22 Positive Habits of Happy People
We all want to be happy, right?! Do you believe if this one thing would happen you would be happy with life? Take a look at this article and see if there are some habits you may find helpful:
22 Positive Habits of Happy People
60 Tips for a Stunningly Great Life
If you are looking for new ideas to energize your life or need to solidify some new habits, here are some great tips:
60 Tips for a Stunningly Great Life
Weekend Takeaway...Sleep
Tips on how to create healthy sleep habits with your toddlers. Sleep is SO important and it's smart to get them started early!
Stressed much...?
A young lady confidently walked around the room while leading and explaining stress management to an audience with a raised glass of water. Everyone knew she was going to ask the ultimate question, 'half empty or half full?'... She fooled them all .... "How heavy is this glass of water?", she inquired with a smile.
Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. To 20 oz.
She replied , "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm.
If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes." She continued, "and that's the way it is with stress. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on."
"As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden - holding stress longer and better each time practiced.
So, as early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Don't carry them through the evening and into the night... Pick them up tomorrow.
A case of the Mondays...
Have you ever heard that saying?
"I've got a case of the Mondays." It is interpreted as a negative feeling because someone is having a hard time getting motivated at the start of the week.
It may be Monday, but you've got a full day and week ahead - make the most of it! Make that 'case of the Mondays' a positive affirmation, meaning Monday means a fresh start to another wonderful week!
How are you spending this Monday?
Happiness is Overrated!
Happiness is Overrated! (Or Why we Look for it in All the Wrong Places!)
by Carol McIntyre, L.C.S.W.
Look in any self-help section at your local bookstore and you will find any number of books on developing, capturing, maintaining or remaining happy. Why are we so obsessed with happiness? What is it about happiness that makes us seek it so intently and yet not identify it when it is right in front of us?
Just what is happiness? The dictionary defines it as a state of well-being and contentment and a pleasurable or satisfying experience. According to Aristotle, “happiness depends upon ourselves”. Albert Schweitzer called happiness “nothing more than good health and a bad memory”.
Just like the song Looking for Love (in all the wrong places), we do the same thing with happiness. Are we looking for material, emotional or spiritual happiness? I learned some time ago that my happiness depended on me. Not on my possessions, debt or wealth, being married or single but me and my attitude toward me. All too often, we start to live our lives through the hindsight of regret, and that is when we, indeed, lose our happiness.
Happiness throughout life – yes, it changes! What made me happy as a 20 year old is quite different than what I view as happiness as a fifty something who is looking at senior citizen status just around the corner. Happiness is relevant to age and stage of life. Learning how to view ourselves as a creation of God, set upon a path with a mission to complete helps us to realize the big picture is far more important than the details.
Our mission, whatever that is, allows us to discover self-acceptance and a sense of wellbeing. It also helps us to realize that our missions are transient. When we are finished with a life task, it is perfectly alright to move on to another or spend a bit of time basking in the glory of a completed task. But we must be open to the experience.
Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony. -Mahatma Gandhi
Tip #9 for Busting Holiday Depression
NUMBER 9 ~ Exercise Your Funny Bone
By Therese J. Borchard, originally published on Beyond Blue at Beliefnet.com
“Time spent laughing is time spent with the gods,” says a Japanese proverb. So, if you’re with someone who thinks he’s God, the natural response would be to laugh! But seriously folks, research shows that laughing is good for your health. And, unlike exercise, it’s always enjoyable! The funniest people in my life are those who have been to hell and back, bought the T-shirt, and then accidentally shrunk it in the wash. Humor kept them alive–physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Remember, with a funny bone in place — even if it’s in a cast — everything is tolerable.
Tip #8 for Busting Holiday Depression
NUMBER EIGHT ~ Get Out of Yourself
By Therese J. Borchard, originally published on Beyond Blue at Beliefnet.com
According to Gandhi, the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in service to others. But that doesn’t necessarily mean holding a soup ladle. Since my name and the word “kitchen” have filed a restraining order on each other, I like to think there are a variety of ways you can serve others.
Matthew 6:21 says “for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” In other words, start with the things you like to do. For me, that is saying a rosary for a depressed Beyond Blue reader, or visiting a priest-friend who needs encouragement and support in order to continue his ministry, or helping talented writer friends get published. I’d like to think this is service, too, because if those people are empowered by my actions, then I’ve contributed to a better world just as much as if I had dished out mashed potatoes to a homeless person at a shelter.
Tip #7 for Busting Holiday Depression
NUMBER SEVEN ~ Make Your Own Traditions
By Therese J. Borchard, originally published on Beyond Blue at Beliefnet.com
Of course, you don’t need the “polyester” rule if you ban holiday travel altogether. That’s what I did this year. As the daughter/sister who abandoned her family in Ohio by moving out east, it has always been my responsibility to travel during the holidays. But my kids are now four and six. I can’t continue to haul the family to the Midwest every year. We are our own family. So I said this to my mom a few weeks ago: “It’s very important that I spend time with you, but I’d like to do it at a less stressful time, like the summer, when traveling is easier.” She wasn’t thrilled, but she understood.
