7 Reasons Your Relationship Is Not Healthy

When it comes to developing a solid foundation in your relationship, it’s important for you to be aware of certain things that can weaken this process. Establishing a healthy and long-lasting connection between you and your partner is the key to building a solid foundation.

Below I will share with you 7 reasons your relationship may not be healthy. I will help educate you and give you deeper insight into why these specific reasons weaken your foundation. Finally, I will give you some practical steps to re-establish your foundation.

Resentment is the strong bitterness you feel when someone does something wrong to you. Do you have resentment building in your relationship? Having resentment in your relationship builds a huge wall right in between you and your partner. As the years go on, the bigger the wall of resentment will become. With this big wall, how can love possibly grow? It would be near to impossible to love your partner if you viewed them in a negative light.

Do you experience negative feelings whenever your partner does something? Or how about getting into an argument and bringing up the past? If you answer, “Yes,” to both of these questions, you have resentment in your relationship. The key to letting go of resentment is to learn how to forgive your partner. We are all human and make mistakes. Now is the time to decide to forgive your partner for their mistakes. If you are committed to developing a healthy and long lasting connecting with your partner, you must let go of resentment.

What does it mean when you air out your dirty laundry? Take a moment and reflect on the picture above. You see that there are adult pants, kid pants, and socks. Whoever put their laundry out felt that it was okay for others to see it. Use this analogy when it comes to a relationship. I have met some couples who felt that it was okay to air their problems out in public. These problems can include the physical, financial, emotional or psychological.

A relationship starts to become unhealthy when you talk about private issues out in public—whether it be with your friends, family, co-workers, or even acquaintances. When you are in a committed relationship, you must always be a united front. No matter what issues you are experiencing in your relationship, it must always stay between the two of you.

When you air out your dirty laundry for the public to see, it can become very embarrassing to you or your partner. When you put down your partner in front of others, you are embarrassing them. This act does nothing but destroy your relationship. Be consciously aware when you talk to others about your partner. When you do talk to others, always shed positive light about them. If you are experiencing some tough times in your relationship, this does not give you the “green light” to talk badly about your partner. This is when you need to have open and honest communication between the two of you. If it seems like you need a third party, seek a professional. There is absolutely nothing wrong with seeing a relationship counselor or a therapist. This can only help bring wisdom to your relationship.

Unplug from society every once in a while and plug into your mind. We live in a society that is filled with so many distractions and noise. It seems like we are constantly plugging into the latest trend, what’s on television and what others are talking about. When it comes to your relationship, all this noise can really affect your connection with your partner in a negative way. Our society sets a standard for how we are supposed to have a relationship. Whether it be how you should dress, how you should act, or what you should do when you get into an argument. Following society’s standard can have a huge impact on your relationship. This impact causes you to lose touch with who you truly are and what kind of relationship you want.

It’s important for you and your partner to decide between each other what kind of relationship you want to have. Women today are under a lot of pressure with their looks and appearance. Men are experiencing pressure on what it takes to be a “true man.” Living in a society where it seems like sex is everywhere, you must set the standard for your relationship. Decide between the two of you how you want to experience a loving and committed relationship.

“Stop living in the past. The only thing we should do about what happened yesterday is to learn from it. Yesterday, good or bad, is history. Tomorrow is a dream, a hope, a passion. Don’t let your history destroy your dream.” — Edwin Mamerto

Some of my clients experience this in their relationship. It’s important that you are consciously aware of when you bring up the past during the present. When this happens, it not only hurts your partner, but also builds a wall between the two of you. When a couple experiences an argument, it’s easy to bring up the past. When a person is upset and/or hurt in a relationship, there is a high possibility that their past experiences are coming up. Whether it be their childhood, a traumatic situation or something that happened between the couple that causes one person to bring up emotions of hurt, pain and frustration. A relationship can never develop when the past is constantly being mentioned. How can you and your partner possibly deepen the connection between the two of you when the past keeps coming up?

When you are experiencing emotions of pain, hurt and frustration from the past, it’s important for you to be aware of this. It’s even more important to not throw these emotions at your partner whenever you are in an argument. This causes your partner to become defensive and distance themself from you. You and your partner will be making mistakes along the way and it’s important for the two of you to work through these mistakes so you can both move forward and develop your relationship. Learn to forgive your partner and have an open discussion about your past and why you bring it up.

It’s all about balance when it comes to work and personal time. A lot of people have difficulty turning “off” from work when they get home. This can really affect your relationship.

If you allow yourself to continue to think about work when you’re with your partner, your relationship is not healthy. When you spend time with your partner, be with your partner. How can you possibly spend quality time with them when your mind is still at work? Allow yourself to disconnect from your job and connect with your partner. If you want to develop your relationship, it’s important to learn when to “turn it off”.

