tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89869406426336138112024-02-08T12:31:33.934-08:00The Healthy HippieMaritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01454271893977164157noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986940642633613811.post-50010338890094825712014-04-04T08:11:00.002-07:002014-04-04T12:23:23.289-07:00Ideas, Recipes and Other Things<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c1130;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm baaaaaaack!</span></span><br />
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During my long hiatus from this blog, I did many things that I'm sure I'll expand on in further entries. For now, however, I would like to talk about some new things I'm doing to improve my health and also show you guys what I've been eating for the past few days! I'm really excited, can you tell?</span><br />
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So I've been on a roller coaster ride for the past few months that included relocating and relocating again to an entirely new town (for me) with my boyfriend, who has lived here all his life. The strangeness of being in a new place coupled with my (as of yet, unfulfilled) desire to find full-time employment led me to use my free time to do some experimentation. I started researching easy ways to create my own health and beauty products and also jumped back on the band wagon of eating naturally and for my physical and mental health.</span><br />
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First things first, if you want to try using only natural products on your skin and in your hair, there is ONE THING you need to buy right away - organic, virgin coconut oil. Go do it! My boyfriend's mom shops in the US (a common thing here as we are right on the border with Michigan) and she picked me up a giant 1.5 litre jar of the stuff! I got to work immediately to start creating a few simple things. First of all, I've used coconut oil for months in my hair. I have really thick, naturally curly hair and it benefits hugely from having some oil rubbed into it, almost like how you would apply a frizz serum, once or twice a week. I also use it as a moisturizer, but I have to say - since getting the virgin coconut oil, I've noticed it soaks into my skin so much better, and I can also use it on my face without breaking out at all. It makes a huge difference to use unrefined oil, in my experience, anyways. It also works great as an eye makeup remover. I keep a tupperware container of it in the bathroom and just dip my tissue in it and smear it over my eyes. It gets all my makeup off and leaves my skin glowing and looking fresh.</span><br />
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I also read a whole bunch of articles on creating your own toothpaste and face wash using baking soda and coconut oil, and I found <a href="http://www.livingthenourishedlife.com/2011/05/12-natural-toothpaste-alternatives">a really simple one in the list at this address</a>. Using just coconut oil and baking soda mixed together for toothpaste (you have to warm up the coconut oil and then mix the baking soda in, then let it sit in a glass jar and cool down before using) is bitter and salty and tastes awful, but it gets your teeth so clean and mine are already starting to get whiter. If you like your toothpaste to have a minty taste, I'd recommend adding some essential oils, which I'm going to be doing soon. The face wash is simple - you can either just put a 1/2 tsp of coconut oil and 1/4 tsp baking soda in your hand and rub them together until mixed and use, or you can make a batch just like the toothpaste and store it. <a href="http://www.nwedible.com/2013/05/all-natural-diy-facial-exfoliator-coconut-oil-baking-soda.html">Here's a recipe if you'd like to do it that way.</a> (That's also a great blog, by the way.) Apply it gently to your face, rubbing in circular motions (softly!). When you've done your whole face, take a damp, warm cloth and press it to your face to get the baking soda off, then rub the remaining coconut oil into your face like a moisturizer. It makes your skin so soft, but I can only use it once or twice a week because otherwise it bothers my rosacea. I'd love to hear from anyone else who tries it with similar or different results!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />Speaking of rosacea, I also started reading up on how juicing ginger can help with it immensely, and that got me on the JUICING TRAIN! And I'm loving every minute of the ride. Juicing is a fantastic addition to any healthy lifestyle and can really ensure that you get a high level of all your essential vitamins and minerals, especially if you plan it that way. Here's a website that </span><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://juicerecipes.com/build/">claims to be able to show you the amount of nutrition in your juice recipe</a><u>.</u> </span><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm not sure how accurate it is, but it's worth a try. I juice in the morning before breakfast every day, usually a recipe something along the lines of this one:</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mmm, right? That juice contains:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-2 beets</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-3 stalks of celery</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-a bunch of spinach (I buy mine in bunches, this would be the equivalent of a bag or a small plastic container)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-1/2 lemon</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-a thumb-sized piece of ginger root</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-1 cucumber</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I don't usually do beets and carrots in the same juice because they're both so sweet, but this was a "day before groceries, let's juice whatever I've got left" sort of day, so it ended up this way. Limes and lemons are great to use for flavour because of how sweet they are with such a small amount of sugar, and the ginger gives the juice a spicy taste. It also helps with inflammation and has definitely helped my rosacea go down quite a bit. There is some discussion about whether you should juice spinach every day, so I don't. I use it every three days, and rotate a combination of celery and cucumbers on the other days instead. If you want to know more about the do's and don'ts of juicing, I'm no expert, so <a href="http://veganthuglife.com/2013/07/30/the-benefits-of-juicing-the-dos-and-donts/">here is one helpful article I found</a>, and also <a href="http://www.hungryforchange.tv/article/are-you-making-these-common-8-juicing-mistakes">here's another, just for good measure.</a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Juicing has helped me feel more energetic and happy, and along with a healthy, natural, vegan breakfast, lunch and dinner, helps ensure I get all the nutrients I need. I'm allergic to gluten, so my meals have had to work around that, and it's made me quite creative in the kitchen. Last night I made portobello mushroom spaghetti, and upon the advice of my friend Alicia, added some homemade hummus to the batch. It turned out amazing. Here's the recipe for both.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">HUMMUS</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;">Hey, that's not my hummus! That's because mine didn't photograph well. But it looked a lot like that.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I just made a simple hummus as I didn't have any tahini in the house. I took 1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed them, added 2 tbps of olive oil, 1/2 tsp sea salt, one clove of garlic crushed and the juice of 1/4 of a lemon and mixed them together with my hand mixer, then added some cayenne powder to give it a spice. It was okay, but I definitely like hummus better with some tahini.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM SPAGHETTI</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;">And who doesn't love leftovers?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 can spaghetti sauce</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 can whole tomatoes</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 portobello mushroom, diced</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/2 red onion, diced</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/2 of bell pepper, colour of your choosing, cut into strips</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/4 tsp cayenne</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/4 tsp rosemary</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Empty can of sauce and whole tomatoes into medium saucepan over low heat. Add onions and peppers and let simmer for 10 minutes. Then add portobello mushrooms, cayenne, oregano, rosemary, salt and pepper. Let simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes. Then add hummus until desired consistency and let simmer for another 10 minutes, or until veggies are tender. The mushrooms should still be firm but cooked. Serve with whatever sort of spaghetti noodles you love best!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Next time I'm going to try frying the onions and peppers for a few minutes before adding the sauce so I don't have to simmer for so long, but it did add some flavour to the tomato sauce, so it's really a win/win.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I would love to hear from you! Have you tried some all-natural healthy and beauty product recipes that turned out great? I'm going to be trying a few more complicated ones before I post about it next, so I can let you know how they turn out. Any juicers out there? Let's share recipes and new things we're trying! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Until next time, beautiful people!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Marita</span></div>
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Maritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01454271893977164157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986940642633613811.post-33371882699944697042013-08-25T12:33:00.000-07:002013-08-25T12:33:06.906-07:00Going Gluten-Free - My Life Without BeerSo recently I have decided to stop ignoring the blatant facts in front of me and finally face up to something I have been avoiding for months: I am allergic to gluten. It was an incredibly difficult thing for me to finally admit to myself, because it meant that I could no longer skate around the idea of living without gluten, but now had to put that idea into full action in my own life.<br />
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Why was going gluten-free for me so horrifying a thing to think about? Well, when I had been playing around with the thought of giving it up, I realized something. If I could never eat gluten, I could never guzzle down another ice cold Alexander Keith's. I could never order another tall, frosty pint of Stella at the bar. I could never cook another batch of stir fry vegetables in my favourite beer. All my brand loyalty would have to be thrown out the window! And I am a woman who takes her favourite beers seriously. Not only that, but I could never have french fries again, or a greasy cheeseburger, or a juicy Philly Cheese Steak sub at some vendor booth at the fair. In the past year I have cut down my consumption of those sorts of things tremendously, but I still liked to indulge. And going gluten-free would mean saying goodbye to those things forever.<br />
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It was a sad thing to think about. I almost wanted to have a goodbye ceremony. Me, dressed in all black, holding a Moosehead in one hand and a Sub Venture chicken bacon wrap in the other, sobbing uncontrollably. But I never did, and now it's too late. I just want to feel better. I'm tired of having a distended abdomen and an intense reaction in my gut every time I eat gluten. I want to feel normal, like normal people who eat normal food do. There are going to be times when someone is drinking an ice cold brew beside me and I'm going to lose my resolve and drink one, but I need to cut that out as much as possible. The gluten I am unable to digest is keeping me from absorbing the vitamins and minerals from my food, and I'll never truly be healthy until I am only ingesting food my system can handle.<br />
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So what are the basic things you can't eat if you're allergic to gluten? Well, to start with, all conventional flours, including wheat, spelt, rye, barley (which includes anything malted), triticale, graham flour, kamut and etc. That would be simple enough, however these things are in SO many products, it would surprise you! Already with these we are eliminating beers, breads, candies, cakes, pies, cookies, crackers, pastas, gravies, french fries, processed luncheon meats, a lot of salad dressings, most potato chips (because of the seasoning) and a lot of different sauces. Being gluten-free means checking the label of everything you buy that is processed or made up of a bunch of ingredients, because a lot of the things added to these products contain gluten.<br />
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In other words, IT SUCKS.<br />
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But! It is really easy to use rice or quinoa flour to make your own gluten-free breads, cookies, cakes and pies, and gluten-free beer is available as well. Plus, you can eat ALL vegetables and fruits, nuts, wines and alcohol, you can use rice noodles instead of regular pasta, make your own salad dressings (which is better and more natural for you anyway!), and eat dried fruit instead of candy. In a way, it forces you to watch even more carefully what you are putting in your body, and to prepare your own items instead of buying them processed, so it's really a good thing!<br />
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I really enjoyed looking through this blog for gluten-free recipes, and a lot of them are vegan too. Check it out! <a href="http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.ca/">http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.ca/</a><br />
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So, in short - I miss my beer, but I've got my whiskey, and oh my goodness do I miss bread, but... I'm feeling healthier, stronger, and have a way better attention span, so I'm excited to see how much better I'm going to feel once my system has been cleansed a bit.<br />
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Are you gluten-free? Let me know how it's going for you!<br />
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Namaste,<br />
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MaritaMaritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01454271893977164157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986940642633613811.post-39236344255703235212013-03-27T04:53:00.002-07:002013-03-27T04:53:31.310-07:00Channel That Love!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
When we are children, our parents tell us we can be whatever
we want to be. Or at least, most of them do. But really what they should be
saying is that we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">will</i> be whoever we
want to be and whoever we think we are. The idea you have of yourself in your
mind is stronger and carries more weight than you ever could imagine, and when
you project an idea about yourself it becomes truth. You make it so, if you
will.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We all say terrible things about ourselves, especially when
we are upset. “I’m stupid.” “No one really cares about me.” “I’m going to be
alone forever.” “I’ll never find someone.” “I’m fat.” “I’m ugly.” “I’m useless.”
