Own Your Power,

Simone

Recipes for Health

Watermelon Mint Smoothie

By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN

I’m always tossing watermelon with fresh mint, so I decided to see how the two would blend in a smoothie. The result is like a cross between a sweet mint tea and a watermelon agua fresca.

2 cups, tightly packed, diced seedless watermelon

1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves

1 teaspoon sugar, agave syrup or vanilla sugar

3 to 4 ice cubes (more to taste)

Watermelon balls for garnish

1. Place all of the ingredients except the watermelon balls in the blender. Blend until frothy, about one minute. Pour into a glass, and garnish with watermelon balls. Serve right away.

Yield: One serving.

For more info go here!

I’ve been on a cleanse for the last week and I really am noticing how organic and healthier foods do cost more, however I feel that it’s worth it in the end. I had to ask myself, “What would you rather have an $80 grocery bill for  grains, veggies and fruits or an $80,000 hospital bill for some surgery or extensive treatment?”

It’s truly a good feeling when you  pay attention to what you put into your body…I’m feeling great and so far 6lbs lighter   and I really enjoy eating like this all the time now. It’s true folks, YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT. Check out this interesting article about super foods and how to save when making choices in grocery shopping.

OWN YOUR POWER,

SIMONE

A Doctor Dishes: Which ‘Superfoods’ Are Worth the Cost?Dr. Radha Chaddah

Most people you speak to these days are trying to stretch every dollar as far as possible—even the ones they spend buying apples and oranges.

Food prices are expected to increase yet again this year, and food manufacturers are making portions smaller without reducing prices. Not surprisingly, a recent Rasmussen poll found that 93% of adults report paying more for groceries now than they did a year ago.

So how can we supercharge our grocery dollars and get them to do overtime for us?

Yes, some foods are obviously a better nutritional deal than others (think apples vs. potato chips), but there’s another class of foods that blows the rest of the field away in terms of nutrients and health-protecting qualities: superfoods.

Superfoods can help prevent diabetes and heart disease, repair damage to your body’s cells and more. But before you go piling them into your cart, know that some “superfoods” are better nutritional bargains than others. As a doctor and a mom, I’ve sleuthed out which ones are worth the extra cost in terms of their long-term health benefits. Below is the scoop on which ones may help you age better, ward off cancer and more.

What to Know Before Buying Superfoods

Before we dive into what to buy, there are a few important things to remember about consuming these foods:

• Eating foods fresh and in their natural state, especially fruits and vegetables (rather than in pill or powder supplement form), usually allows us to absorb the greatest amount of their nutrients. The way a superfood is processed or cooked can significantly lower its antioxidant content.
• If the superfood can’t be eaten fresh, look for easy and appetizing recipes containing it. No matter how “super” a superfood may be, if you don’t know how to cook it, you’ll probably let it go to waste. CONTINUE READING HERE…

BREAST CANCER…two words that almost everyone reading this has been affected by in some way. Your mother, aunt, sister, friend, or sadly, even yourself. I lost my warrior…my  mother, Velma Gordon-Kelly to this cancer back in 2006. She battled breast cancer for over eight years like a true shero and I admired how strong she was throughout it all. Throughout the chemotherapy, radiation, numerous drugs and their side-effects, she fought it out with a smile. She never wanted people to feel sorry for her and was determined to keep doing the same things as usual. The one thing my mom did that shocked a lot of people was keep it a secret, which many people were in shock and even upset at her funeral. I think it’s just because she was old fashion and didn’t want people to start worrying about her. However, what I think it good is to let people know so that you have more people praying for you and sending you good energy. You may also inspire others and help young women to prevent it to happening to them!

Today, I’d like to showcase three warriors who are a dear friends and members of the Own Your Power Community.  They are truly OWNING THEIR POWER and are examples of strong individuals we should all strive to be. Please check out what they are doing, give them a ‘virtual’ high-five of encouragement and if you can be so generous, even a donation to their cause.

It’s time to Pay it Forward….

Angela Darling, founder of Love Your Breasts.

I met Angela over 8 years ago while waiting in line for a women’s event and we have been friends ever since. Instantly, I connected with her and when I found out what she did, I was even more intrigued. Helping breast cancer survivors is her mission and at the time I met her, my mother was still with us and battling breast cancer. She began to offer free advice and great health information to my mother. I saw first-hand how she helps women in the community and vowed to support her business even more. Please take a look at what Angela Darling is doing to empower others and learn why she loves what she does! Her website is: http://www.lybi.org/

Carol Dunlop, founder of www.optimumbodysculpting.com and staff member for Own Your Power Communications, Inc.

