ethical Archives - Ellen Farrell

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October 27, 2016

Dealing with LIFE… Stress, GMO’s & Relationships

By Ellen Farrell, MA, NCC, LPC, EEM-AP 2018

A key part of the work of becoming aware includes consciousness, not only of our own energies, history, triggers, emotional splinters – but also of the environment in which we live. Back in 1983 I’d graduated from Rutgers with a BFA, was living in NYC, & was doing great. Unfortunately within a year, I got into what became a dreadfully manipulative, abusive relationship. I ended that relationship, & I decided to never settle again. I did not know much about nutrition then, nor what was happening to our food supply. However, by ’86, when I met my true love & we married, HFCS had replaced cane sugar. Bromine, an endocrine disruptor, had replaced the essential nutrient iodine, in flour (which also may have been bleached with chlorine), which directly & negatively affects hormones.

Whether from the environment, emotional stress, past triggers or even ancestral patterns, all stressors are cumulative. We do eventually get hit in the immune system, &/or in the organs of the body. We get digestion issues, Liver has too many toxins to process (skin tries to pick up the slack), Kidney/Bladder gets over-taxed, & Lung may get overloaded. Everything is interconnected – & everyone responds differently to stress. Anyway, these changes in foods were the final straw for me, & it affected me greatly.

Maybe it was because I felt so safe with my husband that I was able to relax enough to notice healing was needed. Sometimes we can only allow ourselves to FEEL our problems only when we are NOT in survival mode. Having a supportive community (even if it is of just ONE) can make all the difference. I started to get sick – no traditional Dr.’s knew how to help me. I searched for knowledge! Books were minimal. I had conflicting information. I became more curious, & worked in the Nutrition / Health Food Industry (for 10+ years). I came to understand I had Leaky Gut & Chronic Fatigue (CFS), resulting in infertility. This was in the late-80’s. We’d cut out dairy, became vegan, learned about the burgeoning organic everything. We wanted a family, but fertility treatments did not work. We tried for a couple of years. Then following our plan (we thought we’d have a couple of kids by then), we moved to LA – I found Holistic Dr.’s who helped me clean out toxins, & rebuild the microbiome …or gut, as we used to call it. This gave me enough of an immune system boost to get pregnant. I’d been doing Reiki on myself (since my training in ’87), & this was powerfully healing too… finally, I got well!

We had our firstborn in 1991; our 2^nd in 1993, in California. After a Spirit induced prescription we left LA before the big quake in ‘94 to Chicago, transferring from the recently purchased Mrs. Gooches Market to Whole Foods… I became a Team Leader in the Nutrition dept., but realized the part I liked best was the working with the customers, not the budget, or employee drama.

Fast forward to ’96… what the heck are GMO’s? After our daughter was born in Taos, NM, we decided to move near the grandparents, in Savannah, GA. We had no idea that our food supply was being made VERY toxic that very year! GM (Genetically Modified) meant seeds dipped with toxins (Neonics); or corn that makes its own chemicals (BtToxins); or foods that are sprayed with toxins, but DO NOT die (or they are used for harvesting non-GMO grains such as: wheat, oats, cotton, beans, lentils, sunflower, etc.).

We were now blessed with 3 young kids, & things got very busy! By ’98 I’d entered a Masters degree Psychology program… a dream I had for 8 years! However, while we were busy with LIFE, they didn’t tell us that GMO/ Roundup & other toxic chemical use was growing.

It was being used in factory farms… & in even higher doses in animal feed. This affects the quality of cow milk, & dairy as well as meat. Factory farmed animals are not healthy. Each year, the chemicals were becoming a stronger presence. I finished my MA degree – & began Licensure supervision plus full time work at an Arts College in Savannah. Eventually I got fried with being on call. I wanted to explore more healing energy work, & integrate intuitive with clinical approaches. While still in Savannah, ’06-’14, I began a private practice: Ellen Farrell Holistic Psychotherapy. Since then, I trained with Brian Weiss, for Past Life therapy; Equine therapy; Eden Energy 4-year advanced Energy Medicine training. My focus now is on the Energy & working in more of a Spiritual / Life coaching context. Working with the energy systems as Ellen Farrell Holistic Therapy.

