NEAT & SIMPLE LIVING

Trouble Sleeping? 12 Tips to Get a Good Night's Sleep

When you have trouble sleeping, do you reach for sleep aids to cure your insomnia? You are not alone. I used Tylenol PM and Melatonin for years to help me sleep.  

But did you know that the consequences of "chronic" sleep aid use can be devastating to your health?

Did you know that chronic lack of sleep aggravates and/or can even cause:

•  ADD-like symptoms such as distractibility and impulsivity?
• depression?
• negative attitudes?
• difficulty dealing with stress?
• poor school and job performance?
• chronic fatigue? 
• muscle pain?
• loss of immune function?
• obesity?
• increased risk taking behavior?
• increased self-medication and risk of addiction?
• difficulty managing emotions?
• difficulty making decisions?
• difficulty organizing?
• accidents?
• difficulty learning? 
• poor memory?

Making Peace with Your Morning Routines - Like Getting Dressed!

Today, I'm going to share with you one of the articles I wrote in response to a Getting Unstuck coaching group, member's forum question.  

Thanks to Sandy G for asking the Question:

"My hours and days vary week to week, so it's hard to get a routine going for myself, which has always been hard anyway. Any suggestions for me?"

I know everyone's case of difficulty with morning routines is not like mine, but I'm going to get real personal here and share my excruciating struggle with implementing a morning routine and getting dressed every day so that I could be on time and prepared for my days. 

Food, Inc. The BIG Profits in Poor Nutrition

To me, you can't truly live a Neat & Simple lifestyle if you don't feel well and healthy most of the time.  I see it so often in my clients, friends and family that struggle with excessive clutter and chronic disorganization. 

Clutter and disorganization are almost always, symptoms of deeper underlying emotional and / or chronic health issues such as chronic pain, depression, chronic fatigue, obesity, fybromyalgia, ADHD and poor nutrition.  In fact, I think you would be hard pressed to find anyone who is chronically ill that has eaten a long term really healthy diet free of chemicals, artificial sweeteners, sugar, transfats, high fructose corn-syrup, low in gluten, and high in unprocessed vegetables, fruit, whole grain and protein sources. 

I grew up on a primarily highly processed chemical laden diet courtesy of the "surplus food" program provided by welfare before they had food stamps.  The stuff was crap.  Powdered eggs, highly processed "cheese product", pastas, anything you could dry and preserve with lots of cheap chemicals.

The only times I ate well as a kid were when I ate at my grandmother's house.  She cooked mostly whole food, though she did engage me in my former addictions of ice cream and popcorn.  Every Sunday we would go for a "Sunday drive" to get ice cream, and then come home to watch Ed Sullivan and eat a HUGE bowl of popcorn while we played cards.

But I digress. What I really want to do here is reach out to those of you want to feel better and improve your health by improving your nutrition, but find it really difficult to stop buying and eating the enticing and highly addictive substances companies like to call "food."

This trailer for the documentary Food, Inc. will make it a lot easier to motivate youself to start voting with your dollars and make Food corporations more accountable what they put into our food supply.  And of course, the movie will make an even better ally in your campaign to release your junk food cravings!!

Similar Movies to Inspire You (Descriptions from Netflix.com)

Super Size Me(2004) PG-13   (Now showing free with your Netflix Membership)

On the heels of recent lawsuits against McDonald's, director Morgan Spurlock takes a hilarious and often terrifying look at the effects of fast food on the human body, using himself as the proverbial guinea pig. For one month, Spurlock eats nothing but McDonald's, ordering everything on the menu and "super-sizing" his order whenever asked. The result is a sobering examination of the line between personal and corporate responsibility.

Fast Food Nation(2006) R 

Richard Linklater's fictional tale (inspired by Eric Schlosser's 2001 book of the same name) critiques the junk-food juggernaut that's arguably responsible for America's alarming obesity rates. Don Henderson (Greg Kinnear), a corporate exec of a national fast-food chain, follows beef's journey from the corrals to the slaughterhouses and ultimately to your stomach. The power cast includes Ethan Hawke, Patricia Arquette and Bruce Willis.

The Corporation(2004) UR

Filmmakers Mark Achbar and Jennifer Abbott explore the genesis of the American corporation, its global economic supremacy and its psychopathic leanings, with social critics like Noam Chomsky and Milton Friedman lending insight in this documentary. With their merciless quest for profit and insatiable aim to sway every aspect of culture, conglomerates' inner workings are scrutinized to draw conclusions about "business as usual."

Related Articles on this Blog

Cracking the Overeating Code - Interview with Dr. David Kessler

ADD-Friendly Tips for Healthy Eating: Veggies, Butter and Self-medicating with Food

Sugar linked to depression, severe PMS, arthritis, ADD, autism, asperger's, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, yeast infections...

Related Books I Recommend

The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite by David Kessler

Going Against the Grain: How Reducing and Avoiding Grains Can Revitalize Your Health By Melissa Smith

Sugar Shock!: How Sweets and Simple Carbs Can Derail Your Life-- and How YouCan Get Back on Track By Connie Bennett, Stephen Sinatra

Hope you find lots of inspiration in these resources as I have!

Sign up for my Getting Unstuck News & Notes and Get FREE Ebooks!

Cracking the Overeating Code - Interview with Dr. David Kessler

Here's a MUST READ blog post for anyone who struggles with overeating....

Janice Taylor, weight loss coach, hypnotherapist, and author of All Is Forgiven, Move On interviews Dr. David Kessler, author of, The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite (one of my new favorite books) on the Huffington Post

My favorite quote from the interview:

Dr. David Kessler

"The food industry is a for-profit business. Their business model is to pull out all the bells and whistles, load the food with multiple layers of salt, fat and sugar, thus creating what I call "carnival food." This carnival atmosphere keeps us wanting and coming back for more.

The food industry's first priority is to make their foods as highly 'palatable' and appealing as possible. They discovered that certain foods can and do keep us eating and eating, with no end in sight."

_________________

So many people think that food wouldn't be sold if it was really bad for you.  The truth is that most food companies care far more about profit than how nutritious their food is.  In fact, if they are a publicly traded stock, by law, their NUMBER ONE concern is profitability for their shareholders.

My question is, how long does it take to restore your system to good chemical health when you were raised on an over 80% processed food diet AND spent nearly 45 years eating that crap? 

__________________ 

2nd favorite quote:

"Palatability refers to how food engages our senses. Is it cold? Creamy? Does it smell good, and does it taste good? Usually, the most palatable foods contain layer upon layer of fat, sugar and salt. The combination of these factors can and do stimulate the neurons, which are the basic cells in the brain. The brain responds to these highly palatable, rewarding and pleasurable foods by firing electrical signals and releasing brain neurons that are encoded with 'palatability.'

Our brains are being excessively activated - bombarded throughout the day - by food cues. Food cues include the actual food we eat, as well as external cues such as anchors to time of day, location, sound and sight. These cues activate the brain, grab its attention, arousal sets in and it drives consumption.