She is one of our very own fitness experts who coaches “Diet Victims” to lose weight and keep it off by learning how to create a healthy and nutritious diet, following a consistent workout plan and implementing positive lifestyle changes that really work!

Recently diagnosed with breast cancer, she is one of the strongest people  I know and is taking her experience and sharing it to empower others. She is currently in need of donations for her treatments. Read on and see if you can help!

“Man, I long for the days when I could go weeks, even months without seeing even one doctor. I’ve been healthy all my life and can almost count the number of times on my two hands that I’ve seen doctors for any reason. But now, all that has changed. Actually, everything changed on July 7, 2011. That’s the day that I found out that I have Breast Cancer. That was the day that changed my life, challenged my thoughts and put everything that I’ve worked for into a fog. How could I have breast cancer? There was NEVER any cancer of any sort in my family history and I’ve always worked very hard through exercise, eating right and affirming good health all my life. So how could this be?...”

Read full story here..

Rhonda Smith founder of Breast Cancer Partner

Breast Cancer Partner is a sanctuary for breast cancer survivors who are nearing the end of treatment or who are on their journey to recovery. We strive to support, inspire and empower survivors to live strong and healthy lives after treatment ends.

Our goal is to help shepherd survivors through the recovery process by providing information, resources, guidance and tools to effectively deal with life post-treatment. We recognize that in some cases life after treatment ends may be more challenging and difficult than while undergoing treatment.  We want to ensure that survivors don’t struggle unnecessarily through the recovery process.

Join her site and please forward to other survivors!

www.breastcancerpartner.com

]]> http://ownyourpower.biz/blog/2011/11/21/breast-cancer-sheros/feed/ 0 http://ownyourpower.biz/blog/2011/11/18/why-you-cant-lose-weight/ http://ownyourpower.biz/blog/2011/11/18/why-you-cant-lose-weight/#comments Fri, 18 Nov 2011 11:49:57 +0000 Simone http://ownyourpower.biz/blog/?p=2205

You Can’t Lose Weight Because… by Carol Dunlop

Losing weight isn’t easy, but it shouldn’t be a lesson in frustration either. Just because you decide to lose weight doesn’t mean it’s going to happen, there can be factors that come into play that you may not have considered. Knowing what you’re up against can give you the ammunition you need to win the war on weight loss. Check out these 10 scenarios that could be sabotaging your weight loss plans.

Drinking Too Much Wine

Drinking one glass of wine can help your heart and only adds about 150 calories to your intake, but drinking 2 or more glasses can have a detrimental effect on your waistline and your body. At this point, it reaches over into the over indulgent side, adds 300-500 calories to your daily intake and puts you at risk for serious diseases and conditions like Stroke and Diabetes.

Eating Mindlessly

Do you “snack” on supper while you’re preparing it or “grab a little” while fixing the kids’ lunch or snack? These mindless eating activities can add hundreds of “forgotten about” calories to your daily intake. So when you’re thinking you are on track, you’re really missing the mark. Be aware of everything you put into your mouth because it ALL adds up.

You’re NOT Moving

If you are relying solely on your diet to help you lose weight, you’ve got a wake-up call coming. Yes, you can lose weight through diet alone, but the catch is you will lose fat, muscle and water. And once your diet is finished, the weight will come back (sometimes in as little as two years) and it may be more weight than before. Why? Studies have shown that eating a nutritious diet along with strength training and cardiovascular exercise not only helps you to lose more weight, it keeps it from coming back. Most importantly, the weight you do lose is fat, your muscle stays intact, which helps keep the weight from piling back on.

You’re NOT Moving Enough

OK, so you started an exercise program to go along with your new diet, great! But are you really doing enough? Once or twice a week is not enough to help you lose enough body fat to make a difference. Yes, you will lose, but it will be so slow and incremental that you will most likely become frustrated and stop the whole program all together. Real, sustainable weight loss requires dedicated actions. You have to perform at least five (5) cardio sessions per week with each one lasting at least 30 minutes in order to see and maintain real change. In addition, you need to perform strength training exercises at a minimum of 2 times per week. Anything else is like swimming in quicksand, going nowhere.

You are Cheating Yourself On Sleep

Good shut-eye helps you lose weight. Studies have shown that people who sleep 6 or more hours per night are more likely to maintain a healthier weight than their sleep-deprived counterparts. Getting 8-10 hours of sleep per night is crucial to allowing your body time to complete all the functions it needs to do at night such as repairing and rebuilding muscle tissue. Your body uses fat to fuel its efforts, so if you cut the shut-eye short you’re really cutting down on the amount of excess fat your body is able to burn while you are sleeping.