While I loved my work / family life, it took years for us to realize that our food supply was becoming ever more toxic in the USA. I began to notice that it was making a LOT of people/my clients, sick. There continue to be increases in allowable toxin levels, & the amount of chemicals in the environment (& in us) keeps increasing. Many water systems & Rx meds contain flouride, which binds with magnesium to make it un-absorbed. So many of us were already mag deficient, even before Roundup chemicals… see Dr. Dean’s video: on the Importance of Magnesium. This is important to know – GMOs/Roundup (glyphosates) block uptake of amino acids like L-tryptophan (needed for sleep), all minerals, & it kills good bugs in our micro-biome (gut bacteria), causing toxic bacteria to flourish! The “bad” bacteria are working to remove the toxins, but by doing so, it increases their #’s. Depressed, & don’t know why? Check your D3 levels. Anxious, tense? Check Magnesium!

Our air, water, butterflies, birds, and bees are all suffering similar fates… disappearing at alarming rates. BigAg, BigPharma/Chemical companies’ profits have become more important than the health of the people. If we keep it up we will not have food, let alone flowers. We need our pollinators to stay alive.

By 2014, I’d had a few years of high STRESS: menopause, job changes, empty nest, pet deaths, eldest son graduated from college, 3 years of a sick parent, followed by the death of that parent. Finally, moving from Savannah (where we lived for 16 years), back to NYC. This was coming full circle to where I met my husband, & where I was born (Brooklyn). I was not busy enough (haha), so just prior to moving, I began & completed an Indiegogo writing project as Spirit was hounding me for a few years, to write about what I was seeing / experiencing. Moving to a more toxic city, plus realizing that mold in our 1^st apartment had a profound effect. You can’t always smell or see it! If it reappears in your bathroom grout, or in a window, beware! It caused me to later understand how the toxic restaurant food had been the “final straw”…even though, while navigating kids’ college issues, visits, & writing like a hermit, we kept to all organic food at home, but in NYC I “cheated” too – who doesn’t love NY pizza?

I was having sentimental memories of my time in the early 80’s & before, yet back then, there was no bromine in the flour. Nor were the crust, sauces & cheese filled with toxins from glyphosated crops, feed, & animals from factory farms. I had GMO soy tofu in local/regular Chinese restaurants, & got a massive, painful skin rash in the fall of 2016. Trust me, if the food is organic, it will say so on the menu. I realize now when I asked if it was organic, non-GMO soy/tofu, the uninformed waiter likely had no idea what I was talking about. It was totally WISHFUL thinking on my part. My body was informing me, but I was slow on the uptake/denial (not just a river in Egypt). Oops. No more.

What do you eat? What are your stressors? What do you do that brings you JOY? What are your stress/health management rituals to stay in the flow?

Acknowledge what phase or transitions are you/your family are in… we are always moving through something! Now in the gut, we have what is called a “biofilm” (this means really big absorption problems), because glyphosates accumulate, & are sprayed on non-GMO wheat & other grains – even on cane sugar & sunflowers to bring the crop to harvest. Understand that overwhelm with no practice of being mindful/mindful breathing or self-calming skills – also makes us more vulnerable to illness and immune system insults.

Do not swallow the chaos. Do clear your FIELD after ANY non-loving interchanges (see the 3 new energy exercises in my FREE Webinar on the Home page!)! Stress can lead to decreases in D3, B & C vitamins, & – as with pesticide/herbicides like NeoNics/ glyphosates (depletes aromatic amino acids such as tryptophan, which is needed for serotonin, & SLEEP!, & blocks uptake of minerals like magnesium, zinc/copper, selenium (removes mercury), etc.). Stress + GMO/Roundup, etc., can increase gut, mood, hormone, energy & weight imbalances. It is a downward spiral that may lead to… more mood, gut/immune system challenges… & more stress! Can you relate?

Please pace yourself, & be strong with your vision for your healthy life! Learn how to stay grounded, centered, & clear – tend to your Soul, & be mindful of the needs of your body. Don’t over-extend your self! Checkout my ‘Links’ in the drop down menu to find out the most chemically sprayed foods to avoid at all costs, such as corn, canola, alfalfa, apples, berries, celery, squash, ALL animal products… & purchase local, fresh, whole, organic foods. Most of all begin to identify where you can create more joy & balance in YOU.

Remember it is better to spend a little bit more now than to have poor quality of life/ massive debt due to medical bills or the distress of chronic illness. Consider that we need new skills to detox, heal, replenish… to transcend the fear-enhancing/toxin-laden world, & to maintain health.

I learned to regain my equilibrium again, & you can too. This is a quality & quantity of life choice. You can die younger, with a growing amount of dis”ease” each year, or you can be pro-active. I encourage you to get active, & get informed. Stay healthy friends!

www.ellenfarrell.com

See these links to help BEES & BUTTERFLIES!

