Health Bliss

50 Revitalizing Naturefoods & Lifestyle choices to promote vibrant health.

Would you like to lose unwanted pounds, eliminate the ongoing stress of unbalanced living, and regain your zest for life?

If so, then this easy to read diet and lifestyle book is for you, as it will gently guide you on a journey to unparalleled vitality, your ideal body weight, and the confidence you need to control your own health destiny.

Renowned author Susan Smith Jones shares the secrets of health and diet success that her private clients pay thousands of dollars for. She shows you how to select the healthiest and most delicious foods, explains how a little bit of exercise can go a long way, reveals the importance of silence and solitude, and empowers you to make the changes that will make you look and feel younger and more energetic than ever!

The 21-day approach recommended in this book will give you the motivation you need to take charge of your body, your health, and your life - physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually as you:

learn which foods heal, detoxify, and rejuvenate your body
protect yourself from obestity, diabetes, heart disease, many forms of cancer, high blood pressure, and most other prevalent diseases
release stress, reignite self-esteem, and reconnect with your best, healthiest self
supercharge your metabolism and accelerate fat loss
look and feel ten years younger in just three months - 90 days.

Susan Smith Jones, Ph.D . is the author of Health Bliss, she explains that "it's never too late to start making better choices. No matter what our age background, or history of poor eating and living habits, we can choose to begin fresh today by making positive choices that support our wellbeing."

Susan Smith Jones, Ph.D., has authored a variety of audio programs, 17 books, and hundreds of magazine articles. For 30 years, at UCLA, she taught students, staff, and faculty how to be healthy and fit; and is internationally renowned as a holistic health consultant and motivational speaker to corporate and community groups. As a frequent guest on radio and television talk shows, Susan enthusiastically shares her wisdom and expertise on simple ways to create vibrant health and live a balanced, peaceful life.

Review: Susan has the ability to speak logically, making your choices as easy as ABC. If you would like to benefit from blissful sleep, maintaining your health and achieve an active balance in your life that will glow through your skin, Health Bliss is the perfect guide to balance your lifestyle.

Health Bliss
Hayhouse
Author: Susan Smith Jones

www.SusanSmithJones.com
ISBN: 9781401912413
RRP: $29.95

Interview with Susan Smith Jones

Why did you choose to write Health Bliss?

Susan Smith Jones: One of the main reasons I wrote this book is because I like to make people feel good-the kind of good that comes from an unexpected, deep belly laugh and enjoying nutritious, delectable food-food that also just happens to help heal the body. It's similar to the way your favorite childhood memory gives you a tingle and puts a smile on your face whenever it comes to you, even as you rush through an activity-filled day in a busy city or community far away from where you grew up.

My love for food and creating recipes started when I was a little girl and I watched my mum and grandmother spending lots of time in the kitchen, creating meals that brought all of us kids and our playmates out of our rooms or in from the yard. Even during holidays, my mum would always create extra room at our table for friends who were far away from their relatives or who didn't have any family. We also invited a few service members from nearby military bases who were far away from their homes. These were good times, and great food was always the hub of the wheel, which incited lots of laughter, enjoyable conversations, and countless "Yum's."

Even to this day, I've adopted my mum's and grandmother's passion for sharing good food, as my neighbours, friends, and family can attest. I'm always making gifts of homemade creations to help brighten their days in some small way. It's one of my greatest passions in life: creating wonderful dishes and sharing my love for food and healthy living with as many people as possible. My hope is that this new book will inspire you to create your own healthy meals; share them with family and friends; and find other simple ways to adopt a more nurturing lifestyle as I describe in these pages.

It's a thrill for me to have this opportunity to share my recipes with you. They're an outgrowth of decades of research and experimentation in the field of healthful living. As a young woman, I had a dream that someday I'd discover the secrets of a long life of fitness, vibrant health, youthful vigor, and exquisite joy. I'm happy to say that my dream came true, and I'm grateful to be able to share my experiences with you.

