How much is too much

Sure, alcohol is fun, it loosens you up and you start feeling GOOD! Until you had so much, you have a booming headache and are curled, kneeling over the toilet bowl, ready to vomit. Or passed out, on the floor like santa over here on the left! Not so cool anymore, huh?

Limiting your alcohol consumption is your best bet if you don't want to end up in a bad situation. You could end up ruining your reputation by doing something stupid. Due to your lack of good judgement there are an endless number of possibilities that could go wrong. Make sure you have a DD- Designated Driver if you go out drinking. Don't ever drive drunk, you are not only putting your life at risk, but your also endangering the lives of others. Do you want to spend the rest of your life in jail? I didn't think so! So be smart about it, please.

Men are a little more hefty and can handle a little more alcohol then women tend to. So, that means no more than about 2 drinks for men and no more than ONE for women.

What does too much alcohol do to your body?
It can damage your liver, causing a disease called Cirrohosis. If you consume so much and your BAC (Blood alcohol Content) exceeds what your body can handle, you can end up in the hospital in a coma, it can become a fatal matter of life or death. You can end up having alcohol withdrawl symptoms, such as severe shakes if you try to suddenly stop. Your body becomes dependent upon it and you think you need it.

Bottom line, KNOW YOUR BOUNDARIES! If you can't seem to control yourself, then maybe it's time you need to stop and think before you drink!If you find yourself blacking out and forgetting what you did that night, that's a problem! If you find yourself NEEDING alcohol to feel okay, that's a problem! Be smart about it!

QUIT SMOKING. Just DO it!

SMOKING IS SELFISH! YOUR SECOND-HAND SMOKE KILLS!
BESIDES THAT, IT CAUSES CANCER, AMONG A BUNCH OF OTHER HEALTH PROBLEMS!Your killing yourself & Your loved ones! Your loved ones need you and you need them, stop smoking, live longer and be healthy!

Your wasting your money!!! Cigarettes are expensive!

If your a smoker, YOU STINK. You smell HORRIBLE. Your hair, your clothes, your house, everything smells!

It stains your teeth! That would be enough to make me want to stop, I don't want yellow teeth, do you?

Do you want to wrinkle up, worse than your grandma? Smoking gives you wrinkles all around your mouth and makes you look older!

Your taste buds aren't as good. When you stop smoking, you'll realize how much better everything tastes. You will enjoy your food so much more.

It's unattractive, many others don't want to be around you because of it, and some refuse to date someone who smokes!

Just stop, I hope this was enough to make you think about your actions, save your money, your health and your family!

HAPPY TURKEY DAY! HOW NOT TO GET STUFFED TODAY OR ANYDAY!

Don't skip breakfast-make it a well-proportioned, wholesome meal. Same goes for lunch. There is no resisting any part of that delicious Thanksgiving Dinner, I'm not going to tell you to avoid fatty foods and eat a lean turkey. BUT there are some ways you can avoid feeling stuffed.

Eat slowly. The faster you gobble everything down, the more you eat. The SLOWER you eat, the more satisfied you will feel by the end of your Thanksgiving dinner AND the less likely you will be to pack on the pounds.

Drink water- Caffeine and alcohol don't quench your thirst and only make you feel more tired and unpleasantly full.

Drinking water BEFORE your Thanksgiving dinner is also a good idea. It will fill your belly enough to make room for a well-proportioned meal.

Sample the food and proportion it out like this:
Start with the vegetables, fill your plate with 1/2 veggies
Then work your way around to everything you want with little proportions that will fit, don't pile it up!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Stress and anxiety

I know I posted this video already, but I just couldn't resist :)



Stress is something that is caused by a stressor, some factor that causes you to feel tension, strained, and a pressure weighing down on you like a heavy burden. It affects how you feel and react.


Anxiety, however, continues even while the stress factor goes away.

Relaxation techniques are a good way to relieve the stress and tension. Excercising also aids in relieving anxiety and stress symptoms. Proper nutrition is also ideal in keeping your health at optimum performance. I know you know this already, but I just want to encourage you to live a healthy lifestyle :)

Important foods for a Healthy You

Whole grains and oats- which is a good source of fiber. Why is fiber so good for you? Studies show it can lower cholesteral, lower your chance for diabetes and heart disease. It also assists you in going #2 a little more smoothly:) I heard the higher your calorie count consumed each day, the more fiber you should be having.



