Achieving Total Wellness Now

Every Mother takes great pride in the accomplishments of her children at every stage of life from the first step of walking to that child’s getting into college and beyond.

Here is the story of one child’s building confidence!

Emma Walas, is now 9 years old; but a few years ago when she was about 5 she was in a pre-school singing group that was scheduled to give a Christmas Concert.  On the day of the concert, when it came time to go out on the stage, Emma did not go out with the rest of the group because she was too afraid.

Last October Emma began to study the violin with a wonderful teacher, James Zhang.  A few weeks ago Mr. Zhang informed Emma that he was scheduling a recital to be held in early May for some of his students.  Even though Emma was just a beginner, he felt she could play well enough to participate in that recital.

Emma was adamant that she could not and would not do it.  The very thought terrified her.  After much conversation and persuasion she finally agreed two weeks ago to do it.   She practiced a piece over and over that was challenging for her at this stage of development.  An hour before the recital she still wasn’t convinced that she could do it.

Emma took a giant leap toward building her self-confidence in performing at that recital.

Here is a short video of her performance.  She is accompanied by her grandmother, Carol Mulready, on the piano.  See what you think!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Joanne & Paul

In mid-February most people have already forgotten their New Year’s Resolutions regarding diet, exercise and weight loss.

Here it is mid-February and I am sure that most people have forgotten what they promised themselves that they would faithfully do this year in the weight loss department.  Why is that?  They find it much easier to envision doing than to actually do it.

We have a 46-year old client who went on a strict diet right after the New Year.  At the beginning he weighed 245 pounds.  Last night we had him over for dinner to congratulate him for his progress.  What did we serve?

We had salmon fillet on a bed of spinach sautéed with tomatoes, garlic and Italian spices along with pork tenderloin stir-fried with fresh vegetables.  The starch carbohydrate was rice.  Dessert was fresh fruit.  This man’s comment was that everybody would live to 100 years old if he/she ate like this.

That is really our goal.  George Burns said years ago that he wanted to make it to 100 because not many people die after 100.

In a little over six weeks our client has lost exactly 25 pounds and expects to lose another 5 before easing up a bit and going to maintenance for a while.   He admits to being hungry quite often but says he actually feels good being hungry because he knows it is a sign of progress.

When I dieted and I lost 18 pounds last fall I was not nearly as strict as this man has been; and I have had no problem maintaining it with the program that we use.  Yes, I still eat cookies, potato chips, pop corn (almost every night) and dark chocolate once in a while.  The difference is that I eat less of these things and not as often; and I do not feel deprived.

Sincerely,

Joanne & Paul

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Become a fan of Total Wellness |  FREE “The Path to Wellness” E-book | Follow us on Twitter

It is important to do things properly in brewing loose leaf tea to receive the full flavor of the tea leaves.  Green tea can taste bitter and white tea has little to no flavor if the temperature of the water is not correct or if left to brew too long.  If we know a little more about these teas then we can avoid this type of situation. 

Tea leaves can sense our touch.  If we treat them well they will return to us the best flavor.  Both green and white tea leaves are very tender and need to be handled gently.  White tea, being picked very young, is gently processed to keep its tender flavor.  Green tea is the least processed of the teas and thus has the most vitamins.  There are slight differences in brewing the various types of tea; but here are the most common brewing tips:

• Measure one tablespoon of whole leaf tea per 16 oz. Cup and put it into a paper filter or a steeping ball.

• Brew tea with pure fresh water…spring water is ideal.
• Bring water to a boil and submerge tea.  In order to keep the oxygen in the water and preserve the flavor of whole leaf tea, proper temperature is important.  Optimal brewing temperature is 175 to 185 degrees F for white and green tea after you have set the boiling water aside for several minutes…212 degrees F for other types of tea just when the water has begun to boil.

• Brew white and green tea for 2 to 4 minutes.  Brew other types of tea for 4 to 6 minutes.  If you prefer a lighter tea, simply reduce the brewing time.

