You'll drink champagne, you'll kiss your honey at midnight, and you'll wake up on January 1 with a pounding headache and lots of time to think about all the huge changes you need make in your life. Perhaps you'll resolve to end world hunger, or green your entire house. Grandiose New Year's resolutions are as easy to make as they are to break. This year, start small. Here are a few simple changes you can make to take better care of yourself in 2007.
Go Natural
After a long day of work it's tempting to throw a frozen dinner in the microwave and collapse on the couch. But prepackaged, overly-processed foods contain high levels of chemicals, fat, calories, and sodium. In her new book Real Food: What to Eat and Why, Nina Planck encourages readers to skip "industrialized" foods and rely on natural, fresh, traditional foods that were staples of our grandmother's diets. This year, make a stop at your local farmer's market and cook at least one wholesome, well-rounded meal a week from scratch, using seasonal ingredients. (Visit the Agricultural Marketing Service Web site to find a farmer's market in your area.) Food to Live By: The Earthbound Farm Organic Cookbook by Myra Goodman, Linda Holland, and Pamela McKinstry, offers some tasty suggestions.
Dear Diary
Feeling frazzled? Claim ten minutes for yourself each day, find a quiet place where you can be alone, and write in a journal. Whether you're writing stream of consciousness, sorting through your thoughts and emotions, or organizing your daily life, this precious quality time to yourself is bound to be therapeutic. So let it all out! To get started, treat yourself to a new journal, like these Molly West Handbound Writing Journals, made from recycled, archival stock. Who knows-maybe you'll end up penning a bestseller!
Don't Forget to Floss!
It's tedious, time-consuming, awkward, and uncomfortable. Excuses, excuses! This year, make flossing part of your daily routine. Everyone knows flossing removes plaque and bacteria from teeth and gums, but what many people don't know is that it may help you live longer! Studies have shown that flossing regularly, which helps fight periodontal disease and gingivitis, may reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory disease. Floss your way to a better smile with Tom's of Maine naturally waxed floss.
Good Day Sunshine
In a perfect world, we'd all have time to take an hour-long spinning class before heading into the office, but back here on planet earth, that's not as easy as it sounds. However, you can rev up your heart rate in the wee hours of the morn' by taking a mere ten minutes out of your daily routine. There are lots of easy options: Take a quick brisk walk around the block before heading to work, do a few sets of sun salutations (visit The Yoga Site for detailed instructions), or do three sets of push-ups.
Interests: Horses, people, color, nature
Inspiration: Summer, fall and spring
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