Many of you know me as a teacher of Universal laws and prosperity principles and the founder of the Feel Free to Prosper program. You may also know that I'm an accomplished business woman and owner of a company that served the corporate arena for over 20 years.

But until recently, you may not have been aware that a few years ago I introduced another special program that addresses a special kind of prosperity – body prosperity.  I created the I Create My Body program to provide the missing link – an uncommon solution to the seeming never-ending preoccupation we women especially have with our weight and body image – and cravings. But of course the program is for men too!

I was recently invited to write a weekend column about body consciousness and health on a women's network and decided to share the segments here as well for my network members, visitors and students of the I Create My Body program.

The I Create My Body program is a unique lesson and mentoring experience that is based on a mental technique for losing weight that I discovered many years ago from a great New Thought teacher. I used the technique over the years to maintain my own weight, despite the fact that I have a genetic predisposition to obesity. I have been a proverbial “health nut” for decades and believe there is a common sense approach to fitness and nutrition but that the mental component is the foundation for success in that area, just as it is in other areas of life.

With the I Create My Body program, I teach you how to attain the physical goals you want in a natural, effortless way – by gently shifting the subconscious dominant thought and no longer thinking of yourself as having “to lose weight.” You can see the testimonials and photos of I Create My Body students on the website at the link below.

I love sharing the knowledge I have gathered in this area of “body prosperity” to help you become balanced and happier with your body temple. I believe that to become happier, well rounded individuals, we must learn to love our bodies, even while they are well rounded :-)


Marilyn Jenett

Founder of the I Create My Body Program
www.feelfreetoprosper.com/icreatemybody.html
www.FeelFreetoProsper.com


Copyright 2008 Marilyn Jenett, Feel Free to Prosper
All rights reserved
Contact Marilyn for reprint permission

This is a subject that I have paid much attention to in my life. As I state on the presentation page for the I Create My Body program, my mother and sister are both gone and had significant  “body” issues.  But they inspired me to find the answers - and the consciousness - to remain fit and healthy in the best way I could for life. Body consciousness is not just about our weight, of course. As I stated above, it's about the seemingly never-ending preoccupation we women have with not only our weight, but with our body image - and our cravings. It's about health. It's about healthy self love.  And I believe that self love is profoundly related to our ability to succeed in business.  Men may not be as obsessed with their bodies as women are - or at least not as expressive about it - but they can understand the significance of my statements, especially if they have a partner who is!

I believe that "body prosperity" is just as important as other forms of prosperity. I have been a proverbial “health nut” for decades (and was victorious over my first challenge a couple of years ago) and believe there's a common sense approach to fitness and nutrition but the mental component of health is the foundation for success.


So let's warm up here ...


On another network, a friend shared a link to an Atlanta news story about a man who is raising the consciousness of third graders by teaching them to "pay it forward." I watched that video and then...

My eyes couldn't help but notice another video listed on the same news page that week...

A man in Georgia is producing t-shirts to get "skinny" models off the runways. His cause has already reached across the nation. It showed fashion design students in the schools designing clothes for bodies that are not size "0", which is the normal runway model size. The average American woman is size 12, they stated. And yes, runway models are size "0".

So between this one man and the design students, they are creating an awareness and shift to change the perception that women have about their bodies.

Here is the video of the news station broadcast followed by the article from the station website:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=OU-n9aM8sWI:

George Namho is fighting the skinny fashion industry one T-shirt at a time. Each one reads "Skinny Models Off The Runway Please!"

SkinnyModelsOffTheRunway.com and the matching T-shirts started in Marietta, Georgia. Now, thousands of women across the country are clinging to the slogan.

"You have to be comfortable in the skin you're in," Namho said. "Not let the world or the fashion industry turn you into something."

A recent poll of 10,000 women in 13 American cities showed their average size at a 12. The average runway model used to be an 8. It is now a zero…

Read the rest of the story here:
http://www.11alive.com/news/article_news.aspx?storyid=96305

I found this of special interest because that same week I also came across a movie on cable titled Phat Girlz. The title didn't suggest anything of substance until I started watching. The film actually had a lot of soul - the film was about a heavyset black woman who fought for the chance - and won - to become a famous fashion designer for "big" women. She created sexy high fashion clothes for heavy women and changed the consciousness of the fashion industry. And after her brilliant success, she returned to Africa to look up her former love and well...happily ever after, of course.  The movie was not based on a true story, by the way, but it did get a message home.

I can't help but wonder what the Universe is up to here. I have always believed that American women, especially our girls and very young women, have been psychologically damaged by the perceptions laid on us by the media, Hollywood and Madison Avenue and the fashion industries. I think it may be the major cause of eating disorders in our country.

What are the perceptions that we are putting in the minds of our young children? What kind of mindset - consciousness - will they grow up with? Positive, life enhancing, producing a sense of wholeness in self and society? Or unrealistic, impossible standards that create preoccupation and unhappiness with self that waste the energies that could be expressing and contributing?

Third grade - a very important time. They say our character is formed by around age 6. Very important time for values to be shaped and formed.

I wonder how many of our young girls have grown into adulthood unhappy with or even preoccupied with their less than "perfect" body weight because they couldn't live up to an unrealistic standard society and the media has laid on them early in life?


Now let’s get back to us adult women…


How much energy do you expend with worry about weight and health, with your focus on dieting, perhaps condemning and criticizing yourself, feeling guilt, blame and shame?  All of that energy can be directed instead to living a more productive and fulfilling life.  Just think of what you can be doing with your life if your body was no longer an issue.  Please take just a moment to think about that.

Is the Universe telling us that it's time we made peace with our bodies? Perhaps it's time to love and accept them just the way they are...and improve them - within reason - if we so choose. Isn't it time that we express gratitude for this miracle of miracles - this vehicle that transports us through life with hardly a direction on our part - and finally enjoy the ride?

As we go along, I will share information about our minds which will help you understand how your subconscious beliefs keep you stuck where you are and how we are able to communicate with the subconscious so that it becomes our friend.

