Science has made some amazing breakthrough discoveries in the last fifty years or so. Television, internet, cell phones, technological advancements – all of these have drastically changed our lives, for better or for worse. But in the area of human health, perhaps the most profound discovery of all has been made regarding the mind-body connection in human physiology.

The term mind-body connection is more than just a new-age catchphrase. It feels kind of strange to think about this, but science has shown us that every thought or emotion you experience can actually be boiled down to the binding of certain tiny molecules called neurotransmitters in your nervous system.

It happens at lightning speed. When you have a specific thought or emotion, synapses in your nervous system are firing, causing a chain reaction through the release of neurotransmitters. If you have a home brain scanning device (just kidding), you could actually see this. You would see that when you think about certain things or feelings, different parts of your brain are activated.

For example, thoughts about a pleasurable experience would release endorphins that activate the opiate receptors in your brain, giving you feelings of happiness or peace. Feelings of anger would release molecules called catecholamines, giving you a burst of energy and causing your circulation to increase or your face to flush.

Neurotransmitters are also involved in the body’s physical systems. The pumping of the heart, the movement of the stomach in digestion, the breathing of your lungs – these are all controlled by the binding of neurotransmitters to the cells in your body.

Of course, this has created a pretty big impact in the field of medicine, primarily in the creation of new drugs. Being able to understand the receptors and neurotransmitters in the body, scientists have developed a whole array of drugs aimed at treating or preventing a variety of health conditions, both mental and physical. This has given birth to our new age of medicine, where in treating disease, prescription drugs reign supreme. While this has benefited many people, the downside is that the powerful movement of the drug industry is detracting from the other benefits we can gain from this new scientific understanding.

The Mind-Body Connection in Daily Life

The same neurotransmitters involved in thought and emotion also have receptors in the various organs of the body. What this means is that not only are your thoughts and emotions physical processes, but they also have an effect on the systems in your body.

Take the digestive system for example. The digestive system has been coined “the second brain” because it is so rich in nerve endings and receptor sites. These nerves in your digestion have many of the same receptors as the ones in your brain. So when you have certain thoughts or emotions, the release of neurotransmitters are going to have an effect on your digestive system. We’ve all had the experience of a nervous stomach, or felt the effects of anger in our gut.

It’s not a one way street either. The organ systems of the body release neurotransmitters that have an effect on our brains, and this can then affect our thoughts and emotions. The human body is a complex system of feedback loops.

This understanding can have just as profound a change, if not a bigger one, than the development of new drugs. In seeing our thoughts and emotions as physical processes that affect the health of our body, it can motivate us to be more attentive to what is going on in both our minds and bodies.

For example, understanding the mind-body connection, it becomes harder to just blow off something like having too much stress as if it is only mental or emotional. Stress can actually have detrimental effects on our health because it leads to the release of excess stress hormones which can cause a number of health problems. Or, when our immune systems become weak because the mind tells us that brutally high expectations are the path to success, we can start to question whether sacrificing health is a worthy trade for this pursuit.

In the 17th century, Descartes penned his famous phrase “I think, therefore I am,” implying the highest quality of humanity is the power of the mind. Over time, we have come to value the mind as being above and therefore superior to the body. We use our minds to control our bodies, to pursue our ideals often at the expense of our physical health.

The breakthrough understanding in the science of neurotransmitters and receptors challenges this mentality. The mind is not elevated above the body – the mind and the body are one and the same. By understanding this reality, we can see more clearly how the mind and body affect each other and learn to take better care of ourselves, our health, and each other.

Jason Petersen, ND is a naturopathic doctor living in San Diego, CA.
For more articles, news, and natural health advice visit http://www.thenaturalhealthspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Petersen_ND

http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Mind-Body-Connection-in-Health&id=6579924

We may lose a limb or an important bodily organ. A loved one may be going through a psychological crisis and behave in irrational ways. We may have just found out that our spouse is cheating on us or that our child is taking drugs and/or is very unhappy. War, floods, fires, earthquakes, and other natural disasters are all “testing times.” And the most intense for us all is the loss of a loved one.

