Al G Smith

It’s been a while and by the looks of the blog its time for something a bit more upbeat!! Here’s and answer to this question:

[quote]
“How do you deal with your own negativity?
How do you get yourself to stop your own negativity?
How do you control or train your own mind?

The stupid “pop” psychology with affirmations is just useless c r a p! Makes no difference how many times i tell myself i am a happy, rich, successful, sexy beast…. i don’t believe a word of it because its NOT true!

Do you embrace your own negative mind or reject it and keep trying to push it away?”
[unquote]

You say: “The stupid “pop” psychology with affirmations is just useless c r a p! Makes no difference how many times i tell myself i am a happy, rich, successful, sexy beast…. i don’t believe a word of it because its NOT true!..”

I am sure many people who pick up a little about ‘positive thinking’ probably end up thinking and feeling the same way. It does seem hard, and unreal and indeed untrue to think or (supposedly better yet) say these hthings when they are patently not ‘yet’ the case…

And that’s the point — you are making a positive, present tense statement about something that is NOT yet the case — so yes you are correct it is not ‘yet’ true…

But the idea of using positive statements is one part of a complex set of personal strategies for adopting a mental framework that IMPROVES THE CHANCES that good things will happen and in time the statement you make WILL become true.

We all suffer negativity and negative periods of thought and feeling some times (even often!). When we are inured within our negative cocoon, it is almost certain that we are being too introspective to ’see opportunity’ or ‘appreciate small occasions of good fortune’ or make an impression that will ‘attract nice people’ (or make us appear ‘attractive’ to them)… This means we are shutting ourselves of from the possibility of accessing the ‘better’ route that our lives could be taking…

By trying to short-circuit the negativity — using positive affirmations and focusing on positive outcomes we are simply ‘opening up’ our awareness’ and increasing our chances of recognizing opportunity, devloping relations with nice people, making positive and better choices …and taking that ‘high road’ rather than the ‘low’ one!

So the answer to you final question must be — NO — you do not embrace your negativity. Of course recognize and accept that you have ‘moments’ or even ‘periods’ when negative thoughts may pervade your mind — don’t beat yourself up about this, its ‘normal’ (whatever that is? ;D) — but then push these thoughts and tendencies away using the techniques you are aware of, and focus on the positive and the good.

(Another simple thought is to remind yourself of these things: you may not consider that at the moment that you are “happy, rich, successful, sexy”… but at this moment in time — do you think that there may be others in his world who are less happy? less wealthy (however you define that)? less successful? less sexy? than you… If so then you are already better placed than some people and you need to ‘embrace a feeling of gratitude’ for that — On the other hand if you GENUINELY think you are the unhappiest, poorest, least succesful and least sexy person on the planet — then (besides the fact that this is probably a very vrong) you know that things can ‘only get better’ - and in that thought you should immediately become happier — and already you are in a better position than a moment before!!)

Attaining the things you desire — happiness, wealth, success, ’sexiness’ — is an ongoing process of opening yourself up to obtaining the best that life can offer, and positively taking opportunities that ‘reveal’ themselves to you every day… this is only going to happen if you keep on ‘persisting with’ a determined effort to ‘be positive’ no matter how hard the going gets…

Simply being positive every day — even if you reach the end of you life less weathy, successful or sexy than you once ‘dreamed’ of — makes you a happier person, and one who is ‘more likely’ to attarct positive things, positive people and have a positive aura (and THAT makes you sexy!!)… and one who will ultimately recognize that thay have indeed achieved ‘their postive happy life’ by the definition of the ‘new standards’ by which they they see the world. It’s a win-win situation!

Embracing negativity has only one outcome — a spiralling decline into disatisfaction, unhappiness and a feeling of a lack of fulfillment… that’s fairly obvious, I think.

Wishing you Love & Light!

You might also like to take a look at: http://keytothecode.com/

Ahem, yes one might ask “why no answers of late?”

