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Buying an exercise bike? An exercise bike is an excellent way to
build fitness, lose weight and get fit.

But how do you choose the best one? This buying guide will show
you exactly what to look for when shopping so you can find the
very best exercise bike for your needs!

First, ask yourself which class of exercise bike you would like.
There are 2 general classes of exercise bikes:

1) Recumbent Bikes

Recumbent bikes are the newer exercise bikes on the market with
the chair-like or bucket seats. Your body is placed in a semi
reclining position and your legs angle out in front of you to
reach the pedals instead of hanging down as on an upright bike.

2) Upright Bikes

These are also called “Stationary bikes” although this term is
now becoming a catch all term for both upright and recumbent
bikes. These are the traditional exercise bikes that have been
around for years and are similar in form to traditional outdoor
bikes.

An offshoot of the standard upright bike is the ‘Dual Action’
Stationary bike. These bikes have movable bars or levers on arm
handles to incorporate your upper body into the workout.

Know what you want before you start comparing different exercise
bikes. Personally I’ve owned both and after a while upright
exercise bike seats just don’t feel too comfortable if you know
what I mean. But the choice is yours.

The next thing you need to decide on is your budget. How much
are you willing to pay for your exercise bike?

There are really 3 price categories:

1) Under $500 2) Between $500 - 1000 3) $1000 +

Under 500: While there are some above average exercise bikes
under $500, don’t expect to get a top quality machine for this
price. If you don’t plan on using your exercise cycle much or if
you’re on a budget, this may be a good price point for you.

Between $500 - $1000: Unlike treadmills or elliptical trainers,
you can usually get a very solid, higher quality exercise bike
for your home in this category. Most exercise bikes in this
category offer magnetic resistance and high grade consoles that
give you feedback on your workout. You should also expect
several built-in workout programs, foot straps and heart rate
monitors.

$1000 +: These exercise bikes are either the cream of the crop
for the advanced home exerciser or they are commercial grade for
the health club. Examples of bikes in this category include
spinners and commercial bikes like Life Cycle and Star Trac.

Always remember that with exercise bikes - in general - you get
what you pay for so try to spend the most that you can and get a
quality machine that will last you.

These are really the 2 most important features to decide on: the
type of bike and the price you can afford. Here are a few more
features you should know about when choosing an exercise bike.

Resistance

There are several different types of resistance you’ll find in
your exercise bike

1) Direct Tension - offers you a manual adjustment of resistance

2) Air - resistance is provided by pedaling against the airflow
of a fan blade

3) Magnetic Resistance - this is the most sophisticated type of
resistance allowing magnetic currents to create and track the
resistance. It generally allows for a greater variety of workout
levels.

Magnetic resistance is generally viewed as the best option since
it tends to be quieter and provides a more even feel when
pedalling.

Workout Options

Most exercise bikes give you information on speed, distance
traveled, and time of the workout. The more sophisticated you
go, you’ll also find things like total calories and fat burned,
resistance level, heart rate and program mode.

You can also get exercise bikes with numerous preprogrammed
workouts and information storage as well as iFit compatibilit
and Interactive Disc players.

It really depends on your personal preferences whether you
choose a bike with 10 preset programs and an ultra high tech
computer display or one with just a simple display.

However, keep in mind that in general, the higher priced bikes
have more sophisticated options and are built with higher
quality materials.

Warranty

Exercise Bikes come with a variety of warranties from 90 days to
lifetime warranties on different parts of the bike. For example,
parts and labor may be covered for 6 months, electronics for 1
year and the frame for a lifetime. In general keep in mind that
a longer warranty is indicative of a higher quality machine.

Final Note: It is also important that you decide how much you
are planning to use your exercise bike. For example, if you are
new to exercising and not sure you’ll use your exercise bike
much, you might want to save some money and go with a cheaper
model.

If however you plan on using the bike a lot and/or are a regular
exerciser, invest a bit more and get a machine that will last.

