Good Immunity

Breathing is arguably the most important thing that we do as humans. It’s what oxygenates our blood cells. Those cells in turn fuel our tissues, muscles and organs. Breath is, in essence, the stuff of life. Why is it then, that so many of us tend to throw breath on autopilot for most of our lives?

Most of us use the internet in a very specific way. We use it to communicate with each other via email, Facebook and Twitter. We use it as a quick reference when we’re debating our friends. We also use it to learn how to do things, become inspired, and to be exposed to interesting information via blogs (the best use of the internet). If you’re an FBI Agent, you probably look at the internet a little differently, but that’s what most of us do with it.

But one interesting way that we can use the internet is to care for ourselves. At a time when 17 % of Americans are uninsured, people seem to be taking more of an active role in their own self care and preventative medicine. There are several sources on the internet that can help you develop a healthy self care regimen. Over the next few posts, we’re going to highlight the best of the best that the internet has to offer in the health and wellness niche.

Most of us know about WebMD, because it’s the most popular medical website on the internet. But, if you’ve ever submitted your list of symptoms to that monolithic database of “medical information”, you probably know that it can cause anxiety, false self-diagnosis and intense fear without doing a thing to alleviate your symptoms. You have to get a little more creative about finding out what’s wrong if you want to start looking for the remedy.

Here’s a smart way to research your ailments and issues: 

1. Isolate the issue:If you have a muscle strain in your neck, do a Google search for neck muscles and figure out which muscle is in pain. In this way, you’re discovering a little more about your body.
2. Check out Chinese medicine or Ayurvedic medicine: Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine are ancient practices that can both help you find alternative options for self care. I researched my muscle strain yesterday and found a Chinese Medicine website that had instructions for applying traction to that particular muscle. It alleviated the pain in that muscle and the corresponding occipital headache almost instantly. Plus, I learned what an occipital headache is.
3. Cross check: Don’t check just one site. Make sure to find a few well sited resources before you apply self care techniques.
4. If it’s serious, don’t mess around: If you’re really feeling ill, dizzy, or in intense pain, go directly to the doctor. Don’t rely on self diagnosis or internet research if your life is in jeopardy.

Hey there wellness lovers! Long time no see! I’ve been away at yoga school for the past month and I’m super jazzed to be back in action, writing about wellness stuff, writing about food, heck, just writing for you. I learned so much in March, and I can’t wait to start sharing everything I now understand about the human body. But for now, I want to share something else that I learned this month. I learned that the green smoothie is the most supreme of all of the smoothies on all of the planets in all of the galaxies in all of the universe.

Don’t you dare say that that’s an exaggeration. I consulted with Steven Hawking, studied quantum physics for a year, and did the calculations just so I could write that sentence in this here blog.

Okay, that’s not completely the truth. I didn’t do 99.9999% of those things, but I did make this smoothie and I did drink it. And don’t you know it? I came to the conclusion that it was the most fantastical drink on the planet. It makes your body feel magical. Seriously. This drink might make you think that you’re a healthy warlock. It will definitely make you feel like your body’s project manager. It’s so great for the digestive system. It leaves you feeling like perfection.

Did I mention that it’s incredibly easy and versitile? Oh, well there’s that too.

There are a few things that absolutely MUST go in the smoothie: lemon juice, ginger, something green and water. The rest of it is only limited by your creativity and your refrigerator contents.

This one was filled up with the following:

• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 inch chunk ginger
• 1 handful of spinach
• 1 small bunch of parsley
• 3 leaves of kale
• 1 handful of mixed greens
• 1 med apple
• 1 med pear

It’s fantastic.

You can also add:

• mint
• berries (turns your green smoothie brown)
• Pineapple
• coconut juice/water/flakes or chunks
• nut butter
• anything green and leafy
• zucchini
• almond milk
• etc. etc. etc.

I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this in the past couple of weeks, but I’m undertaking a huge task this month. I’m spending all of March training to become a yoga instructor. It’s been a dream of mine for years, but I always thought that I wasn’t flexible enough, or strong enough, or that I didn’t know enough yoga to start training. Now that I’m going into my third day of yoga school, I realize how silly all of that is. Of course, it’s important to have a foundation of yoga practice in order to start teacher training (a minimum of three months). But do they expect you to be an expert yogi when you walk through the doors? Absolutely not. That’s why there’s teacher training in the first place.

When I used to hear people saying that they can’t do yoga because they’re not flexible, it made me want to shake some sense into them. But now I totally understand. There can be something intimidating about yoga, because what you see is the amazing things that people can do with their bodies after years of practice. They don’t show you the evolution of a pose, all of the shakiness, stumbles and struggles that yogis go through on their journey to clear minds and strong, flexible bodies. All you see is the person bent in half, backwards, picking their nose with their pinky toe and looking oh so graceful doing it. So if you’ve never tried yoga before, because you don’t like the idea of sticking your butt up in the air, around a bunch of strangers, I’m going to give you five reasons for you to get on the mat asap.

Doing yoga will help you:

1. Improve your confidence
2. Connect with your body
3. Heal old injuries
4. Become more flexible on and off the mat
5. Become stronger physically and emotionally

If those five reasons aren’t good enough, drop me a line, and I’ll give you 50 more. The only way for you to find out is to experience it yourself. So get to a yoga studio today!

I’ve got yoga on the brain so I’ll be talking about it allllll of the month of March. Be prepared. But right now, I have to go nurse this crazy soreness from my body so I can get some shuteye tonight.

Do you practice yoga?

Being healthy is all about being good to yourself. It’s about making friends with your body. But sometimes, when we set our own rules, we can seemingly make the switch from being best friends to worst enemies. It happens to everyone.

You commit to a healthy sleep schedule, and a week later, you’re up late getting lost on an Internet adventure. In the morning, after giving up caffeine, you’re so tired from staying up late that it’s all you can do to stay awake. So you go ahead and sneak an early afternoon green tea, which turns into a late evening tea binge. You’re trying to avoid sugar, but you’re so hopped up on caffeine that you go on a mad hunt for chocolate cake. The next day, even though you’ve committed to at least an hour of daily yoga, you feel super cruddy from the chocolate cake binge, and sleepless night from the caffeine shock to your system. You try your darnedest, but can’t muster anything more than a half an hour of beginners yoga.