It is very natural for us to feel concerned about our future when we see the economy struggling, people getting laid off, basic needs not being met, and anger building up in many sectors of society. You, as many others, might naturally be feeling pain, fear, anxiety, betrayal, anger and even hate towards those you believe are responsible for what has happened and is happening.

These emotions, however, do not help us deal with such situations effectively. They disrupt and weaken our nervous, endocrine and immune systems compromising our health, vitality, clarity and ability to deal effectively with life’s pressures and demands.

Additionally, negative feelings attract to us – through the law of attraction and manifestation – even more of what we are feeling negative about. We energize and attract realities by fearing them or holding strong emotions towards them.

During “testing times” we need to be very much in touch with our inner power, so as to maintain our health, happiness, peace and love. This is an opportune time to develop our inner wisdom, strength and guidance.

We will benefit greatly be letting go of our fears and other negative emotions and perceiving this as an opportunity to become stronger, fearless and more effective in creating our desired reality. It is an opportunity to let go of old limiting beliefs, emotions and values and move forward in our emotional, mental, social, and spiritual development.

We have much to learn and much to gain by dealing positively with what is happening.

We are still among the lucky and blessed

At this time, 5 billion people (80%) on this planet live and have been living all of their lives and will continue to live on less than $ 10 a day, which is $ 300 a month.

3 billion of these people have been living and will be living on less than $ 2.50 a day ($ 75 a month) and 1.4 billion on only $ 37 a month.

The above statement in no way means that we should lower our standard of living. But, we need to realize that these fellow souls are very likely not any less happy than you and I. They may even have less anxiety as they have very little to actually lose. They love and are loved by their families, they do things to gain their meager living, they eat simple foods, they rest, and they enjoy their free time in simple ways with family and friends. They do not cry all day. They probably laugh and smile as much as any of us.

Have this in mind as we now explore ways in which you can maintain your health, happiness and abundance during these “testing times.”

We are listing here just a few of the methods to be learned and will explain them in greater detail in future articles or you can go to

1. Learn to care for your body and strengthen your mind so that you are able to deal more effectively with life’s challenges.

2. Cultivating Positive Thoughts and Feelings will attract more positive realities.

3. Learn “Energy Psychology” for getting free from fear, anxiety and other negative emotions.

4. Learn the “Twelve Step Manifestation Process”.

5. Learn “Ho’oponopono” and how to transform our reality by purifying ourselves.

6. Live in the present, free from the limitations of the past the fear of the future.

7. Let go of negative emotions with the specific methods.

8. Cultivate feelings of Gratitude for all that you have.

9. Increase and balance your energy.

10. Develop the ability to think more creatively – out of the box – with alternative and more inspired solutions.

11. Become a

I also discovered that the unconscious mind that produces our dreams must be obeyed because it is saintly and perfect. Jung didn’t have a religious attitude after discovering that the unconscious mind is God’s mind. He was afraid of the unconscious mind because he couldn’t see the entire content of the human psyche.

I clarified everything that was confused and obscure in his work because I continued his research. I discovered the evil anti-conscience, which is our primitive and violent conscience that remains in an animal condition. The anti-conscience generates mental illnesses within our human conscience and distorts our behavior all the time. It keeps invading our human conscience and trying to control our behavior.

This is the explanation for all the unexplained phenomena observed in our world. There is a saintly God who sends us precious messages in our dreams. When we master the dream language thanks to Carl Jung’s discoveries, and thanks to my discoveries after continuing his research, we are able to have a direct communication with God, since the unconscious mind that produces our dreams is God’s mind.

God speaks in dreams by sending us objective and real information, besides giving us many lessons about our psychological content, our behavior, our world, the other people around us, and many other things. The unconscious mind is the voice of divine providence.

If you are atheistic and you dislike the idea of believing in the existence of God and on the fact that human beings have a satanic origin, you have to be humble and admit that you are too ignorant. My discoveries confirm God’s existence, besides confirming the evilness and the absurdity that characterize the human race.

I already gave you many scientific lessons about the content of the human mind and the miraculous psychotherapy of the unconscious mind through dream messages in my previous articles. I also showed you that there is a spiritual reality besides the material one, even thought our current civilization is atheistic and materialistic.

