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Who doesn’t want a healthy heart? Don’t neglect this vital organ. Take these simple do-it-yourself tips to heart:

1) Get your cholesterol count. Look at HDL, LDL and total cholesterol numbers. It is not about one component but instead, the full picture.

2) Calculate your waist/hip ratio: the higher the ratio, the greater your risk for heart disease.

3) Don’t let homocysteine accumulate, it’s toxic! Take supplements to convert homocysteine to non-toxic forms.

4) Increase your fiber intake: Fiber will bind to cholesterol in the intestines and excrete it.

5) Avoid hydrogenated oils and trans fat because these elevate cholesterol and are atherogenic! Throw out the margarine, cookies, crackers, baking products and vegetable shorting that contain these harmful ingredients.

6) Restrict sugar intake.

7) Choose lean protein, fish and vegetable proteins often. Organ meats, pork and processed meats are to be consumed rarely.

Move often! Get your heart rate kicking by partaking in aerobic excercise 3-5 times a week for 20-30 minutes at moderate intensity. Try a salsa class or hit the ski slopes!

9) Supplement with a multi-vitamin, fish oil, bioflavanoids, Pantethine, CoQ10, Carnitine, Vitamin C, Niacin, Magnesium and more! (note: It is not necessary to supplement with everything listed – an individualized protocol should be followed depending on your own personal situation).

10) Eat garlic and fenugreek. They both lower LDL and total cholesterol.

11) Donate blood to remove excess iron in the body — while at the same time giving love to someone in need!

12) Practice loving yourself-up! Nourish your body with positive messages. Wipe out negative self-talk and learn to love and accept yourself daily.

13) Build healthy relationships at work, in your family and with the people behind you at the supermarket checkout line. Make connections with others and learn to embrace life through the people you meet along your journey.

14) Tap for heart health using The Emotional Freedom Techniques. Download the free manual to learn this useful technique or hire an EFT practitioner like Alison Held to guide you toward personal freedom.

15) Practice the whole brain posture for heart health. This is an excellent position to eliminate stress, anger, resentment, forgiveness or any unhealthy emotions that might be limiting you from being your best-self. The whole brain posture is one of the most common Psych-k balances.

16) Hug yourself and others for a healthy heart. When you hug someone, make sure you are aligning your heart to their heart (many people hug the other way which can give a negative charge….change that negative to a positive!)

Last week a former client and I traveled into Manhattan to see the Leaning Annex program featuring Marianne Williamson, author of Return to Love and many others. She has been an inspiration of mine for many years now and came into my life with such divine timing. Her work focuses on the teachings of A Course in Miracles and this evening’s talk was all about finding our mission.
We arrived just in time to catch Marianne’s introduction but decided to head straight for the Ladies Room where we faced a long line of women with the same thought. After a couple minutes of waiting a woman enters who immediately heads to the sink, wiping her teary eyes. It was Marianne!

We all gazed over to check out this shining light of a being! Up close Marianne looks no different than the professional head shots on her websites and books. I got a sneak peak into her everyday life by discretely listening to the conversation she was having with her assistant (or someone on her staff). “We should of rehearsed that…” she said in a distressed voice. Marianne continued on for a few more minutes in non upbeat fashion. Then within a moment she brushed herself off and politely asked us bystanders if we would mind that she proceed to the stall since she was about to go on stage for her presentation. “Go right ahead” we all pleasantly told her.

She was a bolt of lightening and came out shortly after. Marianne then walks directly over to me, looks me in the eyes and says, “Thank you. What’s your name?” I say, “Alison.” “Very nice to meet you Alison!” She proceeds to wash and dry her hands and out the door she goes…

Once we were through in the Ladies room we opened up the suite doors to an audience of eager spectators. Marianne was already on stage delivering her message which turned out to be full of hope, honesty, compassion and strength.

In life I always search for the deeper meaning in all interactions. There are lessons to be learned everywhere we go. If we are not awake to them, we will miss the boat that takes us new opportunites and gentler waters. Seeing Marianne Williamson in the ladies room made me realize that we all have moments. Someone of such charisma, presence and spiritual health carries the same emotions as those with less paying jobs, poor health or other unfortunate circumstances. How we choose to use our emotions is what carries us to our next destination. It was very clear that Marianne was present to the emotion that was expressed through her voice and tears yet once she made that contact she decided to shift herself to a brighter moment.

Thank you Marianne for showing me the real you! So often we look up those we admire and never see their faults. When this is the case we may self-sabotage even more because we feel we are inadequate and will never be able to live up to these idols. The truth is we are all interconnected and our emotions are universal. The challenge is to ask yourself when you are down and out, “What would bring me to my higher self right now” or even, “How would Marianne handle this situation?”