Happiness. It’s what we all want, yes? But I think having it consistently remains one of the biggest challenges in life. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about this lately, and I wanted to share my thoughts with you, see if you agree
Do You Like Soup?
Do you like soup? For whatever reason, the idea of making your own soup has been daunting for many people. I like to make soup for several reasons: I know what's in it; I can season it the way I like it; you get several servings of it, either as a light lunch or a bowl before dinner; it's a great way to use up vegetable scraps.
Walking through Fire
We went outside where a few people were preparing the fire. Flames were shooting high in the air, snapping and crackling as we sat on the cold ground watching, mesmerized by the bright flames, feeling a sense of warmth and awe. Slowly the flames grew shorter and within an hour settled down into a huge bed of coals and embers. The people raked them into a big circle with metal rakes. I watched.
Smoothies? Here's How
Please Think Food First, Then Weight
Blue Zones - Answers to Longevity?
I would guess that most of us wish to live long lives, but with the caveat that they are long, happy, HEALTHY lives. Dan Beuttner was curious enough to visit 5 areas of the world where there was a concentration of healthy centenarians. They are Okinawa, Japan, Sardinia, Loma Linda, CA, Costa Rica and Ikaria, Greece.
I Have Heroes
I Have Heroes - Here Are Three of Them
Heroes are often defined as legendary characters who do something phenomenal the not many others have done before. They receive recognition in the form of admiration, compensation, medals and accolades.
The heroes I want to talk about mostly remain under the radar and are not treated as special people, but they are so incredibly critical to our survival, they should all be put on pedestals.
Intermittent Fasting - Is it for You?
By now if you are a foodie or dieter the term ‘Intermittent fasting” has likely crossed your path. It’s a term that describes several types of fasting, but first, a word or two about fasting.
Much as we like to think we’re quite adaptable as humans, the brain actually changes very slowly. In ancient times, humans had to forage for their food just like all members of the animal kingdom. There were times where long periods of time passed before they found their next meal. To survive and not die of starvation, their brain adapted to this unpredictabilty and would slow calorie burning or metabolism down to a crawl until the next meal was found. Hence the experience of fasting became part of our DNA.
What Is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting is a way to cycle between periods of fasting and eating. The 16/8 form is currently a very popular method to lose weight and improve health. That means you fast for 16 hours per day and eat everything else within an 8 hour time frame. Water and unsweetened black coffee or an herbal tea are the only exceptions. The website Healthline states that in addition to enhancing weight loss, 16/8 intermittent fasting is also believed to improve blood sugar control, boost brain function and enhance longevity.
The 16/8 method has shown promising results in a number of studies. People report a loss of 10 pounds over 2-3 months of fasting. If you are curious about how you would do with this eating style, decide on the 8 hour time frame that works best for you. You may also opt to stay on the 8 hour time frame for a few days a week rather than every day as you adjust to a schedule.
Dr. Satchin Panda of the Salk Institute studies the effect of Intermittent Fasting on mice. A control group eats anytime and the experimental group is limited to 8 hours of eating. The experimental group repeatedly showed a 28% drop in weight and improved markers for healthy aging. It also showed an improvement in sleep as the hormone melatonin works more effectively once the hunger hormone leptin quiets down.
Various studies are ongoing on intermittent fasting and its effect on aging, disease, weight and overall energy. There are several forms of intermittent fasting you might want to explore. You’ll be hearing much more on this topic in the next decade and I will continue to track this practice in my blog posts.
Quality Nutrition Matters
While there are countless theories about weight loss that come and go, what remains the single best way to nourish yourself and maintain a healthy weight is a diet of simple whole foods. Your plate should consist of about 1/4 protein (lean meat, fish, tofu, beans, lentils), 1/4 whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, barley, farro) and 1/2 vegetables ( a mix of sweet vegetables like carrots, sweet potato, beets and bitter vegetables like greens) with a piece of fruit if you like dessert. My book Food Becomes You - Simple Steps for Lifelong Wellness available in paper and Kindle, contains many recipes and menus to make this work easily in your life.
Do You Self-Sabotage? A Parable
Do you self-sabotage yourself? Get on a healthy eating regimen, have success, only to seek out friends you know will bring you back to old habits and poor quality food? The story of the eagle may inspire you to stay on course and not lose precious time due to a lack of belief in self and all you can do.
