Boost your happiness with gratitude

How to reap the benefits of thankfulness

Some people consider the ability to be grateful the key to happiness. Focusing on what you do have instead of what you don’t is basic to the experience of joy. Some of the most grateful people are those who have faced death, maybe because they truly understand the gift of simply being alive. Dawn Nelson was a massage therapist working with the frail and dying when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She writes eloquently about gratitude in her book, Making Friends with Cancer.

“If I cannot get out of bed, I can be thankful for the fact that I am able to turn my head, wriggle my toes, feel the smoothness of silk, smell the fragrance of the roses…. The simple act of noticing what one has to be grateful for has tremendous power over the mind. I use this process to get through difficult moments during my cancer treatment and recovery. I use it to shift my mood when I am feeling ‘down’ or to cope with unpleasant tasks.”

Plan a gratitude session.

1. Get comfortable in a quiet place, inside or out. Turn off the TV and computer and don’t answer your phone.

2. Think about what you have to be thankful for, what and who you cherish. 

3. Silently thank people who have done something for you. 

4. Write a personal wish for someone you are grateful for on a peace of paper. Sit quietly, repeating the wish several times. Then burn the paper, watching the smoke dissipate into the atmosphere.

5. Call or email one of those people to thank them.

Practicing gratitude is a simple way to bring more meaning, joy and satisfaction into your daily life.

Make your massage a retreat this fall

5 ways to really unwind

It’s a busy time of year. Remember your body and mind are wired to need breaks from stress. Here are five ideas to help you turn your massage session into a mini-retreat.

1. Schedule your massage sessions ahead. This can help you avoid being overwhelmed by pre-event anxiety or post-event let down.

 

2. If possible, sweat in a sauna or soak in a hot tub or herbal bath before your massage to give your muscles a chance to warm and relax. Afterward, sit or lie quietly in the massage room or other quiet space before reentering the world.

3. Don’t go back to work or run errands. Go home and avoid the computer and telephone. Lie down, listen to music, or do simple activities such as drawing or folding laundry to keep your mind in a dreamy state. 

4. Take a leisurely walk or simply sit by a window with a view of trees, water or a garden. Relax your eyes and focus on the colors and textures of the earthly environment.

5. Before bed the evening after your massage, drink a cup of herb tea such as chamomile or lavender to help you sleep. Sleepytime® is a popular commercial tea many people like to help them get a good night’s rest.

Aromas for the fall and winter

Enjoy seasonal pleasures, reduce stress

Oranges, cinnamon, apples, cloves. Aromas that bring back memories of cool days, family visits, and days spent cooking and feasting. Not only are these evocative scents enough to make a fall day feel cozy, but the aromas of orange, cinnamon and clove can reduce stress when inhaled. Here are two recipes to enjoy this autumn.

Orange Pomanders

The sweet scent of an orange pomander, a traditional Victorian craft, will fill a home with citrus freshness. Cloves can relieve nasal congestion and improve digestion — a bonus around Thanksgiving.

You’ll need unblemished oranges, a pile of large-headed cloves, and a knitting needle or fork for poking holes. Punch holes in the skin of the orange, inserting cloves as you go. Make stripes or cover the orange completely. 

Now place 1 tablespoon each of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a paper bag and mix. Roll the clove studded orange in the ground spices to coat evenly. Leave the pomander in the bag and store in a cool, dry area for 3–5 weeks to dry. Each day, roll it around in the spices. 

When it’s dry, shake off excess spices. Display in a bowl or hang with a pretty ribbon.

Mulled cider

Come in from the cold to the heady aroma of mulled cider. Cinnamon is another spice said to help the digestive system as well as fatigue.

Add cinnamon sticks, cloves and fresh orange slices to a pot of apple cider. Use whole spices, not ground, to avoid cloudy, gritty cider.

Simmer gently for at least 1/2 hour to allow flavors to infuse. Don’t boil it as it can turn spices bitter. You can keep the pot warm for several hours — a crock pot is ideal.

Serve in mugs garnished with an orange slice or cinnamon stick.

Detox: Midway

Today is day 11 of my detoxing program (read the introduction here). I'm halfway through. Excitingly, I finally get to add lean protein! I was thinking about what to make this week, and I actually forgot that I can have chicken and fish now. I kept thinking, "Okay, this would be good, and I can add this protein for Dear Husband." Except, I can have that protein now, too! My chiropractor said I could also have quinoa, the only protein that is complete protein, meaning it has all nine of the essential amino acids that humans need. I'm going to ask her if egg whites are okay.

