What is The Secret to a Happy and Healthy Life?

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Life, although complex at times, doesn’t need to be lived with the words, “What if?” on your lips.

I write every week about how natural things like fruits, veggies, plants, and your surroundings have a great effect on your health, but only if you eat, apply or do them.

Nothing will change in your life if you don’t take responsibility for your actions. Turmeric will not help clean your liver if you don’t take it. De-cluttering won’t help with your stress level if you don’t de-clutter. I could go on and on, but I don’t think I need to. You get the idea of what I’m trying to say.

So how can we enjoy a healthy life, get everything under the sun accomplished, go to work, make the family happy and not stress? Is it even possible?

What if I told you Absolutely it is possible? What if I told you it’s not only possible but it can be accomplished by anyone? Would you believe me?

I have chased a dream, stayed up late for years at a time working and have figured out something extremely important. Life is Heaven or Hell and you get to choose which one it is for you.

Each day we live we should enjoy it, every part of it. The smells, the sights, your family, they all should be something you love and look forward to spending time around or with, or what’s the point?

I went abroad for eight months last year with my family and out of everything we did and saw, the one thing that I loved the most was that we were together. Yes, I worked while we were away, but I also took the time to enjoy where we were because it was something special that couldn’t be repeated.

Everyday life doesn’t always seem special. In fact, a lot of the time we take for granted our situation. The grass is green where ever you plant it, remember that. What you see, do and how you feel has a direct impact on your life and how you perceive it.

The questions we may be asking ourselves usually indicate and take us to the root of the problem. Questions like, Why do I feel this way? Why am I procrastinating? Why am I snacking out on bad food?

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Since we know this, let’s focus on how we can make a change to have an overall healthy and abundant life starting with food as an example.

Some people have a hard time pinpointing why they eat the way they do and others know exactly. Everyone is different with different personalities which is why this is not a one size fits all kind of thing, but our health is. 

We are what we eat and if you’re eating trash for food that has no nutritional value, then that’s what your body will look like.

I realize, as I’ve just mentioned, that there could and probably is an underlying issue to why you eat the way you do. That needs to be addressed first or you will just keep going back to the comfort foods and never improve your physical health. Food shouldn’t be a crutch it should be something that you enjoy every bite of.

When you look at why you reach for the refrigerator door you will begin to understand that you may not have a food problem at all, you may have an emotional issue that needs your attention. Are you reaching for food because you can, your kids are driving you crazy, you’re over weight anyway so why care anymore, or out of everything it is the one things you can control?

If you struggle with eating because that’s the only thing you seem to have control of in your life, then you need to take a look at gaining real control. Your eating whatever you want is not you in control. That’s just you destroying your body because it feels good at the time and nobody can stop you. 

Downing a carton of ice-cream to make yourself feel better is a short term thing. In the end, it doesn’t help. These bad choices we make take away from our overall health and ability to function at full steam.  They also make us feel worse because of the mental beating we give ourselves afterward.

So let’s talk about what would help our health. You have cravings, we all have cravings, that only certain foods seem to satisfy. In reality, those cravings usually mean our body is lacking something nutrition wise or it is feeding our emotions. 

So much of the time, our body is talking to us and we ignore or don’t translate properly what it’s saying.  Take the lack of nutrition aspect for example. If you crave chocolate then you’re probably lacking magnesium or another type of mineral, so the healthy alternative would be to eat raw nuts, legumes, and fruits instead of eating more chocolate.

Note: If you would like more information on this subject, a great resource is FoodCravings

Emotionally wise, you need to pay attention to when you reach for the chocolate. What triggers it? Don’t abuse food and the enjoyment of it by eating five muffins in one sitting because you got fired from your job or your spouse said something you didn’t like.

No, take control and realize what your body is saying and enjoy your food.

Here are a few suggestions to help you get started on creating a healthier change and a way for you to look at, not only food, but all aspect of your life.

Remember, our insides are reflected on the outside so we need to:

1. Find the real problem and work to deal with and fix it!
2. Every time you go to the grocery, think about what you’re putting in your cart and would you like to be that item.
3. Find a different outlet for you to vent your hurts, pains, and frustrations. This could be to seek counseling, attend church, try working out, writing, painting, screaming. Okay just kidding about the screaming part, that doesn’t really help:).
4. Start small creating new habits so you’ll be more apt to stick with them. If you are a six-pack or twelve pack a day pop drinker and trying to quit, then you would cut one pop out a day for the first week, then two the next week. Keep decreasing the amount on a weekly or daily basis until you’ve reached your goal. Or when you get frustrated with your children, reach for a small box of raisins instead of a bar of chocolate.
5. Put encouraging verses or reminders on your phone, fridge or mirror, that will bring you happiness all throughout the day.
6. Control your mind, tell it NO, instead of letting it control you!  If you have this one handled you wouldn’t even need the rest.
7. Get an accountability partner, one that will actually hold you accountable for food or how you look at life.
8. Start a conversation asking a question instead of telling someone all of your problems.
9. Slow down. Life is more than a race.
10. Enjoy the smells, the sights, your house, friends, your food.
11. Think happy thoughts.
12. Be consistent, do not justify why it can’t or won’t work or you might as well not start in the first place, because you have just told yourself you can’t do it and you don’t want to enjoy life.
13. Stay positive even if you mess up, have a bad day, cheated on your goals. The point is you’re beginning and trying.
14. That being said, do not justify a bad decision. Own up and move forward enjoying your next moment in life instead of carrying around the baggage.

Words are powerful things. Whether it’s said in your mind or out loud, words can have a great effect on any and all areas of your life. Your health is huge, along with your attitude.

If you have friends who try to discourage you or are just down about life then you need to change your friends. My parents time and time again told us we are who we associate with!!!

Some of your old friends might not care about you as a person, they just care that you stay down in the mud with them. True friends will encourage and love, but bad friends will discourage and smash your efforts to improve.

How can we have the greatest life possible if someone is always cutting us down? The short answer, you can’t. This brings us to the question and why you read this post. What is The Secret To A Happy and Healthy Life? The number one answer is your outlook.

What you think and feel will determine what you do and who you become.

Heather Earles

It all comes down to a choice.

I’m a person who cares about you and would like to see you flourish. I love a healthy choice when something is bothering me, so I have included a couple of smoothie recipes below in hopes that it might encourage you. Why smoothies?  Simple, I like them.

Blueberry Smoothie

1 cup milk (skim or whole)

2 bananas

1 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup blueberries

2 cups of strawberries

1 cup of ice (optional)

1 teaspoon turmeric (optional)

Directions: Mix all ingredients except ice in blender and blend.  Add ice last if you like.  Pour in a tall glass and enjoy.
If you would like to add more milk to thin it out then feel free.

Mango and Kale Smoothie

2 cups of mango

2 cups milk (skim or whole)

1 scoop of strawberry powder mix (optional)

2 cups of kale

1 cup ice

1 teaspoon turmeric (optional)

Directions: Mix all the ingredients except ice in blender and blend.  Now add ice if you like and blend some more until smooth.  Pour in a glass and enjoy.

Now, enjoy your body your life and make changes that will add to your health and future.

Cheers –Heather Earles