Life is Not About Finding Yourself!

Have you ever moved?  Packed your stuff in boxes, loaded them on a truck, prayed they arrived at your new address intact and rediscovered yourself in the process?  In the words of Mercer Mayer, "Me too!"  Come the winter, we will be following the process as a family for the sixth time in 14 years.  This next home has the potential to be our address for the next eight years and, though I am excited about that, I have no idea what it feels like to live within the same walls for more than three.  In the words of my daughter, "Wait... What?"

I have formulated my own very simple opinion about moving.  Everyone should pretend they are moving every six months or so.  (Ask any military spouse and they will agree whole heartedly.)  Sorting through closets, clearing out the attic spaces, shifting things around the garage and rearranging furniture not only helps pull the weeds, but renews the sense of 'home'.  My mother was always rearranging furniture; I think it was so she could vacuum new pieces of the carpet, but the house always felt 'better' after a good going through~

And then there is the internal furniture.  I remember a conversation with a dear friend of mine after she moved to a new state with her nearly new husband.  At that time I had moved 4 states and had some experience with the invisibility of it all.  She had expressed how she was having a tough time finding a place to belong to which I said, "The beauty of it is, moving allows you to not only let go of the furniture you dislike, it allows you to cast off the pieces of yourself you dislike living with. You have the chance to invent who you wish to be which will lead you to the places you belong."  George Bernard Shaw's more concise version wraps it up nicely, "Life is not about finding yourself, it's about creating yourself."

After we hear from the Realtor, I may be sooner to a road-trip to Virginia than later.  My husband can't go so soon, but I am hopefully going to have a few days of house-hunting to see where our furniture might fit.  My kids are saying "Me too?" and I am saying "Wait... What?" but even though it's a little scrambled and unfair, the excitement is intoxicating.  We all have a new sense of direction.  We have all been given the chance to recreate our purpose.  We all have the opportunity to pull the weeds.  And, as soon as we settle on a house, we'll have the chance to rearrange the furniture.

Before the trip, real food, lots of water, vitamins for my vitamins, and as always, clean hands - especially after the rest stops.

Anna~

Throwback Thursday: Change Toward Balance!

Again, a season of change is upon us.  Children and teachers are soon to go back to school; the weather is soon to go back to cold; the holidays are soon to hit the market and department store shelves; the menu is soon to move from the grill to the oven.  Change can be a looming cloud avoided by ceilings and shutters or can be welcomed with love and gratitude.  I'll throw this back to September 26, 2013, for further illumination.

Throwback Thursday:  Change Toward Balance.

Homeostasis; the tendency toward a relatively stable equilibrium between interdependent elements, esp. as maintained by physiological processes (good ol' Webster's Dictionary). Balance. An equal relationship between give and take, exercise and ease, joy and judgement, work and play, food and elimination. What goes in must come out! What goes up must come down! One hand washes the other!    So why does the word 'balance' stress us out?

The first response to change, or to the suggestion that balance is needed, is naturally defensive.  "My house is in order, I just had a stressful week!  Normally, everything is fine!"  Self reflection might reveal no time for breakfast, two bowel movements a week, poor sleep and a hectic work or education schedule leaving very little time for play, but if that is 'normal' then everything might very well be perceived as fine.  We all defend our existence, our choices, our position in the world we live within.  In fact, it would be abnormal if we didn't.  It is important, though, to identify what we are defending.

The second response to change is naturally resistance.  If the life lived now is normal, no matter how dissatisfying, changing it means unsteadying the ship.  There is comfort in expectation; knowing what will happen if you do what is expected, or knowing what will happen if you don't.  Sometimes resistance occurs simply because of fear of what is unknown, which is where the statement, "That is the way I've always done it!" comes from.  Change toward balance means learning a new behavior or recipe or routine which might make you nervous.  It might be important to evaluate why feeling nervous, nervous meaning a feeling of unease or apprehension, is equated with 'bad'.

The third response to a suggestion of change is feeling overwhelmed.  "If I change this, then I have to change that, which means others will be effected and I might face adversity, which will cause me stress and unease so I will just keep things they way they are no matter how dissatisfying they are to me."  Chances are, if your surroundings and routine are dissatisfying to you, they are likely dissatisfying to the others directly effected by the current state of 'normal'.  Let me assure you, dear reader, change toward balance is not as overwhelming and stressful as you imagine.   Change toward balance is actually stress relieving, time freeing and love making!  

Here is how to begin: Add something and discontinue believing that change means taking something away.  Change toward balance is not a graduation from a bottle to a cup, a pacifier to a blanket, a blanket to a big-kid-bed, a hall-light to a night-light.  Change toward balance is the antithesis to the child instilled meaning of change, or graduation from the known to the new unknown.  Change toward balance is the act of mindfully and intentionally adding what you intelligently identify as absent, which in effect balances the boat.  While you digest the thought, eat real, naturally occurring foods, drink plenty of water, give your vitamins their vitamins and, as always, remember to wash your hands. That's a good balance!

Anna~

If you would like a coach to support you through this season of change, schedule a free consultation with me today and we'll identify how to get started!  Anna Burrill, Your Health Coach!

Assembly Complete: "It Looks Like a Rope!"

Every day I wake up to three kids holding down the sofas watching a Netflix selection as the sun breaks the horizon.  Someone makes breakfast, someone else feeds the dogs, another does the dishes and one of us begins the directives.  Although it is typically a mildly choreographed interpretive dance, I usually get roped into more than I bargained for.  Do I mind?  Not really...  because I have learned to say, "No."