So what do you do when this exact scenario happens to you? What do you do when a different version of this scenario happens?

You can feel like you’re in a downward spiral, so you might give yourself a serious talking to. “Corinne,” you say (if your name also happens to be Corinne), “you know better than this. You promised that you weren’t going to do this anymore. You need to stick to your guns. You should be doing this, that, etc. You need to try to go about this a different way because you are seriously failing at being healthy right now.”

Maybe sometimes you’re a little more forgiving with yourself. At other times, maybe you’re a little more harsh. But surely, you give yourself a little speech about how much better you should be doing and how much harder you need to try.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be healthy, but does it always have to be such a struggle? If we stop putting our bad behavior to shame and take the patience to accept where we’re at, even when we’re breaking the rules, will that mean that we’ll spin into a downward spiral and be unhealthy forever? Doubtful.

If instead of reprimanding ourselves, we could applaud our efforts, we can switch the focus from rule breaking and rule making to celebrating every healthy choice and intention.

Even though I went through some eating mistakes this week, I’ve had some major victories over the past few months. I quit smoking after nearly a decade of being a smoker. I don’t binge drink on a daily or weekly basis anymore. I am more active than I ever thought was possible for me. I’m happier, more relaxed and more present than I’ve ever been. Did those changes happen instantly? Did I have a perfect, mistake free transition while I was making those transitions? No. Did they eventually happen? Yes.

So let’s stop beating ourselves up about breaking the rules, shall we? Instead, let’s remember that we’re doing exactly what we need to do in order make the changes necessary to live a happy, healthy life.

Detox Drink: Peppermint/Dandelion Leaf Tea

Hey there health nuts!

I’m glad you stopped by today. I’ve been dying to tell you about this detox/diet/crazy healthy cleanse that I’ve been doing for the past few days. It’s been pretty fantastic, and you know how much I love to share fantastic healthy stuff with you.

In preparation for a sad and sappy Valentines day, I ate my face off all day Monday. I woke up the next morning with a pizza and red velvet cake tummy ache, and came to the realization that it’s not really the way that I wanted to spend my VDay, or my life, for that matter. I mean, if I go that route, I’ll probably be doing the same thing when February 14 rolls around next year. That thought alone scared me into starting a cleanse, and getting my food habits in check.

When I say cleanse or detox, you know I don’t mean that I’d ever suggest that you chug a concoction of water, maple syrup, lemon juice and cayenne pepper for several days. I’ll admit that I tried it once. And I’ll admit that it was completely crazy, and my body went into shut down mode. I’m sure people who qualify for things like doctorates and medical grants would tell you the same.

What I mean when I say those words is ridding your body of pesticides, toxins, chemicals and gunk by treating yourself to a few days of whole foods.

Detox Foods

I’ve given up any sort of processed food, and I’ve chucked dairy, and meat as well. Right now, I’m eating fruits, veggies, and nuts exclusively. I’m eating mostly raw veggies. In a day or so, I might begin to incorporate some grains like quinoa or brown rice into the mix.

I’m not on a strict “eat ___ for breakfast” and “eat ___ for lunch every day” kind of detox. As long as it’s a fruit, veggie or nut, I’ll eat it in whatever combo I feel like. I’m not nuts about the raw thing either. If I feel like making baked grapefruit, you best believe I’m gonna go for it.

Detox Drinks

I cut out the caffeine a few weeks ago, and I won’t be drinking alcohol until I graduate from yoga school. So I’m mainly consuming peppermint tea and warm lemon water. It’s been an adjustment, but I’m glad I gave up the caffeine weeks ago. I use apple cider vinegar as a “salad dressing”, and I pour a little in my lemon water in the afternoon for a little energy boost.

Detox Schedule

I’m not super strict on this, but I’m allowing my body to entirely digest the previous meal before I eat a new one (3-6 hours). It’s an ayurvedic thing that I’m trying out. I try not to eat after 7 pm, but since my schedule is temporarily changing, I’ve had to shift that around. I make sure that I don’t eat anything 3-5 hours before I go to bed.

Do you detox? What’s your plan?

Good Morning everyone!

If you can’t tell by that cheerful exclamation pointed greeting, it’s a beautiful, sunny morning in Chicago. I can just tell it’s going to be one of those blue sky winter days. We all know how rare those can be. So I don’t have time to cook a four course, healthy meal for breakfast to keep me full all morning. I want to get out there and enjoy it. I mean I will enjoy my walk to the coffee shop, where I will bask in the sun indoors, near a window. I’m still a huge wuss when it comes to the cold.

Anywho, I’ve been trying to knock my health factor up a notch and get rid of most processed foods and gluten items. Breakfast can get a little dodgy when you’re leaving out cereals, breads, and rolled oats. When you don’t really eat meat, that leaves out sausage and bacon, which makes it a little dodgier. I’m not really ready to start going the rabbit route and eating cold, heartless, salads for breakfast. I still need a little warmth. Baby steps.

Okay, first off, this isn’t so much a recipe, but a bunch of high protein foods slung in a bowl with love. It’s also accompanied by a traditional Ayurvedic cocktail that aids in digestion. If you keep waking up, feeling a bit off, or if your oatmeal only keeps you full for an hour, you should give this cheap, easy breakfast combo a go.

Ingredients: 

• 1 organic, cage free egg
• 1/2 ripe organic avocado
• small handful of organic baby spinach
• 1 tablespoon of salsa

Method:

• Chop up the avocado. Toss it in a bowl with spinach.
• Fry the egg.
• Top with salsa.

This breakfast takes about 5 minutes and it will keep you full for several hours. It’s full of those good fats and is high in both protein and fiber. It’s gluten free, and could be made into a cheap vegan recipe if you scrambled up some egg replacement.

