Going Green

As I talked about in my first post, a couple years ago I decided to make a change in my life. I decided I wanted to start living a healthier life. One of the first changes I made was to start drinking green tea. I had heard about its benefits from friends, the news, commercials, and even doctors. I was mostly hoping it would give me energy and boost my metabolism. However, when I decided to start researching green tea, I was amazed at exactly how many ways it affects your health.

For one, green tea is better for you than coffee. Aside from the fact that most people drink coffee with added sugar and cream, while tea is normally drank plain, green tea is extremely rich in flavonoids. Flavonoids are antioxidants which has been shown to lower a person’s risk for disease and conditions such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, and stroke. Studies have proven that a particular flavonoid in green tea actually kills cancer cells (Edgar).

I now try to have at least one cup of green tea a day. In my experience, it has immensely improved my mornings. The energy boost I get from green tea stays with me nearly all day, and doesn’t cause me to crash later. It is a refreshing, steady energy, instead of a jittery one that I normally get from coffee. Green tea helps to stabilize my appetite, so I’m not spending my day wondering where my next snack will be. I, personally, prefer loose-leaf green tea, rather than the crushed or powdery variety. By steeping loose-leaf tea, you give yourself more of the nutrients, antioxidants, and flavnonoids.  I buy my tea from either Teavana, or Wegmans. Next time you’re craving an energy boost, try green tea instead of coffee! I guarantee you’ll be hooked.

Work Cited:

Edgar, Julie. "Green Tea Health Benefits." WebMD. WebMD, 29 Aug. 2009.         Web. 30 Jan. 2013.

Define: Healthy

When you hear the word "healthy", what kind of images pop into your head? A sweaty guy screaming at you from an infomercial?  Those weird crackers that have been in your pantry for four years? Over the decades, people have used and abused the term "healthy" to promote their own different products and agendas. The truth is, being healthy is different for everyone. The online Merriam-Webster dictionary defines healthy as: "enjoying health and vigor of mind, body, or spirit". All three of these aspects of health are just as important as the other. They require balance. Your health is not defined by a scale, a score, or any one opinion. To me, "healthy" is not a destination or achievement, it is an ongoing decision to be the best me I can.

A couple of years ago, I was about 20 lbs heavier, without a job, and with a way lower GPA. Mentally, I felt ridiculously dissatisfied and bored with everything. I felt like I was going nowhere. Physically, I was constantly tired and eating quick and easy food that I didn't even really like. Somewhere around that time, I decided that I had enough of feeling below average. I needed to stop blaming others for my failures and hold myself accountable for my actions. I was desperate for some kind of change, and I decided to start with changing how I looked. 

Fortunately, I was never bullied about my weight. It was solely my own decision to change my appearance. I didn't set any numerical goals, no weight limits, nor calorie goals. I was honestly just sick of feeling so tired and sluggish all the time. I didn't feel healthy. I started trying simple exercises that barely had me sweating, and decided to skip the cup o' noodles and instead stir fry some real vegetables. I wanted to actually enjoy my food, instead of just trying to feel full.

Honestly, it became a lot of fun. I was trying out different exercises like dance routines, and looking up new recipes to cook for my family and I. Once I started seeing and feeling a change physically, my mental state soon followed. I realized that only I had control over achieving my goals, which caused me to set higher ones in other aspects of my life. I got my first job, I went back to NVCC, and I started getting straight A's for the first time in my life.

I do recognize, however, that I will not always make "healthy" decisions. In the past few weeks alone I've eaten a whole bag of candy. But you know what? That's okay. Being healthy does not mean restricting yourself. The biggest part of being healthy is enjoying your life. This blog will consist of my own journey through an attempted healthy lifestyle, and if you so choose, how you can too. If you are comfortable with where you are in life, physically and mentally, congratulations! You're a little better off than the rest of us. If you feel like there are some changes you'd like to make, that's okay too. As long as you are doing it for you, and not to satisfy other's expectations. Like I said, being healthy is not defined by a number, it is defined by being the best you, you can be.


Work Cited:
"healthy." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, 2013
         Web. 23 Jan 2013.