Healthy, Happier You

Regular exercise not only supports a healthy lifestyle, it also provides a host of other benefits, including a more positive mental outlook, less stress, and a more positive body image.


 Exercise helps you feel good about yourself when you see that you’re dedicated and disciplined enough to put yourself first and spend some time regularly exercising your body. You’ll feel stronger and more fit, not to mention reap the benefits of endorphins – the powerful chemicals produced by the brain that are natural painkillers and responsible for what is known as the “runner’s high”, a feeling of euphoria and general state of well-being often experienced by exercise enthusiasts.


 When you look better, you feel better, and exercise assists you with both. Regular physical activity not only helps to maintain optimal weight and body composition those who regularly exercise enjoy significantly decreased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer, among others. And these benefits are more than just short term; those who regularly exercise are sick 30% less often than non-exercisers, and fit people generally enjoy longer lives than their less fit counterparts.


 When you exercise, focus on how you feel and you’ll likely stick with your exercise program. If the thought of dragging yourself to the gym for weight loss isn’t motivating to you, maybe it’s your body’s defense mechanism, encouraging you to love yourself the way you are. When you exercise, seek activities that are fun and leave you feeling strong and empowered, whether it’s a challenging spinning class, a relaxing yoga session, or a brisk walk on the treadmill. Your body will thank you for taking good care of it, and you’ll reap the many rewards of a healthier body and mind.


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Hydration with Fluid Rich Food

When it comes to staying hydrated, it is obviously important to drink plenty of water, but the food you eat also provides you with water and is an important part of the hydration process. A healthy balance consists of approximately 80% of your hydration coming from plain water and 20% from the food you eat.


Your fruits and vegetables will be the most water-rich food source, with at least 80% water per serving. A few of the top water-retaining produce choices: cucumbers (97%), tomatoes and zucchini (95%), eggplant (92%), and peaches (87%). Grains, beans and pastas are also good sources of water because as they cook they absorb a large amount of water. Even your choice of meat can impact whether or not you are maximizing your water intake. Many meats lose 20-30% of their water while cooking; however, fish and poultry are already high in water, which makes them good options for water-rich meal planning. If you’re aiming for maximum water content, bake your fish or chicken.


For people who want to lose weight, it’s better to increase the number of water-rich foods you’re eating instead of drinking more water – especially if you can replace high-fat or high-sugar foods with water-rich ones. In fact, making sure that water-rich foods feature heavily in your diet is essential. Drinking water won’t satisfy hunger, but eating a snack of cucumbers will, and it will also quench your thirst and keep you from grazing on foods less supportive of your weight goals.




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Quick Energy Boosters

Finding the time to get through your insanely long to-do list is one thing, but finding the energy is another challenge altogether. If we had a fraction of the energy required to get done all that we needed and wanted to do, then we probably wouldn’t be human. We have to do the best we can with what energy we’ve got. There are some quick ways, however, to boost our existing cache of energy in hopes of checking a few more items off that never-ending list.

 

Don’t skip meals. 40% of your blood sugar is used for brain function, so if you’re not eating enough, you won’t be thinking clearly. Start your day with a balanced breakfast of fruit, whole grains and protein, and then eat a little something every 3 hours or so.  Supplement with a minimum of a good multivitamin mineral productdaily with breakfast and dinner.

 

Drink plenty of water. Dehydration slows everything down. If you must have caffeine, try to limit your intake to a cup of coffee in the morning and a glass of iced tea in the afternoon. Drink water in between.  Be aware that alcohol is also dehydrating.

 

Pack in the protein. Snacking on things like nuts, yogurt, or cottage cheese throughout the day will elevate your metabolism, stabilize your blood sugar, and stave off fatigue. A Creatine Whey Protein Powder combined with a heaping teaspoon of D-Ribose can be a quick and lasting energizer, as well as assuaging the appetite.   It tastes good, so can be mixed with water if you don’t want the extra calories of mixing with rice milk, soy milk, etc. 

 

Lower your expectations. Make compromises instead of setting unrealistic goals. You are not Mary Poppins, and striving for such perfectionism will only result in feeling guilty when you fall short. Take things one step at a time and let yourself know that it’s okay if you don’t get everything done (and perfectly). Make lists and prioritize.  You will find that some lower priority items will fall away from being important.

 

Organize your environment. Bins, hooks and cubbyholes designated for items that would typically clutter chairs and counter tops will not only make your home/work space neater, it will also improve your mental energy. When your eyes are taking in items strewn all over the place, your brain becomes overwhelmed by all that visual stimulation and suddenly your to-do list gets longer.

 

Try some quick Chinese medicine. Rub your ears gently from lobes to tips. This will awaken your organs and redirect energy upward toward your head when you’re beginning to feel it all drag downward.

 

Take five. Isolate yourself, even if you have to go sit in your car, and just be quiet and take deep breaths for a few minutes. Make sure your cell phone is turned off.

 

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What You Should Know About Food Allergies

There is a popular misconception that allergy symptoms only cause such effects as skin rashes, hay fever, asthma, or gastrointestinal symptoms. Nothing could be further from the truth.  Different allergens have different & unique target organs with symptoms varying from individual to individual but usually specific & repeatable in a given person.  Wheat may give me muscle pain, eggs may fatigue me, milk may give a headache.  Whereas wheat may give you an upset stomach, eggs may agitate you, & milk may depress you, & so on.


The following symptoms not clearly caused by another specific illness can be caused by foods, chemicals in foods or the air, other inhalants, or chemicals naturally occurring in our bodies.  You may be surprised at the extent of possible symptoms.

