Who among us hasn’t reached for a fatty bowl of ice cream or a double chocolate brownie when feeling down? We all know how good either of these can make us feel.

We Like the Feeling

Those initial feelings of pure
pleasure, the cool creaminess of the ice cream on your tongue, or the dense
chocolate brownie watering your mouth, lift your spirits. It is Nirvana.

The problem is, we experience this euphoria
with a mixture of regret if we do it too often. They can thicken the waist and
add numbers to the scale, all for a few moments of pleasure.

The immediate sense of pleasure from
these treats comes from two places. One is the reality that the ingredients in
quality ice cream or a well-made brownie are truly delicious.

The other is what science now knows:
the sugar in each actually lights up the same pleasure center as cocaine or any
other drug! No wonder we like them!

A Better Way

Fortunately, common sense takes hold
most of the time, and we don’t overdo ice cream or brownie feasting. But what
if there was a better way of lifting the spirits – a way that doesn’t involve
unwanted weight gain and even worse, those guilty feelings?

As a nutritionist, I have a few
recommendations that are sure to lift your mood and won’t land on your waist,
even if you eat them every day. Here are my favorite four:

Omega 3

When it comes to Omega 3, seafood is
your best source. That includes wild Alaskan salmon, sardines, and mackerel.
Add some nuts and flaxseed and you’re sure to feel more relaxed and your brain
will thank you.

Probiotics

Surprising or not, the amount of good
gut flora has a direct effect on mood. Eating processed foods, high sugar foods,
or taking antibiotics all undermine the quality and volume of your gut flora.
Since most of your serotonin is produced in the gut, you need to have good
flora to have good mood.

Breakfast

Do you have breakfast every morning? You
cannot expect to have energy if you don’t feed yourself at the start of the
day. Please eat a breakfast with good protein from pasture raised eggs and
throw in some quality greens and mushrooms to build your immunity.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin,
but you may not be getting enough from sun exposure, especially if you use
sunscreen! Use a high quality supplement (Metagenics has one), eat canned salmon, egg
yolks, and D fortified beverages.

Extra important: You cannot effectively absorb
calcium without adequate Vitamin D in your body; if you want to avoid
osteoporosis, you need Vitamin D.

I hope you’ll give these tips a try
when you’re feeling a little blue. As you get older, it really matters what you
put in your body. Digestion may be a little sluggish and eating high quality
foods that agree with you creates the best medicine for staying well, having
energy, and feeling happy.

My book, Food Becomes You – Simple Steps for
Lifelong Wellness, is an
easy read that tells the story of how food changes health. It includes shopping
lists and recipes that are easy to prepare and lead to a better mood, improved
immunity, and a steady spring in your step. I hope you check it out.

Have you noticed which foods affect
your mood? Do they lift you up or bring you down? Depending on where I buy it,
a slice of pizza can make me want an immediate nap. How about you? Please join
the conversation.

At 58 years of age, I confess that my
career and business activities have been my major focus as I’ve worked
alongside my husband to do my part to support the family, enjoy today, and save
for tomorrow.

About a year ago, while eating
breakfast on a cold and rainy day during what was supposed to be a
sunshine-filled vacation, my husband asked me a confronting question.

What Would I Do with My Time If Work Wasn’t Such a Big
Focus in My Life?

It’s one thing to know how much money you need to fund an abundant retirement.

That’s a question we’ve considered
carefully since he works as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER Professional. Doing
the right thing by our money has always been a core value.

It’s another thing to know what you
will do with your time when work isn’t your primary activity. That
single question started me on a path to add new roles to my life for which I
had not previously made time.

It’s a question you may want to ponder
at least five years before retirement catches you by surprise.

Worthy
Causes

Think back to all the invitations
you’ve received to serve on non-profit boards, neighborhood associations, and
other worthy causes.

Were you always too busy to say yes? Could
now be a time to reconsider taking on one or more of those roles?

Exploring
Passions

Is there a skill, talent, or passion
you’ve put on the shelf for years that you’d like to revisit like an old
friend? Could now be the time to dust off the sheet music for the piano, learn
to swim, or join a local theater company to reignite your passion for
performance?

Teaching Opportunities

Is now the time to start teaching at
the local community college or university to mentor young people who can
benefit from your wisdom and professional experience?

Building Relationships

Have you always felt too rushed to
meet with friends for coffee, walk the dogs in the neighborhood, or participate
in the local book club? Could now be the time to nurture those relationships
that can serve as a treasured circle of support in this new stage in your life?

