Island Time

Last week I took my kids to the island of Maui with a friend and his children.  Making that trip is something I have wanted to do for several years now. I wanted to share the underwater world—it’s silence, beauty and awe, as well as the view from the top of the volcanic mountains—with my children.  The trip was wonderful. I didn’t wear a watch. 

Have you noticed the difference in the hurriedness of life in the city vs. the relaxed pace of a beach town?  I notice it each time I go to Florida to visit my family. I enjoyed it again in Maui. I believe the beach folks have the right idea. While the beauty of the locale helps to remind them to stop, relax and reflect, I believe we can do the same anywhere…with practice and intention.  Life is not meant to be rushed through. We can miss an awful lot if we don’t slow down. And truth be told, it’s much more enjoyable at a balanced pace.  What is that saying? “Life is what happens when you are busy making plans.”  I’m not saying we don’t need plans, but how about building in time for what’s really important? Time to take care of our bodies. Time for family –true attention to our loved ones. Time for meditation and prayer. Time to take in the beauty around us—even if it’s not in the light green crystal waters of Maui—there IS beauty. We just have to open our eyes, slow down, take in the sounds around us and experience life like a child.  With wonder, amazement, and sheer enjoy.  Try it!  Aloha.

Awe Inspiring….and yes, a little shameless advertising while we were over there!

I can’t imagine a day without tea…well, actually several cups of it! When I was battling leukemia, everything about the disease was depressing. The “stats” were depressing. Spending so much time in doctor’s offices and hospitals made me feel helpless. So I made a shift. I decided to put my time and attention on being WELL. Health was/is positive. Things I could do for myself were empowering. Reading health and fitness magazines, seeing healthy, fit bodies helped me visualize where I would be again, one day. I read all of Andrew Weil’s books, plus a slew of others on nutrition and health. One of the early changes I made was to begin a regimen of drinking green tea. Organic, Japanese, sencha green tea. 4-6 cups a day. I FELL IN LOVE with it! I enjoy the process of preparing the tea, the warmth of a mug in my hands, the steam on my face, and the light, grassy aroma. The light green color even LOOKS healthy! Green tea doesn’t go through an oxidation process like most teas. And, most of them are grown in Japan or China. It has many health benefits. Although it naturally contains caffeine, one mug’s worth contains less than 25% compared to an average cup of coffee. If you are trying to reduce your caffeine consumption (New Year’s resolution, perhaps?), switching from coffee to green tea is a very healthy alternative. Scientists have shown a correlation between green tea consumption and reduced cancer risk, weight loss, and improved heart health. And if you have a sore throat, green tea with a little honey is oh-so-soothing! I’m happy to report that in May I will celebrate 8 years of REMISSION. I still drink several cups of green tea a day. It’s alkaline, it’s healthy. Each sip is a sip of enjoyment and pleasure, of thankfulness and celebration, and a brief respite from the busyness of the day. Cheers!

Toxic seems to be such a negative word. Yes, there are most certainly many “opportunities” for exposure to convenience food & lifestyle environments that pose a danger to our well being. And yes, there is aggressive marketing and misinformation out there to hawk so-called “nutritional” foods for profit at the expense of OUR health or environment. Not to mention the office “spread” opportunities, and great tasting (?), but cheap fast food. But I don’t think our future is bleak. And the world IS a beautiful place to be. I sincerely believe each one of us can make a difference….one change at a time, one person at a time, one day at a time….beginning with ourselves. Don’t we all want to lead healthy, happy lives? The way to do that is to follow a path that includes regular physical activity, good nutrition, preventive screenings, and EVERY day—make smart, healthy decisions. Did you know that a healthy lifestyle can easily add 10-20 years to a lifespan, not to mention dramatically improve the QUALITY? Sometimes the commitment seems too big. It’s really not. TRUST me. It’s about making small changes, daily choices, and a commitment to your goal. Small steps, ladies. And we’ll do it together. On this site, we can help each other with answers, suggestions, and provide synergistic encouragement. The sisterhood is strong. And the knowledge of ALL of us combined is POWERFUL. Join us. Be Strong. (Btw, I just love Lance’s “LIVEstrong” bracelet. Someone gave it to me when I was fighting leukemia and the mantra just resonated with me… Live Strong. Heck yeah. I will live strong, baby. I AM living strong. Every day.)  Life and health are such precious gifts. I am so thankful. Stay tuned, chicas….and stay STRONG!  Lisa