The benefits of trimming back…..

I received the following email today from a colleague describing precautions a popular speaker in the EveryDay Qi speaker series is taking to prepare for Hurricane Fay.  I think it’s great self-care advice.

Dr. Sears is preparing for tropical storm Fay, which could well reach Category 1 hurricane status by the time she reaches the Florida coast…

Now Dr. Sears is no stranger to the destruction these storms can bring, as he lost some 200 trees on his property over two years and three storms…

What did he do to prepare this time…?

He trimmed and pruned all of the 65 species of trees and shrubs on his property, piling up branches as high as his house…

How exactly will this help…?

By trimming back all that foliage, Dr. Sears reduced the amount of surface that could serve as a wind trap, reducing the chance for damage from high winds…

Let me ask you this…

What can YOU trim back in your life that might serve as a trap for destructive winds that could come your way?

How about trimming back on letting
negative emotions control your thinking or cutting back on the amount of unhealthy snacks you are consuming…

Pruning just one or two negative things from your life can potentially save you from a bad storm down the road…

But there’s only ONE catch…

Be sure to start trimming well
before the storm arrives at your door!

Do you get enough deep, high quality sleep?  If you don’t you’re more likely to overeat, get sick, be crabby, and be accident prone. 

One of the biggest challenges my clients have with sleep is getting to bed early enough.  They want to stay up late to get things done.  Or they want a little time to themselves after everyone else is asleep. 

Have you noticed, though, that once you stay up beyond 10:30 or so, you start having the munchies and you get a second wind and can’t fall asleep?  That’s because, according to Ayurvedic medicine, your digestive fires heat up again.  Getting on a regular sleep schedule helps bring the body in balance.

How do you get good sleep?
Over time I’ve figured out several things that help me get good sleep:

• Go to sleep at about the same time every night.
• Make getting to sleep a priority.
• Wear an eye mask to block out any light.  You can purchase these in the pharmacy section of any discount store.
• Make sure the room temperature is comfortable.  I use a small fan to keep the air circulating so I don’t get too warm.
• Wear ear plugs if you’re a light sleeper.  They won’t block out noises that you need to hear.
• Don’t work or watch TV right up until bedtime.  Your brain needs quiet time to “download” events that occurred during the day.  If you go to bed without allowing this down time, your brain will start this processing while you’re trying to sleep.  One way or another, your brain needs time to process the day’s events–why not make it while you’re awake?
• Don’t rely on sleeping pills.  Occasional use won’t hurt, but if you regularly can’t sleep, get to the heart of the problem.  Sleeping pills are powerful drugs, and they can have side effects, including changing the kind and quality of sleep you get.  My mother fell and broke her leg after getting up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom.  She was still under the influence of a sleeping pill and got disoriented.  She has vowed to stay off them.
• As you start to wind down in the evening, take a hot bath or shower, or sip a cup of Sleepy Time tea with camomile.  It will help your body and brain slow down.  Camomile is an herb, and there are no negative side effects.
• I read something inspirational for 20-30 minutes before bed and that almost always gets me in the mood to sleep peacefully.

If you’d like to get more sleep, create a comfortable evening sleep routine.  Routines help us stay in balance. 

I know I’ve just scratched the surface of ways to get a good night’s sleep.  What can you add to my list?

I love Waldorf salad–it’s loaded with nutritious, tasty ingredients.  This is a recipe from Denise Austin’s Morning Stretch e-newsletter.

Wonderful Waldorf Salad!

Sick of the same old sandwiches for your lunchtime eats? Then check out this new twist on an old favorite — Waldorf salad! Throw it together easily for a delicious and satisfying lunch that’s high in protein! It also has less total fat and more healthy fats! So eat up and enjoy!

Chicken Waldorf Salad

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients
2 cups cooked chicken breast cut into 1-inch chunks
4 small apples, chopped
4 tablespoons low-fat plain yogurt
4 tablespoons raisins
2 tablespoons walnut halves or almonds
1 tablespoon low-fat mayonnaise

Directions
In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, apples, yogurt, raisins, walnuts or almonds, and mayonnaise.