As any of the vast number or regular visitors to this blog (ha, ha — deduct the spammers  and that leaves…errm? ) will be aware, I had originally maintained that the purpose of this blog was at least in part to republish some of what I (perhaps in an overly self-congratulatory way?) considered were worthwhile answers (by me!) that had been provided on the popular Yahoo! Answers forum… and that would otherwise be lost to the miserable depths of that same archive within the week… (for Yahoo! Answers has no great record either for providing truly worthwhile answers to every question, nor yet does it guarantee to provide aprobation even in its most basic form, through the application of ‘best answer status’, for the ACTUAL best answer! Such is the fickle and apathetic nature of the human voting population - indeed a best answer may be proclaimed thanks to one single vote… Is this democracy? It is certainly the reflection of a fractal model of what seems to pass for a democratic voting system in those countries where supposed democracy exists — notwithstanding the the increasingly apparent fallacy of believing that there is any REAL difference between political factions, or options, offered a vote-getting platform in today’s media-driven and corporate-owned so-called-developed-world!)…

But — to get back to the point of the post — insofar as the relaying of self-penned Yahoo! Answers was one objective in publishing this blog, there has not been much evidence of that goal in recent time…

My excuse?

Well here is a quote I came upon, and said much better than I might have, that is now adopted as my excuse for having become a one-trick-pony of late:

“One cannot obtain the full force of the sunlight when it is cast on a flat mirror, but once the sun shineth upon a concave mirror, or a lens that is convex, all its heat will be concentrated on a single point, and that one point will burn the hottest.
Thus it is necessary to focus one’s thinking on a single point so that it will become an effective force.” - Abdu’l-Bahá

Q: What to eat for breakfast if I need to lose weight?

I am trying to lose weight by eating less and eating better foods. What do you suggest I eat for breakfast in the mornings so that I can drop a few pounds? I’ve got dinner and lunches down, just not breakfast foods yet.

A: Maybe challenging some conventional wisdom but if you want to lose weight and have a healthy positive start to the day:

1) Completely Ignore the spurious clap-trap masquerading as news about eating a big grilled sausage, bacon, egg and tomato breakfast spewed forth from a hideously mis-informed so called ‘nutritionist’ as reported from Sky News (!!!) and in retold Yahoo news today:
Yahoo “News”
This is UTTER UNMITIGATED CLAPTRAP — and totally confusing for anyone who is trying to eat more healthily

2) Recognize what your body needs after 7 to 8 hours of enforced ‘fasting’ (i.e. while asleep) — namely:
a) Hydration
b) The reduction of any acidity (due to the continuance of digestive processes, and the effects of water loss overnight)
c) Nourishment — meaning some quickly transformed, but lasting energy source in the form of more complex carbohydrates

Bear in mind also that ’sugars’ should be avoided as they are both acidifying and burn too quickly…this means avoid using actual sugars (such as on cereals — and IF you do choose to eat cereals use only those with no added sugar — oats for example are a good choice)

This also means avoiding too much sweet fruit as they are simply alternative sugar sources and little better than a candy bar (or so-called ‘breakfast bars’ most of which are simply profit-making sugar sicks that should be shunned a all times).

Ideally you should therefore try to eat food which provide some complex carbs, some mineral nutrients, some water, and some alkalizing effects.

An ideal start to the day would therefore be:
i) A half pint of good quality mineral water (or home distilled water) within a few minutes of waking.
ii) After a refreshing wash (i.e. not too soon after the water)– a good sized plateful of cucumber and tomatoes (and a generous sprinkling of fresh chopped parsley, plus some mild sweet salad onions IF you aren’t going to work in close proximity with clients for a couple of hours! Onions are a good source of flavonoids which are not only anti-cancer but also are known to be anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-allergenic and anti-inflammatory), generously dressed with extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice, an seasoned with naturally iodine and mineral rich sea salt, and a little black pepper (or a milder chilli pepper — like pimenton picante; or sweet pimenton dulce — if you like it).

