by tessbrennan

Working to change my own stress habits.

Thank you, Madeline Ebelini!

Here’s the back story.

Today, I drove my 5 year old daughter and I the 35 miles to the drag strip to watch daddy race.  We’ve been having some vibration issues in the Yukon, but had been unable to diagnose the cause.

It rained.  They cancelled the race, and may of us were standing around, discussing the cancellation when a friend looked at the rear tire of my vehicle.  BIG bubble on the rear passenger tire.  Here’s where my stress kicked in.  I knew I had to drive my vehicle the 35 miles home with my 5 yr old in the back. Sad smile  Continue reading →

by tessbrennan

What you eat for breakfast shapes your whole day. 2 of 2

So, yesterday we discussed how EVERYONE eats breakfast, just at different times and choose different things to consume.  We looked at the spikes in blood sugar when we eat refined carbohydrates for our first meal of the day and then throughout the day.

Today, I want to look at the difference in blood sugar levels when you choose to begin your day with a low-glycemic protein. Continue reading →

by tessbrennan

What you eat for breakfast shapes your whole day. 1 of 2

Do you eat breakfast? I bet you do.  Whether your first meal of the day is at 5:00 AM or at 1:00 PM, you ARE eating breakfast.  That first meal of the day is breaking the fast.  What you choose to eat for this meal is just as important as when you eat it.

The American diet, and school breakfasts tend to offer many different refined carbohydrates. Muffins, toast, bagels, breakfast cereal, pop tarts…  This source of fuel allows our blood sugar to jump quickly.

Blood Sugar Roller coaster Continue reading →

by tessbrennan

I’m never sick and I eat whatever I want!

I eat what I want

I hear this on occasion.  (from my husband as well, but he is beginning to change his tune.)  I hear this from people who eat tons of “crap” and drink a lot of sodas, “I am rarely sick.”  They feel they can eat whatever they want and its no big deal because they have been healthy to this point.  (Many of them have recently been discovering things changing, rapidly.)

T.o.  t.h.i.s.   p.o.i.n.t! Continue reading →

by tessbrennan

Decrease Weight = Increased Productivity

Obesity

According to the Centers for Disease Control, absenteeism increases with weight.  So whether you rely on your own efforts for an income, or the efforts of your employees, lifestyle and what you/they eat is an important part of your business.  Obese women with a BMI of 40 or greater missed an average or 141% MORE time due to sick leave than women of a normal BMI.

MSNBC reported in 2010 that Loss of productivity due to obesity costs as much as medical expenditures for the condition, according to a new study that pegs the cost of obesity among full-time workers in the United States at $73.1 billion per year.

A report from UCLA’s Insights Health care states:

When people don’t eat right, the No. 1 thing that happens is they become less energetic, less able to think clearly and less able to do their jobs.

Productivity will go down when you’re not eating properly and nutrition is very, very important for mental activity and to maintain productivity.

For people in business who have physical jobs, it’s even worse. Anyone who’s in a physical job requires very good nutrition or they’ll lose their muscles and possibly be injured.

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Many studies have shown that even after a life threatening illness like cancer or heart attack 90% of people refused to change their habits, what can we do to make , easy changes?Healthy Local Vegetables for Healthy Diet

What can be done to change poor habits?

All you have to do is eat a healthier diet, which means a lot of colorful fruits and vegetables.

One of the things I find very helpful for executives, which I wrote about in my book is to take a shake in the morning similar to what weightlifters used to take. (DR. DAVID HEBER)

This would be made with soy protein, nonfat soy milk and frozen fruit in a blender. This is a great way to get 25 to 35 grams of protein. Then exercise about 30 minutes a day — this should include weightlifting and aerobic exercise. The important thing is to start out gradually and get advice from an exercise specialist. 

Even walking a short distance with a gradual increase in distance and duration can make a difference!

So the next time you opt to order in for your employees, instead of a greasy pizza, consider being a good example of promoting productivity and opt for healthy salads or vegetable heavy meals!

Have a GREAT Weekend!!!

by tessbrennan

Our largest organ is the biggest entry of poisons to our body.

