The You Revolution

  
     
     
 

Issue #6
www.livebettercoach.com
December, 2006
    
 
 

A Note from Gregory Anne

   
In This Issue:
A Note from Gregory Anne
 
Quotable Quote

Find ecstasy in life; the mere sense of living is joy enough."

-Emily Elizabeth
Dickinson

Food for Thought

How much food do you think you’ll consume in a lifetime?

A newsletter from the Wolfe Clinic sets a person's total intake at 60,000 to 100,000 pounds. An elephant weighs about 10,000 pounds. In your lifetime, you will eat the equivalent weight of 6 elephants. Pachyderms may not be the most appetizing example of this, but it makes for an interesting visual.

What else weighs 60,000 pounds?

17,455 iPods (80GB model)
 

Glad tidings of the season! In my ongoing effort to make this newsletter interesting, or at least not bore you all to tears with the usual stuff, here is what you won’t find in this issue:

  • advice on how to stay calm and meditate your way through the holidays
  • how many bowls of cereal or carrot sticks to eat before a party so you don’t overeat—(if someone can point out the logic in that I’d love to hear it)
  • more pablum about how you should take time for yourself by having a bath with all-natural, essential oil candles an hour before your guests arrive for the holiday party

Not to sound too cynical but let’s face it, the holidays will be the perfect excuse for overindulgence, a zillion parties, shopping to exhaustion, too many commitments, and hopefully, a large helping of the Joy that comes with it all.

What you will find are my last words on Joy for the year, some simple, natural supplements that will calm you so you can love that family you were given or help you shut down the sugar plums and fall asleep, and variations on the stuffing theme for those whose lives won’t be threatened if you step outside the box of tradition.

The next issue is the last one of the year and I’m announcing a new class, a new concept for us all to use on our journey to health and greater sanity, and my very strong thoughts on No Resolutions! Check your email box on December 27th.

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Joy Is Hard To Sell

“Joy is a hard sell” I heard myself telling Ben Mack (www.benmack.com) who is, among other things, a brilliant guy with specialties in magic and marketing. We were talking about defining what I offer people.  In the context of this newsletter the tagline, “Health, power, and joy for smart women”, is strong, I think, until one gets to the word joy.

  • What does that word mean to my readers and potential clients?
  • Do people think Hallmark cards, not real life, when they see “joy”?
  • Is “joy” too rare, too fleeting in the emotional lexicon to be meaningful here?

By the way, Ben agreed. So why am I talking about it? Because I believe in the concept defined in many dictionaries as, “the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; a state of happiness or felicity.” And who doesn’t want more of that in their lives?

Imagine my delight and felicity when I came upon an article titled, “Taking a Chance on Joy” in this month’s Oprah magazine. Wow, if Oprah can allot two pages to the subject then maybe I’m not so far out in left field.

The author, Roger Housden, is no greeting card craftsman, but if he was I’d buy the whole lot. He has ten or more bold, sometimes humorous, always elegant books published on the subjects we all live; relationships, love, passion, despair. He theorizes, and I concur, that joy and even happiness take a back seat to sorrow and despair because the latter seem more serious. “Happy isn’t so interesting to talk about as sad, “ he writes, “(which means we may not be so interesting either).”

“Look around you unrealistic woman you” the reader cries. Life is challenging, bad things happen to good people, the rich get richer while the poor don’t, and don’t forget the many (unrealistic) complaints we have with ourselves. “We must take these things seriously and do something” she adds. Being one with your inner bluebird does not a better world make! Or does it?

Housden answers this beautifully when he writes, “Joy, or delight, is weightless, as light as air; there’s not so much to say about it. You communicate it less in words than by a savor you leave in the air. Why all the guilt or embarrassment about feeling the full measure and beauty of our own aliveness?”

Just reading those words is soothing. Imagine if we felt free enough to allow joy and happiness to bubble up unfiltered through the detritus of our day to day. Our lives could become less about the boulders along the path and more about the wonder of our perfection and thanks that we are on the path as opposed to six feet under it. If I’m getting too woo-woo for you I make no apology. I have taken your joy on as a part of my mission and as such I will wax poetic and ecstatic and remind you that this stuff is important. In fact, studies too long to quote here but, trust me, I’ve read them, can prove a link between happiness or “positive states of emotion” to better health, greater wealth, stronger community support, and better personal relationships.

The bottom line is this: happiness and its sibling joy are not some out-there feelings we will “get” once we annihilate fear, pain, and those others whose purpose on earth it seems is to annoy us. Happiness and joy coexist in us alongside of annoyance, resentment, and sadness. They are our natural state of being. All of our many feelings are important and serve a purpose. And thanks be that we can choose what we will feel in any moment. Why not allow what’s natural? It’s not going to take a big search to “find” joy or happiness. It’s going to take practice to choose them.

We have all been annoyed and annoying. I don’t know a soul who can say they have never felt pain, nor a success story that is told without mention of fear. So why not acknowledge these things and these people, and focus instead on something delicious and disarming like the memory of your best holiday ever. Turn on your favorite music, pet the cat and feel the connection to that unconditional love—or maybe you should pet the dog for that, but you get my point.

