Quick Tidbit!

Everyone has heard that lifestyle changes are necessary--especially now with being almost a month into the New Year! Change isn't always about doing "better"...Have you ever thought of change it terms of "prevention?" Make a list of things you want to change, but also make a list of things to do that you've never done. Let's better prepare ourselves for the present and the future.


Just a quick tidbit! 


Stay tuned for more on my thoughts about change and mapping out your mind!


Milady

Holiday Season and Health

Holidays can be a difficult time if you are trying to eat healthy, nutritious foods. Many holiday dishes have lots of sugar, fat or both. Holidays can also be stressful; old family conflicts may surface along with the stuffing, gravy and green bean casserole. With all of the deliciousness aside, we will be tempted to indulge in an array of unhealthy food choices. Manage holiday dining with some basic strategies--while also leaving a little room for those scrumptious desserts!

The appetizer table is a place where a nutritious diet can be sabotaged. Look over all the offerings before you start to fill your plate. A shrimp bowl with cocktail sauce will give you some protein with a tangy edge, while raw vegetables – skip the dip – provide fiber and vitamins. A couple of whole grain crackers are a better choice than fat-laden potato chips or similar snack foods.


There are a number of seasonal foods that can provide you with health benefits. Citrus fruit and cranberries are high in vitamin C, which helps to support the immune system. Sugar, on the other hand, decreases your immune function because it competes for the same cellular receptors that vitamin C uses. Consider serving a fruit salad with seasonal citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruit and tangerines. Add some sliced bananas for a little extra sweetness and homemade cranberry sauce for color and extra vitamin C. Making your own cranberry sauce allows you to control the amount of sugar.

Offer to bring a colorful green salad with your special homemade dressing or bake whole grain dinner rolls. Don’t forget the children during the holidays; if you don’t want them to load up on exotic and sugary fare, you need to provide them with acceptable substitutes. Many children will choose your macaroni and cheese casserole with whole grain pasta because it’s familiar, so make sure to provide them with healthy options they eat every day. Many special foods are served only during the holidays and you can avoid extra calories if you choose a small serving of something like oyster stuffing and forgo the mashed potatoes, which you can have at any time. Eat adequate protein during the holidays. Protein helps prevent the carbohydrate overdose so common to holiday meals; too many carbs can leave you feeling lethargic.

Desserts can be the downfall of a healthy diet, so choose carefully. By keeping the above in mind, a sliver of chocolate pie could balance out a diet! If the dessert offerings all lean to high sugar and fat, you might consider having a small serving of a favorite dish. Eat it in small bites to make it last, and savor every bite--a sliver can seem like a whole cake when eating slow! No matter what you’re eating, eat slowly. This promotes secretion of saliva, the first step in the digestive process, and helps assure you get maximum nutrition from your holiday meals.I f you choose to indulge in other areas of dinner, then as a dessert, fresh fruit and cheese are are great substitutes.

Enjoy the holidays and make some great New Years resolutions that help guide you deeper into your path to wellness!

Milady

Food for Thought: Inspire, inspiration...it's inspiring

What drives us? What makes us think the way that we do. Don't be afraid to write down your thoughts, goals, fears and a successes. Let it inspire you and lead you to where you want to be! Don't allow your mind to coast on auto-pilot--take charge of your destiny. 

Seek Out These Initiatives!

Don't forget your pink ribbon for breast cancer awareness!! 

 

 A dollar per follower for @CancerAlliance to the cancer organization with the most votes.  They are currently holding an online poll which can be found at http://can.cr/vote.  

Livestrong.org 

Control Your Diabetes. For Life. Campaign

Increasing awareness about the importance and benefits of diabetes control is the key objective of the "Control Your Diabetes. For Life." campaign. The campaign includes tailored materials and messages for the general audience and high-risk populations. Check them out!!

Think Positive. Be Positive. Become Healthy.

 

It has been estimated that 90% of physical issues have their roots in emotional issues. The most common negative emotional results related to cancer are unresolved anger, resentment and the refusal to forgive or accept. Negative emotional charge ironically does far damage to the mind and the body. The feeling of anger produces a clenching sensation in the body and a constrictive energy at a cellular level. Cells can only be in either contraction or growth, and emotional negativity shuts down the cell's ability to grow and thrive. This constricted posture causes the body to be much more vulnerable to disharmony and disease.

Another emotional contributor to cancer is prolonged exposure to conditions of stress and anxiety. From an article on the Alternative Cancer Care website: "Prolonged inner stress causes a chain reaction process within the body's cells that leads to the breaking of the cell's oxygen krebs cycle leading to cancer cell mutations. And it is the continued holding onto stress within the body that keeps the cancer cells alive. If you can remove the internal stress from the body, stress hormone cortisol levels and adrenaline levels will return to normal. This will restore the cell's oxygen krebs cycle, meaning normal cells will no longer mutate into cancer cells within the body.”

Look towards alternative treatments to rid yourself of negative emotions and focus on the positives in life. Some things can be overlooked in a medical diagnosis—so the more things you can do for yourself, body and mind, the better off you will be as a whole!

Something to keep in mind

Milady 

Healthy Reminder

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help prevent Type II Diabetes. If you already have diabetes, the proper nutrition and exercise can help manage the symptoms. Some cases can be controlled by these changes alone, without need for medication.

Experts estimate that between 90 and 95 percent of Type II Diabetes could be averted simply by taking better care of our selves. Being overweight is the highest risk factor in developing this disease.

Diabetes affects the way our insulin production works. When not enough insulin is produced, the amount of glucose in the blood rises to unsafe levels. If a lot of simple carbohydrates — like sugary foods and things made with white flour — are eaten, then lots of sugar floods the bloodstream very quickly. Insulin production that is already inadequate simply can’t keep up, and blood sugar levels skyrocket. In diabetics, this can lead to unconsciousness and even seizures.

Avoiding foods high in sugar is an important first step. It’s also vital to eat more fiber, which slows down the absorption process of sugars into the blood. Eating tons of vegetables, which are naturally high in fiber and low in sugar, should be step two. Avoid or eat only in moderation those that are starchy, such as potatoes or corn, as these are higher in carbohydrates.

Keeping active is also important. Regular exercise, even something as simple as walking around the block, can lower blood sugar levels dramatically and keep them low for hours. Aerobic exercise, which increases heart rate, helps strengthen the heart muscles and improve lung efficiency. And any kind of exercise is good for reducing stress that can contribute to overall poor health.

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