Words of Wisdom

It is hard to fathom that 2018 is upon us.  I can remember when I graduated from high school in 1975, that the mere thought of the 21st century was mind blowing.  Living like the Jetsons (for those to young to know who they are), was only wishful thinking.  But most of those conveniences are common place now.  We hold the access to most any knowledge in the palm of our hands.  We can connect with anyone in anyplace in the world in seconds.  Sometimes this power can be overwhelming and we take for granted the power and love of face-to-face communication.  Sometimes just turn off or put down your phones, tablets or laptops and have a real conversation, laugh or a meal with those you love.

I love inspirational or motivational quotes and sayings.  We have a chalkboard in our kitchen that I will usually put a new quote on every week. It might be something that pertains to what we are dealing with that week.  Or it might just be words of motivation for the coming week.

Here are some that I'd like to share.  They are not in any particular order. You might recognize some of the authors and others will be new.

Words of Wisdom

*Compassion leads to understanding.  Accept and be kind to yourself and those around you.

*Love is not what you say, but what you do.

*Make gratitude a habit. Simply say thank you in any given moment.

*"We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give" Winston Churchill

*"The best preparation for good work tomorrow is to do good work today" Elbert Hubbard

*Boldness calls on your willingness to let go of what you have in order to create something you dream of.

*Its not about what happens, its about your reaction to what happens that matters.

*"Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much as your own unguarded thoughts." Buddha

*Its not about being perfect, its about being the best you at the moment.  Allow yourself to listen inwardly, pause to hear your own wisdom. 

*"Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one" Marcus Aurelius

*"Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated" Confucius

*"All that we are is the result of what we have thought" Buddha

*"The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best.  Work together.  Finish together" Epictetus

*"Know your True North.  If you don't know where you're going, you're never going to get there." Joe DeSena

*"The block of granite which was an obstacle in the pathway of the weak, became a stepping stone in the pathway of the strong" Thomas Carlyle

*Use your obstacles in life to get stronger,  Obstacles are opportunities.

*"The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it" Thucydides

* Here's today's challenge. Go and meet it.

*"Confine yourself to the present" Marcus Aurelius

*"Learning never exhausts the mind" Leonardo da Vinci

*"The general who wins the battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. The general who loses makes but few calculations beforehand" Sun Tzu

*"You have power over your mind-not outside events. Realize this and you will find strength" Marcus Aurelius

*"Look well into thyself, there is a source of strength which will always spring up if you wilt always look there" Marcus Aurelius

*"Find a place inside where there's joy, and the joy will burn out the pain" Joseph Campbell

*"Every moment is utterly unique and will not be continued in eternity. This fact gives life its poignancy and should concentrate your attention on what you are experiencing now" Joseph Campbell

*"Your health account, your bank account, they are the same thing. The more you put in, the more you can take out. Exercise is king and nutrition is queen. Together you have a kingdom" Jack LaLanne

*"Energy makes people beautiful. You don't want to be close to someone who's dead and crapped all the time, who's bitching that it's a lousy fucking world and Christ, my ulcers are killing me" Jack LaLanne

*"Associate with people who are likely to improve you" Seneca

*A man's health can be judged by which he takes two at a time--pills or stairs. ALWAYS take the stairs. Always. All day. Everyday.

*"Let him who is without sin, cast the first stone" Jesus John 8:7

* It always seems impossible until it's done.

*"Face the flames of adversity til they bow before you" Guru Singh

*"Holding on to anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die" Buddha

*"You're 100% in charge of your life. Stop fucking complaining!" Gary V

*Be unbreakable in 2018

*Don't forget to breathe.

You are in control of your action and reactions.
My mantra for 2018 is "No Excuses"

Have a great week.

Be kind. 

Judd

The Gifts of the Magi

We will be traveling for the holidays, so I wanted to repost this from last year.

I hope you all are having a blessed time whether with family or spending time alone.  Remember that you are never truly alone.  You are always in someones thought and prayers.  Peace.

The Gifts of The Magi

The gifts of the Magi were carried a long distance from the east (Eastern medicine) to be presented to the newborn Christ.  The gifts of  Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh were highly valuable (and still are) revered herbs that were potent medicines.  The resins of Frankincense and Myrrh have been used for over 5000 years to treat everything from serious infections to spiritual practices. 

Myrrh seems to be brought as a gift for use in an antiseptic purposes for both Jesus and Mary, healing wounds, umbilical cord cleansing etc. We can only imagine the sanitary surroundings of a manger in a stable.  It has many benefits including:

*Heals wounds.

*Skin diseases (ringworm, eczema).

*Gum and mouth ulcers. 

*Stimulates uterine health, relieves contractions and cramping.

*Strengthens the immune system.

*Prevents/helps microbial infections.

*Works as a fungicide.

*Stimulates blood circulation, digestion and nerves.   

Frankincense is similar to Myrrh having some of the healing properties.  Its sweet woody scent has a soothing and calm effect on our mind and body.  Some of its health benefits include:

*Heals and protects skin from boils, acne and wounds.

* Eliminates germs (antiseptic).

*Promotes urination to purify the body of toxins.

*Relives body pain, headaches, toothaches and reduces fevers.

* Strengthens absorption of nutrients.  

*Regulates estrogen helping PMS.

