Finally Getting Fit

Today JM and I went for a walk. It dawned as one of those special days Melbourne can put on in the middle of winter, clear blue sky, slightly chilled breeze and a pleasant 14º - in short, a great day to be out and about.

A few years back, when JM first came to Australia, we had to renew her visa so we headed to New Zealand for a holiday. Among other places we visited during a lovely time touring around, was Tauranga a seaside town near Rotorua, a place of sulphur springs (think fart smells) and geysers.

At Tauranga there is a hill out on a point sticking out into the ocean – it’s maybe 350 metres high with a walking track that winds around one side to the top. JM struggled her way to the top, resting when things got too tough, but showing amazing determination – a number of times I assured her she had shown her willingness to strive and that we could head back down knowing she had done a very good thing in getting as far as she did. As usual she was concerned about what I would think of her but I assured her I was already impressed at what she had achieved.

We got to the top; I don’t think I’ve seen anyone ever so proud of themselves. (which brought up a childhood religious issue about being chastised for being proud of things she had done – I explained that pride in achievement is NOT what the bible was talking about)

So, today we set off on a casual walk, no plans for power walk or anything special, just out and about to enjoy the day.

I was quite astonished at how easily she was able to walk at a decent pace. Mind you, she has been improving steadily in pace and stamina over the years we’ve spent together – the gym work and exercises she has been doing have worked wonders. But the difference that’s come from carrying 36lbs less than her normal weight was pretty startling.

Soon I will have to start getting fitter to be able to maintain her pace – up till now, an exercise walk with her has been little more than a stroll for me.

JM is amazing!

Mr. JM here…

A little while back JM found her path to losing weight. After years of trying that included sabotaged ‘diet’ blitzes in the US, she tried further once she came to Australia. While several times she managed to lose a couple of kilos, mostly it would go straight back on.

And a number of those times were when she broke the successful actions and binged on things bad for her.

So it was depressing for her to consider keeping on but she kept coming back to her reasons for wanting to lose weight – we’d like to have children and the idea that she would be either too overweight to become pregnant or to be able to share her time with growing kids was the best incentive for getting back on the treadmill… so to speak.

Although she did get on the treadmill too. She entered into a contract with a local gym and attended at least 3 times a week for almost a year. I was most impressed! There was some weight loss but it plateaued early – she kept on, getting out of bed early enough to hitch a ride with me as I went to work. Anyone who knows JM would realise that is a sign of dedication.

So recently I was very happy when she found two things that seemed to help her get into a weight-reduction mode while staying healthy. One is EFT, although that seems to have been dropped by the side of the road now and the other was a food replacement program. It seems structured well, with an ‘intensive’ phase to get some weight off reasonably quickly, then a tapering back into a more normal eating pattern.

Across the period of the phases, she is learning to like things healthy for her, to enjoy vegetables for their taste and to reduce the amount she eats.

And the looming threat…? Well, I am a bit overweight myself. After years of being reasonably in shape, I started a job where I began eating lunch regularly and where they have pretty regular morning tea celebrations for birthdays, new starters and a variety of other reasons.

My wife has always weighed considerably more than I do, and now she is approaching my weight at a fairly swift pace – soon I am going to have to do something about my weight or suddenly I will be the one with the weight problem!

Keeping fit emotionally and mentally is a vital part of living fully in the second half of life, the Boomer’s finest hour. Stress is cumulative. The longer we live, the more we may feel the burdens of many stressors—unless we find effective ways of releasing pressures and tensions from our bodies.

The link between the build-up of stress and immune system function has been well-studied by science. Our body’s responses are the same whether the cause of distress is real or imagined. Whenever we are anxious and worried, the adrenal glands begin producing the harmful hormone cortisol which is linked to plaque formation and constriction or occlusion of blood vessels.

Other results of ongoing stress include muscle contraction and pain, impeded flow of supportive hormones and a sense of impending doom. The immune system responds by limiting or shutting down its protective chemical messages to cope with the presumed emergency. Since some people live under internal pressures as a way of life, their health-maintaining mechanisms may be greatly impeded.

