Does my thyroid make me gain weight?

Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.

― Hippocrates

There is so much written about the thyroid and sometimes I hear that an unhealthy thyroid can have a great affect on your ability to gain and lose weight.  Other information says the opposite.

thyroid

Medical issues can affect not only your weight, but also your moods. Those who are on medication also have side effects that they need to take into account.

Today I’ll share a video I watched recently. 

Thyroid Disorder Video by Dr. Brownstein

More information can be found here too.

http://www.webmd.com/women/ss/slideshow-thyroid-symptoms-and-solutions

For me the jury is still out, but I am educating myself more about my own thyroid health.

What do you know about the thyroid?

 

Candesscampbell.com.

Iwannabeaskinnybitch.com


Anger craves Sugar!

The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off.

― Gloria Steinem

Most people who know me say that I am calm. I think my tendency is to be able to see several sides of a situation and be to accepting. I have a good sense of taking responsibility for myself and looking at my side of a situation and how I have contributed to the problem.

moodblog2

I have been processing the last week. I found myself having generalized anger and I have been throwing it out in different arenas. I am not sure how to describe it, but in what I might call social or public arenas.

One was with Aweber, my email service. There was a long-standing problem that cost me upwards of a thousand dollars. The other was with Comcast where my telephone, television and Internet performed poorly this week.

No need to go into the details, but I have been “running anger” in my body for a few days and it has been extremely uncomfortable. This is unusual for me. What I have been doing is noticing the anger in my body and feeling the sensations. It has been important for me to be loving and nurturing to myself because anger can create some major issues given I have adrenal fatigue. It can really wipe me out.

With anger, I need to assess the situation and either make a change or accept the situation. With Aweber, I have decided to change to a new email marketing program, even though I may lose many of my contacts. With Comcast, I decided I will call them and discuss the situation (again) and see about resolving the issues, even though it takes a lot of my time.

In the process of these few days of “angering” though, I realized that I have eaten more sugar than usual and have also enjoyed wine as a way of taking the edge off.

Neither of these is the best solution. Hindsight tells me to journal before I reach for another solution!

Anger is a secondary emotion. It covers up pain and fear. I also have had a sense of wanting to cry, but not being able to and not knowing why. More will come in another blog . . . or as my late, former husband Peter Campbell used to say . . . “More will be revealed.”

 CandessCampbell.com

iwannabeaskinnybitch.com


Penance

Penance, reminded my brother is a very lonely place.

Sarah Winman , When God Was a Rabbit

Okay, I was back to the gym and Luke, my trainer changed up my routine. In the racquetball court he set up a ladder. Okay, I was ready to do penance since I exercised less that I would have liked when he was on vacation. I felt like an athlete running through these ropes.

photo

Luke asked me if I was okay with myself or upset with myself since I didn’t follow through with the program he set up for me to do when he was gone. That was a good question. The truth is, I have been loving and compassionate with myself in this process of losing weight and increasing my health.

At this point, I need to eat less to continue losing weight and I need to increase my cardio. What I noticed is that on the days I went to the gym I walked Domingo longer and more often. I was more active all day long. On the days I didn’t go to the gym, I was less active.

Today, I’m not ready to make a specific commitment toward increasing cardio on a regular basis, but in the twilight state tonight, right before I fall asleep, I will prime my subconscious by seeing myself doing several activities to raise my heart rate such as riding my bike, walking faster or running, and my favorite – dancing!

I believe in being gentle with myself. Having adrenal fatigue has taught me that pushing myself just pushes me down, and encouraging, loving, and rewarding myself allows me to be positive and honest with myself.

Candesscampbell.com

 Iwannabeaskinnybitch.com


My feet are dragging . . .

When people say “If I only knew then what I know now” makes me wonder why they aren’t using that wisdom now.

 Rob Liano

Luke and Candess

Luke and Candess

 

As much as Luke Brady prepared me before he left on vacation, I didn’t follow through.  At the gym he went over all my exercises and weights  and wrote them down.  Today I have a training appointment with Luke and although I am looking forward to getting back on track, my feet are dragging.