Unfortunately, human beings are under-developed primates. We possess only a tiny human conscience and a huge wild conscience (anti-conscience).

The real reasons of our suffering have their origin in the remote past, when the first live conscience appeared on the Universe without any organization. The anti-conscience is the result of the accidental formation of the first live conscience.

God is the result of the organization of the live conscience. Without organization a conscience can only become crazy. It will unavoidably end up on terror and despair. Only through organization and goodness can a live conscience have a positive and healthy functioning.

Goodness is the only antidote against craziness and despair. This is why only goodness can put an end to evilness and terror.

The unconscious mind that produces your dreams tries to organize your anti-conscience by transforming it into a human being while you follow the guidance you receive in your dreams. You have to cooperate with the wise unconscious mind so that you may eliminate your evil nature.

You cannot kill your anti-conscience. You must transform it into a sensitive and sensible content through consciousness.

You can easily achieve this goal through dream therapy. Normal individuals or depressed and neurotic patients are cured from the absurdity they have inherited in a few months of psychotherapy.

Psychotic and schizophrenic individuals need many years of psychotherapy in order to recover their lost human conscience. However, their cure is guaranteed. Dream therapy is the only method of psychotherapy that guarantees the cure of all mental illnesses because the unconscious mind can cure all mental disorders or physical diseases, since it is God’s mind.

Humanity can find salvation by following the guidance of the wise unconscious mind. Everyone will prevent all mental disorders before becoming mentally ill. This is how we will definitively eliminate all mental illnesses on Earth.

Christina Sponias continued Carl Jung’s research into the human psyche, discovering the cure for all mental illnesses, and simplifying the scientific method of dream interpretation that teaches you how to exactly translate the meaning of your dreams, so that you can find health, wisdom and happiness.

Learn more at: http://www.scientificdreaminterpretation.com

Click Here to download a Free Sample of the eBook Dream Interpretation as a Science (86 pages!)

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christina_Sponias

http://EzineArticles.com/?Does-God-Speak-in-Dreams?&id=6595251

Spiritual healing is all about using the force fields of energies to have a beneficial influence on pathological conditions and ensure that a person is healed not just of body but also of mind and spirit. This has been the corner stone of many of the older cultures and religions and today is finding acceptance because of its non intrusive nature. The basic premise that this kind of healing works on is that there are certain people who have such powerful force fields of energies that they are able to help others by healing them. Called healers and seen as specially gifted people, they have existed in many cultures across the realms of all time.

There are some features of spiritual healing that catch our attention. The most important one is that this type of healing can be conducted through a psychic or through a medium. What traverses during a session of spiritual healing is that a patient is set on the path of healing by receiving energy and a force which vitalizes the body. For this energy and curative force to be channeled, we find that the patient does not always have to be in contact with a psychic. This force field of energy can be transmitted over a distance, depending on the curative power that the psychic possesses. Known as absent healing, this method of healing has become very popular in many western lands. This type of healing works on encouraging the buildup of the positive attitude towards life and ensures that the patient believes that he/she is being treated. Most psychic healers are sure that once the body accepts the distance healing to be a reality, the process of healing is begun.

Spiritual healing can involve the energies that come from the world of spirits. There is an abundance of power in this world that if rightly tapped by a practiced healer can provide great relief from the various illnesses. Sometimes the healers are endowed with great magnetic powers that when used to channel towards infected areas, have shown great healing ability. This force field that is generated comes from the healer and sometimes can get depleted if used too much. However, its benefits are enormous and most psychic healers are so aware of the needs of their patients that they tend to discount the debilitating effect it has on their psychic health.

Sarah Saxon is a Reiki Master and writes for the psychic & metaphysical industry, promoting the discovery of the personal spiritual path, and recommends the following sites:

psychics

phone psychic reading

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarah_Saxon

http://EzineArticles.com/?Spiritual-Healing&id=6596184

1. I eat too much so I can never lose the weight I want fast enough. Eating more than you should is mainly caused by stress when you are frightened, depressed, in shock, miserable, or concerned. Eating too much usually comes out of all these. If you regulate your stress, you will be stunned at how swiftly the weight will shed off. You can also turn to physical activities to lose pounds.

