|
|
|
3-D Living Newsletter - November, 2009 Issue
October 31, 2009
Welcome to the November issue of the 3-D Living Monthly Newsletter! 2009 is fast coming to an end and regardless of what has happened this year, we have the opportunity to express our gratitude to God for His mercy, love and grace this month.
***ANNOUNCEMENT!***
**The FREE, ONLINE CHRISTIAN CONFERENCE that was originally scheduled for June has been rescheduled for Saturday, November 7th. I will be speaking on "Living a 3-D Life" at 1:00 pm and I am one of 5 speakers. Valuable gifts and other materials will be given away, there will be a store where you may purchase resources and so much more! What a time of refreshing! Visit http://conference.hem-of-his-garment-bible-study.org for more details and to sign up. I hope you will take part.**
In this issue:
ANN'S ARTICLES: "CULTIVATE AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE" and "WINTER'S WONDERFUL VEGETABLES"
NUTRITION NUGGET: SWEET POTATOES
SUPPLEMENT SPOTLIGHT: MAGNESIUM
FEATURED PRODUCT: MORE GREENS
WORD TO THE WISE: Philippians 4:6
Ann's Articles: "CULTIVATE AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE"
1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us to "give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
Gratitude is more than saying a perfunctory "thanks" over your meal or celebrating Thanksgiving. It is a powerful force, both spiritually as well as physically. In 1 Timothy 2:1 God includes the giving of thanksgiving as a prerequisite to true worship. Consider the story of the ten lepers Jesus healed in Luke 17:11-17. Ten men suffering the ravages of leprosy saw Jesus on the road and begged Him to heal them of that devastating disease. His instructions to them were to go show themselves to the priests and it says "as they went they were cleansed." Obedience by faith caused the cleansing of that physical disease. However, it goes on to say only one, a Samaritan, a despised foreigner, returned to praise and glorify God and thank Jesus when he realized what had taken place in his body. Jesus' response seems incredulous - He asks, "Were not ten cleansed - where are the other nine?" Gratitude is precious to Him. Jesus then tells this grateful man that his faith has made him "well." When I look at that word in the original Greek it actually means "to be made whole." This suggests that perhaps the nine were cleansed of the disease but that thankful man was not only cleansed but made whole. If leprosy had damaged his fingers, toes, nose or ears, they were made whole again! He received so much more than simply being healed.
It is true in the physical realm as well. Studies conducted on the effects of gratitude reveal that thankful people:
Handle stress better;
Are more optimistic;
Are more alert and energetic;
Attract gratitude and kindness from others; and
Are healthier overall.
The reasons for this are due to the fascinating manner in which God created our bodies. It is related to our nervous system which is divided into two parts, the voluntary and involuntary. The voluntary controls movement and sensations and the involuntary is concerned with functions we don't even think about like digestion and blood pressure. The involuntary is further divided into two more branches - the sympathetic and parasympathetic. The sympathetic is the fight-or-flight system. It is concerned with our survival in a dangerous or stressful situation and acts as the body's defense system by activating organs and glands that provide the extra energy needed at those times. Because it necessitates so much energy expenditure, it breaks down the body if it is in operation too often or for too long. This is why chronic stress which causes the release of too much cortisol damages our bodies.
The parasympathetic system is the rebuilding, nourishing, healing system. It stimulates the organs that cause systemic cleansing, and activates our immune and digestive systems. At any given time, either the sympathetic or parasympathetic system is activated. Since the sympathetic deals with our physical survival, it tends to take precedence over the other. However, TO ENABLE YOUR BODY TO HEAL, REBUILD AND REPAIR ITSELF, IT IS CRITICAL TO TURN OFF THE SYMPATHETIC SYSTEM AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE ACTIVATING THE PARASYMPATHETIC INSTEAD.