The number one cause of stress in a relationship is financial stress. When you find yourself arguing about finances on a consistent basis with your partner, you are experiencing financial stress. This stress can affect every aspect of your relationship. Whether it be in the bedroom, what you can buy, or lack of trust. Financial stress leads to an unhealthy relationship. You are constantly worrying about what you can buy or not trusting your partner.

The solution to financial stress is to be on the same page with your finances. Make sure you are able to have an open discussion and communicate in a way that is both productive and respectful.

One aspect of being in a monogamous and committed relationship is being sexually involved with your partner. If it seems like you are avoiding the topic of sex in your relationship and just going through with the process of sex, this is an issue that needs to be addressed. It’s important for you and your partner to openly discuss what you like and what you don’t like. Your relationship becomes unhealthy when it seems like it’s only a one way street, or you are giving of yourself without receiving anything. There’s a balance to be achieved. When you don’t feel open enough to talk about sex in your relationship, it’s a sign that this topic needs to be discussed.

I highly suggest reading the book Mars and Venus In The Bedroom, by John Gray. He shares wisdom on the difference between men and women and how to approach your partner so that you can  have an open and honest discussion about sex without feeling personal and defensive. How can you possibly please your partner when you don’t know what they want and vice versa? Open communication is important in every aspect of your relationship.

Here are the 11 telltale warning signs that you’re in an unhealthy relationship: 11 WARNING Signs Of Unhealthy Relationships You Need to Be Aware Of

Featured photo credit: Keoni Cabral via photopin cc

Tiffany Mason is a Professional Life Coach. Personal Development and Relationship Expert. As the owner of Mason Coaching and Consulting, she uses her expertise by helping busy women who feel disconnected in their life and marriage unleash their inner being and feminine essence in order to live a truly fulfilling and rewarding life. Visit Tiffanymason.com for a FREE audio series!

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The Best Healthy Foods That Will Really Fill You Up

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If You Do It Correctly Getting Healthy Can Help You Further Your Career

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Trying to Lose Weight or Eat Healthy? Stay Away From This List of 13 of the Worst Frozen Dinners.

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Healthy Eating: 5 Killer Strategies to Lose Weight to Live Longer and Happier

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Get On The Road To Better Health By Building Healthy Habits At The Office

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How to Eat Healthy on a Budget

If you want to eat healthier but don’t want to spend half your paycheck at the grocery store every week, I have good news for you. You can eat healthier and save money doing it.

It’s certainly not easy, though, especially when you can hit up the McDonald’s drive through and feed a family of four for under 20 bucks. But these tips will show you how to kill two birds with one stone… so you can eat better and keep a little of your hard-earned cash in your pocket.

First, let’s look at why healthy food is generally pricier.

This is a tough question, and I could give you a very long-winded explanation about the perils of the food industry. Here’s the Cliffs Notes version instead: we have a food system in place that makes unhealthy, highly-processed junk food and fast food more affordable than fresh, healthy foods.

This is detrimental to our collective health because when you don’t have a lot of money to spend, you’re probably going to look for the cheapest, most convenient food possible to feed your family.

Not to worry, because you can still “beat the system.” Here’s how.

1. Shop locally

The absolute best way to eat healthier and save some cash is to buy food from farms close to where you live. Locally-grown produce is delicious. It’s cheap. It’s healthy. It’s better for the environment. And it supports small farmers in your local community. Check out Local Harvest to find a farmer’s market near you.

2. Eat your beans

Beans are one of the most affordable, nutrient-dense sources of protein and fiber. Plus, they’re super cheap (just make sure you go with the salt-free versions if you’re buying canned beans).

Next time you’re at the store, load up on some garbanzo, black, kidney, navy, white, Lima, or pinto beans and eat them as a snack or as a side with lunch or dinner. Here are three of my favorite ways to eat beans:

Combine black beans with a diced avocado, some minced onion, lime juice, and minced jalapeno.Combine garbanzo beans with lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and sea salt to make a delicious homemade hummus dip.Combine pinto beans with cilantro, corn, and Italian dressing for a tasty side dish.

3. Grow your own

Another great way to eat healthy for cheap is to grow your own food. Even if you don’t have the space or sunlight available to have a garden outside, you can grow fresh herbs and lettuce in your windowsill. Try some fresh herbs like basil, thyme, oregano, dill, cilantro, marjoram, mint, and sage. All you need to get started is a few seeds packets, containers, soil, and water.

4. Shop the sales

This one may seem simple and obvious, but plenty of folks fail to take advantage of buying healthy food on sale.

Here’s how to do it: check the ads each week at several grocery stores near you and look out for sales on more expensive healthy foods like chicken, fish, dairy, and nuts.

5. Buy in bulk

This one goes hand-in-hand with shopping for sales. One of the easiest ways to save money on your food bill is to scoop up larger quantities of healthy foods like nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, and lean meats and dairy products.

