Today is a great day!

Today is a great day, why because everyday is a great day. We have to grab life with both hands and live everyday to the full. It is easy to get into a routine and miss out on opportunities that come our way, putting the boring and mundane aspects of life to the front, but house cleaning, laundry will all be there tomorrow and if you have the opportunity to do something really fun and exciting take it.

Today is our sons 10th birthday, and it seems like only yesterday that we were at the hospital looking at a brand new baby, our daughter was only 2 years and 3 months and now she is 12. Life moves at a very fast pace and your children grow incredibly fast so take every moment to enjoy your family, to experience the process of them growing mentally, physically and emotionally and be a part of all of it.

You want to look back on life with fond memories, not snatched moments, and so it is vital that you put everything into order of priority.

If your child wants to learn to knit and you need to sweep the yard, there should be no competition. If your child wants to learn how to make bread and you know that the whole kitchen is going to be filled with flour, so what, you can clear up mess but you cannot return to this time again.

Life life, enjoy life and embrace it with both arms.

Lynn
xxx

Incredibly Easy Jam

I found this recipe in the book Raw Living by Kate wood www.rawliving.eu and it is so easy and tasty that I wanted to pass it onto you and encourage you to try it.

With so many jams being filled with sugar this is an incredibly healthy alternative.

You will need:-

2oz prunes which you will need to soak for 4-8 hours.
3 apples
1 lemon juiced

To Make

Obviously soak your prunes in advance and then core and chop the apples, put the pieces in a blender and then blend until you have a puree. Add the prunes and lemon juice and then puree again.

Store in jars in the fridge and it will keep for around 5 days.

You can vary it by changing the prunes for dried apricots, equally delicious!

Brilliant!

Lynn
xx

www.wspa.org

This is a fantastic site that covers all kinds of animal issues and gives great advise on how you can work to help prevent this cruelty.

Do check them out and do what you can.

Did you know that every year 16 million dogs are killed for human consumption?

Do you know about the horrific conditions that some working horses and donkeys live in?

Do you know who takes care of the animals within countries who are suffering disaster situations?

Do you know what goes on in the fur industry and just what animals are used including cats and dogs?

There is a ton of information here, some of it is incredibly difficult to read, but if we all turn away nothing will ever change.

Make a difference and do something to help these animals who without you, are destined to a short life of misery.

Lynn
xx

Gastric Bands & Gastric Bypass

There is much talk today about overweight people having surgery on the NHS to help them deal with their obesity but is it a solution?

This is not a simple operation, quite the opposite, it is incredibly dangerous, here you have overweight people having surgery which in itself, is life threatening.

In my opinion, having surgery will not solve the problem. Most people that I come into contact with are overweight for many reasons, alot of it comes down to emotional feelings and unless these issues are dealt with, the overweight issue will never go away.

Anyone can loose weight and get to their ideal weight, but it takes time and work.

Simply removing the ability to eat food does not work alone, it leaves a huge problem because many people eat to mask the real issues they are having and all that happens with surgery is the route for release is booked and people can become even more depressed than before and look for a different outlet for release.

If you, or anyone you know, have a weight problem then find a good holistic nutritionist who can work with you on all levels, your mental, your physical and your emotional aspects and help you achieve a happy and healthy life.

No one needs to live like this and help is out there, but not always in the form of surgery and the search for a quick fix.

If I can help in anyway please let me know and drop me an email.

Lynn
x

Appreciate Your Space

Right now, as you read this, 33 men are trapped within a mine in Chile.

It took 17 days to find them and it could take months to get them out.

33 miners are stuck 2500ft below, their supplies are being sent through three six inch wide shafts but the real threat to these men is the stress.

They will need to pull on their strength to keep it together, this is a serious test for their mental, physical and emotional elements, all of which will get them through this and back to their families and friends who all wait above ground praying for their safe return.

So as you start your day spare a thought for these men and send them as much love as you can and imagine for a moment the horror of being trapped in this situation and take a moment to appreciate what you have rather than focus on what you don´t.

Lynn
xx

Do You Want Great Hair?

