Simply Magnificent!

Is there something you’ve been wanting to do, but keep putting off? Have you ever considered the outcomes of your lifestyle? Does what you’re doing everyday bring you peace, joy, health and happiness? Are you still waiting until tomorrow to start a new diet or exercise program? Many people believe there’s not enough hours in the day to pursue their health and fitness goals. Yet, time is no different than managing any other resource we have; time-management is an important skill everybody should learn.

It doesn’t matter whether the sun is about to rise or set, time never waits for anyone. With every passing day, week, month and year, time will keep on ticking. For this reason, we should live our life to the fullest and enjoy every moment. In fact, our life is “this moment” right now, and only if we’re living it in a mindful way, can we appreciate the time which shapes our future. That’s because unmindful activity can never truly enrich our lives. We are not our thoughts or emotions. However, some people cannot separate their thoughts or emotions from who they are, so those thoughts and emotions drive them into habitual, unhealthy behaviors. Instead of being mindful, they get stuck in robotic, unnatural patterns that harm their health and well-being.

Living in the moment is truly our natural state of being, it’s where we are most mindful, present and creative. That doesn’t mean we should never reminisce the past or plan our future. However, our life is not characterized by, or locked into any time frame. Our life is happening right here and now. Although many people don’t realize it, every day we’ve been granted is simply magnificent! It’s a precious gift from God to be cherished. We should recognize that it’s not how many hours we’re allotted in each day which determines the outcomes of our life. It’s the quality of our consciousness that influences our lifestyle. When we step out of our mind to observe our thoughts, we are no longer preoccupied, distracted or trapped in a monotonous cycle. This enables us to be proactive, aware and responsible for every aspect of our life, health and well-being. Taking responsibility for our lifestyle is a fundamental PHS principle that teaches us how to get in touch with our natural self.

As we learn to take better care of ourselves, we discover that many simple pleasures we experience in this life can become our daily treasures. For example, I have a client who used to dread going to the gym, but now she loves it and recognizes that exercise is a rejuvenating outlet. Our bodies were intrinsically designed to move. So whether you enjoy a crazy dance class that drives your heartrate up and makes you sweat profusely, or relish going outside for a nature walk, jog, or bike ride; your simple pleasure can create a simple treasure. It gets your blood circulated, improves your mood, clears your head, lowers your blood pressure, etc.

Similarly, instead of carelessly consuming foods which are a product of industry, start choosing foods that are a product of nature. For instance, blueberries are a super food loaded with antioxidants and numerous health benefits.  Rather than buying a processed blueberry pie, why not plan a trip to an orchard to pick fresh blueberries? Then from scratch, proceed to bake a healthier version of pie with better ingredients.  Surely you will gratefully savor the moment of eating a scrumptious slice of homemade blueberry pie! Notice I said slice? Living mindfully means you remain aware of everything—including your portion sizes! Remember, each day is magnificent because it’s possible to find daily treasures through simple pleasures. When you read The Proactive Health Solution, you will discover these hidden jewels to developing a natural, healthy lifestyle. Like every day that God has made, you also were made to be—simply magnificent!

Psalm 118:24 “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Psalm 139:14 “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

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A Mother’s Imprint

For thousands of years, festivities of mothers and motherhood have occurred throughout the world. These older traditions have now become synonymous with Mother’s Day—a modern celebration that honors one’s own mother, motherhood, maternal bonds and the influence of mother’s in society. Today, Mother’s Day is observed in over 40 countries across the globe on various months and dates. This special day is most commonly celebrated in the months of March or May—usually on the 2^nd Sunday. It’s no wonder mothers are revered. On some level, even as we age, the thought of Mom brings us comfort and warmth. They have an uncanny ability to continually give, and are endowed with a devotional love for their children that intuitively overrides their own desires. And despite all the time, energy and sacrifice associated with this role, most moms will agree; it is incredibly rewarding. So if you’re a mother, congratulations for holding down one of the most challenging, yet highly valued positions in the world!

Many moms seem to have something in common. They are quick to neglect themselves in lieu of providing the best possible care and upbringing for their children. Frequently, this type of selflessness is perceived as commendable, but there is a subsequent downside. A mother who continually operates out of self-neglect doesn’t provide her child with an example of proper self-care, or any incentive to develop healthy behaviors. For example, an obese and sedentary mother who insists that her son or daughter participate in a rigorous exercise program is sending a message with mixed-signals. Unfortunately, when the child becomes confused or embarrassed by a parent, this does not help him/her develop an appreciation for physical activity or a healthy lifestyle. Children need guidance as well as inspiration from their parents. A mother makes a huge impression on her own child and this imprint extends into all areas of society. If she’s healthy and practices what she preaches; her influence will touch more people, whether she has one kid or one dozen. As a health-conscious role model, she will do far more to help her children understand the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, than if she continued to neglect her own health and well-being. Surely, the tremendous advantages of Mom taking care of herself are win-win.