You could alternatively make these same ingredients into a superb ’smoothie’ (some might call it Gazpacho!) along with a couple of small cloves of fresh garlic for its additional anti-viral and blood cleansing properties.

If you still crave some further substance a slice of wholemeal spelt (a lower gluten wheatflour alternative) soda bread (i.e. NO yeast!) which is VERY easy to make at home, or a couple of organic rice cakes, would be OK topped with EV olive oil…or even a smear of butter wouldn’t be out of the question on occasions!

This is a TRULY health start to the day that will support your system in many ways and contribute to your weight loss goals. Ignore all else Good luck!

More useful tips at http://www.GoNaturalandOrganic.com

Some more tips stemming from a Yahoo Answers response:

Here is a diet outline that aims to boost your health BUT is also the best approach for weight loss too (when you add in a bit of extra exercise!):
http://www.gonando.com/boost-immune-system.html

How ‘easy’ it is to lose weight depend to some extent on your metabolism, and also on how ‘toxic’ your body is.

It is now known that much of the fat the body stores is deposited as a way to ‘protect’ the body from toxins…such as chemical toxins from synthetic chemical skin care, and from the processed foods we eat.

Therefore — if you detox you will start to lose weight not only as you clear out a lot of rubbish that can hang around in the system, but also as the health diet regime allows these toxins to be flushed from the system which means that the body does not have to hang on to its ‘fatty protection deposits’. Useful Detox Tips here:
http://www.gonando.com/how-to-detox.html

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A quick Yahoo Answer…about a topic that is often misunderstood:

“Does cardio result in burning fat or calories?
i’m confused, help please, thank you!”

Both - a gram of fat has 9 kilo calories (commonly referred to as 9 calories) therefore burn 9 kcal through vigorous exercise and you burn a gram of fat!

In fact ANY type of exercise burns (causes the body to use energy) calories, as calories are a measurement of energy (the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one cc of water by 1degree C)…

Many/most foods contain ‘calorific values’ (that is to say contain potential calories of energy) that is why if you BURN more energy than you consume, you will lose weight. Because, once your food reserves have been burnt, the body draws on it reserves of fat…

Food that is consumed in excess to daily energy requirements is ’stored’ as fat (that is to say other constituents like carbohydrate and even protein are converted to fat for storage if not used) around the body, because it is a more ‘concentrated form’ of calorie storage. These resources can then be drawn on in times of need.

Sadly in Western developed countries we hardly ever experience a time of ‘real need’ unless we enforce it on ourselves…therefore we just keep getting FATTER!!

B.T.W.: The point of ‘cardio’ is that it means that your heart rate is up, meaning that it is working your heart muscles, hence good for your heart health.

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A recent Yahoo Answers submission about constipation and IBS that we posted. This is a health issue that affect millions in the ‘developed world’ — so perhaps a good one to start with:

How do I help my niece? (I am her guardian.) She has recently been diagnosed with severe and permanent irritable bowel syndrome. This means that often she has diarrhea or constipation. She is eight years old so she is perfectly potty trained. When she is constipated, the doctor told me to help her by “forcing” her bowels to work without medicine or laxatives or any sort or adding more fiber to her diet, because her condition is not dietary. I have been told that this can be done by pushing on her feet or having her poop in a hole, where she can squat. How can I help her?

Simply can’t believe that for a youngster they (the medical profession, that is!) haven’t come up with something better! The ’system’ (well, modern medicine in general!) is terrible when it comes to such diagnoses — I went through YEARS of tests, more tests, & even more tests…only to get the same IBS ‘umbrella every time…Which of course means “don’t really know what the problem is” diagnosis in the end…

In fact I now know through my only research and resolutions of most of my problems that there were probably several causative factors…

For starters: MOST folks on a typical Western Diet end up with a chronically impaired digestive system.

