Super foods...

Constitutes a food that is high in vitamins, minerals and has high concentrations of essential nutrients with proven health benefits.

Kale is a super food, which is a leafy green vegetable that is high in beta-carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, and calcium.  It’s best to eat raw, steam, stir-fry, or microwave.  Reason being, if you boil will reduce the nutrients. The benefits of this super food include anti-cancer properties. Kale also contains a source of indole-3-carbinol, which is a chemical that boosts DNA repair in cells and may block the growth of cancer cells.

How do you prepare kale? I found a recipe on the foodnetwork.com by Bobby Flay, that looks simple and tasty. I’m going to give it a try tomorrow and thought I’d share:

It’s called “Sautéed Kale” by Bobby Flay

1      ½ pounds of young kale, stems and leaves coarsely chopped

2      3 tablespoons of olive oil

3      2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced

4      ½ cup of vegetable stock or water

5      Salt and Pepper

6      2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar

Directions:

Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until soft, but not colored. Raise to high, add the stock and kale and toss to combine. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove cover and continue to cook, stirring until all the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add vinegar.

Gift Giving...

It can often be chore when we wait until the last minute or more commonly just aren’t sure what to buy for a particular person. Thoughts trail through our mind, and we wonder about the different options. Do I buy something practical? Would this gift be over the top? How much would a gift like this get used? 

When shopping for gifts, we want nothing more than our gift to be recognized and appreciated by the person we are giving it to. Sometimes, we spend so much time looking for the perfect gift that we forget the reason for giving.

Whether it’s a birthday, wedding, holiday or simply a way to say thank you. A gift  must come from the heart. Take time to think about the activities that you enjoy most with that person. What other hobbies does that person enjoy? What makes that person happiest? How can your gift contribute to making that person’s day a little brighter?

In the spirit of the holidays, take some a quiet moment, sit with your list, and look at the names of the people that you want give a gift. Then, think about your memories with each person. It might take a little time, but you will soon discover the perfect gift!

Winter Blues

Sometimes winter can get a bad rap and can be referred to as the SAD season. Don’t let the early sunsets and cold temperatures affect your mood. There are things we can do to prevent the seasonal mood changes. 

Start by embracing the day and finding time to get outside at some point before sunset. As little as 10 minutes of sunshine can provide benefits of Vitamin D along with a mood lifter. With the holiday season, there are a lot of cookies and family recipes that often make their way into the workplace. It’s important to not cave into the carbohydrate cravings!  Enjoy a taste of it, but be sure to include energy packed vegetables and lean proteins as well. 

As always, keep moving! With the frigid temperatures, it can be a challenge to get out of bed early to work out, yet many studies show those who get their morning workout in before their work day, are more inclined to keep up their routine and have the added benefit of burning calories in the morning, essentially eating a larger breakfast, lighter lunch and a balanced dinner. If it’s a weight workout, you’ll have the added benefit of burning more calories throughout the day. 

It’s also a great time of year to try something outdoors that you don’t typically do. Gather some work out buddies and find an activity or two that you can experience together. Most importantly, get your sleep and take your vitamins. You can’t replace sleep with an energy drink or extra coffee. Take the time to reenergize your body by getting enough rest and the vitamins will ensure a strong immune system to stay healthy throughout the winter season.

Letting go....

We need to just let things go! We are all human and make mistakes, communicate differently, and have different perspectives on life.  We don’t realize how much MORE energy it takes to be frustrated with a situation until we do something about it.  Whether we are frustrated with a friend, impatient with a colleague, or simply annoyed with a particular situation, there are always opportunities to change the outcome. Just because something isn’t as we would like it at a particular moment, doesn’t mean that it’s going to be that way forever. The best thing about life, is that we not just along for the ride, we are in the driver’s seat!

You might be thinking, “there are several things on my plate right now that I need to do something about!” Not sure what to do first? Prioritize. What is causing you the most pain? Meaning, what is really bothering you the most? That is a good place to begin and create a timeline for what to tackle and by when. Don’t let it linger. Once you tackle your first “Letting Go” experience, it’s such a huge lift off your shoulders and it will be inspiring. It’s also a great motivator to work through the other concerns that have been on your mind.  

With the end of the year around the corner, take charge now and decide what’s going to be put on your  “Letting Go” List.

Happy Holidays!

As the first weekend of December is upon us, keep in mind it’s important to prepare for the holiday parties and festivities beforehand.

A few tips to keep your waistline trim this holiday season.

-       Have a snack before the event. Be sure to have something with protein to help keep you full and satisfied. You don’t want to be munching too much on all of the appetizers. (A sampling is wonderful, but there’s nothing worse than starving while at an event) Try a handful of nuts, an apple with peanut butter, hummus and vegetables, or even a small protein shake.

-       Drink plenty of water throughout the day to ensure you’re hydrated for your event. This will help to prevent you from drinking too much too fast if you plan on having a few cocktails at the event.

-       Can you squeeze in an afternoon nap? This time of year we are go,go,go! To keep our body in balance, it’s so important to make sure we are getting 7-8 hours of sleep. We can use the weekends to play catch up, but with holiday shopping, cooking and spending time with loved ones, sleep can be the first thing to be eliminated- Try to make an effort to get your sleep!

-       Depending on the time of the event that you’re attending, it might be helpful to get moving before to get your blood circulating and help to get you ready to go!

-       Know ahead of time what you are wearing, so you’re not running out to the store at the last minute to grab it. This will be a huge stress reliever!

Most of all, take time to enjoy the holidays… After all, they only come around once a year.