May Commitments

I'm seriously considering making this a monthly thing.

April is over and I have to admit that I fell a bit short on my commitments for the month. I managed to clear out and organize some things, and that was nice. I also kept my stress in check! Which is my biggest challenge in life, so I can't beat myself up if I fell a little short in other areas. And I think I only had one cup of coffee the whole month (that must be some sort of personal record). Easter screwed up the sugar cutback, but thankfully all of the candy is gone now!

Blossoms on a tree in my boyfriend's backyard

In May I will:
Exercise more: For real this time. I'm considering buying a bike so I have something fun to do in the afternoons (or even the mornings, if I'm feeling ambitious!) I think I'll shoot for 2-3 days a week at the local fitness club.

Be more food conscious: This can tie back into cutting back on sugar, but I want to implement overall consciousness in all of my food choices. I want to buy more local produce because the farmers markets are going to start up again soon. I'm also going to cut WAY back on my soy intake. I found this article the other day and it blew me away. I'm all about sustainability and soy is definitely NOT sustainable. I do have my own organic seeds, and I'm okay with planting and eating those, but for the most part I'm going to read labels like crazy. And use skim milk from the local dairy in my protein shakes instead of soy milk. (Speaking of protein shakes, this stuff is awesome!!)

Read more books: Self-explanitory. I had two books that I had been leisurely reading for almost a year and I finally worked through them. I didn't want to start anything new knowing I had books that needed to be finished. But now they're read and I can move on to new treasures.

Blooming bluebells

I think I'll leave it at that for now. I find that if I give myself too long of a list I won't get any of it done. I need to work on sprouting new habits instead of tackling issues all at once. And I think these things go well together. The first two do anyway. Reading just makes me insanely happy. If I think of anything else that might fit, I'll add it later on in the month!

I hope your May starts out fantastic!

April Commitments

Spring cleaning. I love making new space in my life, and spring is the best time to do that! (Plus, I know I have clothes in drawers I'm not wearing, that are in good condition, and will probably make someone else happy.)

Manage my stress better. This includes taking deep breaths, drinking herbal tea (I'm a big fan of Traditional Medicinals organic blends right now), nature walks and/or singing. (I don't have the best pipes, but I can't deny that I LOVE singing. It makes me feel good!)

Cut back on caffeine and sugar-- and junk foods in general. Working in a cafe where I'm surrounded with freshly ground beans, sugary drink flavors, cookies and ice cream is going to be quite the challenge! But I really need to start eating healthy again. I've had my reckless-winter-health hiatus and I'm ready to be back in control.

Exercise more. Yoga, long walks, cycling, maybe even some weight lifting. I've been feeling very skinny lately and I want to see if I can't tone up and get some extra pounds on me this summer and be a little more curvy!

I've had a lot of support and encouragement from my friends and family lately. I can't express enough gratitude to them for continually inspiring me to be the best me! I know I'm stronger than I give myself credit for most of the time. I'm ready to embrace my power :)

my latest gripe

Congress has pissed me the hell off. I know, I know, Congress has a lot of problems. But this particular one struck a chord with me today. A deep, primal chord.

Click here and become outraged.

I read about 4 different articles this morning, all on the topic of how tomato paste on frozen pizza is counted as a serving of vegetables in public schools.

..........!

Okay... first of all, tomatoes are FRUITS. That's silly, considering the gravity of this proposal, but still a little, uhm, ignorant. Second of all, you need at least a half cup serving of anything for it to count as a serving! [the link above addresses this] Not 2 tablespoons of processed paste, ridden with sugar additives and sodium.  Really, how pathetic is that?! Third of all, I thought the goal was to make school lunches HEALTHIER, not bring them to a screeching halt!

We all know I'm a health nut. Nutrition is vital to a happy, healthy life. We wouldn't survive without food; eat REAL, WHOLESOME FOOD!! As adults, we know this. We've read enough, we've eaten enough junk to make us feel like shit, we've seen what can happen when diets lack essential nutrients. Kids have a different perspective entirely. They are vulnerable and 100% subject to the effects of negligence. IT'S NOT FAIR! It's cruel to dupe kids into believing that frozen, cheese pizza is healthy for them. What sort of adults is that mindset going to breed? I'm terrified.

Since I don't have kids of my own, I'm very protective over my nephews and niece. I told my nephews today how incredibly lucky they are to have a mother that makes them meals, from scratch, every single day. They get to snack on dehydrated apples and homemade fruit roll ups and apple sauce. Being home schooled, they're not forced to eat the processed, frozen, high sugar, high sodium foods that are pushed on public school kids.

This issue really, truly makes me very sad. Children are the light and future of this world. To see their needs and rights being bought out by Congress and Big Money lobbyists is cruel, terrifying, and rage inducing.

Challenge Your Eating Habits

Did you know 1/3 of the U.S population is overweight or obese? That childhood obesity is on the rise? That obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure cost the U.S. over $100 billion a year? Did you know these diseases are completely preventable?
Like it or not, what you put in your body has a profound impact on your most basic human functions-- the impulses in your brain, the flow of blood through your veins, your ability to eliminate waste; food supports the maintenance and repair of muscle and tissues; and most importantly, your natural ability to ward off diseases and viruses. There is no denying that.
I believe a natural, conscious, colorful and fresh diet supports us in our journey to maximize our human potential, and increases our level awareness to what is truly happening in our bodies. A healthy body and healthy mind lead to a healthy spirit.
Decades of research led Dr. T. Colin Campbell and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn to present the population with an eye-opening film, Forks Over Knives. This film examines the danger of our animal-based and processed-food industries, and proposes the idea that a whole, plant-based diet not only prevents the most common diseases in the U.S. but can actually help to reverse them. That means our dependence of pharmaceuticals can be reduced, and outrageous medical bills can be sliced.

Source
Yummy!

The film is currently playing in 22 major U.S. cities, with more on the way. Check it out! I promise you have nothing to lose by considering and applying these delicious changes to your diet. The future health of the country, especially our vulnerable youth, depends on it. 


For exciting, delicious recipes to try at home right now(!), check out the lovely and ever-so-talented Leslie June over at The Savory Ninja. Your body (and spirit) will thank you.




peace&love