Life's Musings

Life isn't just a series of events strung together. Your life is a blend of your thoughts, feelings, secrets, ideas, events all mixed in with other's secrets and emotions and events. Your life isn't just yours, it is to be shared.

Sometimes you need to let something go for a while to realize how much you need it.

Even when you feel like you aren't very brave, you can always be brave for someone who needs you to be.

Be someone that your friends can trust.

Do you agree with any of my life's musings?

Stop Your Worrying Mind!

 First of all: don't forget to enter the giveaways! Yes I have two going on!

Win free glasses!

Win a copy of the DVD, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island!

“If you worry about what might be, and wonder what might have been, you will ignore what is.” – Unknown

 

I envy those people who seem to breeze through life without a worry or care in the world. Most of these people must be faking it right? I’ve always been a worrier, even when I was a little kid.

Lying in bed at night, my mind often goes to those “perfect scenarios” in life. Houses I’ll never own. Relationships I’ll never have. Spending money that I probably won’t even come close to making. In those quiet hours of the night, you can get so wrapped up in the “what ifs” of life and worry if you’re going in the right direction.

Am in in the right relationship? Do I have the right job? Am I being the best person I can be? Is there something more meaningful I should be doing with my life?

The questions keep surfacing and my mind goes into a frantic state. Have you ever felt the same way?

Worries don’t just come up about the future either. Worrying can spout from anything, even the past.

We worry we didn’t make the right impression. We worry we didn’t say the right thing or wear the right thing or do the right thing. We worry we didn’t ace that interview or even kiss that certain new lover well enough. Worry is a funny thing; it can be about anything. Unfortunately, you can worry about the past, present and future.

Yet, what if we stopped ourselves from worrying and simply enjoyed the life we have? If we stopped focusing on all the things we dislike about our jobs and wonder if it is the right fit and instead, focused on what we love about them. This could be about anything. I bet there is something in your life that you don’t fully enjoy simply because you’re too busy worrying about something related to it.

What if we let what will happen, happen. Trust that everything will work out for the best if we try our best and always strive to be our best selves. Stop the negativity and worry and replace it with laughter and positive thoughts. Here are some tips on squashing those pesky worries:

1. Make a list of things you’re grateful for every night. Before you go to sleep and your mind starts churning, make sure the last things you think about are the happy things in your life and the things you’re grateful for.

2. Wear a rubber band or bracelet and snap it every time you encounter a worry or negative thought. The pain will remind you to squash it and to direct your mind elsewhere.

3. Write down all your worries. Set a specific time each day to write down your worries in different categories such as important or silly. This will help you work through them and even see some worries as extremely ridiculous.

4. Find quotes such as this one: “Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.” – Leo Buscaglia and place it somewhere you’ll see regularly such as your bathroom mirror or desk.

5. Lastly, if your worrying greatly affects your daily life or relationships, seek help. Talking it out with a therapist or even starting with a close friend or family member can help you sort out your feelings.

Remember, everyone encounters worry in their lives. Some more than others, but we can all make the effort to stop these worries and regain control of our minds and happiness.

See the original article I wrote for ASKinyourface.com. 

Eating More Mindfully

It seems much of the time I can't get through one day without a headache or stomachache. Sometimes both! While I know sometimes the problem can be my nerves or problems with my sinuses and allergies, I think a big part of it is my diet.

I try to eat healthy but most of the time I know I don't have the healthiest diet or eat the most nutritious foods. I think part of it is laziness and I simply eat whatever food is easiest to make or available to me quickly. I am really interested in learning more about nutrition and hopefully changing my diet to food that will help me feel better. Any help or ideas you have would be amazing! Here are some ideas I had to start out with to see how it makes me feel:

1. Cut out sweets and junk food. As much as I love my chocolate and sweets, I think a lot of times it gives me stomach problems.

2. Cut out processed food. While I definitely have to do some research on all types of processed foods, I know that the chemicals or additives in these foods can definitely cause health problems and just general icky feelings.

3. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Many times I don't eat many fruits and vegetables unless they are cut up and ready to eat or I order them in a restaurant. This is simply laziness and no excuse. Sometimes I do notice that eating vegetables gives me a stomachache, but I think this may just be not eating them regularly or a specific vegetable.

