Ease into Activity

Now that spring is upon us and the weather has turned pleasant and favorable for a more active lifestyle, there are some precautions that you should take heed of in order to protect your health and longevity.

Many of us lead rather dormant lifestyles during the winter months. The cold weather and shorter days naturally tend to lull us into a lazier, less active lifestyle.

Then the first beautiful day of spring or the opening of baseball season motivates us to get off the couch and go out and do some much needed yard work or pitch a little baseball with the kids. The catch is, however, that we are not accustomed to the strenuous activity and many of us spend the next few post-activity days or weeks suffering from aches, pains, strains, sprains, torn muscles, slipped disks – or worse, a heart attack.

To further complicate matters, we often put a lot of pressure on ourselves to get the job done in one afternoon or weekend. Slow down - the life you save may be your own! Pushing your body too much too fast could land you in a funeral home, hospital or on the bed recovering for weeks or months.

Slow and steady may not always win the race, but it may insure that you live longer and perform stronger for many races to come in the future. (Turtles usually live very long lives)!

Here are some tips to insure that you stay healthy and happy:

1.        Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Water is the key to life - and dehydration is a leading cause of high blood pressure, muscle aches, cramps, headaches and a whole host of other ailments. It is estimated that 90% of Americans are dehydrated daily. Coffee, soda, Gatorade, energy drinks, etc… are NOT substitutes for water – in fact, many of these “drinks” further dehydrate us. We recommend pure, alkaline, mineral rich water such as FIJI Water (click to find out why).

2.      Stretch. Our muscles and deep tissue can become oxygen and nutrient deprived due to inactivity. This deprivation combined with the decreased ability to detoxify and remove lactic acid can lead to a lot of aches, pains and more serious problems. Stretching can loosen these atrophied muscles up and get the juices flowing to prepare you for work. Contact a personal trainer like Stillman Rice or Aaron Wagner at the BeneFitness Center for easy, anytime, anywhere stretches.

3.      Get a massage: Massages and therapeutic bodywork isn’t just a luxury that rich housewives enjoy after their facials and spa treatments. Bodywork is a MUST in your pursuit for health, happiness and pain-free living. Deep tissue massage can rapidly detoxify the body and get nutrient-rich, oxygenated blood flowing to muscles, organs and tissues that are starved of life and attention. Massage can revitalize your body and make you impervious to injury and disease.

4.      Hot/Cold therapy: Visit a sauna or a hot yoga studio and expose yourself to some heat in a controlled environment. When the heat becomes too great, take a break or a cold shower and then re-visit the heat again. This will build up your tolerance and prepare you for the changing weather outdoors and high levels of internally generated heat from activity. This will also get your juices flowing and help your body detoxify – thus reducing your chances of dropping dead in the yard from heart attack or heat stroke.

5.      Gradually increase activity: Start out with some gradual physical interval training. Do one minute of strenuous activity followed by one minute of rest. Check your resting pulse before the activity, check your active pulse immediately following the activity, check your pulse again after one minute of rest. Your pulse should return to its initial resting rate within one minute of stopping the activity. If your pulse is not returning to its resting rate, it means your heart is “gasping” for breath – which could be a great indication of cardio-pulmonary problems.If your pulse returns to its resting rate within a minute, then start to gradually increase the activity periods, but still rest for a minute in between activity. Example: Two minutes of strenuous activity, one minute of rest – increasing the activity by one minute or so every day until you are ultimately working for 10 minutes, resting for one. Work with a personal trainer like Stillman Rice or Aaron Wagner to implement exercise gradually and safely. 

6.      Get a check-up: See your physician for regular physical check-ups even when you are feeling fine. Find a good physician who will devote the time to listen to you and truly care about your health and lifestyle. Interview doctors until you find the right one (your life may depend on it). Visit the right doctor regularly – not just when you are sick. Keep him up to date about all changes (for the better or worse) in your life and all medications you are taking.