Eat whole fruits, meaning actual banana's and apples, rather than juices. Today they pack so much sugar and citric acid in the juices, it's not even funny.



As much as I hate spinach, I eat it. Spice it up if you have to. How will you ever get strong like Popeye the Sailor man :D haha. Here is what I do: A lil' bit of salt, pepper, garlic, onion and some EVOO. It is loaded with good stuff such as Vitamin C, potassium and iron.




But, on a serious note. Listen when they say "Eat your fruits and vegetables!" It can lower your risk for stroke, heart disease, cancer and can lower blood pressure. They are also important for your gastrointestinal health as well as your vision. If you don't wear glasses already, you may be able to help avoid having to wear them when you become older in age. (As I'm sure you see a ton of older people looking at you through glass!) Get into the good eating habits NOW before it's too late.

Calcium does not just come in the form of MILK. You can find calcium in green leafy veggies, collard greens, dried beans and legumes.

Don't consume too much of highly processed carbs, but do increase protein intake!



Hoping these tips encourage you to live a healthier lifestyle!

Thanksgiving Tip by Miss G

Thanksgiving tip- Drink a cup or two of water before you sit down and eat your Thanksgiving dinner. Drink some water before any meal for that matter. Are you wondering why?
Well, by drinking some water beforehand, you will be a little less hungry, and less likely to eat more. The water will fill you enough to eat a proportioned meal, so you won't feel so stuffed!

Winter tip- Get your excercise when the snow comes. Go skiing, shovel the driveway, pull your kids on the sleigh! Those are all excellent workouts to keep you fit!

Happy Holidays!

Trans fat

If your trying to stay away from trans fat, which is a processed fat (in foods such as chips and cookies) then look out for the words "Partially hydrogenated," or "Hydrogenated." Trans fats puts you at higher risk for heart disease, so it would be ideal to stay away from the trans fat as much as possible. Hydrogenation is a process to keep the food's shelf life longer, which in-turn is not all that healthy for you and I. You also want to limit or stay away from saturated fat. It is so hard to avoid these fats when they are in almost everything, but if you can atleast limit them and eat healthy, thats better than consuming them in great ammounts.

You want to avoid cooking oils that contain the bad fats such as: Coconut Oil, Palm Oil
Look out for the packaged, processed foods, read the labels!


You need GOOD fats which aid in absorption of minerals and give you the energy you need.

Which ones are the good fats?
Polyunsaturated
Monounsaturated

Smile

Your attitude effects how you react to stress. Try to keep a positive attitude and a smile on your face. The more optimistic you are, the better you will be able to handle any stressful situations thrown your way. So, please try to have a positive outlook on things, you will be healthier for it=)
GET HAPPY-JUDY GARLAND

Low fat is not always good

Food is one of the most important means of having a healthy body, which you know already. Unfortunately, many of the foods they put out there today is not healthy for you, even if they claim it is "Low Fat." If you think you'll be losing weight by going on a low-fat diet, I think you may soon realize it hasn't worked so well. A low fat diet most likely will only work for a short while. A low fat diet means your lowering fat content and upping your carbs. By upping your carbs you can end up raising your insulin levels, which can cause health problems you don't need. The fact of the matter is a low fat diet is not really a healthy diet because you need a good balance of fat, protein, carbs, vitamins and minerals.

My mom found out she had Celiac Disease. This is an allergy to gluten, wheat, barley and rye. She can't have pizza, pasta, bread, and cookies for example, unless it is gluten-free. When a person with Celiac disease consumes foods containing gluten, the surface of the small intestine is damaged and the body cannot absorb the required nutrients. This can cause a whole lot a problems.

The reason I brought that up is because we now have to go on a gluten-free diet, which is the greatest thing because we can only consume meats, frozen vegetables (not canned), potatoes and gluten free products. This means we are not consuming all that garbage they put in foods today.

Look for healthy alternatives. Instead of white bread, have whole wheat bread, but make sure it's 100% whole wheat.

Instead of dip, go for salsa with some tomatoes, onions and garlic, you can't go wrong.

Instead of salad dressing, go for some balsamic vinegar.

If you like your bacon like I do, switch to turkey bacon, it's better for you.