4. Keep track of how much and timing of what I eat. For example, some days I know I don't eat enough and that can lead to headaches or yucky feelings and some days I will eat too many snacks or sweets and that definitely causes sick feelings. I need to just be more mindful of the things I eat and not letting myself eat too much or too little in a day.

5. Drink more water. I have read many positive things about drinking lots of water because it flushes out toxins, helps you stay hydrated and helps your immune system. Perhaps when I get headaches, it could be from the start of dehydration.

Do you have any more advice for me? I by no means want to go on a "diet" to lose weight or anything like that, I just want to eat more mindfully so I don't feel bad most of the time. I may start to write down everything I eat and perhaps the way I feel after I eat to get a better idea.

What "The Hills" Taught Me

The other day I decided to watch my DVD of "The Hills: Season 2". This was the season where Lauren and Heidi started having all of their friendship troubles and Lauren also fights with "Jen Bunney". It got me thinking about friendships in your early twenties. I've had my share of friendship troubles and lost a few friends over the past years. Even when everyone and their mother tells me that the friendship breakup wasn't my fault or that I'm better off without that person, a part of me beats myself up. Surely, it was my fault or there was something I could have done or should have done. Even if that other person treated me like crap, maybe I should have tried harder to work it out.

Yet watching "The Hills" again helped me realize that these things happen. People change and friends leave and you can't beat yourself up for it. Watching Lauren, who always seems like she is an amazing friend and a good-hearted person have people treat her badly made me realize I'm not the only one. There are always two sides to every fight and the people in it tend to change the story to make themselves look better.

All you have to do in these situations is realize if the friendship is worth it. Being so young in your twenties, we are all figuring our lives out. People change their priorities all the time and stress can make a bad situation blown way out of proportion. In the end, you have to decide if your friendship with that person is enriching your life and making you happy more of the time or sad and upset more of the time. If it is making you more upset, much like the Lauren/Heidi/Spencer situation, then perhaps it is time to move on.

Do you remember watching "The Hills"? Did it teach you anything or did you hate the show? ;)

Take a Step Back Before You Shout

Have you ever yelled at someone while driving? Gotten aggravated at someone walking too slow in a store? Judged someone you saw out and about that you didn't know? If you say no to any of these, you're definitely lying. We all get angry and judgmental when dealing with the outside world at times.

Have you ever been driving and accidentally cut someone off because you were upset about something else or feeling so sick your brain wasn't even working? Perhaps the person honked or flipped you off or even stalked you and yelled at you. It happens. We all make mistakes and we all get angry at others for making these same mistakes, especially while driving.

Most of the time, I try to look at it this way. These random people you get angry with... you have no idea what they're dealing with. It is impossible to control people and it is impossible to know what is going on in their heads.

Next time someone cuts you off, yells at you for no reason, takes too long to pay for their purchases in line, or whatever happens that really aggravates you; stop and take a deep breath. Think about how you don't know much about this person. You can guess certain things from their outer appearance: their age, gender, etc. But you don't know if they have a bad headache. You don't know if they are going through a bad divorce and just met with their lawyer. You don't know if they are over-thinking and nervous about something.

So stay calm and give people the benefit of the doubt and don't sweat the small stuff. Act the way you would want someone to act towards you. Don't you feel so embarrassed and horrible when you cut someone off on accident because your head hurts? Remember they probably feel the same way.

So next time before you flip out, take a breath and relax. Getting angry is just hurting you. Keeping your cool makes the world a much better place. There's no use getting your blood pressure up over something you won't even remember in a day or two.

Surefire Ways To Be An Amazing Friend

First of all, I hope you all had a wonderful, wonderful holiday! I'd love to hear all about it. Tweet me at @lrstewar!

Friendships are so important. I don't know about you, but they bring so much happiness, laughter, fulfillment, hope and so much more into my life. So of course, maintaining your friendships is crucial. If you treat your friends like crap, you won't have any. Here are some friendship rules I try to live by. I'm by no means perfect and friends come and go... but these tips are always good to keep in mind.