These are all questions I’ve asked and
started to answer for myself, especially since my husband is nine years older
than me. He’s likely to retire before I do. Figuring out how to navigate that
as a couple is something we talk about more and more.

It Takes Courage to Step out of the Busy Zone

It’s not easy to be deliberate about
creating a richer, more fulfilling life that gives your commitment to the world
of work a more balanced role in the grand scheme of things.

Since pondering these questions, I
have taken on a board position for my neighborhood association, joined a local
Toastmasters group to refine and enhance my speaking and leadership skills, and
devoted more of my time to give back to worthy causes that speak to my heart.

These are roles I can play for as long
as I find them fulfilling, regardless of the role work plays in my life.

As I review my social media profiles every
day, I learn about the health challenges, career upsets, and other life
accidents that continue to visit the lives of the people in my extended circle
of family and friends.

Now more than ever, I am present to
the fact that life is what happens while we are
making other plans.  

Waiting Longer to Work the Bucket List Doesn’t Feel Right
Anymore

Do I still work hard as I run my
business and aim high to do great things with it?

Absolutely!

I’m also very mindful that work is
just one role that I play and not the only one. What we do with our time, where
we live, and who we spend time with determine how happy we are – whether we’re
retired or not.

The intersection of those things is
where the seeds to lasting happiness take root to grow. Now is the time to tend
to that garden.

One way to do that is to divide time
into three buckets:

• Fun – These are activities that bring joy
  for no other reason than we enjoy taking part.
• Useful – These are tasks that need to be
  done to keep the house working, groceries in the fridge, laundry done, etc.
• Important
  – These are activities
  we engage in that make the world a better place.

After all, there is only so much golf,
tennis, working out, etc. a person can do.

Research shows that spending seven
hours a week doing something important is a key to retirement fulfillment. It
brings purpose. Spending more than seven hours a week doing something important
makes it a job.

Consider how you would divide your
time if work wasn’t such a big focus in your life.

Answering that question caused me to start
paving a path to a purposeful, satisfying life of community, caring, and
connection that will likely sustain and comfort me for many years to come,
whether I work or not.

What would you do with your time if
work wasn’t such a high priority? Please join the conversation and get inspired
to take steps to get started today.

Tracy Tutor’s Grey Distressed Sweater on Instastories

Million Dollar Listing LA Instagram Fashion

Leave it to our queen of California casual, Tracy Tutor, to absolutely nail our current stay-at-home dress code wearing looks like this grey distressed sweater on her Instastories. And I must say that I feel extra special today because I own this very sweater in cobalt (hurry, a few are left below) and it’s one of my faves.

I am soon moving to warmer weather (if I can ever leave my house again) and Tracy’s style will totally be what I model my new closet after following the purge of all of my damn down coats. However, you’d better believe there is at least one sweater I’ll totally be hanging on to.

The Realest Housewife,

Big Blonde Hair

Click Here to Shop her Lovers + Friends Sweater in Available Colors

Photo: @TracyTutor

Originally posted at: Tracy Tutor’s Grey Distressed Sweater

Caroline Stanbury’s Leopard Joggers on Instagram

Ladies of London Instagram Fashion

I’m not joking when I say Caroline Stanbury’s pants were the first thing I thought about when I woke up this morning (Corona craze induced or just crazy? Unsure.). I was thinking that we posted them in a casual look collage and Friday, but really they deserve their own dedicated post during this time we all need cute, casual and comfy clothing. And despite being lucky enough to still have childcare for my kiddos during our work week right now, getting things done just isn’t as easy when I’m trying to teach my kid a couple hours a day. So figured it was worth rolling over, grabbing my lap top, trading in some z’s, even on my sleep in day (yes, I’m a 37 year old who can still sleep until 11 if given the chance) and reporting on these pants.

I should also note that while I love Carolines, I scooped up the first Style Stealer listed—top and pants—and ordered for the cutest casual look to wear on my birthday Wednesday for under $100. Because if anything is going to get me through this, it most definitely involves leopard and liquor.

The Realest Housewife,

Big Blonde Hair

Click Here to Shop her Norma Kamali Pants

Click Here for Additional Stock

Click Here to Shop them in Black + White Leopard

Photo: @CarolineStanbury

Originally posted at: Caroline Stanbury’s Leopard Joggers