What's On My Mind...at 59: Baggage and Taters

Today is January 17th. There are 351 days until my 60th birthday. My intention with this blog is to write about how it feels to be turning 60 in less than a year. It's an interesting journey and I'm happy to have you along. Please share this website with anyone you think might benefit from the health and wellness information here. I would like to learn on this year long journey more about women, all women. I've heard from some of you. If you have a story, or something you would like me to blog about, please contact me at donnaraesmith@yahoo.com

Several posts ago (Magical Kazoo At Whole Foods) I posted a quote that was sent to me from my birthday sister (we share the same birthday but she's younger), Frances.

This comes from "Simple Truths"

I love this quote -

EVERYONE YOU MEET COMES WITH BAGGAGE

FIND SOMEONE WHO LOVES YOU ENOUGH TO HELP YOU UNPACK

Frances and I had an interesting exchange about - if you are one of the penguins, who is the other one?

I told her the other one is both of my parents spirits, holding my hand. And that they were wonderful people who loved me regardless of my baggage. And they may have even have helped me create some of my baggage. She said she knows she creates some of her own baggage. And I know I do too.

But I've discovered a way to dealing with my baggage. Not by pretending it's not there or by avoiding it, or, more often than not for me, thinking that life should be all peachy and rosy so the baggage must be squashed down into a hole.

It's called mindfulness meditation. It sounds very new-age-y and yuppie-esk but it's not. It's hundreds of years old; it's being re-discovered. It's a way of sitting with yourself and opening your heart. Modern medicine is finally recognizing it as a path to happiness, as a way to improve immunity and as a way to calm and quiet the heart and brain. I practice it as a path to happiness.

Mindfulness Meditation

This is how it works:

*Sit comfortably with your spine long, chest lifted, muscles of your neck and face relaxed

-cross-legged on the floor

-on the floor with your legs straight (this is often more comfortable if you have hip or leg pain)

-in a chair

* Breath in and out. Notice especially the out breath

* Breath 12 times. Count your breaths

*Settle down your physical body, focus your mind by paying attention to your breath

II.

*Think of something that you would like to focus on. For instance - "Frustration from being a fixer of problems"(this has been part of my baggage).

*While you feel this frustration, say to yourself, "I am not alone, many people feel this feeling. I am not alone."

*Then say to yourself: "May I be free and all people be free of this frustration and the root of this frustration." Say this to yourself.

*You can go one step further if you desire. You can say, "Since I'm feeling this frustration anyway, may others not feel this, may they be free of this."

GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK. BE KIND TO YOURSELF. CONTINUOUSLY LET GO OF JUDGEMENT. DON'T JUDGE YOURSELF. HAVE UNLIMITED COMPASSION AND LOVE FOR YOURSELF.

III.

*Sit quietly and breath. Keep your chest up, back straight. Don't close over your heart. Open your heart up

This sounds so simple but.... it really works. And you may discover during this mindfulness meditation that you get closer to the root of your pain. Listen to your intuitive self and you will discover your wisdom and more about your struggle.

YOU ARE SMART, YOU ARE WISE

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APAN MUDRA

Mudras are yoga in your hands. The pressure of the fingers should be very light and fine and your hands should be relaxed. They are used for a variety of health disorders and have healing powers. They are primarily found in Chinese medicine. I often use mudras in my yoga classes.

Apan Mudra (Energy Mudra) - With each hand place the thumb, middle finger, and ring finger together - extend the other fingers.

This mudra supports the removal of waste materials and toxins from the body. It has to do with a new beginning and of tackling and shaping visions of the future.

It has a balancing effect on the mind. It gives us patience, serenity confidence, inner balance, and harmony. It creates the ability to develop vision.

You can use this mudra while sitting in Mindfulness Meditation or any time. Mudras can be used while still or while walking.

Thank you Gertrud Hirschi in your book Mudras - Yoga in your Hands for this illustration and explanation

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Baked Sweet Potatoes With Toasted Nuts and Oranges

Bake your sweet potatoes. I prefer putting mine in the oven at 400 degrees. First I prick them all over with a fork so they bake evenly.

While they are baking, chop up some almonds or pecans or walnuts and toast in a skillet. Don't toast too long or they will burn. Just as they are turning colors or smelling really good, take them off the stove. Toasted nuts have the most wonderful aroma.

Split the top of the sweet pot. Top with nuts, dash with cinnamon or nutmeg. Squeeze with orange wedges (as much as you want).

I crave sweet potatoes. Here is some info on them. They are good for you.

NutritionData's

Opinion

Weight loss:

Optimum health:

Weight gain:

The good: This food is low in Sodium, and very low in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin B6 and Potassium, and a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Manganese.

Caloric Ratio Pyramid

93%	1%	6%
Carbs	Fats	Protein

378
strongly anti-inflammatory

Read Morehttp://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2667/2#ixzz1jlOCJNeh

(Thank you to the creators of this website and to the cinnamon info creators)

On cinnamon -

Cinnamon Nutrition

Would you believe that a mere teaspoon of cinnamon contains 28 mg of calcium, almost one mg of iron, over a gram of fiber, and quite a lot of vitamins C, K, and manganese? It’s true. It also contains about half a gram of “usable” (non-fiber) carbohydrate.

Health Benefits of Cinnamon

In traditional medicine, cinnamon has been used for digestive ailments such as indigestion, gas and bloating, stomach upset, and diarrhea. More recently, modern medical research has turned its eye on cinnamon and is coming up with some intriguing results. It has a mild anti-inflammatory effect. It also slows the spoiling of food (which is probably related to why it was used as an embalming agent in ancient Egypt), and has anti-fungal properties as well.

In one fun (but unpublished) study, researchers found that sniffing cinnamon resulted in improved brain function -– subjects did better on memory and attention tasks when taking whiffs of cinnamon as opposed to other odors or no odor. However, the potential health benefits of cinnamon that have received the most attention have to do with its effects on blood glucose and cholesterol.

Mindfulness Eating

Whenever I cook I first light a candle, wash my hands in warm, sudsy water and take a deep breath before I begin. I thank the earth and sun and all the people that made it possible for me to have this single, beautiful potato. Everyone from the planters to the baggers at the grocery store. I take just a minute to really look at the potato and appreciate it's goodness.

Namaste Sisters and much love,

Donna Rae

p.s. - So, if you are one of those penguins, who is the other one?