The Downside of Wellness

My cloudy mind fooled me....

A few weeks ago, as I was mega sick, I thought I could stop myself from drinking coffee. I must admit now that I'm over my cold/flu/sickiness, I have not stopped cold turkey (Merry Thanksgiving by the way), but I haven't purchased any new grounds since my plan of action, and that I find as a good start. I have spent a lot time with my family in the past week or so, and coffee is like the air we breathe when were together.

I would say I've saved about $15 this month on not buying coffee and coffee products. And when I come across the urge of those luscious scented lil' beans in the grocery store, I'll surpass them for the fresh scented herbal teas further down the aisle.

Wish me luck! xo

No Kid Hungry

The Food Network is partnering up with Share Our Strength: No Kid Hungry campaign. Their goal is to end childhood hunger by 2015. 65% of America's teachers see kids come to school hungry because they are not getting enough to eat at home. With the growing debate of hunger and malnutrition in the United States, and what it costs to provide children with better meals...this is a program worth looking into.

You can join up with "The Dude" himself (Jeff Bridges, the national spokesperson) to pledge, volunteer, donate, and dine out to support the cause. There are 35 restaurants within my area that are sponsors to dine out in support of this great organization. Check out Share Our Strengths website, and see what you can do to help.

Healthy eating! xo

I really need a bike.

This video is truly inspiring. 

Their message is simple. Life is short, do what you love. 

"As we seek to live mindful lifestyles that leave a positive impact on the people and world around us, biking has become a passion that is much more than a transportation alternative."

- The Holstee Manifesto 

Let me hear it!

If you list a behavior change you'd like to make... I'll send you a lil' info on how to get you started.

Could be a short term goal to lose five pounds before you add five pounds during the upcoming holiday feasts! Could be finding a free local event to get you active in your community. Have you been thinking about quitting smoking? Maybe you're interested in the benefits of vegetarianism. How about a calorie tracker to eat balanced, moderate meals??

Leave comments on this post on what you'd like to work on. Take action!


If anything, you'll get it out there (maybe influence others)... and at least (cheese-ball alert) get a posi push towards an even better you.

Upside of Sickness

The posi side of sickness is the fact that I have not had a cup of coffee in nearly a week (gasp)! Shocking, I know, since I'm the girl always with a cup in hand.

The chemical dependence of coffee stems from its caffeine content. The American Beverage Association states that an 8oz cup of drip coffee has 104-192mg of caffeine. My "addiction" to this lovely, warming (especially on these cold days), and habitual beverage has became a nuisance (aka: I get headaches when I don't get my daily fix). I have been contemplating changing this behavior for some time now, and my plan is to substitute my daily coffee with an occasional tea. An 8oz-brewed tea has only 20-90mg of caffeine. Not only can this change decrease my  dependence on caffeine, but also it can increase my levels of antioxidants, increase the whiteness of my teeth, and increase the level of my bank account.

Let us see how long I can keep this up...look forward to lil' bi-weekly updates on my progress.

Can you think of a lil' behavior change that would benefit your life?

Long Words

Like Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor....


If you're like me and can hardly pronounce these "long medical-like words," let alone know what it means...by far one of the best diabetes videos I've found is Looking Beyond the Surface in Type II Diabetes  (next to Family Guy's Wilford Brimley jab, which I'll let you look up at your own discretion) to help break it down. 


Diabetes is on the rise with the raising rates of obesity, especially in children. 215,000 people younger than 20 years of age have diabetes (CDC, 2011). If the trend continues, diabetes could affect 1 in 3 adults by 2050. The CDC has a list of programs for the prevention of Type II Diabetes. Check it out to see if any of them could work for you or your family. Happy living! 

Baby Steps

Park on the opposite side of campus from your classes, eat a light lunch, save the "meal" for dinner, use your break time to take a little walk (bring a friend), keep a pack of granola bars in your car, stretch when you get in and out of bed, sit up straight, take the stairs.... little things can make a big difference.

Think of other baby steps that would work for you.



"I feel good, I feel great, I feel wonderful"
-Bill Murray -"What About Bob?"

Food Day

I love that the day I start a nutrition blog, I find the Food Day sticker on my bananas! Such an ideal reminder of the benefits of eating nutritious, fresh foods. The #1 cause of death in in United States is heart disease. A major factor of this disease is our rising rates of obesity, and as Americans we eat far too much processed and high fat foods. Food Day is October 24, 2011. I encourage you on this day to prepare a meal of fresh produce with whole wheat grains for your family or friends.
Find great meal ideas from their online cookbook, Eat Real.

Gastronomy

The art or science of good eating.

Nutristic is based off a social marketing project in my Instructional Methods to Health Education course.
I hope you enjoy my little tidbits for increasing healthy eating, and physical activity in the coming weeks (maybe months!).