With the hot summer weather approaching, now is a good time to assess the condition of your skin. Do you have blotchy, blemished, sallow or sagging skin? These are all indications that your body is having difficulty getting rid of toxins and impurities which are bombarding it daily. The liver, whose function is to rid the body of toxins and natural waste, is over taxed and not functioning properly. When this occurs, the body tries to detoxify itself through other less efficient ways – mainly pushing it through the skin. The result – oily skin, clogged pores, acne or dry flaky skin.

If toxins and waste are not eliminated, they will be stored in the cells and fatty tissues, sometimes for months and even years! Poor digestion, headaches, PMS, chronic fatigue, excess weight and brain fog are all good indications that the liver needs help.

A great, healthy way to detoxify the liver is through nutritional cleansing. Providing the body with all the necessary nutrients is critical, because it can then heal itself naturally. Not only will nutritional cleansing improve the condition of the skin, but will aid in physical vitality, mental sharpness, improve your ability to handle stress, as well as help with resistance to disease and sickness by strengthening your immune system. An added benefit, especially if you are trying to fit into that new bikini – you can lose excess pounds and inches! For more information about nutritional cleansing, visit www.fit.org.

We all hear about the benefit of stretching our bodies before and after rigorous activity.  But how many of us actually put that suggestion into practice?  By choosing not to stretch our muscles, tendons and ligaments, we put our bodies at risk of sports injuries and a variety of health problems such as back pain, stress and joint pain in our knees, ankles and hips.  To avoid these injuries and keep your body working at optimum performance, consider stretching for 15 minutes at least three times per week.  Stretching helps move oxygen into sore muscle tissue, which in turn removes toxins resulting in a quicker recovery time. 

Some things to keep in mind when incorporating stretching into your routine:

• Focus on major muscle groups and warm them up first. You risk injury by stretching cold muscles.  A few jumping jacks or a five minute brisk walk should do the trick.
• Don't bounce!  Ease into the stretch and then maintain it.
• Hold each stretch for 30 seconds or so.
• Breathe throughout the stretch.
• If it hurts, back off to where you only feel tension on the muscle, not pain. This should be enjoyable and invigorating.

Bodies that are stretched regularly are:

• More efficient
• More easily trained for strength and endurance
• Enjoys more range of motion
• Stays balanced more easily and is less prone to injury
• Recovers from workouts more quickly, and feels better

For some stretching exercises you can do any time, visit:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stretching/SM00043

In past newsletters we have discussed a few of the benefits of continued meditation practice, but here we'll provide one helpful and beneficial form of mediation known commonly as mindfulness meditation.

Mindfulness meditation is the practice of being aware of the present moment without distraction. By removing your attention from all the thoughts and ideas within your mind and being present to right now you gain a more peaceful, quiet state of being. Here is how you can begin.

Set aside about 20 minutes for this practice. It is best to practice this in an area free of noisy distractions such as pets, TV, radio, people, phone, etc. Sit or lie down in a comfortable position, take a deep breath and relax your mind.

Let go of any mental tensions you may be holding onto and focus your attention completely on your breath. Relax and let the breath flow naturally into your lungs and then, deeper into your abdomen. Allow all of your attention to be on your breath. Feel it moving in, and then out again.

When you notice that you are paying attention to your thoughts or when your mind has wandered to something else, gently bring it back to your breath moving in and out. Try to keep your focus only on your breathing. You may be surprised how difficult this can be at first, but with a little consistent practice you will find yourself able to keep your mind silent for longer and longer periods of time. With this new silence you may find a new peace and depth of enjoyment in your day to day life.