You will discover why we must shift our subconscious mindset away from the idea of "dieting" and "losing weight" and instead create a new dominant thought in the subconscious that will produce what we really want.

You will understand that your "outside" is a reflection of your inner consciousness – your mindset. And we can change and heal our inner consciousness if we know how. Our bodies are not the cause of our unhappiness and discomfort. They are the effect of our discomfort.

Dieting is not the answer. The natural way we are created to use our minds - constructively and in alignment with Universal laws – IS.



Marilyn Jenett

Founder of the I Create My Body Program
www.feelfreetoprosper.com/icreatemybody.html
www.FeelFreetoProsper.com


Copyright 2008 Marilyn Jenett, Feel Free to Prosper
All rights reserved
Contact Marilyn for reprint permission

Yesterday, I was trying to decide on an outfit for my daughter's upcoming college graduation. I really want to look nice for this special occasion. I tried on a suit that I had worn to her high school graduation 4 years ago. Sadly, it doesn't fit me anymore, because I've gained weight since I last wore it.

Most of you reading this, especially women, can relate to the feeling that inevitably follows the moment when you realize that you've gained too much weight to wear a favorite outfit. This, however, was not what upset me. I mean, obviously I've already decided I want to transform my body, which is why I decided to take the I Create My Body program.

The real wake-up call was when I remembered that four years ago, I wasn't happy with my body either. I thought I was too heavy. And then I remembered that I've always thought I needed to lose weight - even when I was a size 7! I realized that with my constant inner criticizing of my body I "attracted" more and more weight.

I started to speak to my reflection in the mirror. I asked myself, “How did this happen???" Then: “Who did this to you? Who convinced you that you weren't good enough just as you were? Somebody really did a mind job on you! It's so sad that you have no idea of how beautiful you really are." Then I broke down and cried.

A severe mind shift is needed (in our country in particular) to help us see what is happening. This same scene is taking place, and it starts with our young girls.

THIS IS THE YEAR I'VE DECIDED TO FALL IN LOVE WITH MY BODY!

And here is my reply…


"I realized that with my constant inner criticizing of my body I ‘attracted’ more and more weight."

Now that is an interesting statement. She expressed that criticizing our body will only attract more weight. The frustration will only attract more weight. The self loathing will only attract more weight.

Now it's time to turn ALL of that gar-BAHGE around - time for a consciousness overhaul. There is a part of each of you that knows exactly the weight that is right for you - at which you will feel good and look good - to YOU. Not by anyone else's standards.

This woman was right on track.

I always tell my students that a good cry is VERY therapeutic. We don't want to suppress our feelings (and by the way, that causes people to overeat - you know, "stuffing" our feelings). It's good to let it all out and this creates a nice "vacuum" - a space for all the good in life to come in.

Our body DOES respond to love and blessing, you know.  We'll talk more later about this concept of blessing and praising our bodies…

 "I love my body for the miracle it is.
 I am grateful for the way it carries my spirit through life.
 I thank it for the ride!"

Marilyn's Tip of the Week

There was a Broadway play titled Coco about the famous couture designer, Coco Chanel (it starred Katherine Hepburn in her only stage musical).

And I was told that one of Coco's lines in the play went something like this...

"If you eat enough low calorie, it becomes high calorie."

Basic, but true :-)



Marilyn Jenett

I Create My Body Program
www.feelfreetoprosper.com/icreatemybody.html


Cartoon heart © http://www.lillyarts.com

Copyright © 2008 Marilyn Jenett, Feel Free to Prosper
All rights reserved
Contact Marilyn for reprint permission

 

Come on now, ladies and gents, don't be lazy...

Little bits and pieces are not going to get you in shape.

Sure, every little thing helps, but you need regular sustained exercise to get and stay in shape.  It's not all about looks and weight.  Your bones, muscles and cardiovascular system depend on it. Your skin depends on it. Your brain depends on it. Your quality of life depends on it.

There has got to be a certain level of resistance or cardiovascular exercise to gain any benefit, even if you break it up during the day.

You gotta do it.

We are the opposite of machines, you know. With machines, you use them and they wear out. With humans, you use it or lose it. It's that simple.

So here are seven reasons to start working out, no matter what your age:


1.  Protects your heart (women have a high rate of heart disease too). Don't want to lose heart muscle and strength? Then use it – do cardio.

2.  Protects your bones (we lose bone density more and more as we get older). Don't want to lose bone density? Strength train and maintain.

3.  Don't want to lose muscle tone and definition, especially as you get older? Use those muscles.

4.  Blood circulation and oxygenation does wonders for the brain - and the skin. Don't want to lose skin texture and tone? Move. Fast.

5.  Don't want to lose flexibility? Stretch

6.  Increases metabolism. When you build muscle from exercise (that's not the same thing as being "muscular"),  your metabolism remains higher all the time so you are constantly burning calories even when you are not exercising - you can eat more!

7.  You can weigh more and still look thinner because muscle weighs more than fat. I gained 10 pounds right after I started lifting weights, but my clothes were loose.


Do you need to do it at a gym? No.  We’ll get into more later about various workout options, but I would like to offer one today, which I believe is "excuse proof."
   
In my opinion, one of the greatest exercises in the world for getting the metabolism in gear is putting on good cushiony running shoes, going outside and just walking fast - a couple of miles fast walking. Weight lifting is fantastic for replacing fat with muscle, and for heart and bones, especially for women. But I understand not everyone is into or ready to lift weights. And we still need that aerobic workout. So get outside and start walking. That's an addiction you will love to have. When you start releasing those endorphins (feel good hormones), the whole world looks better.

Walk alone if you need some time to meditate, regroup, or to say hello to the flowers, trees and squirrels on your street that you miss when you’re driving.  Walk with your spouse, family member or friend if you want the time to whiz by while you’re sharing a healthy experience.

I believe that having my students do their prosperity or I Create My Body "homework" - words, affirmations, rhymes, prosperity drills - while in the heightened endorphin state impresses the subconscious just like in the alpha state (our most suggestible state while falling off to sleep and awakening).