I did this for a long time. Those horrible phrases I would repeat to myself become
something of a comfort when I was depressed. I was soothed by the fact that I
was just as pathetic as I had always imagined myself to be. All was right with
the world.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But when you are constantly down on yourself, and constantly
telling yourself you can’t do something or you aren’t worth something, you begin
to believe it. Those words stay in your heart and you begin to act based on
them. They are in the back of your mind, always taunting you. You lose your job
and you tell yourself, “Of course you did. You were never good enough for that
job, anyway. You’re just too stupid,” and it’s like a comfort. Ah, yes, I am my
old self after all, incapable of doing anything right. You feel better because
you recognize and know that person well - it’s reassuring in its familiarity. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, if these things work one way, they undoubtedly work the
other, as well, right? This is the realization I came to last night, sitting alone in
my tiny bunkhouse. It was hot – the milder weather has made it tricky for me to
gage how much heat I should use, and I had misjudged. My curtains were drawn.
In my window I have a postcard that a dear friend sent to me, to which she
glued a beautiful phrase that I repeat to myself every day: “She accepts the
fates and furies beyond her control with unflappable composure (and a serious
sense of humour)!” Since I have been saying this, I have indeed begun to face
things with unflappable composure, composure I never knew I had. I sat on my
bed and stared at that postcard. I repeated the words in my head a few times
and began to feel strong, capable, in control of my emotions. That’s when I
started to think – if this works so well, wouldn’t saying other things aloud to
myself and repeating them over and over in my mind start making them come true,
as well?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So I wrote down everything I wanted to be. I wrote down
twenty phrases, among them:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I AM STRONG</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I AM BEAUTIFUL</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I AM LEVEL-HEADED</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I AM OPEN-MINDED</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I AM KIND</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I BRING JOY TO OTHERS</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I AM AT PEACE WITH ALL LIVING THINGS</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
MY BODY IS A TEMPLE</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I AM IN CONTROL OF MY EMOTIONS</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I DO NOT HAVE CONTROL OVER OTHERS</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
EVERYTHING HAPPENS BECAUSE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I AM LOVE</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I cut out each phrase and taped them to different areas of
my bunkhouse where I would see them frequently and repeat them, either in my
mind or out loud. I also taped a poem to my door that I wrote to remind myself
to feel love for all living things, even when it's the most difficult.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A lot of people, when they are trying to project positive
affirmations, make the mistake of saying things like, “I wish I could be better
at communicating with people.” When you say wishy-washy things like this, your
mind gets caught up in all the “I wish” and “I’d like to”s. It must be a
positive statement. I AM EXCELLENT AT COMMUNICATING WITH OTHERS. You might feel
like a fraud at first, because you’re not excellent at communicating with
anyone yet. That’s okay! You’re not a fraud, because by saying this you’re
going to make it so, and then it will be true. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you don’t believe this can work, think about it this way.
Everyone knows <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i> person, the one
who is always in a terrible state and horribly depressed and in some bad way at
work and broke and everyone is out to get them. The tiniest cold becomes
something to whine and complain about, and every slightly negative thing that
happens to them is blown to the hugest proportions. Do you ever notice that
those people are always miserable? It’s because they’re projecting misery. “Everything
bad always happens to me.” Well, of course it does, you’re sitting there
festering in your own skin just WAITING for it to happen. Constantly repeating
negative statements like that puts them in the forefront of your brain, and as
soon as something bad happens, it’s just reaffirming everything you were
already thinking.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We all do this – I am definitely no exception, that’s for
sure – but the key is to stop yourself when you sense it starting, take a deep
breath, and remind yourself that everything seems the way it does because you
are perceiving it that way. Doing these positive affirmations isn’t going to
stop bad things from happening to you. It’s just going to help you think of
them differently, and they won’t seem so bad. Remember that wherever you are
and whatever’s happening to you is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">exactly
</i>as it should be. So it follows that whatever situation you’re in… you’re in
it for a reason. So, what’s the reason? I’ll bet you could find it, if you
really wanted to. “I just got dumped. I’m so sad! But… I could see myself
becoming really negative being with that person” (or bored or inactive or
unhealthy or whatever) “so that must be why it didn’t work out. There must be
something in store for me that I haven’t gotten to yet, and then this will all
make sense.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sound trite? That’s okay. You don’t have to do it then. But
the rest of us will, and we’ll reap the rewards.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was talking to a friend the other day who is going through
some hard times. She expressed to me that she felt like a bad person and that
she didn’t like who she had become. (Just for the record, I don't believe there are "bad people", just bad decisions and hurtful actions) I told her she could be whoever she wanted
to be, so if she wanted to change she should find all the things she didn’t
like about herself and strive to change them, one by one. It’s a frightening
task, sure, and one that’s probably going to take you the rest of your life,
but what have you got to lose? In your mind, who is that person you want to be?
Who is that best version of yourself? Maybe you want to be kinder to strangers.
Maybe you want to be calmer, able to deal with your emotions better. Maybe you
want to be more courageous. Well, what’s stopping you? Grab a sheet of paper
now and plan it all out. Write down all the things you want to be. Remind
yourself of all the beautiful things you already are. Don’t judge yourself, don’t
be harsh. Everyone has things about themselves they don’t like and everyone has
flaws – you are no different. But you can take control of these flaws and
change them, and the person who will benefit the most from it is you. So, go to
it. Read them out loud every day, run them through your mind continuously, make
them into a mantra: I am strong, I am capable, I am beautiful, I am
intelligent, I am calm, I am collected, I am kind. Be conscious of your
thoughts and when you feel you are slipping, repeat them to yourself yet again.