7.      Chiropractic Adjustments: Your body runs on electricity. The brain communicates with the organs and every cell in the body through electrical signals sent through the spinal cord and nervous system. If your spine is out of alignment causing pressure on nerves and disks, then the body cannot function properly – leaving you susceptible to disease and injury. Chiropractic adjustments are easy, painless, affordable and essential in your quest for health and pain-free activity. Finding the right chiropractor will be an integral part of maintaining optimum health and peak performance.  

8.      Smile: The act of smiling greatly reduces stress. Stress is the number one underlying cause of all disease. If you have to do something (like cut the grass) – you might as well make it enjoyable – so smile while you are doing it! If you can’t muster up a smile for such activity, then hire someone else (or a lawn company) to do it for you. If you think the $45 for the lawn service is too much to spend – weigh the lawn maintenance cost in comparison to $45,000.00 heart surgery – followed by weeks of missed work. Maybe you can smile as you enjoy a different activity such as playing with your kids on the professionally cut lawn - knowing that you avoided a health crisis. Care for your body and use your time wisely and you will be living on Easy Street!

9.      For many more healthy tips, hire a Life Coach like Sean Donovan or read his book "Health and Happiness: an owner's manual for the mind and body" - available in Paperback, E-book or Audio-book versions. 

Plant Proteins Misunderstood

PLANT PROTEINS MISUNDERSTOOD 

by Stacy Remington

For years there has been controversy over the quality and quantity of plant proteins versus animal proteins.  What it really comes down to is that plant proteins are underestimated and misunderstood.  It is true, we cannot survive without protein in our diet. I do not think anyone is disputing that. In a day where we really need to be cognizant of what we consume because of all of the hormones, antibiotics, and other toxins put into the animals that are raised for human consumption, it is important to know that plant proteins provide more than enough quality amino acids and consuming a plant-based diet does not mean that you are not getting complete proteins.  Also, it is unnecessary for those following a vegetarian diet to have to mix and match plant proteins to ensure you are getting enough complete proteins, as previously believed, because the body stores and releases the amino acids it needs over a 24-hour period.  If you do not consume all of the essential amino acids in one day, but get the missing ones the next day, you are still getting all the protein that your body needs.  Another interesting fact is that 1/6 of our daily protein utilization comes from our body recycling our own body tissue by digesting cells lining our digestive tract.  This process helps to even out any variation in amino acid "incompleteness".  The true problem arises when a vegetarian diet revolves around refined and processed foods causing low protein levels.  Once vegetables, whole grains, beans, and nuts are introduced to such a diet, it becomes protein-rich. 

You still do not think a plant-based diet provides enough protein?  Let's put this into perspective.  Most plant foods, except fruit, supply at least 10 percent of calories from protein, with green vegetables averaging about 50 percent of their calories from protein. One cup of cooked spinach contains more protein per calorie than a Burger King cheeseburger.  Also, 100 calories of broccoli contains more protein than 100 calories of sirloin steak!  I think Popeye was on to something!  Dr. Joel Furhman, author of "Eat to Live", tried to compose a natural foods diet deficient in any required amino acid using a computer dietary-analysis program.  He found it impossible.  Any assortment of plant foods contained about 30-40 grams of protein per 1,000 calories.  He says that when your caloric needs are met, your protein needs are met automatically.

So from a different perspective... the rhinoceros, hippopotamus, gorilla, giraffe, and elephant are all very large animals.  How did they get that way?  Plant proteins.  All of these animals are herbivores.  Animals do not make amino acids from nothing, all amino acids originally came from plants.  A big strong lion's muscles can only be composed of protein precursors and amino acids that its prey, the zebra and the gazelle ate... green grass made the lion.  

10 Tips to Sneak Yourself More Water Without Even Realizing It

By Chelsea Jo Conard

It’s really warming up out there in our environment, which means our inner environment is experiencing the same thing.