Immune function can be compromised just by holding limiting beliefs, grudges or negative attitudes. Although we cannot effectively change every item of bad news, we can certainly engage in holding a stance of hopefulness toward outside events. People, including family members, may regularly vex or irritate us, and we must learn to release the damaging effects of such interactions to preserve health. Most importantly, we can discover ways to bring calm to our minds and bodies through our choices and intentions.

Here are some sample exercises from the new field of energy psychology to help support and enhance your immune system:

1) Notice your first response when something unexpected happens. Is it anger? Is it discouragement? Is it, I’m so unlucky, this always happens to me? Is it, Hmm, How interesting? Is it, Oh good, here’s something to practice on?

2) As kindly as possible, tell yourself to try out something different and new such as gently rubbing the upper mid-chest with the message, “Even though this has happened, I still deeply and profoundly accept and respect myself.”

3) Release tension from the body by exhaling fully several times and by gently brushing any area in the body where you feel tightness or pressure.

4) Consider new options or possible solutions. Remember you are a worthy, powerful being who has every right to choose a new direction or a new way of thinking.

5) Embed the desired new choice by gently rubbing the upper mid-chest area (the thymus, master gland of the immune system, lies just behind the sternum here) by stating a pattern such as ,”Even though ___(state the event) has happened/ even though I feel__(state the feeling), I deeply and profoundly accept and honor myself and choose to ___ (see the humor in it, write a letter, express myself in a positive way, jump up and down or exercise to release tension, etc.)

6) Repeat the sequence several times to increase your resourcefulness and strengthen your sense of inner power.

7) Image your immune system, consisting of the thymus gland, the lymph nodes and the lymph pathways which parallel blood circulation patterns. See or feel them resonating with your new intention and responding like cheerleaders.

In a recent workshop at a senior center where I shared this exercise, audience response at the end was enthusiastic. Everyone felt good and several jumped up and down, something the immune loves as movement increases lymphatic circulation. One lady shared a song she had heard, “Every little cell in my body is happy, every little cell in my body is well.”

As medical science progresses, it is becoming more and more obvious that our thoughts and attitudes shape our physiology. There is truly a biological response to our beliefs. We are either the genius who guides positive gene expression in cellular life or who impedes and limits healthy genetic messaging. Positive thoughts translate into healthy immune system functioning.

For further information, please visit Dorothea’s website www.secondchancedream.com or obtain her new book entitled Second Chance at Your Dream from your bookseller or amazon.

*NOTE: Anyone who comments on any of Dawson’s posts (spotlight today, guest post tomorrow, interview on Friday) is automatically entered to win a copy of Dawson’s book - The Genie in Your Genes!

***

JM: Hello Mr. Church. Can you please provide a list of tips of things people can do on a daily basis to start achieving better health?

DC: Hello, JM. Thank you for inviting me to your website. Here is a list of things people should start doing to boost their health:

1. Kill Cortisol and Boost DHEA. Cortisol is your main stress hormone, while DHEA is your main cell repair hormone. When you generate stress in your life through your beliefs or attitudes, you send an epigenetic stress signal to your adrenal glands that says “make cortisol!” But when you shift your attitude and reduce stress, you signal your body to make DHEA. In my book The Genie in Your Genes (www.GenieBestSeller.com), I provide fast and simple techniques that you can use to produce this effect.

2. Lose Weight Effortlessly by Moving. Research shows that biggest contributor to excess weight isn’t overeating or a gym deficit; it’s a sedentary lifestyle. It’s not the three hours in the gym that makes the biggest contribution to weight loss, it’s more movement every day. I have a 77 year old friend who works with his computer on a tall stand, while he balances on a rebounder! Whether it’s getting up from your desk and performing 20 jumping jacks every 2 hours, or going outdoors for a brisk 10 minute walk, interrupting your sedentary patterns is the most effective way to lose weight.

