Food, Mood and Attitude

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Too often our food consumption is based solely on our mood and/or attitude. We might have good intentions of eating well all the time or this week or just for today – taking it one day at a time but then something happens that alters our mood and changes our attitude and we slip.

I eat healthy 99% of the time and I set good intentions every day but I, like everyone else, don’t always follow through. We slip up because we get frustrated with someone or something at home or work, or even by a complete stranger, a bad commute and many other positive attitude corrupters.

Slipping up on your intentions to eat healthy or exercise has no limits; it will occur in ways that might seem healthy but aren’t such as you choose healthy food options but your portion sizes are over the top like eating the entire pan of stir-fry or the whole bunch of bananas, (okay, that might be a far stretch, who can eat that many bananas?!) but you get the idea.

We let our moods be affected by things not going our way or by letting someone else’s frustrations become ours too. When we do slip up, our mood gets worse and we develop an attitude; it become a vicious cycle that leaves us whirling out of control.

What’s the difference between mood and attitude? Your mood is your state of feeling, your emotional tone or frame of mind. Your attitude is your manner, tendency, orientation or disposition. I like to refer to our attitude as our disposition because it’s a strong descriptive; ‘dis’ = absence of, position – usual or proper place leaving us with absence of our usual position or proper place.

Have you ever found yourself in either a bad mood or a sullen mood and when it comes time to eat or exercise you listen to that negative self-talk telling you that it’s okay to have this food or more food or skip exercise today as though it were positive? Do you find yourself justifying your actions by assigning excuses due to a bad day? If so, it’s time to take control, change your mood and attitude yourself; don’t let others do it for you.

When we’re fully committed to something that we truly want we don’t let anyone sway our decision, we stand tall and follow through, Let that same attitude carry you through your personal wellness journey as well. Don’t let go of your self-control, we all have it; we just don’t use it enough; when you do use it you will find yourself on the good-mood road to success.

Set your intentions, stick with them no matter who or what tries to derail you, remind yourself of why you set them in the first place, always stand tall in your intentions, desires and beliefs.

 

Healthy Blood – Strong Body – Strong Heart

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Your entire body is built and supported by your blood; your tissues, organs, cells and every other tiny piece of you. Healthy blood of course leads to a healthy body.
Your blood needs oxygen, iron and other minerals and vitamins especially including a complex of B vitamins.

You can oxygenate your blood simply by breathing fully and slowly and by taking time each day to fit in a deep breathing exercise and by being physically active. Daily exercise such as a brisk walk of at least 20 minutes per day will help.

The best way to “feed” your blood the vitamins and minerals it needs is primarily through food and secondary would be supplements.

–Increase your consumption of iron rich beans and legumes (peas, peanuts, and lentils); these also have lots of blood cleansing fiber that helps filter your blood.
–Eating plenty of fresh greens daily helps build your hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells which carries oxygen.
–Spices, specifically cinnamon and cayenne speeds purification, lowers blood pressure and helps with blood sugar balance.
–Dandelion root cleans your liver which in turn will filter your blood more efficiently. You can drink it as a tea and find dandelion root tea in most health food stores and some grocery stores.

Make your body more alkaline: [the SAD diet (Standard American Diet) is high in acid forming foods] by decreasing your consumption of sugar, soda, meat and processed foods and increasing fruit and vegetables such as lemon, limes & grapefruit, avocado, coconut, seeds, nuts beans and quinoa and other similar whole grains you can bring better acid-alkaline balance to your blood.

Quit smoking. Smoking pollutes your blood which increases your risk of illness and disease, from the common everyday illnesses to more serious illness such as cancer, lung diseases and heart disease by weakening your immune system.

Live life to the fullest and begin by having healthy blood, a strong body and a healthy heart!

Give & Take

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20160529_160425Relationships, whether they are personal, family or on a professional level require give and take. You’ve heard the phrase before but have you truly listened to the words? Give comes first; take follows.

When situations involve two or more people we must work together, compromise and respect others’ thoughts, ideas and feelings.

When we give, we often feel inspired and helpful; when we take, we often feel that we need to give back somehow. Giving back is good especially when we give from the heart and not just because we are expected to.

Sometimes we feel that we need help, we might feel that we give more than we receive and sometimes it might be overwhelming. At times such as those, it’s perfectly fine to decline being available to help as it’s equally fine to ask for help.

