Toddler Cafe’
January 5, 2009 by Jenny Skates
Filed under 0-body, blog
Hi Everyone!
One of my best friend’s from High School, Jennifer Carden, wrote this great nutritious cook book for parents and kids: Toddler Café: Fast, Healthy, and Fun Ways to Feed Even the Pickiest Eater. Thought I’d share it with the moms and dads in our network. She also has a great blog as well. Enjoy!
Jenny Skates
E-mail me
By myself, when isolation is OK
We all need time alone. Even those of us who are social butterflies need some time to ourselves. Solitude is necessary for meditation and quiet reflection. We also may choose to isolate ourselves when we are busy and need to meet a deadline. We may cherish time alone when we want to give ourselves over to art or music, lose ourselves in a good book, or delve into a personal project. Having time to ourselves allows us to focus completely on our yoga practice or get into the zone while running or strength training. Sometimes we need to be alone to simply do nothing but enjoy the sound of silence. Our alone time revitalizes and replenishes us, grounding us in our own company. Read more
Good sportsmanship, ethics over victory
Don’t believe that winning is really everything. It’s more important to stand for something. If you don’t stand for something, what do you win? -Lane Kirkland
Sara Tucholsky’s First Home Run:
In a small town in the middle of Washington State, in a field inside a chain linked fence, in a game fewer than a 100 people saw, a home run was hit — not memorable for the distance it traveled or the game it decided, but for the meaning it carried. Western Oregon senior Sara Tucholsky had never hit a home run in her career. Central Washington senior Mallory Holtman was already her school’s career leader in them. But when a twist of fate and a torn knee ligament brought them face to face with each other and face to face with the end of their playing days, they combined on a home run trot that celebrated the collective human spirit far more Read more
Choosing a realistic resolution
December 31, 2008 by Heather Neely
Filed under 0-body, blog
Happy New Years! If you are like most people, January 1st doesn’t just mean the start of a new year, it also means a start of a new you. Most people use this date as a starting over point for a healthier self. Whether getting back on track after the holidays, getting a jump start on bathing suit season, or just trying to get to the gym more often, January 1st is the day that resolutions are made.
Making a resolution is a valuable and beneficial promise to yourself and others. It signals that you are in some way trying to make a positive change in your life and the life of your loved ones. Read more
Worry, a self created state
We have all had the experience of worrying about something at some point in our lives. Some of us have a habitual tendency to worry, and all of us have known someone who is a chronic worrier. Worry is an extension of fear and can be a very draining experience. In order for worry to exist, we have to imagine that something bad might happen. What we are worrying about has not happened yet, however, so this bad thing is by definition a fantasy. Understood this way, worry is a self-created state of needless fear. Still, most of us worry. Read more
Video: Living life strong at 85, Maria V.Z.
Dr. Rob created a video of his daily intention for December 29th which is also a lovely birthday wish for his Mom, Living life strong at 85, Maria V.Z.
Spirituality spot found in the brain?
What makes us feel spiritual? It could be the quieting of a small area in our brains, a new study suggests.
The area in question - the right parietal lobe - is responsible for defining “Me,” said researcher Brick Johnstone of Missouri University. It generates self-criticism, he said, and guides us through physical and social terrains by constantly updating our self-knowledge: my hand, my cocktail, my witty conversation skills, my new love interest …
People with less active Me-Definers are more likely to lead spiritual lives, reports the study in the current issue of the journal Zygon. Read more
Scheduling a mini-escape, your snow day
With so much to do all the time, it can be difficult to find time to simply breathe, think, and explore our inner landscapes. It is still possible, however, to feed your soul and to briefly separate yourself from life’s frenetic pace by taking a snow day. Personal snow days are best taken when you feel like you are running on empty with no chance of respite in sight or when you begin to resent the life you once loved.
Your snow day can go a long way toward dispelling built up stress, provided you give yourself full permission to indulge in nurturing activities. It is not a day to worry about what you’re missing or what is still lingering on your to-do list. Rather, it is a day to give yourself a break from your responsibilities so you can return to them when you are fully alert. Read more
Fake it ’til you make it
You have to initiate laughter until you laugh naturally. The body can not tell the difference between real and stimulated laughter. In both situations it releases endorphins and self reinforcing social signals. You can say that the communication between the mind and the body goes both ways. If you experience great positive feelings, like falling in love, your facial muscles will translate this into a smile. Yet it can also work the other way around. If you take a pen and place it between your lips such that it forces the edges of your mouth up, it effects your mood positively. However small the effect of this specific action might be, there are studies that show how movement of facial muscles have physiological effects. The results showed that there are similar physiological effects to actually experiencing an emotion and just moving your facial muscles as if you experienced it (faking it). Read more
Good news for chocolate lovers!
