Wellness - What Does It Mean To You?

By Lisa VanWilliams

Wellness is described as healthy balance of the mind, body and spirit that results in an overall feeling of well-being. It is a view of health that emphasizes the state of the entire being and its ongoing development. It is awareness and the initiative to improve oneself by making better choices.  Are you the happiest and healthiest you can be? It's a work in progress for most of us. Find your balance to achieve optimal health.

What has a big impact on your wellness? Several factors such as social, emotional, physical, intellectual, environmental, occupational, and spiritual may affect your wellness while in pursuit of happiness.

Social -  the ability to function among others in this crazy place called Earth. Ones ability to establish an maintain positive relationships with people.

Emotional - the ability to understand and cope with the challenges life can bring. The ability to share feelings through the highs and lows of this thing called life.

Physical - the ability to maintain a healthy quality of life that allows one to function. Things like making appointments with doctors, eating a balanced diet, and getting some daily exercise are behaviors that influence your wellness.

Intellectual - the ability to open your mind to new ideas and experiences that can be applied to improve your own life.

Environmental - the ability to recognize our own responsibility for the world around us. The ability to have a positive impact on the environment around you.

Occupational - the ability to get personal fulfillment from your job or career while still maintaining balance in your life.

Spiritual - the ability to establish peace and harmony in our lives. Values and actions. 

Cool Cukes

By Lisa VanWilliams

Whether you like it sliced up in your salad, tzatziki style for dipping sauce, rolled up with sushi, or just plain for a snack, cucumbers always add that little extra something. They are a refreshing, healthy, and hydrating low calorie snack because they consist of over 90% water. Organic is the way to go if you can, and it's said there is a rich source of nutrients in the seeds if you don't mind leaving them in. This long green fruit is believed to have originated in Nepal. It is a fruit that is commonly mistaken as a vegetable.

China takes the lead by far in worldwide cucumber production. Florida and California are able to provide and produce the U.S. with cucumbers for most of the year with Mexico importing here during the winter months.

Why are cucumbers healthy to eat and not just good at ridding puffy eyes (anti-inflammatory):

• good for the digestion system -flushes toxins
• promotes joint health
• may help fight cancers such as breast, ovarian, uterine & prostate
• antioxidant nutrients - boosts your immunities
• keeps body hydrated
• packed with vitamin k (helps blood clot, great for bone health)
• aids in weight loss
• stabilizes blood pressure
• refreshes the mouth

It's a great snack to have with the kids that you can get creative with too. Mini cucumber sandwiches, hollow them out and fill them with chicken salad, cut them in sticks and dip them in a tasty dill mix, there are tons of recipes out there to attempt and explore.