Happiness
(small
indulgences to
make yourself & others happy)
They say that lasting happiness cannot be achieved on earth.
But, you have achieved short-lived, ephemeral moments of happiness,
haven't you? And, from the health point of view, its important
that you grab as many happy moments as you can. The blissful
mood is the result of endorphins that are naturally produced
in your body, and are good for you. Although research on the
subject is still underway, endorphins are believed to produce
four key effects on the body and mind: they augment the immune
system, they are stress-busters, they can act as pain-killers
and they postpone aging.
The reasons that trigger moments of happiness are likely
to vary from person to person, and the same pleasures may
not give happiness to different people or in the same measure.
But are there some things that are likely to bring happiness
to all ... a fleeting moment or two for some, and hours, days,
weeks for others?
In fact, endorphins are released by a diverse and unconnected
range of activities. Meditation, deep breathing, exercise,
laughter, eating spicy food, listening to music, taking massages
and sex are all activities that produce endorphins. Well,
we spent a lot of time ferreting and rummaging around the
Internet for an answer, and came up with a few triggers, guaranteed
to provide joy, fun and pleasure to most people!
Smiles make you smile back. The
mere act of stretching your lips outwards seems to be connected
with a happiness trigger. And smiling relaxes the muscles
in the body. An added bonus:The more you smile, the more people
will smile at you ...so let the domino effect develop into
full and hearty laughter.... the heartier, the better for
your health.
Mental Equanimity
You can't be happy unless you're at peace with yourself.
The Sedona Method will show how to tap your natural ability
to let go immediately of any unwanted thought or feeling.
It will help to quickly and easily have all that you choose,
including the following: more money, better relationships,
more radiant health and well being, more effective goal achievement
plus break bad habits and other self-sabotaging behaviors.
In addition, it builds self esteem by helping you to lose
weight, stop smoking and sleep better. The better you feel
about yourself, the better your chances of achieving a state
of mental happiness. In fact the results produced often seem
quite miraculous.
The Sedona Method
Pets: They
have the unfailing knack of taking your
mind off whatever is troubling you. Or, they're there to share
your troubles, which effectively halves the burden!
Click here to Save
up to 70% off EntirelyPets Daily Deals!
Sex & a loving relationship: Scientists
have linked sex with endorphins, happiness and staying youthful.
Studies have found that men and women who had sex four to
five times a week look 10 years (or more) younger than those
who had sex twice a week. Sexual activity produces endorphins
and the hormone, oxytocin, which trigger a happy mood. (By
the way, promiscousity is known to have the opposite effect
because of stressful guilt feelings) So, if you have a spouse
or companion, show them, even more passionately than usual,
that you
care. However,as you age,
there is a reduction in the natural lubrication released by
your body, which may cause discomfort. It's easy to solve
this problem without embarrasment.
And, if you have lost your partner and are on your own, there
are a whole lot of like-minded people out there who may be
looking for you. SilverSingles.com
Food:
Spicy food (chillies are particularly effective), chocolates,
and spiced vinegars, are all endorphin producers. In addition,
gourmet foods have a feel-good factor that is particularly
stress-busting. So you can go ahead and indulge yourself without
guilt, as long as you don't overdo it. We are very partial
to the caviar, lobster, smoked salmon and gourmet chocolates
offered by the sites below:
Russian
Caviar
Caviar is supposed to contain 47 vitamins and minerals, has
about 70 calories per ounce, but is high in cholesterol. As
long as you don't overdo it, there's no need to go on a guilt
trip if you indulge yourself on a special occasion. But the
reason it's on our list of happiness-makers is for the experience
it is sure to create for the recipient. Caviar is the food
served to Royalty, Heads of State and the likes of Donald
Trump (!). For between $26.95 (4 oz. of Russian Pike) and
$89 (1 oz. of Beluga) you can live the high life on many an
occasion. And, is there any better way of allowing yourself
or a loved one to 'savour' a lifestyle?
You can also gift a wide range of gourmet goodies
to those with less adventurous taste buds, e.g. Pheasant &
Chicken Sausage with Hazelnuts and Cognac; Rabbit Sausage
with White Wine & Dijon Mustard; Wild Boar Sausage with Cranberries:
all priced at $ 11.95 ea. for 12 oz. Also available are Smoked
Salmon, Truffles and Gourmet Food Samplers, Gift Baskets &
Gift Certificates ($25+).
Click here for Caviar
and delicacies of the rich and famous at CAVIARetc.com
Have
A Shell-Cracking, Lip-Smacking Dining Experience with Lobster
Gram!
Everyone
who loves lobster can arrange to have this mouth-watering
meal delivered to their own dining table. You can choose from
Live Maine lobsters, Surf & Turf, Exotic Lobster Tails, Gourmet
Steaks and over 30 other selections. Or you can give them
a gift certificate, and allow them to choose their meal for
themselves. Click here for details: Lobster
Gram Gift Certificate Sale!
