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Why You Should Seek Out Reliable Sources of Healthy Information

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Bulletproof Diet Book and Cookbook
The Bulletproof Diet (book and cookbook)

The more you know… Remember the series of ads that ran on tv a while back (on NBC, I believe). Heck, they may still run, I don’t know. Our television seldom ventures from baseball, the History Channel, National Geographic Channel, Discovery, and TVLand (Come on, how’re you expected to get through the week without Gunsmoke and Andy Griffith?!)

I was talking with my youngest daughter, Stephany, recently about seeking out information and hunting down truth. We were talking, at the time, about the big brouhaha surrounding “fake news.” While we both agree that news sources are entirely in too big of a hurry to “break news” before double-checking their facts AND while we certainly feel… well, KNOW… that the media’s number one goal is sensationalism and trying to get a reaction…. ALL the blame cannot be placed on them.

Individuals who take a news item or see a picture without actually looking into the situation (or date of said picture, even) are possibly even more to blame.

After all, they (the media) have an agenda – get ratings, sell papers – we don’t. Our only motive should be to educate ourselves and keep ourselves abreast of what’s going on around us.  If we take one person’s word for something, without taking a few minutes to verify what we’ve read, we’re failing to “adult” properly.

What’s worse is that many people will take a sensationalist bit of news and will run with it – spreading the false story everywhere. That’s not just stupid – it’s dangerous.

I don’t want to bring up any particular cases where this has happened, but if you live in America (as I do), you’ve seen a DANGEROUS amount of this over the past few years.

Yes, the media carries a large amount of the blame, but so do we when we don’t look into something before shooting off our mouths on social media or anywhere else.

The more you know… also rings true on a more personal level.  If you want to eat healthier, live longer, avoid as many diseases as possible, and feel better – you have to put in a little work seeking out information. Of course, you have to do more than just read… you have to respond.

My personal suggestion is to find several reputable sources and read everything you can get your hungry eyes on.  Why several? Again, it’s kind of like the media – if you limit yourself to one source of information, you are completely at their mercy. However, if you have multiple sources who are in agreement, you’re in a pretty good position!

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Tox-Sick by Suzanne Somers
Tox-Sick by Suzanne Somers

For example,many of my own personal sources of health information have been touting the benefits of healthy fat in your diet lately. Their information is all in agreement and I feel confident about my big juicy grass-fed burgers.

Naturally, when you follow a nutritionist, doctor, or health-field researcher, you may not agree with everything they say and you certainly won’t follow their every suggestion to the letter – but each step you take toward a healthier you is greatly beneficial. For example, some of my favorite sources… ahem… would be positively aghast if they saw me eating my beloved gluten-free fried catfish but this gal has zero intention of stepping away from it. Zero. As far as I’m concerned, fried catfish is the fifth food group. However, I do follow their teachings and preachings and eat crazy amounts of veggies and fruits and have cut just about all added sugar out of my world.

But… yes… I’m clinging to my fried catfish.

Below are a few of my personal favorite websites and books for health information, listed in no particular order.

When you find your favorite websites and authors, subscribe to their e-mail newsletters, follow them on Twitter, and (by all means) read their books. Let them help you carve out a healthier you and a better life.

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Chopped Salad
My Beloved: A Huge Salad with My Crunchy Faves

When reading about a new “diet” (which is, more times than not, simply learning a healthier way to eat), don’t make any snap judgments. Give the process time and see where it takes you – you may be in for a shock.  This is exactly what happened to me with the Bulletproof Diet (you can read my initial review – Bulletproof Diet Book Review).  I happen to have a freaky little condition with my blood sugar. It’s low and, if I go too long without calories, I find myself in a world of hurt. The feeling defies description – but suffice to say it feels like you’re on death’s doorstep with one weak hand on the doorknob. Because of this, I didn’t believe I could actually make it through the morning with simply a “bulletproof coffee.” I believe I even say in my review that I “know” I won’t be able to do this.

