Learning to live a healthy lifestyle pt 2

Warm lemon water in the morning

My mom talked about my Grandma Parker drinking warm lemon water in the morning to reduce bags under the eyes.  Was she on to something way back then?

Rarely do I read any diet or lifestyle piece that this morning ritual isn’t mentioned.  How could squeezing a lemon in warm water have such a huge benefit for health that it crosses the threshold for most health plans?

WHY START THIS HABIT?

• Improves Overall Digestion
  • Drinking lemon water upon waking helps boost the function of your digestive system, reducing the acidity in your body and regulating pH levels.
  • Improves the function of the gastrointestinal tract and lets the food move faster through your body.
• Loaded with numerous vitamins and nutrients
  • Lemon water gives you a boost of Vitamin C which is one of the essential nutrients our bodies need to stay healthy.

There are numerous other benefits but let’s keep this simple.  Who doesn’t want to have an optimal digestive system that can be aided with this drink?

WHAT IS NEEDED TO START THIS DAILY HABIT?

WATER

Use filtered water that is warm

Cold water is a shock to the system, and it takes energy away from other body functions to bring the water to an acceptable temperature. Some have gone so far as to say it slows metabolism.

• Be picky about your water. Tap water has been rumored to be a problem for some time and most municipalities acknowledge that “trace” amounts of pharmaceutical drugs are found in varying degrees and more testing is needed.  Why take a chance? Don’t believe me??? Try taking your child to the emergency room with an unidentifiable problem.  One of the top 10 questions asked in the ER (at least in my neck of the woods) is “Has the child had tap water in the last 24 hours?”.

https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/features/drugs-in-our-drinking-water#1

• Some say warmth in the blood vessels causes them to open up and expand. Think circulation.  Makes sense…think of what happens to you when you’re cold.

LEMONS

Fresh juice not from juice concentrate 

• Citrus begins losing nutritional value after being cut open. Using  ½ lemon in 8 ounces of water, then place the other half in a baggie to use in cooking during the day or for the next day is ideal.
• The seeds are a nuisance, so I am in love with this juicing utensil. It juices the half practically dry so no waste.

CAUTION

• Lemons can be harmful to teeth enamel so either wash your mouth out with water afterwards or think about using a straw.
• Those with high levels of iron in their blood should limit their intake, as lemon can increase your body’s ability to absorb iron. The flip side is not a caution but a plus…struggling with low iron? Add the lemon water for better absorption.

Lemons:  What to look for:

• Finer bumpy peels have the most juice inside.
• Larger lemons have the most sugar but have the highest mineral content.
• The lemon should be totally yellow.
• Thin-skinned, dense lemons yield the most juice.
• Store your lemons in the refrigerator and toss out any that become soft or wrinkled.

Good digestion is key to the absorption of nutrients and waste removal from your body.  Simple healthy habits can help keep your body working for you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Learning to live a healthy lifestyle

Learning to live a healthy lifestyle  

This seemingly simple task has never been more challenging.  The mounds of conflicting information coming at us are frustrating.  If it is as simple as eating more vegetables and getting the body moving, why are more than 50% of America adults overweight?

I have loathed the experience of poundage gained over the years. The resulting detriment to my health, self-esteem, energy, and motivation that accompanies the expansion creep and ensuing flab and discomfort is disheartening. Stressful events and jobs, menopause in its various stages, digestion changes and sleep issues are all factors supporting the gain.

Our closets speak volumes about this condition featuring garments that hide and conceal while non-contenders grow in number. All too familiar are the comfort waistbands or tummy tucking panels and flowy garment not for femininity but for hide and no seek affect.  Sometimes it is easier to stay home than to find something passable to wear. Thanks to Thomas Hancock, inventor of elastic, most of have something we can pull up and on that works. But many find themselves increasingly uncomfortable wearing flatting support to hide the secrets before the final layer is “applied” for a more presentable image. 

No wonder we quit living long before we die.

If you find yourself wanting to know what changes you can do that can start moving the needle to a healthier outcome, let’s do it together.  Getting into this state of health didn’t happen overnight and it is not going to disappear overnight.  It can be simple habits practiced with consistency that can have profound effects.

Let’s get started with two simple steps.

1. Do not drink liquids with your meals.

Drink 20 minutes before you eat and/or 20 minutes after you eat.  Digestive enzymes break down the food so it can be utilized by the body.  Digestion begins in your mouth. When I say, “think about eating a delicious piece of fruit”, notice that your mouth begins to salivate.  Drinking liquids dilutes enzymes making the body work harder.  Think about energy being wasted on digestion that you can gain back!