Making your own tradition might mean Christmas Eve is reserved for your family and the extended family is invited over for brunch on Christmas Day. Or vice versa. Basically, it’s laying down some rules so that you have better control over the situation. As a people-pleaser who hates to cook, I make a better guest than host, but sometimes serenity comes in taking the driver’s seat, and telling the passengers to fasten their seatbelts and be quiet.
Tip #5 for Busting Holiday Depression
NUMBER 5 ~ Know Thyself
By Therese J. Borchard, originally published on Beyond Blue at Beliefnet.com
In other words, identify your triggers. As a highly sensitive person (as described in Elaine Aron’s book, “The Highly Sensitive Person”), I know that my triggers exist in a petri dish of bacteria known as the Westfield Annapolis Mall. Between Halloween and New Years, I won’t go near that place because Santa is there and he scares me with his long beard, which holds in its cute white curls every virus of every local preschool. Before you make too many plans this holiday season, list your triggers: people, places, and things that tend to trigger your fears and bring out your worst traits.
Tip #4 for Busting Holiday Depression
NUMBER 4 ~ Avoid Toxic People
By Therese J. Borchard, originally published on Beyond Blue at Beliefnet.com
This one’s difficult if the toxic people happen to be hosting Christmas dinner! But in general, just try your best to avoid pernicious humans in December. And if you absolutely must see such folks, then allow only enough time for digestion and gift-giving. Drink no more than one glass of wine in order to preserve your ability to think rationally. You don’t want to get confused and decide you really do love these people, only to hear them say something horribly offensive two minutes later, causing you to storm off all aggravated and hurt. (This would also be a good time to remember Rule #1.)
Tip #3 for Busting Holiday Depression
NUMBER THREE ~ Beef Up Your Support
By Therese J. Borchard, originally published on Beyond Blue at Beliefnet.com
If you attend Al-Anon once a week, go twice a week during the holidays. If you attend a yoga class twice a week, try to fit in another. Schedule an extra therapy session as insurance against the potential meltdowns ahead of you. Pad yourself with extra layers of emotional resilience by discussing in advance specific concerns you have about X, Y, and Z with a counselor, minister, or friend (preferably one who doesn’t gossip).
In my life with two young kids, this means getting extra babysitters so that if I have a meltdown in Starbucks like I did two years ago–before I knew the mall was menacing to my inner peace–I will have an extra ten minutes to record in my journal what I learned from that experience.
Have you ever thought "If only (blank) would change...". I have. I bet you have, too.
The Chicago Tribune had an interesting article on how we can alter our thought patterns so we don't fall into the abyss of "if only they would change, things would be better". We can only control ourselves and our thoughts. Read the article here.
Avoid Dehydration at All Costs!
We touched on the benefits of drinking two to three liters of water each day back in July. Today we want to drive home the importance of drinking that water, as tasteless as it can seem at times. Without it, your body can not function properly. Water is the main component in digestion and helps remove toxins and waste from our body keeping our kidneys in tip-top shape. Many people do not realize that they are experiencing signs of dehydration and need to drink some water ASAP. They chalk up their symptoms to something else; PMS, not enough sleep, coming down with a bug, etc...
The symptoms to early stages of dehydration (2% fluid loss) start with a feeling of thirst and progress to include, headaches, mood swings, lethargy, confusion, dry lips, dry mouth, loss of appetite, chills, head rushes, dark colored urine and constipation.
If dehydration is allowed to continue (5% fluid loss), you may start to experience an increased heart rate, respiration and body temperature, extreme fatigue, nausea, continuing headaches, achiness and tingling of your limbs.
By the time that your body has reached 10% fluid loss, you are experiencing SEVERE DEHYDRATION. Help is needed! At this point, your body could be experiencing muscle spasms, vomiting, painful urination, kidney stones, difficulty breathing, chest and abdominal pain and possibly unconsciousness.
The above symptoms are not exclusive but they are the most common. Every body is different and reacts differently to dehydration. If you are not a big water drinker or are tired of it, add a slice of lemon, cucumber, orange or toss in some mint leaves to jazz it up a little. Steer clear of some of the flavored waters that have added sugars or other foreign ingredients. Stick to the basics on this one. If you notice yourself feeling thirsty, having a headache, feeling sluggish or can't concentrate, go drink a glass of water to avoid any of the above unpleasantness.
Eat Clean ~ Lunch Boxes
School is back in session! The clothes are bought, shoes are found, supplies are arranged in backpacks, now what to pack in the lunchboxes?! It is amazing what can be found in a child's lunchbox if you walked around a cafeteria at primetime. Lunchboxes filled with Lunchables, candy, giant Cinna-buns, sodas and even raw bacon when a child is not guided to what is a healthy balanced lunch. If you are struggling with what to pack, stick to the basics; low-sugar yogurts (not a Danimal or Go-gurt), raw vegetables, fruits, granola bars, natural low-sodium meats, string cheese/cut cheese, peanut butter and strawberry sliced sandwiches or blending up a smoothie are some simple but great choices. Now picture it's three months into school and your kids are tired of these options, so change it up a little and cut their sandwiches with fun cookie cutters or make bite-sized finger foods so they have a picnic lunch. You can make some powerfully nutritious muffins to send along - you don't even have to tell them how good they are for them. The Internet and library have a plethora of healthy recipes that are easy to follow. It is up to us to make school a wonderful experience for our children and how better to do that than to send them off in the morning with foods to keep them alert and feeling good throughout their day. Be the influence in your child's life and lead by example. What are you packing in your lunchbox today?
