Happy Father's Day Whether he’s your dad, husband, partner, grandfather, or son – fathers do so much for us. Find just the right gift for Father’s Day at HolEssence. Gift of Relaxation Cranial Therapy is a wonderful way to relax. Reiki or Reflexology are excellent choices to unwind. A combination session will knock him for a loop!
Gift Baskets We make custom gift baskets and you can add relaxing music, an excellent book, hand carved Dcuks (yes, that’s spelled right, they are dcuks with attitude from the U.K.), Mani stones from Tibet, spheres or generators for his desk or den, gongs from Woodstock Chimes, exotic teas, and much more!
Gift Cards Gift cards are available in any increment. Stop by today so that you are ready to treat the men in your life on their special day — Sunday, June 15.
June Events Due to the size of our space, seating is limited. As such, registration is required. You may register for an event up to 30 days prior to its occurrence. This insures equal opportunity registration for everyone. Please call holEssence at 815-276-7173 to reserve your seat. Registration is not available via email.
Because of their popularity, events tend to book up quickly. Please call early to secure your seat. Once an event is full, we start a waiting list in the chance there are any cancellations.
Secrets of the Lost Mode of Prayer - The Hidden Power of Beauty, Blessings, Wisdom, and Hurt By Gregg Braden
One of my clients – Jill W. – told me that I just had to read this book. So I did, and am I ever glad because it's an excellent read! As such, we now carry it at HolEssence.
“There are beautiful and wild forces within us.” With these words the mystic, St. Francis, described what ancient traditions believed was the most powerful force in the universe—the power of prayer.
For more than 20 years, Gregg Braden, the best-selling author of The God Code, has searched for evidence of a forgottenform of prayer that was lost to the West following the Biblical edits of the early Christian Church. In the 1990s, he found and documented this form of prayer still being used in the remote monasteries of central Tibet. He also found it practiced in sacred rites throughout the high deserts of the American Southwest.
In Secrets of the Lost Mode of Prayer, Braden begins by describing this ancient form of prayer that has no words, or outward expressions. Then for the first time in print, he leads us on a journey exploring what our most intimate experiences tell us about our deepest beliefs. Through case histories and his personal sharing, Braden explores the wisdom of these timeless secrets, and the power that awaits each of us, just beyond our deepest hurt!
Crystal of the Month - Aquamarine
Aquamarine banishes fear, calms nerves, and imparts strength and control. Known as the Stone of Courage, Aquamarine’s metaphysical properties provide a shield for the aura and subtle bodies. Its energy is gentle and compassionate; flowing yet structured to maintain balance. Traditionally, Aquamarine has been used as a charm by sailors for protection while at sea. It also is believed to preserve and enhance mutual love and to maintain a good marriage, and to ensure truth in relationships and business dealings. Aquamarineis said to release anger and negativity replacing them with mental peace and clarity, providing emotional and mental balance.
Physically – Aquamarine stimulates the healing properties of the body. Aquamarine harmonizes the pituitary and thyroid glands, thereby regulating growth and the hormone balance. It improves the sight in cases of short or long-sightedness and calms overreactions of the immune system, autoimmune diseases and allergies, in particular hay fever. This useful healing stone, reduces stress, quiets the mind, sharpens intellect, and clears blocked communication and throat chakra. Aquamarine can help reduce dependence on drugs, aid digestion, diminish swollen glands, and help to maintain the health of the jaws and teeth.
Aquamarine is associated with the throat chakra.
Ever wonder about the difference between crystals, stones, and minerals? Simply click on the link for an explanation - The Difference Explained.
Diet & Nutrition Myths – Debunked
Sugar causes diabetes The most common nutrition myth is probably that sugar causes diabetes. If you have diabetes, you do need to watch your sugar and carbohydrate intake, with the help of your registered dietitian or health practitioner, to properly manage your blood sugar level. However, if you do not have diabetes, sugar intake will not cause you to develop the disease. The main risk factors for Type 2 diabetes are a diet high in calories, being overweight, and an inactive lifestyle.
All fats are bad It's a long-held nutrition myth that all fats are bad. But the fact is, we all need fat. Fats aid nutrient absorption and nerve transmission, and they help to maintain cell membrane integrity - to name just a few of their useful purposes. However, when consumed in excessive amounts, fats contribute to weight gain, heart disease, and certain types of cancers.
