Menopausal Healthy Holiday Season

Constadina Zarokostas-Vasiliades

First published in December 2012 at – http://menopausemission.com/menopausal-healthy-holiday-season

You’ve been trying to get control over all the changes your body is going through and now it’s the holiday season and you are overwhelmed with the thought that eating healthy and finding ways to exercise and relax are out of the question this holiday season. Don’t fret, there are a few things you can do amongst the chaos of the holiday season to help you from going overboard and help you ease into the New Year without feeling completely guilty that you overindulged. Remember getting your body in balance does not happen overnight and certainly is not easy to begin over the holiday season. Here is where you can begin your first steps: Continue reading →

Effort and Patience – The Crucial Keys to Menopausal Health

Constadina Zarokostas-Vasiliades

First published at www.menomission.com in November 2012 http://menopausemission.com/effort-and-patience-the-crucial-keys-to-menopausal-health

This is the first of a series on changing your life step by step during menopause. Look for the next article, Menopausal Healthy Holiday Season.

How serious are you about feeling better and overcoming the physical, mental and psychological changes that go along with menopause? This is the question you have to ask yourself, and if you truly want to feel good again, keep reading. If you are going to be selective and not going to put in the effort to work on every aspect of your life stop reading here, don’t waste your time, you are likely to continue feeling bad. There are no short cuts to a healthy life, so know that when you put 100% effort in getting your body in balance you will see results. You just need a little patience, results will not be seen overnight. Continue reading →

Meditation for a Balanced Life

Constadina Zarokostas-Vasiliades

First Published at http://menopausemission.com/author/constadina-vasiliades/page/2 September 2012

Far too often when people hear the word “meditation” images of a toga-draped Buddhist sitting in an incense-filled room chanting “OM” comes to mind, but the main goal of meditation is in fact to shut off the mind and focus on breathing. Our daily lives consist of a variety of stresses leading to us unconsciously holding our breath when we feel tension. This briefly prevents oxygen from getting to our brains, sometimes making us dizzy, confused, and disoriented, and sometimes more stressed. Stress has a major effect on our hormones and when you are at the stage in your life where you are either about to enter menopause or already going through it, adding one more factor to change your hormone levels can in fact influence how your body copes with various menopause symptoms. Continue reading →

Service Saves Your Emotions

Constadina Zarokostas-Vasiliades

First published at www.menopausemission.com in November 2012 http://menopausemission.com/services-saves-your-emotions

Many women do not realize that Menopause provides a free pass for women to re-invent themselves. With the amount of wisdom women have accumulated at this stage in their lives, they have grown to the point where they know for sure what they no longer want in their lives, but going forward and doing what they really want can be a scary thing. One of the safest and easiest ways to see if their new choice in career and lifestyle is what they really want, and will feel comfortable doing, is by volunteering their time somewhere doing the work they are truly interested in. What many don’t realize, is that being of service to others ironically ends up making people a lot more whole because focusing on a chosen interest is what makes a life fulfilling. It’s that link that helps people understand who they are, and overcoming negative emotions menopause can trigger. The key is genuinely caring about the people/organization you are helping, as opposed to helping out of obligation or for recognition and a title. Continue reading →

Eating the Right Greek Yogurt During Menopause

Constadina Zarokostas-Vasiliades

First published on http://menopausemission.com/eating-the-right-greek-yogurt-during-menopause October 2012

Yogurt is a popular food to eat for maintaining strong healthy bones. The popularity of Greek yogurt over the last five years has skyrocketed, but unfortunately some companies claiming to sell traditional Greek strained yogurt in fact are serving a product that does not align with the way pure traditional Greek strained yogurt is actually made. Being Greek, this begins to become insulting, especially growing up with the real thing, knowing the proper flavor and ingredients. Some of these yogurts are not making people healthy, but are contributing to their health issues. Don’t assume because a label says it’s a “Greek” yogurt that it’s healthy. Make sure you read the ingredients of your yogurt before purchasing; otherwise you will be buying a product that will in fact agitate and worsen your menopausal symptoms. For some, even a pure traditional Greek strained yogurt on its own can actually increase hot flash symptoms. Continue reading →

George Stroumboulopoulos – From Music to Consciousness

Constadina Zarokostas-Vasiliades

Outspoken and open to the world, George Stroumboulopoulos is Canada’s bridge between its youth and its older, structured adult world. His young peers love him because he listens to them, speaks their language, and explains things to them on a level they can relate to, while adults love him because he asks the difficult questions.

