Did You Rest Well?

In our simple FRESH approach to living healthy and well, let us consider the letter 'R'.

'R' stands for REST -- that sometimes elusive "activity" that we all need for optimum health and well-being. 

I, for one, have not always rested in a manner that would bring me the most benefits.  I am much like my father who was the proverbial 'night owl".  This can be a curse when your schedule requires you to be up at an unearthly early hour -- you know -- when it's still night and the birds haven't even begun to sing yet! 

If you, like me, are like this fowl of the night, then you can identify with the difficulties of getting yourself to "wind down" at a reasonable hour in the evening.  Your body clock seems to think that at 8:00 p.m. you still have 3 or 4 hours yet to accomplish several projects or tasks.  How well I remember the sounds of a circular saw or the pounding of nails after the hour of 10 p.m.!
My father seemed to get his "second wind" just about that time and away he would work on some household project or play a game of ping-pong or take off for a night-time ride on his motorcycle. 

I think this may be an inherited trait as his father or grandfather was the same way.  We just have difficulty turning our brains off!  Dad would sometimes manage to get to bed at a reasonable hour, only to get up at 2, 3 or 4 a.m. to work on a sermon or something else that was on his mind.  Yes, rest was sometimes elusive for him.

For those of you who are like my mother, on the other hand -- when 9:00 p.m. hits you're ready to "call it a day" -- I venture to say you are much more practiced at this resting thing!  Then again, I do believe it tends to be an inherent trait -- this early bird/night owl phenomenon.  At any rate, I do believe  there are several key things that can enable any of us to obtain more efficient rest -- at night as well as in the dailyness of life.

First of all, I have heard that the best rest is obtained before midnight -- that for every hour of rest before midnight, you need four hours after midnight to receive the same benefits.  So arranging your schedule so that you are asleep by 9:00 or 10:00 p.m. sounds like a good idea -- sometimes rather difficult for me but I'm still working at it!

Taking a warm shower or bath, reading a book, keeping the lights turned down low that last hour before going to bed, putting on some beautiful relaxation music -- these are  ways to prepare your body for rest.  Now and again I will also take an herbal remedy called Composure which has a calming effect on the body.

A good night's rest being so important -- we've all had the 'grouchies' a time or two due to the lack of rest -- it is also important to 'rest' one day a week.  American culture in particular has moved far away from this concept -- the idea of the Sabbath, which means 'rest'.  We think we can go 24/7 365 which is absolutely crazy!  If God rested on the seventh day, having spent the previous six days creating this awesome universe, can we do less and remain healthy? 

How refreshing it is to take one day and relax!  For you that might mean reading a good book while sipping a warm beverage.  Maybe it means taking a hike or nature walk, a ride on your bike or motorcycle, visiting with friends and relatives or laying in the grass and looking for pictures in the clouds.  Maybe it's painting or playing games or just listening to your favorite music.  Whatever speaks rest and relaxation to your body, mind and soul is how you should spend your Sabbath -- your own day of rest -- and it's meant to be a celebration of life and family and God and Christ, our ultimate Sabbath!

I remember years ago hearing a homeschooling mom speak and the main thing I took home with me from her speech were these words:  "Guard your rest".  Great advice if you want to make the most of every day and give your best to your family, friends and business! 

My challenge to myself and to you is to take the next 30 days and make efficient, beneficial rest a priority -- nightly and weekly.  I imagine our lives will move into a smoother rhythm and we will become more productive rather than less.

Wishing you joy and rest,
TodaysHappyMom

What FRESH foods are you eating today?

     As we take a FRESH look at regaining our health, we want to begin with the letter F.  F stands for "fresh" whole foods.  75 - 80% of our daily diet needs to consist of fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, beans and whole grains.  If you are used to eating the SAD way -- Standard American Diet -- then you are probably consuming fresh food only once every week  -- or two.  That is sad, isn't it?!
     Why eat 'fresh' versus processed, boxed or cooked-to-mush?  Because when we eat whole, fresh foods (preferably organic, with no pesticides or better yet, straight from your own garden!), our bodies receive the live enzymes inherent in those foods and it is those live enzymes that give us life!  Those enzymes cause our
cells to 'talk to one another' and to operate more efficiently, thereby giving us good health. 
     Generally, the more you process, pulverize, cook or boil a food, the less nutritious it will be in the end.  You will have effectively processed the live enzymes right out of it.  This is the reason why we need to take an enzyme supplement when we are eating a mainly-cooked meal -- so that our bodies can properly assimilate and digest the food.
     Is it any wonder that the majority of us are running around constipated, sluggish, weak, tired and overweight?  When we fail to eat enough FRESH whole foods, what we do eat remains in our colons for far too long -- putrifying and becoming toxic to our bodies -- and then we begin to exhibit signs of all manner of illness and disease:  chronic constipation, divurticulitus, Candida, allergies, joint pain, cancer, etc.
     So, what FRESH whole food are you going to add to your diet today -- an apple, an orange, a juicy tomato or a nice green cucumber?  To keep it simple and to feel like you are achieving a measure of success, try adding just one fresh item each day -- fruit, vegetable, raw nuts, grains or beans.  Soon, you will be amazed at your progress and your body will begin to cleanse itself of the toxins that have been accumulating over the years.  You should then notice a surge in your energy level and eventually, you will truly desire those FRESH, wholesome, life-giving enzyme-filled foods and will begin to say 'no' more often to the processed, tasty yet nutrition-void "food" found in the middle aisles of your local grocery store!
     You can do it; I know you can  -- and when you can't get something fresh, the next best thing is frozen so what's holding you back?  Sink your teeth into something colorful, tasty and FRESH! 

