stick with your diet and don’t give up.

In time, your numbers will move again.  You’ll see, it will be worth the effort.

Thanks for reading this article.

Please refer it to your preferred social media network.

Thanks

Thurman Greco

Choose Water! – But Why?

November 21, 2020 at 1:05 pm Comments disabled

When you think about dieting, you probably don’t even think about water.  Instead, you think about things you’re going to give up in order to release those unwanted pounds.

Before you even decide many details of your diet, explore what you’re going to drink…and why.  You may find that you’re thinking MORE and not Less.

For starters, drink more for a successful diet.   Think more ounces, and cups, in glasses, bottles, and cans.

But…more and not less of what?

For starters, drink less tea, carbonated drinks, alcohol, and 100% fruit juices.  Better yet, skip anything with a calorie.

Now is the best time to eliminate carbonation.  Break the diet soda pop drink habit today!

Choose water!

If you’re stuck on diet sodas, you may discover many options you never considered before.  It may take several days or weeks even to try out all the new found options just waiting for you to try on  grocery shelves.

As you sample  the many drinks out there, avoid artificial sweeteners if you can.  These artificial sweeteners haven’t been proven to support your weight loss.

As you test different products,  put them in categories because there are so many choices.

Water is Your First Choice.  Not all water tastes the same.  You’ll have fun choosing your favorite.

For starters, put waters in two basic categories:  natural spring water and purified water.  Personally, I went for the purified waters to begin with.   I found so  many delicious spring waters that now I keep several different waters on my pantry shelves.

There are many, many infused waters to choose from.

Also on this first list, include strained homemade broth.

Your Second Choice is Water with Stevia-Sweetened Flavor Drops.  These products are essentially products with liquid water enhancers added.

Decaffeinated herbal teas come in the water-with-enhancers category.

Flavored Drinks sweetened with Stevia are your third choice.

Artificially flavored sweetened beverages make up your fourth choice.   This choice includes sugar-free popsicles, sugar-free gelatin and any broths with MSG.

This last category is your jettison section. 

Don’t even consider diet soda pops, seltzer waters, sugar-sweetened beverages, fruit juice, milkshakes, and fancy coffee drinks.  Erase them from your consciousness.

Discovering your new favorite drink may take some persistence and a few trips to the super market.  Don’t rush this search.   This is an important discovery for you.  You’re searching for a beverage to live with.

Take all the time you want.

I shopped in my super market for years and never really paid a lot of attention to what waters were sitting on the shelves.

Recently, I went to my favorite super market and looked at all the different bottled/canned waters out there.  This time, I really looked at what was on the shelves.  What I saw amazed me!

It seemed my new diet was opening up a whole new world for me…a world of waters!

Thanks for reading this blog post.  Please share it on your favorite social media network.

Thurman Greco

 

But first, do the spiritual work.

November 5, 2020 at 1:14 pm Comments disabled

You need spiritual work because  your weight loss diet brings change – physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual change.

Success is easier when you speak to your inner self and ground your core in  the new goals you’ve set for your spiritual work.

Now is a good time to embark on this spiritual journey.  Choices, problems, challenges overwhelm us daily with information and current events.  Everywhere we turn, people,  animals, plants, air,  water, and the earth even,  cry out for help. We are drowning in all the needs for healing.

Spiritual work looms large.

To understand what is swirling around you, go to your spiritual center.  This is the source of your strength, grounding, and peace.  Here is where you’ll find your truth, your love and the core of your focus.   This is where you’ll find  weight loss success in your spiritual work.

This is where you’ll realize how much easier your life will be when your physical  body is no longer weighted down with extra pounds.  For some of us, there are pounds and pounds of protection to release.

Guided meditations can be a positive experience for you now.  I’ve relied on guided meditations for years.  My three favorite guided meditation books were edited several years ago by Larry Moen.  Entitled “Meditations for Awakening”,  “Meditations for Transformation”, and “Meditations for Healing”,  these books are  available on Amazon.