• Remove tea leaves from the water and enjoy your tea.

For more details on brewing great tasting tea go to:  http://lotusleaftea.com/brewinginstructions.html.

The above Information was provided by Helen Grzelak – Owner of Lotus Leaf Tea.

Happy Tea Drinking & Have Wonderful Holidays!

Joanne & Paul

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 The Christmas holidays are the time to get together with our families and friends.  It is a special treat when the host prepares a flavorful high quality tea with a platter of delicious cookies or scones.  This tea is a loose leaf tea, not the tea dust in a paper bag.  A loose leaf tea is tea in its highest and purest state.  This tea provides significant health benefits to our bodies and our souls, especially in the cold wintertime.

• Green Tea- Green tea contains the most vitamins among teas and has an anti-oxidant index 100 times more powerful than Vitamin C.  It has the potential to stop bacteria growth in the gums, reduce the risk of skin cancer and reduce the risk of heart disease.
• White Tea- White tea is picked young from the twigs and is lower in caffeine than other teas.  It is often used in traditional Chinese medicine to reduce fever, calm an upset stomach and increase energy.
• Red Tea- Red tea has the potential to prevent cardiovascular disease, lower the risk of cancer and balance the system.  It is especially good for people who want to warm their stomachs in the morning.
• Oolong Tea- Oolong tea is a natural beverage that will help you lose weight and enhance skin beauty.
• Black Tea- Black tea has the potential to lower cholesterol levels and relieve diarrhea.

This information was given to us by Helen Grzelak, owner of Lotus leaf Tea.  Do not be fooled by the name.  She is a lovely woman, born and raised in China, just as her friend Joanne Zhang.  She now resides with her husband in Connecticut. In our next blog we will give you Helen’s instructions on how to properly brew tea.

Happy Holidays!

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Chocoholics of the world- rejoice!  Our dark master has finally gained the respect and dignity it deserves.  Dark chocolate, the kind high in cocoa, not too high in sugar, has been shown to have many positive qualities; but whoever expected that it would be good for surviving heart attacks?

A study at the highly respected Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden examined the records of over 1,100 non-diabetic men and women who had suffered a heart attack.  Eight years after the initial post-heart attack examination, researchers found that the more chocolate the survivors had eaten, the longer they lived.

Interestingly, people who ate no chocolate died earlier than people who ate only a small bit once a month; and they died earlier than people who ate a little more each month and so it continued.  Do not extrapolate these numbers to jump to the conclusion that an all chocolate diet is the answer.  It is not.

However, now you can enjoy good dark chocolate on a regular basis without fear and guilt and know that you are actually doing yourself some good.  Remember, we preach everything in moderation!  The really tasty stuff still has a lot of fat and calories so plan for it in your diet.

We have a physician friend who is slim, trim and healthy.  He eats a couple of pieces of dark chocolate every day.  If you have a sugar problem I do not recommend the Harry & David truffles (my favorite) or the Lindor truffles (they’re great too).  Isagenix makes a very good dark chocolate that is loaded with vitamins and other good things too; and is low in sugar.  They are packaged for the holidays right now.

Here is the link: 

Happy Holidays!

Joanne & Paul

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Most of us do not want to hear diet and or weight loss during the holiday season.  However, there are many of us who do not want to lose all the progress we have made in the last year either.  Here’s a little secret to help you get through to the New Year with a minimum of damage.

Do two simple things:  Drink three cups of good Green Tea during the course of the day; and drink two ounces of cellular cleanser in the morning and another 2 ounces in the evening with a water chaser.  You will be amazed.

I love good dark chocolate truffles this time of year (or any other time of year for that matter.)  My favorites come from Harry & David, the online and mail order Company in Oregon that sells fruits and goodies.  They are fat and calorie rich and I cannot resist them.  As long as I drink my Green Tea and do my Cleanse I have no problem.  It seems that the goodies magically lose their calories.