This season Joy is the buzzword in as many languages as you can imagine. We joyfully gather together around tradition, customs, and food.  The word can be found in cards, on signs, and in the carols some will sing. This year maybe you’ll see more than just the word. Maybe something exceptionally good or satisfying is waiting for your attention. You don’t have to look far.

What I’m hoping is that at this time of year at least, joy can be an easy sell, and what I’m selling is something lasting, of great value, and as near as you allow it to be.

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    Food That Fuels You

Greg’s Variations on the Stuffing Theme

Thanksgiving is over but stuffing will still appear on some holiday menus in December. While some of you have recipes that demand repeating for tradition’s sake, others, like me and my family, try new things whenever the spirit moves us. 

Stuffing is an easy recipe to play with and do so without fear of failure. What follows are some stuffing ideas that you may not have thought of. All recipes start with a basic combination of bread cubes, crumbs, homemade or pre-seasoned packaged. You can simply add things to your recipe or swap out one ingredient of similar variety for another.

Some may disagree here but the one element I think is critical for a fabulous stuffing is this: don’t add more liquid than the starch will take before it gets gummy. You can always add more so start with less.

Oh, and forgive me but, I can’t help try to healthy-up the basics with the addition of more veggies or a whole grain here and there. Trust me, there is no sacrifice of flavor.

Here’s my list of favorites:

Whole Wheat, Sausage, Apple, Pecan and Leek Stuffing

  • I love turkey sausage for this and buy it in bulk rather than links, but either will do.
  • Put some olive oil in a pan and cook the sausage. When cooked through add the leeks, which I cut in half and then slice thin (be sure to wash them well).
  • To save time I grate the apples on a metal box grater and put them in with the sausage and leeks.
  • Once hot and cooked add some stock or apple juice and pour over your bread cubes to which chopped and toasted pecans have been added. Toss toss toss.
Vegetable Lover’s Wheat Berry and Bread Stuffing
  • Cook wheat berries before hand, substitute 1 cup of the berries for 1 cup of bread. Cool down.
  • I usually put mushrooms—all sorts, yellow squash, onions, corn kernels, (frozen unless fresh is available), and grated carrots in a pan with olive oil and sauté. I season with salt, pepper, and chopped fresh sage and marjoram.
  • When the veggies are still al dente I put in some white wine and stock, and heat just til it’s hot.
  • Mix the bread and the wheat berries together, pour over the hot veggies with stock and toss toss toss.
Wild Rice, Dried Cherry and Chestnut Stuffing
  • Dried cherries are bold and you need only 1 cup for 4 cups of other ingredients.
  • Chestnuts are not imperative but are festive and have a unique flavor. I buy them in the grocery store in a jar to save time.
  • Wild rice takes some time to prepare, and you can cook it a day in advance. I use some bread as wel,l but just enough to bind the ingredients. Oh, and I prefer a whole grain boule cut into small pieces and toasted in the oven to compliment the other earthy flavors here.
  • Leeks are not in the title but beat onions hands down in a gourrnet recipe like this one. I sauté them in butter, add the cherries and chestnuts, and with some stock, heat thoroughly.
  • Put the rice into the above to reheat. When hot add to the bread crumbs in a bowl and do what? Toss toss toss.
Spicy Corn Bread, Pine Nut, Chorizo and Pecan Stuffing
  • Just like it sounds this one is made from a basic corn bread recipe that includes some heat and corn kernels in the batter. Once baked and cooled, cut into small squares and toast in a low oven til dry.
  • Saute an onion in butter, add the pine nuts and small pieces of chorizo sausage. Red and green peppers chopped up adds nice color.
  • For the liquid I use stock with a splash of bourbon.
  • Put the toasted pecan bits in with the corn bread. Pour the hot liquid, etc. over the bread and toss toss toss.
  • Really yummy with smoked turkey, grilled salmon, and even ham.

More recipes abound, but time and space do not. Enjoy your holiday meals whatever they consist of and don’t be afraid to play with your food.

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You On A Diet, ISBN 0743292545

 

Books that Cook

 

You On A Diet: The Owner's Manual for Waist Managment
Michael F. Roizen and Mehmet C. Oz

“Work Smarter, Not Harder.” So begins the third book from the authors of You The Owner’s Manual and I’m all for that in every area of life. Drs. Mehmet Oz and Michael Roizen have once again taken the latest discoveries in weight, or waist-management, and made them easy to understand. They are witty and wise.

The docs purport and acknowledge what many of us know—diets don’t work and add that working hard at dieting is not smart. What these two do differently and very well is show us why. The illustrations by Gary Hallgren are art gallery good and he is a genius at further communicating the doctor’s science so it’s easy to grasp. I love the elfin characters and fairy tale like settings which take us inside the body and mind; once again, humor is liberally dispensed.