2. It’s in my genes. Being obese isn’t in your gene pool. Sure, many families can have being obese run in them, but you can lose weight quickly and defeat your genes. Your way of life controls your weight; not your gene pool. If you’d like to see it in action, why not put on a couple of shows of The Biggest Loser?

3. My metabolism is too slow and I can’t lose the weight.

Whoever has a dysfunctional thyroid gland has a very slow metabolism. This can definitely and severely sabotage your weight loss. Not everyone does have a slow metabolism, though. What everyone does need is to speed up their metabolism with exercise, even just a twenty minute walk each day. Try parking a little bit farther away from home, or using the stairs whenever you can.

4. I can use those fancy trend diets to lose the weight and keep it off.

Trend diets can and will help you lose about ten pounds very fast. However, if you look at the numbers, a lot more than half of people who lost weight using these trend diets gained the weight back in little over 3 years. Utilizing trend diets make you lose muscle, worsening your metabolism and not keeping you healthy. This might reveal why society looks to be getting heavier and heavier.

If you use a trend or fad diet to shed weight, be sure to employ a healthy lifestyle afterwards so you don’t gain the weight back.

5. I can lose my love handles by doing sit-ups.

A lot of hype is building around how to lose fat around your belly and stomach, and most do crunches or sit-ups to try and lose it. Actually, this makes it all the worse: muscle builds under the waist fat, and all of you looks larger than you wanted! Aerobics and cardiovascular exercises are they key to losing weight around your gut, just about ten times as fast as you would with other types of training.

After revealing these five things you shouldn’t believe about weight loss, let’s hope you will be losing those additional pounds quicker than ever before.

Begin by developing gratitude for our present abundance. The first step is to realize that we have already created a reality considerably more positive than 85% of our fellow souls on this planet. This will be realized by making a list of all that we can feel grateful for. Do not forget to include as many family members as possible.

Now make a list of what you would like to change, create or improve in your reality such as health, abundance, loving relationships, projects, stopping smoking, eating less food, becoming more self confident, more loving toward others and ourselves, free from fears or selfishness or the ego or even self-actualization.

The Twelve-Step Manifestation Process.

1. Read your gratitude list daily for at least 30 days – preferably in the morning when you wake and/or in the evening before you sleep. Add something new each day.

2. Make signs stating that your present goal(s) have already been achieved – in the present tense. Place these signs in various places where you will see them often throughout the day.

3. Do the following mental exercise daily one or more times:

a. Relax the body and mind by breathing slowly and deeply as you allow all of the muscles and the mind to relax.

b. Then allow your attention to flow from the bottom of your feet to the top of your head, allowing all the muscles to relax as you do.

c. Then count down from 10 to 1 relaxing more and more deeply with each count.

d. Now bring to mind all that you already have and feel grateful for. Feel gratitude, happiness and peace that you have all that you have.

e. Feel loved and blessed by the universe.

f. Now visualize that your desired reality has already manifested. That you have exactly what you want, that you are as you would like to be and that your life is already as you would like it to be. Spend time feeling gratitude and happiness that your new reality has already manifested.

g. Spend some time allowing a spiritual light to fill your body and mind removing any aspects of your subconscious that might resist this positive change in your life. Allow the divine to remove all inner obstacles to the manifestation of what is for your highest benefit.

h. Now spend a little more time visualizing your new life with your goal already achieved, dwelling on how you feel and how your attitudes and behaviors have now changed since you now have what you want or need.

i. Be sure to visualize only the end result of what you want to manifest and not limit yourself by imagining how it will happen.

4. Throughout the day, without necessarily going through all off this process, bring the image and feelings of having already created your desired reality to mind frequently.

5. Increase your alignment with your “under construction” or “in the oven” reality by writing a detailed description of what it is like, how you feel and what has now changed in yourself and your life now that what you have wanted for so long has actually become a reality.

