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Dietitian Advice Newsletter
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April 2013
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Greetings! April is the month to 'Shower' ourselves with a little self-love. Not only is April known as Stress Awareness Month, but it also is known for being National Food Month and National Mental Health Month; all of which go hand in hand with a healthy lifestyle. It's the perfect time to get into the swing of self-care, something that is often neglected in our busy lives.
Spring is the time to get geared up for warm weather and plan the summer when the kids are out of school. As fun as these trips and plans can be, the stress creeps up exponentially. It's important to remember during this stressful Spring season that in a healthy and balanced lifestyle, there is always room for ice cream and chocolate!
Recently, we raised awareness for National Eating Disorders Awareness and positive body image by posting uplifting messages in various places. We have the source for our ideas and some of the pictures for you! Another piece of good news is that I've recently found out that I am one of 23 people in the world with the CEDRD (Certified Eating Disorder Registered Dietitian) credentials. It is such an honor to be recognized and earn this designation.
I look forward to hearing from you,
Healthy Regards, Kathryn Fink |
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Seven Steps to Slow Stress
How would you describe the word 'stress'? Take a moment and think about how to put it into words. Was that easy or was it difficult? We spent some time brainstorming how to describe stress and this is what we came up with:
Stress: The overwhelming anxiety and pressure felt when an event occurs that causes overwhelming emotional changes.
Basically, you're feeling so many things that your brain can't keep up and categorize all of them. Does that match your definition or seem to be accurate?
Here's our Seven Steps to Slow Stress!
- Talk to a friend. Instead of talking about things stressing you out, try sharing something funny or interesting, something that is not related to your stress source.
- Say 'No'! It's easy to say yes to do favors, but it's much harder to say no. Remember that you are one person with two arms, not ten thousand.
- Turn off the stress by turning on some music and: dance it out, cook up a delectable meal or get things clean and tidy.
- Remember how you used to doodle when you were in class? Doodle something to give yourself a break.
- Make a positive jar: take a blank slip of paper and when something good happens (it doesn't have to be a huge event, just everyday things: "I got my groceries on budget!"), put a date on it and put it in the jar. Read one when you need a mood boost.
- If you have a pet, spend some time with them. Feed your fish, play with your cat, take your dog for a walk, etc.
- Let yourself be human. Forgive yourself for mistakes real and imagined, slow down, enjoy being alive.
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Quirky Food - Takes
Every family, community and culture has some kind of food tradition. We've been going through some traditions in our family and trying out what keeps them going. The funny thing is, most of the things we have grown up eating don't seem quirky or strange until we start sharing those stories with people who haven't grown up the same way (as my intern and I found out).
Some of the things we've eaten that could make you do a double take are: stomach (great curried), tongue (delicious stewed), bitter melon (gear up your gag reflexes for this one), fermented shrimp, and chocolate covered insects. Some interesting things we've heard of but never tried are: Kopi Luwak (Indonesian coffee), Balut (Philippine egg specialty), Puffer fish and fried tarantulas (Eek! You read that right!)
What are some things that you've tried that you think people might do a double take with?
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National Mental Health Month For National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, we posted up encouraging and positive notes in bathrooms, gyms, hallways and many other places through ideas posted on the Operation Beautiful website. Here is a photo of one of the notes we put up.
There are so many things involved in mental health that cannot be designated to just one week or one specific 'specialty'. Let's keep raising awareness of such an important part of our lives and the lives of those we care about by being proactive. Take a few minutes and talk to your family, friends and neighbors. Sometimes, having a chat with someone not only relieves your stress by increasing social interaction, but can help the other party who may be suffering from something like hidden depression.
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Sweet and Spicy Fruit Salad
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Ingredients 3 Kiwi, cut into 1/4 inch pieces 8 Strawberries, cut into fourths 1 Orange, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 1/2 Grapefruit, cut into 1/2 inch pieces Juice of 1/4 lemon 1 tablespoon of chopped mint 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) 1 teaspoon of honey Prep:
Mix all of the ingredients together and let marinate for a minimum of 15 minutes, and then serve.
The salad can marinate overnight. The red pepper flakes can be omitted for those who have a heat sensitive palate.
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Kathryn Fink,
MS, RD, CSSD, LD, CEDRD
Nutrition & Fitness Consultant
I believe "There's always room for ice cream and chocolate!" My practice can assist you in your journey to a healthy relationship with food and balance in your life. Phone214-850-9573Location1110 Cottonwood LaneSuite L200Irving, Texas 75038Emailcontact@dietitianadvice.com Website www.dietitianadvice.com |
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