Eat Clean ~ Football Season
Football. Nachos. Beer. Hot wings. Dips. Hot dogs. The list could go on and on of all the unhealthy foods we gorge on during football season.
It's Friday night, are you heading to a football game tonight in your community? If you don't eat beforehand, what are your dinner choices going to be? Hot dog on a white bun, nachos, oily/salty popcorn, candy and candy bars. Mmmm. When keeping to a healthy lifestyle and you find yourself heading off to a football game, eat dinner or at least a filling snack beforehand so that you aren't hungry during the game and subjected to the unhealthy choices that are provided at the concession stand. You can easily take a snack of dried fruit and almonds in a container with you in your pocket or purse and a bottle of water.
If you are heading to a football party or hosting one yourself, have cleaner versions of your favorite foods. Have plenty of fruits and vegetables with hummus to offer. Baked pita chips, air-popped popcorn sprinkled with parmesan cheese, veggie tortilla chips and salsa and chicken skewers are all great football snacks that won't make your body feel like a leaden, oily mess after eating it. Football season does not have to mean jumping off the road to Clean Eating. Stay the course and enjoy football and your health at the same time.
Eat Clean ~ Great Resource
NOVO:Renewing Joy in Life, LLC has been providing you with tips to freshen up the foods that you and your families eat on a daily basis. There are many websites or magazines that are also great places to get information or new ideas. The ones we would like to recommend today are: www.eatcleandiet.com and www.cleaneatingmag.com There are many more sites out there but these two provide the same basis of information that we have been providing to you over the past weeks. Let us know what you think of them.
Eat Clean ~ Track it
Keep a food journal.
It isn't easy in the beginning to write everything that you eat down but once it is a habit, it can be a very useful tool. We don't realize the bite of mac'n'cheese we ate off of our kids plate, the nibble of this and that until you have to be more concious of what you're doing by writing your food intake down. In addition to writing down what you eat, note down the times you ate and how your body feels at different times of the day. Certain foods can affect us all differently. You may notice some foods make you feel energized or others made you really tired and sluggish or even bloated and gassy. After a week or two of writing down your food activity, look it over and you may be surprised by what you see.
Eat Clean ~ A family affair
Get the whole family involved.
Kick starting a clean eating lifestyle for yourself is difficult enough in this society. Getting your family on board with you is even tougher. A great tip for anyone who wants their family members to feel as great as they do, is to keep it simple. If you declare one day, "I am throwing out all the processed snacks and you are not allowed to eat any of it anymore!" or "The whole family is going on a diet!", you will have a rebellion on your hands. If the usual suspects of processed foods and drinks slowly start disappearing, they most likely won't notice until they are full of energy and have glowing complexions. By then, who in their right mind wants to turn back to foods that make you feel sluggish and clogged? All you can do is set a good example and provide them with the right tools to make good food choices. We wish you luck!
Eat Clean ~ Support
Have a support system.
Eating Clean can be extremely difficult for many people. It's important to surround yourself with as many people that have the same goals about food as you do. Your partner, your friends, your family and your co-workers can be a benefit or a road block for you on your path to eating clean. Be clear with the people in your life of your goals and decisions to have a healthy lifestyle. The individuals in your life don't have to eat the way you have decided to but they do need to be supportive of your decision of a healthy lifestyle. If that is not possible, then branch out and find some friends that have the same goals as you do. Positive reinforcement is what will keep you going on those days when you feel tired or unhappy and you want to indulge in some very unclean foods. There are online forums you can participate in to hold you accountable, your local fitness facility is a great resource or there may be support groups in your area that consist of others that are looking for the same support you are.
Eat Clean ~ Reduce Alcohol Intake
Limit alcohol consumption.
Here we are at Friday, the start of a new weekend. If you've been trying to incorporate some of the past weeks tips into your lifestyle, don't throw it all away this weekend by drinking heavily at a bar or gathering. I'm sure you already know that alcohol does not help you maintain hydration which is a crucial factor in a Clean Eating lifestyle. After enjoying a glass of wine or beer, you may recall the feeling that you have to rush to the bathroom not too long after finishing, because, like caffeine, alcohol has a diuretic effect. If you go to a gathering and have several drinks, the next morning you may have a headache, this is mostly caused from dehydration. If you decide to have a drink or two this weekend, have a glass of water for each alcoholic beverage. Keep in mind that alcohol is a form of sugar and will add unnecessary calories just as a dessert would. The occassional glass of wine or alcoholic beverage - one or two glasses per week - is acceptable for a Clean Eating lifestyle. Excessive alcohol however, is associated with an elevated risk of developing various types of cancer.
Enjoy your weekend and the people in it without derailing your goals to maintain a Clean Eating lifestyle
Eat Clean ~ Eat Less Salt
Lower your salt intake.
This is a no-brainer tip. On a short-term basis, you can easily drop a couple pounds on the scale just by reducing your salt intake because sodium causes your body to retain fluid, mostly water. Your body needs sodium to function. It keeps fluids and other electrolytes balanced in your body and is essential for muscular contractions and nervous cell communications. However, too much sodium can be detrimental to your health.
