Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Being Intentional Is Good for Your Health

Being intentional about _______ can be really good for both your physical and mental health.

Yes, I left that blank on purpose. It’s different for everyone, and it’s different day by day or moment by moment.

For example, on a recent morning when I knew the remainder of the day would be really busy, I sat down and took a few minutes out of my morning exercise to pick up one of my smaller cross stitch projects. I added a row of stitches, thinking about nothing other than how much I enjoyed cross stitching, how nice it felt to sit with my stitching, and how I hope the person for whom that project is destined will like it.

It felt wonderful.

It took less than five minutes.

That wonderful feeling extended into the remainder of that morning’s exercise. I felt calm, and focused, and a bit joyful.

For me, the concept of being intentional goes beyond having a to-do list and checking things off, or sitting down at my computer and thinking, “I want to…” for whatever the project or task may be. It’s about granting myself permission, as well as encouragement, to focus entirely on whatever I want or need to be doing in that moment. In this world of multi-tasking, we spend much too much time trying to spread ourselves out and get as much done as possible in as little time as possible, and by the end of it, we are worn out, unhappy, and unhealthy.

Intentional is defined as, “done on purpose” and “deliberate.”

I deliberately sat down and cross stitched because I knew the day would be busy.

I sat down and cross stitched on purpose because I knew the day would be busy.

Yep. Both of those substitutions (definitions?) fit how I felt that day.

To what other actions can I apply the concept of being intentional?

I deliberately poured a glass of water instead of a glass of soda.

I went for a walk on purpose to clear my mind and get exercise.

I took intentional action to improve my mental and physical health.

This goes hand-in-hand with being mindful! (I’ll include a link to a Wine & Wellness Wednesday post from last August about mindfulness.)

When you set an intention, and focus on it, and devote positive energy to it, I expect you’ll find yourself feeling more than OK by the time you are done.

Try it, and let me know how it goes. :) Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Heart Health

Happy Valentine’s Day! It’s #winewellnesswednesday, so my glass of red wine & I would like to talk to you about heart health. (Of course! What an appropriate topic for Valentine’s Day!)

Let’s start with red wine and your heart, or Concord grape juice and your heart. You can get similar benefits from either, so there’s no need to start drinking alcohol if you aren’t a drinker! Red wine has antioxidants and resveratrol. The antioxidants may help protect the lining of blood vessels in your heart, and resveratrol may help prevent damage as well as break up LDL cholesterol, improving your overall cholesterol count. Again, you can get the same benefits from Concord grape juice. So have a glass of a good, dry red wine, or have a glass of Concord grape juice. They’re both good for you, in moderation!

A healthy diet is critical for your heart, and it can be a lot of fun as well! Lowering cholesterol, raising fiber, lowering sodium, and focusing on more fruits & veggies in your diet are all beneficial. And even better, there are dozens of ways to do all of those things without feeling as though you’re consumed every day by managing your meals. Add spinach to a salad, or to your breakfast eggs. Substitute sweet potato for potato. Substitute black bean pasta for regular spaghetti. Select a smaller steak and have broccoli with it instead of mashed potatoes. Have a nice piece of a quality dark chocolate for dessert. See? Fun!

Exercise, exercise, exercise. Even just 40 minutes of a brisk walk three times a week can be beneficial! If all you ever do is sit at a desk, get up from your desk regularly and walk around. Take the stairs if you can. Walk up and down the block around your neighborhood. Park further away from the grocery store. If you already exercise, add to it and add some variety! But GET MOVING! If you’ve never been into exercise, what are you waiting for? You don’t have to run a marathon, but you do need to move.

Get good sleep! If you don’t get enough sleep, you are at risk for diabetes, weight gain, and cardiovascular disease. Sleep for solid periods of time so your body can rest, heal, and prepare for the next day. This isn’t just a good idea; it’s a critical necessity to protect your heart and your overall health!

Heart health. Not just on Valentine’s Day, but every day. Take care of your heart, and take care of you!