3. Breathe. Amazingly simple, yet amazingly effective. Here’s a way to calm yourself and reduce stress by breathing. Exhale completely. Now breathe in through your nose, with a count of four. Hold your breath for a count of seven. Now breathe slowly out through your mouth with a count of eight. Hold for a count of seven, then begin again. Five minutes of this practice is virtually guaranteed to send your stress level plummeting.

4. Sternum Tapping. When you’re feeling an emotional charge, an upset, or physical pain, try tapping on your chest. Cross your arms over the center of your chest, take a breath, and then gently tap on your skin with the fingertips of one hand ten to fifteen times. Breathe again. Reverse your hands and tap again. Repeat this a few times. This is a technique drawn from the field of energy psychology, and in The Genie in Your Genes I list several other energy psychology techniques that work well at calming both physical and emotional trauma.

As part of his virtual book tour, I have invited Dr. Dawson Church to join us to talk about our health and what science is revealing about our intricate bodies - and what we can do to change our health. I hope you will join me in welcoming him to the site.

*NOTE: Anyone who comments on any of Dawson’s posts (spotlight today, guest post tomorrow, interview on Friday) is automatically entered to win a copy of Dawson’s book - The Genie in Your Genes!

About Dr. Dawson Church

Dawson Church has edited or authored many books in the fields of health, psychology, and spirituality. He has collaborated on articles with many of the leading voices of our time, including Larry Dossey, Bernie Siegel, Caroline Myss, Barry Sears, and John Gray. He earned his doctorate in Integrative Healthcare at Holos University under the mentorship of distinguished neurosurgeon Norman Shealy, M.D., Ph.D., founder of the American Holistic Medical Association. He went on to receive a postgraduate Ph.D. in Natural Medicine.

Church and Shealy coauthored a compendious survey of spiritual healing throughout history called Soul Medicine. Church founded Soul Medicine Institute (SMI), a nonprofit dedicated to education and research into science-based medical interventions which use consciousness and energy as primary modalities. He is the author of several studies published in peer-reviewed journals, and lectures at many medical and psychology conferences each year.

He presents workshops on peak performance for athletes and organizations through EFT Power Training. He performed the first randomized blind trial of EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) for athletes, the first study of EFTs effects on healthcare workers, and a large nationwide study of PTSD in war veterans as part of the Iraq Vets Stress Project.

His research summarizes the biomedical evidence for consciousness-based treatments. The Genie in Your Genes outlines the latest studies on the effects of psychospiritual experiences on gene expression, and predicts that consciousness will reach the front line of medicine in the coming decade. It has been hailed as a brilliant contribution to the literature by many reviewers.

You can visit his website at The Genie in Your Genes.

About The Genie in Your Genes

The Genie in Your Genes is a breakthrough book linking consciousness to genetic change. For the first time, a single book summarizes a chain of remarkable scientific discoveries that are revolutionizing the ways we think about health.

Author Dawson Church applies the insights of the new field of Epigenetics (epi=above, i.e. control above the level of the gene) to healing. Citing hundreds of scientific studies, he shows how beliefs and emotions can trigger the expression of DNA strands.

He focuses on a class of genes called Immediate Early Genes or IEGs. These genes turn on within a few seconds of a stimulus. They can be triggered by thoughts or emotions (”I loved that unexpected gift of roses Bill gave me” or “I’m so mad about what Uncle John said at the Christmas party”). Many IEGs are regulatory genes turn on other genes that affect specific aspects of our immune system, such as the production of white blood cells that destroy attacking bacteria and viruses. Epigenetics thus influences our health every day.

He coins the new term “Epigenetic Medicine” to describe healing techniques with epigenetic effects. He also summarizes the science behind the infant fields of Energy Psychology and Energy Medicine, both of which offer promising epigenetic medical therapies, and describes a few of the thousands of powerful personal breakthroughs that are being achieved by therapists, doctors and lay people practicing these techniques.