We’re living in a new era. It’s time for mothers to learn proper self-care. If everybody else comes first, then this book: The Proactive Health Solution is for you! It has your name all over it! Read it and discover how to make your health and well-being a priority. Since most of the world celebrates Mother’s Day in May, you may be wondering why I’m blogging about this now. Well, if you’re truly grateful for your Mom, then there’s no better time, to BE PROACTIVE and pay her back for all her loyalty and love. Don’t wait until the last minute to get only a card and flowers on Mother’s Day. Do something extra special and order her a copy of The Proactive Health Solution today! She absolutely deserves it! Rest assured, this inspirational gift will help Mom get healthier and facilitate her positive, timeless imprint into the world.

Click the link below to buy the book or find it on Amazon/Barnes and Noble.

http://bookstore.authorhouse.com/Products/SKU-000412995/The-Proactive-Health-Solution.aspx

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are you or your emotions running your life?

Before you answer that question, let’s review the definition of health outlined by the World Health Organization (WHO): “Health is a dynamic state of complete physical, mental, spiritual, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”  Why is this relevant? If we expect to deal with our emotions constructively, we need to gain some emotional intelligence; and in order to develop emotional intelligence, we should understand how these important dimensions of our health are linked together. For instance, if you think negative thoughts, this makes you feel depressed—that’s a connection, mind to emotion. If you nurture your spirit, you’ll feel greater inner peace—that’s a connection, spirit to emotion. What if every time you’re upset, stressed, sad, lonely, or bored you turn to food for solace? Emotional eating will affect your physical body—that’s a connection, emotion to body. There’s no doubt that people use food as a drug instead of dealing constructively with their emotions—roughly six million adults are at least one hundred pounds overweight. It should be clear that our psychological condition is aligned with our physical body—everything is connected.

If we lack emotional intelligence, this not only has an adverse effect on our own health and well-being, it can also make a devastating impact on all of humanity. Emotions that are buried deep in our subconscious will find a way to manifest somehow. If we don’t learn how to manage our emotions intelligently, they can start running our life. It’s an understatement to say that people can get dangerous when they give their power away to their emotions. Senseless acts of violence are being committed daily as people are driven by emotional outbursts of rage. Some of these events we hear about on the news, such as random shooting rampages, but many others occur behind the radar.

Developing emotional intelligence sounds simple in theory, yet it is surprisingly difficult for many people to put in practice. However, in chapter seven of my book, I break it down in an easy to follow format. This is the first PHS principle that I introduce as part of the Healthy Self-Management component. Of particular interest, on page 118, I discuss how a fear-based mind-set is influenced by lies. Why do I mention this? Today, we are confronted with this recent terrorist organization ISIS who seek to promote their warped ideology through social media. Mentally, they’re gripped with deceit as they misrepresent what is good for what is evil and indoctrinate recruits into their cultish coalition. To be sure, ISIS is an emotionally charged faction, yet one that is fundamentally void of emotional intelligence.

Whether you’re Christian, Jewish, or Muslim is irrelevant. All religious faiths aside, any person with a decent degree of emotional intelligence would not condone the beheading of innocent men, women and children or burning someone alive in a cage. These rising atrocities against civilization are unprecedented. It is urgent that we take a unified stand to combat their propaganda. King Abdullah of Jordan explained to world leaders that this presents a 3^rd World War by other means, and that changing minds is the long-term element of the battle. I agree. Each of us should start doing whatever we can to prevent young and susceptible minds from being intimidated, beguiled and recruited to join this radical organization. Together, we can find a moral compass—the PHS principles are universal.  If you want to promote your own health and well-being, and help bring more peace into the world, then please read, study and share: The Proactive Health Solution.

Ephesians 4:26-27 “In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry and do not give the devil a foothold.”

Galatians 5:22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Family life and stress management

Over the course of many years in my personal training profession, there’s one story that I still hear time and again during initial consultations. Parents complaining that their kids take up so much time and this is what caused them to become overweight, unhealthy and out of shape. While nobody can dispute the ongoing demands, challenges and stress associated with raising children, let’s pause for a moment to reflect. Does being a parent automatically equate to a loss of self-care? Does it drive you to mindlessly overeat and succumb to an unhealthy lifestyle? Once you become a parent, must you forego good habits under the premise that taking care of your health is selfish, or that there’s just not enough time in the day?

The problem with this line of thinking is that healthy habits aren’t being viewed as part of your lifestyle, but rather, as something that interferes with it. We all have choices. The decisions we make are dictated by our values. Realistically, if parents make health a priority that value would become apparent within the first PHS component: Lifestyle Management. Not only would they take responsibility for their health and well-being, they would instill this value into their kids and inspire them to develop these same good habits as well. All too often, that’s not the case. I’ve seen first-hand the detrimental effects that self-neglect has on a parent’s psyche and overall health. They do get stressed out and blame it on their kids. Unfortunately, this may also result in verbal abuse or domestic violence. As a parent, you can prevent this from happening by taking regular time-outs to manage your personal stress.

