Healthy Snack Makeover
Healthy food is catching on across the US. I found that Holly Robinson-Pete is on a mission to help mothers provide healthy eating habits with her blog on Yahoo called “Real Life Makeover“. Fitness expert, Lisa Druxman and Holly show a mother of twins how to remove the junk from her fridge and replace ite with healthy foods. Lisa show mom that eating healthy does not have to cost a fortune. In fact, she shows everyone that you can find a lot of the smart food to buy at our local Walmart.
The Real Life Makeover Team helped the mom find affordable, convenient, and delicious on a budget. The challenge was to spend no more than the family’s weekly budget of $100. First, foods that consisted of high calorie, high sugar sodas, empty calorie cupcakes, and highly-processed, high sodium bologna were quickly tossed out. Next, foods like orange juice, yogurt, and frozen vegetables. The key is not to count on fast food- try frozen dinners instead-and do not use cans which are high in sodium, too.
Here is the strategy. Always be prepared. Keep the fridge chocked with healthy food choices to prevent making poor ones. The mom saved $20 on her weekly groceries by trading in her processed foods. Give it a try. It really works because I served my children carrots and fruits over chips or doughnuts for snacks and they love it.
Search for Peace
No matter whom we are or what we do, many people search for peace. I am a firm believer that Christians are to operate in this world with a thick skin. You all know the saying, “…be in the world not of the world.” During our journey on this earth, we must persevere through trials and tribulations. Our relationship with God is the key to unlocking the door to our peace of mind.
Philippians 4:6-7 says “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
I think this means once we pray to God about our needs (He already knows what our needs are beyond our understanding), we can then rejoice and wait for them to manifest here on earth. It is a done deal! So count it all joy, each day that you wait, for God has heard your petition. And continue to seek His face
The best path to peace is to make your petition to God in prayer. We must cast our cares before God each day and be anxious about nothing. 1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Try to keep a heart of gratitude towards everyday routines like work and family life. Find happiness in things in the desires of your heart. You know. The ones that make you feel that you have done a great job and ultimately pleased God. Isaiah 26:3 You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. No trust – no peace.
Does Anyone Want To Laugh
Next to chicken soup, laughter is being considered a healing balm. Think about it for a moment. It reduces blood sugar and blood pressure, it is a muscle relaxant, immune builder, and among others, it is has a placebo affect on your mood. It is also, a universal language that connects us together because it so contagious. So you better watch out! LOL!
I have laughed so hard at times, that I was gasped for air into my lungs, tapped my leg, and felt the tears streaming from my eyes. Absolutely priceless, I thought at the situation. I think it is a true gift from God to have one of these moments in time where you knew your gloomy day was miraculously sunny.
Just the sound of someone else laughing makes me laugh. Especially when I know one of my children has had a bad day and suddenly laughs at something funny. That is my queue to break the ice and help them get past their pain. I like the quote from Mark Twain that says, “ The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter.”
Yes, it does not cost anything to laugh. It is one of the best cures for a bad mood or bad day. It comes highly recommended by doctors everywhere to relive stress and change your outlook on life overall. Laughter can derive from many events to bring forth physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well being.
Article Inspired by WebMD
Ways to Relieve Stress
Stress takes the form of many symptoms such as a fast heartbeat, headache, stiff neck or tight shoulders, back pain, sweating, upset stomach, and other stomach ailments. It changes in your body and affects your emotions.
If you do not address the problems it could have long lasting effects on your overall health. I read this article from the online source called WebMD. It talks about stress lowering your immune system, mood and your thoughts.
Stress is linked to a number of health problems. Did you know that it has been tied to high blood pressure, blood clots, and hardening arteries? Ulcers and gastro-esophageal reflux disease, and fertiilty problems, asthma, acne and psoriasis.
Depending on your personality, stress can greatly affect your thoughts and emotions. If you or someone that you know has trouble is frustrated easily, temperamental, fretting over small issues, cranky, trouble focusing and unable to deal with even small problems.