1. Put your friends before yourself sometimes. There will definitely be times when a friend will invite you somewhere and you don't want to go. They will ask you a favor that you don't want to do. Or maybe they just need a friend to listen and you're "too busy". Now, don't let anyone walk all over you or take advantage and sometimes you'll need to say "no", but keep in mind a friendship has two sides. You can't expect your friend to do nice things for you if you don't do it for them!

So head with your friend to her doctor's appointment if she's nervous, go cheer your friend on at his basketball game, tag along when a friend wants you to run errands with them, etc. Doing something with or for a friend is sometimes the right thing to do. When faced with an invite that I don't want to do, I'll ask myself... would it mean a lot to this person if I did this? Would I just be sitting around otherwise? If yes, just do it. I bet you won't even mind running around helping a friend run errands because it will make them happy and you'll both share a laugh or two.

2. Be kind and send reminders that you cherish the friendship. There are so many ways to tell someone you care! Send a card 'just because', treat your friend to lunch, attend an event that is important to them (sports, dance recital, whatever...), send a quick Facebook message or text to say hi and the list goes on.

3. I've found that sometimes people just don't make plans. I'll get annoyed that I always seem to be the one to keep in touch with a friend or make plans or say hello, but some people just don't. I try not to put any meaning behind it and just be proud of the fact that I am a planner and put effort into my friendships. If you're a planner too, cherish it about yourself and keep planning! If you notice maybe you're a procrastinator or forget to keep in touch, work on it and let your friends know you haven't forgotten about them. The best day is today!

4. Lastly, read more. I found this great list of the top friendship qualities. I totally agree with all of them! They are just good qualities to have to be an amazing friend.

Tell me, in what ways are you a good friend? Or describe an amazing friend you have!

How to Deal with Difficult People

I've found in my 22 years, that even if you're the nicest person in the world, you won't get along with everyone. Conflicts arise and people are stubborn. Sometimes arguments happen where both people think they're right and the other person is wrong and no one ever wins. I've had to deal with people who won't see my point of view and just ignore me when the friendship gets tough.

So how do you deal with these difficult people?

1. When I find myself getting in an argument with someone, I try to slow down and see things from their point of view. Even if I don't agree with the point of view, I can usually somewhat understand where they are coming from.

2. Be nice. When someone is rude to you, simply be nice back to them. This is definitely easier said than done. When a friend or even a stranger spouts a rude comment back at you, your first reaction is to react and be rude right back. Next time you find yourself in this situation, try something like: "I'm sorry you feel that way" or "What can I do to help?". Basically try to say something that won't make a bad situation worse.

3. Know when to give up. Sometimes you can be as nice as you can be, try to understand their point of view, offer solutions or explanations and the person is just going to be plain mean or stubborn. At this point, it may be time to walk away from the person. Sometimes it happens at work and you can't stop talking to the person forever, but you can excuse yourself to take a breather and get away from a bad situation at the time.

How do you deal with difficult people at work or just simply in life?

Don't Waste Time, Post Grad

Fall is quickly approaching. While some of us twenty somethings are preparing for new classes, homework, studying, and college life, the majority of us are dealing with the real world. The first fall semester after graduation can be difficult. You look back and start to regret. You think about that class you should have taken, the parties you should have attended, or those extra curricular activities you should have joined.

But now is not the time for regrets. It is time for growth! You are probably in that terrible transition time of leaving college and looking for a job. You can sit and rot on your couch or you can take action.

If you're currently looking for a job, make sure you're networking like crazy. Join Linkedin and get recommendations from your previous bosses or colleagues from jobs or internships. If you're only job searching on the Internet and on social networks, that is a great start, but you can do more!

Find out about clubs or groups that meet in your area pertaining to the job you desire. Meeting with people who work in the field can get your foot in the door just about anywhere. Attend job fairs at local colleges and pass out your resume. You never know who you may meet!

If you feel like you're job hunting constantly and getting nowhere, take a break and do something beneficial for yourself. Regret not taking that web design class in college? Find one in your area and go for it. Finding hobbies or classes that relate to your potential career can give you an edge on the competition.

Lastly, enjoy this time! Many post grads can get into a funk feeling as if the fun of college is over and the real world is one big downer. Use your newly acquired free time to see friends and family, take care of yourself, and enjoy life before you're busy with your new job.

