positive change.

I was reading a few spa magazines, and I came across a few interesting things i thought might be helpful to you.

5 tips for top health.

1. Drink 10 to 12 glasses of water per day to support high-performance matabolism.

2. Eat two-thirds of your daily calories before dinner and try to get some exercise after dinner to avoid turning extra evening calories into fat.

3. Mix fruit with a bit of protein as midmorning and midafternoon snacks to help maintain an even blood-sugar level and prevent hunger spikes.

4. Eat a "lean/clean" lunch: Three-quarters of your meal should be mixed vegetables, salad, or soup. One-quarter should consist of lean protein.

5. Follow the American Medical Association's "10,000 Steps a Day" minimum exercise regimen (try taking a half-hour walk at lunch and opting for stairs whenever possible) and set a reminder for two-minute breaks during the day. During the breaks, look out a window at the sky and take deep, slow breaths. These breaks will help lower the stress hormone cortisol.

5 keys to peaceful energy.

1. See the adventure in change. A study at Stanford University found that people who embrace change and learn from it demonstrate creativity and innovation. This allows them to bounce back from setbacks and achieve their full potential.

2. Reboot your schedule. British scientists discovered that women who funnel most of their energy into projects that are fundamentally important to them are more producative, commit fewer errors and report less fatique when tackling tedious tasks like paying bills.

3. Anticipate the good that's still to come. Looking forward to upcoming experiences can ward up stress, report researchers at Californias's Loma Linda University. Daydreaming about a happy future promotes vivid emotions that reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol by 36 percent.

4. Swap out draining foods. Cutting back on sugar not only promotes weight loss and energy but can also keep the brain sharp, according to new research at Comlumbia University Medical Center in New York City. Scientists found that preventing chronically elevated blood sugar levels increases blood flow to and boosts activity in the region of the brain that controls memory and learning.

5. Create a happiness bubble. A recent survey conducted by SC Johnson revealed that over 90 percent of moms spend a whopping 20 hours every week carpooling their kids to and from. That makes the car am ideal place to engage in tension-reducing conversations. Spending just 10 minutes chatting with a loved one prompts the release of the hormone oxytocin. A surge of this calming chemical counteracts the effects of the stress hormone cortisol.



Take time to work;
it is the price of success.

Take time to think;
it is the source of power.

Take time to play;
it is the secret of perpetual youth.

Take time to read;
it is the foundation of wisdom.

Take time to be friendly;
it is the road to happiness.

Take time to dream;
it is hitching your wagon to a star.

Take time to love and be loved;
it is the privilege of the gods.

Take time to look around;
it is too short a day to be selfish.

Take time to laugh;
it is the music of the soul.


(old irish prayer)