Healthy Living DIY

Happy New Year everyone!

It's the time of year when many of us stop for a few blessed moments and take stock of how things are going. The accomplishments we're most proud of and the tweaking we'd still like to do. In the area of tweaking, hopefully setting a few priorities so it doesn't look like we have a billion things to handle all at once!

Since I'm kind of "into" that sort of thing, I'd like to offer ONE (just one) user-friendly tip for making your goals more fun and effective. Ready? Here it is:

Self-love. Almost makes you feel uncomfortable just reading the phrase, doesn't it? We know we're supposed to be kind and compassionate to others. But loving yourself? Isn't that ... well, somehow a little selfish?

It is. And that's exactly the point. There are times when "selfish" can be very, very good. When you're in the midst of a healing crisis ... trying like the dickens to work your way out of it and back to full, radiant health and wellness ... that's one of the times.

One of my regular readers recently sent in a great question: "How can there be so many of us that don't embrace self love?" What I got out of her question was a request for some suggestions on making self-love more accessible. With that in mind, we'll explore a few key tips.

As if you didn't have enough else to worry about during these rough economic times, experts warn that there's yet one more threat to watch out for. You may get fat.

Yes, I've heard that there is a "proven" relationship between income and weight. Actually, the last time I saw this statistic quoted, it was based on neighborhood. In other words, you live in a low-income neighborhood, you eat like everyone else in the 'hood (perhaps due to limited options at the neighborhood store moreso than actual income), and you weigh more than the average person in a higher income neighborhood (with easy access to a better store).

Now, they assume that if your income goes down, your weight will go up. That you, the formerly high-end eater, will abandon fresh foods and go for more junk. Because, they say, "junk is cheaper." Oh gag.

You heard it here first. There is another way. Keep reading for one, just one, simple tip to help you avoid income-related weight gain. Do this, and you will not have to worry about buying an entire new wardrobe, next size up.

Food-centric or recipe-centric? How would you describe yourself?

We tend to be a pretty recipe-centric culture. A big fan of The Food Network, I think you'd find that recipe-centric carries the day ... with the notable exception of one of my personal favorites, Iron Chef America. If you've never watched it, the challenge is to make 5 dishes featuring a particular ingredient in under an hour. Extraordinarily food-centric!

Even here in North Dakota, as I explored the Department of Agriculture's Holiday Showcase last fall, I noticed that most of the food entrepreneurs were recipe-centric. Not what I'd expected in this state where land is plentiful and agriculture is king. Nonetheless what was there.

Healthy on a budget says "Think Food-Centric."

So you've hit the economic downturn and it's time to cut back. Food is one of the easiest places to scale down and you have. It's time for spartan, tasteless fare. Right?

Uhn-uh. Not on my watch!

Simple and inexpensive does not have to equal boring and bland. One of the most economically reasonable ways to bring a gourmet touch to your table is by using fresh, flavorful herbs. My personal favorite "cheap thrill" is the herb Rosemary, which I'm lucky enough to have available year-round. You can, too, even if you live in the North. I'll tell you how.

If you've ever experienced anxiety, perhaps you can to relate to the place a reader was coming from recently when she asked me this question. "When I looked up anxiety in the dictionary, they said it was a synonym for care. What's going on with that?"

When you care for someone, isn't that supposed to be a good thing? And isn't anxiety, most of the time, rather undesirable? So what's the deal anyway?

Perhaps you're familiar with Dr. Edward Bach, who developed the Bach Flower Essences back in the 1930's. Dr. Bach was known as a "sensitive." He had the ability to feel energy. One of the first things he noticed, upon becoming a doctor, was that a lot of his patients with similar illnesses also had similar personalities. This was a big clue!

Dr. Bach began to reason that if he could help his patients correct the natural imbalances in their personalities, perhaps their health would improve. He was one of the real pioneers in the field we know today as energy medicine.

Each of us, as living beings, has our own set of unique vibrations. Dr. Bach was able to perceive differences in the vibrations of people with particular energy imbalances. In addition, he was also able to perceive vibrations of the "opposing virtue" in plants. His form of practice was to bring together each major type of personality or energy imbalance and the vibration of its opposing virtue, thus bringing the person back to balance and health.

You say you're up to some big changes in your life. Thinking different, acting different, being different. You've got to be. You've been feeling just awful lately. Drained. Lethargic. You know in your heart that you've got to get out of this cycle or your health will soon pay the price.

So you're up to big changes. You've said it would never happen again. You even promised!

Lotta good that did, apparently, because here you are again. In a crisis. And this crisis feels way too familiar.

If we've just described your situation, then you're in for some extremely good news! Recognizing "that old familiar sinking feeling" is the first critical step to healing the situation you're ready to change. You are healing even as we speak!

Maybe you played sports in high school. If not, perhaps you played in the band. Tried out for a play. Got into dance, or cooking, or chess, or ... well just about anything. If you did, then you know the kids I'm talking about. They were in it to win. To excel. Whatever they did, they played full out and put their all into the game.

Then there were the others. A little more timid. Not so sure they had what it took. Tired, maybe. Perhaps they didn't get enough rest, or there was trouble at home, or they didn't eat right. Maybe the minute they walked through the door at the end of the day, they were yelled at; put down. Hard to say. But for some reason, they always held just a little back. You could feel it. They weren't in the game for the win. They were in because it was the thing to do.

Which kid were you? Which kid are you now?

If you're on this healing path for real, there's one thing you've gotta know. You must play full out. You may not have the luxury of a second chance. You sure don't have the luxury of being lazy. This is a game where you play to win; you play for keeps; you play for your life.

So what's the difference?

Are you ready for a one-step healing solution that's nearly guaranteed to have you feeling better immediately? Who wouldn't? Well, it exists. It's free. It's accessible any time of day or night. No physical effort required.

Engage your mind.

A few days ago, I had the opportunity to talk with a number of people about the power of the mind to heal. One of their common concerns was this: "I want to make the change; to do things differently; to heal my life. But my mind keeps playing the same old tapes!"

I'm sure we've all felt that way at one time or another. It's how things seem to go until we learn to step in and work the "tape player." I've been there myself. Because I've been there myself, I am confident in my suggestion that the tape can indeed be changed.

Do you listen to music around the house ... in your office ... in your room? At least occasionally, I'll bet. So let's say you've got a particular CD in the player, or a particular playlist going on your iPod. And let's say you've had enough for now; you're ready to listen to something else.

What do you do?

When you look around at the people you know, it's easy to see by looking who expresses health and vibrancy. We look for any number of factors, don't we? Sure, part of it is fitness. But whole health goes much deeper than that. In our quest to recognize a state of true healthfulness, we recognize factors like calm assurance and even the intangible quality of "having an inner glow." Perhaps it's a state that you aspire to yourself. Let's go after it.

We'll begin by taking a moment to consider the healthiest people in your life. The healthful qualities we've identified so far are physical fitness, calm self-assurance, and an inner glow. There may be other characteristics that mean health to you, too -- a sense of integrity, perhaps, or living a fulfilled life that honors the person's natural talents. Add anything else that you find important to your own list.

Think about public figures, too. People you may see on TV, online, or in a personality-centered magazine. They may be athletes, entertainment figures, or politicians. The people you choose may be those you are most drawn to -- even people you would like to meet. These qualities are extremely compelling! Most of us would love to have access to them.