Find The Right Guy

I've written on how to be a great girlfriend, but being a great girlfriend is worthless if you don't have the right guy.

Here are some traits you need in a boyfriend:

1. He's always supportive, but honest. There are enough people in the world that try to bring you down or scoff at your goals. Your sweetie should support you in all things you want to do, but be honest enough to tell you when something you want to do really is dangerous to yourself or others.

2. He may never understand you, but he tries and accepts you. I don't think boys will ever understand the brain of a girl (I don't understand my brain half the time!) but the least he can do is accept you for who you are and love every part of you (even the crazy parts!).

3. He is attractive...to you. If you always go for the super model types, you will miss out on a lot of great guys. Finding a guy that is gorgeous isn't everything...but finding a guy that you're attracted to means a lot. If you don't think your guy is hot stuff, you won't last very long, even if he's the greatest guy on the planet.

4. He listens but also talks. A guy that never lets you get a word in would be annoying, but a guy that never talks about himself would also be frustrating. Try to strike a good balance and make sure both of you feel that you've communicated enough and properly.

5. He isn't controlling or a hot-head. Sure, we all have bossy moments or times when our temper flares up. But a deal-breaker for me would be if the guy I'm with tried to control my life and started to tell me what to do, then if I didn't listen, got angry or even physical. Never stay in a relationship if he starts to hurt you, no matter what! If he won't let you have a life outside your relationship, that is also a good warning sign you should break it off.

6. You have things in common and have fun together. A great relationship usually starts when you are friends first. People become friends because they have hobbies or personality traits in common and enjoy each other's company. Try new things together to keep a relationship fresh!

7. Lastly and most importantly, he truly loves you and makes you feel safe, loved, and treats you with respect and kindness!

What do you think makes a good boyfriend? Tell me about your guy who possesses all these amazing traits and why you're the luckiest girl in the world!

Life Gives Us Every Teacher

"Life always gives us exactly the teacher we need at every moment. This includes every mosquito, every misfortune, every red light, every traffic jam, every obnoxious boss (or employee), every illness, every loss, every moment of joy or depression, every addiction, every piece of garbage, every breath."
~ Charlotte Joko Beck via Echoes of Love 

I found this quote the other day from the Facebook page of a wonderful lady, Brenda Strausz. She often posts wonderful quotes and this one really struck with me. 

Often when a friend ignores me, I take a bad job, I'm stuck in a traffic jam when all I want to do is get home, or anything causes a sour mood; I am just plain aggravated. Why is this happening to me?

At times after a tragedy, when we've mourned or gotten angry and depressed, we can go back to see what the meaning was. We can understand why this had to happen in order to bring about something better. Sometimes we never understand. We may never understand the tragedies or just plain bad days we often encounter. But we can accept these days. We can accept that every mean boss, death of a loved one, cold, or mosquito bite is our teacher at that time. It teaches us to get what we really want, slow down and enjoy life, take better care of ourselves, or simply remember that darn bug spray. 

So next time you come across a situation where you want to give up and scream "Why me?", stop for a moment. Try to find the lesson or the reason. Some days you just have to accept that you don't know and that is okay. You'll get through it just fine, I promise.

Guest Post: Tips To Strengthen Your Long Distance Relationship

Relationships of any kind take a lot of hard work and patience. Being able to do so face to face is a huge plus, a plus that’s absent in long distance relationships. Distance can complicate small matters and lead to unnecessary heartache. Here are 25 tips on how you can work to maintain a healthy long distance relationship.

