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Nutrición espiritual

/ mxospina / 2 Comments

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El otro día escuche a una mujer en el elevador hablando con alguien por teléfono y le decía algo así: “Bueno ya sabes como es, el matrimonio es como una montaña rusa, tiene subidas y bajadas” y esto me hizo pensar que debería escribir mi siguiente blog sobre lo que yo denomino “nutrición espiritual” y como esta conecta con la nutrición en general.

Que conste que no me considero una persona espiritualmente iluminada ni mucho menos, pero si soy una mujer curiosa y emocional y reflexiono sobre como mejorar mis relaciones con las personas y el mundo a mi alrededor.

Algo que realmente me ha servido mucho en el proceso de auto reflexión es mi practica de meditación. En el 2004 tuve la fortuna de completar un retiro de meditación por 10 días (Meditación Vipassana) en Sydney, Australia y esto marcó el comienzo de una versión más calmada y feliz de mi misma. Desde ese, hago el esfuerzo por meditar por 15 minutos o más si tengo tiempo. Como me ayuda la meditación? Me ayuda a controlar la ansiedad, a estar más enfocada, calmada, a dejar pasar las cosas que no puedo controlar, y a disfrutar del aquí y del ahora. Probablemente debería adicionar aquí que para que la practica de meditación sea exitosa es importante complementarla con las enseñanzas de Buda, practicar meditación en grupo (En Budismo este grupo de apoyo y estudio se conoce como Sangha), y participar en charlas o eventos para aprender de lideres espirituales que lo llevan practicando por años. Nací en una familia católica, por ende mis valores y creencias fueron amoldados en esta religión, sin embargo siempre sentí que faltaba algo. No voy a entrar en detalles sobre los aspectos del catolicismo que no creo o que no comparto pero puedo decir que entre más leo y estudio Budismo, más me identifico con esta filosofía. Para no salirme del tema del blog (Porque fácilmente podría escribir bastante sobre mi apreciación hacia en Budismo) lo que realmente aprecio es el entendimiento de que tenemos el poder de ser felices dentro de nosotros mismos. El hecho de que tenemos la facultad para ser activos y no reactivos en nuestras relaciones con los demás y con el mundo en general.

Ponte a pensar en esto: Cuando estas malhumorado, has notado esa sensación de calor bien adentro de ti cuando estas a punto de gritarle a alguien? Es casi como un interruptor que se enciende adentro y te hace sentir caliente, como si te fuera a salir humo de los oídos en un segundo. Este es el momento en que tienes dos opciones (aunque todo pasa tan rápido en el cerebro que no ves estas opciones de forma inmediata):

Opción No. 1. Reaccionar con agresión, decir todo lo que se te pase por la cabeza sin pensar en las consecuencias, buscando rápidamente palabras para ofender a tu oponente y defenderte. images-19

 

Opción No. 2. Inhalar, expirar y darte cuenta del calorcito que tienes adentro y no engancharte en comportamiento agresivo. Mira a tu oponente con compasión y escoge calmarte antes de decir algo de lo que puedas arrepentirte después.

Personalmente, cuando estoy furiosa, siento esa sensacion de calor dentro de mi cabeza y sé que en el siguiente segundo tengo que decidir: Me pongo los guantes? O lo dejo pasar y busco otro momento para escoger mis palabras mejor? No siempre es facil pero tengo opciones. Esto es exacto a lo que me refiero cuando hablo de ser activos o reactivos. Asi que la pregunta es, cómo entrenamos nuestra mente para ver las cosas con esa luz? Con meditación.images-20

No necesitas cambiarte de religión para aprender a meditar. Lo que si es crucial es actual con intención. Cómo podemos esperar a que otros actuen con sabiduria y compasión si no lo practicamos nosotros mismos?

Así que volviendo al comentario de la montaña rusa, estoy totalmente de acuerdo. El matrimonio es como una montaña rusa, tiene subidas y bajadas pero tenemos la opción de que las subidas sean más agradables y memorables y que las bajadas sean menos intensas y destructivas.

