Ian Gawler: Out on a Limb: July 2017

31 July 2017

Mindfulness-for-busy-people

Want a calm and clear mind? Struggling for time? No worries! Many people tell me that they know they need help to settle their mind but are busy and ask “is there a quick answer?”

Well... we know mindfulness practices help us think more clearly, be more creative and effective, sleep better and have more energy and resilience. So this week, a quick solution – an exercise in mindfulness that works in just 2 minutes! But first

Thought for the day

Cultivating a close, warm-hearted feeling for others
Automatically puts the mind at ease.
It helps remove whatever fears or insecurities
We may have and gives us the strength
To cope with any obstacles we encounter.

It is the principal source of success in life.

Since we are not solely material creatures,
It is a mistake to place all our hopes
For happiness on external development alone.
The key is to develop inner peace.

HH The 14th Dalai Lama

Rapid Mindfulness
This is a simple technique. It takes all of 2 minutes. And like its counterpart – the Rapid Relaxation exercise - it does actually seem to be quite helpful. Well worth a try… Contrasts with the month retreat Ruth and i are about to begin :)

1. Notice what 'mental programs' are open
If your active, thinking mind was a computer, which is close to the truth, at any given time it would have a number of open programs.

Look inwardly, select the first “program” that seems to be open, (for preference the one taking the most headspace), and name it. No need to dwell on this. Whether it seems to be a small issue or large; just choose one, and name it. Such-and-such a project, a particular issue with a colleague, friend or family member, a financial issue; whatever. Just give it a name.

2. Identify the emotion
Again, just whatever first comes to mind. Once you have named your open program, identify the strongest emotion you are aware of that goes with it. Fear, joy, sadness, rage – it may be pleasant or unpleasant, no need to dwell on that; aim not to get stuck going into that, simply label the emotion with a name and leave it at that.

On the scientific side, apparently labeling our emotions helps to settle our limbic system.

3. Affirm what you would like to do
What would you like to do with this program?

The aim is to shut down all the open programs.

So maybe it is as simple as saying to yourself “For now, I am shutting this program down”.

Maybe you say “I will drop this for now and come back to it later”.

Tell your self, tell your mind, what you would like to do.

4. Enjoy a few moments peace
Maybe closing down just one program is enough for today. Maybe you come back tomorrow and try this exercise again. Or maybe later in the day. Two minutes. Simple and effective. Give it a go…

Rapid Mindfulness.

COMING SOON

NEXT MEDITATION RETREAT

Bringing Mind and Heart Together 21 – 27th October 2017 Ruth and Ian Gawler with Liz Stilwell

Amidst the tranquil beauty of the Coromandel Peninsula, 2 hours from Auckland New Zealand

A mind with no heart is cold and empty. A mind with heart is warm, creative and full of potential.

Ready to learn how to use meditation and Guided Imagery to open your heart and bring balance to your mind?

Join us for this very special retreat! LINK HERE

MEDITATION TEACHER TRAINING

October 9 – 13th Meditation Teacher Training – Module 2

The delight of teaching others one of the most useful things possible ...

This training, led by Ian and Ruth personally, is based on a comprehensive and fully documented manual. You will learn how to teach two 4 week programs - one featuring guided imagery, the other contemplation; both covering the stillness of meditation as well. These training have been booking out, and like all our retreats, it is wise to register early.

LINK HERE

NEXT SPECIFIC CANCER PROGRAM

CANCER, HEALING and WELLBEING

Accessing the heart and science of Mind-Body Medicine
Offering genuine hope for all those affected by cancer

20 – 24 November 2017 with Drs Ruth and Ian Gawler

Located amidst the natural beauty of the Yarra Valley

This life-changing program provides the opportunity to experience the food, practise the meditation and to be in a supportive, positive atmosphere. The program is evidence based, highly experiential and practical. The focus is on the therapeutic power of the Healing Diet, the mind and meditation, emotional health and positive psychology. The aim is to provide clarity, understanding and confidence. LINK HERE

17 July 2017

Is-brown-rice-better-than-white?

Last post featured the remarkable benefits of the Kempner white rice and fruit diet. Challenging stuff. Bit confusing. Created many questions.

