Here at Magicneering™ we are dedicated to helping kids and families create healthy, happy lives filled with a youthful abundance of PlayGround™ Energy and Golden Optimism. The articles in this Health and Fitness series are adapted from the essays, Magic poetry and books of our founder, Mark Magic Eberra, M.A.

ARTICLES

Eating for Happiness Magic Foods That Boost Your Moods

MAGICAL LIVING: The Secret to Living a Long, Happy, Healthy Life!

MAGIC POETRY

Eliminate anxiety, stress and worry from your life with the beauty, peace and inspiration of Magic Poetry™

The Will of the Wheat

Platinum Dreams

To Read More Poetry Click Here

It seems when we are young adults, starting our careers, we work incessantly to get ahead. We often ignore the calling of the natural world for rest, play and just enjoying the lighter moments of life. When we live this way we will pay a price physically, emotionally and spiritually. This happened to me when I was just starting my career. I will never forget. It was like a scene from the television series ER. I had awakened unable to speak, and barely able to see. Doctors and nurses frantically worked, reaching over my body, turning me and moving my arms and legs. It was like a bad dream. Their light blue gowns were a blurry streak to my eyes. Around me I saw familiar faces. My mom and dad, sisters and brothers, and even my big sister's old high school boy friend, now all grown up and in a policemen's uniform. I didn't know what was happening, and said his name slowly before drifting back to unconsciousness. The next thing I remember was that I was in a hospital room with several doctors having a discussion with my father. They were unaware I had awakened. I had needles in my arms, monitors beeping and wires on my chest. All I could hear were bits and pieces of their speech. Each word rang through my head like amplified drops of water.

Mark Eberra.....23 years old.......Perfect Health......Director of Student Services how could this Happen..Happen, Happen?? Finally I spoke and the conversation came to a halt. I said, "There are two." Everyone came to my bed and looked at me as if inspecting some bug under a microscope. I said it again, "There are two. I see two dads." My vision was still blurred. My Doctor smiled at me and said good. You could use two dads. Over the next several days everyone began to fill me in on the last 72 hours of my life, that I could not remember. What I did remember was being in my house at 2:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning with my girlfriend, working! We had an overhead projector with charts and graphs and I was preparing to deliver a report to executives of the corporation for whom I worked. The presentation was on how my department had succeeded at reducing drop out rates, while increasing revenue. I was the newly hired Director of Student Services -- a job I took very seriously. Apparently I laid down feeling sleepy and could not be awakened. My speech was slurred and my face became distorted. The next thing I knew I was in the emergency room.

Several days later when I was recovering my doctor told me my brain had swollen and I suffered the same conditions of stroke victims that were more than twice my age. Miraculously I had survived it without any permanent effects. I still remember his words as he sat down to explain; " We don't know exactly what happened, but what you have to know is that you were snatched from the jaws of something terrible!" To me it was as if someone or something was trying to warn me what would happen if I continued living the life of working a stressful job and postponing fun and happiness. Slowly, as I regained my full strength, which took several months, I reflected on my life. It was just a few years ago I was running in the park, going down the slide, dancing and doing karate. Not so long ago, I would have been out dancing with my girlfriend at 2:00 A.M. on a Saturday night, but a change had occurred in me. It seemed I had traded in more than jeans, tennis shoes and backpacks for business suits and brief cases. I had traded in my childhood Magic as well. And as a result I was slowly dying. It was at this point in my life I began to realize that I needed meaningful work, along with a life of fun and happiness. I made the commitment that my life was far too precious to waste working and worrying all the time, and that I would not sacrifice one moment of joy!

Yes, I was snatched from the jaws of something terrible, as my doctor so passionately conveyed. I was snatched from a life of living without the Magic of my inner child; A life of living death. It has been 20 years since that life-changing episode -- since I made the commitment to living a Magical life that I loved. I have worked to achieve balance in my life by making sure that exercise, personal relationships, and spending time with friends and family are equally as important as work. Most importantly, I made a commitment that any work I chose to do would have to be like play, and that it would give me a sense of personal fulfillment and deep inner satisfaction. My friends, this is why I created Magicneering, the Art and Science of creating Magic in your life. I did it simply to save lives. Life is too short to waste. There is nothing more important than your personal health and happiness. If not now, when will you be happy? I was given a second chance early in my life, and I have tried not to waste a single day. Magicneering gives me that deep sense of satisfaction from knowing I have helped brighten someone's day. Perhaps something I have written, drawn, or created has made someone smile, or helped them to find hope and faith in life and dreams again. So whatever you are doing today take a moment and reflect on your own life. Are you feeling healthy? Are you postponing happiness in anyway? If so then start making plans to change so that you can achieve the life you deserve to live. No matter our age, we need to enjoy life. It's not necessarily how hard you work but how much you live, love and laugh that counts. So remember, as you grow older, do not forget, nor forsake, your childhood Magic. For that is the secret to Magical Living!

I once received a birthday card from my sister that read, staying so young and energetic birthday after birthday isn't easy. You just make it look that way! Oh, and the card had a cool little fox with sunglasses, riding a scooter and listening to a Walkman! I couldn't help but laugh but you know the card is stating the truth. It really is easy! You see, I once spent a year working on a Ph.D. in Neuroscience and picked up some good information on the science behind the Magic of feeling good. I discovered that when you use the Magic of your inner child to live life with an imaginative and creative outlook you help stimulate chemicals in your brain and body that make you feel good called neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters (NT's) are the natural chemicals in the brain and body that cause emotions. The big three that you need for creating the emotions that make you feel happy are serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins. And with the right combination of foods, exercise and some Magic Poetry you too can keep yourself young, energetic and Living, Laughing, & Loving Life! In this article titled; Eating for Happiness, Magic Foods that Boost Your Moods, we take a look at some of the Magic Foods you can eat to boost your moods, and the neurotransmitters they create. What follows is a recipe chart of sorts in which you can match the food with the emotions you would like to create.

