Writing a nutrition blog this time of year can be challenging! It is my heartfelt desire to impart some incredible wisdom that will allow you to sail through the holidays feeling grounded, nourished and not overfed. I would love to share something different that would suddenly make everything click?..some magical inspiration. As I sit here nothing particularly magical seems to be coming to me. Probably because there is no magic when it comes to staying grounded and balanced during this hectic time. The best intentions are nothing but fantasy without a plan.? Intentions become fruitful when practiced daily in a routine that you cultivate for yourself. The structure of a routine can be the basis of good health.? Intentions without action will vaporize when the hors d?oeuvre platter passes in front of you at a holiday party or when you?re baking cookies with your children after a stressful workday and before you know it you?ve eaten a ton of cookie dough and half a dozen of the broken cookies. Too many of us feel the obligations of the holidays like the weight of Santa?s pack on our shoulders. More often than not women (sorry guys) are the ones who feel responsible for creating the ?perfect? holiday for our loved ones. The problem is that when our focus is on everyone else?s pleasure rather than our own we tend to get our pleasure quota filled with food.
If you don?t think you have a pleasure quota, because that would be too self indulgent, I assure you that you do. It may be buried deep inside not getting much attention but it?s there. Every human being seeks and deserves pleasure. It is our birthright. Unfortunately our culture often sends the message that taking care of ourselves first is selfish. Think of airplane travel and how you are instructed to put your own oxygen mask on before helping anyone else. Unless we put ourselves first our giving to others ends up depleting us. In order to give from a place of abundance that energizes rather than depletes us we must cultivate our own pleasure. We can do this by inserting pleasure into our daily routines. So below is my recipe for creating some daily practices that will help you take care of yourself so you can take care of others. This recipe is a guide and doesn?t need to be followed exactly to benefit you. I strongly encourage you to give it a try and personalize it for maximum pleasure.
SOUL FOOD
INGREDIENTS:
15 minutes of daily solitude (more if you can find it?it is a rare and precious commodity)
30 minutes of daily exercise (can be in small doses and variety is the best)
15 minutes of daily self-care (this can take many forms as long as it feeds your soul)
15 minutes of positive reading
5-10 minutes of gratitude journaling
3-5 pinches of personal pleasure
include root vegetables in your daily diet
SUGGESTED PREPARATION:
Start your day with 15 minutes of solitude. This may require giving up the last quarter hour of your sleep but it?s so worth it! Take this time to assess how you are feeling. What do you need today to make you feel good? See yourself moving through your day smoothly with everything falling into place. What you put your attention on is what you will get. So if you?re dreading your day upon waking and see each awful detail flash before your eyes? more than likely that is what you will have. Your body speaks to you all the time; softly. If you are not quiet you will not hear what it is asking for.
We all know that exercise is beneficial but often think we don?t have time; 30 minutes a day can make a big difference. You don?t need to do it all at once. Three 10 minute periods of moving will do. Try a yoga class or video, even just some yoga stretches sprinkled throughout the day works.? Brisk walking is great. Choose walking as often as you can. If you work at a desk get up and walk around for ten minutes a couple of times a day or leave your desk and walk around the block (tell your boss I said it?s okay; you?ll be more productive, I promise). Walk up the stairs rather than taking the elevator. Ideally, a few times a week you will revel in 30 minutes of moving your body in a way that you enjoy. Putting on your favorite music and dancing is great.? You don?t even need to leave the house and young children can join you instead of being the reason for not exercising.
When it comes to self care you may be wondering what this actually means. It means taking care of you! It could be soaking in a warm bath before bed?.perhaps sipping some tea in the bath?add some soft music and a candle and you?ve created a life changing experience. As the warmth envelops you your cares begin to slip away. It could be a self massage with warm oil to get your blood circulating in the morning or packing a nourishing lunch to bring to work so you?re not tempted by all the treats that show up in your office this time of year.
When it comes to gratitude journaling, putting the focus on all that you have and are grateful for can really change your perspective, especially if done daily. It only takes a few minutes and is a wonderful way to end the day.
The 3-5 pinches of personal pleasure is one of my favorites. The options are virtually endless. Put on great music in the morning while you get ready for your day?even better dance around the house and sing along. This is guaranteed to put a smile on your face! Treat yourself to a piece of high quality dark chocolate and a cup of tea. Read something totally motivating or watch a feel good movie. While you?re moving through your day make an effort to notice the little things. Repeat a positive mantra; greet everyone you meet with a big smile. Remember what you put out into the world is what you will get back.
Lastly, since this is a nutrition blog I will recommend eating root vegetables such as beets, carrots, parsnips and burdock. These vegetables grow into the earth which gives them a deep rooted energy that can aid in keeping us grounded when things get hectic.
Most importantly, think about how you want to feel when January arrives and folks are beginning to look at their New Year?s resolutions. Wouldn?t you love to feel energized, strong, slim and healthy? The choices you make in December will get you off to a great start come January. There is a cumulative effect to everything we do. We are creating our health and our happiness everyday by the choices we make. Even when life presents us with something we don?t want we always have a choice in the way we respond to it. Health and happiness are?YOUR choice. Choose the very best?.you deserve it!
Wishing you a peace filled Holiday,
Meg Nigro Helligrass ? Certified Holistic Health Coach
yoursweetnourishment.com
sweetnourishment@yahoo.com
Source: http://blog.timesunion.com/holistichealth/a-holiday-recipe-for-soul-food/10412/
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It was Hannukah of 2005, four months after Hurricane Katrina changed everything. A group of us were in New Orleans helping to restore the homes of four Jewish families that had been flooded with nearly eight feet of water. After five days of putting up sheetrock, spackling and taping, we were standing with Anne and Stan Levy outside their home.