With temperatures rising, we have less than a week left of winter (yay!) and to help you prepare you for the season of rebirth, we’ve been posting a Holistic Spring Cleaning Series. In today’s post we put it all together by sharing tips and links for decluttering the major areas of your life.

Spring cleaning aficionados all know decluttering is an essential part of the exercise – it makes it so much easier to clean when you haven’t piles of junk (a.k.a. things you don’t need) to move around! This same premise holds true for more than just your environment; it also applies to your body, mind, emotions, soul and even your finances.

In terms of cleaning up your finances, getting rid of expenses you don’t need is tantamount to opening up your budget for things you DO really need or want. Since today is a video post, here are a few money-saving tips from Howcast:

Note: Howcast gives some great tips that not only save money but are good for the environment and your health. However, I’d like to suggest that in tip #10 “doctor” means a natural health professional (like a Naturopathic Doc) regarding your questions on cleansing, nutrition and supplementation.

Decluttering your finances (continued)

In 2008, I wrote 7 Ways a Recession Can Be a Blessing and believe there’s gold here for those who are resisting any significant change in their spending ways. Also just as helpful is The Bright Side of Climate Change I shared in 2009.

For those of you who want more tips in how to declutter your expenses and clean up your finances, check out the sensible personal finance blog, Get Rich Slowly. J.D. Roth shares stories about debt elimination, saving money and practical investing.

Decluttering your space

ZenHabits.net is the ultimate resource for simplifying life (check out Leo’s archives), including 18 Five-Minute Decluttering Tips to Start Conquering Your Mess. There’s also some good tips in this eHow article, How to declutter your home and organize your life fast!

Here are 5 decluttering tips that have helped me clear and organize my spaces:

1. Take it one at a time. Make the project manageable by focusing on one room or closet at a time, or even one drawer at a time. Much of it will depend on your time and energy available but the point is to overcome any feelings of overwhelm and just get started.
2. Make a mess first. Ironic as it is, this is the secret to my decluttering triumphs! By throwing everything in the middle of the room to be sorted, not only are you making space so you can put things back neatly once the outlying area is cleaned, but you’ve just committed to the task. Most people can overlook clutter when they can walk around unimpeded but it’s hard to miss if you’re tripping over it.
3. Create piles. You’ll want at least 2 bags: garbage and recycling; and at least 2 boxes: special recycling and donation store (or garage sale if you’re up to it). For the special recycling box, this is for toxic items like old bath & body products, batteries, light bulbs, etc. For more on special waste, check out How to Properly Sort Waste for Disposal.
4. Clean the peripheral area and start sorting the pile in the middle of the room. Find places for the things you’ll be keeping for sure and that belong in that room. If something belongs in another room, take it there and return to the room at hand.
5. Clear out the junk. The idea is eliminate the unnecessary so you must determine what that is. For me, if it’s something I don’t use on a regular basis, I ask: 1) Have I used this in a year? 2) Does it have sentimental value?

Decluttering your mind, emotions & spirit

One of the core lessons I learned in Embrace, Release, Heal is that a spiritual perspective leads to positive thoughts which lead to positive emotions. They are intertwined so when you declutter the negative in any of these areas, you’re actually cleansing the others, too. Check out my book review for more on this book.

Another even more practical guidebook for cleansing these intangible aspects of our lives is Sandra Ingerman’s How to Thrive in Changing Times. Readers learn and practice fun ways to release negative thoughts and emotions, and replace them with more positive, life-enhancing ones. Find out more in my book review.

There are many energy healing techniques available out there today that will help you change your subconscious self-limiting beliefs to affect behaviour. We’ve blogged about a few of them here on Live Lighter: What is EFT? and several posts on PSYCK-K in The Ultimate Self-Improvement Tool, The Most Intriguing Aspects of PSYCK-K and Using the Mind to Heal the Body.

These techniques involve a facilitator until you learn it by yourself but if you wish to start cleansing these energetic aspects of your being by yourself, I suggest starting with Debbie Ford’s 21-Day Consciousness Cleanse.

Decluttering your body

There are many ways to cleanse your body but they all start with eliminating as many toxins from your diet and life as possible. For an overview, read How to Detox. If you’re just starting out, read An Easy Gentle Cleanse for a First-Timer and Five Steps to Losing 25 lbs in 3 Months as well as 15 Tips to Make Cleansing Easier.

Another safe but challenging way to declutter your body is doing an elimination diet to determine any food sensitivities. Whichever cleansing method you choose, make sure to check out this post on Supplements & Herbs to Support Cleansing.

For those who cleanse on a regular basis and wish to get a little more hardcore, try a Safe, Enlightening 3 Day Fast. Before you undertake a fast, though, please read Is Fasting Healthy? and When is Fasting Not a Good Idea to determine if it’s the best approach for you.