6. Don’t be everything organic

Organic food is healthier for you and the environment… but it’s much more expensive then conventionally grown produce. Fortunately, the Environmental Working Group has identified a list of fruits and vegetables that are the most and least contaminated. Check out this list of the “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean Fifteen.”

These are six of the easiest ways to eat healthy for cheap.

Now let’s hear from you… what are your favorite methods for saving money on healthy food?

Here are 9 healthy snack ideas that will satisfy your hunger between meals while keeping your diet on course: 9 Healthy Snack Ideas to Keep Your Diet on Course

Featured photo credit: A doctor taking a piece of a pie chart via Shutterstock

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30sec Tip: Be Aware that Healthy Relationships are Built on Trust

Be aware that healthy relationships are built on trust, and that trust takes time to develop. It may be unwise to share too much of yourself and about yourself too quickly.

Want to build positive relationships? Then make sure not to commit the following 10 things that disrupt relationships:

10 Things To Stop Doing in Your Relationships

Featured photo credit: Image of young man and woman on wheat field via Shutterstock

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Culinary Maps of SF and NYC: The Best Healthy and “Cheat” Dishes

At Saison restaurant in SF, taking in the intoxicating aroma of “Buddha’s Hand” citrus.

During research for The 4-Hour Chef, I ate at well over 100 restaurants in NYC and San Francisco. Below are my favorite Slow-Carb Diet dishes and “cheat day” dishes in both cities, as well as markets and suppliers. Thanks for the help, Trippy!

What will you eat this weekend?

The Top Slow-Carb Diet Meals (NYC) map, board
The Top Cheat Meals (NYC) map, board
Top Specialty Markets & Suppliers (NYC) map, board

The Top Slow-Carb Diet Meals (SF) map, board
The Top “Cheat” Meals (SF) map, board
Top Specialty Markets & Suppliers (SF) map, board

All maps can also be found, color-coded by neighborhood, in the Appendices of The 4-Hour Chef.

For more of my favorites in NYC and San Francisco, please see this piece on Food Republic.

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ODDS AND ENDS: Errata

- Have you found any errors in The 4-Hour Chef? If so, please let me know here: The 4-Hour Chef Errata Form. Please indicate if you’re using Kindle or the hardcover. Thank so much in advance! My team will jump on fixes ASAP.

Posted on December 6th, 2012

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Seeds for healthy cells, candy for cancer: The stop motion tricks behind this TED-Ed lesson

Making this TED-Ed video required (a) a lot of knitting and (b) a ton of boxes of Nerds.

When it came time to animate the lesson “How do cancer cells behave differently from healthy ones?” from educator George Zaidan, our TED-Ed animators had a crazy idea for how to make cell division come alive — using seeds and beans to animate what healthy cells look like as they divide in an orderly pattern and brightly colored candies to show how cancer cells divide quickly and wildly. They also had a good idea for how to show the way cells make up organs of the body—yarn, some knotted, some spooled, some purled and some crocheted.

Sure, cancer doesn’t sound like the most fun topic for an animation. But this lesson explains how chemotherapy works, and why it has such terrible side effects — showing how cancer’s strength is also its weakness. And because the process of making this animation was so fascinating, we asked director Biljana Labovic and animator Lisa Labracio to tell us about how they arrived at this approach.

Nerds? Seeds? Tell us a bit about the visual inspiration and your choice of materials.

Biljana: ”It’s all about growth.” That line from the script inspired me to start thinking how I could make cells physically GROW. Materializing them out of something physical seemed like a good starting point, and seeds seemed like a perfect symbolic material to represent the idea of growth. So I started looking at different type of seeds. Some were too small or too big to animate. Eventually, I expended into grains to create a variety of colors, textures and sizes to play with. I went from white couscous to dark azuki beans, and stayed in the range of brown tones — natural food colors. Combining the seeds and grains allowed us to create a variety of different looking cells, but we ended up using only two — hair cells and liver cells.

Once we animated the healthy seed cell, I wanted apply the same philosophy and visual style to creating a cancer cell. The first thing that came to my mind was candy — food full of processed sugar. My original idea was to use different kinds of jelly beans, but they were a little too big compared to our seeds, so I decided to go with Nerds. Their texture and size was much easier to handle for animation. In contrast to the natural seeds and grains, the colors were very unnatural. In addition, we later digitally adjusted the colors to make them feel even more off.

How did you turn the individual pieces into moving, dividing cells?

Lisa: I began by watching several microscopic videos of cell division, which I used as a reference to create a hand-drawn line animation to serve as a guide for my stop-motion animation. With the cancer cell, for example, the purple candies were gathered together as the nucleus, which were surrounded by multi-colored candies as the cytoplasm. Using a series of tools — including chopsticks and tweezers — I moved the candy bits individually into each position of cell division. After each cell was in place, I would take a picture. All of these steps were done by hand, with a camera and stop-motion software to capture the individual frames.

