Friendship, family, and happiness help us lead longer, healthier lives.
More and more studies are coming out that show that people who have joy & happiness in their life live longer. Relevant to this blog, people with cancer who have laughter in their lives live longer, too.
Dr. Bernie Siegel, who has worked with thousands of people with chronic illnesses and helped them live healthier, longer lives says, "You can't separate thoughts and beliefs from your body. What you think, and what you believe, literally change your body chemistry. If you have a pessimistic, hopeless outlook, you'll change your body, your immune function..."
I have heard numerous stories through Institute of Integrative Nutrition of people willing away their cancers with deep thought, meditation, or simply strong hope. Visits from friends or family, happy letters, family stories, music...all these things can bring great joy to any of us, but especially if you are living in the scary shadow of chronic disease.
We have amazing control of our minds and bodies, but sometimes we don't access it all. Without being conscious of it, we tell our bodies to stand up and to walk from here to there. It's worth a try to tell our bodies to eradicate our cancer tumors every day. Why not give it a shot, right? Studies have shown that our DNA may be programmed in to our bodies, but our choices relating to exercise, nutrition, relationships, and the happiness levels in our days can alter that DNA.
There is an incredible woman, in my view a leader in the holistic health movement, named Hannah Marcotti, who runs a health practice called Hannah's Harvest. She is leading a program starting on November 26th called The Holiday Joy Up. Take a look. Have your friend who is going through a hard time take a look. Even tell your friend with a lot of joy in her life to take a look! It is a simple, joyful, 10-day gift in your email that brings extra joy to your day...and reminds us that joy is a choice and can enhance EVERYTHING.
So, in honor of Hannah and her amazing program, I am featuring a recipe today that she came up with, and called "Squash and Olive Goddess Bowl." I have altered it a little, and have even exchanged the squash, so I'll change the name here, too.
Noodle and Olive Joy Bowl
by Hannah Marcotti
1 package rice thins (noodles found in Asian section of the market)
olive oil
1 pint cherry tomatoes
diced
2 cloves garlic
1 can white beans (you can also get them marinated in the section of the store where you buy olives)
1/4 cup diced queso fresco
1/2 cup green olives, sliced
splash tamari soy sauce
squeeze of lemon juice
-Put white beans in a bowl with some olive oil and one of the minced garlic cloves, to marinate while you prepare the rest of the dish.
-Prepare rice noodles from package instructions. Usually you boil water, and pour over your rice thins in a ceramic, glass, or metal bowl to soften for 10 minutes, then drain.
-Saute cherry tomatoes in oil, until tender. Add garlic for one more minute then remove pan from heat.
-Chop the olives and the queso fresco.
-In a large bowl, add noodles, tomatoes, beans, cheese, and olives. Splash the tamari and lemon juice, toss and enjoy.
*Olives are a source of healthy fat, needed by our bodies to digest and absorb many micro and macro nutrients, minerals, and vitamins. Olives also lower systematic inflammation, which can reduce your risk of cancer, asthma, and arthritis. The oleic acid in olives also significantly reduces your risk of breast cancer, by cutting the levels of a cancer-promoting gene by up to 46%.
**Beans are an excellent source of complex carbohydrates and fiber. They have a lot of folic acid, phosphorous, iron, protein, magnesium, manganese, and potassium. Beans not only lower cholesterol, but their high fiber content prevent blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making them an excellent choice for someone with diabetes or hypoglycemia. Beans & lentils also are preventative against cancer and the Nurses Health Study II showed that eating beans twice a week reduced your risk of breast cancer by 24%.
-Prepare rice noodles from package instructions. Usually you boil water, and pour over your rice thins in a ceramic, glass, or metal bowl to soften for 10 minutes, then drain.
-Saute cherry tomatoes in oil, until tender. Add garlic for one more minute then remove pan from heat.
-Chop the olives and the queso fresco.
-In a large bowl, add noodles, tomatoes, beans, cheese, and olives. Splash the tamari and lemon juice, toss and enjoy.
*Olives are a source of healthy fat, needed by our bodies to digest and absorb many micro and macro nutrients, minerals, and vitamins. Olives also lower systematic inflammation, which can reduce your risk of cancer, asthma, and arthritis. The oleic acid in olives also significantly reduces your risk of breast cancer, by cutting the levels of a cancer-promoting gene by up to 46%.
**Beans are an excellent source of complex carbohydrates and fiber. They have a lot of folic acid, phosphorous, iron, protein, magnesium, manganese, and potassium. Beans not only lower cholesterol, but their high fiber content prevent blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making them an excellent choice for someone with diabetes or hypoglycemia. Beans & lentils also are preventative against cancer and the Nurses Health Study II showed that eating beans twice a week reduced your risk of breast cancer by 24%.
Thank you for sharing that beauty of joy and yourself and your message of love. xo
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