Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Appetite Suppressant or sing...."The Sun will come out Tomorrow"

I listened last Sunday to a sermon that has stayed with  me all week , about my appetite and my health. 

Pastor Andy Stanley's of  In Touch Ministries
Sermon Titled "More"  



Monday, February 21, 2011
Our natural tendency is to want more. More food. More stuff. More status. Unfortunately, our appetites for more are never fully satisfied. Find out from this message by Andy Stanley how you can control negative appetites, while growing in your hunger for God. Click here for the link to the Video 
What has Stuck with me and I've often thought about is:

Pastor Stanley reference the story of Esau and Jacob in the Bible.  
                How Esau

 gave up his future 

for a bowl of Lentil Soup!  


HE had  a great disrespect and a lack of appreciation  for his Birthright. 
                        His Birthright held his FUTURE... all his Tomorrows!

His Birthright provided:  The Power as the First Born to make decisions for the family,  A Double Inheritance of his Fathers Estate, and the Culture in those day's believed that God's Blessings was  on the First Born.  He would have been mentioned throughout History   and in the linage of Jesus!  







Genesis 25:29-34  
29 Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished.
    30 He said to Jacob, Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I'm famished! (That is why he was also called Edom.)
    31 Jacob replied, First sell me your birthright.
    32 Look, I am about to die, Esau said. What good is the birthright to me?
    33 But Jacob said, Swear to me first. So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.
    34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright.




Esau had NO respect for his BIRTHRIGHT!  
But. Jacob his brother knew it's value and he became a GREAT part of BIBLE History.


God gave us a Birthright:  True Health and Wellness which is:  Strength, Joy, Peace and Love... 
I can't help but think this week, 
when I'm thinking about what to choose to eat... 
... is my choice similar to 
Esau's bowl of lentil stew?  

Am I willing to eat something that may 
be Heavy in Calories and Low in Nutrition
or may
contribute to hyperlipidemia, 
or increase my risk of Diabetes 
or 
 raise my blood pressure
just to satisfy my appetite NOW?  

Am I choosing to be Lazy (resting) and Sedentary (relaxing)  
knowing it is just an excuse to satisfy my current state of mind
when it may contribute to weak  muscles and stiff  joints and a dull  mind?  
What are my CHOICES?

I need to see every choice I make as if it were 

" Esau's bowl of Lentil Stew"



The Nutrition of Lentil Soup
Interesting how God choose to use the Story of A  Bowl of Lentil Soup to show us  a life's lesson.





                                           My Choices today determines my tomorrow.

Our Health is a Precious commodity that can't be bought, 
but it is easily thrown away


It's time to RESPECT ourselves, 

by RESPECTING our BODY 
and

 by RESPECTING our FUTURE 
and 

by RESPECTING what GOD has given us... 

OUR BIRTHRIGHT of
 True HEALTH AND WELLNESS.






LENTIL SOUP!  
It is a great choice if you don't have to give up 
your Birthright for it!  :)




Overview

Rich in protein and fiber, lentils lend substance and a mildly spicy flavor to soups. These legumes vary in color and size, depending on the variety. In the United States, commercial lentil soups often feature the larger green lentils, while Middle Eastern and Indian cultures tend to favor small, red lentils, notes FoodReference.com. A bowl of lentil soup can serve as a hearty meal, and a smaller cup makes an energizing, low-calorie snack. Look for low-sodium brands of lentil soup, or make a quick, flavorful lentil soup at home to avoid the high sodium content in some commercial brands.

Nutritional Contents

A 1/2 cup of condensed, canned lentil soup has 140 calories, 8g of protein, 1g of fat, 24g of carbohydrates and 5g of fiber. This serving also offers 3mg of iron and 750 IU, or international units, of vitamin A. Lentil soup is low in calories and fat and has no cholesterol. However, a serving of this canned lentil soup contains 800mg of sodium, over half of the maximum amount of sodium -- 1,500mg -- that you should have each day to avoid high blood pressure and heart disease, according to the American Heart Association.



Health Benefits

Lentils are a source of soluble fiber, a form of fiber that turns viscous in water. Soluble fiber slows your digestion and may help lower your cholesterol, which can reduce your risk of heart disease, according to MedlinePlus. Lentils provide both iron and protein, which makes them a healthy option for vegetarians and people who are trying to reduce the amount of red meat in their diet. Lentils also contribute to your daily requirement of vitamin A, an essential nutrient that promotes healthy eyes, skin, bones and connective tissues.

Sodium Content

According to the AHA, canned soups are one of a major sources of sodium in the American diet. Based on the AHA's recommendation that you should aim to have no more than 1,500mg of sodium daily -- about 1/3 tsp. of table salt -- the 800mg of sodium in canned lentil soup detract from its nutritional benefits. When shopping, look for brands of lentil soup marked as low-sodium. A product marketed as "low-sodium" must have no more than 140mg of sodium per serving, the AHA notes.

