Kindness to Yourself, Kindness to Others Guest Post By Annelise Dixon

As a former Head Start teacher, special education assistant and substitute teacher, I have a great respect for educators. Shaping the minds and hearts of youngsters is truly a labor of love and an awesome responsibility. 

I recently reached out to teacher Annelise Dixon on Instagram. I LOVE her enthusiasm and outlook. I knew I wanted to invite her to the DIY Mom Blog to share a bit of her contagious enthusiasm. Annelise was a doll and wrote this lovely piece on kindness. Who doesn't need more kindness in their life? Take it away, Annelise...

“Give me knowledge so that I may have kindness for all.” – Native American Proverb

Kindness is Crucial to Our Wellbeing and to the Wellbeing of Others

When was the last time you showed kindness? What about generosity, tolerance, compassion, support, friendliness and warmth? How often do you do a good deed without expecting anything in return?  These are all traits of kindness that are crucial to our wellbeing and the wellbeing of others.

We live in a world that is constantly being bombarded by the latest social media websites and technological advances. It is important, now more than ever, that we cultivate kindness to bring our community together rather than driving everyone apart.

Kindness – It Starts with You

The first step to increasing your kindness involves being kind to yourself. Develop your inner voice to be nurturing and forgiving rather than harsh and critical. Looking after yourself, valuing your unique personal traits, being proud of your achievements, and forgiving yourself if you make a mistake are all ways of being kind to yourself. Implementing these suggestions will build your self-esteem and a sense of satisfaction in your life.

Celebrate Others

Celebrate the successes of others as well as your own. Remember that we have all had different experiences in our lives that shape who we are. We need to show empathy and respect to others because we don’t know what they have gone through in life. Avoid comparing yourself to others, as this will only lead to competitiveness, jealousy and spite.

 

Kindness is Action

Some suggestions to increase your kindness are using good manners, avoiding making unnecessary complaints, and listening to someone with your full attention. Write a note to a student, friend, family member, colleague or employee expressing your gratitude to them. Jot down what you love about yourself and others. Smile and laugh more to build relationships of trust and respect.

Start practicing kindness today. It is possible to become a kinder person but don’t expect it to happen overnight. Start small with some of the suggestions in this post and build up from there!

“Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible” - Dalia Lama

ABOUT ANNELISE DIXON

Annelise is a beginning teacher, working in Newcastle, Australia. She has a Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) and is currently studying the Master of Special and Inclusive Education at the University of Newcastle. Annelise is passionate about teaching music and reading. She also has a passion for learning as much as she can about topics and blogging about them! Annelise is inspired by the work of Nelson Mandela, Sir Ken Robinson and Paulo Freire. She hopes to inspire wellness and happiness in all people. Readers can connect with Annelise on her website.

Using Your Imagination to Ground Yourself and Focus on What Really Matters in Life Guest Post By Children's Book Author Daniel Linsteadt

I'm all about finding holistic ways to calm and ground ourselves. I'm also a HUGE fan of children's books. When I reached out to children's book author Daniel Linsteadt to request an author guest post, he really nailed it. He managed to give us a post that addresses both of these topics and more. Take it away, Daniel!

The other day, my coworker said in an excited tone, “Come check this out!” There was a colorful image on the computer screen that I was to relax and stare at. As I looked, the colors on the screen faded away. Unable to hold my gaze, I blinked or readjusted my eyes and the color would reappear. The physical world around us is truly a miracle. This is the playground for my stories.

In my new Nila series (Water, Air, Fire), I toy with all our senses. Our first scent of the ocean is exquisite, but quickly fades with each exhale. Taking in your first breath of pine scented air in the mountains is strong and vibrant, but this too dissipates with time. Why does this happen? What other sights or smells am I missing that are right before me? I believe love for another person is the same, which requires us to readjust and refocus on that person to rekindle that sensation back into a flame.

           

I adore nature and all the wondrous sights, smells and textures she provides…life-giving properties that are just as important as water, air and food. Nature grounds me from all the static I absorb throughout a busy day. Our bodies and mind need that calming energy to stay vital, like the first day we opened our eyes to this world and our life.

© 2018, Susan Barton

You only need to watch a child place his fingers in running water for the first time—wow! First, there’s a slight frown from not being able to possess it, then a smile at how it flows over his skin. Water reflects color and light from the world around it, as well as the temperature…another sensation that is acute at first and then dulls—we call it getting used to. The young child then begins to laugh and talk to the water as they splash themselves and others with their newfound water friend. But as we age, water becomes, well, just water.