It's important to understand that when we think of the word 'palatable,' we think of something that tastes good. When the food industry uses that word, they are primarily referring to the food's capacity to stimulate the appetite and prompt us to eat excessively."

 

_________________

The implications of this are enormous - especially for ADDers like myself who have difficulty controlling their attention in the first place.  How long before these food conglomerates get the same treatment the tobacco companies did for DELIBERATELY manimpulating their products to CREATE AND/OR ENHANCE ADDICTION?? 

The greatest power you have right now is to:

• stop watching commercials if you possibly can. 
• minimize your exposure to advertising in TV and Movies
• STOP buying any products you find difficult to resist 
• Get someone else to do grocery shopping for you for a month or two to help you detox (Many grocery stores offer online shopping and delivery.  This can be a GREAT tool in controlling what you buy.) 
• Shop at smaller grocery stores that emphasize fresh food.  Whole foods at least does not sell products with transfats in them (one of the most addictive substances)  

Not sure if writing to crongressman and senators would help, but surely in a profit driven world, you DO vote with your dollars.  You stop buying a product and start buying healthier choices and eventually they will get the message. 

Any other suggestions from readers would be most appreciated....I'm sure there are lots more ways you can make a difference!

Yours in Organizing for Health!

p.s.  There is still time to register for our July Getting Unstuck Program which starts July 9!

p.p.s Here the link to the orginal post: 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/janice-taylor/is-the-food-industry-mani_b_226463.html

 

ADD-Friendly Tips for Healthy Eating: Veggies, Butter and Self-medicating with Food - Am I the only one?

With the holidays coming up, and realizing that over the summer I actually gained weight, I'm super-focussed and motivated to NOT gain weight and yes, I'm determined to actually LOSE Weight.  Call me crazy, but I have to do this. When it comes to healthy eating, I have spent a lifetime struggling with yo-yo dieting and trying to develop healthy eating habits so that I can maintain a reasonable weight.  And I have a feeling I'm not alone in this.  Especially since reading Pieces of a Puzzle: The Link Between Eating Disorders and ADD and taking a class on the  ADD Classes site called "AD/HD and Eating  Disorders" with Dr. Patricia Quinn.

I have worked so hard at eliminating clutter foods and breaking my food addictions and bad habits that I now understand were / are ADD-related. I'll get into this more in future posts as I work to overcome these issues, but for today I want to recap and then focus on veggies and butter.  Over the last 10 years, I have:

• Quit sugar and overcame my sugar addiction a few years ago 
• Learned to drink only water, tea and coffee.  I stopped drinking soda and juices 10 years ago.
• Cut out all but a few pre-packaged foods and use much less salt.
• Overcome my Gluten Addiction and learned to limit my gluten (breads and pastas) to a couple times a month and usually only in restaurants.
• Stopped using anything with transfat and stopped buying margarine. (they are allowed to say "no transfat" if they have just under 1 gram per teaspoon or tablespoon.  How ridiculous is that?

To give up margarine, I had switched to butter. Now I realize that may not have been my best idea ever.  : ) I have discovered that I have a "fat tooth"!  In particular, I have developed addictive behavior around butter -especially on my vegetables! It was getting out of hand. So, I recently decided to quit butter! The most challenging part for me was eating veggies with nothing on them. I hate to admit it, but I used to drown them in butter.  But not anymore!

I recently discovered frozen "steamable" veggies that come in a bag you can just stick in the microwave for 4-5 mins. They come out perfect and incredibly delicious every time! In fact, the broccoli and brussell sprouts and carrots even taste sweet to me! Even with no butter and very little salt.  It's like a dream come true. It's perfect for people like me who have ADD and often leave things burning on the stove, or have difficulty "activating" to cook a healthy meal.

I still prepare fresh veggies too, but on those days when I can't wrap my head around all the steps to cooking a meal, it's so nice to have a variety of "Steam in Bags" available in the freezer. They even have single serving sizes now! When I use the bigger bags, I have half for dinner and I can either save the other half for dinner tomorrow, or have the other half later as a healthy snack! The really neat thing is that the 12 oz bag of broccoli for example is only 125 calories!  And the smaller portion bags make it so much easier to control portions.

It's made a big difference for me and I'm finally starting to lose weight! 

Next Demons to conquer?  These following will be my focus for the next few months.

1.  CHEESE - I have no power over cheese. Probably because of the fat and salt content. This will be almost as hard as quitting sugar for me. It's such a satisfying fast food! 

2.  NIGHT EATING - I have got to conquer the night eating that results from "self-medicating" ADD related hyperactivity. I've got to stop using food to manage my energy and calm me down.  Why does being "hungry" or "not full" cause me to have so much energy I can't sleep?   

Anyone else have experience with this?  Have you overcome these issues?  I would love to hear from you, particularly if you have ADD and struggle with night eating as a way to mange your energy levels and help you sleep! 

Would also love to hear any tips you have to make healthy eating ULTRA-SIMPLE and easy? 

How do you avoid overeating during the holidays?

RELATED POSTS BY ME:

• Organizing for Your Health: Fast Foods That are Surprisingly Healthy!
• How can you Lose Weight, Eat Healthier, Reduce Kitchen Clutter & Give a GREAT gift?
• ADD ADHD Found to Have Huge Impact on Ability to Follow Weight Loss Program!
• ALL posts on Organizing for Health and Healthy Eating

NEWS FLASH!! ADD ADHD Found to Have Huge Impact on Ability to Follow Weight Loss Program!

Last week I participated in a class on the  ADD Classes site called "AD/HD and Eating Disorders" with Dr. Patricia Quinn, who for the last decade, has devoted her attention professionally to the issues confronting girls and women with ADD (ADHD or AD/HD).

Finally, someone is looking into why so many women have trouble following a normal eating & exercise routine.  Dr. Quinn describes several recent studies that followed women who were being treated at an Obesity Clinic for lifelong issues with weight control.

In one study over 40% of them had undiagnosed ADD (ADHD or AD/HD)! Once they were treated for the ADD, they were able to successfully lose weight.   Her one hour class covers many types of eating disorders including Anorexia, Bulimia, Binge Eating, and Night Eating, all of which have been found to have a very high proportion of undiagnosed ADD (ADHD or AD/HD). 

If you want to hear the recorded class, AD/HD and Eating Disorders you can sign up at ADD Classes For only 9.95 a month you'll get access to the entire library of hundreds of classes and you can download them to listen on your MP3 player too!

Sign up at ADD Classes   - there is no risk, or long term contract, you can drop your subscription at anytime.

Dr. Quinn's class not only provides information about the studies but also answers questions about which kinds of ADD (ADHD or AD/HD) treatments have been most effective in help women with different eating disorders. The Q & A session with Dr. Quinn is extremely informative and practical. 