Get rid of your soda, drink water and put some lemon or lime in it if you have to.

Instead of salt, use other herbs, try garlic, I LOVE garlic, I put in mostly everything I eat.

If you do decide to go on a low-fat diet, make sure you are getting the protein and fat you require to maintain a healthy body. Talk to your doctor about it, let him know so he can give you some ideas and recommend what you can do to get healthy without depriving yourself of the nutrients you need.


2 to 3 servings of milk products: Glass of milk, 1 1/2 ounce of natural cheese, 1 cup of yogurt

3 to 5 servings of veggies: 1/2 cup, 1 cup raw leafy greens

2 to 3 servings meat and beans: 2 to 3 ounces of meat, a cup of cooked beans

FRUITS, FRUITS, FRUITS: I usually have a fruit in the morning, a fruit for snack and a fruit for desert, it's a good way to make sure your getting a good amount.

6 to 11 servings of grains: once slice of whole wheat bread, cereal, some rice or pasta.

How to reduce the financial stressors

Everything is so DARN expensive and with costs rising I'm sure we are all looking for ways to SAVE. Financial debt can wear and tear at our health. Debt can cost us our health and we need to do something about it before we get so stressed we become unable to take control of our finances. I know how it is to be struggling day to day to make money and not have it all go to BILLS BILLS BILLS. Do you have medical bills that are long over due, is your house in foreclosure, do you want to put some savings in the bank for retirement, do you have children and want to provide them with a future that allows them to go to college? I know how you feel! You are not alone!

Here are some ideas I came up with to help you save some money to take off some of the financial burdens you may be dealing with. Every little bit counts and it CAN add up, you JUST have to stick to it and you may just find your self a little less stressed out.

#1 UNPLUG YOUR OUTLETS! WHEN YOUR DONE USING THE TOASTER OR MICROWAVE.....UNPLUG IT. WHEN YOUR NOT WATCHING TV, UNPLUG IT! WHEN YOUR NOT USING THE COMPUTER OR THE CELL PHONE CHARGER....UNPLUG IT. CATCH MY DRIFT? YOU WILL SAVE MONEY THIS WAY. EVERYTHING YOU LEAVE PLUGGED IN WILL TAKE UP SOME ELECTRICITY AND IT WILL COST YOU.

#2) KEEP YOUR MEDICAL RECORDS ORGANIZED AND SAFE! IF YOU DON'T, THERE IS A CHANCE YOU COULD GET BILLED AGAIN, MAYBE A COUPLE YEARS LATER, MAYBE FOR MORE MONEY-MEDICAL PROVIDERS DO MAKE MISTAKES!SO, IF YOU DON'T PAY ATTENTION....YOU COULD END UP PAYING MORE THAN YOU NEED TO.

3)THE SAME GOES FOR ALL BILLS: MAKE SURE YOUR NOT BEING OVERCHARGED!

#4) GET A CELL PHONE FAMILY PLAN, DUMP THE TELEPHONE LINE YOU HAVE!(THATS ANOTHER ENERGY SAVER)

#5)CLIP OUT ALL THE COUPONS YOU CAN AND USE THEM...THEY WILL SAVE YOU MONEY IN THE LONG RUN.

#6) IF YOU REALLY NEED TO GO APPAREL SHOPPING:LOOK OUT FOR THE SALES...YOU WILL BE HAPPY YOU WAITED FOR THE SALE! SHOES ON SALE FOR $20? OR SHOES AT REG.PRICE AT $50? YOU DECIDE!!!!!

#7) TALK TO YOUR DEBT COLLECTORS:THEY WILL WORK SOMETHING OUT WITH YOU.

#8) TO SAVE ON GAS: CAR POOL. ALSO: PICK ONE DAY OUT OF THE WEEK TO BE YOUR BANK,GROCERY AND ERRANDS DAY! RATHER THAN RUNNING HERE AND THERE ALL WEEK LONG!!

#9) DO YOU PAY FOR AN EMAIL ACCOUNT?WHY? WHEN YOU CAN HAVE ONE FOR FREE (GMAIL AND YAHOO)*

-I HOPE THESE HELPED =) DO YOU HAVE ANY MONEY SAVING TIPS YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE? IF SO, LEAVE A COMMENT AND I WILL ADD IT TO THIS LIST TO HELP OTHERS SAVE AND TAKE OFF THE FINANCIAL STRESSORS...........

