What a joy it is to feel harmony in our home! Striving to build a happy, healthy family at home is a very important endeavor, and the rewards are great for those who make it a priority. Families provide each of us with a sense that we belong, and our families contribute to our individual identity.

A healthy family structure can provide the emotional support to nurture and instill a sense of security in all of us. Relationships that we share in the family also allow us to develop the morals and basic values that we carry throughout our lives. This is why it’s so very important that we each strive to have the goal of building a happy, healthy family at home.

• Building solid relationships within the family is absolutely essential for the success of each individual in the family – whether young or old.

4 Elements of a Strong Family Bond

All too often you hear stories of dysfunctional families who have multiple problems and just don’t know how to function or communicate with each other. Surely this is not a scenario you imagined when you started your family! Rather than risk that path in life, here are some tips for developing a strong family bond:

1. Respect your family members. When it comes to family members, respect should be issued right from the beginning, even if it has yet to be earned. At the same time, it’s also important that you work to earn the respect of other members of the family.

• Respect is simply the process of placing value in the other people who make up your family.

2. Enjoy shared experiences together. The old saying, “A family who plays together stays together,” is very relevant in today’s world. Sharing experiences helps to build respect.  It also enables you to learn more about the people that you share a home with so you can discover their likes, dislikes, and the things that make them thrive from day to day.

• Families should work hard to ensure that they make time to spend with each other – both as a team and with each other on a one-to-one basis.

3. Trust your family. It’s been said that trust is a requirement for all fulfilling relationships, whether in your personal life, social life, or professional life. If you have respect for an individual and spend enough time with them to know their needs and desires, a mutual trust grows naturally.

• Trust is necessary to have open and honest relationships in the family.

4. Learn to give as well as take. Successful families know and understand the importance of the “two way street” that should exist within the family structure. When every family member understands this, you will all enjoy working and playing together.

Every family member should know and understand their role and work to give and take on an equal basis.

It’s Never Too Late To Start Building a Happy Family

If you currently have discord and contention in your family, you might think it’s too late to rectify the situation. However, by taking positive steps to make changes as a whole family, you can start to rebuild your trust and respect.

One parent alone can’t make these changes by themselves. Open communication is critical so the entire family can understand what the current problems are and how to fix them. You may meet some resistance, but focusing on peace and harmony in the home should motivate even the most stubborn child. Once your family members get a taste of the happiness and security that a loving family brings to them, they won’t want to live any other way!

Want help maintaining your weight and losing weight consider the following exercises.

With your hectic daily routine – getting ready for work, getting the kids ready for school, making sure your socks aren’t floating in the dog’s water bowl, a busy day at work, coming home and fixing dinner, cleaning up the house and getting everyone, including yourself, to sleep – exercise is usually the last thing on your mind!
Stress levels and obesity are at an all time high and health concerns are making themselves a priority in many people’s lives.

However, exercise is the one thing that can energize you to handle such a busy lifestyle with flying colors! Exercising reduces stress, helps you sleep better, and keeps health concerns at bay, while also boosting your self-confidence.

No More Excuses Allowed

It’s a good thing the human body is made the way it is, because there are many exercises you can do anywhere, at any time. All you need are a couple of makeshift weights you can find around the house and the physical weight of your body.

When exercising, remember to get a good warm-up and finish off with a slow cool-down. This is important to prevent injury and is easy to accomplish no matter where you are. Walking works well for both your warm-up and cool-down routine.

Here are 5 simple exercises you can do anywhere:

1. Tricep Dips. Sit on the edge of a chair or bench with your hands next to your thighs. Lift your body out just in front of the chair, with your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent. Lower yourself down so your elbows bend no more than 90 degrees and push yourself back up.

• Start off with a few small sets and build up from there.
• Straightening your legs increases the workout.
• Avoid this exercise if you have wrist or shoulder problems.

2. Pushups. Everyone knows the standard pushup position, so let’s try some things to change it up a bit.

• You can do pushups with your hands wider than shoulder width to get more of a shoulder and chest workout.
• If you bring your hands together into a diamond shape near the center of your chest you will work more of the triceps and shoulders.
• Working half pushups – either going only half way down and then back up, or starting from the floor and only pushing up half way and then going back down – will intensify your pushup workout.