Ser una persona saludable no se logra solamente con la alimentación, nuestra salud emocional es muy importante, la meditación es una manera de desintoxicar tu mente y crear un espacio para estar más calmados y contentos con nuestro entorno. Hay diferentes centro y escuelas de meditación, pero les puedo sugerir estas: The Diamond Way Buddhism , Bodhy Path , y Vipassana Meditation. De todos modos sé activo y busca otras opciones, no tienes que empezar este camino solo, hay muchas personas que también están interesadas en comenzar a meditar.

Ya que hablamos de este punto, me gustaría compartir algunas opciones o tips de alimentación que te ayudaran a estar enfocado cuando comiences tu practica de meditación:

  • Tomar te de hierbas como jengibre y limón, menta o manzanilla antes de escoger tu lugar y empezar a meditar. Si tienes el estomago lleno, será muy difícil enfocarte
  • Una dieta a base de plantas es ideal porque es más liviana y no tardará tanto en digerir. (Granos, vegetales, frutas, legumbres y semillas) Si tu cuerpo está muy ocupado digiriendo la comida, tu atención estará en otro lado
  • Evita bebidas que tengan alto contenido de azúcar y cafeína, estas te van a poner agitado

Ya que tienes esta información, espero que compartas conmigo cuando comiences tu practica de meditación y que tipo de comida saludable estas incluyendo en tu dieta.

No olvides darle un like site gusta este blog, compartirlo.

Hasta pronto!

Healthy lifestyle habits

/ mxospina / 3 Comments

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The other day I was listening to a woman in the elevator talking to someone on the phone and she was saying to her friend something like “well, you know how it is, marriage is like a roller coaster, it has ups and downs…” and that got me thinking I should write about what I call spiritual nutrition and how this connects with nutrition in general.

For the record, I don’t consider myself enlightened, but being the curious, emotional woman that I am, I reflect frequently about how to improve my relationships with the people around me in the world we live in.

Something that has really helped me in the self-reflecting process is the meditation practice. I was lucky to complete a 10 day meditation retreat (Vipassana Meditation) in 2004 in Sydney, Australia and it was the beginning of a calmer and happier me. Since then, I make an effort to meditate during the weekdays (unless I am sick or something extraordinary happens) for 15 minutes or more if I have the time. How does it help me? It helps me to reduce anxiety, be focused, calmer, to let go and enjoy the here and now. I should probably add here that to make the meditation practice a successful effort, its important to complement it with the teachings of the Buddha and practice meditation with a group (in Buddhism it’s called Sangha), so I also dedicate time to read, join the Sangha (not as often as I want to) and attend live sessions with spiritual leaders to improve my understanding in this topic. Being born in a catholic family shaped my values and beliefs but I always felt it lack something. I am not going to go into the details of the aspects about Catholicism that I don’t believe in or I don’t relate to, but I can say the more I read and study Buddhism, the more I connect to it. For the purpose of this blog (Because I could easily write a lot about my appreciation for Buddhism) what really speaks to me is the understanding that we have the power to be happy within ourselves. The fact that we have the power to be active and not reactive in our relationships with others and the world in general.

Think of this: When you get angry, have you ever had that feeling inside your gut when you are just about to yell or scream at someone? It’s almost like a click that turns on inside you making you feel hot as if smoke will come out of your ears in a second. This is the time when you have two choices (even though things happen really fast in your brain and you don’t really see the two choices immediately):

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Choice No. 1. React with aggression, say everything that comes to your head without thinking of the consequences, quickly looking for words to offend your opponent and defend yourself.

Choice No. 2. Breath in, breath out, acknowledge the heat inside your body and don’t engage in aggressive behaviour. See the other person with compassion and decide its better to cool off before saying anything else you will regret later.

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Personally, when I get upset, I feel the heat inside my head and I know in the next second I have to make a choice: should I put on my boxing gloves? Or should I just let it go and find another time to choose my words better? It’s not always easy but I have a choice. This is exactly what I mean by becoming active and not reactive. So the question is how do we train our mind to see things with this light? Meditation practice.

You don’t need to change religions to learn how to meditate. But it is crucial to act with intention. How can we expect others to act with wisdom and compassion if we don’t practice it ourselves?