Mmmmm ... eggs.

I'm also no longer on the "cleansing" supplement. I'm still taking the protein and fiber powders with the smoothies, but now I'm taking five capsules of SP Green Food twice a day (it's made of dried buckwheat and barley juices - not sure how a juice can be dried, but what do I know?). When I checked in with the doctor, I mentioned that I was feeling unsatisfied and hungry, especially in the later evening. I had only been taking two smoothies a day because I was worried it was too much fruit, meaning too many calories. (Not to mention the fact that you can't eat for an hour afterward, and once you eat, you have to wait two hours before having another, so time management with three has been tricksy.) She suggested that I be sure to get in three smoothies, since they were my protein source, and that I blend up veggies, any veggies, like spinach and carrots. She said I could add stevia to sweeten them.

Well, I made a carrot/strawberry smoothie from a recipe from the supplement manufacturer's website. It tasted good, but I don't have a high-performance commercial drink blender, so the raw carrots were chunky and it was a little off-putting. I'm going to try this one again, but with shredded carrot in the hopes that my blender can handle that more easily. I can't bring myself to blend up a veggie smoothie, though. I just don't know what to do. I'm sure I could mine the depths of the Interweb, but I'm scared about what I might find. So I haven't added a third shake, but I'm hoping that won't matter now that I can have three palm-sized servings of chewable protein a day. I had avocado and tomato chunks with a little red onion and chopped capers over spinach with oil olive, fresh lemon juice and fresh ground pepper last night when I had my 9pm hunger attack. That was actually incredibly satisfying. It was delicious and the good fats in the avocado really filled me up. I wish I had thought of that sooner!

I've been eating pretty much only veggies, since I've been using fruit for the smoothies. It's been pretty easy to make sure half of my veggies are raw; I usually have a salad for lunch, cooked veggies for dinner, and raw veggies for snacks. I've also been trying to stick to seasonal bounty when it comes to the fresh food. Eating seasonally is something I started a couple of years ago since it's more eco-friendly (surprising, the aforementioned spinach and tomatoes were found at a local farmer's market - probably the last of them, though). It's usually quite easy, but it's been a little harder with this program since I don't have grains, dairy, nuts, seeds or shellfish to add some variety to my palate. I sometimes feel like I'm eating the same things over and over. Sometimes I feel creative, and sometimes I just don't have the time to think about it. I'm hoping the addition of protein today will also alleviate the perceived boredom.

Things that haven't been happening? I haven't been gassy or bloated. I haven't had any indigestion or discomfort after eating. I have been going to the bathroom a lot, and, um, regularly. But that's good. That means my system is flushing itself of waste. Since I'm putting only good things into my body, it can finally work to get rid of any crap it's accumulated. Points to you if you noticed my puns.

I've also discovered that eating out is difficult. First, you might not find anything that works for you. Secondly, you might find something, but only if you can have substitutions. And some restaurants don't take to that and make sure you know it's a difficult request. It's upsetting because I'm trying to live the healthiest life possible and the overall attitude toward food in this country doesn't jive with mine.

If you have any favorite recipes that would work during this program, please share! And if you know of a delicious veggie smoothie that can easily be made in your standard home kitchen blender, I beg of you, let me know!

Detoxifing!

I've decided to try a detox/purification program. I've always wanted to do it, but most of the detoxing methods I've heard about or seen are something crazy or unappealing. The program I'm on, recommended by my chiropractor, who places emphasis on nutrition and not just adjustments, allows for all the fruits and vegetables I can eat, which is okay by me. The program emphasizes supplements and whole, unprocessed foods, particularly vegetables and fruits, and limits high-calorie refined foods and saturated fats.

I am not allowed to have:
*Alcohol, caffeine, tobacco or other stimulants
*Nuts or seeds
*Dairy
*Grains (with a couple of exceptions)
*Processed or refined foods

What I can eat:
*Unlimited amount of fresh or frozen veggies (nothing canned or dried, organic if possible, and at least half of my veggies should be raw)
*Unlimited amount of fresh or frozen fruits as long as I eat twice as many veggies (again, nothing canned or dried and organic if possible)
*Lentils, brown rice and wild rice (thank goodness!)
*Lean protein, like fish and chicken; I can cook the protein any way I wish, but nothing cured, smoked or preserved in any way (like luncheon meats); my chiropractor said I could have quinoa, too
*High-quality oils like extra virgin olive, coconut, fish, flax seed, grape seed, and real butter (really?! hooray!)
*Water
*Juice, if freshly squeezed; nothing processed or with added sugar