December 23, 2008 by Heather Neely
Filed under 0-body, blog
Just in time for the holidays, some good news that you can use. Recent studies have found that dark chocolate is actually good for you! Dark chocolate falls into the category of a “functional food”, which is a food that provides a benefit to you beyond just nutrition. In the case of dark chocolate, it contains flavanoids, which have been shown to help reduce the risk of heart disease. Not only that, but dark chocolate also contains antioxidants and polyphenols. Antioxidants are found in various fruits, vegetables, green tea and red wine, which help with heart health. However, dark chocolate has more antioxidants than both green tea and red wine. Polyphenols are excellent for boosting serotonin in the brain, which produces a feel-good sensation in the brain. Read more
An unlikely competitor
Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. -T.S. Eliot
The Unbelievable Story of Cliff Young:
Every year, Australia hosts a 543.7-mile endurance race from Sydney to Melbourne, considered among the world’s most grueling ultra-marathons. It was normally only attempted by world-class athletes typically less than 30 years old, but in 1983, a 61-year-old named Cliff Young showed up in overalls and work boots. To everyone’s shock, Cliff wasn’t a spectator. He picked up his race number and joined the other runners; Read more
The Great Transformer, loving what you hate
Hatred can be irrational, and it has a greater impact on the individual who hates than the person or object being hated. Yet overcoming hatred is difficult because hatred reinforces itself and causes greater enmity to come into being. The most powerful tool one can use to combat hatred is love. Deciding to love what you hate, whether this is a person, situation, or a part of yourself, can create a profound change in your feelings and your experience. There is little room for anger, dislike, bitterness, or resentment when you are busy loving what you hate. The practice of loving what you hate can transform and shift your emotions from hatred to love, because there is no room for hatred in a space occupied by love. Read more
Dos and Don’ts of Cholesterol
December 18, 2008 by Donald Clarke
Filed under 0-body, blog
First and foremost one of the main contributors of high cholesterol levels ( Hyper Cholesterolemia) is over consumption of food. When dealing with high cholesterol levels try to maintain the daily recommended caloric intake. The main focus on fighting high cholesterol is eliminating the foods that increase cholesterol and adding foods that lower cholesterol. It is not all about food. Lifestyle can play an important role in the bodies ability to breakdown fat and decrease plaque build up.
Foods: The obvious applies here. Avoid excess meat consumption. Meat in moderate amounts is good for the body. Try to eat lean cuts. Fried foods, sugar, eggs, foods with high fat content and excess amounts of alcohol should all be avoided when dealing with high blood cholesterol. Read more
Step off the gas
December 17, 2008 by Christine Briel
Filed under 0-body, Uncategorized, blog
Planetwatch.org has a list of things we can do to conserve energy and “Step off the gas” is #5:
In 2007 Congress finally passed an energy bill that mandated a 40% improvement in auto mileage efficiency. But that is phased in across a dozen years, and does nothing for all the cars, pickups, SUVs and trucks already on the road. So to stem the tsunami of dollars flowing into our gas tank, it’s up to us to take action now. We’ve got to make ourselves more efficient even if our engines are not.
How? Drive less. Stop jumping in the car for short errands, and start planning ahead. Begin with food. Read more
Soul seeing
When we want to see deeply into the heart and mind of another person, soul seeing, also called soul gazing, allows us to see their soul. The soul is the purest expression of an individual and is not bound by physical forms or fleeting emotions. Through a simple art that involves looking deeply into a partner’s eyes, soul seeing can show you a person’s inner beauty that you might otherwise miss. It is possible for someone who appears cold to have a warm, giving, nurturing soul or someone of average appearance to have a beautiful soul. Soul seeing is a way of looking past shapes, sizes, attitudes, and behavior to see the real individual that lies beneath the surface. It allows you to see the true essence of another person, the radiance of their being, and their spirit within. Read more
Birth of an Angel: chapter 2
December 15, 2008 by Manuel de leon
Filed under 0-body, blog
This is chapter 2 of a book that Manuel de leon wrote about his son Carlo and gives away for free to those he comes across in the Philippines, he has given us permission to reprint his story on MindBodySmile.com and we will publish weekly installments here.
Chapter 2: Grief
Yesterday Makris and husband Nolan with their little daughter visited
us. The little girl reached up to Carlo on his bed and held his hand
saying, “Tito Carlo, you’ll get well soon.” My son, despite his breathlessness,
assured her with a big smile. He smiled at her again when they
waved goodbye to each other as if telling her to keep the secret that only
the two of them knew.
Those were his last smiles at the innocent girl who wished him well.
Yes, he smiled—maybe because the little girl knew what he knew: that
he will be cured at the place where he was going the following day.
Half awake I was dreaming; no I was recalling milestones and events
of our family’s fight together against the disease. I was feeling guilty that
I might have pushed him to his end in my intention to find the cure.
Where did I commit indiscretions? Our battle was a long stretch of many
sorrows that started in October 2004. Read more
Lightening up your holiday menu
December 12, 2008 by Heather Neely
Filed under 0-body, blog
The past few weeks we’ve talked about how to avoid the holiday dieting pitfalls when attending a party or feast at someone’s home. Well, what about when you are hosting the party or feast? There are a number of ways to make your holiday menu a bit healthier, without sacrificing flavor. Chances are your guests won’t even know the difference.
