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Creating a Healthy Lifestyle

Creating a Healthy  Lifestyle

Monthly Archives: November 2012

Adult Children Home For the Holidays

30 Friday Nov 2012

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Family Fun

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Adult Children Home for the Holidays, Compassion, Family, Family Conflict, Family of Origin, Forgiveness, Judgment, Old Family Dynamics, Relating to Your Adult Children, Triggered by Childhood Patterns

Adult Children Home for the HolidaysWhether you are 18-years-old, returning home for the holidays after your first semester away at college, or 40-years-old with children of your own, being with your family of origin often triggers old dynamics where adult children transform back into thinking, feeling and behaving as they did when they lived at home, and parents often go into “parent” mode.

Predictable behaviors come from a history of ingrained patterns of relating, usually developed at a young age for the child, and reinforced by the parent as a style of interacting. For both the adult child and the parent, these patterns of behavior are less about the person we are in conflict with, and more about the way they trigger us and we make meaning of the person or related event.

It only takes one person to become aware of when an old pattern has kicked in, and then to decide to engage differently:

1. Try a little compassion by putting yourself in the other person’s shoes before judging.

2. Give a sincere complement rather than a negative comment.

3. Listen with genuine interest rather than tuning out.

4. Mend a rift by not having to be right.

5. Forgive.

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

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Eat, Drink and Be Healthy!

29 Thursday Nov 2012

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Healthy Eating

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Breakfast, Cruciferous Vegetables, Fruit and Vegetables, Healthy Holiday Eating, Recipe Links, Salad, Soup, Tips for Healthy Holiday Eating, Water

Tis the season to get together with family and friends, and attend parties at work and/or social clubs and organizations.  With food and drinks in abundance, not to mention candies, cookies, pies and cakes, it’s easy to let your healthy eating slide until January.

Here’s a challenge for you.  Select one or two of the following tips to use throughout this holiday season.

1. Start each morning with a healthy breakfast. It’s a fact that people who eat breakfast don’t allow themselves to get so hungry that they over-eat once they do eat their first meal of the day.

2. Eat at least two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables each day. For fruit, think apples, pears, bananas, oranges, berries, melons, etc. Your vegetables may be raw: carrots, celery, jicama, red peppers, peapods, broccoli, or cauliflower, or cooked, including cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower, kale or Brussels sprouts. Or consider spinach, zucchini, winter squash or asparagus.

3. Eat a salad each day. Choose 2 cups or more of lettuce or greens (spinach or kale), add raw vegetables: tomatoes, peppers, jicama, carrots, etc., and a protein if desired (cooked beans, tuna, cooked salmon or chicken), or a tablespoon of almonds and top with a small amount of dressing.

4. Eat a serving of soup each day. Broth based with vegetables is preferable.  If making your own, add 1/2 cup cooked brown rice, 1/2 cup cooked whole grain noodles or 1/2 cup cooked beans to vegetable broth along with your vegetables.

5. Make water your drink of choice throughout your day. Drink a large glass of water before your meals and snacks or sip on water throughout your day.  For a hot beverage, consider tea, or hot water with lemon and honey.

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Veggie Stuffing

28 Wednesday Nov 2012

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Recipes

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Baked Stuffing with Vegetables, Healthy Eating, Healthy Holiday Eating, Holiday Recipe, Recipe, Stuffing, Thanksgiving Recipe, Vegan, Vegetarian

2 cups vegetable broth

2 medium zucchini, diced

1 cup celery, sliced

1 onion, diced

6 Brussels sprouts, cut into quarters

1 apples, cored and cut into bite size pieces

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1 – 8 ounce can sliced water chestnuts

1 – 15 ounce can corn

1 – 12 ounce bag stuffing mix

Bring broth to a boil, add the zucchini, celery, onion and brussels sprouts.  Simmer until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the apples, cranberries, water chestnuts, corn and stuffing mix.  Pour cooked vegetables and broth over the other ingredients and mix well. Transfer stuffing to a baking pan and cook covered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove cover after 30 minutes for a crunchy top.

Brain Research and Exercise

27 Tuesday Nov 2012

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Healthy Body, Healthy Mind

≈ 1 Comment

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Benefits of exercise for adults and children, brain cells, Brain Research, Depression, Exercise, Healthy Mind, healthy-living, Human brain, memory brain, Mental health, Mood, Neuroscience, Physical exercise, research

Did you know that exercise is highly correlated with the production of new brain cells resulting in improved learning and memory?  Brain research has also revealed a correlation between exercise and a decrease in depression.

Additionally, neuroscience has validated that children learn better when they engage in daily physical activity.

Check out some previous exercise related posts for inspiration:

Let’s Get Moving!

Doing a Little Bit Can Make a Big Difference

Entertainment For Long Walks or Runs

Fast Walk, Jog or Run Your Way to The Finish Line!

Do You Consider Yourself An Athlete?

Cold Weather and Physical Activity

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

The Mind Doesn’t Know The Difference

26 Monday Nov 2012

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Healthy Mind

≈ 2 Comments

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Anxiety, Cortisol, Dopamine, Fight-or-flight response, Gratitude, Healthy Mind, Laughter, Meditation, Mental health, Play, Positive Psychology, Serotonin, Stress, Stress hormone, stressful event, Thoughts, Thoughts and Hormones, Well-being

The mind doesn’t know if you actually did something or just thought about it. Research has shown that without a stressful event actually happening, we can create anxiety along with the chemical release of the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline, just by thinking about such an event. These hormones provide the “fight or flight” response, increased heart rate and increased blood pressure.

