Taking care ...

Ok  let’s get real.  Life is great and we enjoy a lot of things.  But we often tend to forget or perhaps overlook the obvious.  Taking care of ourselves and by that I mean, yea there are a lot of different aspects we could look at.  But the one we most often neglect and abuse is our body!  I mean, our body is a wonderful machine that seems to just run and run to the point that we tend to take it for granted.  Yet, just like any machine, it needs maintenance.  There’s a great short video that Todd Burrier did explaining it quite well. Please check it out. (only takes 3 mins!)

The First Step

Why is it that we often sit back and wait, instead of taking our lives into our own hands by taking action.  Well for one, we all like to be comfortable.  It makes us feel relaxed and secure and warm and—well—comfy.  It just feels good, but does it really do us any good?  Maybe for awhile, but the truth is we’re always comfortable with that which we “know”.  Or maybe you could say:  “Same old, same old”!  So it’s time to take some action to improve yourself and your life.  Because only by taking action and breaking out of your comfort zone, do you have the chance of improving your life.  Yes it’s uncomfortable but in a very positive sense.  So go into action and take that first step.  A little step is fine, because one little step after another adds up to success.  It’s that first step that’s the hardest.  But as Nike puts it:  “Just Do It”!

What are "Greens"

In another post I talked about what “greens” are and are not.  But still walk into a grocery store and try asking for “greens”.  The sales person will most likely point you to the produce section.  And ask for specific greens like “lamb’s quarters” and you will end up in the meat section.  So what we need to understand is that “greens” are not vegetables!  Wow—now that’s what I always thought “greens” were.  So if they aren’t vegetables than what are they, you’re thinking right now.  Well have you ever bought a fresh bunch of carrots with the “tops” still attached?  Yep! you guessed it, the carrot tops (that what we usually throw away) those are the “greens” we’re looking for!  The green leaves of carrots, beets and turnips, parsley are more nutrition than the root itself.  There’s a great 17 minute video which demonstrates exactly how powerful greens can be.  They just might prove to be the most important 17 minutes of your life! If you’re interested click here.   

Setting Goals....

How often have you heard someone say that to get ahead in Life you gotta set some goals!  Well I think my Dad told me that quite often.  Have I done it?  Not in so many words.  Why is it that such important things, we put them off by telling ourselves, “I’ll do that later” or “I don’t have any time right now--maybe tomorrow.”  The problem is tomorrow comes and goes and it’s still on our “To-Do-List”.  So the clue is action.  We need goals to make sure we stay on course.  I mean, how many people do you know, get into their car without knowing where they want to go?  I can’t think of one.  And yet, we usually haven’t got a clue as to where we are going in Life.  Like, how will we know when we get there, if we don’t even know what the goal is?  Makes sense, doesn’t it.  But until we sit down and put it in writing, we won’t know where we are going or how to get there.  hmmm…I think I need to sit down right now and put my destinations (goals) down on paper…..grin!

Health Kick...get going

So here I am still experimenting with recipes.  I really do love a banana, an apple, some grapes or an orange plus greens (spinach or Romaine lettuce) and, of course, filtered water about 2 cups.  If I feel like it I throw in a handful of nuts, to add some crunch.  The great thing about these green smoothies, is that it keeps in the fridge for at least 2-3 days.  So it’s not as if you have to drink a gallon of these smoothies immediately.  According to Victoria Boutenko, (Green for Life book author) you will most likely notice results almost immediately.  After about 1 month of drinking green smoothies daily, other people will probably start to take notice of your increased energy and overall healthy look.  Well I guess I will continue experimenting and drinking my green smoothies. (grin!)

Nutrition made Easy....

This Tuesday Mornings Post is talking about vitamins and nutrition and such.  Well there’s a great little video that explains it in about 5 minutes.  Short, sweet and to the point!  enjoy….

Nutrition made easy by Todd Burrier

Drinking our greens...

Last week I talked about “greens” and what they are.  This week I’d like to share how to get at the good stuff found in the leafy stuff!  Victoria Boutenko author of “Green for Life” states that the nutrients in a plant are stored in the plants cells.  Plants cellulose, what mainly makes a plant, has “one of the strongest molecular structures on the planet” (p 24, “Green for Life”).  And because Greens contain more “valuable nutrients that any other food group” means we need to eat MORE Greens! (Oh boy, I knew Popeye had something going for him!)  But due to the fact that cellulose has such a strong molecular structure the only way to get to these important nutrients is by rupturing the cell walls!  Usually this is done when we chew our food.  Yet rarely do we chew our food to the creamy consistency needed to cash in on the benefits!  This is where smoothies come in!  Mixing our greens in a blender along with some fruit etc breaks down the cellulose in the greens and at the same time releasing the beneficial nutrients.  And voila!  A green smoothie is born!  So now we drink our greens, what a revolutionary idea!

Tuesday Mornings

I still out in the garden—whew—we had some trees cut down last fall and now I am back trying to plant new shrubs and ground covering.  But before I plant, I have to dig up the old roots!  Man what a job!  I never knew trees had THAT many roots.  And they are all at least as 1 ½ inches thick!  So it’s grab-your-saw time and start sawing away.  But first, I have to dig, dig, dig to get at those thick roots hiding below.  And the quick planting job suddenly turns into an all day affair. (You wanta get done, you know!)  Well the next morning I was afraid to move for fear of feeling like I had run into a brick wall.  But I was surprised!  Even though I knew I had over done it, I didn’t hear my muscles yelling „abuse“ at me.  I must be doing something right, I thought!  Like giving my body a daily dose of Joint Formula by LifePlus!  It sure does pay to give your body the minerals and vitamins it needs on a daily basis!  

An Apple a Day.....

I’ve been reading the book “Green for Life” by Victoria Boutenko and among other things she states that the more she “read about the nutritional content of greens, the more [she] became convinced that greens were the most important food for humans” (excerpt page 24).  So eating more greens is the way to go.  But what exactly is meant by “greens”?  Usually people mean leafy green vegetables like cabbage, radish greens, collard greens, spinach and mustard greens – often related to the mustard plant as they are all high in minerals.  Lettuce, arugula and bok choy are not “greens”.   Well I guess I'm off to the store to get me some greens--smile!