Check Your Meds

Certain conditions like Diabetes, High Cholesterol, Depression and Heart Disease (there are more) are controlled by medications that can cause your body to put on weight or make it more difficult for you to take the weight off. Discuss the side-effects of any medication that you are currently taking with your doctor to decide on the right course of action for your individual case.

You are Not Eating Enough

Just as over-eating can lead your body to store excess calories as fat, under-eating or starving your body can cause you to store fat also. Most people mistakenly think that if they eat way less than before they went on their diet their body will lose more fat.  Unfortunately this type of thinking leads your body to go into starvation mode. This means your body is now on survival alert status and begins to slow down all its processes in order to conserve (save) energy (fat) so that it can get through this perceived starvation period. So instead of turning your body into a fat burning machine, you’ve created the ultimate fat-storing machine.

Follow the tips listed above to make sure your weight loss plan is on track. For help with getting your weight loss program started the right way, check out Lee Haney’s 7 Day Systemic Cleansing Detox. On Sale NOW!

For the last four days, I’ve been craving grill cheese sandwiches! It’s the strangest thing, since I haven’t made those since I was a teenager and I try to stay away from bread. My usual need is sweet hot cup of cocoa. I know,  I know..not good .  (It’s my biggest addiction.) I’m getting help though… lol

I decided to look up what certain cravings mean and I came across this pretty interesting article that breaks it  down:)

Enjoy!

Simone

WHAT YOUR CRAVINGS MEAN

by  Michelle Schoffro Cook

Who hasn’t experienced the overwhelming desire to eat some­thing specific, whether it be chocolate, potato chips, a burger, or some other food? We’ve all experienced cravings, but we should be careful about the way in which we satisfy them. By understanding what your body is actually deficient in (assuming it is a physical, not an emotional food craving) you can get to the root cause of the crav­ings, and eventually kick them all together.

There are numerous possible meanings of cravings, depending on the type of craving and your eating habits. Before you satisfy cravings, drink a tall glass of pure water. Quite often we misinterpret our body’s signal for thirst as a signal of hunger. By drinking a tall glass of water first, you may be giving your body exactly what it wants and alleviate craving. Some experts estimate that up to 80 percent of the population is chronically dehydrated, so start with water before you try to decipher your cravings.

Chocolate.
If you crave chocolate, it doesn’t mean your body has a chocolate deficiency, although I think most people would prefer that. Chocolate is high in magnesium. Cravings for it often indicate that your body is deficient in magnesium, which is a common deficiency. If you’re going to eat chocolate, choose organic cocoa and mix it into a healthy smoothie, or eat a small amount of dark chocolate. Because that is unlikely enough to deal with a magnesium deficiency, it’s also important to eat other foods high in magnesium, such as nuts, seeds, fish, and leafy greens.

Sweets
If you crave sweets you may be experiencing blood sugar fluctuations. When your blood sugar drops, your body may be try­ing to get you to give it more fuel to keep your blood sugar levels stable. If this is a chronic occurrence you may have hypoglycemia, which simply means low blood sugar. Whether your sugar cravings are sporadic or chronic, it is important to choose the right type of food to bring your body back into balance. Giving in to cookies, cakes, candies, or other refined sweets will only make the problem worse and cause a blood sugar roller coaster that leads to more crav­ings. Instead, choose a piece of fruit when you’re craving sweets. In the interim, add more high-fiber foods like beans and legumes, and complex carbohydrates like whole grains to give you the fuel you need without the blood sugar spikes. If you’re really struggling with sugar cravings, you may also wish to supplement with the mineral chromium since it helps to regulate blood sugar levels and ward off cravings.

Salty Foods
Cravings for salty foods like popcorn or chips often indicate stress hormone fluctuations in the body. Getting on top of the stress in your life is step one. The adrenal glands help your body cope with stress and, in our fast-paced, hectic lives, tend to become worn out, especially from stress-hormone production. Try medita­tion, breathing exercises, or other stress management techniques. Research at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City showed that people who take a break to breathe deeply or meditate before reach­ing for salty snacks reduced their stress hormones by 25 percent and cut the bingeing in half.

If your adrenal glands are worn out, you can also support them with a high-quality B-complex vitamin, with extra pantothenic acid (that’s vitamin B-5) and vitamin C. Eating more leafy greens helps to supply your body with minerals that support the adrenal glands, especially potassium.