Saying "No." is a tool used too little, but not here.  Boundaries are plentiful and not too often blurred.  The word 'Rules' is a positive one, instead of imposed with a negative tone.  Schedules have become tangible guidelines for the day instead of invisible, unwritten wishes.  When no boundaries exist and no schedules are written, 'Yes' feels like the only option, and where there is a resistant 'yes' there is a rope.

Ropes, in this metaphor, are the options.  Baked or fried, date night or leftovers, water or soda, walking or driving, staying or going, beach or pool, TV or board games;  options are everywhere.  The great news, dear reader, is that when faced with options you have the power to choose.  You decide what goes in the cart, on the schedule, in your coffee, on your body, and what you want.  You.  Without the strength to say 'No', without boundaries and rules, without a plan, you leave yourself open to get roped into anything.

How is this related to food, health, wellness and vitamins?  You decide.  Can you find nourishing foods if you don't know where the snakes lie?  Can you overcome exercise pitfalls if you don't know where your walls are?  Can you declare your intentions if you don't know what you stand for?  Is it possible to eat real food if you get roped into Bisquick and cereal?  Can you find your purpose if you don't know what you are a fan of?

Assembling your elephant might take more than three weeks; in fact, it might take the rest of your life.  During assembly, be sure to eat real food, to drink plenty of water and to give your vitamins their vitamins.   And, as always, remember to wash your hands; construction can be an awfully dirty thing.  

Anna~

Thank you for following me through this series!

Assembling Your Elephant: "It Looks Like a Spear!"

Half of your elephant is already assembled.  Walls have been recognized and established;  excuses, obstacles and roadblocks exposed.  You have decided what your tree looks like; what you stand for with respect to your individual purpose.  You have also identified your snakes; devious ingredients, poisonous menus, self doubt and the like, and life itself.  The next piece of the elephant the blind man revealed is the spear.  It's time to lance the boil, dear reader; it's time.

Too often we hide behind the 'it's the way we've always done it' mentality.  I do it.  I am sure you do it as well.  "I have always always had that."  "I have always done that."  "I am not a morning person."  "I don't do windows."  "This is the way I've always done it."  The parameters we assign to ourselves are safety nets utilized when fear or nervousness is felt.  The unknown is certainly a scary place!  But returning to the same old parameters every time you are faced with a new situation, a dangerous invitation or an elephant in the room requires nothing of you.  No growth.  No insight.  No trust.  No faith.  No intuition.  No light.  Nothing.

If that is true, then the results will never be different either.  "I wish that work wasn't so stressful."  "I wish I had more time with my family."  "I wish money wasn't so tight."  "I would give anything for a vacation."  "I don't know why I can't get things done."  "Why is this happening to me?"  To be quite honest, dear reader, the answer to it all is usually, "Because this is the way you've always done it."  You can't expect change if you change nothing.

Growth, in its simplest definition means to get bigger.  I am not suggesting you need to expand your physical presence, but it might be delicious to expand your life's presence.  How?  Lance the boil!  Grab ahold of your spear and slice through your safely placed parameters.  Instead of relying on the same old actions, delivering the same old results, give yourself permission to move beyond your boundaries.  Redefine what it is you want to become and grow into it!

Now, just as the elephant is assembled from six different perspectives, so are you the sum of your parts; a holistic being.  Whatever it is you have decided to grow into, eat real food, give yourself plenty of water, nourish your parts with vitamins and, because lancing boils can be a bloody mess, remember to wash your hands.  If this isn't the way you've always done it you are on the right track!

Happy Lancing!

Anna~

Fine tuning your life takes consistent practice.  If you are out of practice and want to break free from years of bad habits and stagnant behavior, I can coach you thru it.  Visit Anna Burrill, Your Health Coach to schedule a free consultation with me today.  

Assembling your Elephant: "It Looks Like a Snake!"

Snakes: a long limbless reptile that has no eyelids, a short tail, and jaws that are capable of considerable extension. Some snakes have a venomous bite. - Thank you Dictionary.  Snakes can be brightly colored and obvious or hidden within their surroundings.  Snakes can be beautiful and intriguing or can be defensive and dangerous.  Snakes can be larger than life or barely noticeable.  No matter their shape, size, coloration or demeanor, all snakes are sneaky.

There are several ways we can apply this to your Elephant.  Let's begin with diet.  Within your diet are sneaky ingredients that can sabotage even the most ambitious efforts.  Aspartame and the like.  High fructose corn syrup. Artificial colors and flavors. Sugar.  Nitrates.  Sulfites. Tartrazine. Sodium benzoate.  Even ingredients like E1520 and E620 are snuck in to assist with color, flavor or shelf life.  These all but invisible ingredients (dozens more exist) are found within packaged, processed foods products conveniently designed and marketed as natural or healthy.  What is E1520 anyway? 

There are larger, more obvious food snakes as well. Soda.  Ice cream. Fast-Food.  Luncheon meat.  Breakfast cereal.  Powdered cheese sauce.  Minute rice.  Canned fruit.  Bagels.  Microwaveable vegetable pouches.  Bread. Turkey Bacon (I know I probably lost a few readers on that one).  Many of these foods are relatively fine all by themselves if eaten once a month or when in a bind, but if your menu is breakfast cereal and canned fruit for breakfast, a cold cut sandwich with a soda for lunch, and minute rice with steamed, microwaved veggies for dinner and ice cream for dessert, you may be sabotaging your health without even knowing it.  

Snakes mightn't be food at all but sneaky behaviors that derail even the most determined train.  Self doubt.  Complacency.  Comparison to others.  Excuses.  Denial.  Fear.  These mind sets sneak in and with considerable extension smother determination, dreams, goals, interest, passion, purpose, growth, life and possibility.  Sometimes it happens so invisibly over time that it isn't recognized until  a bottom is found.  The good news is that at any moment you have the ability and courage within you to rid yourself of the snake.  It may take more than one foul swoop, but it is possible.  