The Genie in Your Genes shows that there is a sound theoretical framework, based on credible experiments, for understanding these astonishing results, and predicts that the insights of Epigenetic Medicine will dramatically advance the fields of both medicine and psychology in the coming decade.

Best of all, The Genie in Your Genes demonstrates that, by taking control of our consciousness and using it to influence our genetic expression, we can sometimes bypass years of therapy, as well as harmful drugs and invasive surgeries, to, in effect, do continuous genetic engineering on our own bodies. This can produce both immediate relief from long-standing anxieties and neuroses, as well as “miraculous” healing of persistent physical conditions, especially autoimmune diseases.

Among a new crop of books that chart the way to a positive health future, The Genie in Your Genes stands out as a solidly grounded and exciting pointer to the future possibilities of a medicine that links soul to body and mind.

Today I am on the road with Mr. JM. My wonderful friend Jenera of Just Me and Jenera Healy Photography has been kind enough to take over for the day. I couldn’t be leaving my blog in more trusted hands…

According to WebMD, the symptoms of binge eating are as follows:

* Eat way too much in a short period of time (less than 2 hours) on a regular basis.
* Eat when you are not hungry, to ease stress or to comfort yourself.
* Eat for emotional reasons, such as being sad, angry, lonely, or bored.
* Feel like you can’t stop eating.
* Eat faster than normal when you binge.
* Eat so much that you feel painfully full.
* Feel unhappy, upset, guilty, or depressed after you binge.
* Eat alone because you are embarrassed about how much you eat.

I do not think that binge eating or any other eating disorders are anything to be taken lightly. You may be having problems losing weight but it isn’t always going to be the result of a disorder of any type.

However, I was searching the internet trying to find motivation, tips, and support for losing weight. I have been questioning myself on why I just can’t seem to not eat. I don’t feel that there is an emotional void I’m filling though I do admit to eating more when stressed.

While reading through the symptoms or signs of bingeing, I found myself nodding my head. I DO eat when I’m not hungry. I DO eat in secret. I DO eat way past my full level.

My husband is a truck driver and is gone on the week for days at a time. I do more eating while he is gone than when he is home. There have been times I have waited for him to go to work before making a huge pot of pasta and then eating every single bit.

I know this is inhibiting my weight loss. I know that I do not need to eat as much as I do. I try to stay busy and to not dwell on the thought of food. I can do so well all day but come evening time, it’s constant eating for me. I feel terrible afterwards but I still do it.

Does this mean I am a binge eater? Maybe, maybe not. Do I have an unhealthy relationship with food? Probably.

I’m not sure where to go from here. I should talk to my husband about it but even then, what would the next step be? Would I need to take a next step? Or is recognizing the behavior the biggest one?

Have you dealt with a similar situation or other eating disorders in your quest to lose weight?

Bty Mr. JM

JM is SOOO going to regret letting me have a go at this… *grins*

Another things I came across in the science journal, probably fifteen years back now, was a study looking into antioxidant effects and the best sources for them. There has been more recent work done on this and a couple of reportedly better sources for antioxidants but the one I saw had something unusual to say.

Scientists were looking for things to affect free radicals inside cells. Far out in front (strawberries came second) were Blueberries, showing a remarkable ability to hunt down or otherwise mop up those nasty free radicals which are produced as the cell produces power from sugars.

This wasn’t so unusual – there’s been a number of studies that show something along the lines of the darker red or blue a food is the better it is as an antioxidant – it is speculated the odd ability of French and Italian people to live longer despite a diet that should kill them by 60 years is due to red wine and olives.

But Blueberries showed an effect which not only stopped free radical damage from occurring, but seemed to actually repair some of the damage.

As few as 6 - 8 BB’s per day is enough to get the effect, but it must be whole fruit. They can be frozen, but if it’s juice, it must the whole berries juiced.

