This recipe was inspired by a good friend of mine (Happy Birthday, Denise!) and Jackie Yurko’s Warming Chickpea Stew. This very impressive, robust and lip-smacking stew is absolutely perfect for a cold winter’s day.
Ingredients:
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That whistle isn’t for just anybody, it’s for North America’s latest Sweetheart, the iPhone. And after reading The Health Monitor’s post, “Dr. iPhone: 20 iPhone Applications to Improve Your Health,” I can see why she’s so attractive!
This article is a must read for all you beautiful, gadget-loving people who either want/need motivation to start your New Year’s goals, or for those of you iPhone users who just want to make living a healthy lifestyle a whole lot easier.
If you’re already healthy, then this article’s for you, too! Actually, there are even a few apps that would benefit any iPhone user, like the Blood Alcohol Concentration Calculator or the iEyeExam.
If you’re not already reading the article, it lists the available health apps under categories, such as Nutrition & Weight-loss, Fitness and Wellness. The most practical of the apps listed store your medical history and emergency contact information. The most handy app might be the Pocket First Aid Guide and the coolest by far is Bob’s Sheep Counter.
I just gotta get me an iPhone!
Have you tried one of the listed apps? What did you think of it?
Shorter days and longer nights don’t make the average person very happy. Throw in some tingling temperatures so cold they freeze your bone marrow, and you just might end up with a few very grumpy, depressed individuals.
The Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 4th edition says,
“Depression is a whole-body illness, one that affects the body, nervous system, moods, thoughts, and behavior. It affects the way you eat and sleep, the way you feel about yourself. and the way you react to and think about the people and things around you. Symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years. There are many types of depression, with variations in the number of symptoms, their severity, and persistence.”
Here are a list of symptoms:
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Here’s an interesting rumour: 50 Cent’s got a “girlie” workout routine that challenges him and keeps him looking hot. I bet it’s this one!
Now, mind you, the holidays still echo in my thighs, so for you, this workout might be a cinch. No. It’s hard. I’m a fit lass and I double dare you gentlemen readers to try this DVD workout. And hey, you get to stare at fine ladies as you sweat. 
We reviewed one of the Self Magazine’s Fast videos in 2007 and that workout was so killer that I put it on my 2008 holiday wish list. With a lot of luck and a little research, it’s the same motivating, cool Aussie personal trainer, Violet Zaki.
It’s perfect for the time-crunched and/or the beginner because it’s divided into 4 sections: legs, cardio, legs with weights and floor work. But it’s choreographed as a full workout (total: 55 minutes) with an easy warm up and relaxing cool down.
Here’s a 40 second sample from the legs with weights section:
Yesterday was an intense, emotional day for myself and many others. President Barack Obama’s inaugural speech will go down in history as one of the most inspiring speeches by a leader.
It was about being strong in the face of adversity, taking responsibility and uniting towards a common goal.
Here are some wise words from President Obama:
“We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
It has not been the path for the faint-hearted – for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things – some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labour, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.”
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In December, we answered the question, “What is the Common Cold?” In that post, we covered ways for prevention and some natural remedies to try at the first sign of a cold. What we missed was some natural remedies for when the virus has sunk it’s claws into you. Here are some cold remedies suggested by Dr. Elson Haas from Staying Healthy with the Seasons:
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Crockpots are probably one of man’s greatest inventions. It’s the tool that turns fabulous dinner creations into rice krispies squares: scrumptious delights that are super easy to make with practically no cleanup.
Add chili, which is best served slowcooked, and you got a miracle meal!
Here’s the recipe for the (not too spicy) jackpot chili I cooked up last weekend, which was such a hit this week that I ended up trading lunches with a colleague!
Steph’s No Fail Veggie Chili Crockpot RecipePrep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 8 hours
Serves: 8
Ingredients
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The holidays are the season for generosity, kindness, compassion and gratitude. These positive feelings promote happiness and fulfillment, making giving an important part of healthy living. So what if, instead of focusing on the current state of affairs and getting all stressed about what could be, there was a way to keep the Holiday Spirit alive a bit longer?
Daily Challenge, a socially conscious network we introduced back in October, is offering exactly this in The Goodest Story Ever Contest, which is in turn supporting a good cause. You can feel good by donating directly to the fund, or if you have a heart-warming story to share, don’t be all shy, tell the world! Did you know happiness is contagious? Your feel-good story will touch other people. possibly affecting people you’ve never even met. In fact, if you wanted a quick pick-me-up, read the contest submissions and see if any pull your heart strings. Just don’t forget to vote for your favourites!
If I haven’t sold you already with the title, would it help to know that regaining balance not only helps prevent disease, it also reverses the hands of time? Leading a balanced life boils down to knowing what your body, mind and soul need to function effectively. It means cleaning our Earthly temples of the junk we’ve accumulated since birth, and then keeping it as clean as we can.
This MSN.ca lifestyle article, “Living the Anticaner Way” highlights some of the healthy lifestyle habits Dr. David Servan-Schreiber, author of Anticancer, suggests everyone (on some degree) should take up for cancer prevention. It was a helpful list with categories, giving me a better idea of what life areas I need to pay more attention to (and some tips in how I can start).
Here are a few of the healthy lifestyle suggestions listed that have been also covered (a little differently) here on Live Lighter:
“Protect Yourself
Dangerous Ingredients in Bath & Body Products
How to Choose Healthy Bath & Body Products
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Cesar Millan, Dog Whisperer, is my new hero. The interesting thing is that I don’t have a dog, wasn’t thinking about getting one, and have never considered myself a real `dog lover’. What impressed me right away about Cesar Millan is his attitude and presence. By the end of the first episode, I was hooked. I realized that I learned more about human psychology than I did about dogs!
This attractive alpha male is the ideal example of a totally healthy, well-balanced human being, which makes him an outstanding dog handler and an even better dog whisperer (psychologist). If you don’t believe me, check him out yourself and let me know what you think!
Here is a 7 minute video, Part I of “Up close with `Dog Whisperer’ Cesar Millan”:
How did he achieve this balance? Although it was probably a combination of many things, I think he answers this question in the 3rd part when the interviewer asks who he finds he has to work harder with, the dog or the owners. He replies in a thick Mexican accent,
“In the show, you get to see how I say, `I train people, I rehabilitate dogs.’ Dogs move more faster than humans and the reason is because they don’t retain the past and they don’t want to know about the future. Humans live in that world. One thing that we can learn from dogs, or animals, is to live in the Now.”
Do you agree with me that Cesar’s picture should go in the dictionary under “total health“? Does he seem to have a good beat on life, embody a balanced life and mind? Can you see why I idolize this man? 