Not all fats are created equal. Some fats can actually help promote good health, while others increase the risk for heart disease. The key is to replace bad fats (saturated fats and trans fats) with good fats (monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats).
Brown sugar is better for you than white sugar The brown sugar sold at grocery stores is actually white granulated sugar with added molasses. Yes, brown sugar contains minute amounts of minerals. But unless you eat a gigantic portion of brown sugar every day, the mineral content difference between brown sugar and white sugar is absolutely insignificant. The idea that brown and white sugar have big differences, namely that brown sugar is better for you, is another common nutrition myth.
Avoid seafood to lower blood cholesterol The dietary cholesterol found in seafood and other meats has little effect on blood cholesterol in most people. Saturated fats and trans fatty acids are the most important factors that raise blood cholesterol.
Saturated fats are usually found in meat products and packaged foods, and trans fatty acids are found in packaged snack foods, deep-fried foods, or firm margarine containing hydrogenated oil.
Avoid carbohydrates to lose weight The key message that many low-carb diets convey is that carbohydrates promote insulin production, which in turn results in weight gain. Therefore by reducing carbohydrate intake, you can lose weight. Unfortunately, this is just another nutrition myth.
Many low-carb diets actually do not provide sufficient carbohydrates to your body for daily maintenance. Therefore your body will begin to burn stored carbohydrates (glycogen) for energy. When your body starts burning glycogen, water is released. Therefore the drastic initial drop of weight at the beginning of a low-carb diet is mostly the water that you lose as a result of burning glycogen.
The truth is that low-carb diets are also often calorie-restricted! Followers only eat an average of 1000 - 1400 calories daily, compared to an average intake of 1800 - 2200 calories for most people. To lose one pound a week, you only need to eat 500 fewer calories per day in your normal diet. Therefore, it doesn't matter if you eat a high- or low-carb diet, you will lose weight if you eat fewer calories than you burn.
Bottom line on top
To gain weight you have to eat more calories than you burn
To maintain weight you have to eat and burn the same number of calories
To lose weight you have to eat fewer calories than you burn
Brown Eggs are more nutritious than white eggs Contrary to a widely believed nutrition myth, eggshell color has nothing to do with the quality, flavor, nutritive value, cooking characteristics, or shell thickness of an egg. The eggshell color only depends upon the breed of the hen.
According to the Egg Nutrition Council, "white shelled eggs are produced by hens with white feathers and white ear lobes (yes – chickens do have ears, but they’re more like ear holes), and brown shelled eggs are produced by hens with red feathers and red ear lobes. There is no difference in taste or nutrition content between white and brown colored eggs".
Avoid nuts as they are fattening Yes, it's true that nuts are quite calorically dense. Fifteen cashews, for instance, deliver 180 kilocaleries! On top of that, it is very tough not to over eat these tasty snacks. But if you can restrain yourself from overeating them, nuts can be a part of a healthy diet – especially if they are raw and unsalted.
It's a nutrition myth that nuts should be avoided. In fact, nuts are high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (the good fats) as well as plant sterols, all of which have been shown to lower LDL cholesterol.
In 2003, the FDA approved a health claim for seven kinds of nuts stating that "scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces (45 grams) per day of most nuts as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease." Instead of simply adding nuts to your diet, the best approach is to eat them in replacement of foods high in saturated fats.
Skipping meals can help lose weight Many people think that by skipping a meal, they will be eating less food and therefore lose weight. As we now know, this is a nutrition myth. People who think skipping meals means weight loss do not understand how our bodies work.
If you skip a meal, your body will think that you are in starvation mode and therefore slow down the metabolism to compensate. You then tend to overeat at the next meal. Often, skipping a meal and then eating too much at the next one means that you have a higher total caloric intake than if you just ate more frequently throughout the day. A better approach is to eat smaller frequent healthy meals and snacks to keep your blood sugar balanced.
Gemini A good portion of June is ruled by Gemini. To learn more about this Zodiac sign, simply click on the link.
Looking Ahead You may register for an event up to 30-days prior to its occurrence. This insures equal opportunity registration for everyone. For details, simply click on the links. The month of July has two events:
