Managing My Health

Being the mom of a son with autism and a grandma of a grandson with special needs has been especially stressful for awhile now. I do what I can to make time for myself and not get lost in the problems. My usual way to deal with anything is to find books on the subject.

For my diet, I bought You on a Diet by Michael F. Roizon, M. D. and Mehmet C. Oz, M. D. These doctors make a lot of common sense. The book is chock full of ideas, some of which I have already incorporated into my life and some that I need to consider. I can certainly recommend their book. For me, I do not consider myself "dieting." Rather, I consider myself finding ways to nourish myself optimally.

For my mental well-being, I took a useful book out of the library and I am going to take it on my trip tomorrow. It is Slowing Down to the Speed of Life: How to Create a More Peaceful, Simpler Life from the Inside Out by Richard Carlson & Joseph Bailey. I have read other books by Carlson. Dewey Decimal system number is 158.

My dad used to quote the phrase, " The hurrier I go, the behinder I get." This is on the jacket of the book. Mom used to say, "Do you act or react?" I react too often to the climate of what is going on around me.

I know that as I get older, it is usual for one's blood pressure to rise. At the same time, mine has gone up too fast in a short time. I am determined to learn and practice ways to stay calm in the midst of many things going on that I am responsible for and many more that I am unable to affect but that I care greatly about.

It is important for me to get healthier and to stay around for many more years. I need to remember to stay in the moment. I used to have a word posted on the wall in my kitchen: mindfulness. Just thinking of the word brings me back to the present moment.