Do you set new goals every January, only to forget them a few weeks later?  In this week's article we would like to discuss some specific strategies for setting and achieving some of your health goals, as well as give you some thoughts for some healthy resolutions for 2010.  Let's all make 2010 our healthiest, happy year so far!

In line with that, many of you will be attending a New Year's party and will want to take a healthier alternative to all the junk food you normally find there.  The recipe is Balsamic Bruschetta - we hope you try it and let us know your thoughts.

p.s. We have almost made it through the thousands of e-mails about the special for the online school ending.  It will end on December 31, so you still have a chance to lock in the low prices for another day - go to http://online.snh.cc for more information.  It may list a higher price, but if you get there by the 31^st just click through to the payment system and you will get the special.

Are you someone who sets goals each year, only to forget them a week or two later?  Or maybe you have given up on setting New Year's Resolutions, since they don't work for you or anyone else you know anyway.

In either case, we have some brief thoughts to share with you about how to set good New Year's Resolutions and then some thoughts for some good goals to set for your health.

First - some thoughts from some successful goal setters:

Jack Canfield: Set goals in all 7 areas of your life - Financial, Career/Business, Free/Family Time, Health/Appearance, Relationships, Personal Growth and Making a Difference.  In a notebook, write what you want, specifically, and why you want it.

Dave Ramsey: Successful people reassess their lives and then start living intentionally, in writing, on paper, on purpose.  The secret to making a goal into a reality is getting started and taking small, consistent steps.  When you set goals, be specific, make the goals measurable, set a time limit and put them in writing. 

Brian Tracy: Someone once asked Brian Tracy, who has written books about goal setting, what advice he would give his son if he could give just one piece of advice to him.  Without hesitation he pulled out a folded up sheet of paper from his pocket and said "I would tell him to do this one thing - each morning take a few minutes and re-write your goals on a sheet of paper then carry that paper with you and look at it throughout the day.  This one thing, if done every day, will do more to help you achieve your goals than any other thing."

SOME HEALTH GOALS FOR 2010

Do a 3-Day Cleanse
Eliminate the mucus and toxins out of your body and out of your life.  Dr. Christopher said, "The retention of such body waste has a much more insidious effect on our health than is generally suspected."  If you can't make it a full three days, do a one-day cleanse and work your way up.
 
Stick to a Supplement Schedule
You buy all these supplements, and when you take them you feel great (or worse, depending on the supplements!).  And then something comes along, like a vacation, an illness, or Saturday, and throws you off your routine.  And then three months go by, and you realize that your bottle of Kidney Formula hasn't been emptied, and your kidneys aren't getting any cleaner.  Dr. Christopher said "Keep It Simple Student."  We don't need to have an elaborate supplement regime, but if we start taking our herbs consistently, we just might start feeling better!
 
Exercise on a Regular Basis
We all know that exercise is good for us, and that health comes down to diet and exercise.  Regular exercise can give us a decreased risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes, will help us burn calories, increase our stamina, and improve our emotional health.  In this area as well we need to take Dr. Christopher's advice and Keep it Simple!  Park at the back of the parking lot instead of the front and walk to the store entrance, take the stairs instead of the elevator, take a walk with your friends or loved ones, or do any number of other simple things.  If you want to exercise every cell in your body in only ten minutes a day we highly recommend you look at David Hall's Cellerciser (http://www.snh.cc/Cellerciser.html).
 
Eat More Vegetables and Fruits
When you eat foods that are health supporting and have a high nutrient level, you feel better.  You lower your risks for heart disease, diabetes and colon cancer.  You lose weight.  Maybe your allergies go away.  But how do we do this?  Pick up a copy of Eat to Live, by Joel Fuhrman, MD at
http://www.christopherpublications.com/Fuhrman_Eat_Live.html.  It's basically the Mucusless diet (with a lot of the science behind it), recipes and meal plans to help you achieve your health goals.
 
Enroll in The School of Natural Healing or work on Your School Course
If you have not taken the Family Herbalist course yet, what are you waiting for?  You will save money and be healthier!  If you have taken a course but not moved on to the next level why not make a resolution and move on to the next phase?  You can do this at http://www.snh.cc.
 
If you have a course now but have stopped working on it, consider this: If you do five questions a day in a study guide, you can get it done in about a month.  And if you have a completed assignment, send it in to be graded!  If you're stuck in a spot call the office and talk to your student advisor.  Dr. Christopher's vision was to have an Herbalist in every home, and a Master Herbalist in every community.  The School wants to see this happen, and wants to see our students progress in the coursework.
 
Stop an Unhealthy Habit
Whether it's smoking, drinking sodas, or biting your nails, if you have a habit that is unhealthy, why not get rid of it?  Work with others who will support you in stopping your unhealthy habit and overcome it in 2010.
 
Get Enough Rest
Let's face it, most of us are running on less than eight hours of sleep a night, and we're pushing ourselves pretty hard during the day.  While the need for sleep differs from person to person, most people need between 8-10 hours of sleep a night.  So this next year, let's try to get a little more rest, and see if that helps us make it through the day.  Statistics show that when we get enough rest we are more alert and we perform better, and we can remember things easier.  When we do not get enough sleep, we are more likely to be involved in accidents and are at a higher risk for heart disease, obesity, and heart attacks, just to name a few.  So try to get a little more sleep-your health may depend on it!  Michael Thorpy, MD, director of the Sleep-Wake Disorders Center at Montefiore Medical Center in New York has said: "Any American making a resolution to lose weight ... should probably consider a parallel commitment for getting more sleep."
 
Take Time Out For Ourselves
We need to take time out of our busy lives to unwind.  Whether we get a massage, take a hot bath, meditate, or simply stop for five minutes to have a cup of herbal tea, we need to take a break.  If we never take time for ourselves, we're going to get run down and won't be able to do anything for anyone else or we'll get sick because we've compromised our immune system.
 
Listen to A Healthier You Radio
Each week Master Herbalists David and Fawn Christopher do a one-hour radio show that covers the most up-to-date health issues.  You can listen live Saturday mornings from 9-10 AM (Mountain Time) on http://www.ahealthieryouradio.com.  The most current show is also available for free on that same site.  Even better - you can access 18 years of past shows by becoming a member of the website.

Work with a Group
You are much more likely to achieve success if you report to someone.  Thomas S. Monson said, "When performance is measured, performance improves.  When performance is measured and reported, the rate of performance accelerates."  With that thought in mind, why not start a group on The School of Natural Healing Community Board?  After joining, just click General Discussion and post your overall goal as the topic.  For example - "Weight Loss Goal Group" or "Extended Herbal Cleanse Goal Group" and post YOUR specific, measurable goal as the first topic.  If someone else has already started a group under the goal you want to achieve click that group and post your goal as well, then check in on a regular basis and report your progress.  You can find the community at http://www.snh.cc/Community.html.

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