We have more advice for you on maintaining your weight right on this page and in previous blogs so feel free to look around.  Whether it is weight maintenance, weight loss or an excellent nutrition plan to get and keep you healthy we can help.

Here is where you can get the best Green Tea:

  and the best Cellular Cleanse:

So go ahead and enjoy yourself (within reason) and we will compare notes in January.

Happy Holidays!

Joanne & Paul

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Tea

Everyone who knows me knows that I love good tea.  I am not talking about the stuff you get in most restaurants or in the grocery aisles; but good tea straight from Asia.

Have you ever experienced a Chinese Tea Ceremony?   A few years ago Joanne took me to visit her Chinese friend, Helen, who led us through a traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony.  Using a beautiful tea set that she had brought from China, Helen showed us how to make perfect tea and how to distinguish the subtle flavor differences in the teas.

Sitting with Joanne and Helen and experiencing the very kind and calm style of these Chinese women plus the beautiful traditional Chinese Zither Music, the visit was imprinted into my mind and became unforgettable. Since that wonderful experience I only enjoy the real taste of Chinese Tea and I no longer drink our “dust” tea bag teas any more.   Even when I travel I bring my own tea with me and just order hot water for my tea.

There are so many benefits to tea that we cannot list them all here; so here are some of the major ones:

• Tea has anti-oxidants
• Tea has one third of the caffeine of coffee
• Tea keeps you hydrated better
• Tea can create a calmer but more alert state of mind
• Tea lowers the chance of cognitive impairment
• Tea lowers stress hormone levels
• Tea eases irritability, headaches, nervous tension & insomnia
• Tea may reduce your risk of heart attack & stroke
• Tea protects your bones
• Tea can help lower your blood pressure
• And so much more…

Tea is the most popular drink in the world; and because of its health benefits is becoming increasingly popular in the United States.  Consider it for a special gift for someone.  It is unique and will be appreciated.  Here is the link for my favorite place to buy it:

http://lotusleaftea.com

Happy Holidays!

Paul

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“Family Ties” was a 1980’s show about liberal ‘60’s parents with a conservative-leaning ‘80’s son.   Like all 30-minute sitcoms, the family’s life problems had to be resolved quickly.  If only real life were so simple, we could all rest much easier.

At this holiday time of year when most of us get together with our families, one or more of our family members decides that it is the ideal time to “right old wrongs.”  “Let’s get all the long buried issues out on the festive holiday table” seems to be the traditional theme.

In actuality, what is often happening is that when we adults rejoin our families of origin at a time like this we quickly re-adopt our familiar roles whether we realize it or not.  If our role and those of our other family members have been positive, happy roles; then events tend to flow smoothly without much tension.

Unfortunately, there are far too many families that do not work this way.  Does the word “dysfunctional” come to mind?  Honestly, how many functional families do you know?  Families can be difficult and most of them have unending issues.

If you dread the holidays or always have a sense of foreboding before they come because of “family ties;” then consider going down a different path and celebrating the holidays with the people that you really want to be with.  The people who make you feel good about yourself.  Sure, you are going to upset one or two people but you are entitled to happy holidays too.

Do not sacrifice yourself to tradition when it is painful.  If you are one of the negative people at your family’s events, maybe it’s because you are so unhappy when you are there.  Give yourself and others a gift and start your own holiday tradition this season.

Volunteer at a shelter or a soup kitchen, look up a lost friend and see what he/she is doing for the holidays; visit someone who is in the hospital or a retirement home…you will make his day and it will make you feel good also.  Reach out to the less fortunate and you will be surprised how that will come back to you.

We welcome your comments, let us know your thoughts, we’d love to share our opinions with you and discuss with you, or you can always email us at totalwellnessteam@gmail.com

Happy Holidays!

Joanne  & Paul

Become a fan of Total Wellness |  FREE “The Path to Wellness” E-book | Follow us on Twitter