I often look at all the ´wonderful´hair conditioners with equally ´wonderful´price tags and I wanted to share something with you.

If you want shiny hair the easiest, and cheapest, way to achieve this is to use Almond Oil. You can buy this from any health shop, yes it is a little expensive but a little goes a long, long way plus you can use it for many things apart from your hair.

To start with, use on your hair once a week, by simply rubbing it into your dry hair and leaving overnight if you can, or if you are spending a day in the sun perfect, the heat will help the oil penetrate through your hair.

The next day, just shampoo out as normal and you will be amazed at how soft your hair is. Once you have done this for four weeks you will probably only need to do this once a month to maintain soft, shiny hair.

It is perfect for all hair types and colours and it is completely naturaly so you are not adding any chemicals to your hair at all and you can use it at any age. My own children use this if they are going to the local swimming pool to avoid their hair being damaged by the chlorine in the water.

You can also use it on your skin for the same results. Just rub it into your skin after a shower, when your skin is still damp, to maintain healthy, soft skin. Again, this works for everyone at any age.

Certainly the best option for soft hair, it is cheaper and of course, no chemicals so a very eco way to maintain great hair and skin!

Lynn
xx

What Is Wrong With People?

This morning, as the sun was rising, I watched our animals wake up. The horse was trotting around, the chickens were all clucking and spreading their wings, the ducks and geese were all making their usual loud noises, dogs were running about whilst it was still cool, the puppies and kittens were waking and playing in the flowers, the pigs were honking waiting for their breakfast and all the other birds were singing giving the impression that we are living in the Amazon even Blaster the guinea pig was doing his hair (a little bit worried about him!) and then I came into the house and switched on the TV to see some ´woman´stroking a cat on a garden wall, the cat had come along to say hello and was clearly someones beloved pet, and then, for reasons I cannot understand, she picked it up by the scruff of the neck and put it into a dustbin!

Fortunately this piece of baggage was caught on CCTV and the authorities are looking for her, but where in her mind did she think this was acceptable behaviour? How dare she even think she can do this and I hope they find her and stuff her in a bin, which quite frankly is where all baggage should go.

No doubt the cat is now traumatised, the owners are probably terrified about letting their cat out again and why, because this woman took it upon herself to just ´throw away´a cat.

If this is the world we live in then I worry for the future. Some people should not be allowed to roam amoungst civilisation, if they have hearts as cold as this surely they should be six foot under.

I believe in Karma and I hope she is ready for what is coming her way.


Lynn
xx

What Is So Funny About Being A Vegetarian?

As I walked through our local market yesterday with my daughter we were stopped by various people about 10 times to ask, "whats in the box?", we replied that we had five baby chickens. Everyone, without exception, said are they going to end up as dinner, "no" we replied, "They are going to have a long and happy life with our other chickens".

Blank faces.

"But then you will eat them?"

"No, we are vegetarians, we will eat their eggs but not them personally"

"Oh but you have to eat meat otherwise you will die" or "What are you a Christian or something" or "Children have to eat meat otherwise they will not grow"

What is it that makes people think they have the right to question if we are vegetarian, I mean, one thing that really stands out to me is that most meat eaters are just aggressive. They all seem to believe that they have the right to laugh at your choices, to critise what you eat, to tell you how unhealthy it is to be a vegetarian and quite often they are a walking example as to why you should not eat meat.

Being a vegetarian means you eat foods that still have their energy intact. To eat a raw salad will leave you feeling full, energised and in high spirits. To stuff your way through a piece of dead flesh will leave you feeling full, bloated and ready to sleep, not to mention the stress you will put onto your digestive system.

When I encourage people to follow a holistic diet for a month I ensure they cut out all meat, just to cleanse their system but also to highlight how much better you can feel by removing it from your diet. For those who simply must have meat then I encourage them to limit the amount they eat each week, to give the digestive system an opportunity to deal with it before you chuck another load on top. Nearly everyone I have dealt with has felt more alive after a month, their skin and hair has improved and one really outstanding difference, their attitude.

