My brother sent me the link to this video that shares the stories of several young people effected by texting & driving. Some are still alive, some are not. I know I am guilty of doing this sometimes, though I’ve really made an effort to stop. However, after watching this for ten minutes, I’ve realized how stupid even one text is when you’re in the driver’s seat. I am an ortho/trauma nurse, I know what can happen. But we all like to believe things that happen to other people won’t happen to us…but these kids in the video are normal kids, and it happened to them. Please watch, it’s worth your time. <3

Above, you can see my old and new bottles meeting each other. After all the places that gold water bottle & I have been to together, I thought it deserved a proper farewell. Oh, and another perk? The bottles are fully recyclable! : – )

I just spent nearly an hour of my life on the phone, first with my doctor’s office and then with BCBS, repeating everything I told them in February. Let’s see if anything happens this time. What a waste…and what a shame that we can’t seem to move our country forward.

I am heading to the gym now to burn off some steam, to get the exercise I need, and to take care of myself. Preventative measures are more important now than ever, because dealing with insurance companies regarding a routine, healthy medical visit is impossible enough. I cannot imagine fighting it out with them over a major illness or injury. Yikes.

Often caused by an increase in physical activity, especially running…check. Standing and walking on hard surfaces for long periods of time…yep, that’s me at work. Running in shoes that don’t fit well…guilty, most likely. I’ve been meaning to replace my old Adidas kicks for a while now. Well, I am really in the market for quality shoes now. And I am taking it easy for a little while and reverting back to walking.  Which will forevermore be addressed as powerwalking because it makes me feel cooler. And because I don’t meander around…though I might for a while between icing and stretching my lower leg & foot. Ick…just when I started getting back in the groove of running on a more regular basis after a brief hiatus from including quality workouts in my time management. But, I hope I can kick it fast, and take the proper measures to keep it off my radar. For good.

I believe that every child in America has the right to fresh, nutritious school meals, and that every family deserves real, honest, wholesome food. Too many people are being affected by what they eat. It’s time for a national revolution. America needs to stand up for better food!

You live in an amazing country full of inspirational people and you have the power to change things. With your help, we can get better food into homes, schools and communities all over America and give your kids a better future. Sign the petition to save America’s cooking skills and improve school food. It could be the most important thing you ever do for your family. America’s health needs you now!

America is plagued by obesity. This is a national issue, not so much a global issue. It was astounding to return home after spending several weeks in the UK, only to be quickly reminded that obesity is a raging problem here. You can almost forget about obesity due to lack of exposure to it in other places.  Jamie Oliver shared some footage collected at an elementary school in West Virginia that shows kids being fed pizza for breakfast (?!), followed by greasy chicken nuggets and french fries for lunch. He makes excellent points that the food revolution has to start now, and with the children. The future of America. First Lady, Michelle Obama, is also very in tune with the alarming childhood obesity epidemic. She has launched the Let’s Move campaign to bring attention to this rising problem in order to support parents in making healthier, more educated choices for their families. The philosophy:

Let’s Move will give parents the support they need, provide healthier food in schools, help our kids to be more physically active, and make healthy, affordable food available in every part of our country.

Join First Lady Michelle Obama, community leaders, teachers, doctors, nurses, moms and dads in a nationwide campaign to tackle the challenge of childhood obesity. Learn more and join us.

Both Michelle Obama & Jamie Oliver are onto something big. It’s called PREVENTION. And it needs to start at a young age. People tend to forget that if we make healthy choices now, there will be less need for corrective surgeries, blood pressure medications, and diabetic diets in the future. Prevention is much cheaper than correction or treatment, and it would greatly reduce the strain on healthcare. Talk about reform! We, as Americans, should take responsibility for ourselves: put down the cigarettes, stop eating ourselves to death, and engage in some regular form of physical activity. Jerry and I know how expensive it is to buy fresh and healthy foods at the grocery store. We know that it takes dedication to get up and get moving. We know that the common culture is based around potato chips, burgers, and fries. It’s easier to watch TV and chill on the couch than it is to run on the anti-pedestrian streets and sidewalks.  But it’s worth it. We only get one body and one chance at living the best life we possibly can.