6. Acting now as you imagine you will act when you have what you want, aligns you deeply with that manifestation. Think creatively.

7. Help others manifest what you would like to receive.

8. Create a “vision board” where you pin or paste images, photos, cuttings, drawings, objects and texts that represent your goal and connect you to it visually.

9. Wish and work for the good of the whole.

10. Speak and express yourself positively. Speak about what you like and enjoy and appreciate. This will bring more of that into your life.

11. Take actions towards the manifestation of your goals.

12. Remove all inner obstacles towards manifesting your desired reality with the various forms of energy psychology such as EFT, TAT, BSFF, TFT, EMDR, The Sedona Method and Ho’oponopono.

http://www.holisticharmony.com/seminars.

Learn much more from this essential book DEALING WITH TESTING TIMES and Robert’s other books at http://www.holisticharmony.com/ebookscb/.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Najemy

http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Twelve-Step-Manifestation-Process&id=6602309

It can seem like the odds are stacked against you and lots of people will explain the hardships they’ve gone through and sacrifices they’ve had to make in order to get to where you want to be.

How… not fun. Sure, once you get there and look back, it can be a bit poetic and it’s a great story to tell about how you overcame so much to achieve greatness, but at the starting gate, this “uphill battle” is often what keeps so many people from taking the first step.

We’re here to tell you-it doesn’t have to be this way.

It’s not always an uphill battle. In fact, it’s only an uphill battle if you tell yourself it is. The journey from wherever you are now to whatever you want to achieve with your life can actually be fun and exciting and enjoyable while you are in the process of getting there.

And the secret is in your focus. Rather than trying to comprehend everything that needs to happen between here and there, just focus on one decision at a time. And that how dreams are achieved, one baby… step… at… a time.

Constantly ask yourself:

In this moment, am I moving toward what I want to achieve, or away from it?

In this moment, am I moving toward what I want to achieve, or away from it?

In this moment, am I moving toward what I want to achieve, or away from it?

Baby steps add up. Baby steps become habits. Baby steps build confidence and sureness.

And by accepting the process (challenges and all), and literally the moment-to-moment progress that you make, everything becomes more fun, and even a bit easier.

The truth is, we never really get “there” anyway because once we are there, we’ve already got our sights set on the next goal we want to achieve, or something else that we think would make our lives better.

Life resides in the present moment, so why not learn to celebrate each of those moments along the way. Give yourself permission to take it one step at a time.

Empower yourself and set yourself up for success. It’s time to begin achieving your greatness.

Sheila Viers is the co-founder of Live Well 360, a company that is re-inventing the gym and yoga bag because on the road to health and fitness you need a worthy companion.

Live Well 360′s first bag, the Core, has been featured in Oxygen Magazine and Shape Magazine, as well as, on top fitness sites like FitSugar.com and dailySpark.com. The company’s blog has also been named one of FITNESS Magazine’s favorite health blogs.

To learn more about Sheila and Live Well 360, please visit http://www.livewell360.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sheila_Viers

http://EzineArticles.com/?How-To-Achieve-Your-Greatness&id=6576887

Some of the service options at a medical spa are performed by a medical doctor while others are performed by aestheticians, massage therapists or cosmetologists.

Medical doctors such as dermatologists offer various treatments such as Botox, which is a substance that is injected into regions of a person’s face of body to relax muscles, stop excessive underarm perspiration or clear up adult acne.

Dermabrasion or Microdermabrasion: These are skin-resurfacing techniques that use an abrasive tool to sand away the flawed upper layer of dermis. The tool may be a hand held rotary device or it may be crystals that plane away the problems. Dermabrasion is a more aggressive method than microdermabrasion. Both target scars, wrinkles, indentations and other flaws. There are various chemicals that are applied to the face in order to slough off the upper layer in a resurfacing procedure. When new layers grow in, they are unblemished and lovely.

These methods may resurface a blemished appearance or they may eradicate varicose or spider veins. Rosacea may be alleviated with these techniques, as well. Zap away unsightly hair growth with this near permanent methodology.

