Let me introduce myself. My name is Mary, but my new nickname is GG-Ma...that stands for GreatGrandMa. I'll be 78 years young in May and I feel great! At less than half this age? Not so great, not even good. I had let myself get so out of shape that...well, you don't want to hear those tales of woe. I'd rather tell you the things I've learned over the years that got me back on track and that might help you, too. Because each of us is unique, and as it says in the Bible, "One man's meat is another man's poison," please do due diligence (with your doctor, if you already have medical problems) before making serious changes in your diet and/or exercise. And PLEASE make any changes slowly. I did not and paid dearly for weeks when I gave up all junk food at once!

You are what you eat, what you read, how you think, what you do and what you don't do. Your choices define how you feel...and your feelings reflect those choices as well. It is possible to feel great no matter how old and to feel miserable, or lonely, etc., no matter how young, or rich, etc., that you are.

So you want to feel better than you do now, or you want to stay healthy, and you are looking for ways to do that. This Web site is designed to be helpful. We will provide links to more information and sources as well.

Food is both the material to build our bodies and also the fuel to keep our bodies running (otherwise known as energy). People often dream of their bodies as motor vehicles, so a car really makes good sense to explain our food choices allegorically.

You would expect your car's body to be made of steel or perhaps fiber-glass instead of modeling clay or cardboard, and also that the paint would be water-proof. The motor and transmission should be tuned up and lubricated. The tires should be made of rubber instead of glue and be round instead of square. Oh yes, you would want safety glass for the windshield instead of thin plastic. You get the picture?

Never mind that your original body was made by your mother, you re-make it about every seven years, and if you are an expectant mother (or plan to be), you are in the process of making an original, too. You will need completely balanced protein, whether fish, flesh or vegetable. You will need the right combination of minerals, vitamins, and enzymes, best obtained from whole foods. You will need the proper balance of fats and oils, too...not the man-made or tampered with kinds. You will not want man-made chemicals or hormones either. Not if you want a healthy body.

Let's assume your car runs on gas instead of diesel. Would you put paint in the gas tank and expect your car to run? I think not. So why do you think your body will run happily on junk foods, such as margarine, french fries, donuts and diet sodas? Because the body is a marvelous creation, it goes a bit longer before the damage is obvious.

As a child, I had to eat what was put on my plate. We lived on a farm and grew almost all of our own food which meant a lot of fruits and vegetables in season. Chicken was for Sunday. Several times during the winter, a steer or pig would be butchered and shared with the neighbors because we had no freezer. There was usually a lamb for Easter. Milk was raw, cream was too thick to pour and butter required patient exercise to make, but we had plenty. Our cows were grass fed, so all that cream and butter did not make us fat. In fact, I was extremely skinny and impossible to fill up. However, all the calcium from the milk was not balanced with enough magnesium and that was not healthy. It probably contributed to allergies, too.

We also used lots of white flour and sugar which made lots of cavities. Out in the world on my own, I drank beau coup d' Pepsi, loved cake icing, chocolate chip cookies, pastries of all kinds, ice cream and chocolates, oh my. Sugar is addicting! Technically it is a drug, not a food, since it is refined to the point that it has only calories, but no nutrition. When I gave it up, it took me two whole years to get over the cravings. Yes, the devil is in the sugar bowl, and hiding in almost all prepared foods today. The artificial substitutes are even worse in many ways. Small amounts of raw unfiltered honey (local, if you can find it) is healthy, but not for babies or toddlers. Agave syrup, xylitol made from birch trees (not corn), and organic blackstrap molasses in moderation are natural sweets less likely to cause problems. Fresh raw fruit in season is the healthiest sweet of all...even for diabetics.

The FDA food pyramid and recommendations are not a "One size fits all" proposition. I'm not sure that they really fit any, but that's my opinion. Most doctors and weight loss programs are "low fat" which I have a real problem with. The body needs the right kinds of fat, even to lose weight (fat where it does not belong). Almost all foods which are labeled low fat replace the fat with sugars or artificial sweeteners (both bad). The right kind of fats are those which man has not tampered with. Butter is better than margarine. Organic is better than any food which has been exposed to pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics and/or hormones. Cold pressed extra virgin olive oil is good. Wild caught salmon from the Pacific is good. Fresh, cold pressed, and kept cold, flax seed oil is good. Even cold pressed coconut oil is good because it has some nutrients not readily available from other foods. Trans fats, and artificial fats are even worse than animal fats. Chicken fat has a history of healing, so I leave the skin on unless it has been battered and fried. Oils which have been subjected to high heat, such as french fries have been, are very bad. The body does not know how to use anything artificial.