To create serotonin eat low sugar carbohydrates such as fruits and vegetables. Bananas are especially powerful serotonin inducers and bring on an immediate calming effect because of the complex B vitamins they have.

Serotonin is great for reducing anxiety, nervousness and irritability. Try some light stretching or breathing exercises along with some soothing music to complete the mood. And you just might like to know, fruits are the favorite foods of Caramel C. Brown, Inchworm who is known for taking life at a cool relaxing pace!

A splash of dopamine causes you to feel energetic, alert, and is perfect for activities that require you to concentrate and perform.

To create dopamine in the brain, eat fish. The omega-3 fatty acids in cold water fish are proven to create dopamine and help keep your emotions in proper balance. Don't like fish? Try other lean protein like chicken. While lacking the omega-3 power of fish, it's still a very good source for creating dopamine Complete your mood boosting meal with leafy green vegetables for extra energy and alertness.

By the way, Tommy Tail, the Flying Green Whale loves fish since it helps him keep alert while flying Magicneers around the world to spread the Magic of friendship. What's his favorite kind? Flying Fish of course!

Endorphins are neurotransmitters that you need to feel the thrill and deep satisfaction of living. A nice serving of endorphins gives you an overall warm fuzzy feeling. Think of it as natures natural analgesic.

Complex carbs like pasta, breads, and foods with natural glucose, like grapes combined with plenty of water or sports drinks make the perfect mixture for creating endorphins. When you combine a complex carb diet with a routine of aerobic activity such as brisk walking, biking, or swimming your body will experience a warm sensation comparable to a soothing therapeutic massage.

Once the feeling gets started it's like being on a natural high. I like to think of endorphins as these little happy dolphins swimming, dancing and diving throughout your bloodstream, and having so much fun that you can't help but want to get up and dance yourself! Oh and when Billy Jack the Huffy Billy Goat carbs up before a big show, he and his band can play all day. Go! Go Billy! Go! Go!

So there you have it. Serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins, the only chemicals you will ever need for feeling emotionally balanced. They naturally exist within your body. And every move you make, every food you eat, every thought you think can create these neurotransmitters that cause you to feel good. Learning to create them naturally gives you a new power and control over your life. So the next time you need to boost your mood go and eat some healthy food and experience the Magic of Living, Laughing, and Loving Life!

There is much adversity in life. Many view adversity as a reason to give up. However it's adversity in life that feeds you with the will to live. The will to live can only be tapped into when you face life and trust in the miracle of nature's grandest design, the resilient spirit. No pill can ever give you that will. You already have it inside of you. Whatever adversity or turmoil you are facing, allow "The Will of the Wheat" to take you away and return you stronger in spirit. Here is the perfect exercise for using this Magic poem to create instant peace and inner strength.

After reading "The Will of the Wheat," close your eyes and breathe calmly for two minutes. Focus on the golden wheat fields. Now visualize the children running in slow motion through the waving fields. Feel the breeze, the warmth of the sun on your face, and the distant echo of children's laughter. Go ahead and release your smile. Let yourself be transported back to a time when you enjoyed running free. Slow the scene down even further in your imagination. Allow yourself to become one of the children running in your mind. You now see yourself full of life, resilient, and still growing. You feel young, strong, and capable of withstanding any elements you may face in this world. When you open your eyes, remember this, everything you imagined, is true, for everything you imagined, is you.

What's more valuable than gold or silver? Platinum! Make sure you dream big. No matter how valuable the alternative, don't ever settle for anything less than your dream. Remember, in life we rarely get more than we expect, and always get what we accept. So expect the best, and accept nothing less! Above all, remember you have a spirit that is separate from your body. When your body is tired, your spirit can and will remain strong. That's what I mean when I write, "When my legs are too tired, I will continue running in my mind." Use the Living Light of Imagination to keep your spirits strong until the natural cycle of your body restores your physical strength.

Here is how to keep your spirit high when you body is in pain, or just going through a natural hormonal slump. In Magical Life Passage 9, from my book, Magicneering. I tell the story of how I once suffered from a stroke-like illness. One of the after effects was experiencing excruciating headaches that could strike at anytime. I kept my prescription medicine in my suit jacket, in case I had an attack, and needed medication. Once the attack occurred, it took the medication about an hour to kick in. The pain was severe enough to make you feel like you would go insane. I wished I could just pass out and sleep through it, but these headaches made rest impossible. Now, you might think that I would be in a terrible mood when this pain would strike. After all, no one would blame me. I had a good excuse to be negative, mean or depressed, but I not only survived, I did it in a high-spirited fashion. To consciously separate my spirit from my body, I asked myself the following two questions.

1.What do I need to do to restore health to my body?

For you, this could mean eating, resting, exercising, drinking water, or taking your prescribed medication. After I did this, I knew all I had to do was survive for an hour. So I asked myself another question.

2.What can I imagine that will keep my spirits high until my physical health is restored?

In my imagination, I went to the beach! I imagined and relived, every fun, happy moment I could think of, and laughed even while my head was exploding. Even though I had tears running down my cheeks from the pain, there was a smile on my face. You can do the same thing. Whenever you are in a physical slump or funk, don't let your body take your spirits down too. First, take steps to restore your physical health. Then, create imagery in your mind that causes positive, peaceful, hopeful emotions. After I mastered this creative form of visual imagery I found that I no longer needed pills to relieve the pain and eventually stopped having headaches ail together! Try it for yourself. Use the imagery from the Magic poem, Platinum Dreams, then grab a hold of a seagull's wings and your spirit will fly with hope!

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