Resolution New You #19 - Have your eyes checked

A very special person to me was complaining of frequent headaches for over a year.  Many of us told her it was just her diet and she probably had an allergy to something. We assured her, if she watched what she ate, started exercising, and relaxed a little, her headaches would go away.  (Mind you, none of us are doctors.  We are just the typical internet and health magazine article PhD's.)  Luckily, she was blessed with a friend who took action and made her go to the eye doctor.  The friends diagnosis was, bad vision is definately causing this and you need to get glasses.  When the real cause for the headaches was determined by an eye doctor, those of us closest to her where awakened to how precious our lives are. For what she had, was not an allergy, stress, or poor vision.  She had a tumor in the middle of her brain.  The tumor completely entangled her left optic nerve causing her vision to be weakened.  A normally round and healthy hypothalmus gland was flattened like a quarter.  The reason for her headache was, a meningioma.  

She was scared.  At the young age of 40, she couldn't believe it happened to her, especially since she still was raising her 3 boys, one of which was just 2 years old.   As sad and frightened as she was, her courage and strength prevailed.  She was scheduled for brain surgery a few weeks after the diagnosis at the USC Medical Center.  Dr. Lui performed the miracle of removing the tumor from the exact center of her brain.  After a 7 hour surgery (originally forecasted to be a 3 hour surgery), Caroline awoke.  Her first words were, "Diet Coke." 

Although she is legally blind in her left eye during this recovery time, she is alive and here with us. We pray that her eyesight will be restored within the next two years and she can live in the same manner before her surgery.  Until then, I am so thankful to this day for the friend of hers that made her go to the eye doctor.  She saved her life - and kept our precious hermana y amiga, here with us to raise her boys.   

Visit the American Optometric Association, to learn up-to-date recommendations for proper eye care, and eye exams for a better new you.

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Resolution New You #18 - Grow your own food

"With just one square-foot garden, anyone can cut their food bills, eat better, and reduce their carbon footprint," says Mel Bartholomew.  Plus it's a fun chore for the kids,  reports a recent paper by a Rutgers nutritionist which stated, "gardeners, especially children - become so enthusiastic about their crops that they ate more vegetables and less junk food."  

So how do you know what to plant and when? Visit Gardening How To, for the latest tips and tricks.  Enter to win a complete set of gardening tools to get you started.   Starting small is the key.  Make it a family project on the weekend where each of you get a pot to grow what you would like.  Dads dig the holes, moms arrange the seeds, kids water it down - family eats fresh herbs, fruit and veggies for the rest of the year.  You can't beat that for a better new you.  What are some of your favorite things to grow?

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Resolution New You #17 - Volunteer your time

Now that Tivo exists, we are no longer tied to the broadcasters schedule of when to watch a show.  So that extra hour you receive, volunteer it to someone who really needs your help.  

Starbucks has a new program titled, PLEDGE 5. What if you gave 5 hours to help your community? What if we all did?  If you join the call for national service and pledge 5 volunteer hours between today and January 25th, you will receive a complimentary coffee from Starbucks.  Not to mention the hugs and smiles from the people you helped.  Don't know what to help out with?  Simply enter your zipcode and a list of community events and services appear.  It really is that easy. For a little inspirational video, see the Are you in? video on YouTube.

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Resolution New You #16 - Give yourself a makeover

Is it a compliment when the friends who haven't seen you in 20 years say, "you haven't changed a bit?" or "you look exactly the same!"  I suppose it could be depending how old you were when they last saw you.  A 60-year-old would love to be told she still looked 40, but a 40-year-old woman, might not want to look 20 anymore.  Her skin, yes, but everything else should be madeover to go with all she has learned and become.

So in 2009, a resolution to be a better new you is to get a makeover, and have fun with it.  Go to Nordstrom and talk with their personal shoppers.  They can update your wardrobe with a few classics and trendy pieces you need.  

You can try a new haircolor.  There is a fabulous website offered by iVillage. Simply upload a picture of yourself with your hair pulled back. Then find the shape that best suits your face, and choose the hair color with over 1000 styles to choose from.  You can save each image of your new style and print out to show your friends.  This is a great way, versus going to a wig shop, to try a new look or style.  The website is so detailed, it lets you add makeup, and it adjusts perfectly to the size of your eyes and lips.  Then once you find that new look, bring it to your stylist and become a new you! It is so fun, you have to try.

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Resolution New You #15 - Prepare your Legacy

It is time to finally get a family trust or will for you and your family. You will have peace of mind that your loved ones, your property, and your assets you have worked so hard for, are protected.  

If you have property or value for anything in your life you do not want to see go to the IRS, get a living trust.  Many people do not know the difference between a will and a living trust but one of the contributing factors in determining which is right for you will be a term called probate. If you establish a will, upon your death, your estate will go into probate - the official proving of a will. (This is the court administered process of dividing up one's assets in an "orderly" fashion. Most often this is an "orderly" process costs your estate time, money, and makes your estate a public record.)