So going back to the roller coaster comment, I could not agree more. Marriage is like a roller coaster, it has ups and downs but we have the choice to make the ups more enjoyable and memorable and the downs less intense and destructive.

Being a healthier person is not just about the physical food you eat, our emotional health is very important, meditation is one way to detox your mind and create the space to be calmer and content. There are different meditation schools and practices; I can suggest these ones: The Diamond Way Buddhism , Bodhy Path , and Vipassana Meditation. But be active and look for other options, you don’t need to start this path alone, there are more people than you think interested in practicing meditation.

Having clarified this point, I want to share with you healthy food options that would help you to focus when you start your meditation practice:

  • Have a herbal tea like ginger and lemon, mint or chamomile before you sit down in your quite area to meditate. Having a full stomach will make it very hard to focus
  • Plant based diet is the ideal option because its lighter and it will not take that long to digest. (Grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, seeds) If your body is too busy breaking down the food, your attention will be diluted
  • Avoid drinks which are high in sugar and caffeine, they will get you agitated

Now that you have this information, I hope you share with me how’s your meditation practice and what type of healthy foods are you including in your diet. Don’t be shy and share it here.

Hasta pronto!

 

 

Healthy living tips

/ mxospina / Leave a comment

imgres-3As I keep digging into the subject of nutrition and the present health crisis we are facing, I realized from a consumer’s perspective, we have been so misinformed and misguided for many years. I knew there are political forces and corporations’ interests behind many of the food options that are available to us. However, I never thought it was to the extent it is today, which only makes me reflect even more about the fact that we need to become more aware of what’s offered to us to be able to make intelligent decisions about our health.

Also, there is contradictory information about what’s good and bad (animal protein, dairy, gluten), and to top it up there’s a lot of diet books in the market that promise miracle results. Lots of confusing information. So, whom do you trust? Your doctor? Your friends? Your family?

I don’t have the magical answer but I can surely share some facts with you that personally have opened my perspective about the topic. We tend to think that if our family or friends or both are making the same or similar choices and it’s working for them, why would you need to think differently? I will tell you why: because we are getting ourselves sick with the food choices and lifestyle that we choose. Many of the chronic diseases around the world such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes and cancer can be prevented even if we have a genetic disposition to get the disease at some point in our lives. It is not true that because there is a history of heart disease in the family, you are condemned to suffer from the same condition. There are different health sites including medical studies, research papers, documentaries, articles that explain the close relationship between nutrition and lifestyle with chronic diseases. I want to share some of them in this blog.

If you like to watch documentaries, I strongly recommend Food Choices (http://www.foodchoicesmovie.com/), available on Netflix, it is very informative and definitely eye opening. It includes topics such as the worlds’ diet, and how our food choices affect our health and the planet.

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Now, if you prefer to research yourself, I recommend Dr. Pamela Popper,  she is a naturopath, internationally recognized expert in nutrition, healthcare and medicine. There is plenty of information about her work online. What I like about Dr. Popper is the fact that she has no issues in saying things as they are. She has criticized government organizations, health associations and even private sector like pharmaceutical companies for their role in misinforming and misguiding the public. In her book Food over Medicine she emphasizes that we need to become educated consumers, and this is exactly what I am doing with this blog. Most of us live in “auto pilot”, we think that making changes is very hard, and I wont lie, it takes commitment, but its so well worth it that you would hate yourself when you find out how good you feel and look after you readjust to a healthy diet and lifestyle.

For some people, its easier to make changes and for others isn’t. This is where a health coach can help significantly; to rethink you approach to food and find alternative ways that are sustainable.

My take is that we all need to take responsibility for our own health. Being aware of the fact that we don’t have direct control over government food policies (even though we could protest if we really were that motivated), mass media influence, corporations’ power, its crucial that we empower ourselves to control what we can.

 

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What is in our control as individuals? The food we buy and eat. Finding moments to become more active, not necessarily going to the gym if that’s not your cup of tea (I will write a full blog on this topic another time), and create or nurture a spiritual practice. All of them equally important. For now, I just want to motivate you to find more information on your own.

