Why did she seem to do it with such ease?

Studies have shown that people with healthy self-esteem really are treated differently than people with low-self-esteem. Because of this treatment, it re-enforces what they already believe about themselves. Higher self-esteem people often receive favorable treatment. They’re strengthened by positive past performance and they believe they are and will be successful in what they set out to do.

Low-self-esteem people are often plagued by doubt, past rejections and failure. They are more likely ignored, put down, rejected, not listened to, compared to others or labeled than their higher self-esteem counterparts. Because they rely on others to support and approve of them, they give in to peer pressure more often.

It really does matter what we think about ourselves.

A friend of mine has a note taped by her computer to remind her of this. It says, “Listen to your heart above all other voices.”
~ Marta Kagan

It might not be an overnight process to become the confident, poised person we long to be. But we can start focusing on good, right, true thoughts and then we’ll be one step closer to becoming that person we truly long to be. Tell me what you’ve done to be the woman you want to be.

Here in America we are bombarded with advertising and other media influences that lead us in a different direction. The sick state of the nation is evidence of it! We need to get educated and consciously change our course.

A “must read” is Montel William’s Living Well. Just click on Suggested Reading above, and type in Montel Williams Living Well and you can order it right now!

Like me, Montel Williams has been afflicted with Multiple Sclerosis. He has totally transformed his life! I am joining Montel Williams in the quest for healthy living!

Montel taught many things, for today, I’m covering one baby step: Snack Foods.

Montel suggests to do our grocery shopping on the parameters of the grocery store. We will find the fresh, healthy, unprocessed food there. The produce, dairy, meat and bread sections are all on the parameters. The processed foods, “junk foods”; canned and boxed are down the isles.

Montel tells us to pay attention to the rainbow of colors in the produce section! There is a surprisingly delicious variety of foods there. When our primary diet is produce, our bodies will be energized and empowered by the disease-fighting antioxidants the produce contains.
When we start preparing and eating produce, we will begin to crave those things, and the “junk food” will begin to loose importance.

For 15 years as a mom, I prided myself as a “milk and cookies mom”. You know, a stay-at-home mom who has fresh cookies to greet the children off the school bus. It was quite difficult to be focused on healthy snacks, cookies were so familiar!

When I lost my health, I needed to change. I wish I would have started when my children were younger. As a mother and homemaker, if I had set the example, learned to love and serve the produce, the family would have followed.

Montel talks about having a variety of colors on every plate of food. The brighter the color, the more nutrition it contains. An easy example to illustrate this, is lettuce. Iceberg is a crisp, clean, crunchy lettuce. Being produce, it is a good source of fiber, being light colored, it has fewer vitamins. In our local supermarket we will find the darker, more nutrition-packed varieties of Romaine and Leaf lettuce. These antioxidant rich foods supply the body with what it needs to feel good!

Here are some snack ideas you’re seeing my transition going from a junk food junkie even if it is homemade, it’s still junk – to falling in love with the produce section!

I’ve started drinking Montel’s smoothies! Just like the title of his book, over the 21 Days to Transform my Life we’ll see how I do! I’m ready to feel really well again!

Please leave comments with your ideas for healthy snacks!

16 Mostly Healthy, Some quick, Always Delicious Snacks

1. Rice cakes topped with 100% natural applesauce (my kid’s favorite)
2. An old time favorite -Ants On a Log -celery filled with peanut butter and raisins

3.Peanutty Apple slices
Large, unpeeled apple, cored, quartered
½ cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
Crushed corn flakes
Cut each apple quarter into three slices.
Spread cut sides of apple slices with peanut butter.
Roll in corn flakes. Makes 12 slices.

