Well Being

An Anecdote About A Not So Ordinary Seed

This is a personal anecdote about my new friend, the flax seed. I’ve been trying to increase my overall health. So, the other day I decided to look for heart healthy foods and stumbled upon, flax seeds.

When I asked the store clerk if there was a difference between brown and yellow flax seeds she replied, “there is absolutely no difference between the two.” I found this amusing because upon first glance I actually liked the look of the brown ones better and thought, “How could she say that? The brown ones look so much better!”

I wanted to give them a little home, so I used an old wonton soup container to store them, because if I want to be healthier I won’t need it. Wow they look so cool and healthy in that container. They actually look a little lonely, so I’ve been finding ways to use these little seeds to the fullest. I now sprinkle them on cereal. I dip bananas into them as well.

I’ve grown to like them even though I don’t know if they have any taste. Here’s what I have heard about them. Nutritionists say that flax seeds help lower cholesterol and also are good for people who have diabetes.

Flax is high in Omega 3 essential fatty acids, which helps people with rheumatoid arthritis. I’ve also heard that if you grind them up they’re better for you, but as for now I’m afraid to crush them in fear that my new little friends, the flax seed, may get mad at me!

Health Scare

As many of you know I have been a vegetarian for over two decades. What you may not know is that vegetarianism isn’t always healthy when you fail to replace what nutrients one loses by not eating meat protein.

I believe that I may have fallen into that category of late. Also you still have to exercise and practise sound relaxation techniques to stay healthy and maintain strong mental functions.

I recently found out that I have higher than normal blood pressure. It runs in our family and it is something I have always been aware of, however it is so easy to take things like that for granted. Especially when my eldest sister had a stroke because her blood pressure was so high, it is even more imperative that all of our family members be aware of this trait.

So how does my lifestyle and diet come into play here? Well I have discovered that I consume a lot more salt than I care to admit. I live on a very low-fat and low-sugar diet but I end up eating a lot of “hidden” salt in some prepackaged soy products. It is something I hadn’t really addressed until now.

I would hate for the story of my life to end in an anecdote about why an otherwise healthy vegetarian ended up in a coffin well before their time. So both my partner and I are taking steps to control our sodium intake and also to increase our walking and exercise regimen.

A recent medical study found that previously sedentary patients who took up walking three to five times a week were able to reduce their systolic blood pressure by five points after twelve weeks. A number which would put me back into the “normal’ category for blood pressure reading.

I’ll keep you posted on my progress as I intend on getting check-ups every week for the next twelve weeks at the very least.

Meat-Eating Vegetarians?

This week’s anecdote in the Well Being section is about a new phenomena sweeping across the vegetarian world.

As I have expressed in previous posts, I am coming up on my twentieth year as a vegetarian. For me vegetarianism is all about trying to only consume produce that is grown from the earth. It’s also about respecting animals by not chopping them up and putting them on your plate! Although I must stress that this is a personal choice and I am not the type to frown upon or reprimand anyone who chooses to eat meat.

However I do take exception with the nouveau vegetarianism that allows one to consume meat. These meats are of very high quality and are from organically grass-fed animals that supposedly have a decent life before hitting the chopping block. For these so-called vegetarians it is more about how animals are treated before they end up on their plates as opposed to the idea of a living creature having to die for their consumption.

In my view this is much worse than the normal, slightly ignorant carnivore who just wants to know what’s for dinner. The snobby vegetarian who thinks that they are somehow superior by eating better quality meat at exorbitant prices is the personification of pretension in my humble opinion.

Cold, Anyone?

It’s time for another little anecdote from back home. When I was little my Mum would make my siblings and I drink this atrocious medicine every year around this time to make sure that we didn’t get sick, i.e. catch a cold.

The medicine was aptly called “Fisherman’s Friend” but don’t let the word “friend” in the title deceive you. This concoction was no child’s friend and I dare you to find any adult who wouldn’t gag slightly after this milky, fishy liquid made it’s way down your throat. As children we would hide under the stairs, as my Mum would call us into the kitchen one by one to face our ultimate fear. Still have nightmares about this bottle!

As I got older I refused to take this “devil’s honey” and eventually went my own way when it comes to medicines and more natural herbal remedies. However, I found that I would never get a cold and for years this continued to be true even after I moved to the States.

So do I recommend this evil tasting potion? Not really but I benefited from it’s strong immune boosting properties and for that I have to be grateful. Nowadays I eat my fresh fruit and veggies. Drink loads of water and get out into the cold at least once a day for a brisk walk. I try to get my full eight hours for sleep and stay away from coffee.

Whether it’s the remnants for my old “Fisherman’s Friend” or my healthier lifestyle I am still “cold free”. I think I’ve got Mum to thank for starting me on the right track.

Heaven and Hell

No don’t worry I’m not going to start a bible thumping or anti-Christ post here! Anyway I am not “religious” in the traditional sense although I know quite a bit about Christianity.

My anecdote starts at the point when we are born. It’s a general assumption that we are all born clean and “free from sin”, if you want to call it that. We are all just tiny blank canvasses waiting to be scrawled upon by some talented and some not so talented artists.

Now what if that were not the case. What if we were born into Hell and our lives did not begin at birth, we were just being given another chance to prove ourselves worthy to get to Heaven. You see I just can’t get my head around the concept of a fiery abyss where “bad people” go to be tormented forever. However I can believe that we are all given this chance to learn and experience life on Earth as a precursor to attaining true happiness in Heaven.

Those of us who don’t not succeed are merely given a second chance to “make things right” by being born again into this world. Those of us who are chosen worthy may ascend to Heaven to live in a place where life is good for everyone.

This belief of mine has little to do with the bible or traditional religion. The terms Heaven and Hell could easily be substituted with Utopia and Suffering.

So in this “school of learning” on Earth, we should all try to contribute as much positivism as possible. After all the very future happiness of our souls depend on it.

Touch Your Toes

This weeks article is a little more frivolous than the previous ones in this category. I have always been able to touch my toes. I know that this sounds a bit silly but there are people out there who have never been able to do this.

There are several reasons why they may not be able to perform this rudimentary task: -

1) Inflexibility
2) Body size
3) Shorter Arms – with long legs
4) Longer legs – with short arms

My other half suffers from number one and has great difficulty with stretching and generally being flexible. In my view maintaining a decent level of flexibility can assist in muscle strength and bone health. By gently stretching your limbs and core structure, you will be able to keep up your body’s level of strength.

Yoga is a great way to start stretching those muscles and gain greater body mobility. As we get older our body’s tendency to tighten up is something we have to work hard to prevent. Getting a good jump on this possibly age- related symptom is something we should take to heart and try to work on every day.

So start touching your toes and keep those limbs long and loose.