Soul: From a Weed to a Flower

My mother always tells this story
of a weed growing in a garden.
This weed was very humble
and admired the beautiful flowers
in the garden. She was careful
to never drink up too much
water and not to soak up
too much sun. She didn't
stretch herself too far
and tried not to grow very big
so as not to disturb the growth
of the flowers. Then one day,
someone walked by and took
notice of the weed. They stopped
and praised her beauty. They
boasted about her dainty
petals and her aromatic scent.
Then they said "What a beautiful
and unique Flower!" The humble weed
wondered "could this be true? Could
I be a flower, beautiful and fragrant
like the rest?" Upon this realization
she began to soak up a little more
sun and drink in a little more
water. She stretched her leaves
and petals and soon began to grown.
She blossomed and bloomed to
eventually become one of the most
beautiful flowers any one had ever seen.


I took this picture of a "weed" in my garden. She was struggling to grow against the cement bricks off to the side of the house. The rest of the flowers had not survived the weather conditions, but this "weed" was strong and tall. It reminded me of this story. Here, against the odds, was a beautiful plant. It had vibrant colors and dainty petals. Who was I to uproot it? She had survived the weather and her position next to the cement. She had made the decision to soak up a little bit of sun while not bothering anything else. She had grown into something beautiful in spite of it all. So I let her stay and finish her journey and move on when it was her time. Everyone, male, female, and all others in the spectrum of humanity need to remember to grow into the beautiful flowers we deserve to be.

Until next time... Remain in Beauty and in Love Always
~Wyzdom

Information for Athletes and Weight trainers!

Protein. Americans consume 100% more protein than our bodies need. The recommended daily value is 46 g for women and 56 g for men. Those who are extremely athletic or may be weight training and desire more muscle mass, may believe they need to consume extra amounts of protein especially from supplements and shakes. This is not necessarily true. Research shows that the best results may come from consuming 20 g of High Quality protein just after training or exercise. Much more protein than this amount would not be beneficially used by the body. You may be wondering "what is High Quality protein and where can I find it?" For that answer I referred to energyfanatics.com. There I found the following information posted by P.L. Chang:



High quality proteins are usually found in foods that are high in nutrients and protein, low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Foods high in saturated fat are known to increase the risk of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Switching to high quality protein will help decrease your cholesterol levels and give your body the necessary nutrients to heal itself. High quality protein is also good for weight management because it helps slow down the digestion process. This will help keep your blood sugar level constant which prevents fatigue. Most people have been conditioned at an early age to believe that beef, poultry and fish are the best sources of protein. This is a misconception that can be harmful to people’s health. The best sources of high quality protein are from fruits and vegetables. Their proteins are easier to absorb, more stable, and contain little or no cholesterol.
Great sources of high quality protein

• Corn
• Wheat
• Peanuts
• Tomato
• Wild Rice
• Squash
• Cucumber
• Green Beans
• Lentils
• Asparagus
• Brussels Sprouts
• Broccoli
• Spinach

I  also found, on Livestrong.com, that High Quality protein can be obtained from combining protein rich foods to get complete benefits. For example, they recommend having lentils with wild rice instead of a bowl of lentils alone.

Proteins contain amino acids. There are 20 amino acids but only 9 are essential. *Note: Essential means the body cannot synthesize them and they must be consumed.* As a general truth, plant foods do not contain all 9 amino acids at once. There is,  however, one exception to the rule and that exception is the Soy Bean.

So the next time you are returning from the gym, remember to have a bowl of beans and rice waiting for you to warm up and enjoy. Or try making an all natural shake containing soy milk or other ingredients high in protein. 20 grams is all you need!

Until next time, remain in Beauty and in Love always,
Wyzdom

It's been a long time bloggers!

I know it has been forever since the last time I posted. I have been busy with my first semester back in classes since I graduated five years ago. The good news? I'm taking a nutrition class and I'm eager to communicate all that I am learning! I also have many new meditation strategies and mindfulness tips to share with all of you. It's going to be great, so stay tuned!