I am angry right now, but I don’t have to be. I AM CALM, I AM CALM. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, what will your positive affirmations be? Would you share
them with me, as I have shared mine with you? I would love to hear them, and
all about your journey to self-discovery and mental health. My own journey has
been frightfully interesting so far. I completely slipped up for a few weeks,
started eating shit again, smoking cigarettes, you name it! Now I have a new
sense of motivation and strength and am ready to get back to it again. The one
thing I always have to remind myself of is that in no way am I perfect and in
no way will I ever be, so not to treat myself like I’m supposed to be. But by
constantly reminding myself that I can be whoever I set my mind to being, I
feel a renewed sense of hope for this journey I’m on. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Namaste, friends. </div>
Maritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01454271893977164157noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986940642633613811.post-42170617624041309452013-03-14T09:28:00.002-07:002013-03-14T09:28:56.412-07:00On Exercise Addiction<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So recently I joined a gym in town and began working out
about four or five times a week. I’ve always had a general problem with
laziness, and usually shortly after joining a gym I would just stop going
because I didn’t feel like it anymore. Ever since I started taking my meds and
taking better care of my health, however, I’ve found I have much more energy
and motivation to meet my fitness goals. It’s been a few weeks now and I still
thoroughly enjoy my workouts. In fact, I look forward to them, which is
something completely foreign to me. I think it’s obvious that my exercise
routine has been making me feel great.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But all this has brought something completely new into my
life, a problem I have never had to deal with before. My problems have always
stemmed from food – eating too much or too little – so having a problem when it
comes to exercise is something I was not equipped to deal with. My gym visits
started out being about 60 minutes long, which is perfectly acceptable, but
over time they got longer and longer. Now I find myself there for at least two
hours every time. I do over an hour of cardio. I’m intent upon burning at least
1000 calories. So I started to think maybe I have an addiction. I looked
exercise addiction up online to get some more information, and I thought it
would be beneficial to share it with you.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Exercise addiction has many symptoms. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You may think, “how can an addiction to
something as healthy as working out be a bad thing?” Well, in my opinion, any
sort of mental or physical dependency upon something is usually not a good
thing, and exercise addiction is no exception. Addicts may feel a strong urge
to exercise an excessive amount, and experience a feeling of real dread if
their fitness schedule is interrupted. Oftentimes, they berate themselves if they
are not able to make a workout. They begin exercising on their own to avoid
attracting attention to themselves, and their relationships with friends and
family suffer greatly. They may even miss work to exercise. Oftentimes, they
have a goal that they wish to reach, but once they have, they create a new goal
so that they can justify continuing with their obsessive need to exercise. To
put it bluntly, exercising is the most important thing in their lives, and they
feel unable to control themselves when it comes to how often and how long they
work out.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Phew! That definitely doesn’t describe me. I am more than
happy to reschedule or cancel my workout if a friend or family member would
like to meet with me. Exercise is definitely not the most important thing in my
life. However, I do feel like it’s very important that I looked up this
information, because I was headed down a path that may very well have led to a
bad addiction. It’s so important for us to remember to pace ourselves,
especially when it comes to physical activity. Working out too much can lead to
serious injury, and if you are not willing to pace yourself, you will never
have time to heal. Remember, our main goal is health, not perfection. Burning
too many calories is not healthy – it’s basically the same thing as not eating
enough, and we all know how bad that is for you. You may lose weight, but you’ll
be losing muscle mass and important vitamins and nutrients too, and that isn’t
good for you.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you feel like you may have a problem, be honest with
yourself. Do the above symptoms describe you at all? If so, take a step back
and examine your mindset while working out. Do you refuse to let yourself stop,
even when you’re in pain or feel like you don’t have the energy to go on? Does
everyone who was in the gym when you got there leave before you do? Do you get
physical pleasure from the “workout high” we all experience, so much so that
you push yourself beyond what you thought capable just to achieve a stronger
sense of elation? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If so, take a step back! Grab a friend and sit down with
them. Ask them if they have noticed anything or been concerned. If exercise
addiction is a real problem in your life, chances are a good friend will have
noticed. They can give you some advice, but also help you to understand that
your worth as a person does not come from how physically fit you are, but how
healthy your relationships are, your heart, your generosity, etc. Ask yourself
if you are really willing to give up those things just to achieve a better
figure. I should hope not, and I think a few soft words with a good friend
might help to put things into perspective.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I hope this information has been as helpful for you as it
has been for me. I have enjoyed writing about this because it has helped me
work a lot of things out in my mind and understand this situation a lot better. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Remember, in order to be healthy, truly healthy, your mind
must be healthy, too! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<3 Namaste </div>
Maritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01454271893977164157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986940642633613811.post-48310570264579379982013-02-20T09:51:00.002-08:002013-02-20T09:51:25.653-08:00Recipe - Black Bean & Avocado Burrito
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I hear a lot of people say that eating vegan is “bland” or
“boring” or that you can’t make delicious food without meat. This is so
ridiculous I felt the need to argue publicly on the behalf of all vegetarians
and vegans. Plant-based protein is not only oftentimes more nutritious and more
lean than animal-based protein, it’s also delicious! So here is one of my
favourite vegan recipes. Try it out and see how you like it. You may just find
that eating vegan is a lot easier and tastier than you thought!</span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">BLACK BEAN & AVOCADO BURRITOS</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you’re vegan or vegetarian, EAT. BLACK. BEANS. It’s just
that simple. They are incredibly high in protein, not to mention a bunch of other vitamins and nutrients, and they taste great.</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">YOU WILL NEED:</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">-one red onion, cut up</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">-one red pepper, cut up</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">-one green pepper, cut up</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">-one clove of garlic, minced</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">-one can of black beans, mostly drained (I like to leave a
little bit of the juice)</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">-a bunch of mushrooms, whatever type you like best, as many
as you think you will want (I prefer Portobello)</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">-half an avocado, cut into little pieces</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">-some spinach leaves</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">-whole wheat tortillas </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">-hummus (whichever type you prefer)</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">-extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">DIRECTIONS:</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Pour a little olive oil into a large frying pan or skillet.
Add onion, peppers and garlic and cook on low until the peppers and onion are
slightly soft. Then, add the mushrooms and cook until all vegetables are at
desired tenderness, stirring often. Then, add the black beans and any spices
you might like to include (I find it tastes great with just pepper, but that’s
me). Once the beans have heated up, turn the stove off. Don’t cook the beans
too long – you just want to warm them up, really.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Spread the spinach leaves onto your tortilla wraps and pile
the mix as high as you want! Then, add the avocado and the hummus, wrap and
ENJOY! You can also add a whole bunch of other things to the mix – zucchini,
tomato, or cheese if you’re not a vegan. Try it a bunch of different ways and figure
out how you like it best! </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Easy, cheap and delicious!</span></div>
Maritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01454271893977164157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986940642633613811.post-4283359165807318992013-02-13T05:17:00.002-08:002013-02-13T05:17:33.843-08:00Are Anti-Depressants Addictive?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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It’s been a while since I have written about my depression
and the experiences I have been having on my medication, and last week
something happened that I feel is really worth talking about. Remember when I
said that I was going to try and be as unbiased as possible when it came to
telling you guys about how the meds are working for me? I’d like to exercise
that in this blog entry, and talk about something that may be difficult for
some people who have been on anti-depressants for a long time to face – the
threat of addiction.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I started my meds, I didn’t really think about the fact
that my brain could become very accustomed, in fact – addicted, to them. I
think in our society we tend to view drug addiction as something that happens
with recreational drugs, or at the very least drugs that can be used to get
high, not psychoactive drugs. But the reality is that your body and your mind
can become accustomed to any chemical substance, and when you take away your
daily dose, it can be very difficult to function without it. Although people
will try to tell you differently, I don’t see how it’s possible that these
drugs aren’t addictive. Everyone has a different opinion on this, however, so I’m
not trying to say mine is fact. But I do believe that anti-depressants are
addictive and that this addiction can pose a threat.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Last week I fell ill and so of course was very preoccupied
with all of those things you tend to do while sick – sleeping, whining and more
sleeping. I was so preoccupied that for two whole days I forgot to take my
meds. That’s four doses. For whatever reason it just completely slipped my
mind. On Friday I spent the majority of the day alone – the rest of the farm
occupants were all gone to a cottage up north, and the entire vast space of the
property was empty save little old me and my cat. By around 6 PM I started to
feel stir-crazy, which isn’t unusual for me. I began texting friends asking
them if they wanted to get together to hang out, but everyone was busy. I
panicked. Suddenly, a lonely feeling spread through me like ice. It had been
such a long time since I had felt it, but I recognized it immediately - it was
the same way I used to feel in these sorts of situations before I started my
meds. Soon I had collapsed on my bed and was weeping. I felt completely alone. I’m
sure that anyone who suffers from depression knows exactly what I’m talking
about.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Soon I remembered that I needed to take my meds, so I
quickly popped a pill. My friend Kate talked to me and calmed me down a little,
but I decided I couldn’t stay on this big farm all alone, and set out for a
friend’s house to stay there for the evening while he was away (and use his
claw foot tub). It took me nearly an hour of trekking through the snow and the
freezing wind to get there, but I made it. By the time I got there I had
already started feeling better, and soon I was back to my regular self. The
medication had made it into my bloodstream, you see, and the chemicals in my
brain were all where they should be again. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That scares me! Granted, stopping any medication cold turkey
like that isn’t good for you, and if I had eased myself off of them my reaction
wouldn’t have been so strong. In fact, I may not have even had a reaction at
all. But the idea that my body has become so used to getting its twice daily
dose of anti-depressants that it simply cannot function normally when the
supply is cut off is absolutely terrifying to me. What about people who have
been on this medication for years? Have their brains ceased being able to fend
for themselves all together? Are they like opiate addicts writhing in pain as
soon as the juice is cut off, because their bodies don’t know how to produce
their own endorphins anymore? The fact of the matter is, probably! If you take
the time to wait it out, eventually your mind will get back to normal, but when
it comes to mental health and people who suffer from debilitating depression,
asking them to “wait it out” may not be the best idea! Very bad things could
happen during that waiting period.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m not a doctor, and I’m not saying that my opinion is fact
or that I know everything about these meds and what they do to peoples’ brains.
But the fact of the matter is that the brain can get used to any change in its
chemical levels. If you eat a lot of salt for years and years and then stop,
you’re going to crave salt, it’s going to drive you nearly crazy. So wouldn’t
it stand to reason that if you’re pumping SSRIs into your brain for years and
years that it may become accustomed to those as well? So all of this just
drives the point home for me that I do NOT want these pills to be a lifelong
solution. I don’t want to be dependent on any medication in order to be able to
function normally. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So what do I do? I don’t want to stop taking these meds yet,
because I am also using them to quit smoking, and for that you’re supposed to
be on them for at least six months. So far, I’ve been on them for almost three.
They <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">have </i>been doing wonders for my
mood, and I feel lighter and happier than I have in years. It’s also been a lot
easier for me to dig to the root of my issues, and I’ve been having a lot of
revelations lately about the way I think and how I got to this place in my
life, so I don’t regret starting them. I don’t think it would have been
possible for me to do all this work if I were still trapped in a pit of
depression. So in that sense, they are doing exactly the job I had wanted them
to do. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So. I’m going to continue doing the work, continue trying to
find ways to cope with my depression and my negative moods without the meds. I’m
going to keep trying to get to the root of my depression, and find healthy,
natural ways of fighting it, like eating specific foods and developing an
exercise regime. If you are on anti-depressants, I urge you to do the same! Try
and think of your meds as something transitional, not permanent. Talk to
someone – see if your doctor’s office has a counselor you can speak to or find
out if your health plan covers psychiatric visits. Do some reading, and try and
find a method of calming your mind that works well for you. You can try guided
meditation, which I find works really well when I am too worked up to sleep.