As we begin moving into the warmer months, it’s super important to stay hydrated!

You’re thinking, “I know, I know!  8 glasses a day, blah blah blah…”

Well, here’s the thing – not everyone needs exactly 8 glasses a day.  Here’s a good way to find out how much water you need… Your weight divided by 2 = the number of ounces you should shoot for each day.

And I get it – this is easier said than done when you’re first starting down the road to health.  So I’ve put together 10 TIPS TO SNEAK YOURSELF MORE WATER WITHOUT EVEN REALIZING IT!

1.  Make it a morning ritual, like brushing your teeth.

Drink a big ol’ glass of water in the A.M. to start your day by hydrating your bod and flushing out toxins.  In the beginning, you may need to sip the water until you’re used to it.  Add some lemon for an even better tasting, more effective detox and to help alkalize your system.

2.  Be a fancy pants.

Water can be boring.  So make it funky in a fun glass.  Water in a pretty martini glass?  Yes, please.  If you’re used to drinking soda, try a baby step to sparkling water.  You can add some lemon, lime, or pure cranberry for flavor.  And put your pinky up and say, “Darling…”

3.  Play with the temp.

Sometimes cold water is refreshing, but sometimes warm or hot water is where it’s at.  I prefer warm water in the mornings.  Experiment with different temperatures and see what you like best.

4.  Add some flavor.

Add even more spunk by adding some ginger and a touch of honey to your warm water.  A very gentle wake-me-up.  Or try adding some goji berries, some cucumber, or some lemon to shake it up.  And my favorite… add some fresh mint leaves!

5.  Drink whenever you feel a sugar craving.

Physiologically, a sugar craving is a very similar sensation to thirst.  So before you reach for the double chocolate cheesecake, try having some water.  Your body (and your waistline) will thank you.

6.  Make the switch, and save some moolah.

Water is FREE in restaurants.  Choose water (with lemon if you like) as your restaurant beverage of choice.  Stick with it, and after a while it becomes a habit.

7.  Keep it handy.

Carry around a stainless steel water bottle with you at all times.  Or always have a cup of water at your desk.  You’ll save money and the environment by not buying plastic water bottles.

8.  Ding ding!

If you’re one who likes schedules, make a reminder to drink water every hour on the hour.

9.  Add water to your skincare regimen.

Water does a lot more for your face than any eye-lifting, wrinkle-melting cream any day.  Drink, cleanse, moisturize, drink.

10.  Exercise.

This is an easy one.  A good workout will make you want to guzzle.  (But go for the water instead of the sugary sports drinks, which could dehydrate you further.)

Ease into Activity

Now that spring is upon us and the weather has turned pleasant and favorable for a more active lifestyle, there are some precautions that you should take heed of in order to protect your health and longevity.

Many of us lead rather dormant lifestyles during the winter months. The cold weather and shorter days naturally tend to lull us into a lazier, less active lifestyle.

Then the first beautiful day of spring or the opening of baseball season motivates us to get off the couch and go out and do some much needed yard work or pitch a little baseball with the kids. The catch is, however, that we are not accustomed to the strenuous activity and many of us spend the next few post-activity days or weeks suffering from aches, pains, strains, sprains, torn muscles, slipped disks – or worse, a heart attack.

To further complicate matters, we often put a lot of pressure on ourselves to get the job done in one afternoon or weekend. Slow down - the life you save may be your own! Pushing your body too much too fast could land you in a funeral home, hospital or on the bed recovering for weeks or months.

Slow and steady may not always win the race, but it may insure that you live longer and perform stronger for many races to come in the future. (Turtles usually live very long lives)!

Here are some tips to insure that you stay healthy and happy:

1.        Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Water is the key to life - and dehydration is a leading cause of high blood pressure, muscle aches, cramps, headaches and a whole host of other ailments. It is estimated that 90% of Americans are dehydrated daily. Coffee, soda, Gatorade, energy drinks, etc… are NOT substitutes for water – in fact, many of these “drinks” further dehydrate us. I recommend pure, alkaline, mineral rich water such as FIJI Water (click to find out why).

