Who needs health insurance?

We hear a lot about health insurance these days...on the nightly news, in Board Rooms, in job interviews, at kitchen tables.  Health insurance is all the buzz; it's expensive and necessary.  I don't know about you...but it's been one of our "big 3" monthly expenses...right up there with the mortgage. It's really a risk to be without health insurance.  As a "healthy Virginian", I get a "discount"...if you want to call it that.  That means I don't smoke, I wear my seat belt, work out regularly, and my cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and weight are in the range of someone in good health.  I think that's great...healthy folks deserve a break.

The greatest health insurance, I believe, is prevention.  The old saying goes " an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". Wisdom. What is prevention? Prevention is living a life in balance...a life of no excesses.  We're not talking rules and legalism here, we're talking balance and wisdom.  A balanced diet (if you want to be a vegetarian that's fine with me...get your protein other ways)....enough sleep, exercise, stress management. 

Is this enough though?  Back to reality.  Our food supply is full of additives and we don't get enough nutrients from the foods we eat.  No one eats a "perfectly balanced" diet consistently.  Many of us don't exercise regularly.  Our lives are full and drive-thrus are convenient. Processed foods are the norm in many kitchens today due to time constraints.  Stress is taking it's toll. If you're popping a multivitamin from the local drug store thinking that's taking care of the slack...think again.  The supplement industry is not regulated  and many  vitamins just end up in the toilet.  Seriously. 

All this said...do your homework!!!  I did.  I had a special interest in researching good nutritional supplements. If you've done any looking at all, you will know that there is much to choose from.  Choose wisely!  You  do not need to choose what I did...but choose wisely.  Invest wisely.  Don't throw your money down the toilet.  I wanted supplements that would be easily absorbed.  I wanted quality and value, not hype. I wanted a company with integrity, with a track record.  Because I know that "bad company corrupts good morals"...I wanted to know "who" was involved,, (or who used the products and what they had to say about them). I found what I was looking for with AdvoCare.  They had the Science.  They  invested in research, development, and safety over advertising.  They did not pay endorsers big money to say they used the products.  Folks like Drew Brees, Michael W. Smith, Colt McCoy, and Olympic Athletes, were unpaid endorsers.  I liked what I heard.  I decided that investing in prevention was definitely worth it.  Back to the great exchange....Starbucks, McDonalds, 7-11...they all became history.  I decided I was worth the investment.  I decided my children were worth the investment.

What are you  investing in?  Are you getting the return you want?  Let's keep exploring good health together!!

Let's Be....Community

According to Todd Duncan, the New York Times Bestselling Author of Time Traps, one of the most important investments we can make is an investment in our health. Here's what he had to say "...nothing steals your time quicker than poor health habits. Just think how much a little cold slows you down.  When you add something more invasive, the effects multiply quickly...according to a national health survey...58% are overweight (22%are obese). He goes on to say that the things that effect our health in turn devalue our time...if you don't take care of your body, your time is not maximized...you must take a proactive approach to health.

So....now we're not only talking about being a good steward of our body (which we're borrowing)...but also being a good steward of our time (ever heard the saying "we're living on borrowed time"?!)  It really hurts me to say this...but the very folks who preach about being a good steward of our $....well, it sometimes look like some banks have been broken at the drive-thru (the fast food drive-thru that is). But, enough of that soap box...I want to be known for what I stand FOR, not what I stand AGAINST.

So this post will stay simple.  Tomorrow is Monday....always a great day to start one new good habit.  Some say that it takes approximately 21 consecutive days to form a new habit.  Pick one, just one.  Commit to it for the next 3 weeks a day at a time.  Like what?
*eat a healthy high protein breakfast (see previous post for ideas)
*get moving. Walk with a friend (or your ipod, or scripture) or start a gym or class membership
*replace 1 destructive habit with 1 constructive habit
*get enough sleep (A recent Columbia University study suggest that people who get too little sleep tend to overeat, and that women were especially inclined to overeat when sleepy.  On average, people consumed app. 300 more calories when they were sleepy that when they were well rested.)

Most importantly....and I'll end with this:  let's be community!!  Accountability and relationships help tremendously....lone rangers get picked off. Not all of us can meet personally (though some of us can, and I'm available) and that's where blogging communities come in. I know for a fact that some 90+ folks have visited.  Please begin to comment on what's working, what's not working.  What's helpful, what's not helpful.  What is missing?  Your questions and comments are not only welcomed....they are needed for community!!  Let's share one anothers burdens....we need each other!

