Manic Monday: Nature and Mental Health

According to a study published on www.livescience.com, only 5 minutes in nature shows an impact on human mental health.  The study also found that people are affected more by green areas with water.  In other words, if you live in the city, try to get to a park, natural trail or the beach.  Walking outside in the city is great, but we need a daily connection with nature.

Many other studies have been conducted in the US and other countries.  Most of them find that people who live in more natural settings or spend a lot of time in them live longer, healthier lives.  Some studies also have shown that office workers have less stress when they have a view of nature.  If you don't have this at work, take your 15-minute and your lunch breaks outside in the sun.  You'll notice a huge difference in your attitude.

Urban sprawl has certainly increased the amount of mental health issues in our society.  Television, computers, driving, texting, noisy restaurants, loud music, busy streets, all contribute to stress and anxiety.  Because of this, we all need to spend more time in nature.  Mother Nature soothes our minds and relaxes our bodies.  The sun gives us depression-fighting vitamin D and the fresh oxygen alkalizes our blood.  Additionally, nature is almost always slow, which helps to rejuvenate the brain after hours of mental stimulation.

Make a commitment to spend time in nature every day.  If you don't think you have time, commit to 5 minutes a day.  Once you see the benefits of spending more time outside, you will only want to increase it to 15 minutes, 30 minutes or even an hour.  If you exercise regularly, try doing it outside a few times a week instead of the gym.  Even in cold climates, 10 to 15 minutes outside can make a huge difference.  Be healthy!

Mystic Merman

Superfood Sunday: An Ancient Chinese Superfood

Two weeks ago, I introduced you to my favorite superfood, the Camu Camu berry.  Today, I'd like to introduce you to another super berry that has a long history in Chinese herbal medicine: the Goji Berry.  Also known as Wolfberries, the Goji berry is part of the huge Solanaceae family that includes tomatoes, potatoes, and many peppers.  What's remarkable about these little berries, though, is the nutritional content they pack.

Goji berries contain 18 amino acids, making them a good source of protein.  Depending on the source, they're also loaded with around 10 essential and 20 to 22 trace minerals, vitamins, essential fatty acids, and up to 5 carotenoids, including beta-carotene.  This may be one of the reasons the Chinese revere this berry and place it at the top of their list of medicinal herbs.  It has long been considered a top longevity herb and protector of the immune system and eye health.

One of the most important constituents in Goji berries are the polysaccharides, which can comprise up to 30% of their weight.  These polysaccharides are believed to be one of the reasons Goji berries are powerful immune builders and anti-aging berries.  In fact, the Goji berry has gotten enough attention over the last ten years to inspire several short- and long-term studies on the effects of aging and other benefits.

Like all food, you need to make sure you know where your Goji berries are coming from.  Most of the berries on the market are low quality and come from areas of China that are highly sprayed.  Goji berries should be organically grown, preferably at high elevations away from toxic farming practices.  Of course, I recommend Sunfood.com as they have the best I've ever had.  Try Goji berries alone, in a trail mix, on your cereal or (like the Chinese) as an herbal tea.  Be kind to your immune system.  Be healthy!

Mystic Merman

Free Friday: Setting Goals

Last Friday, I talked about the time killer, Procrastination.  As a follow-up to that, I'd like to discuss one of the enemies of procrastination, Goal Setting.  While goal setting is something that has been going on in human behavior for thousands of years in some form or another, it's only been examined and marketed in the last century.  Nowadays, you can find websites, books, classes, seminars, and personal coaches to help you set and achieve your professional and personal goals.

At a personal level, goal setting is fairly basic, because the goals are based on your desires.  No one else can tell you what you should achieve in your life (unlike the goals of a company which are dictated by upper management or owners).  Of course, if you are in a relationship with another person, some of your goals may have to be modified to accommodate the other person.  Ultimately, however, your goals should be based on your personal needs and aspirations.

If you've never used goal-setting, start off with just a couple of easy goals.  For example, decide that you want to include green leafy vegetables in at least one meal every day.  Give yourself a couple of weeks to implement it.  Write down your target date, tasks you need to do to accomplish it, any obstacles you might come across and how to overcome those obstacles.  Every day, keep track of your progress, learning from mistakes and successes.  Beating yourself up is always counter-productive, so don't do it.

