2020 Vision

Happy New Year!

I hope this finds you looking forward with enthusiasm and, if you have to look back, with gratitude.

I just reread the last post and it seemed more appropriate for a new year, but I do still have things to add because I really want you all to thrive this year - and beyond!  I have some ideas to share that have helped me and they might work for you too.

1)  Be responsible for yourself, i.e; accountable.  This is your life (possibly the only one) that you'll be having this earthbound experience.  You have one body to care for (first anyway, maybe family but they're second).  There are a lot of things to do to keep it healthy;  physically, mentally, spiritually.

2)  Eat healthy.  I can't recommend this enough.  Drop the processed food, processed sugars, GMO's, flour and wheat if you really want to eat clean.  Drop red meat, eat organic vegetables, drink pure water.  Drop the carbonated beverages, alcohol, smoking, etc.

Are you annoyed yet?  There's more.  Get outside and walk, at least 20 minutes to get your heart rate up, as often as you can.  I think the recommendation is daily to at least three times a week.  Breathe, get fresh air, stretch, dance, move your body.  I do QiGong and dance as well as walking and bike riding in good weather.

3)  Get a hobby, anything you enjoy, joy is healthy.  Or socialize with uplifting people.  Work puzzles, read books, redecorate the house, sew, knit, you get the picture.

4)  Make plans, make lists, take classes or join groups.  If you live in the boonies like I do, take on-line classes.  I do at least one every winter, this year I'm going to learn Homeopathy.

5)  Meditate.  It's one of the healthiest things you can do.  I started over ten years ago while healing from back issues - it was very convenient as I was already laying around on the floor, lol.  It really worked for me, enhanced my quality of life!  

6)  Trust yourself.  Your intuition is real, it is reliable, once you begin to truly trust it.  It's your built in radar for anything you may encounter, in all things.  This will become easier as you meditate.

I think 2020 is a great year to have that 20-20 vision for a better life.  We're all aging (physically anyway) so we might as well enjoy it! 

Do you have any ideas to share to add to this list?  Leave them in the comments. 

I have some great ideas for Huckleberry Hollow that I'll be sharing in coming posts!

Cooking for One

Cooking for one has been a bit challenging, cutting those recipes down or knowing what left-overs to freeze.

Planning meals ahead of time, and of course remembering to cook when I'd rather be doing something creative.

I work 20 to 30 hours a week, so I'm out of the house 4 and 5 days a week.  Fortunately, I'm home early and have time to prepare meals.  It takes a little more effort to be inspired, but usually by the time the aromas waft through the house I'm glad I took the time to prepare something nutritious.

I eat organic although not vegetarian, but I will only eat chicken that's organic and from humane farm environments.  I also eat wild fish and shelf fish.

This winter I have enjoyed home baked bread from organic flours I purchase online from Purcell Mountain Farms.com.  (I also buy their organic beans.)  This way I can eat what I call guilt free bread without sugars or other added ingredients.  There are some great recipes using honey and molasses.

After reading "Wheat Belly" by William Davis, MD, I have decided I will now replace my flours with Einkorn and Emmer for my bread.

I also recommend "The Perfect 10 Diet" by Michael Aziz, MD, for understanding hormone balancing, good and bad oils, and there's even a Glycemic Index chart in there.

I recently created an excel spreadsheet to track my intake of foods for glycemic index, wheat content, and acidic and alkaline foods, among other things.  This way I can add or subtract foods to keep on track.

Among my favorite meals this winter have been cream of broccoli soup made with organic broccoli, rbST free milk, organic butter and a little seasoning.

I'm also enjoying split pea soup with a slice of organic turkey bacon, cooked and chopped.

My favorite dessert is apple or pear crisp for one - recipe as follows:

1/4 cup each of brown sugar and flour
1 or 2 tblsp butter, chopped in to above mixture with a pastry blender
Add 1/4 cup of old fashioned oats and
1/4 cup of chopped pecans
1/4 teasp each of nutmeg and cinnamon.
Add bite size pieces of one apple or pear to a one serving size souffle dish and sprinkle the mixture on top.
Sprinkle some almond slivers on top of that.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, or until fruit is tender.

It's important to remember to eat healthy, even for one!!