Did you have to do more digital animation?

Lisa: I shot all of the stop-motion animation against a green screen. This was important, because later when you see several cells dividing on screen at once, I was able to duplicate animation in order to fill the screen with cells. Then, in the scene where we portrayed the effects of chemotherapy on liver, hair, AND cancer cells while all were simultaneously dividing, I was able to shoot the individual cell divisions, and composite them as a whole. This saved me from having to organize and shoot all of that animation under the camera at once, which could literally take weeks! Also, the cell membranes — which were doilies for the healthy cells and plastic plates for the cancer cells — were animated and incorporated with the cell animation in the computer.

How did you design the human body?

Biljana: I started to think of the human body and organs as a very delicate creation and, once again, I wanted to use natural organic materials for everything healthy. Yarn came to mind. I was going through some stock footage of yarn patterns and knitted or crouched ornaments, making a parallel to how each organ is a carefully “knitted” object. I came across a multi-colorful twined ball of yarn and this perfectly represented the brain. Then we put knitted gloves for the hands. Our artist Celeste “digitally crocheted” a few organs like the stomach and lungs using Photoshop. We took photographs of twisted yarn for the intestines, etc. The rest of the body had a nice wavy purl pattern representing the blood flowing.

What were you hoping to communicate to your young TED-Ed audience with this video? 

Biljana: During the early development period for this animation, I was reading a lot about cell division, cancer and chemotherapy, but I was also thinking a lot about healthy lifestyles and foods, and how to convey that message in this video. I was hoping that I could inspire our young audience, perhaps even subconsciously, to be more aware of the food they eat — especially processed sugar. Interestingly enough, the conversations and debates over healthy diet and vegetarianism vs. eating meat exploded on our YouTube channel within minutes of the video being posted. The message apparently came through.

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The Mindful Diet: A Healthy Eating Course

I’m happy to tell you all about my new course on healthy eating, The Mindful Diet. It will run during April and is included if you register for the Zen Habits Sea Change Program. Update: Registration is now closed.

The Sea Change Program, as you might know, is my membership program focused on helping you change your life slowly but completely, and includes video webinars, articles, a forum, the ability to submit questions and participate in polls, guest experts and more.

Included in this membership are regular mini-courses. In February I held a meditation mini-course, and the materials for that are still available if you join the Sea Change Program. And in April, we’ll have The Mindful Diet mini-course, focused on healthy and mindful eating.

It’s going to be powerful. I have a lineup of guest experts, including:

Mark Sisson of Mark’s Daily Apple, on beating sugar and carb cravingsZen priest Susan O’Connell of the San Francisco Zen Center, on mindful eatingKath Younger, RD of Kath Eats, on 10 ways to easily add real food to your dietMatt Frazier of No Meat Athlete, who will do a webinar on vegetarianismJules Clancy of Stone Soup, who will share some amazing healthy & simple recipes, along with tips on healthy grocery shopping and moreJesse Jacobs of Samovar Tea Lounge, on tea and mindful eatingScott Dinsmore of Live Your Legend, on how to lower bodyfat in a monthMike Bundrant of Healthy Times, on stress and eatingInspiring success stories from people who’ve changed their eating habits

In addition, I will have videos, articles and a webinar with me, covering these topics and more:

Learning to eat mindfullyDealing with emotional eating issuesThe optimal dietChanging diet habitsDealing with eating in social situations and travelLosing weight, gaining muscle, and getting healthySimple & frugal - how to keep things simple, fast & cheap but still healthyHow to beat food addictionsJunk food, fast food, convenience foodExercise vs. diet

We’ll also have a habit tracker and a forum to help support a mindful eating habit change during the month.

Also note: included in the Sea Change Program is a growing amount of content to help you change your life, as well as a mini-course on the Habit of Meditation, a new monthly live webinar for bloggers & writers, and more.

Unfortunately registration is closed for April. Read more here.

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How to Be Healthy and Lose Fat: The 3 Minute HIT Health Hack That Helps Burn Fat

There’s new research out that suggests that you can make significant and measurable changes to your fitness. This research has uncovered how to be healthy without having to spend large amounts of time exercising…in just 3 minutes a week.

Yes…just 3 minutes of exercise a week!

To achieve this, it requires you to do High Intensity Training (HIT). In longer, more regular bursts, it can also be used to burn fat too. Science shows that low intensity, long repetition exercise is much more efficient at burning fat. However, for many people it’s a time-sink — it uses up far too much time.

Using HIT can help you burn more absolute amounts of fat in a shorter amount of time and you can improve your insulin sensitivity. It’s a great way for everyone to be healthy.

How does it work?