3. Crunches. Crunches are great for your abs if you do them correctly. Done incorrectly, they can put undue stress on your neck and back. To avoid injury, be sure to use the correct techniques.

• The biggest risk is if you jerk your neck to give you the force to crunch. While doing crunches, keep your hands behind your head and your elbows back while using your stomach muscles to lift your head and chin towards the ceiling.

• Once you’ve mastered this technique, try lifting your legs off the ground or assuming a bicycle position with one leg bent and the other straight off of the ground.

4. Squats. Body weight squats are a great exercise you can do anywhere and a fantastic way to learn proper technique. Start off your squat workouts by lowering yourself only a foot or so. Then work up to deeper squats as your muscles become accustomed to the exercise.

• If you’re feeling a bit advanced and in need of a more intense workout, grab two 2-liter bottles filled with sand and try performing squats while holding one in each hand.
  

5. Calf Raises. Calf raises can be done wherever there is a raised surface, such as a stairway. If you need balance, hold onto the railing. Facing the stairs, stand with only your toes on the stair and your feet extending out past it. Standing straight up, lower your body down below the level of the stair and then back up onto your toes.

• Even though it seems as if this is an ankle exercise, it also works out your calf muscles.

• The biggest emphasis on this exercise is the ability to go from an extreme negative position with ankle below toes to an extreme positive position, ankle fully raised.

With these five exercises, you have a full body workout. Remember to pay attention to your body and take it easy at first. Soreness is a good thing, but pain means you need to stop. Try these exercises out today and feel the healthy difference of fitness on the run.

There are so many food to chose from where does one start? What foods are good for your diet and more importantly for your health! There are certain foods out there that have come to earn the label super food. Super foods can improve your health by lowering your risk of heart disease and stroke, while boosting your energy, focus, and mental sharpness. The best part is that you get these benefits using all natural foods, instead of items containing chemicals and drugs.

Here’s a list of 12 super foods and a description of how they’ll help your body and mind:

1. Sweet Potatoes. Sweet potatoes are packed with added fiber, potassium and vitamin C. You can cook them in many ways including baked or mashed, as well as cubed in soups.

2. Blueberries. Blueberries are definitely a super fruit! They contain beneficial antioxidants as well as vitamin C and fiber. They make a healthy treat and they’re easy to eat on their own or in smoothies and baked goods.

3. Bananas. Bananas make the list because of their beneficial nutrients as well as high potassium content. They also contain a healthy dose of vitamin B6.

4. Broccoli. Broccoli is a vegetable that contains a healthy amount of vitamin C and folic acid. If you don’t like the taste, you can use some spices, cheese, or dip to add some flavor.

5. Spinach. Spinach comes packed with many beneficial ingredients. It’s one of the best leafy green vegetables that you can eat. It contains folate, potassium, magnesium, iron, and more. Plus it’s easy to add to salads.

6. Apples. So now you know there’s truth to the saying that an apple a day keeps the doctor away! They contain many of the benefits of the other super food fruits, as well as a decent fiber content. They’re also a low glycemic index food. Apples can help you stay full and may help with weight loss.

7. Baked Beans. Protein, fiber and calcium are just some of the benefits of this low GI super food. Baked beans have also been known to lower the chances of bowel type cancers because of the unique way they’re digested.

8. Yogurt. Yogurt is a super healthy way of getting your dairy intake for the day. In addition to being an excellent source of calcium, yogurt has also been known to improve your bowel health overall. Yogurt can help with regulating the digestive system.

9. Salmon. Lean fish are always good alternatives for healthy meats in your diet. However, salmon is extra special because it contains Omega 3’s. Omega 3’s alone have many health benefits such as reduced risks of heart attacks as well as mental disorders such as depression.

10. Olive Oil. Olive oil is one type of oil that’s okay to add to your diet in moderation. It’s a good idea to keep in mind that a little bit goes a long way. Olive oil can lower bad cholesterol levels and it also contains a healthy amount of antioxidants. Use olive oil mixed with balsamic vinegar for salad dressing, instead of the creamy stuff.