The
Beer Machine
The freshest, most aromatic, and therefore the
tastiest beer you can get anywhere is the one you brew yourself.
And, the additional advantage is that you get to decide the
alcohol content as well.
Great
beer is a concert of flavors and smells that has taken mankind's
entire history to perfect. As far back as 1600 BC, Egyptian
medical texts had hundreds of prescriptions calling for beer,
and those early brewers used natural and healthful herbs such
as balsam, dandelion, mint, and even oyster shells. Treatments
and recipes changed over the years, and in 1516 AD, the Bavarians
passed a law, the Rheinheitsgebot, specifying what ingredients
could go into beer, making brewing any other way illegal.
Today, however, most brands of beers contain a lot of extra
ingredients, including preservatives.
The beer you brew yourself with the Beer Machine
holds to simple, strict standards of the Rheinheitsgebot,
uses traditional brewing methods in a modern machine …and
ensures use of the highest quality barley, hops and brewers
yeast. (Early health teachers are known to have advocated
brewer's yeast in one form or another because it is rich in
the B-complex vitamins and other nutrients).
The ingredients of a good beer are natural
and pure. The fermentation process is also a natural process.
In fact, everything about beer is natural except when inorganic
and unnatural ingredients, like preservatives and fillers,
are added so that the brew will keep till it can reach the
consumer.
This is a great gift for yourself, or for anyone
who loves beer and is also concerned about good health. And
it won't break the bank as prices start at US$89 +s&h
for the basic model (one of the four offered).
So, let’s review the advantages of brewing your
own beer. It tastes better. It’s fresher. You can vary the
alcohol content. And, It’s a lot cheaper... under 25 cents
a bottle! Know someone who would love this? Get your Beermachine
here
Exercise: The
Tibetan Technique
A feeling of happiness is released from within the
body as the endorphins kick into action when you practise
of this set of five simple, yoga-like exercises. And your
happiness quotient is further boosted when you see yourself
look more radiant, and feel energized and youthful. This renewing
effect happens because the exercises naturally stimulate the
hormonal glands to produce hormones in balance with the requirements
of the body. Available on video.
For more details click on
this link. 
Music:
Music has always had a strong influence on mood and
psyche, but it has only lately been connected, scientifically,
to the production of endorphins. Sound therapy, as healing,
has been found to be very effective in treating stress and
insomnia. Different kinds of music can affect one in different
ways, so take care that you listen to music that makes you
feel happy rather than the opposite. Classical music is always
de-stressing, and if you haven't learned to like it, perhaps
you should take in a few concerts, in order to develop your
'ear'.
Buy tickets for sold-out
concerts from WeHaveSeats.com.. to get a good deal.
Meditation: It
is now proven that in addition to calming the nerves and reducing
blood pressure, the regular practice of meditation and yogic
breathing help the body produce endorphins and a feeling of
well-being and happiness. If you would like to learn how,
we highly recommend The
HoloSync Audio Technology instant
mediation, which we use ourselves.
Massage: Certain
manual manipulations, such as massage, water therapy and acupuncture
induce the body to produce endorphins , and create a feeling
of happiness, specially so when applied with aromatic oils
or creams. And, by choosing these creams correctly, it is
possible to make the experience even more therapeutic. For
instance, application of marine minerals: with
AHAs, BHA, and minerals from the sea, work together with massage
to return skin's natural lustre, and keep away cellulitis.
Application of natural oxidants, such as pomegranate, also
has a fabulous effect on both body and mind. Introducing the
next generation in skin protection! New! Pomegranate
Wine Body Care Collection – only at Garden
Botanika
Other triggers
that create a feeling of happiness are personal
ease, a welcoming bed (your own space), mastery of new,
never-tried-before activities, looking and smelling good,
colors that resonate with your personality and enhance your
mood, looking upon visually pleasing images.
Framed
Art
How about the pleasure of viewing (and owning) originals painted
by the Masters? Unfortunately, great artworks don't come cheap,
and are outside the budget of most people. However, it is possible
to own (and view) prints of these famous artworks, ranging from
museum prints and photography, to scrolls and other popular
wall décor products! These are prints you can order, customised
to size and medium of execution, complete with mat and frames,
at prices that won't cost you an arm and a leg.
To give an example, Roshmi (who co-owned an Art Gallery for
seven years) found a paper print framed in pewter metal, size
24"x36", of the painting "White Camelia"
by the artist Georgia O'Keeffe selling at $91.33, whereas normally
it would cost over $200. The price includes print, frame, art-quality
plexi-glass and Free FedEx ground shipping.
That's really good value! And, there's a rich
and varied menu of prints that include today's best sellers,
timeless classics, and trend-setting new arrivals.