When you perform high intensity exercise, you use a lot more of your body’s muscles; around 80% of your body’s muscles are active.It moves sugar from blood into the muscle so that it can be readily burned.It releases adrenaline which acts as an appetite suppressant.You can release hormones that break down fat.High intensity exercise causes microscopic tears in your muscles as it strengthens. This healing uses up calories.Insulin regulation occurs due to release of growth factors such as IGF-1.Metabolic rate increases, which means you will burn more calories when resting.

How do you do it?

There are several exercises that can be done to do this. Here’s just one example that you can follow:

The Exercise Bike

2 minutes of gentle cycling to warm up on the bikeGo flat out for 30 seconds2 more minutes of gentle cycling to catch your breathGo flat out for 30 seconds2 more minutesFlat out for the last 30 seconds

And that’s it.

Okay, so this is basically 6 minutes of gentle exercise and 1.5 minutes of HIT, but you can adjust it to suit your needs. The HIT part of the exercise should not last longer than 30 seconds for each time. Do this once a week to help keep insulin levels healthier. If you want to burn fat, you want to be doing this a bit more regularly (like 2-3 times a week).

“HIT is really good at improving glucose uptake into the muscles in a very, very short time,” Professor James Timmons, leading the research at Birmingham, said. “With really intense exercise, you release hormones that can help break down fat. This may help burn that fat over time, after HIT is done.”

UPDATE: Added link to the research

(Photo credit: Woman Showing how Much Weight She Lost via Shutterstock)

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How To Stay Healthy During Your Travels

"Travelling" from Mr iMaax on flickr

When I was working in my corporate career, I was traveling 25% to 50% of my time on overnight trips, sometimes for an entire work week. I still travel for some out of town speaking engagements and conferences but not nearly as much as I use to. However, it is still a challenge to stay healthy during any business or vacation travel.

Many people end up gaining weight after their trips because of not eating healthy, sitting on airplanes or in meeting rooms for hours at a time as well as being stressed. Sometimes the rush of making flight connections results in stuffing yourself with airport fast food just to fill your stomach and when you finally get back to your hotel room, you are just too tired to do anything else.

So here are some tips that I have come up with during my travels to help you stay healthy while away from home.

It is much easier to follow a healthy balanced diet with home cooking, but when it comes to being on the road, proper nutrition is often very challenging if you have to eat out for all of your meals during travel. Here are some eating guidelines I adhere to.

Avoid hotel breakfast items loaded with fat and salt such as sausages, bacon, and fried potatoesPass on the fast food breakfasts tooStart your day with fresh fruit, yogurt and cerealsStick with lighter fare lunches especially if attending conferences and meetingsFind good salads and lower fat, whole-wheat sandwiches for lunchDon’t overeat, especially at buffets or you will feel it back in your hotel roomMinimize the amount of fried, fatty foodsDrink lots of water (bottled where tap water is not safe)Limit your alcohol intake as hangovers during travel are no funDon’t overdo the coffee shop trips during the dayAvoid junk food snacks – pick up some fresh fruit at local grocers insteadPack enough multivitamins to last your entire trip

When I observe people at big meetings and conferences, it is incredible just how few travelers exercise or stay active on the road. With overeating and inactivity, it is no wonder why many travelers end up gaining weight. So here are some tips to stay physically active on the road.

Use the hotel/cruise ship gym – even 20 minutes will help prevent weight gainDo laps in the hotel pool if there is one (always pack your swimwear)Use the hotel gym weights even if you have to modify some exercisesIf the neighborhood around the hotel is safe (ask the concierge), take a brisk walk outsideIf no hotel gym, do basic calisthenics plus low impact cardio inside your hotel roomAlthough tempting to party into the wee hours, get adequate sleep

Sometimes much of the challenge during travel comes from the fact that you have to do what most other travelers will not be doing. If you choose to eat healthy and exercise on the road, you will be among a minority of travelers. However, since it is your own health that matters, do not worry about what others are doing (or not doing) during trips.

It is possible to stay healthy during your travels. Although you may have to take some extra efforts to get the proper nutrition and exercise during your time away from home, you will be rewarded at the end of your trip. You will be able to pat yourself on the back since you maintained your fitness level and did not gain extra weight.

If you have additional tips on how to stay healthy or are willing to share some of your challenges while away from home, please leave your comments below.

Happy travels to you!

Clint Cora is a motivational speaker, author & Karate World Champion based near Toronto, Canada. Get his FREE 3-part Personal Development Video Series on how to expand your comfort zone and finally conquer even your most daunting goals in life.

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The 8 Habits of Healthy Living

‘The art of living well and the art of dying well are one.’ ~Epicurus

I don’t have health insurance, so I have a big investment in staying healthy.

And so I did a little research today — I found the top causes of death, then created a spreadsheet for the controllable risk factors for each.

Some things can’t be controlled (your age, family history of diseases, gender). But others can. And those things aren’t a huge surprise — you already know not to smoke, drink too much, or eat crappily.

It’s interesting, though, how all of the major diseases are caused by the same things: smoking, diet, exercise, alcohol and stress.