- Use fat-free sour cream anytime a recipe calls for regular sour cream. This trick works for dips, cookies and even potatoes.
- When making mashed potatoes or rice, use fat-free, low sodium chicken or vegetable broth instead of water. This adds a lot of flavor, so you can use less butter, milk and salt.
- Instead of smothering vegetables in butter or cream sauces, roast them in a small amount of olive oil and add various herbs. This helps to bring out the vegetables natural flavors Read more
Sunflower Chiffon Pie with Raspberry Sauce
December 10, 2008 by Organic Annie
Filed under 0-body, blogSunflowers follow the sun when they are in the bud stage. Once the flower opens into the radiance of yellow petals it remains facing east. We can capture the energy of the sun in the colder months by eating sunflower seeds.
This chart is from the World’s Healthiest foods website, of the George Mateljan Foundation, an indispensable resource on food nutrients: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=57
Sunflower Chiffon Pie with Raspberry Sauce:
Makes 2 thick pies Read moreA brief history of Trigger Point Therapy
December 10, 2008 by John Capozzi
Filed under 0-body, blog
Research on trigger points dates back as far as 1843 by Froriep, a pre 20th century author, he found treating tight cords or bands in the muscles would decrease pain and increase movement.In 1900, an American named Alder, talked about pain radiating from a tender spot in the muscle. (Example): a tender spot in the shoulder or trapezius muscle could radiate to the temple area causing a headache. This was later named referral patterns. Read more
A Christmas recipe for children
December 9, 2008 by Elisabeth Hurley
Filed under 0-body, blog
Aunt Marie’s Delicious Cinnamon Stars -By Elisabeth HurleyHave you ever walked into a room where the warm smell of cinnamon was hanging in the air? Have you ever had a craving for whatever it was that had created this welcoming aroma? If you did, you know what Aunt Marie’s kitchen was like.
Aunt Marie came to America from a small mountain village in Germany. She loved to bake, especially at Christmas time. Her - and everyone else’s - favorite cookie was one she had created herself. Here is the recipe for her cinnamon stars: Read more
Urban Health’s December Healing Circle & Book Club
December 8, 2008 by Dr. Audrey Long
Filed under 0-body, blog
The Wisdom of No Escape by Pema Chodron
The Wisdom of No Escape offers us insight into why and how to stay with our discomfort long enough to set us free from pain & suffering. Pema Chodron is a gentle teacher from the Buddist tradition.
This group meets every 3rd Tuesday of the month to discuss a new book, share stories of transformation, develop tools for anchoring joy in our body, support others in awakening, and build courage to make positive change. Learn to live on the brighter side! Read more
Feelings Workshop
December 5, 2008 by Bonita Shear
Filed under 0-body, blog
Saturday, December 13th 2008 1:00pm-4:00pm
“Feelings Workshop” at CNY Healing Arts Center
191 Intrepid Lane, Syracuse, NYDr. Rob and CNY Healing Arts is sponsoring a “Feelings Workshop” that will be presented by Bonita Shear and Michele Gardner. Essential oils play an important role in assisting people to move beyond emotional barriers. Join Bonita and Michele during this workshop as they use guided imagery in creating a warm secure environment. Please bring your favorite blanket, pillow and any object that has meaning to you (stone, feather, holy book rosary, prayer beads, etc.). We look forward to a rewarding workshop.
There is still room to join Bonita and Michele by calling to register at 315.671.5755.
Trigger Point Therapy
December 5, 2008 by John Capozzi
Filed under 0-body, blog
Massage Treatment for a Whiplash and related injuries:The traffic light is yellow, you slow down and as the light turns red, you stop. The driver behind you has the intention to stop but they misjudge the distance between your rear bumper and their front bumper. This results in a low impact minimal damage accident.
Everything seems fine with you physically. Then about one hour later you feel a headache coming on, your neck and shoulders start to tighten up, and maybe your low back develops spasms. You are now the recipient of a whiplash injury that occurred under the speed of 5 miles an hour. Read more
How to redistribute energy wealth
At PlanetWatch, we try to help members understand climate change and energy efficiency and security issues and to simplify the multitude of remedial measures proposed, often very passionately, by various interest groups.First, a few overarching beliefs to which we subscribe:
1. Curbing our excessive appetite for fossil fuels will not happen by selecting and implementing a few programs from among many; instead we will need to adopt virtually all the changes we hear and read about in order to get a good outcome. Read moreHow much is enough?
December 3, 2008 by Katherine Scholl
Filed under 0-body, blog
Every December I see them, I feel them … tense people, tense bodies. With all the prep-work the holidays can bring, we can tend to push aside the fact that there are only so many hours in the day to accomplish what we feel we need to in order for ourselves and others to have a “happy holiday”, and we forget that we can’t do it all, we can’t please everyone. Decorating, shopping for gifts for friends and family, preparing special meals—all of these things are a source of “good stress” but are stressors just the same; Read more
