Reflexology For The Spirit

spirituality of one's health

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

What are the most important meals of your day?  Breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

Why?

When you eat something every three-to-four hours, you provide energy to your body.  You’ll be less likely to overeat.

I begin each day with a 5-ounce serving of nonfat plain yogurt which has about 90 calories.  I mix the yogurt with  a 1/4 cup serving of Trader Joe’s Muesli which has about 125 calories.  This mixture is delicious, nutritious, and a good breakfast because it prevents hunger until noon.

Meals don’t all have to be large.  The goal is to give yourself nourishment so you’ll be less likely to overeat.

When you plan your meals so that you schedule something every 4 hours, you can choose what you’ll eat in advance.  This scheduling  not only prevents overeating, it  minimizes your chances of grabbing a candy bar.

For lunch, I may have a nourishing smoothie or 1/2 an avocado, or sliced tomatoes.

When you plan your meals, you’ll also be able to avoid pizza, Chinese food or other fast foods.

Another choice is a  meal replacement shake with a protein powder base.

This shake will ideally have 20-30 grams of protein powder and a maximum of 5 grams of carbohydrate.  There are several brands and flavors on the market.  Try them out  until you find one with the flavor and texture you prefer.

Sample both pre-made shakes and the protein powder mix.  Use unsweetened almond milk or water to make your own shake.

Thank you for reading this article.  Please refer it to your preferred social media network.  Share it with your friends.

Thurman Greco

Winter Solstice – 2020

December 21st is the Winter Solstice – the first day of winter.  The Winter Solstice is the shortest day and the longest night of the year.

Today, we celebrate the annual rebirth of the sun.

People throughout our planet are falling ill with coronavirus.  The numbers of sick and dying are so large and changing so quickly that it’s hard to keep up.

Find a few moments sometime today to reflect on our planetary need for rebirth, regeneration and renewal.   Reflect for a few moments on how it will feel to live on a healthy planet where all beings experience wellness and coexist to honor and support one another.

What will it mean for wellness and healing to become real in the coming year.  Expand your vision to include every living thing on earth.

Take a moment to release those things which no longer serve you.  When you do this, you create space in your heart for healing, acceptance, and positivity  in the new year.

Thank you for reading this meditation.

Please share this meditation with your preferred social media network.  Forward it to your friends.

Thanks again

Thurman

 

What’re the best foods to eat on a diet?

What foods work well with losing weight?

Vegetables, that’s what! – the more the merrier.

When you finally get going on your diet, you’ll probably have a list of foods specific to your personal diet needs.  However, that may not happen in your case.

This article is not about choosing your diet.  Everyone has to make that decision.  As soon as you decide to go on a diet, you have to decide:  which diet?

That’s a personal choice that I’m not discussing now.  What I’m discussing is  foods that will work well for losing weight – generic diet foods.

Whatever diet you are on, a good guideline is this:  Eat vegetables throughout your day.

When you first begin your diet, choose three non-starchy vegetables each day.  Later on, work yourself up to five.  Finally, make seven vegetables each day your new habit.

Begin with some vegetables at breakfast.  A good example is scrambling veggies in your eggs:  peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, for example.

At lunch, enjoy a large salad or vegetable soup.

Good snacks include hummus with your cucumber slices and bell pepper slices.

Carrots sticks and celery slices are easy at snacks and meals.

Fresh veggies are best, but you may use frozen if that’s what’s available.

Vegetables listed below should be good on most any weight-loss diet.  You may find a few on this list that won’t work for you.   Veggies to avoid are those served creamed, or with a cheese sauce.  Breaded vegetables are not a good option.  Anything in a creamy dressing is a bad choice.  This also includes fried vegetables.

Overall, this list should be adaptable to your needs:

alfalfa sprouts, artichokes, asparagus, arugula

beets, bok choy, broccoli, butternut squash

cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, celery root, collard greens, corn, cucumbers

edamame, eggplant, green beans

Italian beans

kale

lettuce of all varieties, lima beans

mushrooms, mustard greens

okra, onion

parsnips, peas, peppers (all varieties), potatoes

radishes (all varieties), rhubarb

sauerkraut, snow peas, soy beans, spaghetti squash, spinach, split peas, summer squash, sweet potatoes, Swiss chard

tomato, turnips,

wax beans, winter squash

yams, yellow squash

zucchini

Fruits are not quite as easy.  Some diets don’t include many fruits.  Also, diabetics need to talk to a medical professional or dietitian before eating much fruit.  Skip the canned fruits, even in their own natural juices.  Dried fruits and fruit chips are not a good option.  Fruits that have been processed are not a good option.

apples, apricots

bananas, blackberries, blueberries

cantaloupe, cherries, clementines

grapefruit, grapes

honeydew melon

kiwi

mango

nectarines

orange

papaya, peach, pear, pineapple, plum, pomegranate

raspberries

strawberries

tangerine

watermelon

Whatever your diet, if you eat more fresh fruit and vegetables and fewer processed foods, you’ll lose weight, clean out your arteries, balance your blood pressure, and reduce your health care costs.

Whatever diet you finally choose, I hope you’ll join this blog on your journey.  I’ll be sending  you tips, information, and tactics to help make your weight control easier.

I’m hoping you’ll find that eating well is not difficult but IS delicious.  I’m also hoping that you’ll find your diet will be easier.

Thanks,

Thurman Greco

If you find this article interesting, please forward it to your preferred social media network.

Stress Busting Starts Here!

Let’s face this right now.  Diets are stressful.

So is everything else when you’re dieting.

Even before you settle on the diet you’re going to adopt, find your stress busters.  .

The bottom line is this:  choose activities to do when you feel stressed.  You don’t want to eat to combat stress.

Choose your healthy coping mechanism from dancing, gardening, journaling, meditating, puzzles, reading, singing, volunteering.

If you are a member of the right gym, you’ll be able to take advantage of stress busting activities offered.  These may include yoga, zumba, spinning, and dozens of other activities.

Cultivate simple things you can do at home and at work to lift your spirits.  These can include midday walks and  playing relaxing music.

The idea is to have activities which don’t include munching on nuts and candies.

Walking 10,000 steps daily is a good stress reducing goal.

A weekly bodywork session can only be good for you and your diet success.  Of course, I recommend reflexology, reiki therapy, or mindfulness meditation.

Your options are in the hundreds.  Choose the most relaxing options for you and your lifestyle.

Two effective stress-reducing habits which can help you include keeping an appointment calendar and an ongoing to-do list.

Life is filled with small stressors which can be avoided with a calendar and a list.

For example, with a to-do list at the grocery store, you won’t leave out a key ingredient for a meal.  This seems like a small enough thing but if you’re stressed already, that missing item can be the one that complicates your life.

A calendar will make sure you don’t miss an appointment.   Your life can be streamlined and easier if you use it to help you shop, keep up with friends and relatives, make appointments.

In reality, you’ll lose less time because you forgot something or someone.

When you include a gym membership in the mix with the calendar and the to-do list, you’ll be much more organized.    You’ll be more physically fit.  Your new diet will be an easier experience.

Thanks for reading this blog post.  Please refer it to your preferred social media network.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thurman Greco

thurmangreco@gmail.com