You only need to look at my pig to see how content being a vegetarian makes you feel!

Mood swings are gone, they are bright and happy, they focus on the positives in life and not the negatives. In short, what you put into your system does reflect on the outside so to all of you who feel that you can mock my choices, I would rather reflect energy and health than a rotting piece of flesh anyday of the week!

Lynn
xx

The Rise Of Greed

I spoke previously in one of our issues about shark fin soup with the cruel trade that goes on behind the scenes to produce a bowl of soup.

Selling, in some cases for over $400 a bowl, it was limited mainly to the rich tourists who were visiting and whom wanted to, basially show off, experience the local cuisine.

Now with the upturn in the Chinese economy there are many more rich Chinese people than ever before and this dish, previously kept for very special occasions, is now becoming more popular on a daily basis.

This can only mean more destruction to sharks within the ocean. For those of you who maybe feel that the world would be better off without this predator consider for a moment the purpose of a shark. It is part of a much bigger Eco system and without the shark in place to maintain levels of certain fish, other fish will diminish, the fish that fishermen go out to catch, to earn a living and most importantly to feed the people who do not have $400 for a bowl of soup.

Just because we do not fully understand something does not give us the right to put on a posh frock, paint our faces and sit at a dining table declaring to the world how rich you are at the expense of the planet. I have met people who have eaten this soup and they all fall into the same category. It is all done for effect.

This display of greed is on the increase, the need to have what others do not have and yet at the end of the day, without a planet we all have nothing. If you have money to burn on a bowl of cruelty soup then do something useful with it. People are starving in the world, people have no water, people have no homes. We all have the opportunity to do something but we need to take the mud from our eyes and look clearly at what we can do.

Check out www.humanityy.com for more information and facts on this subject.

Lynn
xx

Great Books!

Yesterday I received two books from Kate Wood, co owner of www.rawliving.eu and I wanted to share them with you because they are absolutely brilliant!

Kate often writes for The International Lifestyle Magazine and we love what she is doing but these books are more, much more, than just a collection of recipes they inspire you to start thinking more about what you put into your body to make a difference and those of you who know me will understand why I found myself still reading these books at 2am this morning!

As a holistic nutritionist I strive to encourage more people to just eat properly to solve many of their life issues without the need for man made chemical solutions, and these books build on this. Kate is all about raw living, something you can start slowly and build on, but just including some of these recipes into your daily diet will make you feel so much better, you will find energy you never knew you had.

The information is incredibly easy to follow, not full of long words which can cause many to switch off, and tons of really easy recipes, many of which I will be trying today.

The photography of Kate, her family and friends make the books feel like personal scrap books, you can just pick them up anywhere and start reading and when you close the pages you will have learnt more about Kate, about food and about yourself so I really encourage you to get on line and order yourself at least one of the books.

Have a great day and a truly wonderful weekend!

Lynn
xx

What is all the fuss about?

Yesterday a bull escaped from a Spanish bullring and injured 40 people. It lept from the ring into the crowd where people began to scream and scatter.

The crowd of people, who had paid to watch this and other poor bulls be tortured and finally killed, did at least have the option of escape routes and yet, everyone seemed upset about the bulls behaviour but, in my opinion, he should have been given his freedom.

He should have been able to cut off a few ears to show his friends on his return, he should have had his photograph taken and hung in the local bar as a hero of the area and yet, for this poor chap, he was killed after he was captured. Hardly seems fair does it?

So all those people who pay to watch this, spend their days organising these events and breed these animals who they say have a wonderful three years, shame on you. This bull managed to get away and if he hurt a few people then that is the price you pay for sitting and watching such a horrible demonstration.

Surely as civilised people we can see that this is wrong? I do not buy into the fact that people say that bulls actually love this, that they enjoy the event.

I have never seen a line of bulls outside a bullring trying to get the job but as long as we keep seeing the line of people paying to watch bullfights they will continue to put them in the ring.

If you are taking a vacation anywhere in the world where this happens, do not buy a ticket to watch. You will be supporting a very cruel industry.

Do something positive with your time.

