yes yeses

It's not a complete circle until we move from the no-no's to the yes yeses. And it's interesting to think that we can all figure out what they are by doing the opposite of the no-no's, but there are a LOT more yes yeses, so here are a few I've figured out. These are good fundamentals for optimal health - body, mind, and spirit. I'm sure I'll keep learning more, changing and evolving, but it's a good start.

YES:
everything organic (I know - some stuff IS expensive, but a good garden can really balance the overall grocery costs)

a good dose of protein every day (not the Atkin's bent, but I eat at least 4-5 servings of protein every day - beans are a great source, as are nut butters, and protein bars (Lemon Zest by Luna is a really good one - I'm not personally endorsing anything, but I like these), organic chicken, turkey, fish (check out mercury levels), and occasionally red meat and pork)

as many vegetables as you can possibly manage - most of us are horribly deficient in eating our veggies, but with a little creativity you can come to crave them - think rainbows, and try them in salads, soups, and stir-frys, cooked and raw

a fair amount of fruit - it is all mostly really high in sugar, so I usually eat mine for dessert - it's amazing how sweet fruit is once you stop eating refined sugar

a fair amount of complex carbohydrates - you have to define "fair" for you - some say none at all (I don't think that's healthy), and some don't limit them at all - I eat probably around 4 -5 servings or carbs a day - one serving is 1/2 cup of rice of pasta, if you're thinking a huge plate constitutes one serving

drink as much purified water as possible - I've heard that you can drink TOO much, but I have yet to achieve a too-much state - I try to drink around a gallon a day (not including my rice milk and decaf green tea)

try to eat something every 3 hours - our bodies are like cars - we need a steady supply of fuel to help us run most efficiently, and it helps us stabilize our blood sugar levels (so does eating complex carbs and good protein and limiting fruit)

supplements and vitamins? I'm still trying to wade through all the information on these, but I take fish oil, coq10, calcium and magnesium, vitamin c, and zinc if I start feeling kind of punk. I've experimented with several different kinds of vitamins, but they've all proved to be too much for my system. I think that once we start eating healthy, our needs for mega-vitamins goes down - isn't it possible (theoretically) to get all of our dietary needs met by diet alone? Some say yes, some say no - I say "I don't know."

Detox - I'm still researching the liver/gallbladder flush phenomenon. I've talked with several people who swear by it, and I'm intrigued, but there's still something inside of me that thinks it's a bit extreme. I've tried the ionic foot cleanse, and was amazed at what came out of the water, but I want to conduct a little experiment next time: put the battery into the water, and just wait for 30 minutes and see what happens - does the water change just by having the battery in it? But I DID feel a lot better after doing the cleanse, so that's something. Mild liver cleanses via milk thistle and dandelion root - I've been experimenting, and milk thistle made the going a little too easy, if you catch my drift, but the dandelion root seems to work really well - I drink a cup about 3 times a week - caution: one client told me that she was extremely allergic to dandelions, so always be sure to check allergic reactions when dealing with herbs and even supplements (although I always think it interesting to note the INCREDIBLE amount of side effects and reactions from prescription meds, yet nobody really makes a big deal out of that)

Exercise - move it or lose it. But I don't think extreme exercise is that helpful - too much running can ruin your back, hips and knees. But I think it's more important just to do what you love, and stay as active as you can throughout the day. I play frisbee with Bill, shoot some hoops, go for at least an hour of walks a day (I spread them out to 2 or 3 moderate walks throughout the day), plant flowers, go grocery shopping - it all counts. There are so many books and resources on exercise that I'm not even going to go into it, but I try not to sit around too much at a time, but move move move.

Relax - meditation, nappies (one of my best friends, Melissa, is great about that), reading, listening to music, baths, hanging with friends, going to the movies - what makes you happy and calm? I was just in Bismarck hanging with Mum and Dad, and I went for a long walk down by the river - there were giant trees and fields - I was so happy and calm I could've walked forever - it really calmed me down. Most of us work ourselves too hard, expecting a lot, demanding a lot. We have to justify putting our feet up for a minute. Well, what I've figured out is that we should spend as much time on our "outsides" (responsibilities, duties, etc.) as our "insides" (things that feed our soul). Unfortunately, society usually labels the outside stuff as the important stuff, and the inside stuff as the fluff and stuff of lazy people. I don't think it's true at all, and think that relaxing may just be the key to clearing our minds, so that in the end we become more efficient and able to do even MORE - maybe we can trick ourselves into taking better care of ourselves if we think in the end we can get more done? Maybe we can just try to lighten our schedules for a week and see how we feel. Since changing over my whole life almost a year ago, I haven't been sick at all, and I know that part of it is that I've permanently lowered my workload in all areas of my life, and with 4 kids, work, and home, that's not always easy to accomplish, but well worth it.

Being open to new ideas and concepts - I admit it, I get really short with people who are narrow-minded and tell me their way is the only way. I asked Mum's dietitian why they only have sugar and simple carbs and processed food on the hospital menu when there are so many diabetics in the hospital. She answered that there's no research to show that complex carbs help diabetics, and it's still fine to eat sugar and simple carbs as long as you adjust your insulin. I asked her if she was teasing, and she said no. She said she'd gone to school to get her degree and information and asked me what training I'd had. I told her I've read over 50 books on nutrition from all different sources, and strive to figure out what makes sense to me. She insisted that her approach to diabetes was the "correct" position the American Diabetes Association holds. I nicely told her I thought it was all wrong, and she looked at me with a little disdain (I felt). I've read people who were fanatics, on both sides of the spectrum, but I resonate with the open people, like Andrew Weil, Christianne Northrup, and diets like the Mediterranean Diet. Again, I'm not personally endorsing anything, but just passing on what I've found helpful.

I think it's really important for people to take control of their lives and health, and not leave any of it in the hands of outside parties, whether that's doctors, parents, teachers, pastors, or friends. Nobody knows me like I know me, and I'll be the first one to see a doctor if I think he or she can help me, but I don't just blanketly believe everything they say just BECAUSE they're a doctor, or just because they TELL me they're right. We're programmed to follow directions from authority in several areas, but it feels like we're waking up to our own empowerment, and I really want to stress that in all areas of my work and life. Ask yourself, "What do I think?" then figure out your answers. Ask others for their opinions, but it's up to us in the end to decide what's best for us.

I'm sure there are more yes yeses, and I'll type more in as I think of them. Right now Billy wants to walk around the block, so I say "yes yes..."