On the morning news I heard a broadcaster say that he considered every day over 80 as borrowed time. He was making this remark in regard to Joe Paterno’s death at the age of 85. As a wellness coach and Baby Boomer about to turn 50, I found this remark to be completely inaccurate.

If we go through life thinking we’re on “borrowed” time, what kind of energy are we creating within our bodies and our world? To me “borrowed” is a type of scarcity. Living in scarcity is common to many. Examples of this type of thinking are “it’s never enough,” “it’s always a struggle,” and “everything has a price.” When it comes to our overall health, this type of attitude creates a tremendous amount of stress and stress can kill us.

Instead of being on “borrowed time,” what if every day (not just those after 80) was considered a “gift?” Envision that “it is enough” and you are grateful for what you have. What if instead of scarcity you had abundance? As Wayne Dyer once said, “Abundance is not something we acquire. It is something we tune into.” Imagine the effect on your health and wellbeing if you simply “tuned-in” to the gifts your life has to offer. Sound good?

It is easy to “tune into” the abundance of your life. All you have to do is choose it. That’s right. Simply shift your thoughts on how you view your life from the negative to the positive and notice how rich and well your life becomes.

Be Present, Be Purposeful, Be Well.

To your wellness!

When we talk about nutrition, most of us assume we’re talking about the food we put in our mouths. Have you ever considered lifestyle as part of your nutrition? In an integrative approach to nutrition, lifestyle is considered “primary” food while what you eat is considered “secondary” food. What constitutes primary food?

• Relationships – are they nurturing or do they cause you duress and/or leave you isolated?
• Physical activity – your body needs to move.  Do you exercise adequately for your health?
• Career – are you passionate about what you do and find joy in your daily work or are you in a stressful, toxic environment?
• Spirituality – most people do not have a regular spiritual practice which studies show promotes wellness. Do you have a regular spiritual practice?

Have you ever craved a certain food so much that you just had to have it a.s.a.p.? The body is a well-programmed computer and rarely makes mistakes. A craving is a wake-up call that something is out of balance. It is a signal to improve your primary food so as to be more in sync with what you need.

If you’re curious as to whether your life is in sync, fill out the Wellness Wheel of Life and see whether or not you are in balance. Email me if it’s not and I can help you get it back on track.

Be Present, Be Purposeful, Be Well

To your wellness!

We are well into the New Year and I am refreshed and excited for what lies ahead. Typically I use this time to reflect on my previous year; did I meet my goals, what exciting things happened and did anything unexpectedly prevent me from moving forward. Last year I set several goals for myself and actually accomplished many of them. Two of the major highlights of 2011 for me were meeting my idol, Dr. Andrew Weil, father of Integrative Medicine, and becoming a guest-lecturer at Canyon Ranch in Tucson, AZ. This past year was also one of continued stable and good health for me.

For the coming year I have set several intentions and goals for myself. One of which is to complete a one-year course on becoming certified in Integrative Nutrition. I believe that will afford me a plethora of valuable knowledge to pass onto you. I also aim to continue being an ambassador for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society so as to help educate people about MS and what they can do to help create a world free of it. Also stay tuned for new programs and products from Appelbaum Wellness LLC. This year is going to be full of many exciting projects that will directly help you learn to be an active participant in your life, health and wellness.

What will 2012 look like for you? Have you set aside some quiet time to reflect and plan? In order to make the most out of your life, you need to set goals and intentions. By doing so, it’s kind of like having a roadmap for where you want to go over the next year. Of course you can always detour, but with a plan in place you won’t get lost along your journey. And, as one my 25 Insider Secrets Everyone Should Know for Optimal Wellness states, “Remember life is a journey, not a race to be won or lost.” We are meant to experience joy, sorrow, love, abundance, scarcity, positives, negatives, etc. to bring meaning and understanding to our existence. Cherish your life lessons, learn from them, teach others and live a present, purposeful and well life.

Happy, healthy New Year!

To Your Wellness!!