I have been busy

This is my year for achieving maximum health.  Its a serious goal for me.  I do not have health issues per say, no medications other than my thyroid medication but I am over weight, and am starting to feel a stiffness creep in with the passing years.   Its harder for me to do a full lotus position and there has been a bout of bursitis in my knee and more recently a not so pleasant case of Plantar Fasciitis, which was incredibly painful when I ran, which progressed to pain when I walked.   That was cured pretty fast with two things, deep tissue massage and the most incredible shoes.   Orthaheel Walker saved me !  No kidding within two days of wearing them, the pain was 90% gone.    Loved them so much that I ordered sandals this week.    I have nothing to gain by sharing this information, but when I find something that helps me, I like to share it.   So now, I can get back to the serious business of staying fit.   I have told my friends many times that I will consider that age is winning, when I can no longer touch my toes.  Fortunately I can still lay my palms flat on the floor !   Our health is connected to every aspect of our lives.  It affects our outlook, our disposition, our goal making, and our relationships.   Feeling good makes us happier.  Of course there are circumstances beyond our control regarding the quality of our health but that's not what I am talking about here.  I am talking about controlling what can be controlled.

A few years back, I had high blood pressure, due to stresses in my life that could not be controlled at the time, but I still took control of my health and got my blood pressure down to normal.  Changed what I ate, changed how I dealt with the stress, and took herbs that were known to help.  Now my blood pressure runs at about 117/74 with a heart rate of about 65.       I do not love exercise.  I do not love eating super healthy all the time, but I do LOVE the results of both.  The pay off is fantastic, its worth it.  Every evening Emery and I do yoga together and then meditate.   We do free weights and aerobics at different times in the day.  Emery is a morning person and I am not.  I have been eating about an 75% raw diet, which has made a huge change in me, I actually prefer that to "junk food".  Would never have imagined me saying that a year ago.    With my little fitbit gadget, my motivation to stay busy has skyrocketed.  I have not lost interest in it at all and so far have managed walking at least 15 miles a week since getting it, often times over 20 miles in a week.    Our bodies are sacred.  In the New Testament we are told they are temples.   I do not want to desecrate my temple by trashing it up.  Its a bit like having a goal to live a simple life so you declutter your house, change that way you look at material things, having a simple life through and through means you live in a simple way by caring for our bodies with the same kind of goals,  removing the things from it that cause stress, cause it to be cluttered, overburdened.    Simple clothing, simple food and simple exercise that keeps us able to live freer.   Life should be abundant, but abundant in stuff, abundant in the things we can carry with us even if we were wearing an outfit without pockets and no purse.  Abundant in what we carry in our hearts and mind in a healthy body.  

My goal, to acheive a new level of healthiness in 2012 that reflects what my heart feels.  Simplicity !
Anxious for this heat to be gone so we can start hiking again.  Been hiking since I was 15 years old and not about to stop until I am well into my 90's
new shoes
healthy meal, wrap with sweet potato, hummus and lightly steamed veggies
one of our favorite trails close to home
a hiking trip many years ago, first child on the way.