Ring in the Holiday Season with Healthful Holiday Eating

Healthful eating and the holidays, is that even possible? For those already stressed about the many commitments and expectations for the holiday season, it's easy to forget about ourselves. However, by taking better care of ourselves, we just may be able to start the New Year on a different note. One of the most important ways to take care of yourself is by eating.


Eating? The problem isn't eating, the problem is eating too much and then gaining the dreaded holiday pounds. Here are some tips to help you eat healthy this holiday season:

1. Don't let yourself get too hungry. Eat small meals and snacks frequently to keep your energy up and prevent your eyes from becoming bigger than your stomach. If you're too hungry, you'll be less selective about what and how much you need to eat. Walking into a party or meal on an empty stomach is a surefire way to end up eating too much.
   
2. Make sure you get enough sleep. Without enough sleep, your body will naturally look for more energy and where does it turn for more energy? More food. Your body will go for the higher calorie stuff (candy, cookies, yummy treats) that give you quick energy, but leave you feeling pretty tired shortly after and also looking for more of the good stuff (more calories).
   
3. Be aware of liquid consumption. Seasonal drinks such as cider, hot chocolate, and eggnog can add up. Alcoholic beverages especially can add in a lot of extra calories. Also adding alcohol can lessen inhibitions when it comes to making decisions about what and how much we're eating.
   
4. Don't eat something if it doesn't taste good. Sounds simple, right? Be selective about your food choices. How many times do we just eat something because it's there or that's what we eat every year. Don't eat out of obligation, eat for enjoyment.
   
5. Don't deprive yourself. This time of year is filled with good-tasting food. Your taste buds want to enjoy their favorites, too. So, pick a few items that you want to sample and do just that, sample.
   
6. Your body knows when it's full, listen. If your body is full, it's telling you that it's done. If you choose to keep eating, your body will hold on to those calories for later, or turn them into extra pounds.
   
7. Move as much as possible. By making your lifestyle active during this time of year, those little extras won't add on as much as you think. Use holiday shopping time as a way to park and walk farther in the parking lot, take the stairs instead of the escalator, make vacuuming your house as you prepare for relatives and guests a cardiovascular workout.
   

Lastly spend some quiet time re-grouping and clearing the static out of your brain. Take deep breaths when you feel the stress mounting and remember the importance of the holiday season. It's not about the food, it's about spending time with family and friends.

Gingerbread Cake Recipe
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup low fat buttermilk 1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg, lightly beaten


Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Combine flour, ginger, cinnamon and baking soda in a small bowl. In a large bowl, stir together sugar, buttermilk, oil, molasses and egg. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients and stir well. Pour into baking pan and bake for 25 minutes.
Cut into 16 squares. 

Make Time for Exercise this Holiday Season

The holidays are in high gear. From now until New Year's Day there is shopping, cooking, baking, concerts, parties, get-togethers with family and friends, religious services, wrapping, and sending greeting cards.

What's missing from this list? It seems that the first thing to be cut when time is at a premium is our exercise. It's tempting to ditch your workouts as your days fill up with holiday preparations, but now more than ever, you need to stay active.

Our muscles will begin to atrophy (lose strength and size) after only about two weeks of inactivity. If you neglect your exercise during the holidays, you will begin to lose some of the gains you've been seeing in your fitness level. How can you find time for exercise when there are so many other things to be done to make the holidays special? Here are some simple ways to continue to exercise during this busy time of the year:

Plan exercise time as part of your day. If you normally go to the gym, try to schedule gym time at the beginning of the day. That way your exercise will be done and you can run your errands worry-free. Another way is to make sure that the gym is on the route that you will take: post office, mall, gym, grocery store, and then home.

If your day is open-ended, make sure that you take your exercise clothing with you in a gym bag. After a day of holiday errands, it is easy to go home and sit on the sofa instead of getting changed and heading out to the gym. If you have your clothes with you, it takes away the excuse of going home first.

If muscles begin to atrophy after two weeks of inactivity, how much activity do we need to maintain them? There are two components to exercise: intensity and volume. Intensity is the level at which you exercise, such as the amount of weight you lift, the level you set the cardio machine or the pace at which you run. Volume is the amount of exercise you do, such as the number of repetitions and sets in weightlifting, the amount of time you spend on the cardio machine or the distance you run.

In order to maintain muscle tone, you can reduce the amount of exercise, but you must continue with the same level of intensity. For example, keep the amount of weight you lift the same, but reduce the number of repetitions. Run at the same pace, but reduce the distance.

Reducing the amount of exercise but maintaining the same exercise intensity is a good strategy for working out during the holidays and will prevent your body from giving up the fitness gains you've made.

The holidays are wonderful, but hectic, and sometimes stressful. Exercise not only keeps our bodies healthy and strong, but it also is great way to reduce stress levels. So, don't give up on exercise this holiday season. Once New Year's Day is behind us, you can get back to your normal exercise routine again.

