How You View Yourself

The way we view ourselves can either add to, or take away from our health and overall well-being.

Eating disorders and depression seem to be on the increase. Not all are related to the way we view ourselves, but some start out that way. A person may view themselves so negatively that they will go to the extreme in having multiple surgeries and diet in a very unhealthy way and wreck havoc on their body. They want to have that “perfect” look.

If what’s on the inside of a person isn’t corrected, surgery and crash dieting isn’t going to help. Unless you change your negative views of yourself into positive views, you will have a continuous battle with yourself.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to enhance one’s looks, but when it becomes an obsession or goes to the extreme because a person views themselves so negatively, it will eventually backfire.

If you feel obsessed with perfecting the exterior of yourself by going to the extreme - STOP in your tracks and ask yourself…how are you viewing yourself? How are you viewing yourself from the inside out, not the outside in? Look inward first to understand what is going on before ruining your health with an eating disorder or countless

Enjoy the Outdoors

Too often in this high-tech world, we tend to stay indoors too much. At home and at work, our days are often on the inside of four walls.

In our homes we have computers, video games, tvs and other gadgets that people tend to get hooked on. Instead of enjoying time outdoors, we get in a rut of spending time with “gadgets” indoors.

Enjoying the outdoors is good for your health and well-being. Nature has a way of lessening the stress and giving you a more positive perspective.

Yesterday, I was overwhelmed. I had so much I needed to do, but I took a break and got in my pool. The break was so refreshing and I realized I had been spending too much time indoors and on work. I gazed at the beautiful mountains behind my home and surrounding scenery. I felt a calmness that I hadn’t felt in a while.

In your daily routine, make it a point to spend more time outdoors. Even if it’s ten minutes here and there, it will be beneficial. If you work from home, take a break and go outside with a glass of lemonade or ice tea. It will do you a world of good!

Of course, it’s important to take precaution against sun damage. But, don’t get so caught up in what you need to do that you forget to enjoy the great outdoors!

Sissel-Online.com

Sissel-Online.com has about anything a fitness buff would want.

They offer many fitness products. Items are listed under categories such as “fitness shop”, “sport”, “therapy shop”, “dvds and books”, “kid’s stuff” and “clearance”. I really like the idea of a therapy shop and the items available such as neck pillows, hot-cold therapy and muscle balms. Sounds great after after a hard work-out.

You can purchase books and videos to help with your fitness routine. Or exercise balls or most anything that will get you motivated.

What I found even more enticing about this site is the long list of exercises with instructions and graphics to demonstrate the exercises. Best of all, they are free.

I’m really impressed with this site and feel it would be a good motivator for anyone wanting to get into a fitness routine. Even if you don’t want to spend money on products, the list of exercises would be extremely beneficial.

Aromatherapy on the Go

Alternative health is becoming increasingly popular. Stop and think about all the time that you spend in your car on a daily basis. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could enjoy aromatherapy while you drove around for errands and vacations?

One way to enjoy aromatherapy is to put a gel scent in your car that is invigorating and revitalizing. You can use scents that make you alert and feel energized such as citrus or cinnamon. Put the gel in the car and uncap the night before to feel invigorated on the way to work.

Cap the gel after you get in the car. At lunch, pull out the lavender, jasmine or chamomile gel and uncap it. When you are done with work, you will have a nice relaxing and soothing scent to help you unwind on your commute home from work.

Scents affect mood. They help reduce anxiety and promote relaxation. It’s a simple way of enhancing your day while on the go.

Natural Energy

Have you noticed all the energy drinks that are available? They may have their purpose occasionally, but maintaining and increasing energy naturally, adds to your overall health.

You can maintain and boost your energy naturally without resorting to energy drinks:

* Get active. Activity increases energy. If you have a job where you sit a lot, be sure to take breaks as often as possible and walk around. This decreases lethargy. Being active doesn’t have to mean an hour at a time, but you can break it down into minutes at a time.