There are a wide variety of facials to pamper oneself with as well as provide a deep cleansing. Special cleansers, creams and ointments leave one feeling refreshed. Aromatherapy can add an extra sensory treat to the experience. Eyebrows, bikini lines, legs or underarms may be waxed free of unsightly fuzz. A trained aesthetician can apply lipstick or eye makeup that lasts permanently so that the recipient can be beautiful even just stepping out of the shower.

Massage Technicians; Full body or chair massage: Nothing gets ready of built up stress in one’s body like a rub down. Drinking plenty of water afterward will wash those toxins away. Mud or seaweed wraps can also be a great way to cleanse yourself free of troubling stress induced toxins.

Cosmetologists: Hair and Nails: Feel beautiful, pampered and look great, too. Shampoos, cuts, pedicures and manicures. Walk out the spa’s door looking gorgeous.

Whether it’s pampering or dermatological procedures a person is looking for, they can all be found under one roof at the medical spa.

When looking for a medical spa in El Paso, there are many excellent choices available. Using this advice your decision can be made in an informed, safe manner. For more information please visit http://www.elpasolaserclinic.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=A_Aaronson

http://EzineArticles.com/?Medical-Spa-Combines-Pampering-With-Treatment&id=4857560

In fact, getting a break from routine is not a luxury; it’s a wellness must. Here are a few simple ways to take advantage of your sense of adventure and gain some mind-healing leisure, all while taking good care of your physical self.

1) Start small: Get off the couch.

Make this season your time to kick sedentary habits. Most summer TV is just reruns anyway, and the computer can wait. Getting away from the usual grind includes taking a break from the kind of slow or still down-time that leaves you feeling lazy but not truly refreshed.

It doesn’t matter if you have no grand plans for a European tour or exotic destination. If you have the right attitude and a spirit of adventure, you’ll find lots of ways to explore new and different activities without even leaving your town. Go to a local landmark or event. Join friends for a dance or art class. Partner with a neighbor and step out for an after-dinner stroll each night. Whatever you choose, make it your goal to regularly incorporate getting out and doing something other than sitting. After just a weekend of exploration, you might feel as relaxed as if you really did take a vacation!

2) Summer exercise: Free and awesome!

Maybe you’ve already kicked the couch potato habit and are a regular at the gym. No doubt, the gym can be a valuable resource during the chillier months, but in the summer, why not think about taking your cardio outside? At home in the city, I walk everywhere when I can. Every weekend, though, I make the conscious choice to get out and enjoy nature. Think of it as a free, outdoor gym that keeps you fit while filling your spirit with the kinds of sights, scents, sounds, and surprises no indoor gym can offer. Try it! You may find that, like me, you envy people who have this warm, walkable climate all year around.

3) How about a park or recreation area?

Most areas have some form of public recreation area available. They are fabulous free resources for playing a sport, biking, hiking, swimming, and just walking. Take some time to find out what parks or other facilities your area offers, and make it your business to try them out.

Living in an urban area is no excuse not to enjoy the great outdoors. I enjoy a simple “sport” in people-watching in New York’s Central Park! Just remember to come prepared with good snacks. Park vendors tend to sell greasy, sugary food and drinks that will just dehydrate you faster and ultimately zap your energy. Personally, water is just about the only item I buy from vendors. I’m never hungry because I rely on nuts and other nonperishable items. Or I’ll come with a quick, healthy meal that I’ve bought or made and enjoy it early in my outing before it spoils in the heat.

4) Are you near a lake or beach?

If so, you are truly fortunate. The rest of us will have to drive or fly to see what you have right next door. Soak in a cool breeze off the water while you take full advantage of all kinds of fun physical activities: Kayaking, diving, canoeing, rowing, surfing, and swimming are just the beginning. Just taking your running shoes onto wet sand instead of a treadmill can be a welcome change from the ordinary physical challenge.

And don’t forget, spectacular water views, sounds, and scents are great for creative mental exercise also. A visit to the water can be great inspiration for photography, drawing or painting, writing, and music. Worthwhile pursuits…a creative mind and a healthy body go together!

Whatever activities you choose, make sure you bring sunscreen, lots of water, and maybe even a beach umbrella for some shade.