1. Agree on the relationship parameters: Right at the onset, both of you should understand the nature of your relationship and how much you are willing to sacrifice for each other. Are you prepared to relocate to be near your partner? Is this a mutually exclusive relationship or are you allowed to date others?
2. Set up communication channels and timeframes: When you’re away from each other, calling at random times might be inconvenient. Again, if your call is not received properly, it’ll give rise to suspicions. To avoid all this, set up daily or weekly calls.
3. Share everything: Being away from each other, you miss a great part of the daily camaraderie. Make it a point to share as much as possible about your daily lives, the people you meet and the things you do. This allows the other to feel as much a part of your life as possible.
4. Enjoy things together: Watch a TV show or movie at the same time, with the phone on so you can share your opinions and thoughts. Come up with creative ideas to ‘do’ things together, the way you would if you were living in the same place.
5. See each other often: Web cams are a great way of seeing the person you love. Set up web conferences; do not dress up for the web cam. Be natural, just as you would be if you were next to that person.
6. E-mail each other: Share news, forward jokes and send each other greetings for every occasion via email. Make an effort to make your emails warm, loving and detailed, to show you care.
7. Send gifts to each other: You don’t need an occasion; just send small gifts, books or flowers whenever you are able. Make it spontaneous!
8. Set up reminders: Use good reminder software to set up reminders of important dates. Include your partner’s special days, your special days as a couple and birthdays of your partners’ friends. Always remember to commemorate special days.
9. Don’t forget friends: Send cards or gifts to your partner’s friends on their birthdays; this extra effort will not go unnoticed.
10. Pursue common interests: Take up similar hobbies, or attend similar events in your individual cities. You can compare notes later and enjoy the shared camaraderie.
11. Find creative ways to bond: Join an online forum together, follow each other Twitter, and take up an online course together – you can come up endless creative ideas to bond.
12. Give and take space: Don’t hog each other’s time to the exclusion of other things, just to make up for the distance.
13. Don’t control each other: If you are both interested in being in the relationship, you’ll stick it out. Don’t control who each other can talk to, where each other can go and so on.
14. Challenge each other: The distance between you can motivate you to do things you’ve put off. If you or your partner was planning to lose weight or learn cooking, you can challenge and motivate each other to do it before you meet next.
15. Discuss your future: Talk about where you’re going to live and what you’re going to do when you’re finally together in one place. Working towards a common goal will keep you motivated.
16. Visit each other: If you don’t live too far apart, try to visit each other as often as possible. Even the best long distance relationships will fail if you see each other only once a year.
17. Be consistent: Be consistent when it comes to your visits, frequency of communication and so on. Spending a solid hour chatting one day and ignoring your partner for the next three days won’t help your relationship grow.
18. Trust your partner: Allow each other the trust any healthy relationship needs; keep the jealousy, drama and obsessive possessiveness away. Remember, Everyone is trustworthy unless proven otherwise.
19. Stay positive: Even if your partner did not return a call or did not keep up a commitment, stay positive within. Even the best laid plans can go awry sometimes.
20. Focus on yourself: Focus on your needs, career objectives and hobbies for self growth and to keep from obsessing over your partner.
21. Share personal items: Keep something that belongs to each other to hold on to when thinking of each other.
22. Prioritize each other: Even if there are other pressing obligations in your lives, prioritize each other when it comes to emergencies, or urgent situations.
23. Write letters: Buy some expensive stationery, scented if possible, and pen long, romantic letters to each other. These are the ones you can store and read when you’re old, tied up in blue ribbon.

This post is by Marina Chernyak, a freelance writer and co-owner of an online wall clock store located at - 1001WallClocks.com.

Guest Post: 10 Tips for a Positive Daily Attitude

Today I am bringing you a guest post from the lovely writer, Christine Connor! Enjoy!

There are times during which each and every person the world over will inevitably feel a little down in the dumps or sorry for themselves, but when this begins to happen a little too often it may be time to give a little thought to a little proactive attitude adjustment. Whether suffering the stresses of student life, dealing with moving services for a relocation or playing second fiddle to the boss, it is far too easy to fall into a negative mindset.Of course, it is not quite as simple as giving yourself the proverbial kick up the backside and hoping this will be enough to bring back the smiles, but there are a few simple and realistic tips any person can follow in order to help build a positive daily attitude – none of which include magical hocus pocus or other potential nonsense whatsoever:

1. Negative Thoughts – It is imperative to learn how to recognize negative thoughts so that they can be acknowledged as soon as they begin to raise their ugly heads and put down before they are given the chance to take hold. Rule over emotions and don’t let them take control.

2. Positive Catalysts – One of the easiest and most powerful ways of boosting an attitude is to spend time around those who also think and act positively. It is simply impossible to remain down when among such people.

