Last night as I was eating yet another meal in front of the television I wondered - why am I so interested in someone else's fabricated life?  I don't know why it never occurred to me before.  There have been times when I thought I watch way too much television.  I know there are better things to do, see and experience if only I'd get off the couch.  But for some reason last night was a turning point for me. 

As a culture, we're way too invested in something that isn't even real.  We're experiencing life through broadcast media.  Well today I decided to take matters into my own hands.  I worked from home and kept the boob tube (as my father not so fondly called it when I was growing up) off.  All day and all night.  I worked, walked my dog, listened to a guided meditation, did laundry, washed dishes and ate three meals in complete silence (if you don't count my dog panting in hopeful expectation of a morsel of my meal). 

Overall, I felt incredibly productive.  Mostly because I tuned into what my internal compass was telling me.  When I woke up, I drank a mug of hot water with lemon.  Why? Because I wasn't really hungry and my body was telling me that the double scoop of ice cream from Daddy's in South Randolph last night had thrown off my pH balance.  On my lunch break I usually go for a walk, but today I opted to meditate.  Why?  Because I was low on energy and still had four hours of client calls left.  In between calls I did some housework to keep it from piling up.  On my afternoon break I was craving some activity from sitting most of the day so I went for a walk. 

To the average person, this probably sounds like a pretty mundane day.  But what's great about it is I spent time with me living my life - not living vicariously through some downtrodden waif who overcame great odds and made it on Oprah (who I love by the way) or getting utterly annoyed at the woe is me crew from Judge Judy (who I'm sure is very nice but I don't get that show).  The mere fact that reality tv is in such high demand tells me that no one is interested in their own life anymore.  It's all about the drama.  Which, if we're honest with ourselves, is a total drain.  It saps our energy when we have our own emotional upheaval.  Why on earth would we want someone else's?

Well pass the sea salt and hold the remote because this is one woman who plans on participating in life rather than watch it pass her by.

Let's face it - we're all living longer.  And as we age, we tend to lose the vitality that we experienced in younger days.  Or do we?  I'm convinced that we can retain and often regain the energy that we've lived with most of our lives.  There are a few things we can do.  And it involves one of my favorite things - eating!  If you're on the downside of 40, take a look at some of these suggestions and if they speak to you,  start your own anti-aging campaign!

1. Avoid overeating.  If you eat until you feel full, you've over eaten.  Simple as that.  If you have a hard time knowing when to stop, add less to your plate than you normally would.  When the plate is clean, take a moment and decide how you feel.  Fifty years of research has shown that when a nourishing diet is eaten sparingly, aging is retarded.  Another benefit to eating less?  You save money on food.  And since that tends to be a big budget buster for most people, it's a great way to start saving some money.  So #1 is don't overeat.  It's #1 for a reason - it's the most important on our list.
2. Don't eat late at night.  I know this can be tough for people who work late, have long commutes, activities after work, etc.  Make lunch your biggest meal of the day and eat lighter for dinner.  Try a salad with some protein (black beans, small piece of salmon) or a sandwich.  You'll thank yourself later - YEARS later : )
3. Avoid sudden, extreme dietary changes like South Beach or other extreme diets, extended fasting or detoxing.  Our bodies tolerate gradual change much better and adapt more easily.
4. Avoid foods that weaken your immune system.  Foods like refined sugar, coffee, alcohol, too much salt and highly processed foods.  As we age, we tend to want salty or sugary foods because our taste buds diminish.  Adding in salt and sugar reminds us of how food used to taste.  Try a little honey, stevia or brown rice syrup if you need a little sweetener or eat foods that are naturally sweet like carrots, sweet potatoes, bananas and cantaloupe.  For salty cravings, try celery.
5. A high protein diet taxes the digestive, respiration and circulation organs.  It also weakens the bones.  Be mindful of protein portion size.  It's better for your bones and your wallet!

Exercise and getting enough sleep also have restorative powers.  But the long and the short of it is, we are what we eat.  It's a saying older than dirt, but it still applies today.  Eat well my friends!