Stay Healthy Through Good Diet and Exercise

Some of the most important things you can do to avoid getting sick - and not just from cold and flu, but anything else out there that is contagious - is to keep your body as strong and healthy as possible. Two of the best ways to do that are to eat a healthy diet and exercise daily.

Here is what that may look like. 

Tips for Eating Healthy

Improving your diet to eat healthier can seem like a challenge. But, there is a lot you can do. The key is to start and make small improvements as you go along. A great place to start is by cutting out sugar and processed foods. Replace them with whole food options where you can. For example, have an apple instead of a candy bar when you need a snack. Fix some scrambled eggs instead of pouring a bowl of sugary cereal in the morning. Skip the fast-food burger and fix a salad to take to lunch. You get the idea.

From there, I would encourage you to add more fresh fruits and vegetables. Try somet...

When kindness is shared, it is immediately multiplied. I look forward to opportunities to give.

Various holidays focus on the importance of togetherness and love. One of the highest forms of love is sharing what I have with others. It feels good to share kindness and love as well as material things.

I always invite others to spend time with my family for the Christmas holiday. When someone is alone, I introduce them to a spirit of community. And, gathering the family together is one of the special draws of the Christmas season. 

Giving of my time is a small way to share love and kindness with others. I do it to make others feel good. It gives me joy to be a factor in the happiness of someone who has less than I do.

Volunteering at a shelter is a regular activity for me around the holidays. It reminds me to be grateful for what I have in my life.

Shifting the focus from myself to others is a humbling experience that keeps me grounded. I realize how much I have when I...

If you have not heard of mini-habits, you are in for a treat. Imagine making only minor changes in your life and still managing to create impactful and meaningful change.

The mini-habit is just as it sounds like – it is the principle that doing many small things will ultimately lead to something amazing. Think, for instance, of what would happen if you only read a couple of news articles every day? Before you know it, you would have achieved the goal of becoming more knowledgeable and better able to carry out discussions about current events.

Mini-habits do not stop there, though. Not only can your mini-habit alter how you get things done, but they influence your mind and body as well. Read on to uncover the powerful benefits of a mini-habit.

1. Mini-habits build an atmosphere of success. By setting small goals, you are much more prone to meet them. So instead of telling yourself that you will return every phone call promptly, you concentrate on timely returning the next ph
...

“I do not have the time.”

How frequently do you say these words when it comes to self-care? Oh, you know it is good for you. But really, what woman has hours to spare to take care of themselves?

Very frankly… you do. You have more time than you imagine. The following six self-care tips will each take you less than one minute to do.

Take a Deep Breath

Anytime you feel tense, stressed out, or even just a little ‘off,’ taking some deep breaths will alter the situation for the better. The key? Do not just breathe. Hold your breath in-between steps for the most significant impact. Begin with inhaling to the count of five, then hold it for the count of five, and exhale to the count of five.

Slow Down Your Lunch

When was the last time you relished your food? The next time you eat something, pause while chewing to appreciate the textures and flavors. By doing so, you aid in digestion and rediscover the joy of eating simultaneously!

Pause the Whole Shebang

There is much t...

Hydration is important to living healthy. National Hydration Day, recognized on June 23, was created to honor the late football coach Victor Hawkins. He had created a special hydrating mouthguard to keep his players healthy on the field.

Drinking enough water each day is good for overall health. 

Plain drinking water has zero calories, so it can also help with managing body weight and reducing caloric intake when substituted for drinks with calories, like sodas.

Drinking water can prevent dehydration, a condition that can cause unclear thinking, result in mood change, cause your body to overheat, lead to constipation, and kidney stones.

Exercise can be for your health, but working out while dehydrated is not healthy. Water provides your body with the fuel you need to get through a workout or a busy afternoon outside.

When you are properly hydrated, you are able to exercise in a healthy way, making your mind and your body happy.

Water & Nutrition

The Institute of Medicine ...