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: No Diet Shaming. Ever.

I’m going to do something a little different with this week’s Wine & Wellness Wednesday. I’m going on a rant.

No diet shaming.

Ever.

None of this: “YOU ARE CRUEL IF YOU AREN’T VEGAN.”
None of this: “EVERYONE SHOULD GIVE UP CHEESE.”
None of this: “EAT ALL MEAT ALL THE TIME.”

Yes, I know. I’m shouting.

More of this: “I went gluten-free; here’s why, here’s how it works for me, here’s why I think it’s beneficial. I’d encourage you to give it a try and see how it works for you.”

More of this: “I really enjoy eating a vegetarian diet and here’s why. I feel better when I don’t eat meat, both for physical and ethical reasons.”

Yes, I know. I think my way is best. (Don’t we all, all the time?)

ALL PEOPLE ARE DIFFERENT.

I know, I know. I’m shouting again. Let me say that one more time, with added punctuation for emphasis.

ALL. PEOPLE. ARE. DIFFERENT!

If you choose to follow a vegetarian or vegan diet for ethical reasons, that is your choice and it is to be respected. It is not to be used to badger, or shame, or degrade other people for their choices. If you choose to be or must be gluten-free, same thing. Dietary choices or necessities are not things to use to badger other people into making choices and changes.

It is absolutely critical that each person figure out the best diet that works for them. Asking for help with figuring it out is an excellent plan. (And of course, a health coach is a good resource!) I’ll say it again. All people are different. Not every diet is appropriate for every person.

When has anyone, ever, changed their mind about anything, ever, because someone yelled at them and told them their choices were cruel or stupid or wrong or bad?

When has anyone, ever, changed their mind about anything, ever, because someone sat down and carefully, respectfully discussed the whys & wherefores?

That second one? That’s a whole lot more likely.

If a loved one asks for support or opinions when selecting a diet to include in their lifestyle, give it to them, with respect and with love. The support piece is extremely important for success.

Get educated. Get informed. Pick a diet that works for you. (And sometimes, break the rules.) Share that information, joyously, energetically, gently, and respectfully. You might just encourage other people to do the same.

Cheers! Here’s to your health!!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Food Rule #19

If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don’t.

For this #winewellnesswednesday, Michael Pollan’s FOOD RULES #19 is my topic. Generally speaking, I think he has a point.

If what you’re about to eat is a plant product, and by that I mean you can readily identify the actual growing plant that produced your food, then absolutely! Go for it! Chow down. Keep in mind that some plants are indeed NOT edible, of course, and be aware of any food allergies you or someone else might have as you’re preparing or purchasing food. I thoroughly enjoy knowing where my food comes from, and, if possible, knowing the people who grew it. For example, last weekend I roasted a spaghetti squash that we grew where I work part-time. (It was delicious!) Not only was that from an actual plant, it was from somewhere very specific.

If what you’re about to eat is a mass-marketed, mass-produced mass of chemicals that have never been closer to a plant than the grass growing outside the factory, maybe give it a second thought. Is all food that’s produced in factories evil? Not at all! A lot of it can be really good for you. Rice and quinoa, for example; you wouldn’t want to have to harvest it yourself. It’s processed at a factory and comes in a bag or a box. Does that make it bad? Nope!

In large part, eating whole, real food is always going to be best. I’ve mentioned it before (and it’s also in FOOD RULES): try to stay at the periphery of the grocery store as much as possible. If you have the option, try to get as many of your groceries at a farmers’ market as you can! Check the ingredients. If you can’t pronounce them, maybe you don’t want to eat them. It isn’t always practical to eat whole, real food that comes from actual plants instead of from factories. It’s a good thing to strive for.

What plants are your favorites when preparing meals? :)

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Eat Your Beans!

It isn’t one of Michael Pollan’s FOOD RULES, so I suppose I’m deviating a bit from using those as #winewellnesswednesday topics. Or am I, since I planned on doing things other than FOOD RULES?

