I’m SO very excited to introduce today’s guest blogger, Joe Ciccone, who sent me this recipe and picture to share with all of you just because he’s passionate about healthy food! Please read on for this versatile snack recipe, and to learn more about this fascinating guest blogger!

Seeds seem to always be included in any list of healthy things one should eat. I searched for someway to get this idea in to my daily diet, until I recently came up with this simple, easy-to-make dish.

Like in this recipe, I usually have it along with my soft/scrambled eggs and whole wheat toast for breakfast (it has actually replaced my favorite breakfast, Bacon & Eggs). But these toasted pumpkin seeds also make an excellent snack or side dish.

The salt and crispness of the seeds makes you think you’re eating popcorn! The seeds and mushrooms can also be used along side of any meat, fowl or fish dish.

Just be patient when roasting the seeds to get them brown evenly, then drain on paper towel and lightly salt. And please, for heaven’s sake, do not eat until they cool!

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 cup unshelled pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup white button mushrooms, sliced
• 2 eggs
• 2 slices whole wheat toast
• 1/4 tsp salt (or to desired taste)

Preparation

1. In a small frying pan on medium-low heat, add a teaspoon olive oil and unshelled pumpkin seeds, salt lightly.
2. Shake pan often or mix using wooden spoon. Be patient….in 5 or 6 minutes you will have nicely browner seeds. Careful, they’re very hot. Place in bowl and set aside.
3. Replace pan on heat, add a little more olive oil.
4. Now add mushrooms, white button, which were washed and sliced while pumpkin seeds were browning.
5. Increase heat to medium-high, toss mushrooms, cook 3 or4 minutes until done.
6. Put mushrooms on plate and top with toasted pumpkin seeds.
7. Scramble eggs in same pan, add to plate, remove bread from toaster.
8. Use left-over toasted pumpkin seeds for a great snack!

Enjoy this healthy, tasty breakfast in about 10 minutes!

About the Author

Joe Ciccone is an active 70-year old who loves to cook healthy meals. He currently resides in West Palm Beach, Florida, with his wife of 32 years. He grew up in The Bronx and has been in the kitchen since he was 6 years old learning to cook from his father, a butcher, and his Italian and Polish grandparents. He’s worked in a NYC French restaurant and a 24-hour diner, and enjoyed cooking for parties and holidays in all 3 of his marriages. 

A big shout-out goes to Joe for taking the time to submit his recipe for all of us to try! If you have the chance to taste his recipe, please come back and tell us what you think.

A friend of mine recently started a high protein diet and asked me how much carbs he should consume. While I gave him a generic answer, here’s a guest post by JC which explains low carb diets and how you should go about it if you wish to try it out to achieve your healthy weight loss goals.

Just as numerous diet plans have emerged in the markets, myths regarding low carb diets have increased also. Those who plan specific dieting techniques tend to ignore some of the essential facts and theories associated with them.

A great follow up to our last post, “How Stress Affects the Health of New Moms“, here’s a guest post by Varsha Aditya about what to do following the birth of your new baby to keep healthy and lose that extra baby weight.  

Postpartum weight loss is a major concern for many women. With all the emphasis our society places on losing weight, it may be difficult to accept the pounds you put on during pregnancy. Especially after the baby is born, it may be very difficult to accept the lingering fat around your waist. Many first-time mothers don’t even realize that it will be many months before their abdominal wall will be back to normal!

You may be tempted to start dieting immediately, but there are many reasons why this is a bad idea. Don’t let yourself cave in to a negative self-image or start believing that you absolutely have to get back in your old clothes as soon as possible! There are natural processes at work and understanding them can help you get your figure (and more importantly, your health) back without endangering the health of either you or your newborn.

Birthing Body Changes

Most women gain around 25 to 35 pounds during pregnancy and lose only 12 to 15 at birth. That means you could easily have 20 pounds left to lose before you get back to your pre-pregnancy weight. But it’s not just fat making you bigger. Your bone structure, especially in your hips, may have widened significantly if it was your first baby. For some people, the hips “close” after a year or so—others never go back to their pre-pregnancy size. Your bone structure has nothing to do with your body fat. So don’t measure your weight loss by your hip size. Your pant size may be one or two sizes bigger than your pre-pregnancy size, even after you are completely back in shape.