Before I interviewed George I wasn’t sure what to expect, after speaking with him I was so impressed with his intelligence and humor that I’ve had a crush on him ever since. He doesn’t mince his words and is truly honest about all topics of social interest. What you see on TV is the real thing, and better yet he lacks the arrogance that other TV personalities have. He is a person that inspires his audience to change and get involved in issues that matter to them.

I can quote him on so many things and topics, but one of my favorites is when I asked him about the advice he would give to his young peers and fans, he answered with a response that could be applied to anyone at any age, and that is, “Be what you want to be. Live on your own terms, otherwise you will be fake. If everybody did what their parents wanted them to be, then everyone would be a doctor or lawyer, and we wouldn’t have artists.” He also suggested they read the book “Travels with Charley,” which is an amazing non-fiction road trip featuring celebrated author, John Steinbeck.

Having a balanced healthy life includes being honest with yourself, asking difficult questions, and as George said, “be what you want to be. Live on your own terms, otherwise you will be fake.” Keeping up with the Jones’ is more stressful than living on your own terms. Trying to always impress friends and family will take it’s toll on your health, especially if you put their needs ahead of yours all the time.

George Strouboulopoulos had great input on how to live life that we can all follow. He is currently still hosting the Hour on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and started a show on CNN through the summer season of 2013 on Friday nights. Hopefully CNN will keep him on longer so the world can be inspired. If you want to read more from my interview with him click on the link below.

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Petition to force large food corporations to list ALL their ingredients

Constadina Zarokostas-Vasiliades

There is a deception going on in the food corporation world, where marketing and packaging of food products tend to not list if genetically modified food is part of the ingredients on the package. We as the public do not know what these ingredients can do in the long term to our bodies, there has not been long-term research done.

Sign the Environment Working Groups Petition if you want to know if your food is genetically modified or has ingredients that have been genetically modified.

Follow this link and add your information: http://action.ewg.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=2041&tag=201308GMOPetitionFWD&utm_source=201308gmopetitionfwd&utm_medium=email&utm_content=topper&utm_campaign=food

Responsibility in Business Leads to an Environmentally Friendly Society

Constadina Zarokostas-Vasiliades

I met Polly Mazaris, the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Baxter Group Ltd. in Melbourne, Australia in 2005, who taught me that drive and determination to do what is right for the environment, despite all odds, can slowly change the minds of some of the most stubborn business people. Her company is one of the most economically and environmentally efficient and accessible waste management operators in the South Eastern metropolitan area of Melbourne, Australia.

Polly was one of the few women working in this industry back in 1990 when she started, and even worse, environmental considerations by most landfill owners was not taking place. Her insistence of best practice guidelines took some time to be accepted, but she never backed down and stood behind the ethics of keeping the environment clean, and preventing any waste entering water sources. Fifteen years later she won Southern Australia’s Ernst & Young Entrepreneurs of the Year Award in 2005 for Services Including Financial, Business and Property, and was also a finalist for their national award.

She told me that her most valuable lesson in business is, “to stand up for your values, and be honorable and ready to accept responsibility.”

Part of living a balanced life is respecting your environment, whether it be at home, work, or your surrounding community. We all have the ability to do the right thing one small step at a time, whether it is picking up the garbage at the local park, or following your community’s recycling program properly. I think we are all guilty of putting something in our regular garbage bin instead of our recycle bin. Small steps to doing the right thing for our environment leads to greater changes and a cleaner environment for the generations after us, as well as creating a healthy balanced world.

To learn more about Polly Mazaris and how she operates her company and life, read my article below.

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Costa Gavras – Stimulating Minds Through Film

Constadina Zarokostas-Vasiliades

I was very fortunate to have had the opportunity to interview the director and screenwriter of the classic movie Z, Costa Gavras, before the Canadian premiere of his movie The Axe a few years ago. He is one of my all-time favorite movie directors and screenwriters because of his ability to make his audience question authority and think about various political, social, and ethical situations. He is truly a humanitarian at heart. In my interview with him he made a beautiful statement, that to me exemplifies how art should bring balance to one’s life, he said, “the role of art in society is to question life and let the audience decide.”

Art, in all its forms, has more power when it makes you think about what is going on around you, or the ethics and humanity of things that happened in the past, helping society make wiser decisions for our future.