I digress. Again. (I’m told I write the way I talk!)

Eat your beans! Specifically today I want to talk about black beans, those magical little legumes that can fit so nicely into multiple types of cuisines. In fact, they’re SO magical that they can be made into black bean PASTA. (How’s THAT for a versatile food?) Since going gluten-free back in 2015, one of the things I really missed for a while was spaghetti. Somehow or other I came across Explore Cuisine’s black bean spaghetti and the rest, as they say, is history. The same company makes other pastas out of other beans and so far we’ve enjoyed them all. One of the best benefits to bean pastas is the high protein and high fiber content, which for me means that there’s no carb coma after I have spaghetti.

Black beans are a good source of protein and fiber while being low in fat, and their calorie content is low compared to the weight of the bean. Translation? You can eat more of them without overloading on calories. If you’re counting calories, that totally counts! One thing I didn’t know about legumes is that they have a compound in them that can be toxic in high amounts. Cooking them (on the stovetop, not in a slow cooker) for at least ten minutes breaks down that compound, and black beans are lower in that particular item than other beans, such as red kidney beans. So moderation is definitely called for; maybe don’t have beans for absolutely every single meal every day!

I love cooking with black beans, whether they’re whole or in pasta. How about you? Any favorite black bean recipes?

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Food Rules #64

Ok, so last week for #winewellnesswednesday I went back to Michael Pollan’s FOOD RULES and started at the beginning, with rule 1: Eat food.

Now, just to be contrary, I’m skipping to the end of the list with rule 64: Break the rules once in a while.

I like this rule. This is a good rule. This is a good rule that I am sometimes very good at following! It can also be rephrased as, “All things in moderation, including moderation.” :) Ha!

Healthy habits are important.

Maintaining those healthy habits on a day-to-day basis is also incredibly important. Personally, it’s how I’ve lost (and maintained!) 50 pounds in the past several years.

Here’s the thing: there are going to be times when you throw the healthy habit out the window, at least temporarily. I’m not advocating for it daily. That leads to too much indulgence, which can lead to setbacks, which can lead to feeling aggravated and potentially giving up on the healthy habits.

From time to time, however, breaking the rules is good for you! Obsessively sticking to healthy living, to the point of excluding enjoyment? That is not good for you, and potentially not good for people around you. Counting calories? Ok! Watching your fat intake? Ok! Watching your carb intake? Ok! Whatever you need to do to feel good about what you’re eating is important, and everyone will be different. But doing it to the exclusion of pleasure in what you’re consuming? Not so good.

I have tried to build a healthy habit of not eating potato chips or French fries on a regular basis. This one is hard, because I looooooooooove allthesaltycrunchythings. I’ve mostly successfully substituted lightly salted nuts for the chips, which works since I also really enjoy almonds and cashews. Every once in a while, though, I will allow myself to give in to the craving for a serving of either fries or chips; usually sour cream & onion or barbecue. Temporarily? It’s a fun thing to eat. Regularly? Nope; at least, not any more. I’ve tried for long enough to not eat fries & chips that even when I do, they don’t register the same enjoyment. And in the long run, that’s a very good thing.

What rule are you going to break on occasion? Enjoy!

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Food Rule #1

Well…we all know where the road paved with good intentions goes, right?

DING! Is that chocolate cake in the oven? (Gluten-free, of course!)

Who, me? Easily distracted? Naaaaaaaaaaaah…wait, was that a shiny squirrel?

Meanwhile, I digress.

A year or so ago I read FOOD RULES by Michael Pollan, which I found to include some very interesting information. I thought at the time, “Gee, it would be fun to write #winewellnesswednesday posts about some of these topics!” I did a couple and then…well…y’know. Distractions!

Hey! Who drank my coffee??

