AKA:  the mood hormone

Locations: Serotonin is produced in the brain. However, 90% of serotonin is found in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, as well as in platelets and the Central Nervous System (CNS). Serotonin is formed from the amino acid tryptophan, which is found in protein-rich foods such as eggs, meat, poultry, cheese, bananas and peanuts.

• decreases appetite
• improves sleep 
• improves memory and cognitive function
• suppresses insulin release from the beta cells (found in the pancreas) 
• stimulates cell growth

• Serotonin (WebMD)
• Serotonin, our utility hormone, still surprises

When winter weather hits, it can be difficult to find the motivation to exercise. Here are some great tips to help you keep exercising and staying warm while outdoors.

Go inside: If you're used to getting your exercise in the great outdoors, consider bringing it inside if the cold weather bothers you. Try walking at a mall (before the stores open), join a gym or sign up for a group exercise class at your local community center. Look for online yoga and fitness classes, or purchase DVDs of exercise programs.

Grab a friend: Finding a workout buddy is great anytime of the year, but you may find you need another person to help you stay motivated during the winter. Find an activity that you both enjoy and commit to it a few times a week. You're less likely to bail on your fitness plans if you have someone else that's relying on it. So grab your best friend, your significant other or your children and get moving.

Increase those ADLs: Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) include tasks such as house cleaning, mowing the lawn, shoveling snow and other household chores. While not the same as exercise, ADLs will definitely help to burn calories.

Layer up: A big puffy down coat won't really work while jogging. Practice layering your workout gear for those days when you're exercising outdoors. Your base layer (the first one) should be thin, lightweight and draw moisture away from your skin. The second layer (mid-layer) should keep you nice and warm. Your top layer should be waterproof to keep you dry and breathable to help keep air circulating. Keep legs warm with compression tights designed for cold weather. It's best to avoid cotton as it gets heavy when filled with sweat. If you exercise outdoors at night, look for brightly colored gear with reflective taping so that drivers can easily spot you.

Protect Extremities: Make sure you're protecting your head, hands and feet. Look for a hat that covers your ears, or opt for a thick headband. Use mittens or thermal running gloves to prevent frost bite but not . Look for cold weather socks and consider adding Yak Tracks on your workout shoes so that you don't slip on ice or snow.

Take care of your skin: The sun reflects off snow, so make sure you're still wearing sunscreen. Keep lip balm on hand to help ward off chapped lips.

Have fun! Don't forget--there are lots of fun winter activities that count as exercise. Snowboarding, skiing, ice skating, snowshoeing, or just playing in the snow and having a snowball fight are great ways to stay active while creating memories with family and loved ones.

• We're continuing our support of American Diabetes Month!  Through the end of 2013, we will be offering free fasting blood glucose checks to people who think they may be at risk for pre-diabetes or diabetes. If you have a friend or family member who is unsure if they have diabetes, please let them know of this great offer! They can call 925-930-7267 and ask for the Recruiting Department to schedule their free test.
• We're always looking for people for our studies! If you have a friend, co-worker or family member who you think could benefit from medical research, let us know! They can click on the "Volunteer Today" button on the homepage of our website or they can call (925) 930-7267 and ask for Recruiting at extension 201. 

Free Glucose Testing!  

Concerned that you might have diabetes?

Has your doctor ever told your that you're pre-diabetic?

We're offering free blood glucose checks for those who think they may be at risk for diabetes.

Call (925) 930-7267 and ask for the Recruiting Department to schedule your free test today! You're welcome to recommend this free service to any friends or family members.

December:  Dream it and achieve it in 2014

Why?  Setting goals allows us to help make our dreams a reality. By having a clear, structured path, we create deeper, more meaningful goals that we're more likely to achieve.

How? 

• Dream big...then go bigger: Embrace the idea of possibility. We often set ourselves up for failure because we have created our own limitations.  "I can't" never translates into an accomplishment.  While it's important to set realistic goals, it's also important to set big goals that are difficult to achieve. If you succeed in accomplishing a huge, challenging goal, it empowers you to push for more. If you don't achieve your goal, it still shows your ability to commit and persevere through difficult situations. In either circumstance,  you'll learn more about yourself along the way. 
• Focus on the big picture: Once we have that big picture, we can create specific goals to help us get there. Your vision should be longer term (at least 5 years away), detailed and involve your passions. It should incorporate several aspects of your life: career, family/social, health/wellness and personal. It's also important to make sure your vision is yours--not your parents, partners, friends or siblings.    
• Write it down: We're more likely to accomplish our goals if we write them down. Use a journal, blog posts, even a piece of paper.  
• Make S.M.A.R.T.E.R. goals: Keep your goals specific, measurable, attainable, relevant,  time-bound and continue to evaluate and reevaluate them. 
• Specific: Goals need to be clear and unambiguous in order for us to accomplish them. Think 'why', ''when', 'who', 'what' and 'where' as you are formulating your goals.
• Measurable: you should be able to quantify your goal (i.e. I want to be able to run 1 mile in 10 minutes.) 
•  Attainable: Making your goal attainable doesn't mean that it won't be difficult to achieve it.  Your goal shouldn't be insanely out of your reach, nor too easy or simple to complete. Remember: it's okay to be challenged and go outside your comfort zone. Focus on how you'll achieve your goal.
• Relevant:  Choose goals that matter and will impact your overall vision. Making relevant goals is similar to a trip to the store. If you go in with a list of everything you need and stick to it, you're save time, avoid impulse purchases, and buy all the items you intended. But if you go into the store without making a list, you're likely to forget something you really need, become frustrated and get side tracked. 
• Evaluate: Are your current actions meeting your goals? Have your goals changed? Which ones have been accomplished and which ones still need work?  Are you enjoying yourself and still on the path towards your vision?  
• Reward: Pat yourself on the back for all your hard work.  While the journey can be a reward in and of itself, sometimes we need an extrinsic reward to help motivate us. Choose a reward that is meaningful to you or that is related to your goal.  

 

A classic comfort food made easier by using just one dish: a cast iron skillet. Serve it for your favorite holiday fest or any night of the week.