I am inspired, and I hope you will be too.

Before going back to school I enjoyed a couple of years acclimating myself to the world of work as a busy RN, and anytime I was off work I was just that: off. There were few things I HAD to do, like homework or study. I joined the Wellness Center owned by MCCG, and I converted to a Yoga & Pilates girl. I miss those classes dearly. I still love the concepts and the strength and the flexibility it gave me. I even did a fair share of running on their indoor track, and whipped myself into shape to complete a 5K last fall. But I didn’t see any weight loss, and I didn’t change my diet. Now it feels like the puzzle pieces are coming together, and it feels right. We’re eating well at home, maintaining our vegan ways and being more health conscious in general when it comes to what we put into our bodies. I’m also doing more cardio, which makes a difference. I hope to squeeze some yoga & Pilates back into my life soon, but until then, no complaints here. Life is über busy, but life is good!

At some point we realized that as much as we love cheese and chocolate, it isn’t fun anymore when you don’t feel good about yourself and the way you look. Plus, all our toiling away at the gym, on tracks & treadmills, yoga mats & pavement, just didn’t add up when we were throwing all the hard work out the window by sitting down in front of huge unhealthy meals on an all-too-regular basis. So, we are upholding a resolution already. And helping each other through the temptations along the way. Having a partner in crime always helps – especially when you are trying to avoid crimes in the kitchen or grocery store aisles.

1. Be on time! Punctuality is something I lack, and I know I don’t like to wait around…so I’m going to try not to make others wait around on me. Even if it is my trademark, and no one ever scolds me for it. Except for my husband. And lately, myself.

2. Make healthier choices. This includes eating well, exercising more, and trying to get enough sleep even if my sleep schedule is all wonky between working nights & going to school during the days.

3. Spend money wisely. I know that much of our money is “nickled & dimed” away – we don’t make too many huge purchases. But, Target is a dangerous place for my wallet. And I don’t really need new clothes, etc. on a weekly basis. So…I need to be more vigilant with that, and conscious of where my money goes & if it really needed to go here or there at all.

Wish me luck…3 days into the new year, and I’ve already been perfectly on time for the dinner party with my family last night – go me! Haven’t been shopping yet in 2010, and let’s just say the better eating starts tomorrow. Monday is a good day for starting new things.

We both would like to shed a pound or two, but also feel more energetic, comfortable, and happy in our own skin. Hubby has more iron-studded willpower than me when it comes to the occasional unhealthy treat, but I’m coming to realize that I’ll never be younger than I am now, and probably never have a better shot at being fully in control of my body. We’ve returned to McDougall, and have nearly completed the recommended 12 days of dedicated vegan eating. Can’t say I am missing much, either…I love veggies! I think we sometimes forget that “health foods” don’t have to feel like punishment just because they are built up that way with the endless talk of dieting and ways to skip around healthy eating & working out by advertisements for this or that product that promises to change our life & our figures in just one week or one capsule. There really is no other way than eating right and working out. Granted these things are time consuming and not always easy, they work. And it’s worth it. Bikini or not, I am choosing to make myself better…the best I can be, inside & out. That’s an insipring feeling.

Which, in a roundabout way, brings me to…rutabagas! In our quest to eat well & cook more meals at home, I am spending more & more time in the produce section. I had a little craving for turnips not long ago, so last week I thought that was what I was buying…turns out I came home with a bag of rutabagas. I’ve had these before, and they are indeed tasty, but I had no earthly idea how to prepare them. So, after putting it off for a couple of days and feeling subsequently guilty when tiny green things started to sprout out of the end of one of the rutabagas, I decided it was time to do a little Google search & some poking around on Food Network today after returning home from the gym. And, wa-la! In less than 2 minutes, I had 50+ yummy looking rutabaga recipes at my fingertips, and a step-by-step plan for cooking them.

Guess what we’re having tonight?

…and people still buy into this?!

That is downright crazy – and sad, but true.

~

Currently making these!!! YUM.