Below I’ll list the top habits you can change, and a simple method for changing them.

1. Stop smoking. This is by far the most important habit, as it affects almost every single one of the leading causes of death. It’s also the hardest of these habits to change. It’s not at all impossible — I quit six years ago next month (read my tips).

2. Lose weight (if you’re overweight). This is not exactly a habit — the best habit to form to lose weight is to eat less. Or eat more of things that don’t have a lot of calories, like fruits and veggies. Being overweight is just below smoking the worst risk factor for many diseases.

3. Exercise. You don’t need me to tell you to exercise, but listen to this: lack of exercise is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, colon & rectal cancers, diabetes, breast cancer, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. If you don’t exercise, you’re just asking to get a major disease. It’s almost a magic pill: do a bit of exercise every day, and you get healthy. You don’t need much — start with 5 minutes a day in the morning.

4. Drink only in moderation. Heavy drinking is one of the worst risk factors for many diseases. That’s more than 2 drinks of alcohol a day for men, and more than 1 drink for women. A glass of red wine is a good thing, but too many and you’re greatly increasing your risk of disease.

5. Cut out red & processed meats. Eating red meats, and processed meats like sausages, bacon, canned meats and so on, is a risk factor for colon/rectal cancer, stomach cancer, and high cholesterol, which in turn is a leading risk factor for coronary heart disease and stroke. While this won’t sit well with many people, the overwhelming mass of research supports this. I recommend going vegetarian.

6. Eat fruits & veggies. This is obvious, but it’s amazing how few veggies most people eat. Eating fruits and veggies reduces your risk of several leading diseases, and it’s one of the easiest habits to form. Eat a salad (without heavy dressings, bacon or other meats, croutons or cheese), add veggies to soups or veggie chili, cook up veggies as a healthy side dish with dinner or lunch. Eat fruits with breakfast and as snacks.

7. Reduce salt, and saturated/trans fats. Salt and saturated or trans fats are in so many processed or prepared foods, and they increase risks of high blood pressure and high cholesterol, which increase risk for heart disease and stroke. Despite what the Weston Price Foundation and other people on the Internet tell you, saturated fat isn’t healthy — read the sources. Note that this isn’t a controversy in the medical community, but the “harmlessness” of saturated fats is perpetuated by the diary and meat industries, and lay writers like Gary Taube. Cook your own healthy meals instead of eating out or eating prepared foods.

8. Reduce stress. Stress is a risk factor for heart disease and high blood pressure, which is itself a risk factor for stroke. Simplify your workday so that you’re not overly stressed, and exercise to relieve stress.

This might seem like a lot to change, if you’re not already doing these things, but let me share something with you: I changed all of these in the last 6 years.

In 2005, I was incredibly unhealthy. Then I learned to change my habits, and slowly I:

Quit smoking.Started running.Became vegan.Lost 70 lbs.Cleaned up my diet and got rid of unhealthy stuff.Simplified my life and reduced stress.Cut drinking down to 1-2 glasses of red wine a day.

I did it, and so can you. I changed one habit at a time, slowly, in tiny tiny steps, and it wasn’t hard. Don’t try to change everything, and don’t make it hard on yourself. It’s actually very easy if you’re patience and if you just start.

Here’s how to change these habits:

Change only one habit at a time. It doesn’t matter which habit you choose. Just choose one. You’ll want to do more than one, but don’t.Create positive habits you enjoy. Read the last word again — if you enjoy it, the habit change will be easy. Replace smoking with positive habits you enjoy that fulfill the needs that smoking now fulfills (stress reduction, social lubrication, boredom relief, etc.). Replace red meats with healthy foods you enjoy.Start as small as possible. Just do 5 minutes the first week, and try to be consistent as possible. Then do 10 minutes. Small change is by far the most effective method I’ve used for changing habits. Slow change lasts.Make it social. Find a partner or group to change the habit with you, so you’re more likely to stick with it.

These work. I’ve done them many times, and every time I stick to these principles, I’ve changed a habit.

Healthy living isn’t impossible, or even especially difficult. It’s just slower to come by than most people care for.

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Deep Sleep - Nlp and Hypnosis for Safe, Restful, Healthy Sleep

Deep Sleep - Nlp and Hypnosis for Safe, Restful, Healthy Sleep by Michael J. Emery, M.A., C.Ht., M.NLP - Personal Development Coach

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6 Tips for Healthy Eating when Traveling

There are so many benefits of travel. Seeing exotic places, meeting interesting people, experiencing things you just don’t get at home. And of course, finding new taste sensations (chilli fried grasshoppers with lime anyone?).

Even traveling for work can be fun. Takeoffs and landings. Fancy (and not so fancy) hotels. The security of a corporate credit card. Traveling to places that the average tourist wouldn’t ever think to visit.

