5 Steps to Get Back on the Healthy Food Band Wagon

(Doll’s weekly thoughts on goals, starting over and success!)

Monday is the most popular day to re-start programs.  This goes for exercise, diets and other self-improvement ideas.  We’ve all been there.  We start on Monday.  Then, by Friday, we wonder what happened to take us so far off track.

Here are some thoughts to help all of us enjoy our successes at the end of the Week.

• Begin at the finish line!

  I am very happy with the work I do with The Raw Divas.  My goal is to be a successful businesswoman. I need to set the stage.  Last week Nick helped me buy and put together this great office set up.  There is no reason to wait until I am successful.  The time is now!

• Plan for success

  In my planning for success I’ve placed only those things that are necessary for my work on and around my desk.  I decided that distractions where not helping me to get the work done. You all know what I mean.  Dishes and nick-knacks do not belong.

• Set an attainable goal

  I’d love to set a goal of writing 3 hours every day.  That’s just not possible for me. But, if I set a goal of 15 min, twice a day I can get the work done and feel like I’ve accomplished something.

• Reward yourself

  I work really well with tangible gifts.  Finish a project?  Try a spa treatment, new scarf or even a star on your calendar.  Make it fun!

• Think in the present tense

  No more do I say, “I will finish this on time” or “I will have this piece published someday”.  I make statements for today.  I am writing 15 minutes today.  My published article is informative and fun.  Be positive and specific.

These 5 points can be used in terms of your food planning, exercise schedule, or your over all health and happiness.  Living a Raw Food Lifestyle is planned for and something to be enjoyed.  See yourself as healthy, fit, glowing and filled with energy!

Make this Monday your special Do-Over day!  Create a commitment or goal that works for you.  Sweet Diva, you can take on the world.  One do-over at a time!

With love and warm hugs

Doll (from her new office)

Why Can’t You Just Start Already? How to Handle Your Fitness Excuses!

By Jenn Givler

You’ve felt the niggles. The urges. The nudges. You know it’s time to start. You know you should be doing something. But every time you think about starting, something comes up. Some other plan, some interruption, some unexpected obstacle.

I’m talking about exercising. In the midst of being a significant other, a mom, a daughter, a friend and a professional, it can be tough to think about fitting in one more thing, or to even just take the plunge.

The fact is, exercise is good for you and your body. Among the commonly stated health benefits (increased cardio vascular health, increased energy, lower risk of multiple diseases, etc…), exercise also has some amazing not-commonly-heard-about benefits.

For example, exercising helps your body eliminate toxins. It also increases the good feelings you have about yourself and your positive self-talk. Exercise is wonderful for your libido. It helps you think clearly, and it gives you stamina for your all of your regular daily activities. It also improves sleep.

Even knowing all of this can make us stutter and stammer when it comes to starting a new exercise program.

Here are 3 simple ways to get started:

• Buddy up.  Find someone that will truly kick you into gear if you start making excuses. And, be sure that your buddy has the same mind-set and similar goals for exercise that you do. Together, create a plan that you can both easily stick to and go for it.
• Find the time.  Find a time each and every day that will be used for nothing other than exercise. At first, it’s going to be tough to stick to that time. Your mind is going to have all sorts of reasons why you can’t. And you’re going to make up excuses. But, I promise, if you stick to a regular time for at least 2 weeks, it will become a new routine, and you’ll actually hate to miss your exercise time.
• Keep it simple.  To get aerobic benefits, you don’t have to beat yourself to a pulp. This is something that is echoed in the Body Enlightenment System.

Walking at a moderate pace for 20 to 30 minutes a day is the perfect way to start moving.

To know that you’re truly getting benefit from the movement, make sure you’re winded (that it’s not easy to have a conversation, or that you’re breathing heavier),  and that you feel like you’re really working.
Inertia is defined as “an object at rest stays at rest unless acted on by an outside force.” For those of us needing to start something, inertia can be our biggest rival.
But, once you get going and get into a new routine, it’s easy to build a great new momentum in the right direction.

Start simply, find a buddy, pick a time and go for it.

**Jenn Givler is a fitness and wellness coach. She helps busy women break their fitness hiatus, and shows them how to fit fitness into a busy schedule. You don’t have to be a fitness buff, or live at the gym to feel healthy, fit and strong. Check out Jenn’s web site for exercise ideas, recipes, and insight: JGivlerFitness.com

Moments in Thyme . . . The Little Things We Do

By Joyce Wiatroski

“Almost everything you do will seem insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.” —Gandhi

As I thought about these simple words I was struck by the depth of wisdom they impart.

When I take into consideration the magnificence of the universe on one hand, and the immensity of the challenges that face mankind on the other: securing world peace, protecting the environment, eradicating disease and alleviating poverty, I wonder how anything I do will make a difference.

Gandhi’s admonition that it’s important to do whatever little we can, resonates a simple truth. A cumulative effort will produce dramatic results.

