Focus

This chapter (like all of the chapters so far) is packed with information. It's really good, though and my mind is spinning with ways I can apply what I am reading.  This chapter is all about the brain. The brain really is miraculous and fascinating. Scientists are still constantly leaning new things about the human brain. A main point from this chapter:

When we are healthy and making good decisions, our brain is healthy. 

And the converse is also true:

When our brain is not healthy, we are not healthy and we make bad decisions.

I found it shocking (just like the author did) that studies show that as a person's weight goes up, the size of their brain goes down. The brain literally gets sicker and smaller.  It's not just extra pounds that can cause the brain to shrink either: high blood pressure, high blood sugar, untreated depression, lack of sleep: all of these things can impair our brain function and cause our brain to shrink.

I really like the part of the chapter that talks about chronic stress. A little stress can be a positive thing: showing us where we need to grow and what needs to change.  But living with chronic stress day in and day out takes a terrible toll on our health. Prayer and meditation are great ways to deal with chronic stress and certainly I need to work more prayer and meditation into my life!

My absolute favorite part of the chapter: the part that encourages us to laugh more! I think sometimes we take ourselves so seriously! "A cheerful heart is good medicine" (Proverbs 17:22) was quoted in the chapter and I absolutely love it.  I'm sure I've run across this verse before, but reading it in the context of this chapter: it just spoke to me.  God cares about joy! He meant for us to enjoy our lives! Really! Sometimes I take myself so seriously, and when I think about God, I'm thinking about what tangible goals he wants me to accomplish in my life, and how best I can optimize my time serving him. Really what I'm thinking about is how I'm "measuring up" each and every day, and He's not measuring!  I bet what He'd really like me to do is take time to find joy each day in the blessings He's given me.  I'd also be willing to bet that if more of us could mindfully cultivate a "cheerful heart" and a positive attitude, finding more joy in our lives, it would do so much more for our health than even the best medicine money could buy!

I like that Pastor Rick is encouraging us to challenge our erroneous, negative thoughts.  What are some of yours? For me, I think I have a lot of thought patterns driven by guilt. I was raised Catholic (no offense to anyone else raised Catholic) but in my experience growing up, guilt was used as a big motivator to change my behavior. So even in my adult life, I find that if I take time to exercise, I feel guilty about not getting something else done, or not spending that time with my kids. If I want to cook a dish full of veggies for dinner, I feel guilty because I know that my husband doesn't like a lot of the vegetables that I like.  Instead of taking a few minutes at work to have a healthy snack, I feel guilty that I'm not seeing my patients faster, so I skip eating and drinking water and end up with a headache, starving and end up scarfing down 3 doughnuts that someone brought into the break room.  I think a good way to challenge these thought patterns may be to ignore the guilt and see the truth:

When I take time to exercise, I end up feeling better, so I am a better Mom to my kids. Also, I'm modeling a healthy behavior for them, which is just what a good parent should do.

Often I do mix veggies into my dishes (way more often lately) and if my husband doesn't like that particular vegetable, he can pick it out of the dish: much like he did with the broccoli in the beef and broccoli I cooked tonight.  Exposing him to different veggies is probably better in the long run. There are veggies I've gotten him to try that he never touched before he met me.

Taking time to eat a handful of walnuts or a half cup of yogurt and some water in between patients means that my brain will work much better for the patients that I see. I doubt anyone will seriously mind waiting the 2 or 3 minutes this will actually take.

