Week 1 Done! - 8 Weeks to Optimum Health

Here is a run down of week one and how I did:

• Throw out Partially Hydrogenated Oils & Transfatty Acids.  Use Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  I didn’t have any TFA’s except Crisco.  I only use Crisco for biscuits and only fix them about twice a month, so I decided that would be my splurge.  I love my buttermilk biscuits.   Mmmmm.   Throw out artificial sweeteners.  I made this decision years ago.  There are no artificial sweeteners in my house.  Did you know that there have been no claims to have lost weight by drinking diet drinks?  Throw out anything with artificial coloring.  I decided I would do this as I went and haven’t run across any yet.
• Eat broccoli twice this week.  Done!  Eat salmon once this week.  One of our grocery stores used to carry frozen Wild Alaska Salmon and I couldn’t find it!  I will keep looking.  I did buy Eggland’s Best Eggs which are high in Omega 3’s.  I use these in everything I bake or cook.  Eggs are my go to meal whenever I don’t feel like cooking.  I love them.  This will have to do until I can check other stores for their salmon supply. 
• Supplements:  Vitamin C, 200 mg and Vitamin D3, 1000 IU per day.  I’m still putting this off until I can give my doctor a list all at once.  I do take Vitamin C when I have a cold coming on and have been prescribed Vitamin D when it has been low, so I’m sure it is okay.  My doctor watches my levels on Vitamin D and Calcium.
• Exercise - Walk 10 minutes/day - 5 days this week.  I almost succeeded in this one.  I exercised 10 minutes on the Elliptical 3 days this week, and walked about ½ hour outside on our 13.5 acres.  The radiator cap popped off the tractor when my son was bush hogging the property this week.  We walked to the back of the property and back looking for it…a literal needle in a haystack.  EBay should be delivering a new one tomorrow!  I’ll do better this next week and get the total 5 days in.
• Mental/Spiritual - make a list of illnesses or injuries you recovered from in the past 2 years.  Made the mental list.  About a year ago, I was in the hospital for a virus that attacked my transplanted kidney.  My body is still healing and fighting this virus.  It is not totally out of my system yet, but the count is down from millions to about 1400.  Maybe these eight weeks will knock the rest of it out!  Practice breath observation for 5 minutes everyday.  This was wonderful when I remembered to do it!  I found it is difficult to only concentrate on breath for 5 minutes…my mind tended to drift, but toward the end of the week I was much better at it.  I found I have to set my alarm before I begin or I worry too much on the time.  The time actually flies and when the five minutes is up I felt like I had a mini-nap.  Such a relaxing time in the day!  AND buy some flowers.  Flowers were purchased and enjoyed.  It is so nice to see blooms in the house.

I will post sometime later today the next week’s to do list.

So far a pretty great success!