3. Avoid Negative People – Just in the same way as the example above, a negative mindset is highly contagious and serves no good purpose – so avoid those who may rub off those around them the wrong way.

4. Get Physical – Eating well and exercising may not breed results overnight, but a healthy diet and active body are known as two of the best contributors toward a content persona.

5. Ditch the Clutter – Make sure all living and working space are only surrounded by things that bring positivity, such as photographs of friends and family, memorable artifacts and other examples such as potted plants.

6. Prove them Wrong – If told that something is impossible or beyond personal capabilities, see this as a challenge rather than a setback and consider doing everything possible to prove them wrong – even in the smallest instance the bragging rights can be worth their weight in gold!

7. Count Blessings – When the world gets too much and an explosion of trauma and anger seems inevitable, list all of the blessings that come to mind starting with the most important and treasured things of all – this really does work!

8. Be Selfless – Charity work and helping other for no incentive can give the greatest reward of all, which is a level of self-worth that reflects on every single second of the rest of a person’s day to day life.

9. Limit Stress – A no-brainer of course but all too easily forgotten, it really matters not how important any activity or daily requirement is, if it is not life or death then take time out and break away from stress at regular intervals. Stressed and cranky people are rarely of a positive attitude.

10. Be Realistic – Incorporate all of these tips and as many others as required but do not expect for one second that the world will change overnight – allow time for the new ways of thinking to set in and the positive attitude will follow naturally, never by brute force.

Christine Connor gave up her full-time job three years ago to devote herself to writing and a less stressful way of life. She writes frequently on behalf of a moving services specialist and a few other on and offline publications.

Advice from "Real Housewives of NYC" Kelly!

The only "Real Housewives" show I've gotten into was the New York version. My friend got me hooked on the show and while at times I find it a little annoying with the constant drama, it is very entertaining. The last season I watched I wasn't sure what to think of Kelly Killoren Bensimon. Bethenny was one of my favorites and the two often feuded. However, this past season, Kelly seemed much more balanced, fun, and quick to share good advice. I've been reading her blog and Twitter posts and I absolutely loved this post on relationships. Enjoy!

Courtesy of Kelly's Blog:

"My mantra for this season was that “every relationship needs boundaries“. While watching the The Real Housewives of New York reunion, the reason everyone is so taken back by the special is because of the lack of boundaries and the way life is percieved by delusion by some of the women on the show. Everyone on and off tv has their own storyline.

I’ve learned a lot though my mistakes and by the mistakes of others. Here are a few rules that got me through filming and will be my manifesto with the man I love and my close personal friendships.

Relationship Rules :

1. Be honest to yourself. If you are honest, than no one has ever any reason to doubt you. this doesn’t mean you need to constantly tell people what you think of them, but always be honest with yourself, and in turn you will earn trust from others

2. Walk in other peoples shoes. Its easier when you recognize where people are coming from than just make judgements. name calling and judgments are for childlike behaviors, whereas recognizing flaws and being open to possibilities are adult behaviors.

3. Right place right time. Save conversations that could get heated and go sour fast for a time when both parties are well rested, have eaten, and relaxed.

4. Dont fight to fight, fight to resolve. Every problem has a solution

5. Create boundaries for yourself. don’t engage those who are pushing buttons. Disengage, walk away, change the subject, or compliment-most people are so vain and a compliment is a great diffuser

6. Smile as much as you can. Life is short, and a smile goes a long way. Its the universal language for “its ok, lets have fun.”

7. Forgive but dont forget. The past is a foreshadowing of the future, but you can also change the way you respond to the past.

8. Listen to what others are saying, not what you THINK they are saying

9. Dont compare and contrast exs with the ones you love. It hurts. Period

10. Dont kitchen sink your life to a partner, or kitchen sink an argument. What is the core to the problem? stay clear and tackle one issue at a time

11. Dont air dirty laundry in front of friends and family. Everyone has relationship issues and no one wants to get involved especially at a dinner table.

12. Have a code word for “don’t start this now.” I like the word lemon.

13. Do unto yourself and you want those to do unto you. Its a two way street. Be careful for it hurts just as much if you don’t call him, as him not calling you.