Who cares if others think you are getting too geeky when you start questioning your food options, your medical doctor or your Sunday lunch. You only have one body in this life so its time we take action. In the meantime, I will be here sharing all the information I find useful.

If you have time, I also recommend you check The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (http://www.healthdata.org/results/country-profiles), there is a lot of information in this site, but the one I am more interested in, is the country profile. You type in the country name and it will show a comparison of the health profile between 1990 and 2015. You can see the mortality trends, top causes of death, top causes of premature death and disability among other information. It’s not surprising to see that heart disease, cerebrovascular disease and cancer are consistently in the top ten.

I hope this blog shed some light about this topic and helps you realize that to become a better version of ourselves, we need to be informed, active, curious and don’t swallow whole.

If you like this blog, don’t forget to share it and follow me.

 

Hasta pronto!

 

 

 

Chequeo medico: me espero o hago la cita?

/ mxospina / Leave a comment

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Empezando este camino de querer ser una versión mas sana y feliz de mi misma, hice algo que debí haber hecho hace mucho tiempo. Un chequeo medico completo. Recuerdas cuando fue la ultima vez que te hicieron un chequeo medico general? No cuenta si fuiste al doctor a llevar a tu hijo, tu mama o tu esposo. Me refiero a una visita al medico para que revisen como estas tu por dentro. No me enorgullece decir que me tomo casi dos años en hacerlo, pero como suele pasar, hay compromisos que no faltan, viajes, vacaciones y antes de que te des cuenta ya paso un año completo y todavía no se ha hecho la cita medica. Otro tema que me lo hacia difícil y creo que muchos se pueden identificar con esto, si viven en un país de donde no son, es encontrar un medico de confianza que trabaje con tu seguro medico (es decir que sea un medico registrado con la aseguradora de salud a la que perteneces, no entraré en mucho detalle porque es muy complicado), aquí en Estados Unidos esto es un tema importante porque los costos médicos pueden ser bastante altos si no se tiene un seguro medico.

Finalmente, y probablemente esta es la primera razón, a quien le gusta ir al medico? Hay demasiados lugares interesantes y gente por conocer (y poco tiempo) que quien quiere sacar el tiempo para lidiar con call centers, ir al medico, hacerse exámenes de laboratorio, o rayos X? A nadie.

Estoy de acuerdo en que es aburrido, estoy totalmente de acuerdo, pero mis queridos amigos, tenemos que volverlo un habito y hacerlo por lo menos una vez al año. Porque esperar a que nuestro cuerpo colapse o llevarlo hasta el limite? Además también es mas barato prevenir enfermedades que tratar enfermedades.

Así que tenemos que preguntarnos que tipo de información debemos saber como mínimo para cuando tengamos la cita medica. (Ya sabemos que no va a ser divertido para nada, así que lo ideal es sacarle el mayor provecho, no creen?) Quiero compartir con ustedes unas recomendaciones que harán esta visita al medico mas productiva. Estos exámenes son regulares, así que entérate de lo que se trata cada uno, que es lo que esta examinando y en caso de que el medico no te los ordene, pídele que te los haga.

  • Conteo sanguíneo completo (CSC) este test hace un conteo de las células blancas, células rojas, hemoglobina y plaquetas. Por medio del mismo se puede identificar si hay riesgo de anemia, infecciones y células cancerígenas en la sangre.
  • Panel Metabólico examina el nivel del glucosa en la sangre el cual puede indicar como están funcionando el hígado, los riñones y el corazón.
  • Panel de Lípidos examina los niveles de colesterol bueno (HDL) y colesterol malo (LDL), triglicéridos y deficiencias de calcio entro otras. Puede mostrar si existe algún riesgo asociado con enfermedades cardiovasculares.
  • Examen de orina examina si hay bacterias, hongos e infecciones urinarias que en las mujeres son causantes de cistitis y complicaciones con la vejiga.
  • Examen coprológico revela si hay parásitos, tipos de bacterias que se alojan en el sistema digestivo que causan un sinfín problemas en esta area. Muchos males nacen allí.
  • Mamograma – para las mujeres mayores de 40 años, es importante hacerse revisar los senos, no es una experiencia agradable, yo ya me la hice, pero vale la pena hacérsela.

