Friday,
November 22, 2013
Well here we are in the middle of
another Thanksgiving season. The Family gatherings, The Black Friday shopping and Cyber
Monday sales will create a hustle and bustle of activity. In the midst of it all are we winding down? But the year is; yes less than forty days to go in 2013! Wow and it seems like yesterday when we all
sang “Happy New Year”.
Get Slow
Who doesn’t feel as if there
aren’t enough hours in the day? We rush through the day, running here and
there, and end up exhausted. Somehow these days full of duties, obligations and
busyness have begun to build up and become our lives. We spend our time doing
things we don’t really want to do, yet feel we should. We’ve come to believe
that being productive and crossing things off our to-do list is the ultimate
goal.
The truth is, life on Earth
is a brief gift, and our time is too precious to be used like this. If we want
our lives to be balanced and healthy, we need to lessen our load and increase
our down time. This means planning less in a day, prioritizing those things
that make our hearts sing and de-prioritizing those things that are not
imperative.
If we must accomplish many
things each day, we can still change the quality with which we do things. How
can we transmute that sprint to the train into something delicious instead of
the usual gripping and tightening experience? Where can we find ease in the
midst of stress? How can we cultivate the art of going slowly?
Take
a few moments before you climb out of bed in the morning to remember your
dreams and to think about what you want from the day. Leave your watch on the bedside table. Take the scenic
route. Sit for a moment with your eyes closed when you start your computer.
Check email only twice a day. Don’t pack your schedule so tightly that there’s
no time for a short walk. Light candles before you start to cook dinner. Add one moment here and there for slowness; it can be
done simply and will have a profound effect on your well-being.
Adapted from an article by Marco Visscher & Jay
Walljasper, Ode Magazine, Issue #15, www.odemagazine.com
Food Focus: Oils and
Fats
Not
all oils and fats are created equal. Heavily processed, hydrogenated, “trans”
fats and oils that are used in prepared, packaged foods can be extremely
damaging to the body. However, fats and oils from whole foods and other
high-quality sources can steady our metabolism, keep hormone levels even,
nourish our skin, hair and nails and provide lubrication to keep the body
functioning fluidly. Our bodies also need fat for insulation and to protect and
hold our organs in place.
A
healthy percentage of high-quality fat in a meal satisfies and leaves feelings
of energy, fulfillment and warmth. When there are excess fats and oils in the
diet, especially heavily processed fats, symptoms can include weight gain, skin
breakouts, high blood pressure, liver strain and an overall feeling of mental,
physical and emotional heaviness. Signs of insufficient high-quality fats are
brittle hair and nails, dry skin, hunger after meals and feeling cold.
There are many sources of healthy fats
and oils:
·
For sautéing and baking, try butter,
ghee (clarified butter) or coconut oil because they do not break down when used
at high temperatures.
·
When sautéing foods at moderate
temperatures, try organic extra virgin olive oil.
·
Oils like flaxseed, sesame, toasted
sesame, walnut and pumpkin seed are best used unheated in sauces or dressings
on top of salads, veggies or grains.
·
Other healthy fats are found in whole
nuts and seeds and in their butters like almond butter or tahini.
·
Whole foods such as avocados, olives
and coconuts are great sources of healthy fat, along with wild salmon and
omega-3 and omega-6 organic eggs.
Experiment
with these healthy fat sources and see which work best for you and leave you
satisfied.
When
selecting oils, buy the highest-quality organic products you can afford, since
cooking oils are the backbone of so many dishes. Good words to look for on the
label are organic, first-pressed, cold-pressed, extra-virgin and unrefined.
Words to avoid are expeller-pressed, refined and solvent extracted.
RECIPES OF THE MONTH:
Savory Tahini Sauce
Prep time: 5
minutes
Yield: 1 cup
Ingredients:
1/2 cup tahini
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons lemon
juice
2 tablespoons
tamari
2 tablespoons maple
syrup
1-2 cloves of
garlic, MINCED
pinch of cayenne
(to your taste)
Directions:
1. In a bowl briskly whisk together the tahini
and water until combined. It will look separated at first: just keep whisking!
2. Add remaining ingredients and whisk until
combined.
3. Adjust flavors to your taste. Add additional
water if you want it thinner.
4. Serve over grains and greens.
Note: Tahini sauce keeps refrigerated for up to one week.
Avocado Dip
Prep Time: 3
minutes
Yield: 1 cup
Ingredients:
1 large peeled and
pitted avocado
2/3 cup plain
yogurt, goat yogurt or soy yogurt
1 diced tomato
dash or two of
cayenne pepper
sea salt and black
pepper
Directions:
1. Mash
avocado with a fork until very smooth.
2. Add
yogurt, tomato, cayenne. Blend until smooth. This may be done in a food
processor, in a blender or with a fork.
3. Add
sea salt and fresh black pepper to taste.
4. Serve
made a maximum of 1 hour before serving.chilled
with mixed raw vegetables.
Note: Best
Share with a Friend
It’s such a pleasure to help those
closest to us become happier and healthier. Please feel free to share with
friends, family members or colleagues who might be interested and inspired by
it.
I received my training from the Institute
for Integrative Nutrition, the only school in the world that
integrates over 100 of the latest nutrition
theories with coaching and business skills. I will help
you shift your behavior to develop lifelong healthy habits and
a deep understanding of your bio-individual needs. We'll work
together to create lasting changes to your health, energy, and well-being
.
May I invite you once again to visit
me at www.mwcholistichealthhaven.com
and complete the form for a free 50 minutes health consultation. (If the link appears broken please leave a comment at the end of the blog. Thank you)
