Food for the Soul - Volunteering

The holiday season is coming up soon, and for some of us it has different effects on our emotional well being.  Some of us get stressed out with all the shopping, decorating, cooking, etc., while others are enjoying the activities it brings.  One of my favorite things to do during the holiday season and quite frankly anytime of the year, is volunteering at my local food pantry.  I not only help put the food baskets together, but I also use my car to deliver the goodies to those that do not have a way to get there to pick them up.  I meet the most interesting people, and they are all so grateful to receive the goods.  It's great for me too because I feel like I helped to make their day a little bit better.  Meeting these people also gives me a reality check as well.  It's often very easy to focus on the negative things that are happening in our life, but when you meet someone who is struggling with a burden worse than yours, it helps put things into perspective.

I have also been on the receiving end of volunteer efforts as well.  My son was on a special program to help him become more mobile.  I had to reach out to my surrounding community and ask people to volunteer their time to help move my son's body in a crawling motion in order for him to hopefully learn how to crawl.  The volunteers were people I had never met before, but the gifts they brought into my family's life were priceless.  Even though we had to take a break from my son's program, I still keep in touch with these wonderful people.  I have to say that I think they also benefited from the experience as well because they would offer to come over to help us with other parts of my son's program as well.  It was awesome to see them cheer my son on to work hard as well as come up with creative ideas to help him.

There are so many benefits to volunteering.  Today companies like to see volunteering activities on your resume.  Depending on the activity, you might learn or develop a new skill.  For example, you may learn constructions skills by volunteering with Habitat For Humanity.  You'll be a role model and inspire others to bring joy into the lives of those that are less fortunate.  You get to meet new people and network as well.  The list goes on.

So, if you're looking for some soul food this holiday season or any time of the year, consider volunteering your special gifts.  I know every person has a special gift to offer, there is no doubt about it.  I will end my post with one of my favorite quotes,  "Those whose minds are shaped by selfless thoughts give joy when they speak or act. Joy follows them like a shadow that never leaves them." Buddha (Hindu Prince Gautama Siddharta).

Wishing you a day filled with joy!



     

Nature's Whole Foods

In today's world, we can go to the food store and buy virtually anything our little heart desires.  Although this may have its' benefits, it can also have some drawbacks.  When it comes to whole foods like produce, you'll notice food stores now list the country the produce comes from.  This is important information because in order for the produce to stay fresh for the trip, sometimes these foods are chemically treated with petroleum, beeswax, and/or shellac based wax or resin.  Stores are supposed to put signs up stating this fact.  This was not the case over 100 or more years ago.  Back then, people ate what nature provided seasonally.  In my opinion, nature is awesome and practical.  For example, during the hot summer months, you'll notice that the fruits and vegetables growing during that time are juicy and watery.  Fruits and vegetables like strawberries, watermelon, cucumbers and tomatoes grow during the months of June, July and August.  These foods have a cooling effect on the body, providing some hydration during the hot weather, taste the best at that time, and tend to perish quickly.  During the fall and winter months you'll notice that there are less fruits to choose from, and vegetables like potatoes, winter squash, and turnips are in abundance. These foods have a heartier, filling and starchy quality to them.  Let's not forget that nuts are in season during this time as well.  A great source of a healthy fat.  These foods tend to be warming (are used in meals like stews and soups), and can last much longer in your fridge or pantry (nature's way of providing meals when the growing season is slow).  An important point I want to mention as well, is that foods that are eaten in season and bought locally have a higher nutrient value to them.

For those that like to experiment and some may have even noticed already, try this taste test.  Buy a tomato from the store in December then buy or grow a tomato during the summer months and see which taste better.  If you don't like tomatoes, try strawberries or blueberries, that will work as well.

I will leave you with this yummy recipe that includes the vegetables of the fall/winter season.  This recipe can be served as a side dish, in a wrap, or as a snack.  To save myself time, I use the Vidalia Chop Wizard.