The ayurvedic digestion drink is merely warm water with a slice of lemon, and 1/4 teaspoon of dry ginger (1/8 teaspoon of fresh ginger).

What do you have for breakfast when you’re trying to stay full all morning?

You’ve got your low carb, weight watchers, master cleanse, South Beach, and blood type diets. You’ve also got your lifestyle diets: vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, dairy free, casein free, ovo-lacto, lacto-phobic, etc…

In each type of diet you say no to a group of edible things. You didn’t think about it that way did you? You’re welcome for that insightful insight. I’m full of them. Did you know that not eating food causes acute hunger? Yessm’ that is a true fact.

That’s why I’ve never really been a fan of dieting. I don’t dig going hungry and I don’t really like saying no to things. I prefer to eat whatever I felt like. Then I like to get super active and work off the leftovers that would otherwise find their way toward my rear end. I think this gave me a pretty good body image. I wasn’t obsessive about diet or exercise, but I ended up losing about forty pounds just by walking more, going to a Chicago yoga studio, and eating better foods.

I continued to eat better and better foods, but quantity was always kind of a ‘whatever’ issue for me. I prefer eating ‘mass’ quantity. That’s all I’m sayin’.

So this winter, I spent the better part of my life eating lower quality foods in the same giant piles that were filled with kale in my previous life. Now, I’ve got all of this stuff to work off. I’d rather do it the way I lost the big pile of weight, but I’ve found myself a little impatient to get back to my thin-iosity.

So I really tried to limit my demon food: sugar. This proved super hard. I crashed into a giant pile of fruit and found myself spoon deep in a plum jam jar (I’d cleared out the cupboards of all of the appetizing stuff).

I’ve also quit smoking and dropped caffeine at the moment, so this is getting really tough. Saying no to everything… and now food? It might be more than I can take.

Do you have any easy effective diets that don’t require you to limit quantity or food type? Hmmm… that’s probably not going to happen. Do you know of any super healthy and easy diets that wont have me fainting into the arms of a registered nurse?

This stew is so healthy it’s sick. It’s so sick that it will keep you from getting sick. And if you do get sick, it will keep you from feeling sick for very long. None of those statements have been evaluated by the FDA, especially the first one. But this stew is delicious, warm, hearty and it’s unbelievably good for you.

Why is it unbelievable? Because it tastes so. darn. good. If you’re feeling the sniffles coming on, or you’ve been eating like crud because it’s the beginning of the semester, make a big batch of this stew and chow down on it for a few days. You’ll feel better than normal. It’s also great for settling your stomach if you have a hangover, which I’m sure you never do, because you’re a serious student who doesn’t get your drink on every chance you get. Right? Good. Then this stew is just for your sniffles.

This will only take you about twenty-thirty minutes to make, so you can do it between classes or during a study break. It makes about 4-6 servings, unless you make a batch of rice to go with it. In which case, you can probably stretch it out to make 7-8 servings. It’s so easy you might fall asleep doing it. In order to stay awake, take some pictures to post on your vegan recipe blog. Like so…

You can pretty much mix and match your veggies, but here’s what I used:

• Several tiny white onions
• 3 gigantic cloves of garlic
• salt and pepper
• cumin
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 can garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)
• 6-8 fingerling potatoes (halved)
• 1 bunch med organic carrots (cut into two inch chunks)
• Handful of sugar snap peas
• 3 ripe roma tomatoes (cut into chunks)
• 2 small red onions
• chili powder

This week, I had an odd experience with venting. After going through some difficult crud in my personal life, I impulsively wrote about it for a photography blog I write anonymously. I found a picture that I took of my ex with the girl he got together with a month after we split, and I kind of lost it. For some reason, I felt the need to vent. So, I really let it all out. My intent was just to spew and leave it on the page (or the post, if you will).

After I finished writing it all out, I didn’t feel great, but I didn’t feel terrible either. I thought that maybe that’s the way I was supposed to feel after a good vent.

But then, after a few hours, my own words started popping back up in my head. I had a good point when I said “this” and I was right about him being “that”. It started leading me down a spiral of negative emotions. I found myself on the phone later that day, venting some more, wanting my friends to tell me that my ex was just a big fat jerk. That night, I was watching a spin off from one of our favorite shows, eating too much, and crying over everything that went wrong. Wait a sec. How did I get from one moment of fleeting emotion to this place?

Does Venting Help?

We’re always told that if we bottle up our emotions that one day we’ll explode in a fit of rage and/or sadness and end up on a couch in a prison talking to someone with a forensic psychology degree. But is that really true? Does “venting” really allow us to let go of our emotions?

It seems that that’s not necessarily the case. If you’re venting in the conventional sense, you’re ranting and raving, and you’re raising your blood pressure. A bunch of stuff starts going on inside your body that can take time off of your life. If you’ve ever been in a venting loop, you probably know that it can turn into a trap and that it rarely leaves you feeling better physically.

If you had an experience like mine with venting, you probably also know that it rarely leaves you feeling better emotionally.

How-To Let Go

There are definitely better ways to handle negative emotions. Cardiovascular exercise is a great way to deal with negative emotions physically. Dancing around your dorm, or going for a walk around the block can relieve the physical manifestations of anger or sadness.

You can also work on letting go by taking responsibility for your own happiness. Here’s a great article about changing your own thought process.

How do you get over anger without venting?

Have you noticed that it is a new year, but you are still paying for last years mistakes. Christmas is a money trap. All it takes, is a few extra presents to the hair dresser and dry cleaner, to find out that you are maxed out.

Everyone goes into Christmas with good intentions. In the end, you are left with an empty wallet and paying off credit cards. Managing your money during the holidays is the key to not having resentment afterwords. It takes planning and putting money aside, to make a difference after the holidays.

Set Money Aside

It sounds easy, but why do people forget to do it? Life sneaks up on you. Unexpected expenses can creep up, draining funds you have set aside for Christmas.

It is important to remember,  if you don’t have it, then don’t spend it. When you start spending money you don’t have (such as using a credit card) it is harder to balance your check book at the end of the day.