HOW THIS CLASS HAS HELPED ME

This class has changed my life forever. As someone who has yo-yo'd and struggled with weight control most of my life, and has tried every program out there, I couldn't believe how she described parts of my history with weight almost as if she knew me.  This led me to go to Dr. Omilian, a D.O. who treats ADD / ADHD here in NJ to see if I had undiagnosed ADD.  Turns out I do. 

All my life, my "creative" organizing methods and insights were driven by my own inability to organize using traditional, complicated, inefficient methods that require a lot of maintenance.  Little did I know I was developing my own "compensating structures" for ADD / ADHD that allowed me to be successful in life at everything BUT long-term weight maintenance.  Organizing to lose weight is probably the toughest organizing job there is. 

My ADD / ADHD is relatively mild and has not caused me the severe problems ADD causes for some people - though it does explain many of the life problems I've had to overcome. I believe the reason I was able to conquer many of my issues on my own is due to my extremely high need to achieve results which motivated me to use my creativity to organize for success. 

Luckily, I'm also a student of personality types and understood that "one size does not fit all". I have always known I was a creative type that needed non-traditional organizing methods.  If I tried a traditional planner, calendar or tickler file system or a filing system that I didn't maintain well, I didn't feel like a failure, I just invented my own system and kept at it till I found a way that did work for me. 

Regarding weight control, I've been successful using my creativity to help me plan healthy meals & snacks during the day, I've quit sugar and gluten, lower salt intake, stop drinking soda, and even to quit smoking.  I also organized my shopping routine so that I eat mostly unprocessed foods but still can be spontaneous.  But so far, I haven't been able to completely control my impulsive night eating and cravings for high fat foods.  That is a hallmark of ADD related eating. Now that I've started medication for ADD that curbs impulsivity, I'm already noticing a HUGE difference in my ability to plan what I eat and stick to it - even at night. 

COULD GETTING TREATED FOR ADD AVOID NEED FOR BYPASS SURGERY?

I know this story is just the beginning of my journey to conquer weight control, but I wanted to share it on my blog in hopes that it may inspire other women to make sure they have tried everything else to help them lose weight before resorting to gastric bypass. 

I had considered getting a gastric bypass several years ago but decided not to because I am extremely healthy and did not want to risk my health and high energy levels. I know so many woman who experienced serious complications and whose health and energy declined after getting a bypass.  To be successful in the long term with a bypass, you must be able to follow a healthy eating & exercise program. That's why so many women end up regaining their weight two years after the bypass. 

If I can help relatively healthy women like me avoid doing something as radical as gastric bypass when the real problem is untreated ADD, exposing my personal issues with weight will have been worth it. Don't get me wrong, bypass is a great option for people who have serious life threatening health issues like high blood pressure etc.  but if your primary problem is sticking to an eating and exercise routine, I encourage you to find out if you might have ADD (ADHD) before getting a bypass.  The right treatment and the right ADD Coach might be what you really need.

MORE ABOUT DR. QUINN , WOMEN AND ADD / ADHD

Dr. Patricia Quinn has worked for over 28 years in the areas of ADHD appeared in the video aired on PBS titled, OUTSIDE IN: A Look at Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder.

Her 1999 book, Understanding Girls with ADHD, was co-authored with Drs. Nadeau and Littman and is groundbreaking in its presentation of this population. She was also co-editor of ADDvance: A Magazine for Women with ADD and is co-founder and currently the director of the non-profit organization, The National Center for Gender Issues and ADHD. In 2002, Dr. Quinn co-edited with her partner, Dr. Nadeau, two volumes on these important topics, Understanding Women with ADHD and the only text for clinicians, Gender Issues and ADHD: Research, Diagnosis, and Treatment.

ARTICLES

Diet and Weight Management Strategies for Adults with ADD (ADHD) by Kathleen G. Nadeau, Ph.D.

The ADHD-Friendly Diet by Kathleen Nadeau, Ph.D., Suzanne Rostler, R.D.

MORE ABOUT ADD CLASSES

I LOVE ADD Classes. They have been extremely helpful to me in recommending organizing solutions that work for my ADD & ADHD clients. Personally, audio is a great way for me to learn.  I download them and listen when I travel in my car.  Makes my trips go quickly, especially those long trips we take to Virginia to see my husband's family.  Learning while driving also helps me reduce stress in traffic.

Listen to an Audio Clip describing the ADD Audio Teleclass Library!

A few Audio Class Topics
- Daily Routines for ADD / ADHD
- Decision Making with ADD / ADHD
- Managing Adult ADD / ADHD
- Life Balance with Adult ADD / ADHD
- Help! My Partner has ADD / ADHD
- Parenting a Child with ADD / ADHD
- Many Many More!

Cause of Autism is Closer to Being Understood!

This news story on the latest Autism research was submitted by Alice Price a professional organizer in Long Island NY who like me belongs to the NSGCD  National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization!

I hope you find this helpful!

Organizing can be Hazardous to Your Health

Thank you all for stopping by and commenting and bearing with me while I haven't been posting the last couple weeks.  One of the professional hazards I've discovered is that working in people's homes to go through their clutter and get organized can sometimes be a health hazard.  For me particularly, I'm prone to upper respiratory infections. Partly because I used to be a smoker.  I have been smoke-free for over 10 years, but 25 years of smoking left its mark on my lungs. Even though I quit often and was not a heavy smoker because it bothered my lungs even then, during my last year of smoking, I had chronic bronchitis and had to use an inhaler because I had asthma-like episodes where I could barely breathe.  So now, even though I'm MUCH improved, I'm still susceptible to lung, sinus and throat infections.  And this past couple weeks I was laid out with a whopper.

The thing is, clutter is a great dust collector.  And lots and lots of dust gets stirred up when organizing.  In addition, all too often we even find the ugly evidence that rodents have been there before us feasting on the paper and old boxes that people use to store things. And of course after they eat...they eliminate and leave it whereever. Eewww.  In case you weren't aware, cardboard and paper contain cellulose which is like sugar to rodents and insects, especially if it gets wet or damp.  And where there has been water damage, of course there is also lots of mildew and mold.

I'm telling you all this because earlier this week I started feeling better.  So I kept my Monday and Tuesday appts. to help a client and her kids declutter their garage and basement. They are all such sweethearts I had to do it, even though I knew it was a risk.

There was nearly 30 years of accumulated clutter AND there had been water in the basement - more than once - over the last few years.  Below is a photo of what we found after clearing out a 6 feet high mound of clutter that was on top. You can click on it to see it larger. 

The bags were still full of soaking wet clothing, and that brown thing you see there covered with mold and mildew used to be a leather purse - and the black thing used to be a boot. Unfortunately, the next day I totally relapsed and have been out of commission till today.

Even with taking precautions, working in conditions like this can be bad for your health. But imagine what living in these conditions can do to your health?  These kinds of conditions often cause chronic illnesses, worsen ADD, cause depression, and more.  Poor air quality can lead to feelings of lethargy, tiredness, inability to concentrate, freqent sinus and respiratory infections and more.