That’s it - good luck and have fun!

My name is Greg Ryan. I am a fitness expert, professional
bodybuilder personal, trainer to movie stars, former employee of
Kathy Smith and over 50, 000 hours of paid personal training
sessions under my belt. For the last twenty years I have been
able to continually make progress, stay consistent and have some
fun in my quest to be in better shape.

Not because I am anything special, or know some magic formula,
but because I have learned a few goal and program setting
techniques that I would like to share with you. Start
incorporating them into your plan today and notice the
difference tomorrow.

The very first question I ask each new client that comes to me
is this, “How long have you been on the same workout program?”
With out fail most if not all say, “Over six months.” Then they
do not understand why they are not progressing.

Rule #1: Change your routine up every twelve weeks: Your body
adapts to exercise like our bodies adapt to taking antibiotics.
For some reason after a period of time it gets use to the same
routine.

Rule #2: Rest period between twelve week segments: Take a few
days off between the twelve segments refreshes you and allows
your body to recuperate.

Rule #3: Keep to ball rolling: There is a let down after you
have reached your goal. When you realize that you are going to
reach your goal start thinking of the next one. This keeps the
momentum going, and decreases the chance of having a let down.

Rule #4: You need a carrot: You need some tangible reward for
your efforts. Something urgent, something you just have to have.
Find it and it will motivate you in the down times.

Rule #5: Follow an intensity curve: With in the twelve week
segment ramp up your intensity levels in your workouts. Start at
eighty percent and by week two you should be at 100 percent.

Rule #6: One main goal a year: Set one big goal a year with
seasonal ones leading up to the big one.

Start with these and see how your motivation goes up through out
the year.

Consistency in your training is a good thing…most of the time.
You’re much better off consistently hitting the gym 3 times a
week than if you consistently hit the snack bar 7 days a week.

But consistency can hold you back, too. By doing the same thing
over and over again you can fall into a rut. The big problem is
that you may not even notice that it’s become a problem. You
train, you eat right, so there can’t be any problem, right?
Maybe. Maybe not.

If you always perform the same exercises for the same number of
sets and reps (and a number of people always use the same
weights), eventually your gains will come to a screeching halt.

In addition, your mind goes on auto pilot, so your intensity
level drops without you even realizing it. And worst of all, you
may become bored, start skipping workouts and then ditch the
workouts completely.

Changing up your program can rejuvenate you mentally, giving you
a big motivational boost, get your interest back, and spur you
on to a new set of gains.

If you begin to feel bored or unchallenged with your current
program, change it up. It doesn’t have to take much to get you
back in touch with your workouts. You can change as little as
you want, or revamp your whole routine.

Hate to drop the bench press (you must be a guy )? Then
radically change the set and rep scheme. Are you always doing
sets of 6 - 8 reps so you can use a heavy weight that makes you
look respectable in the gym?

Forget the ego and try doing sets of 25 - 30 reps per set for a
few weeks. This will get you back into the exercise physically
and mentally.

Feelng burned out? Change everything. Try a completely new
exercise for every exercise you are currently using. Do a
different number of sets and reps, change the rest period from 2
minutes between sets to 30 seconds. There are so many things to
change that you should never get bored.

Your workout becomes such a habit that you don’t always even
realize problems like these. If you think that might be the
case, try changing something about your workout every 4 to 8
weeks. Heck, mark it down in your journal now when your next
change should be.

Keep your mind fully engaged in your program by constantly
giving yourself new challenges to prevent burnout - both
physical and mental.

Parkinson disease is a brain disorder that affects nearly 1.5
million Americans and 60,000 new cases are diagnosed annually.
There is no known cure but with research and medication there is
hope.

A British physician, Dr. James Parkinson, first described the
disease in 1817. It is characterized by slowness, tremors,
stiffness and a loss of balance. Only two of these symptoms need
to be present, especially if they are more apparent on one side
of the body over the other, for a diagnosis of the condition to
be made.

