You have turned my mourning into dancing for me: You have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy. Psalm 30:11

Are you a glad, happy person? Do you have joy most of the time? Would you consider yourself joyful in most circumstances?

If you can answer these questions, do you realize you are frustrated and sad more that glad? It may be time to change. Maybe you do no truly understand the great benefits of joy. Joy is to our lives like gasoline is to an engine. Without gasoline, the engine will not run. Without joy, human beings don’t run well either. If we do not have joy, everything is “down”-negative, dreary, flat and tasteless. Our thoughts are negative, our attitudes are negative, our emotions are depressed. and even our heads, shoulders and arms hang down.

Jesus did not die to give us “down” lives. He is our glory and the lifter of our heads. (Psalm 3:3) He is full of joy (John 17:13), and He wants us to be people of joy. The above scripture tells us that the Lord turns our mourning into dancing and the He clothes us with joy. According to Nehemiah 8:10, the joy of the Lord is our strength. Joy can give us physical energy, and it provides the zeal and enthusiasm we need in our lives. CHOOSE joy today!

When Was the Last Time You Cleaned Your Water Bottle?

Your reusable water bottle may carry some dirty secrets: bacteria, buildup and mold. If you don’t properly clean your reusable water bottle—and its cap, straw or other parts—at the end of each day, you’re putting yourself at risk of getting sick. Ideally, if you use your water bottle regularly, you should wash it daily and give it a deep cleaning once a week. Try these cleaning tips:

• Put it in the dishwasher. If your reusable bottle is dishwasher-safe, disassemble it and run the dishwasher at its hottest wash and dry setting to kill any bacteria.
• Wash with soap and water. You can effectively wash your bottle by hand with hot water and liquid dish soap.
• Use vinegar. This is a good option if you haven’t washed your bottle in a while and there’s a slimy film or odor in your bottle. Fill the bottle halfway with equal parts distilled white vinegar and water. With the cap on, shake it quickly and let it sit overnight. The next day, rinse the bottle and let it dry.

Monitoring your daily sodium intake can have major health benefits—including reducing your risk of a heart attack and lowering your blood pressure. Sodium is hiding in many foods, so step one is to avoid adding salt while cooking. However, more than 70% of the sodium we eat comes from packaged and restaurant foods. Consider these ways to decrease your salt intake:

• Limit meals out or order low-sodium food options that are steamed, baked, grilled, poached or roasted.
• Choose low-sodium or “no salt added” varieties of deli meats, canned soups, pasta sauce, beans and vegetables.
• Go easy on the condiments, or select a reduced sodium version. Ketchup, barbecue sauce, mustard, hot sauce, soy sauce and salad dressing are generally loaded with sodium.

If you have any questions about your diet, talk to your doctor.