Several years back, psychiatrists discovered that having their patients take 45-minute walks at a brisk pace relieved their depression and eliminated the need for medication.  I call endorphins “nature’s antidepressants."

Need any more inspiration to start exercising? Ok...

Marilyn's Tip of the Week

Just 30 minutes of aerobic exercise – walking – three times a week can alleviate depression. According to research at Duke University, 50 minutes of exercise a week brings about a 50% decrease in the likelihood of being depressed.

Marilyn Jenett

Founder of the I Create My Body Program
www.feelfreetoprosper.com/icreatemybody.html
www.FeelFreetoProsper.com


Copyright 2008 Marilyn Jenett, Feel Free to Prosper
All rights reserved
Contact Marilyn for reprint permission

Your attractiveness is only limited by your thoughts. 

A Ryze member once referred to herself as a “broken down old housewife.” You are only a "broken down old housewife" if you think you are. You are a miracle, a temple of the divine if you think you are.

In business, your charisma and competence is not revealed in your facial features anyway. It comes through your eyes - along with that spark of intelligence, goodness and connectedness that people trust and relate to.There are some pretty magnificent women in past and recent history that didn't have "looks" by modern standards but they influenced and changed the world.

There are film stars past and present who don't have classic beauty but could fool you into believing they are beautiful. Queen Latifah is not a slender woman by any means but men find her beautiful. She can play it up or play it down. Attitude.

I also remember seeing Jessica Tandy receiving her Academy Award for Best Actress for Driving Miss Daisy. She was 80 years old. She didn’t appear to have had any cosmetic surgery on her face. I remember thinking how beautiful she looked. Her husband, Hume Cronyn, presented her with the award and when she walked onto the stage, he couldn’t hide the love in his eyes, even though they had been married forever. That to me is beauty.

Most women underestimate what's attractive about themselves and tend to concentrate on their flaws. Shouldn't we turn that around?

True fitness and true beauty encompasses more than our physical bodies. Our physical bodies cannot be disconnected from our mental, emotional and spiritual bodies. Our physical beings are a reflection, a mirror of those other states.

So, along with our physical body temples, we also need to nurture ourselves mentally, emotionally and spiritually to be truly fit – and to feel beautiful.

The mental component is also amazingly effective in helping us age, not only gracefully...but youthfully.

I have been using mental principles for decades to stay youthful and people are always shocked if they find out my age. One Ryze network leader who met me in person a couple of years ago posted on her network about the meeting and told her members that yes, my photos were recent :-)

I'll share a secret. This is a wonderful affirmation from Catherine Ponder, renowned author, minister and prosperity teacher:

"I give thanks for my ever increasing youth and beauty."

Once the subconscious accepts a message such as this, it will guide you to fulfill that vision.

I believe that your mental and emotional state can actually take years off your face. Worry, anxiety and stress can certainly create the opposite. What kind of hormones do you want to course through your body? Well, your mind and emotions will determine whether they are beneficial or destructive.

And another beauty and fitness tip - learn about the effects of the sun. We need sunlight and Vitamin D to be healthy, BUT sun exposure can be very harmful and can cause premature aging as you probably know. Learn how to get the exposure you need without causing skin damage. A little daily sun exposure (without sunblock) on the upper body just for the health benefits and Vitamin D is the right thing and will promote a healthy facial glow...15 minutes or so is recommended by doctors, perhaps less if you're sun sensitive. And the rest of the time in the sun? Get a hat, t-shirt and cover up.


Here are guidelines to increase or maintain attractiveness:

1.    Proper nutritional support
2.    Appropriate exercise
3.    Eliminate addictions like smoking and alcohol
4.    Be wise about sun exposure
5.    Appreciate your physical temple for the miracle it is
6.    Focus on your attractive features, not your flaws – think like a goddess
7.    Express gratitude for the health you do have
8.    Be YOURSELF. There is only one YOU in the whole world. Never compare yourself with anyone else.
9.    And something that increases beauty instantly: Develop a sincere interest in others

Marilyn's Tip of the Week

An endocrinologist told me that many people are deficient in Vitamin D because of the use of sunblock, so if you do protect yourself a lot with sunblock, you might consider getting a blood test for Vitamin D to find out if you need supplements or need to increase your supplementation.

Marilyn Jenett

Founder of the I Create My Body Program
www.feelfreetoprosper.com/icreatemybody.html
www.FeelFreetoProsper.com


Copyright 2008 Marilyn Jenett, Feel Free to Prosper
All rights reserved
Contact Marilyn for reprint permission

Here is something that I want you to think about carefully.

Those of you who are my prosperity students will grasp this a little more quickly, but I want you all to consider this and keep considering it until you grasp it fully.  It will be a very important factor in your solution about body image and weight.

If you have the mindset of being a dieter, of having to lose weight - if that is what you consistently feel like, then your subconscious keeps adjusting your habits to conform to that idea.  It keeps you being “a dieter” or “on a diet." The subconscious does not think or reason, it just takes orders.  Those orders are your thoughts and feelings.

In other words, when you do manage to lose some weight, your core belief of being a dieter will have you gain weight again so that you can continue being a dieter because that is what your subconscious mind thinks you are and thinks you want.

When you are constantly criticizing and condemning your body for its weight, you are reinforcing the very thing you don’t want.  Your mind will perpetuate the condition because your mind thinks that’s what you want.

Do you get this?

You now have conflict between what you desire on a conscious level and what your subconscious mind thinks you want – opposing ideas.  Dr. Murphy said that if you tell a taxi driver to go to two different addresses, you will never get to your destination.  Remember, it’s the union of the conscious and subconscious – when they are in agreement – that’s when your desire is manifested.

That’s why my I Create My Body program does not focus on dieting. We instead condition our minds to accept the idea/thought/picture of a fit, healthy woman or man at her/his ideal weight. Once that idea is instilled in the mind, then you will automatically be guided and directed to all that is necessary for you to fulfill that idea. You will just intuitively want the right foods and pass on the wrong ones. You will adopt the proper exercise habits. You will be guided to the right book or nutritional information to manifest your subconscious idea. It must happen because that is the law - the nature of Mind.  Mind will always create according to the seed thought.

