Beneath the skin and bones of every human being lies a soul. While our soul may not be something physical, we need to spiritually nourish it. There’s nothing more powerful than a well-nourished soul. There’s nothing more scary than a corrupted, neglected soul. Think about it. Would you rather look like this

or this

?

On our journey of life, physically things such as money and objects will go. However, we’re stuck with our body and soul for our entire life. Yet, we often neglect our bodies and souls, the main vessels that carry our very existence. Would you drive across the country in an old, unreliable car with a broken engine? Probably not. So, can you achieve wealth in an sick, unreliable body with a broken soul? Probably not.

Ken Lauher shares four components from Oprah that are good for the soul. We will share them with you as we think they’ll do wonders in aiding you on your wealth journey.

1. Harmony. The perception of power as external that separates nations is the same that exists between individuals. The love, clarity and compassion that emerges within the person that aligns themselves with the soul is the same that will bring harmony to other people’s lives.

2. Cooperation. We are together because we want to be together, not because we have to be. Realizing together, co-creations emerge.

3. Sharing. Share what is important to you—not possessions. Give yourself.

4. Reverence for Life. Reverence is a level of protection and honor about the process of life so that while a person is maturing toward the journey and through the journey of authentic empowerment, he or she harms nothing.

Remember to nourish your soul and body on a regular basis!

*Images courtesy of Bix Burkhart and Scott Quinn Photography.

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: pay attention to what you eat. It just might be taking years off your life, and you wouldn’t even know it. We’re not just talking about the obvious stuff like high fructose corn syrup, aspartame, etc., we’re also talking about corn, soy, canola, and cotton. How could these natural crops lead to unnatural repercussions? One word: Monsanto.

The Huffington Post reports on a study that shows how Monsanto’s genetically modified corn can lead to organ failure:

“Effects were mostly concentrated in kidney and liver function, the two major diet detoxification organs, but in detail differed with each GM type. In addition, some effects on heart, adrenal, spleen and blood cells were also frequently noted. As there normally exists sex differences in liver and kidney metabolism, the highly statistically significant disturbances in the function of these organs, seen between male and female rats, cannot be dismissed as biologically insignificant as has been proposed by others. We therefore conclude that our data strongly suggests that these GM maize varieties induce a state of hepatorenal toxicity….These substances have never before been an integral part of the human or animal diet and therefore their health consequences for those who consume them, especially over long time periods are currently unknown.”

It’s a pity that we have to be vigilant about food crops that come from our Earth, but our crops are no longer solely a result of Mother Nature. Instead they’re derived from bioengineering companies and sprinkled with biochemicals. Congress doesn’t even find it necessary for these companies to conduct long-term studies on their effects on our bodies and the earth. Poor plants. Poor us.

What to do?

Think about the amount of recalls done every year. It’s clear that big companies only care about profits and not about human life. They just don’t care. Whenever you come across corn, soy, canola, or cotton products, you want to inspect the source. If it has a big brand name attached, then it’s most likely genetically modified.

It’s crucial to buy products that are tied to responsible practices. The Huffington Post has an article that describes ways in detail to avoid GM products. Check out the list at Non GMO Shopping Guide because they also have a feature notable brands with GM foods and also brands that do not carry GM food.

Another unfortunate grey area is with restaurant dining. Don’t be afraid to ask where their food is sourced. You’d be surprised how many of them acquire their supplies through major distributors that carry mostly GMO products. The cheaper the food, the more you need to ensure it’s safe.

While the news is devastating, at least we’re informed. Knowledge is power. By avoiding these evil firms, you’re keeping your money out of their greedy pockets. Most importantly, your organs live to function another day.

*Image courtesy of Adam Gault.

It’s been a minute since we talked about tactics to advance the health is wealth motto. So, we’re bringing to you a simple technique to move forward: water.