To me, this is one of the saddest things about the modern conception of women. We are taught to feel shame about no longer having a teenager’s body. The fact is, my pre-pregnancy body turned into something far more marvelous when I became pregnant and gave birth—it became a woman’s body. Even though I lost a lot of weight after the birth of my first child, my shirts and pants still never fit the same way again. My shoulders and my hips were wider, even though I was even underweight at one point. Never feel ashamed of your widening hips. Flab is one thing, but a wide pelvis is a point of pride—celebrate the bones that allowed the passage of a new being into the world!

Downtime After Birthing

Because of pregnancy hormones that helped you open up enough to birth your baby, your ligaments and joints may be extremely flexible for months after birth. While this is generally a good thing, you are more prone to overstretching injuries. Many cultures around the world limit the new mother’s activity for the first 40 days after childbirth. While we tend to disregard traditions that may seem like stuffy old wives tales, some traditions have very good scientific reasons behind them. Letting your hormones adjust postpartum is one of those reasons. Don’t start heavy exercise workouts immediately as tempting as it may be.

Wait to Diet

The first few days and weeks after childbirth are also crucial in establishing your milk supply, if you plan on breastfeeding. Dieting at this time can have two important side effects. First, it can reduce your milk supply. Second, dieting and fasting release the toxins stored in your cells into your bloodstream, and these can pass on to the baby through your milk. (If this makes you wonder if you should breastfeed at all, the answer is a resounding YES!!!! There are far too many benefits to breastfeeding to justify not breastfeeding without very strong reasons). So: don’t start dieting in the first few weeks after delivery.

Developing Good Habits Postpartum

All this doesn’t mean you should let loose and eat whatever you want after childbirth. The postpartum period is a great time to establish good habits that will continue as your baby grows up. Here’s what you can and should do to care for your body postpartum:

1. Definitely continue to take the same care over your diet as you did when pregnant. Don’t rely on supplements or vitamin tablets. While cooking complicated meals will be out of the question for a while as you adjust to life with a newborn, simple habits like snacking on baby carrots instead of junk food will give you the high-quality energy you need. By eating regularly and healthfully, you can also avoid the sugar highs and lows that may contribute to emotional illnesses like postpartum depression.
2. The best exercise immediately following delivery isn’t cardio or even yoga. The best thing you can do is wear your baby. The weight of your newborn in a sling or a wrap (NOT a bag sling, as these are dangerous for newborns, despite their popularity) is something your body is used to handling. As your infant grows, the “exercise” will increase slowly. It’s Nature’s form of endurance and weight training, perfectly designed to tone those back and abdominal muscles that were under such stress during pregnancy.
3. Once you pass the six-week checkup with your doctor or midwife, you can start getting into an exercise routine again slowly. You can also start a reduced calorie diet as long as you don’t drop below 1800 calories a day (if breastfeeding). Aim to lose NO MORE than a pound a week. If you have 35 pounds to lose, it will take roughly 9 months, and that’s perfectly fine! Your responsibilities as a parent are more than enough to handle—you don’t need to be obsessing about your weight.

Keep in mind that weight alone is not the best indicator of health. Keep track of your BMI (body mass index) and your body fat percentage to have a better idea of what’s healthy for you. And before making any changes to your diet or fitness routine, be sure to check with your doctor or midwife.

About the Author

Varsha Aditya is a writer for the popular calorie counter website CaloriesAndMore.com which promotes healthy and sustainable weight loss without all the impossible rules of fad diets. Visit us to find more articles about sustainable weight loss, and see how CaloriesAndMore.com’s huge database of foods and activities can make calorie counting a breeze.

Have you any healthy living tips to share based on your postpartum experience?

Whether you’re a new mom or not, everyone is affected by stress. This guest post by Bernice Spradlin is a must-read as she shares a few stress management tips using natural means! 

Natural tips on fighting stress—for you and baby

We all suffer from a certain amount of stress in our daily lives, and to a certain extent, stress is a part of normal life. However, if you’re a parent, children can be a handful, especially for new mom’s that are home with baby for the majority of the day.

Stress is actually the body’s physical, mental or emotional reaction to any situational change that requires a response. Events like these all qualify as stressors:

• A stressful event—i.e., like a crying, fussy child
• A baby that won’t let you sleep, for instance a baby with cholic
• Continuous mental or physical strain without relief—i.e., if mom never gets a break
• A muscle stress that you’ve put on your body—i.e., muscle pain from picking up a child without supporting your lower back
• A pressing stress that constantly dominates your thoughts—i.e., constant worry over your baby’s well-being
• A stressful reaction due to a dangerous or frightening situation—i.e., having a child involved in a violent relationship
• A tense atmosphere—i.e., a single mom worrying about her financial situation on top of caring for a new baby

It’s the effects of long-term, on-going stress (which is called distress) in situations like those listed above that can seriously affect your health, as well as the health of your new baby. For instance, instead of letting a cholicy baby keep you up all through the night, seek advice from your doctor who may prescribe gripe water that can be purchased very cheaply online via almost any Canadian pharmacy.