Marilyn's Tip of the Week

Whole Grains - Don't be Fooled

Whole grain means whole grains – not white flour products, not bleached flour, not enriched flour. There are many whole grains - whole grain wheat, oats, brown rice, etc.

Now here is where you can be fooled: When the label states “wheat flour” it means white flour.  And that means empty calories. When it states “whole wheat flour” it means just that. 

The word "whole" makes a huge difference. Whole wheat or whole grain means it retains the natural germ and bran, the most nutritious part of the grain.  Why do you think all of the white flour products out there have to be “enriched?”  I once heard that that is like taking a man’s wallet and giving him back a dime. :-)

The whole grain also contain the fiber which is extremely important for the health and perfect functioning of our bodies - and weight regulation.

Marilyn Jenett

Founder of Feel Free to Prosper and the I Create My Body Program
www.feelfreetoprosper.com/icreatemybody.html
www.FeelFreetoProsper.com


Copyright 2008 Marilyn Jenett, Feel Free to Prosper
All rights reserved
Contact Marilyn for reprint permission

Can mental and spiritual principles be applied to the healing of physical conditions – to our own or those of our loved ones? Absolutely!

Disease is actually dis-ease in mind or spirit. The body is an outer reflection of what is going on within. Now it doesn't mean you have to necessarily know what is going on. Yes, it can be at an unconscious level. It may be the result of faulty patterns in the subconscious. It can be temporary or it can be chronic. But the body and mind are not separate entities. Our bodies, minds and emotions are one. The body reflects our mental and emotional state. It is our mirror. And we can change our reflection.

Mainstream - Finally

Even conventional medicine is now recognizing this more and more – there has been major media exposure in recent years in Time, Newsweek and other notable publications and we are seeing this more and more. I read in the news awhile back that there are even hospitals now in the US where you can request "absent prayer" along with conventional medical treatment. There were case studies done in a San Francisco hospital with cardiac patients - a blind study where half the patients received prayer and the other half did not. The statistics were amazing in that there were faster recoveries and greater survival rate among those prayed for (more on this below).


Bernie S. Siegel, MD, bio, embraces a philosophy that is at the forefront of a society grappling with medical ethics and spiritual issues. His best selling books have broken new ground in the field of healing and include:

Love, Medicine & Miracles: Lessons Learned about Self Healing from a Surgeon’s Experience with Exceptional Patients

Peace, Love & Healing: Bodymind Communication and the Path to Self Healing

In this excerpt, “How to Heal Yourself," from his book, Prescriptions for Living, Dr. Siegel states:

Physicians call the most dramatic healings "spontaneous remissions." Once we have labeled them, we learn nothing from the people in whom those remissions take place. We cannot afford to ignore these remarkable successes. We are all at risk for a great many diseases, and as the world gets smaller the list of things we are exposed to grows larger. We need to learn from people who recover and people who stay healthy.

You can read the full chapter here.


Dr. O. Carl Simonton, acclaimed oncologist and author, many years ago achieved recognition in the field of oncology and mind/body medicine with his pioneer work with cancer patients. He cured hundreds of cases of terminally ill cancer patients with the use of visual imagery tapes with which the patients visualized "Pac Men" eating up the cancer cells.

His 30 years of groundbreaking work is well documented and has been published extensively. His renowned cancer center in California, www.simontoncenter.com, and his work are well recognized by mainstream medicine and universities. Since that time there have been thousands more healed. His earlier tapes are still available along with the more enhanced modern material. The foundation of his work is based on the belief system of the patient, with or without accompanying medical treatment.

A Personal Teacher

One of my own personal teachers, Champion K. Teutsch, PhD, together with his late wife, Joel Marie Teutsch, became famous when they authored, From Here to Greater Happiness or How to Change Your Life for Good, which permanently changed for good the lives of hundreds of thousands of grateful readers all over the world.

Later, the Teutsch's masterful presentation entitled Your Right to Perfect Health: Mental and Spiritual Healing Principles and Non-Medical Answers to Cancer, Heart Disease and Other Conditions, included professional secrets of this pioneer couple and outstanding success stories.. Although the books are now out of print, you can read about Champion and some outstanding editorial on Amazon.

When I was seeing him, Champion had his practice in Los Angeles and was chair of the International Human Research Center Sunray in Moscow (a renowned psychology professor at Moscow State University was president and a physicist formerly with the Soviet space program was vice-president). Champion was also chair of a similar organization in Tel Aviv, Israel. He was certifying professionals and qualified lay persons in the US, Russia and Isreal as practitioners of his methodology.

After a lecture and demonstration on a prostate cancer case, he was appointed visiting professor of medicine by the former dean of the University of Florida’s College of Medicine. The dean resigned shortly after meeting Champion to devote his energies to alternative or complementary medicine.

Faith and Expectancy

People from all over the world go to Lourdes, France to step into the "holy water" and spontaneous healings are legendary. How? Someone steps into the Fountain of Lourdes and their faith and expectancy produces a reaction in the subconscious mind, which has the perfect memory of every cell in their body. And a healing is produced.

I was in a class about 20 years ago - a New Thought class. A young woman and her husband attended this class, which was based on changing words and thoughts and using affirmations to manifest. This woman was given six months to live. I remember the whole class went country western dancing a few months later and I watched in fascination as this woman and her husband were having one heck of a time two stepping. She was completely healed.

Now if people with serious life-threatening illnesses can somehow be healed through mental "adjustments," then does it not stand to reason that less serious conditions can be overcome even more easily?

Types of Healing

Now, when we are learning to use mental and spiritual principles for health and healing, we are not ignoring medical or nutritional intervention. When we apply these principles, healings can occur in two ways:

• Spontaneous - There are spontaneous, natural healings that result when the subconscious mind accepts the healing idea as the dominant thought. The subconscious mind has the perfect memory of every cell in your body and will return those cells to perfection once the “dis-ease” thought has been overcome. Spontaneous healings are the result of your faith, expectation and altered belief patterns – not only consciously but also at a deeper core level. You can learn to create these new patterns that will result in healing.