So! Back on track with thoughts on FOOD RULES. :)

Having done rules 12, 52, and 53 a while back, I thought I’d go all the way back and look at rule 1: Eat food. This seems simple enough, right? Hold that thought! Have you ever looked at the ingredients in many of the things that are presented as food? Other rules in the book address topics such as not buying foods that are advertised, and shopping the margins of the store, as well as not buying anything with ingredient a third grader couldn’t pronounce. Seriously! There’s an ANIMANIACS cartoon that addressed this really well, listing off all of the ingredients in a couple of treats and many of them simply don’t sound like food. Highly processed items are presented as food and honestly, while some of them are delicious, they’re not actually quality items that we should be eating. How many different derivatives of corn or soy do we really need in our diets, anyway?

We did a compare and contrast once of the ingredient list of two different kinds of ice cream. (Because really. Ice cream! It should be simple and as long as the lactose doesn’t bother me, it’s one of my favorite things!) One of the brands had more than 25 ingredients listed, and many of them were either unpronounceable or sounded unpalatable. The other brand? It had five ingredients. Five! I think you can guess what ice cream we usually buy now!

Real food. It’s even better if you know where it comes from. Local is awesome, even though it isn’t always possible. (There aren’t any orange trees near us, for example.) Real food that you’ve cooked yourself is even awesomer. (YES I KNOW. Not a word. I like it anyway.)

What real food have you enjoyed recently? Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Happy New Year!

(Today’s super-long subtitle: Why I Don’t Make Specifically Healthy New Year’s Resolutions)

Happy New Year! I have a glass of wine, so it seems like a good time for Wine & Wellness Wednesd! :) It also seems completely crazy that it’s suddenly 2018. And it’s suddenly the third day of January, 2018. Time flies and all that!

In December of 2015 I wrote a post about resolutions and themes for resolutions. Oddly enough, at the end of 2016/beginning of 2017, I didn’t post about resolutions. (So weird, right?) As 2017 drew to a close and New Year’s Eve loomed, I found myself thinking again about resolutions and how they are so often broken, usually fairly rapidly, and then we get discouraged. And I thought again about all of the resolutions I’ve made recently that were simply fun and occasionally constructive, but never related to health or weight or fitness.

Ummmmm…say what? Jolie, you’re a health coach. Shouldn’t your New Year’s resolution be about that?

Well, to put it bluntly: nope.

Here’s the thing. Every day is a chance to start (or maintain!) a healthy habit. Every day is a chance to build wellness improvements into our lives. Just because a new year begins on January 1 doesn’t make that the perfect time to start a massive change. And massive changes can be overwhelming and hard to maintain.

So I’ve been trying to figure out what fun resolutions I want to make for 2018 and coming up with way too many.

Walk the dogs once a week. (This mostly went well in 2017, although I missed a few. And as much as I love my dogs I am so very much NOT walking them when the high temp is -10F!) Bubble bath once a month. Work on the woodland faerie cross stitch project once a week. Sit in the hammock once a month at minimum, even in bad weather. (I actually, honestly contemplated this yesterday as the temp was up to 13F instead of -10F. And still…nope.) I may have actually settled on all of the above, which seems sort of silly, but all of the above are things that will add value to my life. Working on the woodland faerie will feel productive as I try to finish it up and give it to my mother. Hammock time will be relaxing, as will a bubble bath at least once a month. Walking the dogs will be productive, in that it’s both exercise for all of us as well as togetherness time.

What’s your resolution for 2018? Are you going to try to lose weight, run a 5K, read 100 books in a year, or have a bubble bath once a month? :)

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I have nothing new this week other than wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season filled with laughter, love, joy, and peace!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Getting Back to Routine

Routine is a wonderful thing. I was a bit lazy and very relaxed while on vacation, which is really rather the point of being on vacation to begin with! I am delighted, however, that after three days of being home from my vacation, I’m back in the swing of things. I started that on day one of being home, and it felt (and feels) great! Here’s a look back at an old #winewellnesswednesday post about routines. :)

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: March 23, 2016

Routines are good things. Healthy routines are even better things.