This is why setting aside CASH is the only way to go. Once you have spent all of your estimated cash, tell yourself no more. Using cash, lets you know what you have and it doesn’t charge interest.

Start setting aside money a couple months in advance. This will help alleviate the stress of shopping.

Being a Smart Shopper

Believe it or not, those little deer and huge wreaths are expensive.  Start buying your decorations after Christmas. The day after Christmas, is perfect for snagging over-priced decorations for 50 to 75 percent off.

This can also work for buying presents. If you don’t like to go shopping on black friday, the prices after Christmas are just as good. All winter clothing starts to drop in price, a month after Christmas. If you need to look at buying a jacket or boots for next season, this is the perfect time to scout out deals.

It might seem ridiculous to be buying so early. Before you know it Christmas will be here and you will feel much better about making your early purchases.

Only Buy for Close Relatives and Friends

Restrain yourself from buying for everyone under the sun. Never buy for people whom you give business too (for example: hair dresser, gardener, dry cleaner, nail salon etc). Sure, it might seem like small gifts, but small amounts of money add up. Plus, you are already paying them for your business. Unless you are good friends with someone, then you can look at making a purchase.

Talk to your family about drawing names for the holidays. It helps simplify the process of buying, when everyone puts their name in a hat and buyers get a set limit for a gift (such as, drawing one name and having a limit of $50 dollars to spend on that person).

Or, go by the rule of thumb, if a relative is still in highschool or younger, then buy them a gift. Everyone whose older, they have had the experience and don’t care to feel obligated to buy you a gift.

I am not an accountant, by any means, but I know that planning ahead can make a world of difference. Unexpected finances, count for car trouble or a visit to the hospital, but not Christmas shopping. If you expect it every year, then do something about it.

Every New Years Eve, leads to aspirations of losing weight or quiting smoking. In my case, I decided to try both of these things at once. I felt, I better make this year a good one, just in case the Mayan prophecy comes true.

Lets just say, the double whammy/lets kill two birds with one stone, is easier said then done. Some wise-ass said, ”Set realistic goals so, you don’t let yourself down.” This saying, now speaks volumes to me and my bruised ego.

You could be wondering, “why is this woman talking about her depressing failure,” because I can. There is a lesson to be learned from every mistake and I get payed to write this article. So, you will listen to every DAMN WORD I HAVE TO SAY, or don’t; It is ok to plead the 5th.

This beginning of a New Year, failed the first day. I started out strong, with an apple and yogurt for breakfast, followed by lots of water (word to the wise, eating 5 small meals a day, is the way to go. It helps your metabolism speed up and you don’t feel hungry).

After my healthy meal, I started to feel anxious, like I was missing something. I like to have a smoke after every meal. During the first hour after my meal, I kept telling myself “I need a smoke, it helps me digest my food.” (Looking back, I sounded like someone needing an intervention)

If anyone has tried to quit smoking, they know that gaining weight is just part of it. I guess, I felt that this did not apply to me. Halfway through the day, I had ate an apple, yogurt, bbq chips and several Reeses pieces. I blamed it on having the munchies, but I know the real culperate.

It was those tasty death sticks, used to stimulate my oral fixation. Now that I don’t have them,  shoving food into my round little pie hole, is all that will suffice.

I am getting married in 3 months at Montego Bay, Jamaica. So, you can only guess what I chose to do about the situation. I picked up that cigarette and smoked it like no ones business.  I have cut down my consumption to about 4 cigarettes a day.

Some of you might be thinking, “more or less, this is a story of failure.” You might be right, but life isn’t about success. If it was, I would be writing blogs about the best online colleges on a yacht out in the caribbean, while having fine cuban cuisine prepared for me. 

The truth of the matter is, you need to work with what you have and be happy for it. Life is short and if you spend all of your time wishing for something you don’t have, you miss out on what you do have.

The conclusion is (if I ever get to it), I choose to appreciate my life for my New Years resolution, instead of change it. If the Mayan calculation is right, we only have a little less then a year to enjoy ourselves until December 21, 2012.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. – Martin Luther King

In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing and the worst thing you can do is nothing. – Theodore Roosevelt

Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans. – John Lennon

Have you ever noticed, there is always a quote to describe a feeling or action which, is taking place at any moment. No matter, how much you want to believe you are the only one who has went through a certain situation, you are sadly mistaken.

Everyone, has been through what you are describing or feeling, at 0ne point or another. This is why, people look towards inspirational quotes, because….well, they are inspirational. I am sure, most people have heard this at one point or another. I read inspirational quotes from my mother-in-law all the time. Believe it or not, it actually works.

At first, I thought it was a little corny. Until, I was having a really terrible day and I ran across one of her quotes she emailed me. It was a perfect phrase, to describe what I was feeling. I asked her, “What is up, with all these quotes you send out to people?”

She told me, ” it helps the parolees make sense of situations, within their life.”

My mother-in-law works in Watts at a halfway house for inmates, who are out on parole. Watts/Compton, is one of the worst areas in Los Angeles, everyday someone is shot or robbed. Over 50% of the people, who enter the halfway house, end up going back to jail. Most of the parole officers, don’t have time to try and connect with their parolees. Hence, the inspirational quotes.

Each day, atleast one of the inmates go to the billboard to read the quote of the day. If a day is missed, she usually hears, “Miss Debbie, why don’t you have your quote of the day up?” There isn’t a day that goes by, an inmate comments on how a quote has touched them, says Debbie.

It doesn’t matter what walk of life you come from, it helps to hear advice from a wisdomatic hand. It is theraputic to feel, someone has been right where you are. Losing a loved one, depression, anxiety, fear, hate and my personal favorite, procrastination are all experiences and feelings that someone has once been through. Don’t feel alone, life is a roller coster, even though we think we know the next turn, it can end up suprising us in the end.

Due to the beautiful weather recently, bike riding has been on my agenda. A couple of weeks ago I visited the Orange County SWAP meet. I have been to SWAP meets before but, nothing like the one in Orange County. Avacados as big as your head for a dollar, store brand clothing for half price and enough furniture  to fill every room in your house.

