Welcome to the July issue
of “Making the Healthy Choice the Easy Choice.” Here you
will find information you can use on a timely topic,
healthy eating, recipes and more! I welcome your
feedback and questions. Please send them to
Janet@nourishyourlife.com Thank you!
July is the month to unwind…
How
do you unwind? Or perhaps the question should be: do
you unwind??? Some of us are so busy that we don’t
have time, make time or even realize that it is time
to unwind.
“Unwinding
is not frivolous, and not self-indulgent, it is
essential to wellness and, believe it or not,
PRODUCTIVITY.” (Body and Soul).
Unwinding can be so unfamiliar to some people, that it
is almost an uncomfortable feeling! Body and Soul
asked five experts their advice for unwinding.
This
is a summary of what these experts had to say:
Take
mini-breaks, advises Dr. Kenneth Pelletier, “When
the mind and body are in a state of relaxation,
inflammation in arteries, joints, and nerves
decreases, pain in the muscles subsides, the heart
rate decreases while blood pressure drops, and the
gastrointestinal system functions better as well. In
addition, electrical activity slows down between the
two hemispheres of the brain so they become more
synchronous, more in harmony, and you have more access
to both sides of the brain.”
Listen
to your inner rhythms. “The fastest way to still
the mind is to move slowly and deeply,” says Gabrielle
Roth. “The harder you dance, the deeper you breathe,
the deeper you breathe, the longer you live. Breathe,
body, beat, bliss-they go together.”
Try the
slow lane, says Carl Honore’. “When you stop hurrying,
you feel better all over, and then you begin to notice
individual pleasures.” Honore’ is also an advocate for
The Slow Movement, a group that is bringing back an
emphasis on family meals, savoring our food and
“connection to people, to food, to place, to life.”
(see
www.slowmovement.com)
Absorb yourself. “When you are totally absorbed in
an activity, says John David Loori, the mind can take
a break from that incessant internal dialogue that
scatters our energy. Creative activities that
wholeheartedly engage our bodies and minds at once are
especially conducive to this kind of absorption so
bring paints, pencils and paper on vacation…or if
drawing is not your thing…be creative with cooking,
solving problems, sewing or knitting.”
Remember to remember. Belleruth Naparstek reminds
us that “relaxation can look like anything-reading a
book in a hammock in the yard; meditating on the
beach; learning to sail a schooner or mastering the
art of rock climbing.”
Remembering to remember is to take these experiences
with us so that we may call upon the feeling, images,
sensory, and fresh perspectives of the experience as
we continue our everyday lives.
My challenge for you this month is to try
different ways to unwind. What works best for you? Is
it a mini-break? Remembering to remember? Maybe one of
the five at different times…
Write to us at
janet@nourishyourlife.com and tell us about your
experience. We would be honored to hear about it.
Quote for the month:
“The
Spirit unwinding is the Soul’s awakening”
(I
made this one up myself! What do you think?)
Healthy eating in July: Bananas!
We
have all heard about their potassium and health
benefits to athletes. But, here is an article that has
opened up a whole new way to look at bananas.
BANANAS
Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose,
fructose and glucose - combined with fiber. A banana
gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of
energy. Research has proved that just two bananas
provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute
workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit
with the world's leading athletes.
A
banana can help overcome or prevent a substantial
number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must
for our daily diet.
Depression: According to a recent survey
undertaken by MIND among people suffering from
depression, many felt much better after eating a
banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a
type of protein that the body converts into serotonin,
known to make you relax, improve your mood and
generally make you feel happier.
PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin
B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which
can affect your mood.
Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the
production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in
cases of anemia.
Blood
Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely
high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the
perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US
Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the
banana industry to make official claims for the
fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure
and stroke.
Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham
(Middlesex) school were helped through their exams
this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and
lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research
has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist
learning by making pupils more alert.
Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in
the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping
to overcome the problem without resorting to
laxatives.
Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect
in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try
eating a banana for soothing relief.
Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between
meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid
morning sickness.
Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect
bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the
inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly
successful at reducing swelling and irritation.
Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help
calm the nervous system.
Overweight and at work: Studies at the Institute
of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads
to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and crisps.
Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found
the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure
jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid
panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our
blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate
foods every two hours to keep levels steady.
Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food
against intestinal disorders because of its soft
texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that
can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler
cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces
irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.
Temperature control: Many other cultures see
bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the
physical and emotional temperature of expectant
mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat
bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool
temperature.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can
help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural
mood enhancer, tryptophan.
Smoking: Bananas can also help people trying to
give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as
the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the
body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.
Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps
normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and
regulates your body's water balance. When we are
stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing
our potassium levels. These can be re-balanced with
the help of a high-potassium banana snack.
Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear
that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of
banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow
side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a
plaster or surgical tape!
A banana really is a natural remedy for many ills.
When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the
protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the
phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and
twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich
in potassium and is one of the best value foods
around.
Soooooo.......... "A
banana a day keeps the doctor away!"
My
challenge for you this month is to eat a banana a
day, or even every other day. Try them plain, cut up on
cereal, smoothies, shakes, or…how about a banana quinoa
cake!
This
recipe comes from the Northern Quinoa Corporation. For
more great recipes, check out their website at
www.quinoa.com
Banana Cake Quinoa
Ingredients:
2 ½
cups NorQuin Quinoa, cooked
2 cups brown sugar
½ cup sour milk/buttermilk
¾ cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
~~~
4 cups oatmeal
4 bananas, mashed
~~~
3 cups white flour
1 Tablespoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
~~~
Topping
½
cup nuts, chopped
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup sugar
Directions:
1.
Beat together the sugar, milk, oil and eggs
2. Add the quinoa
3. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and
cinnamon.
4. Add to the quinoa mix
5. Pour into a 9x13” cake pan or 24 muffin cups
6. Sprinkle with mixed topping ingredients.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 min (cake) 20 min
(cupcakes)
8. ENJOY!
Nutrition facts: 1 cupcake or 1/24 of cake: 244 cal; 38
gm carb; 5 gm pro; 8 gm fat