Start with real food.  Foods without labels make great snake repellents.  Give your vitamins their vitamins by eating many colors and textures and flavors.  Wash it all in with water.  And, because snakes have a musky odor, remember to wash your hands. 

How is your Elephant coming along?

Share your story, ask your questions, or report your progress below.  I would love to have a conversation with you!

Anna~

Assembling Your Elephant: "It Looks Like A Tree!"

Just to the left of the fence around the yard is a grand tree.  In the spring it buds full in pink flowers followed by pink foliage and then, delicately, everything turns green.  The neighborhood is filled with them actually.   In the summer they are noticed for their shade, in the fall they are a nuisance for their leaves, in the winter they are feared when covered with ice amidst the wind, but in the spring they are a great source of pleasure.  Large living chameleons able to provide shade, shelter, protection, stability, enjoyment, and satisfaction gracefully, beautifully, rhythmically.    

I maybe should have started with this one.  Finding health, or finding ways to be more healthy, or finding reasons why you aren't as healthy as you'd like, starts with defining your tree.  You embody all of the properties found in the trees about my yard.  I am not sure why I thought to start with a Wall that may be in your way before I asked you to appreciate your Tree, except for the fact that
John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887) said it must be so.  If that were my reason, however, this post would be about a Spear. I digress~

You, to the point, are a tree.  Assembling your elephant, I remind you, is to look at your life as a sum of its parts.  A whole.  You are the center of that whole.  Everything that happens to you or about you matters when it comes to your health.  It matters little how you look in comparison to others; less how others look at you; and, least, your size.  A tree does not face a storm comparing itself to other trees, nor does it grow or shrink or hide away from controversy; it simply stands with flexibility and patience and acceptance of the storm.  

I remember Shel Silverstein's book vividly when I think of trees; giving every last bit of themselves to make others happy.  Imagine if we were so wise.  To give what we wanted instead of demanding our desires.  To apply ourselves when solving problems instead of waiting on the riverbank for someone else to fetch a floatation device.  To reach up for more light and clean air and new rain instead of waiting for service and air conditioning and a turn in the shower.  To give in order to be happy.  Period.

You are a large, living chameleon able to provide shade, shelter, protection, stability, enjoyment, and satisfaction gracefully, beautifully, rhythmically.   You are already in possession of beauty, and grace and strength.  You already possess gifts ready to be given and knowledge ready to be shared.  The only things that can make you more complete and able are real food, plenty of water, and nature's vitamins.  But, just remember, before you approach the world with a broad reach, remember to wash your hands.

Anna~

Assembling Your Elephant: "It Looks Like a Wall!"

Every time I start something new it's exuberayting, and then, three or four days later, boredom sets in.   If I get past the first few weeks, which I often do, I hit a wall, take a break, feel defeated and deflated,  then I start something else.  (I'm sure this only happens to me.)  Walls.  The great thing about them is they usually contain a window or lead to a doorway; I am learning to utilize the exits.

Walls exist, I believe, only because I want them to.  I dislike running with almost as much energy as it takes me to run.  Because of this, I use a 'wall' as an excuse to discontinue or to take a break.  To overcome it, I bought a number made of paper so I may pin it to my chest and run thirteen miles as a motivator not to quit.

The same for writing.  I love to write and think on paper but I use a 'wall', writers block, as an excuse not to be successful.  The truth is that I always have something to write about; there is always a  vitamin to describe, a dose of food for thought or encouragement to deploy.  Instead of following through on self-set goals, I procrastinate.  I am in my own way a lot more than I should be, it's true, and often my excuse is a 'wall'.

What I am coming to realize, though, is that walls aren't permanent.  They can be taken down.  A window can be added.  A wide handicap accessible doorway can be created.  If one cannot be removed, it can be painted a beautiful color and used to hang a mirror.  Walls are useful when providing support, necessary separation and privacy, but they are not unsurpassable for sure.

I encourage you, dear reader, to decide for yourself what purpose your walls have.  Are they keeping you from a goal?  Deterring you from success?  Separating you from what you desire?  Or are they beautiful places utilized for reflection and reprieve?  While you begin to decipher the purpose of your wall, grab some real, delicious, naturally occurring food.  Wash it in with a tall glass of water.  Give your vitamins their vitamins and, as always, remember to wash your hands.

Note:  Walls should not be mistaken for Stop Signs.

Anna~

If you wish for help assembling your elephant, I can help~  The only things we are truly meant to do alone are poop and play solitaire.  For everything else, hire a Health Coach!  www.nutritionalcadence.com

"What Have You Done For Me Lately?"

Okay, now I would never directly discourage you away from the computer, for that would lead you away from my message, but time in front of the computer hardly qualifies as exercise.  I spend about 90 minutes a day in front of some sort of screen (computer, television, e-book) and the more I do, the less motivated I feel to do anything else.  But two days ago, as I sat on my couch with my computer in my lap, my husband called and, after reporting his 40 mile bike ride and 9 mile run, suggested a blog post title:  'What have you done for your body lately?'  I could only reply with this:  "Good Question?"

I am training for a half marathon in October.  Running, for me, is no swift task.  I use my calves more than my thighs, I can't quite get my hips to swing, I have a moderately strong core and lack a competitive instinct.  So, I tabata every morning, run three times a week and focus on my goal and will to accomplish it.  But, even though it's hard and laborious and uncomfortable, I know I am doing my body good by moving toward a goal that will take me 13.1 miles around the earth (the .1 is the most important piece).