© 2018, Susan Barton

     

To bring that child back into me, I only need to step out into the sunshine with bare feet and breathe in the fragrant air. My imagination runs rampant with stories as I gaze at colorful flowers, multi-shaped leaves and fluorescent dragonflies darting through the air. Isn’t this what we did when we first arrived on planet Earth?

My second Oaf story, Oaf in Bear River, was born in this way. As I watched dragonflies bouncing off the glinting water’s surface and I rested my back against a log in the middle of the river, an idea began taking shape. A rainbow of light fluttered just beyond my arm’s reach on the streambed, and boom! My mind was off to the races, and the story was practically written before I came ashore.

I have a folder on my computer called “Stories” that contains many Word documents. Each saved with a title, and its contents a budding tale discovered when out in play. If I only had enough time write and give attention to each fantasy that has popped into my head. Going to work is important, but it does get in the way….

ABOUT DANIEL LINSTEADT

Daniel Linsteadt is the author of the Nila children’s book series and the Oaf children’s book series. He has a BA degree in Environmental Studies (emphasis Geology) and a BA degree in Geography (emphasis Remote Sensing) from UC Santa Barbara.

Daniel has spent most of his career as an IT programmer and administrator. His joy has always been creating tales, so now he shares his passion for life with inspiring and uplifting stories.

Daniel can often be found sipping coffee in the foothills of Auburn, California where nature is still wild ... if you know where to look.

Readers are invited to connect with Daniel on his author website.

Guilt-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan SUPER SIMPLE Almond Meal Cookies to Make in a Flash!

I was in the mood for something slightly sweet. I LOVE chocolate chip cookies, but I don't love the high sugar, high fat, and high carbs they contain - and I can't have the gluten, so where did that leave me?

I'd been playing around with the idea of making my own almond flour. Buying almond flour at the store is so expensive. I always have almonds on hand, because they make great healthy snacks. But did I really want to take the time to soak and blanch them? I wanted my cookies then and there, and, truth be told, I had no idea if this would even work. I was about to make almond cookies with almond meal and not almond flour. There's a difference here - meal is almonds in their rawest form, flour is blanched raw almonds with the outer skins removed. *I did find out afterwards that there are some things to consider when grinding almonds and I'll mention them at the end of this post.

I set to work experimenting - hence the lack of an actual recipe.

This was SO SUPER SIMPLE and really very delicious. It satisfied my craving and even the hubs liked them (not the most healthy guy I know, but, hey, there's still hope). Here's what I did:

I literally grabbed about a handful and a half of almonds and threw them into my Ninja. It took mere seconds to grind the almonds down into a very fine meal. I'm thinking you could probably use a blender if you don't have a Ninja or Vitamix. It'll just take a bit longer.

I threw the meal into a bowl and started adding ingredients. I can't say exact amounts, because I didn't measure a thing. Remember, this was an experiment :) My goal was to wet the almond meal into a cookie dough consistency, while adding some of my favorite cookie ingredients.

Peanut butter, a mashed banana, a few broken slivers of very dark chocolate (86% cocoa - the higher the cocoa percentage, the better), coconut oil, a tiny dash of baking powder, and a teeny tiny bit of coconut sugar went into the mix. No egg, no butter...just good for you vegan, gluten free stuff!

I preheated the oven to the usual 350 degree cookie temp. Using two teaspoons, I dropped small balls of cookie dough onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet (flattening ever so slightly) and baked for about 12 - 15 minutes. The result was a deliciously moist, nutty, yummy, guilt-free cookie. I'm definitely going to do this one again soon and I'll probably add some coconut flakes this time.

Some things to consider...

There are differing schools of thought when it comes to eating almond skins. Since this cookie DOES NOT call for removing the skin, be aware that, while almond skins are packed with additional nutrients, some people have trouble digesting raw almonds if they haven't been soaked beforehand.

I have IBS (the main reason for my gluten free diet) and I can say that these cookies did not upset my tummy at all. Obviously, I didn't eat all nine cookies (I had to share them with the hubby), so maybe, as in most things, moderation is key.

If you have digestion problems you may wish to soak the almonds first, but be aware this means you'll have to soak them for about 8 hours and then let them dry completely before pulverizing them.

Simplifying Carbs (sort of)

I’ll say this upfront – I’m not a medical professional, nor am I a nutritionist or a registered dietitian. What I am is an informed consumer, who was killing myself by eating bad, BAD foods and not getting enough exercise. 

