Wiser With Age

Tag: Dr. Josefina Monasterio

  • How to lower stress by adding routine to your life

    How to lower stress by adding routine to your life


    A woman with short hair wearing red necklace.
    Photo/James Sedano

    Doing the “same old, same old†may not sound exciting, but it can actually make you – and your family – happier and healthier.

    With all the stress we face in our lives everyday, it’s hard to get a handle on what needs to be done, and when. Without proper organization, important things could be missed or forgotten, causing added stress later.

    Whether it’s reading, yoga, or just spending time with your family, having committed daily acts are essential to everyone’s day. Having a routine means that your body naturally knows what needs to be done, which eliminates a lot of unneeded stress in daily life.

    For me, my early morning power act kickstarts my daily routine:

    I begin my day at 4am with one hour of reading, meditating and prayer. Then I walk 3 miles and run 3 miles back. After that, I do a ½ hour of yoga, and then my reward is jumping in the ocean and watching the sun rise.

    Make routines work for you. Be happily flexible. Rigid routines are more likely to fail; flexible ones are more likely to last.

    Here are some steps to help you get started:

    1. Make a List – In order to start getting your life organized, making a list is imperative. Start with a list of things that absolutely must be accomplished that day. Write down what you have to pick up at the store on the way home, or what tasks are due at work. Being able to cross completed items off the list as you go provides a sense of self-confidence and encourages you to check more items off of your list.

    2. Keep it simple and specific – Make the goal tangible such as, “I get up every morning at the same to take care of my body and spirit.”

    3. Plan for success – Think through what you’ll do if confronted with challenges. Always think if x happens, I will do y. This kind of mental preparation will help you to stick to a diet or exercise routine.

     4. Make your goal a habit – Getting into a daily routine when you’re constantly used to running around can be a hard at first. Set a goal of getting into a routine for 30 straight days. This will turn into a daily habit, and you won’t even have to think about it again.

    A woman with short hair wearing red necklace.Dr. Josefina Monasterio is a certified life coach, fitness expert, and nutritional counselor based in Vero Beach, Florida. She holds a PhD in Adult Personal Development from Nova University and a Master’s Degree in Education from Boston University. Dr. Josefina is also a certified Yoga Therapist from the World Yoga Society of Calcutta, India, and host of Healthy Power TV’s “The Dr. Josefina Way.â€

  • 13 ways to add fruits and vegetables to your diet

    13 ways to add fruits and vegetables to your diet


    A woman with short hair wearing red necklace.
    Photo/Kristina Puga

    Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is a cornerstone of good health. It helps control blood pressure and cholesterol, keeps arteries flexible, protects bones, and is good for the eyes, brain, digestive system, and just about every other part of the body. But many of us have trouble putting that knowledge into practice and getting five or more servings a day.

    One big barrier to tapping into the power of produce is the perception that fruits and vegetables are expensive. That’s not necessarily so. You can buy three servings of fruits and four servings of vegetables for well under $2 a day, according to a survey by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

    Preparation time, unfamiliarity, and old habits are other barriers to eating more fruits and vegetables. But the effort is well worth it, as you get plenty of heart-healthy antioxidants, fiber, and a host of vitamins, minerals, and other phytonutrients from fruits and vegetables.

    Here are some suggestions for tipping aside these barriers:

    1. Know your needs. For the mythical 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, the latest guidelines recommend a minimum of 2 cups of fruit and 2½ cups of vegetables a day. More is better.
    2. Set a goal. If fruits and vegetables are minor items on your menu, start by eating one extra fruit or vegetable a day. When you’re used to that, add another and keep going.
    3. Be sneaky. Adding finely grated carrots or zucchini to pasta sauce, meat loaf, chili, or a stew, is one way to get an extra serving of vegetables.
    4. Try something new. It’s easy to get tired of apples, bananas, and grapes. Try a kiwi, mango, fresh pineapple, or another of the more exotic choices available at your grocery store.
    5. Blend it. A fruit smoothie is a delicious way to start the day or tide you over until dinner.
    6. Be a big dipper. If the natural flavor of carrots, celery, broccoli, or other veggies isn’t enough, try dipping them into hummus or another bean spread, some spiced yogurt, or even a bit of ranch dressing. Or slather peanut butter on a banana or slices of apple.
    7. Spread it on. Try mashed avocado as a dip with diced tomatoes and onions, or as a sandwich spread, topped with spinach leaves, tomatoes, and a slice of cheese.
    8. Start off right. Ditch your morning donut for an omelet with onions, peppers, and mushrooms. Or boost your morning cereal or oatmeal with a handful of strawberries, blueberries, or dried fruit.
    9. Drink up. Having a 6-ounce glass of low-sodium vegetable juice instead of a soda gives you a full serving of vegetables and spares you 10 teaspoons or more of sugar.
    10. Give them the heat treatment. Roasting vegetables is easy and brings out new flavors. Cut up onions, carrots, zucchini, asparagus, turnips and coat with olive oil, add a dash of balsamic vinegar, and roast at 350° until done. Use roasted or grilled veggies as a side dish, put them on sandwiches, or add them to salads.
    11. Let someone else do the work. If peeling, cutting, and chopping aren’t your thing, food companies and grocers offer an ever-expanding selection of prepared produce.
    12. Improve on nature. Don’t hesitate to jazz up vegetables with spices, chopped nuts, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, or a specialty oil like walnut or sesame oil.
    13. Sweeten it. Try dipping your fruit in chocolate or honey. For example, I just mashed a pear, added honey and cinnamon – yummy!