I very much agree with the entire section on gratitude and I know what a great impact gratitude can have on someone's happiness and health. My mother actually has taught me a lot about what a miraculous impact gratitude can have on life and health, and she encourages me to share her story.  My mom is an alcoholic, and for years she struggled with her addiction. There was a time that everyone in her life (her included) thought she was beyond help. But God lined up a series of events in her life that landed her in Alcoholics Anonymous, and step by step, friends and sponsors in the program taught her to focus each and every morning on gratitude. She learned that what often drove her to drink were a series of negative thoughts. I think negative thoughts are often what drives us to make poor food choices too: (much like my guilt about moving quickly through my patients eventually leads to a binge on doughnuts.)  She learned a technique to stop those negative thoughts as soon as she starts to think them. When she finds herself at the mercy of a string of negative thoughts, she stops and starts listing each thing she is grateful for, one by one. My mom is a walking miracle: I have seen her make a 180 degree change in her life over the past six years she has been sober, and I know that learning to cultivate an attitude of gratitude is a big part of that change.  I also think that if gratitude can have such a big hand in conquering alcohol addiction, it can certainly help out with stopping other unhealthy behaviors.

I also really like that the chapter encourages us to learn from "failure".  Just about any path to success looks a lot like that zig-zag diagram in the chapter: it is a steady upward trend, but along the way, there are little down-slopes, as we have little failures, learn from them and keep doing better. So many times in my teens and early 20s, I would decide I was going on a "diet" and the first time I broke down and ate a fast food meal or some ice cream, I gave up altogether. I'm sure many of us do that. But Pastor Rick reminds us that the path to healthy living is life-long and following the Daniel Plan is like following the GPS in your car. You get off track, and you just take the next U-turn as soon as you can and get right back on track. You WILL still reach your destination this way!

I love the practical tips at the end of the chapter to keep your brain healthy: like practicing self-control daily, getting 8 hours of sleep (guys, this is really important! Make it happen!) and getting omega 3 fatty acids each day.  Each day, we need to look at our goals and our list of things we are grateful for. Remember, life is 90% perspective and perception. If we chose to dwell on the positive, positive things will happen.

I was really encouraged by this whole chapter. I think it is really vital. When people think about losing weight or getting healthy, nobody really thinks about stopping to change their attitude or their mind-set, or writing down goals, or negative thought patterns. I think I'll end up coming back to this chapter and reading it over a few more times as I continue to implement the Daniel Plan. 

Fitness

I really liked this chapter.  I like to say this a lot: "exercise is the best medicine". There are few conditions that exercise can't help at least in some way. Exercise lowers stress, lowers blood pressure, increases insulin sensitivity, lowers blood sugar, improves sleep... the list goes on and on. Like the author is saying, most people know there are 100 reasons they should exercise, but the number of us that consistently work in regular exercise is low. There are many reasons people give for not getting in their exercise. Many people say " I just don't have time," or some will admit that they just don't like exercise. This chapter addresses both of these excuses.

A main point of the chapter is that you don't always have to set aside a huge amount of time to exercise: you can do it in little bits throughout the day. In fact, that may be best. Most of us suffer from what Pastor Rick refers to as "sitting disease" or a myriad of conditions brought on by the fact that most of us spend all day sitting.  There are a lot of great tips in the chapter that have nothing to do with running 5 miles every day or signing up for an expensive gym membership: Stopping for 5-10 minutes each hour while at work to stretch, move around, do some squats or lunges, or even take a brisk walk -- these are great ways to get in shape and reap the benefits of exercise. How about a walking meeting?? I've heard of this lately (although we don't do this at my job) but it sounds like not only a great way to combat sitting disease, but probably to stimulate some great ideas by getting the blood flowing.

My favorite point from the entire chapter: What is the 100% best exercise for keeping you fit & healthy?? The one you will do! Find what you love and do it! For me, it's dance. Put me in a Zumba class, and I don't even feel like I'm exercising. It's just pure fun. Ditto for dance exercise videos. I love walking and talking too, which is why our weekly walking group is a blessing for me.  More than once, one of us has commented that we've enjoyed our discussion so much we didn't even know how far we'd gone!

I really like the idea of focusing on one word each year to make transformation in your life. I'm still not sure what my word should be.  I feel like the past 10 years of my life have all been about challenges and accomplishments (getting married, starting my career, starting my family, going to grad school). So I think the word for this year needs to be somehow different. For me, I have trouble learning to slow down and enjoy something: I'm always rushing to what I think I need to "get done". Maybe this year, my word should be "enjoyment". Truthfully, I do enjoy exercise, especially if I can incorporate friendship with others and/or dance. Anybody want to find a Zumba class to go with me to?

