To all of you who participated in my very first fun little give-away, THANK YOU! I appreciate your readership and loved, loved, loved reading all the things you are thankful for. If you haven't checked the comments on the original post, go back and read through them. Being thankful is #3 on my 10 Things list, it is such an important part of having a healthy mind and spirit. If you don't already, take a few minutes each day to write down and reflect on what you are thankful for.

My gym membership. I work out at one of the most beautiful fitness clubs in the states with an endless selection of free weights, machines and cardio equipment. I realize having a gym membership is a luxury that many can't afford. The gym is my sanctuary of sorts, any time I am feeling down in spirit, a good workout always lifts me up. If I am feeling a little lonely, there is always someone at the gym that will chat with me. Lifting weights is what I enjoy doing most at the gym and nothing compares to the feeling of pushing your body and strength to the limit. Without the gym, I would never have met the love of my life, my husband, Tom.

We all have fears, you know, the things that holds us back from jumping in with both feet. We fear failure. We fear success. We fear judgement from others. We fear being vulnerable. We fear rejection. We fear being laughed at. We fear situations that make us unsure. We fear the unknown. Fear is the reason we stay in our "safety zones". I challenge you this year to get out of your personal safety zone and to just DO IT AFRAID! Everybody is afraid of something, however the most successful people overcome fear with courage and forge ahead.

I started Healthy Living How To about nine months ago after much insistence from my husband. He sees in me what I don't always acknowledge, the heart to help others and the passion for healthy living. I hesitated for a long time to start this site due to my own insecurities and fears. And you know what, that fear is still there today. Most of the time I push the "publish" button afraid. Often times I have to tell the little voice that says, "why would anyone listen to you", to be quiet!

As I forge ahead into 2012, and as this site continues to grow, I am challenging myself to bring more content that takes me out of my "safety zone". Cooking and baking delicious healthy food, snapping photos and sharing the recipe is one of my passions, however, this is "safe" for me. Healthy living is more than the food we eat and the exercise we do, the nurturing of our mind and spirit are as essential to our health as the air we breathe and the water we drink. So to kick off my first post of the new year, I am sharing with you my very personal testimony of how God has worked in my life this past year.

One year ago, I was at a very low point in my life. The previous few years, I let life get in the way of my relationship with Christ. My daily habit of reading the bible along with my weekly church attendance had fallen to the wayside as I ran myself ragged with work. What coincided during this time was a significant decline in my health. I was diagnosed with severe adrenal fatigue and in spite of following all the therapeutic recommendations, my health was not really improving. Not only was I mentally and physically depressed, I was also spiritually depressed. 

I made only one resolution last year and that was to reconnect with God and to read my Bible everyday. A few weeks into the new year, on a very cold and snowy Sunday we ventured to church, the date was January 23, 2011, my 40th birthday.  The message that particular Sunday was about being obedient to Christ and that the first step to obedience is baptism. I felt like the pastor was talking directly to me. Even though I was raised Catholic, baptized as an infant and a Christian my entire life, I knew I needed to be baptized on my own volition. Near the end of the service the invitation to be baptized was extended, I accepted. On January 29, 2011, along with my husband, I made the public declaration of my obedience to Christ by underwater baptism.

To say 2011, was a life changing year for me, is an understatement. In spite of the attempts I made at healing my own health, it wasn't until I was baptized that I truly experienced healing, God's powerful healing. I kept my resolution of reading my bible everyday, I returned to my morning habit of spending time praying and journaling and my life has been forever changed. For someone who usually has a way with words, when I try to explain the power of Christ in my life, it is met with tears and a lump in my throat. There are just some things you just can't explain!

It's the morning after Christmas, enjoying a cup of coffee as well as the silence. Ahhhhh, the silence, there is something to be said for sitting quietly and just being. The early morning hours are usually my favorite time of the day, it's my time of reflection, journalling and prayer. On the days when I start my day differently, I always feel it. This time is my time, it's where I find my joy, peace, hope and strength. 

Being truly healthy is the balance of our physical, mental and spiritual health. As a society we tend to emphasize physical health by focusing our energy on eating right and exercising but neglect the other parts of our being. This lack of balance shows up as marked differences between success in one are of our life and feelings of inadequacy and dissatisfaction in another area.

