healthy living

Daisies for everyone!

It’s Spring! The trees are budding, wildflowers are blooming everywhere, birds are singing to entice their mates… we might be experiencing a bit of friskiness from “Spring fever” 😻😺😜and we want to be out (particularly post covid lockdowns)!! Small creatures are enjoying the flowers as much as we are, we are walking and cycling more! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🤎 This is exactly what nature intended, if we are mindful to notice and experience.

“Princess” and daisies
“Flower” and orchids
Fruit and flowers
Wildflowers
Spring is in the air

The more we learn about each flower, appreciating their diversity, we are in awe of the master of the universe. Daisies are the cousin of sunflowers — a very pregnant Katy Perry, chosen here as the Spring symbol of fertility w/ her appropriate song ”Daisies”. 🎼

Katy Perry ”Daisies” (c)2020

Many of us used to play “he/she loves me, loves me not” picking off the daisy petals, to allow our thoughts and cares to drift away. Maybe getting creative ideas, or simply thinking 🤔 of an upcoming May wreath? Picking those mini-daisies of chamomile will be our next blog post.

Recalling positive memories is a great way to fight off melancholia (sadness) as you recall joy is that feeling not far behind! Science proves that fighting depression must involve physical activity such as a 20 minute daily walk, getting in some sun doses of vitamin D (nature’s natural antidepressant and an antioxidant), great for our overall wellness.

Pick some wildflowers to share, as it makes everyone smile 😊 and for your workspace — a great stress reliever helping create a pleasant feeling to (hopefully) get more work done. Try the Pomodoro technique which allows for more cognitive focusing with timed breaks in between. Now that’s some great health literacy this Spring !

Write ✍️ your daily goals accomplished after your “to do” lists. Keeps you positive.
“Daisies, simple and sweet. Daisies are the way to win my heart.” ― Patrick Rothfuss (American fantasy author ✍️)
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Be kind

It’s a virtue, we can all work on it and pass the message on to our children. Strive for a better world. This “Above Inspiration” video says it all, and a reminder of what matters.

Be Kind …. You may affect a life
  • Your rude neighbor or colleague — we all have them! Take a lesson from the late Mr. Fred Rogers, and his ”won’t you be my neighbor” inspired life work on public television (Academy Award).
  • Road rage is so intense that one has to grin and bear it. …. my mouthing “stupid” the other day to the lady with the silver Mercedes who tried flying through cutting us off, or the 30-something guy with the beard driving (anything but) SMART almost hitting me at the crosswalk as the light turned red …. nearly running I said, ”slow down you’re going to kill someone” maybe he will think about that next time? Instead of sarcastically mouthing ”idiot” 😊😇 try a smile instead !
  • Ungrateful People whom you’ve bent over backwards to help, introduced them to their (future) partner, help them find work, mentored them, maybe an ”EX” who should appreciate your raising their children (with little support, almost alone) and be grateful in your heroic efforts. At the expense of losing your precious time, they seemingly keep asking for more, or never ask you about your life and needs!
  • Friends opposed to you and your “political” viewpoints — from vaccinations or not, education reform, job security, seems more common these days as social media may be segregating us more than we know.
  • Your family and their (im)perfections. Need I say more?

After all, caring is good for your heart AND your health according to recent articles and think science ! There is a great Greek word that respects our humanity to be kind to all people called “philotimo” (φιλότιμο)…. Let’s keep it going.

Remember to say thank you and be kind!

Photo by eberhard grossgasteiger on Pexels.com

Hydrate your body and soul this summer

Happy 4th of July to all U.S. friends and happy summer to everyone else. People ask me what can I do to feel better? How can I stop negativity? How can I look younger?

Firstly everything is “reversible” as long as you take control to “hydrate” your body, the mind, and soul. Would you ever NOT water a plant if you wanted it to flourish? Or not care for your child? Or not listen to your friend’s pain and offer advice? Pain can feel like stones heavy on the heart. But what if they were “hot stones” which are good with healing! Could you collect some at the beach and “throw” your heavy worry to the sea? Whatever it is, WATER heals….

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What about water? — for every coffee you consume and any alcoholic drink you must drink at least 1-2 glasses of water (mind the cup). We should be drinking 6-8 glasses of water daily and in the summer increase to 10-12! I won’t go into other summer safety precautions since I’ve written about this before (see here) but I will go on with “the power.”

We all have the power to change our thoughts and share with others how to become better people but are they ready? Some are “stuck” in thinking everyone is “against” them, they are “not good enough,” you don’t “love them enough” (often this is their own “stuff” from personal insecurities, childhood, borderline behaviors that you cannot do much about as they need spiritual or professional guides). This summer read Ms. Byrne’s book it will open your mind and help heal the soul. In general prayer, meditation, and healthy “mind food” do!

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“The Power” by Rhonda Byrne

As for your skin — besides sunscreen, adding more raw vegetables and fruit 🍉 like seasonal summer squash, grapes, or watermelon do the trick! But some of us have sensitive digestive systems so vitamins are just what the doctor ordered.

My favorite summer skin beauty regimen the last two years is Truvivity is so ask me or others about it and try it today if you want to build your collagen and keep inner hydration healthy against sun damage and normal aging process a bit longer delayed! Beauty is skin deep but if you have a healthy attitude around you will be surrounded by many friends and loving persons to be even more attractive to others. Remember to be beautiful inside and out keep “hydrated” mind, body and soul!

 

In with the new…. “cutting” the year ahead

IMG_1835This year started on the right foot …friends, family and rethinking modern time challenges. Traveling across continents helps one understand what younger and older people are influenced by and what brings the integenerations together! On New Year’s Eve I attended a smoke-free event, on New Year’s Day I read two popular magazines — one local and one national — a renowned national newspaper, learned about an odd game of “Cards Against Humanity”, and partook in some sing-a-long activities.

imageStarting with the last most unpolitically correct game I suppose the linguistic humorists make the “cut” here ….. personally not sure I like it but it got people off their mobile smartphones!

Regarding language, reading a great article in the local New England Magazine December 2018 issue (photo above) by clinical social worker Andrew Aaron I read a great term “emotional hibernation”. The focus was about how much people  don’t communicate and “in-pain partners look for a sign to be valued waiting for the cold winter of insensitivity to pass in the warm spring of love to arrive” (p. 55). Openess is indeed an essential aspect of love and what’s needed in the new year! And what about our over-indulgence and need for “likes” in social media creating anxiety and FOMO (fear of missing out)?!

We took about 45 minutes with the older generation singing around “Kostas” the bouzouki player giving me hope in inter-generation of community involvement with the power of music. It got the kids off their tablets and slowly young adults coming in. This should be a requirement of community health literacy.imageSpeaking of community living, many of us around the globe take for granted our hair and clothes not stinking from smoke as others abuse our rights for clean air.  Such a logical and simple thing! To think that many of us in the 1980s and 1990s lived the Big Tobacco fights to witnesss their ever ending expansion into the rest of the unsuspecting world.

What resolutions and good habits do you want to start in the new year ahead!? Food for thought no matter how you cut your New Year’s cake, well wishes & happy 2019 to all.

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