Pastor Rick encourages us in this chapter to find our fitness dream.  What is yours? I have to spend some more time and thought to find mine. Maybe to do a few more 5Ks, or maybe a 10K?  Maybe it is to get back into regular dance classes: like a modern or ballet class. I could certainly use a bit more art & creativity in my life!  Another thing I like about this chapter: we are reminded to play like a kid! This is a great lesson for us parents out there. Yes we are strapped for time and money and surrounded by some processed kids' snacks, pizza and birthday cake at parties, but we also have the advantage of watching our kids play and exhibit the kind of daily physical energy we often dream of having.  I know that taking the kids outside for more physical play will be great for me and for them!

Planning your exercise or play in advance by writing down your plans, and treating them as valuable appointments are some more great ideas. Remember, we can't give what we don't have. Taking great care of yourself now means you will likely give more to those around you now and in the future. In this way, giving yourself time each day for regular physical activity is like giving to everyone in your life. Getting a friend to join you and hold you accountable is also really helpful.  Writing down not only your plans, but what you ended up doing and how you felt is another great idea.  This way, you can see where the challenges and pitfalls are, and you are also more likely to follow through if you are in the habit of mindfully writing about it.

The final point in the chapter is to keep varying what you are doing. Yes, the same exercise routine can in some ways be comforting, but flexibility really is the key to success: it is a great way to keep you from reaching a plateau and also to keep you interested.

Does anyone have any other ideas besides our weekly walk that we can do instead? I like the idea of a Zumba class! Let's talk more about it this Sunday! For me, for this week: I did a 20 minute run on Monday, a run and cardio/strength training session at the playground while my kids played on Tuesday (30 mins), and today, I did a 30 minute yoga workout.  I feel great! My stress levels really are the lowest when I take the time to get my exercise. The added benefit: my energy levels are often higher when I work out as well. None of it cost me anything but a half hour or so of time, and if I continue to keep it up, I'll be reaping the benefits for years to come.

How is everyone else doing with this chapter? I'd love to hear your feedback. Post a comment here, or a comment or picture on the Facebook page! And join me this Sunday for our walk and talk!

Week 2: Food

     I have to admit: even for someone who has spent their lifetime interested in healthy eating and has spent countless hours studying nutrition: this chapter is overwhelming!  There is so much in here to learn & think about. Probably the biggest message in this chapter: 

Think outside the "healthy food" box!

Most of us, (if we are honest) have only a few foods we eat when we are trying to eat healthy: for me, its pretty much salads, apples, oranges, bananas, strawberries, carrots, corn & green beans.  It's easy to get in a rut if these are the only foods you reach for. I can't tell you how many plain romaine salads I've choked down with low calorie dressing. If there was one main message to this chapter it would be: 

Healthy food is meant to be yummy!  and Try something new!

The chapter has great suggestions such as taking old standbys and serving them in a new way (such as the grilled romaine I posted about on the Facebook page), and shopping at local whole foods stores & farmers markets to find less common fruits & veggies to try. The recipes don't have to take a long time & effort to prepare: simple really is best: many veggies only need a little heat (grilling, baking or sauteing) and maybe a bit of olive oil and a dash of spice.

I really like that the chapter gives you permission to eat fat! The good kind, that is.  Since I've started reading the book, I've been having an avocado for breakfast one or two days a week with a dash of lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Try this! It's great, and keeps you full for awhile. It has a good bit of fat/calories, but it is still great for you.  I was blown away by the part of the chapter that mentioned the study that had participants on a Mediterranean diet getting a liter of extra virgin olive oil a week and doing as well as if they were put on statin (cholesterol) drugs! I'm on a statin drug! Could having more olive oil drizzled on my veggies give me the lower cholesterol without swallowing the pill every night??  

