Becoming an Urban Gardener

Just because you live in a big city (or somewhere else without a backyard) doesn’t mean you can’t get the benefits of freshly-picked produce every day. I’m not talking about the farmer’s market produce (although that’s another way to get fresh veggies). I’m talking about planting your own garden.

It’s actually a lot easier to plant an urban garden than you might think – especially if you have a terrace or patio. Here are a few ideas to get your thought process flowing. Once you’re convinced, all you need is one trip to the home improvement store for some gardening supplies, and you’re good to go. Everyone is always asking "What can you do with a nutrition degree?" Now you can answer: "Make a wholesome and balanced meal from the food in your own garden." That and train people how to live longer and healthier lives.

1. Choose a location for your garden. If you have a terrace or patio, that’s it. If you have a window in an area that gets direct sunlight, consider adding a window garden box. It’ll be easy to maintain and it won’t take up any space in your home. If the first two suggestions won’t work, you can set up a table in front of your best window for your garden.

2. Start small. If you’ve never planted before, you shouldn’t go crazy with a bunch of things. It’s much better to plant one or two plants and watch them grow than to plant a gazillion and watch them slowly die each day (depressing, right?). Keep it small and you’ll be able to give each plant more TLC.

3. Consider planting herbs as your first plants. It’s really great to have fresh herbs around when you’re cooking, and they’re easy to maintain. Parsley, basil, cilantro, sage; plant whatever you use most. Not only will you prove that you have a green thumb, but you’ll also look like a superstar in the kitchen.

Getting Outside of Your Head

When people are trying to get to know you, they often say that they want to “get inside your head.” But, is that really the place to be? I mean, think about what we end up doing to ourselves in there. We’re always putting ourselves down and dwelling on things that we should be letting go of. Heck, we even create scenarios that don’t exist just to have something to stress about.

The fact of the matter is stress is unhealthy. Another fact: We stress out way too often (and usually over things that don’t matter). In order to live a healthier life, I suggest that we try to “get outside” of our own heads sometimes and simply look at the facts. And whatever you do, don’t get out of your head and try to get into someone else’s.

The other day, I was watching an old episode of “The Big Bang Theory” where Penny acted in a way that was completely absurd, but very similar to how we all act in certain situations. Sheldon had lent her money and she obviously couldn’t handle being in debt to him. So, she created a scenario in her own head that complicated the situation even further. Because she felt guilty about owing him money, she expected Sheldon to judge her when he saw that she had bought a hat online and ordered Chinese food instead of making herself a sensible, inexpensive dinner. In her head, he was constantly judging her. In reality (tv reality, anyway), that wasn’t the case at all. But her perception made things weird between them.

Can you think of a situation where you did this? I can certainly relate. In our effort to “get into other people’s heads” we often get lost in our own and cause ourselves undue stress. Most people do it at work. If you're an executive assistant, you might worry that the CEO (your boss) doesn't like you. Or, if you're a paralegal, you might worry about your relationship with the firm's lawyers.

I think part of the cure is to simply recognize the behavior. Are you stressed because someone has actually acted in a way that is unfair to you, or are you stressed because you think you know what the other person is thinking? Next time, do yourself a favor and get the facts before you bother stressing over things. You’ll feel a lot better, and you’ll probably have more productive relationships.

The Importance of Sleep

Today, as I sit here trying to keep my eyes open, I’m thinking about the easiest thing we can do to keep our bodies running smoothly: get some shut eye. Actually, I know it’s not easy for everyone; that’s why there’s a market for prescription drugs like Ambien. But, it’s usually pretty easy for me. The problem is that I just don’t coordinate it well enough. When I know I have to get up early in the morning, I should get to sleep at a reasonable time (say, before 10 p.m.), but I have trouble actually doing it. I end up rolling into bed around 11:30 and it’s probably 12 or 12:30 before I’m sleeping. Then, the alarm rings at 5:00 a.m., and I’m begging for a few more hours.

The fact of the matter is that five hours really isn’t enough sleep for most of us. Everyone’s sleep needs are different, but experts (including many prestigious doctors and my favorite nurse) agree that we should shoot for at least seven hours each night. While we’re sleeping, our bodies are recharging. The liver is detoxifying, and if we give it enough time, we’ll be refreshed and ready for the next day. So, how do we combat sleep troubles without relying on prescription drugs? Here are a few things you can try:

1. Set your bedtime: I know; you’re going to feel like you’re 10 years old again, but this is one of the most helpful things you can do. Tell yourself that you’re going to be in bed at 10 p.m. if you have to be up at five.

2. Make time to wind down: Turn off the television about an hour before your bedtime and just relax. You can read a relaxing book (no Stephen King thrillers), take a bath, meditate or just sit in silence. Being too plugged in right before bed will just make your mind race around like crazy and cause you to sit there winding down when you should be sleeping.

3. Find another place for your pets to sleep: Many people love inviting their cats or dogs into the bed, but if you’re having trouble sleeping, you should rethink this. Just like humans, cats and dogs can move around a lot in the night – which will interfere with your rest, whether you realize it or not.