When cleansing your body, I suggest working with a licensed health professional, like a Naturopathic Doctor, since drastic changes in diet may exasperate underlying health conditions. Also, everyone is different and a doc who’s knowledgeable can recommend products and techniques that are right for you, determine your health on the onset and monitor your progression.

I hope you liked this post and found it helpful. For the final post in this Holistic Spring Cleaning Series, we’ll be publishing a guest post about reducing and managing stress – another important factor to spring cleaning your entire being.

Update

I just received a surprise in my inbox that I can’t wait to share with you! We’ll publish the post on stress next week.

Editor’s Note: Many people resolved to be more healthier this year (some even developed a health plan). If leading a healthier lifestyle is new to you, today’s guest post by Jamie Lawrence will give you the ammunition you need to choose healthier foods so you can build a healthier body!

Are you concerned about high cholesterol that can lead to heart disease? Do you have to watch your sodium intake to keep your blood pressure down? Perhaps you are on a diet and counting calories. Or maybe you’ve decided to eat only organic foods.

If you’re changing your diet, or even if you just want to know what you’re eating, understanding the information provided on nutritional labels is an essential part of the process. By knowing how to read the label and put the items listed into context (concerning your whole diet), you can use the food you consume to feel good, improve health, lose weight and combat some common diseases.

Here’s how to get started with reading the labels on your food containers:

1. Portion size. When trying to decide how much of something to eat, it helps to know the serving size. And because this affects almost every other piece of information on the nutrition label, it is listed first (often measured by volume or number of items). If you want to split the package into individual servings for easy access, it also tells you how many servings there are in a container (to save you from measuring).
2. Calories. Next up is the listing of calories (including the number from fat). Since the nutrition label is based on a 2,000 calorie diet, this info can help you determine how much of a certain item you can afford to eat in a day (or one serving) so as to split up your caloric intake throughout the day (and avoid eating 2,000 calories worth of chips in a single sitting).
3. Fats, sugars, and so on. The next portion of the label is devoted to fats, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates (including dietary fiber and sugars) and protein. You’ll notice that the amounts are listed in both grams and percentage of daily value. Most of these items should be kept to a minimum, however, higher dietary, fiber and monounsaturated fats are good, as is protein in most cases.
4. Vitamins. This section of the label is useful, especially for those who don’t take a supplementary daily vitamin. It lists all the vitamins and minerals present in the food as well as the percent daily value. Although it won’t tell you what benefits these vitamins provide, you can reasonably assume that more vitamins in higher amounts are a good thing (since you’re unlikely to overdose on vitamins from any natural food source). If you want to know more, simply look up the vitamins in question to see what they do for your body.
5. Daily Value. The percentage of daily value for each component on the food label is based on a 2,000 calorie a day diet. Assuming you are eating approximately this many calories worth of food, you should be getting a certain amount of fats, sodium, vitamins and so on. The percentage you see listed next to each item is part of your daily total.
6. Ingredients. The last part of the label lists the ingredients in descending order (the one listed first can be found in the greatest amounts). This is really useful if you want to determine how natural your food is (if there are a lot of ingredients you can’t pronounce, there’s a good chance your food is full of chemicals). And those seeking organic will know immediately if their food fits the bill because the word “organic” will be listed before each ingredient that qualifies.

Editor’s Note: CBC posted a handy (and fun!) interactive tool to help people read Canadian nutrition labels. For the American version of the same tool, check out the Loss Weight Diet blog.

About the Author

Jamie Lawrence writes for EPI Labelers where you can find bottle labelers and a label applicator for your packaging and promotional needs.

My favourite part of the nutritional label is the ingredients list – I choose natural! If you already read food labels habitually, which part do you always read first?

Earlier this week guest blogger, Jakob Barry, shared a DIY stuffy nose remedy with us – perfect for when we catch a cold virus. Today we focus on prevention in Part 2 of Staying Healthy in Winter, working with our bodies so our immune systems eradicate viruses before the stuffy nose even appears!

Winter is the coldest and darkest season of the year, dominated by the yin principal. As nature rests, so do living creatures as we all hibernate in our own ways. But even though it’s quiet on the surface, like an ice-covered lake, there’s flowing water and a flurry of activity not far below.

If you read Part 1, this analogy may spark some recognition as winter relates to the Water element in the Chinese Five Elements Theory, which Dr. Elson Haas uses in his integrative health approach to Staying Health with the Seasons.