In my own journey to better health, I have found tremendous emotional and spiritual healing in the practice of silence, just being. This purposeful activity is my time to:

As 2011 comes to a close and we anticipate a new year, I suggest making a new commitment to yourself. Instead of starting a new diet or making a resolution to lose weight, how about a resolution to be healthy, healthy in mind, body and spirit.  

Happy Day After Thanksgiving! I am thankful for YOU my friends. Without you, who else would I talk to each day? Healthy Living How To has become something I am passionate about and thoroughly enjoy. What a blessing it is to be able to use my God given gifts and talents to serve, help and guide others. I hope every one of you enjoyed your day and reflected on the things in your life that you are thankful for. Being thankful is number three on my list of 10 Things You Can Do Today to live healthy in mind, body and spirit.

I am off to spend the afternoon with my husband and one of my sons. We have all exercised and eaten leftovers. Which means there is only one things left to do, go shopping! Off to brave the crowds at the Mall of America! Be back later with a Thanksgiving recipe roundup! 

Recently, our local Christian radio station, hosted a free Brandon Heath concert at the Mall of America. I knew people would be there quite early to get a seat or in line for an autograph. However, I was okay with standing, so, I arrived with about 45 minutes to spare. What I saw when I got there was quite amazing. It was packed. Every level had people seated and standing, a few rows deep, around the entire rotunda.

I finally found a spot, behind the stage, however, the view was completely blocked by the elevator. No biggie I thought, I'd still be able to hear. I sat down and got comfortable on the hard floor. Shortly thereafter, one of the radio personalities came out on the stage to greet everyone. I couldn't hear a word she was saying, not because it was loud, but because of where I was sitting. If I was going to hear the concert, I was going to have to move.

As I was deciding where I was going to move, a family of four (mom, dad, & two elementary school age kids) got off the elevator. From listening to the conversation of the parents, I gathered, they had been looking for a spot on the other two floors with no success. They quickly realized third floor was no different than floor one and two, so they devised a plan. They were going to go back down to the second floor and then this is what they said to their kids, "we will just push our way in".

I decided to move and found myself a spot left of the stage, sitting down next to a family with two darling little kids. I didn't have a great view, but as least I could hear. The concert was wonderful and I enjoyed every song. Throughout the entire concert though, I couldn't stop thinking about what I had overheard. It really bothered me. I mean it really bothered me. I thought about what a non-Christian would think if they heard this. I thought about what the children were learning. I thought about the irony of being at a Christian concert and "pushing your way in".

This morning, I was watching a Joyce Meyer telecast. She said something that resonated with me and I quickly wrote it down in my journal....after we receive Christ we are given a ministry, a ministry to be an example of Christ everywhere we go. Revelation. I was exactly where God wanted me to be that day. He wanted me to overhear the conversation I did, not to condemn or judge others, but to reveal to me my actions. Reveal to me when I am not an example of Him. My first thoughts turned to earlier in the week when I met a friend for coffee. There I was gossiping and at the very next table sat a women's Bible study group. I wonder if they were bothered by me, I mean really bothered, just like I was.

Give me Your Eyes
by Brandon Heath

Give me Your eyes for just one second
Give me Your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me Your love for humanity

Give me Your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me Your heart for the one's forgotten
Give me Your eyes so I can see

Written by: Tom Nikkola – Life Time Fitness, Director of Nutrition & Weight Management and Vanessa Romero

Stress. You know what it feels like it. It may be physical, mental or emotional. It’s a condition that most of us are all too familiar with. We were created to withstand a certain amount of stress, but when we push ourselves beyond that limit, we begin to experience health problems. The U.S. National Academy of Sciences estimates that 70-80% of all visits to the family doctor are stress-related. Are you one of the many people today who is living in a perpetual state of overload, literally on the verge of collapse? Understanding how stress is affecting you may just be the ticket to learning how to better manage stress.

