As a follow-up to the post “25 Simple Ways to be Healthy,” here are 25 simple, inexpensive ways to be happy. 

Pet a dog or cat.  It’s very good for your heart and your pet’s.

Go first.  Even if you don’t know all the rules of a game, or have to order first in a restaurant, just do it. You’ll be very pleased with yourself.

Do a random act of kindness for someone.  

Buy a sunflower.  How can you be unhappy when you look at a beautiful, silly sunflower?

Volunteer.  Help a teacher put up a new theme on a bulletin board, or read to a student, or stock shelves at a food bank.

Go play with your kids.  Attempt a cartwheel, swing on a swing set, play basketball, or build a fort out of blankets and couch cushions.  Forget housework; it’ll wait.

Listen to your kind of music.  Even if it’s from the ’70s or ’80s, it’ll make you happy and upbeat.

Clean up one pile of junk.  You will be ecstatic if you work through the pile and see the bottom.

Bake a loaf of  bread.  Can anyone not be falling over in happiness when they smell freshly baked bread?

Start dancing.  Or walking, or running.  Exercise releases endorphins and makes you feel superior to everyone else.

Do one thing that you’ve been putting off.  Need to make that dentist appointment or study for your driver’s license?  Do it and you will feel incredibly proud of yourself.  Finally-did-it. [Read more...]

As moms, many of us are naturally interested in health issues. But as busy moms, we may not have the time or finances to read everything that’s out there!

Health Book Summaries is a free service that gives you easy to read summaries on health, food and fitness. You can read the main points of a book in 10-15 minutes. There are ads that appear in the summaries but they aren’t too distracting. Some of the titles available immediately are The Thrive Diet, Reverse Heart Disease Now, Green for Life, The ADD and ADHD cure and many more. The books are in PDF format and easily read on your computer.

With registration, you will get access to the entire summary library and continue to receive two new summaries a month. I think this is a great way to preview a title before deciding if you want to invest in the book. Readers are given the option to purchase the book from Amazon if they choose.

This is a wonderful way to educate yourself and help others!

According to a new study, raw broccoli has amazing cancer-fighting abilities and may even slow the aging process.  Eating the veggie raw appears to be substantially better for overall health than eating it cooked.  Munching on raw vegetables, including cauliflower and broccoli, or chewing on a leaf of watercress, can provide significant protection against many types of cancer, as well as enhancing the immune system.

Buy your broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, turnips, or watercress from the organic section at the grocery store, or at least use a vegetable wash to rinse off any pesticide residue.  And start out small, maybe with just a twig.  As someone who used to munch on raw cauliflower and broccoli and overdid it, you could wind up with a terrible, painful stomach ache until your digestive system adapts.  Don’t leave a plate of twiggy broccoli or cut up cauliflower pieces out for too long either — it’s guaranteed to stink up a room.  Should you stop cooking vegetables altogether?  No, because there are still great health benefits and brussel sprouts just taste better cooked and with a little butter.  But,  for a big boost in health and beauty,  start munching on a small twig of the green stuff.   With all the health attributes of simple, green broccoli,  it certainly could be called an inexpensive wonder drug for moms! 

photo credit: Darwin Bell