Purposely Practical

"The truth will set us free; but first, the truth might make us uncomfortable, even miserable. Yet holding on to falsehoods and not going forward are worse, thereby denying the truth." ~The Irresistible Church You may be noticing a trend by now in these blogs. Reality and truth are required to be really living LIFE. We've all tried the denial trip and we're always brought back around to reality...one hard way or another.  Some of our trips are longer than others!  I speak from experience. Last time we talked about "fast food"...now that's a reality in our world!  The faster the food prep is...the happier this gal is. I guess you could say I was susceptible to fast food.  I'd rather be living and doing than banging pots and pans in the kitchen. I believe I'm not alone.  And to complicate matters, we seem to be moving and doing on a much faster pace than our parents or grandparents.  Hence, the success of fast food.  And yes, the fast food giants are trying their best to bring healthy alternatives to their menus....but in reality, I'm thinking that most folks still order up those fries and burgers! Not to mention the sodas and shakes. Now these "restaurants" are beginning to post nutritional information...like just having information ever changed anything.  Worked for the cigarettes, huh? So what's a fast livin' bunch to do?  We call it "the great exchange".  Exchange something better for something not so good.  Know what trips you up and flee from it.  Invest (put your money somewhere) in things that will bring you life and health...not destruction.  Here's one practical example: My hubby's Dad needed to stop smoking and it was a battle for years.  As he attempted to quit on many occasions...he noticed a pattern.  Coffee was a huge trigger.  He started his day with coffee and a cigarette, he ended his meals with coffee and a cigarette. Of course, the harsh reality was...now he was looking at giving up TWO things he loved.  Ahhh...here is where the great exchange came in.  We introduced him to SPARK (AdvoCare's brain drink).  It still contained about the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee...but because it wasn't coffee...it didn't trigger that familiar pattern that coupled the drink with the cigarette.  The "great exchange" worked...his Doc said, "keep drinking that stuff".  It not only provided the caffeine, but it is loaded with good things:  21 vitamins, minerals and nutrients for fast-acting and sustained energy.  He called it "his medicine". That's how the great exchange works...give up something that isn't working for something that will.  In most cases, the money exchange is about the same, so we're not talking about a huge investment.  Quit spending on something that isn't working and spend or invest your money on something that will work. Spark is a healthy alternative to soda, kool-aide, and other energy drinks that are on the market.  All my kids love it, including the big kid! Oh...and the fast food.  I have found 3 favorite healthy "fast foods".  Let me share them with you: ~GREEK YOGURT AND FRUIT.  I purchase "Fage" at Costco (more bang for the buck).  It is no fat and a serving is loaded with 23 grams of protein.  (I HAVE told you how important protein is to maintaining your muscles, haven't I?!) One cup has 130 calories, if you are a calorie counter.  I then sprinkle some ground flax seeds on top (buy them ground, or get them whole and grind them yourself)  Flax seeds are loaded with Omega's...just trust me that is good and you can do the research for yourself. Sometimes I add a small amount of granola. I add a favorite fruit...fresh if I can get it (peaches, strawberries, and any berry are my favorite).  Top if all off with some walnuts (also good for you)...and I feel like queen for a day.  It's yummy, can substitute for dessert, is loaded with good stuff, and fills me up. ~ APPLES AND PEANUT BUTTER. Here's how it works for me.  I cut up my favorite apple (for me it's Fuji or a crisp apple)...I'm talking bite size so I eat it with a fork.  I add peanut butter or almond butter (not my kids...the natural stuff with no added salt or sugar).  I use those ground flax seeds again, and the walnuts....and YUM!  You've got your crunch, your sweet and salty, it's fast and easy.  Because you eat it with a fork...you feel like you've really had something more than a snack. ~AdvoCare's Meal Replacement Shakes.  My favorite is vanilla because I add a 1/2 frozen banana (we buy tons of bananas but because we are all banana snobs...once they are the slightest bit soft or brown...none of us think they're edible).  So...bananas past their prime are put in the freezer (no fancy chopping or prep here...just toss them in the freezer with the skin on).  I cut one in half, peel it with a knife and toss it in the blender with the shake mix, ice, and water.  Yum.  It's my "go to" when I'm on the go. Have I been practical enough for you today?  I hope so.  Now fuel that body and go do something good!  You are loved.

Can you afford to NOT use dietary supplements?

Get honest....do you eat a healthy diet 365 days a year? I certainly don't and I don't know anybody who does. I love living in reality...it has set me free!  Now...I'm probably going to say some things you already know, but some things we need to hear over and over again.  DIET is a four letter word. The first 3 letters in DIET are DIE. DIETS don't work..statistically only 2% work.  We ARE a nation of gamblers if we look at the $ that is spent on fad diets. I don't know about you, but I've to do do something that I can LIVE with.  I'm all about living today...no regrets, no dreads.  Don't diets have that effect?  "Blew it yesterday...back on the wagon today....I'll suffer for a while to make up for it"  Our lives can become a vicious cycle of temporary success and failure and obsessive focus on food. We become what we think about.....yuck.

Great supplements bridge the nutritional gap.  They give our bodies what they crave that we don't always get from our diets.  If our bodies are getting  the fuel we need...cravings will begin to subside.  They won't be completely eliminated (have you ever heard of  "emotional eating"?!), but cravings will be squelched to a great degree. Do you know that the average person spends $11.50 a day on  incidentals? That includes money spent on things like a stop at a convenience store or fast food for a coffee, other beverage, or snack.  AdvoCare has acted as fast food prevention for many folks.  AdvoCare's 24 Day Challenge costs an average of $7.25 a day, retail. Let's see....junk in my body that I'll regret or great fuel for less money.  No brainer. Plan ahead to avoid the fast food temptation!! 

Next time....let's examine some of our home "fast food" that gives us good nutrition without blowing our nutritional and financial bank! Remember to invest time and money into things that are important to you and things that are life giving!!!