As you read this book, I hope you feel as though we're sitting across from each other at the kitchen table, visiting and chatting as friends. It's more than just delicious, easy-to-prepare recipes; it's a book also filled with all of my favorite healthy living tips on how to look and feel your very best - with simple ways to look at least 10 years younger in only 90 days - one season. I'm eager to share with you the secrets that have led to success for thousands of people, and I know that they can do the same for you!


What positive choices can we implement today to support our wellbeing?

Susan Smith Jones: Whether it's a new year, season, month, week, or day, you always can choose to make this moment a new beginning, opt to make choices about improving your health. One of the best ways to bring wellness into your world is to decrease the level of stress you experience on a daily basis. Why is this so important? Believe it or not, the American Association of Family Physicians reports that two-thirds of all doctor visits are due to stress-related ailments. It's also believed that 80 to 90 percent of all diseases are tied to tension. And if you're female, stress may be even more damaging to your health: study after study has found that women suffer from it and from depression more often than men.

For some of us, our biggest stressors might be weather-related situations such as tornados, earthquakes, floods, fires, or hurricanes. Similarly, most of us get anxious when thinking about deadlines and commitments, but stress has many other causes. It can be triggered by emotions-anger, fear, worry, grief, depression, or even guilt. And stress can actually lead to high blood pressure, heart problems, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, headaches, and other illnesses and chronic health conditions. If you want to avoid these problems, follow my seven favorite tips to reduce stress, promote relaxation, and bring health and wellness to your body and world. Yes, a good diet is paramount, but it's more than eating the right foods; it's all about living with balance and choosing the best foods and lifestyle choices that support well-being. Here are my 7 tips to implement right away.
Get moving! Exercise is one of the best ways to reduce stress in your life because it relaxes muscles and eases tension. Want proof? A study at the University of Southern California showed that patients who took a vigorous walk and raised their heart rates to more than 100 beats per minute reduced the tension in their bodies by 20 percent. This effect was greater than a second group of patients who were given a tranquiliser! So go for a walk, hit the gym for some weight-bearing exercises, or give yoga a try. Studies have shown that those who practice yoga have lower stress hormones than those who don't.

Meditate and breathe deeply Don't worry-you don't have to be a Buddhist monk to know how to meditate. Really, it's simple! Find a special, quiet space in your home. Spend at least 15 minutes here first thing in the morning and before going to bed. Sit and close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Inhale and exhale slowly and deeply, focusing on the sound and rhythm of your breathing. Mentally visualize peace and calmness. Your day will start and end on a stress-free note.

Eat a stress-relieving diet Can your diet really help in this area? You bet. Take stress off your digestive system by getting at least seven servings of fresh fruits and vegetables. They're high in water content and easily digested. Especially beneficial are antioxidant-rich leafy greens, such as romaine lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, kale, and collards. Choose an array of colors when it comes to produce in order to benefit from an array of antioxidants.

Keep your body hydrated Our bodies are 70 percent water, our cells are 70 percent water, and our planet is 70 percent water. That's no coincidence. Each day we need to drink at least 8 glasses of water-even more (10 to 12) when it's hot, when we've been exercising, or in a dry climate or atmosphere such as in an airplane. At a cellular level, dehydration makes us as droopy as neglected violets. Lack of moisture in faces causes wrinkles the way lack of moisture in grapes causes raisins.

Drinking "liquids" won't do. Although herbal tea, freshly extracted vegetable juice, and diluted fruit juice can count in the water tally, coffee, tea, colas, and alcoholic beverages actually dehydrate the body. They're wet, but they're not water; in fact, they're anti-water.
We need to maintain proper fluid balance for brain and kidney function, to rid the body of waste material and toxins, and to maintain radiant health. Water is also a safe, cheap, and effective appetite suppressant. Often when we think we're hungry, we're actually thirsty. Get into the habit of carrying a bottle of water when you walk or drive. If it's there, you're more likely to drink it. You can refill it from your filtered or purified supply at home.