Here’s a quick synopsis of what was covered last month in the first half of this post:

• The Water element is associated with the kidneys and bladder. These organs determine the water, mineral, and acid-base balances in the body by filtering the blood, making urine, and eliminating unnecessary substances.
• The Chinese system says our vitality and longevity (life force) is stored in the kidneys and is visible to others by the sparkle or vibrancy of our eyes. Weak kidney energy may be experienced as lethargy or low energy, while strong kidney energy may express the opposite, plus willpower and ambition.
• We can strengthen our kidney energy by nourishing the yin (receptive) principal, through deep relaxation and reflection. Dr. Haas says this process allows a blending of the inner and outer to occur, which can give rise to knowledge, wisdom and clear guidance.
• The kidneys and Water element rule over the emotions. Both water and emotions are unpredictable – when flowing, all is well; when blocked or stagnant, great pressure can develop or disease can set in.
• Kidneys, Water and emotions are all ruled by the yin principal, the moon, the deep and dark. These aspects may stimulate fear from within, the emotion governed by the Water element, and fear or lack of faith may injure kidneys or create an imbalance of Water in the body.

I know what you’re thinking, Great info, now what? Here are Dr. Haas’ recommendations (with some of my own comments interspersed) for staying healthy in winter:

How to Stay Healthy in Winter

Dr. Haas says, “You must stay warm and it is important in winter especially to have a cozy spot to relax, sleep, and dream.” Considering our natural circadian rhythms coincide with sunlight and winter is the darkest season, it makes sense our bodies are drawn to more sleep and quiet activities at this time.

Personally, I see winter as a time to plan, test, heal and grow my internal resources. However, living in today’s society where the primary focus is on productivity, results and income, practicing a quieter lifestyle during winter is a challenge I have yet to master. However, I am trying!

If you’ll notice in my 2011 health plan, these first few months of the year I’m taking it easy and prepping my body and mind for the spring, where the real action takes place! My plan includes trying different healthy routines to see what works best with me and rebalancing my hormones with The Hormone Diet before becoming the non-smoker I know I am.

Winter Diet

Besides staying dry and bundled up, we can use food to warm us up from the inside-out. These foods should be substantial, that is, more whole grains, less fruit, lots of steamed or baked vegetables, and more dairy and flesh foods if these are in your diet.

Soups are very warming, and use root veggies for an added nutritional punch (since that’s where nature’s energy is focused – in the earth and root systems). Try Steph’s Spicy Savoury Cabbage Soup. Oh, and what about yummy chilis and stews? Here are a couple of chickpea stews and veggie chilis.

Haas also suggests that oceans foods, like fresh fish and the seaweeds, are especially good now (you’ll have to read his book to find out why!). By the way, he shares a healthy recipe for homemade sushi dish called, “deep-sea divers” that I’m excited to try.

Soybeans (try to source organic non-GMO sources), one of the complete vegetable proteins, is a good food with many uses, whether sprouted 0r cooked, as soymilk and tofu; or fermented and aged to make miso. Again, Haas shares a delectable recipe that I’ve made several times, a healthy alternative to mayonnaise called, “Tofunaise”.

Winter Activity

Although we’re drawn to rest and inactivity during winter, it’s all about balance and, of course, staying warm! Ever hear stories of couples being trapped in a cold area and have sex to survive? Activity increases our internal core temperature which filters out to our extremities (the most susceptible-to-cold body parts).

Also, remember winter corresponds to the Water element (and emotions) which when stagnant can lead to disease? Activity keeps our lymphatic system moving, which is part of our immune system and transports junk (like viruses, chemicals, etc.) to our elimination channels.

Honouring winter and its yin energy, we can do more with our limited energy by focusing on quiet and slow activities. Haas suggests indoor exercises and says,

“throughout the year, it is important to balance outward, energy-expanding activities like walking, jogging, tennis, and swimming, with quiet energy-accumulating, internally rejuvenating practices like yoga, tai chi, and breathing-relaxation. Keeping your spine and other joints flexible and mobile is important to how you feel. These practices can keep you young and vital.”

For myself, I’m doing way more yoga and pilates but still walking almost everyday. I’ll be incorporating some weight-resistance to the mix next week!

Herbs

Since nature is hiding in her roots during the cold months, gathering energy to be reborn in the spring, we can benefit by brewing herbal roots and drinking lots of good tea. Haas says, “ginseng is a fine general tonic and rejuvenator, but burdock, comfrey, ginger, licorice, and sarsaparilla roots are also traditional energizers.”

Final Recommendations

Haas reminds us that as in all seasons, it’s vitally important to health that we balance the intake and output of our energy in the form of foods, feelings, and work. We need proper rest and sleep, relaxation and play, to balance the activity, stress and work in our lives. Creating and maintaining cleanliness within and without is also important to staying healthy.

Each new season brings stress and change which weakens our immune systems and makes us susceptible to illness. Haas says if we voluntarily change with each new season, work with her and our bodies, we may prevent illness. Winter is the perfect time to feel “inner changes and weave them into your dance of existence”.

Do you find yourself naturally adjusting your lifestyle to winter? If not, do you think you’d cope with winter better if you at least got more sleep and relaxation?