When you are experiencing chronic stress, even though it may not be actual, physical danger causing the release of those hormones, it still damages and breaks down your body systems. Stress of any type, including negative, anxious, angry, fearful thoughts, activates the sympathetic nervous system. On the other hand, the parasympathetic system is activated by rest, relaxation and positive, happy thoughts, especially gratitude! Several studies found that healthy parasympathetic dominance occurs very infrequently and only in spiritually developed people as they tend to live in a state of peace, contentment and gratitude(!)
Research was also done on how to optimize the coherence of the heart, or what they also refer to as the "emotional heart." Coherence simply refers to the heart's ability to adapt to certain situations and remain harmonious in rhythm. The impact of thoughts and emotions in the test subjects was visible immediately as their heartbeats were observed on a monitor. Fearful, angry, anxious thoughts caused erratic rhythms. However, when the subjects exercised thoughts and feelings of joy, gratitude or love, the parasympathetic system normalized the heart rhythms.
Effective activation of the parasympathetic system naturally declines with age. However, as with any physical muscle, or spiritual quality, it will respond if we exercise it consistently! We can CONSCIOUSLY CHOOSE TO EXERCISE GRATITUDE and joy daily and not only live happier lives, but healthier ones as well.
"WINTER'S WONDERFUL VEGETABLES"
It's always best to take advantage of seasonal and local produce available to you. While we all love those tender spring vegetables in a pasta prima vera, winter vegetables are no slouch! Here are just a few you may want to include in your winter meals.
Cauliflower is available all year round, however, it's especially delicious as the weather gets cold outside. It's high in vitamin C, folate, omega-3's and fiber. Roasted cauliflower is delicious as a side dish. Pureed it is a wonderful (low cal-high fiber) stand-in for mashed potatoes.
Winter squashes come in a variety of shapes, sizes and flavors. Three are butternut, spaghetti and acorn. These are loaded with vitamins A and C, B vitamins thiamin and folate as well as fiber and potassium. Here again you can roast squash to bring out the sweetness; puree and use in soup or as a side dish. Spaghetti squash can be roasted until tender and then the strands topped with tomato sauce as a delicious pasta fake-out.
Kale is a great leafy green vegetable people don't consider nearly enough. Sauteed in olive oil with garlic and simmered slowly in some vegetable broth with a sprinkle of nutmeg makes it tender and delicious. It's a great source of fiber, vitamins and minerals. You can even put a few tablespoons of cooked (cooled) kale in your burger recipe to bump up the nutrition.
Brussels Sprouts are tiny nutritional powerhouses full of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, protein and fiber! You can steam them, being sure to cut an "x" in the stem so they cook evenly. Roasting is my favorite method of preparation. Cut the bigger ones in half, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and roast at 400 degrees until tender.
Broccoli provides vitamins A, C and K, folate, fiber, magnesium, potassium and lutein, a powerful carotenoid. This is also a member of the cruciferous family along with cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels Sprouts and Kale. If you have an underactive thyroid, be sure to always cook these vegetables so they don't suppress your thyroid function. Brocolli is delicious roasted, lightly sauteed and especially cancer protective when eaten with cooked tomatoes! Add some lightly steamed, sauteed or roasted brocolli to your pasta sauce.
One of my favorites is Avocados. They are a great source of healthy fats, fiber, vitamins A, C, E, potassium and iron. There are so many ways to include these gems in your meals - slice onto your salad, put in smoothies or one of my new favorites: Mash a ripe avocado (I prefer the smaller Haas Avocados) and sprinkle with juice of half a lemon, Mrs. Dash's Lemon-Pepper Seasoning and then combine with flaked tuna or wild salmon. You won't miss the mayo!
Explore the produce section at your grocery store and you will be pleasantly surprised by the bounty winter provides.
I came across this excellent article about the health benefits of cranberries and since they will most likely have a prominent place on your Thanksgiving table, I wanted to share it. Copy and paste this url to read the article from Life Extension:
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=8947&Section=Disease&source=DHB_091030&key=Body+ContinueReading
NUTRITION NUGGET: SWEET POTATOES
What food has almost double your daily RDA of vitamin A and four times the beta carotene, 42% of your daily allotment for vitamin C, the lowest glycemic index of all root vegetables, only between 130-160 calories and more fiber than oatmeal when you eat the skin too? Yes – it’s the sweet potato!
