This past August, I headed up to visit my friend Kathy White in Lakefield, a beautiful little town just north of Trent University in Peterborough County, Ontario. I was looking forward to this break! It had been a busy year of completing my advanced certification and running my practice. As I had some time on the bus, I decided to go into meditation with the intention of finding out what would help me to nourish and rebuild my energy.

     As some of you know, I have an extensive imagination; through various meditations techniques I have learned over the years, particularly BodyTalk's MindScape, I have created a 'Workshop' in my mind – I think of this as my inner playground - that I access for guidance, intuition and creativity. So while riding north along the green pastures of route 115 on the GO bus, I went into my Workshop, asking for the guide that would give me direction for boosting my energy and physical health.

     Once in my Workshop, I was drawn through a big door to an area that was like a docking bay. There was a long grey ship in the bay (has my ship finally come in??). Walking towards me was what looked like a navy officer. He was wearing a clean, neat uniform, with a straight cap and strong, handsome face and clear eyes the colour of the sea. I saluted. He saluted back – a crisp, fast movement of his arm, hand just tipping the brim of his cap.

     When I asked him who he was, he extended his hand, smiling, and said, "I am Admiral Liver"... Ok then! Who am I to argue with the admirable Admiral? So I invited the Admiral in to my Workshop and asked him what I needed to replenish my energy. He said, 'Let's go to your office'. (Yes, I have an office in my head, complete with plasma computer screen and a South American White Hawk for delivering my mail). So we walked over to my office, and I sat down and picked up my pen.



"Yes, Sir! Anything you say, Sir!"

   

     He started to dictate: "Double your yoga and your hiking, make organic chicken stock weekly, and add the supplements chondroitin, essential fatty acids, a good B-complex. And, lastly, eat grass fed beef."

     Orders received! I thanked him for his insights, and escorted him back to the docking bay. In real-time, my bus was pulling into Trent University, so I came out of my meditation and made note of my Admiral Liver's directions on my notepad. Out of the bus window, I could see my friend Kathy waving to me from her car.  

     Kathy was very animated when I got in the car. Within minutes of turning onto the highway towards Lakefield, she exclaimed, 'Guess what? There is a new yoga studio and health food store just inside town, and do you know they have? Grass fed beef!"

     My jaw was on the floor! I started laughing, and told her about my recent visit from my admirable Admiral Liver, and his clear directive of grass fed beef in my meditation. 

     Well, of course, once in town, we had to stop into the new store at the Stoney Lake Wellness Centre! Behind the counter was Jessica, a vibrant woman that teaches yoga instructors and runs the Centre. We said we were looking for grass fed beef. I then shared my story about meditating about grass fed beef. We all had a good laugh...but she wasn't really surprised. She is a yoga instructor, after all, and understands the power of meditation for manifesting!

     "Yes, we have grass fed beef from Heritage Cattle Company! We're sold out right now, but the next delivery comes in at 10 am tomorrow morning!"

     The following morning we set out to Stoney Lake Wellness Centre. As we pulled into the lot, we saw an older man with bright, clear eyes, grey-speckled hair and blue jeans walking briskly from the Centre towards his pick-up truck, carrying an empty cooler. Woo hoo!!! I turned to Kathy and said, "I bet that is our grass fed beef man!".

     I quickly jumped out of the car and approached him. "Good morning! Are you the grass fed beef man?"

     He looked at me and a smile spread across his face. "Are you the woman who meditated about my grass-fed beef?"  Apparently word about my escapades with my admirable Admiral Liver were getting around town! He extended his hand.  "I'm George MacDonald."

     Ummmm... Of course you are! Old MacDonald had a farm, a grass fed beef farm!!

 






                                      

George and Aaron MacDonald of Heritage Beef
   
     George then spoke with us about his ethical farming practices and philosophy, and extended an invitation for us to visit his farm.

     Kathy and I went in to StoneyLake Wellness and stocked up on grass-fed ground beef and jerky, and over the next few days, we cooked up some delicious grass-fed beef feasts!

     But the grass fed beef story doesn't end in Lakefield. The day after I arrived home to Toronto, I was walking along Beatty Avenue in Parkdale to one of my favourite coffee shops in Toronto, Jinks Art Factory and Coffee (fyi their coffee is an art form!). On the grass by the edge of the sidewalk were a stack of children's books. The book at the top jumped out: A beautifully illustrated classic called, 'The House That Jack Built & The Farmers Boy' by Randal Caldecott. I picked it up and turned to the front inside cover. It says that the story the Farmers Boy is the forerunner for Old MacDonald Had a Farm! Ok. Message in, loud and clear: Listen to your Admiral Liver and order your beef from Old MacDonald's Heritage Beef farm! 

Why Grass Fed Beef?

     I decided to do a little research on grass fed beef, particularly as it relates to my liver. I discovered that grass fed beef contains a high amount of alpha lipoic acid (ALA), which works as a precursor to antioxidants such as vitamin's C and E. It also helps produce glutathione in the body, particularly in the liver – and glutathione is one of the most powerful antixodants and anti-aging agents in your body. It neutralizes free radicals, enhances the immune system and detoxifies the liver. Admiral Liver was right: Although the cells in our body are capable of producing glutathione, the liver's production of this powerhouse nutrient is considered essential for life. (links for sources below)

Heritage Natural Beef

     George MacDonald (aka Old MacDonald) and his son Aaron run Heritage Beef in Keene, Ontario (outside of Peterborough). If you are interested in ordering grass fed beef from their farm, here is the website: http://www.heritagenaturalbeef.com/

     And if you feel like a lovely drive in the country, I'm sure you could arrange a visit. George invited us to visit his farm when we met him in the parking lot of StoneyLake Wellness Centre, and I will definitely be taking him up on the offer! I've posted some pictures of his farm, and more are on his website, here. I visit this area often as it is close to Toronto. It is beautiful and peaceful – particularly good for the city dweller in need of pastoral surroundings!

     And how about that admirable Admiral Liver? Yes, he has visited my MindScape a few times since, and thanks to him, me and my liver are feeling good! I love MindScape, and have been using it since I first took my course in 2004. There are many ways of obtaining information about what would benefit my health, and many other areas of my life. But for me, being able to directly speak to and listen to my intuition and the wisdom of my body through MindScape has proven accurate and, frankly, much more fun! Using MindScape definitely adds to the adventure of living!

     If you are interested in learning more about MindScape, I'm excited to have MindScape Instructor Kristy Kenny coming to teach it in a weekend workshops in Toronto on February 7th and 8th in Toronto. For more details, feel free to contact me or visit the course link here.

Happy trails... 

Linda and her admirable Admiral Liver

Linda Marlene Eales AdvCBP, ParBP
linda@torontobodytalk.com
 
Sources:  

1. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/05/16/this-antioxidant-can-smash-insulin-resistance-and-autoimmune-disease.aspx
2. http://www.drberkson.com/
3. http://www.prescription2000.com/Interview-Transcripts/2010-01-22-burt-berkson-lipoic-acid-naltrexone-transcript.html
4. http://www.drberkson.com/publications.html
5. http://www.westonaprice.org/blogs/cmasterjohn/the-biochemical-magic-of-raw-milk-and-other-raw-foods-glutathione/