14. Dont draw lines in the sand, for you may be left at the beach. Lots of people welcome that challenge, and others take it as an easy out.

15. Everyday is a new day. Make sure you partner is a part of it."

This post was written by Kelly Killoren Bensimon - I didn't change anything.

What do you think? Do you agree with her rules?

Are Organic Foods Worth It?

You've read before I've been more interested lately in learning more about organic food and beauty products. Here is a post by Linda Wolschlager, C.N.C. who writes for ASKinyourface.com. She shares some great information that I want to share with you!

Deciding whether or not to splurge on the cost of buying organic foods can be a confusing decision and if so, what should you buy organic? Well, there are now many studies that are confirming exactly what natural health practitioners have been so incensed about, which is the effect of pesticides being used in traditional farming practices and how it affects our fruits, veggies and grains.

Studies have proven that the Vitamin C content and even Quercetin (in apples) is 30% higher in organically grown foods vs. non-organic. Basic nutrient intake or core basic nutrients found in just about every fruit and vegetable grown organically tested was shown to have about 30% higher nutrient levels (vitamins) and all other minerals 15% higher in value compared to traditional grown counterparts.

The phytonutrient and phytosterol levels are higher in veggies and fruits that are grown organically, flavanoids in berries, etc. as well. ORAC value greens, reds, purples foods, anti-aging carotenoids, polyphenols content were also higher on organic foods. These are the naturally occurring compounds that are nature’s cancer fighters.

Pesticides and fears of those chemicals are a real and true issue! Chemical exposures as tested in literature shows us that as of the year 2000, over a billion pounds of pesticides have been used on our food sources. We utilize l/5^th of the world’s use of pesticides in this country alone. Farmers that do run organic farms, must be very careful about start-up when it comes to safe soil, because the soils must lie dormant for years before they can claim they are safe and clean of pesticides. These chemicals stay in the soil for so many years.

Neighborning farms or even wind shifts from traditional growing farms could spread its pesticides into the organic farms, so distance away from others is important too. Arsenic and cadmium used in conventionally raised foods from their pesticides have been found in many traditionally grown foods. The bad news too is that l/3 of the food you eat not organically grown is pesticide residues.

• Some of the studies show: Potatoes: Vitamin C levels, polyphenols, antioxidants, chlorogenic acids with organic vs. conventional have nutrient difference;
• Grape juices like Welch’s – polyphenols, resveratrol which are the important parts of grape, have much higher levels in organic grown grapes than conventional.
• Peaches and pears also showed that Vitamin C and polyphenols were significantly higher in organically grown fields, studied over a 5 year period;
• Wheat and grains – is this why so many people seem to be allergic or sensitive to wheat gluten? Pesticide residues are so much higher now than they were 10 years ago. Because of these pesticides sprayed on traditional food farms, people are increasingly intolerant to wheat gluten. Organically grown wheat actually has less gluten in it than conventionally grown wheat. Wheat and gluten intolerance can be tested 90% effectively in a blood test and more gluten in foods is bad for us. We don’t need higher levels than organically grown wheat naturally provides.

Another important thing to note is that our government is pushing the other way against organic and healthier farming. They are making laws against the use and sale of raw milk, as in the incident lately of some Amish dairy farmers getting arrested because they were selling milk that was pure and raw, which the government has decided is not safe, not taking into account that its your choice to drink raw milk and that the farmers producing the sale of this milk know what they are doing and are not selling anything dangerous when handled properly. Pasturized milk only is allowed according to the FDA, but the truth is that the molecular structure of milk is highly changed with this process of pasturization and raw milk, handled properly is healthy and much better for you.

Organically fed cows vs. not, had much higher levels of Omega 3’s (alpha linolenic acids, etc), while antioxidant deprevation and vitamin, mineral deprevation from conventionally grown foods, will cost us our health big time.

The benefit of spending some more money on organic foods may be the most important thing to do for the health of your future on your health and aging disease.

Courtesy of The Nutrition Advisor Blog – you can also visit her website. See the post first on ASKinyourface.com.

Need Blackberry Advice!

I totally want this case! So cute...