Next: Learn about cravings for cheese, red meat, and the general desire to snack!
Read FULL article here: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/what-your-cravings-mean.html#ixzz1cZfJCapk

Own Your power,

Simone

By Jesse Richardson

If there is too much of anything in this world, it’s the abundance distractions. The ubiquitous nature of technology provides people with the option to plug in at any moment. And while this certainly has its benefits, there are some clear drawbacks (like a seriously exacerbated case of procrastination). Only to worsen the situation, poor lifestyles can negatively impact our ability to focus in the first place.

Is all lost? Not quite.

Here are five idea to hone your mental focus. They’ll help keep you on track with your projects and free up some mental space for more important information. Plus, they’ll boost your mental health as a whole!

Number 1. Turn off the TV

The first thing I did when I decided I needed to spend more time focusing is turn off the TV. Well, to be honest, I stopped paying for cable and got rid of any game systems I had – without those there isn’t much use to having a TV at all.

Although you do miss out on some information, time without the TV on is time to think for yourself. They call it programming for a reason, after all! With less TV comes more time to talk to friends, read, write, play music, exercise, fall in love, cook, or whatever else you’d like to do.

Number 2. Unplug the Phone

I realize how dated this suggestion sounds (who has a wired phone anymore?), but I think it carries the right idea. For 2-3 hours out of the day, try leaving your phone in the other room. Don’t worry about calls or texts, and instead focus on what you’re doing. This is probably the hardest thing to do, but time without a phone is like time without a lease.

Number 3. Get Plenty of Rest and Schedule

To operate your brain with peak performance, it’s got to be well rested and ready to go. This, in…

REA FULL STORY HERE…

Rhonda Loves What She Does!

Do What You Love, The Money Will Follow

Do you love what you do? Are you happy in your career, or are you rethinking your life and what you want to do with the rest of it?

It seems as though the more people — let’s say, women — I talk to, the more it becomes apparent that there’s some sort of shift happening in the universe. Or maybe it’s just that more of us are starting to assess what we’re doing and where we’re headed with our lives, wondering if we’re truly happy doing what we’re doing in our careers, lifestyles and even relationships.  

Maybe it’s women’s form of middle-age crazy. Instead of reverting to teen-like behavior, we look forward rather than back to assess what we’re missing and how we want to live.    

My friend Kim Marcille calls this shift the “new renaissance”. Kim was a senior executive with a major newspaper. She left her career to pursue new possibilities.  Over the past couple of years Kim has become an expert on the science of amplifying possibility into reality, starting a company called Possibilities Amplified to help her clients do just that. She has also written a book, The Science of Making Things Happen: Turn Any Possibility into Reality, which reveals some of today’s most groundbreaking scientific discoveries and shows you how to utilize them to amplify your desired business outcomes into reality.  

My friend Christina recently sold her beverage company and now is doing what she loves – writing about food.  She started on this new path by responding to a request for food bloggers from a local Miami-based community newspaper. Now, she has her own column.

She’s working on a food-oriented book for kids, too, and has a few other projects in the works, all related to food. She is totally happy.

We recently had lunch together. It’s funny how we both shared that when we first started our careers, we thought that ascending the corporate ladder and having the “big job” was the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  

Not!

Now, at this stage in our lives, it’s more about following our passion in our work and doing what we love.

My friend Julia Yarbough is a perfect example. Julia left her lucrative news anchor job after 22 years in search of something more in life.  Julia’s passion is travel and exploring the great outdoors. After several conversations with singles about their dating woes, she created Highway to a Husband, a unique travel and dating blog site.

More women are opting out of the corporate world to find fulfillment and satisfaction in the work they do.  Whether it’s working part time or at home to have more flexibility, spend more time with their children or to start a business, it seems to be a growing trend.

Why is this happening?

The “opt out revolution” has been a phenomenon occurring for the past decade.  I think we’re all having a major wake-up call.  Being part of the “rat race” doesn’t cut it anymore. Doing what we love, living stress-free, being happy and having the freedom and flexibility to live on our own terms are much-healthier alternatives.

So, what does this have to do with breast cancer?

Being diagnosed with breast cancer certainly was my wake-up call. It made me evaluate my life, work and level of happiness. And, the one thing I know for sure is that when I decided to follow my passion, endless possibilities started to unfold.

I don’t know that I have actually mastered the science of amplifying possibility into reality, but I have managed to create opportunities to do what I love and I make money doing it.