The Institute of Medicine states that an adequate sodium intake level is the amount of sodium your body needs to perform all of the functions that sodium can in the body. For people ages 9 to 50 years old, the adequate intake is 1,500 mg per day. For children 1 to 3 years old, adequate intake is 1,000 mg of sodium each day. Kids 4 to 8 years old need 1,200 mg of sodium. Those age 51 to 70 should get 1,300 mg per day, and those over 71 need 1,200 mg each day. http://www.livestrong.com/article/402087-acceptable-sodium-levels/
Eat Clean ~ Eat Flax
Eat flaxseed every day.
Flaxseed acts like natures scrub brush for your intestines and digestive system. Two tablespoons every morning will help your bodies digestion. Grind it up (a coffee grinder works great) and sprinkle it on oatmeal, salads or toast or add it into your smoothies, yogurt, or baking. This seed is full of fiber and healthy oils. You must grind up the seed for maximum benefit or it just slides right through you. Purchase seeds and grind them yourself rather than purchasing pre-ground seeds that lose nutrition and go rancid more quickly. Keep refrigerated. Start slowly with a teaspoon a day and work up to two to four tablespoons a day.
Eat Clean ~ Eat healthy fats
Consume healthy fats every day.
Fat keeps your mind thinking and your body running. Consuming healthy fats that are found in avocados, nuts, and oils are essential to being healthy. When cooking use coconut, olive, avocado, flaxseed and pumpkin seed oils to add flavor to your stir-frys or salads.
Eat Clean ~ Eat Smart
Know thy enemy.
We're back to reading those food labels. Avoid anything high in saturated and trans fats, anything fried or high in sugar. Don't rely on food labels that boast words such as, low-fat, sugar-free, diet, organic, new, fresh, added nutrients or enriched. These are marketing gimmicks to alter your perception of those foods. You still have to read the label. Many of these foods include a plethora of unrecognizable ingredients.
It is important to limit your sugar intake to 100 calories a day, or around 6 tsp., for an average adult woman. Adult men should limit their intake to 150 calories a day, or around 9 tsp., advises the American Heart Association.
Eat Clean ~ Eat on the Go
Take it to go.
Everyone's schedules are hectic. We are busy with jobs, families, sports, houses, gardens, etc... If you are leaving the house, pack your clean foods to go with you. Pack a cooler for work everyday so you are not tempted to buy garbage out of the vending machine or run out to a fast food joint for lunch. Going with friends, kids, families for an outing, pack a cooler with snacks and drinks so that you always have clean foods with you. Keep unsalted nuts and dried fruit in a baggie/container in your car so that you are not caught running late somewhere without any snacks.
Eat Clean ~ Eat Local
Reduce your carbon footprint.
Eat produce that is in season and local. It's less expensive, better for our environment and it supports our local businesses/farmers. When you eat seasonal, local foods you are getting the highest nutrition that that food can provide because you are getting it within days of it being picked rather than waiting for it to be picked and then shipped from across the globe.
Geneva's local Green Market is held on Thursdays, June 2 - October, 7a.m - 1 p.m in the parking lot at 75 N. River Lane, Geneva, IL. Rain or shine.
Eat Clean ~ Learn portion size
Learn about portion sizes.
At the top of every food label, you'll find that products serving size. On majority of recipes, you'll find the serving size appropriate for the nutrition facts. Someone may eat relatively clean, nutritious foods but they are eating twice the amount their body needs of those foods. Even healthy foods need to be eaten in balance. Eat until you are not hungry anymore, not until you have to unbutton the top bottom of your pants. Listen to your body. Unlike what many mothers have stated over generations - you DO NOT have to clean your plate. (Just save it for later).
A helpful portion guide:
~ 1 serving of lean protein should fit in the palm of your hand
~ 1 serving of complex carbs from whole grains should fit in one cupped hand
~ 1 serving of complex carbs from fresh fruits/vegetables should fit into two cupped hands together
Eat Clean ~ Avoid processed foods
Avoid processed and refined foods.
This means that white flour, sugar, white bread, white pasta, white rice should be passed over for complex carbs such as wheat flour, whole-grain or wheat bread, wheat pasta, brown rice and oats. Good carbs are full of fiber, vitamins and minerals and help balance out your blood sugar and help your body use energy efficiently.
Eat Clean ~ Can't read it, Don't eat it
Read food labels.
If you can't read what the ingredients are, don't eat it. Clean foods contain one or two ingredients. Products with long ingredient lists are man-made and should be avoided. If the ingredient list looks more like ingredients for a science project, don't buy it. No one knows the long term effects of eating some of the chemicals added into so many packaged foods. If you are unsure of what it is, google it and find out.
Eat Clean ~ Drink Clean
Drink at least two-three liters of water a day.
Water makes up almost 70% of our bodies. Our bodies need water to flush out toxins and waste. Hydration is key in allowing our bodies to perform all its functions efficiently.