Homemade Lentil Soup

Unlike other dried legumes, lentils don't require soaking before cooking, MayoClinic.com notes, which makes it easy to add them to your recipes. You can make your own low-sodium lentil soup with minimal preparation time using garlic, turmeric, lemon juice, ginger or ground black pepper to flavor lentils. Spinach, kale, carrots, tomatoes or parsnips can add extra fiber, vitamins and minerals to a nutritious, homemade lentil soup.


Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/326831-the-nutrition-of-lentil-soup/#ixzz1EnHlSPkQ



Buon Appetito

Ciao and Salute! to Your Health and Wellness

Monday, February 21, 2011

Have a "YOU TUBE" moment or See it, Say it, Feel it, Believe it: FAITH


Reinforcing concepts you want to adopt as 
lifestyle changes 
happens when we Rehearse over and over again.  

Like practicing a song on the piano.  If you miss a note, you just start again and practice, practice, practice until you get it!

This morning I chose to "reinforce" my choice to eat a healthy breakfast by taking a picture of it.
           I'm a very "visual" person... it's how I learn.
I want to reinforce what I choose to believe by taking a picture of it.

So, I staged what I choose to have most mornings for breakfast.  
I don't care for  bottled Juices in the morning.  I'd rather make my own fresh juice.  Apples! or Fresh squeezed orange juice!  When I'm pressed for time  I choose the Joint Health EmergenC pack (great for joints).  I make a 4 oz glass of cold water and quickly stir up one package of EmergenC and 1 heaping tsp of Kyo-Green and drink it down fast.  Easy!

One Scoop of Oatmeal... chopped raw Almonds, 1 tsp Brown sugar (sometimes I use honey)
1/4 cup of chopped banana, 1 tsp butter (yes!),
a tsp of Chia Seeds, a tsp of Wheat Germ and  
Cinnamon (sprinkled on top)
Next I make my Oatmeal!  It's high fiber makes this a good choice for several reasons.  One of which is that it sustains me and keeps "MR HUNGRY pangs" away for hours.

YES, My delicious bowl of oatmeal.
Portion is about the size of my fist
and topped with Whip Cream sprinkled with Cinnamon
It's appealing, satisfying and a HEALTHY Choice


Rehearsing and managing situation in in your mind.

Have you ever rehearsed what you are going to say prior to calling someone on the phone when you have something difficult to say?

Take this technique to gain control over what you know you need to do when it comes to food and exercise.

Food
For instance,  (my situation)
See yourself  in this situation ("You Tube" it) and rehearse what you going to do when the Flight Attendant is passing through the cabin with warm chocolate chip cookies, offering one to each passenger.
See yourself sitting in your seat (seat belt fastened in case there are any unexpected bumps) and sense the aroma of the warm cookies filling the air.... see the soft chewy cookie laden with melting chocolate chips cradled on the little cocktail napkin.

THEN see and hear yourself 
say "No thank you" 
Rewind.... play it again.... Rewind.... play it again.... 
Rewind... (get it?)

Now, feel you are feeling strong and pleased with your decision.  See those around you applauding at your strength and determination to make healthy choices. (ok, erase that last part of people in the plane applauding)

But, rehearse over and over again.... always with the end result of you feeling strong, confident and pleased!

TELL YOURSELF  that  it is a good choice and 
it makes me HAPPY to say NO thank you  

Exercise

Wake in the morning and before getting out of bed... SEE yourself in your work out clothes... exercising ("You Tube" it)!
Saying to yourself
"I feel so great when I exercise"  
"I feel so much stronger and more confident, when I exercise"  
"It feels good to move and stretch my body"  
"MY body is healthy and stronger when I exercise"
"I like taking care of me"
"It feels great to respect my body"

Then as you proceed to start your day...  keep visualizing exercising (Re-play the "You Tube")   and say to yourself  "ahhh, I'm going to make time and do this!"


Spiritual
Rehearsing and practicing (re-playing the "You Tube" moment and doing retakes) is taking "control" of your situations.  IT will feed your spirit and mind.  It's what is called a "feed back loop".

Your choice to have this internal "YOU TUBE" moment will feed your mind and spirit strength and encouragement as you develop choices that increase your health and wellness.

When your facing a "Goliath" (as we all do each day)
.... See yourself talking with GOD (He can be a burning bush or a in a soft breeze, or in a pure white robe with light radiating from his being... your choice of course)

Hear His words of encouragement (pull out those scriptures, please) so you can speak to that Giant in your life  ....