Wishing you health and happiness,
TodaysHappyMom
    
    
    

Are You Fresh?

As I promised, today I want to share my Top Five Tips For Regaining Your Health.  How have I decided that these were the most important five?  Well, after reading numerous books and articles, having listened to wise people who have studied far more than myself and after experiencing issues of my own as well as observed others' habits and health problems, I have concluded that we need a FRESH perspective on good health and nutrition.


Much too often, we try to complicate things; we think that it really must take a genius to know how to make it in business or to have a successful family or to understand the way our bodies work.  When we think this way, our tendency is to feel overwhelmed -- to think that it is beyond us -- and therefore, we excuse ourselves for not trying anymore.


I would like to encourage you -- to let you know that it is the simple, seemingly insignificant actions in life that truly make the biggest difference.  Having been a perfectionist with unrealistic expectations for much of my life, it has sometimes taken me awhile to realize this and I have stumbled along the way.  I am still learning and will continue to do so; this is one of the things that makes life exciting!


We do live in the age of information overload, though, and this began to frustrate me a while back.  I finally decided that if I just went 'back to the basics' -- what God originally created as food for us -- that everything would be much simpler and my mind wouldn't feel so cluttered with the latest research on what vitamins to take or not take, on the virtues of coconut oil or the dangers thereof, etc. ad naseum. 


So, after a bit of thought and study, these are my conclusions regarding regaining one's health or maintaining an already healthy body.  I hope they make sense to you.  If we keep things simple in our lives, embellishing them here and there, I believe our lives will flow more smoothly -- even as we encounter rocks, thorns and brambles along the way.


To make them easy to remember, I have placed the five tips into the word FRESH:
                        
Fresh whole foods -- fruit, vegetables (including greens), whole grains and nuts
Rest -- the most rejuvenating sleep is before midnight
Exercise -- get your body moving 30 minutes a day
Sunshine -- at least 15 minutes a day (with no sunscreen)
Hydration -- 8 to 10 glasses of purified or distilled water per day


It is amazing how God created our bodies to operate so efficiently -- like a well-oiled machine -- when we treat it as He intended -- as His holy temple.  Like nearly everything else, we humans tend to corrupt and pollute things when we stray from the simple truths found in He gave us.  I am guilty of such and I am forever grateful for God's undeserved favor, grace and guidance. 


I hope the FRESH approach will enable you to take control of your health.  Your health is your responsibility; it is not the doctor's or the government's or anyone else's job to see that you maintain good health and nutrition.  As Charlotte, my dear friend and mentor says (I'm paraphrasing),  "God has given you only one body; in this life you can't get another one so take care of what you've been given."  


In the next five articles, we will take a look at the tips -- one letter at a time. 


I look forward to any comments or experiences you've had as we are here to learn from and support each other!


Here's hoping you have a FRESH day today!


TodaysHappyMom

Keeping Fit with Fiber

Wow!  I always feel better after I do that! 

Not to be crude or disgusting but I'm referring to bowel movements -- something that all human beings have.  Unfortunately, many of us are running around with "clogged pipes" i.e. constipation.  If I'm feeling slightly headache-y or naseaus, I can sometimes point to the fact that I most likely need to "go"!  Once I do, it's amazing how I instantly feel so much better -- like the toxins have been released from my system.

A few years ago I drove myself to the Emergency Room while I was in agony:  I had the STRONGEST urge to "poo" but could NOT.  It was awful -- a feeling I don't wish for anyone to experience -- one that was just about sending me through the ceiling!  I will spare you most of the details except to say that the diagnosis was Impacted Bowels.  NOT a fun time.  The suggested ongoing remedy -- after the initial "band-aid":  eat more rabbit food.

Well, you can be sure I've certainly eaten more veggies and fruit, whole grains and nuts since that episode as I never want to go thru that again!  I was feeling sorry for the nurse who had to "take care" of me and in true compassionate nurse's form, she said she felt sorry for ME!  I was also told that this was something that was rather common.  Hmmmm!  What is going on?

I believe the culprit is the average American diet which is pretty much devoid of good nutrition and fiber -- AND most of us are running around dehydrated.  It is then no wonder we suffer from any number of chronic aches and pains and diseases.  When the "pipes" are constantly clogged and the "plant" isn't sufficiently watered, things begin to go awry, shut down or wither.  Not a pretty sight.

So, what are we to do?  Well, we must get back to the basics of good nutrition -- of understanding how our bodies work and what kind of fuel our bodies need to run most efficiently.  I don't know about you, but I like the KISS principle:  Keep It Simple Sweetie!  There is so much information "out there" that it can become mind-boggling -- and when our minds are bogged down and cluttered, well, we're likely to just not do anything because it's all so overwhelming.

My goal, then, is to share with you the quick and simple of good nutrition so that our bodies can operate in the fashion that the Creator intended.  Check back tomorrow for my TOP FIVE TIPS for regaining your health!

Until then, help yourself to a nice tall glass of pure, clean water; your body will thank you!  :)