Feeling tired - drink water; you may already be slightly dehydrated
Feeling hungry - drink water; you may really be thirsty if you have eaten less than two hours ago
Not drinking enough water can lead to dry skin, flaky scalp, dull hair and skin and definitely bad breathe. Carry a reusable water bottle with you wherever you go. You can then avoid purchasing over-priced, plastic bottled water or unnecessary juices and sodas.
Eat Clean ~ Eat Breakfast
Never miss breakfast - break the fast.
You have just woken up after not eating for seven-eight hours. Eating a nutritious breakfast gets your brain and body working for the day. Maybe you are someone that isn't hungry first thing in the morning, but try to eat something within the first hour you are awake. Your body will thank you for it.
The first thing you eat sets the tone for the rest of your day. Eating eggs, oatmeal or a smoothie for breakfast will help you stick to eating healthy foods the remainder of the day. You can avoid the sugar cravings experienced mid-morning if you don't skip breakfast because you have started the day off satisfied and full of nutritious food.
Eat Clean ~ Eat Often
Eat five to six times a day.
The first thing to eating clean is eating more often. Eat three meals and two to three small snacks. Include a lean protein, plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, and a complex carbohydrate with each meal. This will keep your body energized and burning calories all day long. Eating more often helps keep your metabolism from slowing down to a crawl. Eating more often does NOT mean eat more food! Instead of eating three large meals, you are splitting things up a bit throughout your day so that you are eating every two to three hours. Maybe you ordinarily go to Panera for lunch and get a soup and sandwich. Eat one of them at lunch and two hours later eat the other part.
Avoid starchy, sugary, empty-calorie, processed and high-fat foods.
Eating Clean
Have you ever heard the expression "eat clean"? Some might wonder, versus what, eating dirty? The answer is yes.
Our society is at a stage where there is a great number of people who are recognizing that all the super-sizing, fast food, eating on the go is having an extremely negative effect on everyone from toddlers to the elderly. All we hear about in magazines, through the school system, on TV and the radio is that obesity has become a serious problem. All you have to do is go to a public place and look around, it's plain to see. Advertisements are telling us all we have to do is take a pill and we will magically lose 10 pounds. Is it truly magic to shed water weight and then have it return a week later? More advertisements are telling us to apply miracle creams on our skin to rid ourselves of dry, wrinkly, or pimply skin. If you are still ingesting unhealthy foods/drinks, that miracle cream isn't going to help in the least. An endless cycle begins where we eat processed foods, feel crummy, drink a 5-hour Energy, try to finish the tasks in our day, stress about the negative effects these foods are making on our bodies, dump money into products that are designed to make you think that they will work instantly to cure your problems, start to experience a feeling of depression and hopelessness that nothing is getting better.
Many of the difficulties people experience with their mind and bodies can be avoided by making better choices in what they eat and drink. When you eat "clean" foods, you feel refreshed, fulfilled and energized in a way that can not be accomplished when eating "dirty" foods. Picture a plate of grilled chicken breast, steamed asparagus,brown rice and a glistening glass of ice water. When this type of meal is eaten you are recharged to press on with the rest of your day/evening. Now picture a plate completely covered by a double-quarter pounder with cheese, a limp piece of lettuce, a hard piece of tomato and fries. Toss in a large coke to boot. After completing this type of meal, you want to either vomit because the grease has settled in the bottom of your stomach like a piece of lead or you want to curl up on the nearest flat surface and take a nap.
Clean, natural foods keep your body in good working order and gives your skin a glow that can not be purchased in a bottle from your local drugstore. Processed, man-made foods slow you down, give your hair and skin a greasy shine that no one wants to emulate. In the coming weeks, NOVO will be providing you with what it means to truly "eat clean". Until then, pay close attention to the foods that you are eating - are they helping you to feel the way you want to feel?
May is Mental Health Month
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time for people to learn more about mental health conditions and seek out help for them.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, mental health concerns affect 1 in 10 Americans today, but fewer than 25 percent of people with a diagnosable mental disorder seek treatment. Mental Health Awareness Month hopes to help increase the number of people who will talk to their doctor or a mental health professional about their concern. To read more of this article, click here: http://psychcentral.com/news/2011/05/14/may-is-mental-health-month/26193.html
Earth Day!
In light of Sunday, April 22, 2012 being Earth Day, we would like to know how you recognized this widely celebrated day. Did you attend any Earth Day events or celebrations? Did you make a conscious effort to change one action in your day to benefit the Earth? There are so many little things that each of us can do that add up to a big difference in the long run. Our favorite "Green Queen" is Sophie Uliano, author of Gorgeously Green. She is a wonderful source of information on the many "green" actions that you can take that fit your life and daily routines to benefit not only the Earth but your health and wellness, too. Check out her website at www.gorgeouslygreen.com to explore a plethora of valuable information that will benefit your health, body, and mind and renew the joy in your life!
What are Stressdots?
Stressdots are a valuable biofeedback tool; a fun way to keep your stress in check and... STAY HEALTHY!
Place the Stressdots on your hand. When your stress level increases, the Stressdots changes color. When you see the color change, you can practice a relaxation technique to relieve the stress -- and help keep yourself healthy!
Join us for our Open House on May 31, 2012 and try one out.
The Neglect of Mental Illness...
