Anti-aging Secret Unlocked.

In 1990 Dr. Haley and colleagues published a ground breaking paper in Nature on shortened telomeres and longevity. Telomeres are the ends of DNA chromosomes. We can think of them as like those bits at the ends of our shoelaces. Studies suggest that the shorter the telomere the more is the existence of age related cellular damage such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, infections and even some cancers. 

The upside is that scientists posit that the telomeres can be lengthened by regular exercise, a plant based diet, stress management and emotional connections. While more research is underway, consider this new feather in the cap of those that practice healthy living. 

Happiness

    Remember when mom use to say, "your eyes are bigger than your appetite." That phrase is about expectations and what we imagine in our mind. As a child we imagined the pleasure we would receive by consuming a large amount of our favorite treat. If a small amount is heavenly, we imagine the induced exhilaration of a large amount. Unfortunately, the expected reward of overindulging did not necessarily meet reality, and often we became physically sick. The same may be true of any happiness enhancing futuristic thought. We get more out of the thought than the actual action.

    Sonja Lyubomirsky, happiness scientist, suggests that happiness is getting pleasure from our daily activities, in the moment, and not from something imagined in the future. While "Different people seek after happiness in different ways and by different means, and so make for themselves different modes of life...Aristotle", living in the future makes happiness the illusive carrot.

To increase daily happiness start by,
Considering what you value in your daily activities,
Get in touch with your feelings around your valued activities,
Reflect on your daily experiences,
Take some time, everyday, to connect with people.

More to come...

Being Happier.

As I wait for my sister to arrive for our mom's day celebration, and review for my presentation tomorrow on weight management, I recall the poignant TED talk pointers from Jane McGonigal and Dean Ornish. Dean says that loneliness and depression lead to overeating, and Jane says, the key to a happy resilient life is a focus on happy feelings, connections, movement, and commitment. Tal Ben Shahar and Martin Seligman might throw in "gratitude rituals" as also important.

The bottom line is that at the end of this journey called life, if we have been physically active, emotionally pleased, mentally engaged, and socially connected, we will live longer and have less regrets. So, move every half hour, think of three pleasing experiences for every unpleasant one, grow your mental focus by committing to new tasks, and dance closely with friends. Even if this does not extent our life at least we'll have a fun journey, in that we can be grateful.

Healthy Protein Choices

HIGH PROTEIN

Each serving is approximately 33-55 calories per ounce.

You may select soybeans or tofu in place of fish, fowl or meat in a serving of 3 1/2 ozs.

Remember that 3 1/2 ozs. is one cooked serving.

Fat (gm) Chol.(mg)   Cal.     % Fat

Abalone .                                                       .3                     54       49       4.0

N. Lobster                                                     .6                     72       98       5.4

Pike                                                                 .9                     50       113     7.0

Flounder                                                         1.0                  46       129     7.0

Cod                                                                .9                     55       105     7.4

Haddock                                                         .9                     74       112     7.5

Sole                                                                .8                     42       68       10.0

Scallops                                                         1.4                  52       112     11.0

Clams                                                             2.0                  67       148     12.0

Red Snapper                                                 1.7                  47       128     12.0

Crab, king                                                      1.5                  53       97       14.0

Tuna, white, water packed                            2.5                  42       136     16.0

Turkey, white meat                                        3.2                  69       157     18.0

Sea Bass                                                       2.6                  53       124     19.0

Halibut                                                            2.9                  41       140     19.0

Chicken, white meat                                    3.6                  85       165     20.0

Oysters                                                          2.2                  50       90       22.0

Mussels                                                         4.5                  56       172     23.0

Trout                                                               4.3                  74       151     26.0

Beef, top round                                             5.4                  84       184     26.0

Pork tenderloin, lean only                             4.8                  93       166     26.1

Swordfish                                                       5.1                  50       155     30.0

Beef flank, lean only                                    7.3                  90       195     34.0

Lamp, lean leg                                              7.0                  93       184     34.0

Salmon, sockeye                                       11.0                   87       216     46.0

Sardines, Pacific,

water packed                                              12.0                   81       178     61.0

Shrimp                                                         1.1                    133     99       9.8

(only 2 ozs.)

Fun, but is it Satisfying?