What I did do while he was on vacation. Weights at home, Yoga at the Yasodhara Yoga Center, road my recumbent bike and walked Domingo at least once a day. Nevertheless, it was not enough!

Previously, I blogged about accountability and this is a great testament to my needing to be held accountable. Although my feet are dragging, I am ready to get back to it!

Wish me luck!

(And for all my clients who I hold accountable and know me to be a tough counselor or coach; this is your one chance to call me on walking my talk!)

Iwannabeaskinnybitch!

Candesscampbell.com

 


It’s what is underneath that counts. . .

If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.

Amit Ray, Om Chanting and Meditation

 

Into the third month of my health plan, I’m getting to a place of complacency. What is showing up is the problem underneath . . . which for me has been stress.

My stress as I have shared, comes from doing too much. I won’t go into all that I do. Many of us do too much!

IMG_1314What I will say though is I notice when I over-function, I experience stress. Because I love what I do, I often don’t take the necessary time to rest Stress is stress! Whether you are having fun or in chaos, it is still stress.

I am happy that I have lost some weight, feel better in my clothes, get compliments, but mostly, I am happy that I feel like I am in control of my life.

My focus for the next few days is to be conscious of what I am doing. Is it necessary? Fun? Relaxing?

This morning I awoke and lie in bed next to Domingo and read Scandalous Housewives: Mumbai on my Kindle. Now, that was relaxing. I enjoyed the comfort of my bed, seeing the tops of the trees and the sky out the window and having a fresh cup of coffee as I lost myself in the lives of these Indian women.

For me what has been under my weight gain has been stress.

Other reasons we may gain weight:

  1. Stuffing feelings

  2. Living in the past

  3. Lack of planning around food

  4. Underlying health issues

  5. Chronic anger

  6. Lack of education

 There are so many more.

Hope you are using your journal to connect more deeply with yourSelf in your own process toward better health.

 Some sentence stems to play with . . .

 If you have not used the Sentence Stems yet, you can find how to do this here!

  1. I become stressed when . . .

  2. I unwind best by . . .

  3. If I nurtured myself I would . . .

Iwannabeaskinnybitch!

CandessCampbell.com

 


7 Steps to Intuitive Healing

Don’t try to comprehend with your mind. Your minds are very limited. Use your intuition.

 Madeleine L’EngleA Wrinkle in Time

When you hear the words intuitive healing, what comes to mind? Many people are searching today for informationhealing, and guidance. Although I am an intuitive healer and reader, my focus is empowering others to use their own intuitive abilities.

Intuitive healing can happen on many levels. You can receive a healing on a spiritual, mental, emotional or physical level. These levels are all related, but illness begins in the etheric field (the energetic field around the body) before it happens on the physical level. Therefore it is important to take steps to heal on all levels.

Photoshop Backup 7 580

Intuitive healing has a deep connection to the heart. You have a gentle, loving voice inside that guides you. This voice is a quiet voice and does not fight with or try to overcome the voice of the ego or the other voices within. Often we carry within a voice of a parent or authority figure. In psychology this is called an interject. It is important to discern between the voice that is coming from your intuition and the others.

Some refer to this inner voice as their Higher Self, their Guardian Angel, their Internal Coach or many other names. Whatever you call it is fine. Just know you are a reflection of the Divine and this voice is your connection to your own Divine Light. This Intuitive Voice is quiet and it guides you in many ways. It can also work with your intellectual or analytic mind when you are able to calm the constant mind chatter.  The Intuitive Voice has access to Oneness and when you learn to hear and understand, you will begin to feel peace.

There are several ways to begin to hear your Intuitive Voice and to heal yourself on many levels.

Step 1.  Be Still

Take time several times a day to stop and close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Scan your body from the top of your head down to your toes and just notice. Pay attention to any sensations and just notice. Be present in your body. Your body feels safe and you heal when you are consciously present in your body.

