“Never underestimate the power of stress. The stresses in our lives can alter the biochemical machinations of our bodies. This isn’t woo-woo; it’s medical fact. Stress is the top reason behind most visits to the doctor, and it contributes to all the big causes of death, including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and cancer.”
Sara Gottfried, MD,
Author of The Hormone Cure
Slowing down can save your life…
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 is short, 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 us happy and de-prioritizing those things that drag us down.
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. Write in your journal
before you start 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 or 15 minutes to yourself. 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.
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 chilled with mixed raw
vegetables.
Note: Best made a maximum of 1 hour before serving.
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