Per serving: 276 calories, 12g fat, 26g sugar, 77mg sodium, 33g carbohydrates, 4.5g fiber, 13g protein

7 pounds!  So far that’s the result of my new self-care program.  I’ve never taken better care of myself in my life.  I’ll tell you about it, but first a little background.

As a wellness environmental designer, I think a lot about how our lifestyle choices are shaped by our personal environments (fast food restaurants, technology, busy lives, demanding jobs, sedentary lives, coffee shops, bars, athletic events (that we watch), and on and on.  There are endless opportunities to indulge in high fat, highly processed foods and beverages and many of us do so on a daily basis.  Rather than exercise and watch what we eat and drink, many prefer to take pills to lower their blood pressure and cholesterol and eat Olestra so that they can have their fat and eat it too.  And– I just posted about a pill that will take the place of exercise!  When that’s approved, that will be popular.

As a collective we tend to eat like the Romans, and if we keep it up we’re headed for a fall.  I was headed for a fall and didn’t know how to prevent it without giving up my daily pleasures.  I knew that my morning coffee was part of the hook that kept me tied to my old eating habits.  And my eating habits are good compared to the standard American diet.  But I couldn’t imagine not drinking a cup of coffee every morning.  Now I barely miss it - honestly.  I’m also not consuming any processed foods, sugar, soda, or alcohol.  Yes, I’m amazed too! 

I think people love diet plans because they promise us great success.  That promise gives us the impetus to give it a try.  Maybe this one will work! Diet plans often begin with a ritual that helps us wipe the old behavior pattern slate clean while we learn new behaviors.  This is a good thing.  Out with the old, in with the new. 

If you have a lot of negative eating habits, it’s difficult to change them without having a plan that sounds exciting.  My plan as you know if you’ve read the other posts is the Mars and Venus Diet and Exercise Solution.  Again, I was inspired to try it because of the promise of balancing the brain chemicals and thereby balancing my mood.  I knew my goose would be cooked if I couldn’t stay happy while eating a pure, clean diet–I’d feel sorry or myself and long for my coffee and other temptations like ice cream.

Instead of eating like the Romans, we should eat more like the pioneers who ate a diet of simple foods.  Special, high fat foods were consumed only on special occasions–not every day.  Now that I’ve wiped my habit slate clean, I’m enjoying eating more like the pioneers.  It’s satisfying.

Do you eat more like the ancient Romans or more like the pioneers?

This is a recipe from the Denise Austin Morning Stretch newsletter:

You don’t need to dine out or order takeout to eat good Asian cuisine! You can make a delicious stir-fry at home in no time! Try this recipe, and get creative — substitute these ingredients with other meats (or tofu) and your favorite veggies to make the perfect stir-fry. And have it with a side of brown rice. Ready, set, fry!

Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil
6 ounces sirloin, trimmed of fat and cut into strips
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
2 cups chopped broccoli
1 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
3 drops hot pepper sauce
2 scallions, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions
In a large nonstick skillet, warm 1⁄2 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the sirloin, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through and no longer pink. Transfer to a plate.

Add the remaining 1⁄2 tablespoon oil and the broccoli to the skillet. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the soy sauce, hot pepper sauce, and meat mixture. Serve sprinkled with the scallions and cilantro (if using).

Per serving: 264 calories, 14g fat, 169mg sodium, 15g carbohydrates, 7g fiber, 24g protein

Anybody out there have bad knees?  I read something today that I think you’ll find useful.  I get the Denise Austin Morning Stretch enewsletter ,(just started) and I like it.  I know that she looks like the blonde, cute, cheerleader type so some people don’t take her seriously, but I think she’s quite good–I like her stuff.  So here’s what she has to say about avoiding osteoarthritis and joint pain.

Here’s another benefit to eating right and exercising regularly — you’re cutting your risk of arthritis! Experts found that extra weight can lead to osteoarthritis by wearing away the cartilage that cushions your joints, causing the ends of your bones to rub against each other. The damage occurs gradually, often becoming noticeable between the ages of 40 and 60.

If you’re not yet affected, losing extra pounds while maintaining good nutrition and starting a regular exercise program can protect you by dropping your risk of osteoarthritis from 60 percent down to as low as 12 percent!