Also, for my body, I aim to balance what I eat with what I crave.  My cravings change as swiftly as the days and as gracefully as the seasons, and I listen to them.  I eat sweet things, salty things, fatty things, fried things and savory things.  I drink coffee and water and wine.  I sleep when I'm tried and linger when I'm feeling lazy.  I also recognize when my hunger has nothing to do with food.  My body and my mind don't always ask for the same things, but when I listen I can usually pick out the wiser voice and the instructions I receive are delicious.

So, I ask you the same question, as you sit on your bottom with your computer on your lap, "What have you done for your body lately?"  The defensive answers will sound something like: "I had salad!" - "I took time to read Anna's blog." - "I didn't eat the last two pieces of cake." - "I walked the dog."  I am not interested in those answers, and neither should you be.  The most interesting and informative answers won't be answers at all; they will be goals, aspirations, and attainable dreams fueled by the will achieve them.

I don't always eat real food, I don't always drink enough water, and I don't always get all my vitamins in.  What I can say is I always listen to my body and make every effort to decipher the questions and requests correctly.  I have washed my hands of what the world says I 'should do' and have successfully become aware of what my body needs and desires.  When my body asks, "What have you done for me lately?" I contemplatively respond, "Good Question!"

Anna~

A Hodge-Podge and a Patchwork Quilt

I signed up for a 1/2 marathon.  I have ran 6 miles in the last two days on my way to training for October's event; six miles that took me over 70 minutes to cover.  My legs aren't terribly sore, my ego isn't terribly bruised, my goal isn't terribly scary, but my tummy is terribly hungry. I would love to dive to the bottom of a bag of chips or into the bucket of ice-cream, but I know that if I eat well first, I can enjoy a taste of the desired second.

My diet is a hodgepodge of dietary theories.  I don't hunt or gather, but I eat more paleo than not.  I drink coffee like a European, although I have recently switched to decaf.  I love fish and potatoes like my ancestors, but I eat them rarely and often fried.  I love juices and smoothies like a Californian, but my distaste for waste keeps that to a minimum.  I agree with eating right for my blood type, I like good carbs and good protein, I agree with clean eating and whole foods, but still, I put sugar in my coffee.  I believe I have successfully blurred the lines of at least a dozen dietary platforms and merged them together like a patchwork quilt.

During my studies I have picked up a few gems.  From Ayurveda, balance what I eat with who I am; from Joshua Rosenthal, invest more in primary foods and enjoy better quality secondary foods;  and my favorite, from Dr. Barry Sears, "Protein walks around, Carbs grow from the ground."  I have learned to thoughtfully choose foods that fit within those categories because I can anticipate how my body and mind will feel when and after I do.

By doing this I have learned that I can have a lotta bit of this and a little bit of that while thriving in good health.  A girlfriend of mine recently reminded me that no one's health is perfect.  While my own health lacks perfection, it produces energy, satiation, satisfaction, flavor, and joy.  I have learned I can enjoy what I eat and enjoy what I shouldn't all in good balance and thoughtfulness.  That, dear reader, is the recipe I wish for you all to find.

Begin with real food, drink plenty of water, and give your vitamins their vitamins.  Wash your hands of the things you can't have and instead enjoy them in tasteful portions after you eat real, whole, naturally occurring food.  You don't need a recipe to eat a carrot just as you don't need an excuse to eat ice-cream.

Anna~

Rut Repair

Today is the day to get out of your rut.  You know, the same old routine and the same old results.  Repairing ruts is a typical spring task so today, begin your own personal rut repair with these five easy tips~

1.  Brush your teeth with the other hand.  Studies show that switching up basic movements like brushing your teeth, create new neural pathways in the brain.  Stimulating your brain can create happiness, efficiency, and spontaneous joy!

2.  Breathe deeply.  Take a moment 4 or 5 times today to breathe as though your life depends on it.  Shallow breathing may be sustainable but your body suffers from it.  Take some giant yoga breaths when you wake, before each meal, and before you sleep-  deep breathing can also thwart stress.  (Thwart is one of my favorite words!)

3.  Eliminate the words 'like' and 'um' from your vocabulary.  If you wish to compare two things, the word like is permissible; otherwise, remove them altogether.  Speaking without filler words will not only challenge your brain to exercise a broader vocabulary, but your posture will improve as well.  Give it a try today!  As you speak as your smarter, well spoken self, your confidence and posture will certainly perk up!

4.  Don't react.  Instead, take action.  If you are stuck in the "That is the way we've always done it but it really pisses me off" rut, change something.  Write a memo, conduct a proposal, constructively state your claim, or keep it to yourself.  If you are unwilling to be part of a solution, you too may be part of the problem.  (That sounds a little harsh, but I too fall into this rut more often than not.)

5.  Ask for what you need.  This may sound simple, but standing in the middle of the room passive-aggressively lamenting on how you wish you had help in the house, in the office, in the bedroom, in the garden, or with the trash isn't the same as directly approaching a usable tool and asking for what you need.  None of us are mind readers.  If you need help, ask for it.

If all else fails, eat real food, drink plenty of water, give your vitamins their vitamins and, as always, remember to wash your hands.  Repairing a rut can be very dirty work.

Anna~

Oil Pulling, Yoga, and Practice!

So, I am trying it right now.  I measured two teaspoons of organic expeller pressed olive oil, warmed it over a candle to liquify the mass and I pulled it into my mouth.  During the duration of this post I will swish the contents to remove plaque, trap toxins and pull puss from my gums; then into the trash it will go.  Oil Pulling.