11.Dark Chocolate. This is usually the shocker on the super foods list. Dark chocolate can be yummy and beneficial to your health. Dark chocolate, in small amounts each day, can lower your blood pressure and it also contains antioxidants.

12.Citrus Fruit. Many like the taste of sweet citrus fruits, which makes it quite the popular super food. You’ll still want to eat these fruits in moderation because they have a higher sugar content. However, citrus fruits also come with a high amount of vitamin C, fiber, and folic acid.

There are many other foods that are earning the title of super food, but this list should get you started in the right direction. It’s always a great thing to hear when a delicious food also helps you live a happier and healthier

Many of us wish to lose weight or get in better shape. Perhaps you’re concerned about your health and have made the decision to take better care of your body. Are there things you could be doing to be healthier? If so, you’re not alone!

When you choose the right foods and exercise, you’ll look and feel better, reduce your stress levels, sleep more soundly, have more energy, and enjoy better health. Sometimes, though, making the right choices isn’t as easy as it sounds, is it?

The good news is there are some simple things you can do to help make positive choices and achieve the better health you deserve!

Do You Need More Motivation?

If the alarm went off 45 minutes early in the morning so you can exercise before heading into the office, how would you react? Would you reply with negativity and tell yourself that skipping one day won’t hurt, or that exercise is pointless?

When you pass that fast food store with the $1.39 burgers and you’re low on time and big on hunger, what choice do you usually make? Eating healthier isn’t always as easy as picking up convenient, greasy foods. But would you go the extra mile for a healthy meal?

What about sleep? In addition to exercising and eating right, you also need to get enough sleep to live a healthy lifestyle. When you don’t sleep well, you’ll be less inclined to make healthy food and exercise decisions.

Sleeping well helps you become more energetic and passionate about all things in your life, including your commitment to your health!

It can be difficult to get enough rest when there are things you’d rather be doing!

Do you give up your sleep if you have work to do? Do you stay up late partying whenever you can?

Affirmations for Health Can Help!
In those moments when you feel weak and you don’t want to eat right, get enough sleep, or exercise, affirmations targeting your health can be just what you need to help you make the healthy choice.

Affirmations are positive statements that replace the negative thought processes in your mind. If you think they don’t work, I have news for you – do they ever!

When you start to talk yourself out of exercising, a negative affirmation is being repeated in your mind. An affirmation that says “I can’t do it.” So if a negative affirmation works, why can’t a positive one?

Do you want to only lose weight or do you feel you could use a healthier attitude toward life? Would you like to approach things in a different way? Is a healthier lifestyle attainable?

• The stress of modern life can sometimes make it difficult to lead a healthy lifestyle. However, you can start living healthy, today, by adopting a healthy mindset.

Even if you find yourself leaning toward a pessimistic attitude, you can still achieve a healthy mindset. You just need to go about it in the right way.

How You Can Have a Healthier Mindset

Many people sit back, look at their lives, and wish they could view things in a more positive manner. Then they beat themselves up for being negative or not having the attitude and responses they wish they had. This typical response doesn’t do anybody any good.

• Instead of feeling angry with yourself for responding to life the way you normally do, think positively about your desire to have a healthier mindset.

Building a Healthy and Safe Support Network

One of the most effective paths to a healthier mindset is to find ways to deal with the stress in your life. For some people, this is as simple as writing in a journal or blog every day. Other people find that talking with friends or joining a support group is a rewarding experience.

• It’s important to give voice to your thoughts and emotions. How you do this is up to you.

Eating Healthy = Feeling Healthy

Another way to achieve a healthier mindset is to eat the right foods and get enough rest. When you feed your body healthy, nutritious foods and get the rest you need, you feel better all over. Your attitude, as well as your body, feels refreshed.

Food and rest will not change the way you respond to things if you tend to respond negatively, but it will be a great start. You don’t have to give up all junk food and your late night activities, but try swapping carrot sticks for French fries and an hour of sleep for Leno.