If moms don’t find effective ways of managing stress in a healthy way, it can manifest itself in the body and mind in the following dangerous ways:

• Tight chest or chest pains
• Migraine headaches
• Stomach upset
• Digestive upset/gas or bloating
• Diarrhea or constipation
• High blood pressure
• Sleeplessness
• Post-partum depression
• Muscle soreness
• Fatigue
• Loss of drive (to have sex, social withdrawal)
• Anxiety attacks
• Mood swings
• Over-eating or under-eating/weight gain or loss

And stress only becomes worse when new moms don’t seek or ask for help—and instead look to compulsive, dangerous behaviors like drinking or drug use to ease their anxiety—which keep the body and mind in a traumatic state and can cause further danger both to you and your child.

Natural stress relief tips for moms

1. Walk it off

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends taking 10 minutes after any stressful situation to clear your head and calm down. A brisk walk reduces repetitive stress to the body as it gets a fresh dose of blood pumping to sore muscles. A walk also encourages you to breathe properly, calms down nerves, burns off excess anxiety and actually increases productivity once you return to your baby. If you can’t get out of your home, you can also do home-based exercises to beat stress, like gentle yoga, run on a treadmill, use a stationary bike or just close your eyes and take in a few rounds of deep breathing to slow your heart rate and stress level considerably.

2. Learn to ask for help

Taking on more and more responsibilities—on top of childcare—adds to your stress levels. Everyone needs a break so get in the habit of asking for help when you’re feeling stress. New moms shouldn’t be expected to take on all childcare responsibilities by themselves. Instead, book a babysitter or count on your spouse to look after baby a few nights a week so you can get some exercise or social time. Also, learn to say no if your spouse, family or friends expect too much from you. If you feel too much obligation between childcare and housekeeping, suggest delegating responsibilities by hiring an housekeeper or part time nanny for a few hours a week. This will lessen the pressure on you, allow you a few breaks to rejuvenate and run errands and let you focus doing the best job you can do caring for your child.

3. Look at the bright side

Don’t dwell on the negative; instead adopt a positive attitude. Turn your focus to the positive things in your life, such as how lucky you are to have a family that loves you. Positive thinking helps you stay motivated and confident.

4. Eat a healthy, balanced diet

Many new moms with ongoing stress literally feel it in their digestive tract. When the brain experiences stress, it interacts with the rest of the body through the nervous system which regulates the digestion of food. A healthy balanced diet, rich in the following essential nutrients, will keep your digestion and your health on track, especially for new mom’s who are burning the candle at both ends:

• Magnesium: that essential nutrient for muscle health, keeps your heartbeat and sleep patterns regular with foods like milk and cheese; meat and veggie proteins like eggs, fish, seafood and tofu; as well as whole grains, leafy greens and nuts.
• Amino Acids: regulate mood and brain function as well as fight off stress and mood swings with foods like eggs, meat, fish and beans.
• B Vitamins: support adrenal function, your nervous system and are your essential nutrients in your fight against stress with foods like salmon, beef liver, broccoli, legumes, lentils, corn, soy, citrus fruits, nuts, sunflower seeds and eggs.
• Vitamin C: improves immunity, reduces cortisol (the stress hormone) levels, lowers blood pressure and diminishes the negative symptoms of stress on the body due with its antioxidant properties with foods in the citrus family, melon, mangoes, tomatoes, broccoli, red and green bell peppers, and other green leafy vegetables.

If the stress is already too much—your digestion system may be slow or already compromised. Make an appointment with your doctor to ask about taking prescription medication to treat irritable bowel syndrome or other digestive-related ailments.

5. Celebrate the small things

Take time to reward yourself for a job well done—as a new mom and a spouse. When you have a good day, reward yourself and baby with a treat, like a mom and baby yoga or aquafit class, ice cream for you and a walk for baby, a new book or a massage. Acts in self-caring will keep you a motivated and positive mom.