I see multiple home remedies for numerous things consistently throughout the day.  Herbs for pain, remedies for indigestion, salts for inflammation, spices for memory, cures for the common cold.  I am a believer in all of them to a great extent, but they are only effective if one actually tries the remedies.  Can cinnamon increase blood circulation?  Only when eaten or rubbed into the skin.  Can lemon and honey calm a cough and ease a sore throat?  Only if taken often and in addition to rest.  Can oil pulling really improve oral health?  Only if practiced routinely.

Many times I hear myself offering advice to others, advice even I don't religiously follow, and I hear in retort, "I tried that once and it didn't work."  That same reason is true for all things.  I tried playing the guitar once and I was terrible at it, so I practiced until I became comfortable with the guitar.  Trying anything once delivers a clumsy, unimpressive result.  Practicing a remedy, a talent, a trade, an instrument, or oil pulling until results over time can be measured is the only decisive way to see if any one thing actually works or falls short of its claim.

Last November and December I was practicing yoga 3 or 4 times a week.  I would get up early, enjoy a quite hour of stretching and coffee before the house awoke, and get my yoga on.  I felt great the rest of the day.  My posture was improving, my sleep was sound, joy was more present throughout the day.  Even my back and neck were nearly pain free.  Then January delivered a puppy and much skiing, February delivered puppy training, less sleep, and snow, and now its March; yoga has been absent for nearly two months.  It is time I return to a practice that revealed more space, better posture, and louder joy.  Hopefully, with practice, the oil pulling will reveal whiter teeth.

My time is up.  Before I go spit in the trash and rinse with warm water, I will leave you with this:  You, dear reader, are worth the practice.  If you are wondering if any one thing really works, practice it every day~  the results will amaze you!  Start with real food.  Add plenty of clean water.  Give your vitamins their vitamins.  And, because there are germs everywhere, remember to wash your hands.  In the words of Henry ford, if you think you can do a thing or you can't do a thing, you're right!

Anna~

There is Always a But!

Spring; to originate or arise from - or  - to move or jump suddenly or rapidly upward or forward.  The anticipation of Spring is all but overcoming me.  I find myself looking for green evidence, measuring the length of the day, and giving myself permission to calm down.  This may be my most transformative season yet and I welcome it with sneakers tied and a smile upon my face; my hope is for a clam, smooth transition into the forward movement of Spring.

The phrase 'forward movement' has been ringing in my ears for weeks now.  Our pantry remains scantily stocked as our refrigerator becomes increasingly full of fresh food and clean water.  We have signed our names on lists of willing runners committing to push three miles of pavement away from our feet.  We are setting loftier goals for the summer and fall, both individual desires and family commitments.  We have all decided, in our own separate ways, to move forward from the places we were and to achieve the places we admire.

Forward movement has also given a name to my health coaching practice; Nutritional Cadence.  Health is not a one dimensional, unilateral, universal state or application. Health is a balance of movement, communication, food, love, joy, work, water, nutrition, education, and spirit.  The human body cannot make what it cannot make; also true, it cannot become something more or less without a constant effort toward growth.  But (and there is always a but), just as the seasons move and change rhythmically, so too should self care, growth, nourishment and movement ~ Nutritional Cadence (Thanks to Sue Plunkett for the conversation.)

There are many disrupters of forward movement.  Fear.  Comparison.  Career.  Failure.  Habit.  Choice.  Knowledge.  Location.  Money.  Life.  This last two weeks I have been intent on encouraging those around me (and myself) to commit to small changes with goals in mind for the ownership of forward movement.  I believe it is better to be afraid and moving forward than afraid while standing still.  Because you are in control of everything you eat, everything you say and everything you know, you are in control of everything you want.

This week, I encourage you all to plan.  Shop mindfully.  Eat real food.  Commit.  Drink plenty of water.  Laugh.  Cook.  Think.   Wash your hands of 'this is the way I've always done it' and ask yourself, "Does this help me achieve my goal?  or Not?"  That, dear reader, is forward movement.

Spring!

Anna~

You Don't Need to Wait for a Monday to Move!

Yesterday I saw a very clever cartoon of a hefty cheer leader rallying a group of ready and willing winter weight wearers to work off the pounds. "When are we gunna start?"  the cheerleader motivates.  "On Monday!" replies the rally.  The motivator goes on to inform the group, "Today is Monday!" and the group enthusiastically responds, "Next Monday!"  Monday is the easiest time to assign yourself a task, for it's after the weekend and is followed by Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday incase Monday doesn't work out.  If the action in question is put off until Friday, the next Monday is just around the corner, so you can start then.  My suggestions: Stop waiting for Monday~

Waiting until Monday does two things: one, puts further distance between you and your goal, and two, creates distrust for yourself.  If you are telling yourself you wish you accomplish any specific thing, avoid the self distrust and begin now. Right Now.  If you have a goal to loose weight, get up and take a walk right now.  If you have a goal to clear the clutter, take 7 minutes and clear off one table top right now.  If you have a goal to run a marathon, find a program and sign up for a race.... right now.

Because you have brains in your head and feet in your shoes, you know health and wellness isn't automatic.  Environmental invaders, like pesticides, the bird flu and pet dander invade the human body and interrupt the harmonies within.  Stimulants increase normal body pressures and decrease hydration levels.  Processed foods strain the digestive system and saturate the blood, brain, and liver with toxins.  Stress unbalances hormones.  Sugar taxes organs.  Sleep deprivation adds to stress, blood toxicity, dehydration and hormone imbalance.  Your health and wellness is underneath the environmental crud; after the stimulants wear off; above the stress; in the wake of sugar; inside of a deep breath; beyond a good night's sleep. Are you really willing to wait until Monday?