Diary is something on the FDA's food pyramid that I disagree with. Raw milk from healthy cows which have been brushed, washed, and dried with either sterile rags or clean paper towels, milked into sterile buckets with clean hands, strained and promptly refrigerated may be healthy if enough magnesium is eaten, too. Magnesium is found in legumes (dried peas, beans & lentils), nuts, seeds, whole grains, blackstrap molasses and greens such as kale, collards, mustard and turnip greens. Two problems exist. First, raw milk is illegal &/or unavailable in most of the states (& world), and second, most people don't include enough magnesium in their diets. The calcium from milk is not properly utilized by the body unless it is properly balanced with other minerals, magnesium being one. Instead, it either is used to neutralize the protein in the milk to keep the body from becoming too acid, or it is deposited where it does not belong, such as joints, kidneys, arteries, heart valves, etc. Also homonized diary can cause the leaky gut syndrome leading to allergies and digestive problems. The parts of the world which never drinks milk after being weaned from their mother's milk do not suffer with the diseases which cow's milk causes.

When I moved to California in the early 50's, I was looking forward to the fruit grown there which I thought would be less expensive. Boy, was I disappointed! It looked beautiful, costs more than in the east, and had NO taste! Organic doesn't usually look as big and pretty, but it sure tastes better (from the extra nutrients, so I've been told.) California has organic now, too. Some fruits and vegetables are grown with lots of chemicals, others not. There are lists on the Web to help you learn which is which.

Coffee, by the way, unless it is Fair Trade, grown in the mountains as organic, is grown with lots of chemicals. Not only that, the countries growing the regular coffee cut and burn the rain forests to grow it. Barren Easter Island was once covered with forests. Will that be the fate of other areas? I used to drink coffee, but it makes me very hungry, so I quit years ago. It still smells good, but the last cup I had did not taste as it smelled to me, others were raving, that yes it did. Our tastes change gradually after a change in what and how we eat. I can even smell sugar now, but I could not when I used to eat it. If you apply the theory to garlic, you'll understand, I think.

There are many foods and drinks I used to love, but which I no longer eat or drink because I know they are not good for me. I have found many new foods which are healthy, and I have learned to love them, so I don't feel deprived any more. Please don't do as I did, throwing out all the bad foods (or foodless foods, if you will) at once and go cold turkey. It could possibly kill you. It sure made me very ill for several weeks. I suggest giving up sodas for water as a start, and perhaps buying organic. Gradually change to whole grains, etc. Your body will thank you, and your brain will work better, too. Always eat breakfast, don't skip meals, but eat more small meals and not too late at night. This will help to keep you on an even keel, so your soul should be thankful, too.

Of course the mind matters...how many times have you heard the expression, "mind over matter"? As with food, it is garbage in, garbage out. Who wants garbage? I don't. It makes bad feelings and bad choices. I prefer to feel great, physically, mentally and spiritually, so I feed my mind with uplifting and/or useful reading, TV (not much of that), browsing on the Internet, observing the awe & beauty of nature, music, conversations with family and friends (strangers are only friends I have not met, yet). Oh, an occasional class to exercise my brain so I don't lose it.

A word about friends, though...it is very important to choose which ones you spend much time with, especially when you are young. Why? Because friends can get you in trouble in many different ways. Everybody needs friends and a sense of belonging but you can't feel good when you are in trouble. Other friends can help keep you out of trouble. If you don't have any of that kind, try getting involved in an activity or two where you could meet some. The golden rule can work in your favor. Nobody likes to be belittled in any way and everybody likes compliments. My parents brought me up with the adage, "If you can't something nice, then don't say anything at all." Any time I notice something nice about anything or any body, I try to say it, even if I've never met the person before and may never see them again.

If somebody is a bully, rude, makes fun of you, or otherwise tries to put you down, remember that they have a need to feel better about them self whether they realize it or not. If you can remember that, it makes it easier to react appropriately. Often you can't help them in any way, but you can at least let it be their problem, not yours. If you are younger, and/or smaller, it is best to avoid people like that. It is best if you don't belong to such a group, much better to find new friends. If you are older and are not physically attacked, sometimes you can ask an open-ended question such as, "What's your problem?" and then just listen...don't try to solve the problem(s). And keep what you have heard to yourself unless it is a real danger to that person or others. Then only go to the proper authorities and let them handle it.