In the last week, it seems, we have been bombarded about information regarding the toxins we put into our bodies on a daily basis.  Last week, I presented an informational health minute to my Rotary club on personal care products and the poisons contained in many of the common choices.  Our skin is the biggest organ in our body. (Although I have had a few guys in college try to tell me otherwise.) Smile

toxins we absorb

When we put anything on our skin, it is immediately absorbed and within 90 seconds it begins entering our blood stream. This is why so many different drugs are now being offered in patch form, it is an easy delivery system.

So why the big deal about our personal care products?  The cosmetics/personal care products industry is SELF REGULATED. This means the FDA doesn’t care what they put in the products we use. They don’t ask, they don’t check, it doesn’t matter.  The industry as a whole has set up ITS OWN governing body that sets ITS OWN limits on what can or cannot be used in products.  So they set a level of an ingredient, that has been deemed a toxin and recommend that companies not go over that level.

The average woman uses 9-14 personal care products on a daily basis. The average man uses 7-9. The visual above shows us some examples.  Lets say the products YOU CHOOSE are conservative and only have 85% of that thresh hold for a certain toxin. You use 8 products a day.

8x8.5 personal care graphic

That’s 6.8 TIMES the amount of that toxin that what has been deemed “safe” by the people making it.  Now, add the other chemicals from each of those products as well and you quickly discover the amount of stress being placed on your body on a daily basis, AND YOU HAVEN’T EVEN LEFT HOME!  Smile

I feel blessed to have found alternatives to these products.  Alternatives that don’t include any of these harmful ingredients.  If you, or someone you know is interested in alternatives, please contact me.  I am happy to discuss your needs with you.

Safe Personal Care

If you would like further information on this issue, here is another web article to check out.

 

 

There’s enough stress out there, without my adding to it first thing in the morning. Begin to reduce the taxing toxins from your life and begin seeing your health improve.

by tessbrennan

Is it the Stress, or the habits we have to cope?

It has been very well documented that stress and those with exorbitant amounts of stress in their life have a greater chance of acquiring high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, obesity, and many other dis-eases.  A couple of very intelligent friends of mine once asked me, “Is your life REALLY that stressful, or have you gotten into the habit of allowing the stress to consume you?”

stress leads to disease

I wasn’t sure what they meant, or if they were crazy at that point.

My entire life, I have enjoyed a full life; on a schedule to fit it all in.  I don’t like to sit still, I want to be moving and doing at full speed.  I’ll have time to rest, when I die, right?

Enter an entirely new thought, a new concept for me. (I am still using my calendar and my schedule, but the stress is different – for me.)

We live our lives surrounded by stressors.  Some of which we can choose to eliminate, some of which we cannot eliminate.  We live our lives surrounded by other people. Some of which we can choose to eliminate, some of which we cannot. Smile  The difference comes when we decide to look at it differently from within.

I have begun working to implement meditation into my daily life. Not an easy task when I’ve already added 30 minutes in the morning for bible study, my five year old is waking up earlier, I am training for a 60-mile walk, I have a home to maintain, Rotary, Christian Chamber, a loving husband, my personal business, Bible study classes… and life.

Many times things come up and I get frustrated and stressed because it interrupts my busy schedule. I get stressed because His plan, or someone else’s plan blocks my schedule.  Now, yesterday, an epiphany.

The story:

I was sitting on the deck in the middle of a slough being led through a meditation.  The birds are singing, the wind is blowing my hair in my face, children scream and laugh in the distance, I cough, a car squeals its tires, a plane flies over… How am I supposed to meditate when………… ahhhhhh   It’s the experience, its all a part of the experience.  It doesn’t have to be a bad thing, it just has to be a part of the thing.  I realized I can just accept it as a part of the experience. I don’t have to judge it as right or wrong, I can just allow it to be.

Take time to be mindful for your health

Thank you, Paula English, Carolyn Wightman, and Madeline Ebelini, for opening my eyes and allowing me to begin to LET GO and just let some of life happen.  I don’t have to give everything up and allow everything, but I can determine what I can not change and allow it to be a part of the experience.

Reflection walk

I have heard others say that just 30 seconds of true meditation a day can drastically improve your health.  I am committing to 10 minutes a day for the rest of my life.  I understand that I am not perfect and at times something may interfere, but I don’t have to beat myself up for missing it, just look at the experience as part of life and go on.

