Inspirational Thursday: Quotes to Keep You Going

Quotes to Keep You Going

• "It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop." - Confucius 

• "In order to succeed, we must first believe that we can." - Nikos Kazantzakis

• "Either I will find a way, or I will make one." - Philip Sidney 

Wellness Wednesday: 10 Simple Health Tips

10 Simple Health Tips

Eat Bananas

People whose diets are rich in potassium may be less prone to high blood pressure. Besides reducing sodium and taking other heart-healthy steps, eat potassium-packed picks such as bananas, cantaloupe, and oranges.

Sniff Rosemary

According to some research, catching a whiff of this aromatic herb may increase alertness and improve memory. To stay sharp, try smelling fresh rosemary or inhaling the scent of rosemary essential oil before a test or meeting.

Rub Your Temples

Tame tension headaches by rubbing peppermint oil, Tiger Balm, or white flower oil into your temples. All three remedies contain menthol, which has analgesic properties.

Get a Good Pair of Sneakers

Is your energy lagging? Though it may be the last thing you feel like doing when you're tired, exercise -- even a brisk walk -- can be more effective than a nap or cup of coffee at fighting fatigue.

Go for Garlic

Adding raw or lightly cooked garlic and onions to your meals may help keep you healthy this winter. Both foods appear to possess antiviral and antibacterial properties and are believed to boost immunity.

Eat Avocados

For dry skin, incorporate more avocados into your diet. They're rich in monounsaturated fat and vitamin E, both of which promote healthy skin. Try them on salads and sandwiches, and even in smoothies.

Try Triphala

Avoid constipation and stay regular with Triphala, an Ayurvedic blend of three fruits that is believed to help tone the gastrointestinal tract. Look for capsules of Triphala and follow package directions.

Eat Japanese Food

In addition to following good dental hygiene, you can help prevent cavities by adding more shiitake mushrooms and wasabi to your diet. Both foods contain compounds that help fight the bacteria that cause plaque and cavities.

Cayenne Pepper

To warm up cold feet, sprinkle a bit of cayenne pepper into your socks. This folk remedy may help warm your toes by increasing circulation and improving blood flow.

Break Out the Duct Tape

Stick it to warts with this unusual remedy. Some research found that applying the tape over problem areas for about a week helped clear up warts as well as conventional treatment. Duct tape may work by irritating the skin, triggering an immune reaction that fights the infection typically responsible for warts.

Meatless Monday: Grilled Veggie and Hummus Wraps

Grilled Veggie and Hummus Wraps

Ingredients

4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices red onion

1 red bell pepper, seeded and quartered 

1 (12-ounce) eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1 (8-ounce) container plain hummus 

4 (1.9-ounce) whole-grain flatbreads (such as Flatout Light)

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preparation

1. Heat a large grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush onion, bell pepper, and eggplant with 1 tablespoon oil. Add onion and bell pepper to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until grill marks appear. Remove from pan. Add eggplant to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until grill marks appear. Remove from pan; coarsely chop vegetables. Combine vegetables, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, parsley, and salt; toss to combine.

2. Spread 1/4 cup hummus over each flatbread, leaving a 1/2-inch border around edges. Divide vegetables over each flatbread; top each serving with 2 tablespoons cheese. Roll up wraps, and cut diagonally in half.

Wellness Wednesday: 5 Habits That Will Improve Your Emotional Wellness

Do you monitor your emotional well-being and take action when you hit a rough patch? Let's be honest, most of us don't. Even if you did pay attention to your psychological health, would you know how to ease emotional pain when your feelings were hurt, how to boost your confidence when your self-esteem was low, or how to recover after experiencing a loss? Again, most of us do not.

What makes this a surprising truth as well as an inconvenient one is that our psychological health impacts our quality of life as much as our physical health does (some might argue even more). Yet other than noting our general mood, we do almost nothing in terms of regular psychological maintenance. Compare that to how automatically we apply ice packs to sprains, use Band-Aids for cuts, or gulp down chicken soup when we have a cold. Clearly, when it comes to getting attention and care, our psychological health has a lot of catching up to do. A great way to start closing the gap is to adopt the habit of "treating" common psychological "injuries" when you sustain them. Here's how:

1. Protect Your Self Esteem

Self-esteem is the armor we wear to the "battle of life," and yet when it is low, we often become self-critical and injure it even further. We would never spread salt on a cut or run around in a T-shirt in freezing weather if we had a cold, but for some reason, we have no qualms about kicking our self-esteem when it's already down. Even more concerning is that by weakening our emotional armor we make ourselves more vulnerable to things like failure, rejection, anxiety, and stress. So stop the self-criticism and protect your self-esteem when it's low by practicing self-compassion. Whenever self-critical thoughts pop into your head, consider what you would say to a close friend who expressed similar feelings. Then address those exact thoughts to yourself. Practicing self-compassion and allowing your self-esteem to recover will give a big boost to your overall mental health.

