The Road To Wellness

Nice to see you! Wishing you a healthy day!

The other day, my husband announced his intention to lose weight. After a strong run at getting in shape, he had fallen off the wagon just over a year ago. He was missing how well he felt and wanted to make a change.

Good for him, I thought. He’ll feel better and so will I, knowing that he’s taking care of himself. I hear the determination in his voice. So, my role as spouse and friend is to support him. I’ll support the lifestyle changes he wants to make. I will do my part to exercise with him, cook better meals, and watch my calories. I know he could do it, but I know if I support him that I will inspire him and give his goal more momentum.

Perhaps your spouse or friend is on a similar quest. Help him. Give him your undying support. Who knows? You will probably end up inspiring yourself.

Photo by asifthebes

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This week’s weekly recipe features one of my favorite ingredients for any main course–roasted red peppers. I just love the smell of peppers roasting in the oven. The taste is out of this world. To experience the true flavor, try Barilla’s Whole Grain Linguine with a Roasted Red Pepper Sauce.

As I mentioned, definitely roast the peppers yourself rather than buying jarred. A good quality Pecorino Romano cheese will make this recipe shine. Definitely, as the recipe suggests, add salt to your pasta water. The difference is night and day. Figure about one tablespoon per gallon of water. I prefer kosher sea salt for all of my cooking. I added a second clove of garlic. Garlic is another of those ingredients I adore. I’d eat it with ice cream if I thought it would work. Bon appetit!

1 box BARILLA Whole Grain Linguine
2 tablespoons
1/4 each onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
2 each roasted red bell peppers, sliced thin
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 cup water
1 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly shredded
to taste salt
to taste freshly ground black pepper

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“Clear your mind of can’t.”

- Dr. Samuel Johnson

The best motivational tip I ever received was from my dad. Though he’s long been gone, I can still remember to this day his mantra, “There’s no such word as can’t.”

The message stuck with me. This came from a man who quit school after eighth grade. He encouraged us and motivated us all during his life. He taught me that there was nothing I couldn’t do if I applied myself. Self-confidence goes a long way. Thanks to my dad, I’ve learned things and tried things without fear, but guided by an instinct to succeed. I can safely say that I have achieved at least one lifetime goal. I will always be grateful to the person who always supported me.

I encourage you to find the motivation within to sail past the “I can’t” and reach your goals.

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If you’re like me, the recent news stories about recalls of food products has you concerned. We take for granted that our food sources are safe.

My family recently  made the switch to organic meat. With the use of hormones and other chemicals, I felt less sure of what I was buying at the grocery store. The difference was amazing. At first glance, you can see a difference in the meat. The organic meat looks more appetizing. The taste was more flavorful. Since we’ve cut back on the amount of beef we eat, I had no problem with spending more for a quality product when we do have beef on the menu.

Unfortunately, what you find at the grocery stores can be deceptive. Take for instance the labeling with whole wheat. We know now that a product labeled “whole wheat” may contain other ingredients. Likewise, it is with meats labeled organic. The labeling doesn’t necessarily imply hormone-free. As with whole wheat products, look for products labeled 100% organic. Choosing 100% organic gives you the peace of mind of product that meets these high standards.

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“We are continually faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insoluble problems.

- John W. Gardner

I’m sure everyone has those days, you know the ones. Bad news trails you like a toddler with sticky fingers. Your whole days seems off. Maybe you can point to one or two things that didn’t quite work, but otherwise, something is just not right.

Rather than letting those one or two things keep you down, embrace them. Use your anger, frustration, whatever emotion it is to propel you forward. Turn the tide on the momentum of those negative feelings. Lost a deal? Move on. Find another one. Whether or not something brings you down is your own choice. Today, choose not to be defeated.

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