Healthy holiday eating tips: By Alex Brown, Nutrition Intern

1. Eat in moderation. Take a few moments to decide what you would enjoy eating the most and put a little bit of each on your plate.
2. Eat slowly. Wait a few minutes before going for second servings.
3. Stay active and make time for exercise. Go for a 20 minute walk after meals to help digestion.
4. Eat more veggies. They add flavor, color, and nutrition to holiday recipes. They also help you feel fuller for longer.

Veggie inspired holiday dishes:

• Make a homemade holiday soup using roasted veggies and spices, such as soup using roasted butternut squash, sweet potato or pumpkin.
• Make a delicious veggie side dish, like roasted carrots and beets or roasted Brussels sprouts and butternut squash with pecans and cranberries.
• Stuff a veggie, such as bell peppers stuffed with turkey, brown rice and spices like cumin.
• Turn veggies into noodles, such as tomato and basil spaghetti squash or garlic, parmesan zucchini noodles.
• Make a root veggie mash, such as a potato mash with celery, parsnip, and spices.

Make a veggie casserole, like green bean casserole with shallots.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

A delicious soup to go with a holiday dinner.

Ingredients:

1 large butternut squash, cut in half vertically, seeds removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped shallot
1 teaspoon salt
4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1/8 teaspoon ground   nutmeg
3 to 4 cups vegetable broth
1 to 2 tablespoon butter

To prepare:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Place squash on pan, drizzle olive oil on inside of squash.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Cook squash face down for 45 minutes.
4. In soup pot, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add shallot, salt.and garlic. Pour in blender.
5.  Scoop squash flesh into blender and add all other ingredients. Blend until creamy.

Relaxing at the end of your day and getting a good night’s sleep are important for both your body and your mind. While you sleep, your body works to repair blood vessels, support your immune system, and help your memory so you can feel your best.

Sometimes pain, health problems, medicines, anxiety, and lifestyle choices can make it hard to fall or stay asleep. Thankfully there are some tools to help you relax and get a more restful night’s sleep. Lavender is one of these tools. It can lower anxiety, boost your mood, and help you relax by lowering your heart rate. Smelling lavender before and while you sleep can even make you feel more rested and alert when you wake up!

Try this easy and fun way to make your own lavender pillow to help you sleep!

What you need:

• Ribbon
• A thin sock, the foot of pantyhose, or a small fabric bag
• Dried lavender flowers (buy online here)
• For a stronger lavender scent, add drops of lavender essential oil (buy online here)

To make your Lavender pillow:

1. Fill your sock or bag with dried lavender about 3/4 of the way full.
2. For a stronger scent, add 2-3 drops of lavender essential oil to the dried lavender.
3. Use the ribbon to tie the sock or bag shut.
4. Cut off the top of the sock or bag 1 1/2 inches above the tied ribbon.

You can also add chia seeds to the bag. This will give it a nice weight and texture. Place your lavender sock or bag under your pillow.  Enjoy a relaxing and restful night’s sleep!

You can even place one in your closet to give your clothes a fresh scent. Make a bag for yourself or a few to give as gifts!

Sleep is important for your health and well-being.  It helps regulate (control) your weight, memories, and hormones. A well-rested body helps your mood, productivity, and your overall health.

Practice good sleep habits:

• Limit naps to less than 30 minutes.
• Avoid caffeine and nicotine 2 to 3 hours before bed. They are both stimulants (stimulants make you more alert) and can disrupt your sleep.
• Drink alcohol only in moderation (for women, this means having 1 drink per day and for men, 2 drinks per day). Avoid alcohol 2 to 3 hours before bed.
• Try to avoid eating large meals 2 hours before bed.
• Follow a relaxing bedtime routine. A warm bath, reading, and light stretches help your body wind down.
• Avoid activities that can disrupt your sleep such as using the phone or tablet in bed, the news, or upsetting conversations.
• Create a pleasant place to sleep. Comfortable pillows and mattress, dim lights, and comfortable room temperature can help you get better sleep.  White noise machines, eye shades, and ear plugs may also help you sleep.
• Make sure to let natural light in to help control your sleep and wake cycle.

Make Your Own Sleepy Time Tea                 

Ingredients:

1 cup of unsweetened almond milk

1 tea bag of chamomile tea

1 teaspoon honey

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon of lavender buds for cooking or use chamomile lavender tea

To prepare:

1. Place the almond milk into a small saucepan and heat until very hot, but not boiling.
2. Add the chamomile tea and lavender buds.
3. Allow to steep 5–6 minutes.
4. Remove tea bag and strain out lavender buds.
5. Pour into teacup or mug.
6. Stir in the honey and vanilla extract.
7. Drink right away.

