I have found the older you get, it is harder to meet people who share common interests and my friend Eric encouraged me to join his kayaking club on meetup.com.  I just started kayaking a few years ago and I’ve discovered that it takes certain people to help motivate peoples behavior especially into trying new things.  I know my love of nature was captivated by the beauty and serenity of the nature that surround us in the Lowcountry!  I love to explore especially in the outdoors whether it is moonlight kayaking or sunset walks on the beach you can find it all on the meetup groups I’ve identified below.

To join meetup.com just go to www.meetup.com and you can click on “find” (there are currently almost 66,000 groups around the world with 19, 425 types of interests!  You can search by “topic or interest” or search within certain parameters of your zip code.  (I personally find it easier to search by zip code).

There are 55 meetup groups in the 29910 area.  What I would recommend for Health and Wellness would be: The Savannah Meditation of Energy Flow, The Savannah Personal Growth Meetup Group,  Savannah Walking Group and Sea Island Kayaking Meetup Group.  These groups all help promote health and wellness and I highly encourage you to join if you want to expand your mind, body and soul.

The secret to motivation is inspiration and in order to balance our busy schedule is to find the time to exercise your mind, body and spirit.  So,  put on your walking shoes or grab a paddle and start enjoying the great outdoors! 

Just go the www.meetup.com

As you enter the InnerSphere Yoga and Lifestyle Center the  friendly yoga host greets you and invites you to an experience of relaxation.  This intimate and tranquil yoga studio has you take off your shoes and from that point on, you grab a pillow, a blanket, a yoga mat and a eye pillow.    So, are you relaxed yet…..okay, now that you enter the room you are instructed to relax and leave your worries outside the studio…new age music is now being played as you are begin your meditation…..each and every muscle in your body is relieved through guided imagery….you can feel the wave of negative energy dissolve and you feel like the weight of your stress is physically lifted through your body…….so take a few deep breaths and just relax/….close your eyes and imagine…….dream……and be inspired!

Every Tuesday and Thursday promptly at 5:15 p.m.

Reduce and stress and be inspired…..

for complimentary 30 minute session of meditation

 The InnerSphere Yoga studio is located at 6 Promenade Street, Suite 1003 and their website is www.innershereyoga.com.  Their phone number is (843) 384-0283.  They also feature traditional yoga and specialty services for health and wellness.

 So, why mediate?
“We meditate for various reasons. Peace of mind we all badly need. Therefore, when we meditate, either consciously or unconsciously we aim at peace of mind. Meditation give us peace of mind without a tranquilliser. And unlike a tranquilliser, the peace of mind that we get from meditation does not fade away. It lasts for good in some corner of the inmost recesses of our aspiring heart “~  

    Sri Chinmoy

    Buddha

Recipe for Grilled Chicken with Mango Salsa
*Can also use Mahi Mahi
This can be grilled or broiled
Prep time 15 minutes, Cook time 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb Boneless Chicken Breast
1/2 lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp. salt
Dash each of dried cum and oregano
4 cloves minced garlic
1/4 c vegetable oil

Salsa:
1 ripe mango, peeled and diced
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and minced
1/2 red onion, minced
2 jalapeno seeded minced
Juice of 1 lemon
Several mint leaves, torn into pieces
1/4 seedless (European or English) cucumber, peeled and chopped
20 blades fresh chives, finely chopped
1 lime, juiced

Place chicken breasts in shallow baking pan. Combine, salt, oregano, cumin, garlic, lemon juice and oil together in bowl. Pour over chicken to coat. Cover, refrigerate and marinade 1 hour turning once.

For salsa, place all salsa ingredients in bowl and toss wit fork to mix. Set aside.

Preheat grill and coat foil with nonstick cooking spray. Remove fillers from marinade; disregard marinade. Place chicken on grill for approximately 10-12 minutes on each side. (This can also be broiled and substituted for 4 (5 to 6 oz.) mahi mahi and broiled 3 to four minutes on each side.

Serve entree on individual dishes with mango salsa as a topping.

I learned  to enjoy the beauty and serenity of the Lowcountry by paddling in a kayak.  In the Bluffton and Hilton Head area you can enjoy the tranquility of a whole new world and enjoy nature while exercising your mind, body and spirit.

In this area, you can enjoy my personal favorite which is Pinkney Island which offers offer 4,000 acres of wildlife refuge.  You can experience being surrounded by dolphin, egret, and  blue heron to name a few.  Pinkney Island also offers 13 miles of hiking and biking trails.   You can make a whole day while enjoying a good old fashioned healthy picnic and I suggest bringing some bottled water.

My other  secret to best kayaking spots are the May River in Bluffton, SC which was noted in Southern Living’s magazine in 2005 as the 2nd best place in the South to spot a sunset.

To enjoy the most unforgettable and affordable kayak trips in the area, I recommend Captain Eric at Marshgrass Adventures.  Don’t worry, all gear is provided all you need to bring is your motivation and willingness to be inspired by paddling in the Lowcountry.  To reach him, his website is marshgrassadventures.com and his phone # is (843) 684-3296.

 South Carolina and Tennessee were tied in the top 5 for adult obesity.

 The state of Georgia was ranked as the 14th.

 Child obesity in South Carolina was ranked # 7.

 These obesity rates are alarming!

So, what makes us fatter in the South:

 Fresh fruit and vegtables are more expensive

Fast food is less costly

Manufactured foods are easier to prepare