My goals this week included thinking of a name for my health coaching practice.  I took my dilemma to work today, and through a conversation with a few very clever women, a potential name was created.  I have also been trying to identify specific areas my health coaching practice will cover in order to deliver results to my target market; from that a Grocery Cart Curriculum was born.  I still may have arrived at a name and I still may have come up with a curriculum, but not until Monday if I had waited.  I am glad I put my fears aside instead of feeding them for four more days.

We are having Chili for dinner.  Kendra is in charge of the corn bread, and I have the beans, tomatoes, peppers, onions and spices all stewing away on the stove.  Plenty of clean water will fill our cups as we sit down to discuss the daily events in our different corners of the world.  We will feed our vitamins with vitamins found in our food and by thoughts of accomplishment and feelings of satisfaction.  I encourage you too, dear reader, to wash your hands of fear and waiting and begin nourishing yourself right now...  Monday isn't worth the wait!

Anna~

Share your goals with me!  I would love to applaud your efforts!

One Small Change

We are nearly into the 3rd month of the year and Spring is arriving.  Days are a touch longer.  The sun is casting a warmer blanket directing a longer shadow.  I can feel the anticipation of the changing season within me just as I can see it on the world.  Change, evolution, doesn't happen all at once; instead it is a series of small changes connected together that wow observers and beholders alike.  One simple change can align your efforts toward accomplishing your nutritional or lifestyle goals, just as the warmer sun coaxes the trees to bud.

Again, I ask, "What is your goal?"  All of us have plans.  Weight loss.  A Marathon.  Reducing Sugar cravings. Balancing the check book.  Clearing clutter.  Starting a business.  Goals are individual aspirations that deliver a sense of belonging in the world; aspirations should not be ignored or discredited for aspirations come from intuition.  Intuition, by definition, is the ability to understand something without the need for conscious reasoning.  As you identify your goals, listen to your intuition- you will then realize a path of least resistance to deliver you to your desires.

I have much going on in my world these days.  I work 4 hours a day during the school week.  I am in module 14 of 40 perusing a health coaching career through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition.  Because of my commitment to achieving my certificate, I have morning meetings, lectures to absorb, health history practices to schedule, and a program to structure.  I have a goal of delivering a healthy lunch lecture to the Middletown Public School System, possibly in March, which I need to construct and have approved.  I also have kids, a husband, a dog, a puppy, a cat, bills, a household to manage and myself to take care of.  No one ever said perusing goals was easy.

Following a path takes energy.  Positive energy, physical energy, emotional energy, mental energy, love, and intuition.  Energy is derived from water, sleep and the food you eat.  I believe that food is the foundation of all other things; if your body is nourished, your mind is hydrated and your soul is fed, then all things are possible through defining desires and demanding them to be true.  Each of us is worth living in our purpose, dear reader, and each of us has the power to evolve into ourselves!

While you describe your desires and tune in to your intuition, grab some real, whole, naturally occurring food.  Wash in the nutrients with plenty of clean water.  Pick your foods from colorful produce, crunchy nuts, soft fruit, tart berries, sweet honey, deep roots, delicate greens and local meat to ensure your vitamins get their vitamins.  Wash your hands of fear and take one small step into the familiar unknown of your intuition.  As you bud, and then bloom, you will coax those around you to do the same...  all it takes is one small change...

Anna~

How Are You?

The very first question on my Health History form is, "What is your name?"  Names of people, like names of vitamins, have meaning.  Most times a person lives up to the meaning of their name without  the intention to do so; my Cadence is musically inclined, my Sean is giving and considerate, my Kendra knows everything, but if you ask them what their names mean they wouldn't be able to tell you.  It is the same for vitamins and the fruits and vegetables that deliver them; beautiful representations of what they have to offer without intending to be anything more than a fruit or a vegetable or a vitamin.

Another question on the form is, "What are your health concerns?"  I believe health can be brought about by food.  Think of a blueberry.  A cherry.  A cranberry.  A round cut from the center of a carrot.  All are round and full of color and represent the eye: all are delicious carriers of essential vitamins and minerals that support good vision.  What about salmon, pink and clear; walnuts and almonds, with their creamy white, smooth flesh; eggs with their elasticity and definition:  all are good for healthy skin.  Apples are good for clear lungs.  Oranges are good for clean kidneys.  Garlic is good for the heart. -Foods do a fascinating job representing the organs they support but we can only reap their benefits if we eat them.

Another question still, "What do you typically eat?"  Food selection can define a person in nutritiously predictable ways.  Food has energy, vitamins, and nutrients to balance the energy, vitamins and nutrients within the person who eats it.   If energy is lacking, chicken or fish, coffee, and dark colored fruits and vegetables can bolster a bounce.  If clarity is coveted, nuts, seeds, citrus, tomatoes and red wine can carry it through.  When rest is desired, whole grains, calm animals, herbal tea, dairy, stew and skipping the stimulants will deliver. -The energy and nutrients of the food you eat becomes who you are - and how you are - whether you intend it to or not.

The last question on my health history form is, "What is one thing you can do to improve your health right now?"  The answer is different for everyone, I am finding out, for food is not the only health concern people cultivate.  Health is a multifaceted concept that rests in the bed, that walks to the bus, that pays for the water, that cries and bleeds and smiles and breathes.  Health is fed by laughter, by love, by encouragement, by education, by accidents, by reward, by conversation, and, among many others, by food.  -You may not intend to live up to your name and you may not intend to become your food, but you can have intentions that will develop and define your health...  and ...you've already begun.

When all else seems complicated, eat real, simple, whole, naturally occurring food.  Wash in the vitality with water.  Make sure you support your vitamins with vitamins and, as always, remember to wash your hands.  When you are wondering what else is on my Health History form, click on the 'Make a Connection' tab above and I can walk you through it.  All I need is your name~

Anna~

InFlammation!

