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WELLNESS CONNECTIONMindful Eating and the Joy of the HolidaysBy Paulette Lambert, R.D., CDE, Director of NutritionNovember 27, 2009 - 6:00AMHere come the holidays! They are a time for family, celebrations and, of course, eating. In an environment that has holiday treats in abundance, does it mean that we have to succumb to the dreaded weight gain? Is there a way to enjoy delicious foods and not gain those five pounds? You do have a choice. You can enjoy the holidays and avoid gaining weight if you practice mindful eating. This is more than just watching what you eat. Mindful eating is being more aware of how, when, and why you eat, not just what you eat. Yes, the holiday celebrations are laden with special foods that lead many of us to use the excuse "it's only once a year." The reality, however, is that most of us can have whatever we want any time of the year. Remind yourself there will be another holiday soon (Valentine's Day, for one). If you really crave something special, you can buy or bake it another time without waiting for the next holiday to come up on the calendar.Don't deprive yourself. Eat what you wish, but enjoy it slowly. Savor each bite while thinking about the wonderful memories associated with that special holiday food. It's also important to pay attention to sensations of hunger and satiation. Be mindful about going to a holiday affair too hungry. Eat a small snack just before going to a party. This simple step gives you more control over your appetite and the ability to put more thought into what you eat. Start a holiday meal with reasonable portions. Leave at least a third of your plate visible rather than overloading it. This will control the amount you eat, while allowing time to evaluate if you really need to go for second helpings. The same thing works for dessert; eat just half of a slice of pie or cake. Do not forget to eat slower so your body has time to register a feeling of satisfaction with your mind. Quite often, just a five to 10 minute wait before venturing back to the holiday buffet is long enough for your stomach to inform your brain that you really do not need more turkey dressing! By practicing these concepts of mindful eating, you can enjoy your holiday treats and start the New Year off in a far better place, too. This article originally appeared in Organic Spa magazine, November-December 2009. Rated by 0 people: Calming ChamomileNovember 21, 2009 - 3:00PMMany people enjoy the soothing benefits of chamomile in tea to relax at bedtime. Chamomile has been used for centuries to aid with sleep and digestion. In addition to its commonly recognized use for relaxation, chamomile (also known as earth apples for its sweet bouquet), possesses many therapeutic properties to revitalize the skin. In fact, German chamomile is valued for its anti-inflammatory properties and is excellent for regenerative skin care.Applying a warm chamomile compress to the skin is a wonderful way to wake up a tired face in the morning or even to remove makeup in the evening. Add three to four drops of chamomile essential oil to a sink or basin filled with warm water. Swish and swirl the water a few times to disperse the oil. Soak a wash cloth in the water, wring it out and apply to the face. Additionally, chamomile is gentle and soothing for dry or sensitive skin. Add several drops of chamomile essential oil to a bath to refresh and hydrate the skin, which is also beneficial after excessive sun exposure. Whether enjoyed in tea or for an at home spa remedy, chamomile is a wonderful herb that provides many benefits for relaxation and the skin. Rated by 0 people: Change Your Thoughts. Change Your Life.From the book One Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way by Robert Maurer, PhDNovember 13, 2009 - 10:00AM Tiptoe Past Fear Your brain loves questions and won't reject them ... unless the question is so big it triggers fear. Questions such as, "How am I going to get thin (or rich, or married) by the end of the year?" or "What new product will bring in a million more dollars for the company?" are awfully big and frightening. These questions create fear in anyone on the receiving end - even when we're asking the question of ourselves. Instead of responding with playfulness, our brain, sensing the fear, suppresses creativity and shuts down access to the cortex (the thinking part of the brain) when we need it the most. One of the brain's strengths - the ability to go into a self-protective lockdown in times of danger - here becomes a crippling liability. By asking small, gentle questions, we keep the fight-or-flight response in the "off" position. Kaizen questions such as "What's the smallest step I can take to be more efficient?" or "What can I do in five minutes a day to reduce my credit card debt?" or "How could I find one source of information about adult education classes in my city?" allows us to bypass our fears. They allow the brain to focus on problem-solving and, eventually, actions. Ask a question often enough, and you'll find your brain storing the questions, turning them over, and eventually generating some interesting and useful responses. Although the mechanics of creativity - how the brain goes about producing a new thought - remains one of the vast unexplored frontiers of science, I've had decades of experience helping people move away from constriction and conformity and toward creativity. I believe that the mere act of posing the same question on a regular basis and waiting patiently for an answer mobilizes the cortex. A question is not demanding, not scary. It's fun. So when you ask small questions, your amygdala (where the fight-or-flight response occurs) will remain asleep, and the cortex, always hungry for a good time, will wake up and take notice. It will process and absorb the question and, in its own magical way, create answers when it is ready - which may be in that moment we are in the shower, driving or washing the dishes. Albert Einstein once asked, "Why is it I get my best ideas in the morning while I am shaving?" I wonder if he'd asked himself small questions - well, as small as questions about the nature of the universe can get - in the days or weeks or months before the best ideas came to him. Rated by 0 people:
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Pumpkin SmoothieNovember 06, 2009 - 4:00PMFall produce inspires us to use some of our favorite fall flavors which can even be transformed into healthy treats! Our Pumpkin Smoothie is so easy to create at home that you might want to enjoy it year-round. This flavorful treat packs a nutritional punch with doses of beta-carotene, antioxidants, calcium and fiber for breakfast or a healthy snack.Ingredients 1/2 cup frozen yogurt or lite ice cream 1/2 cup canned pumpkin 1/3 cup non-fat milk 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice Directions Combine all ingredients together in a blender until smooth and pour. Serving 230 calories 3 g fat 1.5 g saturated fat 2 carbohydrate servings Rated by 0 people: |
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Recent PostsNovember 27, 2009 - 6:00AMMindful Eating and the Joy of the HolidaysBy Paulette Lambert, R.D., CDE, Director of NutritionNovember 21, 2009 - 3:00PMCalming ChamomileNovember 13, 2009 - 10:00AMChange Your Thoughts. Change Your Life.From the book One Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way by Robert Maurer, PhDArchives |
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