Ha! I cannot explain the science behind it, but I am absolutely able to have my bulletproof coffee each morning without a typical breakfast and I am perfectly fine for hours. I’ve even gone all the way to lunch many times without even thinking about food… let alone stepping on doom’s doorstep.  You have to make the bulletproof coffee the way the author, Dave Asprey, says too, however. You can’t get creative or tricky. If you follow his instructions to the letter, you’re going to be amazed at the energy and lack of morning and mid-morning hunger you experience.  Let’s be honest, this could be a life-changer.

I guess I need to go edit that review sometime.

One more suggestion: When my oldest daughter, Emily, and I had to give up gluten years ago (health reasons), we didn’t have the downward mental spiral that a lot of people seem to have.  Sure there was a little shock at first, but there were no tears or overwhelming sadness. We didn’t really suffer from a feeling of loss and I believe it was primarily because we both focused on the foods we COULD eat instead of the ones we COULD NOT eat.

To this day, we don’t sit around and talk about the doughnuts or fast food meals we no longer have or the restaurants we can’t visit anymore. We talk about how cool Jimmy John’s is to have “Unwiches” and how amazing a big chopped chef salad is!

The same approach will help you in any endeavor to get healthy. Focus on the good foods (heroes) and turn your back on the bad (villains).  If you keep looking at and longing for the baddies, you’ll simply go right back to them.

Keep your eyes laser-focused on those veggies, smoothies, grass-fed hamburgers, mashed cauliflower with bacon, and baked salmon with compound butter.

Hope you have a beautiful Christmas or Hanukkah! Christmas is my favorite time of year – it’s a beautiful holiday and, who knows, I may eventually get all of my shopping and menu planning done… may! ~ Joi (“Joy”)

P.S. I am obsessed when it comes to salads. They’re the perfectly delicious and deliciously perfect way to “sneak” in a lot of the foods that make you healthier and to “up” your veggie count all at meal. My favorite salad is a chopped salad – although it takes longer to prepare, the fact that you get so many different veggies on one fork makes it the most scrumptious salad in my opinion.  Be sure you don’t ruin it all by tossing on unhealthy dressings, though.  Oddly enough, I’ve found that my favorite way to dress a chopped salad is simply to drizzle a little olive oil on top, splash on a little lemon juice, and then grind black pepper over the whole production. Trust me.. it’s Heavenly!


Dance… As Long as the Music Plays

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Dance as Long as the Music Plays 

Dance… as long as the music plays.

When it comes to the subjects of aging well or coping with illnesses, one of my favorite sayings is this: “Dance as long as the music plays.” Tragically, yet understandably, most people – when they either reach a certain age or a certain point in their illness when their fight begins to leave them – turn their attention from living to dying.  They stop enjoying the world and begin missing the world…. long before they even have to leave it!

Short story: My father, Larry Joe (how perfectly southern is that name?), battled horrific illnesses most of his adult life. The things this man had to deal with would make the rest of us shake with embarrassment over the things we complain about.  A doctor at Vanderbilt once told my mom that my dad’s level of pain was almost unheard of – and that it was relentless. He likened it to pouring salt water in an open wound. Over and over and over again.

Each morning brought waves of nausea that he would joke about being his “morning sickness without a baby to show for it.”  One by one, things that he loved to do (working – he loved his job!, gardening, umpiring softball games, walking with his granddaughters..) had to give way to sitting in his recliner watching reruns of Matlock, Rockford Files and Perry Mason.

He wasn’t even 60.

Here’s the thing, though. The man never complained. Not once did he ask or even come close to asking, “Why me?” When he could no longer tend to his rose beds, he read rose magazines and browsed rose bush catalogs – talking about “next year’s garden” when he’d be “stronger.”

His body robbed him of health and it robbed him of many, many years but it never robbed him of his love of life. During his last hospital stay, he made jokes about the food and teased my mom by saying their food even made him anxious to get home to her’s!

Such a character.

What can we learn from this character?

