WHAT YOU WANT?

Take a choice: money, health, physical energy, beauty, creativity, recognition, power, adventure, contentment, achievement, self expression, authority, love, peace of mind, enlightenment. Would you like any of these? If you are like most people today, you probably want ALL of these.

But if you search your true desires, you might find that there are a few things you want more than others. And, if you keep going in your search, you'll find one desire that has been with you your whole lifetime and is the one path you need to follow.

Although money is the obvious desire, it is usually not the final goal. Indeed, money can, and does buy happiness - up to a point. Once you have enough money to be financially secure or to purchase the material objects you want, the true desire might be something else.

Love is the goal of every person's heart. Whether it is love of a mate, or a family, or respect and recognition from peers and fellow workers, love is the ageless pursuit. The mystics say that love is the sole purpose of life- to give love and to find it. But love comes in many forms. Not only is there the overt display of affection or true inner feelings, but there is the self-respect and inner contentment that goes with accomplishment. For some people, true peace of mind will never be attained until they complete some creative tasks or achieve certain heights in business.

Many people seek the authority that comes with a good position in a job. Along with that can come recognition and fame? Although you may want the money that is associated with high management levels, many people simply seek that satisfaction of working from the inner circles. The goal of every person regardless of background and material desires is health. A sound body is the gift that will get you to the other goals.

 Adventure and travel is a driving force for many people. They may seek jobs that  involve travel, or they may be looking forward to taking time off to visit the exotic ports and see the other side of the world.

 Finally, regardless of wealth and health, expression and love, everyone is looking for peace of mind. That's not to say   emptiness of mind, but to be rid of petty worries and confusion, to be finished with fears and live in total awareness. It surely is the ultimate lifetime goal.                                            – Helen Malmsio

HEALTH TIPS

Get enough sleep. Sleeping for 8 hours per night can elevate your mood and better prepare you to greet the day.

Take vitamin C. Keeping your immune system happy will keep you happy.

Laugh out loud. Laughing releases endorphins and lowers levels of stress hormones.

Cook with more garlic. Garlic not only adds delicious flavor to meals, it also keeps blood pressure down to keep you relaxed and healthy.

Get more fresh air. Fresh air is invigorating and alters the levels of serotonin in your brain—the stuff that makes you happy!

Eat more foods with tryptophan. It has an amino acid needed to make serotonin, the chemicals that make you happy. Try more bananas, dairy products and poultry.

Work out. Exercising can not only make you feel better about yourself, it also releases endorphins in your body to give you a natural high.

Eat chocolate. Besides releasing endorphins and stimulating serotonin production in your brain, chocolate releases phenylethylamine, the chemical that causes feelings of love.

HEALTH TIPS...

v  Drink coffee. Studies in Brazil showed that people who drink coffee every day are less likely to suffer from depression. Coffee is the world’s most popular mood-enhancing drug, but remember, to drink in moderation

v  Eat more spinach. Popeye's favorite green is packed with folic acid, an important vitamin that boosts serotonin production.

v  Eat foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids. Certain kinds of fish like salmon or sardines have Omega-3, which is known to elevate mood levels—high doses are even used to treat depression.

v  Eat more colorful fruits and vegetables. They contain antioxidants which help remove toxins from our bodies that cause stress and aging.

FRIENDSHIP

I'd like you to take a moment to think about your own friends. Are you the type of person who has one best friend, or do you prefer a few close friends? Well, if you answered yes to either of these questions, consider yourself fortunate, because dependable friendships bring some amazing benefits. It is probably no surprise to you that close friendships are good for us. However, the list of actual medical advantages is quite remarkable. Research shows that our good friendships can help us to reduce our blood pressure, heart rate, and cholesterol levels, as well as to lower our stress levels. In other words, solid, dependable friendships help us to live a longer, healthier life. The nice thing about our friendships is that they are ties we choose to develop, sustain, and nurture. When we are young, we seek companionship by befriending dogs, cats, dolls, and stuffed animals. As we grow into adolescence and later into adulthood, good friends can become more than just companions. A good friend is there through the good and bad times. A good friend is someone who loves you in spite of yourself. They laugh with you, cry with you, listen to your problems, tell you the truth when you don't want to hear it, and even keep your secrets. And now, you can add the positive health benefits of friendship to that list! While this information probably won't make you change how you feel about your friends, it may make you appreciate them even more. And may I remind you, that the benefits of our friendships work both ways! - Bethea