• Medical/Nutritional/Lifestyle - Your healing may also result when you are guided intuitively to the appropriate medical doctor or other health practitioner, nutritional counseling and treatment and/or lifestyle changes that result in the healing of your condition. Again, this inspired action or guidance results from the shifting of the belief patterns in the subconscious. Once the shift occurs, you will automatically be guided to your solution in the form that is necessary to fulfill your new thought pattern of healing and health. So, that guidance may include being led to any of the numerous channels that are “handpicked” by your subconscious to guarantee your result.

Remember that the subconscious is compulsive in nature. Once it accepts the seed thought of perfect health, it will connect with all the forces in the Universe to create that destiny, in the same way that those creative forces will be attracted to and move on a seed planted in fertile soil to create its destiny as a plant or flower.

So the point here is that anyone who wishes to be healed of an illness or condition and opens their mind to BELIEVE that it is possible, can indeed produce that healing if shown how to influence the subconscious mind to accept the thought of health instead of illness, despite outer appearances. That’s the key – understanding that the inner state creates the outer condition. To impress the subconscious mind with a new image would require an abrupt reversal in your language patterns and thoughts with regard to your illness or condition, but this can be accomplished and often in a much shorter time than you can imagine. There are techniques to speed the process.

Students are attracted to my Feel Free to Prosper prosperity program primarily for financial increase. However, I found that many of my students experienced unexpected healings of physical conditions as they were doing the prosperity work. That’s because you already have all the potential within you to tap into the healing energy of the Universe to renew, rebuild and restore your perfect health. Often just by eliminating the negative patterns in our subconscious of a general nature, we create an opening to our source of guidance to radiant health and vitality.

An Ounce of Prevention

In the same way, anyone who wishes to prevent any form of illness can also do so using this most valuable asset - an open mind.  Using these principles is a tremendously beneficial way to maintain good health even if one has no particular condition to address. I personally conditioned my subconscious to total health, and am able to immediately ward off any sign of impending “invasion."  But I have had a couple of experiences over the years that were extremely enlightening that taught me how shifting my thoughts and reaching the subconscious could bring immediate guidance to the perfect solution. I did have one health glitch a couple of years ago but was guided to victory and the perfect medical treatment.

And a Pound of Intervention

Another important aspect of this work is our influence in affecting the healings of others. Proof that our consciousness can reach out to heal others through "absent" or "distant" healing has been scientifically substantiated. In an early issue of the Feel Free to Prosper Newsletter, I presented an introduction and a link to a fascinating interview with best-selling author Larry Dossey, MD.
You can find the interview information here.


My sincere wish is that this information will take your health goals to an inspired level and speed you on your journey to wholeness and well-being – our true wealth in life.

Marilyn's Tip of the Week

Remember, the subconscious mind cannot take a joke. It will accept our words and thoughts literally and through repetition and faith, will produce the equivalent in our outer circumstances - and even in bodily conditions! . So please, eliminate pet expressions such as "It's a pain in the neck," "She makes me sick to my stomach," and other such descriptive phrases. One of my personal quotes:

"If you don't want it, don't say it."

Marilyn Jenett

Founder of the Feel Free to Prosper and I Create My Body Programs
www.FeelFreetoProsper.com
www.feelfreetoprosper.com/icreatemybody.html


Copyright 2008 Marilyn Jenett, Feel Free to Prosper
All rights reserved
Contact Marilyn for reprint permission

"Coincidentally" I Received this Email...

Two days after I posted the last segment, I received this email from a young woman who knew nothing about it. A recent college grad, she was contacting me about a job with my business, Marilyn Jenett Locations. But we also discussed my other life (Feel Free to Prosper) and she then wrote what I think is an interesting real life example of healing through mental law.

Hello Marilyn,

I took your suggestion and I read your e-book, “An Introduction to Universal Laws and Prosperity Principles.” I find the subconscious amazing and it was refreshing to learn about it from a theoretical level as opposed to a scientifically practical approach (as is taught in school). I believe and understand the lessons that you teach and have, actually, had my own experience with tapping into the subconscious. If you have a minute, read the tangent below.

I am fortunate to have a mother that will do and try anything to help, well, anyone, but in this circumstance her children and, in particular, me. When I was about ten years old I was very much into gymnastics. One of the consequences, however, was that running around barefoot on a gym floor resulted in very unpleasant plantar warts on the bottom of my feet. Now, I am sure that you don’t want to hear about that but what I think that you might be interested in is the only treatment that worked for me. I tried every medical remedy beginning with home remedies and ending with the very painful process of a doctor trying to "freeze them off.” Ouch! My mother realized how much pain I was in and, upon the realization that traditional medicine was not working and was probably not going to, she decided to take a different approach. So, the next day I found myself at a hypnotherapist! I had a session with him and we recorded a tape that I was to listen to every night. While I listened to the tape, I was to picture them disappearing. He, the hypnotherapist, explained that the mind does not recognize warts as an attack on the body so it does not fight them. Two weeks later...they were all cleared up! Skeptics believe that this is a coincidence but I know that it was not and it amazed me how easily I was able to tap into the subconscious and have it respond.

So, thank you for directing me to your e-book – I look forward to re-reading it and absorbing more of the lessons.

Sincerely,

Anusia

Marilyn's Tip of the Week

                                                                                               
If you are like me, you may not drink as much water as we are supposed to each day. The only time I crave a lot of water is after I eat something salty. I guess that's because I'm not used to added salt in my diet, so anything with added salt really increases my thirst.

So I discovered something awhile back that really helps me get that water down...

Instead of drinking the water plain, just add a very small amount of juice to it. Even a tiny, minimal amount of orange or some other juice will add enough flavor to make a difference. For convenience, I buy 16-oz size bottled water and add a little juice to each bottle. Surprisingly, that causes me to drink a lot more.