Getting your ‘gut health’ right is a key step towards seeing improvements in IBS symptoms (as well as in general health and wellbeing) for many people. If stats are to be believed up to 80% of all folks consuming a typical Western diet (that’s most of us in the UK and the US for starters!) are likely to have compromised intestinal health. This is for many reasons, mostly to do with lifestyle, food choices, and eating habits.

We can therefore end up with 80% ‘bad’ bacteria/20% ‘good’ (helpful/needed) bacteria in the gut — whereas the opposite proportions are said to be necessary for good digestion, and consequent better health.

One way to start moving things in a positive direction is to try and introduce some ‘good’ bacteria into the diet by using a probiotic supplement. My personal favorite is an all-naturally produced probiotic product that is grown from organic plant sources (NOT fecal matter like some products use!). It contains the whole range of lactic acid bacteria, reckoned to be the most effective and appropriate micro-organisms tough enough to get through the stomach acids to where they are needed in the intestines. You can read more at the link below — and there are useful articles on site too. Works out to cost about £1 a day (so not exactly cheap…BUT I can say hand-on-heart it seems to have made a radical difference not only for me but many others with long tern so called ‘permanent’ IBS). Also once things get better you may just supplement the diet say every two or three days:
https://saferalternative.mionegroup.com/

Further explanation about probiotics and details about need for probiotic support here:
http://www.gonando.com/probiotics.html
and here
http://www.gonando.com/super-supplements

The other things to consider is trying to move anyone, child or adult, with problems like this onto a more ‘alkaline diet’. This may be difficult depending on how much of a fussy eater a child (or indeed an adult) is. But the pay-off can be well worth it in terms of impact on long term health. It would take too long to explain how and why this has proven so good for so many — including many children — but the video (split into 7 easily manageable chunks! ;-)) of a presentation by world-leading expert, and proponent of alkalization, Dr Robert O Young, is here, along with a helpful list of alkaline foods: http://www.gonando.com/alkaline-foods.html

With full details in his book here:
http://astore.amazon.com/usastore1-20/

I’d really like to know how you/she gets on — if you try any of these ideas. I also really hope it helps. I cannot tell you how much these strategies have improved a situation for myself that I had thought was a life sentence! Hope they may help your niece too.
(N.B. - I should mention that the problem of alternate constipation/diarrhea can actually turn out to be ‘one’ issue — constipation. Odd though it seems, the apparent diarrhea can simply be a symptom suffering that stems from from retention of impacted faeces, and consequent evacuation of only the liquid part of the stool. The hard, impacted mass can remain for ages in the gut, when it suffers low motility, and this process only makes matters worse. The probiotic should gradually work its magic, as gut flora improves. But it is good NOT to use laxatives as this causes unnatural evacuation that can end up with a see-saw effect and making constipation worse overall. Plus it IS important that she is well hydrated, which means encouraging her to drink plenty of good, clean water, every day (preferably mineral water, or even home distilled water). BUT Avoid pop/colas, tea, coffee (guess she doesn’t do these anyway, but the diuretic effect due to caffeine can encourage dehydration). Good hydration is important to properly formed/textured stools. A moist stool is easier to pass than a hard compacted one.
Just wanted to add those thoughts. Good luck.)

More Yahoo Answers posts will be added here from time to time, as and when considered relevant to the topics of family health or mind, body and spirit, in order to try and make sure these ‘nuggets’ of wisdom don’t simply get compacted in Yahoo’s virtual ‘pipes’!

Every blog has to start somewhere and this is where this one starts.

Coming soon a collection of brief articles and copies of posts (I have made) to sites like Yahoo Answers, mostly dealing with issues that affect body, mind and soul.

Only one persons opinion, but drawn from many diverse sources of influence.

I like many of you, I guess, am on life’s highway seeking to create one of those happy families playing its part in a better world.

Hope to see you back here from time to time

Al G Smith