Here are some ways to relax your mind and live in the moment. Begin to write things down that are troubling you. So start a journal to help you find what is causing the stress. Also, find a counselor, friend, or clergy member to talk to about your feelings and come up with strategies to overcome the obstacles. And finally, do something that you enjoy to help you relax. It would do you some good to make time in your schedule to create a better atmosphere for clearing you mind. I especially like to go walking because it helps clear my mind and bring me closer to God. I am able to get a lot more accomplished in my day if I break for lunch with just a fifteen minute break for walking. It definitely improves my mood for the better good of everyone around.
Bob Greene’s Best Life Breakfast
Bob Greene suggests that we use his “Jump-start your Best Life Weight Loss Challenge” to start your days—Here is one of his breakfast options!
Chocolate-Strawberry Smoothie with Oat Bran Bagel and Cream Cheese
1 cup 8th Continent® Light Chocolate Soymilk
1/2 ripe banana
1 cup unsweetened frozen strawberries
1/2 oat bran bagel
1 1/2 Tbsp. reduced-fat cream cheese
To make smoothie, combine chocolate soymilk, banana and strawberries in a blender. Serve with half bagel and cream cheese.
I am wondering if you can replace the Soymilk with Almond or Rice Milk? I do not see that you cannot. In fact, they are just as healthy as soy. Try playing with these ingredients to suit your taste. I think this is a great meal plan because of the lack of sugar and attention to protein with the soy and cream cheese. Also you are getting fiber as well as part of the recommended fruit needed per day.
I am going to try this because it sounds appealing and I am sure it will give me the energy to start out my day.
Stealth Health: Get Healthy Without Really Trying
Researchers say that doing something is better than nothing at all. From your morning shower to the evening news, from your work commute to your household chores, David Katz, MD says, there are at least 2,400 ways to sneak healthy activities into daily living.
“If you let yourself make small changes, they will add up to meaningful changes in the quality of your diet, your physical activity pattern, your capacity to deal with stress, and in your sleep quality — and those four things comprise an enormously powerful health promotion that can change your life,” says Katz.
Taking Baby Steps
Of course, not everyone is certain that baby steps can walk you all the way to good health. Marc Siegel, MD, a clinical associate professor at the NYU School of Medicine, says that while doing something is certainly better than doing nothing, making such small changes is like using a Band-aid to stop a hemorrhage.
Katz concedes that the Stealth Health approach may not be right for everybody.
Katz believes that for those who find making health changes a daunting task, Stealth Health techniques can make a difference.
Try the Stealth Health Approach
Tempted to give “Stealth Health” a try? Katz recommends picking any three of the following 12 changes and incorporating them into your life for four days. When you feel comfortable with those changes, pick three others. Once you’ve incorporate all dozen changes, you should start to feel a difference within a couple of weeks, he says.
To Improve Nutrition:
1. Buy whole foods — whether canned, frozen, or fresh from the farm — and use them in place of processed foods whenever possible.
2. Reject foods and drinks made with corn syrup, a calorie-dense, nutritionally empty sweetener that many believe is worse for the body than sugar, says Katz.
3. Start each dinner with a mixed green salad. Not only will it help reduce your appetite for more caloric foods, but it also will automatically add veggies to your meal.
To Improve Physical Fitness:
1. Do a squat every time you pick something up. Instead of bending over in the usual way, which stresses the lower back, bend your knees and squat. This forces you to use your leg muscles and will build strength.
2. Whenever you’re standing on a line, lift one foot a half-inch off the ground. The extra stress on your opposite foot, ankle, calf and thigh, plus your buttocks, will help firm and tone muscles. Switch feet every few minutes.
To Improve Stress Control:
1. Give your partner a hug every day before work. Studies show this simple act can help you remain calm when chaos ensues during your day, Katz says.
2. Twice a day, breathe deeply for three to five minutes
To Improve Sleep:
1. Sprinkle just-washed sheets and pillowcases with lavender water. The scent has been shown in studies to promote relaxation, which can lead to better sleep.
2. Buy a new pillow. Katz says that studies show that pillows with an indent in the center can enhance sleep quality and reduce neck pain. Also, try a “cool” pillow — one containing either all-natural fibers or a combination of sodium sulfate and ceramic fibers that help keep your head cool.
3. Eat a handful of walnuts before bed. You’ll be giving yourself a boost of fiber and essential fatty acids along with the amino acid tryptophan — a natural sleep-inducer.
