Living

Mary Anne Radmacher’s  Live with Intention

Walk to the edge.

Listen hard. Laugh. Play with abandon.

Practice wellness.

Continue to learn.

Choose with no regret.

Appreciate your friends.

Lead or follow a leader.

Do what you love.

Live as if this is all there is.

An excerpt from The Power of Positive Doing, by BJ Gallagher

 ACTION ALLEVIATES ANXIETY

For many years, I suffered from tension headaches with painful symptoms: impaired vision, sensitivity to light, excruciating throbbing in my temples, and sometimes nausea. They were awful. I consulted with doctors and dentists; I tried various medications; I took up meditation and tried bio-feedback. Some things helped a little bit—but nothing seemed very effective for any length of time.

Then I discovered something interesting—that taking action eased my headaches. Physical action was the best—anything that got my body moving. I could mow the lawn, wash the kitchen floor, workout in the gym, do some laundry, work in the garden, wash windows, wax the car—anything physical. Getting my body into action enabled me to work out the tension that was causing the headaches.

Other types of action worked, too—calling a trusted friend and having a good conversation; having sex (though that isn't always an option); writing in my journal; going for a long, relaxing drive. In short, any action that I can take to dissipate the pent-up tension in my head will do the trick. My head feels better; my neck and shoulders relax; and I feel the satisfaction of having done something.

Perhaps your anxiety doesn't show up in headaches. Maybe you carry your tension in some other part of your body—your back, your stomach, your shoulders, your intestines, your sinuses. Doctors estimate that as many as 80 percent of the physical problems their patients report are stress-induced!

Taking action to discharge the pent-up energy caused by stress can prevent health problems, and can even cure some of the ones you might already have.

Getting started is half the battle. A body at rest tends to stay at rest and overcoming our own inertia is a huge step forward. If you can get yourself to take just one step forward, you're now in motion—and a body in motion tends to stay in motion.

When my car won't start, I call on AAA. When my happiness won't start, I call on the other Triple A—Action Alleviates Anxiety. So can you!

McDougall's Lima Bean Soup

Servings: 6

1 cup dried baby lima beans

6 cups water

2 leeks, cut in half and thinly sliced

2 stalks celery, sliced

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 ½ cups chopped potatoes

1 bay leaf

½ pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 tablespoon soy sauce

½ cup uncooked orzo pasta (whole wheat)

¼ cup chopped fresh dill weed

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Place the lima beans and water in a large pot. Soak overnight, OR quick soak by bringing to a boil, cooking for 2 minutes, removing from heat and letting rest for 1 hour (OR no-soak and pressure cook on rapid rattle the ingredients up to and including the bay leaf with 3 cups of water for 10 minutes, let pressure fall on its own, then open add remaining water, mushrooms, and soy sauce and continue with recipe below).

Then, bring beans and water to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.

Add the leeks, celery, garlic, potatoes and bay leaf. Continue to cook for 30 minutes.

Add the mushrooms and soy sauce and cook an additional 20 minutes.

Add the orzo and dill weed and cook for another 10 minutes until the orzo is tender. Season with some freshly ground pepper, if desired.