Ten en cuenta que algunos exámenes pueden ser falsos positivos o falsos negativos, aparentemente esto pasa mas a menudo de lo que se cree. Así que si sientes que algo no esta bien con tu cuerpo, solicita que te hagan un segundo examen. No te de pena, si es necesario cuestiona a tu medico, pide una segunda opinión si no estas segura del diagnostico y pide que te den opciones alternativas a los medicamentos farmacéuticos.

Para que se enteren, me hicieron todos los exámenes que describí aquí y aunque tengo hábitos saludables la verdad es que estaba un poco nerviosa de ver los resultados. (Después de todo, muchas cosas pueden cambiar en un año). Afortunadamente, los resultados fueron positivos, mi doctor se tomo el tiempo (por que yo se lo solicite así) de explicar en detalle cada uno de los exámenes y cada parte de cada examen minuciosamente. Tengo una leve deficiencia de vitamina D y decidí buscar alternativas naturales pero también podría utilizar suplementos vitamínicos. Mi siguiente reto es hacer que me marido también se haga el chequeo medico general (Estoy trabajando en esto ahora)

Así que la pregunta es: cuando vas a hacer la cita medica para tu chequeo general?

No esperes a que cuerpo se desbarate, has de esto una prioridad si no lo has hecho todavía.

Nota: La intención de este blog es servir como guía general. Si ya has sido diagnosticado de alguna enfermedad, habrán otros exámenes que deberán realizarse y ser discutidos con un medico especialista.

5 cambios que me están funcionando ahora mismo

/ mxospina / Leave a comment

Como algunos de ustedes saben, me estoy certificando como Health Coach en Nutrición Integrativa (una traducción al español justa seria Mentora/Entrenadora en Salud y Nutricion Integrativa) y estoy dichosa!

Puedo decir que soy una de esas personas que disfruta aprender cosas nuevas, sobretodo si se trata de temas que traen beneficios para mi bienestar y el de los demás. Tengo en mi apto muchos libros sobre cocina, dietas, crecimiento personal, medicina china, (entre otros temas), también sigo a diferentes personas en redes sociales, llevo una vida activa físicamente y espiritualmente, pero sentía que ya era hora de hacer un compromiso más serio. Así que aquí estoy, estudiando lo que me apasiona y aplicando todo al mismo tiempo. Mi plan es compartir todas mis experiencias con ustedes en este proceso de aprendizaje y esta es la razón por la cual decidí comenzar este blog.

Para empezar, quiero compartirles cinco cosas que estoy haciendo este año (y que mis estudios están reforzando) para seguir este camino de vida saludable.

  1. Tomar más agua

Suena bastante fácil y lo escuchamos todo el tiempo. Bueno, pues adivinen? Yo también ya lo sabia y no lo estaba haciendo de a mucho. Ahora me estoy tomando un vaso de agua tibia apenas me levanto a menos que decida hacerme un té de hierbas, dependiendo de la semana. La parte importante es mantenerse lo mas hidratado que se pueda. Durante el día, cargo a todos lados una botella de agua (de vidrio) a la cual le adiciono diferentes frutas o hierbas para hacerla más interesante (albaca, limón, jengibre, cardamomo) hay miles de combinaciones, así que explora lo que te guste. Esta estrategia me funciona porque no me gusta el sabor de agua sola. Me aburre, así que esta opción me funciona perfectamente.

  1. Alarma para la hora de dormir

Yo se que necesito dormir de 7-8 horas para tener la energía suficiente para empezar el día y no sentirme malhumorada o cansada. Poner la alarma (en mi celular) me funciona de maravilla porque estoy haciendo el esfuerzo por crear una rutina. Estudios científicos demuestran que cuando creamos esta rutina (igual que la tienen los bebes y los niños) le estamos diciendo a nuestro cuerpo que es hora de descansar. El objetivo es desacelerar la actividad cerebral para poder descansar plenamente cuando se va a la cama.

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  1. Meditación mañanera

Cada mañana, a excepción del fin de semana, me levanto de la cama y la siguiente parada es mi mat de meditación afuera en mi balcón. Si esta lloviendo, lo hago en mi habitación, pero lo hago si o si. No hay excusa.