* Get enough liquids. Drinking water keeps your body hydrated, which helps maintain natural energy. Dehydration will give you the opposite effect. If your body doesn’t have enough fluids, you’ll feel much more drained.

* Eat light and healthy. Foods with lots of fat and sugar can make you feel so drained and sleepy, you’ll wonder if you’re heading for a coma. Fruits, vegetables, salads or healthy sandwiches in moderate portions will give you more energy. A banana is great for boosting natural energy. Instead of eating three large meals a day, eat more frequent meals, but lighter.

Maintaining or boosting energy levels the natural way takes active participation, but the efforts aren’t that difficult and the results are well worth it.

Self-Help Tips for Depression

Depression is real. It can be mild or severe. It can cause a few disruptions in life or cause one to completely shut down. Depression can be derived from a variety of factors and cause a variety of symptoms. Those suffering from depression may have a decreased appetite, lose interest in activities they normally love, lack energy, sleep excessively, have suicidal thoughts or suffer from insomnia. The list goes on.

For those suffering from chronic or severe depression, guidance from your doctor is needed, but there are ways you can help with the battle against depression.

Tips:

*  If you are on any kind of medication, check with your doctor to see if it may be causing depression. Depression can be a side effect of many medications.

*  Keep your mind active. An inactive mind allows a breeding ground for negative thoughts. Share your thoughts and ideas with others. Read uplifting and inspirational books, poetry or articles. Keep a journal or write about interesting things you’ve experienced through the years.

*  Become aware of negative thoughts that add to your depression. When you are depressed, negative thoughts come with the territory, but doing everything you can to ward off negative thoughts is helpful. Don’t minimize your accomplishments, your purpose or what you have to offer to others. Place value on yourself and even the smallest of accomplishments.

*  Turn to your Higher Power. For me that is God. Knowing there is a Higher Power that offers strength and comfort beyond what any mortal can offer is very helpful.

*  Be realistic with your expectations. Maybe you feel like a failure because you don’t have what you want or aren’t where you feel you should be in life. Learn to focus on what you can control and let go of what you have no control over.

*  Don’t isolate yourself. Depression can make you feel like hiding from the world. You may feel like no one cares, but this isn’t true. Reach out. Keeping secret what you are going through only makes it worse.

*  Eat nutritious meals and eat regularly. Having the right nutrients will help your body fight whatever causes it to be under stress. You may not have much of an appetite, but try to eat something or maybe vitamin-enriched drinks like Ensure.

*  Get outside more. Depression can make you feel paralyzed to the point going outside may seem a world away. Do a little at a time. Even if you sit outside for a few minutes, it will help. Being among nature, even if in your back yard can be uplifting.

*  When everyday tasks feel monumental, break them down into small steps. Prioritize what you need to take care of. Embrace the sense of accomplishment instead of focusing on what you haven’t accomplished.

*  Exercise. Getting motivated to exercise can feel impossible when you are suffering from depression. But, by breaking exercise down into small steps, it becomes a bit easier. Enlisting an exercise buddy can be a great motivator.

* If at all possible, help others. By helping others, we feel a sense of purpose and value. It also allows us to get outside of our own problems, even if temporarily.

While these methods might not be a cure for depression, they can help win the battle!

Health Benefits of Cucumbers

Cucumbers have the taste and the crunch, but also offer health benefits. The skin of a cucumber is rich in minerals and high in fiber. Cucumbers contain several vitamins and also nutrients such as potassium, manganese, folate, magnesium, copper, etc. They also have a high water content, which the body needs.

For those wanting to lose weight, cucumbers are great. They give a sense of feeling full and decrease the temptation to overindulge in the wrong foods.

Cucumbers are versatile and can be used in salads, stir fry, raw, pickled or just about any way you can think of.