#GrowFoodNotLawns #PollinatorFriendlyYards #EatOrganic

AVOID glyphosates or Roundup* in yards or parks (contains 2-4D/Agent Orange, Dicamba, & other toxins = a chemical formula, untested as a group).

Try NON-TOXIC OPTIONS: vinegar, epsom salt… etc., for weeds – & Compost organic! *Buy local, organic, NATIVE, heirloom seeds & plants, please!

By ellen

October 23, 2016

Yoga For Athletes

By Ellen Farrell, MA, NCC, LPC, EEM-AP

I’ve heard about yoga for athletes – what is that?

Yoga (postures) provides static and dynamic stretching – a perfect warm up, and a builder of strength, flexibility, and quicker recovery time.

Regular practice “increases flexibility and range of motion while relieving muscle tension.”

While intense, aggressive workouts can over-bulk and strain the body, yoga postures aid in the removal of lactic acid, which leads to

“increased blood flow to the brain, liver, and other organs.”

The result is increased energy due to glucose oxidation – rather than exhaustion and depletion.

In addition, the principles – “ethical underpinnings”, meditation and breath work inherent in yoga, stress the importance of connection to slow, conscious breathing, and increased awareness, which improves athletic performance – and raises the levels of focus and concentration.

This is especially relevant, as athletes tend to have greater psychological pressures, which may inhibit them from doing their best.

Depending on the style of yoga postures studied (Hatha, Yin, Anusara, Iyengar, Bikram, Jivamukti, Kripalu, etc.), as it is taught today, meditation and an application of the principles in the teaching of poses may be included – or it may not.

However, meditation and breath work is highly recommended as it is a key component of Yoga, and (when included) can reduce performance anxiety, and improve focus.

Ultimately, research has found that with continued practice, lower brain functioning improves, which leads to better functioning overall –

“emotional equilibrium and control are established”, and

“the brain registers relaxation and reduces tension.”

Yoga allows the athlete in us all to raise awareness – and to be present in the moment, as well as increasing strength, flexibility, and enjoyment levels during performance.

Life is one big performance… stay healthy for it!

Printed originally in the SCAD Chronicle 2006, under the heading, HEALTH GURU written by Wellness Specialist Counselor, Ellen Farrell who coordinated wellness and lifestyle management services. Updated in 2016.

www.ellenfarrell.com

Bibliography

1. Sports Medicine, Yoga for Athletes

http://www.evolutionhealth.com/flextasy/release.htm

2. Stretching Principles and Guidelines

https://www.verywellfit.com/benefits-of-stretching-3436424

3. Yoga Therapy and Chiropractic for Peak Athletic Performance Training, Dynamic Chiropractic, August 6, 2000, Vol. 18, Issue 17

http://www.chiroweb.com/archives/18/17/17.html

By ellen

October 23, 1988

Diet For A New America: A Book Review

By Ellen Farrell, MA, NCC, LPC, EEM-AP

Every caring person should read DIET FOR A NEW AMERICA. It may just prove to be the most important book for this generation. If you’re concerned about the environment, the ethical treatment or animals, maintaining good health, and the kind of world we’ll leave our children, this is a book to track down and read.

It is estimated that if Americans reduced their meat consumption just ten percent, it would create over twelve million tons of grain yearly – enough to adequately feed every one of the sixty million human beings who will starve to death on the planet this year. You see, as Robbins points out, for every sixteen pounds of grain and soybeans fed to cattle, we get back only one pound or meat. The other fifteen pounds ends up as mostly manure. Amazingly, the livestock of the U.S. produce twenty times the excrement of the entire human population of this country! And to produce one pound of meat it takes up to one hundred litres more water than it does to produce one pound of wheat. The cost: water and grain is subsidized by the federal government… in other words, the taxpayer bears the costs <even if you do NOT personally agree with the practices of these unsustainable factory farms!>. If it weren’t subsidized, Robbins calculates the cheapest hamburger meat would cost thirty-five dollars a pound.

The Meat Importers Council reports that for the meat which is imported, ninety percent is from Central and Latin America. Robbins’ research discloses that most of this meat goes to Fast Food restaurants for hamburgers, but at what environmental cost? The South American rain forests are being obliterated so that Americans can have burgers. These same rain forests contain 80% of the earth’s vegetation which provide a substantial percentage of our oxygen supply, and are home to over one half of all the species on Earth. The current rate of species extinction is one thousand species a year, and most of that is due to the destruction of the rain forests. Robbins states that in our own country

“approximately two hundred sixty million acres of forest have been converted into land now needed to produce the wasteful diets most of us take for granted.”