Algunas veces uso mantras (si me siento mas distraída de lo normal) o simplemente practico medicación shine, la cual hago con el grupo de meditación budista al que pertenezco. Medito por 10-15 minutos y termino la sesión con una oración dándole gracias al universo por todas las cosas buenas que tengo en mi vida. Este es un momento muy especial para conectarme con mi ser espiritual, para recordar lo que es importante y lo que no es tan relevante.

  1. Ser consciente de mis pensamientos y mis palabras

Vivimos tan rápido que realmente no le prestamos mucha atención a los pensamientos que pasan por nuestra mente, pero es MUY cierto que nuestros pensamientos se convierten en palabras y antes de que nos demos cuenta, estos se convierten en acciones. (Creo que fue Margaret Thatcher quien dijo esto) Pasamos mucho tiempo pensando en las cosas que hemos hecho o dicho y lo que vamos a decir o hacer en el futuro. Estar consciente del “mico hablador” en mi cerebro me hace más consciente de lo que digo. Todavía tengo mucho por aprender pero trabajo en esto a diario. Siento que me hace una persona más enfocada y disfruto más del ahora.

  1. Sembrar mis plantas

Tengo un mini vivero y hace poco plante cilantro, tomates cherry y sandia. No tengo idea como vaya a resultar este experimento pero siento que me esta volviendo una persona más consciente sobre todo en cuanto al proceso de crear alimentos, especialmente a lo que se refiere a los alimentos que vienen de la madre naturaleza. Además me parece relajante la jardinería. Ya antes tenia una planta de sábila y me encanta saber que puedo alimentarme de ella y además verla crecer.images-9

Espero que estos tips sean algo con lo que te puedas identificar también. Si ya tienes en practica otros tips relacionados con este tema y crees que pueden ser beneficiosos para compartirlos con otros, no seas tímido y compártelos en este espacio. Me encantaría saber cuales son!

 

Hasta pronto!

 

MXO

 

Is eating healthy really that expensive?

/ mxospina / 2 Comments

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Last week I was having a conversation with someone I recently met and we were talking about healthy eating and the weekly food shopping. (For the record, she has 2 teenagers and a husband) We both agreed that we could definitely bring changes to our diets and implement them more effectively if we involve every member of the family in the process. However, I didn’t agree when she said, “eating healthy is expensive”. If you think eating healthy is achievable only by shopping at the Wholefoods, Fresh Market (or any other equivalent high-end market in other parts of the country or the world), then she might be right. I personally love both stores, there are quality meats, cheeses, vegetables and fruits (among other stuff) and everything looks and smells good. However, there are other options we should consider when we go shopping for healthy food. I want to share some of them here with you (and you can easily find them in local supermarkets).

Buy seasonal fruit and veggies

imgres-2It sounds obvious but I don’t think many people realize that each season brings abundance of certain fruits and veggies compared to other months of the year. For example, in Miami, being the summer, there are lots of watermelons, mangoes and strawberries. Actually, I think we are blessed in this part of the US because we have a great variety of fruits and vegetables all year round. (Still some fruits are imported) However, for those who live in cooler areas or farther from the equator or in a remote island (I lived in Barbados so I can say this happens in the Caribbean islands) it’s crucial to understand what’s in season so you can buy fresh produce for a reasonable price. Most supermarkets and farmers will tell you what’s in season, normally the produce looks bright and beautiful, it has better flavour and it’s cheaper. Once you identify what you want to buy, plan meals around these food options. In some places, this approach to eating is called sustainable table. If you want to nourish yourself, your family and also care for the planet, this is great way to start. You will be happy to know you are supporting local farmers and you are creating a synchronicity with nature by eating what its offered to us in that specific time of the year.

