Body Image

We all want to look our best, but a healthy body is not always linked to appearance. In fact, healthy bodies come in all shapes and sizes! Changing your body image means changing the way you think about your body. At the same time, healthy lifestyle choices are also key to improving body image.

* Healthy eating can promote healthy skin and hair, along with strong bones.
* Regular exercise has been shown to boost self-esteem, self-image, and energy levels.
* Plenty of rest is key to stress management.

Small things to help...

To Improve Nutrition:
1. Buy whole foods -- whether canned, frozen, or fresh from the farm -- and use them in place of processed foods whenever possible.2. Reject foods and drinks made with corn syrup, a calorie-dense, nutritionally empty sweetener that many believe is worse for the body than sugar, says Katz.3. Start each dinner with a mixed green salad. Not only will it help reduce your appetite for more caloric foods, but it also will automatically add veggies to your meal.

To Improve Physical Fitness:
1. Do a squat every time you pick something up. Instead of bending over in the usual way, which stresses the lower back, bend your knees and squat. This forces you to use your leg muscles and will build strength. 2. Every time you stop at a traffic light (or the bus does), tighten your thighs and butt muscles and release as many times as you can. (Don't worry, no one will see it!) This will firm leg and buttock muscles, improve blood flow -- and keep you mildly amused! 3. Whenever you're standing on a line, lift one foot a half-inch off the ground. The extra stress on your opposite foot, ankle, calf and thigh, plus your buttocks, will help firm and tone muscles. Switch feet every few minutes.

To Improve Stress Control:
1. Give your partner a hug every day before work. Studies show this simple act can help you remain calm when chaos ensues during your day, Katz says.2. Have a good cry. It can boost your immune system, reduce levels of stress hormones, eliminate depression, and help you think more clearly.3. Twice a day, breathe deeply for three to five minutes

To Improve Sleep:
1. Sprinkle just-washed sheets and pillowcases with lavender water. The scent has been shown in studies to promote relaxation, which can lead to better sleep.2. Buy a new pillow. Katz says that studies show that pillows with an indent in the center can enhance sleep quality and reduce neck pain. Also, try a "cool" pillow -- one containing either all-natural fibers or a combination of sodium sulfate and ceramic fibers that help keep your head cool.3. Eat a handful of walnuts before bed. You'll be giving yourself a boost of fiber and essential fatty acids along with the amino acid tryptophan -- a natural sleep-inducer.

Interesting tips...

I'm all of the time reading tips on how to be healthier, how to improve my workout, etc. This morning I was reading some health tips I thought were interesting. I just thought I'd share a few. Check out the one about how to reduce stress. I thought those was interesting.

To Improve Nutrition:

1. Buy whole foods -- whether canned, frozen, or fresh from the farm -- and use them
in place of processed foods whenever possible.
2. Reject foods and drinks made with corn syrup, a calorie-dense, nutritionally
empty sweetener that many believe is worse for the body than sugar, says Katz.
3. Start each dinner with a mixed green salad. Not only will it help reduce your
appetite for more caloric foods, but it also will automatically add veggies to
your meal.

To Improve Physical Fitness:

1. Do a squat every time you pick something up. Instead of bending over in the usual
way, which stresses the lower back, bend your knees and squat. This forces you to
use your leg muscles and will build strength.
2. Every time you stop at a traffic light (or the bus does), tighten your thighs and
butt muscles and release as many times as you can. (Don't worry, no one will see
it!) This will firm leg and buttock muscles, improve blood flow.
3. Whenever you're standing on a line, lift one foot a half-inch off the ground. The
extra stress on your opposite foot, ankle, calf and thigh, plus your buttocks,
will help firm and tone muscles. Switch feet every few minutes.

To Improve Stress Control:

1. Give your partner a hug every day before work.
2. Have a good cry. It can boost your immune system, reduce levels of stress
hormones, eliminate depression, and help you think more clearly.
3. Twice a day, breathe deeply for three to five minutes

To Improve Sleep:

1. Sprinkle just-washed sheets and pillowcases with lavender water. The scent has
been shown in studies to promote relaxation, which can lead to better sleep.
2. Buy a new pillow.
3. Eat a handful of walnuts before bed. You'll be giving yourself a boost of fiber
and essential fatty acids along with the amino acid tryptophan -- a natural sleep-
inducer.

Stressed Out

Well, I hate to sound like I'm whining to you guys, but I'm a little stressed out. As you might remember from one my previous posts, one of our employees left us for another job last Friday. Well, another employee has now given her resignation. That cuts our office staff in half. It is the busy time of the month on top of all that. We all know what stress does to one's eating habits. I've caught myself snacking when I'm not even really hungry. I've got to do better. I'm going to start trying breathing exercises and just take it one day at a time. Please keep me in mind and I hope things start looking up here at work.