2. Slow down and Chew

It takes your body 20 minutes to realize you are full.  Properly chewed food takes about 30 chews requiring you to slow down.  Swallowing larger food chunks (speed eating) can cause us to overeat and sends the digestion process into overdrive.  The stomach works overtime producing more and more acid to break the food down.  Additional digestive enzymes are added to the mix to aid in the process.  By the time we reach our 40s, we have half the enzymes we have in our 20s. Ever wonder why we could eat onions and peppers most of our lives and now we can’t.  Now, you know why!  Studies have shown that just by the better chewing habit, you can lose 10 pounds in a year.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21802566

The goal that we seek with a healthier and more energetic life is attainable using some simple steps and discipline.  Let’s take this journey together one step at a time.

 

 

Don’t Allow Good Habits to Die

After investing 6 months in guided exercises and regular habits…simplified down to…understanding how important thoughts are and how the brain works, I have graduated and now am on my own.  There is a sense of freedom in creating how to spend any free hours in a day now that the routine of a class is over.

The question to ask is, “am I going to continue in those good habits that are purposeful or return to habits that don’t truly benefit me and others?”  What is the new beginning…The 30-day challenge is over, the dieting goal reached, the class over…now what?

Reiterated constantly during the class, the Master Keys Experience, was… “you will not make it without a mastermind”. Connecting with my masterminds daily had become the norm.  So, the first day out of the class routine, I reached out to my masterminds.  I find that my groups of masterminds (I have several for different purposes) are both friends and coaches.  A difficult balance to achieve and doable if the relationships are safe and the knowledge that all are in your best interest is felt.

With one mastermind partner, we talked about lessons learned and how best to power ahead.  With another mastermind partner, work was needed.  Not for her but for me.  I didn’t see it, ask for it, or anticipate the work that took place yesterday.  A truly great mastermind can see beneath the words, stories, and feelings and get to the crux of an issue.  What was my issue?  Forgiveness.

Unforgiveness causes a state that disrupts our creative intuition where genius lies.  Given my plethora of creative ideas and business possibilities brewing, you would have thought this couldn’t possibly be an issue.  But an invested partner saw beneath it all.  She talked to me like the big sister I never had. She guided me in an exercise that brought me to a startling place and tears.  I had not forgiven myself for the times I had let myself down, poor decisions made, opportunities and time squandered…totally burdened by the baggage I was holding on to in the name of being humble and realistic about who I really am.  The time it took to complete this talk which led to my realization, and final act of forgiveness was about 3 hours all in all…A 10-minute talk…then given time to process…A 10-minute talk…given time to come to a realization….A 15-minute talk…then shared experiences that only took this mastermind to a new level.

LESSON LEARNED:  Masterminds are priceless

 

 

 

Week 24 The Master Keys Experience

I don’t live “there” anymore

The Final week of the Master Keys Experience is coming to a close.  There is a feeling of accomplishment having pushed through the reading, adopted the habits, establish my purpose and forged in that direction.  Although the focus for 6 months has been on me, the principals practiced have touched all that I encounter.

My past has no hold on me.  Enjoying today for all that it can offer and all that I can give is resulting in a feeling of joy, happiness, and satisfaction.  Lingering in thoughts that do not benefit me have been diminished.

My understanding of God’s love has only intensified showing his love through the freedom he has given me.  His daily guidance and the guidance in Master Keys Experience, has led me to something beautiful.  With this freedom, I have chosen to accept His blessings fully, his promises and now experience a much closer relationship.

With my faith in God and purposeful direction and focus, I know where I live.  I live in today with a firm foot planted in the direction of the life I will live.  My enthusiasm and excitement for the future that I can see will propel me to live the life of purpose that I was intended to live.  May the journey continue and the legacy I leave behind be worthy of the statement, “Well done my good faithful servant”.

LESSON LEARNED:  Controlling your thought is where success and happiness meet.

A special shout out to my mastermind group, Care’n and Jordan, for the hours of work done weekly to put this material to work and helping me make major changes.  Thank you to Mark J. and Davene for their passion and enthusiasm in instructing the principals of the Master Keys.  Deb Waldron, my guide, you were the calm during some of the storms!  Thank you to Gigi, Derek, Lori, and Danya for all your contributions to this journey.  And to my fellow bloggers, your contribution spurred me on in ways you may never know.  Blessing to you all and may this journey of Heros (the class of 2019) make this world a better place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WEEK 23 The Master Keys Experience

 Removal of the Cement Boots

Ridding yourself of the endless labels, expectations, seemingly failures, and self-sabotage that you have adopted over your lifetime can be dumped. This release is necessary to live the life you were meant to enjoy.  This purge is not something done at the snap of a finger.  Stigmas are woven into the very fiber of our lives. Finding that authentic you is a beautiful thing when you can finally say, I KNOW WHO I AM!

