Being a healthy weight is important. However, being a healthy weight does NOT mean you are healthy. True health can only come from providing your body with the appropriate nutrition to support the function of the cells that make up your physical being.

As a matter of fact, carrying a few extra pounds but eating healthy foods is much MORE important than being slender and eating mostly processed foods.

We all know people like that don’t we?

Seems unfair but consider this:  They may look good on the outside, but the damage happening on the inside is devastating in the long run. Chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer can take decades to evolve and proper nutrition plays a big role in preventing these. 

Then there is the DIET food…

The most popular commercial diet programs we are consistently bombarded with consist of foods that limit calorie intake but unfortunately often lack in nutritional value, leaving you feeling unsatisfied and irritable...

There is a large national chain of gyms that gives away pizza, donuts and bagels.

The message?

A strange one for sure!

'Come work out here so you can keep eating junk'!

The truth is that you cannot out-exercise a poor diet.

What is the ultimate goal of working out?

Why bother staying active?

Regardless of whether you are simply concerned about looks (unlikely) or if your goal is to become healthier (hopefully!) going to the gym is NOT going to make up for poor eating habits.

It is no secret that obesity rates are extremely high. It is also a well-known fact that most people are not active enough. Exercise is important for a multitude of reasons, but without proper nutrition, exercise is of limited use as a weapon against obesity and research confirms this.

An article in the International Journal of Epidemiology details the trends of obesity and the link to exercise and food consumption. The conclusions are based off of decades of data and can be summarized as follows:...

Mentally tough people know that where you focus your attention determines your emotional state. When you fixate on the problems that you’re facing, you create and prolong negative emotions and stress, which hinders performance. When you focus on actions to better yourself and your circumstances, you create a sense of personal efficacy, which produces positive emotions and improves performance.

Mentally strong people persevere. They don’t give up in the face of failure, and they don’t give up because they’re tired or uncomfortable. They’re focused on their goals, not on momentary feelings, and that keeps them going even when things are hard. They don’t take failing to mean that they’re a failure. Likewise, they don’t let the opinions of others keep them from chasing their dreams. When someone says, “You’ll never be able to do that,” they regard it as one person’s opinion, which is all it is.

They...

Your Health is Your Wealth

Health is one of those life qualities you don't notice until you lose it. Our society and culture, both value hard work and dedication to your J.O.B. above all else.

WE are praised when we are BUSY, regardless of what we are busy doing. Have a problem? Work more, better, harder, longer. When you do this, the story goes, you achieve the success and/or money you have earned for your dedication and perseverance. However, busy is not always a productive busy, but it provides a distraction from what is truly important. Ourselves.

As a consequence, we let our health, nutrition and overall wellbeing slowly, and almost unnoticeably, slip and slide until one day, the damage is done and popping pills seems like the only way out.

Another busy, more likely to apply to women is the martyrdom of motherhood.

The kids come first. Before your needs. That’s just the way it is.

Every heard a stewardess going through safety protocols on an airplane say “put the...

Sure, I overcame cancer. My boyfriend barely survived a car accident. So what? How does this help YOU?

Most people go through things in their lives that are unpleasant, difficult and downright unfair. Over most of these events, you have NO obvious control.

Too often we allow the things that happen TO us, TO define us. This results in feeling unhappy, out of control and lost. We become VICTIMS of life, rather than VICTORS.

So instead of allowing what happens TO you determine your life, USE it to propel you onto the path to becoming the BEST YOU.

Don’t settle for anything less than what you CAN be!

So now what? HOW does one turn hardships into victories?

Although there is no universal method for everyone, here are some things you can use to help you turn things around.

Be grateful - Focus on what IS GOOD in your life and for what you are truly thankful, those parts of your life which put you in high vibration, which in turn release happy hormones and make you feel good.
Become...

Latest article in elephant journal...

http://www.elephantjournal.com/2016/02/5-ways-we-can-kick-fear-in-the-teeth-and-get-on-with-our-lives/

Recently I came across an article describing Empaths also known as, Highly Sensitive people. Having never heard of the term before I read on because the title of the article was about relationships, toxic ones to be exact. Having had more than my fair share of those I decided to keep reading and what I found opened the door to an entirely new way of thinking, and accepting for me.

Without explanation I have ALWAYS been able to read people's moods, and energy. People pleasing was not something I was aware of but certainly something that I've done since I was very young. I have been referred to as a people person, with the ability to meet someone and have them open up and tell me their deepest desires and secrets within minutes. I was of the belief that this is a good thing, and I tend to agree with that. However, when the connection that is so rapidly formed between myself and another causes me (unconsciously of course) to become someone I am not simply for the sake of...

http://www.elephantjournal.com/2016/01/what-seeds-are-you-planting/

Water, Water, Everywhere: Wellness and Water
One of the first things I look at when I work with people to improve their health and wellbeing is their water intake.

Most people know that water is very important to their health. Many people don't know why so we are going to take a look at some of the reasons water is so important.

We will then explore some commonly asked questions: How much water is enough water? Should you drink it cold or room temperature? Does it matter when you drink it? Do other liquids contribute to your daily water intake? Can you add flavorings to your water and if so, what? 

Many of you have probably seen the ‘latest trend’ about drinking lemon water in the morning so we are going to look at that too!

Why water is so important:

1) Boosts your ENERGY! – Your brain is about 75% water! Drinking more water helps you think, focus and concentrate better. As an added bonus, your energy levels are also boosted! 

...

Throughout the years of study and practice in coaching and positive psychology I have learned there are some core essential habits that highly optimistic people practice.

In one of the coaching courses I took, we called this the circle of personal perspective.

In courses I have taken on Positive Psychology and in several books written by Martin Seligman, this is called PERMAV.

However you choose to call it, there are core themes that come through that are time tested and true.

Fortunately, optimism is a learned trait; here are practical habits to assist you in becoming more positive.

What is optimism? It’s a state of hopefulness and confidence about the future. It’s also a state we can train ourselves to adopt.

~ We can resist pessimism.

~ Assert control.

~ And Learn to appreciate setbacks as what they really are–opportunities.

Want to move forward now? Here are some suggestions:

1. Time to see what’s in your feed.

The news feeds that we come...