Choices, choices. We may think we have no choice, that we are stuck with whatever life throws our way. There are always choices. Doing nothing is a choice. Even a prisoner in solitary confinement has choices. He can go crazy, or plan for the future, keeping his mind filled with hope. It is good to have goals that we can strive for and then base our choices in life accordingly. I know a boy, a refugee who attended school for the first time in the 7th grade. He did not speak English when he started, but made nothing less than an A. He spoke fluent English in just 3 months. His goal is to be a doctor. His grades are still tops in a high school for the very brightest. Do you think he will get a scholarship to a good university?

Our expectations have a habit of coming true. Our choices have a lot to do with that, but what we fill our mind with has maybe even more. If you really want to feel great, there is a course available which promises success on many levels. It teaches a technique as the way to get there.

It may be difficult to determine the difference in between the mind and the soul. The best way I can present it is that the mind does the thinking and makes the choices and the soul experiences the feelings. Some use the terms spirit and soul interchangeably. I feel that my soul is the spiritual part of me, having a connection to the one spirit which is present in all creation. Although I am a Christian, I am not going to get into religions here.

It has been said that our first feeling is fear of separation, felt at the time of our physical birth. I was there, but I don't remember, but I do remember as a child feeling that I was adopted, of not belonging. The fear of separation is reportedly the basis of feeling lonely and a longing that only spiritual peace can erase.

One fear leads to more fears, especially the fear of failure, although I never really did fear failure that I can remember. My father brought us up with the admonition that we never know what we can do if we have not really tried and persevered. He said that failures should be used as stepping stones, not stumbling blocks, and that the impossible usually only takes longer and more effort. I definitely feared an angry bull until he taught me how to protect myself while getting the bull to go where it didn't want to. Learning how to, and being successful, overcoming a major fear certainly helps a person's self image, and also makes dealing with lessor fears much easier!

Part of being human is a feeling of emptiness if there is no belief system that one has faith in. Such a person is often referred to as "a restless spirit." Soul searching and organized religion may sometimes (often?) have nothing common. Most people's religion has more to do with where and to whom they were born than a search. In recent generations, such a search is much more likely, especially with folks who are disenchanted with the religion they have been brought up in. More likely still, is the doubting, very often born in adolescence and perhaps fueled by atheist professors. Such doubting may lead to a much deeper faith for the process, and sometimes to a feeling of closeness to the spirit world.

We are all born with a spirit, or soul, or whatever name your culture calls it. Most, if not all, cultures, from primitive to advanced, recognize that there is something, somehow, that is greater than mere man. Oh, some modern sophisticates may deny that, but deep down they may sense that something is missing in their life. The more primitive societies may have many superstitions and also feel the need to appease the spirit world which they didn't/don't understand. Many great scientists have been, and are, awed by a master creator (God) of the universe, which is at once immense beyond understanding and so minute in substance that there is still much to learn. That everything, from the densest metal--to our bodies--to sound--to color--to light--to things we may not yet know exist or have names for, is vibration.

Ancient methods of healing, mostly lost to modern civilization, call the body's energies "chi" or "qi" (pronounced the same), and use vibrations to heal both spirit and body. Machines have been developed to provide these healing energies, but there is now a method being taught which does not need a machine. It goes by the name of Reiki. One usually learns from a Reiki Master in classes--usually the best way. However, a few Reiki Masters have made online classes available. You may find one here if you are interested.

Use it or lose it can apply to many things because neglect can destroy a car, a garden, a relationship...you name it. Our physical body is no exception. We have to use our muscles or they atrophy, gradually shrinking until we develop real problems...the same with our lungs and cardiovascular system, etc. You know what that means, don't you? Exercise! Weight training for the muscles and aerobics for all systems. Of course, there is one very simple exercise that does both at the same time. It is something our ancestors did a lot of. It doesn't cost any money or special equipment. Yes, I am talking about walking. Not meandering. Not just from your car in the parking lot into the store or place of work, although that does help if you park far enough away. And not just one or two days a week. Two miles or more, five or six days a week at a brisk pace (15 minute mile, or better, if you can) will do much to keep your body in pretty good shape. Or you can dance, or bike, or swim, whatever that gets your heart rate up for more than 20 minutes at a time. But you have to do it often enough to really make it a habit.