A recently published article brought much needed attention to the fact that there is a remarkably high number of people in our society that suffer from depression, anxiety disorders or other mental health ailments at some point in their lives that go untreated. It's titled:
The Neglect of Mental Illness Exacts a Huge Toll, Human and Economic
By letting mental afflictions go untreated, we consign millions of Americans to misery and put a drag on our economy
Click on the link below to read the full article.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=a-neglect-of-mental-illness
Emotional Balance & Good Nutrition
The Connection ~ Part V
By Judy Thomas, LCSW
When choosing a supplement, keep in mind that not all supplements are created equal. When choosing a vitamin supplement look for a seal of approval from the Unites States Pharmacopeia (USP), NSF International, Natural Products Association or ConsumerLab.com. This indicates that it has been tested and includes the nutrients listed in the amounts listed. This can also give you some confidence that the pill will dissolve before exiting your system. For fish oil supplements, the possibility of contaminants makes it doubly important to check that testing has been done to ensure purity.
Good emotional health starts with good physical health.
Making sure your body has what it needs does not have to be a time consuming
process and is well worth the effort. It is also mandatory for maintaining
emotional health.
Emotional Balance & Good Nutrition
The Connection ~ Part IV
By Judy Thomas, LCSW
When considering the effect of fats, it is important to remember that most fats and oils are made up of a mix of different fatty acids and it is this mix that is important. A detailed discussion of all the fatty acids is beyond the scope of this article so we will focus on the two essential fatty acids that appear to have the greatest impact on health and mood. These are omega 3 (alpha-linolenic) and omega 6 (linoleic) fatty acids. They are called essential fatty acids because they can not be created within our bodies. A proper balance is key.
There have been recently published studies indicating a link between mood disorders and low levels of omega 3 fatty acids, with improvement in mood correlated with supplementation. This does not prove causation but the statistically significant correlation between higher levels of omega 3 fatty acids and improved mood make it a promising target.
Dietary sources of omega-3 fatty acids include flax-seed, hemp, canola, walnut and fish oils. Ways to increase dietary consumption include switching the type of oil you use in salad dressings, adding flax-seed or hemp seed to dishes, changing the oils used in cooking, eating more cold water seafood and taking fish oil supplements. Increases in seafood consumption should be moderated due to the widespread contamination present in most seafood these days.
CHECK BACK ON MONDAY TO READ PART V
Emotional Balance & Good Nutrition
The Connection ~ Part III
By Judy Thomas, LCSW
The B vitamins are another nutritional landmine that can wreck your mood. Low levels have been correlated with depression and anxiety in a significant number of studies. Unlike the fat soluble vitamin D, the B vitamins are water soluble making daily intake more important. Add to that the many substances that destroy them; including alcohol, nicotine, caffeine and refined sugars, and it is no wonder that many people have chronically low levels of these important nutrients.
Most data published on the internet focuses on B6 and B12 but this is only part of the picture. The brain uses all the B vitamins in the creation of neurotransmitters and neuron health making it important to maintain adequate levels of all the B vitamins. A deficiency in one can actually mask deficiencies in others.
As always, the best way to get your daily dose of B vitamins is from the foods you eat. This can necessitate a bit of planning if you want to get them all as foods that are good for one may not have much of the others. In general, unprocessed foods including meats, whole grains, beans, brewer's yeast, tempeh, and molasses are good sources. When diet alone is not enough, daily supplementation with a B-complex can provide noticeable benefit. For severe deficiencies, your doctor can provide injections.
A third important area where modern convenience is damaging our nutritional balance is in the area of fats. The message pushed in the media has been fats=bad which is very misleading. The body needs fats for cellular repair and to facilitate the use of many nutrients. The brain itself is 60% fat in the form of the myelin sheath that insulates neurons and glial cells. Not all fats are created equal and, unfortunately for us, the ones most common in a modern diet are the worst for us.
CHECK BACK ON FRIDAY TO READ PART IV
Emotional Balance & Good Nutrition
The Connection ~ Part II
By Judy Thomas, LCSW
There have been a handful of scientific studies showing a link between low Vitamin D levels and mood disturbance, particularly mild depression, with the strongest data available focused on Seasonal Affective Disorder. An abundance of anecdotal evidence is available as testing for Vitamin D deficiency is becoming more common with increased awareness of the connection between low serum levels of vitamin D and serious physical illnesses. An increasing number of individuals are reporting that when they were put on Vitamin D supplements, their mood improved.
The best way to increase levels of Vitamin D are to get adequate sun exposure. The recommendation from The National Institute of Health website is 10-30 minutes per day in direct sunlight to the face, arms, legs, and back without sunscreen, twice a week. Very nice when you can get it! When this is not an option, the judicious use of nutritional supplements can help.
There are two forms of vitamin D available in supplement form, D2 and D3, with no studies showing a discernible difference between the two. That being said, the D3 form is reportedly more easily utilized by the body and is specifically mentioned in the more rigorous studies. A few seconds to read the label is a very good investment.
CHECK BACK WEDNESDAY TO READ PART III
Emotional Balance & Good Nutrition
The Connection ~ Part I
By Judy Thomas, LCSW
In the current stressful environment, it is easy to lose sight of our health needs. This produces a double whammy, as higher stress levels put greater demands on all of our body systems. One area where we can make a big difference without a big investment in time is by appropriate use of nutritional supplements. Adequate levels of vitamin D, the B vitamins, and healthy fats can be the difference between feeling great or coping with chronic feelings of depression and anxiety.