For me, these guided meditations offer a link between  feelings,  weight loss, and  wellbeing.

Forgiveness is helpful.   As forgiveness heals your soul, dieting will be easier  because  you won’t need to hoard  pounds.

When forgiveness happens, some of your protection pounds will evaporate into the ethers.

That doesn’t mean  you don’t need to change your eating habits and exercise  more.  But it does mean that  it’s easier  to accomplish a weight-loss  goal.

Forgiveness can be a path all its own.  Begin by forgiving  everything past, everything present, and everything future.

Forgive everything and everybody – including people and events you’ve forgotten.  Simply forgive everyone.  Forgive everyone who even possibly needs forgiveness.

The idea is to clear everything up between you and everyone, now and forever.

Release people to their own lives  – now and in peace.

And, last but not least, forgive yourself!

Write a daily forgiveness mantra.

You may find inspiration in some forgiveness prayers by Dr. Catherine Ponder.  I didn’t copy them here because I couldn’t find out for sure whether they are copyrighted.

– – – – – – – – –

  • Please join me for future weight loss posts.

When you read them, some things  will resonate with you.  Others will not.  But, whether you  use some of the guidelines or none, one thing is for sure.  You will, day by day, leave the past behind.

Diets are not always easy.     But anything worthwhile can have its challenges.

Each of us, on  a diet or not, is on a spiritual journey.  Each of us is travelling separately.  But, we are all together.

It’s time to change old patterns,  seek  freedoms found in forgiveness, and  see beyond the past into an expanded  now.

Thank you for reading this blog post.  Please share it on your preferred social media network.

Thurman Greco

https://www.thurmangreco.com

 

On a Diet? Get active, eat better, and lose weight!

October 25, 2020 at 11:52 pm Comments disabled

I don’t know about you, but  I’ve discovered some interesting extra pounds recently.  Not only am  I eating more but I’m also moving less.  It seems  with each passing day, I’m older and  rounder.

Sometimes I feel like I can’t win this battle.  Then, I think about my situation and I realize that I can win this battle.  I need to go on a diet.

The last time I went on a diet, I lost almost three dozen pounds.  That was a long time ago.  Almost thirty years ago, to be exact.  I kissed carbs goodbye and the pounds went along with them.

This time I think I can have a more successful diet and my life will be easier, too.  So…I’m taking this diet week-by-week.  I plan to lose weight using newer, more effective, techniques.  I plan to be healthier.

I hope to do some more interesting things along the way, too.

Will you join me?

I’m hoping to  share  effective weight-loss tips to make weight loss easier and more fun.  I’m also hoping I’ll be able to keep the weight off!

For my first week on this diet, I’m thinking of ways to move more.  I’m getting active for more energy.

I have a weekly zoom yoga/fitness class with Carolyn Abedor on Thursday mornings.  I would prefer to have two classes each week with her but I’m working  on Tuesday mornings when she offers her other class.  I would love to rearrange my work schedule but, so far, have been unable to do so.

I spend a few  minutes on a personal trampoline each day.  Reflexologists love personal trampolines and I’m no exception.

At least twice daily,  my 5-pound chihuahua walks me down the street.  That will soon end when the snow comes.  Taco can’t stand icy roads.

So, I’m seeking other active options.

I try to walk more at work and I like to walk  more when I food shop.

A new goal is to put in about 300 extra steps every day – no matter what.  I plan to add more physical activities over time until I’ve move these 300 steps to 30 minutes of daily exercise.

I’m searching for low-impact activities on exercise videos such as YouTube and Amazon.  I’m planning to check out some videos at the library.  I also plan to contact my area hospital to see what programs are available at its wellness center.

Thank you for allowing me to share this journey with you.  I wish us all success in this quest for better health and a better weight.

Meanwhile, for this week, Let’s Move!

I’m hoping you’ll share this article with your preferred social media network.

Thurman Greco

 

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