5) Enjoy other people’s vacations.

I admit it – I can get in a rut. Sometimes interesting places are right under my nose, but I leave them uninvestigated. This is one reason I am grateful when I have visitors. They take ME to the sites I might not experience during my usual routine. When I have visitors in town, I always learn something about history, art, or nature that I’d never known before. Zoos, aquariums, museums, art galleries, window shopping in a new area, and professional sightseeing tours are all great ways to see new sites, keep active, and expand your own horizons in your home town or in a nearby city.

While you’re out being a tourist, watch out for cafeteria food. Stick to simple salads and fruit. Or make time in your schedule to stop in a real restaurant for healthy alternatives to the salty, overly processed food that’s so common in tourist attractions.

6) Keep your nutrition active, too.

I said it before, but it’s so important. Be prepared to have the right fuel on hand while you’re out for summer adventures. Bring water and quick snacks such as nuts or fruit or a simple meal like a sandwich or wrap. (I’m thrilled that berries are in season, so I always opt for those.)

If you opt to buy food instead, keep a few guidelines in mind. Look for selections that have plenty of fresh produce and protein, and avoid dishes that are sugary or topped with creamy sauces and dressings. Also skip the exotic-sounding iced coffee drinks, which are often packed with sugar, fat, caffeine, and far more calories than they’re worth.

Lacking a big vacation budget or plentiful time off from work? Doesn’t matter. Keep it simple and use your weekends well. At home or away, the point of a break is to try something new. Pledge now to take some excursions before the last days of summer fade away. The bottom line: “You snooze, you lose.” Stop procrastinating. The time for planning great summer activities is now!

Ready to take the next step? It’s simple! Through my Virtual Wellness Coaching program, you can get completely individualized, focused-on-you coaching calls with an experienced healthcare professional who really “gets it.” Now’s the time to step up and claim your best health and wellness. Call me at 212-686-0939, or visit Virtual Wellness Coaching to reserve your spot.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Roberta_Mittman

http://EzineArticles.com/?Healthy-Summer—Keep-Moving!&id=4714411

When we hear the words, “The land of plenty,” it did not mean we had to add calories on our menu. Today we have record levels of obesity and there seems to be no end in sight. Sadly our children are going to have bad health and corresponding medical complications as a result of unhealthy choices.

All of this is the result of the super size me type of fast food lifestyle we have embrace in America. Whether it is a hamburger or a milkshake, we have to get back to our conscious mind. All things start with our mind and then our heart.

Let me ask you a question, “Are you eating to live or living to eat?” I thought I would throw that question at you because we need to make some radical changes. I will repeat a concern of mine to you, do you know what is in the food you buy?

Chances are you are like a lot of people, you are too busy to be concerned about how your food is prepared, I am referring to where your food supply evolves. Most of us do not know exactly where our food is coming from and this is a big problem.

When I was growing up in rural North Carolina we were poor but my grandparents and parents knew how to grow a garden, thus we grew fresh vegetables in our yard. At the time, I did not know it but we were green before the green revolution returned.

Nowadays large corporate businesses grow our food and or it is contracted with farms from different parts of the world. We do not know exactly what we are getting when we purchase food from the grocery store. It is no wonder there are so many food recalls.

Just in case you have forgotten: lettuce, ground beef, strawberries, steak, milk, baby food and many more foods have been recalled. Americans are some of the most intelligent people in the world, we must make our voice heard when it comes to the food we are sold.

Just in case you forget, seafood from the Gulf Coast is a risky proposition, thanks to the BP Oil spill. Lets raise our level of consciousness when it comes to living a healthy life. Let us start your journey today.

Paul Lawrence Vann is an inspirational speaker and author of the book, Living on Higher Ground. He consults with Fortune 500 companies, associations, government agencies, military organizations and educational institutions to achieve higher levels of excellence through his leadership development and workplace diversity training expertise. http://www.paullawrencevann.com, (240) 416-5077.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Vann

http://EzineArticles.com/?You-Must-Be-Determined-If-You-Want-To-Live-A-Healthy-Life&id=4817866