It’s officially 2011 – Happy New Year! Have you made a resolution? I spent much of yesterday contemplating how I’d like 2011 to look for me and came up with a few ideas. I’d love to share my resolution, health plan and goals with you, and hear about yours!

First, I’d just like to say I find my subconscious extremely funny. Yesterday morning I was all gung-ho in my 2011 preparations but as the day progressed, I found myself procrastinating in writing this post. A headache developed and I greeted January 1, 2011, with a soft, painful thumping in my left temple. Boo.

Thankfully it’s gone now (Whoo Hoo!) and I’m guessing it was all a physical manifestation of fear, anxiety and guilt. How so? Well, my vision isn’t as clear this year as previous years and I’m a little short on confidence these days (both of which are most likely due to my current health status).

By publishing my intentions for all to read, I’m opening myself up to judgement and a level of accountability that’s currently uncomfortable for me. The anxiety is probably coming from the resistance my ego is kicking up in response to the upcoming lifestyle changes. And the guilt is easy to identify: I said in Confessions of a Fallen Health Nut that I’d publish my health plan yesterday and since I didn’t, my integrity is shot (once again). Damn.

But I’m not letting any of this stop me! I’m moving forward and will do my utmost best every day to fulfill my plans for 2011 because I know I have strength and power to do it. So here’s what I’m doing this year and a little on how I arrived at it all (please take anything you find useful):

2011 Vision

For me, it all starts with a clear vision of what I’d like my year to look like. I meditate on it and experience all the upcoming goodness and emotions as it’s happening in my mind. Then I journal it, making certain to phrase it all in present tense.

If this vision is clear enough, the rest of the planning is a cinch. In addition, priorities become more apparent. Everything is a choice so when your vision is crystal clear and your ready to fully embrace it, you know what to say yes to (everything aligned with your vision) and what to say no to on a daily basis.

Update: if you’re curious about my vision, you’ll find it in Why Being Healthy Is Worth the Effort.

2011 Resolution

Normally I stick to goals and a plan rather than break resolutions but this year I was inspired by The Five-Percent Rule written by Wendy Strgar. It’s well worth the 2 minute-read but basically it’s about committing to a process rather than an outcome, realistic expectations and striving to improve just a touch more than yesterday.

My 2011 resolution then is to raise my consciousness level by at least 5%. If you’re confused as to what I mean, check out Steve Pavlina’s post where he covers the levels of consciousness in David Hawkins’ Power vs. Force (an awesome book!).

I’m aiming for Love. Although I’m already a very loving person, I recognize there’s a huge difference between `being loving’ and `being Love.’ When you’re living in the state of Love, you are at peace. You fully and completely accept yourself and others. You live compassionately and forgive easily. You transcend ego.

2011 Health Plan

When living in the state of Love, I see it as treating myself, others and the planet with love and respect. Basically, healthy, balanced living!

When I choose to smoke, drink too much alcohol, eat junk food, overeat in general, etc., and because I know what it does to my body, it’s almost as if I’m punishing myself. Although, it’s a little more complicated than that because I’m pampering (feeling sorry for) myself with instant gratification that ultimately packs a latent punch.

So resolving to be in the state of Love starts with treating myself with more respect this year. While I’m still working out the details and coming up with dates, here’s my 2011 health plan so far:

1. Develop a healthy routine. (sleep & exercise) Knowing how much our bodies love and respond to a routine and since I work from home, this is my first step to becoming healthier this year. Back in September I started with a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise daily. I’ll continue this and have devised an exercise routine that includes stretching, weight-resistance and cardio (starting small & progressing – my M2 will help here). In addition, since the day begins and ends with sleep, my first healthy habit of 2011 is to consistently retire between 10-11pm and rise between 6-7am.
2. The Hormone Diet. (nutrition) I had such fantastic success with Dr. Natasha Turner’s program and it’s so easy to follow that I’ve decided to do it again. It takes 21 days to develop a habit so while I’m working on my healthy sleep habit in January, I’ll reread the book and procure the supplies to be ready to start the Hormone Diet in February.
3. Stop smoking. (body) This is a biggie and I plan on a spring date because it’s a great time for a new beginning. Plus, it’ll give me a few months to prepare by reducing my intake, working on a healthy routine and practicing healthy stress-management techniques.
4. Practice cycling. (mind) You may remember me introducing you to Bill Bengston or to his work in my list of 20+ gifts for health nuts. Cycling is his hands-on healing technique and while it’s more of a personal goal rather than a healthy habit, it promises benefits like strengthening my mind and manifesting my desires!
5. Practice emotional alchemy. (soul/emotions) For those of you who missed it in my interview with Sandra Ingerman, emotional alchemy is the talent of transforming emotional states. Sandra teaches us a few of her tricks in transforming negative to positive emotions in her book How to Thrive in Changing Times.