Marilyn Jenett

Founder of the Feel Free to Prosper and I Create My Body Programs
www.FeelFreetoProsper.com
www.feelfreetoprosper.com/icreatemybody.html


Copyright 2008 Marilyn Jenett, Feel Free to Prosper
All rights reserved
Contact Marilyn for reprint permission

Okay, Let's Switch from Mind Stuff to Body Mass

Because I believe so much in its benefits, I would like to speak about weight training/lifting...

I have been lifting weights for over 20 years now, and I am convinced that it is definitely one of the most healthful and age defying things a woman can do. I'm not a body builder by any means, but  even a good workout once or twice a week provides good maintenance.

When I started, a lot of women my age weren't into this, and I'm not at all athletic, but I felt compelled to do it. It is absolutely the most effective workout you can do to improve your body in the least amount of time. Women's bodies respond surprisingly well to weight training and you can notice changes in a very short time. And regular weight training can even completely change your body if that's what you want.

But as noted in an earlier segment, this is certainly not all about looks. Here are benefits well worth noting (some of these have already been mentioned, but it doesn't hurt to repeat):


1. Weight lifting is fantastic for replacing fat with muscle. And please don't think that "muscle" means muscles like a man. It doesn't. Women do not have the hormones to build masculine muscles (there are very rare women who have that much testosterone). Instead our muscles creates "definition" and a sexier feminine shape. And it helps build and preserve muscle mass lost during aging.

Don't be afraid of getting muscles. The trainer with whom I began owns a small gym in Santa Monica and trained only movie stars and models (I had to beg him to take me on). Believe me, those female stars work out hard with weights and they don't look masculine.

2. Muscle burns more calories than fat, so when you weight train and increase muscle, your body is constantly burning more calories, even when you are not exercising. So yes, working out with weights raises your metabolism and can help with weight control.

3. Great for your heart and especially for your bones. There have been medical studies on even elderly people who were put on a weight lifting regimen (mostly machines) and they were able to increase their bone mass. You get stronger very quickly and can keep increasing your weights. I lift fairly heavy weights and when you do, you actually get aerobic benefit from this and your heart gets a workout too.

Weight lifting for women is one of the best ways to prevent against bone diseases like osteoporosis – it builds bone mass and muscle strength in the hip and spine, where most fractures occur.

4. Another great benefit is circulation and what it does for the skin.

5. Weight lifting makes you feel mentally stronger and increases your confidence. Sometimes when I just don't seem to have energy, I will go to the gym and once I start, my whole mood and outlook changes.

6. Grocery bags suddenly seem lighter and I'm sure your children will too :-) Hubbies may not appreciate being lifted up though.

Convinced? Let's Go...

Here are my suggestions  if you are considering  starting a weight training program...

First, it is a very good idea to have someone show you routines to get you started. Or you can buy a book or video.

Although you don't need to join a gym to workout, nothing compares to the workout you can get at a gym. Gyms have hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of professional equipment and free weights ("free" means they are separate weights, not machines) and staff that can help you - and you can find gyms with very low monthly fees. Equipment for the home that would compare in benefit could be extremely expensive, although there is good home equipment available. Check out the reviews for the most popular home gyms.

Before joining a gym, I took a two-part class and bought some weights for home, but within weeks those weights were way too light for me. I knew that if I wanted to keep increasing the quality of my workout, I needed the right equipment and a gym. So I trained with George, the owner of the Santa Monica gym for 6 months, then went out on my own and joined other gyms over the years. You don't need to have a trainer as I did. But you do need to have proper instruction at the beginning to weight train properly. At the gym, you can also learn by watching others (I copied the men, because they always do it right).

The other thing that is very important is to always do a stretching routine before and after you use weights. That is the single most important step to avoid any injury or soreness. Stretch out the muscles before lifting. Weight lifting shortens the muscles, so afterwards, stretch them back out.

Routines

I know that conventional instruction says to work out upper OR lower muscle groups on a given day. And that's okay. I did this for many years and then one day a trainer showed me another routine called "supersetting." It was fantastic and my body responded like never before.

Here's what supersetting is and what I have done ever since:

I work out a lower body muscle group, let's say leg presses - one set. I immediately go and do an upper body set - lat pull downs. Then back to a lower body set, different machine. Another upper body. I continue alternating throughout my whole workout. While the upper muscle group is resting, the lower one is working out and vice versa. I have found this has made a major difference in my results.

When you get used to doing weight workouts, your own body will guide you a lot. We call this "instinctive training." It will become second nature and you will know what to do and how to vary your routines. Also, once you establish a weight training routine, even if you take some time off, your body will spring right back because of "muscle memory."

So don't be intimidated by all this. Just start. You'll find it becomes very easy once you're familiar. You just need to get off your butt and do it.

Marilyn's Tip of the Week

                                                                                               
How did I start weight lifting? I took a woman's two-part class called the "Five Pound Workout." And it wasn't long before those five pound dumbbells felt much too light and I was ready for more. As you see how quickly your body responds, this will empower you and encourage you to keep going.

Marilyn Jenett

Founder of the Feel Free to Prosper and I Create My Body Programs
www.FeelFreetoProsper.com
www.feelfreetoprosper.com/icreatemybody.html


Copyright 2008 Marilyn Jenett, Feel Free to Prosper
All rights reserved
Contact Marilyn for reprint permission

Here are a few safe sweeteners that have come to the forefront in recent times. However, the third one, my absolute favorite of all time, seems to still be a secret to the mainstream. But I hope it won't be for long...


Stevia

Stevia is a safe herb and sweetener, but I don't find the taste appealing. If you can handle it, then yes, it's safe. Many people swear by this non-caloric safe sweetener.


Xylitol

Now xylitol has issues and they can be somewhat serious. I will explain...

There is a group of substances named sugar alcohols and they can be recognized by the "tol " at the end of their names, such as:

Sorbitol       Mannitol       Maltitol      Xylitol

Sorbitol has been the one most commonly used over the years in sugar free products; next was mannitol and maltitol, and now xylitol has hit the market. There was a lot of good marketing hype about it recently.