Tips to help you remember

Do you ever get a brain fog or can't remember anything?

USE IT OR YOU LOSE IT!
You have to use your brain to keep it going, the more you use it, the more you'll remember. Play strategy games, learning games from Nintendo Ds. Exercise your brain, there are some basic things you can do to improve your ability to retain and retrieve memories:
Pay attention. Listen and take notes, reread the notes, go over it and you'll notice the more you do that, the more your working your brain and the easier it is to remember things. Many people are visual learners; they learn best by seeing what it is they have to know, or by reading a paragraph, rather than hearing. Sometimes, when you hear, things go in one ear and out the other, right? If you have to, bring a taperecorder with you and listen to it as many times you need to remember.
Involve as many senses as possible. Even if you’re a visual learner, read out loud what you want to remember.

I try to find a rhyme, a phrase, or abbreviations in order to remember the things I need to.

Rewriting information can help imprint it onto your brain.
Relate information to what you already know. Connect new data to information you already remember so it builds on your previous knowledge.

Organize information. Write things down in address books and datebooks and on calendars; take notes and reorganize the notes into categories later on so you can understand and remember them. Use both words and pictures in learning information if you need to.
If your learning something complex, try to take out the basic ideas rather than memorizing isolated details. Try to rephrase it into your own words and you'll be more likely to remember. Rehearse information frequently and “over-learn." Review what you’ve learned the same day you learn it, and at intervals afterwards. Going over it over and over again, is much easier to remember than cramming it all in there at once, don't ya think?
Be motivated and keep a positive attitude. Tell yourself that you want to learn what you need to remember, and that you CAN remember it. Telling yourself you have a bad memory will make it worse. Positive self talk enables you to succeed at remembering, and with anything you set your mind to.

What are the stressors in your life? How can you handle them?

Are you stressed out in life, at work, at school, in your relationships? Are you stressed out about the economy and if Obama will really change America? Are you scared for the future, for your children's future? All that worrying can be a BIG problem! They say it's okay to have stress, some stress is okay, but what happens when your stressed out all the time? As you know, constant daily stress is a health concern.

What can YOU do to reduce the stresses in your life?

YOU CAN....

Make sure you get plenty of sleep-ATLEAST 8 hours.

EAT HEALTHY, foods like caffeine, chocolate, icecream, and chips for example will make you more susceptible to feeling bad, tired, bloated, and will definately effect your mood in a bad way, so be sure to have healthy balanced meals.


EXCERCISE- find time out of your day to work out, you will feel SO much better for it.


ENOUGH with the negative talk! Try as best as you can to be optimistic. The more optimitstic you are, the better you will feel. When you are always talking negatively about life and everything in it, things are only doomed to get worse.


IT IS OKAY TO SAY NO! Is everyone demanding of you? Do people take advantage? Well, if you need the time away and the day off, say NO! You are only human and can handle so much.


BE ORGANIZED! Keep a schedule handy so your day works out smoothly, this way your not running here and there frantically!


CLEAN OUT AND DE-CLUTTER YOUR HOME! You will feel better!


DO SOMETHING NICE FOR YOURSELF EVERY ONCE IN AWHILE!


TRY SOME DEEP BREATHING TECHNIQUES!


MEDITATE-GO TO YOUTUBE AND LOOK UP WAYS TO RELAX YOUR MIND AND BODY!



YOGA IS KNOWN TO REDUCE STRESS


DANCE-LET LOOSE PUT ON SOME MUSIC AND GROOVE YOUR WAY TO RELAXATION!


****D0 you have any stress reducing techniques you'd like to share? If so, please leave a comment so others can try them out*********

Your health is SO important, so take good care of yourself!!!

It is so important to be health conscious today. With all of the economic downfalls going on, most of us are struggling. If you don't think it effects your health, you are wrong, DEAD wrong. I will be blogging about health topics because with all of the stresses in our lives and in the world, we really need to be health conscious and take good care of ourselves!

I want to live long....don't you? So come learn about your health, learn what you need to know about being healthy and strong for long!

I'll be updating every day...so come back soon! You'll be happy you did & more health conscious too!