  • For one thing, he had fun with life. There wasn’t a day that he wasn’t finding something to laugh about. And if that something didn’t appear, he’d create it.  I could always see it building in his face – I’d think, “Uh oh, here it comes.” Daddy was a sweetheart but he had a crazy sense of humor and you’d always kind of want to brace yourself for it.  If life wasn’t living up to his sense of humor, he had no problem with creating a little craziness. He’d get that sparkle in his eye and you knew someone was going to get roasted, you just hoped it wasn’t you!
  • He focused on the beauty in life and turned away from the ugly.  How many people just seemingly STARE at the ugliness in life? Not only do they stare at it, it’s almost as though they search it out.. then they share it all over social media. It’s kind of like, “I’m focusing on this ugliness and now I want you to as well.” The summer before he died, my dad fell and broke his hip. He had to have a hospital bed delivered to their home and even required a walker for several months after his surgery.  I guess it’s because I knew it was so close to the end, but the sight of that walker and hospital bed made me want to cry. He would, as you’d expect, make jokes about them. The only thing I ever heard him say about the walker was that he was very grateful for it because, unlike his granddaughters, he wasn’t much of a crawler.

Finally… what can we learn from this jokester?  He danced…. for as long as the music played. And he didn’t sit one song out.

He lived out one of my favorite sayings,  “Dance as long as the music plays.”

As we grow older, we have to be on guard for dark clouds that come swooping in. Dark clouds that remind us of things we no longer are able to do. Clouds that whisper that time isn’t on our side. Clouds that remind us of health issues, aches, pains, and what have you.  Is there a lot of truth to what they have to say? Sure. Those morning aches aren’t exactly fictional, are they?!

But here’s the thing – you can’t focus on any of that nonsense. Where’s the joy in that?

Whether age or illness (or if you’re really showing off and are up against both) has brought a few visiting dark clouds into your world, here’s what I want you to do.

  1. Acknowledge them.
  2. Obliterate them.

Don’t ever focus on the end of the song. Focus on the music and let the end work itself out. Focus on living and focus on the beauty in life. By all means, focus on laughter. The more, the better. Someone I once knew taught me that every now and then, if life isn’t funny enough, you have to create your own. Just warn everyone first, okay?

“Dance as long as the music plays.” – Larry Joe’s Daughter

Staying Mentally Strong is A Huge Part of Aging Well

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Henry Ford Quote About Learning

“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty.” – Henry Ford

In addition to Self Help Daily, I have a brain health and mental fitness blog, “Out of Bounds.”  Mental fitness and all that goes with it (preventing dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease, brain strength, overcoming stress, dealing with anxiety, etc) is one of my greatest passions. I spend as much time reading about brain health as I spend reading anything.

If I could recommend just three things to you to incorporate into your life to improve the health of you brain, they would be:

  • Eating a “heart healthy” diet – lots of fruit, healthy nuts, vegetables, and fish, while cutting WAY back on fried food, saturated fat, red meat, and sugar.
  • Getting plenty of activity – whether it’s yard work, housework, walking, or yoga… don’t be a couch potato. You do not have to go to a gym or buy special equipment. If you’re moving and grooving, your brain doesn’t know (or care) whether you’re at the gym, on a trail, or in your yard.
  • Keep learning every single day of your life. Use it or you’ll lose it. Literally.

I’m not going to “mother hen” you about the first two (today anyway), but I do want to encourage you with third. When my girls were little, one of the first things I ingrained into their minds was this: “A day spent without learning something is a day wasted.” Since I home-schooled them from Kindergarten through 12th grade, it was easy to make sure they wasted as little time as possible.

Like my girls, all of us have ample opportunities to learn something new every day as long as we’re in school. The challenge comes when “school isn’t in session,” whether that’s weekends, holidays, summers, or the all-encompassing rest of our lives.

A lot of people have the mistaken assumption that their work or vocation provides “enough” learning.  While having a challenging job does help keep our minds active, we need MORE. Why? Well, one reason is the fact that we become programmed to respond to the challenges of our daily job.