However, there is also a very common side effect that they don't disclose easily. If you look at packages of products containing these substances, you will see a warning that states, “Excess consumption can cause a laxative effect.” I believe this is required by the FDA. And I also found out that it's one of the greatest understatements I have ever seen. I saw beautiful displays of baking mixes made with xylitol at Whole Foods - but when I looked closely on the packages of xylitol itself that were being sold, the warning was there. I called the manufacturer and asked if perhaps the side effect would be any different with xylitol than the others, and they told me that all sugar alcohols had the same effect, including this one. But they just wouldn't tell me what "excess" meant.

Now, here’s the problem: How much is excess? One or two candies or cookies? A whole candy bar? A piece of cake or more than a piece? I discovered years ago that even a couple of pieces of candies with these substances would have me in the bathroom for hours –  you don’t want to know the details. There was also much pain and cramping.

First, I tested various products over time to make certain that was causing the problem. It was definitely the sugar alcohols – all of them had the same effect. Then I researched this – both with the manufacturers and with scientific/medical data. Depending on the individual, sugar alcohols in ANY amount can cause cramping, pain, diarrhea. etc.

So before getting excited about xylitol and the marketing hype, please test it out for yourself and see how your system responds. Sure, a piece of gum is pretty innocuous. But how many of us just eat one hard candy or one cookie? And even that may be too much for a sensitive system.

Eureka! The Wonderful News!

Agave Nectar!

Here is the very best sweetener I have ever tasted in my life and it’s completely safe – even for diabetics. Read on…

A former errand assistant of mine, who was a student in acupuncture college, first told me about agave nectar when I wanted to eliminate the one questionable item in my diet - my sporadic use of aspartame (Equal) and suncralose (Splenda). I wanted something that really tasted good but didn't want to use sugars and artificial sweeteners. This was the perfect solution.

I'm a great fan of agave nectar. Agave is the pure natural nectar of the agave plant of Mexico. It's organic, completely healthy,  low glycemic and so delicious. It may be difficult to find in Europe and other parts of the world but it can be ordered online and through networking marketing companies.

Agave can be used in all recipes as a sweetener and will not harm the body. It's absolutely delicious for eating, baking, anything…and will not cause sugar cravings! Agave Nectar has only 15 calories per spoonful and tastes like a light honey. Best of all, it does not affect insulin levels and the glycemic index - so it's even safe for diabetics. Therefore, it will satisfy that sweet tooth without causing cravings and with a minimum of calories, fat and sugar. Sometimes I just pour some in a spoon and that's my treat!

I think it's worth trying to see if it satisfies your sugar cravings and the emotional satisfaction sugar provides. I don't think we have to deprive ourselves if we give our bodies the right kind of sugar that is good for it. I find agave to be of great comfort to the mind and soul as well. Remember, it's not just our body that craves sweets :-)

Brands

"Agave nectar" isn't a name brand...it's the substance - the nectar of the agave - and there are many brands available. Here are three brands that I buy and love. I find them at Whole Foods Market but you can also find them online.

Nekutli Agave Nectar (Light)
http://www.agavenectar.com/product.html

Madhava Agave Nectar (Light)
http://www.madhavahoney.com

Sweet Cactus Farms Agave Nectar (Light)
http://www.sweetcactusfarms.com

Note: Although all brands come in the "Amber" variety, I don't like the dark varieties as well as the lighter ones. You may want to try both as you might enjoy the more molasses-like taste of the darker ones.

From the Sweet Cactus Farms Label...

Exciting new sweetener naturally extracted from the pineapple-shaped core of the Agave, a cactus-like plant native to Mexico.

With a 90% fruit sugar content, it absorbs slowly into the body, decreasing the highs and lows associated with sucrose intake. The glycemic index is very low (11).

The light Agave Nectar has a decidedly sweet taste and delicious mild flavor (As mentioned, I didn't like the dark version as much).

Agave Nectar is at least 35% sweeter than sugar, so you can use less and save on calories.

Replace sugar or honey with Agave to enhance any food or beverage. Use 25% less for equal sweetness.

When Baking:

~ Reduce oven temperature by 25 degrees
~ Replace 1 cup sugar with 3/4 cup Agave
~ Reduce recipe liquids by 1/3. Enjoy!          

Marilyn's Tip of the Week

                                                                                           

Popular doctor and author Nicholas Perricone, MD, in his PBS program, recommended taking 1/2 teaspoon of L'Glutamine powder (an amino acid) a few times a day to cut the craving for carbs and sweets.

Half a teaspoon didn't work for me.  But a full teaspoon or more - even once a day – subdued my cravings for sugar and chocolate significantly. Is it a placebo effect? Try it and decide for yourself. I buy Iron-Tek Essential L'Glutamine Powder at the health food store but you can find it online for half the price.

Question of the Week

Do tell. How do you satisfy your sweet tooth? Intelligently? Childishly? Or Pigging-Out Insanely?

Marilyn Jenett

Founder of the Feel Free to Prosper and I Create My Body Programs
www.FeelFreetoProsper.com
www.feelfreetoprosper.com/icreatemybody.html


Copyright 2008 Marilyn Jenett, Feel Free to Prosper
All rights reserved
Contact Marilyn for reprint permission

An article I wrote some time ago is titled Bless It and Praise It. I thought it would be good to post portions of it here, because this workshop certainly applies to the third catagory listed in my article: "Health and Appareance."

So this week we are going to talk about blessing and praising our bodies…

I want to suggest that aside from the practical advice, mental principles and the tips you receive in this column, that you also take a somewhat spiritual stance to this work we are doing about body prosperity. Learn to bless the wonderful body temple that you have that works for you your entire life - without a pause. I have stated before, your body is an absolute miracle. Begin to appreciate it fully for the miracle it is. Your subconscious mind controls your body and your autonomic nervous system - it keeps your lungs breathing, your heart beating, has a perfect memory of every cell in your body and heals and restores it. And who controls and influences the subconscious mind? You. Your spirit. Your consciousness. Your awareness. Your conscious reasoning mind.