My husband, friends and family sometimes think I'm crazy for doing this work but when I see people living in such pain and they are so ready to change and let go I just have to help!  I know that part of the reason they need help to get started is that sometimes the cluttered environment itself is causing them to not be able to get started on their own.

So in spite of the risks, I still feel compelled to help people dig their way out. Even if I do get sick now and then.   Because even though organizing can be hazardous to your health, NOT organizing and extensive cluttering is even worse.

MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT

The two days we spent working on this cleanout project was just the beginning.  Luckily we had a great team from 1-800-Got-Junk (see photo belolow) who did all the heavy lifting and hauling for us. We eliminated 2 full truckloads of junk and several carloads went to donation.   

The photo below is from the garage.  I love the irony of the "Shopping is Fun" bag down there in the left corner. Some people look at this and think, "what a mess."  I look at it and think, "what a tremendous amount of buried emotional pain." 

It's often a shock to people when they find out how much time it takes and how much it costs to haul away this kind of extensive clutter.  This project will cost thousands.  Not a great way to start your retirement years.

I urge you.  If you are using your living space to store stuff you don't really use, or if you have starting making mini-mountains of stuff in your storage spaces, do whatever you have to do to start addressing it now.  The solution will only become more and more difficult and more and more expensive. Here are a few tips to get started.

Start letting go of whatever you can. Let go of all the stuff that's easy to let go of.  It's okay to do it in waves, just get started. 

Some people find it helpful to set a goal like 3 items per day.  In looking for the 3, they usually find lots more. 

Some people like to tackle one corner, one drawer or one cabinet per day.  Just open the drawer and pull out everything you don't need and either donate it or trash it.

Things do accumulate when you've been sick or on vacation or whatever.  Life happens and you can't always be organized and clutter-free.  The trick for me is to have regular catch up sessions.  In fact, after 2 weeks of being sick, I better go start catching up on my Inbox right now.   : )

Sugar on CBS NEWS!

One of the reasons I often discuss the ill effects of sugar on this blog is that Sugar is known to be strongly linked to worsening or even causing depression, severe PMS, arthritis, ADD, autism, asperger's, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, yeast infections and much much more.  All of which have a very serious affect on your ability to focus and get organized.

Personally - quitting sugar made dramatic improvements in my health and in my life overall.  Whenever I backslide and eat more than a teaspoon or 2 of sugar - within days I become moody and irritable, have difficulty focusing, feel overwhelmingly sad, have difficulty sleeping and feel overall joint pain. After a year and a half off sugar, I'm still amazed at the harmful effects it has.

Connie Bennett, C.H.H.C., author of Sugar Shock, and my inspiration for letting go of sugar, was recently featured on CBS News Sunday Morning during a segment in which they spent a whole 8 minutes on our skyrocketing sugar consumption and related health problems.  If you missed the CBS News Sunday Morning segment it's not too late!
You can view it online here

http://cbs2.com/health/health_story_168113516.html

According to Connie's newsletter, there was:

"one major glaring error in the piece regarding sugar consumption figures. Americans consume 142 pounds per year (or possibly as high as 170 pounds) per person of caloric sweeteners such as sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, etc. That figure does not include artificial sweeteners as was reported in the CBS News Sunday Morning piece.

Actually, according to the Calorie Control Council 180 million American adults (as of 2004) consume low-calorie and sugar-free sodas, other beverages and foods using five different sugar substitutes approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration--saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame-K, sucralose and neotame.

Which, of course, begs the question: Are these sugar substitutes safe to consume? This is one of the most Frequently Asked Questions I answer in SUGAR SHOCK! (I had to cover this, because while researching my book, thousands of people kept asking me if they cut out or reduced their sugar intake, was it OK to drink or eat foods with these sugar substitutes.)

Frankly, I was shocked at what I learned! Health experts urged me to warn my readers that questions have been raised about the safety of every single artificial sweetener on the market!! - despite repeated claims of safety from the FDA and the companies creating them...

By the way, in SUGAR SHOCK!, you also can learn about what some experts call a "paradoxical weight gain" that some people experience when ingesting foods with artificial sweeteners. Yeah, consuming artificial sweeteners can actually PACK ON THE POUNDS instead of peel them off!

Shocking, eh? Anyhow, you can learn about artificial sweeteners and a whole lot more by getting SUGAR SHOCK! here now."

You can get Connie's newsletter on her blog here.

Is it worth trying to change? If so, how can you make change easier?

Wednesday, I wrote about the myth of changing habits in 21 days and touched on whether or not it's worth trying to change. Changing anything, not just habits, can creates a tremendous amount of stress for some people. Assessing what habits are worth changing is part of self-acceptance and self-esteem.  It takes a strong sense of self and a steady character to resist the forces out there that make you feel like there is something wrong with you if you don't do things their way! 

Although some people thrive on change, and some are even addicted to change, even good change can create a lot of cognitive dissonance, confusion, and emotional pain. Think about the last time you rearranged your furniture.  It may have taken a couple days to not bump into things.  When I moved my office, as much as I loved it, after 5 years of going in one direction, it felt a little weird at first to come up the stairs and go in the opposite direction. But it was so worth it! 

What makes changes worthwhile? In large part, it's the degree of reward or the payoff you believe you will get once you assimilate the change - how much you care about that payoff - and how painful you perceive the change to be.  Better health, Less Stress, Peace of Mind, Better Performance Reviews at Work, Happier Marriage all are wonderful goals, but if the pain you experience in trying to make the desired change is greater, you won't succeed in changing - unless you can minimize the pain, or how you perceive the pain.

Once you decide to change, "changing" is actually a process which has predictable phases you can anticipate and emotionally and physically prepare for.  The phases of change are Initiation, Disorientation, Reorientation, and Integration.  Each of these is discussed below.

1.  Initiation - One factor that greatly affects the stress level you feel during change is whether or not you initiate the change or someone else is requiring you to change as in a job layoff, or a spouse giving you an ultimatum to lose the clutter or get divorced.  For this discussion, I'm going to assume you want to change.  There is a whole other level of difficulty in accepting changes that are thrust up on you.

2. Disorientation - This is the most challenging phase and can make or break your success in changing. The degree of disorientation and/or pain you feel during this stage is directly proportional to:

• The degree of the magnitude of the change.
• How much you are in control of the change.
• How compatible the change is with your core beliefs
• How well you are meeting your conscious AND unconscious needs
• How entrenched the old habits are or how long you've had the things
• How right for your innate personality and preferences the change is
• How risk averse you are
• How much you need to be in control
• How ready you are for the change

Feelings during this stage are relative to how much you want the change and how deeply your old habits are ingrained. 

