Laugher IS the best medicine

Laughter is one of the most powerful ways to ward off disease and illness known to man. Most of us probably don’t think about how often we laugh, but rest assured, our body is keeping count. Children seem to understand that laughter is the best medicine, as they laugh, on average, up to 400 times a day. Adults average only 17 times per day. Is it any wonder children seem to enjoy life more than their parents? 

The benefits of laughter are far reaching. Laughter brings joy to your life and to those around you; makes your cheeks red and your face glow, making you more approachable and even more loveable; alleviates pain in the body and provides you with a sense of well-being by releasing endorphins and serotonin, which have been proven to help reduce pain and can even enhance treatments of many illnesses and diseases; reduces the negative stress hormones, such as cortisol and epinephrine; allows us to connect with others more readily and to share a common bond with them; and also helps supply your body with oxygen, helping you feel full of energy and life. 

Your body treats laughter just like exercise, as it makes the blood vessels work more efficiently, increases blood flow to the heart, and helps to increase lung capacity.  A good belly laugh can boost your immune system’s ability to ward off disease for up to three days. Imagine the benefit of laughing multiple times daily! 

Laughter is a great distraction from the stresses and rigors of life. Any time you can change your focus from the negative emotions of your day, even for just a few moments, the better off you are. Laughter also enhances your ability to have a good night’s sleep. 

The bottom line is that laughing is one of the best natural health remedies. So, if your stress levels are mounting, if you are feeling unhealthy, if you are feeling rundown and depressed, or you just want some relief, then LAUGH! The more you laugh, the better you feel, and the better those around you will feel too.

Practicing Presence: Living from the Heart

Great article!   CLICK

Soda News

Thanks to my sister for sharing this article.     Intriguing, indeed!   

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Healthy Chocolate-Chip Cookies

Adapted from recipe by Chocolate Covered Katie (blog).....

Soft Chocolate-Chip Cookies

(Makes 14-20 cookies)

• 2/3 cup plus 1/2 cup oat flour (140g) *can use gluten free oat flour*
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 4 tbsp brown sugar or brown coconut sugar (or Sucanat)
• 4 tbsp xylitol (or evaporated cane juice)
• 3 tbsp to 1/2 cup chocolate chips (I get Vegan chocolate chips and they are awesome!)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp vegetable or coconut oil
• 3-5 tbsp milk of choice, as needed

Preheat oven to 380 degrees. Combine all dry ingredients and mix very well. Add wet, and form into a big ball. Now make little balls from the big one. For soft cookies, refrigerate until cold (otherwise, just bake right away). Bake 7 minutes, or until they’ve spread out and look just a little undercooked. Remove from oven when they’re still a little undercooked, then it’s important to let cookies cool at least 10 minutes before trying to remove from tray, as they’ll continue to cook while cooling. For soft cookies, store in a lidded plastic container. For crispy cookies, store in a lidded glass container.

Chickpea, Basil and Tomato Salad

• 1 can organic chickpeas, drained and rinsed -- or soak your own!
• About 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved  (go organic!)
• 25 large basil leaves, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar  (Bragg's is so good)
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 tbsp honey (10g) -- or Agave if you are strict Vegan
• pinch of salt

Toss all ingredients together and chill for at least 20 minutes, allowing all the flavors to merge.

Then EAT!

Can’t get any simpler than that. :)

5 Things Happy People Do

See how many of the 5 you do, too!   CLICK to read

Strawberry-Avocado Salsa with Cinnamon Tortilla Chips

Another recipe in honor of Gluten Free Month... thank you, Julie, for sharing!

Strawberry-Avocado Salsa with Cinnamon Tortilla Chips (yes, it's gluten free!)

2 t. grape seed or olive oil

6 brown rice tortillas ( publix greenwise in frozen foods)

2 t. stevia mixed with 1/2 t cinnamon

1 1/2 finely chopped ripe avocado

2 T finely minced fresh cilantro

2 t fresh lime juice

1 c finely chopped strawberries

Preheat oven to 350, brush both sides of tortilla with oil, cut into triangles with pizza cutter and scatter on cookie sheet. bake for 10 minutes until crispy. take out of oven and sprinkle with cinnamon mixture. I then gave them a shot of sea salt to enhance the flavor.

Prepare salsa by chopping strawberries and mixing with cilantro and lime juice. I refrigerated so the juices could mingle, then added the chopped avocados just before serving.

Gluten-Free French Toast Casserole

In honor of  Gluten-Free Month and given the fact that a nice lady had made this for tasting today at Whole Foods... I decided to whip this up tonight so we can reheat all weekend long.  YUM!

You will need:
Coconut Oil Cooking Spray
6 Slices Gluten Free Bread (Udi's or Whole Foods brands are great)
2 Cups Mixed Berries (I used Organic Strawberries and Blueberries)
5 Eggs (or Egg Substitute)
1 Cup Non-Dairy Milk (I used Rice Milk)
1/2 Cup Organic Maple Syrup
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1/2 tsp Cinnamon

What to do:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Oil an 8 inch glass baking pan
Line pan with bread (overlap slices and press down to form solid bottom layer)
Scatter Berries over top of bread
Whisk together eggs, milk, syrup and spices -- pour over bread
Bake until golden brown and set -- approx 45-50 minutes

Setting a Good Example

Wellness/Prevention: Unhealthy Snacks, Sodas and Watching TV. 
In a study of obesity among European children, Dr. Yannis Manios, Assistant Professor at Harokopio University in Athens, writes, "We found that many countries are lacking clear guidelines on healthy eating and active play. However, there is good evidence linking sedentary behavior (like TV watching) with subsequent obesity. Therefore, TV-watching in kindergartens should be replaced by more active, non-competitive, fun activities which will promote the participation of the whole class and help children to achieve optimal growth, health and well-being. Similarly at home, TVs in the bedroom and unhealthy snacks in the kitchen cupboard are a bad idea. Parents should also remember that their role is not only to provide healthy food and drink options but to act as a role model themselves, since kids are copying their behaviors." 
Obesity Reviews, March 2012

Keep it Positive

"Do not worry at all about negative thoughts, and do not try to control them. All you have to do is begin to think good thoughts each day. Plant as many good thoughts as you can in each day. As you begin to think good thoughts you will attract more and more good thoughts, and eventually the good thoughts will wipe out the negative thoughts altogether." - Rhonda Byrne