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Creating a Healthy Lifestyle

Creating a Healthy  Lifestyle

Author Archives: creatingahealthylifestyle

Cauliflower Fried Rice

02 Tuesday Jul 2013

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Recipes

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Tags

Cauliflower, cruciferous vegetable, Food processor, Fried Rice, Healthy Eating, Healthy Fried Rice, Healthy Recipe, Recipe, Vegan, Vegetarian

Cauliflower Fried Rice1 cauliflower

1/4 cup chopped red onion

1/4 cup chopped carrot

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 cup chopped bok choy

2 tablespoons olive oil

water

salt to taste if desired

Cut cauliflower from its thick stem and cut into medium size pieces.  Grate into rice in a food processor in two batches, using the metal blade, not a grater disc.  Heat olive oil in a large frying pan and add grated cauliflower.  Cook on medium heat, covered for 4 minutes, then stir and add 1/3 cup water.  Cook covered for 4 more minutes.  Add more water if necessary to prevent sticking. Stir in the remaining vegetables and salt. Cook covered until the vegetables begin to soften, about 4 more minutes.

Makes 4 – 8 servings depending on the size of the cauliflower.

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Walk or Run with Us – The July Challenge

30 Sunday Jun 2013

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Healthy Body

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Build Strength, Daily Exercise, Exercise Together, Exercise with a Buddy, Health, health and happiness, Healthy Lifestyle, Hiking, July Challenge, Mini-trampoline, Movement, Physical exercise, Running, Self care, Stationary bicycle, swimming, Virtual Team, Walking

Walk or Run with Us - The July ChallengeResearch shows that people who exercise with others tend to stick with a routine, so I’ve come up with a virtual “Healthy Lifestyle” team.

During the month of July myself, my adult daughters (we all live in different cities) and anyone else who wants to participate, will be doing some form of daily exercise. One of my daughters will run one mile a day or more.  My other daughter will include swimming laps, and I will mix it up between fast walking, hiking, using a mini-trampoline or a stationary bike, for a minimum of 20 minutes a day.  What will you do for 20-30 minutes a day during the month of July?

Imagine yourself feeling healthier, stronger, and maybe even slimmer after a month of daily movement. Please join us, no matter where you live in the world, and let us know you are on the “Healthy Lifestyle” team by leaving a comment below.

Love, Health and Happiness,

Phyllis

You Can Only Offer An Opportunity

22 Monday Apr 2013

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Healthy Mind

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Behaviors, Boundaries, Choices, Compromising, Consequences, Decisions, Decisions about Self, Decisions at Work, Decisions in Relationships, Disappointment, Effects of Choices, Expectations, Freewill, Healthy Mind, Mental health, Opportunities, Rewards, Saying No, Saying Not in That Way, Saying Not Now, Saying Yes, Self-serving Choices, Self-serving decisions, Threats

You Can Only Offer An Opportunity

We can make an opportunity attractive to another person (adult or child) with a reward or with a threat, but ultimately it’s the other persons’ choice to decide what they will do.

When we want someone to do something they don’t want to do, rather than getting disappointed or angry at them, think about the times when you use your freewill to decline an opportunity from someone else.

We always have the choice of saying “yes or no,”  or “not now or not in that way.”  Every decision we make, whether it’s deciding to do or not do something, for ourselves or another person, has a consequence and an effect on ourselves and others.

Today, think about what you are expecting of others and what others are expecting of you. Before you answer, ask yourself if what you are being asked to do is something you want to do, don’t mind doing, or actually enjoy doing. We often choose to do things we would rather not do because they are self-serving, such as tasks at work, compromising to maintain relationships, and exercising or going to bed early to take care of our bodies.

Remember, you can never get anyone to do anything. You can only give them the opportunity to choose, and the choice is always theirs.

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Release Your Stress

21 Thursday Mar 2013

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Healthy Body

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Calm Your Nervous System, Handling Stress, Healthy Body, letting go of stress, Mental health, Release Your Stress, Shake It Out, Stress, Stress Management, Wellness

Release Your StressA baby’s way of handling stress is to cry, a toddler’s way is to have a tantrum, and then as we get a bit older, we are taught that it’s not socially acceptable to use these behaviors, especially in public. A dog’s way of letting go of stress is to shake it out. Sometimes it’s just their head, and other times it’s with their full body.

Take some time today to use your body to release stress, shake it out; shake out your hands, arms and legs, you might also try bouncing in place, like young kids often do.

Have fun with it, even if you choose to do it privately!

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Finding My Way Home

18 Monday Mar 2013

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Healthy Mind

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Creating a Happier Experience, Doing it Differently, Frustration, Happiness, heading in the right direction, Health, Healthy Mind, Honoring Yourself, Love, Mental health, Robert Holden, second guessing, Self-Love, Stress, Uncertainty, Well-being

Finding My Way HomeLast night I was leaving San Jose where I had just heard Robert Holden, the author of Happiness Now speak. I was feeling happy, peaceful and filled with love. I got in my car and expected to be home in just over an hour.

I had confidence in being able to follow the freeway signs and navigate my way home. After 15 minutes I realized I wasn’t traveling on the same freeway I took to get there. I followed signs to San Francisco, knowing I was heading in the right direction, yet 30 minutes later I still was second guessing if I was on a route that was going to get me home to the East Bay.

