SUPER FOODS

Super Foods
According to SuperFoods Rx: Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life, some foods will not only improve your life - but may well extend it.
For the list complete with suggestion on how to incorporate into your diet just email San at AbundanceUnLtd@aol.com

BEANS – low-fat protein, fiber, B vitamins, iron, folate, potassium, and magnesium
BLUEBERRIES – fiber, folate, vitamins C and E, potassium, magnesium, iron, riboflavin, niacin, phytoestrogen, and only a few calories
BROCCOLI – folate, fiber, calcium, vitamins C and K, and beta-carotene
OATS - high fiber, few calories, protein, magnesium, potassium, zinc, copper, selenium, and thiamine.
ORANGES – Vitamin C. They are also good for fiber, folate, potassium, pectin
PUMPKIN - alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, high fiber, few calories, vitamins C and E, potassium, magnesium.
WILD SALMON – omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins B and D, selenium, potassium, protein
SOY - omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, potassium, folate, magnesium, and selenium
SPINACH - beta-carotene, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins C and E, thiamine, iron, calcium, magnesium, and zinc
TEA - green and black. Flavonoids, fluoride, no calories.
TOMATOES - lycopene, few calories, alpha- and beta-carotene, vitamin C, potassium, chromium, fiber
TURKEY - (skinless breast) low-fat protein, niacin, vitamins B6 and B12, iron, selenium, and zinc
WALNUTS – omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins E and B6, magnesium, protein, fiber, and potassium
YOGURT live active cultures, calcium, vitamins B2 and B12, potassium, magnesium, zinc

Cankersores

Anyone have any tips about how to "handle" chronic cankersores? I read this in the paper this morning, but would appreciate knowing sources through diet, not supplements, of the necessary nutritional components.

: If I feel a canker sore coming on, I put a wad of chopped sauerkraut on the area, hold it there for a minute, then chew and swallow. I do this three or four times a day for two to three days.

A: Trauma to the mouth from sharp food can trigger a canker sore (aphthous ulcer). So can immune suppression or a deficiency of folic acid, vitamin B-12 and iron. A 1930s remedy recommended swishing sauerkraut juice in the mouth several times a day. Perhaps the bacteria that ferment cabbage into sauerkraut provide helpful nutrients.

A 2009 study demonstrated improvement in canker sores from 1,000 micrograms of vitamin B-12 daily (Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine).

I know there's no way you can encourage a kid to swish saurkraut juice in their mouths. Alternatives?

Grateful to you
Prue

Green Ginger Smoothie

Ginger was mentioned as one of the great thermogenic foods on tonight's call. This is a simple smoothie recipe I saw recently which sounded great. I just have to get some dandelion greens from the health food market or Whole Foods:

Green Ginger Smoothie
1 bunch dandelion greens
1 ripe mango (with peel if its organic) without pit (of course!)
1 ripe banana
1/2 inch fresh ginger root
2-3 cups water

Blend well and enjoy! - Betty Robinson
(my weekly post)

recommitting daily

I love the recommitting ritual. It is a wonderful routine way to wake up and begin the day on a positive note. I have found that even when the prior day was not fully based on AHL priniciples, recommitting in the morning is a great refocus for the brand new day and its beginning.

-Myra

Comfort Food

If you all like comfort food - and who doesn't - check out Healthy Decadence by Devin Alexander.  She has a show on Fit TV and several cookbooks.  I love her and her food.    Worth a look. 

Love, Tee

Great Free Online Fitness Advice & Tools

I had started last year to develop an online log/journal format for eating, exercise and organizing my fitness regimen. I now do not have to reinvent the wheel. I stumbled on a FREE online program and tool which is fabulous. There are easy to use journals, healthy eating advice yummy low-calorie recipies, and workout routines. Please visit the Glamour magazine website http://www.glamour.com/ and go to the Body By Glamour (BBG) link. This is a 12 week program, but I hope it will stay available on the website.

I registered for the Glamour Magazine website itself and then registered for the BBG Program, keyed in my profile information. and have been using the journals, monitoring my progress and getting all kinds of great information. You can set up your food "favorites" or search their food database and get a complete nutritional breakdown eg. calories, fat, protein and carbs you consume daily. Your cardio & strength journal lets you know how many calories you are burning per workout. This all has been great for assessing where I need to make changes or improvements.

This is my blog entry for the week and thank you very much for your kind words and good wishes for my mom. Betty Robinson

Monday Morning is a Fresh Start

I feel enpowered this morning. It is Monday once again, the sun is shinning, and a new week begins! Yes, I know all about the upcoming snow. BUT this time it is just a baby snow. We all can handle that in a pinch. We all are survivors who have recently tackled soooooooo much more. Over the weekend, I purchased a magic bullet device. I am sure most of you have seen the advertisements on TV for this contraption. My son has always wanted one... so I purchased it with AHL in mind. For the past few days, it has made my vanilla shake experience awesome. I put in a 1/2 banana and 1/4 cup of wild blueberries. Grind it up with vanilla protein mix and ice!! So easy, efficient and yummy. Makes morning time a bit easier which we all need. My blog fofr this week is to stay focused and dedicated. The scale has been holding steady which is good considering shoveling has been my mode of exercise recently. I hope to be able to get into some spin classes this week which always lifts spirits and restores committment. Hope to hear everyone at tonite's call.

~Myra

A Little Habit That Makes Exercise Easier

A tip from the RealAge e-zine I receive.

Rest your Mind before Exercising your Body. Research suggests that a tired mind means a tired body. Exercisers in a study had a harder time with their workouts if their brains were fatigued.