Have you ever noticed that something can be fun, but leave you with an empty feeling the next day? Often times fun is instantaneous, and does not take any effort or planning. It is the trill of the moment. The promise of pleasure, of feeling good. It is the end product without the process. Fun, at its worse, can leave us sick in the soul.
Satisfaction is the attainment of basic human needs. It is engaging and has meaning. As defined by Abraham Maslow, safety, protection, belongingness, love, respect, self-esteem, identity, and self actualization are human needs. A loss of these basic needs causes illness or neurotic behavior. It is easy to fall prey to pleasures like materialism, sex, drugs, over eating, or other unhealthy distracting behaviors that block our more meaningful goal of self growth. Pleasure in and of itself does not lead to a happy life.
Napoleon Hill said that it is the process that is the most rewarding and satisfying. It is in the process that we create and use all of who we are to attain a goal or vision. It is in the process that we gain a sense of meaning in our lives, a motivating, driving, energizing, vital purpose to our life. Ultimately, for this journey to have lasting humanistic value it must be greater than self, and be of service to others.
So perhaps "living in the moment" needs to be prefaced by living consciously. Living in the moment does not serve us well when we come from irresponsibility, or we are not being true to our values. Being conscious of who we choose to be, and honoring our choices, and that of others, can be both fun and more satisfying. We do not sacrifice one for the other, but create a way of being that envelops both.
Fun is fleeting. Satisfaction brings joy and blissfulness. Satisfaction is a movement towards a more progressed self. It is the choice to take the steeper path towards self growth rather than stay in place, or regress from fear. Sometimes fun is escapism and satisfaction is bold self work. Perhaps, fun is not the peak experience. It certainly can not be sustained. Could we really survive hour after hour of pure pleasure without exploding. The gift of satisfaction is that it bestows on us a measured blissfulness created through our daily conscious efforts to be a reflection of our higher self.

Motivation, the balance between needs and values.

    How is it that yesterday I was on top of the world, and today I am dull, and uninterested. I’d like to blame it on hormones, or the foggy weather, but that would be too easy.

    

    As a coach I know that my motivation comes from living a life immersed in my personal values. I know that when I tap into Inspiring, Discovering, Fun, and Adventure, (my top four values), my life is simple and rich. Then what is limiting my access?

Perhaps an unfulfilled need is overshadowing my values and limiting my vitality. When a need is not completely met, and I have no “needs satisfaction system” in place, to keep that need in check, then I drift along in a leaky emotional boat. My sail may be strong, but the cracks in my hull do not make for a smooth voyage.

    

    Is it possibly to patch this waning spirit? Absolutely! Needs can be identified, and satisfied permanently, with work. Here are some steps to being need-less,

• Accept that I have an unfulfilled need and that this is good, it makes me “cowgirl up” to my   responsibility to myself.

• Identify this influential need. 

• Understand that this need has existed for a good reason; it has served me, and brought me to where I am today

.• Satisfy the need fully. 

• Set up an automatic satisfaction system for this need.

Ex. I use to have a driving need for freedom. When I moved from the corporate world, to being a solo-preneur, my environment became less restrictive. I have fully satisfied this need.

Needs are normal, unique, and a part of us. A need does not have to be a secret hidden deep within us. It is our responsibility, as mature adults, to satisfy our own hunger, and we can ask for help.

How to be a better friend?

Step 1

You have to like yourself in order to be able to give fully to others. When we are

comfortable with who we are, and really enjoy who we are, we are more attractive to

others. We are not needy and do not drain others but fill them. When we live our lives

“in integrity” we are secure with ourselves and can offer more to others because we

are not always focused on ourselves.

Step 2

Be choosy. Friendship maintenance takes time and energy. Identify those friends

with whom you wish to create a closer bond. If something takes time and energy you

are going to want to make sure it has quality. Not everyone around you will make

your A list.

Step 3

Now make time for those special people you have chosen. Respect the relationship

and schedule time for one another.

Step 4

If you want to improve the friendship make the first gesture. Invite them to join you

for lunch, dinner, or a special occasion.

Step 5

Treat your friends, as you would like to be treated. If you disrespect your friends they

will disrespect you. They will act towards you as you have acted towards them.

Step 6

Listen fully to what your friends are sharing. Slow down, turn off your internal

chatter and be in the moment. Focus on the speaker. Minimize distractions. Be

interested. Give eye contact. Avoid advice unless it is a request.

Step 7

Honor the relationship with no gossiping or criticizing.