For all of you who may have that secret desire or dream, wanting to do something that makes you excited to get going in the morning, smile when you know that you’ve made a difference or have a sense of purpose, then that’s called a “labor of love”.

Life is short and has few guarantees. There’s no time like now to follow your passion.  But if fear is getting in the way of following your passion, then there’s one thing I can guarantee: If you do what you love, the money will follow. Just ask Kim, Christina, Julia and me!

 For more information about Rhonda, visit her site Breast Cancer Partner.

I always say, sleep is one of God’s best inventions ever It  is something that is essential  for us to have in order to function properly in our days. When we don’t get enough of it…it shows! Check out this article from the Dailyom.com that I came across that will help you get over the GUILT of catching a power nap!

Own Your Power!

Simone

Restorative Slumber
The Importance of Napping

The desire for a short nap during the day does not arise out of laziness, rather the need for the body to rejuvenate.

In the modern world, we’re often compelled to be as productive as possible during as many hours of the day as we can be. While this can lead to great feats of accomplishment, we may become exhausted and find ourselves craving rest and rejuvenation. We may feel like taking a nap but feel guilty about indulging in even ten minutes of rest. This need for personal downtime, which many people experience in the early afternoon, isn’t a sign of laziness nor is it necessarily related to how much sleep you had the night before. There was even a time when taking a nap was considered a natural part of everyone’s day.

Napping is a pleasurable yet brief period of sleep when our minds and bodies can take a break. Though judged by many to be a pastime for children or the elderly, napping can benefit people of all ages. The desire to nap is a trait shared by many mammals, and napping is still an important part of the day in some countries. Snoozing for a half-hour can be an enjoyable way to promote physical well-being, and naps have been known to improve your mood and memory. A 20-minute nap can sharpen your senses and revitalize you, while a ten minute nap can leave you feeling more cheerful. Falling into a light sleep during the daytime can feel meditative. The thoughts you have as you are taking a nap and the dreams you experience may offer you insights about your life that you may not have at night when you are in a deep sleep.

In order to fully enjoy the benefits of napping, you may need to give yourself permission to nap. Feeling guilty about snoozing or worrying about your to-do list won’t do you much good when you are trying to take a nap because your thoughts or feelings will keep you awake. Try to nap at the same time each day, and use an alarm clock to ensure that you don’t sleep for too long. If you go to an office, try crawl under your desk for a nap. Learning to nap and enjoy its restorative benefits can help you wake up restored, rejuvenated, and ready for the rest of your day.

Here’s a article on some other ways you can save! Check it out and good luck on your road to healthy eating!

Own Your Power!

Simone

It is true that most organic foods — fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy, eggs, and prepacked foods — do cost more. But the one thing to keep in mind is that organic food means higher-quality food; artisan and handmade touches, smaller batches, obsessive attention to the freshest, most delicious ingredients. I believe organic and gourmet go hand in hand. But I, too, like saving money and have some tips on how to save money on groceries:

1. Search the Internet.

Many organic food companies offer printable coupons available on their Web sites.

2. Buy in bulk.

Warehouse clubs are beginning to carry a wide variety of eco-friendly household items (recycled paper towels, cleaning supplies) and organic food items; larger quantities up-front, mean bigger savings at the register. Consider buying the essentials you will always need: cold-pressed organic olive oil, recycled paper toilet tissue, a big bag of organic lemons (if you are planning to make freshly squeezed lemonade for a party, etc.).

3. Save money with store brands.

Decades ago, supermarkets created “no-frills brands” that lacked expensive packaging, and passed the savings on to the consumer. These generic items were easily identifiable by their plain, black-and-white packaging. READ FULL STORY HERE!

Dana showing me how to eat good!

Tune into this show if you are in the process of starting a new journey towards wellness or hey, just curious and thinking about it. Learn about becoming Vegetarian, Vegan, and a Raw Foodist. Get tips and yummy recipes on juicing. Make the transition to whole foods today and learn how to have fun with it! Raw Foods That Rock by ownyourpowerradio

(THIS IS AN OYP Podcast-”Rewind” first aired in 2009)

Listen to these lovely experts as they share tips on how they’ve made healthy transitions and what they suggest you can do to incorporate some simple changes into your new lifestyle.

Special co-host and guest: The Yoga Diva, Dana Smith-Rogers of Spiritual Essence Yoga

Special Guest: Sherry Fields, Wellness Expert

Remember, we have a community where you can ask Dana or Sherry questions. Connect with other members in our OWN YOUR POWER CLEANSE CLUB and share your own experiences! You don’t have to do it alone…