Roasted Root Vegetables
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 25-35 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:
1 sweet potato
2 parsnips
2 carrots
2 turnips or 1 large rutabaga
1 daikon radish (or substitute/add in your favorites, like squash)
olive oil
salt and pepper
herbs: rosemary, thyme or sage (fresh if possible)

Directions:
1.   Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2.   Wash and chop all vegetables into large bite-sized pieces.
3.   Place in a large baking dish with sides.
4.   Drizzle with olive oil; mix well to coat each vegetable lightly with oil.
5.   Sprinkle with salt, pepper and herbs.
6.   Bake uncovered for 25-35 minutes until vegetables are tender and golden brown, checking every 10
minutes to stir and make sure veggies are not sticking.

Enjoy!

Happy Healthy Halloween!

About a week ago, a friend of mine was asking for advice on the best possible way to get through Halloween without binging on all the candy.  She has lost some weight over the past few months and is worried that she'll get off track by being tempted with all the treats.  I think there are many people out there who understand her dilemma.  One of the first things that comes to mind is one of the dietary theories I learned at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.  This particular dietary theory was called "Joshua's 90-10 diet" after the founder Joshua Rosenthal.  If diets with to many rules are not your thing, this one is very simple.  It only has one rule, and that is 90% of the time you eat what is healthy for you, and 10% of the time you eat whatever you feel like eating.  Sometimes it seems that the more you avoid certain foods, the more appealing they can be.  When you do indulge in a tasty treat, savor every bite of it.  Take time to taste and smell the treat.

Another idea that may be helpful is to fill your trick or treat bowl with some candy, small boxes of raisins and some craft items for kids like cool pencils or stickers.  Not only will this reduce the amount of candy in your bowl, but it also has some better options for the trick or treaters.  When my kids were little I always had other items in my treat bowl.  One of the reasons why I did this was because of my son Travis who is tube fed.  Halloween is one of his favorite holidays, and after coming back from our outing, he would have a bag full of treats he couldn't have, so he would give it to his sister and dad.   This also gave me the ability to have an option for the children who had diabetes. There are many good reasons to have treats other than candy.

Last but not least, here's an opportunity to observe the effects of the "sugar rush".  For those who are interested in learning the difference between eating a healthy sweet treat like an apple or banana verses a candy bar, try this easy experiment.  When you are hitting an energy low, on one day eat a piece of fruit, and on another day eat a piece of candy.  Notice how quickly your energy level spikes and how long you can last until you need something to bring that energy level back up.  There's no doubt in my mind that the healthier alternative will convince you of the difference.

Being that I believe that the best balance for health is a healthy body and a healthy soul, I would like to add another treat idea to your bag.  This treat has zero calories and is free!  In this economy, that's a bonus.  It is good for all ages too.  That treat is a big sweet hug!  We could all use one every now and then.

{{HUGS}} to all and have a healthy Halloween! 

Diet & Lifestyle

Welcome to my blog!  My name is Chrissy and I am the owner of Body & Soul Nutrition LLC.  It's here that I will be posting about basic diet and lifestyle changes that I hope will help people lead happier and healthier lives.  I chose the name Body & Soul Nutrition for my business because I believe you need to be healthy in both of these areas in order to have balance in your every day life.


I picked up a book this week titled, "Meal by Meal: 365 Daily Meditations for Finding Balance Through Mindful Eating" by Donald Altman.  In my opinion, this book is a great tool to have on your path to wellness because it has daily meditations to help one slow down and savor the meal.  In a society that's always on the run, where there are fast food restaurants one block after the other with drive up windows at every location, it sure is a sign that we are not slowing down to enjoy every bite we put into our mouth, not to mention the lack of nutrients.  

One of the assignments I had to do for one of my focus classes at the Institutes for Integrative Nutrition was an exercise titled, "chew your food".  Sounds silly in a way, but it was a wake up call for me.  At first I thought, "of course I chew my food"  only to find out it went something like this... "chew chew swallow" no more than that.  The next time you sit down to eat (wherever that may be), take notice of how many times you actually chew your food before swallowing it.  Not only does it help you to become more aware of how you are eating your food, but it's great for digestion!  Your food may actually take on a different flavor and you may get full with less food than you were before.


Here's a quote I would like to leave you with, "A crust eaten in peace is better than a banquet partaken in anxiety" Aesop.  If possible, slow down and take some time to smell the food.


Have a peaceful healthy day!