For example, I work full-time from home as a blogger/web publisher/writer.  While things such as developing a recipe for my food blog, writing a book review, or researching for an article on early-stage dementia keep my brain cells busy, it’s all in my wheelhouse.

However, if I work on developing a recipe in an area I’m not the least bit familiar with (such as Indian cooking) or research/read up on a subject entirely new to me – it’s a wake up call for my brain cells and they love it.

This “in your wheelhouse” dilemma is one of the reasons why so many educated and intelligent people are developing dementia. Each day, they stay firmly in their wheelhouse. Whether they’re afraid they don’t have the time to venture out or they lack the inclination, I honestly believe it’s at least part of their downfall.

So, the lesson for you is this – get out of your wheelhouse and learn more every single day.

One fun, inexpensive, and mentally stimulating way to do just that is to “go back to school” – or to be more precise, “go back to school books.”  Get your hands on a few schoolbooks, covering different subjects, and read through them as you did in school…

  • take notes as you read
  • look up words you aren’t familiar with
  • answer the questions that inevitably hold you accountable at the end of each chapter

While I wholeheartedly encourage finding textbooks dealing with your “old favorites” (for me, these would be History, Literature, and English), the real magic happens when you dig deep into those subjects you didn’t particularly care for (my mortal enemies were science, geography, and anything with numbers).

Recently, I sorted through some of the textbooks I saved from my daughters’ home-schooling days and found just what I was looking for Geography for Christian Schools (on Amazon for $1.14, hardback). Geography – one of my mortal enemies.  Even when my daughters studied Geography in our home-school, I didn’t immerse myself in the subject – I did as I did in school, payed just enough attention to get by.  Aside from the flags of the countries (which I find uncommonly fascinating), all other aspects of Geography always made my eyes glaze over. When I was in school, I’d daydream about my basset hound, Siamese cat, lunch, softball… anything BUT what was in my textbook or on the chalkboard.

I decided to go back this time and REALLY delve in – memorize the capitals of the countries of the world, the desserts, lakes, rivers, and as many other geographically-inclined facts I used to snub. Oddly enough, I’m actually finding it incredibly interesting this time around.  Imagine if I’d just paid attention back then.

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Geography Textbook
A Few Tips for Finding/Using Textbooks:

  • Amazon has A LOT of Textbooks and many are ridiculously cheap. Anyone who home-schools today really has it made. There are textbooks and workbooks for both high school and college. If you really, really, really need to go back and brush up on a subject – start with the lowest grade level needed and move up. When it comes to math, I don’t even want to think how far back I’d have to go.  I seriously think I have a math allergy.
  • When you buy an “older” history or geography textbook, keep in mind that some details and information has, undoubtedly, changed. The fact that you’ll find yourself on Google double-checking information simply means you’re doing more research and using your brain EVEN more.
  • A lot of used bookstores and “Teacher Supply Stores” have textbooks and workbooks. They’re definitely worth checking out.
  • If you’re really brave (and we’re talking braver than I am), grab foreign language textbooks and brush up on a language you once knew or even learn a totally new one.
  • When you come across a subject that’s especially interesting, go deeper. Find more books dealing with the subject and uncover everything you can find online.

You get the picture, wake up those brain cells by snatching them out of their comfort zone.  So few good things happen in the comfort zone and that holds especially true for your brain’s fitness and your mental health.

Never stop learning –  your future self will thank you for it.

~ Joi


Review: Better Eyesight for Busy People

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Better Eyesight for Busy People
Better Eyesight for Busy People (Eye Exercises)
Something I regularly do on Self Help Daily is set aside a particular frame of time to focus on particular subjects. I’ll gear my research, reading, writing, and reviews toward a subject I think my readers will benefit from. Empty Nest Syndrome, Overcoming Bad Habits, Developing More Confidence, Happiness, and Building Stronger Families are just a few of these special focus subjects.