I was personally, on a mission to find a ever-so-special bike. Usually, beach cruisers can bring upwards of $400 to $600 a bike. I am all about fitness and enjoying a bike ride but, for that price, I can walk. Thanks to the SWAP meet, I was able to land a beach cruiser for $150, what a deal.

I was jazzed about my purchase, naturally. After a beer in hand and my bike under my rear, I rode into the sunset. It didn’t take long, till the security guard at the gate kicked me off of my bike and told me to down my beer (hey, at least he didn’t have me throw it away).

After my amazing purchase, I have a fetish to ride my bike whenever and wherever it is possible. Believe it or not, there are some things you can’t do, while riding your bike.

• Drinking coffee, can be a tricky endeavor. I found this out yesterday, when I tried to bring home a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks. I know what you are thinking, “it has a lid, can’t you drive your bike with one hand?” Well, yes and yes but, the small drink hole tends to leak more then one would think. Lets just say, I made it home with half a freaking grande, for $5.00.
• One-speed beach cruisers are not ideal for riding up hill. My fiance, ended up buying a beach cruiser with gears. I thought, “what is the point, it’s a cruiser, shouldn’t it just cruise around. Who needs 3 speeds?” To my surprise, not everywhere you ride your bike is flat. This whole time, I was making fun of old “Johny 3 speed,” when in actuality, I was jealous and out of breath.
• Joining biker gangs is exhausting. When you get a bike, you want to share your experience with others. So, you join a group of people who share your same love of bycicles. Then, before you know it, you are going on hell missions that make you hate your biking experience. Members, will call and say, “hey man, lets meet at the wash and drive our bikes to the beach, it is only a 40 mile ride in one direction.” Sure, it is fine once you get to the beach. It is the ride home at night, in a creepy wash with homeless people that makes you rethink your biking habbits.

No matter what your love is, riding bike, jogging, hiking or parkouring. Just remember, do what is in your limitations. Just because you are excited about your new “thing” you do, doesn’t mean you have to be extreme. All this leads to is fabricated bycicles and police officers visiting your door.

This last week, our house has become a petrie dish of germs. I now understand what it must have felt like, when the black plague was running around. (Jersey Shore invading Italy, was almost comparable, if we were talking about venereal diseases)

Between the four people hacking up a lung, I have managed to be the only healthy one…..how is this? Either, I have one amazing immune system or I am doing something the other sickos are not doing. I figured, I would test this theory out. So, I decided to do some research. Where you say? Well, where most people from the twenty-first century obtain information….the Internet.

After reading several articles from very accredited bloggers, I decided there was four main “stay healthy facts.”

1. Get a full nights sleep. This means, 8 full hours and no waking up in between. Sounds fare enough, does anyone really get 8 hours of sleep? Probably not.
2. Take in a healthy amount of antioxidant rich foods like fruit, tea and herbs. Sadly, a double-double from IN-N-OUT is not included. If so, I would have no use for the next two comments. Problem solved.
3. When surrounded by the sick, don’t touch your face. There is all kinds of fun germs floating around, on door handles, shopping carts, pretty much everything. The average person touches their face three to five times every minute. Wash your hands frequently and stop picking your nose….it’s gross.
4. Go outside and air yourself out. If you live with a bunch of flu zombies, you are more then likely going to get sick. The reason the flu tends to resonate in the winter is from dry, warm, stagnant air. When people are cold and sick, they tend to crank up the heat and never leave the house. If you are one of the living, don’t stay inside. Get out and be active.

Well, after my highly scientific investigation which, if I was in high school, could have been scholarship worthy. I concluded, I do non of these things and I just have a healthy immune system. So, I guess when the next contagion hits, I will be the chosen one. Watch out Matt Damon.

I use to think eating rice was a healthy substitute, for starch-filled potatoes. I guess I was DEAD wrong. Recent findings show, people who eat more rice have  higher levels of arsenic in their body.

A study was performed on pregnant women, to see what foods were healthy for a mother and child. The chilling fact was, one-half a cup of cooked rice is equivalent to drinking 34 ounces of water, filled with the maximum amount of arsenic.

Studies conducted in the U.S. and Europe, show rice being one of the highest inorganic sources of arsenic, accorded to Andrew Meharg, biochemist at University of Aberdeen.

The average American eats a cup and a half of rice every day, while Asian Americans exceed two cups a day.

It is proven that high levels of arsenic in the body can lead to bladder, lung, skin cancer and type two diabetes. Scientists are still unsure if the amount of arsenic found in rice, is harmful to people.

The question is, how come rice contains so much arsenic? Is it from chemicals, pesticides or humans? In actuality, arsenic is a naturally occuring substance within the environment. Much like, the arsenic found in water and juice. The body is able to consume small amounts, over time and experience no affects.

The study was done on 229 pregnant women at a prenatal center in New Hampshire. The participants kept track of their rice consumption over a weeks period. Three days into the experiment, urine samples were taken. The women who ate more rice, had higher levels of inorganic arsenic in their system, then those who did not.

Researchers, however, did not measure the amount of arsenic within the rice itself.

Rice acts like an administrative assistant to the environment. Anything the environment emits,the rice will soak up like a sponge. The rice’s physiological make up and where it grows, makes it easier to pick up arsenic compounds.

It is found that most rice eaten in the U.S., contains an organic form of arsenic. Whether, you are a believer or not, it is probably best, pregnant women do not eat more then a cup a week.

Just this last weekend we found out that a close friend passed away from a heart attack. He was in good shape, fit and always ate healthy. We couldn’t believe that he passed so fast. He was only 56 years old and close to retirement.

It is scary to think that heart attacks do not discriminate. The stigma is, if you are out of shape and eat poorly, that you are doomed to experience a heart attack. This is not the case.

Heart attacks disguise themselves, by blocking your arteries. Calcium builds up over years, like plaque on your teeth. Even though a person might suddenly pass from a heart attack. It usually takes years of neglected signs and missed doctor appointments to have a full blown heart attack.

