Prescription for Wellness

Hello Everyone,

Here we are in the last week of summer before school starts.  What I have been thinking about it is what I need to have in my daily life ( by daily I mean regularly not necessarily every day).  What came to mind is that could also be called my "prescription for wellness".

Here's what came to mind:

• time for introspection/ meditation/ journaling
• mindful eating and eating well (lots of fresh vegetables, water, minimal sweets, flour products)
• time for some kind of movement
• meaningful work
• playtime with my kids
• quality time with my husband
• time with close friends
• making time for family

There's definitely more on my list, but these were the first that came to mind.  What is your prescription for wellness?  What makes you feel happy, calm & at ease?

Recipe for the week:

Simple Tuscan Kale Salad:

1 bunch of chopped finely kale (washed & dried)

sea salt

olive oil

currants

parmesan cheese

balsamic vinegar or lemon

1. Place washed & chopped kale in bowl.  Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt on kale.  Drizzle a one count of olive oil on kale & the juice of 1/2 lemon.  Massage the kale with the oil, lemon and salt for one to two minutes.  The kale will get juicy.  Add two tbsp of currants and 1/4 cup of freshly shredded parmesan cheese.  Enjoy!

Have a great week!
Lysa

Tips of the week

Hi Everyone,

As a write, the sounds of summer are abundant.  The cicada sounds provide an orchestra in my backyard and the bees buzz around the butterfly bushes right outside my front dining room window.  

These sounds of nature are comforting and give me a sense of calm and ease.  

I found the tips for this week in a magazine a friend gave me entitled Whole Living.  There were two tips that struck me as really helpful.  Here they are:

1. Beat the afternoon slump: Instead of reaching for candy or a coffee when you are feeling tired in the afternoon, for protein.  Try almonds or some other nut or a hard boiled egg.  "Amino acids,... do a better job of stimulating the brain cells that help keep us awake and alert than do any other nutrients, a study published in the journal Neuron notes. Bonus: The neurons switched on by amino acids also tell your body to burn calories, suggesting that the right bite may actually kick up your metabolism."

2.  Walk Off Cravings: Craving sugar?  "Employees who took a brisk walk ate half as much chocolate afterward as those who rested at their desks.  The theory? The natural boost from walking may prevent people from resorting to treats for a hit of energy, scientists at the University of Exeter explain."

These tips were taken from the May 2012 issue of Whole Living, page 60.

Have a great rest of the week!  

Lysa I

Body & Soul Tips for the week

Hello,

Happy August!
Here is what I personally have been working on this week to feel my best:

1. Drinking more water.  This is something I am always reminding my clients to do but
need to do more of myself.  I always feel good and am more energized when I do it.

2.  Eating only when sitting down ( doing my best to not nibble as I cook/prepare food).
The outcome is that I feel more excited to eat ( probably because I am hungrier) when I sit down at meal time.

3. Stopping eating before I get full.  Mark David ( writer of Nourishing Wisdom, Slow Down Diet) recommends eating until you are about 3/4 full.  It feels good.

4. Cutting out my after dinner treat ( this is often a cracker with almond butter and jam). I realized I didn't need it. It was more of a comfort thing. I am getting used to having a lighter feeling in my stomach when I go to sleep. It fels good and I am hungry when I wake up.

Okay, I promised last week that I would keep these weekly tips short and sweet so time for me to say goodnight!

More next week....  until then be happy and well!
 Lysa