Experiment with grains

 When I was a little girl growing in Colombia, the main grain (and I ate it almost everyday) was white rice. To be fair with my parents, they also fed me oats, corn and barley soup. I only discovered whole grains in my late 20’s and even thenimages-13, I didn’t really eat whole grains. In my mind, they were only good if one was planning to loose weight (and I wasn’t) so I didn’t see the point in experimenting with these grains. Now that I am older and wiser, I realized I was missing out on the great benefits of grains. Yes, I know some people are gluten intolerant but not all of us are like that. If you are gluten intolerant, skip this section completely. But if you aren’t, grains are a great source of energy, they have been around for thousands of years (most ancient civilizations lived out of corn, quinoa, rice, among others) and they are not expensive. Of course, there are some that may be a bit more costly because they are imported but most of the time, they are reasonably priced. What type of grains? quinoa, amaranth (this one is gluten free), cornmeal, wild rice, brown rice, faro, barley, millet, there’s so many of them. As you embark in this journey, try different spices as well. Normally we tend to use the same spices again and again. Dare to be different, you will be surprised with what you can find.

Cook once eat twice

I am aware not many people enjoy cooking, so my advice is to cook more, divide into separate portions and freeze them. My husband, for example, loves his chilli con carne. When he is inspired to cook it (it takes him a good 2 hours in the kitchen, which he calmly manages with some cold beers) He cooks enough to make five or six portions so he can eat them whenever he pleases. In this way, you know your time in the kitchen is well worth the effort.

I hope with this information I can show you that it isn’t that expensive to eat healthy. Surely, organic is more costly but not every single item you buy has to be organic. If you can afford it, go for it, but if you cant, I still think its better to have a smoothie than a big mac meal. After all, its true that you are what you eat so don’t be easy or fake or cheap.

As I am exploring this path myself, I will also share recipes and tips along the way.

If you are already putting in practice any of these tips and it’s total success, please share it. I would love to know what you are doing.

Abrazos,

Medical check up: should I wait or book it?

/ mxospina / Leave a comment

As I started this path of becoming a healthier happier version of myself, I did something I should have done a while ago. A complete medical check up. Do you remember when was the last time you had a medical check up? It doesn’t count if you are going to the doctor to take your child, your mom or your husband, I mean a real visit to check how things are inside you. I am not proud to say it took me about two years to get this done, but life gets in the way, commitments, trips, holidays, and before you know its been a year and you haven’t booked that medical appointment. My other challenge, and I am sure you can relate to this if you don’t live in your home country, is to find a reliable doctor, someone you can trust and who is within the medical network (meaning covered by your insurance company…I wont get into too much detail because it’s very complicated), but it is a huge deal in the US because costs can increase significantly if you don’t have an insurance. Lastly, and this reason is probably the first reason, who likes to go to the doctor? There are so many other fun places and cool people to meet (and little time) that who wants to actually take the time to deal with call centres, doctors, lab tests, x-ray’s? Nobody.

Yes it is boring, I totally agree but my dear friends, we all need to make it a habit, at least once a year. Why wait until our body is collapsing or taken to the limit? It will also be cheaper to prevent than to treat illnesses.

So, we need to ask ourselves what are the minimal/general considerations when we finally go to see the doctor? (We know it is not a fun visit, so you might as well get the best out of it, right?) I have a few recommendations that will make the visit more productive. The tests below are common practice so be mindful of what they look for, and in case the doctor doesn’t order them, ask for them.

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  • Complete blood count (CBC) checks white blood cells, red blood cells, haemoglobin and platelets. This test can uncover anaemia, infections and even cancer of the blood.
  • Metabolic Panel tests glucose in your blood, which can show if your heart, kidneys and liver are functioning well.
  • Lipid Panel tests for good cholesterol (HDL), bad cholesterol (LDL), triglycerides and calcium among others. It can show if there are risks associated with cardiovascular diseases.
  • Urine Analysis tests for bacteria and infections that in women can lead to cystitis and bladder complications.
  • Stool tests show parasites, bacteria that may be present in your digestive system that can cause a lot of different digestive issues.
  • Breast mammogram – for women over 40, its important to also get your breast checked, it’s definitely not a fun experience but so worth doing it.

Remember that some tests can be false positives and false negatives; apparently this happens more often than we think. So if you feel something is not quite right, get a second opinion. Don’t be shy, question your doctor and ask for alternative options to medication.