Brain cells called neurons are responsible for passing along
electrical impulses throughout the brain, from one cell to the
next, allowing the brain to function normally. In Parkinson
disease, cells in a certain part of the brain called the
substantia nigra begin to die or become impaired. These cells
are particularly important because they produce a chemical
called dopamine. This chemical is responsible for smooth and
coordinated movement of the body’s muscles. According to the
National Parkinson Foundation, “When approximately 80% of the
dopamine-producing cells are damaged, the symptoms of Parkinson
disease appear.”

So who’s at risk for developing Parkinson disease? Almost
everyone; the disease doesn’t seem to be selective and affects
women and men equally; and while it is generally considered a
disease of the elderly that occurs after the age of 65, about
15% of the affected population are diagnosed under the age of
50. Parkinson affect 1 out of every 100 people and there doesn’t
seem to be any social, ethnic, economic or geographic boundaries
either. “Currently, researchers suspect that the cause of
Parkinson disease in most individuals reflects a combination of
genetic factors and environmental exposures.” (National
Parkinson Foundation)

Parkinson’s isn’t easy to diagnose either. There is no blood
test or brain scan that definitively points to the condition -
doctors diagnose based on the process of elimination and patient
symptoms. Other signs of the disease include: a shuffling walk,
small cramped handwriting, muffled speech, depression and stiff
facial expressions. There are doctors, neurologists, who
specialize in the treatment of neurological disorders and of
these even more specialized practioners who specifically treat
Parkinson disease.

There are treatment options available to ease the symptoms of
the disease. Most of the hallmarks of Parkinson disease are
caused by the lack of dopamine-producing cells existing or still
functioning in the brain, so conventional treatment includes
medications that mimic or replace dopamine. This helps to reduce
the stiffness, tremors, slow movement and poor balance
associated with the condition. Several promising new medicines
are being developed and studied to halt the progression of the
disease, too. HREF=http://www.withparkinsons.com/experimentalparkinsonstreatmen
ts/ rel="nofollow">http://www.withparkinsons.com/experimentalparkinsonstreatment
s/

Surgery can be another option to help ease the symptoms for some
Parkinson sufferers - brain surgery can be dangerous so this is
most often only considered after treatment with medication seems
ineffective.

There is currently no cure for Parkinson disease, but there is
support and treatment available; and with researchers working
diligently to develop medications to halt the progression of the
disease, there is also hope for the future.

Some people order fomr various companies when in need of Wheel Chair Ramp. Others just try do build their own wheelchair ramp, thus trying to save some money or for variety of reasons. In any case you want your Wheelchair Ramp to be the best it can to suite your needs.

Here are few questions that you can ask yourself before you either build or order a Wheel Chair Ramp from a company.

What weight capacity am I looking for this Wheel Chair Ramp to be? Is this going to be good for doorway thresholds and raise landings? One probably would like the Wheel Chair Ramp to have a 600lbs. weight capacity because Electric Wheel Chairs can be very heavy.

Do you need one that bridges gaps over steps, curbs and raised landings? Perhaps you can ask the company if they have the ramps available in different sizes for your various needs.

Is the new Wheelchair Ramp going to be sturdy and dependable? For the smaller Ramps a good question is are they lightweight and can be transported without much efforts?

Some Wheel Chair Ramps are not for the house use only, but are built to enable access to vans or other kinds of transportation. Therefore, a question that rises here is are these rams convenient to store and set up? Is the length adjustable?

It is important that the Wheel Chair Ramp may provide a solid and safe driving surface for any kinds of wheelchairs: electric or manual. Ramps should have a 5′ straight and level surface at the bottom to allow adequate stopping distance.

Copyright 2004 eMaxHealth.com

About The Author

Armen Hareyan is the Publisher of http://www.eMaxHealth.com that publishes free health care articles on many subjects of human health.