One other thing I read way back when, for those taking Vitamin C - if you take C, you should take B (a B Complex is fine) as taking either by itself creates an artificial deficiency of the other. I’m not sure what the balance ratio is – I just make sure if I take one of C I take one of B as well. Note you should not take more than 1000mg per day of C and you should take vitamins with food – some of them can do bad things to an empty stomach.

See you when I’m 140 and playing squash.

By Mr. JM

For those interested in health, here’s a couple of interesting bits that came from the science world. Both of these came to my attention because they worked on everything they could try them on.

The CSIRO is an Australian research Centre, Government run. Although more recently it seems to have become politicised, for decades it did independent science in a variety of fields. I was listening to a radio program interviewing the retired head of CSIRO and they asked something like ‘what is the thing you thought might change the world that didn’t’ and he said zinc sulphate.

They’d been looking, back in the 50’s or early 60’s, for a way to deal with virus problems. What they found after extensive testing was that zinc sulphate, (chelated) at around 50mcg per day, would prevent a virus from co-opting the cell factories to reproduce itself. They weren’t sure why it worked, but it stopped the virus cold. It would invade, sit around for a bit, then die out.

Take 75 - 100 mcg per day for 3 weeks, then back to 25mcg once a day or 3 - 4 times per week.
Colds and flu were never major problems for me but I used to get 2-4 per year; now I get none. Or rather, the only time I get them is when I stop taking the zinc regularly.

It isn’t a matter of luck or anything – when there’s a flu going around I will get that raw patch feeling in my throat – for maybe a few hours – but it goes no further than that.

A couple of years back, one of the pharmaceuticals came out with a cold and flu remedy that claims to do exactly what the old guy claimed for zinc – they want something like $12 each for it. $12 will buy two containers of 100 zinc sulphate pills, each 25mcg of zinc, enough for at least six months protection.

Mr. JM here again.

Migraines are a bitch. I know this because I’ve seen people with them and felt for them as they’ve suffered. My mother had them, pretty often. Years after I left home, I heard of a tonic & when she tried it, the migraines went away.

Here it is for anyone interested.

1/4 teaspoon Magnesium Carbonate
1 Tablespoon Calcium Gluconate
1 Tablespoon cider vinegar
Mix all to a paste.
Add 1/2 cup of boiling water & stir well.
(If mix is correct, liquid will go clear. If slightly off in mix, let sit for a while till all sediment sinks, then pour off liquid into another cup.)
Add cold water till it is drinkable temperature.

Once a day for a week or so, then just a few times a month is fine.

Note. It is likely for the 1st day or 2 that there will be ‘the runs.’ This is normal and it stops once the body adjusts.

My mother stopped after a few months and it was nearly three years before she had another migraine.

The Calcium Gluconate can be hard to source – strangely back in the 80’s it was easy – the local pharmacist had it. Now apparently most stuff comes to them prepacked so they don’t have the same kind of stocks. But look around, it is possible to get it.

A lesser level of relief is something I found for JM called Caltrate Plus – a commercial Calcium supplement formula it has the magnesium content as well. They aren’t in the right proportions nor ‘balanced’ by the cider vinegar but they relieve her headaches.

JM’s not well at present and although she wants to try to keep up with everything I figured I might contribute a little and see if I can get her to ‘BACK THE HELL AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER, WOMAN!’ *grins*

Every so often as I read through the science stuff I’m interested in, I have come across something that seems a little different. Science usually explores very constricted alleyways so they can control the parameters and get definitive results from their experiments, but on occasion, the experiments lead into unexpected results.

One such had to do with diet. There is a strange effect observed, originally in mice, but later in every creature they could try it on. If you take the normal healthy diet for a lab mouse and cut it by up to one third, you get a weird result. The mouse lives longer and healthier.

In other words, if the mouse normally lives (say) three years and starts to fade with age at two years, on the calorie restricted (CR) diet it will not only live to maybe 4 years, but the age effect doesn’t kick in till maybe three and a half years. Note the figures are indicative only – for a human it would be normal 75, age effects at 60, under CR, live till 120 with age effects from maybe 115.