    A woman with short hair wearing red necklace.Dr. Josefina Monasterio is a certified life coach, fitness expert, and nutritional counselor based in Vero Beach, Florida. She holds a PhD in Adult Personal Development from Nova University and a Master’s Degree in Education from Boston University. Dr. Josefina is also a certified Yoga Therapist from the World Yoga Society of Calcutta, India, and host of Healthy Power TV’s “The Dr. Josefina Way.â€

  • Want to eat healthy? Eat together as a family, daily

    Want to eat healthy? Eat together as a family, daily


    A woman with short hair wearing red necklace.
    Photo/Dreamstime

    Traditionally, family meals have represented much more than just communal eating—they’re a time for good conversation and genuine family bonding.

    Unfortunately, today, many meals are consumed at stoplights or in front of the computer—alone. Solitary dining has become more and more common as busy families are finding it challenging to carve out time for family meals, particularly when all adult family members work outside of the home.  

    A 2014 study found that the majority of American households eat meals together less than five days a week. A 2013 Harris Poll found that among Americans who live with at least one family member, only 58 percent report eating with others at least four times a week, but 86 percent report sitting down to a dinner together at least once a week. The poll also found that the frequency of family dinners is declining with each generation.

    Although solitary meals are occurring on a regular basis now, recent research suggests they are not contributing to you or your children’s well-being. Families that make an effort to eat meals together, at least three or four times a week, enjoy significant benefits for their health, happiness, and relationships.

    For example, kids who eat meals with their families enjoy healthier eating patterns and less obesity. Research shows that children who share family meals, three or more times a week, are more likely to be in a healthy weight range and make better food choices. They’re more likely to eat healthy foods and less likely to eat unhealthy ones. They are also less likely to develop eating disorders.

    Interestingly, a Cornell University study found that families (both adults and children) who eat dinner in their kitchen, or dining rooms, have significantly lower BMIs (body mass index) than families who eat elsewhere. For boys, remaining at the table until everyone is finished eating was also associated with a lower BMI.

    There is also something to be said about the importance of family rituals, and routines, for children’s emotional health. 

    For example, teens who eat with their families at least five times a week are 40 percent more likely to get A’s and B’s in school than their peers who don’t share family meals. They’re also 42 percent less likely to drink alcohol, 59 percent less likely to smoke cigarettes, 66 percent less likely to try marijuana, and tend to be less depressed.

    Other research shows that with each additional family dinner, adolescents have: higher self-esteem and life satisfaction, more trusting and helpful behaviors toward others and better relationships with their parents, better vocabulary and academic performance, lower teen pregnancy rates and truancy, and increased resilience to stress.

    In order for family meals to occur, you must make them a priority.

    If you’re looking for ideas on how to corral your family into eating more meals together, The Family Dinner Project provides some helpful and creative tips.

    One of my favorite sayings is: “If you fail to plan, then you are planning to fail,” and this certainly applies here.

    Making it possible for your family to eat together means not only shopping ahead of time so you have the food to prepare, but also selecting a time that works for everyone—whenever that may be. Just be creative and make your mealtimes as regular, stress-free and as enjoyable as possible!

    A woman with short hair wearing red necklace.Dr. Josefina Monasterio is a certified life coach, fitness expert, and nutritional counselor based in Vero Beach, Florida. She holds a PhD in Adult Personal Development from Nova University and a Master’s Degree in Education from Boston University. Dr. Josefina is also a certified Yoga Therapist from the World Yoga Society of Calcutta, India, and host of Healthy Power TV’s “The Dr. Josefina Way.â€

  • How to take control of your life


     

    When you are dealing with a challenge in your life, do you feel that you have control over the outcome, or do you believe that you are a victim of outside forces?

    If you believe that you have control over what happens, then you have what psychologists refer to as an internal locus of control. If you believe that you have no control over what happens, and that external circumstances are to blame, then you have what is known as an external locus of control.