Think about it.

• I can contribute to world peace by starting in my own neighborhood. By reaching out to a new neighbor, I’ve made an acquaintance out of a stranger.

• I’ve learned to smile at the homeless and greet handicapped people I pass on the street, instead of avoiding eye contact. When they smile back I no longer feel uncomfortable in their presence. Maybe their day will be a bit warmer and brighter, too.

• With a concern for protecting the environment, five years ago I stopped using plastic or paper bags when I shop. I’ve accumulated a collection of canvas tote bags and like a piece of plastic we often hear advertised, I “never leave home without it”.

• Even though I live on a very limited budget, I’ve made a small monthly commitment to an organization that helps the homeless—The Salvation Army Bed and Bread Club.
There are many other worthwhile organizations that would appreciate a few dollars regularly.

• Because I love and listen to my local FM station, practically 24-7, I support it with a nominal monthly donation. My small amount, added with the contribution of others, makes non-commercial news reports, classical music and mind-expanding programs possible for the whole community.

• I subscribe to the local newspaper, along with the RSS feed for a major metropolitan newspaper, giving me a different perspective and assuring that I’m aware of what’s happening in the world at large, as well as in my own backyard. Apathy is dangerous. We must take an interest in our world locally and globally.

• I subscribe to a variety of health, nutrition, and raw food related blogs and websites. With the marvels of modern technology, I take advantage of interviews, seminars and podcasts that inform and direct me as I pursue a healthy lifestyle.

• I keep up with issues that affect me personally and take note of subjects that pertain to family and friends as well. This allows me to forward information and encouragement to assist others on the road to abundant vibrant health.

• I take full responsibility for my own health and well-being. No one cares more about me than me. No one cares more about you than you. Never forget that.

Many of the things I do seem so insignificant. But in retrospect, I see how important
it is for each of us to do small things to make our neighborhoods a better place, to help our communities blossom, to heal relationships, to work on building healthier bodies.

If we adopt the rationale behind Gandhi’s quote, and do simple things consistently, the outcome may well have a far-reaching and lasting impact.

These individually insignificant actions will exponentially build a better world.

It’s up to us to make it happen. Let’s continue to manifest . . .

Like fine wine, women grow better with thyme.

Joyce Wiatroski is the wit and wisdom found on foodiefumblings blog. You can watch for her contributions on the Diva blog on Tuesdays.

Moments in Thyme . . . Breast Cancer Awareness Month

by Joyce Wiatroski

It’s October. Once again we are inundated with the annual mammography marketing campaign.

What we need is more emphasis on education and prevention, and less on detection, as a means for women to conquer breast cancer.

Researchers at the Nordic Cochrane Center in Denmark studied 500,000 women to determine the results of breast cancer screening programs. They found that for every one woman helped by breast cancer screening, ten were harmed through false diagnosis or unnecessary treatments that devastated their health.

Why is all the money and emphasis being spent on detection? What ever happened to seeking PREVENTION? Why are women not being educated on ways we can prevent this disease, instead of waiting to be diagnosed with it and then being given ‘treatment’?

Cancer is a pharmaceutical pot of gold that we all buy into year after year.

Shame on us.

The big business of breast cancer is alive and well and extremely profitable. Before you fork out dough for more walks for the cure and pink ribboned paraphernalia, think about the industry you’re supporting. Think before you pink!

Take a gander at all the companies that have jumped on the bandwagon with their Think Pink messages. Many of these companies are selling products that contribute to cancer. (Cosmetics and beauty aids made with synthetic chemicals, cereals and pastries made with processed white flour, sugar and hydrogenated oils, etc.) These manufacturers ask us to buy more of their products so we can get more cancer. Then generous souls that they are, they offer to donate a few cents from each purchase for more cancer research. Meanwhile, their profits steadily rise by riding on the coattails of breast cancer and its victims.

As a breast cancer survivor, woman and concerned citizen, I believe it’s a mandate for every woman to become more familiar with the literature on how one can avoid known carcinogens—factors that have been proven to contribute to breast cancer.

It’s also our responsibility to become familiar with the steps we can take to avoid this aggressive disease that will strike one in — how many women? Currently, it’s one in every eight. As we continue to ingest more synthetic chemicals and toxins from our food, water, air, clothing, cleaning products, etc. will we see this ratio escalate?

For an eye opening exposé on the correlation between synthetic chemicals to the near epidemic diseases we now face, I recommend reading The One Hundred Year Lie by Randall Fitzgerald. This noted investigative reporter shows, in layman’s terms, how the ‘progress of modern technology’ along with corporate greed has led us down the road to the current state of health in the Western world today.

Are you familiar with Breast Cancer Action (BCA)? Check out this organization that is actively AGAINST breast cancer and all the contributing factors that have proven to be precursors of this dreaded disease.