Water’s importance in our diet hasn’t changed. It’s a great way to help ward off sicknesses and keep your body’s organs functioning. However, water has been replaced in our society by cokes, high fructose corn syrup juices, coffee drinks, alcohol, and vitamin waters. As a result, health issues are rising in this country year by year. How is it that one of the most advanced countries in the world has high occurrences of illnesses and a trillion dollar pharmaceutical industry? Coincidence much? We think not.

The media makes it seem as if drinking the required amounts of water for the body is laborious, but everyone seems to ignore the consequences if our body doesn’t get that required water. Cell Health Makeover reports on the results dehydration:

The truth is that dehydration can cause diseases like asthma , hypertension , ulcers , allergies and arthritis . Everyone knows that water is good for the body but not how essential water is to well-being. They don’t understand what happens to the body if it doesn’t receive its daily water requirements.

Every function of the body is monitored and pegged to the flow of water. Water management is the only way of making sure that needed amounts of water and its nutrients first reach the more vital organs that have to confront and deal with stress.

Currently, the practitioners of medicine are unaware of the many chemical roles of water in the body. Because dehydration eventually causes loss of functions, the sophisticated signals given by water-regulating systems have been translated as indicators of unknown disease conditions. This is the most basic mistake of clinical medicine. It has prevented medical practitioners from being able to use preventative measures or offer simple physiological cures for major diseases.

Water is vital for our bodies. It’s the major make-up of our bodies. A few ounces a day aren’t going to cut it. Furthermore, your body organs are most likely not functioning at full capacity if you’re not getting your proper intake.

How much water to consume? The overall message is to consume 64 ounces, but there’s no way such a number can be applicable for all people of all sizes. You should consume half of your body weight in ounces. So, for some that will indicate a larger intake, while for others may equal to or less.

There’s an art to drinking water. It’s pointless to try to triple your intake in one day. It will shock your body, and probably lead to you dumping the new habit instantly. So, move forward gradually with a few extra glasses daily until you reach your goal. Drink several glasses when you first wake up and abstain from drinking a lot of water a couple of hours before your bedtime.

Need some aid on how to drink your water? Cell Health Makeover has got you covered:

As soon as you wake up, drink one to four eight-ounce glasses of room-temperature or slightly heated water through a straw. If you drink water from a glass or a bottle, you consume mostly air and feel bloated from all the air in your stomach. When you drink through a straw, you consume 95 percent water. You can drink four times as much before you feel full.

Add two teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice to your water three times a day: upon rising, mid-afternoon, and in your final water intake in the evening. The juice will help alkalize your body and neutralize acids created from digesting certain foods or normal cellular metabolism.

One-half hour before each of your three meals drink one to two, eight-ounce glasses of water through a straw. If you do not have enough water in your stomach, digestion is impaired. Also, if the blood becomes too thick after eating because of lack of water, the blood will try to draw water from the cells. Water intake should precede food intake by half an hour. (Unfortunately, coffee, soft drinks, beer and regular tea do not count as daily water needs. Fruit and veggie juices do!)

Challenge: We’re a big fan of water here at Minority Fortune. We challenge you to increase your water intake to half your body weight, sustain it for one month, and dare to tell us you feel nothing!

*Images courtesy of Comstock and Image Source.

Carrying stress is a big burden. Not only does it rob you of physical productivity, it can do a number on your emotional and physical health. Stress can affect relationships and work production. Therefore, it’s not something one should ignore. While minority groups are equipped with high tolerance to stress, once it hits it affects us just like everyone else. However, minorities are less likely to address it, deeming it as a low priority.

Well, ignoring stress is not a good method. It’s not sustainable, and it will show itself through your emotions, behaviors, and productivity. Are your family and friend relationships going awry? Feeling bad at work? Getting sick more? You may be harboring stress unconsciously.

Whether you currently have stress or not, using stress relief practices can prevent stress from intruding in your life. It’s a serious issue, and it’s a liability to your life and wealth journey. So, check out our suggestions to combat stress.