Once you get into the habit of setting, keeping track of and reaching smaller goals, you should begin to write down some long-term goals.  Losing fifty pounds, saving $5000 and getting a degree in nutrition are just a few examples of long-term goals.  Be realistic with the time frame on these goals, giving yourself enough time to complete it.  Also, break large goals up into chunks or mini-goals.  For example, break the fifty pounds down into tens and shoot for each ten pounds in a smaller period.  When you are keeping track of your progress, notice which tasks work better than other tasks.  If you fail to accomplish a certain task, pick it up again the next day.  Persistence is key, but be gentle with yourself.

Overtime, using goal setting as a tool to accomplish things can change your attitude and behavior.  Certain things will become easier and you will notice that success will start to spill over into other areas of your life.  If it makes it easier, join an online goal-setting site.  I recently joined Wishbomb.com, a free goal-setting website that gives you articles, videos and book suggestions for each of your personal goals.  You can also join groups and find friends that have similar goals for encouragement and challenges.  Whatever you decide to do, make it fun and change it up frequently, so you don't get bored.  You can do it!  Be healthy!

Mystic Merman

Therapy Thursday: Intestinal Cleansing Part I

After my 30-day juice fast, I decided that it was a good time to commit to a really good intestinal cleansing program.  Fortunately, one of my co-workers had an entire kit that he was not going to use.  The program I'm using is by the company Ejuva, which designs and manufacturers some of the best cleansing products on the market.  The intestinal cleanse is over $300, but it removes toxins, old fecal matter, metals and other poisons from the intestines, stomach, liver and blood stream.

The program is not as difficult as it sounds, however.  During the first week, you're required to take the herbs (which are all in tablets) once a day, followed by a fiber shake (mixed with juice or water).  You can also eat three meals a day (the designers of the program recommend a plant-based diet, raw if possible).  The second week, you take the herbs and shake twice a day and eat two meals with as much juice as you want.  Each week adds herbs and shakes and subtracts a meal until the fourth week, when you are taking the herbs four times a day along with the shake.  Only juice is taken during the last week.

Over the years, I have worked with or spoken with dozens of individuals who have completed the Ejuva cleanse or another similar cleanse.  Many of them have expelled what is known as mucoid plaque, a black or dark greenish substance that apparently collects in the intestines through years of eating processed food.  I'm on my third week of the cleanse and I've noticed pieces of this material, but no long strands as shown in pictures online.  Hopefully, my fourth week will expel some of this.  Hey, better out than in, right?

Next Thursday will be the next to last day of the cleanse, so I will continue this discussion next week.  Be clean and healthy!

Mystic Merman

Workout Wednesday: My Workout Week

My second week of real commitment to working out proved to be more successful than my first.  As I discussed last week, I decided to keep my gym membership and check out some of the classes.  Last Wednesday, I participated in my first class, which was called Body Pump.  This vigorous, one-hour workout combines cardio and strength training. The instructor had us squatting, extending, bending, jumping, and just about everything else with a barbell or weights in hand.  Thursday morning, I knew I'd had a great workout.

On Thursday evening, I chose a lighter class at the gym.  This class was in the pool with resistance weights under water.  While it was still a great workout, it gave my joints and muscles a bit of a rest.  Spending an hour totally focused on getting a full-body workout makes a lot of sense and saves a lot of time.

On the weekend, I took a long walk on Saturday evening, then got up early for a three hour hike up and down a mountain.  It's so great to be able to go this distance without having to worry about deep pain in my foot.  What a delight that the inflammation is almost completely gone.  Of course, I'm still experiencing some pain as my body has been so sedentary for the last few years.  However, strength is appearing in my muscles, joints and heart and lungs.

By Monday, I was pretty sore, so I swam for 20 minutes in the pool and sat for another 20 minutes in the sauna.  Then, on Tuesday, I decided to take a class called Body Attack.  From the title, you can say that I was warned.  This was probably the most difficult one-hour workout I've ever experienced.  My endurance is great because I made it through the whole class, but my strength was really tested, as I could barely pick my feet up by the final peak!  This was another full-body workout and certainly a real challenge.  I'm intrigued by this class, so I plan on showing up next week.