After 23 plus weeks of hours of hard work, most in the Master Keys Experience have reached the point of a clear mental picture of their authentic self…Who you are, your passion and your dreams. This journey described by many as a golden Buddha who has had a cement layer removed to reveal the true value.

How does the “new” you move forward once you have done the work?  The old you knew how to function whether in self-pity, victim mentality, low self-worth, dreamlessness, depressed, or just unfulfilled.  The new you steps into uncharted territory. What next?

Live out the new life, of course!  But there is where the next challenge lies.  Living out the old life was comfortable and stepping into the life of the new you, never has been done before.  Where does the old end and the new begin? The new begins with courage.  It is the courage to make the steps that are uncomfortable.  Not once but again and again until the new life becomes more enjoyable than the old.

There is not a final destination in this journey but a continual movement out of the ordinary into the extraordinary.  Here you find having mastermind partners to encourage you helpful…Here you find the work you have done to find your definite purpose in life stirring…Here you find having faith in God uplifting…Here you find sitting with yourself in silence powerful.

And in the end…

The only one that can take that final leap, kicking off those cement boots, is you.  Pieces of the heavy boots coming off here and there is encouraging.  A full removable is liberating.  Only you can complete the total unearthing of the authentic you.  Crack out the courage to smash the cement boots, march forward, and enjoy the excitement of the journey.

Lesson Learned:  These boots were made for walking

 

WEEK 22a The Master Keyes Experience

RSVP to the Hero’s Journey

Once, I believed, the call of the hero’s journey was an invitation for a select few and a rare occurrence. If searching for answers in your own life, the awareness of this call is there at some point. Only a few heed the call.  Living a life, never venturing out of the well-worn path, is easy and comfortable.

Why would anyone turn down the opportunity to be the hero in their own life?

Just thinking about attempting the journey can render the cold sweats.  This journey calls out all the emotions we want to avoid: fear, anxiety, self-worth, sadness, uncertainty, doubt…just to name of few.  Staying in the comfort zone, never stretching for the greatness within, keeping unwanted feelings at bay are all avoidance tactic to not proceed.  The process of getting out of the ordinary life is a rocky road with high highs and low lows. It is not for sissies.

When does the call come?

Although some may enjoy this call at a time of peace, most are faced with the call of the hero’s journey during a time of upheaval. Taking on a challenge during an already difficult time is when the invitation arrives…sickness, a divorce, loss of job, financial ruin… Few escape the troubles during a lifetime.

Lost in the journey…

For those that have launched their hero’s journey, you know and understand the uncertainty in the journey.  There will be failures…you learn from them.  There will be tears…nothing better than a cry to clear the fog.  There will be days of celebration…enjoy but do not linger. There will be fear…use the energy.  There will be guilt and feelings of unworthiness…know you are on the right track.  Hold on to the clarity of where you want to go, what you want to be, and enjoy the journey. Consistent actions toward that desire will eventually get you to your destination with a Hero’s celebration from within.

Lesson Learned:   Once you have RSVPed you must show up, and show up, and show up…

 

WEEK 22 The Master Keys Experience

How to turn off the world?

Dead silence for any period of time is not something I have done or would have welcomed.  Yet, this exercise was encouraged in the Master Keyes Experience.  Like most, I had every excuse under the son not to give this a try.  What exactly did it mean?  No phone, No TV, No computer, No interaction with any person, no music…no distractions.

You may be wondering, why on earth would anyone put themselves into silence?  The answer is simple.  If you spend time alone with yourself, you can determine what you are thinking. No outside influences putting ideas in your head or vying for your energy.  How are you really?  All the distractions pull you away of the awareness of you.

I had my plan set.  Fasted for 3 days and sandwiched in between was my 24 hours of silence.  Walking in nature was a key part of this quiet day.  As plans go, it poured rain.

DEAD SILENCE…So here it goes…After alerting key people in my life of my plan (which could be a blog in itself), I handed my phone over to my husband, stuck two earplugs of pink foam in my ears and headed to the living room where there would be no distractions. I relaxed and focused on my breathing.  Part of my thinking is what am I supposed to get out of this?

BACK TO REALITY and the outcome…True enjoyment!  This was the most surprising aspect of the day.  I am truly happy.  I am more confident in myself, my potential, and my purpose.  My direction in life is clear.  Things that I want to work on identified.  Yet, the most surprising outcome was a business that creatively came forth that nails my purpose and passion for life.  Clarity and focus are more directed than ever before and I have grown in the past 6 months beyond what I thought was possible.

Lesson Learn:  “Silence is deadly” is a fallacy.

 

WEEK 21 Master Keys Experience

Happiness calling!