You can search ‘guided meditation’ on youtube and find a lot of really great
videos that help make it easier. Start researching different foods and herbs
that help with depression and anxiety, and develop a regular exercise routine
that will get your blood pumping and the endorphins flowing three or four times
a week. Find a method of dealing with your chemical imbalance aside from just
popping a pill every morning. That way, at some point when you do decide to go
it alone, you will be a lot better equipped to deal with what’s coming your
way. And remember to take your meds! Stopping cold turkey is NOT a good idea,
as I learned last week! If you do decide to go off of them talk to your doctor
about the best way to ween yourself off them, and follow his or her advice.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Above all else, love yourself! Treat yourself the way you are meant to be treated - with patience, love and kindness. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Namaste!</div>
Maritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01454271893977164157noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986940642633613811.post-12003076297085790512013-02-05T05:10:00.000-08:002013-02-05T05:17:08.534-08:00Let go and let god, indeed!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Today I’d like to talk about something a bit out of the
norm, although along the same vein, I suppose, as a few of the other things I
have written about so far. When I started this blog I intended for it to be
solely about my physical health, but it quickly evolved into being about my
depression as well, and since then has gone off in a couple of other
directions. The fact of the matter is, I am in the middle of a transformation.
Of course, I guess we could all say that at any given point – we are always
changing, transforming. I guess I should say – I feel like I am at the peak of
a transformation, or at the very least at one of the high points, and I would
like to share with all of you some of the things that have been on my mind.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Do you ever get the sense, in one incredibly defining
moment, that your life is following a specific course, and that everything –
everything you say or do, see hear, taste and experience – is leading you to
something? That all of it is working together to bring you to exactly where you
are supposed to be at this exact moment in time?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have had many moments like this in my life. Some have made
me laugh out loud with their perfection; others have been so beautiful they
have made me cry. This feeling – that you are exactly where you were always
supposed to be, that all the events in your life have been happening for a
reason – is a wonderful thing to finally discover. It has brought me so much
peace and filled me with so much love for every living thing on the planet,
because it also drives home the point that we are all intertwined and connected
with one another in the most beautiful and intricate way.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Oh, well – I’m getting ahead of myself here. Let me start by
explaining where I was, the trajectory my life had been on for so long, and
where I feel I am headed now.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For a long time, indeed for as long as I can remember,
everything that happened in my life was NOT my fault. At least the way I saw
it. I refused to take responsibility for any of the things that were making me
miserable, and instead spent a lot of time being upset that they were making me
miserable. I wallowed in my bad and sad moods and waited impatiently to be “up”
again, which would inevitably happen, as my life was a constant rollercoaster
of emotion. I wouldn’t say I was an unhappy person – I had too many highs and
moments of joy to use that word to classify my general state of being, but I
spent a lot of time being unhappy. I spent a lot of time ranting and raving
about what horrible hand I was being dealt and how sorry for myself I felt. I
had negative things on my mind, and so began to see only the negative in
everything. I wasn’t entirely unpleasant to be around – like I said, it’s not
as if there weren’t many moments during which I was happy, but I was absolutely
not taking responsibility for the course of my life and the way it was all
shaking out. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I can’t say the exact moment that things changed for me. It
was not as if there was some clap of thunder and intense moment of
enlightenment and from that time on I walked around whistling and saw sunshine
and rainbows everywhere I went. But I got fed up with myself. I started seeing
my relationships with people beginning to deteriorate because of my negativity.
I started fighting with people I never fought with. It seemed as if no one
understood what I was trying to say! It was then that I realized that it wasn’t
that they didn’t understand what I was unhappy about, but that I didn’t
understand that I was creating this unhappiness for myself.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Suddenly I realized that every “bad” thing that had happened
to me in the recent past, every change of direction that I had interpreted as
negative, had been leading me to this exact moment. It all became so clear to
me. I saw it laid out in front of me, and I laughed out loud at the beauty and
simplicity of it. I was filled with such an overwhelming sense of joy! So much
love flooded my heart. Not love for one specific person or place or thing –
love for everything and everyone. I saw how closely knit we all are, how we are
all strung together tightly, and it made me <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">so
happy</i>! That bird flies up and sits on that tree branch, and as a result
that leaf falls off its branch and begins to travel in the wind. I take a deep
breath and exhale, which causes the leaf to move in the other direction and
begin a completely different path – one that brings it to another bird who
picks it up and uses it in its nest. So simple, and yet… so beautiful! We truly
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">are</i> all connected. We are not alone –
rather, we are all the same, and everything we do or say influences the path of
others. This is a freeing realization! It was as if a giant weight had been
removed from my shoulders. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The point of my speaking to you about all of this is to
explain what happened next. I began waking up every morning filled with a sense
of excitement about the day to come and what it would bring me. I tried my best
to always see things in a positive light, and while sometimes it was very
difficult and took a lot of concentration, I was, for the most part,
successful. Soon, more wonderful things happened, which only made me feel
lighter and happier. It has become like the most beautiful cycle – I think
positively, positive things happen to me, which makes me feel even more
positive. It may seem silly for me to say that thinking positively brings about
positive things – maybe that’s not it at all, in fact. Maybe it’s just that you
begin to see things in a different light, and instead of seeing the negative,
you see the wonderful things about them instead. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now, I have tools I use to keep my happy energy flowing.
When I worry, I recite a Dalai Lama quote I read somewhere that always stuck
with me, “If you have fear of some pain or suffering, first think if there is
something you can do about it. If there is, you have no reason to worry. If
there isn’t, you have no reason to worry.” Or something like that. Basically,
if you can do something about it, then do it, and stop worrying. If you can’t,
well, there’s no sense in worrying then, is there? It’s only a waste of energy,
and fills you with a lot of negativity. Much better to just relax and see where
all this takes you. When I am filled with anxiety, thinking like this almost
always calms me down. If something happens that formerly would have plunged me
into a pit of depression and moroseness, I take deep breaths, I tell myself it
is what it is, there is nothing I can do about it. I remind myself of all the
other “horrible” things that have happened to me that have actually turned out
to be wonderful in the end. “It is what it is”, this is a useful phrase to
recite to yourself. When things happen to you, there is rarely anything you can
do to change them. And like the Dalai Lama said, if there is, go do them! If
there isn’t, well, then you have a choice: you can wallow in self-pity and
anger, or you can decide to just let that go, and fill yourself with positive
energy instead.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A lesson that has been truly difficult for me to learn, and
one that I am still deeply immersed in, is the fact that how you react to
things or people and how they make you feel is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">entirely</i> up to you. Eleanor Roosevelt said, “No one can make you
feel inferior without your consent.” She was so right! And on the same vein, no
one thing or person can make you feel anything, really, without your consent.
You have the power to decide how you are going to react to things, no one else
does. If you think clearly before making this decision every time, if you
decide to react as positively as possible (even if it takes some time and some
deep breaths, which for me it usually does), you may find your life following a
very different path than the one it was before. We all struggle, there are
always going to be things we’re going to get upset about, but we can reduce the
number. We are the only ones who can truly change the way we think about
things. So what’s stopping us?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I don’t want to make this too long, but I could go on for
days about the beauty of this realization and what it has done for me. I still
have such a long way to go in my journey of self-discovery, and so many more
lessons to learn to help me get through my depression on my own, but I feel as
if this may have been the most important one. But then again, how would I know?