If you establish healthy boundaries, this will help you realize that your unmanaged stress is not your child’s fault. Kids will always be kids. Managing stress is a skill that everybody needs to learn. The best way to build and teach healthy behaviors is by being proactive, not reactive. Take care of yourself and if you want to improve the health and well-being of your family, teach them to implement the PHS. Today, make a new choice not to use your kids as a scapegoat for all your stress and health issues. Instead, appreciate them, love them and be proud of them! Lives are impacted all over the world by the birth of one child and the overall impact is good—children are wonderful, dearly precious gifts from God. Without them, this world would be a gloomy place, and people would still be out of shape and unhealthy.

Psalm 127: 3-4: “Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one’s youth.” Proverbs 22:6: “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”

To learn more about managing your stress refer to Chapter 5 (pages 68-78) and Chapter 8 (page 136).

 

 

 

 

 

 

How will you view the five components of the Proactive Health Solution?

Learning to develop a healthy lifestyle is not just a matter of eating clean and exercising regularly. If it were only that easy, obesity and the health risks that follow would not be a major problem today. There are many culprits that contribute to this dilemma and to the collapse of our entire health care system at large. People are quick to point the finger at everything from our government, to the environment we were raised in, to fast-food chains and so on. Perhaps the biggest culprit is the fragmentation we can find within the current health education arena. For centuries, it has been missing a fundamental, universal template to teach individuals how to develop a healthy lifestyle. After all, it’s still facing this quandary—how could it instruct people along this enlightened path, while at the same time empower them to take responsibility for all aspects of their health and well-being—in mind, body and spirit? Wouldn’t that be counter-intuitive, complicated and create too many divisions? On the contrary, it is precisely this lack of crucial structure and educational leadership that has led to the conditions that plague our health and all of its faltering systems.

So what can be done?

The Proactive Health Solution (PHS) offers a comprehensive strategy. With five main components, it provides this educational roadmap that is so critically needed. It’s built on the premise that we each have a unique life journey, and although we all face problems in this life, we’re also endowed with the power of choice. That being said, there’s no better time to evaluate our lifestyle than at the start of each New Year. Also, we are more than just our physical bodies which means we have to work on other aspects of our health and well-being as well—the mental, emotional, and spiritual.

The PHS is an integrated model with multiple facets. It will speak to us based on what we need the most and help us to discover for ourselves the best way to progress from one component to the next. When we view the five components as a hierarchy, (PHS Pyramid) we have direction. If we view them as a star, we have hope. We need both direction and hope to guide us; for without either, we are lost and hopeless. Notice the star on the cover of my book? The five point’s represent these important components and twinkling within are the principles. As you implement the PHS principles, they will begin to reflect the cuts that are made within you to create a greater brilliance—to bring out the best in you and make you shine with optimal health.

Philippians 2:14: “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.”

Be a wise investor of your time.

I once heard a story about Kara, a divorced lady in her mid-40’s with three kids who was criticized by her sister when she decided to join a gym. Margaret told Kara that she was being selfish to spend any time exercising when she had three kids. Margaret seemed to think that all of Kara’s attention should go only toward her three kids, but she was profoundly mistaken. Parents set the pace and lead their children by example. If they operate out of self-neglect and remain stressed-out and unhealthy, this represents a tremendous loss of power to all. These types of parents aren’t equipped with the tools and credibility to make a positive lasting impression on their children. In turn, this affects everyone in a dire way and leaves a huge footprint in society. As more and more children become obese, the health and welfare of entire families will continue to unravel.

So please remember, taking care of yourself doesn’t mean you’re being selfish. It means you’re being WISE—a wise investor of your time. Who’s in charge of your life? YOU! That’s right and YOU will create more peace and harmony in the world by behaving in ways that promote your well-being. Your health and happiness will have a positive effect on everyone else around you. This means you become a better parent, employee, spouse and so on. It’s win-win across the board! When you never forget that being healthy is in your best interest, you will be setting a great example for your family.  Don’t get caught up in the false obligation trap. Some people won’t hesitate to lay guilt trips on you to get what they want, but your willingness to give should come from your heart. Sure, you have responsibilities and commitments, but you deserve time to nurture yourself as well.

When we invest in this sacred time for ourselves, we’re automatically walking in the path of wisdom. Life is too short to be careless with our time. If we don’t consider what’s in our best interest, then we’re not respecting what God entrusted to us. He gave us the responsibility to take care of ourselves which is a key PHS Principle. Contrary to what some people believe, when we take this responsibility to heart by doing what’s best for ourselves, this helps everyone. We become happier, and the world is better off when we are happy.

Certainly, now is the time to be giving, but during this holiday season, don’t forget to take care of yourself! One of the best gifts you can ever give to yourself is a copy of The Proactive Health Solution! Loaded with inspirational scriptures and valuable information; this book will not only give you the helpful insight needed to reach your fitness goals, it will provide you with the necessary structure to transform your lifestyle and promote ALL dimensions of your health and well-being—in mind, body and spirit.

Rest assured, this gift of health makes the absolute perfect Christmas gift! For you, or anyone loved ones on your list! Click here to order a copy now and get a jump start on the New Year!! Merry Christmas!!