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This an excellent exercise to train the core musculature in a functional standing pattern. It integrates the upper extremity to the core and the opposite lower limb. It is excellent for pushing and punching power, and maintaining the mobility of the thoracic spine.

Fortunately there is a solution to these problems. This recipe comes from the excellent book Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig. If nuts are firstly soaked, then slow dried, all the positivies of nuts are available with none of the draw backs. Soaking the nuts replicates germination and allows all the nutrients to be released and the enzyme inhibitors to be deactivated. Slow cooking at a temperature of below 65 degrees celsius does not damage any of the fats or any of the enzymes.  in the food.

Crispy Nuts

Makes 4 cups
4 cups almonds (or any other nuts)

2 teaspoons sea salt

filtered water

Mix almonds with salt and filtered water and leave in a warm place for at least 7 hours or overnight. Drain in a colander. Spread almonds out on a stainless steel baing pan and place in a warm oven (no more than 65 degrees) for 12 to 24 hours, turning occasionally, until completely dry and crisp.

This method of cooking nuts works for all varieties except cashews, which should be soaked for no more than 6 hours. You will be amazed by the amazing flavour and texture of the nuts. Bon Appetit!

Reference: Fallon, S. Enig, M. Nourishing Traditions 2nd Edition New Trends Publishing Inc Washington DC 2007

When we set goals, we need to look at a number of things. I am sure you are all familiar with the acronym of setting SMART goals. if you have not, it stands for:

Specific – Is it a specific goal?

Measurable – can it be measured?

Achievable – is it achievable?

Realistic – is it realistic?

Timely – is it in a timeframe?

What is lacking is not an intellectual understanding of what this means. It is a lack of action towards these goals. This interview with Will Smith describes very eloquently what is needed to make our goals reality.

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We need to make our goals so important to us that our day revolves around us achieving our goals. These goals do not have to be fitness related, but they can be in any of the seven key areas of life. The seven keys areas of life, as described by speaker and author Dr John Demartini are physical, mental, financial, spiritual, vocational, social and familial. If we can effectively set goals in all these areas of life we will be truly create great things in our life.

Here are some examples of goals in these seven areas of life

Physical – Achieve goal weight of 55kgs (current weight 70kgs).  Time frame – 3 months. Action steps to achieve goal – Resistance train 3 days a week. Cardio interval training 2x a week, 1 long walk. Eliminate poor quality carbohydrates, consume 6 grams of fish oil a day. Measure weight every week to ensure continual progress and adjustment of training and dietary protocol. Throw out all ice cream and alcohol in house to eliminate temptation. Cook extra for dinner and bring lunch to work.

Mental: Read 12 books about an interest of ours, e.g. hormonal balance. Action steps to achieve goal. Schedule one hour per day to read. Time spent on goals – 3 months. Ensure one book is read a week. If one book is read in less than a week, start reading the next book. An interesting side note on this is that according to Brian Tracy “One hour per day of study will put you at the top of your field within three years. Within five years you’ll be a national authority. In seven years, you can be one of the best people in the world at what you do.”

Financial: Save $5000 by the end of the year. Action steps to achieve goals – set up an automatic debit into a savings account. Time frame – 40 weeks. Ensure $1215 dollars a week is transferred and the money cannot be withdrawn. Ensure you only eat out one day a week rather than several. This as you see will also help you with you physical goals.

Familial: Spend more time with the kids. 2-3 hours more a week. Action steps to achieve goal – integrate the kids into your fitness plan. Take them for your cardio training sessions. Take them on a bush walk then to the park on the weekend. Children have been found not to care so much about what they do with their parents, but how long they spend with them. This goals is harder to put a time frame on. One option is to schedule it in to your diary and treat it like an appointment that cannot be missed.

Vocational: Present seminar on the hormonal system to other health care professionals. Time frame – 6 months. Action steps to achieve goals. 1 hour of research a day (fits in with mental goal). Have another health care professional evaluate at the end of every month to ensure progress.

Spiritual: This goal is highly personal. My personal definition of spirituality is taking responsibility for your decisions and living your life as dictated by your highest ideals. Therefore one goal could be to define your own personal mission statement. To evaluate the success of this is to identify how closely your mission statement reflects where you are in your life and to read it each and every day.

Social: Network with other established professionals and enhance reputation. Action steps to achieve goal. 12 new contacts in 12 weeks. Send one email a day to different people. Ensure one email is to a new contact and six are to maintain relationships with current contacts. Join a think tank or other related group and schedule it in as an appointment.

As you can see, just like how every system in our body interacts to create a symphony of health, so does every goal interact to create the symphony of our life.  What we would like you to do over the next few days, before April starts is give yourself the time to identify what it is that you would love to achieve in your life. Your DC Health practitioner would love to help you in any area that they can so we can all live magnificent lives.

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