Have you ever noticed that if you don’t feel good, then nobody else can feel good around you?

Have you also noticed that if you’re eating badly or stop working out you get depressed?

Then you may not be motivated to stay positive, which in turn affects your emotional well being. A whole cascade of moodiness seeps in and you really don’t feel like doing much.

Sound familiar?

When you find yourself off track and wondering how to get back to feeling peaceful, fulfilled, and happy, try these 3 tips:

1. Make health the focus.

In a University of Michigan study, women over 40 who exercised for health rather than solely focusing on losing pounds, not only stayed with the program longer but they shed more weight too. Being health minded also leads to better self esteem, and less stress.

Find a fitness regime that works for you and stay committed to it. Make longevity your goal by understanding what exercise does inside you, not just how great it makes you look. Sure, having a fit and trim body will motivate you, but don’t lose sight of the long term benefits as well.

2. Put yourself first.

More than ever, with the busy life you lead and all the responsibilities you handle, time for yourself is ESSENTIAL. Recently a woman friend of mine told me she felt guilty when she put herself first.

We talked about this and came up with a great analogy. On an airplane we’re all taught to put our own oxygen mask on first BEFORE putting one on your child. See my point?

Women are the heartbeat of the home and often the workplace, too. If we don’t take great care of ourselves, everyone around us suffers.

Scientists at the University of Zurich in Switzerland report that even small amounts of self care prompt the release of the feel-good brain chemical dopamine. It’s also been shown that good cheer is contagious! For every jolly person in your circle, your own happiness quotient rises by 9%. Don’t you just love what scientists study and discover!

3. Keep laughing with those you love.

In one poll 73% of couples ranked sharing laughter as the top way to feel closer. Playful banter cements bonds! Also, 50 years of research confirms that laughing reduces stress and activates T lymphocytes and other immune cells to fight off colds and the flu.

Use these three strategies to bring on bliss, peace and an overall feeling of well-being!

shelli

Let’s face it, we’re all looking for easy ways to eat healthier.

So, I looked into my EASY idea toolbox and here’s what I came up with!

1. Use citrus instead of salt. Squeeze citrus into dishes and you’ll notice that the acid in citrus will have your taste buds craving less salt.

2. Keep frozen fruit handy. It’s packed at its peak so it’s often richer in vitamins and minerals than fresh fruit. It can be added to smoothies or defrosted and used as a fruit snack. It’s also a good way to eat certain fruits that aren’t grown where you live.

3. Remember to measure your oils. Yes, olive oil is good for you. However, if a recipe calls for a tablespoon of oil and you pour it into the pan without measuring it, I’d be willing to bet you’ll pour more than a tablespoon!

4. Sugar is sugar is sugar, but there are slight differences. Sweeteners like molasses, maple syrup and honey are less refined sweeteners than sugar. They also give you a slower increase in blood sugar than sugar. Using a darker honey will contain more antioxidants.

5. Convenience offers an advantage. While I don’t use most of the prepackaged foods, I do know that if you eat healthier because of the prepackaged convenience, then it’s a good choice for you. Prewashed salad greens will help you eat more salad if preparing a salad from scratch doesn’t seem to happen around your house. I do use the prepackaged bags of spinach. I find it quick and easy to eat spinach salads or throw spinach into recipes when it’s cleaned and ready to go.

6. Bring yogurt into the mix. You can still get the creaminess in dressings and dips if you use yogurt instead of all mayo. Yogurt has less fat than mayo and also contains immune boosting probiotics.

7. I’m a mustard woman. It’s my favorite condiment! There are so many kinds of mustard so it’s easy to experiment and see which ones you like. Mustard has no fat, unlike mayo, and no sugar, unlike ketchup.

8. For breakfast, eat foods you think of as lunch foods. My favorite choices are leftover fish, particularly salmon, and turkey. Protein at breakfast time gives you good energy and will keep your hunger at bay.

9. Increase your fiber by using the stalks of your vegetables. Instead of throwing them away, or feeding them to your dog (which is what I often do), you can use them in salads, soups or stir-fry dishes.

10. If pizza is your thing, keep it easy and healthy by using a premade pizza crust. Add vegetables and whatever other toppings you like. It’s fun and much much healthier than getting pizza from a store.

