The Benefits of Honesty

"If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone.  If he listens to you, you have gained your brother."    Matthew 18:15

I recently read a great experiment conducted by Honest Tea.  It is called "The Honesty Experiment" and it's a frequent test they conduct to measure the honesty index of Americans.  It is based on the honor system, in this case, how many will pay for something if there's nothing more than a sign telling you how much money to leave behind in exchange for the product?  To read the results of this very encouraging test click here.  I was also very happy that women, blonds, and Californians (I'm all three) rated at the very top of this particular poll although Americans in general were all found to be 92% honest overall, as it applies to this test.

For the past several weeks I have been giving you a sneak look at my new book, "Healthy Family, Happy Life: What Healthy Families Learn From Healthy Moms"

This week I continue my review as we move on to Chapter 6, "The Payoffs of Being Honest With Others."  
We can be honest as it applies to the honor system highlighted in the survey done by Honest Tea yet at the same time, why is it we are sometimes so afraid of being honest with others?  One reason may include a deep-seeded fear of wanting others to like us.  Of course this type of fear is unrealistic yet maybe it's a fear that we have carried with us since childhood.  After all, what might happen if we tell a friend something that they don't want to hear?  They may yell at us, turn a cold shoulder towards us, or worse yet, stop being our friend.   I believe a real friend will accept your honesty (as long as it is given in the right way) and they will learn to trust you even more. 

Trust in and of others is built on honest interactions and great relationships are based on trust.   In chapter 6 I talk about "saying what you mean" and also "meaning what you say."  The first step includes being proactive and practicing the ability to articulate what it is that you want from a relationship, a job,  or even something as simple as what you want to order from a menu.  It's easier in the long-run if you can clearly state what it is that you do want.   The second type of honesty has to do with being reactive...the "meaning what you say" part of honest communication.  When a friend, a family member, or a co-worker asks you something you will gain lots of respect and trust if you tell them the truth.  The longer you go with telling the truth, the more you will get in the habit of doing so.  The childhood lies you have believed about everyone abandoning you for speaking up will be dispelled and you will live a healthier life; physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

At the end of each chapter I have a list of steps to practice as it apply to the subject contained therein.  When being honest with others here is my advice, hint #6:  "Be cautious of giving advice unless it is asked of you.  There is no faster way to turn someone off or even ruin a relationship than to give unwelcome advice.  if someone does not ask your opinion, it may mean he or she does not want it-from you!  The person might just need to share his or her situation with someone--but maybe isn't asking you how you would or could or should have done it.  Be gracious.  Just listen and with an air of friendship and acceptance."

To contact me:  Donna@DonnaSchuller.com

The Contribution of "Wellness Thoughts" To Being Healthy

 Psychoneuroimmunology and Epigenetics

I'm continuing to give you a little bit from each of my chapters in my new book, "Healthy Family, Happy Life: What Healthy Families Learn From Healhty Moms."   Today I'm talking about chapter 5 and to me this is one of the most important chapters in my entire book.  It deals with the messages we tell ourselves.  Positive or negative, what we believe about ourselves will have a huge impact on our overall health.

 Earlier today,  at the top of the Yahoo homepage searches was the subject of breast cancer and when I clicked on the words I was able to read many pages regarding that subject.   Did you know that your risk of getting breast cancer (or any cancer) increases if you believe you will get it because your mom, or anyone close to you had it? I do not mean that everyone who gets breast cancer-or any cancer or serious illness-believes that they will get it.  I have known more than a couple of women who were healthy, positive, faith-filled,  and happy and took great care of themselves yet still had to fight cancer. (..today they are cancer-free and doing great!)

In chapter 5, "The Contribution of "Wellness Thoughts" To Being Healthy,  I talk about psychoneuroimmunology which is the study of the interaction of the psychological processes and the nervous and immune systems of the body.  As I was doing my research on breast cancer today I happened upon the following video titled, "Epigenetics, How Does It Work?"  More and more science is supporting what we read in Proverbs 23:7,  "So as a man (or woman) thinks in his (her) heart, so is he (she)"

As usual I will leave you with one of my practical hints from "Healthy Family, Happy Life: What Healthy Families Learn From Healthy Moms."   Here it is:  Never use the phrase, "I am sick."  Rather say something like, "I'm not feeling 100%" or I might be "fighting something."  If you say, "I'm sick" there is a greater chance that you will be.  This is one reason it's not a good idea to call in sick if you are not.  Many times you end up coming down with something!