As for the "gold" gift, scholars note that the word gold was often used interchangeably for the golden spice turmeric.  The gold the Magi gifted to Jesus may well have been turmeric.  All three were highly prized for their powerful medicinal properties.  Here's two great articles on turmeric benefits and Golden Milk.

These gifts can be used by us today also.

 As the year comes to an end, lets all make a choice to live a healthy and "wellthy"  life.

Have great week. 

Be kind.

Be yourself.

Judd

Healthy Tips For The Holidays

With the Holidays upon us, we tend to slack off the healthy way we eat and live our lives.  We need to stay the course to stay strong mentally and physically.  By eating the right foods we can keep our immune systems strong, especially being around many relatives and friends who might not be feeling well.  Being stuck in closed quarters, travelling on airplanes, etc. we need to be strong and able to fight off germs and viruses wanting to take up residence in us.  For more information on the importance of a strong immune system see my 5 part series on "Gut Health".

Here are a few tips on "surviving" the holidays.

*1- Feel and Give the LOVE!,  our families and friends are one of the most important parts of keeping good mental health.

*2- Stay hydrated with quality water.  Keep the alcohol at a minimum.

*3- Eat a healthy fiber-rich breakfast, it will keep you going for most of the day and keep you from looking for sugar rich snacks.

*4- Make most of your meals with raw whole foods. ( fruits, veggies, nuts.)  Consuming these will "fill" you up and decrease your appetite. When the feast begins, load up on sweet potatoes, roasted carrots, green beans etc.  If you indulge in a portion of meat, go with a small amount.  Remember it takes a long time for your body to digest meat products.  It is very taxing for the body and makes it work overtime.

*5- Wait for awhile before desserts, your body is already in overload and needs time to rest.  Just don't have dessert right before bed as this will not make for a deep regenerative sleep.

*6- Go for walk, especially if its a little cold outside.

*7- Don't talk politics! We all have our different opinions.  Let's respect them.

*8- Do something different than normal.  Even if its just reading a book or looking at my past blog posts, there is a lot of great info!

*9- Get plenty of rest, but don't hibernate! 

Holidays can be quite hectic and chaotic.  Our nerves can be rattled.

"Be like water making its way through cracks.  Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way around or through it.  If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves.  You must be shapeless, formless, like water."  Bruce Lee

Have a great week.

Be kind.

Judd

Recommended Reading 12/10/17

It's recommended reading time.  I hope you enjoy the articles, videos, etc. that I share with you.  I try to give a wide range of different ideas, as it is always good to broaden our horizons.

With the winter Olympics just around the corner ,the first suggestion is podcast by 

Rich Roll who talks with Bryan Fogel on "How he exposed the biggest doping scandal in Olympic history"  The interview is quite interesting, but the real eyeopener is the actual documentary on Netflix called Icarus. Not only does this expose the extensive doping scandal in sports but also how this effects world politics. SCARY.

Next up, we all know someone who has student loans. This University says "no more". The US government needs to do this for all future student loans and reduce/remove interest rates on current loans.  That would sure help those are paying high monthly payments now, wouldn't that help the economy? 

Here's a tip on keeping our berries fresh, and longer in the refrigerator.

For a healthy great brekkie recipe try this Blended Date Oatmeal.

Here's another great easy recipe from "The Happy Pear" for "Mango Tempeh Noodle Curry Bowl"

With the holidays upon us,   "8 Holiday Foods You Should Never Eat" , from Spartan Life.

As I had mention in an earlier post, my son and I joined the "Spartan Trifecta Tribe" yesterday by completing the "The Beast" (and may I say at a record pace).  We've done the Sprint, Super and the Beast in 2017.  There were over 5000 participants yesterday, of all shapes, sizes and ages. It is an accomplishment that anyone who sets their minds to it and "gets off the couch" can achieve.  It will totally change your mindset and life.  "You will know at the finish line".  Check out Spartan.  

Have a great week.

Be kind.

Judd

Take Control of Your Health

The research is in.  Years of study.  Tens of thousands of people studied.  Whole plant-based diets are the number one recommended diet for ultimate health.  In 2013, a "Nutritional Update for Physicians" was published by Kaiser Permanente, the largest managed-care organization in the US.  They cover about nine million people with 15,000 physicians, who were told that healthy eating may be best achieved with a plant-based diet and discourages meat, dairy and eggs as well as refined and processed foods.  They went on to say, physicians typically ignore the benefits of nutrition and quickly prescribe medications instead giving patients a chance to correct their disease through healthy eating and active lifestyle.  Physicians should consider recommending a plant-based diet to all their patients, especially those with high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity. 

"Want to “lose weight,…feel better,…improve, stabilize, or even reverse chronic…disease,” get off some of your medications? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, then a plant-based eating plan may be right for you.” Side effects may include lower cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar, reversal or prevention of heart disease [our #1 killer], a longer life, healthier weight, lower risk of cancer or diabetes—may even slow the progression of certain types of cancer,” and improve inflammatory conditions, like “rheumatoid arthritis.”   

Sounds like a pretty good deal

Here's a great video from Nutritionfacts.org on: "Lifestyle Medicine"    

I know I am always linking podcasts from Rich Roll but this one one is incredible: "The Alzheimer's Solution"  This is a must listen to podcast.  The research they have done shows how important our diets and lifestyle choices are to having a healthy life.

Have a great week.

Be kind.

Judd