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Time is precious indeed. Are you trading away your time for what makes you happy? How much time are you spending doing things that don’t fulfill you? Is this a worthwhile use of that time?

Frequently this season of celebration is spent with those that are dear to us, and as the New Year approaches, many of us think about making New Year's Resolutions – things we want to change about ourselves and our lives.

Making positive change in our life is very worthwhile, and I would like to suggest that this year, we prioritize changes that will increase our happiness.

Being happy is vitally important to our health, as emotional stress will cause a stress response in the body. And if that stress response is prolonged because we are unhappy, over time we will either become sick or we will hurt, even if our diet is perfect, we are exercising appropriately, and we are getting enough sleep and dark time.

When we are unhappy, our body secretes stress hormones, which increase blood pressure, heart rate etc. so we will be ready to run or fight whatever we are up against. So increasing happiness can greatly improve our health!

Being happy falls into place when we are living our life in line with our values. When something is out of kilter with our values, we find ourselves in conflict.

For example, if the environment is very important to you, but you work for a company that is a bad polluter, you will find yourself in conflict as you are sacrificing your values for your job. And if you stay in such a job, it is likely to eat away at you deep down, wearing you out, possibly making you angry, depressed, tired and sick.

You may rationalize that you need the job, but you won’t be happy until you choose to work for a company that also values the environment.

Finding happiness therefore requires that we figure out what values are important to us, so we can make a judgement as to whether or not we are actually living our life in alignment with those values.

Paul Chek in his e-book The Last 4 Doctors You Will Ever Need, suggests it may be easier to figure out your personal core values by breaking them down into parts: Physical, Mental, Emotional, and then trying to list them.

What do you need to satisfy your physical needs? How much exercise do you need? What kind of diet best keeps you healthy? How much sleep do you need to be at your best? How much time do you need to devote to those activities to ensure your needs are satisfied?

What do you require to be mentally stimulated? Do you enjoy doing the cryptic crossword that comes in the paper? What do you need to be able to focus well?

What are your emotional needs? Do you need lots of people around or do you prefer to be alone much of the time?

If there is an area in your life where you are unhappy, can you figure out why? What value is not being fulfilled? What can you do to resolve it? Once you know what your personal values are, you can use them to guide your decisions.

You can then do a similar exercise with respect to your career values and your relationships with others. How do you treat others and how do you expect to be treated?

How well do your values match up with those of your significant other? If your values or those of your partner are not being met, can you both figure out a way to meet them that will make you both happy? If not, is the relationship worth the stress and unhappiness it is creating?

These are very difficult and very personal questions, but often when we make changes that bring us in better alignment with our values, we feel like a weight has been lifted from our shoulders, we feel far more energetic, alive, and yes, happy.

Thank you all so very much for letting me into your lives on Sunday mornings – I do indeed feel blessed. And may you find true Happiness in the coming year.

If you want to search for other posts by title or by topic, go to www.wellnesstips.ca.

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Last year I posted my top 10 book picks on topics related to general health and wellness. This year, I couldn't seem to narrow it down to 10 without losing some important nutrition topics, so here are my top 11 resources on healthy eating.

Nutrition is one of the most confusing topics there is. There is so much conflicting opinion on what a healthy diet consists of, and also what foods are not healthy. I have researched widely on the topic of nutrition, and the books/films and CDs below are the most informative of the ones I have found so far. Try as I might, I was unable to bring myself to cut the list down to 10, as I didn't want to drop important food topics that affect huge populations. If anyone on your holiday shopping list is interested in improving their health, you might find an idea or two below to fit the bill.

Number 11:
The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of Americas Favorite Health Food by Kaayla T. Daniel A groundbreaking book that tells the truth about soy that scientists know but that the soy industry has tried to suppress. Soy is not a health food, does not prevent disease and has not even been proven safe. Epidemiological, clinical and laboratory studies link processed soy to malnutrition, digestive problems, thyroid dysfunction, cognitive decline, reproductive disorders, even heart disease and cancer.

Number 10:
The Future of Food DVD A must-see film about Genetically Modified food, and how it is becoming more commonplace because of large food corporations like Monsanto, that wish to have complete control over the production and distribution of the world’s food supply. Their interest is in profits rather than in your health or the environmental health of the planet. And now about 70% of the food in our grocery stores is actually genetically modified, unbenownst to us, because it is unlabelled.

Number 9:
Dangerous Grains by James Braly,MD and Ron Hoggan, MA This book turns the U.S. Food Guide Pyramid upside down by exposing the myriad of health risks posed by gluten grains (wheat, rye, barley, spelt, kamut, and triticale). The authors, leading experts in the field of food allergies, and celiac disease, present compelling evidence that our grain-centred diet is to blame for a host of chronic illnesses. Largely misunderstood and frequently misdiagnosed, these disorders can be prevented and reversed by the useful program outlined in this important book.

Number 8:
Biobalance: The Acid/Alkaline Solution to the Food-Mood-Health Puzzle by Dr. Rudolf A Wiley One of the early researchers in the concept of personalized nutrition, Dr. Rudolf Wiley used venous pH to determine the type of diet needed by the client. People feel their best at a venous pH of 7.46, and depending on the individual's pH, the individual would need a different diet to return the pH to normal. As individuals we burn (oxidize) our food at different rates, and the type and ratio of food eaten can either slow down or speed up the rate of oxidation. Both slow and fast oxidizers that are eating an inappropriate diet for them may develop similar symptoms of illness, but they require different diets in order to resolve their biochemical imbalances. Dr. Wiley spent his career balancing the biochemistry of those with mental illness through food and specific nutrient therapy. Although the book predates the discovery that in some people the autonomic nervous system dominates over the oxidative system which would reverse food ratios, his blood pH testing system as well as the food/mood diaries can still be used to resolve mood, lethargy and weight issues.