About the Author

Bernice Spradlin is an avid hiker and runner. She works at a gym in Brooklyn, New York, where she gets great inspiration for her freelance health-related articles and blogs. In her off time, you can often find Bernice jogging the East River path along the waterfront and enjoying the cool breeze. Bernice is currently looking for freelance writing work, and can be contacted at BerniceG.Spradlin@gmail.com.

Do you have any stress-busting tips? And if you’re a new mom, is there any crazy story you’d like to share in how you overcame an especially stressful time following the birth?

Finding the right healthy diet for you can be a little frustrating, especially when you have a weight loss goal. As a follow up post to Bindu’s article on fiber-rich chia seeds, here’s registered and licensed dietitian, Betsy, informing us on fiber and how it factors into our weight loss efforts!

Dietary fiber is great tool that you can use for weight loss as it is something that will fill you up without filling you out. Hunger sensation is the result of the signal that the stomach sends to the brain when it is empty and fullness is when the stomach sends the signal saying it is full.

Consuming a diet high in fiber has shown to be very beneficial. Meeting dietary fiber goals daily has shown to reduce the risk of developing coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes and obesity. Certain types of fibers are also beneficial in lowering cholesterol levels.

Dietary fiber is classified into soluble fiber and insoluble fiber. Soluble fibers include viscous and fermentable fibers such as pectin. These fibers are fermented in the colon and it binds the cholesterol and removes it from the body. Insoluble fibers have bulking action and not completely fermented in the colon. These promote regularity of the gastro-intestinal system.

Fiber and Feeling of Fullness

Studies have shown that people eat the same amount of food to feel full. Eating a meal high in fiber and water-rich foods will provide fewer calories as compared to eating a similar portion of food with high carbohydrate or fat content. Therefore, if you choose foods high in fiber such as vegetables or whole grains you will feel fuller faster and save on some calories.

A 2009 study in the journal Appetite compared the fullness factor of apples, applesauce and apple juice with added fiber before lunch. People who ate an apple before lunch ate 15 percent fewer calories than those who ate the applesauce or drank apple juice. This suggests that the fiber in the whole apple was more filling even when compared to the juice that had added fiber. Also, the chewing of the apple took longer sending fullness signals to the brain.

Sources of Fiber

Fiber is a plant product. Therefore, fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of fiber. Whole grains like wheat, oats, barley and millet are also good sources of fiber. Beans and nuts also contain fiber. In short, any plant product that has not been refined and processed and is consumed in its whole state will provide fiber.

Fiber keeps you feeling full for longer and promotes satiety. Natural sources of fiber are more compatible for body than fiber capsules. If you must take fiber supplement, a powder fiber supplement is better choice than in the pill form.

Adding Fiber to Diet

Add fiber slowly to your diet so your body can get used to it and prevent bloating and gas. Drink plenty of fluids while adding fiber. Try these tips for adding more low-calorie foods to your meal plan to boost fiber while keeping calories in check:

• Choose whole fruits instead of fruit juices or processed fruits.
• Choose vegetables for snacks.
• Have at least 2 servings of vegetables each meal. Make sure your plate is filled half with greens.
• Choose non-starchy vegetables to keep the calories in check.
• Choose broth based soup rather than creamy soups.
• Start your day with a high fiber cereal or whole grain toast. Add a fruit and a low fat dairy to round off your hearty breakfast.
• Enjoy beans and nuts. But beware of the portion sizes.
• Make all your grains whole and limit them to a few servings each day.

Remember, that fibers alone will not take off the pounds. Fiber along with a well-balanced, low calorie meals and exercise will help you stay on track of your weight loss goal. Controlling or maintaining your weight is a lot easier with a diet rich in fiber.

About the Author

Betsy is a registered and licensed dietitian who provides weight loss counselling and is part of My Diet Planr where you can get your own diet plans.

I usually add ground flax seed to my morning smoothies to get more fiber in my diet, and if I’m having digestive upset in the form of constipation, I drink a glass of water with a teaspoon of psyllium husk. Do you have any fiber-increasing tips of your own to share?  

Want a powerful, natural food that will not only help you lose weight but will also boost your immune system as well as make you happier? Check out today’s guest post by cookbook author, Bindu Grandhi, to find out how you can thrive during a dreary winter!

Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia! This catchy tune from the commercials for Chia Pets, the pottery that grows, is probably what pops into the minds of most people when someone mentions chia seeds. I know I’ve always thought these seeds were meant for arts and crafts, not consumption!