All of these healthy habits, except for #4, tie in with my resolution for treating myself better. Most of it focuses on self-care so even if I increase my self-care efforts by even 5%, I’ll consider 2011 a success!

2011 Goals

Health is just one area of life so I’ve also devised plans & goals for the other parts of my life:

• Relationships
• Blog
• Business
• Home

This is a health blog so I haven’t gone in detail here but I have anywhere from 1-8 goals for each of these life areas. Since the first part of the year will be focused on my health (which will give me the energy I need to accomplish my other goals), I’ll be scheduling start and due dates for these closer to the summer and later in the year.

Hopefully this post helps you in some way in creating a plan for 2011. If not, Resolutions for All 7 Chakras and What’s on Your Stop-Doing List? may have something useful for you.

Thank you for reading this post and witnessing my 2011 intentions (as well as my struggles). Although it’s scary, I’ve heard that it helps to make your goals public so with that in mind, I’d love to hear what you want your 2011 to look like!

Do you have a New Year’s resolution, health plan or goal(s) you’d like to share?

Were you a bit emotional yesterday? It makes sense if you were. It was Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year, the first day of winter. Plus it was a full moon AND a lunar eclipse! Astrological impacts aside, every season affects our health and today we cover the season of winter.

Yesterday was challenging for me, so much so that I just wasn’t up to writing this post which I had planned to do. I rode the waves and did my best; actually, wine helped (I know, not a constructive way of coping). I’ll share more on my challenges (and how I plan to resolve them) next week in “Confessions of a Fallen Health Nut“.

By the way, if you’re at all interested in astrology and wish to learn more about eclipses, and how they affect us (especially sensitive people), Susan Miller is an interesting source. Although I’m not a huge astrology buff, I do believe the cosmos, just like nature, people and our immediate environment, influences our health and well-being.

How Winter Affects our Health

Now that the longest night of the year is behind us, the days are getting longer. However, we still have almost 3 months of more darkness than light until we reach the Spring Equinox (March 20, where day and night are equal). And it’s cold! Climbing under my comfy covers and hibernating sounds good to me.

This is natural. Nature herself is in her resting season. She’s withdrawn and all her energy is deep in the earth and roots preparing for Spring. According to author of Staying Healthy with the Seasons, Dr. Elson Haas, he says we may be more quiet and withdrawn ourselves, seeking replenishment, resting, reflecting and being more aware of our senses.

But according to Haas and the Chinese Five Elements Theory, hibernating isn’t a great option for humans. He says that winter is a time to stay active in order to keep our bodies warm and energy moving; it’s also a time to get plenty of rest, good nutrition, relaxation and sleep. Dream time is important to replenishing oneself.

Winter & The Five Elements Theory

For new readers, we’ve talked about this ancient Chinese medical theory before in previous posts. Catchup or remind yourself by reading Staying Healthy in Autumn and Ancient Wisdom in a Bottle: Sokenbicha Tea.

In the Chinese Five Element system, winter corresponds to the element Water which are both the most yin parts of their cycles. Water must stay in motion; it has a rhythm, a cycle which is primarily ruled by the movement and gravitational pull of the moon. The moon is yin, the receptive, feminine, dark principle, relating to the subconscious – the hidden, the emotions. Water has these same characteristics.

This fluid is very adaptable, taking the shape of its container and changing form in response to different temperatures. It supports your being and is an essential medium of your body through which all things pass. It’s the fluid of life.

Water is important for functions like the circulation of blood, which carries heat and nourishment throughout the body; the lymphatic flow, which helps to process and eliminate wastes and provides your ability to fight off infections and other foreign agents; and for the flow of urine, saliva, perspiration, tears and sexual fluids.

The bladder and kidneys, which deal with the body’s water, are the organs associated with the Water element and winter season. The climate associated with this element is cold, and the direction is, appropriately, north. The flavour or taste associated with Water is salty (seawater is almost identical to blood plasma).

The Water element can be related to the emotions in general, but the specific emotional imbalance associated with Water energy is fear. This may manifest as specific phobias; as a general anxiety about life; or as paranoia or negativity, in which one always expects the worst. Fear can either be a cause or a consequence of a Water imbalance. An illness affecting the bladder or kidneys may generate a fearful feeling; and fear can itself injure these organs.

Water is associated with other things, like the ears as a sense organ, the groaning sound, bones of the body and the sex organs. I’ll let you read Staying Healthy in the Seasons for a full description and explanation.

What Does a Water Imbalance/Balance Look Like?

A balanced Water element allows fluidity and flow, an ability to rest and nourish oneself and others, to guide perception and reflection, and have a ready expression of feelings such as love. Qualities of compassion, understanding, and responsiveness to needs and feelings of others are often seen as the maternal and feminine aspects of ourselves, and are also characteristics of the Water element.