Most health conscious people believe white rice to be problematic and many “experts” currently claim the sugar in fruit make it dangerous. But Kempner’s diet is documented to have cured advanced kidney disease, diabetes and other conditions.

So this week lets explore whether brown rice is in fact better, but first

Thought for the day

Spring comes with its flowers,
Autumn with the moon,
Summer with breezes,
Winter with snow;

When useless things do not stick in the mind,
That is your best season.

Wu-men Huai-kai
– Zen master of the 12th/13th century

When in the Philippines way back in the seventies, I was impressed by a Government program exhorting the locals to eat B Grade rice. It was a major program and it was quite puzzling… why eat B Grade rice? On investigation, it turned out that in that place, at that time, B Grade rice was wholegrain or brown rice; white was regarded as the A Grade stuff! The government was trying to make the population healthier!

So given rice is the single most important staple and feeds around half the people on the planet, why is white rice so popular and what are its consequences?

Back in the Philippines of the seventies, many rural people were subsistence farmers with just enough to eat and very little cash.

Yet they would trade some of their harvested rice to the threshers who travelled around and mechanically turned their natural, wholegrain, brown rice into the refined white stuff.

The husks and kernels were feed to the pigs – they grew fat and sleek - and the people struggled on.

Seems that brown rice has a strong association with being poor and unrefined, and people with very little will pay to rise above that notion. Wow! And at what cost?

A recent meta-analysis links eating white rice with Type 2 Diabetes – T2D. The analysis examined 350,000 people over 20 years and found each serving per day of white rice was associated with an 11% increase in the risk of developing T2D.

Also, we know there is a strong correlation between obesity and T2D. Yet places like China and Japan, while they have very little obesity, still do have high T2D rates. Japan actually has more than the US which has about the same level as Australia and China. Why? Maybe it is all that white rice.

Here is a hint. Whole fruit consumption IS associated with a lower T2D risk; whereas fruit juice at best is neutral and may well be detrimental.

Eating whole grains (like brown rice or wholemeal bread) IS associated with a lower T2D risk, where-as processed grains (white rice, white bread) at best are neutral, and may well be detrimental.

But we also need to consider history.

Even as recently as 2000, China had one of the lowest T2D rates in the world - despite its high levels of white rice consumption.

But now they are right up there with us.

What changed in these last few years?

During the last 50 years in China, consumption of animal source foods has tripled. In just the last 20 years, pork consumption is up 40%, and rice consumption down 30%. So while white rice is still one part of the problem, for T2D it seems there is more to it. Consumption of animal proteins may actually increase the basic risk associated with white rice.

To explain, diabetes is associated with insulin spikes. You get these spikes from eating foods with high glycaemic indexes; foods like white rice, white bread, potatoes that have their skins removed, or refined, white spaghetti. But if you add tuna or meat to the potatoes or sphagetti – more or less of an insulin spike?

Despite the fish or meat having virtually no sugars, no carbohydrates and no starch, the insulin spike is twice as much!

Animal protein makes the pancreas work twice as hard.

Also, it is the same if you drink sugar in water and add some meat - you get a much bigger spike than without meat.

But there is another crucial point. A very small amount of meat added to grains has little adverse affect. However, after more than the equivalent of about a third of a chicken breast, the insulin spikes start to happen.

Maybe this is why in more traditional times when meat consumption was very low, eating so much white rice did not create much of a T2D problem. It may also help to explain why eating a predominantly wholefood, plant-based diet is so good at preventing T2D – along with all the other chronic degenerative diseases.

What to do?
 Simple. Follow the evidence and eat a plant-based wholefood diet with minimal or no meat and dairy. And yes, brown rice is better than white.

RELATED BLOGS
1. Are the sugars in fruit dangerous?
If you are still in any doubt that the sugars in whole fruits are not the problem some would have you believe, and are in fact very healthy - CLICK HERE

2. Kempner’s Rice Diet explained - CLICK HERE

COMING SOON
NEXT SPECIFIC CANCER PROGRAM

CANCER, HEALING and WELLBEING

Accessing the heart and science of Mind-Body Medicine
Offering genuine hope for all those affected by cancer

20 – 24 November 2017 with Drs Ruth and Ian Gawler

Located amidst the natural beauty of the Yarra Valley