Blog
"Having a great time. Wish I were here". I saw this quote on a postcard a long time ago and it always stuck with me. How often are you at a party, going about your daily life, or even on vacation (!), but you are not really there? Perhaps you are still in yesterday thinking about the fight you had with your best friend or maybe you are in tomorrow worrying about your big presentation. I know I should be mindful and live in the present, but it is actually more difficult than it sounds, isn't it? We have so…
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Mind Blog
Recently, a friend asked me why I thought my cereal was preferable to her cereal. She compared the stats of fat, fiber, protein, and carbs of each and found them to be comparable. Unfortunately, reading the nutritional information is not enough when it comes to making healthy food choices. It is also important to read the ingredients. My friend's cereal is what Michael Pollan, author of In Defense of Food and Food Rules, would call an "edible foodlike substance." These foods are highly processed and are designed by food scientists. They consist mostly of ingredients derived from corn and soy…
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Body Blog
Okay, so I'm writing this blog from Hawaii where it is pretty easy to find peace by nature. But still, peace by nature can be found anywhere. You just have to realize the power of it and make the time to do it (even just a few minutes can bring you instant serenity). There is so much talk about the environment these days. We hear about our carbon footprints and living green. We talk about reducing, reusing, and recycling. We learn about global warming and environmental toxins. We are told that how we are living is poisoning the environment which…
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Environment Blog
A good diet, a healthy exercise program, and stress management tools are absolutely, positively, without-a-doubt critical to your health. I believe this to be true to the core of my being. Many people still believe that these are "nice to have", but not essential. My cousin is one of these people. For years, she has had high blood pressure. She is on blood pressure medication. I have encouraged her many times to make changes to her diet, exercise more, and manage her stress better to help to reduce her blood pressure naturally—with the hope of eliminating or reducing the medication…
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Body Blog
Sitting by the fire in your pajamas at noon reading a book may seem like a luxury, but actually can be essential for your health. You know that feeling when you just aren't engaging in life like you normally do, when even the simplest things seem to be overwhelming, and when you are extra sensitive to people's comments and behavior? That’s when it’s time for some productive unproductiveness. If there is a time when you feel this way, honor it. Don't try to justify or rationalize it. Allow it to just be and take the steps that work for you…
Published in
Mind Blog
"I think I'm in love". These were the words that a good friend of mine emailed to me recently. She has been dating on Match.com for a while and has finally found a guy that she is interested in. I have to admit—I felt a twinge of jealousy when I got her email. I knew how she was feeling in that moment. Do you remember that “in love” feeling” when you feel like you are on cloud nine? All is right with the world and you feel positively aglow. You want to spend every moment with your new seemingly soul…
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Relationships Blog
I don't like to get up early. That's just my thing. Waking up to an alarm clock is one of my least favorite things in life. Believe me, I would love to be a morning person—my life would be a lot easier. However, staying up late is a guilty pleasure of mine, which means the mornings don't come easy. After four decades of not being a morning person, I’m pretty sure that’s just who I am.Last week, I asked some people in my running group if they were up for meeting at 8:00am instead of 7:30am on a Saturday for…
Published in
Mind Blog
Sunday, 31 October 2010 12:35
Sardines, and Quinoa, and Kale! Oh My!
Written by Dina Colman Mitchell
Two years ago, I never would have imagined that I'd actually be enjoying sardines, quinoa, and kale in my diet. I didn't know what quinoa was, I probably couldn't have picked out kale from the other greens in the market, and well, sardines, forget it—I knew what those were and they held no appeal. Fast forward to two years later... I just got back from Trader Joe's with 10 boxes of sardines, I always have quinoa in the house, and kale is a weekly staple from the Farmer's Market. If any of these foods are not yet in your diet,…
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Body Blog
Just as the food we eat, the thoughts we have, and the air we breathe can be toxic, so can the "friends" we have. The quality of our relationships impacts our health. Friends who are loving, caring, and supportive are good for your health. Friends who are manipulative, mean, or self-absorbed are not good for your health. There are numerous studies which show that people with a strong social network live longer and are healthier than those without. In fact, the impact of social relationships on life expectancy appears to be at least as influential as variables like cigarette smoking,…
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Relationships Blog
What is free, fun, and good for our health? Laughter. Yet, adults laugh on average only 15 times each day. In comparison, the average child laughs or giggles about 300 times a day. Are we losing our sense of humor as we age? The Dalai Lama says, "In my childhood, I had a religious assistant who always told me, 'If you can really laugh with full abandonment, it’s very good for your health.'” The assistant was right! Here's a birthday dare for you that is sure to have you laughing with full abandonment on your special day.As my friends and…
Published in
Mind Blog
One of my biggest hot buttons when it comes to human consumption and the environment is our indiscriminate use of plastic water bottles. Americans use 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour. Sixty million water bottles are thrown away every day in the U.S. That's crazy. I won't lie‚ I used to buy the cases of bottled water from Costco. It was pretty convenient to just grab a bottle of water and head out the door. It was an adjustment to switch to using a reusable bottle, but now I don't even think twice about it. It is better for the…