Is it possible to live in a state of happiness?  Isn’t that Pollyannaish?  Wouldn’t you have to have your head in the sand oblivious to the world around you?  If you could move into a happier state of mind, would you be willing to do what it takes?

On this MKE journey, we have been given tools to help bring on a state of happiness.  Below are the regular steps I took to improve my happiness.

Turn off the news…This has been the most drastic step I took on this journey.  Never realizing how much emotion was stirred up watching the news, the painful weaning off this addictive activity was a change I made cold turkey.

Just smile…There are so many beautiful things happening around us that are worthy of a smile.  Scientists say that just smiling confuses our subconscious into believing we are happy even when we aren’t and helps you learn better.

Knowing your purpose in life…Taking the amount of time it takes to understand what you really want out of life is so valuable.  Moving closer daily brings on, ”I’ve got this”, happy emotion.

Reading the obituaries…Daily obituaries readings brought awareness to the fact that any one of those people would love to take my place, my problems and to have more time with loved ones.  Happily handling problems and loving up on my family and friends has been such a blessing.

Move…Exercise brings on those endorphins that are always a pleasure. Seeing nature on my walks or sweating out the toxins has improved my outlook and body.

Keep your promises to yourself…Each week I have written down 2 tasks/services and have accomplished them which keeps away a feeling of ignominious.  Might as well be a disease but knowing you keep your promises to yourself is powerful and keeps you “disease” free.

Direct emotions…This was a biggie for me.  Do not attach emotions to things that are out of your control. Now, I say a little prayer and give it to “SOMEONE” else to issue assistance.

Having the knowledge of how to bring on happiness in one’s life is truly valuable.  Give it a try and see if you don’t feel the edges of your lips turning up a little more.

Lesson Learned:  Knowing how to be happy and doing it are two different things!

 

WEEK 20 Master Keys Experience

Uneasy Street

A comfort zone can be so appealing. That familiar place where you feel at ease.  No stressors, no pressures, no issues. It’s the easy chair in front of the TV, the job you do with your eyes shut, and autopilot daily motions with little thought to execution. For some, it spells perfection with no yearning for growth.

 

Another place many find themselves is with a burning desire for something extraordinary.  Let’s call it Uneasy Street, where dreams are not a fleeting thought.  What is the best method to initiate and master this exciting journey? JUMP IN???

This precipice is where many find themselves stuck.

…Yet, I have news for you.  You may not be stuck.

A concept was brought up this week in the Master Keys webinar.  Instead of jumping into the unknown, what about a continual stretching of the outer limits of the comfort zone?

And then it hit me…For many months, members of the MKE class have been writing down each week a service(task) for themselves and one service (task) that moves the goals in our Definite Major Purpose (to be accomplished during the week). Once accomplished, mark completed. No ignominious conditions in this group.

Little by little, we have pushed the outer edge of our comfort zone, feeling a bit unsettled and yet not so pained to have us recoiling in fear.  Have you made the connection yet? The comfort zone has already expanded.  You are on your way!!!

Guided in such a beautiful manner that it seemed effortless. A little stretch here, a little stretch there…

 

Lesson Learned: Stretching onto “uneasy” street isn’t painful.

 

 

 

Week 19 The Master Keys Experience

…. Clink

When you hear something hit the ground, there is a sound that sparks your attention and curiosity takes over.  What was that?

Finding Joe, a movie about a golden Buddha covered with cement by a group of monks to keep invaders from recognizing its value reveals this phenomenon perfectly. Many years after the invasion, a monk sitting by the cemented Buddha noticed a small piece of rock on the ground. Curiosity caused him to take notice and see a small glimmer of gold, revealing the truth about the statue.  It was golden.

Many of us were drawn to the MKE because we knew that there was something missing and we wanted more out of our lives.  Seeing the very first small chink in our armor, revealing hidden value, had us wanting more.

Digging deep and turning down the “noise” allowed us to figure out what needed to be pruned from the core.  This is not like tearing into a present but a painful and/or emotional removal of what was not serving the purpose of our emerging soul.

Time-consuming with fits and starts, breaking out of the mold for some comes quicker.  What determines the length of this process? Is it about awareness or age, technique or tools?  Who has the answer, and does it matter?  Whether you are the tortoise or the hare, crossing this thresh hold, is critical.

If you have arrived at this place, it feels great.  The value meter for self-worth has risen.  The appearance of true authenticity shines through.

NOW WHAT?

Laid bare of our baggage with a well written Definite major purpose in hand, are you ready, or am I???

Your dreams await!! Hesitating?  Is it fear or excitement? All I know is it is electric!

The task at hand…Courage to accept my power and move deeper into that hero’s journey, slap the girl in the glass a high five, and strike a victory pose.

Lesson Learn: The sound of breaking cement is beautiful.