People with a Water imbalance might experience it as:

• Bladder or kidney problems.
• Craving salt or really disliking it.
• Trembling: a release of fearful energy and tensions.
• Problems with the ears or hearing.
• Overtones of groaning or moaning in the voice.
• Bone problems.
• Impotence, infertility, excess sex or a lack of sexual expression.
• General difficulty between 3pm and 7pm (energy circulates through our bladder and kidneys at this time).
• Lethargy and slowness, irritability, and inability to express oneself.
• Difficulty slowing down, relax or rest, with an inability to reflect clearly.
• Stiffness, neck and back pains.
• Lack of willpower or ambition.
• Skin problems, like rashes, or bluish tone, especially around the eyes accompanied by swelling.
• Being very attracted to blue or really disliking it.
• Hair health: too dry, oily, thick, thin or balding.

Whether you have any of these indications or not, the idea behind this Chinese theory and Haas’ book is that when humans resist adapting to nature’s seasons, we can experience ill-health. Now that we know the susceptibilities winter has on our bodies, emotions and overall health, let’s find out what we can do about it!

Ah, but it’s the holidays and we’re all too preoccupied right now. Stay tuned for the 2nd part of this post (in early January) where we explain in more detail what lifestyle adjustments allow us to stay healthy during winter.

Do you naturally adjust your lifestyle with each season? Please share with us how you adapt to nature’s changes.

Holiday weight gain and the havoc sweets & alcohol have on our system often leaves us in a post-holiday funk. Armed with info and choices, it doesn’t have to be that way. Last post we covered Healthier Holiday Bevvies and today, Shirley Simpson shares a few holiday weight-loss tips!

Weight loss is a problem for many people. And the thought of shedding those extra pounds over the holidays, a time of year that is traditionally characterized by unchecked eating, may seem ludicrous. But bear with me, here. It’s not as hard as you think.

In fact, this is the perfect time of year to undertake your weight-loss goals, before you pack on those holiday pounds and have to face the New Year (and another resolution) several pounds heavier than the year before.

If you just follow a few simple guidelines to get through the impending feeding frenzy brought on by the season, you can not only maintain your current weight, but actually start to lose before the year is out.

For starters, avoid certain foods. This will likely be the most difficult part since your mom might just start crying if you turn down a second (and third) slice of her famous chocolate cake. Explain to your family and friends that you are trying to turn over a new leaf and make a better you, they will probably be more than happy to help out.

That said, almost everything can be consumed in moderation.

One item you should certainly try to avoid: alcohol. Not only are most forms of alcohol pretty high in calories, they will also lower your inhibitions, which is no good if you’re trying to control yourself. A glass of wine certainly won’t kill you, but try not to go beyond that. From there, you will want to prepare yourself for the calorie-laden meal to come.

A great way to approach an impending feast at which there will be a lot of “bad” food is to preface it with a few days of healthier eating. Cut down on calories leading up to your family meal by sustaining a diet that is high in vegetables, whole grains and lean protein sources.

There are a lot of ways to get your fill of food without consuming mass amounts of calories, and by cutting back on your intake before you begin feasting you will be able to enjoy many of your favorite foods guilt-free. Don’t take this as an invitation to starve yourself, though. If you don’t eat anything, your metabolism will slow so that when you finally eat, it will all go into storage rather than getting burned off.

Keep your goal in sight. Resist viewing your good behavior beforehand as an excuse to go hog wild. Remember: everything in moderation. You’re going to have to show a bit of restraint by limiting yourself when you sit down for a holiday meal.

There are a couple of ways to do this:

• You can start by filling a salad-size plate instead of a larger dinner plate. This way you’ll be forced to take less of everything, so that if you want a lot of different foods, you’ll only be able to have a couple bites of each.
• Don’t even think about going back for seconds. A sampling is all you really need and you’ll probably find that this is the first time in years you don’t end up feeling ill after stuffing your face with mom’s cooking.
• Try eating slowly and savouring every bite. This will help you to feel satisfied even though you’re actually eating less.

And of course, exercise. During this stressful time of year, 30 minutes of activity, even a couple of times a week (although 3-4 is better) will not only get you burning calories and feeling great, it will also help to relieve anxiety and clear your head. In addition, it will give you the energy you need to complete the many tasks you face this holiday season, as well as giving you the motivation you need to stick to your health plan and reach the New Year as a newly fit you.

About the Author

Shirley Simpson writes for AdvanceMe, the nation’s leading merchant cash advance provider and credit card factoring company.

A couple more ideas: resist your typical treats (like pop, chips, candy) and save yourself solely for holiday treats; enjoy calorie-reduced drinks (like low-cal eggnog); and while socializing, take a break from the food. What are your holiday weight-loss tips?

Editor’s Note: Tomorrow is Dec. 1st and while most people’s minds are on holiday preparations, many Live Lighter readers realize this is exactly the right time to be health conscious. Today Rachel Davis shares 6 all-round health tips to help us through the holidays and into the New Year.