2. Take Control After a Failure

Failing impacts our perceptions such that our goals seem further out of reach and our abilities seem less up to the task. As a result, we often feel helpless and passive and we lose our motivation. To combat those feelings, review your goal and how you approached it. Make a list of all the factors that are in your control such as effort, preparation, and planning, and give thought to how you can improve your execution of each of them. Focusing on variables that are in your control will balance out defeatist thoughts, do wonders for your motivation and consequently improve your chances of future success.

3. Distract Yourself From Brooding Thoughts

Stewing over upsetting events only makes us feel worse, as brooding is surprisingly damaging to our mental health. When you find yourself stuck in a cycle of brooding and stewing, disrupt the urge to brood by developing a zero tolerance attitude toward your repetitive distressing thoughts. As soon as the thought begins, distract yourself by engaging in a task that requires concentration. Try listing state capitals, the names of your middle school classmates, or the order of songs on a playlist. Provided you catch it quickly, distracting yourself for two minutes is sufficient for the distressing thought to recede and for your mood to recover.

4. Find Meaning After a Loss:

Loss is a natural part of life and something none of us can avoid. Regardless of how painful or traumatic the loss, one aspect has been found to be extremely important for emotional recovery -- our ability to find meaning in the events. Once you've begun to heal, think about possible ways in which you might derive some good from the situation. Perhaps you can develop a greater appreciation those who remain, make changes that allow you to live your life in closer accordance with your values and ideals, or take action to honor what or who has been lost. Doing so can be challenging, but gaining a sense of appreciation and purpose will allow you to gain strength from your memories rather than feel broken by them.

5. Recover Self-Worth After a Rejection:

 One of the reasons rejections are so painful is they register in our brains like physical pain. But unless we know that, we're likely to misinterpret the magnitude of emotional pain we feel as an indication that we're weak, needy, or pathetic -- and damage our self-worth even further. In order to help your self-worth recover, remind yourself of what you have to offer. Make a list of attributes you know you possess and that are valuable in the sphere in which you were rejected (e.g., dating life, social life, or work life). Choose one and write a paragraph or two about why the quality is meaningful and valuable to you and why it would be equally meaningful and valuable to another person (e.g., a dating partner, friend, or employer). Reminding yourself of the many substantive things you have to offer will help your self-worth rebound, ease your emotional pain, and improve your short and long-term mental health.

Acquiring new habits isn't easy. But isn't it time we gave our emotional health the same tender loving care we typically afford our physical bodies?

For more by Guy Winch, Ph.D., click here.

For more on emotional wellness, click here.

Meatless Mondays: Smoked Cheddar and Lentil Burgers

Smoked Cheddar and Lentil Burgers

 

 

Not only does this recipe contain 6 grams less fat than a Burger King hamburger, but it also contains 2 grams more protein. Talk about filling and flavorful! 

 

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup dried lentils
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded smoked cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 3 large egg whites, lightly beaten
• Cooking spray
• 8 teaspoons stone-ground mustard
• 8 (2-ounce) whole wheat sandwich buns, toasted
• 8 (1/4-inch-thick) slices tomato
• 2 cups trimmed arugula

Preparation

Place first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until tender; drain. Discard bay leaves. Place lentils in a large bowl; partially mash with a potato masher. Cool slightly.

Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and carrot; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Cool slightly.

Add onion mixture, cheese, and next 8 ingredients (cheese through egg whites) to lentils; stir well to combine. Cover and chill 45 minutes. Divide mixture into 8 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty.

Heat a grill pan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add half of patties, and cook 5 minutes on each side or until done. Repeat procedure with remaining patties. Spread 1 teaspoon mustard on top half of each bun. Place 1 patty on bottom half of each bun, and top each serving with 1 tomato slice, 1/4 cup arugula, and top half of bun.

Inspirational Thursdays: Get It Started and Keep It Going!

Need a little inspiration to finally get started on that goal?

Here are some quotes that are sure to get you going.

1. DO IT NOW. Sometimes "LATER" becomes "NEVER".

2. You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.

3. The harder the battle, the sweeter the victory. 

Wellness Wednesdays: Stress Reduction Tips

Stress Reduction Tips

Sitting too much? Take breaks for wellness

Have you ever noticed a burst of positive energy after a workout? Physical activity sets off physiological and psychological mechanisms that can improve your mood. Exercise releases hormones that can leave you feeling calmer and happier. Activity can also offer the opportunity to release stress, meet new people and boost self-confidence.

 

Studies suggest that sitting for hours on end -- regardless of calorie intake and exercise -- is harmful. This may be because immobile muscles lose the ability to metabolize fats and sugar as efficiently as they should, which could promote high cholesterol and up diabetes risk.