Note this was not fad diet stuff. It was still eating a balanced fresh healthy diet, working out what is correct for a given individual then cutting it by between 20% and 30% across the board. So no, you can’t just stop eating brussel sprouts.

My husband is joining us today to share a few words.

When disaster comes, it can be difficult to identify with the people directly affected unless perhaps one has been through similar events.

The recent fires in Australia have brought out the best of humanity as Aussies rally around to try to help, in any way they can’ those fellow countrymen who have suffered so grievously.

It can bring tears welling as one listens to news of how, within two days the charities had to ask for people to stop donating clothes, blankets and other household goods because they simply didn’t have enough people to sort and process the mountains that had come through their doors.

Listening to the appeals as they soar into the millions of dollars faster than ever before brings a lump in the throat at the generosity of the everyday people of Australia, while hearing about the thousands of people lining up to give blood is heartwarming.

But how do you write about all this? Do you have to have experienced the pain, the trauma and loss in order to reach into those feelings to be able to express them vividly enough to cause those same emotions to rise in your reader?

Is it possible to sit outside the feelings but still describe them so well they resonate with similar moments in the lives of your readers?

I have been on fire lines, and worked in the camps set up in the bush where men and machines gather to do battle with the most ferocious servant man has had. Emergency situations change people; we see the best of them as they stand together to face impossible odds, to trust each other with their lives and to take on the impossible task of turning fifty foot flames from their path, of stopping inferno from devastating their community.

Can we write about heroism from outside? Is it possible to tap into an entirely new way of thinking and acting if we haven’t been there?

When it comes to getting fit, it’s always important to know you have people who love and support you in your journey. My poor husband has to hear a lot of my rants, but it’s wonderful to know that he sympathizes and is there to support me to matter what.

Dear wife,

I am not the best of men but being with you, having you to look after, to help, to hold and to provide focus in my life makes me try to be. There are times when I feel badly about myself for no other reason than I think I am not the best you should have and I am not able to provide you with everything.

Your support, your love, your way of reacting to life gives me purpose, opens my heart and shows me how much I missed in the years before I found you.

We have come a long way from the early days and we are still on the journey, but even in the worst times we have I can’t conceive of going back to a life without you in it.

I hurt when you hurt; I hurt when you are denied things that come easy to others. I try to help with how you cope with the disappointments of trying to lose weight and feel inadequate because I can’t find ways to help you achieve what you wish for so fervently.

Life with you is a revelation each day, bringing me back into a world i had almost left, showing me how much there is to be found and enjoyed.

I’m not good at expressing my love, so I try to show how I feel by how I act, what i can give and by making as good a life for you as I can. I fail often it seems but I love you and it keeps me trying.

There’s no ‘I’ in Team, nor any ‘you’ but you and I together make a team and we’re getting better at it I think.

All my love,
Mr. JM

Dr. J. R. Paine, D.SC. and Professor Dr. S. N. Gupta, Ph.D. are currently on virtual tour for their book Dear God, Let Me Lose Fat, Amen. Upon looking at their book, I couldn’t help but ask…

How is the “Dear God, Let Me Lose Fat, Amen” book different from the millions of others diets currently on the market?
_______________

First, allow me to apologize for the length of this guest post. When you consider that billions of pages have been written to talk about diets that don’t work, this is the “briefest” post I could write to tell you about the exciting new ways in which “Dear God, Let Me Lose Fat, Amen” can help you regain health and lose excess weight without, what we commonly call, a diet.

Let us now tell you how our Dear God book is totally different from 30 million diets. Have you noticed that these days the sound your ears hear the most is “change, change, change”? Well, dear friends, we realized over two years ago that what the world of dieting needed most was urgent change, real, honest-to-goodness change. Why?