“Health, Fitness, Diet.” These words have become so ingrained into every aspect of our lives that some of us are sick and tired of them.

We hate being told we must exercise regularly and eat a sensible diet, we don’t like the fact that our health fails us if we neglect it, and we think it’s unfair when we indulge our taste buds our bodies become fat and unfit.

But no matter how bitter the diet and exercise pill is, it must be swallowed. The good news, however, is that you can minimize the distaste while maximizing the benefits, if you follow these all-round health, fitness and diet tips:

1. ONE: Set aside one day of the week to give your digestive system a much-needed break. Eat only fruits and vegetables; drink fresh juices and herbal teas and plenty of water. Spend time relaxing and de-stressing, away from work and the pressures of daily life. Do the things you love, spend time with friends and family, and boost your happiness. Stay away from alcohol and cigarettes. And after this day of detoxifying your body and mind, you’re sure to feel like a new person.
2. TWO: You may be on a diet, you may be working out regularly, but that does not mean you have to keep your cravings on a tight leash. If you feel like eating something that’s not really healthy, split the serving into two so that you and a friend can share the guilty pleasure. It’s more fun, and much healthier this way.
3. THREE: When you’re on the road to fitness and health, you must minimize or avoid the following three white foods – salt, sugar and processed flour. Cut back on the sodium and other additives and preservatives, reduce the amount of sugared goods you eat and the amount of sugar you add to your tea and coffee, and stay away from those breads, pastas and cakes that load the fat on to your body and see how easy it is to lose weight and get fit.
4. FOUR: Exercise moderately four days a week. You don’t have to go all out and strain yourself; it’s enough even if you walk for an hour or so whenever you find time. If you’re working out for a longer period of time or for more than four days a week, you must rest your aching and sore muscles and joints on at least one day of the week if you want to avoid injuries.
5. FIVE: Love what you do or do what you love – when you’re uncomfortable or dissatisfied with what you do for a living, the stress begins to tell on your health. So work five days a week doing something that you enjoy or that is not too stressful, and take two days off to spend with your family and friends and for yourself.
6. SIX: Ensure that you get at least six hours of sleep every night. A sound sleep is your body’s natural healing mechanism and when you deprive yourself of this, you’re not doing your health any favors.

So there you have it – health and fitness are as easy as counting from one to six.

About the Author

This guest post is contributed by Rachel Davis, she writes on the topic of Radiology Degrees. She welcomes your comments at her email id: racheldavis65[@]gmail[.]com.

I love this post because of the mnemonic device using numbers – thanks for the great contribution, Rachel! Will you try following this easy plan to health and wellness?

Editor’s Note: Today has been full of synchronicities and this guest post is just one example – it took me almost 4 hours to fall asleep last night! Today’s guest blogger, Jane Thompson, tells us about insomnia and shares a few sleep tips to help us overcome it.

Sleeplessness is becoming more and more epidemic in this world of increasing stressors and work stress. If you suffer from these kinds of stressors, you may be wondering just how some people seem to sleep like a baby.

It’s important to look into the various causes of insomnia before getting to the actual cures for the condition. Insomnia isn’t something that occurs overnight. It actually builds over time as a bad habit you get into. Insomnia can be caused by having a traumatic event in one’s life, such as a death of a family member or other trauma. In such cases, the insomnia can be sudden.

Stress can happen just because someone lives in an urban life, with traffic, people, family problems, financial troubles and some health issues. All of these things can cause you to begin to suffer from insomnia.

Certain illnesses can contribute to having insomnia, including depression, anxiety issues, body aches and pains, other mental issues, stroke, heart attack and other stress-inducing illnesses.

Many people struggle with recognizing the stress signals in the brain or ignore them. Insomnia comes out as a result, as well as blurry vision, headaches, tension, irritability and palpitations. Before you know it, you’re a wreck because you haven’t paid attention to the initial signals in the brain.

Stress in your life can cause your immune system to become weakened so that you are more prone to infections. This is also true of insomnia, which can impair the immune system due to lack of restorative sleep.

Think about using EFT which is Emotional Freedom Technique to help your mind and body relax enough so you can sleep. Neuro-linguistic programming or NLP is another technique you can learn in order to get some practical sleep. They counteract the stress in your life so you can sleep better. When your troubles melt away and you feel no real stress, your body is allowed to fall asleep more easily and without disturbances.

Try to train your body and brain to sleep at the same time every night and get up the same time during the morning. Your body responds to the routine and you will sleep better overall. We all have a circadian rhythm or body clock that the body uses to keep the same habits during the day. Don’t diverge from your circadian rhythm and you will sleep better at night.

Any kind of worries or stress in your mind will negatively impact your sleep cycle. You can’t fall asleep with ease if your mind is rushing around thinking of your day or thinking of the things you have left to do.