**I hope that you will join me and my husband this evening, June 15th for The Call which is at 6pm Pacific Time.  Simply dial 530-881-1300 and key-in 642848#  We will meet together for about 45 minutes.  We will even take your questions if you want to ask one, otherwise you can be annonymous.  We do The Call on the 15th of each month at 6pm PacificTime so join us any time!

 You may contact me at:

Donna@DonnaSchuller.com

Do Take Your Vitamins!

 "Your body is constantly under repair.  What you put into your body is used to rebuild your body"  Dr. Douglas DiSiena

In chapter 4 of my new book,  "Healthy Family, Happy Life: What Healthy Families Learn From Healthy Moms"  I address the subject of adding supplements to your daily diet. I mention that my grandmother lived to be almost 101 years old and she never took vitamins.  With this kind of genetic heritage why do I?

The food we eat today is not the same as the food my grandparents, my parents, or that I have consumed over the past several decades.  Unless you grow your own food it is getting harder and harder to get enough nutrients from what you eat.  If you are like most Americans you are eating a lot of "fake" food which contains virtually nothing that your body recognizes or needs to stay healthy and strong.  In fact, the food you eat could be making you sick.  This combined with the fact that the water we drink and the air we breath can be filled with harmful substances makes us vulerable to all kinds of things which could negatively impact our health.  These exposures were much less 25, 50, or 100 years ago.

Because of things mostly out of our control, we should be supplementing our diet with high-quality vitamins, minerals, and other scientifically researched products which can enhance our overall health.  I like to go here to the Linus Pauling Institute for updated recommendations.   Once you figure out what you should be taking and for more information on a great company that uses outside testing and has proven to have "truth in manufacturing" practices you may want to check out DaVinci Laboratories of Vermont here.   I have been studying the various companies for years and this one is a very good one in many important ways.  They also have fair pricing.

One reason to supplement your diet with high quality products is to help protect yourself against the many unseen enemies of your health.  I consider my supplements my personal insurance against foreign invaders and also at times they have been used to help my healing process along.  For example, I recently hurt my back so I took extra vitamin C found in Da Vinci Laboratory's product called Cell Support as well as some enzymes called All-Zyme and a natural anti-inflammatory, Enz-Flame.  By adding these to my normal vitamin/mineral regiment I mitigated a lot of discomfort, sped-up the healing process and probably prevented a more serious and longer-lasting condition.  (And....of course I saw my chiropractor so he could put my spine back in alignment after the muscles kept pulling it out.  I had to see him two days in a row but on the third day I was good to go!)
  Most people have heard about the importance of adding a high-quality Omega 3 essential fatty acid to their diet and I take mine, called Perna on a daily basis. (Omega 3s act as a natural blood thinner so if you are on a prescription blood thinner please talk to your doctor.  If you take this supplement first you may never need to take a prescription blood thinner)  To read more specific information about this fatty acid that is essential yet your body doesn't know how to make it you can click here.

"By the proper intakes of vitamins and other nutrients, and by following a few other healthful practices from youth or middle age on, you can, I believe, extend your life and years of well-being by twenty-five or even thirty-five years."  Linus Pauling

  Here is one piece of advice I offer at the end of my chapter titled, "Why and How Dietary Supplements Work" so here is, helpful hint #3..."Do your research and learn about what supplements help with specific conditions or health problems. Although the FDA does not allow non-drug companies to make health claims (why would they, there's nothing in it for them!) there is plenty of tried and true testimonials and also published scientific clinical research that is conducted by the companies or individuals that can afford it.  I am not allowed to tell you what works and what doesn't work or for what.  I can only tell you what I know from personal experience and direct you to sites and information that I trust.  If you have any questions, you may contact me at:Donna@DonnaSchuller.com

Be informed, be strong, be healthy and happy and also know that....

*Please join me for The Call, a monthly telephone gathering held on the 15th of every month at 6pm Pacific time.  All you need is a telephone of any kind!  Our next Call is on June 15th and all you have to do is to dial 530-881-1300 and key-in 642848# when prompted.  Just listen-in or my husband and I can take your questions during the program.