For Good Health

When I sleep, I grind and clench my teeth - a lot.  It has created all kinds of problems with my teeth and jaw.  I've worn some type of bite guard for nearly 20 years now.  A couple of years ago, my guard suddenly wasn't enough.  I tried a lot of things to help me sleep better and be calmer including acupuncture which was very helpful, massage that felt great but I'm not sure helped much and mediation.  (ETA:  I mean Meditation not mediation.  That would be fun - debating with my jaw "If you'll let me rest good tonight, I'll give you ice cream tomorrow." :-)

Also along the way, I noticed some changes in my sleep that didn't have anything to do with teeth grinding.  Age was catching up with me!  Oh how frustrating.  So I did some research and found that I might improve things with some dietary changes.  Believe me, giving up chocolate ice cream and soda were definitely the last things on my list I wanted to try.  

Yet, it was one of the best things I've ever done.  I try to eat a cleaner diet.   I choose foods that have few ingredients, eat mostly things I prepare myself.  It's been nearly a year since I had a single sip of soda and really don't miss it.  I replaced the chocolate ice cream with a much smaller amount of fruit sorbet and have a fruit, oatmeal and Greek yogurt smoothie for breakfast every day.  I so still eat some chocolate but with fewer ingredients.  I do sleep better and I have more energy each day.  This sounds so cliche yet it is true.   

So this page reflects some of the things I tried in my quest to be a healthier and calmer in 2012.

For the page, I CASEd the design from one in Wilna's Art class at Two Peas.  I used a larger grid with fewer photos and more chipboard pieces.  Wilna showed us a technique with gesso and watercolor paints that creates a beautiful finish for chipboard.   The pieces look like an faux finished wall.

I love undressed or raw chipboard.  You can paint it, stamp it, color with a marker, cover with pattern paper and emboss it.  It is one of the most flexible scrapbooking supplies.  I haven't bought any new pieces in a long time because I bought so much a few years ago from Oriental Trading company and Stampin' Up!

One of the most important thing I learned about being healthy is to trust your heart and your instincts.

Thanks for visiting today. Tomorrow I'll have the last Paper Piercing Pack card and video.