Changing it up for 2018
Health - we take if tor granted. Yet we should not. Lose your health and you lose everything else also.
I had time to reflect on this over the holidays as I had some health issues just before the holidays, due to overwork and stress. I usually deal well with stress but it got past my defenses somewhat. And when we are stressed, we often eat poorly. I was guilty of that. It took its toll on me.
I was surprised. My health suffered. I have hit the caffeine and sugar hard before with minimal impact on my health. This past December it was different. I had shooting pain up the back of my head and an intestinal issue. I know better.
I made the decision: I needed to get better at safeguarding my health - a preemptive strike. Here's what I am undertaking. I have worked with various parts of this program before but I need something more comprehensive that works all angles of health.
It is a four piece program:
1. Nutrition
2. Exercise
3. Meditation
4. Play
1. Nutrition Throw out your Canada Food Guide. That is about corporate sales not nutrition.* Real nutrition involves understanding how the body actually works and working with providing those nutrients, which give your body the building blocks that it can use to replenish itself. Your body is meant to heal itself and if you give it the proper conditions - it will. I use phytonutrients, collagen, colostrum, moringa, esterC, a solid vitamin/mineral complex in my smoothies as well as fresh almonds, walnuts, raw pumpkin seeds, hemp or other seeds, as well as fresh or frozen berries and fresh juices. That is for mornings.
Lunches or evenings I will juice vegetables. If you are avoiding cereals because of gluten/glyphosate intolerance, you need to be sure to get an assortment of root vegetables daily - carrots, parsnips, turnips, rhutabagas, beets, etc.
I try to eat as many fresh vegetables as possible and either raise my own meat and buy grass fed beef.
2. Exercise Years ago I used to exercise an hour a day. It was hardcore. Now I find that my lifestyle is too busy and I am unwilling to give that much time to it. I have an active lifestyle so I aim for 15-20 minutes during the winter months, more when the weather is more hospitable. I enjoy cross country skiing, so that is how I have begun the year. But I also use rebounding (mini-trampoline), qi-gong and yoga.
3. Meditation: With the busyness of my life, it is so easy to get away from meditation but for me it is the key to keeping stress at bay. I have instituted a morning OR evening meditation again to start off January and get myself back into a routine. I had fallen off the wagon in December. For me it is a simple matter but it makes a huge difference when I don't give the time to it.
4. Play: As adults, we sometimes forget that this is important but it is essential to our enjoyment of life. We need to laugh. We need to be silly. If you have children, this is often easy. I am involved with SCA which is a role playing group - an adult version of play. But I will often play with my dogs outside. We need to run and jump and enjoy ourselves with no purpose. This is the part we often miss.
Just a few thoughts that I reflected on over the holidays. Happy New Year!
I had time to reflect on this over the holidays as I had some health issues just before the holidays, due to overwork and stress. I usually deal well with stress but it got past my defenses somewhat. And when we are stressed, we often eat poorly. I was guilty of that. It took its toll on me.
I was surprised. My health suffered. I have hit the caffeine and sugar hard before with minimal impact on my health. This past December it was different. I had shooting pain up the back of my head and an intestinal issue. I know better.
I made the decision: I needed to get better at safeguarding my health - a preemptive strike. Here's what I am undertaking. I have worked with various parts of this program before but I need something more comprehensive that works all angles of health.
It is a four piece program:
1. Nutrition
2. Exercise
3. Meditation
4. Play
1. Nutrition Throw out your Canada Food Guide. That is about corporate sales not nutrition.* Real nutrition involves understanding how the body actually works and working with providing those nutrients, which give your body the building blocks that it can use to replenish itself. Your body is meant to heal itself and if you give it the proper conditions - it will. I use phytonutrients, collagen, colostrum, moringa, esterC, a solid vitamin/mineral complex in my smoothies as well as fresh almonds, walnuts, raw pumpkin seeds, hemp or other seeds, as well as fresh or frozen berries and fresh juices. That is for mornings.
Lunches or evenings I will juice vegetables. If you are avoiding cereals because of gluten/glyphosate intolerance, you need to be sure to get an assortment of root vegetables daily - carrots, parsnips, turnips, rhutabagas, beets, etc.
I try to eat as many fresh vegetables as possible and either raise my own meat and buy grass fed beef.
2. Exercise Years ago I used to exercise an hour a day. It was hardcore. Now I find that my lifestyle is too busy and I am unwilling to give that much time to it. I have an active lifestyle so I aim for 15-20 minutes during the winter months, more when the weather is more hospitable. I enjoy cross country skiing, so that is how I have begun the year. But I also use rebounding (mini-trampoline), qi-gong and yoga.
3. Meditation: With the busyness of my life, it is so easy to get away from meditation but for me it is the key to keeping stress at bay. I have instituted a morning OR evening meditation again to start off January and get myself back into a routine. I had fallen off the wagon in December. For me it is a simple matter but it makes a huge difference when I don't give the time to it.
4. Play: As adults, we sometimes forget that this is important but it is essential to our enjoyment of life. We need to laugh. We need to be silly. If you have children, this is often easy. I am involved with SCA which is a role playing group - an adult version of play. But I will often play with my dogs outside. We need to run and jump and enjoy ourselves with no purpose. This is the part we often miss.
Just a few thoughts that I reflected on over the holidays. Happy New Year!
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