Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Tips For A Great Life from www.ourbestidea.com




1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate antidepressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to.

3. Buy a TiVo (DVR) and tape your late night shows and get more sleep.

4. When you wake up in the morning, complete the following statement:
- "My purpose today is to..............................."

5. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, Empathy.

6. Watch more movies, play more games, and read more books than you did last year.

7. Make time to exercise, practice meditation, do yoga.

8. Spend more time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of six.

9. Dream more while you are awake.

10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less foods that are manufactured in plants.

11. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.

12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

13. Clear your clutter from your house, your car, your desk, and let new and flowing energy into your life.

14. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts, or things you cannot control. Instead, invest your energy in the positive present moment.

15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class......but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a college kid with a maxed-out charge card.

17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the energy vampires away.

18. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

22. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

23. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

24. Ladies -- Go on and burn those "special" scented candles, use the 600 thread count sheets, the good china, and wear your fancy lingerie now. Stop waiting for a special occasion. Everyday is special.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years, will this matter?"

27. Forgive everyone for everything.

28. What other people think of you is none of your business.

29. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time!

30. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch with them.

32. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

33. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

34. The best is yet to come.

35. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

36. Do the right thing!

37. Call your family often.

38. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements:
- "I am thankful for ........................." "Today I accomplished ........................... "

39. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

40. Enjoy the ride. Remember that this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it.

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Healthy Eating

Healthy Eating

How it all began

When I was a child my grandfather always had the most amazing garden. His whole back yard was the garden and it was wonderful. I loved every vegetable that he grew - he even grew his own summer savory which apparently isn't that easy to do. Anyway, Grampy helped me put in my first garden and gave me all the tips. I couldn't believe how much work it was. It takes a lot of dedication and love. Sadly, he is gone now but I remember all the love that went into the garden and how even when I was a bit older and I would visit, he would fill the trunk of my car with veggies and I would have to go around my apartment building and share with others as there was no way I could eat all of it before it went bad.

I think my interest in health was part Grampy and part my father. My dad was a health nut when no one else was (that I knew of anyway) I am talking back in the 1970's. I don't think a lot of people knew about some of the stuff that my dad would talk about. He referred to white sugar as "poison"..ok, a little extreme but you get the point. Dad would eat a teaspoon of honey and a teaspoon of bran every day. I think this is important because my father was given six months to live when he was 19 years old and he managed to live until he was 44 with many health complications. I cannot say for sure but paying attention to what he put into his body as far as his food went, may have bought him some very valuable time.

Then comes my mom who was so devoted to my father and continues to be even though he passed away in 1981. I witnessed her nurse him back to health many times and she was the rock that held everything together. She is an amazing woman and I know he would be very proud of her for how she handled everything when he had to leave. My mom had to experiment with recipes to make them adaptable for dad's diet. He was on dialysis and could not consume any salt. If you have never had regular food without any salt - take it from me, it can be pretty bland. She was very creative and she did it with lots of love....

So for Grampy, Dad and for my mom who helped create that passion in me.............

Me with my mom in the garden 40+ years ago

Getting Started


This blogspot is titled "Fiber Fanatic" because after a lot of reading and research (there is so much out there) I think our lifestyles need to focus more on our fiber intake. Eating foods that are high in fiber are the ones that are better for you anyway. Also, you need to keep in mind that 1 gram of carbohydrates = 4 calories, 1 gram of protein= 4 calories, 1 gram of fat = 9 calories, 1 gram of alcohol = 7 calories and 1 gram of fiber = 0 calories. We don't often hear this...seems like everyone is counting calories and fat grams. Don't get me wrong, you still need to have a reasonable intake of calories divided into carbs, proteins, fat, etc but you can be full for much longer if you eat fiber rich foods. Fiber is the part of food that cannot be digested...that is why it has no calories. It is a type of complex carbohydrate. Fiber can be found in vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, legumes and grains.It is well known that Canadians eat too little fiber (on average 12 grams per day) and we should be eating 35 grams a day. It is possible to go as high as 60 but I don't ever get close to that...35 is fine but shoot for 35 each and every day. To begin...increase a bit each day and drink lots of water and if you like, herbal teas. If you increase too quickly, you may experience gas and bloating. I would suggest switching from white pasta to whole wheat pasta, white bread to 100% whole grain or 100% whole wheat bread and switch from white rice to brown. Making small changes will make a big difference and it may be easier to change gradually instead of all at once.