Nowadays, chia seeds are recognized as a superfood thanks to their energy-boosting, mood-improving and appetite-suppressing benefits. Believe it or not, chia seeds have been around for thousands of years, the Aztec warriors ate them for energy and to reduce inflammation.

The tiny Chia seed truly packs a powerful nutritional punch – rich in omega-3s, high in fiber and calcium, and loads of antioxidants that provide cancer-fighting protection. Studies have shown that it can reduce heart disease, arrhythmia, blood pressure; risk of heart attack, cancer and Alzheimer’s; improve brain function and lower cholesterol.

They also have a slimming effect due to their ridiculously high amount of omega-3s, insoluble fiber and protein.

Incorporating chia seeds into your diet is so easy, you can just scoop them into anything – pancakes, cookies, muffins, salads, yogurt, cereal, cake, milkshakes, smoothies, juice, and the list is endless. Just a spoonful (a tablespoon) is all you need.

When mixing chia seeds in liquids, remember to consume right away as the mixture will become gelatinous. In fact, chefs and cooks use chia seeds to add viscosity and density to dishes because when you add liquid to chia seeds, they swell to nearly 10 times their size which makes it a great natural thickener. Use whole seeds for salads and cereals, while ground seeds are good for smoothies and milkshakes.

With the winter in full swing, you might be feeling a little run down with the reduced daylight hours. So go buy a bag of Chia seeds which are available in grocery stores, Whole Foods and other health food markets. Toss them in your drink or sprinkle on your meal and you’ll feel recharged in no time!

About the Author

Author of Spice Up Your Life, Bindu Grandhi is passionate about healthy and flavourful cooking, especially when it’s flexitarian. She shares her health knowledge with the world by providing practical, healthy and tasty recipes as The Flex Cook.

Wow, chia packs a wallop of health in such a little seed! Do you have a chia seed recipe to share with us? 

If you’re still struggling with your 2012 intentions for a healthier lifestyle, then you might want to read today’s guest post by Sandra Goldstein. You may need only a slight addition to your daily routine to start getting the results you’re after… and if nothing else, it’s a hot debate topic!

As I get older I’m starting to think about my health far more than I used to. One day I’ll be worrying about the pain in my foot, the next it’s how to make myself feel better mentally. All I know is that despite some obstacles to improving my health, I can do my best with getting the right exercise and eating good foods.

My naturopathic doc once said to me regarding digestive issues, “It’s not only what you eat but it’s also how you eat it.” (Actually, a study done on the matter provided evidence this is true!) Here’s a practical tips post by guest blogger, Alison Cullen, to help you literally stop bellyaching.

Most people have experienced it at some point or another – the gut twinges that gradually become cramping pains; the bloating that leaves you feeling like a balloon that needs popping; the creeping unease as nausea beckons…

Digestive malaise gets you literally in the guts. You can’t ignore it and sometimes neither can the people around you, as alarming gurglings and gluggings proceed from your nether regions. The trouble is that you can’t avoid eating either, at least not as a long-term strategy!

However, there are a few other things you can do to improve digestion:

Practical Ways to Avoid Digestive Harassment

Chew, chew and chew

It costs you nothing to chew and has a hugely beneficial effect on digestion. Enjoy each mouthful and savour the taste. Chewing starts the process of breaking down food and lets the stomach know that food is on its way. The stomach in turn produces stomach acid and digestive juices.

Sit down to eat

And don’t slump because doing so squashes your digestive organs. Due to our increasingly busy lifestyles, many of us no longer take the time to enjoy our food, either grabbing something to eat at our desks or rushing around doing other things at the same time.

It is all too easy to eat our meals in front of the television and not pay attention to what we are putting into our mouths. As a result our digestive system puts all its resources into keeping us going. Try to sit down at the dinner table at least once a day. Use the time to catch up with events of the day.

When you have finished your meal, don’t get up immediately. Sit for another five minutes at least to allow your digestive processes to begin.

Don’t drink before eating

If you drink more than half a glassful of any liquid within 20 minutes of meals, you dilute your digestive enzymes and thereby reduce your digestive power.

Stress Relief

Eat lightly, if at all, when stressed. Stress can turn off the digestive process and exacerbate inflammatory reactions. If you are always chasing deadlines and trying to do too many things at the same time the resulting stress can seriously impair your digestive processes.