For the record, I got checked for ALL of these and even though I have healthy habits, I was a bit nervous to see the results. (After all, many things can change in a year). Luckily, I got positive news, my doctor took the time (because I asked for it) to go over every detail in the tests and he was kind enough to explain absolutely everything. I have to increase vitamin D and I decided to look for natural ways to increase it but supplements are an option as well. My next challenge is to get my husband to complete a full medical check up. (Work in progress)

So the question for you is: when are you going to book for your medical check up?

Don’t wait until your body is falling apart; make it a priority if you haven’t done it yet.

If you find this information relevant, please share it and let me know your thoughts.

Hasta pronto!

Note: This blog is meant to be a general guideline. If you have already been diagnosed with any illness there will be other tests that should be included and discussed with a specialist doctor.

Are we safe using these products?

/ mxospina / 2 Comments

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For years I have thought using tampons and pads were totally safe, considering there isn’t much information about the cons of using them. Some women choose pads over tampons cause they think they are safer, but what if you were told that both are manufactured with materials that are toxic for our bodies? You would probably think twice next time you go to buy them every month. I read this article and it is scary to think that we have been using tampons and pads for decades that can bring so much harm to us. As usual, consumers only get half of the information so its crucial that we learn what are the pros, cons and alternative options. Recently, I heard about the Fleur menstrual cup, which to be honest, I know nothing about, but I am planning to try it myself and I will share with you my experience.

5 changes that are working for me right now

/ mxospina / Leave a comment

As some of you already know, I am currently getting certified as an integrative health coach and I cannot be happier! I am one of those people who enjoys learning new stuff and specially stuff that can bring benefits to my wellbeing and to others. I have numerous books about cooking, diets, personal development (and other topics) and follow different people on social media but I felt it was time for me to make a more serious commitment. So here I am, studying what I like and applying all of it at the same time. I plan to share all my experiences with you along this process so I am writing this blog for you.

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To start with, I want to share five things I am doing this year (that my studies have reinforced) that work to start on a cleaner path to good health.

1. Drink more water

It sounds pretty simple and we hear it all the time. Well, guess what? I knew it before and I wasn’t really doing it as much. Now I am drinking a full glass of warm water first thing in the morning or herbal infusions depending on the week. The important part is to keep hydrated as much as possible. Throughout the day, I carry a glass bottle with flavour water (basil and lemon, apple slices, ginger and cardamom) and I make sure I drink all of it. I don’t like the taste of water so these natural flavours totally work for me.

2. Set a timer for bedtime

I know I need to sleep 7-8 hours to have the energy to start my day and not be moody or tired next day. Setting up for bedtime (in my cell phone) works great because I am making the effort to create a routine. Scientific studies show that when we create this routine (just like babies and kids have) we tell our body that its time to switch off. The goal is to slow down your brain activity so you can fully rest when you go to bed.

3. Morning meditation

Every morning (except weekends) I jump from my bed to my meditation mat outside my balcony. If its rainy I do it in my bedroom but I do it yes or yes. I use some mantras (if I feel restless) or just practice shine meditation, which is the one taught at the budhist meditation group I am part of. I meditate for 10-15 mins and I finish my session with a prayer thanking the universe for all the goodness I have in my life. This is a precious moment to connect with my spiritual being, to remember what’s important and what’s not that relevant.

4. Mind my thoughts and words

We live so fast that we don’t really pay much attention to the thoughts we have in our minds, but its SO true that our thoughts become words and before we know it, they become actions. (I believe it was Margaret Thatcher who said this) We spend a lot of time thinking about things we have done or said and what we will say or do in the future. Minding the chatty monkey in my brain makes me more conscious of it. I still haven’t mastered this fully but I keep working on it everyday. I feel it makes me a more centered person and I enjoy more the now.

5. Planting at home

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I got a mini greenhouse and I am planting coriander, cherry tomatoes and watermelon. I have no idea if this will work but its making me more conscious about the whole process of creating food, specially food that comes from mother nature. Also, I must say its relaxing to do gardening. I already have an aloe vera plant and I love to be able to eat from it and see it growing.

I hope these tips are something you can relate too. And if you already have some that you think could be beneficial to others, please don’t be shy and share it here. I would love to hear from you!

Hasta pronto!

 

MXO