 

Do you have a stiff neck and back pain from sitting down all day? For many people, spending 12 hours or more a day sitting down is a normal part of life. However, a new study suggests that spending more time sitting down not only causes back pain and tense muscles, but increases your risk of getting type 2 diabetes, heart disease and obesity, even if you workout everyday!

• Don’t despair – though most people can’t avoid sitting down at work or while studying, taking short exercise breaks or ‘microbreaks’ every half hour are a great way to reduce time spend sitting down and fit some activity in your day.
  Doing simple stretching exercises, like stretching your arms, neck, wrists and legs can help them not feel too stiff.
• Taking short walks around the office throughout the day, and participating in lunchtime walks, will help increase blood flow in your legs and arms and keep them from getting numb.
• Grab a colleague or friend to walk

You can do most of these simple exercises in two minutes or less, so you can squeeze them in during the day.

Remember, taking these small steps to reduce time sitting down goes a long way in improving your overall wellness.

Meatless Mondays: Ravioli With Tomatoes, White Beans, and Escarole

Ravioli With Tomatoes, White Beans, and Escarole 

This recipe combines Mediterranean spices and white beans to get a protein-packed pasta. 

• Prep Time: 8 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

Ingredients

• 1 (9-ounce) package fresh four-cheese ravioli
• 1 (15- to 16-ounce) can Great Northern or navy beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 6 cups chopped fresh escarole or spinach
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Asiago cheese

Preparation

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.

2. Combine the beans, tomatoes, basil, oregano, and red pepper in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil; stir in escarole. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 3 minutes or until escarole is wilted. Stir in pasta and 1/4 cup water; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with cheese.

Inspirational Thursdays: A Little Work Motivation

Need a Little Inspiration?
If you’re just not “feeling it” today, don’t feel bad. It happens to all of us – even the greats. Here are some motivational quotes for work to remind you why you’re busting your butt:

• “The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.”– Jimmy Johnson 


• “There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.”– Beverly Sills


• “Patience can be bitter but her fruit is always sweet.”– Habeeb Akande
  

Wellness Wednesdays: 4 Things You Can Do This Week to Be a Happier Person

Gabrielle Bernstein shares her tips on how to meditate your way to happiness daily.

1. Make your first thought of the day a happy one.“When we look at ourselves in the mirror every morning and think of all the things we want to change, that’s a choice we make,” says Bernstein. “Make the commitment to think differently about yourself and make happiness the first thing of the day.” She recommends listening to music to begin your morning instead of watching TV. Create a positive, uplifting playlist to help boost your mood and brighten your spirit. If you have a few minutes, sit still and meditate while listening to a song or two. 

2. Snap out of a negative mindset. Plagued by undesirable or destructive thoughts about yourself or others? Bernstein recommends employing her “Snap Out of It” meditation technique, in which you wear a rubber band on your wrist, and whenever you start to think negative thoughts about yourself or towards another person, flick the rubber band against your arm. This will literally help you “snap” out of the negative thoughts. 

3. Unleash your inner child. Whenever you feel stressed about your responsibilities and commitments, unplug from the world, shut off your computer and phone, and tap into your inner child. When we become more childlike, we grow our capacity for curiosity and creativity. Bernstein recommends taking a dream break during the day, in which you sit alone and spend five to 10 minutes thinking your way into a cool experience you’d always hoped to have. “Open up to silliness and having more fun. That childlike energy brings us a much more positive perspective and releases tension,” Bernstein says. 

4. Sleep to restore your mind. Sleep is essential to optimal health, but people often forget that it is also a spiritual practice that benefits us mentally and emotionally. Lacking essential shut-eye is another way we block happiness from our lives. To help you get a restful night of sleep, Bernstein recommends using this simple Kundalini breathing technique: Sit up straight on your bed and breathe in using a U breath (Pucker your mouth as if you were holding a quarter between your lips.). Breathe in and exhale through your nose. Continue this cycle of breath for one minute. 


Source: http://www.everydayhealth.com/news/things-you-can-do-this-week-to-be-a-happier-person/

MEATLESS MONDAYS: Penne with Herbs, Tomatoes, and Peas

Showcase the many cherry tomatoes from your garden in Penne with Herbs, Tomatoes, and Peas.

 

Serves 4 (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

Total time: 20 Minutes

 

 

 

Ingredients

8 ounces uncooked penne pasta

1 cup frozen green peas, thawed

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 ounce fresh Parmesan cheese, shaved (about 1/4 cup)

 

Preparation

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Add peas during last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add garlic; cook 4 minutes or until garlic begins to brown, stirring occasionally. Increase heat to medium-high. Add tomatoes to pan; cook 1 minute. Add pasta mixture, salt, and pepper to pan; cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Stir in basil and parsley. Sprinkle with cheese.