Joyful Journey to Health 2-8-16

February 8, 2016 by carolyninjoy 6 Comments

“You cannot buy your health; you must earn it through healthy living.”-Joel Furhman

I’ve been practicing mindfulness in all my activities & the above quote resonated with me.

I had this delicious ‘Guilt Free’ treat three times this week. Yummy!

If it is a tart apple, I sprinkle some stevia on it.  If not, I enjoy it as is.  I found this one on Pinterest & am glad I did.

February vegetables are Savoy Cabbage, Leeks & Bok Choy.   Here are some ideas & photos.

Savoy cabbage is pleasingly wrinkly to the touch and nutty to the taste.

One quick and tasty tip:  Stir fry finely shredded cabbage with garlic, ginger and a little sesame oil – delicious served with chicken or salmon.

Stress comes with its added hormones of adrenaline and cortisol, but the anti-inflammatory properties in salmon can counteract those negative effects.

February’s best: Leeks

Packed with anti-oxidants and vitamins, the mighty leek can help stave off winter colds. It’s also the perfect partner to potatoes and cheese for deeply satisfying side dishes and suppers.  With moderation, potatoes and cheese can fit into a healthy food plan.

Recipe for Angelic Lemony Leeks & Sprouts

February’s Best: Bok Choy

Recipe for Spicy Bok Choy in Garlic Sauce

“Bok choy ranks right up with the rest of the dark, leafy greens at the top of any superfoods list. The only problem? Many of us are at a loss when it comes to cooking with this traditional Asian veggie.

In fact, just like kale or Swiss chard, bok choy can be prepared a number of ways — simmered until soft and tender, roasted to brown the edges or raw and dressed with vinaigrette.”  This information taken from the link below.

5 Ways with Bok Choy

Here is a healthy snack Less than 150 calories:

Lemony Chickpea Salad: Whisk together 1 teaspoon olive oil, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, 1/8 teaspoon Dijon mustard, and 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives. Toss with 1/2 cup drained and rinsed canned chickpeas.

Lemony Chickpea Salad

Snacks under 100 calories:

Paraphrased from “Here are some ideas for reaching your goals.

Be realistic.  Set yourself up for success by setting goals you can achieve.

Keep it simple.  Put your energy into winning one major challenge at a time. Pick one, celebrate that victory and then tackle another.

Write it down. Be accountable to yourself in writing – with specific actions to help you achieve that goal. Then tell the world, to help keep you accountable.

Get a buddy. Friends or family members can help you get through the tough times and encourage you on your journey. Perhaps they’re also making the same healthy changes as you!

Reward yourself! Set measurable goals and then be sure to celebrate your accomplishments.”

By Toby Collodora, Contributing Writer
American Council on Exercise: Healthy resolutions for the whole year.

Interestingly enough, many of the above mentioned items are covered by interacting with this group started by Silver Threading.  Silver Threading’s Mindful Monday Healthy Living

I’ve hibernated this week.  I’ve read several good books & need to write reviews.  We are doing well with the ideas the dog trainer has given us to work with Miss Jasmine.   At nine months old she now weighs 76.2 pounds.  Here’s a photo.

She’s my upper arms workout partner.  She plays tug of war & I do biceps curls.  She’s good at it too. 🙂  Her mom is a pure bred French mastiff (like Hooch) & the vet thinks her dad was a boxer.  Since she looks so much like our previous bullmastiff, we think her dad was a bullmastiff.  It doesn’t matter, she’s a good dog, we just hadn’t had a mixed breed before.

My long term goal is to be able to walk without my rolling walker & take her for long strolls around the neighborhood.  She’s very good walking with me with the walker & doesn’t pull on the leash at all.

There’s a recipe for oven baked chicken I’m going to try this week.   I’ll let you know next Monday how it works out.   Until then, make your life easier by not bringing unhealthy foods home.  If you do decided to have something, purchase a single serving & savor it.   This is something that helps me not overwork my will power.   Have a great week & stay healthy.

“No matter what happens, no matter how far you seem to be away from where you want to be, never stop believing that you will somehow make it.  Have an unrelenting belief that things will work out, that the long road has a purpose, that the things that you desire may not happen today, but they will happen.  Continue to persist and persevere.”-Brad Gast