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Inspiration for living a luxuriously and balanced life

Monday, March 12, 2012

Spring into Healthy Habits ...Part One

Spring to me symbolizes beginnings; gardens come to life after a long winter's nap and nature's little and large creatures begin to give birth to their young. So, why not take this season to (re) introduce healthy habits into our lives.

Healthy lifestyle habits are important for everyone, but especially important for people who are facing Life Transitions (LT). During LT, our moods are a rainbow of shades - from bright and sunny one minute to dark and gloomy the next. This affects our immune system, our physical self, our emotional and mental state. Add the various medications prescribed to help you cope with pain, emotions of our LT  and you have the recipe for an explosive brew waiting to take you down. 

Below are some things that I'm re-introducing to my daily routine to help me with the effects of my LT and the affects medication, physical pain and brain injury have taken on my mind, body and spirit. 

I have been starting my day (again..lol..) with warm water, the juice of half a lemon, one teaspoon of fresh grated ginger and a drop or two (optional) of pure honey. WHAT I HAVE NOTICED: my belly does not bloat as often; I do relieve my kidneys more regular.

Additional Benefits:

Balances pH ~ Though lemons have citric acid, once metabolized they do not create acidity in the body. Lemons are one of the most alkaline foods. Starting your each day with lemon water will help reduce the overall acidity in your body.
Aids Digestion ~ Lemon juice helps flush out toxins in the body, it encourages the liver to produce bile - an acid which is required for digestion. Heartburn and  constipation may be reduced with properly functioning digestion.
Boosts Immune System ~ High in vitamin C, lemons are great for fighting colds. Lemons also contain high levels of potassium which stimulates brain and nerve function and helps control blood pressure.
Assists with Weight Loss ~ Lemons are high in pectin fiber, which helps to reduce hunger cravings.

Meditation, is perhaps one the best alternative therapies for someone facing LT ~ ironically it is also something that requires focusing, being in the moment, and stilling the mind from thoughts of living in the  past or worrying about the future.

For me guided meditation is helpful in staying focused, as there is quiet, gentle, constant reminder to let go of thought and just be. I'm not going to say it's easy - IT IS NOT-! WHAT I HAVE NOTICED: I'm learning to breathe better and improve flow of air to my lungs, my attitude towards my situation and life is changing (in a more positive out look).

The amazing things about meditation is that you can do it anywhere and it only takes 15-20 minutes a day. If you are meditating on your own, set a gentle alarm with vibration mode for the duration of time you would like to meditate. Ease yourself into it... start with a couple of minutes and increase by a couple minutes each time until you are able to do it for 15-20 minutes.

Additional Benefits:

Reduced Stress and Anxiety ~ by learning to switch off from the worries that fill our days and mind with all the various things that relate to the LT we are facing, we are better able to make more effective decisions in our life.
Creativity ~ by achieving the ability to live in the present, we are able to discover our creative potential, as things from the past that we can not change or the future which we have no control over are set aside.
Ability to Stay in the Moment ~ learning to stay focused in meditation will also help with keeping our thoughts on everyday tasks at hand, limiting disruption from our immediate surrounding.


Healthy eating is one of the first things to go when we are feeling down, sad, loss of energy. It is so much easier to grab a bucket of ice-cream; bag of chips; any fast food; you know what I'm saying - we have ALL been there. Then the weight starts to pile on ... you begin to lose confidence, you get angry with yourself for letting yourself go and what happens next -- "I know there is a half pizza , in this fridge!!" the poor eating choices turn to habit and you find yourself an the vicious cycle of the D words = Diet, Depression, Diet, Depression etc....

Consulting with a professional nutritionist was the best money I have ever spent. Together we went through my goals for healthy eating (feeling better, increase energy, lose weight), to develop healthy habits that will become part of my LIFESTYLE not a temporary diet plan. We started with the Mediterranean lifestyle way of eating, and adjusted some things to better reflect my life. WHAT I HAVE NOTICED: there really were no TABOO foods, moderation in consumption is very important. The foods are prepared using fresh wholesome ingredients and limiting sugars, and processed foods. Eating balanced meals - helps to reduce the amount of between meal snacking, North American lifestyle has made so accessible and easy for us to grab on the go.