30 Tips to stay cool this summer
I hope you all had a fabulous weekend. I didn’t. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t fabulous. Mainly because, as usual, it was blazing hot out here in Texas. So, I spent the majority of the weekend trying to keep cool. That being said, I wish I had found this list from the The Body Shop blog at the end of the day Friday instead of at 11 p.m. Sunday night. *Sigh* 
But at least I found it! And now I can share it with you all. There are some great suggestions on The Body Shops’ blog list of 30 ways to stay cool this summer. Here a few of my faves.
3. When the nights are particularly unbearable, strip your sheets from your bed and stick them in the freezer for a bit. Then when you put them back on your bed, they’ll be nice and chilled.
7. Rock a ponytail. Keeping your neck free to catch a breeze will help your natural AC kick in.
27. It sounds intense, but putting both feet into an ice bath after a long day can help immediately bring your core temperature back under control.
28. Drink lots of delicious summer juices and cold teas. Not only will they help you to keep cool, but they’ll also stave off dehydration, which is the culprit in many summer headaches and sluggishness.
To see all 30 ideas, check out 30 Ways To Keep Cool.
Health quiz: Are you dehydrated?
I spent yesterday morning in the doctors office. Why? Well, I just haven’t been feeling well lately. It wasn’t anything extreme, but I was sluggish and experiencing frequent headaches. Turns out I am suffering from dehydration. Thankfully, it’s not severe but I was advised to stay out of the heat and replenish the liquids in my body by drinking plenty of water. Being in Texas, were every summer day you’re greeted with temperature highs of 100+, it’s hard to avoid the heat. But it got me to wondering how can you tell, short of a doctors visit, if you’re dehydrated? Take the quiz and find out.
What’s Dehydration, how is it caused? How is it prevented and treated?
How to prevent UV eye damage
We all know the importance of protecting our skin from harmful UVA and UVB rays. But what about our eyes? Did you know that neglecting to protect your eyes can lead to a sunburned cornea, or worse? COVERINGS and The United 
States Environmental Protection Agency want you to take the necessary precautions to ensure good eye health this summer.
Taking the time to enjoy a beautiful sunny day is always good for your health. Just make sure you’re taking the steps to ensure the health of your eyes while doing so. For more information on how to protect your eyes from sun damage CLICK HERE.
6 Tips for a good night’s sleep
There’s nothing worse than feeling exhausted but not being able to fall asleep when you get into bed. Unfortunately, I have a hard time falling asleep most nights. I toss and turn into the wee hours of the morning. So, when I know I can’t afford to forgo a good night’s rest there are a few tricks I use. Try any of these tips and you’ll lull yourself off to sleep in no time.
1. Prayer
I do my best thinking in total silence, so it only makes sense that when I lie down to go to sleep my mind becomes crowded with all thoughts I didn’t have time for during the day. It could drive me mad, but instead I just take a minute and pray that God gives my mind rest and allows me sweet sleep. It works every time.
2. Temperature
Did you know that making your room a little chilly before bedtime will help you sleep better? When your body is too hot, you seem to be in a constant state of motion in an effort to cool off. So, dip the temp a little bit and you’re sure to get some shut eye.
3. Scent
Last year my sister bought me two jars of scented mist, one in lavender and the other in vanilla, specifically used for promoting sleep. I spray my pillows with either one before I go to bed, and inhaling the scent induces relaxation. Before I know it, I’m out like a light.
4. Caffeine
Drinking caffeine after 6 p.m. is a sure fire way to keep you up too late. Instead, opt for a calming tea in the evening. I usually drink peppermint tea or chamomile. If it’s right before bedtime, try Sleepy Time tea. But definitely avoid drinking green tea, unless you’re sure it’s caffeine free.
5. Light
Even the tinniest bit of light can disrupt sleep. Who knew your alarm clock was keeping you up all night. The darker your room, the better you’ll sleep. So, if you have to drape black fabric over your digital clock or make sure the cable box is turned all the way off, then do so. It will be worth it when you wake up in the morning feeling refreshed and well rested.
6. Exercise
30 minutes of sweat inducing movement during the day will make for an easier time falling asleep at night. So grab a jump rope, go for a walk, or do some heavy gardening. Any form of exercise done most days of the week will lead to better sleep.