It can be hard to stay on top of your health goals. It’s easier to reach for comfort foods or a few glasses of wine. When we eat junk food our brain makes a happy hormone, which makes us want more.

Your goals are in your control. Here are some tips to help curb those food cravings and get you back on track.

1. 1. Sleep well. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body craves an energy boost. Usually that boost is in the form of sugar. It is important to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep to prevent cravings and make sound decisions.
   2. Eat a balanced breakfast. Start your day with a balanced breakfast like eggs with greens, sweet potato and avocado. This will keep you full longer and help you feel more balanced and energized.
   3. Eat throughout your day. Skipping a meal can leave you feeling angry because you are hungry (hangry). When you get to this point, cravings can take over! Eating regularly will help balance your blood sugar.
   4. Drink water. When you get cravings, have a big glass of water first. Many times we confuse thirst with hunger and drinking water first can help.
   5. Eat mindfully. Your body feels more satisfied when you slow down and focus on your food. When you are satisfied, there are less chances for cravings. Pay attention to your food as you eat to help you listen to your body about hunger and feeling full.
   6. Find the root cause. Sometimes our cravings come from emotions like stress or sadness. Try to think about where your cravings are coming from. Ask yourself: What am I feeling right now? What do I truly want right now? What can I do to fulfill that desire in this moment.

To learn more about wellness contact the Wellness Department at Community Healthcare Network at (212) 432-8494 or [email protected]

By CHN Wellness Manager, Jenna Taubin

Sedentary behavior is the time you spend sitting. Too much sitting has been shown to lead to obesity, heart disease, and other chronic diseases. Sitting can also be really hard on your body, especially your back! You may have pain, stiff joints or tight muscles after you sit for a while. Try these tips to help support and protect your body & lower back pain:

• Stretch or practice Yoga. Stretching lowers the physical effects of stress on the body. It improves blood flow which helps relieve tight muscles.
• Take a break from sitting. Take short breaks to stand in-between long stretches of sitting (like while you are at work). This will help boost blood flow to your muscles and joints.
• Practice good posture. Good posture is a great way to keep your body in a supportive position while you sit. Plus it helps make your stomach muscles strong.
• Exercise your core. The muscles in your abs and back play a role in your spine support. Keep your abs strong with exercises:

Ab squeeze: Tighten your stomach   muscles. Squeeze for 10 seconds. Relax. Repeat 10 times.

Reverse Crunch: Sit on the edge of your chair, hold onto your armrests. With your back straight, lift your knees towards your chest. Lower back down. Repeat 12 times. For an extra burn, do with your legs straight rather than bent.

Try This for a Healthy Afternoon Snack:  “Avocado Crunch”

Ingredients:

2 Chocolate Rice Cakes

1/2 Avocado

Raspberries or Pomegranate Seeds

To prepare:

1. Spread avocado over rice cakes.
2. Top with fruit.

Have you heard of the term “Blue Zones”? These are parts of the world where the most people have lived to age 100, such as in Greece and Okinawa, Japan. Scientists are fascinated with learning the lifestyle secrets from these Blue Zones to know how common habits there can add longer and healthier years to our own lives too. Here are six lifestyle habits that predict a long healthy life. And check out bluezones.com for more ideas!

1. Balanced Diet Choices – Our bodies need mostly plants (fruits, veggies, beans, nuts, seeds, & whole grains) to work at their best.
2. Avoid Smoking – Tobacco products harm your body at the genetic level. This can lead to cancer and harm lung cells. An official site based on men’s website states the effects of smoking and the drastic changes it does to men’s health.
3. Be Physically Active Each Day – Our bodies have feet and legs for a reason. We are meant to move and walk often!
4. Sleep – Making sleep a priority helps control appetite. It resets your blood pressure each night. It also helps you think clearly, and balances emotions too.
5. Stress Control – Do activities that help to lower stress. These can be things like meditation, dancing, or gardening. Some stress is part of life. Remember that long-term, repeated stress means something is unbalanced and needs to change, or else your health will get worse.
6. Social Connection – Friendships, family, and community are all a common theme in the Blue Zones. Find the people who make you feel happy and spend time with them often!

Avocado Bean Salad:

(Makes 1 serving)                                     

Ingredients:

1/2 avocado
1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes
1 scallion
1 small cucumber
1 cup of canned black beans, drained & rinsed
Pepper to taste
Garlic powder to taste
Juice from 1 lemon

To make:

• Place first 7 ingredients in a bowl and stir.
• Squeeze lemon juice on top as a dressing and mix together.