You’ll find that you’ll be able to acquire a healthier mindset when you take active steps to deal with your stress and treat your body with the tender loving care it deserves.

Even if you look and feel great, there are always steps you can take, every day, to improve your body and mind. It takes constant work to improve your life, even when you have achieved what you believe is your personal best.

So with that said, we all can use some healthy living tips to ensure that we are the best we can be every day.

Healthy Living Tips to Improve Your Body and Mind

It doesn’t matter if you are in perfect shape – or you have created your own unique “shape” over the years – there are always simple strategies that will continue to improve how you look, feel and think. After all, without constantly improving your body and mind, you won’t be able to reach greater heights and experience new things.

The most essential mental and physical health tip is to enjoy quality sleep. Getting enough sleep will boost your health and productivity, and it will rejuvenate your body and mind. Some people may believe that sleep is overrated, but study after study has shown that those who get at least eight hours of sleep look and feel better than those who don’t. It can be tempting to skimp on the number of hours of sleep you get, but it isn’t worth it. Skipping sleep takes a toll on your brain’s ability to function, your appearance, and on your overall long-term health. So do yourself a favor and skip the late night talk shows and midnight snacks tonight!

There’s another easier-said-than-done tip that I’m sure you’ve heard many times before. Any guesses? Exercise, of course! Whether you are trying to lose weight or you’re at your target weight, it can be tempting to skip exercise. No matter how you slice it, it’s not going to do you any good. Not only does exercise help you look good, but it also helps you feel good. Exercise releases endorphins that make you feel good from top to bottom and stress literally drips off you!

It can be difficult to incorporate these healthy living tips into your life, but there is one tool that ties everything together: the power of positive self-talk. You can use positive affirmations to help remind you of your healthy living goals. Affirmations are short statements that encourage you to sharpen your mind and body while conquering your goals and improving on your weaknesses. Affirmations can help you focus on creating and maintaining the healthy body and mind you desire because it gives you the motivation you need to focus on your most important asset – you!

Some examples of affirmations include, “It is okay for me to take care of myself first,” or, “I am healthy and deserve the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.” You can use these simple positive statements throughout the day to stay motivated and focused. After all, we all need some motivation from time to time.

When you implement these strategies in your life, you’ll begin to realize just how easy it can be to lead a healthy lifestyle, especially once you have gained the right set of tools in your self-improvement toolbox!

1. STOP ALL CRITICISM! Criticism never changes a thing.  Refuse to criticize yourself.  Accept yourself exactly as you are.  Everybody changes.  When you criticize yourself, your changes are negative.  When you approve of yourself, your changes are positive.

2.   DON’T SCARE YOURSELF.  Stop terrorizing yourself with your thoughts.  Its’ a dreadful way to live.  Find a mental image that gives you pleasure and immediately switch your scary thought to a pleasure thought.

3.   BE GENTLE AND KIND AND PATIENT.  Be gentle with yourself.  Be kind to yourself.  Be patient with yourself as you learn the new ways of thinking.  Treat yourself as you would someone you really love.

4.   BE KIND TO YOUR MIND.  Self hatred is only hating your own thoughts.  Don’t hate yourself for having the thoughts.  Gently change your thoughts.

5.   PRAISE YOURSELF.  Criticism breaks down the inner spirit.  Praise builds it up.   Praise yourself as much as you can.  Tell yourself how well you are doing with every little thing.

6.   SUPPORT YOURSELF.  Find ways to support yourself.  Reach out to friends and allow them to help you.   Asking for help when you need it is a sign of strength.

7.  BE LOVING TO YOUR NEGATIVES.  Acknowledge that you created them to fulfill  a need.  Now you are finding new, positive ways to fulfill those needs.  So lovingly release the old negative patterns.

8.  TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY.  Learn about nutrition.  What kind of fuel does your body need to have optimum energy and vitality?  Learn about exercise.  What kind of exercise can you enjoy?  Cherish and revere the temple you live in.