FOOD ALLERGY SYMPTOMS/GENERAL ALLERGY SYMPTOMS

Head:

Headache, neckache, fullness, pressure or tightness in the head, dizziness, imbalance, vertigo, blackout.                                             

Eyes & Ears:

Sneezing, runny or stuffy nose; puffy, watery,nose, throat: or itchy eyes, blurred vision, excessive mucous formation; ringing, popping or fullness in the ears, fluid in the  middle ear, earache, hearing loss; sore throat, hoarse, weak voice, gagging, itching in the roof of the mouth, difficulty swallowing, canker sores, excessive thirst, frequent yawning, sinusitis,increased sensitivity to light & sound.

Lungs, heart:

Coughing, wheezing, reduced air flow, tight congested feeling in the chest, shortness of breath, chest pain, rapid pulse, palpitations, heart irregularities, sudden changes in blood pressure.

Gastro-intestinal:

Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, bloating after meals, belching, passing gas, feeling of fullness in the stomach long after finishing a meal, abdominal pains or cramps.

Skin:

Hives, rashes, eczema, itching, sweating, flushing, chilly, cold or hot flashes.

General:

Insomnia.Chronic fatigue, faintness,clumsiness, excessive drowsiness or sleepiness soon after eating, muscle pains, cramps, spasms, weakness, twitching, jerking, or tics, joint aches, warmth, or redness, backache, neuralgia, swelling of the hands or feet, urinary frequncy or urgency, vaginal itching, excessive hunger or binge eating.

Emotional:

Emotional instability or hypersensitivity, crying jags, stuttering, excessive daydreaming, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, withdrawn, listless, seizures, aggressive behavior, anger, irritability, hyperactivity, silly, tense, restless, excited, agitated, learning problems, difficulty concentrating, memory loss, poor comprehension, confusion, impaired attention, Obsessive thoughts, compulsive behavior feelings of unreality, disorientaion, false beliefs or delusions, hallucinations, suicidal, feel like hurting self.

 

If you have a number of these symptoms previously unexplained, you may be having reactions to foods.

For more information see my Food Allergies newsletter and please visit my website http://www.thewayup.com/

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Can Owning a Pet Really Improve Your Happiness, Well-Being & Physical Health?

There have been numerous studies conducted which prove that pet owners were happier, healthier and better adjusted than non pet owners. Pets are positively associated in improving conditions such as depression, dementia and phobias. Parents of autistic children have commented on the changes seen in their children when they are around animals and how often the animals have an instinctive understanding of the child’s special needs.


I can personally vouch for the joy, love, loyalty, friendship, companionship, safety and affection that my pets bring to my life.


Let me introduce you to: Happy, Teddy, Lucy & Sweetie

“Petting, scratching, and cuddling a dog could be as soothing to the mind and heart as deep meditation and almost as good for the soul as prayer.” ― Dean Koontz

He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader.  He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.    --- Author Unknown

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Secret to Health & Happiness is Gratitude

We have all heard the saying “Count Your Blessings & Be Grateful for What You Have”. Did you know that there is actual scientific evidence claiming that gratitude produces health benefits. Dr. Robert Emmons a University of California, Davis professor, backs up this claim with eight years of intensive research on gratitude in his best selling book, “Thanks! How The New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier.” 
Dr. Emmons research shows that regular grateful thinking can increase happiness by as much as 25% and that keeping a gratitude journal for as little as three weeks results in better sleep and more energy. Click Gratitude Power for more information.
“Gratitude means to recognize the good in your life, be thankful for whatever you have, some people may not even have one of those things you consider precious to you (love, family, friends etc). Each day give thanks for the gift of life.You are blessed”  -   Pablo
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Need a Way to Prevent Catching a Cold or the Flu? Try Thieves Essential Oil

Legend has it that in the 1800's during the plague epidemic, 4 herb & spice merchants began robbing the dead but somehow never became infected themselves. When they were finally arrested, they were offered leniency in exchange for the secret of how they managed to prevent themselves from catching the highly contagious disease. The secret turned out to be a special formula they had concocted using cinnamon, clove, eucalyptus, and rosemary. It was quickly distributed to all the people & soon after the epidemic was over. This concoction became known as Thieves Oil.

Thieves Oil is still being used today as a powerful anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-septic and anti-fungal. It is also used as a hand sanitizer, rubbed on the chest and neck and used in a diffuser to protect from cold, coughs and flu. People who have been diffusing this powerful essential oil into the air during cold and flu season have noticed a huge decrease in illness for their families.

 

Here is the recipe:

Thieves Oil

• 1 Tablespoon Clove Essential Oil
• 1 Tablespoon Lemon Essential Oil
• 2 teaspoons Cinnamon Bark Essential Oil
• 2 teaspoons Eucalyptus Essential Oil
• 2 teaspoons Rosemary Essential Oil
• Bottles with droppers

Use virgin coconut oil melted (as a carrier oil for dilution and blending the oils together)

Approximately 20 drops of the blend with 2 Tablespoons of coconut oil before using topically.

The undiluted mixture can be added directly to a diffuser for a great way to fight infection, use 5-10 drops.  Make a disinfecting spray with it by adding 3 drops to 3 ounces of water in a spray bottle. You can use the diluted Thieves Oil as a hand sanitizer, rubbed on the bottom of feet to keep away cold and flu, rubbed on areas you may be having aches and pains, rubbed on the chest and neck to protect.

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