Exercise

The squeeze ball can squeeze your stress away. How do you like this!!
What? Yes, there is a magic "device" called the stress ball. This is a small palm-sized rubber ball filled with beans or seeds that one just squeezes. HOW does this miracle work, you might ask?
When one squeezes the ball your hand muscles contract and your arm muscles as well. As these muscles relax the tension leaves your arms and hands. YES, it is true even if sounds to easy.
Not only does this relieve stress in your hands, the ball helps with strength and dexterity. AND hold onto your hats..the ball stimulates blood circulation and can help with arthritic pain and stiffness.

So now guys are we going to take a stress ball with us on flights, meetings, talking on the phone, even in front of the TV. So next time you can feel the stress coming, take a deep breath and grab for the stress ball. You might even tell your friends about this new little miracle ball.

A quote from Emerson

I found this quote today from Ralph W Emerson "Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could.." With all the different things I am dealing with, I thought this was very appropriate thought in my life at this time. (HOW does this happen)? A post for another day.
You are really ahead of the the course, if you can do your best and then forget the worst and get along with life. The trick to this idea is giving oneself the permission to forget by living one day at a time. . Don't be the kind of a person that holds grudges. Live with the freedom that this idea is able to provide for you and yours. Be the successful person who will give the task its all, no matter what and then leave it.
Remember that your mind can be your friend and it can be your enemy. Let us all strive to be a forgiving person. This is what we would want from others. This forgivess will also help provide some happiness in your life that the alternate will not. GO for the freedom.

Success

Do you consider yourself a successful person? OR are you waiting for for another person to solve your problems, or "do something about that". Taking responsibility for your own situation is a key to being and feeling successful. This is not to say that at sometime or another, we might need some help. It is only fair to be the one who tatkes most of the responsibility for your success, even when you ask for some help. Think of ways that might help you loose those extra pounds, finish that report, write that paper, get stronger bones. GET the idea?!!!
I have found that the willingness to help is out there but one needs to ask and be prepared to work. This will in turn help you feel happier and maybe even the person who helped you.

Emotional atmosphere

Do you find that positive people tend to be positive leaders? I have been watching and really think this is true. Other people tend to gravitate toward the positive person rather that the person who always seems to down and mopey. STOP being the person who throws in a negative comment. Try to see something positive and try to add this to the conversation. Attitudes are contagious?!! YES the are and you want to be one of the positive people that others look up to...enthusiastic, optimistic and HAPPY.
HEY for the happiness project.

emotions

I am going to do a couple of blogs about emotions, eating and whatever else comes to mind that might go along with this idea.

There is definately a link between feeling healthy and feeling happy. Can you remember having heartburn, the flu a migraine and feeling happy at the same time? Tiredness, aches and pains can really put a downer on feelings and can become a hindrace to our goals. Nourish your body with the right amount of the right foods, exercise the bones and muscles and one will feel the benefit of positive emotions.

Maybe the old saying the way to a person is through his or her stomach is not such a bad idea.

Positive

My goal for the month. My youngest daughter is in Ethiopia on a mission trip. So everyone keep positive thoughts in the universe for all of us.
Positive people tend to respect others and their contributions. They know that things are going to get better and have the POWER to make that change.
What can we do to make ourselves more positive? Be less of a complainer, keep positive thoughts going in your head. Take responsibility for your life and actions.
I think society seems to place blame on others but REALLY we are the only person responsible for our attitude and our own life.ALSO< Good ideas keep in our mind as we travel this road in life.

Food labeling

Be AWARE What does some of the words used in our food labeling process. Sometimes makes one really wonder. Remembeer the goal of the manufactuer is to make a person purchase the product. Let us take a look.

"Natural" this word is not regulated by the FDA and therefore can be misleading. All food today is processed somehow. So naural is never really NATURAL.
"Made with Real Fruit or "Contains Real fruit juice"
One sees the made with real fruit of fruit snacks, cookies cereals. Again thre is now regulations on how much real fruit is included for the food to be labeled this way. Watch the ingredients for the words fruitose or corn syrup which indicates not "real fruit".
Whole grains" Seems to be one of the most confussing of the claims. Any refined flour with a touch of whole wheat can be listed as grain. Be aware of the actual ingredients and use with caution. Look for key words in the ingredients list.
"Fat free" Are they really healthy? Take the time to read the labels and the nutritions contents.
"Zero Trans Fat" READ the ingredient list. One can not completely trust the claims of these products. The key is 0.5 grams or less can be lisisted a zero grams.
Trans fat can add up fast when it is given to each item in the package.
Just keep in mind the food choices should come from whole unprocessed sources. The more processed a food is, the less reliable the claims.

Iron

It does a body good. My last blood test showed that I was lacking a little in iron. I have to be careful and make sure I get iron naturally and not through supplements. I found a great article that will help me and hopefully you also.
Two different types of iron Who knew? not me. One from animal food sources and from plant sources. It seems the animal sources also absorb better than the plant source.
Below please find some good sources.
Beef lamb, veal.
Beef liver,Chicken liver
Boiled shrimp

Apricots
Black beans
Kidney beans, Lima beans, navy beans Pinto
Oatmeal
Lentils
Spinach fresh cooked
Does not sound to hard to accomplish in a regular daily consumption.