Changing your routine can be an even better thing. (An even better, better thing?) :)

Say what?

Do you get bored? Do you feel stuck? Switch stuff up! I’m not talking radical changes, such as suddenly waking up on a Tuesday and deciding to run marathons. (Although that would totally be awesome if you do it!) I’m talking about modifications to things like your exercise routine, or “I always have ___ for breakfast.”

I thought about this a few weeks ago when I switched the order in which I always do pieces of my exercise routine. Whoa. My muscles were very differently sore and tired when I was done, and I felt great! It was as if I’d done an entirely different routine, and yet all I’d done was rearrange the order of the exercises.

I do the same thing with breakfast, actually; most of the time my marvelous husband makes scrambled eggs (usually with goat cheese). That loaded-with-protein breakfast does a great job of getting me through the morning with minimal snacking. J But sometimes I want something different, so I’ll have hard-boiled eggs or sunny-side-up; you get the point. A small modification makes all the difference. It saves me from getting completely bored with eggs every day.

Making a modification to part of your routine can also help you get unstuck, whether it’s from a plateau for weight loss, or boredom, or whatever!

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Learn Something New and Rewire Your Brain

I recently tied a knot in a different direction from how I’m accustomed to tying knots.

It felt odd.

It also felt as if I’d strengthened my little grey cells, as Hercule Poirot might say.

I also recently resumed learning how to knit. I’ve crocheted for years, and I’m really good at flat things, but don’t ask me to make a sweater! Knitting always seemed harder. I also have a weird urge to make socks. (Yes I know! It's a long way from flat things to socks.)

It also felt odd.

And it felt really good.

It’s a known fact that learning new things strengthens the brain. Computer games, or mobile brain games on smartphones, have been pushed out for a long time as ways to strengthen the brain and help prevent memory loss. Learning to do tasks in different ways is sometimes critical, for example if someone has had a brain injury or if someone is temporarily incapacitated due to a less critical injury, such as a broken ankle or broken arm. Learning to do tasks in different ways can also be useful in strengthening the brain, although apparently not as much as learning something completely new.

So while you may not think about strengthening your brain as being a health topic, maybe it’s time to rethink that! ;)

Cheers! Here’s to your health! What new thing are you going to learn?

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Clearing Clutter Made Me Giddy!

Yesterday morning I did a bit more puttering around my house, trying to get various bits & pieces put away, moving piles, eliminating piles, and clearing clutter. I cleared out one small section that had been driving me particularly batty and was instantly, absolutely giddy at how it felt to have something so small cleared up.

It made a huge difference in my morning.

I thought back to a post from early in 2016 about de-cluttering and its benefits on health, and I thought it would be a good time to revisit the topic. :)

Cheers! Here's to your health and finding something that makes you giddy. ;)

February 17, 2016: De-Cluttering

I’ve been trying to figure out what one change I could work on this week to improve my health (mental/physical/emotional) and I realized that clutter drives me crazy. (I know, I know. “Drives??”)

Clutter impacts your health in multiple ways. Think about it! Dust. The more piles of stuff around, the more opportunities for dust to collect. And then when you do finally move the pile, you breathe in more dust. And there’s sneezing. And headaches. And having to clean more. Plus the fact that the clutter is intimidating and frustrating and eventually the guilt or aggravation over not dealing with the clutter can start eating away at you and making everything worse. Add to that the feeling that things are closing in on you…well, I think you get the point.

I am terrible at remembering to put things away. It seemed until this week to be worst with clothes. Not wanting to take the ten steps to put away a sweater or hang up a pair of pants just seems silly. So I started putting the clothes away. It felt like an accomplishment! I put things in the kitchen cupboard that had been on the counter since the last time we bought groceries. I removed a pile of miscellaneous papers that had been on a shelf and put them where they must be dealt with before I can sit on a particular chair again. (Ok, so that was just rearranging the pile…but I’m going to deal with it! Really!) And when someone is going to come over? Ok…for some people maybe you think “They are good enough friends not to care.” But generally there’s the panic-stricken “OH NO PEOPLE ARE COMING WHERE DO I PUT THINGS” feeling that makes it hard to enjoy anticipating company.