When men and women did tedious and time-intensive computer tasks before working out reported much more fatigue during their workout than when they relaxed in front of documentary films on relatively uncomplicated topics before working out.

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I find this an interesting concept. I know I love my morning walks when my body and mind are relaxed and refreshed, not yet pulled in a million directions from a day's activities. Exercising after a long day has its own rewards, yet it does seem to take more for me to push thru the mental demands of the day. So, if you work out later in the day, you might want to try taking a little time to quiet and relax your mind first!

Don't let the winter blues get to you

Hi all,

Just thought I'd check in with everyone. I think we've all been a bit overwhelmed with the record snowfalls this past week and checking in on the blog has not had top priority. I know I've been in that boat.

My exercise this week has been focus on my upper body - shovel, shovel, and shovel some more. And I still do my best to be mindful of how much stress I've been putting on my muscles.

So it's also been a time of soaks in the bathtub with our SeaSource SeaSoak, using the SeaSource Gelee on the sore muscles and even going for the powerhouse of our Herbal Muscle Massage on some spots on my back and by the shoulder blades.

Remember to take care of your body as you've probably been working it in ways that are not necessarily the best. Think 'Extreme Self Care' and then do the best you can. Your body will thank you for it!

Love! ~ Gerri

The Effects of Stress

In line with our healthy living principles, this is just a reminder to do what you can to minimize stress in your life. Did you know:

• The adrenal glands secrete cortisol in response to high stress and a high cortisol level has been linked to weight gain, specifically around the abdomen. For this reason stress management is so important.
• The ph of your body should be close to that of water. A body that is overly acidic causes you to feel tired and prevents you from losing weight
• The concept of a "detox" is to help the body eliminate the toxins that have accumulated (from food, pesticides, various additives, stress, alcohol, pollution, etc) by eating fruit and vegetbles known for their detoxifying properties. After a detox you will feel better and should have more energy

Remember:

1. If you allow your body to be exposed to stress for a long time, it can lead to serious health problems;
2. Chronic stress can affect every system in your body;
3. Stress can raise blood pressure, which can increase your risk of heart attack and stroke;
4. Stress can speed up the aging process;
5. Stress can lead to long term anxiety and depression

I've found that the healthy living, diet and exercise principles we discuss each week, have helped me tremendously with effective stress management. While there may always be some degree of stress in our lives, its really how we handle it and manage it, that will make the difference. Betty Robinson

a nice quote to carry around with you

The only person you have to measure up against is the person you have the potential to become.

snowy choices

Im certain that all of us AHL girls have had sooooooo many opportunities to challenge us these past few days. I want to admit that just before the snow, I bought my favorite chocolat dark milky way midnight bar. The purpose of this choice was just for "emergency useage". I can't beleive that it is still in the pantry untouched!! i am committed to leaving it in it's original form but with more snow on the way (YIKES)!!, I am going to try to continue to resist it. I have been eating alot of homemade soups, especially after shoveling. If anyone wants a good french onion soup recipe that is easy and delicious just let me know. Topped with alittle cheese... yummy!!

~myra

Home Decor and Abundant Healthy Living

As an interior designer/decorator and subscriber to the Daily OM messages, I felt an appreciation for and a connection to the following OM article and wanted to share it. I am a believer that the space you live in can truly contribute to a sense of well being and abundant healthy living.-Betty Robinson:

"Intuit Your Home's Decor - Working with Space"

When we decide the time has come to change the look or feel of our personal spaces, it is the spaces themselves that can provide us with the most useful guidance. Working with a single room, an apartment, or an entire house allows us to unearth the innate potential of these spaces and also better understand how we want to relate to them. To be conscious of the possibilities of a space, we need to listen to, look at, and bond with that space in a deep and personal way. Just as no two people are alike, no two rooms, however similar, are identical. The more we know about the spaces we wish to change, the better equipped we are to make them both beautiful and functional.

Before you contemplate colors and layouts, spend some time in the rooms you may plan to modify. Observe the way light moves through each space at different times of day. In the course of a week or so, note those times when you feel drawn to a particular space. You may naturally gravitate toward one room when you want to relax and toward another when you want to socialize. Also, remember that not all rooms have to be used as originally planned, for example a dining room may make a wonderful sitting area. Writing your thoughts down can make the process of examination simpler.

The discoveries you make regarding the rooms in your home can help guide you as you choose color schemes, furniture layouts, and decorative styles, so that you bring out the natural qualities of each using your creativity and eye for detail. Using the cues you pick up, you can design a beautiful room that is bright and exciting, or one that calms the soul and invites meditation.

By treating the layout and decor of your personal spaces in a mindful way, you can honor their natural rhythms while creating a cohesive and comfortable home through which energy can flow unencumbered. The design elements you subsequently choose will work together like the diverse instruments that come together to form a symphony orchestra. Each will resonate harmoniously with the next, ensuring that your home resounds with a lasting message of beauty, serenity, reassurance, and comfort." Daily OM, February 3, 2010 http://www.dailyom.com/

Find Healthy Comfort Food

It's been a busy week and I know I haven't blogged like I'm used to doing. I have missed this!

I'm looking out the window now at the beautiful winter wonderland developing. Then thinking of getting out and shoveling which can detract from that beauty. And that can send my thoughts towards 'comfort' foods rich in carbs...rich in poison.

This is definitely a time when we all need to remind ourselves of Abundant Healthy Living principles, of our desire to live as healthy and fit amazing women and men, and of being alive and aware to making the best choices we can.

So I'm sending out warm healthy wishes to all of you on this cold, wintery night. And I'm looking forward to connecting with all of you again next Monday on our call.

Love! ~Gerri