A living trust on the other hand eliminates probate.  A living trust is actually a pretty straightforward device. It is simply a separate entity (analogous to a corporation) which holds your assets. You retain complete control over your assets while you are alive and mentally competent. Upon your incapacity or death another person (called the "trustee") steps into your shoes and manages your assets for you. This trustee can be a relative, a friend, or a professional fiduciary (like a bank). Avoiding the probate process is critical, as your trustee can distribute your assets in an expedient manner to your heirs.

After you have learned all there is to learn about which is right for you and your financial circumstances at http://www.californiaprobate.info/willtrust.htm, start gathering your assets, talk to a family member or friend about the future of your children, and protect your legacies.

An attorney can handle your arrangements, or you can try LegalZoom, which is an online service I find to be extremely professional and informative.

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Resolution New You #14 - Take a class

No matter how one may think himself accomplished, when he sets out to learn a new language, science, or the bicycle, he has entered a new realm as truly as if he were a child newly born into the world.  ~Frances Willard, How I Learned to Ride the Bicycle 

Following are a list of classes you can take that will make you a better New You in 2009!  

Tennis

Golf

Cooking

Photography

Quilting

Knitting

Scuba Diving

Dance

No excuses.  Just do it.  

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Resolution New You #13 - Make a New Recipe

They say variety is the spice of life.  I think this statement usually applies to The Bachelor or a bachelors mindset.  In this blog, I am referring to spicing up your weekly dinner plans for a better new you.  Hopefully you have some staples in your repertoire of dinners that your spouse enjoys, such as, tacos, spaghetti, meatloaf - don't replace those.  Men like their favorite foods.   Simply, add a new meal to the mix.  With the internet, it is easier than ever to get a last minute recipe. But if you plan ahead you can turn it into a date night.  On this blog, 30 days of..., you can find quick recipes guaranteed to make your hubby happy. New Recipes will be posted in February 2009. Until then here is a recipe that is quick and easy, and delicious.

Baby Back Ribs

One pack of Baby Back Ribs (pork) 

KC Masterpiece BBQ Sauce (or his favorite BBQ sauce) 

1 can beer

Put the baby back ribs into a crock pot FROZEN.  

Add the beer and 1/2 bottle of the BBQ sauce.

Cook on Low (7-8 hours before you plan to eat.)

Serve with baked beans, corn bread, and his favorite veggie and you will be on your way to looking at a happy man.

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Resolution New You #12 - Make it personal

These days many of us communicate via email, Facebook, or my favorite,  texts. However, you can't hear a laugh, see a smile, or feel a hug with electronic communication. The smiley face icon, the multiple exclamation points, and the electronic greeting card just doesn't compare to the real deal.  To be a better you in the new year, make your communication more personal - send a card, pick up the telephone, schedule a lunch. It will make a difference to the person receiving it and you will feel good about what you did. Also, get in the habit of sending out greeting cards again.  To the right is a "special occasion book."  You can fill the book at the beginning of every year with cards for the people you want to remember - available at Hallmark Stores.

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Resolution New You #11 - Know your cholesterol

Do you know your cholesterol levels?  Do you know how cholesterol affects your health?  Take this brief 10-question quiz provided by the American Red Cross and see how much you know. I learned I didn't know much.  Products that come from animals, including fatty red meat, egg yolks, butter, cheese, and whole milk, are foods that are high in cholesterol. There are also foods that are high in saturated fats and trans fat, which can also raise your level of LDL (bad) cholesterol such as muffins, and other processed baked goods. 

In a way, they have a similar effect on your body as eating things that are high in cholesterol.  What happens to our arteries is simulated in the image to the left which is known as atherosclerosis. When too much LDL (bad) cholesterol circulates in the blood, it can slowly build up in the inner walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain. Together with other substances, it can form plaque, a thick, hard deposit that can narrow the arteries and

 make them less flexible.  If a clot forms and blocks a narrowed artery, a heart attack or stroke can result. 

If the above picture doesn't make you want to give up the meat, baked goods and dairy in your diet, then watch this hysterical video to see how the eggs feel about you eating them.  

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Resolution New You #10 - Plan a vacation

I realize it is the beginning of the year and we should be focusing on work - not vacation, however, now is the time to schedule your trip and take advantage of the great deals.  Try somewhere new this year or begin a tradition and take the family to an island in the spring.

The Island of Maui is gorgeous.  From February to May, you can see the whales migrate from your very own condo.  We have stayed at the KAHANA OUTRIGGER and you can't beat the price, the comfort, or the location, especially if you travel with 3 couples. (This vacation rental by owner is a relative's so you can trust it is reputable.)

Or try a dude ranch.  In Texas, they have over 95 dude ranches great for kids of all ages.  

For skiiers, Lake Tahoe is ideal. The Marriot's Timber Lodge at Heavenly is near the lake, the casinos, horseback riding stables, the longest zip line in the states, and the gondola is right out the front door.  You can ski to your room.

In honor of this years historical events, plan a trip to Washington DC.  

Taking the time to treat yourself to some fun and relaxation will make you a better you.  So plan now, then work hard so you can go relax.  

In the meantime, where are some of your favorite places to go?

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