It's been too long...

Well, again after a long break from my blog...  It's amazing how quickly resolve can dissolve when life gets beyond busy.  I have been plugging away - school, work, work, school.  And study on the weekends, ugh!  I thought those days were over.  But that's just how it goes in the pursuit of knowledge and self-improvement, right?  At times like this, I find myself asking what is it all for?

I crave a peaceful existence.  One of self-nurturing and slow days with time to visit friends and family, knit, take baths, listen to music, read, stretch and sleep.  I hope that with all that I am trying to do, I can get there.  I will get there, rather, not just hope.  Isn't that the point of this crazy ride?  To be able to do what we want to do?  Much like the movie "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" at times, I find myself wishing that I could go backwards and take my knowledge into my youth.  But, if I had it to do all over again, I wouldn't be where I am now - and as busy as I am, I like my life.

Tonight was a rare treat for my current existence.  I had some peaceful time at home and I just sat for a bit to watch some TV. I ate slowly (not standing up or in the car, as has become my daily standard).  I took a bath, scrubbed my face, and did masks for my face and hair.  It was beautiful.  It made me reminisce for those days in the newness of January when I had time to equally pamper and torture myself.  :)  And here I am clicking away.  Finally!

What is it all for?  My budding knowledge of all things holistic and healthy?  I must say, it is sad to sacrifice time, but I so enjoy every word I read.  I enjoy the skills I am gaining, and I enjoy knowing more about the agony and ecstasy of nutrition.  I can have my endless hours (lol) to pamper myself or I can learn and help other people take better care of themselves... easy choice.  Hopefully, I find more nights like tonight scattered here and there, so I can continue to write...

Peace,
Charlynn

Overwhelmed doesn't even begin to describe it...

Hello blog.  So sorry to have been away so long.  You have been there taunting me daily, and I have stubbornly ignored you as if you were my dreaded cell phone.  Hopefully it won't happen again...

Well, January is finally over.  The month of resolutions and my birthday has passed.  I think the start of a new month finds me even more resolved and committed to making permanent, healthy change in my life.  I have spent the bulk of the month taking good (dare I say, excellent) care of myself and paying a special, obsessive amount of attention to what is going into my body.  I have had some of the things I was avoiding earlier - sugar, alcohol, french fries, to name a few.  And they all left me feeling worse, rather than wanting more.  So on to February I march with a new manifesto with all of my new found knowledge.

After watching both Food Inc. and The Future of Food,  I resolve to do the following:

• Become a stronger advocate of the slow food movement
• Buy local - go to the Farmer's Market more, join a CSA (finally after years of wanting to), support local growers and businesses
• Buy organic.  Don't get me started on the consequences of toxic overload to our health.  Not only are we ingesting chemicals and poisons, we are eating food that is less nutritious, less useful and just less.
• Filter my water - look up your local water statistics... you will be shocked
• Vegan it up all over the place - I will be hosting some vegan dinner parties in the near future - prepare to be invited :)

Good health is something we all should strive for.  It seems radical to go against the mainstream and actually wake up and pay attention to our food, but in the long run we are saving a whole host of health issues.  Not just physical health either.  I recently had to define nutrition for one of my classes, and here is what I said.

I think that living a life that incorporates nutrition means taking care of myself in all the different arenas... I get plenty of rest, take care of the largest organ (my skin) by staying hydrated, moisturized and protected from the sun - but not so much that I don't get some good Vitamin D, drink plenty of water, etc.  I think if we look at nutrition in a holisitc way, we can break down all the good things we do to take care of our bodies as "nutrition".  All of those things are life giving and life extending.

But even beyond our bodies, if we look at our relationships, finances, spirituality, home life, careers, and on and on... I think if we look at all areas that make up who we are, we can find where we nourish ourselves and where we are lacking. For example, if I don't balance my checkbook, that leads to financial stress, which leads to sleepless nights, which leads to poor food choices the next day(s), which leads to physiological dysfunction, which leads to poor self image, which leads to more poor food choices, which leads to grouchiness and on and on... it can be a never ending cycle. 

Nutrition goes so much further than food to me.  Nutrition means taking care of what we have been blessed with.