Even if you’re already experiencing painful joints, it’s not too late! You’ll still benefit (and avoid further damage) by shaping up! Choose exercises that are easy on the joints, such as water aerobics, a spin on an exercise bike, or time on an elliptical trainer. After all, you don’t want to be sidelined during the prime of your life by joint pain — you want to be kicking up your heels instead!

You’ve heard me say before that delay is increasingly expensive.  Get fit and drop the weight before you have joint pain–don’t delay.  And I’ll have you know, I’m taking my own advice.  I’ve lost 5 pounds and am feeling quite smug (and disciplined).  I guess this is the after effect of writing about discipline for 30 days.

Since I’ve gotten a dog (Toby), I walk more.  Don’t get me wrong–I walk plenty.  But now that I have a dog again, I’m walk him twice a day–the miles can really add up. 

It’s fun walking along the Kansas river (Kaw) looking at wildlife.  The other day I saw two red fox.  This morning I saw three blue herons fishing in the river.  And tonight when I got home, a big fat toad was waiting for us on the deck.  Toby didn’t even notice it!

Walking is a fabulous way to stay strong and lean.  It’s also a great way to destress.  And if you feel tired, a short walk will energize you. 

Have you heard the one about the fat dog?

If your dog is fat, you’re not getting enough exercise.

Dogs need exercise too to maintain their health and a healthy weight.  If you have a dog but aren’t walking it much, why not start this new routine?  Put the leash by the door and at a specified time, just head out the door.  If your dog pulls on the leash or is difficult to walk for any other reason, consider taking a dog obedience class–it’s the smartest thing I ever did as a pet owner. 

Any walkers out there?  Anybody walk their dog?

Hello fellow self-care travelers.  It’s quite a path we’re on!

I don’t know if it’s about planetary alignment or what, but a lot of people I know are starting to take better care of themselves.  Including me!

In fact, I was eager to write several times this weekend, but because I was so focused on my own self-care journey, I didn’t turn on my computer.  Unplugging from technology is one challenging self-care strategy for many of us!  Can you do it?  I was unplugged for 2 days. 

Let me tell you how I prepared for my healthy living plan.

• I got inspired by reading the Mars & Venus Diet and Exercise Solution–mostly because of the promise of positively affecting my brain chemistry.
• I drew up a detailed plan for putting his 9-day program in place.
• I bought all of the ingredients (food and a few supplements).
• I cleaned my kitchen (including the refrigerator).  Because we all know, if your refrigerator is a wreck, your diet probably is too.
• I went through all of my vitamins and supplements and threw out any that were beyond the expiration date, had a thick layer of dust on them, or just didn’t resonate with me for one reason or another (like I couldn’t remember why I thought I needed to supplement with Folic acid). 
• I weighed and measured myself to set the baseline.
• I made a chart for writing notes about my energy, emotional state, and various other things experienced while doing the program.  In other words, I wanted to train myself to become more aware and I wanted to see what positive benefits I was getting for my effort.
• I scheduled time off from other responsibilities so I could focus on my plan.
• I allowed myself to feel whatever I was feeling and to take cues from my body for how to best take care of myself.

It was like I was on a retreat.  It was all about me and my self-care.  Can you plan a long weekend to create your self-care plan? 

I can write a lot more about each of the items listed.  If any are of particular interest, write a comment below and I’ll say more about it. 

I have a lot to tell you about self-care…but I’m going to practice good self-care and go to bed.  I have an early morning.  I’ll spill the beans about my totally awesome self-care weekend when I get a minute on Monday. 

What have you done for your self-care lately?

Have you heard the news about the scientific discovery of the pill that will replace the need to exercise?  Call me old fashioned, but common–pop a pill instead of exercise?  I’d call that the lazy pill. 

How about we just find a way to put ourselves in a tube and not have to eat or move or think?  We could just watch TV, search the Internet, and do this all with our minds–we wouldn’t even have to sit up.  Sound good?  Not to me!  It sounds awful. 

The only thing interesting about this pill is that it’s always interesting to push the edge of what we know and what we can do.  Still, as far as being preposterous, this one is right up there–even topping Olestra.  I can just see the cautionary note:  Eat all the fat you, and take the exercise pill, but don’t get too far from a bathroom :) 

Want to read the story?  go here