2.      Stretch. Our muscles and deep tissue can become oxygen and nutrient deprived due to inactivity. This deprivation combined with the decreased ability to detoxify and remove lactic acid can lead to a lot of aches, pains and more serious problems. Stretching can loosen these atrophied muscles up and get the juices flowing to prepare you for work.

3.      Get a massage: Massages and therapeutic bodywork isn’t just a luxury that rich housewives enjoy after their facials and spa treatments. Bodywork is a MUST in your pursuit for health, happiness and pain-free living. Deep tissue massage can rapidly detoxify the body and get nutrient-rich, oxygenated blood flowing to muscles, organs and tissues that are starved of life and attention. Massage can revitalize your body and make you impervious to injury and disease.

4.      Hot/Cold therapy: Visit a sauna or a hot yoga studio and expose yourself to some heat in a controlled environment. When the heat becomes too great, take a break or a cold shower and then re-visit the heat again. This will build up your tolerance and prepare you for the changing weather outdoors and high levels of internally generated heat from activity. This will also get your juices flowing and help your body detoxify – thus reducing your chances of dropping dead in the yard from heart attack or heat stroke.

5.      Interval training: Start out with some gradual physical training. Do one minute of strenuous activity followed by one minute of rest. Check your resting pulse before the activity, check your active pulse immediately following the activity, check your pulse again after one minute of rest. Your pulse should return to its initial resting rate within one minute of stopping the activity. If your pulse is not returning to its resting rate, it means your heart is “gasping” for breath – which could be a great indication of cardio-pulmonary problems. Try implementing an arginine (amino acid) supplement into your diet to naturally improve cardio health.

6.      Gradually increase activity: If your pulse returns to its resting rate within a minute, then start to gradually increase the activity periods, but still rest for a minute in between activity. Example: Two minutes of strenuous activity, one minute of rest – increasing the activity by one minute or so every day until you are ultimately working for 10 minutes, resting for one.

7.      Get a check-up: See your physician for regular physical check-ups even when you are feeling fine. Find a good physician who will devote the time to listen to you and truly care about your health and lifestyle. Interview doctors until you find the right one (your life may depend on it). Visit the right doctor regularly – not just when you are sick. Keep him up to date about all changes (for the better or worse) in your life and all medications you are taking.

8.      Chiropractic Adjustments: Your body runs on electricity. The brain communicates with the organs and every cell in the body through electrical signals sent through the spinal cord and nervous system. If your spine is out of alignment causing pressure on nerves and disks, then the body cannot function properly – leaving you susceptible to disease and injury. Chiropractic adjustments are easy, painless, affordable and essential in your quest for health and pain-free activity. Finding the right chiropractor will be an integral part of maintaining optimum health and peak performance.  

9.      Smile: The act of smiling greatly reduces stress. Stress is the number one underlying cause of all disease. If you have to do something (like cut the grass) – you might as well make it enjoyable – so smile while you are doing it! If you can’t muster up a smile for such activity, then hire someone else (or a lawn company) to do it for you. If you think the $45 for the lawn service is too much to spend – weigh the lawn maintenance cost in comparison to $45,000.00 heart surgery – followed by weeks of missed work. Maybe you can smile as you enjoy a different activity such as playing with your kids on the professionally cut lawn - knowing that you avoided a health crisis. Care for your body and use your time wisely and you will be living on Easy Street!

10.  For many more healthy tips, join us on Wellness Wednesdays at the DME BeneFitness center as we present our Peak Employee Performance (PEP) program from noon to 1pm. Inquire with the DME HR Department, Stillman Rice at BeneFitness, or email Lea D'Loughy.

