Last Sunday marked the end of the 2012 Daylight Saving season, and many of us set our clocks back one hour. With colder temperatures and fewer hours of sunlight each day, the transition from autumn to winter can weigh us down physically, mentally, and emotionally.

 

Seasonal Affection Disorder (SAD) is extremely common during the long and dark winter months, leaving many people feeling sluggish, irritable, and blue. However, being prepared for the transition, and focusing on the balance of primary food in our lives, allows us to maintain a positive worldview and fully enjoy the excitement and energy of the holiday season.

 

Primary foods are healthy relationships, regular physical activity, a fulfilling career, and a spiritual practise which can fill your soul and satisfy your hunger for life. When primary food is balanced and satiated, your life feeeds you, making what you eat secondary!

 

Here are seven easy ways you can stay cheerful during the winter months:

 

Take it outdoors - Make it a priority to bundle up and get outside for a short walk during the daylight hours - even if it's chilly! The fresh air and dose of Vitamin D from the sunshine will keep you happy and healthy.

 

Get regular exercise - You might be inclined to hibernate under warm blankets as the temperatures drop, but that won't do anything for your mood. Working out releases endorphins in your brain that make you feel happy, and a regular exercise routine will do wonders for your energy levels.

 

Keep it social - Friendships provide the support we need to live fulfilling, balanced lives. Sharing stories and laughing with friends can lift our spirits and give us a fresh perspective. Make plans to meet for a visit, or schedule a phone call to keep in touch.

 

Journal for gratitude - Take time in the morning or evening to make a list of things you are grateful for. Studies show that cultivating happiness helps combat depression. When you focus on the positive things in your life, there's no room for the negative!

 

Wear your chef's hat - Prepare nourishing meals at home to create a sense of warmth and inner peace. Incorporate a variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables into your meals to boost your mood, and experiment with new recipes or comforting family favorites.

 

Embrace the season - Rather than spending your time and energy complaining about the weather, or longing for a different time of year, find beauty in the present moment. Boost your health through a spiritual practice, catch up on your reading, or bundle up in your favorite sweater and have a cup of hot cocoa, cider, or tea.

 

Buy a full spectrum lamp - If you find yourself feeling really blue during the winter months, talk to your doctor about investing in a light box that mimics the spectrum of the sun. Light therapy can be a very effective treatment for SAD!

 

 

Could the secret to living a long, healthy life be as simple as residing on a Greek island?

 

According to the recent New York Times essay "The Island Where People Forget to Die", yes. Residents of Ikaria, a tiny Greek island in the Aegean Sea, reach the age of 90 at two and half times the rate Americans do and live 8 to 10 years longer before getting cancer and cardiovascular disease.

 

Ikarians also suffer significantly less depression and about a quarter the rate of dementia. The island contains a disproportionate number of centenarians (people who live past 100) who seem to enjoy remarkable health and vigor until the end.

 

So what's the islanders' secret to extraordinary health? The essay's author Dan Buettner, who started a consulting firm to research populations where people live longer, says that a multitude of powerful and mutually reinforcing factors account for the Ikarian phenomenon.

 

 For one thing, they eat foods that boost longevity. Ikarians cook the way their ancestors did for centuries, supplementing the famed Mediterranean diet with lots of local herbal tea loaded with antioxidants.

 

Ikarians eat six times as many beans as Americans a day, fish twice a week, meat only five times a month, two or three cups of coffee a day, two to four glasses of red wine a day, and lots of olive oil. Daily servings of fresh greens come straight from their own pesticide-free gardens, and they consume very little refined sugar and almost no processed food.

 

Yet diet seems to be only one piece of the puzzle. The relaxed way of life and sense of communal support all contribute to what Buettner describes as an incredibly healthy "ecosystem." Most islanders' daily routine involves waking naturally, working in the garden, having a late lunch, and then taking a nap.

 

Evenings are spent socializing with family and friends. 80% of men over the age of 65 reported having regular sex. Though unemployment is as high as 40%, everyone has access to a family garden and livestock, and a strong sense of community ensures that everyone's taken care of.

 

These lifestyle factors called primary food, and as one elderly islander mused, they're likely more important than the food on your plate: "Yes, we do eat better here than in America. But it's more about how we eat. Even if it's your lunch break from work, you relax and enjoy your meal. You enjoy the company of whoever you are with."

 

Join us Monday November 26th @ 7PM

when we will be talking about:

 

Eating kale just got hotter. The very-good-for-you green is playing a naughty role in this ode to kale that's both a digital cookbook and erotica! Or, "kale-rotica" as it's authors call it.

Complete with scientifically founded nutritional facts, romance novel cliches, and recipes like "Thai'd Up Roughage",

50 Shades of Kale is the lovechild of Drew Ramsey, MD, and Jennifer Iserloh, both credentialed professionals and authors- with a latent kale-loving side. He's a Columbia-affiliated psychologist, brain-foods expert, and author. She is a professional chef, recipe writer and author.

The authors point out that whole foods don't get pitched or marketed like supplements or packaged foods, with labels that read "meets your daily vitamin C requirements". So it can be surprising to see how many nutrients are in a cup of kale, says Dr. Ramsey. The book spells it out: 134% of your recommended daily allowance of vitamin C, 684% of Vitamin K, 206% of vitamin A and more.

50 Shades of Kale should help with the vegetables's PR problem. After all, sex sells-even leafy greens. Which is what I have been saying forever that "Food Can Change Everything"

Soooo if you want to be....

Healthier Slimmer Stronger Smarter and SEXIER you need to eat REAL FOOD!

Really what's important is that you get some healthy kale action. Whether you're a cooking novice or want to start with a one-night love affair or a real kale submissive cooking a different recipe every day. Kale is for YOU!

To get your copy of the e-book for $2.99 go to www.50ShadesofKale.com

 

 

 

Harvest Salad with Pumpkin Dressing

 

Salads aren't just for summer. They're a simple, straightforward way to add nutritious, seasonal ingredients to your diet year-round. This harvest salad featuring fall produce, such as apples and pumpkin. You can also personalize this dish by adding your favorite fruits, nuts, and protein.

 

Vegan, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free

 

Ingredients

Salad:

• 1 large head of romaine lettuce, chopped
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 4 - 6 mushrooms, sliced
• 1 small green apple, sliced
• One cob of fresh corn, cut off the cob
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
• 1/4 cup cranberries
• 1/4 cup pecans, chopped

Vinaigrette:

• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3 or 4 fresh sage leaves, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Mix all of the ingredients for vinaigrette in a blender.
2. Toss salad ingredients in a bowl, and top with the dressing.

 

Happy Healthy November

See you all soon!

Sincerely,

Susan Frangos C.H.C. AADP

Certified Health Coach

Higher Level Wellness

847-361-6185