Nourishing Your Child’s Spark

What lights up your child? Is there a special skill, talent or interest that makes your teen want to jump out of bed in the morning? According to Dr. Peter Benson, former President and CEO of the Search Institute, when kids have an authentic passion, or “spark,” they’re more likely to have higher grades in school, feel optimistic and be physically healthy.

Regardless of a child’s race, income level or family situation, a spark has the power to change the course of a kid’s life for the better. Kids who are aware of and using their interests, talents and abilities have the power to use them to contribute to a better world.

To learn what sparks get kids excited, the Search Institute interviewed more than 3,500 teens and 2,000 parents of teens. The category most identified as a spark by both boys and girls was the creative arts. Music, art, dance and writing were mentioned twice as often as sports. More than 200 different sparks, including athletics, learning, reading and helping others were identified as inspirations that enrich teens’ lives.

Teens need strong and positive relationships with parents and other caring adults to help

support and encourage them with their sparks. Yet, as kids get older, the percentage of parents who know and actively nourish their child’s spark declines.

So, what can you do to be your child’s spark champion? The Search Institute recommends that parents start talking “with” and not “to” their kids. Ask open-ended questions. Listen and give your child a safe place to share his or her dreams and passions. When you see your child doing something well, say something positive about it. No matter what the talent or skill, there are places for your child to go with it.

The Search Institute asked hundreds of young people how parents and adults could support them with their sparks. Their answers included: listen to me, help me figure out what to do next, talk with me and give me new ideas, tell me to keep going and not quit. Teens want parents and caring adults to engage with them in authentic conversations that help them discover their own abilities and possibilities. By having meaningful conversations with your child, you’ll reveal your own struggles and dreams so your child can learn from them, too.

For more information on the concept of sparks, or how to be a better spark champion for your teen, visit www.search-institute.org.

Can Diet Reverse Diabetes?

Can diabetes be reversed? Is it possible that a disease considered to be progressive, and at best, manageable, is actually reversible? That’s what researchers in the UK have found. According to a study published in the scientific journal, Diabetologica, a dramatic diet change (a low glycemic, plant-based and very low-calorie diet, but no exercise) reversed all characteristics of diabetes by eight weeks.

The researchers measured blood sugar and insulin responses, cholesterol levels and fat in the pancreas and liver (some of the hallmarks of diabetes) before and after diet changes at one, four and eight weeks.

Findings showed that cells of the pancreas responsible for making insulin actually started working again. Visceral fat, the dangerous fat that accumulates in and around the pancreas and liver, decreased significantly. Researchers explained that insulin resistance and abnormal production of insulin are directly related to the amount of fat in the liver and pancreas, and it’s that fat that predisposes an individual to developing Type 2 diabetes. 

The encouraging news is that, even with less drastic changes, you can fight back against diabetes. Work with a health professional to create a strategy for success that includes scientifically proven medical nutrition therapy; supplements to help balance insulin and sugar; exercise; and stress management. 

Follow a mostly plant-based diet with a low glycemic load, and high fiber content (nuts, beans, fruits, vegetables), and a limited amount of whole grains and animal proteins.  Exercise with the intention of losing body fat and building muscle. Include at least 5 days a week of fast walking, running, biking and weight training at least two to three days per week. Add nutritional supplements to your diet that have been shown to improve blood sugars by increasing the body’s insulin response or sensitivity, like GTF Chromium, Alpha Lipoic Acid, and Magnesium. Other supplements to support overall health and decrease your risk of heart disease include a good quality multivitamin, B complex, and omega 3 fatty acids, or fish oil. Learn stress management techniques like guided meditation, deep breathing, and practice gratitude.

Following the nutritional and lifestyle interventions listed above will improve your diabetes control, and over time, with consistency and focus, may even reverse the disease.  In my practice as a nutritionist, I have had newly diagnosed clients come off their medication, and some with pre-diabetes avoid ever having to start medication.  As with anything worth working for, your efforts should match your goals.  Reversing Type 2 diabetes is both an aggressive and impressive goal. Seek help from a health professional if you need guidance on meal planning, exercise prescription, and stress management.

Take a first step toward healthier living this Thanksgiving with this diabetic-friendly, pumpkin pie.

Guilt-Free Pumpkin Pie

·         1 15 ounce can pumpkin

·         1/3 cup sugar substitute equivalent to 1/3 cup sugar

·         2 tablespoons honey

·         1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

·         1/2 cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed, or 2 eggs, lightly beaten

·         1 teaspoon vanilla

·         3/4 cup evaporated fat-free milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease an 8-inch springform pan. In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar substitute, honey, and pie spice. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat lightly just until combined. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into prepared pan and place on a foil-lined baking sheet.

2. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until center appears set when gently shaken. Cool for 1 hour on a wire rack. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours before serving.

3. To serve, loosen pie from sides of pan by running a thin metal spatula around the edge. Remove sides of pan. Cut pie into wedges to serve. Makes 8 servings (1 slice each).

(Source: Diabetic Living)