Copyright 2005 Judy Thompson

As a young person growing up in Columbus, Ohio, I used to be in
awe whenever I went to the huge public library there. There were
masses and volumes of information available on just about any
subject you could possibly be interested in. Back in those days,
however, it took a long time to locate what you were looking
for, to take notes, and do all the needed research. Even today I
admire those massive buildings, which are filled with so much
knowledge shared by countless writers.

Now, of course, we also have the internet. The internet provides
us with another kind of incredible library and this library is
right at the fingertips of any computer user.

Since I’ve been fortunate enough to have friends who are a lot
smarter than me, many times I’ve been told that I should do a
“google” search about a certain company, product, or something
I’m interested in. Thus, I’ve made it a practice to type in the
search bar whatever I’ve been interested in and have discovered
an amazing amount of information. There are literally millions
of internet websites available and you can find information
about nearly everything that could possibly interest you!

Should you do an internet search regarding solutions to health
problems, or strictly depend on what your doctor recommends?
Knowledge is power, but only if you use it wisely. If you have
an emergency type problem, of course you should get medical help
as soon as possible.

However, for non-emergency type problems, you may wish to gather
all the information you can. Look at both the conventional
medical and the alternative health sites. You will discover a
wealth of information on them. Frequently, you will see that you
can do things for yourself and not need to make that trip to the
doctor. Why spend the time and money and take prescription
drugs, which will have some negative side effects, if you can
alleviate your problem simply by using good nutrition? Perhaps,
you could even avoid surgery by just changing your diet.

Whatever your problem is: cancer, heart disease, hearing
problems, vision problems, allergies, diabetes, sleep problems,
or a host of other diseases or problems, you can find helpful
information on the internet.

One word of caution: when someone is selling something, the
“hype” could be extreme. Its not always easy to tell if the
person is excited because the solution for them brought such
tremendous results, and they simply want to tell the world about
it… or if they are in the business merely to make money. In my
own case, I am a distributor for a company whose products I
truly believe in and have received definite benefits from. While
I do want people to use my company’s products so I can get paid,
I would not want to represent a company if I could not believe
in its products!

If you find something that looks good to you, that could be
helpful with certain health problems that you, a family member,
or friend have, do some comparisons. Just like you may shop
several stores if you are looking for new furniture or
appliances, it’s a good idea to do some comparative “shopping”
on the internet. If you locate a website that looks really,
really good, you can save it in your “favorites” file and find
it again after you’ve done some more reading.

And after you’ve made your comparisons, you’ll usually find that
there are some differences in opinion. But with the plethora of
knowledge you have acquired, you will be better equipped to make
the best decisions regarding your own special situation.

Success is what you are prepared to make of yourself every
single day. That one cold morning when you want to roll over but
instead get up and go to workout, is a defining moment. Success
boosts self-confidence and is self perpetuating. We all know it,
thrive on it and love it. Failure on the other hand is perceived
as a stressful, negative experience. It means challenge,
difficulties, not knowing or worst of all defeat. It affects our
self-esteem negatively, builds upon itself and could become a
pattern. It could mean a threat to our survival. So we have an
aversion to it. We dislike failure. Well, did you know that
failure like stress is actually good for you? Out of the trial
and error, the grueling and rigorous demands of trying and
failing we humans learned what worked to survive. Failure is
something we as humans need to encounter for new growth and
creative changes - uprisings. Failure causes us to reassess,
reevaluate, and start again. Out of necessity we learn to take
risks, and think “outside the box”. Failure is the fertile soil
from which seeds burst and blossom. Failure challenges our will
to survive. Did you know that no stress is absolutely the worst
of all stressors. Stress is like body temperature: if it’s too
low or too high, you can’t survive, but the right balance can
keep you going strong. It makes sense to use stress energy
positively, to meet life’s challenges. Stress is not all bad.
Yes, you may fail. This is life. Life’s winners accept that in
trying they may have to adjust and even start again and again.
The difference between successful people and others is not
whether you make mistakes or even temporarily fail, but how you
respond. So how does this apply to your workouts? Expect more of
yourself. Set higher standards! This sets you up for failure. Of
course you can’t reach that next higher level immediately.
You’ll keep trying and failing until you do. In the meantime
when you don’t meet them, ask yourself did I try my best? Did I
give it my all? If your answer is yes then, yes you failed and
you yes you failed successfully! Now you’ll be a step closer to
that new fitness level. You’ll get healthier and fitter and at
the same time toughen yourself psychologically and emotionally
to handle the dreaded Failure.