Well, you and everyone else will agree that what 200 million dieters in America and two billion dieters around the world have right this minute is not a diet but a riot! It is a daily routine of repeated riots between the dieter and his/her emotions, hunger pangs and cravings. Right? As it is even at this minute, dieting is a daily cycle of war and surrender with food plus hunger and cravings cells. It is 24/7 worry about weight, diet, disease and health. Right?

“Dear God, Let Me Lose Fat, Amen” takes the fight out of dieting. War turns into peace and pain turns into pleasure as dieters follow Nature’s timetable as explained in the Dear God book. Dieters can be certain that lost weight will never ever be regained. This is a promise, not just ours but also Nature’s.

“Dear God, Let Me Lose Fat, Amen” lets a diet be a diet. This book makes peace between the dieters and their diet. How? Here is how. While the Dieter feeds the mouth, “Dear God, Let Me Lose Fat, Amen” provides plenty of Auto Slim knowledge nutrition for the brain. With the mouth and the brain working in harmony and cooperation, the body no longer has to cope with biological hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes because the mouth, at peace with the brain, no longer needs to send that overdose of food, fats, sugar, salt, carbohydrates and carbonated fluids into a helpless body.

“Dear God, Let Me Lose Fat, Amen” is a slim book packed with concentrated wisdom supplied by legendary thinkers, educators, scientists, philosophers, physicians, researchers over 2,000 years. This book houses the one and only, never before available, fast delivery system for Fast Knowledge and Fast Facts 30-second, Hot Tips Team of virtual nutritionists, tutors, trainers, bodyguards, slimmercials, dietmercials, healthmercials and more to feed the brain the knowledge it must have to make the right health and weight decisions for the body it governs.

“Dear God, Let me Lose Fat, Amen” is literally a “Pot of Gold” filled with health gain and weight loss, delicious nuggets of hot tips for instant, Nature approved results. For instance, dieters worldwide will be thrilled to know how to lose 150-200 calories in just 30 seconds. All they need do is look at Pages 28 and 31 of the “Dear God, Let Me Lose Fat, Amen” book.

Dieters worldwide will be delighted (more…)

Today I have a special guest post from Sandra Powers who is currently on virtual tour with her organic eating book Organic for Health. I hope you’ll join me in welcoming her here.

There are two components necessary for good health: a healthy mind and a healthy body. Neither one works well without the other.

The first step in achieving a healthy mind is to eliminate as much stress in your life as possible. It is impossible to eliminate all stress and it’s not a good idea to try. We need some stress to be productive, but we all know the symptoms of excess stress, manifesting itself in insomnia, anxiety, depression, and obesity, play a negative role in our health.

When I was a busy young mother living near Seattle raising my daughters, I began to experience sleepless nights. My doctor told me “to relax.” I didn’t need him to tell me to relax. If I knew how to relax, I wouldn’t be stressed! But I knew I had to do something. One especially difficult night, a word popped into my head: meditation.

That was my path to learning a coping device that has carried me through many difficult times in my life. Yoga is another good coping device. Even 20 minutes alone everyday at the same time sitting in a comfortable chair listening to soft music will release unwanted stress. Once you have control of the stress in your life, the next step to health is the body.

The first step to a healthy body is eating the right foods. We all know that. Unfortunately, we don’t all know “what the right foods are.” We’re aware that sugar and hydrogenated fat are bad. What else? Try pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, and artificial additives in our conventionally grown foods. When we diet we are so obsessed with sugar, we load up on foods that contain artificial sweeteners that studies are now showing actually add to our weight problems.

Eat organically whenever possible. Organic fruits and vegetables have more antioxidants, immune boosters, are tastier and more satisfying than the conventional counterparts. You can eat less but get more beneficial nutrients. With organic food, you and your family can eat the same food. Downsize your portions, but with the added flavor of organics, you won’t feel like your dieting.

Meditation, along with yoga and music, are healers of the mind. Organic foods are healers of the body. Combine them and you are on your way to feeling fit and getting healthy.

Sandy Powers
Organic for Health
www.organicforhealthsite.com
sdepour@comcast.net