The whys of diet/waist management failure vary, but include the hormonal dance that results from the choices we make each day. Hormones drive the train of our moods and we fuel that engine’s fire by our habits. You may be surprised to know how many lifestyle choices play a role in what we choose to eat and how the body uses those foods. The short list is:

  • How much sleep we get
  • Anger vs. acceptance tendencies
  • Age and gender
  • DNA and conditioning
  • Stress level
  • Type of work and type of relationships
  • Starving in an attempt to release weight

There are, of course, hormones that contribute to hunger and satiety developed millions of years ago, and they keep us alive and able to run fast either towards or away from the food we seek. We modern humans eat for many different reasons, but the doctors believe it “isn’t always as much about character as it is about chemistry.”

They go on to list all the hormones—remember these are the chemical messengers of life—and describe how each one makes us feel and how that relates to food cravings. You-reka indeed, I once was blind but now I see why I rush for the smooth-and-creamy one day and crunchy-salty another.

Despair not if you are not a data head.  You can jump right in to the "Fat Fact Test" to see what you really know about fat, diets, and other weight loss solutions. Follow that up by skipping to "Part 4: The You Diet and Activity Plan."

I encourage you to at least skim through the other parts first if you can. There is so much valuable information here you never know what you’ll find that will stick with you and help you make the changes you want to make. Here’s a really cool factoid found on page 138.

“See, every pound of muscle burns between 40 and 120 calories a day just to sustain itself, while every pound of fat feeds on only 1 – 3 calories. Day after day, that’s a huge difference in your metabolic rate and your daily calorie burn.”


The actual numbers work better to motivate me than hearing “muscle burns more than fat.”

The tone of this tome may be light but there are times when the docs get tough. On page 149 you’ll find "Excuse-Proof Your Life" and it says this; “First of all with this plan you don’t need a whole lot of time. If you don’t have the time to do this, then you have to be willing to admit that the problem is not the fact that you’re out of time, but the fact that your life is so out of control that you can’t budget enough time for your health and well-being.” Stings a bit doesn’t it?

“Getting enough sleep keeps you thin” says page 162. Ouch again if you’ve got a laundry list of whys you don’t make sleep a priority. The reason is a lack of serotonin or dopamine and how the body compensates for that loss is with sugary food cravings. Hey guys, how could you not want to know this stuff?! There is power in information.

The chart that describes foods-we-might-reach-for-when-feeling-something-negative is one of many super helpful ways of learning your eating/overeating type. The bigger insights will be gleaned from "The Personality Test" developed by Dr. Robert Kusher. It helps you see what might be preventing you from losing weight and getting healthy.

If waist management is a new idea for you, then this is a great place to start.

If releasing weight is your goal but you are the yo-yo-tried-them-all-nothing-works kind, you’ve found the book for you.

If you want to maintain what you’ve got and understand your body under stress better then this is your book for sure. (Did you know that in addition to lack of sleep, low grade but continuous stress makes you fat?)

The last few chapters deal with supplements, plastic and gastric surgeries, and weight loss drugs. Overall this is a book that delivers all it promises from two very smart men and their many colleagues. If you need a helping hand and a smart plan that’s not going to leave you hungry or beat you up if you aren’t biking 50 miles before breakfast then get You On A Diet.

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Q&A
Be sure to send your questions to Greg so she can answer them here in future issues of The You Revolution. Send her an

Q: I’d like to try being calm and patient when the family arrives is there anything I can take that isn’t prescription? Oh, and falling asleep is harder than ever with all the details I’ve got running around in my head. Over the counter stuff makes me groggy. Does anything else work?

A: Great questions and I just happen to have something for you.

One of the best calming supplements that allows you to stay in an upright position and be the perfect hostess is L-Theanine. This totally safe, free amino acid stimulates the production of alpha, or relaxation brain waves, as well as GABA. (Gaba amino butyric acid) GABA influences the levels of dopamine and seratonin-the relaxation and feel good hormones. Look for Suntheanine if possible, 100 mg. capsules. Take it with or without food, 1 – 4 times per day.

One safe and effective supplement to help you fall asleep is Melatonin. This naturally occurring hormone floods our system at night compliments of the pineal gland, and promotes sleep. The health of our cells seems to depend on it. As we age less is produced and sleep patterns, as well as immunity, can be affected. 3 mgs. of Melatonin promotes deep sleep and a refreshed feeling. Take only at night, at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
Do not take if you have asthma or auto immune disease.

Sleep well you sunny little hostess you.

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What's Happening

 
   

New Newsletter Mail Program
Thanks to all of you wonderful readers, The You Revolution Newsletter is a great success! Our reader base continues to grow, and we strive to make the newsletter the best it can be. In order to continue ensuring we comply with Icann laws regarding spam, etc. we have found it necessary to change the way our distribution is handled. The newsletter will remain the same for now, but in the coming months we will add more features and content to give you even more great information!

Next month you will receive an email asking you to click a link to “opt-in” to continue to receiving the newsletter. You have, no doubt, done this for other subscriptions, and I thank you in advance for taking the time to do this so you can remain a part of The You Revolution community.

Next month brings new courses, a new blog, and new ideas for success in the new year. Exhausted though you may be during the last week of the year, I hope you’ll take a few seconds to link to my new email program so you can continue to benefit from revolutionary ideas for smart women.

Happy holidays to you all, and here’s to your health, power and joy.
Greg

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