Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Comfort Food Slowing You Down? 4 Steps & 5 Ingredients to Get Back to Feeling Good.


Lymph Salad

4 kale leaves, cut into strips
4 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 beet, quartered
3 slices organic rotisserie chicken
4 strawberries, cut in half
Garnish with balsamic vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper.

Enjoy!


Snow on Tuesday, sun and 60 degrees by Sunday.  It's November and I think winter is here.  For some it means chamomile, curry lentil soup and chunky, cozy scarves.  Did I forget a 'c'?  Ahhhhh, yes, comfort food.  Enter pimento mac and cheese, honey butter fried chicken and thai chili cream corn to keep warm.  While these foods are definitely warm and comforting, my body is quickly feeling the effects.  Sometimes we need to go back to our childhood ways of eating to remind us to get back on track and eating whole foods.

So, today I made a cleansing salad for the lymphatic system.  Click here to read more about keeping your pipes clean 'aka' the lymph.  


1.  Add red colored foods to your plate like tomatoes, beets and strawberries.  

2.  Don't forget your greens.  Try kale, collards, arugula or spinach.  Or dice up a mix of all 4 for an extra boost.  All that roughage helps to regulate your digestion and elimination, and keeps your gut clean, by sweeping all the nasties out.  A happy gut is an extremely important element to your overall health, so take care of it! 

3.  Try cutting down on inflammatory foods such as dairy and gluten. See Dr.Weil’s Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid to get you started. And make sure you are eating PLENTY of veggies and fruits.  

4.  Choose a high quality protein like chicken, grass fed & grass finished beef or beans.

Sheila Petersen, CHHC, AADP, founded Life Elemental in 2012 and is a Certified Holistic Health & Lifestyle Coach.  


To schedule a 60-minute consultation with me for $97, Click here.  Once I receive your appointment notification, I will send you an invoice.  If you're not into the online scheduling/payment thing, not to worry. I like human connection too.  Call me now @ 312.620.0186 and I'll get you all setup and on your way to upgrading your life.
If you don't walk out of this session with a new understanding of how you can begin to benefit from your Life Upgrade, I will refund your money.  Join with a friend and get half off your initial consultation.  




Monday, November 4, 2013

3 Things You Can Do Now to Prepare for Fall


The leaves are turning vibrant shades of red, purple, yellow, and orange. Cozy sweaters, pumpkin lattes, and Halloween decorations are popping up everywhere. That’s right, it’s October! And October means we are making the transition from the hot, hectic, longer days of summer into the slower, cooler, shorter days of fall.

That feeling is the energy and activity of our surrounding environment, the flora and fauna, as everything transitions from summer, slows down for fall, and prepares for winter.

As humans, and as participants in this cycle of nature, it is also our time to focus inward; shed unwanted and unnecessary items, ideas, and emotions; and sift through and separate out what is truly important in our lives: our friends, our family, our loved ones.

Here are three things you can do now to help transition and prepare for fall:

1) Let Go. Let go of emotions you may be harboring – regret, resentment, guilt, bitterness, or anger. Let go of outdated and tired ideas so your brain has the power to manifest fresh dreams.

2) Do some Fall cleaning. Fill a few bags of clothing no longer needed. Gather extra blankets and comforters to donate to a homeless shelter. Get rid of clutter and make space for useful things and novel ideas.

3) Practice abdominal breathing three times a day. As you inhale, fill your abdomen up like a balloon, expand your ribcage, feel your abdominal muscles stretch. Hold for a second, and then slowly, gently exhale completely, forcing your breathe out at the end. This will further increase your ability to relax and let go.

Once you start letting go, whether it be physical or emotional, you’ll be making room for the truly important things, easing the transition, and embracing the power of Fall. 

Money - Good, Bad or Neutral

Is money good or bad?  What experience have you had with money?  Do you live in fear of money, lack of money or have superstitions around money?

The world of form is backed by your beliefs and filters within you individually and are fueled and propelled by something.  Think back to your childhood and you may recall hearing one or all of these statements.  You could probably fill in the blanks to the following:

Money doesn't grow on _______.
Money is the ______ of all evil.
We just can't keep up with the __________.

I'd like you to think of money in a new way.  What if it was neutral?  When you understand money to be neutral, it's a much better place to be.  Ever notice as humans we like to label everything - be it good or bad, it's a label.  What if you could remove the label and call it for what it is?  Remove the emotion of good or bad and let it flow.  Money is just energy.  It flows in and it flows out. 

Yes, we need money to survive as life's currency to have a home, food and clothing.  But what if you removed all of the beliefs and emotions around money that are no longer serving you?  

Adapting a belief such as this - nothing is personal, nothing is against me - life is unfolding and occurring.  It's the belief that I place upon something, that label, that defines it.

Thanks for reading.

I work with people and their beliefs, patterns and habits around money.  Schedule an initial consultation today and let's map out your money.  Click here to schedule a one-hour consultation with me today!  


Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Why Do You Crave Salt?


Cravings for salt can occur when you're used to eating a lot of salty foods and then try to cut back on your salt consumption, simply because your body is used to having a lot of salt. Salt cravings can also be the result of a range of medical conditions, some more serious than others. Here are some of the reasons why you crave salty foods.

Your Body Needs Salt

Your body consists of over 60% water. Salt is one of the electrolytes that helps your body maintain an appropriate balance of fluids.

You need to eat about one teaspoon of salt each day to maintain healthy salt levels in your body. You get much of your daily salt requirement from salty foods. Eating too much salt can lead to high blood pressure. Choose a high quality sea salt like the ones shown above.  Salts come in an array of colors like gray, pink or black.

Common Reasons for Salt Cravings

You may find yourself craving salty foods when you try to cut these foods out of your diet for health reasons. That's because your body is accustomed to salt, and these sorts of salt cravings will go away eventually when you lose the taste for salty foods.

Natural salt contains a number of trace minerals not found in table salt. (Please don't eat table salt.)  If you're craving salt but don't have any additional medical symptoms, your salt cravings could be the result of a trace mineral deficiency. Eating salty foods temporarily relieves cravings of this type, but they come back when your body fails to absorb any trace minerals from the salty foods you eat.

Salt cravings can also be the result of mild dehydration. When you sweat, you lose salt from your body. If you have salt cravings after exercise or after sweating on a hot day, you've probably lost too many electrolytes. Drink kombucha(not Gatorade), or another electrolyte-rich beverage, to replace the electrolytes in your body.

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Writing Exercise: Get clear on your desires?


What is the deepest desire for my health?
What will this desire allow me to do in my life?
What do I love?
What challenges have I overcome in my life?
What challenges do I continue to work on?  Where do I need support?
I feel my best when _____________?
3 things I should be doing for my health that I am not currently doing are ____.
Schedule a consultation with me today to chat this out and get in balance.  
sheila@lifeelemental.com

Monday, September 23, 2013

Are you feeding your own Cancer? Dial in tonight at 7pm CST.


Did you know that we can STOP over 80% of all cancers?  The scientific evidence linking diet and lifestyle to cancer is so compelling that even the American Cancer Institute estimates that more than 33% of cancer related deaths are due to these two factors - diet and lifestyle.
Join me tonight from 7pm-8pm CST as I discuss the following:
  • #1 - We all have cancer cells
  • Salt, Sugar, Fat
  • #2 - Herbs 
  • #3 - Vital Vegetables
  • #4 - Fruits
  • #5 - Grains & Beans
  • #6 - Upgrade Your Oil
  • #7 - Mindfulness through Exercise (Yoga) and Daily Intention Setting & Appreciation 
Get your FREE gift.


If you or someone you know is facing a cancer diagnosis or you are worried about your health, your life, relationships, body or career, then this call is for you.

Conference Dial-in Number (605)475-4700
Passcode 1077332#


Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Have YOU Checked in Yourself?



If you live in the land of social media, chances are you've checked in on FourSquare, uploaded to Instagram, posted to Pinterest, liked Facebook and followed Twitter.  In this land of addiction and this goal of staying connected, often times we find ourselves checked out.

If social media isn't your thing, then I'm sure you can agree how quickly times change.  Seasons change.  Relationships change.  The state of our health or our thoughts can change in a matter of just a few minutes, hours or days.

What happens when we are out of alignment or not connected with change?  What is the one story you must hear that forces you to take action towards a better way of life?  Is it the fibrous materials found in chicken nuggets that sway you away from fast food or is it a friend that receives a diagnosis from their doctor that makes you change your ways?

Whatever life brings your way, a change of season or a change in your life is the perfect time to check in with yourself.

How do you go about checking in with yourself?  You can start by finding a comfortable seated (or lay down) position.  Close your eyes.  Play soft, healing music and light an incense or a candle.  (I like to set the mood and anchor the space when I go within.)  You can choose what works best for you.  These are just a few ideas.  Take a few moments to notice your breath and watch as your thoughts flow by.  This is the practice of meditation. 

Meditation is a practice of becoming still (mentally, physically and emotionally).  When we do this we turn within to discover an inner world that is vast and real.* 

Meditation allows us to slow down our habitual thinking so we can begin to see patterns of creation. More importantly, it allows us to tap into the brilliance of life within us.  Right within us is so much inspiration, intuition, power and presence, but we must go within to build a relationship with it.  This is scary for many because the first thing they will see is how messed up their thinking may be.  That's when most people retreat and run for cover.  That's just the initial entry and it calms down pretty quickly if you stay with it, relax, and enjoy the moments of silence.*

Meditation cannot be mastered quickly.  It is a practice that calls us to years of work.  Like going to the gym consistently and seeing results in a few months, this is also true for meditation.  You will experience more energy, peace, freedom of thought and clarity.*

*Excerpt from Bodhi Spiritual Center.