Then, I had an epiphany. Recognizing that my feeling of happiness was being gradually taken over by stress, frustration and uncertainty, and wanting to get back to feeling happy, I had I asked myself, “What could I have done differently that would have been loving to myself?”

The answer was clear. The most loving thing I could do for myself when unfamiliar with an area would be to get out a map or turn on the navigation in my car or on my phone BEFORE driving.

I eventually made it home, as I always do, and I’m looking forward to creating a different experience for myself next time. What’s one area of your life where you could be more loving towards yourself?

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Sleep and Your Fat Cells

06 Wednesday Mar 2013

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Healthy Body

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Difficulty Losing Weight, Fat Cells, hormone leptin, Hunger, Hunger Regulation, Insulin, Insulin resistance, Leptin, Losing Weight, Metabolism, Overeating, Sleep and Fat Cells, Sleep and Hunger, Sleep Deprivation, Sweet Dreams, University of Chicago, Weight Gain

Sleep and Your Fat CellsSleep has been shown to affect our fat cells! A new study from the University of Chicago, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, determined that four nights of sleep deprivation reduced insulin sensitivity in fat cells by a whopping 30 percent.

The less sensitive our cells are to insulin, the less our body produces the hunger-regulating hormone leptin. The less leptin we produce, the hungrier we are, and our sensors that tell us when we are full or satisfied don’t work properly. This can lead to overeating and weight gain or difficulty losing weight.

The following are links to previous posts on sleep:

Increase Your Metabolism, Part 2

Why Overcome Sleeplessness 

Have You Found The Lifestyle That Works For Your Body?

Sweet Dreams

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Overwhelmed By Choices

04 Monday Mar 2013

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Healthy Mind

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Appeals to Me, Choices, Decisions, Healthy Mind, Including Self in Decision Making, Overwhelmed by Choices, Something For ME

Overwhelmed By ChoicesI was looking for a new lamp for my office last week and found myself overwhelmed by all of the choices. I started to question whether it was just about that there were too many choices or if there was something else going on.

I approached my lamp search like I do most things for me. Find something practical, that will do the job, and not cost too much money.

What if I started my search for a lamp by looking for something that was appealing to me, and that I would want to look at daily? I realized that what was missing in MY lamp search was ME.

The new lamp, although nice, is going back.  I decided to keep the one I have, even though I have to plug it in every time I want to use it, because I like the way it looks and the amount of light it provides.

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Stargazing, Sunrises and Sunsets

01 Friday Mar 2013

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Family Fun

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awe, Family Activity, Family Fun, looking at the sky, Moon, Night sky, Notice the Sky, Sense of Wonder, Stargazing, Stars, stars and the moon, Sunrise, Sunset

Stargazing, Sunrises and SunsetsWhen is the last time you looked at the night sky, I mean really took the time to notice the stars and the moon? Or marveled at a beautiful sunrise or sunset? Stargazing and watching a sunrise or sunset are activities that adults and children can enjoy together.

There is something magical about looking at the sky by day or by night. It can put us in a feeling of awe or in touch with our sense of wonder.

Take some time this weekend to notice the sky!

Love, Health and Happiness,

Phyllis

A Busy College Student’s Healthy Shopping List

28 Thursday Feb 2013

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Healthy Eating

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College Student, College Student and Healthy Eating, Cook Healthier, Eat Healthier, Eating at College, Eating Healthy, Grocery Shopping List, Healthy Eating, Healthy Grocery Shopping List, Healthy Shopping List, Planning Ahead, Smoothie Recipe Link, Stocking up on Groceries

A Busy College Student's Healthy Shopping ListI’m so proud of my daughter for planning ahead, making her (stock-up) grocery shopping list, sharing it with me, and allowing me to share it with you.

With her job, she has been paying for her own groceries, yet I was more than happy to send her some extra money to replenish her food with this list:

salmon, chicken, or turkey

pretzels

string cheese

salads

frozen meals

yogurt

eggs and turkey bacon

apples, bananas, grapes, blueberries

carrots

bread, bagels

smoothie ingredients: spinach, blueberries, oranges

May we all be inspired to cook healthier and eat healthier!

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Eggplant and Greens

27 Wednesday Feb 2013

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Recipes

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Tags

Beet Greens, Collard greens, Eggplant, Eggplant Recipe, Greens, Healthy Recipe, Kale, Recipe, Spinach, Vegan, Vegetarian

Eggplant and Greens1 eggplant, cubed

2 teaspoons olive oil (divided)

water

1/8 teaspoon oregano

salt (to taste)

1 bunch greens (beet greens, spinach, kale or collard greens), washed and removed from any thick stems. Tear extra-large pieces in half or smaller.

Coat a large frying pan with 1 teaspoon of olive oil.  Add the eggplant cubes and cook for 1 minute, add 1/2 cup water, oregano and salt, then stir.  Saute eggplant covered, stirring frequently.  Add more water if necessary. Cook until eggplant softens. Remove cooked eggplant from the pan and set aside.  Using the same frying pan, place 1 teaspoon olive oil and greens, sprinkle with oregano and salt, if desired, and saute until wilted.  Place the greens on a serving dish and top with eggplant or mix them together.

Makes 2-4 servings

Serving suggestion: add 1/2 cup whole grain pasta or 1/2 cup brown rice per serving, or stuff into a whole wheat pita.

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