Lynn
xx

Getting Up Close And Personal

Yesterday we took a trip to a local safari park which was absolutely brilliant. It was different in the way that you could stop throughout the drive through and get out and meet the animals, except for the lions and tigers, and for children it was just brilliant.

We walked up to enormous Bison, held huge snakes and met some of the parks new arrivals. It was just brilliant for children who were able to really connect with the animals there were plenty of people to ask for information and it was a fantastic way to have a science lesson in a real hands on way.

Do try and find something similar for your family there are loads of places you can visit, not all of them expensive, there are lots of local farms who are more than happy to let you in and meet the various animals and children just love it, as do the adults.

We write about many different trips in our magazine, you can see the story about Bison in our latest issue at http://www.lifestyle.tk/ but you do not have to travel the world to see these animals, find out what is in your area and get out there.

When you think that some children still do not know where an egg comes from or even where milk comes from this is a valuable lesson that they can really benefit from. Within five minutes of being here our children witnessed an Ostrich laying an egg! That was the talking point all the way home.

Have a great day and if you can, get out and meet the locals!

Lynn

xx

Taking Time Out!

There was no blog yesterday purely because it was time to take with the family to go and have some fun.

It was time to put work aside, forget all those jobs that need doing and to spend time with the children before they grow up and those moments are gone.

Our children took their first ride on a ´grown up´roller coaster, they took rides that left them screaming for more, they got soaked to the skin, they ate sweets and chips and they ran everywhere with excitement.

It was a day full of memories, a day of fun a day of just being a family.

All the other jobs are still here today, but yesterday could never be recaptured, so be sure that you find time for you to make memories. All too quickly it can be gone.

Have a wonderful day!

Lynn

xxx

For Crying Out Loud.

You can view this sick display of animal cruelty in todays News Of The World, www.newsoftheworld.co.uk where another stupid person has stated that these animals actually love being forced to jump 22ft into a pool of water, I mean we see this all the time in the wild, mules just looking for the perfect cliff in which to perfect their art.

The main people to blame here are those who pay to watch this, I wonder how they would feel if a small child was forced to jump from up here. Anyone who pays to watch animal cruelty should be sentenced and charged just as much as the people who ´train´these animals to carry out such stupid and dangerous tricks.

Where does this all go on? Why, down in Texas, the land of the Rodeo, run by the owner Bill Rivers who says "If they did not like it, they would not do it". OK, so you have been forced to the top of the ramp what are the options? They have to jump, they have no choice, it is like saying that someone jumps from a burning building because they like it. They have no choice.

What is wrong with people? Everyday there seems to be another idiot making money out of cruelty and even more idiots smiling and clapping in the audience. Wake up and see what you are supporting and do something positive with your life. If you like mules, go on a trek and see some of the world with a reputable company, and I guarantee you, not once will they lead you to a cliff and jump off in delight towards 6ft of water.

Lynn

xx

Put A Smile On Your Face!

I saw this today whilst scouring through the tons of miserable news and instantly felt lifted so I wanted to share it with you.


In the Straits of Gibraltar, the gateway to the Mediterranean, a group of Pilot Whales were swimming past when they noticed the camera. Not wishing to miss an opportunity one stopped to show his best side, looking at his reflection in the camera to be sure that they had the right shot, and indeed they did.

At 3 tons and 20 foot long he certainly has pressence and whilst they have been known to grab a diver by their leg and drag them to the bottom if they feel threatened, they have also been known to do the reverse, pulling people up from the bottom of the ocean, so as well as being absolutely stunning, great in front of the camera they are also, it would seem, very good judges of character!

I just love him, he makes me smile and what else can you ask for?

Lynn
xx

Natures Super Food!

Lots of people take their daily multi vitamin tablet, mainly out of habit but very view actually consider why they are taking it and if, in fact, they actually need it, I mean the word ´multi´can be pretty vague.

If I could give you one piece of advice it would be to take spirulina every day. Why? I will tell you.

Spirulina contains 45% protein which far outways red meat which sits at 27% and the soy at 34%, plus it contains just about everything else you could possibly need to keep healthy which in turn keeps your immune system fully charged at all times.