In fact, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) ranked the sweet potato number one in nutrition of all vegetables with a score of 184. The next closest vegetable on their list (white, baked potato) scored more than 100 points lower. In case you were wondering, points were given for how much dietary fiber, naturally occurring sugars, complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins A and C, iron and calcium the foods contain. Points were deducted for fat content (especially saturated fat), sodium, cholesterol, added refined sugars and caffeine.
Sweet potato pie is a staple on many Thanksgiving tables, including mine. However, don’t just save these delicious tubers for the holidays. I love to cut them into chunks, drizzle with a little olive oil, season with a sprinkle of sea salt, cracked black pepper and cinnamon and bake in a 400 degree oven for about 30-40 minutes or until they are tender. Honestly, they are so sweet and delicious, they'll satisfy any dessert craving you may have! They are definitely one “good carb” you should include in your healthy, balanced diet all year round.
SUPPLEMENT SPOTLIGHT: MAGNESIUM
Magnesium is important for muscle and nerve function, a steady heart rhythm, normal blood sugar and blood pressure levels, a healthy immune system, plays a role in how your body uses protein and is vital for strong bones. Approximately 50% of total body magnesium is found in bone. The other 50% works inside the cells of your tissues and organs. A very small amount is found in your blood (about 1%) but keeping blood levels constant is a critical task. Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body and it's needed for over 300 biochemical reactions.
The best sources of magnesium are green vegetables like spinach and romaine lettuce. Green vegetables get their green color from chlorophyll (plant blood!). The center molecule of our blood is iron and the center molecule of green vegetables is magnesium. Certain legumes such as lentils, pinto and kidney beans and black-eyed peas, nuts like cashews, almonds and peanuts, and whole, unrefined grains are also good sources.
FEATURED PRODUCT: MORE GREENS
If you need help getting enough green vegetables in your daily diet (and most people do), why not try including a green drink? More Greens has the most recognized, potent, healing green foods around: Japanese cracked cell chlorella, premium spirulina, organic cereal grasses plus broccoli, kale, parsley and cabbage - some of the most powerful cruciferous vegetables. The easy to mix powder can be used with water or juice. It's an easy way to boost your intake of these important foods. Mixed with a protein powder makes it a great smoothie too.
To order, call 1-888-747-6733 and use sale code 11379 to receive your 20% discount and be set up as a preferred customer. Subsequent orders can then be placed online by visiting http://www.phporder.com/11379. You'll then receive the same 20% discount on ALL subsequent orders!
WORD TO THE WISE:
PHILIPPIANS 4:6 NLT
"Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done."
I don't know about you but many times I'm great at doing the "telling God what I need" part of this verse - but not so good about, not worrying! I'm working on that. Reminding myself to lift the concern in prayer and then thank Him is key for me. How many times do you do what I do - pray fervently about some need. Then when God provides - I'm relieved and full of joy. Hours later I realize I never took a moment to just thank Him. I know how I feel when someone makes the effort to thank me. Join me in making a conscious effort to thank God - truly if He never did another thing for me I could still never thank Him enough. How about you?
**I invite you to sign up for my friend, Rob Clinton's wonderful free weekly newsletter. His insightful, practical articles will uplift and encourage you. He has graciously invited me to contribute health articles which will also appear twice a month. It's free - just go to www.180coach.com, and click the registry button in the top left.**
If you enjoyed this issue of the 3-D Living Newsletter, please forward it to anyone you know who will benefit from it. They'll love you for it! If a friend forwarded this issue to you - just go here to get your own free subscription: http://www.threedimensionalvitality.com/Welcome.html.
Until next month, as always, I thank God for you and wish you and your family abundant health, peace and joy and I call you BLESSED! Ann
|
|
