Wednesday affirmation

My whole life, all of my experiences, all of the people I have known including those who have passed, and those who are still here have made me who I am today. I am special and unique in the world. I am who I want to be!

Monday Affirmation

After each deep cleansing breath I release negative thoughts and sadness. With each following upbreath I accept positive thoughts and happiness to fill the totality of my body and spirit. I am filled with optimism and happiness.

Friday Affirmation

We all make choices in life. I am the sum total of my choices which make me who I am. We are all of us unique.I celebrate what it is that makes me unique and unrepeatable.

Wednesday Affirmation

I give my emotions, feelings, mistakes, and painful memories over to my higher power to handle. I walk in faith and stay focused only on what my higher power wants for me, and that is prosperity.

Tuesday Affirmation

I choose to be calm and happy.

Monday Affirmation

I am grateful for all that I am and all that I have. I am blessed with great riches and I watch as they grow and multiply.

Affirmation Wednesday

My life is full of abundance. I always have more than enough for myself, my family, and my friends.

Friday's Affirmation

I speak highly of other people. I honor everyone with my words and thoughts.

October is National Substance Abuse Prevention Month

October is National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, a month-long observance that focuses on the role substance abuse prevention plays in promoting safe and healthy communities.

The Scope of Substance Abuse in America

Substance use, including underage drinking and the non-medical use of prescription and over-the-counter medications, significantly affects the health and well-being of our nation’s youth and people of all ages:

• An estimated 10 million people aged 12 to 20 report drinking alcohol during the past month.¹ To put that in perspective, there are more Americans who have engaged in underage drinking than the number of people who live in the state of Michigan.²
• Approximately 23 million Americans—roughly the population of Australia—are current illicit drug users.^3-4 Marijuana use and non-medical use of prescription medications are the most common types of drug use in America.
• Almost 18 million Americans are classified with alcohol dependence or abuse.⁵
• Heavy alcohol use can cause serious damage to the body and affects the liver, nervous system, muscles, lungs, and heart.⁶
• Alcohol is a factor in approximately 41 percent of deaths from motor vehicle crashes.⁷

Stopping substance abuse before it begins can increase a person’s chances of living a longer, healthier, and more productive life.

Mediterranean diet: Choose this heart-healthy diet option.

The Mediterranean diet is a heart-healthy eating plan combining elements of Mediterranean-style cooking. Here's how to adopt the Mediterranean diet.

By Mayo Clinic staff If you're looking for a heart-healthy eating plan, the Mediterranean diet might be right for you. The Mediterranean diet incorporates the basics of healthy eating — plus a splash of flavorful olive oil and perhaps a glass of red wine — among other components characterizing the traditional cooking style of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea.
Most healthy diets include fruits, vegetables, fish and whole grains, and limit unhealthy fats. While these parts of a healthy diet remain tried-and-true, subtle variations or differences in proportions of certain foods may make a difference in your risk of heart disease.

Benefits of the Mediterranean diet

Research has shown that the traditional Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of heart disease. In fact, a recent analysis of more than 1.5 million healthy adults demonstrated that following a Mediterranean diet was associated with a reduced risk of overall and cardiovascular mortality, a reduced incidence of cancer and cancer mortality, and a reduced incidence of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases.
For this reason, most if not all major scientific organizations encourage healthy adults to adapt a style of eating like that of the Mediterranean diet for prevention of major chronic diseases.

Key components of the Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean diet emphasizes:

• Getting plenty of exercise
• Eating primarily plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts
• Replacing butter with healthy fats such as olive oil and canola oil
• Using herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor foods
• Limiting red meat to no more than a few times a month
• Eating fish and poultry at least twice a week
• Drinking red wine in moderation (optional) - Purple grape juice may be substituted for red wine

The diet also recognizes the importance of enjoying meals with family and friends.

Fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains

The Mediterranean diet traditionally includes fruits, vegetables, pasta and rice. For example, residents of Greece eat very little red meat and average nine servings a day of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables. The Mediterranean diet has been associated with a lower level of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol — the "bad" cholesterol that's more likely to build up deposits in your arteries.
Nuts are another part of a healthy Mediterranean diet. Nuts are high in fat (approximately 80 percent of their calories come from fat), but most of the fat is not saturated. Because nuts are high in calories, they should not be eaten in large amounts — generally no more than a handful a day. For the best nutrition, avoid candied or honey-roasted and heavily salted nuts.
Grains in the Mediterranean region are typically whole grain and usually contain very few unhealthy trans fats, and bread is an important part of the diet there. However, throughout the Mediterranean region, bread is eaten plain or dipped in olive oil — not eaten with butter or margarines, which contain saturated or trans fats.

Healthy fats

The focus of the Mediterranean diet isn't on limiting total fat consumption, but rather to make wise choices about the types of fat you eat. The Mediterranean diet discourages saturated fats and hydrogenated oils (trans fats), both of which contribute to heart disease.
The Mediterranean diet features olive oil as the primary source of fat. Olive oil provides monounsaturated fat — a type of fat that can help reduce LDL cholesterol levels when used in place of saturated or trans fats. "Extra-virgin" and "virgin" olive oils — the least processed forms — also contain the highest levels of the protective plant compounds that provide antioxidant effects.
Monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats, such as canola oil and some nuts, contain the beneficial linolenic acid (a type of omega-3 fatty acid). Omega-3 fatty acids lower triglycerides, decrease blood clotting, are associated with decreased sudden heart attack, improve the health of your blood vessels, and help moderate blood pressure. Fatty fish — such as mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon — are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Fish is eaten on a regular basis in the Mediterranean diet.

Wine

The health effects of alcohol have been debated for many years, and some doctors are reluctant to encourage alcohol consumption because of the health consequences of excessive drinking. However, alcohol — in moderation — has been associated with a reduced risk of heart disease in some research studies.
The Mediterranean diet typically includes a moderate amount of wine. This means no more than 5 ounces (148 milliliters) of wine daily for women (or men over age 65), and no more than 10 ounces (296 milliliters) of wine daily for men under age 65. More than this may increase the risk of health problems, including increased risk of certain types of cancer.
If you're unable to limit your alcohol intake to the amounts defined above, if you have a personal or family history of alcohol abuse, or if you have heart or liver disease, refrain from drinking wine or any other alcohol. Also keep in mind that red wine may trigger migraines in some people.

Putting it all together

The Mediterranean diet is a delicious and healthy way to eat. Many people who switch to this style of eating say they'll never eat any other way. Here are some specific steps to get you started:

• Eat your veggies and fruits — and switch to whole grains. An abundance and variety of plant foods should make up the majority of your meals. They should be minimally processed, and try to purchase them when they're in season. Strive for seven to 10 servings a day of veggies and fruits. Switch to whole-grain bread and cereal, and begin to eat more whole-gain rice and pasta products. Keep baby carrots, apples and bananas on hand for quick, satisfying snacks. Fruit salads are a wonderful way to eat a variety of healthy fruit.
• Go nuts. Keep almonds, cashews, pistachios and walnuts on hand for a quick snack. Choose natural peanut butter, rather than the kind with hydrogenated fat added. Try tahini (blended sesame seeds) as a dip or spread for bread.
• Pass on the butter. Try olive or canola oil as a healthy replacement for butter or margarine. Use it in cooking. After cooking pasta, add a touch of olive oil, some garlic and green onions for flavoring. Dip bread in flavored olive oil or lightly spread it on whole-grain bread for a tasty alternative to butter. Try tahini (blended sesame seeds) as a dip or spread for bread too.
• Spice it up. Herbs and spices make food tasty and are also rich in health-promoting substances. Season your meals with herbs and spices rather than salt.
• Go fish. Eat fish once or twice a week. Fresh or water-packed tuna, salmon, trout, mackerel and herring are healthy choices. Grilled fish tastes good and requires little cleanup. Avoid fried fish, unless it's sauteed in a small amount of canola oil.
• Rein in the red meat. Substitute fish and poultry for red meat. When eaten, make sure it's lean and keep portions small (about the size of a deck of cards). Also avoid sausage, bacon and other high-fat meats.
• Choose low-fat dairy. Limit higher fat dairy products such as whole or 2 percent milk, cheese and ice cream. Switch to skim milk, fat-free yogurt and low-fat cheese.
• Raise a glass to healthy eating. If it's OK with your doctor or your recovery plan, have a glass of wine at dinner. If you don't drink alcohol, you don't need to start. Drinking purple grape juice may be an alternative to wine.