    People with an internal locus of control:

    • Are more likely to take responsibility for their actions.
    • Tend to be less influenced by the opinions of other people.
    • They do a better job when they are  allowed to work at their own pace.
    • They usually have a strong sense of self-efficacy.
    • They work hard to achieve the things they want.
    • They feel confident in the face of challenges.
    • They tend to be physically healthier.
    • They are happier and more independent.
    • They often achieve greater success in the workplace.

    People with an external locus of control:

    • Blame outside forces for their circumstances.
    • They often credit luck or chance for any successes.
    • They don’t believe they can change their situation through their own efforts.
    • They frequently feel hopeless or powerless in the appearance of difficult situations.

    When people feel that they have no control over their situation, they begin to behave in a helpless manner.

    The Locus Control Theory says that you feel positive about yourself to the degree to which you feel you are in control of your own life, and you feel negative about yourself to the degree to which you feel that you are controlled by some external force, or influence.

    Most stress, anxiety, tension, and psychosomatic illnesses come about as the result of the person feeling out of control, or not in control, of some important part of his/her life.

    If you feel that your life is controlled by debts, or your boss, or ill health, or bad relationships, or the behavior of others, you will suffer stress. Stress will manifest as irritation, anger, and resentment. If you don’t deal with it will progress to insomnia, depression, or illness of various kinds.

    You can have either and internal or external locus of control. That is, you can feel that you are in charge of your own life, happy, positive, and confident, or you can feel controlled by others and feeling helpless, trapped, and much like a victim.

    Well how can you take control of you life?

    Taking control of your life begins with your thoughts.

    How you think about the situation determines how you feel, and your feelings determine your behavior. Self-discipline, self-mastery, self-control all begin with you taking control of your thinking.

    There are two ways you can get control of any situation:

    • You can take action, and do something to change it.
    • You can simply walk away and regain control by letting go of a person, or situation.

    It is so important for you to know exactly what you want, because the self confidence that comes from feeling in control is why a person with a clear purpose, and a plan, always edge over someone who is vague and unsure.

    A woman with short hair wearing red necklace.Dr. Josefina Monasterio is a certified life coach, fitness expert, and nutritional counselor based in Vero Beach, Florida. She holds a PhD in Adult Personal Development from Nova University and a Master’s Degree in Education from Boston University. Dr. Josefina is also a certified Yoga Therapist from the World Yoga Society of Calcutta, India, and host of Healthy Power TV’s “The Dr. Josefina Way.â€

  • The simple secret to achieving any dream, at any age


    You are never too young to have a dream or to old to have a vision.

    The first step in living your life at your full potential is to have a clear vision of who you are, and what you want.

    How do you do that?

    You must start looking at your life through eyes of confidence, trust, reliance and conviction. You must have a mental picture of yourself where you see yourself growing in your spiritual life, your health, your business, your family, and also your finances.

    Mentally, see your dreams happen. You have to visualize and conceive it in your heart, and mind, if you ever hope to experience it on the outside.

    This image has to become a part of you, deep in your subconscious mind, in your thoughts, your conversation, actions, and in every part of your being.

    Your life is not going to change until you change your thinking.

    You cannot make the changes in your life when you are set in your ways, bound by your perceptions and stuck in your thinking.

    When you look into your future, what do see?

    Do you see yourself-getting stronger, healthier, happier, and your life filled with blessings?

    What you see, is what you get.

    If you want to be successful, you must expect the best of yourself and about life in general. If you dwell in positive thoughts, your life moves in that direction.

    If you expect defeat, failure, and mediocrity, your subconscious will make sure that you get that.

    That is the reason why if you want to move in the direction of your dreams, you must increase your level of expectancy.

    When you get up in the morning say to yourself:

    “Hello beautiful! What can I do for you today? This is a great day. I am excited about today.â€

    Start your day with faith and positive expectancy, and anticipate good things happening to you. Expect that all things will work for good for you. Expect people to go out of their way to help you. Expect to be at the right place at the right time.

    You have the key to empower yourself. All you have to do is start expecting good things in your life.

    You may be asking, “Is she crazy? What if I do all that, and it does not work?”

    Well what if you do that, and it does work?

    What do you have to lose by being hopeful, confident and having a good attitude? By being your best no matter where you are at this moment in your life? By being a light in a sometimes difficult world?

    One thing I know for sure. Your life will never improve as long as you stay in a negative frame of mind. Low expectations will trap you into mediocrity.

    You must think positive thoughts, loving thoughts, constructive thoughts. Thoughts of victory, abundance, and hope.

    Keep your mind set in the right direction.

    A woman with short hair wearing red necklace.Dr. Josefina Monasterio is a certified life coach, fitness expert, and nutritional counselor based in Vero Beach, Florida. She holds a PhD in Adult Personal Development from Nova University and a Master’s Degree in Education from Boston University. Dr. Josefina is also a certified Yoga Therapist from the World Yoga Society of Calcutta, India, and host of Healthy Power TV’s “The Dr. Josefina Way.â€