Hyvin
A Natural Health and Wellness Blog

Hyvin will be on break for the holidays. Best wishes for a blessed Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year!!

Schools are being told to prepare for it, Palestinians are on a state of alert over it, and the U.S. expects it this year.

It, of course, is the bird flu, also known as the H5N1 strain of the avian flu. Being faced with the possibility of a widespread virus of this strength, I am reaffirmed in all the things I do to try to maintain the health of my family. I do what I can to ensure that our immune systems are strong, primed and ready to fight: healthy diet, sugar control, supplements, eliminating toxins in the home. I’m so grateful that I was introduced to this approach. Do you feel armed and ready?

Yes, I’m grateful for health and wellness, but I’m talking here about how gratitude contributes to health and wellness. It makes intuitive sense, doesn’t it? Having a positive outlook (including gratitude) just makes us feel better — happier, lighter, smiley-er…you know what I mean. I just love it when we can “prove” what we know in our hearts to be true. According to results published in the March 2003 issue of Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, study participants who counted blessings (whether they were healthy or ill) reported feeling more energetic and having more of a heightened sense of mental well-being than the participants (all healthy) who kept track of hassles.

If you’re not in the habit of counting blessings, it might be a good idea to write them down… list five every day. Or sometimes when I have “drive time,” I mentally list things I’m thankful until I’m all out of ideas. I try to see how many miles I can cover with thankfulness. (“Drive time” is when I’m on the road by myself or with one of the older kids who is engrossed in a good book — not when I have all four boys. ) I always do feel better — physically, mentally and spiritually — when I make an effort to cultivate gratitude.

Let’s be hyvin with gratitude!

What do you think of my alternating header photos at the top of the Hyvin pages? My two older sons took all these photos (digitally) at a nearby state park. With a natural health and wellness approach, we are making efforts to live more in harmony with nature; seems appropriate to be enjoying nature while we’re at it.

I mean “hi” to all… not only readers named Vin . No, I actually mean be hyvin. What, you say, you don’t remember your grammar school Finnish? Okay, my true meaning and earnest desire is for you to be well (as in good health). That’s right, Hyvin means “well” (in good health) in Finnish.

Having not been well for many of my adult years, and having four boys to keep healthy, I am committed to wellness for myself and my family. I thought I knew an average amount on nutrition, natural approaches, good diets, and the like. But then, I had no idea that some vitamins go straight through the plumbing (“what do you mean? I paid good money for that!!”). And it never occurred to me that my household cleaners were making me sick (So it wasn’t just that I hated to clean house!). In retrospect, I guess I was somewhat naive… assuming that the vendors of these various commonly-used things were doing their best for me. As they say, education is power. I look forward to sharing with you wellness news and information that has been of help to us.