PrimeTime-Beauty

Hello to my fellow Gentle Souls ~

In much of the Christian world, today is the Third Sunday of Lent, meaning we’re midway through the Season of Lent (already?) It’s a time of prayer, fasting, charity and self-denial. “Self-denial” you ask? You may know of it via the time-honored question “What are you giving up for Lent?” For some of us, the discipline of self-denial starts out with great enthusiasm, but then begins to give way…right….about……Now! It’s kind of like New Years’ Resolutions, when on January 1 we’re totally resolved and committed to give up candy or smoking or fattening foods, etc. But only a few weeks later, we’re back to our old habits, and we end up feeling like we’ve failed.

In recent years, along with the practice of self-denial, we’ve been challenged by our clergy to add positive yet difficult actions to the mix; forgiving someone who has hurt us; being extra patient with a difficult child; spending more time with the family. I think you get the picture. I’ve come to appreciate this combination of surrendering to something that’s difficult, with the resistance of something enjoyable. And if I slip up on one front, I can make up for it on the other, each discipline serving a unique purpose.

As far as trying to do the positive, I use a sort of checklist to help keep me on track with my Lenten journey. It’s from one of my favorite spiritual authors, Leo Buscaglia, and I thought you might like to see it. I’ve been using it to evaluate myself every night….right after I’ve talked myself out of that sweet snack (most of the time!)

To Our Spiritual Health!

Love Quiz

Adapted from Dr. Buscaglia’s book Born for Love
(1992, SLACK Incorporated)

Asking yourself questions and answering them honestly is a good path to self-knowledge. In keeping with this idea, I’d like to propose a few end-of-the-day questions for each of us…

Is anyone a little happier because I came along today?

Did I leave any concrete evidence of my kindness, any sign of my love?

Did I try to think of someone I know in a more positive light?

Did I help someone to feel joy, to laugh, or at least, to smile?

Have I attempted to remove a little of the rust that is corroding my relationships?

Have I gone through the day without fretting over what I don’t have and celebrating the things I do have?

Have I forgiven others for being less than perfect?

Have I forgiven myself?

Have I learned something new about life, living or love?

Hello Health & Beauty Buds!

You may notice it’s been quite awhile since I’ve written. Could it be that I’ve been in a Winter slump and just haven’t felt like it? Yep, that’s part of it. It’s been reported that only Hawaii has escaped winter’s wrath this year. Here in the Midwest, we’re all just plain sick and tired of it, and personally, I can feel myself sliding down that slippery slope into the winter blues. Luckily, the Internet is just full of tips on pulling yourself up by the bootstraps, so I’m going to post a few of them here…just so I have them close at hand whenever I need them.

First get outside. Even in bad weather the act of going outside will get your blood flowing.

Get as much sunlight as you can. Sunlight will improve your mood and can help mild depression. Winter sunlight is not as strong as summer light. If you suffer from SAD (seasonal affective disorder) buy a light box which imitates natural sunlight. Put full spectrum light bulbs in your light fixtures.

Most people have a vitamin D deficiency. If you live in the northern hemisphere or are elderly you definitely need supplemental vitamin D. You can’t get it from sunlight in the winter. So increase your vitamin D intake. It will improve your mood and help your bones.

Don’t neglect your exercise in the winter. When you exercise your body produces endorphins that help you feel good. It is easy to get lazy and not want to go out in the bad weather. Do some form of exercise inside. Join a health club. Exercise will help you eliminate the blues.

Get enough sleep. Some of us seem to need more sleep in the winter. Be sure to schedule it into your day. Adequate sleep will help you shake the winter blues.

Drink plenty of water. It’s easy to get dehydrated in the dry winter air. Your brain actually shrinks when you are dehydrated. You feel tired and rundown. Sip on water throughout the day.

Food will influence your mood. Foods containing tryptophan such as eggs, turkey, soybeans, sunflower and pumpkin seeds will help you to feel better. As always eliminate sugar and white flour from your diet.

Licorice taken in capsules or tea can help you fight the blues. Don’t mistake herbal licorice with licorice candy. They are not the same thing.

Sometimes just using one of these home remedies is all you will need to lift the winter blues.

Excerpted from http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_Tremer

Another thing I’m going to do this weekend is put away my winter decorations and bring out my Spring wreath, flower arrangements and Easter decorations. That’s sure to give to me another boost out of these gray, snowy days!

To your good health!