With the recent technology evolving, heart attacks can be detected before they happen. In the past, chest pains and flutters, meant that the patient would have to undergo a treadmill stress test or a echocardiography. Now advanced 3-D imaging through a MRI scan can evaluate your heart structure and function.

A cardiac MRI shows more then a stress test or echocardiograph combined. Although, those tests have benefits, a MRI shows it all. A cardiac MRI shows more in terms of heart size, shape, volume and function. If the heart has any abnormalities the MRI will be able to detect it.

The down side is, if you don’t have great health care, a MRI can be costly. There is, however, the CTA (computed tomography angiography) a great tool for early detection against heart disease. A CTA costs less then a MRI and has close to the same results.

If a patient has blockage in a artery, the CTA is the best way to find it. The machine looks like a large donut. The patient is injected with dye which, spreads through the arteries, while they lay on the table. The scanner rotates around the chest, taking multiple pictures of the vessels and heart.

These innovations only work if you catch your heart disease in time. There is plenty of signs to consider, such as pains or tightness in the chest, abnormal heart beats, tingling in left arm and high cholesterol.

Some people believe, you have to learn how to become a nurse practitioner to know if something is wrong. When it comes to your own body, you know when something is not working right. The body is like a fine tuned vehicle, if something is not running correctly, you get it fixed. Cholesterol is something that needs to be watched.

Years of high cholesteral leads to heart attacks. Cholesterol builds plaque in the arteries, leading to blockage that causes heart problems. If high cholesterol is ignored, other signs occure, like chest pain and numbness in the limbs.

It is never to early to keep an eye on your heart health. Keeping your body healthy is a life long endeavor. Remember, things don’t just happen out of no where, it usually has to come from years of turning the other cheek.

Christmas is just around the corner. For most people this means cookies, pies, turkey, ham and all the fixings. Then for the grand finally, a nice steaming pot of coffee to help digest it all.

The New Year is coming, what will be your resolution? For me, I want to drop the coffee and pick up some green tea. I LOVE coffee. In the morning, after lunch and at night, there is never a wrong time. Recently, I have noticed a change in my body. The feeling of withdrawl. Caffeine stimulates the nervous stytem, making us feel more alert. Now, I just feel like I need my fix. I have had this feeling from smoking but, never from coffee and it scares me. I have a feeling it is not just the caffeine.

If you dress your coffee up like me, it is anything but plain. Two sugars, a boat load of cream and I am not talking about real sugar either, I’m talking about the dreadful fake sugar. All of this can’t be good for you? So, I am opting for the green tea. The so called, cure all of all ailments.

The benefits are obvious, plus I am still able to get my caffeine fix. Eight ounces of green tea carries 30 to 50 mg of caffeine. While, coffee contains 95 mg of caffeine. The amount of caffeine is not the same, but is comparable in benefits.

There is deffinately a stigma that goes with green tea or any tea. It cures cancer, fights dementia and eliminates diabetes, these of course are not proven but, sure makes it sound good. Antioxidants, is the one thing that can be proven.

What makes tea? Well, the magic starts with the leaves from the camellia sinensis plant. The different kinds of tea come from how the leaves are prepared. The leaves of the camellia are wilted and aged for green tea but, for black the leaves are wilted and then oxidized. Meaning that the air changes the chemicals in the leaves. White doesn’t experience any physical change to the leaves. The change allows for different antioxidant levels within the tea.

Out of them all, green tea receives the best reviews for having the most antioxidants.  Black tea, receives the most “liked” award. Seventy-five percent of the world drinks black tea which, the majority of restaurant serve.

Green tea might not do all that it claims but, it does have some great benefits that coffee doesn’t. Now I am not saying to forget your doctor and learn how to become a nutritionist. Tea is good for you but, it still contains caffeine. So, if you have anxiety or problems with caffeine, don’t drink it. If you are like me though, go for it. It is always good to try something healthy, for a change.

Healthy food can be misleading. Take, going out for instance. Having a salad seems to be healthy, right? Well, it depends on what kind of salad you get. Applebees has a great Asian chicken salad, which has grilled chicken. The salad looks healthy but, contains 1200 calories.

The salad is saturated with dressing and other condiments that are packed with fat. Sure, a salad has greens but, if it is covered with fat, what is the point.

It is a struggle to eat out, when trying to eat healthy. How can you be sure what you are eating? We ran accross a great site to help you count your calories. Calorie Count is filled with hundreds of restaurant menus. Each item on the menu has a calorie count.

For example, if you want to go to Pizza Hut and are interested in how many calories are in a breadstick. All you have to do is click on the restaurant and then breadsticks. The site allows you to put in the amount you ate ( 2 bread sticks) and multiply the amount of calories (2 breadsticks X 150 calories= 300 total calories).

The site is consumer friendly and you don’t need to have a masters degree to figure it out. More restaurants are starting to include calories on their menu. Places like Subway, Applebees, McDonalds and Panera, have started to display calories on their menus.

Last year, Panera, customized their menu towards a healthier way of eating. Showing calorie counts for portion sizes on their menu board.

There will always be a Burger King or Jack in the Box, it just depends on how you use them. Having a greasy burger time to time isn’t bad. The only time it starts to take a toll on your body, is when you over-do-it.

Stick to eating whole foods like chicken breasts, fish, vegetables and fruits. Stay away from foods that are processed. When the weekend comes, treat yourself. Just don’t make it a habbit.

When winter arrives we tend to put the heater on full blast. Nothing good comes from dry, hot air. The nose and throat are painfully dry and our skin looks like sandpaper. Lotion doesn’t even seem to make a difference, at this point.

The first time I was introduced to vitamin E oil was from my sister. I love to partake in winter activities like snowboarding, ice fishing and snowmobiling. All of these activities leave a person with a wind-burnt face.

I have tried it all from Clinique to burn unit lotion(A little bit of a exaggeration). It wasn’t until I had a girls night, with my sister that I found out about this wonderful oil. At first glance, you think, “oil on my face? I am going to break out.” Not the truth. I applied the vitamin E to my face at night and woke up surprised as hell.