The Fire Walk

Sometimes in life we have to be willing to do things that we don’t necessarily want to do. Often we have to walk down paths that are not always paved in gold, but sometimes the roughest paths lead to the best destinations. One such destination occurred for me over ten years ago at a Tony Robbins Unlimited Power Workshop.

I’ve always considered myself an adventurous “daredevil” and I had been geared up for years to do a fire-walk.  I had visited the South Pacific and seen natives perform the ritual in ceremony, but I did not have the opportunity to join them. A few years later at age 25 I finally was afforded the opportunity to cross the goal off of my ‘bucket list’.

Fire-walking for the first time with Tony Robbins just made the experience that much more profound. So I had no fear when it came to pulling off my shoes, rolling up my pants and walking through 40 feet of hot, burning, flaming coals. The most powerful moment for me, however, was watching the transformation that took place in the woman who sat next to me during the entire event.

Debbie and I connected as we sat down side by side on the first day before the event even began. She expressed to me that she was going through a mid-life crisis of epic proportion. Her husband had suddenly divorced her with no warning, she was laid off from her job for no reason – and to top it off, she had a dying mother that she had to provide care for. “Could it get any worse?” she asked. To which I replied “Imagine having to cope with all of that, but from the comfort of a wheelchair which you are relegated to for the rest of your life because you lost your legs in an accident.” She nodded in approval as she glanced down at her feet in appreciation. “Have you been here (to a Tony Robbins event) before? It seems like you have” she questioned.

I hadn’t been to an event before, but I was a huge fan of Tony as I had read all of his books and shared his mindset. Debbie expressed her doubts about “motivational speaker types” and commented that she was only there because her friends had paid for her ticket and urged her to go. She came only out of guilt that her friends had spent a lot of money for her to come. She was so despondent that she had already made up her mind that she wasn’t going to benefit or see any change no matter what Tony said. Boy was she wrong.

The three day workshop started on a Friday afternoon. Tony came out and pumped up the crowd and spoke about the power of the mind and its ability to adapt and change. Then all 2500 of the attendees took a break and walked outside into the parking lot where there was a huge pile of firewood accompanied by two fire trucks. Tony got on a platform next to the pile of wood and talked about fire and how hot the wood burned and how hot the resulting coals would be. He talked about fire-walking rituals and how they were a rite of passage for boys to become men in some cultures. Debbie was quick to announce to me that she was not going to do the fire-walk. Coincidentally, Tony went on to say that it was okay not to do it if you weren’t ready. He then explained what percentage of people would get burned and out of those people who got burned how many would be burned bad enough to require medical attention.

Interestingly enough, according to him, most people got burned after they had exited the coals and broken their state of mind. The coals were so hot that they would often fuse to the feet during the walk. A quick shot of water at the finish line would knock the coals off and insure that you weren’t burned when you ‘broke state’. As the crew lit the bonfire, we returned to the auditorium for more of Tony’s training.

The master motivator demonstrated how to change your thoughts and how your thoughts controlled your physiology. He explained how the body is capable of doing amazing things when the mind believes it can. He cited examples of people lifting cars to save trapped loved ones after accidents. He taught us to enter a “state” and in this state the mind could alter perception. For instance, he demonstrated that repeating a simple mantra like “cool moss” could make the feet think that they were walking on cool moss rather than hot fire. I couldn’t wait to test the theory and I was determined to not let Debbie’s constant and incessant negativity and refusal to do the fire-walk hinder my experience in the least.

Finally, the time had come – the pinnacle of the workshop was about to happen on the first night. We all took our shoes off, rolled up our pants and then filed out of the auditorium and back into the parking lot. What had been an enormous pile of wood only a couple of hours prior had been reduced to a flaming pile of cinders. Debbie walked out behind me, but reconfirmed that she was not going to do the walk – in fact, she had not removed her shoes in the auditorium.