Published in
Environment Blog
A cluttered house is a cluttered mind. We can help clear our mind and reduce our stress by not keeping extra "stuff" around. I keep a pretty clean house without a lot of clutter. However, the other day I decided to clean out my bathroom cupboards and found products that were long since expired: skin care, beauty products, and medications. If I have these items in my house, I am guessing that most of us do. I challenge you to go into your bathroom cupboards and find five expired products to toss. If you can't find five in your bathroom…
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Mind Blog
I am always amazed at what I see sticking out of my neighbors' recycle bins. I'm pretty sure brooms are not recyclable. Plastic bags, nope. Aluminum foil, yes (this one surprised me when I first found out). Check your recycle bin and see if there is any information on it. Mine has a sticker clearly outlining what items are recyclable. Another way is to contact your waste company or look on their website. If you don't know who your trash company is, next time you get the trash bill, see who you pay it to. Then look them up online.…
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Environment Blog
Even I need a friendly reminder to keep it simple. Last week, I asked some of my running friends how they get the smell out of their running clothes. I use Trader Joe's laundry detergent which I like for my regular clothes, but I was starting to feel like my clean running clothes still had a smell to them. One of my friends, Rosaura, suggested I try distilled white vinegar. Why didn't I think of that, especially considering I use it to clean my house? I was ready to go out and buy a sport wash but using vinegar saves…
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Environment Blog
Have you noticed that people stop using their legs as soon as they get on an escalator? Are you one of them? It's dumbfounding to me. Notice it next time you get on one. We seem to go into autopilot and just allow the escalator to carry us up or down. The same thing happens on the moving walkways in the airport. Unless you have limitations that prevent you from using your legs on an escalator, don't just go along for the free ride! Okay, granted the escalator did start out as an amusement, not as a practical transportation device.…
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Body Blog
Winner of 10 Book Awards!
Revised and Updated, 2020
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She truly cares
I initially started working with Dina to help me with my diet for an autoimmune disease I have been battling for years. She has also helped me with stress, relationships, and work. She is very encouraging. I am now happier and healthier because of Dina. She truly cares about you and it definitely shows in the difference it has made in my life. -
Guidance & knowledge
Reaching out to Dina was one of the best decisions I've made this past year. Every aspect of my life; spiritual, mental, emotional, physical, was out of balance. She was and continues to be exactly what my life was missing; someone to hold me accountable, a cheerleader, a confidant, a trustworthy advisor, a coach! -
Saved my life
Dina has provided me with the tools and knowledge that I needed to make changing to a healthier lifestyle a manageable goal. She never judged me when I stumbled but has only given me the encouragement and steps I needed to get back up and try again. I will be forever grateful to Dina because she has literally saved my life from the downward spiral I was in. -
Helped me balance my life
After the my mom's death, I withdrew from life. Dina helped me move past the self-destructive tendencies I had used to cope with my grief. She is a compassionate listener, offers gentle suggestions, and provides nonthreatening accountability. Through our sessions she helped me balance my life. I don't know where I'd be without her. -
Lost 10 pounds
Working with Dina has helped me to manage and control my prediabetes. I have lost 10 pounds with her guidance by being more aware of the food I am eating. I like working with Dina because I feel that she really tries to find ways for me to be healthy in my life—the things I like to do and eat—rather than providing a cookie cutter solution. -
Feel stronger and happier
Dina and her Four Quadrant Living consistently give me simple, easy to implement suggestions to make my entire life healthier. With Dina's gentle guidance, I have vastly improved the way I eat, the way I deal with stress and, basically, the way I balance my life. It is impossible to not feel better, stronger and happier when working with Dina. -
Offers variety of services
Dina's approach is never threatening or condescending and she offers a variety of services that fit many, many different needs - whether just a little nudge when it comes to diet or organization or an all-out weekly session helping with all four quadrants. Highly recommend! -
Highly recommend her
It wasn't just about food but my overall well-being. I got the tools to work toward the things that I wanted to achieve. I love that I can email Dina with any question that I might have along the way! I highly recommend her. -
Amazed at improvement
By the end of the 3rd week (of the Detox Program), I started to notice changes. I felt less tired and was actually sleeping less. I was amazed at the improvement in my well being. Dina was great in providing information and motivation throughout the program. She presented a nice balance of telling me what I needed to know without overwhelming me. -
Invested in her clients
Dina offered ideas on dealing with my job stress. I felt the ideas really catered to me and my job specifically, rather than being some general ideas I could get from internet research. I use one of the fantastic ideas religiously to help destress after every shift. I was so pleased with my experience, I recommended Dina's Four Quadrant Living to my sister.
In the News
An Interview with IPPY Winner Dina Colman, November 2014 (Writers on the Journey Blog)
"Four Quadrant Living" Book Featured as a New Read in Key Biscayne Magazine, November 2013 (page 36)
Author Holds Book Discussion and Signing on Healthy Living (Pleasant Hill Patch)
7 Low-Cost Examples of Author Book Marketing Best Practices Featuring Dina Colman, (Published & Profitable)
Q&A with Writer Dina Colman (W3 Sidecar)
How Fear & Tragedy Led One Woman to Her Authentic Path: Part One with Dina Colman (Yellow Brick Road)
How to Know If It's Time for a Career Change: Part Two with Dina Colman (Yellow Brick Road)