Health: Fate or Free Will?

Do we really have control over our health? The question of whether or not the events of your life are based on fate or free will is age old. And this certainly relates to how and when we leave this Earth.  When working and talking with people about their health and diet, a common response ties into this notion of the pre-destiny of our lives and our ultimate fate.  This type of response comes from either a) the individual with an absolute faith in a higher being that dictates all or b) the individual who falls back on a) because it sounds nice (and/or he/she really doesn't know) and realistically doesn’t want to change their eating habits at that point in time.  Inherent in the work that I do, I do feel that our health is determined by the choices we make everyday and our environment, but whether or not these choices are shaped by our fate or actual free will is beyond me.   

Recipe For Happiness

For you ultimate pessimists reading this, perhaps you should skip this entry to prevent slight nausea and potential vomiting.  But on the other hand, perhaps this entry has been written especially for you.  Although happiness is relative, below is my own personal recipe for happiness.  Feel free to add more ingredients in the comments section :) 


Recipe for Happiness
Ingredients:
2 Heaping cups of Patience 
1 Heart full of Love 
2 Hands full of Generosity 
1 Head full of Understanding 
1 Dash of Laughter (very large) 
1 Pinch of Hope and Faith  


Directions:
Mix ingredients.  Sprinkle generously with kindness, add plenty of faith and mix well. Spread over a period of a lifetime and serve to everyone you meet.

Food for the Soul: Service to Others

Today, Americans celebrate the national holiday dedicated to the life and accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (well some may be catching up on sleep instead).  Most known for his work as a pioneering civil right’s leader and advocate for justice and peace, Dr. King also championed for overcoming poverty and education inequities for all people.  "Life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?'" King once proclaimed. In line with this, President Bill Clinton established the King holiday as a national day of service in 1994, and dedicated it “a day on, not a day off.”  So the question lies in what are you doing to serve others in honor of Dr. King and beyond?  

'Tis the Season...

Although it seems like a month-long hiatus from Gain Great Health, my (almost) week-long absence has been filled with a very important aspect of the season...spending quality time with the people I care about (and not a computer!).  Instead of rushing home to upload my next blog entry, I have engaged in meaningful conversations and spent valued moments with my close family members and friends.  The media often focuses on the seemingly more exciting aspects of the season such as eating and shopping, and I couldn’t even help but feed into this with my previous “Beat the Holiday Bulge” entry!  But the reality is that 25% off deals and the decadent holiday treats (or avoidance of them), are merely secondary to the true meaning of the season.  If you are Christian, you’re (or should be) celebrating the birth of Jesus; if you are Jewish, you’re supposedly commemorating the re-dedication of the holy temple in Jerusalem; if you celebrate Kwanzaa, you are reconnecting to your African roots and recognizing the struggles of American American people; and if you’re a Santa and Rudolph celebrator, well....you either have kids (and fail to provide explanations) or are rehashing unfulfilled childhood moments.  And the New Year is meant to be celebrated as we enter a new year of possibilities.

Give Thanks

Aside from the elaborate spectacle of food at the dining room table, Thanksgiving is a day to give thanks for what’s truly important in life (and if you don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, giving thanks certainly still applies!).  In this day and age, it’s often easy to get side tracked on what used to be a simple question.  What are you grateful for in your life?  Take a moment to reflect on your day, the past week, month, and year and think about what has given you motivation, hope, and positive perspectives.   Write down your honest answers, and know that this is what you you should be grateful for.  

The flat screen TVs, laptops, iPods and iPads, Blackberries, and other electronic gadgets--that fill up good portions of our present-day existence--have taken away from life’s true importance.  I shall call them human-interaction-detracting devices.  Although it may be easier for older generations to accomplish this goal as they may use less and less of these distractors, let Thanksgiving be a reminder to give thanks for your life’s true blessings.  Family, friends, great conversations, smiles, laughter, great health, and nourishing (real!) food for our bodies.

When I was volunteering in Trinidad this summer, the camp coordinators started each training session off right.  Each session began hand-in-hand (kumbaya-style!) with the camp counselors sharing what they were grateful for.  Depending on how your family and/or friends begin your Thanksgiving meal, follow the blessing/prayer with each person at the table saying why they give thanks. This is the true meaning of holiday.    

Laugh A Little More

A wise person once said that ‘“laughter is the best medicine” (a play off of Proverbs 17:22-- a joyful heart is good medicine!). Although I disagree and would argue that proper diet and physical activities habits are the best medicines, laughter is certainly high in the rankings!  Laughter helps to relieve us of any worries that we may be facing even in these brief moments of jubilation.   It helps us feel better and may in fact help pave the way to great health. 
 

Healthy Relationships and Mindsets

Have you ever noticed how certain people can bring your mood down?  Every word that comes out of their mouth is either a complaint or a negative remark about their life situation or about somebody else.  It’s as if each word is a spew of negativity.  Although we can’t avoid some relationships, in other instances we make the choice to surround ourselves with certain individuals.  We also make the choice on whether or not we will bring positivity into someone else’s life or if we will do otherwise.    

The Mysteries of Sleep

Over the past few weeks of stretching myself too thin, I haven’t been getting enough sleep (and feeling every bit of it, I might add).  As I am tirelessly typing away at my computer at 12:30 am, I inevitably fast forward in my mind’s timetable and think about how little sleep I will be getting for the night.   And then there’s the piercing alarm ring when I say to myself, “It’s that time already.”

Welcome to my world, I’m sure most of you are saying.  Sleeplessness is an unfortunate way of life for most Americans (and others around the world for that matter!)--either we can’t fall asleep, we are busy doing things other than sleep, or can’t stay asleep.