Gratitude

My teenage years were rough. Not in a rebellious, picked on, or poverty stricken way, but in a hormonal roller coaster sort of way. Which doesn't sound so bad after the other scenarios, but trust me, it was bad. I didn't think I had any control over what the day would be like, giving up my power of choice without being aware or conscience of the decision. Slowly over time, I gained a moment of clarity - probably in a counseling session, but I don't remember the location, just the feeling - that I am in complete control of my day no matter what is going on around me or inside me. It was like a giant light bulb suddenly flooding my whole being with light; an ah ha! moment so huge that it felt like my entire being was energized and redirected. Well, quite frankly it was. From that day forward I chose to look for and focus on the good, to smile and warm my face with the sun, and to use my journal as a sounding board and a place to record all that I'm grateful for - big and small. At first, I struggled to find just five things I was grateful for. As I continued to flex my 'gratitude muscles' finding and focusing on the good and grateful moments in each day became second nature. I was doing what felt right, and following my decision to be happy everyday, which made being grateful second nature.

As it turns out, by following what felt right I may have stumbled upon a great truth ahead of  science. This video displays in a brilliantly simple way the power of gratitude. Watch. Learn. And spread the love.

HBO:The Weight of a Nation

One of my favorite Mommy Blogs is written by three moms on a mission to feed their kids as healthfully as possible. They adhere to a plant based diet, something that I strive to do with my own children, so I find their blog useful in garnering new ideas on how to make healthy food as appealing to my kiddos as a cheeseburger. Whole Foods Mommies posted a few days back about a documentary that HBO has produced called HBO:The Weight of a Nation. It's fabulous! I have watched a few episodes so far and highly recommend taking the time to do so. Episode three addresses obesity and children, which is what I started with, and recommend all mothers watch. It gets you thinking about what you're exposing your children to in a whole new way - and might just inspire you to try a little harder to push that apple as a snack instead of some of the alternatives that commercials suggest. Take a look - let me know what you think!

Postnatal Yoga

We've passed the two week postpartum mark, and so I've been slowly incorporating gentle exercise back into my day. By gentle I don't mean a slow jog - although, I can't wait to hit the treadmill again! - I mean stretching, yoga, and walking. Through it all, it's important to listen to your body and stop or modify the routine as needed. And you need to have clearance from your practitioner before you embark on any exercise routine. 

Today, I found a wonderful yoga routine which relieved the 'nursing shoulders' I've been battling in the past few days. For all those whom have nursed, you most likely know what I'm talking about, but for those whom haven't, nursing shoulders develop from the less than stellar posture one uses when nursing a baby [which can be alleviated by propping the baby up with a pillow, or holding the baby up higher yourself...neither of which I do consistently... especially when nursing in the night.] This yoga routine is not billed as a postpartum routine, however it definitely does the job quite nicely. Enjoy!

Love

I recently saw this video posted on a blog I LOVE [if you haven't seen A BLOG ABOUT LOVE yet, check it out!] and had to watch it after Mara's endorsement. Needless to say, I couldn't just watch this and not share ;) Start your day off right with a sparkle in your eyes and a smile on your lips - being loved and loving others really is what life is all about!

Above Grade

I have this theory that there is a blogpost graveyard. Not the type where awful - never should have been written - turn your head and shudder posts go, but the place where posts which have been written and never published go to commiserate one another on their non-published state. For all those who maintain their own blog, whether public or private, you know what I'm talking about. The posts that are utterly too personal, delve too deeply, or are just too special to share. I have a boat load of them. Sometimes I really want to hit the 'PUBLISH POST" button; I inch the cursor over, wanting to click the mouse so badly, but then pull away at the last moment. Today, this happened yet again. So, while there are a few posts that may very well end up in said imaginary graveyard, I have a few tips for you to keep you healthy, happy, and most of all above ground.

Wholefood plant based nutrition is an integral part of my life. Because of this fact, I am often asked questions on why I made this health wise change, how to do it, and if it's hard to do. First off, I made this health change for a multitude of reasons, many of which I outlined in this post here. Making the transition to a wholefood lifestyle is as quick as making the decision to do so. You can of course make a gradual shift, but for others it's easier to commit to a new way of living and eating, and not look back. I for one found it easier to drop the meat and walk away. To be honest, the only time I have a tough time is at family occasions when the meal is centred around a side of cow, or an entire bird [it doesn't sound as appealing when stated like that does it?] Whether you are just kicking off your food/health investigation, or are ready to delve deeper into your study, here are a few resources to feast on.

Forks Over Knives

Food Matters

Food Inc

There is so much information on how to feed your body properly - all you need to do is a little research! And as always, I am more than happy to help you along the way - all you need to do is ask.