I made it my business to take control of my health and turn things around before it was too late. That included educating myself on ways to improve my diet. One way that I did this was to severely limit my carb intake.

My Story…

After my ER visit, I knew I needed to make some lifestyle changes. Becoming active again and eliminating sugar and salt from my diet was a no-brainer for me. Unfortunately, I neglected to recognize how eating too many “bad” carbs was severely hindering my health transformation. On my second visit to the cardiologist, the answer to my lack of weight loss and continued high cholesterol levels was clear – I had to cut out the carbs. I’d long since stopped eating gluten, but I was still happily eating gluten free pastas, breads, crackers, etc. Gluten free does NOT mean low calorie. Nor does it mean low carb. Lesson learned. I was just plain too inactive to burn off all of the carbs I was consuming. The answer was two fold - far less carbs and much more activity.

I left the cardiologist’s office that day, determined to quick carbs cold turkey. To do that, I needed to educate myself on the incredibly confusing topic of carbs. Turns out that was easier said than done. This is indeed a subject that thoroughly confuses A LOT of people. I did my research and immediately started on a diet that worked for me, which is important to note here…everyone is different and it’s essential to begin a regimen that’s designed specifically for you and that often means consulting with a professional.

So What the Heck Are Carbs Anyway?

Put in the most simplest way, carbs are sugar molecules that are a blend of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Carbs are one or more sugar molecules, bound together and broken down into glucose by the body to be used as fuel. In other words, our bodies use carbs as fuel. That’s why we hear about athletes “carbing up” before a strenuous event – think long distance running.

Not all carbs are created equal. If you’ve been considering a low carb or Keto diet, then you’re most likely aware of the term good and bad carbs or complex and simple carbs. Going back to the paragraph above, we’re reminded that carbs are one or more sugar molecules, broken down in the body and used for fuel. The one or more is important here. The three separate types of carbohydrates can be defined by the number of sugar molecules contained:

• Monosaccharide – One sugar molecule
• Disaccharide – Two sugar molecules
• Polysaccharide – Several sugar molecules

Source: Maureen Zimmerman and Beth Snow, An Introduction to Nutrition 

Monosaccharides and Disaccharides are considered simple carbs because they are easily and quickly absorbed in the bloodstream. Polysaccharides are complex because they contain a more complex molecular structure that takes the body longer to break down. Confused yet? You’re not alone. It’s like you need a PhD to understand all of this science stuff. Instead of muddling through it all here, have a look at this incredibly informative and simplified article that goes into the topic of carbs in much greater detail. There’s even a body fat quiz at the end.

The Glycemic Index (Just in Case You Weren’t Confused Enough Already)

The Glycemic Index was developed as a reference for consumers to measure how fast the carbs in certain foods break down in the body. Foods high on the list are absorbed the quickest, causing sugar spikes and have been shown to contribute to diabetes and heart disease. Foods low on the list take longer to be absorbed, thus releasing glucose into the bloodstream more slowly. 

This is why high glycemic foods are generally thought of as bad and low glycemic foods are generally thought of as good. However, what you eat with those high glycemic foods can greatly affect their absorption in the body. 

Whew! I said this was a confusing topic...

If you want to see a detailed explanation of what the Glycemic Index is and how you can use it, the American Institute for Cancer Research published a study here.

Source: https://infograph.venngage.com/p/217295/glycemic-index

What’s the Takeaway?

The important thing is to remember that the more active you are, the more carbs you can consume. Up your activity and you can add more carbs. This is exactly what I did. In order to jump-start my fitness journey I eliminated ALL carbs and boy was it difficult. I was hungry constantly. But that was to be expected. My body was used to gorging on carbs and once I stopped this health-sabotaging habit, it was screaming in protest.  

The good news is that once I reached my goal – weight reduction, lower BP, lower cholesterol and normal blood sugar level – I was able to gradually add some good carbs. No candy, cakes, crackers, chips, pasta or breads, however, but that was a personal choice. I know my limitations. I know how active I am now and what it takes to maintain my ideal weight and good health. Like I said at the start, it’s all personal and you have to find what works for you.

I hope my carb story didn’t drag on for too long. This was a much lengthier post than I normally write, but I blame it on those darn carb explanations. Please let me know about your personal fitness journey. I’d love to hear from you!                                                       

The Keto Crockpot Cookbook by Adele Baker is a Great Way to Jump Start Your Keto Nutrition Fitness Journey

It seems wherever you look nowadays, there's new information about Keto diets. Keto diets seem to be all the rage and with good reason. Keto means eliminating carbs, or at the very least keeping them to a bare dietary minimum. 

