ExCerpt froM
THE BOOK

Nutrition is about balance and picking foods that give your body what it needs to be healthy and energized.

Do you think it is just purely coincidence that there is more disease than ever before? Does it have something to do with our diet, these so called foods we put in our mouth. Socrates said a very long time ago “let food be your medicine, let medicine be your food”. We have come so far and yet are so far behind. We are an obese society and we have more cancer and diabetes than ever before and there is a direct connection between diet and these illnesses. Raise your consciousness and take control of your life.

I agree that there are some things in this life we have no control over, but I am telling you that you can have control of what you choose to eat, when you eat it, and how much of it you eat. You also have control over whether you move your body and how often.

We cannot treat our bodies like a trash disposal and expect them to be healthy and protect us from germs and disease. That is not the truth and it should not be anyone’s reality.

Food is a necessity. We need it to nourish our body, mind and spirit. Food is our friend so make sure the food you put into your body is of the highest quality. You deserve the best food so you can feel better, look better and live better. Change your mind about food and it will change your life.

I have come to realize that mind/body consciousness is one of the most important things we need in order to live a healthy life. Being in touch with your body, having a mind/body connection is vital to healthy eating, a good exercise program and overall physical and mental health.

Mat Pilates is a series of floor exercises that Joseph Pilates developed in the early 1900’s. He came here from Germany in the late 1920’s and opened his first studio in New York City. He primarily worked with dancers and athletes. He originally called his work The Art of Contrology. He knew that it is the mind that controls the body and he used this mind/body approach in developing this system of intelligent movement of the body.

This work transcends the human experience into the spiritual as you gain awareness of your breath, your thoughts and your body simultaneously.
Joseph Pilates wrote in his book, “Return to life through contrology” in 1945 that you must “always keep your mind wholly concentrated on the purpose of the exercises as you perform them”. He went on to write “with the body, mind and spirit functioning perfectly as a coordinated whole, what else could reasonable be expected other than an active, alert, disciplined person? Moreover, such a body freed from nervous tension and over-fatigue is the ideal shelter provided by nature for housing a well-balanced mind that is always fully capable of successfully meeting all the complex problems of modern living”. Pilates teaches you to attach all of your movements to your core, which is the strongest part of your body. Pilates teaches you to be present in mind, body and spirit. Pilates is a lifestyle founded on principles that will help you feel better, make better choices and enjoy life fully. Pilates is a daily process to Health.

Pilates has six principles that everyone talks about:

1. Breathing
2. Concentration
3. Centering
4. Fluidity or flow
5. Precision
6. Control

For long-term success, you have to change your mind about yourself, change your mind about moving your body, change your mind about your eating habits and remember everything is a choice. So make choices that create the life you want.

This book is meant to give you some information and guidelines to inform you so you can start your path to a healthier life. I realize there is a lot of different information out there. The most important thing is to get knowledge, listen to yourself, trust yourself and find a balance in your life. Find what works best for you.

Making the decision to do it is the first step to your new life. Just keep on taking the next step. Feel as though you already have what you want and stay committed to yourself and your goal of a better life.

Believe in yourself and love yourself. Being who you want to be is a consistent lifetime effort of wanting to take that next step no matter how scary it may seem because you know that even if it doesn’t come out like you thought it would, it still will make you a better person. Be joyful in the fact that god has provided us with all we need to keep our bodies healthy. Raise your consciousness. You are blessed. Know it. Believe it. Be grateful to god and to yourself. Be grateful to god for the many gifts that make our human and spiritual life extraordinary.