9.   MIRROR WORK.  Look into your eyes often.  Express this growing sense of love you have for yourself.  Forgive yourself looking into the mirror.  Talk to your parents looking into the mirror.  Forgive them, too.  At least once a day say, “I love you, I really love you”  to yourself.

10.  LOVE YOURSELF.  Begin it now.  Do the best you can.

What is it you want to do with your life? How do you think you’re going to make it happen? If you’re not sure, then self-reflection is in order.

Even if you have an idea where you want to go, you may want to consider doing self-reflection exercises to ensure that you remain on the path toward success. When you are on the right path, you can also find peace in your life.

Here are 5 self-reflection exercises that you can use to put things into perspective. These exercises can help you to clear your mind, relax, and find that peace you crave:

1. Compose affirmations. Write a list of at least 50 affirmations. These affirmations should embrace what you want to achieve and what you want to become in your life.

• Write them in present tense and be sure to use the word “I” throughout the list. For example, “I am always good at my job.”

• It is important to focus on the things that are occurring now that will lead to your future success.

You may hear words in your head such as, “But you messed this up the other day” or “You weren’t as productive a few days ago.” If you are hearing things like this, then banish those negative thoughts. It can take some time to get used to positive thinking, but it’ll be time well-spent.

• Repeating your affirmations aloud will enable you to reprogram your mind with positive thoughts.

2. Tap into your subconscious mind. Your subconscious mind is where your self-image is stored. All of your attitudes, experiences, beliefs, and values are here. Your subconscious mind is the core of who you are and it’s a very powerful force.
If you go inward and reflect upon what’s inside this storehouse within the mind, you can gain a better sense of self-awareness. Some may call this meditation. Regardless of what you call it, this process helps you to attain a higher level of consciousness.

• Better self-awareness can provide you with many answers about yourself and your true beliefs.

3. Visualize creatively. This is a fun way to self-reflect! Make yourself a box to show your hopes and dreams. Or you can create a vision board. Place pictures and words that represent you and your thoughts into your box or on your board. The more details you include, the better it works!

• Imagination is the key and the sky is the limit!

4. Ask yourself questions. Ask yourself questions about yourself. Write down your questions and your answers. Ask yourself questions about the present and the future and provide yourself with positive answers. You can be creative with your questions because only you know what’s inside of you.

• Be sure to structure your questions to include details about your hopes and dreams.

5. Write and reflect. Purchase a journal and write in that journal every single day. Each day, first write down something positive that occurred that day. Next, write down a question for yourself. Don’t answer that question then and there. Reflect on that question and write your answer the next day as a part of your journal entry.

As you can see, self-reflection truly is an art. It involves tapping your inner being and using that to figure out what it is you really want. In time, your reflections will enable you to achieve the peace and serenity you deserve.  

Are you constantly feeling stressed?  Stress is something we all encounter on a regular basis, but when it starts to have a negative effect on your body and mind, it means you are distressed.

What many people don’t know is that stress is a state of being that negatively impacts the body. In fact, stress has a bigger impact on our bodies than most of us realize or care to acknowledge.

Facts About Stress and Your Body

There are some downright scary facts about the toll that stress takes on the body.  When you look at these facts it is hard to deny that we all need to learn how to manage our stress more effectively.  Some of these facts include:

• 43% of all adults have health problems related to stress
• 75-90% of all doctor visits are stress-related
• 82% of workers are at least a little stressed in the workplace
• Stress is known to cost American businesses more than $300 billion each year

Seven Ways In Which Your Body is Affected By Stress

There are two kinds of stress. The “good” stress is called eustress but we generally only hear about the “bad” stress known as chronic stress or distress.

Chronic stress gradually affects your health at first; in fact, you may not even notice the symptoms at all! And if the stress is not managed, the symptoms will get worse and its effects may even be irreversible.

Seven ways in which stress may manifest itself in your body are:

1. Depression. When you are stressed out, it is very common for people to become depressed.  There are only so many chemicals in the brain to help a person deal with stress, and when they are used up, they’re used up.  This can lead to a person becoming profoundly depressed in what seems like a relatively short period of time.