Hello Health and Beauty Buds!

Have you ever visited www.RealAge.com? On this website, you can take a test that measures your “biological” age based on your responses to questions regarding your current health, family health history, habits, relationships, and your exercise and fitness levels. After your results are calculated, you can see what areas of your life are making you older, and the other areas where you are on the right track. In addition, you’ll receive advice on how to make improvements where needed. My biological age is a whopping 3 years older than my chronological age! Yikes! I have some changes to make, especially in my diet and exercise levels. Check it out! It’s fun and eye-opening!

To your good health!

I like this short article on Spirituality and Health from FamilyDoctor.org

What is spirituality?
Spirituality is the way you find meaning, hope, comfort and inner peace in your life. Many people find spirituality through religion. Some find it through music, art or a connection with nature. Others find it in their values and principles.

How is spirituality related to health?
No one really knows for sure how spirituality is related to health. However, it seems the body, mind and spirit are connected. The health of any one of these elements seems to affect the health of the others.

Some research shows that things such as positive beliefs, comfort and strength gained from religion, meditation and prayer can contribute to healing and a sense of well-being. Improving your spiritual health may not cure an illness, but it may help you feel better, prevent some health problems and help you cope with illness, stress or death.

How can I improve my spiritual health?
If you want to improve your spiritual health, you may want to try the following ideas. However, remember that everyone is different, so what works for others may not work for you. Do what is comfortable for you.

* Identify the things in your life that give you a sense of inner peace, comfort, strength, love & connection.
* Set aside time every day to do the things that help you spiritually. These may include doing community service or volunteer work, praying, meditating, singing devotional songs, reading inspirational books, taking nature walks, having quiet time for thinking, doing yoga, playing a sport or attending religious services.

Why does my doctor need to know about my spiritual beliefs?
If you are being treated for an illness, it’s important for your doctor to know how your spirituality might be affecting your feelings and thoughts about your medical situation. If you think your spiritual beliefs are affecting your health care decisions or your ability to follow your doctor’s recommendations, tell your doctor.

If you have spiritual beliefs, worries or concerns that are causing you stress, talk with your doctor. Your doctor would like to help. If your doctor can’t help you with these issues, he or she may be able to suggest someone who can.

To your good health!

What are the most important nutrients women need? Here are some answers from WebMD:

While a lot depends on your diet and your lifestyle habits, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services say many women are not consuming enough folate (a B vitamin) or calcium. Folate (or folic acid) helps support growth and development, prevents certain birth defects, and anemia during pregnancy, and may reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers. Calcium is not only important to bone health but also overall health. Not taking enough calcium, beginning as a teenager, can increase your risk of osteoporosis (a painful bone-thinning disorder) later in life. The recommended level of daily folate intake in women is 400 micrograms daily. In terms of daily calcium requirements, women aged 11-24 need 1,200 to 1,500 milligrams; age 24 to 50, 1,000 milligrams; after age 50, 1,000 milligrams if you are taking hormone replacement therapy, and 1,500 milligrams if you are not. Women should also get adequate amounts of vitamin D to help the body use calcium.

So how much vitamin D is adequate for you?

Here’s an interesting excerpt from Dr. William Davis from his “The Heart Scan Blog”

There’s only one way to individualize your need for vitamin D and thereby determine your dose: Measure a blood level.

Nobody can gauge your vitamin D need by looking at you, by your skin color, size, or other simple measurement like weight or body fat. A vitamin D blood level needs to be measured specifically─period.

Unfortunately, many people balk at this, claiming either that it’s too much bother or that their doctor refused to measure it.

I would rank normalizing steroid hormone-vitamin D as among the most important things you can do for your health. It should never be too much bother. And if your doctor refuses to at least discuss why he/she won’t measure it, then it’s time for a new doctor.

If you’re worried about adding to rising healthcare costs by adding yet another blood test, think of the money saved by sparing you from a future of cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, etc. The cost of a vitamin D blood test is relatively trivial (around $40-50, a fraction of the cost of a one month supply of a drug for diabetes.)

So how much vitamin D should you take? Enough to raise your blood level of 25-hydroxy vitamin D to normal. (We aim for a normal level of 60-70 ng/ml.)

To your good health!

PrimeTime-Beauty is my blog about looking and feeling your best at any age, and in many ways. Beauty in body, mind, and spirit.  Feel free to share your own health & beauty tips and opinions!