Choosing your favorite forms of art can truly keep you in balance if you choose wisely.

Here is my interview with Costa Gavras.

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Hydrogen Energy Has a Future in the U.S.

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Constadina Zarokostas-Vasiliades

Hydrogen Energy is one possible solution to renewable energy and something to think about when considering alternative sources of energy. This may not be for you, but reading about renewable sources of energy helps put you in the mindset to think more about the environment. Part of balanced living is being considerate of the environment.

Here is an article I wrote a number of years ago about hydrogen energy and some research being done on using it to fuel cars of the future.

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Energy Saving Tips

Constadina Zarokostas-Vasiliades

Part of leading a balanced lifestyle includes being kind to the environment. That means not wasting energy in your home, and considering using renewable energy sources. Here is an article I wrote about energy saving tips that will help you be kinder to the environment.

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Angelos Bratis – Dutch Desire

Constadina Zarokostas-Vasiliades

I love fashion. Sometimes just looking at pretty things like a clothing or accessories can perk up your mood. Here is an article I wrote in 2006 on a Greek-Dutch designer who premiered at New York’s Fashion Week and gives some great advice to keep your wardrobe simple and not overly indulgent. You don’t need a lot of clothing in your closet, you just need a few right pieces to get you to a lot of places.

A balanced lifestyle also means you don’t have a need to own a lot of material things, and don’t look for a lot of material things to feel good about yourself. Feeling good about yourself comes from within you, but usually comes after a number of life challenges. The key is to find your inner strength. Your exterior is just icing on the cake.

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Workstation Health – Keeping optimum health in front of your computer

Constadina Zarokostas-Vasiliades

When you spend half your day in your office space or home computer you want to be comfortable and safe. This is an article I wrote a few years back that makes sure the stress of your work doesn’t make you forget about looking after your health.

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Baked Okra with a Feta and Olive Appetizer – Family Recipe

Recipe by Constadina Zarokostas-Vasiliades

This vegetarian meal is a very popular dish in Greece, particularly during a religious fast and through the summer season. It’s easy to make and I’ve provided a family recipe that was published a few years back in Metohos Magazine. I find that most Greek dishes cooked in a tomato sauce taste even better with a side of feta and Kalamata olives.

Okra are EXTREMELY low in fat, high in fiber, and VERY low in cholesterol. A 255g portion (without the tomato sauce) has 71 Calories, 1g of fat, and 5g of protein. It consist of 52% Vitamin C, 24% Calcium, 17% Vitamin A, and 9% Iron.

Enjoy another one of my family recipes!

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Is Your Tsaziki Making you Fat?

Constadina Zarokostas-Vasiliades

This article was first published in a Canadian Multicultural magazine (Metohos Magazine) a few years back. You may want to double check and ask your server if your Tsaziki is 100% yogurt. Read about what some restaurants do to save on the cost of pure yogurt in their tsaziki sauce.

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Spaghetti with Octopus – The Zarokostas Family Recipe

Recipe by Constadina Zarokostas-Vasiliades

This family recipe was published in a Canadian multicultural magazine a few years back. This is one of my favorite family recipes for a number of reasons. I am a seafood fanatic, and also have many memories of my family visits to Greece as a child watching my father and brother swim out into the Mediterranean sea with their spear guns searching for octopus, then once caught, watching them soften their tough tentacles by literally smashing them against sea rocks in our southern Greek town of Leonidion. When I hear the word “octopus” I instantly smell the sea and am transported to Greece.

An 85g serving size of octopus is a great source of protein providing 25g, and 139 calories. It is low in saturated fat. Octopus is high in iron at 45%, contains 11% Vitamin C, 9% calcium and 5% Vitamin A. It is a little high in sodium and cholesterol, so if those are issues in your diet please beware. Octopus is also a great source of Niacin, Vitamin B6, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc, Vitamin B12, Copper and Selenium.

Enjoy this very favorite family recipe of mine!

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Curing African Nations Suffering from Malaria with the Herb Artemisia

Constadina Zarokostas-Vasiliades

This is an article I wrote a few years back for a Canadian based multicultural magazine, that talks about how a simple herb like Artemisia is being cultivated as a natural remedy to make African nations self-sufficient economically, instead of using the over-priced equivalent pharmaceutical remedy currently being offered to them.

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