4. Orange Julius
3-4 oz frozen orange juice concentrate
¼ cup organic sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup milk (or soy milk)
Ice cubes
Blend until ice cubes disappear

5. Sliced fruit & all natural yogurt dip

6. Fruit Kabobs
Put small pieces of fruit on a toothpick- these could be apple wedges, raisins, orange sections, pineapple, grapes, melon balls, prunes

7. Sliced vegetable with dressing of your choice

8. Crackers & almond butter or peanut butter

9. Nachos

10. All Natural Yogurt & Granola

11. Banana Shakes
Mix in blender: 2 cups milk, 2-3 frozen bananas,
1 tsp vanilla, 1/4 cup sugar

12. Rice Pudding

1 cup water, lightly salted
1/2 cup organic brown rice
4 cups milk (or soy milk
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk powder
3 eggs
1/2 cup organic sugar
1 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons sugar

In a large pot bring 1 cup lightly salted water to a boil. Pour rice slowly into the water. Do not sir. Cover tightly and cook exactly 7 minutes. The rice will appear slightly underdone. Add the skim milk slowly over low heat for 1 hour. Beat eggs, and add the 1/2 cup sugar, raisins, and vanilla. Pour mixture into rice, stirring slowly until the rice begins to
thicken. Serve hot, warm, or cold with mixture of cinnamon and sugar sprinkled lightly and evenly over the top. Serves 6

13. Lilli’s Fruit smoothies
Frozen fruit
8 oz yogurt
1teaspoon vanilla
Blend until smooth

14. Graham crackers with peanut butter.

15. Montel’s Tropical Fruit Smoothie

Ingredients
1 mango, peeled and seeded
1 papaya, peeled and seeded
1 banana, peeled
1 orange, peeled
5 ice cubes

In a Vita-Mix blender, process ingredients until smooth. Enjoy immediately, or keep 2-3 days in refrigeration.

16. Montel’s Sweet ‘n asy Green Smoothie
This is a healthful, delightful drink with a perky pale green color. The kids will love it!
Makes 2-4 servings.
Ingredients
2 bananas, peeled
3 oranges, peeled and quartered
1 head of romaine lettuce
4 cups of cold water
Procedure
In a Vita-Mix blender, add ingredients in order: bananas, oranges, and then romaine. Add water to the “Max Fill” line on the blender. Blend all ingredients at medium, then high speed until smooth. Serve chilled. Will keep for 2-3 days in refrigeration

Great choices of healthful dense carbs include whole grains, sprouted whole grain bread, and oatmeal, potatoes and beans, all of these are very rich in fiber including fruits and vegetables. Fiber helps keep us feeling full on substantially fewer calories.  And this has been proven. Researchers have shown that people who add an additional 14 grams of fiber to their daily diet end up eating about 10% fewer calories at the end of the day.

On a 2000 calorie/day diet if you eat 10% fewer calories that’s about 200 calories less every day which could add up to a 20lb weight loss in one year. Fiber is definitely your weight loss friend.

Healthful fit fats, great choices like dry roasted nuts, dry roasted seeds, all natural nut butters, these are all excellent choices.

Oil: Best all purpose oil in most cases is extra virgin olive oil. When making desserts a better tasting canola which contains some essential omega 3 fats.  Best way to get our omega 3 for the day is one Tbsp unheated flax oil. Drizzle it on top of a salad, whole grain or bean salad or 3 Tbsp ground flaxseed a day.  We can bake with these or mix them in smoothies or yogurt.

Protein, remember three things:
1. Choose animal proteins that are low in saturated fat.  Great choices like eggs, low fat dairy, lean cuts of meat, chicken, turkey. 

2. Also you’re going to want to choose more vegetarian protein because this is going to increase your intake of disease fighting phyto chemicals and fiber.
Good examples of healthy vegetarian sources of protein include soybeans, Edamame beans, soy milk and tofu.

3. Increase our intake of fish.  This will increase you intake of omega 3 essential fat intake but it will simultaneously will lower our intake of those pro inflammatory saturated that we’d otherwise be getting from animal protein sources.

As we take Ivy’s advice and choose our food wisely, we’ll give our bodies what is needed for health and wellness.