Clutter can be a cause of stress and depression. (It can also be a result of stress or depression.) There can be any number of causes (or results). What is one way to get back some of the control or peace or pleasure in your space, reduce your stress, and increase your mental and physical health? Clean one pile. Put something away instead of leaving it on the back of the sofa. Hang up the coat. Put the keys on a rack. (That way, you’ll always know where they are!) Decide on places to put stuff; if you don’t have somewhere to put it, how can you put it away? Be kind to yourself. Take it one step at a time. You didn’t end up with a cluttered, dusty space all in one day.

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Gratitude, Positivity, and a Guest Post

Tomorrow is the last day of November, and November is the month of Thanksgiving, and traditionally there’s lots of talk about what we are grateful for. That’s a good thing to keep in mind on a daily basis.

I’m grateful for a regular practice of meditation and journaling every morning, and I start every journal entry with the same three questions every day:

• What am I grateful for today?
• What am I positive about today?
• What are my creative intentions for today?

At the end of 2016, I posted about feeling gratitude and what I was grateful for last year. (I’m including the link to that post in the comments.) Thinking about gratitude and positivity and my daily journaling let me to thinking about something a good friend of mine, Robert Caverty, has been doing. He started a daily positivity practice. I asked him recently why he’d done so and how he felt he benefited. I’m very grateful to Robert for sharing his experience with me and allowing me to share his words here.

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Robert Caverty: So, I had been suffering some major depression and was struggling to claw my way back. At some point I realized the problem wasn't going to go away on its own, so I did a bit of research and found that one of the biggest hurdles for depression is the fact that your brain feeds on reinforcement - so when you're feeling down, you think negative thoughts, which makes you feel down, repeat ad nauseam.

Just like trying to not think of a purple elephant, the trick isn't to get yourself to stop thinking about it, but to fill your mind with something else and build on those reinforcements.

The original journal concept was to write three things I liked about the day (regardless of how important they are - could be as simple as "I held the door open for someone"), saying them out loud as I wrote them (for stronger reinforcement) each night, then reread them aloud in the morning.

At first, it was really hard to come up with things to write, and I still struggle with jotting down the first positive at times, but I found each positive made the next one easier to find, so that by the third or fourth or fifth, they start flowing easily. I also found over a few weeks that I noticed more positives throughout the days, since I was slowly (somewhat unintentionally) training myself to look for them.

After a few months, it became habit. Day-to-day troubles became less and less bothersome; I started becoming more productive at work and more able to focus on solutions when presented with a problem. My relationship with my son started improving, and parenting became less about the chore of keeping a child alive and well developed, and more about the joy and shared experiences of life.  I stopped seeing problems, and started seeing opportunities in their place. The world didn't change, but my perspective did.

Getting started (and getting over the slightly hokey-ness of the whole process) was the hardest bit, but if I could pinpoint one tool that's helped me come back from the brink, that list would be it!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: The Power of a Smile

I realized recently that three of my favorite meditation mantras include the word “smile” in them.

I realized a long time ago that every time I think that word when I am meditating, I do indeed actually smile. :)

Breathing in, I calm my body.
Breathing out, I smile.
Dwelling in the present moment,
I know this is a wonderful moment.

In, out.
Deep, slow.
Calm, ease.
Smile, release.
Present moment, wonderful moment.

Waking up this morning, I smile.
Twenty-four brand-new hours are before me.
I vow to live fully each moment and to look at all beings with eyes of compassion.

All three of these are also from writings by Thich Nhat Hanh. I’m pretty certain that isn’t a coincidence.