There are so many more I haven’t even imagined headed my way! I’m excited to
see what my life will bring and what wonderful things I will learn about myself
and, therefore, about everything and everyone.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Namaste!</div>
Maritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01454271893977164157noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986940642633613811.post-56920579418738833672013-01-21T05:24:00.002-08:002013-01-21T05:24:57.162-08:00Thinking of starting a running program? Here are some things I learned!So, recently I began a running program again and ever since I feel absolutely fantastic! Although running is not for everyone, if you have healthy joints, a healthy back and a pair of good quality shoes, running just may be the perfect way for you to get in shape.<br />
<br />
I know what you might be thinking - "Me? Run? Ha! You have to be joking!" That's exactly what I thought at first, too. Running seemed like a workout for people in incredible shape with a lot of willpower and I just didn't feel like I fit that mould. But the reality is, if you start off slow enough with a well-paced program, almost anyone can become a skilled runner.<br />
<br />
The program I used my first time around was called Couch to 5K. You can find it here: http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml<br />
<br />
What makes this program unique is the fact that it is designed for people who have never run a day in their life. Over the course of nine weeks, you will run longer and longer until, at the end, you will be able to run 5k in 30 minutes. Sound impossible? It's definitely not. If you follow the program I can almost guarantee you that you will succeed. And nothing makes me feel better than finishing a run, something you will hear a lot of runners say. The rush of adrenaline you will feel will be incomparable, especially after you've completed the program and can run a 5k.<br />
<br />
The program asks that you run three times a week. It starts off very slow, asking you only to alternate 60 seconds of jogging with 90 seconds of walking for a total of twenty minutes, after a five minute brisk walk. Every week, the amount you run will get longer in very small incriments. This is much, much easier on your joints than just going out on the street and seeing how long you can run before you feel like you're going to die. It also makes the training a lot easier, which will help you stick to it. Rest assured, though - 60 seconds may not seem like a long time, but if you've never run before, you will be winded. But keep it up! The second workout of every week will be easier, and by the third workout you'll be realizing you <i>can</i> do this.<br />
<br />
I just have a few tips for you before you start your running program. I'm no expert, but these are some things that really helped me when I was just starting out:<br />
<br />
- make sure you have good quality <i>running</i> shoes (not walking shoes, not any other kind of shoes. RUNNING shoes) that fit you well. It may seem easy to skimp out and just use your regular shoes, but doing this is terrible for your joints and your back, and you will feel the pain later on. You don't have to spend a fortune, but make sure the shoe is good quality. It might be a good idea to go to a store like SportCheck or the like, and ask them to size your foot. They can also give you advice as to what brands are the best for what you intend to do.<br />
<br />
- ladies, invest in a sports bra. Maybe two, or three sports bras. You will thank yourself later.<br />
<br />
- don't skip ahead in the program until a little later on. Remember, this program was designed to make the process as easy as possible on your joints, so skipping ahead may cause you to really hurt yourself. When you are nearing the end of the program your muscles will be better equipped to handle the pressure, and you can go to it if you like.<br />
<br />
- if you don't feel ready to start the next week, just repeat the same week, it's no big deal. You can take your time, as any running is good exercise and will improve your stamina and heart health. And if you are ever feeling faint or sick while running, stop and walk briskly instead. No exercise program is worth hurting yourself over.<br />
<br />
- likewise, if you hurt your ankle or back, WAIT UNTIL YOU FEEL BETTER TO START RUNNING AGAIN. This is sometimes very difficult to do, as you will really want to continue running. But if you start again before you are healed, you run the risk of never being able to run again, so it is ALWAYS worth it to wait. Be good to your body!<br />
<br />
-make sure to drink lots of water while running. You will be sweating buckets and you want to replenish that.<br />
<br />
-develop a good stretching routine for before and after your run. You may be tempted to skip the stretch, but preparing your muscles for the run and relaxing them afterward is very important. It will help prevent injuries and even improve academic performance. For a great stretch routine that I use you can go here: http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_1/126.shtml<br />
<br />
- try and run before a meal. Then, when you do eat, pack in food that's full of protein and lots of vitamins and minerals. Make sure what you eat is as healthy and clean as possible, but that it's a FULL meal. Running burns a lot of calories and it also increases your metabolism and you want to make sure you are getting the proper nutrition. I drink a hemp protein shake after my run along with a healthy meal full of spinach, black beans, broccoli, etc. Healthy, nutrient-packed foods. And the protein will help repair your muscles and prepare you for your next run.<br />
<br />
Go to it! If you follow the program, you CAN do this! Once you realize your body's potential there will be no stopping you, and you'll have developed a workout routine you can do anytime, anywhere for free!<br />
<br />
Happy running!Maritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01454271893977164157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986940642633613811.post-64764107024763991102013-01-19T07:31:00.000-08:002013-01-19T07:31:00.730-08:00Stop Beating Yourself Up!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
So I’m sitting here at home, suffering from a very rare
disease that is known medically as ‘hangover extraordinaire’ and wishing I had
more self-control. I’m always wishing I had something I don’t, or was something
I’m not. And I’m thinking about how many hours, days, years I have wasted
wishing to be someone that I am just not. How many of you can relate? I spoke
about how we judge ourselves in a previous blog entry, and I want to expand on
that. Because I feel like low self-esteem and self-criticism are the two most
major afflictions we humans deal with. And no, not just women<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- all of us. Negative self-image has been the
biggest roadblock I’ve faced in the past on any journey towards betterment, and
it’s time for me to give it up. I hope you’ll read what I have to say here and
take it to heart. This is quite honestly the biggest “tip” I can give you for
being a healthier person. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A couple of months ago I made a promise to myself – to be as
positive with myself as I could possibly be. This has proven so far to be a
very interesting experience. In doing this, I have really started to realize
how horrible we are to ourselves and how mean and spiteful we can be. We say
and think things about ourselves that we would never dream of saying to others.
We judge ourselves more harshly than anyone else. And when we do judge others,
it’s usually for something that really bothers us about ourselves. Do you ever
notice that? The next time you become really angry or irritated with someone
for something they have done, ask yourself why it really upsets you so much.
You might discover that your judging them is just a way for you to take the
heat off yourself. And who could blame us for wanting a bit of a break from our
constant, angry self-analysis? We spend so much time being down on ourselves,
it only makes sense that we might want to stop for a minute and get angry with someone
else for once.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, I don’t want to be angry anymore, and neither should
you. My entire life, I have been incredibly negative when it comes to the way I
talk to myself. I’ve always seen the worst things about me so clearly and
ignored the majority of the good things. This is especially true when it comes
to body image – I spent all of my teenage years whining and complaining about
how fat I thought I was, when in reality I wasn’t fat at all. I wish I could
have those years back! It’s so depressing to realize you threw away your best
years when you could have just relaxed and enjoyed them. Well, actually – these
past few years have been my best years. And anyway – getting upset about my
past and judging myself is exactly what I’m trying NOT to do anymore, so I’ll
let that lie.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since I’ve started this health journey, I’ve been noticing
something about us humans. So many of the people I talk to are TERRIBLE to
themselves, especially women when it comes to body image. They talk about how
much weight they’ve gained since high school, how they’re desperately trying to
get rid of their “gross” stomach, or their “gross” love handles, how lazy they
are, how they can’t commit to a workout, how disgusting they are for whatever
junk food they ate the other night, etc etc. I could go on and on. Sometimes
these remarks are disguised with humour, like how I do it. Laugh at yourself
before anyone else can laugh at you and you’ve got the upper hand, right? That’s
how I used to think. But these comments we make in passing about ourselves are
incredibly damaging, whether we’re laughing when we say them or not. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every time we say these things we lose a
little more respect for ourselves. And the constant judgement only serves to
continue the cycle of unhealthiness – it is impossible to stick to a plan or
better yourself when every time you make the tiniest mistake, you yell at
yourself for it. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So I decided to stop doing that. The results have been
amazing. Instead of judging myself for whatever I didn’t do that I was supposed
to, I cheer myself on for whatever I DID do. For instance, I went to Toronto last
weekend and ate like absolute shit. Instead of hating myself for it, I
congratulated myself for all the walking that I did. I’ve been trying to quit
coffee, but that hasn’t really been going so well. “Oh well! It’s not the end
of the world, Marita – you’ve quit smoking cigarettes and you run four times a
week. You’ve made leaps and bounds in the journey to be a more healthy person,
why beat yourself up for the one thing you haven’t managed to do yet? You’ll
get there, don’t worry.” When I finish my run, I pump my fist in the air and
talk about how much I rock. If I make a mistake and eat something I don’t
really want to eat anymore, I just tell myself it’s no big deal and not to
worry about it, just to try and not let it happen again anytime soon. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a result, my energy is almost always very
positive, which makes it SO MUCH EASIER to keep going. If every time we make a
mistake, we cry and feel horrible, it becomes incredibly easy to just… stop
trying, give up and continue feeling awful. Feeling terrible about yourself can
be addictive. But guess what? So can feeling AWESOME! Yup, I said it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Let’s not focus on all the things we hate about ourselves.
Let’s think and talk about all the things we like about ourselves instead. And
when we make a mistake, let’s take from it what we can and move on, not wallow
in a puddle of self-pity. Everyone makes mistakes. No one is perfect. Everyone
wants to be someone they are not. Everyone has things about themselves they don’t
like. But the reality is, those things are just as much a part of your
personality and sense of self as all the good things. That doesn’t mean you can’t
try and change, but do it for your own personal happiness, not to try and fit
into some ridiculous mould that, let’s face it, is usually impossible. Get to
know yourself. Begin to really <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">like</i> yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s so liberating! And, unfortunately, it’s
something that a lot of us don’t know the first thing about. But think about it
this way: you’ve got the rest of your life to improve the things about yourself
you don’t like. That’s a pretty long time. Why the rush? Why not take some time
to really get to know the person you’re going to be spending every second with
until you die – yourself. Learn to love all the stupid things you do. Try and
find them endearing. Because if you don’t like yourself, you’re basically
sentenced to a lifetime of hours, days, months, years with someone you hate. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Stop with the negative talk! You’re fine the way you are –
stomach and love handles and bad temper and all. You are you, and you’re the
only person who can decide what that means. If you want to change something, go
change it! But don’t get mad at yourself if it takes some time to get there –
life is too short to spend your time beating yourself up. Just try and enjoy
the ride.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<3</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Namaste,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Marita</div>
Maritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01454271893977164157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986940642633613811.post-64964153595271459142013-01-16T05:52:00.004-08:002013-01-16T05:52:57.316-08:00A Society Obsessed With Being Skinny<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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So today I am not going to write about something scientific.
I didn’t do any research for this one, I am not going to be formal or fancy. I’m
just going to talk about something that not a lot of people talk about, but
something I feel strongly about, and I hope to find others that do, too. I’m
going to talk about our society’s warped idea that weight loss always = better
health, and how that makes me feel. </div>
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We’ve all seen the Herbal Magic and Weight Watchers
commercials with the Before and After pictures. Here’s Suzie, a mom of three.
Let’s see a photo of Suzie at her absolute worst –no makeup, jogging pants and
a t-shirt, hair a mess, and looking probably heavier than she ever has in person.
Now, let’s switch to a picture of Suzie now! She looks INCREDIBLE! See how much
BETTER she looks now that she’s lost all that weight? Her makeup is done, her
clothes and hair are immaculate, she’s grinning and looks ecstatic. How nice
for Suzie. How lovely that she is no longer that fat, sad sack of a person.