Low carbs translates to high fat-burning and that's excellent for losing weight and staying in shape. I've been on a Keto diet for over a year and can say it positively works. 

The Keto Crockpot Cookbook by Adele Baker is a beneficial book for anyone pursuing a Keto lifestyle.

DIY Mom Book Review:

The Keto Crockpot Cookbook is so much more than just recipes. The author has included some fantastic information on how Keto diets work, along with a generous list of what to eat and what not to eat on a Keto diet.

The recipes are super simple, convenient and delicious. I can't wait to try them all! This is a great book for anyone interested in beginning a Keto lifestyle or anyone who is already there and needs more ideas!

5 of 5 Stars, Susan Barton, DIY Mom Blog

DIY Mom Blog Healthy Living Series - My Health and Fitness Journey Continued

In the last installment of my Healthy Living Series, I talked about what led to my declining health and how I was forced to make some radical changes. This time I’ll be going into more detail. For anyone who may be experiencing the same or similar health issues, I want to assure you that you CAN turn things around. The important thing is to simply begin!

Like many women of a certain age, I had suddenly found myself having to work at staying fit. Hormonal changes, and lifestyle and diet changes had crept up on me without my realizing it. I’d long since recognized that gluten was a major irritant for my longtime IBS issues. I’d gotten control of the debilitating and agonizing bouts of IBS, but I made one big mistake. Gluten free foods do not translate to low calorie. Basically, I went hog-wild with the gluten free pasta, breads and other high carb foods simply because I'd found a gluten free way to continue eating them.

Then, when I began experiencing frequent bladder infections, I decided to ditch over-the-counter meds in favor of cranberry juice. In my mind, this was a healthy choice. Wrong again. Tons of sugar and carbs were lurking in those heaping glasses of cranberry juice.

Are you beginning to see a trend? Carbs were making me overweight, sluggish and unhealthy. Yet, I had no clue as to what the heck was going on…until I met with my cardiologist after my ER visit. The verdict? NO CARBS and MORE EXERCISE.

My blood tests revealed even worse news. I was pre-diabetic, had high cholesterol, severe high blood pressure and needed to turn things around ASAP or I was at risk for a heart attack or stroke. Truthfully, that ER visit, and my cardiologist, saved my life.

I was immediately put on blood pressure meds – two of them. The doctor also wanted to prescribe high cholesterol meds. I declined these, insisting that I’d gain control of this through diet and exercise. He reluctantly agreed.

That very same day I swore off carbs. ALL CARBS. And it was extremely tough at first. I was famished constantly. I had a low-grade headache for a week or so. But I stuck with it because I was committed to see this through.

Although I had been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia a few years ago, I slowly began an exercise regimen. I knew I could still walk and I’d always loved walking to stay fit. This was a natural choice for me then. Unfortunately, between the extreme Texas heat and the high instance of free roaming neighborhood dogs, I had to rethink my plan. The alternative? An at home walking fitness regimen. Who would have thought that you could actually get in shape and lose weight by walking in your living room? I can honestly say that this absolutely works. Check out Leslie Sansone’s DVDs. That girl can push the limits of walking for sure!

copyright 2018 Leslie Sansone

I began with fifteen-minute walking routines per day, without weights. Worked my way to longer routines and added free weights – first 1 lb and now I’m doing 3 lb weights. I know that’s not exactly heavyweight material, but it suits me fine. And it’s definitely working. Since my ER visit, almost two years ago now, I’ve ditched all meds except a half of BP pill. I’ve lost over 50 pounds. I have more energy now than I’ve had in probably ten years. I’m fit, trim and doing tons better. I chose to keep myself from being a statistic, stayed with my new diet and fitness regimen and I plan to keep moving one day at a time. I've added a few "good" carbs here and there, but I've kept them to a strict minimum.

This was the humble beginnings of my fitness journey. I'm here to tell you that you can definitely do this too!

Next time I'll talk a little bit about the confusing topic of carbs, and how and with what to substitute them and a few other things. Please join me!

Why and How to Put SMART Healthy Living Goals into Action

© 2018 Susan Barton, DIY Mom Blog

In the previous Healthy Living Series article, I talked briefly about using the SMART goals technique to begin your fitness journey. In this article, I’ll share what led to my personal fitness journey and the steps I took to achieve the necessary results.

It’s important to remember that everyone is different. We’re all at different places in our fitness journey, in terms of weight, dietary needs and activity levels. What might work for one person, might not work for another. The important thing is to simply BEGIN.