• Help support a worthwhile cause by joining the Think Before You Pink campaign.  Use the leverage of your influential purchasing power by NOT purchasing pink items that contribute to breast cancer and other debilitating diseases.

•  Make it your business to know what’s in the products you buy: the food you serve your family, the cleaning agents you use in your home, the cosmetics and beauty products you use on your skin and hair, the synthetic fabrics in your clothing.

•  Don’t expect the guy who is making his living by selling you these items to inform you they are harmful. Find out for yourself if they are safe.

•  Don’t wait for cancer to strike and then look for a treatment. Make it your first priority to find out how you can contribute to your own well being and then take essential steps to prevent it.

•  Don’t let big business, whether it’s the medical community, the pharmaceutical industry, chemical companies, or factory farms and food giants dictate our future.

As women we need to unite and speak up for our healthful rights.

As a concerned sisterhood let’s continue to manifest . . .

Like fine wine, women grow better with thyme.

* Joyce Wiatroski is the wit and wisdom found on foodiefumblings blog. You can watch for her contributions on the Diva blog on Tuesdays.

Moments in Thyme . . . Food in Film!

By Joyce Wiatroski

Recently, I went to see Cloudy with Chance of Meatballs. As interested as I am in food, nutrition, and the sad state of our collective health, a mainstream, animated film that carries the message “don’t fill up on junk food” certainly caught my attention.
The film does a neat job of sending an important message to kids and their folks. Having your fill of easy eats, such as chicken wings, cheeseburgers, and French fries, has dire consequences. The message is: “ease up on the junk food before it kills you”. I wonder how many viewers will take the message to heart. I also wonder how many left the theater and headed for the nearest fast food drive-in window.

On the ride home, I thought about how film influences our lives — how our culture is both reflected and informed by the films of an era.

Film offers escape, entertainment, enlightenment and education. It’s a medium that encourages us to lose ourselves, for a short while, in the adventures, joys and sorrows of other people. People much like us, and also people whose lifestyles and mores are completely different from ours. Film transports us, visually and audibly, to new worlds offering the opportunity to gain new insights, and develop broader understanding as we grow intellectually.

Before television, movies were our window on the world. Each current generation has grown up with some exposure to film. For many of us, movies are woven into the fabric of our lives, subtly influencing many of our decisions.

Film has always been a big deal in my life. As a kid, Saturday at the Movies included a double feature, newsreels, cartoons, and coming attractions (trailers). We spent entire Saturday afternoons glued to the big screen. All for a quarter. Imagine!

As a pre-teen, after seeing a fascinating ice skating movie, I imagined myself as a swirling, twirling, Sonja Henie, waiting to be discovered on the ice rink at our local firehouse. The fact that I couldn’t skate backwards, let alone twirl, didn’t diminish the dream one bit!
Then Esther Williams stole my heart, and the dreams went from the frigid skating rink to the sensuous movements of a lithe ballerina in the wet depths of an exotic swimming pool. I couldn’t figure out how to give my adoring audience a big smile, while continuing to breathe under water. The mere fact that I couldn’t swim very well didn’t begin to slow down those exciting fantasies.
I went on to dance with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly — giving Ginger Rogers a run for her money. Dressed in glamorous gowns, I pranced upon the stage in my mind. The movies were a wonderful weekly adventure, teaching me to aspire and to dream. Movies magically opened up beautiful new worlds, expanding horizons for a skinny, freckle-faced New Hampshire girl.

Now I seem to gravitate toward health related documentaries, yet I’m easily lured by any film about food. Food speaks volumes about nurturing, caring, and love. The joy with which we prepare foods for family, friends or simply for ourselves is a major component, adding to the total nourishment of the final dish, make no mistake about that. The sentiment that food and love go hand in hand is reflected in many a well-written film treatment.

For a comprehensive list of food films, check out Gastronomica. I was entranced by some of the titles, for instance: Garlic is as Good as Ten Mothers, Killer Tomatoes and . Many of my favorite food films are listed: Big Night, Babette’s Feast, Like Water for Chocolate, and so many more, along with plenty of informative documentaries. Check out the list and find some grand food related films to watch. Don’t miss the recent release, Julie and Julia. Just because raw foodists choose not to cook, or vegans not to cook with butter, watching Julia Child (Meryl Streep) make culinary history is a pure delight.

Food — the center of attention.  What does that say about us as a society?

Today we each have the opportunity to make healthy food choices the center of attention. An opportunity to nurture, care and show love to our circle of influence by setting a good example, eating to nurture the body, mind and spirit. It will be interesting to see what impact we have on our immediate circle and watch the ripple effect on the world.

Maybe someday we’ll see a film entitled: Sunny with Chance of Kale!

Meanwhile, let’s each do our part to manifest . . .

Like fine wine, women grow better with thyme.

**Joyce Wiatroski is the wit and wisdom found on foodiefumblings blog. You can watch for her contributions on the Diva blog on Tuesdays.