Avoid getting constipated

Most digestive problems such as wind and bloating are caused by a sluggish bowel. Your bowel should move at least once a day if you are eating once or twice a day. If this is not the case, the faecal matter that accumulates provides an ideal breeding environment for unfriendly bacteria. Drink plenty of water to help keep things moving.

Herbal Approach to Recurrent Stomach Aches

Think about herbs such as Dandelion and Cynara (Artichoke), which are beautifully bitter and trigger proper digestion. Take them in liquid form (as tinctures) so that you can get the full flavour – they won’t work if they’re not bitter on your tongue. Take them before food and feel the benefit as your liver processes fats more effectively and your gut relaxes instead of going into spasm.

Cynara scolymus is probably best known for its edible ‘heart’ – the mass of immature florets in the centre of the bud that is called the choke or beard. If you are prone to high cholesterol then take comfort from the fact that Cynara is also excellent at keeping cholesterol under control, improving the way it’s processed by your liver.

Dandelion has its additional benefits too, relieving any tendency you might have to fluid retention, and bringing nutrients to your poor beleaguered liver to help it work more efficiently. When you think of all the things your liver has to do, from storing iron for you, providing you with energy, metabolising your fats to keep your brain working well and your weight balanced, not to mention keeping your hormones balanced, you’ll realize that it’s really worth giving it a boost occasionally!

So put bellyaches behind you with a helping herbal hand for your liver.

About the Author

Alison Cullen has worked in the health industry since 1987. Alison lectures & trains on health issues, and is often to be found quoted in health magazines.

I’ve found it very challenging to slow down enough to even eat these days, let alone slow down the actual process of eating to really enjoy it… Anyone have tips in how they’ve accomplished this feat? 

Ah, we’re all doing our best to fulfill our 2012 intentions, aren’t we? Well, if you’re struggling then this guest post by Nancy Parker just might be the antidote you’re looking for! Check out her suggestions in how to clean up and out your life this year.   

It’s that time again – time for resolutions, time for cleaning up and cleaning out every part of your life – it’s the New Year! Every year millions of people make a slew of resolutions promising to be a better person, to start working out, to begin eating better, and every year millions of people putter out by the end of January.

But embarking on a new year full of new resolutions doesn’t have to be so overwhelming that you end up giving up less than 30 days into your adventure.

Cleaning Up Your Life

The most popular resolutions are almost always some form of “I want to lose weight”; and every January any regular gym goer can attest to the influx of people known as “January Joiners” flooding the gyms. Any regular gym goer can also attest to the fact that by March only a handful of those joiners will remain.

So how do you become one of those people that are still dedicated come March? Start small! Instead of going to the gym and working out obsessively for 10 hours a week, plan on going to the gym for 30 minutes three days a week. Get comfortable with that and then start building up to working out more, otherwise you’ll risk burning out and giving up.

This doesn’t just apply to the gym though; it applies to all aspects of your life. For instance, the other area many people focus on is their diet, whether it is quitting smoking, eating better, ditching sodas, or any other array of cleaning up their health habits.

Instead of approaching attacking your diet with an “all or nothing” attitude, make little changes that add up into big ones. For instance, if you drink three sodas a day cut it back to one a day, take home half your meal from the restaurant instead of clearing your plate, and other manageable switches like that. Once those become regular habits tackle another aspect of your diet you want to clean up.

Lastly, when it comes to cleaning up your everyday life, buy a planner and spend time each Sunday planning out the things you want to accomplish each week. Having them in writing makes them much more attainable goals than just making mental lists that you forget about within minutes. You need to approach change in small, reasonable doses otherwise you risk burning out and giving up.

Cleaning Out Your Life

Once you’ve gotten a grip on cleaning up your life, then it’s time to clean out your life. Most of us are hoarders by nature, holding onto things even if we haven’t used them in years. We are plagued with that thought of “what if I need this…” when in reality if you even have to question it you probably don’t need it.

January is the perfect time to start tackling projects around the house one by one. Each month focus on a different room and slowly work your way through each, getting rid of anything that hasn’t been used in the last year. Chances are if you haven’t used it in that long you probably aren’t going to and someone else could benefit from having it more than you.

For example, turn all the hangers around in your closet and as you wear clothes flip the hangers back the right way – this will give you a good idea of which clothes you are actually wearing and which ones can be donated. Do the same with shoes, bags, etc. You’ll be amazed how many things you’re holding onto just for the sake of having them.

