Gloria's Guidelines for 2010

Instead of Resolutions, which nobody keeps, I have come up with some guidelines for the new year that contribute to wellbeing in mind, body, and spirit.

1. Eat Breakfast! You have heard this saying or somthing similar, Eat Breakfast like a Queen, Lunch like a Princess, and dinner like a pauper.
It's true. They find that people who eat breakfast every day live longer than those who do not.
2. Choose fresh fruits and vegetable every day, use olive or canola oil for salads and cooking, consume the mediterranean diet, which includes little red meat and dairy products but lots of fruit, vegetables and olive oil. Red wine too, see #6.
3. Sleep 8 hours per night, this is ideal for most adults, but if you take advantage of the relaxation response, by doing yoga, meditation, tai chi, or self-hypnosis on a daily basis for at least 20 minutes, you can be healthy with just 7 hours of sleep per night. Just 2 10-minute sessions of self-hypnosis per day leaves you more rested and refreshed than an extra hour of sleep!
4. Physical activity--take the stairs if you are going to 4th floor or lower. Take a walk instead or a cart when golfing. Do whatever you like to do. If you resolve to swim every day, but you hate swimming, it's not going to work!
5. Don't smoke.
6. Don't drink, unless it is one glass of red wine per day. Red wine contains resveratrol, which is an anti-oxidant. Grape juice also contains resveratrol, but red wine is more fun!
7. Reduce intake of foods made with refined sugar, like candy, cookies, cake, pie, donuts, etc.
8. Friendship--social connectedness is good for you. Eliminate some of your negative relatives and replace them with positive supportive friends!
9. Do something creative--write, draw, sing, knit, sew, make something!
10. Laugh every day. This can even be counted as exercise if you do it long enough or often enough!
11. Feed you mind. Learn something; challenge yourself.
12. Feed your spirit. Whatever makes you feel connected to something larger than yourself. Express your spirituality in your own way; meditation, prayer, or just walking in nature (see #4).

These are my recommendations for taking care of your body, mind, and spirit.