African Americans and Yoga

When I look around me, I see many people embarking on the journey of yoga.  Yoga is a great way to reduce stress, lower blood pressure and stay fit.  In the back of mind however, always remains the thought "how come more African Americans do not practice yoga"?  In our African American culture many times we confuse yoga with religion, and indeed yoga can be a spiritual experience practiced by some religions, but yoga in and of itself is not a religion.  The work yoga comes from the Sankrit meaning to yoke, to unite, to join. 

Yoga truly helps the individual to unite the mind, body and spirit together in ways that increase overall mindfulness and well being.  When many people think of yoga, they think of India, but actually yoga was practiced in Ancient  Egypt, North East Africa  as well, it was called Kemetic yoga and was practiced for about 10,000 years. Kemet means black, or black land and was called this because of the early inundation of the Nile River which caused the rich silt to overflow its banks.

  According to the Kemetic yoga association:  There is universal consciousness that is beyond the scope of the normal realm of consciousness, or individual reality of people. Hence, the practice of yoga is a personality integration method that allows human beings to bind their individual transitory reality with the universal consciousness. The universal consciousness is stable and unchanging, unmoving, therefore, it is the substantial reality while human beings are existing in transitory phenomenon. When this process is accomplished one can say that they have experienced the way things really are or have experienced reality; universal consciousness.

Yoga is the practice of binding individual consciousness with universal consciousness. This individual reality that you are experiencing is actually only a small reflection of your true nature and yoga is the practice of how to achieve the knowledge of one's abiding and immortal aspect.

 

I enjoy teaching yoga, and sharing it with others.  I hope that everyone who reads this post, will at least explore yoga in some detail and allow it to bring peace, clarity and healing.  Watch my short yoga video below!  Enjoy.

 

 

 

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRvBt-IYoVU

Thyroid Help

Many African American women suffer from thyroid conditions.  I was one of them until I took matters into my own hands and researched ways to heal.  I did a complete diet makeover, learned ways to reduce stress, but most of all I added sea vegetables to my diet.  Sea vegetables such as Kelp, Dulce and Wakame seaweed offer very high nutritional values.  Wakame has over 95 minerals that our body can uses to maximize wellness, it is low in calories and fat and I simply love it!  I use Wakame and kelp to keep my thyroid balanced,(as well as my whole food diet) because they are high in iodine which is an important element for proper thyroid functioning.  Iodine maintains the balance of the thyroid and is needed for the production of thyroid hormones.

I wanted to share this with everyone, because my Doctor told me that if I had to go on thyroid medication I would be on it for life, I decided that it was up to me to take self responsibility to help myself to heal, that was over 10 years ago and I have not had a problem with my thyroid since!  Balance is the key, and when I feel myself (or my thyroid) getting out of balance I know exactly what to do.  Also I avoid soy product, and foods that are goitrogens.  If you would like more information, visit my web site

@ www.wellnessbyfateria.com or contact me @ npathydr@yahoo.com

Change Your Atmosphere

It is my conclusion that healing really does start from the inside and works its way out. 

I have only met a few people in life that did not want to truly change.  I want to encourage every person reading this post to envision the progress you want to make with your health and wellness.  Often we complain about circumstances instead of taking self-responsibility and just changing the circumstances as much as is within our power to do.  The health of the body, mind and spirit, derives from not only proper food, exercise, and correct living but good thoughts as well. The way that our thoughts affect our wellness is often overlooked.

Our thoughts can be our ally, encouraging us to press on, eat healthy, resist negativity and to seek out solutions to health challenges instead of  accepting a grim diagnosis as the final decree.  On the other hand our thoughts can become our enemy, poisoning us with doubt, fear and dead stopping us dead in our tracks, causing us to not push forward towards heal and healing. 
The good news is that you really can change the atmosphere, internally and externally.  Our thoughts, whether positive or negative grow stronger when fertilized with constant repetition.  That explains why many people who are negative, gloomy, always sick, stay that way, and others who are positive, upbeat, and enthusiastic even in the midst of trying circumstances fare much better and seem to come out on top. 

Science validates what the good books have been saying for centuries, fix your thoughts on things that are good, cheerful heart is good medicine, and the good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart.  Internally, our cells are affected by our thoughts and emotions, according to new research by Dr. Bruce Lipton a Biologist at the University of Wisconsin. Cells are intelligent; they respond to our emotional and environmental stimuli, DNA is controlled by the signals outside of the cells including the energetic messages emanating from our positive and negative thoughts.  I want to encourage you as Dr. Lipton stated, “change the thought environment and the cells, and you change the behavior.  Ask yourself today; what is the greatest source for your thoughts? What label will you use to describe your recurring negative thoughts? What is the plan that you will use to challenge your thoughts? In what ways do your thoughts affect your health and wellness now?
Fateria Johnson ND, CNHP   

I Am Back!

Greetings everyone!  What a pleasure to be writing here again.  I have had two pretty busy semesters and have been traveling through the summer, and in my travels I had the opportunity to uncover some pretty interesting education and information to share.  Life is truly a journey, and sometimes you must take a step back to really appreciate all that it has to offer. One of my trips this summer took me to a natural products expo where I was able to meet with people who are passionate about healthy living, pure and natural products and sustainable lifestyles.  I met cancer survivors, and people who have overcome various diseases, by making a personal change to their lifestyle in a positive way.

 I have come to the conclusion that we are in control of our wellness, and it is up to every individual to make healthy choices that will facilitate the process of health and healing.  Many times we turn our energies outward, looking for someone to fix us after the damage has been done, when the focus should be on self responsibility and prevention with a holistic approach.  As I continue the process of writing this blog, my passion will be directed towards motivating others to a wellness revolution!  Health and wellness is something everyone should enjoy, and it can be accomplished as we become more mindful to the activities and process that bring about a life of vitality.  Stay tuned, get ready, I have so much to share and share I will freely!  Namaste