One of my great passions in life is to write and teach. I especially love to teach about the impact that herbalism and whole food nutrition have on our health. I can't teach these subjects seriously without speaking about becoming self-reliant. I believe self-reliance is one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves in all parts of our lives, especially when it comes to our health and well-being. I can say with 100% confidence that no one wants to rely on others to take care of them. When you rely on others too much you lose a big part of yourself and your independence in the process - and this is especially true with your health. 

 

I know you must be tired of running to the ER, doctor, dentist or vet for every little thing that happens to you, your kids, or your pets. I am also willing to bet that you are not crazy about that feeling of helplessness you get when these things happen, feeling as if you can't do anything about it. I know all too well how crippling that can feel, compounding the feeling of helplessness. 

 

Here's the good news - and I know for many this will take some time to digest and really embrace: You are not alone and you are not helpless. You are smarter and more resourceful than you think and can take care of more problems than you realize. This is not something you will learn overnight and you will first need to strengthen your coping skills. Learning how to cope with things that happen to you is as important as finding the solution. By learning to cope you minimize any further damage that may occur during the process of finding an answer. You need to be patient during the learning curve and give yourself credit for moving one step forward - because each step is a big step. That one step, followed by another, means you are smarter and have avoided the same mistake that you made before. 

 

Next, follow your gut and your instincts. This will almost never lead you in the wrong direction. Learn how to do research on anything and everything. This is not hard and with practice you will understand how to sift through all the information and know what to take seriously. Again, your instincts will guide you. The Internet can be a wonderful tool, so use it. 

 

The final key to self-reliance is surrounding yourself with like-minded people. Build a community of people you can trust. Remember, you are not looking to rely on them but instead, learn from them and teach them what you can. I can't stress enough the importance of passing it forward. It is your duty as a human being to teach others what you have been taught. This can also save you a huge amount of money because, if need be, you can barter services with others. That is why it is so important to learn as much as you can about the things you're passionate about. This knowledge will make you very valuable to others. The secret is to help as many people as you can to become self-reliant and as a secondary benefit, you will also have a source of income. 

 

Remember that 90% of health problems, regardless of what anyone tells you, are not serious. As a matter of fact, in most cases they are quite easy to fix. The other 10% of serious problems are not that difficult to fix either once you remember two very important things. The body is 100% capable of healing itself, and your job is to support the body and give it what it needs to get the job done. You can learn the human body just like a doctor, but unlike a doctor you have the advantage because it is your body and no one knows your body better then YOU. Once you start to believe and understand these important facts nothing can stop you from getting what you want.

 

I want you to close your eyes and imagine yourself doing something you have always wanted to do but never had the courage to do. Now, you know that tingling feeling you are getting in your gut and that big grin on your face? There it is! You got it!

 

 

2 Tablespoons vegetable broth

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

2 Tablespoons minced garlic

2 Tablespoons minced fresh ginger

1 teas turmeric

1 teas coriander

1 teas ground cumin

1/2 teas garam masala

2 cups diced tomatoes

2 Tablespoons tomato paste

Sea salt to taste

1/2 teas cayenne (or less)

2 15 ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

3/4 cup almond milk or coconut milk

1/2 teas lemon juice

4 cups cooked brown rice, for serving

 

1- In a large skillet, sauté onion over medium heat with 2 Tablespoons vegetable broth, stirring frequently, until onion becomes translucent. Stir in garlic, ginger, turmeric, coriander, cumin, and garam masala. Cook for 2 minutes.

2- Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, and cayenne pepper, and cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir in chickpeas, almond milk, and lemon juice. Cover and cook 8-10 minutes on low heat.

3- Serve on top of rice.

 

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• The School of Natural Healing  - http://www.snh.cc - Quality Education since 1953
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