11. Use fresh herbs. Keep a variety of fresh herbs on hand and use them creatively. Experiment with using them in salads and other cooked dishes. Increasing your intake of herbs increases your intake of phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are proven to help you decrease your risk of heart disease and cancer.

12. Have you ever tried wheat germ? It was popular back in the 80’s and seems to be having a resurgence. Sprinkle it on cereal or use it in pancake batter, or homemade bread. It’s a good source of fiber and vitamins.

13. Substitute Canadian bacon. It contains 80 percent less fat than regular pork bacon. If you use bacon, this is good to know. Yes yes I know, it’s not really from Canada, but don’t tell anyone, OK?

14. Do you buy chicken? Purchase it already sliced so you can get thinner portions. These will cook more quickly and give you a portion of protein that is just right!

15. Colorful foods have more appeal. Look at your meal and think about what colors are missing. Not enough red? Add tomatoes or peppers. Not enough green? Add some herbs or salad. No orange? How about carrots? No yellow? How about eggs or mustard? See, it’s easy and all comes back to MUSTARD!

Enjoy using these 15 easy healthier eating tips! Even adding just one or two of them will make a difference, so start today!

shelli

New decade, new beginnings, and new opportunity to learn more about yourself as you go through menopause. Here’s my top 10 things I’ve learned.

1. It’s a word, not a sentence! Menopause doesn’t last forever. It begins before you notice it because your estrogen levels start declining long before your menstrual cycle stops. Yes, the symptoms are annoying, but it helps to remember they don’t last forever.

2. Don’t believe everything you hear. I’ve noticed that the women who have the hardest time during menopause will share their experiences as if it’ll be hard for all women. If you feel yourself slipping into a fearful mode about what’s potentially down the road, stop listening! It just might be an easier transition than you’re anticipating. You may or may NOT have hot flashes, trouble sleeping, mood swings or any of the other symptoms. Fewer than half of menopausal women say they are bothered by hot flashes and night sweats. Everyone is different, so keep this in mind!

3. DO engage the support of others. Women who have been there and done that can be a valuable resource. However, stay away from what might feel like support but is actually an opportunity to complain. You’re looking for opportunities to feel your best and make menopause as smooth a transition as possible.

4. Laugh every chance you get. We all know that laughter is the best medicine! Seek opportunities each and every day to laugh. Laughter may not “cure” you, but it sure will make this stage of your life more fun!

5. Take time for self reflection. Menopause represents letting go of one phase of your life as you enter the next phase. It’s often during the years 45-55 that you go through menopause and statistically this also represents the middle years of your life span. It’s a good time to take stock and reflect on where you’ve been and where you’re heading, and to ask yourself what you want out of life. Self reflection, (whether by writing, reading, or talking) can also help you weather the storm that a challenging menopause can create. Often during menopause we feel out of control. Reflecting and planning for the future helps you feel better about yourself, more at peace with who you are, and helps you feel empowered so you can move along through this time of life with greater ease. Try it!

6. Pay attention to your overall health. If you haven’t been doing this all along, conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and osteoporosis can be exacerbated during menopause. Pay attention to your general health. If it’s time for a checkup, seek out the appropriate health care provider and handle all of your concerns.

7. Your sex life will likely be different. You may experience a decreased interest in sex. You may also experience pain because estrogen levels decrease and the lining of the vagina begins to atrophy. Having a fulfilling sex life is a wonderful part of being a woman, so communicating with your partner is essential. You may also find it helps to talk to your health care provider.

8. Menopause has its own language. All of a sudden words like perimenopause, post menopause, estrogen, and testosterone come into play. Educate yourself and you’ll feel more empowered while going through menopause.

9. Is weight gain inevitable? It’s a question I’m asked over and over again. Women say, “I don’t eat any more than I used to and I’ve put on weight.” They’ve tried every diet out there and still they gain or can’t lose the weight they’ve gained. Proper nutrition is so important during this stage of life, as is exercise. They go hand in hand in order for you to optimize your weight and health during menopause.

10. Understand the role hormones play. You’ve been having hormonal fluctuations your entire life. Remember when you first got your period or when you were pregnant? Menopause, too, causes huge changes in your hormone levels, affecting every organ system in your body. The decrease in estrogen is the one we hear about the most. These fluctuating hormonal levels leave you feeling angry, forgetting things, crying for no apparent reason, experiencing depression, and feeling like you’re not yourself.