Additional Benefits: 

Weight Loss ~ by eating healthy foods you will lose weight over a period of time, but more important since the weight is loss by eating healthy you will be able to maintain it.
Reduce Supplements ~ eating balanced healthy meals will give you all the nutrients you need to stay healthy.
Stop Looking for the Fountain of Youth ~ healthy foods promote good cell growth and eliminate harmful free radicals and toxins in your body. your skin regains its healthy glow and suppleness.

You can start adjusting your eating habits, by just cutting back on the quantity of a specific item. For me bread - fresh baguette from the bakery, with smooth creamy butter - was my food drug! I didn't give up bread, but instead of having it everyday (sometimes multiple times throughout the day) I have a slice with breakfast one or two times during the week and if I indulge in a baguette I only have a small portion and the remainder is frozen or Mr. G is instructed to make sandwiches for himself ASAP (he can eat anything and because he is very active, it gets burned off!! ... Yes, I remember those days and wish my body still worked like that).

What's your food drug of choice?

These are 3 easy things that you can start incorporating into your everyday life, and get on with developing a healthy eating habit for your lifestyle. So, what are you waiting for? get going, start today!!









15 comments:

  1. This one of your best posts yet and quite interesting! Very comprehensive. I appreciate all the work that went into putting it together.

    Hope you and G. are doing well my dear.

    xoxo

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  2. Dearest Friend Celia,

    What a great post! Funny is that I do drink this lemon water usually at supper time and the juice from one big lemon. We buy them by the bag full at Costco, they are the best! I've information on lemons that says they're almost the most powerful health food!
    Wishing you all the best and sending you lots of love,

    Mariette

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  3. Well written and speaks the truth! We all need to be mindful of what we fill our body and our minds with. I find it challenging to meditate - and stop all the self talk. Yoga forces me to stop and breath. Wonderful post!

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  4. Meditation is so extremely hard but I do best when it's guided. There are actually Aps on iTunes for it.
    My drug food of choice right now is probably everything I had to give up on account of my gallbladder tumor. But I see the surgeon on monday....soooooo...hopefully that gallbladder is on its way out ;)
    thanks for the helpful tips.

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  5. Wonderful post! I do like water w/ lemon and ginger in the mornings along with a Glowing Green Smoothie. I must confess that I am not always faithful. When I'm juggling several things at once, I tend to lean to Starbucks. This week, however, I am on Spring Break and although I still have some work to do, I plan to relax a bit, work-out and catch up on a few things... and not depend on Starbucks so much!
    Are you familiar with Kimberly Snyder's book, The Beauty Detox Solution? I posted about it last June. I think you might enjoy it.

    Wishing you a lovely week, mon ami! xoxo, B

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  6. Great post. My food drug of choice is popcorn. I eat about 100g a day. Despite what many say about it increasing weight, it's done the opposite for me ;-) I also do the hot water and lemon first thing in the morning too .

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  7. Thanks for the inspiration! I'm a carb fiend, but I've found that switching to whole grains helps. I'm also a major snacker and always will be, but I find that I do a lot better if I measure out quantities, use a plate, and combine carbs with a little protein. Wholesome, real foods really do start to taste better once you're used to them.

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  8. oh that's awesome, i def going to have to try that!

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  9. A friend of mine's sister used to drink lemon and hot water every morning, first thing. She has been doing it for years and talks about the benefits of doing this. I think I will try this.

    My drug of choice is probably cookies. I need to stay away from them!!! Once I start eating them, I can't stop at just one.

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  10. Dear Celia, I LOVE this!!!!! I always start my day with a cup of warm water - just a habit. But from now on lemon and ginger it is. What a great idea...thank you! Wishing you a great Sunday!

    Kristin xx

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  11. I need to get back into the lemon water habit too - it's always so easy at this time of year when swimsuit season is looming!

    We all know my drug of choice is dark chocolate! And maybe champers :O)

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  12. Hi! Thanks for your comment! I will have to try the creme, too!
    I drink lemon with water and it has helped my complexion overall- love it!

    >thanks for you word verification suggestion- I just changed it! I know, it can be truly annoying!

    Best,
    Classic+Glam

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  13. I will have to try your lemon water in the morning. I have been trying meditation but find it soooo hard. Makes me think I'm completely ADD. xo

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  14. I totally forgot to have my lemon water as your recommended this am!! I will start tomorrow.
    My food drug of choice...chocolate. Definitely chocolate.

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  15. As I have found some of most wonderful experienced information about balanced diet and health. It's exclusively looking one of massive featured source for me. I am totally surprised to see the elegant concept of this source. Thanks for sharing.

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