The biggest users of Spirulina are the Japanese who we know have the longest life expectancy and they use it in just about everything. Now I am not suggested that you start finding ways to cook with it there is a much easier way of taking Spirulina, just pop into a chemist or ideally a health food shop and buy a bottle of Spirulina capsules and start taking them everyday. How many depends on those you buy but I always take one in the morning and one in the afternoon at about 3pm. Any later and I have too much energy to go to sleep!

The most important point is that when you take Spirulina you are taking a completely natural substance, nothing hidden, nothing chemical which will feed all of your body.

As a nutritionist it is one of the first things that I suggest to my clients, particularly if people are trying to control their weight. Taking a Spirulina tablet will remove those craves, usually bought about by initial poor nutirition.

Do your research on this and make sure you buy yourself some today!

Lynn
xx

Keeping The Balance!

This is a wonderful image that I saw yesterday in the Daily Mail, and I love the way that the Gorilla is studying the Nintendo DS. Even better is the fact that once she had given it a good looking over she was happy to swop it for a big red apple!

I think this confirm that Gorillas are more intelligent than many people who seem more than happy to allow their children to remain locked in their rooms playing these games.

Now before you think that I am completely against these games I am not, but their has to be balance. There is a world outside of computer games, the real world, so it is incredibly important, in my opinion, that you monitor the use of these games and balance it with getting outside into the fresh air.

Children need to develop their imaginations, to build camps, to look for insects whatever, the point is, the real world is not confined to a tiny screen and children need to know this.

Have a wonderful day!

Lynn
xx

Appreciate Your Life

I listened to some people yesterday moaning about how they wished they had a better car, how their house was not big enough and how they did not know how the could go on unless they had an ensuite bathroom, how they needed to find a gardener to keep their flowers looking pretty all the time and whilst I appreciate that these are things which are important to them, they really need to look outside the windows of their own world and see what is happening in the world and appreciate what they have.

In China they have had a mudslide which has taken the lives of 700 people, with thousands more missing. Many of the survivors have only what they are standing in and have lost family and friends.

In Pakistan 1500 people have died in the floods and with 14 million people affected this number is sure to rise. They are living in tents made of bits of plastic with no food and no fresh water and with the rain still coming down.

The people of Haiti are still trying to build new lives from the rubble that was left.

A child dies every 3 minutes of hunger.

The list goes on but isn´t it time that we started to appreciate what we have, that we can turn on a tap and we have water, that we have a bed to climb into, that we have our family around us. These are the important things in life, this is what we should be focusing on and putting our energies into helping others that need it.

Lynn

x

SO ANGRY!

What exactly is wrong with certain people in the world. I watched in horror this morning a report bought to the west by http://www.animalsasia.org/ showing us the horrors of the zoos and circus acts in China.

Beautiful animals reduced to nothing but beaten souls, terrible methods of cruelty are used to make a bear dance, a monkey ride a bike, a tiger stand on a table and for what purpose, so that a group of sick humans can stand and watch and clap hands. Even worse is the fact they feed their tigers, and other animals, live food such as chickens and calves. Were the audience appauled, including the children, no, they clapped and cheered and took photographs.

I recently had a long conversation with someone who told me that I was wrong to condem a circus because the animals had choosen to be there, they had stepped forward it was their destiny! I cannot imagine any animal would choose to have their teeth and claws removed, to be beaten with sticks and lumps of metal and to spend a life of humiliation in front of a group of cheering people. I am quite sure given the option between a forest or a tiny, filthy metal cage they would not choose to live this way.

Unless people speak out, this just goes on and on s please check out their web site, see what is happening and find a way to help. Avoid any circus that uses animals because despite what some rather simple people may think, animals do not want to live like this, not now, not ever..

Lynn
x

Quick, Easy and Very Tasty Recipe!

Today I want to share this recipe with you, I tried it yesterday and it is just delicious!