Deborah Caruana RN, MES, CPT. CALL 212-677-3185 EMAIL
deb@vitalsignsfitness.com WEB www.vitalsignsfitness.com

RESOLUTION BLUES?

With the coming of a new year there comes a promise to improve
oneself. Shortly thereafter, there comes the guilt of falling
short on these promises. It happens to everyone. One person
wants to quit smoking, another to lose weight, another to start
a fitness regime, another to stress less over work or spend more
time with family, drink less, exercise more, on and on. The key
to success in making positive change to one’s life is to set
oneself up for success by setting realistic goals and then
following through with an action plan. Too often the goal is
lofty, but the plan is weak. Sweeping changes are difficult to
implement and likely short lived. Although it sounds boring, one
of the keys to lasting self improvement is moderation.

Having worked with many clients over the years, I’ve been
witness to many failed attempts at improving one’s health
through an overzealous fitness and diet regime. Many people set
themselves up for disappointment by trying to accomplish too
much in too short a period. The novelty of their plan loses its
luster soon after the New Year’s confetti is cleaned up and the
client has fallen back into old habits. Following is a list of
five guidelines one can follow in setting up a ‘doable’ goal in
order to improve one’s fitness level. It doesn’t matter if
you’re starting your goal today or modifying a goal set at the
start of the New Year, (perhaps after too much bubbly).

1. Find something you love.

If you enjoy solitude, perhaps a walking program would be of
interest to you. If you’re a ‘people person’, perhaps the energy
of a fitness class is what you need. You must enjoy the actual
activity you’re about to undertake in order for you to keep at
it. Knowing that exercise has many health benefits is not enough
to keep you at it if you really don’t enjoy it. There are plenty
of options to getting fit; it’s not a ‘one size fits all’
approach.

2. Carve out some time and schedule your fitness activity.

It seems obvious, but fitness will not just happen. It needs to
be scheduled just like you would schedule anything else. Also,
the time commitment need not be enormous. Too often clients
think they need to find an hour a day to devote to a fitness
regime. This is far too much time, especially in the beginning.
Who has an extra hour a day? One can improve one’s fitness level
with as little as 20 minutes three times a week. As your fitness
level improves and this 20 minute time block is engrained in
your schedule, it’s much easier to find more time to devote to
the pursuit.

3. Get a training partner.

Sometimes being accountable to someone else helps people adhere
to their program. It makes training more fun and often clients
can feed off of the energy of each other to get them through
their workout.

4. Hire a personal trainer.

It seems like an unnecessary expense, but hiring someone to set
up a program can have a priceless payoff. Sore or strained
muscles can result from improper technique and be the end of
training while injuries heal. This can be avoided if a trainer
is consulted to ensure exercises are done properly. Furthermore,
a personal trainer can help develop a reasonable program with
individual health concerns in mind in the first place.

5. Go easy on yourself.

This is not a prescription to slack off. In fact, isn’t the goal
to improve oneself and not let oneself get away with
slovenliness? However, if one undertakes too much too soon, it’s
too easy to just throw in the towel. Setting moderate goals over
a long period of time is the key. Trying to quit smoking, diet
and start exercising all at once is too much. Making smaller
lifestyle changes that are easier to implement is the way to
lasting self improvement.

Although the above guidelines may seem like common sense, it’s
surprising how they escape the grasp of many people as they set
off on their self improvement path in early January. If you are
one of the overzealous resolution makers and breaker, consider
this information. Get back on the bandwagon, but modify your
plan. Let 2006 be the year that you make lasting changes to your
life to make it the best year yet.