My phone could get an upgrade recently, so I sprung for a Blackberry Curve! I've already gotten Pandora and Poynt on there, but I'd love to hear what you think. What are some apps I should download?

Any tips or advice on getting the best use out of my Blackberry would be amazing too! Thanks everyone. :)

My Favorite Advice for You!

I'm always thinking. Always! Sometimes inspiration strikes me to write about something in the car or in the shower. It could be anywhere. I'd love to share with you some of my words of wisdom and things to say to yourself when you feel down in the dumps.

♥Surround yourself with people with good and big hearts and you'll feel yours grow and happiness follow.

♥Everything happens for a reason. Even bad relationships or traumatic events eventually lead to something good.

♥Always trust your instincts and listen to your heart. If you don't and make mistakes, don't beat yourself up. There is always room for change.

♥Do what makes you happy. If someone does not have your best interests in mind, move on.

♥A good attitude is all about gratitude. Basic rules of being human: always say please and thank you and let people know you appreciate them.

♥Know that everyone has moments of loneliness, sadness, weakness, and sickness. The best part of this? It never lasts! Unfortunately great moments pass too, but next time you're feeling low or hurt...just remember that it will go away eventually...

You Can't Please Everyone...

Let me tell you a few things about myself. I'm the type of person that wants to please everyone and never wants to have anyone dislike me or say anything bad about me. Yes, I know in life...this is impossible. It is a hard thing to learn and it is hard to deal with people sometimes.

The worst type of person to deal with is the "bully". I'm not just talking schoolyards, but bullies in life. The people that have to constantly bring others down to make themselves feel better and in control. The people that think nothing is ever good enough for them because they are the best. Don't you wish these kind of people would just go away? Or more positively, just learn to be kinder?

But as I get older, I have to learn over and over that you can't please everyone. Everything can't work out perfect. There will always be bullies in life that want to bring you down. All you can do is find ways to distance yourself from them or cut ties permanently. If this bully is someone you can't do this with, such as a family member, you have to learn to not take things so personally. This is something I struggle with too. I wear my heart on my sleeve and am very sensitive to harsh words. But as cheesy as it sounds, everyone and everything sent in your life is there for a reason. The reason may be to lead you to another option that works better for you, to teach you a lesson, or maybe even develop thicker skin.

So tell me, are you like me in any of these ways? How do you deal with bullies in life?

Be a Child at Heart

Remember when you were a little kid and another kid in your class came up to you and asked if you could be best friends? You said yes and bam, you were friends. You played tag with everyone in your class (except that kid that smelled) and always seemed to talk to some new kid everywhere you went, not even bothering to ask their name. 

I remembered this feeling when I took the girl I babysit for to the local Elementary School playground. Naturally, it was a nice day so all the kids piled outside... giving me funny looks I might add... but all playing together regardless. The girl I babysit for began just playing with the kids regardless that she was a lot smaller than them and obviously younger and I was so happy to see how several little girls would help her get down the slide and were smiling with joy. 

It just reminded me that we should never lose that. The capacity to make new friends with anyone so quickly... regardless of skin color, accent, clothes, whatever. And the ability to help others with a smile on your face and have fun doing so. Never be too snobby, too shy, or too busy to lend a helping hand to someone and don't be quick to judge someone. They might be a great new friend.

You're My Best Friend and I Love You

While interviewing my grandparents today on their marriage for a class project, I loved their answer to this question. I think they are right about a lot of people these days, they get married for every other reason besides true love and then just have an easy way out with divorce. 

While most of us reading this blog are definitely too young to get married, you can easily change the view to relationships. There are countless movies on this... the boy you always considered your best friend and then one day you realize he is the one. He's the one because he's your best friend. Love comes in many forms, a mother's touch, a friend's crying shoulder, or a passionate love affair. The most rare and the most special in my opinion is if you are lucky enough to fall in love with your best friend. This is the love that changes your life, changes your heart, and can open up your mind to the greatest things in life. All because someone smiles at you that way and understands everything about you. Someone you have tons in common with but enough difference to make things interesting. That connection is something to be cherished and I think the people lucky enough to find it should never take it for granted.

What do you think about love and marriage and divorce these days?

I'll leave you with a song by Weezer that goes along with this blog. :)