The Role of Unconscious Needs

One of the biggest obstacles to change people face is unconscious needs.  You can learn about your true inner needs by trying to change! For example, holding on clutter may be meeting a need to avoid social contact that you don't realize you have till you no longer have the clutter.  Or perhaps you have a deep security need, or a fear that you are unaware of till you try to change.  There could even be a genetic component that is compelling you to hold on to the way things are.  Some of us are born risk takers willing to take the chance "we might need that someday".  Or perhaps we have a deep sense of security that allows us to belief that our needs will always be met.  When our unconscious needs conflict with what we want, change is more challenging.

The Role of Beliefs

Another major source of disorientation in this phase is our beliefs.  For example, when trying to let go of things, some people believe they are "losing a part of themselves"  or that "things have feelings so they need a good home to go to" or that "it would be a waste to throw away something functional" (in fact, you aren't using it, you are also "wasting" it.) These beliefs lead to intense fears and often are simply not true. But we are emotionally attached to our beliefs and they can be very difficult to change.

When you try to change, your unconscious needs & beliefs surface and can cause feelings of anger, denial, and anxiety. Unless you have truly changed the underlying beliefs, and /or find another way to meet your unconcious needs, there will often be some kind of pain and this can manifest itself in some very negative ways, even beyond backsliding, like substance abuse or developing a new addiction.

That's why even self-initiated changes such as quitting smoking can cause intense feelings of anger, denial, and anxiety - no matter how much you want to change! 

Denial is often involved in backsliding.  You tell yourself, just one cigarette won't matter, etc.  This is the phase where emotional and environmental support is critical.  For example, if you are trying to quit smoking, you may need a support group.  If you are trying to exercise on a regular basis you may need a friend or personal trainer to motivate you through the change.

In the organizing realm, you may need a professional organizer.  A lot of what I do as a professional organizer is help people minimize the pain of this phase by helping them:

• Become aware of their deeper attitudes and beliefs toward their things and toward organizing so they can change them to more productive beliefs
• Reframe their relationships to their things before letting them go
• Design change so that it works with their natural style as much as possible
• Make their environment support the change by redesigning the layout, changing the  things that are in it, and even by decorating - changing paint colors, etc. - to make the space they operate in more attractive.
• Hold their future vision so they stay motivated to get through to the other side of side of change. 
• Reward themselves for their efforts and their successes
• Integrate joy into the process wherever possible!

There actually can be joy experienced in this phase if you try to make it so!!

3. Reorientation - This is where the change starts to really take root.  Let's use the "quit smoking" habit again.  When I quit, I mean, after the many, many times I quit, it tooks years for me to stop craving a cigarette when I saw others smoking.  Thankfully, it did finally happen.  For me, the strategy I used was to make myself hate smoking was to smoke a very stale cigarette when I just couldn't resist smoking. It would make me gag and feel nauseous and the cravings eventually stopped. You don't always need to be this radical, but it worked for me!  : )   During this phase you start experiencing the benefits of the change and no longer mourn the loss of the way things used to be.

4. Integration - This is where the change becomes so ingrained, you can barely remember the way it used to be.  You know, like when people say they can't imagine life without their kids.  Or when after you've moved a couple miles from where you used to live, you stop going on automatic pilot to your old house.  Or when you never think about smoking at all and can't even remember why you liked it.  Okay that may be a little exaggeration, but I'm sure you get my drift here!

It's important to note that this model describes successful change.  But not all changes are successful. And not all should be!  Some things we should never get used to if we can help it.  Like habits that are abusive or unhealthy.

But understanding this model can help you identify your obstacles to making the personal changes you want to make.  By preparing to give yourself the support you need to make each phase successful, you can change.  Sometimes you need an external support system...and there is nothing wrong with getting the support you need!  And sometimes, you need to:

Accept the things you cannot change;
Have the Courage to change the things you can;
and have the Wisdom to know what not to bother trying to change!

Wishing you many successful changes!

Organizing for Your Health: Fast Foods That are Surprisingly Healthy!

One of the top reasons people give for not eating healthy is that it takes too much time to prepare healthy food.  Since I stopped eating gluten 2 years ago and quit sugar in December 2005 I've been working on ways to eat healthier without spending too much time menu planning and cooking.  The criteria I used for choosing healthy fast foods are:

• Sugar Free (Not because they say so…but because there really isn’t any sugar of any kind including artificial sweeteners in the list of ingredients!)
• Gluten Free (not made with wheat products - If I list something that is healthy in every other way but has gluten - I’ll note that it is not Gluten-Free)
• Low or no Salt / Sodium
• No chemicals or preservatives or food dyes
• No transfats

Note:  MANY organic foods are loaded with Sugar - look on the label for evaporated cane juice, honey, molasses, raw sugar, etc.  It’s a myth that they are any better for you that white sugar!

Here's our list.  I wish it was longer!  But that gives you an idea just how insidious and pervasive hi salt hi sweetener foods are in our grocery stores.

FROZEN FRUIT & VEGETABLES -  This may seem obvious, but if it's that obvious, why do people say it's hard to eat healthy? We use frozen fruits to make ice creams with our Vitamix in less than 2 minutes.  Use this link to get FREE shipping ($25 value) on a Vitamix if you choose to get one. Frozen veggies are 1000 times healthier for you than canned because they don't have all the salt added.  And they taste much better.

Dried Fuit such as Just Strawberries   (Courtesy of Jeri Dansky)

Fresh Bagged Salads - I always have a bag or 2 in the fridge and I keep a little salad kit in a clear container in the fridge.  It has: Salad dressing, nuts, tofu grated pecorino cheese, tomotaoes, carrots and anything else I buy to go with the salad so I can make a salad really quickly.

Greek Yogurt by FAGE - This stuff is awesome! It tastes way better than regular plain yogurt and has no sugar.  It tastes like sour cream so I also use it as a dip for no salt sweet potato chips by Terra!

TOPPS Brand Frozen Turkey Burgers (Believe it or not, these are the ONLY turkey burgers we have found that have nothing at all added.  Just 100% Turkey - All the “seasoned” ones have sugar & salt added)

TOPPS Brand Frozen Hamburgers - Same thing.  These are the only frozen hamburgers we found without additives of some kind. 

STEAK-Umms - These are pure 100% beef.  No added chemicals, salt or sugar.  I was shocked at this one!  My husband loves them.

SWEET POTATOES - They can be microwaved in about 7 minutes.  Just wrap in microwaveable plastic. I know ...it's not very "green" but it realy does make them a lot moister and they taste way better.  The trick is to let them sit for a few minutes before unwrapping.   Larger potatoes will take longer.  If you bake sweet potatoes, they are not only delightfully naturally sweet, they are one of the most nutritious foods you can eat because they contain beta-carotene just like carrots do.  They taste so much better when you don’t add brown sugar to them.  You can also mash them. At StopNShop and some other grocery stores you can buy them pre-wrapped and you have a quick nutritious lunch or snack anytime.

From Cynthia Friedlob, I wrap sweet potatoes in a paper towel to microwave them and the are still nice and moist. I think the trick is not to overcook them. No brown sugar on top, but I like my cinnamon!