Then, generally, Suzie will go on to say how much her weight loss has changed
her life – how she can now go out in public, how she feels really confident,
etc. </div>
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<br /></div>
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If you’re like me, these commercials drive you absolutely
crazy. When did our society decide that losing weight turns you into a happier
person? That it gives you more self-confidence? That it automatically means you
are healthier, and that you’ll live longer, and your life will mean more? The
fact of the matter is, lowered self-confidence because of a little extra weight
is not your fault, but the fault of these stupid commercials, and the media in
general. What if we had grown up being told that what makes us beautiful and
worthy actually came from our personalities and not from a strict diet and
exercise regime? What if the movies and TV shows we had watched as kids
featured people of all sizes in lead roles, instead of the usual coupling of
the thin, attractive main character with the overweight, funny friend? I
believe the world would be a very different place.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The fact of the matter is, there are plenty of thin people
who are incredibly unhealthy, this we know. There are also a lot of overweight
people who are perfectly healthy, which is something a lot of people don’t
know. The weight loss that the majority of people seek is NOT for health, it’s
for image. That’s why they buy these ridiculous products like fat flush pills
(terrible for you, by the way), starve themselves, exercise way too much, and
try every fad diet out there in order to achieve the “perfect” physique. So why
is it assumed that you are healthier after you lose weight, or happier? I think
our society has become so obsessed with the obesity epidemic that they have
come to believe that any and all weight loss is good news. But this is simply
NOT the case.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Why can’t we focus on health, and leave weight loss out of
the discussion? Because the fact of the matter is, if your weight gain is a
result of an unhealthy lifestyle, and you change your lifestyle to be a more
healthy one, the weight will probably come off. And even if it doesn’t, who
cares? If you’re eating healthy foods and exercising regularly, you’re HEALTHY,
and shouldn’t that be what matters?</div>
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I’m not saying no one should try to lose weight. But I’ve
always been irritated by the idea that all overweight people must be trying to
lose weight, and all overweight people must be unhealthy. I remember when I was
running a 5k three times a week at 170 pounds. When I told people, they looked
at me like I was lying. They didn’t think it was possible for me to be in such
good shape. And my entire life, people have ALWAYS said to me, “Wow, you look
great! Have you lost weight?” as if it should make me happy to hear that. I’m
always thinking, “Why would you immediately assume I WANT to lose weight? What
if I like my body better this way?” But that idea is so foreign to people, they
simply cannot accept it. Which makes me sad.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I could go on and on about this. About how the words “childhood
obesity” are incredibly damaging and put overweight children who probably
already feel singled out into a box that it is nearly impossible to get out of.
About how depression and feelings of loneliness lead to stress and binge
eating, and telling a child that they’re “obese” only serves to make them feel
worse about themselves, thus creating a vicious, lifelong cycle. And what about
the skinny kids who eat McDonalds every week and don’t gain weight? No one is
concerned about them. Just the fat kids. What is wrong with this picture?! We
all know thin people can have sky high cholesterol. Isn’t anyone concerned
about the effect of bad nutrition on the kids who aren’t gaining lots of
weight? Shouldn’t we be educating ALL our children on how to eat properly and
feeding them fresh, clean foods from day one? Why are we singling out the obese
kids? And has no one else thought that MAYBE this is quite possibly the WORST
thing you could do to an obese child who already feels singled out and
different? Or is it just me? I hope not!</div>
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<br /></div>
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A society obsessed with weight loss and the perfect body
image (whatever the hell that is) has created shows like The Biggest Loser (don’t
even get me started), countless diet pills, ridiculously unhealthy and pricey schemes
to drop pounds and a planet full of people who will celebrate your weight loss
like you have saved a third world country from starvation, regardless of
whether or not it means you are healthier. That is a non-issue! You look GREAT,
and that’s all that matters. It honestly hurts my heart. And it’s an issue
close to my heart, too – one that I have been dealing with my entire life. Take
me at 18. I went to the doctor for my annual check-up, and he decides to take
my blood to check out my cholesterol, as heart disease runs in my family. He
tells me I have impeccable cholesterol – great levels of good cholesterol and
very low levels of bad cholesterol. At the time, I considered myself
overweight, so I was astounded to hear this. He says, “You must be doing
something right – you’re very healthy.” But the pressure of an image-obsessed
society drives me to try and lose weight. I spend two years in university
barely eating, and I lose thirty pounds. But my metabolism has slowed down so
much that once I start eating again, I gain weight like crazy. I end up heavier
than I was at that doctor’s appointment, and with a host of minor medical
issues from all the crap I have been eating. Why couldn’t I have just been
happy with the way I was? I was healthy! It pains me to look back on that
Marita. I wish I could have talked some sense into her.</div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">So, that brings me to my final point, and I hope
you will all hear me out on this. As I slowly cut out the refined sugar, meat,
dairy products, eggs, preservatives and unpronounceable ingredients from my
life, I will most likely lose weight, as my weight gain (as I mentioned above)
has been brought on by terrible eating habits. I don’t want to hear about how
much weight I’ve lost. I don’t want to be complimented on it. I want people to
tell me I look healthy, that my skin looks great, that I’m glowing, that I look
happy. And I am not going to mention weight loss again in this blog. I’m not
going to talk about it like a goal. I’m not going to post before and after
photos. I’m not going to say, “I stepped on the scale and I lost four pounds!”
And this is going to be terribly difficult for me, because I want to celebrate
it, but I won’t. Instead I will celebrate how incredible I’m going to feel, how
much clearer my head is, how much energy I have, how much more positive my
outlook is. I’m going to celebrate my healthy heart, and the strengthening of
my muscles. I’m going to celebrate the fact that I will be a healthier person
overall, not a thinner one. And I urge you to do the same on your health
journey. Maybe together we can change the way society thinks about all this,
and create a new world - one where people try to be healthy, not skinny.</span></span>Maritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01454271893977164157noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986940642633613811.post-12697354809985300212013-01-06T07:56:00.001-08:002013-01-06T08:58:23.108-08:00Celebrate Small VictoriesSo I'm sitting here at Flyers Cafe, one of my favourite places in the whole world, and I've just indulged in an omelette and rye toast with butter and jam, and coffee and... Oh, there are baked goods that look incredible! And I've just been thinking - Flyers' fresh breakfast has never felt like an indulgence before, it's always felt like the healthiest choice. But now I feel guilty having eaten it, because I'm on this new health kick and trying to eat vegan and let's face it - when it comes to diet changes, we believe in hard and fast rules. I tend to see things in life as very black and white, a quality I have always disliked about myself. Especially when it came to making "healthy changes", which in the past has been code for "losing weight". I've always had everything planned out - "I'm going to go vegan, so I'm going to print out these one thousand vegan recipes and make a meal plan for every day from now until 2017. And I HAVE to stick to it!" How ridiculous. I made plans so big and sweeping that no one could stick to them, then punished myself when I inevitably went off track.<br />
<br />
I don't want to judge myself anymore. I'm tired of it. Why do we judge ourselves so much? Especially for the silliest mistakes like indulging in some food we were trying to avoid or pushing our workout up a day. If I have not caused myself or some other some pain, what's the point of judging myself? I am who I am. And this healthy journey I'm on, I'm going to be on it for the rest of my life. It's a process. I'm not in any rush. I'm not trying to lose weight or inches or beat some deadline I've made for myself. I have no grand plans this time around. I'm simply trying to make my way toward a much, much healthier life than the one I have been living for the past... Well, twenty-five years. A life that is healthier for not just me, but for all other living things, including my planet. It's a process. Every part of my life is going to need a change. I'm going to be learning and growing and changing until the day I die, and so will my journey. Each day will be different.<br />
<br />
So, rather than beat myself up for eating eggs and butter today, I'm going to celebrate the small victories I've had over the past few weeks and try my best to continue with my plan. My small victories, I should be proud! I've gone from five to six cups of coffee every morning to usually just one, sometimes two, sometimes none at all. I quit smoking nearly three weeks ago. I've been tracking my nutrition and I'm getting my recommended daily intake of nearly everything. Plus, I've been eating mostly vegan, which is an adjustment in and of itself.<br />
<br />
I'm trying to remind myself that healthy journeys are not about getting everything absolutely right all the time, or comforming to a standard of how you're "supposed" to do something. It's a hard lesson for us humans - we're used to fitting in someone's box. But I'm making my own box. I'm going to do things the way I want to, the way that's best for me. It is my journey, after all, no one else's. And the more standards and rules I make up for myself the more I will be trying to box up and label something that can't be labeled. An inevitable failure. I don't want to waste any more time thinking I've failed myself. Whatever I do is what I've done - there is no going back, only forward. So why feel horrible when you could just take a lesson from it and move on and feel great? <br />
<br />
And all this has led me to really feel as if I should write something about this silly idea our society has that weight loss is synonomous with health. But my coffee is gone and I need to trudge home now. Another time!Maritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01454271893977164157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986940642633613811.post-35738328241725607922013-01-04T05:30:00.004-08:002013-01-04T05:30:50.600-08:00Super Healthy Foods!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Today I want to talk to you about super foods! As in super
HEALTHY foods that are incredibly good for you, easy to find and easy to
incorporate into meals. Doing the research for this blog entry was so
eye-opening – I had no idea how amazingly nutritious some of these foods were! I
chose these over other foods for no particular reason other than the fact that they’re
some of my favourites, they’re relatively easy to find and they’re fairly
familiar to the majority of people. There were so many foods I wanted to
include, but I had to draw the line somewhere! So these are the eight I picked
to talk about, and I hope you find this information as helpful as I did!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1<b> </b><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><u><b>Spinach</b></u></div>
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Not only does spinach make a fantastic salad base, it’s also
incredibly good for you for a few reasons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s very rich in antioxidants, those fancy molecules that are supposed
to fight cancer and other damaging cell behaviour. It’s got a ton of Vitamin A,
in fact a 100 gram serving has over half of what you need in a day. Lots of vitamin
C, too, of course, and it’s high in protein and high in fiber. Although spinach
is high in iron and calcium, we can’t absorb very much of it because it also
contains things that stop us from doing so. So, if you’re looking for a good
veggie source of iron and calcium, you’re better off to go with some of the
other foods on this list. But keep eating spinach because it’s a fantastic
super food in other ways and it’s, well, freaking delicious. Every time you
munch on some spinach you are contributing to your good health, so eat up!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> <span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><u><b>Broccoli</b></u></div>
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Yummy yum! One of my favourite
foods in the whole world, broccoli is a power house of nutrition and
deliciousness. It’s got around the same levels of protein and fibre as spinach,
more vitamin C in a 100 gram serving than you need in a day, and a ton of
Vitamin K – the vitamin which helps with blood coagulation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And broccoli has a special combination of
high levels of Vitamin A and Vitamin K, which can help you absorb and maintain
a balance of Vitamin D. Most of us are Vitamin D deficient, I know I am, so any
veggie that can help us keep more of it in our system is worth eating a lot of!