But being away from home and our routines can mean it’s more difficult to look after ourselves.Thankfully, it is possible to minimize the damage.

Here are 6 tips to help you stay healthy on the road.

1. Try self catering.
We all know that home cooking tends to be more healthy than restaurant food or room service. So making the occasional meal yourself when you’re on the road can help. You don’t need to be staying somewhere with kitchen facilities. Impromptu picnics on your hotel room floor can be great fun.

My favorite healthy traveling meal is to head to the local supermarket and pick up some washed mixed salad leaves, a can of tuna or other fish and a lemon. I’m also a big fan of canned chickpeas, drained and tossed with a little lemon juice and pre-grated Parmesan cheese – just makes sure you choose a self opening can. I also love sprouted legumes with lemon juice, avocado and almonds.

2. Pack some healthy snacks.
Roasted almonds or other nuts are my go-to snack, but pack whatever works for you. This is for peace of mind so if you get stuck, you won’t have to resort to greasy fast food.

3. Be prepared to develop some new habits.
One of the things I love about travel is the chance to break away from daily routines and form some new ones. On a recent trip to New York, I started taking yoga classes most days, something that isn’t available where I live.

On the food side of things, I found I was sleeping later and going out for brunch rather than my usual early breakfast.

4. Embrace eggs for breakfast.
Breakfast in cafes, restaurants and hotels can be a wonderful experience. Take the time to seek out places known for putting on a good spread to make sure you’re getting your protein in the mornings.

If you’re not aware of the benefits of eating eggs for breakfast, this post will shed some light.

5. Sampling a little is better than going without.
Being a slave to your diet isn’t a fun way to travel. After all, part of the joy of visiting new places is to experience the culture, including the food.

My philosophy is to try a little of everything but not over-indulge. Aim to have the experience but not use it as an excuse to go crazy.

6. Remember the 80/20 Rule.
If you’re trying to be 100% healthy all the time, it can make life on the road much more stressful and make you want to give up all together.

Instead, remember that as long as you’re eating well most of the time, you’ll still be getting MOST of the benefits. A few pastries or chocolate here and there isn’t going to be the end of the world.

Jules Clancy is a qualified Food Scientist and the creator of The Stonesoup Virtual Cookery School. She blogs about simple 5 ingredients recipes that can mostly be prepared in 10 minutes over at Stonesoup.

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Healthy Snacks: 10 Ideas for More Wholesome Eating

Reading Get Started: From Overweight to Healthy recently on Zen Habits, I couldn’t agree more with Leo’s advice.

Eat move veggies, drink more water, move more and get rid of the junk. All great ideas.

It also got me thinking. For me at least, the most difficult part of healthy eating is when it comes to snacks.

It would be nice to think we’re all going to start reaching for a raw carrot or celery stick when hunger strikes between meals. But it can be difficult to go from junk to super healthy in one step.

So here are a few ideas to help you snack more healthfully.

As with all things, remember that even healthy snacks aren’t going to be good for you in large quantities, so moderation is key.

1. nori sheets
Head to your local Japanese or Asian grocery store and grab some nori. Yes, the seaweed stuff used in sushi rolls is delicious fresh from the pack. Although it is quite drying so you will need some water with it.

2. nuts
My go-to snack, especially when I’m traveling. Almonds, brazil nuts, macadamias, pistachios: there’s so much variety to explore. Nuts are portable, delicious and packed with minerals. Look for dry roasted, preferably unsalted. And remember nuts like almonds with their skins on have more fiber than those without.

3. kale chips
There are a heap of different commercial kale chips on the market these days. While delicious, they tend to be expensive, so you could have a go at making your own. Just toss some kale (or other leafy greens) in a little oil, layer on a baking sheet and bake for 5-10 minutes until crisp.

4. salsa
Based mostly on tomato and chilli, a good salsa can be a great way to boost your veggie intake.

5. nut butters
Look for unsweetened nut butters such as almond or cashew butter at your local health food store, or try making your own. Pop a handful of nuts in your food processor and whizz until it forms a nut butter, adding a little oil to help if it looks too dry.

6. antipasto
The Italians know a thing or two about healthy snacking. Olives, marinated veg like eggplant, artichokes or peppers all make wonderful quick snacks. You can even throw in a little proscuitto (but don’t tell Leo).

7. mezze
Similar to antipasto, these Lebanese small plates are a great thing to have in the fridge. Hummus is probably the most famous but there’s also babaganoush, tatziki and beetroot drips to make your carrot and celery sticks more appealing.

8. boiled eggs
While not for the vegans, eggs are a wonderful source of protein. Boil up a whole batch at once then keep them in the fridge to peel and eat with a little salt and pepper as needed.