While I’m sure we’ll revisit the subjects above – over the course of 2016, I’m going to show a great deal of attention to the following subjects:

  • aging well and staying healthy
  • mental fitness and brain health

I’m kicking off the series with a book review that fits both categories. Sometimes fate seems to like me. When I was asked if I’d like to review Better Eyesight for Busy People, I thought, “This couldn’t be more perfect if it were paid to.”

One of the KEY components of aging well is to, obviously, maintain and properly care for each of your senses. Our hearing and eyesight are two things we tend to take for granted, until it’s too late. When we’re being fitted for hearing aids or picking out a snazzy pair of eyeglasses, we often wish we’d listened to all that rock music a little more quietly and wish we’d done our part to keep our eyes healthy and strong.

While we can’t possibly prevent every single thing that could go wrong as years pass, doesn’t it make sense to do everything in our power to put the odds firmly in our favor?

Better Eyesight for Busy People is a small booklet of 12 EASY eye exercises that you can do regularly. I love that it’s such a convenient size (a little smaller than a iPad mini) and is as light as a feather. You can take it with you anywhere and review the exercises you have performed that day and the ones you need to do.

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Better Eyesight for Busy People
Better Eyesight for Busy People (Eye Exercises)
 

You may wonder why I said this book was tied to mental fitness. After all, it’s pretty obvious how it’s connected to aging well, right? But, mental fitness and brain health…… not so obvious.

Here’s the thing, in order to stay mentally fit, prevent dementia, and continue to strengthen our brains, we need to be on top of everything around us. We need to be able to read, observe, and see the world as it deserves to be seen. When an individual’s eyesight begins to weaken, they tend to withdraw from life. They often adapt the attitude of, “There’s nothing worth reading, anyway” or “I  have better things to do than going to that museum…”

They disengage and withdraw from life and I don’t have to tell you how disastrous (and sad!) that  is.

Help for Tired Eyes

See the exercise pictured in the photo above? Not only is this exercise apparently great for strengthening your eyes, I’ve found it to be AWESOME for tired eyes. After staring at the computer for hours or after reading a few can’t miss chapters from an Agatha Christie mystery, my eyes usually feel as tired as I would if I ran a few miles (not much chance of that happening unless I’m being chased by a snake, but that’s beside the point).  This exercise revives them and makes them feel like they’re ready to get back to work. Or, better yet, on to the next chapter in my mystery.

For less than $6, this booklet gives you (and those you love) 12 great eye-strengthening exercises – allowing you to take a proactive part in how well your eyes age.

See Better Eyesight for Busy People for more information. The book is also available to download onto your iPad, iPhone, or Kindle ( Click Better Eyesight for Busy People
for the Kindle version.).

~ Joi

*** I’m going to begin three Focal Subjects on my Mental Fitness Blog, Out of Bounds, this week: Relaxation, Overcoming Stress, and Silencing Anxiety.

How to Prevent Arthritis Or 20 Ways to Stay Out of Arthur’s Reach

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Arthritis is one of the most painful conditions an individual can live with.  Unfortunately our risk of learning this truth firsthand increases with age.  Fortunately, as with a lot of diseases, there are certain things we can do and certain things we can avoid to keep ourselves off of the arthritis radar.

