| Health Tip |
| Make Time to Sleep |
| Americans on average sleep about 6.8 hours a night. Anybody have any idea what experts recommend? At least 8 hours. Who has that kind of time? However, making and keeping a constant sleep schedule can make a huge difference in your
overall health. Waking up rested will not only keep you feeling better all day, but will help to reduce caffeine intake, and even regulate hormone levels that make you hungry. Yes, that's right: if you get more sleep it will be easier to
maintain healthy eating habits. Everything else in our lives is scheduled, why not schedule sleep? Your body will thank you!
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| Spotlight: Ruby Receptionist |
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"When you discover your employees never use their memberships to a gym two blocks away, it's time to give them something different, something more fun." –Jill (President)
Inactivity is a more and more common problem in work places. Sitting in a chair all day is draining and hard on the body. The employees of Ruby Receptionist cited many reasons for never using their gym memberships: from a meat market
feel to inconvenient class times. Ruby decided it was time for a change.
Enter: Recess. The results of a survey showed that the staff wanted improved health and fitness, they wanted to feel more balanced in their daily lives, and they wanted it to be convenient. The remedy became a three days a week in house
yoga class taught by Recess practitioners.
The benefits of this program speak for themselves: reduced aches and pains, increased flexibility and overall health, fewer sick days, deeper friendships, and a more supportive working environment. Try finding a gym that will do all
that!
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| Healthy Holiday Eating |
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With the holidays right around the corner, who can't help but be concerned that all their nice healthy eating habits will go right out the window? With family, fun and so many activities centered around food, this can be a daunting task.
Here are a couple very easy ideas to help you stay focused and festive.
Find a Healthy Snack
One of the hardest aspect of holiday eating is the between-meals-munching. Between the treats you make to give to your friends, the treats your friends give you, and the general atmosphere away from work and your usual schedule, it can be
all too easy to just have a bite or two here and there. Those bites, unfortunately, add up! Instead, try to make yourself a healthy snack that will satisfy both your hunger and the holiday mood. Try:
Spicy Sweet Potato Wedges
(Via Cooking Light, discovered by Julie Arterburn)
Ingredients
6 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 1/4 pounds)
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Preparation
Preheat oven to 500°.
Peel potatoes; cut each lengthwise into quarters. Place potatoes in a large bowl; coat with cooking spray. Combine sugar, salt, and peppers, and sprinkle over potatoes, tossing well to coat. Arrange potatoes, cut sides down, in a single
layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 500° for 10 minutes; turn wedges over. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until tender and beginning to brown.
Yield
8 servings (serving size: 3 wedges)
Nutritional Information
CALORIES 153(2% from fat); FAT 0.4g (sat 0.1g,mono 0.0g,poly 0.2g); PROTEIN 2.4g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 31mg; SODIUM 166mg; FIBER 2.3g; IRON 0.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 35.5g
Indulge in Moderation
Desserts, desserts, desserts! Trying to escape them entirely is a feat for the very, very strong. For the rest of us, dessert will be consumed. There is nothing wrong with this. Holidays are supposed to be indulgent, a break from the
everyday. Denying yourself entirely is no way to live. Instead, think moderation. Try picking out the dessert you most covet and reserve the time to eat it for after a meal, when everyone else will also be eating desserts, and you, of
course, have filled up on lots of good vegetables first. Avoid, especially, over filling. Listen to your body: when you full, stop eating. Also, try offering a healthier option. Cooking Light is a great resource to use, with many
leaner options of old holiday favorites. Here's a good one to try or find your own!
Gingered Pumpkin Pie
(featured in picture)
Ingredients
1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury)
10 gingersnap cookies
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 (15-ounce) can unsweetened pumpkin
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated fat-free milk
1 large egg
3 large egg whites
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.
Roll dough into a 12-inch circle; fit into a 10-inch deep-dish pie plate. Fold edges under, and flute. Freeze 30 minutes.
Place cookies, 2 tablespoons sugar, and flour in a food processor; process until cookies are ground. Add butter; pulse until crumbly.
Combine 3/4 cup sugar and remaining ingredients; pour into prepared crust. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes. Sprinkle crumb mixture over pie; bake an additional 20 minutes or until center is set. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack.
Yield
8 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)
Nutritional Information
CALORIES 338(31% from fat); FAT 11.5g (sat 5.1g,mono 4.7g,poly 1.1g); PROTEIN 7.2g; CHOLESTEROL 41mg; CALCIUM 157mg; SODIUM 340mg; FIBER 2.6g; IRON 1.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 51.7g
Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2001
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