Boy, and the part about what the bad foods are doing to us -- THAT was hard to read. But it makes total sense. There is so much we still don't know or understand about chronic illnesses: and I'd be willing to bet that it has WAY more to do with our diets than we even realize or care to admit. Tons of research is supporting the idea that the root problem in so many of our health issues today is inflammation. But just where is this inflammation coming from?  Sugary, processed foods full of chemicals, trans fats and preservatives: this has to be a huge part of it.  So often, I meet people who are so willing to take a pill for their problem, but not willing to just try going gluten-free, or try changing their diet. What I love about eating healthy and exercising is that compared to to the cost of most drugs out there: the cost is not all that high. Also, there are usually only good, healthy side-effects to changing your diet/lifestyle whereas medications often come with harmful side-effects.

Another big point in this chapter: never NEVER get into a food emergency! So often we skip meals, or wait way too long to eat. Before we know it, we're starving, and all of our good intentions go out the window and all we want is pizza with a huge regular soda. I love how the author is saying that thinking will-power can save us from making poor food choices when we're starving is like thinking that will-power can help us hold our breath for fifteen minutes. Keeping healthy food around and making sure we eat every few hours is a must. It requires a bit of effort up-front, and some planning, but can save us from a diet disaster later. Once super-sized meal at the drive thru will take us like, a week of regular exercise to burn off!

I also rarely stop to think about how certain industrial-made foods are supporting farming practices that are harmful to the planet and to poor farmers in certain places in the world that are exploited by the practices of huge corporations.  A HUGE part of the American diet comes  in the form of packaged foods with a long list of chemical ingredients made by giant companies that are anything but good for our planet.  Choosing to eat locally grown, fresh ingredients is a way of not only affecting your own health but the health of the planet! 

I also really loved the part of the chapter that calls for all of us to reclaim our kitchens. The most common thing I hear from people (and from myself, if I'm honest) is "busy busy busy!" We are all so busy. But let's face it: we have time for what we make time for. I have tried out this healthy way of eating for a week or two now, and it really doesn't take all that long.  I've been making Daniel Plan recipes all week, and the time I spend on cooking and preparing food really hasn't changed.   All of us have different levels of skill when it comes to cooking, some of us were raised in the kitchen, and some of us never learned. But we live in the You Tube nation now! There isn't a skill you can't learn nowadays with great, free how-to videos. One website I absolutely LOVE is www.allrecipes.com Check it out! IT has hundreds of thousands of great recipes and how-to videos.  Cooking is a skill/practice we cannot afford to live without. If you are eating out more than once a week, you are setting yourself up for problems. Most restaurant foods: the portions are out of control and even the "light" or "low fat" recipes can be laden with calories. 

Let's all introduce more cooking into our lives! I like how the book is saying that even if you want something sweet, or "comfort" food like pizza or fries: you can do it once in awhile, but make it at home with fresh ingredients. The Pinterest page I posted has a  yummy looking Daniel Plan barbecue chicken pizza I'd love to try one day.   

Those are just a few of the thoughts I have about the FOOD chapter, but there is so much more in there to talk about. What are your thoughts? I love the personal success stories written in little boxes in the book from others who have tried the Daniel Plan! Anybody have stories they'd like to share? For me, I've noticed I have not been as hungry in the past week.  It's counter-intuitive: I'm probably eating less calories (although I haven't been counting), but I'm less hungry! I'm enjoying the food, too. I feel great overall, and I've been sleeping really well. 

I'd love to hear from everyone else: what have you tried? Any areas you've been struggling with? How are you feeling? Let us all know, and hope to see you Sunday evening at the walk!