I have a 50 year old daughter who works a desk job, but she can backpack in the wild, maintain trails, garden, kayak, etc. like someone half her age. Guess what? She looks half her age! She has always been active, so she hasn't lost the ability or benefits. My father was like that, too, no fat or flab ever. He felt that he was really out of shape in his eighties when it took him a whole 15 minutes to walk a mile without getting winded. The day he told me that, I had walked from my house to his, exactly one mile, so I timed myself walking back. I was not yet forty, but as fast as I could walk a mile was just 15 minutes and I could not have walked another mile! I had let myself get out of shape. Another guess what? Housework and chasing after kids can leave a person exhausted, but will not keep their body healthy!

After spasming muscles trying to jog without warming up, my husband and I started walking. We worked up to 4 miles 5 or 6 days a week, rain or shine, and kept it up for several years. Camping, we sometimes walked 14 or more miles at a time, even biked over 30 miles at a time. Now that was hard, because the wind shifted and we had a headwind both ways. Then my husband slipped and injured his back at work. Surgery left him worse off. We never did get back to 4 miles a day, 2 at the most, but the last several years, he only walks alone and not much.

That brings up another important thing to remember: The older you get, the quicker you get out of shape if you don't exercise enough on a regular basis. If surgery, or other circumstances, prevent exercise for even a few weeks, it gets ever harder to get back in the groove. So, if you are in shape now, don't quit. And if you are out of shape physically now, be very careful how you start exercising. Very definitely, start easy, but do start (with your doctor's permission).

If you have a weight problem, it is probably because you are heavier than you want, or should, be. It is possible to be heavy and still in good shape physically, but unless you are a football player, you probably aren't. Syndrome X is one name that has become popular for a condition also know as insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. The medical profession gives dire predictions about your health if you fall in that category and don't change your lifestyle. Although I do not agree with the drugs most doctors recommend these days to combat the problems, I have to agree with the predictions.

Case in point: my husband. For years, many years, he felt that he could eat anything, and did. Sugar gave me headaches, but not him! Caffeine would keep me awake at night, not him. Red meat starting giving me problems, not him, the more, the better...but he could not eat salad with a big steak. Diabetes runs in both sides of his family. I recognized his increasing thirst and other symptoms his diabetic brother had told me about, but he poohpahed my concern and for several years would not check his blood sugar. He was in denial, skipping meals, not eating on schedule, etc. Then he needed emergency surgery. Groggy in the recovery room, he remembered hearing a nurse saying, "His blood sugar is 398." He thought she was talking about one of the other patients. She was talking about him! They had even given him insulin before the surgery.

His doctor explained that diabetes takes years to develop, near the end of diseases caused by inflammation. Hypertension, kidney, heart problems are a part of the syndrome. That was several years ago...he has now been changing his lifestyle and we eat pretty much the same. Although the doctor said he didn't know of anyone who could keep their blood sugar down without medication if it was over 200 when it was first diagnosed, my husband has been able to get off all medication. Losing weight was one of the most important factors. Keeping it off is not so simple.

My husband was first heavy as a baby...it was a status symbol in that neighbor. He was never really slim, although he started dieting as a teenager. He lost some weight & then put it back on, plus a little extra. Over the years, he would diet. As an adult by using coffee and cigarettes. (Was I ever glad when he quit smoking because I never did.) Then it was the Atkin's Diet (which hurt his kidneys). The all raw diet was the healthiest. We both did that quite successfully. But you know what happens when you go off a diet? You start eating the way you used to and gain it all back again plus some extra. Worse than that you usually lose some muscle dieting and just gain back fat! Not fair!! Yo-Yo dieting is what it is called and it is not healthy.

If you are over-weight, it doesn't matter where you are on that merry-go-round headed towards disease, the quicker you get off, the better. I have seen waist measures used as a red flag for diabetes. For men, that is a waist 40 inches or bigger, for women, it is 35 inches or bigger. I tell you something, I have been really skinny (85 pounds at 5'7"), and I have been 100 pounds heavier than that after child-birth. (My metabolism changed with my first pregnancy.) I hate being heavy. It makes your feet hurt, the outside of your tummy seems to catch every wayward bit of food and it made me clumsy. I don't like my waist to be even 30 inches. (It isn't, any more.) You can find a lot of information about Syndrome X and metabolism on the Web. It is necessary to read many sites to sort out the hype from the facts. I have yet to find a site that is totally good. If or when I do, I'll mention it here.

In the meantime, lifestyle changes of diet, exercise and peace work to lose weight, if you should, or to gain weight, if you need to (same diet), and to really feel great! If I could do it, you can too.