Carrot, Cumin and Lemon Salad

You will need:

1lb of organic carrots

pinch of salt

4 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon of cumin seeds

1 Tablespoon of black mustard seeds

4 teaspoons of lemon juice

The zest of the lemon

To Make:

Peel your carrots and using a potato peeler cut them into long strips. Then put them in a bowl with the salt and toss around.

Put your oil into a pan and when it is hot add the cumin and mustard seeds and let them sizzle for a couple of minutes.

As soon as the mustard seeds start to ´pop´tip the whole lot over the carrots add the lemon juice and zest and mix around. You can top with some fresh corriander for a really fresh taste.

Then serve, easy!

Have a great day!

Lynn

xx

Watch Out For The Child Catchers!

The UK newspapers are today reporting on how parents are letting their children down by not educating them on good health, in particular food.

The leading fast food chaings lure children into their food stores with gifts, play areas and bright colours not unlike that of the child catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

With my own children I give them the option, they can go to any of these places, but I have spent alot of time educating them on what goes into the food, how it is prepared and the nutritional value behind the food. I have sat with them and gone through a brilliant web site www.meatrix.com which illustrates fantastically what this food is all about. I have used my marketing background to explain how the gifts are a lure to children to entice them in. No I am not brainwashing them with information I am giving them the facts that every child deserves.

I started educating my children when they were only 6 and 8 years old and now they have a very clear understanding.

Theyknow what organic means, they know that if a they see signs saying ´100 chicken legs only 4.99´they understand what it contains and that it is probably not even suitable for a dog.

I make a lentil burger with my children, they see everything that goes into it and we talk about how the Romans marched across Europe on a diet of lentils because they are full of protein and made the soldiers strong. They put them in a bun with all the extras and they love the taste, the smell and the texture. They have a burger, they have helped to make it, they have a story to share and most importantly they are being nourished on all levels.

My point here is that children want to learn, we all need to learn, to understand what we are putting into our bodies. We need to set the right example to our children to ensure their future. No one wants to see their children unwell so keep them healthy including their mental, physical and emotional.

Never say no but give them the information to make their own decisions, you will be surprised how many times they choose correctly. It is incredibly heart warming to hear them talk to their friends about the dangers of fast foods and foods from unknown sources. These children are the ones who will make the difference in the future.

Lynn
xx

Prunes!

I wrote a whole article on why we should be eating prunes, so do go and read it to get all the info, but this weekend make sure you pick up a box of juice prunes and start including them into your daily diet.





They really are just brilliant for you, they taste fantastic, ok they look a bit dodgy, but just by adding four or five a day to your diet you will be helping to protect yourself against all kinds of disease plus, and this is the really good one, they are anti aging from the inside, so what are you waiting for?

Have a fantastic Saturday and do something positive today, even just buying the prunes is a positive step to a healthier you.

Lynn

x

First Day Of Blogging

So here we are, the first day of our blog and it is incredibly difficult to know where to begin, to be honest, anyone who knows me will tell you that I find it incredibly difficult to stop talking and this feels the same, so I apologise in advance if this turns into a daily epic novel!

This blog is going to bring you all kinds of information such as recipes, nutrition tips, world events and of course information from our ever growing list of friends and since we live on a farm with too many animals to mention I am sure that I will be including many stories about them, which, is a daily event in its own right. Take yesterday.

Many of our birds have been sitting on eggs and getting on with the job of hatching them and taking care of them, and one of our small green birds has done a fabulous job with four little ones until yesterday, obviously she had grown incredibly fed up with looking after the four of them so the next best thing was to obviously throw them out of their nests. My children and I found them all huddled together on the floor so it was find a cage, get them indoors and begin the process of feeding them by hand every four hours.

This may not sound difficult but when you have over 60 other animals to take care of, this is really the last thing you need. Add to that two puppies that we are now weaning off their mum, two kittens who thing they are puppies and a horse that thinks he is a dog and should be involved in everything you start to get the picture.

Would I change any of this? Not on your life! I am off now because the little dudes are calling so it is time for breakfast.

Have a wonderful fun filled day and remember, live for now and enjoy every moment.

Lynn
xx