My story…

As mentioned in a previous post, throughout my life, I had always been active and fit. Like most people, as I aged, I found that it took a bit more effort to maintain my ideal weight, but my physically demanding job helped immensely. When I left that job to pursue writing full time I had no clue how that would impact my health.

Suddenly, I was no longer the active person I once was. I sat at the computer for hours at a time. My eating habits changed. Add to the fact that I was fast approaching the age where women really need to be extra careful in terms of health, fitness and nutrition – it was producing the perfect storm.

I’d been experiencing palpitations, rapid heartbeat and even occasional chest and arm pain for several weeks, but I ignored these warnings and hoped they would simply go away. I’d always been a migraine sufferer, but when I woke up one morning with the mother of all migraines I knew something was wrong. My husband took me to the ER, where they ran some tests. It seems they thought I was having a stroke. YIKES.

Fortunately, it was not a stroke, but I was in serious distress. My blood pressure was an alarming 189/110 and had most likely been that high for some time. I’d sustained some damage to my heart. I’d be on medication for the rest of my life. I could very well need heart surgery at some later point. This was my wakeup call.

I was referred to a cardiologist immediately. He was a lifesaver…literally. After some additional tests, he sat me down and explained that it was critical to my health that I make some very serious lifestyle changes. Radical changes were outlined. It wouldn’t be easy, but it could very well save my life.

Although you might not currently be at this crisis stage, and I sincerely hope that you aren’t, you could very well be getting close to it and not even realize it. My goal with this series is to prevent you from getting to that point.

Next time, I’ll begin laying out my plan of action, what I did to achieve my goals, what worked and what didn’t and some other tips and pointers for anyone else who may be finding themselves in a similar health crisis as mine.  

SMART Goals Help You Track Your Personal Fitness Journey

Here's another post in my Healthy Living Series and it's a brief one!

Assessing your own personal fitness, diet and nutrition goals is the key to success when it comes to getting healthy. You must first define what you're attempting to accomplish when you begin your personal fitness journey and doing that with SMART goals is an excellent way to stay focused.

© 2018 Susan Barton, DIY Mom Blog

As shown in the graphic above, SMART is a mnemonic acronym for: 

• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Relevant
• Timely

First conceived by George T. Doran, in his 1981 paper in the Management Review, the SMART method is now used by many professionals as a way to help clients and group participants stay focused and on task.

Getting fit and healthy means different things to different people. Therefore, your SMART goal answers will be your blueprint for getting in shape. 

Until next time, stay healthy and fit! 

Get Up, Get Moving, Get Healthy! Intro to the DIY Mom Blog's Healthy Living Series

This is my very first post in my new Friday Fitness, Healthy Living series, where, every Friday, I’ll talk about some of the unique challenges women (especially us “mature” women) face.

I decided to do this series because I’m living proof that you can break bad habits to become a healthier, fitter you. I’ll share my story in the hopes that other women just like me will benefit from my cautionary tale.

A little background on me…

In the past, I was health-conscious and fit. Truth be told, I had a very physically demanding job that helped immensely. But then, in 2012, I quit my job to stay home and go from writing part-time to writing full-time. I was no longer the active person I once was and that definitely took its toll on my body and, ultimately, on my health. My eating habits were atrocious and that made things even worse.

The result? A more than fifty pound weight gain and an unexpected medical diagnosis of severe high blood pressure, high cholesterol and pre-diabetes. I’d been experiencing chest pain and palpitations for a few months and, not surprisingly, when I dragged myself off to the cardiologist (yes, literally dragged myself since I had zero energy) I found that my poor habits had caused a minor heart valve blockage. YIKES! What had I done to myself?

Since I was determined not to add to the rapidly growing number of 50 something women who suddenly die of a massive coronary, I was determined to fix myself. I’d made this mess of my own body and I knew it was up to me to undo it. The heart blockage was there, and as long as it didn’t cause any real problems, it would stay put. But I didn’t intend to make it any worse.

My journey to wellness was slow at first, but that was to be expected. After all, my health problems didn’t happen overnight. Improving my health would take time. It was a process that took some fine-tuning to find what was right for me, my body and my lifestyle. And this is the key here – while I will be sharing my story of regaining control of my health, you’ll need to find what works best for you.

In the coming installments of this Healthy Living series I’ll be talking about my progress and addressing things like diet, exercise, practicing mindfulness and other key elements to gaining control of your health and well-being, so please join me on my journey!

*Please be sure to check back every Friday for Healthy Living updates!