By working together and respecting one another(s) space, time and thoughts, we can feel the calmness that give and take inspires. Become open and honest in a gentle way, change your thinking to help change your inward feelings about giving and not receiving. Not everything has to be reciprocated; be satisfied in knowing that and do what you feel you can do.

By becoming an equal partner in give and take, you become calm, collected and satisfied.

Reduce Your Stress

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Every one of us encounters stressful situations from time to time. Stress will always be a part of life but you don’t have to let it take over your well-being and sanity. Stress often is the result of how we interpret a situation. How we handle stress that comes our way is the key to managing and dealing with it.

There are a few different types of stress including internal, external, social, environmental and emotional stress.

Internal stress can be brought on by us individually by not planning well, having a negative attitude, setting unrealistic deadlines and even imagining worst-case scenarios.

External stressors include things that both are and are not in our control such as issues at work, traffic situations, family situations, death/illness/injury and even happy occasions such as weddings and similar events.

The demands of daily living also play a big role in our day to day stress levels.
Types and reasons for stress are not limited to the examples above but the following are trusted ways to manage most types of stress including those not listed.

Managing stress is important for our overall health and well-being. Stress can affect our thinking, our sleep, our diet, our blood-pressure, digestion, muscle and joint pain and more.

Stress-Less Tips

Give yourself permission to relax either for a period every day or a day every week to a weekend every month; there is no wrong way if it works for you personally.

  • Eat a well-balanced and nutritious diet. Food can either fuel our thinking or “fog” our thinking.
  • Exercise regularly. Physical activity releases endorphins; a feel good, feel positive hormone. Something as simple as a 15-30 minute walk can make a difference.
  • Sleep enough – Sleep reboots the brain, aim for 7-8 hours per night.
  • Get organized and plan well. Set realistic goals, accept your limitations and ask for help when needed.
  • Find balance between work and your personal life.
  • Keep a good social circle, stay in touch with friends and family members you support and who support you.
  • Stay positive. See the lesson in each circumstance; view them as opportunities rather than disasters.
  • Practice deep breathing, daily meditation and relaxation; 5-10 minutes each day can help in big ways by slowing your mind and body down allowing you to process your thoughts and let them go.
  • And finally, and importantly, don’t rely on alcohol and drugs to relax you or to reduce tension. Get professional help of a doctor, therapist, or health coach if you feel overwhelmed or hopeless.

Stress is normal – staying stressed is not. Take steps to reduce your stress. Contact me if you’d like to work on releasing yourself from stress learn how to live a less stressed life.

Why Are We Resistant to Change?

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BHMP ChangeWe want change in our lives, we want it on a regular basis and we make plans to make the desired changes but we never quite follow through–but why not? Why does change excite us and tease us but scare us at the same time? Why do we plan to dive in fully but put the brakes on when we get to the edge of the diving board?

Some change is simple and it involves oneself only but some change would affect others and it would disrupt life as it is causing us to back up or at least slow the process of making change happen.

If the change you’re trying to make involves yourself only, what is holding you back? What does your desired change look like to you? Is it realistic? Is it convenient? Inconvenient? Is it too hard? Is it too big? Are you at a loss of where or how to begin?

If the change you wish for involves others, as yourself the same questions adding, are the others aware of your desired change? How did they or will they respond? What’s the scariest part of making that particular change? What is the worst case scenario; best case scenario? What do you need to push you forward?

Breaking old habits can catapult you toward your desired outcome and force you toward making progress. Taking small realistic steps toward whatever your goal may be is how to get there. Every single journey begins with that first step more often than a giant leap. Outline your desired change and decide what first step you can take today to begin your journey toward change.

Hamster Wheel

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Hamster wheelDo you feel like you work hard to reach your goals but don’t get anywhere? Do you feel like maybe you’re on the ’down’ escalator walking ’up’? There are a few helpful tips that I’d like to share with you.

Everyone’s metabolism is different and everyone has different reactions to foods.  A “diet’ that might be working for your friend might not work for you. The same goes for exercise routines and food & lifestyle choices.

Treat your body as it is – unique. Find what works for you.
Make your mind up. When you truly make your mind up that you are going to do something, it makes it less of a chore and more of a journey; you can then have fun along your personal path that leads to your ultimate goal.

Simplify. There’s so much information out there and hundreds of different diets that all have the same claim. Stop the head-spinning rollercoaster and make a reasonable plan that will work for you.