Catch plenty of Zzzs Lack of sleep undermines your body's ability to deal with stress. That's why it's important to get eight hours of rest per night. One way to tell if you're getting enough shut-eye is to see if you wake at a regular time without an alarm. If you require a buzzer to get out of bed in the morning, you're not getting enough sleep.

Laugh a lot Worried about something? Maybe you're stressed out about a relationship with a loved one, the monthly bills that are stacking up, or the poor grades your son or daughter is suddenly bringing home from school. Whatever it is, one way to mollify this stress is to make sure your life is filled with laughter.
According to researchers, laughter releases endorphins into the body that act as natural stress beaters. In fact, a good belly laugh gives your heart muscles a workout; improves circulation; fills your lungs with oxygen-rich air; clears your respiratory passages; stimulates alertness hormones; helps relieve pain; and counteracts fear, anger, and depression, all of which are linked to illness and stress. So be sure to schedule time to be with friends and family members who make you smile and laugh, and go to movies or read a book that tickles your funny bone. Just make sure you're finding plenty of things to giggle about in your life.

Be thankful and reap the health benefits. Each and every day, take a moment and be grateful for all you have in life. Gratitude, after all, is a great stress buster. What you think about consistently brings more of the same into your life. So focusing on the positive, even during difficult times, is the best way to reduce and alleviate stress and transform your life.
As you experiment with many of the recipes in my new book, Recipes for Health Bliss, I also hope that you'll also take heed of many of the lifestyle suggestions on how to create vibrant health that are sprinkled throughout.


What snacks are really good for us?

Susan Smith Jones: You know what foods you need to stay away from - most of those beige and white foods and anything made with white flour and white sugar. Well, those foods are a lot harder to resist when you're starving and your blood sugar is low. An ounce of prevention goes a long way. Let's say that you've been invited out to a party, or a holiday dinner or to a wonderful restaurant with a group of friends. Make sure that you don't arrive famished. A piece of fresh fruit or some cut-up raw vegetables with a healthy dip, some whole grain crackers, or a piece of whole grain bread or toast with some fresh fruit jam, or a nut butter like peanut or almond or even a few slices of avocado, will keep your appetite at bay. Try any of them for a mid-morning snack or afternoon pick-me-up or even an hour before the big holiday dinner or family meal and watch your willpower soar while your waistline stays in place.


How can positive eating change our body, even if we have a record of bad eating in the past?

Susan Smith Jones: First of all, give up dieting. If you think of yourself as being "on" or "off" a diet, you're going to get into trouble. Why? Because as soon as you think or feel like you have gone off the diet, you really go off, as in the deep end. Don't set yourself up for this disaster. A taste of something doesn't mean you've sinned and definitely doesn't mean, "What the heck, I might as well eat the whole thing". Also, one bad meal doesn't mean you have to ruin the rest of the day (or week) either.

When you start to consume healthier foods - natural foods in a rainbow of colors, everything starts to change in your body. You sleep better, you have more energy, and you even begin to feel more positive and have higher self-esteem. This, in itself, is the perfect motivation. As you begin to feel better, simply as a result of choosing better foods, then this positive lifestyle change parlays into other positive actions such as embarking on an exercise program or upgrading your existing program. Because the body reflects the mind and the mind reflects the spirit, the body is a great place to start.

There are three things over which we have control: what we eat, how we move (the exercise we get), and what we think. Change your mind about what you are eating and it will change your life. Since you decide what it is you are going to eat - nobody shoves the food down your throat - you can make huge strides in your overall health and well-being simply by choosing healthier foods. And the cool thing is that you can choose to eat delectable foods that just also happen to be potent medicines as well-that heal the body, mind and spirit. It was Pythagoras who said these words over 2400 years ago: Choose what is best; habit will soon render it agreeable and easy.


