Illumination

Tags

face myself, lessons, Personal growth, wake up

For the last couple of days, in between work and life I have been commenting within some closed Facebook groups of which I am a member.

This morning it struck me smack in the face, that I KNOW the answer. I can verbalise the answer to my any question that is couched with a “Why?”. BUT the disconnect, for me is with to
The “DO”.

My next exercise will be to face myself in this, understand, acknowledge, accept and determine my steps forward.

I ave lived an unusual life. You could say I am much lived. Life offered me choices and I flung myself down paths wiser more cautious souls would have avoided. Yet down each pathway and dead end, I can honestly say I have learned a whole heap of something’s every one if which I am grateful for.

Simply:
I like me as I am now (and I have not always been able to say that.
I am beginning to understand and know that I have the means and the personal power to change anything I choose
I also know I am on the very BRINK of a huge leap, from observing and learning from the obfuscating shadows of my own making, into a huge tearing of the veil I have hidden behind.

For me, this next step is huge.

Sometimes It’s Not The Pain…

Bright, Shiny Objects!

See on Scoop.it – Living Business

Sometimes it’s not the pain that makes you suffer, it’s your own negative thoughts that make things seem worse.

See on www.livelifehappy.com

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locavore

This is a grain free ‘tabouleh’ that will keep for a few days in the fridge.

125g broccoli, roughly chopped
125g cauliflower, roughly chopped
2 radishes, thinly sliced (mandolin is ideal)
Pomegranate Dressing(2 tsp olive oil,2 tsp pomegranate molasses,1 tbs lemon juice,1 tbs  orange juice,½ tsp coriander seeds,½ tsp cumin seeds,¼ cup parsley,¼ cup fresh coriander,rock salt & pepper to taste – blend and add to tabbouleh!!)
15g goji berries
15g rocket
15g raw almonds, roughly chopped
few sprigs coriander leaves, roughly chopped

Place broccoli and cauliflower in a food processor and pulse to make a crumb and place in salad bowl. Don’t over process or you’ll end up with a dip!
Combine dressing with vegetables, radishes, goji berries and rocket and top with almonds and coriander.

PER SERVE: Energy: 696kJ (166 Cals), Protein:  7.3g, Fat: 9.6g (Sat  1g), Carbs: 14g (Sugar 7g), Fibre:  6.5g

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A voice inside the beat says, I know, you’re tired, but come… This is the way ~ Rumi ♥

Tags

12 weeks, better body, fitness, journey, personal goals, toning, weight-loss

It has been a while since I stretched myself to journal – mea culpa.  Bad me!!!  But if I am a writer, then I must write.  Simple really.

It is spring, the last few days of September and I have set myself a 12 week challenge.  I am reading, reading, reading today t find out what is involved and to set myself up. So expect updates and lots of random little posts.

I know where I am now.  I know where I plan to be in 12 weeks.  The key is in my own mind and believing I can do this – in giving myself permission.  So here I go.  (Wish me luck!!)

Snippets

Tags

beat back cravings, detox, Health, organic, wholeness

Breakfast and Lunch: 1/8th green cabbage, half a telescope cucumber, three handfulls english spinach, an inch of ginger, 1 red apple, 1 green apple, half a lemon, handful of parsley, handful of mint, quarter head of celery.  Liquidise, and pour.  Made a total of 700ml of green alkalising juice.  Yum.

This month, I will not eat anything unless I snap a picture of it and post it.

20 minutes morning exercise and 15 minutes meditation began my day.

This month, for one month, I plan to:

• Eat at least 1 green salad a day
• Drink at least 1 fresh pressed green juice/smoothie a day
• Ensure 80% of the food I eat/drink are raw and organic
• Exercise three times a day; for no more than 20 minutes at a time

Feel free to join me.    I might even add a quote of the day and something to consider….

 

Happy

Here’s a thought for you all – something that dawned on me yesterday as I commuted across the city.  We all came here to LOSE.  Today I am reframing that.  Today and every day I am going to look at what I have gained in 2/3rds of a year;

• friendships: close ones, real ones – albeit virtual. Bonds forged from shared effort and support.
• the blessed relief of being “me”. Just me as I am here; not someone’s carer/daughter, not everyone’s mother. Just ME.  That is a huge part of the strength you bring me.  Good, bad, up, down, insane; but all authentically, wonderfully wholly ME!!!  And I take this back into my Family relationships – I am better balanced!!!!
• years of life.  I may be 56 in temporal measured years, BUT I look early 40’s these days.
• roseacea?  I had it, it marred my visage/face. Burned from the inside…. Yet where is that today???  I am constantly complimented on my lovely glowing skin!!!!
• size 20?    hahahahahahaha.  Not anywhere near that anymore!!!!!
• apple shaped??  I was; now I have a clearly defined neat waist ( again) a real bona fide waist.
• my knees work, and don’t seize up on me
• from walking up a single flight of stairs catching my breath every 1 or 2 stairs, I now run up and down stairs all the time.  Yes – I said RUN!!!!!!!
• my brain works better and my thought processes are clearer; I am no longer thinking through a fog muddling from one thing to another.  I am innovative, accomplished and insanely confident.
• I flirt again, AND am cheeky.  I tease and laugh.
• I am no longer afraid of being photographed ( and look like I am in pain if caught on camera. I smile. I embrace life.
• my ankles don’t give on me.