Steps to Get You Moving! - Fitness

Steps to get you moving

• More information on steps to get you moving

With all the things that you have to do each day, finding the time and motivation to get moving can be challenging. Here are 20 ideas for getting started and keeping it going:

1. If you can't set aside one block of time, do short activities throughout the day, such as three 10-minute walks.
2. Choose activities that are fun.
3. Vary your activities, so you don't get bored. For instance, use different jogging, walking, or biking paths to vary your routine. Or bike one day, and jog the next.
4. Join a hiking or running club.
5. Wear a pedometer (a small tool worn on your belt) that counts the number of steps you take. Try to walk a little more each day or week.
6. Create opportunities for activity, such as parking your car some distance from your destination and walking.
7. Use stairs instead of the elevator.
8. Walk or bike to work or to the store.
9. Be physically active at lunch with coworkers, family, or friends.
10. Join an office or community sports league.
11. Take a break at work to stretch or take a quick walk.
12. Don't let cold weather keep you on the couch! You can find activities to do in the winter, such as exercising to a workout video.
13. If you have children, make time to play with them outside. Set a good example!
14. Go dancing with your partner or friends..
15. Turn activities into social occasions — for example, go to a movie after you and a friend work out.
16. Plan active vacations that will keep you moving, such as taking tours and site-seeing on foot.
17. Set specific, short-term goals, and reward yourself when you achieve them.
18. Don't expect to notice body changes right away. It can take weeks or months before you notice some of the changes from being physically active, such as weight loss.
19. If you live in a neighborhood where it is unsafe to be physically active outdoors, contact your local recreational center or church to see if they have any indoor activity programs that you can join.
20. Make physical activity a regular part of your day, so that it becomes a habit — and perhaps something you look forward to!

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More information on steps to get you moving

Explore other publications and websites

• Be Active Your Way: A Guide for Adults  — This physical activity guidebook helps you get moving, commit to physical activity, and make it a lifelong habit.
• The Exercise Habit (Copyright © American Academy of Family Physicians)  — This publication provides information on how you can start an exercise program and how to make it a habit. It also provides information about the different types of exercise and the benefits of physical activity.
• Physical Activity for Everyone: Overcoming Barriers to Physical Activity  — This page helps you understand common barriers to physical activity and gives suggestions on how to overcome them.
• The President's Challenge  — No matter what your fitness level, the President's Challenge can help you improve it. On this site you can learn how to create an active lifestyle, keep a log of your physical activity, and use online fitness calculators to track your progress in achieving your fitness goals.

Connect with other organizations

• Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity, CDC 
• President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition 
• SmallStep.gov 
• The President's Challenge 
• Weight-Control Information Network 

Tuesday Affirmation

I advance with love and peaceful action: at all times my heart is open, caring and full of compassion; at all times my mind is open, attentive and full of understanding and, at all times, my spirit is awakened, powerful and full of light!

Monday Affirmation

My age does not determine my beauty, my health or my desires. My age does not determine what I accomplish today and in my life. I choose to live every minute to the limits of my abilities.