If you are like most people, you spend a lot of your day indoors. This deprives the body of its primary source of vitamin D, which is created by the body when our skin is exposed to sunlight. This deprivation is compounded by overuse of sunblock and living in an area with shorter days, more cloud cover or smog. As a result, many people are suffering from a deficiency of vitamin D and paying the consequences in poorer physical health and chronic feelings of depressed mood, anxiety and chronic fatigue.
There are very few food sources of vitamin D. According to the International Food Information Council, natural sources are fatty fish, such as mackerel, sardines, salmon, cod liver and oysters. The recommended intake (RI) of vitamin D, as set by the Food and Nutrition Board at the Institute of Medicine, is 5 mcg, or 200 IU, until the age of 50. At 50, the RI doubles to 10 mcg daily, or 400 IU. One tablespoon of cod liver oil delivers 1,360 IU, or 340 percent of the RI. This is by far the best dietary source of vitamin D. By contrast, 3.5 oz of salmon or mackerel contains 90 percent of the RI. Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/22240-foods-containing-vitamin-d/#ixzz1kfvZOnmH
Dairy products are another good dietary source of vitamin D, although they usually contain a high amount because they are fortified with it. The NIH reports that since the 1930s, all milk in the United States is fortified with vitamin D. Dairy products that contain vitamin D are milk, cheeses, yogurts, cream and butter. Eggs yolks also contain a natural vitamin D, although they are not always considered dairy. Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/22240-foods-containing-vitamin-d/#ixzz1kfvdp7HF
Due to the fact that it is difficult to get 100 percent of the RI of vitamin D from foods, the FDA allows many foods to be fortified with it by adding it to the product. These fortified sources of vitamin D include cereals, margarine, some orange juices, flours and other drinks that are fortified with calcium. Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/22240-foods-containing-vitamin-d/#ixzz1kfvo4xB5
CHECK BACK MONDAY TO READ Part II
Health/Wellness Tips for 2012
Health/Wellness Tip #8 for Your New Years Resolutions!
By Sue Underhill, MA, LPC
~ Limit your number of promises. You’ll spread yourself too thin trying to make multiple changes in your life. This will just lead to failure of all of the resolutions.
On average only about 20% of us keep our New Year’s resolutions. Unfortunately, some of the biggest failures are found in Fitness & Health/Wellness resolutions. But don’t let the statistics get you down. By following the tip above and the six posted previously, you’ll be better equipped to fall into the successful 20% category.
Health/Wellness Tips for 2012
Health/Wellness Tip #7 for Your New Years Resolutions!
By Sue Underhill, MA, LPC
~ Don’t go it alone! Get professional assistance. Everyone needs help and sometimes a friend just isn’t enough. Sometimes you need the help of a trained professional. Don’t feel that seeking help is a way of copping out. Especially when it comes to Fitness, Health & Wellness, research studies have shown that assistance from a fitness professional greatly improves peoples success rate.
On average only about 20% of us keep our New Year’s resolutions. Unfortunately, some of the biggest failures are found in Fitness & Health/Wellness resolutions. But don’t let the statistics get you down. By following the tip above and the six posted previously, you’ll be better equipped to fall into the successful 20% category.
CHECK BACK ON WEDNESDAY FOR THE FINAL TIP!
Health/Wellness Tips for 2012
Health/Wellness Tip #6 for Your New Years Resolutions!
By Sue Underhill, MA, LPC
~ Reward yourself with each milestone. If you’ve stuck with your resolution for 2 months, treat yourself to something special. But, be careful of your reward type. If you’ve lost 5 pounds, don’t give yourself a piece of cake as an award. Instead, treat yourself to something non-food related, like a professional massage.
On average only about 20% of us keep our New Year’s resolutions. Unfortunately, some of the biggest failures are found in Fitness & Health/Wellness resolutions. But don’t let the statistics get you down. By following the tips above and the five posted previously, you’ll be better equipped to fall into the successful 20% category.
CHECK BACK ON MONDAY FOR TIP #7
Health/Wellness Tips for 2012
Health/Wellness Tip #5 for Your New Years Resolutions!
By Sue Underhill, MA, LPC
~ Ask friends and family members to help you so you have someone to be accountable to. Just be sure to set limits so that this doesn’t backfire and become more irritating than helpful. For example, if you resolve to be more positive ask them to gently remind you when you start talking negatively.
On average only about 20% of us keep our New Year’s resolutions. Unfortunately, some of the biggest failures are found in Fitness & Health/Wellness resolutions. But don’t let the statistics get you down. By following the tips above and the four posted previously, you’ll be better equipped to fall into the successful 20% category.
CHECK BACK ON FRIDAY FOR TIP #6
Health/Wellness Tips for 2012
Health/Wellness Tip #4 for Your New Years Resolutions!