It's a scientific fact that color influences and
affects mood and psyche. You can use its language to make a
loved one (or yourself) happy, enthused, upbeat:
Pink: soothes, acquiesces, affability and affection
Yellow: expands, cheers, increases energy
White: purifies, energizes, unifies
Black: disciplines, authorizes, strengthens
Orange: cheers, commands, stimulates the appetite
Red: empowers, stimulates, drama, passionate
Green: balances, normalizes, refreshes
Purple: comforts, spiritualizes, draws intuition
Blue: relaxes, refreshes, cools, gives tranquility
So use the power and language of colour to influence
your mood and make yourself happy. Click here for
Free Shipping on Framed Art
Listen
to books on your Apple iPod
We already know how handy an Apple iPod can be, in the music-for-pleasure
area, but do you know my favourite use for it? People like us,
who love to read but are always short of time, would love this
alternative. Listen to books instead of reading them! Subscribe
to a program of digital audio that you can listen to anytime,
anywhere. Over 18,000 audio programs are available, including
digital audio books, audio magazines, newspapers, radio programs
and more. It's possible to download and listen on your iPod
(or Palm Handheld, Pocket PC, Audible Otis MP3 player, your
computer or on CDs you burn yourself).
Give someone this gift and you make it possible
for them to hear a best seller in the car; take in an audio
newspaper on their commute; laugh out loud with a comedy at
the gym; keep their minds alert and agile. A wonderful happiness
creating item that you can gift yourself too!
Save
$100 off an Apple iPod with a year of Audible
Photo
Books
Arm yourself with one of these to re-live and renew moments
of happiness. And share them with others. It also makes a perfect
gift for someone with whom you share memories, tender, familial
or prosaic. Choose a range of photographs and have them bound
up as a book, in a smart and professional format (6 styles,
7 designer templates,17 colors). Prices are a steal, starting
at $9.99 for 20 pages in the 8.25"x5.25" compact size.
Jay's favourite model has linen over linen, layered ellipsis,
vellum endsheets and a minimalist elastic band holding it all
together; price $39.95 for 20 pages in the 10.25"x9"
standard size.
If you would prefer to personalise even more,
why not imprint 'X's photo on a mug, a plate, a tile, a mouse
pad or whatever? Turn a mundane , everyday item into a personal
treasure. Roshmi was gifted a mug-shot of herself on a bone-china
plate, and kept saying, "I'm now there for posterity to
see"; she has a vivid imagination!!
Like the idea? Click here: Photo
Keepsakes
Not the conventional Perfume!
Create
a fine fragrance as unique as your fingerprint. More than
50 scents to customize as your scent at Garden
Botanika. Smells influence mood in the same way as colors
do. Experiment with blends and find your own happiness threshold.
It's trendy to have custom-design cell phones, personalized
jewelry, customized websites, monogrammed blankets and even
our portraits on celluloid and canvas. So why not a personalized
fragrance? Personalization is creative! Choose from a selection
of over 50 scents that can be blended into a host of body care
products, Eau de Parfum and aromatic room oils, giving women
(and men) the opportunity to create totally original fragrances
for the products they use every day. Yes, it's possible, so
click on the link above.
And, while you're about it, check out the latest in skin-care
flavors: Introducing the next generation in skin protection!
New! Pomegranate
Wine Body Care Collection – only at Garden
Botanika
A comfortable & welcoming
bed
Happiness is a comfortable bed one can
get sink into for undisturbed sleep. Spending
just over $200 (inclusive of shipping), is a bargain
if you, or someone close to you, has problems sleeping. Investing
in a Cuddle Ewe™ Underquilt (which comes in a number of sizes)
would be money well spent.
And, believe me, you'd be very happy to get such restful sleep,
night after night! The secret is in its construction from natural
all wool fibres, which keep you warm when the temperature drops,
and cool in hot climates. The portable model, the Cuddle Ewe
Travel-Ewe™, is designed to travel with you, weighs only 10
lbs. and fits neatly into its own heavy duty tote bag, and at
30"x73", fits any sized bed. It ensures deep restorative
sleep by providing distribution of the body weight away from
tender points and sensitive joints, so it alleviates muscle
discomfort, tender points and morning stiffness. Click on the
link below for more information.
Cuddle Ewe Travel-Ewe? ( ) 
A new and challenging mind-body
game
"The
Journey to Wild Divine is much more than a game; it's a
tool for the Mind-Body work we value. It certainly has proven
so with me - and it's a hit with my patients. It's an outstanding
product and since it's amazingly inexpensive, I encourage my
patients to use it as home practice. It's complex and challenging
enough that no one has gotten tired of using it."
Thomas M. Brod, MD, Sr. Fellow, BCIA,
American Board, Psychiatry & Neurology
Buy
The Journey to the WildDivine