Exercise: activity requiring physical effort, carried out esp. to sustain or improve health and fitness. Seems simple, right? Jump on a bike, assume the plank position, crawl across the pool, turn some cartwheels, don the running shoes, handle the bars, or take your dog for a walk. It's all fun and games until sore muscles kick in. Is the soreness worth the serenity? You bet, but it is important to know why your muscles get sore and how to lesson the pain in order to get back on the horse or treadmill or yoga ball.

Let's start with muscle movement: adduction and abduction;  flexion and extension; rotation and circumduction.  The human skeleton is strapped with muscles in a way that allows a range of motion limited only by muscle and tendon length, strength and vulnerability.  All muscles are connected, although groups of muscles can be isolated during exercise.  When one group of muscles is worked and others neglected, a size imbalance occurs and vulnerabilities in the system develop.  Equally true, when one action, say adduction, is exercised more often than abduction, muscle and tendon lengths will vary and vulnerabilities will occur.  

When muscles are taxed, they tear or break down.  The body then creates more muscle tissue from amino acids and other nutrients within the body and fills the gaps to lengthen the muscle or build the muscle for strength.  During exercise oxygen in the body decreases and muscles are then used to boost energy by an anaerobic process during which muscle cells produce lactate.   The acidity within the muscle cells then increases. The long and short of it is when you exercise you over use muscle tissue and the process causes pain, both immediate pain that alerts the body stop and recover, an delayed pain referred to as DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness).   

Inflammation is the root of the problem but can be treated in a number of ways.  Water.  Plant based foods (skip animal based foods for they cause inflammation within the body as well).  Sleep.  Message.  Cold compress.  Patience.  Education.  A series of soothing stretches that cover all muscle movements might be the best medicine for a sore muscle structure.  All of these treatments are great after work-out remedies.  Eating fueling, reparative foods before your workout is also good practice.  (Men, this is a better source of information for you.)  A cup of black coffee, a bowl of real oatmeal with bananas, a glass of water and an orange are great an hour before any work out no matter what gender you are!

Eat real food, drink plenty of water, give your vitamins their vitamins and remember to wash your hands.  Then Go get your Work-Out On!

Anna~

Need a source for anti-inflammatory foods?  Check this out!  

Throw Back Thursday: Are Labels Healthy?

From April 9th, 2013, which was actually a Tuesday, but I like the message so much it is worth tagging in a Thursday Throwback~

Let's be realistic.  There is no need to sugar coat or complicate the fact that we all apply labels to the people around us and to ourselves.  They are automatic.  She is beautiful.  He is Successful.  She is a Failure.  He is a Con Artist.  I am Angry.  You are Perfect.  My sister is a Health-nut!  All of theses thoughts and words go through our heads and out of our mouths daily.  We are Labelers!

Labels are one of three things: harmful, helpful, or indifferent.  If you keep your labels to yourself they probably fall into the indifferent category, but you may be placing these labels in order to empower or disempower yourself; harmful.  "I am thinner than her, so I'm okay."  "She is much more successful than I, so I must be a failure!"  We label to quantify and categorize objects (in this case, people) in order to rhetorically place ourselves between them on an imaginary, ever changing totem pole of assumption.

Helpful labels encourage others while they encourage ourselves.  If you are placing labels on others to make them feel better while making yourself feel worse, stop.  Compliments and positive observations are important.  So is constructive criticism.  Give others a boost.  Pay others compliments.  Be observant of an other's abilities and empower them to expose their talents to the world.  But, while you lift others up, do not compare your own abilities and talents to theirs.  If an other possesses a talent or ability it is worthy of recognition.  Period.

Harmful labels are completely unnecessary.  Assigning a detrimental label to another  in order to control or contain an other's success or happiness is just plain mean.  Placing limiting labels on yourself that contain or inhibit your own happiness interrupts growth!  Don't do that!  We all, at one time or another, succeed.  We all fail.  We all lie, we con, we help, we dream, we yell, we soar.  Does that mean I am a Liar?  No.  A Failure? No.  A Dreamer?  I don't think that applies either.

Remember, the labels we apply to others and to ourselves allow a behavior to be acceptable.  If you have labeled yourself as Shy you have given yourself permission to be Shy.  Don't like the label?  Undo it by choosing to be more out-going when the opportunity presents itself.   Wondering how your label reads?  Introduce yourself to someone new...  and listen to the words that come out of your mouth.  You will be face to face with the labels you wear and you can then decide if they fit or if they don't.

You know what to do...  and remember to wash your hands.

Anna~

Weight-loss Resolutions

Resolutions often come in the form of a personal wish to lose weight.  Many television programs are on the waves this season highlighting the Biggest Loser and Extreme Makeovers (weight-loss edition) while the news is broken apart with calorie counting tips, food swaps, and manufacturer promoted 'healthy choice' meal options.  Health is not weight and nutrition is not measured in calories; that being said, here are some tips for fulfilling the weigh-loss resolutions.

Your body has a basal caloric need to complete functions like breathing, thinking, growing, excretion, circulating fluids, digestion, temperature maintenance, blinking; anything your body does automatically.  Those caloric needs are easily calculated.  For women, take your weight times 10 (men, weight times 11), whatever the number is is roughly how many calories your body will use to complete basal metabolic function.  You can choose how many of these calories come from food and how many calories you use from storage, or adipose, tissue (body fat).  