Step 2. Allow Yourself to Fall into Trance

You have a natural ability to heal and come into balance when you allow yourself to fall into trance. Just as when you dream, you have “ultradian rhythms” while you are awake.  You may notice yourself falling into trance when you are at a stop sign or when you are washing dishes. This daydreaming or spacing out regulates your mind and body and allows you to access your Intuitive Voice without effort. Honor the natural rhythm of your body. This is a vital part of self-healing.

Step 3. Notice Your Beliefs and Self-talk

Your beliefs are attitudes, viewpoints, ideas, thoughtsvaluesperceptions and more. They are not the truth, but how you organize your view to make sense of the world and give it meaning.  Notice your beliefs and what beliefs hold you back from having your desired life. Notice your self-talk. When your self-talk and beliefs are negative your whole mind/body/spirit responds with a loss of energy and you attract to yourself negative life experiences. You can increase positive beliefs and self-talk and allow yourself to be more open to hearing your Intuitive Voice and receiving healing on all levels.

Step 4. Listen with Your Body

 Your body is an incredible intuitive receiver. In order to heal fully and receive intuitive messages, you need to be awareness of and listen within. Your intuition can come through imagesdreamssoundsgut feelings, a sense of knowing, hearing or sensing. In the beginning, it is common to receive messages through your gut feeling. Once this happens ask yourself “what does this mean?” You may or may not get an answer, but it is important to use your gut as a tool.  If you begin to do something and your gut alerts you, know it has to do with what you were doing or thinking. Last week I was going to go downtown Spokane and have dinner, a movie and listen to a friend play music. As I began to get ready I felt a sense of alertness and I heard a voice inside my head saying the word “alarm!” I had no idea what was happening, but the sense of alarm would not stop. Having had many experiences with my intuition, I knew to listen. I made the decision to stay home that night and the alarm ceased. Now, I could try to guess at what might have happened, but instead, I just affirmed myself for listening and went on. The more you listen to your Intuitive Voice, the more it shows up for you and the easier it is to hear.

Step 5: Access Your Self-Healing Energy

We all have subtle energy around us and we can use this energy to heal. Have you ever stubbed your toe and noticed when you put your hand on your toe it felt better. When you have been in pain has the healing touch of a loved one made a difference. You have this natural healing energy within you and you are a powerful healer. Tap into your body’s subtle energy and feel the energy in your hands when you put them on a loved one. You are surrounded by a colorful energy field that comes from the chakras in the center of your body. Take a moment to rub your hands together and then put them together palm to palm. Pull them away from each other gently and feel the powerful energy you have in your hands. This is your healing energy. The more you use it, the stronger it becomes.

Step 6: Practice Accessing Your Intuition

The best ways to access your intuition are throughMeditation and through Viewing.  With meditation you are able to quiet your mind and allow your Intuitive Voice to come through. This can happen either during the meditation or you can journal for a few minutes afterward and just let your intuition come through.  Another way is to View. Viewing can be by being in your heart or the center of your head and imaging a white screen. On the screen allow yourself to see images and when they appear you can ask what they mean and just receive. You can also use Remote Viewing where you close your eyes and you can move through time and space. You can go into the past, the present or into the future. With remote viewing you can see someone at a great distance.  This is often used by medical intuitives to help diagnose illness.

Step 7: Listen to Your Dreams

Your dreams are the place of Intuition. You receive symbolic images, messages and gain ideas and receive answers to your questions. You have access to the whole collective unconscious. Whether you remember them or not, you have between seven to nine dreams per night. This is during the REM state, where you have access to information and healing you cannot access in the daytime. Your dreams are a way that your Intuitive Self communicates with you! When you begin to honor your dreams and listen, they will show up for you more fully and guide you.  There are many guides to dream work, and what I recommend is Realities of the Dreaming Mind by Sivananda Swami Radha (2004). It is helpful to have paper and pen by your bed to collect your dreams as soon as you awake. They tend to fly away until you train yourself to catch them.

These seven steps can help you to be guided by your Intuitive Voice and create healing on all levels of your being. You cannot increase your intuition with your mind, but can access it through your heart. You must allow it to happen through ongoing gentle practice. Use the tools daily and validate your experience of Intuitive Healing.