EGGS - I recommend Cage Free, Organic, No Hormones or Antibiotics used, Omega 3 eggs preferably with a vegetarian diet.  Eggs are easy to boil and easy to peel if you peel them right after rinsing with cold water.  Keep them in the fridge for a really convenient protein snack. For a quick lunch or dinner, I take a bag of frozen corn, thaw it by pouring warm water over it in a colander, then sautee it in butter and sometimes garlic or parmesan or whatever I'm in the mood for.  I set aside half and put it in the fridge for later.  Then I add eggs to the corn and scramble it.  You can also add mushroom, onions anything other leftover veggies and you have a delicious and REALLY quick healthy meal.  This was inspired by the Spanish Fritata. 

VAN's Sugar and Gluten Free Toaster Waffles - LOVE these!  Perfect for a quick snack anytime.  Instead of sugar, you can mash up a banana or other fruit and just spread it on. YUMMO!

SALAD DRESSINGS - Annie’s Naturals - What is surprising about this one is that only a few of the flavors are sugar and sweetener free.  So far these are the ONLY flavors we have found in ANY bottled dressings that are actually sugar, sweetener and gluten-free.  And they are GREAT tasting too!

• Artichoke & Parmesan
• Lemon & Chive
• Basil & Garlic
• Sea veggie & Sesame
• Red Wine and Vinegar
• Shitake & Sesame
• Organic Green Garlic

Whole Foods 365 Organic Italian Dressing (Courtesy of Jeri Dansky)

ALMONDS, NUTS, TEA!  Courtesy of TeaPartyGirl

What are your favorite healthy fast foods?  Leave a comment and I'll them to add to this list.

Organizing to Lose Weight, Setting Goals & 13 Reasons to Prepare a Weekly Meal Plan!

As part of my "Organizing to Lose Weight" focus this month, I'm working on a few goals. 

1.  Menu Planning & Tracking my progress

2.  Eating Healthier

3.  Walking More

I know how, I have the tools...but I've been slacking off! This post by Laura, the Organizing had given me renewed motivation to plan & track what I'm eating! 

My favorites of her 13 reasons are:

3. I always have the ingredients in the house for whatever I'm making because I make up my menu plan before going grocery shopping.

6. I save money by planning my weekly menu around what is on sale that particular week.

7. I save time by planning quick and easy meals (especially crockpot meals which can be prepared in the morning when I'm not rushed and have more energy). - (Ariane's Note - Though I do this on weekends or evenings. - I use my mornings for writing.)

9. Helps me to avoid last minute unhealthy desperation meals.

Read the rest here:

http://orgjunkie.blogspot.com/2007/01/thursday-thirteen.html

This week, in addition to Planning & Tracking what I eat (& prepping for my speaking engagement on Monday) my healthy eating goals are to:

• Make a couple healthy "stoups" (stews / soups) ala Rachael Ray this weekend & freeze them in portions so I'll have healthy food available at all times- Split Pea & Lentil
• Eat till I'm not hungry and stop before I get full - This won't be easy
• Not use butter & get used to what food really tastes like!  - this will be the hardest part - but it will help with the above.  I've found that when food has butter on it, I eat more and crave it more. So, I've quit my sugar & the sweet tooth is at bay...now it's time to work on the "fat tooth" and let go of another clutter food - butter!! 

Wish me luck!  : )

How can you Lose Weight, Eat Healthier, Reduce Kitchen Clutter & Give a GREAT gift? Check out the Vita-Mix!

I got my Vitamix blender / juicer / ice cream maker / veggie chopper a year ago to help me eat more whole, unprocessed foods, quit sugar and go gluten-free...and now I couldn't live without it!  I'm using it to help me lose weight AND clear clutter at the same time.  I use my Vitamix to make:

• sugar-free ice cream and sorbets
• whole fruit & vegetable juices
• smoothies
• soups
• chop vegetables & nuts
• shave / chop ice

You can also use it to grind coffee and make your own flour!It makes salsa, pesto, puree, baby food, and so much more.

The Vita-mix is a commercial quality blender that chefs in the best restaurants use to make their own ice cream and sorbet, soups etc. It's not cheap...but you'll use it often.

And it'll save space too! What better way to organize your kitchen and control clutter than to have one appliance that does the job of several others? I gave away my old blender, ice shaver, vegetable chopper & juicer.

HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY ICE CREAM IN LESS THAN A MINUTE!  Keep a variety of frozen fruit on hand and you can make your own ice cream any time you feel like it!  Just put several frozen fruits and add milk almost cover the fruit.  Add a little vanilla and vita-mix it!  Add milk as needed to get the consistency you desire.

We use whole unsweetened frozen pineapple & grapes to sweeten ours and it's delicious!  You can use melon, mango, berries and mix em up creatively!

TIP: When you have bananas that are getting really ripe, peel them & break them up into chunks. Then freeze them to use as a creamy base for smoothies and ice creams.  You can also freeze grapes.  When freezing canned fruits, remove them from the can.  I use Rubbermaid TakeAlongs to freeze fruit in.

If all the ingredients are pre-frozen, you don't have to add ice or water.  That's what allows you to make really creamy ice cream from just fruit!

It's a great tool to help you lose weight and eat healthier because when you use the Vitamix to make your own homemade soups, juices, etc. you know exactly how much sugar, salt, and fat you are getting.

When I read the back of my favorite canned soups, I was stunned at how much sodium, sugar and MSG there was!  Even in Campbell's soups!  By making my own soups using the Vitamix to chop the base onion, celery, carrots & garlic it could not be easier!  No crying while chopping onions!   I get to control how much salt and sugar I have and I know I'm not getting any MSG, chemicals or preservatives that give me headaches, stomachaches & more.  Just the whole healthy foods I choose to eat.  The Vitamix includes an awesome recipe book, too.

Cleaning the Vitamix is easy too.  All you have to do is rinse it, add a drop of soap, blend for a few seconds, rise and it's done.

Everyone I know who owns a Vita-mix RAVES about it. It is fully guaranteed for 7 years, so you've got nothing to lose! With this tool, making your own soups and ice creams is almost as easy as buying them...tastes a LOT better, and are MUCH healthier!

This would make an AWESOME gift for anyone in your life who is diabetic or really trying to lose weight or quit sugar! It's not cheap...but it's been worth every penny to us.  We have used it a lot and the practically indestructible blade is sharp as ever.

Use this link to GET FREE SHIPPING from Vitamix.com!

If you get one, or have one, would love to hear how you like it and what your favorite recipes are!

Sending Neat Thoughts!

We all want to eat healthier. Poor diet can create problems with diabetes and cholesterol and we have health resources which will help. Find the best medical websites at Healthline.com.

3/18/07

Joan Goldner is offering Neat Living Readers up to 30% off BusyBodyBook Planner Calendars! (I'm using to Organize to Lose Weight!)

Last month I wrote about how to choose a planner and I mentioned the www.busybodybook.com  is an excellent tool to use when you have a need for multiple calendars.  It's like having 5 calendars in one! 

