Who doesn't feel like there aren't enough hours in the day? We spend each moment in a rush, going at breakneck speed, and end up exhausted. Somehow these days full of duties, obligations, and busyness have begun to stack up and become our lives. We spend our time doing things we don't really want to do, but feel we should. We've come to believe that being productive and crossing things off our to-do lists is the ultimate goal.

The truth is, life on Earth is a brief gift, 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 take more down time. This means planning less in a day, prioritizing those things that bring us joy and de-prioritizing those things that are not in line with what is important to us.

If we can't lessen our load, if we must accomplish many things each day, we can still change the quality with which we do things. How can we transmute that race out the door in the morning into something enjoyable, 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. 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 e-mail only twice a day. Don't pack your schedule so tightly that there's no time for a short walk. Light candles before you start to cook dinner. One moment here and there for slowness; it can be done and must.

Adapted from an article by Marco Visscher & Jay Walljasper, Ode Magazine, Issue #15 www.odemagazine.com

If you would like some support and guidance in realizing your health and wellness goals this year or having more balance in your life, schedule a Complimentary Health Consultation by clicking here. You may also set up an appointment by sending an e-mail to simplebalance@charter.net or calling 978-400-6514.

Not all oils and fats are created equal. Heavily processed, hydrogenated, "trans" fats and oils used in prepared, packaged foods can be extremely damaging to the body. However, fats and oils from high-quality sources and whole foods can steady our metabolism, keep hormone levels even, nourish our skin, hair and nails and "grease our engines" 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 gives us lasting 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 ghee (clarified butter) or coconut oil, because they do not break down when used at higher temperatures. When sautéing and stovetop cooking, 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 fats, along with wild salmon. Experiment with these healthy fat sources and see which agree with 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 and cold- processed.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Yields: 1 Cup


Ingredients:

Free Talk:

January 30th
When Did My Parents Get Old?
Caring for Aging Parents
Presented by Anne Marie Rowse and Miranda Heibel
Co-Sponsored by Simple Balance and the Maynard Community Chest

This presentation will focus on services available for aging parents including covered services, private care and will also cover the importance of Advocacy, Housing and Homecare options.

Anne Marie Rowse is a principal of Senior Care Advisors, a private geriatric care management company. She has been involved with seniors for the past 18 years and is currently the town of Harvard's Representative, to one of Maynard Community Chest's Member Agencies, Minuteman Senior Services (www.minutemansenior.org). She has a BS in Rehabilitative Counseling, a Nursing Home Administrator license and has an MBA with a healthcare concentration.

Miranda Heibel, Caregiver Program Manager, will present information on services and resources available through Minuteman Senior Services, one of Maynard Community Chest's Member Agencies.

For more information, or to register for this presentation:
Call Simple Balance at 978-456-8329 or
e-mail simplebalance@charter.net. Registrations must be received by January 28th. .

You can click on any of the classes or events below to get more details...

January 17th - Class: Primary Food and Self-Care - Kelly Bollman, Donna Messina, Herb Pearce and Shelly Watson

January 23rd - Workshop: Enneagram Workshop with Herb Pearce, Come have a lot of fun and find out your personality type

Janaury 24th - Class: Exercise, Get Started Now - Melinda Sowizral, Barry Bailey and Steve Thoman

January 30th - Free Talk: When Did My Parents Get Old?, Caring for Aging Parents - Anne Marie Rowse

Janaury 31st - Class: Complementary and Alternative Medicine - Kelly Bollman, Janet Beaty, ND, Matilde Flores, Dan Kopelman and Diane Schuster

Check out the calendar on my website, as new classes and events are being added all the time!