Adjacent to the bonfire, there were about a dozen lanes roped off in the parking lot that were laden with tightly packed flaming coals. The group divided and we lined up single file in front of our designated lane. At Tony’s direction, we began to enter our “state” and repeat our mantra. Debbie was about to exit the line and go wait in the “coward section” for observation only. I grabbed her by the arm and said “If you get burned, the wounds will heal quickly in comparison to the pain of a lifetime of ‘What if… I had done it’.” She remained in line behind me and said “Ok, let me watch you go first”. Then, in a surprise move, she took off her shoes and tossed them to the side.

I entered my state and found my clarity, focus and power. I wasn’t nervous in the slightest - aside from the adrenaline produced from my pure excitement. I remained focused as Tony’s affiliate coaches walked up and down the lines making sure that each participant was mentally focused and ready for the feat. A few people were pulled from the line and put into a ‘focus group’ to get them into state before they were allowed to do the fire-walk. Surprisingly, Debbie was not pulled.

I forgot about her and set my focus on the fire in front of me. I wanted to take in the moment to the max, for I knew this would be a powerful event in my life. One after another, the participants in line in front of me walked through the coals – some fast, some slow, but all made it to the finish and were greeted with a shot of water on the feet to keep them from getting burned as they broke mental state to celebrate.

My turn was next and I was focused and ready to go, but before I took my first step, the line coach stopped me. He told me to stay in state for a moment. What was wrong? I was sure I was ready. But apparently I was so ready that the fire was not hot enough for me. They had stopped my line to bring over a wheel-barrel full of fresh coals. I watched (in state) as the workers raked fresh burning embers onto the path in front of me. “Bring it on” I thought to myself. When the raking was done, my coach called me to his attention, looked into my eyes to determine my readiness and then gave me the nod.

And I was off. One foot in front of the other I walked slowly and methodically through the hot, burning coals as flames lapped up in front of me. I repeated my mental mantra “wet sand… wet sand… wet sand…” as I walked fearlessly through the fire. It was a short, slow walk that would create a long, profound memory. I felt the warmth beneath me, but I held my mental state until I felt the water hit my feet. The water signified that it was time to celebrate and I high-fived the other participants who had already finished. Before I could turn around to check on Debbie, I felt someone’s arms wrap around my waist as if to tackle me. It was Debbie and she was rejoicing at the completion of her fire-walk. I believe her excitement trumped everyone else’s (including mine) combined. She remained at the finish line and danced and hi-fived everyone who finished – whooping and hollering with excitement each time someone crossed the line. One forty foot fire-walk changed the course of that woman’s life.

We all celebrated as Tony took the podium and congratulated everyone on their accomplishment before we returned to the auditorium to wrap up the session for the evening. As we walked back across the parking lot, I noticed that the ambulance and EMS workers had a few customers, but none seemed seriously injured. A few ice packs and bandages were issued and that seemed to be the extent of it. Debbie was now like a kid on Christmas morning – continuously replaying her experience and her gratitude to me for helping motivate her to do it.

Back in the auditorium, a few announcements were made and the itinerary and agenda for the next day were revealed. Debbie was exuberant with excitement and couldn’t wait for the next day. I was betting that she wouldn’t sleep a wink that night. She transformed from doubting to doing, coward to courageous, powerless to empowered right before my eyes that night. She thanked me repeatedly for giving her the extra encouragement to overcome her fears. Debbie remained on the edge of her seat, soaking in every word that Tony said for the duration of the workshop. My own sense of accomplishment was belittled by the pride I felt from helping her accomplish something that she never imagined possible. That was my greatest takeaway. I knew that one day I would follow my passion and ultimately help people transform themselves as Tony Robbins did.

As I put my socks and shoes back on, I noticed that the tiny hairs on my toes had not even been singed from the heat. How was this possible? On multiple past occasions, I had burned every hair off of my fingers, hand and arm just from lighting a kerosene heater or gas grill. How had the searing heat from the coals not burned my toe hairs less than an inch above the flames? I didn’t question the inexplicable; rather I embraced the power of my mind to overcome that which seems impossible.  

