Monday, February 23, 2009

Antioxi what??


Everywhere we look we see the latest and greatest in weight-loss pills, exercise equipment, or anti-wrinkle cremes. How do we make sense of it all? Who do we believe? You have to find a trusted source and go with what YOU feel is best for you. Antioxidants are a rich and powerful ingredient found in certain foods - they help prevent damage caused by oxygen exposure. Check out the photo to the left. The apple on top was sprinkled with lemon juice and on the one on the bottom wasn't. The untreated half becomes brown and shriveled after it's exposure to oxygen, also called oxidation. According to Dr. Mehmet Oz this is what happens to your skin, eyes, and our heart. As their name implies, antioxidants do to your body what lemon juice does to the apple - help prevent the damage caused by oxygen exposure.
One of the top foods loaded with antioxidants are blueberries, however there is something out there that is hitting the market that has double the antioxidant content. Acai is a small fruit found in the South American rain forest and is commonly found in America in a juice form. I recently purchased some Acai vitamins at my local Food co-op and added them to my "must have" vitamin list.
Forever young a possibility? Well, no, but if we can delay the signs of aging naturally, why wouldn't we?

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

What's different about 2009?

2009 is going to be My Year. There have been other milestones throughout my life (In 2000 my husband and I quit smoking cold turkey!), but this is my year to get and stay healthy - physically, emotionally, financially, and spiritually.

My inspiration for this blog came from Oprah's "Your Best Life" series that started in January. As many of us know Oprah has struggled for years with her weight and in 2008 she "fell off the wagon" gaining 40 pounds. Someone who has so many life successes throughout her career its a wonder why her weight continues to be such a struggle? I can so relate!

Oprah's ah-ha moment was that she was not putting herself first. Everyone else was first on her list, and her commitments to others were never broken. However, time and time again she was breaking her commitment to herself by not exercising and eating right. Oprah gathered together several experts to create her Best Life, and is sharing this information via web casts, on oprah.com, and in her magazine, Oprah.

I look forward to sharing my Best Life with you, and I encourage you to share yours with me. What are your struggles? Do you put yourself first? Why, or why not? Lets start this journey by making 2009 our Best Life!