By Sue Underhill, MA, LPC
~ Break it down and make it less intimidating. Rather than one BIG end goal, break it into smaller pieces. Set several smaller goals to achieve throughout the year that will help you to reach the ultimate goal. Then, even if you aren’t able to reach your final goal, you will have many smaller, but still significant, achievements along the way. For example, if your goal is to complete a 10K race, your smaller goals could be running a 5K in less than 30 minutes, adding upper and lower body strength training to increase your muscular endurance, and running 2 miles with a personal best completion time.
On average only about 20% of us keep our New Year’s resolutions. Unfortunately, some of the biggest failures are found in fitness & Health/Wellness resolutions. But don’t let the statistics get you down. By following the tip above and the three posted previously, you’ll be better equipped to fall into the successful 20% category.
CHECK BACK WEDNESDAY FOR TIP #5
Health/Wellness Tips for 2012
Health/Wellness Tip #3 for Your New Years Resolutions!
By Sue Underhill, MA, LPC
~ Create a game plan. At the beginning of January, write a comprehensive plan. Write your own personal plan and you’ll be more likely to succeed as well.
On average only about 20% of us keep our New Year’s resolutions. Unfortunately, some of the biggest failures are found in fitness & health/Wellness resolutions. But don’t let the statistics get you down. By following the tip above you’ll be better equipped to fall into the successful 20% category.
CHECK BACK ON MONDAY FOR TIP #4
Health/Wellness Tips for 2012
Health/Wellness Tip #2 for Your New Years Resolutions!
By Sue Underhill, MA, LPC
~ Avoid choosing a resolution that you’ve been unsuccessful at achieving year after year. This will only set you up for failure, frustration and disappointment. If you are still tempted to make a promise that you’ve made before, then try altering it. For example, instead of stating that you are going to lose 30 pounds, try promising to eat healthier and increase your weekly exercise.
On average only about 20% of us keep our New Year’s resolutions. Unfortunately, some of the biggest failures are found in fitness & health/Wellness resolutions. But don’t let the statistics get you down. By following the tip above you’ll be better equipped to fall into the successful 20% category.
CHECK BACK ON FRIDAY FOR TIP #3
Health/Wellness Tips for 2012
Health/Wellness Tip #1 for Your New Years Resolutions!
By Sue Underhill, MA, LPC
The secret to successful resolutions? Follow this step to help fulfill your promise to yourself:
~ Choose an obtainable goal. Resolving to look like a super model is not realistic for the majority of us, but promising to include daily physical activity in our lives is very possible. Choose a realistic weight loss goal, and think of it as losing a few pounds at a time.
On average only about 20% of us keep our New Year’s resolutions. Unfortunately, some of the biggest failures are found in Fitness & Health/Wellness resolutions. Don’t let the statistics get you down. By following the tip above and the others to follow over the next few weeks, you’ll be better equipped to fall into the successful 20% category.
On Pain
ON PAIN
By Judy Thomas, LCSW
Pain is a sign that something is wrong. Emotional pain lets us know when our boundaries are being violated. The level of pain indicates the seriousness of the violation. Rather than running from the pain and ignoring it thinking it will go away, we must look closely at it and its causes. This informs us of the location of our boundaries and our limits, allowing us to choose whether the reward for continued association is worth the pain. The very act of choosing can reduce our pain and sometimes even eliminate it. Consider the pain involved in starting an exercise routine after years of perfecting our couch potato form. When this new routine is perceived as being imposed by outside forces, the physical discomfort can be extreme and lead to stopping very quickly. However, when the perception is one of personal choice, the pain can become a welcome indicator that we are doing it right.
A simple exercise for directed change is to look closely at the pain you feel and ask “What is the cause of this pain?” Once some of the causes have been identified, you can dig deeper and ask “What is the value of that which is causing the pain?”, “Why do I believe I need or want this in my life?” and “What can be done to change the circumstances to reduce the pain?”.
Just say
JUST SAY ‘NO!’ Part II
By Judy Thomas
Sometimes the answer is to start saying ‘No!’ and making it stick. This decision is not without a price to be sure. It may mean cutting ties with toxic people that we have become accustomed to having in our lives, or giving up the security that comes with predictable employment. Only you can decide when the price is worth ending the pain.
While reclaiming the power of 'No' is not the only way to counter the pain in our life, it is the most basic. Take a look at your life and identify the areas that seem to be the source of your most persistent pain, ask yourself some pointed questions and be ready to accept what may be some hard truths. Now you are ready to start making some decisions about making changes.
Just say NO
JUST SAY ‘NO!’ Part I
By Judy Thomas
No! What a powerful word. We discovered that when first learning to speak. We retain this knowledge on a very primal level but have been conditioned to avoid claiming this power. We are trained while growing up to compromise, to get along, to agree. It starts with our parents, continues with other family members, gains steam with school and is firmly hammered home with our first job. We are trained to fear saying 'No', even when the situation calls for it. After all, we don't want people to believe we are unreasonable, oppositional, disruptive, anti-social or just plain rude.
There comes a time where it becomes clear that polite discourse characterized by gentle attempts to maintain our personal boundaries no longer works and stronger measures are called for if we are to protect ourselves. That is when an unequivocal ‘NO!’ is the only option. A statement backed up by action – the refusal to cooperate. When we stop “going along to get along” and start demanding the respect we deserve as unique, brilliant stars with much to offer the world.
Check back on Wednesday, January 4, 2012 to read Part II.