Go through all the “junk” drawers in the house and realistically assess if you really need everything in there. Then visit a local craft store and find ways to organize everything. Do this with as many aspects of your life as you can. Having everything organized makes it less tremendous and helps to reduce stress.

Refocus

We get so caught up in having materialistic items that we lose sight of the things that are really important in life. Take the time to thoroughly go through your life and clean it up and out.

Through careful planning and execution you can effectively clean your life up and out. Don’t be one of the many who end up failing by the end of the first few months of the New Year, instead be one of the few forging ahead.

About the Author

Nancy Parker was a professional nanny and she loves to write about wide range of subjects like health, Parenting, Child Care, Babysitting, nanny background check tips, etc. You can reach her @ nancy.parker015 @ gmail.com.

From my personal experience, Nancy is right when she says incremental changes and progress is the secret to long-term change. Being human means we avoid pain and move towards pleasure. While most change is uncomfortable, if it’s small enough, we don’t even notice it!  

Yesterday was Blue Monday, apparently the most depressing day of the year. I had a great day but I must admit, both my energy levels and mood have been a bit low since mid-December. Here’s a guest post from Alen Boone about why we all might be experiencing the winter blahs and a few tips to alleviate it! 

Have you noticed a slip in your productivity and efficiency levels while at work? The pattern is apparent: you may tend to be a little uninspired during the cold winter months.

The reason for this is probably more profound than the fact that you’d rather snuggle in bed with a nice warm comforter. Winter blues can affect you at work keeping your from performing up to employer expectations.

There is a scientific term for this condition: seasonal affective disorder (S.A.D or SAD). As the abbreviation suggests, SAD victims experience mood swings and negative emotions. A lack of exposure to sunlight (or sunshine) is the leading cause of SAD. During winter, the nights are longer than the mornings, upsetting the balance in our circadian rhythm. In addition, melatonin is released during the night, and with the extra hours of night time, the production goes into overdrive. All of these can cause depression.

As if this wasn’t severe enough, depression causes us to lose sleep. Without sleep, our brain is unable to produce a healthy amount of serotonin, which is a type of neurotransmitter that affects our ability to feel pleasure.

What you end up becoming is an unhappy, unfulfilled employee who does not perform at their peak.

Simple Cures for SAD

Exercise at Work

Most workers spend hours in front of a computer. If not for the purpose of getting lunch, chances are you may not even step out of the office. When you leave work for the day, many people are often too lethargic to even think about exercising. This kind of lifestyle is not healthy.

As a valuable employee, you want to perform at your best. You want to come to the office feeling invigorated and ready to go. Try to make small changes in your day and spruce things up by dedicating a few hours a week getting some exercise. Organize a simple walking session with a few co-workers during your lunch break. Any activity that will get the blood pumping and heart rate up is beneficial for everyone’s health and it will help you feel and perform better at work.

As alluded to, depressed feelings are associated with lower amounts of serotonin in your brain. Exercise elevates the level of serotonin, and generally will make you happier and a more productive employee. If you can incorporate even a small exercise routine in your daily schedule, you will see that you are sharper and more energetic throughout the entire day.

Breathe Fresh Air at Work

An office air purifier is one of the most important things you should consider. Working in an office environment is like communal living —when one person is sick, it is not long before an epidemic breaks out. All thanks to workaholics who insist on reporting to work even when they are ill, the air in offices is often contaminated with germs.

Air borne diseases thrive in office spaces because windows are often permanently sealed and fresh clean air is not let in. Unfortunately the result is breathing recycled impure air for often eight or more hours a day.

With a air purifier, you can greatly improve the quality of the air you breathe in at work. There is a multitude of air purifiers to choose from, so to find the most durable one be sure to Google best air purifiers review. Read the specifications as well as customer testimonials to make a smart purchase.

Say Good Bye to Winter Blues!

Often awareness is the first step in correcting a problem. Now that you know that seasonal affective disorder can be the cause of feeling lethargic at work, take the steps to remedy the situation. Incorporating some simple changes can really make a huge difference to improving your health and overall work productivity.

About the Author

Alen Boon enjoys writing, funny movies and staying fit. When he’s not researching and writing health related articles you can find him clearing his mind and soul through martial arts and high impact exercise.

In addition to exercise and pure air, vitamin D supplements have been hailed as necessary for those living in winter climates to help guard against SAD. Read Screw Apples. Sunlight Works Better! for more info. Do you have any tips to add for a happier and healthier winter?