On a Roll

Hard work pays off in most areas of life.  I have exercised everyday this week so 7 out of 7 for me.  It's been great to take the time to do something each day.   I have been mixing up the workouts: outdoor walking, elliptical machine, indoor walk fit DVD, yoga, more elliptical, and some outdoor work around the house today.  When I was younger (and thinner) I worked out several times a week.  Those were the days of aerobic classes and women only gyms.  Ahhh. Remember those?
Today was catch up on housework day as the week was super busy and over-scheduled.  I put a crock pot of VT's Moroccan Lentil Stew with Raisins on while I worked.  It can be found in the December 2015 issue or here.  I wondered about the raisins in it, but it turned out delicious.  The raisins were just enough to slip in a hint of sweetness occasionally and went along well with the cinnamon and cumin in the recipe.  Definitely a keeper.  Leftovers are in the fridge for a simple lunch after church tomorrow.
I went to a chiropractor this week for the first time.  I didn't know my neck could make such cracking, crunchy sounds and still hold my head up afterward.  Overall I;m glad I went and will go again soon with less anxiety now that I know what to expect.  It is just another tool to assist me on a journey to a longer life.
I just started reading, The China Study (Campbell, 2006), and the information is astounding.  It annoys me that the results of such an in depth study involving a huge number of subjects does not get disseminated to the public in a timely and obvious manner.  Guess we can once again thank greed and the influence of industry for that one.  I'm sure I'll bring this book up again in future posts.
I hope each reader will do at least one thing today to affect their own health in a positive way.

Small Changes

Reality: Some people strive on big, drastic changes.  It is exciting and results may be instantaneous.   However, when making health changes, barring surgery, the changes usually are more gradual in nature.  These types of changes also require more discipline over a longer period of time. I wish it were different.

I actually like healthy food.  I don't think there is any vegetable or fruit  I don't like.  I find that a key to choosing them over other snacks is making them convenient.  I find it amazing how quickly the veggies get eaten when I have them all cut up in a container.  I have begun buying organic baby carrots that are already cleaned and washed.  There are no short cuts that I know of for other veggies.

I have been moving steadily toward organics and find that many times the price difference is minimal especially since stores, like Aldi's, are moving in the direction of carrying more organic products.

I have been perusing issues of Vegetarian Times (VT) for recipes.  Note that just because something is vegetarian it does not mean that it is healthy.  I am dismayed at how many recipes try to replicate meat in some way.  I don't want to replicate meat in my diet.  I don't want tvp, seitan, or soy protein.  I just want to eat real healthy food to provide my family's bodies with what they need to perform how God created them to perform.

Served over pasta.  Recipe adapted form a recipe from VT.