My body is still less than perfect, but it is light years better and away from what I began this year living and stumbling around within.

Today I choose to celebrate NOT what I have lost, but the health and friendships, and the self esteem and glow I have gained.  8 months of healthy choices and changing my approach to food, life and choices?  Worth every drop of sweat…… every so called “going without”.

I can hardly wait for these last 4 months.  They can’t believe I will end up with a better body than any of my daughters?

They said I couldn’t do this, either.  Just watch me!!!!!!!!!

Zumba virgin no more

6am. Winter. Cold. Dark.

What are we doing out and about. Yet the gym, was hopping. People everywhere in ones and twos and even me.

60 minutes at the back of the class obsessively watching the instructors feet. AND MOVING MINE (more in synch than I expected too so thank you Dax for the months of squats and lunges because i had the strength on those muscles to get down as low as the instructor and class veterans and hold it as long too,) Surprised myself with the odd smattering of body remembered rhythm awakening and returning. (much to my secret relief). My girlhood love of moving and shaking my body to any beat or boom of rhythm is not dead.

Now I am walking around with a buzz and a ready smile. 60 minutes of FUN – with an added exercise bonus.

Confession: I am suffering serious dance envy. That instructor – where did she get those moves? How did she get those bits to shake so hypnotically and with such élan and grace? I want to master this. I sparkle with the possibility of what I may accomplish with this. Why not? Hell why not indeed. And if my next companion should share my passion for fitness and health what better place to let him find me than at a gym?

And yes, I know she (the instructor) is 20 something and I have at least 30 years on her.

So tell me, where does a mid life lady find someone brave and patient enough to teach me hip hop and how to crump? I want the moves, to grow again my cell-remembered connection to the beat of any music… Oh and I want grace in my coordination and moves. That’s not much to ask, is it?
?

I killed a cauliflower

Tags

Poetry

I killed a cauliflower
today.
Killed it dead
A whole head.
Riced
Fine.
Then added spice
Some liquid too
Organic chicken
Aromatics

Add some heat
Some minutes too.

YUM

Who said healthy food has to be tasteless and bland?

Diabetes Links

Tags

Health, healthy, healthy eating, strategies

Surprising things to include in your diet to assist

Rescue your fast food

Blood sugar friendly fridge staples

Paula Deen’s Menu makeover for diabetes

Type 2 Diabetes – basic information

Tags

Diabetes, what is diabetes

There appears to be more diabetes these days being diagnosed and it has a whole heap of health implications.  Hearing of one such diagnosis inspired me to do a series specificially about what diabetes is, implications of having it, what one may do to manage this and control it, and information from a variety of sources around some causes of this.  On the same day I heard news of this diagnosis, I received an eNews from Rodale which discussed the affects of pesticides – so I will repost and link to information sources like that too.   And in my locavore I will start a section for recipes suitable for diabetics, but also gluten free.  For those coming from other sources I will credit the source 🙂

Diabetes is a common condition affecting glucose levels in the blood.  Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas and has the job of controlling glucose in the blood.  In people who have diabetes, insulin is either not enough or is ineffective.  Without dietary, drug or insulin therapy, blood glucose levels will be too high.

TYPE 1 DIABETES –   The body does not produce insulin so this is usually treated by taking insulin injections.  This type develops in young people and 100 years ago this diagnosis was a death sentence.  A little known fact is that5-10% of people diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes often have coeliac disease which goes undiagnosed because the diabetes is diagnosed first.

Type 2 Diabetes occurs when the insulin the body produces does not adequately control blood glucose levels.  In this case diet is important to control blood glucose levels, but many often require medication as well.   This comprises 85 to 90% of all diabetes.

Diabetes can be managed using diet.  The recipes I link to will provide tasty options to help anyone struggling with diagnosis of diabetes.  This does NOT mean you have to go without great tasting food!

EATING PRINCIPLES

• Eat regular meals and snacks.  Keep meal size moderate; try NOT to overeat.
• Learn about the GI ( glycemic index) component of food.  Note that if you eat TOO MUCH even of low GI food this will have a significant impact on blood glucose levels.
• Eat a wide variety of nutritious food every day, based on a good balance of whole grains, brightly coloured fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, antioxidants, fibre and food low in saturated fat and salt.  Include carbohydrate ( limit refined processed food, include wholegrain low GI bread/cereal/pasta/low GI rice-Doongara or Basmati), protein(lean red meat/fish/chicken/eggs/avoid sausages and processed meats/1 or 2 grilled fish meals a week or legumes, lentils, chickpeas) and plenty of fruit and vegetables in every meal.
• Limit foods high in staurated fats, such as skin on chicken, fat on meat, butter, full fat dairy(cheese/yoghurt/milk) cream, coconut cream, copha or white fats, takeaway foods and processed meats
• Limit alcohol ( 2 standard drinks for men, 1 for women with a minimum of two alcohol free days per week.
• Choose foods high in dietary fibre which helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and may lower risk of heart disease.  This is important for proper bowel function and helps reduce constipation and diverticular disease.  (wholegraines/legumes/nuts/seeds-linseeds, chia, poppy,pumpkin seeds, sunflower and sesame seeds)fruits and vegetables – do notpeel, as fibre is asscoiated with the skin or peel-, rice bran and psyllium
• Consume only moderate amounts of sugars and foods containing sugars.
• Choose foods low in salt.  Use herbs and spices to flavour.

Good nutrition is the cornerstone of good health.