In summary, dealing with mental distress is the key to getting enough sleep. Calm your mind and body every night and you will sleep like a baby. No one can have a stress-free lifestyle but if you try as hard as you can to reduce stressors, you will do a lot better in the sleep department.

Not everyone lies awake thinking of the same thing. While some may find the environment too uncomfortable, others probably worry too much and need to manage anxiety levels. For a complete understanding on any sleep related topic, visit my website for more Sleep Disorders Tips.

Hmm… It was definitely stress keeping me awake last night. Next time, I’m doing some deep breathing or try EFT out. Do you have any tips for to manage insomnia?

There’s nothing like a hot mint tea to relax the body, settle the belly and take the edge off of bad breath. It’s alright in the bag from the grocer, but even better when it’s fresh out of the garden! The video in today’s post shows us how to dry mint for home grown loose leaf tea.

My neighbour’s peppermint patch spread throughout his back yard and lucky for me, he gave me a few handfuls. I brought it home and hung it up to dry in the window. Today I took it down, de-stemmed it, and steeped some of it in my tea cup diffuser.

The fresh home grown peppermint tea was fragrant and delicious, better than store bought, but I had expected it to be more potent. I even rubbed it in my hands to get it warm to release the natural oils in the leaves (a tip from another neighbour). After a little research, I found out why.

Apparently, light evaporates the oils in leaves and degrades the taste of herbs. In this 8 minute video, Howard Schechter introduces us to the pleasures of growing your own mint and how to prepare it for winter:   

A big thank you to Howard for this helpful information, especially his tip on how to make a home made ventilation bag to dry your herbs in. My next home grown mint tea (which looks like a few months from now) will be even more delicious!

I’m accepting my neighbour’s offer of peppermint seeds and will plant my own mint patch next year. Do you grow your own?

Editor’s note: Last week’s Natural Sweeteners post gave us a list of sugar substitutes to help keep us and our families healthy. But how much control can you have on October 31st? In today’s post Jennifer Kardish suggests a few ways you can keep your kids healthy and happy this Halloween.

The time of year parents anticipate and dread in equal measure is once again upon us. If the ghost of Halloweens past has reared its ugly head in the form of cavities, sugar hangovers and bouts of praying to the porcelain god (for your kids or for yourself), then you may be reticent to go gentle into that good night yet again.

Yet your kids have no doubt become accustomed to the thrill of anonymity, calls of “Trick or treat!” and a night out with their friends, creating calamity up and down the street and gleefully snatching handfuls of candy from accommodating neighbors.

You don’t want to deprive them of the thrills and chills that come just once a year, but the thought of all that refined sugar and milk-fat wreaking havoc on your child’s digestive tract is almost too much to contemplate.

However, there are ways you can keep your kids healthy and still let them have their treats on Halloween. For starters, give them one of many alternative treat options rather than allowing them to guzzle sugar non-stop for twenty-four hours straight.

Don’t feel bad about confiscating their candy bag at the end of the night, they will most likely get plenty of cupcakes, cookies and soda at their classroom party earlier in the day. Comb through it to sift out unacceptable treats and if you can’t find anything worth keeping, then you’re going to have to substitute healthier fare.

Dark chocolate is an excellent replacement for milk chocolate, since it contains less sugar and milk, but most kids don’t have a palette for the bitterness of unsweetened cocoa.

However, they almost all like fruit, so think about throwing in some fruit leather (it’s 100% fruit), Yotta or Odwalla bars (which contain several servings of fruits and vegetables) and even trail mix. Offering your kids sweet and salty alternatives will lessen the sting of lost candy.

If you really don’t want to deal with the situation at all, try calling a neighborhood meeting ahead of time to get everyone on board with handing out healthier treats.

Regardless of startling childhood obesity statistics, some of your neighbors may be disgusted by your butchering of a time-honored tradition. If so, see if they are willing to at least cut back by offering bite-size candy instead of full-size bars, or even better, some of the many 100-calorie options that are now available on the market with less sugar and smaller portions.

Likely, most of the parents are feeling the same way as you, but simply didn’t want to rock the boat. It may take a village, but any movement starts with one person.

Another option is to preempt the whole issue by throwing a Halloween party. You don’t have to let the kids trick-or-treat if you host a costume party for them and all their friends.

This way you have complete control over which snacks are going into the gullet and you can also keep a close eye on them during the spookiest night of the year. Safety and health are two good reasons to keep the kids close to home on Halloween, and you’ll likely win the approval of other parents for your efforts.

About the Author

Jennifer Kardish writes for Air Purifier Guide where you can read about the top 10 sources of indoor air pollution and browse the latest reviews on air purification systems.

I love the idea of hosting a Halloween bash – bobbing for apples, scary movies, the old grapes in spaghetti spoof…! Have you any ideas for healthy Halloween candy alternatives?