Choosing calories is not the same as choosing nutrition.  When you eat mainly animal protein, animal calcium and animal fat, you are ingesting much in terms of calories and very little in terms of nutrition.  If your basal caloric need is in the ballpark of 1600 calories (160 lbs), you can easily dent this calorie count with one steak, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich and a chicken caesar salad with a glass of milk [4 oz. steak (320 calories), 1 T of butter (102), 1 oz of cheddar cheese (110), 2 large eggs (148), 1 T of mayo (57)] [4 oz chicken breast (120), 8 oz of 2% milk (122), 2 T caesar salad dressing (120)]; two meals totaling nearly 1100 calories loaded with salt, saturated fat calories and cholesterol.  -That does not include the bread, croutons, parmesan cheese, romaine, and other condiments-

So how do you choose better calories?  Three simple rules may help.  First: if you select animal food sources, the calories you consume will be high in fat and calories, low in nutrients - if you choose plant based foods the caloric value is typically low and nutrient value is high.  Second: fats that are liquid at room temperature are good fats, fats that are solid at room temp are less healthy.  Third:  when choosing foods that limit calorie consumption, choose foods with color - colorful foods are nutrient dense compared to their white, starchy counterparts.  May these three simple rules boost your energy and lower your calorie intake. 

If your wish is to loose weight this season, may I suggest you start with real, whole, naturally occurring foods.  Wash them in with water.  Give your vitamins their vitamins - B vitamins especially are a good addition to your day.  And, as you forgive your own mistakes and embark on new goals, remember to wash your hands of negativity.  Every step forward is a success!

How Healthy is Your Well?

Pancakes on the table for breakfast, a whole chicken in the crock pot for dinner, breakfast dishes done, three of the three off to school, a blank calendar this afternoon, and yoga in about 40 minutes.  Mornings like this, when things fall into place without chaos or confrontation, come few and far between in our home but the span is getting shorter as we move deeper into our evolution toward eudaimonia.

Eudaimonia?  A great word to research and investigate, for sure, but for short it means 'human flourishing'.  Physical wellness.  Financial wellness.  Spiritual wellness.  Holistic Wellness.  Well.  The human body is much like a well; everything that comes in contact with it contaminates or cleanses the entire being.  Eudaimonia is a state in which a being is able to appreciate, assimilate or convert all things it comes in contact with into nourishment, positive energy and practical wisdom.  A desirable state indeed.

Our evolution started with simple, conscious changes.  Drinking water in the morning to rehydrate the body and allow the cells to breathe.  Eliminating breakfast cereals was the next step; an exchange of unidentifiable ingredients for oats, eggs, whole wheat pancakes and whole grain breads.  Exercise was next.  Less time watching others participate in life on the television and more time actually participating in life.  Down-hilll skiing, mountain and road biking, 5 and 10k organized running, yoga, hiking, and conscious cooking.  We have also learned to encourage our children to run, to jump, to play, to laugh, to ski and to do it along with them more and more.  Today we are on change number 721, at least.

Change happens over time, not over night.  At times when I feel my evolution has taken a vacation I preform an evaluation of progress (yesterday was one of those days).  Evaluation is born of the beautiful word 'value', cousin to valuable.  I am valuable.  My husband, my children, our finances, our home, and our wellness is valuable, as is our progress toward eudaimonia.  I encourage you all to evaluate how healthy your well is.  You will most certainly find positive change among the mistakes and progress among the set backs;  appreciate yourself for all of your movement in the right direction.

Then celebrate.  Make a beautiful meal of real, naturally occurring food, wash in the goodness with water, give your vitamins their vitamins and, as always, remember to wash your hands.  Be glad in it, reader, for you choose your evolution!

Anna~

This Simple Phrase

Christmas Cookies.  Home made fudge.  Candied yams.  Pumpkin pie.  Ambrosia.  Decadent sweets beautifully and deliciously offered in addition to large meals representative of sharing the year end feast.    Holiday traditions vary from home to home, as do financial means to deliver an ample feast to the table, but if we look at the hem in the table cloth we can find a common thread between us all; indulgence.

Indulgence is not a four letter word.  The Christmas season brings food to the table that may only be eaten once or twice a year.  There is nothing you can do to avoid the spread of sweats and savories created to share, so don't restrict yourself to the celery plate.  Eat.  Share the food and the experience.  Bake with your kids.  Make your grandmother's recipes with your sister.   Relax your 'I'm only going to have one bite' mentality and allow yourself some flexibility.

To get through the holiday feast and still be able to get through the door, there are many, many things you can do that don't require a gym membership.  The most important tool you can use is your body.  Listen to the cues.  When you slow down, chew your food well, and allow time for your stomach to send messages to your brain, you will find you eat well ...  but less.  Eating when your body says you're hungry and stopping when you're full can save you indigestion, bloating, constipation, cramping, lethargy, regret and mental upset from 'over doing it'.  Take your time this holiday season and listen to what your body has to say.

Several more tricks and tips can help your body digest the feast.  Drink hydrating fluids.  Alcohol actually diminishes your body's ability to digest fat so it stores it away to deal with later.  Try lemon water, warm mint tea or club soda instead.  Also, add raw veggies to the feast.  A broccoli and red cabbage salad with walnuts can add essential nutrients and fiber to your plate to help move the rest of the meal through your system.  Bring something green or raw or fresh to all of your holiday pot lucks so you know you always have a healthy choice.  And, before you hit the party, take in a brisk walk around the neighborhood.  Better yet, get moving after dinner!  Dance!  Laugh!  Play charades at the party you're hosting and you'll meet both wickets.  

More tomorrow on mindful eating and enjoyable feasting, but for now I encourage you to eat real food.  Wash in the goodness with plenty of water.  Don't forget to give your vitamins their vitamins and, as always, remember to wash your hands.  My sister enveloped my thoughts with this simple phrase, "Be clean inside and out."  (Thank you, Kelly~)

Anna~