Although eating broccoli raw is also good for you, steamed broccoli is a lot
easier on your stomach, and, some say, might even lower your cholesterol. But
for the moment let’s just focus on the fact that broccoli is yummy, it’s packed
with nutrients and it’s something that’s really easy to incorporate into your
lifestyle. Because everyone loves broccoli, even kids!
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> <span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> <u><b></b></u></span></span></span><u><b>Mushrooms</b></u></div>
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Mmmmm. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mushrooms! I’ve been having a love affair with
them lately, and here’s why! Mushrooms are so incredibly good for your health,
and it seems as if new benefits to eating them are constantly being discovered!
All mushrooms are high in B vitamins, potassium, protein and copper, which can
help to protect the heart. But the news about mushrooms lately is that they can
help promote anti-tumour activity and prevent cancer! Reishi mushrooms have
even been found to help protect and heal the liver and help your immune system.
Shiitake mushrooms are an amazing source of vitamin D. In fact, a 100 gram
serving of them contains 46,000 IUs of vitamin D, more than 7000% of what we
need in a day! Wow! So, basically, you should just eat shiitake mushrooms every
day. Yup. A serving of the same size also contains 17 g of protein, tons of
iron and nearly all your B vitamins. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
help the immune system, help lower your blood pressure, and could help fight
cancer. So while Shittake mushrooms are better for you than your basic white
mushrooms, any kind of mushroom is good for you, and is definitely worth
incorporating into your diet. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> <span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> <u><b>
</b></u></span></span></span><u><b>Avocados</b></u></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>I’m fresh off a
trip for sushi whereupon I ate many a piece of avocado, so forgive me if I
oversell this one a bit. But, seriously – avocadoes are AWESOME. They’re full
of antioxidants that prevent your intestines from absorbing certain kinds of
fat, and they’ve also been proven to lower your bad cholesterol levels and
raise your good cholesterol levels. They’re also very filling because of all
the “good fat” that they contain, making them the perfect addition to any meal
to make it nutritious and satisfying! If you’ve never eaten avocado before, try
it on top of black bean burritos or on a sandwich. It has a lovely creamy
texture which may take some getting used to but trust me – once you do, you won’t
want to stop eating them!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><u><b>Garlic</b></u></div>
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<u><b> </b></u>
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Garlic has been used by humans for over 7,000 years, both as
a medicine and as a food. Ancient Egyptians used it to cure various ailments,
as well as ancient Greeks and Romans. Garlic is useful to regulate your blood
sugar, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, help with your digestion, as an
antifungal, and it’s great for your heart. The majority of the health benefits
that you get from garlic come into play best when it’s eaten raw. Scared? Don’t
be. There are a bunch of ways you can eat garlic raw and it’s still delicious. It’s
a great addition to homemade salad dressings, or you can use it as a garnish on
cooked dishes. My favourite thing to do is to mince raw garlic and mix it with
extra virgin olive oil to make a simple and delicious salad dressing. It packs
a punch to be sure – lots of protein, B vitamins, calcium, vitamin C, iron –
you name it! Adding garlic to your life could just be the best thing you’ve
ever done for yourself.</div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><u><b>Quinoa</b></u></div>
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I just recently discovered this delightful food
and am glad I did. Quinoa is a “pseudocereal”, meaning it’s not a true grain,
but you can use it in many of the same ways as rice or pasta. This makes it
perfect for people with gluten allergies. It also has a LOT more nutrients than
your standard cereals, including a lot of essential amino acids, tons of
protein, B vitamins, iron and zinc, which makes it perfect for vegans or people
who are trying to live a healthy lifestyle. If you’re not sure about quinoa
substitute it for rice in a dish and see how you like it – it truly is
delicious and filling, and I have a feeling you’ll love it. For lots of awesome
quinoa recipes visit this website: http://www.quinoa.net/181.html</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> <span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><u><b>Chia Seeds</b></u></div>
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<br /></div>
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So, you know those Chia pets you used to
want so badly when you were a kid? Yes, this is the same thing – the seed from
the chia plant, or salvia hispanica, a member of the mint family. The seeds
have been eaten for centuries, with the Aztecs being the first recorded
civilization to cultivate and ingest them. Chia seeds have become all the rage
lately, and with good reason – they are incredibly nutritious, and surpass
nearly every other food source in terms of vitamin and mineral content. They
have a unique combination of soluble and insoluble fibers, so it can help
balance your blood sugar. Not only that, but they’re packed with protein,
calcium and antioxidants. They can absorb up to 9 times their weight in liquid,
which makes it easy for them to take on the flavour of whatever you’re cooking
them in. I must admit, I haven’t tried chia seeds yet personally, but I plan to
very soon! For chia seed recipes visit this website: <a href="http://www.chiaseedrecipes.com/">http://www.chiaseedrecipes.com/</a>
(Apparently you can make almost anything with them!)</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> <span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><u><b>Hemp Seeds</b></u></div>
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<br /></div>
My personal favourite! The
incredibly overlooked powerhouse of a seed! The nutritional benefits of adding
hemp seeds to your diet is just now truly being recognized. Hemp is one of the earliest
known domesticated plants and has been cultivated for nearly 12,000 years! Contrary
to popular belief, the hemp plants we take our seeds from do NOT contain enough
THC to get anyone high. To give you an idea, hemp plants usually contain less
than .3% THC, while cannabis plants used for recreational or medicinal purposes
contain 2-20%. So rest assured, there is absolutely no way to get high from
consuming hemp seeds, and they are INCREDIBLY good for you. Not only do they
contain an insane amount of protein, they are also rich in Omegas 3, 6 and 9,
Vitamin A, the B vitamins, calcium and iron, and contain absolutely no
cholesterol. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have a sort of nutty
flavour, which makes them a perfect addition to your morning smoothie. You can
also buy hemp seed milk, hemp seed butter, hemp seed protein powder, hemp seed
oil and more. From personal experience, I have been drinking hemp protein
shakes twice a day for about a week now and I have never felt better. So if you’re
afraid of hemp, don’t be!
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<br /></div>
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I hope you found this information helpful. Like I said,
there are many other powerhouse food you would do well to add to your diet,
including almonds, asparagus, pineapple, kiwi, kale… I could go on and on. But
I will hopefully be writing about those sometime soon. <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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My sources for this article:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.wikipedia.org/">http://www.wikipedia.org</a>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://mychiaseeds.com/Articles/Top10ChiaBenefits.html">http://mychiaseeds.com/Articles/Top10ChiaBenefits.html</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/nut-and-seed-products/3061/2">http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/nut-and-seed-products/3061/2</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=9">http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=9</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.cookingnook.com/health-benefits-of-spinach.html">http://www.cookingnook.com/health-benefits-of-spinach.html</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.ratical.org/renewables/hempseed1.html">http://www.ratical.org/renewables/hempseed1.html</a></div>
Maritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01454271893977164157noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986940642633613811.post-34820982864549475902012-12-31T05:10:00.000-08:002012-12-31T05:10:09.301-08:00An Update on My Anti-DepressantsHey everyone! So, I'm nearly finished writing my post on SuperFoods, but I wanted to update you all on how the anti-depressants have been going for me lately before I post again to the physical health portion of this blog.<br />
<br />
When I first started the medication about three weeks ago, I felt very different. It felt like I couldn't react the way I usually did - I could feel the emotions starting (anger, frustration, anxiety, sadness), but I would be able to push them out of my mind so easily. I felt so strong and capable of anything, but I was also worried that my own personality would disappear as I continued on the meds and that I would lose who I really am, naturally, without the chemicals.<br />
<br />
As my body got more used to the medication, however, that started to even itself out. At the moment, I am quite enjoying the meds and the mood they've created because I can still get sad when I want to get sad, I can still get angry, I can still get anxious, but I'm able to let it go much more easily. Things will still make me cry, but that's okay because I'm DEPRESSED, so isn't that the way it should be? I'm just not wallowing in my sadness anymore, and that's the key. I don't let it take me over. I don't let it claim entire days of my existence. Even if I wanted to, I could never sit on the couch crying and watching movies all day anymore.<br />
<br />
Part of that is because of the feelings that stimulants bring out in people. Yes, my medication is a mild stimulant, but it does not work the same way as most other amphetamines. Meaning, you can't get "high" from it, so there's no real threat of abuse or addiction (not any more than there is with all anti-depressants, I suppose.) But, like other stimulants, it gives you energy, a more positive outlook, and a feeling of wanting to be productive. For me, the last one is a big deal, as I'm usually pretty lazy. But now on my days off, I actually clean the house. I actually do the dishes. I actually get around to all the things I mean to get around to, but never used to actually do. That part of it is lovely, I must say. Also, the majority of the time, when I'm not feeling sad or lonely, I feel positive and energetic. As anyone else who struggles with depression can tell you, these are very welcome feelings. Generally, when you're depressed, you feel lethargic and full of despair - you feel as though nothing will be right again. So being focused on the idea that things are only going to get better from here is exciting and exhilirating.<br />
<br />
On the physical side, this medication makes you very dry. You need to drink lots of water because it, like all stimulants, can cause dehydration. It is also very dangerous to drink alcohol while on bupropian, so I haven't been nearly at all. The reason behind this that bupropian lowers your threshold for seizures (not nearly enough to be worried about), and drinking does so even more. So, when you drink, you're making yourself even more likely to have a seizure. To be honest, though, that's not even my real reason for quitting. Sometimes when I wake up after a day of not drinking enough water, I feel hungover, so I can only imagine what I would feel like if I actually drank! I just don't want to go there, except if there's a special occasion. I have also found that this medication makes you slightly dizzy at times, but it hasn't been anything that I've find overwhelming. My doctor had warned me about having trouble sleeping, but I have been sleeping just fine, albeit with very vivid dreams that I'm not at all used to, but enjoy very much. So, on the physical side this medication has been treating me fairly well, and I have very few complaints.<br />
<br />
Also, I have quit smoking for nearly two weeks now! It's true what they say - these meds do indeed rid you of the desire to smoke cigarettes. I hardly think about smoking. Even when I am around people who are smoking cigarettes, I have only the weakest, faintest desire to smoke that I can push away so easily it's almost as if it's not there. So I've been very happy about this, and I feel fantastic without the nicotine in my system.<br />
<br />
So, there you have it! The meds seem to be working out just fine for me at this point. I focused a lot on the major effects of this medication in this post. Next post I will focus more on all the different emotional reactions I would like to learn to control, and how the medication effects them each individually.<br />
<br />
Happy New Year everyone and thanks for reading!Maritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01454271893977164157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986940642633613811.post-40193304702588601912012-12-21T05:45:00.001-08:002012-12-21T07:12:51.716-08:00Java java!<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Okay, so today’s health blog is about COFFEE! Ah, yes,
coffee – one of my favourite things in the world, and so incredibly bad for me.
Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the world, and nearly everyone
you meet drinks it. It’s said that coffee was first consumed in Yemen in the 15<sup>th</sup>
century, so we humans have been drinking it for quite some time (no wonder we
love it so much!). 62% of Canadians drink it at least every day, with the
average coffee-drinker consuming 2.8 cups a day. But, as popular as it is, I’ve
often wondered what all that caffeine is doing to us, and whether it’s
something I should be worried about or not. So I decided to do a little
research, and consequently made the decision to cut coffee out of my life. I’d
like to share with you some of the things I learned and the reason behind my
decision.<br />
<br />
Let’s start with the good things. It’s always nice to start out on the positive
side, isn’t it? Coffee can help you feel less depressed, it can keep you
regular, it can help you be more focused on your work or sober you up after a
long night. There are numerous positive things a human being can get from coffee.
For a healthy person, one or two cups of coffee could actually be beneficial,
since in moderate levels it can decrease your risk of heart and liver disease, increase
your muscle recovery and give your memory a boost. Caffeine’s effect on the
dopamine levels in your brain can actually fight mild depression (we all know
how much happier we feel after that first cup of coffee in the morning). So I
don’t want to give coffee a totally bad rap – the truth is, a cup of black
coffee is better for you than an energy drink or a soft drink, so if those are
the only other options for you then drink up! (But please, choose Fair Trade
Organic coffee! No time to really explain why but do a little research and you will see what I mean.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
However, caffeine and coffee in general can also have some
pretty bad side effects on certain people. Caffeine is highly addictive. In
fact, caffeine addiction may well be the most common drug addiction, since
caffeine is arguably the most widely used psychoactive drug in the world. It’s a
stimulant, much in the same way as cocaine and methamphetamine, although much
less dangerous, of course. It affects the norepinephrine levels in your body,
sending a message to your heart and causing it to beat faster. It can increase anxiety, negatively affect the way your body absorbs
iron, and cause heartburn and indigestion. This brings me to the reason why I
personally am trying to give up coffee.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The reason I am cutting out coffee is because I have some
digestive health problems, and when it comes to your stomach, coffee is not a
friend. Anyone with IBS or any other kind of intestinal issues will probably
know exactly what I mean by that. Coffee stimulates your gastro-intestinal
tract, thus having a laxative-type affect. It’s acidic, which irritates your
stomach, and because it elevates your heart rate, blood gets pulled away from the
digestive system and towards the heart and this can cause some serious
indigestion. It is absolutely essential to my basic health that I stop drinking
coffee. But honestly, I find this dependence tougher to give up than nicotine
or sugar. It honestly makes me terribly sad to think of a life without coffee… </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But, I shall prevail! Before I started this new, healthier
lifestyle I drank five or six cups of coffee a day. I have since cut down to
one, which I am quite proud of myself for. Caffeine addiction is a tricky
mistress, and its withdrawal symptoms are quite nasty. They include depression,
irritability, constipation and lack of energy and focus. So for now I’m still
going to have that one cup a day, until I feel ready to cut it out completely
(probably in a week or so). Once I out coffee for good, I am going to try a few
different things as healthy replacements, such as herbal teas or all-natural
“faux” coffees, and I will get back to you on how they have helped or not. <br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m sad to see coffee go, but I know my tummy will thank me.
Now it’s just a matter of getting past my caffeine addiction and starting a
new, coffee-less existence. Wish me luck!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sources I used for this blog post:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.gaianaturopathic.com/docs/Effects_of_Coffee.pdf">http://www.gaianaturopathic.com/docs/Effects_of_Coffee.pdf</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
http://www.coffeeassoc.com/coffeeincanada.htm</div>
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Hey everyone! </div>
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So as you know, I plan to use this blog to document my
journey to a more healthy lifestyle when it comes to eating habits, physical
activity and my spiritual and emotional well-being. Well, I recently decided to
go on an anti-depressant called bupropion (marketed as Wellbutrin or Zyban).
You might be wondering, how does that fit into a healthier lifestyle? Aren’t
anti-depressants bad for you? The truth is, I’ve always been curious about
this, too. So I’d like to share with you the reasons behind this decision and
what I hope to get out of it, which may be beneficial for some of you.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I had this friend in university who once told me my life is
like a rollercoaster and I like it that way. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the time I didn’t think much of what he
said, but he was right. For a very long time, I had been riding a wave of
constantly changing emotions – one minute I would be ecstatic, excited, filled
with love. Then something small would happen and it would plunge me into a dark,
negative place. Fast forward half an hour and I’d have found something else to
be excited or happy about… And the cycle would continue. For a long time I just
rode the wave and assumed this is how I was and would always be – how everyone
was. But a couple of years ago I realized that not only are there people out
there who have their emotions under complete control, but I could be one of
them… if I worked at it. I could learn the source of my emotions and what made
them so intense, and I could slowly but surely get to a much calmer place in my
life.<br />
<br />
This is a great goal, but it’s not easy. Especially when dealing with the
aftermath of your emotions takes up so much of your time and leaves you so
exhausted that you barely know where to start in dealing with what caused them.
At the end of the day, I was just happy to be able to sleep, and I had no
energy left to dissect my depression and anxiety or figure out where they came
from. Riding that constant wave is really quite tiring, and your emotions can
so easily cloud your judgement. It’s nearly impossible to stop and think, “Why
am I so angry? What’s really going on here?” when you’re completely livid, and
you don’t feel at all in control of your frustration and anger. In my opinion,
this is where medication comes in. <br />
<br />I plan to use this medication and the resulting calming effect to finally find
a way to deal with my emotions on my own, so that eventually I can stop taking
it and live happily without it. Calm the waters, so to speak, so I can really get to the root of everything going on inside my mind and consequently gain some sort of control over my emotional state. </div>
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<br /></div>
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I would like to document this journey in my blog as well. I
know there are a lot of people out there who may need help of some kind, but
are wary of pharmaceuticals. I plan to do a kind of “study”, where I write in
my blog and discuss how the medication makes me feel, what my emotional state
is like, how I notice it has changed me, and also any physical side effects. I
plan to be as unbiased as possible. I’m hoping this information could be of use
for some people who wonder about anti-depressants but don’t know where to get
real, honest information about what they do to your mental state and how they
may change you as a person. <br />
<br />
Tomorrow I’ll begin updating this blog at least every other day, and I’m
excited to share my journey with all of you. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Namaste,</div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Marita<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span>Maritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01454271893977164157noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8986940642633613811.post-64273985621524948032012-11-30T10:02:00.002-08:002012-12-19T05:18:26.138-08:00Starting Out!Hi everyone! My name is Marita. :) I've started this blog to track my new, healthy lifestyle and the transformations that will follow!<br />
<br />
I'll be the first to admit that I am not, or was not, the healthiest person. I have been neglecting my body and its needs for too long, and that's why I made the decision to start this new healthy lifestyle. I will be eating vegan, going without alcohol, and watching everything that goes into my body very closely. I will also start being more active.<br />
<br />
I want to begin with describing the various minor ailments that my unhealthy lifestyle has caused. Throughout the course of this blog, I will go back to these and talk about how they have eased or disappeared because of the new way I am treating my body. I'm hoping that others who deal with these things will find help from my words, and possibly motivation as well.<br />
<br />
Some of the things I suffer from are:<br />
-migraines<br />
-rosacea, mostly on my face<br />
-very dry skin (no matter how much I moisturize)<br />
-problems with digestion<br />
-depression<br />
-total lack of motivation<br />
-lethargy (constantly tired)<br />
<br />
It is my goal to make all those things disappear! I realized that no one else but me can change my life, and if I want something to be different, I have to go out and make the change!<br />
<br />
In this blog I will also be sharing yummy healthy recipes that I have either created or found, tips on living a healthy lifestyle, the frustrations and tears that come along with ridding yourself of addiction, my fitness routine, and motivation and help for those wishing to join me!<br />
<br />
I hope you read and find something helpful in this blog.<br />
<br />
Cheers,<br />
<br />
MaritaMaritahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01454271893977164157noreply@blogger.com2