It's a 21-day program. During the first seven days, I'll take three supplements: seven SP Cleanse capsules three times a day(!), SP Complete (protein powder) and Whole Food Fiber. Days 8-21 will continue with the protein and fiber powders, but will switch from SP Cleanse to SP Green Food, five capsules twice a day. The powders I mix into a "shake"; I take fresh or frozen fruits and veggies and blend them into a smoothie to which I add the powders. I should have two or three of these per day. The SP Cleanse capsules are to be taken on an empty stomach or with one of my smoothies. Days 1-10 are also protein-free. You add three palm-size servings a day on day 11.

A serving of supplements

It's not too much of a stretch. The only caffeine I consume is maybe one cup of green or white tea a day. I think I can have caffeine-free herbal tea. I don't smoke, but I do like wine and beer and martinis ... I think I can refrain for a while. I only have a couple of drinks a week anyway. I haven't been drinking milk or eating cereal, but I have been mixing fruit, homemade granola and plain, organic yogurt most mornings. Grains will probably be the hardest for me. I love a cracker or bread-based snack. As for processed or refined foods, my husband and I generally shop the perimeter of the grocery store, only heading down the dried pasta and seltzer aisles. Oh, and blue corn chips and organic salsa aisle.

What I am worried about is timing my meals, snacks and shakes. You can't eat a meal for one hour after having smoothie, and once you have the smoothie, you can't eat a meal for two hours. Plus, I'll miss not having yogurt for a while.

Once the 21 days are up, there is the post-purification program, which follows the suggest meal plan from days 11-21, but allows for the systematic reintroduction of foods that weren't included. It's this part that I'm actually the most excited about. Because you reintroduce things like diary and other grains one at a time, I'll be able to determine how they affect me. And this is supposed to help you reach a "new" normal, "the healthy way you will eat and live from now on."

It's been said that it only takes three weeks to make a habit. I'm hoping that changing the way I eat during this program will help change the way I view what I eat in general, how much I eat and how certain foods make me feel.

To the veggie-copter!

Just a note: Standard Process has not in any way asked me to write about my experience or their products. They have not provided me with supplements for that or any other purpose.

Massage in Autumn

Warm up, release stress, come into balance

As the leaves change color and fall to the ground, this is a good time of year to reflect on what parts of your body and mind are transitioning from the outward ways of summer. Autumn is a time of harvest, a time of gathering up in preparation for winter. It is the beginning of turning inward for reflection.

Seasonal stress
Although seasonal transitions are natural and normal in nature and in our bodies, these changes have their own demands. Modern ways of living also place their stresses on us in the fall. We strive to keep up our yards as the winds blow down the leaves and branches. Kids and adults alike are back to school. We often make up for summer vacation by putting in more hours at work.

These demands can catch up with you, at the same time we become exposed to illnesses that require a vigorous immune system. All of this makes fall a very good time to renew your commitment to self-care. Along with eating well and exercising, remember to schedule your massage.

Ask for what you need
When you come in for your appointment, check in with yourself. Are you a little chilly? Ask for an extra blanket or for the table warmer to be turned up to a toasty temperature. Schedule extra services such as hot stones or warm foot soaks in your sessions. Do essential oils sound appealing? Lemon can boost the immune system, eucalyptus soothes a scratchy throat and rosemary relieves achy muscles.

This fall, enlist the healing qualities of massage as an ally to help you let go of physical and mental strain, and come back into balance in this breezy, changeable season.

Foods for Fall

Protect yourself with pumpkin pie

Orange-colored vegetables such as sweet potatoes, winter squash, pumpkins, carrots, and red and orange peppers echo the colors of changing leaves. They contain an important chemical called beta-carotene. Our intestines turn beta-carotene into vitamin A, which along with vitamins E and C, is a powerful antioxidant.

A nutritional rainbow
Other deeply-colored vegetables like broccoli, beets and spinach add to a nutritional rainbow that acts as a storehouse of these protective chemicals. Antioxidants are important because they apparently counteract molecules that damage body tissues, known as "free radicals." Free radicals are produced naturally by the body, but increase when we are exposed to pollution, certain foods and emotional stress.

Eat for protection
The most richly-colored fruits and vegetables are famous for containing many nutrients that protect against free radicals as well as bacteria, viruses, and toxins. So when choosing fresh foods this fall, look for those that are brightly colored.