You are not alone. Hopefully it will be of some comfort to you to remember that all women go through menopause. It’s part of our life cycle. Read through these 10 points again, put them to good use, and have the best transition through menopause you can!

shelli

There is no such thing as LATER!

True story!

No facts or names, although sometimes I wish I could take my name out of this, have been changed.

During the holidays, a few days before the new year, I was staying with friends at their apartment. They live in a rather large complex that has ample parking for visitors. There’s one catch, however. Between the hours of midnight and 5 AM all cars are required to vacate those visitor parking spots.

For a week, towards the end of the day, I had diligently moved my car from a visitor parking space to a space on the street. I got into a routine with this daily task and didn’t give it much thought. Yes, it was a hassle, but so what. I understood the policy and was compliant.

Until one day…….

On this particular Saturday, late in the afternoon, three of us piled into a car along with my friend’s two month old. It was to be the first beach adventure for her baby. We spent a fun few hours at the beach, watched the sunset, and arrived back home content, our time and energy well spent.

We also arrived home wet, dirty, and hungry with a newborn who needed to be fed.

As we pulled into the parking lot and passed where my car was parked, I said, “Hey, I should get out and move my car!” One of my friends said, “You can do it later!” And so I said to myself, sure I can do it later…….

Fast forward to 7 AM the following morning.

I sit bolt upright in bed and YELL, “Oh Shit, the car!”

We run outside only to find that the car has been TOWED!

So here it is Sunday morning, what a lovely way to start the week.

After waking up the apartment complex manager to find out where to retrieve my car, off we went.

Hours later, as well as $197.50 later (ouch that really hurts), I had my car back.

It was an emotionally stormy day for me and I couldn’t stop thinking about how I had wasted the money and how could I have possibly forgotten to move the car when for so many days I had made it a point to make sure I moved the car and on and on and on my mental chatter went!

Life does go on, though.

And then a few days later it struck me.

It was a lesson in the concept of later.

There really is no later. It’s a mental construct that doesn’t exist.

There is a past……that was then.

There is a now……but later doesn’t exist because when we get to what we think of as LATER it becomes the NOW.

We all know that expression, “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” While there are some very valid practical reasons for putting things off and handling them at another time, I hope you see what I’m getting at here.

I also found it prophetic that this happened to me right before entering into the new year. It’s a new year and a new decade. I also think it’s a good time for self reflection.

Maybe later never comes, maybe opportunities fade away, maybe people (and cars) are gone before you get to it later.

What have you been putting off until later?

Give it some thought because there really is no later!

shelli

Have you ever wondered if the food you eat affects the way you feel?

I believe it does.

I’m always looking for reasons to encourage people to eat more fruits, vegetables, and fish and fewer processed foods.

Recently, another good reason came to my attention.

An interesting study appeared in the November 2009 issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry. It suggested that there is a link between depression and eating processed foods.

The researchers looked at the diets of English government workers who were between the ages of 35 and 55. They split them into two groups based on how often they consumed processed foods versus whole foods.

The processed food group ate a diet full of sweets, fried food, processed meats, refined grains and high-fat dairy products.

The whole foods group ate plenty of fish, fruits and vegetables.

The study went on for 5 years, after which time the participants answered a questionnaire designed to measure symptoms of depression.

The whole foods group was assessed to have 26% less of a risk for future depression than those who ate less whole foods. Those who ate the most processed foods had a 58% higher risk of depression than those who ate fewer processed foods.

The study did take into account other things like smoking, physical activity, weight, age, sex, and chronic diseases. Still, these statistical differences appeared.

What did the researchers suggest were the reasons behind their findings?

1. Fruits and vegetables are loaded with antioxidants, and high antioxidant levels have been linked to lower risks of depression.

2. Lower dietary intake of B vitamin folate, naturally found in many vegetables, has been linked to depression in middle-aged men.

3. There is some evidence to suggest that the Omega-3 oils found in fish may have a protective effect in preventing depression.

You might be thinking that it’s possible that depression affects what people eat and that the study has it backwards.

This is possible; however, in this study group at least, the researchers tested that theory and it did not prove to be the case.

There’s always a need for more research on these types of studies, but it does seem to bear out what I think we all do experience.

Don’t you feel better when you eat more whole foods and less processed ones?

I know I do!

Eating healthy improves physical health and physical health and mental health go hand in hand. So load up on those fruits and vegetables, and throw some fish into the mix as well.

shelli