What are some easy changes to make to our diet to improve our health?

Susan Smith Jones: Processed carbs, like breads, crackers, and chips are everywhere. Even though they aren't always sweet, most are high in refined flour, which converts to sugar in the body quickly (and with no fiber to slow its release into the system) and can end up as stored fat. So first of all, give up eating processed carbs. Also, eat more high fiber foods. And is you desire to lose a few or many extra pounds of weight, fiber is your secret weapon. Not only is fiber supremely healthy and directly related to the reduction of risks for a whole host of diseases, it is a huge player in the weight-loss field. It also contributes to a feeling of fullness. Consume as many high-fiber foods as possible before attacking any other foods. Raw veggies contain sufficient bulk to fill you to some degree, before you turn to the high-sugar, low fiber junk that converts to fat right away.
Calorie density may be one of the most important keys to helping people lose weight and maintain a health weight. So remember the key principles of calorie density; by filling up on foods that are lower in calorie density first, you will be less likely to overeat on foods that are relatively higher in calorie density. The foods that are lowest in calorie density are fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, and unrefined complex carbohydrates. The foods that are highest in calorie density are refined carbohydrates and all high fat foods with oils and fats being the highest. Also, if you are going to eat foods that are higher in calorie density, you can "dilute" the calories out by eating them with foods that are lower in calorie density. For example, have baked corn chips (high calorie-dense food) with salsa (low calorie-dense food). Low calorie dense foods fill you up and provide healthy fiber. Almost all produce qualifies and an excellent choice for a low calorie-dense food.

Keep your body hydrated. Our bodies are 70% water. Our cells are 70% water and our planet earth is 70% water. That's no coincidence. Each day we need to drink 8 glasses of purified water and even more when it's hot, during exercise, or in a dry climate or dry atmosphere, like an airplane's. You probably won't feel thirsty every time you need to drink. Most of us have downplayed our water needs for so long that our thirst mechanism doesn't work as well as it ought to. Interestingly, if you gradually work up to eight glasses of water every day, your thirst response will become more reliable. For those of you who desire to look younger, lack of moisture in faces causes wrinkles the way lack of moisture in grapes causes raisins or in plums creates prunes.

Water also is a safe, cheap, and effective appetite suppressant. Often when we think we're hungry, we are actually thirsty. This is because the brain requires both water and sugar, and we can confuse the signals it sends us. The next time you think you're hungry, but you ate not long ago, drink instead. If your body wants water, you'll be satisfied. If not, eat something.

Throughout my new book, I emphasize the following: It's is not about being perfect; it is about doing the best you can. Most of us know by now what our "trigger" foods are and the effects certain foods have on our mood, appetite and energy. We also know which are the worst foods that we should be staying away from. If you can't abstain from problem foods all of the time, especially during the holidays, at least abstain from them most of the time. "Most of the time" is a lot better than "none of the time".

And remember to visualize yourself as a healthy, positive person. Visualising your food goals (and all of your health and other goals) as already completed will increase your motivation, keep you on course, and hasten your success.

Finally, make sleep a top priority in your life and set the tone for the day. When you don't get enough sleep nightly, around 7-9 hours, it sets your body up to hold on to all of the calories you eat and also causes you to crave foods that are not good for you - the most calorie-dense foods. Have you ever noticed that after a good night's sleep, you are more positive in the morning and you make better food choices? It's true. Also, keep this in mind. The first 40 minutes of the day sets the tone for the day. So make sure that during your morning routine, you are relaxed, happy, not rushing around, and you begin your day with a healthy meal within one hour of getting up. If you skip breakfast, it causes your metabolism to slow down. And if maintaining or losing weight is your goal, you definitely don't want to that to happen. Eating smaller meals (three reasonably-sized main meals and two snacks) throughout the day, as opposed to one or two really large meals during the day, keeps your metabolism stoked and this supports healthy weight loss, if that is one of your goals.