You can also use it as a To Do notebook or a Goal / Project Tracker.  You place your To Do Categories or Goals or projects across the top.  Then on each day you can write what needs to be done in 5 different areas! 

I'm getting one to help me lose weight...My plan is to make one column my Food Tracker, one column for tracking calories & weight / inches, one for tracking unplanned eating & planning what I'm going to do next time instead of eating something I didn't plan to eat, and one for tracking exercise! I've already quit sugar & gluten...so now I've got to focus on limiting cheese & butter...and getting more aerobic exercise. 

Joan Goldner, creator of the planner calendar saw my review and is now offering Neat Living readers up to 30% off on the Award Winning BusyBodyBook through December 31, 2006!  And they are only 16.95 to begin with!

Buy one copy and save 20%, use Marketing Code:  NEATA
Buy two copies and save 25%, use Marketing Code:  NEATB 
Buy three copies and save 30%, use Marketing Code:  NEATC

If you buy 3, it's like getting one free.

To place your order, visit www.BusyBodyBook.com  and enter the appropriate Marketing Code near the end of the checkout to receive your special savings!  While your at it, check out her blog too!

Thanks Joan!

Soy Candles - The Perfect Gift for Candle Lovers

If you know someone who loves candles, I highly recommend you consider giving only SOY candles.  They burn clean and don't destroy your sinuses the way traditional candles do, and they burn up to 40% longer!

This year I received several awesome soy candles from www.CaterpillarCandles.com   They smell so good in my office, even when they aren't burning my office smells delicious! One of the scents is vanilla cappucino - it smells DIVINE! You can also get many unusual scents such as Banana Bread and Christmas Fudge. 

The candles are lovingly hand-made by Jennifer Sherman who is a real sweetheart and even provides you the ability to make your own customized candles and custom gift baskets.  You can get 5% off your purchase, too!   

See my related post Are Candles Ruining Your Health? at http://blog.neatandsimple.com/blog/2005/12/are_candles_rui.html

SUGAR SHOCK! Blog: Hyperactivity and Mental Health Woes Linked to Soda Consumption

This is a must read for anyone who drinks a lot of soda!  Especially if you have kids with ADD or ADHD. 

Here's an excerpt:

"If you have or know soda-guzzling kids who act as if they're mentally off kilter or hyperactive, there's now actual documentation of a link between the two.

Thanks to Reuters and my research assistant Jennifer, I just learned about this absolutely fascinating study that just came out in the American Journal of Public Health.

Researchers at the University of Oslo who studied the soda-drinking habits of more than 5,000 10th-grade Norwegian students aged 15 to 16.

Just listen to this conclusion, which comes as no suprise to me:

"High consumption levels of sugar-containing soft drinks were associated with mental health problems among adolescents even after adjustment for possible confounders," wrote Dr. Lars Lien and his colleagues.

Now listen to this important point they made: "The effects of sugar consumption on mental health..."

READ THE REST AT:

SUGAR SHOCK! Blog: Hyperactivity and Mental Health Woes Linked to Soda Consumption.

What do wheat & organizing have to do with each other?

One of the most pervasive, yet least understand health issues today is the affect that wheat and gluten can have on your health.   New research has identified that wheat and gluten play a significant role in ADD, Alzheimer's, Parkinsons, Migraine Headaches, Autism, and other neurological and behavioral disorders. And of course, people with those conditions have difficulty organizing.  That's how wheat and organizing are connected.

If you decide to follow a gluten-free or low gluten diet, it also takes a good deal of reorganizing your pantry, shopping, and meal planning habits.  I know because I eat gluten-free 95% of the time. 

It all started for me when my doctor gave me the book "Going Against the Grain"  I was a bit skeptical at first, but I decided to give it a try.  (At 46, you start feeling your age and are ready to try stuff like this.)  So, for six weeks I didn't eat any wheat or gluten.  All I ate were meat, fish, vegetables, potatoes, rice, popcorn, fruit and chocolate.  (this was before I gave up sugar) : )   

Anyway, the difference in my health and energy levels was amazing.  My joints stopped aching, I became less moody, more energetic, more regular, and felt like I had become 15 years younger.  And that made it possible for me to clear my head, clear clutter and make the decision to evolve my career and become a Professional Organizer! 

If you are at all interested in the topic and whether or not Gluten may be contributing to your or your child's he;alth issues, check out this free TELE-seminar being hosted by Liz Lipski and Dr. O'Bryan on May 17. 

Sign up on Liz's website at http://www.innovativehealing.com/teleconferences/index.html

_____________Description from her site_________________

In this teleseminar, Dr. O'Bryan will tell how countless people with neurological and behavioral conditions - including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis, migraine headaches, and childhood developmental conditions, such as autism and ADHD -- also have sensitivities to wheat.

Some of the points to be covered:

• The history of medicine’s understanding of wheat/gluten sensitivity
• The diversity of symptoms patients may have as a result of wheat/gluten sensitivity
• The effectiveness of treatment for the various presentations of wheat/gluten sensitivity
• The difference between Celiac Disease and Gluten Intolerance including the difference in treatments.

Dr. O'Bryan points out that, over the years, both the average American's consumption of wheat and the occurrence of neurological, learning and behavioral problems have been on the rise. "Only recently," he says, "has the evidence shown that there is an undeniable link between the two."

He says: "Up to 90% of my patients who complain of these kinds of neurological and behavioral problems also have documented elevated antibodies to wheat, indicative of wheat sensitivities. The connection is undeniable. When these people stop eating wheat, their symptoms invariably diminish."

Dr. O'Bryan is a graduate of the University of Michigan and the National College of Chiropractic. A Diplomate of the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners, a Board-Certified Diplomate of the Clinical Nutrition Board of the American Chiropractic Association, and a Certified Clinical Nutritionist with the International and American Association of Clinical Nutritionists. He is a member of several professional associations, including the Institute of Functional Medicine, the International and American Association of Clinical Nutritionists, the American Chiropractic Association and the International Academy of Preventive Medicine.

Link: Liz Lipski - Innovative Healing.

ThinkBuying: Boston Globe Slams Corporations Pushing Bad Food on Kids

In keeping with my series on ThinkBuying, I wanted to share with you this excellent post from the Sugar Shock Blog. 

Link: SUGAR SHOCK! Blog: Boston Globe Slams Big Food for Pushing Bad Food on Kids. 

Here's an excerpt from the Globe Article that will really make you think about the damage junk food and sugar are doing to our health. 

"TYPE 2 DIABETES is sweeping so rapidly through America we need not waste time giving children bicycles. Just roll them a wheelchair. Forget the basketballs and baseballs. Give them Braille flash cards. The next thing you know, iPods, Game Boys and Xboxes will come with glucose meters, beeping 'Sorry to interrupt your song or movie, but it will not continue until you use me.'"