Number 7:
Pottenger’s Cats: A Study in Nutrition by Dr. Francis M. Pottenger A slim volume that describes one of the most telling nutritional studies ever done. In his 10-year study of 900 cats Pottenger discovered the importance of raw food for health and future reproduction. These cats were very well cared for in very large pens, and he found that after three generations of cooked and processed food, the cats were so ill they were no longer able to reproduce rendering them extinct. And it took 4 generations of good quality food to restore the very ill cats to health again. He used X-rays to examine the bone development of the cats at various stages of their lives, where he clearly showed the effect of nutrition on bone structure. Being a medical doctor, he compared what he was finding in his cats, to what he was finding in his medical practice with human patients, and although we are not cats, he shows how the degradation in the human food supply has undermined human development and health as well. Note how today humankind is seeing a huge increase in fertility problems. At the end of the book, he outlines his ideas of what a good diet should consist of, including some recipes. His recommendations may surprise you!

Number 6:
Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Dr. Weston A. Price. I have discussed this book frequently, and with good reason. Dr. Weston Price travelled the world in the '30s studying primitive societies that had not yet come in contact with "white man's food", and discovered vibrantly healthy populations with good bone structure and minimal tooth decay. The diets were as varied as the societies he studied, but no society was vegetarian, and many societies actively sought out a particular food (usually a form of saturated fat) to give to their newly married couples, pregnant women and young children to ensure good development. If you are planning to have children, this would be a good book to read before conceiving, as the nutritional status of both parents prior to conception is very important to the lifelong health of the child. This thick book was not the tough slog I was expecting – especially the first half describing his adventures getting to and spending time with remote societies was very engaging.

Number 5:
The Cholesterol Myths by Uffe Ravnskov Dr. Ravnksov takes aim at one of the biggest medical myths of our time – that saturated fat and cholesterol cause heart disease – and slays the Goliath with page after page of brilliant analysis. For the layperson, but not written in a way that would alienate a scientist, this book will explain the research to you so you will understand it. Anyone who has been told to go on a low fat diet or take cholesterol-lowering drugs should read this book first … and then give it to his or her doctor! Dr. Ravnskov has published almost 40 critical papers and letters about the alleged association between cholesterol and cardiovascular disease. For his contributions in this field he received the Irish Skrabanek Award in 1999.

Number 4:
The Ominvore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan This book traces the ingredients of four different kinds of meals (fast and processed food, industrial agriculture, permaculture, and hunting and gathering) back to their roots, to discover where the food comes from, and the steps the food took on its from the earth to the plate. An excellent analysis of the various ways we feed ourselves, not only from the perspective of its life-giving or life-shortening qualities, but also from the perspective of sustainability, this book provides much food for thought. Michael Pollan writes about his personal journey as he examines our relationship with food, and I found his anecdotes and ethical struggles heart-warming. This book makes one realize that what we choose to put in our mouths is actually a political act which either supports our health and the health of the planet, or does not.

Number 3:
Nourishing Traditions Cookbook By Sally Fallon A cookbook that is so much more than a cookbook. The first 60 pages on fats, carbohydrates and proteins are alone worth the price. Filled with anecdotes and research alongside the recipes, this book provides nourishment for the mind as well as the body. Learn how to get away from processed and preservative-laden foods by making your own stocks, marinades, and sauces. Learn how to properly ferment vegetables, soak grains nuts and seeds, and make the delicious, healthful food our ancestors enjoyed. This is the book I turn to when someone asks me what nutrients are in a particular food.

Number 2:
You Are What You Eat CD Version By Paul Chek For those on your list that prefer listening to CDs rather than reading a book. In this informal discussion, Paul Chek talks about the importance of making good food choices, and issues to consider, such as organic vs. commercially raised foods, cooked vs. raw, genetically modified foods, irradiation, processed foods, packaging, pros and cons of grains, fats and oils, alcohol, dairy, animal products, eggs and seafood, sugar, salt, water, microwave ovens and much more. Perfect to listen to while in the car, once you have digested this CD series, you will probably know more about food than most doctors and possibly even dieticians and you will be very motivated to improve your eating habits.

Number 1:
Good Calories Bad Calories By Gary Taubes It’s not the fat – it’s the sugar! Probably the most important recent book written on nutrition that exposes the COLOSSAL MISTAKE that medical researchers and governments made (and are still making) with respect to what we are being told to eat to keep us healthy. Gary Taubes proves beyond a doubt by thoroughly examining the science, that there is very little scientific evidence that the low-fat dogma we have been living with for over 30 years is suitable for everyone, and our efforts to take the saturated fat out of our diet have caused us to eat a diet high in sugar and flour products, resulting in an explosion in chronic disease, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease and obesity. I think this should be required reading for all medical doctors, dieticians and nutritionists, as well as for anyone that is struggling with their weight, or is suffering from disease.

Please do keep the comments coming on my blog.
If you want to search for other posts by title or by topic, go to www.wellnesstips.ca.

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Top 10 health and wellness books

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