2. Anxiety. Those who are stressed are likely to deal with uncontrollable levels of anxiety.  Anxiety and depression often go hand in hand, and this can cause many different changes in the physiological functioning of the body.

3. Heart disease. Stress is very closely linked to heart attacks and death associated with cardiovascular disease.  When stress is not managed, the body breaks down quickly and the heart is often profoundly impacted.

4. Diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is one of the fastest growing epidemics in the world and both mental and physical stress can cause rapid fluctuations in blood sugar levels. The long-term effects associated with this include heart disease, blindness, liver problems, kidney disease, and more.

5. Hair loss. We often tease our friends and family when they begin to lose hair, but this can be a symptom of unmanaged stress.  If your hair is falling out prematurely don’t blame genetics, look closely at how you are dealing with the stress in your life and see if there are things you can do to control it more effectively.

6. Obesity. We often cope with stress by consuming unhealthy, fattening foods.  Plus, stress prohibits the control of necessary chemicals that are needed to break down fat, which can lead to obesity.

7. Sexual dysfunction. Stress is one of the most common reasons associated with impotence in men.

As you can see, stress can affect your health in many ways. This is by no means an all-inclusive list of how stress affects your body and health.  You may also suffer from hyperthyroidism, obsessive-compulsive disorder, tooth and gum disease, ulcers, and even cancer. Stress is serious stuff! This is all the more reason to start actively managing your stress today.

A healthy self-esteem is a starting point for a happy life. Unfortunately, when you lack self-esteem, you also lack the ability to reach your true potential. Why? Because your thoughts are truly powerful!

It All Starts With Your Beliefs

Most people have heard the statement, “If you can dream it, you can do it,” but few people actually take it to heart. For some reason big goals seem unattainable and an “I can’t” mentality takes over.

While everyone experiences negative thoughts from time to time, you may need to make an extra effort to get through these challenges. Positive thoughts must be victorious in the end!

Tips For Developing Self-Esteem
Developing a healthy self-esteem doesn’t need to be a difficult task. There are small changes you can make to get yourself on the right track.

Try following these strategies to help you develop a healthy self-esteem:

1. Ignore negativity from others. For some reason, many people get into the habit of putting others down. You know you shouldn’t listen to these people, but sometimes you take what they’re saying to heart. It’s especially hurtful when it’s coming from someone you love.

• Some people will even steer you in the wrong direction because they think they’re doing the right thing. When it comes down to it, you’re the only one that knows yourself and your dreams. You simply can’t let anyone stand in the way!

2.  Learn to accept compliments. You might toss off compliments as lies because some people may have ulterior motives. While this might be true, in most cases people are being genuine. After all, most people won’t go out of their way to give you a false compliment.

• Accepting compliments will help you discover what you’re good at and strengthen your self-confidence.

3. Get a life coach. Life coaches are in the business of helping you live your life to its fullest potential. You don’t need to be scared or embarrassed to seek one out. If a life coach doesn’t seem feasible for you, you can look into getting some self-help guides.

• Go online or to a local bookstore to find some relevant workbooks and resources.
• We have excellent certified life coaches on Chrysalis staff!

4. Use affirmations. Affirmations are great self-esteem boosters because they show your brain what you already know you can achieve. They bring positive energy into the present moment.

• You can read affirmations on the subjects of your choice or you can get into the habit of writing your own affirmations. Nothing can be more targeted to your true feelings than your own words!

5. Avoid comparing yourself to others. It’s easy to get into the habit of comparing yourself negatively to other people. Remind yourself that everyone is unique. You’re equipped with your own set of strengths and weaknesses, so the best thing you can do for yourself is concentrate on developing your own strengths.

Follow Your Dreams

Once you’ve worked on your initial feelings about self worth, it’s time to take a step in the right direction. A part of a healthy self-esteem is having the drive to take action toward your goals.

Have a plan and follow through. If you feel that you’ve improved your self-esteem but then fail to take action towards your dream, it will only be a matter of time before your self-esteem begins to wane again.

When you’re faced with challenges, actively seek solutions. When you do, you’ll soon notice what a positive role your healthy self-esteem plays in your life!