For my final workout, I climbed Cowles Mountain tonight with a friend.  For San Diego citizens, Cowles represents the ultimate uphill workout.  The climb to the top ascends nearly 1,000 feet in about 1.5 miles.  The beginning and end switch back and forth, while the middle is the real killer.  By the time you get to the top, you've had a good 45 minute workout.  The view makes it worth the effort.  A 360 degree view of beautiful San Diego from the mountains all the way to the Pacific Ocean.  The first time I made it to the top, I spent an hour just trying to recognize all the landmarks in the county.  I'll definitely be doing that again soon.

Well, I have to say, I'm pretty proud of myself this week.  Having a lot of variety really works.  I promise to continue to move in the direction of health and vitality.  Life is good!  Be healthy!

Mystic Merman

Tasty Tuesday: A Raw Food Kitchen

Starting a raw food diet can seem challenging and expensive, but there are so many things available now that we can start off small and add as we go along.  The easiest part of a raw food diet is that most of the food we eat is ready just as Mother Nature provides it.  For example, what could be easier than eating an apple, a pear or a watermelon?  Fruit needs little to no preparation and is full of nutrients and naturally filtered water.  Salads are extremely versatile, especially if you have access to amazing, organic produce all year and learn how to make a few raw dressings (more on salads and dressing on another day).

Of course, for most people, eating fruit and salad every day can become monotonous and lack excitement.  While I do encourage people to learn how to eat more simple, raw food recipes add variety, flavor, color and fun to our diet.  When I first started experimenting with raw food in 2000, there wasn't a lot of good recipe books or master chefs.  However, over the last 10 years or so, creativity with raw food has exploded.  If you go to a raw food restaurant, you can have everything from Italian pasta dishes, Asian cuisine, Mediterranean appetizers, soups, Mexican food, and some of the most amazing desserts you'll ever have.

How do people make all these things?   Well, the raw food kitchen needs a few appliances.  For me, the most essential is my Vita-mix (a high-powered blender).  This handy tool creates smoothies, soups, seed flours, mousses, juice, and so much more.  Another great tool to have is a dehydrator.  With a good-quality dehydrator, a world of delights is possible.  I've made mini-pizzas, onion bread, flax crackers, dried fruit, tostado shells, nutrition bars, and so much more.  These two appliances are a bit pricey, but you will have them for the rest of your life.  Sell your microwave and invest in something that is going to enhance your health, not destroy it.

Other great tools for a raw kitchen are a good food processor, a good beater, sharp knives (try ceramic), peelers, a garlic press, and any other tool you would use for regular cooking.  Over the next few months, I will introduce a few recipes that I've made.  I encourage you to go on the internet and find some good raw food recipes and start having fun with your food.  Be healthy!

Mystic Merman

Manic Monday: Breathe Your Way to Health and Sanity

If you've ever taken a yoga class, you're probably familiar with proper breathing techniques and the importance of it.  Most of us are totally unaware of how we breathe, but when we start to pay attention to it, we realize that it's not healthy.  Stress and inactivity cause shallow, chest breathing, which deprives the body of oxygen.

Fortunately, our breathing is something that we can control.  Conscious breathing exercises have a plethora of benefits to the body.  They can reduce stress, calm the body and mind, and have also been shown to help improve the immune system and enhance digestion.  There are hundreds of breathing exercises available on the internet or through workshops on yoga and other Eastern traditions.  If you've never experimented with breathing, I highly recommend exploring its benefits.

As a smoker for many years, I learned about the importance of breathing the hard way.  Smoking and shallow breathing kept my lungs from working at their full capacity, and I often found climbing stairs or short hikes difficult.  Since quitting, I have explored different ways to increase my lung capacity like holding my breath under water (I'm really trying to become a merman), diaphragmatic breathing (slow or quick and sharp), and other yogic breathing techniques.  Strenuous exercise requires a lot from the lungs as well and is a great way to keep the lungs and blood healthy.

Ultimately, the goal is to learn how to breathe properly through the diaphragm.  Deep, slow breathing should be natural and happen when we are not conscious of our breathing.  However, this takes time and effort.  Practicing conscious breathing every day for a minimum of 15 minutes can benefit anyone.  Happy breathing!

Mystic Merman