Not only are cucumbers good on the inside, but they offer benefits on the outside…

Grated cucumber added to carrot juice can be used to reduce under eye circles. Apply under eyes and leave for about 20 minutes and then rinse off. Sliced cucumbers alone can also be used.

A peeled and coarsely chopped cucumber blended well can be used as an astringent.

For oily or dull skin, combine grated cucumber with rosewater to get a radiant glow.

Cucumbers can reduce puffiness around eyes, help reduce fine lines, tighten pores, give skin a nice glow and also whiten skin. Used on the inside or outside, the benefits are abundant.

Don’t Worry, Be Happy

We’ve all heard the phrase, “don’t worry, be happy”. Sometimes those words are difficult to implement in life, especially when struggles keep coming at us one after the other. But, the phrase has merit.

It’s almost impossible to be happy every moment of every day, but changing our mindset can bring positive results. Have you ever noticed how quickly your mood changes when someone offers a kind word, a smile or even a joke? By talking to yourself more positively, you can have the same results.

Be aware of what you tell yourself. You may be telling lies. If you say you are worthless, you have no purpose, nothing will ever change for the better, your mood is certainly going to be negative. This not only affects you, but those you are around.

The moment you realize you are inflicting negativity upon yourself - STOP! Turn the negativity around and think of something or do something positive. Negativity breeds negativity and positivity breeds positivity. Self-care isn’t just about exercising and eating right, but about how we treat ourselves in thought.

We often try to look for someone or something to make us happy, but true happiness comes from within. Our perception of the world and of ourselves is where happiness or unhappiness lies. Strive to have a positive and happy state of mind and the worries won’t be as intense.

The Importance of Hand Washing

So many germs are picked up by what our hands come in contact with. Sometimes we may not be aware of when our hands need washing in our daily routine. It’s not just when they are obviously dirty. It isn’t just before preparing food or after using the bathroom.

If you see a friend out in public and shake their hand and then go out to eat without washing, you may be spreading bacteria from whatever your friend came in contact with onto your hands and into your mouth. While your friend may be and look very clean, you have no idea what they have touched.

In our daily routine we come in contact with many things. We touch money. We set our purses down, not knowing what kind of germs they may be picking up. We play with our pets. Even though something may feel and look clean, chances are there are lots of germs we are being exposed to.

The way to wash:

* use soap and warm water
* rub hands vigorously until you work up a later
* scrub between fingers, under nails, top and bottom of hands
* rinse well
* dry with disposable paper towel or let air dry
* use the towel to turn off the faucet

Alternatives:

If you are in a situation where soap and water isn’t available, carry alcohol hand sanitizers.
Washing hands is one of the most effective ways to prevent spreading germs and diseases. I believe this to be true because I wash my hands diligently and often and rarely have a cold or other viruses. In cases where I handle something obviously germ-laden, I rub my hands with alcohol first and then wash.

Healthier Ways of Cooking

Cooking healthy doesn’t have to be as difficult as you may think. If you substitute healthier ingredients, the results are often just as good, but without the bad stuff.

Some tips:

*  egg yolks have a lot of cholesterol and just one contains almost the daily quota for one person. You can substitute 2 egg whites or egg substitutes for one egg.

*  heavy cream is just that…heavy with calories and fat. Use evaporated skim milk in place of heavy cream and you’ll save a lot of calories.

*  meat juices can contain a lot of fat. Instead of basting with the juices, use fresh juices or wine.

*  use non-stick sprays such as “Pam” instead of oils or butter. “Pam” comes in different varieties so there’s something to please anyone’s taste.

*  yogurt is a great base for dips and is much more healthy than sour cream

*  use spices or herbs to flavor dishes such as mashed potatoes instead of using loads of butter and milk. Chives compliment potatoes very well.

*  for baking, substitute applesauce, apple butter or mashed banana for the oil. This may not work for all recipes, but it’s worth trying.

Using ingredients you aren’t used to may take some experimenting, but it’s worth the effort to save calories and add benefits to your health.

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