10 Ways to Combat Stress

1. Taking a Walk: Even 10 minutes works to ease stress levels.
2. Laughter: Good for the soul.
3. Breathing: It’s the core of our existence and a powerful source to return in times of turmoil
4. Yoga: a system that combines meditation, exercise, and breathing
5. Meditation: Sometimes an intense focus on the body and silence is extremely soothing; it can provide a free escape from the chaotic world
6. Music: It can be a powerful instrument of therapy to play music that motivates, calms, or heals you.
7. Divine Spirit: Using a divine source whether using religion, God, and/or spiritual literature can also work to ease your burdens
8. Eating Properly: Cutting back on sugars, caffeine, and processed foods can increase productivity and energy
9. Expression: It can be a big help to get out that inner pain, whether through writing, painting, singing, dancing, or any expressive activity.
10. Focus on the Positive: Sometimes we don’t know what we have until we lose it. Instead of letting the negative distract us, focus on what’s going right in your life.

*Image courtesy of Trinette Reed.

It’s that time of year again. During fall, health care agencies host their open enrollment. Given the record increases in prices, you might want to weigh your options carefully. Employers are passing along the rising costs to the employees.

Health care continues to get more and more complex. The days of full-covered health premiums are over. Premiums are rising. Care is being denied. People are being denied coverage. It’s important more than ever than you know whether your health insurance company is working with or against you.

It’s also a good time to keep in good health. Not only will it help you get the best health care coverage, which is ironic, but it can keep you healthy. The New York Times recommends that you utilize Met Life Tools to analyze if your health plan is a good fit for you.

*Image courtesy of Jupiterimages.

We were recently checking out a post on Zen Habits, and we really enjoyed the message they had on keeping your health simple. There are too many fads out there that do nothing but eat a hole in your pocket. When you think about it, if you’re eating better and less, your spending on food should be shrinking. Most people actually balloon their spending buying equipment, supplements, and guides only to find them useless in a matter of months. Therefore, we’re in total agreement with  Brad when he advocates keeping it simple.

Recommendation:

Eat less
Exercise more
Sleep more

More Simple Motivation from Zen Habits:

But if you continually try to control the things that are out of your control with the small insignificant part of your life, you end up spending almost all of your time obsessing about health, nutrition and fitness. Recording your meals in a spread sheet, twittering about how ‘healthy’ your breakfast was, spending an extra 5 dollars to have a 90 cent chicken breast added to your salad at lunch and fretting over the timing of your next meal.

Too much of this and you can end up in a very bad place:  Spending every single waking moment of your life thinking, talking and stressing over your health.

And this is NOT healthy.

It’s nothing more than a mind full of insignificant health and fitness clutter.

In essence, by thinking that we can guarantee our future by controlling insignificant day-to-day things we end up sacrificing the enjoyment of our lives for some far off distant goal.

And remember, we can’t control the future, so we end up hopelessly grasping for control with more and more of the insignificant things, the ‘fluff’ and clutter.

And herein lies the big picture that we end up missing: Health is a lifestyle. It is a process. It is not a reward.

You should enjoy the process. It should be easy and sustainable. And in the best of situations, it should be mindless.

- Brad Pilon

*Image courtesy of Lena Clara.

Time to Start Turning Your Food Over

Americans are very brand conscious when shopping, but little do we know what information lies on that label on the back. Are we talking about calories, transfat, and vitamin content? No, no, and no! We’re talking about the chemicals and the processing that the food has been through.

Nutritionist Jonny Bowden did an article with Forbes detailing the true way to health, which had nothing to do with diets and fads. Various cultures around the world enjoy eating, as do Americans. So, what’s the difference? Why are we so overweight? We’re eating more processed food. Zero processing is optimal, but the less the better.

If you’re turning over a product and seeing this,

It’s time to put the processed foods down. Your body will thank you for it.

*Image courtesy of DAJ.