Eleven years later I was walking my dog outside on a very hot summer day in Florida. We navigated our usual course as we followed the sidewalk to the wooden boardwalk/bridge that led to the community pool. I had taken the same walk with my dog hundreds of times, but today I did it barefooted in the noon sun and heat of the day. I immediately felt the heat on my feet as we transitioned from the coolness of the white sidewalk to the wooden planks, but I kept walking. Exactly half way down the bridge my feet felt like they were going to spontaneously combust from the immense heat. I couldn’t take it anymore. I had 2 options – jump the railing and land in a sand-spur infested patch of undergrowth 8 feet below – or take off running. I chose to run in spite of the searing pain in my feet. I made it to the end of the bridge quickly, although it seemed like an eternity.

I instantly found the first spot of shade and stepped into it. I looked down at my feet and expected to see smoke rising from my soles. I hobbled over to a picnic table under a canopy and sat in the shade for a while as my feet cooled off and my dog “did his business”. The incident caused my Tony Robbins fire-walk experience to be recalled from my memory banks. I wondered if I still possessed the ability to enter ‘state’.

I closed my eyes and recalled Tony’s words and the entire experience as if it were yesterday. I began to utter the phrase “wet sand… wet sand… wet sand…” to myself over and over again. Magically, my feet no longer burned. I glanced over and spotted my dog who seemed perplexed at my actions and demeanor. I breathed deep and continued to repeat my mantra as I stood up to walk back home. As I approached the wooden bridge, I breathed deeper and stated with authority “wet sand”!

I then stepped from the cool concrete to the hot wood, but this time I felt no heat. I walked the distance of the bridge slowly and methodically while repeating my mantra “wet sand… wet sand…” until I reached the other side. The distance of the bridge was much farther than the distance I had walked through the coals ten years ago - and although the wooden bridge was visibly not on fire; nonetheless, it had nearly set my feet ablaze only ten minutes prior. This time I walked the entire distance with absolutely no pain or sensation of heat. It was an amazing feat that reconfirmed the power of my mind and mental ‘state’.

Here’s the tangible takeaway that I want to share with you: anything is possible if you truly believe you can achieve it. One of Tony Robbins’ most popular quotes is borrowed from Napoleon Hill:  “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”  The power of the mind/body connection is profound!

Shop Smart, Spend Wisely

“So many people spend their health gaining wealth, and then have to spend their wealth to regain their health” ~A.J. Reb Materi 

Why do most of us spend our money to enhance our lives in every way possible – from jewelry, to clothes, electronics, makeup, shoes, cars, bigger houses, worthless material possessions, etc… but when it comes to our health, we neglect the one thing that everything else depends on.

Sure, new golf clubs or an ipad would be nice, but…

Why not support the health of yourself and those on your shopping list while also supporting local, small businesses? Give those you love a healthy gift – such as a gift certificate from a local health food store like Access to Organics or Living Waters. De-stress and relax with yoga sessions at Hot House Yoga.

Organic produce delivery from Front Porch Pickings can be a healthy weekly or monthly treat on your doorstep and a time-saving shopping alternative too. 

When you’re happy, you’re usually healthy - deliver a monthly smile with ‘flowers for a year’ from The Flower Market.

A health food supplement like Chews4Health will create the priceless result of energy and vitality.

Whether young or old, short or tall, everyone could use a little more "Health and Happiness" in their lives.

Have a healthy, happy, successful day.

Your BeneFitness team and local Healthy Businesses.

Accountability

Share your goals and accomplishments with one or more “accountability partners” – these could be some of your advisors or “board members” from the ‘seek wisdom recipe #16.’ They will reinforce your commitment, keep you on track to success – and also be there to celebrate your successes with you.