My face looked like it was glowing. The oil seaped in and what was left was  clear, healthy skin. I have used it ever since, expecially in the winter months.

I usually like to go to a health store to purchase the vitamin E oil but, some times you can find it at Walgreens or Walmart. Jason’s 45,000 IU is the best. A small bottle can last a year. The 45,000 IU is thick and only needs to be applied in small amounts. You can use it on troubled areas(on crows feet or on wrinkles around the lips) or all over your face.

The oil is not only good for dry skin. It helps with wrinkles, stretch marks, sun burns and scars. I have some pretty nice crows feet around my eyes(what can I say, I laugh alot). Just after a year, I noticed my defined lines disappear dramatically.

The vitamin E nourishes and protects skin, leaving it supple and soft. It also doesn’t hurt to take vitamin E supplements. The supplement has antioxidants and helps protect the body from free radicals. It is also good for healthy brain function. No need to learn how to become a nutritionist , just talk to your local health store and find natural cures to all your ailments.

Salt Lake city is nestled amoungst the mountains. The city mountain side is sprinkled with mormon temples, which is noticable from their tall steeples. We usually think of Salt Lake city as the holder of the 2002 olympics. Yet, there is much more to this mountainous city.

The mormon religion derived from these mountains over a hundred years ago. Started by a man named Joseph Smith. A known prophet of the mormon community. Today the mormon society has spread through parts of Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada, Oregon and California.

It is not the community we are interested in, as much as their health. The first thing we noticed traveling to Salt Lake city was how healthy everyone looked. People walked and biked every where. There was the constant feel of unity amongst the people and enough social and religious attendings, for a normal persons life time.   

Everyone seemed to be in shape and happy. Is it the mountains or the religion that helps these people live a longer lifespan. According to Duke University, people who belong to a faith-based community and attend weekly gatherings live up to 14 years longer.

Not to scare those who are non-faith based. We knew that people from religious backgrounds tended to not dabble in destructive behaviors, but 14 years! This is not just for the mormon community, but every religion. There just might be something to this religious thing.

Is there something that comes from being part of a religious society? Do they offer medical assistant programs?  Scientist truely can’t say. They can only do studies and look at the numbers. So far, there seems to be something that benefits people who are faith based.

We can only speculate about the cause. It could be that religion gives people meaning to their life. Religion can also be a stress reliever, for people to know that they are not alone. Most religions help people to shy away from distructive behaviors. Whatever the case might be, religion seems to make people live longer.

Have you ever been in a situation, where you know you should say something? Instead you hold back, swallow the words and move on. I use to do this all the time. Still to this day, I think about what I should have said. How sad is that?

For people who dwell on issues, this is your worse nightmare. You wanna make everyone happy, but in the end you are miserable. Stuck thinking about what you should have done instead of just doing it.

People who have the balls to just let it all out, are more happy then those who tip toe around situations. It is proven. This is a major reason why we have therapists, journals and friends. We need someone or something to dump all of our crap on. Yet, what about the people who keep it inside?

The people who have no support system or friends let their anger dwell and manifest into something else. Not being able to speak your mind can hurt you mentally, emotionally and physically. It might not be diagnosed as a disorder, but it will manifest into one. In many cases, people who struggle with self- esteem have problems with depression and anxiety.

When people want to fit in, they will put aside their thoughts and feelings for others. This happens to be a problem for students in college going towards their college degree. Students want to have approval from their peers. If this means acting or dressing a certain way, they will do it.  

Humans are social creatures. Yet, how much is too much? It might sound ridiculous, but all you need to do is speak up. This is not easy and having people to rely on helps. Say what you mean and say it with intent. Life is not meant for other people, it is meant for you. In the end, if you are not living life for yourself then for who? People don’t make you happy. You make yourself happy.

This is a real issue that people deal with everyday. It is time to take over your life and stop dwelling in the past. Let out what is inside and start feeling better.

Whenever I am able to make it home, it is a real treat. My mom loves her garden. She has had one ever since I could remember. Her vegetables are the best and beat any organic store bought produce.

If you have ever tasted a true home grown tomato, ripened by the sun, you will never go back. They make the best BLT’s, by far.

I know what most of you are thinking. All tomato’s are ripened by the sun. If this was true, we would have alot of rotten tomato’s in our grocery stores.

Too sell mass amounts of produce there needs to be a process. First, they need to be chemically treated for bugs and “our safety.” After the produce has reached a certain stage, they collect the vegetables and hold them in a “changing room.” This climate controlled room, speeds up the ripening process. In some instances vegetables are injected with a hormone to speed up the process.

I know, this sounds so yummy, you can barely contain yourself. Now you know why tomatos from the store lack in flavor, texture and juices. They are packed with chemicals. Tomatos are just an example, of many vegetables that go through the same process.

Are country is known for processed foods. Even if it is meant to be a whole food, we find a way to process it. We are the most over fed, malnourished country of our time and it keeps getting worse. Cancer has become one of the biggest killers in our nation. You have to ask yourself, is it what we eat that causes this? Although, it is not proven I believe that it is a factor.

People don’t have time to be healthy, but they need to make time. If that means planting a garden or having a green room, people should do it. Buying organic is expensive. Produce in general is expensive. The cost for seeds is inexpensive and will produce enough food for months.

 People who don’t take in fresh foods, miss out on essential vitamins. Fresh foods including: vegetables, fruits, meat, and dairy. I know that meat and dairy isn’t as easy to get ahold of as a garden, but there are ways. Try talking to local farmers in your area. You can usually score a deal for large amounts of meat, just make sure you have a deep freezer.

Important Vitamins the Body Needs

• Iodine
• Vitamin D
• Omega 3
• Vitamin B complex
• Iron
• Vitamin E

All of these vitamins are found in whole foods. It might seem hard at first, to eat healthy. Once you start to see the results, you will never go back. Everyone has a point where they break down and comfort food is the answer. Whether it be working towards your college degree or stressing out about financial issues.