When Life Spins Out of Control, Find Peace

Brenda's husband was in the military, and her family frequently transferred to different locations. As soon as it seemed they had put down roots in one spot, they inevitably moved to a new place.

One day, a long-time friend asked Brenda how she managed to cope with the constant change. Brenda explained, "I've learned that peace is not something that comes from perfect circumstances. Peace is something that flows from my relationship with Jesus."

It is tempting to think that if you had ideal circumstances, you would feel at peace. Maybe you say you would be at peace if your job were not so stressful. Perhaps you tell your friends that you would be at peace if you had a better marriage. Maybe you say you would be at peace if you did not have that chronic illness.

But as Brenda has learned, peace does not stem from your circumstances. You can be living in the best or the worst moments of your life, and you can still know peace.

3 Hard Tru...

All the possessions on Earth mean nothing to me if I cannot take time to enjoy them. In my pursuit of success, I take time to stop, take a breath, and make the most of the occasions that life has given to me.

I let go of all feelings of guilt for taking time out for me. I know that I will be more productive down the road if I take regular time to rest and enjoy what I have earned.

Taking time to relax and play also increases my creativity.

My best ideas come to me when I am relaxed and at peace. By allowing myself to disengage from the stress and routines of everyday life, I allow doorways in my mind to swing open that would have otherwise remained sealed tightly shut had I stayed at my desk.

Also, what I have gained means nothing unless I make time to share it.

A freezer full of food is just a box of dinners. Sure, it brings security to me to know that I will not be hungry, but it does little for me beyond that. But once I invite family and friends to come and share i...

Do you tend to do anything for attention? Letting go of attention-seeking behavior will enhance your relationships and peace of mind.

Keep in mind that a certain level of attention-seeking is normal for people at any age. The issue is whether it is producing trouble in your daily life and preventing you from finding more productive ways to act in response to challenges.

Identifying Your Attention Seeking Behavior:

1. Look for the external signs. The outward signs may be the simplest to spot. Classic characteristics include exaggerated displays of emotions, constantly seeking approval and reassurance, and difficulty dealing with frustration or criticism.

• You might also tend to take inappropriate risks and focus too much on your physical appearance.

2. Pinpoint underlying causes. It might be difficult to get in touch with the feelings that motivate you to seek attention, but it is critical to making positive changes. Often, this conduct links to a sense of insecur
...

Do you appreciate how much you can improve your outlook on life by simply being thankful? This is what is known as an "attitude of gratitude." If you cultivate an "attitude of gratitude," you will bring even more joys into your life like a fulfilling career, health, pay raises, stronger relationships, and wealth.

An attitude of gratitude is genuinely a magnet for prosperity and success. After all, much of life is about our attitude and our outlook on things. There is an adage that optimists might be wrong and pessimists might be right about some things, but optimists relish the ride. Which one are you?

When you transform your attitude, you can change your entire universe. And yes, you really can change your attitude by demonstrating gratitude a little more often.

Be Thankful for All You Have

Lots of women, possibly even the majority of us, believe our lives are boring or meaningless. Isn't that awful? Frequently we see not much to be thankful for because we are always t...

When you are stressed out and cannot find a moment of peace for yourself, you probably need to simplify your life.  We often make our life more complicated than it needs to be, so if we turn it down a notch and make matters simpler, our stress levels will decrease rapidly, and our life will be much more enjoyable. 

We often think everything is of equal importance in our lives, but there are some great ways to evaluate what matters to gain a new perspective on life.

6 Simple Ways to Simplify Your Life

1. Determine what is essential. Make a list of all activities you have going on in your life right now. It would help if you looked at the first four or five and made sure that you put most of your energy into these things. It is the first four or five factors in your life, like your family, relationship, or work, that ought to get the most emphasis on a day-to-day basis. Once you make this list, it is a whole lot easier to see where you are devoting most of your time (and where
...