9. roast chickpeas
I just adore chickpeas (garbanzo beans) in all their forms. And have recently started roasting them and tossing with a little spice to serve as a snack. So. Good. [recipe below]

10. dark chocolate
When only something sweet will do, dark chocolate is your best bet. At least you’ll also be getting some antioxidants. Look for good quality brands that tell you the % cocoa solids. The higher the cocoa, the less sugar.

roasted chickpeas
makes about 1 1/4 cups

By all means cook the chickpeas from scratch if you prefer, but I find canned chickpeas work really well, without the effort.

Feel free to play around with the spicing. If you can’t find smoked paprika, a little cayenne pepper or chilli powder would be lovely. Or keep it simple with just some sea salt and black pepper.

If you have any leftovers, allow them to cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Will keep for a week or so but I like them best while they’re still warm.

1 can chickpeas (14oz / 400g), well drained
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon smoked paprika, optional

1. Preheat your oven to 400F (200C).

2. Place chickpeas in a roasting pan or oven proof dish, drizzle with olive oil and bake for 10 minutes.

3. Stir the chickpeas and sprinkle over the paprika. Bake for another few minutes until the chickpeas are golden and crisp on the outside.

4. Season generously with pepper and sea salt and serve warm or at room temperature.

Jules is a qualified food scientist and the creator of the Stonesoup Virtual Cookery School. Pickup more delicious, healthy 5 ingredients recipes at her blog – Stonesoup.

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Get Started: From Overweight to Healthy

Make one change today.

If you’re overweight and unmotivated to change your life drastically, just make a tiny change.

You’re not alone. There are more overweight people today than ever before, as a percentage of our population and in sheer numbers. I’ve been overweight (65 pounds heavier than I am today) and I know that it doesn’t feel good.

I also know that when we’re overweight, we often go into denial. We think it’s not a problem, or that we’re not that unhealthy, or that it’s something we can fix later. Or more likely, we try hard not to think about it. But it’s there, at the back of our minds if nowhere else, making us feel bad about ourselves and our lives, influencing the rest of what we do.

If it were just a body-image thing, I’d say learn to love your body — and I believe that. Forget the cover models on magazines, the perfect people on TV and in movies. They’re just being used to sell us stuff, but the result is that we get bad body images for not having rock-hard abs. Forget about that. What worries me, though, about friends and family who are overweight is their health — having a big belly puts you at risk of heart disease, diabetes and other similar problems.

Scary stuff.

But how do you start getting healthier and fitter? How do you change a whole slew of habits, from eating too much to eating fried and sweet and fatty foods to drinking sodas and sweet coffee drinks to being sedentary?

You make one change. A tiny little one.

For me, it started with quitting smoking (which is a big change), but then I took up running (starting with just 10 minutes), and then I started changing my diet in little ways.

One small change leads to another, forming a spiral of success. But you don’t need to worry about all the other changes you’re going to make later.

Really, you could start with almost any positive change. What matters is that you start.

But if you’d like a recommendation, here are a few:

1. Eat more veggies. Go to the store today and buy a basket of veggies. Eat them raw as snacks (dip in hummus if you like, not fatty dressings), steam them as side dishes for lunch and dinner, puree them and put them into your usual recipes, eat a salad before your meal. You can start with just one of these changes, and slowly add more veggies each week. This is an easy change but it’s actually huge — more fibre, more vitamins and minerals, fewer calories equals leaner you.

2. Walk. Best exercise ever. Just walk for 10 minutes to start with. Get a friend or your significant other to walk with you and enjoy the conversation. Enjoy nature. After you’ve gotten used to walking, try intervals: 3 minutes of fast walking, 3 minutes of conversational walking, repeat.

3. Drink water. People drink too many calories — soda, beer, smoothies, mochas, frappucinos, shakes, juice, Gatorade. None of those are necessary. Get used to drinking water, which is refreshing, delicious and healthy.

4. Get rid of the junk. This is actually a bit of a drastic change but it makes a really big difference. Take all the junk food in your house (chips, pastries, ice cream, cookies, prepared foods of any kind, fried foods) and toss them. Clean out your fridge and pantry. Buy fruits, veggies, nuts and beans instead, and try some new flavorful recipes. If the junk isn’t around, it won’t tempt you.

You’ve picked your one small change … but how do you get started?

Just take the first small step. Nothing huge or scary. Just a really, really easy one.

Make a list of your favorite veggies, or set a time today to stop at the grocery store for veggies (later try a farmer’s market). Or find a recipe or two that incorporates veggies.

Set a time to walk today or tomorrow. Talk to your spouse about walking together. Get your walking shoes ready. Any of these steps will do — just do one.

Fill a thermos with water. Buy a reusable water bottle. Get rid of the sodas in your fridge. Choose one of these.

Get a garbage bag and toss your junk food.

Choose one, and do it. Celebrate (in your mind, not with a sweet treat). Do another small tiny easy step. Celebrate again. Tell people about the changes you’re making. Do another tiny step. Celebrate some more.

You’re on the road to healthy.
—
tweetle-dee

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