Quality and quantity count. The kinds of food you choose to eat matters as much as how much you eat. Stick diligently to proper portion sizes and choose fresh whole foods over prepared foods including frozen items and take-out.

Be honest. You can tell everyone anything you want but the very bottom line is that you know the real truth; be honest with yourself. You don’t have to justify anything to anyone except yourself. Be personal for a while, let your guard down by not confessing the bumps in your journey to others, and make it yours for a while. When you reach your goal, share it if you wish, it’s yours, you did it!

Be proud. When you make small goals and improvements, they all count. Be proud of your accomplishments even if they seem too small – If it’s a step forward it’s never “too small”.

Butternut Squash Lasagna

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1 lg. Butternut squash

Butternot lasagna

I no longer use foil pans and avoid sheet foil when possible see here

Salt
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Ground ginger
Ground sage
2 Tbsp. Butter
Cut Squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds and lay cut side down on an oiled cookie sheet (you can line the pan with foil for easier cleanup) Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until squash is soft. When cool enough, scoop flesh into a bowl and season with salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and butter, mix well. Set aside.

4 cups ricotta cheese
2 eggs
Mix in another bowl, beating until fluffy

1 pkg. Barilla no-cook lasagna noodles or lasagna noodles of choice
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Spread a thin coating of water to bottom of lasagna pan. Lay 3 noodles evenly, spread each noodle with butternut mixture, spread a layer of ricotta and a thin layer of mozzarella; top that with 3 more noodles and repeat until ingredients are used up ending with ricotta and mozzarella.

Bake covered with foil @ 350° for 40 minutes, remove foil and bake 15 minutes longer. Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting.

Aluminum Foil & Health

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Recently I have been cooking meals and freezing them for a very sick friend. I like to do my part in helping others feel comfort, peace and love. In doing this I have used foil pans a few times for convenience both for my friend and myself. This got me wondering about aluminum foil though so I did a little research and this is what I found.
Aluminum foil is convenient to use when we bake or grill foods in allowing for quick clean-up and keeping moisture in but here is why you should stop using it.

Our bodies can excrete small amounts of aluminum efficiently but exposure to excessive amounts are harmful. Studies have shown that too much aluminum in our bodies increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, anemia, bone disease and dialysis encephalopathy. Less common sensitivities resulting in recurring eczema come from continuous application of aluminum containing antiperspirants, topical solutions and occupational exposure to aluminum dust.

Aluminum exposure increases depending on the cooking temperature, length of cooking time and type of food being cooked. Higher temperatures raise the amount of aluminum leaching into the food at double the rate. Higher acid foods allow aluminum to leach into food at a higher concentration as does added acids and salts. Red meat has a higher pH than white meats, therefor will leach more aluminum into the food. Chicken breast meat has been shown to have a higher concentration than the darker meat. The same goes for baked or grilled fish in aluminum, and also increases with acidic additives and marinades. Also, it doesn’t matter if you use the shiny side or the dull side, the results are the same in all applications.

Aluminum foil used in cooking provides an easy route for aluminum to enter your body. Higher temperatures and higher acids increase the amount of aluminum you will ingest.
Parchment paper is a better alternative but it’s not completely innocent either. Parchment paper is coated with silicone and is put through a sulfuric acid bath and/or zinc chloride. If you use parchment, use it only occasionally and choose unbleached paper. You can also find nontoxic baking/cooking supplies at If You Care

Tips to flush your system of aluminum:
Silica for aluminum flush [different from silicone – silicone is a synthetic polymer of silicon-unhealthy for us]
Silica (silicon dioxide) is a compound of silicon and oxygen (Si02)
• Silica can also be found in certain foods including cucumbers, oats, brown rice, wheat, strawberries, onions, avocados, and root vegetables.
• The silica content in natural waters is commonly in the 5 to 25 mg/L range, although concentrations over 100mg/L occur in some areas.

Resources| http://www.electrochemsci.org/papers/vol7/7054498.pdf
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2782734/

Cleansing Foods: Eat More of Them

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There’s a large list of foods that clean out your system, from your internal organs to your cells and digestive track to your skin and they can even clear your head leaving you feeling renewed and thinking clearer.

Eating whole, natural foods, specifically fruit, vegetables and whole grains such as quinoa, brown rice, millet, barley, oats, and more on a daily basis will keep your body running like a well oiled machine.

