Top 5 Power Foods of the Week: Slow Aging, Prevent Disease, and Boost Immunity

Almonds- Eating about 48 almonds a day gives you approximately 50 percent of the daily amount of magnesium needed in your diet. Magnesium is very important for the health of your heart. Studies have proven that eating at least 2-ounces of almonds daily have significantly lowered total cholesterol levels, and several other factors that contribute to heart disease as well.  Also, almonds are high in vitamin E, fiber, and monounsaturated fats.


Apples- Apples are high in fiber and antioxidants. Not only are they good for colon health, but also for lowering total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. This delicious fruit contain catechins, potent cancer-preventative substances. They are also good for preventing lung cancer; as well as liver and prostate abnormalities.




Salmon- Fatty acids are what our brain uses to create the cells that help us to process thoughts and to feel.  Salmon is one of the healthiest foods you can eat. Wild Salmon is one of the best sources of Omega-3 essential fatty acids. It is low in saturated fat, and it has one of the lowest amounts of contaminants among all seafood.

Other health properties of wild salmon are:

• Wild Salmon improves your brain matter.
• Wild Salmon improves your mood.
• Wild Salmon improves your synaptic connections.
• Wild Salmon improves your arteries.
• Wild Salmon reduces your chances of stroke, Dementia, and Alzheimer’s.


Avocados- This fruit, sometimes referred to as nature’s butter, provides fiber, folic acid, vitamin E, and potassium.  But more than anything, avocados are known to lower total cholesterol levels because they are the number-one fruit source of beta-sitosterol.  In addition, avocados have higher levels of the potent antioxidant lutein, which protects our eyes from cataracts and age-related muscular degeneration.


Blueberries- Blueberries help the brain to produce dopamine. Dopamine is essential for coordination, memory, and the feeling of well-being. However, blueberries are most known for their high levels of immunity boosting antioxidants. According to cbsmoneywatch.com,   Researchers recently found that blueberries prevented the growth of breast cancer cells in test tubes.

This week, try to consume as much of these Top 5 Power Foods as possible. Find creative ways to incorporate them in your daily diet by making smoothies with blueberries and fresh apples.

Have Mexican night and make guacamole with your avocados.

Or, try Almond Crusted Salmon as an entrée along with your favorite side dishes.

The Importance of Goal Setting ….and Daily Planning!

Remember the old saying, “Stand for something or fall for anything?” Well that still holds true to this day. Unless you set life goals, and make daily plans towards accomplishing them. Eventually you will start to feel as if your life has become meaningless.

You’ll start to lose focus of your objectives in life, allowing yourself to become engulfed with everything else other than accomplishing your goals.

Your daily planning should reflect your New Year Goals in ways that if you were to do a monthly outline of your goals, you can flip through the pages like a cartoon script and see your yearly goals evolving step-by-step.

All it takes is a step-by-step approach.

Start your New Year Goals with a theme for the year. My theme for last year was “The Year of the Break Thru…out with the Old and In With the New! And that is exactly how my year went.

I started utilizing my journalism degree by freelance writing for 2 online companies; Textbrokers and Experts 123.

Then, I became certified in Medical Massage while I was in the process of leaving my job as a massage therapist at Nordstrom Spa, to open a Health Spa in Dunwoody, Georgia.

And, none of it would have happened, if I had chosen not to write a New Year’s list of goals. My goals kept me focused each month as to the direction I was going.

Goals keep people on track, so write your goals for this New Year and post them in your home-office area so you can see them every morning when starting your day.

When making New Year Goals it is important to search for improvement in every area of your life.

Your goals should be reasonable and well defined.

Example:

2011 New Year Goals
“Theme” Example: The Year of the Break Thru
I. Professional Growth Goals
a. Example: Increase sales volume by 1/3 in the first two quarters.
b. Example: Cultivate relationships with co-workers and management staff.
c. Example: Get more education or training.
II. Personal Growth Goals
a. Example: Be a more discipline parent to my teenager.
b. Example: Be more understanding of my partners needs.
III. Self Growth
a. Example: Improve who I am as a mother/father by…
b. Example: Improve who I am as a wife, husband, significant other by…
c. Example: Improve who I am as a business woman/man by…
d. Example: Improve who I am as a (son) daughter or granddaughter (son) by…
IV. Spiritual Growth
a. Example: Attend service more often.
b. Example: Pray everyday
V. Relationship Growth
a. Example: Be more compassionately expressive and less reactive.
b. Example: Confront issues as they arise.
VI. Physical Growth
a. Example: Do palates 2 times a week.
b. Example: Work out in gym 3 times a week.
c. Example: Take supplements 3 times a week.
VII. Financial Growth
a. Example: Pay credit card debt down or off.
b. Example: Have 3-6 months (or more) worth total monthly expense in savings.

When it comes to planning out your goals, it never hurts to write out a “’wish list” before starting.

Make sure to include small steps towards achieving everything you wish for in your New Year Goals.

Although planning may sound simple, it’s simply not!

It takes organization to execute a well written plan.

When planning, I have two simple suggestions that will make your New Year Goals hard not to obtain!

1. Sign up for a Gmail account (if you don’t already have one).

2. Then, go out and get a smart phone (download Google mobile app first) to sink your business and personal contacts on your phone with your Gmail account, Google calendar with your phone, and social networks into.

Update your Gmail calendar from any computer daily and it will sink in with your smart phone accordingly. You can also auto-set your calendar to alarm your phone when you have a scheduled appointment or task for the day.

Now…MAKE IT A GREAT YEAR EVERYONE!