Shawna Kaminski

How is it possible to enjoy a life full of pleasure without
healthy living? With this in mind, often people are in search
for an effective exercise routine that will get them in shape
and keep them there. Unusual training methods, fad diets and
overly extensive exercise routines are being pursued, with the
hopes of achieving a healthy body. Sadly more emphasis is placed
upon fad diets instead of regular exercise which has been
proven, over and over again, to be the most efficient path to
health living.

You do not need to join a fancy gym or hire an expensive
trainer… you can easily create your own exercise routine and
achieve great success, all in the comforts of your own home. In
creating your own exercise routine, to make it effective, focus
should be given to the principle of F.I.T.T. which is an acronym
Frequency, Intensity, Type and Time.

Frequency is the number of times you perform your exercise
routine, which depends on the primary goal for the exercise. If
your goal is to lose weight, then a more frequent routine should
be used or if you want to build muscle bulk, you should only
exercise each body part once every 3 or 4 days.

Intensity is the amount of physical exertion you invest per
routine and once more this depends on the goal for the exercise
routine, as well as the exercise type you decide to choose. If
you’re engaged in aerobic exercises, for example, intensity is
measured through your heart rate per a given period of time. The
intensity for muscle-toning exercises is measured through the
weights used, as well as the number of repetitions you do.

Type is the manner of exercise you use. Aerobics, weight loss,
muscle building (bulk) and muscle-toning exercise are all
examples of this and of course there is bound to be one that is
suited for any particular purpose.

Time refers to the length of time you invest per session; 20
minutes minimum for aerobic exercises, to keep your heart rate
up is a good example.

Any fitness goal can be achieved by adjusting and tweaking each
of these elements. If you need to lose weight, for example,
adjust the frequency and the time of your exercise routine. If
you want a more shapely muscled physique then correspondingly
increase the intensity of your sessions.

A few words of caution however, check with your doctor to ensure
the exercise routine your are initiating is safe for your
condition. Stretch before and after your exercise routines to
prevent injury and be prepared to be sore the first week.
Muscles that are not used often tend to get very sore when
suddenly used, even with light weights. This disappears around
the end of the first week… but be fore warned.

Ever have the feeling that dis-ease was controlling your life?
Perhaps it’s not even a chronic illness. Do you harbor anger?
Resentment? Frustration?

Maybe it’s just me and I’m talking to myself, but I’ve let all
of these rule my life at some point. Therefore, in this short
article, I thought we’d take a look at “Four Creative Steps To
Healing.” From it, I hope you’ll gain insight into yourself,
your behaviors and perhaps the way you deposit or withdraw from
your own health currency.

Step One: Understand Your Energy We’ve all heard about the aura
that surrounds the body, but what could this possibly have to do
with our health? According to Carolyn Myss in her audio program
“Why People Don’t Heal,” the energetic exchange that happens
within this field is where our thoughts become translated into
energy (or what she terms as one’s biography becoming their
biology). Translation: These cycles or waves of energy that
surround our body are a function of our thoughts. Thoughts are
energy waves then, that affect our health in a positive or
negative way. Let’s look a little closer to see why this happens:

The contributors to this energy surrounding the body are the 7
major “chakras” (chakra in Sanskrit means “wheel or vortex”). It
may help to note that Myss refers to each energy wheel as a
“computer,” one which collects and interprets information and
“perceptions” the mind has about the world. It has been shown
scientifically that each of these 7 wheels of energy corresponds
to a particular endocrine gland in the body. Translation: In
light of the adage, “you are what you eat” we could conclude
with with some degree of certainty that “you are what you
think.”

Step Two: Let Go Of Old Wounds Now that you’ve been (hopefully)
examining your thoughts and translating all of your negative
energy into positive, Myss throws another curve ball. Would you
agree with her that “healing is unattractive?” I needed some
time to think about this: Why in the world would healing be
unattractive?

