January 21, 2011
... and welcome everyone to this first Choose Wellness Newsletter for 2011.
I certainly hope you've had an enjoyable Christmas season and have your New Year resolutions in place and you're ready to make the most of 2011.
To get you off to a great start and to make sure that this year you wake up excited about what each day holds, why not register for this free audio teleseminar, where you'll discover how to...
* Create a life doing something worthwhile on a day to day basis
* Attract prosperity by helping others achieve their goals and live their dreams
* Spread the Law of Attraction and the principles from 'The Secret' around the world!
* Transform your life so you experience deep joy, bliss, fulfillment, prosperity, love and whatever makes YOUR heart sing on a day to day basis!
Sandy Forster, well known and certified Law of Attraction Coach will help you to create an amazing future for yourself. If you love the Law of Attraction and have a yearning to help others then learn the secrets to becoming a Life Coach, by registering for this free teleseminar.
We've missed the actual call now as I get back to writing after our enforced computer blackout (more about that later) but you can still register and receive the audio to listen to at your leisure.
"Research shows that people who think good things will happen to them are usually right. The next time your thoughts are negative, ask yourself what is a more positive way to think."
Water, Water everywhere
Our beautiful Sunshine state has certainly not been living up to its reputation during the last month - it's been rain, rain, rain everywhere and all over the State towns are being inundated with flood waters, rivers spreading out over the plains, people having to be evacuated from their homes, roads cut, ... and the rain keeps coming.It's hard to believe that just a few years ago we were running out of water and our dams were at dangerously low levels - now they are overflowing!
You would wonder just where all this water is coming from - parts of the country that have been suffering from drought conditions are now experiencing the worst floods for decades.
We, in Brisbane, had been sitting back feeling very sorry for those who have been devastated by these disastrous floods and then it happened - the Brisbane River rose to heights that were never supposed to happen again. We were led to believe that flood mitigation had been developed to such a state that we should never again see a repeat of the disastrous floods of 1974.
So much of this city has grown up around the great Brisbane river, as is the norm in many cities and towns, that when the river reaches over-capacity and breaks its banks, many areas become inundated. Mostly people have some warning and are able to remove some of their belongings to higher ground but there have been a couple of occasions when a wall of water has suddenly swept through with no warning and completely wrecked and washed away all in its path...
Thankfully we are on high ground so did not suffer greatly when the water swept into Brisbane - except for a short break in water supply and then four days without power. We were isolated for a time but were happy to go nowhere. Luckily we do some camping so were able to use our gas cooker for basic meals and it was rather pleasant to sit in the moonlight or eat by candlelight as we shared with neighbours who weren't so fortunate.
It is heartbreaking to see the havoc and extent of the damage to so many homes and the clean-up job has been horrendous. Volunteers have come, from all over the country, to help and Brisbane is gradually getting back to normal, but the cost, not only in monetary terms will be gigantic.
You can see some photos from around our area on my Facebook page by clicking this link.
If you'd like to give to the Queensland Flood Appeal, you can do it here.
... and speaking of water..
Why is it that we drink so much bottled water? Have you noticed just how much space in the supermarket is devoted to bottled water? It's not many years ago that you couldn't buy bottled water and now the shelves are stacked with dozens of different brands.So OK, it's understandable at times like we are having now with dreadful floods and town supplies being compromised, but for most developed countries in the world, for most of the time, the available water supply is adequate, and surely, if you are uncertain, a water filter would be the better way to go.
I've often wondered just where this bottled water comes from. According to the labels it comes from pristine springs or has amazing healing powers!! But how do we find out just where it does 'spring' from - apparently manufacturers are not obliged to tell us.
EWG (Environmental Working Group)has released the 2011 Bottled Water Scorecard which grades more than 170 bottled waters on the information they do or do not disclose on their labels and websites.
EWG were looking for answers to obvious questions, like -- Where does the water come from? Is it purified? How? Have tests found any contaminants? -- but nine out of the ten best-selling brands didn't answer at least one of those questions.
EWG found that filtered tap water, if you change your filter regularly, is purer than bottled water, plus it saves money ...(bottled water can cost up to 1,900 times more than what flows from your tap). Drinking tap water also takes less of a toll on the planet.
EWG are asking that we drink filtered tap water whenever we can and pledge to make 2011 a year of cleaner, safer drinking water.
Here is a great new video that tells The Story of Bottled Water ...It's worth watching.
STOP PRESS
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Believed to be the largest ban of its kind in Australia, organisers say the ban will stop 140,000 plastic bottles from being sold annually. Instead, students will have access to free water bubblers. "By supplying free water and cheap, chilled water, the university will be helping students to break a bottled water habit that's costing Australians half a billion dollars a year," the founder of environmental group Do Something, John Dee said in a statement. The ban will be phased in. Sales of water on the campus will totally cease by late March. |
"To ensure you are hydrated, drink plenty of fresh pure water throughout the day. If you engage in vigorous activity, increase your consumption of water."
...till next time, don't forget that I love to receive your questions, comments or requests and I'd love you to send your favourite recipe or health tip, so please contact me if you have anything you'd like to contribute or any questions.
Until then keep well and remember
'healthy cells = healthy bodies'
and
and
Jane
PS Don't forget to share this Newsletter with your friends.