Nothing is more annoying, especially if you don’t feel like smiling, than hearing someone say, “Hey! Smile!” or “Why aren’t you smiling?” or similar things. (We won’t go into RBF in this post; I promise!) A forced smile probably won't do anyone any good. Browbeating someone into smiling may do more harm than good. However, oddly enough, a fake smile can actually provide some of the same benefits as a genuine smile.

Oh, but a truly genuine smile, even when you don’t feel like smiling but you’re putting a good face on it anyway? Or a genuine smile when you do feel like smiling and you want to share? That has the power to move mountains. Or at least make your day better, and make someone else’s day better as well.

Smiling is contagious. Smiling releases neuropeptides that fight stress. Smiling releases endorphins and can help relieve pain.

Smiling is spectacular!

Cheers! Here’s to your health! :)

By the way, in February of 2016, I posted about the power of smiling and the power of laughter. Smiling is related, but not entirely the same thing. I’ve added both of those posts to this site; they were originally only posted on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Laughter (02/10/2016)

Last week, I talked about how a smile is good for your health. My husband suggested laughter as a topic for Wine & Wellness Wednesday! This week, I want to go a step further and talk about how laughter is good for your health.

I think you’ll agree with me when I say there’s some kind of excellent feeling that comes after a really good laugh! Even thinking about how it feels to laugh really well makes me smile. I’m talking about the laughter that comes with positive emotions, specifically, or true humor; not the kind that goes with laughing at someone out of malice. I don’t think that would have the same effect.

If even a fake smile can have benefits, can faking laughter also have benefits? Absolutely! You’ve heard “fake it ‘til you make it,” right? Starting to laugh at nothing and for no reason can eventually turn in to actual, honest-to-goodness laughter, and there’s a benefit in that for you. There’s even a laughter party on the phone that you could dial in to every day! I haven’t participated in way too long, but when I have dialed in, I’ve felt really good for quite a while afterwards. It’s laughter yoga! It’s better when shared!

Here’s a challenge for you! Find some time every day to laugh. If you don’t find it happening naturally, make it happen! Dial in to the laughter party on the phone. (The info is available on Facebook. Let me know if you’re interested and I’ll point you in the right direction!) Sit down and laugh for no reason, even if you don’t think it will work. Pop a funny movie in the DVD player and fast forward to the funniest bits. Laugh a while! Check in with yourself afterwards; how do you feel? Laughter really is the best medicine. :)

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Smiling (02/03/2016)

I found myself wondering recently whether smiling could have a positive impact on health. I thought it was exceedingly possible, as I can feel myself relax a bit and feel my stress levels drop slightly even when I smile only at myself and for no particular reason.

Yes! Smiling is good for you. :) (It’s good for other people, too.) It can reduce your blood pressure, heart rate, and help you recover from stress faster. It is also possible that smiling will help you retrain your brain in positive directions.

Does it have to be a genuine smile? (It would be the best thing, wouldn’t it?) Nope! A genuine smile may be best, but a fake smile is the next best thing.

This is not one of those “Smile! You’ll be prettier!” or “Smile! You look too serious.” posts. Those aren’t helpful comments; they’re downright rude and annoying.

This is one of those “When you smile, you do good things for your body!” And now, I think I’ll smile while I meditate. :)

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Eat Your Cabbage. Or Kohlrabi. Either Works!

I want to talk about cruciferous veggies. Specifically, I want to talk about cabbage & kohlrabi. (Yes, I like broccoli & kale & cauliflower & Brussels sprouts. I’m simply limiting this topic to cabbage & kohlrabi specifically! AND cauliflower had its own post not that long ago!)

I like cabbage.

I like kohlrabi.

I knew I liked cabbage.

I didn’t know I liked kohlrabi, until recently.

I’ve had cabbage both raw & cooked and enjoyed it, although I do find large hunks of purple cabbage in salads completely baffling.

