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Gratitude unlocks
the fullness of life.
It turns what we have
into enough, and more.
It
turns denial into acceptance, chaos to
order, confusion to clarity.
It
can turn a meal
into a feast, a house
into a home, a stranger
into a
friend.
Gratitude makes sense
of our past, brings peace
for today and
creates
a vision for tomorrow.
-Melody Beattie
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Detox Group
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on the new year!
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 The Wonderment of Life
We all have so much to be grateful for. Yet, it is easy for our attention to be focused on our areas of discontent. During this holiday season, when it is tradition to give thanks, why not resolve to be mindful of all the daily wonders of our lives. One example is our amazing bodies that function endlessly - lungs breathing, heart beating, cells regenerating - without any effort on our part. Then there are all the inventions that bring us comfort and pleasure, such as indoor plumbing, electricity, automobiles, airplanes, telephones and computers. These means give us extreme convenience and allow us to be easily connected to family, friends, and boundless information. And let us not forget nature, like the sun that rises daily to nourish our beautiful earth, offering us all its' bounties.
As we enter this holiday season, let your gratitude include all the "little" things that you may have previously taken for granted. You will find that it is through gratitude that we fill our lives with true abundance and happiness.
Tonya
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 Simple Abundance
Tips for relieving stress and
embracing gratitude
With so much bad news in the media, sometimes it's easy to forget how much you have to be grateful for in your life. Try some of the tips below to decrease stress and increase your peace of mind.
Increase your daily Gratitudes. Write down 3
things in the morning to jump start your day and 3 things at night to
bring your awareness full circle.
You need an hour of solitude a day, and I don't care what you have to do to get it. Use the time to do something that brings you peace and joy.
Keep everything simple from meals to holiday plans. Halve your To Do
list. Don't promise anyone anything if there's the slightest
hint that you'll regret it or it will be difficult to keep.
Try to keep your home picked up-at the very least keep your sink
cleared at night, your bed made in the morning, clothes hung up and the
trash emptied. The semblance of order, even if it's only the surface of our lives, is a start.
Make simple pleasures like raking the leaves into comfort rituals. Creating small ceremonials, such as mulled
cider after autumn yard chores, enhances our enjoyment threshold. Raking
the leaves is
real therapy for frazzled nerves. Notice the sound of the rake,
the crusty leaves, the fragrance of the earth. Now add cinnamon hot
mulled cider to the mix. Bliss!
Eat only when you're hungry and only something delicious. Eat it slowly, and enjoy it.
Plan your meals for a week. Not only will it eliminate the stress of figuring out what to eat every night, it really helps you feel in control on your own mini-economy.
Take a walk around your house with an empty cardboard box and don't
stop until it's filled with
things to get rid of. It immediately shifts your attention from lack to
plenty, even if it's just plenty of stuff you don't want.
Consciously try to exchange your need for security for serenity. Make the Serenity Prayer
your own: "God, please give me the serenity to accept the things I
cannot change, courage to change the things I can and wisdom to know
the difference."
Express love everyday, in some tangible way. Say it, send it in a card,
give it in a hug or a glowing compliment. Compliments cost nothing and
are a fabulous gift for both the receiver and the giver. Think of how
someone beams when they're genuinely complimented. You can't buy that
contentment, but you sure can give it away.
Adapted from simpleabundance.com, Sara Ban Breathnach
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________________________________________________
 Food Focus: Apples
The old saying, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away," is fact, not
just folklore. The nutritional stars in apples - fiber, flavonoids, and
fructose-translate into apples' ability to keep us healthy.
Apples contain both insoluble and soluble fiber. One medium (5 ounces)
unpeeled apple provides over 3 grams of fiber, more than 10% of the
daily fiber intake recommended by experts. Apple's two types of fiber pack a double punch that can knock down
cholesterol levels, reducing your risk of hardening of the arteries,
heart attack, and stroke.
When it comes to bowel regularity, apple's two types of fiber tackle
the job-no matter what it is. Both the insoluble fiber in apples and
their soluble fiber pectin help relieve constipation (thus helping to
prevent diverticulosis and colon cancer). The insoluble fiber works
like roughage, while the pectin, which is found primarily in the skin,
acts as a stool softener by drawing water into the stool and increasing
stool bulk. On the other hand, because pectin firms up an excessively
loose stool, it's also used to treat diarrhea.
Apples derive almost all of their natural sweetness from fructose, a
simple sugar, but one which is broken down slowly, especially when
combined with apples' hefty dose of fiber, thus helping to keep blood
sugar levels stable.
In addition to their beneficial effects against chronic diseases
including cancer, cardiovascular disease, asthma and diabetes, a flavonoid found only in apples called phloridzin may help prevent bone loss. If you're moving through menopause, eating an apple a day may help you keep bone loss at bay.
Adapted from whfoods.org.
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Recipe of the Month:
Apple Rosemary Cornish Game Hens
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Yields: 2 servings
Ingredients:
1 1-3/4 lb. Cornish game hen, halved lengthwise
2-3 apples, peeled and diced
1 cup cranberries (fresh or frozen)
˝ cup maple syrup
1/2 cup apple juice or cider
2 teaspoons curry
2 twigs fresh rosemary, left whole
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
Directions:- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- To create sauce, combine the apples, cranberries, maple syrup,
apple juice, curry and rosemary twigs in a saucepan over medium-high.
Stir frequently, blending all ingredients and bring to a boil.
- Decrease the heat to low, cover the saucepan and simmer, stirring
frequently, until the apple pieces are very soft and berries have
broken open and released their juices. This will take about 8-10
minutes.
- To prepare the hen: Rinse the hen halves and pat dry with paper
towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the hen halves with
rosemary twigs underneath, skin side up, on a foil covered baking
sheet. Cover each hen half with sauce, coating generously.
- Roast the hen halves until golden and their juices run clear, about 25 minutes.
- Add juice from roasting to sauce and bring to a boil once again,
then reduce and simmer for about 3 minutes, allowing it to thicken.
- Transfer hen halves to plates. Serve with sauce and use rosemary twigs as decoration.
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