People are not perfect, after a while, action needs to be taken towards a healthy life. I am going to lay out an easy garden plan that any one can follow. No horticulturist needed. All you need to do, is buy the seeds and get started.

Urban Garden Plan

• Start working on your gardent in early spring. April is a good month. You will want to plant in early may.
• Start your garden small. No need to go over board. You can always add on in the years to come. Find a 10 by 10 area in your yard that has ample amounts of sun light. All of your plants will need sun.
• After you mark out your spot, you will need someone to till up the area for you. This is a great job for a husband or neighbor You will want to till about 6 inches deep. After tilling one spot, check your soil content.
• You are going to want rich soil content (black and moist). I know that not all areas have rich soil content. If the soil is sandy, crumbly or clay-like in nature, you need to take this into account. Rich soil is important for growing good produce. If your soil lacks nutrients you should create a compost. The compost should consist of bark, leaves and manure. Spread this mixture over the top of your garden, it should be 2 inches deep. The mixture will mold and create fertility in the garden.
• Once your compost has taken affect it’s time to plant. Make sure your soil is broken up and there are no clumps. 
•  In this example, we will plant, tomatos, beans, carrots, and corn. All of these plants can go in the ground at the same time.
• Line out your planting area. There should be a row for each vegetable.
• Sweet corn seeds should be planted 2 1/2 inches deep and 6 to 12 inches apart.
• Carrot seeds should be planted 1/4 of an inch deep and 2 inches apart.
• Bean seeds should be planted 2 inches deep and 3-4 inches apart. Beans will need chicken wire to crawl on.
• Tomato seeds should be planted 1/8 of an inch deep and 6-12 inches apart. When tomatos mature they will be top heavy. Important to find something to hold them up.
• After you plant your seeds, give them a healthy dose of water. Don’t drowned them.
• It will take 6-8 weeks to see the fruit of your labor.

This month we are celebrating 25 years of breast cancer awareness. October is a month to remember all of those who have battled breast cancer. It is never to early to get a mamogram.

 Due to cases like Juliana Rancic (age 36) who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Women are receiving mamograms as early as their mid to late 20′s. Even though, women are not recommended to start receiving mamograms until they turn 40.

There is several things to do, to keep yourself aware of  your body and health. Keep track of your family history. If you have breast cancer within your family, talk to your doctor. He/she will help advice you on a good time to start coming in for a mamogram. Check your breasts at home, once every 6 months.

Take time at home for a  self examination. When looking for lumps, every gland can seem suspicious. Try to weed out the glands that have a similar feel. Even if you feel something a little peculiar, go in and get it checked out. You don’t have to be in a nursing program to do this exam. If it turns out to be nothing, even better. The trick is to try and catch the cancer in it’s earliest stages.

No matter how you look at it, women still get anxious when going in for a mamogram. It might not be glamorous, but it will save your life. There is something about squishing your boob in between two plastic plates that isn’t very exciting.

A mamogram x-ray, should be done once every year. Taking an x-ray will help detect any early onsets of cancer. If there is a spot detected, technicians will look at giving you a diagnostic mamogram. Diagnostic, just means getting more information on a specific area. If you hear this word, don’t freak out. My mom has had several of them and has came out fine. The doctors need to make sure what they are seeing is either benign or cancerous.

Some people believe that what you eat, can play a role in breast cancer.  People who stay away from red meat, drink green tea, eat low-fat, and high-fiber tend to have less of a chance of getting breast cancer. This also holds true for people who lower their alcohol consumption and body weight. The one thing that has proven true, is processed foods are not good. When women from the orient change their vegetable and soy based diet for an American processed food diet. Their chances of getting breast cancer go up 60%.

It is scary to imagine, since a majority of western food is processed. Everything is good in moderation. Stick to whole foods and excercise.

There is no deffinate cure or process to take. Breast cancer doesn’t discriminate and this is why we need to be aware of our bodies. Each day is a gift and treat it as such, for the women who lost their fight.

Cleanses tend to be expensive. I have looked all over at different cleanse kits and the average price is usually around $60.00. I even tried talking to people that were in nursing programs. I pretty much gave up, until my friend turned me on to apple cider vinegar.

She ended up giving me a bottle of Bragg apple cider vinegar. At first glance, it looks rather disturbing. It has a brownish color with a built up sediment on the bottom of the jar. I was a little skeptical about the process, but decided that it only costs $5.00, so what do I have to lose.

I started taking it every morning. Within a matter of a week I could feel a change in my energy level. I have been taking it every since and swear by it.

Number of qualities

If you don’t purchase the Bragg brand, make sure that you don’t get the clear form of apple cider vinegar. It is the distilled version and has no health benefits. The color should be brown and merky from the fermented apples. The mixture is completely organic and made from fresh apples. There is numerous amounts of vitamins and minerals found in apple cider vinegar.

Vitamins and Minerals Found in Apple Cider Vinegar

• Beta-carotene
• Pectin
• Potassium
• Sodium
• Magnesium
• Calcium
• Phosphorus
• Chlorine
• Sulfur
• Iron
• Fluorine

Benefits from Consumptions

It is great for cleansing the body. It helps get rid of toxic waist by breaking down fats for healthy weight loss. The vinegar helps reduce cholesterol and regulate blood pressure. When used to marinate foods, the vinegar helps to extract calcium from different meats and vegetables. The levels of potassium in the vinegar also helps with hair loss, finer nails, and skin.

Different Methods of Consumption

I like to take it in its purest form. I take 2 tablespoons of Braggs apple cider vinegar and a tablespoon of honey. Mix the ingredients with 8 oz of hot water and enjoy. The taste at first is a little strong and acidic. I got use to it after a couple of days. Try to remember it is for your health and not taste.

There is other ways to consuming the vinegar. Introducing it to your salad, by making  a vinegret dressing. Some people like to pickle their fruits and vegetables with apple cider vinegar. It is mostly known for its marinade qualities. It works wonderfully for tenderizing meat and bringing out the flavor.