Health or Disease?

Do you frequent fast food restaurants?  If so, please stop for your health's sake.  

We have too many fast food restaurants on virtually every corner. These unhealthy foods are inexpensive, and the drive-thru makes it easily accessible for people on the run. They are also loaded with calories, unhealthy fats, high sodium levels and are highly addictive. 

Taste is the number one factor influencing our food choices.  Food manufacturers market foods that taste good rather than foods that have nutritional value. 

I’m sharing with you what I was taught by my medical office:

An unhealthy diet is one of the simplest things to change in order to improve your overall health.  Start by skipping the interior aisles of the grocery store that are filled with convenience foods and snacks.  Instead, concentrate on the outer aisles of the store where the more nutritious fresh food is located. 

To make smart food choices quickly and easily, compare nutrition facts on food labels and be aware of portion sizes on packages.  Stay within your daily caloric needs and get the most nutrients out of the calories you do consume by choosing nutritionally rich foods.  Opt for diet filled with colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and low fat dairy. 

If you are a Vegan, no need to read labels because there are no labels on fresh fruit and fresh vegetables.  Simple!  It was a major adjustment at first and I was bucking it from the beginning.  

Now, the doctor tells me he wants me to eat a steak once a week!  I thought I truly would devour it and enjoy it because of being deprived of meat for two years.  As it turned out, I realized that I was not missing out on much.

I had to learn the hard way but I was fortunate to gain this knowledge after a bad report from blood work indicating a very fatty liver.  I never ate at fast food restaurants but I did eat meat at almost every meal and way too many carbs.  

I cook and eat at home daily with the exception of special occasions.  I sometimes make wrong choices when I'm out grocery shopping as I get cravings too but at least I stay away from fast food places.

Health or disease?  It’s your choice.  Choose wisely. 

 

And if you still smoke…STOP!

Experience!

We have all come to realize that in life, you will experience that there is a purpose for everyone you meet. Some will test you, some will use you, and some will teach you. But most importantly, some will bring out the best in you.

It’s a no brainer to keep people in your life who truly love you, motivate you, encourage you, enhance you, and make you happy. If you know people who do none of these things, let them go.

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.

The most beautiful thing is to see a person you love smiling. And even more beautiful is knowing that you are the reason behind it.

Choose your relationships wisely. It’s better to be alone than to be in bad company. Being alone does not mean you are lonely, and being lonely does not mean you are alone.

Never allow someone to be your priority while allowing yourself to be their option. Just because one person doesn’t seem to care for you, doesn’t mean you should forget about everyone else who does.

It is okay to be angry. It is never okay to be cruel.

Never do something permanently foolish just because you are temporarily upset. Silence is often the loudest cry. Pay attention to those you care about.

We don’t always need advice. Sometimes all we need is a hand to hold, an ear to listen, and a heart to understand.

Any of this sound familiar to you? 

Common sense! 

Vitamin F

We all have a variety of friends who are all so different in character?

How is it possible that I can get along with them all?  I think that each one helps to bring out a "different" part of me.

With one of them I am polite.  With another I joke.  With another I can be a bit naughty and with some, I can sit down and talk about serious matters. With another I laugh a lot. I listen to one friend's problems and then I listen to another friend’s advice for me.  We are all very unique.

My friends are like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. When the puzzle is completed, they form a beautiful portrait.

I'm blessed with wonderful friends that I treasure.  They are my friends who understand me better than I understand myself. They're friends who support me through good days and bad.

Real Age doctors tell us that friends are good for our health.  Dr. Oz calls them Vitamin F (for Friends and Family) and counts the benefits of friends as essential to our well-being. Research shows that people in strong social circles have less risk of depression and terminal strokes.

If you enjoy Vitamin F constantly you can be up to 30 years younger than your real age. The warmth of friendship stops stress and even in your most intense moments, it decreases the chance of a cardiac arrest or stroke by 50%.

I'm so happy that I have a stock of Vitamin F!

In summary, we should value our friends and keep in touch with them. We should try to see the funny side of things and laugh together and pray for each other in the tough moments.

Some of my friends go way back to the third grade and others are faceless cyberspace friends from blogs online. I know I am part of theirs because their names appear on my computer screen every day and I feel blessed that they care as much for me as I care for them.

Thank you for being one of my Vitamins!

“Take time to be with your family and friends”

Reflect on your family, your friends or the place where you live, and the satisfaction they bring you. Recognizing what you’re grateful for helps keep things in perspective as we all know life is too short.

Gratefulness will always carry you through the tough times, and gives you the strength to surpass the stress of challenges we all face from time to time.  And, we all go through life with some form of stress.

We all appreciate the pleasure when you receive from a phone call with a friend or an email that allowed you to laugh with your children or viewing the old family album and reminiscing when your children were young and so were you.

Sometimes the small things in life outshine the big things – some of my friends enjoy the affection of a pet, and others like me love crafts and others enjoying a day on the golf course or a deep and fulfilling relationship.  

I just recently lost another sibling.  It is painful.  Rest in Peace ……… Sister, Tina.

Each family has its own special history and the shared bonds that are a part of that history. When a sibling dies, the bonds are shattered, and the history forever has a void that cannot be filled.

When your parents die, it is said you lose your past; when your spouse dies, you lose your present; and when your child dies, you lose your future. However, when your sibling dies, you lose a part of your past, your present, and your future.

Take the time to reflect and nourish the gratitude and spend more time with your family.