What are the dangers of excessive stress?
According to Dr. Jim LaValle in Cracking the Metabolic Code, chronically elevated cortisol can lead to insulin resistance, excessive cravings for junk food, gains in body fat (especially belly fat), breakdown of muscle tissue, increased cholesterol and triglycerides, a loss of sex drive and sleep quality, memory problems, disruptions of the immune system, water retention and several other complications.[i]

How do I measure my body’s response to stress?
Cortisol is a hormone that is secreted by the adrenal gland. Although stress isn't the only reason for this, it has been coined the "stress hormone". Cortisol secretion follows a predictable rhythm throughout the day, highest in the morning and lowest in the evening. However, when stress becomes chronic, this pattern is disrupted. By measuring cortisol you are able to determine how stress is affecting your health. Cortisol can be measured via a blood draw or through a saliva test. While either method provides accurate results, the saliva test is often preferred, as it easily allows for multiple measures to be taken throughout the day. In order to get an accurate picture of your body's stress response, cortisol should be measured four times throughout the day.

Normal cortisol production follows a predictable rhythm. 
Cortisol secretion should be at its highest point about 30 minutes after waking. It is responsible for waking you up and providing the energy needed to start your day. Following the morning peak, cortisol levels drop the most from early morning until lunchtime, and then drops at a slower rate into the evening. Ideally, cortisol should be at its lowest point at night, this allows you to fall asleep. 

What is your “stress personality?”  
When your stress levels go from being acute to chronic, long-term and persistent, over time your body's cortisol secretion changes from its optimal pattern. You start to experience "symptoms" which are often consistent from one person to the next. The following are a few common scenarios of how the stress response varies from optimal, along with common ways you may feel or behave, as a result. 

Stressed out: When your body is under stress, initially your cortisol production increases. Cortisol levels are elevated above the norms throughout the day and your body is on high-alert. You may find yourself irritable or short-tempered. You may be craving junk food throughout the day. Your appetite may be insatiable or non-existent. You will have trouble winding down at the end of the day and falling asleep is beginning to be a problem. You are most likely burning the candle at both ends, getting up early and staying up late.

The Night Owl: No one is naturally a night owl, your body is designed to shut down at night. Though some people can handle late nights and early mornings for a while, it always catches up with you. If you are a night owl, you are missing your body's cue to unwind and perhaps getting a "second wind" when everyone in your house is going to bed. This may be a result of artificial light coming from a computer screen or TV or artificial energy, like caffeine, later in the day or in the evening. College students and moms typically fall into this pattern by forcing their bodies to stay awake for late night study sessions or some peace and quiet after the kids are in bed. Over time, high evening cortisol levels lead to a greater stress response from the lack of quality sleep. 

I know I need to get up and get things done, but I just can’t get myself off the couch: 
When chronic stress goes unchecked for a period of time, you go from "stressed out" with the oversecretion of cortisol, to the adrenal glands shutting down or drastically decreasing cortisol secretion. With the lack of cortisol, you may find yourself feeling blah, unmotivated, tired all the time and depressed. Basic everyday activities require much effort and everyday tasks start to get neglected. If you work, that may be all you can summon the energy for. You may find yourself gaining weight and losing the desire to eat healthy or exercise. If you force yourself to exercise you find you feel worse. Your body's stress response is broken and any stress may derail you. This condition is commonly referred to as adrenal fatigue, adrenal exhaustion or adrenal insufficiency.

Summary
Stress is more than an inconvenience. If left unchecked, it can lead to a myriad of health problems. Stress impairs cognitive performance, suppresses thyroid function, contributes to blood sugar imbalances, decreases bone density, decreases lean body mass, increases blood pressure, lowers immunity, increases inflammation and increases abdominal fat which is associated with increased risk of heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Your future health is in your hands! While it's important to modify the lifestyle factors that contribute to stress like a poor diet, lack of sleep or improper exercise, it's important to remember that the source of stress isn't necessarily circumstances or situations, but our attitude or approach toward them. Next Friday we will look at different approaches to correct an imbalance in your stress response.

This article is not intended for the treatment or prevention of disease, nor as a substitute for medical treatment, nor as an alternative to medical advice. Use of recommendations in this and other articles is at the choice and risk of the reader.

[i] James LaValle. Cracking the Metabolic Code. 2004. Basic Health Publications. Laguna Beach, CA.

[ii] Lab testing examples provided by ZRT Laboratories