Related to Health and Longevity


                                                                                            

You are a very powerful person!  I am not speaking of your physical power in the sense of how strong you are, it is your buying power that has a very strong affect/message that you carry in and into the world.  Years ago, life was simpler (no computers, cell phones, PDA's, etc) and now we have all this extra/excess “stuff,” whether in our home, car, etc.  I live in a small studio apartment and am constantly working on eliminating the “stuff” I don't need. 

When we accumulate “stuff,” it can end up cluttering our physical space and also affect us in other ways.  Such as, if you are holding on to pictures, mementos, clothing, products, etc that you either don't want, don't like or maybe some items that were given to you by someone that is no longer your friend or partner.  This can cause emotional and psychological blockages, in turn making you feel stuck in your life and you might find difficulty in moving forward.  I suggest that you take some time out to look through what you already have before you go out to buy more.  Another idea would be to give away 2 things or more if you can, for every new thing you buy.  You can be charitable without having to give money, simply by giving something away that you have spent money on.   

Also, when you do decide to buy anything (whether it be food, clothing, electronics, car, etc), think about the impact it has on the planet, and ultimately us, as well, since we live on earth.  If you can, research before you buy and see if there are products that are less toxic or harmful to you and the world.  You can check on websites, such as “consumer reports” for detailed information on products you are interested in purchasing.  Buy grains, beans, nuts, seeds, granola, seaweeds, etc in bulk at your health food store (less packaging) and try to purchase items from companies that are more environmentally aware.  If you buy items that are shipped to you, ask whether the company uses recycled materials in their packaging. You have the power to demand that they make changes for the health of the planet, as you are the one making the purchase.  Your voice matters, so don't be afraid to speak your mind.  

Side note:  There was a time years ago when the FDA was thinking about allowing things like irradiation and sewage sludge in organic food, particularly produce.  There were phone calls, letters and emails that flooded this organization and they had to listen.  As a result, food that is certified organic is not allowed to be irradiated or use sewage sludge, as well as, no pesticides or genetic engineering.  The power of the voice of the people really showed its mark in this case and can be so, for any number of issues that are important to you.

HEALTH TIP ~ January 2010

To help clear the clutter and allow you to experience the freedom of having less “stuff,” try this experiment:  take 3  empty cardboard boxes and write “Keep” on one of them, “Give away” on the next and finally, “Undecided” on the last.  If you can take 15 minutes (if you have more time then feel free to do so) each day or start with once a week and go through your desk, a portion of your closet, kitchen, bedroom, etc and put items in each of these boxes.  When the boxes are full, then you will have a sense of accomplishment.  You may also feel physically lighter, even though you have not actually lost weight.  To make this even more interesting, take the box that you marked “Undecided” and seal it and put it in your closet.  Leave it in there and then take it out again in a few months and then, without opening it up, write down everything that is in it (NO CHEATING/PEEKING).  If you haven't a clue, then simply give it all away, because it doesn't seem to matter to you, as much as you thought.

HEALTHY RECIPE

With the New Year, now is the time to add more healthy foods into your regimen.  If you start first with fruits and vegetables that you like more than others, that will give you the impetus to eat them.  Please don't be shy/afraid to try a new fruit or vegetable that you see at your health food store/supermarket.  One of my personal favorites (yes, by definition it is a fruit because it has seeds) is the cucumber.  There are many varieties available for consumption, but not year round.  The ones I like the best are the Armenian (available in the summer), Persian, Hothouse and Pickling varieties.  I will buy the regular kind, if the others are not available, but the taste is not as good.  

You can make a simple cool cucumber soup by blending cucumbers with some fresh dill, celery stalks and lemon/lime juice.  If you'd like a salty flavor then add kelp powder/flakes (I don't recommend the use of salt, as you can re-read in my June 2009 blog post a detailed article on this).  You will not need much water if you blend the cucumbers with the lemon juice (and if you like to keep it thicker then add any extra liquid gradually to blend).  I prefer to use coconut water, instead, as it is pure and more nutritious (it can make the soup a bit sweeter, if you like that).  You can also add some avocado to make it creamier and give it a richer flavor.  If you'd like to have something to chew and not have the soup all liquid, then you can add as a garnish some chopped celery, red bell pepper and shredded purple cabbage.

I would like to end this post with one of my poems, again, taken from an upcoming book I will be self-publishing, entitled:

“My Inspirations: Short and Sweet/Heart Notes”

Be happy no matter what, because what has happened matters not. Copyright 2009
Chef Mindy aka Ageless Raw Beautytm