Too often we eat foods that are processed and either come from a can, a box or the freezer. Eating these types of foods more often than eating whole foods will leave you feeling weighed down, sluggish, tired, hungry, and craving other foods; sometimes we can’t get those cravings under control. We gain weight and lose sleep. Our internal organs work extra hard trying to process and digest the dozens of chemicals we ingest when we eat processed foods that contain preservatives and other unnecessary ingredients. We end up in a vicious cycle of hunger, craving, weight issues, fogginess, high blood sugar, high blood pressure, feeling tired and sometimes depression and/or stress.

Real food can make a huge difference in your life. You don’t have to feel like your body is falling apart; you shouldn’t have to feel that way. Maybe you eat convenience foods because you don’t have time or energy to cook but cooking whole foods takes the same amount of time as it would take you to heat something in the oven or stove top or to order take-out. By eating whole foods you can save money and fuel your body with proper nutrients; fiber, protein, vitamins & minerals.

Next time you go shopping, spend the most time in the produce section and stock up on a large portion of vegetables for each day/night of the week. Stock up on carrot sticks, celery sticks and other easy to grab and go vegetables for snacking on. At dinner time make your vegetable your main course and your whole grains and/or meat just a small side portion. Preparing veggies is simple and quick when you steam them, stir-fry them or roast them in the oven.
Stock up on fruit so that you will have at least 1-2 pieces every day. All fruit has sugar, each type varies in amount so limit your fruit to 1-3 per day; Bananas have a lot of sugar so keep them to a minimum of 1-4 times per week but of course not all in one day.

When you begin to transition away from take-out and pre-packaged foods and more into whole foods you will feel your cells being fueled, you’ll notice your skin begin to glow, you’ll eventually reduce your cravings for sweets, and snack foods and as a bonus you might even crave more veggies.

Your intestines will clean out the sludge, your liver will function better, your lungs will feel lighter and clearer, your stomach will be less bloated, and your blood pressure and sugar levels will improve. Your body will thank you and you will feel energized and renewed.

Help Your Body Heal During and After Illness & Stress (and in-between!)

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Stressful moments in our lives are inevitable from time to time. Surgery and illness are also likely to occur. Stress, illness and surgery can bring on symptoms that interrupt our body’s ability to heal quickly or fully but you can take steps to help the healing process.

Food, emotional support, mental focus, and of course rest can help you recover. By eating a proper diet of whole foods that are high in vitamins and minerals on a regular basis can help your cope and recover from illness and stress and eating a proper diet before surgery can help the body heal better as well. Emotional support on a regular basis can help you handle stressful situations as they arise and mental focus will help you keep your thoughts reasonable and positive. Supportive therapies can range anywhere from a nutritional & lifestyle coach to a clinical psychologist depending on each persons needs and desires for support. These therapies can teach you how to stay mentally focused and how to rest properly; a nutritional/lifestyle coach can help with proper nutrition too.

Some important practices to incorporate into your life for better health and healing are attained through foods – proper nutrition. When we eat whole, fresh, low fat, low-salt foods and avoid chemical additives and preservatives on daily basis as a lifestyle habit, our body stays healthier and can fight infection and recover more fully when it is compromised. Processed and fatty foods are difficult for the body to digest especially after illness or surgery.

Practicing stress-relieving activities and practices help us to handle and recover from stressful situations including daily stresses and illness/surgery quickly as well.

Yoga, meditation, breathing exercises, massage and talk therapy are helpful in physical and emotional recovery. They stimulate circulation which feed your blood cells.
Eat a diet richest in whole fruit, berries and vegetables; especially darker colored & leafy vegetables.
Include foods rich in vitamins C and A to help build the immune system that fights infection.
Green Tea contains anti-carcinogenic properties which stimulate immune cells and may protect against bacterial infections.
Lemon balm added to salads or made into a tea is a relaxant to help you rest and boosts your immune system. Lemon balm is easy to grow and will come up in your garden every year.
Be positive. Staying positive benefits you more than others. A positive outlook helps you focus on the good instead of being swallowed up by the bad. Be surrounded by feel good situations instead of situations that make you feel bad.
Flush your body with plenty of water daily. Lemon juice and/or raw apple cider vinegar added to water both help to detoxify your organs and your blood.

When you learn what foods serve you best on a daily basis and eliminate the foods that harm you, you will find that illness and stress are less common to you and when surgery is necessary, you will most likely heal faster with ease. Take care of your body and your body will take care of you!