The converse is true.  When we have pleasant, calm or happy thoughts, the biochemical production and release of serotonin and dopamine occurs.

How you think has a direct correlation to how you feel. Since our thoughts create a cascade of chemical releases, and we know our thoughts can produce healthy or unhealthy hormones, we do have some control over our well-being.

Here are some ways to shift to calmer, happier thinking:

Focus on gratitude, being thankful, looking for the happiest moment of the day, or meditating. Ease up on perfectionism, laugh and play more. Remind yourself throughout the day to check in with your thoughts.  You could do this each time you reach for the phone, stop at a red light, just before you eat, or when you wake up and just before you go to sleep.

If you are feeling stressed, it may be time to look more closely at your thinking and choose to look at situations differently.

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Clue, Sorry, Scrabble

23 Friday Nov 2012

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Family Fun

≈ 1 Comment

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Adult Children, Adults, Board Games, Bonding, Children, Clue, Enjoyment, Family Fun, Fun Bonding, Games, Games as Entertainment, Monopoly, Old-fashioned Board Games, Scrabble, Sorry, Teens

When was the last time you played an old-fashioned board game? Playing board games can be a great way to bond with your children, grandchildren, adult children and other adults. Many games such as Clue, Scrabble and Monopoly, have a junior version for younger children.

Here are some suggestions for enjoyable playing:

1. Keep it fun.

2. Team up if you have too many people or pair a child with a teen or adult for more advanced games.

3. Don’t worry about the outcome and who is going to win. Just like an athlete, play your game, do your best and don’t cave into pressure. Stay focused on the game and your turn rather than on winning.

What if the winner was the person or team that had the most fun, win or lose? Play for the pure enjoyment and entertainment that games are designed for.

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Happy Thanksgiving!

22 Thursday Nov 2012

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Family Fun

≈ 2 Comments

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abundance, Blessed, Family, Friends, Grateful, Greatful, Happy Thanksgiving, Joy, Love, Peace, Thankful, Thanksgiving Blessing, Well-being

May you, your family and friends, be blessed with peace, love, joy, well-being and abundance on this Thanksgiving Day and always.

Thank you for being a part of my world!

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Holiday Stuffed Squash

21 Wednesday Nov 2012

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Recipes

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Acorn Squash, Healthy Eating, Healthy Recipe, Holiday Recipe, Holiday Stuffed Squash, Quinoa, Recipe, Vegan, Vegetarian

1 acorn squash

1 cup quinoa (uncooked)

2 cups water or vegetable broth

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon pumpkin spice

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup red onion, diced

2 tablespoons cranberries, dried

Cut the squash in half, remove seeds and bake at 400 degrees, cut side down on a lined baking sheet until soft, about 30-40 minutes. While the squash is cooking, prepare the filling.  Rinse the quinoa and place in a medium sauce pan with the remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer covered for 15 minutes. Let sit covered for an additional 5-10 minutes.  Fluff with a fork.

When the squash is done, stuff both halves with the quinoa filling and sprinkle with pumpkin spice.

Makes 2-4 servings

Care or Curse Your Body?

20 Tuesday Nov 2012

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Healthy Body

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Appreciate Your Body, Happiness, Health, Healthy Body, Healthy Lifestyle, kindness, Messages We Tell Ourselves, Self care, Weight Loss

On a continuum, of lovingly caring for your body on one end, and cursing your body on the other, where do you see your level of care? Do you feel let down or betrayed by your body? Do you appreciate all that it does for you?

We only get one body, and the messages we tell ourselves about our body can significantly affect how well we care for ourselves. What if treating your body with kindness was the answer to feeling better, less stressed, more confident, and possibly the answer to overcoming an illness, injury or weight issue?

You only get one body. Treat it with the kindness, love, respect and care that it and you deserve.

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Are You a Rose, Tulip or Daisy?

19 Monday Nov 2012

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Healthy Mind

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Dating, Finding a Good Match, Friendships, Getting Your Needs Met, Healthy Mind, Job Search and Interviewing, judgement, looking for a new job, medical practitioner, new friendship, Rejection, Relationships, Respecting Differences, Synergy, Values

Whether you are dating, looking for a new job, seeking a medical practitioner or cultivating a new friendship, many people overlook the importance of “interviewing each other” in order to find a good match.

Do you fear being rejected or being rejecting? Do you worrying about being hurt or hurting someone else’s feelings?  What if it doesn’t have to be about rejection? What if we are like flowers; a rose, a tulip or a daisy, each with our own unique qualities, looking for a compatible matching flower?

It really doesn’t matter if you are a rose, tulip or daisy. What matters is that you consider who you are, your likes and dislikes, your values and needs, what you are willing to accept and where you aren’t willing to compromise.

Without judgment, it’s about whether you are a good match.  It’s about what you bring out in each other, the synergy, if you can work together, support each other, and if it truly is a good fit. Honor yourself and the other person. Respect your differences if you are not a good match, say so and move on.  It may be mutual.

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

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