Previously published in Live Encounters Magazine January 2012


Too Poor to Be Healthy?

Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.

 Jim Davis

too poor

 When I saw this photo recently, I found it to be disturbing. What do you think?

 

Iwannabeaskinnybitch!

CandessCampbell.com


A Chunk of Something!

When you find yourself pushing through and using caffeine or sugar to keep going, this is the time to listen to your innate ultradian rhythm and take a rest.

Candess M. Campbell12 Weeks to Self-Healing: Transforming Pain Through Energy Medicine

One of the easiest ways to get off track when you are changing your eating and exercising habits is to have a chunk of something get in the way. This chunk can be a work situation, a family crisis, a project, dating, or like me recently – travel!

On the road!

On the road!

I really enjoyed my trip to Sisters, Oregon and had a blast. I was gone for 10 days and although the food there was healthy, I also was with friends and two glasses of wine would take up a third of my points (yes I use the WW point system when I record food) for the day. 

Dinner with Katie Cavanaugh!

Dinner with Katie Cavanaugh!

Well, one thing I found out is that as soon as I got home, my body craved to go back to eating the way I had before. I eat less food and because I am careful with sugar, I rarely have cravings.

Having my scheduled appointment with Luke Brady at the gym with was helpful. It kept my focus on my health. I don’t feel like I have been off track at all. Even in the interim while traveling, I knew I was on a path forward and so taking a little break and having wine with my friends was not an issue at all.

Luke and Candess

Luke and Candess

Focusing ahead on the goal and knowing I am in process and going to get there is helpful. Now, a week after I returned from my trip, my weight is back to where I was when I left and I am happy as can be.

This blog has also motivated me to resume my blog on my website CandessCampbell.com 

Join me there for blogs about intuition, health, travel, and get some free videos on Self-Healing!

Iwannabeaskinnybitch!


Tapping for Depression and Weight Loss

“She also realized that there must be something to this tapping since today was the first day in a long time that she felt hopeful and flooded with new ideas. “With love, light, laughter, and with ease.” 

 Tessa Cason80 EFT Tapping Statements for Abundance, Wealth, Money, Book

 

The Healer's Gathering

The Healer’s Gathering

 

Drove home from the Healer’s Gathering in Sisters, Oregon all day on Friday.  I was delighted to stay with my dear friend and mentor (and the facilitator of The Healer’s Gathering, Katie Cavanaugh!) Saturday I awoke with either the flu or a deep cleanse. Not going into details, but today I am feeling mostly better and back to work and back to blogging!

My first client this morning suffers from depression and we have been working together for awhile now. I taught him the Emotional Freedom Technique, but he has not done it on his own so I modeled it with and for him using a video.

I started using EFT myself, also known as “Tapping” when I decided I wanted to lose weight. It is a great technique. I used the book The Tapping Solution for Weight Loss & Body Confidence: A Woman’s Guide to Stressing Less, Weighing Less, and Loving More by Jessica Ortner

Whatever your issue, you can use this too. Since I am not feeling well, I used the beginning sentence, “Even though my body aches, I deeply love and accept myself.”

Tap along! 

Good news about my trip. I am within a pound of what I weighed when I left!

http://candesscampbell.com


Daughters of the Bottle

“Why not ask a Loving Parent to help us reclaim our childhood innocence and to live more gently today?” 

 ACA WSO INC. –  Adult Children of Alcoholics/Dysfunctional Families

This week there has been a theme of addiction with my clients. Alcoholism and drug addiction affect the whole family. I remember when I first became a chemical dependency counselor back in the early 1980s. One of the poems I loved was this one. Maybe you can relate.

Daughters of the Bottle 

until I was twenty-two

I didn’t think anyone else

had a drunk for a mother

then I met lori, joannie and susan

I recognized them immediately

by their stay away smiles

they were leaders in their work

competent imposters

like me

who would say they were sorry

if somebody bumped into them

on a crowded street

I call on them

once in awhile

they always come

children of alcoholics

always do

Jane Middleton-Moz

Juggler in A Mirror