Corporations will eventually have to realize that in addition to making money, they are citizens of this country and world.  As citizens, they must be responsible to a higher value system that just making money.  If they don't start to really get it soon, then social responsibility will have be legislated.  They know very well that the sugar and chemicals in our food is killing us slowly and are  primary factors in chronic inflammation, diabetes, cancer, heart disease and more. But they make so much money on it that they can't seem stop themselves from continuing to sell the junk!  They need external pressure to quit.   Just like the cigarette manufacturers needed it to stop advertising to kids. Heck half the reason I quit smoking was because of all the grief I got for it.  They are as addicted to the money as we are to the sugar & hydrogenated oils in the junk food they sell! 

They can say "parents have the right not to buy it"  "parents have to control their kids" and that's true.  But then, they MUST stop actively and purposefully UNDERMINING  PARENTS through their deceptive and manipulative marketing. Conversely, we need to stop using sugar as a reward for every good thing we do, or to celebrate.  Why must sugary cakes be at every birthday?  I don't know...I suppose sugar is no different from all drugs that make us feel good when we ingest them...and then later we pay the price. 

Anyway, it's great to see a newspaper taking on  big companies even though they put their advertising dollars at risk.  Not many news outlets are prepared to do that. 

Kicking Sugar Update
So, enjoy the column and check out the extensive program on kicking sugar. You can also listen to FREE replays at http://www.fasttrackkicksugar.com/

I haven't totally quit sugar yet - but I have dramatically reduced it.  The hardest part for me is giving up my morning coffee.  I used to use 3-4 sugars in a 15 oz mug.  And sometimes I'd have 2 or 3 mugs!!!  Thanks to Connie & Nancy Appleton's suggestion, this morning I used only one sugar in a much smaller 7 oz cup and it was tolerable.  After a week of 1 tsp, I'm going to go to half tsp for a week then 0.   If I can do that....I can do anything!!!!  I really loved my morning coffee - just like I used to love cigarettes...but I quit them..and I'll quit this, too!

All the best, Ariane

Link: SUGAR SHOCK! Blog: Boston Globe Slams Big Food for Pushing Bad Food on Kids.

How to Become an Early Riser

If your productivity is inconsistent, Steve Pavlina's post on  How to Become an Early Riser may help.  Getting the right amount and getting good quality sleep is one of the most important factors in good health AND in maintaining the motivation to get and stay organized.  Insomnia and poor sleep habits can also lead to depression and lethargy.  Steve presents a sound and useful strategy on how to get an optimal amount of sleep, avoid insomnia, and become an early riser.

In my own experience, I can validate his theory that insomnia is caused by going to bed and trying to sleep when you aren't sleepy.  Every time I try to do that, I lay awake for hours.  When I get up and read or watch TV till I'm sleepy, then I'll go right to sleep.

I've also noticed that if I do something right before bedtime that is very engaging, or that provokes intense thought, like working on the computer, paying bills, or even reading or watching certain books, it will be very difficult to fall asleep.  So, I try to make sure I read something easy on the mind like fiction, or US magazine, rather than say Discover magazine.

Another way to ensure a good night's sleep is to exercise and avoid caffeine.  When I get plenty of exercise during the day, and only have one cup of coffee in the morning, I sleep MUCH better.

Sweet Dreams!
Ariane

Kicking Sugar

I've wanted to kick sugar for a long time.  My cousin Heidi did it several years ago with the aid of her Vitamix Blender.  She lost 70 pounds and has more energy and health than ever.  She's a new person.  So, I've got the role model. I've got the motivation.  I've got the blender and I love it.  I've decided I've got to really give it a serious try. Especially since I've discovered there are blogs devoted to this, and a FREE program to help you do it with the support of someone whose done it.   When I kicked gluten the first 6 weeks was really tough, but after that the cravings really did go away and now I can have gluten once in a while and it's not an addiction.  Sugar is something I can't say no to.  I don't have a choice...and that's how I define that I'm actually addicted to it.  So, it's time to stop.  Wish me luck!  here are links to the blog and program I'm trying

http://www.sugarshockblog.com/

Fast Track Kick Sugar Countdown Program™.

All the best,

The Hypomanic American and Organizing

Link: Hypomanic American, The - New York Times.

This article in the NY times is fascinating.  It doesn't say it, but there may also be a link to ADD and even to the difficulty many creative people have organizing themselves. 

Creative, risk taking people are very eccentric in the way they organize themselves.  Being a "creative" (ENTP) personality myself, and the grandaughter of immigrants from Spain, Portugal, England and Montreal, organizing was a skill I really had to work at. 

I suppose that's why I'm always seeking out new approaches to organizing.  I don't believe one size fits all and love helping other people find non-traditional organizing systems that work for their personal style.   

All the best,

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here's the article in case the link stops working.....

Are Candles Ruining Your Health?

CANDLE LOVERS - There is good news and bad news!

First the BAD NEWS
As beautiful as candles are, they are one of the worst things you can do for your sinuses. If you wake up with headaches often, paraffin wax candles could be the reason. Some people think they have allergies and its really due to burning candles. They pollute indoor air so badly, that most air purifiers include a warning that the purifier can't work properly if you burn candles.

Many candles also produce carcinogenic toxins. We stopped burning candles a couple years ago when we started having chronic sinus infections. Our doctor said no more candles! We only burn them outdoors or near an open window, and even then, only occasionally. And now, we almost never wake up with sinus headaches or get chronic sinus infections now.

The GOOD NEWS!
The good news is we can now burn candles again! Thanks to soy wax candles. According to ROBYN LANDIS, author, activist, musician, and personal Eco-Shopper at http://www.theecoshopper.com/ , they don't "produce petrol-carbon soot (the stuff that blackens your walls) Soy wax is non-toxic and non-carcinogenic. It also burns slower (up to 40% longer) and cooler than paraffin, which means the candle lasts longer. There is no wasted wax. Because soy burns evenly there is no "tunneling effect" as with paraffin wax candles. Finally, soybeans are a renewable resource. Paraffin contains petroleum, which as we well know is not a renewable resource. Paraffin wax also contains 11 documented toxins. Soywax is completely biodegradable. Many paraffin wax candles also use lead laced wicks."

To learn more visit: http://www.healthycandles.org/

Here are some places to get Soy Candles

http://www.herbalremedies.com/ (Some very reasonably priced candles here. For example, get the Country Barn Jar Candle, Triple Scented, Lead Free, All Natural Soy Wax Blend, In Glass Mason Jar w/ Antique Screw on Lid, 120 hr - 16 oz for only $10.95)
http://www.sensia.com/
http://www.soyphisticatedcandles.com/
http://www.secretclosetgifts.com/
http://www.sunlightspa.com/
http://www.vickyscandles.com/
http://store.naturessoycandles.net/
http://www.vickerey.com/
http://www.soylights.net/
http://www.caterpillarscandles.com/
http://www.ecolightcandles.com/

Health Candles Soy Products Sinus gifts Paraffin renewable resource