  1. Drink your orange juice. Studies show that the antioxidants found in citrus fruit greatly reduce our odds of developing arthritis.
  2. Got milk? You should.  Calcium should be a part of your daily diet, especially if staying out of arthritis’ path is high on your “must do” list.  Drink milk and enjoy yogurt, cheese, and other dairy products.   If you are lactose intolerant (such as moi), remember that salmon and broccoli are sources of calcium.
  3. Watch your weight. Extra weight puts pressure on your joints and, when trying to hide from arthritis, you certainly don’t want to stress out your joints.  Just add arthritis to the list of diseases and ailments that can be discouraged by maintaining a healthy weight.  I read somewhere that if you lose 12 pounds, you cut your risk for developing arthritis in half.
  4. Stay active. Inactivity is a dangerous thing – for the body as well as the mind.  Brisk daily walks, strength – training, pilates, swimming, tennis, or yoga are excellent ways to keep your body active.  They’ll also help you with #3.  Stretching exercises and swimming are two of the best ways to keep your joints happy and stress-free and your muscles in top working condition.  Try to get at least 30 minutes of activity daily.  Exercise builds your muscles and your muscles support your joints.  See the connection? Weak muscles don’t offer the support your joints need but strong muscles will keep them honest.
  5. Use common sense. When home, at work, or at play, pay closer attention to what you put your joints through.  Find ways to lessen lifting and carrying activities.  Avoid things that put excess stress on your hips and knees.  Also, take extra care when playing sports.  Never put yourself at risk for injuries and remember to warm up before an activity and cool down afterward.
  6. Quit smoking. As if there aren’t enough reasons, already, to quit a habit that’s so bad for you! Cigarette – smoking is a habit that’s bad for you in every way conceivable.  It weakens your immune system and compromises your overall health. People who smoke cigarettes even age faster than others.
  7. Wear comfortable shoes. Never compromise your feet for stylish shoes.  Be certain that your shoes are the size you need and make sure they’re padded.  Neglected feet can cause a whole world of problems and none of them are pretty.
  8. Don’t sit still for long periods of time. If you have a desk job (or you simply enjoy sitting a great deal!), make it a point to get up and stretch periodically.  Using gentle movements, stretch all of your muscles to keep them nice and limber.  As an extra bonus, stretching will make you feel better.  It’ll also help you stay more alert.
  9. Try to avoid repetitive motions. If your job calls for you to make repetitive motions on a consistent basis, make it a point to find ways to take some of the pressure off of your joints.  Always remember:  When it comes to preventing arthritis, you want to keep your joints as stress free as possible.
  10. Take fish oil supplements.  Add preventing arthritis to the long list of benefits of taking daily fish oil supplements.
  11. Practice good posture. Sit up straight and walk tall.  Keep your back straight and your abs pulled in.
  12. Sleep on a firm mattress. Again, it’s all about supporting your joints and keeping them happy.
  13. Drink plenty of water. Water is necessary for joint lubrication.  It’ll also help with weight maintenance.  Think of drinking water as ridding your body of toxins – after all, that’s exactly what you’re doing.
  14. Get plenty of rest and relaxation. If you’re tired or run down, you’ll increase your risks of harming your muscles or other parts of your body.  Be sure to get plenty of sleep AND be sure to take breaks during the day.
  15. Be informed. I can’t possibly tell you how important it is to stay on top of information and news – especially health news.  Read, read, read, read.  Then read some more.  Stay current with health issues and advice from reputable doctors and other experts in the health field.
  16. Bundle up in cold weather. If it’s cold outside, don’t be a hero – dress warmly. Keep your joints warm and protected from the frigid cold.  Be extra thoughtful and considerate of your hands and protect them with a great pair of gloves.  Think of all your hands do for you – protect them and keep them safe.  Also, keep your poor knees in mind!  Wear thick pants or even long underwear.  As for your feet (also pretty important, right?) wear thick, appropriate socks and waterproof footwear.
  17. Use Heat Therapy. When you’re feeling achy and kind of stiff, take a warm bath or a warm shower or snuggle up with a heating pad.  Heat therapy soothes and relaxes over-worked muscles and joints.
  18. Learn relaxation techniques. Not only should you get plenty of sleep and rest, you should become a master of relaxation techniques.  Tense muscles cause joints to become stressed and, as we’ve already determined, we want our joints to be as stress free as a trophy wife.
  19. Don’t carry extra burdens. No, I’m not talking about worries this time – I’m talking about literally carrying extra burdens.  If you can pull it or push it, don’t lift it.  Also, use wheelbarrows, wagons, or other useful tools to do the hard work for you.  Don’t exert undo pressure on your joints.
  20. Consider Cod liver oil and Vitamin E.  Each of these reduce inflammation in the body.  Experts tell us that eating fruits and vegetables each day also reduce inflammation.