Everything killed by hogs yet life prevails

You can do the same. I am not saying it is easy. I committed to an 8 week class to  understand it, not even really knowing what it was about before I began, but praising God I was lead to it, just as I enrolled with a business coach to improve that part of my life. If you would like to know more about how to find a MBSR class near you or to discuss other ways to reduce the effects of stress on your body and health, feel free to contact me.

Thank you for joining me today.

by tessbrennan

Tasty Chicken Recipe–Healthy

IMG-20120419-00819

 

This was so tasty!  I loved the mix of flavors in this healthy chicken.  I will give you a couple of choices for the ingredients…

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 4 Tablespoons bbq sauce (Annie’s Naturals Organic BBQ Smoky Maple)
  • 1/4 cup Shredded Colby Jack Cheese
  • 1 can Rotel Tomatoes with green chilies, drained
  • sliced scallions
  • 2 slices of bacon cooked crispy, blotted dry, and crushed up

Preheat oven to 400F.  Grill the 4 chicken breasts until done. (Juices run clear)

I then placed them my cast iron skillet and topped each chicken boob with a tablespoon of the Annie’s, piled on the shredded cheese, topped with the tomatoes & green chilies and sprinkled with the sliced scallions & crumbled bacon.

Put them in the oven for about 7 minutes.  Added a side of broccoli and we were good. to. go!

For a healthier choice use a large, organic, chopped tomato and an organic green chili pepper.  We use our home grown maters & chilis when we have them in season. I always have scallions & chives growing next to the house so I can just go out and grab a couple.

Just about any recipe you find can be tweaked to a healthier combo!  The problem here with the Rotel is the BPA in the cans and the possibility of GMO’s. Sad smile Every little bit that each of us does, can make a big impact in our own health and the health of those we love!

Happy cooking, may your choices keep you on the lead lap of life! ~Tess

by tessbrennan

Healthy squash grown locally for a healthy diet

Healthy Local Vegetables for Healthy DietThere’s a small farm stand in my neighborhood on Sunday mornings.  They park on the corner and set up a little table and offer locally grown produce for those interested.  I love it! Excellent produce, locally grown, fresh from the fields, & MUCH cheaper than at the grocery store.  Today I picked up some really good looking stuff! Cabbage, jalapeños, summer squash, morrows, and green beans.

In my attempt to maintain my retained girlish figure, I push myself to make sure I eat extra fruits and veggies, even to the point where I will make myself an extra serving at dinner, including things my hubby and daughter will not eat. SmileHoping she will notice the good example and begin eating more.  She must take at least one taste of everything.

Squash is something we all eat, and I fix it many different ways.  Tonight, I just steamed a yellow squash cut into chunks and consumed it with a bit of sea salt.  Yummmers

I wanted to share some of the health benefits of these great produce treats.

Summer squash are effective diuretics and their potassium content means they are beneficial for those with high blood pressure. Summer squash does contain small amounts of beta carotene. Because of their high water content, all squash are low in calories.   (Wholefoods with recipes for health and healing, Nicola Graimes)

I love to shred these babies up and add them to my tomato sauces, lasagnas, and soups. Just adds a bit more nutrition to the dinner being made and some more fiber as well.

If you would like more information on methods for lowering blood pressure naturally, please, feel free to contact me.

by tessbrennan

Caring for Yourself

As I reflect on my day of rest, I keep coming back to a sermon a pastor of mine gave many years ago… That we are to buffet our bodies, not buffet (as in early bird special all you can eat) our bodies.  That message has been with me for many years.  He came out to give his message wearing an inflatable suit, to make sure we got the point and to give us a chuckle on the play on words, but his message has stuck with me. I was also much bigger when he gave the sermon and resembled the statements he made.

As a child of God, and a follower of Jesus, I am the church and it is my responsibility to take care of myself and to live as He would ask me to, as a role model for others in all aspect of life.  Not that I have to, as my friend Camille reminds me, it is a choice.  I choose to live in a way that honors myself and in turn honors Him.

I did a search online for scripture relating to health, trying to locate the scripture that Tracy had used in his message and found a few that jumped out at me.  I’ve shared them here.

  • I urge you, brother and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.  ~Romans 12:1 (NIV)
  • Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. ~ 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NLT)

My beliefs intermingle in all that I do, and that includes the choices I make to live a healthier life.  The better I care for myself, the healthier I am, the better I feel, the more energy I have and the better able I am to serve others.