"If God before me, who can be against me?" 
as David did in the Bible when he shouted at Goliath
Put those stones in the sling and 
WACK THAT GIANT
SEE him FALL! 


Create the "You Tube Moment" in your mind... 
play it as you want it to happen.
  
Rehearse what you will do and say! 

Empower yourself! 

Reinforcing concepts you want to adopt as lifestyle changes happens when we Rehearse over and over again (21 days to form a habit).

It's a powerful tool when we 
see it in our mind and feel it in our heart. 
I call that... "FAITH"


Hebrews 11

Faith in Action
 1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for 

and assurance about what we do not see.

Believing in yourself
Believing you are a "can do" person

Be it, do it and give the glory to God


 
Do it for your health and wellness

Ciao!  and SALUTE to your health and wellness today


I think I'll make a Few "You tube" moments today... I feel so creative!
  



Saturday, February 19, 2011

To Thine own self be true or Are you looking at ME?

This Blog has been my encouragement as I have discovered insight into who I am... and Who I choose to be


Here is an old blog of mine....

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2010


For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he

Proverbs 23:7

 



My mind feeds my heart

My heart feeds my mind

My mind and heart feed my body.

I am not who I say I am, but Who I am

I am, is my choice

I am my mind and heart

What I feed my mind and heart is my choice

I choose to feed my mind and heart TRUTH

When I choose Truth

Then I will be who I want to be

Me

 


As I was looking for a picture to match my blog tonight.... 
well..... I had a nostalgic moment:     

I wanted her to Say My NAME
I wanted her to SEE ME!!!
(Romper Room cira 1960)

We  spend a life time trying to get people to really see who we are,
but we  really don't know ourselves.

I think.... that I'm thinking ... that when we really see ourselves 
as others see us
then we can be truthful with ourselves about 
who we are not who we think we are...
(don't worry if your confused because I'm confusing myself)

**********************

SO

I really need to ask....
- What's my Line? -
and 

You Bet your life that 
I don't  think I know myself....


****************************

 To thine own self be true, and it must follow, 
as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.

  

Ciao, and Salute! to your health and wellness

Friday, February 18, 2011

Buon Viaggio: Hold on tight it's going to be the ride of your life



Wisdom is choosing to do today 
what you are going to be happy with later on. 



It's Your Trip!
You Choose
(just remember it's a ONE WAY TICKET) 


Yes, You can change the direction of your trip, even make a U-Turn... but you CAN NOT change where you've been.  So be cautious with the route you have chosen. To which you choose every morning when you wake up!



 



Your answer to losing weight in a healthy way and keeping if off is not about buying another diet book or scouring the Internet for the latest and greatest methods of weight loss.


  It's really about coming to the end of yourself 
and the beginning of God.  
He is the Source of all wisdom and power.  








Philippians 1:6   

being confident of this, 
that he who began a good work 
in you 
will carry it on to completion 
until the day of Christ Jesus.








FOOD When you eat organic foods, you reduce the amount of toxins, pesticides and other unhealthy chemicals taken into your body, and you give your body the best fuel it can get to make it function the most effectively. Though the prices on organic foods might steer you in the other direction, your body will thank you for investing in these foods.
Peaches are one of the fruits containing the highest amount of pesticides. The thin skin of peaches means that after they're subjected to pesticides and herbicides, they really sink into the fruit. If you can't find organic peaches, go for a fruit with a thicker skin instead.










EXERCISE Until about a decade ago, scientists did not believe that old brains grow new neurons. That assumption has now been overturned. One study, published in the journalGerontology, showed that as little as three hours a week of aerobic exercise increased the volume of gray matter (neurons) and white matter (connections between neurons) in the brains of elderly patients.

More Proof You Can Exercise Your Way to a Younger Brain… CLICK HERE


Vigorous exercise is best. But even if all you have time for on some days is a walk around the block… or 20 push-ups… or 10 minutes of stretching before bed… do something! And don’t skip a day for the next two weeks. After that, you will already be feeling better. And you will have momentum on your side to continue.
Regular exercise can literally turn back hands of time. A lifetime of activity is the best thing you can possibly do to maintain your youth.






Spiritual Health  






Do I have a growing relationship with God  through regular quiet time in His Word and prayer?

Do  I respond to challenges with peace and faith rather than anxiety and fear?

Do I avoid using addictive behaviors (food, television, busyness, etc.) to meet my needs?

Choices 
that we make spring forth 
out of  
"OUR BALANCE" (equilibrio) 

    When we make choices that do not lead to Health and Wellness ....

....It is probably because we are imbalanced in an area of our life:  
Physical  and or Mental  and or Spiritual



 We CHOOSE the Route we take





     buon viaggo!