Begin to bless and praise your body. Everything in this Universe responds to love. Love your body - imperfections and all. It will love you back and respond with harmonious results.

When you look at your body, don't hesitate to state:

 "I love my body for the miracle it is.
I am grateful for the way it carries my spirit through life.
 I thank it for the ride!"

And now, an excerpt from my article...

Bless It and Praise It

What is one of the most powerful, healing, correcting, attracting and energizing principles in the Universe that can turn any circumstance or situation around, no matter how extreme or hopeless it may appear?

It is the principle of blessing and praising. And what is so unusual about the introduction of blessing and praising in these situations? Well, it is easy to bless and shower your praise upon all of the good people and experiences in life. But have you ever thought of blessing difficult people or negative situations? Did it ever occur to you to bless or praise your lack, your need, your difficult partner or spouse, bodily ills or bank account?

Bless:

(1) To invoke divine care for (“bless your heart”)
(2) To praise, glorify
(3) To speak well of, approve
(4) To endow, favor (“blessed with ability”)

Praise:

(1) To express a favorable judgment of; commend
(2) To glorify, especially by the attribution of perfections
(3) To express praise

Well, now you are going to get into the habit of blessing and praising all of those things that need changing or healing in your life. And with our current topic, we are going to apply this to our bodies.

This is an area of life that needs our blessing and when we do this, this area will adjust, change, improve, grow and heal right before our eyes. Apply blessings and praise and watch the transformation to your health and appearance -  to any body part or organ (diagnosed or undiagnosed), aches or pains, your physical appearance, weight, flaws and imperfections (perceived or real).

Chew On This

Closely related to this subject is Food.  It is a common spiritual practice to bless and give thanks for our food, but how many of us really do this? Blessing the incredible food available to us in our nation helps this food to assimilate and nourish our bodies properly. This carries a spiritual vibration into the very cells of our bodies.

Everything that exists - animate or inanimate - is made up of vibrating energy, and I believe that energy will respond to the "frequency" as well as the frequency of our blessing. :-)

Although this may appear like an abstract spiritual idea, I suggest you put it to the test right now in your life, and see what happens...

And I'm sending a special blessing to each body that is vibrating to this message right now!

Question of the Week

                                                                                       

Since the 1950s, experimenters and scientists have reported that plants respond to music, dance and prayer, even human thoughts and feelings.

Is the intelligence of the human body any less apt to respond in such a way?

Marilyn Jenett

Founder of the Feel Free to Prosper and I Create My Body Programs
www.FeelFreetoProsper.com
www.feelfreetoprosper.com/icreatemybody.html


Copyright 2008 Marilyn Jenett, Feel Free to Prosper
All rights reserved
Contact Marilyn for reprint permission

In my previous post about Safe Sweeteners: the Good, the Maybe and the Wonderful, I discussed major players in the safe sweetener catagory and the upsides and downsides, but alas! There is news...

How Would You Like a Wholesome Sweetener That Is...

Perfectly healthy

Completely organic – non toxic

Zero calories!

Zero Glycemic Index!

Zero artificial ingredients or chemicals

Low carb (95% fewer carbs than sugar)

70% as sweet as table sugar - indulge without guilt

No tooth decay

Highly digestible

Looks like sugar

Tastes like sugar

No aftertaste

Non allergenic

Acts as an antioxidant

Free radical scavenger

USDA organic, kosher and GMO free

Fair Trade Certified

Baked goods made with it have longer shelf life
than those made with regular sugar

And…perfect for

Body weight control, diabetics, seniors, active adults, vegetarians and health nuts and children.

Well, It's Here!

The product is called Organic Zero. It is produced from Organic Sugar Cane Juice, which is naturally fermented and crystallized to create Organic Erythritol. Erythritol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol that is found in our bodies, as well as in many fruits, vegetables and even certain fermented foods.

I mentioned in my previous article that sugar alcohols can really play havoc on the digestive system. But although this is a sugar alcohol, it metabolizes in a completely different way and passes through the system without creating digestive distress. Proof is provided in the fact sheet below.  Further proof:  I have NEVER been able to tolerate any sugar alcohol (sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, etc.) but this product has absolutely no effect on me except for the wonderful feeling of knowing I have found a perfect sweetener.

I have tested it and love it. I still love agave nectar and use it also, but agave has 60 calories per tablespoon and has a low - not zero - glycemic index.  So Organic Zero has superlative added benefits. It can also be mixed with agave.

Organic Zero comes in 12-ounce pouches and also in cartons with 35 packets.


Here's the website for Organic Zero:

www.wholesomesweeteners.com/brands/Wholesome_Sweeteners/Organic_Zero.html

www.wholesomesweeteners.com/brands/Wholesome_Sweeteners/Organic_Zero.html

And here's the fact sheet with the above facts:

Organic Zero Fact Sheet (pdf)

Question of the Week

                                                                                       

Where can you find Organic Zero?

I found my stash at Whole Foods Markets here in Los Angeles - they stock both forms of Organic Zero - the pouches and the packets. I imagine other health food stores stock it also or will do so shortly. 

The product website lists many online retailers including Amazon.com, but on these online sites, I only found the company's other organic and natural sugars, syrups and nectars - but not Organic Zero.  I googled and found other sites that do carry this product. - in some cases there was a minimum two-pouch purchase. I wanted to send Organic Zero to Susan, FFTP member and my web person, who lives in a remote area of Florida. I ended up buying her a couple of pouches at Whole Foods and sent it myself via postal mail.

For local retailers in your city, check the website "Store Locator" section, www.wholesomesweeteners.com/store_locator.html, but I also suggest calling the company at their toll-free number if you don't easily find the product.

Marilyn Jenett

Founder of the Feel Free to Prosper and I Create My Body Programs
www.FeelFreetoProsper.com
www.feelfreetoprosper.com/icreatemybody.html


Copyright 2008 Marilyn Jenett, Feel Free to Prosper
All rights reserved
Contact Marilyn for reprint permission