I think maybe sort of once upon a time I’d had kohlrabi but I didn’t remember anything about it, other than it was vaguely cabbagey.  (Cabbage-ish? Cabbage-y? Whatever!) I have now discovered that I particularly like fresh kohlrabi peeled and cut up and even lightly salted. It’s crunchy, a tiny bit sweet, and very filling. One of these days I’m going to grate some into coleslaw. I may even try cooking it in something!

Also? Weirdly? I have absolutely, positively zero idea WHY…but kohlrabi plants remind me of mandrake plants, specifically the mandrake plant Professor Sprout pulls out of the ground in one of the Harry Potter books (and movies). Don’t worry. If you plant kohlrabi, it won’t scream at you when you harvest it!

I digress. Back to cabbage & kohlrabi. (And yes, by extension, back to the rest of the cruciferous veggies!)

Vitamin K. Cancer-fighting compounds. Iron. Antioxidants. Compounds that may fight inflammation and help prevent heart disease. Dietary fiber. Improved digestion. Low in calories. Doesn’t all of that sound great??

Have some cabbage. Or kohlrabi. Or broccoli. Or cauliflower. Your health will thank you!

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Washing Your Face Is Good for Your Health

Google has failed me.

My Google-fu is no longer as strong as it was.

For the first time, Google has failed to return search results that I can utilize to confirm and support my theory.

I’m on my own here.

I’m not sure I can cope!

<insert laughter here>

For several days over the past weekend, I went swimming late in the day. I showered afterwards so as not to sleep in the chlorine. Each of the following mornings, I had no reason for a full shower.

I washed my face instead. It felt weirdly glorious. I didn’t need a full shower, however, washing my face felt like a fresh start to the day, like I was ready for anything. At the end of the day, washing my face feels like I’m ready to call it a day and be done, like I’ve cleaned off the dust and detritus of the day, both mental and physical.

We look at New Year’s Day as a fresh start. Some people say Mondays are their favorite days, because they are fresh starts every week. The simple act of washing your face can be a fresh start twice a day, and that’s a wonderful thing both for your mental and physical health!

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Take a Vacation!

Back in 2016, I posted (and then re-posted) this topic about vacations and taking down time. As I look forward to a long weekend away (a mini vacation, if you will), I go back to this topic and it’s still relevant.

Down time matters.

Vacation time matters.

Relaxing matters.

Scheduling fun time matters.

We all need breaks from our routines, even as we take some of our routines with us when we take those breaks. :) (For example, meditating, journaling, and exercising are routines I try to take with me everywhere I go! I also stick to my gluten-free menus and mostly, usually, healthy eating. But not always!)

Take a day. Take two days. Take a week! Take time away from your everyday responsibilities and take time for yourself. Your health will thank you. Your brain will thank you! Going back to work and being more productive means your colleagues will thank you! :)

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

http://www.makeonechange.today/new-blog/2016/6/1/wine-and-wellness-wednesday-take-a-vacation

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Find Joy

I'd been wracking my brain to think of a topic for this week, and one of these days I'll get around to the health benefits of kohlrabi. Really. I will. (In case you're helplessly curious!)

Several sad occurrences this week reminded me of just how important it is to find joy in life, not only in big events like weddings or births or other major things, but in little, everyday occurrences that frequently go unnoticed or even ignored. 

A conversation with good friends. 

A kiss from my husband. 

A cuddle with the dogs. 

A sighting of a flicker on the evergreen tree in our front yard. 

The fleeting glimpse of glowing golden leaves against a stormy sky. 

The silence when the gusts of wind have paused. 

All of these and more can produce moments of joy. 

Finding joy in those moments, or recognizing them when they happen, can be extremely rewarding. 

They can also be good for your health. Joy & happiness can, in cumulative fashion, help lower blood pressure and heart rate, and the happiest people have lower rates of heart disease. Experiencing joy & happiness can strengthen your immune system. Being open to joyful moments can help reduce stress and increase your enjoyment of the world around you!

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

http://bookofjoy.org

https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/six_ways_happiness_is_good_for_your_health

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-cynthia-thaik/joy-health_b_4612156.html