Since I've sent out several newsletters this fall regarding my serious concerns with the flu vaccines, regardless of which strain, I'll pass on just one more tip for prevention through the Blog.  My grandmother taught me decades ago to gargle with warm salt water (sea salt, of course) in order to ease a wore throat--but now I have learned it is also most helpful for prevention, too!  Gargle twice a day with warm water that has a healthy pinch of sea salt in it to wash those potential germs into the stomach where they can do no harm.  My hubby and I are choosing to do it whenever we return home after being around other people.  Swabbing out the nose with a Q-tip dipped in the same solution is helpful, too.

And remember the other simple and free basics:  regular hand washing with hot/warm water and soap (NOT anti-bacterial!), and being conscioius about not touching your face with your hands.  Bacteria or virus' which cause colds and flus can only enter through the nose or mouth so do your level best not to touch them unless you have just washed your hands.  For the most complete information I have found on all the reasons you may not want the flu vaccine check out Dr. Mercola's website.  And remember--H1N1 is no worse than other flus.

As you may know, we've recently put our home on the market which, naturally, created a whirlwind of activities around here for months.  We were prepared for the new roof and carpet in the basement, but then learned it would be in our best interest to also put in a new furnace and deal with radon installation--all of which made the place dirtier than ever.  Given that my philosophy has always been "Clean enough to be healthy and dirty enough to be happy", I knew we'd have to dig deeply and needed a pro.  Thankfully, I learned of a friend with great attention to detail who was doing some housecleaning on the side to earn money for an extended experience coming up in Peru--sounded like a win/win to me.  Other people do see things differently, and she spiffed up some things that really make our home shine--without using harsh cleaners.  And neither of us id a believer in anti-biotic cleaners, soaps, etc. so it's working well and I'm grateful to have extra help at a busier-than-usual time.

If you are ever searching for a way to make cleaning easier in half the time--without spending money on help--I suggest checking out The Clean Team by Jeff Campbell.  I have found it really helpful 'cause who wants to spend more time and energy cleaning than is absolutely necessary?  For me, I'd much rather be on the slopes or a hiking trail!

I'll bet those who read my last Blog post on selling my 7th home as a FSBO (For Sale By Owner) may have later wondered...so what the hell does that have to do with feeling great and being healthy?

The story was really all about Letting Go, which may be my Number One Lesson in this lifetime, though my actual experience is more like "Everything I've let go of has claw marks down its back".  And the reason this is important for our health is that when we do Let Go, we experience greater stress--the likes of which even the conservatives in the medical community agree contributes to 80% of all disease in the United States.  For me, the more I can Let Go, the less I feel stressed and the less my body has to do to stay in balance.

But the deeper, yet simpler, solution for me to experience as much peace and contentment as possible is...living in the present moment.  As recent clients know, The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle has become a standard recommendation to my clients.  For me, it is filled with little tidbits to help me enjoy the present moment rather than go to guilt in the past, or become fearful of the future--most of which I imagine will never come true.  Truly, this body of work gives me great support for consciously choosing the present and guess what I never find in the present moment?  Fear, stress, not feeling good enough, worrying about 'all I have to do', or fretting about my loved ones.  None of that exists in the now for me, and like yoga or anything else--the more I practice, the better and more consistent I become.  It is rich and joyful, to the point that I am now going through The Power of Now for the 3rd time, after also reading A New Earth by the same author 2 or 3 times.  One of my challenges to help me live in the present:  Accept Everything As If I Had Asked For It.  A challenge, indeed.

And when I do it, I release a lot of stress--though I have not been tested for some time on the loss of a  loved one.

As I type this, the snow continues to fall for the first time this season in Fort Collins and looks especially beautiful landing on the fall colors which I predict will shine even brighter once this moisture settles into the Earth and the Colorado sun emerges for another one of its 300 days each year here.

I vow that before I attend my 4 PM networking event with a bunch of cool women entrepreneurs, I will enjoy a novel and a cup of tea next to the fire, sitting in my moss green (and well-worn) sofa as I continue to be present with the white snowflakes drifting through autumn leaves.  At least for now.