At the rate we are going, the United States will be stripped bare of its forests in fifty years. However, for every person who switches to a pure vegetarian diet, an acre of trees is spared every year. Robbins suggests that adopting a vegetarian diet is probably the single most potent act any individual can take in the effort to preserve precious natural resources and to halt the destruction of our environment.

Robbins also makes a strong case for the nutritional sense of switching to a vegetarian diet. He cites study after study which shows that meat and dairy consumption gives us excess fat, cholesterol and protein, and zero fiber. He goes on to describe the overwhelming evidence correlating meat and dairy product consumption with heart disease, strokes, arteriosclerosis, ulcers, osteoporosis, kidney stones, intestinal disorders, cancer, and the list goes on. Even the American Medical Association stated, “A vegetarian diet can prevent 97% of our coronary occlusions.” Yet, the meat and dairy Industries go to great lengths and spend millions of dollars on advertising and consumer ‘education’ to downplay the risks. You may ask, if what Robbins says is true, why hasn’t my doctor made any of these recommendations?

A recent Senate investigation revealed that the average physician in the U.S. received less than three hours or nutrition training during his or her four years In medical school. It’s possible that your doctor doesn’t know the facts.

For the first time In history, says Robbins, we can make food choices which will dramatically improve the health or our cardiovascular system, prevent heart disease and strokes, and at the same time, reduce suffering in the world. Robbins goes on to explain that few of us are aware of what animals experience in the factory farms that are now prevalent in the U.S. The slaughter of animals is big business, and it’s done as inexpensively as possible. For example, many slaughterhouses don’t bother to stun their animals before death because of the savings to the processors, which amounts to a single penny per animal. The quicker animals can be made bigger and fatter through genetics, hormones, light deprivation and other cruel techniques, the happier the producers are. For example, the fact that a pig’s bones are literally crumbling beneath him from weight they were never meant to bear is immaterial to the “pork” producers. Robbins reveals that many animals are crowded together in cages so tightly they can barely move, and are driven insane. From birth on they are treated like merchandise. Anyone treating a dog or cat the way these animals are treated would be arrested. The great majority of farm animals are fed diets laced with antibiotics and chemicals. Does this practice improve their health?

Government reports stated that over 90% of chickens examined have cancer, and 80% of pigs have pneumonia till slaughter. To develop white, tender flesh, baby veal calves are confined and fed a diet purposefully designed to make them anemic. The value of these animals is gauged by weight, not health.

Robbins also points out that the toxic substances and suffering in the animals may be passed on to the humans who eat them.* Robbins’ compelling research convinced me that the practice of meat and dairy overproduction is killing our water, stealing our air and natural resources, and costing the consumer every inch of the way. John Robbin’s book, Diet For A New America, has deeply involved me from cover to cover, touching me to the very core of my being. It is a beautifully and lovingly written account of the inter-connectedness of all things, and as this is a mere skimming of the facts, I fervently hope you have the courage to read this most important book.

Chief Seattle, as quoted in the book, sums up the essence of John Robbins message:

” … man must treat the beasts of this land as his brothers. For whatever happens to the beasts soon happens to man.

All things are connected.”

*Since the writing of this article, in 1996, GMO/Roundup containing a cocktail of toxins including glyphosates has been used in ever-increasing amounts, on “Roundup-ready” crops like soy and corn, which is what is mostly fed to factory farm animals. It kills everything it touches, except the genetically modified (or genetically engineered/GE) plants that were changed to tolerate it. Crops may be sprayed from planes, as high up as 60-80′ – so drift to even organic fields is possible – but the crops the chemicals are meant for get really drenched in the stuff, and it can’t be washed off. This is what your meat (and you) eat if you eat non-organic animals. Heard of people having gluten problems? It is also used on wheat and other crops to bring them to die at the same time, making harvest easier. It is killing the soil, birds, butterflies – and bees (7 bee species now endangered). I encourage everyone to help the Earth by voting with your $ (Buycott), so we grow crops, and farm in a way that is sustainable for the Earth. Eat non-GMO, Organic, pasture-raised and free-range – and if you eat meat, please eat less. Buy local, fresh as much as possible, and love your fruits and veggies! –EF

This article was first printed in 1988 for the East-End Food Co-op newsletter in PGH, PA; later it was re-published by the Whole Foods Market Newsletter for Employees, Chicago, July 22, 1994, where I was an Associate Team Leader (and later, Team Leader) in the Nutrition Department. Since then, John and his son Ocean have continued the work of awakening people with a Food Revolution!

www.ellenfarrell.com

By ellen