Answer (According to Myss): Our wounds give us power! And after
careful contemplation, I’ve outlined three ways I have done
this, myself.

Ask yourself: Are you leading with your wounds? You’ll know if
you done any of the following:

1. Used Wounds to Manipulate a Situation or a Person. Let’s say
we find a situation unsavory, scary or inflaming a personal “hot
button.” Have you ever avoided a situation when you really
needed to face head on? Or, how ’bout this one: “I just can’t
get into this relationship - I’ve been burned before!” Okay,
maybe I am just speaking to myself here, but I admit, I’ve used
my wounds (more times than I care to admit) to refrain from
loving unconditionally.

2. Use Them to Attract Other Wounded Souls Who Want to Exchange
in the “Wound” Game. I’ve done this myself, too. In listening to
another share their wounds, I’ve given up compassion for wound
ante - “Ill see you and raise you one.” Agreed, there is a
difference between healing from a wound and “leading with a
wound” but, in my humble opinion, I’d be willing to bet that we
know the difference between being healthy and not. For example,
I know when I’m healthy when I can listen with empathy, void of
getting out my toolbox to “fix” or laying out my wounds
unsolicited.

3. Give Up Our Ability to Listen. Dr. Bernie Siegel in his book
“Peace, Love and Healing” basically says, listening is the work
of angels. Many times listening is all we have in a situation
when someone calls on us for help. If we express what Ms. Myss
calls “woundology” or “leading with our wounds” we’re saying
that we can’t stand the loss of power and desire all the
attention for ourself.

Since I’m laying out all my laundry here today (And what would
Myss have to say for this?) here’s an example of the way I’ve
led with my wounds: Recently someone confided in me about a
situation where they had lost a loved one. While listening
attentively, my mind searched its experiences for a similar
event. All this so I could say: “Oh that’s terrible! Don’t feel
so bad though, because I’ve been through this thing that is so
much worse!”

To reclaim my character, however, (and after I realized what was
happening), I caught myself. In reality, all this person really
needed was my ear to listen unconditionally.

Step Three: Learn To Forgive Yourself and Others The final two
steps are remedies which can help heal our anger, resentment and
frustration. Step three then, is simply forgiveness. For to
forgive in earnest then takes our energy out of its emotional
investment in the past. We give up the need to spend wasted
energy making negative deposits into this account and to
paraphrase Myss, is the fastest way to bring our energy into
real time. Translation: Trust me, you’ll know authentic
forgiveness when you experience it. The body literally “lets go”
of the weight of the past.

Step Four: Love Yourself The final creative step to healing?
Loving yourself, of course! This is the most challenging
concept, in my opinion. Why? To begin we must start where we
are, and love and accept ourselves for who we are, today. How
does this help our health? It’s simple, when we realize that we
are stunting our personal growth and health through negative
self talk, we can then begin to love ourselves one piece at a
time.

Here’s how it’s done (Author’s note: beware, this practice may
seem untraditional yet, if you’ll consult Louise L. Hay’s book:
“You Can Heal Your Life” - you’ll find that this is one of the
remedies she used to heal herself from cancer):

Every day spend 15 minutes in the mirror sending love to
yourself! Start small by finding one part of yourself where you
can find perfection. Each day, or week, or month choose new
parts of yourself to love. Before long, you’ll find an image of
perfection before your eyes. And you’ll have purified your
energy, to boot!

In closing, we could make all of these steps very simple,
indeed. For there is only one step here that will make you
healthy and happy. Remember: It’s when we’ve learned to love
ourselves that we can truly be healed.

References:

Myss, Carolyn, Ph.D. Why People Don’t Heal. Colorado, 2001.
Sounds True Audio. Siegel, Bernie, M.D. Peace, Love and Healing.
New York: HarperCollins. 1989. Hay, Louise L. You Can Heal Your
Life. California: Hay House. 2004.