The Daniel Plan: Week 1 (Chapters 1-3)

     So I've read through the first three chapters of the book.  In fact, I've just finished chapter 3, which most of today's post is going to be about.  Chapters 1 and 2 were pretty much an introduction and an overview, and chapter 3 is where Pastor Rick dives into the Plan. He starts with Faith, (Chapter 3 is actually titled "Faith") and of course the whole chapter is fantastic. Even if you don't plan on putting any of the Daniel Plan into practice, this Chapter on Faith could serve as a book all by itself and would still be a great read.
     I might guess that this was perhaps Pastor Warren's easiest chapter to write: as it is likely his favorite topic (certainly a topic where he has some authority), and there is a lot to think about in this chapter. Some of what Pastor Rick was saying, I've been told many times before but still I struggle each day to put it into practice.  I can tell that Pastor Rick likes word pictures! I love his analogy of the speedboat on auto pilot.  He is talking about how many times in life we try to change our behavior through sheer will power, and this usually ends up failing because our internal mind-set has not changed. He likens it to a speed boat speeding along a lake on autopilot in one direction. If we want to change the boat's direction 180 degrees, we could grip the steering wheel and fight the autopilot, but eventually we will tire out, let go and head back in our original direction.

            Or, we could change the direction of the autopilot.

Wow. 

     Change starts in the mind-set! This is a simple concept, but for me, a huge one.  I am in the business of telling people to make healthy changes in their lives, but I am always focusing on giving them ideas such as "why don't you try cutting back on red meat?" or suggesting they cut down on salt or cut out sodas. Instead, maybe what we should be talking about is their mind-set. Not an easy topic: and certainly one that takes more than 5-10 minutes to really get into. 

       But I digress. His point is that if we want to bear ANY fruit in our lives, including the fruit of getting healthy, we have to start by being plugged in to God daily: this includes at LEAST 10 minutes a day of quiet prayer, Bible reading and meditating on the word. This daily practice helps us "plug into" God's miraculous power: the one that's going to help us re-program that autopilot.

I'm sure I don't have to tell anyone how hard this can be to put into practice.

        I feel like I have such a hard time doing this! I'm not sure exactly why. I could sit here and try to say that I'm busy, but I sure do find time to check Facebook, email and my phone about 25 times a day!   You know what I really think it is: it is about control. Pastor Warren has been telling me in this book what countless spiritual leaders have told me my entire life: If I want a true right relationship with God and true happiness and fruit in my life, I have to give control of my life to God. And I keep thinking I can handle everything on my own.  All the while, God is laughing at me (in a good-natured way) and working out everything for my good, (as long as I don't go and screw it up!)

          This is a lesson I definitely need right now.  I've got some personal stress that I'm dealing with, nothing serious; just life -- the same sort of stuff we all go through, and I can't stop thinking about how I'm going to fix it and handle it all on my own. Even when I try to pray, my mind keeps wandering back to what I'm going to say the next time I see a certain person, or what steps I'm going to take to deal with my issue. Meanwhile, God is trying to tell me: I got this. I will take care of it. 

        So I'm going to try to change that autopilot: that mind-set. I think this has BIG implications in my health as well as yours. HUGE case-in-point: I've been stressing and worrying so much over the past few weeks that I got sick! Usually I have an immune system of steel: built over years of working in the health-care system. But every once in awhile I get sick and it's usually when my stress levels are up. (The only silver lining to what may have been the worst stomach virus of my LIFE is that I've already lost 3 pounds and I just started reading the Daniel Plan- ha!) So the past few days my health has been pretty poor, and I KNOW it is likely because I have been worrying /stressing, and refusing to turn the situation over to God.

       The main point of the FAITH pillar of the Daniel plan is this: God wants us to be healthy. And for that, we need to turn over control to him and TRUST that he will help us every step of the way.  We need to remain plugged in to His power through daily prayer, and reading /meditating on his word. We will not do this through our own power but HIS power. That essential piece is what makes The Daniel Plan different than all of the other diet/exercise/fitness plans out there. 

And that faith makes all the difference.

       So let's all do it together, shall we? Read / pray/ meditate each day. Work on changing that auto-pilot and letting God have control. Let's talk about it online and on our walk.